Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: A college student, Amanda, accepts a babysitting job from a new family in town. The parents seem friendly but the mother, Helen, seems a bit elusive whenever Amanda asks questions. Once she is left alone in the house, however, Amanda discovers the truth, the man Helen lives with isn't her real husband. Instead, her real husband and the child's father, Brian, has been institutionalized, has escaped and is now trying to get inside the house. Who's in it? The movie stars Honor Blackman , Susan George , George Cole , Ian Bannen and Tara Collinson. Review: I came across Fright while scrolling through movies on Amazon Prime yesterday. While it sounded similar to plenty of other horror movies/thrillers I've seen, I figured I'd give it a try this morning since I had some extra time before needing to head into the office. While I don't think it was the best movie I've seen from this genre, it ended up being OK. The movie does a decent job building up th...

Synopsis: Down-on-his-luck architect Edward Shaw is introduced to the flirtatious Doris Hillman, who offers him $500,000 to partner with her in a real estate business. Drawn in by both the money and the possibility of a romantic tryst with the married Doris, Shaw accepts. However, when Doris' husband, Gus, who is bankrolling the business, insists on Shaw taking out a $175,000 life insurance policy, the architect begins to suspect he is a victim of fraud, and his life is in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Angela Lansbury , Keith Andes , Douglass Dumbrille , Claudia Barrett and Jane Darwell . Review: I came across this film on Epix early this morning and, while I thought the plot sounded a bit predictable, I decided to give the movie a chance. After watching it, I do have to say the movie did exceed my expectations and I wound up enjoying it. I think the thing I liked best about this movie was the way it set up the main plot gradually and in a way that made it difficult t...

Synopsis: When she enters her home, it takes Army intelligence officer Amy Cornwall thirty seconds to realize her husband and daughter are missing. A single phone call from their kidnapper delivers an ultimatum, free an unknown prisoner from military custody in the next 48 hours or her family will be killed. Review: I've never been interested in reading James Patterson. However, my daughter recently purchased this book for me as a birthday gift and that prompted me to give it a try. While I still wouldn't quite classify it as a genre I'd be interested in reading on a regular basis, I will say I enjoyed the book more than I was expecting to. Amy Cornwall is an intriguing character. Her husband and daughter were in danger and I could sense genuine concern from her but, at the same time, she managed to treat the situation with a somewhat unemotional approach, finding clues from neighbors and the local service station security cameras before ditching the burner phone the kid...

Synopsis: After her archaeologist father dies, a newly "freed" Anne Beddingfeld moves to London in search of adventure. When she witnesses a man fall in front of a train and finds a connection between that and the murder of an unknown woman, she uses that information to obtain a newspaper correspondent job. She ultimately ends up on a ship to South Africa where she learns two important things, she is investigating a case involving stolen diamonds and her life is in danger as a result. Image courtesy of Pixabay Review: I started reading Agatha Christie's fourth novel a couple weeks ago and finally had a chance to finish it up last night, while waiting for my daughter at the ice rink. Overall, I have to say I enjoyed every bit of this one. Normally, I can read (or watch) a mystery and have some sort of idea about who the bad guy is. And, even when I'm wrong, it's usually my second choice. This time around, I have to admit I was completely stumped. I h...