A Review: Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance

Welcome Adventurers. Today I bring you a review of Derrick Belanger's Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance. This one hundred sixteen page novella opens with a forward claiming it was based on found letters between Dr. John Watson and his nephew. When young artist turned art thief is killed with a letter from Sherlock's brother Mycroft in his possession excusing any crime he commits as service to the crown. It's up to Sherlock and Watson to discover whether the letter threatening execution to any who interfere with the dead thief is indeed genuine. To add to the mystery, the wealthy art dealer who's painting was destroyed in the burglary has also hired Sherlock to investigate and this promises to be a classic Sherlock Adventure with all the high stakes and turns. On the whole I found the story enjoyable and would readily recommend this to any Sherlock fan. Until next time Adventurers Happy reading.  

Classic Mystery pt 2

Welcome Adventurers. As you can see by my title. Yes I am still on my classic mystery kick and still reading through the Father Brown short stories. Today's story was interesting because not only was it a mystery, but it had a little taste of science fiction to it. The story I'm talking about is The Invisible Man. It begins in a confectioner's shop where a young man named Angus comes to ask the young woman there to marry him. He finds out that two others have asked for her hand as well (and here's where the science fiction comes in.) One has become an inventor of mechanical maids and butlers, who's being stalked by his rival. When the inventor is found dead and no one sees who entered or left the building, will Father Brown be able to catch the killer? I'm not saying. All I can say is this was one of my favorite of the Father Brown mysteries so far. That's all until next time Adventurers.

The Classic Mystery

Welcome Adventures. Today I'm going a little off the topic. Lately I have been on a mystery kick with my reading focusing on the classics in particular. I recently bought a copy of the Complete Father Brown Stories by G.K. Chesterton. A massive book filled with every Father Brown short story. So far my favorite is The Blue Cross it's a great mystery where it seems the lead Father Brown pays little roll in. In this story you are introduced to the master thief Flambeau and his pursuer the French Police Detective Valentin. As I said earlier the story progresses with very little mention of the book's title character Father Brown until you find that... Well I won't spoil the ending for you. I'll just say that very clever and subtle clues, paired with vivid and excellent characters create a wonderful story. I'd say this is a must read. Until next time Adventurers.

Oops, I guess I got busy

Sorry Adventurers. I guess I got a little busy these past few weeks. But I have some amazing news. I've released my first ever children's book called Curly, Pugsly, and the Time Trunk. It's a cute little adventure featuring a teddy bear named Curly a Pug named Pugsly and what happens when they find an old trunk. A great little bed time read for ages 1-7 yrs old. In other news I've also refreshed my website. You can find it at www.leannashieldsauthor.com. Hope you all have a great week.


You can find my book on Amazon.

New Projects

   Welcome Adventures. So It seems like I skipped a week on my blog, sorry. I've been busy with a couple new projects. Lately in my writing I've been exploring the whole retro-futurism genre starting with my latest work (still in edits) a 1920's/steampunk mystery set on an archaeology site. I'm also dabbling with an idea of elves in a atomic punk setting. Yes my mind is a strange place at times. I'm hoping to have the 1920's book (no title yet) out sometime this summer so keep your screens tuned. Until next time enjoy the adventure.

A Sample of My Own Writing.

Welcome Adventurer! Today I thought it might be fun to share a sample from my book The Clockwork Golem. In this sample you see The Golem's humanity fighting the machine surrounding him as he decides whether or not to save the main character Sara. So Please enjoy this sample from The Clockwork Golem.

               The Golem
      She was the enemy. In war enemies die. At least that's what I tried to say to convince myself that leaving a woman to die of asphyxiation was the right thing to do. My father told me over and over again that it was never right to harm a woman. Here I was, going against all I was taught. Did it matter that she was a traitor? A spy? A person whose single goal was to undermine our government?
     The man in me said, "No." Everything in me said, "No."
     But this metal monstrosity surrounding me said, "Yes." it told me, "She's the enemy and must die."


So what will happen? Will the metal or the man win? If this sample has drawn your attention you can find my book The Clockwork Golem on Amazon.com. Until next time keep on your adventure.

Nyssa Glass and the Cutpurse Kid: A Review

      Welcome Adventurer. Today I'll be reviewing The book Nyssa Glass and the Cutpurse Kid by H. L. Burke. This book is the 3rd installment of the Nyssa Glass Series. In this book Nyssa ( a reformed Cat-burglar) and her Boyfriend Ellis have gone into hiding on the Island of San Azula. While she tries to rebuild her life the past comes back to haunt her when her larcenous uncle comes into town. He demands money in exchange for his silence, and when that fails... well... you'll have to read the book to find out. This book is a great combination of mystery, suspense, and a touch of humor. The character Nyssa is a wonderfully strong female character. She's complex, she's brave, and yet she can show weakness and gentleness to her boyfriend Ellis. While we're on the topic Ellis, oh Ellis if only you were real. He is a great blend of humor, brains, and the masculine want to protect. The book wonderfully depicts the relationship between Nyssa and Ellis amid the chaos that comes when Nyssa's uncle begins to cause trouble. And the ending of the book when... Ah-ah-ah. No spoilers here folks.

In all I give Nyssa Glass and the Cutpurse Kid a 5 out of 5 gears.
get this book on Amazon.com