Title of the Book: "Murder for Me"
Author: Russell Little
Publisher: Plum Creek Press
Page Count: 169 (Paperback)
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Hook: Ava is a middle-aged socialite jogging through a wooded park near her Houston home. The trees and her earbuds provide the only escape from her problems. Little does she know another problem is waiting just ahead—the kind of problem that wants her dead. Houston attorney Larry Lamb has his own difficulties to sort through.
He’s mediocre at work and a failure at marriage, and there’s something inside him screaming to get out. It’s becoming harder and harder to control—and it’s affecting him in mysterious ways. Ava’s husband Don is madly in love with Marilyn Ramirez, a woman with the power to convince men to do whatever she wants.
Marilyn has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to have Ava murdered so she can have Don for herself. When Don drops a six-figure retainer onto Larry’s lap to defend Marilyn, Larry schemes to dump the case and keep the money. But Marilyn has a different plan, and the minute Larry sees her, her plan starts working.
Main Characters: Larry Lamb, Marilyn Ramirez, Don and Ava Stonek
Summary of the Plot: Ava, a Houston socialite, is out for a jog when she finds herself in sudden danger. Her husband, Don, is having an affair with Marilyn Ramirez, an alluring woman suspected of plotting Ava's murder. Don hires lawyer Larry Lamb to defend Marilyn, but as Larry falls under Marilyn’s spell, he realizes he’s in deeper than he planned.
Analysis and Evaluation: "Murder For Me” is a mystery, suspense story that keeps you guessing from the start. The story idea is intriguing, and the well-written settings of every scene captures and pulls you into the action.
Personal Reaction: The book kicks off with plenty of action, which was intriguing, but the heavy introduction of characters made it hard to keep track and connect with the story at first. A few times, I wasn’t clear which character’s perspective was driving the scene, which pulled me out of the experience occasionally. While it wrapped up some threads, the ending still left me with several questions, and wanting a bit more closure.
Rating (Clean/PG13/R): R- because of strong language, sexual content, intense violence, and references to drug use.
How is it “laced with morality?”: One of the main characters, Larry Lamb struggles with a part of himself that goes against all morals, meanwhile Marilyn seems to have no morals at all.
How Many Handcuffs Does the Book Earn? (1-5, with 5 being the highest): I give this story three handcuffs.
About the Author—Russell Little
Russell Little practiced law in Texas for forty years. He is still licensed to practice in Texas in both state and federal court. He has tried over 200 cases both to a jury and to a judge.
Russell’s first published book, Murder For Me, a murder mystery, was launched in 2016. It was a Best Seller on Amazon. In 2022, Inklings Publishing re-issued Murder For Me with additional copy including an exciting new chapter involving the initial confrontation between Detective Simms and Marilyn. In 2023, Murder By Storm is scheduled for release continuing the battle of the two main characters.
Russell also writes children’s books with his wife of nearly forty years, Melinda. They were inspired to write the stories about their granddaughter, Vivienne, and her escapades with elephants and other animals. Those stories can be found in Inklings Publishing’s Perceptions Series, volume 3, for Children, entitled Vivi’s Special Friend and Vivi and The Lonely Rhino. They live in Vinings, Georgia, and have three children, Katie, Will, and David, and a son-in-law, Patrick.
Connect with Russell— www.russelllittleauthor.com
Great review!