Joffe Books Murder Mystery \u0026 Suspense Short Story Collection Volume 1 by Gretta Mulrooney

Joffe Books Murder Mystery \u0026 Suspense Short Story Collection Volume 1 Reviews

• 
  Mandy

  I found the dialogue a little unrealistic but a nice little twist at the end.
• 
  Joyce

  1020 kb
  
  
  The Worm Turns by Gretta Mulrooney - 4 stars
  
  Tyrone Swift, a newly minted private investigator, has a case of a woman who was murdered by being pushed down some cellar steps. While someone confessed, Nick, the dead woman’s grandson isn’t so sure that the confession is the truth. The woman who confessed is the sister to the deceased woman and she is a special needs person. The murdered woman was thoroughly unlikable. Who really murdered her?
  
  This is a delightful little story with no real surprises. I pretty much had it figured out, but enjoyed Ms. Mulrooney’s writing style. It is a clever story.
  
  The Carrion Crow by Helen H. Durrant - 3 stars
  
  Ms. Durrant missed the boat on this one. Her Detective Callandine is supposed to be on vacation, but butts into an investigation of a young man’s death. While he solved the case, his interfering manner grated on me.
  
  Creeper on the Levels by David Hodges - 3 stars
  
  Sergeant Kate Hamblin doesn’t seem too bright.
  
  This is a rather disjointed story. I had a hard time staying interested.
  
  Time to Kill by Bill Kitson - 3 and 1 / 2 stars
  
  This story is well written. The DS and the DC investigating the case are likeable characters. However, the outcome was pretty predictable.
  
  
  FORGIVE ME by Joy Ellis - 5 stars
  
  DS Yvonne “Vonnie” and a PC investigate the case of a suicide. The man was very well liked in the community. No one had any suspicion that he was going to commit suicide. Vonnie is suspicious and knows the man must have been a ne'er-do-well. The PC assisting her is not so sure. He delves into the man’s past. It seems he didn’t exist nine years earlier!
  
  Oh man, what a huge surprise is in store for the reader!! Excellent little story.
• 
  John

  This was an excellent short story about a suicide attended by two police officers, PC Yvonne Collins, (Vonnie) and rookie cop PC Jamie Smith.
  A suicide note asking for forgiveness arouses Vonnie's suspicions stating that the deceased man must have some awful skeleton in his cupboard, and her copper's nose is not usually wrong. Young Jamie disagrees, stating that as a near neighbour, this man was whiter than white, caring for his elderly neighbour and supporting his local church.
  Vonnie challenges Jamie to prove her wrong.
  
• 
  Dobby

  Summary: 5 stars for Joy Ellis' short story, 4.5 for Gretta Mulrooney's. The other 3 were DNFs because life's too short to wade through lackluster plots full of cardboard characters.
  
  "The Worm Turns" by Gretta Mulrooney
  PI Tyrone Swift's first case is solving the mystery in a family's history. Well written, believable characters. 4.5 stars
  
  "The Carrion Crow" by Helen H. Durrant
  Cardboard characters, thin plot, no joy here. DNF
  
  "Creeper on the Levels" by David Hodges
  The relationship between husband and wife investigative team of Hayden and Kate was too toxic for my taste. The lunch scene did it for me; nope nope nopety nope. DNF.
  
  "Time to Kill" by Bill Kitson
  Couldn't get into the story; didn't like the characters; pacing too slow. DNF
  
  "Forgive Me" by Joy Ellis
  Another Joy Ellis thriller, this one featuring PC Yvonne (from the Nikki Galena series) and her new trainee, Jamie. Ellis never disappoints! 5 twisting and turning stars
• 
  Susan

  1. Turns - Gretta Mulrooney - Tyrone Swift is asked to investigate an old case by the grandson - the death of Doreen Frain back in 1960. Was the true culprit imprisoned.
  2. The Carrion Crow - Helen A Durrant. On holiday at the pub The Carrion Crow, detective Tom Calladine discovers a body and can’t help but interfere to solve the death
  3. Creeper on the Levels - David Hodges - A killer is taunting DS Kate Lewis. how many will he kill.
  4. Time to Kill - Bill Kitson - Brinton Playhouse are having their opening night when their leading actor has failed to appear. A body has been discovered but why and who are the questions.
  5. Forgive Me - Joy Ellis- Arthur Sims is an apparent suicide, he left a note. But PC Yvonne Collins is not so sure and challenges PC Jamie Smith to prove her wrong.
  Five entertaining and well-written short stories
• 
  Bonnye Reed

  A collection of 5 Shorts by various British artists I received at no cost from publisher Joffe Books. I have read this collection of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Three of these authors were already on my favorites listing, but I am now adding the rest. Excellent mysteries, and precise well-paced shorts. A true short story is not the easiest thing to achieve but very well done in these stories. I am pleased to recommend them all to friends and family.
  
  The Worm Turns by Gretta Mulrooney
  The Carrion Crow by Hellen H. Durrant
  Creeper on the Levels by David Hodges
  Time to Kill by David Hodges
  Forgive Me by Joy Ellis
  Collection reviewed on Goodreads, AmazonSmile, BookBub, and Kobo on February 25, 2022.
• 
  Alayne

  This was a very uneven anthology, and so I will rate each story individually. The first, The Worm Turns by Gretta Mulrooney, I would give 4 and a half stars, and the last, Forgive Me by Joy Ellis I would give 4 stars. The other three, The Carrion Crow by Helen H Durrant, Creeper on the Levels by David Hodges and Time to Kill by Bill Kitson, I would give 2 stars. Thus the average of 3 stars. They were all very short and quick to read. The middle ones needed more proofreading.
• 
  Beth

  Great!
  
  These authors are ones that I always read. So I was excited to read these short stories. Each one was a complete mystery. And each story was really good. I highly recommend this book. And I would love to see a short story collection of Christmas mysteries!
• 
  John Roberts

  I really enjoyed most of these short stories soe however left e disappointed by all new series for me with some to read a full length novel as I enjoyed the snapshot off. I highly recommend Joffe Books.
• 
  Gillian

  Review
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this set of short stories. Each story was different, but they all included a mystery. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
• 
  Booklover BEV

  fantastic collection of short stories from JOFFE authors to be enjoyed anytime
• 
  MaryAnn

  A well-rounded assortment of engaging short stories from different authors.
• 
  Simon Fenwick

  Good set of five short stories by million book selling authors.
• 
  Laurie K.

  Truly a disappointing read. I know it is a short story, but it still felt incredibly rushed. The characters were flat, and the dialogue uninspired.
• 
  Vicky

  There's something to be said for a short-story format Murder Mystery. There's no room for any silliness, you have to get straight to the point. I quite like this for that reason.
  
  In this story, Calladine is away for a few days on a fishing trip with his friend, the retired Doc Hoyle and finds a dead body. He is unable to stay away from the investigation when he believes that the local police are not good enough, so he tries to find the murderer himself.
  
  Merged review:
  
  Enjoyable short story, the detective investigates the death of a grandmother, speaking with the family members to try to determine who knows something they are not saying.
  A good introduction to this character.
  
  Merged review:
  
  Enjoyable enough. Strange I can't remember the characters as I have read a couple of the early books in this series.
  A killer taunts detective Kate with poems scrawled in red crayon at each crime scene.
  
  Merged review:
  
  A fun murder mystery, easy and quick to read - perfect for my midweek evenings.
  A murder behind a theatre had the whole cast, crew and their families as suspects. The two female detectives: Carol and Dianne are working to find out who is responsible.
  
  Merged review:
  
  Clever little short story, with a young policeman investigating the suspected suicide of a neighbour of his. He believes the guy was good, but his mentor suspects some farm secret. The young policeman sets out to find who is correct.
  
  Great ending.
• 
  Aviar Savijon

  A quirky but detailed mystery adventure where what you see at face value might not be the right answer. I loved it.!!!!!
  
  Merged review:
  
  An easy read. A unique mystery with events that change everything. I loved it!!!
  
  Merged review:
  
  A great detective mystery investigation. I loved it! With falsehoods of pot making people psychotic.
  
  Merged review:
  
  Like all small town productions in the theater this was a very dramatic exchange of words that unfolds as a mystery to find the correct killer, plot Twists and a incredible ending. You gotta read it to find out what I mean. I loved it!!!!!!
  
  Merged review:
  
  As the saying goes, it's darkest just before dawn or when it all goes black. This tale begins as a good cop looking for good but doesn't end that way a must read. I loved it!!!!!!
• 
  Christine Rennie

  An excellent short story by Joy Ellis. It is an extremely clever story with a twist at the end. Two police officers are investigating a sudden death. The older female officer says that there is something nasty in his past of the dead man, and the younger policeman thinks he is a good men. He investigates and finds out who he used to be.
  Highly recommended.
  
  Merged review:
  
  Joffe Books Murder Mystery & Suspense Short Story Collection
  
  I read all five of the short stories and each of them were very clever and well crafted pieces of work. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book of short stories.
  Highly recommended
• 
  Gordon Johnston

  An apparent suicide with no motive. A cynical copper who is sure there is a dark secret and a young idealist who doesn't agree. But who is right?
  
  A clever short story with a lovely twist at the end.