Tuesday, January 29, 2013

100 Book Challenge - Book 13 - L.A. Rain



Book 13 / 100
Book: L.A. Rain: Three Novels
Author: J.R. Rain
ASIN: B004O0U2D2
Pages: 371 (Kindle Locations: 7819)

Yes indeedy, a book with three novels in one! The first digital only book in my list, and it’s one I got for free (you gotta love free) Anyway, the book has three stories in it, so this review will have three parts…

Novel 1: Elvis Has Not Left The Building
In 1977 the world believed that Elvis Aaron Presley died suddenly, when what actually happened was he faked his own death and underwent extensive plastic surgery. Now at the age of 75 Aaron King lives in L.A. and works part time as a P.I. Now a new case falls in his lap, and with it he finds new hope, and even a new spur towards his old life. A young starlet, at the beginning of a promising movie career, has vanished, and the police have almost no leads. As Aaron pieces things together he uncovers dark secrets and his own desires and fears.

Overall this was a good story, took a little bit to get into but ended up being very interesting. Keep an eye out for a special cameo at the end as well as some awesome music :)

Novel 2: The Body Departed
James Blakely is dead. But what lays beyond dead is the question, for James, he’s certain he’s headed for Hell, only he’s not sure why. When one dies the memory starts to go, and James has been dead for two years. With the help of a medium, Pauline, he begins to put together the details of his life, his death, the death a young boy, the death of a piano teacher and the thin string of fate that binds them all together.

Another good story in the end, it was a bit tough to get into, but once you start putting things together you have to know how it ends. I tell ya, I had goosebumps when a character made a cameo appearance.

Novel 3: The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo
Okay, this is a bit more my thing, vampires :)

PI Spinoza is hired by a worried woman to find her adoptive granddaughter, a granddaughter who believes herself to be a vampire slayer, not a hunter mind, but a slayer. The granddaughter, Veronica, had witnessed her parents brutal murder several years earlier at the hands of a so-called vampire with a dragon tattoo. Fortunately for Veronica, Spinoza is very good at his job, and his job is finding missing kids and teens. Spinoza isn’t really prepared for the word of darkness and blood drinking that this particular case will take him to, but since when has that stopped a dogged investigator?

I enjoyed this story, it was a fun romp as we learn about Spinoza and his past, the tragic death of his son and wife, his alcoholism and his determination to help those with lost children.

Overall this book was very fun, three novellas that take us into worlds of mysteries and fantasy, yet all set in the real world of L.A. I’d give this book 4 out of 5 magnifying glasses and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for an easy read of some interesting detective style stories.

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