I wanted to share this review of the third novella in my DENNY RYDER PARANORMAL CRIME SERIES. I was so pleased that author, Carol Balawyder, reached all the depths of this story, which I had embedded in hints throughout the series, revealing my passion for finding missing children, helping the mentally ill, and stopping child abuse. I believe there is a vast audience for truth in fiction. And, yes, Carol, you are so right…there is much more in the series to come…after all, Benny Russo is still out there!
In conjunction with this current review and for new followers to my blog, ALL THREE DENNY RYDER PARANORMAL CRIME SERIES NOVELLAS WILL BE FREE STARTING TOMORROW FOR FIVE DAYS! APRIL 25 – APRIL 29, 2015. PLEASE ENJOY AND WRITE AN REVIEW. YOU HAVE NO IDEA NOW MUCH IT HELPS AUTHORS AND READERS ALIKE!
THANK YOU, DEBORAH A. BOWMAN, AUTHOR
Scary and Believable
Format: Kindle Edition
In her afterword to her novella Stroke of Silence, Deborah Bowman states that she believes “in the message of finding missing children and getting the criminals off the street.”
Basing her novella on research and real life cases she takes the reader through an investigation of two missing children, Tommy and Clarissa.
Detective Ted Collins, a very sympathetic character, leads the investigation with the help of Denny Ryder, a woman who comes in and out of her coma just long enough to talk about her clairvoyant dreams regarding the missing children. Collins has no trouble with Ryder’s 6th sense as his dead wife Joanie encourages him from beyond this world.
Bowman brings the reader inside the mind of Benny Russo, a scary and greatly disturbed man. His world is both a frightening and unsettling one. Frightening because his horrific crimes are based on reality; disturbing because Russo is not just a monster but was once a child himself cruelly abused. A fine line is drawn between Nature VS Nurture.
Setting plays an important part in the novella and Bowman is good at depicting a sense of place and taking the reader along with her:
“They saw the lights of the other chopper in the distance. When they broke through the dense brush, they saw it had touched-down in the shallow creek – the only place it could possibly have landed. The trees were so tall and thick, you couldn’t see much of anything even with high beam floodlights.”
I have a feeling that Bowman is not finished with her Denny Ryder Paranormal Crime Investigation Series.
Basing her novella on research and real life cases she takes the reader through an investigation of two missing children, Tommy and Clarissa.
Detective Ted Collins, a very sympathetic character, leads the investigation with the help of Denny Ryder, a woman who comes in and out of her coma just long enough to talk about her clairvoyant dreams regarding the missing children. Collins has no trouble with Ryder’s 6th sense as his dead wife Joanie encourages him from beyond this world.
Bowman brings the reader inside the mind of Benny Russo, a scary and greatly disturbed man. His world is both a frightening and unsettling one. Frightening because his horrific crimes are based on reality; disturbing because Russo is not just a monster but was once a child himself cruelly abused. A fine line is drawn between Nature VS Nurture.
Setting plays an important part in the novella and Bowman is good at depicting a sense of place and taking the reader along with her:
“They saw the lights of the other chopper in the distance. When they broke through the dense brush, they saw it had touched-down in the shallow creek – the only place it could possibly have landed. The trees were so tall and thick, you couldn’t see much of anything even with high beam floodlights.”
I have a feeling that Bowman is not finished with her Denny Ryder Paranormal Crime Investigation Series.
BowmanAuthor and Writer/Editor 
I am so pleased, Deborah, that you liked my review.
I didn’t want to mention that Benny Russo was still on the loose because I thought it might be a spoiler but now that I think about it your novella is so much more than catching the criminal.
It has so many layers and I hope that many will take advantage of your promotion. I’m going to pick up the first two novellas in this series. I am curious to learn more about the characters but especially Denny and Clarissa.
All the best with your promotion. Thank you.
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Carol, you inspired me to promote them again. It has been awhile. I’m the editor and designer who can ghost write, format, layout a book cover-to-cover, including pictures, but knows very little about promotion. It’s probably an age issue. Writing my own fiction is what I love so I keep plugging along. Thanks for giving me that little push that was needed.
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My pleasure! 🙂
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Lovely to know to of my friends here connected. 🙂 Deb, I want to read that series. I’m so behind in reading blogs, I missed the promo, but that won’t stop me. ❤
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Yes, I think you’d like this series. Novellas–quick reads, but they pack a punch. 😄
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Lol, I just read my comment I posted at midnight, ‘to’, really? Duh me! Please edit me editor! 🙂
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Lack of sleep excuses everything!
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❤
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