FOR KEEPS by Aaron Paul Lazar, a review



For Keeps A  Sam Moore Mystery by Aaron Lazar

I’m not sure what this mystery should be called, except that it totally captivated me from the opening paragraph. I had no idea what to expect and each page was more and more surprising. Set in a small town, the story begins like a cozy, with Sam, the retired doctor engrossed in his garden, gathering vegetables for his much beloved wife who is confined to a wheelchair. He seems to have the perfect life with loving children and grandchildren. 

A downward spiral begins when he receives a call from Lou, a friend who is also the local coroner, telling him a body has been found in the Twin Sisters Inn. This is when the plot and writing veers away from the cozy genre. Though he doesn’t recognize the murder victim at first, he realizes the victim is someone he’s neither seen nor thought of in years, a woman he had a three-day passionate fling with during spring break from medical school. Because his name and address were found near the body, he becomes a person of interest. 

A supernatural element is a huge part of the story. A green marble found in the pocket of his dead brother Billy’s clothing is a means for Billy to communicate with Sam. Billy can also transport Sam to the past.
 
When Lou is murdered, Sam realizes that everything that is happening is somehow tied to his past as Billy transports him to various scenes—some he remembers and others that are new to him. The plot twists are unexpected but plausible.

When the unthinkable happens, Sam’s grief nearly unhinges him. His attempts to change things and put things back as they were with Billy’s help through the marble, don’t turn out as he hopes. Sometimes his efforts make things worse than before, but he never gives up.

I absolutely loved this book because I had no idea what was going to happen. It shows how something from the past can haunt someone in later life. 

A most compelling and unusual mystery and I highly recommend it.



http://www.amazon.com/For-Keeps-Moore-mystery-ebook/dp/B008OXZLR2/ref=cm_rdp_product

The free days on Kindle are: Sept 14, 15, and 16th plus Oct. 12th and 13th.

Title: For Keeps
Author: Aaron Paul Lazar
Author web site:
http://www.lazarbooks.com/
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
url: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/
ISBN: 1-60619-174-3
Genre: Mystery
Format: Trade paperback
Release date: July 25, 2012
Price: $16.95
Pages: 218
LCCN: 2012942969
Chapter excerpt:
http://twilighttimesbooks.com/ForKeeps_ch1.html
Blurb:

When retired family doctor Sam Moore gets a call from the coroner to come to The Twin Sisters Inn to consult on a murder victim, he’s puzzled. Why would Lou call him? He’s retired now, and just wants to spend time with his beloved Rachel, his grandsons, and to work in his gardens.

Within days, the body count increases and Sam is a prime suspect, so he calls on a peculiar
talisman—his brother Billy’s glowing green marble—to whisk him back in time in search of clues before the killer strikes again. 






Author Bio:

Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. An award-winning, bestselling Kindle author of three addictive mystery series, Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at
www.lazarbooks.com and watch for his upcoming Twilight Times Books releases.


Here are all of my book links, awards, and websites:
Twilight Times Books by Kindle bestselling author, Aaron Lazar:

DOUBLE FORTÉ (2012, author’s preferred edition)  
UPSTAGED (coming 2012 author’s preferred edition, eBook and print)  
MAZURKA (2009, AUDIO BOOK 2012)
FIRESONG (2011, AUDIO BOOK 2012)
DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU (coming 2012)

FOR KEEPS (JULY 2012, AUDIO BOOK coming 2012)

FOR THE BIRDS (2011, AUDIO BOOK, coming 2012)
SANCTUARY (coming, 2013)

WRITING ADVICE: 

WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volumes 1, 2, 3 (AUG 2012)

Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. An award-winning, bestselling Kindle author of three addictive mystery series, Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at http://www.lazarbooks.com and watch for his upcoming Twilight Times Books releases, DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU (2012), WRITE LIKE THE WIND (2012), the author’s preferred edition of UPSTAGED (2012) and SANCTUARY (2013).

WINNER 2011 EPIC Book Awards, BEST Paranormal * FINALIST 2011 FOREWORD BOOK AWARDS * WINNER 2011 Eric Hoffer BEST Book, COMMERCIAL FICTION * 2X FINALIST Global eBook Awards 2011 * Preditors & Editors Readers Choice Award – 2nd place 2011* Winner of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s 9th Annual Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize for Literature 2011 * Finalist Allbooks Editor’s Choice Awards 2011 * Preditors&Editors Top 10 Finalist  * Yolanda Renée's Top Ten Books 2008  * MYSHELF Top Ten Reads 2008  * Writer’s Digest Top 101 Website Award 2009-2012


Marilyn

Comments

Thanks so much, Marilyn! I loved your review of For Keeps. ;o)
I thoroughly enjoyed Paul's book. It was different and kept surprising me.
Jake said…
Looking forward to reading. Thank you for opportunity to become acquainted with your writing.

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