Joey Madia, New Mystics Reviews

“A Truly Haunted Vessel”: A Review of Haunted Queen of the Seas: The Living Legend of the RMS Queen Mary, by Nicole Strickland (2nd ed., Penoaks Publishing, 2017). ISBN 978-1542595575 As much as I enjoy writing book reviews, some are more special than others. Not only is this my two-hundredth; it’s on a subject near and dear to my heart—the art and craft of paranormal investigation. Factor in the additional aspect of it celebrating one of the most haunted places in the world—meticulously and dare I say lovingly documented by a true professional in our field—and this review is very special indeed. Keeping in mind that this is book one of a trilogy that Strickland has written over the past decade about the Queen Mary, and that she is a frequent walker among Mary’s hallowed and haunted passageways and decks, it’s hard to do the length and breadth of Strickland’s work justice in a two-page review, so I’ve decided to highlight the methodology of the book, which overlaps with best practice...

“Once the Clock Strikes 12”: A Review of Nothing Good Happens After Midnight (A Suspense Magazine Anthology), edited by Jeffery Deaver (Burdett, NY: Suspense Publishing, 2020). Paperback ISBN: 978-0-578-72436-2/Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-578-75057-6 Anthologies are a lifeblood of the publishing industry. At any given time, I’m usually reading at least one. They are a great way to explore a certain genre (in this case, Thrillers) or to learn about new authors whose works you might enjoy. Author–editor Jeffery Deaver has assembled a notable group of writers whose accolades as far as bestseller lists, awards, number of different languages in print, and sheer productivity most likely equal any current anthology’s on the market, and there’s plenty to highlight among the dozen stories in this brand-new collection, so let’s dive in. Editor Deaver eases the reader into an eclectic mix of stories with one that treads along a tried and true trope of this genre: serial killers. [Subsequent stories ...