When We Disappear: A Novel by Lise Haines

When We Disappear: A Novel by Lise Haines. Unbridled Books. Copyright June 2018.; hb. 304 pp.; ISBN: 9781609531478.

Mona and her father, Richard, are out driving when the unthinkable happens.  They are in a car accident, which we don’t discover until well into the novel, caused by Richard and a mother and child die because Richard panics and leaves the scene.  The rest of the story fleshes out the consequence of those few minutes of inaction.  In one sense, they are horrific for the victims who die.  In another sense they are tragic as Mona and her father live day after day with that event coloring their every thought, word and deed.  It’s almost beyond words to explain!

Yet this event coincides with Mona’s teenage years and Richard’s life as the economy causes him to lose his job.  His answer is to leave home, “looking for a job” and wandering from state to state.  He meets people of all kind, no spoilers here, who represent various personalities, careers, etc., including circus people, and other normal and different types.  Mona’s Mom, who is extremely talented in making sculptures that sell and show in galleries with great acclaim until the failing economy forces her to put her artistic career on hold.  Now they must sell their home, move into a small apartment and make do with whatever money they can make with occasional small amounts sent by Richard.

Mona is basically rebelling against it all.  She develops her own artistic senses as a photographer, sleeps with the man training her in her future career and other guys.  Yet there’s a sense of responsibility that endearingly holds her to monitor the well-being of her Mom and her sister Lola, as well as expressing her teenage angst with snipes of irony and more.

You will have to wait for the incredible ending of this poignant story to experience the surprising quality of closeness and separation that abide together in this unique priceless family. 

Lise Haines is a phenomenal writer.  This is not a bleak book despite its tragic circumstances.  It’s a story of loss, lies, betrayal, deep love and rehabilitation which makes every one of its characters grow into true human richness!  This is a potent, unusual and memorable read that this reviewer highly recommends!

From Nothing: A Novel of Technology, Bar Music and Redemption by Ken Goldstein

From Nothing: A Novel of Technology, Bar Music and Redemption. Ken Goldstein. Story Plant. Copyright May 2018. pb. 352 pp.; ISBN: 9781611882544.

Victor Selo’s life has bombed out and recovered twice.  After the first time when he’s at rock bottom, he turns to playing lead and support guitar in bar bands.  It’s popular music, especially “oldies but goodies” that most baby boomers loved and still love.  Now after multiple years working in the tech business in Silicon Valley, in which he and his buddies devise a way to create apps for people to buy individual song hits.  Technology develops so rapidly that he knows the company has to expand and move up several notches to stay on top of the music tech game. Rapidly he realizes that due to the narrow-minded attitudes and thinking of the “bosses,” the company is about to go bust. 

Victor Selo, however, has a great deal of anger built up inside and when his bosses are unresponsive to his suggestions and he discovers a competitor wants to buy them out just to destroy them, all hell breaks loose.  After a totally engaged, violent scene, Victor Selo is fired.  Not only is he canned but several days later he is “taught a lesson” with a brutal beating that almost kills him.  He plans to run away but instead follows his gut.

Returning to the job of guitar performer in a cover band, Vic meets several band members with sensitive and controlling ideas of how to climb the ladder to success.  The lead singer who owns the group also sings an Elvis “wedding” gig in Los Angeles and a female singer who has some very creative ideas is stifled until Vic comes alone.

The conflict continues until finally Vic, who seems destined to lead wherever he is, gets them to a critical breaking point where they must change or separate. At the same time, the opponents from his earlier techie life keep appearing making him unbelievable, flush offers of which he wants no part.  The end is sheer stunning fiction.

From Nothing… will remain in your mind long after you’re done reading.  It’s got great ideas, mind-blowing tension, and adventure in every scene.  It also contains music lyrics from an amazing playlist almost everyone up to the 21^st Century can appreciate and rock along with.  Some people are born leaders and Victor Selo is a fine heroic character who never falters in leading other men and women upward and onward!  Nice job, Ken Goldstein!

Three Shoeboxes: A Novel by Steven Manchester

Three Shoeboxes: A Novel. Steven Manchester. Fiction Studio Books. Copyright June, 2018. pb. 262 pp.; ASIN #: Bo7BN465JD.  .

Jen and Mack are celebrating their 15^th wedding anniversary, and it’s clear they are still very much in love.  They love their three children as well and Mack knows how to be friend but more important mentor to their growing up.  On that special day of celebrating their relationship, they see an accident and Mack’s world spins totally out of control.  All of a sudden, he finds his chest tightening, his head aching, and feeling unable to catch a breath, along with sweats and a racing heart.  He ignores it initially but when it reoccurs several times, he goes to get help at the hospital.  There some insensitive nurses confirm behind the screen that he’s having panic attacks; they treat it like no big deal.  But it’s a very big, big deal that continues and even escalates.

Mack will eventually get help but not before his personality undergoes a dramatic change borne of fear and he winds up making his wife and children dread to be around him because they fear his drunken and sober rages.  Jen realizes she needs to protect her children and so she takes appropriate legal action.  Mack is at risk for losing his job.  So many losses but Mack finally surrenders and begins the process of healing he so desperately needs through help for his PTSD, alcoholism, and panic attacks.

No more about the plot which readers will find very intense.  What is remarkable about this brutally honest story is the expression of support and growth evident in the letters that Mack writes to his children, later to his wife, and those of his wife – all written but not sent until the perfect moment. Manchester’s ability to depict the deepest emotions realistically and poignantly is noteworthy.

One would like to hope this is a rare account but most of us know it’s not.  Whether the cause is war or a horrible event one experiences but represses, PTSD is an all too real, horrific state that can make or break a person unless one receives professional help.  Faith is easy until one enters an unbelievable state of hell and the road back or forward is wonderfully presented in this memorable, compassionate account.  Highly recommended – read it and pass it on to others.  Recognizing the symptoms is half of the healing process.  Once again, finely crafted, Steven Manchester!

Nelly's Case: A Tug Wyler Mystery Series by Andy Siegel

Nelly’s Case: A Tug Wyler Mystery Series. Andy Siegel. CreateSpace Publishing. Copyright 2018. pb. 324 pp.; ISBN: 9781981553341.

Nelly Rivera had a horrible fear of dental treatment and so she agreed to be slightly knocked out with anesthesia for treatment of a simple cavity.  Her sister, Jessie, was there, attempting to calm Nelly’s anxiety.  All seemed well but quickly went disastrous.  Nelly was in a coma, and doctors seemed unable to issue a positive prognosis. The remaining question is why did Dr. Grad leave the dental room immediately after he started the IV of anesthesia?

Tug Wyler appears and endeavors to have Jessie start a malpractice case against Dr. Grad.  Jessie must be in shock as she’s almost unable to communicate her wishes to Tug or anyone at the hospital.  In between this case, the reader gets a fill-in of Tug’s background as personal injury attorney who receives case from Henry, a snappy, tough lawyer who knows how to wheel and deal his way through any court system, defendant or plaintiff.  There are some very funny moments in the interactions between these two attorneys which lightens the intensity just where it’s needed.

No spoilers here but enough to alert the reader that this case involves far more than a dental procedure gone awry.  Red alert: life insurance policy!  Jessie remains unavailable and only occasionally visiting her sister who is in a rehabilitation facility slowly responding to medical attempts to bring her totally out of the coma.

Tug may be under Henry’s thumb, but Tug’s not only alert to making money but engaging in any case where injustice and fraud are suspected.  Both Henry and Tug wonder why the defendant attorney knows more facts about this case than they do.  Also, where are the other members of Nelly’s family in the face of this upsetting development?

There are more guilty parties in this matter than one initially suspects but the author knows how to time out the suspenseful scenes that lead to the final discovery and delivery of justice.

Tug Wyler is definitely a true personal injury attorney who educates the reader about the lawsuit process, the documents and discovery aspects to be clarified and obtained and the collection of relevant and irrelevant evidence.  This is a fine mystery that all mystery fans will enjoy.  Nicely crafted, Andy Siegel.