Metropolita Opera Violinist Writes Aria for Murder

BOOK TITLE: ARIA FOR MURDER 

AUTHOR OF BOOK: ERICA MINER

GENRE: MYSTERY/THRILLER

ISBN: 1685121985

SERIES: JULIA KOGAN OPERA MYSTERIES

PAGE COUNT: 254

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Aria-Murder-Julia-Kogan-Mystery/dp/1685121985/

THE REVIEW ITSELF: By Midwest Book Review

FULL REVIEW

Excitement mounts as the moment arrives for brilliant young violinist Julia Kogan's debut in the orchestra of the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera. But the high-stakes milieu of this musical mecca is rocked to its core when, during an on-stage murder scene, Julia's mentor, a famous conductor, is assassinated on the podium.

Thrust into the investigation when her closest colleague in the orchestra is named chief suspect, Julia teams up with opera-loving NYPD detective Larry Somers to solve the murder. In the process, they are shocked to discover the venerable opera house is rife with a web of secrets, intrigue, and lethal rivalries. But all bets are off when Julia suddenly finds herself the real killer's prime target!

Critique: A cosy mystery at its very best, "Aria for Murder" is the first of novelist Erica Miner's 'A Julia Kogan Opera Mystery' trilogy from Level Best Books. A fun read from cover to cover, "Aria for Murder" deftly combines the elements of a traditional 'whodunnit' detective mystery with a memorable crafted amateur female sleuth. The stuff of which Hallmark TV mystery movies are made, "Aria for Murder" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Aria for Murder" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 Formerly a Metropolitan Opera Orchestra violinist for 21 years, Erica Miner now enjoys a multi-faceted career as an award-winning author, lecturer, screenwriter, and arts journalist. Erica's passion for Bringing Murder and Music together is embodied in her 3-part Opera Mystery novel series published by Level Best Books: "Aria for Murder" (which draws on Erica's own real-life experiences working at the New York Metropolitan Opera); “Prelude to Murder” and “Overture to Murder.”

Erica’s debut novel, “Travels with my Lovers,” won the Fiction Award in the Direct from the Book Awards. She recently received the Readers House Magazine Editor's Choice Award of Literary Excellence.  Erica  has given workshops for Sisters in Crime; Los Angles Creative Writing Conference; EPIC Group Writers; Write on the Sound; Fields End Writer's Community; Savvy Authors; and numerous libraries on the west coast.

NITTY GRITTY BUT IMPORTANT PUBLISHING STUFF

X Permission to publish this review. 

Author’s Website: https://www.ericaminer.com. 

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an Authors Helping Authors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. Lois is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. 

 Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts       

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

Veteran Educator Reviews Joy V. Smith’s Newest Sci-Fi Novel

 

Metadata for Book

 

BOOK TITLE: Taboo Tech

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Joy V. Smith

GENRE: Science fiction 

ISBN: 978-0-359-51657-5

Paper: 16.95  E-book: 4.99

PUBLISHER: LuLu

PAGE COUNT: 289

Available on AMAZON 

 

 

Reviewed by Especially by and for Carolyn Wilhelm’s 

Midwest Book  Review’s Bookshelf.

Reprinted with Permission of Jim Cox, 

Midwest Book Review’s Editor-in-Chief

 

This author's favorite genre is science fiction and I'm sure that helped her imagination as she wrote this book. Here is a "rule" the protagonist, Lacie, remembers when in a tight spot.

"...remember the course on Blending into Other Cultures, aka Undercover Coping. Among non-humanoids, acting lost and scared can work. On humanoid planets, find out what other humans are doing that you can do. Do it."

Lacie's parents have to leave her and she manages to cope with the help of what she learned in class and technology. Danger is close at hand many times which is often solved with brainy and complex solutions.

I found the information from classes such as Blending into Other Cultures aka Undercover Coping to be believable. The names of the ships, security characters, robots, aliens, and planets were clever and fun to read. There is a character map in the back of the book (instead of a family tree) to help keep the many characters, humanoids, princesses, miners, families, and interactive plants straight. The ships and robots have personalities and can adapt to changes and grow in knowledge.

Characters are suspicious of each other at first as it is difficult to tell which are trustworthy. Being safe is of utmost importance and there is cloaking and traveling and secrecy involved. An energy net pulls a damaged ship to where it can be repaired. A school is a central focus, SAKAWE, and people with criminal intent take it over for some time. Students, however, are not injured. (less)

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm reviews for has a Bookshelf dedicated to her reviews on Midwest Book Review’s Website. She is veteran educator and works toward creating a better environment for the future. 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was little and made her own little books.  Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; and her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time. Her books include Detour Trail; Strike Three; Sugar Time, Well Met by Water; Velvet of Swords; Cold New Planet; Crystal Quest; a collection of her published short stories, The Doorway and Other Stories; and several e-books.  She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley, the tortoiseshell cat, in a remodeled house. (She's been practicing building and remodeling.)

 

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at in a tab at the top of the home page on this blog or find the silver circle icon in the right column to access both blog and author-badge service from Lois W. Stern. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern’s. 

 Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Best Selling Author, James Osborne Give Kudos to the Newest Tales2Insire Diamond Collection Anthology

BOOK TITLE: Tales2Inspire ~ The Diamond Collection - Series VI

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Anthology with Lois W. Stern (Creator, Editor, Contributor): Non-fiction, Memoir

ISBN: 9798271640995

SERIES: VI

PAGE COUNT: 238

AMAZON or FAVE LINK to BUY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Tales2Inspire-Diamond-Collection-VI-ebook/dp/B0G9QF97TW/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6KyQYjQgbywfUNG2O-h0DMHydBDRtA77GqGHEhGGBYblkSJrCi-ElbClsJMRt6ktHDMQNV7vnW_Wf5R1PfiPK075y6d8udDbLOwy61fECecuQ1cTzxLX2aaL2T98Z-Blh0xzaQGPjsDt9FtdOOcRb_4a7z5m2wY37D9dhRA1vk9jIQM9jWJNl8YvNCngp_JhEvSYTrqXQRHKVNqvGAkvQqudW91S_iixvz1DTcRtE90.w8l3cRyw18qGGXb5ZRcXktXC6mfvtRwO2-vYnkwh12Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=Tales2Inspire+Collection&qid=1770913565&s=books&sr=1-3/

THE REVIEW ITSELF: 

By James Osborne,  Originally for Amazon.com

Lois Stern's series of books, Tales2Inspire, is an inspiring contribution to our world's well-being. In a global environment seemingly preoccupied with anger and strife, the stories in Tales2Inspire offer a welcome refuge from that storm. Thank you Lois for all your hard work bringing these wonderful stories to us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator Tales2Inspire®, an #AuthorsHelpingAuthors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. As a multi award winning author, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. 

  

Lois W. Stern. pictured above, with her complete selection of anthologies, especially designed for gifting the right inspiration for the special reader in your life.

 Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts       

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: James Osborne’s novels and short stories have won many international awards, including an Amazon #1 bestseller rating for his thriller novel, THE ULTIMATE THREAT.  His varied career has included investigative journalist, college teacher, army officer, corporate vice president and business owner. Samples of his work can be found at www.JamesOsborneNovels.com.

X PERMISSION TO PRINT REVIEW 

Note #1: Watch for our new feature--an authormatic free contest to select a winning review from among all those with reviews published each month--a veritable zodiac of winners!  Yay! A way for us to extend one more lucky participating author’s exposure a bit farther 

and give them a chance to tout another win! 

And, I think I have talked Lois into making an award-emblem for winnersto use in their own campaigns... forever afterward!

Note #2: We accept more than a single review for any given

book, spaced at 30 days or more apart. Please send each

review separately.   

 

MORE ABOUT #TheNewBookReview ASSOCIATE  & AUTHOR ADVOCATE

Lois W. Stern is an Associate & Review Coordinator for TheNewBookReview. She is also the creator of Tales2Inspire®, an #AuthorsHelpingAuthors project/contest to help aspiring writers on their paths to discovery. And best of all, it’s Free. Lois has now published twelve Tales2Inspire® treasured Tales2Inspire Jewel Collection anthologies and six Tales2Inspire 2-in-1 Diamond Collection anthologies. Lois is a multi award winning author whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsday, Long Island Press, Barnard Magazine, on Local Access TV and in live presentations in varied venues. As TheNewBookReview review coordinator, Lois serves as an outreach to help other authors brand themselves as authors of talent. 

 Get a FREE Tales2Inspire book at: www.tales2inspire.com/gifts       

Visit her Tales2Inspire blog HERE.

For some lively conversation, join Lois on her Facebook page HERE.

MORE ABOUT #THENEWBOOKREVIEW BLOG 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. 

Please see submission guidelines in Lois W. Stern’s silver circle icon in the right column of this blog, in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog’s home page (a silver and gold badge with three silver- circle icons beneath it. 

 Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers.

 Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews.

Reviewer Gives Joy V. Smith’s Newest Sci-Fi Adventure Five Stars

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: VELVET OF SWORDS 

 

                                

                              AUTHOR’S NAME: Joy V. Smith 

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite

 

 

AUTHOR’S NAME: Joy V. SmithVelvet of Swords is a science fiction adventure by Joy V. Smith. Pressured to marry a man she doesn't love, Velvet, a young woman from the House of Swords, leaves her home and sets out into the unknown to embrace her destiny. Her quest leads her to five Firstcomers, whose bodies are no longer intact. Along the way, she also becomes the regent to the young siblings and heirs of the Hill-Hold, Alex and Thea, after rescuing them from the clutches of their previous regent, Hutto. Now, Velvet faces her biggest challenge. She must rescue the descendants of the Firstcomers imprisoned in The Citadel by the Terran colonizers. But the mad scientist, Dr. Michael Rankin, stands in her way. What's next for Velvet?

Velvet of Swords is a captivating story for sci-fi fans. The narrative hooks you in from the very first page and keeps you glued until the last, featuring monstrous creatures, brave heroes, and thrilling action sequences. Author Joy V. Smith has created a believable alien world that feels lived-in and immersive. There are fleshed-out cultures and dynamics between different factions that bring a sense of realism to the world, making the story even more engrossing. Velvet is a fascinating protagonist. She is primarily driven by her desire to help others, which makes her very easy to root for. I enjoyed her scenes with the five Firstcomers, as well as her relationship with Kip. Overall, this is a great science fiction novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. 

REVIEWERS’ RATING: 5 STARS

 

Available at https://pagadan.wordpress.com

 

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

 

 

Joy V. Smith has been writing stories since she was a kid and made her own little books.  Her stories and articles have been published in print magazines, ezines, and anthologies; and her SF has been published in two audiobooks, including Sugar Time. Her books include Detour Trail; Strike Three; Sugar Time, a collection of her published short stories;and several ebooks.  She lives in Florida with Samwise Gamgee, a Chihuahua cross, and Pemberley the tortoiseshell cat in a remodeled house. (She's been practicing building and remodeling.) Learn more about her at https://pagadan.wordpress.com/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/JoyVSmith  

THE MONOCLE, A WILDLY FUN, SMART AND EXCITING YA SCI-FI ADVENTURE

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: THE MONOCLE

AUTHOR’S NAME: Mark Cavanagh

NME OF BOOK SERIES: The Monocle Trilogy

AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS   markcavanagh2014@gmail.com

 _x_ Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety

REVIEWER’S BYLINE: Christine Rodriguez, Fiction Addicted – Reading Books and Exploring Worlds. She is a prime reviewer for Reedsy, having authored 1203 reviews. This review originally published in Reedsy Discovery.

AUTHOR'S FAVORITE SALES LINKS:  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Monocle-Mark-Cavanagh/dp/B092P6WTDR 

Must read 🏆 

Two teens find a mysterious monocle that bends reality—but they're not the only ones after it. Secrets, danger, and adventure await! 

SYNOPSIS 

In the quiet corners of a mundane 1960s town, two curious teenagers are about to trade the hum of their bicycle wheels for the crackle of cosmic energy… and unknowingly change their lives forever.

When best friends Viv and Mick stumble upon an alien artifact and a notebook of secret code, they unlock a strange new world where space folds and time travel is possible. As the adventurous teens master the powers of the extra-terrestrial monocle, friendship takes on new dimensions as they attempt to outrun federal agents and face fearsome creatures torn from the very fabric of nightmares! 

As they grapple with the unfathomable supernatural powers that they unlock from the monocle, Viv and Mick must decide whether they want to make the ultimate gamble – venture further into the unknown… and risk losing not just each other, but their very lives.

Will their friendship withstand the trials of this spectral journey or will the very forces that brought them together tear them apart?

REVIEW 

Some books hook you with action, others with mystery. The Monocle by Mark Cavanagh grabs you with pure wonder—that feeling of being a kid again, discovering something strange and incredible, and knowing that nothing will ever be the same. This YA adventure delivers a thrilling mix of nostalgia, mystery, and mind-bending science fiction, making it a must-read for fans of Stranger Things, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Goonies.

The Monocle is a coming-of-age adventure with a twist. Mick Sullivan and Viv Oulette, two curious and fearless teens, stumble upon an alien artifact—a mysterious monocle hidden inside a metallic clam-shaped shell. At first, it seems like a weird trinket. Still, when they unlock its abilities—seeing other dimensions, teleportation, even weaponized energy beams—it quickly becomes apparent that they've found something way bigger than themselves. And they're not the only ones interested. Enter Agent Flanders, a shadowy government official who wants the monocle for his own agenda, and suddenly, Mick and Viv are in a game much bigger (and far more dangerous) than they ever imagined.

What makes this book shine? For starters, Mick and Viv are fantastic protagonists. Their friendship feels genuine, fun, and full of personality—Their sharp, witty, and natural dialogue makes them feel like real teens rather than just "characters in a book." The Monocle is also an intriguing mystery. It slowly unravels the secrets of the monocle, blending sci-fi elements with a classic small-town adventure feel. Every discovery brings more questions, making it impossible to put down.

Mark Cavanagh has also given us a really strong sci-fi concept. The monocle itself isn't just a gimmick—it's an artifact with fascinating, reality-bending properties, and how the book explores its power is genuinely exciting. The blend of hard and soft sci-fi elements makes it feel both grounded and fantastical at the same time. I also loved the tense government conspiracy angle. It's not just a story about cool powers—there's a sense that something massive is at play, and Mick and Viv are in way over their heads.

The Monocle is a wildly fun, smart, and exciting YA sci-fi adventure that blends mystery, government intrigue, and coming-of-age friendship perfectly. If you love books that capture that nostalgic sense of discovery while keeping you on the edge of your seat, this one's for you. A great YA read for young and old alike!

REVIEWED BY

Christine Rodriguez 

Following

Christine is a 7-12th grade English teacher, a library assistant, and a bookworm with a passion for good literature. She has a keen eye for good literature and reads books across genres. Her favorites are dystopian lit, sci-fi, fantasy, and contemporary literature. 

Christine Rodriguez links: https://fictionaddicted.com https://www.instagram.com/chrisofcourse2025 https://x.com/csrodriguez1970

 AUTHOR BIO.  Mark Cavanagh, author of The Monocle Trilogy, Big Blue Society, The Zen of Laundry and RV Time Machine, lives with his wife by the Dark Swamp in northwestern Rhode Island where H.P. Lovecraft searched for the legendary IT. He co-wrote and produced Zombie Dearest, a feature film, and directed the award-winning Youth Vision program, recipient of the Action for Children’s Television Award. 

Author website: https://markcavanaghbooks.de  

The Monocle Book Trailer Links:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62417144829536698/ 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62417144829536709/

https://www.tiktok.com/@dorothysflyingmachine/video/7487626535676005674

https://youtu.be/Jd3efdBLsSQ

https://rumble.com/v6rgcat-the-monocle-the-monocle-trilogy.html

YOUR TWITTER (X) MONIKER: @CavanaghBooks

https://x.com/CavanaghBooks/status/1908148725349839061