Baer Charlton

In terms of story and characters, this is a readable, solid novel. The plot is engaging and the main character is interesting, as are members of the "supporting cast." Where it fails badly is the lack of careful proofreading. The version I have feels like a final draft that escaped into the wild before it was fully tamed. Besides the typos, there are places where the writer seems to assume knowledge that the reader does not yet have, which caused me to flip back a page or two several times, asking, "Wait. When did that happen?" I also lost count of how many times individuals "furled their lips." Fair enough- that is an acceptable usage, but some variety in describing facial expression would have been a relief. Similar were numerous references to someone looking at something or closing (his/her) "one eye." In that formation, (especially since the first time it occurred, the character has 2 prosthetic legs), I thought the person literally had only one eye.

Some other errors probably wouldn't bother most people, but I tend to be more than somewhat obsessive. So when I see "... run the GAMBIT..." instead of "gamut" and a reference to the US military using vehicle-mounted "60 caliber machine-guns" in the recent past, I cringe. (Guessing that the armament mistake is due to a misunderstanding of the "M60," which (pedantic, I know) is .30 caliber, not .60.

With better attention to details of writing, this book would get a better rating.… (meer)

The first book in Baer Charlton’s new mystery series is a winner. A Skeleton in Bone Creek introduces Nash Running Bear, a Native American FBI special agent living in Washington, DC, with her wife, Mina, who is battling cancer for the second time. When a skeleton is found near Nash’s hometown in northern California, the former Marine heads home for her first visit since her mother died more than twenty years ago. While Nash learns little from her sister, Daisy, her conversations with Uncle, the old man who lives in a teepee behind her sister’s barn, are more revealing. Nash ultimately meets up with the sheriff, Thomas Brady, who is as popular now as he was when they were in high school.

Nash picks up a new partner, a dog named Powder, whose knack for finding things rivals her own sixth sense when it comes to solving crimes. Things get interesting when a search of the creek uncovers more bones, and Nash begins to wonder whether there’s more afoot (pardon the pun) than just one missing person. The complexity of the case leads to the involvement of multiple federal agencies, much to the consternation of the local sheriff. Nash tries to keep him and everything else under control until it’s time for the authorities to make their move.

A Skeleton in Bone Creek is an excellent book and a great read for mystery lovers. Charlton flawlessly weaves together contemporary Native American issues, environmental concerns, and LBGTQ+ themes into a complex narrative that only a character like Nash Running Bear knows how to handle. Here’s hoping that all of the books in the series are as good as the first.… (meer)

With two engaging lead characters and a plot that zooms along, I didn’t want to put this one down!

Secrets of the Gold was such an exciting and entertaining story, with two wonderful main characters, and filled with satisfying moments, mystery, and suspense. While Bean is 17 as the story opens, Duff is in his mid-thirties: theirs is not a romantic love story, but there is love and trust throughout. I immediately fell for these two damaged individuals, completely invested in their fates.

The author tells a compelling story that includes Bean’s and Duff’s growing parent-child type relationship, their travels through the southwestern United States, and the slowly unfolding mystery of Duff’s near death. I liked how he skillfully slipped in information in the form of small impressions the characters’ have, which reveal more of their backstories. For example, when considering Bean’s acquisition of an old motorcycle, Ingrid, the tutor, quietly flashes back to a fatality motorcycle accident she alone survived. Another subtle thing Charlton does is include interesting bits of randomness as details in conversations. These pieces of trivia, such as those about coffee, added some fun dimension to the characters’ interactions and were enlightening as well. Dialogue between characters was snappy, with a lot of witty banter and some fun “taking things literally” smart-alecky exchanges. Bean, Ingrid, Leon, and Duff talked like family.

The plot zooms along at a steady pace but then really kicks up a notch when the resolution starts getting closer. There were twists as things started happening, and I couldn’t put this book down!

I recommend SECRETS OF THE GOLD to readers who enjoy mystery, suspense, and talk of vintage motorcycles.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.… (meer)

Stoneheart is a novel of place that passes through many places; a novel of people that brings many strangers to life; and a novel of redemption that redeems both people and place.

Soldiers carry wounds both visible and invisible, and this novel addresses them with deep compassion. But ordinary citizens carry wounds too, especially in the present world where old securities betray us. Author Baer Charlton bridges those gaps between soldier and civilian, PTSD and physical trauma, and deliberate and accidental wounds with honest empathy.

Health fails. Nature betrays. Finances dwindle. And businesses are lost in this modern world; no longer the place this novel’s protagonist knew before going to war, and not the world he knew for 39 years as a gunnery sergeant. There again, Stone can’t be the same person he was either. Everything’s changed, and everything’s waiting to build on what was lost…

Stoneheart is a story filled with heart—not just Stone’s heart for those he knew before and the new friends he makes, but the sort of heart that invites readers to stop and listen awhile, maybe hearing their own heartbeat as it echoes in the sound of another’s. Easy judgements are cast aside when they come across human realities. Life-changing mistakes become openings for life-building change. The past can be redeemed… and the wounded… and the lost. And time spent in this novel might change the reader.

Stoneheart is told from multiple points of view—sometimes confusing as befits the world of a man cast out from all that used to define him; sometimes longwinded to match the lengthy silence of loneliness; always honest, and with pitch-perfect conversation, fascinating characters, glorious scenery… yes, and powerful heart. The premise reveals itself slowly, coming to the fore at just the right time to resolve readers’ surfacing questions. And the whole becomes a parable for our times, a promise for our people, and a beautiful picture for our land.

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I thoroughly enjoyed it.… (meer)