Tag: Crime

Behind The Badge – Her Story

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Behind the Badge: Her Story
by Antoinette M James

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Jul 22, 2022  

I met the author, Antoinette James, at the Detroit Bookfest and purchased a copy of her book, Behind the Badge. After listening to her pitch about her memoir, a true story about her life on the Detroit Police Department, I was sold.
I got fooled on this one. The book is more about the author’s personal life, weighing heavily on events that transpired before her time as a cop.
This woman had a life-long dream of being a Detroit Homicide detective, after watching numerous tv cop shows. Her naivety started at a young age, when she tells us in great detail how she was sexually exploited by her father. By the age of 15 she is pregnant, then hooks up with one wrong guy after another, learning nothing along the way.
The author spent only a few years as a cop and says she left the force because of sexual harassment but openly admits having sex with various men for personal advancement.
Some of my women reader friends might enjoy this book but I don’t recommend it as a must read.

Gas of Tank – Todd Ternovan with Matthew St. Amand

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Gas of Tank: A Canadian Law Enforcement Odyssey 1979 – 2019
by Matthew St. Amand, Todd Ternovan

Edmond Gagnon‘s Review – Jun 07, 2022  

Best book I’ve read in a long time.
You might call me bias because like the author, I’m a retired police officer and also an author. But with the help of Matthew St. Amand, former O.P.P. Constable Todd Ternovan offers an emotional and insightful view of what policing it really all about. It’s about people.
If you want an honest and accurate picture of what it’s like to work the front lines in law enforcement, this is a must-read. Many of Todd’s stories brought me back to moments in my own policing career – the good and the bad.
Our paths crossed at least once or twice during our respective careers, somewhere in between 1990 to 2009 but I didn’t really know the man. Reading this chronology of his career made me realize we shared a lot of the same work ethic. He’s done an amazing job on his first book and is obviously a great story teller. His use of witty and colorful metaphors had me laughing out loud. His dry and sometimes sarcastic sense of cop humor showed through.
I thought the title was weird at first, but as Ternovan says, it is befitting the surreal, upside-down and unbelievable experiences police officers face every day.

Pop Goes The Weasel – M. J. Arlidge

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Pop Goes the Weasel (Helen Grace, #2)
by M.J. Arlidge

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Feb 27, 2022  

First off, after reading this book, I have no idea where the title comes from. There’s also a book of the same title by James Patterson.
One of the reviews says that M.J. Arlidge is the the next Jo Nesbo. I disagree.
I found the book a choppy read with a bit too much touchy-feely stuff for my liking, where we were told how the characters ‘felt’ at each and every turn. Perhaps that comes from the voice of female authors, since I find it more often than not.
I also think the author went overboard on female characters…the protagonist, antagonist, and most other characters, with the exception of two males. In any policing organization that I am aware of, that is just not the norm.
Other than those quirks, the story is a good read.

The Vanished Man – Jeffrey Deaver

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The Vanished Man (Lincoln Rhyme, #5)
by Jeffery Deaver (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Feb 18, 2022  

I haven’t read much of Jeffrey Deaver but like his Lincoln Rhyme character. I’ve also see The Bone Collector movie. I wasn’t sure at first that I liked how the antagonist narrated his part in the story, but it was an important part of the plot and went to understanding the character’s motives.
The Vanished Man is the name of a particular illusion, performed by illusionists or magicians. And this story is all about magic and illusions – it has more surprises, twists an turns, than watching a motocross race on a dirt track.
The story is good and characters believable. I can promise that you’ll be fooled more than once reading this book and Deaver will keep you guessing right up until the end.

The Night Fire – Michael Connelly

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The Night Fire (Harry Bosch, #22; Renée Ballard, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #32)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 25, 2022  

When will Harry Bosch be old enough to fully retire? It mentions in this book that he’s almost 70! That means he’s been chasing killers for over 40 years. That would be way more than enough for me to want something more out of life. But then who could we count on to fight for all those lost souls…the one’s that matter because they all matter.
Even though Harry is retired from policing it doesn’t stop him from teaming up with one of his old partners (Renee Ballard) to hunt down killers. And Bosch’s brother from a different mother (Mickey Haller) gets a bit of ink in this book, now that the two of them have found some common ground to get along.
I enjoyed The Night Fire but the Ballard character just doesn’t do it for me. As usual, Bosch is the anchor that holds Connelly’s ship fast.
Hopefully the author can get a few more stories out of our favorite cop character before he gets stuck in the mud at the bottom of the ocean.

The Associate – John Grisham

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The Associate
by John Grisham (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 14, 2022 


I could find no reason to give this book any less than five stars. Considering the page count, it was a quick and easy read. The plot was a bit intricate but it moved well and held my interest throughout.
The story was like an action thriller, without all kinds of killing and mayhem. Instead, the author relied on suspense and intrigue to keep the pace lively and exciting.
A legal story that lacks Grisham’s riveting courtroom drama, it gives readers a whole new take on what it’s like for a hungry young wannabe lawyer.
My only minor disappointment was how the story ended so abruptly…I was waiting for a unique twist or turn of fait, but it just ended. Still, it was a great read.

Cold Cases – Cheyna Roth

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Cold Cases: A True Crime Collection: Unidentified Serial Killers, Unsolved Kidnappings, and Mysterious Murders (Including the Zodiac Killer, Natalee Holloway’s Disappearance, the Golden State Killer and More)
by Cheyna Roth
Edmond Gagnon‘s reviewJan 12, 2022  


This book was recommended to me by a friend and I’m disappointed that I had to pay the full purchase price. It was a decent read for those who like to follow notorious serial killers, but most of the content in the book is already public knowledge.
I did learn some new things, where the author had dug up parts of the old investigations that weren’t made public. And although she is a former district attorney, the book reads more like a gathering of media clippings presented as short stories by a former journalist – which the author is.
For those who’ve never heard of the cold cases in this book, I’m sure they’ll find it more interesting than I – a former police investigator who is well aware of most of the cases in this book.

The Black Ice – A Bosch Novel

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The Black Ice (Harry Bosch, #2; Harry Bosch Universe, #2)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Oct 08, 2021 


For me, reading a Harry Bosch novel is like inviting an old friend to dinner and catching up over beers. The Black Ice is the 2nd installment in Michael Connelly’s Bosch series, published back in 1993, but recently re-released as a paperback.

Whether it’s an old book or a new one, I can’t get enough of Harry Bosch. There’s still a few stories I haven’t read yet, but the television series has filled in a lot of the blanks. I think I’ve seen each episode at least five times now.

The Black Ice is a good story, about a Robbery/Homicide case that should have been assigned to Bosch, but he inserts himself into it anyway. The plot moves well and kept me interested throughout. And, if you’re a really sharp detective, you might pick up on a couple clues as to the major twist at the end.

I’ve rated this book five stars because it lacks nothing and is a great read.

Fair Warning – Michael Connelly

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Fair Warning (Jack McEvoy, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #33)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Oct 03, 2021 


Something tells me that Michael Connelly enjoys writing novels like Fair Warning, reliving his past as an investigative journalist, something we don’t see much of these days.
Jack McEvoy is likeable character who tells us a great crime story about an elusive serial killer who keeps reporters and police stumped while his list of victims grows longer.
The plot has good momentum and held my interest throughout the book.
Although in my opinion it’s not as good as a Bosch novel, I definitely recommend you add this Connelly book to your reading list.

Downtown Windsor Farmers Market

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The fresh local produce of summer is wearing thin and now is the time to visit the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market to cash in on those end of the season deals. If you haven’t been downtown to check out the market this season, here’s what your missing: fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh-cut flowers and potted plants, homemade baked goods, fresh-made perogies and sausages, kettle corn, craft beer, coffee, hand-made crafts, t-shirts, jewelry, books, and much more.

The Downtown Market sets up on Pelissier Street, between Wyandotte and Park, every Saturday, from 8am to 1pm. There are anywhere from 80 to 100 vendors throughout the season, which runs from May 1st to December 12th. During inclement weather vendors move into the lower level of the Pelissier parking garage.

Come visit next Saturday and support a talented group of local authors who write in genres that include women’s empowerment, self-help, crime fiction, travel, paranormal, horror, children’s, mathmatics, and military, along with a collection of colorful book marks.

Here’s your chance to speak with a local author, and get a personally autographed copy of their book. Please come and visit and support local.