Mini Book Reviews: Grime Beat and Grime Wave by Marji Laine and The King of Daldriada by Phyllis Keels

by Sandra Ardoin

I’ve read three mini books lately, so I thought I’d give them a mini shout out. They came to me from the authors. Though I’m not obligated to give you anything but my honest opinion, which I have done, I will say both authors are friends and associates.

Grime Beat by Marji Laine

Grime Beat is the first in Marji Laines’ Grime Fighters series.

When one of Dani Foster’s co-workers ends up missing, she sets out to find her. What she finds instead is a trashed apartment and an angry cop who insists she climb off the building’s roof.

Dani is a woman who cleans up crime scenes for a living. Otherwise, she’s not who she pretends to be. Though we learn why her past must be kept a secret, the details will (I assume) be given in a later story. Jay Hunter is a Dallas detective who tends to second-guess himself when it comes to his abilities, yet he desires a promotion that will help him live up to his father’s success. 

What a fast-paced and fun novella involving stolen jewelry and kidnapping! The characters are given realistic emotions, ambitions, and fears, and the humor keeps the story light. The attraction between Dani and Jay gives their relationship tension, while they explore future possibilities individually, but not together—yet. One of the ways I judge a book is by its ability to lure me back to it if I have to put it down for a time. This is one of those books, and led me to book two.

Grime Wave by Marji Laine

Grime Wave takes up where the first book left off. We’re reading the adventures of Jay Hunter and Dani Foster, aka … (I don’t know yet). 🙂 While I enjoyed reading the first book, I liked this one better. The writing was smoother, almost as though the characters had settled into their “skins,” especially Dani.

As they attempt to have their first official date, Jay and Dani are interrupted by the search for what appears to be a serial killer. We get a tad more information about Dani’s past, but not enough to satisfy Jay. He’s getting suspicious.

This is a novella-sized story with a budding romance and a sweet, yummy hero.

The King of Daldriada

The King of Daldriada is the third and final book of Phyllis Keels’ Daldriada series. In the first book, Nina is transported back in time to medieval days and a prince named Fryddin who awaits the arrival of The Lady of Daldriada. My favorite character of the series is The Yeoman of Daldriada, Anwas. A young, arrogant “upstart,” he’s also as loyal as they come.

This is a series you’ll want to read when you’re looking for total escapism. (And don’t we all need that on occasion?) It’s an action-packed, fun read with noble characters, Vikings, a little fantasy, and a giant wolf named Old Garth.

Is there a particular size book you choose over others? Do you prefer something short–novella or very short novel-sized? Or do you find you need a longer work to really get into the story?