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Originally Posted April 2023 Updated April 2026

So far I have finished two books this month. The first Blind Justice was my first visit to the world of Detective Sargent Aector McAvoy from David Mark. While the second Storm Watch was my 22nd visit to the world of C.J.Box‘s Joe Pickett.

I first met Joe Pickett and his family in 2003, when I read Savage Run the second book in the series. I soon read the Open Season book one in the series and I’ve only missed one book in the series! You can check out more ere

Storm Watch – The Story

Storm Watch begins with Joe performing his typical Game Warden duties. Joe receives a call regarding an elk cow that has been hit by a car and Joe responses and track the elk far into the mountains. After finding the elk Joe finds a mysterious building, when he explores it further he finds it is filled with a ton of computers. Oh, there is also a dead body stuck halfway in a window! Soon Joe is called by the Governor and told not to investigate the murder.

Meanwhile, Joe’s friend Nate Romanowski is approached by an ex-black ops operator  to join an anti-government group that’s planning some big action.

So can Joe and Nate stay out of trouble? Are the murder and Nate’s request the join the Sovereign Nation group connected?

My Thoughts

I loved this well crafted well paced book. I have enjoyed Barclay’s books for a while now and have read all four of the Zack Walker books and Too Close to Home also highly recommended) another standalone.

In No Time for Goodbye the characters are believable and story line keeps moving and the suspense building toward the surprising conclusion!

In this book, I really enjoyed the character of Terry Archer, who narrates  the story. His character was a little like Zack Walker, someone, who at times is in a little over their head!

Bottom Line

I was somewhat disappointed with Shadows Reel (book 22) in the series. I just didn’t think it was one of Box’s best. However, I do think he redeemed himself with this one! The only thing that didn’t happen was Joe’s truck finished  the book unscathed!Anyway the book was great and rates at least a 4.5 if not a 5! Go find it and enjoy!

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Goodreads:Joe Pickett Series

About C J Box

Charles James Box Jr. is an American author of more than thirty novels. Box is the author of the Joe Pickett series, as well as several standalone novels, and a collection of short stories.

If you like the family and character connections in this series…

You might also enjoy:

• William Kent Krueger — the Cork O’Connor series blends crime with family, history, and a strong sense of place
• Michael Robotham — especially the Joe O’Loughlin books, where personal lives are always part of the story
• Peter May — the Lewis Trilogy, where past, family, and landscape are tightly woven together

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In September of 2021 I found Down Range, the first book in the Garrett Kohl series, at my local library. It looked interesting, and then I read this quote on the back of the book.

“Having lived it Taylor Moore hits very bit of the cost of counterterrorism in Down Range but this story is much more. It’s a riveting thriller with a family in crisis at the core. It’s my kind of book.” – Brad Taylor

Well, even though I’ve never read any of Brad Taylor’s books (several are sitting on my TBR shelves), I figured I’d take a chance.

Boy, was he right. This turned into one of those series where I just kept coming back.

About Down Range

Down Range is a thriller that blends action, crime, and Western elements. It introduced me to DEA agent Garrett Kohl. Kohl is returning to his Northwest Texas home after serving in Afghanistan. He finds it overrun by criminals, and Garrett uses his elite military and intelligence skills to protect his family and community.

What Makes the Garret Kohl Series Stand Out

hile the action is great throughout the book, what makes this series special is the heart that the characters bring to the story—especially Garrett and Asadi, a young Afghan boy Garrett brings back with him after his family is killed.

The rest of Garrett’s family—his father and siblings—are also strong characters and add depth to the story.

Through my reading I often get to visit places I’ll never see, and Taylor Moore does a great job of transporting me to Northwest Texas. The descriptions of the ranch and surrounding area make you understand why Garrett loves his home.

This ended up being one of those series I read over a stretch of time without ever getting around to writing about it—something I’m trying to fix now.

I’ve since read several books in the Garrett Kohl series, and it all started here with Down Range.

Links

Author’s Website

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About Taylor Moore

TAYLOR MOORE is the author of Down Range, which was nominated for the Barry Award for Best First Novel, named a Strand Magazine best mystery of the year, and selected for the Texas Library Association’s … Google Books

I

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Parting Shot may be billed as the fourth book connected to the Promise Falls trilogy, but it also serves as a thrilling standalone that fans of Linwood Barclay—and newcomers—will enjoy.

The Story

This book weaves two storylines through the streets of Promise Falls, both tied together by the steady hands of two familiar characters: Detective Barry Duckworth and Private Investigator Cal Weaver.

Detective Duckworth is on the case of a young man who wakes up in an alley—bruised, battered, and with a disturbing tattoo etched into his back. The mystery: who did this to him, and what message were they trying to send?

Meanwhile, Cal Weaver is hired to protect a teenage boy whose past mistakes have made him a national pariah. After a drunken joyride ended in a young woman’s death, the teen escaped conviction by arguing that a lifetime of coddling left him unable to understand right from wrong. The press nicknamed him “The Big Baby,” and now, he’s a target—especially for those lurking on the vigilante justice site Just Desserts.

You know these two plotlines will collide—but as always, Barclay keeps you guessing until the very end.

Bottom Line: Parting Shot is Worth the Ride

Parting Shot is a strong addition to the Promise Falls universe, and it shines thanks to Barclay’s signature blend of suspense, character depth, and plot twists. While it can be read on its own, you’ll get a richer experience if you start at the beginning of the trilogy—and even better, go back to where it all began:

• A Tap on the Window – Cal Weaver’s first appearance
• Never Look Away – where Barry Duckworth first enters the scene
• Too Close to Home – a prequel to the Promise Falls trilogy

Duckworth features throughout the entire Promise Falls trilogy, and by the time you reach Parting Shot, these characters feel like old friends.

So grab a copy of Parting Shot, settle in, and let Linwood Barclay pull you into the darkness—and the heart—of Promise Falls

Links

Author Website

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About Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is a New York Times bestselling author and a master of the “suburban thriller.” Born in the United States but raised in Canada, he spent three decades as a journalist and popular columnist for the Toronto Star before turning to fiction full-time.

He is best known for his ability to take ordinary, relatable people and throw them into terrifying, high-stakes situations. Since his breakout hit No Time for Goodbye in 2007, he has published over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Promise Falls trilogy. He currently lives in Toronto with his wife, Neetha.

Originally Published Feb 2018 Revised and Updated Feb 2026

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Linwood Barclay  – The Promise Falls Trilogy

One of m favorite author over the last several years has been Linwood Barclay. His books are always very interesting and they are very character driven. Most times the story revolves around one main character who is thrust into an extraordinary situation.

While Barclay’s book are considered stand alone thrillers Barclay has brought back characters for a second go-around. No Safe House was the second installment in the story of Terry Archer and his family. No Safe House picks up the story of the Archer family seven years after the events recounted inNo Time for Goodbye

Promise Falls Trilogy – Broken Promise – Book #1

Barclay’s most recent project has been a trilogy featuring the happenings in Promise Falls, NY.

The trilogy began with the novel Broken Promise. InBroken Promise David Harwood and his son Ethan return to their hometown of Promise Falls.David and Ethan were two of the central characters in Barclay’s page-turner   Never Look Away. Soon after David’s return he finds himself in the midst of a family scandal. His cousin Marla, had recently had a miscarriage but now she is taking care of a new infant.

Marla says that an angel brought the baby to her. The next day the baby’s mother is found dead and her blood is discovered on Marla’s door! Guess who the main suspect in the murder case is!

Anyway  as David is trying to figure out, how Marla ended up with the baby,and if Marla is innocent or guilty, other things are happening in Promise Falls. Twenty Three dead squirrels are found strung up in the park, Two mannequins are found in car 23 of the ferris wheel at the town,s closed amusement park. While a co-ed a the local college is attacked by a young man wearing a hooded sweatshirt with you guessed it the number 23 on it!! What’s going on??

Far From True Book #2

Book two of the trilogyFar From True brought more questions and tragedy to Promise Falls.Things take off on the wrong foot.At the last show at the Promise Falls Drive-in, an explosion causes the giant screen to come crashing down on the customers. Cal Weaver is a resident of Promise Fall, first introduced to readers in Barclay’s A Tap on the Window.  In Far From True, Cal is hired by the daughter of two of the victims to find out what happened!

Another storyline twisting its way through Far From True concerns David Harwood again. This time David battles with the in-laws of his girlfriend Samantha Worthington. Samantha’s husband is in prison and his parents are trying to take her son away from her. Their first attempt was legal the second physical!

The events surrounding the number 23 continue to occur around Promise Falls. The question arises was the collapse of the drive-in a terrorist attack or is it associated with the 23 events? More 23 events do occur that involve a bus!!

The Twenty Three – Book #3  – (Book 46 of 2016)

The Twenty Three is the third book in the trilogy and its a good one! On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, May 23rd the town of Promise Falls wakes up to a full blown catastrophe. Hundreds of people are heading to the hospital with flu-like symptoms. Dozens are dying.. It quickly appears that the cause may be the water supply. But who would benefit from the poisoning of the town?

Two other stories flow though The Twenty Three. The first revolves around the murders that have occurred in Promise Falls. The murders started with Olivia Fisher. The next  victim  was Rosemary Gaynor. In The Twenty Three  the victim is a Thackery College co-ed. All three of the women  were killed by a stab wound across their stomach.The fatal wound in all of the cases was shaped like a smile. Since the second murder, Detective Barry Duckworth has insisted that there is a connection between the murders. Certainly now the murders appear to be connected. But, are these murders also associated with the twenty-three occurrences?

The second story involves  David Harwood and Samantha. Samantha and her son are missing and Samantha’s husband has escaped from prison. David is frantic to find them and make sure they are okay!

Bottom Line :

I give The Twenty Three 4 to 5 stars

Too many people died in The Twenty Three to make this a pleasant visit to Promise Falls.

But the story was interesting and exciting. I enjoy the residents of Promise Falls. From the ex-mayor Randy Findley, who sees every event as a campaign opportunity to Detective Barry Duckworth , who never met a donut he didn’t like!

These books form a trilogy! Reading them in order is the best way to enjoy them!

Series Links

Links

Author Website

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Goodreads

Purchase on Amazon

About Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is a New York Times bestselling author and a master of the “suburban thriller.” Born in the United States but raised in Canada, he spent three decades as a journalist and popular columnist for the Toronto Star before turning to fiction full-time.

He is best known for his ability to take ordinary, relatable people and throw them into terrifying, high-stakes situations. Since his breakout hit No Time for Goodbye in 2007, he has published over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Promise Falls trilogy. He currently lives in Toronto with his wife, Neetha.

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Ok so I did not really enjoy the first half of Amanda Kyle Williams The Stranger that You Seek, but the second half of the book was really good, and propelled me on to the second book in the Keye Street series Stranger in the Room.

For me, there was no weak first half in this book, it grabbed me from the start and did not let go until the last page!

Stranger in the Room the Mystery is Set

Miki Ashton, Keye Street’s cousin returns home after a night on the town, puts the key in the front door of her house, before she can open the door, she hears footsteps in the supposedly empty house!!

When she makes her way to the window in the front of the house, and peers in, she sees a slightly overweight man standing in the shadows, as he stands there he forms a gun with his fingers and he pretends to shoot Miki!!  So begins this great twisting mystery!! Who was this stranger in the room?? Why was he there?? Is he the source of the mysterious calls, and noises that plague Miki??

A Second Layer is Added

Meanwhile. Keye’s boyfriend Detective Aaron Rauser is investigating the murder of a young baseball player on the cusp of good things! Soon the mystery man and the boy are entwined in an ever-growing murder investigation and Keye is once again drawn into the hunt for a murderer. Can she and Rauser put the pieces of the puzzle together before more lives are lost?  Soon Miki  and Keye become the focus of  the murderer’s wrath!! Why??

My Reaction to The

My Reactions to Stranger in The Room

I imagine that one of the reasons that I liked this book more than its predecessor, is that now I know the players. All the characters from Book 1 are back including of course Keye and Rauser, along with Keye’s adoptive parents, her work partner, stoner computer geek Neil, Tyrone the bail bondsman who Keye does work for, as well as, Larry Quinn the attorney who supplies Keye’s PI firm work.

In this installment Quinn asks Keye to  investigate into the actions of a North Georgia Crematorium. This subplot was better than the investigation of a missing cow in the last book!

But I think that’s only half of the reason I enjoyed the book more.  The other half is the story itself. In this book, I thought that Keyes profiling of the perp was more in-depth, and it really brought to life the how and why of the killer’s actions, but profiling alone does not capture a criminal, so the work of Rauser and hs team played a big role in the discovery of the identity of the killer.

Final Thoughts

Bottomline: This book was a real page turner for me. A good police procedural that coupled Keye’s keen profiling skills with Rauser’s dogged police work, kinda like Bones and Booth without the bones or the FBI!  Along the way there was also Keye’s addiction battle, juxtaposed against Miki’s love for both alcohol and drugs, and Keye’s mom’s  attempt to be the next “Paula Dean” which made the book enjoyable on more than one level! So I am now a fan and I am ready to move on to Don’t Tak to Strangers book 3  in the series!! Now watch when I checked out both Book 1 and 2 book 3 was on the shelf what do you want to bet that tomorrow, when I take back this book, book 3 will be gone!!

Series Links

Author Website

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About Amanda Kyle Williams

Amanda (1957–2018) was a master of the “unconventional sleuth.” A former freelance courier and process server, she brought real-world grit to her Atlanta-based Keye Street series. Her work was shortlisted for the Townsend Prize and the Shamus Award, and translated into nine languages.

(Book 32 of 2014 — Post Recreated & Updated Feb 2026)

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The iPhone lasted through the first two miles. Through the first two miles, my average pace was 10:05. I finished the run in 30:56. Using the Cool  Runnings’ Pace Calculator. My average pace calculates to 9:58 min/mile. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml

Tuesday’s Run

On Tuesday though I made sure that my iPhone was all charged up before my run. Initially, I thought I would run four miles,  it since I got a late start in the early afternoon I stuck with 3.1 miles. I was a typically normal run. My pace bo weed around 9:53 min/ mile throughout the run. With a slight sprint at the end my overall pace dropped to 9.47 min/mile. One of my best times of the year.

The Soundtrack – Keep on Turning – Seth Rosenbloom

Keep on Turning the debut album release from blues guitarist Seth Rosenbloom was supposed to be the soundtrack for Sunday’s run. Not! However, it was the soundtrack for Tuesday’s run and a good one it was.

i have actually listened to the album several times and it is a terrific album. While I find Rosenbloom’s vocals a little above average. It’s his searing guitar that sold me on the album.

About Seth Rosenbloom

According to his website biography Rosenbloom was born and raised in….

….Waltham, Massachusetts, he began playing classical violin as a child and subsequently took up guitar at age eleven. Initially inspired by the music of Elvis and The Beatles, he earned a performance merit scholarship from Berklee College of Music by the time he was 16.

I don’t know about you but I do believe that those who go to the  Berklee College of Music tends to know just a little about music!

Keep on Turning

The tracks on Keep on Turning are great from the opening track which is the title track!! Many of the songs are composed by Rosenbloom. Several of the songs were written solely by Seth. While others were songs co-written with Sonya Rae Tayloor.

.The album also contains classic covers of B.B. King, Elmore James and Freddie King.

Joining Rosenbloom on the album are: Travis Carlton on bass (Robben Ford, Scott Henderson), Scott Kinsey (Tribal Tech) on keys and Gary Novak (George Benson, Chick Corea) on drums.

Keep on Turning was produced  by Josh Smith, a world renowned blues guitarist in his own right. Keep On Turning was recorded at Smith’s Flat V Studios in Reseda, California.

Final Thought

The bottom line is Keep on Turning is a winner. The tracks are varied the vocals are fine and the guitar is exceptional.

quote …….

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Recapping My January to Early February 2026 Reads

Back in January I laid out my 2026 Reading Challenge in a post. The Challenge was broken into two challenges. The first was to read 66 books. While the second categorized the proposed reads by both source and type of book.

Proposed February–March 2026 Reads

Here are my proposed February–March 2026 reads. Both the Reed Farrel Coleman and William Kent Kreuger books are carry-overs from last month. Mainly because I read Departure 37 and Nemesis instead. Both of those books had been sitting on my Library TBR shelf for a few months! The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer – Ragnar Jonasson has a;so been on my shelves for a while – it’s time to read it!

Here’s how these proposed reads break down by category:

From the Library Book Category

New Mystery Thriller Series – Library

Blind to Midnight (Nick Ryan #2)- Reed Farrel Coleman

While Reed Farrel Coleman is not a new author to me I read Redemption Street the second book in his Moe Prager series back in 2010. I haven’t read a Moe Prager since then, although I wish I had. Hopefully I won’t make the same mistake with this series!

Favorite Mystery Series – Library

Apostle’s Cove (Cork O’Connor #20)- William Kent Krueger

Since all of the Cork O’Connor books from William Kent Krueger are great. I’m sure this one will be great as well!

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer – Ragnar Jonasson

Ragnar Jonasson is one of my favorite author’s. The book is an Icelandic tribute to Agatha Christie

From the TBR Shelves Category

Favorite Mystery/ Thriller Series

Winter House – Carol O’Connell

Winter House marks a return to Carol O’Connell’s Mallory series. It’s one of only two books in the series I never got around to reading, so this feels less like a reread and more like filling in a long-standing gap.

E-Book

The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes – David Handler

I haven’t read David Handler since the 1990s, when I read one earlier book in the series (book two). With nearly a twenty-year gap between book eight and this one, it’s no wonder he slipped off my radar. This feels like a genuine rediscovery.

Wish Me Luck and Check Back to see How I’m Doing! You can Check My Overall Progress Here

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The 30 Day Fitbit Charge 5 Challenge. What is it?

Quite simply, I’ll be wearing the Fitbit Charge 5 for the next 30 days to see if it can help get me back on the road — and eventually running again. But first, a little context on how I got here…

After running high school cross country, I was an on-again, off-again runner for many years. I remember running around Athens, Georgia when we lived there from 1975–1979, along with a couple of 5Ks here and there.

I didn’t run much — if at all — during most of the 1980s. Can you say four kids and a pretty demanding full-time job? Add in part-time work at both a convenience store and Waldenbooks, and running pretty much disappeared.

The Running Reboot

I may have dabbled a bit in the late ’80s, but the real reboot came in the 1990s when my son started running cross country. Before long, I was back out on the track, struggling to run a mile again.

I started training seriously, and from there running became a regular part of my life. For many years — well into my late 60s — I was running about four miles twice a week, with six to eight miles on weekends.

From the Garmin Forerunner to the Fitbit Charge 5 — and Back Again

When I first started running again, I used a plain old watch and measured my routes with the car. Then, in 2003, Garmin introduced the Forerunner 101, one of the first GPS watches aimed at runners.

Here’s what it looked like.

(Yes, it was big and bulky — and heart rate was measured with a chest strap.)

From about November 2015, when Target provided Fitbits to employees, until March 2023, I used various Fitbits to track my workouts and running. I upgraded early on to a Charge HR and used that for several years.

Somewhere along the way, my daughter handed down her Fitbit Versa, which I also used for a few years. When the Charge 5 came out in 2021, I switched back to the Charge line.

Babysitting, Balance, and Reality at 74

In March 2023, my son-in-law handed me his Garmin Epix Gen 2, which is a terrific smartwatch — especially for accurate GPS distance.

The problem wasn’t the watch. Since September 2023, when we started babysitting Emma full-time (until this past April), my running took a serious nose-dive. Add in the reality that I’m now 74, and that probably didn’t help either.

Why I’m Back to the Fitbit Charge 5 (For Now)

Even while babysitting, I kept up a short workout most mornings. But days where I really moved the needle from Recovery to Productive were few and far between.

So, in an effort to ease my way back toward running shape, I decided to return to the Fitbit Charge 5.

Yes, I know Fitbit tends to estimate higher calories burned than Garmin. But I got tired of finishing what felt like a solid workout, only to have the Garmin label it Recovery. And when I did push harder, it often told me I needed 72 hours of recovery — which felt a bit discouraging.

Last night, I used the Charge 5 while working out on my walking pad, which can go over 4 mph. Until last year, I’d never used a treadmill in my life.

I always joke that treadmills are hard for me because when I run, I run and the ground doesn’t. As a 74-year-old with balance issues, I hold onto the bar. I know that’s not ideal form — but it beats falling.

I also discovered that when I use the treadmill with the Garmin, it only tracks steps and distance if my arms are swinging.

A week or so ago, I tried walking slowly and swinging my arms, and the Garmin worked fine. But last night, wearing the Fitbit, I decided: forget steps and distance — I’m holding on and upping the speed. My real goal was to elevate my heart rate and burn calories.

To my surprise, when I finished, Fitbit recorded steps, distance, and calories burned anyway.

Note

After reading the following article TREADMILLS & SENIORS: THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT I decided that I will go back to what I was doing when I first started reusing the treadmill. I will start at low speeds that I can handle comfortably without holding on. As I get more comfortable I will increase my speed to where I am jogging comfortably without holding on. Wish Me Luck!

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The Actual Goal: Health, Not Numbers

This morning, I did my usual workout — resistance bands, light weights, and calisthenics. The result? More calories burned in the same amount of time.

Sure, it may partly come down to how Fitbit calculates calories, but honestly, I don’t care. I feel motivated, ready to do it again, and maybe even push a little more.

Back when I used Fitbit regularly, I knew that if I hit 3,000 calories burned in a day, I’d lose weight. My hope is to get back to that level again.

So here we go. For the next 30 days, I’ll be using the Fitbit Charge 5 exclusively to see if it can help me rebuild fitness — and lose some weight. Maybe by spring, I’ll be outside again and back to running.

I’m not exactly sure how I’ll keep you posted — probably a few check-in posts here and there — but I’ll figure something out.

One final note: back in November, I started using a CPAP to address my sleep apnea. Over the last 90 days, my apnea events have dropped significantly, and I feel better during the day.

Hopefully, better sleep and renewed movement together can move the needle toward better overall health.

Links for Further Explorations

Mayo Clinic – Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment

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A Random Album Pick – The Kingston Trio – Nick Bob John

This morning I randomly picked out an album from a crate of vinyl that was near me. The album was The Kingston Trio‘s album Nick-Bob- John. Released in 1964, the album was their first recording on the Decca label. The trio was extremely popular from 1958 through 1963 There first 5 albums peaked at No. 1 on the charts and were certifed Gold Records.. That explains why their albums are so numerous at Goodwills.

When I first realized that good albums could be found at Goodwills I started to search out folk music from the 1950s and 1960s. And The Kingston Trio albums were the easiest to find. I found this album interesting because by this time John Stewart had joined the trio.

The First Spin

I put the album on and started to do write a blog post. The first song was “Midnight Special” a song I have heard countless times over the years. My ears really perked up when I heard the third song “Someday Soon” an Ian Tyson song that has been covered by many of my favorite artists. My favorite cover though is by Judy Collins!

Down the Folk Music Rabbit Hole

Then came “Gotta Travel On” and this is when the ground started to split and a rabbit hole emerged! When I first went to Google to find out more about the song I saw a result that said Gotta Travel On words ad lyrics by Bob Dylan I thought that’s not right. When I looked back at the back of the album I saw that the songwriter was Paul Clayton.

Now that makes sense Clayton was very active in the early folk scene in Greenwich Village and I knew Dave Van Ronk had written about him in Van Ronk’s he Mayor of MacDougal Street

So I searched Google for info on the relationship between Van Ronk, Clayton and Dylan.. Here’s what i found out

Further Down the Folk Music Rabbit Hole…….

Next, I discovered that the song went back a long way and that while some say The Kingston Trio introduced the song. However, The Weavers had actually recorded it several years earlier. The sent me down the rabbit-hole to find my Weaver albums to see if I had one with “Gotta Travel On”. Bingo! And it’s even in the slightly referenced in the album title Travelin’ On with the Weavers. The song ends the album! Here’s What they wrote about the song.

Here again was the fragment of a song with an appealing rhythm we wanted to preserve. We wrote new lyrics to tell a lonesome tale: who has not felt.

What the Liner Notes Taught Me

Finally, when I pulled out the Weaver album I also pulled out The Weavers Greatest Hits. When I looked at the songs I recognized the majority of them including the likes of: “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” “Wimoweh” and “Rock Island Line” Hey is that the Johnny Cash song? Yep.

Anyway I saw that many of these songs were written by Paul Campbell. and Kisses Sweeter than Wine and Rock Island Line were written by Paul Campbell and Joel Newman. Who were these songwriters??? Off again to Google, etc

Paul Campbell is a pseudonym used by The Weavers (Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, and Ronnie Gilbert) between 1948 and 1953 to copyright their arrangements of traditional folk songs. It allowed the group to claim songwriting credit for adapted material, such as “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”

Now the question is who is Joel Newman? The answer Huddie Ledbetter aka Lead Belly.

Another of the things I learned from the liner notes on Travelin’ On with the Weavers involved “Kumbaya.” When they first encountered it, all they had was the word “Kumbaya,” brought back from Africa, and a rhythm that sounded like a lullaby. So they wrote it as a lullaby.

All of this from pulling one random album off a shelf.

A Folk Music Rabbit Hole Playlist

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Dennis Lehane wrote the first five Kenzie & Gennaro books between 1994 and 1999. I didn’t discover these books until 2002. However, once I did I read all five books in the first four months of 2002! I had to wait 8 more years until he wrote book 6 in the series! Check it out here!

Needless to say I can’t recommend these books highly enough!

A Drink Before the War – Kenzie & Gennaro #1

A Drink Before the War was my introduction to the gritty, dark world of Boston PIs Kenzie and Gennaro. my post-read thoughts……

From My Reading Journal.

Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro Boston PIs investigating some disappearing documents – leads to child pornography and gang warfare. Great characters. I can’t wait to find another……

From Goodreads (for Context)

Kenzie and Gennaro are private investigators in the blue-collar neighborhoods and ghettos of South Boston-they know it as only natives can. Working out of an old church belfry, Kenzie and Gennaro take on a seemingly simple assignment for a prominent politician: to uncover the whereabouts of Jenna Angeline, a black cleaning woman who has allegedly stolen confidential state documents. Finding Jenna, however, is easy compared to staying alive once they’ve got her. The investigation escalates, implicating members of Jenna’s family and rival gang leaders while uncovering extortion, assassination, and child prostitution extending from bombed-out ghetto streets to the highest levels of government. More at Goodreads

Read in February of 2002 and it didn’t take long! In March on 20th of 2002 I read DarknesTake My Hand

Lehane won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel for A Drink Before the War

Darkness Take My Hand – Kenzie & Gennaro #2

From My Reading Journal:

For whatever reason my only comment was Another Kenzie and Gennaro book

From Goodreads:

For Master of new noir Dennis Lehane magnificently evokes the dignity and savagery of working-class Boston in Darkness, Take My Hand, a terrifying tale of redemption.

Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro’s latest client is a prominent Boston psychiatrist, running scared from a vengeful Irish mob. The private investigators know about cold-blooded retribution. Born and bred on the mean streets of blue-collar Dorchester, they’ve seen the darkness that lives in the hearts of the unfortunate. More at Goodreads

The novel was a finalist for the 1997 Dilys Award.

I finished Book #2 on March 2oth of 20002 and started the next book on the same day!

Sacred – Kenzie & Gennaro #3

From My Reading Journal:

Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are hired to find the daughter of Desiree Stone by Trevor Stone.- gone to greif counseling over the death of her mother and boyfriend – along the was PI Jay Becker dies – good couldn’t put down the book! again the characters are great.

Goodreads Description (for context):

Dying billionaire Trevor Stone hires private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro to find his missing daughter. Grief-stricken over the death of her mother and the impending death of her father, Desiree Stone has been missing for three weeks. so has the first investigator Stone hired to find her: Jay Becker, Patrick’s mentor.

Patrick and Angie are led down a trail of half-truths and corruption where nothing is what it seems as the detectives travel from the windblown streets of Boston to the sizzling beaches of Florida’s Gulf coast. And the more Patrick and Angie discover, the more they realize that on this case any wrong step will certainly be their last. More at Goodreads

Oops I read the next book I read was Book 5 instead of Book 4 –

Prayers for Rain – Kenzie & Gennaro # 5

From My Reading Journal

Patrick aqnd Angie face aPsychological destroyer.fter ex-client Karen Wright takes a off the top of a building, Bubba and the two take on the madman. But Who’s behind it all?

Goodreads Description (for context):

When Boston private investigator Patrick Kenzie meets Karen Nichols, she strikes him as an innocent from a protected upbringing. But six months later when Karen takes her own life, Patrick is left wondering what can change so drastically and so quickly that suicide seems the only option?

Through the final weeks of a stifling summer, and with the help of his ex-partner, Angela Gennaro, and his friend, the lethally unbalanced Bubba Rogowski, Patrick enters into psychological warfare with a brilliant sociopath who, instead of merely killing his victims, prefers to make them wish they were dead. More at Goodreads

I read my next book in May of 2002 and I went backwards from book # 5 to book #4

Gone, Baby , Gone – Kenzie & Gennaro #4

From My Reading Journal

Amanda McGready kidnapped gone! Angela and Patrick trace it back to a cop who snatches baby’s for others – many twists and turns. good characters – good book!

Goodreads Description (for context):

In this “absolutely gripping” ( Chicago Tribune ) thriller, New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane vividly captures the complex beauty and darkness of working-class Boston.
The tough neighborhood of Dorchester is no place for the innocent or the weak. Its territory is defined by hard heads and even harder luck; its streets are littered with the detritus of broken families, hearts, and dreams. Now one of its youngest is missing. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro don’t want the case. But after pleas from the child’s aunt, they open an investigation that will ultimately risk everything—their relationship, their sanity, and even their lives—to find a little girl lost. More at Goodreads

Moonlight Mile – Kenzie & Gennaro Book #6

After an eight-year gap, Lehane returned to Patrick and Angie — older, married, and still haunted by Amanda McCready.! You can read my thoughts on Moonlight Mile here.

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