D.R. Ransdell

Originally from Springfield, Illinois, D.R. Ransdell now writes from the heart of the mariachi world. The protagonist for her murder mysteries is a violinist, but Andy Veracruz spends his time chasing lost musicians rather than learning new songs. His latest adventure, Substitute Soloist, won an Independent Publishers Award for Regional Fiction in 2019.

D.R. is a violinist herself. Her musical tell-all, Secrets of a Mariachi Violinist, won the 2019 New Mexico/Arizona biography award. An avid traveler, she also writes contemporary fiction about the Campanello sisters. Amirosian Nights is set in Greece; Thai Twist in Thailand.

By day she teaches composition at the University of Arizona, but she spends afternoons cooling off in the pool.

Book Reviews by D.R. Ransdell

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A Beginner’s Guide to Murder is a humorous romp through unfamiliar territory. Stopps manages her four central characters through distinct portraits.

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Plot points abound at the beginning of Hays’ Pesticide: rioters attack police in central Bern, resulting in a murder; police officer Giuliana Linder deals with accidental homicide while re

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readers are treated to a solid police procedural set in a town rarely represented in the mystery genre but well worthy of a close read.”

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Books are as central to these characters as they are to readers. . . .

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For mystery readers looking for an entertaining read with a character who is off the beaten path, Grave Reservations will be a pleasing entry.”

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Innovative British author Anthony Horowitz is up to his usual intertextual antics in A Line to Kill, a sequel to The Word Is Murder and The Sentence Is Death.

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“As Luke [the protagonist] dives farther into his ancestor’s mind, we dive with him, hoping to exonerate the simple crook while admiring his bravado.

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“This fresh comic thriller is entertaining from start to finish. Raina’s bright voice shines through thanks to his narrator’s unique viewpoint and perceptive observations.”

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Swept Away is a breezy trip into academia, a place where danger is present but manageable—as long as you pay attention to both your surroundings and your colleagues.”

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“Siger’s novel is an enjoyable first step for appreciating this special foreign locale [Naxos, Greece].”

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“Singh’s brilliant book hooks us from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The descriptions are vivid, the setting is intriguing, and the plot provides twists.”

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The two women provide a welcome humorous touch as they guide us through their world.”