From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder

by Dennis Palumbo

Book Overview

This intriguing collection of short, brain-twisting tales of murder and mayhem will keep readers guessing until the very endor will they? All the clues are provided to solve the crimes, just add... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931290601
• ISBN13: 9781931290609
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Tallfellow Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Finding "versimilitude" in every story ...

Dennis Palumbo will have most reader's hooked from page one of each murder mystery. Move over Agatha Christie and Edgar Allen Poe, there is a modern writer who has nudged his way into the murder mystery genre. This author is dynamite! In his own inimitable humorous and wry writing style, Palumbo introduces the reader to a group of men, called "the Smart Guys Marching Society" (Smart Guys) who meet once a month, for socialization, food and drinks and most importantly to solve a "mysterious murder". It all began on a lazy Sunday as the men, their wives and families were barbecuing in the Hollywood Hills ... The Smart Guys began discussing world events, healthcare and politics ... then Uncle Isaac, a distant relative of Dennis's wife joined the group. The conversation drifted to unexplained phenomenon until it settled on the the unsolved murder of Tommy Slick, a small time hoodlum, who in the past had killed a cop. It was the bizarre circumstances of Tommy's death, or rather murder that was baffling. Sargeant D'Amato had been trailing Tommy for a long time, unable to catch him breaking the law. He had a score to settle, it was D'Amato's partner that Tommy had killed. D'Amato interviewed Carla, Tommy's girlfriend, trying to get some leads. She was willing to talk because Tommy had been cheating on her. D'Amato always carried a knife on him, even though it was against regulations, everyone looked the other way. Mark, a journalist and one of the Smart Guys, along with Carla, Tommy's girlfriend, trailed along on a raid of Tommy's establishment. Carla had ratted out Tommy's location. The bizarre circumstances were that it was D'Amato's knife that was found in Tommy's body. Tommy had been stabbed to death, despite D'Amato not being near the victim. Tommy was holed up in a closet, at the time of the ambush. It turns out, Carla had run up to Tommy's body after he fell out of the closet, found the knife in Tommy and tried stabbing D'Amato with his own knife ... The Smart Guys discussed the different possibilities of how this murder could have occurred but it was Uncle Isaac who magically nailed the likely details of "whodunit" and how. The cops working Internal Affairs and Homicide had not a clue, so Mark the journalist, called Vince the cop who worked this case, to inform him of the plausible scenario proposed by Uncle Isaac. Primarily, it is the author's writing style and uniquely intriguing murder mysteries which keeps this reader hooked, wanting more. Each story is genuinely interesting and contains a special twist or turn, with clues presented throughout as suspense is built, until the unexpected climax and conclusion. His off beat sense of humor and choice of words is totally captivating and mesmerizing. Here are a few samples of writing which made this reader admire the author, gasp or laugh out loud. p. 51 "I'm tellin' ya, it's gotta be the most dead-a$$, dried out piece of real estate I've ever seen. Like Mayberry on life support, ya know what I

Outstanding!

This is a welcome update to the armchair detective genre, particularly for those of us who grew up on the tales written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. The added bonus for readers who tag along with the Smart Guys Marching Society is the ability to participate in the deliberations with contemporaries -- the type of guys we can see ourselves hanging out with. A most enjoyable read. The book also showcases Dennis Palumbo's great versatility as a writer. Whether he is writing for the screen, for the writer to help him improve his craft, or for his fellow psychologists, Palumbo is always a pleasure to read.

Challenging and fun read!

Every Sunday afternoon, the Smart Guys Marching Society gets together for an informal meeting involving snacks and discussions of "the big issues." These four men -- a lawyer, a journalist, a psychotherapist and an actor -- are unexpectedly joined by a fifth member, Isaac, who has an uncanny knack for solving mysteries. From Crime to Crime grants the reader admission into these weekly Smart Guys meetings, giving him the opportunity to match wits with Isaac. In the traditional armchair mystery style, one person explains the puzzle as he sees it. Then the Smart Guys all try to figure it out. The good-natured banter between these five men is humorous and light-hearted. And the puzzles are clever and a real challenge to solve - but no clues are held back in the interest of fairness. If you love a good cozy and lament the fact that Agatha Christie's style has gone out of fashion, you'll really enjoy these short stories. Dennis Palumbo has combined the best of the old style mystery with a splash of humor and camaraderie that makes them a joy to read. Reviewer: Alice Berger Bergers Book Reviews

a great read!

I really enjoyed this! The author takes a classic format and modernizes it, He makes it fun and intellectually challenging. I wish I had friends like Isaac, and the Smart Guys.

It's a Crime Not to Read This Book!

There is always reason to celebrate whenever Dennis Palumbo breaks away from his busy psychotherapy practice in Los Angeles to crank out thoughtful essays on writing, or, in this case, to introduce us to the members of The Smart Guys Marching Society in this wonderful new collection of mystery short stories. For those of us who grew up on Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Palumbo strikes a familiar chord with these armchair detectives -- four regular guys who meet weekly to solve the great problems of the world, but end up solving mysteries instead. As noted in the Introduction, this style of mystery writing dates all the way back to Poe and has been reinvented over the years from Agatha Christie to Issac Asimov. Palumbo hardly breaks new ground with his characters, but that's part of the joy of these stories. We all know the formula, but Palumbo gives us fresh characters and new problems to solve. Once you start a story, you stay with it, wanting, of course, to know whodunit, seeing if you can outguess The Smart Guys. "Body of Evidence" and "Freud Slept Here" were my two favorite stories in The Smart Guys section. Three other short mysteries are added at the end and I absolutely loved "A Theory of Murder," which features the detecting of a young patent official named Einstein. This story has all the makings of a separate mystery novel and I would encourage the author to explore that option. No gunplay here. No damsels in distress. No violence. It's all in the mind as four ordinary guys try to solve complex mysteries they stumble across, always to be guided by Issac who somehow seems to know it all. Bravo to Dennis Palumbo. Be sure to share this book with any friends or book clubs who enjoy a good mystery. I hope to see further adventures in future books.