Rating: 
Summary: Reads like a movie script.
Review: We follow Daman Rourke, a homicide cop, as he investigates a murder in New Orleans in 1927. But this murder is very personal for him, since he knew the deceased, the deceased's wife (who used to be the love of his life), and all the other peripheral characters involved. Ms. Williamson ties the many characters together in an easy to follow manner and I was kept guessing to the end as to who the murderer was. However, about halfway through the book I almost considered putting it down, it just dragged on and on and really reads like a 1940's B gangster movie. I would recommend this book because the ending should surprise you (with a few loose ends left dragging) but wait for the paperback.
Rating:
Summary: The Big Easy-gowman style
Review: What a N'alans full book. 1927, two Mickey Spilane type detectives, full of hoodoo, Voodoo, chicken bones and eyes of knutes on and on. Found it a little hard to keep abreast of everything at times, but the total concept of the book was good. The ending was probably better than the whole reading, but again, that is what counts and brings you back again.
Rating: 
Summary: A LIGHT-WEIGHT...IN THE THRILLER GENRE
Review: Womanizing, lawyer Charles St. Claire is found stabbed to death. Covered in blood and claiming innocence is his beautiful wife, actress, Remie Lelourie.Damon Rourke is the widower, homicide detective called to the scene, he is also the man who was once the lover of Remie Lelourie. Damon is having a hard time believing her innocence, since her fingerprint is found on the cane knife used to kill her husband. When a second body surfaces in a murky swamp, it leads Damon to Casey Maguire, a bootlegger with ties to the mob. As the two murders seem to be seperate, a third murder pulls them all together. Damon soon realizes everyone in "The Big Easy" has something to hide. Racing to stop anymore killings, and prove Remy's innocence, Damon will learn the truth of those he thought he knew, as well as himself. "Mortal Sins" becomes too hard to follow, and has too many characters to keep track of. As the story unfolds it becomes more a gothic drama, with some plot shocks thrown in to call it a suspense novel. Romance writer Penelope Williamson has written a suspence novel under the name Penn Williamson, unfortunately changing her name is not going to make it happen. The writing and plot are good but the book suffers from some bad dialogue (usually found in romance novels), and too much time spent on the backround of every character. New Orleans and murder are a good combination but it just didn't work here. Nick Gonnella
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