Rating: 
Summary: This book gets a green light. Go for it!
Review: First time novelist Mark Cohen takes on a risky subject (math, not murder) and weaves it into an intriguing murderous page-turner. Not only does he make us care what Fractals are, but how they relate to economics, statistics, philosophy, and finally murder. He leaves no stone unturned and his explanations on all the tricky mathematical subjects are well defined and simple to understand. Math is no longer on my worst subject list!I look forward to reading future Pepper Keane Mysteries, and, oh yes, impressing my friends with my new knowledge of Fractal geometry. This book gets a green light. Go for it!
Rating: 
Summary: Good story
Review: Good story, engaging and fun. Some of the writing gets a little tired (plus the details of this man's work out schedual get a little old) - but definately a fun light read. Wish his female characters were a little more fleshed out, but he does a great job building the dogs into great characters.
Rating:
Summary: Fractal Prof reviews Fractal Murders
Review: He gets the fractal math stuff right and captures the university atmosphere well too. It is the most fun read I've had in years.
Rating:
Summary: An auspicious beginning
Review: Here is a first novel that is written with great assurance, good humor and intelligence. Pepper Keane is--I have to hope--going to be a highly likable series hero. What makes The Fractal Murders notable is the lack of macho posturing, an absence of violent scenes that so many mystery writers feel are necessary to validate their hero's status as someone out of the ordinary. Pepper Keane is a thinking man, with a good heart and a gentle sense of humor. His dealings with females, particularly Jayne Smyers (the professor who hires him to look into the deaths of three fellow mathematicians), are refreshingly honest and discreet. The author spares the reader graphic details--again that so many writers feel are needed when they are not. Most readers have functioning intelligence and don't need to be spoonfed details we can readily supply via our own imaginations. It appears that author Cohen has grasped this significant fact and has written from the heart, without undue embellishments. He also manages to impart information on the somewhat arcane field of fractal mathematics without leaving the reader glassy-eyed--no small accomplishment. Nothing is telegraphed; there are no stock characters. This is fresh, thoughtful writing that supports a new private eye who holds the reader's interest (and affection) through his personal honesty, good heartedness and intelligence. My only quibble is a rather amateurishly done page layout and less than perfect proofreading--neither of which problems detracts from this well-done book.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: 'out spensers' robert parker
Review: i completely agree with tana that this book reminds one of robert parker's spenser novels except that it is much better! (i think spenser peaked with 'early autumn' and went rapidly downhill thereafer, though he has improved to reliable though slightly-above-average in recent years), i only regret that the author chose a title which may turn off some readers becuase it does NOT rtequire any knowledge of mathematica or even an interest in math. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys good dialogue and smart repartee, character depth and development....and a good who-dunn it as well.
Rating: 
Summary: great subject but very formulaic
Review: i had great expectations for this book, as i had a sort of fascination with fractals in college and dearly love a well written whodunnit story...but i was severly dissapointed. what goes on in the book is interesting enough, but the writing seemed terrible to me. we find out tens of times thru out the book what people are wearing and eating, and about the hero's workouts, but things don't add up to a cohesive whole...lots of stereotypes as well...pepper keane is just a collection of interesting traits, doesn't come across as a real person. and as a former math major, let me tell you, female math professors are about as plentiful as honest politicians - but this is a nitpick really.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most charming mysteries of the last few years.
Review: I loved "The Fractal Murders", one of the most charming mysteries of the last few years. This book has everything: a likable hero and likable supporting cast, a different and difficult subject made palatable and interesting, and a nice mystery plot. A math professor hires the hero, Pepper Keane, to investigate the recent deaths of 3 noted authorities on fractal geometry and their possible (probable) linkage. The investigation proceeds nicely, with a few red herrings on the way. And a great, masterly twist in the end! Highly recommended! I already pre-ordered the next book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, Original, Sexy, Smart, Great Read
Review: Living in Colorado I enjoy searching out and reading mysteries that either take place in Colorado or are written by Colorado authors. The author, Mark Cohen, lives in Nederland, Colorado. In this award winning mystery novel, "Hard-Boiled" Detective Pepper Keane is hired by a tall and attractive math professor (with whom he of course eventually starts a romantic relationship) who is concerned about the deaths of three of her colleagues. Three victims, three different states. Although the FBI concludes that the deaths are unrelated, she is convinced that these three mathematicians were murdered because of their knowledge of fractal geometry. I give The Fractal Murders a very high rating as a mystery, a genre I almost read exclusively and may be a bit jaded about and very critical of, because it was clever enough to keep me from figuring out the solution too early even though all of the clues were there. The writing style, however, did not completely appeal to me. But this was more than made up for by a main character and plot that kept me interested. This is obviously a first novel. The development of characters is still in an early stage. But I look forward to more mysteries with Pepper Keane as the main character.
The list of suspects grows and the plot becomes more interesting as you proceed. This is a "Hardboiled" P.I. / detective novel. So, at times the book is pretty violent and at times very funny. The ending has you holding your breath until the last page. Unfortunately, there are a number of typos, which proved disconcerting to me, but they did not minimize my enjoyment of the book. I look forward to more of Pepper Keane.
Before reading Fractal Murders, I knew nothing about fractal mathematics. After reading Fractal Murders, I still know very little about fractal mathematics. But that's okay. I don't think the point of the book was to teach Fractal Mathmatics, but was just part of the plotting. Anyway, it all makes sense as the story unfolds.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. You'll think you solved the crime early and often. But the ending will surprise you!
John Row
Rating:
Summary: An interesting 1st Mystery Novel!
Review: Living in Colorado I enjoy searching out and reading mysteries that either take place in Colorado or are written by Colorado authors. The author, Mark Cohen, lives in Nederland, Colorado. In this award winning mystery novel, "Hard-Boiled" Detective Pepper Keane is hired by a tall and attractive math professor (with whom he of course eventually starts a romantic relationship) who is concerned about the deaths of three of her colleagues. Three victims, three different states. Although the FBI concludes that the deaths are unrelated, she is convinced that these three mathematicians were murdered because of their knowledge of fractal geometry. I give The Fractal Murders a very high rating as a mystery, a genre I almost read exclusively and may be a bit jaded about and very critical of, because it was clever enough to keep me from figuring out the solution too early even though all of the clues were there. The writing style, however, did not completely appeal to me. But this was more than made up for by a main character and plot that kept me interested. This is obviously a first novel. The development of characters is still in an early stage. But I look forward to more mysteries with Pepper Keane as the main character.
The list of suspects grows and the plot becomes more interesting as you proceed. This is a "Hardboiled" P.I. / detective novel. So, at times the book is pretty violent and at times very funny. The ending has you holding your breath until the last page. Unfortunately, there are a number of typos, which proved disconcerting to me, but they did not minimize my enjoyment of the book. I look forward to more of Pepper Keane.
Before reading Fractal Murders, I knew nothing about fractal mathematics. After reading Fractal Murders, I still know very little about fractal mathematics. But that's okay. I don't think the point of the book was to teach Fractal Mathmatics, but was just part of the plotting. Anyway, it all makes sense as the story unfolds.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. You'll think you solved the crime early and often. But the ending will surprise you!
John Row
Rating:
Summary: The Fractual Murders
Review: Mark Cohen's vidid portrayal of the sleepy little town of Nederland, Colorado brings the cozy 1960 style hamlet into the terrible and turbulant 21st century. Mark Cohen's style of suspense, drama, and attention to detail will make his name soon to be a challange to the Griffin's, Follett's, Spillaine's and Clancy's of this great work of relaxiation and enjoyment. Bill Byrum
Hypnotherapist A.P.H.S.
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