Book Review: Hotel California (edited by Dan Bruns)

My Rating: 

3.75⭐️

Hotel California (edited by Don Bruns) is an anthology of eight crime stories that vary in setting, crimes, and tone. 

New Kid in Town by Andrew Child  features Jack Reacher who gets embroiled in a search for a lost girl. (2.5/5)

Life in the Fast Lane by Don Bruns : A hired assassin breaks all the rules of the game on an assignment, altering the course of his mission.(4/5)

Wasted Time by John Gilstrap :Two brothers, a Senator and a convicted murderer recently released from prison, hash it out as long-buried secrets resurface. (4.5/5)

Victim of Love by Reed Farrel Coleman : A strange face mask alters the persona and destiny of a down-on-his-luck man leading to some shocking outcomes.(3.5 /5) 

Pretty Maids All in a Row by Heather Graham:  Visitors discover more than tombs /mausoleums on a cemetery tour in New Orleans. (3/5) 

Try and Love Again by Amanda Flower :A private investigator gets involved in trying to solve a decades old cold case.(3/5)

The Last Resort by Rich Bleiweiss  : – A cat and mouse game ensues when a hit is taken out on a hitman.(4/5)

Hotel California by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush  : With the lyrics of the eponymous song strewn throughout the narrative, this was more a light mystery with a surreal element rather than a crime story.(4/5)

Hey Eagles fans, do the names of these stories sound familiar? 

I loved the unique concept and enjoyed the fact that all of the story titles were taken from songs featured in the Eagles' Hotel California album. The only flipside was I couldn’t keep the music out of my head while reading!

Varying between dark, creepy, mysterious, surreal and action-packed, a few stories featured unpredictable endings and unexpected twists. But of course,not all stories are equally appealing . Given the wide variety of writing styles, mysteries and characters, most fans of this genre would find something they like. Many of these authors were new to me, so this was a great opportunity to sample their work. Overall, a mixed bag like most anthologies, I found Hotel California to be an interesting read.