Ray's Reviews: When in Maui by Colleen Nye, Thou Shalt Not by Buzz Harcus and Who is Ellen Roquefort? by AJ Hutchison

Michigan's authors have been very prolific during 2012--here's a quick look at recent entertaining paperbacks that were either produced by a small press or were self-published.

        "When in Maui" by Haslett author Colleen Nye (2Moon Press, $15.99) is a debut novel that focuses on the experiences of two friends.

        Alice Tyler takes off for a vacation in Maui, leaving her best friend Vivianne Cook behind.  Alice meets famous movie actor Ryan Perry; soon Vivianne is on her way to provide emotional support.

        There are many funny and interesting interactions, with unexpected results as romance blooms and challenges develop.

        Nye deftly tells an enjoyable tale; she's a member of the local "Writing at the Ledges" writing group and is working on her second novel.  She can be reached at author.colleennye@gmail.com.

        Mancelona author Buzz Harcus takes the reader in a different direction with "Thou Shalt Not", (Sandhill Publishing, $15).

        In his fifth self-published novel, Harcus introduces Ron Macklin, a police detective in Graceport CT, who's investigating a bloody double murder.

        He joins forces with his friend, Homicide Detective Dominic Greyson in New York; two members of a local church were murdered, each involved in separate affairs.

        Dripping with violence and sexual overtones, Harcus' fast-paced tale has a creepy serial killer with a deadly, twisted agenda.

        A Marine Corps veteran, Harcus has also written four other intriguing mysteries: "China Marine: Tsingtao Treasure", "Tainted Treasure", "Web of Greed" and "A Breath of Spring."  Harcus' e-mail address is lesharcus28@msn.com.

        "Who is Ellen Roquefort?" by Hessel MI journalist AJ Hutchison (Sault Printing, $14.95) is the latest novel by the author of "Corruption at Jamestown Prison."

        Distinctly not a sequel, this fat, almost 500-page book is partially set in Lansing, Mason and Holt.
        It deals with the life experiences of a woman suffering from paranoia schizophrenia who fought her illness but faced extraordinary challenges.

        The compelling tale focuses on a woman who had a personality change while attending college; she later taught English and Journalism, wrote poetry, oil painted and parented a child.

        This is not a happy tale, but offers realistic yet sometimes devastating insights, combining fact with fiction.  It also includes over 15 pages of the main character's poetry.

        AJ Hutchison's e-mail address is bobbyau@src-miup.com.

        Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, 

has reviewed Michigan books and crime novels regularly since 1987.

This review was originally published by the 

Lansing State Journal on Sunday, January 30, 2012.