by Terrance Mc Arthur & Autumn Trapani

We are doing something a bit different this week. We are sharing 2 reviews of my new book, One of You–one from a local’s perspective and one from someone who doesn’t live in the area. There is also info on the official in-person book launch happening at the Book Barn in Clovis on July 20! And you can enter to win an ebook copy of the book.

One of You: A Tower District Mystery by Lorie Lewis Ham
Review by Terrance McArthur

Fresno’s Tower District, the land of dreams. What a place for a mystery festival! What a place for a murder!

The Tower Theatre, the Rogue Festival. Irene’s Café, the Puppy Parade, Spectrum Art Gallery, Golden Restaurant, Fresno’s ArtHop, Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, Pacifica Pizza, (what was) The Revue, and more San Joaquin Valley locations (like Sanger’s Hobb’s Grove Haunt), and even Tower people like Mallory Moad and Marcel Nunes—all are in One of You, Lorie Lewis Ham’s second Tower District mystery.

The plucky Roxi Carlucci is back, dividing her time between her podcast highlighting Fresno’s arts/theatre/music community, working for her private-investigator-cousin Stephen, and helping bookstore-owner Clark organize the first Tower Mysteryfest at Halloween. She’s busy—keeping the guest authors happy, preparing for the movie night, and mediating between Alec (the director of an Edgar Allen Poe play adaptation production of The Murders in the Rue Morgue) and Edward (cast as Poe’s detective Dupin…and the publisher/husband of Marilyn, the festival’s headline author/guest speaker, who promised to make a major announcement).

Roxi sees a lot as the Mysteryfest nears—excellent snickerdoodles, arguments flaring among festival participants…and Clark standing over a dead body in his bookstore.

Suspects abound. The participating mystery authors have their own secrets (about their backgrounds, writing, and relationships). The Tower Gossip blog, which was supposedly silenced in the first Tower District Mystery, One of Us, returns to toss out hints and rumors to bedevil Stephen and Roxi, who are hired to find whodunnit and work with the police. As the two investigate, there are brushes with their family’s Mafia ties, and questions about the “accident” that killed Roxi’s parents. The search for the truth culminates in a confrontation shrouded in the darkness of the Valley’s tule fog, a Fresno-based novel to the end.

Ms. Ham fills the book with her love of the Tower District. Some of the buildings are rearranged so Roxi doesn’t have to walk too far. Roxi drops references to Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Arthurian legends, and the small group of pets (cat, dog, and rat) who share her room at her cousin’s house.

One of You combines the warmth of cozy mysteries that feature amateur detectives with facets of the detective novel, with Roxi learning the ropes of being a P.I. She actually has a cordial relationship with the police detectives! Suspects become prominent until another looks more guilty. It’s a lively romp, and it may inspire you to wander the blocks of the Tower District, which is always a good idea to do.

This author’s books are always fascinating backstage looks at her chosen subject, be it the world of a touring gospel music singer or the viewpoint of a transplant to Fresno. Both Tower District Mysteries are worth the time spent, and a third installment would clear up some of the Tower Gossip elements. I was hooked in by One of Us. I raced through One of You. I can’t wait for . . . One of Them.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.

One of You by Lorie Lewis Ham
Review by Autumn Trapani

One of You, the second in Lorie Lewis Ham’s Tower District Mystery series, is a delightful continuation of the series starring Roxi Carlucci, former children’s book author, and new podcaster. After losing her publishing contract, Roxi has moved in with her cousin Stephen and settled in, making friends, starting a podcast, and working for Stephen as a part-time P.I. She’s also made friends with Clark Halliwell, the local bookstore owner, and is helping him with a Mysteryfest celebration taking place during Halloween. When a murder occurs during the event, Roxi, despite being thought of as the “Jessica Fletcher of the Tower District” investigates along with Stephen.

This is a fun series with a lot to recommend it. Roxi is very appealing, smart, and as a thirty-something, she has some life experience to help her along with the investigations. The supporting characters are all great. My favorites are Clark the bookstore owner, Roxi’s cousin Stephen, and her best friend Lucas. And there’s also the menagerie living with Roxi and Stephen, including Merlin, her pet rat, who is himself an appealing character.

The Tower District is brought to life by Lorie Lewis Ham’s vivid descriptions, I feel like I am there while I am reading. If I ever do visit Fresno, I will know exactly where to go. The restaurants sound great and I also love the community theater that is at the heart of a lot of activity. Good food, good community theater, and a bookstore – what more could a reader want?

Perhaps the best thing about this series is that the mysteries are very well-plotted. I’ve read a few mysteries recently where I was able to guess the killer very easily. Not so with these books. Roxi and Stephen investigate in an organized and methodical manner and the reader is taken right along on the ride with them. I was not able to figure out the killer in this book or in the first in the series, One of Us.

I’m very much looking forward to the next installment in the series, since there was a mystery hinted at, at the end of this book that I hope is solved (or at least investigated more). Either way, I will enjoy spending more time with Roxi and company.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Autumn Trapani is an avid reader and enjoys letting others know about good books through her reviews. When not reviewing, you can find her working as a property manager – although she always has her nose in a book at lunchtime! Autumn lives in Portland, OR with her husband and two cats.

If you are local come on out to the Book Barn in Clovis on July 20 and you can purchase a signed copy of One of You, enter to win a One of You coffee mug, and pick up some fun swag!

To enter to win an ebook copy of One of You, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “you” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 20, 2024. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.