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The Horoscope Writer
Leo: You’ll step out the door, prepared for a normal day. But you’ll never reach your workplace. You will vanish, without a trace.
Who is The Horoscope Writer? It’s not Bobby Frindley. He’s an ex-Olympic athlete who has fast-talked his way into an entry-level position at a dying newspaper. He’s supposed to be writing horoscopes, but someone has been doing his job for him . . .
On his first night on the job, Bobby receives an email with twelve gruesome, highly-detailed horoscopes, along with a chilling ultimatum: print them and one will come true, or ignore them and all of them will.
Working with a skeptical co-worker, Bobby investigates the horoscope writer’s true identity, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more the predictions begin to be about him. Has he attracted the attention of a cruel puppeteer? Or is it possible that, like any good horoscope, it’s all in his mind?
Who is The Horoscope Writer? It’s not Bobby Frindley. He’s an ex-Olympic athlete who has fast-talked his way into an entry-level position at a dying newspaper. He’s supposed to be writing horoscopes, but someone has been doing his job for him . . .
On his first night on the job, Bobby receives an email with twelve gruesome, highly-detailed horoscopes, along with a chilling ultimatum: print them and one will come true, or ignore them and all of them will.
Working with a skeptical co-worker, Bobby investigates the horoscope writer’s true identity, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more the predictions begin to be about him. Has he attracted the attention of a cruel puppeteer? Or is it possible that, like any good horoscope, it’s all in his mind?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2023
284 people are currently reading
26624 people want to read
About the author
Ash Bishop
3 books204 followersAsh Bishop is a lifetime reader. He loves all genres but has a particular affinity for mystery, science fiction and fantasy.
Ash was born in Bloomington, Indiana where his dad taught at Indiana University. His family moved to Orange County, California when he was very young, and he spent his formative years among the mean streets of Irvine. He attended college at UCSB, then the National University of Ireland, Galway. Ash is also a graduate of San Diego State University with an MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives in Southern California with his family and numerous pets.
He spent a good number of years as a high-school English teacher and an adjunct college professor, but he's also done a few less important, though slightly more glamorous, things. He worked in the video game industry, and educational app development; he currently acts as a script supervisor for a major Hollywood studio, and he even used to fetch coffee for Quentin Tarantino during the production of Jackie Brown.
Ash can't get enough of fellow sci-fi authors Philip K. Dick and John Scalzi, but he also likes the classics, thanks to all those years teaching F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton. He plays at least an hour of Magic the Gathering a day and considers a revival of Logan's Run and Robotech among his dream projects. He is currently running a very loquacious level-8 Bard through The Rise of Tiamat (alongside three friends and a cruel, unforgiving DM).
Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. is his first published novel. The Horoscope Writer, a murder mystery, will be released in the Summer of 2023.
For more information, check out www.linktr.ee/ashlbishop or www.ash-bishop.com
Ash was born in Bloomington, Indiana where his dad taught at Indiana University. His family moved to Orange County, California when he was very young, and he spent his formative years among the mean streets of Irvine. He attended college at UCSB, then the National University of Ireland, Galway. Ash is also a graduate of San Diego State University with an MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives in Southern California with his family and numerous pets.
He spent a good number of years as a high-school English teacher and an adjunct college professor, but he's also done a few less important, though slightly more glamorous, things. He worked in the video game industry, and educational app development; he currently acts as a script supervisor for a major Hollywood studio, and he even used to fetch coffee for Quentin Tarantino during the production of Jackie Brown.
Ash can't get enough of fellow sci-fi authors Philip K. Dick and John Scalzi, but he also likes the classics, thanks to all those years teaching F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton. He plays at least an hour of Magic the Gathering a day and considers a revival of Logan's Run and Robotech among his dream projects. He is currently running a very loquacious level-8 Bard through The Rise of Tiamat (alongside three friends and a cruel, unforgiving DM).
Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. is his first published novel. The Horoscope Writer, a murder mystery, will be released in the Summer of 2023.
For more information, check out www.linktr.ee/ashlbishop or www.ash-bishop.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
January 7, 2025
The Horoscope Writer
By Ash Bishop
A young man right out of college gets a job as a Horoscope Writer at a newspaper. He wanted to be a journalist, but this was aĺ they had open at the time. The night he was to turn in his horoscopes for the next day, he got a text. The text has bizarre with specific incidents for each constellation. He writes back a snarky response and doesn't think much of it. The next day, all of the incidents happen!
So the mystery begins! Pretty stange and exciting. Great mystery and twists!
By Ash Bishop
A young man right out of college gets a job as a Horoscope Writer at a newspaper. He wanted to be a journalist, but this was aĺ they had open at the time. The night he was to turn in his horoscopes for the next day, he got a text. The text has bizarre with specific incidents for each constellation. He writes back a snarky response and doesn't think much of it. The next day, all of the incidents happen!
So the mystery begins! Pretty stange and exciting. Great mystery and twists!
August 2, 2023
Intriguing, love the overall plot and different characters and threads, has a good build through the first 1/3 of the book. But halfway through and it’s very obvious it’s a “she boobed boobily into the room, two mounds on her chest like bald babies, her boobs surfaced the water before she did, panties strewn about, let’s stop in the middle of a fraught situation to describe the needlessly naked woman… all the women throw themselves at the irresistible leading man” type of writing. It’s honestly funny how cliché it is… bad… but funny.
Still, I might have even awarded it 2 stars, again for the overall fascinating sinister horoscope idea, but for some other poor choices. An innocent tiger gets shot, a dog gets pistol whipped, and pit bulls as an entire breed get maligned (fuck perpetuating that stereotype). The lone woman professional, one of the chapter POVs, gets tossed aside like trash in favor of the men, one barely even a secondary character, powering through their wounds to save the day. All the women are there just to sit wide-eyed, or scream, and then admittedly abandon all self-respect to proclaim their attraction to Bobby.
The possible intricacies of the crime unravel at the end, leaving a lackluster reveal. The novice “journalist” is magically better/smarter than everyone else all along. And his constant appeals to God, I assume done to endear him to the reader as a flawed but potentially pious individual, do nothing but highlight the glaring hypocrisy of morally corrupt men.
Basically… no thanks.
Still, I might have even awarded it 2 stars, again for the overall fascinating sinister horoscope idea, but for some other poor choices. An innocent tiger gets shot, a dog gets pistol whipped, and pit bulls as an entire breed get maligned (fuck perpetuating that stereotype). The lone woman professional, one of the chapter POVs, gets tossed aside like trash in favor of the men, one barely even a secondary character, powering through their wounds to save the day. All the women are there just to sit wide-eyed, or scream, and then admittedly abandon all self-respect to proclaim their attraction to Bobby.
The possible intricacies of the crime unravel at the end, leaving a lackluster reveal. The novice “journalist” is magically better/smarter than everyone else all along. And his constant appeals to God, I assume done to endear him to the reader as a flawed but potentially pious individual, do nothing but highlight the glaring hypocrisy of morally corrupt men.
Basically… no thanks.
February 14, 2023
Thanks to Book Sirens for letting me read this as ARC. My review is of my own thinking and no one else’s.
This takes place in San Diego, California.
Bobby Frindley An ex Silver Medal Olympian is just trying to get a job and get a little respect from his father.
He falls into being the Horoscope Writer for the San Diego failing newspaper.
What follows is a nightmare that won’t end… This adventure that the author takes you on will keep you guessing to the very last page. It leaves me with several questions that I’m pretty sure will be covered in Book 2….. isn’t there always one.
So…. What happened to Star and his fling that he had across the hall in his apartment? Did Eli ever totally win the girl back or was it Bobby.
Crazy beautiful mansions trashed by maniacs is all I kept thinking in the later Chapters.
Everybody wants to be accepted by somebody and it was Bobby and his Father, did that ever happen. So many questions left unanswered.
This takes place in San Diego, California.
Bobby Frindley An ex Silver Medal Olympian is just trying to get a job and get a little respect from his father.
He falls into being the Horoscope Writer for the San Diego failing newspaper.
What follows is a nightmare that won’t end… This adventure that the author takes you on will keep you guessing to the very last page. It leaves me with several questions that I’m pretty sure will be covered in Book 2….. isn’t there always one.
So…. What happened to Star and his fling that he had across the hall in his apartment? Did Eli ever totally win the girl back or was it Bobby.
Crazy beautiful mansions trashed by maniacs is all I kept thinking in the later Chapters.
Everybody wants to be accepted by somebody and it was Bobby and his Father, did that ever happen. So many questions left unanswered.
July 9, 2023
*Paperback
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this one but by the middle to end the pacing picked up. It’s a cool concept for a book but has 0 likable characters. The MC, Bobby is sleeping with a married woman while her husband is deployed overseas….ewww. I struggle with main characters when I don’t like them…the other main character was the villain. So yeah didn’t like any of them.
Overall it was a solid read but I think if it had more actual horoscopes versus technical astrological references, it might been able to keep my attention a little better and might’ve have a more page turner vibe.
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this one but by the middle to end the pacing picked up. It’s a cool concept for a book but has 0 likable characters. The MC, Bobby is sleeping with a married woman while her husband is deployed overseas….ewww. I struggle with main characters when I don’t like them…the other main character was the villain. So yeah didn’t like any of them.
Overall it was a solid read but I think if it had more actual horoscopes versus technical astrological references, it might been able to keep my attention a little better and might’ve have a more page turner vibe.
August 4, 2023
Looking for a book in a unique style, with a very surprising main character and lots and lots of surprises! Then you’ll love The Horoscope Writer. I did, for sure.
It all starts when Bobby, 26 and jobless, sees a job opening with a very small local newspaper. Although Bobby has a degree in journalism, he only ever earned a living as a sportsman, culminating in winning a silver medal with his water polo team at the Olympics. Now he’s living for free in a small apartment his parents own and he’s madly in love with his neighbour Sarah. Too bad she’s married with a muscular marine, who’s currently on a mission.
Bobby succeeds in getting the intern job, with very little pay though, and no benefits and above all, no real work. He’s to replace the girl who wrote the horoscopes – but she’s disappeared so they need someone urgently to fill the position.
From there on, the book takes of in several interesting directions. There are murders, or maybe near-murders. There are three suspects and Bobby is involved with three women (although two are platonic). There are three dangerous men and on at least three occasions Bobby has to fear for his life. It starts out a little slow but the pace picks up, as do the surprises. There is a lot of talk about astrology and history and religion, but don’t take it all too serious!
It’s all very improbable but it is a fast and funny read.
Thanks to Edelweiss and CamCat Books for this review copy.
It all starts when Bobby, 26 and jobless, sees a job opening with a very small local newspaper. Although Bobby has a degree in journalism, he only ever earned a living as a sportsman, culminating in winning a silver medal with his water polo team at the Olympics. Now he’s living for free in a small apartment his parents own and he’s madly in love with his neighbour Sarah. Too bad she’s married with a muscular marine, who’s currently on a mission.
Bobby succeeds in getting the intern job, with very little pay though, and no benefits and above all, no real work. He’s to replace the girl who wrote the horoscopes – but she’s disappeared so they need someone urgently to fill the position.
From there on, the book takes of in several interesting directions. There are murders, or maybe near-murders. There are three suspects and Bobby is involved with three women (although two are platonic). There are three dangerous men and on at least three occasions Bobby has to fear for his life. It starts out a little slow but the pace picks up, as do the surprises. There is a lot of talk about astrology and history and religion, but don’t take it all too serious!
It’s all very improbable but it is a fast and funny read.
Thanks to Edelweiss and CamCat Books for this review copy.
July 16, 2023
I wanted to love this book but by the end I didn’t even like it.
July 27, 2023
Didn't finish; I thought this was a really exciting and cool concept, but the writing was poor. It was formulaic in some places and just clunky in others. I would try a different book from the author to give them another chance.
February 6, 2023
The Horoscope Writer has an intriguing premise that captured my interest right away. The plot was fast paced and heavy on the action, and I enjoyed the way the author played with the question of fate vs. free will and the divine vs. science.
I did, however, find myself in disbelief on more than a few occasions, as some of the events of the story were rather farfetched—particularly the actions of the two cops, Leslie and Therese (the latter of whom didn't have a first name until about 40% through the book). Their decisions were reckless and would've certainly gotten them fired, maybe even killed.
The author obviously did a lot of research into astrology, which made the story feel authentic. It was perhaps a bit heavy on the exposition; I'm not sure how much detail into the history of astrology was necessary for the plot. I liked the little clues sprinkled throughout (e.g., the smell of urine in the tiger's den) and the way Bobby's backstory of being an Olympic athlete proved to be important to the plot. However, I did find it a bit of a stretch that Bobby was so easily able to solve the mystery after less than a week on the job, with no discernible training, and very early on in the story. The identification of the killer seemed a little too easy, both from the character's perspective and in terms of the plot. He never even considered any other suspects.
As far as the writing style, there were a number of phrases I highlighted for being funny, poignant, or particularly evocative. There were also some great one-liners in the dialogue as well. That said, I thought as a whole, the book was too heavy on telling with very little showing. Rather than describing how the characters feel or what they are doing, the reader is told—so as a result, I found it difficult to connect with any of them on an emotional level. There was some questionable verb/adjective use, which made it feel like the author was *trying* to show rather than tell, but it didn't quite hit the mark. Other reviews have mentioned that the descriptions of the San Diego area were interesting, but I found them to be too long and skipped over the majority of those sections, as it didn't seem to have much bearing on the plot.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a fascinating plot that held my attention. I would read another of this author's thrillers in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I did, however, find myself in disbelief on more than a few occasions, as some of the events of the story were rather farfetched—particularly the actions of the two cops, Leslie and Therese (the latter of whom didn't have a first name until about 40% through the book). Their decisions were reckless and would've certainly gotten them fired, maybe even killed.
The author obviously did a lot of research into astrology, which made the story feel authentic. It was perhaps a bit heavy on the exposition; I'm not sure how much detail into the history of astrology was necessary for the plot. I liked the little clues sprinkled throughout (e.g., the smell of urine in the tiger's den) and the way Bobby's backstory of being an Olympic athlete proved to be important to the plot. However, I did find it a bit of a stretch that Bobby was so easily able to solve the mystery after less than a week on the job, with no discernible training, and very early on in the story. The identification of the killer seemed a little too easy, both from the character's perspective and in terms of the plot. He never even considered any other suspects.
As far as the writing style, there were a number of phrases I highlighted for being funny, poignant, or particularly evocative. There were also some great one-liners in the dialogue as well. That said, I thought as a whole, the book was too heavy on telling with very little showing. Rather than describing how the characters feel or what they are doing, the reader is told—so as a result, I found it difficult to connect with any of them on an emotional level. There was some questionable verb/adjective use, which made it feel like the author was *trying* to show rather than tell, but it didn't quite hit the mark. Other reviews have mentioned that the descriptions of the San Diego area were interesting, but I found them to be too long and skipped over the majority of those sections, as it didn't seem to have much bearing on the plot.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a fascinating plot that held my attention. I would read another of this author's thrillers in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 7, 2022
Do the fuzzy stars and chonky planets that spin around this crazy galaxy control our fate? Can they be interpreted in such a way that we can see not only our futures, but the futures of all the peeps around us in a 'kind of specific' but still 'sorta vague' way, much like those fortunes in the Chinese Cookies?
Maybe...? (*shrug*)
Or can someone... possibly... be manipulating that Cosmological Information for their own gains, that might or might not be ill-gotten?
Who knows? (*shrug again*)
Follow new hororscop-ologist Bobby Frindley as he solves the mystery.
Maybe...? (*shrug*)
Or can someone... possibly... be manipulating that Cosmological Information for their own gains, that might or might not be ill-gotten?
Who knows? (*shrug again*)
Follow new hororscop-ologist Bobby Frindley as he solves the mystery.
January 29, 2023
I really like police procedural / investigation books, and this one did not disappoint! Bobby Frindley needed a job, and he goes into writing horoscopes is going to be an easy one. Until his first night on the job.
I really liked how this story flowed, and you find yourself flipping to the next page feverishly at points to figure out where The Horoscope Writer is going to lead Bobby next. I would absolutely read another one of Bobby’s investigative journeys if this turned into the launch of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I really liked how this story flowed, and you find yourself flipping to the next page feverishly at points to figure out where The Horoscope Writer is going to lead Bobby next. I would absolutely read another one of Bobby’s investigative journeys if this turned into the launch of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
December 30, 2023
The Horoscope Writer ended up being a pleasant surprise. Bobby is hired as a freelance writer for the aper. He wants to be a crime reporter, instead he ends up being the new horoscope writer. When a fan seems to predict the actual future through his e-mails, Bobby knows there is something strange going on.
I did end up liking the msytery in this one. I kept changing my mind as to what was really going on. I won't spoil it because there are a lot of twists. What I had a hard time liking was Bobby. He really was not a likable character. He made a lot of decisions that I could not really get behind. Despite that, this is an instance where I could put aside my dislike of a character berceuse the mystery was to riveting. I highly recommend this one. It's definitely unique.
I did end up liking the msytery in this one. I kept changing my mind as to what was really going on. I won't spoil it because there are a lot of twists. What I had a hard time liking was Bobby. He really was not a likable character. He made a lot of decisions that I could not really get behind. Despite that, this is an instance where I could put aside my dislike of a character berceuse the mystery was to riveting. I highly recommend this one. It's definitely unique.
February 10, 2023
The denigrating of pit bulls really put me off, as did the vague promotion of god. The basic idea was interesting but I felt the overall storytelling lacked something. There wasn’t enough confusion as to who was the bad guy and the reasoning seemed bland. The concept that Bobby was a good investigator and writer didn’t seem to match up with his background. I did enjoy the concept of the story, but wish it had been handled better.
I received a free copy via Book Sirens, and my review is my honest opinion.
I received a free copy via Book Sirens, and my review is my honest opinion.
July 17, 2023
I loved this book. The action is nonstop, the pages practically turn themselves, and Bobby is a really interesting character. I enjoyed the mystery, the quirky humor, and the fast-paced investigative writing style. The horoscopes added a unique twist and I couldn't put it down. I hope to read more of the genre from this author.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2023
I tried this one out because it seemed like a great idea for a story - the new horoscope writer for a small paper is anonymously emailed some gruesome horoscopes with the threat that if they are printed, only one comes true but if they are ignored all will come true. It sounded like a nice cross between a mystery and a procedural which is right up my alley.
Sadly this one just didn't resonate with me. In the early going I probably picked it up and put it down a dozen times because despite the intriguing premise, I just couldn't muster up the interest. Main character Bobby is kind of an oddball. An Olympic medalist in water polo, there's no real explanation as to why he has fallen so far, is broke, and is now struggling to apply for an internship at a small newspaper, especially when he spends the book constantly being a better journalist then his peers and a better investigator then the police. It's a very strange mix, and it doesn't help when he *****spoiler alert***** sleeps with a married woman in the first few chapters while her husband is deployed. It made me instantly dislike both Bobby and Sarah, not good when they're the two main characters.
I just couldn't connect with this one at all. The eventual villain reveal and motive was rather underwhelming and their inevitable demise was very abrupt. Even the twist at the end which I didn't see coming had a dull conclusion. Sorry this one just didn't work for me. It'd be 2.5 stars if that was available, but I'll round it up to 3.
Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the free advanced copy of this novel. This review contains my honest thoughts
Sadly this one just didn't resonate with me. In the early going I probably picked it up and put it down a dozen times because despite the intriguing premise, I just couldn't muster up the interest. Main character Bobby is kind of an oddball. An Olympic medalist in water polo, there's no real explanation as to why he has fallen so far, is broke, and is now struggling to apply for an internship at a small newspaper, especially when he spends the book constantly being a better journalist then his peers and a better investigator then the police. It's a very strange mix, and it doesn't help when he *****spoiler alert***** sleeps with a married woman in the first few chapters while her husband is deployed. It made me instantly dislike both Bobby and Sarah, not good when they're the two main characters.
I just couldn't connect with this one at all. The eventual villain reveal and motive was rather underwhelming and their inevitable demise was very abrupt. Even the twist at the end which I didn't see coming had a dull conclusion. Sorry this one just didn't work for me. It'd be 2.5 stars if that was available, but I'll round it up to 3.
Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the free advanced copy of this novel. This review contains my honest thoughts
September 6, 2023
This was not great. I love procedurals and rogue investigations but this bordered on absolutely ridiculous and there’s never any doubt about who the bad guy is. The motive for all the terrible crimes is mind boggling and don’t even get me started on how poorly developed all the characters are, especially all the women.
Bobby is an ex Olympian who sweet talks his way into a job writing horoscopes at the local paper. When he gets an email with a list of scary horoscopes and a threat that they will all come true if he doesn’t publish them he dismisses it as a joke. However one by one they each turn up to be true and suddenly he realizes he may hold the key to capturing a psychopath.
This book honestly felt like wish fulfillment. Bobby is every woman’s dream man. He can fight, he can banter, he is so good looking that married women sleep with him but he’s such a great guy that their husbands forgive him. He can solve crimes without any expertise at all, he can type up stories and demand bylines just because. It’s amateur and he lacks any sort of depth. It tries to bring in some technical astrological elements into it but it doesn’t add anything to the overall story.
Bobby is an ex Olympian who sweet talks his way into a job writing horoscopes at the local paper. When he gets an email with a list of scary horoscopes and a threat that they will all come true if he doesn’t publish them he dismisses it as a joke. However one by one they each turn up to be true and suddenly he realizes he may hold the key to capturing a psychopath.
This book honestly felt like wish fulfillment. Bobby is every woman’s dream man. He can fight, he can banter, he is so good looking that married women sleep with him but he’s such a great guy that their husbands forgive him. He can solve crimes without any expertise at all, he can type up stories and demand bylines just because. It’s amateur and he lacks any sort of depth. It tries to bring in some technical astrological elements into it but it doesn’t add anything to the overall story.
December 11, 2023
Just awful! Wanted a palette cleanser after some heavy nonfiction reading but this has all the worst traits of crime fiction. Was already listening on 1.5 speed because of the poorly developed mystery and horrifying misogyny, but moved up to 1.7 speed when it inexplicably turned into Christian propaganda? Hated this so much.
March 5, 2023
Like riding a rollercoaster in the dark you didn’t know any twist or turn was happening till it did. The author had to of done so much research in astronomy to achieve the level of the authenticity needed to make this read amazing and honestly I appreciate every bit of it. One I would recommend to others!
I did get sent an advance reader copy and I was SO excited for that so thank you! This review is 100% my own ❤️
I did get sent an advance reader copy and I was SO excited for that so thank you! This review is 100% my own ❤️
May 24, 2024
I had been looking for a good mystery when I caught the title of this new novel, "The Horoscope Writer" and found myself intrigued. The cover had me 99% onboard but it was the description of the story that sold it: young ex-Olympian athlete with no newspaper experience lands job at dying newspaper writing horoscopes. Receives email with outlandish horoscopes about death, fire, rape and a mauling, with a note to print these or all them will come true.
Sold.
Everyone knows that horoscopes aren't real, they are a few well-chosen words that reflect everyone's feelings and generalizations about humankind with zodiac and astral messages tossed in for good measure and are basically laughable. But what if they are very specific (an Indonesian tiger, for example) and they do come true? Were they events that happened and someone wrote it as a horoscope or were they actually committed by the mystery writer? There are some great twists that really toss the reader around and even leaves you wondering if this is all a grand sociological experiment in human behavior.
While the deaths are gruesome, the characters are likable, the twists (and red herrings) are numerous, and the humor is hysterical. Bobby Frindley, silver medal water polo Olympian, makes mistakes, is a disappointment to his dad, can be a total dog sometimes, but he is generally a good person. His mother adores him, women love him (even if he is a dog). He can take a brutal beating, or two, people trust him, he has good instincts and he has the tenacity it takes to solve the mystery behind the horoscopes. Leslie Consorte and Therese Lapeyre of the San Diego PD are right there, either with Bobby, sometimes trailing behind far him, in their job to solve this. And the two women in Bobby's life are thankfully not fighting over him.
I really enjoyed this book and I really really hope there is a sequel, maybe even a series, because the author has a great group of characters, a clever idea for a mystery and a wonderful sense of humor, all at his fingertips.
Sold.
Everyone knows that horoscopes aren't real, they are a few well-chosen words that reflect everyone's feelings and generalizations about humankind with zodiac and astral messages tossed in for good measure and are basically laughable. But what if they are very specific (an Indonesian tiger, for example) and they do come true? Were they events that happened and someone wrote it as a horoscope or were they actually committed by the mystery writer? There are some great twists that really toss the reader around and even leaves you wondering if this is all a grand sociological experiment in human behavior.
While the deaths are gruesome, the characters are likable, the twists (and red herrings) are numerous, and the humor is hysterical. Bobby Frindley, silver medal water polo Olympian, makes mistakes, is a disappointment to his dad, can be a total dog sometimes, but he is generally a good person. His mother adores him, women love him (even if he is a dog). He can take a brutal beating, or two, people trust him, he has good instincts and he has the tenacity it takes to solve the mystery behind the horoscopes. Leslie Consorte and Therese Lapeyre of the San Diego PD are right there, either with Bobby, sometimes trailing behind far him, in their job to solve this. And the two women in Bobby's life are thankfully not fighting over him.
I really enjoyed this book and I really really hope there is a sequel, maybe even a series, because the author has a great group of characters, a clever idea for a mystery and a wonderful sense of humor, all at his fingertips.
February 24, 2023
The story focuses on Bobby Frindley, an ex-Olympic athlete with no job who smooth talks his way into a low-level position at a newspaper as a horoscope writer, the previous writer having mysteriously vanished without a trace. On his first day of work Bobby receives an email with all 12 horoscopes having been pre-written for the next edition. However, the horoscopes describe horrific events that will take place. The writer of them gives an ultimatum: print the horoscopes and only one comes true, or don't and they all come true!
The story unfolds following Bobby, his co-worker and the local police attempting to discover the identity of the horoscope writer, with Bobby questioning why the predictions appear to creep ever closer to home.
This is my first book of Ash Bishop's and not my usual reading fodder. However, the writing flowed really well, drawing the reader in with its wonderfully descriptive style, and I'll admit I struggled to put my Kindle down with a need to know "whodunnit". The plot sends you in different directions, making you question who the horoscope writer is, and just when you think you have it.....another twist!
I really enjoyed this, and look forward to reading more of Ash's work in the future
The story unfolds following Bobby, his co-worker and the local police attempting to discover the identity of the horoscope writer, with Bobby questioning why the predictions appear to creep ever closer to home.
This is my first book of Ash Bishop's and not my usual reading fodder. However, the writing flowed really well, drawing the reader in with its wonderfully descriptive style, and I'll admit I struggled to put my Kindle down with a need to know "whodunnit". The plot sends you in different directions, making you question who the horoscope writer is, and just when you think you have it.....another twist!
I really enjoyed this, and look forward to reading more of Ash's work in the future
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2023
I'm going to go a bit wild here and give it five stars. I listened to this. It was like 12 bucks on Audible Canada, which is about as cheap as I've ever seen for a full-length novel, and it was an absolute steal. I honestly don't know why it was priced that way.
It was great. Ok, probably not reeeally 5 star great, but still, I enjoyed it a whole lot. It was funny, slightly absurd, the pacing was practically perfect, and the characters were somehow both exaggerated and silly and also completely believable and even relatable. The mystery was a lot of fun, and the solution made sense.
This was a gem.
It was great. Ok, probably not reeeally 5 star great, but still, I enjoyed it a whole lot. It was funny, slightly absurd, the pacing was practically perfect, and the characters were somehow both exaggerated and silly and also completely believable and even relatable. The mystery was a lot of fun, and the solution made sense.
This was a gem.
June 24, 2023
I wanted to like this book. I LOVED his first novel but being an avid reader of mysteries, this one broke some important rules for me. First of all I figured out who the killer was right away and that is a book-throwing offense. Sigh.
October 17, 2023
This book is giving "Cops are awesome" and "Women are there to be objectified, so why don't they like me" energy.
Don't waste your time.
Don't waste your time.
July 28, 2023
Human beings do their damndest to find patterns in things that don’t have them. The whole idea behind that concept, patternicity, is a huge part of what drives the plot and the people in the book Rabbits by Terry Miles, and its upcoming sequel, The Quiet Room.
We want the world to make sense, so we try to force that sense into the world whether it’s there or not.
Which may be part of why people faithfully read their horoscopes and believe the rather vague hints and warnings therein. Because it’s easy to make the predictions and warnings cover the events of the day after the fact, especially if one is looking for such coverage.
But in this story, the new ‘horoscope writer’ for a struggling regional newspaper in San Diego receives a full set of horoscopes from an anonymous ‘benefactor’ with an attached threat – or warning – or a bit of both.
If the horoscopes are published in full, only one will come true. But if they’re not, all of them will. While some are trivial, a few on the list are downright dire – but also very much against the odds. Former Olympian and hopeful journalist Bobby Frindley believes it’s all a hoax.
At least until the rare tiger leaps out of his zoo enclosure and kills a tourist – just as his horoscope predicted.
From that point forward, the story is off to the races as the horoscope writer turned fledgeling reporter becomes caught up in the global phenomenon of figuring out which of the day’s predictions are going to come true – and wondering who is trying to force the pattern and to what grisly end.
And whether that end will be Bobby’s, his friends’, his city’s, or just his soul.
Escape Rating B-: I picked up The Horoscope Writer because I reviewed the author’s debut novel, Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. for Library Journal and had a blast, so I was hoping for more of the same.
I certainly got caught up in Bobby Frindley’s ride to fame and maybe fortune as he tries to cobble out a career as an investigative journalist in the waning days of newspaper journalism. But there were a couple of things that I kept tripping over as I followed Bobby’s trek out of the frying pan and into the fire as he latched onto one flawed potential father-figure after another.
The Horoscope Writer reads like the ‘evil twin’ of the late 1990s TV series Early Edition, where a kind of average guy receives a daily delivery of the Chicago Sun-Times (how the mighty have fallen) that is one day ahead. The protagonist has one day to right whatever wrong he reads in the prognosticating paper before it’s too late to fix.
But that early newspaper delivery turned out to be on the side of the angels, while the horoscopes that Bobby starts receiving are a lot more like horrorscopes, and that’s before the general public starts trying to make them come true – or at least the potentially ‘good’ ones, often with considerably less than good results.
Humans being human, because they are.
As much as Bobby as a character read like more than a bit of a ‘failure to launch’, he also read like at least one answer to a question that I’ve always wondered about, the fate of people like Olympic athletes in sports that don’t have long-term career prospects. He’s achieved a kind of fame and success that people dream of, but at a time when nearly all of his life is still ahead of him.
Bobby’s flailing around for a second act, and the one that lands in his lap turns out to be a doozy – or will be if it doesn’t get him killed.
Howsomever, while I found the story compelling to read in the earlier stages, particularly when it really seemed possible that the story was heading into true psychic or fantasy territory in some way, when Bobby started zeroing in on a more mundane agent – at least for criminally sociopathic definitions of mundane – it lost a bit of its fascination for this reader as it shifted fully into ‘bwahaha’ territory.
All things considered, The Horoscope Writer started out strong, and had some compelling dramatic possibilities along the way, but in the end wasn’t nearly as good as Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. But I still have high hopes for the author’s next – especially if he leans back into SFnal territory.
Originally published at Reading Reality
We want the world to make sense, so we try to force that sense into the world whether it’s there or not.
Which may be part of why people faithfully read their horoscopes and believe the rather vague hints and warnings therein. Because it’s easy to make the predictions and warnings cover the events of the day after the fact, especially if one is looking for such coverage.
But in this story, the new ‘horoscope writer’ for a struggling regional newspaper in San Diego receives a full set of horoscopes from an anonymous ‘benefactor’ with an attached threat – or warning – or a bit of both.
If the horoscopes are published in full, only one will come true. But if they’re not, all of them will. While some are trivial, a few on the list are downright dire – but also very much against the odds. Former Olympian and hopeful journalist Bobby Frindley believes it’s all a hoax.
At least until the rare tiger leaps out of his zoo enclosure and kills a tourist – just as his horoscope predicted.
From that point forward, the story is off to the races as the horoscope writer turned fledgeling reporter becomes caught up in the global phenomenon of figuring out which of the day’s predictions are going to come true – and wondering who is trying to force the pattern and to what grisly end.
And whether that end will be Bobby’s, his friends’, his city’s, or just his soul.
Escape Rating B-: I picked up The Horoscope Writer because I reviewed the author’s debut novel, Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. for Library Journal and had a blast, so I was hoping for more of the same.
I certainly got caught up in Bobby Frindley’s ride to fame and maybe fortune as he tries to cobble out a career as an investigative journalist in the waning days of newspaper journalism. But there were a couple of things that I kept tripping over as I followed Bobby’s trek out of the frying pan and into the fire as he latched onto one flawed potential father-figure after another.
The Horoscope Writer reads like the ‘evil twin’ of the late 1990s TV series Early Edition, where a kind of average guy receives a daily delivery of the Chicago Sun-Times (how the mighty have fallen) that is one day ahead. The protagonist has one day to right whatever wrong he reads in the prognosticating paper before it’s too late to fix.
But that early newspaper delivery turned out to be on the side of the angels, while the horoscopes that Bobby starts receiving are a lot more like horrorscopes, and that’s before the general public starts trying to make them come true – or at least the potentially ‘good’ ones, often with considerably less than good results.
Humans being human, because they are.
As much as Bobby as a character read like more than a bit of a ‘failure to launch’, he also read like at least one answer to a question that I’ve always wondered about, the fate of people like Olympic athletes in sports that don’t have long-term career prospects. He’s achieved a kind of fame and success that people dream of, but at a time when nearly all of his life is still ahead of him.
Bobby’s flailing around for a second act, and the one that lands in his lap turns out to be a doozy – or will be if it doesn’t get him killed.
Howsomever, while I found the story compelling to read in the earlier stages, particularly when it really seemed possible that the story was heading into true psychic or fantasy territory in some way, when Bobby started zeroing in on a more mundane agent – at least for criminally sociopathic definitions of mundane – it lost a bit of its fascination for this reader as it shifted fully into ‘bwahaha’ territory.
All things considered, The Horoscope Writer started out strong, and had some compelling dramatic possibilities along the way, but in the end wasn’t nearly as good as Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. But I still have high hopes for the author’s next – especially if he leans back into SFnal territory.
Originally published at Reading Reality
February 11, 2023
The Horoscope Writer
This is a solid book with enough of everything to satisfy most readers.
The central character has the right combination of aimless guile with enough grit to come through in a pinch. The background story gives this character the right tools to act in a powerful physical weary without leaving the reader wondering where he got his Wheaties.
The romantic characters are a bit less solidly realized. The MacGuffin character is introduced and given a central role in the story with no backstory to explain why they should be so important. I am aware modern folks form relationships at the speed of light but this seems a bit manufactured to me. For such a pivotal role it would seem necessary to have a bit more complex hook.
The latter romantic character bursts onto the scene with almost no build-up and becomes attached in spite of some reasonable misgivings. This character seems to fit both the nature of the central character and the story rather better than the MacGuffin character.
All of the supporting characters, with the exception of the villain and henchmen, are well-developed and far more interesting and engaging than the lead character.
The real snag is that this writer leads a bit too much in foreshadowing the villain. The reader would have to be asleep not to catch on about the middle of the first third of the book. This does take some of the steam out of the story. Both the arch-villain and the goons are sketchily drawn and could use both more development and more story.
The one true twist is cleverly embedded and works wonderfully well. It is so good in fact that it deserves more space and a better resolution. It needs a Long John Sliver, not a Fagin end.
The one annoying mistake in the story was the policeman’s use of a forty-four magnum, a weapon that would never be allowed by a police department. The liability issue alone would be a nightmare and then there is the weight, recoil and expense of training with such a heavy weapon. Police officers are required to qualify to carry by passing a minimum proficiency test. This requires a great deal of practice which would with a magnum be costly and hard on the hand, wrist and shoulder.
Not a bad read and characters worthy of more storytelling.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a solid book with enough of everything to satisfy most readers.
The central character has the right combination of aimless guile with enough grit to come through in a pinch. The background story gives this character the right tools to act in a powerful physical weary without leaving the reader wondering where he got his Wheaties.
The romantic characters are a bit less solidly realized. The MacGuffin character is introduced and given a central role in the story with no backstory to explain why they should be so important. I am aware modern folks form relationships at the speed of light but this seems a bit manufactured to me. For such a pivotal role it would seem necessary to have a bit more complex hook.
The latter romantic character bursts onto the scene with almost no build-up and becomes attached in spite of some reasonable misgivings. This character seems to fit both the nature of the central character and the story rather better than the MacGuffin character.
All of the supporting characters, with the exception of the villain and henchmen, are well-developed and far more interesting and engaging than the lead character.
The real snag is that this writer leads a bit too much in foreshadowing the villain. The reader would have to be asleep not to catch on about the middle of the first third of the book. This does take some of the steam out of the story. Both the arch-villain and the goons are sketchily drawn and could use both more development and more story.
The one true twist is cleverly embedded and works wonderfully well. It is so good in fact that it deserves more space and a better resolution. It needs a Long John Sliver, not a Fagin end.
The one annoying mistake in the story was the policeman’s use of a forty-four magnum, a weapon that would never be allowed by a police department. The liability issue alone would be a nightmare and then there is the weight, recoil and expense of training with such a heavy weapon. Police officers are required to qualify to carry by passing a minimum proficiency test. This requires a great deal of practice which would with a magnum be costly and hard on the hand, wrist and shoulder.
Not a bad read and characters worthy of more storytelling.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 17, 2023
I enjoyed this book and I definitely wanted to keep reading.. I am super conflicted on this rating because…
Does Star matter? Do any of the side characters really end up mattering? The fact that he killed Lady A versus a random doesn’t matter and the Bobby/Sarah subplot mattered for a moment… I was definitely thrown for a lot of loops and I was excited at the prospect of Leslie actually being behind all of this and blackmailing the ex-convict.. it was definitely an interesting plot but then looking back it also has so many half-thoughts?
What happened to Sarah & Eli at the end? Lived their happily ever after I’m guessing? I guess that doesn’t much matter. But what about Mari.. the ex-convict guy? He was accused of murder then just, done. And the ending wrapped up so so quick.. “Terry is the murderer. He probably got away. Wait jk Eli pushed him alright epilogue time.” Idk, with the other games and fights being much longer, it felt like the end was super rushed? I would have loved some more drama!
But honestly I did enjoy this book and did have a really good time reading it. Maybe I wish it was longer?!?! So I could get more?? I still can’t tell if I think Bobby is a great reporter or someone that should be punched in the face repeatedly 😂 I am rooting for Star to have a happy ending, but do I want it to be with him? 🤔
It did make me chuckle though when Terry talked about the reasons behind killing GMC guy & Lady A.. reminded me of a road rage movie where a guy hunted down someone because they honked at him😂👏🏻 I am lowkey here for that type of pettiness and revenge!
So yeah, did I want to keep reading? YUP, didn’t want to put it down but overall, I just have so many questions….
Probably closer to 3.25-3.5 ⭐️ read, but Goodreads needs to start giving us some half star options!!!!
Does Star matter? Do any of the side characters really end up mattering? The fact that he killed Lady A versus a random doesn’t matter and the Bobby/Sarah subplot mattered for a moment… I was definitely thrown for a lot of loops and I was excited at the prospect of Leslie actually being behind all of this and blackmailing the ex-convict.. it was definitely an interesting plot but then looking back it also has so many half-thoughts?
What happened to Sarah & Eli at the end? Lived their happily ever after I’m guessing? I guess that doesn’t much matter. But what about Mari.. the ex-convict guy? He was accused of murder then just, done. And the ending wrapped up so so quick.. “Terry is the murderer. He probably got away. Wait jk Eli pushed him alright epilogue time.” Idk, with the other games and fights being much longer, it felt like the end was super rushed? I would have loved some more drama!
But honestly I did enjoy this book and did have a really good time reading it. Maybe I wish it was longer?!?! So I could get more?? I still can’t tell if I think Bobby is a great reporter or someone that should be punched in the face repeatedly 😂 I am rooting for Star to have a happy ending, but do I want it to be with him? 🤔
It did make me chuckle though when Terry talked about the reasons behind killing GMC guy & Lady A.. reminded me of a road rage movie where a guy hunted down someone because they honked at him😂👏🏻 I am lowkey here for that type of pettiness and revenge!
So yeah, did I want to keep reading? YUP, didn’t want to put it down but overall, I just have so many questions….
Probably closer to 3.25-3.5 ⭐️ read, but Goodreads needs to start giving us some half star options!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2023
This mystery has a strong plot and non stop action.
I felt like everything about this book from the characters to the crimes were creatively and strategically planned. I was hooked quickly and stayed enthralled all the way to the end.
For me, it wasn’t just trying to figure out the mastermind behind the crimes, it was the whole experience of the investigations and the characters that kept this one a page turner.
Bobby Frindley is an ex-Olympic athletic that takes a job as the horoscope writer for a second tier paper in San Diego after the last horoscope writer stops showing up for work.
Bobby gets an email with 12 predictions ranging from cracking a tooth to being mauled by an Indonesian tiger. The email says to print the horoscope in its entirety and one prediction will come true. If the horoscope is not printed, then all the predictions will come true.
This leads to multiple crimes and Bobby working with law enforcement to try to stop the chaos.
Bobby also personally has a married neighbor he is secretly in love with. He meets a fellow horoscope writer named Star who helps him navigate the world of astrology.
I felt like everything about this book from the characters to the crimes were creatively and strategically planned. I was hooked quickly and stayed enthralled all the way to the end.
For me, it wasn’t just trying to figure out the mastermind behind the crimes, it was the whole experience of the investigations and the characters that kept this one a page turner.
Bobby Frindley is an ex-Olympic athletic that takes a job as the horoscope writer for a second tier paper in San Diego after the last horoscope writer stops showing up for work.
Bobby gets an email with 12 predictions ranging from cracking a tooth to being mauled by an Indonesian tiger. The email says to print the horoscope in its entirety and one prediction will come true. If the horoscope is not printed, then all the predictions will come true.
This leads to multiple crimes and Bobby working with law enforcement to try to stop the chaos.
Bobby also personally has a married neighbor he is secretly in love with. He meets a fellow horoscope writer named Star who helps him navigate the world of astrology.
December 5, 2023
Although the plot of this book is compelling, the writing leaves MUCH to be desired. Bishop’s use of complex language and references to ancient texts cannot mask his inability to form an equally complex and interesting story. The high level content is followed by simple explanation of the same concept, leaving the reader no room to find the answers themselves. No plot point comes full circle, and the main character has no development besides weirdly finding God in the last two chapters. Between the odd political commentary, over-sexualization of female characters, and the truly ridiculous events that take place in this book, I can confidently say no one should read this. I finished it to laugh at the idea of a washed up Olympian becoming Chuck Norris Clark Kent. By the way, they NEVER address why he didn’t get a gold and only got a silver. Do not read this book, I’m annoyed.
July 9, 2023
Bobby Frindley is trying to get life on track in the real world. Having been an Olympic athlete, that didn't leave him much time for work experience. So when he sees an internship add, he decides to give it a shot. What does he have to lose after all? Finding out all that is available is an entry level position writing horoscopes, he takes it. And by the way, there is the is email inbox he needs to monitor. How hard can this be? Bobby is in for the ride of his life when an email comes into that inbox, essentially writing the horoscopes for him, but they are a tad more gruesome than he would have written and there is an ominous message left at the bottom of the email. What kind of joke is this, or is this some whack job a little too far gone into horoscopes? Bobby soon finds out when he gets to work for his brand new job that maybe those were not just predictions and the message was not to be ignored. The police have become involved and Bobby finds himself on a wild goose chase with them to try and prove whether these are coming true as predicted and who is behind these emails. Finding himself loving this unexpected twist of events, Bobby also starts to question if he is starting to read into these himself. Is he going to become one of them or has he made the horoscopes fit his perspective and they are appearing to be accurate? Maybe he has gone too far in trying to prove himself in this new job. But the papers needed selling and that is just what he helped achieve. This was a wild ride from page one. Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for the free novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
January 30, 2025
3.75 rounded up
Is this great literature that will change your life, make you rethink everything you've ever thought and cause you to alter your life path toward something more meaningful??? Nope, it surely is not. What it is, is a fun cat and mouse thriller with characters you like, fun dialogue, interesting clues and a great fast pace. All of which is a win in my book, because if everything I read changed my life, I would be exhausted. Sometimes you just need a fun story that you can see play out like a great television show, which if this were made into one, I would for sure watch it. I'll read more from Ash Bishop, especially when I just want a fun escape.
Is this great literature that will change your life, make you rethink everything you've ever thought and cause you to alter your life path toward something more meaningful??? Nope, it surely is not. What it is, is a fun cat and mouse thriller with characters you like, fun dialogue, interesting clues and a great fast pace. All of which is a win in my book, because if everything I read changed my life, I would be exhausted. Sometimes you just need a fun story that you can see play out like a great television show, which if this were made into one, I would for sure watch it. I'll read more from Ash Bishop, especially when I just want a fun escape.
October 11, 2023
Ex Olympian swimmer Bobby Frindley landed himself a new job writing horoscopes. Ideally not what he wanted to do but it was still a start to becoming a reporter at some point. Someone started mysteriously emailing wild horoscope predictions and if they were not posted all would come true and well they started to come true and not in a good way! I liked this novel it was a nice page turner liked Bobby’s character as well.
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