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Nostalgia City #2
Desert Kill Switch
A Desert Enigma Wrapped in Vintage Intrigue
Amidst the vast expanse of the Nevada desert, Lyle Deming, a former cop grappling with his own anxieties, stumbles upon a chilling scene: a bullet-riddled body beside a pristine 1970s Pontiac Firebird. Yet, when he returns with authorities, the desert offers no clues—no car, no body.
Could the key to this mystery lie in Nostalgia City, the '70s-themed park where Lyle drives a cab?
Meanwhile, Nostalgia City's statuesque VP, Kate Sorensen, finds herself ensnared in the shady dealings of a Las Vegas car dealer. His cars, sold to unsuspecting buyers, come equipped with hidden "kill switches."
A missed payment could mean a stalled car - or worse - a stalled life.
The desert's riddles deepen when Kate is implicated in a Reno murder. Lyle, driven by his budding connection to Kate, dives headfirst into a maze of deceit.
Together, they navigate a web of suspects, motives, and dead ends, racing to clear Kate's name, unmask a blackmailer, and uncover the desert's hidden secrets.
Amidst the vast expanse of the Nevada desert, Lyle Deming, a former cop grappling with his own anxieties, stumbles upon a chilling scene: a bullet-riddled body beside a pristine 1970s Pontiac Firebird. Yet, when he returns with authorities, the desert offers no clues—no car, no body.
Could the key to this mystery lie in Nostalgia City, the '70s-themed park where Lyle drives a cab?
Meanwhile, Nostalgia City's statuesque VP, Kate Sorensen, finds herself ensnared in the shady dealings of a Las Vegas car dealer. His cars, sold to unsuspecting buyers, come equipped with hidden "kill switches."
A missed payment could mean a stalled car - or worse - a stalled life.
The desert's riddles deepen when Kate is implicated in a Reno murder. Lyle, driven by his budding connection to Kate, dives headfirst into a maze of deceit.
Together, they navigate a web of suspects, motives, and dead ends, racing to clear Kate's name, unmask a blackmailer, and uncover the desert's hidden secrets.
- GenresMystery
Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2023
9 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Mark S. Bacon
11 books132 followersMark S. Bacon began his career as a Southern California newspaper police reporter, one of his crime stories becoming key evidence in a murder case that spanned decades.
After working for two newspapers, he moved to advertising and marketing and became a copywriter for Knott’s Berry Farm, the large theme park down the freeway from Disneyland. Experience working at Knott’s formed part of the inspiration for his creation of Nostalgia City theme park.
Before turning to fiction, Bacon wrote business books including "Do-It-Yourself Direct Marketing," printed in four languages and three editions, named best business book of the year by the Library Journal, and selected by the Book of the Month Club and two other book clubs. His freelance feature articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Antonio Express News, Orange County (Calif.) Register, Denver Post and many other publications. Most recently he was a correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Dark Ride Deception" is the fourth book in the Nostalgia City mystery series that began with"Death in Nostalgia City". The first book introduced ex-cop turned cab driver Lyle Deming and PR executive Kate Sorensen, a former college basketball star. "Death in Nostalgia City" was recommended for book clubs by the American Library Association.
Bacon is the author of flash fiction mystery books including, "Cops, Crooks and Other Stories in 100 Words - Revised Edition".
He taught journalism as a member of the adjunct faculty at Cal Poly University – Pomona, the University of Nevada – Reno, and the University of Redlands. He earned an MA in mass media from UNLV and a BA in journalism from Fresno State.
After working for two newspapers, he moved to advertising and marketing and became a copywriter for Knott’s Berry Farm, the large theme park down the freeway from Disneyland. Experience working at Knott’s formed part of the inspiration for his creation of Nostalgia City theme park.
Before turning to fiction, Bacon wrote business books including "Do-It-Yourself Direct Marketing," printed in four languages and three editions, named best business book of the year by the Library Journal, and selected by the Book of the Month Club and two other book clubs. His freelance feature articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Antonio Express News, Orange County (Calif.) Register, Denver Post and many other publications. Most recently he was a correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Dark Ride Deception" is the fourth book in the Nostalgia City mystery series that began with"Death in Nostalgia City". The first book introduced ex-cop turned cab driver Lyle Deming and PR executive Kate Sorensen, a former college basketball star. "Death in Nostalgia City" was recommended for book clubs by the American Library Association.
Bacon is the author of flash fiction mystery books including, "Cops, Crooks and Other Stories in 100 Words - Revised Edition".
He taught journalism as a member of the adjunct faculty at Cal Poly University – Pomona, the University of Nevada – Reno, and the University of Redlands. He earned an MA in mass media from UNLV and a BA in journalism from Fresno State.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 18, 2018
Desert Kill Switch by Mark S. Bacon is a unique mystery novel with a nice plot and exceptional settings.
It is a really good book - great pacing, good writing, nice plot twists, decent mystery. But what I enjoyed the most was the setting – Nostalgia City – a theme-park kind of a replica-town in the 1970's; it was unique, thrilling and very exciting to read about such an unusual location.
The characterization was good and overall I enjoyed the book and like the ending too.
If you love reading mysteries with different and exotic kind of settings, then you really need to give this book a read!
This review is also published on www.thereadingbud.com
It is a really good book - great pacing, good writing, nice plot twists, decent mystery. But what I enjoyed the most was the setting – Nostalgia City – a theme-park kind of a replica-town in the 1970's; it was unique, thrilling and very exciting to read about such an unusual location.
The characterization was good and overall I enjoyed the book and like the ending too.
If you love reading mysteries with different and exotic kind of settings, then you really need to give this book a read!
This review is also published on www.thereadingbud.com
January 22, 2018
Bacon has followed up this very promising start to the series with Desert Kill Switch, the second book in the Nostalgia City mystery series. Bacon is still exploring the theme of what retro spaces mean for us and do for us. I was a bit disappointed that the second book doesn’t spend more time in the Nostalgia City theme park, as I felt that the first book had only started to explore the issues that would be inherent in such a space, if that space were real.
Instead, the series goes to a real-world event: Hot August Nights, in Reno Nevada, an event that attracts thousands of people who bring in their restored classic vehicles and listen to retro music. In this book one of those people doesn’t make it to the event; instead he ends up dead on the side of a lonely desert road. Lyle is the first one to spot the body, but when he returns to it, it’s gone.
Bacon worked as a publicist for Knott’s Berry Farm, which inspired him to create Nostalgia City. He lives in Reno, Nevada, where the Hot August Nights happen every year. He uses his direct knowledge to continue his philosophical investigation of our relationship to the past, the roles, both positive and negative, that nostalgia plays in our emotional landscape.
Instead, the series goes to a real-world event: Hot August Nights, in Reno Nevada, an event that attracts thousands of people who bring in their restored classic vehicles and listen to retro music. In this book one of those people doesn’t make it to the event; instead he ends up dead on the side of a lonely desert road. Lyle is the first one to spot the body, but when he returns to it, it’s gone.
Bacon worked as a publicist for Knott’s Berry Farm, which inspired him to create Nostalgia City. He lives in Reno, Nevada, where the Hot August Nights happen every year. He uses his direct knowledge to continue his philosophical investigation of our relationship to the past, the roles, both positive and negative, that nostalgia plays in our emotional landscape.
November 16, 2017
http://openbooksociety.com/article/de...
Desert Kill Switch
A Nostalgia City Mystery – Book 2
By Mark S. Bacon
ISBN 9781626947184
baconsmysteries.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
On an empty desert road, stressed-out ex-cop Lyle Deming finds a bullet-riddled body next to a vintage mint-condition 1970s Pontiac Firebird. When he returns to the scene with sheriff’s deputies: no car, no body. Does the answer lie in Nostalgia City, the retro theme park where Lyle works?
Nostalgia City VP Kate Sorensen, a former college basketball star, is in Reno, Nevada, on park business when she gets mixed up with a sleazy Las Vegas auto dealer who puts hidden “kill switches” and GPS trackers into the cars he sells to low-income buyers. Miss a payment—sometimes by as little as a few days—and your car is dead. Maybe you are, too.
When Kate’s accused of murder in Reno, Lyle rushes to help his blonde not-quite-girlfriend. Kate and Lyle plow through a deadly tangle of suspects and motives, hitting one dead end after another, as they struggle to exonerate Kate, catch a blackmailer, save a witness’s life, and find the missing car and corpse.
Desert Kill Switch is the second novel in this mystery series set in Nostalgia City, an Arizona theme park that re-creates—in every detail—a small town as it would have appeared in the mid-1970s. (from Goodreads)
Review:
What a great idea – Nostalgia City in Northern Arizona! Even though much of the novel takes place in Reno and Las Vegas, Nostalgia City is a throwback to the 1970’s and muscle cars amidst Northern Arizona splendour, and is the home base for Lyle and Kate. The author shares vivid descriptions of the desert and mountains, and defines characters that one can easily invest in. The mystery itself is full of switchback trails that dares the reader to catch up and solve it.
Lyle had been on a drive with his daughter, an ASU student, when he saw a blue Firebird parked off the road in the desert with a body sitting next to it, a young man who had been shot. He took his daughter back to her car and returned to that section of the road to meet with Rey, the Undersheriff for San Navarro County. Twenty minutes later, the car, the body, everything related to the scene including tire tracks were gone. Even tire tracks of where Lyle had pulled out were either gone or obliterated by the sheriff’s men turning around. Sure, he had to leave the Phoenix PD as the stress of too many years, too many murders became too much, and driving a taxi for Nostalgia City visitors was a relief. But a disappearing car? Someone in Nostalgia City had to know about the 70’s vintage automobile.
Kate, head of PR for Nostalgia City, and her assistant for the Rockin Summer Days (RSD) event in Reno had set up their booth. It is an auto show of serious collectors of classic cars that attracts age groups of people who appreciate Nostalgia City, the most expensive little resort in the Southwest. Kate runs into people associated with RSD, however, who are trying to tear apart RSD to make the event more profitable for themselves.
One of the journalists Kate knew when she did PR in Vegas for the casino industry ran a blog suggesting Nostalgia City might be in town to pull the event from Reno and move it to Arizona. She met some of the RSD board members. Al Busick is the most visible, coming to her booth to berate her. She tries to push him away when his finger repeated pounded into her chest, and he tripped and fell and was even more upset.
When Kate went to the RSD office to pick up an envelope of marketing data, the door was unlocked, and the only person in the office was Busick himself. He had been stabbed repeatedly with the knife used to cut a celebratory cake. She tries to call 911, the police enter and tried to arrest her for the murder. Nostalgia City owner sends Lyle to Reno to help her, as they made an excellent investigating team in the past.
This novel reaches out and grabs the reader from the beginning – from the car and bullet-ridden body disappearing to the non-stop action in Reno and Vegas. Lyle and Kate are both very likable people with whom readers can empathize. The reader is introduced to many of the RSD board members, each with their own agendas and backgrounds. Detective Polhouse in Reno seems ready to declare Kate guilty, lock the cell and toss out the key, and Kate knows the only way she can find the real killer is to go “off the grid”, not something a lady of her almost 6’ height can easily do.
She and Lyle talk with people and learn more and more of the unsavory business practices Busick engaged in, not the least of which was including a “kill switch” on vehicles in case the owner was at all late on their payment. The vehicle simply wouldn’t start until the payment was made, causing the death of at least one tiny child needing hospitalization. There are many suspects, from his stepson to members of RSD to the women he ran around with outside his marriage. His widow actually commended Kate if she were his killer!
There are several plot twists that kept this reader guessing, with well-defined characters and a fast-moving story that will be appreciated by collectible car enthusiasts, those who love the Arizona deserts, and well-written cozy mysteries. The end is a complete surprise, not only regarding the real killer(s) but also how the initial mystery with the Firebird is resolved. I highly recommend this delightful high desert novel!
Desert Kill Switch
A Nostalgia City Mystery – Book 2
By Mark S. Bacon
ISBN 9781626947184
baconsmysteries.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
On an empty desert road, stressed-out ex-cop Lyle Deming finds a bullet-riddled body next to a vintage mint-condition 1970s Pontiac Firebird. When he returns to the scene with sheriff’s deputies: no car, no body. Does the answer lie in Nostalgia City, the retro theme park where Lyle works?
Nostalgia City VP Kate Sorensen, a former college basketball star, is in Reno, Nevada, on park business when she gets mixed up with a sleazy Las Vegas auto dealer who puts hidden “kill switches” and GPS trackers into the cars he sells to low-income buyers. Miss a payment—sometimes by as little as a few days—and your car is dead. Maybe you are, too.
When Kate’s accused of murder in Reno, Lyle rushes to help his blonde not-quite-girlfriend. Kate and Lyle plow through a deadly tangle of suspects and motives, hitting one dead end after another, as they struggle to exonerate Kate, catch a blackmailer, save a witness’s life, and find the missing car and corpse.
Desert Kill Switch is the second novel in this mystery series set in Nostalgia City, an Arizona theme park that re-creates—in every detail—a small town as it would have appeared in the mid-1970s. (from Goodreads)
Review:
What a great idea – Nostalgia City in Northern Arizona! Even though much of the novel takes place in Reno and Las Vegas, Nostalgia City is a throwback to the 1970’s and muscle cars amidst Northern Arizona splendour, and is the home base for Lyle and Kate. The author shares vivid descriptions of the desert and mountains, and defines characters that one can easily invest in. The mystery itself is full of switchback trails that dares the reader to catch up and solve it.
Lyle had been on a drive with his daughter, an ASU student, when he saw a blue Firebird parked off the road in the desert with a body sitting next to it, a young man who had been shot. He took his daughter back to her car and returned to that section of the road to meet with Rey, the Undersheriff for San Navarro County. Twenty minutes later, the car, the body, everything related to the scene including tire tracks were gone. Even tire tracks of where Lyle had pulled out were either gone or obliterated by the sheriff’s men turning around. Sure, he had to leave the Phoenix PD as the stress of too many years, too many murders became too much, and driving a taxi for Nostalgia City visitors was a relief. But a disappearing car? Someone in Nostalgia City had to know about the 70’s vintage automobile.
Kate, head of PR for Nostalgia City, and her assistant for the Rockin Summer Days (RSD) event in Reno had set up their booth. It is an auto show of serious collectors of classic cars that attracts age groups of people who appreciate Nostalgia City, the most expensive little resort in the Southwest. Kate runs into people associated with RSD, however, who are trying to tear apart RSD to make the event more profitable for themselves.
One of the journalists Kate knew when she did PR in Vegas for the casino industry ran a blog suggesting Nostalgia City might be in town to pull the event from Reno and move it to Arizona. She met some of the RSD board members. Al Busick is the most visible, coming to her booth to berate her. She tries to push him away when his finger repeated pounded into her chest, and he tripped and fell and was even more upset.
When Kate went to the RSD office to pick up an envelope of marketing data, the door was unlocked, and the only person in the office was Busick himself. He had been stabbed repeatedly with the knife used to cut a celebratory cake. She tries to call 911, the police enter and tried to arrest her for the murder. Nostalgia City owner sends Lyle to Reno to help her, as they made an excellent investigating team in the past.
This novel reaches out and grabs the reader from the beginning – from the car and bullet-ridden body disappearing to the non-stop action in Reno and Vegas. Lyle and Kate are both very likable people with whom readers can empathize. The reader is introduced to many of the RSD board members, each with their own agendas and backgrounds. Detective Polhouse in Reno seems ready to declare Kate guilty, lock the cell and toss out the key, and Kate knows the only way she can find the real killer is to go “off the grid”, not something a lady of her almost 6’ height can easily do.
She and Lyle talk with people and learn more and more of the unsavory business practices Busick engaged in, not the least of which was including a “kill switch” on vehicles in case the owner was at all late on their payment. The vehicle simply wouldn’t start until the payment was made, causing the death of at least one tiny child needing hospitalization. There are many suspects, from his stepson to members of RSD to the women he ran around with outside his marriage. His widow actually commended Kate if she were his killer!
There are several plot twists that kept this reader guessing, with well-defined characters and a fast-moving story that will be appreciated by collectible car enthusiasts, those who love the Arizona deserts, and well-written cozy mysteries. The end is a complete surprise, not only regarding the real killer(s) but also how the initial mystery with the Firebird is resolved. I highly recommend this delightful high desert novel!
February 1, 2024
Likable characters, great bad guys, and a twist at the end. These are great mysteries that once you start, Bacon sets the hook. I couldn't put this one down until I finished. Really enjoying this series.
October 20, 2017
Former cop Lyle Deming is now a cabbie at a new theme park located in Arizona appropriately named Nostalgia City. His life is much calmer now that he left the force, and he likes it that way. Unfortunately for him, things are about to change for the worse.
While driving home with his daughter, he sees a vintage car on the side of the road and next to the classic Firebird is a body. A very dead body full of bullets. He hustles back to his Mustang, the main thing on his mind is keeping his daughter safe if the killers are still around.
He phones the local police, but when they get to the spot, there is no car, no body and no evidence of a crime. Deming knows he wasn't hallucinating, so he begins investigating the crime and the missing victim on his own. Before he can get a good handle on what happened he is called to Reno because a close friend and coworker, Kate Sorensen is in trouble.
Kate, PR director of Nostalgia City, is manning a booth at a huge classic car event. Reno's Rockin' Summer Days is a great place to advertise Nostalgia City where the only cars allowed in the park are vintage rides. When one of the big wigs in charge of the event ends up on the wrong end of a knife, Kate is the prime suspect because she is found with the dead body and rumor has it she is trying to get the event moved to Nostalgia City.
Deming has to help her find the real killer before she is arrested, because the evidence points at Kate. He believes her innocence, but no one else does. So the two co-workers that seem to want to be more than friends are playing hide and seek with the cops, trying to find a killer and most importantly stay alive. After all, there is a killer on the loose who would love to see Kate in jail for the crime he or she committed.
There are so many suspects with plausible reasons to kill Al Busick it was fun to find out who finally did it. He was a conniving man, a car dealer with questionable morals and undeniably hated by many. It was fun to be twisted and turned by the plot. The characters are interesting and varied, each playing a vital role no matter how big or small.
Desert Kill Switch is a fast read, but don't confuse that with a simply written story. Bacon's descriptions are a thing of beauty. When looking for a suspect, Deming is driving down a desert road. The dust his tires are kicking up is described as "…ghosts following his car...” And the reader knows that Deming is well read when he quotes Dickens.
From the descriptions of Nostalgia City, I would love to have someone build this blast from the past theme park. I am sure it would be a big hit with baby boomers as well as those a bit younger.
Bacon's second Nostalgia City Mystery is the first I have read. It is fun, suspenseful and impossible to put down once you crack the spine. I am going to search out the first in the series and keep an eye out for the third which is promised to be published soon.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves an easy to read, well written novel with an intriguing plot. It is a must read for mystery loving vintage car fans.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review. Copyright © 2017 Laura Hartman
While driving home with his daughter, he sees a vintage car on the side of the road and next to the classic Firebird is a body. A very dead body full of bullets. He hustles back to his Mustang, the main thing on his mind is keeping his daughter safe if the killers are still around.
He phones the local police, but when they get to the spot, there is no car, no body and no evidence of a crime. Deming knows he wasn't hallucinating, so he begins investigating the crime and the missing victim on his own. Before he can get a good handle on what happened he is called to Reno because a close friend and coworker, Kate Sorensen is in trouble.
Kate, PR director of Nostalgia City, is manning a booth at a huge classic car event. Reno's Rockin' Summer Days is a great place to advertise Nostalgia City where the only cars allowed in the park are vintage rides. When one of the big wigs in charge of the event ends up on the wrong end of a knife, Kate is the prime suspect because she is found with the dead body and rumor has it she is trying to get the event moved to Nostalgia City.
Deming has to help her find the real killer before she is arrested, because the evidence points at Kate. He believes her innocence, but no one else does. So the two co-workers that seem to want to be more than friends are playing hide and seek with the cops, trying to find a killer and most importantly stay alive. After all, there is a killer on the loose who would love to see Kate in jail for the crime he or she committed.
There are so many suspects with plausible reasons to kill Al Busick it was fun to find out who finally did it. He was a conniving man, a car dealer with questionable morals and undeniably hated by many. It was fun to be twisted and turned by the plot. The characters are interesting and varied, each playing a vital role no matter how big or small.
Desert Kill Switch is a fast read, but don't confuse that with a simply written story. Bacon's descriptions are a thing of beauty. When looking for a suspect, Deming is driving down a desert road. The dust his tires are kicking up is described as "…ghosts following his car...” And the reader knows that Deming is well read when he quotes Dickens.
From the descriptions of Nostalgia City, I would love to have someone build this blast from the past theme park. I am sure it would be a big hit with baby boomers as well as those a bit younger.
Bacon's second Nostalgia City Mystery is the first I have read. It is fun, suspenseful and impossible to put down once you crack the spine. I am going to search out the first in the series and keep an eye out for the third which is promised to be published soon.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves an easy to read, well written novel with an intriguing plot. It is a must read for mystery loving vintage car fans.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was not expected to return this item after my review. Copyright © 2017 Laura Hartman
October 23, 2017
This is an exciting new cozy mystery centered around Nostalgia City, a wish-it-were real resort in Northern Arizona that is straight from the 1970's with muscle cars and NO CELL PHONES, laptops, tablets, etc. What a concept! Except for those of us who came of age in the 70's.
Lyle, a former Phoenix Police detective, is a cab driver in Nostalgia City, about as low-stress as one can get from the mean streets. He is with his daughter when seeing, off the road in the desert, a 70's Firebird with a bullet-riddled body next to it. He takes his daughter to her car, then returns to meet someone from the sheriff's office. But the car, the body, tire tracks, everything, is gone.
Next we visit Kate, the PR director for NC. She is at a huge classic auto event in Nevada to market NC to its best demographic - baby boomers and older. She meets some of the better known and some of the less-liked members of the board of the event. Al Busick is revered by many, but Kate sees only an ugly side of him when he loudly accuses her of trying to steal the annual event to associate it with Nostalgia City. She attempts to gently push him and the finger poking into her breastbone away and he trips and falls. Only someone has recorded the event...and tries to bribe her with it after she finds his dead body in the event's office.
Kate and Lyle are on the case, as they have worked well together in the past. Breathtaking action takes the reader through possible suspects and enemies to keep Kate out of prison and find the right killer. His enemies are many, as are those who would lock up Kate and close the case. Descriptions of the desert, the people, and situations are as excellent as this journalist/ author leads us through the chase to the real bad guy/ gal. The end was a surprise to me! And that is good! This is the kind of cozy that even we 70's people will appreciate while recalling the cars and lifestyle of that decade. I highly recommend this book!
Lyle, a former Phoenix Police detective, is a cab driver in Nostalgia City, about as low-stress as one can get from the mean streets. He is with his daughter when seeing, off the road in the desert, a 70's Firebird with a bullet-riddled body next to it. He takes his daughter to her car, then returns to meet someone from the sheriff's office. But the car, the body, tire tracks, everything, is gone.
Next we visit Kate, the PR director for NC. She is at a huge classic auto event in Nevada to market NC to its best demographic - baby boomers and older. She meets some of the better known and some of the less-liked members of the board of the event. Al Busick is revered by many, but Kate sees only an ugly side of him when he loudly accuses her of trying to steal the annual event to associate it with Nostalgia City. She attempts to gently push him and the finger poking into her breastbone away and he trips and falls. Only someone has recorded the event...and tries to bribe her with it after she finds his dead body in the event's office.
Kate and Lyle are on the case, as they have worked well together in the past. Breathtaking action takes the reader through possible suspects and enemies to keep Kate out of prison and find the right killer. His enemies are many, as are those who would lock up Kate and close the case. Descriptions of the desert, the people, and situations are as excellent as this journalist/ author leads us through the chase to the real bad guy/ gal. The end was a surprise to me! And that is good! This is the kind of cozy that even we 70's people will appreciate while recalling the cars and lifestyle of that decade. I highly recommend this book!
July 2, 2018
I really enjoyed Bacon’s first book: Death in Nostalgia City where he introduces Kate and Lyle. Right off the bat, the rapport between these two characters was wonderful. Bacon tests these characters to their limits in Desert Kill Switch.
This book starts off with action and, even as the story develops, doesn’t let go. This is one of those books that hooks and holds you. Ideal for a long flight, be forewarned that if you start it in the evening at home you’re likely to see the sunrise.
Set against the backdrop of massive classic car driven event in Reno, Nevada (based on the actual Hot August Nights event that takes over the city each summer) Bacon does an incredible job of portraying the city outside of the casinos that it is known for. Weaving a storyline with sharp twists and characters anyone might recognize from the political landscapes of their their own home towns, the story paints a vivid image of greed and egos that often drive marque events that serve as important revenue streams for places like Reno.
In this second book, Bacon truly starts fleshing out the his characters. The rapport between Kate and Lyle is wonderful because it’s a true partnership of equals. Often approaching problems from different angles they actually appear to have skills that both compliment, yet are on par with each other. The source of Lyle’s investigative skills is obvious, as an ex-detective with the Phoenix PD, but Kate’s keen investigative mind is sheer talent. This makes her a very compelling character. Confident and calm, she can take over a scene that might otherwise be overpowered by Lyle.
This is a must read for any fan of mysteries.
This book starts off with action and, even as the story develops, doesn’t let go. This is one of those books that hooks and holds you. Ideal for a long flight, be forewarned that if you start it in the evening at home you’re likely to see the sunrise.
Set against the backdrop of massive classic car driven event in Reno, Nevada (based on the actual Hot August Nights event that takes over the city each summer) Bacon does an incredible job of portraying the city outside of the casinos that it is known for. Weaving a storyline with sharp twists and characters anyone might recognize from the political landscapes of their their own home towns, the story paints a vivid image of greed and egos that often drive marque events that serve as important revenue streams for places like Reno.
In this second book, Bacon truly starts fleshing out the his characters. The rapport between Kate and Lyle is wonderful because it’s a true partnership of equals. Often approaching problems from different angles they actually appear to have skills that both compliment, yet are on par with each other. The source of Lyle’s investigative skills is obvious, as an ex-detective with the Phoenix PD, but Kate’s keen investigative mind is sheer talent. This makes her a very compelling character. Confident and calm, she can take over a scene that might otherwise be overpowered by Lyle.
This is a must read for any fan of mysteries.
December 19, 2017
Having read and loved the first book in this series "Death in Nostalgia City" I knew I just had to read this one. I was definitely not disappointed!!
Lyle Deming and Kate Sorensen have to pair up again. Kate is a suspect in a murder--and Lyle has to help her prove her innocence. She goes into hiding. Her boyfriend is absolutely no help! Meanwhile a dead body which Lyle had spotted disappeared before the deputies could get there--where was this blue vintage car and it's very dead driver? Who actually was the murderer of the guy everyone seemed to hate-- including his wife!! Lots of suspects and both cases get solved--but not the way or by who you might think --
This can be read as a stand alone but you will probably want to read the first novel as well!!
Desert Kill Switch ~ A Nostalgia City Mystery ~ Book 2
Lyle Deming and Kate Sorensen have to pair up again. Kate is a suspect in a murder--and Lyle has to help her prove her innocence. She goes into hiding. Her boyfriend is absolutely no help! Meanwhile a dead body which Lyle had spotted disappeared before the deputies could get there--where was this blue vintage car and it's very dead driver? Who actually was the murderer of the guy everyone seemed to hate-- including his wife!! Lots of suspects and both cases get solved--but not the way or by who you might think --
This can be read as a stand alone but you will probably want to read the first novel as well!!
Desert Kill Switch ~ A Nostalgia City Mystery ~ Book 2
August 5, 2020
Tense and exciting mystery
Ranging from Arizona to Nevada, this book has a pair of murders to solve. Ex-cop Lyle finds a body in Arizona while his friend Kate, who is promoting Nostalgia City at a classic car and rock music event in Reno, discovers a body as well. Lyle goes to Reno to help her.
In a well-written and nicely plotted story, suspects abound as Lyle and Kate hustle to figure out the killers. This kept me reading well into the night as I tried to connect the dots to find the killers. Entertaining and fun read.
Ranging from Arizona to Nevada, this book has a pair of murders to solve. Ex-cop Lyle finds a body in Arizona while his friend Kate, who is promoting Nostalgia City at a classic car and rock music event in Reno, discovers a body as well. Lyle goes to Reno to help her.
In a well-written and nicely plotted story, suspects abound as Lyle and Kate hustle to figure out the killers. This kept me reading well into the night as I tried to connect the dots to find the killers. Entertaining and fun read.
March 6, 2021
Unlike his first book, Death In Nostalgia City, this one takes place mainly away from the 70s-themed park of the same name.
Here, Kate and Lyle investigate the murder of an shady car dealer in Reno after Kate is accused of killing him. Lyle also is looking into the murder of a man he found along the side of the road who disappears moments later.
There are hints here of a growing romance between Lyle and Kate.
I had a bit of trouble keeping all the player straight, especially three of the bad guys.
I’ll be back for more if Bacon writes them.
Here, Kate and Lyle investigate the murder of an shady car dealer in Reno after Kate is accused of killing him. Lyle also is looking into the murder of a man he found along the side of the road who disappears moments later.
There are hints here of a growing romance between Lyle and Kate.
I had a bit of trouble keeping all the player straight, especially three of the bad guys.
I’ll be back for more if Bacon writes them.
August 20, 2019
Although much of the book was set away from Nostalgia City (NC), it was still about NC and the people we met in the first book. The author has done a great job of incorporating the 60's-70's theme of NC and modern times in this book where much time is spent away from NC. Murder and more, coupled with likable main characters ad up to an exciting read!
I loved the book and all the twists right up to the exciting conclusion. This is a fun series and I can't wait to read the next book!
I loved the book and all the twists right up to the exciting conclusion. This is a fun series and I can't wait to read the next book!
November 20, 2017
This book was probably a little too long for what it brought to the table, though it was OK at times.
August 12, 2021
Not as good as the first one. Totally improbable.
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