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Royce Madison Mystery #1
Timber City Masks
Introducing Royce Madison, sheriff's department die-hard deputy and soft-spoken dyke-about-town. When Royce's father, the venerable Sheriff Grady Madison, was killed, his murder went unsolved. Haunted by her father's death, Royce vowed that no other murder would go unsolved in Timber City, Colorado.
In this intriguing adventure, Royce explores the boundaries of sexuality, racial prejudice, family loyalty, and small-town fears as she searches for the murderer of her lover's best friend. Possible suspects abound in the murder of the wealthy Trish Chandler-Sumner.
Was it her no-good, jealous husband Luther, who also happens to be the sheriff's brother? could it have been Ray, the gentle, guitar-playing, young Native American implicated by one questionable witness?
When Valeria, the object of Royce's obsession, reveals that she was sexually involved with the murdered woman, the table tilts. But who knows the truth? What mask hides the real killer?
Unsolved crime means we haven't struggled hard enough for the truth. I hate being robbed of truth. And if we accept the blank page and tag an innocent person, we're accepting a lie. When law enforcers do that, the law becomes neutralized. Our inaction can put us on the inside of a mask, looking out. No better than the perpetrator. --Royce Madison
In this intriguing adventure, Royce explores the boundaries of sexuality, racial prejudice, family loyalty, and small-town fears as she searches for the murderer of her lover's best friend. Possible suspects abound in the murder of the wealthy Trish Chandler-Sumner.
Was it her no-good, jealous husband Luther, who also happens to be the sheriff's brother? could it have been Ray, the gentle, guitar-playing, young Native American implicated by one questionable witness?
When Valeria, the object of Royce's obsession, reveals that she was sexually involved with the murdered woman, the table tilts. But who knows the truth? What mask hides the real killer?
Unsolved crime means we haven't struggled hard enough for the truth. I hate being robbed of truth. And if we accept the blank page and tag an innocent person, we're accepting a lie. When law enforcers do that, the law becomes neutralized. Our inaction can put us on the inside of a mask, looking out. No better than the perpetrator. --Royce Madison
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
4 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Kieran York
30 books13 followersAuthor of APPOINTMENT WITH A SMILE, 2012 - Blue Feather Books, 2013 Lambda Literary Award Finalist; TIMBER CITY MASKS, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN VEILS, SUGAR WITH SPICE - short story collection, and WET VIOLETS - poetry collection contributor.
Appointment with a Smile is available through Blue Feather Books Limited. Please visit the site at www.bluefeatherbooks.com. Or through Bella Books Distribution for books or as an e-book. It is also available from Amazon. Wet Violets: Sappho's Corner Poetry Series, Volume 2, is published by UltraVioletLovePublishing and is available through UltraVioletLovePublishing or Amazon.
Kieran York worked as a reporter and reviewer for both newspapers and magazines and was a magazine publisher for three years. She has written mainstream works including poetry and general fiction and is the author of two Royce Madison mysteries, Timber City Masks and Crystal Mountain Veils. She also wrote a collection of lesbian short stories entitled Sugar With Spice.
During the seventies, she wrote and performed songs with a woman's band.
Kieran has been a guest lecturer and panel member at various events, including Rocky Mountain Book Exhibition, Colorado Woman Musicians Series, and Sisters in Crime Mystery Writers programs. She has written for "Journal of Mystery Readers International." In addition, she has given numerous campus and coffeehouse poetry readings and taught poetry and creative writing workshops.
She graduated from a Kansas university and attended Mexico's University of the Americas her junior year. She has done graduate work at the University of Colorado.
Kieran lives in the Rocky Mountain foothills with her schnauzer, Clover. She enjoys gardening, music, literature, art, and theatre. She considers her valuables to include Clover and other family and friends, her library, her antique typewriter collection, her guitar, and her garden.
Appointment with a Smile is available through Blue Feather Books Limited. Please visit the site at www.bluefeatherbooks.com. Or through Bella Books Distribution for books or as an e-book. It is also available from Amazon. Wet Violets: Sappho's Corner Poetry Series, Volume 2, is published by UltraVioletLovePublishing and is available through UltraVioletLovePublishing or Amazon.
Kieran York worked as a reporter and reviewer for both newspapers and magazines and was a magazine publisher for three years. She has written mainstream works including poetry and general fiction and is the author of two Royce Madison mysteries, Timber City Masks and Crystal Mountain Veils. She also wrote a collection of lesbian short stories entitled Sugar With Spice.
During the seventies, she wrote and performed songs with a woman's band.
Kieran has been a guest lecturer and panel member at various events, including Rocky Mountain Book Exhibition, Colorado Woman Musicians Series, and Sisters in Crime Mystery Writers programs. She has written for "Journal of Mystery Readers International." In addition, she has given numerous campus and coffeehouse poetry readings and taught poetry and creative writing workshops.
She graduated from a Kansas university and attended Mexico's University of the Americas her junior year. She has done graduate work at the University of Colorado.
Kieran lives in the Rocky Mountain foothills with her schnauzer, Clover. She enjoys gardening, music, literature, art, and theatre. She considers her valuables to include Clover and other family and friends, her library, her antique typewriter collection, her guitar, and her garden.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 18, 2020
When Royce Madison was a teenager, her father, the sheriff of Timber City, Colorado, was gunned down by person or persons unknown. Ten years later—when Royce herself has been hired as a deputy—another murder occurs. A suspect is arrested but the present sheriff is a little too eager to think he is guilty with almost no proof. The suspect is also the brother of a potential paramour for Royce, so she decides to find the real killer.
There were a lot of things to like in this book—particularly the setting and the scenery. The mystery is pretty exciting as well, and the author doesn't mind taking chances with words. Odd stylistic juxtapositions like "Decisions were made, challenges met, laughter churned," "Scrambling clues belonged to an interlocking puzzle", "Trish’s defunct body", or "Valeria’s downy mouth" certainly make it seem like the author is trying for unique descriptions. So too her strange he said/she said alternatives. Here are a few examples:
"In the meantime, there was a murderer out there, Royce mulled,"
"Emotionally charged events bring self-examination, she deliberated,"
“Yancy downs booze with his badge on,” she confronted."
Well, Royce also has to “confront” her somewhat hellish relationship with Valeria, a beautiful schoolteacher who acts more like a social butterfly—unless she is around Royce. Valeria, too, has a strong connection to the murder victim. The author almost nailed Valeria, but veered off at the last minute, as if she didn't want to make a secondary character more interesting than Royce. Still, the feelings of passion and love in this book—feelings from both Valeria and Royce—ring true.
I like authors that take chances and at one point during a particularly exciting scene I considered giving the book 4 stars. After a while, though, I realized that just because the author takes chances doesn't mean she gets away with them. Most of the quotes above just don’t bear close scrutiny. Likewise a few wooden passages toward the beginning where people use words more fit for essays: "I longed to get back to my people,” for instance, or “It hightailed it when I approached.”
And, yes, the present murder is connected to the murder of Royce’s father a decade earlier—didn't you predict it? And Royce’s puppy not only finds the key clue to the murder (a teeth-gnashing reminder of Kate Sweeney’s dreadful She Waits), but also helps her to escape the killer who is able to get the drop on her through her own stupidity. Then there was some cheesy passages in the love scenes: She had never been the recipient of love’s full embrace, and "Your embrace will bring me back.” Truthfully, there just are not enough good things in this book to bring it up past a 3. But there are many books worse.
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
There were a lot of things to like in this book—particularly the setting and the scenery. The mystery is pretty exciting as well, and the author doesn't mind taking chances with words. Odd stylistic juxtapositions like "Decisions were made, challenges met, laughter churned," "Scrambling clues belonged to an interlocking puzzle", "Trish’s defunct body", or "Valeria’s downy mouth" certainly make it seem like the author is trying for unique descriptions. So too her strange he said/she said alternatives. Here are a few examples:
"In the meantime, there was a murderer out there, Royce mulled,"
"Emotionally charged events bring self-examination, she deliberated,"
“Yancy downs booze with his badge on,” she confronted."
Well, Royce also has to “confront” her somewhat hellish relationship with Valeria, a beautiful schoolteacher who acts more like a social butterfly—unless she is around Royce. Valeria, too, has a strong connection to the murder victim. The author almost nailed Valeria, but veered off at the last minute, as if she didn't want to make a secondary character more interesting than Royce. Still, the feelings of passion and love in this book—feelings from both Valeria and Royce—ring true.
I like authors that take chances and at one point during a particularly exciting scene I considered giving the book 4 stars. After a while, though, I realized that just because the author takes chances doesn't mean she gets away with them. Most of the quotes above just don’t bear close scrutiny. Likewise a few wooden passages toward the beginning where people use words more fit for essays: "I longed to get back to my people,” for instance, or “It hightailed it when I approached.”
And, yes, the present murder is connected to the murder of Royce’s father a decade earlier—didn't you predict it? And Royce’s puppy not only finds the key clue to the murder (a teeth-gnashing reminder of Kate Sweeney’s dreadful She Waits), but also helps her to escape the killer who is able to get the drop on her through her own stupidity. Then there was some cheesy passages in the love scenes: She had never been the recipient of love’s full embrace, and "Your embrace will bring me back.” Truthfully, there just are not enough good things in this book to bring it up past a 3. But there are many books worse.
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
April 12, 2016
A perfect suspenseful story!
She wants to make things right, she wants to solve the murder on her father. Royce is not just any deputy. She is smart and courageous. The price of a secret love affair is high for Royce. Might be higher than she can handle. But for a night in her arms she is willing to condone her behavior. I love the twists and turns this book takes. It is gripping and suspenseful. Full of action, mystery and heartache. The Author paints such a vivid picture with colorful, descriptive words that you can easily imagine the beautiful settings. The characters are very well developed. You feel you know them all. I can't wait to read the sequel.
She wants to make things right, she wants to solve the murder on her father. Royce is not just any deputy. She is smart and courageous. The price of a secret love affair is high for Royce. Might be higher than she can handle. But for a night in her arms she is willing to condone her behavior. I love the twists and turns this book takes. It is gripping and suspenseful. Full of action, mystery and heartache. The Author paints such a vivid picture with colorful, descriptive words that you can easily imagine the beautiful settings. The characters are very well developed. You feel you know them all. I can't wait to read the sequel.
January 4, 2016
Mystery and love
Enjoyed getting to know Royce and her community. As she seeks to find the answer to a murder mystery you see her grow as a person. Characters are nicely drawn. Look forward to seeing what happens next.
Enjoyed getting to know Royce and her community. As she seeks to find the answer to a murder mystery you see her grow as a person. Characters are nicely drawn. Look forward to seeing what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews