Roberta Writes – Book reviews: Don’t Lose Your Head by Dave Williams and The Rockstar & the Outlaw by Kaye Lynne Booth #bookreviews #readingcommunity

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Don’t Lose Your Head by Dave Williams

What Amazon says

When you leave for a trip, who knows you’re gone from your house? Family and friends, sure. Neighbors, perhaps.

So does the chauffeur who drove you to the airport. Alan Burris takes advantage of working for a car service to know when clients will be away from their houses for several nights. Some houses are easier, since they don’t have a security system — and these houses are on his list for a night visit to steal valuables.

The Resnick house has been on Alan’s list for a while, and now it will be empty for a few nights, since Mr. and Mrs. Resnick are spending a long weekend in Chicago.

But is the house really empty? Alan’s about to find out what it’s like to not be alone in the house, his car, his apartment, and his head. And with another person hanging around, to what length will Alan go to get rid of them?

My review

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and entertaining story that centres around the concepts of consequences for actions and a guilty conscience.

Alan Burris’ life was not panning out as he had planned. His girlfriend had recently ditched him because his job as a chauffeur for wealthy people took up most of his evenings and weekends. She wanted him to find a job with better future prospects and more free time to spend with her. The problem was, Alan liked his job ferrying successful business men to and from the airport and driving couples to events and places frequented by the rich and famous. Although Alan resented his clients for their money, success, and self centredness, his position gave him access to information about their lives and movements. He knew where they lived, who they lived with, and when everyone was away. Alan ran a successful sideline breaking into his client’s homes when the opportunity presented itself and stealing jewelry and other items of value.

The story started with Alan driving a regular client and his wife to the airport. Alan knew they had no children and he saw their combined trip as the perfect opportunity to break into their house. The best laid plans have a habit of going awry, and Alan came across some strange and deeply disturbing artwork in the client’s home office. The pieces worked their way into his mind and he couldn’t forget them. The art was not the only surprise in the house, Alan got a further shock, which resulted in him taking out of character remedial actions.

Alan was not a particularly likeable character. He was jealous and had negative thoughts about his clients. He felt he was justified in robbing them because they were rich and successful and they didn’t bother much with him – he was just the driver of the Lincoln that drove them around. It was evident as the story progressed, however, that Alan was not a really bad person. He had a conscience and his actions on the night of the robbery, combined with the weird artwork, conspired to send him into a downward mental spiral. It was fascinating to effectively watch him become more and more unhinged.

The plot reminded me in some ways of my favourite of Edgar Alan Poe’s short story, The Tell-Tale Heart. A well written and entertaining story.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Lose-Your-Head-Williams-ebook/dp/B08129M49C

The Rockstar & the Outlaw by Kaye Lynne Booth

What Amazon says

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.

In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.

In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.

LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.

They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.

My review

This book is a wild ride, highly entertaining and imaginative. With time travel as its central theme, readers are treated to insights into the future, and the past, as well as scenes in the present. This makes for a fascinating and complex storyline.

Nick is from the future and is a Time Regulator, working for Time Travel, Inc. His job is to ensure that any use of time travel technology is for legitimate reasons and travelers do not create ripples in the time continuum that might change the future. Nick has a fascination with the old west and has no idea that his information collecting and personal gratification visit will set in motion a series of unimagined ripples. Nick is not a particularly nice person and is full of smug self righteousness about the purpose of his job, despite the unfortunate conundrum he sets in motion.

Amaryllis is from the present. She’s caught in a most unfortunate situation which she believes she can control, but can’t. Her principles, no matter how skewed they are, are vital to her self esteem and acceptance of her lot in life. When they are breached by her lover, she reacts in rage and ends up on the run from the police. I enjoyed the character of Amaryllis. She is determined and loyal, a good friend despite her unfortunate past and present.

Amaryllis’ friend, Monique, is my favourite character in this book. She is a support character, but her complete control over her life, despite very adverse circumstances, is a much needed antithesis to Amaryllis’ headstrong and highly reactive personality. Monique is the voice of calm reason in the story. I hope I will see more of Monique in future stories by this author.

LeRoy is from the past. He crosses paths with Nick and it changes the course of his life when he becomes embroiled in a time travel ripple. I enjoyed LeRoy who was level headed, despite the strange detour his life’s path takes after his chance encounter with Nick, and a real gentleman. The comparison between the characters of LeRoy, from the past, and Amaryllis’ drug dealing partner, Claude, from the present, is fascinating and quite sad. Even their names bring to mind vastly different expectations and imagery.

You will have to read the book to find out how the lives of these characters all intersect in the novel and how the time ripple is resolved, but it is an exciting and unique storyline that will keep you engaged throughout.

Amazon US Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Star-Outlaw-Time-Travel-Adventure-ebook/dp/B0CJBRRCN1

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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55 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Book reviews: Don’t Lose Your Head by Dave Williams and The Rockstar & the Outlaw by Kaye Lynne Booth #bookreviews #readingcommunity”

  15. I couldn’t get past the completely unbelievable behavior of the time traveling “scientist” that sets the whole trope in motion. Which is probably good because I’m easily one of the worst readers of music and musician fiction out here. Unless written by a musician, because they’re much better at musician stories that usually aren’t soap operas with stage clothes. Unless it’s Fleetwood Mac🤣

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    1. Hi Phil, the scientists behaviour was acceptable to me because people often do the most idiotic things. Stupidity is more realistic than other behaviours, based on my limited experience of life. I am always trying to understand other people and why they do the things they do. I’ve really given up on ever understanding …

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      1. A first rule of psychology – we will never understand anyone else’s motivations or behaviors. I am used to inexplicable stupidity 🤣 but that one was a real light switch flip for me. Like, well, here I am, let me totally forget my prime directive, tell a stranger about my time machine and inside of two pages blow the mission. You’d think the guy would have an astronaut’s sense of mission, but then…

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