Friday, February 18, 2011

Tribute Books Tour: The Big Show Stopper by Ken Dalton

MY THOUGHTS

Celebrating Flo's birthday, Bear takes her to Brady Blackstone's concert.  Brady is one of the richest and most famous performers around, and Flo is just giddy with the idea of seeing him, even though Bear could give two hoots. 

However, it isn't the celebration they were quite hoping for.  Instead, they see first hand Brady take a head dive into a metal beam and he doesn't live.  But Flo and Brady start asking some questions, and realize that it may not have been an accident, but that someone killed Brady.  So begins Bear and Flo's investigation in their pursuit to catch a murderer.

J. Pincus (Pinky) Delmont is a well-known defense attorney who leads the way through the investigation in search of the killer. 

Ken Dalton has created very unique characters with their own charm that carries from one page to the next.  The dialogue is at times witty and very entertaining.  The plot is solid and the mystery unravels at a comfortable and satisfying pace.  The first book in the series, The Bloody Birthright, I have not read, but The Big Show Stopper can be read alone.  Mr. Dalton does an excellent job of catching up the reader so you really don't feel like you missed anything.  If your looking for a new mystery series, try the Pinky and the Bear Mystery series! After the first few chapters, the story just sped by as you find yourself riding shotgun with them on their investigation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR




Ken Dalton was born in 1938. In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken. At the end of World War II, Ken's family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer's brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken's luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, in a moment of madness, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world's latest overnight sensation.

NEXT TOUR STOP:  Feb 19th @ Knits and Reads



3 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good, solid mystery.

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  2. Wendy - I'm glad that you enjoyed the book. I know Ken will appreciate your comments. Thanks for hosting a stop on the blog tour.

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  3. This is a lovely story. Thanks for sharing.
    Ann

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The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

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