Sunday, June 1, 2014

June's Author of the Month, Holli Castillo



Holli has written three books in her Crescent  City Mystery Series (Gumbo Justice, Jambalaya Justice, and Chocolate City Justice [coming soon]).  She has also written an award winning screenplay called Angel Trap. This is an author who uses her real life for inspiration in her stories. Her husband was the model for “Big Who” and her deaf cat co-starred in her books. She has worked in many places including waitressing, stage manager, acrobat teacher, and has a law degree. She was raised in New Orleans where she lives now with her husband, two children, dog, and 2 deaf cats. And the stories take place in New Orleans, mentioning real events like Hurricane Katrina!

You can check out her website at………




       














Gritty, Raw, And Engaging, [a review for one of her books]
August 31, 2009
By 
Tough, streetwise, and smart - with an even smarter mouth - Ryan Murphy is not a prosecutor to be trifled with; of course, if you were a peace-loving citizen in the crime-infested, drug-riddled Big Easy, you wouldn't want your law enforcement officials to be any other way. So, tasked with the duty of prosecuting a series of brutal crimes, Ryan uses her incomparable grit and wits to ensure that the incorrigible criminals behind them never again see the light of day.
There's only one problem: before she can see each case through to complete prosecution, the bad guys all end up dead. Even more confounding for Ryan: each killing is mysteriously linked to her - which is the absolute last thing she needs while striving to fast-track her own career. As the sinister events unfold - ultimately placing her own life at risk - Ryan, despite how slick and savvy she's become, must kick her game to an even higher level if she's to outwit a twisted killer who seems destined to remain one step ahead of her.
The initial installment in the Crescent City Mystery Series, Gumbo Justice is, hands down, the real thing. Herself a public defender and former New Orleans prosecutor, Holli Castillo infuses her compelling tale with such authenticity and unique energy that even those who have never visited the Big Easy will undoubtedly finish the book feeling as though they've lived there forever. Furthermore, her perfectly crafted characters and gripping storyline push the narrative along at break-neck pace, making the 200+ pages breeze by and leaving you craving for more as the story - regrettably - concludes...as such, hopefully installment #2 is just around the corner...
Gritty, raw, engaging - and with an absolutely delicious closing twist - Gumbo Justice is a highly entertaining instant classic from an emerging literary star fast on the rise. Kudos to Castillo for crafting such an ingenious, unique thriller, and be on the lookout for more from this promising new talent.