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The Violet Crow: A Bruno X Psychic Detective Mystery Paperback – July 7, 2015

by Michael Sheldon (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
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A brutal murder stuns the quiet South Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia. No grieving parents come forward to claim the unknown girl’s body, and there aren’t any clues. The police are inexperienced. The local media are casting blame and demanding answers. A mini-culture war is brewing . . .
 
So what do the civic leaders do? They hire Bruno X, Psychic Detective.
 
No joke, the guy’s got talent. And a track record. Sure, his psychic shtick is a bit unorthodox. Yet, somehow, he gets results—solving long-forgotten mysteries locked inside the old brick Quaker meeting house, and uncovering closely held secrets hidden within the biotech company whose symbol is the Violet Crow.
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  1. Print length
    312 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Liberty Island
  4. Publication date
    July 7, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1504014111
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1504014113
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Sheldon was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey. His father was a dentist, which accounts for Michael’s sense of humor. His mother, a Jewish philosopher without peer, instilled in him the notion that the world doesn’t owe you a living—and a love of raw oysters and dry martinis. His training in the craft of storytelling came from reading the masters, beginning with Chaucer and Rabelais, through Sterne, to MacDonald and Westlake.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Liberty Island; Digital Original edition (July 7, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1504014111
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1504014113
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

About the author

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Michael Sheldon

Michael Sheldon

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Michael Sheldon is a writer and photographer living on an island in the Puget Sound. Since the publication of THE VIOLET CROW in 2015, he has created new work in both disciplines. A trip to the Galapagos in 2016 inspired his interest in birds and bird photography. He now has a portfolio of nearly 400 species of wild birds photographed in the United States. Visit msheldon.com for examples.

He also began work on a new novel. REVEILLE IN BIRDLAND recounts the adventures of a Bewick's Wren named Buick Renn, who has been called to investigate the disappearance of 3 billion birds in North America. He travels thousands of weary miles to consult the wisest birds in America, overcoming threats from human enemies and predatory birds and animals. The story climaxes in an ascent to Birdland (aka Cloudcuckooland) where the birds put humanity on trial over the missing 3 billion.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
30 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this mystery novel engaging with several interesting subplots and praise the masterful storytelling. They appreciate the well-developed characters, with one review highlighting the protagonist's interactions with the Chief. The book receives positive feedback for its readability and language, with one customer noting the employment of Yiddish words and phrases, while another mentions the warm writing style.

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7 customers mention "Humor"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun to read.

"...of comic relief, and an unpredictable plot make The Violet Crow an entertaining and irresistible read...." Read more

"...In The Violet Crow he shows he can turn all that learning into a very funny, yet engaging detective story...." Read more

"Michael Sheldon's The Violet Crow is a fun, original read...." Read more

"Such a fun read!! I found this book through another website and thought I'd give it a try based on the reviews, and was amply rewarded!..." Read more

7 customers mention "Suspenseful story"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, praising its masterful storytelling and multiple interesting subplots. One customer notes how it keeps readers guessing until the end, while another appreciates the detailed descriptions of Quaker meeting houses.

"Masterful storytelling, well-defined characters, witty dialogue, perfectly placed elements of comic relief, and an unpredictable plot make The..." Read more

"...he shows he can turn all that learning into a very funny, yet engaging detective story...." Read more

"...readers might know, but he's also otherwise unique and strange enough to keep me interested...." Read more

"...Very readable, with likable and plausible characters, interesting plot twists, and lots of authentic detail...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the interesting characters in the book, with one customer noting how well the psychic aspect of the main character was handled, and another mentioning the protagonist's interactions with the Chief.

"Masterful storytelling, well-defined characters, witty dialogue, perfectly placed elements of comic relief, and an unpredictable plot make The..." Read more

"...It worked well with the eccentric characters. Overall, a great read that left me looking forward to more!" Read more

"...Very readable, with likable and plausible characters, interesting plot twists, and lots of authentic detail...." Read more

"...some fairly original elements woven in and the psychic aspect of the main character was well handled such that whether or not it is believable to..." Read more

6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a stunning debut novel.

"...an unpredictable plot make The Violet Crow an entertaining and irresistible read...." Read more

"...It worked well with the eccentric characters. Overall, a great read that left me looking forward to more!" Read more

"Great book; very character/dialogue driven story that flows quickly...." Read more

"...This was a great opus for Michael Sheldon. I’m anxiously looking forward to the next installment." Read more

3 customers mention "Language"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the language of the book, with one mentioning its witty dialogue and another noting its employment of Yiddish words and phrases.

"...loud at his descriptions of South Jersey dialects and employment of Yiddish words and phrases, and enjoyed the book's familiar settings including..." Read more

"...And Sheldon's writing style is paced well, not forced, not verbose for the sake of sounding fancy, etc. It makes for an easy, enjoyable read...." Read more

"...Very readable, with likable and plausible characters, interesting plot twists, and lots of authentic detail...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pace"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one noting its brisk and warm writing style.

"...I hope Bruno will be back. You gotta love the pace of this novel and the cheek its author displays. Buy it now. Give it to friends." Read more

"...And Sheldon's writing style is paced well, not forced, not verbose for the sake of sounding fancy, etc. It makes for an easy, enjoyable read...." Read more

"...Very readable, with likable and plausible characters, interesting plot twists, and lots of authentic detail...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Daria Anne DiGiovanni
    5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Storytelling, An Endearing Hero
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Masterful storytelling, well-defined characters, witty dialogue, perfectly placed elements of comic relief, and an unpredictable plot make The Violet Crow an entertaining and irresistible read. I fell in love with psychic Bruno X the second he burst onto the scene, having been hired by the police department mainly to placate an overly intrusive, sensationalistic media to help solve a murder in the fictional South Jersey suburb of Gardenfield. What begins as a joke eventually vindicates unlikely hero Bruno as he employs Jewish mysticism, mind-reading, and meditation to secure justice for the victims. Along the way, he develops a close friendship with the chief of police and other officers assigned to the case as they attempt to follow the clues and find the guilty -- all while being dogged by the relentless P.C.Cromwell, a perfect characterization of today's morally bankrupt media.

    The author weaves several interesting subplots around the main plot, which keeps you guessing until the end. As a native of the Philadelphia area (though I haven't lived there in two decades), I laughed out loud at his descriptions of South Jersey dialects and employment of Yiddish words and phrases, and enjoyed the book's familiar settings including Caesar's in Atlantic City. I also appreciated the author's realistic portrayal of psychic ability. Most of all, I hope he's planning a series around Bruno X because he's one of the most endearing, unique characters I've come across in modern literature. Looking forward to Bruno's future adventures!
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  • Peter S.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Psychic Detective Saves Small Town from.......
    Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Disclaimer: Michael Sheldon, the author, was a college roommate. Certainly one of the smartest kids in the class. Became a very good photographer. Now writing fiction. In The Violet Crow he shows he can turn all that learning into a very funny, yet engaging detective story. Bruno X lives in a trailer in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. More or less between Camden NJ and Atlantic City, NJ. That is to say, virtually nowhere, although the police chief in the small town of Gardenfield seems proud that Camden is neck-in neck in the running for the title of murder capital of the U.S. So what is a psychic doing in a small, nowhere town? Hiding out after a divorce and a series of failed jobs. Yet it seems commonplace in this part of New Jersey for the local press, wary of a burgeoning crime wave, to suggest hiring a psychic. Police Chief Buddy Black seems to know his way around, and quickly enlists Bruno to help solve an unsolvable crime--the killing of a 10 year old and the discovery of her body in a Quaker Meeting House on the campus of an elite children's school. Bruno uses the Kabalah to help interpret the sensations he feels around a crime scene. This enables him to make quick progress on a few of the waves of crime hitting Gardenfield--but he is getting nowhere toward solving the murder mystery. All hell breaks loose in Gardenfield when a college student attempting to complete a required "deviant act" for her Sociology course at Penn inadvertently witnesses a crime. Her drug addled boyfriend is immolated when very bad guys blow up his brand-new meth lab. Just when things cannot get worse, they do, and Bruno is in the flight, and fight for his life. Sensations that were elusive, clouded and mysterious finally become clear. All is well that ends well, but in unraveling the mysteries that bedevil Gardenfield, Bruno uncovers a whole lot that is wrong with the modern world. Like many fictional detectives before him, Bruno rights wrongs against society but just as importantly begins to put his own life back in balance. He wins the no-longer-deviant-girl and with Chief Black cashes in on the slots in Atlantic City. I hope Bruno will be back. You gotta love the pace of this novel and the cheek its author displays. Buy it now. Give it to friends.
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  • ErichF
    5.0 out of 5 stars Did you hear the one about the psychic who solved a moidra?
    Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Michael Sheldon's The Violet Crow is a fun, original read. I'm not a big mystery reader, but I've always found myself more engaged by books in the genre which feature a strong lead character. Somebody who's good at what they do (presumably better than "normal folks"), and also eccentric enough to make you wonder if they're going to just up and quit on all the other characters halfway through the book. Bruno X is a great lead for a mystery story. Sure, the psychic thing sets him apart from other characters or real people the readers might know, but he's also otherwise unique and strange enough to keep me interested. And Sheldon's writing style is paced well, not forced, not verbose for the sake of sounding fancy, etc. It makes for an easy, enjoyable read. I read the book through several sittings, losing myself each time and forgetting how long I'd been reading or how many pages had been read since last time. The narration sort of reminded me of the old Twilight Zone shows - kind of "noir," kind of like unattached, archival record-keeping of some really F'ed up event in history. It worked well with the eccentric characters. Overall, a great read that left me looking forward to more!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • A reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely one for the beach bag!!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Such a fun read!! I found this book through another website and thought I'd give it a try based on the reviews, and was amply rewarded! Very readable, with likable and plausible characters, interesting plot twists, and lots of authentic detail. It's alternately amusing and moving -- I wept at the scene with the dog (you'll have to read it to find out why). Sheldon finds the humanity in every character and has a brisk but warm writing style. I ended up reading it all in one day because I couldn't wait to find out what happened! I don't normally read mysteries but this was well worth an exception.
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