"Dark Ride Deception" By Mark Bacon: Review/Giveaway

Review by Terrance Mc Arthur

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Lyle was a cop. Now, he’s a taxi driver in a town-size amusement park that recreates the 1970s, with themed shops, iconic fashions, and rides evoking period movies and TV shows. Every now and then, Lyle solves crimes for the park owner.

Kate was a basketball star. Now, she’s Nostalgia City’s VP of public relations. How can she keep a hot-headed movie star filming in the park from beating up the supporting player he hates?

Lyle and Kate have their hands full in Dark Ride Deception, the fourth Nostalgia City Mystery by Mark S. Bacon.

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Image Source Archer & Clark Publishing

New, interactive technology that could revolutionize the parks has vanished, along with the computer genius that developed it. Could it be another amusement park? The FBI thinks the Chinese government is behind it. Was Tom Wyrick, the programmer, kidnapped, killed, or working for someone else? Lyle goes on a wild chase—is it after a goose?—to rival parks and to conventions offering new rides. He adopts disguising identities, and is attacked by foreign fighters. And why was a human finger found in Lyle’s taxicab? Interpark espionage turns out to be a tangled web, indeed.

When death disrupts the filming, a crew member convinces Kate to look for murder when the official word is suicide. Was an actor depressed, or was there a deeper motive? The two mystery plots tantalize and interweave as chapters and sections alternate: Lyle sneaking his way to an answer, Kate finding her answers while she works to protect Nostalgia City’s reputation. Of course, they are comparing notes, since they do have a relationship.

Bacon’s history of working with a Southern California amusement park (rhymes with “Dots Merry Charm”) gives him an understanding of working in the park industry, and he provides realistic details for background. His previous books in the series give a confidence to the characters and pacing. Dark Ride Deception is a mystery thrill ride that, when I went to Disneyland in the Sixties, would have deserved an E-ticket.  

To enter to win either an ebook or print copy of Dark Ride Deception, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "deception,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 6, 2021. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. BE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN SHIPPING THE WINNING BOOK. BE SURE TO STATE WHETHER YOU WANT PRINT OR EBOOK. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.

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Terrance V. Mc Arthur is newly retired as a Librarian in Fresno County, California. He is also a storyteller, puppeteer, magician, and maker of pine needle baskets. On top of that he writes stories that range from rhymed children's tales to splatterpunk horror. He's an odd bird, but he's nice to have around.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.