As an author I’m not sure if I am supposed to admit this or not, but a review can make my day. A good review can raise me out of a bad mood, turn me into something like Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain.

Yesterday, I got such a review for my novel Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare from author Renee Reynolds. You can check out the review on GoodReads here.

Reynolds begins the review by talking about how she discovered the book via my other novel A Jane Austen Daydream.

First, let me state that if you sit down to read this book after reading A Jane Austen Daydream, prepare yourself for something completely different (but in a good way). Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare is nothing like Mr. Southard’s other novel, save the facts that the writing is excellent and the plot and characters are attention-keepers.

She then goes on to talk about what makes the book standout in her opinion. I particularly loved this bit:

And speaking of twists, there are plenty of them, somewhat dizzying in number. Rare is the novel that manages to fool you to the end, but here be that story. I was left guessing to the “whoa” moment at the climax. To think one mind came up with all these ideas….

So what was the bit that gave me my  true “Gene Kelly” moment? Well, it would be how she ended the review with this:

If you like a good mystery – read this book. If you like intelligent writing and witty observations and banter – read this book. If you like strong characterization, to the point that you can picture an individual from the page completely in your mind – read this book. If you like the eccentric, the odd, and the compelling – read this book. Really – just read this book.

You see what I mean?

Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare is exclusively available via amazon.com. The paperback is only $8.99, and the eBook is just $3.99! You can find both here. If you would like to learn more about our intrepid hero and his loyal servant Bob, you can do so via this page on my site.