David WisehartRezensionen

This is an enjoyable historical fantasy woven around Dante's Inferno, the Grail legends, and the history of the Knights Templar. The focus, however, is less on knights than it is on poets and theologians. Wisehart obviously loves medieval poetry and has studied theology, but the book never gets bogged down in "clever" asides. The substance of the poetry and beliefs have a direct impact on the plot, and you don't need to have an understanding of those topics to enjoy it.

This is not a great novel, but it's unique and a pleasure to read.

This book is just as it is advertised. Just when you think you know where it's leading, the plot turns another way. It is scary, bloody, creepy, keep-you-awake-horrible. Each character plays an active part. I can identify with their actions, they are mostly those of ordinary people confronted with their situation. I won't spoil it for you except to say that you will be really shocked at the ending. I don't usually read horror because it does scare me. This was an exception to my reading rule, I wanted to read one of Wisehart's books. And I recommend it if you really do like horror!

Nick Shaw is a private detective reminiscent of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, except neither one of them aspired to be an actor to the best of my recollection. In fact Nick is trying his best without much luck to break out of private investigation and into acting when he see an ad online for a casting call. Thus begins Cold Reading, by David Wisehart.

Nick does really poorly in the cold reading tryout, but the good news is the producer, Edward Grant notices his previous work experience on his resume. What a coincidence...his girl friend is missing and he is in a hurry to find her. Not really wanting the job, Nick quotes a high fee but that backfires. The producer immediately agrees and Nick is on the case, ready or not.

Though he has little to go on, Nick is enterprising and begins to follow up on the few clues he has. Before he knows it, he is caught in a web of lies and confusing clues but he doesn't consider giving up...not even when he is set up and framed for murder.

Author David Wisehart aspires to recreate the hard-boiled detective genre of the 1930's updated to the modern era. Wit and irony are used frequently to move the plot along, and maybe a few too many coincidences in the multi layered conspiracy surrounding the missing girl. It does make for an interesting tale with surprises unfolding throughout the book. The climax is chilling and I'm sure will play well in the movie version...I doubt real people would live through that, but that is what makes fiction so exciting. I think we may be seeing more of Nick and confidently expect to be hearing more from David Wisehart. Hard boiled detective fans should enjoy the ride.

I received a free ebook version of the book Cold Reading in a giveaway on LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

A very well written missing person case with an excellent plot. The story has a steady pace with plenty of twists and turns. Noah Shaw is a very likeable main character. There is some humor mixed in with the suspense. A fast moving story that provides a quick enjoyable read. Highly recommended book for all mystery lovers.

This is a fast moving missing person case for a 30 year old private investigator/ wannabe actor. The story is well constructed, the anomalies are deliberate and beware - not a single sentence is superfluous to working out what is actually going on before the revelation!½

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Should have been a compelling story, but it didn't really hold me. I didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters, in fact, other than Ethan, I didn't like any of them. I also don't like that so many authors now are just taking it for granted that all teenagers are having sex. I know a lot of them are, but can we hear about some of the ones who aren't, for once? They are out there. Claire was the main character, but she was so wishy washy, I couldn't stand her. Then, near the end, when she is driving and they are hoping they might actually get away from the Highwayman, she's worried about getting a ticket and thinks they should pull over for the cop, even after everything they have just seen and gone through. Right. Not interested in what happens next.
One thing I did like is that while the boys (including the boys from the 50s), started out as d-bags, they did manage to redeem themselves. Their actions surprised me, given the way they had been before. And, if you like the blood and guts kind of thing, you might like it.

Could not wait to turn the page.
This book captured me from the prologue. It is the true definition of a horror novel. One of the things I really enjoyed was it was not "wordy". The book has enough description of the people, places and events to make it a great read but still allows you to use your own imagination. This plot line may not be new, but it is done very well, set in the now with believable characters. Not only will I be anxiously waiting the next book - but I would also like to see it hit the big screen. Hurry up Mr. Wisehart I Want More!

This is an awesome read! The language is clear, detailed enough to help you picture what is going on, and fast paced. This 'ghost' story has twists and turns I did not expect. I could not put it down once I started to read the book. I was lucky enough to have received this through Member Giveaways. Excellent story!

I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. Read it from cover to cover in 1 sitting.

Blood Alley is a fast-paced, exciting supernatural thriller. The writing is crisp and tight, and the work pulls you along like the rumbling engine of a little red Chevy.½

If you are looking for a fast-paced, edge of your seat, paranormal thriller - look no further. The author does a great job reeling you in from page one. Thou feel like you can't read it fast enough. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review*

I was eager to read Blood Alley when I heard the concept- ghostly revenge on a long, stretch of road. When I read the first page, I knew this would be a fun read, and it is.

The pace moves quick and easy, relying on action to propel it forward rather than description (which is what you want when you are immersed in a story involving speed and fear). I enjoyed how Wisehart really captured the scene on the road whenever the Highwayman encountered his next victim. One can really imagine seeing the chase in person. There are gruesome details related to the crashes and deaths, but they aren't exposed just to shock the reader. They seem a natural progression of the text: here's the crash, here's the aftermath. Overall, the text is clean- which is great for this particular genre.

The main characters are young adults and keep to that with how they think and interact with each other. I do wish there was more interaction/communication/emotion between the YAs, but with there being so much action, it didn't leave room for much else.

My one bone of contention with the story is I don't feel like it delivered the backstory as well as it could have. You have this Highwayman, a spirit who may or may not have been wronged in life and must return from the dead to unleash his anger. You also have this young girl who feels a connection the the Highwayman, but is not sure how. There are brief glimpses of who the two really are and how they are connected, little bits of the history that begin to unfold- but then it's jarringly cast aside during a brief encounter between the two towards the end. The end result seems too contrived, like Wisehart wanted a weird twist and chose that moment to shove it in. It left me a bit disappointed, but that's just me. I like to get a bit more in to the minds of the characters, get a little more info of who they are.

All in all, Blood Alley is a good book for people who like horror. I enjoyed the action, enjoyed the concept, and I look forward to reading more of Wisehart's work.

Blood Alley started out as a story which I was not sure how I would like. But it soon picked up onto a fast paced frantic adventure along Blood Alley, a stretch of highway from hell guarded by a phantom man called The Highwayman. Claire and her friends , on their way to a family funeral, encounter a stretch of highway on which weird, ghostly things happen. We find out Claire is also searching for her real family by the name of Fowler, as she was adopted as a child. During the course of their trip in the Hummer, they come across many interventions by this Highwayman, and one by one are attacked viciously. There are some violent descriptions in this book.

As the story progresses, we find out who the Fowler family she belongs to is, and why the highway is called Blood Alley. Without giving too much away, the book kept me on the edge of my seat , and I honestly can say I read this in one day! It just got better and better.

The ending is pretty open to the possibility of future books in this series. I truly enjoyed this read, even for the gruesome parts.

This was won by me, as an ebook, in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of the book.

Deb M.

As someone who has enjoyed reading Dante's Inferno, and has a strong interest in Medieval Europe, I was looking forward to reading this book. I was not expecting the depth of knowledge of the period from the author. Mr. Wisehart obviously has a love for Medieval texts, and quotes from them often through the philosophical and theological arguments of William of Ockham (a noted English Franciscan friar best remembered for developing the principle of Occam's Razor) and the poet Giovanni Boccaccio (author of the Decameron, among others). Other notable figures from this era in Europe are also mentioned, or have small parts to play in the story. If you have an interest in Medieval literature or history, you will probably love this story.

As other reviewers have noted, there are a fair amount of passages in Latin scattered throughout. Please don't let this deter you from reading the story and enjoying it. While I agree it would have been translation of the text (even in an appendix or footnote), the tale can be enjoyed without the Latin if you don't want to look it up yourself.

I do also agree that some of the vocabulary and erratic writing style can be a bit disjointed. I think that with a bit of judicious editing, these problems could be fixed. I think the characters are fairly well-developed, although I did not feel terribly attached to any of them. I am reminded a little of Umberto Eco's writing, but without the dense and overly intellectual feel of his style that is a distinct turn-off for many readers. This novel is more accessible to the general public.

Overall I enjoyed the story. Mr. Wisehart has an obvious passion for Medieval Europe, and this passion translates well in his work. I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. Wisehart in the future.

Disclaimer: I received this ebook via the LibraryThing Member Giveaway direct from the author.

I'm a sucker for biblical mythology so when I saw this would play heavily with Dante's Inferno, I had high hopes. When I discovered that the story takes place in a world where the Inferno was a travelogue rather than a work of fiction, I was even more excited. I sat back, set my mind to the mid-fourteenth century, and let the cart pull me forth.

Devil's Lair reads like a by-the-book screenplay; enter the scene late, exit it right before the viewer (reader) fits all the pieces together. I'd wager a practiced screenwriter could adapt this work and leave very little out as this appears to be a tightly woven tale. Aside from the premise, there's really nothing new here - we've got a small but varied party setting out on an adventure, encountering obstacles and enduring hardships from battles to disbelieving patrons, finding strength in themselves and each other - but all of those little pieces are done exceptionally well and they add up to a fulfilling whole. The pacing and subplots kept me interested from cover to cover and I enjoyed seeing the familiar faces--some in new places--when the group traverses the levels of Hell. For the most part, the pacing enabled Devil's Lair to feel much shorter than its true length as I flicked the pages by.

The chemistry and tension between the characters seemed believable if a little simple at times. The medieval setting aids in the belief as the religious fervor of that age could compel people to do things that some rational thinking would oppose. Regardless, their interactions and qualities more than made up for any arched eyebrows I may have made.

One section did jump out at me as feeling misplaced but it appears much later in a fairly stress-laden chapter. The slight vulgarity just didn't sit well with me as being in-character but that's really a very minor nit to pick. It simply made me do the literary equivalent of a double-take in an otherwise beautifully smooth narrative.

The ending itself was perfect. Upon reflection it was completely telegraphed but done so in that clever "ah, so that's why you set it up like that" way. You've no doubt seen it before but again, like many things in this book, that familiar element was portrayed exquisitely. It manages to wrap up the story completely as well as keep in mind that the Inferno's reality just may be our own.

I went into Devil’s Lair with a lot of excitement, eager for a read on one of my favorite historical eras. That it promised to include generous helpings of Dante’s Inferno made me even more eager.

I have to say that I was not disappointed. Wisehart does a magnificent job with character development, painting a vivid portrait of deep characterization on very different people—the wounded knight, the fallen priest, Giovanni the poet, and the epileptic woman with visions.

I felt the development of the characters was exceptionally well done in the first half of the book, while action and a faster pace dominated the second half. I have read Dante’s Inferno a few times, and I enjoyed it, but I wonder if someone not familiar with Dante would find as much pleasure in Devil’s Lair.

The only complaint I have is Wisehart’s use of his obviously extensive vocabulary. I love being sent to the dictionary now and then to learn a new word, or to get clarification on what I thought was the proper definition of a word, but I found myself going a little too often in Devil’s Lair. Ordinarily I wouldn’t mind so much, with electronic reading and the dictionary literally at your fingertips, but—and this might be an annoyance for some—many of the words weren’t even listed in the Kindle dictionary, so I was forced to look them up on Google. While this was enlightening in one sense, it was frustrating in another. I felt that 90% of the time the author could have made his point just as well with a simpler word.

Devil’s Lair is not a typical page-turner in the sense of action, or mystery; it is more a book that must be devoured one delicious page at a time, and I did just that. It took me longer to read than most books, but then again, this one made me stop and think—something I relish, as I don’t do enough of it. The descriptions in Wisehart’s book are detailed, the story is true to the era and the masterpiece it draws so well from, and the dialogue can be thought provoking and enlightening.

If you are a fan of Dante’s Inferno, or enjoy that era of Italian history, by all means I would recommend you pick up Devil’s Lair. You won’t be disappointed.

Devil's Lair started off pretty slow in the beginning and kind of lost my attention. It didn't actually start picking up for me until they actually reached Hell and start descending down the circles. The characters were good, I really enjoyed William the Friar and Marco. Mr. Wisehart did an excellent job in developing the character's personalities and telling their different backrounds.

I really enjoyed the ending but it just wasn't enough. I really wish we could have seen the same sort of intensity throughout most of the book rather than the last few chapters.

A search for the Holy Grail by four unlikely people. The search is led by a almost defrocked priest into Hell to retrieve the Grail. The tour guide is a poet who has Dante's work memorized and helps to guide them through the various levels of Hell and knows who is to be found on each level. There is a Knight Templar who has memory loss and really has no idea what he is along for until he grasps an artifact that will help them to achieve their goal. The last member of the quartet is a young girl who has been accused of witchcraft and has visions during seizures. They are on a the search to save mankind from the Black Death. Will the succeed? An interesting read but hard for me to get into.

Never really got into this book. I had a feeling that it was possibly building to something amazing but Lost interest around 75% through.

Free on Kindle. Spoilers. I enjoyed this book, mostly. It was funny to be reading it right after I read the Fionavar trilogy because this book also draws on the legends of King Arthur. It is a short book but I felt by the end that the conceit had worn itself out. It felt a little like the author was just touching the right bases in the tour through hell. But the end was fine & not too belabored. I enjoyed the characters out of history, and I liked that they were mostly sympathetic.

In this novel, Mr. Wisehart tells a tale of a monk, a knight, a “fair” maiden and a traveling poet. Some of
them are seeking the Holy Grail which is the monk is certain lies in the rings of Dante’s Inferno. It is the
time of the plague and many have fallen. Knights are battling for good and the group known as
Templars are surely no more
.
William of Ockham, a greyfriar and his companion Nadja have been searching for Marco da Roma for a
long time. Nadja, an epileptic, saw him in one of her “falling dreams” as the Last Templar and man to
guide them to Hell to find the Grail. His addition to their group is short-lived as, after healing from the
battle; he leaves them alone and steals their donkey.

Giovanni, the poet and scion of a once well-to do house doesn’t miss Marco at all. He has feelings for
Nadja and she spent all her time tending the injured Knight. Giovanni, in charge of a very worn copy of
The Inferno, is unhappy with being asked to give up what is left of his wardrobe to clothe the knight –
especially when Marco leaves them high and dry! He leaves the other two to go to a castle, but returns.

This novel was a trial for me. The friar continually lapses into Latin which I cannot translate and I felt
that it took away from the pace, not added to it. The descriptions of the plague were very well
researched and the group’s quest was true. You may absolutely this one and I tried to, but couldn’t
bring up more than a “good try.” Read it yourself, it may be just what you’re looking for.

Gripping re-imagining of Dante's Inferno, with both historical figures from the original and some new, Wisehart takes the reader on a journey back to the depths of hell that Dante experienced. With abundant action and twists that keep the reader guessing, the ending is clever.

Having read Dante's creation and several other re-creation's I enjoyed this version.

I first noticed the lyrical language used throughout the book - it was refreshing to have a book written above a 3rd grade level. The plot and action were engaging. The characters were well-written - whether I liked them or not. The book overall was thought provoking.
My big negative was that there were Latin passages with no translation, at least in the Kindle version. It was distracting, and I often felt I was missing some key information. Sometimes I could get the gist of it from the conversation, but mostly I was lost on those parts.
I'm not a medieval historian. I sometimes got a feeling the author played fast and loose with the use of modern language/slang and thought & social mores. But I was perfectly willing to suspend my occasional disbelief because the story was so enjoyable.
It's definitely in my "to read again" folder.

The Devil’s Lair is a wonderful book. David Wisehart has combined historical (William of Ockham and Boccaccio) and fictional (an epileptic girl and a Knight Templar) characters who are on a quest to save the world from a drought and the plague. For this, they need to descend to Dante’s inferno to retrieve the Holy Grail. While they are in hell, they encounter famous people, but they also confront their own demons – and this last aspect makes the book deeply human, personal, and touching.

The book is well-researched without being stodgy. I really appreciated that it was not condescending nor did it talk down to the reader. I wanted to read a couple of chapters per night - like I do with most of the books I get – but instead I was up until 5 AM because I really wanted to know what would happen next. If you enjoy any type of historical fiction, I highly recommend this book (and if you don’t like the genre, I still think it would be enjoyable).

Received from the Member Giveaway Program.

This is about four pilgrims, a monk, a poet, an epileptic woman and a knight who are on a quest to find the Holy Grail which is to be found at the feet of the Devil in Hell. If they can get it, it will mean that the pestilence (plague) and war in the world will be over. The knight is the last Templar knight, whom the monk and woman find on a battlefield, nearly dead. He must be persuaded to join them on their quest and journey through the levels of hell. This is based on Dante's Inferno. I have not read it so I didn't get as much out of this book as I would have had i read it. The books relies on Faith and redemption as themes for all involved, more than we realize at the beginning. The pilgrims must all face their past and their own personal demons to be successful.

Not a bad read at all, though a bit overly religious in places for my taste but when past those bits, the characters are quite good and their experiences in Hell kept me reading to find out how it comes out.