Dead of Knight - A Jack Staal Mystery - William R. Potter, Author
6:02 PM Posted by MAC
Detective Staal's Killer 30 Minute Chili
Detective Constable Jack Staal doesn't normally have time to entertain; however, when it's his turn to host the Superbowl or poker night he goes for his own brand of sizzling chili. It starts with ground beef, although cubed steak or shredded chicken will do as well.
Staal tends to throw in whatever is on hand but these are the main ingredients.
* 2-3 lbs lean ground beef
* 1 large chopped onion
* 1 chopped medium green pepper
* 2 chopped celery stalks
* 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 (12 ounce) cans of pork & beans
* 1 (12 ounce) can of niblet corn
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup ketchup
* 2 diced tomatoes
* 1 can low sodium beef broth
* 1-2 cups water, or 1 can of beer, or 1 can of ginger ale
* up to 1/4 cup chili powder
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon dried basil (optional)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)
* 1 clove diced garlic (optional)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Shredded Cheese
Sour Cream
3 Step Directions
1.) In a large skillet, cook the beef, onions, green pepper, and celery over medium heat until meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain.
2.) As the beef browns, in a large pot add all the remaining ingredients (beans, tomatoes, corn, spices etc.) and heat over medium.
3.) When the beef, onions, green pepper, and celery are ready, stir into main pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until chili reaches desired thickness.
Serve hot. Add shredded cheese and sour cream to taste. Even better with garlic toast on the side. Try it served over cooked rice!
Dead of Knight – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
“It’s a good day to die,” he said quietly. “Pardon?” “Happy birthday, Kim.” “What?” She retreated a step. “How did you know it’s my birthday?” Tyro clenched the lighter in his fist, pulled back and struck a quick blow to her throat. The porcelain cup of steaming coffee burst from her grip and smashed to the ground. Her eyes widened in shock as she clutched at her neck and sunk to her knees. He grabbed her hair in both hands and slammed her face down against his rising knee once, twice, releasing her so that she cracked her head against the wall. He stepped aside to survey the results of his attack. “You have accomplished a great deal in your thirty-two years, haven’t you, Miss Walker?” he said as he dragged her into the hidden space between the two dumpsters. “Two illegitimate children, a deadbeat boyfriend, and a minimum wage job slinging burgers to the scum of the earth.” He undid his leather belt and pulled it from his waist.
Jack Stall is a detective with the Hanson Major Crime Section. At times, teams from his department are sent to a crime scene to start the work-up and secure the scene until the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team arrives. Jack and his partner Rachel Gooch have both been assigned to this preliminary work for two prior cases where the victims have been violently raped and murdered on their birthdays. The media has dubbed the killer as “Birthday Boy.” Now they can add a third victim to the list with the killing of Kim Walker, who has been murdered on her birthday.
Author William R. Potter takes Jack Stall through the wringer with Dead of Knight. He is already fighting depression from a mass killing in the park. His deceased partner’s wife Wendy Reynolds has called asking him to find her missing daughter and now the Birthday Boy killings. This may be a lot for one person to deal with, even in fiction, but the writing abilities of William R. Potter not only makes the characters believable but the story as well. This story was so well written. There were no super cops coming along to save the day. The events unrolled so well that you actually felt as if you were following a real police story. This is one author that I will continue to follow and will be waiting on his next Jack Stall Mystery. Until then, I’ll be indulging myself in his book Lighting the Dark Side.
Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com
Labels: A Lesson in Murder, Book Reviews, Canada, Dead of Knight, Jack Staal Mystery, Martha A Cheves, Mystery, serial killer, Stir, William R Potter
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(Martha A. Cheves)
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(Martha A. Cheves)
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While reading Genesis Beach I found myself not wanting to put it down. Each page had a piece of evidence that would help me solve the mystery before Logan. I really thought I had pin-pointed the murderer. Boy was I in for a shock."
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(Martha A. Cheves)
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(Martha A. Cheves)
"This has been a really enjoyable book.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Beth, don't change your way of writing! I've really enjoyed reading Basket Case and will be reading more of Beth's books."
(Martha A. Cheves)
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(Martha A. Cheves)
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"
(Martha A. Cheves)
"Read Thicker than Water and ask yourself these questions. Did the wife make the right choice? Was her decision worth 15 years of her family’s life? Would you have made the same decision?
I highly recommend Thicker than Water. As I said, it was a joy to read."
(Martha A. Cheves)
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(Martha A. Cheves)
"This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger."
(Martha A. Cheves)
I'm from Georgia, moved to North Carolina by way of Florida. I've been in Charlotte for 14 years and love it. The recipes in my book Stir, Laugh, Repeat are all tested by "Food Testers" of which I now have 24. They try a dish and rate it from 1-10 with only those scoring at least an 8 making the book. My website is a holding place for my 2nd book Stir, Laugh, Repeat... Again. Please visit my site to find new recipes and tips. All recipes are easy, using common ingredients and according to my testers, great!
June 18, 2010 9:12 PM
Hi Martha,
Thanks again for this wonderful review and for all the kind words about my book and my writing. You have rekindled my enthusiasm for the Jack Staal series. Perhaps i will get going on the the sequel this summer!
Thanks gain
William R. Potter
author of
Dead of Knight
Lighting the Dark Side