Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: When Scott Shelby goes overboard while trying to complete a business transaction on a yacht, his wife, Marion, who was found wandering the deck with a gun in her hand, becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Believing Scott Shelby faked his death and framed his wife, Perry Mason decides to defend her. However, things get more complicated when her husband's body is found with a gunshot wound that matched her gun. Review: OK, to be honest, when I started reading this book, I thought I would be bored out of my mind because, when it first starts out, there's a lot of legal stuff regarding oil leases, property escrows, etc. and definitely nothing that would hint this would turn into a murder mystery. But, after finishing the book last night, I have to say I did end up enjoying it. I think one of the biggest surprises for me was who Mason's client turned out to be. I had an older copy of this book that didn't contain any sort of information as to what the plot was...

Synopsis: A group of vacationers arrive on an island run by the mysterious Mr. Rourke, who promises the island will make their inner-most desire come true. They are skeptical at first but quickly realize Rourke was telling the truth. Unfortunately, their fantasies eventually take a turn for the worst and put their lives in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Michael Pena , Maggie Q , Lucy Hale , Michael Rooker and Portia Doubleday. Review: I grew up watching the original Fantasy Island on TV and even enjoyed the s hort-lived remake starring Malcolm McDowell . So, when I heard about this movie, I was definitely interested, though I also had my doubts about it. My wife and I finally had a chance to watch it last night and, overall, I have to say it was better than expected. OK, to tell you the truth, I'm not 100 percent sure I enjoyed the darker plot the movie chose to take. But, this is only because the movie felt like it was trying to be considered a thriller but was rel...

Synopsis: Wealthy business owner Harrington Faulkner is obsessed with his exotic fish and Tom Gridley has a cure for their gill disease, a situation that has allowed Gridley's girlfriend, Sally Madison, to blackmail Faulkner in exchange for keeping his fish alive. When Faulkner is shot through the heart and the murder weapon is found in Sally's purse, Perry Mason reluctantly decides to defend her against murder charges despite the fact his client continues to be less than honest with him. At stake is Della Street's future because, as a result of bad luck, her fingerprints also happen to be on the weapon. Review: I had originally started reading an autobiography earlier this week but quickly lost interest in it and started reading this library book instead. At first, I wasn't sure if I would like the book, mostly because there was a lot going on in the beginning (blackmail, a business dispute, another business dispute, possible marriage issues) but, once the book got goi...

  The sun is already setting. It is way too early. I’ve worked hard all day And now it’ll be dark before I have time to play. Maybe if it came up a little bit earlier in the morning I wouldn’t be finding myself mourning.  I might feel a little bit more joy Listening to the early birds sing. I know there’s no way to change it. And I’m sure there will be those who argue the dark is more fun. It is what it is. But, I sure am missing the sun. Image courtesy of ipicgr via Pixabay There are so many people complaining lately. I can’t escape it, it’s all around me. It’s like I am constantly drowning In a sea of negativity. Everyone is so easily angered And, sometimes, their reasons are so outrageous. They are entitled to their opinions, of course, But pessimism tends to be highly contagious. Maybe it’s the way they want to live their lives But being around so much darkness just isn’t much fun. I am shaded by doom and gloom and defeatism. ...

Synopsis: When three friends are invited to spend the evening with three women they met at a 1980s heavy metal concert, they can't believe they are so lucky. But, they quickly change their mind when they learn the women intend to murder them as part of a fake satanic ritual. Who's in it? The movie stars Alexandra Daddario , Keean Johnson , Maddie Hasson , Amy Forsyth and Logan Miller . Review: I decided to pick out this movie last night because it had been a while since we had watched a horror flick and it sounded like it would be an OK choice. After seeing it, however, I honestly was kind of disappointed. I think the big problem with this film is it is very predictable. Even before the movie reveals the women's intentions, it was pretty obvious what they were attempting to do. And, even the little twists that were supposed to create some suspense, such as having the police show up unexpectedly, didn't change the predictability all that much. It also didn't help ...

I wake up each morning tired and aching Feeling as though life has left me beaten down and bruised. Some of it is wear and tear or mistreatment. Plenty more of it was from my own misuse. The weight of the world sometimes seems so heavy I can’t breathe. Other times, the stress of life makes me want to go off some place to scream and yell. Yet, despite all of this, I still get up in the morning. I keep answering the bell. There are days when I wonder if anything will ever go right for me. Or, if the rut I’m stuck in will ultimately wind up being my fate. There just never seems to be enough free time or money in the bank. The bills get paid, but they are usually late. I’ve made plenty of mistakes And have sometimes said things that shouldn’t have been spoken. And, I’ve lost score of the times I’ve hurt someone or had my own heart broken. I’ve lost people I cared about Which makes me think more about my own mortality. Is this all there is? Or, is there...

Synopsis: When he obtains a large settlement for his client following a car accident, Perry Mason feels it was a little too easy and begins to suspect the defendant paid the money to hide shady business dealings. When the wealthy businessman he's investigating is found murdered on board a yacht, Mason ends up defending the yacht's owner and must figure out how the ocean tides impacted the murder scene. Review: I didn't intend to check out another Perry Mason book the last time I was at the library. However, I couldn't find the two books I did want and, needing to get back to the office, wound up grabbing this off the shelf on my way out. Overall, it's an OK mystery but, to be honest, I found I didn't like it nearly as much as other books in the series. I think the best way to describe this book is you need a score card to keep up with it. There are so many potential suspects. This includes Mason's client, who seemed to go out of his way to manufacture an ...

Synopsis: Phil is a cell-phone dependent social outcast in a dead-end job. When his phone is broken, he is forced to replace it and discovers his new device comes with a virtual assistant named Jexi. Jexi delivers on her promise to make Phil's life better. However, when he becomes less reliant on her as a result of his better life, she quickly turns jealous and is determined to bring him back under her control. Who's in it? The movie stars Adam Devine , Rose Byrne , Alexandra Shipp , Ron Funches and Wanda Sykes. Review: I wound up putting this movie on my Netflix list mostly because it looked somewhat different. However, since I'm not a huge fan of comedies (especially romantic comedies), I did have quite a few doubts about whether this film would end up delivering. My wife and I watched it on Saturday and, overall, I have to say it exceeded my expectations but still fell a little short of its full potential. I think the best way to describe this movie is it has some fu...