Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: When Carter Gilman disappears from the breakfast table, his daughter, Muriell, investigates and discovers a broken chair, spilled paint and $10,000 on the floor of the garage. Per her father's previous instructions, she avoids calling the police and, instead, reaches out to Perry Mason . Mason learns Carter is unharmed but also comes to believe his second wife, Nancy, is being blackmailed by a detective over the legitimacy of her daughter, Glamis. When the detective is found murdered, Carter becomes the primary suspect and Mason is tasked with defending him. However, Mason's hands become tied when Carter refuses to tell him the full truth because he believes one of his family members is the real killer. Review: This was one of the books I picked up at our local library last weekend and, thanks to having time to read while barbecuing, I was able to finish it last night. To be honest, I didn't think I'd enjoy the book when I first started reading it. This is b...

Synopsis : A research and drilling operation located deep in the ocean suffers a water breach following an earthquake. There are a handful of survivors but, when they run out of escape pods, a group of them must make a treacherous walk across the ocean floor to a different station. While doing this, they discover a swarm of man-eating sea creatures blocking their way. Who's in it? The movie stars Kristen Stewart , Vincent Cassel , Jessica Henwick , John Gallagher Jr. and T. J. Miller . Review: I had time to watch a movie with my wife yesterday evening and, even though I had selected one while at the library, decided to pick one out of our streaming library instead (I didn't feel like getting off the couch to get the DVD). I had found this movie a couple days earlier and, since my wife thought it sounded interesting, picked it. Overall, it ended up being a good choice. The thing that I liked most about this film was the underwater setting. It set an ominous tone for the entir...

Synopsis: When secretary Arlene Ferris' car doesn't start after work, she cautiously accepts a ride from her boss' son, Loring Lamont, despite knowing his reputation with women. When Loring takes her to his family's country retreat and attempts to rape her, Arlene gains the upper hand and drives away in Loring's car. Expecting to be fired the next day, Arlene goes to Perry Mason for help filing charges against her attacker. However, when Loring is found murdered, Arlene becomes the primary suspect. More importantly, her story doesn't seem to match the evidence. Review: I checked this book out from the local library a few days ago and, since it was raining, was able to finish it yesterday morning. After reading it, I have to say it is one of my favorite Perry Mason novel so far. The murder mystery surrounding Loring Lamont was much more intriguing than expected because, even though it was obvious Mason's client wasn't the killer (from the book filling ...

Synopsis: When 17-year-old prostitute Cindy Paulson accuses a prominent baker and family man, Robert Hansen, of kidnapping and raping her, the local authorities don't believe her story, especially when he provides a solid alibi. However, after meeting with her, Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe believes she escaped the clutches of a serial killer and pursues her lead. However, a reluctant district attorney and his key witness' lack of stability threaten to shut him down. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicolas Cage , Vanessa Hudgens , John Cusack , 50 Cent and Kurt Fuller . Review: My wife found this movie at the library a couple days ago and, while it sounded like something she would enjoy more than me, I did decide to watch it with her last night. Overall, I have to say I thought it was a good movie. Since this was based on a true story, there was some risk of the movie being a bit too predictable, especially since there was no mystery about who the killer was. Fortunat...

Synopsis: Three years after her younger brother, Nathan, disappeared while on a joy ride with two of his high school classmates, Holly Teller believes she saw him at a farmer's market and determined to investigate, ends up in the dying town of Riddle, Pennsylvania. Once there, she finds the local sheriff and most townspeople are unwilling to help her because they are protecting their own dark secret. Who's in it? The movie stars Elisabeth Harnois , Val Kilmer , Diora Baird , William Sadler and Bryan Lillis. Review: My wife went to the library yesterday and, while there, picked out this movie. Even though I hadn't heard of it, I decided to watch it with her last night. At first, I thought it would be better than expected but, unfortunately, it did end up being a bit of a letdown overall. The premise itself wasn't terrible, though I think I've seen more than my fair share of abduction movies at this point (my wife seems to be obsessed with them lately for some rea...

Synopsis : When Ellen Robb is wrongfully terminated from her job as a lounge singer and cigarette seller and accused of stealing money, she asks Perry Mason for help. When she comes to him later with a black eye and gun planted in her bag, Mason tries to pull a fast one on her employer, George Anclitas, by switching the weapon with one he had in his safe. When his client is predictably accused of murder a short while later, Mason is surprised to learn the fatal bullet was traced back to the gun he gave her. Review: I checked this book out from our local library about a week ago and, as I suspected, it was a fairly quick read, especially since I had some free time while sitting outside grilling. I've been a bit disappointed by the last couple Perry Mason books I've read. That was not the case this time. One of the things I liked most about this book was the way it was hard to tell if his client was really innocent. As much as she liked to portray herself as a victim, it was al...

Synopsis: On her way to prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder, Ann Gray is involved in a car accident orchestrated by the group of mobsters that framed her and escapes. She hitches a ride with an engaged attorney, Tony Baxter, who agrees to hide her from both the police and the mobsters while trying to clear her name. Who's in it? The movie stars Maureen O'Sullivan , Joel McCrea , Lewis Stone , Louis Calhern and Adrienne Ames . Review: I had a little bit of time to watch a movie this morning before work and, mostly because the plot of this one reminded me a bit of what I'd expect from a Perry Mason book, decided to give it a try. Overall, I have to say the movie met my expectations. The main story was entertaining and offered a good mix of drama and comedy, especially when Tony (McCrea) was trying to hide Ann (O'Sullivan) in his small apartment with the help of his butler, Peedles ( Robert Greig ). His on-again-off-again fiancée (Ames) being there only m...

Synopsis: Keller Dover and his family are celebrating Thanksgiving with another family when his daughter, Anna, and her friend, Joy, go missing. Keller suspects they were kidnapped by a man driving an RV but, when the man, Alex, is found by the police, they can find no evidence supporting Keller's theory, forcing him to take matters into his own when the lead investigator, Det. Loki, looks at other suspects. Who's in it? The movie stars Hugh Jackman , Jake Gyllenhaal , Viola Davis , Maria Bello and Paul Dano. Review: My wife remembered she still had two library movies we hadn't watched yet and were due back soon. So, even though this film was quite a bit longer (2 1/2 hours) than we would normally prefer on a Sunday evening, we ended up watching it. Overall, it ended up being an OK film. I think the thing I liked best about this movie was the overall mystery surrounding Anna ( Erin Gerasimovich ) and Joy ( Kyla-Drew Simmons ) disappearing. Alex (Dano) was in the neighbo...

Synopsis: Actor Gene Wilder tells his life story from his childhood in Milwaukee through his battle with cancer, sharing stories about the people he met, the women he slept with and the demons he faced while becoming famous. Review : I was reminded about this autobiography when I came across an old interview and Gene Wilder (always one of my favorites) mentioned it. I was intrigued enough to take advantage of my local library's book exchange service and ask them to obtain it for me. I read it over the weekend and am glad I did. I've read quite a few autobiographies in my lifetime, but this was the first time I remember reading one and hearing the author's voice reading the words to me in my head. In fact, had I not known anything about the book before reading it, I am confident I'd be able to tell you who wrote it because it was written in a way that reminded me of how Wilder sounded when he talked. I think the thing that surprised me most about this book was, even th...

Synopsis : After her best friend and roommate, Natalie, goes missing and is presumed dead, Amanda reluctantly agrees to let Hayley move into Natalie's old room. When Amanda's violent ex-boyfriend shows up with a gun, Hayley kills him in self defense then, after hiding his body, tries to force Amanda to repay her by killing Hayley's alcoholic father. Who's it it? The movie stars Katie Cassidy , Tracy Spiridakos , Donal Logue , Adam DiMarco and Leah Gibson. Review: My wife came across this movie while at the library a couple days ago and checked it out solely because she was familiar with the two stars. We watched the film last night and both agreed it was a disappointment. The movie, at least from my point of view, is basically a ripoff of the Alfred Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train , minus the train and with more lesbian sex. Even if I hadn't seen the much better version of this story, I am certain I would have disliked this film. One of the biggest problem...

  Image by  Clker-Free-Vector-Images  from  Pixabay We had an uninvited guest in our home this week. At about 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning, my wife and I heard the cats making a ruckus and got up to investigate. At first, we thought they were just playing and, in an attempt to settle them down, I gave them some food. While I was doing this, I heard the windchime we have hanging in our living room ring, as though someone hit it. As I went in to investigate, something buzzed by my ear and, after a few seconds of peering into the dark without my glasses, I realized it was a bat. We have no idea how it got in the house though my theory is it was hiding in the air conditioner we put in the window the day before (I had kept it in my mom's garage). Regardless, it proved to be a bit of a challenge the past couple of days. That first night, we wanted to open the front door for it but had to lock the cats up first. That took longer than expected because they were really wound u...

Synopsis: After failing to follow through on a promise to carve a pumpkin with his son, Charlie, college professor Mike Lawford takes the 7-year-old to a Halloween carnival in an attempt to make it up to him, only to have Charlie disappear while Mike is buying an ice cream cone. Nearly a year later, Mike and his estranged wife, Kristen, begin hearing and seeing Charlie and Mike realizes his son's abduction is one of many that might have been carried out by the vengeful spirit of a Celtic woman who, along with her children, was burned alive for being a witch. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicolas Cage , Sarah Wayne Callies , Jack Fulton , Veronica Ferres and Lauren Beatty. Review: This was one of a few movies my wife picked out while at the library a couple days ago. We ended up watching it yesterday evening and, while I did have some doubts about it, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than expected. I think the thing I liked best about this film was the overall mystery surroun...

Synopsis: When Norda Allison witnesses the sadistic way her fiancé, Mervin Selkirk, slaps his son Robert, she calls off the engagement and, almost immediately, begins receiving threatening letters she assumes were sent by Mervin. She later accepts help from Mervin's ex-wife, Lorraine, and her second husband, Barton, only to find out they plan on using her as a witness in a custody hearing for Robert and, after discovering a printing press in their basement, believes they were the ones who were sending her the letters. She goes to Perry Mason for help shortly before learning Mervin has been murdered and she is the primary suspect. Review: When I first started reading this book, I was somewhat intrigued by both the title and the premise and thought it had a good chance of being one of my favorite Perry Mason mysteries. Unfortunately, after finishing it last night, I have concluded it is the exact opposite of that. I am always going to criticize a book/movie if I think it is too pre...

Synopsis: Shortly after celebrating their first wedding anniversary, former secretary of state Henry Parker and his successful attorney wife, Sunday O'Brien-Parker, must dig into their past to figure out who kidnapped their parents and is now demanding the release of a notorious hitman as ransom. Who's in it? The movie stars Rachel Blanchard , Cameron Mathison , Steve Bacic , Vincent Gale and Jack Wagner . Review : My sleep was interrupted by a surprise visit from a bat in our house and, since we failed to chase it out the door (we still don't know where it is hiding), I wound up staying up, just in case it returned, and I needed to keep the cats away. I've had this Hallmark "thriller" in my movie library for a couple weeks and decided to watch it as a result. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I hoped. On the surface, I feel like this movie could have had a lot of potential. The main plot is somewhat intriguing and, as I've said before, I do love ...

Synopsis: Ben travels to exotic, reportedly haunted, locations with his girlfriend, Tina, in the hopes his videos will go viral and earn him enough money to marry her. He convinces a reluctant Tina to scuba dive and explore a house submerged in a man-made lake. However, when they enter the abandoned property, they discover two bodies in the basement and realize they are trapped inside. Who's in it? The movie stars Camille Rowe , James Jagger , Eric Savin , Alexis Servaes and Carolina Massey. Review: Even though my wife was content watching television re-runs after getting home from my daughter's college orientation, I was in the mood for a movie and convinced her to watch this film with me. Unfortunately, as has been the case with too many thrillers lately, the film wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be. I'll start out by saying it wasn't all bad. The premise was reasonably believable, and I did find I liked the underwater setting because it gave the entire ...

Synopsis: After visiting "politician" Meridith Borden and agreeing to pay him protection money, contractor George Ansley is involved in an accident that results in the other driver going off the road. He gives the other driver, an attractive model, a ride back to her apartment building then, suspecting he might be getting set up, asks Perry Mason for legal advice. Mason reluctantly agrees and, when Borden is found murdered, must defend Ansley against the charges. Review: I checked this book out from our local library figuring it would give me something to read the two nights were were visiting my oldest daughter's college for orientation. As it turns out, I finished the book in only one night and, unfortunately, was left a little disappointed by it. I've had this complaint about other Perry Mason books before - when they start out by telling the story from his defendant's perspective, the mystery just isn't as good. This book was a textbook example of why Pe...

Synopsis : Harbor Island native Lily Summers now lives in Seattle and dreams of being an interior designer. When her aunt, Maggie, has a fall, she returns to Harbor Island and has mixed emotions as she uses her interior design skills to fix up her aunt's inn, once her home, so it can be sold. When she meets one of the inn's tenants, a pilot who runs an animal rescue center, sparks immediately begin to fly. However, while she would love to remain on the island with him and her aunt, her career goals complicate that decision. Who's in it? The movie stars Morgan Kohan , Marcus Rosner , Brenda Matthews , Emma Cam and Jeff Gonek. Review: Even after mowing the lawn yesterday evening, I still had time to watch a movie with my wife before going to bed. Since we have so many saved in our streaming library, we decided to just take them in order, and this was the next one on the list. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't really expecting a whole lot from this film, mostly because...

Synopsis: After an injury ended her dreams of being a dancer, Bella Channing found a new life's purpose helping run the dog rescue center her grandparents started to help with her grandfather's PTSD. When family-owned pet food company that had been both their neighbor and biggest supporter is sold, Bella learns the new owner is ending their financial support and evicting them from the property, she begins a desperate search for proof her grandparents owned their parcel of land and enlists the help of JR Stockard, the son of the pet food company's previous owner. Who's in it? The movie stars Brittany Bristow , Chris McNally , Jayne Eastwood , Humberly Gonzalez and Stephanie Moore . Review: My wife and I had some time to watch a movie last night and, since I had several Hallmark films saved to our library, let her pick one out. She thought this one sounded interesting and, after watching it, I had to admit it was pretty good. There were a couple things I found I reall...

Synopsis : This non-fiction book tells the story about the United States' involvement in Vietnam, with an emphasis on "The Year of the Hawk," 1965. The book includes explanations about the country's history and political and military decisions that resulted in one of America's biggest military failures. Review: I hadn't planned on checking out a non-fiction book when I was at the library last week. However, I saw this book in the "new book" section and, after glancing at it, decided to give it a try. Overall, I have to say I enjoyed reading it. I think one of the hardest things about writing about a conflict like Vietnam is finding a way to balance the truth about what happened with the desire not to insult the military personnel who fought and/or died in that conflict. Being the son of a Vietnam veteran, I was concerned the book wouldn't be able to find that balance but, after reading it, I think the author did just that. I personally enjoyed h...

Synopsis: On Valentine's Day in 1997, Tom Hanniger forgets to vent the methane lines at his father's coal mine and causes an explosion that traps six of the miners. One of the trapped miners, Harry Warden, kills the other five to conserve oxygen and, after waking up from a 1-year-long coma, goes on a killing spree before being buried alive in one of the mineshafts. Ten years later, the long-absent Tom returns to his hometown after his father's death to sell the mine only to become a suspect when a killer dressed in a gas mask and mining attire begins a new wave of murders. Who's in it? The movie stars Jensen Ackles , Jaime King , Betsy Rue , Kerr Smith and Tom Atkins . Review: My wife and I both love horror films and agree this movie is one of our favorites. However, even though we've seen it multiple times, it had been a while since we last watched it and, since I figured it would be a good way to end a somewhat stressful weekend, I put it on last night. Even a...

Synopsis : A rebellious teenager, Carly, must protect her brother and herself from their parents when a mysterious hysteria causes people to kill their children. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicolas Cage , Selma Blair , Anne Winters , Zackary Arthur and Robert T. Cunningham. Review: I added this film to our streaming library a few weeks ago but, while I was interested in watching it, usually found something else I wanted to watch more. My wife and I finally decided to put it on last night and, while it wasn't quite as good as I was hoping it would be, it was still an interesting film. As I told my wife while watching the movie, I felt as though it was written by someone who really hated kids, especially teenagers, based mostly on the way the kids were portrayed. Basically, if they were a teenager, they were an ass. If they weren't a teenager, like her brother (Arthur), they didn't seem overly bright. In fact, I'm still a bit confused why her brother wasn't in...

Synopsis: Determined to drive a community of squatters off his land, a developer has one of his henchmen blow up a levy. His plan goes better than expected when the flood waters include a large, electrified, shark. However, he has one problem, one of the residents witnessed and recorded his crime, meaning there can be no survivors. Who's in it? The movie stars Lulu Jovovich , Thomas Ian Nicholas , Clint James , Tara Reid and Dennis Haskins. Review: I've had this movie in my streaming library for a few months now but was somewhat hesitant to watch it because I didn't know if it would be a pleasant surprise or a total waste of my time. I finally decided to watch it last night with my wife and, 85 minutes later, it was safe to say this fell into the latter category. The biggest problem with this movie, at least in my opinion, is it wasted what could have been a decent premise for a legitimate horror film by turning the movie into a comedy. While a comedy movie about sharks...

Synopsis: When a series of burglaries in an upper-class neighborhood leaves the police baffled, an ambitious detective, Mike Logan, convinces his chief to let him go undercover as a nanny. While he has a rough start, Mike quickly figures out the nanny role and even befriends Jessica White, the attractive nanny across the street. However, he makes no progress stopping the burglaries and finds his career in jeopardy when the family he is working for is also robbed. Who's in it? The movie stars Cameron Mathison , Sarah Lancaster , Valin Shinyei , Jena Skodje and Leah Cairns . Review: Even though I've had my doubts in the past, I am willing to admit I have enjoyed most Hallmark movies more than expected and, because of that, I proactively added this film to our movie library. My wife and I watched it last night and, unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. The premise itself isn't a bad one, though other films have done something similar. I'll also a...