Cold Shot to the Heart    by Wallace Stroby Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Though I don't normally enjoy mysteries with criminal protagonists, I devoured Cold Shot to the Heart in one sitting, and would like to spend more time with Crissa Stone. Based in Newark, New Jersey, Crissa seems to have fallen into the criminal life almost accidentally. She executes well planned capers with minimal damage to any, needing the money to support her daughter Maddie (who lives with a cousin the child believes is her mother) and to pay lawyers to help her mentor Wayne win early release from a Texas prison. After a gig garners a disappointingly low cash reward for Crissa and her partners in crime, she's approached by a solid guy named Stimmer to work with him and Bobby Chance (an old associate she trusts) on a very lucrative opportunity, cashing in on a private, high-stakes Fort Lauderdale card game. But the heist goes south fast when Stimmer inexplicably shoots Lou Letteri, a mobster's son-in-law. The main villain of the piece (they litter the landscape) is Eddie Santiago (aka Eddie the Saint). Just out of jail, he's after payback and enlists a reluctant past cellmate, Terry Trudeau, to do his bidding. They leave a bloody trail behind them. Hired by the mobster to kill Stimmer, Eddie decides he wants the money taken from the game, and goes after the three who now hold it. Of course, all is not as it appears on the surface but, as always in Crissa's business, 'There's no going back.' She gets by with a little help from old friends - and a trusty .38. Then it's time for a new start. Don't miss Cold Shot to the Heart, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews