I wrote this review a couple of years ago - before Murder on the Mind came out. I'm now posting the review I wrote back then because the second book in the series, Dead in Red, recently came out. I strongly recommend that everyone read Murder on the Mind first - it is an excellent introduction to Jeffrey Resnick and a great read! The text of my review follows:

I sincerely hope after reading Murder on the Mind by L. L. Bartlett that I've just witnessed the birth of a new mystery series and in fact have no trouble envisioning this as a pilot for a new TV drama series. This well-written novel features widower Jeffrey Resnick, a down-on-his-luck, out-of-work insurance investigator. On the eve of starting a new job and turning his life around, Jeffrey becomes just another New York statistic - a victim of a violent, senseless mugging that leaves him battered and brain damaged. He has little choice but to follow his wealthy older half- brother, Dr. Richard Alpert, home to Buffalo in order to recuperate and try to put the pieces of his shattered life back together.

Just prior to the mugging, but especially afterwards, Jeffrey starts to have strange dreams that seem to correspond to a local murder. Unsure of how to impart his unusual "knowledge" of the crime to the police without appearing crazy or guilty, Jeffrey, with a little help from Richard, decides to look into the murder himself. What follows is exciting and action packed. I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished. I loved the ending, especially since it leaves an opening for more of Jeffrey Resnick et al. in the future. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

L.L. Bartlett's MURDER ON THE MIND is an exceptional debut mystery that adds a paranormal element to the enjoyment of unraveling traditional investigative techniques. Told in the first person through the eyes of a psychic sleuth, or perhaps brain damaged, MURDER ON THE MIND heightens the level of suspense as each new clue or vision arises.

A mugging in Manhattan, leaves former insurance investigator Jeff Resnick with broken bones and a fractured skull --- and completely dependent on his rich estranged half brother Dr. Richard Alpert and his girlfriend Brenda Stanley. Visions of a hunt and and a hunter stalking his deer prey terrify Jeff. The doctors diagnose brain damage. Days later, a local banker is found dead, his murder eerily similar to the details of Jeff's nightmares. Jeff believes the attack has left him with a sixth sense, a psychic ability to see murder before the event. Jeff uses his visions and his investigative skills to try to solve the crime but as he gets closer to the killer, danger arises from all corners. Will the police trust his revelations are due to psychic visions or attribute his knowledge to a more nefarious means? As Jeff becomes closer to his half brother, dangerous past secrets emerge touching his traumatic childhood. Somewhere danger lurks and Jeff must work hard and fast if he doesn't want to become a victim to one of the dark secrets he uncovers.

L.L. Bartlett writes a magnificent mystery! MURDER ON THE MIND mixes an eerie, psychic paranormal element with an investigative hunt for clues and facts, never sacrificing the mystery to an easy resolution. Intriguing twists keep the reader poised at ever page. MURDER ON THE MIND will appeal to a variety of readers from lovers of traditional mysteries to suspense lovers with its ominous, supernatural feel and even beyond these genres as moments of tenderness and fear both move the reader's heart. L.L. Bartlett truly leaves the reader guessing, never quite sure of the murderer's identity as terrifying details mix with an investigative trail more typical of light mysteries. The complicated psychological battle between Jeff and his brother might turn either way. With possible brain damage in play, is Jeff a reliable first person narrator? Will past secrets come to light to add another twist to this murder mystery? L.L. Bartlett's fine writing keeps the pages turning with eager anticipation until the very end.

After a brutal mugging in NYC, Jeff Resnick struggles to patch up his life, accept his new psychic abilities, and attempt to use those abilities to help solve a gruesome murder of a banker in Buffalo, New York. The slim book is tightly written and moves briskly forward, a great asset for any mystery. A former insurance investigator downsized out of a job prior to the mugging, Jeff takes the tantalizing clues his on again/off again psychic abilities provide and combines them with sound detective skills to hunt down the killer until he pushes the killer too far threatening his domestic situation. The main plot is intriguing, well done, and a solid read for any mystery lover. The secondary plot surrounding his domestic situation plodded a bit and lacked depth. Still, it's a four out of five star read for the mystery reader in me. For those mystery readers who like the psychic angle, it might climb a bit higher.

L.L. Bartlett's MURDER ON THE MIND is just what I look for in a mystery these days: a book with a balance of plot, character, and something extra. Mystery readers have read it all, so writing a good whodunit requires a meld of good writing with an intriguing element that make the story go in an unexpected direction. Bartlett succeeds on both counts.

Jeff Resnick is hurt, unemployed, dependent on his brother ... and psychic, apparently the result of his injury. As the mystery of who killed a local banker unfolds, he deals with his own doubts and aversion to his "gift" as well as his brother's and that of the police who must be convinced he just "knows" what happened to the eviscerated victim.

What Barlett does well is avoid some traps common to paranormal mysteries. Jeff is a believable character and neither his brother nor the cop descend to the stereotypical role of non-believers who ignore the evidence before them. Neither does the paranormal element get so "woo-woo" that disbelief can no longer be held at bay. Everyone in the story is real, and I accepted Jeff's ability and sympathized with the fact that he wasn't any happier about believing in it than those around him were.

Jeff as a character is well-rounded, and he grows within the story, learning that some of the things we believe as kids are not quite the way we perceived them. As he recovers from his physical injuries, he takes the first tentative steps toward a new level of maturity, finding that accepting the support of others doesn't make a person weak, and that repayment of that support doesn't have to be by tangible means.

MURDER ON THE MIND was published by Five Star Press but is now in paperback through Worldwide Mystery, available on the eHarlequin website beginning Oct. 1st. It's well worth reading, and one can only hope that there is more to come about Jeff Resnick as he begins his second life with second sight.

If it weren't for bad luck, Jeff Resnick would have no luck at all. Just when Jeff thinks his life is on the upswing after sustaining corporate downsizing and personal tragedy, he is viciously mugged by teen-aged thugs in New York City. The injuries leave him with more than a shattered body; his independence is also shattered because he must now ask for help from his estranged half-brother, Richard Alpert, who insists Jeff come back to Buffalo to recover. Jeff reluctantly agrees.

Adjusting to life back in Buffalo is difficult. Not only does Jeff have to come to terms with being dependent on someone for help, he has to recover from the skull fracture he sustained in the attack. And there is the matter of the vivid mental images he keeps having - images of the victim of a savage murder, the overwhelming feelings of the murderer and those of a terrified witness to the crime.

Seeing Jeff come to terms with the surprising new circumstances of his life, including the new "ability" his injury seems to have awakened is what propels Murder on the Mind and takes the reader on Jeff's often harrowing journey. L.L. Bartlett's clear, taut prose keeps the reader wanting to know more as the tale unfolds and the core truths are revealed about the murder, the murderer and Jeff's new-found insight. Bartlett also leaves a few intriguing questions unanswered, begging more tales of Jeff, Richard and the wonderfully-drawn supporting characters in the book.

I highly recommend Murder on the Mind, a fast-paced and original mystery with an unexpected setting and a very unconventional investigator. I look forward seeing more of Jeff Resnick and the environs around Buffalo, New York very soon!