On this page, I’ll share some of the reviews that my novel The Naked Dame has received since its publication. Get your copy today!

Here’s one of my favorites:

The Naked Dame is as much fun as a Bogie flick, for less than the price of a cuppa joe. With a great voice and decent plotting, this little ebook was the perfect light read.

I’ve never read any pulp, so this was something new. As an editor, I tend to be awfully picky—one reason I’ve flipped through the end of plenty of so-so murder mysteries that get wishy-washy with the technicalities (e.g., point-of-view, character development), expecting me to be satisfied just by a clever twist. Luckily, that wasn’t the case here. This book kept me pushing the Next Page button to the very end.

The literary equivalent of all those afternoons I spent watching Matinee at the Bijou as a kid, The Naked Dame has just the right mix of atmosphere and interest. It also made me want a glass of whiskey and a cigarette, and left me thinking in ’50s slang for a couple days. That’s the mark of a good read.

—Lisa Pere

This next one is from someone new to the genre—a reader who chimed in on Goodreads:

Having never read a book in this genre before, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I decided to give the book a chance based on recommendations from others and as a way to show support for an author that frequents another forum discussion board that I am part of.

The book certainly starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up its pace throughout. From the opening words, I could tell that it was going to be an interesting ride as I made my way through each page. The one funny thing is that while reading it, I kept imagining that there was some raspy-voiced detective narrating the book just like you’d hear in those old TV detective/mystery shows.

The book was not overly long nor complex, so I didn’t have to devote a good chunk of time to it. I think that it was a good length that balanced an exciting plot with effective storytelling. I have read books in the past that seemed to be unnecessarily long and suffered from extraneous text that didn’t serve any purpose. Throughout The Naked Dame, there were a number of interesting twists that I didn’t see coming, which made for an enjoyable read that kept me on my toes. At one point, I expected a certain outcome for the story, only to be thrown a curve ball that rendered my prediction incorrect.

If you are a fan of this genre, I highly recommend checking this book out. Even if not, I would still recommend it. It was an enjoyable read, it’s cheap at Amazon (as a Kindle book), and you’re supporting an up-and-coming author.

—Ryan

Here’s another favorite, from one of my long-time fans, and a fellow noir lover!

Set in 1950s Los Angeles, a city that’s already nostalgic for its pre-war brightness, this tale will draw in fans of film noir and crime. The narrator, Guy Redding, is a disillusioned photographer who has stooped to making a living snapping the ugly side of life. His voice carries you through the back streets of the city, creating a moodiness that might remind you of Chandler’s Red Wind and evoking a strong sense of place and time. Nicely constructed and paced well, the story keeps you turning pages fast and draws you along to the inevitable, classic conclusion. Great read for a long summer night! First novel for this author—I’m very much looking forward to more!

—Dawn Cyr

The next one is from a mystery lover who doesn’t typically favor the darker stuff in the genre:

I read a lot of mysteries but usually stick to whodunnits and cozy mysteries rather than dark, gritty crime fiction. I think it’s good to read outside of my preferred genres on occasion, though, so I decided to give The Naked Dame—a noir/hardboiled detective novel—a try. The book had a fast pace and a steady supply of suspense, with plenty of guns, booze, smokes, and of course a naked dame or two.

The voice of The Naked Dame’s storyteller, Guy Redding, was strong and consistent throughout the book, and I could almost hear him speaking as I read. I enjoyed the book and it kept me turning my Kindle’s virtual pages even though the underbelly setting is more sordid than my usual reading fare.

—Shauna Rumbaugh

I like reviews that let me know my ending worked! It’s a tough thing to do in mystery fiction:

Loved it! This is not the type of novel I usually select to read, but the story and action ended up really grabbing me. I’ve seen a few detective type films set in the same time period as this novel, and the author really captured the feeling well. The main character isn’t exactly someone who has a lot of redeeming qualities, but I guess that’s what noir is all about. I still found myself rooting for him as the storyline developed. This book will keep you guessing until the end and won’t disappoint.

—Barb Bernauer

Here’s a short and sweet Amazon review:

This book is a blast. A very quick read, and a hell of an ending. Love the multiple meanings of the title!

—Alex

And here’s a review from someone familiar with the Hard Case Crime label, for which The Naked Dame was written. Glad it worked for him!

This is a book you would expect to see with a Hard Case Crime label on the cover. Done in a classic hard-boiled noir style, it kept me guessing until the very end.

There were a few elements that impressed me. It started off with a bang and an immediate mystery to pique my interest. Then it simply didn’t let up. There were multiple points where I thought I had figured out the mystery … then a twist would completely surprise me. I know there were at least three points where the plot took a turn that I did not expect at all.

If you are a fan of classic noir, you owe it to yourself to not only give the book a read but keep an eye on the author. I am very interested to see if we see more by him in this genre.

—Ryan

This review makes me want to print up a pulp-paperback batch of The Naked Dame.

This was a kick-ass read–a nice period mystery that builds to a great conclusion. This really should have been a paperback. It’s that good.

—Darin

OK, this guy figured out the resolution, but that didn’t lessen his enjoyment:

The Naked Dame is a fun hardboiled thriller in the style of early Spillane. Guy Redding is a detective who’s going through a bad patch after his last peep-job ended with his client murdering his cuckolding wife. To make matters worse, Guy took the opportunity to cuckold the client himself, and now the client—who, oh yeah, is a mobster—has a grudge against him.

But all that is prologue. The story begins when Guy, while stumbling home from a night of drinking, discovers the titular naked dame, beaten and bloody, hiding in an alley. Being a man who is not himself mean, Guy takes it upon himself to find what happened to her. But this is the dark city, and nothing is ever that simple. Before long, Guy’s been crossed, double-crossed, and triple-crossed.

The book, as with all good pulps, is short and to the point. Bovberg has taken Elmore Leonard’s advice and hasn’t written any of the parts that everyone skips. The plot moves through its convolutions at a fast pace and builds to one hell of a climax. My only qualm is that I figured out the setup about twenty pages before Redding, though I must note that Redding was drunk and more than a little messed up by that point.

—Sean O’Hara

This reviewer on Amazon enjoyed the nostalgic setting:

The author does a wonderful job of evoking 1950s Los Angeles. The story is multidimensional, with well-done and convincing characters and dialogue. It’s a page turner!

—Linda Harty

Another Hard Case Crime fan sings praises for The Naked Dame!

This could easily be a Hard Case Crime book. And that is great praise, as I consider that series to be amazing and full of terrific stuff. This book was just what I was looking for to get me out of a prolonged reading funk that I had been in. A quick read, but also a good amount of substance. The Naked Dame gives the reader some things to ponder when finished, which not every novel in this genre manages to accomplish. The next book by this author is an instant buy for me! This book earns him that luxury.

—John

Yet another Hard Case Crime fan:

I enjoyed the heck out of this e-book. Fans of hard-boiled crime fiction need to give this one a read. It’s the kind of story you might find in the Hard Case Crime lineup. Chock full of dames, detectives and crooks. Check it out. You won’t regret it.

—Kirk

This next reviewer on Amazon introduces the prospect of The Naked Dame as a film! Awesome idea!

A shady photographer finds a naked terrified girl in an ally… then this twisted, noir tale unfolds in the streets of Los Angeles’ crime-ridden underground. If you’re a fan of old-school pulp novels than this book for you. Mr. Bovberg has crafted a page-turner crime fiction story with an ensemble cast of interesting characters written in a visceral style of flesh, blood and guts. The book walks the line between exploitation flick and classic story telling. A fun read indeed. I hope it gets turned into a film!

—Dan Kaufman

This next reviewer is an old family friend, but I was happy about the note about editing. Editing is part of my day job, after all. So, glad that was noticed. I think it’s important, too.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries. The picture the author created of Los Angeles was one in which I found myself totally immersed.

One of the pleasures of this book was the editing! Most of the ebooks at this price range have been poorly edited. The Naked Dame was a joy to read because the author did a very good job of editing.

I must admit that I know the author but this hasn’t affected my liking of the book.

—Bill Cooper

Here’s an anonymous review on Amazon, and I appreciated the attention paid to the setting:

The story in this outstanding debut novel is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making for an exceptionally fun read. The author’s careful attention to detail brings an interesting cast of characters to life within the seedy surroundings of adolescent L.A. This book is richly rewarding—give it a shot.

—Anonymous

And this review pays some attention to the value of the book. I’ve priced it very reasonably, just like the old pulp novels. This thing shouldn’t cost a premium—it’s a fun, quick read, and the price tag should reflect that.

This book was a pleasant surprise. Honestly, I don’t expect much from cheap ebooks, but this one is a cut above. It’s a fun crime novel set in 1950s LA, and true to the title, it’s got some nice kink to it. But it’s also a great story that stays strong through the end. And the biggest surprise is that ending–brutal and perfect. Yes, for a first novel, it’s got a couple of bumps, but it shows a hell of a lot of promise. Definitely give it a shot. Can’t go wrong for the price.

—Brenda Tripoli

And one last review from Amazon:

This book is a classic hard-boiled detective novel. It’s a fun and fast read. I read a lot of hard-boiled detective novels for an undergrad class long ago. This novel has the same raspy gritty feel of those classic 50s detective stories.

—Bob Calderon

So join in the fun and order your copy today! Thanks for reading!