Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

April 11, 2022

Blood on the Bayou by Douglas J. Wood - A review


Blood on the Bayou by Douglas Wood
386 pages - Paperback
Published: April 12, 2022
ISBN: 173488486X

About the book:
The Murder Accountability Project, a nonprofit that analyzes FBI data, estimates that there are as many as 2,000 serial killers responsible for the 185,000 unsolved murders in the United States. According to the FBI there could be as many as fifty active serial killers prowling for victims every day. Most of them will never be caught. - Douglas J. Wood

A serial killer is terrorizing the streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans. The victims are found with their throats slit, odd symbols on their faces, and a wooden cross in their hands. Detective Rebecca Simone and her team are working the case and when DNA from a local man is found on a body, it looks like the mystery is solved. However, someone in Washington D.C. has been quietly observing, and he is not satisfied with the outcome of the case. Unable to remain an outsider, Special Agent Christopher DiMeglio packs his bags and heads down to an unfamiliar city and an unwelcoming New Orleans police department.

Full of dark alleys and urban legends of voodoo, vampires, and hidden secrets, New Orleans is the perfect setting for a killer to get away with murder. Blood on the Bayou is a gripping mystery with a shocking twist that will leave readers guessing until the very end.

Meet the author - Douglas J. Wood:
Douglas J. Wood is Senior Counsel at the law firm of Reed Smith LLP, he has over 45 years of experience practicing entertainment and media law, often imparting knowledge gained from his career in his books. Listed among the leading global specialists in advertising law in Chambers, the Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers, he is known and respected worldwide and is a member of the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. He received his BA from the University of Rhode Island, his Juris Doctor from the Franklin Pierce Law Center, a Masters of Law in Trade Regulation from New York University School of Law, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of New Hampshire. Doug has been adjunct professor of advertising law at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law and the University College Cork in Ireland.

He is the author of the award-winning Samantha Harrison political trilogy. In 2018, he published his memoir, Asshole Attorney: Memories, Musings, and Missteps in A 40-Year Career (winner of the 2019 Independent Press Award for Best Humor and Wit). In the following year, he added Dark Data: Control, Alt, Delete, a thriller about cyberwar and financial terrorism and winner of the 2020 Independent Press Award for Best Political Thriller. Doug’s newest novel, Dragon on the Far Side of the Moon, a thriller that pits China and the United States in conquest of the Moon, was published this past summer to rave reviews. His other non-fiction titles include 101 Things I Want to Say…the Collection, a book of fatherly advice to his children and the best-selling text Please Be Ad-Vised: A Legal Reference Guide for the Advertising Executive, now in its seventh edition and described by Bob Liodice, CEO of the Association of National Advertisers, as the legal bible for the industry. He is currently working on his next novel, Blood on the Bayou, a criminal thriller set in the sultry streets of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Look for that in 2022.

Doug lives in North Carolina with Carol Ann, his wife of 48 years. They are blessed with three grown children and four adorable grandchildren.

My thoughts:
Another new to me author and another enjoyable book.  I liked how the book/author embraced some of the New Orleans culture and waves it into the story.  The author did a good job of keeping me guessing until the end of the book.  It was an engrossing story that kep me reading late into the night. 

October 21, 2019

Fan Mail by Daryl Wood Gerber - Review

I received this book free from the author. All opinions are my own

Book details
Series: An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense (Book 2)
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing (November 12, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1950461297
ISBN-13: 978-1950461295

Book description

Agatha Award–winning and national bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber returns with a dark new novel of suspense . . .

An adoring fan and a string of murders: a demented show of love that leaves no one safe . . .

Local celebrity news anchor Gloria Morning is used to receiving declarations of love and praise in her weekly fan letters, but when a Lake Tahoe doctor is murdered and she gets an anonymous note telling her it was done for her glory, her appreciation turns to panic. Unsure of where else to turn, she enlists the help of novice private investigator Aspen Adams. No sooner does Aspen begin digging into who sent the macabre note than another murder occurs, followed by another note, and she soon realizes she’s up against a ruthless and deranged killer.

Working with scant clues and a puzzling array of potential suspects, Aspen is determined to unearth the elusive connection between the victims and her client. But as the body count grows and the murderer remains a mystery to both her and the police, Aspen discovers she’s gotten closer to the killer than she ever imagined, and now she must risk everything she holds dear to stop the killings, including her own life . . .


Meet the author Daryl Wood Gerber
Agatha Award–winning and nationally bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber is the author of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, the Cheese Shop Mysteries (as Avery Aames), and stand-alone suspense thrillers. Little known facts about Daryl are that she’s jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, has hitchhiked around Ireland by herself, and has appeared on an episode of Murder, She Wrote. She loves to read, cook, and golf, and has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line!
My thoughts
This book was even better than the first in this series (Desolate Shores).  I am liking Aspen more and more and I like how close she is with her niece.  I also like how her and Nick's relationship is progressing.  It is nice that even though he does not want her to and gets upset with her for trying to solve the murders he lets her do her thing and even asks her opinion on the cases.  This story had me on the edge of my seat at times.  I thought I had it figured out and then my suspect ended up dead so I had to rethink things and it did end up being my second suspect.  I hope this series keeps on going as I am looking forward to seeing what happens next. 

August 8, 2019

Desolate Shores by Daryl Wood Gerber - Review

I received this book free from the author.  All opinions are my own

Book details
Series: An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense (Book 1)
Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing (August 13, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1950461203
ISBN-13: 978-1950461202

Book description
A chilling murder, an elusive killer, and a family mystery that hits too close to home . . .

After finding the body of her best friend on the icy shores of Lake Tahoe, Aspen Adams refuses to stand by and watch as the local sheriff’s department begins their search for the killer. Launching her own investigation, she’s soon confronted with a growing array of secrets—both about the friend she thought she knew and about many of the people in her own life. As fragmentary clues and escalating dangers threaten to derail her, she must also cope with the disturbing behavior of her deadbeat sister and troubled teenage niece.

Determined to overcome her personal demons over past failures, Aspen is driven to unravel the conflicting evidence and a shifting range of suspects to bring the killer to justice, even as a family trauma unfolds that threatens to upend her life. And as her investigation inexorably leads her to a shocking discovery and taunts her with a solution that is just out of reach, Aspen realizes that the killer wants nothing more than to see her and her niece dead . .

Meet the author - Daryl Wood Gerber
Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber writes the bestselling COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES and FRENCH BISTRO MYSTERIES. As Avery Aames, she pens the bestselling CHEESE SHOP MYSTERIES. In addition, she writes stand-alone suspense thrillers, including GIRL ON THE RUN and DAY OF SECRETS and DESOLATE SHORES. Fun tidbits: Daryl jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, and she hitchhiked around Ireland by herself. Also, as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to read, cook, and golf. She has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line!

My thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. It was a mystery that just pulled me right in. The characters were well done and I liked that we got a bit of a background on most of them.  I am sure as the series goes we may learn a little more about the main characters.  I liked how the police force kind of let Aspen do her own digging to look for clues.  The way Aspen and Nick played off of each other was a nice start to a continuing story line.  I hope things get better with her niece Candace and sister Rosie.  The clues the author gave helped me form my own opinions of what was going on. One of my theories was right and one was wrong.  I am looking forward to more in this series. 

February 27, 2019

A Killer's Alibi by William L. Myers, Jr. - Spotlight



Book details
Series: Philadelphia Legal
Paperback: 430 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 19, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1503903333

Book description
For attorney Mick McFarland, the evidence is damning. And so are the family secrets in this twisty legal thriller from the Amazon Charts bestselling author of A Criminal Defense.

When crime lord Jimmy Nunzio is caught, knife in hand, over the body of his daughter’s lover and his own archenemy, he turns to Mick McFarland to take up his defense. Usually the courtroom puppeteer, McFarland quickly finds himself at the end of Nunzio’s strings. Struggling to find grounds for a not-guilty verdict on behalf of a well-known killer, Mick is hamstrung by Nunzio’s refusal to tell him what really happened.

On the other side of the law, Mick’s wife, Piper, is working to free Darlene Dowd, a young woman sentenced to life in prison for her abusive father’s violent death. But the jury that convicted Darlene heard only part of the truth, and Piper will do anything to reveal the rest and prove Darlene’s innocence.

As Mick finds himself in the middle of a mob war, Piper delves deeper into Darlene’s past. Both will discover dark secrets that link these fathers and daughters—some that protect, some that destroy, and some that can’t stay hidden forever. No matter the risk.

Purchase Links

Connect with William

Meet the author - William L. Myers, Jr.
William L. Myers, Jr., is the author of the bestselling Philadelphia Legal series, which includes the #1 Kindle bestseller A Criminal Defense, An Engineered Injustice, and A Killer’s Alibi. A Philadelphia lawyer with thirty years of trial experience in state and federal courts up and down the East Coast, Myers has argued before the United States Supreme Court and still actively practices law. Myers was born into a proud working-class family; graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law; and now lives with his wife, Lisa, in the western suburbs of Philadelphia.

Instagram tour schedule:
Monday, February 18th: @somekindofalibrary
Monday, February 18th: @jessicamap
Tuesday, February 19th: @thecityofdarkclockwork
Wednesday, February 20th: @_ebl_inc_
Thursday, February 21st: @dropandgivemenerdy
Friday, February 22nd: @jennblogsbooks
Monday, February 25th: @booksandpolkadots
Tuesday, February 26th: @readingbetweenthe_wines
Wednesday, February 27th: @createexploreread
Thursday, February 28th: @tbretc
Friday, March 1st: @ladyofthelibrary

Review tour schedule:
Monday, February 11th: @love_my_dane_dolly
Tuesday, February 12th: What is That Book About – author guest post
Wednesday, February 13th: Amy’s Book-et List
Wednesday, February 13th: @crimebookjunkee
Thursday, February 14th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Monday, February 18th: Books & Bindings
Tuesday, February 19th: Novel Gossip – author guest post
Wednesday, February 20th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Thursday, February 21st: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind
Friday, February 22nd: The Reading Frenzy – author Q&A
Monday, February 25th: Mystery Suspense Reviews
Tuesday, February 26th: Thoughts on This ‘n That – review and Q&A
Wednesday, February 27th: A Holland Reads – author guest post
Thursday, February 28th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, March 5th: Wining Wife
Wednesday, March 6th: Becky on Books – author guest post
Thursday, March 7th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Friday, March 8th: Seaside Book Nook

February 12, 2019

Corpse & Crown by Alissa Kwitney - Spotlight


Book details
Age Range: 12 - 18 years
Grade Level: 7 and up
Series: Cadaver & Queen (Book 2)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Inkyard Press; Original edition (February 12, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1335542229

Book description
Agatha DeLacey’s family isn’t rich or titled, so studying nursing at Ingold’s East End hospital in London is a rare opportunity for her. Despite the school’s focus on the innovative Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie cares more about the desperately poor human patients who flood the hospital, even if that means providing unauthorized treatment after-hours…and trusting a charming, endlessly resourceful thief.

But the Artful Dodger is barely a step ahead of his underworld rivals, the menacing Bill Sykes and mercurial Oliver Twist, and Aggie’s association with him soon leads her into danger. When a brutal attack leaves her blind, she and the Dodger find themselves at the mercy of an experimental Bio-Mech surgery. Though the procedure restores Aggie’s sight, her new eyes come at an unnerving cost, and the changes in Dodger are even more alarming—instead of seeing Aggie as the girl he fancies, he now views her as a potential threat.

As war between England and Germany brews on the horizon and a sinister medical conspiracy threatens to shatter the uneasy peace in Europe, Aggie and the Dodger must find a way to work together so they can protect their friends and expose the truth…even if it means risking their own survival.


Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Alisa
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Meet the author - Alisa Kwitney
Alisa Kwitney was once an editor at DC Comics/Vertigo and is an Eisner-nominated author of graphic novels, romantic women's fiction and urban fantasy. She is one of the authors of A Flight of Angels, which made YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten list, and the YA graphic novel Token, named a highlight of the Minx imprint by Publishers Weekly. Alisa has an MFA from Columbia University.

TOUR STOPS:
Monday, February 11th: Storied Adventures and @storied.adventures
Tuesday, February 12th: A Holland Reads – spotlight
Wednesday, February 13th: A Dream Within A Dream
Monday, February 18th: @ladyofthelibrary
Tuesday, February 19th: Bookworm for Kids
Wednesday, February 20th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Monday, February 25th: @amberafterglowreads
Wednesday, February 27th: Girls in Books and @girlsinbooks
Thursday, February 28th: @megabunnyreads
Wednesday, March 6th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, March 11th: Rockin’ Book Reviews

May 22, 2018

Honor Kills by Nanci Rathbun - Spotlight and Giveaway

Book details
Hard Boiled Mystery 
3rd in Series 
Dark Chocolate Press LLC (March 14, 2018) 
Paperback: 284 pages 
ISBN-13: 978-0998755748 
Digital ASIN: B07BH61872
  

Book description
Did honor force him to abandon his wife and kids? Or is he just a weasel? Six years ago, Marcy Wagner hired PI Angelina Bonaparte to find her missing husband Hank, who cleaned out their bank accounts and disappeared. Then Angie finds his obituary in an upstate newspaper. Marcy wants to know what why he abandoned her and the kids. Angie does, too! She embarks on a mission that will blow the lid off Hank’s hidden life and reveal the reasons he ran. Was he a lowdown skunk? Or did he do the honorable thing when he left? Angie follows a twisted path to the truth and discovers that it lies perilously close to her own family life.

Meet the author - Nanci Rathbun
Nanci Rathbun is a lifelong reader of mysteries – historical, contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, hard-boiled, cozy … you can find them all on her bookshelves. She brings logic and planning to her writing from a background as an IT project manager, and attention to characters and dialog from her second career as a Congregationalist minister. Nanci grew up an Army brat, living in Germany, France, and Korea, as well as several states in the U.S. After her dad retired from the service, the family settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, Nanci raised her daughter and son, while working at AT&T. She never expected to move, but when her second grandchild was on the way, she wanted to be closer. One of her greatest joys is hearing her three granddaughters shout ‘Nana’ when she comes in their front door in Fort Collins, Colorado. Nanci’s Maltipoo, Teeny, and she now live in Wellington, Colorado. No matter where she makes her home, she will always be a Packers fan. 

Author Links Website: https://nancirathbun.com 
Twitter: @nancirathbun 

Purchase Link: Amazon 

Giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS 
May 17 – StoreyBook Reviews - GUEST POST, EXCERPT 
May 17 – Varietats - REVIEW 
May 18 – Valerie's Musings - REVIEW 
May 18 – Island Confidential - AUTHOR INTERVIEW, EXCERPT 
May 19 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog - REVIEW 
May 19 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT 
May 20 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
May 20 – Book a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
May 21 – The Editing Pen – CHARACTER GUEST POST 
May 22 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT 
May 23 – A Blue Million Books - AUTHOR INTERVIEW, EXCERPT 
May 24 – The Pulp & Mystery Shelf - AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
May 25 – Babs Book Bistro - REVIEW, GUEST POST 
May 25 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
May 26 – The Book Diva's Reads - CHARACTER GUEST POST 
May 27 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

May 21, 2018

The Face on the Other Side by John Carenen - Spotlight and Giveaway

 

Book details
Mystery 3rd in Series 
FPS (February 10, 2018) 
Paperback: 340 pages 
ISBN-13: 978-1945338946
  

Book description
He’d promised Sheriff Payne that he wouldn’t take any more matters into his own hands. So, when on a leisurely morning drive, SEAL-trained Thomas O’Shea sees two girls attacking a boy on a sidewalk, he opts not to intervene. When the boy is later murdered in the local hospital, though, all promises are off. What seems at the start to be a simple case of gang activity turns out to be far more. Even O’Shea, who has seen more than his share of evil, could not have guessed what is about to transpire…

Meet the author - John Carenen
John Carenen, a native of Clinton, Iowa, graduated with an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop and has been writing ever since. His work has appeared numerous times in Reader’s Digest (including a First Person Award), McCall’s, Dynamic Years, and other periodicals. He has been a featured columnist in newspapers in Morganton, North Carolina and Clinton, South Carolina. His fiction has appeared in regional literary magazines. A novel, Son-up, Son-down, was published by the National Institute of Mental Health. He is happily married to (long-suffering) Elisabeth, and they have two grown daughters, Caitlin and Rowe. When he isn’t writing, he thinks about getting in shape, cheers for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Red Sox, and takes frequent naps. He has traveled extensively, having visited 43 states and 23 countries. He is a USAF veteran, having served in the Philippines and Massachusetts. A retired an English professor at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina, he is hard at work on another novel.

Author Links
johncarenenwrites.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CarenenJohn/
@JohnCarenen

Purchase Links Amazon 

Giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS 
May 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
May 9 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST 
May 10 – Fantastic Feathers - REVIEW 
May 11 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW 
May 11 – Valerie's Musings - CHARACTER GUEST POST 
May 12 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT 
May 13 – A Blue Million Books - CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
May 14 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
May 15 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
May 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT 
May 17 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – GUEST POST
May 17 – Maureen's Musings – REVIEW 
May 18 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW 
May 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
May 20 – StoreyBook Reviews - CHARACTER GUEST POST 
May 21 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT 

May 4, 2018

Shadow Girl by Gerry Schmitt - Review and Giveaway

I received this book free from the publisher


Book details:
Suspense/Thriller
2nd in Series
Release Date – August 1, 2017
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425281789
Kindle ASIN: B01MXHV6CL

Book description:
The brutal murder of a business tycoon leaves Afton Tangler and the Twin Cities reeling, but that’s just the beginning of a gruesome crime spree…

Leland Odin made his fortune launching a home shopping network, but his millions can’t save his life. On the list for a transplant, the ailing businessman sees all hope lost when the helicopter carrying his donor heart is shot out of the sky.

Now with two pilots dead and dozens injured, Afton Tangler, family liaison officer for the Minneapolis Police Department, is drawn into the case. As she and her partner investigate family members and business associates, whoever wants Leland dead strikes again—and succeeds—in a brazen hospital room attack.

The supposedly squeaky clean millionaire has crossed the wrong person—and she’s not finished exacting her revenge. The case explodes into an international conspiracy of unbridled greed and violence. And as Afton gets closer to unearthing the mastermind behind it, she gets closer to becoming collateral damage…

Meet the author - Gerry Schmitt:
Gerry Schmitt is the author of the Afton Tangler Thrillers, and, writing under the pseudonym Laura Childs, the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels, the Tea ShopScrapbooking, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. She is the former CEO of her own marketing firm, has won TV and radio awards, and produced two reality TV shows. She and her professor husband enjoy collecting art, travel, and their two Shar-Pei dogs.

Author Links –

Webpage – Facebook

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N BAM

My thoughts:
This is the first book I have read in this series but I will be going back to read the first one. I am a fan of Gerry's books she writes as Laura Childs so I was looking forward to trying out this series. Although this is more main stream mystery to me than cozy I still enjoyed reading it and liked the author's writing style. The story is fast past and read quickly for me. Afton was a likable character for me. She seemed in tune with some of the other characters. She is good at her job. I always like that this author likes to include an animal or two in her books. Bonaparte was a good addition. I liked trying to figure things out with the clues given to me. I am just not good at figuring things out so the ending was fun for me to finally put it all together. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
BOOK BLAST PARTICIPANTS

May 1 
Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
Rosepoint Publishing – SPOTLIGHT
Varietats - SPOTLIGHT 

May 2 
Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT 
Community Bookstop – REVIEW 
Valerie's Musings – REVIEW REPOST 
FUONLYKNEW - SPOTLIGHT

May 3 
Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT 
Laura's Interests – SPOTLIGHT 
Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW REPOST 
Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT

May 4 
The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT 
The Book Diva's Reads – SPOTLIGHT
A Holland Reads – REVIEW REPOST
StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
Reading Authors – SPOTLIGHT (Review at later date)

March 28, 2018

A Dangerous Game by Heather Graham - Review

I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own. 


Book details

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: MIRA (March 13, 2018)

Book description
TROUBLE ALWAYS FINDS HER…

Wrapping up a normal day at the office, criminal psychologist Kieran Finnegan is accosted by a desperate woman who shoves an infant into her arms and then flees, only to be murdered minutes later on a busy Manhattan street.

Who was the woman? Where did the baby come from? Kieran can’t stop thinking about the child and the victim, so her boyfriend, Craig Frasier, does what any good special agent boyfriend would do—he gets the FBI involved. And asks Kieran to keep out of it.

But the Finnegans have a knack for getting into trouble, and Kieran won’t sit idle when a lead surfaces through her family’s pub. Investigating on her own, she uncovers a dangerous group that plays fast and loose with human lives and will stop at nothing to keep their secrets—and they plan to silence Kieran before she can expose their deadly enterprise.


Purchase Links

Meet the author - Heather Graham
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels. She’s a winner of the RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Thriller Writers’ Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. For more information on Heather and her work, check out her websites:



TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com, eHeatherGraham.com, and HeatherGraham.tv. You can also find Heather on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

My thoughts
This was a good addition to this series. I like how the author gives you a real sense of adventure when reading this book. She does a good job with her writing and keeps you interested from the first page. She likes to give you some twists and turns to leave you wondering what is going to happen next. I enjoyed hearing what the was happening with the Finnegan this time around. I did like that there was just a hint of romance along with the adventure and mystery. This is the third book in this series but you are able to read it as a stand alone. .Even though the characters are in each book, each story is a new adventure. 

Tour participants
Monday, March 12th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Monday, March 12th: Reading Reality
Tuesday, March 13th: Books & Bindings
Wednesday, March 14th: Romancing the Readers
Monday, March 19th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, March 20th: Thoughts of a Blond
Wednesday, March 21st: Books & Spoons
Thursday, March 22nd: Write Read Life
Friday, March 23rd: The Romance Dish
Friday, March 23rd: Jathan & Heather
Monday, March 26th: From the TBR Pile
Tuesday, March 27th: Stranded in Chaos
Wednesday, March 28th: A Holland Reads
Thursday, March 29th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Friday, March 30th: Bibliotica
Friday, March 30th: Clues & Reviews and @cluesandreviews
Monday, April 2nd: Sultry Sirens Book Blog
Tuesday, April 3rd: Book Nerd
Wednesday, April 4th: OMG Reads – Spotlight
Thursday, April 5th: Mystery Suspense Reviews

March 6, 2018

A Dangerous Game by Heather Graham - Excerpt



Book details

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: MIRA (March 13, 2018)

Book description
TROUBLE ALWAYS FINDS HER…

Wrapping up a normal day at the office, criminal psychologist Kieran Finnegan is accosted by a desperate woman who shoves an infant into her arms and then flees, only to be murdered minutes later on a busy Manhattan street.

Who was the woman? Where did the baby come from? Kieran can’t stop thinking about the child and the victim, so her boyfriend, Craig Frasier, does what any good special agent boyfriend would do—he gets the FBI involved. And asks Kieran to keep out of it.

But the Finnegans have a knack for getting into trouble, and Kieran won’t sit idle when a lead surfaces through her family’s pub. Investigating on her own, she uncovers a dangerous group that plays fast and loose with human lives and will stop at nothing to keep their secrets—and they plan to silence Kieran before she can expose their deadly enterprise.


Purchase Links

Meet the author - Heather Graham
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heather Graham has written more than a hundred novels. She’s a winner of the RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Thriller Writers’ Silver Bullet. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. For more information on Heather and her work, check out her websites:

TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com, eHeatherGraham.com, and HeatherGraham.tv. You can also find Heather on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Excerpt
The folder that Richard Egan had given Craig didn’t yield much more than he already knew; the murdered woman had been found with no identification—no purse, nothing. She’d been wearing clothing with labels from the largest chain re­tail outlet offering budget-priced brands. There were liter­ally dozens of the shops in the five boroughs alone. Her shoes had been the most common brand of sneaker. The hood she’d had wrapped over her head was a scarf that had most probably been bickered over and bought on the street.

She had been about five foot five inches in height, esti­mated age about forty.

The baby had been healthy and well kept—also wearing clothing bought at the same bargain-priced chain. The blanket covering the baby, however, had been hand knit. The creator had not signed the work in any way. Still, it was one of a kind.

The knife found in the woman’s back was equally common—sold at outlets across the five boroughs, the state and the coun­try. It was a hunting knife with a leather handle and six-inch blade.

The woman had been struck so hard that nearly four of those inches had gone into her back.

There were no fingerprints found on the knife.

The bystanders had been canvassed for information. No one remembered anyone suspicious in the crowd; no one had seen who had thrust the blade into the woman’s back.

It was impossible—absolutely impossible, Craig thought. He tried to reimagine the crime, the woman hurrying away…

Someone must have seen something. They were afraid. Or it had been so swift an act that they hadn’t even understood what they had seen. Maybe, when people thought about it…

He set the folder down, frustrated. There was a tap at his open door. He looked up. His partner, Mike Dalton, stood in the doorway.

“So I come back from a glorious vacation to you and Kieran stirring up the neighborhood again,” he said drily. “You missed me, huh?”

“I did miss you, Mike. I always miss you when we’re apart,” Craig said, grinning. “I’m sure you heard about the news-making events.”

“I did. Murder and mummies. Creepy!”

Craig pressed his lips into a tight line and nodded. “I worked the case with an old friend, guy named Micah Fox, and one of my cousins—mostly their case. A man they both admired had been killed in Egypt—a mentor. Weird case for sure, but…hey, yeah. I’m glad you’re back!” Mike was a great partner. Ten years Craig’s senior, he’d been the one to really show Craig the ropes. They both had the same sense of moral duty, of right and wrong, and a way of thinking together that had gotten them through many a situation.

“I read all about your mummies,” Mike told him. He shud­dered. “And saw it all over the news. Mummies! Glad you did that one without me. Actually…well, hell, this one sounds pretty bad. A woman stabbed, during rush hour, in the street, and no one saw it, no one can say anything?”

Craig pushed the folder toward him. “This is what they have. Autopsy coming up in a few hours. I was trying to catch up on all the reading first.”

“Good, we’ll share the reports.”

“Thanks for getting here on Saturday—and so damned early.”

“Hey, nothing like a good autopsy to get you right back into it all, right?”

Mary Kathleen had been right about the people who ar­rived at Soup du Jour.

Most were clean and decently clad, and between them, they seemed to speak every language known to man, and yet they all seemed to get on with one another, as well.

The space where the multi-faith organization operated had once been a giant textile factory. The machinery was long gone. Big old windows covered half the wall space—a great early effort in solar power, using daylight to see and work—and they still let in a glow of beautiful, natural light, though, of course, it was now enhanced by electrical power within. The rest of the walls were covered with posters, fliers and more—all to help men and women find apartments, jobs, day care and various other kinds of assistance.

The facility had a massive kitchen and a delivery area that was nearly as large. It had a massive dining hall with wood-plank tables, and on each side of the main room were large hallways that offered restrooms and showers—along with soap and razors and other basic toiletries, donated by various large corporations.

It was really a big enterprise—and it was astonishing the way that it was run.

People of every religion, ethnicity, color, creed, sex—what­ever!—seemed to get along and pull together, and do it well.

Those working the food bank seemed to come from all walks of life: there were businessmen and -women, nuns, fa­thers, rabbis and imams, young and old, every color of hu­manity.

Kieran had come to give herself something to do. She dis­covered, instead, that she was in awe of Mary Kathleen and all that the volunteers tried to do at Soup du Jour.

“This is truly just incredible,” she told Mary Kathleen. “You’ve been doing this and I didn’t even know. It’s won­derful.”

“Oh, I do a day a week. That’s the great power of the place—they literally have hundreds of people who can come a day or two a week and we’ll do our best to cover for each other and that kind of thing,” Mary Kathleen said. “I was lucky. I had friends to help me when I arrived here in the city. My family in Ireland knew your family here. I’m actu­ally doing well. But I am an immigrant, and I was able to see how hard life could be for others who didn’t have family and friends in the US—especially those fleeing poverty or war-torn countries. Anyway, I’m glad you like it!”

“Like it? I’m amazed. We get so much bad news—this is great!”

“People actually can get along working together,” Mary Kathleen agreed. She laughed softly. “Okay, so we have po­lice officers among our friends here, too. If anything were to ever get rough or violent in any way, whoever caused trou­ble would be out on their ears in a flash! But I’ve been at this about a year and a half. So far, nothing bad has ever happened. People are really just trying to help each other.”


Tour participants
Monday, February 19th: Stuck in Books
Tuesday, February 20th: Books & Spoons
Wednesday, February 21st: Read Love Blog
Thursday, February 22nd: Jathan & Heather
Monday, February 26th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Tuesday, February 27th: The Sassy Bookster
Wednesday, February 28th: Stranded in Chaos
Thursday, March 1st: Book Reviews and More by Kathy
Friday, March 2nd: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Monday, March 5th: What is That Book About
Tuesday, March 6th: A Holland Reads
Wednesday, March 7th: Books a la Mode
Thursday, March 8th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, March 9th: Nightbird Novels

December 14, 2017

Blackmail, Sex and Lies by Kathryn McMaster - Review and Giveaway

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own

Book details
Paperback: 198 pages
Publisher: Drama Llama Press; 1st edition (September 14, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8894122859
ISBN-13: 978-8894122855

Book description
Blackmail, Sex and Lies is a story of deception, scandal, and fractured traditional Victorian social values. It is the tale of a naïve, young woman caught up in a whirlwind romance with a much older man. However, both have personality flaws that result in poor choices, and ultimately lead to a tragic end.

For 160 years, people have believed Madeleine Smith to have been guilty of murder. But was she? Could she have been innocent after all?

This Victorian murder mystery, based on a true story, takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, 1857. It explores the disastrous romance between the vivacious socialite, Madeleine Hamilton Smith, and her working class lover, Pierre Emile L’Angelier.

After a two-year torrid, and forbidden relationship with L’Angelier, that takes place against her parents' wishes, the situation changes dramatically when William Minnoch enters the scene. This new man in Madeleine’s life is handsome, rich, and of her social class. He is also a man of whom her family approve.

Sadly, insane jealous rages, and threats of blackmail, are suddenly silenced by an untimely death.



Meet the author - Kathryn McMaster
Kathryn McMaster is a writer, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and champion of good indie authors. She co-owns the book promotion company One Stop Fiction (www.onestopfiction.com), where readers can sign up to receive news of free and discounted 4 and 5 star reviewed books. She is also a bestselling author of historical murder mysteries set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Her debut novel, "Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?" was well received. All her novels are based on true stories, and she melds fact with fiction, writing in the creative nonfiction style. She lives on her 30 acre farm in the beautiful Casentino Valley, Italy for 6 months of the year, and during the other half of the year, on the small island of Gozo, Malta. 

Social Media Links – 

My thoughts
This was an interesting book to read. It has all the things I love, history and mystery. The author did a good job of describing the setting to make you feel as if you could really see what she was talking about. Her character development was good as well. You can tell she did her research as she got the little details right. I did not know much about Madeline Smith until I started reading this book. Now I want to find out more about her and why she did what she did. The author's writing kept me very interested in the book as I was waiting to see what would happen next. I liked Madeline even though I knew she should not being doing what she was doing I could not help but like her. It was nice how she used letters in the story as well. For me that added a little personal touch to the characters story. A highly recommended book. 

Giveaway

November 21, 2017

Killer Holiday by Amy Korman - Spotlight and Giveaway


Book details
Genre: Mystery
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: October 24th 2017 by Witness Impulse
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 0062431366 (ISBN13: 9780062431363)
Series: A Killer WASPs Mystery, #4

Book description
Kristin Clark and her offbeat crew of Bryn Mawr socialites are ready for a fun and festive winter holiday—one that involves sipping martinis by a crackling yule log, hot guys beneath the mistletoe, and Gucci under the Christmas tree. But this year, Old Saint Nick has something more dangerous in store. A stranger dressed in a Santa suit has Kristin’s friends on his naughty list. First, Sophie’s favorite handbag is blasted by a bullet. Then, Father Christmas shatters her brother Chip’s car window with a golf club and leaves a threatening note demanding fifty grand. Both are convinced it has to be a mistake. But when Chip goes missing, the stakes become deadly. Eula Morris is also back in town for the holidays, more bossy and boastful than ever after winning a mega-jackpot in the lottery. She’s returned from a luxury cruise around the world with a handsome new boyfriend (who looks oddly familiar…) and a Samsonite suitcase filled with gold bars. When the suitcase is snatched, Eula implores Kristin and the team to track it down. Where is Chip? Why is a vengeful Santa targeting the gang? Who stole Eula’s suitcase? And how are these events linked? The WASPs and Kristen’s basset hound Waffles are on the case—before this white Christmas turns even darker…

Meet the author - Amy Korman
Amy Korman is a former senior editor and staff writer for Philadelphia Magazine, and author of Frommer’s Guide to Philadelphia. She has written for Town & Country, House Beautiful, Men’s Health, and Cosmopolitan. Killer WASPS is her first novel.
Catch Up With Ms. Korman On: amykorman.com 🔗, Goodreads 🔗, Twitter 🔗, & Facebook 🔗!

Giveaway
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Amy Korman and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) eBook copy of KILLER PUNCH by Amy Korman. The giveaway begins on October 23 and runs through December 3, 2017.

November 13, 2017

The Last Weekend by Laura Disilverio - Review

I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Book details
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink (September 8, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738752533

Book description
Every year for a decade, five college friends spent a weekend together at the atmospheric Chateau du Cygne Noir. Then, tragedy struck.

Ten years later, Laurel Muir returns to the castle for the first time since the accident, hoping to reconnect with her friends and lay the past to rest. When a murderer strikes, it rips open old wounds and forces the women to admit there's a killer in their midst. The remaining friends make a pact to unearth the truth, but suspicion, doubt, and old secrets threaten to tear them apart. Unsure who to trust, Laurel puts herself in harm's way, risking it all for friendship and long-delayed justice

Meet the author - Laura Disilverio
Laura DiSilverio is the national bestselling and award-winning author of 20 mystery and suspense novels and a YA dystopian trilogy. Her 2015 standalone, The Reckoning Stones, won the Colorado Book Award for Mystery, and Library Journal named her most recent title, Close Call, one of the Top Five mysteries of 2016. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist and Kirkus. She is a former Air Force intelligence officer and past President of Sisters in Crime. She can be found online at www.LauraDiSilverio.com.

My thoughts
This is the first book I have read by this author and it was a good read. I can't imagine what it would be like to go back for a weekend in the same spot where the last time you were there something terrible happened.Then when you get there strange things start happening again. I enjoyed trying to figure out who the actual "bad" guy was as it seemed just when I thought I had something figured out I would read something that changed my mind. Another thing that I liked was how we got to learn a little about each character a little at a time. This was one thing that made me want to keep reading. In my opinion this book would make a good movie. I am going to try more books by this author.