Well, this is a fabulous twist on a story about amnesia. I’m loving it.
Wonderfully real characters, with all their good things and faults.
Her memories return, but the twist puts a different spin on amnesia and second chances.
“I was lost, but now I’m found,” I blurted out.
A heartbreaking and heartwarming love story that goes so much deeper than romance.
May have you asking, “What do I believe?”
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Secret Sister by Emelle Gamble.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
What if everything about you changed in an instant…
Nick & Cathy and Roxanne. Two best friends. One husband. An extraordinary twist of fate.
How much do you really know about your husband? Your best friend? Yourself? Cathy Chance knows she loves her husband, Nick, with the same passion she had when she married him seven years ago, and he adores her. She also knows that she and her best friend, Roxanne, are closer than most sisters. But on a sunny summer day, these three are hurled into an astounding new reality which forces each to reconsider everything they thought was true about themselves, and one another.
ABOUT EMELLE GAMBLE
From Goodreads: Emelle
Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite
childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry
and attempts at ‘real literature’ all copies of which she has since,
very sensibly, shredded. She took her first stab at romantic fiction in
an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed, taught by
fellow writer Carolyn Haines, in Mobile, Alabama. As M.L. Gamble, she
published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She is now
contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013,
and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.
Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’,
Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an
extraordinary situation. She most enjoys reading stories that surprise
and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and
exciting journeys her characters take.
Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C.
with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats,
Lucy and Bella. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily
launched on their own and contributing great things to society, which
has always been their mother’s fondest wish.
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**
LATEST HAPPENINGS
Hello fellow bloggers. I hope you have all had a great week, filled with family, fun and a lot of great books. Woo Hoo. Two weeks in a row. As the summer winds down and the pool cools off, I am still enjoying the warm weather and spending as much time outdoors as I can. I will be doing the October Blogger Shame challenge and hope to get a lot more late reviews done and finish out most of the year. I will still be plugging in some tours, I can’t help myself. It’s so hard to say no. LOL
Most of you already now about my vacation to Connecticut, Rhode Island, Boston and Cape Cod, but I thought I would share some more photos. You can see the pictorial tour HERE.
I don’t know the name of the LIghthouse, but it is in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.Here’s another lighthoust in Narragansett Bay and we fished all around it.I love all the flowers that were still in bloom
My mother in law had cut this one because the squirrels were relentless in their pursuit of a free meal.
Seems flower boxers are everywhere and I love them.
I have some great giveaways going on and a few reviews to share, so feel free to browse to your heart’s content.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let’s share
some songs we’ve been enjoying lately! If you would like to play, and I
really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you’ve been enjoying lately. It doesn’t
have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites – just
something you’d like to share with others. If possible, share a music
or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s),
and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post’s url HERE
Driving down a rocky road I saw the overgrown grass, weeds, and poison ivy overtaking the outer perimeter of the bushes. The smell of mildew permeated the air, along with the stench of animals killed by cars coming up from the ground along this dirt road. I could see the sadness on the faces in the cars behind me; I could feel the pain and sorrow. As I looked inside the cars and saw the faces of the drivers, I began to wonder what they were thinking, their thoughts and feelings as they traveled down life’s highway, maybe for the very last time.
What stories lay behind the faces behind the wheel of each oncoming car?
What stories were hidden?
Whose voices are now silenced?
Reviews:
“Unique, haunting, terrifying, incredibly moving: Fran Lewis’ SILENT VOICES is all that and more as people tell spell-binding stories of their lives – and their deaths – from beyond the grave. You won’t forget this one!” – R.G. Belsky, award-winning author of the Clare Carlson mystery series.
“Silent Voices is a shrewd, sensitive and scintillating collection of short stories that make us feel and think. Noted talk show host Fran Lewis proves herself to be as skilled a storyteller as she is a listener, adept at both tugging on our heart strings and exposing the raw emotion between the lines. Her tales reach beyond the grave in fashioning rich tapestries drawn on a sprawling landscape at once both rich in color and gray-toned. A can’t miss effort certain to live with you far beyond the turn of the final page.” -Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author
“Once again, Fran Lewis knocks it out of the park with the latest in the Silent Voices series. At once chilling, but also inspirational, these stories do not fail to entertain. They will also raise the goosebumps on your skin. Prepare to be thrilled.” Vincent Zandri, New Your Times bestselling Thriller Award winning author of The Remains and The Caretaker’s Wife
Book Details:
Genre: Horror, Suspense Published by: Southern Owl Publications, LLC Publication Date: June 10th 2019 Number of Pages: 51 ASIN: B07S75JPQW Series: Silent Voices Purchase Links:Amazon | Goodreads
Author Bio:
Fran Lewis taught for 36 years as a staff developer in reading and writing and a dean. She is the author of the Bertha and Tillie series and the author of the Faces behind the stones series as well as her books for caregivers on Alzheimer’s and mj magazine and mj network.
Well, what can I say about these characters…that they leave a lot to be desired is putting it mildly, as they will throw each other under the bus as the mystery surrounding the murder brings forth some misdirection and plenty of suspects that may keep you guessing as the last drink is drunk and the party has ended.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Last Dinner Party by Carly M Duncan.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
When Jeanie D’Alisa is
found murdered in her bedroom after hosting a dinner party in her home,
detectives Anna Cole and Kristy Hicks are called to investigate the
crime. Known within her community for her generous, yet unpredictable
nature, Jeanie’s secrets unfold as family, friends and neighbors become
suspects. Anna and Kristy discover stamped passport pages revealing
travels unknown and a curious relationship between Jeanie and the
charming salesman who frequents the apartment building. Meryl, Jeanie’s
devoted and needy friend, further complicates the investigation when she
phones Jeanie’s sister who is studying abroad and lies to her about the
cause of death. Through a muddied pool of misdirection and betrayal,
will Anna and Kristy be able to assemble the clues in order to bring
Jeanie’s killer to justice? The path to solving the mystery becomes
tangled with faces of loved ones who are revealed to be foes in this
story about the lengths people will go to in order to save themselves.
Sometimes you’re interested. Sometimes you can’t be bothered. Sometimes
love doesn’t give you a choice. In Jacob and Lilly’s case, love
isn’t letting either of them go.
Jacob Edmonton has a plan for his life, but it doesn’t include love. He
was Hollywood’s quintessential golden boy—until a
flash-in-the-pan fling with a high-profile singer upended his
world—and his reputation. Now he’s nursing more than a wounded
ego and his only goal is to repair the damage.
But his return to superstardom is shot to hell when his sister winds up
undergoing emergency surgery. There he meets Lilly Staver, a
straight-shooting nurse who’s as brutally honest as she is
beautiful. She sees through his suave façade and he wants to hate
her until he realizes he can’t resist her.
Lilly knows all about men like Jacob Edmonton—if you’ve seen one
pretentious, egocentric celebrity—you’ve seen them all. She’s
unimpressed with his Hollywood pedigree and his belief that love is
reserved solely for maniacs. So why can’t she stop thinking about
him? Her mind tells her to run as fast as she can from Jacob…but
her heart isn’t listening.
Love as they know it just took a hairpin turn into uncharted territory,
but when Jacob’s former girlfriend shows up with an opportunity to
salvage his career, will he choose the life he knows or the love he
never knew existed?
This is the first of three books in ‘A Series of Moments’, chronicling the
timeless and heart-wrenching love story of Jacob Edmonton & Lilly
Staver.
“From the Moment We Met”, the first book in the romantic saga, A Series
of Moments, introduced us to Jacob Edmonton and Lilly Staver, and a
love neither believed possible. But life is all about the choices you
carry with you and those you leave behind. Love is no different.
Now, in “Unguarded Moments”, Jacob realizes that his actions have
consequences, and his heart is paying the price.
Jacob made a choice. Now, in “Unguarded Moments”, he realizes he’s
made the wrong one. The lights of Hollywood do shine, but not nearly
as bright as the light of love. He’s ready to fight tooth and nail to
bring Lilly back into his life but is it too late to undo the damage?
Lilly saw the writing on the wall, but she chose to follow her heart
instead. Her foolish, naïve heart. She’s learned her lesson many
times over—loving Jacob was a bad idea in every sense of the word.
She vows to never make the same mistake again…but can she resist
the one man who still holds all the pieces of her shattered soul? She
gave him her love, but instead of loving her back—he watched her
walk away.
Thousands of kilometers lie between them now, but the distance isn’t Jacob’s
toughest hurdle. It will be far more difficult to convince Lilly that
loving him wasn’t the gravest mistake she’s ever made.
The heart wants what the heart wants—but can Lilly believe in Jacob
again, or will her fears end any chance of their reconciliation?
This is the second of three books in ‘A Series of Moments’, chronicling
the timeless and heart-wrenching love story of Jacob Edmonton &
Lilly Staver
A Series of Moments follows the journey of Jacob
Edmonton, a world-famous actor, and Lilly Staver, the nurse who saved
him from himself. “Beautifully Broken Moments” is the
stunning conclusion in the trilogy, but after all the upheaval, will
Jacob and Lilly ever find their Happily Ever After?
All it takes is a moment—one moment can change the course of your
life—and love.
With a single statement during a press conference, Jacob upended his
world, destroying his happiness and heart in the process. When his
ex-girlfriend Victoria claimed she was not only engaged to the acting
legend but also expecting his child, Jacob went along with the
charade. But his actions were not to salvage his reputation or
career; they were to protect the only thing that mattered—his real
fiancée, Lilly. To save her from the backlash of Victoria’s
jealousy and rage, Jacob let go of the only woman he had ever loved.
As the truth behind the events of the last several months shifts into
sharp focus, Jacob is left with one final choice—move on without
Lilly or fight with everything in his being to reunite with the love
of his life. For Jacob, it’s the easiest decision he’s ever made.
Lilly watched her dreams crumble on international television when Jacob
claimed she was ‘a brief fling’; too bad her heart never received
the memo. Devastated by his most recent betrayal, she plans to flee
England and Jacob forever, intent on escaping their tempestuous
romance, until she learns the reality behind Jacob’s actions.
Just as their plans start falling back into place, the wheel of life doles
out a tragedy that will test them on every level. Is Jacob’s love
enough to carry them through or is the trail of heartache too
difficult for Lilly to traverse again?
Life is a series of adventures, waiting to be explored.
That’s how I look at life, the greatest adventure we will ever experience.
My name is Julie Soper and I write under the pen name M.L. Broome
(the M.L. stands for Mezza Luna). The name came to me in a dream,
which is how many of my story ideas also appear.
My motto is that I’m a believer in love and a lover of life, even when
life isn’t being kind or pretty. I’ve seen the darker side of human
suffering through my years as an ICU nurse and nurse educator, but in
those dark days, I also witnessed the depths of strength present in
everyone. We are extraordinary beings when we allow ourselves the
freedom to dream.
I’ve always created stories, with most remaining locked in the vault of my
mind. But the story of Jacob and Lilly wasn’t satisfied being
relegated to the confines of my head, and their tale of love found
and lost was birthed into the world.
I hope you enjoy their love story. I know I do. I love these
characters, even when their actions drive me to the brink of
madness.
I am a super fan of Leine Basso and DV Berkom, since I read the first book, A Killing Truth. The character is a strong female and all I could ask for in a heroine that travels the world to take out the bad guys and save the innocents.
I have read all DV Berkom’s books and am super excited to see we have a new one coming out, Dakota Burn. GIMME! GIMME!
A Killing Truth
Leine Basso Thrillers Book 1
by DV Berkom
Genre: Thriller
Now available: the chilling start to the high-octane, can’t-put-it-down
Leine Basso thriller series.
A deadly assassin. A perpetual target. A double-cross she never saw coming…
They say the truth will set you free, but what if it kills you first?
Leine eliminates terrorists for a living. After a routine assassination
almost gets her killed, she chalks it up to a fluke. Her lover and
fellow assassin, Carlos, has another idea altogether. He thinks their
boss is setting them up for a fall.
When Carlos goes missing and a bombing thwarts another mission, Leine
suspects the stakes are far higher than she could ever imagine, and
wonders if the man in charge might have it in for her after all.
If you like no-nonsense heroines, page-turning plots, and twists you
won’t see coming, then you’ll love D.V. Berkom’s tension-filled
series.
Download A Killing Truth to find out how the story began…
“[Leine Basso] is a sassy, kick-arse, no-nonsense,
I’ll-eat-your-balls-for-breakfast type of woman. She simply rocks.
Berkom’s books are ones when you almost forget to breathe. They’re
fast-paced, taut with tension and sheer joy from start to
finish.” ~Cath’n’Kindle Book Reviews
“[A Killing Truth] introduces one of modern fiction’s deadliest
heroes…”~Reviewer Charles A. Ray
“This is my third Leine Basso, and like the others, the action never lets
up. Leine is the female Jack Reacher only she does it all without
being 6’5″ and weighing 265 pounds, so that makes her more
incredible. If you like page-turners, you’ll love this book.”~
Polly Iyer, bestselling suspense author
“A Killing Truth would make an excellent introduction to D.V. Berkom’s
writing…she’s one of my favorites… love how she just puts you
right in the pages and you just don’t want to end.”~Hornfan2
“The Leine Basso series by DV Berkom is jam-packed with action and
adventure and Leine Basso is one bad*** protagonist…”
Fundinmental Book Reviews
“As someone who has read all of the other current Leine Basso books
first, I can say that A Killing Truth had me in suspense the entire
time.” Maranda, Amazon Reviewer
“Non-stop twists and turns. An excellent thriller that pits Leine
against not only international criminals but her own boss.”
~USMC-Mike
“What the world needs now is more female characters like bad ass Leine
Basso. Bought the trio of books that follow this one because of how
much I enjoyed the plot and twists along the way.” ~shzann
A former assassin is drawn into the twisted game of a serial killer who
may be a grisly remnant from her past.
What happens when a reality show turns deadly?
Determined to leave her old life behind, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts
a job working security at one of television’s most popular reality
shows, Serial Date. When a contestant is found dead in the prop
closet, it appears the killer is one of the ‘bachelors’ on the show-
an ex-con billed as a serial killer- but the detective in charge of
the case isn’t so sure.
When Leine’s estranged daughter is abducted by a man claiming to be the
real killer, she’s forced to rely on old skills to find her. She soon
realizes the murderer may be a grisly remnant from her past and
she’ll need to use all of her cunning to stop him…
…and rescue her daughter.
If you like black humor, no-nonsense heroines, and heart-stopping
action, you’ll love Serial Date. Download it today!
“If you like fast-paced action, great lead characters, and don’t mind a
few F-bombs and the occasional gore, DV Berkom is the author for you.” ~
BloodWrites
“Serial Date has everything a mystery/thriller needs to be successful,
fast-paced and action packed, strong and memorable characters and a
story that will grab you from beginning to end…” ~ Confessions of a Reader
“Why should you read it? In a nutshell it’s a fast-paced, non-linear story
with some creepy elements mashed together with a splash of romance
and dark humour. What’s not to like?” ~Indie eBooks
Dangerous obsessions take center stage when a former assassin and a homicide
detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she’s
sold to the highest bidder.
Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders she didn’t commit,
and required to stay in L.A., retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a
temporary position as a security specialist for A-list actor Miles
Fournier. Soon, a woman contacts Miles, claiming to be his long-lost
sister. Her twelve-year-old daughter, Mara, has been abducted and
she’s desperate to get her back.
Leine learns from a contact that Mara escaped, but the traffickers are
determined to track her down and deliver her to their powerful
client. Running out of time, Leine must find Mara before they do, or
she will be lost forever.
“…I was thrilled with this book. I did not want it to end. I was on the
edge of my seat at the end! Seriously a nail-bitter!”
~ April Holgate, Amazon Top 50 Reviewer
“Tight dialogue and nonstop action marks a novel that establishes new
benchmarks for action thrillers. This is a solid five-star novel that
you won’t want to miss.” ~Ray’s Ramblings
“An intelligent thriller worthy of the Big Screen…” ~ BloodWrites
A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border
turns into a nightmare.
Everything’s for sale…
Former assassin Leine Basso is
hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing
daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in
Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims
of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with a
mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows
if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.
In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.
As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s
disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting
to keep her from the truth.
Praise for the Leine Basso Thriller series:
“Now this, this is what thrillers are made of: grit, spunk, and
no-nonsense unputdownability…Quite simply: Brilliant ” ~
Cath ‘n Kindle Book Reviews
“…Ms. Berkom gives us a badass heroine that’s fun to root for. Once Leine
discovers what is happening, there is no stopping her…an edge of
your seat thriller that delivers!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“Without a doubt one of the most engaging, complex and enthralling mysteries
that had me totally in its grip…” ~
Confessions of a Reader
“Taken fans will be overjoyed with this gritty thriller…following Basso as she
works her tradecraft is a pleasure…” ~ BestThrillers.com
“A really exciting heroine for action thriller fans everywhere, but a
long overdue tough and plausible literary role-model for women.”~
Ajoobacats Book Reviews
An adventurous young backpacker, captured and sold. A black market
merchant who will stop at nothing to amass the power he craves. The
one woman who can stop him before he destroys everything…
Haunted by memories of an op gone bad, former assassin Leine Basso
travels to Bangkok in search of a missing backpacker. With help from an old
contact, she discovers the man responsible for the girl’s
disappearance is connected to a violent Hong Kong triad and is the
linchpin of an extensive trafficking network—both animal and human.
Making enemies isn’t new for Leine, but making one in the triad is—she
soon finds herself a prisoner on board a cargo ship headed for
sub-Saharan Africa. To ensure her survival and to continue her hunt for the missing girl,
she must join forces with Derek, an ivory poacher who promises to
help her.
Ready to stay up all night? Everybody’s favorite assassin is back with a
vengeance in this high-octane, can’t-put-it-down espionage thriller.
Espionage.
Deception. A nation on the brink of war…
Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the
business of death, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into
the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.
“Sucks you in on page one and doesn’t set you free until the end. Another
sure-fire winner in a spectacular series.”
~Tim Tigner, International Bestselling Author of the Kyle Achilles series
“D.V. Berkom has created one kick-ass heroine in Leine Basso–a woman who
can do it all in the dog-kill-dog world of international espionage.”
~ J. Carson Black, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Warning:
once started, The Last Deception is difficult to put down…[T]he
globe-trotting Leine uncovers acts of international espionage that
lead her on a desperate hunt for an elusive spy that could bring down
the world.” Midwest Book Review
A former assassin, battling her demons. A sinister enemy, determined to
destroy her. A wily street kid caught in the middle.
Former assassin Leine Basso is fresh off an assignment rescuing an American
teenager from a terrorist group in Libya when she thwarts the murder
of a street kid in Tripoli. Leine agrees to help the girl, but must
first visit a refugee camp to uncover the reason behind a rash of
mysterious abductions.
Leaving the camp, Leine comes under a surprise attack–but only a handful of
people knew her true mission. The more she discovers about the
abductions, the more of a target she becomes, forcing her to revisit
a dark and violent past she thought she’d left behind. But it’s
easy–too easy to fall back into her old ways.
And that could get her killed.
Will Leine be able to survive a dark return?
If you like gritty, fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down thrillers with an
action-packed story ripped from the headlines, then you’ll love Dark
Return. Download your copy today!
Praise for Dark Return:
“I couldn’t put it down. My entire Saturday has been spent reading
Dark Return.” ~Sharon Simms
“One of the best reads to come out in this genre in quite awhile. You
won’t want to put this book down.” ~Yvonne Reddy
“Excellent.
There is no other way to describe it. I read it in one go it was that
good. Leine is one hell of a badass.” ~Silver Surfer
“Dark Return was a thrill-a-minute, page-turning suspense that never lets
up with action and intrigue. The author, DV Berkom, is a master when
it comes to character development and the story line.” ~ Paula Lopez
“DV Berkom has honed her skills as writer to such a fine art that it is
indeed very difficult to tear yourself away from any of her books.”
~Manie Killian
“Fast paced and full of action, this book will keep you both entertained
and intrigued from start to finish. Highly recommended!!” ~Derek Williams
“This book will captivate you from the first paragraph to the last. It is
full of action and non-stop adventure…” ~txdoc
“Best book in the series, they just keep getting better and better!! Read
them from the first in the series or just jump in here. Brilliant
read.” ~ Sally Sanders
“Berkom has matured as a solid writer with similarities to Mark Greaney, Mark
Dawson (John Milton series), and a whisper of Barry Eisler.”
~Library Champion
Former assassin Leine Basso has severed ties with everyone she loves to keep
them safe while she hunts for the ruthless terrorist, Salome. There
are rumblings that the French-born assassin is planning another
attack and Leine’s determined to stop her before it’s too late.
Can Leine thwart her plans, or will Salome’s own twisted vengeance mean
the end for Leine and everyone she loves?
From London to Edinburgh to the City of Angels, Salome’s making a
comeback—and that comeback includes killing Leine.
A kidnapped girl. A ruthless criminal who preys on the innocent. Two
killers who will stop at nothing to bring him down.
Former assassin Leine Basso was supposed to be in sunny LA, watching the
first class of operatives graduate from the new anti-trafficking
academy. Instead, she’s in North Dakota in the middle of a brutal
winter, helping old friend Derek van der Haar track down and
eliminate a deadly group of criminals hell-bent on providing young
girls to the highest bidder.
The closer Leine and Derek get to the organization, the more dangerous
the mission becomes. Soon, it’s evident that the traffickers are
playing for keeps—and don’t care who they kill.
In a story ripped from the headlines, Dakota Burn reveals the dark
underbelly of the Bakken oil fields, where human life is a commodity
and outlaws still rule.
If you enjoy books by Mark Dawson, Barry Eisler, and Mark Greaney,
you’ll love D.V. Berkom. Download this gritty, action-packed
thriller today!
DV Berkom is the USA Today bestselling author of two action-packed
thriller series featuring strong female leads (Leine Basso and Kate
Jones). Her love of creating resilient, kick-ass women characters
stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and
thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she earned a BA in political science and promptly
moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Several years and many
adventures later, she wrote her first novel and was hooked. The Kate
Jones adventure thriller, Bad Spirits, was first published in 2010 as
an online serial, and was immediately popular with Kindle and Nook
fans. Dead of Winter, Death Rites, and Touring for Death soon
followed before she began the far grittier Leine Basso thriller
series in early 2012 with Serial Date.
DV currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mark, and
several imaginary characters who like to tell her what to do.
From #1 New York Times bestselling
author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the
Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines
are the new currency of society…
In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor
is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her
House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but
when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina
risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.
But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them
is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s
teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true
motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.
To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary
powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.
“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team.
Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications
sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was
never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was
never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in
college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade.
(Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two
children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored several NYT and USAT bestselling series. They are
currently working on urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, the paranormal
romance of Hidden Legacy, and thjeir independently published series,
Innkeeper Chronicles.
Cagney and Lacey meet Moonlighting. That’s what I thought when I read Exercise Is Murder by Carolyn Arnold.
Sara and Sean created their PI firm, Pay It Forward, when they quit the Albany police force and came into a LOT of money. They loved the control they had over the cases they mutually agreed upon and surrounded themselves with those they trusted to help.
I can definitely relate to Sara when it comes to her car. She loves her stilettos, while I love my flip flops, though. She is a fashionista and I am a shorts and T shirt kind of gal. We both lack cooking skills, so it’s a good thing our men like to cook.
He grounded her and she gave him wings.
And that is something that leads to a great partnership.
Carolyn Arnold is a master at showing the characters and events through her ability to describe them in detail. She makes it easy to form a picture in my mind.
Exercise In Murder by Carolyn Arnold is a quick, fun, easy reading police procedural that includes enough suspects to keep my mind working trying to figure it out before she tells me. I love that Carolyn writes with a light touch, including humor with her murder.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Exercise Is Murder by Carolyn Arnold.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Getting in shape isn’t an easy walk in the park…
Running
junkie Katie Carpenter takes a tumble down a ravine and ends up
facedown in the Hudson River. The police conclude her death was an
accident, but those who were close to Katie aren’t buying that she just
tripped and fell—including her pro-athlete boyfriend. But it’s Katie’s
fitness trainer and friend who hires the McKinleys to investigate.
Anything
but an easy case to solve, Sean and Sara will break a sweat trying to
figure out who had the most to gain from the young woman’s death. Sadly
for Sean most of the evidence seems stacked against Katie’s boyfriend—a
man Sean idolizes. Can he put aside being starstruck long enough to view
things objectively? If Katie’s killer is going to be caught, he and
Sara will need to remain flexible and it might require bending the rules
a bit.
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international
bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and
inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective
Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew
Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre
diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled
mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI
profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being
accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE
PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and
enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big
city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive
imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch
the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and
empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto
with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada
and Sisters in Crime.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Gerald Hammond is the
exception to the rule; an honorable spy, whose lofty principles have
brought him nothing but loneliness and isolation. With the war in
Europe at an end, Hammond returns to Washington only to find his unit
disbanded and his wife moved out of the marital home. Ostracized by
the Washington elite, publicly humiliated by an unfaithful wife, and
scorned by former friends and colleagues, he is forced to take a mundane
job with an insurance company. . . But then comes the call. The
State Department wants him to rescue a young woman, trapped in Soviet
East Germany. Should he succeed a plum job at The State Department
awaits. Desperate for deliverance from his humdrum existence, Hammond accepts the assignment. He
heads into enemy territory, unaware of the sinister force that
sponsored his mission or of the unseen dangers that lie in wait. He only
knows that he must somehow save the girl to save himself, but as his
enemies close in, and ever-more disturbing revelations come to light,
Gerald Hammond begins to wonder which poses the greatest threat. . . The
enemy he runs from, the friend he runs to, or the girl he was sent to
save?
“Fast paced thriller with lots of action – I couldn’t put it down!!” – Amazon Reviewer
“Delicious spy novel, bold and graphic.” – Amazon Reviewer
“A tremendous book – a definite page turner”- Amazon Reviewer
“This is the best spy novel I have read in quite some time” – Amazon Reviewer
“I purchased this based on the reviews, and it exceeded expectations” – Amazon Reviewer
“And
be warned, there’s bad language, sex, sadistic murders, regular
murders, etc. in this book. It’s a spy novel…stay out of the kitchen
if you don’t like this kind of heat.” – Amazon Reviewer
I love a good conspiracy now and then and The Folks at Fifty Eight sounded like it might foot the bill. Pretty good cover too. I added this to my TBR on 5.13.12. It averages 3.45 on Goodreads.
![Exercise is Murder (McKinley Mysteries: Short & Sweet Cozies Book 12) by [Arnold, Carolyn]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tboMuU05L._SY346_.jpg?w=584&ssl=1)
