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Giveaway & Review – Deadly Tides by Mary Keliikoa @partnersincr1me @mary_keliikoa

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Deadly Tides

by Mary Keliikoa

October 23 – November 17, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

https://amzn.to/46TJ5VD

MY REVIEW

I was drawn into the mystery by the cover for Deadly Tides by Mary Keliikoa. Isn’t it gorgeous? And, the man is silhouetted on the beach. Oh yeah, I’m in.

Abby has a lot on her plate. Her grief over the loss of her daughter to leukemia and her mother’s early onset Alzheimer, at times overwhelms her. It is her job with the FBI that keeps her moving through the days.

Jax is the Sheriff of Misty Pines. When his and Abby’s cases intersect, they struggle to keep their personal lives separate from their professional lives. This is where I feel I missed out by not reading the first book in the series, Hidden Pieces. Does this affect my review? Yes, it did, so keep that in mind.

Abby’s mother had found a shoe…with a severed foot in it and wanted to keep it. I remember seeing TV shows with this as the subject and I even surfed the web to find out more. Do you ever do that? Read something in a novel, then have to do your own research to satisfy your curiosity? That’s a definite plus.

I love when Rachel comes into the picture, with her failed K9 partner, Koa. She wants a job, away from her parents. She is gay and her father thinks he can fix her. I love that Jax supports her and calls out his friend, her father, about his opinions. After all, Jax had lost a daughter, and Jameson still has one, if he would get over being so judgmental. I love a character like Rachel who marches to her own drum and makes the best of a bad situation.

We have lots of suspects…and motives, so solving the mystery is not simple.

I found myself picking up the book and putting it down. Was it too wordy? Too all over the place? Was it me? The pace and tension picked up near the end of the book and that left me with a feeling of satisfaction. I did waiver between a three and a four rating and I think that’s because of my confusion from not reading Book I, Hidden Pieces. So, if you are interested in the series, I highly recommend beginning with Book I.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Synopsis:

A missing surf legend. Waterlogged clues. Can he trust his gut instincts to end the wave of murder?

Sheriff Jax Turner is learning to live again. Holding tight to the hope of reconciling with his FBI agent ex-wife, the wary man is determined to keep his focus on his coastal Oregon community. And after a concerned brother requests a welfare check, Jax is troubled to find the absent surf shop owner’s tracks lead to a pool of blood.

Now investigating a potential homicide, Turner chases a tip from his former spouse about a severed foot found on the beach. But when a torrent of leads links the victim to a politician’s son, a jealous competitor, and a get-straight program for youth, the steadfast lawman fears layers of lies and secret agendas will keep him from stopping a vicious killer.

Can he unravel the fatal agenda before he’s the next corpse to wash ashore?

If you like flawed heroes, gritty crimes, and dark twists and turns, then you’ll love Deadly Tides, the chilling second book in Mary Keliikoa’s Misty Pines Mystery Series.

 

Praise for Deadly Tides:

“Keliikoa has crafted a page-turning second installment….An intense and satisfying whodunit.”
~ Kirkus Reviews

“In this atmospheric second entry in her Misty Pines series, Mary Keliikoa has crafted a taut, small-town police procedural with a fine cast of compelling characters. Deadly Tides is a marvelously labyrinthine mystery that lays bare the tortured nature of a spirit driven to murder. That alone would be enough to recommend it. But it’s also a poignant exploration of loss and the difficult journey that leads to healing. In the crime genre, that’s a rare and beautiful accomplishment.”
~ William Kent Krueger, author of Fox Creek and This Tender Land

“In Mary Keliikoa’s Deadly Tides, a small seaside town can be murder. A perfect blend of a twisty whodunnit and a heartbreaking examination of loss and love, Deadly Tides is a thrilling continuation of this new series!”
~ Rachel Howzell Hall, best-selling novelist of We Lie Here and These Toxic Things

“Fantastic! A severed foot, a pool of blood, a missing man, and an expanding web of suspects in the small Oregon town of Misty Pines. Sheriff Jax Turner sure has his hands full. Mary Keliikoa’s “Deadly Tides” is as taut as a drum, a real page-turner with a propulsive climax that’ll have you literally holding your breath. Loved it.”
~ Tracy Clark, author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series and the Det. Harriet Foster series

 

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural, Psychological Suspense
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: October 2023
Number of Pages: 299
ISBN: 9781685122799 (ISBN10: 1685122795)
Series: Misty Pines Mystery, #2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

 

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

Abby Kanekoa rolled through town in her Prius, searching the empty streets and worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Stonebridge Assisted Living Center had called an hour ago to let her know her mother, Dora Michaels, had walked away. Again.

It was early January on the Oregon coast. There’d been no substantial rainfall for several days. The chilly mist-filled winds had come through that morning, though, and the center couldn’t say exactly when her mother had slipped out their door. Time to put a better lock on that thing. Mom might not be drenched to the bone, but she’d be cold.

Thankfully, this was Abby’s scheduled day off. Not that the FBI didn’t work with her regardless. After her daughter, Lulu, died of leukemia, they’d brought her back to the team as if she’d never left. They understood her bad days. Same since her divorce. Despite what Jax thought about how she’d handled her grief, burying herself in her work and having the support of the Bureau had saved her more than once.

Especially the flex schedule. With her mother’s early onset of Alzheimer’s, it allowed for these occasional searches.

Or not so occasional, as it were. Mom had escaped three times this month.

Greenery and garland from the holidays still clung to the streetlamps on Misty Pines’ main strip. But she had yet to catch a glimmer of her mother’s fiery red hair. At a crawl, Abby glanced inside each of the storefronts. Last time, she’d found her mother at the donut counter picking out an apple fritter.

“Honey’s favorite,” she’d repeated all the way to the car, her hand gripping a white bag full of them.

Abby’s Hawaiian father—“Honey,” as her mother had called him—had treated the family to fritters every Saturday morning since Abby could remember. He’d died twenty years ago, but Abby had continued the tradition with her own family until Lulu died, and it became too painful. Today, the donut shop’s seats and barstools were empty.

On Scholls Ferry Road, kids played on the swings and monkey bars of the elementary school. The time before the donut shop, Abby had found Mom by the cyclone fence, her fingers clenching the metal lattice, watching the kindergarten class play kickball. They both cried as Abby drove her back to the facility. Alzheimer’s had been brutal to her mother, stealing much of her mind. But memories of Lulu were ingrained, even deeper than those of Abby; Dora often gazed at her like they’d never met.

Abby pulled in front of the bookstore, ignoring the pang in her chest. Emily Krueger greeted her from behind the counter, sorting a new shipment of novels with bare-chested men and women in flowing gowns on their covers.

Abby explained the situation.

“I haven’t seen your mom. But I’ll call if I do.” Emily reached a hand across the counter and squeezed Abby’s forearm. Emily had endured the disappearance of her own daughter a few months ago. If anyone understood Abby’s concern, Emily did.

“Thank you. I’m sure she’s just out picking flowers or….” Or what? Where did a sixty-four-year-old woman wander to? What was she looking for when she left the warm confines of the assisted living home into the cool and murky outdoors?

“Maybe she’s folding laundry,” Emily said.

Abby chuckled despite her worry. During the summer, Dora had strolled into the laundromat down the road to fold a stranger’s tighty-whities. But that’s also why fear prickled Abby’s spine now. Dora stuck to the downtown area when she walked off.

Why not this time?

Abby slid back into her car and dialed Trudy at the sheriff’s station.

“No reports about your mom have come in today,” Trudy said.

“You’ll call if one does?”

“Certainly, hon. And I’ll let Jax know.”

Jax. Abby stretched her neck. “Don’t bother him. If needed, I’ll call him later.”

“Uh oh. I thought you two had decided to work on your relationship.”

“We’ve been so busy and….” Abby trailed off. She didn’t have a good reason for why things hadn’t progressed between them, only that she was to blame.

“It’ll work itself out,” Trudy said. “You’ve both been through a lot.”

Abby gnawed on her thumbnail. “Yeah. You’re right.”

“Have you checked the ocean parks?”

“Next on my list.”

Abby accelerated out of town, tension growing in her shoulders. It shouldn’t be so easy for residents to walk out of an assisted living center. In truth, she was more annoyed with herself that Dora had to be there in the first place.

But Abby had to work and couldn’t give her mom the full-time care she needed. Better facilities could be found in Portland, those focused on memory diseases, but they were a couple-hour drive. At least when her mom walked off from Stonebridge, she couldn’t get far, and Abby was close enough to hop in her car to search. She’d been in law enforcement long enough to know those thirty to sixty minutes could make all the difference.

A fact she was being reminded of today and another source of frustration. Abby hadn’t caught the call on her phone when the staff at Stonebridge first reached out this morning. It took three attempts. She’d been in the shower shaving her legs, of all things. As if anyone would notice.

Abby turned into the boat basin. She cruised through the parking lot, noting the fishing boats rocking dockside. She scanned each of them, spotting a crew of fishermen getting ready to brave the bar, but no redheads traversed the area.

Next, she headed out Ocean Drive, turning onto Meddle Road a couple of miles later. The route led to the ocean and was miles from the facility. Too far for Dora to wander? She’d been gone for half a day. If motivated, she could have made it this far. Abby’s hands tightened on the wheel. Thick mist had rolled in and hung in the sky. The temperature had dipped.

She swung her car into the abandoned beach parking lot and got out. Wind whistled past her as she crested the top of the lot and scanned the shore. The sand blasted against her pant legs with hollow pops and stung her face. She lowered the sunglasses from the top of her head onto her eyes and wrapped her jacket tighter as the cool air bit through the thin fabric.

Where are you, Mom?

Seagulls squawked overhead, catching the drafts. A few landed near the surf, arguing over an empty Styrofoam container. Aside from birds, though, the beach was empty. Only rocks stood sentinel offshore, water eddying around them. This was too far south of one of the surfing beaches and too far north of the other. No place to crab or fish here either. Summer had long passed for tourists to visit, except for the random one or two that had lost their way and stumbled upon the place. The local morning beachcombers had already come and gone, likely sipping coffee in front of a warm fire by now.

Abby’s focus drifted to the tree lined cliffs in the distance. Some trees had fallen, catapult and hapless, onto the dunes. Other had come in on the tide. Abby scanned the area for signs of her mother. That’s when she saw the splash of red rising from a row of logs near the sandy ridge.

Whatever was there had hunkered down. Hiding?

Mom. Abby raced down the hill, the soft white sand sucking at her practical flats. She gave up and kicked them aside. Fifty yards farther, she hit the hardpack and sprinted, the wind at her back. As she drew closer, another flash of red provided certainty that it was hair flapping in the wind.

“Mom, is that you?” Abby hollered.

She slowed her pace to a walk as she approached. The woman was dressed in a nightgown and hunched like a turtle with only her back showing. Shaking. Her red hair, streaked in gray, whipped upward. My god. She was whimpering.

Abby’s heart pounded. Her mother must be freezing.

She almost ran again but it was always best to approach Dora in the same manner she’d approach a small child. Or a suspect.

“Mom?” she said again. Still no response. If she was deep in her illness, the word might not register. “Dora?”

Her mother lifted her head. “It’s mine.”

Abby blew out a long, weary sigh. She’d found Dora—alive and talking. That’s what mattered. Slipping out of her jacket, Abby draped it over her mom before sitting on the log next to her.

“You sure came a long way.” Abby gazed out at the water. Relief at finding her mother unharmed whooshed through her like the breeze around them. Her heartbeat found its steady rhythm. “How about we get someplace warm and dry? Pancakes sound good, don’t they? Let’s find some hot pancakes and drench them in real maple syrup. You’d love that, right?”

“Okay. But I want to take it with me. I found it.”

Her mother had probably discovered some unique shell or glass fishing float. Whatever she’d found, she could keep. Abby would help her display it in her room. “Sure, Mom.”

Dora straightened, and Abby’s stomach twisted at the sight of the blood saturating the front of her mother’s white gown.

“Are you okay?” Abby said, her voice inching up.

Then she saw the source of the blood.

In her hands, she held a tennis shoe containing a severed foot.

***

Excerpt from DEADLY TIDES by Mary Keliikoa. Copyright 2023 by Mary Keliikoa. Reproduced with permission from Mary Keliikoa. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Mary Keliikoa

Eighteen years in the legal field, and an over-active imagination, led Pacific NW native Mary Keliikoa to start writing mystery and suspense. She is the author of the award-winning HIDDEN PIECES and DEADLY TIDES, both part of the Misty Pines mystery series, the PI Kelly Pruett mystery series including the multi-award nominated DERAILED for best debut, and the upcoming stand-alone DON’T ASK, DON’T FOLLOW out Summer of 2024. She’s also had short stories in Woman’s World and the anthology, Peace, Love, and Crime.

Catch Up With Mary:
MaryKeliikoa.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @mary_keliikoa
Instagram – @mary.keliikoa.author
Twitter/X – @mary_keliikoa
Facebook – @Mary.Keliikoa.Author

 

 

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Giveaway – Girl On Trial by Kathleen Fine @partnersincr1me @kathleenfine

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Girl on Trial

by Kathleen Fine

October 23 – November 17, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

https://amzn.to/46FUEQR

Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person?

Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller, known by the media as Keller the Killer, is accused of causing the deaths of a family of four, including young children. Emily is one of the youngest females to be accused of a crime so heinous, making this the nation’s biggest trial of the year. But what really happened that fateful night—and who’s responsible—is anything but straightforward.

Living in a trailer park in Baltimore with her twin brother and alcoholic mother, Emily’s life hasn’t been easy. She’s had to grow up fast, and like any teen, has made questionable decisions in a desperate attempt to fit in with her peers. Will her mistakes amount to a guilty verdict and a life in prison? It’s up to the jury to decide.

Praise for Girl on Trial:

“Kathleen Fine has written a compassionate, thought-provoking thriller that will have readers asking themselves big questions about redemption while also turning the pages with breathless anticipation. From her opening pages, Fine grabbed my attention and didn’t let go until I closed the book, hardly twenty four hours later. Fine’s story reminds us that everyone has a backstory and that the root of empathy involves discovering the particulars of someone else’s history with an open heart and mind.”
~ Christie Tate, Author of Reese’s Book Club and NYT bestseller GROUP

“In her sharp debut Girl on Trial, Kathleen Fine deftly weaves the past with 16 year-old Emily Keller’s present-day manslaughter trial, allowing readers to put together the puzzle pieces of what really happened the day everyone says Emily killed an entire family. With her vivid characters and a well-developed setting, Fine evokes compassion for people trying their best and reminds us that there’s more to every story than meets the eye. Girl on Trial asks readers to wonder: are we more than our biggest mistake, and does everyone deserve redemption?”
~ Jessie Weaver, author of Live Your Best Lie

“Readers will be on edge as Emily’s decisions lead her to become involved in and vulnerable to dangerous situations… The epilogue brings the roller-coaster ride to a satisfying conclusion…. Gripping, tragic, but ultimately hopeful.”
~ Kirkus

“In Kathleen Fine’s Girl on Trial…interpersonal dynamics are revelatory… reality wars with public perception…a suspenseful thriller in which a maligned teenager is forced to fight for justice.”
~ Foreword Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: YA Contemporary Mystery/Thriller
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: October 2023
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780744306835 (ISBN10: 0744306833)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

January 12, 2022
i

“The only reason I come to this meeting is for my weekly caffeine high,” Tiffani with an i admitted. Emily nodded at her friend as she took a sip of her lukewarm, watered-down coffee, a taste she’d gotten used to. A taste she now associated with healing.

“I’m not no strung-out addict or nothin’,” Tiffani continued and then focused on Emily, remembering that Emily, in fact, wasn’t there just for the coffee. “No offense—wasn’t tryin’ to say nothin’ bad about addicts. It’s just they don’t give us caffeine inside, ya know?”

“No offense taken.” Emily smiled as she wrapped both hands around her coffee cup, relaxing her tense shoulders. She’d become used to Tiffani’s candor and had grown to appreciate the woman’s raw honesty. She watched as Tiffani sprinkled some sugar into her undersized paper cup and stirred it with the plastic spoon tied to a container with blue yarn. Tiffani glanced around the room and then untied the yarn, placing the spoon into the pocket of her gray, state-issued sweatpants. Emily bit her lip, debating if she should stop her, but then decided not to. Tiffani was going to do what Tiffani wanted to do—she always did and always would.

“I gnaw on the edges of this enough and it gives me a sorta sharp blade.” She gave Emily a wink as she patted her pocket, keeping the new weapon safe as she took a seat in the circle with the other women.

“One minute, ladies,” the guard announced to the group as the chatter quieted down and the women took their seats in the circle. Emily picked up an NA book from the only empty seat in the circle that Nikki left for her as a placeholder. She sat down in its place, shifting uncomfortably in the metal chair. She moved her eyes toward the group secretary, Darlene, as she flipped through a stack of papers on her lap.

“Hello, I’m an addict and my name is Darlene. Welcome to the Lincoln Juvenile Correctional Center’s group of Narcotics Anonymous. Can we open this meeting with a moment of silence for the addict who still suffers, followed by the serenity prayer?” Emily closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to stop her palms from sweating. She still got anxious even though she’d been attending the meeting every week for the past year. How has it been an entire year? she wondered. So much has happened in only twelve months.

“Is there anyone here attending their first NA meeting or this meeting for the first time?” Darlene asked. “If so, welcome! You’re the most important person here! If you’ve used today, please listen to what’s being said and talk to someone at the break or after the meeting. It costs nothing to belong to this fellowship; you are a member when you say you are. Can someone please read, Who Is an Addict? and What Is Narcotics Anonymous?”

“I will,” Chantelle volunteered as she reached across the circle, grabbed the paper from Darlene, and began reading aloud to the group.

“Yo, Em,” Nikki leaned over and whispered in Emily’s ear. “You celebratin’ today?” Emily nodded at her timidly. She didn’t like speaking in front of people even if it was a group of women she trusted.

“You’ll do great,” Nikki whispered as she punched Emily lightly in the arm. Emily peered around the circle to make sure no one was paying attention to Nikki’s whispers. They weren’t supposed to have side conversations during the meeting—the guard would send them out of the room if he caught them.

When Chantelle finished the reading, Darlene thanked her and said, “Now can someone please read Why We Are Here and How It Works?”

Emily watched anxiously as the paper was passed down to Trina. She closed her eyes and listened to Trina’s words, clenching her jaw tightly.

“I used last night,” Nikki muttered so quietly, Emily wasn’t sure if she was meant to hear her. She glanced over at Nikki, who was staring down into her coffee cup shamefully. Nikki had been the first person to introduce herself to Emily at her initial meeting, making her Emily’s OG friend in the group. Emily furrowed her brow and placed her hand on top of Nikki’s. She wished Nikki had told her about the relapse earlier—then she could have had an actual conversation with her about it. She wondered where Nikki could’ve gotten her hands on anything since she’d heard a rumor the guards had been doing weekly bunk checks.

One day at a time, Nikki had told Emily, so many months before when she’d been a broken shell of herself. “One day at a time,” Emily whispered, trying not to let the guard hear their buzzing.

Seeing Emily’s tentative face, Nikki mumbled, “My roommate snuck some smack up her papusa. Had her boyfriend’s kid bring it in when he visited her. Whack, dude. Whack.” She shook her head and rubbed her buzzed hair with her rugged hands. “She’s a bad influence on me. I gotta get a new roommate.”

Emily frowned, aware that there was nothing she could do to help Nikki. Nikki had to want sobriety for herself, just like Emily had wanted it. She squeezed Nikki’s hand tightly and whispered, “Glad you’re here.” As much as Nikki’s relapse upset her, it gave her a tiny bit of strength to share her story. Maybe she could help Nikki even a little bit today by sharing her own struggles.

“No touching,” the guard yelled from across the room, eyeing Nikki and Emily. As if being scolded by a teacher, Emily reddened and instantly pulled her hand away from Nikki’s.

Darlene reached below her chair and lifted a shoebox to her lap. “This group recognizes length of clean time by handing out key tags. If you have one coming to you, please come up and get it. The white one is for anyone with zero to twenty-nine days clean and serene.” Darlene opened the box to reveal a white key tag and dangled it in the air. Nikki glanced at Emily and then hesitantly stood up to collect her tag. The group clapped and whistled wildly as she crossed the circle and took her tag. She gave a couple of the women fist bumps as the group chanted, “What do we do? Keep coming back!” Emily put her fist out as Nikki gave it a bump. She hoped this small gesture, this modest group of women cheering for Nikki, would be the reason she’d quit for good this time.

“The orange one is for thirty days clean and serene.” Emily watched as two women got up, collected their tags, and sat back down. Applause and chanting “What do we do? Keep coming back!” vibrated the room.

As Darlene handed out the tags for two months, three months, and so on, Emily gripped her chair, knowing her turn was coming. Her palms, damp with her sweat, began to slip along the chair’s metal sides.

“The yellow one is for nine months clean and serene,” Darlene announced.

Nikki peered at Emily and nudged her bicep. “Your turn is coming up soon,” she whispered. Emily smiled at her, trying to give the façade of bravery, but she felt anything but brave. What she really wanted to do was run as fast as she could out of the room and into the parking lot.

“The glow-in-the-dark one is for a year clean and serene.” You can do this, Emily thought as she unsteadily stood up and walked toward Darlene. All the women in the room clapped loudly and chanted as she took the tag and went back to her seat, her face flushing with pride.

Darlene placed the box back under her chair and collected the sheets of readings from the women who had read. “Today, Emily is celebrating her one-year anniversary with us. You ready, Em?”

The women’s applause quieted and all eyes turned toward her. Clenching her fists tightly, she felt her beating heart rise to her throat. She scanned the room at the women and girls before her. Addicts, inmates, and friends. My people, Emily thought as she said, “My name is Emily, and I am an addict. This is my story . . .”

1

Trial Day 1: January 7, 2019
i

The alarm on Emily’s phone chimed just as Sophie whispered in her ear, “Wake up, Emawee. Wake up.” She opened her eyes widely, her body covered in sweat, her sheets soaked yet again. “Time to wake up.” She heard Sophie’s whisper get farther away, humming distantly from somewhere in her dreams.

From somewhere in her nightmares.

As she turned off the alarm, she tried to overlook the numerous text messages that’d surfaced from numbers she didn’t recognize.

“Die, killer”

“You’ll pay in hell for what you did.”

“Murderer”

How can people I don’t even know want me dead?

With shaky hands, she deleted the texts as a CNN report popped up on her screen, updating her on the “Trial of the Year,” that was beginning that day:

CNN Breaking News
The Biggest Trial of the Year Begins Today, January 7, 2019. Emily Keller, also known by the media as Keller the Killer, is accused of causing the deaths of four family members, two of them small children. Only 16 years old, Emily is one of the youngest females to be accused of a crime so heinous.

Emily buried her face in her pillow, taking a deep breath. She tried to hold back the habitual tears that were creeping out from the corners of her eyes. I have to be strong today; no crying, she told herself as she rubbed her temples slowly. I need to put on my protective armor, or I’ll never make it through today alive. She reached under her mattress, grabbed her orange pill bottle and gave it a shake, the rattling sound of the tablets comforting her. She poured two pills onto her clammy palm and placed them gently on her tongue. Protective armor.

“Emily?” her brother, Nate, quietly inched open the bedroom door, “You awake? It’s time to start getting ready for court.”

Without looking up at him, she nodded as she rolled out of bed, trying not to think about how wrong the prosecution had the facts and how she could be sent to prison because of it. As she attempted to walk toward the door, her ankle monitor snagged on her lavender bedsheet. She yanked the sheet off in frustration and dragged her feet to the bathroom to prepare for the first day of her new life.

Debbie and Nate were already waiting for her in Debbie’s rumbling Toyota Camry when she stepped out of the trailer.

“It’s your turn for shotgun.” Emily opened the door to the backseat where Nate was already buckled in.

“You can take it today,” he muttered, avoiding eye contact with her.

“I don’t need pity shotgun just because I’m on trial for murder, Nate,” Emily replied curtly as she reluctantly sat down in the front seat. As she buckled her seat belt, she already regretted scolding Nate for doing something kind. I’ll apologize to him later, she told herself. Nate had been up with her until three o’clock that morning, listening to her cry and consoling her. I don’t deserve him, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut.

She rolled down her window and took a deep breath of fresh morning air as her mom lit a Virginia Slim, her hands trembling. “Morning vodka shot hasn’t kicked in yet?” Emily muttered under her breath as she turned on the radio. Or maybe one shot doesn’t cut it anymore, Emily thought.

“What hasn’t kicked in?” Debbie asked as she ashed her cigarette into an empty coke can, oblivious to Emily’s disrespectful comment.

“Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet?” Emily corrected herself as she investigated her face in the cracked side mirror of the car. The face staring back at Emily was swollen from weeks of nonstop crying. Although she’d put on some of her mom’s waterproof mascara, she still looked like someone had run her over with a truck. You’re so repulsive, she thought as she tried to comb her drab chestnut hair with her fingers, squinting at her image through the cracked glass. She wanted to disappear. Sink down into the seat of the car and disappear forever.

As she pinched her upper cheekbones to give her face some color, she glanced at Nate through the corner of the broken mirror, hoping he couldn’t tell she was staring at him through the mosaic lens. Since he had headphones in his ears, she assumed he was listening to a news podcast about the trial. The expression on his face looked like it was straining to stay calm, but she could read his emotions no matter how hard he tried to hide them. When you shared a womb with someone, you knew everything they were feeling.

There was actually supposed to be three of them. Her dad had left when he’d found out Debbie was pregnant with triplets. He’d said since he didn’t want one baby, he definitely didn’t want three. Emily used to sometimes think about how different her life would’ve been if their other brother hadn’t died at birth. Maybe he would’ve punched Tom Swanson for dumping her two years ago since Nate didn’t do a thing about it. Maybe he would’ve taught Emily to throw a football since Nate was anti-athletics.

Maybe he could’ve stopped Emily before she lost herself. Maybe he could’ve stopped this whole situation. Maybe no one would have died.

“Valerie told us to meet her around back when I spoke to her on the phone last night,” Emily directed her mom as they pulled up to the courthouse. Debbie nodded as she navigated her ancient car around to the back of the building, avoiding the crowd hovering at the entrance.

“Shit, look at all of the people,” Nate announced as he stared at the crowd and cameras surrounding the front of the building. No one seemed to notice their rickety car escape past the swell to the rear parking lot. Maybe they were expecting some sort of official-looking black SUV like you see in crime movies and not our pathetic piece of tin, Emily speculated, thinking about how some seniors at her school owned nicer cars than her mom’s. She peeked down at her gray dress and nervously picked little lint balls off it as her mom parked the car.

“You look fine, Em,” Debbie insisted as she opened a mini bottle of vodka from her purse and took a swig, “That dress looks lovely on you.” Debbie had spent her tip money to buy Emily “new” thrift store clothes for the trial. Emily was now pulling at a seam on the edge of the dress, making it unravel.

As she waited for her mom to finish her shot, she felt around for the phone in her purse to make sure it was turned off. She’d turn it on later that night once her mom and Nate were sleeping so she could read through her texts and the news in privacy. That way, if she cried, no one would see her. Strong people don’t cry, she told herself.

“You need a pill?” Debbie asked as she fumbled through the large purse on her lap. The Valium Emily had taken that morning was beginning to set in, and she was starting to feel unreasonably calm.

“I’m good.” Although I’ll need another one soon, she thought. It hurt her too much to live in reality.

Emily’s lawyer, Valerie Anderson, was standing at the back entrance of the building, propping open the heavy metal door with her bright red heel. As Emily stepped out of the car, Valerie waved her hands frantically, “Quick, before they catch on that you’re back here!” she shrieked as she lifted her long, hot pink nails to her mouth.

“We better hurry.” Debbie grabbed Nate’s and Emily’s hands, tugging them toward Valerie.

“Wait,” Emily urged as she struggled to catch up to her petite mom’s gait. Without warning, her black heel wobbled to the side and she stumbled, falling onto the hard concrete. Before she had the chance to assess the damage to her knees, Nate dropped his mom’s hand, grabbed Emily up by the arm, and quickly escorted her to the door. As they approached Valerie, all eyes looked to the blood running down Emily’s knees. Emily was surprised the wounds stung so badly even though the rest of her felt numb.

“We’ll have to find some Band-Aids ASAP before we converse.” Valerie’s heels echoed in the hallway as she led them to their room. Emily slouched over even more than she had been as she followed Valerie, spying the name Keller stuck to a metal door with a yellow Post-it. As they stepped inside, the heavy door slammed behind them with a loud thud.

***

Excerpt from Girl on Trial by Kathleen Fine. Copyright 2023 by Kathleen Fine. Reproduced with permission from Kathleen Fine. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Kathleen Fine

Kathleen Fine received her Master’s in Reading Education from Towson University and Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from University of Maryland, College Park. She is a member of the Maryland Writers Association, International Thriller Writers, and Author’s Guild. When she’s not writing and selling real estate, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to the Outer Banks, and of course, reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, three children, and Sussex Spaniel. Her short stories have been published in Litro Magazine, Pen in Hand, The Maryland Writer’s Association Anthology, and in The Indignor Playhouse Anthology. Girl on Trial is her debut novel.

Catch Up With Our Author, Kathleen Fine:
KathleenFineAuthor.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @kathleenfineauthor
Instagram – @kathleenfineauthor
Twitter/X – @kathleenfine
Facebook – @fine.kathleen
TikTok – @kathleenfineauthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews and opportunities to WIN!

 

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Giveaway & Review – The Prime Suspense by Lauren Carr @iReadBookTours @TheMysteryLadie

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Book Details:

Book Title:  The Prime Suspect (A Sam MacKade PI Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 430 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Oct 26, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!


“The plot is twisted. The characters are full of depth, with many hiding secrets. Mackade’s two dogs and Greyson’s cat are not only smart, but have attitude with a capital A.  I don’t want to spoil anything, so all I am going to say is the cat is the hero who deals with one personal threat.”  Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer, review of THE PRIME SUSPECT

“Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. …“ – Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books

“I am, bottom line, amazed at the giant step that places Carr comparable to significant authors whose name slips off our tongues like, for instance, Nora Roberts. Watch this author–she’s moving quickly to where her goals are headed…” – review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.” – review by Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental, As Eye See It

MY REVIEW

Lauren Carr has a large cast of characters in her novels and it amazes me how she is able to keep them clear in her mind, and the list in the beginning of her books helps me keep them clear in my mind.

A lone man walking across a deserted campus late at night. Such were the makings of suspense novels.

That was Dr Dermont Lynch’s thoughts as he walked through the deserted campus to his vehicle and was shot and killed. Bryce’s life has never been the same, since many think she was the person who killed him.

Sam MacKade’s mentor had tried to kill him, causing his injury that forced him out of the police force. He became a private eye. He hadn’t let anyone close, except for his canine companions. Will Bryce be the one to open his eyes, his heart and his life to…more?

Dogs, like Gus and Cleo, Dutch Shepherds, are hallmarks of Lauren Carr’s novels. They put many smiles on my face, at times having me laughing out loud. Lauren’s writing and creativity in describing their actions, antics and training add so much delicious goodness and feel good feelings to her stories. Between them and Sam, I think the Sam MacKade series may be my new favorite.

Bryce Greyson is one of the main characters, but her friends, Susan, Erin and Cat play important roles. With so much action and mystery, we have plenty of room for lots of characters.

“Don’t let the cat leave town.”

Bryce’s cat Misha, is a Ninja Cat and I LOVE IT! The whole situation in Bryce’s house, around page 360, was at turns funny, frightening and frustrating. I laughed at the mayhem Misha caused protecting her domain.

The Prime Suspect by Lauren Carr is filled with hours of reading entertainment. We have more than one mystery, danger and suspense, dogs with giant personalities and a ninja cat…oh my…with plenty of villains suspects, thieves and murderers.

Go ahead and pick up a copy of The Prime Suspense by Lauren Carr…and try to put it down. Go ahead. I dare ya. Can’t be done. There is so much going on, so many clues to follow, so many deaths, my head is spinning and I never want it to end.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
Book Description:
Two murders with one common denominator. Both victims betrayed Bryce Greyson. How could she not be the prime suspect?

Four years after Bryce’s cheating husband is gunned down, her boyfriend-stealing former roommate’s remains are found buried under a statue at her alma mater.

Declared the prime suspect by both detectives and the media, Bryce has no choice but to hire someone to clear her name.

Enter Sam MacKade, private eye.

To solve two murders, the former police K-9 officer and his canine partners must sift through the clues and the lies to reveal the true prime suspect.
Buy the Book:
(available for pre-order)
Amazon 
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:

Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author:  website ~ amazon ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter 
~ pinterest
Enter the Giveaway:
THE PRIME SUSPECT by Lauren Carr Book Review Tour Giveaway



MY LAUREN CARR REVIEWS

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All About Eve – The Girl From The Basement by Michael B Chikondi #michaelbchikondi #vampires

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https://amzn.to/3PVTn1K

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Because The Girl From The Basement by Michael B Chikondi is the third book in the Idle Hands series, I am not going to go into specifics and spoil anything for you. I will, however, tell you how much I have enjoyed learning about Michael’s complicated brand of vampires. We have politics, betrayals, killing at the drop of a hat, conspiracy and machinations for power. Sound familiar? Sound human?

Sinjen is a fascinating vampire. Sure, he will kill at the drop of a hat, but he has his own set or morals. I find his neediness funny and sad at the same time.

Sinjen is working with Lord Aster, investigating the rogues, but when he meets Eve, it becomes all about Eve. She is not who or what she appears to be. He has a complicated relationship with Miriam, a human and an order of monks have an extreme dislike for his kind. We have a lot of action and players involved in, but Sinjen is a master at maneuvering around and manipulating others.

Brace yourself for The Girl From The Basement, Book 3 of the Idle Hands series, by Michael B Chikondi. With this series, you will need to begin at the beginning, with Book I, Like Father Like Son.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

After the events in the Highlands, Sinjen begins to work with Lord Aster to uncover the truth about the rogues they discovered. As the vampire couple begins to integrate into Nightfall, Sinjen is sent away, in search of the fledgeling who escaped their clutches. By the time he meets Eve Morgan, something is wrong. Either someone got here before him, or Eve might be something abnormal. While he gets to the bottom of it, he finds he has two other problems. Miriam’s safety, and an order of monks with a particular dislike of the undead.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Vampires
  • 227 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published August 20, 2023
  • Series: Idle Hands, #3

ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)

Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.

“Can we approach?” we call.

“No soliciting.” the voice returns.

“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”

“Ask.” the dread voice responds.

“Alright, who are you?” we try.

“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”

“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.

“Yes, but now…I hunger…”

We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.

Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.

MY MICHAEL B CHIKONDI REVIEWS

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Giveaway – The Cat That Played Chess by Catarrina Cummings @XpressoTours

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The Cat That Played Chess
Catarrina Cummings
Publication date: July 10th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

Having received an eviction notice, Zapporah Leverne needs money fast. Her current job as a product tester will not meet the deadline. She believes her extraordinary cat named Rookie can fix this. This feline is so good at copying humans that she can move chess pieces on the chessboard.

Zapporah pulls ropes to land Rookie a part in a commercial. Her cat wows the director to the point he thinks she would be good in his reality television series. But Rookie is stolen from Zapporah’s apartment.

Although there are few clues to the thief’s identity, Sloth, Zapporah’s roommate, believes the landlady is the thief and attempts to prove it. When Zapporah receives a voice message with a cat meowing in the background from talent agent Gloria Stravos, her suspicions are confirmed. Whoever stole Rookie will put her in show business. Arriving at Gloria’s office, Zapporah discovers Gloria has been murdered. Things don’t look good for Zapporah when the homicide detective learns she and Gloria had a history of fighting.

Will Zapporah’s intuition and tech-savvy help find Rookie and save her from a cunning murderer hiding behind the cloak of a white nationalist organization?

Amazon

—


Author Bio:

Catarrina Cummings is an author from Baltimore, Maryland who now lives in San Diego. She is the creator of the Snooping While Black mysteries series, with the first book being The Cat That Played Chess. In addition to dedicated service to her feline overlord, Madam Scrunchka, she also hones her guitar playing under a master instructor.

Her love for chess began when she served in the U.S. Navy, traveling and engaging in tournaments. She’s thrilled that she found the chance to include it in her first novel.

Nowadays, Catarrina can be found solving chess problems and attending multiple book clubs. If she ever finds enough free time from these activities, she might wish to consider finishing the second installation of her mystery series.

Website


GIVEAWAY!
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A Spooky Town Visit – Echoes Of Other Times by Kathryn Meyer Griffith @KathrynG64

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Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Echoes of other Times is the eighth book in Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s Spook Town Mystery series. I have been loving these intriguing characters and reading about their eventful lives. There is never a dull moment in Spooky Town, so let’s begin.

We start off with a homeless young man. There is something unusual and special about him and when he meets Myrtle…well…he may find his place in this world.

The residents of the town are beginning to come out of their hibernation after the pandemic. Myrtle…scootering around town…I love this woman. I can see her, motoring around, singing a Perry Como song at the top of her lungs. Her heart is so big, as are many others in the town. They have suffered many horrors, but never turn their backs on those in need. I love where Kathryn Meyer Griffith takes this part of the story. I had an idea of what would happen, but it is so much better than I anticipated. My heart went out to the boy, as did others.

Glinda is a psychic and the spirit world is talking to her…loudly. She reads tarot cards and the messages she’s receiving are warnings of what is to come.

Abigail has a big role to play too. She is an artist and when she meets an older woman and offers her a ride, her world expands, as does Theodora’s. That saying, ‘There but for the grace of God go I’ applies. I love the Pay It Forward aspect that makes an appearance.

I have fear for the characters. I have known Kathryn Meyer Griffith to take them out on occasion and I have a heavy sense of trepidation the more I read. Their hearts are so big and welcoming, they stick with you long after the book is read.

It’s great writing like:

…the loss had again driven home the truth that no one lives forever and life was brief. A person should try to be happy. If one wanted to do something, they should do it now. Treat each day as if it were one’s last.

I feel Kathryn Meyer Griffith puts her heart into her characters and they shine.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREAD BLURB

Frank and Abigail, and the town of Spookie, have survived the last horrific year and a half and are moving on with their lives. They’re sending their two children, Laura and Nick, off into the world to seek their futures. Abigail is preparing for another art gallery show, her theme this ghosts . Frank is preparing to fully retire, for the final time, from his part-time deputy’s job at the sheriff’s department…after he helps the sheriff solve one last case. A missing husband. A case that doesn’t end up anything like either of them expect, when it leads to vile murders. Then Myrtle, while scootering around in town, is befriended by a strange barefoot boy who seems to be homeless…and special in many unusual ways. Glinda, Myrtle’s grandniece, the psychic, has a secret. All the other quirky citizens of Spookie are here as well living their everyday lives amidst the fog and the mysteries. There are now nine Spookie Town Murder Mystery books.

  • Genre: Fiction, Ghosts, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Witches and Wizards
  • 383 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published March 18, 2022
  • Series: Spooky Town Murder Mysteries, 38

ABOUT KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over fifty-one years ago now, and now have had thirty-six (romantic horror, thrillers, SF Thrillers, horror novels, romantic SF horror, romantic suspense, romantic time travel, historical romance, and murder mysteries) novels, and thirteen short stories, published from many traditional publishers since 1984. But since 2012 I’ve gone into self-publishing in a big way; and upon getting some of my older books’ full rights back for the first time in 36 years, self-published all of them along with my newer novels. My seven Dinosaur Lake novels and nine Spookie Town Murder Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away, Ghosts Beneath Us, Witches Among Us, What Lies Beneath the Graves, All Those Who Came Before, When the Fireflies Returned, Echoes of Other Times, and Waiting Beyond The Veil) are my best-sellers.

I was married to beloved Russell (who passed away on August 27, 2021) for over forty-three years; have a son, two grandchildren, and a great granddaughter, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois. I have a quirky cat, Sasha, and live in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my late brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Love Is Stronger Than Evil, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus bonus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (The Fifth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Those Who Came Before (The Sixth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), When the Fireflies Returned (The Seventh Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Echoes of Other Times (The Eighth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Waiting Beyond The Veil (The Ninth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Spooky Short Stories Collection, Haunted Tales, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation, Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors, Dinosaur Lake VI: The Alien Connection, Dinosaur Lake VII: The Aliens Return, Dinosaur Lake VIII: For Love of Oscar…coming soon. Memories of My Childhood (short story collection) and my Christmas Magic 1959 non-fiction autobiographical short story.

Stalk Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

MY KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH REVIEWS

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Giveway – Quantum Reaction by Marc Wayne @GoddessFish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marc Wayne will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Life-altering tech is on the horizon, and someone wants it stopped—permanently. Can a murder witness escape paying the ultimate price?

Near future. Angela Kapp struggles with her past. Working remotely from an isolated cabin in a dead-end customer support job, she drinks too much and spends her days avoiding the world. But while on shift using a visual-interpretation headset to assist a blind person, the cynical loner is horrified when she virtually experiences the other woman’s gruesome slaying.

Shocked the next day when she recognizes the killer closing in on a second sightless client, Angela shouts for the software engineer to run. And after learning that he and the first victim are connected by a soon-to-be-released teleportation innovation, she convinces him to go to ground in her secluded home… only to become a target herself.

Can her paranoia and his unexpected skills thwart a sinister plot?

Quantum Reaction is a gripping science fiction mystery. If you like resilient heroines, unique blind heroes, and high-adrenaline action interwoven with humor, then you’ll love Marc Wayne’s flash forward to adventure.

Buy Quantum Reaction to take a leap into tomorrow today!

Read an Excerpt

Angela recognized the tall, powerfully built man with red hair who had strode into the building from the far door, a gap in his front teeth appearing when he smiled at the security guard.

“That’s him!” she yelled.

“Who?” JT had frozen in response to Angela’s panic.

“The killer. He’s at the far door,” Angela spit out the words.

JT’s head swiveled in that direction as Angela leaned in to confirm the sighting. “Keep looking that way,” she instructed as she remembered this time to snap a picture of the killer on her phone.

The killer caught sight of JT, his expression quickly morphing into grim determination. He took a stride toward JT, ignoring the identity check before the security guard reacted.

“Sir,” called the guard.

“He’s coming toward you.” Angela’s throat tightened, but she maintained her poise. “You’ve gotta get out of there. Turn to your nine o’clock.”

Two years of working together had JT reacting immediately.

“Now run.”

“Run?” questioned the blind man, even as his legs started moving anyway.

“Door opens automatically. Way’s clear.” Her voice was no longer panicked but rather conveyed certainty. She wasn’t going to lose another client—she’d get him to safety.

About the Author:
Marc Wayne writes thrilling sci-fi mysteries. After publishing 8 novels in another genre under a different name and having several best-sellers, he has turned to his first love: sci-fi.

His years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley honed his writing skills and sense of humor. Writing fiction was part of Marc’s everyday work for many years—these were just called ads, emails, and other marketing materials.

To Marc, it often felt like he was living at the intersection of technology and the future, where things you dreamt about could often become possible. After that, writing near-future sci-fi hasn’t felt like such a stretch.

Book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

Buy Quantum Reaction at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCNHVWR3

Join Marc’s newsletter or learn more at http://www.Marc-Wayne.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marc-wayne
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Author.MarcWayne
Marc@Marc-Wayne.com

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Giveaway & Review – Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold @dollycas @Carolyn_Arnold #WeddingBellsBrewMurder #NetGalley

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Wedding Bells Brew Murder (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
by Carolyn Arnold

About Wedding Bells Brew Murder

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold is always a must read for me. Cozies can be fun and mysterious, so I was excited to be able to get my hands on the second book, Wedding Bells Brew Murder, of the Sara And Sean Cozy Mystery series.

Sean McKinley had inherited a fortune and proposed to Sara. Since then, their lives have been a whirlwind. They quit their jobs as homicide detectives for the Albany Police Department and have spent their time traveling the world.

Tomorrow was on track to be a perfect day, their wedding day, but knowing Carolyn Arnold, it won’t stay that way. And it doesn’t. Sara and Sean are on the job, but not. They are told to stay out of the way, by an admirer and the the leader of the investigation, Ryan. He’d always had a crush on her, so maybe she did the wrong thing calling him.

Magnum is their trusty beagle and can sniff out all kinds of things. He can be a bit disobedient, but all in all, he fits right into their lives. He will prove very helpful.

The past comes a calling. Carolyn Arnold does visit the past to fill in the blanks and I love that about her books. They can stand alone, though I always recommend beginning at the beginning. Each one is enjoyable and adds hours of entertainment for your reading pleasure.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

With all the guests at Sara and Sean’s wedding suspected of murder, her walk down the aisle will need to wait…

Everything is going perfectly on the big day until Sara opens the door of her bridal suite. Darlene Day, who made the wedding cake, falls into the room, a serving knife plunged into her back.

As the organists start to play “Here Comes the Bride,” Sara calls a pause to the proceedings. There’s a murder to solve, and the motive may be in the icing.

Darlene wasn’t the most loved person in the small town of Cotton Spring Falls, but rumor has it that she refused the offer of a big franchise to buy her bakery. Did they go so far as murder to put her out of business?

But when it’s discovered their wedding cake was poisoned, Sara and Sean could have been the intended victims all along. Did Darlene stumble upon the killer’s conspiracy and they silenced her before she could reveal their secret? Is it someone on the invitation list or the mysterious wedding crasher?

As long as the coffee is hot, and Sara has Sean and her beagle, Magnum, at her side, she isn’t going down in a heap of tulle and lace.

Wedding Bells Brew Murder is a closed-room mystery in the fashion of the great Agatha Christie that fans of Emma Davies, Verity Bright, and Helena Dixon will enjoy reading.

About Carolyn Arnold

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting 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 near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

Author Links

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MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S Saroff @stevesaroff

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What first drew me in was the second line of the blurb: Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

I like a flawed character, and these characters are definitely flawed. Enzi was a stutterer. His mother died when he was twelve and his father hit the bottle. He was bullied at school and ignored by his teachers. He was removed from his fathers home, passed from school to school, bullies to bullies, until her ran away at fourteen. He roamed from job to job. He became enamored with patterns, which led to mathematics.

He becomes involved with Kaori, a woman he met at a party and she is a piece of work.

He does a little something for Tsai, and before he knows it he’s in over his head. Threats fly and he struggles to find a way out of the tangled web he has become involved in. I wondered how, or if, he would get out of the situation that threatens his life and those around him. We do have an elusive guy he goes to for a bit of peace and quiet, and he becomes a favorite of mine.

I flipped between a three and four rating, but the ending was worth that extra star. Many times I find the ending is what saves a book for me. Good job, Steve.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

While breaking into a financial network, a hacker falls for a dangerous artist.

Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

Critics and reviewers are calling it “Wonderfully written,” “A novel to read now,” and “A literary thriller with a soul.”

Set in Montana, Paper Targets simmers with greed and love before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.

From the publisher:

Paper Targets reads like a confession from someone double-cursed with the skills to make money and the sort of love that makes sorrow. It is a captivating story. What got me on the first read of the manuscript was the writing. Stark, yet emotional. Dark while still being relevant and heart-breakingly clear. For a few pages, I wondered to what genre the story belonged. Then I didn’t care because all I wanted to know was what would be revealed on each page turn. Paper Targets is a story of modern crime set in Montana with connections and events in the money world of New York, Seattle, and London. The descriptions of Montana rock and sky blend and flow easily — with only the slightest of wobbles — with the descriptions of technology and cityscapes of grey concrete.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 249 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published February 2, 2022 by Flooding Island

ABOUT STEVE S SAROFF

Steve Saroff is a well-known short-story writer, novelist, and entrepreneur. He published over 30 short stories, printed traditionally in Redbook and other national magazines, and is the author of Paper Targets; The Long Line of Elk; and the forthcoming Mixed Drinks. He also hosts the literary podcast Montana Voice.

Steve Saroff was a runaway who became an author and a computer coder. He has helped artists, writers, musicians, and a few good actors start careers. He helped launch Submittable, the submission system used by publishers, and he was the founder of FreeMail Inc, the first commercially successful web-based email system. FreeMail was acquired just before WorldCom and Enron’s multi-billion-dollar criminal fraud and collapse — still the world’s largest combined criminal frauds. His novel Paper Targets digs into a buried fringe from that corrupt time.

(Author’s photo was taken from the time of the oil-field events in Paper Targets)

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Review – The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs #kathyreichs #netgalley #thebonehacker

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I want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs. I still watch the Bones series reruns and never hesitate to pick up a Kathy Reichs book.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I always want to love a Kathy Reichs novel and I did enjoy and do recommend The Bone Hacker, but it fell a little short for me to love it. I do enjoy the adventure of heading to the Turks and Caicos, a place I have never been, but loved learning about, murder and all.

I smiled and laughed at the picture her words brought to mind of her dog, Birdie, sitting at the table minding her manners so she can eat with her human family.

A death in Canada has her on a plane to the Turks and Caicos faster than she can think, WTH. And there my confusion begins. Kathy Reichs has so much going on that doesn’t seem to connect in any way. I know to be patient, that most authors will bring it all together and once I have the full picture it all makes sense.

For an established author like Kathy Reich, I have very high expectations and look for excellence. I did not find that here, but Musgrove, then Monk grew on me. Island life doesn’t function the same as on the mainland, and I love the individuality of the characters.

I didn’t find anything earth shattering, but The Bone Hacker did have its moments. It confirmed for me…privacy is an illusion. If half of what I read in the book was true, unless you are completely off the grid, big brother is watching.

I enjoyed The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs, but it was not one of my favorites. Regardless, I am sure I will pick up the next book of hers I see.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-second high-stakes thriller featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, following a series of bizarre disappearances on the islands of Turks and Caicos, enters a sinister labyrinth in which a new technology may wreak worldwide havoc.

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men—tourists—have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found in a strange location with both hands cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace. But, recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common—other than the strange locations where their bodies are eventually found, and the fact that the young men all seem to be the least likely to be involved in foul play. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. And then she turns up disturbing clues that what’s at stake may actually have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud, and then Temper herself becomes a target.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 352 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Series: Temperance Brennan #22
  • Expected publication August 1, 2023 by Scribner

ABOUT KATHY REICHS

Kathy Reichs

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.

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