Review & Giveaway – Deadly Depths by John F Dobbyn @partnersincr1me @Johndobbyn

Deadly Depths by John F Dobbyn Banner

Deadly Depths

by John F Dobbyn

July 24 – August 18, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

The cover for Deadly Depths hints at the treasure hunt to come. The book was everything I expected and more. I loved everything about it.

Professor Barrington Holmes was like a father to Matthew Shane. He was found…dead…in his office. His death was deemed a suicide. But, a man with a heart condition found with a slashed wrist, a man with a passion for life, taking his own? Matthew didn’t believe it and sets out to prove the police are wrong.

Matthew had been in the Intelligence branch of the Air Force. He had been a criminal attorney. Now, he is a law professor in Salem, Massachusetts. The perfect man for the job.

His journey will take him from Massachusetts to Canada, Jamaica, France, and beyond as he connects to the members of The Monkey’s Paw, a group of five archaeologists searching for the discovery of a lifetime. Each member was a given a piece of the clue and when put together would lead them to the treasure, the discovery of a lifetime

More death and threats to The Monkey’s Paw society are shrouded in mystery. I have a feeling that more than the natives are restless and my thoughts were, sorta, correct. A dive in the sea poses its own threat. I knew that diving on the wreck would have to involve some danger for Matthew. A book from a young Welshman, buried in the depths of the sea for more than a century, spells out the story.

The Caribbean…I love everything about it. I have a passion for the waters and the history. I have read many novels, fiction, nonfiction and historical about the islands, the Spanish, the English, the Aztecs, the Mayans, Mexico…Matthews journey was so familiar to me, as I read about the Maroons, pirates, slavery, the Ashanti, treasure hunting and more.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Deadly Depths by John F Dobbyn.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Synopsis:

The death by bizarre means of his mentor, Professor Barrington Holmes, draws Mathew Shane into the quest of five archeologists, known to each other as “The Monkey’s Paws”, for an obscure object of unprecedented historic and financial value. The suspected murders of others of the Monkey’s Paws follow their pursuit of five clues found in a packet of five ancient parchments. Shane’s commitment to disprove the police theory of suicide by Professor Holmes carries him to the steamy bayous of New Orleans, the backstreets of Montreal, the sunken wreck of a pirate vessel off Barbados, and the city of Maroon descendants of escaped slaves in Jamaica. By weaving a thread from the sacrificial rites of the Aztec kingdom before the Spanish conquest of Mexico through the African beliefs of Jamaican Maroons and finally to the ventures of Captain Henry Morgan during the Golden Era of Piracy in his conquest and sacking of Spanish cities on the Spanish Main, Shane reaches a conclusion he could never have anticipated.

Praise for Deadly Depths:

Deadly Depths gives readers characters they care about and gets hearts pumping as the mystery and adventure unfold!”
~ Janet Hutchings, Editor, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Deadly Depths is an exciting mystery novel that asks who has the right to seek and exploit lost treasures.”
~ Foreword Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Crime Thriller
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: August 2023
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781608095483 (ISBN10: 1608095487)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Oceanview Publishing

Read an excerpt:

We arrived at an area of private docks in a town called Oistins. The driver stopped at the base of a wharf that anchored power boats of every size, speed, and description. One power yacht stood out as the choice of the fleet. The Sun Catcher. My guide hustled us both directly to the carpeted gangplank that led on board a vessel that could pass for a floating Ritz Carlton.

The engines were already revving. I was escorted to a padded deck-lounge with maximum view on the foredeck. I had scarcely settled in, when we were slicing through late-afternoon sea-swells that barely caused a rise and fall.

My guide, still in suit and tie, brought me, without either of us asking, a tall, cool, planter’s punch with an ample kick of Mount Gay Rum. For the first moment since Mick O’Flynn told me that someone was asking for me, I made a fully-considered decision. This entire fantasy could easily turn into a disaster that could outstrip New Orleans and Montreal together, but to hell with it. It was just too elating not to accept it at face value – at least for the moment.

My mind was just settling into a comfortable neutral, when I heard footsteps from behind that had more heft than I imagined my guide could produce. I made a move to swing out of the padded deck-chair, when I felt the touch of a hand with authoritative strength on my shoulder. The voice that went with it had the same commanding undertone.

“Stay where you are, Michael. I’ll join you.”

A matching deck-chair was set beside me. I found myself looking up at a shadow against the setting sun that appeared double my bulk and yet compact as an Olympic hammer-thrower. The voice came again. “You’re an interesting study, Michael. I may call you ‘Michael’, right? I should. I probably know more about you than anyone you know. You might have guessed that by now.”

An open hand reached down out of the shadow. I took it. The handshake fit the shaker. It took some seconds for the feeling to come back into mine.

Before I could answer, the voice was coming from the deck-lounge beside me. “No need for coy name games. You know that I’m Wayne Barnes. And you know that I’m one of the, shall we say, associates in that little clique we call the Monkey’s Paws. In fact, your escort here, Emile, tells me it was the mention of my name that swung your decision to get on that plane.”

He nodded to my nearly empty Planter’s Punch. “Another?”

Before I could answer, he gave a slight nod to someone behind us. Before I could say “Yes”, or possibly, but less likely, “No”, a native Bajan in a server’s uniform was at my left taking my empty and handing me a full glass.
I was three good sips into the second glass before I said my first word since coming aboard. I looked over at Wayne. I seemed to have his full focus. His engaging smile seemed to carry a full message of relaxed hospitality, and none of the threatening undercurrents I was scanning for. “You have an interesting way of delivering an invitation, Mr. Barnes”

He raised a hand. “Wayne.”

“’Wayne’ it is. You must have an interesting social life.”

“I do. Do you find it offensive?”

I looked over the bow, past the deepening blue crystal water to the reddening horizon. I felt the soothing caress of the slightly salted ocean breeze. I took one more sip of the most perfectly balanced planters punch of a lifetime, and looked back at Wayne. “Not in the slightest. Yet.”

“Ah yes, ‘yet’.”

“Right. I’m sure this won’t impress you, Wayne, and it’s not a complaint, but I’ve had a week full of enough tragedy to fill a lifetime. Hence the ‘yet’.”

His smile and focused attention remained. “I know more about your week, perhaps, than even you do. But go on.”

The second planter’s punch was having a definitely mollifying effect. “I have no idea what you mean by that last statement, Wayne, so I’ll just pass on. Given that week, and the abrupt transport from hell on earth to . . . paradise on earth, I’d have to be Mrs. Shane’s backward child not to listen for a second shoe to drop.”

The smile expanded. Still no alarms. “Or perhaps you’ve come into a sea-change of good luck, Michael. Why not go with that?”

“Why not indeed? For the moment. Just one question. ”

“Alright. One question. For now. Make it a good one.”

“Oh it is. It’s a beaut. Ecstatic as I am with all this, why the hell am I here?”

That brought a bursting laugh. “I think I’m going to enjoy having you around for a couple of days, Michael. You have an instinct for the jugular. No chipping around the edges. We won’t waste each other’s time.”

“Thank you. But that’s not an answer.”

“No it isn’t.” He looked out to the diminishing sunset. “The only answer I can give you at the moment that would do justice to the question is this. And you’ll just have to live with it for now. You’re here for a quick but depthful education. I think you’ll find it well worth two days of your life. Are you in?”

“Do I have a choice?”

We both looked back at the rapidly diminishing shore-line behind us. “None that comes to mind. Now are you in?”

That brought a smile from me, another healthy sip of the planter’s punch, and a deep breath of the ocean-fresh breeze. “I’m in.”

We chatted through the sunset on far-ranging subjects that had no association whatever with Monkeys Paws, Maroons, murder-suicides – in fact nothing that gave a clue as to why my gracious host had chosen my company over the undoubtedly vast range of his acquaintances. By then, the moon had risen.

At some point, I was aware that the engines had stopped. The splash of two anchors could be heard on either side. The sun had set. The shift from twilight to a darkness, penetrated only by a quarter moon went unnoticed.

I was slowly sipping away at my third or possibly fourth Planter’s Punch, when I became aware of a bobbing light approaching from the port side. Without interrupting the flow of conversation, I noticed that Wayne was following its approach with more than the occasional glance until it reached the side of the yacht.

Within a few minutes, my original guide, still in suit and tie, approached Wayne’s side with an inaudible whisper. I sensed that a bit of steel crept into Wayne’s otherwise conversational tone. “I’ll see him.”

I began to get up to provide privacy. Wayne held my arm in position. “Stay, Michael. Let your education begin.” My guide nodded to someone behind us and lit his path with a small flashlight.

I settled back, as a fiftyish man with narrow, cautious eyes and thinning grey hair that might have last been combed by his mother came up along Wayne’s right side. The loose wrinkles in his ageless cotton suit indicated that he might have been close to six feet, but for a constant stoop as if to pass under an unseen beam. The stoop caused his head to bob and gave him the look of one asking for royal permission to approach.

Wayne’s eyes turned to him. I noticed the stoop of the back became more noticeable. Wayne’s voice was calm and soft, but it commanded his visitor’s full attention. “Do you have it? I assume you wouldn’t be here without it, yes, Yusuf?”

The thin mouth cracked into a smile that conveyed no humor. “Of course. Of course. But perhaps our business . . .”

Wayne nodded toward me. “No fear. Mr. Shayne is here for an education. We shouldn’t deprive him of that, should we?”

The smile on the man’s lips did not match the apprehension in the tiny eyes, but he nodded. “As you say.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

The man gave a slight glance to either side as if it were the habit of a lifetime. He reached into some deep pocket inside his suitcoat. I noticed a slight but tell-tale hesitation before he slipped out what appeared to be a hard, flat, roundish object, about seven inches across. It was wrapped in several layers of ragged cloth.

He held it until Wayne extended a hand and took it onto his lap. He laid it on the small tray on his stomach. He looked back at the man, who simply forced a smile .

“I assume it all went well?”

“Oh yes, Mr. Barnes. No problems,”

Wayne smiled back. “How I do love to hear those words.”

My eyes were glued to Wayne’s hands as he carefully peeled back one layer of cloth after another. When he turned over the last layer, the object in the shape of a disc sent out instant glints of reflections of the rising moonlight.

I could see Wayne running the tips of his fingers over the entire jagged surface of the disc. He took a flip cigarette lighter out of his pocket, opened it, and lit the flame. When he held it close to the object, I could make out the resemblance of a human face, coarsely pieced together from chips of green stone.

Wayne held it up toward me and ran the flame in front of it.

“Do you recognize it Michael?”

“I’m afraid not.”

He nodded. “Most wouldn’t. Your friend, Professor Holmes, would spot it immediately. The Mayans made death masks to protect their important rulers in their journey to the afterlife. They go back to around 700 A.D.”
“What stones are these? They look like jade.”

“Good spotting. The eyes were made of rare seashells.”

“And I assume valuable?”

He laughed again. “Right to the crux of the issue. Right, Michael.”

He turned the object over and ran his fingers over the back side of it. “One that apparently goes back as far as this, and belonged to the ruler we have in mind, the right collector will pay half a million. Isn’t that right, Yusuf?”

Yusuf’s grin was beginning to become genuine. “Oh yes. Oh yes. And more, as you would know, Mr. Barnes.”

Wayne swung his legs over the deck-lounge toward me. He sat up and very carefully replaced the wrapping that had covered the mask. He stood up and walked toward the man. “And the key to its value is that it is absolutely authentic.”

Wayne looked down at the grinning eyes of Yusuf for several seconds. I think I let out a yell that came from the pit of my stomach when Wayne hurled the wrapped object over side of the yacht, into the pitch blackness that absorbed it with barely a splash.

I thought that the man would crumble to the deck. He barely held his balance. In the blackness of the night, I couldn’t make out his features, but I know to a certainty that every drop of blood left his face.

Wayne called a uniformed attendant.

Before the man moved, Wayne took hold of his arm. I was almost as frozen to the spot as the man. I think we were both certain that he would be following the object into the blackness below.

Wayne held him close enough to speak directly into his ear, but spoke loudly enough, I’m sure, so that I could hear.

“It’s a fake, Yusuf. I’m sure you know that. But you’ll live to do me a service. You’re a delivery boy. Nothing more. I want you to take a message back to Istanbul. I want you to say just this. ‘You had my trust. I give it sparingly, and not twice. Rest assured, we’ll speak of this again.’ Do you have that Yusuf?”

The man had all he could do to nod.

Wayne signaled his attendant. “Take him back.”

The man was escorted, practically carried toward the back of the vessel. In a few minutes, I could see running lights heading away from the yacht.

Wayne sat back down. “What do you think, Michael? One more Planter’s Punch before dinner?”

I could only smile at the abrupt change of tone and subject.

“No? Then shall we go in to dinner. The chef should be prepared by now.”

When he stood up, I saw that he took something from under his deck-lounge. My mouth sprung open when a glint of light from an opening door of the yacht cabin lit up the death mask. I could see amusement in the smile of my host.

“What on earth did you throw overboard?”

“Oh that. I substituted my lap tray in the wrapping for the desk mask. I’ll keep the mask.”

“But if it’s a fake.”

“It is, but a fake by a well-respected forger of these antiquities. It has enough value for that reason alone to pay the expenses I’ve already incurred in acquiring it. Shall we go to dinner?”

***

Excerpt from Deadly Depths by John F Dobbyn. Copyright 2023 by John F Dobbyn. Reproduced with permission from John F Dobbyn. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

John F Dobbyn

Following graduation from Boston Latin School and Harvard College with a major in Latin and Linguistics, three years on active duty as fighter intercept director in the United States Air Force, graduation from Boston College Law School, three years of practice in civil and criminal trial work, and graduation from Harvard Law School with a Master of Laws degree, I began a career as a Professor of Law at Villanova Law School. Twenty-five years ago I began writing mystery/thriller fiction. I have so far had twenty-five short stories published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery magazine, and six mystery thriller novels, the Michael Knight/Lex Devlin series, published by Oceanview Publishing. The second novel, Frame Up, was selected as Foreword Review’s Book of the Year.

Catch Up With John F Dobbyn:
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Twitter – @JohnDobbyn
Facebook – @JohnFDobbynAuthor

 

 

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Giveaway – Saving Piper Moonlight by Joann Keder @XpressoTours

Saving Piper Moonlight
Joann Keder
(Piney Falls Mysteries, #2)
Publication date: July 13th 2020
Genres: Adult, Thriller

Piper has lived her entire childhood on the run. She’s about to uncover the deadly reason why…

In the second book of the Piney Falls Mysteries series, Piper Moonlight is tired of constantly looking over her shoulder, afraid of the remaining Fallen Branch cult members. She decides the best place to land is in Piney Falls, Oregon, where the cult originated. At least everyone there knows her story and she’ll be safe.

When she arrives, she finds employment under the watchful eye of Cosmo Hill, also a former Fallen Branch member, at his bakery. Cosmo doesn’t trust Piper or her story. He enlists the help of his fiancé , marketing wonder and super sleuth Lanie Anders to uncover the truth of Piper’s past.

Lanie and Cosmo soon discover there are still shocking secrets buried within the layers of the former cult. As those secrets come to light, those who keep them will stop at nothing to stay hidden. The ugly truth of Fallen Branch will force Lanie, Cosmo and Piper to make unthinkable choices to save themselves and the life they know in Piney Falls.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Can I ask–did you ever love me?”

There is laughter from the other room and a chill runs down his spine.

“I assumed we’d already discussed the uselessness of emotions. They get in the way. Imagine if I let that interfere during the last two decades. We wouldn’t be where we are, on schedule for the metamorphosis.”

“YOU wouldn’t be on schedule. The rest of us–well, me–would be fine. You don’t remember those times we were gardening at Fallen Branch, talking about the future? You said then you couldn’t picture anyone else by your side.”

“I couldn’t. That didn’t mean I loved you, though. You were the perfect partner…for a time. As you’ve said: you didn’t have control of your emotions and I could direct you easily. I gave you a list. You accomplished every bullet point.” The Killer stalks closer. “Is there anything you want them to know? I’m giving you this gift that we never gave the others. A thank you for your service. Let’s call it my ‘emotion’ for today.”

“Tell them I’m sorry. I wasn’t strong enough to continue by your side and I wasn’t smart enough to survive on my own.”

“That’s not at all what I thought you would say.”

“What did you expect? A lengthy speech? I’ve always left those to you.”

“I thought you might want them to know you were a brave soldier in our war. Kind of make them proud, at least.”

He throws his hands in the air. “I give up. You’ll make it your own story no matter what. I learned long ago that it’s impossible to please you. They’ll learn that soon enough.”

“I hope not.”

“Tell them…I tried. Just get on with it now. I can’t bear to think about it anymore.”

His killer hands him a cup. “Cheers, my friend. It was a good ride while it lasted.”

His hand brushes his killer’s and without looking up, he lifts it to his lips.


Author Bio:

USA TODAY bestselling author, Joann Keder spent most of her years in the Midwest, growing up and raising a family on the Great Plains of Nebraska. She worked for sixteen years as a piano teacher before returning to school to receive a master’s degree in creative writing. A mid-life move to the Pacific Northwest led her to re-examine her priorities. She now creates stories about life and relationships in small towns while her ever-patient husband encourages her on.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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Review – Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates @darcyauthor @NetGalley

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of Dead Of Winter.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Darcy Coates had me until the last head rolled and that was fantastic and very unusual. This dark and disturbing, graphically suspenseful novel had me so wrapped up I couldn’t stop reading until the last word was read.

I don’t even have the breath to scream. My face is to the sky, my back to the empty white void beneath me as I plunge, carrying a wave of snow in my wake.

And that is only the beginning of Christa’s nightmare. Nine people begin the tour and only one person will be left standing. I figure…it has to be her…doesn’t it? But, how will the others be taken out and who is the one doing it that is the question.

At first I rated Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates a four, but as I wrote this review, seeing the novel had everything I could want in a suspense novel and an ending that deserves a star of it’s own, I had to raise my rating to a 5. I mean, I love a good storm, whether in the cold climes leading to a blizzard or the warm climes leading to a hurricane, an isolated location, a killer amongst them, bloody, gruesome and graphic deaths…I mean, what more could I possibly require for a mind numbing thrill ride into the depths of depravity and revenge?

We have those ‘don’t go out there’ moments…and I love it.

The writing and pacing keeps the suspense at a high level, the story flowing seamlessly. The list of suspects included all of the tour goers, Darcy Coates making me suspicious of them all, at one time or another. I couldn’t eliminate anyone, except Christa. Did I see who the villain was and the need for revenge? Sure, there was a hint or two here and there of the reason, but it did not lead me to the villain…until Darcy Coates exposed him. I bow to her for a job WELL DONE.

OH, I forgot to mention the gorgeous cover and the intriguing title that screams, “Read me!”.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she’s hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they’ll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing…only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport…and they’re far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 384 pages, Paperback
  • Expected publication July 11, 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press

ABOUT DARCY COATES

Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.

She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates

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Review – Fear The Silence by Robert Bryndza @RobertBryndza #FearTheSilence #NetGalley

I want to thank NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to review another Robert Bryndza novel, Fear The Silence.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fear The Silence by Robert Bryndza is one of those books where I bounced between a three and a four rating. I can’t state a specific reason for it. Was it the book or was it me?

I have read two other books by Robert Bryndza and enjoyed them, so whenever I see the opportunity to read another, I am all over it. Soooo, let’s begin.

Maggie’s husband, Will, committed suicide…or did he?

He blew me a kiss and made Luna wave her paw. He looked so content. Deliriously content is how I’ll always remember that last view of him.

And the mystery begins. She travels to their island home in Croatia. Oh yeah, I think an isolated island is where she should be…alone. She discovers why he changed careers six years ago. The past never stays buried and now it has put her life in extreme danger.

I can’t imagine the terror…huddled, cowering, in the dark as someone rifles through your home…hoping, praying, not to be seen. It was…maybe…my favorite part of the book. I felt I was there with her, just waiting to be discovered. What do you think happens?

We have a hellacious storm rolling through, so it is impossible for her to leave the island. So many times, when a read a book, I try to think of what I would do. Would it be the same as the character? It’s one of those things where you have to be there to know. I think we all wish we would do something better than what gets the characters in such deep trouble.

They live in a smart home and I love when I learn something. Had me doing some surfing to see if it was true. A book that can make me do that, adds a little something extra…for me.

I kept trying to think of who it could possibly be that would want her husband dead. There weren’t that many suspects and until I found the reason, I couldn’t decide. Once the person was in my sights, it all began to come together and it read a bit like a spy novel.

As I said earlier, I went between a three and four rating. Whenever that happens, I take it up a notch. As I thought about it while writing the review and going through the highlights on my ereader, I still can’t think of what was wrong, me or the book. I guess you will have to read it for yourself. Robert Bryndza’s writing is easy to read and flows smoothly, so give him a try.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Fear O Silence by Robert Bryndza.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

‘Do you believe Will took his own life?’

The question echoed off the white tiles in the hospital’s cold, cavernous morgue, and I studied my husband in peaceful repose. I leaned down and put my forehead against his. Silent tears ran down my cheeks. They felt hot, and he felt so cold. It was five days since his death, and my grief felt heavy, like a vast, dark mass pushing down on me.

When Maggie’s husband, Will, is shot dead in their London home, she thinks he is the victim of a burglary until the police tell her the shocking news that Will was the one who pulled the trigger.

Maggie is consumed with grief and questions. Will wasn’t suicidal. He had so much to live for.

After the funeral, Maggie travels to their holiday home on a small Croatian island to escape London. She finds a disturbing letter written by Will, containing clues to a dark secret.

As Maggie puts the pieces together, she discovers Will’s death is connected to someone from his past… Someone who will go to extreme lengths to keep Maggie silent.

Three can keep a secret… If two of them are dead.

The international multi-million bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with his first stand-alone thriller, a heart-racing, hold-your-breath read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

  • List: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 350 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 6, 2023 by Raven Publishing

ABOUT ROBERT BRYNDZA

Robert Bryndza

Robert Bryndza is an international bestselling author, best known for his page-turning crime and thriller novels, which have sold over five million copies.

His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).

Robert has released a further five novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, the seventh Erika Foster novel, is now available to pre-order and will be published 7th July 2022.

Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands and the third book, Darkness Falls, has just been published.

Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.

You can find out more about Robert and his books at www.robertbryndza.com

MY REVIEWS FOR ROBERT BRYNDZA

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Review – The Toymaker (Jake Pendleton #2) by Chuck Barrett @chuck_barrett

I have had The Toymaker by Chuck Barrett on my TBR since 2012. I was so excited to grab it and don’t know why I waited so long to read it.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Toymaker by Chuck Barrett is a continuation of The Savannah Project, so this review will be short and sweet.

I LOVED IT.

Jake Pendleton will learn the all the grisly details of the ills that have befallen him, as he faces his worst foes. One is familiar, Ian Collings, the assassin. One is new, a terrorist, and will test all his skills. He will travel the world, dodging death with colleagues old and new.

The more I read, the more lost I got in the story, wondering who would live and who would die. Hopefully, it will be the villains, but with Chuck Barrett, you can never be sure.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Former NTSB Investigator Jake Pendleton faces a dilemma as the line blurs between right and wrong. After his judgment comes into question, Jake is entrusted to his new mentor, an eccentric old man who sees beyond Jake’s flaws. A man who makes ‘toys for spies.’

A man known as The Toymaker.

Jake’s first assignment reunites him with Gregg Kaplan in a daredevil mission to rescue a fellow agent held captive in Yemen. He risks his life to stop the first attack of an al Qaeda mastermind. But now, with no one to trust but himself, can Jake stop the terrorist from destroying what is most precious to the free world?

Unfortunately, more trouble comes his way as a killer from his past threatens something more important to Jake than his own life, leaving him to make the hardest decision any man ever has to make—

Who to sacrifice.

  • Fiction, Action and Adventure, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Terrorism, Espionage

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2011

ABOUT CHUCK BARRETT

Chuck Barrett is the award-winning author of The Savannah Project, The Toymaker, Breach of Power, and Disruption of his Jake Pendleton series, and Blown, and Last Chance of his blockbuster Gregg Kaplan series. He is a graduate of Auburn University and retired air traffic controller. He also holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate.

He and his wife, DJ Steele (also an author) currently reside in Northern Colorado.

Awards:
—BLOWN
2016 Writers Digest Self-Published Book Awards

—Breach of Power
Winner of the 2013 Indie Excellence Award in Political Thrillers.
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.

—The Toymaker
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure & Mystery/Suspense categories.

—The Savannah Project
Finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.
Second Place in the 2011 Reviewers Choice Awards Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror category.
Honorable Mention in the 2011 ForeWord Reviews Book-Of-The-Year Awards Thriller/Suspense category.

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MY CHUCK BARRETT REVIEWS

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Early Review – Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez #BeforeSheFindsMe #NetGalley @iamHRChavez

Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez is up for preorder, due to be released tomorrow.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez is one of those books that it is not the cover that grabs me, though I do love female main characters, but this time it was the title. I know we will be having some hide and seek, predator and prey action. Everyone has a secret and some of them will pay the ultimate price…and I love it!

Julia is a mom and ex wife carrying heavy baggage from her tragic past, the secret haunting her. It has made her hypervigilant, noticing even the slightest thing that is amiss, her spidey senses on constant alert. Her and her daughter, Cora, have a ‘pun’ habit which I thought was a nice touch. 🙂 I love the twist that made them all targets, so, remember, make sure you hit what you are aiming for or it could come back and bite you…..

Ren and Nolan are assassins, married, and work together. Nolan gathers the information and Ren draws up the plans and maps. She is meticulous and, well, he’s getting sloppy, greedy, and I thought he could be their downfall. After all, it couldn’t be the woman. Nothing could possible go wrong…could it?

I love how the characters grew, developed more depth. The mystery of the shooting at the college goes way beyond anything I could have foreseen. I was curious from the beginning, but once the surprises started stacking up, the pace picked up and I didn’t want to stop until….

The ending was terrific and I kinda figured it out…who would be left standing, but how they would get there was a total surprise…and, oh so, fitting. There was a surprise victim or two, but, hey, fictional characters are disposable. HA HA HA HA HA I have found a new author to keep my eye on and I recommend any lover of suspense would enjoy this too.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In this shocking thriller, two unlikely mothers race to uncover the truth behind a horrific attack—even after it becomes clear that the truth will destroy one of their families.

Julia Bennett has worked hard to create a stable life for her daughter, Cora, in Southern California. So when Cora leaves for college, the worst thing Julia expects on move-in day is an argument with her ex-husband and his new wife. But a sudden attack leaves the campus stunned—and only Julia’s quick actions save Cora’s life. Shaken in the aftermath, and haunted by a dark secret, Julia starts to wonder: What if the attack wasn’t as random as everyone believes?

Newly pregnant Ren Petrovic has an unusual career—she’s a trained assassin, operating under a strict moral code. Ren wasn’t on campus that day, but she knows who was: her husband, Nolan. What she doesn’t know is why Nolan has broken their rules by not telling her about the job in advance. The more Ren looks into the attack, the more she begins to question: Who really hired Nolan? And why did one woman in the crowd respond so differently from all the rest?

Julia and Ren each want answers, but their searches quickly pit them against each other. One woman is a hired killer, but the other is a determined survivor. And both mothers will defend their families to the bitter end.
 

  • Adult, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 356 pages, Kindle
  • Expected publication June 27, 2023 by Mulholland Books

ABOUT HEATHER CHAVEZ

Heather Chavez Author

Heather is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley’s English literature program and has worked as a newspaper reporter, editor, contributor to mystery and television blogs, and in communications for a major health care organization. She lives with her family and two cat overlords in Santa Rosa, California, where she is at work on her next novel.

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Review – The Savannah Project (Jake Pendleton #1) by Chuck Barrett @chuck_barrett

I have had The Savannah Project by Chuck Barrett on my TBR since 2012, but didn’t pick it up until 2014. I was so excited to grab it and don’t know why I waited so long to read it.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I cracked the book open and didn’t realize it was St Patrick’s Day…here and in Savannah Georgia. The Prologue socked me in the gut and I braced myself for what was to come. I have had my eye on The Savannah Project and The Toymaker since 2012, so it is high time I Knocked them off my reading list.

Jake Pendleton will meet Ian Collins, an assassin that will change his life forever. A man who vowed an eye for an eye, a blood vengeance.

I have never really understood all the IRA, Sinn Fein issues, but I have read and continue to read novels about them, trying. An eye for an eye is never enough. I can never understand sacrificing innocent lives. How can that be right?

As I read along, the story grew deeper, more desperate and dangerous. Jake scrambles to understand what is happening. The action is non stop as they travel the globe creating devastation wherever they go. Bodies will fall and I wonder who will be left standing.

The story doesn’t end here and I eagerly begin The Toymaker. The characters have captured my curiosity and I have to know what will become of them, whether they are the worst villains imaginable or persons who will sacrifice their life for others.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The truth can be a dangerous thing.

Terrorism, duty, and personal safety collide when Jake Pendleton, an investigator for the NTSB, is called to investigate an aircraft accident in Savannah, Georgia during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The accident, which at first appears to be quite run-of-the-mill, turns out to be anything but. Since Jake is not willing to pretend there are no suspicious circumstances and more than the usual share of rather unlikely “coincidences,” he sets off a veritable avalanche of secrets, violence and treachery. Aided by an unlikely partner, Gregg Kaplan, the air traffic controller who was the last person in contact with the airplane that crashed, Jake sets out to untangle the webs of deceit and to find a vicious killer.

Nothing is as it seems, nobody is who you thought them to be.
Nothing is sacred.
Nobody is safe.

The Savannah Project is an action packed political thriller with a twist around every corner. If you like thrillers by great authors like David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and others, then you’ll enjoys this book as the author incorporates his 3M formula for his novels: Murder, Mystery, & Mayhem.

His books have reached Amazon Bestseller status in the following categories:
• Espionage & Spy Thrillers
• Political Thrillers
• Political Thriller & Suspense
• Action & Adventure
• Terrorism Thriller

  • Action and Adventure, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Fiction

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2010

ABOUT CHUCK BARRETT

Chuck Barrett is the award-winning author of The Savannah Project, The Toymaker, Breach of Power, and Disruption of his Jake Pendleton series, and Blown, and Last Chance of his blockbuster Gregg Kaplan series. He is a graduate of Auburn University and retired air traffic controller. He also holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate.

He and his wife, DJ Steele (also an author) currently reside in Northern Colorado.

Awards:
—BLOWN
2016 Writers Digest Self-Published Book Awards

—Breach of Power
Winner of the 2013 Indie Excellence Award in Political Thrillers.
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.

—The Toymaker
Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure & Mystery/Suspense categories.

—The Savannah Project
Finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category.
Second Place in the 2011 Reviewers Choice Awards Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror category.
Honorable Mention in the 2011 ForeWord Reviews Book-Of-The-Year Awards Thriller/Suspense category.

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MY CHUCK BARRETT REVIEWS

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Review – The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon #TheQuietTenant #NetGalley.

I want to thank NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review The Quiet Tenant and the introduction to the author, Clemence Michallon.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was happy to be on the front end of Clemence Michallon’s writing career with what I think is her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I loved her twist on the serial killer scenario. I am a huge fan of serial killers, reading about them, not hanging out with them, so any fresh plot is always welcome. Of course, I think we know that a serial killer could be hidden under the guise of your neighbor. Hell, it could even be a family member. Serial killer’s are not always male, though it is rare to find one that is female.

Imagine meeting a kind, young man who turns out to be your worst nightmare. He has murdered eight women and you are the ninth. Why has he kept you alive? Why doesn’t he take what he wants and dispose of you? What makes you different from the others?

‘Rachel’ is the tenant and he is the landlord. He has had her for eight years. Now, things have changed. His wife has died and he is being evicted. How can he incorporate her into his new life, keeping the specifics hidden from his thirteen year old daughter, Cecilia.

Rachel has a set of rules she has made to keep herself alive, hoping she will be saved.

I had wondered about his relationship with his daughter, seeing he rarely let her out of his sight, other than school. Was he molesting her, having her take the place of his dead wife and Rachel is just a side bit for some variety? At first, I thought it was because he knew just how dangerous the world can be, seeing he is a predator. But, the reason was much more personal than her safety.

There were a couple of hiccups in the story, but over all it kept me reading. I wondered how in the world they could all live together and how it would end. Clemence Michallon was able to keep me in suspense, never giving away the ending, even though I tried to figure it out for myself. The twists and turns along the way were new to me and as many books as I read, it is hard to come up with something novel and unique. Kudos go out to Clemence Michallon for being able to do that and leave me wanting more. I am eager to see what she will come up with next.

The ending was inspirational and hopeful. I always wonder how I will react in a situation some of these characters find themselves in, and I tell myself one thing and wonder if that is what I would really do. After all, I don’t think any of us can know until or if it happens.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2023 • “A bravura feat of storytelling . . . a daring and completely satisfying mystery.” —James Patterson, #1 best-selling author

A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE CLOSEST TO HIS 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HIS GIRLFRIEND—AND THE ONE VICTIM HE HAS SPARED

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life. 

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut by a major talent.

  • Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 20, 2023 by Knopf

ABOUT CLEMENCE MICHALLON (from Amazon)

Clémence Michallon was born and raised near Paris. She studied journalism at City University of London, received a master’s in Journalism from Columbia University, and has written for The Independent since 2018. Her essays and features have covered true-crime, celebrity culture, and literature. She moved to New York City in 2014 and recently became a US citizen. She now divides her time between New York City and Rhinebeck, NY.

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I Am Hooked on Devil’s Dolls by William Baker #wiliamblake

OMG! I joined William Baker’s newsletter last month and have never looked back. His series of Devil’s Dolls short stories are to die for, and The Devil’s Origins is free, OR…if you have KindleUnlimited you can grab Season 1, or purchase for $5.97.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This standalone novella/short story, The Devil’s Origins by William Baker has me hooked. I love a good vigilante story and the only thing I hate about the Devil’s Dolls series is that it is not a novel. I want more, more depth, more detail, more of K…just MORE!

The Devil’s Origins by Willaim Baker has everything I love in a thriller…a female main character who is a vigilante, edge of the seat suspense, dead bodies, a story that can stand alone but has more to come. Once I read it, I knew I wanted more!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Blood, ashes, and bones.

That’s all she saw.

When she awoke amongst the debris and dead bodies drenched in a mysterious substance, she found two things.

A single initial on her half-burnt uniform’s nametag.

And all her memories erased.

Abandoned, confused, hungry, and cold, K trudges on into a small town she doesn’t recognize

Failing to consider that she looks like an escaped, dangerous convict…

That her appearance would turn heads, raising dangerous questions she had no answer to.

But there is something about her new self K learns the hard way.

Her powers are anything but human.

And they can get her in a whole lot of trouble.

Soon, all hell breaks loose, and K is entangled in a murder she never wished to commit.

As she tries to escape the consequences of her actions, K is met with a choice she never thought she’d have to make.

Follow the instructions of her anonymous benefactor, or starve, die, and worse…

There is only one thing K can be certain about.

Someone is watching her every move.

They know what she’s done.

And they won’t stop until she pays what she’s due.

K’s deadly chase has only just begun.

This is the standalone prequel to the Devil’s Dolls series by William Baker.

  • List: Mystery, Novella/Short Story, Psychological, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
  • 63 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published April 24, 2023 by Stories Of Wonder

MY REVIEW

Vengeance In Black by William Baker is a newsletter exclusive short story with a cliffhanger. I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. I was hooked when I read the standalone prequel, The Devil’s Origins, and was left hanging by my fingernails after finishing Vengeance In Black. I HAD TO KNOW what happened next and was ecstatic when William Black offered The Devil’s Dollmaker free for a limited time. YAY!

What’s is happening to all the women in town?

Look at that cover below…Doesn’t it make you want to know what the fuck is going on?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am soooo lovin’ this series of novella/short stories. It makes me think of Charlie’s Angels, except there is only one angel with an anonymous benefactor. K is the epitome of a female vigilante and I love her. In The Devil’s Dollmaker, a deliciously gruesome story of missing women, K shows her humanity. I hate that she remains a solitary action figure, yet a connection would make her a target. This way, she comes and goes, like a ghost in the night. The only downside to this action packed suspense novella/short story is the cliffhanger…and I am hanging on for dear life!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Somewhere in the dark, the Dollmaker butchers another victim.
Going against her instincts, K decides to follow Lisa to the police, where she introduces her to Jerry, a cop that seems to distance himself from the corruption of the system. What surprises K more is that the task force has been expecting her arrival, addressing her as ‘special agent’ Rose. Is this another unexpected twist her anonymous boss has thrown her way, or could it be an elaborate scheme to trap her?

The lack of physical evidence on the case and her only unreliable witness leave her no time for caution. Thanks to Jerry’s tech skills and Lisa’s charm, they follow the missing women’s traces to the dark web, where a man called the Dollmaker deals in favors and twisted requests. But the most disturbing revelation of all is why these women answer his call…

What they find on that page scars Lisa, but K is hellbent on uncovering the man behind the operation. She knows whatever lies inside the sickest minds is best to remain hidden, but unless they act fast, more will die, and the killer’s trail will run cold.

This time there is no room for error. Not while the Dollmaker is out there mutilating his new toy.

  • List: Mystery, Novella/Short Story, Psychological, Series, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
  • 77 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published August 31, 2022 by Stories Of Wonder

ABOUT WILLIAM BAKER

William Baker lives on the west coast, surrounded by misty mountains, together with his wife, his son, and their two cats Tiger and Panther. He is a dedicated reader of most genres, with mysterious thrillers being his favorite.

Since he was a young boy, Will has written stories of all sorts, starting with the adventure of a mysterious beheaded rider clad in black, wandering around the village after sunset, causing terror to any foe standing in his way. After high school, Will thought it wise to pursue a proper education and became an economist. However, the stories never disappeared, on the contrary, more and more started to play themselves out like movies in his head. At last, Will had no choice but to succumb and started writing again. He has never looked back since.

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Early Review – She Knows Too Much by Pamela Crane @MentalMommyPam

She Knows Too Much by Pamela Crane will be released on 6.13.23

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Pamela Crane does not need to hook me any more. I will read anything she writes. After reading the first book in the If Only She Knew Mystery series, I was eager to get my hands on She Knows Too Much, Book II.

We have a very interesting character in Sloane, a deaf woman who runs an event planning company that she built herself. The character was inspired by Pamela Crane’s brother and sister in law, along with a Nigerian friend. She shared bits of the deaf world and Nigerian culture.

We also have Ginger, an older woman who suffers from chronic pain, but still has a sense of humor and a feistiness that keeps her on the move. I do love the mix of old and young characters.

And Tara. I thought we may see more of her in this book, after meeting her in Book I, Little Does She Know. She’s a bit needy. She may drive her friends a bit crazy, but she stands by them, through thick and thin.

We begin the story when Tara almost tripped over a hand sticking up in her yard. What? Who could it be? More importantly, who put it there? And why? The three women will become suspects.

The mystery is murky and the suspects are numerous. The villains, we have plenty to go around and they spread their evil freely throughout the town. They will stop at nothing to get what they want and I think they enjoy it immensely.

“You seem to attract a lot of trouble, Tara. The deadly kind, if you catch my drift.”

Peace has written a true crime novel and been a witness that put Marvin Valance in prison. She works with Tara on the horse ranch, saving horses that are to be sold for slaughter.

How Marvin managed to get released so early no one knew. There is so much corruption because of the Valance family pretty much controlling the town, and I think we may be able to figure that out. The big question is…will he be coming after her for revenge? I never saw the result coming and I love when an author catches me offguard. Good one, Pamela.

They will all learn that you cannot run from your past and secrets never stay buried.

She Knows Too Much seemed to start a bit slow to me, but I felt I would be rewarded by sticking to it, watching the story develop, the characters nosing around, asking questions, refusing to stand by and let the police do all the work.

We have moments of laughter, second chances and plenty of surprises. The last half of the book had me questioning everyone and everything. And…Pamela Crane leaves us with the question, what happens next? After reading the ending of She Knows Too Much, I can hardly wait to find out!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of She Knows Too Much by Pamela Crane.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A lot of people want Victor Valance dead. But only one is willing to pull the trigger…and is about to do it again.

Bloodson Bay has a dark history soaked in blood and revenge. When a murder is linked to three friends, it’s tough to prove their innocence when they each have a motive.

Tara: the town troublemaker with a heart of gold.
Ginger: the wild grandma whose fashion is stuck in 1986.
Sloane: the deaf entrepreneur thrust into fame after her husband is murdered.

All three women have one thing in common—a disturbing connection to the body buried on Tara’s horse ranch. Everyone in Bloodson Bay heard about the bad blood between Tara and the victim. And rumor has it Ginger’s been holding a grudge of her own. But only Sloane knows her own dark connection to him that she wishes would disappear…a secret she’s buried as deep as his body.

When they stumble on a 1990s cassette tape exposing clues from the past, the trio must work together despite their strained history to catch a killer. As if! Not even the Girl Power of the Spice Girls can prove their innocence, no matter how much they wannabe free from suspicion.

One of the women knows too much…and it’s only a matter of time before it gets them killed.

  • 28 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication June 13, 2023 by Tabella House

ABOUT PAMELA CRANE

Pamela Crane

PAMELA CRANE is a USA TODAY best-selling author and professional juggler. Not one who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, and a horse rescuer. She lives on the edge (her Arabian horse can tell you about their wild adventures while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge…where her sanity resides. Her thrillers unravel flawed women who aren’t always pretty. In fact, her characters are rarely pretty, which makes them interesting…and perfect for doing crazy things worth writing about. When she’s not cleaning horse stalls or changing diapers, she’s psychoanalyzing others.

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