One father was murdered, and another convicted of his death. All because their children fell in love.
Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too.
Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher’s daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back.
Now, Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and she’s dealing with a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.
As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense (Christian) Published by: HarperCollins-Thomas Nelson Publication Date: November 5th 2019 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 0310332591 (ISBN13: 9780310332596) Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Thomas Nelson
Read an excerpt:
I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.
An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”
T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”
“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”
“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”
I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”
“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”
It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.
“The family. Were they injured?”
“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”
“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”
“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”
I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.
“I won’t need a month,” I said.
“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”
I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”
“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”
Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.
***
Excerpt taken from Smoke Screen by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2019 by Terri Blackstock. Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.
I hope you will join us in celebrating and support libraries.
I have some authors on my radar and will need to check them out from the library. To motivate myself to knock some of them off my reading list, I figure this challenge will do so. If it looks like something you would enjoy…come on…sign up.
I really haven’t set any specific goals, but I hope to read and review…at least…one library book a month.
The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! Carole P Roman came in the package I received with Brit Lunden’s The Devil and Dayna Dalton, part of the Bulwark Anthology.
If you are looking for some laughs for your little ones, or some tongue twisters for yourself, this may be one of those books you would love to have along on those road trips.
Carole P Romance sent me The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids and after reading it, I wanted to get this review out before Christmas.
Here’s a silly state for you: Laughter is good for you! It decreases the chemicals in our bodies that make us sick and increases the ones that make us feel better.
Do you have a little comedian or prankster in your household? Do you want something to help entertain the kiddos while taking that road trip? Are you someone who loves a good laugh?
We have jokes, riddles, tongue twisters, puns, knock knock jokes…and silly stats and wonderful illustrations to add that something extra. We have fun with pirates, vegetables, snowmen, critters, sports, if you can think of a subject, there’s probably a joke about it in this collection.
I found myself trying to solve the riddles and say the tongue twisters. I wouldn’t be surprised if you do too.
At the back of the book, Carole P Roman supplies some ruled pages and helpful hints to create your own, or your children’s own, funny moments.
Just because a joke is clean, doesn’t mean it can’t crack you up. I think, like me, you will find some of these familiar and others a nice addition to you repertoire.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids by Carole P Roman.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Tons of jokes, tons of laughs, tons more time kids spend reading.
“Why do fish live in saltwater? Because pepper makes them sneeze!” The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids
is brimming with over 800 knock-knock jokes, riddles, tongue twisters,
and silly stats for endless hours of hilarious entertainment anywhere.
This
illustrated collection of jokes for kids is inclusive and
family-friendly, with knee-slappers that kids will be bursting to tell
every chance they get (parents, you’ve been warned). The jokes also get
more challenging with each chapter, so this book will tickle funny bones
of all ages.
The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids is hysterical fun for anytime and anywhere:Are we there yet?—Keep kids engaged and giggling at home, on the road, and beyond.
Reading frenzy—The best way to keep them reading? Make it so much fun they forget they’re reading.
Budding comedian—Kids will learn about setups, punchlines, and how to write some jokes of their own.
Keep them laughing and reading for hours with this massive book of jokes for kids.
ABOUT CAROLE P ROMAN
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children. She hosts a blog radio program called Indie Authors Roundtable and is one of the founders of the magazine, Indie Author’s Monthly. She’s been interviewed twice by Forbes Magazine. Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman. She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren and a new joke book called The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! She writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and is currently helping to create an anthology with her mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors. She lives on Long Island near her children and grandchildren.
Her series includes: Captain No Beard If You Were Me and Lived in- Cultural If You Were Me and Lived in- Historical Nursery series Oh Susannah- Early Reader and coloring book Mindfulness for Kids with co-author J. Robin Albertson-Wren The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids; 800 plus Jokes! Navigating Indieworld- with co-author Julie A. Gerber Marketing Indieworld- with co-authors Angela Hausman and Julie A. Gerber Adult Fiction under the pen name Brit Lunden Bulwark The Knowing- A Bulwark Anthology
Blood Rose Rachael Vaughn Publication date: November 22nd 2019 Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Fleeing her past and a dark tragedy that haunts her every waking moment, Rose settles for a crummy retail job in a crummy town in the middle of Indiana. Her one solace – the sprawling forest behind her apartment complex – leads her down a dizzying path into a topsy-turvy world where Rose escapes her painful memories…but finds herself at the center of a dangerous plot.
A mysterious (and frequently unconscious) stranger, a technicolor landscape, and a sinister but charismatic leader pull Rose deeper into an unexpected adventure…where nothing is as it seems.
Follow Rose on her journey through this perilous but beautiful land, as she wonders if she can save it…or herself.
The stranger was back before long, and Rose didn’t miss the flash of relief on his face when he saw her standing where he had left her. He carried with him a bowl of water, steam rising in tendrils from the surface, and an assortment of other supplies. When he reached her he continued on past, beckoning her to follow, and Rose turned to see him heading toward a small seating area near the door. A low, backless sofa ran along the wall, each end lifting to curl in a tight spiral. An equally low table stood in front of the sofa, and two matching chairs framed either side.
After a moment of hesitation, Rose took a seat on the sofa, and the stranger placed the bowl and supplies on the table before lowering himself hesitantly to sit beside her. He gave her a questioning glance as if asking for permission, and Rose offered her wounded palm. She kept quiet, not wanting her barrage of questions to break the trance she felt from his calming influence. The man chose a soft cloth from the pile on the table, dipped it in the warm water and began to gently wash the blood from her hand. She winced when the water stung the cut, and the man grimaced in apology.
As he worked, the lace cuff fell back from his left hand and the sleeve of his jacket rode up slightly. Rose caught a glimpse of something thick and dark winding around his arm. It appeared to have the texture of an old scar, thick and ridged, but jet black and stark against his pale blue skin. It grew thinner the further down it reached, tapering out into thin tendrils at his wrist, leaving the skin of his hand smooth and untainted. Rose felt his hands falter in their movements against hers, and she looked up to see him following her gaze to his wrist. He self-consciously pulled the cuff back down into place, covering the black lines, and Rose hastily looked away.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. He didn’t respond, only retrieved the cloth and began wiping blood from her other hand. Once both were clean, he let the cloth fall into the now pink-tinged water, and took a bandage from the table. He paused for a moment, before setting the bandage back down unopened.
“You must have a lot of questions,” he said softly, not quite meeting her eyes.
A startled laugh escaped Rose’s throat. That was the understatement of the century. He gave a soft chuckle and she realized she had voiced the thought aloud.
“Yes, I imagine that must be true.” He turned to face her directly, and his eyes met hers. She was alarmed at the intensity in their purple depths, and his voice was urgent when he spoke again, the words coming fast.
“Listen, I’ll explain everything, I promise. But you’re not safe here, and I need you to trust me.”
Rose opened her mouth, but he continued before she could respond.
“I know we’ve only just met, but I promise I won’t let any harm come to you. There’s so much you need to know, and so little time, and I—” he paused, seeming to exert quite a bit of effort to gather himself. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers. “Will you trust me?”
His gaze bored into her, and without the slightest idea why, Rose found herself nodding. Anything to get that look of desperation off his face.
He seemed to wilt, relief coloring his features, and he held out his hand for hers again. She placed her wounded hand in his, and he flipped it over, palm up. Lifting his other hand, he gently placed his index finger against the gash in her palm, and without warning, a burst of light emanated out of his fingertip where it met her skin.
Rose felt strangely detached, as if she were watching this happen instead of actually experiencing it. She felt no pain, only a bright, comforting warmth that grew to encompass her whole hand. He traced his finger slowly down the length of the wound, the bright light following the path of his finger, and Rose watched in surprise as the line of her blood began to glow bright, the same iridescent glimmer she had noticed when she’d touched the handle of the door what seemed like ages ago.
Rose watched in wonder as the stranger lifted his hand, the light fading. The shimmer faded from her palm as well, the wound sealing in its wake.
“There,” he said, releasing her hand. His voice sounded faint, its resonance muted. Rose looked up, sensing something was off, and found his face pale, nearly white, the silver lines practically nonexistent.
“Are you okay?” she asked, suddenly worried for this man—creature—she didn’t know, but he simply nodded and waved off her concern. She looked down at her palm again in amazement, a thin faded line all that remained of the red gash.
“What was that?” she asked, “How did you—” But her attention was caught quite suddenly by his hands, which were clutched tightly in his lap. He held his right hand wrapped protectively around the left, but past his grip Rose could see the black lines moving on his skin, creeping slowly beyond the edge of his cuff and onto the back of his hand, tendrils snaking across the pale flesh there.
Author Bio:
Rachael Vaughn is the creative brainchild of husband-and-wife writing duo, Laura Rachael Black and Trenton Vaughn Hockersmith.
Laura is the wordsmith of the pair, and a bona fide dabbler. With interests in everything from mosaics to wood carving and playing the hammered dulcimer, there isn’t much that doesn’t appeal to her insatiable need to create. When she isn’t writing, Laura stays busy as the co-owner of Firefly Tattoo–one of Indianapolis’s premier tattoo studios–where she is also a full-time artist. You can check out her professional tattoo gallery at https://www.fireflytattoo.com/f88479627.
Trent acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team’s world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside. His educational background in English and psychology help him craft vibrant worldscapes and compelling, authentic characters. When not mired in the trenches of world-building, Trent enjoys reading, playing video games, and practicing jiu-jitsu and tai-chi.
The team shares more than a pen name. Their home outside Indianapolis is also inhabited by their daughter, Seva, and Helena, the world’s fluffiest cat.
Extinct by Ike Hamill has an awesome cover, so I had to take a walk into the woods, during a blizzard to find out WTH is going on.
Robby is an intellectual young boy, always analyzing, so when the freak snowstorm hits on Thanksgiving and people began to go missing, he began questioning…everything.
Well, I’m still no sure exactly what’s going on and neither is our gang of survivors…that keeps dwindling in numbers. Vanishing into thin air, eyeballs popping our of their heads, ‘water’ devouring anything it touches…
This ragtag band keeps moving, not always forward, but sticking together, going the extra mile, doing whatever they can to save our world.
The characters come and go and at each juncture in their adventure I wonder who will vanish next. Where do they go? Who is taking them?
The world building is so richly detailed I could follow the thin blue line with them and we all know in troubled times peoples true colors are exposed.
Well, this has been one wild ride, danger around every corner and the mystery of ‘them’ hangs in every word. Good thing Book II, Instinct is ready and available, because I want to know. It looks like…so far…there are five books, so you will be seeing more of Ike Hamill’s work on fundinmental.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Channel Two predicted a
blanket of snow for Thanksgiving weekend–unusual, but not alarming for
the little Maine island. What comes is a blinding blizzard, and a mass
disappearance of nearly every person Robby Pierce knows. He and his
family flee, trying to escape the snow and the invisible forces stealing
people right from the street. Miles away, Brad Jenkins battles the
same storm. Alone, he attempts to survive as snow envelops his house.
When the storm breaks, Brad makes his way south to where the snow ends
and the world lies empty. Join Brad, Robby, and the other survivors as
they fight to find the truth about the apocalypse and discover how to
live in their new world.
ABOUT IKE HAMILL
Ike Hamill writes fast-paced horror novels with strong, relatable characters. His books have gained a steady following amongst readers who enjoy his blend of sci-fi, paranormal, occult, and suspense. Whether focused on a small family trying to survive the move to a haunted house, or following a band of angry rebels determined to withstand an apocalypse, his stories draw the reader into the lives of real people in crisis. Readers are always sad to leave the characters behind when the book is finished.
Reviewers
compare Ike to Dean Koontz and Stephen King—two of his favorite
authors. His narrative often jumps between interwoven stories,
presenting readers with a fresh perspective and keeping them guessing
until the last chapter. Most of Ike’s readers are repeat customers. Pick
up one of his books to learn why.
Thanksgiving is here, and Jolie Tucker
has had quite the year! She is ready to sit back and relax with family
and friends. But this is Leavensport, OH—so get ready for intense
therapy sessions, dysfunctional family holiday gatherings, uninvited
guests, and an inner-city teen advocate found DEAD—stabbed in the ear
with the turkey baster!
Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!
Dutch
Cast Iron Cajun Turkey Recipe
Ingredients for Turkey
1 6 to 8-pound turkey, patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Cajun Spice Mix (see below for ingredients to make your mix)
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (or more) olive or vegetable oil
Ingredients for Cajun Spice Mix
5 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
Stir together.
NOTE: You can make the spice mix up to one month
ahead. Store airtight in room temperature.
Recipe Preparation
NOTE: If you’d like your turkey to have a crisp coat,
then you can add oil to a large cast iron skillet and lay the turkey in the
skillet once it’s hot for 30 seconds moving turkey around before putting in
Dutch Cast Iron Pot.
Set a rack inside a large heavy Dutch Cast Iron Pot. Season turkey lightly inside and out with salt and pepper, then with spice mix, massaging it into the skin. Transfer turkey, breast side down, to prepared pan and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Remove turkey from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°. Mix celery, pepper, and onion in a medium bowl. Fill turkey cavity with vegetable mixture, scattering any remaining vegetables over bottom of roasting pan. Brush turkey with oil.
Roast turkey, basting occasionally, for 1 hour. Using paper towels, flip turkey. Roast, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 1–1 1/2 hours longer. Transfer to platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
About the Author
Moving into her second decade working in
education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The
Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and
education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED,
where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio
teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently
resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven
cats.
Monthly Newsletter Link: http://eepurl.com/dIfXdb
Get Short Story “Sweet Retreat” for free by subscribing to my monthly
newsletter. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive free flash fiction, A
Mystery a Month, serial scenes from series, and deleted scenes).
A Time For Murder, #50 in the Murder She Wrote series, will be released on 11.26.19 and is available for preorder. Congratulations to everyone that made the series be a success.
Wow, #50 in the Murder She Wrote series and I have enjoyed reading the books and watching the TV reruns. How about you?
We are going back in time to Jessica Fletcher’s first murder investigation, her publisher.
It was the inspiration for Jessica Fletcher becoming a mystery writer, but, more than that, bodies are falling and they all lead back to the high school she used to teach at and the murder of her publisher.
Back and forth we go,
I was led down false paths, following one red herring after another. We have plenty of bodies and suspects making it difficult to find out the why and who and how they are all connected.
I love that I am at 91% and still guessing. Great job Jon!
Well…that was one wild ride to the end. It’s hard to imagine the books still going strong at #50, but Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land keep on giving.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Time For Murder by Jessica Fletcher & Jon Land.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In the fiftieth entry in this USA Today bestselling
series, two timelines converge as Jessica Fletcher returns to high
school to investigate the murder of an old colleague, while we meet
Jessica as a young teacher solving her very first murder–that of the
high school principal.
Young Jessica Fletcher’s life
couldn’t be more ordinary. She teaches at the local high school while
she and her loving husband, Frank, are raising their nephew Grady
together. But when the beloved principal dies under mysterious
circumstances, Jessica knows something is off and, for the very first
time, investigates a death.
Present-day Jessica returns to
high school for a colleague’s retirement party and has fun seeing
familiar faces. That is, until the colleague winds up dead–and his
death has mysterious links to Jessica’s very first murder case.
With
nothing but her own instincts to guide her, Jessica embarks on a quest
to find out what really happened all those years ago and who’s behind
these murders. Because time is running out to catch this killer….
ABOUT JON LAND
Jon
Land is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of 36 books,
including the bestselling Caitlin Strong Texas Ranger series that
includes Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break,
Strong Vengeance and, most recently, Strong Rain Falling. The Tenth
Circle marks the second return engagement of his longtime series hero
Blaine McCracken on the heels of last year’s Pandora’s Temple which was
nominated for a Thriller Award and received the 2013 International Book
Award for Best Adventure Thriller. Jon’s first nonfiction book,
Betrayal, meanwhile, was named Best True Crime Book of 2012 by Suspense
Magazine and won a 2012 International Book Award for Best True Crime
Book. He is currently working on Strong Darkness, the next entry in the
Caitlin Strong to be published in September of 2014. He graduated Phi
Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, where he continues
to maintain a strong volunteer presence, in 1979.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
There is a darkness
moving over the land, obscuring hope, erasing freedom. It threatens to
destroy. It promises to shackle. But wait … as the shadows close in, a
small band of patriots rise up to fight. But Jeff and Anne Krieg can’t
help but wonder Is it too late for freedom? Did we wait too long? After
two terms of the most liberal president in decades, America continues
its plunge down the slippery slope of socialism by electing yet another
politician, hell-bent on destroying all the Founding Fathers held dear.
I won a paperback copy back in 2012 and added it to my TBR on 7.6.12. It sounds like a good one to me.
Goodreads rating: 3.83. It is available on Kindle for 4.99.
“Too many twists and turns to easily share about this book. Nevertheless, Carr has pulled off another “hit” that kept me reading in one setting until the clues were so well together that the villain fell into our laps…or Chris’s, LOL Carr has put a lot into the book beyond the mysteries this time…Characters enjoyed chocotinis, visited book stores…and even blundered into getting engaged (the ring had been purchased 4 months ago)… But, for me, a special thank you for the political spoof at a time when politics at the national level is devastating, gave me a laugh and lightened the load of it all!” – Review by Glenda Bixler, Book Reader’s Heaven
MY REVIEW
The Geezer Squad is back, along with the rest of the gang, and I am so happy to joining in the mystery, fun and lovin’ The family that solves a murder together, stays together. lol I am amped up, ready for some murder, mystery and laughs, with two and four legged characters combines.
Sometimes it is hard to write a review and this is one of those times. The words won’t seem to come, even though I loved The Last Thing She Said. There was lot of mystery and suspects, clues to follow, some lead to nowhere and others lead to more mystery.
I saw Shannon’s mystery coming and I’m eager for the investigation to begin. The Geezer Squad is called into action. They morphed from a book club to a cold case investigating team and they are very, very good at it. A bunch of retired law enforcement that hates to let the bad guy get away.
Sterling…well…what can I say about Sterling:
“Oh, what a beautiful German Shepherd!”…”And he’s wearing sunglasses!”
Lauren Carr’s descriptive writing brings all her characters and their worlds to life in vivid detail sometimes making me bust out in laughter, other times I am completely absorbed in the investigative details.
The whole Buttwrinkle thing had me LAUGHING OUT LOUD!
The past and present collide as the dead refuse to stay dead , and mysteries and suspects run riot through the pages. I love how Lauren Carr allows characters from her other series to make an appearance.
I went from curious to ticked off, to confused, to happy and laughing as I flipped through the pages, guessing and cyphering the clues.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Last Thing She Said by Lauren Carr.
4 Stars
Book Details:
Book Title:The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 386 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 22, 2019 Formats available for purchase: paperback, ebook, audiobook (audible & itunes) Tour dates: October 7 to November 15, 2019 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!
Book Description: “I’m working on the
greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist
Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking
out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.
For decades, the writer’s fate
remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a
grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help
of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist
in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold
case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston
walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!
Book Title: Winter Frost (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #2) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult fiction, 332 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 22, 2019 Formats available for purchase: paperback, ebook, audiobook (audible & itunes)Tour dates:October 7 to November 22, 2019 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!
“Filled with twists and turns, Winter Frost
reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, although it is part of a series.
The author creates tension and suspense throughout by keeping the
reader guessing; she keeps readers engaged with well fleshed out
characters and a dash of humor. Sterling, the retired German Shepherd
police dog turned card shark, is a new favorite. As the story flows, the
truth unfolds, layer by layer, leading to a satisfying conclusion.
“Winter Frost was an entertaining, at times humorous read with suspense, some surprises, and even cute animals in the mix.” Review of Winter Frost by The iRead Review
Book Description: It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.
Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad,
working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding
his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state
department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA
operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin
three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas.
Nothing is as it seems.
In his most personal cold case,
Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair,
the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had
she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much
that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?
Book Title: ICE (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult fiction, 364 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: February 26, 2018 Formats available for purchase: paperback, ebook, audiobook (audible & itunes)Tour dates:October 7 to November 22, 2019 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!
“ICE is a
strong start to a new series that will have fans of Lauren Carr thrilled
to be introduced to another set of memorable and entertaining
characters. Carr’s Geezer Squad has brought sexy back to mature men and
women, whose kickass attitude and smarts sizzle as they melt the clues
to those cold cases!” Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads
“For the whodunit mystery buff who loves ever-increasing suspense and
danger, Lauren Carr’s newest series offers up a big dose of both. Murder
and mayhem seem to be Chris’s new companions after returning home
following the loss of both his wife and his father. Juggling the
parenting responsibilities of his three daughters with his mother is not
something Chris was expecting at this point in his life, but life isn’t
something that goes as planned.” 5-Star Review at Blooming with Books
Book Description: When Sandy Lipton
and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found
young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent
returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and
his family has never lifted.
With the help of a team of fellow
retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field
of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this
cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the
clues are getting hot!
Lauren
Carr is the international best-selling author of the Thorny Rose, Mac
Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries—over
twenty titles across four 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.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has
made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at
conventions. She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German
shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Oct 7 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 7 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book review of Ice / giveaway
Oct 7 – Bookriot – audiobook review of Ice / giveaway
Oct 7 – Just Another Reader – book review of Ice
Oct 7 – Rita’s Reading Room – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Oct 7 – Viviana MacKade – series spotlight / guest post
Oct 8 – Just Another Reader – book review of Winter Frost
Oct 8 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Oct 8 – Amy’s Booket List – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 8 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post /
giveaway
Oct 9 – Cuzinlogic – series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 9 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book review of The Last Thing She Said /
giveaway
Oct 9 – Just Another Reader – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 9 – The Voracious Bibliophile – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 10 – Librorum in Sempiternum – book review of Ice / giveaway
Oct 11 – It’s All About the Book – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 14 – b for bookreview – series spotlight / author interview
Oct 15 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Ice / giveaway
Oct 15 – Pause for Tales – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 16 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said /
guest post / giveaway
Oct 17 – Library of Clean Reads – series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 18 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 19 – Bookriot – audiobook review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Oct 20 – Librorum in Sempiternum – book review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Oct 21 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 21 – Words And Peace – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 22 – Kristin’s Novel Café – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 23 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said /
guest post
Oct 24 – Haddie’s Haven – audiobook review of Ice / giveaway
Oct 24 – FUONLYKNEW – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 24 – My Journey Back – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 25 – Blooming with Books – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 26 – Bookriot – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Oct 28 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said
Oct 29 – Buried Under Books – audiobook review of The Last Thing she Said / giveaway
Oct 29 – My Reading Journeys – book review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Oct 30 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – book spotlight of The Last Thing She Said /
giveaway
Oct 31 – Dab of Darkness Book Reviews – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said
/ giveaway
Nov 1 – Life as Leels – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 4 – Books for Books – audiobook review of Ice / giveaway
Nov 5 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 6 – fundinmental – book review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Nov 6 – My Reading Journeys – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 7 – Haddie’s Haven – audiobook review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Nov 8 – Literary Flits – series spotlight / giveaway
Nov 11 – The Avid Inspri – book review of Ice / giveaway
Nov 11 – Books for Books – audiobook review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Nov 12 – Librorum in Sempiternum – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 13 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 13 – A Fountain of Books – book review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post / giveaway
Nov 14 – T’s Stuff – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / author interview /
giveaway
Nov 15 – The Avid Inspri – book review of Winter Frost / giveaway
Nov 15 – Nighttime Reading Center – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 18 – Laura’s Interests – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post /
giveaway
Nov 18 – Books for Books – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 19 – JBronder Book Reviews – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said
Nov 19 – Shalini’s Books & Reviews – book review of The Last Thing She Said
Nov 20 – fundinmental – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 20 – Haddie’s Haven – audiobook review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post /
giveaway
Nov 20 – I’m All About Books – book review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post /
giveaway
Nov 20 – Svetlana’s reads and views – book review of The Last Thing She Said /
giveaway
Nov 21 – Books Are Love – book review of The Last Thing She Said / author interview /
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Nov 21 – The Avid Inspri – book review of The Last Thing She Said / guest post /
giveaway
Nov 22 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of The Last Thing She Said / giveaway
Nov 22 – SammieReadsBook – book review of The Last Thing She Said / author
interview / giveaway
Nov 22 – Jypsylynn – book review of The Last Thing She Said
I have made a huge dent in back reviews that have been sitting, waiting…and waiting. I am close to reaching my goal for this year, the first round through my notebooks and review list. I won’t get everything done, but I am happy with the challenge and my progress.
I read Gideon on 6.2.16 and gave it a 5 star rating for this debut thriller. I love Alex Gordon’s work and can only imagine how far Alex Gordon will go in her career. I plan on being around to see.
Lauren’s fate is sealed with the death of her father. He tried to protect her, but the lure for answers about death and danger surrounding her beckons her to Gideon, where He waits.
Alex Gordon”s story takes us from Seattle, Washington, to Gideon, Illinois.
Gideon was a crossroads for evil.
HE is surrounded by woods and darkness, where the dead don’t stay dead. Have I hooked you yet?
The town’s people job was to keep the darkness from crossing over.
Could Lauren be the one to stop HIM for good? Would innocence and naivety in the ways of evil and magic win out?
From the 1800s and burning at the stake to cell phones, potions and spells, evil rises and good does it’s best to prevail.
Both good and evil characters will die, so be careful who you get attached to and be prepared to grieve for the characters taken before their time.
I was a bit slow to get involved, but once Lauren traveled to Gideon, I found the pace picking up and my need to know what happens next rising to such a high level I found it hard to put the book down.
BUT…the story is not over and I am so happy to have Book II, Jericho, here at my side, ready to crack open and see what challenge faces Lauren next. I wrote that in my notes, but I reviewed Jericho before Gideon. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. LOL
Gideon wraps up the story in a great way and I feel it can stand alone, but I rated Jericho 5 stars, so I think ,once you begin, you would have to know more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Gideon by Alex Gordon.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Preston & Child meets
Kim Harrison in this edge-of-your-seat debut thriller—a superb blend of
mystery, urban fantasy, horror, romance, and the supernatural.
When
Lauren’s father dies, she makes a shocking discovery. The man she knew
as John Reardon was once a completely different person, with a different
name. Now, she’s determined to find out who he really was, even though
her only clues are an old photograph, some letters, and the name of a
town—Gideon.
But someone—or something—doesn’t want her to
discover the truth. A strange man is stalking her, appearing everywhere
she turns, and those who try to help her end up dead. Neither a shadowy
enemy nor her own fear are going to prevent her from solving the mystery
of her father—and unlocking the secrets of her own life.
Making
her way to Gideon, Lauren finds herself more confused than ever. Nothing
in this small Midwestern town is what it seems, including time itself.
Residents start going missing, and Lauren is threatened by almost every
townsperson she encounters. Two hundred years ago, a witch was burned at
the stake, but in Gideon, the past feels all too chillingly present . .
.
ABOUT ALEX GORDON
Alex Gordon, author of the
supernatural thrillers GIDEON and JERICHO, was born in the Northeast,
grew up in the South, and now resides in the Midwest. When she isn’t
working, she enjoys watching sports and old movies, long walks, and the
company of her dog, Gaby. She dreams of someday adding the Pacific
Northwest to the list of regions where she has lived. And maybe the
south of France.
She is not the Alex Gordon who has written
several books about English footballers. She also has never played for
the Kansas City Royals.
Photo by Libby Bulloff
Alex also writes Science Fiction and Fantasy under the name Kristine Smith.
