A hijacked plane. A pursuing killer. And a K9’s instinct to help them make it out alive.
Pop singer Keely Williams’s search for her biological mother in Alaska has been painfully unsuccessful. Now she just wants to escape this wild frontier and never look back. But when her plane is hijacked, she’s suddenly plunged into a race against not only an Alaskan blizzard but also a killer who’s on her tail.
After a career-ending injury, ex-cop Dawson Mulligan has only one friend–Caspian, the stray dog he adopted. Dawson just wants to figure out how to get his life on track, but during a flight home to Copper Mountain, he spots a downed plane and stops to help. Except, when his not-a-rescue dog runs off into the woods and discovers the trail of a missing survivor, it’s up to the former cop to stage a rescue.
But Dawson has no idea he’s being pulled into a deadly pursuit, or that Caspian is more than he seems. There might be redemption and second chances waiting for both Dawson and Keely if they have the courage to face their wounded pasts and fight for their future.
Join master storyteller Susan May Warren for a propulsive ride through the Alaskan wilderness, where love might be the riskiest–and most rewarding–adventure of all.
Prepare to experience edge-of-your-seat action combined with heart-stirring romance and heroic K9 companions in this exhilarating romantic suspense that will thrill fans of Lynette Eason and Elizabeth Goddard.
Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly 100 novels with more than 1.5 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and Montana Rescue series. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota.
This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Revell & Susan May Warren. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
I am familiar with James L’Etoile’s name, but I have never read any of his work. His books sound right up my alley, so when I saw Illusion Of Truth and had the time to read it, I grabbed a copy. James does not disappoint.
Detective Emily Hunt is used to running towards danger, so when her boyfriend, also a cop, Brian Connor, is hurt in a church bombing, she will stop at nothing to find who is responsible. She has no idea how deep the conspiracy goes. By choosing to go slow with their relationship, did she lose her chance at happiness? She also has to cope with her mother’s dementia. How long before she doesn’t recognize who Amanda is?
It seems the villain is targeting the police. Why? What grievance could they have that would cause them to go to such extremes? Mystery and danger abound.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery
Illusion of Truth takes Emily by the throat when her cop boyfriend, Brian Conner, responds to a disturbance only to be lured into a church bombing. Seriously wounded, Emily worries if he survives, will he be the man she knew? One-by-one, other officers linked to a crime years earlier are targeted. Was it covered up? Was Brian part of it? Emily discovers truth depends on who’s left to tell the story.
Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Michael Connelly
Praise for Illusion of Truth:
“Illusion of Truth is a real deal police-eye view of the mean streets. Bosch and Ballard, make room for Emily Hunter. She’s brash, bold, but with a soul and a heart for justice.” ~ Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author
“An absolutely relentless thriller… in ILLUSION OF TRUTH, we find Detective Emily Hunter at her very best: Smart, sharp, and willing to do whatever it takes to solve the case of a renegade bomber. With a frightening, ripped-from-the-headlines story of attacks on her fellow police, and a cast of characters with emotional depth, perseverance, and spouting the best cop talk, L’Etoile has penned another hit in this top-notch series.” ~ J.T. Ellison, NYT bestselling author of LAST SEEN
“A high-voltage, high-stakes police procedural, ILLUSION OF TRUTH is crisp and fast-paced, as cinematic as a Michael Mann thriller. On full display here is the unique storytelling sensibility that’s made James L’Etoile’s books beloved among mystery readers: a badass, rock-solid investigation plot with precinct veracity, hostage negotiation expertise, and deep empathy. ILLUSION OF TRUTH is a remedy for cynicism, a throwdown to wake up and follow the clues, to pay attention, to believe in a better tomorrow. The world is unfair, yes, and it might feel broken sometimes, but, as Emily Hunter reminds us: ‘We’re all broken in one way or another. It’s how we put the pieces together that counts.'” ~ Margot Douaihy, bestselling author of Scorched Grace, Blessed Water, and Divine Ruin
“Like the best of Michael Connelly, L’Etoile has created characters readers care about while also crafting a twisty and compelling story. Fans of police procedurals and heart-stopping thrillers should consider L’Etoile an essential addition to their reading pile.” ~ First Clue Reviews
“Everything you read police stories for is here, and much, much more.” ~ STARRED Kirkus Review
“Rich in character and full of humanity, James L’Etoile’s writing shimmers with authenticity, with what Raymond Chandler called the “tangled woof” of real life. These are the procedurals that last: gritty, suspenseful and deeply satisfying.” ~ Megan Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of El Dorado Drive
Book Details:
Genre: Police Procedural with a Thriller Edge Published by: Oceanview Publishing Publication Date: January 6, 2026 Number of Pages: 366 ISBN: 978-1608096497 (1608096491) Series: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, #3 Book Links:Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Oceanview
“All available units, report of a large crowd and 459s in progress at the corner of Rio Linda and South Ave.,” the dispatcher’s voice called out over the radio.
Sergeant Brian Conner clicked the microphone in his patrol unit. “1-Sam-12 responding.”
“Hey, Tommy, isn’t there a church on South Ave.?” Conner asked.
Tommy Robinson, a Black rookie officer assigned to Patrol District 1 in North Sacramento, turned in the passenger seat, checking for cross-traffic at the intersection. “Yeah. It’s one of those pop-up, God-in-a-box churches. You know—no denomination, takes all comers.”
“Why would a church be a target for looting at midnight?”
“It’s right on the edge of Tru Heights Bloods territory. Could be gangbangers after the food pantry and the donations the church’s brought in.”
“Tommy, let me ask you something. You’ve been married a while, so you’ve got this whole relationship thing down. When Emily says she isn’t ready to move in together, what does that mean?”
“Um, Sarge, you think I’m the one to answer that? Shouldn’t Emily—I mean Detective Hunter—tell you why?”
“I mean, sure, but I thought everything was going great—and then, she’s not ready. You ever have anything like that?”
“No. But then my Baptist momma would’ve slapped me into tomorrow if I thought about living in sin.”
“That’s not helpful, Tommy.”
Conner shot north on Rio Linda. The flashing blue lights from other patrol units ahead marked the location. As Conner pulled into the church parking lot, he expected a crowd spilling out of the church and into nearby businesses. There had been a rash of daylight attacks on retail establishments in the city, where mobs of thieves grabbed armfuls of whatever they could carry. Hitting a church in the middle of the night was a new direction.
“Where are they? The looters?” Tommy said.
Conner parked near the church entrance, ahead of another Sacramento Police Department SUV, and stepped from his vehicle. He couldn’t spot a single person near the church, except for the six police officers who had responded to the call.
“Dispatch, 1-Sam-12, have a callback number on the RP? Looks like a false alarm.”
“Negative, 1-Sam-12. Caller didn’t give their name.”
An officer rounded the corner of the church building and approached Conner. “Nobody’s here, Sarge. What gives?”
The hairs on the back of Conner’s neck pricked up. He swiveled around and surveyed the darkened windows on the street opposite. They were lured here.
“Got movement across the street—second floor, left side,” an officer called out. His brass nameplate read TUCKER.
Conner spotted the window and the flare of a cigarette. Someone watching the police respond to this snipe hunt?
“We see any evidence of a break-in? Broken windows, open doors, anything?”
“Nada. Simmons and I walked the perimeter. No sign of entry. No sign of anything,” Tucker said.
“Someone wanted all the units in District 1 to respond. A report of a large crowd breaking into businesses would draw us out here.”
“They needed a diversion so they could pull off whatever they were into somewhere else,” Tucker said.
“Maybe. I haven’t heard anything new from dispatch. Why would we get a callout to the edge of Tru Heights territory?”
“Westgate Crips are on the other side of the freeway. I could see them making a false report to push us to roust a couple of their rivals.”
“Well, nothing going on here. Why don’t you and your partner hit the road. Let dispatch know this was a dry hole,” Conner said.
“Got it, Sarge. You need Parker and Cortez in the other unit? They’re watching the back of the church.”
“Nah, send them on their way, would you?”
“You got it.”
“Thanks, Tucker. Be careful out there. I’ve got an uneasy feeling about someone sending us here.”
“I hear you.”
Conner started back to his SUV, paused, and turned. “Hey, Tucker, anyone check the front door lock?”
“Yeah, I shook it. Locked up tight.”
Tucker and his partner got into their SUV, shut off the lights, and backed out of the church parking lot.
Tommy Robinson wandered to the front entrance and peered through the smoked glass doors. “Place is empty. Nothing going on—hey, what’s up with this?”
A metal donation bin sat to the right of the front door. Gang graffiti adorned the side of the four-foot-tall, repainted mailbox.
Conner caught the glint from a thin wire attached to the donation box door. On the concrete below, a cut padlock lay in the shadow.
Tommy reached for the bin.
“Tommy! Wait!”
Conner ran to the young officer as he tugged on the lid.
“Stop,” Conner said.
Tommy was focused on the unlocked donation bin and didn’t hear Conner.
Conner shoved Tommy as a click echoed in the entry vestibule. A microsecond later, a fireball erupted from the donation bin.
A pressure wave of heat and metal shards exploded. Conner caught the blast in the back as he pushed Tommy away. The force of the explosion picked Conner off his feet and threw him into the brick wall opposite the donation bin.
Conner couldn’t hear anything through the ringing in his ears, and his vision was a blurred kaleidoscope of flames and smoke. From where he fell, he could see the parking lot and the window across the street. The glowing ember from the cigarette was gone, but he swore he spotted a flashing red strobe.
Another explosion sounded to his right. A flash of orange shot from the parking lot. Conner squinted through his warped vision and saw a police SUV on fire. Tucker and his partner, Simmons. He couldn’t see them anywhere.
He tried reaching for his shoulder-mounted radio microphone and his arm wouldn’t move. A quick glance down and Conner saw his broken arm pointing in the wrong direction.
“Tommy. Tommy, you okay?”
Conner couldn’t hear anything but the high-pitched ringing in his ears.
He wasn’t even supposed to be working tonight. Conner swapped the shift with a buddy so his friend could go spend some time with his kids.
Conner felt cold, and a heavy blanket of exhaustion fell over him. Emily. He wanted to tell Emily how much he loved her one more time. She’d wanted to take it slow, but now he felt regret. He should’ve told her how he felt when he had the chance.
The sirens in the distance pierced through his muffled hearing. They would not be in time.
“Emily” . . .
***
Excerpt from Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile. Copyright 2025 by James L’Etoile. Reproduced with permission from James L’Etoile. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, Macavity, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies and Sins of the Father are his most recent novels. Look for Illusion of Truth coming in 2026. James also serves as the Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America.
Dug to Death: A Vivien Brandt Mystery by Gianetta Murray
About Dug to Death
Dug to Death: A Vivien Brandt Mystery Cozy Mystery 2nd in the Series Setting – South Yorkshire, England Publisher : Catmom Press Publication Date : October 28, 2025 Print length : 294 pages Paperback ISBN-10 : 1739547330 ISBN-13 : 978-1739547332 Digital ISBN-13 : 978-1739547325 ASIN : B0DZ3PV2SP
“Wicked stepmother” wasn’t something Vivien wanted on her resume (or CV!).
But six months after moving from California to join her British husband in a quiet Yorkshire village, Vivien and her cat Sydney are confronted with a volatile 24-year-old stepdaughter and the sparks begin to fly.
It certainly doesn’t help when they join a local protest and a body turns up.
In this sequel to Moved to Murder, Vivien must once again work with her enterprising neighbors to solve a murder and clear her family’s name. Which isn’t easy when you’re dealing with people who “Ear all, see all, and say nowt”!
About Gianetta Murray
Gianetta Murray grew up in California in the heady days of Silicon Valley, but for the last twenty years has lived a slightly more peaceful existence in England with her husband and a minimum of two cats. She enjoys rewatching Hollywood musicals and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, plays guitar and ukulele, and stresses about using all the pears provided by the tree in her back garden. She dreams about one day being spit on by Jonathan Groff.
Set in the foothills of the Appalachians, fourteen-year-old Caleb Austin and his friend Marlee (Mary Lee) Patterson face poverty and prejudice in their small rural town. Confronted with the “creek people” who live in the hollow and the wild child Annabelle Pruitt, their lives take an exciting turn.
EXCERPT
Smoky’s coal-black eyes stared out of their sunken sockets, making Caleb slide to a halt on the gravel parking lot at Fletcher First Baptist Church. He stood frozen with fear as the old battered truck ground into gear and rattled down Cane Creek Road toward the hollow. Just the sight of Smoky Pruitt’s stony stare shot waves of terror through Caleb.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Curt Richards is a retired public school teacher from Upstate South Carolina. He has taught various science courses for forty years, from middle school to college. He believes there is no higher calling than guiding young people and adults through their education. In his free time, Richards enjoys studying nature, gardening, hiking, reading, socializing with family and friends, and writing in multiple genres.
Books by Curt Richards:
Voices Beyond the Creek (2025, Young Adult Fiction)
Circle the Stones (scheduled for release in 2026, YA fiction)
Misguided Passions and the Lord’s Prayer (2024 Non-fiction)
30 Insights for New Teachers to Thrive (2023 Non-fiction)
Website: www.curtrichards.com
Instagram: curtrichards202
Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.
In this charming Christmas cozy mystery collection, you get not one but TWO Christmas mysteries–one from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series (Secret Santa Murder) and one from The Redemption Detective Agency (The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf).
Even better, the characters in both series will make a crossover appearance in the other mystery.
Here’s a peek of each story:
Secret Santa Murder: A Secret Santa party goes off the rails when a guest is murdered after opening their gift. Can Charlie get to the bottom of who did it in this locked door mystery?
The Mysterious Case of the Dead Elf: Emily and the gang take on a case to help a young mother get over her childhood Christmas trauma. Can they go back in time and solve the mystery of a dead elf to save Christmas before it’s too late?
Includes TWO Christmas cookie family recipes!
The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries
The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries is funny, clean & twisty cozy series takes place in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin. They’re perfect if you enjoy small town cozy mysteries with quirky characters, pets, tea, culinary, a touch of romance, 1990s nostalgia and loads of fun. If you like books by Agatha Christie, Louise Penny and Maddie Day, you’ll love these books.
The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries is a continuing series with books that are standalone and can be read in any order.
The Redemption Detective Agency
A spin off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series. This cozy romcom mystery series also takes place in the 1990s and features a fish out of water amateur sleuth, pet detectives, a cast of silver sleuths (some you’ll recognize from the main series), cold cases and a hefty dose of romance. Think The Thursday Murder Club meets Bridget Jones’s Diary, but in small town Wisconsin. Also great for fans for The Golden Girls (if they started solving mysteries), Only Murders in the Building (without a podcast and takes place in Wisconsin) and Murder She Wrote.
All the books are clean, twisty and funny. They can be read in any order but to get the best experience, I would recommend starting with Book 1, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive.
About Michele Pariza Wacek
A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com.
Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.
When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she’s an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she’s not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jes Bogg will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
He only wanted to help. Now he’s being hunted.
When community carer, Baz Bexon, discovers a murder victim at a new client’s home, his life unravels. With unrestricted access to the property, he and his colleagues fall under suspicion.
Determined to clear his name, and wishing to safeguard the disabled occupant he’s employed to assist, Baz turns amateur sleuth on the seedier backstreets of Hull.
But his questioning arouses the interest of a killer. One fixated on revenge…
A Murder On Call is the gripping first novel in the Baz Bexon series. If you enjoy unlikely heroes, break-neck action, and gritty blends of mystery and thriller, dive into Jes Bogg’s debut.
Read an Excerpt
The house remained silent, apart from the background buzz of the central heating.
“I reckon she’s still in bed,” Baz said.
“Yup. Let’s go.” Shell took the lead. When she glanced through the open doorway beside the kitchen, she halted, staring into the darkened room.
“Hey, warn me when you’re gonna do that, would you?” Baz chided, stepping aside so as not to plough into her.
“Oh, crap!” Shell motioned through the door.
Baz followed her gaze. Someone lay on the threshold between the dining room and lounge.
“She’s fallen.” He swallowed.
They hastened to put on their disposable gloves, Shell pausing to turn on the dining room light.
A woman wearing a pink fluffy nightgown and matching slippers was curled on her side, her auburn hair pulled back in a tight bun and a pair of round-lensed spectacles askew on her large, aquiline nose.
Baz crouched beside her and took her hand with care. It chilled his palm.
“Jasmine, can you hear me?” His voice sounded foreign to his ears.
No response.
Pressing his fingertips into the woman’s neck, he felt for a pulse. Nothing.
He held his wrist to her mouth, hoping to feel the faintest tickle of a breath.
Again, nothing.
Pulling aside her robe, he checked for chest movements and froze.
A large kitchen knife protruded from her stomach, sticky blood coating the inside of her gown. He snatched his hand away and leaned back. “She’s dead.”
About the Author:
Jes was born, raised and continues to reside in England’s northern city, Kingston Upon Hull. She lives with her mother, eight-year-old daughter and their Abyssinian cat, Petrie.
Growing up, she was inspired by Point Horror stories, Sweet Valley High and anything by K A Applegate, and as an adult she was gripped by the writers Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Peters, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Lee Child and Scott Mariani.
As an advocate of breastfeeding, Jes volunteers for a local trust, assisting mothers to feed their children, in addition to promoting the benefits of human milk to their relatives. She has also taken on a new role at a nearby gymnastics club, a sport she loves to watch if unable to participate in.
A fair warning—don’t get her talking about ancient Egypt or cats, you’ll never get away.
Throughout her adult life, Jes has always been the one persuaded to produce thank you cards, letters of complaint, résumés, advertisements, and much more for family and friends. The constant excuse being, “You know how to write.”
Sabree Warner’s biggest mistake wasn’t taking the job—it was being born.
Drowning in grief and desperate for work, brilliant cancer researcher Sabree Warner leaps at the chance to join Montague Pharma, one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical dynasties. Her first assignment seems straightforward: investigate why promising drug compounds were mysteriously abandoned before they could be developed into life-saving medicines.
But someone doesn’t want her digging. A car nearly runs her down on a quiet street and speeds away, and her apartment is vandalized. Undeterred, Sabree probes further and uncovers a twisted game of corporate espionage. The abandoned drugs weren’t shelved by accident—they were buried to hide a secret that could destroy the Montague empire.
Then Sabree discovers her connection to the powerful Montague family runs deeper—and deadlier—than she could ever imagine. As a vicious succession battle rages, someone has been watching her every move, someone who has already killed to keep the truth about her identity buried. In this world of ambition and ruthless power games, Sabree is fighting for more than answers.
She’s fighting to stay alive.
Because in the Montague family, secrets don’t stay hidden, they get eliminated.
Gledé Browne Kabongo writes twisty, unputdownable psychological thrillers about resilient women navigating dark secrets, deadly lies, and impossible choices. A multiple award-winning indie author, her books resonate best with readers who enjoy thrillers with complex characters, dark secrets, multiple deceptions and betrayals, unforgettable twists, and intellectual and emotional engagement.
Readers have described Gledé’s work as “unbelievably addictive,” “brilliant,” “unputdownable,” and “haunting and complex.”
Gledé has spoken at multiple industry events including the Boston Book Festival, Sisters in Crime (SinC) New England Crime Bake, and the Women in Publishing Summit. She lives outside Boston with her family.
I am so happy to have Edward Parr on fundinmental today.
Edward Parr’s Tamanrasset: Crossroads of the Nomad
Writing about the Maghreb
When I first decided to write my novel Tamanrasset: Crossroads of the Nomad, which is inspired by the amazing body of action-adventure stories written about the French Foreign Legion set in the tumultuous early 20th century of northern Africa, I knew it would be a challenge. Algeria, which had become a French colony almost unintentionally in 1830, would erupt into a bloody decolonization war that lasted from 1954 to 1962. Morocco, which became a French protectorate in 1912 and endured a violent period of pacification, did not obtain independence until 1956. Tunisia, also a French protectorate since 1881, obtained independence following violent uprisings in 1956. Unsurprisingly, the attitude of native inhabitants towards Europeans was adversely impacted by these events, and losses on both sides left mistrust and anger.
While not all of the adventure stories written in the first half of the 20th century glorify the colonizers or demonize the native insurgents, many do. Nevertheless, taken in isolation, in the spirit they were written at the time, such stories remain entertaining despite all subsequent events. However, I could not write a new story and simply ignore what we know happened. If I was to tell a story that harkened back to the earlier time period, I would need to do so with a more contemporary understanding. The events at the turn of the 20th century were complex, multifactorial, with many vested interests wanting different things. It was not for me to judge who was good and who was bad; even if I did, readers would still come to my novel with their own biases, and I would have to let them draw their own conclusions. All I could do was present information that was (for someone who is not a professional, academic historian) basically true. This would allow readers to see and learn something they had perhaps not considered before. I decided I would intentionally not make the Europeans nor the native Arabs-Berbers-Africans-Tuareg-Etc. better or worse than they really were and rely as much as possible on actual facts.
Unfortunately for me, a great deal of the history of early 20th century northern Africa which was recorded contemporaneously was written in French, which I can minimally read, and not many of those materials are accessible online anyway. Moreover, such materials were written from the perspective of the French colonizers who were occupying Algeria and Morocco and represent the worldview of those who saw European colonization as a benefit to Africa. As for the other point of view, well, I don’t read Arabic or speak of the any native languages of northern Africa, so that information – even just finding out the names the tribes – was very difficult. And as much as I enjoyed the French Foreign Legion adventure stories, they are generally vague about regional history, even when reasonably accurate as to the experience of being a Legionnaire. In the end, I used a variety of dependable academic sources to create a chronology of major events for myself and learned more about those events that stood out to me as significant. Ultimately, I choose to focus on a specific swath of time, 1900 to 1908, basically the entire period of time that Abd al-Aziz al Alaoui was the Sultan of Morocco (and acting on his own without a Regent). Events in that time period had a clear arc in my mind and revealed interesting characters that I knew would play into the story that spoke to me from that place.
In the end, sure, I’m not a historian, and I may have oversimplified some things, but I think there’s still a lot there that’s right. And I believe it is, in a meaningful sense, true, whether that’s good or bad.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
TAMANRASSET by Edward Parr
GENRE: Historical Fiction
BLURB
TAMANRASSET is historical fiction set on the edge of the Sahara as the ancient world begins to fade and great empires collide. Four strangers—a mature Foreign Legionnaire, a Sharif’s wrathful son, an ambitious American archaeologist, and an abandoned Swedish widow—become adrift and isolated, but when their paths intersect, the fragile connections between them tell a story of survival and fate on the edge of the abyss. Blending the sweep of classic adventure with the horror of a great historical calamities, Edward Parr’s TAMANRASSET is a saga about the crossroads where nomads meet.
EXCERPT
The Sun had not yet risen above the ruins of the Mechouar Palace, but at the mosque nearby many Muslim people of the city of Tlemcen were already at their morning prayer. It was a great privilege to be admitted to one of the oldest mosques in Algeria, over eight hundred years old, and an even greater privilege to be allowed to pray before the mihrab there among the great white columns that lined the enormous hall. As the prayers ended, there was a gentle rustling of movement as the faithful rose and exited to the open and airy marble-tiled courtyard of the mosque, still quiet in the twilight of dawn. Isabel retrieved her leather boots and exited a side door beneath the shadow of the towering brick minaret. Covered by her tightly drawn dark brown burnouse, khaki pants, white shirt, and a black hijab, Isabel walked along the great stone wall to the main gate of the palace. The few buildings in the complex that were still usable had been made into offices for the French army, but the pool and gardens of the central courtyard were peaceful and shadowy. She passed an alcove that featured Islamic calligraphy carved into the stucco, and Isabel stopped to read it: “Allah is God, there is no god but He: the King.”
A quiet voice behind her asked: “Madame Pedersen?”
She turned to find a short, elegantly dressed French officer approaching her. His flat-topped white hair was soldierly, but his crisp, tailored uniform, polished boots, and wide waxed mustache displayed a carefully composed appearance.
“Peace be with you,” she said, casting her eyes downward and crossing her arm over her chest as she nodded.
“Peace be with you, Madame. I apologize if I disturbed you; will you come inside?”
“As you wish.”
She followed the French colonel to a charming wood-paneled room overlooking an orchard of citrus trees bearing large green fruit. The colonel sat on a bare wood chair beside a wide wooden table, crossed his legs, and twirled the end of his wide mustache. Isabel stood silently before him in a respectful posture.
“I have the greatest respect for your beliefs, my dear, but it would be helpful to me if you would sit and speak to me informally. Would you be so kind?”
“Of course,” she said and she sat on the chair beside his. Her demeanor now expressed more of her experience and self-assurance, her hijab more a symbol of her confidence than of her humility. The colonel raised an eyebrow in appreciation of her serene face and brilliant blue eyes.
Edward (“Ted”) Parr studied playwriting at New York University in the 1980’s, worked with artists Robert Wilson, Anne Bogart, and the Bread and Puppet Theater, and staged his own plays Off-Off-Broadway, including Trask, Mythographia, Jason and Medea, Rising and an original translation of Oedipus Rex before pursuing a lengthy career in the law and public service. He published his Kingdoms Fall trilogy of World War One espionage adventure novels which were collectively awarded Best First Novel and Best Historical Fiction Novel by Literary Classics in 2016. He has always had a strong interest in expanding narrative forms, and in his novel writing, he explores older genres of fiction (like the pulp fiction French Foreign Legion adventures or early espionage fiction) as inspiration to examine historical periods of transformation. His main writing inspirations are Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Bernard Cornwell, Georges Surdez, and Patrick O’Brien.
Sangrita by Kathryn Dodson has an eye catching cover.
Jessica Watts is used to being the hunter. In Sangrita, she will be the hunted. She is drawn into finding Thomas’ missing father, even though she vowed never to work with him again. She will be kidnapped and dragged across the Mexican border. If Jessica cannot find her way out, it could mean the end of her life.
Jessica Watts is a bit reckless, acting on impulse, putting herself in danger. Will it cost her her husband? He feels she’s courting death and is he supposed to wait around for that moment when she doesn’t return?
I love a strong female character. Sure she’s bound to make a mistake now and then, but she doesn’t run from danger, she runs towards it. This is my first adventure with Jessica and Sangrita is the fourth book in the Southwest Suspense Series. There were moments when I knew I was missing something because I didn’t begin at the beginning of the series, but I don’t feel it took anything away from the story. We have lots of danger and action. And, I am sure there will be just as much danger and action in the next book in the series. She might just be better prepared for what comes at her, and I like that…a lot.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
Jessica Watts Southwest Suspense Series
A kidnapping scheme turns deadly when private investigator Jessica Watts becomes the hunted instead of the hunter.
Jessica Watts refuses to work with her nemesis Tomas Garcia—until his desperate wife arrives with their baby, begging Jessica to find Tomas’s missing father. Tres Garcia vanished after marrying his late wife’s cousin Letty in a secret ceremony, and now Letty claims he’s too sick for visitors. When Jessica discovers bloody medical supplies in Letty’s trash, someone knocks her unconscious and she awakens trapped in a nightmare.
Held prisoner for days with Tres’s life-support machine beeping nearby, Jessica realizes Letty is running a deadly operation with border coyotes—ruthless smugglers who eliminate witnesses. The kidnapping is part of an elaborate scheme to steal Tres’s fortune, and with the coyotes closing in with orders to kill everyone, Jessica must overcome her terror and escape before Letty’s greed destroys them all—but will the tough investigator she’s always been survive becoming the prey?
Book Details:
Genre: Crime Fiction, Women’s Detective Fiction Published by: Renegade Reads Publication Date: November 21, 2025 Number of Pages: 220 ISBN: 979-8-9903577-7-8 Series: Jessica Watts Southwest Suspense Series, Book 4 | Each is a Stand-Alone Book Links:Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads | BookBub
Read an excerpt:
Chapter 1
Jessica let the mental exhaustion take hold for a minute, then shook it off. Eighteen months to go. If she survived that, she’d be a lawyer and hopefully move from the reception desk to the courtroom.
She settled into her chair. “I’m back,” she called to her boss. Linda owned the one person firm housed in a quaint old home turned law office in downtown El Paso. Jessica ran her fingers across the antique, inlaid cherry desk. She’d started here less than a year ago, but she already loved this place.
“Hey, how was the test?” Linda strode into the room and plopped down in front of her. A perfect-fitting Armani suit and a blonde blowout softened the toughness shining through Linda’s blue eyes. The creases in her face told the world she’d faced a few battles.
“Tough, but I’m pretty sure I passed,” Jessica said.
Linda smiled, then cocked her head, a question appearing in her eyes. “I bet your father would be proud.”
Jessica bristled, the ache returning to her shoulders and prickles of tension running across her skin. Linda hadn’t brought up Jessica’s dad since the first time they met.
Jessica hated how her father’s conviction for destroying evidence in a drug case shaded her pending law career. He’d been El Paso’s district attorney at the time. That embarrassment held Jessica back for too many years. She’d gotten past it, mostly, especially since her father’s passing.
She shrugged her shoulders in response then willfully changed the subject. “Has it been quiet here?”
“Surprisingly so. But who knows what will walk in the door next?” Linda glanced out the large window as if she expected to see someone trotting up the steps. She turned back to Jessica. “Do you have any new projects on the horizon? You know, human remains under a pecan tree or a missing heiress?”
Jessica’s reputation for finding things, missing people, murderers, had ratcheted up since she started working with Linda. She shook her head. “No more wild cases for me. I need to keep my head down and finish school. I keep getting waylaid by these other projects. It’s too hard to focus on law school and my work here when I’m off solving someone else’s mystery.”
Linda studied Jessica. “Maybe, but I think you like striking out on your own, solving someone’s problem, and coming back a hero. Practicing law is so different than that. It’s tedious and requires an extraordinary amount of patience while the wheels of justice turn.”
Did Linda doubt her aspirations? Not every case would be exciting, but lately, she could use a little less excitement in her life.
“Perhaps,” Jessica said. “But you’re a lot less likely to be confronted by people pointing guns at you or burning down the house you’re trapped in.”
“True. At least most of the time.”
Jessica wondered about her answer. “Is that why you left the police force and became an attorney?” She had heard about Linda’s first career from Jaime Castro, a lieutenant on the El Paso police force and one of her oldest friends. Based on the admiration in his voice, Linda had excelled as a police officer.
“Not really.” Linda’s gaze softened, as if remembering something from long ago. “The problem with police work is that you don’t get to choose your cases. When they don’t seem fair, it becomes hard to put your heart into the job.”
Jessica waited for an explanation. What kind of case would make someone as tough as Linda walk away? For a minute, Jessica thought she would say more. But instead, her boss changed the subject. “Why don’t we go over the upcoming cases?”
When they finished, Linda headed back to her office. Jessica had just turned to her computer when she spied someone coming toward the door. Someone she did not want to see.
Tomás Garcia loped up the steps and opened the door before Jessica could escape. If only her test had taken longer.
“Hi, Jessica. It’s good to see you.” He sat in the chair Linda had just vacated as if he owned the place.
He didn’t. And when he’d tracked her down at a party a few weeks ago, she’d told him she didn’t want to see him again. Yet here he sat. The audacity of rich men never failed to surprise her.
“Why are you here?” She threw all the surliness she could muster into her voice.
“Is that any way to treat a potential client?”
“Tomás, I made it clear that I would never work with you again. You do remember you tried to kill me the last time.” And the time before that, she’d almost died at the hands of someone he’d forgotten to tell her dealt drugs.
“I wouldn’t have killed you. I am not a murderer. I was just angry. I thought you had taken something I considered mine.”
“That something was a human being, and she didn’t want to be with you. You’ve lost your chance with me.”
He steepled his fingers and stared across the desk. “We have a long history, and we’ve worked well together in the past.” Arrogance wafted off him like a bad smell.
Jessica scanned her desk for something to throw at him or stab him with. Life was way too short to tolerate assholes like this.
He held his hands up in surrender, as if he could read her mind. “You’re right. That last time was horrible. I shouldn’t have done so many of the things I did then. I’m sorry. I promise I’m a different man now. And I need your help.”
Fire lit in her veins. She had already taken too many chances with Tomás. Jessica took a deep breath and tried to keep from spitting at him. “You need to leave. There is no way in hell you’ve changed enough in the last few years for me to consider working for you.” She wouldn’t physically attack him, but she tried her best to stare daggers into his soul.
“Please. Let me explain. I’m married to a wonderful woman now. We have a son, and he’s the most important thing in my life. Becoming a father changes a person. I’m a much better man today. Also, I lost my mother a year ago, and I’m worried about losing my father. That’s what I need to talk to you about.”
Of course, curiosity gnawed at her, but it wasn’t enough. She loathed this man.
“You do realize that waltzing in here expecting me to listen to you after I’ve already told you no means you’re still the entitled jerk you’ve always been.”
“I’m not. I swear. Please, just hear me out. I think someone is trying to kill my father.”
“So. Go to the police.”
“I have, but I can’t get anywhere with them. My dad remarried just a few months after my mom died. His new wife has completely denied me access to him.”
“Didn’t you hate your dad? How many times have you told me you wanted to build an empire even bigger than his? Maybe he just doesn’t want to see you.”
“Things are different now. After…after what happened with Doraliz, I had to change. I wasn’t a man I could be proud of, and I certainly wasn’t a son my mother could respect. But she didn’t give up on me. Instead, she helped me see what a terrible person I’d become and gave me a way to recover.”
“Whatever. I don’t care, and I want you to leave.” Jessica refused to buy his rich boy sob story. He should have ended up in jail.
He leaned forward, hands on his knees, blue eyes staring her down, probably his attempt at acting earnest. “I know how selfish and hurtful and conceited I was. I know, and I hate that version of myself. I understand why you don’t want to work with me, but my father’s life is on the line. You have a knack for solving mysteries. I’ve seen you do it. I need your help to save my father.”
“It’s not going to happen. And if you don’t leave, I’ll call the cops.” Jessica picked up her phone and hit the timer, then turned it to face him. “You’ve got sixty seconds to get out of this office.”
Exasperation crossed Tomás’s features. He sighed and started to say something. Then he shut his mouth, rose, and walked out the door. She hoped she’d never see him again.
Linda emerged the minute he left. From the look on her face, she’d heard the conversation.
“I didn’t know you had such a long, involved relationship with Mr. Garcia.” Linda sat in the probably still warm chair.
“Yeah. Unfortunately.” Jessica said nothing more, hoping Linda would drop it. She preferred to avoid the whole sordid tale.
Linda watched Jessica for a long moment but didn’t press her for more information. “You do know that you’re always welcome to work on outside cases. Soon enough you’ll have your own legal cases.”
“I look forward to that, but not with him.”
“Fine. You should head home early tonight. Go celebrate finishing midterms with that handsome husband of yours.”
“Thanks.” She did want to celebrate, although she’d stayed up so late cramming, she’d require a second wind to do anything other than crawl into bed. Or maybe a shot or two of tequila to help her forget torts. And Tomás’s visit.
***
Excerpt from Sangrita by Kathryn Dodson. Copyright 2025 by Kathryn Dodson. Reproduced with permission from Kathryn Dodson. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Kathryn writes about women who have to become their own heroes – whether they’re solving a crime or figuring out the next phase of their lives.
She grew up writing and riding horses in far West Texas. She graduated from SMU in English/Creative Writing and went on to get an MBA from Thunderbird and a PhD from Clemson. Now she spends her days writing about women who become their own heroes.
She has worked on both sides of the US/Mexico border and has held jobs with governments, chambers of commerce, and other businesses. Kathryn loves to travel and has visited 30 countries and 44 states. This inspires her novels about interesting women in fascinating places.
Originally from Texas, Kathryn had the good fortune to live in Spain, Mexico, Tanzania, and several U.S. states, and the good sense to end up in Carlsbad, California. She loves travel, fiery food, hanging out with the neighbors in the front yard on Friday evenings, and reading.
Book Title: Mommy Is Here! after a Long Day at the Hospital by Nathalie P Suarez Moscoso (Author), Edison Cano Cevallos (Illustrator) Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 26 pages Genre: Children’s Picture Book Publisher: Stat Parenting Publication Date: September 2025. Content Rating: G: Children’s Book
Book Description:
“Mommy Is Here! After a Long Day at the Hospital” is a heartwarming bedtime story that captures the magical reunion between Mommy Otter and her baby after a long day apart.
Mommy Otter has been busy caring for patients at the hospital, but now she’s home, ready for hugs, stories, and one very curious little otter.
Mommy’s shift may be over, but her most important job has just begun!
Enjoy this paperback version of the book. This book honors the resilience and special bond between parents working in the medical field and their children. It offers a space for comfort, laughter, and connection for little ones learning that love doesn’t sign off.
Nathalie P. Suarez Moscoso is a physician and mother who understands the challenges and joys of raising a child while caring for patients. Her experiences as both a doctor and a parent inspired her to create stories that honor the resilience of medical families and the deep bonds between parents and children.
Edison J. Cano Cevallos is a physician and father whose greatest joy comes from the moments of connection he shares with his family after long days at the hospital. Inspired by those tender reunions, he writes stories that reflect the resilience of medical families and the unbreakable bond between parent and child.
