Assassins & Thrills – Blown by Chuck Barrett Review

Posted on June 11, 2015 by fundinmental

Chuck Barrett is the kind of author that is as interesting as his novel, Blown, so be sure and check out his bio and my review below.

He also has some fantastic covers.

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

Blown is a military thriller mystery adventure with sexy and dangerous Gregg Kaplan.

Mobsters, assassins, good guy, bad guys and her.

Gregg Kaplan was a Special Forces assassin, but now he works on the civilian side of government. He had to find her. He had four hours. But something happened and his cover is Blown.

He had made Tony, Senior Inspector Moss of the Marshal’s Service,a promise. A promise is a promise and he would deliver the man to WitSec, no matter what.

I quickly became enamored of Kaplan and his unique skills.

The woman he is searching for is his love interest from Toymaker. I have not read that…yet.

The identity of the assassin was a marvelous surprise.

I love complex scenarios with more than one angle. It keeps the mystery alive and me on the edge of my seat with suspense, trying to figure it out.

Chuck Barret makes me think he brings his personal life into his books with nicknames for his characters, like Dirt Man for Pete Moss. What can I say? It’s that something extra that gives the writing that additional kick. Do we see a book coming in the near future telling us his story? Could Greg and Tony become a team? I can see it.

I received Blow from Chuck Barret in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Gregg Kaplan is not an ordinary man, but a man with special skills, courtesy of the United States Government.

His assignment is to stay off the grid when he innocently stumbles into a blown witness protection detail in Little Rock, Arkansas. He simply could not walk away from the impending mayhem.

After the dust settles, a mortally wounded Deputy U.S. Marshal makes him promise to personally deliver the witness to a U.S. Marshals Service safe site.

Not just a promise, an oath. A pledge between ex-Army Delta Force comrades.
A trust that could not be broken—Once in, never out.

Kaplan soon suspects the witness he vowed to protect has secrets of his own; secrets that go beyond his testimony for the U.S. government. When he discovers the witness is being tracked, Kaplan teams with a WitSec Deputy U.S. Marshal assigned to recover the witness, but soon realizes some merciless people are dead set on preventing the witness from reaching the safe site.

But the witness has a hidden agenda of his own—One that could cost Kaplan his life.

ABOUT CHUCK BARRETT

Chuck Barrett is the bestselling author of the Award-Winning Jake Pendleton series. Breach of Power—Winner of the 2013 Indie Excellence Award Political Thriller category and Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure category, The Toymaker—Finalist in the 2013 International Book Awards Thriller/Adventure & Mystery/Suspense categories, and 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, and Honorable Mention in the 2011 ForeWord Reviews Book-Of-The-Year Awards Thriller/Suspense category.

Barrett is a Florida native and a graduate of Auburn University. He is a retired air traffic controller with over 26 years experience and veteran commercial pilot & flight instructor spanning over three decades of flight experience.
Chuck also holds Dive Master and Rescue Diver certifications. He enjoys hiking in the Rockies with his wife, Debi and currently resides in Northeast Florida.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

All covers link to Amazon.

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An Exotic Island & Murder ~ One Particular Harbor by Chip Bell

Posted on June 9, 2015 by fundinmental

Chip Bell is a fellow Jimmy Buffett love, aka a Parrothead, and I am excited to share another island adventure with you, One Particular Harbor.

A murder, a frame up, and Jake Sullivan is in the middle of it…again. 😐

Don’t forget the enter the giveaway for a copy of your very own.

And now, for your listening pleasure, while you read my review and learn about Chip Bell, the author, here is Jimmy Buffett.

Check out this awesome cover.

Can you still resist picking this up and joining Jake Sullivan on a new adventure?

Add Me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

One Particular Harbor by Chip bell is a murder mystery that takes place on an exotic tropical island. Trouble seems to be Jake Sullivan’s middle name and it will find him, even on a working vacation. I look forward to island hopping on another Jake Sullivan adventure.

I have seen the sunset on the cover, I have swam in the salty blue water and sat under a tropical palm tree on a beautiful beach in the Virgin Islands. I have even had a cocktail at Pussers Landing in Tortola, so the location lends an aura of familiarity to me as I read along.

Jake is a Chief Federal Prosecutor of the Miami Office of the Justice Department. Even the President of the United States calls on him to solve some of the most difficult cases. It is not surprising that he has made some enemies and that they will occasionally rise up and bite him in the ass.

It begins the first night he is there. He is being set up, framed, for the murder of a prominent businessman. He trusts his secretary, Eva, and best friend, Mike, and will need them to help him keep from being convicted of a murder he did not commit.

Is it personal? Is it political? Is it payback?

I knew what would happen from the beginning, but not how. It didn’t matter to me. I love mysteries and Chip Bell’s writing kept the story flowing at a steady clip, every once in a while making me want to shout out to Jake…take Mike, don’t go there…

I love the closeness and camaraderie between Jake, Eva and Mike, also some of the peripheral characters. It is nice to have friends that will go the distance and Mike goes above and beyond the bonds of friendship.

One Particular Harbor by Chip Bell is a perfect summer read, whether you are at the beach or hanging around the patio. It is a quick and easy read that will keep you entertained and wondering what Jake Sullivan’s next tropical adventure will be and where will occur. I’ll be there, will you?.

I received One Particular Harbor in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

My review for A Pirate Looks at Forty

SYNOPSIS

A working vacation in the Virgin Islands… what could be better? But when you are Jake Sullivan, things are never as they seem, and a mysterious nighttime meeting leads to a nightmare of a morning.

Arrested for the murder of a prominent businessman, Jake finds himself the object of a conspiracy to take away everything he has as one piece after another builds the case against him.

Jake’s best friend, Mike Lang, comes to his aid and his investigation reveals that Jake is to be transferred to an island prison from which there will be no return and arranges an escape with the help of some island characters found only in the southern latitudes.

Now fugitives, Jake and Mike follow clues from island to island pursued by corrupt police and politicians and an international oil cabal and its team of hit-men, as they race to find answers as to who is framing Jake and why.

This fifth novel by Chip Bell takes the reader on a whirlwind voyage through this island paradise, always heading toward that one particular harbor where Jake’s past and present come together to seal his fate.

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Since June of 2011, Jake Sullivan has taken readers on adventures from Miami to Key West, from Havana to the Middle East, and most recently, sailing through the Virgin Islands…

Dealing with corrupt politicians, criminal masterminds, assassins, the old and new Havana Mob, rogue military factions, and revenge-seeking tycoons, Jake and his best friend, Mike Lang, have encountered twists, turn, tricks and plots… always keeping their readers guessing and providing endings that surprise and satisfy.

His latest releases for the series, books four and five, are A Pirate Looks at 40 andOne Particular Harbor. A Son of a Son of a Sailor is coming in Spring 2015.

And to catch up on the series author Chip Bell has released an eBook titled The Trilogy, a chance for new readers to obtain the first three adventures in this series for only $3.99, to meet Jake Sullivan, Mike Lang, and a great cast of ever-changing characters… and to become part of the legion of fans who find thrills, suspense, humor, and the tropics an unbeatable combination.

The Jake Sullivan Series is must-read for fans of political thrillers and quick and dirty action novels.

Find out more about both novels at: http://www.chipbellauthor.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles L. “Chip” Bell, Jr., lives in the City of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Linda, is the father of two daughters, Jennifer and Jessica, and is a practicing attorney specializing in personal injury litigation, with his main office in Arnold, Pennsylvania.

Born on February 23, 1950, in Harrison Township, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Tarentum High School in 1968, attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, from 1968 to 1972, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude. He served in the United States Army from 1972 to 1974, attended Duquesne University School of Law from 1975 to 1979, and graduated Cum Laude. He practiced law as a personal injury trial attorney with the law firm of Rosenberg, Sewak, Pizzi and Bell from 1979 to 2002, and thereafter as a sole practitioner up to and including the present date.

He is a member of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) and the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (formerly the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association) and has served on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association from 1988 to 1990. He is also a member of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association and served on the Board of Governors in 1988. He is a founder and past president of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

He is the author of the Jake Sullivan series of novels, the first of which, Come Monday, was published in June of 2011, and the second, Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season, in October 2011. His third novel, Havana Daydreamin’, was released in April 2012. His fourth novel, A Pirate Looks at Forty has just been published as of June 2, 2014.

Goodreads / Twitter / Website / Facebook / Pinterest

Covers link to Amazon

My review for A Pirate Looks at Forty

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GIVEAWAY

I have 1 (one) ecopy of One Particular Harbor by Chip Bell for the giveaway. International. Entry is easy peasy. Simple leave your email and answer the question:

If you could visit any tropical island in the world, which one would you choose?

Giveaway runs June 9 – June 23, 2015.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Fanfrickingtastic ~ Review: Celeste by Kristine Mason

Posted on June 8, 2015 by fundinmental

I am so happy to be able to share Celeste Files: Unlocked (Book 1 Psychic CORE): Psychic CORE the latest and greatest novel from Kristine Mason.

OMG, if you are looking for mind blowing paranormal/romantic/suspense, then pick up a copy of Celeste Files: Unlocked today. Kristine works very hard to give the reader a top of the line read and I believe you will not be disappointed.

I will also be sharing of glimpse of Book II, Celeste Files: Unjust by Kristine Mason. Another AMAZING cover! The cover is a bit different from her other ones, but when you read the novel it fits perfectly.

I hope you will check out her work and add this amazing author and her C.O.R.E group to your reading list.

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

I am always eager to get my hands on another Kristine Mason novel and have met Celeste before, in Shadow of Danger (Book 1 CORE Shadow Trilogy) (CORE shadow triology). These books stand alone, but I think once you read one, you will want to read them all, so might as well start at the beginning, with the C.O.R.E Shadow Trilogy, three books in one. Or start with Celeste, the first novel in Celeste’s very own series.

Kristine Mason caught me off guard. Fanfrickingtastic from the very first page. She is very good at grabbing my attention and keeping it, from the opening page to the closing page. Her pacing and suspense is superb. She had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and with each new book her writing amazes all over again.

Celeste is a psychic, she has premonitions. The dead like to talk to her. Does this enable her to change the future or just get answers for something that has already happened? Her mother had been a psychic, but was in denial. Would Olivia, her daughter, be one too?

Her father is Ian, who founded C.O.R.E., a private investigative agency. She had used her abilities to help in investigations, but she hasn’t had any visions in two years.She is married to John, who doesn’t understand her psychic abilities but loves her completely. She has a fourteen month old baby and loves being a mom. She quit working for C.O.R.E. and opened a bakery, the Sugar Shack. (Great name, Kristine. Brings forth good memories and leaves a song reverberating through my mind.)

All the characters are of a type, each special and talented in their own way. I have come to think of them as my family. They have all the problems you and I have, plus some extras.

John wants one thing and Celeste wants another, so where is the compromise between two professionals raising a baby and wanting another. Who will care for the children while they are working? Communication is always the key. Sometimes our perceptions can be wrong.

Celeste’s psychic gifts return. She does not know how they will reconcile John’s dislike of her gift, so she keeps it a secret from him. What price will she pay when he finds out?

NOW, it has become imperative she discover all her abilities and learn to control them, not let them control her. Danger surrounds her. She needs help. I loved that Maxine, the woman who would be her mentor, has a unicorn room. I used to collect unicorns and have them scattered throughout my home. Kristine seems to hit all my buttons. 🙂

Kelly, her friend’s mom dies, but her vision showed her something, something that kept nagging at her, not letting her go. She couldn’t quite grasp what had happened. Have you been trying to think of something and it hovers just out of your grasp? Have you found your mind going round and round, refusing to be shut off? Mine does all the time. 😐

Celeste goes into trances that are so deep, she is afraid she may not return from them. She died with Kelly, feeling what she felt, seeing what she saw. She is afraid the next time, she may walk with the dead into the light. Imagine John’s terror at seeing her like that, unable to call her back.

Celeste listens to a tape John made while she was in a trance, trying to understand his fears. Now she understands, but that still doesn’t change anything. He believes in facts, evidence and science and struggles to understand her psychic world. Some people need to feel, see and touch, no faith in acceptance and belief for what can’t be explained. For Celeste to use her abilities to solve a murder was not a surprise for her, but was there more to it, more that she would not let her mind confront?

I love the sexual banter between Celeste and John. The love and romance is hot without being graphic. Kristine talks about the pitter patter of little baby feet and I hear it. She talks about babby babble and I want to speak it. The mommy/daddy/baby banter is so sweet, cute and loving, it puts a smile on my face. So much love from John as he grapples with her gifts. And secrets? Would you want your friends, and family to know all of yours?

“I’m always a bundle of nerves over what might happen to you when you’re working a case. What gets me through is knowing you’ll do whatever it takes to come back to me and Olivia. Trust that I would do the same.”

Celeste makes me think of the Ghost Whisperer, a TV show with Jennifer Love-Hewitt. She talked to earthbound spirits and helped them cross over into the light.

I want to race through the pages and work very hard to slow myself down. I want to savor the delicious morsels before me.

Kristine, like many authors with their “babies”, works very hard to produce the best product for her readers and I believe she does this in spades.

If you love romantic suspense novels, Kristine Mason’s books are a MUST READ. They stand above many New York Times bestselling authors.

I received an ARC from the author and am ecstatic to share my honest review with you!

5 Stars+++++

SYNOPSIS

Some secrets should remain locked in the past…

Celeste Kain hasn’t had a psychic vision in two years. After being brutally attacked while helping criminal investigation agency CORE stop a serial killer, her mind repressed her clairvoyant abilities. Married to CORE agent, John Kain, mother to their toddler, Olivia, and owner of an up-and-coming bakery, Celeste has been doing fine psychic-free. Only now the dead are using her body to tell their stories again…putting her new life and family at risk.Haunted by a murdered woman, Celeste turns to a psychic mentor to learn how to control her gift, protect her family and bring justice to the dead. But the more she digs into the dead woman’s past, the further she slips into the unknown, unlocking secrets literally worth killing for. As the body count rises, it becomes clear: someone in the dead woman’s family is deeply, violently wrong. And Celeste needs to be careful, before she loses something more precious to her than her life.Celeste Risinski, the heroine of Shadow of Danger (Book 1 CORE Shadow Trilogy), is back with her own series. Join her as she learns how to deal with being a wife, mom, baker and…psychic investigator.

Check out her latest, yet to be released CORE novel.

Cover links to Celeste Files: Unlocked, Book I of the series on Amazon

Add to Goodreads now.

SYNOPSIS

Celeste Files: Unjust (Book 2 Psychic C.O.R.E.)—Kristine Mason

Dealing with the dead is murder…

Psychic Celeste Kain has two things on her mind, relaxing for a week in Florida with her husband, John, and making a baby. But a fishing trip turns her vacation into a nightmare when she reels in the body of a dead boat captain and accidentally unleashes an evil ghost who has one thing on his mind…revenge.

As the dead boat captain haunts Celeste, she looks deeper into his past and discovers that his murderer had done the world a favor. The ghost tormenting Celeste doesn’t see it that way and will go to any length to avenge his death. If Celeste won’t give him what he wants, he will take over her body and use her as a weapon…to kill her husband.

Celeste Risinski, the heroine of Shadow of Danger (Book 1 C.O.R.E. Shadow Trilogy), is back with her own series. Join her as she learns how to deal with being a wife, mom, baker and…psychic investigator.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I realized my passion and found a career I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

Website / Email: authorkristinemason@gmail.com / Facebook / Twitter

MY REVIEWS FOR KRISTINE MASON’S NOVELS

Shadow of Danger / Shadow of Perception / Shadow of Vengeance

Ultimate Kill / Ultimate Fear / Ultimate Prey (coming soon)

Perfectly Twisted (coming soon)

All covers link to Amazon

Perfectly twisted is the beginning of another series, CORE Above the Law, that takes the characters even further than I thought they would go. I am LOVING it!!!

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Southern Charm at its finest ~ Memory House by @BetteLeeCrosby

Posted on June 2, 2015 by fundinmental

Time and time again, Bette Lee Crosby captures me with her writing.

In her latest novel, Memory House, the southern charm oozes from the pages, the characters read as if they are my friends and family and the storyline captivates me.

The beautiful cover makes we want to walk up to the door, expecting Ophelia to be there, opening it before I have the opportunity to knock.

Check out the links at the end of the post for more novels by Bette Lee Crosby and my reviews of her books. Happy reading!

Add to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

…books and stories, that’s where the magic is

Bette Lee Crosby is a master storyteller and her latest novel, Memory House follows the path of all the rest of her novels I have read – excellence. Her captivating characters had me eating out of their hands.

Bette’s writing takes us back and forth, between the past and present of Ophelia’s life, since she entered Memory House in Richmond, Virginia. She is such a wonderful person, alone, yet so giving of herself to others. She runs a small apothecary shop that may supply someone with items for beauty, a common cure, or a love potion that a weary traveler may need. Ophelia has many memories, not all of them her own. It is time for the passing of the sword. Could Annie be the one she has been looking for?

Annie will find herself on Ophelia’s doorstep, after a failed relationship.

Michael, her boyfriend is a super jerk, taking advantage of her desire for a relationship and her easy nature. He trots through life as if he is her gift from God and his desires are her desires. Boy is he in for a surprise as she realizes she doesn’t have to have him in her life. Will she leave him? Will such an arrogant personality allow it? He was so sure he could leave and come back whenever he wanted and she would be there waiting for him.

I felt a sense of danger in the writing and the thought that maybe Michael, her ex, would come after her, but Bette Lee Crosby’s dangers are more subtle.

Funny how smells can bring forth powerful memories and here at the Memory House Bed & Breakfast, they were good memories, healing memories, for Annie. Will the magic of Memory House enter her life and soothe her soul, giving her a purpose?

Ophelia and Annie quickly develop a comfortable relationship, as if it is meant to be.

Bette Lee Crosby has a way of giving you comfort when bad things happen. Sometimes I need to be reminded of the simple pleasures in life and her writing does that for me.

As per Bette Lee Crosby’s books I have read in the past, the story ends with tears of happiness swelling in my eyes. Another wonderful heart warming story of love, life, pain and sorrow, and the path her characters must walk through in life.

I received Memory House in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety.

Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading.

When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far.

ABOUT BETTE LEE CROSBY

Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby shares the storytelling charm of her Southern Mama in tales that are both heartrending and heartwarming. She is best known for her creation of characters that readers find unforgettable.

Passing through Perfect is Crosby’s tenth novel and the third book in the Wyattsville Series that began with the USA Today Bestseller Spare Change. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win another twenty literary awards, including the Royal Palm Literary Award, the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal and the 2014 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

You can check out other her other novels and my reviews by clicking on the links below:

Passing Through Perfect by Bette Lee Crosby & Giveaway

She Did It Her Way – Review for Blueberry Hill by Bette Lee Crosby

Interview & Review for Bette Lee Crosby’s Jubilee’s Journey

Review of The Twelfth Child by Bette Lee Crosby

Show a little southern hospitality to Louise in What Matters Most by Bette Lee Crosby

Review of Cracks In The Sidewalk by Bette Lee Crosby

Review of Wishing for Wonderful by Bette Lee Crosby

What do you do with your Spare Change?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Senior Citizens Beware ~ Blood Ties by Ashley Fontainne

Posted on June 1, 2015 by fundinmental

Ashley Fontainne is an amazing award winning and bestselling author that you will want to check out. Her novels are so good, they are being optioned for film.

Ashley Fontainne has teamed up with her mother, Lillian Hansen, in her new release, Blood Ties.

I am so excited to share all the goodies below, so please, grab a beverage, put your feet up and enjoy.

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen’s Blood Ties has a level of creepiness and reality that will linger long after you have finished reading the novel. The mother and daughter writing team continues into the characters of the story with Karina and her mother, LiAnn.

Karina, a private investigator for We’ve Got Ya, and LiAnn, a cop, had become sickened after their last case, that dealt with the abuse of senior citizens in assisted living facilities and quit their jobs. Now, it was off to Grandma and Grandpa’s farm in Arkansas.

Karina does not have female friends, except for her mother, who is her best friend. I love Karina’s badassery and the snarky dialogue between and her mother. My mother is my best friend and I spend more time around men than women. Who has time for cat fights, jealousy and shopping? Not me. I am not afraid to tell my mother anything, like Karina, sometimes in very “colorful” words. I do love Karina’s foul mouth and her “take out my gun and shoot you” attitude. I love fast cars and beer, too, Karina. She has a black Charger, with dark tinted windows and racing tires. She named it Dragula, after a Rob Zombie song based on the Munsters. Makes me think of driving the country roads when I first moved south with my Monte Carlo SS and doberman. Karina has a big dog, a 100lb black lab. I sure see the similarities and feel right at home with Karina and her family.

Of course, we need a love interest and her encounter with one of the twin Greek Gods had me grinning at the descriptive writing, which drew me further and further into Blood Ties.

Karina’s biggest Achilles heel is the mistreatment of senior citizens. She will not stand by and watch them be neglected or abused…by anyone.

The Magnolia is an assisted living facility that houses some of her grandparents friends. As Karina and LiAnn become aware of some funky goings on, they begin to investigate on their own.

Caesar is a mobster, a ruthless criminal and ex assassin that has taken many lives. When his wife dies, I find it impossible to feel empathy for him. What about the families he ruined? He has his sights set on The Magnolia, but…money isn’t the only thing he will be taking from the seniors.

Nick runs The Magnolia and sold his soul to the devil – Caesar – in return for money. He stuck his head in Caesar’s noose and would never get it out. Terror stalks him, day and night.

The Magnolia is understaffed with poorly trained workers, residents are neglected and abused – lawsuits and government investigations abound. How relevant is that today? Will you be in an assisted living facility? Blood Ties is a very thought-provoking novel that will haunt me into my golden years.

What can I say? I LOVE Blood Ties. Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen’s ability to grab me from the beginning and keep me turning page after page, unable to put the book down, is proof of their awesome writing. The emotion I felt while reading ranged from happy and playful to rage and the need for justice. But is there any justice for crimes so despicable that I cannot find the words to describe them?

Blood Ties by Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen is the first in a three-part murder mystery/suspense series and I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next!

I received the ARC of Blood Ties in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

LiAnn Tuck and her daughter, Karina Summers, are settling into their new life, enjoying the small farming community of Sheridan, Arkansas. The slower pace, compared to the craziness of Los Angeles, is a welcome distraction for them both. Taking care of her aging parents and their small farm is just what LiAnn needs to forget her twenty-five-year career as a detective. And Karina’s new love interest brings back the smile she lost from years of undercover work and her cheating ex-boyfriend.

The Bonds

Their idyllic lifestyle changes the minute a family friend, Cecil Pickard, pays a visit. He lives at The Magnolia, an independent living facility in Hot Springs, and believes someone is stealing from him. LiAnn and Karina offer to investigate and suddenly find themselves inside a living nightmare.

Are Permanent

Theft isn’t the only criminal activity taking place inside the historic, stately walls of The Magnolia. Organized crime has infiltrated Hot Springs, and what they’re after is not only money, but life itself. As LiAnn and Karina dig deeper, they might just be digging their own graves.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film.

The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released September 29, 2014. Ashley then delves into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, scheduled for release in the Spring of 2015. Plus, she will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her Mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

For More Information

Visit Ashley’s website.
Connect with Ashley on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about Ashley at Goodreads.
Visit Ashley’s blog.
Contact Ashley.

Check out my review for her awesome novel, Growl, here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Will good conquer evil ~ Review and Guest Post for Witch of Death by Chrys Fey

Posted on May 28, 2015 by fundinmental

Chrys Fey is an author who has captivated me with her writing and I was very eager to read Witch of Death

Check out the gorgeous cover.

Add to Goodreads now.

Title: Witch of Death

Author: Chrys Fey

Genre: Supernatural/Suspense

Format: eBook Only
Page Count: 45 (short story)

Release Date: May 20th, 2015

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

MY REVIEW

Witch of Death by Chrys Fey is an awesome short of suspense, thrills, magic, witches and romance, wrapped up in a wonderful package.

Liberty Sawyer is called in by the police, when a magical murder occurs – a floating corpse and a spell cast by an evil, dark magic sorcerer bring her and Reid together.

She is a psychic, a witch to be exact. She takes no guff about whether you believe in her or not. She is a witch that hunts witches to be burned alive and has a gaze that can freeze a man in his tracks. Reid learns that first hand.

Detective Reid Sanders is a skeptic. Does he fight believing in her so much because he is in lust after Libby?

Chry’s Fey’s writing is sooooo good, that I will be reading anything she puts out!

Witch of Death is a short, but powerful read. Libby had me eating out of her hand from the first pages. The characters are well developed and got me so involved, I hated for the story to end. I want more, please.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

GUEST POST

Welcome Chrys. I am so happy to have you here today!

Thank you for the great review and for letting me borrow your blog to talk about Witch of Death, Sherry! 🙂

Music is my constant muse when I’m writing. I have a list of songs I go to when I need to write romantic scenes and action scenes. There are also my go-to artists such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Sia, Evanescence, Imagine Dragons, and more.

Witch of Death originally had chapter titles that were deleted during the galley phases, and those chapter titles were actually names of songs that inspired those chapters. For fun, I’ll share the soundtrack for Witch of Death, so if you read the story, you can maybe look up the songs, too.

Witch of Death Soundtrack:

Murder by Within Temptation
The Bleeding by Five Finger Death Punch
Crystal Ball by P!nk
Faceless by Red
Pieces by It’s Alive
Enemy by Papa Roach
Eyes by Kaskade, Mindy Gledhill

Thank you all for visiting and hopefully commenting. 😉

Thanks, Chrys. I love learning what inspires an author. I look forward to having you visit again in the near future. 🙂

BLURB

Detective Reid Sanders doesn’t believe in the
supernatural, but when he’s faced with a crime scene that defies the laws of
nature, he has no other choice but to start believing. And solving a magical
murder involves working with a witch.

Liberty Sawyer embodies the look of your classic evil
witch, so it’s no surprise when she uncovers the murderer is a witch and she
becomes Reid’s number one suspect. If she can’t convince him otherwise, more
people could lose their lives to dark magic, including her.

BOOK LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / The
Wild Rose Press / NOOK
/ KOBO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.

When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later
rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way.

You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write
with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links:

Facebook / Blog / Website / Goodreads

Check out my 5 star review for Ghost of Death here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

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Review & Giveaway: Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti

Posted on May 21, 2015 by fundinmental

Donna Galanti’s latest novel, Joshua and the Lightning Road, is an action adventure novel that kept me entertained from beginning to end. This may be for the younger crowd, but there is no reason you and I can’t enjoy it too and I did, very much.

MY REVIEW

This is a story of friendship, love, sacrifice, hope and courage. A wonderful, magical, mystery adventure for kids of all ages.

This book could start out: It was a dark and stormy night…

Joshua is the worrier and Finn is the adventurer. Finn is his Joshua’s best friend.

Their game of hide and seek ended badly. The lightning struck and when Joshua could see again Finn was gone and he was left with a warning…

He would be next.

So…it’s down the Lightning Road to find the answers. Let’s go together, shall we?

The descriptive writing showed me the road and I traveled it with Joshua.

There was the Child Collector who steals kids to sell.

The Reekers, because of their smell, he things they are stinky.

Giant ravens, like the Wizard of Oz monkeys and giant rats.

Myths, Greek Gods, and super powers.

Flying deer, sound familiar?

Takers – Earth people who came looking for the missing children. Not all are good.

Prophecy – one born who is part Earth human, part Nostos and part Olympian – the Oracle – all powerful. He could bring back all twelve gods. They would have to do good and close the Lightning Road forever.

I thought of so many movies I have watched that could have contributed to the writing of this story: Indiana Jones, where Kalimar abducts children to make them slaves; Harry Potter with his magic; the Neverending story.

Once I put my mind together with my inner child and let my imagination follow Joshua, the roller coaster ride shot out of the gate…

The characters are giving and go above and beyond anyone’s expectations. Some put their lives on the line for friends, family and all the missing children, while the others are so despicable, it makes me want to climb into the book and put them on the hamster wheel to produce the power, then finish them off after a suitable amount of torture.

Donna writes with humor interlaced throughout, giving this adventure that light touch that keeps it to a comfortable level for the youngsters.

“Mizzle – misty drizzle. “…we’re being mizzled right now.” “Better than being whizzled on.”

“If I ever got home again I would cherish every minute being bored. Bored was better than dead. “

I received this book in return for an honest review.

5 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road
Publication date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Donna Galanti

SYNOSIS

Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.

To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.

In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series and the Element Trilogy. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs at www.project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogs…, a cooperative of published middle grade authors. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com and www.ElementTrilogy.com. Donna wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Review ~ Ghost of Death by Chrys Fey

Posted on May 21, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome and I hope you are having a wonderful day!

I am so happy to be able to share my review of this fantastic story by Chrys Fey.

Are you a ghost lover? Well, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Add to Goodreads

Title: Ghost of Death

Author: Chrys Fey

Genre: Supernatural/Suspense

Format: eBook Only

Page Count: 41 (short story)

Cover: Debbie Taylor

MY REVIEW

I love the etheral cover for Ghost of Death by Chrys Fey. The ghostly effect made me eager to read this wonderful and sometimes humorous novella about a murdered woman, who is now a ghost, and the investigation into her death.

Jolie figured, if she had to be a ghost, she would be the best ghost she could be.

She could walk through walls, but not tweet. I thought that was very funny and the writing set the tone for the rest of the story.

Jolie doesn’t know how she died, but she watched as the police examined her crime scene. She had been going to college to be a journalist and noted everything in detail. Imagine watching the police document the scene, taking your body to the coroner’s office, watching the care and the feelings the workers put into their work.

Imagine watching as your family identify your remains, wanting to reach out to them in their time of need, feeling their anguish and wanting to alleviate their pain.

Jolie was watching the officer in charge of her case, Avrianna, pacing in her office. She shouted out in anger at her. Avrianna whipped around and shouted, “You know what? You need to stop shouting in my ear…” I busted out laughing. Didn’t see that coming at all.

Avrianna is Jolie’s Ghost Whisperer. I loved that Chrys mentioned the TV show, Ghost Whisperer, with Jennifer Love-Hewitt. I used to watch the show every week and have been watching some reruns on ION TV.

Jolie would find out first hand why earthbound spirits stay.

This novella had it all for me: mystery, ghosts, a great storyline and characters that I loved. The humor sprinkled throughout the story helped to make up for the times when I wanted to cry for those left behind.

I would highly recommend reading this fun story of Jolie and the detective that is determined to solve her case, if a murder mystery can be fun. 😈

The author supplied me with a copy of Ghost of Death in return for an honest review. I can hardly wait to begin reading Witch of Death.

5 Stars

GUEST POST

Welcome to fundinmental, Chrys.

I am so happy to have you here to share some of your thoughts with us.

I love chapter titles as a reader and a writer. I think chapter titles are a special dose of creativity that writers add to their books for readers to enjoy, whether readers look at those titles of not. For Ghost of Death, my seven-chapter short story, I created chapter titles for a bit of humor. My publisher doesn’t use chapter titles for shorter works though, so they were stripped from my story during the galley phases. I wanted to share those titles with you now.

Chapter One – I Can’t Be Dead

Chapter Two – Ghost of Death

Chapter Three – Tea for One

Chapter Four – The League of the Dead

Chapter Five – What Happened

Chapter Six – Evidence

Chapter Seven – Pesky College Ghost

QUESTION: What do you think of my deleted chapter titles?

Thank you for having my on your blog, Sherry. You rock!

You are most welcome, Chrys. It is definitely my pleasure and I look forward to doing it again!

SYNOPSIS

Jolie Montgomery, a twenty-one-year-old woman, wakes up in an alley next to her corpse. She has no memories of her murder or the night she died. She didn’t even see the killer’s face before he or she took her life. Wanting justice, Jolie seeks answers in the only way a ghost can…by stalking the lead detective on the case.

Avrianna Heavenborn is determined to find the person responsible for a young woman’s death. She gets closer to the killer’s identity with every clue she uncovers, and Jolie is with her every step of the way.

But if they don’t solve her murder soon, Jolie will be an earth-bound spirit forever.

BOOK LINKS

Amazon US / Amazon UK / The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO

Add to Goodreads

Also available: WITCH OF DEATH

SYNOPSIS

Detective Reid Sanders doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but when he’s faced with a crime scene that defies the laws of nature, he has no other choice but to start believing. And solving a magical murder involves working with a witch.

Liberty Sawyer embodies the look of your classic evil witch, so, it’s no surprise when she uncovers the murderer is a witch that she becomes Reid’s number one suspect. If she can’t convince him otherwise, more people could lose their lives to dark magic, including her.

BOOK LINKS

Amazon US / Amazon UK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.

When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way.

You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links:

Facebook / Blog / Website / Goodreads

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Reality TV Murder ~ Serial Date by DV Berkom Review

Posted on May 17, 2015 by fundinmental

Hello Reader, meet Leine Basso.

I have read several novels by DV Berkom and find her ability to tell a story amazing. If you are a lover of the mysterious, thrilling, suspenseful world of murder, step inside.

I DARE YOU!

But…beware. All is not as it appears.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1480008435
ISBN-13: 978-1480008434

MY REVIEW

Serial Date + Serial Murder = Serial Killer

Serial Date is a fast paced, tension filled suspense thriller that had me engrossed from cover to cover. The quirky and twisted characters made me wonder who was running the asylum. I love her covers. The colors are vibrant and they foretell the story inside.

A brutal, heinous murder on a reality TV show brings in Leine Basso, an ex Agency assassin, to watch over the contestants. The show consists of ex cons dating hot women and pretending they are serial killers. There are plenty of suspects, but what happens when everyone is targeted by a real serial killer?

It’s pretty bad when the cons are better people than the ones running the circus. So, let’s meet the main characters, even though the peripheral characters are important and have their own impact on the story.

Leine Basso – she may be an assassin, but she is no psychopath. She does have feelings and desires, just like the rest of us. It pains her that her daughter, April, holds the past against her and wants nothing to do with her. She cannot escape the past, no matter how far or fast she runs, but maybe she can kill it. Evil and danger come at her from more than one direction.

Deliciously hot and sexy Los Angeles Homicide Detective Santiago Jensen is assigned the case and the sparks fly when he and Leine meet. Would he risk his job to be with her? The heart wants what the heart wants and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop thinking of her.

Peter Bronkowski is a sick and twisted individual. It had been his idea for the show and he is more interested in the ratings than the deaths mounting up around him. He has fears and problems of of his own that do no include Serial Date.

Senator Buzz Runyon is a corrupt, arrogant and pathetic politician that visits the pages. He is controlled by his ‘little head” and in a very sick way. The only things he cares about is reelection and his sex games.

Leine has no idea what is coming her way, until April is abducted by the serial killer. But that can be said for Azazel. He has no idea of the storm that will be unleashed on him. Revenge is his motivation and he will not stop, until he gets it. Leine will not stop, until she gets her daughter back.

Serial Date is the first in a series of suspense thrillers that stand alone. It is easy reading, action packed, loaded with tension and sizzling romance. There are as many weak and twisted men as there are strong and determined women. DV shows the ugliness of human nature, but also the beauty and goodness. I love the taste of humor with my evil and DV deals with this in a way that seems real. After all, the police, medical examiners and others in awkward situations use laughter to get through the badness or discomfort.

I read, but didn’t review Serial Date right away, so I reread it. I thought I would just skim it and refresh my memory, but I ended up reading it word for word. I think I enjoyed it better the second time around, because I wasn’t in as big a hurry to find out how everything ended.

I would love to have a margarita at the Happy Mermaid with Leine. Gimme a call! 🙂

I received Serial Date from DV Berkom in return for an honest review. Thank you DV. It has been my pleasure! I LOVED it!

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

When former assassin Leine Basso’s daughter is abducted, she’s drawn into the twisted game of a serial killer who may be a grisly remnant from her past.

Determined to leave her old life behind, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a job working security at one of television’s most popular reality shows, Serial Date. When a contestant is found dead in the prop closet, it appears the killer is one of the ‘bachelors’ on the show- an ex-con billed as a serial killer- but the detective in charge of the case isn’t so sure.

When Leine’s estranged daughter is abducted by a man claiming to be the real killer, she’s forced to rely on old skills to find her and must come to terms with who she really is. She soon realizes the murderer may be a grisly remnant from her past and she’ll need to use all of her cunning to stop him….

and rescue her daughter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.

Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.

For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.

Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Pinterest / Amazon US / Amazon UK/ Newsletter

Author Pages

Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / itunes / Kobo

The Leine Basso Thrillers:

I have read some of her Kate Jones Thrillers:

5 Star Review – Yucatan Dead by DV Berkom

5 Star Review – A One Way Ticket To Dead by DV Berkom

The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 1 box set (includes the 1st four novellas in the series).

(The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 2 includes Cruising for Death (#5), YD, and AOWTTD, all for $8.99 (bought separately they would be 12.99)

***all covers link to amazon, I am an affiliate***

Check out all these beautiful covers for the Kate Jones thrillers by DV Berkom.

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Review & Giveaway for The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall Page

Posted on May 14, 2015 by fundinmental

The Body in the Birches: A Faith Fairchild Mystery

Genre – COZY MYSTERY

· Series: Faith Fairchild Mysteries (Book 22)

· Hardcover: 240 pages

· Publisher: William Morrow (May 12, 2015)

· ISBN-13: 978-0062310828

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the cover, I knew I would have to read this book. I love trees and an island…in Maine…makes me think of Cape Cod. Too close to home to miss.

Katherine Hall Page is a prolific writer, with many “body” books. How have I not heard of her before?

The Birches on Sanpere Island had been handed down through the generations.This also makes me think of Cape Cod, where cottages are passed down. There are so many things that remind me of the Cape, that I felt right at home. Like the boat parade and the Fourth of July celebrations. Out on the water, I too would be bundled up as if it is winter. The mornings can start out chilly, so layering is a wise move. Katherine draws such vivid pictures with her words, I am able to see as if I am there.

pic of shelby as french fry

Sophie’s Aunt Priscilla, the owner of The Birches, is dead and Sophie’s mom had sent her there to find out who would inherit The Birches?

The family descends on The Birches like a flock of vultures, as the neighbors watch. The population is uder 3,000, so everyone knows everyone’s business. I think this will get very ugly. Will it read as true crime? We will see.

It doesn’t take long fo the sniping, sucking up and maneuvering begins. It is at times like these that you find out what people are made of. It brings out the best and worst of the characters. They run the gamut, from lawyers to hippies to snobs and yuppies. Some of the characters are loving and giving, helping out because it’s needed and they can. Others spend their time ordering people around like servants and insinuating themselves into conversations and situations without being invited. They are aggressive, selfish, narcissists.

Sophie is a lawyer and a hopeless romantic. Kendall is a lawyer too. The immediate attraction is a recipe for romance, don’t you think? I love that they eat out everywhere, from five star restaurants to the local dive.

Faith and Tom are staying at the Pines while there house is being renovated. Tom is a minister and Faith was raised in the lifestyle, though it seems now dead bodies seek her out.

I know Faith is the crime investigator and the series is names after her, but Sophie was the one who became most important to me.

Faith and Sophie – I feel something special will come of their meeting.

A predictable story, but very character driven for you people lovers out there. A glimpse into the characters lives, from the innocent children to the conniving and greedy adults. There are so many suspects, though one stands out.

Secrets can get you killed. Vermin can lurk right under your nose, justifying their actions, feeling a sense of entitlement, with no remorse. Actions tell a lot about a person.

A wonderful summer mystery, so be sure to add it to your reading list.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Faith Sibley Fairchild, Katherine Hall Page’s amateur sleuth/caterer is back on Sanpere Island in Penobscot Bay, Maine. The Fourth of July is one of the hottest on record and things heat up further when, after the fireworks, Faith discovers a body in the woods at The Birches, an early 20th century “cottage.” The body turns out to be that of The Birches’s housekeeper, and the death appears to be a simple but tragic heart attack. What is not simple is what’s going on at The Birches: a family gathering called to decide who will inherit the much loved, and valuable, place that has been in the Proctor family for generations. Meanwhile teen Ben Fairchild is learning things at his job at The Laughing Gull Lodge far removed from the dishwasher job description and his younger sister Amy’s new friend, Daisy Proctor, is frightened–she is convinced someone is trying to eliminate her mother from the competition for The Birches for good.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katherine Hall Page is the author of twenty-two previous Faith Fairchild mysteries, the first of which received the Agatha Award for best first mystery. The Body in the Snowdrift was honored with the Agatha Award for best novel of 2006. Page also won an Agatha for her short story “The Would-Be Widower.” In addition, she has been nominated for the Edgar Award, the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and the Macavity Award. She lives in Massachusetts and Maine with her husband.