The Nephilim’s Fate Eliza Hampstead (War of the Nephilim Series, #1) Publication date: August 16th 2022 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
MY REVIEW
The gorgeous cover art for The Nephilim’s Fate by Eliza Hampstead is done by Rio B Nugroho and a cover can turn my head, making me feel that I have to have the book.
The War Of The Nephilim series takes place in London, in a magical world shared by witches, vampires, fae, demons, hellhounds, Nephilim, and humans. Each book highlights a couple, telling their story and The Nephilim’s Fate is Alissa and Nate’s story. Brace yourself for some spicy, sizzling forbidden romance.
We start out with some hot and heavy sex, but it’s only a dream. Or is it? Alissa finds out soon enough when she discovers her dream guy is a Nephilim and she is a witch. I love anything to do with gods and goddesses, angels and demons, vampires, and witches and wizards.
I quickly got lost in the story and read it in one sitting. My only regret, I don’t have the next two sitting by, waiting to be read. I probably would have went straight to them, because the characters are fascinating and the story had me caught up in the forbiddenness of it. How long can they last, before giving into their attraction…and what happens when they do?
Try telling Alissa they say it can’t be done and she sets off on a mission of her own to get the answers.
We usually have some kind of battle or war going on when we are in a magical fantasy and the paranormal world. They can’t seem to get along, but there are also other reasons that have been kept hidden.
I do like walking the darker side of things, and we will do so here.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
She will find a way, even if it leads to a war between Heaven and Hell.
In the heart of London, Alissia’s ordinary life takes a thrilling turn when she is attacked by bloodthirsty vampires. When Nate, the man she dreamed about for years, swoops in to save her, her reality shatters as she discovers a shocking truth: she’s a witch, and he’s a Nephilim. But their love is cursed, forbidden by ancient laws that threaten to tear their world apart.
As old rivalries resurface and dark secrets come to light, Alissia and Nate must confront their deepest fears and fight for their love, even if it means igniting a war between Heaven and Hell.
With unforgettable characters, steamy romance, and gripping plot twists, this captivating new fantasy series by award-winning author Eliza Hampstead delves into a world of angels and demons, forbidden love, and the inexorable power of fate.
If you crave the intensity of Shadowhunters with an added dose of spice, don’t miss out on this spellbinding series!
*Warning: strong language, steamy scenes, and graphic violence inside. Mention/Description of abduction, blood, death, rape, and torture.*
Award winning author Eliza Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she’s not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of medieval history are only a few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always planning her next adventure.
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I have seen a lot of recommendations for Blake Crouch novels, but Run is my first one. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House/ Ballantine Books.
Jack Colclough hears his name called over the radio and knows that ‘they’ are coming to kill him and his family. He has no other option than to run.
They run through deserts and mountains, searching for gas, food and water. All the things necessary when an apocalypse hits. They do their best to avoid anyone else, not knowing who can be trusted…no one. Blake definitely puts his characters through hell.
Riveting. Engrossing. Suspenseful. Unputdownable. I’ll definitely be checking out more of his work.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
5 D A Y S A G O A rash of bizarre murders swept the country… Senseless. Brutal. Seemingly unconnected. A cop walked into a nursing home and unloaded his weapons on elderly and staff alike. A mass of school shootings. Prison riots of unprecedented brutality. Mind-boggling acts of violence in every state.
4 D A Y S A G O The murders increased ten-fold…
3 D A Y S A G O The President addressed the nation and begged for calm and peace…
2 D A Y S A G O The killers began to mobilize…
Y E S T E R D A Y All the power went out…
T O N I G H T They’re reading the names of those to be killed on the Emergency Broadcast System. You are listening over the battery-powered radio on your kitchen table, and they’ve just read yours.
Your name is Jack Colclough. You have a wife, a daughter, and a young son. You live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. People are coming to your house to kill you and your family. You don’t know why, but you don’t have time to think about that any more.
You only have time to….
R U N
This 80,000-word novel also contains a bonus interview with Blake, and excerpts from his other work.
Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of the forthcoming novel, Dark Matter, for which he is writing the screenplay for Sony Pictures. His international-bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy was adapted into a television series for FOX, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, that was Summer 2015’s #1 show. With Chad Hodge, Crouch also created Good Behavior, the TNT television show starring Michelle Dockery based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. He has written more than a dozen novels that have been translated into over thirty languages and his short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Crouch lives in Colorado with his family.
It’s good to be back with some familiar characters in Prince William County, solving another mystery in Her Deadly Rose (Detective Amanda Steele) by Carolyn Arnold.
I feel for Amanda and her lack of a personal life. She has been torn between Logan, her live in boyfriend, and Trent, her partner. I wonder how strong her relationship is with Logan. Can it withstand the trials and tribulations he is put through. He spends more time with Zoe, her adopted daughter, than she does.
Amanda has come to the arena to watch Michaela Glover perform. Michaela Glover is an Olympic hopeful figure skater and she has come home to put on a performance. Instead of watching her skate, Amanda finds her lifeless body amongst rose petals on the floor of her dressing room.
Carolyn Arnold takes us on a step by step mystery tour. Who wanted Michaela dead? Before they can solve the first murder, another body drops. We have a multitude of suspects, but none seem to be the villain.
Her Deadly Rose doesn’t have the thrills and chills that ignite my imagination, but her mysteries do keep my mind churning, gathering clues, trying to put them together to solve the crime. There isn’t a lot of romance and family life takes a backseat to Amanda’s work. That’s what happens when you are a police officer. It’s not a nine to five, five days a week job. Family events are missed, which can cause a lot of conflict. Her novels are easy to relate to, because the realism makes the characters come to life.
We end with : “You and Trent are needed right away.”
“Just tell me where.”
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The girl’s lifeless body lies next to a scattered bouquet of crimson roses, the petals around her head like tiny pools of blood. Gripped in her hand is the note that came with the flowers, sent by someone who wanted her dead.
When champion figure skater Michaela Glover returns to her hometown of Woodbridge for a special performance, Detective Amanda Steele is part of the cheering crowds. But when Michaela is discovered dead in her dressing room after the show, Amanda is the first to investigate the shocking scene.
There is no sign of foul play, and the room is overflowing with flowers from Michaela’s adoring fans. But Amanda’s heart stops at the sight of a few roses tied with black ribbon and a note that reads “You’ll be sorry”. And when forensic tests reveal the ribbon was laced in something Michaela was deathly allergic to, Amanda is certain this is cold-blooded murder.
Desperate for a lead, Amanda dives into Michaela’s life to find out who could possibly want this sweet girl dead. She soon discovers that despite having a glittering future ahead of her, Michaela had a troubled past, and was surrounded by people jealous of her success.
When someone close to Michaela is discovered brutally murdered, Amanda is terrified there could be yet more innocent victims to follow. Can she uncover the twisted killer’s identity before they strike again?
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Police Procedural
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 18, 2024 by Bookouture
Series: Detective Amanda Steele, #12
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
Well, I’m sad to say that Savage Risk was not one of my favorite Jane Blythe novels. She writes wonderful romance novels filled with danger, hunkalicious males, suspense, romance, and happy ever afters. It’s rare when one of her books misses the mark.
We have two dysfunctional characters, Skye Xenos and Caleb Quinn. They had been friends since they were four years old. They had grown up in the wealthy, political world, where their fathers had their lives planned out. That didn’t fly with either one. Skye was an animal whisperer, so it made sense for her to become a vet. Caleb went into the military, then joined Prey Security.
We have an ongoing suspense mystery that will be wrapped up in Savage Risk, the final book in the Prey Security, Alpha Team series.
Caleb comes back into Skye’s life with plans to use her to get information on her father, but that’s not the only reason. Caleb wants her back. That makes her a target. The Russian wants her for a birthday gift for his son to use and abuse and probably kill before it’s all over. Her father wants her to torture her and kill her. She won’t do down without a fight, but it will take Prey Security and Caleb to save her life.
The story was predictable, but I have been invested in the characters since I first met them in previous books. I was glad to see that the bad guys get their just desserts and second chances do pay off. A little bit of spit and polish and this ARC can really shine.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Savage Risk by Jane Blythe.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Some wounds run too deep to heal.
Once upon a time Skye Xenos had a friend. He didn’t know it but he was the only reason she could survive the Hell that was her home. Then he left, breaking a piece of her that could never be repaired. Now over a decade later he’s back and bad things start happening to her. A coincidence or did he really return to destroy the remaining pieces of her heart?
Caleb Quinn knows he made the biggest mistake of his life when he turned his back on his quirky neighbor. He just didn’t know how big a mistake. Not until the final piece of the terrorist plot he and his team have been working to dismantle for over a year leads him back to the one woman he wants and can’t have. Problem is Skye wants nothing to do with him, leaving him no choice but to keep secrets in a desperate bid to keep her safe.
But secrets always have a way of coming out, and if he can’t convince Skye to trust him then the sun, moon, and stars of his world will go out forever, leaving him trapped in the dark.
If you loved USA today bestselling author Jane Blythe’s inclusions in Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world, you’ll be thrilled with SAVAGE RISK, the sixth and final book in the Prey Alpha Team series.
Scroll up and one click to start this thrilling military romantic suspense filled with alpha heroes, tough heroines, danger, action, and love! HEA guaranteed!
Published August 8, 2023 by Bear Spots Publications
Series: Prey Security, Alpha Tream
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!
She walked into the room…the boxing gym…and it would change their lives forever.
Lucas’ mother had done everything she could to keep him free of the mafia that surrounds him, but he will sacrifice everything for Serafina. His father remains a mystery, but I had a pretty good idea
I wondered how things would work out for Lucas, but he is quick on his feet and determined to sever the ties that bind him, since he traded his freedom to be near Serafina. The machinations he goes through while striving for a happy ever after are life threatening. After all, the mafia has a saying, ‘once you’re in you’re never out.
Serafina has her doubts about Lucas, but she cannot quash the love she has for him, no matter how many times he lets her down.
There was much that was predictable in The Mafioso’s Promise, but it, also, had it’s share of mystery. I felt for Lucas, the choices he would have to make and the price he would pay to have Serafina. We do have a mafia war going on, but Jade Styles does not go in depth with the bloody details, though many bodies will fall. She concentrates more on the romance and everything Lucas and Serafina will have to go through to be together.
The Mafioso’s Promise by Jade Styles is the first book in The Fallen Angel series, so I foresee more problems popping up in the future for Lucas and Serafina.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The moment the seductive mafia princess stepped into my boxing gym, I knew I was done for.
The closer we got, the deeper I fell under her spell.
And when she confessed her desire to leave her sinister life behind, I vowed to protect her at all costs.
Even if it meant trading in my boxing gloves for a gun.
Even if it meant putting everything I held dear on the line.
Even if it meant breaking the promise I made to my dying mother and unleashing the darkness within me.
She never expected me to keep her in the dark for as long as I did.
I never expected her to hate me for it.
But every lie and secret was worth it.
Because for Serafina, I would do anything – even descending into the depths of hell itself.
Now, as she stands before me as my arranged bride-to-be, will she ever forgive me for the monster I’ve become?
Publisher’s Note: The Mafioso’s Promise is the first book in the Fallen Angels Alliance series. Each book is a standalone with no cheating, no cliffhangers and a satisfying happy ever after. Expect the following tropes in this
spicy dark mafiaenemies to loversoff-limitsarranged marriagemulticulturalsportssecond chance romance This story features a beautiful curvy FMC and a grumpy possessive MMC. Violent scenes and lots of angst are included. Please buy this book only if you are comfortable with such content.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2024
ABOUT JADE STYLES (from Amazon)
Jade Styles is a contemporary romance author specializing in the following tropes:
* Multicultural
* Billionaire
* Enemies to Lovers
* Mafia
Jade loves to dream up billionaire bad boys who only kneel to their ambitious and passionate beauties.
Her stories are full of heat and unexpected turns, and a happily-ever-after is guaranteed every time.
She currently resides in Seattle, Washington, and when she is not dreaming up the latest romance she can be found either nursing her tropical plants or traveling with her green-eyed husband.
N J Gallegos’ real life medical knowledge comes in handy in The Fatal Mind.
Shawn Gilbert’s NBA career ended when he suffered a head injury. The constant migraine headaches are relentless, ruining any semblance of a normal life…until…
Dr Absinthe has created an experimental chip that inhibits migraines and as soon as Shawn learns of it, he’s on board, FDA approval or not. I have headaches, but Tylenol does the trick for me. Would I want an experimental chip implanted into my brain? I don’t think so.
Some of Dr Absinthe patients don’t react so well to the implant. I figured her patients couldn’t all survive, otherwise we wouldn’t have a story. I am just along for the ride, letting the author take me where they want, instead of trying to anticipate the characters’ every move.
I was shocked, yet I smiled, at the brutal conclusion of Shawn and Rachel’s story. I never saw that coming, and I love it. N J Gallegos kept the pacing at a steady rate, keeping me reading page after page. I had to know how she would end the story.
That last sentence…well…
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Fatal Mind by N J Gallegos.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Dr. Aldea Absinthe’s experimental chip-implant procedure inhibits the migraine pain of her patients, releasing them from debilitating chronic pain. When she performs her new procedure on Shawn Gilbert, a former NBA superstar whose career was cut short by headaches, Gilbert becomes her biggest advocate, launching the brilliant and beautiful neurologist to national stardom. But when Gilbert’s wife Rachel sees Gilbert’s personality become darker by the day, it becomes a race against time to uncover the deadly secret behind Dr. Absinthe’s miracle cure in this Black Mirror meets Frankenstein medical horror thriller.
Genre: Fiction, Horror
Format: 236 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication: October 15, 2024 by Winding Road Stories
ABOUT N J GALLEGOS
N.J. Gallegos is an Emergency Medicine Physician who enjoys horror, medicine, and wicked women looking for revenge. Put all three together? Now we’re talking! She lives in Illinois with her wife and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys binging reality trash tv, brewing beer, and running while listening to EDM so she can drink said brewed beer.
I want to thank Timber Ghost Press for the opportunity to read The Space Person by Catherine Kuo. As soon as I saw the cover, I had to have it. It’s a quick read, at 77 pages.
Human civilization had immigrated to Mars after using up all the resources on Earth and the Moon. Now they are in search of resources that can keep civilization going. They think they are in luck when they discover a moon that has the life sustaining fuel they so desperately need. Sometimes things are too good to be true.
It’s not long before the crew begins suffering affects from The Space Person. No one is safe.
Horror runs rampant before the story is over and I love when an author is not afraid to kill off their characters. Will anyone survive? You’ll have to read it to see.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Deep in the waters of uncharted space, Captain Annie Chou and First Officer Jasmine Donnelly pilot the exploration ship Shiro Oni in search of resources to sustain the remnants of human civilization back on Mars. Humanity has already been driven from Earth by its own hubris, and now it faces the threat of extinction. By an enormous stroke of luck, the Shiro Oni crew discovers a moon they can mine containing life-saving fuel, and it almost seems too good to be true. Not long after they begin drilling, anxiety, restlessness, and agitation plagues the crew with no discernible cause. The only thing they have in common is a recurring dream involving a mysterious and unsettling “space person.” Driven by Captain Chou’s ambition for fame and glory, and Donnelly’s desperate bid for her people’s salvation, the crew presses on even as the afflicted begin turning to violence. As blood flows through the corridors of the ship, the survivors must ask Is it worth it?
Genre: Horror, Novella, Science Fiction
77 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 10, 2024 by Timber Ghost Press
I kept seeing the cover for Yours Truly by R M Demeester and finally decided I had to have it. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I got more than I bargained for and I loved it.
Lilac and her mother have a rough life, living paycheck to paycheck. Lilac met Chad while working at a dead end bar. She feels she finally caught a break, because he comes from a wealthy family and he wants her. BUT…
Sarah, Chad’s ex fiancee has something to say about that. Think Fatal Attraction.
All three families carry a lot of baggage. I do love damaged characters. I, especially, love villains, and we have our fair share of wrong doers in Yours Truly. One pops up that never caught my attention until the end. I love it. The villain does a good/bad thing for a selfish reason and it works out well for everyone….everyone but Sarah. That’s okay, though. Sarah needs to be locked up. She is a danger to anyone who gets in her way.
The suspense and pacing kept me hanging on the words and I love that I wasn’t able to figure everything out. It seems so simple. Girl meets boy and they fall in love. Girl dumped isn’t happy about it…BUT it goes so much farther than that.
The ending…I couldn’t help but shake my head and smile.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Love finds us, but so does she.
I know what it’s like to be underestimated. At almost twenty, I’ve learned that life isn’t easy on people like me—a high school dropout working in a dead-end bar. So when Chad, from an influential family, walks into my life, I think I’ve finally caught a break. But, of course, things are never that simple.
Then there’s Sarah, his ex-fiancée. She can’t, or won’t, let him go. Chad says she’s just struggling to move on, but I’m not so sure. Sarah is everywhere. She’s inserting herself into our business, and her behavior crosses lines I can’t ignore. I try to tell myself she’s just obsessed and harmless, but deep down, I know better.
Now I’m wondering how far she’ll go to get him back and what it will cost me. I’m worried I’m risking my happiness, my sanity, or even my life.
R.M. Demeester, from Saskatchewan, loves being a mom, reading books, and writing. She’s been writing since she was very young. Today, she’s known for her stories in women’s fiction, romantic suspense, and thrillers. She also has a rescue dog named Gainer, a chocolate lab who passed away recently, but is still very much loved and missed. Her newest book, “The Girl Once Known”, comes out in February 2024.
Kay Scarpetta has been around long enough, that many of the characters are familiar to me. I have enjoyed each and every moment with them. I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell.
An abandoned amusement park.
A mutilated body.
A message sent.
Kay Scarpetta finds out the victim is someone she knows. Someone she once loved. Sal Giordano. I do like when an author isn’t afraid to kill off a character that I know, as long as it enhances the story. This death hits very close to home for Kay.
Mystery surrounds Sal Giordano’s death. Does it involve aliens? Just your run of the mill human murderer? Or could it be someone from their past getting their revenge?
Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell seemed different from the usual Kay Scarpetta novels, but may I’ve just missed too many to see the storyline clearly. Either way, I enjoyed my time with the characters. The mystery is deep, complex, and I didn’t see what was coming.
I found it hard to rate Identity Unknown. I wanted to love it, but I couldn’t quite get there. Whether it’s the or me, I can’t say. I will say this, if you are a Kay Scarpetta and Patricia Cornwell fan, I recommend reading Identity Unknown
3 Stars
4 GOODREADS BLURB
Autopsies can reveal the secrets of the dead.
And this victim is sending Scarpetta a message…
Summoned to an unnerving, abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr Kay Scarpetta is devastated to learn that the victim is a man she once loved. While teaching in Rome during the early days of her career, Scarpetta had an intense love affair with Sal Giordano that led to a lifelong friendship.
The murder scene is bizarre, with a crop circle of petals around the body, and Giordano’s skin is strangely red. Scarpetta’s niece Lucy believes he was dropped from an unidentified flying craft. Scarpetta knows an autopsy can reveal the dead’s secrets, but she is shocked to find her friend seems to have deliberately left her a clue.
As the investigators are torn between suspicions of otherworldly forces, and of Giordano himself, Scarpetta detects an explanation closer to home that, in her mind, is far more evil . .
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 8, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing
Series: Kay Scarpetta, #28
ABOUT PATRICIA CORNWELL
Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Everything about Frozen Lives by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush spoke to me and I was not disappointed. A big plus, it takes place in my home state of Michigan and I felt right at home. I wasn’t able to read it in one sitting, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t try.
I was immediately swept away by the story and the characters. I love that the characters flaws and foibles were on prominent display. It makes them feel more realistic. Even the villain was worthy of empathy, but that doesn’t excuse what he does.
When Jeremiah , the eleven year old son of her best friend, is taken, Emily leaves the Windy City of Chicago and returns to Michigan.
I’m trying to come up with the words to describe the story without giving anything away. It is worth finding out what is going on for yourself. It’s worth meeting the characters and finding out who is your favorite for yourself. The book may highlight Emily, but there were other characters that had as much face time as she did.
The pacing kept me engrossed, unable to stop reading, wanting to know what was coming next and what was going to happen to who. The thrills and chills never stop coming.
There was a couple of times when I questioned their actions, or should I say non action, that kept me from giving the book five stars.
Frozen Lives by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush has a fabulous ending and I must admit I thought it was a possibility.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
A Coroner’s Daughter Mystery
Dr. Emily Hartford is back in Frozen Lives, the next thrilling mystery from Jennifer Graeser Dornbush.
Chicago surgeon Emily Hartford has never quite shaken off the dust of her hometown in Michigan. She may be a professional success and have a princely boyfriend in the Windy City, but she can’t seem to let go of being “the coroner’s daughter” from Freeport.
Once again, she finds herself pulled back upstate during a wintery late March when Jeremiah, the eleven year-old son of her best friend, Jo, goes missing on the frigid shores of Lake Michigan. Emily immediately joins the search for the boy.
To everyone’s relief, Jeremiah turns up days later, alive and unharmed. But tensions remain high, and suspicions of every sort continue to grow. Jeremiah’s account of his abduction doesn’t add up and Emily worries about Jo’s unraveling marriage. Jeremiah’s recovery, it turns out, is not the end of their terrifying tale. It’s only the beginning …
For moving among them is a devious, malevolent force. Sowing panic while seeking to fulfill his own twisted needs, this wolf in sheep’s clothing leaves a trail of rack and ruin, negligent to the damages in his wake … and the bodies he leaves behind.
Emily solidifies her role as coroner’s daughter when she puzzles out this madman’s chilling machinations. Risking everything dear to her, Emily goes the icy distance to end his killing spree.
Praise for Frozen Lives:
“Fast paced, engaging, evocative.” ~ J.A. Jance
“FROZEN LIVES is what a thriller should be—dark, twisty, and oh so scary. Lock your doors and enjoy.” ~ DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series and co-creator of the Outliers Writing University
“Jennifer Dornbush scares the living hell out of me. When I want to stay up all night, I just read one of her books, and Frozen Lives doesn’t disappoint. On par with Dennis Lehane’s Mystic River, Frozen Lives weaves a terrifying tale of evil, paranoia and when you go to bed at night make sure your doors are locked tight. A terrific story.” ~ Don Bruns, USA Today Best Selling Author
“Chilling! Jennifer Dornbush has crafted a thriller that haunts the mind and can keep you deep in the pages into the wee hours! A not to miss psychological mystery with twists and turns throughout.” ~ Heather Graham
Book Details:
Genre: thriller, suspense, female detective Published by: Blackstone Publishing Publication Date: October 29, 2024 Number of Pages: 350 ISBN: 9798212638364 Series: The Coroner’s Daughter Mysteries, 4 Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Blackstone Publishing
Read an excerpt:
Author Bio:
The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer Dornbush was raised in it. As the daughter of a small-town medical examiner whose office was in their home. There were body parts in the fridge. She investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old. Picking up pieces of skull with her father who simply saw it as an anatomy lesson. The first of many coroner lessons she experienced over two decades.
After exploring journalism and high school teaching, Jennifer turned seriously to screenwriting where she began to connect her coroner world to her writing. She sought out a degree at the Forensic Science Academy in Los Angeles to gain more forensic training and earned a unique kinship with LA’s top CSIs, fingerprint specialists, DNA scientists, and detectives.
To share her love of forensics with the writing world, she authored the top selling non-fiction authoritative book, Forensic Speak, used by not only by show-runners and writers, but also crime investigators and law enforcement.
She created an Amazon top selling mystery novel series, The Coroner’s Daughter, which she is currently developing as a series for TV. Her crime thriller, Hole in the Woods, is currently optioned for screen. She is a contributor to mystery anthologies, Hotel California and Thriller. She has also penned two true crime books.
As a screenwriter Jennifer wrote the theatrically released film and novel, God Bless the Broken Road (2018), adapted a popular YA novel to script, and sold a children’s show. She is currently developing TV drama series and feature films with various productions companies.
As a forensic consultant, she is frequently asked to consult with TV writers on shows such as: Bull, Conviction, Hawaii Five-O, Leverage, Suits, and Rectify. She teaches screenwriting and mentors aspiring writers.
Jennifer is a member of the Writers’ Guild of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers Association, & the FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni.
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Jennifer Graeser Dornbush and Blackstone Publishing. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
