Review – I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig #ferguscraig #netgalley #ImNottheOnlyMurdererinMyRetirementHome

Amazon / Goodreads

With a title like I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig, I had to pause and check it out further. A serial killer is moving in…even better. A little humor served up with murder is always wicked good fun.

Carol is a serial killer, convicted of killing seven people. Now, she’s being released from prison and heading toward the retirement home. Her murdering days are over, even though she is surrounded by so many murder weapons. How ironic. She also discovers there are plenty of criminal investigators that she will be living with. It looks like she will be on the other side of the coin, when there is a murder at her retirement home. Because her secret is exposed and so many are pointing their fingers at her, she begins her own investigation into the death.

I enjoyed my time at the retirement home. It’s not often that I can laugh with a serial killer and watch as they try to solve a crime, instead of commit one. It’s fun to meet intriguing characters that keep the easy to read story flowing smoothly. There’s even a little romance to be had.

3 Stars

After a decades-long stint in prison, former serial killer Carol is looking to kick back and relax in her new retirement home…until a fellow resident drops dead and Carol has to prove she actually didn’t do it this time….

Carol is delighted to be leaving her tiny prison cell behind to take her place in a luxury retirement home. She’s hoping her past as a serial killer won’t come to light so she can make a few friends and find some murder-free hobbies. But it’s not long before a fellow resident—who happens to be a former police commissioner—drops dead, and Carol’s true identity is leaked—making catching up over daily activities of bingo and baking rather awkward.

Just her luck, Carol soon realizes that the victim wasn’t the only former law enforcement officer at Sheldon Oaks—it’s filled to the brim with former cops, barristers, and government representatives, her newfound friends included. And everyone thinks Carol’s guilt is a no-brainer, but she is ready to prove them dead wrong…without killing anyone, for once.

  • Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Mystery
  • 272 pages, Hardcover
  • Expected publication February 17, 2026 by Berkley

Fergus Craig is a multi-award winning writer, actor and comedian. Fergus has written two parody novels based on his character Detective Roger LeCarre. The second, Murder At Crime Manor, was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. His third novel, I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home, is out in February 2026.

He is a big fan of Newcastle United, pubs, desserts and lying awake at night worrying about things he has zero control over.

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Cyberpunk – Review – The Zone: Fallen Son by Stu Jones @StuJonesFiction #thezone

Amazon / Goodreads

Gotta love Chance. In for a penny, in for a pound.

The Zone: Fallen Son by Stu Jones, is the second book in this cyberpunk series. It is filled with fast paced action and the stakes are high. The battles are brutal, savage, and many lives will be lost.

Everything revolves around Chance, a father, a son, a hero. His son is ill and he will do anything to get the treatment his child needs, but when he is taken, he will also do anything to get him back.

It all begins in Neo Terminus, where Chance had taken down the Zone, a walled off area in the middle of the city where Enforcers, nano boosted gladiators, would fight to the death. He finds out his son has been taken to a distant city, New West City, and he will have to partner up with an unlikely ally. He will face betrayal and hordes of mutant humans.

Action and adventure, life and death, thought provoking moments, The Zone engulfed me in rapid fire reading, flipping pages, caught up, unable to look away. BUT..the story is not done. Chance may have completed one mission, but his son is still missing, being used as a bargaining chip by High Director Marko Senterian. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

4 Stars

In the shadow of Neo Terminus, a father’s desperation becomes his only weapon.

Chance Griffin—super cop, fallen gladiator, hunted fugitive—will stop at nothing to rescue his kidnapped infant son. Even if that means tracking down and confronting the Glom’s shadowy masters.

But he can’t do it alone.

To save his child, Chance must forge an uneasy alliance with a ruthless adversary—a villain whose hands drip with the blood of Chance’s friends. Together, they’ll journey beyond the neon streets of Neo Terminus to the lawless frontier of New West City, where even legends are broken.

With each fractured step Chance is drawn deeper into a web of manipulation and betrayal, stretching the fragile thread connecting him to the life he left behind—to a wife whose face may soon fade from memory.

As Neo Terminus burns behind him and New West City looms ahead, Chance knows he can’t let the wasteland claim what’s left of his soul. He is more than the Glom’s former star Enforcer, their fallen son.

He is a father, a husband. A hero.

AWARDS for The Zone
Gold Medal(1st Place) Winner – The Bookfest Awards – Cyberpunk Category
Honorable Mention – Reader’s Favorite Awards – Science Fiction Category
Finalist – Best Thriller Book Awards – Science Fiction
Finalist – IAN Book of the Year Awards – Science Fiction
Semi-Finalist – Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards – Science Fiction
Approved Seal – Indie Reader

  • Genre: Action And Advenure, Cyberpunk, Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • 402 pages, Kindle
  • Published: 2.17.26 by Dropship Publishing
  • Series: The Zone #2

Stu Jones. SWAT Sniper. Adventurer. Award-Winning Author of Epic Genre-Bending Fiction.

A veteran law enforcement officer, Stu has served as a beat cop, narcotics, criminal investigations, as an instructor of firearms and police defensive tactics and as a team leader of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team. He is trained and qualified as a law enforcement SWAT sniper, as well as in hostage rescue and high-risk entry tactics. Recently, Stu served for three years with a U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force – hunting the worst of the worst.

He is the author of multiple sci-fi/action/thriller novels, including the multi-award-winning It Takes Death To Reach A Star duology, written with co-author Gareth Worthington (Children of the Fifth Sun).

Known for his character-driven stories and blistering action sequences, Stu strives to create thought-provoking reading experiences that challenge the status quo. When he’s not chasing bad guys or writing epic stories, he can be found planning his next adventure to some remote or exotic place.

Stu is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo-Helin-Fountain literary

Catch Up With Stu Jones:
Goodreads
BookBub – @stujonesfiction
Instagram – @stujonesfiction
Facebook – @stujonesfiction

 

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Review – Adrift by Will Dean #netgalley @willrdean #adrift #netgalley

Amazon / Goodreads

Adrift was so much more than I thought it would be. The subtle evil of Drew’s manipulations had Peggy questioning her own actions. Drew stepped up his machinations when he found out his wife, Peggy, had sold a novel. They were both authors, but he has turned into a has been. He begrudges Peggy’s success in every way, whether it was getting a check from a publisher or getting a job with the library. He sabotages all her successes. Denies her and his son food and water. Isolates them, continually moving their canal boat farther and farther away from everyone else.

Peggy is determined to find a way out for her and their son. She didn’t want him growing up to be like his father, a failure in every way. Samson is fourteen years old and bullied by the kids in school. His determination to do well in school and leave town when he is older drives him to endure. The isolation and poverty is brutal.

My emotions were all over the place. If you want a character to hate, Will Dean has supplied one. Every time I didn’t think Drew could do something worse, he did. As Peggy searches every nook and cranny in their canal boat, she discovers some truths.

As their worst moments came about, I saw the ending unfold. Some I knew and some I hoped for.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read Adrift by Will Dean. What a wild ride it was. He’s definitely on my radar now.

    Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
    4 Stars

    The author of the “master class in suspense” (Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author)The Chamber returns with a high-tension thriller about a family’s descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.

    Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.

    With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.

    With Will Dean’s signature “well-drawn characters and excellent prose” (Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author), Adrift is gripping exploration of the ties that bind when everything spirals out of control.

    • Genre: Adult, Dark, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
    • Kindle Edition
    • Expected publication February 17, 2026 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

      Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands, living in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. He was a bookish, daydreaming kid who found comfort in stories and nature (and he still does). After studying Law at the LSE, and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden. He built a wooden house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. He is the author of Dark Pines.

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      Review – They’ll Take Everything by C H Connor @CHConnor_ #theylltakeeverything

      Amazon / Goodreads

      I love the cover for They’ll Take Everything by C H Connor. The colors and content are eye catching. And that title…definitely draws me in. For a debut novel, C H Connor hit it out of the ballpark.

      David Dale carries a heavy weight of guilt. He feels responsible for the car accident that killed his family. He decides to make a drastic change, trying to find redemption. He is going to start a charity that will help others that find it hard to move on from a tragedy. Bev, a close personal friend of thirteen years, agrees to join in. It’s not long before things begin to happen. Anonymous messages, Threats. Extortion. David stands firm on his mission.

      The suspense builds slowly as the danger increases. Revenge is coming, knocking at his door.

      WTF? That’s why I don’t read ahead. I love when an author can surprise me and I didn’t see it coming, though I knew who the villain was. I went back and reread the last chapter because it was just that great.

      My thanks go out to C H Connor for the opportunity to read They’ll Take Everything.

       

      4 Stars

      David Dale has been running from guilt for three years.

      The car accident that killed his family was his fault. Now he has one chance at redemption: opening a charity for families shattered by tragedy.

      But that’s made him the perfect target.

      Days before the launch, anonymous messages begin. Precise. Threatening. Someone’s been watching him. Someone knows exactly how to break him. What begins as extortion becomes a calculated campaign to dismantle David’s life, piece by piece.

      The charity launches to national attention — which only makes things worse.

      David finds himself targeted by a criminal syndicate who don’t leave witnesses. As he unravels the conspiracy, he’s forced to confront the past he thought he’d buried. But that’s when he realises the terrifying truth.

      This isn’t extortion. It’s revenge.

      Three years of guilt. Two weeks of terror. One truth that changes everything.

      How far would you go to turn heartbreak into hope?

      Perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson and Harlan Coben, and for readers who crave layered suspense, emotional depth, and immersive, character-driven stories.

      • Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
      • 323 pages, Kindle Edition
      • Expected publication February 16, 2026

      C.H. Connor is the debut author of the psychological crime thriller, THEY’LL TAKE EVERYTHING, released 16 February 2026.

      Connor built his career in software before putting pen to paper and publishing his upcoming novel. Connor lives with his partner and son in Manchester, UK.

      You can connect with Connor on Instagram. To receive updates on his latest work and upcoming events, you can sign up to his spam-free newsletter at chconnor.com.

      Connect on Instagram: ch_connor

      Website

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      Review – The Mistress by Tim Vee @_Tim_Vee_ #themistress

      Amazon / Goodreads

      The Mistress by Tim Vee may be a quick read, but it was chock full of gruesomeness. The setting is a former penal colony on Planet B in the Proxima Centauri system, where Gravitite, a valuable ore is being mined. The descendants of the now dead and gone inmates are treated as slaves, harvesting the ore. We have the haves and the have nots.

      The commanders mistress is caught in the middle of secrets, conspiracy, and danger. Sometimes you have to make a stand. Will she do what is demanded from her? Will it cost her her life?

      I never saw the ending coming and I love it.

      My thanks go out to Tim Vee for the opportunity to read another one of his fantastic stories.

      Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
      4 Stars

      The mistress of an important military police (Milpol) commander is pulled into a world of espionage, corporate tyranny, and danger.

      The story is set at a former penal colony on Planet B in the Proxima Centauri system, where the descendants of inmates live as slave quarry workers to the powerful Kantary Corporation, under Milpol control, extracting the valuable ore Gravitite that powers interstellar travel.

      Powerful forces are working simultaneously to hide and expose the existence of the slave planet, with the commander’s mistress caught in the middle.

      • Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
      • 92 pages, ebook
      • Expected publication February 14, 2026 by Tim Vee

      My books are always free over at Smash Words. Download and have a read – and don’t forget to leave a review! https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi…

      Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd – and to go cycling.

      Tim has written ten books; The Secret Policemen and The Secret Service – both dystopian dark comedies; as well as seven science fiction novels – Extinction, Annabelle, Fission, The Children of the Third Reich, The Child of Mars, and The Children of Andaalwaald.

      Tim has also written Magpie – a dark and intense journey into the world of international espionage and terrorism.

      Tim mostly enjoys writing transgressive fiction – mainly about aliens and psychopaths.

      Comments and feedback are always welcome.

      Website

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      Review – The Last Nuclear War by Hazem Abdelmowla #hazemabdelmowla #thelastnuclearwar

      Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

      When I grabbed Hazem Abdelmowla’s Future Novels series, I had a different thought in mind. The books are heavy on the science of things, and I kinda got lost in The Last Nuclear War and not in a good way. I had met and became interested in Mousa, the main character in The Viruses Enigma. He struggles with social justice, corruption, influence and money.

      The year is 2110 and viral pandemics had ravaged the world. Energy sources that you and I know, no longer exist. So…here we are…

      Because he is so smart, there are those that want to use him. As I follow his life, I am more curious about him than the war that seems to be looming on the horizon. I am curious how his story will end and I kept flipping the pages for that reason.

      For those who like to carry the weight on their shoulders while reading sciency novels, this may be right up your alley. For me, it was too heavy, but I am glad I read to the end.

      The Last Nuclear War will definitely pose questions that are difficult to answer. My thanks go out to Hazem Abdelmowla for the opportunity to read and share his books.

       

      4 Stars

      You wonder why war? But what if you are the war! What will you choose? What will you do for the sake of this world?
      In the future, after decades of surviving devastating viral pandemics, the world has become very different from what we know. Energy sources no longer exist like before. The world has become like a compass where its parts are looking for nuclear influence. A smart child named Mousa was born. He had difficulty understanding the world around him. Why is he treated differently in school? Why doesn’t he feel social justice? What happened to corrupt the world like this? What is happening between the parties of the world? What is the role of influence and money? The questions were getting more complex at every point in his life. But he didn’t know that the path of answers was destined to ask him for choices that could determine the fate of the last future nuclear war.

      • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
      • 238 pages, Kindle Edition
      • Published August 30, 2024
      • Series: Future Novels #2

      A dental surgeon, an entrepreneur and a writer who simply dreams of a better world.

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      Review – I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill @brownboywriting #idontwishyouwell

      Murder is just the beginning...
      Unlikely detective duo, small-town scandal, Friday Night Lights meets a Good Girl's Guide to Murder

       

      Amazon / Goodreads

      The eye catching cover and title for I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill made me curious. You can say curiosity killed the cat, because Pryce Cummings, a podcaster and aspiring journalist, starts his own investigation into Moss Pointe, Louisiana’s Trojan mask killings and someone wants to keep the secrets buried. Did they really catch the killer? There are many who believe they had convicted an innocent man, and the deeper Pryce dug, the more he is convinced they got it wrong.

      Moss Pointe is a small town with small minded people. Church and football were worshiped. Being gay in a racist town had Pryce struggling to keep his sexuality secret, at least until he left for college, where he felt free to explore.

      Pryce gets help from an unlikely source, free spirited Izzy. He wears his gayness in the open. Pryce slowly begins to understand what he has sacrificed to keep his secret.

      “That paranoia hasn’t drained you yet? God, I felt suffocated under it when I lived here.”

      Halfway through the pace picked up. Bodies fell and secrets were exposed. All the questions raised by vigilante justice arise. I love thought provoking books, and I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill had me wondering…what would I do if I walked a mile in someone’s shoes?

      My thanks go out to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill.

      4 Stars

      A teen investigative podcaster decides to dig into the truth behind a grisly murder spree that rocked his hometown five years ago, but soon discovers that this cold case is still hiding deadly secrets—in this chilling thriller perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

      Five years ago, the infamous Trojan murders turned the small town of Moss Pointe, Louisiana into a living nightmare. Four teen boys—all star players on Moss Pointe High’s football team—were murdered one after the other by a Trojan-mask wearing killer. 

      Eventually, the murderer was unmasked. But the community has never forgotten—and some folks in town still wonder whether the police got it right.

      Eighteen-year-old Pryce Cummings is one of them. An aspiring journalist, Pryce is pretty sure he just stumbled upon evidence that throws the killer’s guilt into question. It’s the perfect story for his own podcast, and a reason to go back to the hometown he’s avoided since coming to terms with his sexuality while at college.

      But in Moss Pointe, digging into the past is anything but welcome. There’s so much more to what happened in there five years ago, and Pryce is ready to crack it all wide open . . . if he lives to tell the tale.

      • Genre: Crime, Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Queer, Suspense, Thriller
      • 400 pages, Hardcover
      • First published January 20, 2026 by Delacorte Press

      Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his BA in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and a member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the author of The Black Queen and Wander in the Dark.

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      Review – Songbird Of The Sorrows by Braidee Otto #netgalley #songbirdofthesorrow #braideeotto

      Amazon / Goodreads

      I was born dead.

      The first sentence of the book wrapped it’s hooks around me and it didn’t take long for me to be hanging on every word.

      I love books where the characters are forced to face life altering decisions, so Songbird Of The Sorrows by Braidee Otto was a wonderful choice. This romantic fantasy will challenge Princess Aella. She is torn from the palace, the only world she has ever known, and sent to the Aviary to be trained as an assassin. She is not only a princess in hiding, only a few people knowing who she really is, but she is to be trained to be a scout, a spy, an assassin, a thief, a songbird.

      The rules: Don’t ask questions. Obey your orders. Respect your masters. Most of all, love no one.

      “…I know the rules.” I’m just not very good at following them…

      Nyssa cracks me up. She’s Aella’s friend and knows her true identity. She will stick by her side, no matter what the outcome will cost her.

      Forbidden love. Does that peak your interest? It did mine. I love to see how the characters figure out what is most important in their life and then find a course of action that will allow them to get it. I love to watch characters grow and develop as fully fledged characters.

      Aella is tasked with competing in the bridal trials held by the Prince of Eritrea…as herself.

      I love when an author creates a world I want to get lost in. Where the characters have me holding my breath in anticipation, waiting to find out what happens next. The adventure is filled with danger and betrayal. Will there be war?

      OMG…talk about a cliffhanger. I can hardly wait for the next book, Myths of the Empyrieos.

      I am so glad I saw this on NetGalley and grabbed a copy for myself.

      Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
      4 Stars

      An outcast princess turned spy embarks on a mission to infiltrate a rival kingdom, but the secrets she uncovers force her to decide whether to follow orders or defy them.

      Ask no questions. Obey your orders. Respect your masters. But most of all, love no one.

      Spy. Thief. Princess. Songbird.

      Princess Aella was ousted from the Palace of Sorrows as a child, shattering her world and forcing her to abandon the truth of her royal lineage. Instead, she was raised in The Aviary, which disguises itself as a school for orphaned children but is actually a secret order designed to train its students as spies for an intelligence network embedded throughout the Empyrieos.

      Now twenty-three years old and having completed her final tests, Aella is summoned to join Alpha Flight, the Aviary’s elite team of assassins that’s led by none other than her former flame, Raven. Everything about him calls to her—he’s brave, loyal, and lethal. But is Raven worth breaking the rules and risking everything she’s worked so hard to achieve?

      Before she can decide, the Alpha Flight team is sent on a dangerous mission that tests Aella’s resolve in every way. Her role is crucial and she must assume her former title of Princess of the Sorrows, the identity she once had to forsake, to compete in the bridal trials held by the Prince of Eretria. As old sparks reignite and the harsh realities of the realm reveal themselves, the mission begins to unravel, and Aella must decide if she is brave enough to disobey her superiors in order to do what she believes is right.

      Songbird of the Sorrows is the first book in Myths of the Empyrieos, an epic romantic fantasy series that follows a feisty heroine through trials, a perilous heist, court intrigue, kingdom politics, and a journey of self-discovery, true love, and redemption.

      • Genre: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Greek Mythology, Romance,
      • 387 pages, Kindle Edition
      • First published June 18, 2024 by The Dial Press
      • Series: Myths Of The Empyrieos #1

      A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, Braidee Otto combines her academic background in Literary Studies with a deep passion for storytelling to create heartfelt, immersive narratives. Songbird of the Sorrows is the first installment in her debut adult romantic fantasy series, Myths of the Empyrieos. She lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her partner, two beloved dogs, and a cat that appeared in her backyard on the winter solstice.

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      Review – Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester #sadiewinchester #cagedindesire

      Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

      I will start off by saying that Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester is recommended for those eighteen and over. When you read the sexy scenes, you will know why.

      Caged In Desire by Sadie Winchester is a story about gods and godesses and I loved it. It has a very pretty cover. We meet Charlee Amoretti, who is better known as Cupid. It’s Valentine’s Day, so she is happily delivering the Double Tap, where two hearts will beat as one. She knows it will never happen for her…When she meets a grouchy Eryx Nightvale, the God of Discord, both their lives will be changed forever.

      The story may be a quick read, but it is full of love and laughs. That twist at the end…I love it! Makes me want more of Sadie Winchester’s world of gods and godesses.

      Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
      4 Stars

      Born among the gods and bound for eternity as a matchmaker to the mortals, my life has been dedicated to pairing hearts and souls. But these powers come at a high cost. By bonding couples together, I’ve been robbed of having that same connection with another.

      Valentine’s Day has come around, as it always does, filling people with a deep desire to find true love. And just when I think this will be another successful year, I find myself on the doorstep of a man whose heart and life have been cast in darkness.

      Eryx Nightvale isn’t just any man—he’s the god of discord, everything I’m not, and he’s determined to break everything I represent.

      Now I’m caged, my heart and body trapped behind bars. Will I be able to charm my captor into opening the lock keeping me prisoner? Or will we both be lost to the shattered remains of our own making?

      *This book is intended for mature audiences 18+ years. Please check the trigger and content warnings on the author’s website.*

      • Genre: Enemies To Lovers, Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Romance
      • 162 pages, Kindle Edition
      • Published February 2, 2026

      A dark romance author, Sadie Winchester is looking forward to sharing the stories living in her head rent-free with the rest of the world. She writes across a variety of sub-genres, including mafia romance and paranormal romance.

      During her high school years, she fell in love with writing short stories which continued on/off into adulthood. Finally, she decided to pursue her dream in 2023, and the rest is history.

      Sadie lives in the Pine Barrens with her husband and son. When she’s not reading and writing, she enjoys spending time outdoors, sipping local brews, and binge-watching her favorite shows.

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      Review – Impostor by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #netgalley #impostor

      There's a killer inside all of us.

      Amazon / Goodreads

      Well, the whole elite criminal profiling unit shut down because of scandal caught my eye, so I grabbed a copy from NetGalley. I have never read any of L J R Ross’s work, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I am always open to reading new author’s work, especially when they write about murder and mayhem.

      Small town mysteries are fun to read. Everyone knows everyone else, so you may think it would be easy to figure out who the murderer is, but I think it would be harder. Just like your neighbor, your friend, or you significant other…you think you know everything about them, but…do you? Everyone has secrets.

      L J Ross does a good job of hiding who the villain is. Could it be the police that Dr Alex Gregory is working with? Could it be one of the neighbors? And…Dr Alex Gregory has his own secrets. I love watching him work through his own haunted past.

      The humor is dark.

      I never saw the end coming. I love when an author can surprise me.

      Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
      4 Stars

      There’s a killer inside all of us…

      After an elite criminal profiling unit is shut down amidst a storm of scandal and mismanagement, only one person emerges unscathed. Forensic psychologist Doctor Alexander Gregory has a reputation for being able to step inside the darkest minds to uncover whatever secrets lie hidden there and, soon enough, he finds himself drawn into the murky world of murder investigation.

      In the beautiful hills of County Mayo, Ireland, a killer is on the loose. Panic has a stranglehold on its rural community and the Garda are running out of time. Gregory has sworn to follow a quiet life but, when the call comes, can he refuse to help their desperate search for justice?

      Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Irish landscape.

      • Genre: Crime, Fiction, Murder, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
      • 311 pages, Kindle Edition
      • First published October 31, 2019
      • Series: Dr Alex Gregory #1

      LJ Ross is an internationally bestselling author, whose books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

      Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.

      Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.

      The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.

      In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.

      Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

      To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.

      If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:

      https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
      https://twitter.com/ljross_author
      www.lovesuspense.com
      lj_ross@outlook.com

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