I love the gothic cover.It does tell of what’s inside, a 1940s actress and her haunted house. But this haunted house in on steroids.
Past: What happened to Evelyn Leighton? She had starred in B level horror movies and had just hit her stride. Robert and Evelyn were having marriage problems. He is embarassed with her ‘stardom’. Now, Evelyn lives her own kind of hell and it is not in the movies.
Present: The Kellerman family moves into Evelyn’s mansion. It doesn’t take long before it starts ‘falling down’ around them. But there is something or someone that wants their daughter. They will fight tooth and nail to not let them happen. Mom and dad are heroes. They place their lives in danger, more than once, to fight for Ginny. Glen had no idea what it would take to save her, but he goes down the rabbit hole. Thank goodness, there is someone there to help him.
Blood Seance turned out to be so much more than I expected. The past and present converge and it will take all the players to put this demon to rest. Be prepared. Blood Seance may have you checking your house to see if you missed something when you purchase it.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO EVELYN LEIGHTON?
When the Kellerman family moves into a gorgeous old Spanish mansion in the Pacific Palisades, they have no idea that they’ve just bought a piece of forgotten Hollywood folklore, once owned by a forties-era B-movie actress.
But when the walls start cracking and strange voices whisper in the night, they begin a white-knuckle journey to save themselves from the dark forces in the house, and to confront face-to-face the horrible fate that befell a beautiful young starlet named Evelyn Leighton.
BLOOD SEANCE is a fast paced haunted house thriller with a riveting 1940s backstory.
ABOUT JOHN KADEN
ohn Kaden is the author of Blood Seance and Alexandria, with more stories on the way. He is a die-hard fan of horror, thrillers, and apocalyptic fiction. He lives in Southern California.
You can follow his work at johnkaden.blogspot.com. He’d love to hear from you.
The fabulous cover speaks horror and I love it! A pet food company messing with Mother Nature…I know that is not going to end well. You may look at your pet a little differently after reading Claws. Is your cute, cuddly little bundle of fur looking at you funny? Is your sweet kitty licking your hand as an appetizer…getting ready to take a chunk out of it? LOL Will that make you sleep better, when kitty curls up on your chest wanting snuggles? The main issue I had was with the ‘romance’. The dialogue did not ring true, but, then, I look at a book like Claws as a B movie, not known for its sophistication, but still a very enjoyable use of my time. Greed and all that comes with it was expected. The head of the ‘operation’ will stop at nothing to get more of that all mighty dollar. Will he get his comeuppance? I loved the ending.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
I’d like to give special thanks to Jason Merrick for the great cover.
Alcorn Pet Food Corporation is working with an experimental cat food laced with hormones and appetite enhancers. The special food causes cats to add muscle, gain weight, and exhibit extremely aggressive behavior. When an employee threatens to expose the pet food as a threat to public safety, she finds herself out of work, her home ransacked, and all her carefully gathered proof missing. Meanwhile, animal rights activists release the cats involved in the testing because they are scheduled to be euthanized. These bigger, stronger, and more aggressive animals begin to prey on small game in the area. Then the ravenous cats turn their attention to people.
Lovers, runners, hunters, dogs, deer, rabbits, normal cats, and even motorists begin to fall victim to the predations of these enhanced felines. An unemployed scientist, a small special ops team, a grieving father, a chief of security, and a homeless veteran join forces to try to prevent a catastrophe.
When a murderer steals the secret formula that created the menace and sells it to eight foreign enemies of the United States, the stakes suddenly get a lot higher, because the most deadly biological weapon ever created has just been released. The genie is out of the bottle and the world will never be the same.
To make matters worse, the scientist discovers that the first generation offspring will be even bigger and more aggressive, and then they learn that the food also affects dogs and rats.
ABOUT RICKY SIDES (from Amazon)
Ricky Sides was Born in Florence, Alabama in May of 1958. He has a wife named Sue that he married at age 18. He has one adult son named Larry Dale.
The author studied martial arts from 1981 to the mid 1990s. He has been an avid camper and student of survival. The techniques described in his fight sequences are often from his own personal experience and training. He has taught women’s rape prevention seminars in the 1980’s that he conducted free to the public.
The author’s writing experience includes the ” Peacekeeper” series, the “Brimstone” series, “The Ultimate in Women’s Self-Defense,” and “Adventures in Reading,” “Claws,” which is a suspense / horror novel that will ultimately serve as the back story for an epic post apocalyptic novel that he will release in 2011. “Claws 2. After the Apocalypse,” and “Lina’s Story,” which is connected to the peacekeeper series.
This is one of those books I probably could have passed on, but I was intrigued…by the cover and title. Dan Brown is not a favorite author of mine and Lucifer’s Triangle by N S Wikarski is similar to his work.
Jerusalem – City of Peace. That is a misnomer if I have ever heard one. The constant battle for turf has taken many lives.
Cassie was becoming bored and figured this would be her last mission. I do love a strong female lead, and Cassie fits the bill. Her boyfriend, Griffin is fine with boring.
Cassie has a talent, she gets more than impressions from objects. She, literally, walks in the owners footsteps..
When I read a book like Lucifer’s Triangle by N S Wikarski, I am always curious about how much research was done and how factual some aspects of the story are.
Lucifer’s Triangle by N S Wikarski is Book One of The Trove Chronicles, but the mention of a Nephilim War had me confused. Is this series a spinoff?
Lucifer’s Triangle by N S Wikarski is pretty much what I expected it to be once I got into it. It is well written, with well developed characters, mystery and intrigue, but I felt no urgency, nothing that I hadn’t read before.
If you are a Dan Brown fan, you will probably love this, so don’t be discouraged by my take on the novel.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lucifer’s Triangle by N S Wikarski.
3 Stars
BLURB
In a city where belief means everything,
putting your faith in the wrong person can get you killed.
THE TROVE CHRONICLES
A Series for Fans of Archaeology Adventure,
Alternative History Thrillers, and Treasure Hunt Mysteries
A myth-busting adventure series pitting patriarchy
against buried history in artifact hunts that span continents, centuries, and
lost civilizations. Meet the Arkana: a secret society of antiquarians devoted
to unearthing the buried past of humanity. Continent by continent and dig site
by dig site, they have amassed troves of evidence that overturn history as we
know it. Follow their ongoing adventures in The Trove Chronicles.
Volume 1 – LUCIFER’S TRIANGLE
Arkana agents Cassie and Griffin are sent to Jordan
for a standard retrieval mission. What could go wrong? When a colleague’s
nephew is murdered, the teen’s death leads to a suicide bomb plot and a
conspiracy that could plunge the Middle East into war for decades to come. The
entire Arkana team springs into action to counter a threat unlike anything
they’ve ever faced before. That’s because they’ll have to square off against a
villain as devious as the devil himself, who wants nothing more than to see
Jerusalem go up in flames.
EXCERPT
Of course, he knew how deceiving appearances could be. He
himself was living proof of that adage. Anyone who chanced to notice him would
see an average-looking, thirty-something businessman with dark hair and a
neatly trimmed goatee. One might easily assume he worked in an office nearby.
That assessment was partially true. He was a businessman, and he was about to
start his workday. However, he didn’t follow a profession as mundane as banking
or law. His true vocation lay in stirring up trouble, and he was a master of
his craft. After their last successful venture, Akeem had taken to calling him
an agent provocateur. He liked the title. It had a certain bygone elegance to
it.
Aside from that colorful descriptor, most of his current
contacts knew him as Lucifer. He realized the pseudonym was a ridiculous
cliche. Still, he liked the flair of it. He valued flair because it was the one
trait that someone in his line of work couldn’t afford to display. That was
ironic since his current venture might amplify his fame to legendary
proportions among his prospective clientele. But he was getting ahead of
himself. He needed to arrange all the details first. Lucifer had already zeroed
in on some toy soldiers who would be perfect for this mission. Next, he needed
to muster them and get them marching in the right direction before Akeem would
feel inclined to greenlight his proposal.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Nancy Wikarski is a fugitive from academia. After earning her PhD
from the University of Chicago, she became a computer consultant and then
turned to historical mystery and adventure fiction writing. She is a member of
Mystery Writers of America, the Society of Midland Authors, and has served as
vice president of Sisters in Crime – Twin Cities and on the programming board
of the Chicago chapter. Her short stories have appeared in Futures Magazine and DIME Anthology. Her book reviews have been
featured in Murder:
Past Tense and Deadly Pleasures, and her articles have been
published in Mystery
Readers Journal.
Her novels include the Gilded Age Chicago Mysteries set in 1890s
Chicago. The series has received People’s Choice Award nominations for Best First Novel and Best Historical as
well as a Lovey Award Nomination for Best Traditional Amateur Sleuth. Titles
include: The Fall of
White City (Rev. 2020), Shrouded in Thought (Rev. 2020), and The Black Widow’s Prey (2021).
The Arkana Archaeology Mystery series has become an
award-nominated Amazon bestseller. Titles
include: The Granite Key (2011), The Mountain Mother Cipher (2011), The Dragon’s WingEnigma (2012), Riddle of the Diamond Dove (2013), Into the Jaws of the Lion (2014), Secrets of the Serpent’s Heart (2015), and The Sage Stone Prophecy (2016). The
Trove Chronicles is a thriller series based on the further adventures of the
Arkana. The series debuts with Lucifer’s Triangle (2022).
All
titles mentioned above are available in paperback, ebook, hardcover, and audio
formats.
There is no way I would pass on Baby Talk by Mike Wells, just by looking at the cover. It made me think of Rosemary’s Baby, and, as I got to reading, it made me think of The Omen. Baby Talk is Book I of a trilogy and a quick read. Mike Wells managed to pack a lot into Baby Talk. Suitably creepy and I felt bad for Neal Becker. Even though it is not such an original story, I still enjoyed (?) my time with the characters and want to see where Mike Wells takes the story.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In this creepy horror novel, Neal Becker is convinced that his 5 month old baby daughter can talk. But that’s impossible…isn’t it? Except that Neal didn’t really want to get married in the first place – the pregnancy was the result of a one-night stand, and he preferred an abortion. Now, Baby Natasha knows it, and she’s out to get him! Or so Neal believes…join the two in a terrifying battle for survival that will make your blood run cold.
ABOUT MIKE WELLS
Email me at mike (at) mikewellsbooks.com or follow me on Twitter (@MikeWellsAuthor) and get a FREE copy of one of my bestselling books. I’m an American author best known for my Lust, Money & Murder series and and written more than 25 other thriller and suspense novels. I also have taught in the Creative Writing program at Oxford. I’m known for my super fast-paced, ‘unputdownable’ books.
When I saw the cover, then read the blurb, I had to read Only Child by Casey Kelleher. The story twisted and turned, just like my mind. Great job, Casey.
I have been reading more books with diverse characters and I am so happy that I have found new authors to keep an eye on. Casey Kelleher is one of them.
Some may say that Sherrie is a helicopter mom, but she does what she always does, makes things all better for her daughter, Kayla.
The resilience of youth is alive and well in Kayle. Things don’t keep her down for long.
I knew the villain early on, but I didn’t know what made him the villain. I know the victim, now it’s a matter of getting the details.
Panic attacks. Blackouts. PTSD.
The mins is an amazing organ that does its best to protect us when our lives becomes so overwhelming we can no longer cope. I love psychological thrillers and delving into the minds of the characters. Why they do what they do. We have some great ones here.
Well…I though I knew what was coming, but I was so wrong. I love when an author can surprise me and there were plenty of surprises to keep me glued to the pages.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Only Child by Casey Kelleher.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The police are here. The feeling of pure dread swirls in my stomach as a million scenarios start playing out in my head. My whole life I’ve expected something bad to happen to my daughter. It is as if part of me has been expecting it. As if I deserve it.
Fifteen-year-old Kayla is the apple of her parents’ eyes, their beautiful only daughter. They tried for so long to have her that she was even more precious when she arrived. But deep down, her mother Sherrie has always been terrified that their worst fear would come true: that Kayla would be taken from them.
Then one day – just as Sherrie had dreaded – Kayla fails to return home after a sleepover. In desperation, Sherrie and her husband Richard call Kayla’s friends. They scour the streets, their search becoming more and more frantic. Until the police arrive and deliver the shocking news, when their worst nightmare comes true: someone has their daughter.
As Sherrie and Richard grill friends, family, and even each other, Sherrie starts to wonder, has the secret they’ve been hiding all these years finally caught up with them?
Because Sherrie and Richard are living a lie. A lie so huge, so shocking, that it could destroy the one thing they hold most dear – their daughter.
And if the truth comes out, their family will never be the same. But if it doesn’t, they will never see their precious girl again…
ABOUT CASEY KELLEHER (from Amazon)
I was born in Cuckfield, West Sussex, and i grew up as an avid reader.
Whilst working as a beauty therapist and bringing up our three children together with my husband, I penned my debut novel Rotten to the Core. Its success meant that I could give up my day job and concentrate on writing full time. I have since written fourteen books. (all listed below)
I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get in touch.
Opifex is an organization committed to Inexora, a ritual that, when completed, will begin a new era. What does that mean?
Running, searching, faced with the ultimate task, Thomas, Rex, Malachi and Karel meet in a face off. Will darkness be unleashed? Is the end of world nigh?
I felt I was in a Supernatural TV episode. I had a hard time deciding who was good and who was bad. Many lives will be sacrificed and I can’t imagine the terror as they met their end.
The story flowed smoothly. The major players stood out, but I knew who I was rooting for. I had no idea how the story would end…and I was eager to find out. Soooo, buckle your seat belt, because this is a wild ride.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Inexora: The Killing Plan by Tobias Hall.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
“Something is at the door, pushing against the frame. The handle rattles and thousands of voices whisper through the keyhole. The Opifex removed the locks that kept everybody safe.
A god is awakening in the darkness, with a hunger invoked by a thousand years of sleep. It spreads fear, corrupts and destroys, leaving this world hollow.
Time is running out and as the world tumbles into chaos, Thomas must unearth the past of the Archontix to save himself and change the fate of humanity. “
ABOUT TOBIAS HALL
I write about the things which push people into the darker side of life. I’m fascinated by resilience, strength, and human resourcefulness.
Skipped school for the first time at age nine because I had to finish Tolkien’s “Return of the King”.
I love music, especially metal and old punk and hip-hop.
I’m passionate about philosophy, psychology and studied archaeology at Gothenburg university.
I grew up in Sweden, Italy and now live in Chelmsford, UK with my family.
I like to write late in the evening, then reluctantly try to sleep while having too many things on my mind.
Awesome cover! I usually wait until it is closer to release day, which is 1.10.23, but I thought this might peak your interest for October. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review The Nightmare Man by J H Markert.
The cover caught my eye and when I read the blurb, I thought of Stephen King. How can I go wrong? Blackwood Mansion. The Atrium. Oswald Asylum. A family, murdered, hung by the barn rafters in a cocoon. A book that comes to life.
I want to share so much, that I quit taking notes. I was afraid of spoiling the horror for YOU.
This is my first novel by J H Markert/James Markert and I thoroughly enjoyed the grim story. I love books that deal with the depravity of humanity. It also brings about the best in people. All I KNOW is that you won’t find me wandering around in the cornfield. You never know what might be out there.
I didn’t find any mind blowing moments, but I did find myself wondering what was coming next, at times rapidly flipping the pages because I had to know.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Man by J H Markert.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
T. Kingfisher meets Cassandra Khaw in a chilling horror novel that illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity.
Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of New Haven. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.
Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder: a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks, and hung from the rafters of a barn, eerily mirroring the opening of Bookman’s latest novel. When another family is killed in a similar manner, Mills, along with his daughter, rookie detective Samantha Blue, is determined to find the link to the book—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.
As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.
As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.
ABOUT J H MARKERT/JAMES MARKERT
J. H. Markert is the pen name for writer James Markert, an award-winning novelist, producer screenwriter, husband, and father of two from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was also a tennis pro for 25 years, before hanging up the racquets for good in 2020. He graduated with a degree in History from the University of Louisville in 1997 and has been writing ever since.
I have read numerous books by Michaelbrent Collings and will grab anything I see by him. I love, love, love creature features that read like B movies and The Deep definitely fits that bill. We have good characters, bad characters, and a down right evil one. Treasure? Desires? The ocean is a vast mystery and when you seek, you will find. Just what you will find is the question.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Deep by Michaelbrent Collings.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
There are places we were never meant to go…
A woman searching for a sister lost at sea. A man bent on finding lost treasure. A mother who has lost all hope. A maniac who believes all life exists for his pleasure. The man who would keep them all safe.
Together, they will all seek below the waves for treasures long buried, and riches beyond belief. But those treasures hide something. Something ancient, something dark. A creature that exists only to feed on those that would enter into its realm. A creature… of The Deep.
ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS
Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.
He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.
Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.
Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!
Anyone that has been hanging around fundinmental knows that I am a huge fan of Carolyn Arnold and her police procedurals. She always has great covers to go with the wonderful stories inside.
I am always excited to read another Carolyn Arnold novel. She manages to hook me early and keep me flipping pages. I am just along for the ride, eager to go wherever the story takes me.
Amanda came home with more than fun after a night’s out. Too bad the romantic night she had anticipated is brought up short when a dead body is found on the bed they planned to use. Guess that would bring anyone up short. 🙂
Amanda is a detective , working homicide for the Prince William Sound County Police Department. Her first call is to dispatch, the second to her partner, Trent Stenson. Poor Trent. I feel the both have feelings for each other, but because they are partners, they fight the attraction.
Even though Logan is a suspect and Amanda is too close to be working the case, I know that won’t stop her.
The crime scene is too neat, too simple, all the clues lined up for them to see. They know crime is messy, complex.
Amanda is like a bulldog. She doesn’t give up until the case is closed. She may WANT to find the killer, but Trent NEEDS to solve the mystery. He has to find the answers, solve the puzzle.
Last Seen Alive is another success story for Carolyn Arnold.
I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Last Seen Alive by Carolyn Arnold.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The woman lies so still as her blood soaks into the soft bedcovers beneath her. A tear runs down her face as she looks at the wedding band on her finger. She had loved her husband so much…
When Detective Amanda Steele unexpectedly reconnects with an old boyfriend, the last thing she expects to see lying on his bed is the dead body of his wife, Claire, who walked out on him four years ago.
Logan begs Amanda to believe he’s innocent. But she doesn’t miss the gun on a nearby table, and she’s torn when forensics reveal that not only was this the murder weapon, but Logan’s fingerprints are all over it… Could he have been framed? Or is he using his connection to Amanda to get away with murder?
Determined to uncover the truth, Amanda retraces Claire’s last steps and finds that she visited her best friend the day before her death. But Amanda is devastated to discover that the friend died in a car accident just hours after meeting with Claire. What deadly secret connected them, and could more women be in danger?
But the killer is closer than Amanda realises, and when her beloved daughter, Zoe, is threatened, she’s suddenly in a race to find the final clue before the person she loves most pays the price…
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt 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 north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.
I won both the books and was so excited to read them, though The Secret Keepers has been patiently waiting for a long time, unfortunate that it got buried in the stack of books I want to read.
A fun and dangerous journey with Genie Lo and her friends and enemies and loves, in a young adult novel. A battle between magical creatures and demons. I enjoyed it and don’t feel I was lost by not reading the first book, though I do feel I may have gotten more involved in the characters and the outcome if I had.
I loved this horror thriller filled with shock moments that had me wondering…is it in her mind…as the secrets are slowly exposed, leaving it hard to figure out who is good, who is bad and why.
