Open to Death Sophie Mattis (A DI Rena Hunt Mystery, #1) Publication date: September 16th 2025 Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance
In the picturesque town of Rucklesby, peace is shattered when a young woman is found brutally murdered in her home. Detective Inspector Serena “Rena” Hunt is called to the scene, still haunted by her last case and questioning her instincts.
The victim, Sicily Avery—a wife and mother—has been stabbed through the heart with chilling precision. When another woman is killed in the same way, Rena realises a calculated murderer is on the loose, leaving cryptic notes on the victims as part of a twisted agenda.
With the body count rising, Rena and her team race to stop the killer before they strike again. Tensions mount with the arrival of new forensic pathologist Dr. Lucas Mann—bringing both friction and unexpected chemistry—as they work together to outwit a murderer who always seems one step ahead.
Open to Death intricately combines themes of murder, betrayal, and the unyielding quest for justice, all while subtly developing a slow-burn romance.
Sophie Mattis is a British mystery author known for her suspenseful, character-driven stories that keep readers turning pages. Born and raised in the UK, she writes contemporary mysteries featuring complex investigators, layered intrigue, touches of romance, and flashes of humour. When she’s not plotting her next twist, Sophie enjoys travelling, cycling, and curling up with a good crime drama.
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Hi Everyone. Wow. I didn’t know I had so much scheduled for next week. I don’t know how that happened. LOL Hope you are enjoying the fall weather. Do you live where the trees celebrate fall by showing their colors? I miss that about the north. Have a great week.
Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery by Nancy J Cohen
About Murder Pays A Call
Murder Pays a Call: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting – Florida Publisher : Orange Grove Press Publication date : September 9, 2025 Print length : 290 pages ISBN-10 : 1952886376 ISBN-13 : 978-1952886379 Digital ASIN : B0F8NNP8NN
MY REVIEW
Nancy J Cohen is a master storyteller when it comes to the cozy mystery genre. Murder Pays A Call surpassed my expectations. Usually cozies are too tame for me, but Murder Pays A Call is not your run of the mill cozy.
Welcome to Sunny Grove, Florida.
Keri Armstrong is a personal concierge. You have a need, she is happy to fulfill it, but murder was not on the menu. When the murder of one of her clients happens, she discovers the body of Fiona Sullivan. The rumor mill begins, but Fiona was one of her favorite clients and she is determined to find out the why of it herself.
Death brings out the best and the worst in people and we have a lot of people with their opinions and Keri’s list of suspects grows longer.
Cozies have nicer murders and murderers than the suspense thrillers that I love so much. Nancy does delve a little deeper than a lot of the cozies I’ve read and I find that enjoyable. Is that the wrong word? I mean, we are talking about murder. 🙂
4 Stars
Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.
When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.
Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.
As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.
“A page-turner of a mystery from one of my favorite authors. Cohen’s deft mastery of the cozy genre shines through in every scene, delighting readers with another engrossing whodunit.” Muddy Rose Reviews
“Fans of award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen’s long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be thrilled to learn there’s a new sleuth in town. Murder Pays a Call is the debut book in her Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery Series featuring a personal concierge who adds solving murders to the services she offers her clients.” – Lois Winston, author of the bestselling and award-winning Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.
About Nancy J. Cohen
Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail and the Keri Armstrong cozy mysteries. Her books have won numerous awards including her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Active in the writing community, Nancy is a past president of Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.
I am super excited to be back in Charlotte and Lucifer’s world in the Wicked Believer by Kait Ballenger, the sequel to Original Sinner. Let’s do a recap. God brought Lucifer and the seven deadly sins to New York City…and vanished. A celestial war is on the horizon. Charlotte is no longer the good little Christian. Not since Lucifer got his hands on her. She is walking on the dark side, growing and learning to stand on her own. The sex is sizzling hot. He is the dominant and she is the submissive, but…
Queen of my own damned life. Queen of my own goddamn choices.
“Not a fallen angel. Not a demon. Not a human, but something else in between.”
There are a lot of triggers in Charlotte and Lucifer’s erotic world, so be sure you are ready to walk on the dark side. I was lost in it. The darker it got, the more intense it felt. I loved all the changes that Charlotte is going through. I loved being on the sidelines and watching sides being taken as the apocalypse approaches. Charlotte is not going to stand behind Lucifer and let him drive the boat,. She’s going to be front and center. The kink level rises, and Charlotte does not shy away from it. She embraces it. I was reading along, white knuckled, eager to read the next word, the next sentence, the next chapter, and then….it came to an end.
I love everything about Wicked Believer and I want to thank Kait Ballenger and Montlake for the opportunity to read and review it. I can hardly wait for the next book, seeing there is war on the horizon.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Author Kait Ballenger whips up a spicy sequel to Original Sinner, a no-holds-barred dark romance where the devil and his queen-to-be explore the bounds of kink, even as they stand on the brink of war.
I wasn’t always immortal. And I’m not sure I’ll ever get the hang of it. Not like Lucifer, a.k.a. Pride. He and the other seven deadly sins, the high-profile billionaires who run this city, make the divine life look easy.
I came to New York a good, if damaged, Christian girl. Then Lucifer opened my eyes to the darkness. To the hunger burning inside me. To a world of pain and pleasure like nothing I’ve ever known. Now it’s all I crave. He’s all I crave.
But as I grapple with this new existence—and the events that led me to it—unseen forces push me and Lucifer apart. Paparazzi track my every move, Lucifer’s family plays their wicked games, and I hardly know who I am anymore. Or who I’m meant to be.
A celestial war is brewing, and Lucifer’s siblings are out for blood—and the dark power inside me calls me to join the fight.
Genre: Dark Romance, Erotica, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
453 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 9, 2025 by Montlake
Series: Original Sinners #2
ABOUT KAIT BALLENGER
Evoto
Kait Ballenger is an award-winning author of dark romantasy and paranormal romance. She is obsessed with tales of morally gray, sometimes villainous heroes and can’t resist a spicy redemption arc. When Kait’s not busy writing kinky paranormal fantasy, she can usually be found with her nose buried in someone else’s naughty books. She lives in Florida’s Bible Belt with her husband and two adorable sons—and will gladly use that belt to whip you.
For news on future releases, exclusive bonus scenes, and NSFW character art, sign up for Kait’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/3t7zXLA
You can also find Kait on TikTok @kaitballenger or Instagram @kait.ballenger
Are you looking for heroes and heroines, foxy ladies and macho men? You can’t go wrong with a Jane Blythe novel. Her characters carry heavy baggage and I have a great time watching them get their happy ever afters. At times the stories feels all too real, making them even more terrifying.
CJ and Opal have been having a friends with benefits relationship. Neither is ready to make a commitment. Trouble arises when Opal finds out she is pregnant, right in the middle of an undercover operation. Memories of her past surface, which makes her more determined than ever to save the girls from human traffickers. (Every time I enter my doctor’s office, I see a poster about trafficked girls. Florida is known to be a high risk state for visitors). Opal’s Fight is a little bit different, in that, the traffickers want the babies. The girls are considered disposable.
Babies are kryptonite to CJ. Can he learn to love their unborn child? Well, if you are like me, you know he will overcome his feelings and become the husband and father that Opal and their unborn child need. The interesting part is the how of it.
“Need us to go beat him up for you?”
“Nah, if he needs beating up, I think we can handle it,” she said, gesturing to her sisters.
And I have no doubt they could handle it. The ladies were raised by the Master to be assassins and they don’t hold anything back when danger puts them in the crosshairs of evil. Even after the undercover operation is over, the danger lingers. I knew when IT was going to happen, I just didn’t know exactly what and by whom.
Whew. That was one wild ride, filled with highs and lows and lots of danger. I’m really excited to get started on the next series of ferocious women warriors, the Athena Team series. First up is Scarlett.
Thanks Jane, for the opportunity to read and review Opal’s Fight.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
An unplanned pregnancy could push their friends with benefits arrangement to something more or break what they have.
Despite growing up the way she did, Opal Smith always knew she wanted to have a family of her own one day. The last thing she expected was to wind up pregnant in the middle of an undercover case. Not that it matters because she knows without a doubt that the only man she trusts with her body and her heart will step up. CJ would never let her down. Ever.
Navy SEAL Cameron John “CJ” Ulrich has a secret. One he hasn’t disclosed with anyone. Including his best friend. Even though he feels things changing with Opal, starts thinking maybe he’d like more than friends with benefits, when she announces she’s pregnant that’s it. Things are over between them. For good. But the dangers of her undercover case are lingering around her, and CJ might wind up losing Opal and the baby he believes he doesn’t want permanently.
Genre: Fiction, Military Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
Series: Prey Security: Artemis Team #4
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!
Josh Duffy wondered who he had become. He was a security guard at the mall. Who is there to protect? He can’t even afford to take care of his family. He couldn’t help but question why he was here. Not just here at the mall, but here on earth. What was his purpose?
Josh Duffy had been a professional bodyguard. He was one of the world’s elite operatives, until Lebanon. He was successful in protecting his principal, but he had paid a price, the loss of his leg.
An old friend finds him at the mall and offers him an opportunity to work in the field. The UN is hoping to broker a truce between the different drug cartels in Mexico. He gets more than he bargains for.
Once the action starts, it never stops. Danger is found around every corner. Bodies will fall. It doesn’t take long for them to realize there is a traitor amongst their group. Who will make it out alive?
Mark Greaney’s research makes Armored shine. The vivid details and realistic characters bring the story to life. The pacing and excellent writing kept the suspense at a high level. A sense of urgency played across the pages and I found myself engrossed in the story. I would definitely read more of his work.
I won this copy of Armored, Armored #1, by Mark Greaney.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A novel inspired by #1 New York Times best-selling author Mark Greaney’s Audible Original drama, Armored.Joshua Duffy is a Close Protection Agent—a professional bodyguard—and he’s one of the world’s elite operatives. That is, he was until his last mission in Lebanon. Against all odds, Josh got his primary out alive, but the cost was high. Josh lost his lower left leg. There’s not much call for an elite bodyguard with such an injury. So, Josh has to support his family working as a mall cop in New Jersey. For a man like Josh, this is purgatory on earth, but miracles can occur even in Paramus. A lucky run-in with an old comrade promises to get Josh back in the field for one last job. The UN is sending a peace mission into the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico, an area so dangerous it’s known as Espinazo del Diablo—the Devil’s Spine. Only a fool would think they could broker peace between the homicidal drug cartels in the region, and only a madman would sign on to keep those fools alive.
Mark Greaney has a degree in International Relations and Political Science. In researching The Gray Man series he traveled to ten countries and trained extensively in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close range combative tactics.
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Fanfrickintastic. I am loving the Sanchez and Heron series by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado. The multiple plot lines and villains that are found in The Grave Artist kept my mind spinning, and the authors kept me on my toes from beginning to end.
Carmen Sanchez is an agent for Homeland Security Investigations. Her partner, Jake Heron is a security expert. They are the only two members of a newly created division, I-Squared. Governmental politics will rear its ugly head, but that’s to be expected. They find a way to work around it.
Carmen and Jake first meet the Honeymoon Killer when a groom is murdered. They quickly discover he has struck in other countries, but for some reason, when they try to contact them, they get no response. We learn who the serial killer is from the very beginning and see the world through his eyes. It does not detract from the story, it only enhances it.
Declan is Jake Heron’s computer. He is analytical and creative. If you didn’t know he was a computer, you might think he was a person when you are talking to him.
Silena, Carmen’s sister, is on the hunt for their father’s murderer. Everyone thought it was a suicide, but they were convinced he found out something he shouldn’t have and it cost him his life. Carmen had told her to hang tight until she closed the Honeymoon Killer case and she could help, but… Carmen and Silena are kickass characters, sometimes putting themselves in danger by not waiting for the Calvary to come.
Tristan Kane, from the first book, Fatal Intrusion, puts in an appearance. making their investigation even more complicated.
It took both of their skills to answers all the questions I had, and I didn’t get the answers until the very end…and that ending…it keeps on giving. Every time I thought the characters trials and tribulations were over, Jeffrey and Isabella found something else that made my jaw drop. Awesome. Spine tingling. Mysterious.
I want to thank Thomas & Mercer and MB Communications for the opportunity to read and review The Grave Artist by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Perfect couples are his perfect victims. Now he’s hunting those hunting him in a riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado.
A wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron, discover that the tragedy is the third in a series of similar deaths and conclude something far more sinister is at play.
The two uncover chilling evidence pointing to a serial killer who has taken evil to the next level. Dubbed the Honeymoon Killer, this man isn’t interested in his victims but in creating his own macabre masterpiece from their graves—focused on the survivors and reveling in their grief. And now his dark obsession has turned to Carmen and Jake…
The Honeymoon Killer has decided they are the perfect next target. Take one out and delight as the other crumbles. Time is running out as a deadly game between predator and prey begins.
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
396 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 9, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer
Series: Sanchez & Heron, Book II, Stand Alone
ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER
#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He’s received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Special Agent Nina Guerrera series, the Special Agent Dani Vega series, the Detective Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez and Heron series (co-authored with Jeffery Deaver). Her books are published in 24 languages. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.
I have a weakness for books that have a Florida setting, especially in the Everglades. It’s not just the people that can be dangerous, so can your surroundings. So, that being said, welcome to Gator Glade and FBI Agent Cassidy Knox’s nightmare.
Cassidy had left Gator Glade in the dust, but when her grandfather dies, she returns to her home town. She is recovering from her confrontation with a serial killer. and she is the only one left to take care of her grandfather’s affairs. Will she stay? Will she be able to conquer the demons that drove her away?
Things are not as they first appear. Danger surrounds the animal sanctuary, which puts Cassidy in danger too. There is a subtle hint of menace that mounts with each page I turn and I anticipate something bad happening. We have a romance slowly developing, but characters that have baggage tend to make for complicated relationships. Will there be a happy ever after? I’m not telling.
I want to thank Shannon Hollinger for the opportunity to read and review for the first book in the Cassidy Knox series, Deadly Sanctuary.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
She’s no stranger to trouble…
Deep in the heart of the untamed Florida Everglades lies a web of secrets, danger, and deceit. For FBI Agent Cassidy Knox, it’s the only home she’s ever known—one she vowed never to set foot in again. But after a harrowing confrontation with a serial killer, Cassidy finds herself with no choice but to return to the animal sanctuary of her youth. Grieving the recent death of her beloved grandfather, Butch, on top of her own trauma, she hopes for a brief respite to heal her wounds.
Only the swamp, where the past lurks just beneath the surface, has other plans. When a neighbor is found murdered, the suspicion surrounding her grandfather’s death intensifies, drawing Cassidy into a chilling investigation that threatens everything she holds dear. With old friendships rekindling and new betrayals surfacing, the lines between ally and enemy blur.
As Cassidy races against time to uncover the truth, she clashes against her inner demons—and the boy who once stole her heart. With danger lurking around every corner, the only thing she knows for sure is that she can’t trust anyone. Because the killer’s taking aim… and they have her in their sights.
Get ready to dive into a heart-pounding mystery where trust is a luxury and survival is a game of wits. A gripping, heart-racing thriller that will leave you breathless.
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 8, 2025 by Scene Of The Crime Publications
ABOUT SHANNON HOLLINGER
With degrees in Crime Scene Technology and Physical Anthropology, Florida writer Shannon Hollinger hasn’t just seen the dark side of humanity—she’s been elbow deep inside of it! She’s an avid animal lover, reader, and hiker, and has been known to use her forensic skills to figure out who ate the last cookie in the house.
A multi-genre, Amazon charts top 20 best-selling author, Shannon writes psychological thrillers filled with jaw-dropping twists and shocking endings, the police procedural Chief Maggie Riley mysteries, where the darkness of the Maine wilderness is rivaled only by the deadly secrets it conceals, and the romantic suspense Cassidy Knox mystery thrillers, where the animals will steal your heart and the nights are as hot as the days.
Her novels have been translated into multiple languages, and her short fiction has appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post, among many other magazines and anthologies.
Shannon is a member of the International Thriller Writers and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.
To keep current on book news and to enter monthly giveaways, sign up for Shannon’s newsletter through her website, www.shannonhollinger.com.
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Hi Everyone. We had to do a little home repair this week. Our toilet kept running and we couldn’t get it to shut off, so we bought the innards at the hardware store and thought it would be an easy fix. Yeah. Right. Well, I have wanted a new toilet in our master bathroom for some times now…and I am finally getting it. Thank you Google, for clarifying the confusing. Three days later, we have a beautiful new toilet. Isn’t it funny that sometimes it’s the simplest things that makes us happy? LOL
Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series) by Kate Parker
About Deadly Village
Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series) Historical Cozy Mystery 13th in Series Setting – Cotswold village of Chipping Ford Publisher : JDP Press Accessibility : Learn more Publication date : August 19, 2025 Number of Pages ~300 ISBN-13 : 979-8992015249 ASIN : B0FJGJMGQZ
In a village steeped in secrets, one woman’s past is the key to solving a murder.
Olivia Redmond thought she’d left danger behind in blitzed-out London. But the quiet Cotswold village of Chipping Ford offers little refuge–especially when a local gossip turns up dead. With a baby to care for and the villagers turning frosty, Olivia’s only ally is a young bobby overwhelmed by his first murder case.
As a former newspaper reporter and covert asset for Britain’s intelligence chief, Olivia knows how to uncover the truth. The deeper she digs, the uglier it gets: blackmail, betrayal, and decades of whispered sins. And as the village closes ranks, Olivia must choose–keep the peace or expose the secrets that could shatter everything.
Perfect for readers of historical mysteries with sharp heroines and tangled moral landscapes, Deadly Village is the exciting thirteenth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like research based history and clean reads, then you’ll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker’s page-turning mystery.
About Kate Parker
Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she’s fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.
