Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Ran-Del Jahanpur is a warrior of the Sansoussy Forest, trained in both the mental and physical Disciplines of his people. He thinks he’s prepared for any danger the forest might hold, but his skills prove useless when he’s caught in a hi-tech trap. Soon Ran-Del finds himself in a city so alien it might as well be another world—machines speak, vehicles fly, and his captors’ weapons can inflict pain without touching him. Every time Ran-Del tries to escape, he’s foiled by a technology he doesn’t understand. As terrifying as the city is, his kidnapper, the enigmatic Baron Hayden, exudes a jovial affability that worries the Sansoussy even more. What can such a powerful man want with a Sansoussy warrior, who can neither read nor write and knows nothing of city ways? The Baron’s daughter Francesca clearly knows more than she’s saying, but Ran-Del’s psy sense tells him only she’s being truthful, not what she’s thinking. And it’s only after it seems that Ran-Del has escaped the city and its dangers, that he finds out how thoroughly he has been caught.
I downloaded The Sixth Discipline from Amazon on 7.7.12 and added it to my TBR on 7.28.12. I love paranormal stories, so this is one I will keep on my list, hoping to get to it.
Mistletoe Magic by Amanda Siegrist is a very appropriate title, but I won’t spoil the surprise for you. It may be predictable but there are some special moments that put a smile on my face and a happy ever after in their future.
Theresa works at the diner and is known for making the worst cup of coffee, but Officer Aiden Crowl comes every day for his cuppa. The precinct even has a bet on whether or not she will every make a good pot. She has always had a crush on him, going back to high school, and, with the death of his fiancee, will she have a second chance at love?
She comes from the wrong side of town and her alcoholic brother never lets her forget it with his drunken escapades, pounding on her door in the middle of the night demanding money, even going so far as to break into her house.
Theresa loves everything about Christmas, but this one is proving difficult for her. I can see where her self doubt and lack of confidence comes from, but I am looking forward to her overcoming her insecurities and becoming the wonderful character I know she can be.
HUH. I’m at 79% and I should have seen that coming.
I love small town romances and when tragedy strikes, the whole town comes together, showing their love and support.
Want a heartwarming smile on your face while reading a happy ever after Christmas novel? I found it here.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Mistletoe Magic by Amanda Siegrist.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From USA Today
bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a heartwarming holiday series
that will fill you with the Christmas spirit and lots of love.
A mistletoe. A kiss. This just might be the start of a beautiful Christmas.
Theresa
might not make the best pot of coffee in town, but people still flock
to the diner for a cup, even Officer Crowl, who rarely displays a smile
since his fiancé died. She’ll never be able to win his heart, but it’s
hard to resist him, especially when he kisses her under the mistletoe.
Well, on the cheek, but that has to count for something…right?
Staying
busy keeps Officer Aiden Crowl sane. Because when he’s idle or alone,
he thinks, and nothing good comes from that. Everyone thinks he was the
perfect man. They think he’s broken because she’s gone. He is, just not
for the reason they believe. Every time he walks into the diner, one
sweet smile from Theresa erases some of the pain. He should stay away
from her. Far away. But what is he supposed to do when they’re standing
under a mistletoe? Kiss her, of course.
The entire Holiday Romance series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.) ♡ Merry Me (Book 1): Elliot & Lynn ♡ Mistletoe Magic (Book 2): Aiden & Theresa ♡ Christmas Wish (Book 3): Bentley & Emma ♡ Snowed in Love (Book 4): James & Erin…coming December 3, 2019
ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST
Love!
Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just
loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship,
and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a
happy camper:)
I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.
Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*
Series: Children of the Fifth Sun (Book 1) Paperback: 414 pages Publisher: Vesuvian Books (July 25, 2017) Language: English ISBN-10: 1944109404 Praise for CHILDREN OF THE FIFTH SUN
“An action-packed, globe-hopping science fiction thriller… pedal-to-the-metal pacing and relentless action make it easy to turn pages…” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Insane! What Gareth did here was incredible! This author took a global look at America, China, and Russia, and added a species from another era into the mix, to create a well-researched novel of suspense, intrigue, with dashing individuals. The characters travel the world on a unique mission while trying to stay out of the line of fire as rogue government agencies from several different countries try to stop them. It’s a wild ride from California to Peru, from Egypt to Siberia. The amount of research put into this novel is on par with a Michael Crichton novel. The main character, Kelly Graham, reminded me of Dirk Pitt from Clive Cussler’s novels. Overall, an incredible read and a book I’m recommending.” ―Jonas Saul, Best-selling author of the Sarah Roberts Series, April 2017
Suspend disbelief and let yourself travel on a downriver, undersea, and overland adventure in this well-constructed novel. The author takes you on a fast paced journey full of intrigue, government secrets, unusual creatures and just a tad of romance. Superlatives abound and the literary illumination paints an image so clear you feel you are there with the characters. For those who know the author, there are bit of his personality revealed which makes reading the novel even more enjoyable. A bit Tom Clancy, a hint of Dan Brown — authentically Gareth in his debut work. ―Charity Scripture
“Scientist Worthington’s understanding of the complexities and possibilities of marine biology and endocrinology are evident.” ―Publishers Weekly, May 2017l
AWARDS WINNER 2017 LONDON BOOK FESTIVAL — SCIENCE FICTION FINALIST 2018 SILVER FALCHION AWARD — SCI-FI/FANTASY/HORROR
Genre: “Science Faction” – science fiction, action and adventure with fact-based science, theories and mythology
IN ALMOST EVERY BELIEF SYSTEM ON EARTH, there exists a single unifying mythos: thousands of years ago a great flood devastated the Earth’s inhabitants. From the ruins of this cataclysm, a race of beings emerged from the sea bestowing knowledge and culture upon humanity, saving us from our selfish drive toward extinction. Some say this race were “ancient aliens” who came to assist our evolution.
But what if they weren’t alien at all? What if they evolved right here on Earth, alongside humans . . . and they are still here? And, what if the World’s governments already know?
Kelly Graham is a narcissistic self-assured freelance photographer specializing in underwater assignments. While on a project in the Amazon with his best friend, Chris D’Souza, a mysterious and beautiful government official, Freya Nilsson, enters Kelly’s life and turns it upside down. Her simple request to retrieve a strange object from deep underwater puts him in the middle of an international conspiracy. A conspiracy that threatens to change the course of human history.
You can purchaseChildren of the Fifth Sun at the following Retailers:
Photo Content from Gareth Worthington
Gareth Worthington is a trained marine biologist and also holds a doctorate in comparative endocrinology. Currently, Gareth works full time for the Pharmaceutical industry helping to educate the World’s doctors on new cancer therapies. In his spare time Gareth has a number of passions, including: martial arts – he trained in Muay Thai at the prestigious EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and currently trains in MMA at Phoenix Sportkampf, Switzerland; playing acoustic guitar; studying ancient history; drawing; and most of all writing fiction.
An award winning author, he hopes to one day hang up the pharma hat and write full time.
Mildred Abbot’s Cozy Corgi Mystery Series has been a delight to read. I mean, look at that face. How can I possibly resist Watson and the quirky characters we will find in the small town of Estes Park.
Scornful Scones was a delightful visit to the small town of Estes Park, tagging along while Fred and Watson poke their nose in another mystery.
Katie’s delightful squeal of joy and Watson’s scrabbling feet as he rushes to get the treat he missed when it was thrown to him put an immediate smile on my face.
A small town takes a while to accept an outsider and Fred sure doesn’t make it easy for them. Everyone knows everyone’s business and they are just waiting for Fred to start questioning her suspects, wasting no time in letting the gossip fly.
These quirky characters and their furry friends are always a delight to visit, giving me some light mystery and smiles.
I don’t have any complaints about Scornful Scones. It was a nice change of pace from the heavy, gruesome, dark and dangerous stories that I immerse myself in, leaving me needing a fun read for a change of pace.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Scornful Scones by Mildred Abbott.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
With summer approaching, Estes Park is abuzz with flowers, baking, tourists, and… murder.
Tourist
season is about to begin, and the lovely weather has Winifred Page and
her corgi sidekick, Watson, leaving the comfort of the Cozy Corgi
Bookshop and Bakery to reluctantly attend a celebration at the Black
Bear Roaster coffee shop. But a chill of uncertainty settles over Fred
when a choking death doesn’t seem so accidental—despite the dry
hazardous scones.
As Fred and police sergeant Branson Wexler
rekindle a possible romance, Fred shares her suspicions. But is she
seeing murder at every turn? Learning to trust her gut feelings, Fred
risks the ire of the coffee shop owner to investigate not one, but two,
deaths.
As suspects and motives abound, old resentments are
uncovered, and Fred and Watson build new friendships even as they follow
the crumbs to find clues to a killer.
ABOUT MILDRED ABBOTT
Reading the Cozy Corgi series is pretty much all you need to know
about Mildred. In real life, she’s obsessed with everything she writes
about: Corgis, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods. She’s not
obsessed with murder, however. At least not at her own hands (nor paid
for… no contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with
Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role
in her personality. Having Fred and Watson stroll into her mind was a
touch of kismet.
Carmen Webster Buxton approached me about reading her SciFi Wakanrean series because I had read a few of her other books and really enjoyed them. I was so happy she did. I have ventured out from my favorite genres of suspense/thriller/mystery and paranormal/supernatural more and more and have been pleasantly surprised.
If you are a fan of Star Wars, Star Trek and SciFi, this may be a series for you. We have all you need…out of this world romance, intrigue, race discrimination, and characters that grow and develop as the story is told. Each book spotlights a different couple and could stand alone, but if you are new to the series, I highly recommend starting at the beginning.
I accidentally read the books out of order, grabbing the second book in the series, Alien Vows, and reading that first. It did make reading Alien Bonds easier, because I got used to the unique names and words, though there is a glossary at the end of the book. I invented my own pronunciations making the flow smoother for me. I do that a lot when there are tough names and words to mentally pronounce.
We are on the planet Wakanrea. Space travel is common, yet the species tend to stick to their own kind.
In Alien Bonds, we meet Dina Bellaire, a Terran, human, and Kuaron Du, a Wakanrean. Their meeting change their worlds forever. They meet from across a crowded room and they are floored by shahgunrah, a biological event that is like imprinting for werewolves . Their love is slow to develop, but their mating is instantaneous, creating problems that could be deadly…for her.
Some of the events make me think of the Twilight series, but I will leave that for you SciFi lovers to find out for yourselves. The surprise is worth the wait.
Carmen Webster Buxton has created a world that I got lost in by her ability to bring it to life through her descriptive words and the characters quickly became dear to me. There are hidden agendas, corporate greed, race hatred, romance, acceptance, and more.
Carmen Webster Buxton fills us in on the Wakanrean history and you could call the Alien Bonds historical fiction of the scifi kind. LOL
Jared, a Terran, human, is a character I met early in the story. He is Kuaron’s friend and their lively banter brings me lots of smiles. I wonder…will he get his own story? I would love to see it.
I want to thank you, Carmen, for giving me an opportunity to travel to a distant planet, meet some wonderful characters, and learn some life lessons along the way.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Alien Bonds by Carmen Webster Buxton.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In ALIEN BONDS, two lives are changed in an instant. Industrial chemist Dina Bellaire travels all the way to the planet Wakanreo to advance her career. Her carefully planned life goes up in flames the second she meets Kuaron Du, a Wakanrean who makes his living singing ancient songs in a dead language. Both of them know they can’t go back to the way they were before they met. They just have to convince the rest of the universe that what happened to them is real.
ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON
Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published
by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination
of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting
customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.
Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a
childhood on the move, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised
two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband
Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction and
romance, mostly set in the far future, and the occasional fantasy.
She
has published several books, including THE SIXTH DISCIPLINE and its
sequel NO SAFE HAVEN. TRIBES, SHADES OF EMPIRE, and THE NOSTALGIA GAMBIT
are in her ThreeCon series; these books are set in a shared universe
but do not share any characters. WHERE MAGIC RULES (a novella) is her
only published fantasy. KING OF TREES crosses genres, as it is a time
travel/alternate history/science fiction novel with fantasy overtones.
SARONNA’S GIFT is her first book to be available as a paperback as well
as an ebook, and the first overt romance. TURNABOUT is young adult
dystopian science fiction that starts in the real world. ALIEN BONDS is
another science fiction romance, the first book in a planned trilogy.
The second book is ALIEN VOWS. The third book ALIEN SKIES will come out
in 2019.
Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing,
writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming
out next! To send her feedback on her books, send email to
carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let’s share some songs we’ve been enjoying lately! If you would like to play, and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you’ve been enjoying lately. It doesn’t have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites – just something you’d like to share with others. If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post’s url HERE
I don’t listen to a lot of country music, but some songs stick in my head. AND, my brother took Mr Wonderful and I to a Kenny Chesney outdoor concert at The Wharf in Alabama. Had a great time and I couldn’t help but find myself trying to sing along. I didn’t know a lot of the words. lol
As the year counts down, so does my Alphabet Reading Challenge. I chose Keeper of the Peace by Jennifer Malone Wright for my K. I downloaded this on an Amazon free day on 11.14.17 and I am so glad I did.
David’s back home and once he sets his eyes on Hannah again, he is determined to get her back. He messed up the first time, but he was not going to make that mistake again.
Hannah was devastated when David left the first time. Would she be able to let him back into her life? What about the fact that she is a Keeper, a protector of souls and he is investigating the murder of a Reaper and she is the one that killed him.
I was able to quickly relate to David and his love for his 1968 Chevelle. I had one and boy did I love that car. It was loud, fast and so much fun to drive. Funny the things that catch my attention, especially when Reapers and Keepers are going head to head.
As the real word and the supernatural collide, the story picks up the pace. It is pretty easy to figure out the story, but the journey and getting to know a great cast of characters makes me want to read more and to know what happens to the Chosen One and the Prophecy.
After starting to write this review I found out it was the second book in the series, but I had no problem diving right in, I checked my Kindle and found Keeper vs Reaper sitting there…waiting. I will be going back in time to read it. 🙂
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The love of her life
left her long ago, shattering her heart into a million pieces. It’s
taken Hannah almost twelve years to push away the hurt and move on with
life. That is, until the death of a Reaper brings Detective David Foster
back to town and their paths cross once again.
With more and
more of the soul-eating Reapers passing through town in search of the
Chosen One, who happens to be her sister Lucy, the Estmond family has
been busy enough. Now, they rally together in hopes of keeping Hannah
out of prison.
With all the trouble lately, being a Keeper, a
protector of souls, has never been more difficult for Hannah. Will she
forgive David and rekindle their relationship? More importantly, will he
find out she is the one responsible for the murder he is investigating?
Sparks fly in more ways than one in the second installment of the Graveyard Guardians.
ABOUT JENNIFER MALONE WRIGHT
Jennifer Malone Wright is best
known for her best selling novella series, The Vampire Hunter’s
Daughter. Other works include the follow up to The Vampire Hunter’s
Daughter series called The Arcadia Falls Chronicles, The Graveyard
Guardians series and her full length vampire novel called Savior (A
Higher Collective Novel).
She resides in the beautiful mountains
of northern Idaho with her husband and five children where she
practices preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Just kidding!
But
seriously, between the craziness of taking care of her children,
Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left,
usually leading far into the night, is spent working on her beloved
fiction or chatting with her equally crazy friends.
Jennifer also
loves coffee, has a passionate affair with red bull, wishes the sushi
were better where she lives and dances while she cleans.
A short but intense and heartwarming story that brought tears to my eyes as young and old alike come together, giving, sharing, and adding so much goodness to everyone’s life.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Joseph was a shabby
imitation of Santa Clause with his Salvation Army kettle in front of a
K-mart, but what no one could have guessed was that Joseph was a miracle
waiting to happen. This inspiring Christmas story tells the true tale
of how a group of teenage carolers changed the life of a down-and-out
bum. A moving and unforgettable read!
Love Dragons? Abigail Owen has a fabulous series for you. I have loved meeting and getting an in depth look into each character. This is a series that keeps on giving.
I am so excited to be back with these HOT firefighting dragon shifters, and to meet some new ones in The Enforcer, the third book of the Fire’s Edge series by Abigail Owen.
Drake was the only one who could save the family surrounded by fire, but because he is unmated, his body rebelled in his hurry to save them. It is Cami’s family that he rescues.
She is not afraid of him. She has issues of her own, no one to turn to for help, until…Rune. He just happens to be in the vicinity. He is a rogue, a dragon shifter with no clan and gathers those who need his help, offering them a safe refuge
Dragons come in many colors, each with their own special abilities, other than the normal fire breathing and such. If dragons do not mate, they begin to age and death is not far behind. Drake is one of those dragons. They have their own political intrigue and narcissistic rulers.There is betrayal, danger, love and sacrifice. The kings make the laws, the enforcers, enforce them. Going rogue is a death sentence.
Cami finds a friend in Skylar, who has her own secrets. For some reason, she is drawn to Cami and offers to help her, teaching her martial arts, while she is nursing Drake. At first she doesn’t know why she is drawn to him, but as she learns the ways of dragons, it becomes clear to her. At the moment, she is the stronger one.
“…is your default setting asshole?”
“I’m surprised he left you alone with me.”
“He didn’t want to, something about you being a scary motherfucker…”
Oh man, when a shifter dies…it brought tears to my eyes. Abigail Owen’s descriptive writing brought the scene to life and I could picture it in my mind. BUT, I’m not telling you who will no longer be with us. And Drake, that is his biggest fear. If he were to mate with Cami and not be healed, they would both die.
We have a lot of fun verbal foreplay that turns HOT, steamy, sexy, playful, HOT…ADULTS ONLY HOT.
“Did you know some dragon shifters can shift a single part of themselves?”
I know what first popped into my mind and I wonder what pop into yours. LOL
I love dragons in any shape or form. They are people first, doing all the things that humans do, after all, someone has to cook dinner, do laundry, and all those menial chores that need to be done day after day. I love Drake, Cami, and their merry band of misfits. Makes for some wonderful moments as their individual personalities are revealed. It has been a marvelous visit and I look forward to returning.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Enforcer by Abigail Owen.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Death comes for everyone. Even Drake Chandali. The aging process that twists all unmated dragon shifters’ bodies into something useless has taken hold of his body centuries early. A mate could have reversed the process, but now it’s too late. To protect his team of enforcers, he leaves, and comes face to face with the woman he’d thought was human when he saved her from a fire months before.
Except she’s not human. She’s a mate.
Camilla Carrillo almost lost her family to wildfire. To discover she’s fated to mate a creature made of flame and rage, and become one herself, should be terrifying. But somehow a rightness settles inside her, especially when she’s around the glowering red dragon shifter who wants nothing to do with her.
When Drake learns Cami bears his mark — the same mark as the High King — he refuses to believe she’s meant to be his. It’s too late. How could he turn Cami only to take her with him to the grave? At the same time, he can’t walk away. Hiding her from the corrupt, rotting High King might be the last honorable thing Drake ever does with the little time he has left.
ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN
Award-winning
paranormal and contemporary romance author, Abigail Owen was born in
Greeley, Colorado, and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in
Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are
the center of her universe.
Abigail grew up consuming books and
exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of
Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career
related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric
(Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing
without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
Every so often I will follow an email link from NetGalley and check out what’s happening. I try to limit how many books I grab at one time…you know how that is. I found some books by Joanna Schaffhousen and grabbed a couple. I would like to thank NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen for the opportunity to read and share them.
I immediately began reading No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen after finishing The Vanishing Season. I am loving the author and her characters and eagerly begin.
We start where we left off in The Vanishing Season. Each book can stand alone, though I highly recommend beginning at the beginning, because once Ellery got under my skin, I had to know… Each mystery, in this case two mysteries, end with my complete satisfaction and leave me wanting more. Now…let’s get to it.
Ellery Hathaway is on leave because of what happened. And that you will need to find out for yourself. Even though No Mercy is Book II, Joanna Schaffhausen will fill you in on the necessities.
Reed Markham is getting a divorce. He is an FBI profiler, so for those of you who watch Criminal Minds, you can see the complications that would entail for those left at home.
I love Joanna Schaffhausen’s ability to show me Tula, Reed’s daughter. I can see the little firecracker racing around, not happy with her pigtails daddy did because they are a bit lopsided. She’s ready for mommy to pick her up, but she’s so caught up in just being, she forgot she doesn’t have any shoes on. Joanna’s ability to show me the event had me smiling as I watched her.
Ellery had never been on a date. After her abduction at fourteen years old, I can understand why. Sure, she has sex. But she uses it like a weapon. Romance? She doesn’t believe it can ever happen for her after what Francis Coben, the serial killer did to her. Even though he is in prison, so is she. He is always with her…in her mind.
Something happens. I won’t tell you what, but Reed comes rushing to her side, leaving with just the clothes on his back. He saved her once, and he is determined to not let anything else happen to her. Little does he know, trouble seems to find her…or does she go looking for it? There is no romance between them, but, I wonder….
A note…
“You really think I’m unlucky enough to attract the attention of a third serial killer?”
Imagine yourself and everything about you splashed all over the internet. You even have a Wikipedia page, telling of the horrors inflicted on you by a serial killer. People building websites devoted to you…of HIM…the trolls, the filthy, disgusting…
Even though this is fiction, it reads like a true story. I don’t know how Ellery could even step outside her home. Especially on a dark night. I don’t know if I would every leave my house again. Could you? I would have alarms on every access point, the outside lit up as if it’s daytime and, at least, ONE BIG guard dog.
When it came time for Reed to leave, his boss giving him an ultimatum, I knew he couldn’t do it. There’s a rapist on the loose, an old arson case, and someone is messing with Ellery.
I love that he cooks for her, and stays with her. He’s a good cook and it is a definite improvement over the fast food she lives on. He refuses to leave her home alone.
Joanna’ Schaffhausen’s characters are the lowest of the low and the highest of the high. They range from the pond scum that doesn’t deserve to breath air to the knight in shining armor that all children dream about.
Ellery’s need to help others makes her a target all too often, but it leads to lots of non stop action and intense mysteries. Danger lurks around every corner and even comes knocking on her door. Joanna Schaffhausen stacks mystery on top of mystery, because one isn’t enough. LOL
Reed: “I want you to stop taking chances with your life.”
Ellery: “You forget. I’m living on borrowed time.”
OMG. Joanna Schaffhausen continues to blow me away with her in your face, can’t put down, take my breath away suspense.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Police officer Ellery Hathaway and FBI profiler Reed Markham take on two difficult new cases in this stunning follow-up to The Vanishing Season.
No Mercy is award-winning author Joanna Schaffhausen’s heart-pounding second novel.
Police
officer Ellery Hathaway is on involuntary leave from her job because
she shot a murderer in cold blood and refuses to apologize for it.
Forced into group therapy for victims of violent crime, Ellery
immediately finds higher priorities than “getting in touch with her
feelings.”
For one, she suspects a fellow group member may have
helped to convict the wrong man for a deadly arson incident years ago.
For another, Ellery finds herself in the desperate clutches of a woman
who survived a brutal rape. He is still out there, this man with the
Spider-Man-like ability to climb through bedroom windows, and his victim
beseeches Ellery for help in capturing her attacker.
Ellery seeks
advice from her friend, FBI profiler Reed Markham, who liberated her
from a killer’s closet when she was a child. Reed remains drawn to this
unpredictable woman, the one he rescued but couldn’t quite save. The
trouble is, Reed is up for a potential big promotion, and his boss has
just one condition for the new job—stay away from Ellery. Ellery ignores
all the warnings. Instead, she starts digging around in everyone’s past
but her own—a move that, at best, could put her out of work
permanently, and at worst, could put her in the city morgue.
ABOUT JOANNA SCHAFFHAUSEN
Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, sharp skills she
developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in
psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how
it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked
as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that,
she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such
as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in
the Boston area with her husband, daughter, and an obstreperous basset
hound.
