Giveaway – The Spirit Of Vanderlaan by Susan Harris Howell @dollycas #thespiritofvanderlaan

 The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
by Susan Harris Howell

About The Spirit of Vanderlaan

 

goodreads badge

The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: This story is set on the fictitious campus of Vanderlaan University, in the Midwest or Midsouth region of the United States
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 370 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509258884
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509258888
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHV65RM4

When beloved professor, Samantha Hayes, learns that her favorite four students live in as many of her old dorm rooms, she wonders how it happened and for what purpose. As she and her student entourage explore the possibilities, they uncover a death years ago and what appears to be the ghost of the dearly departed. All of this stirs up Samantha’s long-held fear that she was responsible for that death, challenging all she thought she knew about herself and the work she holds dear. They must figure out what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

About Susan Harris Howell

I am a psychologist, speaker, and author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, my debut novel released in December of 2024. This book is a fun, cozy, ghost story featuring a professor, Samantha Hayes, and her lively band of students who get caught up in solving a campus mystery. This book draws on my teaching career of over thirty years to capture the camaraderie and warmth between a professor and the assortment of personalities which inhabit her office.

I have also published extensively on equality between women and men. My first book, Buried Talents, explores the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

My husband and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my speaking and writing endeavors.

Links to My Socials:

Purchase Links:  Amazon   B&N

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Reckless by Skye Jordan #skyjordan #reckless

Amazon / Godreads

I picked up a copy of Reckless on a free day on 8.18.16. I recently signed up for Skye Jordan’s newsletter and saw some interesting looking books, so I checked my ereader. Lo and behold, I had one of her books, so I started reading Reckless, the first book in the Renegades series.

Reckless is hot, hot, hot. I loved the characters, even those that were not so nice. I loved that Lexi LaCroix is the main character and is a plus size. She specializes in handmade wedding dresses and when she expands into the lingerie business I can only guess how sexy they will be. There are those that support her whole heartedly and those that want her to dumb down her creations. I love that she sticks to her guns.

Of course, we have some romance. Neither one realizes who the other one is and it makes for some miscommunication. That’s typical for any couple. But, they are magic in bed and pull no punches, burning up my ereader. I look forward to reading more of Skye’s work

Reckless would make a great movie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix’s image means everything. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker makes Lexi realize how much living she’s sacrificed for her success and one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life. When that touch fills far more than just Lexi’s physical needs, she finds herself torn between the career she needs and the bad-boy she craves.

Jax Chamberlin gave up the superficial life of acting for the thrill of running his own stunt company years ago. But a recent betrayal proves he’s still too close to the limelight to find a woman who doesn’t plan to use him as a stepping-stone to success. When the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more.

But Lexi’s got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle, and Jax isn’t willing to change his ways. Especially not when he discovers who she really is. Because if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he’s afraid the fantasy woman he’s falling for might just end up like all the other gold-diggers. And this time, it’s not just his bad-boy reputation at risk, but his heart, too.

All books in the Renegades series may be read as stand alone books.

The Renegades series includes:
RECKLESS
REBEL
RICOCHET
RUMOR
RELENTLESS
RENDEZVOUS
RIPTIDE
RAPTURE

  • Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, New Adult, Romance
  • 280 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 23, 2013 by Cygnet Books
  • Series: Renegades, #1
  • Settings: Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, United States

Skye Jordan is a New York Times and USA bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense.

A California native transplanted to the DC area. When she’s not writing, Skye enjoys travel and medical volunteer work. She is a lifelong learner, always taking courses in everything from spy craft to knitting and loves spending her summer rowing on the Potomac.

Visit Skye online:

www.SkyeJordanAuthor.com

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

$10 GC – Curse Of Ashmedei by Michael Snaerravn @goddessfish #curseofashmedei #michalsnaerravn

CURSE OF ASHMEDEI by Michal Snaerravn

GENRE:  Epic fantasy

MY REVIEW

I am always up for a good fantasy story to get lost in and Curse Of Ashmedei by Michal Snaerravn provided me one. There are also some cool illustrations.

Curse Of Ashmedei is one of those stories I find it hard to review without spoilers.

Curse Of Asmedei is filled with battles, betrayals and death. I felt the loss as Michal killed off some characters I had grown to care about. We have Druids, Demonsblood, Lycans, Trollbloods and Ogrebloods, plus creatures that fly and hide in the sand, so be careful crossing over those dunes.

I was quickly drawn in by Amnon, a young Demonblood that vows revenge on those who killed his parents. The action is nonstop. I couldn’t figure out who he should trust and who he should kill outright. There is a price to be paid for letting the bad guy live. Strange alliances are made, because he is not the only one that has a price on his head. A Blood War is coming.

My thanks go out to Michael Snaerravn for the opportunity to read and review Curse Of Ashmedei. The real downside I came across is I need the next book, Golems Of Beithir to find out what happens next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

The Black Star approaches, heralding the cataclysm of Hell’s Gate. The pawns on the chessboard have played the opening gambits as the Races vie for its power. Amnon, a young Demonblood consumed by revenge, finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of treacherous alliances and primeval magic. With a price on his head and outmanoeuvred by Druids and Trollbloods at every turn, he can’t survive alone. An ancient Lycan who has lost his humanity is the only one he can trust.

EXCERPT

The sun began to slip behind the ragged slope, staining the wisps of clouds surrounding the peak in blood red.

It was late summer, and the bitter katabatic wind was making its way down the slope, rustling a few dying leaves, and chilling my bones. A lone peregrine falcon drew lazy spirals high above the erratic maze of rocks and boulders, looking for the unwary marmot that enjoyed the evening sun just a bit too long. Crouched, I carefully studied nearly invisible tracks. It was the same company I had been trailing for weeks now, consisting of an armored party of more than a dozen men and women. The tracks wound along the steep slope and entered the open scree. Soon their trail would be lost in the jumble of jagged rocks and Troll-sized boulders. I hesitated, my tail twitching as it usually did when I was annoyed. The path they were on faced directly against the sun as it dipped into the glacial valley. I knew the valley well, and it was perfect for an all-too-easy ambush. I suspected the company had already detected my presence, and it would be foolish to tempt fate, especially when facing a dozen armed men … headed by a Druid, no less.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Michal Snaerravn is an outdoor enthusiast, an aficionado of the martial arts, and, above all, a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. A fan of all the timeless fantasy classics, he is eager to share his imagination: “Living in seven distinct cultures and reading hundreds of novels in four languages inspired a fantasy world that had to be revealed.” He considers novel writing not for the timid, or for selling a million copies; it is for those who have a vision to share. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Curse of Ashmedei: Book 1: https://amzn.to/3IxIO41

Golems of Beithir: Book 2: https://a.co/d/hW1YFT7

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michal-Snaerravn/author/B0DHDBSC55

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amnonofhadur/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl #michaeljstiehl #sanctuary #blackharepress

Amazon / Goodreads

Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl is a fantasy, horror, novella. I hesitated with the rating, bouncing between a 3 and a 4. When that happens, I round up. I know it’s hard to grab someone’s attention and hold them til the end when the story is so short, but I feel Sanctuary warrants that extra star.

Theobard is training to be a monk and has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood. Everything changes when Dellia arrives. She opens Theobard’s eyes to what is really going on at the Sanctuary. Michael J Stiehl did a great job of increasing the anticipation of what was coming, making me feel that life can be very dangerous at the Sanctuary if you don’t toe the line. The ending caught me offguard and, Michael, you kinda pissed me off…but that’s a good thing.

My thanks go out to Michael J Stiehl and Black Hare Press for the opportunity to read and review Sanctuary.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Deep in an impenetrable swamp, lies the Sanctuary. Abandoned there as a child, Theobard has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood, a monastic sect that never speaks.

The arrival of Dellia, a beautiful golden-eyed girl with a secret, will change everything.

Her secret will expose Theobard’s true nature, and that of the Sanctuary, pulling apart the only world he has ever known, leaving nothing the same.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novella and Short Stories
  • 93 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 18, 2022 by Black Hare Press

Michael J. Stiehl has had a lifelong passion for fiction, in particular horror, comics, adventure and science fiction, and is thrilled to finally be writing some of his own. Michael lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, two kids and his very silly poodle Jack. When not writing fiction, Michael spends his time riding bikes, camping, reading books, obsessively listening to music and playing D&D with his friends. In short, he hasn’t changed a bit since junior high.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

$20 GC – Wicked Ambition by Patti O’Shea @xpressotours #pattioshea #wickedambition

Wicked Ambition: The Lost Treasure
Patti O’Shea
(The Paladin League, #7)
Publication date: July 21st 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Ayla Desmond never takes risks, but when she senses her twin is in trouble, she boards a plane to Puerto Jardin—a country teetering on the edge of chaos. As a Public Relations specialist at the Paladin League, she’s used to spin, not bullets. But this mission plunges her into a deadly game where trust is scarce and danger is everywhere.

Special Forces Sgt. Oziah “Wizard” West is the king of one-night stands, but he hasn’t been able to forget the last woman he hooked up with, a mysterious blonde who slipped away from his hotel room. When he spots her in Puerto Jardin, he knows there will be trouble. Oz rushes to her side, determined to keep her safe.

Ayla wants nothing to do with Oz. He’s a mistake she’d rather forget, but circumstances force them together. Surrounded by mercenaries and stalked by mobsters who believe she holds the key to a hidden treasure, she has no choice but to rely on the enigmatic stranger who ignited her passion. As danger escalates, so do their feelings, and then a positive pregnancy test changes everything.

Now, Oz risks not only his heart but also his life to protect Ayla and their unborn child. Can they survive the treacherous game they’re caught in, or will their love become the ultimate casualty?

Wicked Ambition is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it’s not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.

Indulge in a protective Special Forces hero and a heroine who is a fish-out-of-water, but will do whatever it takes to save her sister. This romantic suspense story features a one-night stand, an unexpected pregnancy, and a second chance romance.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

A while later, the second bus from Rio Blanco rolled in. This one was larger, with a hump on top. Some parts of it had rust, while other parts showed obvious metal patches, and the green paint had faded in the places where it hadn’t entirely flaked away.

He expected a repeat of the first bus, and then another ninety-minute-plus wait for the last one to arrive.

That wasn’t what he got.

Oz tensed as a man disembarked. His hair was cut military short, and he was clean-shaven—nothing like the pictures he’d studied—but there was no mistaking him for someone else. This was the dude he’d been assigned to watch for.

As he reached the sidewalk, he paused and glanced around. He gave the gang members a look that appeared threatening even from across the street and then headed off to the east.

In a minute, Oz would follow him. As soon as a tail wouldn’t stand out. He stood and monitored the man’s progress.

The next passenger who exited the bus froze him in place.

She wore black trousers and a white shirt and dragged a small, wheeled suitcase out of the bus and onto the sidewalk. It tipped over, but she used the handle to put it upright. The catcalls from the gang began immediately. She ignored them, looking up and down the street.

Oz muttered a curse. He’d bet a month’s pay she was searching for a taxi.

The man he was assigned to tail was nearly out of sight. Oz needed to move, needed to go after him, and he couldn’t. He wouldn’t leave any woman in this predicament, but especially not this one.

Because underneath that floppy straw hat she had on, Oz knew her hair was blonde. He knew the way her blue eyes looked when she was aroused and the way she sighed when he entered her. Knew the little noises she made when she came.

Patting his pocket, he felt the familiar outline of the gold-hoop earring she’d left behind.

She walked to the west, away from the gang members. They followed her.

His assignment disappeared around the corner, but it didn’t matter. Oz couldn’t let anything happen to her. She was the woman he hadn’t been able to forget for seven long weeks.

Striding across the street, he went to protect his prissy little blonde.

Author Bio:

Patti O’Shea’s passions are writing, airplanes and traveling. Fortunately, she’s been able to enjoy all three. After receiving a degree in advertising copywriting, she took a job with a major U.S. airline and now works in 757 Engineering. Besides teaching her about the planes she loves, it’s given her an opportunity to travel to places like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Writing, though, remains her primary love. Patti created her first romance when she was in junior high school and has been hooked ever since. She should have figured out she was a writer years earlier, however, since her dolls had such involved lives, complete with goals, motivation and conflict.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Inverted Reality by Fran Lewis @partnersinr1me #invertedreality #franlewis

Inverted Reality by Fran Lewis Banner

INVERTED REALITY

by Fran Lewis

July 21-25, 2025 Book Blast

Synopsis:

Inverted Reality is a compilation of five books that teach people, through the characters involved, the consequences of doing harmful, dangerous or mean things to others. The person will face in some cases the “mirror” that will replay their wrongdoing and then ask if they will repent. If not, the mirror will decide their fate for them.

Each story has different characters who have done something wrong or evil to someone else. Some of the stories have voices that have been silenced and can no longer be heard. One story describes someone who was wrongly accused. The last part “The Third Choice” is Fran’s favorite. It tells a story about people who do not repent, and fate or consequences will be inflicted, but she won’t tell you how.

Some of the stories are fiction while others are true and factual. You, the reader, will decide whether the story is true or false as you enter the world of Inverted Reality. You can decide what your own definition of the title means, and how you would react if you had to face the mirror or the third choice for what you might have done. You decide if it really happened and how you would react.

It’s good vs. evil, and consciousness vs. unconscionable.

Praise for Inverted Reality:

“Actions Have Consequences! Inverted Reality by Fran Lewis is a chilling look at bad people committing horrific deeds.”
~ Irma Fritz, author of novels and short stories

Book Details:

Genre: Horror, Short Stories, Suspense and Thrillers
Published by: Just Reviews
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Number of Pages: 219
ISBN: May 13, 2025
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

 

Author Bio:

Fran Lewis

Fran worked in the NYC Public Schools as the Reading and Writing Staff Developer for over 36 years. She has three masters degrees and a PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently, she is a member of Who’s Who of America’s Teachers and Who’s Who of America’s Executives from Cambridge.‬‬

Fran is the author of more than 14 titles including three children’s books. She has written several books on Alzheimer’s disease in order to honor her mom and help create more awareness for a cure. These include Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey; Ruth’s Story and Sharp as a Tack and Scrambled Eggs Which Describes Your Brain?. She also wrote A Daughter’s Promise about her walk through the disease with her mother. ‪Fran is the author of the Faces Behind the Stones series, a middle school series featuring stories growing up in the Bronx with her sister and MJ magazine. Voices from Beyond is her latest book which was preceded by Mirror Image, What If?, Population Zero, and Accusations.‬

Catch Up With Fran Lewis:
Just Reviews
Amazon Author
Goodreads
BookBub
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram – @ferndine49
X – @franellena
YouTube – @franlewis8

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Win INVERTED REALITY!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Fran Lewis. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
INVERTED REALITY by Fran Lewis (Print Books)

Can’t see the giveaway? Click Here!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – A Poetic Pox by Samantha Larsen @dollycas @HastingSamantha #apoeticpox


A  Poetic Pox: A Lady Librarian Mystery
by Samantha Larsen

About A Poetic Pox

goodreads badge


A Poetic Pox: A Lady Librarian Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – 1786, England
Publisher: Dreamscape First
Audible.com Release Date: July 22, 2025
Listening Length: 8 hours and 18 minutes
Author: Samantha Larsen
Narrator: Marni Penning
ASIN: B0FBBG4GZC

1786, England

It is the twelve days of Christmas, and Mrs. Tiffany Lathrop is happily juggling her duties as a new mother and a librarian to Catharine, the Duchess of Beaufort. Her employer receives a mysterious letter from an old paramour, the Marquess of Harwood, who is the biological father of Catharine’s son. He promises to leave his estate and fortune to Beau if he can see the boy before he dies.

Her elder son, Thomas Montague, has a terrible cold, so Catharine asks Tiffany to accompany her and Beau. When they arrive at the dilapidated abbey, they discover a dead body—only it isn’t the marquess, but his valet! Lord Harwood is alive, but unconscious with suspicious-looking pox marks on his hands. Tiffany wonders if the marquess is really dying, or if it is all poetic revenge? Especially when she discovers the secrets that haunt Rosedean Abbey.

Between breastfeeding and dirty diapers, Tiffany must discover who killed the valet and attempted to murder the marquess before anyone else dies.

©2025 Samantha Larsen (P)2025 Dreamscape First

About Samantha Larsen

Samantha Hastings met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, having tea parties, and chauffeuring her four kids. She teaches World Literature at Brigham Young University. Her young adult fiction books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections and her historical romances are published around the world. She also writes murder mysteries under Samantha Larsen that Publisher’s Weekly called “wildly enjoyable.”

Author Links 

Purchase Links – Amazon  B&N  

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Sherry’s Shelves 7.13 – 7.19.25

Hi Everyone. I am so happy to say that I have all my backlog reviews written. I am determined to keep current on them. You are right, it makes it so much easier. We had a couple of days of thunderstorms this week. The temperatures are hot and humid. Here’s a couple of photographs that Eric took around the yard.

  • Sherry’s Shelves
  • Review – Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl
  • $10 GC & Review – Curse Of Ashmedei by Michael Snaerravn
  • Review – Reckless by Skye Jordan
  • Giveaway – The Spirit Of Vanderlaan by Susan Harris Howell
  • $25 GC – Too Good To Be True by A S Kelly
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

$50 GC – Icing On The Murder by Valerie Burns @dollycas #icingonthemurder #valerieburns


Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery)
by Valerie Burns

About Icing on the Murder 

goodreads badge


Icing on the Murder (A Baker Street Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Michigan
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication Date ‏ : ‎ July 29, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496753402
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496753403
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DLQY8DSF
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496753410
Audiobook ASIN B0F2WJLDVZ

Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.

About Valerie Burns

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha and Edgar Award-nominated author. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. As Kallie E. Benjamin, Valerie writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. She is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and a mentor in the Pocket MFA program. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at vmburns.com.

Author Links

Purchase Links :  Amazon – Apple – Books A Million – Barnes & Noble – Bookshop. Org – Google Play – Hudson Booksellers – KOBO – Target – Walmart  – 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Dead West (The Endings #3) by Linda L Richards @lindalrichards #deadwest

Dead West
Dead West
Dead West

 

Amazon / Goodreads

I have read a couple of books in the Endings series by Linda L Richards and loved them, so when I found I had Dead West hanging around from a free book day, I had to read it. I love assassins and I think she is one of the most mysterious assassins I have met in a while. It doesn’t matter what her name is because it is as fictional as her life story, but I like the twist Linda L Richards incorporates into her story.

I have read another book recently that dealt with the wild horses out west and the struggles they have to survive in the political climate. I love horses and so much of the problems in Dead West ring true.

It doesn’t take much and she is ready to switch sides. How can she get out of killing Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. He’s a good man and she is torn between what she has been paid to do and what she feels is right. If she reneges on the deal, it could mean the end of her.

We have a lot of twists and turns in Dead West. The mystery is not easy to figure out and I was surprised when I learned who the biggest villain was. As we approach the end, I wonder how she will make herself and everyone else happy. Dead West is one of my favorite books in the Endings series.

There are book club questions at the end of the book and they prove thought provoking whether you are part of a book club or an individual, like me. I love a book that makes me think and sticks with me after the reading.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Rule #1 of being a hired never get to know your target . . . and definitely don’ t fall in love with them

Taking lives has taken its toll. Her moral justifications have faltered. Do any of the the people she has killed — some of them heinous, but all of them human — deserve to die?

Her next target is Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. When she arrives at his remote desert estate to carry out her orders, she discovers that he is a kind and beautiful man. After a lengthy tour of the ranch, not only has she not killed him, she’s wondering who might want him dead. 

She procrastinates long enough that a vibe grows between them. At the same time, she learns that he’s passionate about wild horses and has been fighting a losing political battle to save the mustangs that live on protected land near his property. He’s even received death threats from those who oppose him.

She finds herself trying to protect the man she was sent to kill, following a trail that leads from the desert, to the Phoenix cognoscenti, to the highest offices in Washington, DC. Along the way she encounters kidnappers and killers, horse thieves and even human traffickers. Hopefully she can figure out who ordered the hit before they hire someone else to execute the assignment.

Perfect for fans of Dean Koontz and Tana French

While the novels in The Endings Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is as:

Endings
Exit Strategy
Dead West

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 306 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 5, 2023 by Oceanview Publishing

Linda L. Richards is the award-winning author of over a dozen books. The founder and publisher of January Magazine and a contributing editor to the crime fiction blog The Rap Sheet, she is best known for her strong female protagonists in the thriller genre. Richards is from Vancouver, Canada and currently makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona. New for 2024: INSENSIBLE LOSS, the fourth book in the Endings series featuring a reluctant hit woman struggling towards the light. Linda’s 2021 novel, the first in this series, ENDINGS, was recently optioned by a major studio for series production. Richards is an accomplished horsewoman and an avid tennis player, and is on the National Board of Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With Linda L. Richards:
LindaLRichards.com
Goodreads – @lindalrichards
BookBub – @linda1841
Instagram – @lindalrichards
Threads – @lindalrichards
Twitter/X – @lindalrichards
Facebook – @lindalrichardsauthor

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!