Tag Archives: 4 star review

Review – Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson @chris_greyson #mystery #suspense/thriller

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I downloaded this from Amazon on 7.25.14. Sure glad I did.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The subtle colors of the pretty cover do signify to me that a mystery is waiting to be solved in Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson. This is a standalone book in the Detective Jack Stratton Mystery Thriller Series and I am loving it. It left me craving more of Jack…and his sidekick, Replacement. Does the name make you curious? This is a must meet character!

Detective Jack Stratton is a damaged character filled with self loathing. I think he is way too hard on himself. He was raised by a foster family and I love that Haddie, the foster mother, did not care what color they were, she loved them all. Twenty seven to be exact. He had served in Iraq, and lost his foster brother and best friend in action. His nightmares haunt him.

Haddie had every belief that, “Jack will find Michelle.”

“You suck” one of the chapter headings made me smile.

Two ‘women’ have their opinions about Jack. When I found out why woman #1 said it, I couldn’t help but smile. And woman #2, well, she is here to stay. I immediately loved her. She is bright, persistent, determined, loyal…and so adorable. When Christopher Greyson describes some of her actions, I can SEE her. I smiled, I laughed, sometimes had tears in my eyes, and, at times, my heart breaks for her…and Jack. She feels he is Batman, but he feels he is a failure.

The humor added to the mystery, suspense and thrills, made me so happy I had finally ‘cracked the spine’ on Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson. The characters, good and bad, are richly developed, with their actions described in vivid detail, sharing all the good, the bad and, the ugly.

The mystery of Michelle, the danger and suspense of the journey for answers, took second place to the characters. It is rare when they shine so brightly to me, but I fell in love with Replacement, especially, but Jack too. To watch them heal, grow, and change into richer characters, leaves me wanting more…and more. Any book that can end with me having tears in my eyes is a winner!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Jack knew pain. They were old friends. He knew only one way to deal with pain. Hunt it down and kill it.”

Police Officer Jack Stratton is hiding. Hiding from the world. From pain. From the memories of losing his best friend, Chandler, in Iraq. Suffering from PTSD and isolated from those he cares about, the last thing Jack expects to hear is his foster sister Michelle, Chandler’s sister, is gone. The words cut straight to his core. Although the police think she just took off, he knows Michelle would never leave those she loved behind–like he did. Now he must take action, find Michelle, and bring her home or die trying.

The first novel in the Jack Stratton Collection introduces us to handsome rogue, Jack Stratton. A debt of honor to his dead foster brother drives Jack into a world of deception and lies. As Jack’s walls begin to crumble, he must navigate the quirky characters that seep into the mystery of his foster sister’s disappearance. And in the sleepy community of Darrington, like so many places in this world, nothing is as it appears. The hidden mysteries that often go unnoticed begin to emerge as Jack and his new unpredictable sidekick begin to turn over the rocks. Following a trail that has grown cold, Jack must tread carefully to protect his job, his family, and his life.

This stand-alone novel features rogue hero Jack Stratton. Look for other books in the Jack Stratton Collection including Jack Knifed, Jacks are Wild, and now Jack and the Giant Killer. They can be read in any order, however, they are best experienced in sequence.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER GREYSON

My name is Christopher Greyson, and I am a storyteller.

Since I was a little boy, I have dreamt of what mystery was around the next corner, or what quest lay over the hill. If I couldn’t find an adventure, one usually found me, and now I weave those tales into my stories. I am blessed to have written over twenty novels.

My love for tales of mystery and adventure began with my grandfather, a decorated World War I hero. I will never forget being introduced to his friend, a WWI pilot who flew across the skies at the same time as the feared, legendary Red Baron. My love of reading and storytelling eventually led me to write and it’s the best job I’ve ever had.

I love to hear from my readers. Please visit ChristopherGreyson.com, where you can become a preferred reader, download an exclusive Jack Stratton mystery, and receive advanced notifications of book releases and more! Please follow Detective Jack Stratton on Twitter @chris_greyson and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherG…. Thank you for reading my novels. I hope my stories have brightened your day.

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Review – Number Seventy Five by Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

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Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Number Seventy Five by Ashley Fontainne is seventy four pages of goodness. There are a couple different covers. I think they are both great, but the Goodreads Kindle version is my favorite. I am a huge fan of Ashley Fontainne’s, so I foresee some heart pounding moments coming my way.

I love that the character of Mandy Rusell is in her forties. I do read a lot of young adult, so an older female protagonist is always nice to be with, no matter how horrific the conditions.

I thought the online dating was going to be a bad thing, but had no idea how bad it would be. Mandy was smart about it, giving her best friend, Shawna a safe word and going to a restaurant that her cop friends frequented.

“…A true woman is prepared for anything, especially a southern one, cause we know the woods is full of varmints.”

Ashley Fontainne’s writing shares her love of all things southern, including the varmints.

I know with Ashley Fontainne, bad things will be coming, but I sure didn’t see this, and the surprises kept on coming, right to the very end. I sure wouldn’t want to meet Mandy in a dark alley. She is a hellcat and will fight to the death to try and save herself. The number seventy five in the title holds a special significance and it was even more horrific than I could have anticipated.

At the price of $0.99, this is a steal.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Number Seventy Five by Ashley Fontainne.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Her first date could be her last…

Three years after the demise of her seventeen year marriage, Mandy Russell decides to jump back into the choppy waters of the dating world. With very little options available in her small town of Bainsville, Tennessee, Mandy lets her best friend Shawna persuade her into joining and online dating site.

Feeling she has met someone she can really connect with, Mandy decides it’s time to meet face to face with her new suitor, unaware of his true plans for her. Dark, sinister plans that will test Mandy’s physical strength, mental fortitude and will to survive.

Will Mandy prevail or will she become number seventy-five?

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Ashley Fontainne

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

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MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE REVIEWS

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Giveaway & Review – Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi #PrettyEvil #NetGalley @XpressoTours

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I want to thank NetGalley and AmazonPublishingUK for the opportunity to read and review Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi. Doesn’t this cover speak to you?

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Everything about Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi spoke to me, the fabulous cover and title, the blurb that did nothing but whet my appetite. I love villains, especially when there is a strong, female protagonist to make them pay. I love diverse characters, and Camilla qualifies.

I love the cat and mouse game between Camilla, a vigilante serial killer, and Detective Wheelan, who never gives up once he sinks his teeth into a case. I couldn’t see how Zoe Rosi would make me happy, but she did. If I was watching this as a movie or TV series, I would have been talking to Camilla, and she would probably tell me to shut up and sit down. She’s got this. LOL

I love a character that walks to the beat of her own drum. Camilla has remade herself into a fashionista, the editor of Coutoure magazine. Money can make things possible and she takes full advantage of it. She dons a mask, like the clothes she wears.

I’m not into raping rapists. Sometimes I murder them….

The feeling is strange: I feel powerful, knowing he’s at my mercy…is this why men use date rape drugs? I’d always thought it was about getting a guaranteed fuck, but now I see it’s about having a sense of complete control. It’s about being godlike.

Julian…and the roof scene…I had to do a little research to get the gist of what Camilla was going for and I love it. For me, gruesome and brutal, is good. It makes me feel satisfied in a way that real life, many times, does not. If do unto others as you would have others do unto you really applied, maybe people would rethink their actions. That is the wonderful thing about fiction, anything goes.

In Chapter 18, at 94%, I had to put my ereader down. I was reluctant to find out what comes next. I was afraid for her. How can this end in a way where I will be satisfied? Camilla…watch out…but, I should have known that Zoe Rosi was three steps ahead of me…and I LOVE IT! The story can end here, but the character is fascinating, complex, driven, so I could see more coming. Is Camilla talking to you, Zoe? I certainly hope so.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

You’ve done a bad thing. She has you in her sights. Now you’re going to pay.

Meet Camilla Black: an affluent, respected, influential fashion magazine editor, who lives it up in her beautiful Mayfair apartment. But Camilla’s glamorous life is a lie. Behind her poised exterior beats the cold dark heart of a vigilante killer, a murderer hell-bent on wreaking vengeance upon bad men.

Camilla expects to get away with murder. She’s careful. And anyway, it’s worth the risk. She’s making the world a better place with each predator she kills. But when one of her victims’ bodies is unexpectedly found, his gruesome death is splashed all over the papers.

To make matters worse, she’s now being pursued by Detective Wheelan, a new addition to the Met with laser-sharp focus and a worrying habit of solving impossible crimes…

She knows she should stop, but she can’t. Some men just deserve to die. Will Camilla’s insatiable appetite for justice be her downfall, or can she outsmart the police?

Revised edition: Previously published as Predator, this edition of Pretty Evil includes editorial revisions.

Purchase:

ABOUT ZOE ROSI (from NetGalley)

Zoe Rosi has a background in journalism and copywriting. She worked as a reporter for local and national newspapers before moving into the fashion industry as a copywriter. Zoe had four romantic comedies published before writing her debut thriller. It was while working as a fashion copywriter that Zoe had the idea for Pretty Evil, which she describes as The Devil Wears Prada meets American Psycho.

Author links:

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Review – Out Of Due Season: The First Transit by Benjamin X Wretlind @bxwretlind

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What if society could start over?
Would we make the same mistakes? For one cult, the only way to find out is to try.

I won a signed hardcover copy of Out Of Due Season: The First Transit by Benjamin X Wretlind some time ago. It looked really good, but it is a big book, 544 pages, and a series, so I put it on hold. Then, I got a chance to grab Book II, Sunshine and Shadow: Exodus, or The Second Transit…then, a tour came up for Book III, All We Leave Behind: Transits Of Three. YAY!!!!!

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, I am going to start with the fact that there will be nine books in this series. It’s science fiction, but so much more than science fiction. It is a study of humanity, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is a saga, each book 500+ pages long, so be prepared when you sit down to read.

A lake. A floating corpse. Under the water, 131 more. A mass suicide? A cult?

Zachary is twenty five years old, and the body of his missing sister, Claire, was identified as one of the three hundred and twelve bodies found in the lake. He is a part of the dive team, whose job it is to recover the decomposing bodies. This is his first dive and even those prepared for what they found, were hard put to keep it together.

Claire had told him that he is detached from the world around him, so he is quick to adapt to the what ifs that life throws at him. I have a suspicious nature, and it is confirmed when Zachary receives an email from his dead sister, DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR.

Tigger’s best friend is one of the bodies found in the lake. They had been in the service together, then Darrell disappeared and Tigger got lost in a bottle. Tigger was injured in Syria, where he served as a Marine. He lives in a trailer with his drugged out girlfriend and a case of PTSD. BUT, he’s determined to get the real story about Darrell and the other COL members.

Kayla’s brother, Kenneth, was a victim of the Circle of Light, or COL. Or was he? She is black, deaf, mute, and a geointelligence specialist, spying on citizens, reading every email ever sent. She is on the run, because no one leaves the agency. I immediately thought of the deaf girl in Walking Dead, and how dangerous the world is for someone who can’t hear what’s going on around them.

Jorge an accountant finds out his father is missing. When he meets Kayla, he becomes her protector.

They are the Remainders, an unlikely group of people that come together, seeking answers. Will they be off on a wild goose chase, or hunting down a conspiracy?

I love when a book mentions the Pandemic, now that I’ve lived it first hand. I can relate to the lockdown imposed on the characters. The mounting chaos in the streets, the government clamping down, taking advantage of the situation. Riots, militia uprisings, police crackdowns, curfews, closed borders, government oppression…

…fifteen seconds to midnight

…fifteen seconds folks.

Is this our future? The clock was designed to keep people afraid, so they can be controlled. Their liberties, their freedoms can be taken away, one by one, until they are happy to be locked away in a detention center or an internment camp, or whatever the government wants to call their home these days.

Transit won! Going to Utopia, right?

The book was loaded with details, told from multiple points of view. There is so much going on, I try to put the pieces together, one page at a time, one day at a time. I am so happy that I saved this book to read at this time, because I now have two more books in the series. At 500+ pages each, I think that will keep me going for a while and maybe the wait won’t be too long for the rest of the books in the series, which will be nine…at this time. 🙂

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Out Of Due Season: Transit One by Benjamin X Wretlind.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A cult leader. A government tightening its grip. Competing global interests. A mysterious power source. What could possibly go wrong?

What if humanity had a second chance?

On a June afternoon, a body is discovered floating in a remote lake in northwestern Washington. When a recovery team attempts to retrieve it, they make a shocking discovery: 311 other bodies lie under the water, all members of a previously unknown religious cult. However, what appears to be a tragedy of immense proportions is only the beginning.

When a few relatives and friends of the victims discover inconsistencies in the stories, a small group bands together to learn the truth. As government agencies apply pressure for reasons unknown and civil unrest in the country makes communication and movement difficult, this tiny yet determined team unravels what may be the greatest event in recent—if not all—human history.

Something epic is about to happen in that remote lake, and as competing sides inch ever closer to the truth, the last pieces of the puzzle are revealed.

The First Transit is for those who follow the rules, while disaster awaits everyone else.

ABOUT BENJAMIN X WRETLIND (from Amazon)

Benjamin, a multi-genre author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

He is the author of the dystopian novel Beneath Gehenna, the psychological horror Castles, Sketches from the Spanish Mustang (literary fiction), Sunset on Maior Pales (a sci-fi western) and other novels and novellas.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

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Giveaway & Review – Messengers Of The Macabre by Linda LoSchiavo @Mae_Westside

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I don’t read a lot of poetry, but every now and then I like to step outside my comfort zone. When I was offered a chance to read Messengers Of The Macabre by Linda LoShiavo, I couldn’t resist that cover…and who doesn’t like a little spookiness and goosebumps in their life?

My favorite was Hallowe’en Treats, where even the witch has to sample her candies. We have secrets and potions, footprints and succubus, we visit a mountain and learn about Emily Post’s Etiquette for Ghosts. We have a little something for everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Messengers Of The Macabre by Linda LoSchiavo.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLUB

All Hallows’ Eve, Samhain, Day of the Dead… during this interval, the barriers between the two realms are thinnest. Normal turns paranormal; what’s natural becomes the supernatural. That’s when the messengers of the macabre are in their rightful element. Step inside this collaborative chapbook and embrace a haunted harvest of verses embracing bewitchment, boneyards, and all things that go… Boo!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Native New Yorker LindaAnn LoSchiavo, a Pushcart Prize, Rhysling Award, and Dwarf Stars nominee, is a member of SFPA, The British Fantasy Society, and The Dramatists Guild.
Elgin Award winner “A Route Obscure and Lonely,” “Concupiscent Consumption,” and “Women Who Were Warned” are her latest poetry titles.
Forthcoming: “Messengers of the Macabre” by Nat. 1, L.L.C. [Fall 2022] and a tombstone-heavy collection in hardcover by Beacon Books.
She has led a poetry critique group for two years.

LoSchiavo is a Prohibition Era historian and her Texas Guinan film won “Best Feature Documentary” at N.Y. Women’s Film Fest (Dec. 2021).
― ― links ― ―
https://linktr.ee/LindaAnn.LoSchiavo

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Review – Cursed By A Vampire by Susan Griscom #vampires @SusanGriscom

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I was introduced to Susan Griscom from some freebies and I am so glad we met. I am super excited to share my review of Cursed By A Vampire by Susan, who kindly gifted me a copy.

I love the fabulous cover.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read a lot of the Immortal Hearts of San Franciso series by Susan Griscom and enjoyed them immensely, so when I got my hands on Cursed By A Vampire, I quickly cleared my shelves of the books in my way and began reading. I mean, we’re talking about humans and vampires…

Some say vampires are monsters…they could make you drink their blood and turn you into one of them. A fate that most would shudder. Or…They can be compassionate and amorous creatures who would do anything to save the life of someone they loved…These are the vampires this story is about.

I can deal with either type, I love them all.

Susan Griscom writes with humor, from the poker table to the kids playroom cluttered with toys and such. I love a vampire that has his own fashion sense. Lane wore purple shorts, a green Tshirt and red flip flops. Kayden, one of the triplets, could conjure cartoon dragons. They love the planet, so seeing them driving down the road in a Tesla should come at now surprise. I smiled and read on.

Ari is a human that lives in a houseful of vampires, wanting to be one of them. He is a member of the family, run errands, managing the club, occasionally bouncing, while the guys play some of the best rock and roll around. I love it.

Abella is human too, and when the two meet, sparks fly. She refers to him as Hunky Dick and Ari thinks of her as his warrior princess, but you’ll need to read the book to find out why. She fights her attraction to him because she was cursed by a witch and falling in love with her could mean his death. Abella is a doctor, specializing in hematology. She lives with her vampire grandfather and is determined to discover a way for vampires to be out in the sunlight.

Cursed By A Vampire by Susan Griscom was a fresh look at a familiar tale. Her vampires were original, full of personality. The storyline was unique, with twists and action that kept me glued to the pages. There will be a happy ever after, so I feel I can share this:

“I hope that……didn’t mess with you manly parts.”

“Only one way to find out. My manly parts have been dying to say hello to your lady part.”

Some great dialogue made the characters come to life and I hope to visit them again soon.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cursed By A Vampire by Susan Griscom.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Living with the DeMarco vampires has been a lifesaver for Ari. However, as a human, he’s always felt inferior; has always wanted to be turned, while his vampire friends have refused his one wish.

And then he meets Abella, and suddenly he isn’t sure what he wants anymore.

Abella is also human, although she too is familiar with vampires. Her grandfather is one. The half-witch who cursed her is a vampire. She’s learned to live with both her grandfather and the curse; was content with her life.

Until she meets Ari.

Now she’s living a nightmare, because falling in love could lead to Ari’s death, thanks to her curse.
What will these two ill-fated humans do?

Vampire Romance novels, rock star romance novels, paranormal romance
Vampire romance novels, vampires, witches and wizards, immortals, paranormal romance
Immortal Hearts of San Francisco, vampires, vampire romance, paranormal romance, witches and wizards

ABOUT SUSAN GRISCOM

Susan Griscom, writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She’s hooked on gritty romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course.

She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence and drinking coffee.

She lives in Northern California with her romantic husband and together they have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.

Website / Facebook / Amazon / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter

MY SUSAN GRISCOM REVIEWS

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Review – Devil’s Way by Robert Bryndza @RobertBryndza #DevilsWay #NetGalley

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I want to thank NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Devil’s Way by Robert Bryndza.

You can Preorder or add to your Amazon Wish List HERE and enter the Goodreads giveaway HERE.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Robert Bryndza’s novels have great covers. I love covers that arouse my curiosity, and fit the story inside. So put on your walking shoes and let’s follow the mystery of the missing boy.

The story sounded familiar to me and I wondered if it was taken from the headlines or I saw something on one of my TV show thrillers. If so, Robert Bryndza managed to make the story his on. The mystery grows, taking on a life of its own, becoming muddled in murder. We have suspects, but none of them stand out to me. Of course, I blamed the family first and kept telling myself, don’t get tunnel vision, manipulating the facts to fit my hypothesis.

Devil’s Way is a police procedural that takes us step by step through the mystery with Kate and Tristan. I kept trying to come to my own conclusion, but I do that with every book. Don’t you?

I love water, and so does Kate Marshall. She lived in a house that sits on the top of a cliff looking out over Thurlow Bay, England. Water is her friend, except when she isn’t paying attention and gets caught in a riptide. That is when she meets Jean.

Kate Marshall is a private detective, and ex police officer, working with her friend and partner, Tristan Harper. They’d become close, since she took him on as a research assistant seven years ago. She also owns a caravan park, but that has stories of its own. She has a son, Jake, who is now a college student. His father is a convicted serial killer, and she lost custody of him because of her drinking problem. She has been in AA for thirteen years.

Mysteries and police procedurals are always hard for me to rate. I love thrills, blood and guts, edge of my seat suspense, but then, I also like to have to follow the step by step process of solving a crime. Devil’s Way by Robert Brundza has all the elements we need to follow the investigation to its conclusion, with a twist and turn thrown in for good measure.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Devil’s Way by Robert Bryndza.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

THE TRUTH HIDES IN THE DARK
Kate Marshall’s investigation into a young boy’s disappearance sends her down an unexpectedly twisted path in a riveting thriller by multi-million bestselling author, Robert Bryndza.

When Private Investigator Kate Marshall is rushed to hospital after being pulled into a riptide current in the sea, the near-death experience leaves her shaken. During her recovery, she befriends Jean, an elderly lady on the same ward. Jean tells the harrowing story of how her three-year-old grandson, Charlie, went missing eleven years ago during a camping trip on Dartmoor.

By the time Kate is well enough to go home, she’s agreed to take on the case, but when Kate and her trusty sidekick Tristan start to look at the events of that fateful night, they discover that Jean has a dark past that could have put Charlie in jeopardy.

Was Charlie abducted? Or did he fall into Devil’s Way? A rushing river that vanishes into a gorge close to where they were camping.

When Kate and Tristan discover that a social worker who flagged concerns about Jean and her daughter was found brutally murdered shortly after Charlie vanished, it makes them question everything they thought they knew about the family…

Filled with twists and turns, Devil’s Way is the fourth Kate Marshall novel and the most gripping and satisfying yet!

ABOUT ROBERT BRYNDZA

Robert Bryndza

Robert Bryndza is an international bestselling author, best known for his page-turning crime and thriller novels, which have sold over five million copies.

His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).

Robert has released a further five novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, the seventh Erika Foster novel, is now available to pre-order and will be published 7th July 2022.

Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands and the third book, Darkness Falls, has just been published.

Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.

You can find out more about Robert and his books at www.robertbryndza.com

MY REVIEWS FOR ROBERT BRYNDZA

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Review – O Is For Outbreak – A Horror Anthology @caverstraete

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Chris Verstraete is participating in the anthology and offered me a copy, so I will be reviewing her story separately.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW for The Rumor That Refused To Die by Chris Verstraete

“Do you mean that story wasn’t true?…It says the policeman died in 1950 after his car fell into a giant sinkhole. I thought newspapers had to print the truth?”

“You be the judge,” her teacher said.

The Rumor That Refused To Die by Chris Verstraete shows how quickly a story changes, from person to person and time to time.. Amanda takes her school assisgnment and runs with it, digging deep, and I love where Chris went with the story. It had me smiling, because I have seen a movie with a creature like this, so it was easy to visualize. What is released to the public is far from the truth, so being prepared is impossible. If you want to know the truth of anything, you must seek it out from many sources, and then you may still never know. After all, who really shot John F Kennedy?

MY REVIEW for the anthology as a whole

O is for Outbreak is a part of a twenty six horror anthology series. It is the fifteenth book, and if the other 14 were anything like this, I am sorry I missed them. Many of the thirteen short stories are pandemic related, so I think most of us can relate to them. Brain eating larva, viruses, insects, government conspiracies, the evil eye, a giant worm, and so much more had goose bumps running up and down my spine. I was caught up in the creepy and didn’t stop until I read the last story. The wonderful thing about an anthology, you can pick it up for a quickie no matter where you are.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of O Is For Outbreak

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

O is for Outbreak is the fifteenth book in an epic series of twenty-six horror anthologies. In this book you will find a selection of thirteen unsettling tales from some of the most talented independent horror authors writing today. From government conspiracies to historic plagues, otherworldly viruses to deadly insects, O is for Outbreak brings a wide selection of pandemic-inspired horror tales that will have you hiding away, face mask in place.

MY REVIEWS FOR CHRIS VERSTRAETE

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New Release- City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita @IrisYamashita #CityUnderOneRoof #NetGalley

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I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read Iris Yamashita’s debut novel, City Under One Roof.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love finding new author’s and sharing their debut novels, like Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita.

A blizzard in a small town in Alaska. Oh yeah, I am intrigued from the getgo. THEN, add 205 residents that all live in the same highrise. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

A boot with a foot. A hand. Washed up on shore. I have seen TV shows about the body parts that wash ashore in the Northwest. Really creepy and using this topic to get Cara to the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, with her own reasons for wanting to investigate, begins the mystery and danger that is to follow.

I shiver as she drives through the tunnel. It is one way and switches directions every half hour. I felt a bit claustrophic with her. Two and a half miles. I get creeped out in the drive through car wash. LOL

The highrise used to be an army post, with tunnels because of the weather and to keep from being seen. Of course, kids are going to explore and even though I think I would be creeped out, I would have to explore too.

All towns have secrets, but small towns make it much harder to keep them. Everyone knows everyone. They live and breathe in the same space.

The descriptions of the highrise and the people are richly detailed. It made it easy for me to paint pictures in my mind. I love odd characters and City Under One Roof has its fair share. Are they on the run?

I could hear the wind howling, I could feel the icy cold.

Told, mainly, from three characters point of view: Cara, who is a detective from Anchorage, Alasksa, Amy, who is the teenager that found the body parts, and Lonnie, who came to live in the high rise after leaving a mental institution. She is one of the best characters, her and Denny. And Susie, always hanging out in the hallway.

City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita has all the elements I look for in a thriller, a fabulous location and the storm is a bonus, great characters, danger, intrigue and mystery.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A stranded detective tries to solve a murder in a tiny Alaskan town where everyone lives in a single high-rise building, in this gripping debut by an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter.

When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.

After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.

Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?”

ABOUT IRIS YAMASHITA

Iris Yamashita

Iris is the Academy Award nominated writer for the movie LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, directed by Clint Eastwood. The film received a Golden Globe award for “Best Foreign Language Film” and was nominated for 4 Oscars®, including Best Original Screenplay. Her debut novel, CITY UNDER ONE ROOF, the first in a mystery series, will be released by Berkley Group in January, 2023.

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Review – A Reservoir Man by L J Ambrosio #ljambrosio

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Non, je ne regrette rien (No I don’t regret anything)

Reading A Reservoir Man by L J Ambrosio was me stepping outside my comfort zone and I am so glad I did. A Reservoir Man has a deeper meaning in the story than just a title for the book.

From the day he was born in 1947, Michael was looked at differently. He had a harelip and all the old wives tales and folklore made his life more difficult than it had to be, but his parents loved him, unconditionally. His innocence makes him a victim to those who prey on the naive. I love that he was able to rise above it. Some people are givers, some people are takers, and Michael is a giver. I love that he is an observer. I, too, like to people watch. We both have an affinity for benches, a great place to watch people from. He was used and abused, yet still kept moving forward. I felt so many emotions while reading A Reservoir Man. The story feels like a true life biography. AND, the ending….brought tears to my eyes. Well done, L J.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Reservoir Man by L J Ambrosio.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. “Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s rousing, larger-than-life story.” –R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday. “This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” — Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

ABOUT L J AMBROSIO

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. He taught at over 7 universities in America. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

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