I love books about the paranormal and supernatural world, serial killers, and vigilante justice. In Killer Of Killer: Visions, we have all of those elements. Kalen is a normal man, with a wife and child, but he also has visions of killers. His visions are of the past and the future and when he sees a killer, they become his target. Makes me think of Dexter…and I love him.
Kalen had lost the only person who showed him love when he was a child, and each killer he seeks out helps to make up for the pain he had suffered…until he came across a killer known as BTK. Could he have a connection to his past?
Once I started Killer Of Killers by Charles Welch, I didn’t want to stop. I was drawn into Kalen’s life and wondered what would happen if his wife found out. The story moved at a steady pace, the suspense building as it unfolds. I didn’t anticipate the ending, but I love it. Surely makes the opportunity for future novels possible.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Kalen McDonald is a normal man in every way but two. He is married to the love of his life; has a son he adores and enjoys his career as a real estate agent.
The exceptions to his mundane existence are, secretly, Kalen is a serial killer, and, secretly, Kalen has a special gift. He murders other killers, each death a temporary elixir for the pain of a past loss. As a child, the one person in his life who showed him, love, was brutally slain by a madman.
Kalen loves his family, and he has compassion for those less fortunate than himself, but when it comes to the killers in the world, those who take the lives of the innocent, Kalen is a cold-hearted, remorseless murderer.
Using the gift of the visions that have come to him since childhood, Kalen tracks and eliminates those who steal lives, those who destroy the good in the world. He seeks revenge for the painful loss of his dear sister and his childhood.
Kalen is an executioner, happy to kill those who kill, but a crisis arrives in the form of a man only known to the authorities as B.T.K
Is this maniacal serial killer trying to emulate the notorious killer of the past?
Kalen will find out soon, as this new fiend touches the life of the one person he loves the most. In his most crucial moment, Kalen will need to rely on his finely crafted skills. The woman who Kalen considers the very essence of his life is in a killer’s crosshairs and she needs him. She needs the Killer of Killers.
Charles Welch has been a home designer and builder, a middle school and high school teacher, education administrator, corporate learning and development professional and writer, previously publishing the spiritual book Walking Softly. His formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science Teaching, a Master of Education in Learning and Technology, and an Educational Doctorate in eLearning.
I am familiar with James L’Etoile’s name, but I have never read any of his work. His books sound right up my alley, so when I saw Illusion Of Truth and had the time to read it, I grabbed a copy. James does not disappoint.
Detective Emily Hunt is used to running towards danger, so when her boyfriend, also a cop, Brian Connor, is hurt in a church bombing, she will stop at nothing to find who is responsible. She has no idea how deep the conspiracy goes. By choosing to go slow with their relationship, did she lose her chance at happiness? She also has to cope with her mother’s dementia. How long before she doesn’t recognize who Amanda is?
It seems the villain is targeting the police. Why? What grievance could they have that would cause them to go to such extremes? Mystery and danger abound.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery
Illusion of Truth takes Emily by the throat when her cop boyfriend, Brian Conner, responds to a disturbance only to be lured into a church bombing. Seriously wounded, Emily worries if he survives, will he be the man she knew? One-by-one, other officers linked to a crime years earlier are targeted. Was it covered up? Was Brian part of it? Emily discovers truth depends on who’s left to tell the story.
Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Michael Connelly
Praise for Illusion of Truth:
“Illusion of Truth is a real deal police-eye view of the mean streets. Bosch and Ballard, make room for Emily Hunter. She’s brash, bold, but with a soul and a heart for justice.” ~ Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author
“An absolutely relentless thriller… in ILLUSION OF TRUTH, we find Detective Emily Hunter at her very best: Smart, sharp, and willing to do whatever it takes to solve the case of a renegade bomber. With a frightening, ripped-from-the-headlines story of attacks on her fellow police, and a cast of characters with emotional depth, perseverance, and spouting the best cop talk, L’Etoile has penned another hit in this top-notch series.” ~ J.T. Ellison, NYT bestselling author of LAST SEEN
“A high-voltage, high-stakes police procedural, ILLUSION OF TRUTH is crisp and fast-paced, as cinematic as a Michael Mann thriller. On full display here is the unique storytelling sensibility that’s made James L’Etoile’s books beloved among mystery readers: a badass, rock-solid investigation plot with precinct veracity, hostage negotiation expertise, and deep empathy. ILLUSION OF TRUTH is a remedy for cynicism, a throwdown to wake up and follow the clues, to pay attention, to believe in a better tomorrow. The world is unfair, yes, and it might feel broken sometimes, but, as Emily Hunter reminds us: ‘We’re all broken in one way or another. It’s how we put the pieces together that counts.'” ~ Margot Douaihy, bestselling author of Scorched Grace, Blessed Water, and Divine Ruin
“Like the best of Michael Connelly, L’Etoile has created characters readers care about while also crafting a twisty and compelling story. Fans of police procedurals and heart-stopping thrillers should consider L’Etoile an essential addition to their reading pile.” ~ First Clue Reviews
“Everything you read police stories for is here, and much, much more.” ~ STARRED Kirkus Review
“Rich in character and full of humanity, James L’Etoile’s writing shimmers with authenticity, with what Raymond Chandler called the “tangled woof” of real life. These are the procedurals that last: gritty, suspenseful and deeply satisfying.” ~ Megan Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of El Dorado Drive
Book Details:
Genre: Police Procedural with a Thriller Edge Published by: Oceanview Publishing Publication Date: January 6, 2026 Number of Pages: 366 ISBN: 978-1608096497 (1608096491) Series: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, #3 Book Links:Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Oceanview
“All available units, report of a large crowd and 459s in progress at the corner of Rio Linda and South Ave.,” the dispatcher’s voice called out over the radio.
Sergeant Brian Conner clicked the microphone in his patrol unit. “1-Sam-12 responding.”
“Hey, Tommy, isn’t there a church on South Ave.?” Conner asked.
Tommy Robinson, a Black rookie officer assigned to Patrol District 1 in North Sacramento, turned in the passenger seat, checking for cross-traffic at the intersection. “Yeah. It’s one of those pop-up, God-in-a-box churches. You know—no denomination, takes all comers.”
“Why would a church be a target for looting at midnight?”
“It’s right on the edge of Tru Heights Bloods territory. Could be gangbangers after the food pantry and the donations the church’s brought in.”
“Tommy, let me ask you something. You’ve been married a while, so you’ve got this whole relationship thing down. When Emily says she isn’t ready to move in together, what does that mean?”
“Um, Sarge, you think I’m the one to answer that? Shouldn’t Emily—I mean Detective Hunter—tell you why?”
“I mean, sure, but I thought everything was going great—and then, she’s not ready. You ever have anything like that?”
“No. But then my Baptist momma would’ve slapped me into tomorrow if I thought about living in sin.”
“That’s not helpful, Tommy.”
Conner shot north on Rio Linda. The flashing blue lights from other patrol units ahead marked the location. As Conner pulled into the church parking lot, he expected a crowd spilling out of the church and into nearby businesses. There had been a rash of daylight attacks on retail establishments in the city, where mobs of thieves grabbed armfuls of whatever they could carry. Hitting a church in the middle of the night was a new direction.
“Where are they? The looters?” Tommy said.
Conner parked near the church entrance, ahead of another Sacramento Police Department SUV, and stepped from his vehicle. He couldn’t spot a single person near the church, except for the six police officers who had responded to the call.
“Dispatch, 1-Sam-12, have a callback number on the RP? Looks like a false alarm.”
“Negative, 1-Sam-12. Caller didn’t give their name.”
An officer rounded the corner of the church building and approached Conner. “Nobody’s here, Sarge. What gives?”
The hairs on the back of Conner’s neck pricked up. He swiveled around and surveyed the darkened windows on the street opposite. They were lured here.
“Got movement across the street—second floor, left side,” an officer called out. His brass nameplate read TUCKER.
Conner spotted the window and the flare of a cigarette. Someone watching the police respond to this snipe hunt?
“We see any evidence of a break-in? Broken windows, open doors, anything?”
“Nada. Simmons and I walked the perimeter. No sign of entry. No sign of anything,” Tucker said.
“Someone wanted all the units in District 1 to respond. A report of a large crowd breaking into businesses would draw us out here.”
“They needed a diversion so they could pull off whatever they were into somewhere else,” Tucker said.
“Maybe. I haven’t heard anything new from dispatch. Why would we get a callout to the edge of Tru Heights territory?”
“Westgate Crips are on the other side of the freeway. I could see them making a false report to push us to roust a couple of their rivals.”
“Well, nothing going on here. Why don’t you and your partner hit the road. Let dispatch know this was a dry hole,” Conner said.
“Got it, Sarge. You need Parker and Cortez in the other unit? They’re watching the back of the church.”
“Nah, send them on their way, would you?”
“You got it.”
“Thanks, Tucker. Be careful out there. I’ve got an uneasy feeling about someone sending us here.”
“I hear you.”
Conner started back to his SUV, paused, and turned. “Hey, Tucker, anyone check the front door lock?”
“Yeah, I shook it. Locked up tight.”
Tucker and his partner got into their SUV, shut off the lights, and backed out of the church parking lot.
Tommy Robinson wandered to the front entrance and peered through the smoked glass doors. “Place is empty. Nothing going on—hey, what’s up with this?”
A metal donation bin sat to the right of the front door. Gang graffiti adorned the side of the four-foot-tall, repainted mailbox.
Conner caught the glint from a thin wire attached to the donation box door. On the concrete below, a cut padlock lay in the shadow.
Tommy reached for the bin.
“Tommy! Wait!”
Conner ran to the young officer as he tugged on the lid.
“Stop,” Conner said.
Tommy was focused on the unlocked donation bin and didn’t hear Conner.
Conner shoved Tommy as a click echoed in the entry vestibule. A microsecond later, a fireball erupted from the donation bin.
A pressure wave of heat and metal shards exploded. Conner caught the blast in the back as he pushed Tommy away. The force of the explosion picked Conner off his feet and threw him into the brick wall opposite the donation bin.
Conner couldn’t hear anything through the ringing in his ears, and his vision was a blurred kaleidoscope of flames and smoke. From where he fell, he could see the parking lot and the window across the street. The glowing ember from the cigarette was gone, but he swore he spotted a flashing red strobe.
Another explosion sounded to his right. A flash of orange shot from the parking lot. Conner squinted through his warped vision and saw a police SUV on fire. Tucker and his partner, Simmons. He couldn’t see them anywhere.
He tried reaching for his shoulder-mounted radio microphone and his arm wouldn’t move. A quick glance down and Conner saw his broken arm pointing in the wrong direction.
“Tommy. Tommy, you okay?”
Conner couldn’t hear anything but the high-pitched ringing in his ears.
He wasn’t even supposed to be working tonight. Conner swapped the shift with a buddy so his friend could go spend some time with his kids.
Conner felt cold, and a heavy blanket of exhaustion fell over him. Emily. He wanted to tell Emily how much he loved her one more time. She’d wanted to take it slow, but now he felt regret. He should’ve told her how he felt when he had the chance.
The sirens in the distance pierced through his muffled hearing. They would not be in time.
“Emily” . . .
***
Excerpt from Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile. Copyright 2025 by James L’Etoile. Reproduced with permission from James L’Etoile. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, Macavity, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies and Sins of the Father are his most recent novels. Look for Illusion of Truth coming in 2026. James also serves as the Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America.
One day I walked into Florabama, a fabulous bar that sits on the Alabama Florida Line, the Redneck Riviera, and lo and behold there was Chris Warner with a stack of his books. How could I say no?
I bought a signed copy of The Tiger Among Us by Chris Warner from the author during a visit to Florabama. If you are looking for some southern reading that’s a bit outside the norm, come join me.
First off, I would like to salute and send out a huge THANK YOU to those who serve and protect to keep us safe.
We will be doing some traveling from Louisiana to El Salvador and Washington DC.
Michael Stein was born to be a Marine. Two years and he’s out…until…the NSA wants him. The NSA is an independent entity but operates under the Department of Defense. It’s purpose is to encode and decode intelligence communications and protect us from hackers taking sensitive classified information on government computes. Echelon…does it exist?
LSU…here he comes. It had been his goal to go to college, but not this way. Michael thinks the LSU chicks are hot, especially when he meets his teacher, Kimberly. Rule #1…Don’t get sidetracked…broken. He’s not a virgin, but ten years in the military as a Recon Marine, his life was not conducive to relationships. He is a hard man and when he metes out punishment, he does it with no hesitation, no remorse.
Being at LSU, ya can’t have a story without talking about food, fun and football.
WOW…as I was reading along, watching the Seal Team operate, I was impressed with Chris Warner’s ability to bring to life the action, the bangs of bullets and booms of claymore mines.
The twist wasn’t what I expected, though should have. I think I was distracted because of my mood. The troubling times we are experiencing through Covid and protests makes me realize that there is no reason to heap more on our military by asking them to battle those they are sworn to protect…us.
I got way more than I expected and I can recommend The Tiger Among Us by Chris Warner.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
…in the spring of 1990 a terrorist cell of Muslim computer science students exacts a brute force hack into the computer system of the Counter-Anti-Terrorism-Assistance-Program (CATAP) at Louisiana State University. Two traveling Israeli Mossad agents teaching counter-terrorism at the LSU instructional program are murdered in Athens, Greece outside their hotel. It is perceived as an international terrorist incident. Dr. Bobby Lee Broussard of the National Security Agency (NSA) discovers a terrorist cell at LSU trying to undermine the government’s efforts to combat terrorism. The United States civilian masters order a lone Marine Corps operative to LSU to locate, exploit and eliminate the terrorist threat in the name of national security…Michael Stein is an exemplary 28-year old Recon Marine. Nearing ten years of service, he is ready to retire from the military and pursue a degree and a family. However, Michael is offered a mission that alters all plans… Louisiana, his area of operation, is unlike any he’s encountered, containing a host of pitfalls and distractions… Stein survives these worldly impediments to fulfill his deadly mission in a thrilling, unforgettable climax.
I snatched Sara’ Game by Ernie Lindsey on a free day on 10.23.23. The cover talked to me and I am a sucker for a great cover. This psychological thriller is sure to mess with your mind.
The question of the day:
Are you ready to play the game?
Sara Winthrop has tragedy hanging over her head. First her husband goes missing, then her three children. What the hell is going on and why is she a target for such wickedness. It had me wondering. It takes a strong character like Sara to save the day…and I do love kickass women. The tempo of Sara’s Game by Ernie Lindsey makes me want more of such a great character.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Two years ago, Sara’s husband left for the gym one morning…and never came back. His car was found. He wasn’t. Unbelievably, the police report said, “No foul play suspected.” There were a few unreliable sightings over the following months, but little else.
Now, on the last day before summer break, her three children have gone missing from their schools, all at the same time.
And the note under her windshield wiper asks one simple question: Are you ready to play the game?
Ernie Lindsey grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia, working on the family farm and reading, and has spent his life telling stories to anyone that will listen. He currently works as a freelance writer and is the author of five Mystery & Suspense novels and numerous short stories. When he’s not writing, you can find him tackling the gigantic To Be Read list on his Kindle or the never-ending stack of books in his office.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
We are back with Prey Security: Bravo Team #4, Cruel Scars by Jane Blythe, a romantic suspense novel that is sure to be sizzling hot and filled with danger. But two strangers will meet and fall in love, getting their happy ever after. We just don’t know what torment and torture they will have to go through to find it.
Stephanie Fuller is on a vacation, but that was not to be. She was snatched off the street and whisked away. She wakes up naked and afraid, laying on the cold concrete. She wasn’t alone for long. A man is stripped of his clothing, chained to the wall, naked. Stephanie meet Patrick “Trick” Kramer. I don’t know how they will save themselves, but Patrick only needs one chance. Will they come close enough, thinking he is no threat? Of course. 🙂
I love when Patrick describes her as a superhero in training. Gotta have a little light to overcome the darkness.
I love this series and I love to see familiar faces. The team is family and when one is in danger, they all are. You need help and healing, this family will supply it. Sure, we have some cheesy moments, but that is a common theme with the genre. But, not everything is predictable. So brace yourself for a wild ride.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
To survive two strangers will have to rely on only each other.
Stephanie Fuller has had the year from hell and a vacation to Mexico was supposed to be a way to find her equilibrium again. Instead she’s snatched off the streets and wakes up in a dark, dank underground prison. Nothing could prepare her for what’s going to happen to her there, or the connection she builds with her fellow captive.
When Patrick “Trick” Kramer wakes up in a small cell and learns he’s not alone he quickly puts together the pieces of who took him and why. Despite a rocky start in life he’s a protector, and there is nothing worse for a man like him than having an innocent woman who needs his protection but being unable to save her from the hell that’s coming.
There is no way Stephanie won’t hate him for what he has to do.
Published April 9, 2024 by Bear Spots Publications
Series: Prey Security, Bravo Team
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!
It is so nice to be back with Jane Blythe’s hunkalicious military men in Brutal Scars, the third book in the Prey Security: Bravo Team series. We start out hot and it doesn’t end until the happy every after. Brutal Scars is filled with action and adventure and Jane has no qualms about putting her characters through the proverbial wringer.
In Brutal Scars, we will get Jessica Bowen and Mason “Scorpion” Markson’s story. Mason thinks he knows Jessica’s story, but he is in for a rude awakening when he volunteers to join a cult to rescue her. We know Jane Blythe writes about strong female characters, so we know Jessica is no shrinking violet. She feels his appearance is going to ruin everything.
Jessica had a horrendous childhood and Mason is in for a big surprise when she tells him like it is. He is looking forward to coming face to face with her brother, David. But, first, they will have to survive their time in the cult. The cult leader has an agenda and feels anyone that doesn’t believe his way of life is the only way, they plan to eliminate. It’s up to Jessica and Mason to save the day.
I love romantic suspense novels. Sure, they all have a similar format…Damsel in distress, knight in (un)shining armor comes to save the day and they live happily ever after…and that is what I am looking for.
4 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
He’s the last person she wants messing up all her hard work.
Jessica Bowen knows responsibility, learned it at a young age. Living through something horrific she somehow managed to hold most of her family together and build a life for herself. A life that isn’t the one she planned but it’s one she can be proud of, where she can make a difference and save lives. Until he shows up threatening to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to achieve.
Mason “Scorpion” Markson was looking forward to a vacation when he gets a call that the spoiled, selfish sister of an old friend is in trouble. He shouldn’t go into a cult after her, it’s more hassle than its worth, and yet he owes it to his friend to save his sister. The last thing he expects to find when he goes undercover is a calm, competent, capable woman who has a whole lot of anger and hostility towards him.
She’s not who he was led to believe she was, so why did her brother lie about her?
If you loved USA today bestselling author Jane Blythe’s inclusions in Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world, you’ll be thrilled with BRUTAL SCARS, the third book in the Prey Security: Bravo Team series.
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!
Journey To Red Dawn: The Torch Of Life by Cagla Meydan was so much more than I expected. I think Altan, a Wall Street broker, was going through a midlife crisis. He is a mountain climber, and when he heard that Mount Evolution had grown taller, he embarked on a journey of self discovery by climbing to the top. He is seeking answers to some age old questions like: Why am I here? What is my purpose?
Altan is married and, though he doesn’t know it, his wife Ruby is pregnant. She never loses faith, believing, no matter what, Altan will return to her. The journey is brutal. Many of those who began the journey with him, will never return home and it looked like he wouldn’t either. He won’t leave his new friend, and it will mean his death, also.
I liked the thought that everything is connected. Their psyche as a whole would affect the climb. When they dwelled in doom and gloom, the weather darkened and storm arose. The earth shifted, making itself known.
Journey To Red Dawn by Cagla Meydan is one of the most thoughtprovoking novels I have read in a long time. The book is an oversized paperback, heavy in weight, and 403 pages of unputdownable deliciousness. The Epilogue is short and sweet and I loved it.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Despite his success as a Wall Street broker, a loving family, and a life others would envy, Altan is haunted by a recurring dream—one that tragically came true. On the brink of abandoning everything, he receives an unusual gift for his fortieth a veiled storybook. Drawn to its pages, he hopes to find solace and some answers, unaware that it’s an invitation to the mystical realm of existence. Propelled by a series of strange events, Altan embarks on a breathtaking journey to the heart of Anatolia, following the threads of a supernatural mystery. What begins as a search for answers unravels into an odyssey beyond imagination—filled with peril, wonder, and revelations about humanity and creation itself. As he ascends through hidden dimensions of consciousness, courage, love, faith, and unyielding resilience guide him toward an awe-inspiring truth waiting at the journey’s end. Journey to Red Dawn is an allegorical epic of the universal ‘Human’ story—a timeless pilgrimage back to the essence, where all faiths and quests for meaning converge. Join Altan as he uncovers the secrets of life, death, and beyond. Through his eyes, witness a world where every step is a leap towards the truth, and every dawn brings new hope and understanding. Are you ready to let the sun rise within you? Let your journey begin… ‘Questions that have found their answers are the ship’s final arrival to harbor.’
If I would have known this was a season’s series 0, I probably wouldn’t have downloaded it, but it was a freebie, so no worries. It’s long enough, 45 pages, to be considered a novella. It doesn’t lack in content. Fast paced. I wandered through Alex Paynes’ past, enjoying every minute of it, and would love to read more.
I have some other work by Audrey Walker and will move onto them. I think they are all the first book of a series, and whether I continue or not after that, I cannot say at this time. I have soooo many books I rarely buy anything any more.
I want to thank Audrey for the wonderful puzzles of her book covers she puts in her newsletters. I enjoy them very much.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Tracking down a cold-blooded criminal organization doesn’t mean you can’t get burned…
When FBI Agent Alex Payne is asked to uncover the gang’s activities, he is more than up for the challenge… until the director assigns the undercover job to Alex’s partner and best friend, Gina Manzano. Alex is convinced the mission is too dangerous for her, but he can only let her go and do his best to keep her safe, working on the outside as her contact.
But Alex has underestimated his enemies, and before he knows it, Gina is in more trouble than anyone realizes. He must find a way to protect her without jeopardizing the mission – even if it means breaking all the rules.
Will Alex be able to save Gina in time? Will he bring an end to the terror of the gang? And what will he lose along the way?
From bestselling author Audrey Walker comes a tale of suspense and thrill like none before. Travel back to the past of Detective Payne – the past that broke him and made him the man he is.
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
45 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2022
Series: Alex Payne, #.0
ABOUT AUDREY WALKER
Audrey Walker is a young and rising international best-selling Author in the Mystery & Suspense niche.
Walker’s books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won’t see coming.
Walker lives currently in south Germany with her husband and a newly born daughter. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her climbing up the Alps in Switzerland and walking aroung the Black Forest in south of Germany.
When I first saw the cover for Mortuous 28: Ashes Of Civilization by Kevin W K Moore, I thought it could be a graphic novel. It isn’t. It is a full length novel, filled with blood and gore. I will warn you, this is a series and, so far, this is the only published book. How long will we have to wait for Book II? I don”t know. Hopefully not long, because I am hanging off the cliff.
We get right to it from the getgo. There was the Covid pandemic, war with Russia, the Second Great Depression, and now we have a biological virus that creates zombies and a war with China on the horizon. How much more can humans take? Is it every man for themselves? We sure know that the rich and powerful aren’t sharing.
Anybody that reads a lot of apocalyptic and dystopian novels knows the drill. There’s a lot of blood, guts, gore and death. People drop like flies. I love it! Thaddeus Stormbreaker is battling his way through the flesh eating zombies, trying to get to Mexico. Will he make it?
We’ll have to wait until the next part of the ongoing saga of Mortuous 28. I hope you are writing fast Kevin, because I have this burning desire to know more.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Polish your shotgun, sharpen your machete, and get ready for the first blood-splattered installment in the Mortuous 28 series by International Bestselling and Global Book Award-winning author Kevin W. K. Moore. This unrelenting, nightmarish odyssey is seething with gore, violence, vile human behaviour, and hordes of festering, undead monsters. Ashes of Civilization is sure to satisfy your lust for gut-wrenching carnage and bloodcurdling despair.
Following the journey of Thaddeus Stormbreaker, a hardened Finnish-Canadian immigrant forged by his survivalist father and Indigenous mentor to thrive beyond the reaches of civilization, the Mortuous 28 series takes you on a blood-soaked, action-packed journey across a North American hellscape.
A decade of pandemics, economic collapse, and global conflict has left the world order in ruin. Lines in the dirt have been redrawn, militaries are exhausted, and the once-dominant superpowers no longer have the might to protect and police the world.
Just as civilization is regaining its footing and the ashes of World War III have only just settled, a viral outbreak, its origins shrouded in mystery, tears through the demilitarized zone in Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula. Is it a biological weapon of a rejuvenated war effort, or nature’s retaliation against the scourge of humankind?
Dubbed Mortuous 28, the viral contagion sweeps across the globe like wildfire, transforming everything with a heartbeat into ravenous, flesh-eating beasts. As North America devolves faster than the infection can spread, chaos reigns, and humans lose their humanity to self-preservation. Violence becomes the new currency of survival, and the living are often more dangerous than the undead.
With his machete, rifle, and souped-up camper van, Thaddeus is forced to decide his fate and survive the crossing a continental wasteland to escape the flesh-eating monsters, save a long-lost love, and reach an unsullied Mexico. In this blood-slicked and brain-splattered new world, Thaddeus Stormbreaker will soon learn that men with power are as insatiable as the zombified beasts.
The sixth great extinction is upon us. Time is running out. Can a cure be found? Or has humankind’s time on earth come to an end?
Born in the 1980s in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, I developed an early fascination with travel, storytelling, and the natural world. Equipped with a camera, notebook, and an adventurous spirit, I spent over fifteen years journeying across continents—capturing striking landscapes and drawing inspiration from the people and cultures I encountered along the way.
My debut memoir, Dude, Where’s My Walking Stick, chronicles my 1,300-kilometre trek across New Zealand and reflects the transformative power of perseverance and discovery. The book received the Global Book Award for Best Amateur Writer, reached the top of Amazon’s Adventure Memoir and Walking categories, and ranked among the platform’s top 1,000 titles. Its success led to features on CBC News, Windsor Life Magazine, and CKLW Radio, where I shared insights about both the journey and the creative process behind the work.
A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, I continue to explore some of the world’s most remote and challenging landscapes. My recent ten-day solo hike through Kluane National Park in Northern Canada reaffirmed my passion for solitude and the natural world. In addition to writing, I am an avid nature photographer whose work has been exhibited internationally and was nominated for the Yukon Visual Arts Award in 2024.
I currently reside in Manzanillo, Mexico, with my partner and our cat, where I am embracing a new climate and culture while developing future writing projects. Whether through photography or prose, my goal remains the same—to tell meaningful stories that connect people to the beauty, unpredictability, and wonder of the world around us.
Winter Of Blood And Miracles is a holiday bonus story for the French Quarter Vampire King series. I love a good vampire story and I don’t read many where a child is born, let alone it being half nephilim and half vampire. I can see why demons would love to get their hands on the child. I was quickly wrapped up in the story, not wanting to stop reading until the last word was read.
I was swept away. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. There were no big surprises in Winter Of Blood And Miracles, but it was a wonderfully written holiday story with some danger thrown in, friends shared, and a happy ever after.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
I never thought I’d get a miracle. Not with my past. Not with the blood on my hands. And certainly not with a vampire king as my husband. But against every odd, I’m pregnant.
This child shouldn’t exist—half Nephilim, half vampire. A blend of heaven and darkness. My body can barely handle carrying it, and the supernatural world isn’t ready for what our baby could become.
Especially Balthazar.
The demon has been watching us, waiting. And when he finally strikes, he doesn’t come for me—he comes for our child.
Now the clock is ticking, and the snow-soaked streets of New Orleans run red as we tear the city apart to find who took our baby. I’ve faced monsters before… but nothing like this.
Because this time, I’m not just fighting for my life. I’m fighting for my family.
Winter of Blood and Miracles is a dark holiday bonus story in the French Quarter Vampire King series—a tale of love, sacrifice, and the lengths a mother and father will go to for the miracle they never thought they’d have.
Dark Holiday Romance Touch Her and DieG Found Family Miracle Baby Protective Alpha Hero Fated Mates
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Holiday, Horror, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires
199 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2025
Series: French Quarter Vampire King, Book 4
ABOUT M GUIDA
M Guida has always loved fantasy and romance, especially dragons. Growing up, she devoured fantasy books and all kinds of young adult books. And then she found romance and a whole new world opened up to her.
Now as an adult, she fell in love with academy romance and has blended all of her past loves into one compelling series. Dragons, vampires, elves, demons, and shifters all attend Legacy Academy.
When she’s not writing, she lives in the colorful Rocky Mountains with her fur baby, Raven, and enjoys taking her for walks.
Would you like to become a Legacy? Sign up for her mailing list and enter a world of the supernatural. https://geni.us/akJn
You can also join her private Facebook page-Legacy Academy https://geni.us/aksDhUZ You’ll become a legacy and find out about your special power and maybe even find some romance!
