Tag Archives: mystery

Friday 56 #146 – Vostok by Steve Alten @meg82159

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The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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OMG. Such a fabulous cover of Vostok by Steve Alten, a Meg(a) Hit. There is no way I will ever pass on the chance to read one of his novels.

You can see my 5 star review here.

Vostok

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY 56

At one point she interrupted the conversation to remind me that Willy’s nanny was due to leave soon and that we really needed to get back to our room

And then she winked!

That was all the prompting I needed.

(Pages 56 in hardcover published in 2015)

GOODREADS BLURB

East Antarctica: The coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap is Vostok, a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Now, marine biologist Zachary Wallace and two other scientists aboard a submersible tethered to a laser will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to steve

In this sequel to The Loch and prequel to the upcoming MEG 5: Nightstalkers, New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten offers readers a crossover novel that combines characters from two of his most popular series.

Steve Alten is the New York Times and International bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the MEG series about Carcharodon Megalodon, the 70-foot, 100,000 pound prehistoric cousin of the Great White shark and Domain trilogy, a series about the Mayan Calendar s 2012 doomsday prophecy. His work has been published in over 30 countries and is being used in thousands of middle and high school curriculum as part of Adopt-An-Author, a free teen reading program, which he founded with teachers back in 1999.”

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Review – The Passenger by Lisa Lutz @lisalutz

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I read Passenger by Lisa Lutz some time ago and it’s one of those reviews that just got lost in the shuffle. So…let’s get started.

The Passenger

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

The mystery has begun and Lisa Lutz kept me guessing until the end.

Tanya’s husband falls down the stairs and dies. When she finds him, she runs. Why?

On the run, she hooks up with Blue…WHOA. She is a badass and could definitely teach Tanya some lessons. Wonder what her story is?

Trouble comes looking for them and bodies fall.

How would you go about creating a new identity….a new life?

Their life keeps getting more complicated and I wonder what will become of them. My curiosity and Lisa’s pacing and suspense keep me tearing through the pages, wanting answers, but…

Lisa Lutz is not new to me. I have checked her books out from the library and enjoyed them. Passenger is full of a lot of words and some took me on long convoluted paths. Were they there to just lengthen the story or were they essential to the character development and suspense? I don’t expect fiction to be ‘real’ but, to me, a suspense novel like Passenger doesn’t need events just to have them. Know what I mean? It just slows the pacing and lessens the suspense and I like the white knuckled, breath holding, must know what happens next feeling.

I don’t quite get what’s going on and don’t find out why she is running until the last 20%. I do love that I didn’t know the story and had to read to the end to find the answers I was seeking.

Blue kept popping in and out and I loved it. There are no heroes here. All in all, I enjoyed the story. 

I read an ARC, so I hope Lisa trims the fat and makes this the top notch book I feel it can be.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Passenger by Lisa Lutz.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In case you were wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it…

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?

ABOUT LISA LUTZ

Lisa LutzLisa Lutz is the New York Times bestselling author of the six books in the Spellman series, How to Start a Fire, Heads you Lose (with David Hayward), and the children’s book, How to Negotiate Everything (illustrated by Jaime Temairik). Her latest book, The Passenger, a psychological thriller, will be published March 2016 by Simon and Schuster. Lutz has won the Alex award and has been nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Although she attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, the University of Leeds in England, and San Francisco State University, she still does not have a bachelor’s degree. Lisa spent most of the 1990s hopping through a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting the screenplay Plan B, a mob comedy. After the film was made in 2000, she vowed she would never write another screenplay. Lisa lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.

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Giveaway – I Burned Down His House by Jessica Frances #Jessica Frances @XpressoReads

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I Burned Down His House
Jessica Frances
(Love at First Crime #3)
Publication date: November 28th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

She burned his house down, so he lit a fire between them that she could never extinguish.

So, I burned his house down.

It was an accident.

I mean, technically, the dog did it.

Well, the dog helped me to do it.

Did I mention it was an accident?

When circumstances mean I suddenly have a new housemate,

A man who is my ultimate fantasy,

And my entire world is turned upside down by new friends,

And a dog who likes to get me into trouble,

I have to wonder how my life got so crazy.

Add in my neighbor, who is under investigation;

Some unfinished business from the past, which just won’t go away;

Interfering family, who don’t know when to stop;

And mixed signals, making me wonder if fantasies really can come true,

And you have my new, hectic, crazy life.

But, when things take a dangerous turn,

And lives are on the line,

Will we all make it through in one piece?

Or is everything destined to crumble down around us?

Who would have thought that burning down a house would change everything so much?

Then again, as some people say: there is nothing quite like love at first … crime.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Trying not to feel like a loser that I have Joey’s number memorized, I dial, hoping like hell he picks up. It has to be in the incredibly early hours of morning, so there is every chance, if he hasn’t come home yet, it’s because he’s out with someone and won’t answer.

After five, drawn-out, torturous rings, he finally picks up.

“What?” he grumbles. I can’t tell if I woke him up, or if he’s just annoyed to be disturbed.

“Hey, Joey, it’s Teagan—”

“Who?”

I pause, annoyed I’m so forgettable he can’t remember who he gave his house key to! “Teagan Bevon, the woman who lives next door?”

“Oh … Oh!” There is finally recognition in his voice. “Right. Look, Teags”—he sounds so distracted I don’t think he even noticed he gave me a nickname—“I’m kinda busy—”

“But—”

“—so I’ll just see you later—”

“Wait!” I cry out, afraid I will hear the dial tone any second.

“Actually, you probably won’t see me later. I’m going to be—”

“I BURNED YOUR HOUSE DOWN!” I scream into the phone and am finally met with silence. “Joey?” I whisper, fearful he already hung up.

“Can you repeat that for me?” he finally gasps out.

“I …” Now I feel nervous. “I … umm … I accidently”—I use too much emphasis on the word, making me sound extra guilty—“burned down your house.”

“Are you okay?”

My heart skips a beat. I just told this man that I burned down his house and his first thought is if I’m okay?

“Some smoke inhalation, but nothing serious. I’m so sorry about your things—”

“How about Karma?”

“Karma got out fine. She’s with the Glovers,” So … maybe she’s not okay. The almost ninety-year-old couple may not be quite at the same speed as Karma.

As he sighs in relief, my hands begin to shake again.

“Joey, I’m so sorry.”

 

Author Bio:

Jessica lives in Adelaide, South Australia. When she is not writing, you can find her reading, napping or watching excessive amounts of TV. Connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook



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The Final Showdown – Power Struggle by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold

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NEW RELEASE

Oh yeah, Power Struggle is another fabulous Detective Madison Knight thriller by Carolyn Arnold.

So, let’s step inside and read about the final showdown with her hitman!

Power StruggleGoodreads

Purchase Links:  Amazon  /  Barnes & Noble  /  Apple iBooks  /  Kobo  /  Google Play

Power Struggle (Detective Madison Knight)
Mystery/Crime Fiction
8th in Series
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (November 28, 2017)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353661
Paperback: 460 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353647
E-BOOK ASIN: B07588XD65

MY REVIEW

Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight has mixed emotions about Jimmy Bates murder. Maybe it was Karma that he’s lying in his bed, brutally murdered. After all, he was responsible for her grandfather’s death.

Could the hitman that had almost killed Madison be back to finish the job? Could the Russian Mafia be tying up loose ends? Can she, will she, be able to move past the personal and be a professional? Her friends, coworkers, and family are concerned, but they do not stand in her way.

She lives with the head of the Stiles Police Department Swat Team, Toby Sovereign. I am hoping she doesn’t do something foolish, like keeping secrets from him and putting herself and those closest to her in danger.

I love Toby. Thank goodness he has the patience to put up with her stubbornness. Madison has has severe commitment issues. Lies by omission are still lies. I would find it hard to trust her, as does Toby, but he loves her dearly and hopes she will come around, me too.

Sometimes I wonder if she has a death wish because she can be so reckless and careless. I think that strong characters do have a wish to keep those they love from being a victim or put in the path of a bullet, and feel they are able to handle things themselves. And I do love my strong women, so who knows, maybe I would do the same thing if I wasn’t more of the spectator type.

Power Struggle is a complicated mystery. As the deaths pile up, the mystery and danger grows. Lives are at stake and we know Bulldog Madison will put it all on the line. Maddie, if I am ever in trouble, I’ll be calling on you. Even when she’s on the verge of losing her self control and sanity, there is that special something that clicks in her mind, refusing to give up as the pieces fall into place.

Action, suspense, not so much romance, but lots of love from Troy, Terry, her partner, coworkers, family and friends. They all play an important part in her life and I feel like they are my friends too.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Power Struggle by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

One hit man who’s back for revenge.
One detective who’s not going down without a fight.

It’s been ten months since Detective Madison Knight almost died at the hands of Russian Mafia hit man Constantine Romanov. She hasn’t seen hide nor hair of him since he escaped police custody and fled to Russia soon after his arrest, except now her latest murder investigation gives her reason to believe he’s back in town. Seeing as the victim is the man who killed her grandfather, her perspective may be a little skewed, but with the MO smacking of Constantine and the victim’s connections to the mob, she finds it hard to be objective. Still, she’s doing her best to consider all the evidence.

When she receives a threatening letter from Constantine, however, her suspicions are confirmed. And he’s made it abundantly clear that not only does he plan to finish what he started but he has her family and loved ones in the crosshairs, too. Madison vows to do whatever it takes to save them, but as the hours race by, the body count rises. And the stakes only get higher when Madison’s sister, Chelsea, goes missing.

Now, Madison’s only play is to take Chelsea’s disappearance for what it really means: Constantine is calling Madison out for one final showdown. And they won’t both survive…

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

 

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Skeletons in the Closet – Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne @AshleyFontainne

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Bloss Loss by Ashley Fontainne has one of those covers that makes me realize…I must go into the forest. I love covers with trees, forests, and woods, so this makes me want to enter another of Ashley’s fantastic stories, jumping and skipping down the trail. I must follow that path, no matter that I am alone and there is danger.

Ashley has been writing this series with her mother Lillian Hansen. It is the second Magnolia novel and it is based on a true story. You can see my review for the first story by following the Blood Ties link at the end of the post.

Cover and Interior book design by One of a Kind Covers

Blood Loss - A Magnolia NovelGoodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

I am so happy to be back with some familiar friends and am looking for another mystery to solve. Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne and her mother, Lillian Hansen, is the second Magnolia story, based on a true one, and I don’t want to miss a thing.

We pick up where Blood Ties ended, but I believe you can read this as a stand alone. If this is your first foray into the Magnolia series, I do recommend starting at the beginning.

The Magnolia has become Karina’s home. She and her mother inherited the home for the elderly and it seems like mysteries and danger arise from the house itself.

Karina’s nightmare awakens her, but it’s nice having her hunkie boyfriend at her side. Bo tells her the nightmares will pass.

“They’re all dead thanks to you, so that makes you the predator, not the prey.”

Karina is a strong, determined ex cop, as is her mother. They have put that behind them, but it’s a good thing they have those skills to draw on.

She’s tough, snarky and has a potty mouth. Pull a gun on her and she’ll blow your head off, but she has a big heart and guards it well.

Death by dick wouldn’t fly anyway, though it would be a memorable obituary for sure, going viral in hours. (Karina’s thoughts about Bo’s insatiable libido).

I laughed out loud when I read her version of the song You Don’t Own Me.

Karina has me cracking up throughout the pages and I love being inside her head.

It is that kind of writing that gives Ashley’s stories a fun and humorous bent and keeps me coming back for more. I think humor goes hand in hand with romance and mystery.

My first big surprise I never saw coming. No warning, but at least it’s all good.

“Like the Good Book says, the love of money is the root of all evil. And it’s a thick root that runs deep into bloodstained dirt.”

Government conspiracies? Never underestimate the power of greed. Some will stop at nothing. 

A home for old folks…not surprising there are skeletons in the closet and secrets hidden. In 1957 two women vanished without a trace and the game is afoot.

Karina misses the rush of the hunt, so when the mystery appears, she jumps on it, regardless of being warned off. It’s just not in her nature. She cannot resist the mystery and I know she will find danger.

I’m onto you Ashley. The second surprise is about Karina. I didn’t see this one either and I love when the author can surprise me. Ashley Fontainne has that ability, and so much more. She draws me into the story quickly and easily. The characters become my friends. I worry about them, want the best for them, and if I could climb into the pages of the book, I would help them. As it is, all I can do is read…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Karina and LiAnn worked hard to put the awful memories behind them of the nightmare they walked into at The Magnolia and all the death and destruction caused by the former owners. As they settled into their new roles as managers of the upscale independent living facility, LiAnn reconnects with her true love and Karina continues to explore the new relationship with a sexy cowboy named Bo.

Each are haunted by the atrocities committed at The Magnolia and how close Karina came to dying at the hands of mafia monsters. With the help of her mother, beloved grandparents, new job, an enormous dog, and a hunky, younger man to keep her mind occupied, Karina lets her guard down, naively assuming the worst is over for her family.

Unfortunately, she’s wrong.

When one of the elderly residents of The Magnolia reveals the truth about a shady past, the entire Tuck family find themselves embroiled in one of Arkansas’s most notorious mysteries from 1957. The disappearance of a beloved attorney and her young charge was never solved, bodies never found, and even after over 60 years, Karina and LiAnn discover there are still those who intend to keep it that way.

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.

Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

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Ashley Fontainne’s writing is so spectacular, I am always anticipating the next book I will read of hers. Here are my reviews…so far:

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She’s Kicking Ass Again in Strong to the Bone by Jon Land @jondland

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Buckle your seatbelts, because Strong to the Bone by Jon Land is one rootin tootin, smash bang novel of action and mystery that culminates in a rip roaring ending not to be missed.

Strong to the Bone (Caitlin Strong, #9)Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

I am so happy to be back into a rootin’ tootin’ Caitlin Strong adventure. The Texas Rangers and Nazis…doesn’t bode well for the Nazis. LOL

Right off, Jon Land does what he does so well, makes me so curious and surprised about our prisoner of war camps in Texas during World War II, that questions arise. Why have I never thought of this before? Was I never taught in school? Is is true? I know a lot of people don’t care one way or another about prologues, but this one sure did it’s job. Sent me straight to Google. I had to know more.

I can picture Caitlin on top of the fire truck, spraying the rioters with the fire hose like Al Capone sprayed his enemies with his tommy gun. A young woman is in distress, possibly being raped, and nothing will stop Caitlin from going to her rescue.

If you are not familiar with Caitlin, let me introduce you. She comes from a long line of Texas Rangers, but until she was raped in college, she had no plans to follow in their footsteps. Now…she’s a kickass, no holds barred force to be reckoned with. She goes in with guns blazing,  her fists and legs pumping, doling out justice.

I love that Jon Land is constantly challenging Caitlin in personal and professional ways.

She teams up with her sweetie, Cort Wesley. He’s an ex Green Beret, maybe a bit tarnished, but that will only serve him well when he meets up with Armand Fiskar. Armand is the son of the man who created the Aryan Nation, only he has more grandiose plans.

I am lovin’ Paz, an ex Venezuelan secret policeman, sent to kill Cort. Now they walk together. I love characters who have walked the wild side, yet are able to redeem themselves.

And neo Nazis…smacks of reality.

Cort, Paz, and even Caitlin, though she doesn’t acknowledge it, have a little bit of help from the paranormal.

Moments to laugh, moments of anger, smiles and frowns, humanity in all its glory and disgust.

Jon Land’s creative writing shows his humorous side, when he allows his characters to replace the Captain’s cigarettes with the candy kind. Do you remember eating them as a kid?

The Aryan Nation, neo nazis, bioterrorism, organ transplants, weapons of mass destruction…so many underlying plots culminate in a blown out ending. I am a lifelong fan and eagerly await each and every story Jon Land has to tell.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Strong to the Bone by Jon Land.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong takes on a gang of neo-Nazis in Strong Cold Dead, an action-packed novel of the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series by Jon Land

1944: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a triple murder inside a Nazi POW camp in Texas.

The Present: His daughter, fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself pursuing the killer her father never caught in the most personal case of her career a conspiracy stretching from that Nazi POW camp to a modern-day neo-Nazi gang.

A sinister movement has emerged from the shadows of history, determined to undermine the American way of life. Its leader, Armand Fisker, has an army at his disposal, a deadly bio-weapon, and a reputation for being unbeatable. But he s never taken on the likes of Caitlin Strong and her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters.

To prevent an unspeakable cataclysm, Caitlin and Cort Wesley must win a war the world thought was over.

ABOUT JON LAND

JON LAND is the USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels, including Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller), and Strong Light of Day (winner of the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery). Land is a graduate of Brown University. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

MY JON LAND REVIEWS

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One Sentence Review – Eclipse Lake by Mae Clair @maeclair1

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.Eclipse LakeGoodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Eclipse Lake is a fully developed story with complex characters and detailed descriptions of a small town called Onyx, that is character driven, with romance the spotlight and suspense being the dot on the I, making me believe in second chances.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Small towns hold the darkest secrets.

Fifteen years after leaving his criminal past and estranged brother behind, widower Dane Carlisle returns to his hometown on the banks of sleepy Eclipse Lake. Now, a successful businessman, he has kept his troubled past a secret from most everyone, including his seventeen-year-old son.

But memories in small towns are bitter and long.

Ellie Sullivan, a nature photographer for a national magazine, has a habit of ping-ponging across the map. Her latest assignment leads her to Eclipse Lake where she becomes caught up in the enmity between Dane, his brother Jonah, and a vengeful town sheriff. When freshly-discovered skeletal remains are linked to an unsolved murder and Dane’s past, Ellie is left questioning her growing attraction for a man who harbors long-buried secrets.

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Is There A New Killer In Town – Sunset Darkening b Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

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I have another fantastic story to share from Amanda Siegrist, Sunset Darkening.

Has the serial killer returned or is there a new murderer in town?

Sunset Darkening

Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

I love visiting familiar characters and seeing what trouble they can get into now. Amanda Siegrist does not let me down in Sunset Darkening.

Lucas works for the Wadena Police Department. He is awakened by a pounding on his door. He is hyper vigilant and answers with a weapon in his hand, only to find…a vulture, Elle Conners. She is an investigative reporter, wanting answers about the Trick Killer, Clarence Owens. The case: Clarence killed three women and Lucas’ sister, Maddie, was almost the fourth. You can see more about Clarence in the first book, Sunrise Awakening.

As soon as Lucas laid eyes on Elle, he felt an immediate attraction. But cops and reporters don’t go well together and they come from different worlds. She’s a big city girl with lots of money and he’s a small town cop with small town pay.

Does she share the same attraction? She has her own story and even though she wants his, she will not use sex to get the interview. It’s not her style. Hard work, persistence and determination is her motto. Lucas doesn’t know it, but she respects his desire to protect his family, his town.

Another murder in Wadena…is Clarence back, or is there a new killer walking among them?

It has been three months since Clarence’s escape. He is super intelligent, vanishes into disguises where he looks, acts, and sounds like a different person and they will not see him coming. Lucas is obsessed and hopes it is him. He wants him…and I don’t think he cares if its dead or alive.

I love the characters and the story. They are not wusses and stick together.

When Elle and Maddie take on a mission of their own…Psycho beware. You cannot hide.

Amanda Siegrist is making me wonder how many women will go down, before I have my answer. How does he choose his victims? I have my suspect early on and I’ll be curious to see if I’m right. There’s a niggle of doubt and as I read along.

A good bit of misdirection and great suspense coming from it. Amanda Siegrist can sure ramp up the suspense, anticipation, and surprise, leaving me with a fantastic ending and happy ever after.

I can’t pinpoint why this doesn’t blow my socks off. I want to be drawn into the killers evil mind, used, abused and beyond disgust, because he is THAT guy. I want to feel their pain, their fears, Lucas’ desire and Elle’s too. Amanda does that, but…Maybe it’s just an off day for me. Why don’t you grab a copy and let me know what you think.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sunset Darkening by Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lucas Dalton just wants to move on—do his job. He wants to focus on finding the man who killed three women and nearly took his sister’s life. It remains difficult with all the reporters flooding his door, especially from Elle Conners, investigative reporter. She’s looking for an exclusive interview, something Lucas and his sister have never provided. He surely isn’t going to start now. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous or tempting she is.

When a new murder rocks his small town, he assumes the killer has come back for more. Until the dots start connecting to Elle, the one woman he can’t seem to get out of his mind. He discovers why she needed that exclusive so badly, to rebuild her life from an attack two years ago. Now she needs him for so much more—to keep her safe. He’ll not only catch this new killer, but try to win her heart.

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Amanda SiegristLove! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

Sunrise Awakening

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Monday Mini – Not So Sweet – Strawberries by Casey Bartsch @ecclectic22

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I love the fabulous cover of Strawberries by Casey Bartsch, that was done by Jennifer Chang. Great job. So simple, yet it says so much. Made me want it. Then I read…serial killers. Oh yeah!

Strawberries

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

Strawberry is a serial killer that loves coming up with new and creative ways to murder someone. He is a psycho, even doing himself harm, while murdering at random. His signature mark…a strawberry.

He dodges capture, leaving a trail of bodies in a zig zag path he travels, striking when the moment hits him.

The characters are…unusual. At times I felt sorry for them, other times I couldn’t help but smile.

Forces draw them together in a frenzied ending, bodies dropping, blood flowing and some people I like…well, you’ll need to read about it for yourself. I like authors who do the unexpected, regardless of how I might feel about it.

I had made a comment on fuonlyknew’s blog about how much I wanted to read this, and, voila, Casey Bartsch sent me a copy. Thanks so much, Casey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Strawberries is the name he has been given.

When they let him out, they had no way of knowing what he was. A psychopath. A killer. The body count is at twenty already, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

Agent Harry Bland can’t see one anyway. He doesn’t have a single clue to go on. It doesn’t help that his mind won’t focus. His heart just isn’t in it anymore. Half way across the country, Sylvia is in a different state of mind. When she isn’t selling sex to the rich, she is doing her best to disappear. She lives a life of assumed names, one night stands, and a constant stream of narcotics. Sylvia has heard of Strawberries. Of course she has. So has everyone who has turned on the television or surfed the net. Yet, she has no way of knowing just how much his life will affect hers.

Seedy hotels, cross country truckers looking for the meaning of life, homemade pie, a reporter with her own secret agenda, obscenely expensive champagne, and plenty of spilled blood await our cast. But make sure to read fast…..Strawberries has killed number 21

 
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One Sentence Review – The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods

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.The Point of Death: An Austin, Texas Art Mystery (Michelle Hodge,#0)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

I did enjoy The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods that reads like a character study of the good and the bad people do, how they perform in dangerous situations, under pressure, as the gals draw in their small circle of close friends and put the pieces of the mystery together.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

This is a prequel to the Michelle Hodge Series: Twenty-four year old Shell Hodge is in the final stretch of her quest for a master’s degree in art history when tragedy strikes at her art co-op near the University of Texas at Austin. She finds the body of beautiful and charismatic Dr. Leone, her art teacher from UT, and she is forced to endure a long and aggressive interview by the police. Believing that the approach of the detectives–targeting the students who cared most about their teacher–is unlikely to result in the capture of the real murderer, Shell embarks on her own search for answers. A strange circle of clues leads back to her best friend’s ex, Jeremy. Meanwhile, that same best friend, Margie–an aspiring chef and a successful baker–has some ideas of her own about Jeremy, one of them being that she wants to keep her little dog and herself as far away from him as possible. Enlisting the help of a handsome psychologist seems like a good idea at first, but learning that he also has a secret and that it, too, leads back to the murder victim, puts Margie on an emotional rollercoaster while Shell winds up at the point of death when she finds herself facing a killer.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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