Tag Archives: read in 2026

Review – Lies To Forever by Marlene M Bell #marlenembell #liestoforever #Ewephoric

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Lies To Forever by Marlene M Bell is dark and dangerous for April Manning. Marlene writes some fabulous mysteries, but she has upped her game with this convoluted thriller, filled with obsession and betrayal.

April’s life is moving along and she’s feeling good about herself and her situation…until she’s finds her savings has been siphoned from her bank account. Her generous nature leads to her downfall when she is served an eviction notice and the landlord of her dream home is missing. Her boss at the architecture firm she works for comes up dead. Everything revolves around April, but she has no clue why she is in someone’s crosshairs.

She is being stalked and set up to take the fall. Mysterious packages appear on her doorstep, wind chimes appear out of nowhere, bringing her past to mind, a past she thought she had left behind.

She’s lucky that her exboyfriend, Hunter, willingly steps up to the plate to help her out. It made me very suspicious. Her friend and coworker, Kelly, offers her some money and a place to stay. There are plenty of suspects as the investigation develops. Do they want her dead?

My spidey senses were tingling and my suspicions grew as the story moved along at a steady clip. The book has short chapters that make for easy reading. As the suspense grew, my need to know the answers increased. I love that there are those ‘don’t go in the basement’ moments.

My thanks go out to Marlene M Bell and Ewephoric for the opportunity to review Lies To Forever.

 

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

First they stole her trust. Now they want her life.

April Manning’s generous nature has always been a gift, and her greatest weakness. After being scammed out of her life savings by a trusted friend, April is left with an eviction notice and one last hope: reclaiming her position as an interior designer at her old architectural firm, even if it means a showdown with head architect Hunter Ellis, her cheating ex.

But that’s not the only hitch. When the owner of the firm turns up dead, the last thing April expects to find is the bloody murder weapon on her doorstep.

Now the killer sets a plan for April and suspicion flares at every turn…from the mysterious new handyman, to an estranged family member she’s tried to forget. Chased from her dream home and cornered like prey, April is hemmed by the wintry forests of Tennessee with few options. As chilling memories of childhood abandonment haunt her, it seems everyone has a hidden agenda to take April down.

Only one thing is certain. A monster is stalking Smoky Creek, and April must unmask them before they land the fatal blow.

  • Genre: Fiction, Kidnapping, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 265 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published March 31, 2026 by Ewephoric

ABOUT MARLENE M BELL

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch for her readers, they often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic mysteries and children’s books as characters or subject matter. Marlene is an accomplished artist and photographer who takes pride in entertaining fans on multiple levels of her creativity.

Marlene’s award-winning Annalisse series boasts Best Mystery honors for all installments including these: IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, Global Award Best Mystery, and Chanticleer’s International Mystery and Mayhem shortlist for Copper Waters, the fourth mystery in the series.

She offers her children’s picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written primarily for younger kids based on true events from the Bell’s East Texas sheep ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of belonging and unconditional love between a little girl and her lamb.

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell:
www.MarleneMBell.com
Goodreads – @dorsetghal
BookBub – @dorsetgalwrites
Instagram – @marlenemysteries
Twitter/X – @ewephoric
Facebook
Facebook – @marlenembell
Amazon Author Page

MY MARLENE M BELL REVIEWS

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$20 GC – Off Season by Clive Fleury @goddessfish #clivefleury #ofseason

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OFF SEASON by Clive Fleury

GENRE: Mystery

MY REVIEW

We begin with Detective Ramesh Ryan leaving Sydney in disgrace. He worked in the Organized Crime Unit and is now on his way to the small town of Barton. It seems murder follows him and for a small town, Barton has an influx of dead bodies.

Detective Ramesh Ryan is a fastidious man and Clive Fleury’s description of him brings Ramesh to life on the pages. There are many characters and, at times, I thought I would need a glossary to follow them all. That leads to many suspects and many of them have no redeeming qualities.

The mystery and danger followed Detective Ramesh Ryan to Barton. At first, he wasn’t aware of just how dangerous his life had become. The pace picked up as the story unfolded. The mystery kept me guessing, but I was never on the edge of my seat.

3 Stars

BLURB

Detective Ramesh Ryan’s career with Sydney’s prestigious Organized Crime Unit is on the up, until he loses a court case against the city’s most powerful drug dealer. In disgrace, the detective is relocated to the tiny Australian beach town of Barton.

It is off season in Barton—when its few criminals usually take a well-earned rest. But not this year! With the detective’s arrival, the town suddenly becomes murder central. Two bodies are discovered in the space of days, both victims of drug overdoses. Then a mysterious foot is found washed up on the beach, and memories are awoken of an unsolved cold case of the teenager who disappeared fifteen years ago. Add to this a blossoming romance, along with a contract taken out on Ryan’s life, and it’s clear that the detective has jumped out of the Sydney frying pan into the Barton fire.

What follows is an action-packed adventure, thrilling at every turn—where truth and lies are almost impossible to separate, and unexpected twists are the order of the day.

EXCERPT

As the night drew on, the rain poured down ever heavier, and the waves grew bigger and stronger.  They tossed the twenty-foot boat from side to side and up and down. The skipper had never been out in weather like this before. Nor had his friend. He was now clutching tight to the underside of his seat, his face green, his breathing labored.  

“Almost there,” the skipper yelled, though, in truth, neither had decided where there was.  They just needed to be a reasonable distance from the shore.

“This is fine,” his friend shouted back.  “Let’s do it.”

The skipper cut the engine. “You take the helm.”

His friend tried to stand but fell back as the boat rocked violently. He shook his head. “I can’t.”

Standing and releasing the wheel, the skipper leaned over, yanking the man to his feet. “Hold on,” he said, placing his friend’s hands on his shoulders and guiding him onto the captain’s seat. “Now, take it.”

His friend lurched forward, catching the spinning wheel and clutching it tightly.

“Don’t let go,” the skipper ordered.

 Leaning into the buffeting wind, the skipper set off for the stern. He reached the waterproof covering, stooped, and pulled the wrapping away. He tasted vomit rising in his mouth as he peered over at the lifeless body. Swallowing hard, he composed himself.  “What was that song?” the man thought. “Always look on the bright side of life.” He grabbed the dead man’s arms and yanked the corpse forward. He was much stronger and heavier than the corpse so he could slide it along the sodden wooden deck. Then, wrapping his arms around the dead man’s ribs, he heaved it up, balancing it on the side of the boat. One more push, and it would be over.  He stood, winded, and peered back through the rain up to the bow. Good, his friend was still holding tight to the wheel.

The skipper wrapped his arms around the corpse. Its head, which had been leaning back, lurched forward, knocking into his stomach. He tried to think of something else besides the cold dead eyes that were staring up at him. What about how lucky they had been? No one had seen them when they had set out. He smiled. So there it was. The bright side!

“Time to do this, ” he thought. Grabbing the cadaver’s legs tight, he tipped them forward, at the same time pushing hard. In one fluid movement, the corpse cleared the side of the boat, dropping into the churning ocean. It disappeared almost immediately, leaving no trace. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Clive Fleury is an award-winning writer of books and screenplays and has worked all over the world as a Film/TV director, writer and producer. He has written six books, most recently ‘All Or None’, the second novel in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series.

‘All Or None’ sees Detective Ryan back in the thick of things. His latest investigation into a mysterious death couldn’t come at a worse time. He discovers his mother is hiding a troubling secret and is further sidetracked by a new romance. Fans of who dunnit’s, crime thrillers, and cop and detective stories will love this novel. 

Clive’s other books include ‘Off Season’ – book one in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series; ‘Kill Code’ – a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world facing climate change;  ‘Scary Lizzy’  – a novel about an eight year old girl, who befriends an African child ghost –  and the teen action adventure book; ‘The Boy Next Door ‘ –  a story of what happens when a teenage girl has a crush on her next door neighbor, who isn’t all he seems.  He also co-wrote ‘Art Pengriffin and The Curse of The Four’ – a young adult fantasy adventure about a teenage boy who discovers his father was Merlin the Magician.

Website: https://clivefleurywriter.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clivefleury

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087136850713

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Review – Shadows Of The Missing by Lauren Carr @iReadBookTours @TheMysteryLadie #shadowsofthemissing

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GUEST POST

I am happy to have Lauren Carr on fundinmental today. Welcome, Lauren.

10 Reasons to Become a Murder Mystery Writer

By Lauren Carr

  1. You tried writing erotica, but things went seriously wrong during research and now your husband is in traction. Now, he refuses to help you do research for that genre anymore, so you need to find a genre that is less dangerous.

OR–

  • You have a really bad boss, but you can’t quit your job, so the only option you have is to kill him. But you don’t want to go to jail because—
    •  you’ll miss too much work,
    • and then you’ll get fired, in which case you might as well have quit your job instead of killing your boss.

Therefore, you need to kill your boss and know how to get away with it. You have come up with the perfect murder.

  • After having committed the perfect murder, you have to brag about it! But if you brag about it:
    • everyone will know you killed your boss,
    • and then you’ll go to jail,
    • and then you’ll miss too much work,
    • and get fired.

In which case, you might as well have quit your job instead of killing your boss. So, how do you brag about committing the perfect murder without getting caught? Become a mystery writer.

OR–

  • You want to be a detective, but your husband refuses to be married to a detective who will lure crazy revenge-seeking killers to your home because they will stain the carpet with blood and put bullet holes in the drywall. So, you’re murder mystery thinking is confined to your mind.

OR–

  • You’ve been hearing and seeing some strange things going on next door and you’ve been documenting it. Now that you’ve been going over your notes, you can see that this would make some really interesting reading!

OR–

  • You’re friend’s supposedly amicable divorce suddenly turned bad and you’re a really good friend. Really good friends don’t just help you move—they help you move the body. After all the research you’ve done to help her, why not publish it to help others?

OR–

  • You’re a psychopath, but the sight of blood and gore in real life makes you queasy. So you can only be a psychopath in your own mind.
  • You’re a psychopath, but you’re sane enough to know that if you act on it that you’ll go to jail & you don’t want to go to jail.

OR—

  • The economy is hurting everyone—even the mob—who has cut back on your hours as a paid assassin. So, you might as well put what you know to work in another forum—murder mystery writing.

OR–

The economy is hurting everyone—even the mob—who has cut back on your hours as a paid assassin. So, you might as well put what you know to work in another forum—murder mystery writing.

OR– Just in case your husband suddenly turns up missing, you need to a reasonable explanation for why you have been visiting all these strange websites.

I love the post. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.


MY REVIEW

If you are a mystery lover, you can’t go wrong with a Lauren Carr novel.

Shadows Of The Missing by Lauren Carr is a mystery on steroids. She blends the whodunit with suspense and thrills, making it hard to stop reading. I love the Geezer Squad and Chris Matheson. I love when secrets are exposed. We all know, you can’t run from your past. It follows you wherever you go.

The further into the book I get, the more the suspense rises and the pace picks up. There are multiple story lines and many suspects. It had me wondering what they all had in common and how the mystery would be solved.

There are a lot of characters and a list of them are in the front of the book. I have been reading Lauren Carr’s books for a long time now, so I am familiar with a lot of them.

My thanks go out to Lauren Carr for the opportunity to read and review Shadows Of The Missing.

4 Stars

Book Details:

Book Title:  SHADOWS OF THE MISSING (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #5) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 434 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   May 5, 2026
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Are you into murder mysteries? Then look at Lauren Carr’s books if you want a cold case to unpack and enjoy. Then her latest series, “Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery,” is an excellent series to get your fix or bite into.” – 5-Star Review by Nightime Reading Center

“The Geezer Squad. They might not be in their prime physically anymore, but their combined intellect and skills at deduction are phenomenal.” – 5-Star Review by FUONLYKNEW

“Lauren Carr’s Geezer Squad has brought sexy back to mature men and women, whose kickass attitude and smarts sizzle as they melt the clues to those cold cases!” – Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads


Book Description:

In the shadows of the missing, the truth lies buried.

Helen Clarke-Matheson believed she had escaped the shadows of her past, building a new life with Chris. But the past has a way of resurfacing, and when her sister arrives with a DNA test, Helen’s world is once again turned upside down. Her sister shattered the family history Helen believed to be true. Her young father hadn’t abandoned his family, and her delusional mother didn’t wander away from her children.
Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, a quirky team of retired seasoned sleuths working under the guise of a book club, are drawn into a deeply personal investigation. They must wade through decades of buried secrets and conflicting accounts to uncover the truth behind the parents’ disappearances. As they peel back the layers of deception to unravel long-forgotten clues, they confront the lingering specter of murder and long-hidden crimes. Can they piece together the fragments of the past to bring closure to Helen and her siblings, or will the truth remain buried forever?

Buy the Book:
(available for pre-order)
Amazon
BookBub
add to goodreads

Enjoy These Other Geezer Squad Mysteries:


Book Details:

Book Title:  CHRIS MATHESON COLD CASE MYSTERIES BOX SET (Book 1 thru 4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 434 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Oct 5, 2025
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Book Description:

Dive into the thrilling Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries with this exclusive box set, featuring the first four books in Lauren Carr’s bestselling series! Join retired FBI agent Chris Matheson and his quirky “Geezer Squad” as they unravel chilling cold cases, blending razor-sharp suspense, laugh-out-loud humor, and small-town charm. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, detective thrillers, and gripping whodunits, this collection delivers over 1,000 pages of heart-pounding investigations.
What’s Inside:
  • ICE: Chris Matheson’s first case pulls him into a web of betrayal and murder tied to a decades-old disappearance.
  • Winter Frost: A chance encounter with his late wife, alive—years after the State Department declared her dead in a terrorist attack—shatters Chris’s world.
  • The Last Thing She Said: A cryptic dying message sparks a race against time to catch a killer hiding in plain sight.
  • Chris Crossed Murder: When a body clutching Chris Matheson’s federal agent badge is found dead in the snowy woods near an international airport, the Geezer Squad’s Christmas turns into a chilling whodunit.
Why You’ll Love It:
  • Compelling Characters: From Chris’s sharp detective mind to the Geezer Squad’s eccentric antics, every page brims with personality.
  • Twist-Filled Plots: Expect jaw-dropping surprises and clever red herrings that keep you guessing until the end.
  • Kindle Unlimited Ready: Binge-read this addictive series with your KU subscription or own it forever!
With over 500,000 books sold across her series, Lauren Carr crafts mysteries that hook you from the first clue to the final reveal. Ideal for readers of The Thursday Murder Club and fans craving witty, fast-paced crime fiction. Grab this Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries Box Set today and start sleuthing!

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible 
add to goodreads


Book Details:

Book Title: ICE  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  364 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  February 26, 2018
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat…I love the way Lauren spun this novel – I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!” 5-Star Review by Carla at Working Mommy Journal

Book Description:
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. 

With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!


Book Details:

Book Title: Winter Frost  (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #2) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  332 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  January 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Filled with twists and turns, Winter Frost reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, although it is part of a series. The author creates tension and suspense throughout by keeping the reader guessing; she keeps readers engaged with well fleshed out characters and a dash of humor. Sterling, the retired German Shepherd police dog turned card shark, is a new favorite. As the story flows, the truth unfolds, layer by layer, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

“Winter Frost was an entertaining, at times humorous read with suspense, some surprises, and even cute animals in the mix.” Review of Winter Frost by The iRead Review
Book Description:
It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.

Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas. 

Nothing is as it seems. 

In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  386 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   July 22, 2019
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Too many twists and turns to easily share about this book. Nevertheless, Carr has pulled off another “hit” that kept me reading in one setting until the clues were so well together that the villain fell into our laps…or Chris’s, LOL Carr has put a lot into the book beyond the mysteries this time…Characters enjoyed chocotinis, visited book stores…and even blundered into getting engaged (the ring had been purchased 4 months ago)… But, for me, a special thank you for the political spoof at a time when politics at the national level is devastating, gave me a laugh and lightened the load of it all!” – Review by Glenda Bixler, Book Reader’s Heaven
Book Description:
“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.

For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads

Book Details:

Book Title:  Chris Crossed Murder (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Carr is a master at creating unique, complex plots and colorful characters, both evident in her latest cold case mystery featuring  Chris Matheson and the geezer squad. The plot is twisted, the mystery unique and the ending a surprise. A must-read!” – Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Marilyn R. Wilson, Author, Speaker, Book Reviewer

“Lauren Carr is among my favorite mystery writers. She knows how to write a fun tale while keeping readers engaged. …I would give Chris Crossed Murder one hundred stars if I could. I believe readers who enjoy reading well-written and clean cozy mysteries will most definitely want to read it. I have no doubt they will enjoy it as much as I did. The fifth installment from A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series is on my radar for when it releases.” – Review of CHRIS CROSSED MURDER (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery, Book Four) by Amy Campbell, Locks Hooks and Books
Book Description:
It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.

With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
Audible
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads


Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the author of over thirty acclaimed mystery novels, with more than half a million copies sold worldwide. Her fast-paced series—the Mac Faraday Mysteries, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and more—blend twists, suspense, humor, and unforgettable characters (including clever German shepherds!).
 
It’s Murder, My Son organically hit #1 in Mystery on Amazon, and her books consistently rank in the Top 20 Police Procedurals in the US and international markets.
 
A popular speaker and publishing consultant, Lauren lives on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV, with her husband and three spoiled rotten German shepherds.
Join the mystery at authorlaurencarr.com!

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X/twitter ~ pinterest ~ goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:
SHADOWS OF THE MISSING by Lauren Carr Book Review Tour Giveaway



MY LAUREN CARR REVIEWS

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Review – The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R Patch @jessicarpatch #jessicarpatch #thegirlupstairs

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am still amazed that I only recently came across Jessica R Patch. She is a prolific writer and her books fit in perfectly on my book shelf. She has now become an automatic read whenever I see one of her books available.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is a mess, so, WTH, why not buy a rundown house in Cold Harbor, Maine…that is in dire need of a renovation? Their marriage could use an overhaul too. Immediately we are drawn in to drafty rooms and music playing, yet no one is there.

I was immersed in the ominous mystery. The pacing kept the suspense rising, the further into the book I got. The twists and turns gave me many aha moments, sometimes wondering why I didn’t see that coming. That is how good Jessica R Patch’s stories are. She sneaks those nuggets of emotional turmoil below the obvious, amazing me as she delivers blow after blow to Gwen. The danger rises and there are those who will do anything to stop the secrets being exposed. I didn’t know whether to race through the pages to find out what happens, or relax and enjoy the journey.

Many thanks go out to NetGalley, Harlequin, and Jessica R Patch for the opportunity to read The Girl Upstairs.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

he bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park, is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood underneath.

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and the Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

  • Genre: Christian, Fiction, Halloween, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense
  • 384 pages, Paperback
  • Expected publication April 28, 2026 by Love Inspired Trade

ABOUT JESSICA R PATCH

Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest / BookBub

MY JESSICA R PATCH REVIEWS

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Review – Damaged: Life. Death. Memory. Uncertainty @MichaelGeczi #damaged

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read some of Michael Geczi’s work and enjoyed his stories very much, so I was excited to get a glimpse of his new novel, Damaged: Life. Death. Memory. Uncertainty.

Shay Landon, a former Special Agent In Charge of the Minneapolis Field Office had been on leave for nine months, following the death of his partner. People had told Jacoby Overton, the new Special Agent In Charge, that Shay had a talent for seeing things others didn’t, so he was hoping his return to work would be fortuitous.

Michael Geczi delves into some difficult issues. The mind is a complex organ and it works hard to protect itself. Shay Landon will find himself in some uncertain situations. Can he trust that his memories are true? He works hard to hide the issues that are plaguing him. I was right there at his side as he struggles….

I’m not sure how I thought the story would end, but I didn’t see that coming. In hindsight, it seems obvious and that’s all I’m saying. Well done, Michael.

My thanks go out to Michael Geczi for the opportunity to review Damaged: Life. Death. Memory. Uncertainty.

 

4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

“Damaged.” Life. Death. Memory. Uncertainty.

Perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Tana French.

Shay Landon, former SAC at the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, has wrapped up nine months of mandatory leave following the death of his former partner and Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

In theory, time well spent on counseling, rest, and confronting discrepancies in his recollections of the death of his colleague, compared with the official record. In reality, trapped in therapy, lying to his doctors and his wife, second‑guessed by the Bureau, and haunted by a version of events no one else seems to share.

Today is scheduled to be his first day back at the office – not as the boss any longer, but in a special consulting role. No gun, no command, no field work. Just “analysis.” He kisses his wife, Cara, goodbye, heads into the dark garage to get in his car, and readies himself for his new beginning.

It’s too soon, however. He’s not ready. The world has tilted.

And there are mirrors everywhere reflecting back on him.

  • Genre: Fiction, Police Procedural, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 208 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published March 5, 2026 by Tierra Buena Publishing

ABOUT MICHAEL GECZI (from Amazon)

Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY MICHAEL GECZI REVIEWS

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Review – No Passengers by Elainie La Force #elainielaforce #nopassengers

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Innocent until proven guilty? Not so with Anastasia Pestova.

No Passengers by Elainie La Force is a fast paced fugitive thriller novella and I raced through the pages. There was a sense of urgency as Anastasia went on the run.

No Passengers is the introduction to the Displaced series and sets the tone. I do love conspiracies and trying to unravel the intricacies before the author exposes the villains. Because the novella is so short, it’s hard to get lost in the plot with a quick read like No Passengers, though I did ‘enjoy’ my time with Anastasia and would consider spending more time with the series.

 

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Twenty hours to disappear. One mistake could be fatal.

Anastasia Pestova is a quiet teller at the Bank of Moscow, in a city that doesn’t notice if she breathes. But when millions of rubles vanish through her terminal, she is suddenly the centre of a money laundering conspiracy.

A frantic tip-off offers a harrowing lifeline. But to take it, Anastasia must shed her identity and slip through a dragnet of watchful eyes.

With authorities watching the gates and her passport flagged at every checkpoint, she has less than twenty hours to do the impossible. One mistake, and it will be her last. And even if she succeeds, her ordeal is only beginning.

Note to Readers: No Passengers is the entry book for the series DISPLACED, introducing Anastasia Pestova before her life changes forever. It is an 18,000-word escape on-the-run thriller, designed to be devoured in one sitting.
This edition now includes an additional sequel short story.

  • Genre: Fiction, Novella, Suspense, Thriller
  • 83 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published February 3, 2026
  • Series: Displaced #1

ABOUT ELAINIE LA FORCE

Elainie La Force is a St. Lucian author whose love for storytelling began at six years old. Her mother, an elementary school teacher, nurtured her imagination early by constantly gifting her fiction books.

Elainie wrote her first short story in first grade; a hilarious confession about how she stole fish from her mother’s pan. The story was pinned to the school board for months and became a running joke among teachers. Using her mother’s teaching supplies at home, she stapled blank sheets together to create her own “toy” books as a child.

As an isolated teenager, writing became both escape and exploration. She filled notebooks with short stories, children’s tales, poetry, and eventually songs. At fifteen, she achieved her first publication with a poem titled “Where We Come From,” featured in a youth magazine subsidiary of The Voice newspaper. Though she later pursued business studies and began working in accounting, her creativity never disappeared.

In her early twenties, she stepped into music, sharing original songs online and collaborating locally, eventually earning songwriter recognition and hearing her work on radio. But despite experimenting with songwriting and co-production, prose remained her first love.

After nearly a decade away from fiction, she returned to her novels in 2023 with renewed clarity. In 2026, she released the novella No Passengers on Amazon Kindle, an “accidental” fugitive escape story born from a simple question about how her protagonist became who she was. Within two days of release, the novella hit two Amazon Best Sellers lists in New Releases.

Today, she balances a multifaceted life as an occasional songwriter and a full-time accountant pursuing her ACCA/Master’s degree, while steadily completing and publishing the stories she once kept to herself. She intends to publish about fifty books in her lifetime, both novellas and full length novels. She describes her writing process as instinctive and free-flowing, guided by the narrative rather than confining herself to genre and excessive plotting.

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5 Star Review – A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout @JLArmentrout #blueboxpress #ashadowintheember

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A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In this whacked out world we live in, I can sure use a break, an escape, and I can think of no better way than to enter a fantasy world. A world of riveting, engrossing Flesh And Fire in A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout. I spent two unforgettable days in Seraphena’s world, an enemies to lovers, spicy fantasy romance.

Serephena is a Princess, but she isn’t treated like one. Her life is not her own. She is the Chosen. A Consort. An assassin. A weapon. In her own eyes she considers herself a monster, willing to sacrifice herself to save others. Of course there is a prophecy, but who knows what kind of games the gods are playing.

She is promised to the Primal of Death, Ash if you are close to him. When he denied her, Serephena thought all was lost. She had been touched by Life and Death. She is reckless, but mighty with the Shadowblade she always carries. She is fearless and I love their lively banter.

I will warn you. Make sure you have plenty of time before you crack open A Shadow In The Ember, because, if you are like me, once you start you won’t want to stop. Sure, some things are predictable, but there is plenty of fresh and original twists and turns.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to review A Shadow In The Ember by Jennifer L Armentrout.

 

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort.   

However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot. 

Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.

  • Genre: Enemires To Lovers, Fantasy, Fiction, Fantasy Romance, New Adult, Romantasy, Spicy
  • 647 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published October 19, 2021 by Blue Box Press
  • Series: Flesh & Fire #1, Blood & Ash #4

ABOUT JENNIFER L ARMENTROUT

Hey Guys! Please note: I don’t send out ARCs for review. If you’re interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.

To email me, please use the below addy.
jenniferlarmentrout@live.com

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

Website

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Review – The Handyman By Britney King @britneyking_ #thehandyman #hotbananapress

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The Handyman: A Psychological Thriller by Britney King

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The excellent cover of The Handyman by Britney King sure fits the story inside. I have read a lot of Britney King’s work and she can spin a psychological tale that makes your head spin, wondering who is who and what is what. I gladly hopped onto the crazy train.

Marin makes a drastic and dark decision when she finds out her boyfriend doesn’t love her any more and has been cheating on her. She believes she can change his mind. She kidnaps him, taking him out to the country and locking him in her basement, telling everyone he is ill.

Luke, a fixer, caught me off guard. He uses his hammer for more than hitting a nail on the head.

Alternately between Marin and Luke’s points of view, the story unfolds at a rapid pace.

If you are like me, once you get lost in The Handyman by Britney King, you won’t be able to stop reading. Gripping. Riveting. Jaw dropping surprises that are sure to leave you guessing….how will the story end. Mind officially blown.

I want to thank Britney King and Hot Banana Press for the opportunity to review The Handyman.

 

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

    From bestselling author Britney King comes a hypnotic and terrifying psychological thriller about a man held hostage in a remote location by the “love of his life”—aka the woman he refuses to marry.

    She only wants one thing:
 for him to love her the way he used to.

    When her boyfriend hesitates to propose—and then cheats instead of leaving—she decides the relationship needs structure. Space. Consequences. A reset. Retreating to an isolated house in the countryside feels like the responsible choice. A place where distractions disappear and commitment can finally take root.

    He doesn’t see it that way.

    At least not at first.

    To the outside world, the man in her basement is her ill husband—too fragile for one of those homes, she explains. She’s devoted. Patient. Doing the work. No one asks too many questions.

    Enter Luke.

    Luke fixes problems.

    Not the kind you call the police about.

    The kind people quietly hope someone else will handle.

    When he takes a job renovating an isolated country house, he knows something is wrong immediately. The work requests are about privacy, sound, containment. The woman who hired him is calm, polite, and lying badly.

    He doesn’t intervene.

    As Luke works, he watches her devotion harden into something stranger—and far more interesting. When he realizes her plan is flawed, he doesn’t stop it. He improves it. Suggests a way to make her boyfriend jealous. Engaged. Afraid of losing her.

    It works.

    What begins as an experiment turns into alignment. What looks like obsession becomes efficiency. And as lines are crossed—quietly, rationally—Luke understands the truth before she does:

    Some relationships aren’t meant to be saved.

    They’re meant to be replaced.

    Darkly funny, unsettling, and compulsively readable, The Handyman is a psychological thriller about love, control, and what happens when the wrong person decides to help. Perfect for fans of You, Misery, and The Housemaid, this is a story that dares you to root for the solution—even when you know it’s wrong.

    • Genre: Fiction, Noir Crime, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
    • 308 pages, Kindle Edition
    • Published March 19, 2026 by Hot Banana Press

    ABOUT BRITNEY KING

    Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, a dog named Gatsby, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a peach tree.

    When she’s not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes psychological, domestic and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.

    Without a doubt, she thinks connecting with readers is the best part of this gig. You can find Britney online here:

    MY BRITNEY KING REVIEWS

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    Review – Heiress Of Nowhere by Stacy Lee @staceyleeauthor #heiressofnowhere #netgalley

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    Amazon / Goodreads

    MY REVIEW

    It’s 1918. We’re on Orcas Island in Washington state with Lucy Nowhere. We have a seal head here, a seal head there, and a human head that adds to the mystery. There are so many suspects, I need a murder board to flush out the killer. I love when an author throws red herrings into the mystery. It makes my mind work overtime trying to find the killer myself, before the author does the reveal.

    I love the connection Lucy had with the orcas. Many townfolk thought they were to blame for the seal heads and murders.

    When Lucy’s benefactor dies, she finds she has inherited the island. Is she in danger? She has two romantic interests that are keeping their eye on her.

    All things considered, I did enjoy my time on Orcas Island and feel you might too.

    My thanks go out to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Heiress To Nowhere.

    3 Stars

    GOODREADS BLURB

    An orphan races to uncover a killer—who may have come from the sea—when she and her beloved orcas fall under suspicion in this “atmospheric…beguiling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) historical gothic mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl, Stacey Lee.

    1918. Orcas Island, Washington.

    Lucy Nowhere has spent her eighteen years working on the vast estate of the eccentric shipbuilder who took her in after she washed ashore in a green canoe as a baby. But she has long wished for a life off the island, and in a matter of days, she is set to leave for college—and, for the first time, choose her own future.

    Then she finds her employer’s severed head on the beach. Rumors swirl that a mischievous spirit and its minions, the sea wolves, have struck again. Lucy doesn’t believe in myths. She knows that a human—a human murderer—killed him. And when she is unexpectedly named heiress to the estate, she understands the next target is her.

    Her closest friend, the estate’s vigilant young guard, begs her to escape while she can. But Lucy knows the only way she can discover who she is, and free the island of its curse, is to find the real killer—before she becomes the next victim.

    • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Gothic, Historical Fiction, Gothic, Mystery
    • 400 pages, Kindle Edition
    • Expected publication March 17, 2026 by Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

    ABOUT STACY LEE

    Stacey Lee is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL, Reese’s Book Club Late Summer 2021 YA pick, and her most recent, LUCK OF THE TITANIC which received five starred reviews. A native of southern California and fourth-generation Chinese American, she is a founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement and writes stories for all kids (even the ones who look like adults). Find her
    @staceyleeauthor on Instagram and Twitter, and @staceylee.author on Facebook.

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    Review – The Loura Lure by James McMahon #jamesmcmahon #thelouralure #AustinMacauleyPublishers

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    Amazon / Goodreads

    MY REVIEW

    The Loura Lure by James McMahon appealed to me because of the elements included in the blurb. Dr Shamus Bergin gets work as a Staff Psychologist in the Secure Treatment Unit of a mental hospital. He is drawn to an amnesiac patient that others have written off. Dr Shamus Bergin had his doubts about whether he should even be there.

    As he investigates the patient’s background, he finds he is blocked at every turn. The patient tells him that he has time traveled from a forgotten Age of Loura looking for members of The Sacred Order Of Keepers to help him locate the last living angel. Once I read about the last living angel, I knew I had to find out more.

    Shamus decides he will take a leap of faith and do what he can to help the patient, Erladok.

    The Loura Lure by James McMahon starts out a bit slow and fills the pages with many details, laying a foundation for future books. The more I learned about Erladok, the more curious I became. I can hardly wait to see what is to come in the next book.

    4 Stars

    GOODREADS BLURB

    Dr. Shamus Bergin lands a coveted position of Staff Psychologist in the Secure Treatment Unit of a mental hospital right out of school. He is soon vexed by an amnesiac patient who defies clinical diagnosis and whom every other doctor has written off. Inconsistencies about the man’s origins intersect with Shamus’s own doubts that the patient even belongs in an institution.

    As his own investigation continues to be met with redacted files and evasion from governmental agencies, the doctor-patient relationship suddenly undergoes a radical shift. The patient discloses that he has time travelled from a forgotten Age of Loura to seek help from modern day members of The Sacred Order of Keepers to find the last living angel. Only the angel can turn the tide in the ultimate struggle between good and evil in this deliberately erased timeline 20,000 years in the past. With his parents tragically lost in a boating accident a decade earlier, Shamus must turn to his one true friend, Dr. John Browse, to make sense of the voices within which are calling him to action.

    With career and grip on sanity at stake, Shamus must decide whether he has succumbed to the delusions of a sick mind or whether he should take a leap of faith and help the man achieve his mission.

    • Genre: Angels, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural
    • 358 pages, Paperback
    • Published February 2, 2024 by Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

    ABOUT JAMES MCMAHON

    James is a lawyer, inventor, musician and life-long student of the Martial Arts. He and his family travel extensively and share a love for all things ancient. This first book in the series is inspired by an enduring curiosity about the lives lived, and the struggles overcome by ancient societies whose legacies continue to defy modern understanding.ames is a lawyer, inventor, musician and lifelong student of the martial arts.

    Walk amidst the dolmens and stone circles of old and hear the whispers of those who lived there. Magic was everywhere!

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