I Love The Villain – Vow of Silence by Chris Patchell @chris_patchell

Posted on February 19, 2018 by fundinmental

Underground Tombs – A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham @heathergraham

Posted on December 28, 2017 by fundinmental

Uh oh. I don’t like tight spaces, but it looks like I will have to get over it in order to read A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham…and I will.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

There is never any doubt, when it comes to Heather Graham, that I will grab her book without hesitation. Even a bad book by Heather Graham is a good book and I would definitely recommend A Perfect Obsession.

Kieran Finnegan, a psychologist, also works at the family pub and shares a bed with her FBI guy, Craig Frasier. He knows to keep tabs on her because trouble seems to find her…or does she find it?

A model/actress was murdered just around the corner from Finnegan’s, but nobody thought it was connected to the family…until her brother, Kevin, told her his secret.

Someone wanted her found.

“Living art.”

It’s easy to figure out that Kieran is Irish. She has three brothers. They are quick to defend and protect her, since she’s prone to finding trouble to get into.

We have a headstrong woman, a hunky cop, mystery and dead bodies on display in mausoleums that haven’t seen the light of day in decades, but…

I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m just not getting into this like I do most of her work. Am I having an off day? Or is it because it’s an ARC and will be tidied up before publishing. I think it will get better. You’ll need to check out A Perfect Obsession to figure it out for yourself.

I feel on edge. I keep thinking…waiting…for “the moment”…when the monster reaches out from under the bed and grabs me.

Heather has created a sense of menace from the serial killer. I can’t put my finger on the villain. Have I met him?

Uh Oh. I think I know who it is and we have a big problem.

I started out having a hard time getting into the story. I don’t know why. It has all the elements I require for a thrilling read. I rarely give up on a book, and I sure wasn’t going to give up on a Heather Graham book. And it is worth sticking with. As usual, she leaves me wanting more and I can hardly wait to pick up another one of her stories.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Someone is murdering beautiful young women in the New York area and displaying them in mausoleums and underground tombs. The FBI is handling the case, with Special Agent Craig Frasier as lead.

Kieran Finnegan, forensic psychologist and part owner of Finnegan’s, her family’s pub, is consulting on the case. Craig and Kieran are a couple who’ve worked together on more than one occasion. On this occasion, though, Craig fears for the safety of the woman he loves. Because the killer is too close. The body of a young model is found in a catacomb under a two-hundred-year-old church, now deconsecrated and turned into a nightclub. A church directly behind Finnegan’s in lower Manhattan.

As more women are murdered, their bodies discovered in underground locations in New York, it’s clear that the police and the FBI are dealing with a serial killer. Craig and Kieran are desperate to track down the murderer, a man obsessed with female perfection. Obsessed enough to want to “preserve” that beauty by destroying the women who embody it”.

ABOUT HEATHER GRAHAM

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube

MY HEATHER GRAHAM REVIEWS

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Paralyzed By Fear – Four by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

Posted on December 21, 2017 by fundinmental

Jane Blythe has become a must read author for me. I don’t know how she escaped my attention before I started blogging, but you are in my sights now, Jane.

If you are a romantic suspense lover, these are must reads for your TBR.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

I have been reading the Count to Ten series by Jane Blythe and I am so happy to be back with old friends and meeting new ones. Each story of the series focuses on a particular couple with supporting characters playing their roles. These romantic suspense novels stand alone, but I believe once you start, you won’t be able to stop, so I recommend beginning at the beginning.

I’m back with Jack Xander and we have another dead body. It’s murder!

I love his trusty sidekick Rose.

Jack and Rose are a great team. He has a calming presence and a way to get the most out of the victim’s and witnesses and I love that she deals with the suspects.

He seemed to want a family, yet was haunted by something in his past, keeping him from having a meaningful relationship. She is happy go lucky, enjoying the single life.

Laura is agoraphobic and has spent the last ten years of her life in her apartment, cut off from the outside world…by choice. I know where this is going, but Jane Blythe’s writing draws me in, letting the creepiness and suspense build.

I love the cast of characters that hold each other up when they need support and kick some ass when they are in danger.

The villain…Ooooo I love that evil mofo too. Cocky, sneaky, elusive and bold. How he’ll get the one he wants is a frightening climb to the ultimate goal…her death…and there are those determined to stop him.

I had a couple problems with a characters actions, but, hey, ya never know what you’ll do til you walk in their shoes.

A sense of menace permeates every page…lurking….creating an overwhelming sense of anticipation. I know the shit will hit the fan, I just don’t know when and how. I love the edge of my seat reading, faster and faster fly the words, because I can hardly wait to get there.

I may need a tissue to finish this.

I love damaged characters that rise to the occasion. I love the dark and disturbing, and Jane Blythe is happy to oblige. I love an author jerking my chain, making me know I don’t have all the answers and I was brought up short when the action reached its zenith.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Four by Jane Blythe.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Detective Jack Xander and his partner are investigating the sudden spate of crimes at an apartment building, but every time they think they’re making progress another assault leads them in a completely different direction. As they hunt for the killer’s real target Jack is about to come face to face with someone from his past he thought he’d never set eyes on again.

Ten years ago Laura Opal endured a four day long ordeal that left her broken and traumatized. But the men who hurt her were caught, tried, found guilty and imprisoned, so what’s happening in her apartment building doesn’t have anything to do with her. She’s sure of it.

** Warning: Graphic violence and themes of sexual assault/abuse **

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Jane has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series, Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.

When she’s not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Going Covert in Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase @JChaseNovelist @pumpupyourbook

Posted on November 16, 2017 by fundinmental

We’re really excited to be part of Jennifer Chase’s DEAD COLD Blog Tour!

Fabulous cover for a fabulous story!

Title: DEAD COLD
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 326
Genre: Crime Thriller

MY REVIEW

WHOA. Why haven’t I read any Jennifer Chase and Emily Stone? I cannot say how excited I am now remedying that! Intense from the very beginning. The writing went where I wasn’t expecting and I love it. I can hardly wait to see what other surprises await me.

I took a break from murderous mayhem and serial killers, for a short while. All the books started to run together, but I felt right at home when I began reading Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase. Made me wonder why I ever took a break.

Emily and her partner, Rick Lopez, work outside the law, but they use all the skills they had learned in their time with the federal government to pursue criminals. Rick loved Emily and hunting the bad guys with her. They are so much more than partners. They are friends and lovers too.

Emily is like a female Sherlock Holmes. She is patient, meticulous, methodical, a natural when it comes to profiling. But she does have a bit of a problem with surveillance. She wants to go right for the take down. There is absolutely nothing Emily wouldn’t do to accomplish her goal, to save a life, to rescue a friend. Instincts, intuition, deductive reasoning, step by step, piece by piece, she weaves together the facts and data. Each piece of evidence is a part of the puzzle. Then…

She looks death in the eye and spits at it.

They are covert, letting the cops take the credit while vanishing into thin air when they arrive.

Now her sights are set on a serial killer she dubbed the Ice Puzzler.

Jordan is her go to guy for information they can’t get on the own. He’s smart, playful, fun and annoying. I smiled at his antics. When he meets Gunner, he insists he is not a dog guy, but Gunner adopts him. Rick is antagonistic to Jordan. Do they need to put ‘it’ on the table and measure? Is he jealous, threatened? Does Rick have a reason to be concerned about Jordan’s feeling for Emily?

Oh man. A shift of perspective. Right at a crucial moment. One minute I was with Emily and Rick, and Emily is in deep danger, then I was pulled away to be with Detective Daniel Starr. Now I have to wait…to see what comes next. A great way to build suspense and anticipation and I love it.

Uh oh. Kayla cannot let sleeping dogs lie and is persistent in her pursuit of Emily. I can understand it, but I think nothing good can come of it. You’ll need to read the book to find out who Kayla is and what becomes of her.

Enter HER. Who is SHE? What does SHE have to do with anything? Other than being a sad and damaged woman with some very serious issues?

I feel empathy for the villain. I sometimes find myself rooting as much for the villain as the hero. I just can’t seem to help myself. It takes some fantastic writing to make that happen.

Told from multiple perspectives, there’s an underlying mystery running. I’m deciphering the implications and coming up with my own conclusion. Let’s see if I’m right.

As the pieces come together Jennifer Chase delivers a surprise or two or three. She created a wonderful feeling of suspense, and anticipation. My eagerness to find out kept me reading at a rapid pace, but I told myself to slow down…I wanted to savor each delicious morsel of Dead Cold. Danger oozes off the pages. Action and intrigue overwhelm me. Love everything about it. Can’t get enough of it. I need more!

For more fun, be sure and check out her bio.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase.

5 Stars

What happens when one California community has a disturbing spike in homicides? It catapults cops into a deadly game of murder. Frozen human body parts hideously displayed at the crime scenes offers a horrifying interpretation that only a sadistic serial killer could design—and execute.

On the hunt for a complex serial killer, vigilante detective Emily Stone must face her most daring case yet. Stone’s proven top-notch profiling skills and forensic expertise may not be enough this time.

Young and ambitious, Detective Danny Starr, catches the homicide cases and discovers that it will test everything he knows about police work and the criminal mind. Can he handle these escalating cases or will the police department have to call in reinforcements—the FBI.

Emily Stone’s covert team pushes with extreme urgency to unravel the grisly clues, while keeping their identities hidden from the police. With one last-ditch effort, Stone dangles someone she loves as bait to draw out the killer. She then forces the killer out of their comfort zone with her partner Rick Lopez, and with help from a longtime friend Jordan Smith. A revelation of the serial killer’s identity leaves the team with volatile emotions that could
destroy them.

The killer continues to taunt and expertly manipulate the police, as well as Stone’s team, and as they run out of time—they leave behind everyone and everything—in Dead Cold.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

ESCAPE WAS IMPOSSIBLE. TEARS STREAMED down her face as she sat in the darkness and waited for the man to return. There was no other choice—but to wait.

She hadn’t eaten anything in three days and had only a limited amount of water—her strength continued to fade with every hour. With her wrists and ankles secured with duct tape, her skin stung with pain every time she struggled to move. At least the man had peeled the tape from her eyes and mouth so that she could see something besides pitch-blackness.

Even if she could escape, the only way to safety was jumping into the frigid water, but she could not swim and would drown before ever reaching the shore.

The only thing thirteen-year-old Kayla Swanson thought about was home. Fond memories flashed through her mind of her parents, her little brother, and her dog Charlie. She was never going to see them again. Their smiling faces were forever etched in Kayla’s mind, and she constantly held them close to her heart.

The boat rocked, and seemed to sway more violently as the tide flooded in and out of the harbor. Kayla could hear a consistent clanking noise above her as the boat rolled back and forth. The sound had a hypnotic quality, and kept her mind on something else besides when the man would return and what he would do next.

Her lips were dry and cracked as she bordered on dehydration.

Even her tears dried on her cheeks, leaving her skin stiff and drawn. Her body began to shake, not only from fear, but also because of the extreme exhaustion and the constant dampness all around her.

The boat rocked more, but this time it shifted from the opposite sides. Kayla heard soft footsteps above, which she knew wasn’t her captor’s heavy walk. She strained her eyes in the darkness and thought she saw a thin shadow stealthily move along the upper deck.

Was it a ghost?

Kayla remembered a television series where a team of people hunted ghosts and they had said that ghosts could occupy any type of space, house, property, and even a boat.

She blinked her eyes several times and hoped that she could catch a glimpse of the ghost again. With every ounce of declining strength, Kayla scooted her body closer to the narrow stairs leading to the upper deck.

Painfully craning her neck, she strained to see something up in the darkness.

The dark shadowed areas played tricks on her eyes—it was there, then it wasn’t.

She waited for several minutes.

Nothing appeared.

The only sounds she heard were the usual boat noises she had grown accustomed to hearing. Whatever she thought she heard was gone now. It was most likely her imagination trying to give her some hope and a few moments break from her dire circumstances.

As she relaxed her shoulders and leaned back against the wall, the reality of her world pressing down hard. Tears streamed down her face. She tasted the saltiness that settled around her mouth. Her last moments were approaching, and there was nothing she could do.

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning crime fiction author and consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

Her latest book is the crime thriller, Dead Cold.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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One + One = Three by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

Posted on June 19, 2017 by fundinmental

Jayne Blythe is a fabulous author who writes some chillin’ and thrillin’ serial killer novels.

Three by Jane Blythe has a cover that blends with the others creating a brand. Scroll to the bottom to see what I mean.

Check this beauty out, done by Amy Queau, and let me know what ya think.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Warning: ** All Jane’s books contain issues of sexual assault **.

I love when I am hooked early, anticipating the worst with each ‘turn of the page.’

Excited to bring together vicious killers from One and Two, culminating in a big fat delicious Three.

HE loves the thrill of killing newlyweds, couples, leaving one alive to tell the tale. The more vicious the attack, the better. Brutal, savage killing. Blood and body parts flying every which way.

SHE is a teenage virgin, but uses sex to lure in her victims. How sick is that? Killing is her purpose in life. Kill the cheaters, thinks Isabella Everette.

Sofia is recovering from Isabella’s attack and loving on her hunky Detective boyfriend, Ryan Xander. They each have their baggage, but have found they are stronger together.

The two serial killers have left a trail of bodies in their wake, but now they are home…

I know one thing. If I were Sofia or Annabelle, Ricky’s significant other, I would not be alone. I have read enough horror, of one kind or another, to know I’d at least have me some fierce looking dogs at my side. Some trained, mean and deadly ones.

The women are severely damaged, emotionally and physically and I like having the thought they will rise to the occasion when cornered. I look forward to finding out.

I am trying to ‘see’ where Jane Blythe is going with these deadly serial killers. I know certain things will have to happen…and no, I’m not telling you what.

And then…Sofia’s stalker returns. That is a story in itself. That is the bigger mystery to me. I have yet to figure out who it is!

Each character share their point of view, and I like seeing events unfold through each person’s eyes. And…as the characters come together…so do the serial killers. The action rises to a white knuckled ending that had me racing through the pages. I knew a lot of bodies would fall, but I never saw it going down the way it did.

I love delving into a killer’s mind and there’s something extra interesting about serial killers. Their thoughts and actions, even when fiction, fascinate me. I love when the author takes me to a dark, brutal and savage place, and Jane surely does that in the twisted series, of which I have read One, Two, and Three.

WOW! Action packed thrills and chills, blood and guts fly, and the killers carry their acts to the extreme. No one is safe, yet I am happy to be here.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Three by Jane Blythe

5 Stars

GOODREADS

He targets couples, attacking them in their bed, killing one and leaving the other alive.

She targets wealthy businessmen, luring them to a hotel and drowning them.

When the two killers meet up a wild killing spree erupts.

** All my books contain issues of sexual assault **

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

One & Two

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Giveaway & Reviews for Marred & Cleaved by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1 @SilverDaggerSxx

Posted on April 27, 2017 by fundinmental

If you are looking for a fabulous and informative crime and thriller blog to follow, look no further. I have been a follower of Sue Coletta’s for some time now, so I was super excited to get my hands on Marred and Cleaved.

Just check out the covers by EJR Digital Art!

Cleaved

Grafton County Series, Book 2

by Sue Coletta

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

I just finished MARRED and it blew me away, so there was no way I was going to wait to read CLEAVED. I have to have more!

I love anything to do with water, and when I saw the Marine Patrol and Fish & Game would be involved, I became even more excited. I know what water can do to a dead body and I’m looking forward to finding out who put it there.

Sue starts her books out with a bang and I am gasping for breath right along with Sage. Then, Sue takes it to an even darker place and I excited to see how it will play out.

I feel as if the characters have become my friends and I worry for them as the serial killer adds body after body and the action continues non stop.

Sage has great instincts and after all she has been through, she listens to them.

Frankie has become my favorite character. She is humorous, brash, dresses as if she’s going out on the town instead of to a crime scene, hates authority and is quick with a sharp retort. Niko doesn’t think she would be good as the Sheriff because of these faults, so he is constantly grooming someone else to take his place when he quits.

Niko’s team has a Keystone Kop, Mayberry feel to them, but they are coming together, making constant progress.

The serial killer is back with a vengeance and I wonder if it is the same one…or is there more than one.

Sue Coletta takes us to a very dark place with a kidnapping that would make any of us cringe and rage at the villain and the world.

I love how creative Sue is in coming up with new ways for the serial killer to torture and kill his victims, really making them suffer and beg for death. She never thinks the evil is bad enough, so she piles on more and more and more…

Her ability to create so much tension and angst, at times left me white knuckled, gripping my Kindle so tight my hands hurt, making me want to reach through the screen and take matters into my own hands.

I voluntarily reviewed Marred by Sue Coletta.

5 STARS

Author Sage Quintano writes about crime. Her husband Niko investigates it.
Together they make an unstoppable team. But no one counted on a
twisted serial killer, who stalks their sleepy community, uproots
their happy home, and splits the threads that bonds their family
unit.

Darkness swallows the Quintanos whole—ensnared by a ruthless killer out for
blood. Why he focused on Sage remains a mystery, but he won’t stop
till she dies like the others.

Women impaled by deer antlers, bodies encased in oil drums, nursery rhymes,
and the Suicide King. What connects these cryptic clues? For Sage and
Niko, the truth may be more terrifying than they ever imagined.

Goodreads * Amazon

Marred

Grafton County Series, Book 1

Marred by Sue Coletta starts out with a baby’s funeral and a severely broken woman who is pissed off at herself and the world because of it. I can’t help but wonder WHY.

Sage is broken in more ways than one…blaming herself for her unborn baby’s death even though she had been tortured by a serial killer and was lucky to even be alive. She is MARRED for life and now I understand why.

NOW, he’s back, terrorizing her and she has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

I cannot imagine what she has been through, though Sue Coletta’s writing makes me become totally engrossed in her story, filled with details that draw a too vivid picture in my mind. I think it is time she takes matters into her own hands and let him know she will not cow down…this time. I love when the character has been through a traumatic, life changing experience, and the past comes back to haunt them, demanding they take action to defend themselves.

Sage is a bestselling author, writing crime novels, and this adds an extra element, making it even more interesting. Does her writing bring the killer even closer, thinking of her as a challenge? She keeps secrets, pushing people away, even keeping her husband at arm’s length. She writes about crime and her husband investigates the.

The murders are described in detail and they are brutal, savage. The more gruesome the better for me. LOL I guess I am a little twisted myself.

The body count rises.

I’m almost at 50% and I see what you are doing Sue. I know what you set me up for and I think it’s going to get ugly. I am pissed off at both of them for not communicating, but if they did we wouldn’t be in this dark place, with a sense of urgency and danger making me want to read faster and slower all at the same time, savoring the story.

There is a touch of the paranormal, rape, brutal and mind numbing torture. Why do women and society place blame on the vivctim, when it is the villain’s fault?

At times I am so angry with Niko that I want to reach into my Kindle and slap him upside the head, cuss him out, and tell him, “It’s not about YOU!”

Having a couple of critters adds another element that I love. They’d put their lives on the line for her.

Uh oh, I am glad that what I was thinking at 50% was wrong. Sue…you did a great job of yanking my chain and it takes a lot to lead me down the wrong path. Fabulous!

Deputy Sheriff Frankie, a female, is becoming a favorite character for me. To say she is rough around the edges is putting it mildly. She is aggressive and a bit raunchy, but I wouldn’t want any one else by my side in a time of crises.

WOW, Sue. You can sure spin a tale that has a lot of suspense that keeps my emotions raging as I struggle to take a calming breath before moving on to more of the same. You twisted and turned the story, keeping plenty of surprises coming my way.

Marred is the first book in the Grafton County series. One villain is taken care of, but you will want to read more of the series, because one remains.

I voluntarily reviewed Marred by Sue Coletta.

5 STARS

When a serial killer breaks into the home of bestselling author, Sage
Quintano, she barely escapes with her life. Her husband, Niko, a
homicide detective, insists they move to rural New Hampshire, where
he accepts a position as Grafton County Sheriff. Sage buries secrets
from that night—secrets she swears to take to her deathbed.

Three years of anguish and painful memories pass, and a grisly murder case
lands on Niko’s desk. A strange caller begins tormenting Sage—she
can’t outrun the past.

When Sage’s twin sister suddenly goes missing, Sage searches Niko’s
case files and discovers similarities to the Boston killer. A
sadistic psychopath is preying on innocent women, marring their
bodies in unspeakable ways. And now, he has her sister.

Cryptic clues. Hidden messages. Is the killer hinting at his identity? Or is
he trying to lure Sage into a deadly trap to end his reign of terror
with a matching set of corpses?

Goodreads * Amazon

ABOUT SUE COLETTA

Member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International
Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is an award-winning, multi-published
author in numerous anthologies and her forensics articles have
appeared in InSinC Quarterly. In addition to her popular crime
resource blog, Sue co-hosts the radio show “Partners In Crime”
on Writestream Radio Network every third Tuesday of the month from 1
– 3 p.m. EDT/EST (see details at www.suecoletta.com).
She’s also the communications manager for the Serial Killer Project
and Forensic Science, and founder of #ACrimeChat on Twitter.

She runs a popular crime website and blog, where she shares crime tips,
police jargon, the mind of serial killers, and anything and
everything in between. If you search her achieves, you’ll find posts
from guests that work in law enforcement, forensics, coroner,
undercover operatives, firearm experts…crime, crime, and more
crime.

For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where subscribers will be
the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside
access to deleted scenes. As an added bonus, members get to play in
the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door. Inside,
like-minded folks discuss their favorite crime novels, solve
mindbender and mystery puzzles, and/or relax and chat. Most
importantly, everyone has a lot of fun.

Sue lives in northern New Hampshire with her husband, where her house is
surrounded by wildlife…bear, moose, deer, even mountain lions have
been spotted. Course, Sue would love to snuggle with them, but her
husband frowns on the idea.

Website * Facebook Author Page * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Google+ * Youtube * Amazon * Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Serial Killers Run Amok In The Count To Ten series by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

Posted on April 26, 2017 by fundinmental

The simple covers for Jane Blythe’s Count To Ten series speak to me and, of course, reading about serial killers is always a high priority.

I love dark stories, the darker, the better.

One…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW FOR ONE

I love dark stories with murder and serial killers running wild, and Jane Blythe has come through in this fantastic series. This guy is a real sicko. Only death will stop him.

Right off, I’m thinking…Oh no she didn’t…

Yes, he fell for her and yes, there’s a lot more gory and brutal murder to come.

Who is it? Why such grotesque murders?

I have a problem with Annabelle and Xavier hooking up, but hey, stranger things have happened. He seems too old for a naive, inexperienced young woman like her. I like my books to be ‘realistic’ and, even though I enjoyed how it developed, not just jumping in bed, but the slow and getting to know you kind of thing, something still felt off.

Annabelle ‘s dialogue made her seem older than her years, but maybe the traumatic events she has been though have caused her to grow up sooner. After all, she had been the adult of her household.

I love the fact I can’t figure out who is the culprit, even though I feel I must have met him by now. I do have a feeling…oh, wait, maybe it’s him…or could it be him?

The sicko wants revenge and I want to know why.

The twists and turns kept coming, never letting up, even when the last page was read. I DID NOT want it to end. Jane Blythe was ‘this close’ to having me rate this a five and I definitely look forward to reading more of her work.

I voluntarily reviewed One by Jane Blythe.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Annabelle Englewood slaughters her family while they sleep.

Or so it seems to Detective Xavier Montague when he and his partner arrive at her house to find her sleeping peacefully, her family all dead.

But then another family and another are murdered, again with one family member left alive, and it becomes clear that Annabelle is simply a pawn in a vicious killer’s game.

Intrigued by Annabelle, the first woman Xavier has been attracted to since his divorce, when he comes face to face with the killer he will be forced to make the ultimate choice, a life and death decision, that could let a psychotic murderer walk free.

~~~~~~

Two…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW FOR TWO

Jane Blythe writes of serial killers and grotesque murders and I LOVE it.

Brooke Mariano is a pregnant teenager with dreams of wealth and leisure and her life is snuffed out like a candle, all to keep a secret, a secret I want to be revealed and the guilty party to pay for it.

I like that Ryan’s interest in Sophia began before they were shoved together because of the murder. Her mysterious illness may seem to make her weak, but she is strong enough and determined enough to live on her own, disinherited by her rich father because she has a mind of her own. I love strong, independent female protagonists, and Sophia is spot on. I hate men that act like dictators and feel women are supposed to fall in line.

The body count grows and so does the suspect list. I love to be kept guessing and Jane Blythe is very good at doing that. Was someone in the family eliminating other members? If so, why? Most of them are wretched, miserable, pathetic excuses for human beings, so, in my book, none of them would be missed. LOL

Sometimes those surrounding the killer are worse than the killer himself.

When they go into the room…

Jane Blythe’s use of misdirection is very well done.

I can easily visualize events as they unfolded, as if a Criminal Minds episode was playing in front of me. It is so easy to picture Sophia…in a wheelchair, hunched over, looking at photos…But…I do hate a character I am growing very fond of making such a predictable and stupid error. Now, I am pissed at her. Is it my personal feelings keeping these ratings at fours, where others would rate them higher? It’s up to you to decide.

The book has an ending , but Three will bring One and Two together in a reunion I do not want to miss. I can hardly imagine where Jane will take it and I am rubbing my hand together in glee just thinking about it.

I voluntarily reviewed Two by Jane Blythe.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Before the sun rises, another will fall.

When Brooke Mariano is found murdered on the grounds of the powerful Everette family’s estate, it looks at first as though she may have been killed in order to keep the paternity of her unborn child a secret.

However, when another member of the Everette family turns up dead each night, it quickly becomes a race against time as Detective Ryan Xander and his partner try to discover which member of the family is the killer before the entire clan wind up dead.

Ryan’s only inroad to the secretive family is Sofia Everette. Shunned by her father for her refusals to obey him, and battling a mysterious illness, Sofia’s childhood dreams may be the key to saving her life and stopping the killer from exterminating the entire Everette family.

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

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Assassin + Serial Killer = Come Hell or High Water by Britney King @britneyking_

Posted on April 19, 2017 by fundinmental

I love the fabulously eerie cover for Come Hell or High Water, the finale for a stupendous trilogy by Britney King.

Come Hell or High Water (The Water Trilogy #3)

Author: Britney King
Title: Come Hell or High Water
Series: Water Trilogy #3
Release Date: April 19, 2017

MY REVIEW

I didn’t think Kate could get any more twisted, but I was so wrong. Her desire to know drives her to do unspeakable, twisted and perverted things. Her actions constantly amaze me, and not in a good way. Where our anger and thoughts of doing something bad to someone may flit through our minds, Kate acts on hers.

This latest ‘event’ cannot end well and I don’t know what she’s thinking. She’s fooling herself. People like her can’t have friends. I’m not even sure she can have a husband and kids and I wonder how this story could possible end with a happy ever after.

If Kate and Jude could live in a sexual frenzy, could they be happy, content with a life in suburbia? Can a serial killer ever be happy? Does killing become an end all, must have, like the air they breathe?

This trilogy has been an amazing journey into the mind of assassins and serial killers, and what motivates them to do the things they do. Sometimes I think I am a little twisted because I loved reading about Kate and Jude so much, but then I think about the author that writes it. LOL

Kate starts out calm and in control…for now, and Jude will settle for that…for now. But what happens the shit hits the fan and Jude fears that more than anything.

And their children…Do serial killers breed serial killers?

Britney King’s in depth descriptions of people, whether it’s the main characters, their petty, drunken neighbors, or the woman in the dress shop treating people like crap because she hates her petty life

We get a glimpse into their past through flashbacks, but that is no excuse for them doing the things they do.

Seeing all books need to be read to follow the story, I don’t want to spoil anything, so all I can say is Kate and Jude are seriously fucked up and I can only wonder .how they haven’t managed to kill each other

I love the illustrations heading each chapter, hinting at what’s to come.

After Kate and Jude have sex, Jude’s thoughts are I think about what we’ve just done, how we’re so broken and yet we fit just right. Then why all the problems? Why can’t Kate be happy? Content?

I started to get bored with the killing (LOL), chatting, kids…and that’s when Britney King throws in a fantastic twist. She lulls me in with a sense of complacency then slams it home.

I have been trying to figure out how Britney King will wrap up The Water Trilogy and couldn’t wrap my mind around a happy ending, but she came up with one that fit very nicely and I can rest…

This twisted, dark suspense thriller series is one you won’t want to miss!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Come Hell or High Water by Britney King.

5 Stars

EXCERPT

“I’ve been studying her for weeks. I know how she takes her coffee, the color she prefers on her nails, the way her mouth moves when she sleeps. I don’t know what she looks like when she’s happy. But I will.”

When Cheryl Steinbeck-Edwards makes the decision to get in a car with a potential contractor, meticulous hitman Jude Riley and his lovely wife Kate, it appears to be the perfect partnership. Turns out, nothing is perfect, and getting in that car was a poor choice, to say the least.

When Kate decides not to kill the woman, as she and her husband agreed, a series of events, some might even call it karma, conspire to turn their worst fears turn into reality.

I’ve been studying her for months. I know how she takes her coffee, the color she prefers on her nails, the way her mouth moves when she sleeps. I don’t know what she looks like when she’s happy. But I will.

That’s not to say I meant to keep her this long. And, of course, you, well you, never intended to keep her at all. But then, what’s done is done.

“I want you to be happy here,” I told her the first week she was here, not long after we let the drugs wear off completely.

“I don’t see how that’s possible,” she said.

“Tell me what makes you happy.”

I could see her thinking about my question; I could see that I’d set something into motion. It wasn’t immediate—most things that are truly great rarely are, but eventually her lips turned upward. Slowly, she broke out into a full-on smile, and it was like the sun coming out on a cloudy day. “He makes me happy.”

“Your husband,” I said. It wasn’t a question. Mostly because it hadn’t occurred to me that it should be.

She laughed just slightly. The smile remained. “Something like that.”

“I see,” I told her, raising my brow.

She looked at me then, really looked at me. The smile faded but her eyes lit up. “Not yet, you don’t,” she said. “But you will.”

ABOUT BRITNEY KING

Britney King writes modern love stories for mature audiences. She also enjoys suspense and often finds her sweet spot penning a good mixture of the two.

Britney is the author of eight novels and is currently at work on number nine.

She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat and a partridge in a pear tree.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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MY BRITNEY KING REVIEWS

Teaser Tuesday #92 – Vigilante Dead by DV Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on February 21, 2017 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

~~~~~~

This is how I felt as I rode Kate’s Crazy Train!

DV Berkom’s characters are strong women who face dark and dangerous situations, and Kate Jones is put to the test in Vigilante Dead.

You can see my Review HERE.

There are definitely turbulent waters inside.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY TEASE

I climbed the front stoop and rang the doorbell.

(page 56 in paperback)

GOODREADS BLURB: Death. Lies. Revenge.

After years of running, Kate Jones is finally putting her past behind her. Between restoring ties with her younger sister, moving in with Sam, a cop-turned PI, and working as a PI herself, she’s learning to live life without looking over her shoulder.

Then Kate lands a case that changes everything: a young college student with no history of drug abuse dies of an overdose, and the parents come to Kate demanding answers. Soon, Seattle is reeling from dozens more deaths, all with the same chemical markers. At first, police assume that the victims are closet junkies who got a hold of a bad combination, but after someone close to her becomes a victim, Kate believes something far more sinister is going on.

The deeper Kate digs, the more she uncovers about the deadly drug’s origins, forcing her to choose between doing what’s right… and getting revenge.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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You WILL Want To Ride This Crazy Train – Vigilante Dead by DV Berkom @dvberkom

Posted on February 15, 2017 by fundinmental

This is how I felt as I rode Kate’s Crazy Train!

DV Berkom’s characters are strong women who face dark and dangerous situations, and Kate Jones is put to the test in Vigilante Dead.

I love this amazing cover done by Deranged Doctor Designs.

There are definitely turbulent waters inside.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

OMG, D! You have outdone yourself! Best one yet!

If you are looking for a strong female protagonist and a high octane thriller, look no furthert!

Every time I think DV Berkom can’t make a Kate Jones Thriller even more thrilling, she puts out a story like Vigilante Dead.

Kate has been running from her past for a long time, but now she has settled down. She is a private investigator and has a gorgeous man, Sam, at her side. He is a super guy who gives her space and time when she needs it and some lovin’ when she needs that.

When her sister ODs, the hunt is on…

Drugs, murder, vengeance…

I love books that make me think of our life choices. We all march to our own drummer and who knows what will work if we don’t explore our options. BUT, sometimes we get off course and the road we walk takes us down a dark and dangerous path. So does Kate.

Kate grows more complex with each story told, but danger follows her through each and every one. This time, D took her somewhere that totally blew my mind. Sometimes the character demands that you go there, go where the bad guy goes to get your answers.

DV Berkom’s characters are strong and bold, and sometimes I think they need to have a little more fear. I worry for them. Every time Kate went creeping around, staking out places, I waited for the hammer to fall. I do love that she does things I only think about.

Kate fights the lows that wash over her when she thinks of all she has been through and lost by making mistakes in her youth. They left her with nightmares. Her rash actions and decisions can get her in difficult and dangerous situations.

Kate’s family pisses me off! and her wimpy dad is a huge disappointment to me. Am I being too harsh? You will need to decide.

And Angie, a badass assassin, you are a woman after my own heart, until…

You make a deal with the devil and you get burned.

I cannot quit reading, not for a second. I cannot wait to learn the ending of Vigilante Dead…thoughts are running through my mind, fed by the title. I am loving and hating what I am thinking.

The twists and turns DV Berkom has supplied in Vigilante Dead has ratcheted the suspense and my anticipation to a white knuckled, nail biting level. With all that is happening I am wondering where DV Berkom will leave Kate.

I am mentally yelling at her…DON’T DO IT!!!!!

Yet the little devil whispering on my shoulder says…

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Death. Lies. Revenge.

The deeper Kate digs, the more she uncovers about the deadly drug’s origins, forcing her to choose between doing what’s right… and getting revenge.

ABOUT DV BERKOM

DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.

Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.