FREE THRILLER – Jackpot by Susan Fleet

Jackpot, a free thriller, by Susan Fleet is a prequel for the Frank Renzi series. Each novel can stand alone.

Jackpot tells how and why Frank made the move from Boston to New Orleans, a story no thriller lover will want to miss.

Jackpot is FREE: March 1-5, 2016 .

To see my review:  Is Winning the Lottery a Curse or a Blessing – Jackpot by Susan Fleet.

To see my reviews for more of Susan Fleet’s novels, scroll to the end of the post.

To get your copy, click on the cover or HERE.

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ASIN: B00FCCO4EE   Universal link: JACKPOT

227 reviews: Ave 4.4 out of 5 stars.

A serial killer murders lottery winners.

A compulsive gambler hits the jackpot and thinks his problems are over, but they’re just beginning. Homicide Detective Frank Renzi is hunting a serial killer who targets lottery winners. Feathered Quill Book Reviews called Renzi “The coolest detective in literature today!”

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My Reviews for Susan Fleet’s novels:

 

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Evil Walks Among Us – Betrayed by Jaye Frances Guest Post, Giveaway & Review

Betrayed (World Without Love, Book I) by Jaye Frances had me sitting, with my mouth hanging open, wanting to throw my kindle at…something. I wanted to scream and rage at the degradation and cruelty that was heaped on Jewel.

Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post.

I am so excited to have Jaye Frances here to share some hints about Betrayed, Book One in the World Without Love series.

Betrayed, Book One, World Without Love

A Suspense Thriller Series With an Erotic Edge

 PROLOGUE

We’re all captives, in one way or another . . .

I’m awakened by the sounds of creaking wood and straining rope—constant protests to the unsteady pitch and roll of the darkness.

Dizzy and disoriented, I take a breath, trying to dispel the nausea. But the air is laced with the pungent smell of damp rot, and its raw bite forces me to shallow my breathing.

Staring into the darkness, I search for a shape, a silhouette—anything to give me a clue about my surroundings. But there is only a thick layered blackness, as endless as the grave.

I’m plagued by the sensation of motion, of being rocked up and down. A flash of impaired logic tells me to dismiss it as a specter, an artifact from the nearly depleted dose of Halcion.

A minute passes—or an hour. I can’t tell which.

I hear something—a garbled voice, remnants of disconnected conversation. And from much farther away, the plaintive cries of a bird. The sounds seem genuine, missing that phantom-like quality associated with suspects from a barbiturate daze.

I take it as a sign—the drugs are finally leaving my system.

A prickly thaw sweeps the surface of my skin, bringing with it the nagging sensation that something is pulling at my limbs, tugging at me from both ends.

It’s not an after-effect of the drugs, I’m sure of that. It’s too strong, too constant. I have the sense it’s been there all along, waiting to break through the chemical cloud that kept me unconscious.

It’s growing stronger, getting worse, becoming a piercing burn stretching from my shoulders to my hips, cutting me to the quick.

I try to turn, to get away from the waves of searing heat raking at my arms and legs.

I can’t move.

The realization is as damning as if I’d awakened in the sulfur pits of hell. I’m bound like an animal, my wrists tied above my head, my legs strapped at the ankles—my body a living bridge of straining joints and wrenched sinew.

Even as my muscles scream at the draw of the restraints, I feel the bite of riveted steel against my back, the harsh, unforgiving surface running the length of my spine.

I’m naked.

It’s no accident. Whoever did this intentionally stripped me, leaving me exposed and vulnerable, determined to violate my mind as well as my body.

The blackness rolls then plunges, releasing something new into the shifting darkness. Slithering against me, it touches my skin with a bitter cold that breaks through the unrelenting agony of the rope. I hear my own tortured wheeze catch in my throat as I feel it scoring my stomach, the freezing nip and sting quickly followed by the unmistakable seeping of liquid, collecting in the hollow of my belly, running down my sides.

A rush of useless adrenalin floods my bloodstream, my chest threatening to explode as my racing heart frantically pumps blood to an unseen wound.

Even through the suffocating surge of panic, a vision of what I cannot see crystalizes with vivid detail: My arms and legs are tortuously drawn on a makeshift rack . . . a pendulum of biting chill slices across my naked torso . . . tiny rivers of fluid trickle down my sides.

I barely hear it over my pounding heartbeat—the sound of sloshing liquid.

In seconds, it becomes as familiar as it is terrifying.

I’m lying in water.

I take a halted breath as I realize the truth. The fluid running down my sides is not blood, but ribbons of over-wash from the frigid pool that surrounds me.

Rope and water.

Pain and fear.

It’s deliberate . . . to break me.

Again, the darkness lurches and rolls, churning the water, splashing it over my breasts and thighs. And although the icy burn forces me to gasp for air, it also sparks a moment of fleeting recognition—a vague memory from my past, a connection to the rise and fall of everything around me.

I’ve felt it before.

But where? When?

Stray thoughts flood my mind—the gentle climb, the momentary sense of weightlessness, the sudden drop . . . the unique motion of the sea.

It isn’t much, but it gives me something to hold on to, a starting point in remembering what has happened to me.

Thanks so much for the enticing peek into Betrayed, Jaye.

The cover only hints at the horror contained within the pages of Betrayed!

Betrayed

Add me to Goodreads now

MY REVIEW

WARNING: Graphic and explicit sexual scenes…kidnapping, sexual slavery, human trafficking, rape, abuse… I hesitate to call it erotica, because I view erotica as sex for sex’s sake. The scenes in Betrayed are pivotal to the story to show the savagery and brutality of the human trafficking of women.

I have read a couple of books by Jaye Francis, The Beach (review link below), Love Travels Forever (review link below) and The Kure (review to come soon) and they were quite different (wonderful paranormal and supernatural stories). I was caught off guard by the direction she took in Betrayed, but her writing is so fantastic, I will read anything she pens.

I love the cover and it screamed EVIL to me and I was soooooo right, BUT…I never anticipated just how EVIL it would be.

I find the review for Betrayed by Jaye Francis very difficult to write. I rarely read erotica, unless it is by an author I cannot resist, of which Jaye is one. I was talking to my sister about the book and how I could best describe it to get my point across. Human trafficking…one of the ugliest sides of “humanity”. The men who do this deserve the worst punishment possible…death! They are not fit to walk the face of the earth and you will meet some of them…especially her husband, Carl.

Jewel is shy and lacks self confidence. She marries Carl and his sense of adventure take them to exotic locales. I loved the thought of no nine to five, just going where their whims take them. Until…

I find it hard to believe she would let Carl do what he did, but I think her naivety and the inability to believe someone she trusted, should have been able to trust, allowed it to happen. After all, this is going on today, to intelligent women who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. It makes me wonder…it is a desire in women to believe the best of everyone, to trust too much? I struggle to put into words what I am thinking and feeling. It’s one of those things…this could never happen to me. But, could it? Could it happen to you?

She would pay dearly for her mistake!

She would have to “learn to play the game” to survive. Does the Stockholm Syndrome play a part, or is it go along or die?

So many characters to hate and I wish I could climb through my kindle to make them pay. They should not be able to walk among us, living and breathing.

Betrayed by Jaye Frances is jam packed with action. I felt my emotions taking me into the depths of hell and she took me to a place I have never been before. I can only hope Jaye Frances will make them pay, in the worst possible way!

The storm descriptions were vivid and terrorizing, but I felt something good would come of it. I had a feeling I knew where Jaye was going and who Jewel would end up with to continue the story, but how that will play out…

The cliffhanger ending has me literally hanging on the edge…waiting to see where we will go next and I can hardly wait to get there. And I hope to see Carl again…soon.

I received a copy of Betrayed by Jaye Frances in return for an honest review. As I said earlier, I love her writing and will go wherever she wants to take me.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 STARS

Goodreads Blurb:  Jewel has everything going for her—a handsome husband, a promising future, and lots of time to explore an island paradise she now calls home.

But when a group of strangers accompanies her husband home for a friendly game of poker, her life quickly becomes a hellish nightmare of deceit and betrayal.

Now her very survival depends on entering a world where sex, domination, and money are inseparable, where women must obey all masters, and where every desire has its price.

“Betrayed” contains mature content and is intended for an 18 and over audience.

ABOUT JAYE FRANCES

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Jaye Frances, author of Betrayed

Jaye Frances is the author of “World Without Love,” a suspense thriller series with an erotic edge, including “Betrayed,” “Reunion,” and “Redemption.” Her other books include “The Beach,” a sci-fi supernatural tale about the possibilities—and horror—of wishful thinking, “The Kure,” a paranormal-occult romance novel, “The Possibilities of Amy,” a coming-of-age story of first love, and “Love Travels Forever,” a collection of poignant short stories. When not absorbed with her writing, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and taking pictures-lots of them. Jaye lives on the gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, and several hundred pairs of shoes.

For more information visit Jaye’s website at www.jayefrances.com
her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jayefrancesauthor
and her Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/www.jayefrances…

GIVEAWAY

Jaye Frances has offered 1 (one) ebook of Betrayed, Book One of the World Without Love series, for the giveaway. Entry is easy peasy. Just answer the question and leave your email so I may contact you if you win.

“Have you ever been Betrayed by someone you loved and trusted?”

Giveaway runs 2/26 – 3/11/16.

I have read a couple of her books and Betrayed is quite different, but her writing is top notch, so I will grab anything she pens. If Betrayed sounds a bit much for you, check out The Beach, see my review link below, The Kure or The Possibilities of Amy.

MY REVIEWS OF THE BEACH AND LOVE TRAVELS FOREVER

  • Guest Post-Review of The Beach by Jaye Frances
  • Guest Post and Review of Love Travels Forever by Jaye Frances
  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Did you find my review helpful?  If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon and liking it on Goodreads.

Monday Mini – Danger in the Shadows #DeeHenderson

Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson is a prequel to the O’Malley Series, and all I can say is WOW! If this is the kickoff, I can hardly wait to continue.

Such a simple cover for a not so simple story.

I won this book in a giveaway. Lucky me.

MY REVIEW

Are you afraid of the dark?

Sara is terrified!

The suspense is high from the opening pages of Dangers in the Shadow by Dee Henderson. Romance is budding…and the mystery of her stalker hangs over her head.

Imagine…security, changing your routines every time you walk out the door,constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering if today would be the day…

Dee Henderson’s writing makes me able to see and feel Sara’s terror. I love that she also writes lovely picture books for children and is a bestselling author for novels of murdered children. I think it shows her wonderful ability to shift focus from the good to the bad.

Dangers in the Shadows is an inspirational suspense novel that did it’s job well. I kept waiting for IT to happen. I know it has to!

The romance was slow to develop, just like most real life instances. This read as if it could be a true story and if you are a suspense/thriller lover, like me, you won’t want to miss Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

BLURB

From Goodreads:  Sara is terrified. She’s doing the one thing she cannot afford to do: fall in love with former pro-football player Adam Black, a man everyone knows. Sara’s been hidden away in the witness protection program, her safety dependent on staying invisible—and loving Adam could get her killed! Introducing the O’Malleys, an inspirational group of seven, all abandoned or orphaned as teens, who have made the choice to become a loyal and committed family. They have chosen their own surname, O’Malley, and have stood by each other through moments of joy and heartache. Their stories are told in CBA best-selling, inspirational romantic suspense novels that rock your heart and restore strength and hope to your spirit.

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 I am a “cover girl”.

Cover design by Ron Kaufmann and Dean H Renniger

What do you think?

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Jeff Gunhus has another hit with Killer Pursuit – Giveaway & Review

Jeff Gunhus writes some amazing stories and Killer Pursuit is another winner!

KillerPursuitTourBanner

I love covers and this one shows there is more going on than meets the eye.

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Killer Pursuit by Jeff Gunhus
(Allison McNeil)
Publication date: January 10th 2016
Genres: Adult, Thriller
Cover:  Extended Imagery
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MY REVIEW

The cover for Jeff Gunhus’ Killer Pursuit alludes to the intrigue inside. I love thrillers and suspense novels and this is my first foray into the Allison McNeil adventures. She is a favorite of Jeff’s and now she is a favorite of mine. An amazing and riveting suspense with moments of pacing that took the last quarter of the book into hyperdrive!

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Special Agent Allison McNeil is a loner. Some people think it’s by choice, but a nightmare from her past makes it difficult for her to open herself up to vulnerability. She will buck the system, doing what she knows to be right at whatever cost may come due. sAllison is a pro at entering the minds of some of the most dangerous people known to man. I love villains that are the epitome of evil. I want to know how they think and function, hiding their true nature. I want to dig and dwell in the mind of the most vicious, depraved people, trying to understand them…I don’t think I ever will, but I am not them.
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Politics…Jeff does tell it like it is – corruption, cover ups, intrigue and personal agendas abound. I think Jeff encompasses every down and dirty political machination known.
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Summerhayes is a character I love to hate. He wants to be President. A huge ego, greed and sex will take him down a long and ugly road. I would think politicians would learn that there are no secrets. But…they feel entitled, invincible. Power…what will they do to have it? Lying…it is a profession. Politicians make strange bedfellows and that is putting it mildly in Killer Pursuit.
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Jeff’s writing makes my emotions rise to the surface, roiling and boiling as I read along.
It flows so smoothly, full of surprises that I am drawn deep into the mystery and suspense that is doled out in such a way that I must read the next page…and the next…and the next. The details walked me through Allison’s research as she looked for the answers.
There is a romance and that makes the story even more believable. After all, love is a big part of all our lives. The sexual banter and flirtation came through loud and clear in the dialogue. It brought the complex characters to life.
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I followed the hints trying to solve the mystery before I reached the conclusion, but…I am TICKED OFF good when the killer is exposed and what happened next was a huge surprise. I knew it was coming, but Jeff, you kept me hoping I was wrong. OMG…I am blown away. It makes perfect sense, but I wanted it would be something else. Jeff, you manged to put a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. The story ends on a realistic “normal” family note.
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I received a copy of Killer Pursuit by Jeff Gunhus in return for an honest review and I am on pins and needles waiting for another Allison McNeil adventure.
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Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars
SYNOPSIS

When a high-society call girl is murdered in her Georgetown home, investigators find two cameras hidden in the walls of her bedroom. One has its memory erased, presumably by the murderer. The second is connected to the Internet through an encrypted connection…and no-one knows who’s on the other end.

Special Agent Allison McNeil is asked by beleaguered FBI Director Clarence Mason to run an off-the-record investigation of the murder. The most direct path to apprehending the killer is to find the videos, but with rumors that the victim’s client list may have included Mason’s political enemies, Allison worries about the director’s motives. As she starts her investigation, she quickly discovers that she’s not the only one pursuing the videos. In fact, the most aggressive person racing against her might be the murderer himself.

AUTHOR BIO
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JeffJeff Gunhus is the author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 100 on Amazon and have been Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists.

After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.

Author links:
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GIVEAWAY
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Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Monday Mini Review – Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis

Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis just screams, “READ ME!”

This is the perfect time of year to be sharing a murder mystery on the Bayou – Mardi Gras season. So keep on your toes, keep your eyes open and Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez.

I love everything about the book and was ecstatic when I won a signed paperback for my collection. The cover is gorgeous and I love to read anything that takes place in the south.

Doesn’t the cover tell you there is a mystery inside the pages?

Cover:  Lucas Art and Design

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Midnight on the Mississippi is the first book in a stand alone romantic suspense series that has everything I need to make it a must read series for me. Southern Belles, high risk investments, murder and mysteries abound. And then there is Nikki Price. I love her!

She is a badass chic who doesn’t take no for an answer and wants some for herself… from the Bayou.

It was so hard to put down the book, but it is 2am and I find myself losing my place because I keep nodding off.

The characters are rich and complex with the storylines to match. Sometimes I didn’t know whether to love or hate them. To me, that is a sign of great writing!

Midnight on the Mississippi is my first novel from Mary Ellis but it won’t be my last.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

Midnight on the Mississippi begins the new Secrets of the South Mysteries from bestselling author Mary Ellis. These complex crime dramas follow an investigator’s quest to make the world a better place…solving one case at a time.

New Orleans–Hunter Galen, a stock and securities broker, suspects his business partner, James Nowak, may be involved in embezzling their clients’ money, but he’s reluctant to jeopardize their friendship based on suspicion alone. After James turns up dead, Hunter realizes his unwillingness to confront a problem may have cost James his life.

Nicki Price, a newly minted PI, intends to solve the stockbroker’s murder, recover the missing millions from the client accounts, and establish herself in the career she adores. As she ferrets out fraud and deception at Galen Investments, Hunter’s fiancee, Ashley Menard, rubs Nicki the wrong way. Nicki doesn’t trust the ostentatious woman with an agenda longer than the Mississippi River. Ashley seems to be hiding something, but is Nicki’s growing attraction to Hunter–a suspected murderer–her true reason for disliking Ashley?

As they encounter sophisticated shell games, blackmail, and murder, Nicki and Hunter’s only option is to turn to God as they search for answers, elude lethal danger, and perhaps discover love along the way.

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Friday 56 #65 & BB #41 – Tom Clancy

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

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

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

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This is the last series of books on the first shelf of my first bookcase.

I have been a fan of Tom Clancy’s for many years. His novels have kept me enthralled through many adventures and many countries. I have read them once, twice, three times. His movies are amazing and I have watched them over and over again.

Tom Clancy was, not only, a prolific writer, but he co-founded Red Storm Entertainment, a video game developer that created games mostly based on the plots of his books, such as “Rainbow Six.”

My Collection of Tom Clancy Novels (c) Sherry Fundin

I began my reading affair with Tom Clancy in The Hunt For Red October. It is still my favorite novel. I either borrowed the book or checked it out from the library, so it is not in my collection.

 

MY FRIDAY 56

“The Americans are good technicians, Comrade Captain,” Putin said, “but they are not giants.Their technology is not so awesome. Nasha Lutcha, he concluded. Ours is better.

Ramus nodded thoughtfully, thinking to himself that zampoliti really ought to know something about the ships they supervised, as mandated by Party doctrine.

(page 6 in paperback)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

Captain First Rank Marcos Ramus of the Soviet Navy was dressed for the Arctic conditions normal to the Northern Fleet submarine base at Polyarnyy. Five layers of wool and oilskin enclosed him. A dirty harbor tug pushed his submarine’s bow around to the north, facing down the channel. The dock that had held his Red October for two interminable months was now a water-filled concrete box, one of the many specially built to shelter strategic missile submarines from the harsh elements. On its edge a collection of sailors and dockyard workers watched his ship sail in stolid Russian fashion, without a wave or a cheer.

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GOODREADS BLURB

Here is the runaway bestseller that launched Tom Clancy’s phenomenal career. A military thriller so gripping in its action and so convincing in its accuracy that the author was rumored to have been debriefed by the White House. Its theme: the greatest espionage coup in history. Its story: the chase for a top secret Russian missile sub. Lauded by the Washington Post as “breathlessly exciting.” The Hunt for Red October remains a masterpiece of military fiction by one of the world’s most popular authors, a man whose shockingly realistic scenarios continue to hold us in thrall.Somewhere under the Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision. The Red October is heading west. The Americans want her. The Russians want her back. And the most incredible chase in history is on..

To meet his most famous characters – Jack Ryan, John Clark, Ding Chavez and Jack Ryan, Jr – visit Tom Clancy’s Website.

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I am a “cover girl”.
What does the cover say to you?

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How about a Zombie Christmas freebie. Today only.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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Friday 56 #63 & BB #39 – The Murder Game by Beverly Barton

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

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

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

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Do serial killers catch your interest? Try New York Times Bestselling author Beverly Barton’s The Murder Game.

Are there ever any winners when it comes to murder?

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY FRIDAY 56

Griff leaned in closer to the chief and lowered his voice.

“I’m not at liberty to reveal my sources – not yet – but we have reason to believe that Ms Moore was murdered by a serial killer and if that’s true, her murder could be connected to a case we worked on in the past.”

(56 in paperback)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

Nicole reached down and picked up her phone off the coffee table, noted the caller ID and held her breath when she answered, “Hello.”

“If you promise to do something for me, I’ll give you another clue.”

GOODREADS BLURB

New Game

The game is simple–he is the Hunter. They are the Prey. He gives them a chance to escape. To run. To hide. To outsmart him. But eventually, he catches them. And that’s when the game gets really terrifying…

New Rules
Private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter know a lot about serial killers–they took one down together. But this new killer is as sadistic as they’ve ever seen. He likes his little games, and he especially likes forcing Nic and Griff to play along. Every unsolvable clue, every posed victim, every taunting phone call–it’s all part of his twisted, elaborate plan. And then the Hunter calls, wanting to know if they’re really ready to play…

But Winner Still Kills All…
There’s a new game now, and it’s much more deadly than the first. A brutal psychopath needs a worthy adversary. He won’t stop until he can hunt the most precious prey of all–Nicole. And with his partner in a killer’s sights, Griff is playing for the biggest stakes of his life.

I am a “cover girl”.
What does the cover say to you?

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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A Touch of the Supernatural in The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin Review

TheCypressTrap

Do you believe in luck? Are you superstitious? Do you have a lucky rabbit’s foot?

I couldn’t resist sharing a few laughs with my fellow Supernatural lovers. For those of you not familiar with the TV show, Sam and Dean are the hunters you want to have protecting you from the monsters of the supernatural..

GUEST POST

I am so happy to have JC Gatlin dropping in for a quick chat. Welcome, JC.

Eight Life Lessons: Ideas for themes and character arcs

Several people have asked, “What is the theme of The Cypress Trap?” Several reviews have pointed out that the story is about overcoming sorrow, as all the main characters are holding onto devastating events in their past. Another critic described the theme as “not appreciating your loved ones until it’s too late.” Either way, it made me think: Does an author go into writing a story with a theme in mind? Or does the story’s theme just evolve somewhere within the undercurrent of the plot and character interactions?

I read an interesting article in Psychology Today magazine titled “Life Lessons: 5 Truths People Learn Too Late.” (October 2012) Several of these lessons inspired plot ideas for future stories, especially within the context of the article — learning the lesson too late. But the article also really got me thinking about themes in general.

When it comes to the book’s theme, especially if the author has a theme in mind when writing the book, the old adage of “show, don’t tell” becomes even more critical. Showing allows the reader to sieve the theme from the plot and analyze the author’s underlying feelings or influences. Telling turns the story into “A Very Special Episode of Blossom.”

These are seven Life Lessons I’ve come across that naturally lend themselves to themes and character arcs.

  1. You can’t fix the ones you love, so focus on fixing yourself
  2. It’s more harmful to overprotect than to under-protect
  3. Sometimes you must put your wants aside and just do what’s best for the one you love
  4. The strength of your friendships is as critical for your health as the lifestyle choices you make
  5. Lust diminishes, but love remains
  6. Truly growing up means forgiving your parents for their mistakes and accepting responsibility for your own actions
  7. Doing what’s right isn’t always easy or popular
  8. Sometimes you must find the strength to say “Yes” when saying “No” would be easier, and “No” when “Yes” is safer.

I didn’t start writing The Cypress Trap with a theme in mind. However, if I had to pick one, I think it’s about letting go. All the main characters are haunted by their pasts, and that’s like acid eating them up inside. Sorrow and regret is a trap that’s difficult to escape. In the end, I think Rayanne, the protagonist, let’s go of her past and her life and moves on.

It is a pleasure having you here, JC. Thanks for the wonderful post.

Book Cover

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MY REVIEW

The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin  was a wild ride through the cypress swamps of Florida. I love the location. The pacing was superb. J C had me racing through the forest, bobbing and weaving, chased by evil of the human kind. Just when I thought I could take a breath, J C Gatlin had me up and running again.

I knew from the beginning Owen was going to do something stupid, but I didn’t see it coming back to bite him like it did. Watch out for Karma, curses, whatever, because it can be a bitch.

Owen and Rayanne’s vacation turned into a nightmare. He’s not very happy and he hides his anger behind the dark sunglasses he wears. She tiptoes around him, trying not to set him off. The tragedy that they dance around is destroying them.

Why is Darryl, Owen’s best friend, there?

If you are a Supernatural TV show fan, you know about the rabbit’s foot.

Beatings, running, truck crashing, abduction, escape but nowhere to go, hurt can’t run. Rayanne doesn’t quit, doesn’t give up. She is determined to save her husband.

Terror mounts, as each time Rayanne hides, she is found again, through her own fault, making noise and giving herself away, on the run again. That was my only complaint. But it did keep the suspense and fear for her survival racing through the pages, just like she was racing through the cypress forest.

Rayanne is running through the swamp, dodging coyotes, gators, snakes, the wicked teens, Luger and, could we say, bad luck?

The suspense built during Raynne’s heart pounding run for her life, like the Energizer bunny, kept going and going. Every time I thought I could take a breath, she was discovered and on the run again.

I gave The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin a four rating, because I was frustrated at her inability to get away and her lack of procuring a weapon, when she had more than one opportunity. But, I tell myself, it had to be that way to come up with the great ending and I do love the ending. I wasn’t sure what would happen and kudos to J C Gaitlin for pulling that off.

Maybe I was just having an off day. If you are a suspense lover like me, this is one you will want to read.

I received The Cypress Trap by J C Gatlin in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

ABOUT THE CYPRESS TRAP BY J C GATLIN

When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect.

Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means — including a posse led by a killer dog.

At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | YouTube Book Trailer

ABOUT J C GATLIN

JC GatlinJC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. In addition to regular fishing trips, he wrote a monthly column for New Tampa Style Magazine, then began penning several mystery/suspense stories. He also maintains a blog about the art of spinning a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat mystery yarn.

Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC grew up in Grapevine — a small Texas town just outside of Dallas. He moved to Tampa in 1999, and most of his stories feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrop.

Website | Amazon Page | Goodreads 

GIVEAWAY

$10 Amazon Gift Card (INT)  Ends Oct. 28th

Prizing is provided by CBB Book Promotions, hosts are not responsible for prizing.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Friday 56 # 55 & BB #31 – Beware! Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason

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

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

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

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I changed the book I am going to share today, because after I posted the review for Kristine Mason’s Perfectly Toxic novel, she offered to do a $5 GC giveaway.

Check it out below and then follow the link to enter the giveaway.

Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason

Perfectly Toxic-Amazon

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MY FRIDAY 56

When the old woman turned away, he stared at the back of her gray head. If he were a different man, the mad scientist the press had claimed him to be, he’d sic Adeline on Gramma and give new meaning to the Big Bad Wolf.

A tap at his shoulder had him flinching. He quickly turned and glared at Adeline. “How long have you been here?” he asked.

(app. 56% in Kindle)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

“I THINK I broke her.”

(The first sentence of the book)

If you aren’t already freaked out enough, read the synopsis.

Go ahead. I dare ya! Then continue down for a chance at a $5GC.

SYNOPSIS

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE

Perfectly Toxic-Amazon

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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