Thursday, September 28, 2023

Dead West by Linda L. Richards Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

The Endings Series book 3 brings us to Dead West. I have to say this was a very different read in that it is written in the first person POV. And, there is also definitely more than meets the eye to this one. This story is also different in that it is told from the whodunit’s perspective who is using the name Katherine Eveline Ragsdill. The story of how she came to have that name is also quite intriguing.

The premise of this tale is that Katherine receives phone calls from an anonymous source, and she then has to hunt down the person involved and decide their fate. This is how she is introduced to Cameron. However, this time the situation turned out differently and in a way that she wasn’t quite expecting.

Enter Jaxon. Jaxon is the character in this tale who really makes Katherine take a harder look at herself. Certainly, one of the many twists in this tale.

The character we know as Katherine also has quite a sense of humor. She can be serious and funny all in the same breath. I found myself relating to her inner thoughts, which I found to be spot on.

This was a quick and fun read that I’m sure you’ll enjoy, especially if you like horses, the politics surrounding use of prairies and letting the horses have free range, a really good guy, a bad guy and his cronies, and a whodunit who is able to take a good look at herself and change her way of thinking entirely.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-West-Novel-3-Endings/dp/1608095126/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6M8MJBRTTFA1&keywords=dead+west+linda+l.+richards&qid=1689259849&sprefix=dead+west+linda+rich%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-west-linda-l-richards/1142734505?ean=9781608095124

 

Find Ms. Richards:

Website: https://lindalrichards.com/wp/#dw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindalrichardsauthor#dw

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-l-richards#dw

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4747651.Linda_L_Richards#dw

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lindalrichards#dw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindalrichards/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

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Monday, September 25, 2023

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

This is one of those types of books that once you start reading it you want to keep turning pages. This book has features that I really enjoyed - the story line, the relatability of the characters. These pages are full of some twists and turns the reader may not see coming. The path that Risa Jacobs and Gage Patterson went down through the course of their investigation had them going off in different directions. When they thought they had one thing figured out, something else would pop up and they would go down a different road.

I also liked the fact that there was a romantic interest between Risa and Gage, one that they tried to ignore. As well, there is a believability interlaced with Risa struggling to come to terms with her own faith, which is something I think we can all relate to, most especially in troubling times.

I like the fact that there are many intertwining topics throughout these pages - a couple of crimes, a romantic interest, family reconciliation, FBI involvement, the question of one’s own faith and how to reconcile that, and a few others I’m sure I’ve overlooked. I would read another of this author’s work in a heartbeat.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Facing-Enemy-DiAnn-Mills/dp/1496451953/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EODJ5DH8MDOV&keywords=facing+the+enemy+diann+mills&qid=1689259594&sprefix=facing+the+enemy+%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/facing-the-enemy-diann-mills/1143131318?ean=9781496451958

 

Find Ms. Mills:

Website: https://diannmills.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannmills

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diann-mills#concrete

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/81639.DiAnn_Mills#concrete

Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills#concrete

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannmillsauthor/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

Partners in Crime: https://www.partnersincrimetours.net/

Need a proofreader? I’ve got you covered - https://www.melissaproofs.com/

 


Sunday, September 24, 2023

Reckoning by Baron Birtcher Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

My first introduction to Ty Dawson, sheriff of Meriwether County, basically a podunk town in Oregon. The thing about Ty is he doesn’t take kindly to strangers, even if those strangers are from another part of law enforcement, messing with folks he cares about. Such is the case with KC and Irene Sheridan. This tale surrounds property lines and rights.

KC Sheridan - he’s the old-timer of this tale. He and Irene are pretty tough, with all they have been through in their lifetimes. They just want to ensure their cattle are safe, so KC decides to do what he thinks is right, which makes him a stand-up guy in my book. Irene, quiet though she is, is tough as nails. You can tell that by the way her character is written.

Of course, there are Ty’s opponents, some he thinks he can trust, others he knows he can’t. Ty tries to see the best in most folks, but at heart he is a downhome cowboy, with his own ranch, and believes in justice. Jesse, Ty’s wife, has elicited the respect of not only their ranch hands but the young officers Ty works with as well.

Being from Oregon myself, this tale called to mind some of the towns in the surrounding area. This tale also mentions some things of the past - dial phones, not one mention of a cell phone or an internet search, just good old-fashioned detective footwork. I would classify this tale as part western/part mystery. There are two cases involved in this story that made for an entertaining read and how two of the bad guys intertwined with the more pressing case that Ty was working on, finding out just how deep his opponents were involved. I really enjoyed how the author painted pictures with his descriptions of certain scenes. If you like a good western coupled with a couple mysteries thrown in, try this one.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-Dawson-Mysteries-Baron-Birtcher-ebook/dp/B0BSX8W2MQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PK6K2LC6H7RP&keywords=reckoning+baron+birtcher&qid=1681056497&s=books&sprefix=reckoning+baron+birtcher%2Cstripbooks%2C170&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reckoning-baron-birtcher/1142976417?ean=9781504082792

 

Find Mr. Birtcher:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BaronRBirtcher

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baronrbirtcherauthor/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

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Monday, September 18, 2023

Dead by Proxy by Manning Wolfe New Release (September 18, 2023)


 

Help me congratulate Manning on her new release!

Here’s the blurb:

Dead By Proxy takes you on a heart-pounding journey through the life of a criminal defense attorney, whose world is turned upside down when he loses a career-defining case. He subsequently finds himself being hunted by the very client he tried to save.

Have you ever imagined a life where every step you take could be your last? Where danger lurks around every corner, and even the shadows seem to whisper your name? As Quinton Bell navigates the treacherous path of survival, he knows that he is running from a powerful and relentless adversary who will stop at nothing to see him silenced. His world becomes a labyrinth of danger, deceit, and hidden threats. With every passing moment, the noose tightens, and he musters every ounce of wit and resilience to outsmart those who want him dead.

In Dead By Proxy, award winning author Manning Wolfe weaves a gripping narrative, leading readers on a roller-coaster ride of emotions, where every turn of the page brings new twists and unexpected revelations.

Will Quinton Bell find a way out, or will he forever be a pawn in a deadly game of cat and mouse?


Friday, September 15, 2023

25 to Life by John Lansing Blog Tour and Book Review

 

Published September 5, 2023.

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

While this is book 5 in the The Jack Bertolino series, it can certainly be read as a standalone. This was my first introduction to Mr. Jack Bertolino. He’s an interesting fellow.

This book starts out with the crime and it keeps on going, leading us down the path that Jack takes, after he’s called in on the case, to get to the answer. This book starts out with a bang and does not stop. I enjoyed the writing style contained within these pages, the descriptions of the characters produced a chuckle or two.

This is the kind of crime thriller, if you will, that I enjoy reading. One that is focused on the case of today but leads back to past cases. It’s always interesting to see how things get wrapped up in the end and how things start to tie together, even with multiple moving parts (i.e. characters), and just exactly what role they each played. It also doesn’t hurt that Jack has a bit of a love interest.

I liked the pacing of this story. If you like a story that starts out with the crime and keeps on moving at a good clip, try this one. I would not hesitate to read more of Jack’s adventures.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/25-Life-Jack-Bertolino-Book-ebook/dp/B0C8LQWNZ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3361LB9CJ95FU&keywords=25+to+life+john+lansing&qid=1689259065&sprefix=25+to+life+john+lansi%2Caps%2C366&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/25-to-life-john-lansing/1143678653?ean=2940167483699

 

Find Mr. Lansing:

Website: https://www.johnlansing.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devilsnecktie/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/john-lansing

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590380.John_Lansing

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jelansing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnlansingauthor/

 

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Thursday, September 7, 2023

The Reckoning of Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright Book Review


 

1907 - A newspaper, Libby, Elijah, Calvin, Reverend Mueller, the Corbin twins (Jedidiah and Jacobus), the Greenwood family, Paul Darrow.

Present day - Annalise, Garrett, Christen, Brent, Nicole, Brian, Tyler, Gia, the Greenwood family of present day.

The Hayes family of 1907 and present day.

The same newspaper existed in 1907 as it does in the present day.

There is such an overlap in all of these characters with similarities in their stories that my head kept spinning. They all have secrets that are slowly revealed through these pages with some surprises thrown in. Libby was harboring a secret that she finally had to let go of. Annalise and Garrett were harboring a secret that they finally had to come to grips with and accept.

The underlying theme through these pages is forgiveness and giving just a little bit of grace to others even in their darkest hours. Also, as is traditional for this author, a building is involved, this one being the newspaper building, with Gossamer Grove’s history hidden in the basement in a dark corner. Secrets that were only uncovered because of the curiosity of Annalise and her bravery in seeking the answers as to why the Mr. Hayes of her day left his trailer to her. He was a bit of a mystery himself in that he was a recluse, but why was he searching for answers that Annalise didn’t even know questions existed for? And, just how close was he to tying everything together?

If you have never read one of this author’s works, I highly recommend you do, especially if you like dual timelines with intersecting stories connecting the past to the present. I’ve said it before, for me, historical fiction has to be interesting, there has to be a deeper story, this author nails it … every … single … time.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates Book Review


 

This was my first introduction to this author’s writing and it started off with a bang. This was totally not what I was expecting. I was intrigued by the title and the cover so I decided to give this one a go.

Picture yourself on a trip for a retreat with at least ten other people … a trip your boyfriend was invited on. Picture yourself wondering how these other folks were also on the same trip. It’s snowing outside so the bus you’re all riding on is not having the easiest of times navigating the road to begin with when a tree is in the way. Everyone except one person ends up in an abandoned cabin - not the lodge that was originally promised because no one can get to it.

As this tale of nightmares unfolds, the reader learns about the different personalities that start to emerge as everyone starts to feel cooped up in such a tiny space. Strange things start to happen, and things go bump in the night. This is a dark tale that really can only be described as Christa’s worst nightmare, Christa being the main character. But man … was this a good one!

I am definitely going to be reading more of this author’s work.

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

All Who Wander by Joe Clifford New Release


 

Here’s the blurb:

One snowy night in 1998, Brooke Mulcahy's car slides off the road in rural Vermont. Her car is discovered. She is not. Twenty-one years later, Robert Kirby, Brooke's stepbrother, is paid a visit from a young woman (Lily), claiming to be Brooke's daughter. Since a tumultuous upbringing, Robert, formerly known as "Bobby," has enjoyed considerable success. Now an esteemed professor at a private Upstate New York university, Robert has just received a significant NEH grant. After Lily's visit, Robert's life is upended.

His wife Stephanie reveals she is unhappy in the marriage and takes their teenage son to visit her sister in PA. Brooke's former best friend, Aaron Reardon, still devastated from Brooke's disappearance, offers to help. And forever lurking in the background is Mike Rakowski, Brooke's ex, a possessive, abusive drug addict.

As Robert's world unravels, he revisits that night twenty-one years ago where everything went wrong, unearthing a horrible, bone-chilling secret. In the vein of Simone St. James' Sun Down Motel and other female-driven domestic psychological thrillers today, All Who Wander mines the depths of past transgression, begging the question: do past sins automatically negate future happiness?

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Where The Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling New Release



Help me congratulate Joshua Moehling on his new release. I have not had the opportunity to read this one yet, but I am sure it will be just as good, if not better, than And There He Kept Her.

Here's the blurb:
When an early morning call brings Deputy Ben Packard to the scene of a home invasion, he finds Bill Sandersen shot in his bed. Bill was a well-liked local who chased easy money his whole life, leaving bad debts and broken hearts in his wake. Everyone Packard talks to has a story about Bill, but no one has a clear motive for wanting him dead. The business partner. The ex-wife. The current wife. The high-stakes poker buddies. Any of them―or none of them―could be guilty.
As the investigation begins, tragedy strikes the Sheriff's department, forcing Packard to make a difficult choice about his future: step down as acting Sheriff and pursue the quiet life he came to Sandy Lake in search of, or subject himself to the scrutiny of an election for the full-time role of Sheriff, a job he's not sure he wants.
There's a hidden history to Sandy Lake that Packard, ever the outsider, can't see. Bad blood and old secrets run deep. But an attempt on Packard's life means he's getting uncomfortably close to the dangerous legacy of the quiet Minnesota town. And someone will do anything to keep it hidden.

Friday, August 11, 2023

The Killer's Wife by Susan Furlong Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

This is one of those books that you start to read and just want to keep reading … at least it was for me. There are some very interesting characters in this tale.

Adam and Miranda Nash - A very mismatched couple. Miranda wants the traditional things … a house with a white picket fence (at least the image of that) and a family, so naturally she’s pushing Adam into having a baby. Adam used to work on the police force with a big city, but accepted a job as a parole officer in Joy, Montana. Sounds like what a good husband would do, right? Adam has his own ulterior motives for taking this lesser job.

Enter Kerry Grey - This is who this tale is really about and her conviction. Kerry also has a son, Joey, and a husband, Lucas. That’s a tangled web. And there’s her Pops, Callan Grey. He’s really Kerry’s grandfather but raised her since she was a baby, and Pops took in Joey when Kerry was hauled off to prison.

Wyatt Jones - This poor guy. He never got over Kerry over the past four years that Kerry was away.

Amber - The receptionist/operator for the Joy sheriff’s department.

Rachel and Marco - Adam and Miranda’s neighbors. Marco wasn’t in tune with Rachel’s obsession with the Kerry Grey case … at all. Rachel and Adam seemed to bond over their true crime enthusiasm. Ulterior motives!

Sheriff Foley - Because there has to be law enforcement. His officers, Bird and McCulley.

Also interlaced are scenes from the show “Strange Murders.” It’s one of those true crime shows we see on TV which made this story even more interesting … comparing what happened four years ago to the present day.

Everyone seems to have their own reasons for doing what they do. Rachel uses Adam. Adam uses Kerry to an extent. Foley wants his city to recognize his efforts; he doesn’t want to mess this one up. Wyatt, again, never got over Kerry. Kerry wants to reconnect with Joey, but she has to get out of the mess she finds herself in. The list goes on. 

I thought I had this one figured out. Wrong. Then, I thought I had it figured out again. I did but not for the right reasons. And the character of “Mama” … you don’t want to mess with Mama!

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Wife-Susan-Furlong/dp/1645060578/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+killers+wife+susan+furlong&qid=1684714187&sprefix=the+killer%27s+wife+susan%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-killers-wife-susan-furlong/1142487151?ean=9781645060574

 

Find Susan Furlong:

Website: http://www.susanfurlong.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanFurlongAuthor

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-furlong

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6592563.Susan_Furlong?from_search=true&from_srp=true

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Furlong_Sue

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanfurlong/

 

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Saturday, August 5, 2023

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers Book Review



One of the most enjoyable things about being an avid reader is discovering new authors. This one is no exception and it’s just her debut!

That said, this tale starts off with a familiar story line … or so I thought as it sounded very familiar to something that happened quite a while ago. This one, though, brought in a journalist who was deeply connected to the case, so much so that even though she should let it go, she didn’t. She kept digging and digging for answers and was taken on a path that she least expected. Not to mention, the journalist, Margot Davies, uncovered some truths that she was not expecting. She found her answers, but at what cost?

I do have questions about the ending though. I don’t think it was quite as wrapped up as it could’ve been and the whodunnit who was caught … I’m not so sure about that. I suspect that was the author’s intention. If you’ve read this one, what do you think? This is one of those books you’ll want to put back on the shelf to read again in a year or two.

I look forward to following Ms. Flowers’ career … I hope there’s another book on the horizon!

The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre


 

This is my kind of book! I didn’t read the blurb, as is my custom, but the cover and the title grabbed my attention. Plus … you know, the author! I was not disappointed.

The premise of this dark tale is Helena, who happens to be an author, wanting to tell her life story before it’s too late. The kind of book where she tells all, so to speak. In doing so, she hires a ghostwriter for reasons that will become known when you read the book. Not only does she hire Mark Fortune to be her ghostwriter, she also gains from him some things she didn’t think she deserved. Yeah, Helena is pretty messed up, which makes her all the more likable, at least to me. She’s not the kind of person who gets close to anybody and has hermitized herself in life, feeling it’s safer that way.

I highly recommend this book if you like a darkly twisted read with some surprises thrown in along the way.

I definitely look forward to reading more from Ms. Torre - the more twisted, the better!


The Premotion at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright Book Review


 

Imagine if you had suddenly purchased a farm from your husband’s employers. A farm that had a history attached to it, you just didn’t know how much of a history. Imagine this all happening while you were dealing with a personal crisis of your own, one that seemingly was pulling you away from your husband. That is exactly the situation Molly Wasziak found herself in. Now, imagine the main farmhouse having basement walls built from gravestones that had mistakes on them. Back in the day when the farmhouse was built nothing was wasted, thus a repurposing of these markers.

Now enter the past - way back to 1910 where Perliett Van Hilton toted herself as a healer of sorts, she just wasn’t a doctor. Of course, the town’s doctor, George Wasziak, could do nothing but laugh at Perliett and her apothecary box. Maribeth Van Hilton, Perliett’s mother, held seances, but the one spirit she would not call on was PaPa and Perliett always wondered why. Then, there’s Jasper Bridgers, a newcomer to town, who was taken by Maribeth, but not for the reasons you may think.

In this tale, the whodunnit was one I was not expecting, especially when I thought I had it figured out. There is mayhem and murder, love interests, family squabbles, family secrets, personal tragedy. I am really enjoying this author’s writing style; there is such a consistency in her writing and a consistency of her books with the past running into the present, and seemingly there’s always some sort of building involved. If you like dual timelines where the present collides with the past, I highly encourage you to give Ms. Wright a read.

Friday, August 4, 2023

Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

In this tale, we are introduced to River and Tony. River and Tony were FBI behavioral analysts but now they have opened their own PI business. It was on a whim, really, after what happened but they decided to make a go of it.

River is dealing with some pretty tough things which makes her extremely relatable. Her mom has Alzheimer’s. Her dad took off when she was a girl, so she’s struggling all these years later with how she feels about him. And her brother moved to get as far away from their family as he could. Plus, the way this book started out she went through something that still haunts her. I like River’s character. I like how even her struggle to come to terms with her own faith paints a picture that I’m sure most folks can relate to. Plus, there’s the friendship that she has with Tony.

Tony is a man who is strong in his faith and has taken it upon himself to watch out for River, even though he doesn’t have to. Because of the events that started this book he, too, is dealing with some of his own inner turmoil and is trying to come to terms with the aftereffects. He can relate to River on so many levels, not only because they’ve worked together for so long, but he also had a grandfather affected with Alzheimer’s, so he’s able to really “get” River.

We also meet Brian. Unfortunately, Brian suffers from mental illness, so he makes some really bad decisions. Really bad. Not to mention Brian, too, is dealing with some past trauma. I think he’s an essential character to this story, because without him the two overlapping cases wouldn’t be so interesting.

That’s right … there are two overlapping cases in this tale which makes this all the more interesting of a read. With all the underlying connections, I kept turning pages because I wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know how River and Tony figured things out … if they figured things out. And, the ending? Well, that’s a definite setup for more adventures for River and Tony.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Pursuit-Ryland-St-Clair/dp/0764240455/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cold+pursuit+nancy+mehl&qid=1684714382&sprefix=cold+pursuit+nanc%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-pursuit-nancy-mehl/1142260685?ean=9780764240454

 

Find Ms. Mehl:

Website: https://nancymehl.com/#CP

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Nancy-Mehl-Fan-Page/100063707132606/#cp

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-mehl#cp

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630286.Nancy_Mehl#cp

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyMehl1#CP

 

Interested in your own book tour?

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Thursday, August 3, 2023

Hidden Pieces by Mary Keliikoa Blog Tour and Book Review


 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

Sheriff Jax Turner, Elena, Madeline, Steven, Daniel, Allison, Emily, old memories, old cases, new deputies on Sheriff Turner’s team, old friendships rekindled, Abby, Trudy. Talk about some characters with intertwining stories!

I was trying to figure out the whodunnit in this tale, with the current case intersecting with an old case, and I thought I had. Then, I wasn’t so sure, but then I was sure again. This is the kind of story I enjoy reading. I like the fact that Jax was full of self-doubt, personally and professionally; it makes him more “real.” I enjoyed reading about the ins and outs of getting to the answer Sheriff Turner went through, the people he encountered, the secrets they all were keeping. Plus, the extra twist that was thrown in - totally unexpected.

If you enjoy a fast-paced tale that will keep you turning pages to find out what happens next, with a few underlying stories intermixed, then I recommend you give this one a shot. I would not hesitate to read another book by this author. I am also looking forward to more Jax Turner adventures. I am quite certain that even in a small town like Misty Pines, some sinister is lurking to be uncovered.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Pieces-Misty-Pines-Mystery/dp/168512156X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1684714630&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hidden-pieces-mary-keliikoa/1141847615?ean=9781685121563

 

Find Ms. Keliikoa:

Website: https://marykeliikoa.com/#hp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-keliikoa#hp

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20038534.Mary_Keliikoa#hp

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mary_keliikoa#HP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary.keliikoa.author/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

Partners in Crime: https://www.partnersincrimetours.net/

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Friday, July 28, 2023

Little Last Words by Cheryl Bradshaw New Release - July 28, 2023


 

Here’s the blurb:

Will Penelope's new beginning lead to her end?

After living in a verbally abusive relationship for the past six years, twenty-seven-year-old Penelope Barlow has finally found the courage to leave. In the wee hours of night, she wakes her five-year-old daughter to play a game they've been practicing—getting to the car without waking Daddy.

The game is a success.

One month later, mother and daughter are enjoying their new beginning in Cambria, California, the same town where Penelope was raised. But someone in the tight-knit community isn't happy about her return. And for Penelope, her past is about to catch up to her present.

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray Cover Reveal - July 26, 2023


 

Watch for it March 12, 2024.

I’m pleased to be participating in revealing the cover of Stephanie Dray’s new novel, Becoming Madam Secretary, tracing the life of one of America’s unsung heroes: Frances Perkins.

Here’s the blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and richly dramatic novel about American heroine Frances Perkins, who pulled the nation out of the Great Depression.

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

People Like Them by Minka Kent New Release - July 25, 2023

 




Here's the blurb:

Nobody’s perfect—although one beautiful couple certainly comes close. Discover the cracks beneath the polished surface in this unsettling short story from bestselling author Minka Kent.

Veronica and Ryan Hartley are the envy of Auburn Drive. When the exclusive neighborhood hosts its annual progressive dinner party, the couple’s perfection is on display. The neighbors are obsessed—entranced by the “it” couple’s movie-star looks and smoldering gazes. But is the perfect pair too good to be true?

People Like Them is part of Obsession, a collection of compulsively readable short stories about people pushed to their extremes. So addictive you won’t be able to put them down—read or listen to each story in a single sitting.

 


Tuesday, July 11, 2023

The Carolina Variant by Brooke L. French Book Blast


 

Here's an excerpt:

Prologue:

September 13, 2018

The girl on the video monitor stared up at the ceiling as blood trickled from her eyes and nose. Her only movement an occasional spasm of coughing. 

Nothing unexpected, given the progression of the disease. 

Dr. Edmund Haley shut off the overhead fluorescent lights and let himself adjust to the dim glow of the screens lining the back wall of the office. Only the girl’s monitor still played a live feed, but it lit the room well enough. 

And, either way, darkness suited him fine. 

He’d spent so much time stuck in this tiny godforsaken place, he could’ve found the desk and computer with his eyes closed. Haley dropped into a chair and adjusted his glasses, trying to ignore the sharp tang of antimicrobial soap that clung to his hands. It smelled like life in the hospital. Like the servitude of medical practice. 

He hated it as much now as he had before he’d lost his license. But at least this time, he’d be well paid for his efforts. And soon, it would be over. He refocused on the girl’s image. The only question was when. 

Light sliced into the room behind him as Margaret bumbled inside. He made no move to acknowledge the nurse, even as she pulled up a chair beside his. As idiotic as she otherwise seemed to be, she’d know by now not to bother him. He shifted his attention from the video monitor to the computer, where he pulled up the patient’s chart. 

Patient: Octavia MILLS, 18 yo, Af-Am, F, #4

Vitals: 5’5”, 110 lb.

updated (9-10) 108.8 lb.

updated (9-11) 106 lb.

updated (9-12) 104.1 lb.

Provider Notes: Click to open

He scrolled to the section for his notes and, after a click of the mouse, entered the details of that day’s exam. “9-13-18; Liver and kidney function both continue to decline. Discrete purpuric patches expanding from face and trunk now merging. BSA involvement approximately 80%. Note third spacing.” 

The third spacing, a condition where the skin separated from the tissue beneath and filled with blood, was something new. Margaret’s report of it had been the primary reason he’d put himself through the nightmare of protective gear and protocol it’d taken to do a physical exam himself. He wasn’t going to let it be said that he hadn’t been thorough. 

Haley glanced back up at the monitor in time to see a bubble of blood form between Octavia’s lips. The thing grew with each shallow breath. When it reached the size of a small orange, it burst, splattering more droplets of blood onto her face and neck. 

Octavia made no move to wipe them away. He’d given her enough morphine. She would be long past caring. And, more importantly, the extra dosage meant she’d finally quit staring out at him with that awful, confused look on her face. 

He didn’t care. Not really. Except that it had been distracting, and he needed to focus. Needed to understand why was she still alive. What had he missed? Perhaps another round of blood work would— 

The blare of an alarm sounded over the video feed and, more faintly, from the hall. Three more followed. 

Octavia’s body spasmed, convulsing again and again as she vomited up a grainy black-red mix of blood and tissue. The progression was as repulsive as it was now familiar. The vomit mixed with the brighter red flowing from her eyes and nose as the virus moved into its final stage. Blood, still unable to clot, flowed until it covered her face and chest. Until the bedsheets were saturated and no longer white. 

Octavia’s muscles tensed, seizing all at once before releasing. Her body too gruesome to look peaceful, even as she finally came to rest. 

Neither he nor Margaret moved from their chairs. 

The alarms echoed unanswered down the empty hall. Haley clicked off the monitor and most of the noise with it. “That’s better.” 

God knew it had taken long enough. He turned back to the computer, closed Octavia’s chart, and opened another document saved to the desktop as “Subject Outcomes.” He scrolled down, missing Octavia’s name the first time, then tapped the cursor back up until he found it. She’d been number four of twenty-five subjects, and hers was the last empty field in the column marked TPOI for Total Period of Infection. From the time she had been exposed, it had taken four days for the disease to take its course. At least a full day longer than any other subject. 

“About fucking time.” He spoke under his breath as he typed the final entry in with one finger. He still didn’t know why the girl had survived so long, but it was no matter. By any measure, his work there had been an overwhelming success. Haley pulled off his glasses and tapped them against Margaret’s shoulder. “Get me a copy of the subject files, including all of the relevant video footage.” 

Margaret flinched away from him. “Yes, doctor.” She pulled a thumb drive from a desk drawer and plugged it into the video system. The system — which had been his idea — had not only allowed them to observe the patients from a safe distance but also recorded the progress of the disease in each subject. 

Having such an accurate, time-stamped record of their experiments would be invaluable to his employer. As he had been. Haley cleaned the lenses of his glasses with the edge of his lab coat. Knowing what was coming, it didn’t hurt to have insurance. Which was why he had contingency plans stashed in safe deposit boxes across the city. It was a point he would be sure to make when he and his employer spoke. 

No matter what, he wouldn’t end up like the others. 

He pointed to Margaret as she collected the files. “Once you’re done, wipe the system clean.” 

She looked at him, her eyes a question. What happens now? 

He didn’t bother responding. Some part of her had to know already. 

Stupid. 

The kind of people who would hire her to do what she’d done weren’t the type to assume money would be enough to keep her quiet. She was a loose end who — unlike him — had no continuing value. Not that what happened to her mattered. And if she hadn’t been smart enough to see that going in… Well, she’d as much as made her bed, hadn’t she? 

He put a layer of steel in his voice. “Do it.” 

Margaret’s gaze flicked away. She pressed a few buttons on the keyboard and waited for the computer to comply, removed the thumb drive, and dropped it into his waiting hand. 

He turned the small device over in his palm. Amazing that so many lives could be held in such a small device. But then, these lives weren’t the kind anyone cared about. Nobodies and throw-aways. The kind of people who would volunteer for a drug trial for pennies and not be missed when they didn’t come back. He’d done the world a service, really. 

Haley slipped the thumb drive into a padded envelope, scrawled the address he had memorized at the outset of the project on the front, checked twice to make sure he’d stuck on enough postage, then slid the envelope into his briefcase. 

“Take care of that, won’t you?” He tilted his head toward the hallway leading to the patient rooms, where the girl’s body lay waiting. 

Margaret didn’t look up from the computer. “Of course, sir. Same as with the others.” 

Haley tucked the briefcase under his arm, whistling as he left the facility for the last time. With his part done, the rest could finally begin. 

 

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Variant-Brooke-L-French/dp/1685132189/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JVKAH4S044LN&keywords=the+carolina+variant+brooke+french&qid=1687213634&sprefix=the+carolina+varian%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-carolina-variant-brooke-l-french/1143126586?ean=9781685132187

 

Find Ms. French:

Website: https://brookelfrench.com/#tcv

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22450534.Brooke_L_French#tcv

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brooke-l-french

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookelewisfrench/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brooke.l.french#tcv