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?

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

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

 

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/

 

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/

 

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

 

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?

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/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

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

 

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.

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?