Duplicity by Shawn Wilson Blog Tour/Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

Brian Kavanagh (Brick to his friends) has found himself unemployed, so off to Ireland he goes to unwind and think. There, he meets Nora whom he later visits in Chicago, his home base being Washington, DC. Brick also finds comfort in visiting his local tavern, Boland’s Mill. Being unemployed in his forties, Brick doesn’t know what he’s going to do next until he gets a call from Grace Alexander, one of the teachers at the local university. She wants to teach her students how to work a cold case and the case of Henry Yang has caught her attention. She wanted Brick’s input due to his expertise. Brick finds out some very interesting things after he’s given permission to look into this cold case by his lieutenant.

Then, there is the story of his former partner, Ron, and his family (wife Jasmine and six-month-old twins, Jayla and Jamal). Imagine Ron’s surprise when he returns home after his shift and his family has disappeared. The usual suspects in such a case are suspected. Ron, of course, is beside himself and is forced into administrative leave, but he can’t rest and Brick manages to help him stay focused, even providing his own home as a sort of refuge to Ron. The twists and turns to this aspect of this book … totally unexpected. You’ll have to read the book to find out more.

If you like a story that has at least two intertwining stories, give Duplicity a read. I would categorize this as a police procedural with a couple of unexpected twists thrown in just to keep things interesting. There is even a wee bit of romance tossed in. I enjoyed Ms. Wilson’s writing style and look forward to seeing what she brings us in the future.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Duplicity-Brick-Kavanagh-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B09XPHSF1L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VL1M1HSH34R5&keywords=duplicity+shawn+wilson&qid=1661789460&sprefix=duplicity+shawn+wilson%2Caps%2C2570&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duplicity-shawn-wilson/1140922886?ean=9781608095100

 

Find Ms. Wilson:

Website: https://shawnwilsonauthor.com/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/shawn-wilson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/448354.Shawn_Wilson

Twitter: Not on Twitter

Instagram: Not on Instagram

 

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/

 

Concrete Evidence by DiAnn Mills Blog Tour/Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

The Elliott family is well respected in their community … until suspicion falls upon their construction company with a fault in the new dam they just constructed. Mr. Elliott Sr. is also a senator so has gained friends as well as enemies in the political arena. Avery, his granddaughter, was raised by Mr. Elliott, her granddad, ever since she was a pre-teen since her parents had no interest in her upbringing. This, obviously, caused a crushing blow to the young Avery, but her granddad loved her and raised her to be a strong, independent woman with a strong faith. Her upbringing was tested when accusations were flying around town about her granddad’s construction company, so much so he wanted Avery to leave town until things settled.

Enter Marc Wilkins, FBI agent, and his partner Roden doing their best to get to the bottom of the deaths surrounding the situation. Were the victims a matter of coincidence or were they somehow connected to what happened? Marc was also dealing with the death of his father whom he was estranged from, the finding out of having a younger sister, and keeping his mother out of danger. Add to this the growing attraction he felt toward Avery.

There are a myriad of other characters that help enhance this story, Shipley, Buddy and Saundra, Leeanne, Craig, the ranch hands, Tessa (Marc’s sister), the memory of Marc’s father.

This is a carefully crafted tale looking for “concrete evidence” of what happened to the dam along with the who and why. I kept thinking I had it figured out, but no … the person behind the damage and the reasons why came as quite a shock which made for an interesting read and an interesting conclusion. This story ties in a very strong family connection, a family who is closely devoted to their faith, a family who sticks together through thick and thin, a budding romance, a brother and a sister who didn’t know about each other building a relationship, a man who also learns how to forgive his father for what he didn’t have growing up. That’s a powerful lesson.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Concrete-Evidence-DiAnn-Mills/dp/1496451902/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LOR0LER2P5HL&keywords=concrete+evidence+diann+mills&qid=1661789143&sprefix=concrete+evidence+diann+%2Caps%2C1478&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/concrete-evidence-diann-mills/1141091007?ean=9781496451903

 

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/

 

The Midnight Call by Jode Millman Blog Tour/Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

If you have never read a book by Jode Millman, I encourage you to do so. Her writing just flows into a cohesive story, this one, The Midnight Call, being no exception. This is the second book I’ve read by her and I’m sure there will be more.

Terrence Butterfield - A trusted high school teacher for many years. A friend to Jessie and her father, Ed, for a very long time.

Jessie - A corporate lawyer, engaged to Kyle, daughter to Ed. Friend to Terrence.

Kyle - Jessie’s fiancé who is none too keen on her relationship with Terrence.

Hal Samuels III - Hal went to college with Jessie, they have history. Hal married Erin; Tyler is their young son. Hal works for the district attorney’s office, his boss being Lauren Hollenbeck.

Jeremy Kaplan - Long-time lawyer whom Jessie calls for help. Mr. Kaplan hires Dr. Shtern.

Jessie gets a call in the middle of the night from Terrence, telling her he’s committed a horrendous crime and he needs help. Because of Jessie’s long-term friendship with Terrence, she rushes to his aid, much to Kyle’s dislike. Kyle drives her over because Jessie is very pregnant and doesn’t want anything to happen to her. In the process, Jessie calls her dad to talk to Terrence on the phone to help ensure he doesn’t do anything else and to hopefully keep him calm. Terrence ultimately gets hauled off to jail and things spiral for him from there. Jessie, knowing that she is unable to handle Terrence’s situation, calls in Jeremy Kaplan.

While Jeremy is trying to build the best defense possible for Terrence, Jessie is experiencing a desperate situation of her own. Kyle is not happy with her … at all. The victim in this particular case just happened to be the brother of her long-time-ago ex-boyfriend, the boyfriend Robbie, the victim Ryan. Then, of course, she is confronted with Hal and her memories of him and how she really feels about him. Then, there are her own health scares with her baby. Hal also has to discover his own truths.

The characters in this book come alive through this story. It takes a while to get to the heart of this tale, but it is well worth it in the end. The final sentence of this sometimes heart-wrenching tale leads me to believe that there will be more. Terrence’s story is not over … not yet.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Call-Queen-Crimes-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BGQK7DY2/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?crid=2WKJVH80J8W9V&keywords=the+midnight+call+jodi+millman&qid=1664723092&sprefix=the+midnight+call%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2-fkmr1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-midnight-call-jod-millman/1142486103?ean=9781685121747

 

Find Jode Millman:

Website: https://www.jodemillman.com/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jode-millman?list=about

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/64152.Jode_Susan_Millman

Twitter: https://twitter.com/worldseats

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

 

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/

 

Secrets of the Gold by Baer Charlton Blog Tour/Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

What Duff knows - He woke up in the dirt and mud with a set of keys in his pocket. The keys belonged to the motorcycle parked a few feet away. His jacket was heavy for some reason. He found other things in the packs on his bike that he had no explanation for.

What Bean knows - She is tired of being in the foster care system after her parents died in quick succession. The cops were chasing her, she ducked into a diner, she essentially took a chance on Duff. Doreen, the waitress, helped, though she didn’t have a clue who Bean was.

Ingrid - After Duff and Bean settled, Ingrid is hired as Bean’s tutor and the housekeeper (so to speak). Ingrid has her own backstory.

Leon - Started out as a security guard in the courthouse building, knew Duff, met Bean, was promoted by sheer luck. A good friend to Duff and Bean.

Mr. Kaminski - A powerful man, though Duff and Bean don’t know why or how exactly Duff came to know him.

The thing about Duff and Bean … they are alike in so many ways, but they didn’t know it when they first met. This tale takes them from the time Bean “met” Duff to the many adventures that followed to the relationship they built that neither one of them expected. Bean has memories she wants to forget, and Duff has memories he wants to remember. They both started out with the same philosophy - pack only what you can carry and leave the rest behind, which amounted to three T-shirts, a pair of pants or two, three pairs of socks, and their shoes. It is only when they settled in a place that Ingrid joined their group, to seemingly tutor Bean, but she is an integral part of their story. Mr. Kaminski and Leon are also an integral part of their story. This is a story about family … even if that family isn’t biologically related. There are some other characters that help round out this story.

To say I enjoyed this book is an understatement and, admittedly, I probably never would have read this book had it not been for Partners in Crime Tours. It is so well written I kept turning pages … wondering if Duff would regain his memories and how Bean would turn out. This is one of those books that you’ll want to put back on your shelf to read today and then maybe in a few years … I suspect your perspective will change over time. If Mr. Charlton’s other books are this intriguing, as readers, we are in for some great storytelling.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Gold-Baer-Charlton-ebook/dp/B09TZF6ZXB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=V44Y75YPT1U2&keywords=secrets+of+the+gold+baer+charlton&qid=1663162395&sprefix=secrets+of+the+gold+baer+charlton%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-2

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-the-gold-baer-nmi-charlton/1140970194?ean=9781949316209

 

Find Mr. Charlton:

Website: https://books2read.com/ap/RwO1PR/Baer-Charlton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WR1T3R

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/baer-charlton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5874238.Baer_Charlton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/baer_charlton

 

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/

 

Interview with Baer Charlton as Presented by Partners in Crime Tours

 

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Not much. But then, I have traveled extensively in the past for other reasons. I learned a bit of Swahili when I traveled to Tanzania and Rwanda as a newbie photojournalist. The countries and the people left indelible marks on my memories and soul.

I have traveled on six of the seven continents. I’m a weather wimp these days, so I won’t be chasing penguins soon.

Years ago, my wife and I were vacationing on the Big Island in Hawaii. Having grown up in a tourist town, I knew that most tourists do not know what they’re looking at until someone tells them. So, buying tours from locals is a great     way to go. One of the guides had marvelous stories about the ancient Hawaiians. The other guide had a glorious name. So, both the name and the story went into the book I was working on: Pirate’s Patch.

With Secrets of the Gold, I have been to Arizona several times. The resort is one of my wife’s favorite ways to be spoiled, and I like the food and air.

Duff and Bean’s relationship starts with him exposing her to a marvelous world she would have never known. So, his showing her a snowflake in the hot Arizona desert was a natural. For me, as a twenty-one-year-old, it was only about fifty miles out of my way, but an oddity worth seeing.

Much of the places I put in my books, I have been to. They may have changed a bit in the last decade or three, but I know how vivid the blue paint made from lapis stone still is in the tombs of the pharaohs. The smell of the rotting jungle at the top of the volcanos in Rwanda is not the same as the rotting swamps of Georgia and Louisiana. You must go there to experience the difference the soil makes in how the vegetation rots.

 

Find Mr. Charlton:

Website: https://books2read.com/ap/RwO1PR/Baer-Charlton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WR1T3R

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/baer-charlton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5874238.Baer_Charlton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/baer_charlton

 

Interview with Debra Parmley as Presented by Itsy Bitsy Book Bits

 

For those new to your work, please tell us a bit about yourself, your books, and your genre/s.

I live in a motorhome full-time with my husband and we travel the U.S. while I write. I write in several subgenres of romance and I'm most known for military romantic suspense books writing as Debra Parmley. As Debra Bishop, I write fairy tales, fantasy and children's books. I've started a non-fiction memoir about our first year in the motorhome. 

What lessons have you learned as a writer?

There are so many, but the main one is to trust where the story wants to go. 

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

I would pay off all our debts, then hire some people to help me with my book business, and we'd take a trip to Tahiti and stay in the over-the-water huts. I would make sure my family was doing okay and then I'd donate to a few places. 

In your everyday life, how do you give back to the world?

I believe that every day we are alive is a beautiful day and that is how I live. I hope that my example can inspire people. I try to put positive things into the world with my words and my actions.

If your life was a song, what song would it be and why?

What a Beautiful World. Because that is what I see when I look at our world.

Name two authors you wish more people knew about.

Susan Boles who writes southern cozy mysteries, and Jocie McKade whose books make me laugh. 

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to read, take walks on the beach, watch the ocean and the sandpipers, write, dance, sing, shoot pool, long guns and my Mongolian horse bow (primitive archery), collect shells, cross stitch, and read stories to my grandkids. 

When reading reviews, what is something you love to see written?

I love to see what the reader enjoyed about the story, how it made them feel, and what they'd like to see more of. 

What are you currently working on?

I'm working on my first SEAL series which will come out in August.

​What books are currently in your to-read list?

The Warrior by Sharon Sala, Dragonblade by Kathryn LeVeque, Key West Slam by Mike Pettit, and By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer which I just started reading. The rest of my list is way too long to share here. 

What is your favorite book made into a movie/TV show?

Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I walked the plank of a pirate ship off the coast of Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, and I have a water phobia and a fear of heights. But then I climb lighthouses because I'm afraid of heights.

What is your favorite season of the year and why?

Summer because I can walk on the beach barefoot and listen to the ocean.

How do you overcome writer's block? 

I write on a legal pad and move from room to room and I start off writing about how frustrated I am to not be writing a certain thing I want to write. Then voila, soon I am writing again.

How do you plan out the plot of your stories?

If I plot the whole book, I will never write it. So I can only have a general idea of where it's going in my head. Then I let the story and the story people go where they naturally want to go. 

You are filling out this interview as part of a tour with Itsy Bitsy Book Bits. What made you choose Itsy Bitsy Book Bits?

I've hired Itsy Bitsy Book Bits before, and Colleen did a great job! It was wonderful.

Itsy Bitsy Book Bits link - https://itsybitsybookbits.com/

Find Ms. Parmley at:

Website: https://debraparmley.com/

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2279340.Debra_Parmley?from_search=true&from_srp=true

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/debra-parmley

 

 

We Knew All Along by Mina Hardy Book Review

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review. Publishing December 2022. (Not my picture.)

Jewelann has been married to Ken for a good thirteen years now, ever being the ‘perfect’ wife, or so she hopes. They have a son, Eli. Eli is one of those kids who just does not fit in no matter how hard he tries. Jewelann, being the mom that she is, will go to great lengths to protect Eli. Jewelann has also inherited the family home and absolutely refused to move. There is a carriage house behind the main house. Jewelann also has a bit of a shopping problem, so there’s the issue with storing things in the carriage house along with the ‘secret’ storage unit. Things come to a boiling point between her and Ken when Christian Campbell (C.C. back in the way) rents, to Jewelann’s dislike and delight, the carriage house with Ken’s approval.

This calls into question Jewelann’s unrelinquished feelings toward Christian. Not to mention Lisa and Beth’s shock that C.C. is still around. Lisa is Jewelann’s best friend from days long past, and she is not too fond of Beth, but with Lisa there is Beth so she does her best. Christian … he’s quite the eye candy, so to speak, but he’s also quite sneaky … and a liar. Ken … how does one explain Ken? He’s not what he appears to be. There is a past incident that ties all of these characters together, a tragedy really that happened a long time ago, but no one quite forgot.

The twists that pop up near the end of this tale sure weren’t expected. The truths that were revealed are quite intriguing. The ending seemed a bit rushed to me, but this was a twisted read which I quite enjoyed overall. If you like a mind twister - add this one to your TBR.