Voices in Blood by G.B. Reese Book Review

 

I received this book as a gift.

A rundown of the characters:

John – the dad. He’s not a nice man and what he did to his children, or at least tried to do, while it made for some interesting reading, it’s not for the faint of heart.

JP – the mild-mannered oldest son. JP is full of conflict between his dad’s beliefs and his own.

Jack – the middle child. He’s the quiet one. The one who gets overlooked.

Julien – the third child, the one who was molded.

Sophia – the mom. Sophia has her own story to tell.

The Panel – the voices.

Cap – the neighbor. We all need someone like Cap in our life. Cap is what I would call a beacon, of sorts, for JP.

This book is dark, probably one of the darkest I’ve ever read, and yet the bizarre family dynamics kept me turning the pages. I have to put trigger warnings on this one – there is a lot of abuse, mental illness, and quite a gruesome scene. If you are squeamish be prepared. In the end, I am left wondering what the final chapter of this family’s story will be.

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day Book Review

 

The premise of this tale is Aiden Ransey gone missing. It turned out to be quite a bit more than I was expecting. This is also the tale of Anna Winger running from her past. There were hints that were continually scattered through the first part of this book which left me wondering what happened in Anna’s past to make her run. I kept wanting to know the answer.

Anna also has a son, Joshua. I was intrigued with Anna and Joshua’s story in that Anna didn’t seem to know how to reach Josh, after all he was just beginning his teenage years. Enter a homework assignment about a family tree. Enter Anna not knowing how to answer his questions.

Also intriguing to me was the fact that Anna didn’t want anyone looking too closely at her for fear of them finding out about her past which would make her want to run again.

This is also a story of hope and forgiveness, a story of family, a story of finally being able to feel safe. After a couple of false starts, I’m glad I was finally able to sit down and give this one a read.

8 Down by Kimberley Woodhouse New Release and Book Review

 

Help me congratulate Kimberley Woodhouse on her new release! Here’s the blurb -

8 more lives at stake.

Investigator Carrie Kintz is new blood with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation in Anchorage. But with a serial killer on the loose, there's no easing into the job. It's sink or swim. The only clues to help law enforcement stop this madman are the taunts he drops into crossword puzzles across the country--always in the same 8 DOWN position.

Carrie is desperate to prove her worth to the force and the community by catching the killer. But when she discovers signs that these deaths are just the tip of the iceberg in a frighteningly elaborate cyberattack, it's time to admit she needs help.

Calling in security specialist Scott Patteson for his expertise seems like the right move--until Carrie realizes that he may be a dangerous distraction for her heart. With her faith fading in the face of horror and uncertainty and her career in danger of ending, this is no time for flirtation.

But with a killer who is determined to prove that he's smarter than everyone else, it may be impossible to fight both the madman and their feelings for each other . . .

 

I received this book as a gift.

Alaskan Cyber Hunters book two. If you are into books about cybercrimes intermixed with a tiny bit of politics, the ABI not wanting to relinquish their case to the FBI, a wee bit of romance intermixed with some faith, this series is for you! I would recommend this series be read in order to get a feel for the characters, as well as to understand mentions of 26 Below throughout these pages and its aftereffects.

Carrie finds herself navigating her way through being the lead investigator on her first big case – something she thought she wasn’t ready for, but she had an incredible team on her side. She had to deal with her feelings of inadequacy of doing the job and doing it well enough to catch the bad guy; she had to deal with a tragedy none of them were expecting; she also found herself dealing with her feelings for Scott. There are a whole host of characters intermixed with this particular case that help round out this story.

I found this tale of intrigue to be quite fast paced, as well as a bit intense at times with Carrie Kintz and her team’s efforts to track down the bad guy. There is no secret who the bad guy is in this tale. The trick to this read was trying to figure out who the bad guy’s minions were and the roles they played. I thought I had it figured out by the very subtle clues I thought I was picking up; I was incorrect in my presumptions.

One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan New Release

 

Help me congratulate Hank on her newest release!

Here’s the blurb:

A heart-racing new psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling and multiple award-winning author, Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Words have the power to change lives, and no one knows that better than crisis management expert Arden Ward. But she's in big trouble—she's accused of having an affair with a client. It's not true! She would never do such a thing! But she gets the blame—and now she's about to be fired.

Arden is granted two weeks to save her career and her reputation. And then she meets Cordelia Bannister.

Cordelia needs help for her husband Ned, a successful Boston real estate mogul. Though he was recently acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident, his reputation has been ruined, and the fallout is devastating not only to the Bannisters' lives, but the lives of their two young children.

Arden devotes her final days on the job to helping this shattered family, but soon, revelations about what really happened the night of the accident begin to emerge. And then—another car crash throws Ned back into the spotlight.

This case is Arden’s last chance to protect her own future and clear her name—and the Bannister kids may be in danger! But the more she tries to untangle the truth, the more one disturbing question haunts her—what if she’s protecting a killer?

Everyone believes that words can never hurt them, but Arden knows the reality. Sometimes one wrong word can kill.

Cold Threat by Nancy Mehl Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are tangling with another case in Cold Threat, which is an absolutely perfect title for this tale that involves snowy weather. The premise of this tale is Tony and River going to help Tony’s dad solve a case that has been on his mind for the past twenty-four years … the one that he never solved, at least to his liking, the one that stayed with him.

There are several things I like about this series, not to mention the writing style. I really like the characters, their personalities really start to come through even in the first book, Cold Pursuit. In book two, they have remained consistent which is something I appreciate in a series. River is still struggling to come to terms with her mom’s illness and their relationship. She is also still trying to figure out what to do with her feelings for Tony, not to mention the struggle she has with her faith. Coupled with her relationship with her brother and trying to forgive her father.

Tony remains River’s partner in their PI business, but he also has to confront his feelings for River. Taking River with him to help his dad not only introduces River to his mom, dad, and sister, Aimee, but also, I think, makes him realize what River really does mean to him. Tony’s mom and sister also have to face the truth when it comes to River; it makes for a good inner story within the main story.

I enjoyed the fact that the author pulled in snippets from what happened in book one, which I feel is important in order to understand some of the thoughts that River and Tony have, and it enhances their relatability in that they just didn’t let their last case go, so to speak, it was too traumatic for both of them for different reasons.

If you like a good police procedural series, I highly recommend this one. I expect quite a few loose ends will be tied up in book three and I am hopeful to get my hands on a copy to see what River and Tony get up to next.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Threat-Profiler-Thriller-Romantic/dp/0764240463/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2ZYIQHQCJNQF2&keywords=nancy+mehl+books&qid=1705074663&sprefix=nancy+mehl%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-5

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-threat-nancy-mehl/1143717361?ean=9780764240461

 

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?

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

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

 

The Traitors by C.A. Lynch New Release and Review

 

Help me congratulate Carissa on her newest release! Here's the blurb - 

The brand new locked-room thriller for fans of Ruth Ware and Freida McFadden.

You are cordially invited to the Beechwood Castle for a night you’ll never forget…

Six people find a thick cream envelope on their doorstep. Inside is an invitation to spend 24 hours in a crumbling manor house and be in with the chance to win a portion of one million dollars. The catch: Beechwood Castle was the site of one of the most horrific murders in modern history.

The smell of blood, decay and death still hangs heavy in the air.

Six people walk into the house. One of them is an imposter, all of them are traitors, which of them will survive the night?

 

I had an opportunity to read an early copy of this book and oh my goodness. I knew I was in ‘trouble’ when I started this one at lunch one day and decided to put it aside until I could devote more than 30 minutes to this read. And when I did, I devoured this one because I wanted to know what happened, who did it, and the why behind it all.

The premise of this tale is some folks from Rock Hill suddenly received mysterious invitations to spend the night at Beechwood Castle. The prize? One-sixth of a million dollars. Who could resist, right?

Staci – a true crime podcaster. Jan her co-host, incorporating makeup into said podcast.

Lolly – the only one who survived the past horror that happened so long ago at Beechwood Castle.

Cornelius – an architect by trade, but also a failed marriage in his future.

Penelope – an author who folks are beginning to ignore. Her husband, Robert.

Bonnie – out of prison for a while now, trying to stay on a clean path.

Rad – one of the police officers who was called to the crime scene all those many years ago when he was a rookie.

The Hostess, Mary Beth Penner – she was just hired for the job and had no clue what was going on.

This book is one of the darkest and creepiest that this author has written. Beechwood Castle reminded me of another of her books, The Secrets of Cedar Farm, with its hidden passages. I

Each of these characters are tied together not only because of their invitations, but because of their flawed natures. The person who brought them together knew that they would go to great lengths to win the additional prize. Each of these folks also have some deeper secrets than the ones on the surface. If you are looking for a creepy, dark read, I would highly recommend you give this one a shot. And the whodunit? That was a shock and not one I was expecting. I kept thinking I had it figured out and I was wrong every time.

A Moth to Flame by Joe Clifford New Release

 

Help me congratulate Joe Clifford on his newest release! Here’s the blurb:

Spanning twenty-five years, A MOTH TO FLAME tells the story of two sisters, Lydia—and Jessica Barrett, who is found, dead, at the bottom of a ravine in 1991 after attending a protest in a support of a recently fired, popular teacher.

Twenty-five years later, Lydia, who suffers from nyctophobia (a fear of the night), is a coroner’s investigator on the graveyard shift in Los Angeles. A promotion awaits. Her mentor Maureen Gearon is grooming Lydia to take over as county medical examiner. If Lydia can conquer her fear of the dark.

Early one morning Lydia encounters a woman, whose neck has been broken like her sister’s. Checking a missed voicemail, Lydia hears a message from the dead woman who claims to have information about Jess.

While researching her sister’s accident, Lydia stumbles upon a true-crime YouTube channel, Night Shade, hosted by a former classmate, Shane Ellet, who maintains Jess’ death wasn’t an accident; it was murder. Caught in a web of lies and deception are Cam Rawls, Jess’ ex-boyfriend and current hometown sheriff; Brad Pearce, the handsome, young English teacher who was sexually involved with students; and a recovering addict, Mark Burns, employed by Richard Fontaine, Mom Gloria’s new boyfriend and general contractor. As Lydia grows closer to the truth, the Sand Wildfire breaks out, encroaching, and threatening to burn everything to the ground. Will Lydia learn the truth in time?

In the modern vein of authors such as Thomas Harris, Jeffrey Deaver, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, A MOTH TO FLAME tells the story of a woman in a man’s world, set against the illusion of perfect suburban lives that are anything but, populated with the scariest monsters of all: the ones right in front of our faces that we cannot see through the dark.