Guest Author, Guest Post, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

A POUND OF FLESH by Alex Gray (Guest Post & Showcase)

CMash November 29, 2017 Leave a Comment

A Pound of Flesh

by Alex Gray

on Tour November 6 – December 6, 2017

Synopsis:

A Pound of Flesh by Alex Gray

In the depths of a freezing winter, Glasgow finds itself at the mercy of not one, but two serial killers

This is Detective Inspector Lorimer’s worst nightmare and beyond anything he’s faced in his many years on the force. Can he find a link between the brutal slaying of prostitutes in the back streets of the city and the methodical killing of several unconnected businessmen?

When the latest victim turns out to be a prominent Scottish politician, the media’s spotlight is shone on Lorimer’s investigation. Psychologist and criminal profiler Solly Brightman is called in to help solve the cases, but his help may be futile as they realize that someone on the inside is leaking confidential police information. Meanwhile two killers haunt the snowy streets and Lorimer must act fast, before they strike again…

Check out my review HERE and enter the giveaway

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery & Detective
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0062659227 (ISBN13: 9780062659224)
Series: DCI Lorimer #9
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Author Bio:

Alex Gray

Alex Gray was born and educated in Glasgow. After studying English and Philosophy at the University of Strathclyde, she worked as a visiting officer for the Department of Health, a time she looks upon as postgraduate education since it proved a rich source of character studies. She then trained as a secondary school teacher of English. Alex began writing professionally in 1993 and had immediate success with short stories, articles, and commissions for BBC radio programs. She has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing. A regular on the Scottish bestseller lists, she is the author of fourteen DCI Lorimer novels. She is the co-founder of the international Scottish crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, which had its inaugural year in 2012.

Connect with Alex Gray on her Website 🔗 & Twitter 🔗.

GUEST POST

This was the 5th book that I have read in this series so I asked Ms. Gray what are 10 facts about DCI Lorimer that I may not know.

Ten little known facts about DCI Lorimer

Did you know …?

1. Lorimer never intended to be a police officer ~ he had hoped to pursue an academic career as an Art historian.

2. He has no brothers or sisters.

3. Both of Lorimer’s parents died before he left High School; his father of cancer, his mother of a brain aneurysm.

4. Lorimer enjoys watching soccer though his sport as a youngster was rugby.

5. Before he met up with Solomon Brightman, Lorimer was very skeptical about criminal profiling.

6. He is kept pretty busy as you can imagine but did you realize he often forgets to have a regular haircut?

7. Lorimer’s birthday is February 7th which makes his star sign Aquarius. He has several traits typical of that sign eg humanitarianism, fighting for causes, being a good listener and a highly intellectual person that likes helping others.

8. Everyone has a weakness and Lorimer’s is that he suffers from claustrophobia.

9. So far Lorimer and Maggie have not visited Australia (unlike me) but it is high on his wish list, particularly to see the fabulous bird life.

10. His preferred brand of whisky is an Islay single malt named Bunnahabhain.

Read an excerpt:

It wasn’t always easy to see the moon or the stars. This city’s sodium glow rose like yellow fog from its streets, blotting out any chance of star gazing. But she knew it was there. That cold white face dominated her thoughts tonight and she shivered as though it already saw her flesh naked and exposed to its unblinking watchfulness. Perhaps it was because she was trying to be seen that she felt such awareness. The red jersey pencil skirt folded over to create a too-short mini, those agonisingly high-heeled sandals cutting into her bare toes; spread across the bed back in the hotel they had seemed the garb of an adventuress.

Now, revealed in the glare of the street lamp on this corner she felt a sense of…what? Shame? Perhaps. Self-consciousness, certainly. But such feelings must be overcome if her plan was to work.

She had already overcome the blank indifference of the girls down in Waterloo Street, their body language both defiant and compelling. Her hips shifted, one slender foot thrust forwards, as she remembered how they had stood, languidly chewing gum, waiting for their punters. Their desperation drove them to return night after night, the price of a wrap of drugs equating to an hour with some stranger.

Her own need was just as strong, fuelled by a passion that would not be spent until she had fulfilled her desire. It was warm in this Glasgow summer’s night and her black nylon blouse clung to her back, making her uncomfortably aware of her own flesh. The thin cotton coat she’d worn to conceal these trashy clothes as she’d tapped her way across the marble foyer of the hotel was now folded into the black bag at her feet, along with her more sober court shoes. When it was over she would slip them on and return the way she had come, hair clipped in a businesslike pleat. She smiled thinly. Being a woman had some advantages; the facility for disguise was just one of them. Her carefully made-up face was stripped of colour in the unforgiving lamplight, leaving only an impression of dark eyes, darker hair tossed back to reveal a long, determined mouth. She recalled what Tracey- Anne, one of the girls at the drop-in centre, had told her: I get through it by pretending to be someone else for a few hours, then I can be myself again.

Tracey-Anne was lucky, though. After tonight she could never again be the person that she used to be. Glancing at the elegant façades around the square, the dark-haired woman suddenly saw these city streets through different eyes: the shadows seemed blacker, the corners harbouring ill intent. Her chin tilted upwards, defying those inner demons tempting her to turn back.

After tonight things would change for ever. When the car slowed down at the kerb her heart quickened in a moment of anticipation that astonished her. She had expected the thrill of fear, not this rush of excitement sweeping through her blood.

The man behind the wheel had bent his head and she could see his eyes flicking over her hungrily, appraising his choice. He gave a brief nod as if to say he was pleased with his first instinct to stop. Her lip-glossed mouth drawn up in a smile, she stepped forward, willing him to reach across and open the window, ask her price. For a moment he seemed to hesitate and she could see tiny beads of sweat on his upper lip, glistening in the light. Then the door of the big car swung open noiselessly and she lowered herself inside, swinging her legs neatly together to show as much thigh as she could. But the gestures were still ladylike, almost reserved, as if she knew that would quicken his senses.

‘How much?’ he asked. And she told him, one shoulder moving insouciantly as if to declare that she wasn’t bothered whether he could afford her or not: someone else would pay that price if he wouldn’t. She glanced at him briefly, catching sight of the tip of his tongue flicking at his lips like a nervous lizard, then he made a gruff noise of assent, looking at her again, as though to be sure of his purchase, before accelerating into the night.

***

Tour Participants:

Visit the other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Alex Gray and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winner of one (1) eBook copy of Alex Gray’s SLEEP LIKE THE DEAD. The giveaway begins on November 6 and runs through December 10, 2017.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

Book Review, Giveaway, Partners In Crime Tours

A POUND OF FLESH by Alex Gray (Review & Giveaway)

CMash November 28, 2017 1 Comment

A POUND OF FLESH by Alex Gray
Genre: Mystery & Detective
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: November 7th 2017
ISBN13: 9780062659224
ISBN: 0062659227
Pages: 368
Review Copy From: Harper Collins
Edition: ARC
My Rating: 5

Stop by tomorrow for Alex Gray’s Guest Post

Synopsis:

In the depths of a freezing winter, Glasgow finds itself at the mercy of not one, but two serial killers.

This is Detective Inspector Lorimer’s worst nightmare and beyond anything he’s faced in his many years on the force. Can he find a link between the brutal slaying of prostitutes in the back streets of the city and the methodical killing of several unconnected businessmen?

When the latest victim turns out to be a prominent Scottish politician, the media’s spotlight is shone on Lorimer’s investigation. Psychologist and criminal profiler Solly Brightman is called in to help solve the cases, but his help may be futile as they realize that someone on the inside is leaking confidential police information. Meanwhile two killers haunt the snowy streets and Lorimer must act fast, before they strike again…

My Thoughts and Opinion:

Alex Gray has done it again!!!

As you will see, I am addicted to this series. I still have a few that I need to read but so far I have read and reviewed THE RIVERMAN, PITCH BLACK, GLASGOW KISS, FIVE WAYS TO KILL A MAN, SLEEP LIKE THE DEAD and THE SWEDISH GIRL are in my TBR pile. A POUND OF FLESH is the 9th book in the DCI Lorimer series but easily reads as a stand alone.

DCI Lorimer has been reassigned to the Serious Crimes Squad in the department. The killer of prostitutes, in this 18 month old case, has not been apprehended. Another crime around this time his the murders of men in white Mercedes Benz. This case just became a priority when a high ranking member of Parliment is the next victim. Now a high profile case, the killing of the women is put on the back burner. Are there 2 serial killers on the loose? Or could it be, as the investigation progresses, that these 2 cases have something in common?

(Possible spoiler) Ms. Gray gives the reader a hint that the suspect in the murders of the men who drive white Mercedes is a woman. From that moment on, every female character in the story is now a suspect to this reader. Did I figure it out?

As in all of the books that I have read by this author, there are qualities of her writing that I am quite fond of. Her detailed narrative with the written word is so good that I can vividly imagine the settings and the characters. Her books a captivating to the point that I feel transported into the story and am not aware of my surroundings.

A brilliantly well written novel!! An uninterrupted suspenseful read from the first page to the last. And to answer the question if I figured it out who the murder(s) were, not even close!!!!!

I highly encourage you to read Ms. Gray’s novels. I’m sure you will also become addicted to this series as I am!!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review, Giveaway, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

COUNTDOWN by Carey Baldwin (Review, Showcase & Giveaway)

CMash November 27, 2017 3 Comments

Countdown

by Carey Baldwin

on Tour November 27 – December 31, 2017

Synopsis:

Countdown by Carey Baldwin

The next pulse-pounding Cassidy and Spenser thriller from USA Today bestselling author Carey Baldwin!

Don’t believe everything you see.

Special Agent Atticus Spenser and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Caitlin Cassidy are in Tahiti enjoying a much-needed break from the FBI when they spot newlyweds taking fun photos on the beach. But as the groom carries his bride deeper into the waves, Spense is positive he sees a flash of terror cross her face. All his instincts scream that this woman is in danger. Yet moments later, it’s the groom who has nearly drowned… and the bride has vanished, leaving a bloody wedding dress floating in her wake.

The authorities aren’t sure who to believe—the groom, who insists his wife tried to murder him… or her twin, who claims her sister must have acted in self-defense. Intrigued, Spense and Caity agree to help investigate. But when they discover that the missing bride is the daughter of a notorious confidence man, they begin to suspect that all is not what it seems. Now they’ll need to separate victim from villain, fact from fiction, truth from lie, to determine if there’s really a killer on the loose… or if it’s all one big con.

MY REVIEW

5 stars

This is the 5th in a series but read easily as a stand alone.

Special Agent Atticus Spenser and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Caitlin Cassidy are in Tahiti, where, in a week, they will be married in an intimate ceremony with their mothers and 2 friends. While walking the beach to find the perfect location for their vows, they come across another newly married couple and their photographer. The couple runs into the surf as part of the ceremony, however, they are swimming further out and it appears a struggle is taking place and then a gunshot!!! Spense, being an FBI agent, snaps into action with Cassidy following, also an FBI consultant. Was it the bride or groom that shot the other? And why, especially since they just exchanged vows?

Even though Spenser has no jurisdiction, the local police ask that they help in solving this case since one of the people have gone missing.

Thus begins the countdown to find the missing person and the reason why.

I don’t want to divulge any more of the plot so as not to spoil it for other readers, but let me tell you this, the title says it all! A fast paced story that captivated me from the first few pages to the very last word. The characters and settings came to life, and was easy to imagine, due to the writer’s descriptions.

For me, this was what I call “a transported read”. I was so engrossed that I was not aware of my surroundings. I was totally enmeshed in the story. And with the clock ticking down, I tried reading faster to find out the truth. The continuous suspense throughout the book, with so many twists and turns, was galvanizing!! The unexpected ending blindsided me!

This was one heart stopping read!! Highly recommend, but with a warning, be prepared you, will not be able to put it down!

And check out my review of STOLEN

Enter the giveaway below.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: November 28th 2017
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 0062495631 (ISBN13: 9780062495631)
Series: Cassidy & Spenser #5
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

Six Months Earlier

Late Morning

Riverbend, Texas

For the second time since Rose Parker entered her target’s backyard, the Ruger LCP nearly slipped from her sweat-slicked shaky grip.

Damn nerves.

Careful to maintain her hold on the pistol, she halted, wiped her palms on her jeans, one at a time, and then resumed forward progress. Papa hadn’t raised her to be a weak-willed helpless woman. If only he were here to give her a steadying slap—because she was going to take care of Tommy Preston or die trying.

Scratch that.

Dying wasn’t an option.

Then there would be no one left to get the job done.

Suddenly, the pulse in her ears seemed loud enough to burst her eardrums.

You don’t have to do this.

She checked out her toes. Dust obscured the newness of the two-sizes-too-big men’s Nikes that had arrived in the mail yesterday.

Yes, you do.

A bitter taste worked its way up the back of her throat. She spat onto the ground and instantly regretted it. Could they get DNA from dirt-spit? Better keep her saliva to herself from here on out, just to be on the safe side. She wasn’t worried about shoe prints though. If documented as evidence, these would only mislead the cops—something that was easy to do, and a skill she’d mastered at a too-young age.

She pulled her shoulders high and tilted her face up. The rays of the white, west Texas sun had blanched the color from the heavens, changing them into a transparent film. Sweat trickling down her forehead stung when it reached her eyes. Longing to shuck out of every stitch of clothing on her body, she unbuttoned the top of her blouse. Weird how claustrophobia could hit you out in the open like this, but the soaring temperatures and the sheer, heat-wrinkled sky made her feel as though she were trapped in a giant earthen bowl covered by Saran Wrap.
Gulping hot air to prove there really was oxygen to be had, she shaded her eyes. Her Ray-Bans would be nice to have right about now, but she had no purse to dump them in, and when it came time to set that bastard in her sights she couldn’t afford to have glasses slipping down her nose. Even on a good day at the shooting range with no pressure on her, she wasn’t a great marksman. So under circumstances like these, any distraction would add an unnecessary layer of risk.

Up ahead, a column of dust lifted off the ground, stretched vertically, and then spun itself into a dust devil.

Willing her heartbeat to slow and her mind to still, she curled her finger a hair’s breadth away from the Ruger’s trigger.

Settle down.

To kill a man she needed her head level and her blood as frosty as that mug of beer she’d been wishing for even though it was not yet noon.

You can take care of your own self, girl. Don’t let anybody tell you different.

She had to give Papa his due about one thing—he’d set no stock in the notion that a woman was less than. Sis claimed that had just been his excuse to be harder on them than he would’ve been on any son. But Rose disagreed—yet one more example of how she and Sis didn’t always see eye-to-eye. The way she looked at it, Papa had done them a favor by teaching them to live by their wits. Sure, they’d paid a high price for the lesson, and yes, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t carry on the Parker family’s vocation once Papa was gone, but at least life with him had prepared her to outsmart any trouble that came her way. So, no, it didn’t matter if she couldn’t match Tommy’s physical strength—she had a gun.

***

More About Carey Baldwin:

Carey Baldwin

CAREY BALDWIN is a mild-mannered doctor by day and an award-winning author of edgy suspense by night. She holds two doctoral degrees, one in medicine and one in psychology. A USA Today bestselling author, she loves reading and writing stories that keep you off balance and on the edge of your seat. Carey lives in the southwestern United States with her amazing family. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and chasing wildflowers.

Carey loves to hear from readers so please visit her website (www.CareyBaldwin.com;), her Facebook page (facebook.com/CareyBaldwinAuthor), or her Twitter feed (twitter.com/CareyBaldwin)!

Tour Participants:

Stop by these great hosts for reviews, and giveaways!

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Carey Baldwin and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) physical copy of Carey Baldwin’s 4th Cassidy & Spenser Thriller, Stolen. The giveaway begins on November 27 and runs through January 1, 2018. It is open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Mailbox Monday

CMash November 27, 2017 1 Comment

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now hosted on its own blog.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.

Tuesday: THE AMENDMENT KILLER by Ronald S. Barak ~ eBook from Author
Wednesday: DOWN SOLO by Earl Javorsky ~ eBook from The Story Plant/Author
Wednesday: TRUST ME by Earl Javorsky ~ eBook from The Story Plant/Author

Book Review

THE MISSING by C.L. Taylor (Review)

CMash November 22, 2017 1 Comment

THE MISSING by C.L. Taylor
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: Nov.7, 2017
ISBN-10: 006267353X
ISBN-13: 978-0062673534
Pages: 496
Review Copy from: Harper Collins
Edition: ARC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis via GR

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She’s not the only one. There isn’t a single member of Billy’s family that doesn’t feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn’t until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother’s instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

My Thoughts:

First time reading this author but won’t be the last!

Six months ago, the Wilkinson family, Mother Claire, Father Mark and brother, Jake, were devastated when 15 year old Billy disappeared and all have their own guilt of that night. And since then, no sightings or reliable tips. But in those 6 months, they learn that both family and friends, hold many secrets. And one of them, hold the secret as to what really happened to Billy.

This book kept my interest from the first page to the 469th. Yes, it was a long book but it didn’t seem it as I kept turning the pages at a rapid speed to see what was coming next. Very much enjoyed this psychological thriller!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

REVIEW DISCLAIMER
This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.