THE GOOD WIDOW by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (Review)

CMash March 21, 2018 1 Comment

THE GOOD WIDOW by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Published by Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: June 1, 2017
ISBN-10: 1503943445
ISBN-13: 978-1503943445
Pages: 300
Review Copy From: Personal Purchase
Edition: eBook (Kindle)
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

Bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke make their suspense debut in this twisty, emotional thriller.

Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.

For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.

Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…

My Thoughts

Jacqueline, aka Jacks, gets the dreaded visit that everyone fears. Her husband has been killed in an auto accident. However, it didn’t happen where he was supposed to be on a business trip, but in Hawaii. And to make it worse, his passenger, another woman, also has died.

Not long after, the fiancé of the other woman, visits Jacks and asks that they both go to Hawaii to find answers to get some closure. As much as her family is against this, Jacks feels she needs to go. But can she handle the truth?

A captivating read that will have you on the edge of your seat. As each piece of information was revealed, I had to keep turning the pages to find out what the next one was.

Except, I wasn’t prepared for the last one!

A gripping read! And a chilling and breathtaking ending!

Am looking forward to reading their next book GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT!

Highly recommend if you enjoy psychological thrillers!

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review, Giveaway, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

THE SILENT GAMES by Alex Gray (Review, Showcase & Giveaway)

CMash March 20, 2018 2 Comments

The Silent Games

by Alex Gray

on Tour March 12 – April 14, 2018

Synopsis:

The Silent Games by Alex Gray

Alex Gray’s stunning new Lorimer novel, set against the backdrop of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, brings the vibrant city to life in a race to stop the greatest threat the city has ever known.

2014: The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow and security is extra tight, particularly after a mysterious bomb explodes in nearby rural Stirlingshire. As the opening ceremony for the Games draws ever closer, the police desperately seek the culprits. But Detective Superintendent Lorimer has other concerns on his mind. One is a beautiful red-haired woman from his past whose husband dies suddenly on his watch. Then there is the body of a young woman found dumped in countryside just south of the city who is proving impossible to identify.

Elsewhere in Glasgow people prepare for the events in their own way, whether for financial gain or to welcome home visitors from overseas. And, hiding behind false identities, are those who pose a terrible threat not just to the Games but to the very fabric of society.

MY REVIEW

5 stars

I told you on January 8th, when I posted my review of THE SWEDISH GIRL, that I am addicted to this series!!

THE SILENT GAMES is the 11th novel but easily reads as a stand alone.

I have one question for Alex Gray…..how does she do it? How does she write each book with so much suspense, so much plot, so much story? And if you were to ask me which book is my favorite so far, I’ll tell you at the end of my review!

DCI Bill Lorimer has a lot on his plate. He gets called for unexplained large explosion where The Commonwealth Games are to be held in a year, in the same area, an unidentified young girl is found murdered and he attends his 20 year High School reunion, organized by his first love, Vivien. Later that night, Vivien calls saying she needs him because she has just found her husband dead.

As the cases proceed, they get worse. The explosion may be a trial run for a terrorist attack, the murder of the young girl has a wide reach of sex trafficking and Vivienne’s husband has been murdered. Could this all be related? But how?

Ms. Gray has such a descriptive writing style that with this book, and all the others I have read, I am able to create such vivid imagery. Imagery that has stayed with me from her previous books. The characters are realistic. The suspense never faltered. I found myself getting frustrated because life kept interrupting my reading time as I did not want to put this book down! Non stop action! A dynamic read!

Now to answer the question, which book is my favorite so far….the one I just finished reading but then I thought the same thing when I finished reading THE SWEDISH GIRL, and again when I read FIVE WAYS TO KILL A MAN, etc. etc.. Alex Gray has delivered again with another thrilling read! Please Ms. Gray, keep them coming!!!

Check out my reviews for other books in this series! THE RIVERMAN, PITCH BLACK, GLASGOW KISS, FIVE WAYS TO KILL A MAN and THE SWEDISH GIRL

Critical Praise:

“An excellent procedural in which Gray … does for Glasgow what Ian Rankin did for Edinburgh in the annals of crime fiction.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Silent Games

“Gray has no equal when it comes to unmasking killers and she has excelled herself here . . . Gray is the new master of Scottish crime writing.” — Scottish Daily Express

“Brings Glasgow to life in the same way Ian Rankin evokes Edinburgh.” — Daily Mail (UK)

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: March 13th 2018
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780062659262
Series: A DCI Lorimer Novel, #11 (Stand Alone)

Get Your Copy of The Silent Games from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & HarperCollins.
Don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads!!

Read an excerpt:

From Chapter 2

It was worse than he could ever have imagined.

Even from the roadside, where a line of police cars was parked, Lorimer could see the devastation. Plumes of smoke and flames still rose from the heaps of broken trees, and as he emerged from the Lexus, his skin was immediately touched by flakes of ash drifting in the air. The smell of burning wood was overpowering, and he could hear the occasional crackle and hiss of fire beneath the whooshing sound from the firemen’s hoses as arcs of water were trained into the heart of the inferno. His eyes took in the gap in the hedge where the fire engines had broken through to reach the narrow walkers’ path, and the tyre marks on the verge. It would be replanted, no doubt, but the burning trees would leave a scar that would take far longer to heal.

‘Detective Superintendent Lorimer? Martin Pinder.’ The uniformed chief inspector was suddenly at his side, hand outstretched. Lorimer took it, feeling the firm once up and down as the officer motioned them to turn away from the direction of the cinders. ‘Sorry to call you out, but as I said, we needed someone to front this. And your name came up.’

‘But isn’t this a local matter?’ Lorimer asked. ‘We’re in the district of Stirling, surely?’

Pinder shook his head. ‘It’s bigger than you might imagine,’ he began. Walking Lorimer a few paces away
from the line of cars, he dropped his voice. ‘And there is intelligence to suggest that it may have a much wider remit.’

‘Oh?’ Lorimer was suddenly curious. The telephone call had mentioned an explosion, the immediate need for a senior officer from Police Scotland and a request to keep the lid on things, but nothing more.

‘You said intelligence.’ He frowned. ‘You mean Special Branch?’

Pinder nodded. ‘I’ve been charged with giving you this information, sir. And doubtless your counter terrorism unit will already be involved.’ He licked his lips, hesitating, and Lorimer could see the anxiety in the man’s grey eyes.

‘We are given to believe that this is just a trial run.’ Pinder motioned to the fire behind them.

‘A trial run,’ Lorimer said slowly. ‘A trial run for what?’

Pinder gave a sigh and raised his eyebrows.

‘The Glasgow Commonwealth Games.’

Lorimer looked at the man in disbelief, but Pinder’s face was all seriousness.

‘That’s almost a year away. Why do they think. . .?’

‘Haven’t been told that. Someone further up the chain of command will know.’ Pinder shrugged. Perhaps you’ll be told once you liaise with Counter Terrorism.’

Lorimer turned to take in the scene of the explosion once more, seeing for the first time the enormous area of burning countryside and trying to transfer it in his mind’s eye to the newly built village and arenas in Glasgow’s East End. He blinked suddenly at the very notion of carnage on such a vast scale.

‘We can’t let it happen,’ Pinder said quietly, watching the tall man’s face.

Lorimer gazed across the fields to the line of rounded hills that were the Campsies. Glasgow lay beyond, snug in the Clyde valley; on this Sunday morning its citizens remained oblivious to the danger posed by whatever fanatic had ruined this bit of tranquil landscape. He had asked why the local cops hadn’t taken this one on, and now he understood: the threat to next year’s Commonwealth Games was something too big for that. And since the various police forces in Scotland had merged into one national force, Detective Superintendent William Lorimer might be called to any part of the country.

‘The press will want statements,’ Pinder said, breaking into Lorimer’s thoughts. ‘It’s still an ongoing investigation. Don’t we just love that phrase!’ He gave a short, hard laugh. ‘And there is no loss of life, so we can try for a positive slant on that, at least.’

‘They’ll speculate,’ Lorimer told him. ‘You know that’s what they do.’

Pinder touched the detective superintendent’s arm, nodding towards the figures milling around on the fringes of the fire. ‘Apart from you and me, there is not a single person here who has been told about the background to this event. So unless the press leap to that conclusion by dint of their own imagination, any leak can only come from us.’

When Lorimer turned to face him, the uniformed officer was struck by the taller man’s penetrating blue gaze. Fora long moment they stared at one another, until Pinder looked away, feeling a sense of discomfort mixed with the certainty that he would follow this man wherever he might lead.

Wouldn’t like to be across the table from him in an interview room, he was to tell his wife later that day. But there on that lonely stretch of country road, Martin Pinder had an inkling why it was that the powers on high had called on Detective Superintendent William Lorimer to oversee this particular incident.

***

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 thirteen DCI Lorimer novels. She is the co-founder of the international Scottish crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, which had its inaugural year in 2012.

Catch Up With Alex Gray On alex-gray.com, Goodreads, & Twitter!

Tour Participants:

Visit these 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. There will be 3 winners for an eBook of THE SWEDISH GIRL. The giveaway begins on March 12, 2018 and runs through March 14, 2018.
Open to U.S. addresses only. Void where prohibited.

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Book Review

LIE TO ME by J.T. Ellison (Review)

CMash March 19, 2018 Leave a Comment

LIE TO ME by J.T. Ellison
Published by Mira Books
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
ISBN: 9780778330950
Pages: 407
Review Copy From: Library
Edition: HC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

They built a life on lies.

Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s idyllic life is not as it appears. They seem made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.

Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.

My Thoughts

A story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!!

As the synopsis states, Ethan and Sutton Montclair, noted authors, have a love/hate relationship and a marriage full of lies, betrayals, and secrets. After months of personal turmoil, Sutton leaves a note saying she is leaving and not to look for her. Ethan is beside himself, thinking that Sutton might hurt herself because she left behind her phone, laptop, passport, etc. After a couple of days, he notifies the authorities, and not long after that, a body is found. Is it Sutton? Did Ethan have something to do with her death?

This story had so many twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. A chilling read! And the ending….WOW! Didn’t see that one coming!

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy psychological thrillers!

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review, Giveaway, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

WHITE WITCH by Larry D. Thompson (Review, Showcase & Giveaway)

CMash March 16, 2018 1 Comment

White Witch

by Larry D Thompson

on Tour March 5 – May 5, 2018

Synopsis:

White Witch by Larry D Thompson

When a ruthless American aluminum company plans to strip mine the Jamaican rainforest, they send former Navy SEAL Will Taylor to Montego Bay to deal with local resistance. But he’s unaware that the British had signed a treaty deeding it to the Jamaican Maroons, descendants of escaped slaves, over 300 years ago. The Maroons fought and died for their land then, and are willing to do so now. Upon Will’s arrival, a series of inexplicable murders begin, some carried out with deadly snake daggers that were owned and used by Annie Palmer, a voodoo priestess better known as the White Witch. She was killed 200 years prior, but is said to still haunt the island.

Forced into the middle of it, Will is finally convinced to join the Maroons, headed by Vertise Broderick, a Maroon who resigned from the New York Times to return to Jamaica to save the rainforest. To stop the mining, they hire a Jamaican attorney to prove that the Maroon/British treaty is still valid, and they take it upon themselves to solve the White Witch murders, because the legend of the White Witch can’t possibly be true…

MY REVIEW

5 stars

I have read 2 previous novels by this author, known for his legal thrillers, DEAD PEASANTS and THE INSANITY PLEA, and have been anxiously waiting for his latest book, WHITE WITCH, which has a bit of a different spin that I absolutely loved.

Will Taylor, VP of security for an international mining company, finds himself dealing with more than your average security. Set in the rainforests of Jamaica, the settlers and owners of the land will fight to keep the mining company out. Will soon finds out that there is much more going on. Is it pure legend or is there truth to the Voodoo stories associated with the land.

What could go wrong on this tropical island? Co-workers and officials are being murdered? Why and by who? Could ghosts of the past have something to do with the killings? And who’s side does Will align himself with when the owners of the land sue his employer?

This was an exceptional read!!!! Not only was the story intriguing, so was the history of Jamaica. The way the author weaves his legal expertise with the history of the island makes for a compelling read! This novel was well worth the wait! Fantastic!

Highly, highly recommend!!!

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Story Merchant Press
Publication Date: March 5, 2018
Number of Pages: 307
ISBN: 978-0-991621-5-6

Don’t forget to get your copy of White Witch from Amazon, Barnes & Noble & add it to your Goodreads List!!

LOVE this Trailer!!

Read an excerpt:

from Chapter 19…

When Will got to Rose Hall, he turned onto the road they had just come down the evening before. At the top of the hill he could see the mansion, now well lighted. He dodged tree limbs and utility wires and parked among several other vehicles. Police cars were positioned so that their headlights focused on the steps of the mansion where Will could see the yellow police crime scene tape. He
walked up a path from the parking lot between the police cars that faced the mansion to the yellow tape where an officer stood watch. The officer came to attention as Will approached.

“Sorry, mon. I can’t let you past here. We’re investigating a murder.”

Will kept his voice even but controlling. “I know, officer. That’s why I’m here. Name’s William Taylor. I’m head of security for Global American Metals.

Here’s my identification.” Will tried to hand him an ID. The officer just shook his head. “Officer, the dead man is one of Global’s employees. Can you get someone in authority to let me up there?”

Before the officer could reply, Miles Harper, the St. James Parish Chief of Detectives, approached. Harper was a lean, fit man with a shaved head and a nononsense manner. He was dressed in a brown suit, yellow shirt, and matching tie. He looked like he just stepped out of GQ Magazine, even at three in the morning.

“Mr. Taylor, I’m Miles Harper, Chief of Detectives in this parish. I was told by your company to expect you.”

Will extended his right hand. Harper ignored it. Instead, he nodded at the officer and motioned for Will to follow him. Harper went up a dozen steps and turned to Will as he stood beside Kaven’s body, sprawled on his back with a dagger in his chest. Will bent over for a closer look and found that the handle of the dagger was in the shape of a snake. At the top of the handle was the snake’s head. The snake’s eyes were two bright rubies.

“Shit,” Will muttered, “He was almost killed because of one snake on the road today and now someone finished the job with a, what would you call this, a snake dagger?”

“That’s as good a name as any, Mr. Taylor. My officers reported what went on up in Accompong and the incident with the boa.”

Will continued to study the body. “Looks like he’s been dead a couple of hours. I last saw him about ten last night. Who found him?”

“The hotel has a security guard that roams the mansion grounds and up to the club house in a golf cart. He spotted the body.”

“Where’s your coroner?”

“He’s a local Justice of the Peace, not a medical doctor. He won’t set foot on these steps until morning. My men here won’t go past the tape either. They believe the White Witch did it.”

Will shook his head in disbelief. “Come on, Chief, this is the twenty-first century.”

“Old beliefs die hard, Mr. Taylor. Come on. Let me show you something.”

Harper stepped around the body and climbed the steps with Will behind him. Entering the ballroom, Will said, “I was just in this room yesterday evening during the storm.”

Harper turned to study Will. “Would you care to explain?”

Will covered the details of the previous day and their time in the mansion while they waited out the storm. “You know a woman named Vertise?”

Harper nodded his head. “She’s a local. Works for the paper and tends bar for the hotel. Since you were in this room a few hours ago, come over here.”

Harper led Will to a glass display against one wall with pictures of two snake daggers above it along with the history of the daggers. The glass had been broken and the daggers were gone.

“You see this case when you were up here?”

Will studied it and thought back to the day before. “Can’t say I did, Chief.

It was pretty dark in here, lit only by candles since the storm knocked out power. I wandered around the room but never glanced toward this case. And I don’t believe anyone else mentioned it. Now that I think about it, Vertise told us the legend of Annie Palmer and her using a snake dagger to kill an overseer.

Surprising that she didn’t show us these daggers when she was telling the story.”

“Interesting,” mused Harper. “You have any idea why your man would come up here in the middle of the night?”

“Not a clue. Have you checked his cell phone? He always carried it.”

“Yeah. The last calls were with you yesterday afternoon and one with Ms. Pritchard later in the evening.”

Will nodded. “He called me from Accompong, warning me of trouble up there. I should have gone with him.”

Harper shook his head. “Whether you were there or not wouldn’t have made any difference. Just would have been one more person that was in my police car that rolled, assuming, of course, you didn’t take a bullet up on the mountain.”

“Understood.”

“How did you get in the mansion?”

“Vertise said she knew where a key was hidden and let us in.”

“Strange that she could get into the locked mansion. It was my understanding that only the manager of Rose Hall had a key. He locked it and left when the storm was hitting. The hotel spent a fortune on period pieces to recreate how it looked two hundred years ago. One of his jobs is to make sure they are not stolen.”

“Any signs of a break-in?” Will asked.

“This is not for publication, you understand, but when I got here the mansion was locked and the lights were off.”

“So, you’re saying that someone got into the mansion, stole two daggers, let themselves back out, killed Kaven, and left no trace.” Will paused to absorb all that he had just said. “Wait a minute. If someone wanted to kill Kaven, why not just use a gun? Why go to all the trouble of getting that dagger to do it?”

“I’ve been wrestling with that very question,” Harper said. “It’s illegal for a private citizen to own a gun in Jamaica, but that doesn’t mean they are not available if you know the right people. My working hypothesis is that the killer or killers wanted the public to think voodoo was involved, or maybe even the White Witch. The only other possibility that comes to mind is that the Maroons are trying to send a message to Global. They tried to kill Tillman in Accompong and failed. Maybe the message is that they finish what they start. Either way, someone is trying to make trouble for your company. I have another problem that may not be apparent.”

Will looked quizzically at the detective.

“As you can see, there were two snake daggers in this case. One’s accounted for out on the steps. The other is gone. Nearly everyone around here thinks that they are voodoo daggers with magical powers. They were found in an overseer’s grave during the restoration of the mansion thirty years ago.”

“Does ‘everyone’ include you? Looks to me like the killer or killers are just trying to mess with the minds of my co-workers, maybe keep some locals from hiring on with us.”

Harper stuck his hands in his pockets. “Not up to me to decide if they’re magic or not. I’ve got a murder with one of those daggers. My job is to solve the murder and along the way, find that other dagger before someone uses it.”

Will’s eyes searched the room in a futile effort to see any clues to the crime.

Then he focused on the chief. “Look, I’m going to need a gun. My company is obviously under attack. I’m licensed to carry back home.”

“No way, Mr. Taylor,” Harper exploded. “Foreigners are not permitted to have guns in Jamaica. For that matter, as I just told you, neither are Jamaicans.

And I want you to stay the hell out of my investigation. We don’t need your help. Understand?”

“Yeah, I understand. You know that each of our mines on this island is permitted a certain number of guns for our guards. I’ll just get one of those.”

“The hell you will. Don’t you dare go behind my back. Those guns never leave mine property. I have an officer that inventories them. If one turns up missing, I’ll confiscate every damn weapon that Global has and put you under house arrest. Clear, Mr. Taylor?”

Will clinched his fists and tried to hold back the anger that was apparent in his face. Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the mansion, pausing only to gaze at Kaven and say a prayer for him and his family. At the bottom of the steps, he got in his car and glanced toward the mansion. The lights from his car somehow caught the ruby eyes of the snake, making them appear briefly to be alive. Will shook his head, put the car in reverse, and returned to the hotel.

***

Author Bio:

Larry D Thompson

After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Larry spent the first half of his professional life as a trial lawyer. He tried well over 300 cases and won more than 95% of them. Although he had not taken a writing class since freshman English (back when they wrote on stone tablets), he figured that he had read enough novels and knew enough about trials, lawyers, judges, and courtrooms that he could do it. Besides, his late, older brother, Thomas Thompson, was one of the best true crime writers to ever set a pen to paper; so, just maybe, there was something in the Thompson gene pool that would be guide him into this new career. He started writing his first novel about a dozen years ago and published it a couple of years thereafter. He has now written five highly acclaimed legal thrillers. White Witch is number six with many more to come.

Larry is married to his wife, Vicki. He has three children scattered from Colorado to Austin to Boca Raton, and four grandchildren. He has been trying to retire from the law practice to devote full time to writing. Hopefully, that will occur by the end of 2018. He still lives in Houston, but spends his summers in Vail CO, high on a mountain where he is inspired by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

Catch Up With Larry on larrydthompson.com, Goodreads, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:

Visit the other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews and giveaways!

Giveaway

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Larry D Thompson. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Giftcard. The giveaway begins on March 5, 2018 and runs through May 6, 2018. Void where prohibited.

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.

Book Review, Giveaway

THE FOURTH GUNMAN by John Lansing (Review & Giveaway)

CMash March 14, 2018 4 Comments

THE FOURTH GUNMAN by John Lansing
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Published by Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN:13 9781501189531
Pages: 352
Review Copy From: Simon & Schuster
Edition: ARC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

A captivating thriller in the Jack Bertolino series full of intrigue, action, and dark humor as Jack is called in to investigate a missing persons case.

Jack Bertolino is a retired investigator who just can’t seem to get away from the job. He’s the best at what he does, with a moral compass that doesn’t point quite true north and a dark history with the mafia. To the FBI, Jack is about as valuable a man as they could ask for. So when one FBI agent’s brother goes missing, Jack is pulled into a search that could mean the difference between life or death.

The Fourth Gunman is an action-packed and suspenseful novel from the author whose thrilling prose “will remind some of James Patterson’s early works” (Suspense Magazine).

My Thoughts

“The clock is ticking.” IMO, those words describe what type of read this was!

This is the 4th book in the series but easily read as a stand alone. I have read 2 of the previous novels, BLOND CARGO and DEAD IS DEAD, which were exceptional.

Jack Bertolino is back and taking the reader on another heart pounding, dangerous journey!

John Lansing has a way with the written word that is fluid and detailed so that the reader can create vivid imagery. For me, it was like watching a movie in my mind. The kind of book where I was transported into the story. The characters come to life. The settings well defined.

An exhilarating read from beginning to end! Riveting!

Kudos Mr. Lansing!! Another electrifying novel! Now I have to try and patiently wait for the next book!

Stop by tomorrow for a Guest Post by John Lansing

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

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for John Lansing. There will be 1 winner of a $20. Amazon GC. The giveaway begins on Feb. 19th and runs through March 26, 2018.

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review, Giveaway

THE SHEPHERD’S CALCULUS by C.S. Farrelly (Review & Giveaway)

CMash March 12, 2018 2 Comments

THE SHEPHERD’S CALCULUS by C.S. Farrelly
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Published by Cavan Bridge Press
Publication Date: Oct. 3, 2017
ISBN:13 9780998749303
Pages: 272
Review Copy From: Author
Edition: eBook
My Rating: 4

Stop by tomorrow for Q&A with C.S. Farrelly

Synopsis

When journalist Peter Merrick is asked to write a eulogy for his mentor, Jesuit priest James Ingram, his biggest concern is doing right by the man. But when his routine research reveals disturbing ties to sexual abuse and clues to a shadowy deal trading justice for power, everything he believed about his friend is called into question. With the US presidential election looming, incumbent Arthur Wyncott is quickly losing ground among religious voters. Meanwhile, Owen Feeney, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, is facing nearly a billion dollars in payments to victims of sex abuse. When Feeney hits on a solution to both men’s problems, it seems the stars have aligned. That is until Ally Larkin—Wyncott’s brilliant campaign aide—starts to piece together the shocking details. As the election draws closer and the stakes get higher, each choice becomes a calculation: Your faith, or your church? Your principles, or your candidate? The person you most respect, or the truth that could destroy their legacy?

When the line between right and wrong is blurred, how do you act, and whom do you save?

My Thoughts

Is there really a separation of Church and State? It’s in the Constitution but when power is abused by those in high standing, is it respected? And to what ends will those in power use it for their own personal gains? And for those that aren’t, what will they choose?

This is the first book I have read by this author and I was quite impressed with her writing style. It kept my interest throughout the entire book. The research was exceptional. The characters believable.

I will be watching for more work by Ms. Farrelly.

A very compelling and convincing read!

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

Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for C.S. Farrelly. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Giftcard. The giveaway begins on February 1, 2018 and runs through April 2, 2018. Void where prohibited.

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review

BRING ME BACK by B.A. Paris (Review)

CMash March 7, 2018 2 Comments

BRING ME BACK by B.A. Paris
Published by: St. Martins’s Press
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
ASIN: B077DWMPRY
Pages: 304
Review Copy From: St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley
Edition: eARC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she’s not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he’s engaged to be married; he’s happy, and his past is only a tiny part his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She’s turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their marriage becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?

My Thoughts

After reading Ms. Paris’ previous novels, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and THE BREAKDOWN, I was anxiously waiting for BRING ME BACK to be available.

I apologize in advance as this review is going to be very vague so as not to give away any spoilers.

Twelve years ago Finn and Layla, as the synopsis states, are driving through France where they stop for gas. When he returns to the car, Layla is gone. No sign of her!! When the authorities are brought into the investigation, Finn doesn’t tell the “whole story” of what happened prior to Layla going missing. And all the years since, he can’t get her out of his mind.

He finally moves on, when Ellen, Layla’s sister enters his life. They are getting married! But when the announcement is printed in the local papers, he gets the shock of his life. He is receiving signs, emails, and even a sighting that Layla is alive. Is she really? Or is somebody playing a cruel joke because he is marrying Ellen? What happened that fateful night twelve years ago?

The story is told in Finn and Layla’s POV.

B.A. Paris does it again!!! She delivers a turn paging psychological thriller that had me turning the pages as quick as I could. I had a difficult time putting this book down!

I absolutely loved this book! A chilling read with an ending that was shocking!

If you like fast-paced psychological thrillers, I highly recommend you pick up a copy!

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review

Review: WHAT LIES BELOW by Barbara Taylor Sissel

CMash February 28, 2018 1 Comment

WHAT LIES BELOW by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Published by Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
ISBN-10: 1503950115
ISBN-13: 978-1503950115
Pages: 334
Review Copy From: Author
Edition: eARC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

Everyone has nightmares. One woman is living hers…

Gilly O’Connell’s nightmares aren’t just bad dreams; they’re glimpses of terrifying realities to come. Gilly has spent her entire life trying to suppress the foreboding visions. So when a dismissed premonition leads to her husband’s murder, she buries the guilt and pain of the unsolved crime in the only way she knows how—she runs from it.

Three years later, after overcoming a battle with addiction and starting over in a small Texas town, Gilly dares to believe the worst is over. That is, until another crime rips her heart open: the abduction of a three-year-old girl. Gilly knows more about it than anyone…

She’s dreaming again.

Gilly is convinced that if she tells the police she dreamed of the kidnapping before it happened, there’s no way they’ll believe her. But when she finally gets the courage to come forward with what she saw, people don’t see her as crazy—they see her as a suspect.

Now, in order to help a desperate single father save his child, Gilly must first clear her own name. But as the nightmares of the past catch up to her, Gilly’s only chance for salvation might be the dreams she’s spent so long trying to ignore.

My Thoughts

The majority of us have reading lists such as TBRs, Wishlists and Authors To Read list. Plus I have a list for Authors that are imperative that I read, or in other words, drop everything that I am doing and read. Barbara Taylor Sissel is on this list.

Gilly O’Connell has moved to Wyatt, TX hoping to restart her life after the trauma of losing her husband to murder, a daughter and a downward spiral of self medicating with drugs and alcohol. What makes it worse is that she had one of her “dreams” the night before of the murder but tried suppressing it. She has been living with the guilt of not acting on that “dream”. And now, a child she has gotten to know and care about, Zoe, has been abducted. And the “dreams” are starting again. This time does she act on them or are people going to look at her as a suspect?

Barbara Taylor Sissel, from the first page, draws the reader in and doesn’t let go until the final word. She has an extraordinary writing style that pulls the reader into the story, and settings, where one feels like they are a bystander. An excellent example of being transported whereas this reader was so engrossed in the story that I was not cognitive of my surroundings. When I started reading WHAT LIES BELOW, I planned on reading a couple of chapters and then realized I had been reading for 5 hours and was halfway done with the book.

An exciting read! The suspense and action continuous! Riveting!

And then BANG! Picking my jaw off the ground because I didn’t see what came next. Shocking! And only as Ms. Sissel does, throws in another explosion! A dynamic powerhouse of a read!!

After reading most of her books, see below for my previous reviews, I keep thinking that I will figure it out. Not even close!!! I was blindsided by the ending!

I highly encourage you to preorder this book. And in the meantime, pick up some of her previous novels. I guarantee you will be putting her on your “drop everything and read” list!

My thoughts on her earlier novels: THE NINTH STEP, THE VOLUNTEER, EVIDENCE OF LIFE, SAFE KEEPING, CROOKED LITTLE LIES, FAULTLINES, THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR, and THE TRUTH WE BURY.

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 providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.