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Mailbox Monday
Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.
Tuesday:
For The Best by Vanessa Lillie ~ eBook from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley
Saturday:
Verity by Colleen Hoover ~ eBook from Free Amazon download
I know I am sick when I have severe fatigue, chills and fever.
For St. Patrick’s Day, I always wear something green.
It’s been a long time since I have been to a mall since I buy online.
In order to healthy during this time, you have to be vigilent and follow the CDC guidelines.
The woman’s golden hair is spread out beneath her on the bed of leaves where she’s fallen, her beautiful blue eyes open wide. The police are calling it a random attack, but Jessie Tucker isn’t so sure – she’s seen this crime scene before… she was the victim.
Twelve years ago, Jessie Tucker was attacked as she made her way home from an outdoor concert. She still walks with a limp from that night, and every day since has been a struggle to rebuild her life. The police told her she was unlucky – that she was safe after they charged a local man for the crime. But Jessie has never managed to shake the feeling that there was someone else in the park that night… someone she knew.
But then Margaret Kincaid’s murder file lands across her desk, and Jessie knows she can’t keep silent any longer. Margaret’s wounds so exactly match her own it’s spooky – but Jessie’s attacker is in prison, and Jessie has never met the victim. What links her to Margaret Kincaid, and why did the attacker let one woman live, and the other die?
Nail-biting, gripping and absolutely unputdownable! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Gregg Olsen.
After her near death beating in Central Park, Jessie Tucker changes the course of her career and becomes a badass crime journalist investigating the facts from the POV of victims. Who knows better than her.
When Margaret Kincaid is found dead in the same area as Jessie’s attack, she not only is on the case, but it starts to trigger memories of her own from 12 years ago.
Just like her case, the police have found their suspects and the cases are closed. But once Jessie starts digging further through the police reports, of both Margaret’s and her own assaults, she realizes that maybe the wrong person was found guilty, both now and then.
I read the majority of this book in one day because I could NOT put it down. There are many intricate details in this book, which made this book electrifying and had me wondering what the author’s mindset was while writing this book…..BRILLIANT!!!!
The action and suspense accelerate with each turn of the page!! GRIPPING!!! The narrative pulled me in, and with the author’s amazing writing style, I was so engrossed and it felt like I was watching a movie in my head! Totally absorbing!! An adrenaline rush throughout! The ending and how the author pulled it all together outstanding!!!
Do not miss out on this outstanding read!!! And even better news, this is the first book in what will become a series, which I will be the first in line to get my hands on the sequel!!!!
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
Revenge is anything but sweet in this twisty thriller about two women with very different lives locked in the same deadly game.
Imagining the best way to destroy a person’s happiness is Crystal Love’s favorite game. Devious and unpolished, the plus-sized loan analyst couldn’t be more out of place in her new town of Santa Barbara, where the beautifully manicured women never age and the ocean views stretch farther than the million-dollar lawns. And yet her eye for the power dynamics at play in this tony community is dead accurate.
Kathi Wright, on the other hand, has made it her life’s work to fit in with the plastic people who surround her. But when her husband—a wealthy bank president—dies suddenly, she’s left with nothing. Then the FBI shows up, asking questions she can’t answer and freezing assets she once took for granted.
While Kathi struggles to outrun the mess caused by her husband’s mysterious death, Crystal seems focused on her game. But why? And who are her targets?
Spanning two years and told in Crystal’s and Kathi’s alternating voices, this tautly plotted novel reveals the power of choice and the price of revenge.
Book Details:
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Published by: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: September 4th 2018
Number of Pages: 348
ISBN: 1503901890 (ISBN13: 9781503901896)
Series: Santa Barbara Suspense #1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
I’ve targeted the sperm donor. I blame him for the fat. Not the six-hundred-pound kind that shows up on TV. Or the curvy kind that’s trending in magazines. I’m talking about the basic kind that makes me invisible. Just fat enough that girls don’t hang with me and boys won’t take a second look. Just fat enough to get the glare when I climb onto an airplane or a crowded bus.
I try to avoid mirrors, but they’ve seated me in an office with a mirror directly behind the desk. It has a weird curve to it, warped on the sides and in the middle. It makes me look fatter than I am. I mean, why is the office designed this way? Do they want their clients to feel insecure? Will it make them deposit more money? Help them to choose a bigger loan? I paste on a smile. That usually lifts my fat pads so my cheekbones show through. But smiling in this mirror only makes me look crazy. The door squeals open, and I stand.
“Ms. Love?”
“Yes?”
“I’m George Taylor. The bank’s chief lending officer.”
I hold out my hand to an aging hipster dressed in a tight black suit and pink satin tie. Dirty-blond hair, nicely textured. Blow-dryer and curling iron at work. That and a little gel. Stinky gel, the kind that wrinkles my nose. Should I tell him about the bit of salad stuck between his teeth?
“Please take a seat.” He picks up my résumé and gets right to business. “You’ve had five years’ experience as a loan analyst?”
“Six if you count a year of training.” He’s disappointed, I know. I have the qualifications but not the look.
“Why move to Santa Barbara?”
“I’m tired of the Bakersfield heat.”
“You have family here?”
“A few friends.”
He glances at my belly with a question in his eyes. I know what he’s thinking. I carry a lot of weight in my gut. But he’s taken his HR classes. He knows the rules. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. I do my best to sound earnest.
“I’m one of those rare people who grew up wanting to be a banker. I love working with numbers. They mean everything to me.”
“So you’ve taken accounting?”
“I was an accounting major at Bakersfield College. Got my AA degree six years ago and went right to work at the local bank. I’ve never looked back.”
He nods, staring hard at my résumé. Time to nudge him in the right direction.
“I’m not looking for a job. I’m looking for a career. I’m a hard worker. I’m focused. I’m single. No children. I’m the most efficient person I know. I believe Pacific Ocean Bank is the right fit for me. Only five branches and ten years in business, but you’re the top-performing bank in the region. Impressive.”
He forces a smile. “Our president’s an industrious man.”
“So I’ve heard.”
George taps his pencil on the table. “We prefer four-year degrees.”
“My accounting major and years of experience should more than make up for that.”
“And we have a strict dress code . . .”
“Which I will follow.”
“No casual Fridays.”
“I’ve never been a fan.”
“The other analysts are men. Any problem with that?”
“None at all.” Fish on the hook. Now reel him in slow.
“Do you work well in high-pressure situations?”
“I prefer them.”
“Weekends?”
“No problem.”
“Team player?”
“Absolutely.”
“What about references?” He points to my résumé. “May we contact your most recent supervisor?”
“I wish.” I make a sad face. “My ex-boss passed away a few months ago from a horrific accident. A terrible situation. He was a mentor to me. The head of Human Resources said to call her with any questions. She understands my need to move on.”
He scribbles something before looking up. “When can you start?”
“Next week.” There’s something wrong with his left eye. I’m guessing it’s made of glass. I bet it’s a flaw that bugs him. I file away the thought.
***
Excerpt from What She Gave Away &
What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs. Copyright 2020 by Catharine Riggs. Reproduced with permission from Catharine Riggs. All rights reserved.
People are dying at a luxury retirement community . . . and not from natural causes.
Ruth Mosby is the VP of operations at Serenity Acres, where the privileged elite go to die. For a hefty fee, wealthy retirees can live the good life in this posh Santa Barbara community—even after they outlive their money. Ruth thinks this is a fine arrangement, but the savvy new boss has a new rule: if you can’t pay, you can’t stay.
Ruth is deeply disturbed when destitute residents start dying at an alarming rate, as if on cue. Even more troubling, a macabre note accompanies each departed guest. Surviving guests whisper about an “Angel” who assists with suicides. Ruth has another word for it: murder.
Ruth enlists her neighbor, an ex-detective named Zach, to discover the Angel’s secret identity. However, the two have a painful history, and Ruth has dark secrets all her own. To solve the mystery, Ruth must descend from her golden tower—but can she bear the consequences of revealing her own sinister truths?
Book Details:
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Published by: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date:September 10th 2019
Number of Pages: 362
ISBN: 1542042135 (ISBN13: 9781542042130)
Series: Santa Barbara Suspense #2
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Some might call me a cold-blooded killer. I beg to disagree. I’m more like a kindly saint. A patron saint of crossings. One part Saint Christopher, two parts angel of mercy. Add a dash of Mother Teresa, and the recipe is getting close. I have a calling, and I’m good at it. I’ll keep it up until I’m stopped.
“Will it hurt?” The bedside candle casts a shivering shadow across Loretta’s sunken face. Tracing my fingers along the glass syringe, I gaze into her liquid eyes.
“Not for long.” I’ve administered a few insulin overdoses. It doesn’t seem like a bad way to go. But I never lie to my disciples. That would be morally wrong.
“It won’t be worse than the bone cancer?”
“It won’t be worse than that.”
“Then I’m ready.”
I tug her pink slip from my pocket and set it on the nightstand. “First, I need your secret.”
Tears slip along the folds of Loretta’s crumpled cheeks. “I don’t have one.”
I fight off a quiver of irritation. “You’re forgetting our agreement?”
“Of course not. But I can’t think of a single thing.”
“Oh, Loretta. I’m disappointed. I can see the secret in your eyes.”
She plucks at her satin bedcovers until a lavender scent blooms. “What kind of secret do you want?”
I shrug. “Your choice. It can be happy or sad. Scandalous or glorious. I’m not picky. It’s totally up to you. But it must be something you’ve never revealed. A defining moment in your life.”
Loretta is quiet for so long I wonder if she might back out of the crossing. But then she speaks with a trembling voice. “All right then. It’s something that happened on my fourteenth birthday. I’ve never told anyone—not even my husband. I’m still so terribly ashamed.”
“Go ahead,” I say, nearly drooling. This side of me isn’t quite so noble. Less like a saint and more like a tick.
“It was a hot summer day in Michigan.” Her voice cracks as she speaks. “My friends were busy with chores, so I walked to the lake on my own. When I entered the forest, I heard a rustling behind me, and . . .” Her words drone on from there.
Closing my eyes, I sip on her secret. Her words are like a melody—the mournful notes of a dove. When she finishes, I have tears in my eyes. “Thank you,” I say. “That was beautiful.”
“Beautiful? But it was such a terrible moment. So unspeakably dark.”
“There are times when dark can be beautiful.”
Loretta takes a choking breath. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. And I do feel better somehow. You promise you’ll never tell?”
“I promise.”
“Good.” She lifts an arthritic hand and swats vaguely at the air. “You’ll stay with me?”
“Until you cross.”
“Then let’s get moving. I’m ready to see my Charles.” Loretta folds her hands across her chest and takes a quivering breath.
“Peace be with you,” I whisper, and then I inject the fatal dose. A half hour later, I head to my office, where I retrieve my crossing journal and write the seventh entry in my book.
***
Excerpt from What She Gave Away & What She Never Said by Catharine Riggs. Copyright 2020 by Catharine Riggs. Reproduced with permission from Catharine Riggs. All rights reserved.
Catharine Riggs lives and writes on California’s central coast. She is the author of the twin thrillers What She Gave Away and What She Never Said, both set in Santa Barbara, California . Riggs has worked as a business banker, adjunct college instructor, and a nonprofit executive.
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Mailbox Monday
Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.
Monday:
Wall Of Silence by Tracy Buchanan ~ eBook from Amazon Prime
Someone’s Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass ~ print ARC from Graydon House/Harper Collins
Monday:
The Darkness We Hide by Debra Webb ~ PB from Harper Collins
Wednesday:
A Perfect Mother by Jo Crow ~ Personal purchase eBook
Thursday:
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James ~ HC from giveaway win at Silver’s Reviews and Random House
After All I’ve Done by Mina Hardy ~ eBook from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley
Saturday:
The Lost Orphan by Stacey Halls ~ Print ARC from Harper Collins
The Occult Persuasion and the Anarchist’s Solution by Lisa de Nikolits ~ TPB from Author
1..I won’t pay more than________________ for __________________.
2. The last ______________ I ____________________ was ______________.
3. I recently had the opportunity to _________.
4. _________ is cause for celebration.
A twenty-year-old local mystery that has never been sold.
A bone-chilling VHS tape depicting a horrific crime.
Neighbors with something to hide.
And a sister who is missing.
Emily has to find out the truth. But is her sister Madeline the victim…or the one to blame?
Nine years ago was the last time Emily has been home, however, her sister Madeline pleaded with her to come back to their childhood home to help her with the children since her husband left her for a younger woman. Plus she hinted that there was more but wanted to do it face to face.
Twenty years ago, Emily had a near-death accident in the woods surrounding their house and at the same time, another child went missing. Were these 2 incidents connected?
But before Madeline tells Emily “the big news” and only after 24 hours of Emily arriving, Madeline goes missing. Is it of her own accord or is something more sinister?
I really enjoyed this book. I was surprised at all that happened within the 197 pages. I was 99.99% sure I had it all figured out but the last few chapters showed that I wasn’t even close.
A quick read that will keep you guessing throughout!
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
You probably know someone like Shay Miller.
She wants to find love, but it eludes her.
She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end.
She wants to belong, but her life is so isolated.
You probably don’t know anyone like the Moore sisters.
They have an unbreakable circle of friends.
They live the most glamorous life.
They always get what they desire.
Shay thinks she wants their life.
But what they really want is hers.
This extraordinary writing duo has done it again!!!!
After reading An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us, I knew I had to get my hands on this novel.
At 31, Shay Miller feels that her life is going nowhere since her circle of friends has vanished due to marriages, families and careers and herself in a dead-end job.
Then one day her life changes. Waiting for the train, she notices a girl very close to the edge and thinking if she should approach her. However, in that instant, it is too late because the girl jumps in front of the train. Shay, so traumatized by the event, wants to find out everything about this girl, who she now knows as Amanda. So much so, Shay even attends the memorial for her.
There she meets Amanda’s friends, who seem to bring her into their circle. Her newfound friendships lift her spirits but then things turn sinister. Is it Shay that she is the guilty one in a murder or is she a victim?
Are these girls truly her friends or are they setting her up?
I could not put this book down. The pages turning as fast as I could read. The story pulled me in and didn’t let go until the unbelievable ending. My head was spinning throughout the story trying to figure out how it would end and it was shocking!!!! Totally engrossing and chilling! What a read!!!!!
Not only do I recommend this book but their previous books too!!!!
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
