Mailbox Monday
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.
Wednesday:
THE MURDER LIST by Hank Phillippi Ryan ~ eBook from MacMillan/Tor Forge via NetGalley
TOO CLOSE by Natalie Daniels ~ TPB from Harper Paperbacks
Thursday:
TELL ME WHO WE WERE by Kate McQuade ~ ARC TPB from Harper Collins
Friday:
SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE by Michele Campbell ~ TPB from St. Martin’s Press
- Summer is a good time to ___________________.
- The most recent _____________ that I _______________________ was ___________________.
- I thought I would grow out of _________, but I haven’t.
- I feel annoyed when people ask me _________.
- Summer is a good time to spend as much time outside relaxing and reading, sitting on the deck or by the pool. Especially since the older I get, the more I despise the cold, snow and the days getting dark at 4 pm.
- The most recent online purchase that I ordered was a mug to add to my collection. Of course, book related.
- I thought I would grow out of acquiring new books when I have so many that I haven’t read yet. I would need a few extra lifetimes to read the ones I have in my TBR bookcases and on my Kindle., but I haven’t.
**This was a difficult question for me. How would you answer?** - I feel annoyed when people ask me very personal questions especially from acquaintenaces.
A Cloud of Fraud
by Linda Ferreri
on Tour June 1-30, 2019
Synopsis:
A man is shot dead in front of City Hall in Philadelphia where his family is tangled in a bitter lawsuit. One brave woman, drawn there by a work of art, finds herself following a twisted trail to the hills of Le Marche in Italy to learn why. All the while, the cloud of fraud grows thicker and darker around her. But, as C. S. Forester said, perhaps the scandal of fraud enhances the flavor.
This thrilling story grabs and holds the reader from the first chapter through unexpected twists all the way to the richly satisfying ending. Art expert Claire Bliss and police Comandante Baldo are joined and antagonized by unforgettable characters in both Philadelphia and Italy. The authenticity of Ferreri’s players and their territories give special vibrance to the novel.
Lovers of the Renaissance will be drawn in immediately by the book’s cover, a painting of Mary Magdalene by Carlo Crivelli (ca. 1480) in the Rijksmuseum. Inside the book, a great art crime story unfolds together with a gem of a murder mystery.
A Cloud of Fraud is colorful, fast-moving entertainment.
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Published by: Linda Ferreri Trustee
Publication Date: May 7, 2017
Number of Pages: 315
ISBN: 978-0-578-47624-7
Purchase Links: Amazon | Kindle | Apple Books | Goodreads
Author Bio:
Linda Ferreri is the author of several art crime novels as well as witty illustrated iBooks. She is a highly respected international art law expert who divides her time between the United States and Le Marche in Italy.
Sometimes she says her most amusing book was her first, The King of UNINI, a sophisticated little romance set in Paris.
Q&A with Linda Ferreri
Welcome and thank you for stopping by CMash Reads
Thanks very much for having me here!
Reading and Writing:
What inspired you to write this book?
A lawsuit is a nasty thing, I believe, and it changes people. I have been a lawyer for many years and seen some of the problems caused by litigation, which I abhor. Nothing is worse than a family lawsuit. So, it began there. But the painting on the cover of the book…oh I really love it. Mary Magdalene by Carlo Crivelli, the version in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. That, too, because he painted in my territory in Italy…Le Marche.
What was the biggest challenge in writing this book?
Not getting stuck in a plot hole. The story is full of twists and turns and red herrings. The author has to follow those closely in a mystery.
Give us a glimpse of the research that went into this book.
Years of being an art historian and studying artworks in museums takes the mind to all sorts of “sources” of information. I had to do some serious work on Carlo Crivelli, the painter. I read an excellent catalogue prepared for a recent exhibition of his works at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. He was long forgotten but has had his own little renaissance, thank goodness.
How did you come up with the title?
A judge once spoke those words. Truer words were never spoken about the affairs in too many courtrooms.
Your routine in writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
I like sunny locations and quiet around me. For these mysteries, I cannot focus with music or too much other noise around me.
Tell us why we should read your book?
The characters are, I think, delicious and the settings, also. Anyone who knows Philadelphia politics will have a chuckle and anyone who dreams of the Italian countryside and those beautiful medieval hill towns will have some lovely images. The story is very satisfying. I think bright people like to read mysteries like this that take them on a ride and satisfy in the end because they fully occupy the mind. It’s quite visual and I really do hope someone makes this tale into a film. The scenery alone is worth that.
Are you working on your next novel? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Yes. There is a strong character in Miami Beach, Florida involved. I’d like to tell you all of what happens to her but I can’t without spoiling the story. She’s young, single, poor and has a major adventure. Along the way, she solves a few life problems. But don’t all heroines do that?
Fun Questions:
Your novel will be a movie. You would you cast?
Oh please, God! And the choice role in this book is Rose. That is the role that all mature actresses should line up to play. Nobody tall or blond. I think that Helen Mirren can play any role, so we’ll put a wig on her and give her the job. Besides, she owns a pomegranate ranch in southern Italy and she knows plenty of Italian.
Favorite leisure activities/hobbies?
I grow roses and make rose water. And I knit all the time. Cant live without roses or knitting. Nope.
Favorite foods?
Italian food, of course, and Vietnamese. I took cooking lessons for a few days in Saigon and learned to make wonderful foods, only to get home to the US to discover that many of the ingredients are impossible to buy. Darn it.
Catch Up With Linda Ferreri On:
acloudoffraud.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!
Read an excerpt:
Early on in the Hard-heads case, at one of the bar association luncheons, Judge Pirandello had positioned himself next to one of his former clerks who was now a successful litigator in the Probate Court. Biggers, by name. There was the introductory chat about the wellbeing of their family members and the joke about the latest case here or there. The dialogue was familiar to both of them. The Hard-heads plaintiff was a problem person, the judge had learned, and he needed to be squashed to put an end to mostly frivolous claims, driven by greed. Everybody in the family knew it, the judge heard. He knew the type. The Probate Court was littered with greedy relatives, angry children with buxom young stepmothers wearing expensive jewelry their fathers had bought. He knew it all. The judge wanted rid of this case, and so he was pleased to learn that it was not worthy of His Honor’s dignified much less close attention. The Hard-heads case had to go.
It would have gone long before now, the judge was thinking to himself as he growled into the cup of black tea, but these damned people had refused to take the hint, refused to be cowed or put in their places. Here and there at the few hearings he had conducted over this motion or that, he had seen a shrug of the shoulders by one or another lawyer.
“What could we do?” They might as well have said that out loud. The judge understood.
His knee was throbbing, but Judge Pirandello refused to have it replaced. The fact that cold weather was coming on made it worse. The goddamned orthopedic surgeon was another money-grubber. Were there no professionals left in his world who were not money-grubbers? He stretched his corpulence forward over the edge of his chair to reach for his footstool, then winced as he elevated the bad leg. He yelled out for Mary to bring him another cup of tea. Then, he opened the enormous file on the small table beside his chair.
In Re the Estate of Seri. He hated even the name. Italian people should not behave in this fashion, he thought. His own father would have come back from the dead to beat the daylights out of his heirs if they had behaved as these people were behaving. Suing one another. Claiming fraud. All of it. Disgraceful, he thought. They were each poised to receive a generous amount of money but no, that wasn’t good enough. As with errant children, the Judge was both angry with and ashamed of the parties.
***
Excerpt from A Cloud of Fraud by Linda Ferreri. Copyright © 2019 by Linda Ferreri. Reproduced with permission from Linda Ferreri. All rights reserved.
Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!
Enter To Win!:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Linda Ferreri. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on June 1, 2019 and runs through July 2, 2019. Void where prohibited.
Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
DEAR WIFE by Kimberly Belle
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Women’s Fiction
Published by Park Row
Publication Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN-10: 0778308596
ISBN-13: 978-0778308591
Pages: 336
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: Print/eBook
My Rating: 5
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Women’s Fiction
Published by Park Row
Publication Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN-10: 0778308596
ISBN-13: 978-0778308591
Pages: 336
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: Print/eBook
My Rating: 5
Synopsis (via GR)
From the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie and Three Days Missing comes a riveting new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved
Beth Murphy is on the run…
For nearly a year, Beth has been planning for this day. A day some people might call any other Wednesday, but Beth prefers to see it as her new beginning–one with a new look, new name and new city. Beth has given her plan significant thought, because one small slip and her violent husband will find her.
Sabine Hardison is missing…
A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find his wife, Sabine, is missing. Wherever she is, she’s taken almost nothing with her. Her abandoned car is the only evidence the police have, and all signs point to foul play.
As the police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Sabine’s carefully laid plans for her future indicate trouble at home, and a husband who would be better off with her gone. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened and bring this missing woman home. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that’s certain is that someone is lying and the truth won’t stay buried for long.
My Thoughts
I became a fan of Kimberly Belle after reading THE MARRIAGE LIE and then her subsequent books THREE DAYS MISSING and THE LAST BREATH. I wasn’t taking any chances of not receiving an ARC of her upcoming book, DEAR WIFE, so I was delighted when I received a copy via NetGalley and then surprise book mail in a print format.
As the synopsis states, Beth Murphy, her new identity, is on the run from her abusive husband. She has planned for this day for 10 months.
On the same day another woman, Sabine Hardison, goes missing. Her husband becomes the sole suspect when details of their marriage are brought to light.
Detective Marcus Durand, a veteran on the force, is determined to find out what happened to Sabine but is “gut feeling” is that she is deceased.
Following Beth’s journey of her planned escape is tense and page turning. The suspense is thrilling throughout the book.
Without giving any spoilers, could these 2 women be one in the same?
The story is captivating and immensely engrossing! How it all comes together is mind-blowing! The ending is jaw-dropping and the reader will not see it coming!
If you haven’t read a Kimberly Belle book and you enjoy thrillers, this is the author for you. Highly recommend this book and all of her previous books.
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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
Sunday:
WHAT SHE NEVER SAID by Catharine Riggs ~ eBook from Author via NetGalley
Tuesday:
THE TWELFTH CHILD by Bette Lee Crosby ~ eBook from Prime
- I could use some suggestions for _________________________.
- I never refuse _________________.
- I hope _________ never changes.
- I would rate _________ a 10 out of 10.
-
I could use some suggestions for being able to read faster since there are so many books I want to read and so little “me time” in my day to read..
-
I never refuse books or dessert.
-
I hope my love for reading never changes.
-
I would rate my granddaughters a 10 out of 10.
The Wedding Crasher
by Nikki Stern
on Tour June 1-30, 2019
Synopsis:
A brunette in a bridal gown turns up in Pickett County, Tennessee, throat slit and ring finger missing. She’s the latest victim of the Wedding Crasher, a serial killer who murders women just weeks before their weddings.
Samantha Tate is Picket County’s yoga-loving, poker-playing new sheriff, a former Nashville homicide detective who struggles with her inner demons. To catch the meticulous murderer, Sam will have to follow her instincts and ignore her worst impulses. Can she stop the Wedding Crasher before another bride-to-be dies?
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery
Published by: Ruthenia Press
Publication Date: May 8, 2019
Number of Pages: 340
ISBN: 978-0-9995487-3-8
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Author Bio:
Nikki Stern is the author of the inspirational HOPE IN SMALL DOSES, a 2015 Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal finalist, and the thriller THE FORMER ASSASSIN, a 2018 Kindle Book Review category finalist. Her essays are included in three anthologies and she co-authored the interactive Café Noir murder mystery series, published by Samuel French. Eight of her short stories have been published in various online journals and she was a Mark Twain Royal Nonesuch finalist for her short story “Long Away and Far Ago.” Nikki is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.
Q&A with Nikki Stern
Welcome and thank you for stopping by CMash Reads
Reading and Writing:
What inspired you to write this book?
I was thinking I’d like to create a character as compelling, maybe as restless, as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. A bit more settled than that but not much. No strong attachments, no commitments, running from a nightmare that would extend through a series, if I were writing one.
What was the biggest challenge in writing this book?
The nature of the lead character changed completely per the advice of a developmental editor I resisted for a LONG time. The character had to change, but that particular rewrite, unlike earlier revisions, was a beast. Forty percent of the book changed. Sam Tate’s essence changed. I didn’t know if it would work; I think it did.
Give us a glimpse of the research that went into this book.
I get into the details as to how murders are investigated in an underpopulated rural county like Pickett County. Every state is different, every jurisdiction. The sheriff’s office, the coroners and Medical Examiner, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and any of these departments and agencies might interact with an FBI field agent. I find this kind of crime procedural nitty-gritty fascinating. It has to be accurately portrayed. Fortunately, I was put in touch with some invaluable experts.
How did you come up with the title?
The book takes its title from the name of the serial killer at the center of the investigation
Your routine in writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
When I’m working on a book, I put in four to seven hours a day and that’s not counting my thinking process, which is non-stop. I do take time off between books, sometimes a LOT of time off. But I always end up doing something related to the business end.
Tell us why we should read your book?
The central character, Samantha (Sam) Tate) is a complex, conflicted, utterly likeable character. She’s resourceful, resolute and she’s in danger, which is always appealing. The plot contains plenty of twists and turns; the ending is a surprise; the writing is strong. Readers will have a good time.
Are you working on your next novel? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
It’s the second in the Sam Tate series. For reasons I can’t disclose, Sam relocates to the eastern shore of Maryland where she’s joined a local police department and is leading a murder investigation that involves rumors of buried treasure.
Fun Questions:
Your novel will be a movie. You would you cast?
Hmm. I’m not sure these actors are the right age but perhaps Angie Harmon as Sam and Damian Lewis as Terry.
Favorite leisure activities/hobbies?
Biking, reading, yoga, playing with my dog Molly
Favorite foods?
Roast chicken with root vegetables. Graham crackers. Anything chocolate.
Catch Up With Nikki Stern On:
nikkistern.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!
Read an excerpt:
The dead woman lay in the clearing like a macabre version of Sleeping Beauty. She was dressed in a long-sleeved, high-necked ivory gown, set off by luminescent pearl drop earrings and a matching necklace that almost hid the dried blood around her throat. Her head rested on a satin pillow, her silky walnut hair spread behind her like a fan. The right hand held a bouquet of wilted flowers and rested on her chest underneath the left, absent the fourth finger. The ring finger.
Sheriff Sam Tate stood to one side of the grim tableau, arms folded, and took it all in: the victim; the tall white-haired man who knelt by the body; the deputy who walked the scene in throwaway boots, snapping pictures; the pale young man in running gear sitting on a rock, head almost to his knees; the uniformed officer who squatted beside him.
Sam had dressed in her standard uniform of pressed black slacks and a spotless white shirt. A shaft of early-morning sun bounced off the polished badge at her left breast pocket. On her right wrist, she wore a utilitarian watch. Three small studs twinkled along one earlobe, her single visible concession to a rebellious streak. She’d pulled her unruly dark locks into a tight braid. Ray-Bans shielded her green eyes, though not the line that formed between her brows.
One of the victim’s low-heeled white pumps had dropped off to reveal a slim ankle in hosiery. Stockings, not pantyhose, held up by an old-fashioned garter. Sam didn’t need to look.
He’s back, she thought, adding a curse for good measure.
***
Excerpt from The Wedding Crasher by Nikki Stern. Copyright © 2019 by Nikki Stern. Reproduced with permission from Nikki Stern. All rights reserved.
Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!
Enter To Win!:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Nikki Stern. There will be 2 winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on June 1, 2019 and runs through July 2, 2019. Void where prohibited.
