Simple Misconception / Bitter Retribution by Rachel Sharpe-reviews and guest post

SIMPLE MISCONCEPTION
Jordan James, PI
by Rachel Sharpe
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense
Release Date: June 20, 2018

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: “A Trip to the Big Easy Turns into a Big Nightmare…”

When private investigator Jordan James returns home to New Orleans for Christmas, she never imagined her holiday could end with kidnapping and death. As she begins to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a childhood friend, she unwittingly stumbles upon a dangerous, international syndicate. With lives at risk and time running short, Jordan must find a connection between these seemingly unrelated events if she ever hopes to find her friend.

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REVIEW: In true Jordan James fashion, Jordan is suffering the effects of her breakup with Rick. At the same time, Jon is letting his feelings be known for her as well. Her mother is insisting she come home for Christmas, because she missed Thanksgiving. Jordan plans a trip home for two weeks.

In typical southern family style, at least for Jordan’s family, her mother fills Jordan’s schedule with baby showers, holiday parties, and luncheons. Jordan’s older sister adds to the drama by being pregnant with her first child. To escape the constant questions on when she would be getting married, Jordan slips out for a quick cup of coffee at a local coffee shop. While there, she bumps into an old high school friend, Natalie. Natalie was the opposite of Jordan’s best friend Heather. Natalie was a ‘wild child’ and a free spirit. It seems much hasn’t changed, at least to Jordan. Her friend mentions traveling abroad and an ill-fated marriage to a Russian man named Taavi. She talked Jordan into hanging out and visiting a few bars in New Orleans.

I’m not going to spoil the story by giving you details, but only that Natalie leads Jordan into some difficult times with her family, until Natalie disappears, and Jordan must investigate to find her missing friend.

Rachel Sharpe has woven some great tales of mystery and drama. Into this she’s built wonderful and complicated family relations and friendships. The twists and turns of the plot are well done. I love the characters and feel like I know them. Well enough to sometimes want to slap them…but that’s one of the reasons this series has become a favorite read of mine.
Grab yourself a copy and settle in for a roller coaster ride!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

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BITTER RETRIBUTION
Jordan James, PI series
by Rachel Sharpe
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense
Release Date: October 14, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: “What started out as a star-studded vacation has turned into a sensational avalanche . . .”

When private investigator Jordan James decided to join her best friend on the set of her hit television series in the Rocky Mountains, she had no idea she would become a key player in a murder mystery more suited for the big screen than the slopes. With one actor dead and a killer on the loose, can Jordan uncover the culprit before another victim makes headlines on Hollywood Minute?

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REVIEW: Bitter Retribution is the next book in the Jordan James, PI Series. A delightful collection of stories featuring the independent young female PI.

This story takes place after Jordan breaks up with her boyfriend who wants to get married and move to London. Jordan, being Jordan, spooks and says they need a break. She still believes she loves him but isn’t ready for that degree of commitment.
Not having a case to work on, Jordan decides to go on holiday skiing with her best friend Heather, instead of Thanksgiving with her family. Her assistant Jon decides to come along as well. Jordan’s family tries to guilt her into coming to them instead, but she avoids the family drama. Heather has just become the head writer of a sit-com and needs the emotional support of her friend, so off they go.

During the filming of the first scene, a stuntman’s ski comes off and he’s sent into a bunch of trees. He’s taken away in an ambulance and Heather asks Jordan to investigate the accident for insurance purposes. She discovers strange markings on the ski and believes it wasn’t an accident. When the stuntman dies in the hospital, it becomes a murder case, but the police aren’t immediately called because no one knows the stuntman died. The show’s producer asks Jordan to investigate and promises to tell the police if she finds any evidence of a crime.

This story is well written, with twists and turns. I don’t do spoilers, so I’ll leave the details for you to read. The characters are well developed, and the sub-plot of Jordan’s love life and growing feelings of her assistant Jon lend to the building of this series.

Grab a copy and your favorite beverage and curl up for a thrilling story.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna S

In honor of my latest novel, Simple Misconception, book four in the Jordan James, PI series, I would like to discuss a simple misconception about authors; namely, they actually have lives outside their work.

Becoming an author has always been my dream job. When I was little, I told my grandmother I was going to be an astronaut lion tamer who wrote books. At least one of those ambitions came true. An avid, self-proclaimed bibliophile, there are many authors I consider to be favorites, including Dean Koontz, James Patterson, and a friend of mine, Erica Spindler.

Their works open up new worlds to me and many others. Still, I often forgot that the authors who wrote these bestsellers had lives beyond the pages.

When I wrote Cold Ambition, book one in the Jordan James, PI series, I was a newly-wed. Now, I am the married mother of two very active and amazing toddlers who keep me on my feet every minute of the day. I was able to release the first three books in the Jordan James, PI series within a year of each other because that was the primary focus of my life.

Now, there are two tiny tots who come first. Still, Jordan James, being my first baby, is important to me. So, while it took a lot longer to release Simple Misconception, I pressed on. And, while it may take longer to pen Jordan’s adventures from now on, she will continue to have them. And the adventures of my everyday life may find their way into her stories as well.

~Rachel Sharpe~

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Rachel Sharpe is the author of the Jordan James, PI series, including the 2015 RONE Award Finalist “Cold Ambition,” “Lost Distinction,” and “Bitter Retribution.” Although born and raised in the South, “Yankee” relatives first led Rachel to historic New England, which she has come to consider her second home and is the setting for the series.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in English, Rachel began dedicating her free time to her childhood passion, writing, and in the fall of 2013, she signed with Soul Mate Publishing. An active member of Sisters In Crime, Rachel currently resides with her husband and their children in the Greater New Orleans area.

“COLD AMBITION,”  “LOST DISTINCTION” and “BITTER RETRIBUTION” available now on Amazon from Soul Mate Publishing! Book Four, Coming Soon!!! Please follow her blog for more details!

Also, like her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpe, and follow her on Twitter @RachelCSharpe for the latest in all her literary endeavors!