Tag Archives: Jayne Ann Krentz

The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Giveaway

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The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night they all have no memory of, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that brought out innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.
 
Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list.
 
The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest. The retreat promises to rejuvenate guests with the Unplugged Experience. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover guests are quite literally cut off from the outside world because none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs…

 

 

Review:

The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz is the second book in her trilogy, The Lost Night Files. Refresher: The story revolves around three woman who share a lost evening, which neither of them remember what happened to them; with the three of them waking up in the same hotel that was on fire. The three ladies, Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers acknowledge that each of them now have enhanced psychic abilities and they team up creating the Lost Night Files podcast, hoping to gather information.  

In Night Island, the story focuses on Talia March, who follows on a lead regarding a list from a podcast fan. When she arrives at the person’s house, another man is also looking for Phoebe, and together they sense that she has been kidnapped. Talia is not sure if she can trust this person, who is also looking for the list.

Luke Rand, our hero, has also lost of night of his own, as well as having a different kind of enhanced abilities, not to mention he has recurring nightmares. At the start they do not trust each, but they agree to team up, as they had the same goals (find the list & Phoebe).  They end up on Night Island, a remote retreat, pretending to be a couple, but communications on the island are shut down.  They discover the retreat was creepy, with strong psychic energy surrounding the island.  In a short time, both Talia and Luke begin to trust each other, with them both revealing more of their enhanced abilities (Talia can sense and find dead bodies, and Luke has abilities to become a psychic assassin, allowing him to be able to kill using his newfound talent).

The relationship between Talia and Luke grows, as they each find themselves attracted to each other, with the chemistry between them sizzling. Talia tries to convince Luke that he would never be an assassin, and during his nightmares, his dreams will reveal more revelations of the truths.  I really loved Talia and Luke together.  

What follows is an exciting and compelling storyline, that had me unable to put the book down.  Talia and Luke discover more mysteries and secrets, especially in the weird and strange gardens.    As they find Phoebe, the danger escalates, as the three of them are stuck on the island due to storms.  Someone is trying to kill Luke, and he will use his unique abilities to try and save them.  

The Night Island was very well written by Jayne Ann Krentz, with wonderful characters, nonstop action, in a fantastic paranormal mystery.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I do not want to ruin the story for you.  I look forward to the last book in this trilogy, with Amelia having her own storyline. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Jayne Ann’s Publisher, Berkley is offering a hardcover copy of THE NIGHT ISLAND  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Jayne Ann Krentz on Facebook.

4. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from January 09-12, 2024

 

 

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Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

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Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

 

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Description:
Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
 
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women’s mysterious tipster.
 
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

 

 

Review:

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz is the first book in her new the Lost Night Files series.  We meet our heroine, Pallas Llewellyn, from the start.  Many months ago, Pallas was staying at the Lucent Springs Hotel, when an earthquake and fire literally destroyed the hotel. Pallas, and two other women came out of this with no memory of being there; as well as each having enhanced paranormal abilities.  Pallas joins with the other two ladies, Talia March and Amelia Rivers to start a podcast called the Lost Night Files; investigating strange unexpected events, or cold cases.

During a podcast, someone gives a tip, and Pallas decides to travel to Carnelian, California to investigate the abandoned asylum. When she steps into the building, she is shaken by the dark energy, and meets a stranger, who happens to be the person with the tip.

Ambrose Drake, our hero, has also had a bad experience at a Carnelian Sleep Clinic, and swears that someone was murdered, since during sleep treatment, he heard a scream. No one believes him, saying it was a dream nightmare. Ambrose tells Pallas, he cannot remember that one night in the clinic, but it still haunts him; and he wants her to help him investigate what really happened.

At first Pallas, doesn’t believe Ambrose, until she feels his psychic energies, and realizes he too has had lost a night, which he cannot remember. They join together to learn more about what happened at the asylum; interviewing people and learning more, which could involve others. Was there a connection about both incidents, and who was behind it? 

What follows is an exciting and compelling storyline, that had me unable to put the book down.  Slowly, Pallas and Ambrose begin to not only feel the psychic energies between them, but slow build romance begins.  As they get more information, the danger escalates, as they become targets to whomever wants to stop them. Sleep No More was so well written by Jayne Ann Krentz, with wonderful characters, filled with nonstop action, in a fantastic paranormal mystery.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I do not want to ruin the story for you.  I look forward to the next two books in this trilogy, with both Talia and Amelia having their own storylines.  I suggest you read Sleep No More, as it was a great read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Giveaway

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Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Guveaway

 

 

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Description:
Olivia LeClair’s experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she’s the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab.

This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn’t have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There’s just one problem—no one knows Harlan’s real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There’s a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance.

For now, however, it’s a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex.

Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project’s most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.

 

 

Review:

Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz is the 3rd and final book in her wonderful Fogg Lake series.  Refresher: 40 years ago, in the small town of Fogg Lake, an explosion caused various paranormal effects on many of the residents; such as visions, auras and other unique abilities.  The community kept to itself, not revealing anything about those strange effects; leaving the town bare of updated mechanics, such as Wi-Fi, computers, cell phones, as the dense fog blocked those signals.

Olivia LeClair, our heroine, is a private investigator with her best friend, Catalina; they both lived in Fogg Lake when they were younger; she has a psychic gift of reading aura’s.  Olivia takes part of a speed dating, which originally failed when the person tried to kill her; but now she attends the event, and asks a weird question to each person she meets “If I disappeared tomorrow would you walk into to hell to find me?  Only one person answered back correctly, saying he would walk into hell, because he has been there.

Harlan Rancourt, our hero, has been presumed dead, until he shows up years later, at The Foundation run by Victor Arganbright and Lucas Pine.   After his father (the original founders of the Foundation) died in the explosion years ago, Harlan now returns to convince the Foundation to help him find an oracle, whom he feels will lead to discovering where the legendary Vortex Lab is.  Arganbright agrees to work with him and suggests to use Olivia, who is one of the best.  She is not sure that she can trust Harland, but agrees to work together, especially since he assures her that he will find her mother’s killer. They are both powerful talents in the psychic world, with her seeing his aura and knowing how dangerous it was, even with his ability to hide it, and she also being an excellent private investigator.

I loved Olivia, her smarts, savvy, confidence, fearlessness, as she made a fantastic heroine.  I also like Harlan, and in a short time, we can see the chemistry between them heat up.  I really got a kick out of the car scene, which was very funny.

What follows is an exciting, intense, action filled adventure, with some twists and turns. From start to finish, the story keeps us unable to put the book down, in this journey filled with romance, suspense and danger.   Olivia and Harlan were a wonderful couple and made a great team; there were some excellent secondary characters, as well as evil villains.  To tell too much more would be spoilers.

Lightning in a Mirror is an exciting, intense, suspenseful thriller, with supernatural elements.    Jayne Ann Krentz gives us a wonderful conclusion to this series.  If you enjoy suspense mysteries, great couple and a dose of supernatural, you should be reading this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Jayne Ann’s Publisher, Berkley is offering a hardcover copy of LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Jayne Ann Krentz on Facebook.

4. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from January 18-22, 2022

 

 

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All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

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All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz – a Review

 

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Description:
North Chastain possesses a paranormal talent that gives him the ability to track down the most dangerous psychic criminals. When his father suddenly falls into a coma, North is convinced it was caused by a deadly artifact traced back to the days of a secret government laboratory known only as the Bluestone Project. North knows his only hope of saving his father is to find the artifact. He is good when it comes to tracking down killers but to locate the relic, he’s going to need help from a psychic who knows the shadowy world of obsessive collectors, deceptive dealers, and ruthless raiders…

With her reputation in ruins after a false accusation, antique expert Sierra Raines is looking for a fresh start. She turns to the murky backwaters of the paranormal artifacts trade, finding and transporting valuable objects with a psychic provenance. When North Chastain approaches her for help, Sierra takes him on as a client, though not without reservations. North represents the mysterious Foundation, the secretive organization established to police the underworld populated by psychic criminals and those, like Sierra, who make a living in the shadows of that world.

North and Sierra soon find themselves at the scene of The Incident that occurred decades ago in Fogg Lake. The town and its residents were forever changed by the disaster in the nearby Bluestone Project labs. The pair unearth shocking truths about what happened that fateful night, but they are playing with fire—someone in town knows what they’ve discovered and will do anything to make sure the secrets stay buried.

 

 

Review:

All The Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz is the 2nd book in her Fogg Lake series. Refresher: 40 years ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, an explosion caused various paranormal effects on many of the residents; such as visions, auras and other unique abilities.  The community kept to itself, not revealing anything about those strange effects; leaving the town bare of updated mechanics, such as wifi, computers, cell phones, as the dense fog blocked those signals.  

We meet our heroine, Sierra Raines, at the start, when she finds herself in a dangerous situation, with a client threatening to kill her; but with some of her paranormal ability to use mirrors, she was able to escape.  Sierra is a psychic expert on artifacts, working for a firm that trades those artifacts, as she finds and delivers them, since she is one of the best in her field.

North Chastain, our hero, also has paranormal ability as a ‘cleaner’ for The Foundation, tracking down bad psychic criminals.  North has recently begun to worry that he is losing his powers, as his specialty for seeing psi lights has suddenly gone wacky.  When North’s father is attacked and in a psychic induced coma, he suspects that someone is determined to find a dangerous artifact in the secret Fogg Lake lab 40 years ago; in order to save his father, he asks and is given Sierra to help him find the artifact. At first, North isn’t sure Sierra can be trusted, but in a short time he realizes how good she is and together they make a great team.  Right from the start, Sierra discovers that those glasses North wears has some bad paranormal effects and tells him this is why his powers are going away. Over time, she does come through helping him often, and North begins to find himself falling for her, as Sierra is smart, brave and a bad ass, not to mention beautiful. 

They will learn that the man who attacked North’s father was part of a psychiatric institution, forcing experiments on people with little paranormal ability. As they get closer to finding the truth, the trail leads North and Sierra to Fogg Lake, where they discover the lab, where his grandfather worked leaving hidden clues and artifacts.  Who is behind the attacks and threats on their lives?

What follows is an exciting, intense, action filled adventure, with many twists and turns. North and Sierra were a wonderful couple and a great team.  It was nice to see their romance build; especially as they were able to save each other numerous times.  To tell too much more would be spoilers.  All The Colors of the Night is a fast-paced suspenseful mystery thriller, with supernatural elements that add to the storyline.   Jayne Ann Krentz once again gives us another wonderful story in this series; which I look forward to reading the next book.  If you enjoy suspense mysteries, great couple and a dose of supernatural, you need to read this new series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Forty years ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, “The Incident” occurred: an explosion in the cave system that released unknown gases, causing peculiar effects on its residents, such as strange visions and ominous voices. Not wanting the government to get involved, they chalked it up to the hallucinogenic effects of mushrooms. Little did they know these effects would linger through the generations….

Residents Catalina Lark and Olivia Dayton have been best friends for years and own an investigation firm together, using what they call the “other sight” to help with their business. When Olivia goes missing, Cat frantically begins the search for her alone when the town does nothing about it. When scientist Slate Trevelyan shows up, she has no choice but to accept his help even though there’s something about him she just can’t trust. The duo discovers someone is hunting the two witnesses of a murder in Fogg Lake fourteen years ago—the very one Cat and Olivia witnessed as teens, one that they couldn’t prove happened. Cat and Slate’s search for Olivia takes them down a rabbit hole that is far more dangerous and mysterious than they ever expected, and with a killer in their midst, neither of them can foresee who will come out alive.

Review:

The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz is the 1st book in her new Fogg Lake series.  The story begins around 40 years ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, when an explosion caused various effects on many of the residents; such as visions, auras and other paranormal things.  The community kept to itself, not revealing anything about those strange effects; leaving the town bare of updated mechanics, such as wifi, computers, cell phones, as the dense fog blocked those signals.  

We pick up with Catalina Lark and Olivia Dayton, best friends who grew up in Fogg Lake, and now work together in Seattle running a private investigative firm; both have the sight, and use those abilities to help in their line of work.  Both Cat and Olivia were involved years before, as teenagers, in an incident in one the caves in Fogg Lake, where they witnessed a murder, and managed to escape the murderer by going deep into the strange vibes of the cave. The town convinced them that they had been hallucinating due to the gases in the cave and the matter was dropped.

Now in present time, Cat is worried, as Olivia has disappeared. Enter Slater Arganbright, who is the nephew of the head of The Foundation, which monitors supernatural things.  Slater is a scientist, and also has unique and similar abilities as Cat.  She wants nothing to do with the Arganbrights, as they caused her grief in her business, but desperate for help finding Olivia, she agrees to team up with Slater.  They come to the conclusion that someone from the past, specifically the murderer from the incident years before, who is looking for both Olivia and Cat.  This will lead them back to Fogg Lake, as they race against time to find Olivia, and discover who and what in the past is hell bent on destroying them.  They will discover that there are dangerous things in the caves, that involve government experiments.

What follows is an exciting and intense adventure, with Slater and Cat working very well together.  It was nice to see a romance slowly build over their time together;  I really liked both Cat and Slater.  To tell too much more would be spoilers.  The Vanishing is a fast-paced suspenseful mystery thriller, with supernatural elements that add to the storyline.   Jayne Ann Krentz once again gives us a great start to a new trilogy, which I look forward to reading the next book.  If you enjoy suspense mysteries, great couple and a dose of supernatural, you need to read this new series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 


 

Chapter 5

By the time Catalina reached the lobby of the office building that housed Lark & LeClair, she was a little winded, tense with anger and vibrating with anxiety.
Daniel was already behind his desk. He took one look at her when she came through the door and got to his feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Has there been any word from Olivia?”
“No.” Daniel frowned. “Should there be some word from her?”
Catalina glanced at the clock. “In another five minutes she’ll be late. She’s never late.”
Daniel raised his brows. “The hot date, remember? She’s probably having a late breakfast with Mr. Perfect.”
“Probably,” Catalina said.
Daniel exhaled slowly. “You think something’s wrong, don’t you?”
“Olivia knows I would be worried about her by now,” Catalina said. “She should have checked in. She’s not answering her phone. I’m going to call Ferris.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Daniel said.
“I can apologize later.”
Emerson Ferris answered on the fourth ring. He sounded groggy; maybe hungover. Maybe angry. Whatever the case, it was clear from his first words that he was not in a good mood—certainly not in the mood one would expect from a man who had spent the night with a lover.
“No, Olivia isn’t here,” he growled. “Who the hell is this?”
“Catalina Lark, her friend and business partner. We’ve met a few times, remember?”
“Oh, yeah, I remember you. Well, you can tell your friend and business partner that I got the message. But, shit, she could have texted me to say it’s over. She didn’t have to ghost me. I spent half the day on that meal and she didn’t even bother to let me know that she wasn’t going to make it. I thought she cared. I was so wrong about her.”
Catalina stopped breathing. She clutched the phone so tightly it was a wonder the device didn’t shatter.
“Are you saying Olivia didn’t show up at all last night?” she whispered.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” Emerson paused. “Why? Do you know something I don’t know?”
“No,” Catalina said. “I don’t, and that’s got me scared half to death.”
“What the hell?” Sudden alarm erased the growl in Emerson’s voice. “Where’s Olivia?”
“I have no idea,” Catalina said. “Why do you think I called you? I’m going to hang up now and make some other phone calls.”
“Holy shit, do you mean you’re going to start calling the hospitals? Do you really think something happened to her?”
“I just told you, I don’t know,” Catalina said. “But something is very wrong. I’ve got to go now. Give me your word that you’ll call me if you hear from her.”
“Yeah, sure.” Emerson’s voice sharpened. “I’ll get in touch right away. What about her car? Is it gone?”
“Her car is still in the apartment garage. She said she was going to use a ride-hailing app to go to your place.”
“Maybe the car service can tell you when they picked her up and where they took her.”
“Trust me, I’m going to start there.”
“Let me know what you find out, okay? Call me immediately. Now you’ve got me worried, too.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Catalina said.
She hung up the phone and looked at Daniel. “Olivia never showed up at Emerson Ferris’s condo.”
Daniel reached for his own phone.
“I’ll call the hospitals,” he said. “You deal with the ride-hailing company.”
Twenty minutes later they both put down their phones. Catalina had to fight to suppress the raw panic that was eating her up inside.
“The car service guy says Olivia canceled the pickup,” she managed, trying to maintain a semblance of calm. “I called all of her other friends. No one saw her last night.”
“The hospitals have no record of admitting anyone by that name,” Daniel reported. “What in the world is going on? It’s not like Olivia to just up and vanish.”
“No, it’s not,” Catalina said. She grabbed her coat and handbag and headed for the door. “You stay here and start going through the morning news reports. You’re looking for anything that happened in the Seattle downtown area last night. Car accidents. Fires. Shootings. Robberies. Kidnappings. Anything.”

 

 

Jayne Ann’s Publisher, Berkley is offering a hardcover copy of THE VANISHING  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Jayne Ann Krentz on Facebook.

4. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from January 7-11, 2020

 

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Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Quinton Zane is back.

Jack Lancaster, consultant to the FBI, has always been drawn to the coldest of cold cases, the kind that law enforcement either considers unsolvable or else has chalked up to accidents or suicides. As a survivor of a fire, he finds himself uniquely compelled by arson cases. His almost preternatural ability to get inside the killer’s head has garnered him a reputation in some circles–and complicated his personal life. The more cases Jack solves, the closer he slips into the darkness. His only solace is Winter Meadows, a meditation therapist. After particularly grisly cases, Winter can lead Jack back to peace.

But as long as Quinton Zane is alive, Jack will not be at peace for long. Having solidified his position as the power behind the throne of his biological family’s hedge fund, Zane sets out to get rid of Anson Salinas’s foster sons, starting with Jack.

 

 

Review:

Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz is the 3rd book in her Cutler, Sutter, and Salinas series.  This series revolves around 3 adopted brothers, who were saved 20 plus years ago, by the then cop (Anson Salinas) from sure death by a cult leader.  Though the cult leader (Quinton Zane) was presumed dead, the Salinas family knows better and has continued to search for the man who killed their mothers, using their private investigation firm run by their adopted father.  The first two books belonged to Max and Cabot, and in Untouchable the third brother, Jack takes center stage.

Jack Lancaster, is a consultant with the FBI, working on cold cases, especially those caused by fire, and he works occasionally with his foster brothers firm. Jack’s ability enables him to envision the killer’s methods in his dreams, allowing him to be able to find the missing clues, which helps him find the killers.  Jack’s dreams though over time have taken a toll on him, with nightmares, so he hires a meditation therapist to help him.    

Winter Meadows, our heroine, is more than a therapist; as she has her own secrets.  Winter is also a hypnotist, who is extremely good at her job, which also puts her in danger from clients.  She helps Jack with his dreams, and how to use a code word to get out of the nightmare.   Both Jack and Winter have had their own traumatic childhoods, but in a short time their working together will turn into a loyal friendship, and eventually a romance.

Quinton Zane is still alive, but under another name (Lucan Tazwell, and working closely with his newly found biological father and brother, heading the Tazewell  hedge fund.  Lucan hires people to find and kill Jack Lancaster, before he finds him; this will also include killing Winter.  Lucan is evil, having killed many as the cult leader, with his hobby of creating fires.  He now wants full control of the families hedge fund, and without blinking an eye, he will attempt to kill them too.  He knows Jack is getting closer, and pushes his people to do anything to get rid of them.  

What follows is an exciting and interesting story, especially as we watch Jack go into his dark dreams, and Winter use her fantastic ability with hypnosis.  I did like Jack and Winter together, as they made a good couple.  There were a few times that the situations were extremely intense, as I sat on the edge of my seat.

Krentz  always creates excellent characters in her books, and manages to gives us another great couple, , and an evil villain. If you enjoy mystery, suspense, thrillers , then you need to read Untouchable.   Even if you have not read the first book, you can read this book very well as a standalone.  Once again, Jayne Ann Krentz has given us a wonderfully written story that keeps us engrossed from start to finish.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Winter closed the door and stood quietly for a time thinking about Jack’s unnerving words. He had told her that his fascination with fire scared him but it wasn’t fear that she had seen in his eyes—it was the expression of a man who has accepted the ghosts that whisper in the shadows around him.
She would have preferred the problem of fear. There were meditation strategies that could be employed to help a strong-minded person such as Jack cope with fear. She was not certain what to do with a man who kept company with ghosts.
A shiver of anxiety gave her pause. Jack was all right, she told herself. He had been calm when he left. Then again, he was always calm. Maybe too calm. She got the feeling that somewhere along the line he had learned to hold everything close inside.
There was no need to worry about him. Jack was all right.
But she could not shake the chill of dread. She realized now that it had been slowly coalescing throughout the evening, although there was no obvious reason for the uneasiness.
She went to a window and tweaked the faded flower-patterned curtain aside. She could just make out the narrow beam of Jack’s flashlight. It moved steadily along the bluff path until it reached a point midway between the two cottages. There it stopped.
The ominous sensation intensified. Maybe it was just the energy of the oncoming storm that was rattling her. But there had been too many times in the past when she had survived because she had heeded her intuition. She could not ignore the feeling that something was very wrong.
She dropped the curtain, grabbed her jacket and a flashlight, and went quickly to the door. She was not sure exactly what she was going to do, but she could not let Jack stand alone out there on the cliff path, not at such a late hour. Ghosts were always most powerful at night.
She got the door open and rushed out onto the porch, adrenaline flooding her veins. She went down the front steps and stopped, aware that the freshening storm wind was tossing her hair and tugging at the bottom edge of her jacket.
She knew that Jack had seen her because his flashlight was once again in motion. He was walking back along the path, heading toward her cottage.
She stopped on the porch at the top of the steps and waited until he moved into the circle of light cast by the fixture over the door. He halted at the bottom of the three steps. Behind the lenses of his glasses his eyes were more unreadable than ever but it seemed to her that there was a lot of heat in his gaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
There was no mistaking the icy edge on his voice.
“Nothing,” she said a little too quickly.
“Did you think I was going to jump?”
“No, of course not.” She was horrified by the question. “I’m sorry. I was just a little concerned, that’s all.”
“I’m not going to jump.”
“I never thought you would. I just got one of those weird little feelings. You know how it is.”
There was a beat of acute silence.
“You’re worried about me,” Jack said.
She folded her arms. “You just concluded a difficult case. You need time to recover.”
“What I said a moment ago—that sometimes my focus on cases involving fire scares the hell out of me—that’s what made you nervous, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes. Maybe. A little. But now I think I understand.”
“Yeah? In that case, why don’t you explain it to me? Because I’m not sure I understand.”
“I realize now that, in your own fumbling way, you were probably trying to warn me that you might not be good relationship material.”
“Fumbling?” he repeated, as if he was not familiar with the word.
“Awkward? Not very subtle?”
“Can I assume you got the message?” he asked.
“Message received.”
He stood quietly for a moment as if he didn’t know where to go with that information. He looked grim and resigned, as if she had now become just one more ghost.
“Is that it, then?” he said finally. “Just message received?”
“I didn’t say that I was going to pay attention to the warning.”
“Are you going to pay attention to it?” he asked.
She smiled. “Nope.”
She might as well have connected a couple of electrical wires. A fierce energy heated his eyes. And then he moved.
He dropped the flashlight into a pocket, vaulted up the three porch steps, gripped her shoulders and pulled her into his arms. She barely had a chance to catch her breath before his mouth came down on hers.
She thought she was prepared for his kiss but she had been very, very wrong. Electricity arced across her senses, igniting a response that stunned her.
For a heartbeat or two she was overwhelmed by the intensity of the experience. Then an adrenaline-fueled excitement kicked in. She was suddenly shivering, but not because of the chilled night wind off the ocean.
Posted by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Jayne Ann Krentz, 2019.

Jayne Ann and her Publisher, Berkley are offering a hardcover copy of UNTOUCHABLE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

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7. Giveaway is open to USA only

8. Giveaway runs from January 8-12, 2019

 

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Promise Not To Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Giveaway

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Promise Not To Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz – Review & Giveaway

 

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Promise Not To TellAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
A painter of fiery, nightmarish visions throws herself into the sea—but she leaves her secrets behind . . .

Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound, killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture: a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide—and her own past.

Like Virginia, private investigator Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire… and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the painting, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories—and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear.

 

Review:

Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz is a mystery thriller that is actually part of a trilogy (Cutter, Sutton & Salinas).  Promise Not to Tell is a story that covers over 20 years, which started with fire that killed most of the members of cult, with only 8 children, who were locked in a barn, having been saved by a policeman.

The story begins with a woman who was member of the cult who survived the massacre, living on island.  She has nightmares, and paints her visions, which have become very real.  When she sees an evil person from the past, she knows she must take matters into her own hands.

Virginia Troy, our heroine, is a gallery owner and one of the children who survived all those years ago; her mother also died in the fire set by the cult leader, Quinton Zane.  When Virginia discovers her artist client supposedly committed suicide, decides she must investigate the truth about that woman’s death, especially after viewing all the dark paintings she saved.  She goes to an investigation firm co-owned by Anson Salinas, a former police officer and the man who rescued the children all those years ago.

Cabot Sutter, our hero, private investigator in the firm, with his brother Max, who are also survivors of the rescued children; with Anson having adopted them when he saved them.  Cabot will take the case, since the firm has continued to quietly investigate any information on the cult leader who disappeared all those years ago. Together they view the paintings, and after looking at the villain images on the paintings, they know she was trying to leave them a clue.  The mystery: Was Quinton Zane, the evil villain, still alive?

What follows is an intense, complex mystery that will put both Virginia and Cabot in dangerous situations, as they delve closer to the truth with so many secrets discovered, with twists and turns all along the way.  I could not put the book down, so not to miss anything.  As soon as you thought you knew what was happening, new clues arose, and new suspects came to the forefront.  As we raced to the climax, there were so many surprises that changed the game. 

Virginia and Cabot were great heroes, both strong and independent. It was nice to watch their slow build romance, and I really liked them together, as they made a great team.  Krentz  always creates excellent characters in her books, and once again she gives us a wonderful couple, great  secondary characters, and evil villains. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, suspense, surprising twists and turns, then you need to read Promise Not to Tell.   Even if you have not read the first book, you can read this book very well as a standalone.  Once again, Jayne Ann Krentz has given us a wonderfully written story that keeps us engrossed from start to finish.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Jayne Ann and her Publisher, Berkley are offering a hardcover copy of PROMISE NOT TO TELL to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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12 Days of Bookmas with Jayne Ann Krentz – Day 9

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12 Days of Bookmas with Jayne Ann Krentz – Day 9

 

 

The Reading Cafe is thrilled to participate in The 12 Days of Bookmas with JAYNE ANN KRENTZ to celebrate the release of her latest novel, When All the Girls Have Gone. Jayne is answering a question, as well as giving us a book recommendation. Thanks to Berkley there is also a special Giveaway for you to enter below.


TWELVE DAYS OF BOOKMAS
By
Jayne Ann Krentz

In which I answer the twelve questions that I am most frequently asked and recommend a book for that hard-to-buy-for person on your holiday list.

NINTH DAY OF BOOKMAS

Question # 9:  What inspired the hero and heroine of your new JAK title, WHEN ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE?

I love to write stories about people who are in the process of reinventing themselves. Case in point, WHEN ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE.  The heroine, Charlotte Sawyer, and her step-sister, Jocelyn, are opposites in many ways.  Charlotte has always admired Jocelyn who is bold, attractive and strong. Charlotte, on the other hand, thinks of herself as the one-foot-in-front-of-the-other type.  The therapist she talked to after she got stood up at the altar told her that she needed to learn to be more spontaneous.

But Charlotte and Jocelyn share a strong connection and when Jocelyn goes missing it is Charlotte – the woman who doesn’t see herself as brave or reckless — who risks her life to find her.

The hero, Max Cutler, is a former criminal profiler turned struggling private investigator. His previous career went down in flames – literally – and now he is trying to rebuild his life.

WHEN ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE is all about family bonds, the kind that exist in families linked by blood as well as within the families that we create by choice. I hope readers enjoy it.

Day 9 Book Recommendation for Holiday Gifting:

I am fascinated by novels of romantic-suspense in which the danger lurks in the shadows close to home.  I know a lot of readers share that fascination.  If you’ve got one on your list I can highly recommend this book. This is absolutely terrific romantic-suspense.  Intense, gritty and, laced with occasion jolts of humor.

BECAUSE I’M WATCHING by Christina Dodd.

 

WHEN ALL THE GIRLS HAVE GONE
Release Date: November 29, 2016

 

Jayne Ann Krentz, the New York Times bestselling author of Secret Sisters, delivers a thrilling novel of the deceptions we hide behind, the passions we surrender to, and the lengths we’ll go to for the truth…
 
When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her stepsister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one of her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished.  
 
Beautiful, brilliant—and reckless—Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames—literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.   
 
After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn’s closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling…
 
When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn’s past are threatening to consume her—and anyone else who gets in their way..

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Read our review on When All The Girls Have Gone

 

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About the author

 

 

Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name, as well as futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Learn more at jayneannkrentz.com and connect with her on facebook.com/JayneAnnKrentz.

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Jayne Ann Krentz’s publisher, Berkley Publishing is offering a paper copy of SIREN’S CALL to One (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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7. Giveaway is open to US Only

8. Giveaway runs from December 9th to 13th, 2016

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