Tag Archives: Mystery

Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon-a review

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Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 25, 2023

Knives Out and Ocean’s 8 meets The Nest in this hilariously twisty novel by award-winning author HelenKay Dimon, about a woman who returns home from prison to her dysfunctional con artist family and tries to get them to go legit.

One day a con man met an heiress, wooed her, married her, had two kids…and kept on conning. Jillian Moorewood is the oldest child from that meet-cute-gone-wrong marriage. The stable one. The sensible and dependable one. The one who protects and fixes. The one who went to prison to save their sorry butts. Now, thirty-nine months later, she’s out and she’s more than a little pissed. Finally home she finds the scheming clan in full family fleecing mode. They all claim they didn’t really agree to Jillian’s previous go-legit-or-else ultimatum before she went away. They viewed it as a “suggestion” then ignored it. So, business as usual. But Jillian is done with the lies and fakery. She demands the whole messed-up crew clean up its act, and this time she’s not kidding—she has the leverage to make it happen.

Problem is, her life is in shambles, but with the help of a great aunt (crooked but loveable), a bodyguard (who is a nice surprise after three years in prison), and a few allies (all working undercover), Jillian starts to put her life back together. She kicks out a few mooching relatives living under her roof, sets limits on everyone’s access to the money, ducks from their various attacks, and sees if that bodyguard is maybe interested in sticking around for a while. For the first time, she’s Jillian Moorewood, her own woman, and she’s ready to figure out who she is.

•••••

REVIEW:  MOOREWOOD FAMILY RULES by HelenKay Dimon is a contemporary, adult, stand alone story of mystery and suspense surrounding the Rhode Island, dysfunctional Moorewood family of grifters, liars, cheaters and thieves-Jillian Moorewood, her sister Emma, their cousins Tenn, Anika and Astrid-their father Jay, and great aunt Patricia.

Approximately thirty-nine months earlier, Jillian Moorewood took the fall for her family in the wake of an FBI investigation into fraudulent claims and financial crimes. The Moorewood family come from a long line of grifters and scammers, and their thieving ways had caught up. Someone in the family turned the blame on our story line heroine, who upon her release, set about to uncover the who and how. Terms are presented, threats are made, and mandates not met as Jillian sets about to reclaim everything she lost but Jillian needs protection, and estate manager Kelby hired Beckett Romer to stand guard over Jillian Moorewood. With Beck at her side, Jillian begins to ferret out the truth, devising a plan to give everyone exactly, what they deserve.

There is a very large and often confusing ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters, few of whom have any redeeming qualities including the aforementioned Moorewood family members: Gregory Paul (jillian’s ex) and Emma’s new boyfriend; Security/bodyguard Beck Romer, family business manager Kelby McAllister, Harry (Anika’s boyfriend), Harry’s mother Beverly Tolson, and Jay’s girlfriend Izzy.

MOOREWOOD FAMILY RULES is a story of power and control, deception and betrayal, and reads like a mix between Clue™ and Knives Out™. The family of grifters are scamming one another, conning their soon to be significant others, and getting conned themselves. Jillian Moorewood’s mandate to stop conning, upon her arrest, only intensified the family’s need to amass a collection that does not belong. The premise is intriguing, interesting and detailed; the romance between Jillian and Beck is subtle, almost a cozy mystery feel; the characters are numerous but most are questionable, misguided, unethical and immorally wrong

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

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HelenKay Dimon spent the years before becoming a romance author as a…divorce attorney. Not the usual transition, she knows. Good news is she now writes full time and is much happier. She has sold over forty novels and novellas to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Kensington, Harlequin, Penguin Random House, Riptide and Carina Press. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine. She is on the Board of Directors of the Romance Writers of America and teaches fiction writing at UC San Diego and MiraCosta College. You can learn more at her website: www.HelenKaydimon.com

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Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

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Description:
Sara Cain isn’t your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going…

When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor.

Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective.

But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester shirts and rental shoes. It’s not all bad, though, as she’s taking her friend and partner Sean McKinley along for the ride. They are better together than they’ve ever been split, and they’re not amateurs at finding killers.

Despite being up against small-town hijinks and colorful characters who threaten to roll their efforts into the gutter, they are having fun. That is, until they get close to the killer and a dangerous twist puts their lives at risk.

A completely addictive caper full of twists that offers up a serving of murder, a dollop of romance, and a dash of humor. This perfect blend of robust and sweet is bound to hit the spot with readers who are fans of Verity Bright, Tonya Kappes, and Agatha Frost.

 

 

Review:

Bowled Over Americano by Carolyn Arnold is the first book in her new Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery series.  I am a big fan of Carolyn Arnold, having read all her different series; and I looked forward to this new cozy mystery.

We meet Sara Cain, our heroine, who is a homicide detective with the Albany police department.  She is a detective by day, and writes a mystery novel at night; one night she decides to take a walk and finds a loose dog she recognizes. When Sara brings the dog, Magnum back to his home, she finds the owner of the dog dead.  Another detective is assigned to the murder of Cliff Cunningham, a famous bowler; but when Sara’s mother asks her to investigate the murder, because her friend was arrested, Sara decides to be a sleuth at night.  Her partner Sean McKinley is currently working with Sara, on another case, searching for the killer of Aubrey Southgate; but he agrees to help her with looking into this other case, without letting their boss know.

We learn quickly that Sean has a strong crush on Sara, though she likes him, but she won’t let any possible romance happen between them, since it against the rules.  I really liked Sara and Sean together.  Sara is smart, savvy, independent, fun and is a coffeeholic; Sean is the opposite, more skeptical, but very charming.  It was great to watch how both Sara and Sean work on the two different investigations. The third partner is Magnum, the cute beagle, who Sara brought home, and occasionally helps.

What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, entertaining, and fun story. Both Sara and Sean manage to find clues with some twists, that will help find the real killer in their case, including discovering the person behind the wrongful arrest of Sara’s mothers friend.  To say too much more would be spoilers, as once you get to the second half of the book, you really need it all. Detective Davenport was not a good cop, and totally bad news with his minimal quick investigations, thankfully Sean and Sara will discover the truths. Bowled Over Americano was a wonderful murder mystery, in a small town, dangerous killers, as well as a fun romance and some humor.   Bowled Over Americano was very well written by Carolyn Arnold.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Velma Gone Awry (Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery) by Matt Cost-a review

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Velma Gone Awry (Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery) by Matt Cost-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 12,2023

8 Ballo’s mother was certain he was going to be born a girl, but when he comes out a boy, she writes down simply the number 8, as he has seven older siblings. She meant to change it to a real name at some point but never got around to it.

Now, in his mid-thirties, 8 is a college educated man, a veteran of the Great War, jilted in love, and has his own private investigator business. He enjoys his friends, a good book, jazz music, and a very simple life. When he is hired to find the young flapper daughter of a German businessman, life suddenly becomes much more complicated.

•••••

REVIEW: VELMA GONE AWRY is the first instalment in Matt Cost’s historical, adult BROOKLYN 8 BALLO noir mystery, crime series set in the roaring 20s, focusing on Brooklyn PI 8 Ballo.

Told from limited omniscient third person perspective VELMA GONE AWRY focuses on the search for twenty-something heiress and ‘flapper’ Velma Hartmann. Velma has gone missing, and her well-connected father is desperate for her return so Fritz Hartmann hires private investigator 8 Ballo to find and return his wayward girl but from the outset 8 Ballo finds himself facing down gangsters and mobsters during the Prohibition era of the roaring 20s, mobsters that are also looking for the same woman as our story line hero.

VELMA GONE AWRY is a ‘noir’ detective novel set in the 1920s during the American Prohibition era where speakeasies and jazz clubs are all the rage, hiding the criminal activity of gangsters and mobsters behind music and illegal booze. Matt Cost pulls the reader into a who’s who of the early twentieth century famous and infamous: Arnold Rothstein, Bugsy Siegal and Myer Lansky, Dorothy Parker, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby, Al Jolson, George Gershwin and baseball great Babe Ruth. We are up close and personal with movie stars, singers, writers and poets, professional sports stars, as well as famous landmarks and speakeasies, and the big names in organized crime including several members of The Five Points Gang. The racism and discrimination of the 1920s is front and center as a world at war creates a war on the streets between anyone and everyone deemed not of their kind.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and ‘familiar’ secondary and supporting characters many of whom have been written about, and starred in our history books and theater. We are introduced to 8 Ballo’s best friend, African American businessman Pearle Hill.

VELMA GONE AWRY is a fast paced, action packed story of secrets and lies, power and control, murder and mayhem, crime and punishment. The character driven premise is twisted and dramatic; the characters are edgy and passionate.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Over the years, Cost has owned a video store, a mystery bookstore, and a gym. He has also taught history and coached just about every sport imaginable.

Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing.

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Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto

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Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto

 

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Description:
Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady–ah, lady of a certain age–who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing–a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

 

 

Review:

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a fun crazy captivating mystery.  We meet our heroine, Vera Wong, who is a lonely Asian elder woman (60’s), who lives above her tea shop in Chinatown.  Her shop is always empty, other than a local man who visits daily to have many different kinds of special teas with Vera.  Her life is about to change when one morning she finds a dead man in her in her tea shop.  The police don not pay attention to the case, as they decide the dead man died due to a bird allergy.

Vera decides to take it upon herself to investigate who murdered this man (even if the police do not feel he was murdered). When she gets strange visitors to look in her tea shop, Vera begins to make a list of suspects, and pushes herself into these new people’s lives; as she is determined to find the murderer, and in a short time she becomes close to all her new friends. We meet Riki, San, Oliver and Julia with her little girl, Emma.  Is one of them the murderer?

What follows is Vera’s constant putting herself into her so called suspects lives, navigating the many secrets and lies; learning everything about each of them. Vera constantly makes food/dinner for them, as well as pushing her wonderful tea; with all of them becoming close to her.  We get to see the POV’s on all of the five main characters.  At first, I did find Vera a bit bossy and annoying, but that didn’t last long as she was a quirky grandma sleuth, who for the most part was hysterical.  I loved all five characters, as they were so great together, especially with Vera also being such a good matchmaker.  As she learns the truths of their lives, she manages to cut the suspect list, until she finally realizes who is the culprit.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was a fun, delightful, heartwarming, captivating cozy mystery, with fantastic characters.  Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was so very well written by Jesse Q. Sutanto.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries that are pure fun, you need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publishers

 

 

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Don’t Back Down by Sharon Sala – a Review

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Don’t Back Down by Sharon Sala – a Review

 

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Description:
Army veteran Cameron Pope arrives back in Jubilee, Kentucky, for the first time in years. He barely has time to catch his breath when he becomes embroiled in a race of life or death for his little niece and a deadly hunt for the human traffickers who are destroying the peace of his mountain town. When he’s reunited with Rusty Caldwell—a woman from his past who he’s never stopped thinking about—he wants to believe they can finally be together. But Cameron is shocked to find out that Rusty belongs to one of the rich families in Jubilee—the same rich folks who scorn the rural families living on the surrounding mountainside, in spite of knowing nothing about them. With their community in the crosshairs, Cameron and Rusty will have to find a way to end the feuding and take down the human trafficking ring if they’re to have a chance at happiness.

 

 

Review:

Don’t Back Down by Sharon Sala is the first book in her new romance suspense series, Jubilee, Kentucky.  I am a fan of Sharon Sala, having read and loved her previous series; and this first book was great.  The story started 5 years ago, when our heroine/hero met at a bar, and had a night of passion, as he was shipping out to Afghanistan. Both of them still dream about that night, sorry they didn’t give out their names.

We jump to 5 years later, Cameron Pope, has returned to Jubilee, Kentucky after completing two tours, and is happy to be home near his family.  One night he gets a desperation call from his sister, Rachel, about her daughter being kidnapped.  Cameron, with his service dog, Ghost, become embroiled to find his niece.  Ghost, who spent years in Afghanistan with Cameron, managed to find her, and Cameron rescues little Lily. 

Rusty Caldwell, our heroine, is a top-rated FBI agent, who solves a crime, and is currently recovering from injuries.  She is approached by Agents who have been trying to stop human traffickers, and since she has family in Jubilee, she agrees to visit family members she has not seen in many years; using the guise of visiting while on leave to recover.  When the FBI learns that Cameron is a Military Veteran, whose credentials were top notch, and they inform Rusty to work with him. 

Cameron is shocked when he meets Rusty, as she was the woman he constantly dreamed of.  Rusty, doing research, recognizes Cameron, and couldn’t wait to meet him again and work together. They both worked closely together, investigating a number of people in Jubiliee that were involved, but most of all to find the head honcho who was behind the human trafficking.  Rusty, Cameron and Ghost made a fantastic team.

What follows is an exciting, tense story that held my breath throughout; with many people part of the human trafficking. Just when they think they have discovered the Boss, things change rapidly.  Though this was an exciting mystery, I oved the romance between Cameron and Rusty; they made such a great couple, and the chemistry between them became ultra-steamy.  Their romance throughout was a major part of this story.  I loved Ghost, who was a fantastic dog, and a major part of the rescue/investigation. 

Don’t Back Down was so very well written by Sharon Sala.  I loved the characters, the town, and especially our couple, and dog.  I can’t wait to see what Sala has next.  If you like exciting suspense, and romance, I suggest you read Don’t Back Down.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

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A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

 

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Description:
Veronica’s natural-historian beau, Stoker, has been away in Bavaria for months and their relationship is at an impasse. But when Veronica shows up before him with his brother, Tiberius, Lord Templeton-Vane, he is lured back home by an intriguing job offer: preparing an iguanodon for a very special dinner party.
 
Tiberius has received a cryptic message—along with the obituaries of two recently deceased members of his old group of friends, the Seven Sinners—that he too should get his affairs in order. Realizing he is in grave danger but not knowing why, he plans a reunion party for the remaining Sinners at his family estate to lure the killer out while Veronica and Stoker investigate.
 
As the guests arrive and settle in, the evening’s events turn deadly. More clues come to light, leading Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius to uncover a shared past among the Sinners that has led to the fatal present. But the truth might be far more sinister than what they were prepared for.

 

 

 

Review:

A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn is the 8th book in her Veronica Speedwell Mystery series.  I have not read this series, though it does read well as a standalone; but would have probably been better to have read some of the more previous books.

Veronica Speedwell, our heroine, is a very good amateur sleuth, in historian times.  In the last book, she and her lover, Stoker broke up, and she has been helping his brother, Tiberius on an assignment.  Now, Tiberius wants her help, and also Stoker’s; seems someone is sending threatening cryptic messages regarding a death from twenty years ago.   On that day, twenty years ago, Tiberious hosted friends at his family estate, they called themselves the Seven Sinners; and one member of their party died due to an accident. In present time, Tiberius decides to bring back members of their group to his estate for a reunion party; especially after reading the obituaries of two members of the Seven Sinners.  Tiberius knows someone is out to kill him, and together with Veronica, Stoker, and a younger brother, they welcome the group, with their wives.

What follows is a slow burn story, with Veronica and Stoker still at odds, but together they are determined to discover who in this group is behind the threats, at the same time keeping a protective eye on Tiberius.  Three of the Sinners arrive; Count Pietro Salviati & his wife, Beatrice; James Maciver & his wife Augusta, and Doctor Timothy Gresham & his sister, Elspeth.  The story picks up half way through, when it gets very exciting.  There are a few twists and surprises, with one death that throws things for a loop.  Veronica begins to find clues, and just when she suspects one person, everything changes, as she comes face to face with the real killer; and Veronica’s life is in danger.  Will she survive?

A Sinister Revenge was a very good mystery, though it was a bit slow early on.  I really liked Veronica and how brave she was, as well as her independence.   As noted, the last half of the book was very exciting, with some twists and surprises along the way. A Sinister Revenge was very well written by Deanna Raybourn.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

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Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose – Review & Excerpt

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Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose – Review & Excerpt

 

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Description:
San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she’s not solving crimes with the SDPD, she’s assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle. But there’s nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she’s determined to end the decade-long manhunt.

Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit’s—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in a decade.

 

 

Review:

Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose is the 1st book in her new San Diego Case Files series.  I am a big fan of Karen Rose, as she writes fantastic crime drama’s that are exciting and tense from start to finish.  I will always read her books.

We meet Kit McKittrick, our heroine, and a San Diego homicide detective, who is considered one of the best in solving crimes.  She and her partner, Baz have worked together for many years, and they are currently deep into a cold case, revolving around a serial killer, who has eluded them and recently killed again.  Kit is close to her foster parents, who also willingly help other young girls to foster, to give them a better life. 20 years ago, Kit’s sister was found murdered, with no resolution over the years, leaving her with terrible memories; this cold case has her determined to find this killer, who kills only underage young girls.   

Sam Reeves, is a psychologist, who treats clients who are court ordered.  One of his patients, is a pathological liar, and when this patient begins revealing strange details, Sam decides to anonymously report this to the SDPD hotline, without revealing his identity, especially keeping patient confidentiality. Kit and Baz discover the tipster’s name, and arrest him, thinking he could be the murderer; since he left a clue to where the woman maybe buried. In a short time, Kit knows that Sam is not the killer, and is released. Since he wants to help get more information, he continues to call Kit with some clues he gets from the client’s ex-wives. 

What follows was very exciting, intense, mindboggling, suspenseful, and action-packed thriller.  The San Diego homicide team was very good, with Baz, Navarro, Connor working closely with Kit to find the killer before he kills again.  I liked Kit’s family, and Sam’s friends who were always there for each other.  Sam also finds himself attracted to Kit, who she knows is innocent, shying away from any romantic feelings. I suspect that we will see more of Sam and Kit in the next book of this series. Cold-Blooded Liar was a fantastic thriller, with so much emotional and passionate feelings along the way. 

Karen Rose once again gives us a fabulous story, with great characters, and a major surprise at the end. I could not put the book down, as it was exciting from start to finish.  If you like crime dramas, you should be reading Karen Rose.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

COLD-BLOODED LIAR by Karen Rose
Berkley Hardcover | On sale February 28, 2023

                              Excerpt

Longview Park, San Diego, California

Monday, April 4, 5:30 p.m.

Kit pulled the handkerchief across her nose and mouth as she watched the two CSU techs meticulously uncovering what was, indeed, a grave. Based on the odor, the body had been there awhile.

They’d arrived at the mystery caller’s coordinates to find that the ground had settled somewhat, creating a slight depression that measured five and a half by two and a half feet.

Ground-penetrating radar had shown a body.

The victim had been small.

Kit slipped her hand into her pocket, finding the little cat-bird figurine. Stroking it with her thumb. Please don’t be a child.

“I hope it’s not a kid,” Baz murmured, echoing her thoughts.

All homicides were difficult. Even drug dealers murdered on the street had been loved by someone. Were missed by someone.

But the child homicides were a completely different level of hell.

She looked away from the grave to where Sergeant Ryland, the CSU leader, was making a plaster cast of the only footprint they’d found in the area. It was a man’s shoe, size eleven.

“You got anything for us, Ryland?” she called.

“I just might.”

She and Baz walked from the grave site to where someone had stepped off the asphalt path, leaving the single footprint in the strip of ground between the path and the field of grass.

Ryland finished pouring the plaster over the footprint, smoothed it out, then set the timer on his phone. “Thirty minutes for the plaster to set. Come see the photos I took of the print while I wait.” He retrieved his camera and beckoned them closer. “There was lettering on the sole of the shoe-likely a brand name. I can’t quite make it out in the photo, but I’m hoping to get detail from the plaster cast.”

“So it’ll be seventy-two hours or so,” Baz said and Ryland nodded.

Kit leaned closer to the screen. “Can you zoom in on it?”

Ryland did, handing the camera to Kit. “I can make out what looks like a Y at the end of the brand name, but-“

“Sperry,” Kit said. “Sorry to interrupt, Sergeant. I recognize the logo. They’re Sperry Top-Siders.” She gave him back his camera. “My sister runs a charter fishing business and sometimes I first mate for her on my days off. A lot of her customers wear them.”

Ryland studied the photo. “You could be right.”

She was, Kit was certain. “Trouble is, that’s a popular shoe. I’ve even got a pair.”

“So do I,” Baz said. “Tracking those will be nearly impossible.”

Kit shrugged. “But when we find the guy who owns these shoes, we can put him at the scene. Any way to get a weight estimate on the wearer?”

Ryland shook his head. “Ground’s too hard. Barely enough sinkage to get the plaster cast. I’ll let you know when I have something definite.”

“Detectives?” one of the techs at the grave called, his tone urgent. “Something over here you need to see.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Kit said, then approached the grave alongside Baz, schooling her expression. If it was a child’s grave, she would maintain her professionalism. She’d let herself react later, when she was alone.

“Victim’s a postpubescent female,” the tech said when they were graveside. “The ME will be able to give you a better age than I can, but I’m guessing somewhere between fourteen and eighteen.”

Feeling Baz’s eyes on her, Kit reassured him with a quick glance. She was fine.

He always worried about her reaction when the victim was the same age that Wren had been when she’d been murdered, but after four years as a homicide detective, Kit had seen far too many victims who’d been Wren’s age. It never got easier.

She hoped that it never would.

Excerpted from Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose Copyright © 2023 by Karen Rose. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

 


 

 

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Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong-a review

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Murder at Haven’s Rock by Kelley Armstrong-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 21, 2023

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town’s construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

•••••

REVIEW:MURDER AT HAVEN’S ROCK is the first instalment in Kelley Armstrong’s contemporary, adult HAVEN’S ROCK murder/mystery suspense series focusing on the fictional village of Haven’s Rock, Yukon-a spin off from the author’s ROCKTON series.

SOME BACKGROUND: Rockton Yukon did not exist on any map, and the residents all have a questionable past, fake names and false histories. Most were once considered to be white collar crimes but with increasing regularity, hardened criminals have somehow paid their way into Rockton, seeking sanctuary against future prosecution, a safe place for two years before seeking asylum somewhere else. A serial killer destroyed the people and ultimately the town of Rockton Yukon, and with the help of some of their former friends and a big influx of cash, Detective Casey Duncan and her husband Sheriff Eric Dalton, begin the task of building a new town, known as Haven’s Rock, a town that will expose our couple to more murders and questionable inhabitants.

Told from first person perspective (Casey Duncan) MURDER AT HAVEN’S ROCK follows Detective Casey Duncan and her husband Sheriff Eric Dalton as they embark on a new venture, building and settling into Haven’s Rock but from the outset, everything goes wrong when the architect and engineer go missing; the body of a stranger is found hidden in a pit, and the contractor has a questionable alibi for the night in question. As Casey and Eric begin an investigation into the missing and the dead, everyone becomes suspect including the construction crew, the locals, and a prospector whose story makes sense until it doesn’t. The arrival of Casey’s sister, neurosurgeon April gives Casey pause as to the medical explanations but the who and why will become clearer when Haven’s Rock reveals a colorful secret buried beneath the frozen ground.

MURDER AT HAVEN’S ROCK has a familiar backdrop, ambiance and quality, similar in style, characters and story as the author’s ROCKTON series but then again, Haven’s Rock is a spin off using many of the original series characters and history. If you were/are a fan of the Rockton Series, you will definitely enjoy the continuation of Casey and Eric’s story.

MURDER AT HAVEN’S ROCK is a story of greed, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control. The dramatic premise is intriguing and intense; the characters are colorful, spirited and charismatic, as well as familiar as several cross over from the original series.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make her produce “normal” stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She’s the author of the NYT-bestselling “Women of the Otherworld” paranormal suspense series and “Darkest Powers” young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

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