Tag Archives: Mystery

The Silent Witness by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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The Silent Witness by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

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Description:
It’s 4 a.m. when her mom shakes her awake. “Get up baby, we’re going to play hide and seek.” The little girl presses back into the dark space, holding her breath as she hears the shots ring out. She knows she’s next…

When the bodies of a local family are discovered on a quiet street in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele takes charge of the case. Brett and Angela Parker were shot three times each, leaving no hope of survival, and their tidy suburban home has been ransacked. But there is no sign of their beloved six-year-old, Zoe.

Zoe is the same age as Amanda’s daughter was when she died, and Amanda can’t bear the thought of another little girl in danger. She’s organizing a search for the child, when she notices something strange about the ottoman at the foot of the Parkers’ bed. She opens it to find Zoe, mute and traumatized, but alive.

With Zoe completely uncommunicative, Amanda must find another way to untangle what destroyed this seemingly perfect family. It’s clear that the killer is searching for something the Parkers had, and until she has this monster behind bars, Amanda fears that he may return for Zoe. When she learns that Brett Parker cut short the family’s recent lakeside vacation, she wonders why. What happened at that lake house, and did it ultimately get them killed?

Amanda heads out to Lake Chesdin on the feeling it might be key to the case, and when she finds a cell phone in the murky waters next to the Parker cabin, she knows she’s made a breakthrough. But then terrible news reaches her from Dumfries; Zoe has been taken from her school playground.

Someone wants to silence the Parker family for good, can Amanda catch them before the little girl she’s desperate to protect pays the price?

 

Review:

The Silent Witness by Carolyn Arnold is the 3rd book in her fantastic Detective Amanda Steele series.  Having noted this numerous times, I am a big fan of Arnold, having read most of her series, and I feel this series is the best one yet. 

Amanda Steele, our heroine, is a homicide detective in Dumfries, Virginia Police Department.  She is called with her partner, Trent to the scene of a multiple homicide; which was a couple that were each shot three times.  Upon questioning neighbors, they realize the 6-year-old daughter is missing.  While Amanda and team, search the house, she notices the ottoman cover is crooked, and finds the daughter inside traumatized. Amanda fears that the murderer may come after Zoe (child), especially not knowing why her parents were killed.  She and Trent begin to slowly unravel the mystery, which is centered on photos taken at random during a vacation, that someone does not want anyone to see.  Amanda decides to take care of Zoe to keep her safe, but being buried on the case, who can she trust to watch over the child?

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, pulse pounding mystery that kept me unable to put the book down, especially knowing that Zoe’s life was in danger, as well as shocking revealing clues, who may behind the murder.   In the previous book, Amanda found something that hinted at a possible pedophile ring, and she begins to suspect this could possibly be related.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and this was a very good story that needs to be read from start to finish. 

The Silent Witness was an excellent crime thriller that was suspenseful, intense, and kept us glued to the end. I loved the team of Amanda, Trent & her Sergeant, as well as many of the secondary characters; though I did not like the chief. Amanda is a great heroine, and a fantastic detective.  The Silent Witness was so very well written by Carolyn Arnold, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next. If you like mystery thrillers, police procedural, then you need to be reading this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

 


Carolyn Arnold was born in a small Canadian town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower. As an international bestselling and award-winning author, she has several continuing fiction series, including her popular Detective Madison Knight series. She offers readers nearly three dozen published books in genres ranging from crime thrillers and hard-boiled mysteries to cozy mysteries and action adventures. She currently lives north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles.

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The Killer in Me by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

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The Killer in Me (Benoit and Dayne Mystery 1) by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 14, 2021.

What price is too great to stop a killing spree?

Elizabeth Benoit ran for sheriff to wipe out the corruption in the good old boys network of Eckardt County, but she has yet to break in her shoes when a stranger’s body is found in a ravine. With her ex back in town, a new deputy detective on the edge of losing control, and a crooked ex-sheriff out for revenge, Elizabeth’s resources are stretched thin. And then the second body drops.

Fearing a serial killer on the loose, Elizabeth launches an investigation that lays bare more than one family secret: The Kauffmann matriarch is full of advice, but her progeny have a mean streak that leaves a path of destruction in their wake. The Meyer patriarch has his own agenda, and the Kauffmanns have been a thorn in his ambition for too long.

Elizabeth and her deputies are about to face off against odds that are not in their favor. Only one source can tip the scales, but will she sell her soul for his help?

••••••

REVIEW: THE KILLER IN ME is the first instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DAYNE MYSTERY murder, suspense series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer Lila Dayne.

Told from third person perspective THE KILLER IN ME focuses on a series of murders in the small town of Eckardt County, murders in the wake of the ousting of a corrupt police department. Elizabeth Benoit’s return to Eckardt County comes with the new position of sheriff, a position in which she is hoping to dismantle years of corruption at the hands of the former people in charge but when several bodies begin surfacing in and around Elizabeth’s jurisdiction, Elizabeth needs all hands on deck in an effort to take down a potential serial killer, taking aim at the people she has sworn to protect.

Meanwhile, former Chicago PD police officer Lila Dayne, arrives in town just in time to jump head first into the first of four murder investigations but informing the families pushes Lila over the edge, bringing with it memories she won’t soon forget. Struggling to move on from a past without any closure, hoping for a much slower pace than her previous assignment, Lila’s ongoing pain and physical reminders, are too often at the forefront on her current investigation.

THE KILLER IN ME introduces the players in Winter Austin’s Benoit and Dayne Mystery series: Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit, Deputy Lila Dayne, Deputy Rafe Fontaine, Deputy Ben Fitzgerald, Deputy Brent Meyer, and Deputy Kyle Lundquist, as well as Elizabeth’s ex-husband, Delta force specialist Joel Fontaine, ME Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe, and former Eckardt County Sheriff Kelley Sheehan. The requisite evil has many faces.

Winter Austin pulls the reader into a complex story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, murder, mayhem, greed and extreme dysfunctional family dynamics. The premise is intriguing, haunting, twisted and tragic; the characters are impassioned and determined. We learn some of the history between Elizabeth, her ex-husband Joel, and his brother Rafe, as well as a little bit about the past events that forced Lila from Chicago to Eckardt County, a past that is likely to follow Lila wherever she goes.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:  Hi Winter and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

FOLLOW: GOODREADS / Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook / Instagram / Tule Author page

Winter:  I’m a long time Midwestern gal with a penchant for the macabre. Always nose-deep in a mystery/suspense or a comic book when I was growing up. I was that girl classmates looked at cross-eyed because I was weird for my small rural town upbringing. If I wasn’t reading, I was writing or dreaming of writing. I have a thing for action movies, especially if the heroine is the kick-butt one holding her own and saving the dude’s life.

 Today, I’ve raised 4 weirdos just like me, and been married over twenty years to a veteran who is now teaching. And my writing has gone from romantic suspense to full on mystery/suspense with female leads.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Winter: The deciding factor in my decision to become an author came about in the fourth grade when I earned a spot to go to a young writer’s conference with a story, that ironically, was a mystery. I was horse crazy kid who found and fell in love with Walter Farley’s THE BLACK STALLION, and upon learning that he’d written that book while in college and became an author at an early age cemented it for me. Fast forward to high school, I returned to that same young writer’s conference, and on the suggestion of an English teacher, I began to pursue that dream. It wasn’t until my twin sons were born and with nothing better to do, I began writing—a mystery. (See a theme here?)

 Over time, lots of self-learning, years of dogged determination, and few writer’s conferences more I made it. I’ve had people tell me, without having ever read a word I wrote, that I couldn’t be a writer/author because it wasn’t a legit job and I wouldn’t earn a living at it. I wasn’t out for the $$, I did it because if I didn’t it would consume me. It was also a great learning tool for my kids, as they watched me struggle through and finally succeed. It taught them to never give up, and never let anyone tell you who or what you could be.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Winter: Publishing the book was never an issue. When Tule’s editorial team saw the tidbits I had, they wanted it and the series.

Writing the story, however, was a challenge, because I hadn’t done a lot of developing on the story line and the characters, which is something I need in order to write, and that takes time. Sometimes a story needs to stew in my head for a bit before I get all the pieces together. Also, I had just decided to get my long overdue college degree right before I signed with Tule, and that meant juggling college courses along with a day job and family obligations. Then Covid hit. But that gave me more time at home to write when I wasn’t working. Eventually the book came together and here it is today.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: The premise of THE KILLER IN ME is about family dynamics, long-standing feuds, and the lines one is willing to cross. It’s the dark, dirty secrets of a rural small town come to life.

TRC:What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is my tenth novel that dealt with police procedure. Most of my research was done long before, but I still consult with law enforcement and forensics personnel all the time as I write. The plot, however, took me way longer than any book has before. Tule contracted the series based on a few pages and an idea of how the series might go. I usually have the ending and the antagonist in mind before I start writing, I had none of that. As I wrote it things began to fall into place for me and eventually, I figured out what I needed. Though there were a few hours lost when I was trying to find out if an ME could figure out if and how long a body had been cold, not frozen, just cold, and how it would mess with the timeline of death.

TRC: Is any of the premise based in reality or fact?

Winter: To be frank, yes it’s both in fact. You see a lot of ID network shows on small town murders and it always stems back to 3 things; Money, Love, and Hate/Envy. I chuckle every time I see some comment online about that isn’t how small towns are, most of this coming from people who have lived in cities all their lives and believe that romance novels and other venues depict how small-town life is like.

Misogynistic/Patriarchal behavior, the likes of which Elizabeth and Lila must deal with in the book, are still on full display even today. And family feuds that date back decades can be found. Murder happens. And so does corruption. We might not be in the deep south or the mountains of the east, but we have our own crime escapades here in the Midwest.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? Will Elizabeth Benoit be the lead heroine in each of the stories?

Winter: Right now, I’m trying to finish book 2 and book 3 is contracted. I don’t know how many books this series will go, I hope a lot, but that depends all on the readers. ?

Elizabeth and Lila Dayne are the main female leads, and they will be leads in all of the books. Book 2 has a surprise new lead, female as well, but I don’t want to give it away who it is.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories of mystery and suspense. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

Winter: I try to keep it as real as I can. But I also take fictional licence where I want, because I can. Reading is an escape, and just like watching a movie, I want the reader to suspend disbelief and just flow with it. I read a lot in the genres I write in, but I’m really into action thrillers where the lead characters do things that feel and seem impossible, but it works because of who that character is. Oddly enough, that old line, “truth is stranger than fiction” is true. Weird things can happen in real life, but if you were to write it in a book no one would believe you. So, take licence where you can and have fun with it. If I get too bogged down in the minute details of making it all factual, I lose the love of writing what I’m writing. I’m not doing this to teach someone something, leave that for the textbooks. Enjoy! Have fun! And pretend that just for once, a woman can be more than what the world has told her to be.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Winter: Personally, for me, I love a good cover, especially for my own books. But in the end does it drive me toward a book? No. Let the meat of the story be your deciding factor. Does the back cover blurb convey exactly what I want to read? That’s where I think a lot of readers go.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Winter: It’s all character. All. The. Time. If I step in and control the story it blows up and dies. Which is exactly what has happened to me in the middle of writing book 2. I got in the way and now I’m having to unravel the mess I made. As much as I love to say my books are mystery and suspense driven, the reality is everything I write is all character driven. They dictate what I do with them.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavour?

Winter: This is where Voice comes into play. If a writer hasn’t finetuned this part of their writing process it will make the characters fall flat and the reader won’t find a way to connect with them. As a writer, you need to draw on your own life experiences, what were you feeling at this moment, have you ever been in a situation that you’re putting your characters and how did you feel at that moment.

When I’m writing, if I don’t feel the character’s emotions, then I know the reader won’t. Writing action scenes or fight scenes I’m practically buzzing along with the character as they are in a tense situation. I’ve bawled my eyes out during certain scenes in past books and I later learned so did my readers.

As my editor always says, when she gets a draft from me, or opens a Winter Austin book, she expects to be swept right into a Winter Austin experience.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Winter: Most of the time I do, and it really depends on what’s going on in that particular scene. I have an eclectic taste in music ranging from instrumental soundtracks from TV shows and movies right up to heavy metal. But there are times I just need silence, those are rare, but they happen.

While writing THE KILLER IN ME I listened to tracts by Tommee Proffit and The Sweeplings. During the editing process I was listening to the soundtracks from Yellowstone seasons 1-3. This is a trend for me, music with singing okay while writing. Instrumental music only during editing. YouTube Music has become my best friend.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Winter: That writing is easy. That we just sit around and the words flow right onto the page. We have all the time in the world to just daydream and write. I wish!

Writing is not easy, it’s ugly and stressful. And there are times when you put your heart and soul, blood and tears, life and death into those books, then the check comes, and you just die. Or worse, you find out people are stealing your work in some fashion or another and you just want to scream.

We are not just authors, as in my case, I’m my own agent, publicist, promoter, financer, and secretary. When I’m not working my day job or tending to family obligations, and I’m not writing, I’m promoting that next book. I’m lining up reviews. Working with the publishing team to get places. Then reaching out to potential new readers and enticing them with my books. And somehow in all of that, I need to read my writing partner’s books, and other authors’ books to keep my imagination fuelled.

This is a job. And it needs to be treated as such.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Winter: More people are beginning to see it. I play on this card a lot because it drives interest toward my books. My daughter shows cattle. We have long been a 4-H/FFA family and her career is falling into showing and raising cattle. She works on the family farm and is building up a small herd of her own.

We travel all over the state of Iowa to show—as a unit, she, me, and my husband—and soon we’ll be traveling out of state to show. The end goal for her is to show at the Grandaddy of them All in Denver, the National Western Stock Show.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Winter: I’m writing book 2 for this series, called Hush, My Darling. And working on edits for a second book in another series for another house that is a military romantic thriller.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is available now at all retailers for purchase. You can hang out with me at many of the social media platforms.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pesto, I would eat this on everything if I could.

Favorite Dessert: Peanut Butter Thumbprint cookies—you will be stabbed if you steal one from me.

Favorite TV Show: Yellowstone & Blue Bloods

Last Movie You Saw: Black Widow & Gunpowder Milkshake

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark all the way, baby.

Secret Celebrity Crush: Phillip Winchester & Sullivan Stapleton—have to pair them up. ?

Last Vacation Destination: My last official vacation for myself that didn’t include a trip to the Iowa State Fair was Boulder and Denver, CO with my bestie and writing partner.

Do you have any pets? Oh, yes. 2 dogs, 1 inside kitty and a handful of farm cats. Chickens—but they’re not really pets just livestock. And rabbits.

Last book you read: The Lost Ones, by Ace Atkins

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME. We wish you all the best.

 

 

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Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty – a Review

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Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty – a Review

 

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Description:
Assassins are hunting the daughter of the Prime Minister… How long will she hide before it’s time to fight back? Gray Langtry is on the run. As the only child of the British Prime Minister, Gray’s life has been in turmoil ever since her mother was chosen to lead the country. Both she and her mother are targets of a Russian assassination plot. And what’s worse, members of her mother’s own cabinet are involved. A team of bodyguards never leaves her side. The press attention is relentless. And then there are the death threats. Now, after an attempt on Gray’s life, she has been moved to an elite boarding school in the British countryside. Shielded by high walls and locked gates, Gray finally feels safe, but the plotters are still hunting, and soon they will find her. Gray’s personal bodyguard, Julia, and the school’s young headmistress are determined to protect her. They both know how dangerous things are. The assassins searching for Gray are highly trained. And when they arrive they will aim to kill. Dylan, a mysterious American student, seems to know more than he should – but he’s always there when Gray needs him. Can she trust him? Can she trust anyone? As winter closes in and darkness falls, Gray will have to think fast. The hunters are coming.

 

 

Review:

Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty is the 2nd book in her Number 10 series, which is a spin off of her Night School series.  I did not realize this was the 2nd book in this series, but was happy that this read very well without having read the first book.  Gray Langtry, our heroine, is the daughter of the British Prime Minster, and her life, as well as her mother’s is in danger, as they are targets of assassination plots by a terrorist organization.

Gray survived previous attempts on her life (first book), and now is sent with her bodyguard, Julia to an elite boarding school that is known for their security (Cimmeria Academy). Besides Julia, the school has other bodyguards, with high walls, gates and cameras, which gives the vibe that Gray, and many school mates (political families) are very safe.  Allie (heroine from Night School) is now the headmistress, and she is determined to protect Gray and the other students. Allie and Julia do not get along at first, since they knew each other in the previous books, but when things get dangerous, everyone must work together to protect Gray, against the attacks.

What follows is an exciting, fast paced, action packed thriller, with Gray’s life constantly in danger.  I loved Julia, as she was a terrific bodyguard, as well as many of those who came to help (from Night School), Allie, Chase, Zoe, Cameron, etc.   I really did enjoy Gray’s interaction with other students, especially those who were in similar situations, but not currently targeted, like Gray.  I also liked Dylan, who was American, and seemed to stick closely to Gray, with both feeling an immediate attraction. I look forward to their romance heating up in future books.

Codename Firefly was very well written by C.J. Daugherty, and exciting and tense from start to finish, with a few twists along the way.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I think you should read it from the beginning.  Codename Firefly had me on the edge of my seat often, as it was a captivating adventure, especially with the constant attacks and lives on the line.  I suggest you read this Codename Firefly. I for one will look into reading more from C.J. Daugherty.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

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Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

 

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Description:
The body was left in a dumpster like so much trash, the victim a woman of no fixed address, known for offering paper flowers in return for spare change—and for keeping the cops informed of any infractions she witnessed on the street. But the notebook where she scribbled her intel on litterers and other such offenders is nowhere to be found.

Then Eve is summoned away to a nearby building site to view more remains—in this case decades old, adorned with gold jewelry and fine clothing—unearthed by recent construction work. She isn’t happy when she realizes that the scene of the crime belongs to her husband, Roarke—not that it should surprise her, since the Irish billionaire owns a good chunk of New York. Now Eve must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals, and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away…

 

 

 

Review:

Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb is the 53rd novel in her fantastic In-Death/Eve Dallas series. I am a huge fan of this series, having read every single book, as well as all the novellas. I also love Eve and Roarke, who I still consider the best literary couple. In the previous two reviews, I noted that J.D. Robb had created masterpieces; and amazingly Forgotten in Death is another fantastic addition to this series.  I will never have enough of this series, and marvel how Robb continues to give us fascinating stories at 53 books later.  Please never stop. Bravo to J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has been called to a construction site where the dead body of a homeless woman was found in a dumpster.  Those on site reveal that the homeless dead woman was well known around the construction site, always informing the local cops of infractions, as well offering paper flowers or animals as gifts.   The woman with no name or address also kept a notebook of everything she found, which was missing, with both Eve and Peabody searching for the missing notebook.  Why would someone kill a homeless woman?

While on the crime scene, Eve is called to another scene down the block at a different construction site, where bones of a woman and fetus was found buried, having been shot dead; this murder took place many years ago.  Eve, Peabody and Roarke become enmeshed into a complicated and separate double murder, with trying to identifying both dead women, as well as going back 40 years to put the pieces together.

What follows is an amazing, intense, exciting, non-stop, action-filled race to find the murderers.  The story is grim and tragic in both cases, as well as thought provoking.  Eve pulls all the stops to find the guilty parties, as well as going after a domestic abuse person, not to mention her constant determination to stand up for the dead.   This series has so many wonderful recurring secondary characters, which over 53 books, shows how Eve has changed drastically from being alone to having so many friends who support her, not to mention her hot husband. ?  We also got some quality time with Nadine, Reo and Mira and of course her fun partner, Peabody. 

The entire book was wild, intense, and mind boggling, with Eve, Peabody and Roarke in the forefront throughout the story.  Forgotten in Death was so very well written by Robb,  with so much going on from start to finish, and to tell too much more would be spoilers.   This was very exciting, tense, intriguing, nonstop action from start to finish, with never a dull moment.  J.D. Robb once again gives us another masterpiece to this wonderful series, which I hope keeps on rolling for many years to come.  I thought that Forgotten in Death was another great book, which certifies that J.D. Robb will continue to give us many more Eve and Roarke books.  

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Rogue Wolf by Paige Tyler – a Review

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Rogue Wolf by Paige Tyler – a Review

 

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Description:
There’s been a wicked attraction between SWAT werewolf Trey Duncan and medical examiner Samantha Mills since the two met, but Trey’s never worked up the nerve to ask her out. So when Samantha says she wants to cash in the favor Trey owes her for a date, it seems like the perfect time to confess his true feelings. But the trouble with wolves is that they’re never far from danger, and this time Trey is going up against a monster the likes of which his Dallas SWAT team has never seen… This time it’s going to take everything Trey and Samantha have to crack the case and protect each other.

 

 

 

Review:

Rogue Wolf by Paige Tyler is the 12th book in her SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team series.  I have been a big fan of Paige Tyler’s books, as she always gives us wonderful, paranormal romance suspense stories, that are exciting, pulse pounding action filled, as well as great couples and hot alpha men (werewolves) that are part of the SWAT team.

Trey Duncan, our hero, is a member of the SWAT team and together with his team mates, they are trying to find a serial killer, who has strength equal to their werewolf ability.  Someone is killing men for body parts, and leaving the remaining bodies in various different forests.

Samantha Mills, our heroine, is an assistant medical examiner, and has been on the scene of all the murders.  Her and Trey are attracted to each other, but acts on their feelings, but in the middle of this investigation, Samantha makes the first move inviting Trey out.  During the period of the investigations, their relationship escalates, as they have great chemistry, and Trey realizes she is the ‘ONE’; but he does not want to pressure her, since she knows nothing of him and his team being werewolves.  Samantha knows she is falling hard for Trey, but she has also been gathering information regarding the SWAT team, and some of their amazing abilities, such as speedy healing, and other suspicious things.  Will Samantha find out what the SWAT team is, and will she out them?

Trey and his teammates were deeply involved in trying to find and stop this killer, who they suspect may be a supernatural.  They have come across this monster, with supernatural strength and ability, as well as attempting to suck out their life source; but they have always been able to fight off the murderer, who quickly disappears.   

What follows is an exciting, intense, suspenseful, action-packed adventure that will keep us glued to our seats, especially when Samantha is kidnapped, and surprising twists and revelations are revealed.  The wild last ¼ of the book had me holding my breath, as both Samantha and Trey’s life was in danger. 

Paige Tyler does it again with another intense, intriguing, exciting and sexy story. The romance between Trey and Samantha’s romance was steamy, as they were great together; especially when they each fought to save each other’s lives.  I love the wonderful characters Tyler has created, including Kat (the cat). Rogue Wolf is another fabulous addition to this series.  If you have not started this series, I suggest you do so, as it is a fun, exciting and sexy read and Paige Tyler is an author you need to be reading. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Have You Seen Me? by Alexandrea Weis-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Have You Seen Me? (Waverly Prep 1) by Alexandrea Weis-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 27, 2021

Lindsey Gillett is missing.

And she’s not the first girl at Waverly High to vanish without a trace.

To help cope with the tragedy, new history teacher Aubrey LaRoux organizes a student investigation team. But when the project’s key members start turning up dead across campus, Aubrey suspects there’s more going on than anyone is willing to admit.

The murdered students all had something in common with Lindsey. They shared a secret. And what they uncovered could threaten the future of the historic school.

At Waverly High, someone wants to keep the past buried—and you don’t want to get in their way.

•••••••

REVIEW:HAVE YOU SEEN ME? by Alexandrea Weis is a contemporary, young adult, mystery/murder thriller focusing on the investigation and search for a number of missing girls who attended Waverly Prepatory school in Louisiana.

Told from several third person perspectives including former student turned history teacher Aubrey LaRoux, HAVE YOU SEEN ME? follows the search for the truth. Upon her arrival, two months into the new school year, history teacher Aubrey LaRoux discovers a young female student is missing, the step-sister of another young woman who went missing ten years earlier, when Aubrey was a student attending Waverly High. Aubrey is about to find herself the target of a number of students believing she is the guilty party, a target that is about to become involved in the search for the truth. As the missing and dead begin to pile up, Aubrey and several of her first period students, begin an investigation of their own, only to find themselves disappearing, one student at a time.

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? reads like a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys murder mystery with overtones of teenage slasher movies including Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. As per the requisite plot points, the teens and their teacher begin to uncover the clues, and the long buried secrets of Waverly High, but the TSTL attitudes threatens everyone involved. One by one, each of the students involved in the investigation disappears and die, leaving Aubrey and one final student to uncover the truth.

We are introduced to sheriff Mason Dubois, Headmistress Sara Probst, groundskeeper Mr. Samuel, as well as a number of students including Lindsey Gillett.

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? is a haunting story of power, control, betrayal and vengeance; a suspenseful tale of secrets, lies, and obsession dating back close to twenty-five years. The premise is edgy but predictable; the characters are inquisitive, energetic and impassioned. HAVE YOU SEEN ME? ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Tall stalks whipped against Lindsey’s legs as she ran. Her ragged breath broke through the silence of the dark, isolated field. She put everything she had into maneuvering through the deep weeds. Her chest burned, but an icy dread kept her desperate to outrun the beam of light following her.
Exhausted, Lindsey paused and kneeled by a thicket of grass, hoping to remain out of sight. But then a flashlight locked on her position. She startled and stumbled backward, tripping over something.
Falling to the boggy ground, weeds slapped her face, and her leg scraped against a sharp object.
Son of a …
Lindsey grabbed her leg but kept silent as a sting flared above her ankle. When she reached down, the spot was wet to the touch.
Blood. Crap. That will leave a trail.
She discovered the cause of her fall—a marker built of stone.
Lindsey had heard stories about the famous battlefield and the single marker left to remember the fallen soldiers.
“Where are you going to run, Lindsey?”
The nondescript, guttural voice seemed to surround her.
Lindsey hurried to get up while scouring the trees. She judged the distance it would take her to get lost in their shadows.
She surveyed the endless acres of grass. There was nowhere else to go.
A tickle raced across her neck, awakening an intense dread. The locket she kept close—the one containing pictures of her and Marjorie—had slipped off.
Not my locket!
She wanted to search the grass for the prized memento, but there was no time. The rays of the flashlight found her.
Lindsey summoned her courage, determined to lose her tormentor.
The hurried whoosh of trampled weeds drew closer.
Lindsey cursed. She took off, dashing for the trees, not looking back. She ran into pockets of thick mud and her legs tired as she struggled.
A ray of moonlight broke through the clouds. Lindsey examined the outline of the land. The grass thinned before the line of trees.
She kept going, and when she broached the trees, relief rolled through her.
Branches scratched her face. The sting they left brought tears to her eyes, but she pushed on.
Almost there.
The pine needles crunched beneath her feet, alerting her pursuer to where she was.
Then another sound rose in the air—churning water. The bend in the fast-moving Bayou Teche was ahead. She lunged for the end of the tree line.
Around her was more tall grass, and then ahead, piers poked out of the swirling waterway.
A dark structure appeared on her left. Rising against the night sky, its craggy outline hinted at crumbled walls and a collapsed roof. A smokestack rose like a column into the dark sky.
Lindsey ran, glimpsing trash piles and abandoned machinery around the site of the old sugar mill.
A darting orb of light swept past her.
She charged toward the river’s edge.
The piers got closer, and she spotted the remains of the old dock, its rotting planks poking out along the shoreline.
Lindsey closed in on the water, knowing she had no place else to go.
A light behind her danced along the water’s surface, heightening her fear.
The riverbank came up quickly. Lindsey paused on the edge, staring into the churning current at the river’s bend.
She looked back over her shoulder. “I’ll see you in hell.”
Lindsey dove into the swirling currents. The cold shocked her just as an undertow pulled her down. She fought to get to the surface. Panic ate up her oxygen as she kicked hard, but she wasn’t gaining any ground.
Darkness closed around her, engulfing Lindsey in blinding terror.

Alexandrea Weis is graciously offering an ebook copy of HAVE YOU SEEN ME? to TWO (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

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Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

Amazon

 

Description:
Hot flashes in my forties? Expected. Waking up psychic? Not in my wildest dreams.

My name is Erin Stone. I’m forty-three with a daughter away at college and a successful career as a communications officer with the 911 dispatch center for the Toronto Police Service. My life had just returned to new normal after my divorce and everything was going along smoothly. Then BOOM! Turns out the universe had other plans for me.

I dreamed of a plane crash—only it wasn’t just a dream. The crash happened in real life. Eighty-three dead. A vision, plain and simple. Not exactly. My family certainly wouldn’t understand. And me…psychic? I’d dabbled in new-age spirituality in the past but never plunged into the deep end. Now I’m in over my head.

Why was I given this vision, and does it hold clues as to what caused the crash? My best friend Trish is convinced it does, and a handsome stranger with the National Transportation Safety Board is willing to partner with me to solve the mystery. But if I’m going to embrace the vision as telling of newfound psychic abilities, I will need to keep my paranormal gift a secret from my daughter, brother, and aunt. Little good that might do them though.

Someone out there has their own secrets and is willing to go to great lengths to protect them. Now the very gift I was given has put the lives of my loved ones at risk. Will my psychic abilities be strong enough to save them?

 

Review:

Midlife Psychic by Carolyn Arnold is a standalone Paranormal Women’s Fiction novel.  We meet our heroine Erin Stone at the start when she is in the middle of a nightmare.  Her nightmare is a plane that is spiraling out of control, with everyone on the plane sensing death, and Erin feels like she is on the plane  looking at others around her.  When she wakes up, the dream shook her, as it felt so realistic; she shakes it off, as she needs to hurry to work.   Erin is a 43 years old divorcee, with a daughter now away at college, and she works for the Toronto 911 Police Dispatch for a number of years. 

While at work, she sees the TV talking about a plane crash, with 83 people dead, and Erin realizes this was the dream she had, which went down at the same time of her dream.  She doesn’t know what to think, as at her age, why would she have a vision, but when then later, she sees another vision about a young girl kidnapped;  which she sends the police department an anonymous clue where to find the child safe. Erin is beside herself, and scared. The only person she can talk to is her friend Trish, who is very open to spiritual things, but she knows her family would frown on this, so she needs to keep this a secret.  She meets David, who works for the National Transportation Safety Board, and in a short time, he believes that Erin does see visions, and they begin to work together to find out the truth about the plane crash, and why she is seeing faces of some who died. 

What follows is an exciting, intriguing story with Erin and David finding clues that the plane crash was sabotage, and Erin will need to learn how to use her psychic paranormal gift.  Things get dangerous and nerve wracking when threats are made to her family, which escalates the pressure, as they are getting too close.   I really liked Erin and David together, as this is a slow burn romance. But depending if this is going to become a series, perhaps that is in the future, if Arnold continues this.   

Midlife Psychic was very well written by Carolyn Arnold, especially since this was a different kind of read that we have come to expect from her.  I did like the paranormal story line, especially the tense, wild climax. I hope we get to see more of Erin Stone.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

 

 

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Vortex by Catherine Coulter – a Review

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Vortex by Catherine Coulter – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Seven years ago, Mia Briscoe was at a frat party with her best friend Serena when a fire broke out. Everyone was accounted for except Serena. She was never heard from or seen again. Now Mia is an investigative journalist covering the political scene in New York City, but she hasn’t given up trying to find out what happened to her friend that night. When an old photo taken at the frat party gives her clues, Mia realizes she knows just where to look. She enlists FBI agent Sherlock’s help to uncover a sinister string of events going all the way back to that disastrous party. But some very powerful—and very dangerous—people will do anything to keep the past buried.

CIA Operative Olivia Hildebrandt is a team leader on a mission in Iran to exfiltrate a betrayed undercover operative. She’s nearly killed by an exploding grenade and saved by a team member. After leaving Walter Reed Hospital, not only has that team member disappeared but two men come to her house to kill her. Savich believes their attack on Olivia is a direct result of the compromised mission in Iran. What intelligence was at stake? Who betrayed them? Savich quickly finds he is now a target himself and unseen enemies will stop at nothing, including murder.

 

 

Review:

Vortex by Catherine Coulter is the 25th book in her FBI Thriller series.  I am a big fan of Coulter’s FBI series, and looked forward to seeing our wonderful FBI heroes, Savich and Sherlock. In Vortex, both Savich and Sherlock are called into separate cases, with each case being led by great heroines.

Mia Briscoe, our heroine, is an investigative journalist for a local newspaper.  Mia still thinks about her friend from college, who disappeared 7 years ago.  When her boss assigns her to be the main reporter for Alex Harrington, the new candidate to be mayor of New York, she does some research and finds a dark blurry picture that a friend found, and sent to Mia.  In a short time, Mia utilizes another FBI friend, who was the boyfriend of the missing girl, to see if he can improve the quality of the picture, which was taken at the college 7 years ago.  After she interviews Harrington, his friends, Mia begins to suspect that there is more to the story, and with her FBI friends help, she meets Special Agent Sherlock, who will begin to work with Mia to find the truths, about now and what happened years ago.  Sherlock was in New York consulting on a serial murderer case, which she will help solve, and she fully becomes invested into Mia’s findings.

CIA agent, Olivia Hildebrandt, was on a top mission, when she was injured, as the mission was compromised.   One of her agents is now missing, and Olivia is determined to find him, since she feels he is in hiding, against foreign terrorists.  Savich is called to represent the FBI in investigating why Olivia is being targeted, as attacks have been made on her life.  Savich will take over the case, as the CIA is not happy about this.  Olivia knows someone from her team has betrayed her, and works closely with Savich to protect her, as well as find the agent who is in hiding, with the flash drive (important data) that is important to both sides. 

What follows is a non-stop exciting and intense adventure with two different cases. Both cases escalated, with many twists and surprises, which is another reason not to reveal these spoilers, so not to ruin the book.  I love Savich and Sherlock, even when they worked separately; They are a fabulous couple and super agents.  I really thought Mia was a fantastic character, as she was fearless to find the truth about her friend’s disappearance, as well as working closely with Sherlock.  Olivia too was a very good character, and was willing to put her own life in danger, working with Savich.  Coulter not only gives us wonderful characters we care about, but she also creates evil villains.

Vortex was a thriller from start to finish, and even if it was tense at times, as I was unable to put the book down from start to finish.  Catherine Coulter once again gives us a fabulous story, with so many different surprises and excitement all the way to the climax.  Vortex was a fast-paced, exciting, intriguing, suspenseful mystery.  If you like suspense, mysteries, espionage, especially in the world of CIA/FBI, I wholly suggest you read Catherine Coulter.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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