Tag Archives: Mystery

To Catch a Thief by Sloane Steele – a Review

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To Catch a Thief by Sloane Steele – a Review

 

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Description:
It was the perfect plan…until he interfered.

There’s nothing Mia Benson wants more than to right her father’s wrongs.

She’s crafted the perfect plan—a Robin Hood scheme to get revenge while returning millions to innocent people. Five years of careful work and finally, it’s Go Time.

Only one thing stands in her way: a grumpy FBI agent doing a shoddy job of posing as an insurance investigator. Seducing Logan Ford, with his sexy grin, gorgeous body and irresistible charm, isn’t exactly a hardship.

In fact, keeping him distracted and away from her team becomes a personal pleasure.

But it’s impossible to hide behind a tangled web of lies and half-truths forever. Mia never counted on falling for Logan. And when he starts to put the pieces together, revealing her true feelings might be the most dangerous move of all.

Counterfeit Capers
Book 1: It Takes a Thief
Book 2: Between Two Thieves
Book 3: To Catch a Thief

 

 

Review:

To Catch a Thief by Sloane Steele is the 3rd and final book in her Counterfeit Capers series.  I enjoyed the first two books in this (Robin Hood Heist style) series, and looked forward to reading To Catch a Thief, as it was the final book.  Happy to say I loved the satisfying conclusion.  Refresher: Jared and Mia (cousins), plan their series of heists as payback against their fathers.  A number of years ago, their fathers were exposed for a Bernie Madoff financial scam, causing many people to lose their money; a number of those people were put into financial binds. The fathers are in hiding, leaving the children and their wives to suffer the backlash against them; even though they had no idea what was happening. Years have passed, and now both Jared and Mia have inherited from their mother’s trust funds, which they plan to use to help out all those people who were hurt financially.  The series revolves around those people who Jared and Mia hired to help them. Audrey (Data) is a hacker, Nikki is the thief and London is the forger.

In To Catch a Thief, Mia (the mastermind) is the lead in this story.  Mia has always been known as the Ice Queen (cold, bossy, determined to payback her father), but over time (previous books), she softened up, especially working with the three ladies that she and Jared had chosen to help replace paintings with forgeries (selling the good paintings and secretly giving those harmed by her father and their cronies money to help them recover).  I loved how Nikki and Audrey would walk Mia through her on site events, especially teasing her.  It was fun, and I liked the banter between them.

Logan Ford, is an FBI agent, who is undercover as an insurance agent to try and find out why all these forgeries are showing up.  He has Mia Benson on his list, as people who are art connoisseurs, and tries to use her to help him find out about what is happening in the art world.  Slowly, Logan finds himself attracted to Mia, and is determined to win her over.  What he doesn’t know is that Mia and her team, suspect he might be a cop, since his knowledge of art was poor.

Mia allows herself to open up to Logan, and eventually become romantically involved. However, part of her tries to keep him from knowing the truth about her involvement and her team’s safety.  Mia discovers her father has so many more hidden paintings that she can never keep up, and decides to work with the FBI (and Logan) in trapping her father, which puts her in the forefront of being behind the heist, even if she used the money to give to those who lost everything.  Logan was unhappy to learn that Mia was behind the heists, even if it was for a good cause, but he worked with her and the FBI for the sting against her father. He also wanted the names of those who worked for her, which she constantly said she worked alone.  Will Logan be able to accept that Mia technically was a criminal?

What follows is another wonderful exciting story, in the world of hackers, thieves and forgers, as well as playing robin hood (payback to the victims). There was plenty of action, intrigue, suspense and a couple we rooted for.  Mia in this book, turned into a great lead, who I really got to like. I did like Logan, though I was not sure if he would be able to stay with Mia.  I do not want to say too much more, since you should be reading this without spoilers.  To Catch a Thief was very well written by Sloane Steele, and I totally loved the storyline revolving around the heists; lots of fun.  To Catch a Thief was a fun, as well as suspenseful story, with a fantastic group of characters.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

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Say Goodbye by Karen Rose – Review & Giveaway

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Say Goodbye by Karen Rose – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

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Description:
For decades, Eden has remained hidden in the remote wilds of the Pacific Northwest, “Pastor” keeping his cult’s followers in thrall for his personal profit and sexual pleasures. But the Founding Elders are splintering, and Pastor’s surrogate son DJ is scheming to make it all his own.

When two of Eden’s newest members send out a cry for help, it reaches FBI Special Agent Tom Hunter, whose friend and fellow FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds and his sister, Mercy, are themselves escapees of the Eden cult, targeted by the Founding Elders who want them silenced forever. The three have vowed to find the cult and bring it down, and now, they finally have a solid lead.

Neutralizing Eden’s threat will save captive members and ensure Tom’s new friends can live without fear. But when his best friend, ex-Army combat medic Liza Barkley, joins the case, it puts her life—and their blossoming love—in danger. With everything they hold dear in the balance, Tom and Liza, together with Gideon and Mercy, must end Eden once and for all.

 

 

Review:

Say Goodbye by Karen Rose is the 3rd and final book in her Sacramento arc, which is the 25th book in her Romantic Suspense series.  I am a big fan of Karen Rose, as her suspense thrillers are amazing, and unputdownable.  In this third arc, Rose gives us another fabulous book that is once again 640 pages. Rose always creates fantastic heroes and secondary characters, as well as evil villains; and this does not change in this book, as she writes another masterpiece.  Refresher: This arc revolves around a cult, Eden, who have been hidden for many years. The cult treats their women like slaves, and the young girls are forced to marry an elder (who have multiple brides) and have sex at the age of 12. The elders are all evil, and in Say Goodbye, Pastor and DJ Belmont take center stage, with Belmont being a horrific killer.

Say Goodbye was a tense, exciting, action filled story that kept me on the edge of to my seat from start to finish.  I thought the previous two books in this arc was amazing, but Say Goodbye was even better.  The nice thing about the Sacramento arc is that many of the characters from the previous books, play major parts in this one. Gideon (first book hero), his sister Mercy (second book heroine) work with all their friends to protect them, as well as a couple of others having escaped from Eden (Amos-Abilgail).

Tom and Liza are the leads in this story, with Gideon, Mercy, Rafe, Daisy, and the Sokolov family, and other FBI/Police friends working together to find DJ Belmont before he kidnaps or kills Mercy.  I loved the entire big family vibe, as they were all great.  Tom has been best friends with Liza since she was 17, and he was 20.  Liza just returned from being injured (was in army), and is openly welcomed by the Sokolov family and friends, especially Daisy and Mercy.  Liza has always had strong feelings for Tom, but though he has feelings for her, he is hesitant to move on, still grieving the murder of Tory and their unborn child.

What follows is an intriguing, tense, exciting, and edge of your seat suspense storyline that had me holding my breath so many times.  This was very tense from all the way through, especially with the evil Belmont constantly threatening everyone around Mercy and Gideon.  Pastor, who was sick in this book, was also evil, having started the cult, and hid all the money. As we raced to the wild climax, I prayed for the demise of the evil people and their cult.  Tom was a good hero, though I did find him somewhat annoying, not being able to open himself truly to Liza.  Liza was a fabulous heroine, who was willing to put herself in danger, to help find Eden and save her friends.

Say Goodbye is an intense thriller, with non- stop action all the way.  As I have said before, Karen Rose never fails to give a fantastic well written thriller that is intense, always on the edge, with fantastic characters, evil villains and a wonderful couple you care for. If you love suspense, with a touch of romance and a thriller all the way, then look no further then Karen Rose.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

EDEN, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 10:30 P.M.Hayley Gibbs winced as her belly scraped against the doorjamb lead‑ ing into the clinic. Dammit. She’d underestimated her current—
and increasing—size yet again. Damn pregnancy.
She gave her stomach a soothing pat. Not you, she silently told her unborn child. Her daughter. I’m not mad at you, Jellybean. Never you. She was mad, however, at her mother. She was beyond furious with the woman. And scared of her at the same time. The fury was nothing new. The fear . . . well, that was new. At least this kind of fear. It had always been the fear of not having enough to eat, or of where they’d live the next week, or what her mother would do if she learned that Hayley was having sex with her high school boyfriend Cameron, or
that her little brother Graham was shoplifting electronics.
Then she’d found out what her mother would do if she found out. Move us here. To this hellhole in the middle of fucking nowhere. From which Hayley was going to escape or die trying.
She just needed to get into the clinic’s office.
Drawing a breath, she eased her way through the clinic door and
quietly closed it behind her. She stood statue‑still, listening for the sound of anyone else. But it was silent.
Thank you, she mouthed, not sure whom she was thanking. Prob‑ ably not God, or not her mother’s God, at least. The God Hayley wanted to thank would help her keep her baby safe. The God she wanted to thank definitely wouldn’t approve of these . . . monsters.
Eden was full of monsters and her mother had dragged Hayley and her brother here, kicking and screaming.
Hayley rubbed her fingertips over the thick chain welded around her neck.
Welded. Around. My. Neck.
It wasn’t jewelry, despite the locket that dangled from it. It was a collar. It was ownership.
It was also empty, at the moment. The locket. But after the baby came, her locket would be filled with her wedding photo. She was technically married now—and had been since the day they’d arrived in this awful place. Luckily her “husband” didn’t want to “consum‑ mate” their union with another man’s bastard in her belly, so she hadn’t been forced into sex. Yet.
He didn’t want their wedding photo sullied with the evidence of her sin. He’d have the photo taken after the “bastard” was born. Which gave her a little more than six weeks.
Hayley’s gut churned at the thought of being the fourth wife Brother Joshua would have—at the same time. Polygamy abounded in Eden, and Hayley wanted no part of it.
She hadn’t wanted any of it. She just wanted to be with her boy‑ friend and live their lives the way they’d always planned since their first homecoming dance in the ninth grade.
No, this baby wasn’t what she and Cameron had planned, at least not now. They were only seventeen, after all. But Cam’s parents had stepped up and said that they could live with them once the baby came, that they could still go to college.
But her mother hadn’t agreed. The next thing Hayley had known,she and Graham had been forced into the back of some guy’s truck.
And now I’m here.
Here in Eden. Here in the clinic, closed at the moment. If she got caught . . . She shuddered at the very thought. But she had to try. She was more afraid to stay in Eden than she was of any punishment. And Pastor—the creepy leader of this creepy cult in the mountains—he terrified her. The people here obeyed him like robots.
She rubbed her stomach as it lurched again. Come on now. Don’t worry, Jellybean. I’ll get us out of here before you arrive. I promise.
So now she had to. She’d just promised her daughter.
Her daughter. She was going to have a daughter. She and Cameron had seen the baby on the ultrasound back at the ob‑gyn’s office in San Francisco, had heard her heartbeat. Cam had cried, his hand clutching hers as they’d stared at the small screen.
I love you, Cam, she whispered inside her own mind. I love you both. They hadn’t chosen a name yet, so they called her Jellybean for now. Her daughter didn’t even have a name, but Hayley would have given up everything to protect her. Which meant getting them out of this place, with its clinic that would have been considered medieval
even in Little House on the Prairie days.
She looked around the dark room, shrouded in shadow. There was no ultrasound here. No oxygen if the baby needed it. No painkillers. At all. Just a bed with stirrups and straps.
Hayley didn’t want to know what the straps were used for.
She did know that women died in childbirth here. She’d heard the whispers.
It would be God’s punishment for her sin, one woman had said.
She’s a whore, another had added.
And then one old crone had whispered words that had chilled her to the bone: Sister Rebecca will take the baby and raise it as her own.
Even if she lives? the first woman had asked.
Even if the whore lives, the crone had confirmed. God wouldn’t want any baby to be raised by that Jezebel.


 

 

Karen Rose’s publisher is graciously offering a HARDCOVER of SAY GOODBYE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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9.. Giveaway runs from August 3rd to 7th, 2021

 

 

 

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The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

Amazon


Description:
A magic mirror. An enchanted world. A mysterious story-telling ghost. A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch. A smart, sassy cat. A mystery of finding a dead body . . . of someone who was already dead. Visit Destiny Falls and escape to a great time.

A mysterious old man keeps popping up to tell Hayden a series of tall tales. Who is he? And is he actually glowing? Are his stories fiction, or is he telling her the history of her family, the enchanted islands, and the witch? And why did a dead body show up . . . of someone who was already dead? Can Hayden and her quirky sidekick, Latifa unscramble this mystery?

Hayden’s adventures in the magical world of Destiny Falls continue in this gripping story that answers your questions about the mysterious world she entered through a mirror in book one, Falling into Magic. We learn more about her missing mother, whose story begins in book two, The Disappearance of Emily.

 

 

Review:

The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley is the 3rd book in her fun Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who lived with her grandmother, great grandmother and works with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. One day while outside with her cat, a man pushes her through a portal.  When Hayden woke up, she sees the brother she never knew, and learns all about the alternate and magical world of Destiny Falls.  Hayden gets to meet her father, brother and the Caldwell family that welcomed her into their world; the caveat- she can never leave the realm of Destiny Falls

In the last book, Hayden was happy to let her grandmother, great grandmother and Lulu learn the truth about her living in Destiny Falls, and managed to bring her there for a short stay.  Hayden is very happy and thrilled to be part of the wonderful magically enchanted Destiny Falls, especially when her cat, Latifia (formerly sassy) can talk to her telepathically.  This is the fun part, with their bantering, and the other cute cats.

Hayden, having already been in the middle of a mysterious murder in the previous book, begins to investigate what is known as the evil half of this realm, Gladstone.  She gets a letter from her mom, who left her immediately after her birth, and finds out she is living in Gladstone, unable to leave.   Is this letter truly from her mom, or is this a plot to get to her to Gladstone?   Hayden works closely with her brother Axel, friend Han and the sheriff, Jaxson to solve more murders, and the rumors about the dark and evil Gladstone.

Hayden also finds herself meeting a mysterious old man, whom she called Gaspar, who would tell her stories from the past; this man is a ghost, but his stories reveal the truth about those days, with his daughters and witches.  Hayden is also successfully running the town newsletter, detailing the murders. 

The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales is a lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls; this a cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish. To say too much more would be spoilers, and you should read it from start to finish.  Once again, I absolutely loved Latifa, which was fun and delightful, as well as the hopeful romance between Hayden and Han.  I look forward to the next book, as this ended with a cliffhanger that promises possible danger. Another fun cozy book by Elizabeth Pantley, that was well written.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

 

 

 

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Girl Lost / Girl Found (Det. Kaitlyn Carr) by Kate Gable-reviews

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Girl Lost / Girl Found (Det. Kaitlyn Carr) by Kate Gable-reviews

GIRL LOST
(Detective Kaitlyn Carr 2)
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, murder, suspense, mystery

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 5, 2021

Don’t save me…

A newlywed with a secret pregnancy goes missing after a business trip. Her husband isn’t very concerned.

Why didn’t he want to report her missing? Where is she? Why was she keeping her pregnancy a secret? Detective Kaitlyn Carr has to get to the truth.

But back home in Big Bear Lake, her thirteen-year-old sister is still missing and now her friend has disappeared as well under very similar circumstances. The FBI is called in and the agent assigned to the case is none other than Luke Galvinson. But the last thing Kaitlyn needs is a man from her past.

Kaitlyn must not only split her time between these cases but also go further down the rabbit hole of the place she once called home.

Nothing is what it seems.
No one is who they are.
Everyone has a secret.

Can Kaitlyn uncover the truth in time to prevent another death?

•••••••••

REVIEW: GIRL LOST is the second full-length instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult DETECTIVE KAITLYN CARR murder/mystery/suspense series focusing on LAPD Detective Kaitlyn Carr.

NOTE: There is a prequel novella GIRL HIDDEN that introduces some of the background, characters and players in the series.

Told from first person perspective (Kaitlyn) GIRL LOST continues to focus on the search for Detective Kaitlyn Carr’s missing thirteen year old sister, as well as a new case regarding a missing pregnant woman, and her husband, who has bee less than forthcoming with personal information.

Kaitlyn Carr’s thirteen year old sister has been missing for several days, last seen when she was dropped off at home by the mother of a friend. From there, Kaitlyn’s sister’s whereabouts are unknown. Big Bear Lake is out of Kaitlyn’s jurisdiction but when a second thirteen year old girl goes missing, the FBI is called in to investigate bringing Kaitlyn’s current friends with benefits, FBI agent Luke Galvinson, back into her life.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn has been called in to investigate a missing woman, a pregnant and married female whose husband is less than cooperative with the LAPD. Suspecting the husband but not leaving any stone unturned, Kaitlyn begins to interviews neighbors and friends, sending our heroine on a twisted path of secrets and lies. NOTE: I pegged the personal responsible from the start but the path towards reveal is tangled and messy.

GIRL LOST is an intriguing, suspense filled story about one woman’s struggle to blend, family, friendships, relationships and work into a less than cohesive ball of strife. We are witness to the Kaitlyn’s less than ideal extended family dynamics, and her struggle to have a personal life, on the side. GIRL LOST ends on cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Girl Hidden
Girl Missing

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

___________

GIRL FOUND
(Detective Kaitlyn Carr 3)
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, murder, suspense, mystery

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 2, 2021.

Don’t look for me…

A college student is found dead in the apartment of a US Marine who has disappeared.

Where is he? Did he kill her and run? And if so, why? Detective Kaitlyn Carr will stop at nothing to find out what happened.

The marine’s father is certain that his son would never do anything to harm his friend. That’s why he reported the murder and is doing his best to help Kaitlyn find his son. But will this be a regret that will haunt him for the rest of his life?

Back in her hometown of Big Bear Lake, Violet’s disappearance is becoming a cold case. Everyone has been interviewed. All leads have been followed up on. Now what? Kaitlyn keeps trying. She can’t give up.

Will Kaitlyn find out who killed the girl and find the marine before there’s another murder?

Will Kaitlyn be able to find another lead to keep her sister’s case open?

••••••••

REVIEW: GIRL FOUND is the third full-length instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult DETECTIVE KAILYN CARR murder, mystery, suspense series focusing on LAPD Detective Kaitlyn Carr. GIRL FOUND should be not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of GIRL LOST

SOME BACKGROUND: Kaitlyn Carr’s thirteen year old sister has been missing for several days, last seen when she was dropped off at home by the mother of a friend. From there, Kaitlyn’s sister’s whereabouts are unknown. Big Bear Lake is out of Kaitlyn’s jurisdiction but when a second thirteen year old girl goes missing, the FBI is called in to investigate bringing Kaitlyn’s current friends with benefits, FBI agent Luke Galvinson, back into her life.

Told from first person perspective (Kaitlyn) GIRL FOUND continues to focus on the hunt for Kaitlyn Carr’s missing thirteen year old sister Violet but as Kaitlyn struggles with the disappearance of her sister, our heroine begins to reflect on her own life, her family, and previous relationships, but one relationship in particular that involves a colleague and a secret affair.

Although not able to work directly on the investigation into her sister’s disappearance, Kaitlyn, along with FBI Special Agent Luke Gavinson begin to amass a large amount of information from Violet’s friends and fellow students, information that reveals several different sides to the sister she thought she knew.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn is assigned a murder investigation when a body is found in a former Marine’s apartment, a Marine who is currently missing and the prime suspect. Believing the circumstance could be linked to a domestic dispute, Kaitlyn begins to interview the neighbor, a man whose story spins an unbelievable tale.

GIRL FOUND is the ongoing story of Detective Kaitlyn Carr, and her search for her sister; her tumultuous relationship with Agent Luke Gavinson; and our heroine’s assignment that often place her in direct communication with a former love, whose reputation is following a familiar curve. The premise is intriguing, suspenseful and engaging; the characters are charismatic; the romance is limited to as the story focuses on the professional life of our story line heroine. GIRL FOUND ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

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The Forbidden by Heather Graham – a Review

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The Forbidden by Heather Graham – a Review

 

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Description:
She is someone’s darkest desire

Playing the victim of a vampire king on an island off New Orleans is actress Avalon Morgan’s creepiest role to date. It’s also scary good fun—until the victim of a real killer is discovered on set, laid out for all to see. With production shut down, Avalon can’t stop thinking about the chilling crime scene, or Grayson Avery, the investigator working the case.

With a rising body count and zero leads, Gray can’t help but be impressed by Avalon’s amateur sleuthing, which takes her to the darkest corners of the internet, where killers confess their crimes. One such account is a dead ringer for the murders, but when the evidence vanishes, nobody believes Avalon—except for Gray. With no one they can trust, Avalon and Gray are determined to unbury the truth at any cost, but a return to the deadly island could be the last thing they do.

 

 

Review:

The Forbidden by Heather Graham is the 34th book in her Krewe of Hunters series.  I have only read a few books from this series, but they do read very well as a standalone; I plan on reading more; as I enjoy Graham’s other books/series.

Avalon Morgan, our heroine, is an actress and is part of a group of actors working on a film, with most of them being friends, and working with the director for other films.  Avalon has just completed a scene with her made to look beautiful lying on a tomb, as it is a scary vampire movie.  When they break for the day, Avalon takes a walk around the island with her fellow actor friend, and they discover the body of their makeup artist friend, who was laid out exactly like the scene Avalon had just done.

The group of friends gathered together, upset about the muder, as the police questioned everyone, and shutting down production until the killer can be found.

Gray Avery, our hero, is the lead investigator, who is part of the Krewe of Hunters team that works on supernatural investigations.  Gray immediately recognizes that Avalon has unique abilities to see the dead, which he can too. At first, she refuses to talk about it, but in time she begins to trust Gray and together they work on trying to find clues; especially with Avalon insisting none of her friends committed the murder.  

Gray has his team checking out possible similar murders, and Avalon, being very good doing research on the internet, discovers the dark web, with people describing their fantasy murder; which is too close to the real thing.  Gray also becomes worried that the killer or killers are focusing on Avalon, as she fits the description of previous murders. He makes sure that Avalon comes with him at various locations, since she knows how to talk to ghosts, and he keeps an eye on her.  During this period, both Avalon and Gray find their attraction to each other becoming serious, and their chemistry was sizzling.

What follows is a tense thriller that will have them not only looking at the film crew, but also the owners of the island, who also hang around the area.  Gray suspects that there is more than one killer, who are very dangerous and evil.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and you need to read this from start to finish, as there are some twists and surprises.  The wild tense ending as we raced to the climax, had me holding my breath to see who will survive. 

The Forbidden is an exciting, intense, suspenseful, dark story of murder, with a nice romance, and lots of police procedurals. Once again, Heather Graham gives us a wild, mindboggling thriller, that kept our attention from start to finish.  I did like that both Gray and Avalon, as they made a great couple.  If you like intense supernatural thrillers, which is written so very well by Graham, then I suggest you read The Forbidden.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix – a Review

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The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix – a Review

 

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Description:
In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other actual final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized–someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

 

 

Review:

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix is a wild crazy standalone horror thriller.  A final girl is the lone survivor in all those horror slasher movies, where they managed save themselves and kill the crazed killer.  There are six girls (each having been victorious in saving themselves against the evil monsters), who meet with a therapist monthly, to help them try to get beyond the trauma they suffered through.  Though with many years having past for most of the girls, they still need these sessions to help them try to move past the horrors. 

Lynette Tarkington, one of the final girls, is the main heroine in this story, as we follow her throughout the forth coming ordeal, when one of the girls does not show up, and is found dead. Lynnette goes home to lock herself in, and we watch what she has to go through to get back to her place (multiple buses, train, cage outside her door, keeping her address secret, and no social life at all, etc), which showed how much her life was still like, living in fear.     

When one of the other girls comes to visit her, Lynette knows she has been compromised, and suspects someone is out there, planning to kill the remaining final girls. When shots are fired, Lynnette manages to escape, leaving the other girl injured.  Lynette was a good heroine, though at times a bit batty, but then again, constantly being faced with a murderer on the loose, we can understand that.  She is determined to find out who is out to kill them, (though she constantly suspects various people along the way), as well as try to save her friends.

What follows is a wild intense dark ride that never let up, with a number of twists and surprises along the way.  With Lynette acting mostly on her own, she does everything she can to escape an evil killer, and try to save her friends; with a surprise betrayal.  It is a gruesome and at times gory journey that will give you the chills.  At the same time, it was amazing how these women, especially Lynette, would continue to fight, never giving up. 

This is a difficult review to write, as the action is non-stop and saying too much would ruin the book for you. The Final Girl Support Group was a chilling dark story, with lots of violence and gory details.  Grady Hendrix did a great job writing this book, tying together many of those massacres from those movies. If you enjoyed your slasher movies, this book might be for you.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Therapist by B.A. Paris – a Review

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The Therapist by B.A. Paris – a Review

 

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Description:
When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbors are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

 

 

Review:

The Therapist by B.A. Paris is another one of her psychological thrillers.  We meet our heroine, Alice at the start, as she is planning to move with her boyfriend, Leo to an exclusive cul-de-sac neighborhood, The Circle.  Leo was thrilled to get the house at a great price, since it has been on the market for a year, which enabled him to buy it at a reduced cost.  After making renovations on the house, Leo and Alice move in, and are happy to be in a safe gated area.

Alice goes out of her way to meet her neighbors, but in a short period, she learns why Leo got the house so cheap.  The woman who lived in her house, was a therapist, who was murdered; to top it off, the woman’s name was Nina, which happens to be Alice’s deceased sisters name, who died years before. Alice is upset about not knowing about the murder, and that Leo kept it a secret, and she is very angry at him, causing him to not be home as much, at least until she gets over it; if she does.

Alice meets a private investigator, who gives her more information about the murder, and she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth.  Did Nina’s husband kill her, or was someone else the real killer. Alice spends her free time, asking questions of her neighbors to gather more information, and is convinced the husband did not kill his wife. With Leo mostly away, Alice becomes paranoid, as she suspects someone is coming into her house at night; leading her be suspicious of all of her neighbors.

Though Alice seemed like a nice person, she was way overboard, changing her mind constantly as to who she suspects.  Her behavior was off the wall, totally unreliable and frankly as time went on, I was not liking her at all. To paraphrase a friend’s slogan; I thought Alice put herself in danger so many times, that she most definitely was TSTL (too stupid to live).

Despite the heroine being a bit crazy obsessed, the story was a very good thriller mystery.  The last half of the book was a wild ride to the climax, that kept me on the edge of my seat.  Just when you thought you knew who the killer was, another surprise twist occurs.  I will say that from the start, I did suspect who it might be, and even though I was beginning to change my mind, I was right.  LOL.

The Therapist was very well written by B.A. Paris, though I would like a smarter, less stressful heroine. If you like a mystery thriller that has your attention from start to finish, I suggest you read The Therapist.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Death at the Crystal Palace by Jennifer Ashley – a Review

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12

Death at the Crystal Palace by Jennifer Ashley – a Review

 

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Description:
While attending an exhibition at the Crystal Palace, young cook Kat Holloway is approached by a woman in distress. Lady Covington is a wealthy widow convinced that her entire family is trying to kill her. Kat feels compelled to help, and she escorts the lady home to discover whether she is delusional or in true danger.

It is quickly apparent that the threat is all too real, and Kat promises aid. Her charming confidant Daniel McAdam is busy infiltrating a plot against the Crown, and she worries he will not have time to lend his sleuthing expertise. This might be for the best, as Kat fears her growing emotional entanglement with Daniel can only lead to disaster. But soon, Kat faces a more serious threat when her involvement in both investigations plunges her into peril.

 

 

Review:

Death at the Crystal Palace is the 5th book in her historical Kat Holloway/Below Stairs Mystery series. This series takes place in Victorian, England, centered around our heroine Kat Holloway, who is a cook extraordinaire, as well as a great detective.  Kat is smart, savvy, independent, loyal and is very protective of her below the stairs staff.  As I have noted previously, this series has a wonderful feel of a historical Downton Abbey.

While Kat attends with her friends, and her daughter Grace an exhibition at the Crystal Palace, she is approached by a wealthy widow, Lady Covington.  Seems Lady Covington has not been feeling well and is convinced that someone in her family is poisoning her.  She tells Kat that she has heard about her detective skills from others and wants her to investigate who is threatening her.

When Kat visits Lady Covington, she uses the guise of giving their cook a special lemon cake recipe, and meets many of her family and staff.  Kat begins to suspect that the threat is indeed real, and starts investigating what poison is being used; and why. Lady Covington is very wealthy, having been widowed twice, with a daughter and son; as well as a stepson and step daughter, who all may have financial reasons to try and kill her.  She finds many of the family members, as well as staff are not overly friendly.   In a short time, at an outing, Lady Covington’s step daughter eats a basket of food that was intended for the Lady, and dies from the poisoned food.

What follows is Kat escalating her investigation to find the killer, before they strike again. She sends Lady Cynthia to stay for a few days with the Covington family to keep an eye on them all.  Kat will also help Daniel, who is very deep undercover to infilter a plot against the crown; both of these cases will put Kat in danger.  

Death at the Crystal Palace was a wonderful suspenseful mystery, with Kat finding herself on the forefront in not only trying to solve one threat, helping Daniel on another, but also in helping out her friends, and trying to spend time with her daughter.  The slow build romance between Kat and Daniel was still in the background, but we can see both of them very much expressing their feelings for each other.  What makes this a wonderful series, is not only how great Kat is, but the scenes where she and Tess are preparing all these wonderful dishes for the upstairs family, as well as learn more about below the stairs. 

Once again, Jennifer Ashley gives us another fabulous story revolving around our heroine, Kat Holloway.  Death at the Crystal Palace was very well written by Ashley. If you enjoy Victorian stories, with a mystery theme, a Downton Abbey background, two very good leading characters and great secondary characters, you should be reading this series. If you have not read this series, I suggest you start with the first book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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