Tag Archives: Thriller

You Look Beautiful Tonight by LR Jones-review tour

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You Look Beautiful Tonight by LR Jones-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2023

A secret admirer’s devotion turns deadly in a twisting novel of psychological suspense.

Mia Anderson is an invisible woman. An unremarkable thirty-two-year-old Tennessee librarian, she’s accustomed to disappearing in a crowd, unseen and unheard. Then she receives an anonymous note: You look beautiful today.

It doesn’t stop there. The attentive stranger—a secret admirer named Adam—has plans for Mia. With each new text comes a suggestion for her hair, clothes, or attitude, and for the first time in memory, Mia feels noticed. Slowly, she develops a confidence in herself she’s never had. But Adam has a surprise coming…and Mia finally sees him for who he is and what he’s prepared to do for her. Even kill.

Fearing she could be implicated in the murder, Mia’s forced to turn to the stranger in the shadows watching her every move. Adam’s game of cat and mouse begins with Mia as the prey. In order to survive, she must also become the predator.

••••••••

REVIEW:YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL TONIGHT by LR Jones (Lisa Renee Jones) is a contemporary, adult, stand alone thriller focusing on thirty-two year old Tennessee librarian Mia Anderson.

Told from first person perceptive (Mia) following two timelines, YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL TONIGHT focuses on Mia Anderson, and her best friend Jessica ‘Jess’ Pierce’s attempt to push our heroine out of her comfort zone to try something new. Mia is a librarian who believes herself to be ‘invisible’ to others, non-descript, plain-Jane type, stereotypical nerdy librarian whose prospects for a future with love limited at best. Mia’s best friend Jess Pierce is tasked with writing an article about dating apps, and signs up Mia for a chance at love. Mia is immediately taken with ‘Adam’, a businessman who is willing to help give Mia the push she needs to try something new but something isn’t quite right, and Mia begins to suspect that Adam isn’t the man he presents himself to be. As the bodies begin to amass, all in the name of defending our story line heroine, Mia knows there is only one man who may be able to help, a man who isn’t at work when she needs him the most but as the people in her life disappear or die, Mia struggles to separate herself from the online persona.

YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL is a murder-mystery, suspense thriller focusing on obsession and madness, delusion and determination. LR Jones pulls the reader into a fast paced story line that covers a few days in the life of our story line heroine. The premise is intriguing although the direction of the story, and the guilty parties were obvious and predictable; the characters are desperate and dogged- most of the secondary and supporting characters control every aspect of our heroine’s life. I had some concern about the immaturity of the characters, and the adolescent dialogue-not what I was expecting.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

L. R. Jones is a pseudonym for New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, whose dark, edgy fiction includes the highly acclaimed novels The Poet, A Perfect Lie, and the Lilah Love series. Prior to publishing, Lisa owned a multistate staffing agency recognized by the Austin Business Journal. Lisa was listed as #7 in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of growing women-owned businesses. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a cat who always has something to say, and a golden retriever who’s afraid of her own bark. For more information visit:

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Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

 

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Description:
Her eyes widen at her reflection in the steel blade as it comes closer, closer, closer…

Detective Madison Knight thought a midnight drive through the countryside would help clear her mind, but she thought wrong. Her car runs out of gas, stranding her in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness. When she gets out to stretch her legs, the beam of her phone’s flashlight lands on a suitcase in the ditch. After she opens it, she’s sorry she did.

Tara Jackson was only twenty-one years old with her entire life ahead of her before she was stabbed to death and stuffed into a piece of luggage. Madison is determined to find her justice and soon uncovers that Tara was keeping secrets from those closest to her and suspects they may have gotten her killed. But while she’s exploring that lead, the body of another young woman is found in a sports equipment bag.

She looks just like Tara and is the same age, and Madison starts to wonder if the killer she’s after has killed before. Desperate, she turns to cold cases and missing person reports to see if she can dig up anything to further the investigation.

Madison finds eighteen-year-old Daphne Tucker, who was reported missing from the area three years ago. She’s a doppelganger to the other victims. Is the reason Daphne hasn’t been heard from because she’s dead too? And has her killer returned, hungry for more blood?

As Madison edges closer to the truth, someone is stalking her from the shadows, and she fears it just may be the twisted, demented killer she’s hunting. But can Madison outsmart him or her before she becomes the next victim?

 

 

 

Review:

Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold is the 12th book in her Detective Madison Knight series. As I have noted a number of times in previous reviews, Carolyn Arnold always gives us exciting suspenseful murder mysteries, led by Detective Madison Knight; and Arnold’s knowledge of police procedurals makes these investigations perfect.

Madison continues to fight her PTSD nightmares from her previous Russian case; she can’t sleep, and goes out in the middle of the night for drive to clear her mind.  When she runs out of gas, she awaits a tow truck to bring her gas, and decides to walk around in the dark. She spots a suitcase, and to her horror, she discovers the mutilated body of a young woman; the victim is identified as Tara Jackson, a 21 year old woman. Madison and Terry (her partner) take over the case, and interviewing some of her friends and those she knew at work. In a very short time, another mutilated body is discovered, who sort of looks a bit like Tara. Maddie and Terry try to find clues to see if both murders are somehow related, with them also looking into missing person and cold cases.  They bring a few suspects to be interrogated, but they have to let them go, due to not enough evidence. Madison becomes desperate when a  homeless women is now missing. Did the murderer kill her, after she interviewed the woman. 

What follows is an exciting, tense, action filled thriller with many suspects, as well as surprising developments with the help of Cynthia (Maddie’s police friend).  This is a very nasty case, with an evil murderer.  Maddie concentrates solely on the case, not spending time with her fiancée, Troy. She also discovers that Terry is hiding something he is planning, and the Sargent Winston, continues to be nasty to her.  I thought in this book, Maddie was very harsh and a bit abrasive, being very unlikeable throughout; at the end was the only time she seemed nice when she was with Troy.

Her Dark Grave was another fantastic, exciting, tense, riveting police procedural, so very well written by Carolyn Arnold.  Madison Knight is a great detective, though I as noted previously, more annoying in this book. I will say I love Detective Amanda Steel a lot better.   If you enjoy mysteries, police procedurals, a tough as nails cop, then you need to be reading this series, as Carolyn Arnold is one of the best in police procedure stories.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

 

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The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick – a Review

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The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick – a Review

 

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Description:
Being Madame Ariadne, Psychic Dream Consultant, wasn’t Prudence Ryland’s ideal gig, but it paid well which was reason enough to do the work—until she realizes that her latest client intends to kill her. But Prudence, a master at reinvention, finds a new job and home as far away as possible and is finally able to relax—which turns out to be a big mistake. Letting her guard down means being kidnapped and drugged and waking up in a bloodstained wedding dress in the honeymoon suite next to a dead man. With the press outside the hotel, waiting with their cameras and police sirens in the distance, it’s obvious she’s being framed for the man’s murder. Prudence knows who is responsible, but will anyone believe her?

It doesn’t seem likely that rumored crime boss Luther Pell or his associate, Jack Wingate, believe her seemingly outrageous claims of being a target of a ruthless vendetta. In fact, Prudence is convinced that the mysterious Mr. Wingate believes her to be a fraud at best, and at worst: a murderer. And Jack Wingate does seem to be someone intimately familiar with violence, if going by his scarred face and grim expression. So no one is more shocked than Prudence when Jack says he’ll help her. Of course, his ideas for helping her involve using her as the bait for a killer, but Prudence feels oddly safe with Jack protecting her. But who will protect Prudence from her growing fascination with this enigma of a man?

 

 

Review:

The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick is the 7th book in her wonderful Burning Cove series. This series takes place during the 1930’s in the small town of Burning Cove, California.  Some of the recurring characters we have met in the previous books continue to have secondary roles, as we return to Burning Cove.

We meet Prudence Ryland (our heroine) at the start, when she worked as a Psychic Dream Consultant, Madame Ariadne. When a customer comes into her store, her psychic ability gives her the vibe that this customer plans to kill her; when he makes his attempt on her, she manages to fight him off with her own powers, which causes the person to have heart failure.  Madame Ariande calls for an ambulance, and Prudence Ryland decides to drop this kind of work, and takes a job at the college library.  One night she is kidnapped, and wakes up next to a dead man, with her wearing a wedding gown with blood all over.  Prudence manages to escape, and calls Luther Pell in Burning Cove for help.

Prudence explains to Luther and Jack Wingate, who is a criminal consultant, about her kidnapping and murder threats, as well as her psychic dream reader ability as Madame Ariande.  Prudence and Jack get off on the wrong foot, he looks at her like a fraud; but Luther convinces them that together both of them can work well together, and find the people involved in trying to kill her or frame her for something she did not do. Jack, whose face was scarred from a fire, is very much familiar with violence, especially since he is creating a book to help police have clues on solving crimes.  Jack and Prudence slowly begin to work closely together, as he sets things in place to bait the killer; as well as protect her.   Their respect for each other grows, and a slow burn romance begins. There were many multiple antagonists, especially almost all members of the Dover Family. 

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, intense and suspenseful story that has a number of surprises and twists. The last half of the book was enthralling, as Prudence’s life was constantly in danger, and Jack was always there to protect her.  Prudence’s ability to not only read dreams, but to get people to reveal secrets, allowing for more surprises and clues.  I do not want to give spoilers, saying anything more would ruin the book for you.

The Bride Wore White was a terrific addition to this series, with a bit of romance, great couple, and a paranormal element.  Despite their bad start, I loved Prudence and Jack together. Amanda Quick once again gives us a complex mystery that had a bit of everything in this glamorous historical world of 1930’s.   I suggest you start this series from the beginning to enjoy the setting of this series, as well as meet some very good characters. However, each book does read very well as a standalone.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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Deep Tide by Laura Griffin – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Deep Tide by Laura Griffin – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
An undercover FBI agent and an independent coffee shop owner must team up when a local barista is found dead and danger circles their coastal Texas town.

With two brothers on the police force, Leyla Breda is well aware of the rising crime in her small beach town, but she never expected it to show up on her doorstep. When Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop, she’s deeply shaken, and as a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen.

Sean Moran is on an undercover mission: The seaside community of Lost Beach may look like a picturesque postcard, but his team suspects it’s a point of intersection for several crime syndicates that the FBI has been investigating for years. Even so, when the brash and beautiful Leyla Breda starts bossing him around, he’s immediately intrigued. He knows her brothers want him to back off, but every time he sees her, he feels more of a spark.

Leyla’s connections in the local community and Sean’s skills allow them to go deeper into the case together than they would be able to go alone. But when a single crime spirals into something much darker, Sean’s carefully planned mission takes a deadly turn.

 

Review:

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin is the 4th book in her wonderful The Texas Murder Files series.  I am a huge fan of Laura Griffin, as she is one of the best at murder suspenseful mysteries, police procedurals and a bit of romance.  We meet our heroine, Leyla Breda, who runs two shops in Lost Beach, The Island Beanery, a popular coffee and pastry shop on the island, and The Windjammer. Leyla is catering the wedding of her brother, Joel and Miranda (previous heroes), with help from her assistant, Sienna; and meets Sean Moran, an old friend of Joel.  The following morning, with the happy couple away, she enters her coffee shop and to her dismay, finds the dead body of one of her employees. 

Sean, our hero, is an FBI agent, who is also in town on a secret mission; though he finds himself very attracted to Leyla; who tries her best to not allow herself to fall for the handsome hunk. Leyla knows what its like to have two brothers on the police force, and even when she questions him, she gets no answers. 

Nicole is a detective on the police force, and she is assigned to take the lead on the case of the murder at the coffee shop; especially with Joel away on his honeymoon, and Owen (previous hero with Macey), and neither of the brothers are allowed to participate in the murder mystery. Nicole does a good job in trying to find clues, and with help from her co-worker, Emmett, they manage to discover that the murder could very well be part of the secret mission Sean is on.

Sean knows there is an enemy in Long Beach, and he worries that Leyla during her catering, will put herself in danger. Leyla accepts a catering job for a wealthy Tech millionaire, and decides when she has a moment, to take a peek in his office, and snaps a picture of a map.  Though, Sean was happy to have that information, her meddling was too dangerous; and Leyla continued to learn more about the victim possibly dating the millionaire. Sean’s skills allowed him to take Leyla’s information to dig further in this case.    

In a short time, Sean and Leyla succumb to their feelings, with great chemistry between them.   I also loved Nicole, who was doing an excellent job of getting clues, as she learns more during her investigations. 

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, suspenseful thriller that kept me on the edge throughout, especially as we raced to the climax. The last half of the book was extremely tense, I could not put the book down.  I do not want to give spoilers, so you need to read this book to discover what happens.

Deep Tide was another excellent mystery in this series, which to no surprise, was very well written by Laura Griffin. The last third of the book was very exciting, as Leyla finds herself in danger, and Sean, with help from the brothers, needs to find a way to save her.  

Laura Griffin once again, gives us a fantastic exciting suspenseful mystery, with a great romantic couple and wonderful secondary characters. If you enjoy murder mysteries, police procedurals, lots of intense action, suspense, with a touch of romance, you should read this book.  If you have never read Laura Griffin, it’s time to start now, as she is an amazing writer for romance suspense.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

DEEP TIDE by Laura Griffin
Berkley Romance | On sale April 25, 2023

                                Excerpt

Sean Moran slipped away from the party. The bride and groom had left under a shower of rice, but people were still milling around beneath swags of white lights, drinking the couple’s booze and enjoying the breeze off the water. Sean would have liked another drink, but he needed to get back to his condo. As he crossed the wooden bridge spanning the sand dunes, he spied a woman on the beach with a champagne flute in hand.

Leyla Breda.

Her formfitting dress looked silver in the moonlight, and it shimmered against her body as she strolled toward the surf. Nearing a piece of driftwood, she dropped her shoes to the sand and sat down. She nestled the flute at her feet, then lifted her arms and twisted her dark hair into a knot at the top of her head.

Sean stopped at the end of the bridge. He had about a hundred things left to do tonight, including contacting his boss.

Instead, he walked over to Leyla.

“How’s the champagne?”

She jumped and turned around. Recognition flickered across her face, and her shoulders relaxed.

“It’s good.” She held up her glass. “You didn’t have any?”

“Nope. Can I get you a refill?”

She smiled. “What, are you a waiter now, too?”

He stepped closer. “I’m Sean Moran, by the way.” He held out his hand. “We never actually met.”

“Leyla Breda.” Her handshake was brisk and businesslike, but the warm look in her eyes gave him hope.

“Joel’s little sister,” he said.

“That’s me.”

He turned toward the water so he wouldn’t be tempted to stare down the front of her dress.

“I didn’t get a chance to thank you earlier,” she said. “Things got really hectic.”

“Looked like you had your hands full.”

“So, are you here for Joel or Miranda?”

He looked at her. “Joel.”

She tipped her head to the side as she gazed up at him. “And you know him from . . . ?”

“Work.”

She frowned. “Here?”

“No. We go way back. We were in the same academy class in Houston, spent some time at HPD together.”

“Oh. That was a while ago.”

“Yeah.”

“So . . . the vice squad, then?”

“Yeah. Mind if I sit down?”

“Not at all.”

Sean lowered himself onto the other end of the sandy log. He didn’t like the direction the conversation had taken so he steered it back to her.

“So, how long have you been a caterer?” he asked.

“Hmm . . . let’s see. I guess it’s been about three weeks now.” She turned and smiled at him, and he felt a hot jolt of attraction. “Why? Can you tell?”

“Not at all.”

“Right.”

“Well, the timing seemed a little bumpy.”

“Just a little.” She rolled her eyes. “We had several staffers no-show. It happens a lot in this business. People are flaky. Despite all my planning, you could say we were a bit rushed.”

Rushed was right. No woman had ever clapped at him before. He’d discovered it was a turn-on.

Excerpted from Deep Tide by Laura Griffin Copyright © 2023 by Laura Griffin. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

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Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan – a Review

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Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan – a Review

 

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Description:
For three years, women have been disappearing—and eventually turning up dead in the small bayou town of St. Augustine, Louisiana. Police detective Beau Hebert is the only one who seems to care, but with every witness quickly silenced and a corrupt police department set on keeping the cases unsolved, Beau’s investigation stalls at every turn.

With nobody else to trust, Beau calls in a favor from his friend on the FBI’s Mobile Response Team. While LAPD detective Kara Quinn works undercover to dig into the women’s murders and team leader Matt Costa officially investigates the in-custody death of a witness, Beau might finally have a chance at solving the case.

But in a town where everyone knows everyone, talking gets you killed and secrets stay buried, it’s going to take the entire team working around the clock to unravel the truth. Especially when they discover that the deep-seated corruption and the deadly drug-trafficking ring at the center of it all extends far beyond the small-town borders.

 

 

Review:

Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan is the 4th book in her fantastic Quinn and Costa series.  I am a big fan of Allison Brennan, who always gives us sensational mystery thrillers; and Seven Girls Gone was a fabulous addition to this series.

Beau Hebert, is a police detective in a small town, St. Augustine, Louisiana, and he is very frustrated. During the last three years, five women have been murdered, one is still missing, with no one in his department caring, as his leads continually gets squashed; and Beau suspects the police department, mayor are all corrupt. He reaches out to an old friend who works for the FBI Mobile Response Team for help. Special Agent Matt Costa and Detective Kara Quinn, as well as all of the FBI Mobile Response team are called in to help Beau.

Kara and Michael arrive first, with Kara, who is a great detective, having lots of experience working undercover.  She makes it her business to visit Magnolia Inn, where many of the victims who worked there ended up being killed. Kara uses her disguise to meet many of the police and people working at the Inn.  Michael goes with Beau to search the swamp for the missing girl, Lily. Matt arrives with the rest of his team, which includes Jim and Ryder.  Matt (the leader of the mobile team) visits the police chief to explain that they are investigating these deaths, and no one from the department is happy about their being here, especially Officer Guidry, who already angered Kara, as well as Beau’s grandmother. In a short time, the seventh girl is found dead, and Kara is concerned that Winnie will be next; she is determined to get Winnie to work with them, in order to save her.

The relationship between Kara and Matt is still on the border line, as Kara isn’t sure she wants to stay with the mobile team, or go back to being a Los Angeles Detective (she on loan, and her job in LA is in jeopardy). Matt finds himself falling hard for Kara, and though she is very much attracted, she isn’t sure if she can become permanent with Matt. Kara also became close to Beau’s grandmother, and very protective.  The danger escalates, as Mat, Kara, Michael, Jim (forensics expert) finds themselves under attack.  To say to much more would be spoilers, as you  need to read this book from start to finish.

What follows is an intense, pulse pounding thriller, with many twists and turns. Who was truly behind the corruption and murders? As we got closer to the tense climax, the danger escalated in this heart stopping thriller, with so many people involved.  I could not put the book down, as the suspense was amazing.  Seven Girls Gone was so very well written by Allison Brennan, that I fully recommend you read this fantastic exciting edge of your seat thriller.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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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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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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FIRST TOUCH (Ex Cap Files 1) by Elsa Jade -a review

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FIRST TOUCH (Ex Cap Files 1) by Elsa Jade -a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 20, 2023

She lost her childhood and her mother on a wild journey through a jungle deep and dark—now she is losing what’s left…
Freelance illustrator Cecily Serrao has painted herself into a corner—and she likes it there. She has her pastel watercolors, her tiny Portland apartment with nice indirect lighting, and just enough work to let her drift through her perfect quiet life.
Until a supersecret agent with eyes as brilliant gold as the deadly jaguars that haunt her dreams tells her she’s missing one thing: herself.
Ronan Conrad joined the First Responders: Extrasensory Capabilities Unit—freaks for short—to atone for his troubled, misspent youth. When unknown forces as covert as any of his unit’s ops threaten ExCap’s mission, the lieutenant guide controller who usually handles other agents with power and precision finds himself hunting the shadows on his own.
Alone until he finds her: subtle, strong, stubborn—and a cruel reminder of his worst failure, why he can never let anyone too close ever again.
They only share an enemy, and even as a dangerous desire ignites between them in all the reckless hues of passion and peril, they know anything more intimate is impossible. But the freaks of ExCap specialize in the impossible as they fight to survive…FIRST TOUCH.

•••••••

REVIEW: FIRST TOUCH is the first instalment in Elsa Jade’s contemporary, adult EX CAP FILES extrasensory, paranormal, action thriller focusing on the men and women who work at Ex Cap, a covert ops group known as First Responders: Extrasensory Capabilities Unit aka FREAKS. This is freelance illustrator Cecily Serrao, and guide controller Lieutenant Ronan Conrad’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Ronan and Cecily) FIRST TOUCH follows Cecily Serrao in the wake of the unexpected discovery of her missing corporeal body. A visit to the local grocery store finds Cecily facing Lieutenant Ronan Conrad, a member of Ex Cap, a division of FREAKS, and the man who will help find our heroine’s body. Cecily Serrao is a ‘ghost walker’ with the ability to project her spirit; etheric projection remote viewing with some intermittent psychokinesis-in other words, Cecily’s spirit can be projected into other places but Cecily’s body is missing, and her ‘ghost’ is found wandering at the local grocers. Ronan Conrad is a guide controller, and his duty is to help guide those with supernatural abilities but Cecily is unaware of the true nature of her powers, and Ronan is hoping to uncover the truth about what is happening and why. Working with Ronan, and other supernatural entities at Ex Cap, Cecily and Ronan will go on the hunt when Cecily’s ghost walking reveals a possible connection to a rogue division of Ex Cap. What ensues is the building relationship between Ronan and Cecily, and the potential fall-out when betrayal and madness threaten the people in control.

Cecily Serrao always knew she was something different having spent much of her childhood dealing with Shamans and medicine men in the South American jungles but ‘magic’ had always kept Cecily’s powers under control until she disappeared approximately three weeks earlier without memory of what happened or why. Ronan Conrad never expected to come face to face with an untrained person with the ability to project their spirit and manifest somewhere else. Most people with psychic powers had been corralled or tracked, and in this, Cecily could have been a danger to not only herself but everyone else. Having no idea where Cecily’s corporeal body was taken, Ronan and our heroine must divide themselves in an effort to discover the truth about what happened and why.

The relationship between Cecily and Ronan begins when Ronan finds Cecily at the local grocers. Cecily doesn’t suspect anything is wrong until she finds herself back at her apartment having no memory of what happened or why. With Ronan’s help, Cecily begins to search for answers to her ‘ghost walking’ powers, and the possibility that all is not right with the world of which Ronan works. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and magical secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Ronan’s co-workers: empath Rosalind Merrick; former Ex Cap Elvis; Colonel Sykes; Captain Brandon Pierce, as well as pyrokinetic Tennyson, and psychic/prescient Zahara Foy. The requisite evil has many faces.

FIRST TOUCH is a story of power and control, madness and delusion, betrayal and vengeance, acceptance and friendships. The premise is intriguing and entertaining, similar in sensation and atmosphere to the X-Men series. The characters are powerful and magical; the romance is seductive. A wonderful start to a new series.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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