The Wild Horse Peaks, the highest fictitious mountain range in Northern Arizona, is the setting for the Wild Horse Peaks Novels. At the base of the peaks is Timberline, a college town where Sheriff Chance Meadowlark resides and keeps the peace. Drive west from Timberline, and you’ll find the ranching community of Mustang Valley and the home of the Meadowlark Ranch owned by Chance’s father and brother Mason. Suspense and romance await the reader stretching from Timberline to Mustang Valley.

 

 

 

 

THE ART OF LOVE AND MURDER, BOOK 1

 

A woman searching for her past. A sheriff hiding in his present. Their future together threatened by murder.

Forty-three years after the airplane crash she survived killed her parents, Lacy Dahl is looking for answers. When her research uncovers secrets about the mother she never knew and disputes the identity of her father, someone is willing to murder to keep her discoveries hidden.

Sheriff Chance Meadowlark is still haunted by the death of his wife and the revenge he unleashed in the name of justice. When he meets Lacy, he is determined not to become involved, but their pasts make that impossiblesaving Lacy may be his only redemption.

Just as she begins to believe the present is more important than her past, Chance’s connection and a murder spin her deeper into danger and further from love. When the truth is revealed, will the revelations free Lacy and Chance…or destroy them?

 

 

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Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

 

 

SOUTHWEST OF LOVE AND MURDER, BOOK 2

 

Writing murder mysteries is all in a day’s work until an obsessed fan brings Phoebe’s stories to life.

Mystery writer, Phoebe Anderson, owes her success to killing her first husband on paper seventeen years earlier. Now, someone has actually done it. Taking a few days to re-group on an isolated ranch, she doesn’t expect romance…or murder…to find her.

Mason Meadowlark is happy with his wild cowboy ways, avoiding love since the death of his baby and the end of his marriage twenty years before. When Phoebe shakes up his routine, he fights to control his emotions, fearing the pain of opening his heart again.

With an obsessed fan close on her heels, Phoebe is thrown into her own murder mystery…and the next target on the psychopath’s list is Mason.

 

 

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Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

 

 

THE POWER OF LOVE AND MURDER, BOOK 3

 

 

Penny’s secrets can ruin the presidential contender who ordered her family’s murder…and mark her as the next hit.

Penny Spark’s desire to reconnect with family this Christmas exposes her true identity—a secret she’s hidden for thirteen years from the political powers that murdered her family.

Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets Penny, he believes this holiday season could be the start of life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world.

With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender who targeted her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hopes for a new life…and love.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

 

 

 

THE DEEP WELL OF LOVE AND MURDER, BOOK 4

 

 

A vengeful ex-husband and bloody fight for land threaten a love-struck couple’s happiness.

After an abusive childhood and bad marriage, Laura Katz has finally found a home, stability…and possibly love. But her blissful refuge as a nanny on the Meadowlark Ranch, miles from Flagstaff, shatters when her ex is released from prison, determined to reclaim her.

Randy Silva, the Argentine foreman, has plans for his own ranch, but a brutal land grab is underway. As the battle escalates, Laura steals his heart, but there are outsiders who stand in their way. He’s in a vicious battle for his land—and the woman he wants by his side.

Stakes are high, as the attacks on Randy and his ranch draw blood. While the vengeful ex-husband stalks Laura, a mob-backed land developer teams with a desperate gambler. Uncertain where the next attack will come from—will their love be caught in the crossfire?

 

 

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A LEGACY OF LOVE AND MURDER, A SEQUEL

 

 

Inheriting an Austrian Castle is an Alpine fairytale for August, until someone begins targeting the heirs.

August Myer arrives in Austria to meet her great-grandfather and explore his castle estate filled with priceless art, only to find he’s died under suspicious circumstances. As one of his heirs, her life is in danger, turning her Alpine adventure into a nightmare of veiled threats, unexplained accidents, and murder.

Inspector Tobias Wolf splits his time between catching criminals and fighting the spread of neo-Nazism. But when the beautiful, intriguing American crosses his path during a murder investigation, ensuring her safety challenges his priorities…and his heart.

When August learns the handsome inspector is concealing secrets, and the death of her great-grandfather is somehow connected, she takes the investigation into her own hands. Can Wolf save her before the killer strikes again?

 

 

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About the Author

 

Brenda Whiteside is the author of suspenseful, action-adventure stories with a touch of romance. Mostly. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have decided they are gypsies at heart, splitting their time between Central Arizona and the RV life. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW is fishing, Brenda writes.

 

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She blogs and has guests:

 

https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

The story takes place in Auris, a world of storms and chaos where seven violent Tempests rule the land, wreaking havoc across the continent. This first book in the series follows three heroes who walk the threads of fate, weaving an epic tale of magic, war, love, and loss. Together these individuals will forever change Auris’ future. Empires will shatter and Tempests will be Unbound, but destiny will prevail as the protagonists face their fated ends.

Castien Varic is a soldier and a Stormless – someone without magic – on an expedition for the King. He battles with intense anxiety and panic attacks while striving to complete his mission. Prince Faelyn Titansworn disagrees with his father, the King, about the dangers Auris is facing and must decide where his loyalty lies. Meanwhile, two years in the past, Asteros Silverglade is uncovering secrets behind the mysterious Vanishing that wiped out the Ancient Sects and created the Tempests. The paths of the three protagonists converge in an exciting cliffhanger, setting the stage for the next book in the series.

More than one character in Stormless struggles with mental health issues, and Stitle does not shy away from the subjects of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. He hopes his readers can see themselves in his characters and realize they are not alone. Stitle’s heroes are not perfect, implausible personalities but complex, flawed individuals.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“You come into my kingdom, into my castle, and now you command me to hand over my city?” The King chuckled. “You must be mad!” The King slapped his knee, still bellowing with laughter. He raised his eyes back to Velarus. “But if that is the game you wish to play…” Flames drifted from the King’s crystals, swirling around his hands as he wove them together. “Well, we have a special place in the dungeons for your kind.” The fires licked the King’s fingertips. “I will not give up my armies. And I certainly will not surrender my country to you.” The King guided his hands through careful, well-practiced motions, and Velarus soon found himself surrounded by brilliant tendrils of flame. “Besides, even if you were a Blood Sorcerer–as you claim to be–my answer would be the same.” Swaths of golden flames surrounded the King, giving him an almost divine aura. “I have always thought the powers of your kind were a bit… exaggerated.”

Velarus smiled, subtly bleeding his Crystals. This would be a display that the King would not soon forget.

“Exaggerated?” Velarus snorted. “Well, we’ll see about that.”

The King lunged.

Velarus closed his eyes, diving into the depths of his soul. His power awaited him, begging to be unleashed. Velarus grabbed hold of it, and then the blood came.

The King’s flames vanished as the room exploded with black-red energy.

Torrents of blood flooded the chamber, scattering the contents of the throne room. Darkness surged within the air, warping the blood and causing it to levitate. The terrible power thrived, rivers of blood and darkness ravaging the chamber.

Velarus knocked the guards to the ground with nothing more than a thought. The hell-storm raged, knocking down braziers, tearing apart the soft carpet, and wreaking havoc on even the pillars themselves. Dark energy smashed into the walls, causing the whole palace to quiver.

The cyclone of blood magic quickened, growing stronger with each passing second. Velarus smiled. With a wave of his hand, the frenzy of horror receded slightly before him, leaving in its place a single person…

The King writhed on the marble floor before Velarus, his vermillion robes flapping in the raging storm of blood magic. Velarus approached him, forcing the King to his knees with a twist of his finger.

“You are nothing,” Velarus whispered, his face mere inches from the King’s. “You will always be nothing. You cannot even imagine the power my people hold.”

“Please.” The King wept, trembling beneath the spikes of pain Velarus pulsed through his body. “Why are you doing this?”

Velarus paused. “Auris is in danger, and it seems I am the only one who can save it. You and your people have made it clear that you only respond to force,” he breathed. “We are your last hope. Even your most powerful Summoners don’t stand a chance in the face of the Resurgence.” Velarus released him. The cascades of blood and darkness vanished in an instant, fading into nothing.

The King fell to the floor. He was mostly unharmed—as were the guards—but Velarus had no doubts that this would be a day they would never forget.

“You have six weeks,” Velarus said. “Surrender the city by then… or suffer the consequences.”

The King offered no response.

Velarus turned, gliding toward the doors through which he had entered. As Velarus passed through the entrance, the only sound in the enormous chamber was the gentle crackling of the flames, a reminder to the King that, even surrounded by the very element which he controlled, he was powerless.

 

 

About the Author

 

Injuries forced Nicklas Stitle to stop playing tennis after his freshman year of high school, and he realized that was an opportunity to begin working on the story he had been carefully putting together in his head. Stitle began writing Stormless at the age of 15 and woke up early every day to work on the story before school, creating a new fantasy world and crafting characters he could relate to. Incorporating valuable advice from industry experts wanting to help a young author, Stitle completed Stormless at the age of 17.

Stitle has nearly finished book two, The Fire King, and is currently planning books three and four in the series. He hopes to inspire other young writers to chase after their dreams. Stitle lives in Indiana with his mom, dad, older brother, and two dogs.

 

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Synopsis

 

In one of his most accomplished, compelling novels yet, acclaimed New York Times bestseller Jeff Shaara accomplishes what only the finest historical fiction can do – he brings to life one of the most consequential figures in U.S. history – Theodore Roosevelt – peeling back the many-layered history of the man, and the country he personified.

From the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, from the waning days of the rugged frontier of a young country to the emergence of a modern, industrial nation exerting its power on the world stage, Theodore Roosevelt embodied both the myth and reality of the country he loved and led.

From his upbringing in the rarefied air of New York society of the late 19th century to his time in rough-and-tumble world of the Badlands in the Dakotas, from his rise from political obscurity to Assistant Secretary of the Navy, from national hero as the leader of the Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War to his accidental rise to the Presidency itself, Roosevelt embodied the complex, often contradictory, image of America itself.

In gripping prose, Shaara tells the story of the man who both defined and created the modern United States.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

CHAPTER 1

 

December 25, 1918

Sagamore Hill, New York

“The president was received by, well, some estimates say two million Frenchmen turned out, waving flags and whatnot.”

Roosevelt turned away from her, said, “My sister visits me to bolster my spirits, and this is what she brings. On Christmas Day yet. Woodrow Wilson is a hero for the ages, while I lie here as a lump of bacon fat.”

“Dear Teedie, I only tell you what you will read in the papers. And you will read them, despite Christmas, or whatever affliction you have today. I have never known you to ignore any news that might annoy you.”

He turned to Corinne, saw a smile. “Fine. My sister insults me. But I cannot scold you. You’re one of my caretakers, after all.”

He flexed his aching fingers, the pain a sudden shock. He looked at the splint around his hand. “When did this happen?”

Edith was there now, a hand on Corinne’s shoulder. “Last night. The doctor said the splint would help keep your hand and wrist immobile. You complained woefully about the pain in your fingers.” She paused, said softly, “You don’t recall?”

“Of course I recall. I’m no invalid, you know.”

The word hung between them, and he knew his protest had been overblown.

“No, of course you’re not. We’re just pampering you until you’re completely not an invalid. What should we call you in the meantime?”

“Bull Moose will do.”

His sister laughed, but Edith kept a frown.

“They’re still pushing you to come back, you know. More letters this morning. Bull Moose indeed. They want you to run. I do wish you would tell them once and for all to leave you alone. This is not the time for such foolishness. I’m not certain that agreeing to this writer’s request for an interview is a good idea at all. You need your rest.”

He didn’t want this, not now.

“My precious Edie, the 1912 election was my final hurrah, or perhaps my final whimpering farewell. Regardless how many love the term Bull Moose, I do not. I’m not going to run for anything, not president, not local constable.” He paused, fought for a breath. “But it is flattering, yes? They still love me. I rather enjoy holding on to that. If Mr. Hagedorn wishes to write about me yet again, dig into all my wonderful accomplishments, should I complain? I think not. The public does adore me, after all.”

Corinne laughed.

“I see that your gift for sarcasm hasn’t been damaged.” She looked up at Edith. “He’s right, though. Is there harm? They want him to run because he’s beloved, and Mr. Hagedorn can sell books about Teedie because people want to read them. There is no harm, Edie.”

Edith lowered her head.

“Of course. It’s hard to argue against any of that. We’ve all seen the crowds.” Edith clapped her hands, bringing him to attention. “All right, that’s it for politics. You want to wind yourself up, wait for Mr. Hagedorn. This young man has been begging to see you again since you’ve been home. But be prepared for him to press you, and hard. I’m only concerned for my husband. The doctor will be here in about an hour, and I don’t want you holding back anything. Not now. Please, Teddy.”

He looked at them both, saw soft fear, drew more pain from their concern than from the ridiculous agony in his hand. He flexed his fingers again, habit, flinched again from the sharp pains.

“I hurt. But it is not necessary for you both to mother-hen me like this. I am no child.” He paused. “Well, usually. But right now, I just hurt. And I think I’ve got a fever again. You’re a little blurry too. Or perhaps that’s just me.”

Edith bent low, a hand on his forehead. She said nothing, but he knew the look.

“Fever it is, then. My wife can hide nothing from me. I suppose you should hurry that doctor along if you can.”

He rolled slightly away, stared at the brightness of the window, too bright, closed his eyes.

Corinne said, “I’ll leave now, Edie. Maybe he can get some rest. Call me if you need me.”

She was gone in a rustle of her dress, and Edith sat now, her hand on his arm. He wanted to turn, facing her, but there was no strength, no energy at all. He tried to open his eyes, the sun blinding him again, the weight of his fever swirling through his head.

“Thank you, Edie. I’ll sleep now. My hand hurts.”

* * *

HE HEARD A familiar sound outside the window.

“That singing. It’s a cardinal, a male.” He paused, his mind drifting, the sound of the bird filling him with the kind of joy he had always felt when hearing such a variety of songs, identifying every kind of bird, a talent that even master naturalists had found astonishing.

“God, I remember it all. My father did that, opened a marvelous door to everything about nature. Egypt, the entire family absorbing so much, but none enjoyed that trip as much as I did. If I could, I would return right now.”

The images were in his mind, Egypt and the great river, so many birds, the excitement of the hunting excursions, trophies he never could have imagined. Close by, the cardinal serenaded him again, brought him home. He fought through the blurriness, tried to see Edith.

Copyright © 2023 by Jeff Shaara

 

 

About the Author

 

JEFF SHAARA is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure – two novels that complete his father’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels. Shaara was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

 

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Synopsis

 

She’s Insta-famous. He uses a flip phone.

When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell—an engineered marvel of beauty, energy, and fun—falls from her penthouse perch. Des­perate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi docu­menting her disgrace, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park, Montana. About as far as possible from life as she’s known it.

Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to lit­eral blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of her­self and begins to ask the hard questions. Can Cat love herself with, and without, the world watching?

Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger—and he hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.

Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.

 

 

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This book releases on May 16th. Pre-order your copy today!

 

 

About the Author

 

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, The Dating Charade, and The Cul-de-Sac War. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies that have been featured in such places as The Hollywood Reporter, Travel + Leisure, Woman’s World, and BuzzFeed.

 

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Synopsis

 

Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

It’s 5:55 p.m.

I’m losing it. God, I’m losing it.

“F* it! I mean they didn’t even wait a few days, even a few hours, to tell me that my presentation sucks. They spit it out right in the middle of it.” I whine vehemently as I say this. I simply do not have the capacity to calm down right this minute because the stakes are too high.

The demand letter from the bank is like a ticking time bomb inside the purse that hangs tauntingly under the bar, proving me powerless. “We demand that you send us the four months of missed mortgage payments within thirty days or you will need to vacate the property fifteen days after the grace period indicated above.” My heart tightens. I have $427 to my name and maxed out credit cards that are all in default. My beat-up car, parked somewhere in Jersey City, looks like my next housing option if I don’t get this all figured out. Homelessness is real, and it can happen to anyone. I’m on the brink of it.

 

 

About the Author

 

Maan Gabriel is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women’s stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She has lived in Manila, Brussels, Dakar, and Mexico City. During the day, she works in strategic communications. Gabriel and her husband and son currently call suburban Washington, DC home.

 

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Synopsis

 

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 in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

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.

 

 

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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.

 

 

About the Author

 

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books and novellas. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages. Laura is a two-time RITA® Award winner (for Scorched and Whisper of Warning) as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award (for Untraceable). Her book Desperate Girls was named one of the Best Books of 2018 by Publishers Weekly. Laura lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next novel.

 

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A RIVER OF CROWS

 

by

 

SHANESSA GLUHM

 

 

Fiction / Suspense / Thriller / Revenge

Publisher: TouchPoint Press

Date of Publication: April 18, 2023

Number of Pages: 427 pages

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1988, Sloan Hadfield’s brother Ridge went fishing with their father and never came home. Their father, a good-natured Vietnam veteran prone to violent outbursts, was arrested and charged with murder. Ridge’s body was never recovered, and Sloan’s mother— a brilliant ornithologist— slowly descended into madness, insisting her son was still alive.

Now twenty years later, Sloan’s life is unraveling. In the middle of a bitter divorce, she’s forced to return to her rural Texas hometown when her mother is discharged from a mental health facility.

Overwhelmed by memories and unanswered questions, Sloan returns to the last place her brother was seen all those years ago: Crow’s Nest Creek. There, she is shocked to hear a crow murmuring the same syllable over and over: Ridge, Ridge, Ridge.

When the body of another boy is found, Sloan begins to question what really happened to her brother all those years ago. What she discovers will shock her small community and turn her family upside down.

 

 

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Secrets. Lies. Betrayal. Revenge. These are characteristics that will draw me in every time to a book.

This is the second book by this author, and I can safely say she brings a sense of intrigue to everything she touches. The books are filled with drama, family, mystery, and conflict.

This book has alternating timelines, much like her first book. We are taken back and forth in Sloan’s life, where we see the pain she felt at losing her brother but not really knowing what happened to him, to 20 years in the future, where she is dealing with the fallout from the past. Not to mention the secrets about her past that are slowly introduced to us throughout the story. So many surprises that kept me guessing throughout.

I felt for Sloan and all she was enduring in the present. I think that much of her past impacted how she acted and reacted in the present. Especially as more details were coming out about missing boys from the past, was her brother one of them?

The author also addresses tough topics like PTSD, mental health, and trust. Nothing is held back, and we see Sloan work her way through the issues that are keeping her from living a happy life. She may not see it that way, but considering everything that happened in the past, it isn’t surprising when her marriage doesn’t last and her reactions to those from her past. She also must face her past when dealing with her mother and her mental health issues. That can be hard, and I didn’t envy her in the least.

This book may resonate with some, and even if you cannot relate to portions of the story, it will hold you captive until you are left wrung out from the onslaught of emotions.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shanessa Gluhm works as a librarian at an elementary school in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband and children.  It was during her own elementary days when a teacher encouraged Shanessa to share a story she wrote with the class. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Her debut novel, Enemies of Doves, was an IAN Book of the Year Finalist in the category of first novel, an NIEA Finalist for cross-genre fiction, and first place winner in the Chanticleer Clue Awards for mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction.

When Shanessa is not writing, she enjoys birdwatching, reading, and watching true crime documentaries.

 

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————————————–

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

ONE WINNER:

 

$20 Barnes and Noble gift card

 

+ eBook copy of A River of Crows on winner’s preferred platform

 

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/28/23)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

or visit the blogs directly:

 

04/18/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Book Trailer
04/18/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Promo
04/19/23	Forgotten Winds	Review
04/19/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Promo
04/20/23	All the Ups and Downs	Playlist
04/21/23	The Real World According to Sam	Review
04/22/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
04/23/23	The Page Unbound	Guest Post
04/24/23	The Book’s Delight	Review
04/25/23	Shelf Life Blog	Author Interview
04/26/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
04/27/23	The Clueless Gent	Review

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

She will save hundreds of lives. But can she save her own?

Inspired by a previously untold true story.

1943. 18-year-old Czech Inge is torn from her family and imprisoned in some godforsaken hellhole. There, she suffers month after month of torturous labor while praying for liberation by the Allies. But rescue never comes. And her dream of surviving the war dies.

Heinz, an SS Sergeant, has been force-fed the Reich’s poison since childhood, but nowadays, he covertly helps prisoners.

So when a random act of kindness thrusts Inge and Heinz together, they can’t resist being drawn to one another. Unable to deny their feelings, they dare to dream of a future, a life — together.

But their relationship does not go unnoticed. For Inge and Heinz, falling in love becomes a death sentence. And not just for them but for all those they care about.

Unless…

Inge makes an unthinkable sacrifice.

Set during history’s darkest hour, “To Dream Of Shadows” is an epic tale of compassion, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit.

Discover one of the most heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heroic tales of the Holocaust. Discover “To Dream Of Shadows.”

 

 

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Review

 

This tragic yet beautiful story reminds us of the horrors that Jewish people endured during WWII and the Holocaust.

This story follows two individuals, Inge and Rudi. They are on opposite sides of the war, he is part of the Nazi brigade, and she is a Jewish woman interned at his camp. Yet, there is something in both of them that speaks to the other on a deeper level. Rudi is humane and isn’t fond of his position, but he knows that he can’t make massive changes without arousing suspicion. Inge is one voice of reason in his head, and she challenges him to treat all of the prisoners humanely, that he wouldn’t treat a dog like how he treats these people just because they are Jewish.

My heart hurt for all that these women endured at the camp. They were beaten, starved, and forced to work long hours. No one cared about them; they only cared about how much work they could get from them until the women perished from their living conditions. The guards were cruel on top of that and took any opportunity to flog and beat the women.

The story moves at a steady pace and picks up near the end when the situation is coming to a head. There is a twist at the end that I probably should have expected but did not. The interactions between all of the characters made me feel like I was right there experiencing this situation.

The story is also about friendship and love. We are shown that even two people on opposite sides of a situation can look deeper into the other and find common ground and love.

I was captured by this novel and had difficulty putting it down. It is a book that could remain on one’s mind long after the book has been read. We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 60 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!

He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, and two black cats who arrived in the garden one day and liked it so much, they stayed. Graciously, the cats allow Steve and Ania to stay in ‘their’ house.

 

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A Wealth of Deception (A Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery)
Traditional Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Vermont
Crooked Lane Books (April 18, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Danger, art, and a touch of romance collide in Trish Esden’s second exquisitely crafted Scandal Mountain Antiques mystery, perfect for fans of Jane K. Cleland and Connie Berry.

Some people are willing to die for their art. Others are willing to kill for it.

When Vermont antique and art dealer Edie Brown discovers an unsettlingly dark collage by the famed reclusive “outsider” artist known only as Vespa, she opens a Pandora’s Box of deception and danger.

Edie teams up with Uncle Tuck and Kala to investigate the background of the collage but only uncover secrets that are more disturbing than the artwork itself. As Edie tracks down the validity of the piece, she stumbles into an art underground where some people are willing to kill to keep their schemes a secret.

Esden expertly crafts a complex cast of characters, a breathtakingly gorgeous setting, and a twisty plot that often poses more questions than answers.

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

 

 

 

7 Tips From a Flea Market Shopping Pro

 

Like Edie Brown, the main character in my Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series, I’m a fulltime antique dealer. As such, I go to a lot of flea markets in search of good deals on antiques and art. Below are my top 7 tips for flea market shopping.

 

1. Shop Early. Arrive an hour before the flea market officially opens. Being first in line to get into an indoor flea market means you’ll have a better chance of getting your hands on the best buys. At an outdoor flea market, you may even be able to sneak in early and get to see things as the vendors unpack—aka before the best items are gone.
2. Shop Late. If you love something but it’s priced higher than you want to pay, returning a short time before the flea market closes can give you leverage to dicker down a price. But don’t get your heart set on it still being there. Most super popular, low price, or appealing items sell before noon on the first day.
3. Cash is favored by most flea market vendors. But don’t just bring larger denominations: ones, fives, tens, and twenties are preferrable. Cash will also allow you to make a faster transaction (debit and credit card transactions can be slow at remote locations). This will allow you to buy something and quickly move on. Be sure to use precautions to keep your wallet, phone, and credit cards safe from electronic or physical theft.
4. Dicker. Dickering over prices is expected. First, if there isn’t a price tag on something you wish to purchase, don’t tell the vendor how much you’re willing to pay—make them name their price first. Once they state a price, make a reasonable but low counteroffer. They’ll counteroffer that amount. Except it if it’s fair. If it’s not—walk away. If you change your mind, you can go back and accept or ask if they’d reconsider your offer. Also remember that some vendors have firm prices. Respect their right to not dicker.
5. Be polite. If the vendor wants to chat, then listen to their stories. If the story is about an item you’re interested in buying, then take it with a huge grain of salt. It could be a total fabrication. Don’t block booths or tables, preventing other shoppers from looking around. This is just plain rude. Don’t act like a know it all—even if your positive a vendor is wrong. People give better deals to people they like.
6. Clothing and shopping bags. Wear comfortable footwear—no high heels—you’ll be walking on uneven surfaces and perhaps even in mud or soft earth. Carry a shopping bag or backpack. Bring packing materials such as newspaper if you plan on buying breakable items. Don’t assume packing supplies will be offered by vendors. If you hope to buy a lot or heavier items, then a wagon or wheeled shopping cart is a good idea. Have cardboard boxes in your car for transporting items. The benefit of cardboard over plastic is that they can be broken down and laid flat if you start to run out of space in your car.
7. Look carefully for repairs, damage, and fakes. The best rule of thumb when looking at a flea market item is to assume there is a problem. Take your time and check closely for damage and sneaky repairs. It’s not uncommon for paint or markers to be used to hide chips or scratches. Similarly, unscrupulous people have been known to use magic markers to color in threadbare areas of rugs and carpets. But don’t rely on just your eyes. Run your hands along an item’s surfaces. Do you feel any roughness that shouldn’t be there? Chips? Cracks? A piece of glassware, pottery, or china should make a sharp ‘ping’ sound when you flick it with your fingers. A dull sound indicates there is damage, even if you can’t see it without the aid of a blacklight. Another rule here is to trust your gut. If it’s telling you something’s wrong, then it probably is. Better to not buy an item than to get it home and then see that you messed up.

 

Bonus Tip—Love at first sight is your enemy at the flea market. Falling hard and fast for something you haven’t examined yet is the easiest way to make mistakes. Sure, it’s wise to stake your claim on an item so other buyers will clearly know you found it first and are interested—but take your time while examining it and dicker the price.

 

Have fun! I hope these tips help on your next flea market shopping trip.

 

 

About the Author

 

Trish Esden loves museums, gardens, wilderness, dogs and birds, in various orders depending on the day. She lives in northern Vermont where she deals antiques with her husband, a profession she’s been involved with since her teens. Don’t ask what her favorite type of antique is. She loves hunting for old bottles and rusty barn junk as much as she enjoys fine art and furnishings. Trish is the author of the Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery series which explores the secretive and adrenaline-charged underbelly of the antique and art world.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

Raised by two loving parents in New Delhi, India, Kanchan Bhaskar has always been taught that marriage means companionship, tenderness, and mutual respect—so when she enters into an arranged marriage, this is the kind of partnership she anticipates with her new, seemingly wonderful, husband. But after they marry, she quickly discovers that his warmth is deceptive—that the man beneath the bright, charming façade is actually a narcissistic, alcoholic, and violent man.

Trapped in a nightmare, Kanchan pleads with her husband to seek help for his issues, but he refuses. Meanwhile, Indian law is not on her side, and as the years pass, she finds herself with three children to protect—three children she fears she will lose custody of if she leaves. Almost overnight, she finds herself transformed into a tigress who will do whatever it takes to protect her cubs, and she becomes determined to free them from their toxic father. But it’s not until many years later, when the family of five moves from India to the United States, that Kanchan is presented with a real opportunity to leave him—and she takes it.

Chronicling Kanchan’s gradual climb out of the abyss, little by little, day by day, Leaving is the empowering story of how—buoyed by her deep faith in a higher power and single-minded in her determination to protect her children best—she fought relentlessly to build a ramp toward freedom from her abuser. In this memoir, Kanchan clearly lays out the tools and methods she utilized in her pursuit of liberation—and reveals how belief in self and belief in the Universe can not only be weapons of escape but also beautiful foundations for a triumphant, purpose-driven life.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Preface

 

I grew up in New Delhi, India, and my dreams were built on the romance and jubilation in which I was brought up. I imagined my married life to be as blissful and tender as that of my parents, who truly cherished and treasured each other and nurtured their four offspring with love and warmth. They lived more as partners than as a traditional Indian husband and wife.
Having been raised in this progressive environment, I acquired a unique perception of life—a woman was an equal partner in a marriage, one to be honored and valued. Marriage meant love, companionship, and caring. I couldn’t fathom it being any other way. Violence of any kind in marriage was unthinkable. A woman was to be respected—period.

My future husband would not share these perceptions. I found myself in an arranged marriage to a bright and deceptively-charming man, who revealed his true nature only after our wedding. The first time he hit me, my world spun upside down. When it righted, I had gotten myself stuck in a tumultuous, abusive relationship with a narcissistic alcoholic, in whose captivity I was trapped for more than twenty years.

The desperate mother of three innocent children who were casualties of these circumstances, I had to get away, but my escape had to be carefully planned with no room for error. If I divorced, I’d lose one or all of my children to the man I needed to escape from, which was not an option.

There had to be a way out.

I searched until I found it.
This story narrates how I built a ramp to climb out of the abyss, little by little, using a myriad of tools to bring me closer to freedom. Although I was alone in my fight for survival, I had deep faith in the higher power which presented me with collaborators in the form of angels and mentors to light my way.

My work was slow but steady. The ramp collapsed a few times and had to be rebuilt stronger. I shaped myself into a resilient woman, a tigress who could fend for her cubs. It wasn’t easy, and each day was a struggle, yet I remained determined in my single mission to protect my children and provide them with the best, as I had been provided with. This focus gave me the courage and spirit to keep forging ahead relentlessly.

Belief in self and belief in the Universe became my weapons of ultimate escape, the foundation for my liberation and re-earned dignity.

The story doesn’t stop with gaining my freedom but describes my continuing journey on the path of spirituality. In this book, I share my dawning realizations and the period of self-resurgence, which resulted in a triumphant, purpose-driven life.

Belief in spirituality provided the foundation and a new beginning on the path toward the emancipation of mind and soul.

Today a free woman, I’m happily settled in Chicago, living life on my own terms. I walk with my head high and chin up. The first flowers of spring in their divine colors make me smile. I can laugh again at a joke, find stillness in trees, and plan without fear, making up for the lost time.
I’m reminded of my favorite lines, my motto, from Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”:

 

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

 

Reprinted from Leaving: How I Set Myself Free from an Abusive Marriage with the permission of She Writes Press. Copyright © 2023 by Kanchan Bhaskar

 

 

About the Author

 

Kanchan Bhaskar (Kan-chan Bhas-car), an Indian-American, is a first-time author. She holds a Master’s Degree in social work and a certificate in life coaching. She is also a certified Business Coach. Being a successful Human Resource professional, her expertise is in training and mentoring. She is a certified advocate, speaker, and coach for victims and survivors of domestic violence. Kanchan lives in Chicago.

 

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