Posted in Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery, suspense, Thriller on May 15, 2023

 

 

 

 

Dying Declaration: A Legal Thriller
3rd in Series
Setting – Florida
Stony Hill Publishers (November 30, 2019)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 248 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers is FBI Forensic pathologist and special agent with an uncanny sixth sense for bringing murders to justice.

During a vacation in Belize with her young son, Joey, Cat gets a phone call from her boss. Young prostitutes are being picked up, murdered and left for dead in the Florida Everglades. The first victim does not fit the killer’s modus operandi. She was a legal secretary working for the Fort Lauderdale based international law firm, Black and Knight.

As Cat investigates this and other deaths, they lead back to the firm’s henchmen and to its partners. With the help of another firm employee, Cat discovers a secret web of murder, illicit drugs, prostitution, sex trafficking, corruption and more. The firm’s partners intend to kill anyone who can lead the law back to them, including Cat.

As the body count grows, powerful people will make decisions that will change lives. Decisions that will destroy families. As Cat uncovers the conspiracy, only one partner, the mastermind, will become Cat’s ally. She will walk away, after seeing that the others are brought to justice.

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Good afternoon. My name is Thomas Pierce. I am an attorney and partner of the international Law Firm, Black and Knight. Our main offices are located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but we have office throughout the world, in locations are far-fetched as Paris, Singapore and Moscow.

So how am I involved in the cases in the novel, Dying Declaration, by Solange Ritchie, you ask? Well, the first victim of the killer, whoever he is, was a legal secretary who worked with my firm for a few months before her untimely death. She was a very lovely young lady, average work product, she enjoyed showing off her assets, if you know what I mean, especially to the young male associates that the firm employs. She was quite frankly a bit of a flirt. Anyway, her body turned up floating in South Florida waterways. The funny thing is, according to FBI special agent, Dr. Catherine (Cat) Powers, who recently interviewed me, she does not fit the m.o. of the other victims. None of them held a proper job. They were all prostitutes and streetwalkers. So according to Dr. Powers, she does not fit the profile of the other victims. Odd, if you ask me.

So, a little about me. Well, I am very good at what I do. Gone for me are the days of the billable hour. I am much more valuable to the firm as a rainmaker. In Fort Lauderdale and Miami, it is all about your connections – who you know and who they know. Let’s say I am well connected to a host of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami celebrities from sports stars to people in the world of entertainment. Many of my client live on Star Island in Miami were folks such as Gloria Estefan and Julio Iglesias have multi-million-dollar homes. I am good friends with The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Have been for many years now.

I, and my beautiful mistress, Isabella, live in the exclusive Seven Isle community of Fort Lauderdale, on a street called Pelican Isle. Only 1,200 residents call Seven Isle home. The most expensive properties go for over $25 million. I and Isabella live in a modest $20 million dollar estate done in the Italian Rococo style. Lots of imported Italian marble and vaulted ceilings. The kind of house that lets the outside in at the mere opening of floor to ceiling French doors to the back yard. Behind the house, I house an 80-foot luxury yacht called “My Sweet Sublime.” Our home is a short distance from fine dining, sunbathing and entertainment. Ideal for when Isabella is not in the mood to cook, which is quite often. Our closest beaches are Las Olas Beach and Sebastian Street Beach, both ideal for being seen and people watching. We like spending Sundays out for lunch and then walking on the beach before retiring for a little fun and games in the bedroom. Isabella loves those afternoon trysts.

I and Isabella lead a glamourous life, as we have no children of our own and my kids from my first marriage are all grown adults now. This gives us the freedom to spend weekends out on the yacht, hosting lavish parties or just living the good life. Isabella, who is quite a few years younger than I am, knows how to keep things purring in the bedroom. She is quite an enchanting creature, and one of the smartest women I have even met. She was born in Russia and immigrated to the US. She speaks multiple languages and is able to mingle in almost every situation. And it doesn’t hurt that she is stunningly beautiful, with perfect ivory skin, a thick mane of thick red hair and eyes the color of emeralds. I am very lucky to have her in my life.

I grew up in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. My father, who is also a partner with the firm, was an international diplomate, who is now retired from that work. His connections in Russia is how I came to meet and fall in love with Isabella. Isabella and I travel quite often oversees to the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, and other countries for business. Many of the companies we represent handle exclusive rights to shipping lines, import/export and the like. It is extremely important that we maintain close and constant contact with our international clients and handle any issue that they might have.

As for this investigation into the legal secretary that was murdered, I have no idea where that will lead. I can tell you that I have no idea why the woman was abducted and murdered. Despite Dr. Powers persistent interview skills, her disappearance and death had absolutely nothing to do with this firm. As far as I know, she didn’t know anyone who would harm her. She never raised any alarms or red flags with me or anyone else who worked here regarding her safety or feeling like she was being watched or being followed. So ultimately, I have no idea where Dr. Power’s investigation will lead. I only know it won’t lead back to me or this firm.

Well, I hope that wets your whistle, so to speak, to read Dying Declaration and learn more about the story.  Have a fantastic rest of your day.

 

 

About the Author

 

BORN ON THE BEAUTIFUL TROPICAL ISLAND of Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a French mother, Solange Ritchie (then Solange Levy) immigrated to the United States at age eleven. Since then, she has become a dynamic force for change. Fed up with thrillers that start with a fizzle and longing to see more powerful women as lead characters, Solange decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, she accomplished her ambitious goal by rising each morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing, and even spending her vacation time writing. Solange is fortunate to have traveled to over 19 countries in her lifetime.

Words have always been Solange’s passion – now so more than ever.

Solange achieved a successful writing career while doing “last minute trial,” mostly in Southern California. Dubbed “the Case Saver,” Solange handled intense legal motions that either make or break a case, especially in the areas of business, labor, and employment law. In 2014, she received the State Bar of California’s Solo and Small Firm’s Section’s highest award, the Myer J. Sankary Attorney of the Year Award. It is given to only one attorney each year in California.

When Solange was just thirty-seven years old, her first husband, John, died due to gross medical negligence at a leading Southern California hospital. This life-altering experience helped shape her into the person she is today. She began writing creatively to deal with the stress of his hospitalization and his death.

Solange’s first psychological thriller, The Burning Man, featuring FBI forensic pathologist Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers was published in 2015. Her second novel in the series, Firestorm, was released to critical acclaim, on May 15, 2018. Dying Declaration is the third novel in the Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers series. Bomb Blast is Solange’s fourth novel in the series. Solange plans at least two more books in the Dr. Catherine Powers series. A fan of things that go bump in the night, Solange has also penned a Southern Gothic novel called Fiona’s Box, which will be released shortly.

Solange lives in Southern Florida. She enjoys traveling, writing, gardening, time with her family, as well as good food and conversation. Solange is available for speaking engagements. She especially enjoys talking with book clubs.

 

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BLIND TRUST

 

The SNAP Agency Trilogy, Book 3

 

by

 

NATALIE WALTERS

 

 

 

Christian Fiction / Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: April 11, 2023

Number of Pages: 320 pages

 

 

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Lyla Fox knows she has a reputation at the SNAP Agency for impulsivity, but when she receives a threatening letter from a man she helped put in prison, she can’t stop herself from going all in to find out why he’s coming after her. Unfortunately, she’s going to need the help of the one person who questions her reckless choices more than anyone else.

Explosives and weapons specialist Nicolás Garcia agrees to help Lyla in order to keep her safe, but her recklessness continues to be a major concern, especially when her investigation into a conspiracy puts a target on her back. Dealing with bombs is dangerous. Working with Lyla is proving to be just as treacherous–to both the mission and his heart.

Natalie Walters closes out her SNAP Agency series with a bang with this nail-biting story of a deadly government conspiracy, an unlikely couple, and an ending that will leave you breathless.

 

 

 

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All good things must come to an end, but I certainly don’t want this series to say goodbye! It has been an action-packed series with love and danger rolled into one.

In this final book, we watch the love story of Lyla and Nicolas unfold. It has been some time in the making, and the story does not disappoint. Lyla is impetuous, while Nicolas is steadfast, but when they say opposites attract, they aren’t kidding. These two could not be any different. But I think those differences pull them together and create a relationship that will always endure.

I loved the action that the SNAP agency experiences on a nearly daily basis. While I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes, I can appreciate their training, skills, and dedication to keeping this country safe. I still think my favorite character is Kekoa, but the rest of the cast has wormed their way into my heart.

Lyla and Nicolas have an interesting relationship before admitting they love each other. In one scene, he says he is a partly cloudy and armadillo kind of guy. I loved Lyla’s confusion and Nicolas’ explanation. I got a good chuckle from this interaction between the two, and it sets off a running joke for later in the book. Here is just a snippet of that scene.

“No, I get the partly cloudy. Makes sense because you’re a bit moody, but armadillo? I’m going to need an explanation on that.”

“…And an armadillo because of its built-in Kevlar.”

“…you realize you could’ve picked a crocodile or a rhino for the same reason?”

“True. But can they roll into a ball like a Transformer?”

 

Another scene that adds humor to this story is a visit to the Rage room. If you haven’t heard of these, you go into a room with items you can destroy with a bat, hammer, etc. It is an excellent way to get out your anger or frustration. This comment from Lyla definitely made me smile.

“I was just, um, thinking it wasn’t fair that I came out of there looking like Clifford the Big Red Dog licked my head. And you pop a baseball cap on your head and suddenly your MLB’s poster boy.”

 

The crux of the story kept me guessing and wondering who was behind the case they were investigating. I never suspected how this would play out and some news that Lyla would learn before it was all over regarding her family.

I am sad to see this series end, but I realized I had not read the first book. So I will have one more encounter with the SNAP agency. While you don’t have to read this series in order, I highly recommend that you do to follow the SNAP agency, and each book builds off of the previous one.

We give this book, and the series, 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out and Fatal Code, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on social media. Photo credit Emilie Hendryx Haney.

 

 

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Posted in Book Release, excerpt, suspense, Texas, Thriller on April 24, 2023

 

 

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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Posted in 5 paws, Book Release, Family, Giveaway, Review, suspense, Thriller on April 22, 2023

 

 

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

 

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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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Posted in 5 paws, Review, suspense, Texas, Thriller, Trailer on March 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

You can’t outrun the Registration.

Imagine it’s legal to commit one murder in your lifetime⎯if you Register the victim and accomplish the kill within fourteen days. So when Lynell Mize stands in line to Register the man who abused her as a child, she’s shocked to hear a stranger Register her to be killed. Why would anyone who doesn’t know her squander his one legal murder on her? Desperate to survive the next two weeks, she must find out who wants to kill her⎯and why.

​Easier said than done as Lynell soon discovers that multiple strangers have used their Registration on her. Along the way, she reunites with her estranged husband who is determined to dig up a past Lynell prefers to keep buried. With only days left to live, Lynell fights to uncover the truth and survive a destiny not of her choosing.

 

 

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Review

 

I really enjoy reading speculative books because, many times, the truth is buried somewhere in the book or at least one viewpoint of the world we are living in.

Imagine being able to kill one person with no repercussions. Who would you want to eliminate and why? Lynell Mize has her sights set on an abusive stepfather. No one would blame her since he does not appear to be a worthwhile individual. Now imagine you are there to register who you want to take out, and you hear your name. That has to be very unsettling. What do you do? If you can elude the person for two weeks, they can’t kill you after that time, and they have lost their opportunity. I know I would try and escape or hide from that person and pray for the best.

We learn a lot about Lynell during this time once she hears her name and tries to avoid being caught by the person that registered her. However, we learn that multiple people have registered her, and she is being hunted. Who does she trust? Can she trust anyone? When the truth came out about why she was being hunted, it blew my mind! I admired Lynell even more at that point and everything she endured to try and uncover the truth.

Lynell is the type of woman that I think many of us hope that we can be – strong, intelligent, and willing to protect those that she loves. There is a slight mystery along with the suspense of this book. I figured out part of it but still didn’t know how it all would come together in the end.

I was also rooting for Lynell and Danny’s relationship. Would they be able to get back on track? Some secrets come out that could make or break their relationship.

This was a riveting story, and now I’m curious what the movie will be like and if it will live up to the book.

We give this 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Author Madison Lawson writes speculative fiction novels full of suspense, social commentary, and complex relationships. She has published a dozen short stories, many of which won awards such as the Koresh Award and the Gordone Award. She received her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University and is currently earning her M.A. in English at North Carolina State University. Born and raised in a small Texas town, Madison began escaping through reading and writing as soon as she could.

 

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Posted in Book Release, excerpt, suspense, Thriller on March 26, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Your next stay-up-all-night thriller, about identical triplets who have a nasty habit of killing their boyfriends, and what happens when the youngest commits their worst crime yet: falling in love with her mark.

Make him want you.
Make him love you.
Make him dead.

Sissy has an…interesting family. Always the careful one, always the cautious one, she has handled the cleanup while her serial killer sisters have carved a path of carnage across the U.S. Now, as they arrive in the Arizona heat, Sissy must step up and embrace the family pastime of making a man fall in love and then murdering him. Her first target? A young widower named Edison—and their mutual attraction is instant. While their relationship progresses, and most couples would be thinking about picking out china patterns and moving in together, Sissy’s family is reminding her to think about picking out burial sites and moving on.

But then something happens that Sissy never anticipated: She begins to feel protective of Edison, and then, before she can help it, she’s fallen in love. But the clock is ticking, and her sisters are growing restless. It becomes clear that the gravesite she chooses will hide a body no matter what happens; but if she betrays her family, will it be hers?

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

If not for my sisters and the tragic circumstances of our upbringing, I would be living an empty life and bound for heartbreak.

It started when we were nineteen.

Iris called me, frantic, in the middle of the night. She had her own apartment above a laundromat in downtown Clovis. She was so proud of that place—all five hundred square feet of it. She kept it tidy and burned incense at all hours to hide the smell from the dumpster in the alley outside her bedroom window. At night, there was the persistent throb of the bar across the street, the music loud enough to rattle the porcelain angel figurines on the shelves. They’d come with the place, and Iris had decided they made her living room look homey—a word she’d never used before, because we’d never had a home.

“Just come,” she’d sobbed and then hung up. All of my calls went straight to voicemail. I sped the whole way over there, sure that someone had just climbed up the fire escape to murder her. But what I found was a different sort of violence.

Blood, deep and dark, pooled on her oriental rug, and splattered across the angel figurines.

She’d been sleeping with her old high school guidance counselor—a fifty-one-year-old married father of two. He strung her along for months, promising to leave his wife. He broke her heart a hundred times, and then Iris plunged a kebab skewer through his.

“You watch all of those crime shows,” Moody said, emerging from the kitchen with a bottle of bleach she’d found under the sink. “Help us make this go away.”

We moved with a practical calm, the three of us, and when it was through, Iris’s ill-fated lover was resting in six garbage bags, wound tightly with duct tape. If it were only one of us, or even two, I’m sure we would have been caught. We would have missed a detail. But we were a perfect team, the three of us.

After a lifetime of being torn apart, we were finally together, finally able to help one another in all the ways we never could when we were being jostled helplessly by the foster system. All those years of loneliness, of wanting, of being kept apart, had brought us to this desperate moment. Knee-deep in the water of the San Joaquin river in the velvet black night, we weighed the pieces of the man with rocks, and a promise started to form. In the coming days, it slowly became obvious what we needed to do.

We wouldn’t deprive ourselves of love, but our hearts would be weapons. We would love the men we found completely and without inhibition, put a lifetime into our brief time together. Live out every fantasy we desired. And then we would kill them.

There would never be another lover to break one of us. We would break all of them first.

 

“Excerpted from HOW I’LL KILL YOU by Ren DeStefano published by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2023 by Ren DeStefano”

 

 

About the Author

 

Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.

 

Website * Instagram

 

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Posted in fiction, Giveaway, Interview, Thriller on March 10, 2023

 

 

 

 

PAPERBOY (A Dylan Tomassi Novel) by Dan Romanello

 

Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 332 pages

 

Genre: Coming of Age Contemporary Thriller

 

Publisher: Sanitas Publishing, Inc.

 

​Publication Date: August, 2022

 

 

Synopsis

 

Abandoned by his father as an infant and raised by a single mother among the wealthy and privileged in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Dylan Tomassi grew up poor. As a boy he is befriended by a mysteriously reclusive widow he meets on his paper route. She mentors him with sage advice on matters facing a young man growing up without a father. She never pays for her newspapers, and he never asks for the money because of all the good advice she dispenses. When she finally does square up, it changes his life forever.

Dylan relocates to Florida and becomes a successful private investor, wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. His newfound socioeconomic status introduces him into the upper echelon of Florida society where he finds many things going on in the world simply don’t make sense. With the help of his old friend and mentor, he navigates life in a turbulent modern-day society and vows to use his wealth to make a difference when he’s not sidetracked running into nefarious characters or busy keeping his best friend, wealthy playboy Alex Malloy, out of hot water. With corruption, debauchery, deception, and murder swirling around him, Dylan proves nice guys can finish first.

 

 

Amazon * BAM * B&N * Bookshop

 

Indigo * Indiebound * BookBub

 

 

Interview with the Author

 

Were any of the characters in PAPERBOY based upon real life people you have known?

 

The short answer is no. All the characters were derived from my wildly vivid imagination, although some of the book’s villains share characteristics with people you may be reminded of and that was done intentionally as part of the extrapolation feature of the writing.

 

Are you sure Dylan Tomassi is not based on you?

 

That’s probably the most frequent question I get from readers, and the answer is a resounding no. Dylan is tall, handsome, smart, and extremely well-grounded. He came from a hardscrabble background and became incredibly wealthy and successful. Along his journey, he is guided by an unrelenting work ethic and strong moral compass and his somewhat naïve outlook allows him to view the ways of the world through an apolitical perspective of common sense and reasonableness. He’s almost too good to be true, and I am far from that.

 

Is there anything that you and Dylan have in common?

 

We both grew up in Connecticut, had paper routes, and relocated to Florida after graduating from college. We also both enjoy sports and fitness. The similarities pretty much end there.

 

The central characters in the book, Dylan, Alex Malloy and Esther Lott are all very different but equally likeable and relatable. How did you go about creating such awesome characters?

 

My primary objective in writing the book is to entertain readers and provide them with an escape. When I read fiction, particularly a series, I am always drawn to books where I develop an affinity for the recurring characters, and so I tried to do the same. Additionally, the three you mentioned all play very different roles in the story and their personalities and character lend credibility to the situations they find themselves in.

 

At times the book goes into terrific detail on the background of various subjects, including the college sports recruiting process, the state of the newspaper industry, and the criminal justice system. Where do you get that information and is it all fact based?

 

Regarding the subjects you mentioned, it’s no coincidence that I have, at various times in my life, coached college athletics, worked in the newspaper industry, and served as an assistant state attorney. So much of the detail regarding the inner workings is drawn from real life experience. The story lines themselves are fictional, but I do try to be factually accurate when describing the fundamentals of the various institutions.  

 

What can we expect to see from Dylan in the future?

 

You won’t have to wait much longer. He will be back soon in the second book in the series, BLINDSIDED JUSTICE. As of now, no release date is set, but it will be sometime in the spring. You can read a preview on my Website.

 

 

About the Author

 

DAN ROMANELLO began his career working for a large Florida newspaper before attending law school at the University of Florida. After serving as an assistant state attorney, he entered private practice where he spent more than 20 years as a civil trial lawyer litigating cases in courtrooms throughout Florida. He retired from the active practice of law in 2017 and, before writing PAPERBOY, spent four years coaching college athletics. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

 

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a signed copy of PAPERBOY (A Dylan Tomassi Novel) by Dan Romanello and a $50 American Express gift card.

USA only

Ends Mar 24

 

PAPERBOY Book Tour Giveaway


 

 

 

 

Posted in 5 paws, Review, suspense, Thriller on March 3, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Days before the presidential election, a terrorist attack occurs at an Ivy League university and amidst the chaos, several students and a professor are kidnapped. One student is the son of Alex Hamilton, the presidential nominee, and another the heir to a vast fortune. Among those taken is Vanessa Colletti, the daughter of FBI Agent Dominic Colletti – a man who will do anything to get her back.

A race against time ensues, and Agent Colletti isn’t the only one feeling the pressure. Alex Hamilton has a son missing and election he’s losing. The president, Randall Scott has a re-election to win and skeletons in his closet. Agent Colletti follows a trail of clues that lead to a secluded hideout of a secret society. Along the way, he begins to suspect that the kidnapping is part of something bigger. Much bigger. Something that goes all the way to the highest level of the government.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

Politics, corruption, deception, and secrets. This sums up this book, and if you enjoy those types of stories, you will probably enjoy this one.

This book was filled with so many twists and turns it will keep the reader guessing who is involved, why, and what the end game might be. Just when I thought we had all the answers, the last chapter threw another twist into the mix.

I loved the fast pace of this story, the varied characters, the seedy underside of the story, and so much more. I think my favorite character was Vasquez. His quiet strength and faith kept him on track.

While the book ends with most things wrapped up, the new information presented could be a cliffhanger, and there could be another book that continues this story. I could see it happening!

There are some sad moments near the end, but it was to be expected that there would be some tragedies.

This story might be hard to read for some due to the incident at the university, considering the number of school shootings, but this is slightly different.

Overall, we give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Sean lives in Manhattan. This is his debut novel.

 

Goodreads

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Posted in Book Release, excerpt, suspense, Thriller on March 1, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Brace yourself for a scorching new series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose, where San Diego means sun, surf, sand…and serial killers.

Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients—a pathological liar—starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he’s compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentiality land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick.

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 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 years.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop

 

 

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. 

 

 

About the Author

 

Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany’s der Spiegel bestseller lists.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * YouTube

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Giveaway, mystery, Review, suspense, Thriller on February 27, 2023

 

 

COPPER WATERS

 

Annalisse Series, Book 4

 

by

 

MARLENE M. BELL

 

 

Genre: International Mystery / Crime / Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing

Date of Publication: October 7, 2022

 

Number of Pages: 340

 

 

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

 

A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I didn’t see that ending coming! Maybe not the ending per se, but the murderer’s revelation. You could have knocked me over with a feather!

This is the fourth in the series, and while could be read on its own, it is best to have an understanding of the history between the various characters. This book also delivers a slower pace while we dive more into Annalisse’s background and family, which we discovered in a previous book. I can only imagine the questions she has for her mother if she can ever catch up to her again. But her trip to New Zealand still provided answers to some questions. I don’t want to spoil anything, so you’ll have to read the book to uncover those questions and answers.

Annalisse is still holding Alec at bay. These two have more baggage than most characters I see, but if you understand everything they have been through until this point, you might have a better grasp on everything that has kept them from fully committing to one another. I would have thought after two years that they could trust each other more than they seemed to. However, I am happy to say that they make some inroads into this by the end of this book. Another reason to read the book; because I’m not going to give away any spoilers.

We also learn more about Bill in this book and some of his past stories. He is a fantastic investigator, and he and Annalisse make a good team, especially when trying to sort out the murders in this small town. I think it would be fascinating to have a spinoff book that gives us more background on Bill. I believe there is a gem hiding inside of him just from the little bit that we learn in this book.

I loved the descriptions of New Zealand, and I want to visit this country even more now. The author paints a picture that will stick in your mind. The author also provides detailed information about sheep, and this might cause you to go down a rabbit hole looking up the various breed and their traits.

This book is filled with deception, corruption, and so much more. I appreciated the slower pace because it allowed me to digest everything that was happening and ruminate on what could possibly happen next. With the new information that is revealed in this book, it has me on pins and needles, waiting for the next book to see how a few situations resolve themselves.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series — mysteries with a touch of romance — has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity) and FAPA (Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award) for two other installments, Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy. She also penned the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

 

WebsiteFacebook ║ Twitter

 

LinkedIn ║ BookBub ║ Instagram ║ Amazon

 

Goodreads ║ Blog ║ YouTube

 

————————————-

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

 

$50 VISA Card, 100% New Zealand gray wool throw, leather bucket bag, signed ARC paperback of Copper Waters, Hagestad hammered copper water bottle, Lucy Pittaway notebook

 

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 3/3/2023)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

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02/21/23 Review Bibliotica
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02/23/23 Review It’s Not All Gravy
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02/24/23 Review Forgotten Winds
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02/25/23 Review Librariel Book Adventures
02/26/23 Review The Plain-Spoken Pen
02/27/23 Review StoreyBook Reviews
02/28/23 Review Boys’ Mom Reads
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03/01/23 Review The Book’s Delight
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