DEADLY KEEPSAKES
A Tori Winters Mystery
by
ANITA DICKASON
Categories: Mystery / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Mystic Circle Books
Pages: 360 pages
Publication Date: July 1, 2022
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The past becomes the future. Secrets that can kill!
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After someone tries to kill her, Tori Winters is on the run. Looking for a place to hide, a mysterious phone call about a vague inheritance seems to be the answer. After all, who would think of looking for her in Granbury, a small quaint Texas town? Instead, her life is about to spin into an existence where nothing is as it seems. The historic house she inherits has secrets. Ones she’s been warned can kill. A stranger in a strange town, who can she trust? There is the kindly lawyer and his son, or the disinherited step-grandson. What secrets do they hide? Tori’s newfound fortune may not be a blessing. It could become her death warrant.
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This is one of the best books I have read so far this year! I don’t even know where to start, but if you love mysteries and a little suspense, then pick up this book and be swept away by the characters, mystery, and this small Texas town.
Living in the DFW area, I always love finding books that are set here to see if they get the details right and can recognize different locations noted in the book. Anita does her research, and I had recently taken a trip to Granbury, I could picture the town square and the shops in my mind while following along.
Tori is one kick-ass character. When I first started reading this novel where Tori is doing her job as a hospice nurse, it took me back to last summer when I saw this firsthand after the passing of a family member. The counting of pills, destroying the medications, and so much more. Despite that certain situation throwing her in the middle of a hornet’s nest, she didn’t back down from those harassing her. Tori has a lot of gumption but also realizes that she might be safer in another town. A random call from a lawyer in Granbury draws her to this town to find out why he is calling her about an inheritance since she doesn’t have any remaining family, or so she believes. Tori’s trip to Texas turns out to be a permanent one once she discovers what she has inherited.
The book is ripe with amazing characters, from the truly despicable to new best friends for Tori. Multiple characters set off red flags for me, but the true killer was a surprise. Maybe it shouldn’t have been once certain facts were disclosed, but it didn’t click with me to suspect this character. Perhaps because it was also 1 in the morning, and I couldn’t put this book down.
I had suspicions about noises Tori heard in her house but had nothing to back it up until the author shared additional details based on Tori’s observations. I marveled at what was uncovered, like a secret wine cellar and the home’s history. There were definitely secrets kept in that house, and it took Tori and her team to uncover them. I don’t think that we know all of the secrets since this will be a series, and you must leave something for the next book(s).
I had to chuckle at the small-town politics and the antics of some citizens who thought they were better than everyone else. That mentality is 100% accurate!
I’ll be interested to see what sort of romantic interest Tori will have in future books. There are a couple of men vying for her attention, but who will come out the winner? Or will either of them?
So, the only thing I can’t get on board with regarding Tori is her sandwich choice – peanut butter and mayonnaise. Yuck! But I guess not every character can be perfect, and I’m sure someone out there likes that combination.
This is an outstanding book, and if I could give it more paws, I would, but it gets a 5 paw rating, and the series will be on my “must read” list.
Award-winning Author Anita Dickason is a twenty-two-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer, and first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.
Anita writes about what she knows, cops and crime. Her police background provides an unending source of inspiration for her plots and characters. Many incidents and characters portrayed in her books are based on personal experience. For her, the characters are the fun part of writing as she never knows where they will take her. There is always something out of the ordinary in her stories.
In Anita’s debut novel, Sentinels of the Night, she created an elite FBI Unit, the Trackers. Since then, she has added three more Tracker crime thrillers, Going Gone!, A u 7 9, and Operation Navajo. The novels are not a series and can be read in any order.
As a Texas author, many of Anita’s books are based in Texas, or there is a link to Texas. When she stepped outside of the Tracker novels and wrote, Not Dead, she selected Meridian, a small community in central Texas for the location.
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 THREE WINNERS
Deadly Keepsakes tote bag, Copy of Deadly Keepsakes, and a Bookmark
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 7/29/2022)
Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page
For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,
or visit the blogs directly:
| 7/19/22 | Video Excerpt | All the Ups and Downs |
| 7/19/22 | Review | Julia Picks 1 |
| 7/19/22 | BONUS Promo | Hall Ways Blog |
| 7/20/22 | Review | The Clueless Gent |
| 7/20/22 | BONUS Promo | LSBBT Blog |
| 7/21/22 | Guest Post | Jennie Reads |
| 7/21/22 | Review | Writing and Music |
| 7/22/22 | Author Interview | Forgotten Winds |
| 7/22/22 | Review | The Plain-Spoken Pen |
| 7/23/22 | Excerpt | Chapter Break Book Blog |
| 7/24/22 | Review | It’s Not All Gravy |
| 7/25/22 | Review | Reading by Moonlight |
| 7/26/22 | Guest Post | Sybrina’s Book Blog |
| 7/26/22 | Review | Boys’ Mom Reads |
| 7/27/22 | Review | StoreyBook Reviews |
| 7/27/22 | BONUS Promo | Rox Burkey Blog |
| 7/28/22 | Review | Shelf Life Blog |
| 7/28/22 | Review | The Book’s Delight |
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That was a great review, and gives nice hints of what a reader will find when they read it. Like everyone, I’m ready for Tori’s next adventure. Maybe in the same small town???
I’m joining the “yuck brigade” on the peanut butter and mayo sandwiches. Now pair a good PB with banana and I’m there. Sorry Anita. Still, I loved the book.
Such a fun & fabulous review! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I can’t wait to read this book. Love the Granbury setting.
Me neither! But I am not a mayo fan anyway
I wondered if the sandwich was something that you ate and now we know. I can’t wait for Tori’s next adventure
The peanut butter and mayo got me, too! Never in my life have I heard of that combination, and I don’t think I’m brave enough to try it. LOL
A great review of a great book!
Oh, my gosh, what an awesome review. Thank you. I love the comments. The five paws are just too cute. This is what books are all about. Having fun, and you sure gave me a good laugh. I’m still chuckling over the peanut butter and mayo comment. Someone once asked how much of me is in my books. I said, “OMG, a whole lot,” and that includes peanut butter and mayo sandwiches. To me that’s the only way to eat peanut butter. Been doing it since I was a kid. When I was writing, I just automatically wrote peanut butter and mayo. Never gave it a thought, until another blogger said the same. I been laughing over it ever since. I have to say, readers will probably see it again in the next book. Will make a great dialogue between Tori and another character. Love it, love it, love it.