Synopsis

 

Get their attention before it’s too late… The Quiet War has begun…

Acclaimed journalist and media celebrity Diana Willis can snag the inside scoop and truth on any story. But when her helicopter mysteriously malfunctions and plummets to the ground, everything changes, sending Diana down a maze of murderous intrigue and confusion. Waking up from a coma eight weeks after the crash, she struggles with the recurring dreams that reveal an extraordinary past life. Now, Diana’s hellbent on uncovering the secrets about those past memories.

Delving into a world of mind control and past lives, the truth is more terrifying than she ever imagined as she travels back in time to face the perpetrators of America’s most confidential and sinister projects. Teaming up with an unlikely ally, an elusive interdimensional mentor from her other life, Diana is able to restore her psychic and telepathic powers. Suddenly, they’re in more danger than ever before as their enemies seek world domination through mind control and media manipulation.

Can Diana use her powers to expose the truth, bring a message from another world, hundreds of earth years in the future, and save the world before it’s too late?

“I returned from your future and there is no fear. I am courageous and free…”

 

 

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Review

 

If you believe in conspiracy theories or that the narrative is being controlled by the media, then you definitely have to read this book! There are so many great lines that I wanted to quote but it would have been too long to share them all.

Diana is a news reporter that suddenly starts having flashes of the past and other things that she doesn’t recognize. What ensues is an unraveling of governmental agencies and their desire to control the masses. I honestly saw it as things we see in the world today and felt myself nodding in agreement with many things that were said by Diana and others.

While I don’t normally read science fiction, this is one well worth reading. It takes everything that we see around us today and adds a twist with the interdimensional and intergalactic beings. There is even a little new-age type spin with the third eye and being in tune with the vibrations around you. I’m not sure if we would really be able to do mind control if we were in tune with the world, but who knows!

The book did start off a little slow and confusing, but once I got to know the players the story sped up and I was able to enjoy it in its entirety. I do think that some of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more to show more depth and add a little something extra to the story. I honestly liked the Murray character. He was conflicted about doing the right thing and what he was paid to do.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up and recommend it to the sci-fi, conspiracy theory readers.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

At 19 years old, Steven Paul Terry felt a stirring in his soul that he recognized as the archetypal call to adventure. It was then that he began a great odyssey to discover his life’s purpose and mission. Born in London, England, and educated there and in Australia, Steven believes it took him over 3 decades and many trips around the world to prepare him to manifest his creative force for the benefit of the planet.

Currently dividing his time between Colorado, Mexico, Tasmania, and Southeast Asia, Steven travels the world as a professional speaker and corporate training facilitator.

At the moment, Steven is concentrating his efforts on writing a trilogy of supernatural thrillers, the first of which, Star Revelations, will be published by Hero Acts.

 

HERO ACTS | Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Atlanta couple Ben and Nina plan to move in together, but their relationship unravels when Ben dismisses Nina’s surprising claim that her dog can talk. Songs by Honeybird follows the pair as they move on without each other. Doctoral candidate Ben dives into research on the tragic story of Honeybird, the South’s first integrated rock band, while spiritual savant Nina searches for the elusive truth about her father’s death. Will the buried secrets of the past bring Ben and Nina back together—or send them down entirely new paths?

Accompanied by a soundtrack of original songs, Songs by Honeybird is a novel about what can begin after a relationship ends.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

I was captivated by the subject of Ben’s thesis – an integrated band in the mid-60s whose end came too soon after the lead singer and guitarist is found dead in a fire and the drummer is presumed to have either perished in the same fire or started the fire that took the life of the leader of the band.

This story has several different plot lines that are loosely tied together by Ben and Nina. They previously dated but he decided she was a bit much when he learned she could hear her dog speak to her. He actually suggested that she see a therapist. This doesn’t bode well for their relationship.

I found the research that Ben was doing fascinating and what it takes to seek out details for someone that died many years ago and the family is hard to find. But he hits jackpot with Foxy, a photographer that has a lot of photos of this group during that time. I found myself caught up in the research and the story of this band, even though fictional.

I liked how the story alternated between Ben and Nina and what they were going through post-breakup between family and trying to get their lives back on track. More details are shared as the story progresses and I had a better understanding of the characters and what they were thinking and feeling about themselves and their lives.

I think I would have enjoyed this story even it was only about Ben searching for more information about the Honeybirds and uncovering the truth.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Peter McDade teaches at Clark Atlanta University and was the drummer for the band Uncle Green. He’s written the novels The Weight of Sound (2017) and the forthcoming Songs By Honeybird (March 2022).

 

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Synopsis

 

Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.

When the FBI shows up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.

Kate McLaughlin’s Daughter is a novel about trying right deadly choices that were never yours to begin with.

 

 

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Review

 

What would you do if you found out you were the daughter of a serial killer? And how far would you go to help find the rest of his victims? That is what Scarlet is faced with when the truth is revealed.

This new YA book is told from the perspective of Scarlet, Jeffrey Lake’s daughter. Growing up she had no idea who she was and it isn’t until he is dying of cancer that the truth comes out. Her mother did a great job of protecting her, but maybe too good of a job since she is blindsided by the truth and it turns her life as she knew it upside down. To make things worse, he has told the FBI that if they bring his daughter to visit him, he will reveal more of the women that they didn’t find that he murdered. What a quandary for Scarlet, does she help bring peace to the families that don’t know what happened to their daughters, or does she continue her life such as it is?

This book reminded me of a series by another author that deals with how the families of serial killers are perceived by others. If you look at what we see in the media today, people are presumed guilty just by association and that isn’t fair to the innocent. However, the media likes to stir up controversy so this really isn’t anything new.

I was very surprised at how many times Scarlet and her friends would smoke pot and get high. I realize she has an anxiety disorder, but she does have medication for that. But by the end of the book, I wondered if the anxiety was caused by her mother and the lengths she went to in protecting Scarlet. And the fact that her mother could smell it on her and just let it slide was surprising considering she ran background checks on everyone that came into their lives.

This book made me think about how I would handle myself if placed in the same situation. Would I meet my father to quell the curiosity I have about him? Would I do this for the victim’s families to give them closure? It would not be an easy situation because you have to be on guard when dealing with a psychopath.

There is some information about the killings and what Jeffrey Lake did with these women that is a little hard to read, but sadly, is not uncommon when it comes to serial killers. There are some sick people in this world.

I felt that this was a somewhat realistic view of teen life and how people treat those that they have presumed to be guilty even if you were only 2 at the time. I admired Scarlet for wanting to bring the victims out and have people remember them for who they were, not just that they were a victim of her father’s.

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kate began her career as Kathryn Smith, writing best-selling, award-winning historical and paranormal romances. Then, needing a bit of a break from straight historicals, she became Kady Cross, author of The Steampunk Chronicles from Harlequin Teen. This award-winning series led to The Clockwork Agents — steampunk romances for Signet Eclipse under the name Kate Cross. Finally, a new career in Dark Fantasy led to The Immortal Empire series for Orbit, written as Kate Locke.

Regardless of what name she goes by, Kate loves stories that put character first and enjoys exploring every side of the people she creates — even if it makes them less likable.

An up-rooted Canadian, Kate lives in Connecticut with her husband, Steve, and their pride of cats. When not writing, she enjoys reading, movies, makeup, and poking around abandoned asylums.

 

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Synopsis

 

Cassie O’Malley is a woman on the run when she when gets tangled up with a suspicious local sheriff and, on the spur of the moment, turns to a handsome stranger to get herself out of a tight spot.

Ted Wellman didn’t go to town to get hitched but that sweet girl with her big green eyes looked desperate. Suddenly he finds himself married to a stranger. No problem, his uncle’s a lawyer and everybody knows he’s in no emotional condition to settle down, not since the death of his brother put him on emotional lock down.

Much to his surprise, instead of helping get out of it, Ted’s crazy family seemed determined to keep him and Cassie together. What could they be thinking? That there is a chance of finally thawing Ted’s frozen heart?

 

 

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This book releases on 3/29/22, preorder it today!

 

 

Review

 

This is a rerelease of one of the author’s books that she wrote under another penname in 1997 called Love is the Answer. It has been updated to today’s times but the sweet southern romance checked several boxes including a little danger for Cassie.

Cassie has been orphaned while still a minor and was taken in by a couple. He is a scumbag but his wife is nice yet dying of cancer. Once Cassie is free of her obligation she strikes out on her own primarily because he has sold her to sex traffickers. I appreciated the little bit of the book that delved into this horrible world and was glad that Cassie was able to leave before any of that came to fruition.

Ted is living in his own sort of hell after his twin brother was killed in a car accident. He has never let himself move past that event until now. Even his own family couldn’t budge him in moving on with his life.

I thought the storyline was cute and found it comical that they had to get married to avoid Cassie being found out since there was an APB out for her saying she had mental issues. Shows you what sort of dirtbag she was living with at the time. I think Ted taking care of Cassie was what brought him out of his funk. However, Cassie has her own ideas and doesn’t need Ted to take care of her, but she does in a way. They are both young (20 and 21 I believe) and there is so much more to life than what they know. Thankfully, Ted’s family takes her in as their own and treats her well. I think Cassie fell for the family before Ted and I can’t blame her considering the last few years. They both have some growing up to do and what safer place than with each other.

The story isn’t long but it is as sweet as sweet tea and was a quick read.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author and RITA Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy books.  These days she is concentrating on her two loves:  women’s fiction and contemporary cowboy romance. She and her husband, a retired English teacher, make their home in southern Oklahoma.

 

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Synopsis

 

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves—or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancé is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!

 

 

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To read an excerpt of Counterfeit Love click here.

 

 

Review

 

This novel encompasses several genres that I enjoy reading: mystery, historical, romance, and Christian. All of these facets are wound together to create this enticing tale of a strong woman that isn’t afraid to go after what she wants no matter who stands in her way.

Theresa is a plucky young woman and I admire her courage and strength to continue with her life despite those that hold her back. She senses that her fiance, Edward, isn’t the right man for her and she is right for so many reasons. I won’t share those because it would give away too much of the plot. She also still loves Broderick despite his pigheadedness but he just might be the right man for her.

I loved the time period and the mystery of who is counterfeiting currency. There are so many possibilities and one of my suspicions held true. I love how the Secret Service is investigating this crime and has several people undercover to infiltrate the ring. However, there is one agent, Darlington, that is sent in to help speed things along that nearly blows it for everyone. It doesn’t help that he is abrupt, rude, and suspects Theresa of being the engraver.

Theresa and Broderick struggle with many things throughout this book from faith, trust, respect, and finding the truth. They are both given nudges along the way to find their way back to each other and to God.

This book is gritty and gets right into the trenches with the criminals, brothels, saloons, and so much more. But it adds to the richness of the background, characters, and storyline. I wouldn’t expect anything less and was glad to see that the author wasn’t afraid to show the seedy side of the times.

There were times when I read this book when I wondered if this was the 2nd book in a series because of the discussions about Theresa and Broderick’s past. It felt like this should have been a second book but it is not. However, it did not detract from the story and the author does a good job of explaining their past with each other.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up and look forward to reading more from this debut author.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. Counterfeit Love is her debut published novel.

Caudill says that reading and writing are part of her soul and have been since she first held a crayon. While she considered writing to be an escape from challenges and struggles and a way to keep her sanity, Caudill would come to recognize that God used it as a teaching tool. “The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints,” she shares.

As she delved into history and crafted her own stories of hope through danger, Caudill would answer the call to pursue writing as a career after her first writer’s conference. “My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.”

She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

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Synopsis

 

Under Lock & Skeleton Key layers architecture with mouthwatering food in an ode to classic locked-room mysteries.

An impossible crime. A family legacy. The intrigue of hidden rooms and secret staircases.

After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.

When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.

 

 

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Review

 

I have read some of Gigi’s Jaya Jones mystery series and was thrilled to see Sanjay in this series too.

Tempest Raj is an illusionist and it is a path that runs in her family. All is going well and she has a show in Vegas until a new performance goes awry which causes her to lose her show, her house, and all she has worked for to get to this point. So she returns home and is trying to get settled when a dead body is discovered and someone is gaslighting Tempest.

This book is all about misdirection when it comes to this mystery. How did the stunt double end up in a wall that has been closed up for 50 years? Where is that music coming from? What is the key that Tempest has found go to? All good questions and they are all answered by the end of the book. I was glad of that because nothing worse (to me) than having to wait until the next book to get the answer to some of my questions. But the mystery was engaging and I had no idea what direction to look or who to suspect. I was surprised by the revelations and never expected these characters to be involved, but maybe I should have.

I loved the business that her dad has and wonder if I could make a secret room somewhere in my own home right now. I would love a secret passage or a hideaway reading nook where I could escape when I wanted to be alone.

I also enjoyed all of the dishes that Ash prepared for the family and chuckled when Tempest checked her father’s refrigerator and it was basically empty except for a few items. I am going to have to give the cardamon cookies a try because I do love a good shortbread and this is a bit of a mashup and sounds delicious.

This was a good start to an intriguing new series. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. She’s the child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, and spent her childhood traveling around the world on their research trips. She now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the garden.

Gigi’s novels have been described as a cross between Indiana Jones and Agatha Christie. She writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series (Artifact, Pirate Vishnu, Quicksand, Michelangelo’s Ghost, The Ninja’s Illusion, and The Glass Thief), the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (The Accidental Alchemist, The Masquerading Magician, The Elusive Elixir, and The Alchemist’s Illusion), and locked-room mystery short stories (many are collected in The Cambodian Curse & Other Stories).

Her debut novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a Best of 2012 Debut by Suspense Magazine, and her mysteries have also been awarded the Agatha, Rose, Lefty, and Derringer awards.

 

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Synopsis

 

Nina de Gramont’s The Christie Affair is a beguiling novel of star-crossed lovers, heartbreak, revenge, and murder—and a brilliant re-imagination of one of the most talked-about unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.

Every story has its secrets.
Every mystery has its motives.

“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.”

The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered.

London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.

The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?

 

 

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Review

 

What really happened to Agatha Christie when she went missing for those 11 days?

While I have read some of Agatha Christie’s novels over the years, I will admit that I didn’t know much about her personal life. While this is a fictionalized telling of what happened during those eleven days, it was fascinating to imagine the dynamics of the relationship between the Christie’s and how this mistress came into their lives and destroyed their marriage. While mostly told from Nan O’Dea’s POV, there are some chapters that are told to us from Agatha’s POV and also the detective that found her quite by chance.

We learn a lot about Nan and her childhood and the first love of her life. There are some other things that come about that add complexity to the story and the reason why Nan did what she did to get to know this family. While I probably should have seen it coming, it was a bit of a surprise.

I found that the multiple POV added depth to the story and kept me intrigued as to why this story was playing out as it was for the characters. Did some of this happen? Perhaps.

You will also find that the chapters jump around in time but it is important to understand Nan’s motivation for her actions.

This was a surprisingly delightful story and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Nina de Gramont is the author of a collection of short stories, Of Cats and Men, as well as the novels Gossip of the Starlings and The Last September. She has written several YA novels (Every Little Thing in the World, Meet Me at the River, The Boy I Love, and — under the pen name Marina Gessner — The Distance From Me to You). Nina teaches creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She lives in coastal North Carolina with her daughter and her husband, the writer David Gessner.

 

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Synopsis

 

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

 

 

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This book releases 2/22/22

 

 

Review

 

This book packs a lot into the pages with a diverse character group, addressing issues we see today, and even a little bit of a mystery thrown in to boot.

This book is not one that you will sail through because of the complexity of the plot and the vast amount of characters. However, it is well worth the read especially if you like science fiction and fantasy rolled into one.

January Cole is a whipsmart character that isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Accompanied by a robot/drone that helps keep her in check, these two make the story quite fascinating. They play off of each other and the snarky comments add levity to the situations at hand. January does have an advantage, or perhaps disadvantage, as an Unstuck person. She can see snippets of things to come which aids her in doing her job and what to look for, but at the same time, it hinders her because of the prejudice from those around her.

This story delves into time travel and what it might be like to travel back in time to a historic event and watch it live. Granted, the TEA has to watch out for those that might be trying to alter history or profit for themselves. There is a scene where 3 dinosaurs are caught running around the hotel and the story of how they arrived in the present only adds to the mystery of what is going on at the hotel.

As I mentioned, the characters are diverse and range from LGBTQ+, nonbinary (which is still hard for me to get used to They/Them and not expect it to refer to a group of people vs just one), entitled wealthy individuals, and even some down to earth characters. Each adds something to the storyline even as a minor character.

The mystery comes in trying to find out who is erasing video and other data files, who might be trying to kill some of the super-wealthy, and just creating general havoc that keeps January and the rest of the staff on their toes.

I enjoyed the book and while it might not be for everyone, I think many might just enjoy this book. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rob Hart is the author of THE PARADOX HOTEL. He also wrote THE WAREHOUSE, which has been sold in more than 20 countries and been optioned for film by Ron Howard, as well as the Ash McKenna crime series, the short story collection TAKE-OUT, and SCOTT FREE with James Patterson.

His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and “Take-Out,” which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.

He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and the current class director at LitReactor. He lives in New York City.

 

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Scones and Scofflaws: Cape May Cozy Mysteries with a Twist
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Cape May, New Jersey
Blue Eagle Press (December 19, 2020)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 278 pages

 

Synopsis

 

When a gorgeous man dressed as Bridgette Bardot buys her a Scofflaw and asks her out on a date, Anna McGregor begins to suspect her murder investigation has taken a wrong turn. Her previous work as a medical anthropologist exposed her to a variety of unexpected situations, but none quite like this.

“The story does a great job of setting up the mystery and then anthropologist turned B&B hostess, Anna McGregor leads us through a merry chase and I thought I had it partially figured out but then realized…red herring. I would suggest you skip to the back of the book to find the scofflaw recipe and make one to enjoy while you armchair sleuth your way through this charming and cozy mystery.” — Tracy’s Tidbits

It all seemed so simple: fix up the Cape May Victorian mansion she’d inherited from Great Aunt Louise and re-open it as the exceptional B&B it used to be. Everything’s going great, until her very first guest turns up dead at the breakfast table, crumbs from Anna’s blueberry scones scattered on the lace tablecloth.

As the town’s gossip mill goes into overdrive, Anna leaps into the fray to save her reputation, her business and Great Aunt Louise’s legacy.

With help from a handsome handyman eager to solve all of Anna’s problems and a young police officer new to murder investigations, Anna does her best to convince the town — and her future guests — that while her scones may be killer, someone else was responsible for this murder.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Alibris * IndieBound * Kobo * Books2Read

 

 

Review

 

This new series is set in picturesque Cape May and Anna has inherited a Victorian home that was used as a B&B run by her aunt. Things are going well until one of her first guests is found dead over breakfast. This is not the way to start a new business! And because it is a small town, the gossip spreads faster than liquified butter.

Anna is a complicated character because while she is smart, she has some issues with what happened with her former relationship and she is lugging that baggage around with her everywhere. This impacts how she reacts to situations that many of us would take with a grain of salt. Despite being

Eoin, Anna’s cousin, is such a sweet kid but I don’t understand why he talks everyone’s ears off except for Anna. Is it because she can’t say his name properly? It is never really explained, but by the end of the book he is opening up more to her. I think he could be a good sidekick while he is visiting her (despite his age of 8) but sometimes I wondered where he was or if someone was watching him because Anna was off doing some investigative work.

While I didn’t solve the murder quickly, there were lots of clues and there were some that I noted that were discarded as not important until later in the book. There are several potential characters that could be the murderer but would their alibis hold? It doesn’t help that one of the suspects was a fixture in this small community and because gossip spreads quickly, this character and several others were miffed at the accusations of their character. But isn’t that how a murderer would act?

I enjoyed this new series and will check out the second book to see what else is in store for Anna. Probably another dead body but maybe a love interest too? And perhaps, she and Sammy will have some wild escapades about the town.

We give this book 4 paws up and don’t miss the drink recipe at the end.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Up early after her restless night, Anna faced the prospect of dealing with the mess in her kitchen. She was in the middle of scrubbing down her counters, a fresh pot of coffee brewing, when the bell over the door jingled. She didn’t go immediately, taking a minute to remove her kitchen gloves and wipe her hands. As she stepped toward the kitchen door, Patrolman Burley stuck his head through it.

“Good morning, thought I might find you in here.”

“Oh, Patrolman Burley. Hi. I mean, um, good morning. I’m just…” she lifted her arms then let them fall in a gesture of despair. “I’m not sure what I’m doing.”

“Seems like you’ve got quite a mess on your hands.” He glanced around the kitchen. “Sorry about that.”

“I am allowed to be cleaning up in here, aren’t I?”

He smiled. “Yes, you are. And please, call me Evan.”

She felt the tension in her shoulders relax, the edges of her mouth turn up. “Evan, of course.”

The deep brown of his eyes reminded her of the Scottish hero she’d been reading about yesterday. It would be nice not to have to go chasing around the dark house in the middle of the night with a field hockey stick.

“I’m sorry you have to deal with this. I have a few minutes, I could help.” Something in her expression caused him to take a step back. “Or not, if you prefer to do it yourself.”

“Why did you tear apart my kitchen like this?”

“It wasn’t just me. We had a team going through the whole house.”

“I noticed that,” she responded, feeling her cheeks grow hot.

“The thing is, Anna — may I sit?” He gestured toward the marble-topped bar that ran opposite the sink.

“Of course. Sure. Would you like some coffee?”

He waited until she’d poured his cup, then continued. “The thing is, Anna, one of your guests died in unusual circumstances and we need to find out what happened to him.”

“Wait. What do you mean, what happened to him?”

“I mean, we need to know what killed him.” Evan said, still looking directly at her. “Or who.”

Anna gulped and looked down at the coffee pot still in her hands. She turned her back on Evan to replace it on the burner and realized her hands were shaking. She took a few breaths.

“So you think he was murdered?” she asked once she felt sure her voice would sound normal.

Evan shook his head, taking another sip of his coffee. “Well, this is a police investigation. But it’s too soon to say if it was an accidental death or intentional. We still need to determine the exact cause of death. That’s why we searched the house. We were looking for anything that might have been used.”

Anna dropped onto the stool next to Evan. “Murdered. I mean, murder. That can’t be a common thing in Cape May.”

“It’s not. Detective Walsh is running the investigation for now, but it won’t be long before this attracts attention from the higher-ups. We need to get to the truth, and fast. Walsh has some experience with this sort of thing, so…” He toyed with his mug and Anna realized there was more. The worst was yet to come.

“So?”

“So we have to consider the possibility that you may have been responsible.”

“Me?” Anna heard the shriek in her voice and shut her lips tight.

Evan seemed focused on his coffee, giving Anna the time she needed to take a few breaths.

She tried again. “Me? Why would I kill my own guests?”

Evan raised his hands in what was probably meant to be a calming gesture. “Not on purpose, I’m sure. But we don’t yet know what killed him. We need to consider all options.”

“I see. So I’m a suspect. In a murder investigation.”

“Don’t overreact. Suspect is too strong a word. What if something in this house killed him — either an allergy, or something poisonous you didn’t realize he might encounter.”

Anna shook her head, flabbergasted. “I’m a trained scientist. I know what’s poisonous and what’s not. There’s nothing here that could—”

“Okay, okay. Look, you’re simply a person of interest at this point, that’s all.”

Anna’s brain spun through possibilities. “Who else is a ‘person of interest?’” Her voice betrayed her skepticism of the term.

 

 

About the Author

 

Formerly an anthropologist, then a diplomat, then a park ranger, Jane Gorman now writes murder mysteries. Building on her knowledge of Philadelphia (her home for many years) and her varied experiences, her Adam Kaminski mystery series features a Philly cop who manages to solve complicated murders in far-flung locales, both in the U.S. and overseas. Her Cape May cozy mysteries paint a light-hearted, fun picture of the Cape May life of a former anthropologist who just happens to be good at solving murders – and trying out new cocktails!

 

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What Happened on Box Hill: Austen University Mysteries 
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Louisianna
Bayou Wolf Press (February 1, 2022)
240 Pages

 

Synopsis

 

What would happen if you combined all of Jane Austen’s characters into one modern-day novel?

Murder, of course.

When Caty Morland’s roommate, Isabella, falls to her death on Initiation night, Austen University is quick to cover up the scandal and call it a tragic accident. But avid true-crime lover Caty remains convinced that Isabella didn’t fall; she was murdered. With the help of Pi Kappa Sigma President Emma Woodhouse, Caty organizes a dinner party with the most likely suspects, including familiar faces such as Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Knightley, and Marianne Dashwood. The theme of the night is murder, and Caty has three courses to find out what happened to Isabella–and to try to keep the killer from striking again.

 

 

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Review

 

This was such a fascinating twist on a cozy. While set in the present, the feel and Caty’s approach to solving the mystery felt very much like Agatha Christie or Hercules Poirot.

This book appealed to me on several levels. I loved the Greek organization aspect (sororities and fraternities) because I was one in college and while my experience was very different than what happens at Austen College, I could relate to those involved with the organizations and the different personalities that you might find in any organization, greek or not. I loved that Caty was into true crime and loved listening to podcasts and was immersed in that whole world. While that isn’t my jam, I know many people that love these podcasts, books, and shows. I think it might have made Caty a little more perceptive in her sleuthing. Plus, she met a guy that was into a specific podcast too.

I had to chuckle at first when Caty brings everyone together over dinner and tells them that one of them is a murderer. Despite her passion for true crime, I’m not sure she should have invited a potential murderer to a dinner party. But I think that is what makes this book charming, the innocence of Caty despite her best intentions.

The story does flip back and forth in time which gives us insight into events leading up to Isabella’s murder and who might have had cause to kill her. I actually liked that aspect because it gives us snippets for us to suss out the murderer ourselves.

Since I don’t remember much of Jane Austen, I couldn’t compare the characters of the two books. However, I don’t think that is necessary to enjoy this new cozy series and might even make it better if you aren’t trying to compare it to another book.

I think this will be a fun new series to watch and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Before her body had even begun to decompose, Isabella Thorpe had been almost universally branded by the press, the public, and her peers as a slut. Had young Isabella lived to see her newfound fame, she would have been tickled pink, instead of the grayish-bluish tint of her current color palette. She might have been delighted by the sight of her photographs plastered across the media, even if her carefully applied makeup and the outfit she’d spent hours choosing proved to be ultimately less than durable. Seeing her name pop up on all multiple threads and comments—some sympathetic, but others making her the punchline of a slew of wincingly morbid jokes—might have made her giggle, because the internet was forever and she was, like, totally famous now.

Even the word “slut” itself might not have given her much pause, because wasn’t she always yelling that at her sorority sisters as they laughed and danced and put on a show? It didn’t mean what it used to. It was a term of endearment now, empowerment.

But not, as it turned out, when it was being whispered behind her back—or, to be more accurate, over her dead body. Not when major news outlets were discussing, in detail, the number of people she’d hooked up with during her brief time as a freshman at Austen University; and boys were coming out of the woodwork to testify she’d been the aggressive one, pursuing them; and the same girls who’d laughingly grinded with her only weeks before were giving “special interviews” about how out of control she’d been. Anything for those fifteen minutes of fame.

It all started out innocently enough, this frenzied piranha-feeding of Isabella’s reputation. Before the school issued a formal warning to the students about commenting to the press, Isabella’s roommate, Catherine Morland, was ambushed as she left the sorority house. Petite, wide-eyed Caty looked terrified in the video clip that eventually went viral, and the wolves circled in on her, expecting her to be easy prey. Indeed, when asked about her relationship to Isabella, Caty was barely able to stammer out she was her “best friend” and that “Bella” had been girlfriend to her brother James. (Both claims were later torn to shreds in online forums, in which people speculated why a girl like Isabella who had a “boyfriend” also had an active Tinder profile, and why Caty would claim to be her best friend when she appeared in hardly any of her Instagram pictures.)

But the moment that pushed the video into viral fame was when one of the reporters asked Caty if she had any idea what happened to Isabella. Suddenly small, trembling Caty went still, looking straight into the camera. “Of course I do. She was murdered.”

That was when the president of Pi Kappa Sigma, Emma Woodhouse—tall, blonde, and with a formidable Southern-belle glare—swooped in to wrap a protective arm around Caty. “No more comment, y’all,” she insisted before guiding the younger girl to the safety of her waiting Mercedes. Online, however, no one could protect Caty or Isabella from the ensuing media circus.

Perhaps in the end, even Isabella would have shied away from this kind of attention—regardless that her name briefly became the top “Isabella” in search engines in North America and trended in hashtags, too. The kind of fame she daydreamed about in her lifetime came through merit or achievement. Miss Louisiana, for example, or winner of a televised singing competition, or top Pharma rep in the Southeast U.S. Division.

This kind of fame? It was not earned—it was taken, and turned against you. Voyeurs, gobbling up every gory, illicit detail, just so they could teeter to the edge of danger, then pull back at the last minute. All the while reassuring themselves they were okay, this could never happen to them.

Isabella could have told them differently, of course. This couldn’t have happened to her, either, until it did.

 

 

About the Author

 

Elizabeth Gilliland teaches English at the university level, putting as much Austen into her syllabi as she can get away with. In 2018, she completed her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, where she wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations and fever-dreamed this series in a caffeine-induced haze. She is a proud member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, and excerpts of the Austen University series have won awards through JASNA and Jane Austen & Co/The Jane Austen Summer Program. She lives in Alabama with her husband and son.

 

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