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

 

 

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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.

 

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02/21/23	Review	Bibliotica
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No Small Murder: A Mini-Meadows Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Florida
Level Best Books (February 21, 2023)
Number of Pages 215

 

Synopsis

 

Mini Meadows, a Tiny Home community in rural Central Florida, is home to Emma Wells, a downsize specialist who left her daddy’s mansion and her inheritance behind in favor of a simpler, more peaceful life in a tiny home that was once two shipping containers. But when she opens a shipping container and discovers her dead client sitting in a rocking chair, neatly wrapped and labeled, and two of her friends end up on the suspect list, Emma pitches in to help find the killer. With plenty of clues to unpack, Emma narrows down the suspect list, but as she begins to close in on the culprit, she realizes if she’s not careful she could end up in a box of her own.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

What a fun setting for this new cozy series, a tiny home community. I love looking at tiny homes; just not 100% sure I could live in one. If I did, I would need someone like Emma to help me downsize my current home to a new one. I do love all of the suggestions in the book for hidden storage spaces built into these tiny homes; they are tips that could be used for any sized home.

Emma is surprised by the sudden appearance of her grandmother at the beginning of the book. Granny Rose has decided that she doesn’t want to live by her son’s rules and unilaterally decides to move in with Emma. Now if you think about it, Emma lives in a tiny house. Is there enough room for two people? Yes and no. But at the same time, Emma realizes how lonely she has been, despite her business and her friends. Granny Rose is a hoot and fits right in, mainly when she adopts a Great Dane named Buck. Adopt is a strong word. It is really a part of a small house that she wants to purchase from the murder victim’s wife.

I enjoyed the varied cast of characters. Emma has some good friends, and a few new ones are added to the mix in pursuit of the killer. There is even a potential love interest for Emma, but I think that might take another book or two to come to fruition.

The murder is engaging, and I had no idea who the killer was and was quite surprised when all was revealed. There are not many clues, or I just missed them. But it was a well-written mystery, and the answer might surprise you as much as it did me.

I think this is going to be a fun new series, and I look forward to upcoming books. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lena Gregory grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of Central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

It’s gonna be a great day! Or, so she thought.

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent, amateur sleuth, doesn’t suspect her least favorite client, Stewart (The Pain) Payne, will set off circumstances that lead to disappearance and death.

After his wife is a no-show for a convention in New Orleans, his threat to sue Graves Travel for “ten times more than it’s worth”, and Andi’s wish to honor one of her late dad’s requests, leads her to The Big Easy in search of Grace Payne.

Five unsolved murders, a body caught in a crawfish cage, and a mysterious candle, magic, and incense shop, takes Andi deep into the bayou on a hunt for clues.

Will another victim be added to a serial killer’s list, or is the main suspect closer to Andi than she thinks?

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo

 

This book will be released on February 27th, 2023.

 

 

Review

 

New Orleans, the home of voodoo, gators, and murder.

Andi Anna is a travel agent in Florida with an overzealous ex-stepmother and a brilliant assistant in her business. When she books a client on a trip to New Orleans, and the client ends up dead, she somehow gets roped into traveling there to figure out what happened.

This is the second book in this series, and I have enjoyed both. Andi Anna can’t help herself and stumbles across clues, and the killer, perhaps a little too often. She does manage to put herself in harm’s way, but not by choice. Luckily, she has some good people on her side that come to her rescue.

The mystery is well written, and while you might guess who the killer is, it isn’t an obvious answer. But there are enough clues to point you in the right direction if you are able to pick up on them.

Andi Anna’s ex-stepmother, Ruby, is the kind of woman you can’t miss. She manages to insert herself into situations and other people’s lives whether they want her there or not. She definitely tests Andi Anna’s patience. Her assistant, Ellie, adds to the story, and it helps that her family lives in the New Orleans area and is able to help out Andi Anna when she needs it the most.

We don’t see a lot of the police detective from Mexico that she met in the first book. However, I think that might change in book three.

This is a fun series, and I look forward to Andi Anna’s next adventure. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Mary Cunningham grew up on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn.”

Through the author’s horrifying stint as a travel agent, The Andi Anna Jones mysteries sprang to life. The adult/mystery series gives extra meaning to the phrase, “Write what you know.” Cunningham has several published books, including a five-book middle-grade fantasy, a women’s lifestyle/humor book, and a sports/military brat biography about a UConn/WNBA basketball player.

She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Sisters In Crime, Atlanta Chapter, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming, and exploring the mountains of West Georgia, where she makes her home with her husband.

 

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BRUTAL SEASON

 

The Seasons Mysteries Series #4

 

BY MARYANN MILLER

 

 

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

Police Procedural / Mystery

Publisher: MCM Enterprises

Coming April 10, 2023

 

 

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Eighteen-year-old Jamel Frederickson is shot and killed by a white, rookie Dallas police officer. His crime? Being black and mentally ill.

Following that unwarranted death, anger, and violence erupts on the streets, leading to the murders of two protestors who were marching around the downtown federal building.

Detectives Sarah Kingsly and Angel Johnson are thrust into the investigation of those murders, while desperately clinging to the threads of their partnership.

The shootings also raise questions about whether the alt-right white supremacists that invaded the city with their guns and inflammatory rhetoric are responsible.

Will more people get killed?

Is there more than one person out there with an agenda?

When a member of the team, Ryan O’Donnell, is shot while attempting to prevent looting, the tension in the city, and the department, ratchets up even higher. And it deeply affects Angel who’s been pretending she really isn’t falling for this white man.

Angel joins the protests to take a stand against racism in the city and within the department; an action that puts her job, her relationship with Ryan, and her fragile partnership with Sarah at risk.

For her part, Sarah comes to realize that she is not as enlightened as she thought she was, and both women just hope they can come through the personal and professional challenges and end up with something that resembles a true partnership.

While catching the killers in the process.

 

 

Now Available for Pre-Order!

 

 

Advance Praise

 

“In the compelling fourth installment of the Seasons Mystery series, Miller once again tackles difficult subjects in this absorbing, page-turning crime thriller.”–Carrie Rubin, author of Fatal Rounds, a Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize Finalist

 

 

 

 

Maryann Miller, an award-winning author, has been in love with storytelling since she was a child and used to scare her sister with stories of the monsters in the cellar.

When she grew up, she started her professional career as a journalist, writing newspaper columns, feature stories, and short fiction for regional and national publications. Her novels are primarily mysteries, with an occasional mainstream novel thrown into the mix.

Miller is the recipient of the Page Edwards Short Story Award for her story Maybe Someday and the New York Library Best Books for Teens Award for her nonfiction book, Coping with Weapons And Violence In School and On Your Streets. Her mystery, Doubletake, was honored as the Best Mystery by the Texas Association of Authors. She took first place in the short story and screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer’s Conference and was a semi-finalist at Sundance for her script “A Question of Honor.” She was also a semi-finalist in the Chesterfield Screenwriting Competition with the adaptation of Open Season, the first book in the Seasons Mystery Series.

When not writing, Miller loves to play on stage and play in her garden.  She lives in Texas with her dog and three cats. The cats rule.

 

 

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Synopsis

 

It should have been an otherwise uneventful Sunday morning for Charleston attorney Noah Parks. Perhaps a trip to the beach or a run with his new Australian Shepherd, Austin. But with a cryptic voicemail, everything changes.

A client has vanished, leaving nothing behind as a clue to where he may be. Neither his family, friends, nor neighbors are able to provide help.”

Turning to his friend Emmett Gabriel, Charleston’s newest police detective, Parks can only watch as what started with a simple voicemail takes on a sinister life of its own.

Parks soon finds himself entangled in an affair that spans centuries, going back to the time of Charleston’s birth.

With a focus on learning his client’s fate, Parks will soon find himself facing a mystery that will not only be a test of his wits but leaves him challenged in ways he never imagined.

Facing down twists, turns, betrayals, and traditions of honor, will he break The Code?

 

 

Amazon * Rivers Turn Press

 

Excerpt

 

He looked into my eyes with something that could only be described as desperation. Suddenly, his look of despair faded as if a veil was lifted from his face. He stopped speaking and stood straight. His hands stopped moving, and he looked at each of them, turning them over, back to palm, as he examined them. He raised his head back to my eyes. As he looked at me, in an instant, the fearful look drained from his face, replacing it, a blank, expressionless gaze took hold of his features. He moved his eyes to my hand on his bicep, then shifted his gaze back to my face. He slowly twisted his arm from my slight grasp. He spoke slowly and methodically.

“No, Cash didn’t call. No one called. There was nothing from Cash.”

“But you just said…”

“I didn’t say anything. Nothing,” he said as he turned and faced the rear of the lot.

 

 

Interview with Sean

 

Thanks for the interview, Sean! Your book, THE CODE, sounds absolutely awesome. Can you tell us the story behind that intriguing title?

 

Sean: The title comes from a best selling publication from way back in 1838. The Code, the Noah Parks work, as with my prior books, is a murder mystery, but the foundation for the reason behind the murders goes back to the ideas in the 1838 book. I came across the 1838 book in some reading I was doing after The Solicitor, my second book, was released, and that started the basis for the plot that would become my third book.

 

Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

Sean: There are three main characters in The Code that are consistent throughout all of my mysteries.

Noah Parks – he is a Charleston, South Carolina attorney who has been practicing law for several years during the period of the events in The Code. An early morning phone call from a relative of one of his clients that sets in motion the story that is The Code. Noah doesn’t set out to be a detective and I would say he does not consider himself a detective, but is always curious to get to the bottom of a mystery.

Austin – he is Noah’s Australian Shepherd. In The Code, he was just adopted and has been living with Noah for about six months. He was a mainstay in my prior two books, and as I was researching The Code, I found some intriguing historical ties to canines, so it was logical to work those into the plot with Austin. As well, every character has a back story, and The Code starts Austin’s.

Emmett Gabriel – or Gabriel as he is known, is a Charleston Police officer. He has just been made a detective, and the murders in The Code are his first major cases. Gabriel and Noah, even though they grew up in Charleston, had never met prior to being randomly assigned as roommates at The University of South Carolina. They became fast friends and remain so.

 

Where is your book set and why did you choose that particular location?

 

Sean: The Code, like all of my books, is set primarily in Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve lived in the area for most of my life and love the city. It was logical for me to use it as the setting for my books. Unlike my first two books, The Trust and The Solicitor, which have scenes in other parts of the South Carolina coast, The Code occurs entirely in the Holy City as Charleston is known.

 

What part would you say was the most exciting to write?

 

Sean: It is tough for me to isolate any one part of the book as y favorite, though there are several scenes with Austin that I really enjoyed, Noah’s scenes, as the book is in first person, are always fun to create as well. I enjoyed the final scenes with Noah that began to close the book. However, the most two enjoyable things about the writing process for The Code were the research that allowed me to begin to craft the plot and, since The Code is a prequel, it was tremendously enjoyable seeing the character’s back story develop.

 

What’s next for you?

 

Sean: I became fascinated with the research behind The Code. Being able to have the historical underpinning and foundation that creates a mystery within a mystery was something that I really enjoyed. As a result, I have another idea I am researching that will be the next Noah Parks book. No title as of yet, but it will follow next in time after The Code.

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Sean Keefer is the award-winning author of three legal thrillers, The Trust, The Solicitor, and The Code, all set in and around coastal South Carolina.

He is also the author of Mediation in the Family Courts of South Carolina, a legal treatise on family law mediation.

He lives and writes in Charleston, South Carolina.

In addition to his writing, Sean is a recording and performing guitarist/singer/songwriter of Americana and Alt-Country music. Watch him sing Carolina Sunset which was inspired by his latest book, The Code. Listen here!

 

 

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Synopsis

 

It’s a magical book club! When this group chooses a book, magic happens. The mystery comes to life, and they find themselves part of the story. To exit the book and get back home, they need to solve the mystery and reach The End.

This time, the club chooses a book called The Great Cake Rivalry, because, well … cake! They read the back cover, and it’s unanimous. So off they go into another grand adventure into a town aptly named Frosting.

Frosting is a rural town in an idyllic setting. The people live quiet lives most of the year. But in the spring, things change. The Annual Cake Competition becomes the focus of every man, woman, and child. They take this competition seriously. The cakes are spectacular. The festival is fabulous. For a week, there are contests featuring all kinds of cakes. The people of the community become official tasters and vote for the winning cakes in each category.

The grand finale is a display of finely decorated cakes made by the town’s bakeries. The winner of the best design receives a prize package that would make any baker dizzy.

Sadly, this event has been tainted. Once a year, each one different, but all somehow related to this event, a person is murdered. The main investigator is stumped, but that could be because he’s an inept buffoon.

Can the book club help the people of this community figure out who is causing this disturbing pattern of deaths, and stop another murder from happening? Can they figure out why some of the citizens dress so oddly, and why they always wear those unique backpacks? All while they fill themselves to the brim with cake, of course.

 

 

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Review

 

I still love this concept, a book within a book, and this one does not disappoint. Paige, Glo, and the gang are picking their next book to dive into, literally. Their new pick is a modern-day setting with a paranormal aspect with the characters in the book since they can see Mollie (a ghost that is now part of the group from the previous book) and hear Frank, the cat.

The book they chose starts off differently because it is in the voice of the killer, but that doesn’t make their job any easier to uncover that person. There is a smaller set of characters that could be the culprit, but the clues really don’t start revealing themselves until near the end. I thought I had the mystery solved at the end, but I was wrong. I think my mouth dropped when they unmasked the killer because it wasn’t anyone on my radar.

There is a new discovery in the Inn they own and where the magical library is housed, a room that holds the books of all previous book clubs and their adventures. This book club has apparently gone on for centuries, and there might be a little more to Frank than we know after a drunken incident and his ramblings. Only future books will reveal those truths.

As with other books, a character can choose to stay in the book they are in, with the book club writing the ending that includes leaving that person behind. There is one character that finds their match, and who could blame them for wanting to stay behind? You’ll have to read the book to learn who it is.

I enjoy this series and look forward to the next book. We give this one 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.

 

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Wined and Died in New Orleans (A Vintage Cookbook)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Louisiana
Berkley (February 7, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

 

 

Synopsis

 

The second in a fantastic new cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Ellen Byron.

 

It’s hurricane season in New Orleans and vintage cookbook fan Ricki James-Diaz is trying to shelve her weather-related fears and focus on her business, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop, housed in the magnificent Bon Vee Culinary House Museum.

Repairs on the property unearth crates of very old, very valuable French wine, buried by the home’s builder, Jean-Louis Charbonnet. Ricki, who’s been struggling to attract more customers to Miss Vee’s, is thrilled when her post about the discovery of this long-buried treasure goes viral. She’s less thrilled when the post brings distant Charbonnet family members out of the woodwork, all clamoring for a cut of the wine’s sale.

When a dead body turns up in Bon Vee’s cheery fall decorations, the NOPD zeroes in on Eugenia Charbonnet Felice as the prime suspect, figuring that as head of the Charbonnet family, she has the most to gain. Ricki is determined to uncover the real culprit, but she can’t help noticing that Eugenia is acting strangely. Ricki wonders what kind of secret her mentor has bottled up, and fears what might happen if she uncorks it.

In the second Vintage Cookbook Mystery, Ricki has to help solve a murder, untangle family secrets, and grow her business, all while living under the threat of a hurricane that could wipe out everything from her home to Bon Vee.

 

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

 

 

Review

 

Everything is not as it seems; there are multiple surprise reveals that will keep you glued to the pages.

Having family from south Louisiana, I always love a book with that setting. This is the second in this series set in New Orleans and features a family that some might consider nobility in certain circles of N’awlins.

In the second installment of this series, cases of rare wine are discovered under Bon Vee, which sets off an influx of “family” that state that they have a claim on the proceeds. Greed has a way of bringing out the worst in people, especially family members. These characters keep Rickie, Eugenia, and the rest of the gang on their toes while they sort through the details.

I loved the book from start to finish. I find Rickie’s shop to be quite intriguing. I love to cook and have many cooking gadgets myself, but nothing antique, but I do love roaming through cooking stores and imagine that I could spend hours rummaging through Miss Vee’s store.

A new family addition is Olivia. She is Eugenia’s granddaughter and something of a typical Gen Z., but that also brings about a multitude of talents that Rickie can use, from posting tips to videos and images. While Olivia might seem a bit surly at times, I grew to love her character and hope we see her more in the future.

I had to chuckle at Carissa, who has the hots for Virgil (but I’m pretty sure he likes Rickie), and her antics. Never come between two people and their dogs! It will never end well for you.

I will not reveal any spoilers, but this is becoming a new favorite from this author. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

We give this book 5 paws up!

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty Awards for Best Humorous Mystery. Bayou Book Thief will be the first book in her new Vintage Cookbook Mysteries. She also writes the Catering Hall Mystery series under the name Maria DiRico.

Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly Odd Parents. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. An alum of New Orleans’ Tulane University, she blogs with Chicks on the Case, is a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America, and will be the 2023 Left Coast Crime Toastmaster.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

While her colleagues investigate the brutal murder of a prominent businessman, Jessica Niemi must battle demons from her past in this terrifying new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Hunter.

Powerful executive Eliel Zetterborg has been found murdered in his upscale Helsinki home. What at first seems like a straightforward case soon proves to be anything but when it becomes clear the murderer has other targets. The only clue the police have is a photo of Zetterborg with three men whose faces have all been scratched off.

Detective Jessica Niemi has taken some time off from her work with the Helsinki police to track down the coven that nearly killed her, and her partner, Yusuf, is assigned to lead the investigation. But as Yusuf delves into the case, he realizes he needs Jessica’s help. And as they dig deeper, they realize that the evil they’ve been hunting all along has returned and is lying in wait for the right moment to strike.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop * Penguin Random House

 

 

About the Author

 

International and New York Times bestselling author Max Seeck writes novels and screenplays full-time. He lives with his wife and children near Helsinki.

 

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Synopsis

 

Someone is operating the largest stock market insider trading scheme in the history of the United States. The perpetrator of the scheme has hidden their identity through elusive actions. However, the perpetrator may not have planned on a brilliant FBI forensic accountant, Dr. Kimberly King, leading the investigation to uncover their identity and to put them out of business and into jail.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords

 

 

Review

 

I loved this book! It helps that I used to work in the securities industry and understood a lot of what was happening regarding the stock trades and the investigation into insider trading.

This book is told from several different viewpoints. We have Harley Ross, a busboy that is receiving letters with stock picks, an unknown person collecting checks and flying to the Caymans, and the FBI perspective. I really enjoyed the various perspectives because they added depth to the story and added complexity when sorting out the details in my mind and trying to uncover the mystery person. I will say that the truth was never on my radar until closer to the very end.

Dr. Kimberly King, the new employee in the fraud division of the FBI, is a smart woman and loves digging into mysteries, much like her hero, Nancy Drew. I could relate to her love for mysteries and solving puzzles. She is also a very likable character and is able to make friends wherever she goes. Considering her background, she is very down-to-earth and approachable. I’d like to think that we would be friends and bond over mysteries, forensic accounting, and consignment shops.

I don’t know if this will be a series, but I think it would be fun to follow K.K. during her journey with the FBI and the different fraud cases that they investigate.

I will admit that I might have stayed up just a little too late finishing this book. But it was worth it for the journey!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Peter Davidson is the author or co-author of thirty-one books published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, Perigee/Putnam Publishers, Haworth Press, Sweet Memories Publishing, and Northwestern Publishing.  His works include fiction, nonfiction, college textbooks, and children’s picture books.

For more than two decades, Davidson was one of America’s most active writer’s seminar presenters, having presented 637 one-day seminars in a 15-state area from Minnesota to Tennessee and Colorado to Illinois.  Davidson has owned small businesses, including a professional recording studio, has sold real estate, and taught business courses in a community college.  Whatever else was going on in his life, Davidson kept on writing.

 

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Synopsis

 

Ghostly Command is the riveting story about a ghost and a reluctant paranormal investigator working together to solve the ghost’s murder, the first book in the Joanna Davis Mystery series.

Author Joanna Davis has a gift, an uncomfortable gift she has had since she was ten-years-old. She can see and hear those who have passed on. Suddenly she has a ghost in her kitchen who is trying to solve her own murder, except there is already someone in jail for the crime, an innocent someone or so says the ghost. Can Joanna help? Does she want to? Does she even have a choice? Follow this reluctant investigator as she works to solve this case and find the person who actually committed the crime.

 

 

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Review

 

If you like ghostly mysteries, then check out this book. It is the first in a series with a middle-aged divorced woman that has the gift of communicating with ghosts.

I have to admit that I didn’t remember that from the synopsis, so when I started the book I felt a little lost. It seemed like things were happening without that background information until a little later. However, once that information is disclosed, some of the incidents make a lot more sense.

Joanna is a likable character, as are many of the main characters we meet. This is set in a somewhat smaller town, so gossip abounds and there will always be the “haters.” I liked that Joanna wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted, and the main things was remodeling her home. As it is with older homes, when you start working one thing you find five other things wrong. Good thing she had a good contractor helping her with those renovations.

When Joanna first meets the ghost, it was a bit unnerving, but as time went on, she discovered a mystery that needed to be solved. As an author, she did a lot of research for her books, so researching this ghost and what happened to her wasn’t too hard. Now it was a matter of finding someone that believed her and would take another look at this supposedly solved case.

I won’t give you any spoilers, but I was quite surprised at how the mystery unraveled itself. Considering the individual involved, it could have blown up even more so.

This was an enjoyable storyline and it kept me engaged. There were times when I thought the writing felt stilted, or there information was repeated multiple times. However, that did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Author R.K. O’Brien has been writing since she was 7 with a debut short story titled THE BLOB THAT ATE WEST HAVEN. Her BA is in English and Creative Writing and my MS is in Investigations. She has been writing professionally for over 25 years and was an actress in musical theatre before that. She usually write novels, but has also published poetry, a guide to pocket parks and a self-help book. Her occasional side gig is as a high school director of musical theatre and as a speaker on the art and craft of writing.

 

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