suspense

Book Review & Giveaway: The Wayward Target by Susan Ouellette

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Genre: Espionage Thriller
Published by: CamCat Publishing
Publication Date: April 2023
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780744308723 (ISBN10: 0744308720)
Series: The Wayward Series, Book 3 | Each is a Stand-Alone
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

When a price is placed on her head, Maggie must face the terroristic mastermind to save her lover’s life without betraying her most loyal friend.

Evil Triumphs Only if Good Women Do Nothing

A year after hunting down the terrorist who killed her fiancé, CIA analyst Maggie Jenkins finds herself with a price on her head. In retaliation for chasing and killing an elite member of a terrorist cell, Maggie now is on the hitlist of the mastermind behind numerous terrorist attacks.

With Maggie’s movements severely restricted by the presence of a round-the-clock security detail, it’s up to her boss, Warner Thompson, and CIA officer Roger Patterson to find and eliminate the terrorist who stalks her. But when a shadowy Russian operative surfaces and presents Maggie with intel that might lead her to the man who orchestrated her fiancé’s death, she can no longer watch from the sidelines. Is she willing to risk her growing relationship with Roger, Warner’s career, and her own life to finally get justice and bring down a major terrorist cell?

Amazon – https://amzn.to/3HVQyc5
Barnes & Noble – https://bit.ly/3HXrxgI
BookShop.org – https://bit.ly/3xpaJKB
Goodreads – https://bit.ly/3jQiINH
CamCat Books – https://bit.ly/3Koojpp

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Maggie Jenkins finally got her revenge on the terrorist who killed her fiancé, but now she’s on a hitlist by the assassin’s terrorist cell. Of course, being Maggie, she has to take matters into her own hands.

The action is nonstop in The Wayward Target, but I still have reservations about Maggie going off on her own and not being punished for it. I would think that if her boss, Warner, is going to continue to let her go rogue that he would at least get her some training just in case.

I like how Maggie’s relationships have developed over the last three books, especially her relationship with Roger, an agent with the CIA.

Although this book definitely stands alone, it is better if you read all three books, of course.

About the Author

Susan Ouellette was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, where she studied international relations and Russian language and culture at both Harvard University and Boston University. As the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse, she worked as an intelligence analyst at the CIA, where she earned a commendation for her work done during the failed 1991 Soviet coup. Subsequently, Susan worked on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).

It was there in the Capitol Building, during quiet moments, that Susan conceived of Maggie Jenkins, an intrepid female character thrust into a dangerous situation borne of tragedy. Next came the threads of a plot, and from that blossomed her first espionage thriller, The Wayward Spy.

Susan lives on a farm outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband, three boys, cats, chickens, turkeys, and too many honeybees to count. In her spare time, she loves to read, root for Boston sports teams, and spend time staring out at the ocean on the North Carolina coast.

Catch Up With Susan:
www.SusanOuellette.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @susanobooks1
Instagram – @susanobooks
Twitter – @smobooks
Facebook – @SusanOuelletteAuthor
YouTube – @susanouellette-author6477

Giveaway

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Susan Ouellette & CamCat Books.

The giveaway is for:  physical copies of The Wayward Target by Susan Ouellette

https://kingsumo.com/g/wuexxg/the-wayward-assassin-by-susan-ouellette

Follow the Tour

04/11 Podcast interview @ Blog Talk Radio
04/11 Review @ Just Reviews
04/17 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
04/18 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
04/18 Showcase @ Im Into Books
04/19 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
04/20 Showcase @ 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS
04/21 Review @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
04/24 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
04/25 Interview @ Hott Books
04/30 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
05/02 Review @ sunny island breezes
05/03 Review @ elaine_sapp65
05/04 Review @ mokwip8991
05/11 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
05/11 Review @ Melissa As Blog
05/12 Review @ Bound 4 Escape

Book Review: The Wayward Assassin by Susan Ouellette

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Although told to stand down now that the Chechen rebel who killed her fiancé is dead, CIA Analyst Maggie Jenkins believes otherwise and goes rogue to track down the assassin. Soon it becomes clear that failure to find Zara will have repercussions far beyond the personal, as Maggie uncovers plans for a horrific attack on innocent Americans. Zara is the new face of terrorism – someone who doesn’t fit the profile, who can slip undetected from attack to attack, and who’s intent on pursuing a personal vendetta at any cost.

Chasing Zara from Russia to the war-torn streets of Chechnya, to London, and finally, to the suburbs of Washington, DC, Maggie risks her life to stop a deadly plot.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Maggie is obsessed with finding her fiancé’s assassin, Zara. Knowing that Maggie is an analyst and hasn’t been trained to deal with pursuing terrorists made it difficult for me to get too involved in Maggie’s quest. The fact that she doesn’t want to accept help from actual agents made no sense to me.

Despite not caring for the main character, this book moves quickly most of the time. It starts with a terrorist attack at a school in Russia, moves to London, then the US. Maggie not only wants to find Zara, but she believes that Zara is going to be involved in another terrorist attach which she wants to stop.

There are some twists and it had a more satisfying ending than the first book. I’m ready to start the next book in the series! I’m sure it will be action-packed, and I’m hoping it’s a little more believable as far as Maggie is concerned.

About the Author

Susan Ouellette was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, where she studied international relations and Russian language and culture at both Harvard University and Boston University. As the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse, she worked as an intelligence analyst at the CIA, where she earned a commendation for her work done during the failed 1991 Soviet coup. Subsequently, Susan worked on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).

It was there in the Capitol Building, during quiet moments, that Susan conceived of Maggie Jenkins, an intrepid female character thrust into a dangerous situation borne of tragedy. Next came the threads of a plot, and from that blossomed her first espionage thriller, The Wayward Spy.

Susan lives on a farm outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband, three boys, cats, chickens, turkeys, and too many honeybees to count. In her spare time, she loves to read, root for Boston sports teams, and spend time staring out at the ocean on the North Carolina coast.

Catch Up With Susan:
www.SusanOuellette.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @susanobooks1
Instagram – @susanobooks
Twitter – @smobooks
Facebook – @SusanOuelletteAuthor
YouTube – @susanouellette-author6477

Book Review: The Wayward Spy by Susan Ouellette

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When her fiancé, a CIA operative accused of treason, is killed overseas, intelligence analyst Maggie Jenkins smells cover-up and sets out to clear his name. Maggie disobeys direct orders and travels to Tbilisi, Georgia, to follow a trail littered with secrets and lies, corruption and deceit, risking her own life to expose the terrorist threat at the intersection where the Russian Mafia, Chechen rebels, Al Qaeda and…US government officials meet.

From the halls of power in Washington, DC to the political chaos of the former Soviet Union, Maggie must confront players from the intelligence, political, and criminal worlds who will do anything to stop her. How far will Maggie go to uncover the truth?

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

When Maggie’s fiancé is killed overseas and it’s suggested that he was a traitor, she knows that she has to find out who killed him so that she can clear his name. Easier said than done. The way she goes about clearing his name is to secretly go to Tbilisi, Georgia, where he’d been killed and, of course, she is kidnapped. Things get exciting from then on although quite unbelievable.

The story starts slowly and includes a lot of extra government information that I felt wasn’t needed, but the last 25% of it was exciting with a couple of twists and Maggie not knowing if she could trust anyone. Because of the excitement at the end, I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully, it will keep my interest throughout next time.

About the Author

Susan Ouellette was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, where she studied international relations and Russian language and culture at both Harvard University and Boston University. As the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse, she worked as an intelligence analyst at the CIA, where she earned a commendation for her work done during the failed 1991 Soviet coup. Subsequently, Susan worked on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).

It was there in the Capitol Building, during quiet moments, that Susan conceived of Maggie Jenkins, an intrepid female character thrust into a dangerous situation borne of tragedy. Next came the threads of a plot, and from that blossomed her first espionage thriller, The Wayward Spy.

Susan lives on a farm outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband, three boys, cats, chickens, turkeys, and too many honeybees to count. In her spare time, she loves to read, root for Boston sports teams, and spend time staring out at the ocean on the North Carolina coast.

Catch Up With Susan:
www.SusanOuellette.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @susanobooks1
Instagram – @susanobooks
Twitter – @smobooks
Facebook – @SusanOuelletteAuthor
YouTube – @susanouellette-author6477

Audiobook Review: The Registration by Madison Lawson

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Book Title: The Registration (a Novel) by Madison Lawson
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  320 pages
Genre: Thriller
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date:  September 2022
Content Rating: PG-13 + M. There is violence, including a torture scene, and some language, as well as mention of domestic violence, abuse, murder, and abortions.

 

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.

​BUY THE BOOK:
CamCat Books
AUDIBLE ~ AMAZON 
B&N ~ IndieBound ~ Bookshop
add to goodreads

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Registration begins with Lynell overhearing someone Registering her, and it is a page-turner immediately. She’s a survivor who has not had the best life so far. She was abused by her stepfather. She has an ex who she still loves, but that whole storyline of their past was a little bothersome for me.

Lynell and Daniel represented good and innocence while her uncle represented the epitome of evil. There were several torture scenes that were horribly graphic, so if you’re squeamish, I wouldn’t recommend this book (this is the 2nd audiobook in a row I’ve said that).

There is a lot about her family that Lynell doesn’t know since she never knew who her father was. She does learn about her family and there are some twists, but there are also a couple of things that were so obvious that I thought I must be wrong – but I wasn’t.

The narrator did a good job. I enjoyed listening to her voice, and her pace and timing were spot on.

I do recommend The Registration. Any book that makes me cry as hard as it did proves that the characters were well-developed, but I wish there was more to the ending. Maybe there will be a follow up book?

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.

connect with the author: 

website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Follow the Tour

Mar 27 – My Reading Getaway – book review / author interview
Mar 27 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight
Mar 28 – Leanne Bookstagram – book review
Mar 28 – Liese’s Blog – book spotlight
Mar 29 – fundinmental – book spotlight
Mar 29 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / guest post
Mar 29 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review
Mar 30 – JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book spotlight / guest post
Mar 31 – Novels Alive – audiobook review
Mar 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – book review
Apr 3 – Lynchburg Reads – book review
Apr 4 – Review Thick And Thin – book review / guest post
Apr 4 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / author interview
Apr 5 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review
Apr 6 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review
Apr 7 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review
Apr 7 – Leels Loves Books – book review
Apr 10 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post
Apr 11 – Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s – book review
Apr 11 – Sandra’s Book Club – book review
Apr 12 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – book spotlight
Apr 12 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book review
Apr 12 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post
Apr 13 – Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf – audiobook review
Apr 13 – Mystery Review Crew – book review
Apr 14 – Geauxgetlit – audiobook review
Apr 14 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Apr 17 – Books and Games – audiobook review / author interview
Apr 17 – Just Another Reader – book review 

Book Review: If She Lives by Erik Therme

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Tess Parker knows tragedy better than most.

After surviving the death of her daughter and kidnapping of her nephew, Tess is ready to return to normal life. But her troubled past has other plans, and when an old threat reemerges, Tess must seek the help of an unlikely ally to set things right.

No matter what the cost.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I have read Erik Therme‘s books and enjoy his writing style and the suspense in his books. I read the first two books in this series, If She Dies and If She Wakes. Of course, I had to read the last book in the series to find out what happens!

Tess is not as much of a mess as she was in the first two books. She’s realizing the mistakes she made in the past, although she was a grieving mother with little support, so it’s kind of understandable. She and her sister-in-law, Torrie, have become close and Tess has been staying with her since she separated from her husband, Josh. She takes care of Levi, Torrie’s baby, while Torrie works.

Tess is happy in her current situation, so, of course, it doesn’t last for long. Torrie’s house catches on fire and things spiral from there. She’s scared for herself and her family, and the journey she ends up taking is full of suspense.

The ending was satisfactory. It was a bit of a surprise, but I knew there was something…I just couldn’t put my finger on it! If She Lives is a standalone novel, but I suggest reading all three in order to get the most out of it.

About the Author

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.

Join Erik’s mailing list to be notified of new releases and author giveaways: http://eepurl.com/cD1F8L

Website: http://www.eriktherme.com
Twitter: eriktherme

Audiobook Review & Giveaway: Fool Her Once by Joanna Elm

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Fool Her Once (A Novel) by Joanna Elm
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +), 416 pages 
Genre:  Thriller
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date:   Feb, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M. There’s adultery, language, some sexual content, and violent crime, but no explicit descriptions of the crimes.

 


Some killers are born. Others are made.

​As a rookie tabloid reporter, Jenna Sinclair made a tragic mistake when she outed Denny Dennison, the illegitimate son of an executed serial killer. So she hid behind her marriage and motherhood. Now, decades later, betrayed by her husband and resented by her teenage daughter, Jenna decides to resurrect her career—and returns to the city she loves.

When her former lover is brutally assaulted outside Jenna’s NYC apartment building, Jenna suspects that Denny has inherited his father’s psychopath gene and is out for revenge. She knows she must track him down before he can harm his next target, her daughter.

Meanwhile, her estranged husband, Zack, fears that her investigative reporting skills will unearth his own devastating secret he’d kept buried in the past.

From New York City to the remote North Fork of Long Island and the murky waters surrounding it, Jenna rushes to uncover the terrible truth about a psychopath and realizes her own investigation may save or destroy her family.

Buy the Book:
CamCat Books
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ IndieBound ~ BookShop
BookBub
add to goodreads

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Fool Her Once is a book that is difficult to put down. There are secrets from the past that Jenna, an experienced investigative reporter, starts to uncover. She wants to know what happened to the son of the serial killer she reported about years ago. She has always felt she needed to look over one shoulder and she wants to end that. But now, she uncovers things that make her scared about the future for her and her family.

The story switches from the past to the present. At times near the beginning, I didn’t feel it was necessary, but the longer I listened, the more I realized that it was necessary.

Along with the thriller aspect of the story, there are intertwined relationships that are all somehow a part of Jenna’s life. I’ve learned to keep notes on the different characters in books, thank goodness, or I may have gotten confused.

I enjoyed listening to the narrator, Rachel Fulginiti. Her pace and timing were very good.

I’m used to books with surprises, but there were one or two that had my jaw dropping! This is the first book I’ve read by Joanna Elm, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.

About the Author

Joanna Elm is an author, journalist, blogger, and attorney. Before the publication of her first two suspense novels (Scandal, Tor/Forge 1996); (Delusion, Tor/Forge/1997), she was an investigative journalist on the London Evening News on Fleet Street in the U.K. She also wrote for British magazines like Woman’s Own.

Then, she moved to New York where she worked as a writer/producer for television news and tabloid TV programs like “A Current Affair.” She was also the researcher/writer for WNEW-TV’s Emmy-award-winning documentary “Irish Eyes.” In 1980, she joined the Star as a reporter, eventually becoming the magazine’s news editor and managing editor before moving to Philadelphia as editor of the news/features section of TV Guide.

After completing her first two novels while living in South Florida, (Nelson DeMille described Scandal as “fresh, original and unpredictable”) Joanna returned to New York, enrolled in law school, graduated summa cum laude, passed the NY Bar exam, and worked as a principal law clerk for an appellate division justice in the prestigious First Department. She has been married to her husband Joe for 35 years and has one son.

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of FOOL HER ONCE
(2 winners/USA only)

Gleam

Follow the Tour

Feb 20 –Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 20 –Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 21– Diane’s Book Journal – book review
Feb 22 –JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 22 –Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Feb 23 –Leanne Bookstagram – book review
Feb 24 – Liese’s Blog – book spotlight
Feb 27 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book spotlight
Feb 28 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 1 – Sandra’s Book Club – book review
Mar 3 – My Reading Getaway – book review / giveaway
Mar 3 –Books for Books – book spotlight 
Mar 6 – Books are a Blessing – book review / giveaway
Mar 7 –The Obsessed Reader – book review / giveaway
Mar 7 –Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 8 –@shangread_la – book review / giveaway
Mar 8 –@bookqueenbee – audiobook review
Mar 9 –Paws.Read.Repeat – book review / giveaway
Mar 13 –Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / giveaway
Mar 14 –Authors on iTours: Let’s Talk Books – audiobook review
Mar 14 – The Adventures of a Traveler’s Wife – book review / giveaway
Mar 15 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review / giveaway
Mar 15 – Mystery Review Crew – book review / giveaway
Mar 15 – FUONLYKNEW – book review / giveaway
Mar 16 – Books and Games – audiobook review
Mar 17 – Just Another Reader – book review / giveaway
Mar 17 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Mar 20–Adventurous Jessy–book review / giveaway
Mar 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book review / giveaway
Mar 20 – Welcome To MLM Opinion’s Reviews – book review
Mar 20 – Bigreadersite–book review
TBD – Amy’s Booket List – audiobook review / giveaway
TBD – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway

Book Review & Giveaway: Chris Crossed Murder by Lauren Carr

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Book Title:  Chris Crossed Murder (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +) 
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   Feb 22, 2023

Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Description

​It proves to be a Christmas to remember when the Matheson family receives the horrendous news that Chris Matheson’s body has been found in the woods near an international airport.

Everyone is stunned—especially Chris Matheson.

The mystery deepens when they discover the victim has Chris’s federal agent badge and appears to have been investigating one of his old cases.

The Geezer Squad’s latest case is not only a whodunit but who-got-dun. Is this a case of mistaken identity? Was Chris the intended victim? If not, then they must identify the murder victim to find his killer.
​
With Christmas days away, join the Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad as they race to piece together the clues to their most puzzling case yet.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com 
B&N ~ BAM
BookBub
add to goodreads

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I love it when a book surprises me, and Chris Crossed Murder did that well. Chris’s old partner from the FBI asks for his help solving a murder that’s tied to a cold case that he’d investigated in the past. Of course, the Geezer Squad wants to help solve the case as well. And when someone tries to kill Chris, they have to figure out if it’s also tied to this case or if one of the many people who want him dead has found him. And who is that dead man that was not Chris Matheson?

Lauren Carr has a list of characters in order of appearance at the beginning of the book, and you may need it for this one. There are a lot of characters! Of course, several of the characters are the recurring ones in the Chris Matheson novels, but there is a host of others who are victims, witnesses, and suspects.

There’s so much more I want to say, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Chris Crossed Murder is a page turner with twists and surprises around every corner. This is my favorite Chris Matheson book so far, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

About the Author

Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ twitter ~ pinterest

Giveaway

Gleam

Continue reading →

Audiobook Review: Regardless of the Consequences by L.D. Lauritzen

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Sheriff Lance Tallbear’s half-blood Apache heritage leaves him struggling to find his place in a world where neither white nor Indian wants or readily accepts him. He faces the world his shaman father turned away from and acknowledges the one his shaman grandfather prays he’ll return to.

Tallbear’s new case uncovers a mysterious plane wreck discovered in the Superstition Mountains that turns out to stir both his life decisions and ultimate direction. Along with his troubled FBI partner, Brad Hanley, they face a myriad of obstacles in their journey to the truth.

The skeletons at the site hold the clues to not only who the killers were but also why the people died. Tallbear quickly find the crash site hides a deadly secret that reaches out of the distant past to threaten the lives of all who seek it. He will need to use all his skills and experience to discover the answers and stay alive.

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Tallbear is a sheriff who is half Apache and half white, which makes him feel like he doesn’t fully belong anywhere. He has a big heart, though, so the cases he works on often include helping others. He feels like a young man named Tommy Hawk is currently going through the same things he has been struggling with, so rather than lock him up, he wants to help him.

Once Tommy finds a plane from the WWII era, everything gets crazy. Suddenly there are several deaths, and Tommy is on the run because of something he stole from the plane. There are people trying to kill Tallbear and those he is with. There is a lot of suspense and danger, and it’s often difficult to quit listening.

The narrator did a good job with pace and timing. His voice is perfect for narrating and a joy to listen to.

The characters are well developed. There are so many characters that Tallbear can’t trust. And several surprises concerning the different characters. I was wrong about the motives of some characters, which made it that much more exciting!

I would love to read another story with Tallbear and friends. A series of Tallbear mysteries would go over well, and I’d be thrilled to read another one.

About the Author

 I’ve never considered myself anymore than a storyteller. I’m creating this site to promote my own fictional work in Mystery, Westerns, and Science Fantasy. But during my journey I learned we need to help others both writers and ordinary people to not only write but realize they have a responsibility to write about their times. 

     I never thought i’d be promoting memoirs, journals, or diaries, but here I am doing just that. In doing research for my books I’ve scoured the library of congress, newspapers, and pioneer diaries to get an inkling of what life in those times was like. 

     It’s made me realize we all need to write about the events, people, places, and things important to us. A historic event like Kennedy’s assassination, the Challenger tragedy, or 9/11, touched every man, woman, and child, differently. But unless we all write about where we were, how it made us feel, future people will only have biased or dry news coverage of some reporter devoting a few words to the lives and times we’ve lived through. Grab a pen or pencil, or sit down and start typing. For the future, write our Story. 

Website

About the Narrator, Randy McCarten

I am a male voice actor who has performed voice overs and audio book narration on countless projects. My journey began at age 8 after receiving the gift of a reel to reel tape recorded with a red plastic microphone.  What followed was writing, producing and voicing thousands of commercials and promos, elevation to Senior VP of Programming for a global media company, hosting a family friendly radio morning show, the building of professional studio, production of three sound design libraries and doing audiobook, corporate and other narration.

​

I continue to hone my craft with the help of some of the best coaches and mentors in the industry like world renowned voice over coach Nancy Wolfson and VO Tech Guru Tim Tippets.

Audiobook Review: Watson Falls by Morgan St. James

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Mack Peters enjoys the good life now, but it always wasn’t that way. Twelve years before, tragedy struck on a lovely Sunday morning, as Mack and his father, Beverly Hills Police Chief Bill Watson, finished their breakfast on the patio of a Beverly Hills restaurant. At the time, Mack was a member of the LAPD. In his quest for peace of mind, he resigned from the LAPD and backpacked through Europe for an extended time.

After Mack returned to the States, the former LA cop struck it rich when he came up with an ingenuous idea that gave him a lot of free time and produced millions of dollars. If asked what he does for a living, he says with a smile, “I go to my mailbox and collect checks.” 

With a thriving business that practically runs itself, he has the luxury of being able to take off on trips when the spirit moves him. His friends Marcie and Kurt Conklin suggested that he visit a quaint town in Washington State called Leavenworth, and it wasn’t hard to persuade him. But they had an ulterior motive—a motive that resulted him agreeing to help one of their friends track down her missing sister. That led him to the remote small town of Watson Falls and a situation and people more deadly than he could have ever imagined. 

Audible

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from the author through Librarything. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Mack Peters goes to Watson Falls to find a friend’s sister, Greta, who is a reporter. Greta went to look for her godson, Tony, and it turns out that she was undercover. She and Mack meet a couple of times while they both try to figure out what’s going on in Watson Falls. What they find is more shocking than they imagined.

The characters could have been more developed which would have made the story more suspenseful. There was a surprise at the end about two people who were interested in each other, but I had no clue. If they had shown interest in each other during the story, that would have made it more interesting.

The narrator was great. His timing and pace were perfect, and his voice is an enjoyable one to listen to.

I did like ending, and I would listen to Watson Falls again or read another Mack Peters book even though I think this could have been an outstanding book with some tweaking.

About the Author

Former interior designer Morgan St. James is the author of 18 books. A frequent panelist, moderator and speaker, she has also been on radio and TV. Morgan lives in Las Vegas with her trusty rescue dog Dylan and is on the board of Writers of Southern Nevada. 

About the Narrator

Brad Holbrook was born on July 26, 1954 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Brad is an actor, narrator and writer, known for Faded Love (2015), The Manchurian Candidate (2004) and The International (2009).

Book Review: Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow by Colin Garrow

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A dead body. A hoard of forged banknotes. A gangster out for blood.

Newcastle, December 1955. Returning home after a weekend away, singer and amateur sleuth Rosie Robson discovers a man lying on a baggage trolley with his throat cut. After the police get involved, an attack on Rosie and her boss prompts Inspector Vic Walton to find a safe house for the pair. But the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of them and Rosie is forced to track down a possible witness to the murder in a bid to learn the truth. Can the canny crooner solve the mystery before a Newcastle gang boss catches up with her? 

Set on Tyneside, Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow is book #3 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries series.

Purchase Link – https://geni.us/3PKXkN

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Although this is the third book in the series, it’s the first one I’ve read, and it definitely stands on its own.

Rosie and Cindy find a body when they get off a train after a shopping trip. Suddenly, Rosie is being chased by bad guys and wherever she goes, the bad guys find her! She has some help from interesting friends and acquaintances while she’s trying to stay ahead of the bad guys.

There are some twists in Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow and a lot of action. It’s not an easy book to put down. I wish, though, that I had realized that there is a Geordie Glossary at the end. There were times I had to slow down to figure out what was being said.

I definitely recommend this book, and plan on reading the first two books in the series soon.

About the Author

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor. He has also occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin’s published books include the Watson Letters series, the Terry Bell Mysteries and the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in Northeast Scotland.

Social Media Links –

Website (Adults) https://colingarrow.org/

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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

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