#Review / #Giveaway – Do No Harm: A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery by Dawn Eastman

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 3 Responses »

Jan 082019

Do No Harm: A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery
Mystery/ Amateur Sleuth
2nd in Series
Setting – Michigan
Crooked Lane Books (December 11, 2018)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1683317874
ISBN-13: 978-1683317876
Kindle ASIN: B078M3J4FK

Small-town doctor Katie LeClair is drawn back into an old murder investigation, a mysterious disappearance, and a dark undercurrent of violence.

The idyllic town of Baxter, Michigan, seemed like the perfect place for Dr. Katie LeClair to settle down after years toiling in medical school—until the murder of a patient shattered the peace she had found. Now on the mend and balancing the responsibilities of a new house and the joys of a new romance, Katie is finally ready to start enjoying life. But danger arrives just as the town is gearing up for its annual Halloween festival—and once again, this doctor-turned-sleuth will have to unmask a killer in their midst.

Trouble comes in threes this Halloween. Katie sees a new patient who has just been released from prison for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Inexplicably, the patient suddenly goes missing. And matters take an even more sinister turn when a college student who had been investigating Katie’s old murder case is found dead in the woods near Baxter.

Could Katie’s involvement with the case be responsible for the student’s violent death? Is her new patient truly a cold-blooded murderer? Is this Halloween about to become a real-life horror show?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Dr. Katie LeClair is settling in and getting comfortable in Baxter, Michigan. Circumstances in book 1 have left the clinic shorthanded but Katie’s doctor boyfriend is filling in and picking up the slack.

Set in late October we meet Katie’s new patient Eugene Lowe, who has just been released from prison for a murder he still claims he didn’t commit. We also learn a young college student who had previously worked with Katie is missing. Taylor Knox just happened to be researching Lowe’s case for one of her classes when she went missing. After the girl’s body is found Eugene goes missing knowing he will be the prime suspect. Katie believes Eugene didn’t kill Taylor and probably didn’t kill the first woman either, she just has to prove it. With her brother Caleb techy knowledge and skills, she may be able to find the real killer.

I really like Katie LeClair, she is not only strong and smart she is compassionate and caring. She is not quick to judge and strives to get the true facts. Her brother Caleb has her back and is a great sounding board. New boyfriend Matt, also a doctor, wishes she would leave matters to police but knows Katie will not back away from the case so he also helps in any way he can. These characters are realistic and people I would like to know in real life. Ms. Eastman has also created a wonderful cast of secondary characters as well that clearly could be found in any small Midwestern town.

The mystery twists around and connects to Katie in different ways giving her the means to insert herself in key ways to follow up on clues and other information she has uncovered. I particularly enjoyed the way the police chief appreciated Katie’s input. The story had a rapid pace and elements that take this land this in the traditional mystery category. There was suspense in all the rights places and the author takes us on a great journey.

While this story can be read as a stand alone I believe the series should be read in order for maximum enjoyment. There are spoilers in this book if you plan to go back and read Unnatural Causes after reading this book.

Dawn Eastman has a writing style that I really enjoy. This is a great addition to this series.

‘

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You can read my review of Unnatural Causes here.

About the Author

National bestselling author Dawn Eastman was a family medicine physician in Michigan. Now she lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and daughter. When not writing, she keeps busy catering to the whims of a bossy bichon-shih tzu mix who wants to rule the world. This is her first Dr. Katie LeClair mystery. She is also the author of THE FAMILY FORTUNE MYSTERIES.

Author Links

Webpage – Facebook – Goodreads

Twitter – @DawnAEastman

Thanks to the publisher I have 1 copy to give away!

The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

#SpecialGuest – Rosalind Barden- Author of Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case – Great Escapes Book Tour #Giveaway

Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Interviews 3 Responses »

Dec 142018

Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case
by Rosalind Barden

Welcome, Rosalind!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m hopelessly creative, with a whimsical way of looking at the world, when I’m not looking at the world with a pair of satirical glasses, that is.

What are three things most people don’t know about you?

Yes, my hair is real; 2) I’m a decades-long vegetarian/mostly vegan; 3) No, I don’t understand why I’m not thin.

What is the first book you remember reading?

“One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” by Dr. Seuss, and “Put Me in the Zoo,” by Robert Lopshire. In a burst of de-cluttering awhile back, I gave away “Put Me in the Zoo,” and have regretted it ever since.

What are you reading now?

I typically read several books at the same time. The first book I’m reading is the short story collection “Arithmophobia” by Ruschelle Dillion. It’s published by Mystery and Horror LLC, which also published “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case.” I’m enjoying the darkly humorous, well-constructed stories in “Arithmophobia” that weave around the theme of numbers. Intriguing stuff.

I’m also re-reading two books I picked up on a whim from the Homer Bookstore: “Tails of a Dogsitter” by Karen Roush, and “Invisible Ink,” an anthology of short stories by Homer authors edited by Joyce Baker Porte. I think these two books have possessed me. By the way, it’s worth going to Homer, Alaska for this bookstore, in my opinion. Homer is an interesting place.

I regularly re-read books that I’ve enjoyed in the past. That’s why I find it so hard to give them away even though I probably should be “de-cluttering” them. I like being surrounded by interesting books.

What made you decide you want to write?

I always assumed I’d be a writer. I liked telling stories and reading stories from as far back as I remember. My Mom was a big influence on me. She was a creative person who did some writing too. She always encouraged my creative pursuits and believed in me. I remember our frequent trips to the library where me and my siblings camped out in the children’s section, while she headed to the biographies, her favorite section. She’d buy us kids plenty of books too, even though we lived on a tight budget (“Put Me in the Zoo,” for example). I was raised with books. Not everyone is, so I’m really lucky to have had a Mom like that.

Do you have a special place you like to write?

I have my laptop on a table where it fits. I write where I can. I also write long-hand in paper notebooks if I’m out and about. Got tired of lugging my laptop around. Plus, I worry about someone snatching my laptop (and all my writing-in-progress!). There’s not a lot of resale value in used paper notebooks, so less snatching worries there. I do have a fantasy of a dedicated writing office with a sublime view, lots of shelf space for my books, and a couch where I can drowsily dream of new ideas.

Do you write at the same time every day?

No. For me, that’s not practical. I write when I can.

Where do the ideas for your books come from?

Everywhere. The seed of an idea will come into my head, and then I let my mind wander from there. I usually don’t remember where the original little bit of an idea came from. There are exceptions. For “American Witch,” I vividly remember watering the backyard where I used to live, and it was like the character of George came right up beside me. So, of course, I had to write his story. I’ve never had another character come to me so strongly. “American Witch” probably is the best I’ve written, and I wish it’d gotten a wider readership. But that’s the challenge of self-publishing. It’s tough to promote, which is something I learned from that book. I’m making more of a promotion effort nowadays!

What books have most inspired you?

It’s challenging to narrow my list down, because I read so much and am inspired and impressed by so many books and writers. I may have a different answer tomorrow, but today, here goes: “King Rat” by James Clavell and “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller for their dark satire. Same for “Bonfire of the Vanities” by Tom Wolfe. Tom Wolfe’s writing style amazes me. His words bounce off the page with impertinent glee. I confess I have been known to “borrow” some of his favorite style bits. Douglas Adams and P.J. Wodehouse inspire me for their satire of the lighter variety. The first two “Harry Potter” books by J.K. Rowling are my favorites from the series. “Five Children and It” by Edith Nesbit because it’s slyly subversive. I enjoy older humorous books and short stories, like Robert Benchley’s essay collection, “My Ten Years in a Quandry,” Josephine Dodge Daskam’s short story “A Study in Piracy,” and cozy mystery “The Haunted Bookshop” by Christopher Morley. “Ghosts, A Treasury of Chilling Tales Old and New” selected by Marvin Kaye also comes to mind. Douglas Clegg’s books are dark and impossible to put down. Going back to my early reading years, “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak influenced me. I desperately wanted to take that boat to the island with the Wild Things. I did rig up a “boat” and hoped I’d have the same result as Max in the book, but no such luck. Maybe I’ll try again later.

Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Finding the time. That’s the toughest. Not many people understand that a writer needs a lot of time to sit down, create, revise, plus daydream about the concept in the first place. It’s hard to tell a friend I can’t do something over the weekend because that’s the only free weekend I’ve had in awhile and I desperately want to stay in to write. People tend to become upset.

And the promotion. In this day and age, writers also have to be marketers. It eats up precious writing time, and to me, it’s harder than doing the writing itself. The exception is meeting readers in person at book signings. That’s fun. But trying to puzzle out promotion dos and don’ts? Not so fun. Because I write in different genres, my “brand” is elusive, which is a big frowny-face in book marketing. I remain hopeful that readers with a sense of humor will discover my work and be patient that I don’t fit neatly within a brand.

What do you think makes a good story?

Wanting to turn the page and keep going. Also thinking about the book, the characters, the scenes long after I’ve finished reading. Deciding to give the book another read after a couple of years, or couple of months. Third read, then fourth read. I once told another writer that I’d read “Bonfire of the Vanities” twenty times. She didn’t believe me, but it’s true. Tom Wolfe is a word master and I love his sentences!

Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

I’m in every story I write, sometimes more, sometimes less. For “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case,” there’s a lot of Sparky in me. Sparky is resourceful, adventurous, but misunderstood, which I think describes me.

Why did you pick your particular genre?

I’ve been toying with mysteries for a long time. They’re challenging to write, because they have the puzzle solving element. But that’s what makes mystery writing interesting. “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case” grew out of my short story “The Monkey’s Ghost,” which appears in the short mystery anthology, “History and Mystery, Oh My!” published by Mystery and Horror LLC in 2015. Some of the characters are the same, though I made Marigold older in “Sparky.” The main characters in “Sparky” are new, except silent screen vamp, Tootsie, who is pulled from another, unpublished short story of mine. That story explains Tootsie’s early, pre-stardom days that are only eluded to in “Sparky.”

Of course, I also write horror and sci-fi, because I enjoy reading them. My novel “American Witch” is dark satire because, again, I enjoy reading satire. I love picture books, which explains why I wrote and illustrated “TV Monster.” Picture books are an art form in their own right. I love to read many types of books, which leads me to write many types!

What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

I don’t think there’s another humorous, noir, 1930s, Los Angeles, Young Adult mystery novel out there besides “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case.”

What’s next on the horizon for you?

I’m currently writing book two in the “Sparky of Bunker Hill” series, tentatively titled, “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the No Nose Knucklehead.” After that, “Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Monkey Island Murder.” Sparky bumps into one challenge after another in both books.

In “No Nose Knucklehead,” life gets really real, really fast for Sparky. Bobby, the bum, is out of town with his cozy family so is no help whatsoever. She’s got to handle the mess (it’s a big mess) on her own. And find out who the real cannibal is.

In “Monkey Island Murder,” she goes back to school, which is tough for independent, smarty-pants Sparky. Will any of the other kids ever talk to Sparky? And what’s with the escaped gorilla?

Thank you, Rosalind, for visiting today.

Keep reading to find out about Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Case Kid!

About the Book

Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case
Young Adult Mystery
Mystery & Horror, LLC (October 9, 2018)
Paperback: 216 pages
ISBN-10: 1949281027
ISBN-13: 978-1949281026
Digital ASIN: B07H49P46T

Lots of characters have it bad, in my Bunker Hill neighborhood smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles, but I’ve had it rougher than most.
There may be something to this 13th business.

That’s my birthday, and I’m learning to dread seeing it roll around. My mother died on one birthday. The cousins dumped me on my last. This year, 1932, I found a dead kid on a park bench. It’s my eleventh birthday, and the day me, Sparky, ended up on the run, wanted for murder.

If the dead girl wasn’t enough, the dirty newspapers pinned every body in LA on me, and even blamed me for the Great War. I wasn’t even born then. The price on my head got bigger by the day.

It was up to me to find out who killed the girl and why I got framed, before I ended up dangling from the hangman’s rope.

Praise for Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case
by Rosalind Barden

What a fun, exciting adventure book! . . You just can’t help loving Sparky and her way of thinking and talking.
~Here’s How It Happened

About the Author

Over thirty of Rosalind Barden’s short stories have appeared in print anthologies and webzines, including the U.K.’s acclaimed Whispers of Wickedness. Mystery and Horror, LLC has included her stories in their anthologies History and Mystery, Oh My! (FAPA President’s Book Award Silver Medalist), Mardi Gras Murder, and four of the Strangely Funny series. Ellen Datlow selected her short story “Lion Friend” as a Best Horror of the Year Honorable Mention after it appeared in Cern Zoo, a British Fantasy Society nominee for best anthology, part of DF Lewis’ award-winning Nemonymous anthology series. TV Monster is her print children’s book that she wrote and illustrated. Her satirical literary novel American Witch is available as an e-book. In addition, her scripts, novel manuscripts, and short fiction have placed in numerous competitions, including the Writers’ Digest Screenplay Competition and the Shriekfast Film Festival. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Discover more at RosalindBarden.com

Author Links
Website – Amazon Author Page

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 13 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
December 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
December 14 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
December 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
December 16 – My Journey Back- The Journey Back – REVIEW
December 17 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
December 18 – Ruff Drafts – INTERVIEW
December 19 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
December 19 – Varietats – GUEST POST

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#Spotlight – Murder Knows No Season: 4 novellas featuring Cait Morgan, the WISE Women & DI Glover by Cathy Ace

Spotlights No Responses »

Nov 302018

NEW FROM CATHY ACE

Murder Knows No Season: 4 novellas featuring Cait Morgan, the WISE Women & DI Glover
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Women Sleuths
Four Tails Publishing Ltd (November 17, 2018)
Paperback: 273 pages
ISBN-10: 1775175448
ISBN-13: 978-1775175445
Kindle ASIN: B07KNFWKYM (455 Pages)

FOUR DELICIOUSLY DIFFERENT SHORT NOVELS, ONE FOR EACH SEASON OF THE YEAR

WINTER: The Corpse with Eight Faces – A Cait Morgan Mystery
Trapped in a snowbound lodge in the Canadian countryside, Cait is faced with a corpse, and a group of eight suspects. A classic closed-circle mystery featuring Cait Morgan.

SPRING: The Case of the Desperate Duchess – A WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery
Lady Jacintha Wraysbury calls in the WISE Enquiries Agency to hunt for a missing girl. Join the private investigators as they scour West London for a florist who’s in more danger than any of them imagine.

SUMMER: Out and About in a Boat – A standalone thriller
Meet an average Canadian family. Dad Dave takes his son and daughter for a weekend at a local lake. What could go wrong in just thirty hours? When there’s a dead body involved, quite a lot.

AUTUMN: The Fall – A DI Evan Glover Case
When a Welsh rugby legend’s body is found at the bottom of a cliff, the question ‘Did he jump, or was he pushed?’ is one of national significance. Sadly, DI Evan Glover’s inquiries reveal his hero might not have been the man he thought he was.

About The Author

Born and raised in Wales, now-Canadian Cathy Ace is the author of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, featuring a quartet of female PIs, working from a Welsh stately home. Both series are traditional, entertaining, and have been well reviewed.

Also by Cathy Ace

Click on cover for more info or to purchase from Amazon.

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#Review / #Giveaway – Seances Are for Suckers (An Eleanor Wilde Mystery) by Tamara Berry @KensingtonBooks

2018 Reviews, Craving For Cozies, Cruisin Thru Cozies, Giveaways, Purrfect Reading Challenge, Read The Printed Word Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 2 Responses »

Oct 302018

Available Today!

Seances Are for Suckers (An Eleanor Wilde Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – England
Kensington (October 30, 2018)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 149671962X
ISBN-13: 978-1496719621
Kindle ASIN: B079KSY8LN

When something goes bump in the night . . . it’s most likely a plumbing problem, or something equally mundane. But fake medium Eleanor Wilde is happy to investigate and cleanse your home of spectral presences—for a fee. Hey, it’s a living . . .

Ellie has an ailing sister to care for, and working as a ghost hunter who doesn’t believe in ghosts helps cover the bills for both of them. When she’s lucky, it also pays for the occasional tropical vacation. Her brother doesn’t exactly approve, but Ellie figures she’s providing a service. On her latest job, though, she may be in for some genuine scares.

The skeptical, reserved, and very rich Nicholas Hartford III has flown her all the way to his family’s ancestral estate in England—supposedly haunted by a phantom named Xavier. Nicholas thinks it’s all just as much a crock as Ellie’s business is, but the fact remains that something is causing the flashes of light, mysterious accidents, and other apparent pranks in the chilly, eerie castle. His mother is sure that Xavier is real, and he’s willing to employ Ellie if she can get to the bottom of it and put a stop to the nonsense.

While the food and accommodations are somewhat disappointing (dorm-room furniture? Really?), Ellie is finding it an adventure to get to know this eccentric family and their houseguests, and to poke around in the nearby village for clues. But when an actual dead body appears—and subsequently disappears—at Castle Hartford, she’ll have to apply her talent for trickery and psychological insight to solve a flesh-and-blood murder.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

In this 1st book of this series, we meet Eleanor Wilde, a self-proclaimed fake medium. She is a ghost hunter that doesn’t believe in ghosts. Eleanor is turning peoples fears into profits to help pay the bills for her sister in a long-term care facility. Her current job takes her to a musty old castle in England. Nicholas Hartford III doesn’t believe in ghosts either but he is hoping Ellie can convince his mother that her ghost, Xavier has left the building. Ellie is up for the job but the rest of the Hartford, staff, family and their guest takes crazy to a whole new level. She is surprised by her accommodations and the food served is horrible, but she needs the money and she is not a quitter. Even after she stumbles upon a real dead body she doesn’t give up. In fact, solving a real murder could be quite interesting . . . if she lives to tell about it.

I really enjoyed the twist of a ghost hunter that knows she is a fake even though her customers may not. I also enjoyed the way this character evolved throughout the story. We learn why she has this job. People will pay exorbitant amounts of money to have “ghosts” removed from their lives and she has a very good reason for needing the money. A strong woman with fantastic observation skills that has not had an easy life, but still has a great sense of humor. She also has a connection, a secret, something I truly appreciated.

Enter Nicholas Hartford III who has his own motives for employing Ellis’s services. This character made me feel a gambit of emotions as the story continued. His mother was a very interesting character and at times made me laugh out loud. The rest of the supporting characters are all cleverly created and help to take this mystery through many twists and turns.

The castle is a fun setting for the book. The staircases, hidden spaces, long hallways, rooms, and gardens all have a truly creepy feel.

The story unfolds at a perfect pace and like our protagonist has many layers. The story was much more than I expected and was full of surprises. Especially the very end. So much happens within the pages and I found myself slowing down to savor the story to be sure I did not miss a single thing. At points the word that popped into my head was mayhem. I learned quickly to really expect the unexpected. This time a cat plays a crucial role. A cat we didn’t even meet until we were well into this story.

I was surprised by how much I came to care about Ellie and her sister Winnie. Her brother played a part too, but I was very attuned to the sisters.

If you love mysteries cozy or traditional this is a fun read you really need to pick up today. It is really different from the usual cozies I read.

I am very excited about this series and where the author will take Ellie next after the way the book concluded. Potions Are for Pushovers will be released next December. I hate having to wait that long but if this story was any indication it will be well worth the wait.

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About the Author
Tamara Berry is a part-time author and part-time freelance writer/editor. She has a B.A. in English Literature from Eastern Washington University. In addition to books, she has mad love for all things TV, movies, and pop culture. Visit her at www.tamaraberry.com. Facebook – Twitter

Thanks to the publisher I have 1 copy to give away!
The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

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something you like here and become a follower.

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Click Here For Entry Form

#Review – Fields’ Guide to Assassins (The Poppy Fields Adventures) by Julie Mulhern

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 1 Response »

Oct 132018

Fields’ Guide to Assassins (The Poppy Fields Adventures)
Mystery/Suspense
2nd in Series
Setting – France
J & M Press (September 25, 2018)
Print Length: 248 pages
Kindle ASIN: B07H19BCJH

Poppy Fields, Hollywood IT girl extraordinaire, accompanies her A-list mother to Paris, and why not? It’s PARIS!

What her mother doesn’t know is Poppy’s on assignment. Her mission? To help bankrupt a drug cartel. To do that, she must access encrypted account numbers, evade a drug lord with a grudge, dodge a Russian oligarch, and align herself with a man who looks like a Norse god. Oh, and there’s that plot—the one to launch a massive attack on the City of Lights.

If Poppy’s not careful, La Vie en Rose might just turn funereal black.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Poppy Fields is back and has traveled to Paris with her mother. Movie star Chariss Carlton is in town to shoot a movie and after Poppy’s trip to Mexico, she wants to keep her close. What Chariss doesn’t know is Poppy has been recruited to help break up a drug cartel. Her handler makes it sound like a piece of cake. Thankfully while living with her dad in Montana he taught her how to protect herself because the agency hasn’t given her 1 minute of training. Even with “Thor” (not his real name) as her bodyguard, her life was in danger the entire time. But who wants her dead, the guy whose plan she blew up in Mexico or someone related to her new mission?

Just like the first book in this series I was saying Wow! Wow! WOW! all the way through.

Julie Mulhern has done it again! She set the bar high with Fields’ Guide to Abduction and she equaled or maybe even surpassed it in Fields’ Guide to Assassins. These stories have a rapid pace and once you start reading they are absolutely impossible to put down. In Assassins, we follow Poppy, her friends, Thor, and the police around to all the tourist hot spots in the area trying to uncover the plot that may launch a huge attack. Poppy knows something major is going to happen but even after several attempts on her life, no one believes her.

Edge of my seat, yes, several times.

Ms. Mulhern descriptive talents are superb. I have never been to Paris but I could picture everything, I mean everything so clearly in my mind. The City of Lights and the dark underbelly of the city came alive.

Scary and breathtaking, yes, very much.

She also knows how to add her signature humor to the story in all the right places. The dialogue is quick and spectacular.

Laugh out loud, yes, more times than I could count.

With characters that leap off the page and situations that had my heart racing, Julie Mulhern has landed another book on my Best Reads of 2018 list. I cannot get enough of Poppy Fields! I truly cannot wait to see where her next adventure takes her! I just know she is finally going to get some training!!

Please write fast, Julie Mulhern!

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You can read my review of Fields’ Guide to Abduction here.

About the Author

Julie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders and the Poppy Fields Adventures She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.

#Review – Fields’ Guide to Abduction (A Poppy Fields Adventure) by Julie Mulhern

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Literary Escapes, You Read How Many Books Challenge 2 Responses »

Aug 212018

As a fan of Julie Mulhern’s Country Club Mystery Series, I knew I had to read this book. I slotted it as fast as I could into my reading schedule. I hate having to wait so long after the release date to share this book with you.

Fields’ Guide to Abduction (A Poppy Fields Adventure)
Mystery/Suspense
1st Book in Series
Setting – Mexico
J&M Press (May 28, 2018)
Paperback: 248 pages
ISBN-10: 1720872201
ISBN-13: 978-1720872207
Kindle ASIN: B07D4R881K

Poppy Fields, Hollywood IT girl extraordinaire, agreed to a week at the newest, most luxurious resort in Cabo. After all, what’s better than the beach when a girl is feeling blue? When Poppy is abducted, she’ll need all her smarts, all her charm, and a killer Chihuahua, to save herself.

Dead body #1 found in bed, with me. That was a shock.
Dead body #2 found in bed, not with me. That was a relief.
Dead body #3 died telling me I’m a lousy actress. I already knew that.
Dead body #4 died trying to kill me.
Dead body #5 died kidnapping me.
Dead body #6 died guarding me.
Dead body #7 was a really bad man.
Dead body #8 was an even worse man.

That’s a lot of dead bodies for a girl looking for a week’s relaxation in Cabo. And, I’m probably leaving a few out–math isn’t my thing. Unless I can escape the cartel, I might be the next dead body.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Wow, Wow, Wow! I sat down to start this book last Monday evening and I didn’t look away until I finished the whole thing.

This is not a cozy mystery. This is a wild ride of action and suspense.

Poppy Fields escapes to Mexico after enduring a harrowing event. She plans to lie on the beach, make one public appearance and relax. Well, that didn’t happen. The dead bodies start to pile up at a rapid pace and then she is abducted. And then there are even more dead bodies!

Full of crazy twists and turns poor Poppy finds herself in all kinds of dangerous situations. I love Poppy, that girl needs to think on her feet and she does for the most part, but there are some situations you just need to let happen and hope and pray there will be another way out.

Ms. Mulhern has topped herself and knocked this way out of the park! She partners suspense with humor in a way I believe only she can. She has created a fantastic protagonist. I was cheering for Poppy the whole way. The pace was fast, the plot was fabulous, and the dialogue was fluid. Such as exciting read!

This story has moved to the top of my Best Reads of 2018. I can’t wait for the next installment! Bring on more Poppy Fields as soon as possible!

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About the Author

*This book is in my private collection, purchased from Amazon.

#Review / #Giveaway – Bad Time To Be In It (A Blu Carraway Mystery) by David Burnsworth – Great Escapes Book Tour – @HeneryPress

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 3 Responses »

Jul 052018

Bad Time To Be In It (A Blu Carraway Mystery)
by David Burnsworth

About the Book

Bad Time To Be In It (A Blu Carraway Mystery)
Mystery/Suspense
2nd in Series
Setting – South Carolina
Henery Press (July 10, 2018)
Paperback 254 Pages
ISBN 9781635113587

The past is never past. Sometimes it repeats itself. And sometimes it comes back to pay a visit. Blu Carraway, flush with cash and back in business, never had it so good. Or so he thought. The reality is his love life is in shambles, his business partner is spending too much time with women half his age and not enough time on the job, and someone close goes missing. Blu’s business partner goes off the rails, his friends show their true colors, and he realizes that getting closure sometimes means walking away from everything. With a case from the past gone wrong twice, a loved one in trouble, and an unanswered marriage proposal, it’s a bad time to be in it for Blu Carraway Investigations.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

A kidnapping sends Crome over the edge and out of control. Blu wants to help his friend and partner but he sure isn’t making it easy. Blu rallies his friends and sources, Tess and Harmony, who are freelance reporters and even calls Brack Pelton in on the case. When a body is found and another kidnapping occurs they pull out all the stops to save the victims and try to figure out who is behind the crimes before anyone else ends up dead.

This series is a spin-off of the author’s Heat series and in this 2nd installment, many characters from that series visit this one. Brack and Blu are similar characters, war vets dealing with the trauma of their service while trying to get on with their lives. Mr. Burnsworth’s characters are so strong and leap off the page. They are a diverse group banded together unconventionally by a series of events. While I have read and enjoyed that series and this one, at times there were just too many characters to keep everyone straight. I did like catching up with Brack and hope he has his own story again soon. He doesn’t seem to enjoy life on the sidelines and it always ready to jump in when Blu calls.

The story starts out with a flashback that will then play into the main events of this story. There is another flashback later in the book but the transition was a little clunky and broke the steady climbing trajectory the book was taking. I enjoyed the way previous events impacted the plot, the transitions just needed to be a little smoother. There was plenty of action and again horses have their moment to shine, bringing a huge smile to my face. Blu again went above and beyond. Crome with his him against the world attitude was crazy. Thankfully his friends did everything they could to save him from himself and his enemies.

The author continues to take us to those dark gritty places with fantastic characters and just the right amount of suspense. Blu’s personal life is still up in the air at the end of this story, setting up interest to see what happens next in the 3rd story. Heaven only knows what trouble Blu will find himself up against as this saga continues. I hope we don’t have to wait too long to find out!

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About the Author

David Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. In It For The Money is his fourth mystery. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife call South Carolina home.

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#Spotlight – The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Spotlights 1 Response »

Jun 302018

I am excited to shine the Spotlight on The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club today.
Holly Tierney-Bedord is a new to me Wisconsin author.
I hope to be squeezing her books into my schedule soon!

The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club
Women’s Fiction / Mystery / Suspense
Independently Published (June 7, 2018)
Paperback: 404 pages
ISBN-10: 1983102954
ISBN-13: 978-1983102950
Kindle ASIN: B07DFTDNXY

From the author of Sweet Hollow Women comes a new novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Megan Abbott about the secrets that hide in the shadows of even the most ordinary-seeming lives.

~2013~ Idyllic Port Elspeth, Connecticut is rocked by tragedy. Shortly after their high school graduation, Evangeline Maddingly, daughter of one of the town’s wealthiest old-money families, and Oliver Prescott, son of one of the town’s wealthiest new-money families, are found dead in an isolated cabin in the woods outside of town. The circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths are murky at best, thanks in large part to a sweeping effort from those in power to shut down any negative publicity that could harm the reputation of the pristine, oceanside community.

~Five years later~ A small group of strangers gathers to create jewelry for one of Port Elspeth’s many fundraisers. Before long, friendships are forming and old secrets are being revealed. Along with discovering how to make a perfect pair of chandelier earrings or cabochon necklace, these unlikely sleuths find themselves at the heart of solving the murders that took place half a decade earlier.

About the Author

Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of several novels and novellas including Sweet Hollow Women, Murder at Mistletoe Manor, Bellamy’s Redemption, and Surviving Valencia. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit her website at www.hollytierneybedord.com where you can connect to her blogs and subscribe to her newsletter.

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#Spotlight – 43 Missing (Detective Emilia Cruz) by Carmen Amato

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May 262018

43 Missing (Detective Emilia Cruz)
Suspense/Mystery/Police Procedural
6th in Series
Laurel & Croton (December 14, 2017)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0999712207
Kindle ASIN: B07793QCD7

43 MISSING is based on the true events of September 2014,when 43 male students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College went missing in Iguala, Guerrero and have yet to be found.

Given the choice between resigning from the squadroom in Acapulco or taking a new assignment, Detective Emilia Cruz finds herself on a national task force examining Mexico’s most notorious crime.

After 18 months and three inconclusive investigations, the task force is the Mexican government’s last attempt to discover what happened to 43 students who disappeared after being seized by police in a small southern city.

Comprised of cops from across Mexico, the task force lacks technical tools, organized case files, and reliable witnesses. It’s a perfect scenario for failure.

Despite its problems, the task force gives Emilia the opportunity to search for the rapist and murderer known as El Acólito, with whom she has an agonizing family tie. Digging into his past life in Mexico City, she’ll learn a shocking truth about the man she’s determined to kill.

As the task force digs up confusing new leads, a diplomat from the United States embassy offers Emilia $50,000 to end the investigation. It’s a tempting offer that would shift Emilia’s hunt for El Acólito into high gear.

But is the diplomat really who he claims to be?

Does it matter?

When the task force heads to the scene of the crime, Emilia knows her loyalty, conscience, and very future will be put to the test.

About the Author

With a CIA career in her rearview mirror, Carmen Amato is the author of the Detective Emilia Cruz police procedural series set in Acapulco and optioned for television by a US network studio. Emilia Cruz is the first female detective on the Acapulco police force, confronting Mexico’s drug cartels, legendary government corruption and culture of machismo. Kirkus Reviews has called the books “consistently exciting,” with “danger and betrayal never more than a page away.”

Carmen’s books reflect her travels around the world, as well as her expertise in international negotiations and intelligence collection, translation, and analysis. She is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.

Originally from upstate New York, Carmen was educated there as well as in Virginia and Paris, France. Her family tree includes a mayor, a Mensa genius, and the first homicide in the state of Connecticut with an automatic weapon. The perpetrator, her great-grandfather, eluded a state-wide manhunt after killing two people–one of whom was his wife. He was never brought to justice. *

Visit Carmen’s website at http://carmenamato.net to get a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library. With two novellas, the first chapters of the first 3 novels in the series.

*From Amazon

The Detective Emilia Cruz Series

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#Review / #Giveaway – Honor Kills (Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries) by Nanci Rathbun

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, Giveaways, Read The Printed Word Challenge, Wisconsin Author, Wisconsin Setting 3 Responses »

May 042018

Honor Kills (Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries)
Hard-Boiled Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Dark Chocolate Press LLC (May 1, 2018)
Paperback: 284 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0998755748
Kindle ASIN: B07BH61872

A missing husband. A suspicious obituary. She’s not the only one hunting down a dead man’s footsteps.

As a divorcee, Angelina Bonaparte knows firsthand the lengths some men will go to escape responsibility. When a worried mother wants the private investigator to track down her missing husband, she’s eager to bring the deadbeat dad to justice. But even after she discovers the man’s obituary, she refuses to believe it until she sees the body. Tracking down the nurse who last saw him alive could be the missing puzzle piece to her client’s broken family.

But as she digs deeper, she realizes there’s something darker at play than dodging child support payments. And she may not be the only one hunting the man down. To close the case and reunite her client’s family, she must track down the missing husband without falling prey to the same ruthless hunter.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The long-awaited 3rd installment of this series is here!

Angie Bo-nah-par-tay is back and has new information on an old case. Marcy Wagner hired her six years ago to find her husband, a school teacher that just disappeared. She has been doing the usual checks with no success but now the man’s obituary has shown up in a Steven’s Point newspaper. Angie gets a copy of the death certificate and it states he was “Never Married”. She breaks all this news to Marcy gently but Angie is convinced there is more to the story. Marcy would like more answers too, What has her husband been doing for these six years? In a story that takes us from Milwaukee to Steven’s Point readers follow Angie and her assistant in a quest to get those answers. Surprisingly Angie even finds herself asking her Papa for help. Her investigation may get her killed, but to keep Marcy and her children safe she has to find the truth.

Nanci Rathbun takes us on a wild ride in Honor Kills. I love that this story takes place close to where I live and that an exciting event takes place at Holy Hill, Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I have not been there in years, it is not very handicap accessible, but the author’s descriptions brought back a rush of memories. Of course, our visits there were never even close to exciting as Angie’s were.

Angie is such a strong protagonist. She is tough as nails, cares about her clients, sometimes too much, and a woman that won’t back down even in the line of fire. She has a quick wit and loves hard. A sixty-something woman who is a fast thinker and a classy dresser. The clothing descriptions entered a T.M.I. (too much information) situation for me. We know she is in a relationship with Milwaukee Homicide Detective Ted Wukowski, who might find the descriptions delightful but for me, the unmentionables should stay unmentioned or not mentioned every time Angie changes outfits.

I found the entire story suspenseful and intriguing. Marcy’s husband Hank was not who he appeared to be and as each new piece of information was revealed we come to understand more about the man he truly is/was. We also find out that the local police are not happy with Angie’s involvement in the case or with her relationship with her detective boyfriend and they make a drastic request. How this plays out really had me full of emotions.

Well written and well plotted, Ms. Rathbun has another fantastic story on her hands. The edge of the seat moments tempered by Angie’s chaotic life that at times made me laugh out loud kept me up reading late into the night. Honor Kills is part of the Angelina Bonaparte Mystery Series but it most definitely can be read on it own. An excellent story!

Your Great Escapes Travel Agent

Nanci Rathbun is a lifelong reader of mysteries – historical, contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, hard-boiled, cozy … you can find them all on her bookshelves. She brings logic and planning to her writing from a background as an IT project manager, and attention to characters and dialog from her second career as a Congregationalist minister.

Nanci grew up an Army brat, living in Germany, France, and Korea, as well as several states in the U.S. After her dad retired from the service, the family settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, Nanci raised her daughter and son, while working at AT&T. She never expected to move, but when her second grandchild was on the way, she wanted to be closer. One of her greatest joys is hearing her three granddaughters shout ‘Nana’ when she comes in their front door in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Nanci’s Maltipoo, Teeny, and she now live in Wellington, Colorado. No matter where she makes her home, she will always be a Packers fan.

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