thriller Archives - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

#Spotlight / #Giveaway – Lies She Told by Cate Holahan – Great Escapes Tour – @crookedlanebks

Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Spotlights 6 Responses »

Sep 152017

Lies She Told
Suspense/Thriller
Crooked Lane Books (September 12, 2017)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683312956
ASIN: B06XW3MGZB

Sometimes the truth is darker than fiction.

Liza Cole has thirty days to write the thriller that could put her back on the bestseller list. In the meantime, she’s struggling to start a family with her husband, who is distracted by the disappearance of his best friend, Nick. With stresses weighing her down in both her professional and her personal lives, Liza escapes into writing her latest heroine, Beth.

Beth is a new mother who suspects her husband is cheating on her while she’s home alone caring for their newborn. Angry and betrayed, she sets out to catch him in the act and make him pay for shattering the illusion of their perfect life. But before she realizes it, she’s tossing the body of her husband’s mistress into the East River.

Then the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur. Nick’s body is dragged from the same river and Liza’s husband is arrested for his murder. Before her deadline is up, Liza will have to face up to the truths about the people around her, including herself. If she doesn’t, the end of her heroine’s story could be the end of her own.

Praise for Lies She Told
by Cate Holahan

Intense! Is the first word that comes to mind while and after reading Lies She Told by Cate Holahan. The novel kept me on edge from start to finish.
~Nadaness In Motion

The path to the story’s resolution was peppered with suspense and twists that kept me turning the pages.
~Cassidy’s Bookshelves

This book was pretty dang awesome!
~Must Read Faster

About The Author

Cate Holahan, author of the acclaimed psychological suspense novel The Widower’s Wife, is an award-winning journalist and a former television producer. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children.

Author Links

Webpage – Facebook – Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Check out all the stops.

September 5 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – Readsalot – GUEST POST
September 6 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST, SPOTLIGHT
September 7 – Girl with Book Lungs – INTERVIEW
September 8 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW
September 9 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 10 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
September 11 – Must Read Faster – REVIEW
September 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 13 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 14 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
September 14 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 15 – Storeybook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
September 16 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
September 18 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 18 – Books Direct – REVIEW

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#Review / #Giveaway – Protocol (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery) by Kathleen Valenti – Great Escapes Book Tour – @HeneryPress

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, You Read How Many Books Challenge 11 Responses »

Sep 142017

Protocol (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)
Medical Thriller/Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Midwest U.S.
Henery Press (September 5, 2017)
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112399
E-Book ASIN: B072JZK43D

Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead.

With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is one of those stories that sucks you right in and holds on tight.

Maggie O’Malley has landed a dream job as a pharmaceutical researcher. She wants to save lives and work on a team that could cure cancer or any of the other diseases the world faces. Her first day starts off well until she receives an alert on her cell phone about a meeting she didn’t set up with a person she doesn’t know. She later learns the person was killed at the time she was supposed to meet them. The alerts keep coming and people keep dying. The friend who gave her the phone tries to help her find out why she is receiving the messages but what they find puts them both in danger.

As if Big Pharma isn’t scary enough this book turns it inside out. Full of twists and turns our protagonist, Maggie O’Malley, has no idea who she can trust. Excited about her job and the fine salary she is thrilled to be able to subsidize her father’s business keeping him from filing bankruptcy. When the messages keep coming and her job starts to fall apart her close friend, Constantine tries to help. Neither one knew the enormity of the situation. We also see that Gus (Constantine) has feelings for Maggie that are more than just friendship. If they live to the end of this maybe he will share those feelings.

The plot is full of drama and suspense. As the book continues we see the PROTOCOL appears to be murder but how is it connected to Maggie and her job at Rxcellance. The pages keep flying at an extreme pace to an ending that totally caught me by off-guard, surprised, and chilled to the bone.

I read this book all in one sitting. It was absolutely impossible to put down. It will be a long time before I will look at a cell phone alert and not think of this about this story.

Kathleen Valenti has written an excellent suspense novel combining greed and medicine and the lengths people will go to for that almighty dollar. I am shocked this is her debut effort in the mystery realm. She hit it out of the park!

Just one question Ms. Valenti, where in the Midwest is Rxcellance? Hopefully not in my home state of Wisconsin……

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About the Author

When Kathleen Valenti isn’t writing page-turning mysteries that combine humor and suspense, she works as a nationally award-winning advertising copywriter. Protocol is her debut novel and the first of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.

Author Links

Webpage – Facebook – Twitter – GoodReads

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N kobo iTunes

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Praise for Protocol (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)
by Kathleen Valenti

The plot was intriguing and twisty turny …You’ll be on the edge of your seat while your wondering who is behind all the mayhem.
~My Reading Journeys

Protocol by Kathleen Valenti will keep your pulse racing and keep you on the edge of your seat.
~Reading is my SuperPower

Protocol by Kathleen Valenti is definitely not a cozy, but a gripping medical thriller and suspense/thriller. Protocol is a fast-moving page-turner, with a complex, intriguing, and exciting plot.
~Jane Reads

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
September 6 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, EXCERPT
September 7 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
September 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 11 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 12 – Girl with Book Lungs – INTERVIEW
September 13 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
September 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 15 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST, EXCERPT
September 16 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST
September 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 18 – Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting – REVIEW

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#Review / #Giveaway – Deadly Choices by Karen Randau – Great Escapes Book Tour

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, You Read How Many Books Challenge 8 Responses »

Aug 242017

Deadly Choices
by Karen Randau

Deadly Choices (Rim Country Mysteries)
3rd in Series
Setting – Arizona
Suspense Thriller
3rd in Series
Short on Time Books (July 17, 2017)
Kindle – ASIN: B074187YT7

An elderly woman with an arrow in her chest. A murdered journalist. A decades-old cover-up. In Deadly Choices (Rim Country Mysteries Volume 3), Rita and Cliff Avery team up again to solve a spate of murders in their picturesque Arizona mountain town of Rim Vista. Rita’s mother Willow delivers gun-wrenching news while falling for the man who could be responsible for four deaths. And Rita must escape a string of life-threatening predicaments thrown at her by an assailant willing to do anything to scare Cliff off the case.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Karen Rabdau is a new author to me but with stories like this one we are going to become fast friends. I was skeptical about jumping into this series with book three but by the end of the first chapter I was totally tuned in and reading at a rapid pace. The mentions of things that happened in previous books only made me realize that I needed to add both books to my wish list right away.

Deadly Choices starts out with Rita and Cliff camping with her mother, Willow, a woman Rita has not seen for 25 years, when they hear a shot and soon after a woman they had met earlier stumbles into their campsite with an arrow in her chest. She was teaching a student and he is missing. Had he been shot? Rita and her detective husband Cliff are quickly brought into the case. As more deaths occur, a man they have known for years becomes a prime suspect. As they investigate surprising things are uncovered tying back into the past.

This story is a wild adventure for Cliff and Rita. There were so many edge of the seat moments I lost count. Explosions, kidnapping, and twists and turns galore.

Ms. Randau is a wonderful storyteller. She packs as much punch into these pages as humanly possible and makes it impossible to put this book down. I love the way she describes a scene. I felt like I was right there whether it be a dangerous situation or if she was just describing the beauty of Rim County. The dialogue was on point and I was totally invested in these characters. The plot was complex and so well written.

Drama, danger, mystery and suspense with well crafted characters, this story has them all. I am excited for the next adventure.

The story deserves more than 5 stars! Paradise Rating.

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About the Author

Karen Randau is the author of the Rim Country Mystery series. Her fast-paced novels include Deadly Deceit, Deadly Inheritance, and Deadly Choices, each with intricate plots and lots of action and told from the point of view of protagonist Rita Avery.

Author Links

Website Facebook Amazon Author Page

Purchase Link – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 14 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
August 15 – Readsalot – SPOTLIGHT
August 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 17 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
August 18 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
August 19 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
August 20 – The Book’s the Thing – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – Valerie’s Musings – GUEST POST
August 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
August 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
August 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 25 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
August 27 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

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#Review / #Giveaway – The Driver by Hart Hanson @DuttonBooks

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, Giveaways, You Read How Many Books Challenge 3 Responses »

Aug 152017

I have to say this book was not even on my radar but when I talked to the publicist about Harlan Coben’s new book she said she would send this book to me too. I am so glad she did!

The Driver: A Novel
Suspense/Thriller
Setting – California
Dutton (August 8, 2017)
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1101986363
Kindle ASIN: B01NCAPTEW

Michael Skellig is a limo driver waiting for his client in the alley behind an upscale hotel. He’s spent the past twenty-eight hours ferrying around Bismarck Avila, a celebrity skateboard mogul who isn’t going home any time soon. Suddenly the wind begins to speak to Skellig in the guttural accent of the Chechen torturer he shot through the eye in Yemen a decade ago: Troubletroubletrouble. Skellig has heard these warnings before—he’s an Army Special Forces sergeant whose limo company is staffed by a ragtag band of wounded veterans, including his Afghan interpreter—and he knows to listen carefully.

Skellig runs inside just in time to save Avila from two gunmen but too late for one of Avila’s bodyguards—and wakes up hours later in the hospital, the only person of interest in custody for the murder. Complicating matters further is the appearance of Detective Delilah Groopman of the LAPD, gorgeous and brash, for whom Skellig has always held a candle. As for Avila? He’s willing to help clear Skellig’s name under one peculiar condition: that Skellig become Avila’s personal chauffeur. A cushy gig for any driver, except for the fact that someone is clearly trying to kill Avila, and Skellig is literally the only person sitting between Avila and a bullet to the head.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Hart Hanson was the creator of the television show Bones which I had never watched but if it is anything like this novel I see myself having a few Bones marathons sometime soon, it will take a lot of time to get through all the seasons.

In The Driver, we meet Michael Skellig, a former Army Special Forces sergeant with some demons from his tours of duty. He owns a limo company that employs some vets and an Afghan interpreter who are fighting their own demons. The company has three limos, 1 with all the bells and whistles, 1 classic and 1 that is probably haunted. Celebrity skateboard mogul, Bismarck Avila, prefers to ride in style. Skellig parked outside a fancy hotel while his client Avila takes care of “business” suddenly “knows” his client is in trouble. He rushes through the hotel but is not in time to stop all of the bloodshed. He wakes up in the hospital accused of killing one of Avila’s bodyguards.

Hanson has a unique writing style but I quickly found my way and became drawn right into Michael Skellig’s story.

The characters are very diverse and the “family” Skellig has brought together is very genuine and the interactions between them run the gambit of hilarious to chilling and everything in between depending on the situations they were facing. Their struggles were real and their devotion to each other was clear.

The plot is action packed, thrilling and suspenseful with twists galore. Dangerous situations valiantly described brought the drama to life. I can easily see this book made into a movie. The story had me on the edge of my seat.

I am not sure if this book will become part of a series, these characters went through so much in this one. He is definitely an author I want to see more from.

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About The Author

Hart Hanson wrote for Canadian television before moving to Los Angeles, where he worked on various TV programs before creating the series Bones, the longest-running scripted hour-long series on the FOX network. The Driver is his first novel. Hart joins Signature to share his experiences in becoming a novelist after working in TV.

I am giving away by Advance Review Copy!
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and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Click Here For Entry Form

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.”

#Review / #Giveaway – A Game of Deceit by K. A. Davis – Great Escapes Tour

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, You Read How Many Books Challenge 25 Responses »

Aug 102017

A Game of Deceit
by K. A. Davis

Genre: Suspense
Setting – California
Date of Release: August 1, 2017
Number in Series: Stand-alone
Publisher: Cinnamon & Sugar Press
Paperback: 294 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0999068816
Kindle ASIN: B071KFS6CW

Synopsis:

A father’s disappearance never solved, a mother’s secret taken to the grave, a daughter deceived…

Kathryn Landry thinks her life is just about perfect. She is the owner of a successful interior designer business in Newport Beach, California, and she has an attentive, supportive husband. But her world comes crashing down when her husband, Neil Landry, vanishes without a trace… in a situation almost identical to the disappearance of her father twenty years before.

With her father’s disappearance still a mystery, Kathryn is skeptical that the detective assigned to her case will be able to find her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, Kathryn is plunged into a world of politics, high-priced call girls and wealth. As she begins to search for her husband, a decades-old secret her mother took to the grave threatens to destroy all she holds dear. Caught up in a web of betrayals and deceit, and not knowing who to trust, Kathryn must find a way to survive as she discovers the past has a way of repeating itself.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Could history be repeating itself? Kathryn Landry’s father disappeared years ago and now her husband is missing. What she can’t believe is the detective that couldn’t find her father is leading the case to find her husband. Secrets and lies come together to make a dreadful game of deceit. Kathryn doesn’t trust the detective so she throws herself right into the middle of the investigation. Her friends are worried, the detective is trying to keep her safe but she won’t rest until she finds the truth even if the truth could kill her.

To call this story chilling is an understatement but that is the word the quickly comes to mind when I think about this book. More than a few times I had chills running up and down my spine while reading it.

I immediately connected with Kathryn. Her marriage was comfortable, each doing their own thing, not necessarily romantic, but to arrive home and find her husband gone was surprising. Then she started to notice some things that just weren’t right. She had to report him missing. The shock she felt when the detective arrived was felt right from the pages. That and a client stepping in and wanting to help her too was truly not expected. It was a very unusual triangle, but that was when the story became “unputdownable”.

Ms Davis has written a thrilling novel full of suspense and mystery, greed and jealousy, fires and horseplay, (critical threats to real horses), hidden bank accounts, murder, betrayal, lies, secrets, DECEIT, and to someone it is all just a game. The pace is fast, heart pounding and at times I found myself almost unable to catch my breath. I cannot believe this is her debut novel. It is so well plotted and written. The dialogue is perfect. The characters are fully fleshed out, some are conniving and scary while some very helpful and just plain nice, but all of them are unique.

I loved this book, it was an emotional ride for Kathryn Landry and for me the reader as well. This story is a must read for suspense lovers.

K.A. Davis is an author to keep our eyes on. I am excited for her next novel.

p.s. This author is a foodie and unlike most suspense thriller novels this one comes with recipes at the back of the book.

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About The Author
Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband, near wildfire country. During the Portola Hills fire in October 2007, she had to evacuate her two young granddaughters, one of whom has Rett Syndrome, as a wall of one hundred foot flames crept towards their home. Thankfully, due to the brave efforts of firefighters, their neighborhood was spared and no loss of life or property occurred. She was able to use that experience to write a harrowing scene in A Game of Deceit.

She writes the Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder blog and has had several children’s articles published in Cricket, Nature Friend, Skipping Stones, and the Seed of Truth magazines. Kim Davis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Author Links – Webpage – Facebook – Twitter – Blog –

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

More Praise for A Game of Deceit
by K. A. Davis

In this book, you are thrown for loops and turns that make you breathless, and eager to know who did it.
~Bibliophile Reviews

There is a new author in town that can send shivers down your spine with intrigue , secrets and characters that explode off the pages.
~Texas Book-aholic

This book kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, I’d be thrown for a loop. This was a book that I didn’t even try to guess as I read. I just sat back and let the author take me for the ride.
~A Cozy Experience

As I read the book I found myself framing hypotheses and then revising them again and again, flip-flopping in my suspicions right along with Kathryn as the story progressed.
~Cassidy’s Bookshelves

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Tour Participants

July 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
July 31 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Must Read Faster – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
August 2 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
August 3 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW
August 5 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 6 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT
August 7 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
August 7 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW
August 8 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
August 9 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
August 12 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 13 – Varietats – REVIEW
August 14 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

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#Spotlight / #Giveaway – A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins) by Greta Boris – Great Escapes Book Tour

Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Spotlights 6 Responses »

Aug 052017

A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins)
by Greta Boris

A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins)
1st in Series
Fawkes Press, LLC (May 10, 2017)
Paperback: 346 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1945419218
E-Book ASIN: B0719CMTFF

Synopsis:
Gwen Bishop, wife, mother, and struggling real estate agent, has two big fears: claustrophobia and being buried in suburban obscurity. When she signs her dream listing, a multi-million dollar beachfront property in Laguna Beach, California, she’s sure her problems are behind her. And they would be, if it wasn’t for the secret in the basement and the body in an upstairs bedroom.

When the crime scene tape comes down, Gwen enlists the aid of a handsome co-worker with a background in construction to help her ready the house for sale and bolster her flagging courage. But every time they’re ready to put it back on the market, something goes horribly wrong. She must face old fears and new ones, temptations and buried truths. Gwen is determined to sell the dream house—or die trying.

About The Author

Greta Boris is the author of the 2017 releases, A Margin of Lust and The Scent of Wrath, the first two books in her 7 Deadly Sins domestic suspense series. She’s also the Director of O.C. Writers, a community of over 800 published and aspiring authors in Orange County, California.

She’s published articles on culture, health, and entertainment for a variety of national magazines including Victorian Homes, Zombies, 50 Scariest Movies, Exodus, and Women of the Bible. She’s also the author of the Amazon Kindle Bestseller The Wine and Chocolate Workout – Sip, Savor, and Strengthen for a Healthier Life.

You can visit her at http://gretaboris.com. She describes her work (and her life) as an O.C. housewife meets Dante’s Inferno

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 2 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
August 2 – Books, Dreams, Life – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW
August 3 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
August 4 – Varietats – REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 5 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
August 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
August 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 7 – Deal Sharing Aunt – REVIEW
August 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
August 9 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW
August 10 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
August 11 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT

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#Review / #Giveaway – The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, Giveaways, You Read How Many Books Challenge 1 Response »

Jul 272017

The Girl Who Was Taken
Suspense Thriller
Setting – North Carolina
Kensington (April 25, 2017)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496701008
Kindle ASIN: B01JEJC8PW

Charlie Donlea, one of the most original new voices in suspense, returns with a haunting novel, laden with twists and high tension, about two abducted girls–one who returns, one who doesn’t–and the forensics expert searching for answers.

Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald are both high school seniors in the small town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina. When they disappear from a beach party one warm summer night, police launch a massive search. No clues are found, and hope is almost lost until Megan miraculously surfaces after escaping from a bunker deep in the woods.

A year later, the bestselling account of her ordeal has turned Megan from local hero to national celebrity. It’s a triumphant, inspiring story, except for one inconvenient detail: Nicole is still missing. Nicole’s older sister Livia, a fellow in forensic pathology, expects that one day soon Nicole’s body will be found, and it will be up to someone like Livia to analyze the evidence and finally determine her sister’s fate. Instead, the first clue to Nicole’s disappearance comes from another body that shows up in Livia’s morgue–that of a young man connected to Nicole’s past. Livia reaches out to Megan for help, hoping to learn more about the night the two were taken. Other girls have gone missing too, and Livia is increasingly certain the cases are connected.

But Megan knows more than she revealed in her blockbuster book. Flashes of memory are coming together, pointing to something darker and more monstrous than her chilling memoir describes. And the deeper she and Livia dig, the more they realize that sometimes true terror lies in finding exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Charlie Donlea is a new author to me and I am so happy I found this book.

Emerson Bay is rocked when two high school seniors go missing. Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald were not friends but they hung in the same crowd. They were both at a summer beach party when they disappeared. No clues were found even after a massive search. But then, 2 weeks later Megan is found walking down a highway. She has no idea who took her or why or where Nicole could be. Her physical injuries healed but she is emotionally tattered. She starts seeing a therapist and together they release a book about her trauma. Sadly Nicole is hardly mentioned.

Nicole’s sister Livia has never given up on finding Nicole. She is a fellow completing her training as a forensic pathologist knowing that any day her sister could appear on her autopsy table. Instead a young man from Nicole’s past shows up first and after he is identified she thinks he is connected to her disappearance. Livia reaches out to Megan hoping that together they can bring Nicole home.

The story is broken down into several parts and alternates between past and present. The separate plot lines blend together so well and are easy to follow.

Livia is the main character and most of the story is from her point of view. I was a little surprised at the actions she took while just being a fellow. She was driven to find answers even if that meant meeting with medical examiners from other states when girls had gone missing. She also tracked down and spoke to witnesses even before bringing the police in. She was gutsy and lucky.

With flashbacks we were able to get Nicole’s point of view and Megan was remembering more and more under hypnosis with her therapist. Megan’s parents wanted to see that she was healing and getting back to her old self so she put on a happy face around them but she was hurting inside.

The story has a real ripped from the headlines feel with a steady pace until Megan has a vital memory. From that point on the pages flew and the suspense ramped up to a extreme pace. The real world fell away and I was right there with Livia and Morgan. The author twisted the story in an incredible way that took me completely by surprise and I had that OMG moment.

Much of the story is procedural but so compelling. As it continues is becomes riveting, gripping, exciting, intense and the final twist was mind blowing. There are some creepy parts and Livia’s autopsies are vividly described. This story is not for the faint of heart but if you enjoy thrilling suspense this is the book for you.

I am excited to have found this author. I will be watching to see what he brings us next.

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About The Author

Charlie Donlea lives in Chicago with his wife and two young children. He spends a part of each year fishing with his father in the far reaches of Canada, where the roads end and lakes are accessible only by floatplane. These majestic trips to “God’s Country” inspired the setting for his novels. Readers can find him online at charliedonlea.com

I am giving away my review copy!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian 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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Contest Will End August 10, 2017 at 11:59 PM CST
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Click Here For Entry Form

Early #Review / #Giveaway – SHADOW GIRL by Gerry Schmitt

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, Giveaways, Literary Escapes, You Read How Many Books Challenge Comments Off

Jul 252017

Shadow Girl (An Afton Tangler Thriller)
Suspense/Thriller
2nd in Series
Setting – Minnesota
Berkley
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Release Date – August 1, 2017
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425281789
Kindle ASIN: B01MXHV6CL

The brutal murder of a business tycoon leaves Afton Tangler and the Twin Cities reeling, but that’s just the beginning of a gruesome crime spree…

Leland Odin made his fortune launching a home shopping network, but his millions can’t save his life. On the list for a transplant, the ailing businessman sees all hope lost when the helicopter carrying his donor heart is shot out of the sky.

Now with two pilots dead and dozens injured, Afton Tangler, family liaison officer for the Minneapolis Police Department, is drawn into the case. As she and her partner investigate family members and business associates, whoever wants Leland dead strikes again—and succeeds—in a brazen hospital room attack.

The supposedly squeaky clean millionaire has crossed the wrong person—and she’s not finished exacting her revenge. The case explodes into an international conspiracy of unbridled greed and violence. And as Afton gets closer to unearthing the mastermind behind it, she gets closer to becoming collateral damage…

Dollycas’s Thoughts

In this follow up to Little Girl Gone we find Afton Tangler tangled up in another police investigation. Something she loves as she hopes to become a full fledged detective instead of a family liaison officer.

A helicopter bringing a donor heart from Madison, Wisconsin is shot down out of the sky crashing down on a college campus. Afton and Detective Max Montgomery were nearby for a neighborhood meeting so they become some of the first responders. Deputy Chief Gerald Thacker assigns Afton to work with Max on this difficult case.

Mom Chao Cherry ordered the hit on the helicopter. She is out for revenge but the police know nothing about her or even that she and her team plan to keep terrorizing the victims she chooses.

Ms. Schmitt takes us into the story from various characters points of view to drag us deep into the gritty and at times terrifying story. This story involves many more people than the first book but I had no trouble following. I really enjoyed following the investigation to its conclusion. It grabbed my attention right away and held it to the very end.

I found both Afton and Max to be very engaging in the first book and they have grown to be very comfortable working together in this one. All the officers working on the case and the Deputy Chief realize Afton has talents to bring to the table. She doesn’t always follow Max’s orders but when she doesn’t she seems to have a good reason.

The content of the story was very well written and researched. This series brings a totally different type of story than I have seen from her alter ego Laura Childs. The language and events are raw and rough at times but rings true for these characters in this setting. It is fun to see this author bring us this thrilling story and a darker side of life while still giving us characters to root for.

Warning – do not start this book late in the day. The author writes in a short chapter format that will have you saying “just one more chapter” several times until you realize you have read the whole darn book.

This book is part of a series but can be read on its own. To really know Afton and Max you should start with Little Girl Gone. I am already looking forward to the next Afton Tangler Thriller.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About The Author

Gerry Schmitt is the author of the Afton Tangler Thrillers, and, writing under the pseudonym Laura Childs, the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels, the Tea Shop, Scrapbooking, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. She is the former CEO of her own marketing firm, has won TV and radio awards, and produced two reality TV shows. She and her professor husband enjoy collecting art, travel, and their two Shar-Pei dogs.

Author Links –
Webpage – Facebook

To find books written as Laura Childs click here.

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

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Click the Like Button at the top of this post for a Bonus Entry.

Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries.

Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End August 1, 2017 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Click Here For Entry Form

#Review / #Giveaway – Bring Her Home by David Bell – Released Today!!

2017 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Literary Escapes, You Read How Many Books Challenge Comments Off

Jul 112017

Bring Her Home
Crime Suspense Thriller
Setting – Kentucky
Berkley (July 11, 2017)
Paperback: 464 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0399584442
Kindle ASIN: B01MAY1TSV

Just a year and a half after the tragic death of his wife, Bill Price’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer, and her best friend, Haley, disappear. Days later, the girls are found in a city park. Haley is dead at the scene, while Summer is left beaten beyond recognition and clinging to life.

As Bill holds vigil over Summer’s bandaged body, the only sound the unconscious girl can make is one cryptic and chilling word: No. And the more time Bill spends with Summer, the more he wonders what happened to her. Or if the injured girl in the hospital bed is really his daughter at all.

When troubling new questions about Summer’s life surface, Bill is not prepared for the aftershocks. He’ll soon discover that both the living and the dead have secrets. And that searching for the truth will tear open old wounds that pierce straight to the heart of his family…

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Each year I wait very impatiently for the new David Bell thriller. This year was no different and it was well worth the wait except I didn’t think so as I read Part One. Let me explain.

Two 15 year old girls disappear. Summer and Haley were just like sisters, they did everything together. Bill Price just thought his daughter Summer was pushing her limits by missing her curfew until the police call. The girls were found in a park. Haley is declared dead immediately but Summer is rushed to the hospital badly beaten in grave condition. Bill and his sister, Paige, remain by the bedside rubbing her arm and talking to her. Then Paige starts to wonder if the girl in the bed is really Summer at all. Something I thought very early in the story.

Then we get to Part Two and the classic David Bell twists start to evolve. Different suspects, different scenarios, and a father driven to find the truth. I am treading lightly here so as to not tell you anymore than what the synopsis of the book provides. When I reached Part Two of this book I could not put it down.

Having experienced the loss of a child albeit in a very different way, I felt Bill Price’s pain. It ripped right into my heart. This man wanted answers and he was going to do anything to get them. The police told him to let them do their job, he tried, but he couldn’t. I understood his passion, even when the outcome could be the worst thing he could imagine he couldn’t stop. As the story continues so do the twists and surprises and Bill never quits or backs down.

Bell knows how to tell a story with strong characters. His stories have many layers. There is drama from start to finish. The pacing is absolutely perfect and the way he writes pulls the reader deeper and deeper into the story. He also uses short chapters so even late at night the “I just read one more” overtakes you and before you know it you are finishing the story. Mr. Bell is responsible for my latest book hangover 🙂

Like everything else this man has written this is an excellent story, one that will stick with you beyond the final page. For suspense fans, this is a must read.

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

You can find out more about David and his books visit his webpage here.

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

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

Click the Like Button at the top of this post for a Bonus Entry.

Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries.

Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.

If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End July 25, 2017 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Click Here For Entry Form

ARC #Giveaway – Shadow Girl by Gerry Schmitt

Giveaways Comments Off

Jul 062017

Would you like to receive an Advanced Copy of Shadow Girl?

Thanks to the author I have 2 Advance Copies to give away!

If you are chosen you must post a review on GoodReads on or before the August 1 release date and post a review on Amazon between August 1 and August 4.

Shadow Girl (An Afton Tangler Thriller)
Suspense/Thriller
Release Date – August 1, 2017
2nd in Series
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425281789
Kindle ASIN: B01MXHV6CL

The brutal murder of a business tycoon leaves Afton Tangler and the Twin Cities reeling, but that’s just the beginning of a gruesome crime spree…

Leland Odin made his fortune launching a home shopping network, but his millions can’t save his life. On the list for a transplant, the ailing businessman sees all hope lost when the helicopter carrying his donor heart is shot out of the sky.

Now with two pilots dead and dozens injured, Afton Tangler, family liaison officer for the Minneapolis Police Department, is drawn into the case. As she and her partner investigate family members and business associates, whoever wants Leland dead strikes again—and succeeds—in a brazen hospital room attack.

The supposedly squeaky clean millionaire has crossed the wrong person—and she’s not finished exacting her revenge. The case explodes into an international conspiracy of unbridled greed and violence. And as Afton gets closer to unearthing the mastermind behind it, she gets closer to becoming collateral damage…