#Review / #Giveaway – 39 Winks (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery) by Kathleen Valenti – 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 11 Responses »

May 252018

39 Winks (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)Medical Mystery/Thriller
2nd in Series
Setting – Midwest, United States
Henery Press (May 22, 2018)
Print Length 298 Pages
Digital ASIN: B07B9M3VZ7

Former pharmaceutical researcher Maggie O’Malley is losing sleep. Her boyfriend Constantine’s aunt is a multitasking sleepwalker who, in addition to wandering her stately home, prepares meals, folds laundry and, one winter night, stumbles across her husband with his throat slit.

It’s a rude and gruesome awakening that’s upsetting to Aunt Polly. And interesting to the police.

Maggie and Constantine work to uncover who killed the cosmetic surgery mogul and why. As they dig into the lives of those who knew him best, they discover that the truth is only skin deep and doctoring perception is a treatment with deadly side effects.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Maggie O’Malley is back and she is selling ladies lingerie?? Well, she is when the story begins. She lost her pharmaceutical job after all the drama she was involved in and she has bills to pay. She stands up to her boss and ends up unemployed again, but that is fine with her. Now she can go help her boyfriend, Constantine with his aunt and a murder she may have committed. She has a little sleepwalking problem and she happened to find her husband dead at the table with his throat slit. She has no idea what happened but she is covered in blood and the police’s prime suspect. There are many other people that may have killed the cosmetic surgeon. To prove Aunt Polly’s innocence Maggie and Constantine work to find the real killer. They find the deceased doc had a huge secret that could have led to his demise. Now they just have to make the police believe it.

In this follow up to Protocol, Kathleen Valenti again wraps pharmaceuticals into the story. Constantine’s Aunt Polly is battling Parkinson’s and Maggie thinks one of her medications is bringing on her sleepwalking. So while not only trying to find a murderer, Maggie is striving to help Polly find answers about her health. Her knowledge of drugs and medical procedures comes in handy in solving this mystery. I really enjoy the way the relationship between Maggie and Constantine has moved forward. They are learning to trust each other. Maggie still is unsure about being in a relationship. A little jealousy pops up when Constantine learns that Maggie and Detective Austin dated in the past. They do work well together and taking things slow is a good thing.

The author has created characters that are true to life and she has put them in stunning situations. The dialogue flows well and the imagery created takes readers right into the story.

This plot is very complex. Many threads need to be woven together. Greed, revenge, and vanity played major parts. A detective trying to settle a score, a patient unhappy with her surgery outcome, a doctor on the take, and the corruption goes deeper than could be imagined. Twists and turns kept me guessing and I was surprised by the amazing ending. This book would make a wonderful television movie.

The story ends with Maggie accepting a new job! I am excited to read book #3. Hope we do not have to wait too long.

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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. 39 Winks is the second of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series and follows her debut mystery, Protocol. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.

Learn more at www.kathleenvalenti.com.

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Praise for 39 Winks (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)
by Kathleen Valenti

In short, my kind of read! 39 Winks is another prime example of Valenti’s skill in weaving together complex threads into an entertaining and fully engaging story.
~Reading is My SuperPower

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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.”

#Review / #Giveaway – Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea – Great Escapes Tour – @KensingtonBooks

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Literary Escapes, Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 10 Responses »

May 242018

About the Book

Don’t Believe ItMystery/Crime/Suspense
Setting – St. Lucia
Kensington (May 29, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496713803
Digital ASIN: B075CBLSDX
Audio ASIN: B079VRWSRY

The Girl of Sugar Beach is the most watched documentary in television history—a riveting, true-life mystery that unfolds over twelve weeks and centers on a fascinating question: Did Grace Sebold murder her boyfriend, Julian, while on a Spring Break vacation, or is she a victim of circumstance and poor police work? Grace has spent the last ten years in a St. Lucian prison and reaches out to filmmaker Sidney Ryan in a last, desperate attempt to prove her innocence.

As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence, additional suspects, and timeline issues that were all overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case. But as the show surges towards its final episodes, Sidney receives a letter saying that she got it badly, terribly wrong.

Sidney has just convinced the world that Grace is innocent. Now she wonders if she has helped to free a ruthless killer. Delving into Grace’s past, she peels away layer after layer of deception. But as Sidney edges closer to the real heart of the story, she must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career . . . even her life.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Filmmaker Sidney Ryan feels she has found the perfect subject for her new documentary. Grace Sebold has been in prison in St. Lucia for the past 10 years. Found guilty of killing her boyfriend while on Spring Break. A crime she says she didn’t commit. She had reached out to Grace to tell her story and hopefully prove she didn’t kill anyone.

Sidney starts investigating and quickly sees many inconsistencies in the previous investigation. She sells the story to television, pitching a 10 episode series that she will do almost in real time as she digs into the case.

The series premiers with good ratings and grows with each episode. A public outcry gets the attention of the U.S. government and they realize one of its citizens may be in prison in a foreign country for a crime she didn’t commit. At the same time, Sidney receives a letter telling her that her docudrama is wrong and that Grace has to be guilty. Before she can put together the final episodes she takes her investigation in a different direction and by doing that she risks everything.

This story could be ripped from the headlines. True Crime dramas are hot right now. They are all over television, even have channels dedicated to this type of program. This one also delves into the police procedures and the courts in St. Lucia, an island where tourists are their bed and butter.

Most of the story is told from Sidney Ryan’s point of view and she plans and investigates. Interspersed between are interviews Sidney has with people connected to the case. The fact that she was creating the episodes almost in real time, sometimes just a day or two before it aired, including all the behind the scenes drama was so interesting. It kept the pace of the story at a high level.

The author does an excellent job of giving us readers an intense story. I was sucked in right from the start. The story has twists that changed my thinking several times. Was Grace really innocent? If she was, who killed Julian? I had a clear thought of another suspect and then another and then back to Grace. I don’t want to say too much to ruin the story but the ending took a turn I never imagined.

After reading The Girl Who Was Taken last summer, I did not even read the synopsis for this book before reading it. I just knew it was written by Charlie Donlea and I had to read it. I am glad I did that. This is a book you just need to jump into and let it take you away. This story is well written, very detailed, and much more than it originally seems. A totally entertaining story that I had a hard time putting down.

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Check out my review of The Girl Who Was Taken here.

About the Author

Credit – Carrianne Photography

USA Today bestselling author Charlie Donlea was born and raised in Chicago. He now lives in the suburbs with his wife and two young children. Readers can find him online at http://charliedonlea.com

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Praise for Don’t Believe It
by Charlie Donlea

Donlea’s use of the documentary format helped build and maintain suspense. He tapped into the American passion for true crime to write the story and it worked well.
~Bea’s Book Nook

Charlie Donlea is definitely an author to watch out for. Five stars is not enough praise for this story.
~Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews

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#Review / #Giveaway – The Face on the Other Side (Thomas O’Shea Mysteries) by John Carenen

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Literary Escapes, Read The Printed Word Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge 4 Responses »

May 222018

About the Book

The Face on the Other Side (Thomas O’Shea Mysteries)
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
3rd in Series
Setting – Iowa
FPS (February 10, 2018)
Paperback: 340 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1945338946

He’d promised Sheriff Payne that he wouldn’t take any more matters into his own hands. So, when on a leisurely morning drive, SEAL-trained Thomas O’Shea sees two girls attacking a boy on a sidewalk, he opts not to intervene. When the boy is later murdered in the local hospital, though, all promises are off. What seems at the start to be a simple case of gang activity turns out to be far more. Even O’Shea, who has seen more than his share of evil, could not have guessed what is about to transpire…

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am so excited to tell you about this book. I reviewed the 2nd book in this series back in 2015 and have been waiting for this next story.

Thomas O’Shea is a special man, a Christian man, and ex-Navy Seal. He has been caught in some dangerous situations in the past and has vowed to stay out of trouble. When he witnesses two girls beating the heck out of a boy on the sidewalk just outside the school grounds he tries to do the right thing by contacting the police. He quickly sees they are not going to arrive in time and has to step in. The boy survives the beating but is later killed in the hospital. Mr. O’Shea feels he owes the boy justice and he convinces the sheriff to let him help with the case. Neither one ever imagined the evil they were going to face.

This story is not for the faint of heart. This is riveting, gritty, suspense-filled story that you will not be able to put down. The author has created a small Iowa town and brought big-city problems up close and personal.

Thomas O’Shea and his schoolteacher girlfriend are taking things slow, his choice, not hers. He wants to get married but she is afraid of getting that call that he has been hurt or killed. These characters and all the rest including the sheriff and O’Shea’s friend Lunatic Mooning, are so well crafted. It is so easy to picture them so clearly and be drawn in by them.

I saw in the last book that the author’s very descriptive way of telling a story made it feel as if you were watching a movie. That is even more evident in this story. It is fast paced and full of intensity. Every time a door was opened or Thomas tracked down a suspect I was almost fearful of what was going to happen next. I knew Thomas’ heart was always in the right place but his head puts him in some dire situations. The action and drama build up to a scene that had my heart racing. I was holding my breath the whole time to see how the scene would play out. When it ended I had to set the book down and take a few deep breaths before I could read the final chapters. Wow!! What a story!

I want to stress you do not need the previous books in this series to enjoy this story. Each book can stand on their own. If you enjoy books by Harlan Coben, David Burnsworth or Greg Iles, I know you will enjoy this book/series.

In my opinion, this story deserves more than 5 stars. It is a story I will not forget!

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About the Author

John Carenen, a native of Clinton, Iowa, graduated with an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop and has been writing ever since. His work has appeared numerous times in Reader’s Digest (including a First Person Award), McCall’s, Dynamic Years, and other periodicals. He has been a featured columnist in newspapers in Morganton, North Carolina and Clinton, South Carolina. His fiction has appeared in regional literary magazines. A novel, Son-up, Son-down, was published by the National Institute of Mental Health. He is happily married to (long-suffering) Elisabeth, and they have two grown daughters, Caitlin and Rowe. When he isn’t writing, he thinks about getting in shape, cheers for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Red Sox, and takes frequent naps. He has traveled extensively, having visited 43 states and 23 countries. He is a USAF veteran, having served in the Philippines and Massachusetts. A retired an English professor at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina, he is hard at work on another novel.

Author Links

johncarenenwrites.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CarenenJohn/
@JohnCarenen

Purchase Links

Amazon

Praise for The Face on the Other Side (Thomas O’Shea Mysteries)
by John Carenen

What I liked about this story are characterization and the narration . . . I loved the suspense and guessing on the culprit till the end.
~Fantastic Feathers

The characters are well rounded and well developed. The author creates characters that will stay with you long after you have finished the book.
~MJB Reviewers

Wow, what a ride you are about to embark on as you begin turning the pages of this book.
~Maureen’s Musings

. . . this one had me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages until the end.
~My Reading Journeys

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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.”

#Review / #Giveaway – Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries) by Karen Randau – Great Escapes Book Tour

2018 Reviews, Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, You Read How Many Books Challenge Comments Off

Apr 032018

Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries)
by Karen Randau

Deadly Reception (Tawnee Mountain Mysteries)
Suspense – Thriller – Mystery
Setting – New Jersey
Self Published (April 16, 2018)
Paperback: 138 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1984380807
Digital ASIN: B079DGBW37

Deadly Reception is a part of the Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series, a collection of seven brand new mysteries, from seven award-winning and bestselling authors, taking place at the same final destination, the Tawnee Mountain Resort.

Deadly Reception features characters from Karen Randau’s Rim Country Mysteries series.

A severed head. A philandering husband. A skeleton in the basement. This was not the perfect wedding Rita Avery planned for her daughter Zoe!

Rita Avery and her detective husband Cliff arrive at New Jersey’s Tawnee Mountain Resort prepared to greet Zoe’s wedding guests in just three hours. Who would have expected to find a man’s torso in their closet?

Things explode into high gear when the victim’s head shows up at the golf equipment shack. A good look at his social media makes Rita wonder if a wife murdered her husband as revenge for infidelity. Or did a secret admirer decide to liberate the wife from her scoundrel husband?
Worse, is Zoe in life-threatening danger . . . again?
And will Rita and Cliff escape the trap in which the murderer snares them?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Rita Avery and her husband Cliff have traveled to the Tawnee Mountain Resort for their daughter’s wedding. They get to their room right after a maid makes a gruesome discovery, a man’s torso. That’s right, no arms, no legs, just a torso. It isn’t long before the head is found. The wedding party is moved to other accommodations but body parts continue to be found. Is this murder connected to their family in some way? or have they just become part of a murderer’s macabre plan? Cliff is determined to find out but he may need Rita’s special skills.

The novella is a lightning fast read. Non-stop surprises all as we hope the bride and her groom make it to the altar.

Karen Randau has packed so much in these 138 pages that is impossible to put this book down. I had jumped into this series last year when I read and reviewed the 3rd book in the Rim County Mysteries, Deadly Choices, so I was familiar with the characters and the author’s writing style. She brought all her talents to this novella, descriptions that put the reader right at the scene, characters that you root for with spot-on dialogues, and suspense that grabs your attention.

Rita is a great character that you can get behind and feel sorrow that her daughter’s special day is tainted by a murder.

The major twist to this story was unexpected and social media played a key role to solving the mystery. Rita’s talents are something that would give Mark Zuckerberg nightmares.

I really need to go back and read the two installments to this series.

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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

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Purchase Link – Amazon

Each book in this multi-author series is a standalone novella, and the series can be read in any order.
The Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series includes:

Leona’s Last Resort by Karen M. Bryson
Dark Side of the Mountain by R.J. Rosatte
Deadly Reception by Karen Randau
Black Diamond Graves by Wendy Fallon
Deadly Misfire by Laurie Fagen
Cassidy’s Deadly Exit by Marla J. Hayes
The Quinnipiac Disappearance by Lee Tidball

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#Spotlight / #Giveaway – The Mirror Sisters: A Novel by V.C. Andrews @Pocket_Books

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Feb 172018

The Mirror Sisters: A Novel
Gothic Thriller
1st in Series
Pocket Books (October 25, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1476792361
Kindle ASIN: B01CO34K06

Alike in every single way…. with one dark exception.

As identical twins, their mother insists that everything about them be identical: their clothes, their toys, their friends . . . the number of letters in their names, Haylee Blossom Fitzgerald and Kaylee Blossom Fitzgerald. If one gets a hug, the other must too. If one gets punished, the other must be too.

Homeschooled at an early age, when the girls attend a real high school they find little ways to highlight the differences between them. But when Haylee runs headfirst into the dating scene, both sisters are thrust into a world their mother never prepared them for—causing one twin to pursue the ultimate independence. The one difference between the two girls may spell the difference between life… and a fate worse than death.

About V.C. Andrews

V.C. Andrews^® has been a bestselling phenomenon since the publication of her classic Flowers in the Attic. That blockbuster novel began her renowned Dollanganger family saga, which includes Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, and Garden of Shadows. Since then, readers have been captivated by more than seventy novels in V.C. Andrews’s bestselling series. V.C. Andrews’s novels have sold more than 106 million copies. Cleo Virginia Andrews (June 6, 1923 – December 19, 1986), better known as V. C. Andrews or Virginia C. Andrews, was an American novelist. She was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Andrews died of breast cancer at the age of 63. She left several unfinished manuscripts and outlines that were completed by Andrew Neiderman.

Andrew Neiderman

In addition to ghostwriting the V.C. Andrews novels, Andrew Neiderman is the author of numerous novels of suspense and terror published by Pocket Books, including Deficiency, The Baby Squad, Under Abduction, Dead Time, In Double Jeopardy, and The Devil’s Advocate—which was made into a major motion picture by Warner Brothers. He lives in Palm Springs, California, with his wife, Diane. Visit his website at Neiderman.com.

V.C. Andrews Twitter: https://twitter.com/VC_Andrews
V.C. Andrews FB: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVCAndrews

Find more books by V. C. Andrews on Amazon here.

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#Review / #Giveaway – In It For The Money (A Blu Carraway Mystery) by David Burnsworth – Great Escapes Book Tour – @HeneryPress

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Oct 272017

I am a huge fan of David Burnsworth’s books so I am excited
to share this one with you today!

In It For The Money (A Blu Carraway Mystery)
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
1st in Series
Setting – South Carolina
Henery Press (September 12, 2017)
Paperback: 278 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112436
E-Book ASIN: B072N5TVLG

Lowcountry Private Investigator Blu Carraway needs a new client. He’s broke and the tax man is coming for his little slice of paradise. But not everyone appreciates his skills. Some call him a loose cannon. Others say he’s a liability. All the ex-Desert Storm Ranger knows is his phone hasn’t rung in quite a while. Of course, that could be because it was cut off due to delinquent payments.

Lucky for him, a client does show up at his doorstep—a distraught mother with a wayward son. She’s rich and her boy’s in danger. Sounds like just the case for Blu. Except nothing about the case is as it seems. The jigsaw pieces—a ransom note, a beat-up minivan, dead strippers, and a missing briefcase filled with money and cocaine—do not make a complete puzzle. The first real case for Blu Carraway Investigations in three years goes off the rails.

And that’s the way he prefers it to be.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Blu Carraway has bills to pay, including his phone bill and the taxes on his island paradise. His last investigation paid well but that was 3 years ago. The ex-Desert Storm Ranger, now Private Investigator really needs a new client. Unable to reach him by phone a well to do woman and her driver show up at his home to ask him to find her son. They are estranged but he hasn’t made any recent withdrawals from his trust fund and she is worried. Blu thinks this will be a quick, high paying job but was he wrong. Drugs, money, and dead bodies litter the path of his investigation. Soon he just hopes to stay alive long enough to close the case and spend a little bit of the money he is earning.

Blu Carraway is a lot like Brack Pelton, the lead character in the author’s other series. In fact Brack pops up occasionally in this series. They are both war vets that have experienced things that have extremely changed their lives. Their training also gives them the necessary tools to be great PI’s. Blu does have his weaknesses and tries to be mindful and keep himself in check. His friend Mike Crome, also a vet, rides in on his motorcycle just in time to help with the case. They hadn’t seen each other since he rode off 3 years ago.

Blu has cultivated plenty of sources over the years including a contact at the DMV and a detective that helps to keep him out of jail when things go sideways. Blu also reaches out to an old girlfriend but getting that relationship back on track is going to take some work.

Mr. Burnsworth writes vivid characters, they truly come alive within these pages. They are all flawed in their own ways but like Blu and are ready to help him. I loved that there are some four legged characters too. Some very special horses, Dink and Doofus, who act more like watchdogs instead of grazing horses.

The story has a lightning pace, there is always something happening. Blu is quite a man, he can take a man or three down with just a couple of moves and remove all their guns at the same time. Whether the be bullets flying or people to question, Blu and Crome make a great team. I was holding my breath a few times as I was afraid Blu was as invincible as he thought. I was unable to put the book down and read it all on a Sunday afternoon.

I knew from the start David Burnsworth was an author to watch and he has exceeded my expectations with every book he writes. These are thrillers with plenty of violence and gritty places and situations but it is an excellent read that has no foul language. I appreciate that.

I am looking to visiting these characters again in future stories. The author has laid the groundwork for what I hope will be a long running series.

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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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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.”

#Spotlight / #Giveaway – Closure: When Evil Sparks Vengeance… by Stacey Cotter

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Oct 262017

Closure: When Evil Sparks Vengeance…
Thriller/Suspense/Crime
3L Publishing(October 14, 2017)
Paperback: 215 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0999023228
Kindle ASIN: B076FFTGX1

Not all is what it seems when a beautiful couple fall in love in the sleepy coastal town of Bayside Cliff. Tim Stevens and Sophia Andrews had it all — paradise, love and a bright future. That is, until Sophia can no longer live with her dark secret — a secret so ghastly that she ultimately takes her life.

Years pass when bereaved fiancé Tim receives Sophia’s belongings after her father passes away. That is when he uncovers the dreadful, horrifying truth, that propels Tim to seek justice on his beloved’s behalf.

Closure is a dark story about twisted deeds, evil men, and love lost.

Press Release

NEW THRILLER THAT EXPLICITLY SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN EVIL SPARKS VENGEANCE

Author Stacey Cotter is back with her third published novel that stands as her crowning achievement to date. This emotional thriller will draw in the reader and take them
on a wild ride of shock and awe.

DAVIS, California—Stacey Cotter, who recently emerged in the literary world has penned a truly captivating thriller titled Closure – when evil sparks vengeance… This well-written and fast-paced novel will take you on the journey of a successful young man who has come to the sleepy coastal town of Bayside Cliff to begin his life. The events that followed this move were nothing that he could have foreseen…

Timothy Stevens seemed to have it all working as an attorney, living on a luxurious yacht and being engaged to a beautiful, orange haired beauty named Sophia Andrews. That is, until the day she took her own life. So many questions left unanswered, until the time Sophia’s father passed away. Timothy came into possession of Sophia’s journals of poetry and such, which gave him the clues that he needed to uncover the truth of why she felt the need to take her life.

Cotter has a writing style which takes situations that on many levels might seem ordinary (heading to the deli for a sandwich or even taking a drive) and flushes them out by creating layers of subtext and deeper meaning. Closure is loaded with tense intrigue as Tim is suddenly confronted with an unexpected situation that he never anticipated. Anger and revulsion lead Tim to dig deeper into his beloved’s life and discover the gruesome details behind her dark secret.

Using poetry and flashbacks, Cotter creates a deeper appreciation for the characters that face truly tragic personal calamities throughout the story. The key is portraying Tim and Sophia in the light of average people. Emma, a large fawn mastiff, plays an elemental role in the story as she becomes Tim’s confidant and a great source of affection. Placing her characters in unusual and life-changing circumstances, the reader can easily appreciate the feelings and dilemmas that arise. While the character’s choices might be considered questionable to the average reader, no one could totally understand why they do what they do unless they were in the same situation.

What makes Closure stand out from the standard thriller genre and make it dramatic is Cotter deepens the story to explore the character’s inner thoughts and feelings. The reader is led through this character’s transformation as he contemplates life and decides which course to take as he seeks vengeance among those responsible for Sophia’s demise.

Closure is a fast-paced thriller that delves into deep emotions, betrayal, rage, and revenge. What happens in Closure will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

Closure, when evil sparks vengeance… is an intriguing must-read thriller. It released nationwide on October 14, 2017.

Frequent Asked Questions

What is the novel Closure, when evil sparks vengeance… about?

Closure is a thriller that involves a young man coming to grips with challenges that life has thrown in his direction. Timothy Stevens seemed to have it all working as an attorney, living on a luxurious yacht and being engaged to a beautiful, orange haired beauty named Sophia Andrews. That is, until the day she took her own life. So many questions left unanswered, until the time Sophia’s father passed away. Timothy came into possession of Sophia’s journals of poetry and such, which gave him the clues that he needed to uncover the truth of why she felt the need to take her life. Anger and revulsion led Tim to avenge his love’s death and bring those responsible to justice.

Why did you write the book?

Closure was a thriller that I had always been playing around with in my mind. I hadn’t finalized the storyline or the characters the way that I had conceived, thus I held it close to the vest until now. I’m pleased to have Closure be my third published novel as the time is right and the story is exactly where I want it to be. Decades ago, I took great solace in writing poetry and found the delicate character of Sophia Andrew’s as one that needed to communicate her feelings through verse. Being able to combine poetry into the novel was an element that I found so defining as an author. My character, Sophia Andrews, was taken to another level as her words spoke volumes and allowed her to speak even though she wasn’t present.

Who is your favorite character in the Closure and why?

The story is centered around our lead character, Timothy Stevens, who I would deem as my favorite character in Closure. This is my first novel writing from the man’s perspective, which I found challenging yet greatly rewarding. Being a relatable and likeable young man, I felt that it was vital for our main character to be someone that we could all relate to in one way or another. The great passion and love that Tim felt for Sophia is apparent throughout the story and in his mission to avenge her death.

What theme in the book do you hope readers understand and take away from it?

I’m in hopes that the reader relishes an uninhibited ride that may make them question what they might do in the scenario that our character is thrown into. My goal is for them to experience the same range of emotions: shock, anger, passion and vengeance. Closure, is the type of novel that allows you to escape the day-to-day stresses of life, and take you into another person’s life of challenge and personal discord.

This book is your third novel. What are your plans for the future?

Writing Harris Estate, Harris Estate – The Aftermath and Closure has opened up a door that I had always kept securely closed. Taking the risk and finally jumping in to writing with both feet, has freed my imagination and put it into overdrive. Since the decision was made to publish, I have gone ahead and written several more stories. Harris Estate will be a trilogy with the final installment Harris Estate – The Next Generation, coming out next year. Finally, The Faithful One, is an in-depth philosophical novel that takes symbolism to another level and offers the reader a way to analyze their lives and how they live it. That is currently in the works and more are coming to mind each and every day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – STACEY COTTER

Stacey Cotter has a degree in psychology and business administration, which led her to a career path in long-term healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With a passion for literature, several stories had been in her mind for years, but weren’t ready to come out until recently. Stacey lives with her husband, two children and canines.

Websit Twitter: @StaceyCotter5 Facebook Blog

Published works:

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#Review – Don’t Let Go by Harlan Coben @HarlanCoben @DuttonBooks

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Sep 262017

Don’t Let Go
Suspense/ Thriller
Setting – New Jersey
Dutton (September 26, 2017)
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0525955115
Kindle ASIN: B01NH7GION

With unmatched suspense and emotional insight, Harlan Coben explores the big secrets and little lies that can destroy a relationship, a family, and even a town in this powerful new thriller.

Suburban New Jersey Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas hasn’t been the same since senior year of high school, when his twin brother Leo and Leo’s girlfriend Diana were found dead on the railroad tracks—and Maura, the girl Nap considered the love of his life, broke up with him and disappeared without explanation. For fifteen years, Nap has been searching, both for Maura and for the real reason behind his brother’s death. And now, it looks as though he may finally find what he’s been looking for.

When Maura’s fingerprints turn up in the rental car of a suspected murderer, Nap embarks on a quest for answers that only leads to more questions—about the woman he loved, about the childhood friends he thought he knew, about the abandoned military base near where he grew up, and mostly about Leo and Diana—whose deaths are darker and far more sinister than Nap ever dared imagine.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Harlan Coben is my favorite author when it comes to a suspenseful story. This time he uses two common legends of his home town in New Jersey for the story.

Readers are introduced to New Jersey Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas, a man whose entire life was turned upside down and inside out on one day. That day he lost his twin brother Leo and his girlfriend Maura. Leo and his girlfriend Diana were killed in a horrific way and Maura just disappeared. Now fifteen years later Maura’s fingerprints show up in a murder case making her the prime suspect. Nap has been trying to find her this whole time and this is the first connection but he can’t believe she would kill anyone. He has to find her but the clues keep leading back to an abandoned military base and may even have something to do with his brother’s death.

Hold on tight folks, this is a book you are not going to want to put down.

Coben tells this story in a unique way. From Nap’s point of view but telling his deceased brother Leo and not the reader always what is thinking and doing. These inner dialogues gave the story a different feel. We see that Nap is still clearly traumatized by his brother’s death. At first I had a hard time connecting with him but the connection grew as I got deeper into his story. Nap didn’t know if his brother’s death was an accident or suicide, so I did tap into the pain he was feeling having lost my son to suicide 30 months ago. His relationship, purely platonic, with his best friend Ellie, was the thing that made him feel more real for me.

The plot is very complicated. There are people dying that all attended high school together but motive is hard to define making it difficult to find suspects other than Maura. Nap’s thinking is mostly of the What If? variety. Conspiracy theories arise, he reaches out to his mentor for help trying to bring together his thoughts with what actually could be going on. There are so many twists and turns I had to slow down my reading speed so I could grasp the clues clearly. Still, the final twist was a complete surprise. The story does have a rapid pace and I almost read the entire book in one sitting.

I have enjoyed all the books by this author. I was thrilled to see Myron Bolitar make a cameo appearance.

While not my all time favorite Coben novel it was a very exciting story. I can’t wait for his next one!

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#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.

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

Cloak and Dagger Challenge, E-Book Challenge, Giveaways, Great Escapes Book Tours, Reviews 2017, 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.

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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

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