New Releases 2012 (July 31)

The Unspoken (Krewe of Hunters) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description


1898: Bound for Chicago, the freighter Jerry McGuen goes down in Lake Michigan, taking with it every man aboard. But what other fate could befall a vessel carrying the ill-gotten sarcophagus of an Egyptian sorcerer?

Now: A veteran diver and "ghost ship" expert is exploring the legendary wreck for a documentary. He dies inexplicably inside the freighter's main saloon. Then another diver is killed and panicked rumors rise like bubbles from the lake: ancient demons have awakened below!

The expedition's beleaguered financier calls paranormal investigator Katya Sokolov to Chicago to save the film — and perhaps some innocent lives. Along with media forensics guru Will Chan, Kat plumbs the depths of an evil that may date back to the time of the Pharaohs. But some secrets are best drowned in the seas of the past .…

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313611
ISBN-13: 978-0778313618

Haven (A Bishop/SCU Novel) [Hardcover]

Product Description 

New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper returns with a breathtaking new thriller of a young woman’s homecoming — to a town of menacing whispers, bad dreams, and dangerous secrets…

Another nightmare, in the woods this time. Different: She was running. Trying to escape.

But the same ending. Always the same ending. Another dead girl…

Emma Rayburn was born and raised in Baron Hollow, North Carolina, and it was a quiet life. Then came the accident … and the nightmares — each filled with unshakable visions of darkness, blind panic, and desperate women chased toward inevitable death. With no reports of local women missing or found dead, Emma has written it off to troubled imaginings — night after dreaded night. Until her sister arrives.

Jessie Rayburn, psychic investigator for a firm called Haven, has been estranged from Emma for years. Unresolved issues from Jessie’s past have not only kept them apart but have been clouding Jessie’s unique abilities. A return to her hometown to face a dark and violent incident from years gone by is her chance to regain them. But reconciliation with the past comes with a price. Few people in Baron Hollow are welcoming Jessie back. No one dares to breathe a word. And in this conspiracy of silence, Emma’s nightmares are becoming more vivid than ever.

Even with the help of Noah Bishop, head of the FBI Special Crimes Unit and co-founder of Haven, Jessie and Emma soon find themselves outnumbered by the secrets buried in Baron Hollow — and outrunning an evil that has been festering for years, one that’s targeting Jessie and Emma one last time.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425258742
ISBN-13: 978-0425258743

New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers returns with a gripping story of romantic suspense, where FBI agents Sharpe and Donovan must decide whether working alone or standing together is the only way to outwit an enemy set to tear them apart.

When your safety depends on living a lie…

After escaping certain death, deep-cover agent Colin Donovan is back home on the Maine coast with his new love, FBI art crimes expert Emma Sharpe. Then Tatiana Pavlova, a London-based jewelry designer, arrives in Heron's Cove, asking for Emma's help—a prized collection from a lost era of Russian opulence, decadence and rare beauty has resurfaced, and Tatiana warns Emma it's about to be stolen again. And Colin realizes his nightmare isn't over. It's just begun.

And everyone you love is a target…

Emma guards her past closely, and Colin is determined to unlock her secrets. As they investigate the mysterious collection and the equally mysterious Tatiana, they confront their greatest challenge. Now they must count on their expertise—and each other—to outwit an enemy who wants to destroy them and everyone they love most.

Who can you afford to trust?

Product Details
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313751
ISBN-13: 978-0778313755

Nowhere To Run [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

When Liv Dugan ducks out of work for lunch, it's just an ordinary day. When she returns, she stumbles onto a massacre. All her colleagues at Zuma Software have been shot. Only luck has left Liv unscathed, and that might be running out. Liv suspects the shootings are tied to her past - and to the package she recently received from her long-dead adoptive mother. Sensing she's being followed, Liv jumps into a stranger's car and orders him to drive. Her "hostage" complies, listening carefully as her story unwinds. Skeptical at first, he ultimately begins to believe all Liv's fears are justified. Together, Liv and her unlikely confidant try to uncover the truth about her adoptive family, her birth parents, and her troubled childhood. Because somewhere in Liv's past is a secret worth killing for, and a nightmare she can never outrun.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Zebra (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 142012501X
ISBN-13: 978-1420125016

Don't Say A Word [Mass Market Paperback

Product Description

Cross Your Heart . . .

One by one, they will die. He has waited patiently, planning their final moments. Their tortured screams, their pleas for mercy -- all will be in vain...

And Hope . . .

Homicide detective Julia Cass has witnessed plenty of crime scenes. But the murder of a Chattanooga judge is shocking in its brutality. Teamed with FBI agent Will Brannock, Julia delves into an investigation that soon unearths more bodies -- all mutilated in the same way, all left with a gruesome souvenir of a killer's ruthless rage. . .

To Die. . .

The only way to stop the slaughter is to predict the next victim. But when you're dealing with vengeance at its most ruthless, one wrong move can make you a target . . . and the next word you utter could be your last . . .
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110373
ISBN-13: 978-1420110371

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 30)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-146 

1.  The Unholy - Heather Graham
2.  Close Your Eyes - Iris Johansen

I’m currently reading:

1. The Unholy - Heather Graham

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. Close Your Eyes - Iris Johansen

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-149 

Library Haul 2012 (July 29 - Aug 4)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Hardcover:

1.  Stolen Prey - John Sandford

What did you pick up from the library this week?

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (July 28)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.

Rev It Up: Black Knights Inc. [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description


Jake "The Snake" Sommers has spent most of his black-ops military career fulfilling a promise he made more than a decade ago. Now he's finally free to pursue the woman he sacrificed...but hates the very ground he walks on. Michelle Carter has never forgiven Jake for being so cliché as to "love her and leave her." But when unknown enemies threaten everything she loves, she must do the unimaginable: place her life — and that of her son's — into Jake's seductive hands. Keeping her and her son safe is his final mission. Keeping her heart to herself just might prove futile ...

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402267185
ISBN-13: 978-1402267185

Theft by Chocolate [Paperback]

Product Description

Mystery, Mayans and Mayhem: looking for chocolate, love and an international art thief in all the wrong places. Chocolate addict Kalena Boyko wasn’t prepared for this. Heading to work at Canada’s largest museum as an administrator, she hoped for quiet and uninterrupted access to her secret chocolate stash. Instead she’s assigned to manage the high-profile Treasures of the Maya exhibition with her loathed former boss Richard Pritchard. With no warning, her life is turned inside out and propelled into warp speed as she stumbles across an insider plot that could jeopardize the exhibit and the reputation of the museum. After hearing about a recent botched theft at the museum and an unsolved jewel heist in the past from security guard and amateur sleuth Marco Zeffirelli, Kalena becomes suspicious of Richard and is convinced he’s planning to sabotage the Treasures of the Maya exhibition. Her suspicions, and the appearance of the mysterious but charming Geoffrey Ogden from the London office, don’t help her concentration. The Treasures of the Maya seem cursed as problem after problem arises, including the disappearance of a key artefact - the world’s oldest piece of chocolate ...

Product Details
Paperback: 346 pages
Publisher: Attica Books (June 21, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1908002395
ISBN-13: 978-1908002396

A Perfect Storm (Hqn) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "A Perfect Storm" the 4th book in her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series by Lori Foster.

Product Description

He never saw her coming …

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring — and continue avenging his own tragic past — the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan — and their chemistry — shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero ….

About the Author

Lori Foster is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. She’s had top-selling books for Amazon, Waldenbooks and the BGI Group. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com. 

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 037377656X
ISBN-13: 978-0373776566

 

My Review:

 

Spencer Lark and Arizona Storm meet a month ago on a sting operation where he took her opportunity to seek revenge on the women who took her innocence away.  Arizona was kidnapped and sold to human traffickers and then tossed out a moving truck over the bridge.  She was lucky Jackson, Dare and Trace were following them and was able to rescue her.  Jackson gave her a new identity and only the core people knew who she was.  She wanted to find out about the organization that had taken her and bring them down.  She learned how to surveillance from them.

After the sting is over she follows Spencer to his home and watches him while he sleeps on her birthday.  When he awakens they have an argument and she asks him to help her to bring down a human trafficking ring.  He agrees in allowing herself to be the lure while he works with her friends to make sure she is keep safe.

I really liked how Spencer was caring and understanding about Arizona's fears about intimacy and relationships.  He didn't want to hurt her and he felt the age difference between them was too great (he's 32 and she just turned 21).  She's very naive and inexperienced with having relationships.  Due to her tragic past she's very wary and not comfortable around men but Spencer makes her feel cherished and safe.  She could be immature and juvenile at times.

4/5

Luba Lesychn Theft by Chocolate Blog Tour with Giveaway and Guest Post

I am so excited to Luba Lesychn here to talk about Mystery, Mayhem, and Mayans in Museums in a Guest Post here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

Luba Lesychn is currently touring to promote her new release Theft by Chocolate a sassy museum mystery book.

For more information about the book, please visit the following sites:

Luba's Site and Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon
Attica Books (Publisher)

Thank you Attica Books and Luba Lesychn for letting me join your blog tour with a Giveaway, Guest Post.

Please take it away, Luba!

Mystery, Mayhem, and Mayans in Museums

The original concept for Theft By Chocolate, a sassy museum mystery about a woman of a certain age looking for chocolate, love, and an international art thief in all the wrong places, sprung from the lead character, Kalena Boyko, a hopeless chocolate addict. Setting her story in a museum came naturally to me as I had been employed in Canada’s largest museum for more than twenty years, and I wanted to share my privileged access to this awe-inspiring place with readers. As for the plot, it did not develop so easily at first.

The work began as a story of a woman going about her day-to-day duties as a museum administrator and routinely getting into trouble, à la Lucille Ball style, as she searched for her next chocolate fix. But seventy-five pages in and even I could see the tale was lacking a clear direction. However, while working in the museum’s consulting department and conducting some research on travelling exhibits, I chanced upon information on a touring show organized by Chicago’s Field Museum called “Chocolate.” As it happened, one of the exhibit’s signature artifacts was the world’s oldest piece of chocolate. This item of Maya origin seemed to have captured the public’s imagination and it was drawing tremendously huge crowds to institutions like the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Bingo!

A pathway had opened up for my novel, but I knew from my experience at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, that although the oldest piece of chocolate could attract large numbers in cities like New York, natural science exhibits were not traditionally the most lucrative “money shows” in cities like Toronto. What were sure-fire hits, not only in Canadian urban centers, but in international ones, were special exhibits featuring ancient cultures such as those of the Egyptians, the Inca, the Chinese – and the Maya. And seeing as the Maya invented chocolate, the various pieces of my plot finally began intersecting in a most satisfying way.

The complexity of the Maya culture is very intriguing to most of us, whether you are a child or adult. The fact that the Maya knew the Earth revolved around the sun long before western astronomers, that they had developed a sophisticated calendar based on an advanced understanding of the movement of stars and planets, that the construction of their monumental architecture still humbles modern architects, and that these people sacrificed human beings to their gods, keeps drawing millions of visitors, over and over again, to exhibits about the Maya and their universe.

During my time at the Royal Ontario Museum, we hosted a significantly large exhibit on the Maya, and the revenue generated probably carried the institution for at least a year or two. Intermittently, the ROM brings out its own impressive New World collections and very recently hosted and co-created another massive blockbuster, “Maya: Secrets of Their Ancient World,” in collaboration with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Civilization, where the exhibit is on display until the end of October, 2012. The Penn Museum in Philadelphia is home to another Maya exhibit, “Maya.2012 Lords of Time,” until January, 2013. And if you want to catch the exhibit that started it all for me and inspired Theft By Chocolate, it’s not too late. It just finished a stay in Hamilton, Ontario (the city where I was raised), and is currently at the Turtle Bay Exploratorium in Redding, California.

But to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it’s like to mount a special exhibit of the magnitude of “Maya: Secrets of Their Ancient World,” Theft By Chocolate will give you a taste of this extremely challenging process. And it may spark some giggles and trigger some chocolate cravings all in one read.

Theft By Chocolate

Chocolate addict Kalena Boyko wasn’t prepared for this. Heading to work at Canada’s largest museum as an administrator, she hopes for quiet and uninterrupted access to her secret chocolate stash. Instead she’s assigned to manage the high-profile Treasures of the Maya exhibition with her loathed former boss, Richard Pritchard.

With no warning, her life is capsized and propelled into warp speed as she stumbles across an insider plot that could jeopardize the exhibit and the reputation of the museum.

After hearing about a recent botched theft at the museum and an unsolved jewel heist in the past from security guard and amateur sleuth Marco Zeffirelli, Kalena becomes suspicious of Richard and is convinced he’s planning to sabotage the Treasures of the Maya exhibition.

Her suspicions, and the appearance of the mysterious but charming Geoffrey Ogden from the London office, don’t help her concentration. The Treasures of the Maya seems cursed as problem after problem arises, including the disappearance of the world’s oldest piece of chocolate, the signature object in the exhibit.

Theft By Chocolate is inspired by a real-life and never-solved heist at a Canadian museum in the 1980s.


Author Info

Soon after finishing her graduate studies in history, Luba Lesychyn (le-si-shin) landed on the doorstep of Canada’s largest museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, where she worked for more than twenty years as an educator and consultant. Theft By Chocolate is Luba’s debut novel, though she has been amusing people with her writing since the age of eight. Her love of chocolate precedes this age and she has been in and out of chocolate rehab for most of her adult life. She currently works in the educational sector and teaches yoga in her home town of Toronto. When not writing or looking for her next chocolate fix, Luba can be found in dance classes, trekking to remote waterfalls in the mountain rain forest in Puerto Rico, running through the streets of Paris or doing any other number of calorie-burning activities that help offset the calories consumed in her chocolate intake.

Giveaways:

Copy of Theft By Chocolate and $150 Certificate

There are two chances to win!

1) Copy of Theft By Chocolate as ebook or print copy (winner’s choice). Answer this question in the comments section (be sure to provide your email): What is your favorite museum and has there been an exhibit that will stay in your memory forever? In five days, a lucky winner from this blog will win a free copy of Theft By Chocolate!

2) $150 Gift Certificate Giveaway

Do you love chocolate as much as Kalena, the heroine in Theft By Chocolate? Here’s your chance to indulge in $150 US worth! The Giveaway Grand Prize is a gift certificate to a delectable chocolate online retailer. Winner chooses from one of three sites: http://www.chocosphere.com/, http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/ , or http://www.dlea.com.au/ . To be eligible for the Grand Prize, enter the Rafflecopter below. Remember to sign up for Luba’s email announcements (worth five entries). On occasion she’ll send out exclusive announcements for special events, blog posts, giveaways and free swag! On July 31st, the winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Rafflecopter link:

http://www.chocolativore.com/blog-tour--giveaway.html

Waiting on Wednesday (Part 2)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers returns with a gripping story of romantic suspense, where FBI agents Sharpe and Donovan must decide whether working alone or standing together is the only way to outwit an enemy set to tear them apart.

When your safety depends on living a lie…

After escaping certain death, deep-cover agent Colin Donovan is back home on the Maine coast with his new love, FBI art crimes expert Emma Sharpe. Then Tatiana Pavlova, a London-based jewelry designer, arrives in Heron's Cove, asking for Emma's help—a prized collection from a lost era of Russian opulence, decadence and rare beauty has resurfaced, and Tatiana warns Emma it's about to be stolen again. And Colin realizes his nightmare isn't over. It's just begun.

And everyone you love is a target…

Emma guards her past closely, and Colin is determined to unlock her secrets. As they investigate the mysterious collection and the equally mysterious Tatiana, they confront their greatest challenge. Now they must count on their expertise—and each other—to outwit an enemy who wants to destroy them and everyone they love most.

Who can you afford to trust?

Product Details
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313751
ISBN-13: 978-0778313755

Nowhere To Run [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

When Liv Dugan ducks out of work for lunch, it's just an ordinary day. When she returns, she stumbles onto a massacre. All her colleagues at Zuma Software have been shot. Only luck has left Liv unscathed, and that might be running out. Liv suspects the shootings are tied to her past - and to the package she recently received from her long-dead adoptive mother. Sensing she's being followed, Liv jumps into a stranger's car and orders him to drive. Her "hostage" complies, listening carefully as her story unwinds. Skeptical at first, he ultimately begins to believe all Liv's fears are justified. Together, Liv and her unlikely confidant try to uncover the truth about her adoptive family, her birth parents, and her troubled childhood. Because somewhere in Liv's past is a secret worth killing for, and a nightmare she can never outrun.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Zebra (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 142012501X
ISBN-13: 978-1420125016

Waiting on Wednesday (Part 1)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 
 

The Unspoken (Krewe of Hunters) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description


1898: Bound for Chicago, the freighter Jerry McGuen goes down in Lake Michigan, taking with it every man aboard. But what other fate could befall a vessel carrying the ill-gotten sarcophagus of an Egyptian sorcerer?

Now: A veteran diver and "ghost ship" expert is exploring the legendary wreck for a documentary. He dies inexplicably inside the freighter's main saloon. Then another diver is killed and panicked rumors rise like bubbles from the lake: ancient demons have awakened below!

The expedition's beleaguered financier calls paranormal investigator Katya Sokolov to Chicago to save the film — and perhaps some innocent lives. Along with media forensics guru Will Chan, Kat plumbs the depths of an evil that may date back to the time of the Pharaohs. But some secrets are best drowned in the seas of the past .…

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313611
ISBN-13: 978-0778313618

Haven (A Bishop/SCU Novel) [Hardcover]

Product Description 

New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper returns with a breathtaking new thriller of a young woman’s homecoming — to a town of menacing whispers, bad dreams, and dangerous secrets…

Another nightmare, in the woods this time. Different: She was running. Trying to escape.

But the same ending. Always the same ending. Another dead girl…

Emma Rayburn was born and raised in Baron Hollow, North Carolina, and it was a quiet life. Then came the accident … and the nightmares — each filled with unshakable visions of darkness, blind panic, and desperate women chased toward inevitable death. With no reports of local women missing or found dead, Emma has written it off to troubled imaginings — night after dreaded night. Until her sister arrives.

Jessie Rayburn, psychic investigator for a firm called Haven, has been estranged from Emma for years. Unresolved issues from Jessie’s past have not only kept them apart but have been clouding Jessie’s unique abilities. A return to her hometown to face a dark and violent incident from years gone by is her chance to regain them. But reconciliation with the past comes with a price. Few people in Baron Hollow are welcoming Jessie back. No one dares to breathe a word. And in this conspiracy of silence, Emma’s nightmares are becoming more vivid than ever.

Even with the help of Noah Bishop, head of the FBI Special Crimes Unit and co-founder of Haven, Jessie and Emma soon find themselves outnumbered by the secrets buried in Baron Hollow — and outrunning an evil that has been festering for years, one that’s targeting Jessie and Emma one last time.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425258742
ISBN-13: 978-0425258743

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 23)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-146 

1.  Manhunt - Lillie Spencer
2.  The Secret Brokers - Alexandrea Weis

I’m currently reading:

1. The Unholy - Heather Graham

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. Close Your Eyes - Iris Johansen

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-148 

The Secret Brokers [Paperback]

I've finished "The Secret Brokers" the 1st book in her new Dallas August series by Alexandrea Weis.

Product Description

Head of an organization of elite spies, Dallas August is asked to uncover what secrets a reclusive woman, Gwen Marsh, is hiding about a mafia kingpin?s death. Dallas must pose as a bodyguard in order to get close to Gwen, but the stubborn woman wants nothing to do with her cool and contentious protector. Dallas soon learns that others are interested in Gwen when he stumbles upon the FBI monitoring her every move. Intrigued by the challenge of her analytical mind and aloof demeanor, Dallas has found his equal in Gwen. But with the FBI and the Mafia vying for the woman?s information, he can't afford to lose his objectivity. The sexual tension grows between them until Gwen finally lowers her defenses and confides in Dallas. His job done, Dallas returns to his organization in New York. But an unexpected turn of events leads Dallas back to Gwen's doorstep, where he discovers the Gwen Marsh he thought he was protecting, wasn't Gwen Marsh at all. Determined to find out who betrayed him, Dallas must put his life on the line to search for answers about a woman he thought he knew. Dallas August is about to find out how dangerous life can be as one of The Secret Brokers.

Product Details
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: World Castle Publishing (May 16, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1938243609
ISBN-13: 978-1938243608

My Review:

Dallas August is the head of an elite spy organization which he took over from Simon La Roy who was killed in the previous book "Sacrifice".  He is recovering from a broken heart in New York after losing Nicci Beauvoir when he is asked by an associate to bodyguard a friend's daughter from a rival kingpin.  When he meets Gwen Marsh he's suspicious she's not who she is suppose to be after hearing information about her personality, habits and skills.  They start an unfriendly relationship but Dallas motto is to finish his job and protect Gwen from a kingpin.  He realizes she is keeping secrets and he is determined to figure out what it is. Even as she pushes him away he knows he has met his match.  As the days go by, Dallas finally breaks down her defenses and she succumbs to his charms and confides in him. 

Once his job is done he returns to New York but he decides to visit Gwen one more time.  When he gets there the next day he finds out the Gwen he knew is an imposter and she traded spots with the real Gwen.  He is angry and feels betrayed so he is determined to find out who the women he knew as Gwen.  A contact in the FBI asks him to get involved in a sting for them but does he get in too deep - will he come out alive? 

Alexandrea has written another thrilling and action packed romantic suspense full of intrigue, betrayal and sexual tension.  Dallas is my favorite character and I'm glad he finally found a women (she has her own set of deadly skills) who is a match for him.

4/5

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (July 21)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.

Iced Chiffon (A Consignment Shop Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425251608
ISBN-13: 978-0425251607

Thanks to the author for sending me this ARC to review, greatly appreciated!

What did you get this week?

Follow My Blog #21


If you are new to the FF fun, Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, myself of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES and Features and Follow Friday and get on the waiting list!  It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

This Meme is hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View and Alison from Alison Can Read on Fridays.

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host {Parajunkee.com} {Alisoncanread.com}and any one else you want to follow on the list.

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - Rachel* @Booktastic Reviews and A Glass of Wine.

3. Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love ... and the followers

7. If your new to the Follow Friday Hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

The Friday Follow Feature are ...
Rachel* @ Booktastic Reviews

When did you start blogging?

I started blogging when I was very young. My friend introduced me to the world of blogging when I was about seven and I’ve loved it ever since. Booktastic Reviews was created in late 2010 when I was slightly older though!

What is your favorite part of book blogging?

I love everything about it really but if I were to pick just one thing then it would probably be how you can just ramble on and on about books and there’s a whole world of book bloggers out there to listen! I can’t really talk about books I’ve read with friends or family so I’m glad I’ve found loads of people who happily will!

What is your favorite book(s)?

Ahhh, there’s so many! Right now I would have to say Milledgeville Misfit by T.L. Gray – it was such a powerful and emotional read!

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

Definitely the friends I’ve made! It’s so much fun talking and comparing books! But of course there is many other reasons why I love book blogging so much!

*Best name ever! 

A Glass of Wine
 
1. When did you start blogging?

I have been blogging for about a year and a half now. My first review went up Jan 28, 2011 and was for Stolen by Lucy Christopher.

2. What is your favorite part of book blogging?

I have been introduced to so many wonderful novels that I may not have read if not for hearing about them through fellow bloggers. Getting to expand my reading pool has been a huge perk. The other is meeting all the wonderful bloggers. It's refreshing to interact with a group of people that love and appreciate reading as much as I do.

3. What is your favorite book(s)?

If I listed all my favourites we would be here forever. Here are just a few of my favourite titles:

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

4. What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

I would say getting to chat with fellow book lovers, and authors. It's pretty surreal that I have gotten to interview some of my favourite authors for my blog and will never stop being awe inspiring.

Q: Christmas in July! Someone gives you a gift card for two books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?

The two books I would buy would be "The Unspoken" by Heather Graham and "Heron's Cove" by Carla Neggers

Manhunt [Paperback]

I've finished "Manhunt" by Lillie Spencer.

Product Description

Sometimes you have to forget it all to remember what really matters. Michael Brennan's life and career come to an abrupt halt when he receives a phone call telling him the love of his life, Nikki Wright, is in the hospital after another attack by her ex-boyfriend Sebastian Cross. Rushing back to Hershey, PA, Michael turns up at Nikki's hospital bedside covered in Sebastian's blood and telling her they have to leave immediately. Though her injuries have induced amnesia, Nikki inherently feels she can trust this man with her life. Soon, they find themselves on the run from both their own troubled pasts and authorities hunting for Sebastian's killer. But with each new day and each touch drawing her further into Michael's embrace, Nikki remembers more about this fugitive she once loved, and who still loves her enough to risk everything to protect her and keep her safe.

Product Details
Paperback: 190 pages
Publisher: Tulipe Noire Press (May 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 098397974X
ISBN-13: 978-0983979746

My Review:

Michael Brennan and Nikki Wright were best friends since childhood and each other's first love.  Michael walked away from Nikki after a tragedy and she found comfort in Sebastian Cross's arms.  He has always known that she loved Michael and was just using him.  He becomes jealous and starts abusing her.

The book opens with Micheal on his way home from work at the hospital when he gets a call from his dad about Nikki.  She is in the hospital after Sebastian really roughed her up and he goes berserk.  He goes to their home to give Sebastian a taste of his own medicine.  Then we see Michael has arrived at the hospital to find that Nikki has lost her memory.  He kidnaps her from the hospital and they go on the run with her permission.

During their escapade she asks him about their past and she starts having dreams and flashbacks.  She also finds that the police are after Michael because they believe he killed Sebastian.  I didn't like how she didn't trust him and started on him.

I liked how Michael was totally devoted to Nikki except for his anger.  Nikki was a little cool towards Michael at first but as they got to know each other better and she started remembering she warmed up to him.

This book had great characters with one that had amnesia and lots of twists and turns.

4/5

New Release 2012 (July 17)

Close Your Eyes [Hardcover]

Product Description

In Close Your Eyes, The New York Times bestselling duo Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen are back with a suspenseful novel about a once-blind woman with a talent for tracking serial killers

The FBI doesn’t usually consult with music therapists to solve their cases. But Kendra Michael’s astonishing powers of observation and analysis have made her a favorite of law enforcement agencies all across the country. Blind for the first twenty years of her life, she cares little for investigative work but can’t deny her unique skill, or the results she’s been able to facilitate. Kendra learned at an early age to become hyper-aware of her surroundings, perfecting the art of picking up the most subtle audio, olfactory, and tactile cues in the world around her. Like a secret weapon, she is in high demand.

Former FBI agent Adam Lynch, known as The Puppetmaster, has weapons of his own. He’s a notorious master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler—Kendra’s ex—is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler—Kendra’s ex—is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler— Kendra’s ex — is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

Product Details
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312611617
ISBN-13: 978-0312611613

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 16)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-146 

1.  The Line Between Here and Gone - Andrea Kane
2.  Afraid to Die - Lisa Jackson

I’m currently reading:

1. Man Hut - Lillie Spencer

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1. The Secret Brokers - Alexandria Weis

Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-147 

Library Haul 2012 (July 15 - 21)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Softcover:

1.  The Unholy - Heather Graham

What did you pick up from the library this week?

Gone Missing: A Thriller (Kate Burkholder) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Gone Missing" the 4th book in her Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo.

Product Description

Rumspringa is the time when Amish teens are allowed to experience life without the rules. It’s an exciting time of personal discovery and growth before committing to the church. But when a young teen disappears without a trace, the carefree fun comes to an abrupt and sinister end, and fear spreads through the community like a contagion.

A missing child is a nightmare to all parents, and never more so than in the Amish community, where family ties run deep. When the search for the presumed runaway turns up a dead body, the case quickly becomes a murder investigation. And chief of Police Kate Burkholder knows that in order to solve this case she will have to call upon everything she has to give not only as a cop, but as a woman whose own Amish roots run deep.

Kate and state agent, John Tomasetti, delve into the lives of the missing teen and discover links to cold cases that may go back years. But will Kate piece together all the parts of this sinister puzzle in time to save the missing teen and the Amish community from a devastating fate? Or will she find herself locked in a fight to the death with a merciless killer?

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next book in this series, also set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Visit www.lindacastillo.com to learn more.

Product Details
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (June 19, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312658567
ISBN-13: 978-0312658564

My Review:

Agent John Tomasetti who works for the BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) has asked Chief of Police Kate Burkholder (who is a former Amish) to help them with their investigation of finding Amish girls that are missing.  John has asked to be a Amish liaison.

Kate and John travel to different Amish communities within a 100 mile radius to find information about the Amish teens.  During their investigation they come to the conclusion all the Amish teens have something in common.  They are all rebelling against their extremely strict upbringing.  As Kate investigates further she finally deals with her Amish background and why she left that lifestyle.  John also deals with his nightmares of losing his wife and two daughters three years ago.  This case hits hard with John because the Amish girls would be the same age as his daughters if they had lived.

There were some truly vile suspects:

1.  A church that vocalizes their hatred of the Amish lifestyle and their Reverend leader that tries to covert their Amish teenagers;

2.  A photographer who was charged with taking pornographic pictures of Amish teens (without them knowing);

3.  An ex-communicated Amish man who helps those in need who want to leave the Amish lifestyle.

This book really held my interest with the well written storyline and well developed characters.  I read this book within a day that tells you how much I enjoyed it.  We learn more about Kate and John's past and how they are dealing with it now compared to when we first met them in "Sworn to Silence".

This book deals with the plot which is fast paced which leads to lots of twists and turns.  The book ends in a twist and turn even after we find out who the culprit is.

4/5

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (July 14)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.

I, Michael Bennett [Hardcover]

Product Description

Police officers shot

Detective Michael Bennett arrests an infamous Mexican crime lord in a deadly chase that leaves Bennett's lifelong friend Hughie McDonough dead. From jail, the prisoner vows to rain epic violence down upon New York City-and to get revenge on Michael Bennett.

Judges murdered

To escape the chaos, Bennett takes his ten kids and their beautiful nanny, Mary Catherine, on a much-needed vacation to his family's cabin near Newburgh, New York. But instead of the calm and happy town he remembers from growing up, they step into a nightmare worse than they could have ever imagined. Newburgh is an inferno of warring gangs, and there's little the police-or Bennett-can do to keep the children safe.

Target: Michael Bennett

As violence overwhelms the state, Bennett is torn between protecting his hometown and saving New York City. A partner in his investigations, federal prosecutor Tara McLellan, brings him new weapons for the battle-and an attraction that endangers his relationship with Mary Catherine. A no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-floor, action-packed novel, I, Michael Bennett is James Patterson at his most personal and most thrilling best.

Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (July 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097462
ISBN-13: 978-0316097468

The Line Between Here and Gone (Forensic Instincts) [Hardcover]

I've finished "The Line Between Here and Gone" the 2nd book in her Forensic Instincts series by Andrea Kane.

Product Description

The man she loved is gone forever. The child she lives for could be next.

Each day is a struggle for Amanda Gleason's newborn son as he battles a rare immune deficiency. Justin's best chance for a cure lies with his father, who was brutally murdered before Amanda even realized she carried his child.

Or was he?

One emailed photo changes everything, planting a seed of doubt that Amanda latches on to for dear life: a recent photo of a man who looks exactly like Paul. Could Justin's father be alive? The mother in her is desperate to find out. But tracking down a ghost when every second counts is not for amateurs.

Forensic Instincts is the one team up for the challenge.

A behaviorist. A former navy SEAL. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A retired FBI agent. A human-scent-evidence dog. Together they achieve the impossible, pushing ethical and legal boundaries whenever the ends justify the means.

The manhunt is on for the elusive father. Yet the further FI digs into his past, the more questions are raised about whether the man Amanda fell in love with ever really existed at all.

Dark secrets. Carefully crafted lies. From the congressional halls of Washington, D.C., to exclusive Hamptons manors, there are ruthless people who would stop at nothing to make Forensic Instincts forget about the man Amanda desperately needs to find.

Little do they realize that once Forensic Instincts takes the case, nothing will stop them from uncovering the shocking truth that transcends The Line Between Here and Gone.

Product Details
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (June 26, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778313379
ISBN-13: 978-0778313373


My Review:

Amanda Gleason a photojournalist met Paul Everett a realtor eight months ago when he suddenly vanished.  She finds out she is pregnant with his child and when Justin is born she discovers he is suffering from a deadly disease and desperately needs a bone marrow transplant.  Amanda has Hepatitis C so she isn't qualified to be a candidate but the doctor believes Paul is the perfect candidate.

Everyone believes Paul is dead even Amanda until one of her journalist friend sent her a grainy picture of a man that resemble Paul on a Washington, DC street.  She takes this picture to Forensic Instincts and begs them to help her find Paul and save her baby.  They all agree to take the case.

The Forensic Instinct team consists of Casey Woods the leader who has behavior training and investigative profiling on her plate, former SEAL and FBI agent Marc Devereaux, techno genius Ryan MacKay, former FBI agent Patrick Lynch, intuitive Claire Hedgeleigh and human scent evidence dog Hero.

In their investigation they discover that Paul is tied to the mob, cover ups in the FBI, corrupt politicians and a FBI sting they might just jeopardize.  Casey even reaches out to her FBI boyfriend Hutch to help but he is stonewalled by his connections.

There is even some romantic elements with Casey and Hutch and two Forensic Instinct members who are attracted to each other but are always trying to one up each other.  The inevitable happens which leaves them confused on what their situation is.

This book has lots of twists and turns which was easy to follow with a great storyline, well-developed and likeable characters, a despicable villain and race against time to save a gravely ill baby.  A true page turning tearjerker mystery from the start of the book to the end.

I really felt for Amanda because Justin only seemed to get worst everyday.  He just kept getting sicker and sicker by catching more illnesses.

Will Forensic Instincts be able to locate Paul in time to save baby Justin?  You will have to read to find out!

4/5

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Close Your Eyes [Hardcover]

Product Description
 

In Close Your Eyes, The New York Times bestselling duo Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen are back with a suspenseful novel about a once-blind woman with a talent for tracking serial killers
The FBI doesn’t usually consult with music therapists to solve their cases. But Kendra Michael’s astonishing powers of observation and analysis have made her a favorite of law enforcement agencies all across the country. Blind for the first twenty years of her life, she cares little for investigative work but can’t deny her unique skill, or the results she’s been able to facilitate. Kendra learned at an early age to become hyper-aware of her surroundings, perfecting the art of picking up the most subtle audio, olfactory, and tactile cues in the world around her. Like a secret weapon, she is in high demand.

Former FBI agent Adam Lynch, known as The Puppetmaster, has weapons of his own. He’s a notorious master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler—Kendra’s ex—is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler — Kendra’s ex — is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

Product Details
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312611617
ISBN-13: 978-0312611613

New Release 2012 (July 10)

Backfire (An FBI Thriller) [Hardcover]

Product Description

San Francisco Judge Ramsey Hunt, longtime friend to FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich, is presiding over the trial of Clive and Cindy Cahill – accused in a string of murders – when the proceedings take a radical turn. Federal prosecutor Mickey O'Rourke, known for his relentless style, becomes suddenly tentative in his opening statement, leading Hunt to suspect he’s been threatened – suspicions that are all but confirmed when Hunt is shot in the back.

Savich and Sherlock receive news of the attack as an ominous note is delivered to Savich at the Hoover Building: YOU DESERVE THIS FOR WHAT YOU DID. Security tapes fail to reveal who delivered the tapes. Who is behind the shooting of Judge Ramsey Hunt? Who sent the note to Savich? And what does it all mean? Savich and Sherlock race to San Francisco to find out…watching their backs all the while.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (July 10, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157328
ISBN-13: 978-0399157325

New Release 2012 (July 9)

I, Michael Bennett [Hardcover]

Product Description

Police officers shot

Detective Michael Bennett arrests an infamous Mexican crime lord in a deadly chase that leaves Bennett's lifelong friend Hughie McDonough dead. From jail, the prisoner vows to rain epic violence down upon New York City-and to get revenge on Michael Bennett.

Judges murdered

To escape the chaos, Bennett takes his ten kids and their beautiful nanny, Mary Catherine, on a much-needed vacation to his family's cabin near Newburgh, New York. But instead of the calm and happy town he remembers from growing up, they step into a nightmare worse than they could have ever imagined. Newburgh is an inferno of warring gangs, and there's little the police-or Bennett-can do to keep the children safe.

Target: Michael Bennett

As violence overwhelms the state, Bennett is torn between protecting his hometown and saving New York City. A partner in his investigations, federal prosecutor Tara McLellan, brings him new weapons for the battle-and an attraction that endangers his relationship with Mary Catherine. A no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-floor, action-packed novel, I, Michael Bennett is James Patterson at his most personal and most thrilling best.

Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (July 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097462
ISBN-13: 978-0316097468

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 9)

What Are You Reading is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Sheila from One Persons Journey: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com

Post the books you read last week, book currently being read and books you plan on finishing this week.

Last week I read:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-146 

1.  A Perfect Storm - Lori Foster
2.  Gone Missing - Linda Castillo

I’m currently reading:

1. The Line Between Here and Gone

Books I’m planning on reading this week:

1.  Afraid to Die - Lisa Jackson

Here's the link:

No One Left to Tell [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "No One Left to Tell" by Karen Rose.

Product Description
The thirteenth fantastic thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose. It may be unlucky for some ...Will anyone live to tell the tale? If one more woman should accidentally fall, there'll be no more women and...Ramon Munoz has spent five years in prison, convicted of a murder his family is convinced he did not commit. Unable to get the courts to take them seriously, they turn to private investigator Paige Holden for help. Paige cannot resist the family's pleas. But when Ramon's wife, having just handed her the evidence that will help prove his innocence, is brutally executed in front of her eyes, Paige is thrown headlong into a case which will place her life into jeopardy. As Paige risks everything to prove Ramon was set up, she comes to realise that there is more at stake if Ramon is freed than she could have ever guessed. Can Paige stay alive long enough to unmask an unstoppable killer who will not rest until there's no one left to tell?

About the Author

KAREN ROSE is a RITA Award-winning author of romantic suspense. A former chemical engineer and high school chemistry and physics teacher, she lives in Florida with her family and their cat, Bella, and dog, Loki.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Mass Market Paperback: 544 pages
Publisher: Signet (June 5, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451236165
ISBN-13: 978-0451236166

My Review:

Paige Holden has moved to Baltimore to start over as a private investigator working for Clay Maynard.  She is trying to prove that Ramon Munoz is innocent of killing Crystal Jones at retired Maryland State Senator James McCloud's estate.  Grayson Smith the ASA is the one instrumental in convicting him.  Ramon's wife and mother ask Paige for help and they are convinced he is innocent.  Paige promises to help only if Elena can prove it with evidence.  Elena manages to get proof but pays with her life.

One morning as Paige is walking her dog she witnesses Elena murdered right in front of her eyes.  As Elena lies dying she gives Paige a flash drive and not to trust the police.  Paige needs someone to trust so she decides to check out Grayson in person because the eyes don't lie.  Grayson notices her in the crowd staring at him and follows her to a parking lot where he saves her from harm.  She shows him the flash drive with proof and he regrets his conviction.  They decide to work together to uncover who was the real killer.

As they investigate they discover a cover up within the police department and someone is out to silence everyone that gets in their way.   Then the killer targets everyone that is important to Paige and Grayson.  Investigating further they realize the killer is associated with former Senator James McCloud.

This was an exciting fast paced and thrilling page turner from the first page to the last.  It had pulse-pounding action with many villainous and vile villains.

4/5

Library Haul 2012 (July 8 - 15)

Here's the list of books I picked up from the library this week:

Hardcover:

1.  Afraid to Die - Lisa Jackson

Softcover:

1.  Sweet Justice - Christy Reece

In the Mail Saturday 2012 (July 7)

In the Mail Saturday is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received these in the mail this week.

Close Your Eyes [Hardcover]

Product Description
 

In Close Your Eyes, The New York Times bestselling duo Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen are back with a suspenseful novel about a once-blind woman with a talent for tracking serial killers
The FBI doesn’t usually consult with music therapists to solve their cases. But Kendra Michael’s astonishing powers of observation and analysis have made her a favorite of law enforcement agencies all across the country. Blind for the first twenty years of her life, she cares little for investigative work but can’t deny her unique skill, or the results she’s been able to facilitate. Kendra learned at an early age to become hyper-aware of her surroundings, perfecting the art of picking up the most subtle audio, olfactory, and tactile cues in the world around her. Like a secret weapon, she is in high demand.

Former FBI agent Adam Lynch, known as The Puppetmaster, has weapons of his own. He’s a notorious master manipulator, skillfully handling criminals and colleagues alike to get the results he wants. Now he needs Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler—Kendra’s ex—is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

Kendra’s special brand of help, but she’s not interested until Lynch reveals that Agent Robert Stedler — Kendra’s ex — is missing and may have run directly into the path of a serial killer. What began as a heinous murder investigation escalates into something even larger and more frightening: a multi-million dollar conspiracy to hide a secret that’s worth killing for, again and again and again.

Product Details
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312611617
ISBN-13: 978-0312611613

The Sleeping and the Dead: A Mystery (Jackie Lyons) [Hardcover]

Product Description

A new mystery series starring a Memphis crime scene photographer with ghostly assistance

Jackie Lyons is a former vice detective with the Memphis Police Department who is trying to put her life back together: her husband has sent divorce papers, she's broke, and needs a place to live. But a failed marriage, unemployment, and most recently a fire in her apartment aren’t her only problems: she also sees ghosts.
Since Jackie left the force, she’s been making ends meet by photographing crime scenes for her old friends on the force, and for the occasional collector.  When she is called to the murder scene of the Playhouse Killer's latest victim, she starts seeing crime scenes from a different perspective -- her new camera captures images of ghosts. As her new camera brings her occasional ghostly visitors into sharper relief, it also points her toward clues the ex-detective in her won’t let go: did the man she has just started dating kill his wife? Is the Playhouse Killer someone she knows?

As Jackie works to separate natural from supernatural, friend from foe, and light from dark, the spirit world and her own difficult past become the only things she can depend on to solve the case.

As Jackie works to separate natural from supernatural, friend from foe, and light from dark, the spirit world and her own difficult past become the only things she can depend on to solve the case.

and her own difficult past become the only things she can depend on to solve this case.

Product Details
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (July 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250000289
ISBN-13: 978-1250000286

The Secret Brokers [Paperback]

Product Description

Head of an organization of elite spies, Dallas August is asked to uncover what secrets a reclusive woman, Gwen Marsh, is hiding about a mafia kingpin?s death. Dallas must pose as a bodyguard in order to get close to Gwen, but the stubborn woman wants nothing to do with her cool and contentious protector. Dallas soon learns that others are interested in Gwen when he stumbles upon the FBI monitoring her every move. Intrigued by the challenge of her analytical mind and aloof demeanor, Dallas has found his equal in Gwen. But with the FBI and the Mafia vying for the woman's information, he can?t afford to lose his objectivity. The sexual tension grows between them until Gwen finally lowers her defenses and confides in Dallas. His job done, Dallas returns to his organization in New York. But an unexpected turn of events leads Dallas back to Gwen's doorstep, where he discovers the Gwen Marsh he thought he was protecting, wasn?t Gwen Marsh at all. Determined to find out who betrayed him, Dallas must put his life on the line to search for answers about a woman he thought he knew. Dallas August is about to find out how dangerous life can be as one of The Secret Brokers?

Product Details
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: World Castle Publishing (May 16, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1938243609
ISBN-13: 978-1938243608

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection are:

I, Michael Bennett [Hardcover]

Product Description

Police officers shot

Detective Michael Bennett arrests an infamous Mexican crime lord in a deadly chase that leaves Bennett's lifelong friend Hughie McDonough dead. From jail, the prisoner vows to rain epic violence down upon New York City-and to get revenge on Michael Bennett.

Judges murdered

To escape the chaos, Bennett takes his ten kids and their beautiful nanny, Mary Catherine, on a much-needed vacation to his family's cabin near Newburgh, New York. But instead of the calm and happy town he remembers from growing up, they step into a nightmare worse than they could have ever imagined. Newburgh is an inferno of warring gangs, and there's little the police-or Bennett-can do to keep the children safe.

Target: Michael Bennett

As violence overwhelms the state, Bennett is torn between protecting his hometown and saving New York City. A partner in his investigations, federal prosecutor Tara McLellan, brings him new weapons for the battle-and an attraction that endangers his relationship with Mary Catherine. A no-holds-barred, pedal-to-the-floor, action-packed novel, I, Michael Bennett is James Patterson at his most personal and most thrilling best.
                                               
Product Details
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (July 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097462
ISBN-13: 978-0316097468

Backfire (An FBI Thriller) [Hardcover]

Product Description

San Francisco Judge Ramsey Hunt, longtime friend to FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich, is presiding over the trial of Clive and Cindy Cahill – accused in a string of murders – when the proceedings take a radical turn. Federal prosecutor Mickey O'Rourke, known for his relentless style, becomes suddenly tentative in his opening statement, leading Hunt to suspect he’s been threatened – suspicions that are all but confirmed when Hunt is shot in the back.

Savich and Sherlock receive news of the attack as an ominous note is delivered to Savich at the Hoover Building: YOU DESERVE THIS FOR WHAT YOU DID. Security tapes fail to reveal who delivered the tapes. Who is behind the shooting of Judge Ramsey Hunt? Who sent the note to Savich? And what does it all mean? Savich and Sherlock race to San Francisco to find out…watching their backs all the while.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (July 10, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399157328
ISBN-13: 978-0399157325