Tuesday, March 31, 2015

New Releases 2015 (Mar 31)













Play a song for me

Musicians are being murdered in New Orleans. But Arnie Watson apparently died by his own hand. When Tyler Anderson plays the saxophone he inherited from Arnie, a soldier and musician who died soon after his return, he believes he sees visions of his friend's life — and death. He becomes convinced Arnie was murdered and that the instrument had something to do with whatever happened, and with whatever's happening all over the city.

Tyler knows his theory sounds crazy to the police, so he approaches Danni Cafferty, hoping she and Michael Quinn will find out what the cops couldn't. Or wouldn't. After all, Cafferty and Quinn have become famous for solving unusual crimes.

They're partners in their personal lives, too. Quinn's a private investigator and Danni works with him. When they look into the case, they discover a secret lover of Arnie's and a history of jealousies and old hatreds that leads them back to the band Arnie once played with — and Tyler plays with now.

They discover that sometimes, for some people, the line between passion and obsession is hard to draw. Only in uncovering the truth can they hope to save others — and themselves — from the deadly hands of a killer.








www.SharonSala.net

Past Sins Cast a Long Shadow


Dallas Phillips refuses to believe her father committed suicide, even though things were tough on his farm and he was deeply in debt. When she hears he'd told a neighbor about an upcoming windfall, she grows suspicious, and her suspicion only deepens when she realizes someone is lurking in the nearby mountains after dark.

For help, she turns to Trey Jakes, local police chief — and her former lover. As they begin to investigate, another mystery comes to light. Trey's mother is beginning to remember events from thirty years ago, something shadowy that happened in the mountains, and Dallas's father was there, too. Is what happened that night connected to his "suicide"? As they search for the truth, Trey and Dallas struggle to fight their attraction, but they may not be able to fend off another force — a killer who's more than willing to kill again to make sure old secrets stay buried.




 


Deirdre "Foxtrot" Lancaster returns -- with her animal companions-for-life Whiskey and Tango -- to fish for clues on the other side of death.

When zillionairess Zelda Zoransky decides to throw one of her famous parties -- with a guest list as colorful and diverse as her private zoo -- it's up to Deirdre "Foxtrot" Lancaster, assistant extraordinaire, to pull the whole thing off. But even with the help of her telepathic cat Tango and ectoplasmic pooch Whiskey, it's one killer assignment. Especially when she finds a corpse in the pool.

MARKED FUR MURDER

The victim is the sister of Deirdre's boyfriend, Ben. The cause of death appears to be a plugged-in hair dryer that fell in the water. Ben, however, insists that a few volts couldn't have killed Ann. Like him, she's a descendent of the Cowichan tribe who, according to legend, has a way with lightning. One of the guests must have marked her for murder! But when the suspects include a Russian pet psychic, a schizophrenic writer, and a random rock star, it's more than puzzling to Whiskey, Tango, and Foxtrot. It's electrifying from author Dixie Lyle.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads (Mar 30)




 Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads


Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books you read last week and books being read this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  The First Wife - Erica Spindler (2nd Half)
2.  The Night Before - Lisa Jackson

Weekly Read:

1.  Cold Cold Heart - Tami Hoag
2.  Scorched Eggs - Laura Childs
3.  The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Library Haul 2015 (Mar 29 - Apr 4)



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

Hardcover:

1.  Cold Cold Heart - Tami Hoag
2.  Scorched Eggs - Laura Childs

Saturday, March 28, 2015

The Night Before (Paperback)



I've finished "The Night Before" by Lisa Jackson.

Product Description
 

Blood Will Be Spilled

In the dark shadows of a sultry southern town, a serial killer strikes. It's an act of sinister precision that has happened many times before every victim an offering to a hunger that can never be sated

Night After Night

The next morning, Caitlyn Montgomery Bandeaux wakes covered in blood. But Caitlyn has no memory of the night before, when her estranged husband was brutally murdered like so many others she has known

After Night

Wanted by the police and haunted by horrifying, fragmented memories, Caitlyn turns to Adam Hunt, the town's new psychologist. But how far can she really trust him? For as a twisted killer strikes again and again, Caitlyn's about to discover that those who appear the most innocent are usually the most evil.

About the Author

Lisa Jackson has been writing romantic fiction for fifteen years. Over sixty of her books have been published and reprinted in more than a dozen foreign languages. A single mother, she is a native of Oregon, where she still resides with her two teenage sons. Lisa is often asked what is the key to her success, and her unfailing answer is a keen imagination, incredible friends, loving family, and always, loads of laughter. As Oscar Wilde is purported to have said, "Life is too important to be taken seriously."

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Zebra; Reissue edition (May 7, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420133713
ISBN-13: 978-1420133714


My Review:

4/5

Friday, March 27, 2015

Jannine Gallant's Every Move She Makes Blog Tour with a Spotlight




I am so excited to have Jannine Gallant here at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Guest Post and Interview.

Thanks Jannine and Pump Up Your Book Promotions for allowing me to join your Every Move She Makes Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Jannine!




Jannine Gallant Bio:

Write about what you know. I’ve taken this advice to heart, creating characters who live in small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors.I grew up in Gasquet, a tiny town in Northern California, where as kids we swam in the river, ran wild in the woods, and rode our bikes every-where we wanted to go. Now I live in Tahoe City with my husband, two daughters, and dog, Ginger. When I’m not busy writing or being a full time mom, I enjoy taking Ginger for hikes in the woods around our home.Whether I’m writing romantic suspense, contemporary, or historical romance, I try to bring the beauty of nature to my stories.I graduated from U.C. Davis with a double major in history and creative writing. Though I’ve worked in both the restaurant and ski industries, I never wanted to be anything but a writer. After many years of pursuing my passion, I’ve finally achieved success, proof positive that dreams do come true!

For More Information

Visit Jannine’s website.

Connect with Megan on Facebook

Visit Jannine’s blog.






No matter where she goes, he knows her every move

Long ago, Rachel Carpenter was a glamorous soap star. She gave it all up to move to Napa Valley with her daughters to open up a bookstore near her family vineyard. Her life is safe and dependable, until she encounters Kane Lafferty at a wilderness camp in the rugged High Sierra. A burned-out police detective struggling with his own demons, Kane is instantly attracted to Rachel. And like Rachel, he isn’t sure if he’s ready to open up his heart. But everything is about to change.

Someone is watching from the darkness. A fanatic obsessed with Rachel for years has decided to claim what he believes is his. It will be up to Kane to not only protect his new love and her family, but to uncover the identity of the stalker before it’s too late for all of them.

For More Information

Every Move She Makes is available at Amazon.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Cherry Adair's Gideon Blog Tour with Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway




I am so excited to Cherry Adair here at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight.

Thanks Cherry and Goddess Fish for allowing me to join your Gideon Blog Tour!

Please take it away, Cherry!





AUTHOR Bio and Links:

New York Times/USAToday Bestselling author Cherry Adair’s innovative action-adventure novels have appeared on numerous bestsellers lists, won dozens of awards and garnered praise from reviewers and fans alike. With the creation of her kick butt counterterrorist group, T-FLAC, years before action adventure romances were popular, Cherry has carved a niche for herself with her sexy, sassy, fast-paced, action adventure novels. She hates first drafts, has a passion for mentoring unpublished writers, and is hard at work on a new T-FLAC trilogy. Cherry loves to hear from readers.

Visit her on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CherryAdairAuthor, Twitter- https://twitter.com/cherryadair, Tsu - https://www.tsu.co/cherry3, or www.cherryadair.com 








BLURB

T-FLAC is back in an exciting action-adventure romance filled with danger, subterfuge and steamy, red-hot attraction.

NO MEMORY OF HIS PAST

Powerful cartel leader Sin Diaz lives a dangerous life filled with secrets and lies, and surrounded by people who claim to have known him all his life. Yet flashes of another life, totally unrelated to the jungles of Cosio, hang tantalizingly on the edges of his memory. He'll trust no one until he recalls his true past.

NO DREAMS OF A FUTURE

T-FLAC operative Riva Rimaldi's mission is simple. Go undercover, learn terrorist Escobar Maza's agenda, then kill him. But when the helicopter she's on crashes deep in the jungle of the small, volatile country of Cosio, she finds herself in the wrong hands. Is the sexy as hell leader of the ANSL, Sin Diaz, the enemy of her enemy, worse than Maza himself? Or is he someone entirely different than his reputation – and will he become her lover?

TOGETHER THEY HOLD THE KEY

Sin and Riva must work together to stop a madman who will go to any lengths to attain his terrifying goal. But can they unravel the truth in time? The timer is ticking.

What they don’t know could get them killed.


Excerpt 

T-FLAC operative Riva Rimaldi had a clear mental image of the chopper she was on: It was hurtling toward the ground, following a fiery explosion.

Five out of the six people on board would die. She was sorry she couldn't forewarn the two operatives accompanying her of their impending death. The warning would be useless and come too late. That was the bitch of her ability. When she received a vision, she knew precisely what would happen, but not precisely when. Even more of a bitch was that she while she could see the future, her ability to modify it was typically nonexistent. Riva had to let the nightmares that ran through her brain play out in real life.

She saw it as the pilot did. A bright, swiftly moving light headed up at them from the trees below.

“SAM.” Surface-to-air missile? Out here? In the middle of nowhere?

Curling into a ball around her duffel, one hand wrapped in the backpack’s straps, Riva braced for impact. She might as well kiss her ass good-bye. Despite what she'd seen, no one would survive the hit, and if she did, she’d wish she hadn't.

Between one heartbeat and the next, the missile slammed the tail with a loud, fiery explosion, spinning what was left of the chopper end over end. A blast furnace of heat engulfed her as she was thrown around the cabin like a rag doll. Everything gyrated like a kaleidoscope around her, as if she were separate from the event. In the split second when rational thought was possible, Riva knew she couldn't jump out. Even if she had a chute, which she didn't, she'd be sliced and diced like chopped salad by the swiftly spinning blades if she attempted it.

I’m screwed.

Primal fear set in and all she could do was scream as she, and what was left of the burning chopper, hurtled uncontrollably toward the trees.

Giveaway


$25 Amazon/BN GC 

To enter please fill in the form, thanks:


<a href=" http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f910">Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>


Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-blast-gideon-by-cherry-adair.html

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Cozy, Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Books Wish List

 

Please list the books from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks.

Cozy, Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Books, I'm Waiting For:








Play a song for me

Musicians are being murdered in New Orleans. But Arnie Watson apparently died by his own hand. When Tyler Anderson plays the saxophone he inherited from Arnie, a soldier and musician who died soon after his return, he believes he sees visions of his friend's life — and death. He becomes convinced Arnie was murdered and that the instrument had something to do with whatever happened, and with whatever's happening all over the city.

Tyler knows his theory sounds crazy to the police, so he approaches Danni Cafferty, hoping she and Michael Quinn will find out what the cops couldn't. Or wouldn't. After all, Cafferty and Quinn have become famous for solving unusual crimes.

They're partners in their personal lives, too. Quinn's a private investigator and Danni works with him. When they look into the case, they discover a secret lover of Arnie's and a history of jealousies and old hatreds that leads them back to the band Arnie once played with — and Tyler plays with now.

They discover that sometimes, for some people, the line between passion and obsession is hard to draw. Only in uncovering the truth can they hope to save others — and themselves — from the deadly hands of a killer.








www.SharonSala.net

Past Sins Cast a Long Shadow


Dallas Phillips refuses to believe her father committed suicide, even though things were tough on his farm and he was deeply in debt. When she hears he'd told a neighbor about an upcoming windfall, she grows suspicious, and her suspicion only deepens when she realizes someone is lurking in the nearby mountains after dark.

For help, she turns to Trey Jakes, local police chief — and her former lover. As they begin to investigate, another mystery comes to light. Trey's mother is beginning to remember events from thirty years ago, something shadowy that happened in the mountains, and Dallas's father was there, too. Is what happened that night connected to his "suicide"? As they search for the truth, Trey and Dallas struggle to fight their attraction, but they may not be able to fend off another force — a killer who's more than willing to kill again to make sure old secrets stay buried.




 


Deirdre "Foxtrot" Lancaster returns -- with her animal companions-for-life Whiskey and Tango -- to fish for clues on the other side of death.

When zillionairess Zelda Zoransky decides to throw one of her famous parties -- with a guest list as colorful and diverse as her private zoo -- it's up to Deirdre "Foxtrot" Lancaster, assistant extraordinaire, to pull the whole thing off. But even with the help of her telepathic cat Tango and ectoplasmic pooch Whiskey, it's one killer assignment. Especially when she finds a corpse in the pool.

MARKED FUR MURDER

The victim is the sister of Deirdre's boyfriend, Ben. The cause of death appears to be a plugged-in hair dryer that fell in the water. Ben, however, insists that a few volts couldn't have killed Ann. Like him, she's a descendent of the Cowichan tribe who, according to legend, has a way with lightning. One of the guests must have marked her for murder! But when the suspects include a Russian pet psychic, a schizophrenic writer, and a random rock star, it's more than puzzling to Whiskey, Tango, and Foxtrot. It's electrifying from author Dixie Lyle.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The First Wife (Hardcover)


I've finished "The First Wife" by Erica Spindler.

Product Description

As a child, Bailey Browne dreamed of a knight in shining armor swooping in to rescue her and her mother. As she grows older, those dreams transform, becoming ones of a mysterious stranger who will sweep her off her feet and whisk her away from her ordinary existence. Then, suddenly, there he is. Despite the ten year difference in their ages, her working class upbringing and his of privilege, Logan Abbott and Bailey fall deeply in love. Marriage quickly follows.

But when Logan brings her home to his horse farm in Louisiana, a magnificent estate on ninety wooded acres, her dreams of happily-ever-after begin to unravel. A tragic family history she knew nothing about surfaces, plus whisperings about the disappearance of his first wife, True, and rumors about the women from the area who have gone missing — and when another woman disappears, all signs point to her husband's involvement.

At first Bailey ignores the whispers, even circumstantial evidence against Logan mounts. But finally, Bailey must make a choice: believe what everyone says — or bet her life on the man she loves, but is realizing she hardly knows.

From the author of Justice for Sara, Erica Spindler's The First Wife is a thrilling new novel that will have you gasping on every page.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author ERICA SPINDLER has written thirty novels, including Watch Me Die, Blood Vines, Breakneck, and Last Known Victim. She lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.

Product Details
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (February 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250012546
ISBN-13: 978-1250012548


My Review:

4/5

New Release 2015 (Mar 24)










When a local doctor is found dead in Willow McQuade’s medicinal garden, she must find the killer to clear her boyfriend’s name in this third clever book in the Natural Remedies Mystery series.

Dr. Willow McQuade, owner of Nature’s Way Market & Café, has put the finishing touches on a new medicinal plant garden for Greenport’s annual Maritime Festival and is ready for the festivities to begin. But it’s not all flowers and sunshine at the grand opening, when Willow discovers the body of another contestant, Dr. Charles White, face down in her garden.

Willow’s hunky boyfriend, Jackson Spade, immediately becomes a suspect due to a recent fight with Dr. White. Willow knows she has to remedy the situation, but it won’t be easy with the other applicants’ vendettas and vandals wrecking her garden at every turn. And when she finds buried treasure in her garden that just might belong to the legendary Captain Kidd, the stakes become even higher. Was Dr. White searching for that treasure? Did someone kill him to get to it first? With the help of Jackson and her eccentric ex-boyfriend, Willow follows the clues to uncover the truth that someone wants buried.

But can she dig up enough evidence before she becomes the killer’s next victim?

Monday, March 23, 2015

Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads (Mar 23)




 Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads


Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books you read last week and books being read this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  Private Vegas - James Patterson
2.  The First Wife - Erica Spindler (1st Half)

Weekly Read:

1.  The First Wife - Erica Spindler (2nd Half)
2.  The Night Before - Lisa Jackson

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Library Haul 2015 (Mar 22 - 28)



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

Softcover:

1.  The Night Before - Lisa Jackson 

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Cozy, Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Books Wish List

 

Please list the books from your wishlist that you are hoping to add to your shelves in a comment, thanks.

Cozy, Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Books, I'm Waiting For:







When a local doctor is found dead in Willow McQuade’s medicinal garden, she must find the killer to clear her boyfriend’s name in this third clever book in the Natural Remedies Mystery series.

Dr. Willow McQuade, owner of Nature’s Way Market & Café, has put the finishing touches on a new medicinal plant garden for Greenport’s annual Maritime Festival and is ready for the festivities to begin. But it’s not all flowers and sunshine at the grand opening, when Willow discovers the body of another contestant, Dr. Charles White, face down in her garden.

Willow’s hunky boyfriend, Jackson Spade, immediately becomes a suspect due to a recent fight with Dr. White. Willow knows she has to remedy the situation, but it won’t be easy with the other applicants’ vendettas and vandals wrecking her garden at every turn. And when she finds buried treasure in her garden that just might belong to the legendary Captain Kidd, the stakes become even higher. Was Dr. White searching for that treasure? Did someone kill him to get to it first? With the help of Jackson and her eccentric ex-boyfriend, Willow follows the clues to uncover the truth that someone wants buried.

But can she dig up enough evidence before she becomes the killer’s next victim?

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Private Vegas (Hardcover)




I've finished "Private Vegas" the 4th book in his Jack Morgan series by James Patterson.

Las Vegas is a city of contradictions: seedy and glamorous, secretive and wild, Vegas attracts people of all kinds -- especially those with a secret to hide, or a life to leave behind. It's the perfect location for Lester Olsen's lucrative business. He gets to treat gorgeous, young women to five-star restaurants, splashy shows, and limo rides -- and then he teaches them how to kill.

Private Jack Morgan spends most of his time in Los Angeles, where his top investigation firm has its headquarters. But a hunt for two criminals leads him to the city of sin -- and to a murder ring that is more seductively threatening than anything he's witnessed before. PRIVATE VEGAS brings James Patterson's Private series to a sensational new level.

About the Author

James Patterson has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

Product Details
Series: Private
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (January 26, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031621115X
ISBN-13: 978-0316211154

My Review:


4/5

Monday, March 16, 2015

Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads (Mar 16)




 Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads


Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books you read last week and books being read this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  Wild Horses - B.J. Daniels
2.  A Murder of Magpies - Judith Flanders

Weekly Read:

1.  Private Vegas - James Patterson
2.  The First Wife - Erica Spindler

Saturday, March 14, 2015

DNF Review: A Murder of Magpies

 
I'm finished "A Murder of Magpies" by Judith Flanders.

Product Description
 

A whip-smart, impeccably crafted debut mystery, A Murder of Magpies takes readers on a whirlwind tour of London and Paris with an unforgettably original new heroine.

It's just another day at the office for London book editor Samantha "Sam" Clair. Checking jacket copy for howlers, wondering how to break it to her star novelist that her latest effort is utterly unpublishable, lunch scheduled with gossipy author Kit Lowell, whose new book will dish the juicy dirt on a recent fashion industry scandal. Little does she know the trouble Kit's book will cause - - before it even goes to print. When police Inspector Field turns up at the venerable offices of Timmins and Ross, asking questions about a package addressed to Sam, she knows something is wrong. Now Sam's nine-to-five life is turned upside down as she finds herself propelled into a criminal investigation. Someone doesn't want Kit's manuscript published and unless Sam can put the pieces together in time, they'll do anything to stop it.

With this deliciously funny debut novel, acclaimed author Judith Flanders introduces readers to an enormously enjoyable, too-clever-for-her-own-good new amateur sleuth, as well Sam's Goth assistant, her effortlessly glamorous mother, and the handsome Inspector Field. A tremendously entertaining read, this page-turning novel from a bright new crime fiction talent is impossible to put down.


About the Author

JUDITH FLANDERS is the New York Times bestselling author of The Invention of Murder and one of the foremost social historians of the Victorian era. She is a contributor to the Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Spectator, and the Times Literary Supplement. Before turning her hand to writing, Judith worked as an editor for various publishing houses, including the publications department of the National Portrait Gallery, London. She lives in London.

Product Details
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250056454
ISBN-13: 978-1250056450
Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches


My Review:

DNF

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Wild Horses (The Montana Hamiltons)


I've finished "Wild Horses" the 1st book in The Montana Hamiltons series by B.J. Daniels.

It took only one impusive moment on an empty two-lane highway to cost her everything.

A man's responsible for his own prosperity — especially if he's Cooper Barnett, the most determined cowboy in the West. No one knows what he sacrificed to claim a piece of Beartooth, Montana, for himself and his beautiful fiancée, Livie. No one knows what he's willing to do for love until a stranger's twisted vendetta threatens the happy ending they should've had long ago.

One fateful mistake isn't the only secret Livie Hamilton is keeping from her fiancé. Victimized during a treacherous blizzard by a man she thought she could trust, she's pregnant but unsure who the father is. With an unknown blackmailer threatening to expose her, she must confess to Cooper and trust he'll still protect her. But when the truth falls into place, she may lose the only man she's ever loved — or worse.

About the Author 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author B.J. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and three springer spaniels. When not writing, she quilts, boats and plays tennis. Contact her at www.bjdaniels.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/BJ-Daniels/127936587217837 or on twitter at bjdanielsauthor.

Product Details
Series: The Montana Hamiltons (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (February 24, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373779569
ISBN-13: 978-0373779567


My Review:

4/5

Monday, March 9, 2015

Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads (Mar 9)




 Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads


Weekly Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Reads is a weekly Monday Meme that is hosted by Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews:

Post the books you read last week and books being read this week.

Read Last Week:

1.  A Woman Unknown - Frances Brody
2.  The Life I Left Behind - Collete McBeth

Weekly Read:

1.  Wild Horses - B.J. Daniels
2.  A Murder of Magpies - Judith Flanders

Saturday, March 7, 2015

The Life I Left Behind



I've finished "The Life I Left Behind" by Colette McBeth.

Six years ago, Melody Pieterson was attacked and left for dead. Only a chance encounter with a dog walker saved her life. Melody's neighbor and close friend David Alden was found guilty of the crime and imprisoned, and the attack and David's betrayal of her friendship left Melody a different person. She no longer trusts her own judgment, she no longer trusts her friends. In fact, she no longer really has any friends. She's built a life behind walls and gates and security codes; she's cloistered herself away from the world almost entirely.

And then, soon after David is released from prison, Eve Elliot is murdered in an attack almost identical to Melody's. With the start of a new police investigation, Melody is suddenly pulled from her ordered, secluded life and back into the messy world around her. But as she learns more about Eve's murder, Melody starts to wonder if perhaps David hadn't betrayed her after all if perhaps the killer is someone else entirely, someone who's still out there, preparing to strike again.

Narrated alternately by Melody and by Eve's lingering ghost, The Life I Left Behind is a taut thriller and an intimate look at two young women bound together in ways neither of them could ever have predicted. Colette McBeth has proven once again that she is a master of suspense.

About the Author

COLETTE MCBETH was a BBC TV Crime Reporter for ten years. She lives in West London with her husband and three young children. She attended the Faber Academy Novel Writing Course in 2011. The Life I Left Behind is her second novel.

Product Details
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (February 24, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 125004121X
ISBN-13: 978-1250041210


My Review:

2/5

Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Mail (Mar 7)



Cozy, Mystery Thriller and Romantic Suspense Mail is hosted every Saturday at Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews.

I received this in the mail this week.

For Review:

 




Las Vegas is a city of contradictions: seedy and glamorous, secretive and wild, Vegas attracts people of all kinds -- especially those with a secret to hide, or a life to leave behind. It's the perfect location for Lester Olsen's lucrative business. He gets to treat gorgeous, young women to five-star restaurants, splashy shows, and limo rides -- and then he teaches them how to kill.

Private Jack Morgan spends most of his time in Los Angeles, where his top investigation firm has its headquarters. But a hunt for two criminals leads him to the city of sin -- and to a murder ring that is more seductively threatening than anything he's witnessed before. PRIVATE VEGAS brings James Patterson's Private series to a sensational new level.






A whip-smart, impeccably crafted debut mystery, A Murder of Magpies takes readers on a whirlwind tour of London and Paris with an unforgettably original new heroine.

It's just another day at the office for London book editor Samantha "Sam" Clair. Checking jacket copy for howlers, wondering how to break it to her star novelist that her latest effort is utterly unpublishable, lunch scheduled with gossipy author Kit Lowell, whose new book will dish the juicy dirt on a recent fashion industry scandal. Little does she know the trouble Kit's book will cause -- before it even goes to print. When police Inspector Field turns up at the venerable offices of Timmins &amp; Ross, asking questions about a package addressed to Sam, she knows something is wrong. Now Sam's nine-to-five life is turned upside down as she finds herself propelled into a criminal investigation. Someone doesn't want Kit's manuscript published and unless Sam can put the pieces together in time, they'll do anything to stop it.

With this deliciously funny debut novel, acclaimed author Judith Flanders introduces readers to an enormously enjoyable, too-clever-for-her-own-good new amateur sleuth, as well Sam's Goth assistant, her effortlessly glamorous mother, and the handsome Inspector Field. A tremendously entertaining read, this page-turning novel from a bright new crime fiction talent is impossible to put down.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

A Woman Unknown (A Kate Shackleton Mystery)




I've finished "A Woman Unknown" the 4th book in her Kate Shackleton series by Frances Brody.

A winning combination of both intricate plotting and nostalgic post-WWI English country setting, Frances Brody's A Woman Unknown will appeal to fans of both classic murder mysteries in the vein of Agatha Christie as well as readers of historical mystery series set in 1920s England, two popular subgenres.

The Woman Unknown: Deirdre Fitzpatrick is married to a man who wants to know where she really goes when supposedly taking care of her sick mother and calls on the expertise of Kate Shackleton, amateur sleuth extraordinaire to investigate.

The Gentleman: Everett Runcie is a banker facing ruin and disgrace. His American heiress wife will no longer pay for his mistakes, or tolerate his infidelity, and is seeking a divorce.

The Murder: When a chambermaid enters Runcie's hotel room, she is shocked to find that he is alone - and dead! Suddenly Kate is thrown into the depths of an altogether more sinister investigation. Can she uncover the truth of her most complex, and personal, case to date?

About the Author

FRANCES BRODY lives in Leeds. Before turning to crime, she wrote historical sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin award for most regionally evocative debut saga of the millennium.

Product Details
Series: A Kate Shackleton Mystery (Book 4)
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (February 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250037042
ISBN-13: 978-1250037046


My Review:

3/5

New Releases 2015 (Mar 3)















Eve Dallas deals with a homicide — and the holiday season — in the latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who’d been loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list — plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash.

Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.


 




From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a novel of a woman who needs nothing, a man who sees everything, and the web of deceit, greed, and danger that brings them together — and could tear them apart.

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one.

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence — against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Chalking up their intense attraction to the heat of the moment, Lila agrees to help Ash in trying to find out who murdered his brother and why. From the penthouses of Manhattan to grand Italian villas, their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen; where what you possess is who you are; and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession.







Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning heads to a winery where she is about to learn the true meaning of terror.

Steeped in Evil


Theodosia has never considered herself a wine connoisseur — tea has always been well, her cup of tea. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to pass up an invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party at the upscale Knighthall Winery, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Unfortunately, a sweet evening takes on a bitter aftertaste when a dead body is discovered in one of the wine barrels. The son of proprietor Jordan Knight has been murdered.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, Knight turns to Theo for help. She’s heard through the grapevine that there are both family and business problems at Knighthall. They say in vino veritas, but everyone at the winery seems to be lying through their teeth. Sorting through the guest list as well as family and staff, Theo has her pick of suspects. It may look like the killer has her over a barrel, but cracking tough cases is vintage Theodosia Browning.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS! 








A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery from the author of Murder Sends a Postcard -- featuring Down-Home Dinner Menus.

It’s winter in Keyhole Bay, Florida, and while the tourist trade is slow, souvenir shop owner Glory Martine is busy with her best friend’s wedding. But between managing preparations, the bride’s in-laws, and a haunted parrot named Bluebeard, Glory makes plans to catch a killer.

As her friends Karen and Riley approach their wedding day, Glory could use a break from the nuptial madness. She takes a peaceful drive to Alabama’s piney woods to pick up the wedding quilt she ordered from a supplier. But the supplier, Beth, has disappeared along with the quilt and her husband, Everett.

Glory learns that two men were found murdered near Beth and Everett’s home and that the couple is wanted for questioning. Believing they are innocent, Glory convinces them to cooperate with authorities. But when they’re thrown in jail, Glory vows to catch the real killer before one happy couple walks down the aisle and another gets sent up the river.







The Agatha Award-winning author of Crime Rib is proud to introduce Pepper Reece, the owner of the Seattle Spice Shop who thinks she can handle any kind of salty customer — until a murderer ends up in the mix.

After leaving a dicey marriage and losing a beloved job in a corporate crash, Pepper Reece has found a new zest for life running a busy spice and tea shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Her aromatic creations are the talk of the town, and everyone stops by for a cup of her refreshing spice tea, even other shopkeepers and Market regulars. But when a panhandler named Doc shows up dead on the store’s doorstep, a Seattle Spice Shop cup in his hand, the local gossip gets too hot for Pepper to handle—especially after the police arrest one of Pepper’s staffers, Tory Finch, for murder.

Tory seems to know why she’s a suspect, but she refuses to do anything to curry favor with the cops. Convinced her reticent employee is innocent, Pepper takes it on herself to sniff out some clues. Only, if she’s not careful, Pepper’s nosy ways might make her next on the killer’s list.