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In the Mail Saturday 2013 (Mar 30)

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

I received these in the mail this week.

For Review:

Hot Pursuit (Bounty Hunter 6) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description 

Ben Mercy is a man with a past. Trying to start a new life with the KFA — an elite team of professional manhunters — he hopes to prove himself by capturing the most wanted man in America. But Ben isn’t the only bounty hunter on the case. And the trail takes a deadly new turn when he’s thrown by the curves — of a beautiful woman.

Zoey is the daughter of one of the most powerful men in California. A helpless pawn in her father’s plan to merge two casinos through marriage, Zoey’s been warned to stay away from the lowlife bounty hunters who’ve come to town. But when Zoey meets Ben, the attraction is too intense to ignore. And the closer they get, the higher the risk. With millions at stake — and a murderer in hiding — falling in love could be the biggest gamble of all.

Rage (Faces of Evil) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

When Jess Harris moved back to her Alabama hometown, she thought she'd left her past behind her. But the blood bath the new Major Crimes deputy chief finds at a murder scene is beyond even the savagery of Eric Spears, the serial killer who now haunts Jess's life with terrifying text messages. Amid eerie echoes of the Charles Manson massacre, Jess investigates the dismemberment of a cop's wife while her baby lay sleeping down the hall.

The discovery of two more headless victims makes Jess wonder if it's a gang-related slaying, a personal vendetta or something else. And the sudden reappearance of her ex-husband makes her question her future with Chief of Police Dan Burnett. Now as the net widens to include a shocking suspect, Jess realizes that the identity of the killer may lie with an autistic eight-year-old boy. With inner-city tensions at an all-time high and the community calling for blood, Jess must race to save an innocent child - and prevent a final, horrifying act of rage.

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:

 

That Old Flame of Mine (A Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Set in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, J. J. Cook’s thrilling new mystery series features Fire Chief Stella Griffin, who solves crime with the help of her predecessor, who just happens to be a ghost.

NO MATCH FOR MURDER

After knocking the lights out of her boyfriend when she catches him cheating on her, Chicago fire fighter Stella Griffin hops on her Harley and heads for Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, where she ends up becoming the small town’s fire chief. When her dear friend Tory Lambert dies after her gingerbread-style house is set ablaze, Stella suspects arson and foul play.

As Stella investigates, she gets help from a most unlikely source — the ghost of Eric Gamlyn, Sweet Pepper’s old fire chief. And if that isn’t enough to rattle her, attractive police officer John Trump seems to have taken an interest in her. But Stella’s got to stay focused if she hopes to smoke out a killer before her own life is extinguished.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES!

A Broth of Betrayal (A Soup Lover's Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Even a town called Snowflake, Vermont, has a summer season. In August, Lucky Jamieson’s By the Spoonful serves chilled soups — celery and green onion, cream of asparagus — and salads. The shop also serves as a gathering place to talk about cold-blooded murder.

A protest to stop the construction of an ugly car wash in the middle of the town’s picturesque Village Green is interrupted by the discovery of a skeleton that may date back to the Revolutionary War. While the remains pose a historical mystery, a present-day murder shakes the town to its core when local auto mechanic Harry Hodges is found dead in his shop.

Straining the patience of Chief of Police Nate Edgerton, Lucky soon finds herself in the soup again when her dear friend Elizabeth, the Mayor of Snowflake, goes missing. No matter how much trouble she has to stir up, Lucky is determined to use her noodle to uncover a killer and recover her friend.

Recipes included!

Malled to Death (A Mall Cop Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

Get ready for a second take.

With a famous action star for a father, mall cop EJ Ferris is used to the Hollywood hullabaloo. But when her mall becomes his movie set, the cameramen aren’t the only ones who start shooting.

Protecting the shoppers at the Fernglen Galleria may not be EJ’s dream job, but neither is working for her father’s film production company. That’s why EJ is less than thrilled when her dad arranges to shoot his upcoming film, Mafia Mistress, in her mall. With the arrival of the movie entourage, EJ suddenly has more than shoplifting teens to worry about.

Bombarded by overeager assistants and fan mail, EJ’s famous father makes for an easy target — especially after a scare involving a gun loaded with blanks. Zoe, the prop master, blames herself for the mistake. But when a real bullet is fired and Zoe is killed, Fernglen Galleria is shaken by more than just Hollywood drama. Cut the cameras — there’s a real gunman on the loose.     

Thrill Ride (Black Knights Inc.) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Thrill Ride" the book in her Black Knights Inc. series by Julie Ann Walker.

Product Description

HE'S GONE ROGUE

Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux is as Cajun as they come — spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But would he actually betray his country?  Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren't sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team — especially his partner, Vanessa — is to run.

SHE WON'T BACK DOWN

Rock might think he can outmaneuver them all, but he hasn't counted on how stubborn Vanessa Cordero can be. And she refuses to cut him loose. Sure, her partner has his secrets, but there's no one in the world she'd rather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good because she and Rock are about to get very tight.

About the Author

Julie Ann Walker is the USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She'll never say no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk. You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission. For more information, please visit www.julieannwalker.com or follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor and/or Twitter @JAWalkerAuthor.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 2, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402282699
ISBN-13: 978-1402282690

My Review:

Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux has been betrayed but would he betray his own country?  Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren't sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team — especially his partner, Vanessa — is to run. 

Vanessa has managed to track down Rock and now she has decided not to leave his side without him.  Now they both are on the run from a dangerous enemy.

4/5

New Releases 2013 (Mar 26)

Let the Dead Sleep (Cafferty and Quinn) [Hardcover]

Product Description

An object of desire? Or of fear?

It was stolen from a New Orleans grave — the centuries - old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It's an object desired by collectors — and by those with wickedness in their hearts.

One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty's antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears, the owner is found dead…and Danni discovers that she's inherited much more than she realized. In the store is a book filled with secret writing: instructions for defeating evil entities. She'd dismissed it as a curiosity until the arrival of this statue, with its long history of evil and even longer trail of death.

Michael Quinn, former cop and now private investigator, is a man with an unusual past. He believes that doing the right thing isn't a job — it's a way of life. And the right thing to do is find and destroy this object weighted with malevolent powers. He and Danni are drawn together in their search for the missing statue, following it through sultry New Orleans nights to hidden places in the French Quarter and secret ceremonies on abandoned plantations.

Cafferty and Quinn already know that trust in others can be misplaced, that love can be temporary. And yet their connection is primal. Mesmerizing. They also know that their story won't end when this case is closed and the dead rest in peace once again.

'Til Death (Rebel Ridge Novels) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

He left in handcuffs. Now it's time to set himself free.

Nearly twenty years after he was wrongly convicted of setting the fire that killed his father, Lincoln Fox returns to Rebel Ridge, Kentucky. There, deep in the Appalachians, the truth of that terrible night lies buried — and he's sworn to uncover it.

His plans take an unexpected turn when, in the midst of a blizzard, he rescues Meg Walker from her wrecked car. Suddenly Linc discovers another reason to clear his name. Meg, his high school sweetheart, had always believed in his innocence, and if he wants a future with her, he has to show the world proof that she was right.

As the community chooses sides, those who once let a teenage boy take the fall for their crime are forced to raise the stakes. They kidnap Meg, leaving her to the mercy of the mountain. And a second rescue may be more than even Linc can manage.

Hot Pursuit (Bounty Hunter 6) [Mass Market Paperback] 

Product Description

Ben Mercy is a man with a past. Trying to start a new life with the KFA — an elite team of professional manhunters—he hopes to prove himself by capturing the most wanted man in America. But Ben isn’t the only bounty hunter on the case. And the trail takes a deadly new turn when he’s thrown by the curves — of a beautiful woman.

Zoey is the daughter of one of the most powerful men in California. A helpless pawn in her father’s plan to merge two casinos through marriage, Zoey’s been warned to stay away from the lowlife bounty hunters who’ve come to town. But when Zoey meets Ben, the attraction is too intense to ignore. And the closer they get, the higher the risk. With millions at stake — and a murderer in hiding — falling in love could be the biggest gamble of all.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Mar 25)

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:

1.  Kiss Me, Kill Me - Allison Brennan
2.  Did You Miss Me? - Karen Rose

I’m currently reading:

1.  Thrill Ride - Julie Ann Walker


Here's the link:

http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-182 

Did You Miss Me? [Hardcover]

I've finished "Did You Miss Me" by Karen Rose.

Product Description

Baltimore prosecutor Daphne Montgomery pulled herself out of a damaged past to build a solid life for herself and her son. But after she helps to convict a killer, her confidence is shattered once again by the news that her son has been kidnapped.

Daphne believes it’s connected to the recent high-profile trial, and at first FBI special agent Joseph Carter agrees. But together they find the reality to be even more troubling, and it runs deeper than Daphne fears.

With her son’s life in jeopardy, she must unlock a dreadful secret about her past — and confront a truth that will change everything for those closest to her. And, if she survives, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

Product Details
Hardcover
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (November 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0755373987
ISBN-13: 978-0755373987

My Review:

Daphne Montgomery is a prosecutor in Baltimore who has overcome a tragic past to build a normal and safe life for son and herself.  She has recently help convict a killer but then she hears the horrible news that he son has been kidnapped.

Both Daphne and Joe believe it's connected to her recent case but as they investigate further they realize it runs deeper and more troubling than that.

Daphne confronts her tragic past which changes close relationships to help her uncover the truth behind her son's kidnapping.

I really enjoyed the romance between Daphne and Joe because you can sense how much they care for each other and the attraction between them is intense and tender.

Glad to see Alex all grown up from "Nothing to Fear" and working for Clay with his technical skills.

It was cool to see Vito Ciccotelli from "Die For Me" involved in the case too.  Glad to hear that Sophie is 8 months pregnant and helps uncovering a mass grave.

To me the mystery was kind of off (kind of hard to explain) and it never explained why one of the villains was obsessed with Daphne.

I cried for Stevie and Clay and I hope they have their HEA soon!

3.5/5

In the Mail Saturday 2013 (Mar 23)

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

I received these in the mail this week.

For Review:

Relentless (Lodestone) [Mass Market Paperback]

Product Description

An Ancient Legacy

Lately, the gods are not smiling on Isis Magee. How else can she explain the bizarre events that have led her on a relentless high-stakes chase from Seattle to London to Cairo in search of the elusive tomb of history’s beautiful and enigmatic queen Cleopatra?

A Hidden Treasure

Isis has only two leads: a fragmented trail of clues offered in rare moments of lucidity by her father, a once-respected archaeologist whose last dig ended in disaster, and the unique sixth sense of sexy Lodestone agent Connor Thorne.

The Passion of a Lifetime

Connor also encountered tragedy in the Egyptian desert not long ago, and as Isis pulls him deeper into her mission to restore her father’s reputation, he is secretly plotting a revenge of his own. Propelled across wild, untamed sands by vicious unknown forces, the duo is seduced into a labyrinth of secret chambers. When they fear they can go no further, they surrender to their incendiary desires and discover that the prize each separately seeks may be waiting at the end of the same dangerous road.

Incidental Daughter [Paperback]

Product Description

Readers who would enjoy a family drama interwoven with romance, suspense, and a touch of the paranormal will find it hard to put down Val Stasik’s break-out novel, Incidental Daughter. When successful publisher Liz Michaels’ marriage to blue blood, Addison Tiffin Payne, fails after the loss of their baby and his growing alcoholism, she pours all her creative energy and passion into her work and finds comfort in her friendships and the appearances of the spirits of her Polish mother and grandmother, who never speak except in dreams she cannot remember. Only her feelings from those dreams linger. When her ex-husband plans to stage her suicide by pushing her off the balcony of her high-rise home, he topples to his death instead. When the police arrive, the potential victim becomes the prime murder suspect. She meets Pittsburgh Police Detective Jim Shannon, who may threaten her freedom or possibly gain her love. Her swirling feelings are complicated by the simultaneous appearance of a talented, familiar-looking intern at her workplace. Internal conflict is soon compounded by external threats created by her ex-husband and his mother as well as someone seeking revenge on Shannon and his partner. Wll Liz be destroyed by this vortex, or will she use the crisis to open the door to a second chance at love and family?