$40 GC & Review – I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera @partnersincr1me @jennifersadera

I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera Banner

I KNOW SHE WAS THERE

by Jennifer Sadera

October 28 – November 22, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Caroline Chase walks the streets with her colicky baby, poking her nose where it doesn’t belong. If you don’t want her looking in your windows, then close your blinds. I had a hunch about something and I was correct, but there was so much more going on than I ever guessed.

Jennifer Sadera has a hit with her debut novel, I Know She Was There. She weaves a complex mystery around an even more complex main character, Caroline Chase.

Her husband, Tim…well, he turned out to be worse than I anticipated.

I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera has everything I love in a psychological thriller. We have some bad guys, some good guys, and a damsel in distress. Jennifer kept the suspense rising as the pace picked up. I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know. By the time I got to the end I never saw coming, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Synopsis:

Be careful what you see when you shouldn’t be looking.

Residents of the posh Upstate New York neighborhood of Deer Crossing enjoy all the amenities wealth provides. From drive-up dog-grooming to monthly botox parties, these lucky suburbanites have everything they could ever want. And one thing they don’t. Stalker Caroline Case, who wheels her infant along their streets each night with just one goal…to spy on anyone too careless or too foolish to close their window blinds.

Convinced the owners of the impressive homes are living a dream existence, the troubled new mom hopes to escape her working-class life by prying secrets from the unsuspecting. But the fairy tale twists into a nightmare when she sees something she shouldn’t. Something that shatters her illusions about the people in the privileged community she’s obsessed with, even as she begins to doubt what she saw.

As Caroline investigates the event, shocking secrets are laid bare, and nothing is as it seems. She knows she must prove something sinister occurred in Deer Crossing or risk letting someone get away with murder.

Praise for I Know She Was There:

“‘Twisty’ doesn’t begin to describe this compelling and complicated story. Don’t even try to guess how this turns out—just put yourself in Sadera’s capable hands and enjoy the ride!”
~ Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller The Marsh King’s Daughter and The Wicked Sister

“In the world of thrillers, few conceits are more alluring than a ‘mostly harmless’ habit gone terribly awry. Such is the premise in Jennifer Sadera’s addictive I Know She Was There, where protagonist Caroline Case’s proclivity for sidewalk-spying on her wealthy neighbors turns into her own living nightmare. Sadera’s deeply psychological novel, echoing nicely to Rear Window, has Caroline guessing not only what she saw, but whether she saw it at all, and her struggle becomes ours through effective first-person narration. An impressive and thrilling debut . . . Sadera is an author to watch.”
~ Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of The Father She Went to Find

“Jennifer Sadera’s intense debut about a troubled young mother on a passionate mission to discover the truth kept me awake all night! It’s a gut-wrenching and addictively readable thriller.”
~ Bonnar Spring, author of Toward the Light (2020), Independent Publishers’ bronze medal winner for Best First Novel, New Hampshire Literary Awards—People’s Choice winner for fiction, and Disappeared (2022) ‘Best of 2022’ from Bookreporter and Crime Fiction Lover short fiction: 2023 Al Blanchard Award, 2024 Derringer

“Twisty and compelling, I Know She Was There deftly explores how well we can truly know each other—or ourselves.”
~ Tracy Sierra, author of Nightwatching

“A knockout debut—sharp domestic suspense that combines taut prose with a complex, artfully crafted unreliable narrator, and plenty of twists and turns that readers won’t see coming. I Know She Was There proves Jennifer Sadera is a voice to watch.”
~ Elena Hartwell Taylor, bestselling author of the Eddie Shoes and Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery series, including the upcoming A Cold, Cold World

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Suspense, Domestic Suspense
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: November 12, 2024
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780744310955 (ISBN10: 0744310954)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Read an excerpt:

Jane Brockton was going to get caught.

My heart raced when Jane emerged from the side door of her home; what she and I were both doing was risky, but it was too late for regrets. I wondered if she thought so too. Probably. Her behavior was becoming alarmingly brazen. I pulled Emmy’s stroller closer and pushed aside boxwood branches, widening the portal I peered through. Although Jane’s across-the-street neighbors’ hedge was directly in front of her farmhouse-style McMansion, it was too dark this late at night for me to be seen.

Go back inside if you know what’s good for you. I pressed my fingers to my lips as the man emerged from the house next to hers. Even if I’d yelled a warning, Jane Brockton wouldn’t heed it. Who the hell was I? Certainly not someone her neighbors on Woodmint Lane knew. If Jane observed my late-night excursions through the streets of her stylish suburban New York neighborhood, her first instinct wouldn’t be to worry about her behavior.

I was prepared. If confronted by any resident of the exclusive enclave, I’d explain I walked the streets late at night to lull my colicky baby to sleep. I couldn’t admit my ulterior motive—worming my way back onto Primrose Way and into my former best friend’s good graces. And there was no need to share how, lately, the lives of this neighborhood’s inhabitants had been luring me like a potent drug—or how Jane Brockton was fast becoming the kingpin of my needy addiction. Jane stood out, even in this community of excess: gourmet dinner deliveries, drive-up dog grooming, same-day laundry service, and monthly Botox parties.

Her meetings with the mystery man were far from innocent. The first tryst I’d witnessed was late the previous Friday night—exactly a week earlier. I’d strolled around the corner of Woodmint Lane just as the pair had emerged from their side-by-side houses and taken to the dark street like prowlers casing the block. I followed their skulking forms up Woodmint, being careful to stay a few dozen yards behind, until all I could discern was their silhouettes, too close to each other for friendly companionship. They’d eventually crossed Primrose Way and veered into the woods where the bike trails and picnic areas offered secluded spaces. When they didn’t emerge from the wooded area, I backed Emmy’s stroller up silently and reversed my route, heading away, my pulse still throbbing in my temples.

It was impossible to deny what was going on, as I watched similar scenes unfold three nights that week: Jane slipping soundlessly from her mudroom door like a specter, the flash of the screen door in the faint moonlight an apparent signal.

This night, as they hooked hands in the driveway between the houses, I slicked my tongue over my dry lips. She risked losing everything. I knew how that felt. Tim had left me before I’d even changed out his worn bachelor-pad sofa for the sectional I’d been eying at Ethan Allen. I watched them cross through the shadows, barely able to see them step inside the shed at the far end of Jane’s yard. And all under the nose of her poor devoted husband, Rod. He couldn’t be as gullible as he appeared, could he?

A voice called out, shattering the stillness of the night. I flinched, convinced I’d been discovered. I scanned the immediate shadows, placing a hand over my chest to still my galloping heart.

“Jane?” It was Rod’s voice. I recognized the timbre by now. Settle down, Caroline.

My eyes darted to the custom home’s open front door. Rod had noticed his wife’s abandonment earlier than usual. Warm interior light spilled across the porch floorboards and outlined Rod’s robed form in the door frame.

“Are you out here? Jane?”

The worry in his voice made me hate Jane Brockton. I flirted with the idea of stepping away from the hedge and announcing I’d witnessed her heading to the shed with the neighbor. Of course, that would be ridiculous. I was a stranger. My name, Caroline Case, would mean nothing to him.

Rod closed the door and my gaze traveled to the glowing upstairs window on the far left of his house. The light had blinked off half an hour earlier, like a giant eyelid closing over the dormered master bedroom casement. I knew exactly where their bedroom was because I’d studied the Deer Crossing home models on the builder’s website. I knew the layout of all three house styles so well I could escort potential buyers through them. I’d briefly considered it. Becoming a real-estate agent would give me access inside, where I could discover what life behind the movie-set facades was really like. Pristine marble floors, granite countertops, and crystal vases on every conceivable surface? Or gravy-laden dishes in sinks and mud-caked shoes arrayed haphazardly just inside the eye-catching front doors?

I suspected the latter was true for almost every house except for my former best friend Muzzy Owen’s place on Primrose Way. Muzzy could put Martha Stewart to shame.

I wedged myself and Emmy’s stroller further into the hedge. Becoming a real-estate agent wouldn’t connect me as intimately to Jane and Rod Brockton (information gleaned by rifling through the contents of their mailbox) as I was at this moment. Trepidation—and yes, anticipation—laced my bloodstream and turned my breathing shallow as I waited for Rod to come outside and start his nightly search for his wife. Some may consider my interest, my excitement, twisted, but I didn’t plan to use my stealthily gathered information against anyone. It was enough to reassure myself that nobody’s life was perfect, no matter how it appeared to an outsider.

A faint click echoed through the still night. I squinted through the hedge leaves, my eyes laser pointers on the side door Jane had emerged from only moments before. Rod appeared.

As he stepped into the dusky side yard, I thought about the people unknown to me until a week earlier: the latest neighborhood couple to pique my interest. Even though they were technically still strangers, I’d had an entire week to learn about the Brocktons. A few passes in my car last Saturday morning revealed a tracksuit-clad Gen Xer, her wavy hair the reddish-brown color of autumn oak leaves, and a gray-haired, bespectacled boomer in crisp dark jeans and golf shirt standing on the sage-and-cream farmhouse’s front porch. Steaming mugs in hand, their calls drifted through my open car window, cautioning their little golden designer dog when it strayed too close to the street, their voices overly indulgent, as if correcting a beloved but errant child. The very picture of domestic bliss.

I studied the Colonial to the Brocktons’ right. On the front porch steps, two tremendous Boston ferns in oversized urns stretched outward like dozens of welcoming arms. The only testament to human activity. Someone obviously cared for the vigorous plants, but a midnight peek inside that house’s mailbox revealed only empty space. It made me uncomfortable not knowing who Jane’s mystery man was.

And did Rod usually wake when his wife slipped between the silk sheets (they had to be silk) after her extracurriculars? He obviously questioned her increasingly regular late-night abandonment. He wouldn’t be roaming the dark in his nightwear if he hadn’t noticed.

Perhaps Jane said she couldn’t sleep. She needed to move—walk the neighborhood—to tire herself. Hearing that, he’d frown, warning her not to wander around in the middle of the night. Rod was the type—I was sure just by the way he coddled his dog—to worry about his lovely wife walking the dark streets, even the magical byways of Deer Crossing. Hence, the need for new places to rendezvous each night. But the shed on their very own property! Even though this night’s tryst was later than usual, it was dangerously daring to stay on-site. Maybe Jane wanted to get caught.

A scratching sound echoed through the quiet night. I looked at the side door Rod had just emerged from, saw his silhouette turn back and open it. The little dog circled him, barking sharply. The urgent yipping cut clearly through the still air, skittering my pulse. I quickly glanced at Emmy soundly sleeping in her stroller. If the dog didn’t stop barking, I’d have to get away—fast. Emmy could wake and start her colicky wailing, which would rouse the Brocktons’ neighbors whose hedge I’d appropriated. One flick of their front porch light would reveal me in all my lurking glory.

As if to answer my concerns, the dog ceased barking and scampered toward the shed. I rubbed at the sudden chill sliding across my upper arms. That little canine nose was sniffing out Jane’s trail.

Rod stepped tentatively forward. It was too dark to see what he was wearing beneath the robe, but I pictured him in L. L. Bean slippers with those heavy rubberized soles and cotton print pajamas, like Daddy used to wear. Daddy’s had line drawings of old-fashioned cars dotted across the white cotton background. Model Ts and roadsters. I felt angry with Jane all over again. How dare she . . .

“Sorry, darling,” Jane called, striding from the shadows, stopping a few feet in front of him. “I was potting those plants earlier and thought I left my cell phone in the shed.” Her voice was soft, relaxed. She was a pro.

“I saw it on the bookshelf in the study earlier this evening,” Rod said, bending to calm the little dog, who was bouncing between them like a child with ADHD.

“Oh geez, I’m losing it,” she said, laughing.

Not yet, you’re not, I thought. Not yet.

***

Excerpt from I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera. Copyright 2024 by Jennifer Sadera. Reproduced with permission from Jennifer Sadera. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Jennifer Sadera

Jennifer Sadera began her writing career just out of college as a junior copywriter at book publisher NAL before transitioning to the editorial departments of national women’s magazines Woman’s World, Redbook, and Beauty Digest. She’d already established herself as a freelance writer and blogger when she decided to follow her true passion: creating novels. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime; her writing has earned her multiple awards at Atlanta Writers Conferences and a fellowship at the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. I Know She Was There is Jennifer’s debut psychological suspense novel. When not writing, Jennifer can be found gardening, traveling, or reading anything she can get her hands on. She is blessed with CJ, her husband of many years, two adult children, Amanda and Ryan, and two adorable rescue grand dogs named Sunny and Moonie.

Catch Up With Jennifer Sadera:
JenniferSadera.com
Goodreads
LinkedIn
Instagram – @jensadera
Twitter/X – @jennifersadera
Facebook – @jennifersadera

 

 

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Review – The Compass Killer by Michael Geczi @MichaelGeczi

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The Compass Killer is part of The Serial Killer Anthology, which will include five books, by Michael Geczi. Each book has a unique focus and The Compass Killer is about a serial killer, Travis Newsom, who has a last wish. He wants to know more about the people he killed and all those around them who were affects. Of course, I know you can’t believe what a psychopath says, but Reverend Stan McLogan feels by helping the serial killer get what he wants, he can find out about other killings. Quid pro quo. He is interested in learning more about their emotions and spirituality of those on death row.

I love reading about serial killers, but I don’t know if the why of their killings is ever answered. I love trying to decipher their motivations, which can probably never be known.

As the deadline approaches for his execution, I can’t help but think he deserves what is coming for him. As the clock ticks down, I can only think he has overstayed his welcome on this earth. Will he give the Reverend the list of his victims before he is put to death?

We learn about his killings, how his victims were chosen and how they died, leaving a compass on top of their bodies. All except one, why was that different.

As I approached the final pages of The Compass Killer by Michael Geczi, I was surprised at the fabulous ending. I never saw it coming. Well done, Michael.

I want to thank Michael for the opportunity to read and review The Compass Killer by Michael Geczi.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

The new addition to The Serial Killer Anthology! Get it today!

Facing execution, Arizona death-row inmate Travis Newsom, “The Compass Killer,” has a last wish: he tells Rev. Stan McLogan he wants to learn more before he’s dead about the families and friends of his victims as well as the family he abandoned. McLogan thinks it’s a great opportunity to identify additional victims that Newsom may have killed beyond the ones he left small round compasses on in 1998 after murdering them. He asks his friend, Santa Monica Detective Nour El Masry, if she’ll help with the research.

The task is far from straightforward, however. McLogan’s prison discussions with Newsom take surprising psychological twists and turns, reflecting both men’s own agendas. El Masry’s research raises questions about Newsom’s background and what he’s sharing. And Arizona politics put the execution at risk.

As deadlines approach, McLogan questions his involvement with the prisoner, and Newsom discovers the young minister is a formidable adversary and not the naïve soft touch he imagined. El Masry, meanwhile, finds new information about the origins of Newsom’s life of lies and violence.

The Compass Killer, the fourth book in the Serial Killer Anthology, brings together elements of the series’ three previous stories: The Deadly Samaritan (McLogan’s parents and a 1992 serial killer case); Killer Dead, Victim Alive (Santa Monica Detectives Greg Nichols and Mollie Granger), and Hunting a Cat in Dogtown (Nour El Masry, Nichols and Granger).

Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.

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Library Love – Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea @CharlieDonlea

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Sidney Ryan has chosen to do a twelve week documentary on Grace Sebold, who was accused of killing her boyfriend on Spring Break. Charlie Donlea let me think I knew what’s happening, but I was so wrong. I knew it wouldn’t be the simple answer, but Charlie took me somewhere I didn’t see coming. I did have a hunch about one character and that panned out, but there is so much more to the story. By the time I got halfway through I saw I was getting more than I bargained for in this psychological thriller.

If you are looking for a complex, unputdownable mystery, pick up a copy of Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

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

As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case. 

Delving into Grace’s past, Sidney peels away layer after layer of deception. But as she edges closer to the real heart of the story, Sidney must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career … even her life.

  • Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 402 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published May 29, 2018 by Pinnacle Books

Charlie Donlea is the USA TODAY and #1 Internationally bestselling author of SUMMIT LAKE, THE GIRL WHO WAS TAKEN, DON’T BELIEVE IT, SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS, THE SUICIDE HOUSE, TWENTY YEARS LATER, and THOSE EMPTY EYES. His eighth thriller, LONG TIME GONE, explores the science of forensic genealogy and will be released in June 2024.

His books have been translated into twenty languages across nearly forty countries. He resides in Chicago with his wife and two children.

He spends a part of each year fishing with his father in the far reaches of Canada, where the roads end and lakes are accessible only by floatplane. These majestic trips to “God’s Country” inspired the setting for his first novel, Summit Lake.

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$20 GC & Review – The Button Collector by M M Cochran @xpressotours

MY REVIEW

I love a good thriller, so when I saw the awesome cover for The button collector by M M Cochran, I was sucked right in. It doesn’t take long for me to become engrossed in the story.

Chicago journalist, Jessica Knight is being stalked and her relatives are being picked off, one after another. She feels she is constantly under watch by the killer. How long before her number comes up?

She hops from bed to bed, using and being used. I don’t have a lot of respect for her, but that doesn’t mean she deserves to be murdered,

They call HIM the The Button Collector because when he kills, he leaves one button sewing the victim’s mouth shut and takes one as a trophy.

I was reading, just cruising along, when BAM, the killer hits me in the face. I never saw it coming and it was a doozy. That alone makes the book worth reading.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

The Button Collector
M.M. Cochran
Publication date: September 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller

When Chicago journalist Jessica Knight is linked to a string of odd murders happening across the country, her life takes a turn for the worse.

She is left wondering why her relatives are the ones dropping like flies under the signature mark of a serial killer . . . why she can’t stop thinking about Michael Bradley, the appealing detective assigned to protect her . . . and most of all, why, despite being the Button Collector’s prime target, she’s still alive at all. One thing she knows for certain: the killer is always watching. As the line between truth and deception begins to blur, Jessica crumbles under the dense web of lies she’s trying to keep straight–especially once the police start questioning more than just her sanity. With pressure mounting, Jessica must navigate being under the watchful eye of the police–and the killer–while risking it all in a dangerous game to make up for the mistakes of her past.

Her days are numbered…one way or the other.

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EXCERPT:

Chapter 1

The first thing I feel when I step outside my apartment building is his eyes on me.

They burn. They haunt. They’re always there, somehow finding me almost every day since the first murder.

Long shadows stretch over the brown patch of grass before my building. They’re soft on my boots and heavy on the winter flowers that need sun. Rain pelts down the petals, but I’m too cold to get my fingers wet and shake the water off the weak flowers.

The thick weather clouds the feeling of his surveillance, but I still close my eyes to escape it.

Count backwards from ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Okay, it’s gone.

Now open your eyes, I instruct myself.

It’s time to catch a cab. “Time to catch a cab,” I say.

Leave me alone. “Leave me alone,” I say.

The office buzzes with fluorescent lights over rickety desks made for half-hearted journalists. I slide between their narrow spaces and make my way to the associate editor’s desk. The editor in chief smokes in his office, and Della can tell me everything he knows, so I avoid him and his stench. It’s not something I can handle this morning, though on a good morning, I’d crave the smell of his cigarettes.

“Della, John wanted to see me? Why?” The tip of my umbrella taps the ground, sprinkling cold drops of leftover rain onto my pant leg.

She doesn’t even look at me, doesn’t even jump at the opportunity to comment on my red lipstick that’s too dark or my unshapely long coat. “He’s in his office.”

“But—”

“Jessica.”

The smoke in John’s office rolls onto me in waves of foggy white. My automatic response is to cough, clear my throat, but it would be nothing more than for show. He knows I’m used to it.

“Knight. Come here, I’ve got somethin’ for you.” He fingers me in and motions for me to take a seat. The dark leather on the chair does everything but absorb the moisture from my wet thighs.

He nudges a stack of papers in my direction. “Here’re some stories for the week that I came across over the weekend. Fire and Crime section looks like it’ll be good and full next issue, but I’d like you to start on this Button story. A profile about him to follow-up his murder we reported on last week. It’ll take some research, so I want your time and attention on this one. All week.” He taps the folder with his index and middle finger, keeping his cigarette in place between them. “Make it good. If you need me to get some intern on the other stuff, you just let me know, Knight. Let’s focus on this Button profile, and make sure to really center it around the freakshow killer more than the victims.”

John takes a long, focused drag off the cigarette. Blows it in a thin streak over his shoulder. Eyes me with a glare that’s crimped with sixty-year-old crow’s feet.

“You alright, Knight?”

“Fine. But why do you want me for this? I’m not investigative, just—”

“A hard crime reporter. I know. But you really proved yourself with investigative journalism skills after you covered that murder trial last month. I want to spread your wings a little more. Cover this Button story, Knight. It’s going to sell a lot of papers. Keep it up, and we’ll change your title to Investigative instead of just Crime Journalist.”

“Thanks, John, but I’m comfortable with my position.”

“I’ll give you a little raise, dear.” He wraps his lips around his cigarette and blows the smoke over his shoulder again. “And I’ll hire one of those interns to take over hard crime. Okay?”

“Alright. Thank you.”

“Well, we’ll see how this Button story goes.”

I nod.

“You sure you’re okay, Knight?”

“Yeah, fine.”

“Then shake that look off your face and get to work. I’d like to have that story by Thursday; I want the designers to arrange A1 layout around it. This’ll generate a lot of attention, you know. People are all over this Button Collector thing.”

“The word count?” I ask. I usually don’t have to talk word counts with him, but with big stories like this—like that trial—he always has some requirements to meet.

“Give me nine-hundred, no less.”

A knock on the door diverts his attention to behind me. “John,” the receptionist says, “a young lady would like to speak with you about advertisement.”

John pushes back his chair and stands, surrendering his cigarette to the dusty ash tray. “Stay here, Knight. I’ll be right back.”

My next breath is stifled by the smoke that folds into my face when he walks by. He leaves the door cracked behind him.

Author Bio:

As both a self-published and traditionally published author of YA fiction and a thriller, I know how vulnerable and scary handing your manuscript to an editor can be. . . But it is my job to take care of my clients and their stories, cherishing them as my own.
My novel, Between the Ocean the Stars, was ranked #2 at the worldwide distributors center upon publication and later named a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. My next novel, The Button Collector, releases in 2024.

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Library Love Review – Eruption by Michael Crichton & James Patterson #michaelcrichton #jamespatterson

Eruption by James Patterson and Michael Crichton

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When I saw Eruption, it’s gorgeous cover and Michael Crichton’s and James Patterson names, I virtually hopped over to the library and grabbed me a copy. Michael Crichton had passed away before he could finish the novel, and James Patterson picked up the torch.

A once in a century volcanic eruption is about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii. If that isn’t enough, there is a military secret that could cause a worldwide catastrophic event.

Did Eruption live up to its hype? Well, the pacing kept me ‘flipping pages’ wondering how they were going to get out of the mess they are in. Maybe it also contains a warning to us mortals. Sometimes the things we do come back and bite us on the ass. This could have been one of those moments, but through the valor and bravery of many, the worse case scenario was avoided. Just goes to show what can happen when everyone works together.

All in all, it was worth the wait, a month or so, to get a copy from my library.

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3 Stars

A history-making once-in-a-century volcanic eruption is about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii. But a decades-old military secret could turn the volcano into something even more terrifying… Now it’s up to a handful of brave individuals to save the island – and the entire world.

Two of the bestselling storytellers of all time have created an unforgettable thriller. The master of the techno-blockbuster joins forces with the master of the modern thriller to create the most anticipated mega bestseller in years. Michael Crichton, creator of Jurassic Park, ER, Twister, and Westworld, had a passion project he’d been pursuing for years, ahead of his untimely passing in 2008. Knowing how special it was, his wife, Sherri Crichton, held back his notes and the partial manuscript until she found the right author to complete it: James Patterson, the world’s most popular storyteller. Eruption brings the pace of Patterson to the concept of Crichton: the most anticipated mega-thriller in years.

  • Genre: Military, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 432 pages, ebook
  • First published June 3, 2024 by Little, Brown & Company
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Review – Don’t Ask Don’t Follow by Mary Keliikoa @mary_keliikoa @edelweiss_squad

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

I had seen Mary Keliikoa’s name around and always wanted to read some of her work, so when I saw Don’t Ask Don’t Follow on Edelweiss, I grabbed me a review copy. I was glad I did. I quickly got attached to Beth Ralston and curious about her sister, Lindsay.

Beth’s relationship with her family members are complicated, but she is confident and can stand on her own two feet. She was the responsible one, covering for her sister when they were growing up. Lindsay was the one taking risks, telling Beth, Don’t Ask, Don’t Follow.

When Beth’s boss is found murdered, she begins an investigation that reveals secrets that affected her life and her family’s life. I consider myself a realist and I know that sometimes it is family that can hurt you the most. Beth will be discovering. Maybe, too often, I think the worst of people.

As the investigation deepens, I found people playing God. They may mean well, but who are they to play judge, jury, and executioner. What makes their decisions the RIGHT one?

Guess what? I also saw my name, Sherry, was given to a character. Will she be a good one or a bad one? I don’t care. It’s just fun to see my name in a book. Author’s don’t use it a lot.

There are Book Club Discussion questions at the end of the book, and I think this could be a good one for your book club. There are plenty of questions about the characters motivations and the dysfunctional family that Beth is part of. Mary Keliikoa threw out enough false leads for me to follow and question how I could be wrong about this or that. Red Herrings are always fun to run across, being lead down a fuzzy path of clues.

The only thing I found missing was that heart in my throat, what will happen next feeling. That’s what makes the difference between a mystery and a thriller to me, and I consider Don’t Ask Don’t Follow more mystery than thriller.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Murder, dark family secrets, and the unwavering bond of sisterhood— regardless of the cost

Beth Ralston, a paralegal in Portland, Oregon, would rather be racking up billable hours than mingling at an office party— especially when her sister Lindsay, aka her plus one, is a no-show.

After making her obligatory rounds, Beth returns to her office to find that her boss, who she’d talked with moments before, has been murdered. She sees a woman fleeing the scene. Wait— was that Lindsay? Unable to catch up to her in time, Beth waits for the police to arrive and notices that Lindsay has left her phone behind with an unsent text message to Beth displayed on the screen: “ Don’t ask. Don’t follow.”

Lindsay is unreachable for days, and when Beth starts to come under suspicion for the crime, she decides that waiting is impossible. While retracing Lindsay’s steps, determined to bring her home, Beth uncovers what her sister, an investigative reporter bent on changing the world, was trying to expose— corruption, secrets, and betrayal on an unimaginable level. Revealing the truth might bring back the one person she’s desperate to find— but it could also destroy the only life and family Beth’s ever known.

Perfect for fans of Gregg Olsen and Karin Slaughter

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 368 pages, Paperback
  • First published June 4, 2024 by OceanView Publishing
  • Goodreads Reviews & Ratings – 3.91 – 318 ratings, 193 reviews

Mary Keliikoa is the author of the award-winning HIDDEN PIECES and DEADLY TIDES in the Misty Pines mystery series, and the PI Kelly Pruett mystery series, which includes the Shamus Finalist and Lefty, Agatha and Anthony award-nominated DERAILED for best debut.

Her first domestic suspense, DON’T ASK, DON’T FOLLOW will be out June of 2024.

A Pacific NW native, she admits to being that person who gets excited when called for jury duty. When not in Washington, you can find Mary with toes in the sand on a Hawaiian beach. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.

www.marykeliikoa.com

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$20 GC – The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe @SDBookTours @LWNovels

 



I should feel safe here. I don’t.


The Hospital

by Leslie Wolfe

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

MIND OFFICIALLY BLOWN!

I have read some Leslie Wolfe books and knew I was in for a good read, but I never anticipated how good. I should have begun sooner in the day, because I didn’t want to stop reading. I gave up in the wee hours of the morning, but picked it up to finish while drinking my coffee.

So many cringe worthy moments I can’t begin to describe them all. Just thinking about them to write this review has hair standing up on the back of my neck and shivers running up and down my spine. Is someone watching me?

Imagine being blind and paralyzed, totally at the mercy of those who ‘care’ for you.

Now, imagine, not all of them have your best interests at heart. I’m starting to get an ominous, horrifying feeling of someone orchestrating a sick game on her, but I have yet to figure out WTF is going on.

More than once I had to remember to pick my jaw up off the floor and close my mouth.

Hello movie people. The Hospital would make a great book to movie adaptation. The complex mystery and psychological torture she endures is sure to put the thrill in thriller.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars



I should feel safe here. I don’t.

I thought I had it all. The loving husband I married on a beach, sand between my toes. The career I fought for. The beautiful home tucked away between pines and mountains.

But my perfect life crumbled when my husband betrayed me. And then it started. Everywhere I went, someone was following me… But no one believed me. Were they right? 
Was I losing my mind?

Then, one day, I wake up with a searing pain in my head, and only the sound of sirens and distant conversations to pierce my confusion.

I’ve been attacked. 
I’m in the hospital.

It should be reassuring. But all I can think is: 
I’m trapped.

I must escape. But I know I can’t trust anyone, and I’ll do whatever it takes to save myself.

You will never see the twists coming in this jaw-on-the-floor gasp-out-loud rollercoaster from the no.1 bestselling author of The Surgeon. Fans of Freida McFadden, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena won’t be able to put it down!



See what readers are saying about The Hospital:


OMG!!!!… Wow… insanely fast-paced, totally addictive… I binge read in one sitting… I was literally glued to my Kindle on the edge of my seat… So good!!!” Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow!!!… It kept me completely on the edge of my seat biting my nails… I could not put it down and ended up devouring it in one sitting of a few hours!! An absolutely addictive, compelling page turner that will keep you hooked from beginning to end!!” Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So tense! Wow, now I can breathe normally… jaw-dropping, full of surprises and twists that kept me turning the pages so fast!… had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I couldn’t put it down!… You need to read this book!” moneisreading, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow wow wow!! I loved this book!! What a heart-pounder!!… thrilling!! Lots of action, suspense, drama with plenty of twists and turns!… I highly recommend reading this one!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This was a 
WILD RIDE!!!… I was trying to figure out who I could trust and my mind changed constantly. Loved the ending… a CANNOT PUT IT DOWN BOOK!!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow, wow, wow!!! What a book!… kept me guessing until the end… extremely jam packed with twists. I couldn’t pull myself away from my kindle reading this. Fantastic.” Jessica’s Book Biz, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Had me captivated from beginning to end!… I couldn’t put this book down!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superb… I couldn’t put it down, don’t give in to the temptation to turn pages without working through all the twists and turns!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So addictive… I was hooked and found it hard to stop for a break! So glad I did not have much planned for that day!!!!… WoW I want more!!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Superb… I didn’t want to put down. The twists and turns were spectacularly clever and I doubted everything I was thinking!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

So intense… I had NO idea who did it, or what was going to happen next… This book taught me TRUST NO ONE… fantastic… I would absolutely recommend to a friend.” Reading with Mama East, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Amazon * Audible * Bookbub * Goodreads




Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.

Leslie released the first novel, Executive, in October 2011. Since then, she has written many more, continuing to break down barriers of traditional thrillers. Her style of fast-paced suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology, has made Leslie one of the most read authors in the genre.

Reminiscent of the television drama Criminal Minds, her series of books featuring the fierce and relentless FBI Agent Tess Winnett would be of great interest to readers of James Patterson, Melinda Leigh, and David Baldacci crime thrillers. Fans of Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni suspenseful mysteries would love the Las Vegas Crime series, featuring the tension-filled relationship between Baxter and Holt. Finally, her Alex Hoffmann series of political and espionage action adventure will enthrall readers of Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and Lee Child.


Leslie enjoys engaging with readers every day and would love to hear from you. Become an insider: gain early access to previews of Leslie’s new novels.


Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads




Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!


$20 Amazon giftcard


a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Fabulous Giveaway – The Garden Girls by Jessica R Patch @partnersincr1me @JessicaRPatch

The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch Banner

THE GARDEN GIRLS

by Jessica R. Patch

June 24 – July 19, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Amazon / Goodreads

A wicked storm, an island, a serial killer…OH YEAH! I’m all in…and I was not disappointed.

Tiberius Granger was born into a cult, thus his specialty in the FBI is The Christians…twisted fanatics. He had managed to escape their clutches, but had to leave his love behind.

Now, an off the cuff comment that went viral has pissed off the killer, making, not only him, but all those around him a target. What’s even worse, the woman he had left behind, Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing and he is on the case.

We do have a second chance romance.

The Garden Girls by Jessica R Patch is wicked good. The villain(s) is well hidden, and, even though I knew a lot of what was going to happen, there was a lot that I didn’t know. Jessica had the book surprises rolling out, one after the other, until the very end. She’s not afraid to kill off a character or two if it makes the story better. If a hurricane heads your way, you may want to rethink evacuating the area.

Soooo…hold on tight, because this is one hell of a ride. I have my eye on you, Jessica!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Garden Girls by Jessica R Patch.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

FBI: Strange Crimes Unit

 

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

Praise for The Garden Girls:

“A perfect storm of thrilling suspense and intricate plot twists that will leave readers breathless!”
~ Nancy Mehl, author of the Ryland & St. Clair series

The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch is a hold-your-breath-and-pray novel full of suspense and unexpected twists. This gritty and compelling story is outstanding in every way. Highly recommended!”
~ Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author

“In a word, WOW! The story caught me up and didn’t let go to the final page. Tight action, beautiful pacing. **Highly Recommended**”
~ Carrie Stuart Parks, best-selling, award-winning author

“‘Riveting!’ Jessica R. Patch has created an immaculate psychological thriller that will leave the reader racing through the pages. Well-written characters and a plot that sizzles and crackles with danger made this story impossible for me to put down, and yet I didn’t want it to end. . .it’s that good. The Garden Girls will leave you breathless from the non-stop suspense filling the pages and wanting more from this amazing author”
~ USA Today Bestselling Author Mary Alford, author of Among the Innocent

“Buckle your seatbelt! Jessica R. Patch is about to blow you off the road with The Garden Girls. The story will grab you on the first page and won’t let go until The End!”
~ Patricia Bradley, USA Today Best-Selling romantic suspense author of Counter Attack Book 1 in the Pearl River Series

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Psychological Thriller
Published by: Love Inspired Trade
Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Number of Pages: 367
ISBN: 9781335463074 (ISBN10: 1335463070)
Series: FBI: Strange Crimes Unit, Book 3 || Each is a Stand-Alone Novel
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Harlequin | JessicaRPatch.com

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

Sharp claws scrape along my neck.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Buzzing fills the room, and I strain to open my eyes but they’re like molasses, thick and sticky and slow-moving. My stomach jumps and the room shifts as my blurred vision registers red walls and coffee-colored concrete. I inhale a hint of bleach and incense with a spicy note as I shift to survey the rest of the room, but my muscles ripple like languid water.

The air-conditioner kicks on, and the cold air raises chills across my naked body.

I’m…naked. A fist squeezes my lungs as panic rips through my system. My memories are disjointed.

Where am I? How did I arrive here?

What is happening to me? What has already happened? Shoe soles click on the floor and silence my questions.

I am not alone. Or…I wasn’t. The door closes with a quiet click.

Get up. Move. Run!

Gripping the sides of a massage table, I roll off, and my bare feet hit cool flooring. The walls close in and shift, and my stomach roils. Something is wrong. Off.

Floor-to-ceiling mirrors cover an entire wall, and my breath catches as reality comes into view.

Pink flower buds wend through a vine of black along my neck and upper back.

Confusion clouds my senses, and I stand cemented in place gawking at the angry red skin, sore and tender and smeared with glossy petroleum jelly.

A tight knot grows in my throat, and tears stab with heated force against the backs of my eyes.

I have to get out of here.

Behind me, I spot a twin bed with luxurious sheets and a thick white comforter as well as tattooing equipment. My hands tremble. Am I in a tattoo parlor? Why is a bed in here?

Lying on the floor next to the bed is an old iron cuff attached to a thick, heavy chain that is anchored to the wall.

Why is that in here and where are my clothes?

I snatch the downy comforter and drape it over my exposed body.

Run. Run. Run!

I open the door but have no clue which way to go or where he is or how long until he finds and cuffs me to that bed.

I’ve been trapped before at the hands of a vicious predator. Old memories surface and spur me across the carpeted flooring. The hall veers left. My eyes begin to adjust to the darkness as I flee to safety—no.

To a dead end.

Defeat leaches like muddy water into my soul, and my chest aches. The only choice is to turn around.

But he’s in that direction.

Sweat slicks down my temples and spine, springing up through my pores like an underground fountain as I return the way I came.

I see what might be a crack in the wall. Light seeps in from the other side. As I approach, I discover it’s a door made to look like part of the wall. I swallow hard and guide my fingers along the smooth wood until I feel a lever. I push it and the door releases, but it takes some grit to open it enough for me to slide through.

I expect some kind of lair or dungeon or God knows what—a wall with torture devices and cages—but it’s not.

It’s a living room with wall-to-wall windows overlooking dark water.

Where is he?

I suck in a breath as creaking registers on the stairs. There’s nowhere to hide, and the comforter is bulky and will easily give me away. I have no option but to ditch it in the corner. I can’t dwell on modesty.

Outside.

I dart toward the sliding glass door, silently slide it open and slip out into the warm night air before scrambling to the edge of the balcony. I crouch to make myself small, like when I was a child and needed to obscure myself.

Maybe he doesn’t realize I’m gone, but then it hits me.

I didn’t shut the secret door concealing the other rooms.

A sob bubbles to the surface as I shake uncontrollably like I’ve woken from anesthesia. The ground is far below me. I’d die or break my legs, maybe my spine. But I’d rather die than go back to that room.

To that chain.

To more tattoo needles.

To him.

I draw up my knees and wait, pray. Hope.

When the door doesn’t open, I scoot across the deck, the raw wood digging into tender flesh, but I need to see if the coast is clear.

What if he’s standing at the door, waiting? Watching?

I hear something and freeze.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi…I count silently until I reach Twenty Mississippi and scoot again.

I can’t be sure if he’s nearby. If he is, deep in the marrow of my bones, I know the kinds of things that await me. I know what evil men can do. I’ve seen it. Experienced it.

Finally, I muster the courage to peep through the door. The room is empty and dimly lit from the one glowing lamp. I creep inside; my brain is fuzzy and spins.

No footsteps. Only bulging shadows in the corners.

I slither across the Berber carpet and inhale the newness. A set of stairs is on the other side of the open living concept. About ten feet of space isn’t occupied with furniture which means when I make a run for it, and he enters the room, I’ll have no cover.

If he doesn’t and I make it downstairs, he could still be waiting for me.

I try to form a defense plan, but my brain might as well be sludge. Making my move, more out of my flight response than logic, I army-crawl across the open space to the stairs.

Two sets of six. I practically roll down the first set and pause.

He’s not there at the small landing.

Six more to go.

This time I move slower, ignoring the adrenaline shouting sprint. I can’t. He could be waiting and I need to listen.

One…two…three…four…five…six. I pause again at the bottom of the stairs.

No light befriends me on the ground floor. Only darkness—and darkness is never a friend. Darkness is deceptive, offering false security. Nothing good transpires in darkness. It’s not a refuge to hide. But a place to be found. In the dark, I can’t see my predator, but I know he’s lurking.

The door is five feet away to freedom, and I sprint for it.

Hope blooms in my chest.

I mutter a prayer as I run. Three feet left.

Two.

Thank God, I’m here. I twist the knob.

It’s locked.

A cry cracks loose inside me, but I hold it down and fumble with the dead bolt.

Shuffling sounds across tile.

Closer. Closer.

I manage to turn the dead bolt and pull on the door, but it sticks.

He’s coming. The clicks are methodic, slow and measured as if he’s in no hurry. Like he knows I can’t escape. It’s a game.

Please. Please. Come on!

The door opens and I slip out, forcing myself to stay calm in case my mind is playing tricks on me and it’s not him. This time, I make sure to close the door behind me. The air is balmy and the wind rustles through the grass.

The briny sea air washes over my tongue and the marsh grass swishes as I dart down a private boardwalk that leads…I don’t know where. I only know to run and eat up the ground and create distance between me and the house of horror. Between me and him.

Thick walls of clouds block the moonlight.

A door slams. Then I hear something.

Thwupt. Thwupt. Thwupt.

He’s dragging something across the boardwalk. I dare not turn to look.

He’s coming.

Slow and methodical. Silent. Only the awful dragging noise.

Nothing comes into view but marshland and water surrounded by clusters of trees. Alligators lie in wait. I can’t remember how I know this. There are snakes and snapping turtles too.

But he’s behind me.

Plopping noises in the water draw my attention, and I freeze. What is it? Will it approach me or prey on me if I enter too?

I can’t risk staying on the boardwalk. I ease myself into the icy depths and it steals my breath. Slime oozes over my feet, and I sink into mire. Murky water reaches my waist, sending a shock along my abdomen, but I can’t gasp. Instead, I push through the grass and hope the stirring due to my movement won’t alert him of my location.

Sharp twigs and rocks gouge into the bottom of my feet, and I crunch my bottom lip to keep from crying. Marsh grass appears soft at a glance, but it’s strong and sharp like knitting needles and stabs into my flesh and tender places where I’ve been tattooed in flowers.

Ahead is a patch of dense trees that would conceal me even in daylight. A huge splash sends ripples only a few feet away, startling resting birds to flight. Now I know what’s been causing the dragging noise.

A canoe.

He’s cutting through the narrow channels and at an advantage.

I can’t stop now. I push through the mud, which tries to hold me captive, and toward the dense thicket of trees. I finagle my way inside, but it’s like camping in a thorn bush, and nettles rip my flesh. A quiet cry escapes my throat, and I cover my mouth.

Did he hear me? Does he know I’m here?

I shiver in the water, my teeth chattering as something lightweight drops onto the crown of my head and skitters into the thick layers before I can catch it.

I squeeze my eyes shut and clench my jaw to muffle a scream. What hideous legged creature is creeping through my hair?

What swims unseen below my waist?

Plop. Plop. Plop.

Fish, alligators, snakes…him?

“Daaaah, daaaah, dah daaaah,” his rich buttery tone sings. It echoes through the wetland and sweeps over my skin like icy talons. “I’ve got all night,” he continues singing. “I’ll take my time.” I cup my hands over my mouth to silence my chattering teeth. He’s close. So close. “I’ll find you. There’s nowhere to hide,” he belts out as if we’re in a Broadway show. His voice is magical and terrifying. “You belong to meeeee…You want only meee…”

I can’t stay here. He’ll find me. I work as silently as possible out of the thicket and away from the concentration of his voice. I hoist myself onto the wooden boardwalk because he believes I’m in the water. Rushing is out of the question. He’ll hear my footfalls. Slow and steady is about all I can muster anyway. My legs might as well be licorice sticks.

He’s still singing and slicing an oar through the water as I forge ahead, quickening my steps by a small measure until I finally reach the end of the boardwalk and am on dry ground. In the woods.

The woods mean I’ll find a road at the clearing. Help will drive by, and I’ll flag it down to freedom.

I wait a beat while my eyes adjust to greater darkness. The trees loom overhead, and the ground is mushy and mixed with sand. I stub my toe, tripping over roots jutting out, but press on. There’s a path and I follow it. Bike path maybe?

My feet are cut and bleeding and my head pounds. The path curves, then straightens out, and I halt.

Not a road.

Not freedom.

Before me is a long stretch of beach littered with driftwood and shells that cut into my feet. Beyond the beach is the endless sea. No homes. Only wetland to my back and the sea everywhere else.

I have no boat. No canoe. Nothing to propel me to freedom.

I’m on a private island, and I finally remember how I arrived.

***

Excerpt from The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch. Copyright 2024 by Jessica R. Patch. Reproduced with permission from Jessica R. Patch. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Jessica R. Patch

Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller exclusive to subscribers. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

Catch Up With Jessica R. Patch:
www.jessicarpatch.com
Goodreads – @JessicaRPatch
BookBub – @JessicaRPatch
Instagram – @JessicaRPatch
Threads – @JessicaRPatch
Twitter/X – @JessicaRPatch
Facebook – @JessicaRPatch
TikTok – @readjessicarpatch

 

 

Tour Participants:

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ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Jessica R. Patch. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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Intruder Alert – Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra #Nightwatching #NetGalley

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

There was someone in the house.

Those six words begin the harrowing journey of a mother and her two young children. I love the addition of the blizzard, the pandemic, her vitiligo, and the men’s ability to look past the danger, attributing her hysteria to being female. She will have to draw on all her strength to save them.

Even her husband shook off her being smacked in the face by his father, as if it was her fault. How could that be? He was a bit of a dick, a weakling, so in need of his father’s love, that he would throw his wife under the bus. At one point, I thought, fuck hubby. Why isn’t he there? Why is it her? Why does he allow his father to abuse his wife, as she cooks, cleans, and caters to his dying mother?

The same can be said for the lead investigator of the case, when she finally gets away from the house and the police are called.

The characters are fabulous, the good ones good and the bad ones bad. They all did what was necessary to make Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra a success.

Tracy Sierra’s words bring alive the woman’s terror as soon as I begin reading. I can feel her panic, trying to keep the children quiet, so they don’t give away their hiding place. Listening to the intruder’s footsteps, as he moves from room to room. No one will find them before it is too late. She must do something. But what?

At times, I found myself wondering if she was imagining things, as the thoughts ran through her head. It didn’t take long for me to be on her side, getting angry for the lack of those who are supposed to help her, actually doing so.

“Let’s put private parts on him!” her daughter said. (as they build a snowman)

“Poop!” he shrieked. “Ghosts don’t poop!”

I love that little girl and her brother. They crack me up.

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra is one of those books that gets me all riled up. My emotions are all over the place. Why is it so easy to dismiss a woman’s fears, saying she is taking things wrong, seeing things that aren’t there, making a mountain out of a mole hill? In this case, it helps create a nailbiting story of suspense, and the pacing creates a tension that had me racing through the pages, having to know what happens next.

Have you ever been dismissed, treated as if you don’t know what you are talking about? I have, and it is not a pleasant feeling, so I stood behind her, willing to go head to head with her husband, the father, the investigator…and the intruder.

Mama bear will do whatever is necessary to protect her cubs.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A razor-sharp thriller about a mother forced to the breaking point when her life and the lives of her children are threatened by an intruder

Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. She hears a noise—old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.

Shrouded in the shadows, she sees the figure of a man appear down the hallway. Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall. There they hide as the man searches for them, trying to tempt the children out with promises and scare the mother into surrender.

In the suffocating darkness, the mother struggles to remain calm, to plan, to search for any opportunity to find a weapon or escape and get help. But then she catches another glimpse of him. That face. That voice. And at once she knows her situation is even more dire than she’d feared, because she knows exactly who he is—and what he wants.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 368 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication February 1, 2024 by Pamela Dorman Books

ABOUT TRACY SIERRA

Tracy Sierra was born and raised in the Colorado mountains. She is an attorney who currently lives in New England in an antique colonial-era home. When not writing, she spends time with her husband and two children.

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Hell Hath No Fury – Into The Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe @ClaireStibbe

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Prologue, I love Prologues, for Into The Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe, got my attention and my curiosity humming. That’s a great start for what I think is going to be a great story.

What do you think about when your significant other is very late getting home, or doesn’t come home at all? Do you imagine them lying in a ditch on the side of the road? When I read it in the book, I couldn’t help but smile, because I have had that thought.

Part of the deal with Clodagh Shepherd’s marriage to Ryan, was a prenup saying she would turn a blind eye to his affairs. WTH! Why would she even marry him? Then, is he gaslighting her, making her think that she is crazy? Or is she crazy?

A book like Into The Silent Sea can be a wake up call for those in a troubled marriage. Keep on eye on your finances, or you may be left broke and homeless while he/she is living the good life.

At times I almost cried out loud, “Don’t drink the coffee.”

My head was spinning from all the psychological craziness going on in her head…and the craziness she has set in motion…and the craziness all around her..and the craziness that found its way into my head. Things are not as they appear to be and the more I read, the further down the rabbit hole I go. There is no way I was every going to figure this one out…and I was happy with the ending. She does prove the adage, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

I will warn you to take a deep breath before you dive Into The Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else.

When Clodagh Shepherd’s curiosity gives way to obsession, her thoughts turn to revenge.
In the wake of her husband’s affair and subsequent disappearance, Clo makes an impulsive decision to befriend the beautiful stranger who has stolen her life. Answering an ad for a home help, she moves into the home of her husband’s mistress and is immediately drawn into the chilling reality behind the idyllic façade of Hamptons Life. Central to her terrifying nightmare is a deadly secret—a secret someone will kill to keep.
In this dark and twisting thriller, Clo proves the adage ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ with shocking consequences.

  • Genre: Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 350 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published October 24, 2018 by Bookpreneur

ABOUT CLAIRE STIBBE

Claire Stibbe is the winner of the 2021 Page Turner Award for Fiction and a prolific novelist. Today, she writes dark, domestic suspense novels that draw on her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse. Her aim is not just to tell gripping stories but to inspire other survivors to find freedom and independence.

Claire worked as an Executive Assistant for twenty years in both London and the Far East. She now devotes herself full-time to writing. Her novels owe much to her years as a member of the Albuquerque Police Citizen’s Academy where her main focus was the impact of violence towards women and their families.

Claire now lives in Utah with her husband and son, and her cat, Edward, who sleeps on her desk while she writes. She is addicted to reading and sharing the crime fiction love. To keep up-to-date with her new books and blogs, sign up for her newsletter at: https://linktr.ee/ClaireStibbe

Member: Albuquerque Police Citizen’s Academy, International Thriller Writers, CWA, Sisters in Crime, Alliance of Independent Authors and Mystery Writers, New Mexico Book Co-op, and Southwest Writers.

Awards: Winner of the Page Turner Writing Award and the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards, Wishing Shelf Silver Medal Award, Award-Winning Finalist 2019 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.

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