Review – Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni #netgalley @robertdugoni

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I’ve seen and heard about Robert Dugoni but hadn’t read any of his work. When I saw Beyond A Reasonable Doubt on NetGalley, I grabbed it. Now I know what I’ve been missing.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt is a mishmash of genres: mystery, police procedural, courtroom drama, legal, suspense and thriller. It sure kept my attention, from beginning to end.

I saw where it was the second book in the series, but I never felt lost. Robert Dugoni filled me in on what I missed and what I needed to keep my head in the game. A head that Robert kept spinning as I tried to figure out all the details. We do have multiple suspects with motives for killing their fellow workers.

We have characters with their personal struggles and a sociopath that could be responsible for two deaths. Is she too obvious a suspect? I bounced back and forth between the suspects, just as I did for the rating for Beyond Reasonable Doubt. As you can see, I rate up when bounce around. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Three years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief medical scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

  • Genre: Fiction, Legal, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • Format: 365 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: October 22, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
  • Series: Keera Duggan
  • Setting: Seattle, Washington

Robert DugoniRobert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 8 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels including The 7th Canon, Damage Control, and the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell – Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award and the critically acclaimed, The World Played Chess; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Several of his novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.

Robert Dugoni’s books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Visit his website at www.robertdugoni.com, and follow him on twitter @robertdugoni and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorRobertDugoni

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$20 GC & Review – Secrets & Photographs by A K Ramirez @partnersincr1me

Secrets and Photographs by A. K. Ramirez Banner

SECRETS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

by A. K. Ramirez

June 17-28, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

All I had to do was see the title on the fantastic cover for Secrets & Photographs and I jumped right in. I was immediately drawn into Marissa’s world.

She needed her two best friends, but…one had been murdered and the other was lost to her. She thought it was easier for her to be a cop than a friend, as she stood at Allie’s graveside, staying focused and numb. Tunnel vision made her a good detective, but not so good a friend or sister.

Kudos to her, her strength in dealing with physical and mental ailments thrown at her.

I wondered who her love interest would be.

Uh oh. I have a lot of characters to sort through, as I try to find the villain. I love when they hide in the pages and I have make a mental list of can they or can’t they be who I’m looking for. I love damaged, dysfunctional characters and we have plenty of them in Secrets & Photographs by A K Ramirez. I find it hard to read them, not knowing which way they will twist and turn.

One mystery is solved, but we have an ongoing mystery that feeds my need for the next book in the Marissa Ambrose Witness Series.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Secrets & Photographs by A K Ramirez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Synopsis:

The Marissa Ambrose Witness Series

 

How do you stop a killer you can’t even see?

It’s been two years since Detective Marissa Ambrose nearly lost her life working the Couple’s Killer case, but time hasn’t stopped the vivid nightmares. She still carries the heavy guilt of her partner’s death, and the Seattle Police Department refuses to support her theory that the suspect they arrested had an accomplice. With her ex-husband regretfully out of the picture, Marissa was supposed to be focusing on adjusting back to something resembling normalcy in her quiet tourist town. Then the letters came.

Unmarked envelopes full of photographs have been arriving at Marissa’s door. Candid shots of her at home. Now, Marissa is certain the missing murderer is stalking her, tracking her every move to finish what he started. As she obsesses over the strange images, the Seattle PD unexpectedly asks for her help. A serial killer is on the loose and targeting members of the Port Townsend community. Despite a personal connection to the first victim, Marissa agrees to pin her badge on once more.

The photographs are piling up and the suspect can’t be seen by surveillance cameras. Like a ghost, this killer is haunting her.

Praise for Secrets and Photographs:

“This book is Amazing!! I couldn’t put it down. I need book 2!!!”
~ Nicola Jamieson

“We love a messy family and a plot thick with dark and winding paths. Truly enjoyed this book and read it very quickly! I am very excited to get a signed copy of the next book that was just released!! AK Ramirez is “one to watch” in the crime/thriller genre. You have a fan for life now.”
~ Molly Badgett

“I had the pleasure of meeting this author in Richmond at a convention. I really enjoyed the story. The author pulls you in from the first page. Quick read”
~ Chris Kennedy

“A friend recommended this book to me as I was looking for a new mystery novel and I was so sad when it ended because I wanted more! The writing was exceptional and the story captivated me. Twists I didn’t expect had me reading this book in record time. Absolutely recommend!”
~ Melissa Brown

“I’m a sucker for a good crime novel and this one kept me hooked. I also love books set in the Pacific Northwest – I might be biased since I live in the PNW but I thought the author did a good job of using the coziness of Port Townsend to contrast with the horror of the crimes. I’m looking forward to reading book 2!”
~ April O’Brien

“I was hooked on the book from the beginning. It was a great read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone that likes mystery and suspense.”
~ Diana

“I wasn’t sure how much I enjoyed this book at the beginning. It felt like it was moving very slowly. In fact, I was wondering if there was ever going to be a murder when I was about a third done. Then a couple minutes later, a murder! That’s when the book sped up! I had a little trouble keeping the two investigations separate. The twist was great! And I did enjoy how the two cases crossed. I felt for Marissa that no one believed her and was thankful when the police started listening to her. She’s a great detective and I’m looking forward to revisiting her and hopefully solving the big mystery soon!”
~ CMC

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Thriller
Published by: 4 Horsemen Publications
Publication Date: November 15, 2022
Number of Pages: 362
ISBN: 9781644506639 (ISBN10: 1644506637)
Series: Marissa Ambrose Witness Series, #1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | 4 Horsemen Publications

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

Marissa felt cold. She couldn’t see anything, a blindfold tied tightly against her eyes. Music blared against her ears, the throbbing in her head synced with the beat of the music. The cold, rough concrete burned her bare legs, and every time she attempted to adjust them, she felt sharp sensations rush through. She was stiff and cold and tired. Her right hand was handcuffed to something that felt heavy and unbreakable, though she tried to pull away. Time had blurred, and her mind swam, unable to focus on anything. She was thirsty, hungry, and tired. Marissa had never been so frightened in her life.

Someone grabbed her by the arm, squeezing tight as they unlocked her cuff from whatever she was attached to and ushered her along. She whimpered in protest and tugged away from the fingers that dug into her. She thought she heard a laugh in her ear over the music before that hand shoved her hard. She nearly toppled over but fell into another set of hands that caught her in their arms. These weren’t as rough and didn’t grip her as tightly. They held her up as she pulled her legs back under her, and one of the hands rubbed her arm where the other had aggressively gripped. She could feel his breath on her neck as his lips touched her ear, whispering something she couldn’t quite hear.

She gasped, sat up with a start, and sighed, acknowledging she was safe in her room. Ellie was lying on top of her legs, her cold nose poking at her in concern. She rubbed Ellie’s ears, feeling her heartbeat slow to normal. Her chest heavily convulsed as tears fell down her cheeks. Pulling the dog in close, she hugged her tight—a solid reminder she was no longer in that place but inside her bedroom, in her home. Safe.

“Good girl,” she whispered, gripping Ellie’s fur. The shepherd leaned in close, burying her cold nose into her neck.

Leaning back, Marissa glanced over at her clock. It was nearly five.

“Come on. Let’s go downstairs.”

With a heavy sigh, she shifted as Ellie bounced off the bed and toward the door. Marissa swung her legs over the side and winced, aches traveling through her body from her heels as they hit the floor.

“It’s going to be a day,” she mumbled and forced herself to stand.

It was still dark outside, and she was sure the air outside was cold, but the old house was warm. It may have been old, but her mom had updated everything except for the walls. Marissa wandered into the bathroom; she could still hear Ellie bouncing in the hallway, excited to start her day. She did not share the dog’s enthusiasm.

She washed her hands and stared at the reflection that stared back at her. Her dark hair was a tangled mess, and dark circles were under her eyes. Marissa remembered when she took pride in how she looked, brushed her hair several times a day, and had a whole skincare routine. She had been a beauty queen when she was younger. It all seemed so pointless now. Her eyes drifted from her face down to her shoulder with the long, dark scar. Then they drifted to the scar that ran from the bottom of her collarbone across her chest. Her tank top covered most of it, but she knew the rest ran down her side and to her back. She was full of scars now.

She turned the light off and followed Ellie to the hallway, stopping at the top of the stairs. It was the same every morning: the stairs were always daunting. Her ankles locked up like they usually did, forcing her to take slow and precise steps. Once she reached the bottom, she headed to the kitchen and opened the back door, letting Ellie bound out into the dark yard. Sunrise was still a way off, but the sky was beginning to lighten.

She went to the cabinet above the sink and dug out her meds. Since her recovery from the events at the warehouse, Marissa had received a long list of diagnoses: fibromyalgia brought on by trauma, panic attacks, PTSD, and arthritis. Not to mention a rapid heart rate they couldn’t pin down, chronic migraines—so many meds.

Putting on her tea kettle, she set up her teacup and waited for the water to boil. It had taken some time, but Marissa had made her childhood home her own again. Her mom had signed the house over to her while she healed, which gave her full rein to do as she pleased with the place, taking the opportunity to downsize without selling. Port Townsend was not where Marissa thought she would be, especially after so many years in Seattle. She loved the city: the noise, the crowds, the food. The fact that almost everything was open until at least midnight. Not like this tourist town, which felt like it had a town-wide bedtime of 9 p.m. It was known as a charming, quaint town by the sea, and as far as she was concerned, it had lost its charm decades ago.

Slowly but surely, the house was coming together. She sighed, grabbed her hoodie off the hook by her back door, and threw it over her head while letting Ellie back inside. Her mom had done all the hard stuff, remodeling the upstairs and downstairs to an open-concept floorplan and updating the plumbing and electricity. Marissa could see her front door, the living room, the dining room, and a study from the kitchen. Below the stairs was a full bathroom.

As the tea kettle screamed, she poured the water into the cup and watched the steam rise. This was not where Marissa expected to be at thirty-six. Growing up, all she wanted was to get the hell out of this town. She would be married to her high school sweetheart with kids, living in a big city, and making detective. The funny part was, Marissa had married her high school sweetheart. Twice. They’d also had two divorces. She had been living in a big city, owning not one but two properties in Seattle. She had made detective, reaching incredible heights as one of the youngest promoted in her unit. And now, she was back in her childhood home, divorced and alone, still a detective but benched for the unseen future. It felt like a punishment.

Of course, some of it was her doing. She had pushed Jared away and moved back home. Her nightmare wasn’t only when she slept. Her precinct had done all but call her a liar during her recovery when she told them there was more than one assailant. She couldn’t see, so it was simply her word. She had undergone so much; she couldn’t have been sure. That was what her unit had said because it didn’t fit into the profile the SPD had given. People she had trusted with her life didn’t have her back.

She paused for a moment before retrieving the hidden key from her hutch and carefully climbing onto her counter. Despite telling herself she wouldn’t, most mornings she would pull down the box. She winced, pain stretching through her leg as she reached the top of her cabinets to recover a lockbox. Once it was on the counter, she paused as her feet hit the ground. She hoped that one day, something new would stand out. Some tangible clue she could hold in her hands. Ellie came right alongside her and whined, sensing her discomfort. Marissa stretched a hand down, scratching her ear as she unlocked the box and let the photographs pour out onto the countertop. There were candid shots of her going about her day, walking down the street, leaving the bakery, checking her mail. A good stack of them was just Jared. Sometimes they would arrive weekly, and sometimes she would go a few weeks without receiving anything. Or maybe it was just a good reminder of why this was her life now. Why she had chosen to be here, alone. A reminder that her life was in danger.

Local cops and SPD, while agreeing she was a victim of a stalker, wouldn’t connect it to that case because before the warehouse, Marissa hadn’t received any photos. She had been given police protection across the street, but she knew no one had taken her seriously. In the eyes of the law, she hadn’t been threatened and couldn’t identify anyone. She only had pictures that appeared on her doorstep or in her mailbox. She kept them safely locked away, spending most of her days trying hard to forget them. But too often, she found herself thumbing through them. It had become an almost daily ritual.

Once she was satisfied the tea had steeped long enough, she returned the photos to the box and put everything back in its place. Her former partner, Tom, would tell her dwelling over the same pieces of evidence wouldn’t get her anywhere. He had always given her advice like that. He had been so much like the older brother she’d never had, having been the oldest of three sisters. Taking her mug with both hands, she headed out to the backyard, not bothering to turn the light on. She stretched out on her swinging bench and scrolled through her socials. Occasionally, she found her eyes wandering over the backyard, watching for anything or anyone out of place. She knew there was always an officer across the street, watching over her and her home, but they hadn’t proven very helpful yet. They hadn’t managed to see who or how things were being left on her doorstep.

The early morning air was chilly and quiet. The only noises she could hear were Ellie’s panting as she plopped herself down next to Marissa and the occasional breeze blowing by. She glanced at the clock on her phone. Barely any time had passed. Putting her feet up, she finished her tea, put the empty cup down on the side table, and looked out into her dark yard. She needed to rest, but she knew sleep would keep eluding her. She didn’t want to sleep anymore; the nightmares had worsened.

If she had stopped to think about it, she would have realized why. All that mattered was every time she closed her eyes, she was back there again.

***

Excerpt from Secrets and Photographs by A. K. Ramirez. Copyright 2024 by A. K. Ramirez. Reproduced with permission from A. K. Ramirez. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

A. K. Ramirez

A.K. Ramirez is a mystery writer tucked in a corner of the Pacific Northwest. She likes to weave mystery, and family drama with a little bit of romance all in one. She has participated in NaNoWriMo on and off for years, reaching her goal three times with three different novels, in both the mystery and fantasy genres. When she isn’t writing, she runs a dog training, boarding, and daycare facility or spends time with her husband, kids, and pack of dogs.

Catch Up With A.K. Ramirez:
www.akramirezwrites.com
Goodreads
Instagram – @AKRamirezWrites
Threads – @AKRamirezWrites
Twitter/X – @AKRamirezWrites
TikTok – @AKRamirezWrites
Facebook – @AKRamirezWrites

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

 

 

JOIN IN ON THE GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for A. K. Ramirez. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

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$20 Gift Card – Hard Rock Girls by L L Ash @XpressoTours

Book & Author Details:

Riot
by L. L. Ash & Pax Sinclair
(Hard Rock Girls Series, #1)
Publication date: May 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

“He saved me in that group home when everything I’d ever loved was stripped away. He saved me with his smile, his kindness, and his guitar.”

Tayler

I’m the leftovers that nobody wanted; a casualty of the foster system. Now that I’m 18, I have nowhere to go. No job, no home, but I have my bestie Haze by my side, and together we’re going to make it. I love music. Yeah, everybody says that, but I know I have what it takes. We’re going to find a way to reach the top. Kind of like Dakota, the front man for Kings of Ash, except not as a-hole-ish and muscley as him. Ugh, the muscles. We were in foster care together, me, Dakota, and Haze. That’s where I fell in love with him. But, he was older than me and got kicked out of the group home when I was only fifteen. The guy ripped my effing heart out as he walked out that door. It’s a shame, really. He’s the only person in the world who ever really understood my love and need for music. He saved me in that group home when everything I’d ever loved was stripped away. He saved me with his smile, his kindness, and with his guitar. Since then, Dakota has changed and hardened in more ways than one. I’ve been trying my best to avoid him, but our paths have crossed and now he’s back, famous and hotter than ever.

Dakota

I gaze at Tayler for the last time while my mind repeats the same mantra: she’s your foster sister, you can’t be in love with her. But every part of me screams otherwise as I walk out of that group home. Aging out of the foster system at 18, I left behind a 15-year-old girl who knew I couldn’t stay. It broke her heart, but it’s better to be hated than to be in jail for loving her. Letting go of her was the toughest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to chase my music and put her behind me. Plenty of women came and went in my life, but none could fill the void that she left behind. It was always the music that drove me forward, pushing me to become a part of the punk Seattle music scene as the front man for Kings of Ash. Just when I thought I had moved on from Tayler for good, she blows back into my life–smoking hot and determined to make her mark. Even though she despises me for abandoning her all those years ago, I can’t help but admit to myself that I still want her. No, I don’t just want. I need.

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212681956-riot

Purchase:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4beyyqI

AUTHOR BIO:

L.L. Ash is a Washington-born writer who has traveled and lived across the western coast of the US. Ash has been writing fiction since she was a pre-teen, and while her writing has improved since then, her love for literature has not changed.

Oftentimes you can find Ash reading an indie romance or enjoying a historical fiction. Dabbling in culinary arts and music, Ash has been an artist for decades but found her true love and passion in romances.

Author links:
https://llashmedia.com/
https://twitter.com/LLAsh14/
https://www.facebook.com/llashmedia/
https://www.instagram.com/llashmedia/

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – The Algorithm Will See You Now by J L Lycette @partnersincr1me

The Algorithm Will See You Now by JL Lycette Banner

The Algorithm Will See You Now

by JL Lycette

October 16 -27, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Medical treatment determined by artificial intelligence could do more than make Hope Kestrel’s career. It could revolutionize healthcare.

What the Seattle surgeon doesn’t know is the AI has a hidden fatal flaw, and the people covering it up will stop at nothing to dominate the world’s healthcare-and its profits. Soon, Hope is made the scapegoat for a patient’s death, and only Jacie Stone, a gifted intern with a knack for computer science, is willing to help search for the truth.

But her patient’s death is only the tip of the conspiracy’s iceberg. The Director, Marah Maddox, is plotting a use for the AI far outside the ethical bounds of her physician’s oath. A staggering plan capable of reducing human lives to their DNA code, redefining the concepts of sickness and health, and delivering the power of life and death decisions into the hands of those behind the AI.

Even if the algorithm accidentally discards some who are treatable in order to make that happen…

Praise for The Algorithm Will See You Now:

“I’ve been waiting for a book like this: a full-frontal assault on the dangers of artificial intelligence and the failures of our mangled health care system, all wrapped up in a clever, ripping thriller. Jennifer Lycette is an author to watch.”
~ Rob Hart, author of The Paradox Hotel

The Algorithm Will See You Now Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Black Rose Writing
Publication Date: March 2, 2023
Number of Pages: 272
ISBN: 9781685131494 (ISBN10: 1685131492)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Black Rose Writing

Read an excerpt:

MONDAY 08 OCTOBER 2035
7:15 AM

PRIMA, Prognostic Intelligent Medical Algorithms
Main Campus, Seattle

Dr. Hope Kestrel was the only person who knew the patient in Room 132 wasn’t responding to the algorithm-selected treatment.

She shuffled forward in the hospital security line, wanting to get her day started already yet dreading how she’d tell her patient the unexpected and devastating news. The straps from her work bag dug into her right shoulder as she shifted the trays of coffee and scones in her arms, her usual Monday morning offering to the staff. From PRIMA’s lofty location at the top of “Pill Hill,” the floor-to-ceiling windows framed downtown Seattle’s skyline, lit up by the early morning sun—its first appearance in over a week. In the distance, a ribbon of pink sky silhouetted the Space Needle, the tip poking out of the murky blue of the cloud bank. She frowned down at her pale hands, unable to recall the last time her skin had seen the sun. Even her freckles were fading.

Her heart lifted when she spotted Bear, the Security Force service dog, rounding the corner. The German shepherd dashed for her, pulling Kyle, his Security Force guard, with him. The people next to her in line stepped back.

Bear nosed at her lab coat, and she lifted the pastry box in one hand higher while shielding the cardboard carrier of coffee in the other. Hot liquid sloshed onto her wrist, the sting on her skin not far off from the burn in her chest that had been present all morning, triggered by the impending meeting in Room 132. One where she’d need to engage on an interpersonal level without the usual buffering layer of technology.

Her gaze shifted from Bear to the familiar logo on the wall behind Kyle’s head—Prognostic Intelligent Medical Algorithms—and she shut out the searing pain in her chest. They were so close to the breakthrough to enhance the artificial intelligence even further. To render tumors like her mom’s curable. Because to rely on only hopefulness promised everything and got you nothing. No matter her damn name.

She had to focus on the big picture. All she needed was to maintain her top ranking for a few more months. Then the coveted post-residency position at PRIMA would be hers—complete with her own research lab. Soon, she’d work side-by-side with her mentor Cecilia, no longer an underling.

Bear gave a muffled woof and sat down obediently at her feet. Although Kyle would probably deny it if asked, she strongly suspected the guard went out of his way each morning to find her, knowing how much she loved Bear. It had been their unofficial routine for five years now.

Hope gestured with her elbow. “Kyle, could you take this for a sec?”

The burly, middle-aged man accepted the breakfast offerings with a flash of white teeth gleaming in contrast to his warm brown skin. “You got it, High Resident Kestrel.”

“For the millionth time, you can call me Hope.”

His eyes twinkled. “Whatever you say, oh most High One.”

Heat flamed Hope’s cheeks, and she tried to cover it with an eye roll. Three months into her final year, she still wasn’t used to her lofty title. She’d be called the Chief Resident—not the High Resident—at any other program, but PRIMA had its own language.

The loyal dog emitted another stifled woof from his barely contained seated position.

Hope fished in the front pocket of her white scrubs for one of the dog biscuits she always carried and tossed the treat to Bear, who snapped it up.

Kyle returned the pastries, then spoke in the deep, rumbling voice that Hope had come to learn only masked his kindly nature. “He sure loves you, Dr. K. He’d follow you anywhere. Have you reconsidered about one of the puppies?”

She shifted her grip and gave a wistful shake of her head. “It wouldn’t be fair. I’m never home.”

“So? You’d figure it out. Hire a dog walking service—and doggie daycare, too. You don’t have to do it on your own.”

“I’d be nothing more than a familiar stranger who provides shelter and food.”

Kyle bent down to rub Bear behind his ears, only to glance up and hastily straighten into a military posture, shoulders back. He tugged Bear to heel, his gaze fixed over Hope’s head.

The dog sensed his handler’s shift in mood, the fur on his neck bristling upward.

Hope swiveled, following the direction of Kyle’s eyes. More coffee dribbled on her hand, but she barely felt it this time. A man and woman in matching black suits and pressed white shirts were staring in their direction. Hope couldn’t help but stare back. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, mid-thirties, with angular cheekbones and deep-set eyes, his striking features set off by his onyx black hair. The woman appeared to be of similar age and height, equally imposing, with skin paler than Hope’s, commanding eyebrows, and white-blonde hair in an identical short haircut to her partner.

Hope’s eyes darted to Kyle, who flashed another smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Are those two—?”

“Not regular Security Forces. They’ll notice me deviating from my route.” Kyle grimaced. “And letting Bear interact with civilians.”

“But—”

Kyle dropped his voice. “Last week, another disgruntled non-responder tried to get in.”

A non-responder. A patient the algorithm had identified as refractory—resistant to all known therapeutics—and therefore wouldn’t be offered treatment at PRIMA. Or shouldn’t, at least.

Hope went cold all over. All patient volunteers agreed to abide by the algorithm’s determinations in exchange for free healthcare. What would the guards do if they discovered another non-responder already here, admitted by mistake? On Hope’s service, no less.

But that wasn’t her fault—

“You’re a busy doctor, and we shouldn’t be holding you up.” Kyle tugged Bear away before she could ask him anything more. “We’ll see you again soon, Dr. K.”

Before the dog was out of reach, Hope hurried to transfer the pastry box to the crook of her elbow, bracing it against her side enough to allow her to extend a hand to trail her fingers in Bear’s soft fur. The brief comfort the touch provided would have to last until tomorrow. She re-joined the line to watch the man and woman cut through the security checkpoint.

Her muscles tightened, and she forced them to relax. She needed to focus. At least medical training had made her a champion at putting extraneous thoughts out of her mind. Compartmentalization for the win.

A few moments later, she passed through the checkpoint and stepped onto OASIS—the Oncologic and Surgical Intervention Success Unit—and its familiar buzz of activity.

Patients strolled the oval hallway in the sunshine-yellow robes and plush slippers allocated upon admission. If not for the slim IV poles, they might be in a luxury hotel. The hidden panels in the walls and ceiling secured all medical equipment out of sight.

Abbie Fuentes, the charge nurse on OASIS for as long as Hope or anyone else could remember, spotted her arrival and trailed her into the break room. Hope wordlessly handed her one of the coffees, and she took a noisy sip while scanning Hope up and down, her impeccably bobbed hair not moving an inch. “What’s going on with you today? You’re late.”

Hope shrugged. The nurses hadn’t yet seen her patient’s latest test results, and the part of Hope that feared being perceived a failure planned to wait until the last possible moment to tell them. “Line at security. You know, it’s getting slower every day.”

***

Excerpt from The Algorithm Will See You Now by JL Lycette. Copyright 2023 by JL Lycette. Reproduced with permission from JL Lycette. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

JL Lycette

Jennifer / JL Lycette is a novelist, award-winning essayist, rural physician, wife, and mom. Mid-career, she discovered narrative medicine on her path back from physician burnout and has been writing ever since. She is an alumna of the 2019 Pitch Wars Novel Mentoring program. Her first novel, The Algorithm Will See You Now, was a 2023 SCREENCRAFT CINEMATIC BOOK COMPETITION FINALIST, 2023 READER’S FAVORITE BRONZE MEDAL WINNER in the Medical Thriller category, 2023 MAXY AWARD’S FINALIST – Thriller category, and 2023 PAGE TURNER AWARD’S FINALIST – Best Debut Novel category. The Committee Will Kill You Now is her second novel.

Connect with her, see more of her writing, and subscribe to receive the latest updates at:
JenniferLycette.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @JL_Lycette
Instagram – @jl_lycette
Facebook – @Author.JL.Lycette

 

 

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Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S Saroff @stevesaroff

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What first drew me in was the second line of the blurb: Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

I like a flawed character, and these characters are definitely flawed. Enzi was a stutterer. His mother died when he was twelve and his father hit the bottle. He was bullied at school and ignored by his teachers. He was removed from his fathers home, passed from school to school, bullies to bullies, until her ran away at fourteen. He roamed from job to job. He became enamored with patterns, which led to mathematics.

He becomes involved with Kaori, a woman he met at a party and she is a piece of work.

He does a little something for Tsai, and before he knows it he’s in over his head. Threats fly and he struggles to find a way out of the tangled web he has become involved in. I wondered how, or if, he would get out of the situation that threatens his life and those around him. We do have an elusive guy he goes to for a bit of peace and quiet, and he becomes a favorite of mine.

I flipped between a three and four rating, but the ending was worth that extra star. Many times I find the ending is what saves a book for me. Good job, Steve.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

While breaking into a financial network, a hacker falls for a dangerous artist.

Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

Critics and reviewers are calling it “Wonderfully written,” “A novel to read now,” and “A literary thriller with a soul.”

Set in Montana, Paper Targets simmers with greed and love before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.

From the publisher:

Paper Targets reads like a confession from someone double-cursed with the skills to make money and the sort of love that makes sorrow. It is a captivating story. What got me on the first read of the manuscript was the writing. Stark, yet emotional. Dark while still being relevant and heart-breakingly clear. For a few pages, I wondered to what genre the story belonged. Then I didn’t care because all I wanted to know was what would be revealed on each page turn. Paper Targets is a story of modern crime set in Montana with connections and events in the money world of New York, Seattle, and London. The descriptions of Montana rock and sky blend and flow easily — with only the slightest of wobbles — with the descriptions of technology and cityscapes of grey concrete.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 249 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published February 2, 2022 by Flooding Island

ABOUT STEVE S SAROFF

Steve Saroff is a well-known short-story writer, novelist, and entrepreneur. He published over 30 short stories, printed traditionally in Redbook and other national magazines, and is the author of Paper Targets; The Long Line of Elk; and the forthcoming Mixed Drinks. He also hosts the literary podcast Montana Voice.

Steve Saroff was a runaway who became an author and a computer coder. He has helped artists, writers, musicians, and a few good actors start careers. He helped launch Submittable, the submission system used by publishers, and he was the founder of FreeMail Inc, the first commercially successful web-based email system. FreeMail was acquired just before WorldCom and Enron’s multi-billion-dollar criminal fraud and collapse — still the world’s largest combined criminal frauds. His novel Paper Targets digs into a buried fringe from that corrupt time.

(Author’s photo was taken from the time of the oil-field events in Paper Targets)

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A Spy Kitty Mystery – Potluck and Poison by Bailey Booth @dollycas

Potluck and Poison (Spy Kitty in the City) by Bailey Booth

About Potluck and Poison

Potluck and Poison (Spy Kitty in the City)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Seattle
Independently Published (March 17, 2022)
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09G1QN9B9

I always dreamed of being a part of my favorite show, Parking Lot Potluck, but I never expected them to ask me to help solve a murder.

Someone poisoned a dish on the popular cooking competition. The host is dead and my favorite judge is in critical condition. The only one who witnessed the crime was Great Dane, Chloe.

Persephone and I are off to Seattle to solve the crime, but things are much different behind the scenes. Have the cast and crew been working on a recipe for deception, or was it a contestant with a case of sour grapes who’s brought production to a halt?

Whatever I do, I have to keep my inner fangirl in check, or my favorite show could get eliminated for good.

About Bailey Booth

Bailey Booth is an animal lover, travel enthusiast, and avid reader. She drinks way too many soy lattes and will probably laugh at your jokes.

She also likes long walks on the beach and candlelit dinners…oh wait.

Wrong profile.

Bailey’s been writing and amateur sleuthing since she was a kid. Fun fact: Spy Kitty in the City came to her in a dream. Follow your dreams!

Author Links

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Giveaway – Potluck and Poison by Bailey Booth @dollycas

Potluck and Poison (Spy Kitty in the City) by Bailey Booth

About Potluck and Poison

Potluck and Poison (Spy Kitty in the City)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Seattle
Independently Published (March 17, 2022)
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09G1QN9B9

I always dreamed of being a part of my favorite show, Parking Lot Potluck, but I never expected them to ask me to help solve a murder.

Someone poisoned a dish on the popular cooking competition. The host is dead and my favorite judge is in critical condition. The only one who witnessed the crime was Great Dane, Chloe.

Persephone and I are off to Seattle to solve the crime, but things are much different behind the scenes. Have the cast and crew been working on a recipe for deception, or was it a contestant with a case of sour grapes who’s brought production to a halt?

Whatever I do, I have to keep my inner fangirl in check, or my favorite show could get eliminated for good.

About Bailey Booth

Bailey Booth is an animal lover, travel enthusiast, and avid reader. She drinks way too many soy lattes and will probably laugh at your jokes.

She also likes long walks on the beach and candlelit dinners…oh wait.

Wrong profile.

Bailey’s been writing and amateur sleuthing since she was a kid. Fun fact: Spy Kitty in the City came to her in a dream. Follow your dreams!

Author Links

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

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Giveaway – All I’ve Wanted All I’ve Needed by A E Valdez @aevaldez_author @Xpressotours

All I’ve Wanted All I’ve Needed
A.E. Valdez
Publication date: July 23rd 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Harlow Shaw feels naïve for believing in happily ever afters but she craves a love that lights her up.

She thought she had it all with her boyfriend. Until his promising baseball career overshadows their relationship and he asks her a life changing question. It causes her to wonder if what they have is all she ever truly wanted.

Harlow is yearning for more than the curated life she is living.

A trip to Bali, a move to Seattle, and a “burned” cup of coffee lead her to a friendship she didn’t know she needed and a love so deep she can feel it in her bones.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Harlow

I should’ve known something was up when a race red Ferrari pulled up to my house. Hendrix has always been flashy, from his material items to his personality. He commands the spaces he occupies. Hendrix is a man used to going after, and getting, anything and anyone he wants.

Except me. I’m the girl to tell him, “No.”

My response stuns him, and he asks, “It’s a no then?”

Slowly, he rises from the kneeling position he adopted mere seconds ago to ask me this life changing question.

“You deserve better than me,” I say as tears sting my eyes. I’m aware people are staring now. I thought we were in for an intimate night, sitting at a candle-lit table scattered with rose petals, tucked away at the back of the restaurant. But there’s nothing intimate about prying eyes focused on us, watching me refuse my boyfriend’s proposal.

He sits back down in his seat and reaches across the table for my hand. “You’re my beginning and end, Harlow. All I want is you.”

I can’t bring myself to meet his gaze. Staring into his honey brown eyes will only make this harder.

He watches me in silence, probably trying to figure out why I would say no to his proposal. We’ve been together for two years and things were going great. We’re often the couple people describe as “relationship goals.” But despite seeming picture perfect, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t lasting love.

“Don’t you ever feel like we’re just settling, Hendrix? As though we’re together because we’re comfortable, not because we’re in love with one another?” My eyes still haven’t met his. I didn’t want to have to sift through this with him tonight. I hadn’t expected him to propose to me. I for damn sure didn’t expect him to do it in a public place.

Still not letting go of my hand, he asks, “Are you saying you’re no longer in love with me?”


Author Bio:

A.E. Valdez discovered her passion for writing when she was given a journal by her 5th grade teacher and has been creating poetry, works of fiction, and gaming narratives ever since. As a child, she wanted to read more stories with people that looked like her.

She loves all things romance, from heartbreak to happily ever afters. She pours her own heart and soul into the stories she brings to life. Causing readers to fall in, and sometimes out, of love alongside her characters.

Amanda currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two sons. Most days you can find her sipping on an iced latte while she writes or enjoying time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


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Midnight Blue Over Mexico by D S Land #DSLand #booksfromthebacklog

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Mexico…I love to travel. And look at that cover…I think it may be a stormy trip.

Midnight Blue over Mexico

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

iscovery has its consequences.

June Rise and Tim Scott believe they’ve discovered a new cause for global warming. But when they travel to Mexico to confirm their theories, events take a demented turn – and fast. Tim vanishes, and soon June is on the run, framed for murder and the target of a deadly conspiracy. With her life on the line and catastrophic events looming, she is forced to take drastic measures in an attempt to reveal the discovery to the world. But will she succeed? Or will the discovery remain hidden forever – claiming June as a victim in the process?

From Seattle to Mexico, D.C. to Georgia, D.S. Land’s debut thriller is a fast-paced, action-packed ride that challenges perceptions of global warming and explores the never-ending depths of greed.

Goodreads rating: 3.24  ·  38 ratings  ·  8 reviews

Midnight Blue Over Mexico is D S Land’s first and only novel, so I am really curious now. Mexico…a discovery…global warming…why haven’t I read this? I added this to my reading shelf on 10.9.12, but actually got it through Amazon on 8.8.12. I love books that deal with real life issues that I am concerned about and global warming is a big one. I love the water, whether it’s pools, oceans, rivers, creeks, ponds, or the birdbath in my backyard, so anything that affects that concerns me. I’m glad I am doing this meme, because I am finding books that I really want to read and forgot about.

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Giveaway and Review – A Lonely Vampire Looking For His Master Wreaks Havoc!

Giveaway and Review

of

The Vampire Murders by Matthew Blake

The Vampire Murders

Detective Fehkal was sent to investigate the murder of a Chinaman. Why was this case so special? Murders of Chinamen were a weekly occurrence in the Seattle Chinatown.

The man was decapitated and disemboweled. It was like nothing Fehkal had every seen teeth Pictures, Images and Photosbefore. The carnage and cruelty were beyond description. It looked like someone had chewed off his arms and legs, but the marks weren’t like any human teeth Fehkal knew of, and the limbs had been taken by whoever had done such a thing. As he examined the pool of blood surrounding the body, he noticed that it looked like it had been licked up, lapped up like a cat would do. He looked up at the ceiling and saw a name, Peytor Droysvich, was written in blood. It was still wet.The only witness was a young Chinese boy.

Fehkal’s boss, Chief Shaffer, had the Mayor hounding him to solve the murder, quickly. It was election time and the Mayor needed the Chinese vote.

The boy told Fehkal he saw a shadow, where a shadow couldn’t possible have been, vampire moon black background picture and wallpaperoutside the house. It looked like smoke and went through the window into the house. Then he heard screaming and other horribly weird sounds.

The next morning, Fehkkhal went to the library to do some research. In the archives, he found several references to Peytor. There had been a European vampire scare twenty years earlier. It had begun right after Peytor’s death in Serbia. Some family members died mysteriously and it was said that Peyotr was supposedly coming around, after he was dead, telling them how hungry he was.

As Fehkal left the library, Sally  invited herself out to lunch with him. He’d always had his eye on her. He had thought of asking her out, but something always stopped him.

When he went into work, the Chief was waiting for him.The fingerprints that had been found at the murder scene were the same ones that were involved with three other murders. But the suspect had died more than a year ago.

The witness’s parents were murdered during the night. Fehkal knew the kid was good, that he didn’t do it. As he interrogated Xiao, Xiao told him  what he had seen, when he came vampire bats animated flying graphichome from goofing off with this friends. The front door had been wide open. He looked in and saw a shadow. When the wind blew the door and banged him in the head, the shadow looked up. Xiao saw red eyes, then the shadow flew out the window.

Another night, another murder, two actually. The scene was even worse and a message had been left for Fehkal. Now it was personal.

“I know you’re trying to find me detective Fehkal. If you don’t’ stop, you’ll end up like these two.”

https://i0.wp.com/i-love-cartoons.us/snags/clipart/christmas/looney-toons/Christmas-Taz.jpg?resize=138%2C131       4 – Would Highly Recommend To Others

The cover is cool. The only way it could have been better, is if it was a man with a long black coat. The character, Fehkal, always walked the streets of Seattle, he had no car.

This is a novella that can easily be read in one sitting, preferably when you are alone at night – jumping at the settling of the house, wondering if something is trying to get in.The  writing was very good and I raced through the pages.

For such a short book, it was packed with suspense. Had Fehkal looking over his shoulder as he walks the dark streets. I kept waiting for him to be attacked.

halloween vampire night evil picture and wallpaper

I loved it. I always like being surprised and that is pretty hard to do because I read so many books. But I was very surprised as it neared the end. I was really bummed and pissed off, but I thought about it and thought, WOW, that’s pretty good. Evoked a lot of emotion.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew Blake   Matthew Blake lives in Spokane, Washington. He has been a fan of writing and reading horror since he was a boy. He keeps busy between writing and his three-year-old daughter. He was a soldier in the US Army and attained a degree in web development after his time in the service.

When he has free time he likes to play disc golf (a popular sport that a lot of people don’t know about, you should try it if you haven’t already,) and take long walks.

Follow Matthew Blake through the links below:

Website

Twitter

My Goodreads Review of Rose Blossoms at Midnight by Matthew Blake, click HERE.

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

GIVEAWAY
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Matthew Blake is generously offering up for the giveaway 10, count them, 10 ebooks. The Giveaway is International, so come one, come all.
As always, it is easy to enter. Simply leave an email address so I can contact you and answer the question – Are you prepared for when the Vampires come flying through your window?
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Closed. Because of the great response and it being the holidays, Matthew says EVERYONE is a Winner. If you have not heard from the author by 1/8/2013, please leave me a message here WITH YOUR EMAIL and I will forward it to him.
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Giveaway runs from 12/8 – 1/2/2013.
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Please tweet this out to your friends, family and followers, not required.
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I love it when you follow me, but, also, not required.
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To see all my Giveaways, click HERE.
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To order any of the books below, simply click on the cover.