Review – Candyland: The Battle Of Naughty And Nice by Tony Bertauski

December is a time of giving and Tony Bertauski pays it forward. By purchasing a copy of Candyland, you are donating to a worth cause, Novak’s House. 10% of the profits from Candyland is donated to Novak’s House: a recovery residence that was founded in 2020 by Brandon Novak and George Evagelou to help those struggling with addiction find a safe, sober place to call home.

Amazon / Goodreads

I have been visiting the Claus Universe since Santa came to town. I have missed a book or two, so it’s a good thing each book can stand alone. Are you ready for an adventure?

Let’s follow Arthur to Candyland, where the battle between naughty and nice reigns. Arthur’s imagination has brought him to Candyland where every day is Christmas. We have magical characters and a king that wants to turn Candyland all naughty. He needs Arthur and his talent, to help him make it happen.

Arthur doesn’t know what his talent is, what the king is looking for, and he has no idea how he will ever get home again.

I love getting lost in the fantasy Tony Bertauski has created. I have met many a character that I would never have found anywhere else, but in one of Tony’s books. His world building knows no boundaries, He has the ability to set my imagination on fire. So, if you are looking for some holiday reading for you or someone else, I highly recommend taking a look at the Claus Universe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

The 12th standalone novel in the Claus Universe. The Christmas adventures you’ve been waiting for…

Arthur woke up in a realm where fairy tales are born and Christmas never ends.

Naturally, he thought he was dreaming. Who wouldn’t? This wasn’t his world. He had no idea how he got there, and even the natives were clueless about how or why a crosser came to Candyland. But there was a reason—there was always a reason.

Arthur is quickly caught up in the eternal battle between naughty and nice. King Chocolate ruled the Naughty Side, and with Christmas fast approaching, he’s determined to finally win at any cost. When he hears rumors of Arthur’s arrival, the king springs into action. The last thing he wants is a talented crosser helping the Nice Side win the war.

Arthur has no idea what talent the king is after. He barely remembers who he is. He crossed over with only the clothes on his back and a pocket full of drawings. Soon, however, he finds himself trapped between naughty and nice. When he discovers the secrets inside himself, Candyland is transformed. And in the process, he will remember who he is and understand why he’s there.

When his true talent is unleashed, nothing will be the same.

  • Genre: Action and Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Teen, Young Adult
  • 390 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published November 1, 2024
  • Series: Claus Universe, Stand Alone
Tony Bertauski

Get my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.

He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.

After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.

After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.

That was a few years later.

His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.

He wanted out.

A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.

He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.

Turns out he did.

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$25 GC – A Scandal In Mayfair by Katharine Schellman @partnersincr1me

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman Banner

A SCANDAL IN MAYFAIR

by Katharine Schellman

August 19 – September 13, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman

A Lily Adler Mystery

 

Sometimes danger lurks in plain sight, and in the cutthroat London Season socialite Lily Adler must race against time to catch a killer.

Fans of Bridgerton will delight in this Regency-era mystery featuring an intrepid sleuth, plenty of intrigue, and a touch of romance.

London, 1817. The London Season is beginning once more, and Lily Adler’s return to her home on Half Moon Street feels different this year. No longer a recent widow, she has a life and friends waiting for her. Lily also has new responsibilities in the form of her protégée Amelia, the sister of her longtime friend Jack Hartley, who is escaping her own brush with scandal and murder.

It doesn’t take long for Lily’s growing reputation as a lady of quality who can discreetly find what is missing or solve what is puzzling to bring a desperate young woman to her doorstep. But helping her means unraveling a tangled web of family secrets. Soon, a missing will, a dead body and the threat of blackmail leave Lily facing danger every way she turns.

The glittering society of Mayfair conceals many secrets, and the back alleys of London hide even more. Lily Adler will need to find the connection between them quickly if she wants to stop a killer before it’s too late.

Praise for A Scandal in Mayfair:

“A perfect London crime novel… Fast paced, expertly researched, and intricately plotted.”
~ Alex Grecian, New York Times bestselling author

“The strong characters will appeal to readers of the Bridgerton romances, as well as those who appreciate Georgette Heyer’s stories.”
~ Library Journal

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781639108411 (ISBN10: 1639108416)
Series: A Lily Adler Mystery, Book #5 | Each is a Stand Alone
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Penguin Random House

Read an excerpt:

“You are Mrs. Adler? You do not look anything like I expected,” the young woman said bluntly. “I thought that someone who offers such investigations would be . . . more dramatic, I suppose. But you are very nearly plain. Well, not plain,” she added apologetically, looking Lily over once more. “Your gown is beautifully made, I must say, and you are very elegant—a tall figure helps with that, I suppose.” She sighed, glancing down at her own figure, which was of average height and rather waiflike. “But I thought you would be more glamorous. Is it not a glamorous occupation that you have?”

“Hardly an occupation,” Lily said firmly. Miss Forrest was not wrong; with unremarkable coloring and looks only just on the pretty side of average, elegant was the best descriptor Lily could hope for from an impartial observer. But it still rankled to be sized up so bluntly. “And not a genteel one, if it were. Besides, I think what you have heard of are discreet inquiries for those who need them. A dramatic or imposing appearance would hardly serve that purpose.”

“Oh, indeed. That does make sense.” The girl’s eyes were wide as she nodded along. “That is what Mrs. Mannering said—that you were the soul of discretion. I am so hoping it is true, believe me. My predicament is dreadful, and it would become even worse were it to be

widely known and discussed.”

“That is often the case, especially in town,” Lily said, but her eyes narrowed as she spoke. The Mannerings’ daughter had disappeared one night, leaving no trace of where she might have gone, and they had been beside themselves when Lily arrived for tea with a mutual

friend. She knew Mrs. Mannering to be a loose-tongued woman, so rather than offering to help directly, she had presented them with one of her cards and suggested that her “acquaintance” might track down their daughter.

The daughter had been located—she had become so fed up with her parents’ matrimonial ambitions that she had run away to the home of her aunt—and the Mannerings had never known that it was Lily herself who had found her.

“So it was Mrs. Mannering who suggested you contact the lady of quality?” On the one hand, Mrs. Mannering loved to gossip. On the other hand, sharing such a story about her own daughter would hardly reflect well on her, even if that daughter was now well married. And Lily had no interest in assisting someone who began with lying to her.

“Yes,” the young woman said, nodding.

Lily waited silently, her brows rising just a hair.

“No . . .” Miss Forrest stretched the word out hesitantly, biting her lip as she looked away. “That is to say, not exactly. Mrs. Mannering mentioned that someone had assisted them with a sort of inquiry—she made it sound dreadfully dramatic, which is why I thought—well, and she showed my cousin, who is my companion, and me the lady of quality’s card over tea. And I was already so worried, and in need of help, that I—I took it.” The final words came out in a rush, and the girl looked suddenly both deflated and relieved. “I stole it, I suppose. And then I wrote because I so desperately needed someone to help me. Can you?” She raised her eyes hopefully to Lily’s.

“Perhaps,” Lily said. “Though beginning with a falsehood does not bode well.” Miss Forrest’s face fell, and she looked like nothing so much as a scolded puppy. Lily sighed. “Tell me what it is you need assistance with.” She glanced at Clive and added coldly, “And how you come into it, sir. Then I shall make up my mind.”

Miss Sarah Forrest sat up very straight. “I need your assistance to escape my uncle. I fear he has stolen all the money my father intended for me to inherit.” Her mouth and hands both trembled, and she clasped her fingers together tightly to keep them still. “He says it is for my own good that he controls my inheritance. But I do not believe my father would do such a thing. And now, because he has kept my independence from me, my uncle is preventing me from marrying in order to keep me dependent on him, perhaps forever.”

Lily sat back against the bench. She glanced at Clive. “And that is where you come into it, I suppose?”

He, still standing, bowed. “I have asked Miss Forrest to marry me, yes. We met during the winter and were instantly in sympathy with each other.”

“Mr. Clive’s family is from Suffolk, and his property is there too, of course.” Miss Forrest said, holding out her hand to her suitor. “But he felt so dreadfully isolated that he came to London last winter.”

“I had not recalled that your family was from Suffolk,” Lily said, her eyes fixed on Clive. Her hands were clenched into fists by her sides; she took a deep breath, trying to relax them. “How forgetful of me.”

“No matter,” Miss Forrest went on, not noticing Lily’s tone. Clive’s sideways glance, however, said he had not missed it. “Such a handsome, charming young man is much better suited to life in town, do you not think?”

“My dear Sarah is too kind to me,” Clive said gallantly, taking the hand she held out to him, giving her a warm smile as he pressed it between his. “And I am fortunate indeed that she is. She is the love of my life.”

“So Miss Forrest said in her letter,” Lily said a little more cynically than she intended. But it was impossible to keep a completely straight face as she watched their romantic interlude, or as she remembered the melodramatic turns of phrase the young woman had employed.

“Yes.” Miss Forrest smiled at her sweetheart, showing no hesitation or embarrassment over her elevated prose. “He is a most dashing, wonderful young man. Though I hardly need tell you that,” she added earnestly, turning back to Lily, “as you are already acquainted.”

They were acquainted. And when Lily had met him in her aunt’s small Hampshire village, he was a cardsharp and a bookmaker, accepted into more elevated circles than the ones into which he had been born because nearly every young man with pretensions to dissipation owed him money. No one had trusted him, but no one could risk offending him either. He knew it, and he despised those around him even as he needed them in turn.

Once or twice, Lily had thought she saw a hint of the more admirable man he might have become had he chosen a different path. But if there was, he had not bothered to cultivate it. And he had made no secret of his plan, during that brief week of their acquaintance, to use his ill-gotten income to one day place himself in the role of a gentleman and improve his lot in life.

It seemed he had succeeded. Or would have, if Miss Forrest’s inheritance had not disappeared.

“But it seems this dashing, wonderful young man will not marry you without your inheritance?” Lily asked.

That prompted a scowl from Miss Forrest. “I know what you are thinking, ma’am. But you are wrong. My dear Mr. Clive has some money of his own. The problem we face is that my uncle will not give his consent.”

“How old are you, Miss Forrest?” Lily asked, glancing sideways at Clive.

“I am not yet two-and-twenty,” Miss Forrest said sitting up very straight, as though to look as mature and worldly as possible.

“Then you are legally able to marry, even without your uncle’s consent,” Lily said pragmatically. “If it is not a question of needing your inheritance, why not simply do so?”

Clive sighed. “Because—”

But Miss Forrest broke in. “Just because he is not marrying me for my money does not mean we’ve no need of something to live on,” she said, the irritation plain in her voice. She gave Lily a look up and down. “You will forgive me for saying, ma’am, but you look like you are no stranger to comfort. Is it so wrong that we might wish for the same in our own lives?”

Lily wanted to argue the point, but it was a reasonable one. Or it would have been, were it not for what she knew of the gentleman in question. “Very well,” she said, inclining her head. “I merely wish to know all the facts of the situation.”

“And if I had come to you for marriage advice, your interference might be warranted,” Miss Forrest snapped, her cheeks going splotchy with irritation. “But I did not.”

“Sarah,” Clive said before Lily could reply. When she glanced at him, his smile was firmly in place, but there was a cynical edge to it. “It is a mark of her good character that she asks such questions. Mrs. Adler does not know me as you do.”

Miss Forrest took a deep breath, reining in her emotions once more. “I suppose. But my uncle’s refusing his consent only proves my concern is warranted.” She clasped her book tightly against her midsection, as though it were a shield she could hide behind. “Even if my father did change his will, whatever inheritance my uncle is currently steward of would pass from Uncle Forrest’s control to that of my husband if I marry. What other reason could he have for refusing his consent if not to keep control of those funds?”

“Skepticism of your suitor, perhaps?” Lily murmured.

“But we have never met,” Clive put in. “He has refused to do so.”

“Which is also suspicious!” Miss Forrest declared.

Lily glanced around. Miss Forrest’s emphatic tones had drawn curious stares from the couples strolling nearby. One of the women glanced at them several times, though she had not stopped talking to the man with her. A feeling of unease settled in Lily’s stomach. She

thought she recognized the woman, though she could not put a name to the face.

She needed to leave this conversation as soon as possible.

“Well,” she said, tapping the tips of her fingers together, “you tell an interesting story.”

Miss Forrest met Lily’s eyes; her own, for the first time, were wide and sober. “I know it sounds like something out of a novel. But it is the truth. All I want is to reclaim the independence that should be mine.”

“Then you would be best served by speaking to your father’s solicitor,” Lily said briskly. “He would be able to assist you in understanding how your father left things, I’ve no doubt.”

The young lady scowled, her cheeks flushing red. “I do not know who his solicitor was. And for obvious reasons, I cannot ask my uncle for the name.”

“Then what is it you are hoping I will do?” Lily said. “I am one woman, Miss Forrest. I cannot retrieve your money for you.”

“I know that. But my uncle will have a copy of my father’s will in his house, and I think I know where it would be.” The girl leaned forward, her breath coming quickly and her hands trembling once more. “I want to hire you to steal it for me so I can prove what he has done.”

***

Excerpt from A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman. Copyright 2024 by Katharine Schellman. Reproduced with permission from Katharine Schellman. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Katharine Schellman

Katharine Schellman is a former actor and one-time political consultant. These days, she writes the Regency-set Lily Adler Mysteries and Jazz Age Nightingale Mysteries. Her books have been praised in outlets from Library Journal to The New York Times, with reviewers calling them “worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout” (Library Journal). Katharine writes in the mountains of Virginia, where she lives with her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.

Catch Up With Katharine Schellman:
KatharineSchellman.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @KatharineSchellman
Instagram – @katharinewrites
Facebook – @katharineschellman

 

 

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$20 GC & Review – A Cold Cold World by Elena Taylor @partnersincr1me @Elena_TaylorAut

A Cold, Cold World by Elena Taylor Banner

A COLD, COLD WORLD

by Elena Taylor

July 29 – August 23, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

I am so happy to be back in Collier with Bet and the rest of the gang. Bet has been Sheriff of Collier for a year now. I think we are in for a chilling time in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State. It’s winter time and the storm of the century is heading their way.

Seeing Collier is a small town, it has a small police force. Bet’s the Sheriff, Clayton is her right hand man, and Alma is the glue that holds them all together. Bet is the first line of defense against disaster and most likely the last line too. She could use another man and Kane is in need of job. He’s qualified and I liked him right away.

We start out with a snow machine death and the Lakers, hometown folks, spin out of control. It’s hard to figure out who is doing what to who, but that is common for an Elena Taylor book.

The Colliers had founded the coal mining town and could Rob be a love interest for Bet? We shall see in future books in the Sheriff Bet Rivers series.

I love Shweitzer and Grizzly, the critters who add a certain something something to the story.

The avalanche…I had my heart in my throat for a moment or two.

We have so many suspects and so much action going on, at times my head was spinning. Elena Taylor does not make it easy to figure out who is doing what to whom and why they are doing it. She kept my interest from beginning to end.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Cold Cold World by Elena Taylor.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

Synopsis:

A Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery

 

A female sheriff tries to fill her late father’s boots and be the sheriff her small Washington State mountain town needs as a deadly snow storm engulfs the town, in this dark, twisty mystery.

The world felt pure. Nature made the location pristine again, hiding the scene from prying eyes. As if no one had died there at all.

In the months since Bet Rivers solved her first murder investigation and secured the sheriff’s seat in Collier, she’s remained determined to keep her town safe. With a massive snowstorm looming, it’s more important than ever that she stays vigilant.

When Bet gets a call that a family of tourists has stumbled across a teen injured in a snowmobile accident on a mountain ridge, she braves the storm to investigate. However, once she arrives at the scene of the accident it’s clear to Bet that the teen is not injured; he’s dead. And has been for some time . . .

Investigating a possible homicide is hard enough, but with the worst snowstorm the valley has seen in years threatening the safety of her town, not to mention the integrity of her crime scenes – as they seem to be mounting up as well – Bet has to move fast to uncover the complicated truth and prove that she’s worthy of keeping her father’s badge.

Praise for A Cold, Cold World:

“Readers who appreciate the strong woman police chief in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder books or the vivid landscapes of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire mysteries will appreciate Taylor’s riveting crime novel.”
~ Lesa Holstine, Library Journal Starred Review

“Taylor perfectly captures the tension and determination of a small town sheriff facing down an isolating blizzard while racing against the clock to solve a murder and save a missing child. Sheriff Bet Rivers will be your new favorite character”
~ Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A terrific ensemble cast in a total immersion setting! Fans of CJ Box and Julia Spencer-Fleming will adore this novel – it’s whipsmart, completely cinematic, and full of heart. Not to be missed!”
~ Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of One Wrong Word

“Sheriff Bet Rivers is back with a suspenseful and shrewdly plotted story of deadly small town secrets . . . Think Longmire meets Yellowstone”
~ James L’Etoile, award winning author of Dead Drop and Face of Greed

“Tense and divinely atmospheric, this is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter’s day”
~ J.L. Delozier, author of the multi-award-winning mystery, The Photo Thief

A Cold, Cold World Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural, Mystery
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 9781448314065 (ISBN10: 1448314062)
Series: A Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery, Book 2 | Each is a Stand-Alone Mystery
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Severn House

Read an excerpt:

ONE

Bet Rivers sat in the sheriff’s station and watched the radar on her computer screen turn a darker and darker blue. Snow headed for the little town of Collier and keeping everyone safe was her responsibility. Bet’s advancement to sheriff had taken place less than a year ago, but the name Rivers had followed ‘Sheriff’ all the way back to the founding of the town. None of the previous Sheriff Rivers, her father included, ever failed the community, and she didn’t plan to be the first. With her father’s death last fall, Collier residents were the closest thing she had to family.

The valley Bet protected sat high in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State. Winter storms often dropped a couple inches of snow at once, a situation Collier could handle, and winter had been relatively mild so far. February, however, was shaping up into something else.

This morning, nearby Lake Collier – a dark and dangerous body of water the locals respected from a safe distance – started freezing completely over for the first time in years.

Bet couldn’t remember such a large storm ever bearing down on the valley. The weather was determined to test her in ways that patrolling the streets of Los Angeles and her short stint as sheriff had not yet done.

Clicking off the weather radar screen and opening another file, Bet read over her severe winter storm checklist. Snowplow – ready to go. Volunteers with tractors and trucks with snowplow attachments – set. The community center would be open twenty-four hours a day in case the town’s power went out and people needed a warm place to go. Donna, the elementary school nurse, was on hand for minor health emergencies. She would be staying at the center twenty-four seven until the storm passed.

Most residents owned generators and a lot of people used fireplaces for heat, but the community center provided a central location for anyone in trouble.

Nothing like living in an isolated mountain valley to make folks respect what Mother Nature hurled at them – and rely on each other, rather than the outside world. A lot of people would look to the sheriff as a leader. She couldn’t let them down.

Bet turned her attention to the pile of pink ‘while you were out’ notes that Alma still loved to use rather than sending information to Bet digitally. Alma was much more than an office manager, but she also fought certain modern conveniences.

Most of the notes were mundane issues that Alma could handle, but the last in the pile was a call from Jamie Garcia, a local reporter trying to get back into Bet’s good graces after an incident a few months ago had cost her Bet’s trust.

Wants to chat about the possibility of an increase in drug use in the area, the note read. Specifically – meth.

That would definitely have to wait. It crossed Bet’s mind that Jamie might exaggerate the situation just to have reason to touch base with her, but Bet taped it to the computer monitor to follow up on after the storm passed. Her valley didn’t have the kind of drug problems as many other communities, and Bet wanted to see it stay that way. If Jamie had any information on a rise in illegal activity, that could be useful.

The rest of the notes she would return to Alma to deal with. Right now, weathering the tempest would take all of Bet’s resources.

Bringing up the radar one more time, Bet’s stomach clenched as she tracked the monster storm. What if she made a decision during this event that hurt her entire community? Confidence didn’t make responsibility lighter to bear, and the hot, sunny streets of Los Angeles hadn’t prepared her for one thousand residents slowly buried under several feet of snow. They were a long way from the plowed highways and larger cities with fully functional hospitals.

Bet was the first line of defense against disaster.

She was also likely the last line of defense. Once they were snowed in, she couldn’t bring help in from the outside.

A year ago, she had been poised to take the detective’s exam in Los Angeles. Her goal was a long and successful career in the nation’s largest police force. But events outside her control got in the way, and now she was back in Collier, trying to fill her father’s large, all-too-recently vacated shoes.

She faced a once-in-a-century storm with her lone deputy, a septuagenarian secretary, and one very big dog.

Her first instinct was to talk to her father, but his death prevented her from ever gaining new insight into his expertise. Her second instinct was to contact Sergeant Magdalena Carrera. Maggie had mentored Bet during her time at the LAPD.

‘We chicas need to stick together,’ she’d said to Bet early on in her career, back when Bet still called her sergeant.

But as good as Maggie was at her job, Bet doubted she’d have much advice about facing a blizzard.

‘It’s up to us, Schweitzer,’ Bet said to the Anatolian shepherd sitting in her doorway. ‘As long as no one has a heart attack after the storm hits, we’ll be fine.’ Schweitzer had a look on his face like he knew what was coming. He always could read her mood, not to mention the weather, and he’d been edgy all morning.

She had learned to read his mood too, and right now it wasn’t good.

‘It’s going to be all right, Schweitz.’ It surprised her to realize she believed her own words. She could handle this.

Lakers – residents proudly took the nickname from their mysterious lake – could hunker down in their valley and survive on their own. Everyone in town knew that if snow blocked them in and a helicopter couldn’t fly, they had no access to a hospital. But Donna was good at her job too. Plus, it would only be for a couple of days.

The phone on her desk rang, jarring her from her thoughts.

As long as the ring didn’t herald an emergency, everything would be fine.

Bet rolled out in her black and white on the long teardrop of road that circled the valley. She didn’t turn on her siren; there wasn’t anyone on the loop to warn of her approach and the sound felt too loud, like a scream into the colorless void. The emergency lights on top of her SUV stained the white unmarked fields of snow on either side red, then blue, then red again, like blood streaking the ground. Her studded tires roared on the hard-packed snow, the surface easy to navigate – at least for now.

The drive to Jeb Pearson’s place took less than twenty minutes, even with the worsening conditions. Pearson’s Ranch sat at the end of the valley farthest from the lake and the town center. The ranch occupied an area the locals called the ‘Train Yard’, though that name didn’t show up on any official maps.

Long ago, the roundhouse for the Colliers’ private railway perched there at the end of the tracks. The roundhouse was a huge, wedge-shaped brick structure, like one third of a pie with the tips of the slices bitten off. It was built to house the big steam engines owned by the Colliers. The facility could hold five engines, each pulled inside through giant glass and iron doors. Engines could be parked and serviced inside the roundhouse, while an enormous turntable sat out front to spin the engines around, sending them down different tracks in order to pass each other in opposite directions.

It was unlikely the Colliers ever housed five engines up here all at once, but they owned other mines around the state and had used engines in other places. It must have been reassuring to know that if they ever needed to, they could bring their assets up here, protected in their high-elevation fiefdom.

Jeb used the property as a summer camp for boys who struggled with drug and alcohol addictions and guesthouses for snow adventure enthusiasts during the winter. Jeb lived there year-round, with a giant Newfoundland dog named Grizzly, a half a dozen horses, and one mini donkey named Dolly that helped him rehabilitate the boys.

Bet pulled up in front of the roundhouse. The cabins and other outbuildings stretched away from where she parked, with the barn the farthest from the road. The pastures were empty with the storm bearing down, the animals all safely tucked away in their stalls. Jeb stood out front with two bundled figures that must have been the father and son who were currently staying at his place. A third member of their party, the mother, was nowhere to be seen.

Bet got out of her vehicle and walked over to where two of Jeb’s snowmobiles were parked, running and ready to go. Layers of winter clothing padded Jeb’s wiry form, his face ruddy in the arctic wind.

‘What have we got, Jeb?’

‘Mark and Julia Crews and their son Jeremy came across what looks to be a solo wreck up on Iron Horse Ridge. They didn’t have any details about the driver’s condition, so I’m not sure what we’re looking at. The parents wanted to protect their son and got him out of there before he could see anything gruesome. These two came down to get me while Mrs Crews stayed with the injured rider.’

Bet nodded to the man standing a few feet away. Only part of his face was visible through the balaclava he wore. His eyes looked haunted.

‘You did the right thing,’ she said to him. ‘If the driver’s got a spinal injury, you could have done more damage than good trying to bring them down.’ She didn’t add that if the driver was dead there was nothing to be done except locate the next of kin.

‘Thanks, Sheriff,’ Mark Crews said, his voice shaky. ‘That was—’

Emotion cut off the man’s words. He reached for his son and pulled him close. The boy didn’t resist, but he also didn’t hug his father back. Bet considered checking the boy for shock, but guessed he was just a teen being a teen.

She gave Mark a nod and hoped the accident victim survived the wait – otherwise Mark Crews would always wonder if he should have made a different choice.

The father got his emotions under control and turned his attention back to Bet. ‘Please get my wife Julia down safely.’

Jeremy might be shocky, but the two people up on the ridge were her priority.

‘Always prioritize,’ Maggie said to Bet on a regular basis. ‘Don’t get caught up trying to fix everything at once. Fix the big things first.’

Her father would have agreed. His voice no longer took precedence in her mind, but his teachings never left her.

Bet promised to take care of Julia Crews and walked over to straddle the closest snowmobile. Pulling on the helmet she’d brought, she tucked her auburn curls out of the way before closing the face shield. Bet admired the Crews family for helping a stranger as the ominous storm bore down on the area. It must be terrifying to know Mrs Crews waited up on the ridge as the weather closed in. Bet was impressed the family put their own safety in jeopardy for someone they didn’t know. Not everyone would do that. It would have been easy enough to pretend they never found the accident, leaving the driver alone in the snow.

Jeb hopped on the other snowmobile, which was already set up to tow the Snowbulance – a small, enclosed trailer with a stretcher mounted inside. Bet made eye contact with Jeb to confirm she was ready, and they took off with him in the lead. Search-and-rescue was Jeb’s specialty, and he knew the terrain better than she did.

Her father Earle always said a good leader knew when to follow. Like most of her father’s advice, Bet knew it was true even if her instinct was never to admit someone else was the right person for a job she could do. In her defense, her father never faced life in law enforcement as a woman.

Maggie always said, ‘Never let a man think he’s got control. If you hand control over, he’ll never give it up.’

Bet wasn’t her father, but she wasn’t a patrol officer in LA, either. Sometimes neither Maggie’s nor her father’s advice was any help to her at all.

Not far from the ranch, Jeb turned off the main road and started up a forest service road that went west and north into the mountains. The turnoff wasn’t obvious, so it was interesting that the Crews had found that particular trail.

Snowmobiling was a popular sport in Collier and a lot of people used these forest service roads for trails, even the ones that were officially closed to traffic because there were no funds for maintenance. Without anyone to police the extensive system, the locals used them as their own private playground.

The roads connected in a complex web throughout the area. The injured teen could have arrived at the ridge from any direction. The forest was riddled with paths that the forest service no longer had the money or workforce to keep up, but people and animals kept cleared. In a lot of ways, the community benefited from the interlopers who cleared the roads, because that provided fire access into their local forest, which would otherwise become impassable through neglect.

If the brunt of the storm held off long enough for them to locate the scene of the accident and get the injured teen down the mountain before the conditions worsened, everything should still be all right.

Bet kept her focus on Jeb’s sled as they rode up the hill. The road turned dark as they got farther into the trees and the cloud cover grew almost black. She was glad for the headlight and someone she trusted to follow. At least in this moment, her father’s advice was right.

If only the injured rider survived the wait.

***

Excerpt from A Cold, Cold World by Elena Taylor. Copyright 2024 by Elena Taylor. Reproduced with permission from Elena Taylor. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Elena Taylor, CREDIT MARK PERLSTEIN

Elena Taylor spent several years working in theater as a playwright, director, designer, and educator before turning her storytelling skills to fiction. Her first series, the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, written under the name Elena Hartwell, introduced a quirky mother/daughter crime fighting duo.

With the Bet Rivers Mysteries, Elena returns to her dramatic roots and brings readers much more serious and atmospheric novels. The series introduces Collier, Washington, with its dark and mysterious lake, tough-as-nails residents, and newly appointed sheriff with her sidekick Schweitzer, an Anatolian Shepherd.

Elena is also a senior editor with Allegory Editing, a developmental editing house, where she works one-on-one with writers to shape and polish manuscripts, short stories, and plays. If you’d like to work with Elena, visit www.allegoryediting.com.

Her favorite place to be is at Paradise, the property she and her hubby own south of Spokane, Washington. They live with their horses, dogs, and cats. Elena holds a B.A. from the University of San Diego, a M.Ed. from the University of Washington, Tacoma, and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.

Catch Up With Elena Taylor:
www.ElenaTaylorAuthor.com
Elena’s Blog: The Mystery of Writing
Goodreads
BookBub – @elenataylorauthor
Instagram – @elenataylorauthor
Twitter/X – @Elena_TaylorAut
Facebook – @ElenaTaylorAuthor

 

 

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Vampires, Whiskey, And Southern Charm by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is one of those authors, for me, that spins out stories sure to entertain. Her books are filled with humor and laughter amongst the danger and darkness. The cover for Vampires, Whiskey and Southern Charm is gorgeous. It doesn’t scream vampires, to me, but it does scream love and romance, even though some blood must be shed.

“I am a vampire, Masie.”

So….down the rabbit hole we go, with a vampire that is sure Masie is his mate, and Masie, who doesn’t believe in vampires. She has a mouth like a drunken pirate, and I can relate to that. That doesn’t mean she’s a bad girl. She doesn’t smoke, do drugs, drink, or…well, her body is her temple and she is a virgin. So how does she end up in prison as a convicted murderer?

She works at the Flaming Rooster, and I will leave it up to you to find out who their headliner is. Definitely a clucking hoot. She loves the bar, not so much the grabby customers. I will forewarn you about putting you hands on her. Her bite is as bad as her bark.

Sheriff Idiot (HAHAHAHAHA) is her ex boyfriend and creepy as hell.

“Go on. Keep making fun, Masie. But we both know I’m the one you come running to when you’re scared and need help.”

“You’re the sheriff, bonehead. Everyone calls you.”

Maybell, her coworker and best friend is a hoot. She goes with the flow.

As the story unfolds, Masie’s life becomes more complicated. Secrets will be revealed to her. Dangers arise, bodies will fall, and when all is said and done, they will be having a coming out party. LOL

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff never fails to entertain, supplying equal shares of laughter and danger. I find it hard to predict what direction her story will take me, but I am always eager to go there. Though Masie’s story is told, there could be more, so be on the lookout.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Vampires, Whiskey and Southern Charm by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a standalone story filled with Southern vibes, way too many cuss words, and a woman determined to defeat the local vampire.

HE’S NEVER GIVING UP, AND SHE’S NEVER GIVING IN.

My name is Masie Kicklighter, and I work at my family’s local bar in the heart of Tennessee, slinging whiskey and living a quiet life.

I can’t say my life was perfect, but when a local vampire started stalking me and sayin’ all sorts of crazy things (I was not his. Nor would I ever be), my first instinct was to run.

But Leiper’s Fork was my home. This was my town. And no one was gonna run me out. Even if he was hotter than a Sunday BBQ in July.

So I came up with a plan to run him off.

The only problem? He was one stubborn man. And crafty, too.

Then something terrible happened. A whole lot of terrible somethings. And they would change everything for us both.

  • Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Supernatural
  • Format: 308 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: January 28, 2024 by Paper & Silver, Inc.

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / Amazon / Bookbub / TikTok / Pinterestagram

MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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Shall We Play A Game – The Mystery Game by Michael Chikondi #michaelbchikondi #vampires

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sinjen, the vampire, takes a vacation, his first time off in fifty years. He’s taking his Thrall, Jack, his human friends, Miriam and Richard, and his lost love, Carlotta to a caste where they will play a murder mystery game.

I love Sinjen. He’s a complicated vampire. He is needy, looking for love, for a reason to get up each night. He searches for a reason to live, and I think he found it when he met Miriam. He won’t change her, won’t keep her for himself. But, his friend, who he thought was his thrall, is in love with her and she seems to be attracted to him too. Will Richard and Miriam marry? Probably.

With Miriam he has found a new vocation? Solving mysteries. Their first, which was supposed to be a game, turned into exposing the rogue vampire that is killing people in a most gruesome and torturous way.

The event takes place in a castle, so will there be a ghost or two?

We have a snowstorm and they are cut off from the world. Is it Aster’s doing? Aster is a vampire that dominates all others. I thought it was him, but when they discover the group is not the only vampires, Aster finds it is better not to use his ability to control the weather. Still, a vampire is never stranded and I was surprised when Sinjen turned into a wolf. I knew they misted, which was cool. He also has the ability to hypnotize people, so he can take a sip or two and wipe their minds.

I am hooked on these characters. Sinjen is such a unique vampire. He is so needy, yet strong and savage when necessary. He is dominated by Eliza, a cruel mistress that revels in his pain, but now, since The Mystery Game, Aster has given him an out and he plans on using it to his advantage. I can hardly wait to see what his next adventure will be.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mystery Game by Michael B Chikondi.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

With his first time off in fifty years, Sinjen Carlyle decides to take his friends, Miriam, Jack and the fair Carlotta out to enjoy a murder mystery play. It’s to be set over a week, at a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Their hosts, an eccentric mystery writer and his charming wife. Before they have even made it to their rooms, he begins to suspect that he and Carlotta may not be the only two vampires there. As a snowstorm rolls in, and the play begins to blend fantasy a little too closely to reality, could there be a more sinister cause? And, with three vampires penned into on building, can they solve the play, and manage their appetites, before a real death takes place?

  • Genres: Fiction, Idle Hands Series, Paranormal, Standalone, Supernatural, Vampires
  • 209 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published June 26, 2023

ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)

Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.

“Can we approach?” we call.

“No soliciting.” the voice returns.

“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”

“Ask.” the dread voice responds.

“Alright, who are you?” we try.

“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”

“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.

“Yes, but now…I hunger…”

We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.

Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.

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Review – Forge Of The Assassin by Ross Harrison #ForgeoftheAssassin #NetGalley @AuthoRoss

How have I not read any Ross Harrison novels, or heard of the Nexus series? After reading Forge of the Assassin, I grabbed the FREE copy of the first book, Shadow of the Wraith.

I came across Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison by scrolling through NetGalley. The cover and the word Assassin in the title made me grab it, more so than the blurb. I mean, look at that badass protagonist holding the child’s hand? What’s not to like?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

OMG! I had never read any of Ross Harrison’s novels or the Nexus series, but the cover and title drew me in and I had to have it. It is a long read, but every chance I got I was picking it up. I had to know about Ares. Because I was new to the Nexus world, it took me a moment or two to gather the necessary facts, but, once I did…

She became a character that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Most believed she was a ghost, buried in rubble. We know they are wrong. So wrong. And she will wreak her vengeance on them all. Never believe everything you are told. Things are not always as they seem.

Juni, a five year old girl thinks of Ares as her mother. In all sense of the word, she is.

The action is brutal, intense, catastrophic. Bodies fall, I mean, literally fall, only to rise again. I love the science fiction aspects and Ross Harrison took me deeper into the story than I thought I would go. I had moments when I thought, OMG, she is really dead. Then, I would think, no, she can’t be. What will happen to the little girl that someone is determined to make her an assassin at seven years old, like Ares.

Imagine a five year old girl saying:

I fell on it and now I’m wounded because you let go!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Juni stole my heart and the dialogue and her thoughts made for some sweet, yet heartbreaking moments. Her belief that Ares would always be there kept her moving forward, trying to do the right thing. At times, I thought things were too grown up for her, but we have to remind ourselves where she comes from and the lessons Ares has taught her. They move constantly, barely staying ahead of those that want to kill them both. Ares has instilled in her the necessity of being aware of her surroundings at all times.

She felt a warm little hand on top of hers, and her hearts fluttered. “It’s not about the destination,” Juni said earnestly. “it’s about the journey.”

Isn’t that real life?

WOW! Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison wasn’t what I expected and I love it. Even though it took me a while to figure out all the players and what was going on, the constants were Ares and Juni. If anything happened to me I would love having either or both of them at my side. Just because Juni is a child, don’t count her it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Forge of the Assassin by Ross Harrison.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Codename Ares. A legend. A ghost story. They say that seven years ago, she rained down hell from the stars, cutting through everyone in her path: cops, intelligence officers, assassins. All for a baby girl. They say that if she really was just one person, she died under a thousand tonnes of rubble.

They’re wrong.

Alexiares has kept Baby safe for seven years, staying one step ahead of assassins and hunters. But one step isn’t enough. Not when their new enemy reveals himself. Her worst nightmare becomes reality: Baby is ripped from her. Taken to be made into the perfect assassin – something Alexiares promised she wouldn’t allow.

The clock’s ticking and her failure is almost complete. She must work out why she’s still alive while staying ahead of the assassins, a government task force, and the malevolent whispers of her own broken mind. She must find a way to rescue Baby. And she must remind them all of one thing…

She is the only thing they fear.

  • Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Series, Stand Alone, Suspense, Thriller
  • 580 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 15, 2023 by Shadow Archer Publishing

ABOUT ROSS HARRISON

Ross Harrison is the author of novels and short stories in the realms of science fiction – specifically space opera and science fantasy – thriller, noir, and steampunk. He has been writing since childhood, and occasionally likes to revisit those old stories for a good cringe and nervous laugh. He also talks about himself in the 3rd person because it seems more professional.

Ross lives on the UK/Eire border in Ireland, where he moved from England in 2001, hoping the rain will help his hair grow back.

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Giveaway – When You Break Girl Code by J L Lora @caffeinatedpr @jtothelove


Join me in celebrating the release of the newest standalone romance in the Sometimes Love Happens Collection. WHEN YOU BREAK GIRL CODE by J. L. Lora delivers a steamy romance with a side of suspense you won’t want to miss! Check out an excerpt before grabbing your copy! Be sure to enter the giveaway.

When You Break Girl Code



Amazon | B&N | Kobo iBooks | Goodreads

She just meant to do an associate a favor. After she’s blamed for murder, can she prove her innocence before she’s permanently canceled?

Mila Rosario is walking on cloud nine. Thrilled with her huge promotion, the marketing genius reluctantly covers for a co-worker by distracting the woman’s hot and well-heeled boyfriend. But when their instant connection turns into a sizzling night in the sheets, she’s horrified to wake in her new lover’s arms and discover her work friend has fallen prey to a killer.

Biting her tongue about the affair when talking to the cops, she lands on the suspect list and the perp doxxes her to social media’s wrath. And as those around her start dropping dead, the curvy beauty fears even her handsome protector can’t save her from a grisly end.

Can Mila outwit a murderous stalker closing in for the kill?

When You Break Girl Code is the dramatic standalone fourth book in the Sometimes Love Happens contemporary romance series. If you like characters who grow, terrifying stakes, and plenty of steam, then you’ll adore J. L. Lora’s explosive chemistry.

Teaser

I calculated the risk. I don’t know how good the reward is going to be. But I’ve made my investment, and I don’t want to turn back. I want to find out what it would be like to have her.
The ball is in Mila’s court. I’m giving her the chance to call all the shots.
Well… kinda.
I insist on driving her home. There’s no way I would let her get in an Uber, though that would have been the safest thing for us. Safe is not what I’m going for, though. I left safe way behind after our first drink. Further cemented when I sent Madison the message breaking it off. She doesn’t care enough to answer me. I don’t care anymore, either. I did what I had to do and closed the door. Tomorrow, I will call her and make sure we stay friends, for our families. She’s obviously okay because she kept texting her friend. But she’s gone right out of my mind because I’m pulling over in front of Mila’s building.
“It’s really nice of you to drive me home, and thank you for dinner.” She’s not even looking at me while she says it.
“Mila.” I wait until she turns to me. “Thank you for a great evening.”
She smiles like she’s relieved. Then leans over to kiss my cheek and lingers. The warmth of her lips clings to my skin. The air conditioner breeze cools it down almost immediately. When she pulls back, the heat in her eyes that matches the one surging inside me. I see all I need.
I don’t calculate. I don’t leave it up to her. I swoop in and crush my lips to hers.
Her reaction is immediate. She opens her mouth for me and I taste our whole evening in her tongue, traces of sweetness, spices, desire, and danger.
She pulls back and we stare at each other. The message is in her eyes. We crossed the line. She opens her mouth, but I beat whatever she’s going to say.
“Invite me in.”
Her eyes round, her lips drift apart, but she says nothing.
And I should take that as her answer.
“We really shouldn’t…”
That’s not a no. She knows it too.
“But we want to…”
She nods.
“And we’re going to.” Again, not a question because my answer is her glowing eyes.
.

About the Author



J. L. Lora is a Dominican-American author of contemporary and romantic suspense. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters—people living in the gray areas of life—playing the cards life has dealt them. Her stories manifest her love for badass alpha heroines and take-your-breath-away alpha men. 

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Giveaway

Join the celebration and enter to win a $25.00 Amazon eGift Card. One winner will be selected. Giveaway ends May 3, 2023. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Review – Forgotten Memories by Amanda Siegrist @amanda_siegrist

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It is wonderful to be back in Lucky Town, visiting familiar characters and meeting new ones.

Sometimes our perceptions of ourselves and others is skewed by our past. That is the case for Cherry And Bolt. They both carry baggage, some true, some not. Everyone makes mistakes and deserves second chances. One character that stood out and I hope will find redemption is Evan. He’s only a peripheral character, but he hangs around the edges of the story.

Small town life means everyone knows what everyone else is doing and has done. Lucky Town is still recovering from the devastation the drug trade had heaped on them. Pepper is still reeling from the evil her twin sister, Lillian, spread through town, almost killing her. Is that why the town still keeps her at a distance?

Now, another sister, Cherry, is in town and wanting to meet. It’s ‘funny’ that the town seems to accept her so easily, with her ability to draw people to her like a butterfly to a flower. Pepper is rough around the edges and Cherry is smooth as silk.

Their meet cute was inst….attraction, though they fight it. They don’t immediately fall into bed together, but, I think we all know it is going to happen. The when and how is what’s in question. Cherry had never planned on moving to Lucky Town, just passing through after meeting her sister, and starting a new life somewhere else. Where? She hadn’t figured that out yet. BUT…there is always a but in romantic suspense. Her past has followed her to Lucky Town, but it wasn’t what I thought. I love when I don’t get it right.

A war has been waged on the town and I have become invested in the characters, so any loss will be tragic.

Every time I think Amanda Siegrist and Lucky Town can’t surprise me, Amanda takes it up a notch. I love that she can keep me on my toes, get me totally involved in the story and leave me wanting more. I wonder what my next visit to Lucky Town will bring, who I will meet, and what danger they will bring with them.

The Lucky Town stories can stand alone, but I recommend beginning at the beginning. 🙂

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Forgotten Memories by Amanda Siegrist.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes an intense romantic suspense that will make you swoon and hold you on the edge-of-your-seat until the very end.

She isn’t looking for trouble…

Despite being a city girl, Cherry Chapman could get used to the small-town life. Not that she’s welcome in Lucky. She only wants to meet her half-sister, Pepper, and get to know her, not stir up a hornet’s nest. So far, the only person welcoming her is Deputy Bolten, and at times, she feels even he doesn’t trust her. The way things are going, she’s going to need more than just his kindness. She’s going to need his help. But if he doesn’t trust her, how can she trust him with the problems that followed her to town?

While the past year has been a rough one, Bolt is trying to move forward. When Cherry comes crashing into their town with her sweet and innocent nature, he can’t help but be wary—and attracted to her. The more he gets to know her, the more he wants to help her. He knows something is going on, but no matter how hard he tries, she won’t confide in him. He’s failed before—getting shot is proof of that—but he vows not to fail again. He’ll protect Cherry at all costs, even if that means being on the opposite side of his friends.

The entire Lucky Town Novel series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.)

Escaping Memories (Book 1): Logan & Aubrey
Dangerous Memories (Book 2): Danny & Kat
Stolen Memories (Book 3): Seth & Pepper
Deadly Memories (Book 4): Deke & Charlotte
Forgotten Memories (Book 5): Bolt & Cherry

ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST

Amanda Siegrist

Love! Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship, and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a happy camper:)

I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.

Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook / Instagram

MY AMANDA SIEGRIST REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Duplicity by Shawn Wilson @PartnersInCr1me

Duplicity by Shawn Wilson Banner

Duplicity

by Shawn Wilson

October 31 – November 25, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

This was not the homecoming Brick envisioned.

After the trauma of his last case, and after three months spent recovering in Ireland, life is looking up for newly retired homicide detective Brian (Brick) Kavanagh. Back home in Washington, D.C., a new job shows promise when he’s asked to train criminology students in cold case techniques.

Then he’s off to a whirlwind weekend in Chicago with Nora, an Aer Lingus flight attendant he’d met in Ireland. There he receives shocking news that his former partner’s wife and twin infants have been kidnapped. Brick rushes to D.C. to support Ron, the man who’s always had his back—but as days pass, Brick questions how well he really knows this man.

Brick’s cold case—the unsolved hit-and-run death of a college student—is heating up. Brick finds gaping holes in the original investigation. Is it possible diplomatic immunity granted someone a “get-out-of-jail-free card”?

Meanwhile, Ron’s family tragedy unfolds in a most bizarre manner, and the escalating cold case points to D.C. corruption at the highest level. Things are getting complicated . . . very complicated . . . and dangerous.

Praise for Duplicity:

“…it’s a cracking good time. One doesn’t have to be a mystery fan to relish this.”

Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Duplicity is a compelling read with depth and a protagonist you’ll want to spend more time with. I’ll be first in line to see what’s next for Brick Kavanagh!”

David Putnam, bestselling author of the Bruno Johnson crime series

“…you’re in for an engrossing and entertaining read.”

Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

Duplicity is a delightful, twisty thriller featuring a hero it’s impossible not to love… I raced through the pages ‘til three a.m. rooting for him to succeed.”

Matt Witten, author The Necklace

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: October 2022
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 9781608095100 (ISBN10: 160809510X)
Series: The Brick Kavanagh Series, 2 | Each is a Stand Alone Mystery
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

“The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.”
Proverbs 12:5

September 2013 Inishmore, Ireland

Chapter 1

Brick Kavanagh stepped to the edge of the cliff and watched the waves crash against the rocks. He closed his eyes, hoping this sight would be seared in his brain the same way his mind tended to store images from twenty years of being a cop.

During all those years with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., he didn’t recognize the emotional toll the job was taking. But there was no denying the price he paid after the devastating conclusion of his last homicide case. How to deal with the aftermath of a case that became so personal? The sage advice of bar owner Eamonn Boland provided the answer—a one-way ticket to Ireland. He figured he’d probably be there for a week, maybe two. Now, with his stay closing in on ninety days, he needed to leave or be in violation of the country’s visa-free travel regulations.

Brick fumbled in his pocket for the slip of paper Eamonn had given to him before he left D.C. It was wrinkled and the ink was smudged but it didn’t matter; he almost knew the quote by heart.

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether to sail or to watch it—we are going back from whence we came.”

When Brick first arrived, the words John F. Kennedy delivered to the America’s Cup crew didn’t have much significance for him. But the longer he stayed, the more they resonated. Spending time in a place surrounded by the ocean had a cleansing and calming effect he hadn’t expected. He was grateful he would be leaving in a much healthier state of mind than when he had arrived.

Brick checked his watch. He still had time to take in one last view from Dun Aengus. He made his way to the prehistoric fort, being careful not to photobomb any of the selfie-taking tourists along the way. He didn’t feel like a tourist himself anymore as he stood on the highest point of the cliffs. He looked in every direction absorbing the breathtaking panorama before he fell in step with the others making their way in the direction back to the boat dock.

Dark clouds were now blocking the sun and the wind had picked up. In the three months Brick had been here, he had gotten used to the weather changing quickly. Part of the charm, although it would probably mean a choppy ferry ride back to Rossaveal. For the sense of tranquility he had experienced, forty minutes of rocking and rolling was a small price to pay. Standing on the upper deck of the boat, Brick watched as Inishmore became shrouded in fog.

* * *

It was after six o’clock when Brick arrived back in Galway. He was starving and knew where he wanted to have his farewell dinner. He headed to Gaffney’s, a small pub that served the best lamb stew he had ever eaten. Tonight, he would be dining alone, but when he was here previously, he had had dinner with a woman he met earlier in the week at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop on Middle Street. Nora Breslin introduced herself after a brief conversation in which they discussed a book of poetry by Seamus Heaney. Upon hearing her name, Brick jokingly asked if she was related to Jimmy Breslin. Surprisingly, he was a distant cousin and the well-timed question led to more conversation about the legendary American journalist and his connection to Son of Sam. With the bookstore about to close, the nearby pub provided the perfect place to continue talking over a pint of Guinness and a view of the swans on the River Corrib.

Two nights later, they met again for dinner at Gaffney’s. Unfortunately, plans for a trip together to Dublin got derailed when Nora, a flight attendant with Aer Lingus, had to unexpectedly fill in for a colleague. Before leaving, she suggested getting together on the other side of the Atlantic since her regular assignment was the Shannon-to-O’Hare route. Would it happen? Brick wasn’t sure, but he had enjoyed the brief time they had spent together. One thing he had learned recently was that it’s far better to appreciate what was, than anticipate what might be.

Brick seated himself at a small table with his back to the wall so that he could have an unobstructed view of the restaurant. Some habits die hard; some never do. When the waitress approached with silverware and a menu, he placed his order. She returned shortly with a pint of Guinness. Brick would never mention this to Eamonn or his nephew Rory when he got back home, but the Guinness seemed to taste better here than what they served at Boland’s Mill. Then again, maybe it was his imagination. He’d chalk it up to that. Boland’s Mill. As long as tomorrow’s flight wasn’t delayed, Brick figured he’d probably be having dinner there and thanking Eamonn for suggesting—well, insisting—that time away from D.C. wasn’t an option, it was a necessity. The old man knew what he was talking about, but now it was up to Brick to figure out what to do next. He was young, forty-two, owned his condo, and his pension from the police department would be enough to pay the bills and keep food on his table, but Brick was a live-to-work, not a work-to-live kind of guy. Aside from an email he had received from the Assistant Director of the School of Public Affairs at Abraham Lincoln University, regarding a project involving graduate students attempting to solve a cold case, he didn’t have any other employment prospects. He would check it out, but it didn’t sound like his forte. Working a cold case was right in his wheelhouse but teaching a group of college kids would be a whole lot different than mentoring a detective newly assigned to the Homicide Squad.

One thing was for sure—he wasn’t going to figure it out tonight so he might as well just savor the stew the waitress placed in front of him. Maybe he would suggest to Eamonn that the chef at Boland’s should consider adding barley to their lamb stew recipe. Maybe he should consider an entirely new career and enroll in culinary school. On second thought, for the sake of the dining public, probably not a good idea. Best to leave cooking to the pros. That’s why he frequented Boland’s Mill far more often than the Giant or Safeway.

Brick wasn’t about to waste a slice of brown bread. He used it to soak up the last of the herb gravy on his plate.

“Another Guinness?” the waitress asked as she cleared the table. “No thanks, just the check when you get a chance.”

Brick took the long way back to his airbnb. Most of the shops were closed, but the bookstore was open for another half hour and he needed something to read for tomorrow’s flight back to Washington. After browsing for a few minutes at a shelf displaying a number of books by contemporary Irish authors, he chose an autographed copy of The Guards by Galway-born Ken Bruen. Even though he had to leave the west coast of Ireland, at least he could be there vicariously by reading about it.

***

Excerpt from Duplicity by Shawn Wilson. Copyright 2022 by Shawn Wilson. Reproduced with permission from Shawn Wilson. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Shawn Wilson

Shawn Wilson is a produced playwright and author of Relentless, the first novel in the Brick Kavanagh mystery series. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administration of Justice from American University in Washington, D.C. and spent over thirty years working for the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Having traveled on five continents, she is very happy to call Chicago home.

Catch Up With Shawn Wilson:
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BookBub – @shawn152
Facebook – @shawnwilsonauthor

 

 

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Review – Black Water by Ninie Hammon #BlackWater #NetGalley @niniehammon

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Black Water is my first Ninie Hammon book, but it won’t be my last. I want to thank NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for the opportunity to red Black Water.

Black Water by Ninie Hammon was free at time of posting, so, if this sounds interesting, check it out and pick up a copy for yourself HERE.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Well, I am sure glad I grabbed a copy of Black Water by Ninie Hammon. I have not read any of her work, until now. There is a lot going on and the story is told my multiple points of view. A novel like Black Water, with the title and the cover, lures me in. I love any books that deal with water, whether on it, in it, or under it.

It all starts with Bailey Donahue moving into the Watford House. She is on the run from the Mafia and Witness Protection landed her in the small town of Shadow Rock. She has no intention of being there for long…suicide is on her mind, but she has not met T J and Dobbs…yet.

This unlikely cast of characters, T J, Dobbs, and the sheriff, Brice, come together when Bailey shoots herself. I love the mix of the paranormal and supernatural world, along with realistic characters and the situations they find themselves in. Their need to do something about a danger only they can see does not allow them to turn their back. They risk their lives to save innocent people from losing theirs.

The whole ‘coal country’ crap had me so pissed off, I wanted to do…something. I believe this type of thing continues to this day, companies walking away, leaving their toxic waste behind, leaving it for someone else to clean up. This being the twenty first century, I am amazed that it still happens. What does that say about those who are supposed to be the watchdogs, keeping us safe? I could continue to rant about this part of the book, but there is more to the story and I want you to experience it for yourself.

Through the beginning of the book, I read along, no sense of urgency, but I was curious and the characters quickly began to grow on me. The slow build up made it easy for Ninie Hammon to catch me off guard when the danger overflowed the pages, making the last third or quarter of the book unputdownable. Even though it ended in a predictable manner, sort of, I was happy at the outcome and breathed a sigh of relief when the last word was read.

Bailey finds her purpose, as do T J, Dobbs, and Brice. I love that Black Water is part of the Through The Canvas series. I can see where the series is headed and hope to be along for the ride.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From Ninie Hammon, master of psychological suspense, comes the long-awaited thrilling new series you won’t be able to put down.

Bailey Donahue has to stay dead.

After witnessing her husband’s murder, Bailey is ripped from her life and placed in the Witness Protection Program in the sleepy town of Shadow Rock.

Believed dead by the mafia, Bailey is trapped in a torturous limbo, unable to return to her life — and her eighteen-month-old daughter — without risking the lives of those she loves most.

Losing all hope, she attempts suicide, only to wake in the hospital and discover that not only is she alive, she’s woken with a “gift” – she can paint portraits of events that haven’t happened… yet.

Her first picture: a girl drowning. She doesn’t know who or where the girl is, or how to stop her prediction from coming true.

When two locals offer their help, she feels like she must accept, even though her instincts are screaming that these good samaritans know too much about her.

Can Bailey find the girl and prevent a tragedy — without letting anyone know that she’s still alive?

Black Water is the first book of Ninie Hammon’s new series, Through the Canvas. A riveting psychological thriller series about an ordinary woman ripped from her life, and drawn into dark and thrilling tales by mysterious forces she can’t explain.

ABOUT NINIE HAMMON

I was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.

Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.

If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:

“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”

I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn’t know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn’t write the rest of it didn’t matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.

Now, I write suspense–every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.

In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you’ll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are–people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable–and it’s always the game-changer.”

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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