Tag Archives: thriller and suspense fiction

Review – The Passenger by Lisa Lutz @lisalutz

Posted on by

.

I read Passenger by Lisa Lutz some time ago and it’s one of those reviews that just got lost in the shuffle. So…let’s get started.

The Passenger

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

The mystery has begun and Lisa Lutz kept me guessing until the end.

Tanya’s husband falls down the stairs and dies. When she finds him, she runs. Why?

On the run, she hooks up with Blue…WHOA. She is a badass and could definitely teach Tanya some lessons. Wonder what her story is?

Trouble comes looking for them and bodies fall.

How would you go about creating a new identity….a new life?

Their life keeps getting more complicated and I wonder what will become of them. My curiosity and Lisa’s pacing and suspense keep me tearing through the pages, wanting answers, but…

Lisa Lutz is not new to me. I have checked her books out from the library and enjoyed them. Passenger is full of a lot of words and some took me on long convoluted paths. Were they there to just lengthen the story or were they essential to the character development and suspense? I don’t expect fiction to be ‘real’ but, to me, a suspense novel like Passenger doesn’t need events just to have them. Know what I mean? It just slows the pacing and lessens the suspense and I like the white knuckled, breath holding, must know what happens next feeling.

I don’t quite get what’s going on and don’t find out why she is running until the last 20%. I do love that I didn’t know the story and had to read to the end to find the answers I was seeking.

Blue kept popping in and out and I loved it. There are no heroes here. All in all, I enjoyed the story. 

I read an ARC, so I hope Lisa trims the fat and makes this the top notch book I feel it can be.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Passenger by Lisa Lutz.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In case you were wondering, I didn’t do it. I didn’t have anything to do with Frank’s death. I don’t have an alibi, so you’ll have to take my word for it…

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret…can she outrun her past?

ABOUT LISA LUTZ

Lisa LutzLisa Lutz is the New York Times bestselling author of the six books in the Spellman series, How to Start a Fire, Heads you Lose (with David Hayward), and the children’s book, How to Negotiate Everything (illustrated by Jaime Temairik). Her latest book, The Passenger, a psychological thriller, will be published March 2016 by Simon and Schuster. Lutz has won the Alex award and has been nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Although she attended UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, the University of Leeds in England, and San Francisco State University, she still does not have a bachelor’s degree. Lisa spent most of the 1990s hopping through a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting the screenplay Plan B, a mob comedy. After the film was made in 2000, she vowed she would never write another screenplay. Lisa lives in the Hudson Valley, NY.

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – I Burned Down His House by Jessica Frances #Jessica Frances @XpressoReads

Posted on by

I Burned Down His House
Jessica Frances
(Love at First Crime #3)
Publication date: November 28th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

She burned his house down, so he lit a fire between them that she could never extinguish.

So, I burned his house down.

It was an accident.

I mean, technically, the dog did it.

Well, the dog helped me to do it.

Did I mention it was an accident?

When circumstances mean I suddenly have a new housemate,

A man who is my ultimate fantasy,

And my entire world is turned upside down by new friends,

And a dog who likes to get me into trouble,

I have to wonder how my life got so crazy.

Add in my neighbor, who is under investigation;

Some unfinished business from the past, which just won’t go away;

Interfering family, who don’t know when to stop;

And mixed signals, making me wonder if fantasies really can come true,

And you have my new, hectic, crazy life.

But, when things take a dangerous turn,

And lives are on the line,

Will we all make it through in one piece?

Or is everything destined to crumble down around us?

Who would have thought that burning down a house would change everything so much?

Then again, as some people say: there is nothing quite like love at first … crime.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Trying not to feel like a loser that I have Joey’s number memorized, I dial, hoping like hell he picks up. It has to be in the incredibly early hours of morning, so there is every chance, if he hasn’t come home yet, it’s because he’s out with someone and won’t answer.

After five, drawn-out, torturous rings, he finally picks up.

“What?” he grumbles. I can’t tell if I woke him up, or if he’s just annoyed to be disturbed.

“Hey, Joey, it’s Teagan—”

“Who?”

I pause, annoyed I’m so forgettable he can’t remember who he gave his house key to! “Teagan Bevon, the woman who lives next door?”

“Oh … Oh!” There is finally recognition in his voice. “Right. Look, Teags”—he sounds so distracted I don’t think he even noticed he gave me a nickname—“I’m kinda busy—”

“But—”

“—so I’ll just see you later—”

“Wait!” I cry out, afraid I will hear the dial tone any second.

“Actually, you probably won’t see me later. I’m going to be—”

“I BURNED YOUR HOUSE DOWN!” I scream into the phone and am finally met with silence. “Joey?” I whisper, fearful he already hung up.

“Can you repeat that for me?” he finally gasps out.

“I …” Now I feel nervous. “I … umm … I accidently”—I use too much emphasis on the word, making me sound extra guilty—“burned down your house.”

“Are you okay?”

My heart skips a beat. I just told this man that I burned down his house and his first thought is if I’m okay?

“Some smoke inhalation, but nothing serious. I’m so sorry about your things—”

“How about Karma?”

“Karma got out fine. She’s with the Glovers,” So … maybe she’s not okay. The almost ninety-year-old couple may not be quite at the same speed as Karma.

As he sighs in relief, my hands begin to shake again.

“Joey, I’m so sorry.”

 

Author Bio:

Jessica lives in Adelaide, South Australia. When she is not writing, you can find her reading, napping or watching excessive amounts of TV. Connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook



GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

The Final Showdown – Power Struggle by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold

Posted on by

NEW RELEASE

Oh yeah, Power Struggle is another fabulous Detective Madison Knight thriller by Carolyn Arnold.

So, let’s step inside and read about the final showdown with her hitman!

Power StruggleGoodreads

Purchase Links:  Amazon  /  Barnes & Noble  /  Apple iBooks  /  Kobo  /  Google Play

Power Struggle (Detective Madison Knight)
Mystery/Crime Fiction
8th in Series
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (November 28, 2017)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353661
Paperback: 460 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353647
E-BOOK ASIN: B07588XD65

MY REVIEW

Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight has mixed emotions about Jimmy Bates murder. Maybe it was Karma that he’s lying in his bed, brutally murdered. After all, he was responsible for her grandfather’s death.

Could the hitman that had almost killed Madison be back to finish the job? Could the Russian Mafia be tying up loose ends? Can she, will she, be able to move past the personal and be a professional? Her friends, coworkers, and family are concerned, but they do not stand in her way.

She lives with the head of the Stiles Police Department Swat Team, Toby Sovereign. I am hoping she doesn’t do something foolish, like keeping secrets from him and putting herself and those closest to her in danger.

I love Toby. Thank goodness he has the patience to put up with her stubbornness. Madison has has severe commitment issues. Lies by omission are still lies. I would find it hard to trust her, as does Toby, but he loves her dearly and hopes she will come around, me too.

Sometimes I wonder if she has a death wish because she can be so reckless and careless. I think that strong characters do have a wish to keep those they love from being a victim or put in the path of a bullet, and feel they are able to handle things themselves. And I do love my strong women, so who knows, maybe I would do the same thing if I wasn’t more of the spectator type.

Power Struggle is a complicated mystery. As the deaths pile up, the mystery and danger grows. Lives are at stake and we know Bulldog Madison will put it all on the line. Maddie, if I am ever in trouble, I’ll be calling on you. Even when she’s on the verge of losing her self control and sanity, there is that special something that clicks in her mind, refusing to give up as the pieces fall into place.

Action, suspense, not so much romance, but lots of love from Troy, Terry, her partner, coworkers, family and friends. They all play an important part in her life and I feel like they are my friends too.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Power Struggle by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

One hit man who’s back for revenge.
One detective who’s not going down without a fight.

It’s been ten months since Detective Madison Knight almost died at the hands of Russian Mafia hit man Constantine Romanov. She hasn’t seen hide nor hair of him since he escaped police custody and fled to Russia soon after his arrest, except now her latest murder investigation gives her reason to believe he’s back in town. Seeing as the victim is the man who killed her grandfather, her perspective may be a little skewed, but with the MO smacking of Constantine and the victim’s connections to the mob, she finds it hard to be objective. Still, she’s doing her best to consider all the evidence.

When she receives a threatening letter from Constantine, however, her suspicions are confirmed. And he’s made it abundantly clear that not only does he plan to finish what he started but he has her family and loved ones in the crosshairs, too. Madison vows to do whatever it takes to save them, but as the hours race by, the body count rises. And the stakes only get higher when Madison’s sister, Chelsea, goes missing.

Now, Madison’s only play is to take Chelsea’s disappearance for what it really means: Constantine is calling Madison out for one final showdown. And they won’t both survive…

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

One Sentence Review – The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods

Posted on by

.

.The Point of Death: An Austin, Texas Art Mystery (Michelle Hodge,#0)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

I did enjoy The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods that reads like a character study of the good and the bad people do, how they perform in dangerous situations, under pressure, as the gals draw in their small circle of close friends and put the pieces of the mystery together.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Point of Death by Roslyn Woods.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

This is a prequel to the Michelle Hodge Series: Twenty-four year old Shell Hodge is in the final stretch of her quest for a master’s degree in art history when tragedy strikes at her art co-op near the University of Texas at Austin. She finds the body of beautiful and charismatic Dr. Leone, her art teacher from UT, and she is forced to endure a long and aggressive interview by the police. Believing that the approach of the detectives–targeting the students who cared most about their teacher–is unlikely to result in the capture of the real murderer, Shell embarks on her own search for answers. A strange circle of clues leads back to her best friend’s ex, Jeremy. Meanwhile, that same best friend, Margie–an aspiring chef and a successful baker–has some ideas of her own about Jeremy, one of them being that she wants to keep her little dog and herself as far away from him as possible. Enlisting the help of a handsome psychologist seems like a good idea at first, but learning that he also has a secret and that it, too, leads back to the murder victim, puts Margie on an emotional rollercoaster while Shell winds up at the point of death when she finds herself facing a killer.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Christmas In The Sisters by Becki Willis @beckiwillis15 @SDSXXTours

Posted on by
 
Christmas in The Sisters
The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series Book 6
by Becki Willis
Genre: Cozy Mystery
 
Latest book in the Award-Winning The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series!
Madison Reynolds can’t wait for Christmas this year. Rebuilding her life as
a single mom hasn’t been easy, but after a challenging twelve
months, she’s excited about the holidays. She and her twins have
settled quite nicely here in The Sisters, renovations on the house
are complete, her business is slowly growing, and, best of all, Chief
of Police Brash deCordova is in her life. Visions of the perfect
Christmas dance in her head.
The tinsel begins to tangle when someone targets the community for a
series of ‘Christmas Crimes.’ Homes are broken into and wrapped
gifts are stolen from beneath trees. Even vehicles loaded with
presents aren’t safe, particularly on a lone stretch of highway.
Things like this just don’t happen in Naomi and Juliet. Torn
between solving the rash of burglaries and shutting down the gambling
ring that’s active in the area again, Brash does the only thing he
can: he hires In a Pinch to help with the investigation.
Finding the common link between cases is like finding the bad bulb on a
string of lights. Every lead is a short circuit. The frustration
mounts when Madison and the Angel Tree she’s involved with fall
victim to the crimes. Only the worst kind of Grinch steals from needy
children!
Brash has plans of his own for the perfect Christmas. With the help of a
new jewelry store, he thinks he’s found just the right gift for
Madison, until the Grinch strikes again. This wasn’t the surprise
he had in mind.
 
Ready or not, Christmas is on its way, and
time is running out to create the holiday of their dreams. As the
house fills with unexpected guests, Madison and the twins honor
favorite traditions from the past while creating a few new ones of
their own.
 
Who has time for being kidnapped by men in Santa suits and bad
beards?
 
This is one Christmas that no one in The Sisters
will ever forget!
 
 
 
Don’t miss the other books in The Sisters, Texas series!
The first four books of the series will be a Free Kindle book (in order)
each Saturday in Oct, with the last book, Genny’s Ballad, available
for a .99 Kindle Countdown Deal Oct 24-31
 
Chicken Scratch
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 1
 
When The Stars Fall
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 2
 
Stipulations and Complications
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 3
 
Home Again: Starting Over
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 4
 
Genny’s Ballad
The Sisters, Texas Series Book 5
 
 
Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series
and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November
of ’13, that dream became a reality. Since that time, she has
published eleven books, won first place honors for Best Mystery
Series, Best Suspense Fiction and Best Audio Book, and has introduced
her imaginary friends to readers around the world.
 
An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn
about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking,
unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel, but
believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best
part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas
Authors, the National Association of Professional Women, and the
Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University
and majored in Journalism.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 
  
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Monday Mini – Watch The Shadows by Robin Winter @winterobin13

Posted on by

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I won this beautiful first edition paperback from Robin Winter and Christy Mauer. Thanks so much for the wonderful giveaway.

Watch the Shadows

Amazon  US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Nicole is not your typical teenage girl. She is more interested in science than boys, and she has some very unique parents. They are both professors. She mom sounds like a hippie and her dad is working for NASA…strange bedfellows. Meg, their neighbor helped out with the homeless population. Brian, the postman knows them all.

The mystery surrounding the people of Isla Vista, California, kept me reading. I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck is going on. I felt the characters seemed almost real.

It’s funny…I was watching a Halloween NCIS episode on TV, when I read this Halloween story. If you’re a fan of B movies, you are going to want to read Watch The Shadows by Robin Winter. You may be looking out of the corner of your eye, or over your shoulder, wincing at the whispering sound of IT.

The great writing made even the homeless lovable and real, the peripheral characters becoming just as important as the main ones. It didn’t knock my socks off, but I do think it’s worth the read…And, who knows, you may like it more than I.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In the college town of Isla Vista, California, small, odd things start happening. Science-geek Nicole notes the crows are leaving. Meg Burdigal can’t find her tabby cat, Schrand. Brian the postman feels uneasy at the rustlings, the shadows he’s seen at the edge of his vision on his delivery route in town. Now Nicole sees fewer and fewer homeless in the park. Using her knowledge of biology and forensics, Nicole searches for answers—but will anyone take the horror she finds seriously? In this unusual thriller, “Watch the Shadows,” author Robin Winter explores where the ordinary slams against the extraordinary.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Women Scorned – Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman @NancyColeSilve1

Posted on by

I was excited to be approved through NetGalley for Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman.

My thanks go out to Henery Press and Nancy Cole Silverman.

Room For Doubt (The Carol Childs Mysteries, #4)

Goodreads  /  Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA

MY REVIEW

Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman spoke to me. I love vengeful women who turn into vigilantes to give those who abuse the ultimate punishment.

Carol Childs, a radio reporter, is called to a hanging at the Hollywood sign. It is ruled a suicide but she doesn’t believe it. Neither does a dogged PI who seeks her out. He has some questions of his own and sticks to her like glue.

She blows him off and I got my first laugh when he called into her radio show. I do like humor with my mystery and murder. Because of him, she backs into her new radio show becoming a success right out of the gate.

Mustang Sally calls into the show. She claims she is part of a group of female assassins called the Butterflies and their goal is to protect women from the men who prey on them. Could it be true or is she just a quack?

Carol finds out that Sally is talking too much, making herself a target, and there are those that want her secrets kept secret.

Carol uses Chase to set up her own plan for Mustang Sally, though she holds him at arms length. The romance is not the story, but I can see an attraction that could develop into more. He is very persistent…and patient. Flawed, but in my book still a good catch. I quickly grew into like with him.

I love vigilante justice, even though it can become skewed. All too often what starts out as a ‘good’ thing can turn bad, but it is easy to understand their motivation.

Room For Doubt is not quite what I thought it would be. It seems more along the lines of a cozy mystery, than the dark and disturbing thriller I expected. All in all, it is an interesting story and one I would recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Grips a reader from the first page, offering an addictive mix of wit and suspense. Silverman is a master at crafting ripped-from-the-headlines storylines that feature a smart, appealing protagonist. Room for Doubt leaves no doubt that this is one of the strongest contemporary mystery series out there.” – Ellen Byron, Award-winning Author of Plantation Shudders

When radio reporter Carol Childs is called to a crime scene in the Hollywood Hills at five thirty in the morning, she’s convinced it must be a publicity stunt to promote a new movie. That is, until she sees the body hanging from the center of the Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide, but something doesn’t add up for Carol. Particularly after a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally confesses to the murder on the air and threatens to kill again.

With the help of an incorrigible PI, her best friend, and a kooky psychic, Carol is drawn into the world of contract killers and women scorned. As she races to find the real killer, she finds herself faced with a decision that will challenge everything she thought she knew.

ABOUT NANCY COLE SILVERMAN

Nancy Cole Silverman

My background is radio. I worked in the industry for nearly twenty-five years and did everything from news to commerical copy writing. I credit my experience with radio for helping me to develop an ear for storytelling. In 2014 I signed with Henery Press and began publishing the first of the Carol Childs Mysteries, about a female reporter who works for a busy talk radio station in Los Angeles.

Website  /  Twitter

 

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Three Heart Echo by Keary Taylor @kearytaylor @XpressoTours ‏

Posted on by

Three Heart Echo
Keary Taylor
Publication date: September 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Suspense

The demented thing is that this evolved from the most sickly sweet, heart-wrenching love story you’ve ever heard. I went to Sully because I just couldn’t get over Jack’s murder. I couldn’t deal.

—

Iona came to me for the same reason most did: because there was no closure. A love cut too short. She begged me to open the gate between the living and the dead.

We should have left it shut.

—

This. This is not a love story. This is a possession story. A story of lies. A story of two faces. This is a story of death and violent echoes from the other side.

And there will be no happy endings.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

There’s been this look of dread and apprehension in Sully’s eyes since the moment he opened the church doors to find me. It’s been growing into something hard and cold moment by moment. But with my revelation, it solidifies into something heavy as the world.

“Sit down,” he says in something very close to a growl. He points to one of the two chairs set in the middle of the room.

I sit, dread and fear and anticipation climbing in my throat.

Sully closes the door, and locks it.

The huge man stalks around the room, lighting a match to first one candle, then taking it to light the others. The room gradually grows lighter until a dozen of them are lit, and I can finally see more than a foot in front of me.

I rub my hands over my arms, because suddenly I realize that it is freezing in here, despite the roaring fire Sully has kept in the other room.

Deep, slow breathing pulls my attention back to the man.

He stands in one corner, before a solitary, lit candle. His back is turned to me, his hulking shoulders blocking out most of the light, casting him in an eerie glow. His long hair hangs around his face. He breathes, slow, deep. But there’s a quiver to it. Something unsteady.

I want to ask him if he’s okay. To ask what is the matter, because everything in me screams that there is.

But I’m too petrified to open my mouth.

A draft pushes through the edges of the covered window, sending the flames dancing atop the candles. A shiver works its way down my spine.

Sully suddenly steps back from the corner and drops down into the seat across from me. He holds his hands out.

“The watch,” he says nodding to his right hand. “Your hand.” He indicates the left.

I can’t stop shaking. I set the pocket watch in his hand, and trembling, I rest my hand in his other. He closes his fingers around mine, fully engulfing it with his size.

Sully’s eyes slide closed. I watch his face, seeing something come over it. Like he’s slipping underwater, preparing to hold his breath against certain death. His breathing becomes very light and shallow. His entire body becomes very still. The temperature of his hand drops.

The pain in my chest comes to a peak and I realize just how hard my heart is beating. My hands are slick with sweat. I lean forward in my seat, far too close to Sully’s face for comfort.

My breath is held.

“Jack,” Sully says, his voice low and deep. I jump when he speaks, startled, a bent twig on the verge of snapping. “I know you’ve moved on, but I have someone here who wishes to speak to you. If you wish to speak to her, please show yourself.”

Sully is quiet for a long moment afterward that seems to roll into an eternity of anticipation.

“What’s happening?” I whisper, a cloud of breath billowing out from me.

Sully lets out a slow, long shh, his face suddenly going peaceful.

All the blood in my body drops into my feet.

“Iona,” Sully says. There’s something breathy in the way he says my name, something disbelieving and hopeful and so full of everything.

“Jack?” I breathe as tears spring into my eyes.

“Yes,” Sully says, and he suddenly opens his eyes. But they only meet mine for a moment. They shift off to the right, next to the window, by his shoulder.

Goosebumps flash onto my skin as my eyes follow Sully’s.

“Can you see him?” I whisper. I want to shy back, to put some distance between myself and the ghost only he can see. But I’m also dying inside, knowing he is hidden from my eyes.

“Yes.”

 

Author Bio:

Keary Taylor is the USA TODAY bestselling author of over twenty novels. She grew up along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest and Utah, with her husband and their two children. She continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps her up at night.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

"XBT</p

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Welcome to Sunset in Old Savannah by Mary Ellis #MaryEllis

Posted on by

Sunset in Old Savannah by Mary Ellis is the fourth book in the Secrets of the South Mystery series.

I have been with the characters from the beginning, and it is good to be back.

All I need to do is look at the cover and I am there.

Sunset in Old Savannah (Secrets of the South Mysteries #4)Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Amazon CA  /  Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A convoluted mystery with lots of suspects that kept me guessing.

It’s so nice to be back with familiar faces and off on another adventure with the team. This series can stand alone but to really get to know the main characters and all the supporting ones best, this light, fun, sorta cozy type of read is well worth reading from the beginning.

I start with a smile on my face at the fun writing about Beth.

She’s quite the character. She is my favorite. I love her brash, snarky, sarcastic wit that puts poor Mike, who’s madly in love with her, through the wringer. She manages to find herself in uncomfortable situations, and she’s looking for a reason to get out of town..

I can’t help but laugh at Beth’s antics…even as she puts her life in danger to get to the bottom the mystery.

Old friends, new friends, a mystery solved and another mystery on the horizon. From Natchez and Pensacola, to Savannah, Beth always gets her man.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sunset in Old Savannah by Mary Ellis.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In Savannah, Everyone Has Something to Hide

When socialite Evelyn Doyle hires investigative partners and best friends Michael Preston and Elizabeth Kirby to do some routine surveillance on her wayward husband, the detective duo find themselves embroiled in a mystery with more suspects than there are shells on Tybee Island.

Evelyn’s husband turns up dead, leaving her as the police chief’s prime target. The investigation reveals a hodgepodge of potential murderers, including a scheming business partner, a resentful mistress, and a ne’er-do-well brother. It’s up to Mike and Beth to follow the trail of secrets that reaches further than the branches of the moss-draped oaks of Savannah.

As word of the case gets around town, business is booming for Price Investigations. When Mike and Beth hire Kaitlyn Webb, Savannah’s newest transplant, their workload eases, but will the ghosts of her past threaten everyone’s safety before a killer can be put behind bars? And can Mike and Beth find love as their friendship and faith are put to the test?

ABOUT MARY ELLIS

Mary EllisMary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances set during the Civil War. Her latest, Midnight on the Mississippi, first of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, is set in New Orleans. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. Mary enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming, and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mar…

MY MARY ELLIS REVIEW

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Minds Eye by Skyler Dean #SkylerDean #RoanePublishing

Posted on by
MESlideshow1.jpg

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO
MIND’S EYE!
 
 
Mind’s Eye
A Romantic Suspense Novel
By Skyler Dean
Release Date: August 28, 2017
 
Keywords: paranormal, psychic, New York City, Wiccan, astral projection, murder

MY REVIEW

I love suspense and thrills, then add a bit of the supernatural, and I am super excited. Skyler Dean did not let me down.

Cassandra is a character that immediately won me over. Her dream came to life on the front page of the paper and brought death front and center. But she’s in denial. How could she know?

Now, they are leaking into her waking life. Afraid to sleep, unable to stay awake. No one to help. Until…Detective Derek Ward, and he isn’t buying her story of being in the park, in the middle of the night, wearing her pajamas, looking for a lost earring and then she just happens to come across a dead girl. He knows she didn’t commit the murder, but he also knows she’s hiding something and he just can’t let it go. He’s like a dog with a bone.

There is a slow burning romance. Derek does know the meaning of no, and doesn’t get all pissy about it. Just more determined to win her over at her own pace.

He must be an amazing kisser, because “he had officially fried her brain” after laying one on her. I laughed out loud.

When she saw HIM, she never saw his face, but she knew he was the killer. Could he sense her? Did he know she was watching? I wasn’t sure one way of the other for a while.

Skyler Dean has created a feeling of danger, an ominous darkness laying in wait for Cassandra. I know something has to happen, something worse than her visions, and we know, Derek will be there to ride in on his white horse and save her.

Two of my favorite genres, the supernatural and suspense, are brought together in a smashing success. My expectations were twisted and just when I thought I knew it all, it went in another direction. I love when I don’t know it all, don’t you? Highly recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Mind’s Eye by Skyler Dean.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Newly hired NYC blogger Cassandra Hale has finally achieved her dream-living and writing in the big city.  Eager to prove her skills and secure her place, Cassie pushes hard to gain respect from the new age publishing group where she’s recently snagged a position.

With her energies focused, Cassie’s work flourishes…until her reality rapidly unravels.

As a sudden witness to murders in her sleep, Cassie becomes convinced that she’s losing her mind.

All she wants is to discover a way of making these gruesome visions stop. But with no control over them, her subconscious mind begins to wreak havoc on her life.

At the edge of her sanity, Cassie decides to take matters into her own hands and tracks down the latest victim from her dreams, subsequently gaining the unwanted attention from NYPD detective Derek Ward.

Struggling to cope, not only with accepting her newfound abilities but with her perceived involvement in a crime, Cassie is forced to contend with interrogations from Ward, who’s convinced she has something to hide.

As Cassie and Derek both fight to discover the truth, as well as a growing, unwanted attraction towards each other, they are ultimately thrown together as the stakes jump even higher-Cassie’s premonitions turn to a man whose diabolical intentions are eerily close to her.

Purchase Links

~~~oOo~~~

Excerpt:

The spacious expanse of hardwood shined against the low glow cast by the growing moon. Despite the icy air, the window had been boldly left open, sending the filmy cream curtains fluttering eerily against the washed glass.She moved through the palatial home, silent as a ghost. Extravagantly decorated, overly lavish with marble gleaming and crystal dripping. Cassie could hear no sound, see no movement. But that didn’t stop the fear.As she looked across at the illuminated floor, she saw tiny drops scattered over the wood, shimmering red against the monochromatic glow of the night. She followed them into the bedroom where the trail of drops turned to puddles. Crouching down, Cassie tried to touch a finger to the wet but she couldn’t make contact, her body light as the air and just as elusive.

A gust of wind swept through the room, blasting out angry bursts of cold. Still kneeling, Cassie realized she was at the foot of a huge four poster bed. The duster and comforter pillowed out around the carved wood panels, creating voluminous puffs of shimmering trimmed satin.

She felt herself move in slow motion as she lifted her gaze up the nearest bed post. Slowly she reached forward, following the red splatters, tracing her invisible fingers alongside their path.

Rising up, over the wood and satin, the red puddles led her to the dead.

Long thin limbs lay sprawled across the bed, delicate bare feet turned under. The woman, raven haired and beautiful even in death, was stretched on her stomach with her head cocked unnaturally to one side. Her mouth slacked open and her eyes were dark and blank as a doll’s.

Cassie saw that her shoulder had been wrenched back, the bone protruding up at an odd angle. The blood that had dripped and pooled across the floor was smeared over her arm to her wrist where she had been shackled to one of the bed posts. And in the center of her back, the pool swallowed her, covering her torso in heavy crimson.

Panting now, her breath gasping out, Cassie whipped her head back and forth. She was surrounded. Surrounded by the death. Blood everywhere. She lifted her hand and saw the woman’s blood drip from her fingertips.

Desperately she tried to wipe her hands clean, for now she could feel the slimy slickness coating her skin, choking her, as she pushed away from the bed. The scream that ripped through her throat followed her out as she tumbled backward and into the black.

#####

“No, no, no! Son of a bitch!”

She woke with her heart leaping against her chest. Surging up, Cassie fought to shove aside her covers. Arms and legs shaking with terror, she nearly tripped over Luna as she began running for the door. Something made her stop, made her catch her breath and think.

Derek, she realized. She needed Derek. Not only to find the woman, but she needed him with her. To help get her through.

Snatching up her phone, Cassie barely noted the time showing nearly 2am. She wasn’t worried about that courtesy at the moment.

“Derek!” she rushed out his name as soon as his sleep roughened voice answered. “I dreamed about a woman, you have to help me! She’s in some really fancy condo or townhouse and she’s already dead.”

“Cassie,” he said when she stopped talking abruptly. “How do you-”

He halted then and after all the hesitation and doubt he’d previously grappled with, Derek allowed himself to have a little faith.

“Where is she?” 

~~~oOo~~~
GIVEAWAY! 
A $10 Roane Publishing Gift Card
 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use a RoanePublishing.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!