Vengeance (Book 1 in the Oak Grove Suspense Series)
When Dr. Shayla Thorn moves back to her home town of Oak Grove, she is determined that this will be a new start for her and her son. But when Dylan’s father insists on righting the wrongs of their past, she’s torn between what she knows is right and what her heart wants. But the one thing she never expected was for her life to be thrown into utter chaos.
Ryan Jacobs, former FBI agent and lead detective for Oak Grove and its surrounding areas, is determined to win Shayla’s heart and make up for the mistakes they made in the past. He won’t take no for an answer, but everything begins to unravel when he is called to the scene of a brutal crime almost identical to a slew of murders he solved long ago.
It doesn’t take long for the pair to give into what their hearts want, but when an old nemesis seeks revenge on Ryan, everyone’s life is in danger. Will Ryan find the culprit in time to save the love of his life or will she fall victim to a vicious killer’s vengeance?
Judson Hardenbergh’s life was perfect, that is until tragedy changed the course of his life. When a fire claims his family, he gives up on everything. Will moving back to his home town of Oak Grove save him from himself or drive him into deeper despair?
For Ryan Jacobs, Oak Grove’s Chief of Police, it’s been smooth sailing since the abduction and murders that plagued the town, and almost cost him his family. Though Mathis is still at large, Ryan is confident that he’ll be able to catch him before he strikes again.
When one of Ryan’s high school friends, Judson Hardenbergh, is accused of murder, he must jump into action and determine if ‘Jud’ is capable of committing this horrible crime. What he finds is that this case is more complicated than he imagined and that penance comes in many forms.
Reese Stephens was born in the Appalachian Mountains, but was raised all over the East Coast. Since getting married Reese has settled back into her Appalachian roots, and currently lives on a small farm with her husband and three children. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education, and is currently homeschooling her two school aged children. She considers herself a naturalist. She loves learning about and using natural remedies and essential oils to keep her family and herself healthy.
Writing was something Reese never thought much of, until she and her family went through several traumatic events. A friend advised her to keep a journal, but she just couldn’t put into words how she felt, so she turned to the world of creative writing. It didn’t take long for her to discover her passion there.
Reese is currently working on publishing the first book in her Oak Grove Suspense series, Vengeance which will be out this fall. The second in the series, Penance, is expected to be released spring 2017. In addition to writing crime suspense she also writes paranormal romance. Her first story in this genre is called The Reluctant Prince, expected release is late 2017. You can, however, read the first few chapters of it on Wattpad or her Website for FREE.
. The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
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A messy bookshelf is the norm around the Fundin household. I just cannot help but pick up another book and another and another…
I enjoy reading Lisa Scottoline and I can see why she is a New York Times Bestselling Author.
“Mrs Bott, I have a feeling that someone close to Shay, maybe her boyfriend, sold drugs. Do you know anything about that?”
(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 2005)
Book Beginnings
Vicki Allegretti always wondered what it would feel like to look into the barrel of a loaded gun, and now she knew. The gun was a black Glock, nine millimeter, and it was aimed at her right eye. Vicki observed the scene out-of- body, as if it were happening to a girl with a better sense of humor. Wonder if black guns make you look thinner, she thought.
GOODREADS BLURB:Prosecutor Vicki Allegretti goes to meet a confidential informant, is almost killed, and a cop is gunned down before her eyes. She saw the killers, now all she has to do is find them. The deeper Vicki probes, the more she becomes convinced that the murder wasn’t random. When another murder takes place, Vicki is thrown together with an unlikely ally — The Girlfriend from Hell. Will they find the killers before they kill each other?
Lillian Brannon wakes up on Valentine’s Day in an exact replica of her bedroom but the only item that she believes is authentic is her dog, Laude. She is held captive in her kidnapper’s basement apartment, summoned upstairs once a week for a chaste dinner. But will his kindness last, and more importantly, why isn’t anyone looking for her?
Lillian’s story is interwoven with that of Nathan, a NYPD officer, who is intrigued by Lillian’s disappearance- how can a young woman be gone for two weeks before a Missing Person Report is filed? Local police believe Lillian has voluntarily abandoned a life she didn’t like. Lillian’s best friend convinces Nathan the authorities are wrong. With no jurisdiction, no resources, and no witnesses, he is compelled by the pictures of Lillian with her sweet smile and sparkling green eyes to obsessively take up the case. Armed with Lillian’s keys and personal information, he spends hours, then days in her home trying to find clues that will lead him to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
LILY –
I woke with a terrible headache. The pounding reminded me of the night Annie and I discovered the potency and, the next morning, the after effects of martinis. The smile that thought brought to my face quickly faded when the throbbing intensified.
I feared opening my eyes. Not sure if that would make my head hurt worse and scared what I would see. I tried to recall my evening. I didn’t remember going to bed. Truth was, I didn’t remember coming home.
No. I remembered getting on the elevator. And, arguing on the phone with Annie, before getting on the elevator. And hanging up on Annie as I got on the elevator. But that was it. No getting into my apartment; no getting into my bed. I was trying to remember more when I remembered the most important thing, Laude.
I gradually opened my eyes and there she was. Sitting right next to me, staring at me. Her ears, which usually stood straight up, were down. Her head was down, too. Not exactly cowering but not the usual morning, happy to see you posture of my puppy. It was a bit disconcerting to see those two dark eyes fixed on me, never mind not knowing how long they had been staring at me.
Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.
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I used Tweedledum and Tweedledee by Willow Rose for my One Sentence Review, check it out HERE.
This is one horror author you will want to check out!
“Flaying a person or sawing off their leg takes a long time. And it is very messy.”
(56% on Kindle)
GOODREADS BLURB: A hair-raising thriller from an Amazon bestselling author! …A must read for mystery lovers.
In the middle of the night, Alberto Alonzo sneaks out to play at the casino with his mother’s credit card in his hand. The next morning he is gone and no one knows where he is and, for his family, a real-life nightmare unfolds.
Emma Frost is with her family on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea when the boy goes missing from the ship. The boy is the son of a world-famous race driver. When the wife is killed shortly thereafter, everyone turns their attention to the race driver and thinks he killed them both.
But soon, another teenager disappears in the middle of the night and Emma suddenly finds herself leading a desperate manhunt to track down the killer before he strikes again.
-RUN, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN is a spine-chilling mystery. It is the third book in Willow Rose’s bestselling Emma Frost series.
OMG…right out of the gate…breathtaking, jaw dropping, spine tingling…One of the most Criminal Minds on steroids, suspense, mystery, horror, thriller stories I have ever read, and a must read for all you extreme horror lovers…and I DARE YOU to go on that cruise? 😈
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB: A hair-raising thriller from an Amazon bestselling author! …A must read for mystery lovers.
In the middle of the night, Alberto Alonzo sneaks out to play at the casino with his mother’s credit card in his hand. The next morning he is gone and no one knows where he is and, for his family, a real-life nightmare unfolds.
Emma Frost is with her family on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea when the boy goes missing from the ship. The boy is the son of a world-famous race driver. When the wife is killed shortly thereafter, everyone turns their attention to the race driver and thinks he killed them both.
But soon, another teenager disappears in the middle of the night and Emma suddenly finds herself leading a desperate manhunt to track down the killer before he strikes again.
-RUN, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN is a spine-chilling mystery. It is the third book in Willow Rose’s bestselling Emma Frost series.
. The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
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A messy bookshelf is the norm around the Fundin household. I just cannot help but pick up another book and another and another…
I am a big fan of horror, suspense and thriller novels, so John Saul is always on my must read list.
The door swung open, a man was shoved inside, and then the door was pulled closed again.
(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 2001)
Book Beginnings
Time had finally lost its meaning.
Weeks could have passes. Or months.
GOODREADS BLURB: In Manhattan Hunt Club John Saul plumbs the depths of the Manhattan underground–the network of subway tunnels and secret caverns and chambers where the homeless denizens of the city have created their own society. It’s a world Jeff Converse, a young college student convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, never knew existed until he is plunged into it after an “accident” that occurs while he is being transported to prison. He soon realizes that it’s no accident, but the opening move in a deadly game being played by some of the city’s most powerful men and women, a game in which he is the prey and they are the hunters. Jeff’s only chance to make it to the surface and survive lies in allying himself with a homicidal maniac who’s appointed himself the young man’s protector, but whose designs on Jeff are almost as lethal as those of his enemies in the Manhattan Hunt Club.
Saul made his reputation in the horror genre, but he now focuses on psychological terrors rather than things that go bump in the night. His narrative gifts are displayed to great advantage in this heart-stopping thriller; the pacing is flawless and the central characters are very well developed. What keeps this from living up to its fullest potential is the inadequate motivation of the villains, who are largely one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. But that won’t keep this otherwise topnotch thriller off the bestseller lists, where Saul (Nightshade, The Right Hand of Evil), like Stephen King, is a perennial contender for the number one spot. –Jane Adams
Lauren Carr is the bestselling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, and the brand new series, The Thorny Rose Mysteries. We caught up with the charming mystery writer as she preps to kick off her upcoming virtual book tour for A Fine Year for Murder, the 2th in the Mac Faraday series.
Author Interview with Lauren Carr
Lauren, thank you so much for chatting with us. Right off the bat, I’m curious. Is it hard to break away from your successful Mac Faraday series to work on another one?
Yes and no. Actually, I don’t consider this breaking away so much as taking a break from Mac and the gang at Deep Creek Lake. I’m not leaving Mac Faraday and the gang in Deep Creek Lake or the Lovers in Crime in their small town in West Virginia at all. I’m simply taking my readers on a detour to visit a new and different group of detectives.
As a writer, an occasional detour helps me to step away and marinate on my next Mac Faraday or Lovers in Crime Mystery—think about where I want the characters to go. Now that I am returning to the next Mac Faraday Mystery, I am actually approaching it with a fresher perspective, which adds a special treat for my readers as well.
A Fine Year for Murder, the second Thorny Rose Mystery, was released January 30. The Thorny Rose Mystery series is a different direction for you, isn’t it?
Yes, it is—which makes it exciting for me as the writer and for my readers, as well. As an author, I am always striving to stretch my wings and try new things. I always listen to readers, not just talk about my books, but other authors’ books. It is not uncommon to hear a reader complain about an author’s books starting to all read the same, or for the reader to become bored with an author’s books. Well, that can also happen to the author who is writing the books. Some readers may not like the new direction I go with the Thorny Rose Mysteries. They can take comfort with Mac Faraday and the Lovers in Crime. The rest, they can dive into the mystery and suspense of Murphy and Jessica, the next generation of mystery detectives.
In the first Thorny Rose Mystery, Kill and Run, it was plain to see that the young newlywed couple, Jessica and Murphy, have a far different lifestyle than Mac and Joshua. Can you share some of the differences we will see? Living in Washington DC, will their stories lean toward political suspense?
Jessica and Murphy are much younger, more daring, and without a doubt more impulsive than their fathers. Also, since they are millennials, they lean toward today’s high tech lifestyle—thus, the character of Nigel, their virtual butler.
The setting alone (Washington DC) makes for a different type of criminal element. Since Murphy is a military officer assigned to the Pentagon, then we get to add a political element. As a phantom, he’s often sent on secret assignments. Then, we have Jessica Faraday, a savvy and rich young woman who knows her way around high society, which will prove to be helpful to Murphy.
Behind the scenes, readers get to see the normal adjustments that every newlywed couple must deal with—like where does the peanut butter go (fridge or cupboard) and how many children do they want to have and when.
Yet, personally, I do not want the Thorny Rose Mysteries to be a wholly political suspense mystery series. Wanting to make that clear, I set our detectives in the wine country of southern Virginia for A Fine Year for Murder.
Speaking of setting, how do you decide on the setting for a book? For instance, in choosing Washington DC or Virginia’s wine country, do you already have your story idea in mind before you settle on the location or is it character driven?
Character driven! My books are completely character driven. The decision for Washington DC for the Thorny Rose series came naturally. Murphy Thornton was a recent graduate from the Naval Academy and Jessica wanted to be with him. That meant she had to move to Washington as well. As an author, this worked well for me because I used to work in Washington as an editor for the federal government. My husband had been a navy officer assigned to the Pentagon, so I didn’t need to do that much research.
Yet, for A Fine Year for Murder, the murder case was based on a real cold case that happened in a small town. I had selected this mystery to be Jessica’s case, since Murphy took center stage in Kill and Run. Jessica had grown up in the suburbs of Washington DC, which is not a small town. So, I created the storyline in which she had become involved in the case as a child while visiting distant relatives. That resulted in my taking Jessica and Murphy on a road trip to southern Virginia.
What led to the decision to bring together the two grown children of Mac (Mac Faraday) and Joshua Thornton (Lovers in Crime)? I love the idea, by the way.
Oh, like love, it just sort of happened. I thought long and hard about bringing the two of them together before I made the final decision. Then, it was almost a year after that before I decided found the right book launch them.
Murphy’s character came about in my first mystery book, A Small Case of Murder, a Joshua Thornton Mystery. At that time, he was seventeen years old. I knew then that he would be going to the Naval Academy. When I created the character of Jessica Faraday (readers meet her via phone conversation in Old Loves Die Hard) she was already in college in Williamsburg. When I brought back Joshua for the Lovers in Crime, I realized Murphy and Jessica were about the same age. As their fathers became friends, it became natural for them to grow close. Like my readers, I was very surprised by how quickly they grew together.
Your Mac Faraday series as well as the Lovers in Crime series have both garnered a loyal following. I’m one of them. We will still be seeing their series continue as well, won’t we?
Oh yes! Each series will continue to grow on their own with interconnecting mysteries occasionally. In Kill and Run, the Lovers in Crime actively participate in the mystery. In A Fine Year for Murder, Mac Faraday and the Deep Creek Lake gang make an appearance. Then, this summer, readers are in for a treat as all of my series characters come together for two mysteries in Twofer Murder! This special mystery will be a lot of fun—I promise! As long as readers are clamoring for mysteries, I’ll be writing them.
I, for one, love the direction you are going with this series. Characters grow and change and to keep up with the times makes them feel even more real to me.
Thanks so much for visiting, Lauren, and I look forward to reading more of your work!
After months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.
When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family living near a winery owned by distant relatives she was visiting and suppressed the memory.
Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
. The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
~~~
A messy bookshelf is the norm around the Fundin household. I just cannot help but pick up another book and another and another…
I have a few of John Sanford’s novels, of which Mind Prey is one. I bought this quite some time ago from the Mobile Public Library. I have also checked out many other books by him and have enjoyed each and every one.
I need to get back to the library and catch up on his latest.
Then he was on her, slamming her back against the stone wall, ripping at her jacket, at her blouse. She screamed at him, “No, don’t, John…”
(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 1995)
Book Beginnings
The storm blew up late in the afternoon, tight, gray clouds hustling over the lake like dirty, balled-up sweat socks spilling from a basket. A chilly wind knocked leaves from the elms, oaks, and maples at the water’s edge. The white phlox and black-eyed susans bowed their heads before it.
GOODREADS BLURB: From the bestselling author of Night Prey and Winter Prey…an all-new Lucas Davenport thriller.
Run for it…It was raining when psychiatrist Andi Manette left the parent-teacher conference with her two young daughters, and she was distracted. She barely noticed the red van parked beside her, barely noticed the van door slide open as they dashed up to the car. The last thing she did notice was the hand reaching out for her and the voice from out of the past — and then the three of them were gone.
Hours later, deputy chief Lucas Davenport stood in the parking lot, a blood-stained shoe in his hand, the ground stained pink around him, and knew that this would be one of the worst cases he’d ever been on. With an urgency born of dread, he presses the attack, while in an isolated farmhouse, Andi Manette does the same, summoning all her skills to battle an obsessed captor. She knows the man who has taken her and her daughters, knows there is a chink in his armor, if only she can find it. But for both her and Davenport, time is already running out.
John Sandford’s novels have always been extraordinary for their harrowing twists, unforgettable characters, and crackling prose. But Mind Prey tops them all. It is the work of a true master.
I am so happy to announce that I have a winner from Jon Land’s Strong Cold Dead Giveaway on fundinmental. Congratulations to Laura and I would like to thank everyone for your wonderful comments, which are very much appreciated.
Laura
You can see my review HERE and click on the cover to buy an Amazon copy for your very own.
“This is Chrys Fey reporting for Disaster 5 News. I am in Pensacola where a tsunami hit yesterday morning. I have Sherry Fundin with me, a survivor of the tsunami. Sherry, can you tell our viewers what happened, and how you survived?”
Well, Chrys, it was a gorgeous morning here in the Florida Panhandle. The sun was shining, the surfers were out and everyone was having a great time frolicking in the waves.
The first indication something was amiss was when the sea birds took flight in panic. I could feel a breeze that was different than normal and the hair on my arms and neck stood on end. Tingles ran down my spine…and the water rushed in. And it kept coming. It swept me off my feet, and I was driven down…down…down, being slammed into the pavement. I could feel the flesh being stripped from my body as I struggled to rise to the surface for a much needed breath of air. I frantically searched for anything to grab onto as the water rose…and rose…Just when I thought I couldn’t last any longer, someone reached out and grabbed my hand. I looked up and the most beautiful hazel eyes looked down at me. It was the best day of my life…Mr Wonderful had saved me…
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I love all the covers for this series and Kim Mendoza has done a mighty fine job with Tsunami Crimes by Chrys Fey.
I have been following Beth and Donovan’s journey through one catastrophe after another in this fabulous thriller series. They first met in Hurricane Crimes, and had one hell of an adventure in Seismic Crimes and Lightning Crimes.
Now they face the rage of a Tsunami in Oahu, on their honeymoon, no less.
I have fallen for the characters. I watch as they grow and develop into more complex individuals. Beth is strong, independent, loving and giving. Better think twice about messing with her and her man. Donaovan and Thorn are best friends and both are in love with Beth. Their testosterone levels are so high, I think they need to pull them out and measure their ‘meat sword’. LOL Their friendly rivalry makes for some humorous situations. I love a good villain and Jackson Storm fits the bill nicely.
The suspense builds, there is lots of action, and the suspense builds some more. Beth and Donovan are both targets and ya never know where the danger may come from. It lurks around every corner. Where and when will it strike?
Chrys Fey’s descriptive writing makes the story come alive, as if it is a movie playing out in my head. She has the ability to create doubt, even though I know the ending. She keeps the suspense at a fever pitch that goes on and on, never letting up, leaving me feeling wrung dry of my emotions. I finally reach the end and breathe a sigh of relief.
Excellent job, Chrys!
What disaster will be next?
5 Stars
BLURB: Beth and Donovan have come a long way from Hurricane Sabrina and the San Francisco earthquake. Now they are approaching their wedding day and anxiously waiting to promise each other a lifetime of love. The journey down the aisle isn’t smooth, though, as they receive threats from the followers of the notorious criminal, Jackson Storm. They think they’ll be safe in Hawaii, but distance can’t stop these killers. Not even a tsunami can.
This monstrous wave is the most devastating disaster Beth has ever faced. It leaves her beaten, frightened. Is she a widow on her honeymoon? As she struggles to hold herself together and find Donovan, she’s kidnapped by Jackson’s men.
Fearing her dead, Donovan searches the rubble and shelters with no luck. The thought of her being swept out to sea is almost too much for him to bear, but the reality is much worse. She’s being used as bait to get him to fall into a deadly trap.
If they live through this disaster, they may never be the same again.
Vengeance (Book 1 in the Oak Grove Suspense Series)
Penance (Book 2 in the Oak Grove Suspense series)
back into her Appalachian roots, and currently lives on a small farm with her husband and three children. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education, and is currently homeschooling her two school aged children. She considers herself a naturalist. She loves learning about and using natural remedies and essential oils to keep her family and herself healthy.
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
The Friday 56 is hosted by 
so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
5 Stars
Amazon 
