I absolutely LOVED this new historical cozy mystery!
THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN
(Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery Book 1) by Allison Montclair ticked off all of
my favorite things in a historical cozy mystery. The time and place is the
immediate years post WWII in London. The characters are appropriate to the
time, realistic, extremely entertaining and smart. The plot is full of
interesting twists and red herrings.
Two very different women meet at the wedding of a mutual
friend and form an instant friendship. With their individual talents, they
decide to start a business venture called The Right Sort of Marriage Bureau. Iris
Sparks is quick witted, impulsive and secretive in regards to her time during
the war. Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge is a war widow with a young son, Ronnie who
is now destined to become the next Lord Bainbridge. While very different on the
surface, both women fit well together with their individual strengths and
abilities.
As their fledgling business is starting to take off, one of
their newest clients, Tillie LaSalle is found murdered and Scotland Yard arrests
the prospective husband Iris and Gwen paired her with. The detectives believe
they have their man, but Gwen refuses to believe in Mr. Trower’s guilt. To
clear his name and rescue their business, Iris and Gwen decide to investigate
on their own using the skills and contacts each has acquired during the recent
war.
As the pair investigate the murder, they find themselves
surrounded by individuals involved in all forms of illegal post-war activities.
Will Iris and Gwen be able to save Mr. Trower and their new business without
becoming victims themselves?
I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved these characters.
As the mystery plot keeps you turning the pages, so does each revelation in
regards to Iris and Gwen’s pasts. The main characters, the secondary characters
and the mystery plot make this a perfect historical cozy mystery read. I highly
recommend this book and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
Thanks very much to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur
Books for allowing me to read this eARC. It was definitely my pleasure!
My turn on the blog tour today. I am excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for the first book in a new P.I. cozy mystery series set in Wales by a new to me author. MURDER ON THE ROCKS (Jordan Jenner Mysteries Book 1) by J.S. Strange will keep you guessing.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, author info, social media links and purchase links. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb:
When PI Jordan Jenner returns to work following the death of his mother, his first case involves a murdered writer…
James Fairview has been killed. As a member of a prestigious writing group hosted by bestselling author Joseph Gordon in the heart of Cardiff, Jordan not only has to cope with solving the mystery, but also deal with press attention.
As Jordan investigates, he discovers his mother’s death may not have been so simple. And when another writer is murdered, Jordan realises the killer could strike again…
A murdered writer, a mysterious death, and a group with jealousy at its heart, this is Jenner’s toughest case yet.
A cozy murder mystery with a gay male detective, Murder on the Rocks is the first in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries series. If you’re a fan of classic whodunits you will love this!
A perfect read for those looking for Welsh crime fiction.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
MURDER ON THE ROCKS (Jordan Jenner Mysteries Book 1) by J.S.
Strange is a new cozy P.I. mystery. It is the first in a series set in Wales
and by a new to me author. This mystery has a unique lead character and the
murder occurs within a prestigious writer’s group of not so friendly
competitors.
Freelance P.I. Jordan Jenner has just returned to work after compassionate leave for the death of his mother. DCI Vanessa Carter calls Jordan in to her new crime scene for assistance. James Fairview, a wannabe author is found poisoned at a writers’ group meeting. He is a member of bestselling author, Joseph Gordon’s writing group in Cardiff.
As Jordan investigates the private lives of the members of
the writers’ group and tries to find the killer, he finds out that his mother
knew Joseph Gordon and her death may be related in some way. Every turn has
Jordan drawn deeper into this web of lies and the killer may not be done yet.
Jordan is an intriguing main character. He is not the nicest
person, but he is intelligent and determined. I also have not read any
mysteries with a gay P.I. protagonist. The plot itself has many twists, turns
and red herrings that kept me reading and guessing right up to the end. Since
this is a cozy mystery, you are able to avoid the strict, true-to-life police
procedures and rules.
The murder mystery is all tied up in the end, but there is a
bit of a personal cliffhanger that will easily lead those of us who want more
into the next book. I am very glad I tried this new to me author and can highly
recommend this book. I am looking forward to many more mysteries in this
series.
***
About J.S.
Strange:
J.S. Strange is an author from Wales,
United Kingdom. He writes crime, mystery and horror. His first novels,
published in 2016 and 2017, were set in an apocalyptic London. Murder on the
Rocks, is the first in a cozy crime mystery series, featuring a leading gay
male detective.
Murder on the Rocks was written by Strange for many reasons. One of those
reasons was a lack of representation within the crime genre, particularly with
detectives and sleuths. Strange created Jordan Jenner, a private investigator,
who lives and works in Cardiff. Murder on the Rocks was written with the
intention of shining light on Cardiff, and bringing Cardiff, and furthermore,
Wales, into the crime genre.
Strange’s previous works, such as ‘Winter Smith: London Burning’, also explored
LGBT themes, and featured socialite Winter Smith escaping a zombie apocalypse.
‘London’s Burning’ became an Amazon best-seller in LGBT fiction.
When Strange doesn’t write, he works in television. He also presents a radio
show all about the paranormal. He has an enthusiasm for Britney Spears and
cats.
Today I am excited to share the Feature Post and Book Review for Susan Stoker’s new release DEFENDING HARLOW (Mountain Mercenaries Book 4). This addition to the series has the men working a case right at home in Colorado Springs.
Below you will find a guest post from the author, an excerpt, my book review, the author’s bio and social media info and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
You are going to love “Black” and Harlow’s story. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Guest Post: A Mountain Mercenary’s Sneak Attack with
Author Susan Stoker
Defending Harlow is
book 4 in the Mountain Mercenaries series. Each book features one of the men
who were recruited by the mysteries “Rex” to work on his team to help rescue
kidnapped women and children. In this book we meet Lowell “Black” Lockard who
was a Navy SEAL before he became a Mountain Mercenary. He joined the group
because after his stint in the Navy, he realized that he was happiest when he
was being useful, helping others. He’d been close to his fellow SEALs when he’d
been on active duty, but somehow he was even closer with his fellow Mountain
Mercenaries.
They worked together, they played
together, and they simply enjoyed spending time with each other both during
missions and when they were living their lives in Colorado Springs.
Black loves that his friends have
found women that completed them. Gray met Allye when he rescued her from a boat
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and they had to swim for hours to safety. Ro
met Chloe when her brother was holding her hostage in his house and was about
to pimp her out from his strip club. And Arrow met Morgan when they’d been down
in the Dominican Republic to rescue a child who’d been kidnapped by her non
custodial father. Turns out, Morgan was one of the most famous missing people
the United States had ever had, and she’d been held for over a year before
she’d accidentally been found by the Mountain Mercenaries.
He loves that his friends are happy,
but realizes that he is…bored. He wants someone to laugh with. To talk to at
the end of the day. To break the routine of his life. He envies his friends for
having that.
Meeting Harlow is a turning part in
Black’s life. She makes him laugh and he’s intrigued more than he’s ever been
by a woman before. And realizing they went to the same high school once upon a
time makes him even more curious. But there’s a problem…Harlow has had bad date
after bad date and she’s sworn off dating forever.
But Black won’t give up. He decides to “trick” her by refusing to call what they’re doing as ‘dates.’ They’re just “hanging out.” And the more he spends time with her, the more he likes her…and vice versa. Harlow will have to decide whether or not to take a chance on Black, and he’ll have to figure out how to neutralize the threat looming over Harlow and the women’s shelter she works at or else the semantics of what they’re doing will be a moot point, because someone might end up dead.
***
Defending Harlow Excerpt
Neither said anything for a while as
they drove toward downtown.
Finally, Harlow asked, “Where are we
going?”
“The Pit.”
“Where?”
Lowell smiled. “Since this isn’t a
date, and we’re talking about the shelter, I decided I should take you to the
place where me and my team conduct business. The Pit.”
“It sounds scary. Please tell me there
aren’t snakes on the floor and Indiana Jones isn’t going to pop up and run
pell-mell through the place being chased by members of an ancient civilization
because they want their artifact back.”
Harlow stared at Lowell when he threw
his head back and laughed loud and long. She couldn’t help but chuckle herself.
The man sitting next to her was so different from any man she’d dated in the
past—no, wait … this wasn’t a date. Nope. Not even close.
“I can’t wait to tell the others that.
No, Harl, The Pit is a combination bar and pool hall. It’s pretty much a
hole-in-the-wall kind of place.”
“Why do you do business in a bar?”
Harlow asked.
“To be honest, I’m not sure. The Pit
is where we were interviewed when we were first asked to join the Mountain
Mercenaries … I’m assuming you know about the team?”
She nodded. “A bit. Loretta told me.
I’m sorry if she spoke out of turn, but she was trying to reassure me that you
knew what you were doing and could help us.”
“I can help you,” Lowell confirmed.
“And in a nutshell, me and my teammates are all former Special Forces soldiers,
and we work for Rex, getting women and children out of untenable situations.”
“Why mercenaries? I mean, it doesn’t
sound like that’s what you guys really are.”
Lowell shook his head, and a small
smile formed on his face. “Why do women always concentrate on that word?” he
asked, more to himself than her.
Harlow answered him even though he
hadn’t really asked. “Because. It’s weird that you call yourselves something
that you technically aren’t. I wouldn’t start a catering business and call it
Harlow Photography.”
“Point taken. I don’t know why Rex
chose that name. Probably because it was catchy and sounded better than
Colorado Badasses, or Your Worst Nightmare.”
Harlow couldn’t stop the bark of
laughter that escaped. “True.”
“The bottom line is that it doesn’t
matter what we’re called. We’re six men who go where we’re needed and do what
we have to do to rescue those who need a helping hand. I know women are
empowered, and there are many who are just as talented at what they do as we
are. But the fact remains, there are a lot of men out there who feel the need
to subjugate and beat down the women and children in their lives. They take
advantage of teenagers who are too young to know better or those who have had
horrible lives. They hurt them and force them to do things against their will.
It’s not right, or fair, and me and my friends are playing a small part in
trying to right those wrongs.”
Harlow wasn’t sure how their light and
playful conversation had turned so intense, but she turned slightly in her seat
to better look at Lowell. His teeth were clenched, and the hand on the steering
wheel was holding on so tightly, she could see his knuckles turning white. He
obviously felt deeply about the topic and his job, and Harlow couldn’t be more
proud of him.
“I’m proud to know you, Lowell
Lockard.”
He looked at her in surprise. “What?”
“The world needs more men like you and
your friends. I don’t know why men like the ones harassing the shelter are the
way they are. Why they feel the need to exert their power over those they deem
weaker than them. But I’m glad you’re there to help tip the scales. Other than
the high-speed-chase guy, generally I haven’t been afraid of my bad dates, I’ve
just been disgusted by or disappointed in them. But I know there are a lot of
women out there who’re in bad marriages and relationships, and it helps knowing
there are people who care. People who will put their own lives on the line to
help get others out of those situations, if asked.”
Lowell pulled into a parking lot of a
dark and seedy-looking building, and Harlow wasn’t surprised to see the neon
sign above the door that said The Pit. This was exactly the
kind of place where she imagined Lowell and his fellow badasses would meet.
He stopped the engine, brought the
hand he was still holding up to his mouth, and kissed the back of it. “Stay
put. I’ll come around.”
He went to let go of her, but Harlow
held on to his hand. “This isn’t a date,” she said, not sure if she was
reminding him or herself. “It’s a work meeting. I let you pick me up, but I
should’ve driven myself. And I can open my own door and pay my own way.”
Lowell leaned into her, and Harlow
forced herself not to pull back.
“I know this isn’t a date. You don’t
date. I heard that loud and clear, Harl. But in my world—and make no mistake;
when you’re with me, you’re in my world—a man opens a door for a lady. He walks
on the outside of the sidewalk, he picks her up whenever possible, and he pays
for drinks and meals. If it makes you feel better, you can think of this as a
business expense I can write off on my taxes.”
Harlow stared at him for a beat, then
nodded. What else could she do? She didn’t want to like Lowell’s world, but she
had to admit it felt good being there. She’d had doors shut in her face when
men had entered ahead of her and hadn’t held them open. She’d had to pay for
her own meals on dates. And she’d even had an experience when she’d literally
almost been run over by a bus in Seattle because she’d been forced to walk on
the outside of the sidewalk near the curb.
“Okay,” she said.
“Okay,” Lowell said with a small
smile. Then he squeezed her hand once more and climbed out.
“Not a date, not a date,” Harlow
chanted to herself quietly as Lowell walked around his car to come to her side.
He opened her door and held out a hand. Taking a deep breath, Harlow put her
hand back in his and allowed him to help her up and out of the low seat.
He didn’t let go of her hand once she
was standing next to him, though. He simply shut the car door with his free
hand and led her toward the door of the bar.
Not a date, she told
herself once more as Lowell smiled at her and pulled open the heavy wooden
door.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEFENDING HARLOW (Mountain Mercenaries Book 4) by Susan
Stoker is a romantic suspense that has the men of Mountain Mercenaries working
a case in their own hometown. When a women’s and children’s shelter is
threatened, these dedicated men work to discover who is responsible and why.
All of the books in this series can be read as standalones, but there is more
character crossover in this book than in the previous books.
Ex-Navy SEAL Lowell “Black” Lockard has watched his
teammates find their forever matches one by one and even though he is not ready
for forever, he would like to find someone to share his time with. When Black
shows up for his turn to teach self-defense at the women’s shelter, he is
surprised to see that the new chef is an acquaintance from high school. Harlow
is a beautiful person, inside and out, and Black wants to see more of her, but
Harlow does not date.
Harlow Reese loves her job and all of the women and children
in the shelter. She is surprised when the boy she had a crush on in high school
walks in to teach self-defense to the women. Recently a group of young thugs
has started harassing the women and children and Harlow asks Black for his
help. With Harlow’s “No Dating” rule, Black has to find a way to do things with
Harlow without calling it a date. He starts by being available at all times to
keep her safe and he begins to find that Harlow means more to him than he
planned.
The threats escalate and Black pulls in all of the Mountain
Mercenaries to help find who is responsible. Can Black and the Mountain
Mercenaries keep the shelter and its’ occupants safe as they work to uncover
the threat?
I really enjoyed the mix of romance and suspense in this book in the series. Harlow’s list of bad dates had me laughing out loud. She had bad things happening around her at the shelter, but she was not abused as the previous heroines. Lowell was an interesting mix of understanding and caring for Harlow, but he has a dark side that is revealed in this story. These two were perfect for each other and I cheered on every step Lowell took to get Harlow. The suspense plot was well written to keep the story fast paced and interesting. The sex scenes were explicit, but not gratuitous when they did occur.
I can highly recommend this book and the entire series! I am
looking forward to Ball’s story next.
***
About the Book
Title: Defending Harlow
Author: Susan Stoker
Release Date: June 4, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Lowell “Black” Lockard, former Navy SEAL, has
watched his fellow Mountain Mercenaries settle down with the women of their
dreams, but he’s convinced he doesn’t need love. Then he gets a call from
Harlow Reese—a chef at a local women’s shelter—and begins to reconsider his
decision.
After being
continually harassed by a local band of punks, Harlow asks Lowell to give the
women of the shelter lessons in self-defense. She doesn’t expect him to take
such a special interest in her safety, but he insists on escorting her to and
from work, never taking no for an answer. Not that Harlow minds the personal
touch…especially when it’s coming from her former teenage crush.
Despite her long history of bad dating luck, seeing Black again makes Harlow rethink her self-imposed celibacy. Easy on the eyes and hard to forget, the man has morphed into an alpha stud. And Harlow may be exactly the type of woman Black is looking for. Making her feel safe isn’t only a duty; it’s a pleasure. But the threats are escalating. The motives are a mystery. And as the danger burns almost as hot as their passion, there’s much more at risk than their hearts.
Author Biography
Susan Stoker is
a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author. Her series include Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, SEAL of Protection,
Delta Force Heroes, and Mountain Mercenaries. Married to a retired Army
noncommissioned officer, Stoker has lived all over the country—from Missouri
and California to Colorado and Texas—and currently lives under the big skies of
Tennessee. A true believer in happily ever after, Stoker enjoys writing novels
in which romance turns to love. To learn more about the author and her work,
visit her website, www.stokeraces.com,
or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorsusanstoker.
DEFENDING MORGAN (Mountain Mercenaries Book 3) by Susan
Stoker is another exciting romantic suspense addition to the Mountain
Mercenaries series. All of these books can be read as standalones, but there is
character crossover with each book adding another HEA to the group of friends.
Ex-Navy SEAL Archer “Arrow” Kane is part of a team sent by
Rex, the leader of the Mountain Mercenaries to the Dominican Republic to rescue
a kidnapped child. The team is surprised when they find the child, they also
find an American woman who has been missing from Atlanta for over a year.
Morgan Byrd was abducted and disappeared while out with friends. Her father kept her story in the news and never gave up hope of finding her. Arrow recognizes her and has an instant need to protect this strong and brave woman. He wants to know how and why she ended up in Santa Domingo and so does Morgan.
Arrow offers Morgan a safe place to stay until the Mountain
Mercenaries can find out who wanted Morgan gone, but not dead.
This book is not what I was expecting, although I should
have. While Morgan was abducted, she was sexually abused and tortured. The
descriptions are not graphic and mainly handled behind a psychologist’s closed
door, but as you can imagine there is a very slow build up to any type of intimacy.
I cheered every step forward Morgan made. Arrow is amazing in his respect and
patience. The talks the couple shared displayed their intimacy. Their
relationship builds at a realistic pace with the inclusion of professional
help. I was shocked at the end when the villain of this story was revealed and
I had a hard time accepting it. It was a surprise that left me unsatisfied.
I still find this series to be entertaining and I love
watching each mercenary meet his perfect match. These books all have strong,
alpha male heroes and heroines who have been through terrible circumstances,
but remain resilient and loving. I am looking forward to reading many more HEAs
in this series!
Thanks very much to Net Galley and Montlake Romance for
allowing me to read this ARC.
