July 2025 – Page 2 – Avonna Loves Genres

Book Tour/Feature Post and Mini Book Review: Echoes on the Wind by Helaine Mario

ECHOES ON THE WIND

by Helaine Mario

June 23 – August 1, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for ECHOES ON THE WIND (Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense Book #4) by Helaine Mario on this Partner In Crime Virtual Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, and excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway. Enjoy!

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Book Description

TWO STRONG WOMEN, GENERATIONS APART, CONNECTED BY MUSIC…

In 1943 war-torn France, a young woman on the Night Train to Paris has a chance meeting with two very different men who will change her life, setting in motion a Dual Timeline story that will resonate like ripples on water for generations to come.

Many years later, classical pianist Maggie O’Shea is drawn to Brittany by a long-lost letter from her French grandmother and the stirring music of Chopin, whispering like echoes across the years. But as Maggie discovers the secrets of her past, her life spirals out of control, threatening her upcoming wedding and those she loves.

Set against the backdrop of World War II France, Maggie learns her grandmother’s story, chord by chord, through Chopin’s emotional Preludes. And, in one shocking moment, Maggie’s love story will take a heart-breaking turn that will change her life and echo into her future.

Past and present converge in this haunting tale of loss and sacrifice, friendship and family, courage and survival – and the transcendent power of hope, music and love.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214953814-echoes-on-the-wind

Echoes on the Wind

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Suncoast Publishing
Publication Date: June 18, 2024
Number of Pages: 364
ISBN: 9781735184975 (ISBN10: 1735184977)
Series: A Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense, Book 4

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ECHOES ON THE WIND (Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense Book #4) by Helaine Mario is the exciting finale of the Maggie O’Shea series. This story has a dual timeline featuring Maggie in the present and her French grandmother during WWII. I have been waiting for this culmination of love vs. vengeance anxiously and was not disappointed. These books should be read in order because there are over-arching threads throughout the series with Maggie and the other main characters continually evolving.

WOW! I could not put this book down. Not only do you get Maggie in a final showdown ending, but you get the survival story of her grandmother Clair, who was in the French Resistance during WWII written in dual timelines with alternating chapters. The main characters are all fully developed, more so if you have read the entire series, and I feel like they could walk right off the page. This is an extremely emotional book in both timelines, but as in the entire series, family, love, and music, carry the main characters through the worst that is thrown at them.

All the books are intriguing, pull you in, and are worth reading. This series also had me continually listening to the classical music pieces mentioned throughout that Maggie practiced for her concerts, which was a fun reminder of my trips to the Cleveland orchestra when I was younger.

I highly recommend this harrowing romantic suspense/WWII historical fiction mash-up and the entire engaging series!

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Excerpt

OVERTURE

“Like so many things that matter, it began with an accident.” David Ignatius, 12/28/98

NOVEMBER, 1943. THE NIGHT TRAIN TO PARIS

Light and dark.

The bleak November landscape rushed past the train’s window. Black tree branches against the dark night sky, then a sudden flash of light. Then blackness again.

The blackout had claimed the streetlamps and cottage windows. Clair Rousseau stared out the rain-streaked glass, waiting for the next glimpse of light. A lone lantern. Car headlights tilted down, a sliver of gold beyond a cracked curtain. Sheet lightning over distant hills, a glimmer of light on water. But all she saw was the blurred, pale oval of her reflection staring back at her. Dark hair scraped back, framing huge eyes beneath winged brows, sharp cheekbones, the too-wide mouth.

No hint of the emotions flowing through her, except for the deep purple shadows beneath her eyes.

The dim, four-person compartment was cold, and she pulled her coat more tightly around her body. The seat beside her was still empty, thank God. Across from her, two German officers. One asleep, snoring loudly, his hands slack between thick gray-green uniformed knees. The other awake, a Gauloises cigarette clamped between thin lips, a jagged line of white scars marring his left cheek. The narrow fox-like face stared at her through thick round glasses and wreathes of curling blue smoke. His jacket was heavy with insignia, oak leaves, medals. Military Intelligence, she thought with a sudden chill. A high rank, SD or Abwehr. What was he thinking?

The watchful, unblinking eyes made her afraid. Like a snake’s eyes, waiting to strike. She looked away, forcing herself not to reach for her satchel, touch her identity papers for reassurance.

The carriage’s glassed door slid back and forth with an unnerving rattle as the train rocked around a bend. From the hallway came the sharp scent of burning coal, wafting back from the old steam engine several cars ahead. A cloud of steam billowed past the window like sudden fog.

She could feel the vibration beneath her, hear the rumble of the train’s wheels speeding along the tracks. The lonely call of a train whistle, echoing in the night. A quick flare of light, illuminating the rain like silver threads streaming down the window.

Light and dark. Light and dark.

Movement at the edge of her vision. A tall figure appeared in the hallway, beyond the door. Her chest tightened. Would she ever feel safe again?

A sharp crack of thunder, a sudden bright flash lighting her face.

“Mademoiselle Clair?”

Startled, her head came up. The stranger had stopped, was staring into the compartment. Across from her, the watchful German stiffened and slid pale eyes toward the voice.

Be careful.

There was something familiar about the gaunt face, the faint, questioning smile just visible above a thick woolen scarf. She stood quickly, stepping between the German and the carriage door to block the officer’s view.

“Oui,” she said softly, peering into the dim hallway. The man nodded and moved closer. Something about those gentle eyes, the arch of silver brows. Memory surged. Father Jean-Luc.

She flashed him a warning glance for silence and stepped into the train’s narrow corridor, closing the door firmly behind her. “Mon Père, is it really you?”

“Oui, ma petite, c’est moi.” The priest pulled the scarf down to offer a glimpse of his white Roman collar, then lost his smile as he gazed over her shoulder and saw the Germans. “But we cannot talk here. Come with me.”

He slipped a hand beneath her elbow and guided her to the end of the dark passageway, where an open exit door led across shifting metal plates to the train’s next car. She felt the sudden bite of night wind on her face, cold and wet with mist. Here the clatter of the train wheels was loud enough to hide their conversation.

They sheltered just inside the doorway, in the shadows, away from the rain. Outside, the countryside of France rushed by, then disappeared in a billow of black smoke. In the dim corridor, the planes of the priest’s face were lit by a tiny, flickering overhead bulb.

Light and dark. Light and dark.

The priest looked down at her, shook his head. “Little Clair Rousseau,” he murmured. “Now such a beautiful young woman. It’s been – what? – four years since we met? You were just thirteen, I think. Playing the piano in your parents’ apartment. Bach, yes? It was so beautiful, so stirring. I hope you are still playing?”

She shook her head. “You need hope to create music, Père.” She looked back toward her carriage compartment. The hallway was empty. “But I remember that day. The war was coming. You asked us to help you remove the stained-glass windows from Sainte-Chapelle. To save them from the bombing.”

“You were fearless, Clair. I remember watching you, swaying at the top of that impossibly high ladder. The morning light was coming through the stained glass, spilling over you like shimmering jewels. I’ll never forget it. I told myself, Clair means light, she is perfectly named.”

He leaned down. “And I can still see your sister, Elle – too young to help us, bien sûr – dancing around the altar.”

Her expression softened. “Elle loved to dance. It was the last happy day I can remember.” She lifted her eyes to his, took a breath. “Paris was another lifetime, Père.”

“You cannot lose hope,” he told her. “The glass pieces are in a safe place. Beauty and goodness cannot be destroyed. You will see the stained-glass windows back in Sainte-Chapelle when the war is over. I know it.”

She shook her head. “I wish I had your faith.”

“God has his plans. There is a reason we’ve met by chance on the night train to Paris.” Concern flashed in his eyes. “But you’ve been in Brittany? Dangerous times for a young woman to be traveling alone, Clair.”

She looked out at the black trees rushing past the doorway, and felt the blackness deep in her heart. “I am alone now, Père.”

“Mon Dieu. What happened?”

“My father knew that war was inevitable. Not long after we saved the glass my parents moved us from Paris to the coast near Saint-Malo to be safe. Such irony. They had no idea how dangerous Brittany would become. And then…”

She could not stop the sudden rush of tears that filled her eyes. “The Gestapo shot my father last year, in a retaliation roundup for an act of sabotage by the Resistance. He was with the Liberty Network, they had bombed a train track. He stepped forward, admitted it, hoping to save the others. But still they took thirty innocent people from our village, murdered them in the square.”

“Oh no, Clair.” The priest made a quick sign of the cross. “I am so sorry. And your mother, your sister?”

“I don’t know, Père. I was studying in Paris, I begged them to come stay with me. But Maman refused. When I returned last month to see them, the house was empty. They were just… gone. The neighbors said the Germans took them, in the night. The mayor was told they were being relocated to Poland.”

The priest paled. “Désolé. I will pray for their souls.”

Anger erupted, spilled out. “Prayers did not help my family! I have no time for prayer now. Or sorrow. Even avenging my father will have to wait. I need all my energy now to find my mother and my sister.”

He bent toward her. “I am afraid you are still too fearless for your own good. Tell me what you’re doing, little one.”

She turned once more to scan the dark hallway, then leaned closer. “I excelled in languages in my lycée studies these last years,” she whispered. “I am fluent in several languages, including German and English. I hope to find a new job, in the Hotel Majestic in Paris, where the German High Command is quartered. Then I will join the Resistance, find a way to get news of Maman and Elle. I must find them!”

He gazed down at her for a long moment, then put a hand on her shoulder.

“Perhaps I know of another way,” he murmured.

The sound of a door opening. Wavering shadows spilled into the train’s corridor. Then the red glow of a cigarette, a spiral of smoke. She froze as the German officer turned toward them.

“Find me at Èglise Saint-Gervais, in the Marais,” the priest whispered quickly. “I am with the Resistance there. You could work with me, we need someone like you to –”

A sudden terrifying screech of metal wheels. Clair felt herself thrown to the floor as the train braked, slammed to a shuddering stop. Stunned, Clair reached out, felt the still body of the priest beside her. “Mon Père…”

Shouts in German in the darkness, the clatter of heavy boots. When she raised her head she saw flashing blue lights against the night sky.

Light and dark. Light and dark.

Copyright June 2020

***

Author Bio

Best-selling author Helaine Mario grew up in NYC and is a graduate of Boston University. Now living in Arlington, VA, this mother of two, grandmother of five, and passionate advocate for women’s and children’s issues came to writing later in life. Her first novel, The Lost Concerto, won the Benjamin Franklin Award Silver Medal. Echoes on the Wind is her fifth novel and the fourth in her Maggie O’Shea Classical Music Suspense Series. Royalties from her books go to children’s music and reading programs. Helaine recently lost her husband, Ron, after 57 years together. Her new book echoes with loss, grief, and, ultimately, the healing power of love.

Catch Up With Helaine Mario

HelaineMario.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @helainemario
Instagram – @helainemario.author
Facebook – @helaine.mario

Purchase Links

ECHOES ON THE WIND (Book 4)

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/2VGD8cbW

BN – https://pictbooks.tours/SzoO3yjp

Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/djXve0d5

BookShop.org – https://pictbooks.tours/1gkhrUom

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KINGSUMO GIVEAWAY

https://kingsumo.com/g/1072ev3/echoes-on-the-wind-by-helaine-mario-gift-card

Feature Post and Book Review: Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini

Book Description

In June 1917, General John Pershing arrived in France to establish American forces in Europe. He immediately found himself unable to communicate with troops in the field. Pershing needed telephone operators who could swiftly and accurately connect multiple calls, speak fluent French and English, remain steady under fire, and be utterly discreet, since the calls often conveyed classified information.

At the time, nearly all well-trained American telephone operators were women—but women were not permitted to enlist, or even to vote in most states. Nevertheless, the U.S. Army Signal Corps promptly began recruiting them.

More than 7,600 women responded, including Grace Banker of New Jersey, a switchboard instructor with AT&T and an alumna of Barnard College; Marie Miossec, a Frenchwoman and aspiring opera singer; and Valerie DeSmedt, a twenty-year-old Pacific Telephone operator from Los Angeles, determined to strike a blow for her native Belgium.

They were among the first women sworn into the U.S. Army under the Articles of War. The male soldiers they had replaced had needed one minute to connect each call. The switchboard soldiers could do it in ten seconds.

Deployed throughout France, including near the front lines, the operators endured hardships and risked death or injury from gunfire, bombardments, and the Spanish Flu. Not all of them would survive.

The women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps served with honor and played an essential role in achieving the Allied victory. Their story has never been the focus of a novel…until now.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58984691-switchboard-soldiers?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Yh5s4Y3V3M&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SWITCHBOARD SOLDIERS by Jennifer Chiaverini is an engaging and informative historical fiction novel featuring the first young women ever to be able to enlist in the US Army’s Signal Corps and serve overseas as switchboard operators during WWI. The story follows three main protagonists from different parts of the country with varying immigrant family stories as they serve in the great war overseas.

As General John Pershing arrives in France to oversee American forces to fight alongside the French and British forces in the “war to end all wars” against the Axis forces, he realizes he needs professional female operators fluent in both French and English to be able to communicate all over the fields of operation. AT&T operators answered the call to serve from all over the country.

Grace Banker is an AT&T switchboard instructor in New Jersey and an alumnus of Barnard College, Marie Miossec is in Cincinnati with her French parents who are professional musicians working in the states, and Valerie DeSmedt an operator in Los Angeles whose family has immigrated from Belgium, are all accepted after an arduous vetting. Deployed to France, they cross the dangerous waters of the Atlantic facing dangerous German U-boats, the bombardments of the enemy forces throughout France as they are assigned to work closely to the frontlines, the danger of mustard gas and the Spanish flu.

These women served throughout France with honor and valor and were essential to the success of the Allied forces.

I had no idea that these American women switchboard operators were involved in the war effort during WWI. You hear about nurses and the YWCA volunteers, but not this group. I was so impressed by the magnitude of research throughout this novel. The author’s descriptions brought me right into the action. This story does jump around a bit as you follow the different paths and experiences the three main characters follow so occasionally, I felt it was a little disjointed, but in a way, it needed to be, so it fit in with the different journey of each. Just like so many other historical women’s stories in history, these brave young women were not recognized as true soldiers of the Army and received no VA benefits or legal recognition until 1977.

I highly recommend this story of amazing women answering the call to service.

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About the Author

Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of FATES AND TRAITORS, MRS. LINCOLN’S DRESSMAKER, MRS. LINCOLN’S RIVAL, THE SPYMISTRESS, MRS. GRANT AND MADAME JULE, and other acclaimed historical novels. She also wrote the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series, as well as six collections of quilt patterns inspired by her books. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and two sons in Madison, Wisconsin. About her historical fiction, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, “In addition to simply being fascinating stories, these novels go a long way in capturing the texture of life for women, rich and poor, black and white, in those perilous years.”

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.jenniferchiaverini.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferChiaveriniAuthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jchiaverini.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferchiaveriniauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/switchboard-soldiers-by-jennifer-chiaverini

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Rage by Linda Castillo

Book Description

Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?

The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Yutzy’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have been involved in that led to such violent ends?

With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters—individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.

To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Rage by Linda Castillo has a riveting plot. Like a fine wine, she only gets better with each story. Kate Burkholder is a unique character that readers will always root for.

The action starts from page one where an Amish man is brutally murdered. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Yutzy, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Yutzy’s best friend. Then, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market that includes sex trafficking.

Kate is beaten up and warned to stop the investigation, but she is not someone who will give up when justice has not been served. As Kate gets closer to the truth of who is behind the murders, she herself becomes the target of the killers, putting her life in danger.

Each book tops the other one in suspense, mystery, and action. Castillo is a master at building suspense with intense and dark secret undertones.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: We were unable to speak about last year’s published book, The Burning. Is there anything you want to say about it?

Linda Castillo: This is one of my favorites. I think I looked at some of the reviews and saw had readers responded to the story. It was a satisfied book to write because it was a good mystery with the secret underground society of the Anabaptist culture that took out bad Amish. I liked the whole aspect of that story.

EC: How do you feel about this current book, Rage?

LC: Occasionally I listen to my books on audio. This makes me fall in love with it extra hard. Kathleen McInerney is such a great narrator. During my next road trip, I plan on listening to this book.

EC: How did you get the idea for this story?

LC: I am a news hound. I read a lot of crime stuff. There has been so much human trafficking in the news. I did research and realized that Amish women could be victimized. They have

an innocence, naivete, vulnerability, becoming prey to predators. They know they are misbehaving to have fun, but once it reaches a certain level they cannot escape. When exposed to sudden freedom during Rumspringa, they cannot handle it and go overboard, get crazy, and get themselves into trouble.

EC: As in most of your stories you always teach the reader something about the subject matter. Is it true what you put in about sex trafficking?

LC: Emojis are true, and I had no idea about it. Law enforcement can search websites and chat rooms for certain terms. These traffickers tried to find a way around that by using emojis. They use underground language.

EC: How would you describe one of the victims, Samuel?

LC: He got in over his head. He did many things he was very ashamed of and was hoping to make things right. I think he was a decent guy who started down the wrong way and went in the wrong direction. I think once he fell in love everything changed, and he got back on track.

EC: Did Kate see a connection between her past and the other Amish women?

LC: They were all survivors, damaged, and had to take a journey. There is enough information in this book about Kate’s past, so that readers will be able to see the parallels between Kate and these women. The women were young and inexperienced as Kate was, very young, naïve, and vulnerable. They seemed to be lost and unable to re-fit in the Amish community. Kate ran away from her past and her identity. As she recovered and matured as a woman she knew when it was time to go back, with the opening of the Police Chief job. But the Amish women in Rage are not at that point yet. But the last scene in the book shows how one young woman was in the middle of the same journey Kate took.

EC: Interestingly, some of what you wrote made me think about the safety of animals.

LC: If someone has an animal and they end up dying what happens to their animals? I did that in the scene with the horse. I have horses and it upset me to write the scene where the horse was there alone without water and feed, plus it was hot. But I wanted to make sure readers knew that the animal was taken care of. My husband and I have two Blue Heeler dogs, that we are obsessed with and love. We want to make sure they and the horses are taken care of if something happens to us.

EC: In your books, you inform the readers about certain police procedures during their investigations. Your notes about dismemberment were very interesting.

LC: I put in this book quote, “The general rule of thumb for a homicide that involves the dismemberment of a human body is that there are probably two crime scenes. The death

scene, where the victim was murdered and/or dismembered, and the location where the body parts were disposed of and found.” It was a very astute and smart observation. I did not speak to a live law enforcement person about this but read about a dismemberment homicide. I thought about how I wanted to use this fact to make the investigation more difficult for Kate. It worked for the book. Unfortunately, it is a learning experience for me where I learn new things about murder. I must go through every investigational step either by research, talking with somebody, or figuring out the next logical step.

EC: In this book even though Kate is put through the ringer, do you agree she appears to be more cautious?

LC: I did it on purpose, that she now calls for backup. In real-life, small-town police probably do not have much backup. I read a book whose title was When You Are the Only Cop in Town. But I do not want Kate too stupid to live. She must do her due diligence. I still wanted that level of danger, but Kate did not do something foolish. Hopefully the reader is holding their breath, but is waiting for back up to rescue her, upping the suspense.

EC: In this book John Tomasetti is front and center. Do you have a blueprint as to when he will be featured and when he will not?

LC: It will depend on the case Kate is working on. The murders in this book where unusual for the area and are brutal. They had a big city feel, which is what brought Tomasetti in. He will always be there, but I want to vary his level with the crimes.

EC: What about having your books made into a movie or TV series?

LC: Last time we spoke we had a little nibble. I had a Zoom meeting with a script writer and some producers that included Poppy Montgomery who starred in the series “Unforgettable” and “Without A Trace.” She was one of the producers of the first movie, “An Amish Murder,” back in 2013. She loves the character, Kate Burkholder. Her and two other producers on the Zoom are very enthusiastic. I recommended some books in the series, Born to Silence, Down A Dark Road, Among the Wicked, and The Hidden One to read. I thought these books are very representative of the series.

EC: Next books?

LC: The next Kate plot has two Amish women walking down a country road when a car hits and kills one of the women. Was it an accident or more than that? I want to keep my stories fresh by changing the type of crime and the motivation. This book will be published in 2027. But in 2026 there will be another collection of Kate short stories in a brand-new hardcover never released with a new short story never published. It is titled A Dark Path. It will come out in spring or summer 2026.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Book Tour/Feature Post: The Ignoble Lie by Matthews Peters

THE IGNOBLE LIE

by Matthew Peters

July 7 – August 1, 2025

Virtual Book Tour

Below you will find a book description, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway. Enjoy!

Book Description

What if the Ark of the Covenant isn’t a reference to the chest containing the Ten Commandments God revealed to Moses atop Mount Sinai?

What if it refers to the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh whose contents would revolutionize religious history?

As ex-Jesuit Scott Larson and adventuress Zady Jones learn, such a discovery can be deadly.

A terrorist attack on the Great Pyramid of Giza ratchets up the tension in Washington, D.C., where President John Jenkins has been impeached for an order declaring the U.S. a Judeo-Christian nation. The terrorists threaten more attacks in Egypt and the U.S. unless their demand is met—and it’s something only Larson and Jones can give them. When the efforts to meet the terrorists’ demand goes awry and Zady’s sister is kidnapped, Larson and Jones race to save her. Along the way, they receive a series of mysterious clues that point to the existence of a shocking historical secret, one that could not only topple Jenkins’ presidency but upend Judeo-Christianity.

The Ignoble Lie

Genre: Political/Religious thriller
Published by: Mélange Books
Publication Date: May 12, 2025
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 979-8886533712 (print)
Series: Of Gods & Men, Book 1

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Excerpt

SUNDAY

Chapter 1

Under a spring sunset, the pyramids of Giza stood like pointed stone islands in a timeless sea of desert sand. At the northeast corner of the plateau, several armed guards perched atop camels at the base of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The leader of the security force nodded as three lean bearded men garbed in long, white robes and carrying cameras and other electronic equipment approached. The trio formed a loose line and then trudged up the massive beige limestone blocks to the main entrance on the north face of the pyramid.

When they stepped inside, the cool air moved slightly like a palm frond breeze fanned by ancient servants. The men could still hear the hum of the generator outside as they made their way down a long, sloping, cramped corridor in the pale glow of the electric lighting. Following the metal conduit from the generator, they began climbing a longer passage. Their stated job was simple: set up the cameras needed to film the contents of the recently discovered room behind the west wall of the King’s Chamber, one of only two known chambers in the vast structure. Official filming by an international team would commence in the morning and the world would soon learn of the contents.

An hour later, one of the men burst out of the pyramid’s entrance covered in blood. Sweat drenched his brow as he bent over, his hands on his knees, trying desperately to suck oxygen into his lungs. Fortunately, the guards were not in sight. After a few moments, he raised himself to a fully standing position and wiped blood from his hands onto his dove-colored djellaba. He looked up at the sky beseechingly. The setting sun was glorious: red, orange, bronze. The scene was somehow new and final: the first sunset and the last. The celestial canvas suddenly looked like an unfolding scroll and for one fleeting moment on that scroll he saw painted what he’d glimpsed in the hidden room.

A golden rectangular chest with two winged lions with human heads on a peaked, shiny lid. Four gold rings were set into the bottom four feet, through which golden poles were placed for carrying. It was—

No, it couldn’t be…

Could it?

It was almost impossible to believe, but what if it was? After all, it looked exactly as it was described in the Torah, though that source couldn’t entirely be trusted.

But if there was even a chance that it was, no matter how small…

At least, that’s what they’d told him. And in the end, that was all that really mattered: what they had told him. Because the money that would go to his family was more than he could ever make in a whole lifetime.

With shaky hands, he fumbled for his cell phone and punched the #1 button.

“Yes?” a voice said after one ring.

“It’s as you feared.”

“Now is the time,” the voice responded.

“Allahu Akbar,” the man whispered and ended the call.

He took a deep breath, the kind a long jumper takes just before the approach, then punched the code on his phone.

He held his breath until the explosive detonated.

Then there was nothing but blackness that stretched into forever.

***

Author Bio

Matthew Peters has a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A., and Ph.D. from Duke University. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and currently resides in North Carolina. He is passionate about exploring religious, political, and socioeconomic issues from a variety of different perspectives and especially values the views put forth by marginalized groups or people. His writing involves a good deal of research, and he is committed to writing plausible novels, in the hope of giving readers food for thought.

Social Media Links

Website: https://pictbooks.tours/O0BmBPF0

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/matthewpetersitw.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewpetersbooks/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-ignoble-lie-by-matthew-peters

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231907458-the-ignoble-lie?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eB32HtVG4C&rank=2

Purchase Links

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KINGSUMO GIVEAWAY

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Feature Post and Book Review: No More Yesterdays by Catherine Bybee

Book Description

Taking over her late father’s company was never part of Alex Stone’s life plan.

But now, sitting in the CEO chair at Stone Enterprises, she’s resigned to living her life alone. Being a high-powered, billionaire woman tends to narrow one’s romantic prospects. As Alex works relentlessly to reshape her inherited hotel empire, she’s acquired a target on her back complete with death threats.

Alex turns to Hawk Bronson, a man who is equal parts bodyguard, sexy, and completely infuriating. Especially when it comes to protecting her.

As the danger escalates, Hawk comes to terms with the fact that their connection goes way beyond bodyguard and assignment. He knows he should keep his distance—his own dark past and nightmares put her at greater risk—but he can’t walk away. Protecting Alex means everything. Putting her life in someone else’s care isn’t an option once he’s tasted their passion and depth of his feelings.

As they navigate a minefield of family secrets, past pain, and unexpected hope, Alex and Hawk must face their deepest fears and fight for a future together. But first, they’ll need to unmask whoever is behind the threats—before Alex becomes their next victim.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219578195-no-more-yesterdays?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=8nM737JA0K&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

NO MORE YESTERDAYS (The Heirs Book #3) by Catherine Bybee is a wonderful finale to The Heirs trilogy with this story featuring Alexandrea “Alex” Stone. These books can be read as standalone contemporary romances, but the overall story ARC of the siblings inheriting their father’s company and the problems it involves makes me feel the trilogy is best read in order.

With the death of their father, the Stone siblings have had to adapt to new lives with massive wealth. Alex has taken over as CEO at Stone Enterprises with her experience in the hotel business. Taking on the role has also left her feeling she is now limited in her romantic prospects. When Alex receives a death threat, she asks for the help of a security specialist who helped her out previously. He takes on the role of her private bodyguard.

Hawk Bronson is a security specialist who is determined to protect the independent and infuriating Alex. As the danger escalates, so does the personal heat between them.

As they try to discover where the threat against Alex is coming from, they uncover corporate secrets that are far from legal and could put Stone Enterprises at risk. Is this the source of the threat or is there another reason that Alex is in danger from someone close who wants her dead?

This is such an extremely emotionally satisfying ending to The Heirs contemporary romance trilogy! The romance has fun dialogue as Alex and Hawk butt heads, but it also gets serious with Hawk describing the threat and serious circumstances when Alex does not listen. The sexual chemistry builds believably, and the sex scenes are not gratuitous, but feel natural. The suspense subplot had me turning the pages and continually built to a surprise climax I did not see coming.

I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy! Ms. Bybee always satisfies, and I look forward to every new book.

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About the Author

Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban
emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series. Learn more about Catherine and her books at www.catherinebybee.com

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinebybee/?hl=en

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/no-more-yesterdays-by-catherine-bybee

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA by Christina Hillsberg

Book Description

Years after her successful and impactful career at the CIA, Christina Hillsberg became enthralled with the stories of the trailblazing women who forged new paths within the Agency long before she began her career there in the aughts. These were women who sacrificed their personal lives, risked their safety, defied expectations, and boldly navigated the male-dominated spy organization.

Through exclusive interviews with current and former female CIA officers, many of whom have never spoken publicly, Agents of Change tells an enthralling and, at times, disturbing story set against the backdrop of the evolving women’s movement. It was the 1960s, a “secretarial” era, when women first gained a foothold and pushed against the one-dimensional, pop-culture trope of the sexy Cold War Bond Girl. Underestimated but undaunted, they fought their way, decade-by-decade, through adversity to the top of the spy game.

Seamlessly weaving together the individual stories of these exceptional women, Hillsberg deftly tackles not just the fight for gender equality at the CIA, but the current dilemma the Agency faces when dealing with the culmination of a decades-long culture of sexual harassment and assault.

Each chapter sheds a light on women’s issues during that decade before bringing to life the stories of female CIA operations officers whose experiences were emblematic of that given era. In this fascinating and empowering chronicle, Hillsberg takes readers inside the Agency in a way that’s never been done before, paying long overdue tribute to the survivors and thrivers, the indispensable groundbreakers, and defiant rabble-rousers who made the choice to change their lives and in turn, changed history.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Agents of Change by Christina Hillsberg reads like an espionage thriller. Hillsberg, a former CIA intelligence officer, uses her insider knowledge to write a nonfiction book about US patriots working for the CIA who happened to be women trailblazers. These women sacrificed their personal lives, risked their safety, defied expectations, and boldly navigated the male-dominated spy organization. The book profiles dozens of agents from the 1960s to the present.

The book takes readers behind the scenes as it explores by decade how women’s roles in the CIA evolved. The compelling exclusive interviews with those CIA officers show their resilience and determination.

They had to overcome the thinking of the times about women’s roles in the workplace. Although the book does discuss the fight for gender equality at the CIA, and the culture of sexual harassment/assault, this is not the essence of the book, but the riveting stories of how these women risked their lives while performing their duties that included doing espionage, recruiting spies, and stealing secrets.

One compelling story is of Marti Peterson. Marti served as an intelligence officer in Russia where she conducted dead drops. Because the KGB did not think that a woman would be used to conduct clandestine operations, she was able to collect foreign intelligence right under the Russians’ noses without them knowing. The description of her cover and how she went about her duties is riveting, especially after being captured by the KGB, betrayed by double agents.

Then there was Janine Brookner. She had her antennas up about Aldrich Ames who worked in counterintelligence alongside Janine’s ex-husband and long-time companion, Colin. She felt he was a security risk and brought her concerns up to the Chief of Station who ignored her. It turns out her concerns were justified considering eight years later, Ames would plead guilty to espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, she never received the credit for being one of the first people to identify him as a traitor.

A bonus is how Hillsberg makes the comparison between how the CIA treats female agents through the decades to what the James Bond films are doing with women in each decade.

Anyone who wants an espionage read should get this book. These women were groundbreakers, rabble rousers, but more important are the shields that helped to keep Americans safe.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Do you agree that those in intelligence should be thought of on July 4th, America’s birthday?

Christina Hillsberg: July 4th is a great time to take a moment and thank those that work in the shadows as well as all the servicemen and women in the military and law enforcement. There are so many incredible people behind the scenes to keep Americans safe, including the remarkable women I highlight in the book. The emphasis of those working at the CIA is to keep Americans safe here at home, abroad, and American interests. As Americans celebrate July 4th, I hope they remember why we have all these freedoms.

EC: How has your experience at the CIA helped you to write this book?

CH: We’re surrounded by so many misconceptions of the female spy, thanks in large part to Hollywood. I knew I was uniquely positioned to write a book about the real women in intelligence. Having spent time in both analysis and operations during my time at the CIA, I leveraged that experience to build trust with those I interviewed, many of whom had never spoken publicly about their CIA experiences.

EC: Why write the book?

CH: I wanted to write about the women who came before me and how the female spy has changed over the years, to amplify their stories and voices. It was meant to show the progress the Agency has made over the years regarding the role of women. There is also some conversation about the less favorable part of the history including the struggles of sexual harassment/abuse. That said, it’s meant to be a celebration of the incredible accomplishments of female officers at the CIA as well as the notable progress the spy organization has made throughout the decades.

EC: Why the book title?

CH: They were all trailblazers but considered troublemakers for making change happen. Even though the term should be intelligence officers I used the word ‘agents’ because of a play on words, they were the change agents. Originally the word ‘sisters’ was in the title but as I did the interviews and research, I realized there was no ‘sisterhood’ at the Agency although they opened the doors for other women. The sisterhood seems to come after we’ve left. I value the friendships I’ve made with these older women because they are filled with stories, wisdom, and experiences.

EC: It boggles my mind that Americans cannot thank personally those in the CIA for their service as we can with the military and law enforcement. Do you agree?

CH: Those at the CIA are bred not to speak of the accomplishments and to share. We always used to say in the CIA, there is only such a thing as “policy success and an intelligence failure.”

Many times, people do not hear about all the intelligence successes that happen all the time. If there is a success, the policy makers will take credit for it. Hopefully, with this book, Americans appreciate the role those at the CIA play in keeping them safe and become more aware of what they do. For example, Marti, a CIA officer, never told her children until they were much older that she was CIA. Many women of the CIA were quiet about their activities. Often these women did not share their stories even though they played vital roles in national security. I wanted to choose women who resonated with readers and to humanize them. To show how these women had families and had to make life choices.

EC: Why the James Bond comparison?

CH: When there is talk about the female spy the “Bond girl” comes to mind. Look at the trajectory of the Bond girl from the very first movie until now. It goes from a one-dimensional sidekick to a multidimensional very capable “Bond girl.” I thought it would be a great story telling structure to trace that along with the changing role of women through the decades at the Agency. It was my hope to write a book that is both entertaining and approachable for readers beyond history buffs and spy afficionados.

EC: Marti Peterson, a CIA woman who worked there in the seventies had an interesting career, do you agree?

CH: Absolutely. Marti began her career as a “CIA wife,” providing secretarial and administration support while accompanying her husband on his tour in Laos. She felt she was losing her own identity, an “appendage to his career.” After her husband was killed, she wanted to be an operations officer and refused the Agency’s offer to give her a secretarial role. Instead, she demanded more commensurate with her experience and abilities. At that time women were told they could not run operations, did not have the skill set, and were inferior. There was the fear they would get pregnant or marry and leave. But Marti was persistent, resilient, and determined to show what she was made of. She even learned Russian for a tour in Moscow where she was the first woman to operate clandestinely. She was an extremely accomplished woman whose experience helped shape the trajectory of women at the CIA for years to come. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear about her career.

EC: What traits make women an advantageous spy?

CH: At the beginning of the book, I include an epigraph by an operations officer, “Don’t let somebody tell you, for whatever reason, you can’t do it because you’re a woman.” I think this is a powerful message to younger women, that nothing can hold them back. Because women were often underestimated, they leveraged that to their benefit, and by extension, the CIA’s as well. They blended into the background in male-dominated cultures across the globe, stealing secrets all while going undetected. Moreover, many women officers felt they were better listeners than their male colleagues, detailed oriented, more empathetic, could build rapport in different ways than the males, yet set boundaries.

EC: Were there any men supportive of these women?

CH: Oh, yes. Some women were fortunate to have supportive male colleagues and superiors, and in many cases, that meant the difference between a woman’s ability to attend operational training at the Farm or remain in a non-operational role at headquarters. Janine Brookner, for example, secured her first overseas assignment as a result of a male ally who advocated for a woman operations officer in his station. But once she arrived, it was up to her to prove her worth, and she did that in spades.

EC: Why did you highlight Janine Brookner?

CH: Even to this day people have strong feelings about Janine because she was so controversial. Having already passed away prior to my beginning my research for this book, I had to rely on interviews with family, friends, and colleagues to create Janine’s narrative. After hearing conflicting impressions, I realized that those who had something negative to say about her never worked with her directly, and yet, they criticized everything from her style of dress to her attitude. As with everything in life, everyone brings their own bias to the table, and it was my responsibility to wade through the noise and create the most accurate portrayal of Janine. And after dozens of interviews, I believe she was a smart and tenacious intelligence officer whose bravery created one of the most important watershed moments in the history of women at the CIA. After Janine was wrongfully accused of sexual harassment, she fought back and won. Although the CIA settled with her, the Agency did not admit any wrongdoing. The settlement said she had to resign. Because she knew this was just wrong, she became a lawyer to represent Federal government employees in their cases involving sexual discrimination.

EC: How would you describe Janine?

CH: I wish I could have met her, but unfortunately, she died. I would describe her as loyal, ambitious almost to a fault, resourceful, career oriented, empathetic, caring, excellent operational tradecraft, intuitive, and drive. She remained a close companion to Colin, her ex-husband and retired CIA case officer, who I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know throughout the reporting of this book.

EC: What do you want readers to get out of the book?

CH: I want readers to realize how important women are to national security. They are competent and talented officers who bring unique perspectives to all aspects of Agency work, a vital part of the mission. I want to encourage women to work in intelligence with their eyes wide open. I want to make sure that people celebrate the accomplishments of these women.

This not a book about an ‘axe to grind’ regarding sexual harassment and assault but rather, a book about the accomplishment of some remarkable women.

THANK YOU!!

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