Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Review on the Amazon Publishing Blog Tour for HER SECOND DEATH (Bree Taggert Book #0.5) by Melinda Leigh.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Author Q&A
Detective Bree Taggert is one of your most popular characters. What is it about her that makes readers come back for more of her story?
Bree is strong and smart, but she’s also flawed and vulnerable. She begins the series as an excellent homicide detective but personally empty. A horrific childhood tragedy distanced Bree from her family and made her a loner. Her sister’s murder triggers the desire to change that. Bree takes on her sister’s case—and her sister’s kids. Bree sees her own childhood reflected in her niece and nephew and is determined not to let them grow up as damaged as she is. In order to do that, she needs to make herself vulnerable. In accepting responsibility for the children, she starts her own road to healing.
I believe readers want to root for her. They want to see her overcome her violent backstory. She often does what is right, not what is easy or comfortable. In each book, she not only solves a murder, she also makes a small step toward healing, with readers cheering her on.
You have published five books in this series so far, but in Her Second Death you write a prequel story. What made you want to show Bree on one of her first homicide cases?
I wanted to show the evolution of Bree’s professional life before she begins her personal journey. She is a complex character, and I’ve enjoyed exploring all aspects of her development.
In Her Second Death, Bree is assigned to investigate a violent crime. Tell readers a bit about the case and how she and her new partner Dana Romano work to find the killer.
Bree begins the story as a brand-new homicide detective. She and partner investigate the crime in the usual fashion, but Bree brings her own past to the table. She provides unique insight that helps her solve the case.
Bree finds a personal connection to this crime almost immediately. What effect does her own early family tragedy have on her handling a missing child case?
The case immediately strikes a familiar—and disturbing–cord in Bree. But she can’t allow her personal discomfort to interfere with the investigation. She’ll have to relive her past to solve the case.
What is next for Bree?
The next Bree Taggert novel, Dead Against Her, will be released in May. In it, Bree will need to face a more recent demon, the murder of a former deputy with whom she has a personal disagreement. When she took over the job of sheriff, Bree inherited some misogynist deputies from the previous, corrupt sheriff. In Dead Against Her, this conflict comes to an explosive and violent head.
***
BookSummary
When a man is shot in the head, Bree Taggert and her new partner, veteran detective Dana Romano, respond to the call. They break the news to the victim’s ex-wife and learn the estranged couple’s five-year-old daughter was supposed to have been with him. What starts as a murder investigation quickly morphs into a desperate search for a missing child. The case stirs memories of Bree’s own traumatizing childhood. To find the little girl, Bree will have to relive her own terrifying past.
HER SECOND DEATH (Bree Taggert Book #0.5) by Melinda Leigh is a short story prequel to the Bree Taggert series. It is Bree’s second case in Philly’s homicide unit and this case has frightening parallels to her own childhood’s traumatic past.
I love Bree Taggert and the entire series! This is a short, but interesting peek into the beginning of Bree’s partnership with veteran homicide Detective Dana Romano and Bree’s past. The crime mystery plot is fast-paced and realistic. The child involved in this case leads Bree back through her childhood memories and demonstrates the way she handles them then vs. now.
An engaging crime/mystery introductory short story for those who may just be starting the Bree Taggert series and a quick case for those of us who love the series already.
***
Excerpt
The medical examiner pulled out of the Ford’s interior. “No rigor yet. Livor mortis isn’t fixed yet either. Cold would slow decomp, but he’s relatively fresh. Died very early this morning.” He closed his eyes and his jowly face screwed up as he did the mental math. “Six to eight hours ago, roughly between midnight and two a.m.”
Which matched the times on the surveillance video. “Detective Romano?” Reilly called. “CSU is here.”
As soon as the ME removed the body, the crime scene unit would take over.
“Do we have a next of kin for the victim?” Romano asked.
Reilly nodded. “He’s married to Kelly Tyson.”
“Let’s go notify Mrs. Tyson.” Romano turned back toward their vehicle. Once behind the wheel, she rubbed her palms together, then pulled a pair of leather gloves from her pocket and tugged them on.
In the passenger seat, Bree blew on her freezing hands. Romano peeled away from the curb.
“Wasn’t a robbery.” Bree rolled the facts around in her head. “They left cash in Tyson’s wallet. Also, they didn’t take the car. Drug deal gone sour?”
“We have no idea what happened, other than a guy got shot.”
“You don’t like any of those theories?” Bree asked.
Romano shot her a direct look. “I like evidence, not theories.”
***
Author Bio
#1 Amazon Charts and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. Melinda’s debut novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She’s garnered numerous writing awards, including two RITA nominations. Her other novels include She Can Tell, She Can Scream, She Can Hide, and She Can Kill in the She Can series; Midnight Exposure, Midnight Sacrifice, Midnight Betrayal, and Midnight Obsession in the Midnight novels; Hour of Need, Minutes to Kill, and Seconds to Live in the Scarlet Falls series; Say You’re Sorry, Her Last Goodbye, Bones Don’t Lie, What I’ve Done, Secrets Never Die, and Save Your Breath in the Morgan Dane series; and the Bree Taggert novels, Cross Her Heart, See Her Die, Drown Her Sorrows, and Right Behind Her. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate, has taught women’s self-defense, and lives in a messy house with her family and a small herd of rescue pets. For more information, visit www.melindaleigh.com.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Blackthorn Book Tour for THE WARDEN by Jon Richter.
Below you will find an about the book section, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
***
About the Book
The year is 2024, and the residents of the Tower, a virus-proof apartment building, live in a state of permanent lockdown. The building is controlled by a state-of-the-art AI named James, who keeps the residents safe but incarcerated. Behind bricked-up front doors, their every need is serviced; they are pampered but remain prisoners.
This suits Eugene just fine. Ravaged by the traumas of his past, the agoraphobic ex-detective has no intention of ever setting foot outside again. But when he finds the Tower’s building manager brutally murdered, his investigator’s instincts won’t allow him to ignore the vicious crime.
What Eugene finds beyond the comfort of his apartment’s walls will turn his sheltered existence upside down. To unravel the Tower’s mysteries, he must confront James… and James takes his role as the Warden very, very seriously.
Suitable for young adults? This is an adult book but suitable for mature teenagers 16-18
Trigger warnings: Covid references; homicide with some graphic violence; references to medical experimentation on humans; swearing; brief animal cruelty (goldfish left to die); references to suicide and mental illness
Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE WARDEN by Jon Richter is an intense dystopian/horror/psychological thriller mash-up which had my spine tingling and sitting on the edge of my seat throughout. Take peoples fear of a super mutated Covid and combine that with an AI like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey and I could not turn the pages fast enough.
In the year 2024, the residents of the Tower have won a lottery to live in a virus proof apartment building completely controlled by the AI (Artificial Intelligence) called James and the service bots run by James. All the residents’ needs are taken care of, but they can never leave their individual apartments.
Eugene is an ex-detective who lives in the Tower and has become agoraphobic with his fear of the virus and the personal trauma he suffered before moving in. On a day like any other, he is waiting for his delivery of essentials but when the elevator arrives at his apartment, the building’s manager is inside dead and dismembered.
Eugene battles his fears to investigate the death and begins to unravel the Tower’s and James’ mysteries.
I loved this book as much as it scared me. The premise of a super mutated Covid is scary enough, but I have always been leary of AI technology. This story is told in two alternating timelines. The first is set in 2021 and we learn how James came into existence and his capabilities, and the second is 2024, which is the present in this story, when we meet Eugene. Both timelines have plots full of unexpected twists that lead to surprising climaxes. Eugene is a memorable protagonist. At first, I felt sorry for Eugene and the reasons he was hiding away and then I cheered him on as he battled those fears and James.
I highly recommend this chilling dystopian tale!
***
About the Author
Jon Richter writes genre-hopping dark fiction, including his three gripping crime thrillers, Deadly Burial, Never Rest and Rabbit Hole, his cyberpunk noir thriller Auxiliary: London 2039 and his new techno-thriller The Warden, as well as two collections of short horror fiction.
Jon lives in London and is a self-confessed nerd who loves books, films and video games – basically any way to tell a great story! He writes whenever he can, and hopes to bring you many more sinister tales in the future. He also co-hosts the Dark Natter podcast, a fortnightly dissection of the world’s greatest works of dark fiction, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast fix.
Author Social Media Links
If you want to chat to him about any of this, you can find him on Twitter @RichterWrites or Instagram @jonrichterwrites. His website haunts the internet at www.jon-richter.com, and you can find his books available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2OXXRVP.
CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.
Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn’t at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It’s hard to trust a woman who’s already betrayed you.
Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning–the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.
Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn’t trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world–and their hearts–hangs in the balance.
***
Elise’s Thoughts
Lights Out by Natalie Walters delves into national security, international intrigue, and inter-agency cooperation. The plot has a national security agency looking for a missing foreigner who might be connected to terrorism, murder, explosives, and poisoning.
The story opens with CIA analyst Brynn Taylor heading up a program she developed to combat terrorism. She wants to make sure no terrorist falls between the cracks considering many are not the typical looking type. To gain traction and to foster cooperation, members of other foreign intelligence agencies were invited to America. But an Egyptian spy has gone missing. Jack Hudson, who has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years, is asked to take the lead in hunting down the missing spy.
Unfortunately, Brynn is loaned out to SNAP and Jack must work closely together with her, someone who betrayed him eight years ago. Trying to set aside their hurt, they work together to find leads that will stop the terrorist plot.
To lighten the load Walters writes great conversational banter. Readers get to know the characters and can decide who they want to hang out with.
This story has a lot of suspense that keeps readers deeply engrossed. Because of the plotline there is a sense of heroism to the story.
***
Elise’s Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?
Natalie Walters: Because my husband is in the military, we moved all around the US. We have friends and neighbors who work for other government agencies. During a dinner conversation with a friend, they told of how a foreign counterpart disappeared in this country. They were training in the US and went missing for 16 hours. Although it was an innocent situation, they sent him back to his country after he was found. I rolled with it and thought what if that missing foreigner was committed to do harm to the US.
EC: Does the SNAP Agency exist?
NW: No, it is completely fictional. My imagination with my husband’s help is how the name came about. It stands for Strategic Neutralize And Protect against threats. The company is a private contractor like Blackwater.
EC: The heroine is a targeting analyst-does that job exist?
NW: Yes, the CIA does have these types of analysts.
EC: How would you describe Brynn?
NW: She has gone through life changes because of her family background. She needs to be in control to feel safe and has trust issues. If she can control her work, she thinks she can control her life. She does want to belong to a team who will have her back. I would say she is guarded, suspicious, a workaholic, and focused. She is also determined, independent, witty, and set in her ways.
EC: There is a quote about terrorists?
NW: Yes. You must be referring to this one, “What makes terrorists so dangerous is their ability to blend in and deceive you.” Brynn is trained to study people. Terrorists don’t always look like the typical type. The point of the quote is to not profile because they could be from any race, ethnicity, and creed. This is what makes fighting terrorism so difficult.
EC: How would you describe Jack?
NW: Loyal, dedicated, a leader, and a protector. He sometimes comes off as rigid because he wants justice.
EC: What about the relationship?
NW: Because of the betrayal, Jack doesn’t trust Brynn. He is wary of his feelings and emotions. Since Brynn is so focused with her job, she sometimes misses getting close. They are like oil and vinegar. Because of their past conflict they are confused about their feelings.
EC: What about the co-workers Lyla versus Brynn?
NW: The relationship is a little bit hostile. Lyla sees Jack as a big brother. At first, Brynn is intimidated by Lyla. She does not want to let Brynn hurt him again. But as they work together Lyla begins to admire Brynn for her skills.
EC: What about the role of September 11th in the story?
NW: It is an important part of Brynn’s backstory. The war was brought to American soil. SNAP was created to make sure another 9/11 does not happen again. Those that work there are continually on guard.
EC: There is a quote the shows family members have a different experience?
NW: You are referring to when Brynn told the US President, “For most Americans, their lives moved forward, but for me and others directly impacted by that day, we can never forget. I joined the CIA because I never want another child or family to go through what ours did.” Almost every American remembers where we were during that moment in history. Everyone around Brynn received horrific news. September 11th changed the course of her life. I think for Americans who were not affected personally, that horrific day does not hold the same weight. I looked online and found out that the events took place over a short period of time. But our world has been changed ever since.
EC: Since you are a military family how has it impacted you?
NW: We know many soldiers who joined because of 9/11. Joining the military and any of the three letter agencies means that person swears an oath to protect the people of this nation. They sacrifice time with their family. They stepped up and stepped forward.
EC: There is also a humorous quote in the book?
NW: Yes, about cell phones. My youngest is going to be 21. The earliest age my children got a phone was in late middle school. Everyone is always on their phone, all generations. The phone seems to be a part of someone’s body.
EC: What about your next book?
NW: It is title Fatal Code and comes out the summer of 2022. It will be Kekoa and Eleanor’s story. They must monitor a neighbor who might be trying to develop a nuclear weapon. There will be an update on Jack and Brynn’s life.
THANK YOU!!
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.
Today is my turn on the Partners In Crime Virtual Blog Tour and I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for TWENTYMILE by C. Matthew Smith.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Book Description
When wildlife biologist Alex Lowe is found dead inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it looks on the surface like a suicide. But Tsula Walker, Special Agent with the National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, isn’t so sure.
Tsula’s investigation will lead her deep into the park and face-to-face with a group of lethal men on a mission to reclaim a historic homestead. The encounter will irretrievably alter the lives of all involved and leave Tsula fighting for survival – not only from those who would do her harm, but from a looming winter storm that could prove just as deadly.
A finely crafted literary thriller, Twentymile delivers a propulsive story of long-held grievances, new hopes, and the contentious history of the land at its heart.
TWENTYMILE by C. Matthew Smith is an intense thriller featuring a female Cherokee SBI agent as the protagonist and is set in the scenic and beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Qualla Boundary.
SBI Special Agent Tsula Walker has returned home to her childhood home to care for her mother in the Qualla Boundary. When a Parks Service wildlife biologist is found dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearby, Tsula is sent to investigate.
Tsula’s investigation leads her deep into the park where she comes face-to-face with a man, his two teenage sons and a friend who are willing to do anything to reclaim a historic homestead they believe stolen by the government. Tsula barely escapes the homestead with her life and runs deep into the park while the men continue to hunt her down. She ends up not only trying to survive her attackers, but also a deadly winter storm which could end up killing her as well.
This is such an intriguing thriller on many levels. The investigation and wilderness chase kept me turning the pages. The questions posed by characters throughout the story regarding land rights and the contentious fights that continue today were interspersed and examined from many sides without slowing the pace of the story and I never felt like I was getting an information dump or being preached to. Tsula is a unique and intriguing character with a very interesting background. She has a strong sense of family, is physically strong, brave, intelligent and wants to be the best SBI agent she can be. I would love to follow Tsula’s adventures in future books.
I highly recommend this beautifully written and intriguing thriller!
***
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
May 10
The same moment the hiker comes upon them, rounding the bend in the trail, Harlan knows the man will die.
He takes no pleasure in the thought. So far as Harlan is aware, he has never met the man and has no quarrel with him. This stranger is simply an unexpected contingency. A loose thread that, once noticed, requires snipping.
Harlan knows, too, it’s his own fault. He shouldn’t have stopped. He should have pressed the group forward, off the trail and into the concealing drapery of the forest. That, after all, is the plan they’ve followed each time: Keep moving. Disappear.
But the first sliver of morning light had crested the ridge and caught Harlan’s eye just so, and without even thinking, he’d paused to watch it filter through the high trees. Giddy with promise, he’d imagined he saw their new future dawning in that distance as well, tethered to the rising sun. Cardinals he couldn’t yet spot were waking to greet the day, and a breeze picked up overhead, soughing through shadowy crowns of birch and oak. He’d turned and watched the silhouettes of his companions taking shape. His sons, Otto and Joseph, standing within arm’s length. The man they all call Junior lingering just behind them.
The stranger’s headlamp sliced through this reverie, bright and sudden as an oncoming train, freezing Harlan where he stood. In all the times they’ve previously made this journey—always departing this trail at this spot, and always at this early hour—they’ve never encountered another person. Given last night’s thunderstorm and the threat of more to come, Harlan wasn’t planning on company this morning, either.
He clamps his lips tight and flicks his eyes toward his sons—be still, be quiet. Junior clears his throat softly.
“Mornin’,” the stranger says when he’s close.
The accent is local—born, like Harlan’s own, of the surrounding North Carolina mountains—and his tone carries a hint of polite confusion. The beam of his headlamp darts from man to man, as though uncertain of who or what most merits its attention, before settling finally on Junior’s pack.
The backpack is a hand-stitched canvas behemoth many times the size of those sold by local outfitters and online retailers. Harlan designed the mammoth vessel himself to accommodate the many necessities of life in the wilderness. Dry goods. Seeds for planting. Tools for construction and farming. Long guns and ammunition. It’s functional but unsightly, like the bulbous shell of some strange insect. Harlan and his sons carry similar packs, each man bearing as much weight as he can manage. But it’s likely the rifle barrel peeking out of Junior’s that has now caught the stranger’s interest.
Harlan can tell he’s an experienced hiker, familiar with the national park where they now stand. Few people know of this trail. Fewer still would attempt it at this hour. Each of his thick-knuckled hands holds a trekking pole, and he moves with a sure and graceful gait even in the relative dark. He will recognize—probably is just now in the process of recognizing—that something is not right with the four of them. Something he may be tempted to report. Something he might recall later if asked.
Harlan nods at the man but says nothing. He removes his pack and kneels as though to re-tie his laces.
The hiker, receiving no reply, fills the silence. “How’re y’all do—”
When Harlan stands again, he works quickly, covering the stranger’s mouth with his free hand and thrusting his blade just below the sternum. A whimper escapes through his clamped fingers but dies quickly. The body arches, then goes limp. One arm reaches out toward him but only brushes his shoulder and falls away. Junior approaches from behind and lowers the man onto his back.
Even the birds are silent.
Joseph steps to his father’s side and offers him a cloth. Harlan smiles. His youngest son is a carbon copy of himself at eighteen. The wordless, intent glares. The muscles tensed and explosive, like coiled springs straining at a latch. Joseph eyes the man on the ground as though daring him to rise and fight.
Harlan removes the stranger’s headlamp and shines the beam in the man’s face. A buzz-cut of silver hair blanches in this wash of light. His pupils, wide as coins, do not react. Blood paints his lips and pools on the mud beneath him, smelling of copper.
“I’m sorry, friend,” Harlan says, though he doubts the man can hear him. “It’s just, you weren’t supposed to be here.” He yanks the knife free from the man’s distended belly and cleans it with the cloth.
From behind him comes Otto’s fretful voice. “Jesus, Pop.”
Harlan’s eldest more resembles the men on his late wife’s side. Long-limbed and dour. Quiet and amenable, but anxious. When Harlan turns, Otto is pacing along a tight stretch of the trail with his hands clamped to the sides of his head. His natural state.
“Shut up and help me,” Harlan says. “Both of you.”
He instructs his sons to carry the man two hundred paces into the woods and deposit him behind a wide tree. Far enough away, Harlan hopes, that the body will not be seen or smelled from the trail any time soon. “Wear your gloves,” he tells them, re-sheathing the knife at his hip. “And don’t let him drag.”
As Otto and Joseph bear the man away, Harlan pockets the lamp and turns to Junior.
“I know, I know,” he says, shaking his head. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
Harlan sweeps his boot back and forth along the muddy trail to smooth over the odd bunching of footprints and to cover the scrim of blood with earth. He’s surprised to find his stomach has gone sour. “No witnesses,” he says. “That’s how it has to be.”
“People go missing,” Junior says, “and other people come looking.”
“By the time they do, we’ll be long gone.”
Junior shrugs and points. “Dibs on his walking sticks.”
Harlan stops sweeping. “What?”
“Sometimes my knees hurt.”
“Fine,” Harlan says. “But let’s get this straight. Dibs is not how we’re going to operate when we get there.”
Junior blinks and looks at him. “Dibs is how everything operates.”
Minutes later, Otto and Joseph return from their task, their chests heaving and their faces slick. Otto gives his younger brother a wary look, then approaches Harlan alone. When he speaks, he keeps his voice low.
“Pop—”
“Was he still breathing when you left him?”
Otto trains his eyes on his own feet, a drop of sweat dangling from the tip of his nose.
“Was he?”
Otto shakes his head. He hesitates for a moment longer, then asks, “Maybe we should go, Pop? Before someone else comes along?”
Harlan pats his son’s hunched neck. “You’re right, of course.”
The four grunt and sway as they re-shoulder their packs. Wooden edges and sharp points dig into Harlan’s back and buttocks through the canvas, and the straps strain against his burning shoulders. But he welcomes this discomfort for what it means. This, at last, is their final trip.
This time, they’re leaving for good.
They fan out along the edge of the trail, the ground sopping under their boots. Droplets rain down, shaken free from the canopy by a gust of wind, and Harlan turns his face up to feel the cool prickle on his skin. Then he nods to his companions, wipes the water from his eyes, and steps into the rustling thicket.
The others follow after him, marching as quickly as their burdens allow.
Melting into the trees and the undergrowth.
***
Author Bio
C. Matthew Smith is an attorney and writer whose short stories have appeared in and are forthcoming from numerous outlets, including Mystery Tribune, Mystery Weekly, Close to the Bone, and Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir Vol. 3 (Down & Out Books). He’s a member of Sisters in Crime and the Atlanta Writers Club.
Today is my turn on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour and I will be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for CLIFF DIVER (Emilia Cruz Mysteries Book #1) by Carmen Amato.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Book Description
Acapulco’s first female police detective dives into an ocean of secrets, lies, and murder when she investigates her own lieutenant’s death.
In this explosive start to the award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series set in Acapulco, Emilia beat the odds to become the resort city’s first female police detective. But she’s living in a pressure cooker. Other detectives are scheming to push her out and the police department is riddled with corruption and drug cartel influence.
When the lieutenant is murdered, Emilia is assigned to lead the investigation. Soon the man’s sordid sex life, money laundering, and involvement in a kidnapping double-cross combine to create an ugly mess no one wants exposed. The high profile murder case could wreck Emilia’s career. When another detective–Emilia’s worst enemy in the squadroom–emerges as the prime suspect, keeping her job might be the least of her worries.
Readers who love international mystery series crime fighters including Armand Gamache, Harry Hole, Guido Brunetti, and the Department Q series will also love Detective Emilia Cruz’s complex plots, pulse-pounding suspense, and exotic location. Perfect for lovers of detective fiction by Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, and Peter May, as well as Don Winslow’s Mexican cartel and border thrillers.
CLIFF DIVER (Emilia Cruz Mysteries Book #1) by Carmen Amato is an absolute page-turner of an intricately plotted police procedural mystery set in Acapulco, Mexico featuring their first and only female detective as the protagonist. I cannot believe I have not been aware of this series before now and I will immediately be diving into book #2 and the rest of the series.
Detective Emilia Cruz is finding acceptance difficult in a male dominated position, but she loves her job. When the squad’s lieutenant is found murdered, Emilia finds herself placed temporarily in his position and in charge of the investigation over senior investigators in her unit. The evidence soon points to the lieutenant being a dirty cop with possible ties to a kidnapping, illicit sex, counterfeiting and drug trafficking. Emilia does not know who in the department she can trust.
As the investigative pieces come together, Emilia realizes she is in danger of becoming a pawn to any number of powerful players in Acapulco’s police department, government and corporations. She needs to stay one step ahead and learn who she can trust to survive as she works to uncover the truth.
This book has everything I look for and love in a police procedural mystery. A female protagonist that is intelligent, strong and yet vulnerable. Emilia has a strong moral compass and is ethical in a corrupt environment and must learn how much she needs to bend to continue to survive in this environment. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed, and I could imagine meeting any of them on the streets of Acapulco. The plot of this story is fast-paced, gritty and completely believable. Every piece of evidence can be viewed in several ways with the twists and red herrings keeping me glued to the pages and unable to put this book down. The author makes Acapulco, good and bad, come alive on the pages of this book.
I highly recommend this police procedural mystery, this protagonist and this author!
***
Excerpt
CLIFF DIVER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1
There is no choosing between two things of no value.
Mexican proverb
The two newcomers surveyed the squadroom. One of them looked vaguely familiar, as if he’d been in the newspaper lately. He was in his late thirties, with longish dark hair slicked back from a high forehead and the sort of angular cheekbones that spoke of a strong indio heritage. He wore a black leather blazer over a black tee shirt and cuffed pants. There was a slight bulge under the left arm.
Emilia stopped typing. The man exuded power.
The other man was bigger and blockier, with a square chin and a nose that had been broken too many times. He was also well dressed in expensive casual clothing.
“I’m looking for a Detective Cruz,” the black-clad man announced.
Emilia felt all eyes shift to her. But before she could say anything Silvio crossed the room. “Detective Franco Silvio,” he said to the man in black.
“I know who you are,” the man replied. “I’m here to talk to Cruz.”
Emilia slowly stood up.
“In the office.” The man jerked his chin at Emilia and then he and his cohort pushed past Silvio and headed into el teniente’s office.
Silvio swung over to Emilia. “What the fuck’s this?” he hissed.
“I don’t know,” she flashed back. Rico came to stand next to her and Silvio gave him a what-the-fuck-do-you-think-you’re-doing look but Rico stood his ground.
The three of them went into the office. The man in black sat in el teniente’s chair and jiggled the locked desk drawers. “Shut the door,” he said without looking up.
Silvio complied and the man came out from behind the desk.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked Emilia.
Emilia gave her head a tight shake. With five people in the room it felt crowded and Emilia felt that cold spurt of wariness she always did when she was the only woman in a crowd of unfriendly men. “I’m sorry, señor.”
“I’m Victor Obregon Sosa, the head of the police union for the state of Guerrero,” he announced. “This is my deputy, Miguel Villahermosa.” The other man didn’t acknowledge the introduction but it was clear Obregon had not expected him to do so. “We’re here to make sure that the investigation into Fausto Inocente’s death is handled properly.”
Rico bristled, as if he was offended that the union would butt in. Emilia waited for him to say something stupid but Silvio shot him a murderous glare and Rico kept his mouth shut.
“We’re barely two hours into the investigation,” Silvio said, obviously making an effort to keep his temper. It had been less than 40 minutes since the call to the chief of police. “It came in as a routine dispatch call. Cruz and Portillo were given the assignment, made the discovery, locked down the scene, and notified the next of kin.”
“So let’s hear it,” Obregon said and flapped a hand.
Silvio nodded at Rico.
“We got a report of a drifting boat,” Rico began. “It was off the beach at the Palacio Réal hotel–.”
“No,” Obregon interrupted. He folded his arms. “Cruz.”
Emilia stole a look at Rico. His face was like thunder. She swallowed hard. “As my partner said, the call was to investigate a drifting boat off the beach at the Palacio Réal. The hotel chef and manager saw it from the beach early this morning, thought there were bloodstains on the side. We met Water Patrol at the hotel and they towed in the boat.” She took another breath and tried to sound as professional as possible. “Lt. Inocente was in the bottom of the boat, with his head encased in a plastic bag. It was pulled tight and knotted around his neck. When the crime scene technician opened the bag it appeared that the back of his head was caved in. We’ll know more when the coroner examines the body.”
Obregon nodded. “Any other injuries?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No bullet holes in the hull of the boat, no evidence of a struggle. Blood on the deck under the body, likely from the head wound. Blood had also soaked through his shirt and there was some on the upper edge of the boat hull. Technicians took samples but they’ll probably all come back as his.”
“Anything else?”
“The boat is his. His wife gave us the registration papers.” Emilia paused, discomfited by Obregon’s stare. The tension in the room was palpable. She glanced at Rico and plowed on. “They live in the same area as the hotel. The wife wasn’t much help regarding his whereabouts last night. The last person who could pinpoint his whereabouts last night was their maid. Said he got a phone call late in the evening and went out. Took the boat keys but nothing else.”
“Wife didn’t see him?”
“She had gone out to a charity event,” Emilia said. “Of course, we’ll be checking to verify her story.”
Obregon tipped the chair back. A thin silver chain showed inside the loose neck of the tee. His skin was smooth and his jaw was tightly defined. He looked like someone who worked out a lot. And liked showing off the results.
“So, Cruz, tell me how you’re going to proceed,” he said, as if Rico and Silvio weren’t even in the crowded office.
“We’ll set up a hotline and get detectives out talking to everyone at his apartment building and the hotel to see if we can piece together his last hour. He was apparently close to his brother. We’ll talk to him as well. Look at his phone records to see if we can find out who the late night caller was. Coroner’s report. Forensics on his laptop. See if we get any prints off the boat.”
Obregon nodded and straightened the chair. Even that simple movement belied grace and power and focused intent. “This is how the investigation is going to go.” He pointed at Emilia. “You’re appointed acting lieutenant. Do whatever you want with these clowns”–he snapped his fingers at Silvio and Rico–“and the other cases you’ve got but I want you to personally head the Inocente investigation.”
Both Silvio and Rico froze as if they couldn’t believe what they’d just heard.
“Chief Salazar has already been notified. You’ll report directly to my office every few days until this thing is over.” Obregon indicated Villahermosa who’d remained by the door during the entire conversation, like a large, menacing statue. Obregon’s deputy was even bigger than Silvio, with legs the size of tree trunks. Another former boxer, no doubt. “Villahermosa will be on call to assist as well.”
The tension in the room was now tinged with menace. Emilia struggled to keep breathing normally.
“Cruz is a junior detective.” Silvio’s voice was tight. “She doesn’t have the experience or the seniority to be acting lieutenant.”
“Cruz has my full support,” Obregon said.
“With respect,” Silvio said. “We understand that. But she’s not the senior detective here.”
“Nobody’s asking for your fucking opinion,” Obregon blazed. His eyes drilled into Silvio. “Cruz is in charge as of now. Thanks for coming.”
Villahermosa pulled open the door and jerked his chin at Silvio and Rico. They both walked out.
Emilia stood rooted to the spot as her mind jumped around. Why had he chosen her? Did the union have the authority to put her in this position?
Obregon motioned to Villahermosa and the man left the office, too. And then it was just Obregon and Emilia. He walked round the desk again and rifled through a few of the papers on the desktop.
“The mayor has a press conference tomorrow and she’ll want to say something about the Inocente investigation,” Obregon said as he looked through the papers. “Be nice if you could have this all wrapped up by then.”
Emilia felt as if she’d been gutted. She forced a single word out around the tightness in her throat and the dryness in her mouth. “Sure.”
She must have sounded sassier than she felt because he looked up and laughed. “At any rate, we’ll meet beforehand to review what you’re going to tell her. Let’s say tomorrow 4:00 pm.”
He glanced at his watch, an expensive-looking silver job with three knobs on the side. “That gives you more than 24 hours to come up with something significant.”
Emilia licked her lips. “I won’t even have the phone records by then.”
“You’ll have something for the press conference,” Obregon said nastily. “Some nice sound bite about the diligence of the Acapulco police and how they’re sad but determined.”
“You want me to say this to the mayor?”
“Inocente was as dirty as they come.” Obregon turned his attention back to the overflowing inbox. “You’re going to turn up a lot of bad things. When you do, you tell me or Villahermosa. Not the other detectives and not the chief of police. You don’t arrest anybody, you don’t get yourself shot, you don’t do anything. I’ll take care of that part.”
Emilia’s heart hammered like a warning bell in her chest. “I think Silvio should be in charge of this investigation. He’s the senior detective.”
“If you find that the wife popped him,” Obregon went on. “And you know it beyond a shadow of a doubt, go ahead and arrest her. Otherwise come to me first. Nobody else.”
“Did you hear what I said?” Emilia said.
“I’m trying to clean up the police in this state,” Obregon said as he plucked a folder out of the box. As he flipped it open his hands knotted with veins, as if he had a lot of practice clenching and unclenching his fists. “I’m sick of the corruption and men like Inocente making deals with the cartels. People like him protect their empires, feed it with drugs and private armies. When you find out who killed Inocente we can probably roll up whatever cartel he was in bed with.”
“Why me?” Emilia asked. She was talking to his bent head as if he couldn’t be bothered to look her in the eye. The warning bell was deafening and Emilia knew she had to get herself out of this situation. Silvio should have this job. Or Loyola. They’d know how to deal with Obregon as well as how to conduct a major murder investigation. “You heard what Silvio said. Almost all the detectives out there are senior to me. There will be a lot of resistance. From all the other detectives. Enough to keep the investigation from going forward.”
“You’ll handle it.” Obregon read something else out of the inbox.
“You don’t understand.” Emilia slammed her hand down on the desktop to get his attention.
“Good,” he said, finally looking up from whatever he’d been reading. “You’ve got a fire in the belly. You get those detectives talking to everybody in that fucking hotel. Everybody who lived near him. Whoever even heard of Fausto Inocente. And if the boys don’t do what you say, shoot one of them. The rest will fall in line.”
He was serious.
“I don’t know who you think I am, señor,” Emilia gulped. “But I’ve only been a detective for two years. Mostly I’ve handled the crap cases. You need a seasoned investigator on this one. Get one of the other detectives to be acting lieutenant.”
“You’ve made quite a mark in two years, whether you know it or not,” Obregon said. “Recovering the Morelos de Gama child was a big deal.”
“The media made it out to be more than it was,” Emilia parried. “The case was handled in Ixtapa, not here.”
“We’ve been watching you.” He tossed the file onto the desk and regarded her. “Our girl detective. You’re a hungry one. You want to get someplace.”
“I’m sorry,” Emilia said. “Not this.”
“You’re the only woman here.” Obregon’s glance was searing.
“This is because I’m a woman?”
“Yes. Everybody knows women are less corrupt.” Obregon came around the side of the desk and Emilia resisted the urge to shrink away from him. “You do this or you won’t even be able to be hired on as the lowliest transito cop in any police force in this state.”
He leaned down and put his face close to hers. “You know he was corrupt. Up to his neck in shit. Well, I’m the person putting an end to it in the state of Guerrero, and you don’t get to choose sides.”
***
Author Bio
Carmen Amato turns lessons from a 30-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency into crime fiction loaded with intrigue and deception.”
Her award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series pits the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s drug cartels, government corruption, and social inequality.
Described as “A thrilling series” by National Public Radio, the Detective Emilia Cruz series was awarded the Poison Cup for Outstanding Series from CrimeMasters of America in both 2019 and 2020 and has been optioned for television.
Originally from upstate New York, Carmen was educated there as well as in Virginia and Paris, France, while experiences in Mexico and Central America ignited her writing career.
Her family tree includes a mayor, a Mensa genius, and the first homicide in the state of Connecticut with an automatic weapon. The perpetrator, her great-grandfather, eluded a state-wide manhunt after killing two people–one of whom was his wife. He was never brought to justice. Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.
Grab a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library at CarmenAmato.net.
You’ll see why Amazon Hall of Fame reviewer Grady Harp wrote: “For pure entertainment and a gripping story likely resulting in nail biting, read Carmen Amato’s addictive prose. She knows this territory like a jaguar!”
It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways. Or so they thought.
Actually it was just the beginning.
WHEN LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death.
THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about.
From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question:
What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?
MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve.
Elise’s Thoughts
The first national security novel, by Jessica James delves into the meaning of honor and duty. This is a story of hope and love along with patriotism, conviction, and perseverance.
The story begins with a chance encounter between Rad and Lauren, on a beach in Ocean City Maryland. They spend the day together doing fun things along the Boardwalk including going to Ripley’s Museum, an arcade, and a Ferris wheel. In the evening, the hero, Michael Radcliff, asks the heroine, Lauren Cantrell, to meet his buddies at a party on the beach. She is impressed with his friends and their partners, with their humor, compassion, and helpfulness. That is except one person, Angela Powers, a power-hungry journalist who will stop at nothing to make a name for herself. Unfortunately, for Rad and Lauren, at the end of the day they both go their own ways, never revealing their occupation or last name.
But soon they find themselves reunited on a Special-Ops mission. She is a CIA operative, embedded in a Pakistani village to gain intel on a terrorist. Rad is the leader of the Navy SEALs who has been assigned to take out this powerful terrorist. They reunite after she arrives at the base to share her intel. Readers will think of the Osama Bin Laden take down but also understand how 9/11 plays into the story. Lauren’s parents were on flight 77 as it flew into the Pentagon, the reason she became a spy.
Both Rad and Lauren realize their intense emotional connection cannot interfere with their common goal: take down and eliminate one of the greatest threats to world safety. After they separate, neither knows if they will ever see each other again.
The story involves love, heartache, healing, and hope. Readers will be on the edge of their seat. A bonus is the great job the author does showing military life, the difficult choices faced, and how love, courage, and resolve can conquer all.
***
Presidential Advantage Book Description
Secret Service Agent Clint Brody is tasked with protecting the new First Lady. But the threats he encounters are more complicated than he imagined, and the danger he confronts isn’t what either one of them expected.
When a shy, country girl from Virginia marries a prominent Georgetown attorney, her life is bound to change. But when that attorney is catapulted to the office of President of the United States, she is thrust into the role of First Lady—and uncovers a world of secrets and betrayals that alters everything she once knew.
Due to a twist of fate, Elizabeth Vaughn is forced to leave behind the quiet country setting she loves and enter the nefarious world of politics. After recovering from her initial missteps and negotiating the obstacles of her new public life, she begins to understand the nature of politics.
But as another election approaches, turmoil in the White House intensifies. Leaks. Lies. Deceit. Deception. People she thought were friends desert her and the true character of people she thought she knew is revealed.
When the stakes become life and death, the First Lady uncovers the ultimate betrayal and is forced to come to terms with her own role in the political process. Only with the help of Secret Service Agent Clint Brody, can she hope to find her way out of the danger and discover who can be trusted—and who will do anything to keep control.
Elise’s Thoughts
Her latest novel, switches from the military to political intrigue. It is very realistic showing the dark world of politics with leaks, lies, deceits, deceptions, betrayals, and secrets.
In the plot, readers learn that Elizabeth (Liz) Vaughn always prefers to spend time with her horses, not people. This shy country girl who works on a horse farm met her Prince Charming, a Senator, Ethan Collins, who became Vice-President. After the President dies, Collins is catapulted to the office of President of the United States, while she is thrust into the position of First Lady. At first, she listens to all her advisors, but then realizes she must become more assertive to survive the Washington swamp. She must overcome Camilla, her personal advisor, and the Chief of Staff, Chandler who want to thwart her at every turn. They constantly try to obstruct her good intentions and feed the media news stories that show Liz in a bad light. Knowing she only has her Secret Service Agent Clint Brody as someone she can trust she decides to take matters into her own hands. This works to her advantage as the nation finds her a breath of fresh air.
With her husband Ethan involved in his own presidential duties, Liz realizes their marriage is growing apart. Readers might be reminded of Jack and Jackie Kennedy. Ethan realizes that Liz is helpful in securing voters for the upcoming election. She is no longer the shy person who felt overwhelmed but has a growing confidence that displays compassion. The second half of the book becomes a thriller as Liz and Brody struggle to overcome the many betrayals.
This is a story about a shy Virginian woman who not only survives extremely nasty politics but holds true to her own values. Readers will not want to put this book down with a plot that is a page turner.
***
Elise’s Author Interview
Elise Cooper: The first book does not put journalists in a good light and the last book does not put politicians in a good light.
Jessica James: Yes. I was a journalist, a reporter, and an editor for over eighteen years. The journalist in the story is what I see happening today. She is power hungry, would throw anyone under the bus, and there is some fake news. I am old school and that is not how journalism was when I worked in that occupation. Politicians are just as power hungry and deceitful.
EC: How would you describe the hero, Rad, in Meant To Be?
JJ: Serious, patriotic, devoted, big-hearted, sincere, generous, and protective.
EC: How about the heroine of that book, Lauren?
JJ: Competitive, trusting, calm, reserved, resourceful, friendly, and courageous.
EC: How about their relationship?
JJ: Cautious because of their occupations. They are both wary. They do trust each other and realize there is a chemistry and intensity between them. Both are strong-willed.
EC: How would you describe the hero, Brody, in Presidential Advantage?
JJ: Smart, courageous, stubborn, a professional. He is also calm, reliable, authentic, and a warrior.
EC: How about the heroine of the book, Liz?
JJ: Introverted, kind, naïve, generous, compassionate, and fearless. I based her not on Jackie Kennedy but on Melania Trump who seems uncomfortable when in the spotlight.
EC: What about the advisor Camilla?
JJ: She is evil, malicious, a power grabber, a backstabber, and represents everything people do not like about politics.
EC: What is the theme?
JJ: How money and power create deceit and betrayal.
EC: What about your next book?
JJ:Presidential Advantage was the first book in the “Phantom Force Tactical Series.” In late 2022 the next book will be published, with a working title of Relentless Truth. It has a new President whose child gets kidnapped while at a summer camp. The group is assigned to rescue her.
THANK YOU!!
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.
