I am so excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for the Happy Publication Day of Ann Gridharry’s new book KILLER MOTIVE! This is the start of a great new series featuring DI David Grant and his team.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. The plot is riveting and will keep you turning the pages. I am looking forward to following this team on many more investigations and I highly recommend this new crime thriller!
***
Book Blurb
When a nurse is murdered, Detective David
Grant recognises the hallmarks of a serial killer called Travis.
Twenty-five years ago, Grant caught Travis
for the murder of five women and the murderer has been incarcerated ever since.
A frail sixty-year-old, Travis is in the terminal stages of cancer. The problem
is, he was at the hospital in the custody when the nurse was murdered.
Determined to solve the case, Grant
recruits a specialist to his team, Ruby Silver, a top criminal profiler. But
Ruby is hiding something from her colleagues.
Who is the copycat killer and what is their
motive?
Grant and the team must work quickly to solve the case as the body count rises…
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
KILLER MOTIVE by Ann Girdharry is a riveting start to
a new British crime thriller series. This new to me author had me intrigued
with all her characters, on-the-edge-of-my-seat with her thriller plot and gave
me a chilling in depth look into two serial killers.
DI David Grant is a 25 year veteran of the force with a stellar
career and record. He is intelligent and dogged in his pursuit of the truth. When
a nurse is found murdered, it bears all the characteristics of a serial killer
from Grant’s past. The killer is in the final stages of terminal cancer and at
the hospital for treatment when the murder occurred.
Ruby Silver is a research assistant, who is the true author
of a highly acclaimed publication on serial killers. Grant recruits Ruby to
assist his team, but Ruby has secrets of her own on why she is determined to be
on the team.
As DI Grant and Ruby work together to uncover the identity
of the copycat killer will they be able to stop him as the body count rises?
I was entirely engrossed in this investigation, the psychological
twists and all the characters in this thriller! Ms. Girdharry’s plot was rife
with twists, surprises and red herrings that were never over the top, but quite
believable. Ruby was an interesting character to add to the mix of a normal
police team Her backstory and emotional growth during the investigation pulled
you in emotionally and added extra depth to the story. All of the other team
members were fully fleshed and I will be looking forward to reading more about
them.
I highly recommend this book for a great thriller read and a
wonderful new group of characters to follow in future books!
***
Author Bio and Social Media Links
Ann
Girdharry is a British crime fiction author. Her debut novel, Good Girl
Bad Girl, is an Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist and a Readers’ Favourite
Five Star Book.
Trained in psychotherapy, she worked for many years in
the not-for-profit sector. She loves to travel. After the UK, she lived in
Norway and the USA, and she currently lives in France.
You can find out more about her books on her website
– www.girdharry.com. On her site, Ann also blogs occasionally about life in
France and she posts reviews for books she’s enjoyed reading
I am very excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review on my turn for the Blog Tour for OMJ Ryan’s soon to be released new book DEADLY SILENCE (Detective Jane Phillips Book 1). I am racking up quite the number of amazing British police procedural thrillers and female DCI’s I follow and now I have another.
DCI Jane Phillips was first introduced in Deadly Secrets. She is now DI Jane Phillips and a lot has happened in the six months since the climax of Deadly Secrets, but you can read this book as a standalone and not be confused. Jane is now the main character in this new series.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio. Enjoy!
***
#DeadlySilence
#IncubatorBooks@OMJRYAN1
@damppebbles@DamppebblesBTs
#damppebblesblogtours
***
Book Blurb:
Some
sins can never be forgiven.
DI Jane Phillips was a star detective driven by a
relentless quest for justice. But then she stepped outside the law.
Now, demoted and suffering with PTSD, she finds herself
facing the deadliest threat of her career — a serial killer who is preying on vulnerable
women, murdering them in a shocking and bizarre ritual.
A master of deception, he selects his victims at random. Or
so it seems. But as Phillips investigates, she begins to see a method in the
killer’s madness. Perhaps these victims aren’t random at all…
As the pressure mounts, can Phillips find the link between these ritual murders before the killer strikes again — or will her dogged determination to solve the case bring his deadly silence to her door?
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEADLY SILENCE: A gripping serial killer thriller
(Detective Jane Phillips Book 1) by OMJ Ryan is the start of a new DCI/DI
British police procedural thriller series now featuring DI Jane Phillips and
the other detectives from the author’s first book, Deadly Secrets. This book can
be easily read as a standalone without any confusion.
The consequences from previous decisions in the pursuit of
justice have left DCI Jane Phillips just recuperated from a gunshot wound which
almost took her life, demoted to DI, coping with PTSD and dealing with a DCI
from her past in charge of her and her team.
A serial killer is preying on women in the quiet town of Cheadle. As Jane and her team investigate the similar gruesome ritual murders, they discover the women are not random, but connected through their Catholic Church.
As the pressure from their new DCI and superiors mount, Jane’s
relentless pursuit of justice just may bring the killer to her own door.
I will be adding another engaging, intelligent, strong female British detective to follow on my reading list. I was very happy to see that Jane was given the main character role in this new series. I love her sense of right and wrong and her determination to discover the truth and not just solve a case. I will be looking forward to Mr. Ryan adding more backstory to Jane’s character in future books as well as the rest of her team. DCI Brown is the boss you “love to hate” and I enjoyed finding out why Jane and he are at such odds. The killer was sadistic in his method of murder, but you also felt a small amount of sympathy for him when his motive is revealed. I was not surprised by the killer or his motive for the murders, but the plot and characters are so engaging it did not matter.
This is a fast paced read with the perfect balance of
thrills and chills vs. smart detective work. I highly recommend Deadly Silence
and I am looking forward to many more books featuring DI Jane Phillips!
***
Author Bio:
For the last twenty years I’ve worked in radio and entertainment across the UK and Australia, collaborating with household names, celebrities and music icons, accumulating a host of international writing and radio awards.
And in 2018 I followed my lifelong passion to become a full-time novelist, writing stories for people who devour exciting, fast-paced thrillers by the pool, on their commute – or those rare moments of downtime before bed. My mission is to entertain from the first page to the last.
Hailing from Yorkshire, I’ve lived and worked across the UK in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Sydney and Melbourne before settling in the north east of England with my wife and young son.
I am very excited to be sharing this Feature Post and Book Review for Mary Burton’s new release I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2). I highly recommend this romantic suspense, which can be easily read as a standalone.
Below you will find a guest post from the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy and as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
An Affair (and
a Murder) To Remember with Author Mary Burton
I SEE YOU, my latest romantic suspense, features
two of my very favorite characters: Homicide Detective William Vaughan and FBI
Special Agent Zoe Spencer.
Zoe Spencer is a member of an FBI criminal profiling team dedicated to finding
the most violent and prolific killers. Zoe, a talented artist and agent,
specializes in forensic reconstruction. She skillfully merges her interview
skills with pencil and paper to create stunning likenesses. And when only bones
remain, she molds clay over bone to recreate the faces of the lost.
Zoe’s work generates a high case-closure rate, which draws the attention of the
law enforcement community. Her lectures at the FBI headquarters at Quantico are
often standing room only. Among those interested in her work is Homicide Detective
William Vaughan.
Detective Vaughan, divorced and raising a college bound teenager, is a man of few words and when he does comment, his observations are always thoughtful and insightful. He not only hears what is said and but sees what is communicated via body language.
The more time Vaughan spends with Zoe, the greater his desire to breach her cool demeanor. He draws upon all his powers of observation, practiced detective skills and his somewhat rusty charm to win her. Though they begin an affair, she still remains elusive.
When a charred skull is found in Vaughan’s jurisdiction of Alexandria, Virginia, he turns to Zoe. Zoe recreates a stunning clay bust that leads to the identification of a girl who has been missing for fifteen years.
As Vaughan and Zoe dig deeper, the cold case heats up when several more women,
similar to their victim, are discovered brutally murdered. This killer, who has
avoided capture for so many years, is still hunting women. It becomes a race
against time to catch a madman who shifts his sights to his next victim: Zoe
Spencer.
I hope you enjoy I SEE YOU and this magnetic couple who I’ve pitted against one of my most chilling villains so far.
***
Excerpt
The
instant Vaughan woke, he knew she was gone. He should not have been surprised.
She never stayed long, but he’d thought last night would be different.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and
instantly spotted the note on the mirror. It was written on the back of the
fast-food receipt in fluid and graceful handwriting.
Called a car. Didn’t want to wake you.
Spencer. He knew how to make that woman’s body
tighten with desire and how to make her moan in a way that told him she was
fully attuned to his body. But beyond that, she was still a complete stranger.
He flicked the edge of the note, surprised he
had not awoken. Since he had become a cop and father, he had turned into a
light sleeper. Both incarnations, like a doctor on call, were summoned at all
times of the day and night. His ability to shake off sleep in seconds and then
think clearly was well honed. But yesterday had been long, even for him.
He laid the note on his dresser as he glanced
at the pillow that still held the impression of her head. It was not like him
to be sentimental, but he was sorry he likely would not see her for a while.
He showered, and fifteen minutes later he was
dressed, his badge and sidearm on his belt. As the coffee brewed, he scrambled
five eggs before he realized Nate was gone. He toasted a bagel and ate alone at
the kitchen table.
He filled a travel mug with more coffee and was
on the road by six o’clock. Moonlight mingled with the lights looming over
I-395 as he looped around the beltway and headed north toward his exit. The
traffic was already building, and soon it would slow to a snail’s pace.
With luck, the first wave of files from the
Prince case would be in his office. He had been warned that there were a dozen
file boxes, but he did not care. He also had the autopsy of the Jane Doe
stabbed to death in the motel room to attend. It was going to be another long
day.
Fifteen minutes later, he had parked and was in
the break room, refilling his coffee. When he flipped on the lights of his
office, there were six file boxes stacked in front of his desk. A green sticky
note read More to come.
It was too early to call the medical examiner
about his Jane Doe from the motel room, so he set his cup down and flipped
through the first set of files.
He spent the next hour and a half reading
through the detectives’ notes. At the time of Marsha’s disappearance, the
detectives had exhausted every lead and tip that had come into the station, but
in the end came up with nothing.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2) by Mary Burton
is the second romantic suspense in the Criminal Profiler series. This book focuses
on two suspense plots, a cold case and a present day serial killer case while
still managing to give you a believable romance intertwined with the
investigations.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer is a profiler and a forensic
artist who can use skeletal remains or eye- witness testimony to build or draw a
visual representation for law enforcement. As she works on the reconstruction
of a recently found skull, she brings back the face of a missing teenage girl from
19 years ago.
Alexandria homicide detective William Vaughan has been
called to the scene of a brutally murdered teenage sex worker. Just as he
begins investigating, he gets a call to assist on Zoe’s cold case. He is
interested in the case and is happy to once again work with his on-again,
off-again lover.
As William and Zoe reconnect with the sister of the cold
case victim, they are shocked to get a call that the sister’s husband has been
stabbed and the sister and her daughter have been abducted. There are deep
secrets in this family and as the investigation heats up, more bodies are being
found. Can William and Zoe find out who and what connects the past with the present
and if they are connected stop the killing spree?
I love all the layers in these suspense plots from the past
and present and how they were tied together. Ms. Burton kept me guessing and
changing my mind on who was guilty with an ending that satisfies, but also
leaves a scary question mark for the future. William is a steady, strong hero
who does not overshadow Zoe, who is a very strong heroine on her own. The
romance was believable because they were both at a point in their lives where
they were both ready to move on. The sex scenes are steamy and intimate, but
not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and author. Ms.
Burton always gives me intriguing cases to solve, strong and intelligent heroes
and heroines and a romantic HEA.
***
About the Book
Title: I See You
Author: Mary Burton
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate
the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the
process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals
she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.
As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the
victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to
tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.
Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William
Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in
the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed:
someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing,
time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills
again?
***
Author Biography
New York Times and USA Today bestselling
novelist Mary Burton is the popular author of thirty-five romance and suspense
novels as well as five novellas. She currently lives in Virginia with her
husband and three miniature dachshunds. Visit her at www.maryburton.com.
Today I am sharing a Feature Post and Book Review for the new gritty noir DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham for my turn on the Dark Retribution Book Tour.
There have been short stories featuring this character by this author, but this is the first full length novel featuring the mysterious Smitty. Noir is a genre of crime film or fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity and this book has it all. I enjoyed this first book and will definitely be following Smitty on his future adventures!
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark
Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham is a suspense/noir crime fiction book
featuring Smitty, a mysterious P.I./hitman/fixer/spook with his own moral code
and an almost paranormal ability to appear and disappear. There are several
short stories featuring this character, but this is his first full length story
and it is easily read as a standalone.
A modern-day Jack the Ripper is brutally killing prostitutes
without leaving even the smallest of clues. One of the police officers working
the case, Artie Jones knows the women being killed and are related on the job to
his sister-in-law who is the leader of this group of working girls. To protect
his sister-in-law, Artie decides to request the help of the mysterious Smitty.
Smitty is as much a mystery man as the killer. There is speculation
and rumor about whether he is a P.I., a security consultant, a mob hitman or
fixer, but no matter which is correct it is an absolute truth that he is a
killing machine who never leaves any evidence behind.
As Smitty works the case, the killer becomes aware that he
is now the hunted and he looks forward to a showdown with Smitty.
This is a fast-paced suspense crime read with a very intriguing new-to-me main character. I enjoy reading about a character that is as morally ambiguous as Smitty. A dark angel or knight is sometimes needed to fight evil. The plot moves at an increasingly fast pace to a climax that satisfies. This is a noir crime genre book with some stereotypes that may seem out-of-date, but can and should be expected in this type of genre book. I do wish that Mr. Stateham had not given Smitty’s elderly black snitch colloquial dialogue; it was not necessary in my opinion.
Overall, it is a great introduction to Smitty for readers
and an interesting crime read. I will be looking for more stories about Smitty
from this author in the future.
***
Short Biography:
B.R. Stateham is a fourteen-year-old boy trapped in a
seventy-year-old body. But his enthusiasm and boyish delight in anything
mysterious and/or unknown continue.
Writing novels, especially detectives, is just the avenue of
escape which keeps the author’s mind sharp and inquisitive. He’s
published a ton of short stories in online magazines like Crooked, Darkest
Before the Dawn, Abandoned Towers, Pulp Metal Magazine, Suspense Magazine,
Spinetingler Magazine, Near to The Knuckle, A Twist of Noir, Angie’s Diary,
Power Burn Flash, and Eastern Standard Crime. He writes both
detective/mysteries, as well as science-fiction and fantasy.
In 2008 the first book in the series featuring homicide detectives
Turner Hahn and Frank Morales came out, called Murderous Passions.
Also, in 2008 he self-published a fantasy novel entitled, Roland
of the High Crags: Evil Arises.
In 2009 he created a character named Smitty. So far
twenty-eight short stories and two novellas have been written about this dark
eyed, unusually complex hit man.
In 2012 Untreed Reads published book two of the Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales series A Taste of Old Revenge.
In 2015 NumberThirteen Press published a Smitty novella entitled, A
Killing Kiss.
In 2017 a British indie publisher, Endeavour Media, re-issued A
Taste of Old Revenge, and soon followed by a second Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales novel entitled, There Are No Innocents.
In 2018 Endeavour Media published a third novel of mine, the first
in a 1st Century Roman detective series, entitled While the
Emperor Slept.
Also in 2018, NumberThirteen Press merged with another famous
British indie, Fahrenheit Press. Soon afterwards, Fahrenheit Press re-issued an
old novel of mine entitled, Death of a Young Lieutenant.
Now, after all of this apparent success, you would think Fame and
Fortune would have sailed into my harbor, making me the delight of the
hard-core genre world. Ah but contraire, mon ami! Fame and Fortune are two
devious little wraths who pick and chooses the poor souls they wish to bedevil.
I remain in complete anonymity and am just as bereft of fortune as I have
always been. And apparently will continue to be for a long time to come.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post/Blog Blitz and Book Review for DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis. This is a suspense/psychological thriller that had me hooked from page one and I cannot believe I have not heard of this author before now.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s biography.
I highly recommend this book and author!
***
Book Blurb:
As the only survivor of a horrific car crash,
Lila Amberson believes she is on the road to recovery after she is released
from the hospital. Her memories of the accident are blurred though and a series
of unsettling incidents leave her fearing for her safety. Does she have
survivor’s guilt or is something more sinister at play?
Jack Foley is reeling from the shock of
losing his sister in the crash and when he first meets Lila, he lashes out,
blaming her for Stephanie’s death. But when Lila gives him a locket that she
believes belonged to his sister, it presents more questions than answers.
As Lila and Jack work together to find out what really happened on the night of the accident, they are unaware that someone is watching them closely. Someone who has much to lose if the truth comes out, and someone who is prepared to do everything necessary to ensure all loose ends are taken care of.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis is a new suspense
filled, psychological thriller that has so many suspects and plot twists, I just
had to keep turning the pages long into the night. Ms. Beevis is a new-to-me
author who knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with a well planned,
fast paced plot and memorable characters.
Lila Amberson is the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. At
first, when she wakes, she has no memories of the accident, but slowly she
begins to remember. The more she remembers, the more she has a feeling of
dread. After several incidents, she realizes that someone is trying to hurt her
and she has no idea who or why.
Jack Foley is a famous thriller writer who lost his youngest
half-sister in the accident Lila was involved in. When Lila shows up to pay her
respects at his sister’s funeral, Jack is angry and lashes out, but he soon
realizes he was wrong about Lila. He wants to protect her and begins to care
for her romantically.
As Lila and Jack begin talking to people to find out what
happened on the night of the accident, they begin to realize that someone is
watching and does not want a truth to be revealed.
I enjoyed this thriller from page one! Ms. Beevis’ plot has well placed red herrings, increases in intensity and surprised me in the end. The story is easy to read with very likable and believable main characters and a secondary cast of characters that are not just placeholders, but well fleshed out realistically flawed people. I am very grateful I tried this new-to-me author and I will be watching for more books by her even as I go back and check out her previous titles.
I highly recommend this thriller and author!
***
Author Biography:
Keri
Beevis wrote her first novel at age twenty, but it was a further twenty years
before she was published after entering the Rethink Press New Novels
Competition 2012. Her entry, Dead Letter Day, was a winner,
earning her a publishing contract, and the book proved to be a minor hit,
leading to a sequel, Dead Write. However it was Keri’s third
novel, standalone mystery thriller The Darkness Beneaththat gained
her the most success, along with many new fans, both in the UK and the USA.
Born in the village of Old Catton, less than a mile from
where Anna Sewell was living when she wrote Black Beauty, Keri had a passion
for reading and writing from a young age, though her tastes veered more to the
macabre.
Today she still lives in Norwich, along with her two naughty
kitties, Ellie and Lola, and a plentiful supply of red wine (her writing fuel),
where she writes a comedic lifestyle column for a local magazine. She loves
Hitchcock movies, exploring creepy places, and gets extremely competitive in
local pub quizzes. She is also a self-confessed klutz.
Keri’s
previous books have all been US based and she is looking forward to the release
of her first UK based novel, which is set in her beautiful home county of
Norfolk.
LETHAL AGENT (Mitch Rapp #18) is the fifth book by Kyle
Mills in the world of Mitch Rapp started by author Vince Flynn. Mr. Mills has
never disappointed me in his continued portrayal of Mitch and all the secondary
characters that continue to surround him. While I am always intrigued and drawn
into the chosen threat in each book, the thought of a bioterrorism attack has
always terrified me more than any other.
Mullah Sayid Halabi survived Mitch Rapp’s last attempt to
rid the world of the ISIS terrorist leader, while almost losing his own life in
the process.
Halabi is back and has learned a few things since his near
demise. Instead of and army of zealots, he now has a few well trained and
trusted men around him and on-line around the world. He has kidnapped two
doctors and a nurse from Doctors Without Borders who were fighting a virus
similar to SARS in a Yemen village. One of the doctors is a brilliant French
biochemist. Halabi releases a video to prove he is alive, has possession of the
doctors and to tell the world he now has the means to produce anthrax and
destroy the enemies of Allah.
As Mitch races against the clock to stop the terror plot, he
finds that everything they believe is a red herring. Halabi’s true plot could
end up destroying the America we know forever. And if that is not enough, at
home Halabi’s threat stokes a Republican Senator’s campaign of fear and
division to advance her campaign for President.
I read this book completely in one sitting! Mitch is a
darker, harder character working alone once again, but it is necessary for this
plot. As in all the books in this series the fight scenes are detailed and
realistic. Mr. Mills had me feeling the dread of the possibility of a
bioterrorism attack, anger at the political machinations in D.C. and
contemplating the ethical issues that arise in the dark world that Mitch and
all of his team dwell in.
This is another Mitch Rapp thriller that will leave you hyped,
scared, exhausted and very satisfied in the end!
Thanks very much to Atria and Simon and Schuster for allowing
me to be a Mitch Rapp Ambassador for another year and sending me an ARC of this
book before publication.
