Feature Post and Book Review: Save Your Breath by Melinda Leigh

Hi, everyone!

I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for SAVE YOUR BREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda Leigh. I have loved this romantic suspense/PI mystery series since Say Your Sorry, book 1 in the series.

Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.

This book, like every book in the series is a page turner! Enjoy and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Author Interview: Melinda Leigh

1) Your newest release features two of your most popular characters, attorney Morgan Dane and P.I. Lance Kruger. While this couple has a habit of getting involved in difficult (and dangerous) criminal cases, the mystery in this book is much more personal for them. 

In Save Your Breath, Morgan and Lance aren’t working for a client. They’re looking for Sharp’s girlfriend, Olivia Cruz, who vanished from her home in the middle of the night. After Olivia goes missing, Sharp realizes his feelings for her run much deeper than he’d thought. As the investigation continues, with no trace of Olivia, the usually calm and centered PI begins to unravel. Morgan and Lance had always depended on Sharp for his insight and stability. Save Your Breath reverses these established roles.   

2) How does the personal nature of the crime affect the other characters? 

Morgan and Lance are also thrust into unaccustomed roles. In the previous five books, Sharp has been the source of stability. He is their rock. Now Morgan and Lance have to step up and help him hold it together. The book deliberately challenges the cohesiveness of the team.

3) The story starts with a terrifying scene where Olivia is kidnapped. It is raw and visceral and plays on everyone’s worst fear—being unsafe in our own home. How do you get into the mindset for crafting this kind of scene?

I close my eyes and envision the scene in my mind from beginning to end. Everyone has been woken by a strange noise in the middle of the night. We’ve all stared at the ceiling, listening for the sounds of a stranger moving through the house. Being attacked in our sleep is a basic, primal fear. That’s the vulnerable feeling I wanted to generate in the reader, so I imagined it happening to me. Basically, I’m channeling the overactive imagination that got me into so much trouble as a child. 

4) Morgan and Lance are planning a wedding and solidifying Lance’s place as a step-dad to the Dane girls, all the while dealing with terrible crimes around them. How do they disconnect from the violence around them in order to create a space just for themselves and their family?

The family demands their full attention, and in their world of chaos and crime, their home is what keeps them sane. Both Morgan and Lance operate best when they have the support and love of their family to return to at the end of the day.  

5) Can you give readers any hints of what’s next for Morgan Dane and her crew?

I wrote Save Your Breath as the final book in the Morgan Dane series, but my next project is a spin-off. The Bree Taggert Series will take place in Grey’s Hollow. Morgan and the crew will likely make appearances. 

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Excerpt: Save Your Breath by Melinda Leigh

Her weekly dinner with her family had distracted her earlier in the evening. Her mother had served frijoles negros, Olivia’s favorite traditional Cuban dish. Olivia had overindulged, and the minute she’d left her parents’ house in Albany to make the hour drive back to Scarlet Falls, her true crime research had flashed right back into her mind and unsettled her stomach. 

Chewing an antacid, she mulled over her stunning discovery. The implications of what she’d learned further stirred the black beans and rice in her belly. As a journalist, her job was to seek the truth, not play judge or jury. But should she choose to pursue and publish this truth, other people could pay the price for her revelation—possibly with their lives. 

Her new book proposal was overdue, but Olivia’s predicament felt like a no-win situation. Ignoring the truth went against all her principles. Then again, so did putting other people in danger. 

But how much risk was involved? Could she live with being responsible for even a single innocent person’s death? 

Obsessing about her book research had translated into three consecutive nights of insomnia. Enough was enough. Olivia didn’t need to make this decision alone. What she needed was outside perspective. She brought the antacids with her into the bedroom, picked up her phone from the nightstand, and checked the time. Eleven o’clock. She sent a CALL ME IF UR UP text message to Lincoln Sharp, her . . .

The word boyfriend seemed silly at their ages. She was forty-eight. Lincoln was fifty-three. They’d been dating for several months, and they spent the night together once or twice a week. She assumed their relationship was exclusive, although they hadn’t specifically discussed it. 

Labels weren’t important to either of them, but when she saw him or he called unexpectedly, the stirrings of excitement and joy in her blood made her feel like a teenager. Beyond her attraction to him, she respected him both personally and professionally. 

So why had she been stewing over her decision instead of asking for his opinion? 

Lincoln owned and operated a private investigation firm. As a retired police detective, his practical experience with the legal system—and his knowledge of criminal behavior—exceeded hers. She valued his insight and trusted him to keep her research confidential. If she decided to pursue the story, she would hire his firm to help with the investigative legwork anyway. She may as well bring him on board now. 

She burped. Her indigestion began to burn its way up her esophagus. She chewed a second antacid, the chalky taste coating her mouth. She reached for the glass of water on her nightstand and sipped. 

A few seconds later, her phone rang, and she pressed “Answer.” 

“Is everything OK?” Lincoln asked in a worried tone. Her late-night text was unusual. 

“Yes,” Olivia assured him. 

“I’m sorry I missed dinner with your parents again,” he said. “I wrapped up my case tonight. I should be able to make dinner next week.” 

He didn’t talk much about work, which was fine. She understood his professionalism and appreciated his need to maintain client confidentiality. But he had mentioned the case had involved a great deal of evening surveillance. 

“They understand,” she said. “I called because I’m stuck in my research, and I’d like your opinion. Are you free sometime tomorrow afternoon? I can come to your office.” 

“Sure.” Interest brightened his voice. “How much time do you want me to block out?” 

“An hour should do.” She considered his associates. Lincoln’s business partner, PI Lance Kruger, and Lance’s fiancée, defense attorney Morgan Dane, could also provide useful insight on Olivia’s dilemma. Morgan’s legal advice might be particularly helpful. “I’d like Morgan’s and Lance’s thoughts as well. Could you see if they’re available?” 

“Hold on. Let me check their digital calendars.” The line went quiet for a few breaths. “Lance should be here in the afternoon. Morgan has a client meeting at nine a.m. Her calendar is clear the rest of the day. How about I put you in the one p.m. spot?”

“Perfect.” Olivia lowered the phone and made a note in the calendar app. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” 

“You know, when you texted”—Sharp’s voice deepened—“I had hoped this was a booty call.” 

A little thrill rushed through her, followed by another burp. Olivia rubbed the fire behind her breastbone. “Tonight isn’t a good night. I ate way too much of my mother’s food.” 

He snorted. “That happens. She’s an incredible cook. Get some rest and feel better.” 

“Good night.” Olivia lowered the phone. 

Satisfied he would help her make her decision, she slid into bed and picked up a book. At midnight, she still wasn’t sleepy. She set down the book and redirected her mind. Lincoln was teaching her to meditate. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breaths. She conjured a mental image of the beach in her mind and synced her breathing to the ebb and flow of the imaginary waves. At first she had trouble concentrating, but eventually her body felt heavy. 

Olivia jolted, her heartbeat quickening, sweat dampening her T-shirt. 

What was that? 

A glance at the clock on her nightstand told her hours had passed. It felt as if she’d just closed her eyes, but she must have fallen asleep. She scanned the darkness of her bedroom. Her gaze passed over her dresser and chair. Had she heard something real, or had it been a dream? 

She concentrated, listening hard to the sounds of her house, but she heard nothing unusual. A thunk and hum signaled the heater switching on. Hot air blew out of the floor vent and moved the sheers that hung over her windows. 

The alarm hadn’t sounded. She reached for her cell phone. It was far too early to rise for the day. She double-checked the security system app on her phone. The house was secure. She needed to go back to sleep. 

She shifted her legs under the covers, closed her eyes, and tried to get comfortable. 

Something whooshed. Her eyes snapped open. A large shape rushed toward her. A heavy body landed on top of her, pinning her to the mattress. The weight and size of her attacker felt male. She flailed and tried to push him off, but her arms and legs were trapped as he straddled her. She was cocooned in her comforter like a swaddled baby. Her throat constricted. She couldn’t scream. 

Panic sprinted through her bloodstream as she stared up at the dark assailant looming over her. His face seemed distorted, his features brighter and flatter than normal. He was wearing a mask. 

With a bolt of gut-twisting horror, she recognized the character as Michael Myers from the movie Halloween

A flash of terror shot up her spine. She inhaled, preparing to force a scream out of her tight throat. 

He slapped her across the face. Pain, bright and sharp, sang through her cheekbone but faded in seconds as her adrenaline surged. The scream died in her chest.

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My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

I love this book! I love this series! I am so terribly sad that this is the final book in the series!

SAVE YOUR BREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery and this time the focus is on Lincoln Sharp and Olivia Cruz, but the danger still has a way of finding Lance and Morgan.

True-crime writer Olivia Cruz has disappeared. Lincoln and Olivia have been dating for a few months now and he knows the type of criminals she interviews and fears the worst. She attempts to leave a few clues, but she is taped, tied and then drugged. Sharp gets Lance and Morgan to assist in going through her files of her current book looking for clues.

They find Olivia was writing about two cold case murders. The mother of one of the convicted men committed suicide right outside Morgan’s office after Morgan turned her down as a client the same day they find Olivia missing.

The suspects increase as the suspense builds and it is a race against the clock. Will Sharp find Olivia and will she be alive? And has Morgan and Lance’s involvement in the case made them targets of the killer?

I love all the characters in this book and series. I always look forward to each book knowing I can pick it up, reconnect with Morgan, Lance and all the secondary characters and immediately be immersed in a mystery that pulls me into the story and their lives once again. Ms. Leigh knows how to keep you on the edge-of-your-seat and turning the pages. I am very sorry this series is ending, but I know I will be going back to reread them again.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series! All the books have memorable characters and well plotted mysteries. I do recommend they be read in order to follow all the personal connections and changes.

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About the Book

Title: Save Your Breath

Author: Melinda Leigh

Release Date: September 17, 2019

Publisher: Montlake

Summary

When true-crime writer Olivia Cruz disappears with no signs of foul play, her new boyfriend, Lincoln Sharp, suspects the worst. He knows she didn’t leave willingly and turns to attorney Morgan Dane and PI Lance Kruger to find her before it’s too late.

As they dig through Olivia’s life, they are shocked to discover a connection between her current book research on two cold murder cases and the suicide of one of Morgan’s prospective clients.

As Morgan and Lance investigate, the number of suspects grows, but time is running out to find Olivia alive. When danger comes knocking at their door, Morgan and Lance realize that they may be the killer’s next targets.

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Author Biography

#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A lifelong lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity when her youngest child entered first grade. During the next few years, she joined Romance Writers of America, learned a few things about writing a novel, and decided the process was way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver Falchion Awards, along with two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du Maurier Awards. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate; teaches women’s self-defense; and lives in a messy house with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescue cats.

Social Media Links

Website: http://melindaleigh.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelindaLeigh1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141609.Melinda_Leigh

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Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Deserve To Die by Miranda Rijks

Deserve to Die by Miranda Rijks

#DeserveToDie @MirandaRijks #InkubatorBooks @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks. This is a well written page turner and the second book by this author that I have read and enjoyed.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media information and purchasing links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb:

Dom and Stacey have the perfect life. Until they meet Tamara. Brilliant, beautiful, she hides a horrifying secret. One that may destroy them all.

Happily married with two beautiful children, Dom and Stacey have it all. He runs a successful design agency, she is finding fame as an author of children’s books.

Everything is perfect. Until they meet Tamara.

Because Tamara is a woman with a plan.  She executes it step by step – patient, systematic, methodical.

And as her plan unfolds, Dom and Stacey find their lives slipping out of control.  Taking them from heaven into the deepest, darkest hell.

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My Book Review:

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

DESERVE TO DIE by Miranda Rijks is a new domestic psychological thriller. I read the mystery, “Fatal Fortune” by this author that I enjoyed so I was excited to give this book a read. I was not disappointed.

Dom and Stacey are happily married with two children. Dom is the head of a successful design agency and Stacey works from home writing and illustrating children’s books. They are very happy.

It is a complete shock when the account executive of Dom’s firm commits suicide and blames his unhappiness on his job. Conveniently, the perfect replacement shows up for his job. Tamara is beautiful, classy and highly motivated. She has a plan, not only for the company, but also for Dom and Stacey.

As Tamara’s plan begins to unfold, the seeds of mistrust between Dom and Stacey grow. Stacey is gas-lighted by Tamara as she moves to replace her at Dom’s side and in her home.

The story is told in alternating chapters between Stacey and Tamara. The pace increases as the story progresses and the tension escalates to the point of not wanting to put the book down. All of the steps Tamara takes really scared me because of how believable it was and how easily it was done. I did have some difficulties with Dom and Stacey though. Dom switched sides a little too quickly for me if they were as happy as it seemed and he even believed Tamara over his two children. I liked that Stacey went for help when needed, but she seemed completely incompetent when looking into Tamara’s background. She worked at Dom’s company before their children and she is an author, so I found it difficult to believe.

Overall this is an intense and well written domestic psychological thriller. It is not unique, but it kept me turning the pages and I was satisfied with the ending.

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About Miranda Rijks:

Miranda Rijks is a writer of suspense novels.

Miranda has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.

Miranda loves connecting with her readers, so you can reach out to her at www.mirandarijks.com

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MirandaRijks

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

Website: www.mirandarijks.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mirandarijksauthor/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AMiranda+Rijks&s=relevancerank&text=Miranda+Rijks&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1

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Purchase Links:

At the time of putting this media pack together the book isn’t available for pre-order but I will send the links as soon as I see them go live.

Publishing Information:

Published in paperback and ebook formats by Inkubator Books on 31st July 2019.

Blog Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: The Art of Murder by Rebecca Muddiman

Book Blurb:

How do you catch a killer who thinks murder is art?

Michael Fisher sees himself as an artist rather than a killer and poses his victims to resemble famous paintings.  

Detective Nick Kelly is called to attend the latest crime scene and finds himself at the centre of a media storm. But while the rest of the police department feels under pressure, Nick relishes the attention.

Karen Kelly, Nick’s soon to be ex-wife, watches in horror as this brutal game of cat and mouse plays out. But Karen has secrets of her own.

And when another body is found, Nick is disturbed to discover he knows the victim and things start to get a little too close to home.

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My Book Review:

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

THE ART OF MURDER by Rebecca Muddiman is a suspense/thriller by a new to me author. Each chapter alternates between the perspectives of the three main characters.

Detective Nick Kelly is on an NYPD team working the case of an unknown serial killer who poses his victims to replicate famous paintings. As the number of victims increases, the pressure is on from the media for more information. Nick’s superior does not want the public to know how the victims have been displayed, but Nick enjoys the spotlight and wants to release more information.

Karen Kelly is cohabitating unharmoniously with Nick as they wait for the court to decide which one of them gets their NYC apartment in their divorce. Karen owns an independent bookstore which is struggling financially and is generally unhappy with her life at this point in time. She meets a nice man on her birthday while she is out on her own, but she had such poor taste in picking Nick, she does not know if she can trust this charming new man.

Michael Fisher wanted to be a famous artist. His father belittled him and he dropped out of art school. Now he works on his personal masterpieces to replicate famous master paintings to prove his talent to his father and the world. The backdrops are painted, but the main figure is not. If you are squandering your true talent, Michael will make a painting to feature you.

I felt this book was predictable for about the first third of the story, but then the author does manage to insert a few curve balls that increase the suspense and pace. I enjoyed the serial killer in this book more than Nick and Karen. Nick is a narcissist in every sense of the word. Karen was a whiny wimp until the very end and I find it surprising that she even came through then, which somewhat limited the believability for me. This was a group of characters that I did not like, but the plot does have a few unique twists that carried me through to the end.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for allowing me to read this eARC in advance of release.

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Rebecca Muddiman was born and raised in the North East and worked in the NHS for many years. She has published six crime novels – StolenGone, Tell Me LiesMurder in Slow Motion, No Place Like Home, and The Art of MurderStolen won a Northern Writers Award in 2010 and the Northern Crime Competition in 2012. She is also a screenwriter and was selected for the London Screenwriters Festival Talent Campus in 2016.

Most of her spare time is spent re-watching Game of Thrones, trying to learn Danish, and dealing with two unruly dogs. Sometimes all at the same time.

https://rebeccamuddiman.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccamuddimanauthor

Book Review: The Rebound Effect by Linda Griffin

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

THE REBOUND EFFECT by Linda Griffin is listed as a romantic suspense. It is not a romance. This book is a domestic psychological thriller. If considered in that genre, it is a high intensity read of a single mother on the rebound and the new man who comes into her life while women are disappearing in the area.

Teresa Lansing is a struggling single mother working as a veterinary assistant in the small town of Cougar. She is doing the best she can for herself and her six-year-old deaf son. Both are trying to get over the recent break-up of Teresa and her fiancé after she found out he cheated.

While visiting her best-friend at her local family bar and grill, Teresa is swept off her feet by Frank McAllister. Frank just moved to Cougar four months ago. He is a cop and works on the S.W.A.T. team in the big city near Cougar. Frank is handsome, charming and very sexy. Teresa and her friend believe she has finally found a good man.

As the courtship progresses, Teresa at many times feels overwhelmed by the fast pace Frank wants to set for the relationship. She tries to draw some lines, but she always feels ungrateful for everything he is doing for her and her son and lets Frank continue to have his way. While Frank is pushing for a permanent commitment, Teresa’s former fiancé continues to try to win her back.

While tensions rise between Teresa and Frank, the number of missing women in the area also increases. Is Teresa safe or is she the next to die?

Ms. Griffin’s characters are realistic and make you easily understand how psychopaths and psychological abusers can overwhelm you. Yes, there were times I wanted to smack Teresa in the head and tell her to wise up and put her son first, but Frank knew how to tie them both together to get what he wanted. The sense of danger and the high intensity of the emotions in this book keep you turning the pages. As I wrote previous, this is a thriller and not a romance. For me, a romance or romantic suspense must end with or be leading to a HEA. The dating and sex in this book is not a romance.

If you are looking for a domestic psychological suspense, this is a fast paced, high intensity read.

Written for The Romance Reviews.

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North

The Perfect Betrayal by Lauren North

#ThePerfectBetrayal @Lauren_C _North @TransworldBooks

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for a new, emotional psychological thriller THE PERFECT BETRAYAL by Lauren North. It is always difficult to tell you about a thriller without giving away any spoilers, but in this type of thriller I always suspect everyone, even the narrator so I am not usually surprised. This ending has a twist that is SHOCKING!

Below in this Feature Post you will find a book blurb, my book review and author information and social media links.

You have to read this book!

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Book Blurb:

After the sudden death of her husband, Tess is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she’ll do anything to protect him – but she’s struggling to cope.

When grief counsellor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is understanding and kind, and promises she can help Tess through the hardest time of her life.

But when a string of unsettling events happens and questions arise over her husband’s death, Tess starts to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe – but she’s at her most vulnerable, and that’s a dangerous place to be.

My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE PERFECT BETRAYAL by Lauren North is a psychological thriller by a new-to-me author that is absolutely perfect. This is the type of thriller that makes you question everything everyone says and does, even the narrator. When you believe everything is settled, keep reading. The ending is so SHOCKING!

Tess is barely keeping herself and her seven year old son, Jamie functioning after the death of her husband in a plane crash. Both are depressed, angry and struggling to cope with everyday life and each other. Tess is unwilling to ask for help from her extended family and she has never been friendly with Ian, her husband’s brother.

Shelley is a grief counsellor assigned to help Tess. Shelley lost her son to leukemia and believes her son would have looked just like Jamie if he had lived. Tess and Shelley bond over Jamie and she seems to be helping Tess to move on with her life. As much as Tess is friendly with Shelley, there are times that Tess believes Shelley has ulterior motives.

Since Shelley and Ian have been around a series of unsettling events have occurred that have Tess and those around her questioning her improvement, but Tess believes Shelley and Ian have ulterior motives and are scheming against her. Tess will do anything to keep Jamie safe, but will pushing everyone away keep them safe?

To tell the truth, when I started this book, I thought it was going to be another domestic psychological thriller that would be an escape, but nothing new. I was SO WRONG! The depression and emotions are heartbreaking. All of the characters’ motivations remain hidden throughout. The ending had me in tears and shocked. Ms. North’s writing will pull you in, twist you up and leave you questioning everything you just read. Tess is a character that will stay with me for a long time.

I highly recommend this book!

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About Lauren North:

Lauren North writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.

Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lauren_C_North

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

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Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Betrayal-Lauren-North/dp/0552176087/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1561028514&sr=8-1

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-perfect-betrayal-1

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-perfect-betrayal/lauren-north/9780552176088

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Perfect-Betrayal-Lauren-North/9780552176088?ref=grid-view&qid=1561028930577&sr=1-1

Hive: https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Lauren-North/The-Perfect-Betrayal–The-addictive-thriller-that-will-leave-you-reeling/23640968

Publishing Information:

Published in paperback format by Corgi Books on 27th June 2019. (also available in ebook and audio formats)

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Controller by Matt Brolly

The Controller by Matt Brolly

#TheController #LynchandRose @MattBrollyUK @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

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Hi, everyone!

My turn on the blog tour. I was riveted, repulsed, scared and engrossed the entire time I was immersed in this new suspense/thriller. One sitting was all I needed to fly through The Controller ( A Lynch and Rose Thriller Book 1) by Matt Brolly.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, author info, author social media and purchase links. I loved this edge-of-your-seat thriller!

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Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of the acclaimed DCI Lambert series comes The Controller, a gripping serial killer thriller introducing Sam Lynch and Special Agent Sandra Rose. 

It is six years since special agent Samuel Lynch left the FBI following the disappearance of his son, Daniel. Lynch believes an underground organisation known as The Railroad is responsible and has never stopped searching. 

When Special Agent Sandra Rose investigates a house invasion gone wrong, she discovers the assailant has the legendary, and infamous, Railroad tattoo carved onto his back and he claims to know Daniel’s whereabouts.

Rose draws Lynch in to her case, and together they become embroiled in an unparalleled world of violence and evil.

It seems that to see his son again, Lynch will have to confront his greatest fear and face the ultimate test: an encounter with the Railroad’s enigmatic and deadly leader, The Controller.

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE CONTROLLER (A Lynch and Rose Thriller Book 1) by Matt Brolly is a fast-paced, high octane suspense/thriller that I could not put down until the explosive end. A former and current FBI agent work together to bring down an organization that is only spoken about as a legend.

Special Agent Samuel Lynch left the FBI. He was forced out as he spent every minute investigating an underground organization known as The Railroad who he believed kidnapped his son and hundreds of others. Each time he gets close, his lead evaporates, but he will never stop searching until his son, Daniel is found.

Seven years have passed.

Special Agent Sandra Rose is sent to investigate a home invasion were the killer sadistically eliminated an entire family. He is taken into custody, but refuses to talk to anyone but Samuel Lynch. He claims to know were Daniel is being held – alive.

Rose brings Lynch in and together they become entangled in a world where no one can be trusted. As Rose works with her partner within the system, Lynch will allow himself to be taken by The Controller, who is the sadistic and deadly leader of The Railroad. He will do anything to see his son again, but will it be the last thing he ever does?

This book drops you immediately into action that never lets up. The author weaves Lynch and Rose’s backstories throughout without losing momentum. There are gruesome scenes that are graphic, but this is a thriller about an organization of sadists and I never felt the scenes were gratuitous. The Controller was a truly scary psychopath who is still out there. (This is not a secret, so I will be looking for him in future books.) All of the secondary characters kept you guessing if they were good or bad which added to the tension.

I am very interested in following this duo to see how the author handles each going forward. The next thrill ride cannot come soon enough!

***

About Matt Brolly:

Following his law degree where he developed an interest in criminal law, Matt Brolly completed his Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University.

He is the bestselling author of the DCI Lambert crime novels, Dead Eyed, Dead Lucky and Dead Embers. The fourth in the series, Dead Time, was released by Canelo in May 2018 and a prequel, Dead Water, will be published in September 2019. In 2020 the first of a new crime series set in the West Country of the UK will be released by Thomas and Mercer (Amazon Publishing).

The Controller, released in May 2019, is the first of a new thriller series set in Texas.

Matt also writes children’s books as M.J. Brolly. His first children’s book, The Sleeping Bug, was released by Oblong Books in December 2018.

Matt lives in London with his wife and their two young children. You can find out more about Matt at his website MattBrolly.co.uk or by following him on twitter: @MattBrollyUK

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattBrollyUK @MattBrollyUK

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

Website: https://www.mattbrolly.co.uk/

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Controller-Lynch-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B07P8953TK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=the+controller+matt+brolly&qid=1557341148&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Lynch-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B07P8953TK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=the+controller+matt+brolly&qid=1557341298&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Publishing Information:

Published by Oblong Books in ebook format on 24th May 2019