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.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for SAVE YOURBREATH (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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
