Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Canyon of Deceit by Diann Mills

CANYON OF DECEIT

by DiAnn Mills


September 8 – October 3, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for CANYON OF DECEIT by DiAnn Mills on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.

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

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Book Description

When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228601396-canyon-of-deceit?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=sjcDT5uSWy&rank=1

Canyon of Deceit

Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Published by: Tyndale House Publishers
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Number of Pages: 352 (pbk)
ISBN: 9781496485151 (ISBN10: 1496485157) pbk

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My Mini Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

CANYON OF DECEIT by Diann Mills is a suspenseful and intricately plotted Christian romantic suspense/mystery/thriller set in the beautiful and rugged Guadalupe Mountain National Park of New Mexico. The protagonists are Therese Palmer, a wilderness survival expert and Blane Gardner, a Texas Ranger on the hunt for a kidnapped child. This is a standalone story that is tension filled with many surprising twists that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages.

This romantic suspense plot is well paced with physical struggles and obstacles as well as struggles with their faith. What starts as a kidnapping soon turns into a complex web of assassination, murders, and military espionage. Therese and Blane both have traumas in their pasts that lead to their beliefs, but heartfelt, honest conversations occur between the action as both come to care for each other. Therese lives her faith, and she is clear with Blane that she will not compromise her beliefs even for a relationship, but she is not preaching at him. Blane is the protagonist on a spiritual journey in this story. This is a Christian romantic suspense so there are no sex scenes.

I recommend this exciting, well written Christian romantic suspense.

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Excerpt

Chapter One

New Caney, Texas

October, Thursday, Current Day

Therese

The shrill ring of my mobile phone jolted me awake at 2:00 a.m., a haunting prompt that emergencies seldom emerged in daylight. Someone had ventured into the wilderness and needed me to lead a rescue mission. My skills of trekking over precarious terrain to find victims who suffered from physical injuries, dehydration, starvation, or all three, kept me on alert. At times I viewed my life like a Star Trek tagline, “Where no man has gone before.”

I grabbed the phone off my nightstand. Unidentified caller. “Hello?”

“Ms. Palmer, this is Professor Rurik Ivanov from Houston Leonard University. We met nearly a year ago. You taught a course in wilderness survival as an adjunct professor.”

I captured a mental image of the Russian man—gray-blue eyes, stone-gray hair, angular face. “Yes, sir. How can I help you?”

“I apologize for the hour, but I’m in a desperate situation.”

The angst in his voice zapped me into guarded mode, especially when I barely knew the man. I snapped on my bedside lamp. “Are you all right?”

“No, ma’am, which is why I’m calling you. Do you remember my wife and daughter?”

“I met them both at a faculty dinner last Christmas. A lovely family.”

“My wife was murdered today, and kidnappers have taken my daughter.”

I inhaled sharply, and alarm for the professor’s family fired hot from the soles of my feet. “Daria? Alina? What happened?”

“A man called me late this afternoon while I prepared to leave for home. He said he’d taken Alina. Then he sent a link to a video showing my wife’s execution—”

He stopped abruptly, his final words drumming into my senses. The seconds ticked by, and I waited.

“I watched Daria grab her chest and struggle . . . The blood rushed from her precious body—my dear Daria’s life gone forever.” He grappled again to control his tear-filled voice. “He said they would release Alina unharmed if I paid three million dollars. They’d call with instructions. When the man hung up, I hurried home thinking it had to be a terrible mistake or someone had used AI to generate the video. On the way, I phoned Daria and the call went to voice mail. I also redialed the man who’d contacted me. The phone rang repeatedly, but the number offered no way to leave a message. I contacted Alina’s school and learned Daria had picked her up before noon.

“At home, reality rooted. A lamp and a table in the living room lay in pieces. Daria would have fought hard, but there were no signs of blood. I didn’t recognize the place in the video where they killed her. I even checked for geotag information on the clip, but it had been stripped. I later clicked on the link . . . the video had disappeared.”

I ached for his loss. “What do the police say?”

Silence answered me, then Rurik finally said, “Contacting them is impossible. The man warned me against telling anyone who works in law enforcement, or I’d never see Alina again.” He sobbed into the phone. “Please, give me a moment.”

“Take all the time you need.”

The professor taught Russian language and literature at Leonard University and was highly respected and liked among faculty and students. I’d enjoyed our occasional chats, and he’d observed some of my classes. What had he done to upset the wrong people?

“Thank you. I can talk now,” he said. “I have no idea where the killers have taken Daria’s body or how to find Alina. Neither do I suspect anyone.”

I willed my pulse to slow. “Professor, the police are trained in handling confidential matters and how to find who is responsible. They have families and understand what you’re going through.”

“And endanger my daughter?” Panic throbbed in his ragged voice.

“I’m sorry.” My grief over losing Kate many years ago surfaced raw and bleeding. “Are you alone?”

“Yes. At home.”

“Are there family or friends who can stay with you?”

“My family is in Russia, and I do not trust anyone.”

“You could very well be in danger too.”

“My welfare is unimportant.”

“Who are these people, and why has your family been victimized?”

“I have no idea. The man refused to identify himself, but he did say ‘we.’ Maybe he thinks I have money or believes I have done something criminal to my country or to the US.”

What was he not telling me? I tossed off my blanket and stood in my bedroom, shivering, not from the cold but the horror of this unfolding story. “Professor Ivanov, I’m confused. Why call me? This is a job for the police or the FBI.”

“I cannot risk my daughter’s life. You are my only hope to find Alina. You have the skills to get her back.”

I ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m a wilderness-survival specialist, nothing more. I’m not equipped to carry out a hostage negotiation without backup, which is another reason you need to involve the authorities.” More questions bolted into my mental space like a landslide. “How would I find her?”

“That’s where I can help you. Alina has GPS trackers hidden in her shoes. Not even Daria knew about them.”

“Why would you track your young daughter?”

“Alina’s biological mother died when she was a baby, and I’ve been consumed with protecting my daughter ever since. I checked my phone app and learned at one thirty this afternoon, Alina was taken to a private landing strip west of Houston. I called there, and a woman who worked in the small office said no one had filed a flight plan. But she made a mistake. The tracker had stopped registering.” He coughed and asked me to wait while he got a glass of water.

A connection at Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management popped into my consciousness. They had the technology to confirm the date and time a plane took to the skies and where it landed.

“I’m better. I apologize for my lack of control,” the professor said. “My app showed tracking again near an abandoned airstrip in a remote area south of Hobbs, New Mexico. The tracking indicated ground-speed movement for two and a half hours to a section on the north side of Guadalupe Mountains National Park called Dog Canyon. That’s where the tracking ended, and I’ve detected nothing since. I assume the kidnappers parked the vehicle and proceeded on foot with Alina. Research shows the area is off-grid. Ms. Palmer, did they remove her shoes? How would they expect her to walk in bare feet?”

My thoughts trailed to the worst possible scenario. Why take Alina to a remote location unless they planned to dispose of her body there? Another argument lay with logic. Why go to the expense of transporting a kidnap victim there when they had the ability to dispose of her body in their backyard? A morbid idea, except true. Whatever the reason, they risked exposure from security cameras until they reached an off-grid area.

“I can’t stress enough how the authorities have technology and skills to find Alina. They can unravel valid threats and comprehend the danger of taking your story to the media.”

“The man who called me said they’d be watching my every move. I bought a burner phone tonight to call you.”

His anguish rippled through me, interfering with my ability to think clearly. “What about the ransom?”

“I can liquidate assets here and in Russia to meet their demands, but the statistics on kidnappers returning my Alina alive are not good. Perhaps they would accept what I can put together now. I’m sorry . . . I wish I had an answer. Why harm an eight-year-old little girl?”

“I have empathy for your grief.” Daria’s lovely face and the white-blonde-haired little girl refused to leave me alone. “Although I could lead you into Dog Canyon, I have no idea how to pull her out of the clutches of dangerous men. You’d need armed law enforcement and possibly a negotiator.”

“That would draw attention. I’ll pay you whatever you want.”

“Money is not the issue, Professor—”

“Alina means more to me than anything else in this world. What is love but to take ownership of a problem and do all I can to stop those men?”

“What if I fail?” The terror of not finding his daughter alive resurrected an echo from the past that had shaped my career.

“Can you live with yourself if you don’t try?”

Unaware, he’d pressed my weakest button. “I’ll hear you out. But I don’t believe you’ve given me the whole story, and I need the truth before I risk my life.”

“I’ve . . . I’ve given you all of it.”“You’ve stated what you want me to know. What have you done or not done in this tragedy that Daria is dead, Alina is missing, and you can’t go to the police?

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Author Bio

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?

Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.

DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers, DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.

A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.

Connect with DiAnn online for behind-the-scenes glimpses, writing tips, and lively discussions:

diannmills.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @DiAnnMills
BookBub – @DiAnnMills
Instagram – @diannmillsauthor
Facebook – @DiAnnMills
YouTube – @DiAnnMills

Purchase Links

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PROMOAMP GIVEAWAY

https://www.promoamp.com/c/canyon-of-deceit-by-diann-mills

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Tom Clancy Terminal Velocity and Red Tide by M.P. Woodward

Tom Clancy Terminal Velocity and Red Tide by M. P. Woodward are both riveting military thrillers. Although Red Tide is not part of a Tom Clancy series, it’s very much in that style. Terminal Velocity has the Jack Ryan family, while Red Tide introduces the Cole Family.  Both these books are a salute to those who have served and their families. There is plenty of action but also some family drama.

Both these books blend geographical tension within action-filled realistic plots.

Book Description – Terminal Velocity

A string of savage murders in the United States seems unrelated until the FBI makes a shocking discovery: a decade ago, all of the murder victims were involved in a raid to eliminate the Umayyad Revolutionary Council, a vicious terror group that—were it not for John Clark and the Campus—would have perpetrated the most devastating attack against critical American infrastructure in history. Now it appears they’re back, with a next-generation leader hell-bent on revenge.

Mary Pat Foley, Director of National Intelligence, greenlights an op for the Campus to cut the head off the snake. Clark taps ex-Delta commando Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski to lead a kill team deep into the mountains to snuff out the charismatic terror leader. But when the hunters become the hunted, it’s up to Jack Rayan Jr. to avert disaster amid a deadly power game of nations vying for control of the disputed region.

On a rapid covert ingress from neighboring India, he’ll traverse the Himalayan wilderness with a rifle on his back and a tough Mujahadin fighter by his side. Jack knows time is growing short—he must save his team and lead them into position to be the first to hit terminal velocity.

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Elise’s Thoughts – Terminal Velocity

Terminal Velocity begins with Jack Ryan Jr., and his fiancée, Lisanne Robertson, visiting Delhi, India, to attend the wedding of Srini Rai, the brilliant surgeon who attached Lisanne’s prosthetic left arm. But there is trouble back in the US with a string of murders of former military who were involved in a raid to eliminate the Umayyad Revolutionary Council, a vicious terror group. John Clark, who heads the Campus, has ex-Delta commando Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski leading a kill team deep into the Pakistan/Afghan mountains to snuff out the charismatic terror leader who seeks revenge against those involved. Unfortunately, when the hunters become the hunted, it’s up to Jack Ryan Jr., who happens to be in the area for the wedding, to avert disaster amid a deadly power game of nations vying for control of the disputed region of Kashmir and to stop the terrorist attack in the US.

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Book Description – Red Tide

Rear Adm. Will Cole, outgoing operations officer (N3) of the Pacific Fleet, knows this is a recipe for disaster. But after decades at sea, he is ready to pass the torch to the next generation of “fighting Coles”: his eldest, Henry, a Navy lieutenant who flies F-18s; his middle son Jaime, a merchant marine officer; and his daughter Lu back home. When the new Cold War turns hot, however, Cole must abandon his plans. Proven right when the missiles start flying, Cole’s reward is an order to do the impossible: destroy the Chinese fleet and retake Taiwan—before it’s too late.

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Elise’s Thoughts – Red Tide

Red Tide’s plot examines the US Navy’s ability to remain the world’s guarantor of a free sea. Tensions between China and the United States have never been higher as both nations compete for access to advanced semiconductor chips produced only in Taiwan. Pearl Harbor comes to mind as the Chinese launch a surprise attack, crippling the U.S. fleet with devastating missile strikes while knocking American GPS, communications, and reconnaissance satellites out of orbit. A modernized Chinese fleet blockades Taiwan and seizes control of Pacific Sea lanes, throttling global commerce. One courageous military family, the Coles, are at the center of thwarting the Chinese in this war where the US must destroy the Chinese fleet and retake Taiwan. To succeed, Will Cole decides to listen to the reserve commander and tech-savvy venture capitalist Gabe Sorkin. With ties to the DOD’s new Defense Innovation Office, Sorkin pushes Cole to think outside the bureaucratic box.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for Tom Clancy Terminal Velocity?

M. P. Woodward: In all the Clancy books I write I want there to be an echo back to an original Clancy book. Tom Clancy wrote a book Dead or Alive before he died, published in 2010. It featured a terrorist network, the Umayyard Council. They had great designs to do something terrible to the American infrastructure. In this book even though the Umayyard Council was knocked out, the American operators who participated in achieving that goal are now dying, effectively murdered. The former terrorists have reconstituted themselves in Kashmir. I used the idea of the original Clancy book but modernized it.

EC: How would you describe one of the terrorists, Fahim?

MPW: Intelligent, charismatic, ambitious, and lecherous. He represents how a Muslim can be pushed into becoming a terrorist. I wanted to show the rift between East and West. His half-brother is a strict terrorist who manipulated him into it.

EC: How would you describe Rafa, Fahim’s half-brother?

MPW: A terrorist, unbalanced, thinks he is God’s messenger, and thinks he is a descendant of Mohammad. He feels he has a great score to settle against the US.

EC: You seem to be able to spot the hot geographical areas of the world.  Is that why you had the setting in Northern Pakistan?

MPW:  Yes.  The clash between India and Pakistan is very real.  Just a few months ago there was a terrorist incident in Kashmir, because it is so politically unsettled.

EC: Why the characters of Gavin, Midas, and Mandy in this book?

MPW: The Campus has about ten people with cross-functional skills. Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski has never really been featured except in the book Dead or Alive. The same with Mandy so I wanted to give both characters more page time. Gavin has been a constant character. Midas is a retired Lt-Col ex Delta operator, a commando.  Mandy was an FBI-counter-terror investigator. Gavin is a computer nerd and hacker.

EC: There are some scenes with AI in this book.  What would you like to say about it?

MPW: I did put in my book how Gavin has AI, Princess, his homegrown AI that can analyze data. AI is just another technical tool to make that easier. It makes sense for Gavin to build his own agent. AI will go into plots but that is different than using it to steal intellectual property.

Copyright protection is a real problem. When it becomes easier to imitate other people’s work, copyright protection should apply. Just as I cannot rebroadcast an NFL game without paying the NFL, permission should be asked, or else it is stealing author’s characters. AI is just another technical tool to make that easier. AI is the next extension of computing power. 

EC: The idea for the story of Red Tide?

MPW: There is great power competition happening between China and the US.  China is building up its naval power, trying to shut the US out of the South China Sea. I thought about how the US has a dependence on the Taiwanese semi-conductor production. I wondered since China is also dependent on that semi-conductor production, what if they just took it? This is a scenario of how a trade war can lead to a real war.

EC: Do you think this story has points about China?

MPW:  China wants to regain Taiwan as a lost province and wants to project power across the South Pacific, calling it the defense of the first Island chain. It goes from Japan down to Indonesia. This is why they built up illegal reefs all over the China Sea, and have territorial disputes with the Philippines and other countries.

EC: Why call it “The Hide and Seek War”?

MPW: It is a fictional name I developed. As the fighting begins, each side will blame the other and try to take out the satellites. Once that happens it becomes a contest of fleets, a la WWII when there was not long-range intelligence. I put in the beginning of the book the President Reagan quote because it speaks of needing American naval power to maintain a free sea. It is something that is an obligation. We are still the number one naval power in the world but are stretched too thin versus China that is trying to control the South China Sea. The US naval power is the one since WWII to enforce that the oceans are open to all. There are other countries that want to close off oceans.

EC: What is the importance of the semiconductors?

MPW: Everything in our world is based on semiconductors.  All the AI that is powering the economy is based on semiconductors.  I think 70% of that production comes out of Taiwan.  The design comes out of the US, but the physical manufacturer all happens in Taiwan. It is a major threat to the global economy.

EC: In this story there is an implication that Japan is not a true ally of the US. Agree?

MPW: When there are challenges national alliances will shift. At some point nations do not have friends, but interests. In this story, I wrote a fictional scenario how China was in a conflict, and the livelihood of Japan was threatened, so Japan wanted to stay out of it.

EC: There are some relevant parts of the story that is happening today. Agree?

MPW: The US Navy must make sure it works at innovating and not be bounded by procurement policies. Recently created was something I came up with in this book, working more with tech innovators. As I put in the book, China’s naval industrial capacity far outweighs the US.  This has been a developing problem for many years.

EC: How would you describe the Cole family, the featured characters of the book?

MPW: I wanted them to be like families I have meant that are dedicated to service.  The father, Will, is a naval officer, and one of his sons, Henry, also a naval officer, flies F-18s. The daughter, Lucy, works for the defense industry.  The other son, Jamie, is a Merchant Marine. Henry’s wife, Sarah, works in DC as a lobbyist.  I wanted to show how great this mindset is and hope there will be many more who are out there. We should all admire families like the Coles.

EC:  How would you describe Gabe Sorkin?

MPW: I wanted a character who represented reservists.  He came from the tech business; someone committed to defense and the military. His point is be prepared to fight each war differently.

EC: Next books?

MPW: I will be writing another Tom Clancy book, coming out in 2026. Red Tide is a standalone, but I am working on another military thriller that should be out in 2026 and is not a Red Tide sequel but is based around the Navy.

THANK YOU!!

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

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The House for Lost Children by Marty Wingate

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE HOUSE OF LOST CHILDREN by Marty Wingate on this Bookouture Books-On-Tour blog post.

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

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Book Description

English countryside, 1940. A brave mother’s love offers hope for children fleeing war. When her world falls apart, will they be her guiding light?

When a class of frightened children escape the city’s bombs for her countryside home, Louisa vows to do everything in her power to protect them. As she sends up silent prayers for her only son David, fighting the Nazis in the skies above Britain, she tucks them in to bed. Her heart aches as they cry in their sleep, and she knows they need all her love and care.

Among them is wide-eyed orphan Gracie, who was found next to her mother in the rubble, and clings to Louisa like a shadow. And little Alf, who begins to smile again as he cares for Lulu the dog, the only other survivor of his family. Alongside their handsome teacher Jack, can Louisa help the children to heal? Or when the school governors threaten closure and the war edges closer than ever before, will she soon lose them all?

Then devastating news about David shatters Louisa’s world. Through the depths of her grief, she must find the strength to fight for her beloved lost children. Can they show her the way through the darkness? Or when German planes fly over their peaceful village, will Louisa and the orphans be torn forever apart?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237361584-the-house-for-lost-children?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=XXZdy5ouIe&rank=1

Amazon Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0FF5XPK2Wsocial

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE HOUSE FOR LOST CHILDREN by Marty Wingate is an emotional and heartwarming standalone WWII historical fiction novel with romantic elements. Set in England during the Blitz, it features a generous and loving woman who opens her home in the country to a group of children and their teachers who have their charity school destroyed in London.

Lady Louisa Brightford is alone in a rambling mansion in the countryside with a minimal staff and her son, David, away flying Spitfires for the British Air Force. When she learns of a group of children and their two teachers displaced by a bombing in London, she calls the family lawyer and asks for his assistance in moving them to the mansion. She hopes the children can find safety and love of the countryside as they each capture her heart in their individual ways and with their particular needs, especially the youngest named, Gracie.

Louisa becomes attached to Gracie, who lost her mother in the bombing. Gracie has not spoken since she lost her mother, but clings to Louisa who continues to offer her love. Louisa also finds herself becoming closer to Jack Barry, one of the teachers. So, when the governors of the charity that run the school threaten to take the children away because she is a divorced woman, she will do everything in her power to keep them. While she is fighting for the children to stay, she receives news that her son is missing in action.

Even through her grief and anxiety over her son, Louisa is determined to keep the children in her home. With the help of Jack, long-time friends in the village, and new surprise allies, Louisa does not give in to despair but fights for the future of the children.

This is an emotionally uplifting and satisfying read that had me completely invested in all the characters. Ms. Wingate brought all the characters in this story to life. Louisa was so strong in the face of everything she had gone through personally and was still able to share so much love and understanding with the children. It was also satisfying that she found someone for herself as well. I loved all the children and their individual personalities. This story demonstrates love in all its manifestations even when you have to go through worry or despair to find it.

I highly recommend this WWII historical fiction with romantic elements and dare you to not fall in love with Gracie!

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Author Bio

Marty Wingate is a USA Today best-selling author of both mysteries and historical fiction. Marty enjoys weaving humor into her books and creating characters—from quirky and loveable to sinister and duplicitous—that leap off the page. Before embarking on her series about the London Ladies Murder Club with Bookouture, Marty published three contemporary cozy mystery series (the Potting Shed, Birds of a Feather, and First Edition Library books). She has also published two standalone books of historical fiction and found stories of the past to be compelling. She’s delighted to combine her penchant for both mysteries and histories to bring her readers more satisfying stories. Marty currently resides near Seattle, Washington.

Social Media Links

Website: https://martywingate.com/

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

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Marty Wingate here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/marty-wingate/

Feature Post and Book Review: Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink

Book Description

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220543424-fire-mountain?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=06uvLcupGA&rank=3

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My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

FIRE MOUNTAIN (Elements of Danger Book #1) by Dana Mentink is a fast paced, edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense/crime thriller with the protagonists and a baby running for their lives on a volcanic mountain getting ready to blow. This is the first book in this new series and a new-to-me author.

Self-employed long haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her overturned big rig with no memory of the accident and bullet holes in her windshield on a mountain road in the evacuation zone on a mountain threatening to erupt at any time. She is hesitant to accept the help of a stranger who offers help, but there is nothing else she can do. As they gather supplies to leave the truck, they discover a baby in a car seat in Kit’s back living area. It is not Kit’s, and she has no idea how it got into her truck.

Former cop Cullen Landry has been putting off evacuating until the last minute. He comes across an overturned big rig and helps the woman inside even though she is reluctant for his help. When they discover the baby, he does not know what to think of the surly, but attractive trucker. When two-armed men approach, they are in for a race for their lives and do not know whether it will be the men chasing them or the volcano that will end their lives.

This is one of those books that keeps you turning the pages because you just need to know if Kit, Cullen, and baby, Tot, will escape the mountain with their lives. The author does a great job realistically describing all the dangers a volcanic mountain can throw at these characters. Both Kit and Cullen are having difficulty dealing with their individual pasts and their belief in God and the author by throwing them together in dangerous and life-threatening situations which have them working together to survive also brings them to a new understanding of their pasts and of their faith. This is a Christian romantic suspense so there are no sex scenes. There are few secondary characters but the crusty old Marine, turned librarian, Archie was amazing and of course baby, Tot. The antagonists were necessary to be the foil to the main characters in the story, and their continued chase was necessary to the suspense and plot, but not realistic. That said, some suspension of belief makes this a story you cannot put down.

I highly recommend this Christian romantic suspense/thriller and look forward to the next book in this new series.

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About the Author

Dana Mentink is a New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty novels for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, Poisoned Pen Press, and other publishers. She lives in sunny California with Papa Bear and close to her two cubs, affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.danamentink.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dana.mentink

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/fire-mountain-elements-of-danger-book-1-by-dana-mentink

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Blood on the Wire by Candace Irving

Book Description

Duty. Honor. Betrayal.

Kate Holland has a new case. A psychologist assigned to a Little Rock VA hospital was found brutally stabbed to death. Kate met the man mere days earlier…following his argument with her own shrink.

At the victim’s house, Kate’s stunned to discover a cache of military-grade explosives. Is there more deadly C-4 floating around out there—and does someone have plans to use it?

Evidence found in the victim’s safe suggests yes. The psychologist was conducting a private investigation into a heinous crime that occurred more than two years ago and half a world away…in an active war zone.

Back in Arkansas, connections and bodies have begun to multiply. Can Kate zero in on the killer before he obliterates the most innocent victim of all—with the rest of that stolen C-4?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Blood On the Wire by Candace Irving brings back Kate Holland and her loving furry partner, Ruger. She is a former US Navy Lieutenant who writes the “Hidden Valor Series,” and the “Deception Point Military Detective Series.”  Fans of Ruger get a bonus because there is now merchandise available for purchase at https://store.candaceirving.com/collections/hidden-valor-merch-collection

The plot of this book has Kate initially investigating the death of a VA psychologist who was brutally stabbed to death.  But during the investigation, Kate discovers a cache of military grade explosives. But the psychologist is not the only death, and the multiple deaths bring about multiple suspects including Gwen Lindt, someone brutally raped. Kate must put together the pieces to find out if there is a connection between the C-4 explosives, the rape, and the killings.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Candace Irving:  I wanted to put in this book where Kate will be in her PTSD journey, even after she finishes her therapy. The mystery involves multiple dead bodies including a psychologist and multiple suspects, one of which will be a worker in Civil Affairs. 

EC: You better never ever kill off Ruger.  Do you agree?

CI: Ruger will never grow old and will never die in the series. Never mind Kate, I could not handle it. This is fiction.  There is not a timeline in the series. Kate and Ruger are in a little bubble so it will take many books to get through a year.

EC: What about PTSD?

CI: Part of my goal for writing this series is to help vets and those who have PTSD. It is never just gone, even if someone finishes up their therapy. With Kate I took readers through the process of having PTSD and getting into the right therapy. The character is this story Gwen Lindt is the flip side who does not go to therapy. My consultant, Dr. Patricia Resick, and I discussed rape victims because the story centers on it. The victim in the story became promiscuous because of her horrific rapes. In her mind that is how she is dealing with her stress because she feels she can control it.

EC:  Why does Kate have PTSD about her capture by Islamists and being tortured but not about her being raped by them?

CI: Dr. Resick pointed out that Kate is not hung up about the rape.  I put in the earlier stories the reason. Because she was raped when unconscious she has no memory of it and therefore no PTSD regarding it. Kate will never lose control so for example she will never get drunk because she was raped while unconscious. She did kill everyone who raped her. What she did have is her physical appearance hang ups and conflicts.

EC: Why the Afghan smuggling plot of the story?

CI:  SIV means Special Immigrant Visas that were given to translators and families who helped US forces during the War on Terror. But in this story, there were some characters who charged Afghans to falsify documents who wanted to come to the US. I found through my research this was going on. This part of the story was one of the chess pieces of the whole chess board part of the plot. One of the characters was motivated because he wants to help those who helped US forces out of these deadly situations and is not concerned with getting money.

EC: How would you describe Gwen?

CI: In the scene where Kate is first interviewing her, Gwen comes across as a major jerk. But as the story progresses readers might understand why Gwen acted the way she did, having a lot of resentment toward Kate. She had displaced anger. Gwen comes across as arrogant but actually she is still living in her trauma. Kate seems to understand why Gwen is acting out, that she is punishing people she displaces for those who were involved in the rapes. The statistic I put in the book is true: 20% of the women in the US at some point in their life will either be a victim of an attempted rape or were raped.

EC: Was this book sort of a crossover since you have CID Special Agent Regan Chase making an appearance from the Deception Point Series?

CI: Yes. This book is as close as I have come so far. Kate and Regan are friends.  They can read each other, almost being able to finish each other’s thoughts. Kate was Regan’s mentor. Back when I wanted to connect “The Deception Point Series” featuring Regan and “The Hidden Valor Series” featuring Kate I decided that Kate while in Iraq realized that Regan is very good at doing investigative work.

EC: Why does Ruger dislike Dr. Manning, Kate’s psychologist?

CI: Ruger can sense Kate’s feelings and hurt. Ruger does not like men for obvious reasons.  The moment Kate and Ruger walked into Dr. Manning’s office Ruger realized this was a smell that is freaking my mom (Kate) out because he is so attuned to Kate’s feelings and has such a strong sense of smell.

EC: What is the role of Ruger in this story?

CI: He comforts, a partner of Kate, and a search dog. Anyone who has a dog understands how Ruger is a comfort to Kate. Ruger can pick up on all her emotions.

EC: What about Arash and Kate’s relationship?

CI: They love each other.  She wants to become intimate with him but initially pulls away because of the scars all over her body. They are honest with each other.

EC: Next books?

CI: There will be two books in “The Deception Point Series” that will finish off the arc. Pitch Black is the next Regan book and another one after it. These books will have a dual point of view, one from CID Agent Regan and one from NCIS Agent Mira.  

The next Kate book will be after the two books in “The Deception Point Series.” The working title is Into the Cold. There will be people readers know and love and hate in this story.

EC: Rumor has it that fans of the Ruger series can get some merchandise?

CI: True.  There are mugs with varied colors, T-shirts, and phone cases.  People can find it here: https://store.candaceirving.com/collections/hidden-valor-merch-collection

THANK YOU!!

***

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

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Trust No One by Roger Stelljes

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for TRUST NO ONE (Agent Tori Hunter Book #8) by Roger Stelljes on this blog tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

In a cabin by a lake, a mother and father tuck their little girl into bed and kiss her goodnight. But they can’t enjoy the evening summer breeze—because this is no ordinary family on vacation. This is a family with nowhere left to run… and no one left to trust.

When FBI Agent Tori Hunter and Detective Will Braddock are called to a crime scene at a remote hunting cabin, they find blood everywhere. A small pink suitcase has been left behind, filled with children’s clothes and medicine. Has a family been murdered on vacation, or did they run just in time?

The team quickly tracks down the details of the family renting the cabin. But Braddock freezes at the last name. He claims to have never heard it before… but Tori can always tell when her partner is lying.

Furious that Braddock might keep something from her when lives are at stake, when two New York City detectives show up in Minnesota with questions for Braddock her fears are proved right… because there’s a murder case in Braddock’s past he never told Tori about. It took over his life just after his wife died, and forced him out of the city for good. Why did he keep it secret?

Tori has no time for games. Tracking down suppliers of the medicine from the cabin is her one lead to find this family before it’s too late. But with fingers pointing at Braddock, and her own instincts screaming that he’d never betray her or the shield, Tori will have to put her own career on the line to defend the man she trusts above all else—and find the real killer with a deadly score to settle.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239555373-trust-no-one?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=uRTxVkJLtJ&rank=1

Purchase link: https://geni.us/B0FKNJBZX8social

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

TRUST NO ONE (Agent Tori Hunter Book #8) by Roger Stelljes is an action-packed thrilling tangled web of a crime plot that intertwines flashbacks in Detective Will Braddock’s past in the NYCPD which seems to jeopardize his present life with former FBI agent Tori Hunter in Minnesota. This is the eighth book in this great series and can be easily read as a standalone, but I read the books in order to follow the two main protagonist’s growing relationship.

Detective Will Braddock gets a call from a snitch from an old case in NYC who has come to Manchester Bay for help. The case involved one of his friends from the NYPD who was killed while he worked the case because his nephew was involved. At the time, Will’s wife was dying of cancer, and he just did not want to work on it as he normally would. He refuses to get involved, but the next day Tori and Will get called to a hunting cabin riddled with bullet holes and blood everywhere, but no bodies.

Two NYC cops from Will’s past show up at the police station and accuse Will of being dirty. After leaving the station, they are both nearly killed. Tori has had enough and decides with the help of their friends to turn this hunt around and go after the hunters by becoming the hunters themselves to keep those she loves safe.

This series is amazing, and this book even topped the rest for me. I could not put it down. The book is intricately plotted and full of surprises, so I was never sure what to believe so I had to keep turning the pages. Tori is smart, strong, and intelligent and so is Will, which makes for head butting along the way, but it also is what made them attracted to each other. The beautiful descriptions of the lake they live on and all the different types of weather and terrain in Minnesota brings it to life.

This is an all around well written and very strong police procedural/crime thriller series that I highly recommend to all lovers of the genre.

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About the Author

Roger Stelljes is the acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of pulse-pounding murder mystery and suspense novels, including the Tori Hunter and McRyan Mystery Series. Roger’s crime thrillers are noted for their fast-paced, yet intricate plots filled with layered and complex characters.

Roger started his first novel in July 2002 while on vacation in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area and has been writing ever since. His debut book, The St. Paul Conspiracy, was nominated in genre fiction for the Minnesota Book Awards along with finalists Brian Freeman and William Kent Krueger. With his follow-up, Deadly Stillwater, where Vince Flynn hailed Roger as a “powerful new thriller voice”, he won the Midwest Independent Book Publishers award for commercial fiction.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Roger still lives there with his family. In addition to his work as an author, Roger is a partner in his law firm. Roger is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors boating, attending hockey games, and honing his golf game.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.rogerstelljes.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roger.stelljes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogerstelljes/#

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/trust-no-one-an-utterly-gripping-mystery-thriller-novel-agent-tori-hunter-book-8-by-roger-stelljes