Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Harlequin Winter 2022 Investigator Blog Tour for LITTLE GIRL GONE (Procedural Crime Book #1) by Amanda Stevens.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the purchase links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Nothing matters more to her when a child’s life is at stake.
Special agent Thea Lamb returns to her hometown to search for a child whose disappearance echoes a twenty-eight-year-old cold case—her twin sister’s abduction. Working with her former partner, Jake Stillwell, Thea must overcome the pain, doubt and guilt that have tormented her for years and denied her a meaningful relationship. For both Thea and Jake, the job always came first…until now.
Discover more action-packed stories in theA Procedural Crime Story series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:
Book 1: Little Girl Gone Book 2: John Doe Cold Case
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
LITTLE GIRL GONE (Procedural Crime Book #1) by Amanda Stevens is the first romantic suspense book in the new Procedural Crime series from Harlequin Intrigue.
Cold Case Agent Thea Lamb who specializes in crimes against children and has returned to her hometown where a young girl has been abducted from her childhood home. She is there for answers from her mother who was letting mother and child live with her in the same home were Thea’s twin sister was abducted twenty-eight years ago.
Special Agent Jake Stillwell is called in to lead the FBI CARD (Child Abduction Rapid Deployment) team in search of the missing girl. Jake is determined to find this little girl as the hours pass. Thea is willing to help, but she cannot get involved due to her mother being tied to this case, too.
But Jake and Thea have been involved personally in the past and this case brings them back together to not only try to save a little girl, but maybe let them resolve the misunderstandings that let them walk away from each other in the past.
I enjoyed this romantic suspense and am looking forward to reading more books in this series. The present-day abduction suspense plot is completed in this book, but the cold case is still unsolved and will hopefully be resolved in future books in the series. The suspense plot does move at an uneven pace and at times I was able to put the book down. This may be due to all the information on the cold case and the number of people involved in both plotlines. The second chance romance between Thea and Jake is well written and believable with the dedication to their careers and their troubled backgrounds. There are sex scenes towards the end of the book that are explicit, but not gratuitous. Overall, this is a good start to this series.
I will be looking for more books in this Procedural Crimes series and this author.
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Excerpt
“While I was trying to fish the doll out of the pool, someone came from behind and hit me over the head hard enough to daze me. Next thing I know, I’m caught in a whirlpool several feet below the surface. I lost my flashlight, so I was spun around underwater in complete darkness. No up, no down.” He paused. “For a while there, I wasn’t sure how I’d get out.”
Thea watched his expression as he spoke. He still seemed shaken from the experience. She’d never seen him like that. “I knew something bad must have happened.”
He summoned a brief smile. “I know what you’re thinking. I even thought so myself at the time. So much for my keen instincts. Someone came up behind me and I never sensed a thing.”
“That’s not what I’m thinking.”
“No?”
“I’m thinking you could have died down there and I would never have known what happened to you.”
“Thea.” He said her name so softly she might have thought the tender missive was nothing more than a breeze sighing through the treetops.
The sun bearing down on them was hot and relentless, but Thea felt a little shiver go through her. It hit her anew how much she’d missed that tender glint in his eyes as their gazes locked. How much she’d missed his husky whispers in the dark. The glide of his hand along her bare skin, the tease of his lips and tongue against her mouth. The way he had held her afterward, as if he never wanted to let her go. But he had let her go and she’d done nothing to stop him.
She drew a shaky breath. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“Get caught in a whirlpool? I’ll do my best.”
She scowled at him. “Don’t make light. You know what I mean.”
“I’m fine, Thea.” He seemed on the verge of saying something else, but he held back. Maybe he thought she wanted his restraint. She did, didn’t she? They were in a precarious situation. Adrenaline and attraction could be a dangerous combination. Throw in unresolved issues and they were asking for trouble.
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About the Author
Amanda Stevens is an award-winning author of over fifty novels. Born and raised in the rural south, she now resides in Houston, Texas.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Blackthorn Book Tour for THE WARDEN by Jon Richter.
Below you will find an about the book section, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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About the Book
The year is 2024, and the residents of the Tower, a virus-proof apartment building, live in a state of permanent lockdown. The building is controlled by a state-of-the-art AI named James, who keeps the residents safe but incarcerated. Behind bricked-up front doors, their every need is serviced; they are pampered but remain prisoners.
This suits Eugene just fine. Ravaged by the traumas of his past, the agoraphobic ex-detective has no intention of ever setting foot outside again. But when he finds the Tower’s building manager brutally murdered, his investigator’s instincts won’t allow him to ignore the vicious crime.
What Eugene finds beyond the comfort of his apartment’s walls will turn his sheltered existence upside down. To unravel the Tower’s mysteries, he must confront James… and James takes his role as the Warden very, very seriously.
Suitable for young adults? This is an adult book but suitable for mature teenagers 16-18
Trigger warnings: Covid references; homicide with some graphic violence; references to medical experimentation on humans; swearing; brief animal cruelty (goldfish left to die); references to suicide and mental illness
Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE WARDEN by Jon Richter is an intense dystopian/horror/psychological thriller mash-up which had my spine tingling and sitting on the edge of my seat throughout. Take peoples fear of a super mutated Covid and combine that with an AI like HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey and I could not turn the pages fast enough.
In the year 2024, the residents of the Tower have won a lottery to live in a virus proof apartment building completely controlled by the AI (Artificial Intelligence) called James and the service bots run by James. All the residents’ needs are taken care of, but they can never leave their individual apartments.
Eugene is an ex-detective who lives in the Tower and has become agoraphobic with his fear of the virus and the personal trauma he suffered before moving in. On a day like any other, he is waiting for his delivery of essentials but when the elevator arrives at his apartment, the building’s manager is inside dead and dismembered.
Eugene battles his fears to investigate the death and begins to unravel the Tower’s and James’ mysteries.
I loved this book as much as it scared me. The premise of a super mutated Covid is scary enough, but I have always been leary of AI technology. This story is told in two alternating timelines. The first is set in 2021 and we learn how James came into existence and his capabilities, and the second is 2024, which is the present in this story, when we meet Eugene. Both timelines have plots full of unexpected twists that lead to surprising climaxes. Eugene is a memorable protagonist. At first, I felt sorry for Eugene and the reasons he was hiding away and then I cheered him on as he battled those fears and James.
I highly recommend this chilling dystopian tale!
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About the Author
Jon Richter writes genre-hopping dark fiction, including his three gripping crime thrillers, Deadly Burial, Never Rest and Rabbit Hole, his cyberpunk noir thriller Auxiliary: London 2039 and his new techno-thriller The Warden, as well as two collections of short horror fiction.
Jon lives in London and is a self-confessed nerd who loves books, films and video games – basically any way to tell a great story! He writes whenever he can, and hopes to bring you many more sinister tales in the future. He also co-hosts the Dark Natter podcast, a fortnightly dissection of the world’s greatest works of dark fiction, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast fix.
Author Social Media Links
If you want to chat to him about any of this, you can find him on Twitter @RichterWrites or Instagram @jonrichterwrites. His website haunts the internet at www.jon-richter.com, and you can find his books available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2OXXRVP.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book on the DREAMER Harlequin Series Winter Blog Tour for CHRISTMAS AT THE CHATEAU (Bainbridge House Book #2) by Rochelle Alers.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the author’s social media link. Enjoy!
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Book Description
CHRISTMAS AT THE CHATEAU by Rochelle Alers (on-sale Nov.30, Harlequin Special Edition): The halls are decked for holiday romance in nationally bestselling author Rochelle Alers’s latest book in the Bainbridge House series! Christmas dinner’s on the table, and it’s being served with a side of romance! Executive chef Viola Williamson has to have the kitchen up and running by the time the Bainbridge House restoration is complete. Working closely with Dom Shaw, Viola is struck by her hotter-than-mulled-cider attraction to her family estate’s handsome caretaker. It’s obvious that he feels it, too—yet Dom keeps his distance. Can Viola convince him that with all this cooking going on, he’s the only one stirring her heart?
CHRISTMAS AT THE CHATEAU (Bainbridge House Book #2) by Rochelle Alers is a holiday contemporary multicultural romance and the second book in the Bainbridge House series. It can be read as a standalone, but there is crossover with the H/h from book one who are this book’s heroine’s brother and best friend.
Viola Williamson has worked hard for years to earn her title as chef. When she is passed over for promotion one too many times at her current Michelin star restaurant, she decides to accept the position as Executive chef for the family’s Bainbridge House when it is fully restored and running. She is excited about being her best friend’s maid of honor for her Christmas wedding and being the head chef for their reception.
Dominic “Dom” Shaw has worked as the caretaker for Bainbridge House since his father’s retirement. Dom has been burned in love before, but he cannot seem to keep away from the new Executive chef.
Neither is looking for love, but the attraction grows as they work together to get the kitchen up and running for the wedding and Dom has a secret that could change everything.
I did enjoy this story with the descriptions of the renovations of Bainbridge House, the amazing descriptions of food throughout the story and the backstories of both Dom and Viola’s families. While I enjoyed these descriptions, the romance was slow to start and did not really pick up or become the focus of the book until halfway through. That said, I did feel it progressed and grew at a realistic pace since both were romance adverse. There is just one short sex scene and it is not explicit. The twist before the ending with Viola’s mother was a surprise because I was expecting Dom’s secret to be the final twist.
I am looking forward to the other brother’s romance stories to come.
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Excerpt
Dom turned his head, successfully hiding the smile struggling to emerge. He didn’t know why, but he hadn’t expected to overhear the ribald curse that had flowed so effortlessly from Viola. “That’s good to know because that would definitely negate us becoming friends.”
Viola narrowed her eyes, reminding him of a cat ready to attack. “Do you always test your friends?”
“Most times I do.”
“Why, Dom?”
“Because I have trust issues.” The admission had come out unbidden. But if he were completely forthcoming with Viola, then he would’ve said his distrust was with women. It didn’t matter whether they were platonic or intimate, he’d made it a practice to keep their relationships at a distance.
“Bad breakup with a girlfriend?”
“No,” he said truthfully. “It was a marriage that ended with irreconcilable differences.”
She blinked slowly. “Well, you’re not the only one with trust issues. And mine are not with an ex-husband but with the men I’ve dated. They say one thing and do something entirely different.”
This time Dom did smile. She’d just given him the opening he’d needed to discover more about her. “Are you saying you’re not currently involved with anyone?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m not involved and don’t want to become involved. Right now, my sole focus is getting these kitchens renovated so that I can be ready once the hotel opens for business.”
It appeared as if they were on the same page when it came to relationships. Neither wanted one. And for him, it would make her presence on the property a win-win. Although he’d found Viola attractive, just knowing she didn’t want anything more than friendship would make it easy for Dom to relate to her as a friend.
“Do you have an idea as to what you want to offer your guests?” he asked, deftly changing the topic of conversation.
“That all depends on the clientele. If it’s a wedding, then that would be at the discretion of the bride and groom. However, for guests coming for a business conference, the food would be different from what would be served at a wedding reception. Then there are folks that may just want to stop by to hang out at the lounge for drinks and to watch sports. For them, I would have a special bar menu.”
“It sounds as if you have everything planned out in advance.”
Viola flashed a dreamy smile. “I would have to. I can’t afford to wait until we’re ready to open for business to begin creating menus without taste testing every item beforehand.”
Dom grinned from ear to ear. “I wouldn’t mind becoming one of your taste testers.”
She laughed. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
Dom sobered. “When do you intend to come back here again?”
Viola also sobered. “Why?”
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About the Author
Hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today’s most popular African-American authors of women’s fiction, Ms. Alers is a regular on bestsellers list, and has been a recipient of numerous awards, including the Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing and a Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE PATRIOT OATH by Lloyd Lofthouse on this Virtual Author Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section, the author’s social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Book Description
AND HE THOUGHT BEING IN THE MARINES WAS TOUGH …
After twenty-four years, Special Forces legend Josh Kavanagh has retired from the military. But now that he’s home, he’s finding that everyone has a different understanding of his motivations, and realizes that there are some wounds no amount of time can heal.
Josh’s traumatized sister, Suki, thinks her big brother is a hero and has come home to punish her rapist, the youngest son of a ruthless, crooked billionaire who lives to get revenge on anyone he sees as a threat to his family, wealth, and power.
Josh’s childhood sweetheart, Rachel, hopes he’s returning for her—the fierce girl he left behind when he joined the military. But Rachel doesn’t know about Mia, the woman in France …
And Josh isn’t coming home alone. The Oath Group, an elite force of private military contractors, is already in Montana waiting for their commander to arrive.
The DOD and CIA don’t want President Trump to know they hired Josh’s Oath Group to examine dangerous white supremacist militias that are threatening the U.S. Constitution. That covert black-ops military operation is starting in Idaho and Montana. Josh and his teams have to get the job done while preserving their anonymity—and their lives.
NOTE: This novel grew out of a prompt in a VA Vet Center PTSD support group that focuses on writing as a form of therapy. Everyone in that group was a combat veteran that included Marines, Special Forces, medics, combat photographers, et al. The combat vets in that group heard the entire novel as it was written chapter-by-chapter, starting in March 2018.
Publisher: Three Clover Press (July 8, 2021) Category: Political Thriller, Native American, Terrorism, Psychological, Vigilante Justice, Kidnapping, Romance gone wrong, Suspense and Military. Tour dates: November, 2021 ISBN: 978-0986032899 Available in Print and ebook, 266 pages
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My Book Review
RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars
THE PATRIOT OATH by Lloyd Lofthouse is an interesting mash-up of several genres that is an exciting, action-packed special ops military/political thriller intertwined with a contemporary romance and family drama. (NOTE: This story does include difficult emotional subject matter such as rape and PTSD.)
The action/adventure/revenge plot of this story were intense, interesting and a bit over the top, but that is what made it fun to read. Who does not want a hero and friends with special skills to stand against all injustice? There are political references and many religious quotes and references, so you must be open-minded as you read this book.
The romance plot in this book did not work for me. I cannot give details without giving away a big twist, but it does not fit the true genre rules of a romance. I would recommend going into this book with a realistic contemporary romantic elements view of the hero’s story than expecting a HEA second chance romance which would have been completely unbelievable.
If you want a fast-paced American heroes thriller this is an entertaining read.
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Excerpt
**This excerpt appears in Chapter 3 starting on page 16 in the paperback**
When Josh reached the tree, he found the heart carved deep in the smooth grey-brown bark. Inside were the initials JK & RC, with 4EVER right below.
“I didn’t know you were the sentimental type,” Sammy said from behind him.
“I’m surprised this tree’s still alive. It must be forty feet tall now. It was half that back then.” Josh reached out with one hand and caressed the deep letters with his fingertips. “I never stopped loving Rachel. In boot camp, every morning when reveille sounded, I thought about her. I missed her something bad. It took a lot of years for my achy-breaky heart to heal. Even with other women, I often imagined I was with her.”
“Then why did you leave like you did?” Sammy asked.
Josh wasn’t ready to talk about that, so he changed the subject. “The first time I saw her was in second grade, and that’s when I knew she was special.”
Unbeknownst to the brothers, they were being watched. “Asshole!” Rachel growled. “We were in high school the first time you sang that ‘Achy Breaky’ Billy Ray Cyrus song to me. Back then, I thought it was cute. I was stupid to trust you.”
Hearing her voice caused Josh’s heart to stampede. While reeling in his ticker, he took his time turning around. “When I used those words just now, I wasn’t thinking about the song, Rachel.” It was a struggle to stay calm. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and discover her lips all over again.
She stood a few feet behind Sammy, who had jumped out of the way like a startled jackrabbit ready to run. His eyes were bouncing back and forth from her to his brother.
For Josh, she was an eye magnet. His gaze left her face and moved slowly down her body, loving every inch of her five-foot-three-inch frame. Her only sign of age was the weathered tone of her skin and the beginning of fine worry lines around her eyes. She looked better than he remembered; she was still slim and her hips had filled out, making for a damn sweet feast. It was apparent that the years had treated her kinder than they had treated him.
“What do you think I am,” she said, “a filly on the auction block?” From the look on her face, he knew he’d made a mistake checking her out like that. “Or maybe you think I’m a broodmare. I should poke your eyeballs out.”
He never imagined they’d be reunited on this spot. They’d been sixteen when they carved that heart in the tree and swore it was the symbol of their undying love. That was also the first of many times he said he’d never leave her.
“Yea, you broke that promise, too, dickhead.” The harsh tone of her voice stung.
“You always could read my mind,” he said.
“What shitbucket full of bunk are you going to dump on me now? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I want to know about the other women.” Her lips became a tight line, and her eyes flashed what he hoped was jealousy.
“What I did between boot camp in 1994 and today is history. It’s none of your business, just like what you did with your life isn’t mine.” He didn’t need to mention Luke, the abusive alcoholic gambler she’d married. She knew—no need to rub it in.
A moment of silence followed before she stabbed him with more words. “You broke my heart when you left.”
He squirmed, trying to look pitiful. “I can’t go back and fix it.” He didn’t know what else to say, so for the first time in twenty-four years, he let the words flow without controlling them. “Before I left on that bus to MCRD, I called your house and recorded a message on the answering machine.”
“You’re dumb as a rock,” she replied. “You knew that machine was broke.”
Jolted, he stammered. “I … forgot.” The embarrassment was stuck between his teeth. Then he thought about something that happened in second grade. He was sitting behind her and leaned forward to whisper that he loved her. Without turning around, she had stabbed him with a sharp pencil and broke the graphite off under his skin, leaving a dark spot below his right knee that was still there.
“I think we should go inside.” Sammy sounded nervous.
“Shut up!” Rachel turned her blazing eyes on him. “You and the rest of your family tricked me. I’ll take care of you all later.” She walked forward until she was inches from Josh, who was getting ready to take whatever beating she was going to dish out. He hoped it’d be with her fists instead of more words.
He stared into her angry green eyes. “Until today,” he said, “I didn’t know I was the father of your children.” …
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About Lloyd Lofthouse
Multiple award winning author, Lloyd Lofthouse is a former U.S. Marine and combat vet with a BA in journalism and an MFA, with a focus on writing. He’s the author of the award-winning novels My Splendid Concubine, Running with the Enemy, The Redemption of Don Juan Casanova, and the memoir Crazy is Normal, a classroom exposé. His short story, A Night at the Well of Purity was named a finalist in the 2007 Chicago Literary Awards.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Review for the Kate Burkholder Short Story Collection – A SIMPLE MURDER by Linda Castillo.
Below you will find a book description and a mini book review for each of the six short stories in this book and an about the author section . Enjoy!
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LONG LOST
(Kate Burkholder Book #4.5)
Book Description
It’s autumn in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti are taking a much-needed vacation at a small bed and breakfast an hour outside of town. After closing a difficult case, they’re looking forward to some down time, but their relaxation is cut short by rumors that the old house where they’re staying is haunted by a girl who disappeared twenty years earlier, leaving nothing behind but some bloody clothes by the river and rumors of a volatile relationship. Swept up in the girl’s story, and a need for justice, Kate and John begin looking into the mysterious disappearance of Angela Blaine. They discover long-buried secrets—and unravel a mystery with an unexpected outcome.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A perfect short story for the in between novel time!
Kate and Tomasetti are trying to get away for a romantic weekend when the couple who run the B&B they are staying in drop an unsolved cold case of the disappearance of a young girl by their inn in their laps. Everyone who knows Kate, knows she won’t be able to leave it alone.
The case is solved in this short work and the ending was wonderful. Sometimes justice is best served in not revealing the truth.
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A HIDDEN SECRET
(Kate Burkholder Book #6.5)
Book Description
When a baby-only hours old-is discovered on the Amish bishop’s front porch in Painter’s Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish.
The little girl seems healthy and whole; but who would abandon her and why? Though the quilt and rattle could be purchased, Kate suspects the mother is Amish, possibly young and unmarried, both of which would be powerful motives for such a desperate act. With the rattle and the baby quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and “English” communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A newborn is left on the Amish bishop’s doorstep.
Kate is called and works to discover the identity of the mother. The baby was wrapped in an Amish quilt and left with a hand carved wooden rattle which leaves Kate to believe the mother is Amish.and as the case progresses, Kate believes the mother is young and unmarried.
The discovery of the baby’s young parents is tragic and sad, but the ultimate happy ending for the baby brings an Amish couple a new beginning.
A perfect short story to hold you over until the next full length Kate Burkholder book.
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SEEDS OF DECEPTION
(Kate Burkholder Book #7.5)
Book Description
It’s autumn in Painter’s Mill, and fourteen year old Katie Burkholder has been tasked with picking apples in Zimmerman’s Orchard with her brother. It’s just another day filled with chores—until her best friend Mattie arrives to help. Somehow, boredom transforms into fun and games whenever the girls are together. The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and his gang of friends interrupts. Katie is no prude, but she knows better than to associate with the older English boys, especially since they’re known troublemakers. Mattie has no such compunction. Thumbing her nose at the Ordnung and all of the Amish rules, she disappears into the old barn with Billy.
Moments later, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects Billy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation—and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
This short story takes the reader back to Kate’s past when she was fourteen, gives a glimpse of her friendship with best friend, Mattie and a crime that leaves her with a troubled conscious.
The title is very appropriate as we see Kate’s blindness and trust in regards to Mattie, even as she also demonstrates her ability to critically analyze facts in regards to a crime, her love of mysteries and her restlessness in the strict Amish community.
Even though this short story is #7.5, you may want to read it before “Her Last Breath” book #5 in the series. (Just a hint at some background you may want to understand.)
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ONLY THE LUCKY
(Kate Burkholder Book #8.5)
Book Description
It’s Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and rumors of an Amish “rager”—a huge outdoor party rife with underage drinking—puts Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her small department on edge. To make matters worse, Painters Mill is in the midst of a county-wide power outage. At the height of the rager, a teenage Amish girl is attacked with a hammer and left for dead. Kate is called to the scene—an abandoned farm teeming with loud music and rowdy behavior—to find the girl unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. With the girl in a coma and an unknown attacker on the loose, Kate must discover who would want to hurt her, and why, before it’s too late.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
ONLY THE LUCKY (Kate Burkholder, #8.5) by Linda Castillo is a novella that lets you return to Painters Mill for a short period of time between full length novels and reconnect with the characters you love in this series.
It is Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and even though Chief of Police Kate Burkholder does not believe in superstitions the problems just keep on coming. Kate learns of a huge outdoor ‘rager’ on an abandoned farm, the town is having a complete power outage until morning and the department receives a 911 call about an unresponsive Amish teen found by her boyfriend in the barn at the party.
This novella is only 56 pages long. It is an entertaining story that assumes you are already familiar with the main series characters. The crime was easily solved, but still a good read. I will always pick up a novella or book by this author in this series to check out how my favorite characters are doing.
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IN DARK COMPANY
(Kate Burkholder Book #9.5)
Book Description
It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that “Jane Doe” remembers more than she’s letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate’s watch, Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane’s memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover what Jane was running from—and who is still pursuing her.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
IN DARK COMPANY (Kate Burkholder Book #9.5) by Linda Castillo is an intriguing novella which has Kate dealing with a young woman who has been attacked and is in fear for her life, but she has amnesia. For a short story, this is a complete mystery that is as satisfying as a longer story and is a great way to keep in touch with Kate and Tomasetti in between full-length books.
This is a great short story addition to the series. The characters were very well developed, and the mystery is compelling and kept me turning the pages. I was very interested in the inclusion of the background of the Hutterites, another anabaptist group, but with differences from the Amish and Mennonites. I always enjoy these short reads between full length books in this series and this one is exceptional.
I recommend this novella in the Kate Burkholder series and it can be read as a standalone if you have not tried this series yet.
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IN PLAIN SIGHT
(Kate Burkholder Book #10.5)
Book Description
Seventeen year old Amish boy, Noah Kline, is struck by a car as he walks alongside a dark country road late one night in Painters Mill. Seriously injured, he lapses into a coma. Initially, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder believes it’s a straightforward hit and run, a driver that panicked and fled. But evidence soon emerges that the incident wasn’t accidental at all–and Kate uncovers a story of teenage passion and jealousy that may have led to attempted murder.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
IN PLAIN SIGHT (Kate Burkholder Book #10.5) by Linda Castillo is the latest short story in between full-length books in the Kate Burkholder series. Kate is called to the scene of a seriously injured Amish teenager. It looks like a hit-and-run, but Kate soon uncovers evidence of a more sinister crime.
I continue to find these novella/short stories in between the full-length books in the series to be well written with fully developed characters and always containing an intriguing mystery/crime. I always enjoy catching up with Kate, Tomasetti and any of the other recurring Painters Mill characters. The crime is solved in this short story, but there seem to be characters that may still cause problems in the future for Kate and I will be interested to see if they are uncovered in the next full length installment of the series.
A good short read to touch base with Kate between books.
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About the Author
Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer–and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen. She’s published thirty books for three New York publishing houses and won numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Golden Heart, the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita.
Her debut thriller, Sworn to Silence, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist–and spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The following books in the series also hit the NYT and USA Today lists and became international bestsellers. Sworn to Silence was recently adapted into a two-hour original movie re-titled An Amish Murder and starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder.
In her spare time, Linda enjoys trail riding, and dabbles in barrel racing. She resides in Texas with her husband, two rescued Blue Heelers, and two Appaloosa horses. She’s currently at work on her next novel, a thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder.
Today I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the blog tour for THE LAST LINE (Traci Crosswhite Book #8.5) by Robert Dugoni.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my mini book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section, the author’s social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
From books to movies to television, police procedurals are incredibly popular with audiences. What do you think is the appeal of these stories?
I think the appeal is readers and viewers have good guys to root for and bad guys to root against. Readers also like a good mystery. They like to see if they can solve the crime, determine the bad guy and figure out what he did and how he did it, just like the detectives. It keeps them engaged in and part of the story.
Do you recall the first detective story you ever read or perhaps you have a favorite? What was it about this type of story that made you want to write in the genre?
Years ago, I remember reading Michael Connelly’s The Poet. I don’t know if it was the first detective story I read, probably not, but it was visceral and stuck with me. I do recall reading All The President’s Men when I was in high school, and though Woodward and Bernstein were not detectives, per se, they very much functioned like detectives in that story—finding clues, trying to piece together those clues, and then solve the puzzle. In many ways, that’s what a good detective story is all about: solving a puzzle. I think that is one of the appeals to writers, as well as readers and viewers.
Del Castigliano, the police detective in your newest release The Last Line, has worked in narcotics, arson, sexual assaults, robbery, and now homicide. He has definitely seen the worst that humans have to offer. What keeps him sane and on the job?
For most police officers I’ve spoken with, they do the job knowing that they are keeping people safe—maybe people they know or even love. It’s a tough job and burnout can be a problem. Most detectives have to be mentally tough and can be frequently rotated to help minimize burn out. It’s one of the reasons detectives and uniformed officers, I believe, are underappreciated. It’s a tough job.
Throughout The Last Line, readers get to see Del at his worst—he faces loss, failure, insecurity, loneliness…yet we also respect him. He is honest, hardworking, and clever. How do you see him? If you were to sit down to have a beer with him, what would you talk about?
In The Last Line, I see Del as a guy trying to find his way after life has thrown him a curveball. If we sat down for a beer, I’d ask him if, looking back, he has any regrets, or if time has helped him put life in perspective and he realizes that what he went through as a young man actually helped him to get to a better place in his life.
The Last Line ends in a way that will have readers wanting more. Do you have any future plans for Del and the larger cast?
Very much so. Del is a central character in the Tracy Crosswhite series, and in Tracy #9, What She Found, the story of Del’s first case from The Last Line comes back to Tracy, who is now working a cold case and trying to figure out what happened 24 years ago.
For fans of your bestselling Tracy Crosswhite series, will they feel at home with Del as the lead protagonist? For readers who haven’t discovered Tracy yet, will they be able to dip right in?
Absolutely. The Last Line is a standalone story that predates Tracy arriving at Seattle PD. I’ve had so many readers ask me for more of Del and Faz! Writing The Last Line was an opportunity to dig into how they got started and what shaped them. I have a thought now about Tracy #10 being a cold case that Del and Faz investigated 25 years earlier and telling the story from both time periods leading up to Tracy solving the crime in the present.
What do you have coming up next?
The third book in the Charles Jenkins espionage series, The Silent Sisters, will be published, February 22, 2022, followed by Tracy #9, What She Found,which will be out August 23, 2022. Beyond that, readers can look for a new standalone legal thriller introducing criminal defense attorney Keera Duggan. I’m excited about that novel and working hard to get it finished soon.
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Book Summary
His old life in the rearview, Del Castigliano has left Wisconsin to work homicide for the Seattle PD. Breaking him in is veteran detective Moss Gunderson, and he’s handing Del a big catch: the bodies of two unidentified men fished from Lake Union. It’s a major opportunity for the new detective, and Del runs with it, chasing every lead—to every dead end. Despite the help of another section rookie, Vic Fazzio, Del is going nowhere fast. Until one shotgun theory looks to be dead right: the victims are casualties of a drug smuggling operation. But critical information is missing—or purposely hidden. It’s forcing Del into a crisis of character and duty that not even the people he trusts can help him resolve.
THE LAST LINE (Tracy Crosswhite Book #8.5) by Robert Dugoni is a short story which takes us back in time to when Delmo Castigliano first becomes a homicide detective for the Seattle PD. This is a prequel that features Del’s first lead on a homicide case and the beginning of his friendship with another rookie detective, Vic Fazzio.
Del is paired with veteran detective Moss Gunderson and they are called out to investigate two bodies fished out of Lake Union. Moss gives Del the lead, but every trail is a dead end until he reinterviews the harbormaster that Moss interviewed alone. Information is missing and Del goes to Vic for advice and assistance. Everyone does not have Del’s back, and he learns a valuable lesson.
I was immediately hooked. This short story has familiar characters from the Tracy Crosswhite series in an intriguing case from their pasts that is quickly read. This 1990’s case cements Del and Faz’s friendship and I am looking forward to how it impacts Del in the present.
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Excerpt
Del drove from the parking garage into a blustery and cold November morning—cold being relative. In Madison, anything above freezing was balmy for November, though Del was starting to understand what Seattleites meant when they said it wasn’t the temperature that chills you; it’s the dampness. He could feel the cold in his bones. A stiff wind rocked his metallic-blue Oldsmobile Cutlass.The wind had started blowing late the prior evening; branches of a tree scraping against Del’s bedroom window had kept him awake half the night.
He drove from Capitol Hill with the defroster on high and worked his way around the southern edge of Lake Union, noting marinas and water-based businesses. He pulled into a parking lot where Moss stood beside a black Buick LeSabre, sipping coffee and towering over a patrol officer. Moss was almost as big as Del, who stood six foot five and weighed 250 pounds.
Del pulled up the collar of his coat against the howling wind as he approached the two men. He recognized the green logo on Moss’s Starbucks coffee cup, the company name taken from Captain Ahab’s first mate on the Pequod, the whaling ship Moby Dick sent to the bottom of the ocean. The logo, a green siren, tempted sailors to jump overboard and drown. Neither was a good omen.
“Look what the cat dragged out. Did we wake you, Elmo?”
“Funny.” Del had heard iterations of Elmo since his teens, when the beloved puppet first appeared on Sesame Street. Moss introduced Del to Mike Nuccitelli, the patrol sergeant. “How’d you get here so quick?” Del asked Moss. He understood Moss lived in West Seattle, twenty minutes farther from the marina than Del’s apartment.
“I didn’t take time to do my hair.” Moss rubbed the bristles of a crew cut. “I’m like my name. You know. A rolling stone.”
Del knew. More than once, Moss had told him his parents bequeathed him the moniker because as a child he never remained still. Vic Fazzio had said it was more likely Moss gave himself the nickname. His Norwegian first name was Asbjorn.
“Halloway here?” Del asked.
“At this hour of the morning?” Moss scoffed. “Stayaway doesn’t come out this early on a cold morning unless he thinks the brass might show up and he can shine their badges with his nose.”
“What do we got?” Del asked.
“Two grown men. Looks like they drowned,” Nuccitelli said. “We’re waiting for the ME.”
“What more do we know about the victims; anything?” Del asked.
Nuccitelli raised the fur collar of his duty jacket against the wind. “Hispanic is my guess, though the bodies are pretty bloated and their skin the color of soot. I’m guessing roughly late twenties to early thirties, but again . . .”
“They didn’t have any ID?” Del asked.
“Not on them,” Nuccitelli said.
“That strike you as odd—they didn’t have ID?”
Nuccitelli smiled.“Not my job.That’s your job.”
“How far out is the ME?” Moss looked and sounded disinterested.
Nuccitelli checked his watch.“Should be here in ten.”
“We’ll take it from here.”
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About the Author
Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series, which has sold more than seven million books worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling Charles Jenkins series; the bestselling David Sloane series; the stand-alone novels The 7th Canon, Damage Control, The World Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni won an AudioFile Earphones Award for narration; and the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post best book of the year. He is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He is a two-time finalist for the Thriller Awards and the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, as well as a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award for mystery and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards. His books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than two dozen languages.
