#bookblurb – Page 2 – Avonna Loves Genres

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Fire on the Island by Stewart Giles

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for FIRE ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #13) by Stewart Giles on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions book tour.

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

Book Blurb

In the evening of the 4th of July 2019 four dozen drones descend on Guernsey, and the peaceful island is ablaze in minutes. 48 individual bombs have caused destruction in all four corners of the island.

Detective Inspector Liam O’Reilly takes this extremely personally. He was enjoying his honeymoon in the far north of the island at the time.

As the fire on the island continues to burn, O’Reilly can’t sit back and wait for it to die down. He needs answers to why this happened on the island he now calls home.

But the truth is going to take him to hell and back.

The fire on the island is only the start: this is a case that O’Reilly may never recover from.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208351430-fire-on-the-island?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JhkmTPT3gV&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

FIRE ON THE ISLAND (DC Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #13) by Stewart Giles is another engaging and exciting addition to the DC Liam O’Reilly Mysteries series. This series never fails to keep me glued to the page from start to finish. Each book can be read as a standalone because the crimes mysteries are all unique, but I love watching characters reveal traits and quirks, and grow in their relationships, so I prefer reading the books in order.

DI Liam O’Reilly is enjoying his honeymoon when they are interrupted by a call. Several dozen drones have encircled the island and dropped bombs along the entire coast. As the smoke and fires are being taken care of, Liam is told four people have lost their lives. The Guernsey Border Agency has received a call that this is an attack from an Albanian terrorist group that plans to destroy even more if a ransom is not paid, but Liam does not believe it is terrorists at all.

Liam and his team discover the drones have come from the neighboring island of Herm, while the GBA agents look the other way. Liam is determined to discover what the four murdered victims have in common and why they were killed, while also looking forward to once again proving the GBA wrong.

This police procedural/murder mystery surprised me with the conclusion, and I love when that happens. Mr. Giles effortlessly intertwines new-to-me information on subjects that I did not know would fascinate me, plot twists and surprises, and main character developments that pull me in and keep me turning the pages. I love Liam and it seems to me he is becoming a bit less irascible, at least with those he cares about. Every one of the main characters is like a friend now and I love to catch up with them in each book.

This is one of my favorite DC mystery series and I highly recommend this police procedural/crime mystery, the entire series, and this author.

***

Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.

In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.

3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.

The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.

I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.

After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.

The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.

The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow. I also have another series featuring an Irish detective who relocated to Guernsey, the Detective Liam O’Reilly series. There are also 3 stand alone novels.

Social Media Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Captivating Anika by Freya Barker

Captivating Anika (On Call, #9)

Freya Barker

RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for CAPTIVATING ANIKA (On Call Book #9)(Police and Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker on this Buoni Amici Release Blitz.

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

***

Book Blurb

Anika Jones has her future carefully plotted out and is checking the boxes, one by one, despite the bumps thrown in her path. This last one is a challenge, but she manages to stay on track; her salon is thriving, and she just bought a house. Unfortunately, when one of her employees runs into trouble, she inevitably gets sucked in, throwing her carefully paced life off-balance. It doesn’t help a friend, who’s been ghosting her for a year, suddenly makes an appearance.

He was born to pig farming, but for Noah (Hog) Hodgekins fighting fires is his calling. He wasted too many years honoring a legacy he wants no part of. But now that he’s finally free from family obligations, there’s nothing holding him back from pursuing the life he’s been dreaming of. The first step is mending bridges with the one person who is central to that future, but she comes with her own challenges, family and otherwise.

Instead of treading carefully to gain her heart, he ends up throwing caution to the wind when her recent string of bad luck lands the FBI on her doorstep. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210713918-captivating-anika?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=6RU9LWcHaS&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

CAPTIVATING ANIKA (On Call Book #9)(Police and Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker is an exciting romantic suspense addition to the On Call series. Each of these books stand on their own and have a complete suspense plot and romance, but there is some crossover of characters from previous books in the series. If you love romantic suspense as much as I do all the books in this series are worth a read and contain wonderful mature and sexy heroes and heroines.

Anika Jones has worked hard to achieve her goals. Her hair salon is thriving, and she has been able to buy her own home. Her main bump in the road was a diagnosis of RA and fibromyalgia a year ago, but with a change in lifestyle, she has been able to cope well with few recognizing a change. When one of her stylists is having troubles with her abusive husband, Anika tries to help, but there is more danger involved than just the abuse. When the danger involves Anika, her brother’s friend and fellow firefighter jumps in to help and protect her.

Noah “Hog “ Hodgekins has been dreaming of calling Anika his own for years, but with family obligations and working with her brother, he has put it off and been avoiding her. Now, with her life in danger, he is determined to concur any challenges to make her the center of his life and keep her safe.

I love this series and have been waiting for this new book! Anika and Noah are a wonderful couple, and you want nothing but a HEA for them. This is a friendship-to-lover and best friend’s sister-to-lover romance that works beautifully. They are mature adults who know how to compromise and communicate, which brings their worlds together fairly easily and makes them strong as a couple. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and realistic without being gratuitous. The suspense plot is intense and well-paced with a twist at the end that I did not see coming. This story hits all the right notes for me and has everything I look for in this genre.

I highly recommend this wonderful romantic suspense, the entire series, and this author!

***

Author Bio

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Social Media Links

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebookTwitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreyaBarkerWriter
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreyasBarksandBites
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorfreyabarker

Purchase Links

Amazon ➡ https://amzn.to/4cRFhb9

Start the series ➡ https://amzn.to/4cUrCQI

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Sun, Sea & Murder by J.S. Savage

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Sun, Sea & Murder: A Locked Room Mystery by J.S. Savage on this Overview Media Blog Tour.

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

***

Book Blurb

Two baffling murders. A hotel full of suspects. One secretive sleuth.

The guests at The Orange Tree Hotel arrive looking forward to a holiday filled with sun, fun, and sangria. But when Russell Aspell, the hotel’s owner, is found dead inside a locked room, any hopes of a relaxing break under the Spanish sun are ruined. Soon, each of the guests will become suspects as their lies and secrets are uncovered.

Then, when a guest is murdered in plain view of everyone else, it’s clear the murderer is not only ingenious but utterly ruthless too.

In order to catch a killer, some perplexing questions will first need to be answered… How did the killer get in and out of a locked room? What is the significance of the mysterious notes found in Russell’s office? What happened to the money in the hotel safe? And why is someone stealing guests’ mobile phones?

Only a special type of investigator with a unique skillset will be able to piece together the clues to stop the killer before they strike again…

Enter Penny Haylestone.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205687374-sun-sea-murder?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=njUDadfJO9&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SUN, SEA & MURDER by J.S. Savage is an engaging and fun old fashioned locked room cozy mystery told from four protagonist’s points of view who are all English vacationers at a resort hotel in Spain. This is a very clever mystery plot from a new-to-me author that had me stumped.

A group of English vacationers have arrived at The Orange Tree Hotel in scenic and hot Spain for some holiday fun. The owner, Russell Aspell, is discovered dead in the hotel’s locked gym and the vacationers become suspects overnight. When the gum chewing, bumbling Inspector arrives on the scene, Russell’s longtime friend, Penny Haylestone, decides to do some detecting with the help of Marley, another vacationer and soon discovers secrets and lies among the group.

When a member of their group is murdered right in front of everyone at a cookout, the group realizes they are dealing with a ruthless killer and Penny is determined to uncover the killer before they strike again.

I absolutely loved this mystery, not only because it reminded me of the type of books that started me on my love of mysteries many years ago, but because all the red herrings and surprises kept me guessing as well as entertained from start to finish. I did not guess the solution to the mystery before the denouement and I love it when that happens. There are many characters, but they are all well defined by the author and easily sorted early in the story. Penny and Marley are a delightful mystery solving duo.

I highly recommend this enchanting locked room cozy mystery.

***

Author Bio

J.S. Savage is a London based writer who hails from Northern Ireland. His love of detective fiction originated one hot, dusty day in Kandahar when he was serving with the R.A.F. From a bookcase, he picked up Agatha Christie’s The Mystery of the Blue Train, and though she cited it as her worst work, J.S. Savage became enthralled by the deceptions, red herrings, and mastery at work. This fascination with the genre eventually led him to try his hand at his own novel, and so, The Mystery of Treefall Manor was published in September 2023. His latest novel Sun, Sea, and Murder was published in April 2024. Both of these novels were chosen as Book of the Month by the Crime blog In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel.

J.S. Savage has been shortlisted in several short story competitions and is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association.

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_S_Savage_

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CKPLVVN5/about

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Maman by F.E. Birch

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MAMAN by F. E. Birch on this Overview Media Blog Tour.

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

***

Book Blurb

DS Joanna Armstrong, a top child protection detective, becomes the accused when one of her twin babies develops facial bruising – sending her into a spiralling post-natal psychosis.

Her life falls apart in an instant. Her team are torn, the doctors think she’s fabricating her illness, and even one of her own colleagues appears hell bent on destroying her.

Can Joanna clear her name when everything seems stacked against her? Can she break through all the prejudice before time runs out? Or is she really mad like they all say?

Maman is a gripping tale of family, loyalty, and integrity, but most of all, truth and justice.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205043361-maman

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MAMAN by F.E. Birch is an intriguing psychological suspense/thriller about a woman in crisis and the battle over her guilt or innocence in her private life as well as the public justice system regarding her infant twins. This is a book that I could not put down.

DS Joanna Armstrong has seen and worked with the worst in the child protection system and now that bureaucracy has been turned on her after a very public breakdown.

This is a story that made me feel as if I was on a runaway train. It starts with the reader being thrown right into the middle of Joanna’s breakdown. The tension and stakes continue to increase from there. Her husband, Jim, and her social worker friend, Effie, both offer the type of support and love you want in your corner when your world is falling apart. Her colleagues and friends were not. It continually appeared the truth was less important than the punishment for perceived crimes.

The major plot twist and resolution for Joanna and Jim was very interesting and probably realistically occurs as a problem for others more than we know. I do wish there had been less time spent “in” Joanna’s head and more time spent on investigating the discoveries that are the plot points that support the climax and resolution because the ending seemed rushed to me.

I do recommend this riveting psychological suspense/thriller.

***

Author Bio

F.E. Birch is an ex-cop from the North East but she’s not a Geordie. She is a prolific short story writer with a trail of pseudonyms and publications behind her. With a penchant for dark, deep and the disturbing, her crimes are rarely cosy. She has self-published two collections of competition winning short stories and her debut novel, She’s Not There was published early 2023 by Red Dragon. She is also published by Harper Collins (2013) with stories about being an undercover cop …

With a bendy EDS body, GSOH and a tad clumsy, she wears many hats and loves wigs. Her friends call her Effie.

Social Media Links

Website: https://febirch.co.uk/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EffieMerryl

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Evil on the Island by Stewart Giles

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for EVIL ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #12) by Stewart Giles on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Blog Tour.

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

***

Book Blurb

‘I know about evil, because my mum is evil. She killed my dad. My mother murdered my father, and left him where she knew I would find him.’

A class discussion in a prestigious school on the peaceful island of Guernsey takes a sinister turn when the body of the father of one of the students is found, exactly where the boy said he would be. The 16 year old has no further information to offer the Island Police, and his mother has disappeared off the face of the earth.

Detective Inspector Liam O’Reilly has no idea where to look. The boy’s father was stabbed multiple times, but there is nothing at the scene to suggest why this man was killed in such a horrific manner.

Then another man is found dead.

But when a third suffers the same fate soon afterwards, O’Reilly knows that he’s up against something darker than his mind could ever comprehend.

There’s something evil on the island, and O’Reilly has no idea how to stop it.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203651746-evil-on-the-island?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=KpdLioYVAc&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

EVIL ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #12) by Stewart Giles is another intriguing mystery/police procedural in the DI Liam O’Reilly series set on Guernsey Island. This murder plot/police procedural story can be read as a standalone book, but I have enjoyed the continual evolution of all the main characters’ lives and find I have enjoyed it more as I have read the series in order.

DI Liam O’Reilly knows there he is being lied to, but he has no proof, and he does not understand why. He is called to the scene of a vicious stabbing death after a sixteen-year-old tells his classmates that he left his home for school with his father dead on the floor and his mother did it. The mother is missing, and O’Reilly has no idea where to find her.

Then their neighbor is found bludgeoned with a nine iron and his daughter discovers him when she gets home from school. When a third neighbor has his head bashed in by a bowling ball at his club, O’Reilly knows there is evil on the island, but he has no idea how to stop it.

This is such an engrossing mystery, and I had no clue until it was revealed in the end who the perpetrator was. There are not many red herrings in this mystery, but plenty of questionable people. O’Reilly once again works with his team to discover the murderer. It is always fun to catch up with the happenings in his personal life and the antics of his felines for a touch of humor amidst the murder and investigation.

I highly recommend this addition to the series and I cannot wait for the next.

***

Author Bio

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.

In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.

The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.

The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.

Social Media Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Ravenswood Murders by Helen H. Durrant

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE RAVENSWOOD MURDERS (Detective Alice Rossi Book #2) by Helen H. Durrant on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Book Tour.

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

***

Book Blurb

Day 1. A young woman’s body is found in a shallow grave in the woods, buried in a white shroud. She’s been dead for a week. Her teeth are smashed in, her lips stitched together. Her hands are missing.

She’s the fourth young woman found like this.

With no witnesses, no clues and no leads to follow, the investigation is going nowhere.

That’s when Detective Alice Rossi is called in.

Alice knows this case is a poisoned chalice. Not least because she has a new team to contend with — who don’t like being bossed around by a woman.

Day 2. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Hewson is reported missing. She never came home from school, and her father is beside himself.

Will she be the fifth girl to die?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199313662-the-ravenswood-murders?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=14PoQEJKWH&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out 5 Stars

THE RAVENSWOOD MURDERS (Detective Alice Rossi Book #2) by Helen H. Durrant is a gripping serial killer mystery/police procedural featuring a mature female detective protagonist. While this is the second book in this series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

DCI Alice Rossi is assigned to take over the investigation of four teenage girls found mutilated and buried in Ravenswood that has stalled. Her superior has chosen her after her success with her last case and is hoping that fresh eyes on the case can catch this serial killer. The most recent grave was found within the week and the dead girl has left a clue embroidered in her homemade shroud.

When a fifth girl goes missing, Rossi is in a fight against time with a team she is not sure she can trust.

I enjoyed this second book’s plot and pace much better than the first and I am glad I continued with the series because I had high hopes for this new protagonist and series. I like that DCI Rossi is a mature female investigator and she needs all her talent and skill with the number of possible suspects in this case. The plot has several subplots interwoven in this story that did not detract from the main investigation, but added to the complex reality of the case and they also did not slow the pace. I always enjoy it when I am guessing right up to the end.

I recommend this thrilling serial killer mystery/police procedural and all this author’s books.

***

Author Bio

Helen is one of the ‘baby boomer’ generation and began writing when she retired from her job at a local college. Born in Edinburgh to an English father and Scottish mother the family settled in a Pennine village between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is an environment which has shaped her stories. Writing is a second career and, despite having a bus pass, keeps her busy, and tuned in.

Helen’s children are all grown-up and she has five grandchildren.

Social Media Links

FACEBOOK
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BOOKS BY HELEN H. DURRANT

OVER 1.5 MILLION BOOKS SOLD!

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