Tag: #bookdescription

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile

ILLUSION OF TRUTH

by James L’Etoile

January 5 – 30, 2026

Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for ILLUSION OF TRUTH (A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Book #3) by James L’Etoile on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.

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

***

Book Description

A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery

Illusion of Truth takes Emily by the throat when her cop boyfriend, Brian Conner, responds to a disturbance only to be lured into a church bombing. Seriously wounded, Emily worries if he survives, will he be the man she knew? One-by-one, other officers linked to a crime years earlier are targeted. Was it covered up? Was Brian part of it? Emily discovers truth depends on who’s left to tell the story.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231796293-illusion-of-truth?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JbS7Zl54J3&rank=2

Illusion of Truth

Genre: Police Procedural with a Thriller Edge
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: January 6, 2026
Number of Pages: 366
ISBN: 978-1608096497 (1608096491)
Series: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, #3

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ILLUSION OF TRUTH (A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Book #3) by James L’Etoile is another suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat police procedural/crime thriller/mystery mash-up featuring Sacramento Detective Emily Hunter. I anxiously wait for each new book from Mr. L’Etoile in this series and the Detective Nathan Parker series. He has become one of my favorite writers in this genre with his fully developed memorable main characters and intricately twisted crime plots. While each crime plot/mystery is complete in each book, the characters and their relationships continue to evolve, and I feel the series are best read in order of publication.

Detective Emily Hunter receives a call that her fellow police officer and boyfriend, Sgt. Brian Conner, is in the hospital after being caught in a bomb blast with fellow officers on a fake call for assistance. As Emily and her partner, Det. Javier “Javi” Medina begin their investigation, the bombings continue to injure other officers and then finally the bomber murders a target. They discover all the officers were targeted due to a shared incident in their past.

Trying to pull all the threads from the past together in this investigation is not easy, while also dealing with Brian’s PTSD and TBI, and her mother’s continued mental decline due to Alzheimer’s. Will Emily be able to discover how the past is influencing the bombings of today and bring the killer to justice?

I find I need to set aside a block of time for these books because I cannot put them down. The books pull you in with Emily’s personal trials and her sometimes full hardy, but always genius ways of solving crimes and bringing the guilty to justice. While I follow every twist and turn of the investigation, I am always surprised by a last-minute twist in each plot that shocks me. You may think you know the resolution, but there is always more.

I highly recommend this addition to the Det. Emily Hunter series and cannot wait for more.

***

Excerpt

Chapter One

“All available units, report of a large crowd and 459s in progress at the corner of Rio Linda and South Ave.,” the dispatcher’s voice called out over the radio.

Sergeant Brian Conner clicked the microphone in his patrol unit. “1-Sam-12 responding.”

“Hey, Tommy, isn’t there a church on South Ave.?” Conner asked.

Tommy Robinson, a Black rookie officer assigned to Patrol District 1 in North Sacramento, turned in the passenger seat, checking for cross-traffic at the intersection. “Yeah. It’s one of those pop-up, God-in-a-box churches. You know—no denomination, takes all comers.”

“Why would a church be a target for looting at midnight?”

“It’s right on the edge of Tru Heights Bloods territory. Could be gangbangers after the food pantry and the donations the church’s brought in.”

“Tommy, let me ask you something. You’ve been married a while, so you’ve got this whole relationship thing down. When Emily says she isn’t ready to move in together, what does that mean?”

“Um, Sarge, you think I’m the one to answer that? Shouldn’t Emily—I mean Detective Hunter—tell you why?”

“I mean, sure, but I thought everything was going great—and then, she’s not ready. You ever have anything like that?”

“No. But then my Baptist momma would’ve slapped me into tomorrow if I thought about living in sin.”

“That’s not helpful, Tommy.”

Conner shot north on Rio Linda. The flashing blue lights from other patrol units ahead marked the location. As Conner pulled into the church parking lot, he expected a crowd spilling out of the church and into nearby businesses. There had been a rash of daylight attacks on retail establishments in the city, where mobs of thieves grabbed armfuls of whatever they could carry. Hitting a church in the middle of the night was a new direction.

“Where are they? The looters?” Tommy said.

Conner parked near the church entrance, ahead of another Sacramento Police Department SUV, and stepped from his vehicle. He couldn’t spot a single person near the church, except for the six police officers who had responded to the call.

“Dispatch, 1-Sam-12, have a callback number on the RP? Looks like a false alarm.”

“Negative, 1-Sam-12. Caller didn’t give their name.”

An officer rounded the corner of the church building and approached Conner. “Nobody’s here, Sarge. What gives?”

The hairs on the back of Conner’s neck pricked up. He swiveled around and surveyed the darkened windows on the street opposite. They were lured here.

“Got movement across the street—second floor, left side,” an officer called out. His brass nameplate read Tucker.

Conner spotted the window and the flare of a cigarette. Someone watching the police respond to this snipe hunt?

“We see any evidence of a break-in? Broken windows, open doors, anything?”

“Nada. Simmons and I walked the perimeter. No sign of entry. No sign of anything,” Tucker said.

“Someone wanted all the units in District 1 to respond. A report of a large crowd breaking into businesses would draw us out here.”

“They needed a diversion so they could pull off whatever they were into somewhere else,” Tucker said.

“Maybe. I haven’t heard anything new from dispatch. Why would we get a callout to the edge of Tru Heights territory?”

“Westgate Crips are on the other side of the freeway. I could see them making a false report to push us to roust a couple of their rivals.”

“Well, nothing going on here. Why don’t you and your partner hit the road. Let dispatch know this was a dry hole,” Conner said.

“Got it, Sarge. You need Parker and Cortez in the other unit? They’re watching the back of the church.”

“Nah, send them on their way, would you?”

“You got it.”

“Thanks, Tucker. Be careful out there. I’ve got an uneasy feeling about someone sending us here.”

“I hear you.”

Conner started back to his SUV, paused, and turned. “Hey, Tucker, anyone check the front door lock?”

“Yeah, I shook it. Locked up tight.”

Tucker and his partner got into their SUV, shut off the lights, and backed out of the church parking lot.

Tommy Robinson wandered to the front entrance and peered through the smoked glass doors. “Place is empty. Nothing going on—hey, what’s up with this?”

A metal donation bin sat to the right of the front door. Gang graffiti adorned the side of the four-foot-tall, repainted mailbox.

Conner caught the glint from a thin wire attached to the donation box door. On the concrete below, a cut padlock lay in the shadow.

Tommy reached for the bin.

“Tommy! Wait!”

Conner ran to the young officer as he tugged on the lid.

“Stop,” Conner said.

Tommy was focused on the unlocked donation bin and didn’t hear Conner.

Conner shoved Tommy as a click echoed in the entry vestibule. A microsecond later, a fireball erupted from the donation bin.

A pressure wave of heat and metal shards exploded. Conner caught the blast in the back as he pushed Tommy away. The force of the explosion picked Conner off his feet and threw him into the brick wall opposite the donation bin.

Conner couldn’t hear anything through the ringing in his ears, and his vision was a blurred kaleidoscope of flames and smoke. From where he fell, he could see the parking lot and the window across the street. The glowing ember from the cigarette was gone, but he swore he spotted a flashing red strobe.

Another explosion sounded to his right. A flash of orange shot from the parking lot. Conner squinted through his warped vision and saw a police SUV on fire. Tucker and his partner, Simmons. He couldn’t see them anywhere.

He tried reaching for his shoulder-mounted radio microphone and his arm wouldn’t move. A quick glance down and Conner saw his broken arm pointing in the wrong direction.

“Tommy. Tommy, you okay?”

Conner couldn’t hear anything but the high-pitched ringing in his ears.

He wasn’t even supposed to be working tonight. Conner swapped the shift with a buddy so his friend could go spend some time with his kids.

Conner felt cold, and a heavy blanket of exhaustion fell over him. Emily. He wanted to tell Emily how much he loved her one more time. She’d wanted to take it slow, but now he felt regret. He should’ve told her how he felt when he had the chance.

The sirens in the distance pierced through his muffled hearing. They would not be in time.

“Emily” . . .

***

Author Bio

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies, Served Cold, and Sins of the Father are his most recent novels. Look for Illusion of Truth coming soon.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jamesletoile.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.letoile

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/illusion-of-truth-a-detective-emily-hunter-mystery-book-3-by-james-l-etoile

Purchase Links

PARTNERS IN CRIME HOSTED GIVEAWAY

https://pictbooks.tours/KkRVvqpM

Friday Feature Author Interview #2 with Elise Cooper: Yumi: Keepers of the Garden of Peace by Tess Cacciatore

Version 1.0.0

Book Description

When Yumi travels the world with her wise Grandmother “Obachan” she discovers how many cultures celebrate peace, one tea ceremony at a time.

From India to China, Africa to Australia, Yumi and her new animal friends learn that kindness and respect can unite us all.

A beautifully illustrated story of compassion, friendship & peace.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Yumi’s Universe was born from the imagination of Tess Cacciatore, an award-winning writer, director and global peace advocate. After decades of empowering youth across continents, Tess envisioned a world where children could learn values of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. The emphasis is to inspire children everywhere to grow with kindness, imagination, and peace through magical stories, music, and art from around the world. People can go to her website and explore Yumi’s Universe. (www.YumisUniverse.com)

There are currently two books out with the story written by Tess Cacciatore and illustrated by the former Disney animator Joel Christopher Payne. Keepers of the Garden of Peace is for younger peacekeepers (ages 4-8). It has Yumi traveling the world with her wise Grandmother “Obachan” as she discovers how many cultures celebrate peace, one tea ceremony at a time.

The other book, for young adults (ages 9-13), is Yumi: An Enchanted Tale of Compassion, Friendship & Peace. This travel adventure storybook takes the readers on a global exploration to meet the friends of Yumi and to explore other cultures for compassion, friendship, and peace.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: What was it like working with the Disney artist Joel Christopher Payne?

Tess Cacciatore: It started with the story and the creation of the characters.  I gave Joel, the illustrator, a description of who the characters were, what their outfits were like, and where they were from. He, as a brilliant illustrator, brought them to life.  It was a collaboration where I am the author of the book, and he is the talent behind the actual art creation.

EC: How did you get the idea for the story?

TC:  Jay, a friend of mine was diagnosed in 2024 with stage 4 cancer.  In the middle of August, he posted that his friend came to his hospital room to serve a Japanese formal tea ceremony. It instantly reminded me of what a lot of little children do, putting together a tea party with their stuffed animals. In the process of writing the book Jay passed, however, his character is alive and well as Jay is the inventor of the mystical-magical orbship that the characters use to travel the world. The way that the orb-ship is fueled is by pure intention of compassion. I keep my friend alive in memory, full of respect and love.

EC: Is this a series of books?

TC:  There is the book Yumi Keepers of the Garden of Peace for younger peacekeepers (ages 4-8) and the Yumi: An Enchanted Tale of Compassion, Friendship & Peace (ages 9-13).  The second book has at least two more parts coming. A trilogy released over the next year or so. In the second book they travel to North and South America, while in the third book they travel to Europe. 

EC: What are the various locations the characters travel to?

TC: They travel from Japan to South Africa, India, China, and Australia. The characters plant “peace poles” from the GOI Peace Foundation everywhere they go, spreading the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth.”

EC: What is the role of the animal characters?

TC: Respect, harmony, purity, and tranquility represent the formal Japanese tea ceremony and the four characters of the book. Ravi, the elephant from India, represents respect; Zuri, the Giraffe from South Africa represents purity; Seren, the Panda Bear from China represents tranquility; and Holly, from Australia represents harmony. We hope through the animal characters we teach children to respect one another.

EC: What about the specific places they travel?

TC:  Just as military families have traveled a lot including going to different countries so do the characters in the story. Ravi is the character that comes from India at the Konark Sun Temple. Ravi means the sun. Zuri comes from South Africa. Long ago, there was an animal conservation project where elephants and giraffes were sent from Kenya to South Africa. Her grandmother was born in Kenya. Through her storyline readers learn about purity. Holly finally finds the courage to sing, as she stands up to sing “Mother Nature.” Davy Nathan (award-winning composer) and I co-wrote most of the songs. The theme is that Holly finds the courage to have her voice be heard. Seren is quite shy. He carries around this little stuffed brown bear like a security blanket. Through his storyline I wanted to express that no one should be made fun of for having certain quirks.

EC: Do you think these quotes can apply to what happened in Australia with the massacre at the Bondi Beach Hanukkah celebration?

TC: You are referring to this quote from Holly who is from Australia and believes in harmony, “Everything in nature and in life can change in a moment.” We want to do something with Australia as well as Brown University. Everything we do and everything I have done in my career is about giving back and promoting social impact. There is another quote in the book, “Your quiet light makes the world brighter.” Hanukkah is known as the “Festival of Lights.”

EC: What is the role of the teas?

TC: We are launching in January our Garden of Peace teas that have seven different flavors, 100% organic.  Each character has their own flavor of tea. Wa, Kei, Sei, Jaku are the four names of the formal tea ceremony that represent harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. The Garden of Peace teas are a way for schools, organizations, synagogues, and churches to sell the teas as a fundraiser, while also giving back.

EC: What do you want readers to get out of the books?

TC: People need to be accepted for who they are. They need to agree to disagree at times and to be understanding of each other’s cultures. We are in the process of creating Yumi’s University K-12 curriculum. This app can be delivered to even the most remote places to bring education to children all over the world.

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview #1 with Elise Cooper: Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

Book Description

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet takes the Little Women story by Louisa May Alcott and turns it on its head. Readers who loved this timely classic will be intrigued how Bernet takes Beth’s death and turns it into a murder mystery, puts the characters in the modern day, and has many twists with many people of interest. Although it is listed as a YA book, adult readers will also find it enjoyable, gripping, and riveting.

Beloved character Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day. As the suspects pile up people are wondering if the March sisters’ father could have killed Beth.  After all, he dragged the March sisters into the spotlight with his controversial bestseller about his own daughters’ lives.

The sisters’ lives have been turned upside down with all the publicity causing them to doubt and question themselves.  With Beth it goes even farther because she feels the need to prove self-worth.  In the dad’s book he has Beth die in a car accident and noted that she had to be the sister to die because Beth seems to be the one who made an imprint on the readers and the characters in the story.

This is a who done it with the sisters trying to find the killer along with the detectives who seem to have tunnel vision. The story is narrated by the four sisters, Meg, Jo, Amy, and in flashbacks by Beth. Grief and loss have the characters re-evaluating their life, their relationships with each other, and their relationship with Beth.  

For those who loved Little Women people will still be able to see the framework of the original characters, yet Bernet adds dimension to those supporting characters who did not have much page time in the original. Anyone who loved the sisters in Little Women will be riveted to their seat as they turn the pages to find out who killed Beth and why.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Katie Bernet: I wrote a love-hate list.  On one side I wrote all the things I love and the other side on everything I hate. I pulled out a bunch of different combinations with Little Women and mystery thrillers one of those combinations. Then I remembered when I was in first grade at a sleep over my best friend’s older sister was watching a movie, Little Women. She was crying and told me, ‘Beth just died.’ This was my first impression of Little Women.

EC: What do you think Alcott’s style was and how did that play in your book?

KB: I modernized the story because I did not want it to have that old English feel to it. I wanted to explore how would these characters be in modern day. I think Jo would thrive today. In Little Women Louissa May Alcott had social issues of women’s rights with emphasis on moral lessons and personal growth. The story had spirituality and religion which I did not really keep. She liked to highlight women’s strengths, resilience, ambition, growing up, and familial bonds, which I hoped I did in this book because that is what I loved about Little Women with each sister having different forms of strength. Both books are about sisterhood and family.

EC: Why did you kill Beth?

KB: I am a huge fan of Little Women because I am one of three sisters and a huge fan of mystery thrillers. I had fun thinking about how these sisters would act in this situation having Beth killed instead of dying from illness. I thought how impactful it is to lose a sister and, in my book, I had Beth die in chapter one.

EC: Describe Meg the older sister?

KB: In both books Meg has a desire for luxury, longing for security and stability. She wants a safe and loving home. She is torn between wanting simple values and a comfortable life.  She is mother-like, protective, conscientious, and smart. The only difference between the books is that in my story she pursues wealth, not through marriage, but through schooling.  I have her going to Harvard and wanting to become a doctor.

EC:  How would you describe Jo?

KB: In both books she is resistant to romantic relationships, does not want to lose her independence, wants a close bond with her family, and is driven by wanting to be a successful writer. Jo is adventurous, daring, blunt, has a temper, impulsive, and brave.  She is a tomboy and most like her dad.

EC:  How would you describe the youngest sister, Amy?

KB: She is a very unlikable sister. She pursues artistic excellence. Amy wants to be a part of high society.  In both books she is spoiled and selfish, a rebel, and reckless.

EC: What about Beth?

KB: Kind, always wants to please, wants to become a pianist, and wants to stay close to her family. In both books she is mostly bashful, shy, quiet, cautious, timid, optimistic, selfless, and sweet. Beth is a good observer, listener, and is reserved. She sees mostly good in everyone except for a few characters in my book who become people of interest in her killing.

EC: What about Laurie, Jo’s best friend?

KB: In both books he is bashful, easy temper, brother-like to most of the girls, although not Amy, generous, witty, and can be sly.

EC: What about the dad?

KB: He shuts people out. He is ignorant, abandoned the family, seems uncaring, negative, irresponsible, and self-centered. This description fits my story but not the original Little Women. He is a character who I changed the most. In the original he left his family for altruistic reasons but something about that seemed a little selfish to me.  I took that and ran with it.

EC:  Did the mother play a role?

KB:  Yes. She is honorable, caring, and knows her daughters.  In my version she is drained out by Beth’s death. In the original version she is so strong. But I questioned that and wanted to show her vulnerability and weakness.

EC: What about Henry?

KB: He was Beth’s first boyfriend who is humble, tough, and a computer expert. This is accurate for my story because in the original he was not much of a character.

EC: What was the role of the dad’s book?

KB: He gets criticism for exploiting his daughters. He made Beth question herself, made her perfect, sensitive, and not ambitious. He writes Amy as a party-girl, someone who is jealous of the other sisters, sick of being in their shadows, melodramatic, selfish, and vain. Meg in his story is clever, caring, materialistic, and status-seeking. Jo was made to be quick-tempered, lonely, and the brave hero. He makes each of them the stereotypes they are in the original. 

EC: How does the relationship and dynamics between the sisters play into the mystery?

KB: It makes it easy for them to suspect each other. Their differences make them suspicious of one another. They can suspect and blame each other but then turn a 180 and still support and love each other. In the original version Beth dies from complications of scarlet fever, so they had time to accept the fact she was going to die, while in this story it comes as a shock.  This is why the sisters have so much anger and blame in my story.

EC: Do you think the detectives had tunnel vision?

KB: They did take the motives without having much evidence. I wanted the main detective to not really understand Jo and has a bias against her.

EC: Is Beth in the middle of everyone’s secrets?

KB: Beth is at the center of everyone’s secrets. I think her character in the original story has her more of an observer and quiet. In the original there is a quote that I am paraphrasing, “Many Beths sitting in corners waiting until people need them.” She goes unnoticed and can pick up on things others cannot.

EC: What is the point of the male boyfriends?

KB: Amy has Laurie as her first love. Jo has turned down Laurie’s desire to be more than friends.  Romance is a bother for her because she wants to concentrate on her writing career.  His absence makes her see that she cares about other things more. The point of John’s character is to show how Meg struggles to want to make something of herself, but at the same time is falling in love with John. He is a piano instructor who is not pursuing a big fancy career.  Henry helps Beth reflect on what type of character she was in her dad’s book. He is part of Beth’s rebellion.

EC: Next book?

KB: I am working on another retelling of a literary classic as a mystery thriller.

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.

Feature Post and Book Review: Last Dog Out by Candace Irving

Book Description

Kate Holland has a new mission. As a special investigator for the governor’s office, she takes on Arkansas’ toughest cases—especially those involving veterans. At her side is Ruger, now her fully trained K-9 partner.

Their first case begins with a mutilated body and a stolen identity. The victim wasn’t who he claimed to be—and he was still actively serving his country when he died. As Kate digs deeper, other bodies surface…and the truth emerges: a warrior is missing.

Working the case puts Kate and Arash on dangerous ground—professionally and personally. The closer they get to the truth, the tighter the noose around them. Kate will risk everything to bring the missing soldier home. The only question is, who will make it out alive?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217236725-last-dog-out?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JuJlJ2v0Gf&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

LAST DOG OUT (A Kate Holland/Hidden Valor K-9 Mystery Thriller Book #4) by Candace Irving is another gritty and intense police procedural/crime thriller addition to this outstanding action-packed series with a female veteran protagonist and her dog that you cannot forget even after the conclusion of each book. This is a series that I feel is best read in order due to the protagonist’s personal journey through PTSD, emotional trauma, and healing. Please note: this book does discuss PTSD, suicide, and depicts a dog fight.

Kate Holland and her newly promoted K-9 partner, Ruger are barely situated in their new jobs as Special Investigators for the Arkansas governor’s office, when she receives a call to investigate a mutilated body found in a ditch that is presumed to be a Marine veteran. As Kate begins to search for answers, the identity of the man from his wallet begins to fall apart.

Kate and her law enforcement friends must deal with politics, military secrets, and a secretive circle of powerful men and corrupt law enforcement involved in dog fighting, illegal arms, and prostitution. She discovers beside unraveling this web of death, money, and power, she is also looking for a stolen retired CAD (Canine Assault Dog). Can she find the killer, bring justice to the dead soldier, and find the CAD still alive?

It is no secret that I love this series and this book did not disappoint! Kate’s journey with PTSD has come a long way since book one and it continues here. The bond between Kate and Ruger is strong and beautiful. I love reading about his instinctive protective reactions towards Kate. Ruger’s climatic scene in this book had me holding my breath on the edge-of-my-seat. Kate’s relationship with Arash is believably written and I am looking forward to following it into future books. All the recurring secondary characters are realistically written and well developed. The police procedural/crime thriller plot was well written and fast paced with many twists and surprises throughout. This plot does go into dark criminal activity and animal abuse, but I never felt it was gratuitous.

I highly recommend this addition to the Kate Holland/Hidden Valor K-9 Mystery Thriller series!

***

About the Author

A former US Navy Lt., Candace Irving is the daughter of a librarian and a retired boatswain’s mate chief. Candace grew up in the Philippines, Germany, and all over the United States. Her senior year of high school, she enlisted in the US Army. Following basic training, she transferred to the Navy’s ROTC program at the University of Texas-Austin. While at UT, she spent a summer in Washington, DC, as a Congressional Intern. She also worked security for the UT Police. BA in Political Science in hand, Candace was commissioned as an ensign in the US Navy and sent to Surface Warfare Officer’s School to learn to drive warships. From there, she followed her father to sea.

Candace Irving writes gritty military thrillers. She is the author of the Deception Point Military Detective Thriller Series and the Hidden Valor Military Veterans/K9 Psychological Suspense Series. She also writes military romance and romantic suspense as Candace Irvin (without the “g”).

Social Media Links

Website: https://candaceirving.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candaceirvingbooks/?hl=en

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/last-dog-out-a-kate-holland-suspense-a-hidden-valor-military-veteran-k-9-suspense-book-4-by-candace-irving

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Maybe One Day by Catherine Bybee

Book Description

Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. Not once in the ten years since she’s become a widow has Mari considered another love of her own. Until she sets sail on a singles cruise to placate her recently divorced best friend. Then James comes crashing into Mari’s world.

Charming, witty, and with two daughters of his own, James isn’t looking for love either. But Mari is as irresistible as she is beautiful. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. She promised her beloved late husband she’d find someone new. Maybe that impossible day has come.

Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret. After all, there is no reason for her family to know about James if their relationship doesn’t work out. It’s up to James to prove he can be trusted with the heart of a woman he’s come to cherish. But without her family’s approval, their love doesn’t stand a chance.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Maybe One Day by Catherine Bybee is a home run like all her other books.  Every time a reader picks up a Bybee book they take a heartfelt journey with the characters.

Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. She is an adoring Italian mother and grandmother who absolutely lives for her family and the restaurant she owns. She has centered her life on making sure her children and grandchildren are fulfilled and happy after being a single mother when the love of her life, her husband Paulo, died ten years earlier. While they are all now grown and married with families of their own, her best friend Rosa convinces her to focus on herself or possibly a relationship. Rosa is the wild one while Mari is more reserved. Rosa convinces her to try some new activities that include a singles cruise; she reluctantly agrees.

James Russell is a divorcee with two daughters, and like Mari is not looking for love or a relationship. His twin girls are getting ready to head off to college and want to make sure he’s not alone. To get them off his back he agrees to go on a single’s cruise, the one Mari is on. Mari and James meet and forge a friendship that turns to more. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. Maybe that impossible day has come. Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret, and James realizes without Mari’s family’s approval their relationship does not stand a chance even though both know there is a strong chemistry and attraction between them.

This book has what readers expect of Bybee, an emotional story, a great cast of characters, and terrific banter. Even though the featured characters were in their mid-fifties the story is relatable to readers of all ages, especially with the supporting characters.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story? 

Catherine Bybee: I wanted to write a romance involving a couple in their 50’s. After divorce, after raising children and in Mari’s case, after losing her husband. The D’Angelo family was the perfect setting.

EC: Did you have as much fun writing this story as people had reading it?

CB: Absolutely. I’m in my 50’s and have several single and divorced friends finding romance in mid-life. I recently took a cruise with some friends and realized that the older crowd was having just as much, if not more fun, than the younger passengers. Which of course sparked ideas for this book. I suppose the research for this story is where my fun happened.

Writing the book is always work.

EC: The scene with losing a loved one was very powerful. Was it based on anything and what was your thinking when you wrote that scene?

CB: Death should be powerful. I’m glad I captured that in my writing. This scene wasn’t based on any one personal experience, however; I lived long enough to know people who have lost a spouse they loved deeply. I think the best gift a loved one can give on their death bed is permission for a spouse to live a full life after they are gone. Mari was given this permission slip but never made good on it. True love is wanting what is best for the survivor. Sometimes that is starting over.

EC: What was the role of Rosa in this book-was she the influence over Mari to move on from losing her soulmate, her wing person?

CB: I felt there was a need to compare and contrast how widows and divorcees approach relationships differently. Mari adored her husband and feels she’s lived a full life, vs, Rosa who put her life on hold for a husband who was alive but wasn’t there. Rosa is running toward her third act in life grasping as much as she can. All Mari can do is be supportive. So yes, her wing person. But watching someone come alive after years of being dormant sometimes remind us that we might have more life in us than we originally thought.

EC: How would you compare and contrast James’ daughters Ellie and Madison

CB: Ellie was strong willed, an independent thinker, and bold while Madison was a rule follower who did not like to make waves. I framed Ellie to be a bit reckless and Madison more grounded. Siblings, even twins, have completely different personalities. But they both share the same love for their father and each other, which makes them so loveable.

EC: How would you describe James?

CB: James, much like Mari, is happy in his own skin and life. He is protective about his daughters, but realistic enough to make sure his daughters can talk to him about anything. Even if they choose not to, it’s not because he is judgmental. I think his charm when it comes to Mari speaks for itself. Dating is like a muscle, if you don’t do it very often, it sometimes hurts. But charm is something deep inside that shows even when you’re not trying to make an impression. James has this trait deep in his core. He’s charming, witty, pragmatic and more concerned about his daughters than himself. He is a very selfless man. Divorce didn’t make him bitter, which is an oddity in fiction novels and completely opposite of our other divorcee in the book, Rosa.

EC: Why have them meet on the cruise ship-was it from personal experience?

CB: A recent cruise did help me choose the setting. But in order for the reader to get to know Mari the woman, and not Mari the mother and grandmother, I needed her to be away from her family and the restaurant that occupies her every day.

EC: How would you describe James and Mari’s relationship?

CB: I would say this is a slow burn romance with a reluctant heroine not looking for love. He falls first. This is her first real opportunity to look at life as a woman and because she still loves her husband, it makes her take things slow.

EC: How would you describe Mari?

CB: Mari is the matriarch and therefore the cornerstone of her family. She keeps it all together. She’s wise beyond her years and loves unconditionally. She is unexpectedly funny and surprisingly adventurous when not burdened by a family close by.

EC: How would you describe the reaction of the children to James and Mari’s relationship?

CB: Son’s have a hard time seeing their mothers as women, where daughters don’t. That might be a blanket statement, and certainly not all sons and daughters think this way, but in my personal experience, that is the way it is. I don’t think Mari’s sons are selfish, I just don’t think they ever considered their mother would find another love. That is threatening in some ways. Her sons felt the need to protect their mother after their father passed. Now another man enters the picture and steps into that protective role. It’s hard to let that go.

But the girls… They see the big picture. Besides, they are all happily married and want the same for their mother. They also don’t see Mari as just a mom, or just a grandmother. They see a beautiful woman still young enough to live another love.

EC: Next book(s)?

CB: I’m moving on from the D’Angelos, but there might be a future book with Rosa as the heroine. I suppose that will depend on my readers and if they enjoy romances with older players.

“The Queen Anne Hill Series” and Lead Me Home, the first book in this series is a huge shift from the love and dependability of the D’Angelos. This series takes you deep into the roots of generational trauma and how it takes healing and courage to allow romantic love in. While this first book in the series is a work of fiction, it is based on my own lived experience that almost makes this creative non-fiction.

I started the D’Angelo Series off with a story based on my father… Lead Me Home is about my mother and my very troubled childhood.

This book is up for pre-order and will be released on June 9th, 2026.

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.

Feature Post and Book Review: Murder at the Wild Haggis Bookshop by Jackie Baldwin

Book Description

At The Wild Haggis Bookshop, the murder mysteries aren’t just on the shelves!

Beth Cunningham thought she’d closed the book on her troubled past when she opened The Wild Haggis Bookshop in the charming Scottish town of Oban. But when her inaugural book club evening ends in real murder – the body dramatically posed amongst the party decorations – her fresh start ends in a twist she definitely didn’t see coming.

With local police detective Logan Hunter eyeing her as his prime suspect, Beth must fight to clear her name. Still, she can’t help but notice his warm brown eyes and dedication to justice… even as he builds a case against her.

Determined to find the truth, Beth is shocked to discover a web of lies among her book club attendees, each one hiding secrets worthy of a bestseller. With time running out before she lands in jail, can Beth uncover the secret worth killing for?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234048321-murder-at-the-wild-haggis-bookshop?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Fi7APa26yZ&rank=1

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MURDER AT THE WILD HAGGIS BOOKSHOP (The Highland Bookshop Murders Book #1) by Jackie Baldwin is an engaging and entertaining first book in a new cozy murder mystery series set in Oban, Scotland. It features the new owner of The Wild Haggis Bookshop and her three employees as they all work together to solve a murder.

Beth Cunningham is excited to be starting a new chapter of her life. She is the new owner of The Wild Haggis Bookshop in Oban. Her inaugural crime/mystery book club evening has five participants, with one being a local journalist who is excited to tell the group that she has uncovered a secret that will get her back into the national news service. When the group breaks up for the night, Beth is in the back cleaning up and when she walks back out to the main room she discovers the journalist dead in the crime scene tape decorations.

Beth has a secret in her own past which places her in the crosshairs of the local detective, but with the help of her staff, they work to discover the secrets of the other book club attendees. Can they discover who is willing to kill to keep their secret before Beth is arrested and framed for the murder?

This is an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series that I am looking forward to following into the future. Beth is a complex character with a tragic back story, but as she becomes more intertwined with her employees and the town, she shows her strength in starting anew. The bookshop employees are unique and interesting, and I look forward to seeing their further personal development and interactions with Beth. The mystery plot itself was full of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing between all the suspects. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but it did tie every mystery plot thread up. The ending also left Beth’s personal life with many new possibilities for the future.

I recommend this engaging Scottish cozy mystery and look forward to more books in this series in the future.

***

About the Author

Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for a number of years. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married, with two grown up children she now lives in the countryside just thirty minutes away from Portobello Beach where her latest series is set. When she’s not writing she loves spending time with her young grandson and walking along the beach with her dog Lucy.

Social Media Links

Website: https://jackiebaldwin.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.baldwin.1088

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/murder-at-the-wild-haggis-bookshop-a-totally-unputdownable-scottish-cozy-mystery-novel-the-highland-bookshop-murders-book-1-by-jackie-baldwin