Famous equestrian Summer Davies travels to Wyoming to escape a scandal…and rescue Levi Blackwell’s rodeo. When she arrives early, the only place to stay is with the ornery—and gorgeous—cowboy. Their commitment to making the rodeo a success, and Summer’s affection for his young daughter, draws them together. When he learns about her past, will he still want her help? Or will he end up chasing her away?
***
Elise’s Thoughts
Wyoming Rodeo Rescue by Carol Ross is the third book in this third series about the Blackwell family. The plot is centered around family and misconceptions. Halloween plays a role in the story and readers definitely get a treat not a trick.
The hero and heroine both are struggling to find themselves. Summer Davies decides to lay low to avoid a major scandal. She is a famous equestrian who learns her boyfriend has cheated on her on the same night that he proposed marriage. Unfortunately, her reaction had been filmed and everyone can see her tossing the ring into a lake and storming out. To avoid the potential scandal that can derail her career, her trainer convinces her to fill in as headliner and MC for a rodeo in Wyoming.
There she meets Levi Blackwell, who used to be a rodeo rider, but quit due to an injury. Now, back at home, he decides to start up his own rodeo. He is going to use the money to help pay off his grandmother’s debts and be able to keep the Flying Spur Ranch. When they first meet, both butt heads. She appears to be a diva, and he appears to be hardheaded. But due to housing problems, she, her horse, and her trainer, stay at Levi’s ranch. What they realize is that they came to a wrong conclusion about each other and that they have an attraction to one another. They also both realize that Levi’s ten-year-old daughter is drawing them together since they want to protect her.
If someone wants to put a smile on their face this is the book to read. The story will at times make readers laugh with the banter. The plot is very touching.
***
Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How are you doing after the loss of your husband?
Carol Ross: It’s been rough as you can imagine. Maybe, in the future I will write about my journey because I have a lot to say about it. I might write a non-fiction about my experience, since these books are more light-hearted. It has been hard. I have been devouring books and articles on grief. If I do write something, maybe someone who has gone through something similar can be helped.
EC: Halloween was brought into the story?
CR: They had a Zombie hayride, with each dressed in costume. Plenty of pumpkins and games. My chosen month was October. It flavored the whole book. I love this holiday if it’s not too scary. Just the cute stuff, no horror.
EC: How did you get the idea for the story?
CR: We have a collaborative process, throwing ideas out there and not overlapping. I liked the idea of opposites attract. My heroine started out different than she really was. The hero and heroine thought they were opposites but ended up finding out how similar they really were. They had a horse connection. They both had expectations that were not accurate.
EC: How did you get all the information about horses?
CR: I have a friend who has been showing horses for a while. She knows about the horse world. I would not say that the heroine is based on her, but there is a lot of her in that character. Just as with Summer, my friend, is also someone who should not be underestimated or that people should not assume things about her.
EC: How would you describe Summer?
CR: Impatient at times, career motivated, intense, hard worker, devoted, and anxious. I know readers thought at times she can be a diva. I think that scene did not come across as I wanted it. I wanted her to be a diva by circumstance, not an actual diva. The town took her by surprise, yet she was able to acclimate quickly. Reluctant diva is a good term. She never faced her problems unless it dealt with her horse. She needed to realize what she really wanted.
EC: Braden the ex-fiancé versus Levi?
CR: I did not want any heart break but wanted a complication. Levi was a rodeo horse guy and Braden was a stereotypic equestrian, a snobby rich horse guy. Braden thinks a lot of himself, wants eye candy for a partner, charming, reckless, publicity hound, and confidant. Readers should not be enamored with him.
EC: How would you describe Levi?
CR: He is kind, caring, can jump to wrong conclusions, might have tunnel vision about people, and his daughter means everything to him. He was wounded deeply by his ex and is stressed by the new family situation. He has a little bit of a temper.
EC: What about the relationship?
CR: Levi was shocked that he had strong feelings for Summer. Initially he thought she was not his type, looking on her as condescending and spoiled. They goad each other and are sarcastic. They misjudged each other. Neither was looking for love but realized there was a major attraction. An opposite attraction.
EC: What about Isla, Levi’s ten-year-old daughter?
CR: Cute, polite, smart, curious, determined, funny, and brought Summer and Levi together. Summer saw a lot of herself in Isla. She helped Summer because Summer was brave for the little girl when she could not be brave for herself.
EC: What role did divorce play?
CR: Passive-aggressive relationship between Levi and his ex. They liked to snipe and argue, even in front of Isla, almost putting her in the middle. Isla was hurt by their arguments. Levi could not see what he was doing wrong because he was too focused on what his ex-wife was doing wrong. In the end, they both saw the light.
EC: Next book?
CR: I have been on a hiatus because of my husband’s illness and death. Thankfully, my publisher and editor are amazing. I am under contract for a five book western series. It might be a little while until I write the story.
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.
Lessons in baseball enlightenment from three-time MLB Manager of the Year Joe Maddon.
No one sees baseball like Joe Maddon. He sees it through his trademark glasses and irrepressible wit. Raised in the “shot and beer” town of Hazleton, PA, and forged by 15 years in the minors, Maddon over 19 seasons in Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Anaheim has become one of the most successful, most colorful, and most quoted managers in Major League Baseball. He is a workplace culture expert, having engineered two of the most stunning turnarounds in the past quarter century: taking the Rays from the worst record in baseball one year to the World Series the next and leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years.
Like his teams, Maddon defies convention. He is part strategist, part philosopher, part sports psychologist, and part motivational coach. In THE BOOK OF JOE, Maddon gives readers unique insights into the game, including the tension between art and data, the changing role of managers as front offices gain power, why the honeymoon with the Cubs did not last, and what it’s like to manage the modern player, including stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Yu Darvish, and Kris Bryant.
But you expect even more from a manager who meditates daily, admires Twain, and has only one rule when it comes to a team dress code: “If you think you look hot, wear it!” And Maddon delivers. Built on-old school values and new-school methods, his wisdom applies beyond the dugout. His mantras about leadership, mentorship, team building, and communication are meditations on life, not just baseball. Among those mantras are:
“Do simple better.” “Try not to suck.” “Don’t ever permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure.” “See it with first-time eyes.” “Tell me what you think, not what you’ve heard.”
THE BOOK OF JOE is Maddon at his uniquely holistic best. It is a memoir of a fascinating baseball journey, an insider’s look at a changing game, and a guidebook on leadership and life.
***
Elise’s Thoughts
The Book of Joe by Joe Maddon with Tom Verducci is a great read. He talks about his rise to become the baseball manager of the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs, turning both teams around including a World Series victory for the Cubs, the first in 108 years. Maddon explains his style of being part strategist, part philosopher, part sports psychologist, and part motivational coach. Any fan of baseball will also enjoy his comments on how the game has changed, some for the better and some for the worse.
***
Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Why did you gravitate to baseball managing?
Joe Maddon: I have managed twenty-three years including the Minors and the Majors. I tried to be a player but was told I was not good enough. Because I always wanted to get into the Big Leagues, I had to be a coach first. In 1981 I got into the scouting, coaching, and managing. I learned my craft.
EC: In the book you cover analytics. Do you agree with the quote in the book by former San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy, who won three World Series?
“I came up with the more traditional way of managing. I made the calls. I made the lineups. The information is great, and I wanted it. It made the players better. It made the coaching better. But you still love to manage a game and have a feel for it. You need a balance. That’s what has gotten lost in the game.”
JM: I like the information. What I do not like is how the clubhouse has been infiltrated by analytical people who I believe hold more baseball power than actual coaches and managers. They are not held as accountable as a coach or manager even though they are supplying information that everyone wants us to utilize. I want it but it should be subservient to the game and not the other way around. It gets way too much credit for a victory instead of the good players.
EC: So how should it be used?
JM: When a team acquires players the information about them is important in deciding between this guy or that guy. It is wise to break down analytically what is valued in a player. It does help a lot on defense to determine where to put the players. There can be advantages with pitching in game planning. I do not think hitters benefit at all.
EC: Does the front office interfere during a game?
JM: This had not happened to me. When it comes down to analytical suggestions they do it as late as when a manager walks down to the dugout. There should be a league wide rule that analytical folks are not allowed in the clubhouse after 3 pm for a 7 pm game. Analysts should not be involved in meetings. They should give their information to the coach and then have the coaches give it to the players, not the analysts. The team should rely on a manager’s wisdom, feel, and experience. This is becoming archaic across the board in every profession.
EC: Let’s look at an example such as leftie on leftie or righty on righty?
JM: There is a lot of analytics involved with it. The third time through the batting order is a big part of it. It can be very devastating or detrimental to a guy if they take him out. What if that guy gets better in the latter part of the game. The analysts will back it up with numbers and data or argue back to front. I cannot disagree more. I believe that the analytics gets in the way of making a player great because the pitcher should be allowed to show they can pitch deep into a game. I know, just based on experience during a game, when a guy can go further, or he is at his Waterloo.
EC: What about the hitting coaches?
JM: The hitting coach has the toughest job in the game and are blamed way too much. Hitters have the greatest disadvantage regarding any part of the game. The pitchers are pro-active, while the hitters are re-active. The scouting reports can tell a pitcher exactly what the hitter is good at or not. This allows them to match up their strength against the hitter’s weakness or strength versus strength. Hitters get nothing out of this analytical world. To get better hitters then acquire, draft, and sign better hitters, with a track record of success.
EC: What is your managing style?
JM: My approach is different than anybody. I focus on different things. I like to have building blocks, relationships with the players, establish trust, and exchange ideas. I believe the greatest danger is not that our aim is too high, but it is not high enough. Simple is better. An overarching philosophy the more freedom given the better respect. I do not have rules except position players should run hard to first base and pitchers should always work on their defense. I think I am a “player’s manager.” I feel I am there to protect and defend my group. Praise publicly and criticize privately.
EC: Do you think there should be a robot umpire considering how many times they get the calling of balls and strikes wrong, including the first game of the Division series with Yu Darvish pitching?
JM: I was really impressed that Yu did not really react. I texted him to let him know how much I loved and appreciated his composure. It did not go his way, but he was able to handle the adversity. Umpires are going to make mistakes. I prefer not perfect baseball. The problem is that the umpires are analyzed more, especially with the strike zone boxes. Before umpires could do whatever they wanted. If they did not like a hitter the strike zone is going to get wide, and for a pitcher they did not like the strike zone was going to get small. This shows the human element involved. I think the scrutiny and criticism is good for the game. When I was growing up in Pennsylvania and went to a bar there were always arguments. Social media is now the latter-day bar room. I was talking to a player who had a great idea: the umpire has an earpiece, calls the balls, and strikes on his own, but is reminded that he got it wrong in real time. He gets corrected during the game just as a hitting and pitching coaches do. I prefer this to a robotic umpire.
EC: Should the ball be less lively?
JM: Yes. I am hoping it will bring the game back without the ball leaving the ballpark. The problem is with analytics everyone stills wants the home run. I prefer that guys learn to strike out less, bunting for a hit when appropriate, and have the hit and run come back. Basically, movement, action, and strategy.
EC: What about the shift?
JM: I was one of the first guys to do it. People need to identify if it will be problematic for a guy to hit the other way or bunt, before they get to the Big Leagues. It is very difficult to do on a Major League level, to make those kinds of adjustments. Left-handed pull hitters will have better numbers when the shift is removed.
EC: What about the pitch clock?
JM: I like it. It will quicken the game since pitchers will pitch quicker and hitters will be in the box quicker. The game has a better pace.
EC: What about the new rule that pitchers will be allowed to throw over to first base only twice?
JM: It does give the advantage to the runner. Remember, I had John Lester in Chicago, and he did not throw over to first base. Yet, we still controlled the running game through pitching. There are other things that can be done.
EC: What was it like managing two big Superstars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani?
JM: They are both great guys. Shohei and I would meet and decide what he can do and wanted to do. Did he need a day off or to pitch and hit on the same day? He is a joy. Mike Trout could have easily grown up in my hometown. He is a real solid guy with great parents. He has small town values. At the end of the year, he fixed a couple of things and looked good hitting.
EC: What do the Angels need to do to get Mike Trout to the playoffs?
JM: They started to do it this year. They have a lot of young guys I really like, nice starting pitching.
EC: Do you think that the injuries of the Angel players hurt you when managing them?
JM: We lost twelve in a row. Guys were struggling. We also had the best start at the beginning. We had a bad run with Mike and Shohei in a slump and our pitchers struggling. It was the imperfect storm. Guys just had a hard time all at once.
EC: What was it like to win the championship in 2002 with the Angels as a coach?
JM: It was the best moment of my life. It was a tough year for me personally with my dad passing away and I was going through a divorce. I was grateful to have that victory. I always wanted to be on the first Angel team that won the World Series. I have stayed in touch with a lot of guys.
EC: What is next on the horizon for Joe Maddon?
JM: I am an “in the present” kind of guy so promoting this book. I could manage again, more involved in the media, or open a restaurant, especially since I learned how to cook a pizza on a Weber grille that is outstanding. I believe in eyes open, ears open, and mouth shut to see what happens.
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.
Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic. They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.)
Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likeable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show. When a dead body shows up on board, their new friend is labeled a suspect. Can they help him out by finding the real murderer? Or is he the real murderer?
The book club will need to solve the case to get off the ship, out of the book, and back to their home.
VAMPIRES AND VILLIANS (Magical Mystery Book Club #2) by Elizabeth Pantley is another delightful Magical Mystery Book Club cozy murder mystery read. The entire group is back with the addition of a grumpy octogenarian Maximillian, do not call me Max, call me Million. This book is easily read as a standalone, but you will want to read the first just because this series is just so entertaining.
Paige, Glo and the group travel to a Hawaiian island-hopping cruise ship for their cozy mystery book excursion. This cruise at first appears normal, but Frank can once again talk, so they know it is a paranormal story and they soon discover they are on a cruise with vampire entertainers and passengers included. Million becomes friends with Frank, a vampire entertainer, who served with Million during WWII and the group all are enamored with him.
When Frank is set up for the murder of a human cruise photographer, the book club must work together to find the real killer to solve the murder mystery and get the group back home.
I love Paige and all the quirky members of the Magical Mystery Book Club! With this second book, the characters are becoming even more lovable, and I am starting to worry that I may loose one of them, not just the new character that makes the eighth at the table to a future new book. The cozy mystery plot is well written with red herrings and surprising plot twists which are woven seamlessly into the overall book club world. I am looking forward to the Magical Mystery Book Club’s next adventure.
I highly recommend this fun and well-crafted cozy mystery book and series!
***
Author Bio
Elizabeth Pantley says that writing her Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the engaging stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, a beautiful inspiration for her enchanted worlds.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE COUNTERFEITWIFE (A Revolutionary War Mystery Book #2) by Mally Becker 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 Kingsumo giveaway. Good luck on the giveaway and enjoy!
***
Book Description
Philadelphia, June 1780. George Washington’s two least likely spies return, masquerading as husband and wife as they search for traitors in Philadelphia.
Months have passed since young widow Becca Parcell and former printer Daniel Alloway foiled a plot that threatened the new nation. But independence is still a distant dream, and General Washington can’t afford more unrest, not with food prices rising daily and the value of money falling just as fast.
At the General’s request, Becca and Daniel travel to Philadelphia to track down traitors who are flooding the city with counterfeit money. Searching for clues, Becca befriends the wealthiest women in town, the members of the Ladies Association of Philadelphia, while Daniel seeks information from the city’s printers.
But their straightforward mission quickly grows personal and deadly as a half-remembered woman from Becca’s childhood is arrested for murdering one of the suspected counterfeiters.
With time running out – and their faux marriage breaking apart – Becca and Daniel find themselves searching for a hate-driven villain who’s ready to kill again.
Genre: Historical Mystery Published by: Level Best Books Publication Date: September 2022 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 9781685121587 Series: A Revolutionary War Mystery
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE COUNTERFEIT WIFE (A Revolutionary War Mystery Book #2) by Mally Becker is the second Revolutionary War era historical mystery featuring Rebecca Parcell and Daniel Alloway as spies assisting General George Washington. This book can easily be read as a standalone, but the first book, TheTurncoats Widow introduces this engaging pair of spies and is an exciting mystery also.
Rebecca Parcell and Daniel Alloway are once again assisting General Washington and Alexander Hamilton as they now play a married couple in search of a band of counterfeiters flooding the new economy in Philadelphia with bad currency that could destabilize the new nation. While they suspect the English, they need proof. As they investigate, one of their main suspects ends up dead on the docks and the mother Rebecca thought dead for years, is accused of the murder.
Rebecca and Daniel find themselves accused of crimes and until they can discover the murderer, they could end up in prison or dead.
I enjoyed this well researched and intricately plotted second mystery in this series. Rebecca and Daniel are brought to life in this period, and I was just as engrossed in their story in this mystery as the first. The plot was full of twists and red herrings, but the mystery was also character driven involving many of the issues of the day. An interesting historical inclusion in the plot was the description of inoculation for smallpox and that Washington wanted his troops inoculated.
I recommend this historical mystery book and series.
***
Excerpt
Heat rose from Rebecca Parcell’s chest, climbed her neck, and stamped a flush on her cheeks. She knew what would happen next. It was time for the toasts.
“Steady now,” Daniel Alloway whispered. They stood alone in a corner of the crowded ballroom. His good hand brushed hers for reassurance. His other hand hung at his side, deadened by the injury he’d incurred escaping from a British prison ship a year ago.
Becca scanned the room to assure herself that no one watched them. Even his light touch was frowned upon by polite society, but it brought her warmth and comfort.
Their host rapped an ornate silver fork against his crystal goblet again and waited for the magpie chatter of gossip to quiet. He stood by the large fireplace, his feet planted wide as if he were standing on the deck of one of his ships. Mr. Thaddeus Barnes was the wealthiest merchant in Philadelphia, which meant, she knew, that he was one of the richest men in all of North America.
Becca had rarely seen luxury like this, not even last winter in New York City. The ceiling dripped curved garlands of flowers carved of plaster. Blue and white vases from China rested on the carved marble mantel. Cherry wood tables hailed from France, and the glass chandelier from Venice.
“I’d be much more comfortable with a bow in my hand,” Becca murmured. “Or a knife. A knife would do.”
“You’d rather hunt in Morristown than here?” Daniel smiled, his green eyes filled with amusement. The gaunt, haunted look he wore when she met him last winter was gone. But his features still seemed to be carved from stone, all hard angles and shadows. Except when he smiled at her like this.
Despite being tall, Becca had to tilt her chin up to see eye-to-eye with Daniel. “Hunting here will do.” she said, sounding more prim than she intended, and Daniel laughed. “Even this type of hunting.”
They were in Philadelphia, searching for the counterfeiters flooding the colony with fake money. They were the obvious, though unconventional, pair for the job, General Washington had said when he assigned them. Daniel because he was a former printer with the skills to evaluate ink and paper and Becca for her talent with numbers, accounts, and codes, which had already served the general well.
The clink-clink of metal on glass rang through the air again, and Mr. Barnes’s guests finally quieted. “A toast,” he called, beginning the first of the three he would raise to Becca and Daniel. It was the same at each of the parties held in their honor these past few weeks. Always three. Becca dreaded the third. “To independence.”
Becca lifted her goblet and sipped to a chorus of “huzzahs.” One, she counted to herself, because counting was soothing but not soothing enough for what was to come.
When the cheers faded, Mr. Barnes raised his glass again. The wine-filled cup glimmered red beneath the crystal candelabras. “To General Washington.”
“Huzzah!” The ballroom cheered again. Two, Becca counted.
She should be grateful to Mr. Barnes, not gritting her teeth over his toasts. He had opened his home to them at the Washingtons’s request, and he was introducing them to the finest families in Philadelphia, who were happy to welcome two friends of General and Lady Washington.
At least that much was true. Since last February, she and Daniel had become regular visitors to the Washingtons’ residence in Morristown after uncovering a plot that threatened the new nation.
Another round of cheers. Some guests made the mistake of lowering their glasses.
“And…” Mr. Barnes crowed.
A man with ginger-colored hair lounging by the doorway sighed loudly, catching her eye.
Becca couldn’t have agreed more.
The stranger gave her a slow, lazy smile. His expression was almost intimate, as if he were trying to draw her in. She turned away quickly.
“Finally…” Mr. Barnes added.
Becca took a deep breath, inhaling the warm scent of beeswax candles.
“…let us wish the newlyweds a joyous and productive marriage.” Mr. Barnes, a long-time widower, winked at Daniel. “May your hearts ever be at each other’s service.”
The cream of Philadelphia society turned in unison to Becca and Daniel.
She dropped her gaze to avoid the stares.
“A delicate flower, you are,” Daniel whispered without moving his lips.
She banged his ribs with her elbow and heard a satisfying oomph.
Anyone watching her redden and look away at the mention of their marriage might indeed take it that she was a shy, delicate flower. This was false.
She was not shy.
She was not delicate.
And, more to the point, she and Daniel were not married.
Mr. Barnes nodded to a double-chinned musician in the corner dressed in maroon breeches and a matching silk coat. At the signal, he tucked his violin into his neck, lifted a bow, and attacked his instrument. Two men laughed at something a third said. A few women formed a group and chatted, and the high-ceilinged room filled again with noise.
Barnes knew the reason they were in Philadelphia. General Washington had trusted him with that information. But their host believed that Becca and Daniel were wed. This way, Mr. Barnes could rightfully claim to be as outraged as everyone else if their deceit came to light.
Memory pulled Becca back to a dinner with the Washingtons in Morristown. “Perhaps this is unwise.” The general voiced a rare doubt after they agreed to come to Philadelphia. “You are unmarried and unchaperoned. It is scandalous. Society will close ranks against you. You’ll learn nothing.”
Lady Washington had taken a small sip of sherry. Her blue eyes lit with humor. “Then they must appear to be married while maintaining all the proprieties.”
The general made a choking sound that Becca and Daniel decided later was laughter. And so they’d agreed to play the part of a newly married couple, with Daniel looking for a new business opportunity in Philadelphia. It was a brazen plan but might just succeed.
Becca startled. The ginger-haired gentleman suddenly stood before her.
He extended a silk-clad leg and bowed, then rose, displaying the same secret smile that made her uncomfortable minutes ago. His nose was straight, his eyelashes pale against close-set blue eyes. Perhaps his chin was a bit heavy, his mouth a bit small. His features were not memorable, but something about him commanded attention.
It wasn’t just his shock of red hair combed back neatly and tied low along the back of his neck, nor the well-made clothes of ivory silk and gold embroidery. Everyone in the room bore similar signs of wealth. It was the confidence with which he moved, the sense that his regard flattered anyone upon whom it was bestowed.
“You’ve kept her from me, Alloway. I thought I knew all the beautiful women in Philadelphia.” His eyes locked on Becca’s.
She stiffened. It took discipline not to raise her hand and double check that the lace covering the top of her breasts was in place. He made her feel naked.
Daniel stiffened, too. “Mrs. Alloway, may I introduce Mr. Edmund Taylor, another merchant here in Philadelphia.”
Taylor’s light eyebrows shot up in mock distress. “Just another merchant? One of the most successful in the colonies, despite the war.” His gaze dropped to Daniel’s injured hand.
“And is your wife here, too?” Daniel bit down on the words, “your wife.”
Irritation crossed Taylor’s face so quickly Becca thought she imagined it. “My dear,” he called loudly.
A woman standing near the fireplace tensed, then moved toward them with the elegance of a swan. Her hair was honey blond, her skin unblemished, and her eyes a liquid blue. She stopped before them, wearing a tentative smile.
“I’m honored to present my wife, Charlotte Taylor.” He completed the introductions.
“It is a pleasure. I hope you enjoy our city.” Her voice was breathy and slow. There was a stillness about her, as if she had her own secrets to guard.
“I am enjoying it.” From downstairs, Becca heard the butler’s placating voice, then a woman’s shrill, demanding response.
Moments later, Mr. Barnes’s butler, Eli, slipped into the room.
Heads turned to the butler with a mixture of curiosity and mild surprise.
He whispered to Mr. Barnes, who nodded.
Then Eli strode toward them. He cupped his hand over his mouth and leaned toward Mr. Taylor.
“Begging your pardon, sir. There’s a woman at the front door. She says she’s yours, and that she must see you now.”
Becca couldn’t help but overhear. She says she’s yours. The woman at the door must be enslaved. Neither her dead husband nor father had owned slaves. But even she knew that enslaved people did not enter by the front door.
Color leeched from Taylor’s face.
“I will see her.” Mrs. Taylor swept from the room without waiting for her husband’s response.
“How do you find Philadelphia, Mrs. Alloway? Your husband says that this is your first visit,” another guest, who had turned to them at the servant’s approach, asked to mask the embarrassment of the moment.
When Becca didn’t answer, Daniel elbowed her gently. “Yes, Mrs. Alloway. How do you find Philadelphia?”
She really must do a better job responding to her married name. “People have been kind here. I hardly expected it.”
Mr. Barnes joined them, interrupting, “How goes your business, Taylor?”
“We don’t want to bore the ladies.” Taylor glanced at Becca.
“Please, don’t stop on my account. I comprehend so little, but hearing you speak of business never bores me.” Becca would have fluttered her eyelashes if she were the sort of woman who could manage it without appearing to have caught a speck of dirt in her eye.
She pasted a pleasant far-away expression on her face. Men spoke of business and politics as if she couldn’t understand a word, as if she didn’t listen and pass anything of interest back to General Washington. She took a small sip of the straw-colored dry sherry.
“Are you paying your investors in silver or paper these days?” Barnes asked.
Becca admired his playacting. Daniel and their host had rehearsed their lines. They asked the same questions at each party.
Taylor glared. “Sterling, of course. What are you accusing me of?”
Becca slowly lowered her glass. Taylor was the first to interpret the query as an accusation. An accusation of what? Having less silver than a man of his stature should? Or of passing along fake dollar notes?
Barnes nodded to Taylor. “No offense intended. I started seeing badly printed dollar notes again this spring. Merely asking whether you’re being cautious about paper dollars these days, given the situation.”
Taylor nodded curtly.
By now, five men had formed a tight ring as if warming themselves round a campfire. Becca stood just outside their circle.
Another of the merchants stepped up. “I thought I was the only one who noticed the forgeries.”
Daniel feigned surprise. “Has that been a problem here?”
“The British—damn them. They’re printing false money and spreading it as fast as they can,” one of the men said.
“There are worse problems, surely,” Daniel said.
“Ah, a young man who believes war is only about battles,” another guest drawled with feigned pity.
The others chuckled.
“If not winning battles, then what?” Daniel smiled, but the skin around his eyes tightened. He’s offended by the condescending tone, Becca thought.
“The counterfeits will set this country ablaze.” Barnes sputtered. “There have been food riots already. The poor are starving, and they can’t afford bread. How soon until people seek another king, another tyrant who swears that only he can save them?”
“When no one can tell whether money is real, the price of bread goes up, and everyone—everyone—turns against the government,” another man added. He looked to the group for support.
Becca studied them, shaken. She had thought of this trip as a lark, a way to spend more time with Daniel while unraveling a simple puzzle for General Washington.
Daniel bowed to Mr. Barnes. “It does sound terrible. My apologies.” He turned to Taylor. “And what do you think of all this, sir?”
Taylor shrugged. “Mr. Barnes is right. The economy is undone. I’d look to the traitors’ wives first. I wouldn’t put counterfeiting past them.”
“Who are the traitors’ wives?” Becca asked, catching Taylor’s attempt at redirection.
The men turned to her in surprise.
Oh bullocks. “Traitors? I don’t see any traitors at this party. Mr. Barnes wouldn’t allow it.” There. That sounded more like the simple, oblivious young woman they expected her to be.
Taylor and the others chuckled indulgently. “Nothing for you to worry about, Mrs. Alloway. Our apologies.”
“Do you know something specifically about these women, or are you trading in rumors?” Daniel’s voice was soft, but the challenge was clear. Neither he nor Becca cared for baseless rumors, not after gossip had almost ruined her life last winter.
“My husband’s passions sometimes lead him astray.” Charlotte Taylor had returned. “There are times that he causes harm when it is least intended.”
The husband and wife stared at each other from across the small circle of guests. He looked away first.
***
Author Bio
Mally Becker combines her love of history and crime fiction in mysteries that feature strong, independent heroines. She is the Agatha Award-nominated author of The Turncoat’s Widow, which Kirkus Reviews called, “A compelling tale… with charming main characters.” Her first novel was also named a Silver Falchion finalist and a CIBA “Mystery & Mayhem” finalist.
A member of the board of MWA-NY, Mally was an attorney until becoming a full-time writer and an instructor at The Writers Circle Workshops. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime and the Historical Novel Society. Mally and her husband live in New Jersey, where they raised their wonderful son and spend as much time as they can hiking and kayaking.
Mitch Rapp confronts a very different kind of killer in the explosive new thriller in Vince Flynn’s number one New York Times best-selling series, written by Kyle Mills.
With President Anthony Cook convinced that Mitch Rapp poses a mortal threat to him, CIA Director Irene Kennedy is forced to construct a truce between the two men. The terms are simple: Rapp agrees to leave the country and stay in plain sight for as long as Cook controls the White House. In exchange, the administration agrees not to make any moves against him.
This fragile détente holds until Cook’s power-hungry security adviser convinces him that Rapp has no intention of honoring their agreement. In an effort to put him on the defensive, they leak the true identity of his partner, Claudia Gould. As Rapp races to neutralize the enemies organizing against her, he discovers that a new generation of assassins is on her trail. A killer known to intelligence agencies only as Legion.
The shadowy group has created a business model based on double-blind secrecy. Neither the killer nor the client knows the other’s identity. Because of this, Legion can’t be called off nor can they afford to fail. No matter how long it takes – weeks, months, years – they won’t stand down until their target is dead. Faced with the seemingly impossible task of finding and stopping Legion, Rapp and his people must close ranks against a world that has turned on them.
***
Elise’s Thoughts
Vince Flynn’s Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills explores the political world of today. Unlike books in the past with Mitch Rapp and Irene Kennedy, this book highlights a President that is at odds with Rapp and Kennedy and strives to eliminate them.
This plot has the whole team working together to save American democracy as well as each other. President Cook has forced Irene to resign, and the new CIA Director has convinced him that Mitch Rapp is a lethal threat. To get to Mitch they are seeking someone who will assassinate Claudia Gould, the person with whom Mitch has settled down. He along with Irene and Scott Coleman must neutralize this enemy. But Irene also must navigate a fine line, trying to convince Mitch not to go after an elected President and work somewhat within the system.
Between the riveting plotline and the team working together, fans of the series will be exuberant. They will not want to put the book down because this is a page-turner.
***
Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Is the arc finished with this book?
Kyle Mills: I wrapped up this plot line and will move to something else. The timing of it did not work out. It is based on the fall of American democracy, which can come from either side. I wish the American people would take their job seriously. If there are bad politicians, we voted for them so are they a reflection of who we are? These politicians make rules that they never intend to follow. The point of the book is that the American people need to pay more attention to what is happening instead of being increasingly apathetic. Probably because they are so comfortable.
EC: It was great to have the team in the plot?
KM: It is always fun to have the whole team involved and working together. It is tough going up against the President of the US. Certainly, Mitch could not go it alone with a frontal assault. Everyone used their skill set to resolve the issue.
EC: Is President Cook based on anyone such as Trump, Biden, or Gavin Newsom?
KM: Not Newsom because I do not follow California politics at all. I never gave him a second thought. I honestly had to look something up about him because a lot of people asked me. I did not know what his politics are. After all, I live in Wyoming. I never want to write a character that resembles a real person and am not interested in partisan politics. I try not to mention Republican versus Democrat. The character I wrote might have Trump supporters thinking I am beating up on Biden, and Biden supporters think I am beating up on Trump. He is not intended to be either person.
EC: How would you describe President Cook?
KM: Arrogant, paranoid, charismatic, autocratic, ruthless, exploits weakness, and thrives on division. This is a guy who seeks power. He will do anything for power. I put this book quote in by Irene, “They (the Cooks) are not concerned with outside powers, because they aren’t a threat to them. They’re much more concerned with internal enemies-political opponents, critics, and eventually the American people.”
EC: Irene was against this President?
KM: She told him to his face with this book quote, “You’ve never done anything to earn my admiration or loyalty, while Mitch has done nothing but. I violently oppose where you and your constituents want to take this country.” The Cooks after she resigned, did underestimate her. She is in a very difficult position. It was interesting to write because she was torn in what to do. She knew that there is always a push and pull because he was elected as the President. Irene and Mitch are patriots who believe in the American ideal.
EC: How would you describe the First Lady?
KM: Analytical, calculating, sometimes dispassionate, married for convenience, and enjoyed power. She is not Hillary Clinton. She keeps the President grounded. She is Irene’s equal. Irene recognizes her as being extremely formidable. I liked writing the interplay between those two. They understand each other because both have goals where they take logical paths to achieve them.
EC: How would you describe the new CIA Director Darren Hargrave?
KM: Arrogant, manipulative, and enjoys destroying people. He is sucked into the cult of Cook and that is all he cares about.
EC: Does Claudia represent the unsavory part of the intelligence work?
KM: She, Mitch, and Irene have two personalities. The normal person and the killer. Mitch and Irene have had to make horrible decisions throughout the series to protect Americans. But there are also friendships and family. Some actual friends of my family, operators, were warm and wonderful people. But their profession was to kill people. When undercover they must fit in. I try to keep the story realistic.
EC: The next book?
KM: I want to go back in the new book to where the characters do not fundamentally change. There will not be a big heavy arc. It will be more action oriented. Ward, the trillionaire, is not a big player in the next book. Mitch is the problem solver with the gun. Regarding Irene and Mitch, readers will have to wait and see where they go from here. In the first half, the book will be more about Mitch and then the last half he will be joined by the team.
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.
A ragtag band of explorers are looking to make the biggest score in the galaxy in the brand-new science fiction adventure novel from the national bestselling author of Linesman.
Three people who are not who they claim to be:
Nika Rik Terri, body modder extraordinaire, has devoted her life to redesigning people’s bodies right down to the molecular level. Give her a living body and a genemod machine, and she will turn out a work of art.
Josune Arriola is crew on the famous explorer ship the Hassim, whose memory banks contain records of unexplored worlds worth a fortune. But Josune and the rest of the crew are united in their single-minded pursuit of the most famous lost planet of all.
Hammond Roystan, the captain of the rival explorer ship, The Road, has many secrets. Some believe one of them is the key to finding the lost world.
Josune’s captain sends her to infiltrate Roystan’s ship, promising to follow. But when the Hassim exits nullspace close to Roystan’s ship, it’s out of control, the crew are dead, and unknown Company operatives are trying to take over. Narrowly escaping and wounded, Roystan and Josune come to Nika for treatment–and with problems of her own, she flees with them after the next Company attack.
Now they’re in a race to find the lost world…and stay alive long enough to claim the biggest prize in the galaxy.
STARS UNCHARTED (Stars Uncharted Book #1) by S.K. Dunstall is a fast-paced sci-fi fiction story featuring an incongruous cast of characters with varying agendas all thrown together as they try to stay alive. This is the first book in this sci-fi series.
This story brings together body modders, space treasure hunters, and evil Company men in an ongoing hunt for invaluable minerals. The worldbuilding was interesting and detailed especially about the technology of body mods, while the plot itself was fast-paced and kept the action moving, it was a basic good guys vs. bad guys set up with a few plot twists.
The main characters who end up coming together in the story are all interesting and fully drawn with the main emphasis on the two female characters in the group. Both are strong and independent, but in differing ways. While there is a hint of romance, it is left as a deep friendship.
I enjoyed this flight into the unknown and I am looking forward to reading what happens next to this band of friends.
***
Authors Bio
S. K. Dunstall is the pen name for Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall, sisters who have been telling stories—and sharing them with each other—all their lives. Around five years ago, they realised the stories they worked on together were much better than the stories they worked on alone. A co-writing partnership was born.
