Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Before He Vanished by Debra Webb

Hi, everyone!

I am excited to once again be posting on the Harlequin Series Blog Tour for March 2020. This Feature Post and Book Review is for Debra Webb’s new Intrigue – BEFORE HE VANISHED (Winchester, Tennessee Book #6).

Below you will find a short author Q&A, a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s info and social media links. Enjoy!

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Debra Webb Author Q&A

1. What was the romance novel that got you hooked on the genre (or: What was the romance novel that inspired you to become a romance author?) 

A: I’ve always written stories, but it wasn’t until about a year after I started writing with a goal of actually being published that I understood what I wanted to do. A friend who had a home library that looked much like a small Barnes & Noble store read my newest completed manuscript and announced that I was writing romance. She thrust a book from her extensive library at me and said, “read this.” The book was Perfect Partners by Jayne Ann Krentz! I was hooked!


2. Please share in your own words what it means to experience That Harlequin Feeling 

A: Sometimes life can throw some really tough times your way. There is nothing like a great book to give you a mini-vacation away from those less pleasant times. Harlequin has published about 60 books in my Colby Agency series. I’ve received a great deal of fan mail about Victoria Colby and her team. One I remember well was from a lady who needed extensive eye surgery and would literally be unable to read for an entire year. At the end of her ordeal once her eyes started to recover, she wrote to me and said that one thing that helped her get through that dark period was the four Colby books that were released during that time. She couldn’t wait to see what would happen next with the Colby Agency.

3. What was the name of your first published novel, and tell us a bit about that experience?  

A: Safe By His Side, a Harlequin Intrigue! When I received “the call,” I was in the middle of preparing for my local school’s annual harvest festival. I was the PTA president and in charge of the event! I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I couldn’t stop crying during the call. The editor said she would call me the next day. The rest of that day all I wanted to do was tell everyone and celebrate, but I couldn’t! Not to worry, I celebrated plenty later!

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Book Description

Twenty-five years ago, Halle Lane’s best friend vanished from their Tennessee town.

When a childhood photo brings Liam Hart to Winchester, Halle is certain the man is the same child who vanished. Now Liam seeks out Halle to help him investigate the circumstances of his mysterious past.

Can Liam and Halle uncover the truth before a killer buries all traces of the boy Halle loved—and the man he may have become—forever?

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BEFORE HE VANISHED (Winchester, Tennessee Book #6) by Debra Webb is a March 2020 Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense that had me hooked from page one and that is why Debra Webb is an automatic buy for me when I see her name on a book cover. This book is a part of a series, but is easily read as a standalone novel.

What if your best friend disappeared 25 years ago and the feature article you write on the anniversary brings a man to your office who looks like the grown version of that friend, but goes by a different name and does not remember you?

When Halle Lane was seven years old, her best friend, Andy disappeared on his way home from school.

Now 25 years later, Halle has written a feature story for the paper she writes for about her missing friend. Halle is the only reporter to get an exclusive from Andy’s mother after all these years, but Halle feels she has not been told everything.

Liam Hart is a successful vineyard owner in California. He receives a copy of a newspaper article in the mail from Winchester, Tennessee about a missing boy from 25 years ago who looks just like his childhood photos. He feels compelled to go to Winchester.

Despite Liam’s belief he is not Halle’s friend, Andy, Halle is positive that he is her missing friend. As they search for the truth, people connected to Andy are being killed. Someone wants to keep this 25-year-old mystery a secret.

I could not put this book down! The mystery/suspense kept me turning the pages well into the night. You think you have it figured out and then Ms. Webb would throw in another surprise twist. The climax was a complete surprise and I did not even consider that scenario. I loved both Halle and Liam and how they worked through everything together. The slow unfolding of Liam’s memories and the increase in their mutual attraction was paced perfectly for a novel of this length.

I highly recommend this Harlequin Intrigue for a great, fast-paced read that completely satisfies!

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Excerpt

The shower was like heaven on earth. Her body had needed the hot water so badly. Her muscles relaxed and she took her time, smoothing the soap over her skin and then shampooing her hair. She was grateful for the toiletry pack that included not only soap, shampoo and the usual, but disposable razors, as well.

By the time she was finished, her bones felt like rubber. She dried herself, slipped on underwear and the nightshirt and then used the hotel dryer to dry her hair. That part took the longest of all. When she exited the steamy bathroom the delicious aromas of room service had her stomach rumbling.

“Oh my God, that smells good.” She rushed to the table where the silver service sat. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“I was waiting for you.” He joined her at the table.

Ever the gentleman.

Halle curled her feet under her in her chair while Liam removed the covers from the dishes. Fish, chicken, vegetables. He had ordered all sorts of dishes and they all looked amazing.

“I thought we’d try a little of everything.”

A bottle of white wine as well as a bottle of rosé had her licking her lips.

“I wasn’t sure which one you preferred.” He gestured to the iced-down bottles. “And I didn’t forget dessert.” The final lid revealed a heavenly-looking chocolate cake with fudge icing.

“I may die right now.” She wanted to taste it all.

“Eat first.” He placed a linen napkin over his lap and stuck his fork into a tiny, perfectly roasted potato. She watched him eat and it was the sexiest thing she had ever seen. She didn’t fight it. Surrendered to instinct and that was how they ate. No plates, just taking whatever they wanted with a fork or fingers and devouring. They drank the wine and laughed at stories from their respective childhoods. From all the stories he’d told her, she could not wait to meet his sister, Claire.

By the time they were finished, she was feeling a little tipsy. The food was mostly gone and both bottles were drained. She felt more relaxed than she had in decades. They had discussed the day’s events and Burke and Austen—and Derrick. The man was still convinced she had a thing for Derrick. No way. She’d also told him what her mom had to say about any friends from Nashville the Clarks might have had, which was none who ever appeared at their door. She and Liam agreed that was somewhat unusual considering how social the Clarks had been in Winchester.

“You know,” she said, after polishing off the last of the wine in her glass, “I wrote you dozens of letters.”

“Me?”

She frowned and shook her head. “Andy.” Then she stared at him. “No. You. I mean you. Whatever you believe, I know you’re him.”

“Okay.” He laughed, his eyes glittering with the soft sound.

God, his mouth was sexy when he was relaxed. She put her hand to her mouth just to make sure she hadn’t said the words out loud.

“Tell me about the letters,” he prompted.

“I told you what was going on in Winchester. Who was doing what at school. I even put pictures with the letters.” She laughed. Placed her glass on the table. “It was silly, I know. But I wanted to still feel you and that was the only way I could.”

She blinked. He had moved. He was suddenly next to her, on his knees, staring into her eyes, and her breath caught.

“I don’t know if I’m this Andy you loved so much when you were a kid,” he said softly, so softly she shivered, “but I would really like to be the guy you care about now.”

Her heart swelled into her throat. She started to suggest that it was the wine talking, but it wasn’t. The truth was in his eyes. Those blue eyes she knew as well as her own. And despite her wine consumption, she was stone-cold sober as she considered what could happen between them tonight.

“I’m really glad, because I would hate to think I’m in this alone,” she confessed.

He kissed her so sweetly that tears stung her eyes. Then he stood and pulled her into his arms. He carried her to the nearest bed.

No matter what happened tomorrow, she would always cherish this night.

***

About the Author

DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama.

Visit Debra at www.DebraWebb.com or write to her at PO Box 176, Madison, AL 35758.



Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Dangerous Ground by Susan Hunter

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour for the new Leah Nash mystery – DANGEROUS GROUND by Susan Hunter. I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for this great addition to the series. Even though this is the sixth book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone mystery.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s info. Enjoy!

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Book Description

The town’s golden boy is murdered while returning for his high school reunion, and Leah Nash finds no shortage of suspects—or secrets.

Almost everyone in town is anxious to connect with actor Ryan Malloy when he returns to Wisconsin for his 15-year high school reunion.

Crime writer Leah Nash doesn’t have many fond memories of Himmel High’s favorite son. And when he turns up dead on reunion night, Leah realizes that she’s not the only one who feels that way…

DANGEROUS GROUND is the sixth standalone book in the Leah Nash series. If you enjoy murder mysteries with witty dialogue, clever characters, and unexpected twists, you’ll LOVE Leah Nash.

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

DANGEROUS GROUND (Leah Nash Mysteries Book #6) by Susan Hunter is another well written mystery addition to the Leah Nash series. Ms. Hunter not only gives the reader a twisted and clever mystery plot, but also entertaining and witty fully fleshed characters.

It is true crime author Leah Nash’s 15-year high school reunion and almost everyone is excited for the return of Ryan Mallory, the golden boy who made it in Hollywood.

But not Leah and not his killer.

Leah is once again embroiled in a mystery and looking for a killer.

Every time I return to Leah’s world, I know I am going to be entertained by her hard-headedness, snarky wit and all the well-developed secondary characters around her. Ms. Hunter’s mystery plot pulled me in and kept me engaged and guessing until the end.

I recommend this addition to the Leah Nash mystery series and once you read it, you are going to want to read them all.

***

Excerpt

Chapter 1

I parked my bike just inside the cemetery gates. It took only a few steps down the tree-lined path for the heat and humidity of a mid-summer Wisconsin day to slide away into the cool dark shade. Overhead, the soft murmur of thousands of leaves stirring in the light breeze accompanied me as I walked slowly toward my sister’s grave. Both of my sisters are buried in the cemetery just a few miles outside of Himmel, Wisconsin. My father is as well. But today it was Annie I’d come to visit.

My heart beat a little faster as I neared the gravesite. I’m not afraid of the dead. It’s the memories they leave behind that haunt me. Quiet Annie with her soft voice and big blue eyes, too shy to join the other laughing, shouting kindergarteners at recess—but the first to run over to comfort a little boy struggling not to cry on the first day. Imaginative Annie, commandeering our wide front porch as a sailing ship for her and her cat, Mr. Peoples, to travel around the world. Kind-hearted Annie, sharing her Halloween candy with me when I’m forced to surrender my own treats as penalty for talking back. Sweet, brave, compassionate, eight-year-old Annie, who ran into a burning house to save Mr. Peoples twenty-two years ago, and never came back. 

Over all the years since, people—my mother, my aunt, my therapist (yes, I went that route once), my best friend—have reassured me that her death wasn’t my fault, that I was just a child. But, I was older. I should have been watching over her. I should have seen her slipping back to the house after we’d all escaped. In my deep heart’s core, I can’t ever forget that. 

Now and then, and always on her birthday, I go to the cemetery to see her. I know that she isn’t really there. But her grave is an anchoring spot for me. I catch her up on the good, the bad, and the ugly happenings in my life. She knows what hurts me, and she knows what frightens me—secrets I don’t share with anyone else. I tell her what our mother is up to, and how others she knew in life are doing. I say all the things to her that I would if she were still here. I try to make up for the fact that I’m alive, and she isn’t. But, of course, I never can. 

When I’m talking to her at the cemetery, it feels as though she can really hear me. And I know that she answers. Not right there, at the grave, but later, in unexpected ways. Sometimes, I hear Annie speak to me through a chance remark a stranger makes, or a phrase that leaps out at me from a book, or a sudden flash of insight on a problem I’m wrestling with. I don’t share that belief with very many people. If I did, I might be forced to resign my membership in the Doubting Thomas Society, to which all good journalists should belong. But I can’t accept that those occurrences are just coincidental. I really can’t.

So, on the anniversary of her birth, once again I sat down on the bench in front of her grave and told her how sorry I was that she had died. That I hadn’t saved her. That I still missed her. And then I told her what was really going on in the seemingly successful life of Leah Nash, former small-town reporter, current true crime author, and soon-to-be business failure. 

***

When I say I talk to Annie, I mean that literally. I have a one-sided, out-loud conversation with her, though only when I’m sure I’m alone. Some people already think I’m crazy. No need to give them additional proof. On this particular day, I had a serious problem weighing on my mind. 

Not long before, I had made what seemed, at the time, like a brilliant decision. The Himmel Times Weekly, the paper where I’d started out in journalism, and where I’d found a home again after a self-inflicted career injury, was closing. I decided to buy it. I asked a wealthy, community-minded, local attorney, Miller Caldwell, to invest with me. And then I asked a lot of other people—reporters, an editor, stringers, office and sales staff—to work very hard, for very little money, in the hope that together we could keep the Himmel Times alive.

It was exhilarating at first. But it had become an increasing source of anxiety for me. Just as we were getting off the ground, Grantland County Online, a digital-only news site (and I use the term “news” loosely), had gotten a major infusion of capital and a new publisher. Now GO News, as it’s more commonly known, was kicking our butt. 

“The scariest thing, Annie,” I said, “is that we’re barely keeping our heads above water, while GO News keeps getting bigger. They don’t have the expenses we do—no print edition, no delivery costs, and they don’t spend a lot of staff time fact-checking. Plus, they started Tea to GO. Did you know that the cool kids say, ‘spill the tea,’ when they mean ‘what’s the gossip?’ 

Tea to GO is full of ‘What married school official was seen in Milwaukee with a very attractive staff member last Thursday night? Did we say late, last Thursday night?’ That kind of garbage. It’s almost all blind items—the better to avoid lawsuits, my dear. But people are eating it up. Every time you go into the Elite Café, someone is trying to figure out who the latest gossip is about.”

I paused for a bit of a wallow in self-pity. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried to shake things up at the Times, to get us moving ahead, but so far nothing I’d done had made much difference.  

“We have a good team. Miguel is much happier since he gave up the managing editor job. He really didn’t like bossing people. And Maggie McConnell is doing great in that spot. She’s got the instincts, the skills, and forty-five years in the news business behind her. If she could only spin straw out of gold, she’d be perfect. But since she can’t, we’re making do with a budget so lean it might as well be made out of turkey burger.

“I gave Allie Ross—you remember, I told you about her. She’s the high school kid we’ve been using as a stringer. Anyway, I gave her a part-time job for the summer in the office. She’s doing the routine stuff, obits and inside pages copy—weddings, anniversaries, club news. She’s got promise, but she’s only fifteen. Troy, the other reporter besides Miguel, is a little bit of a suck-up—and his news judgment isn’t quite there yet. Still, he’s a hard worker. The stringers are a pretty mixed bag. 

“Now, here’s a twist I bet you didn’t see coming. I hired Mom to take April Nelson’s place as office manager. I know, I know, it’s a dicey move. But she’s smart, and efficient, and she gets the job done. Plus, she comes cheap. It’s been a little challenging, I admit. Remember when I used to get mad at her and say, ‘You’re not the boss of me!’ and she’d send me to my room? 

“Well, now I’m the boss of her, only I don’t get to send her to her room. Yes, OK, I’m not supposed to be doing the day-to-day. That’s Maggie’s job. I understand that. But I can’t just hide away in my office and write my next book if the paper is falling apart two floors below me, can I?

“Everybody took a leap of faith when we reopened the Times, and everyone is putting everything they have into it. I can’t let them down. I have to find a way to keep us afloat. I just didn’t know it would be so hard, Annie.”

I paused for a breath before I wrapped things up. 

“And then there’s Gabe. I don’t know. I like him as well—no, probably better than—anyone I’ve gone out with in a long time. He makes me laugh, and he’s really smart. And he likes strong women who speak their minds. In my experience, a lot of men don’t. So what’s the problem, right? Well, it’s not exactly a problem. It’s more that I’m afraid a problem might be coming. Lately, it feels like he’s pushing me a little, like for a commitment or something. Can’t we just enjoy each other? Can’t we just be without getting all serious, and defining things, and making plans? I don’t want to change things. That’s when things go bad, when you try to change them.”

I slumped back against the bench with a sigh. Usually, when I lay everything out to Annie, it makes the issues seem a little more manageable. This time it all still felt overwhelming. 

Then, a voice spoke.

***

Fortunately for my mental health, it wasn’t Annie’s. I turned and looked behind me. 

“Coop! How long have you been standing there?” I asked, trying to remember exactly what I’d said out loud. It’s not that Coop and I have major secrets. He’s my best friend, after all. Still, I don’t tell him everything I tell Annie.

“Long enough,” he said with a grin that didn’t offer me much comfort. I tried to move the conversation away from my chat with Annie, particularly the Gabe part.

“What are you doing here?”

“Your mom said you were here. I called your cell, but it didn’t go through.”

“Yeah. It’s a dead zone—pun totally intended—in the cemetery, except for the hill. What did you want?”

“Nothing. I brought something for Annie.”

I looked down at his right hand and saw that he carried a small pot of pink flowers. Pink was Annie’s favorite color. Tears sprang to my eyes. I quickly blinked them away.

 “That’s so nice. Why?” 

He shrugged. “I know what today is.”

I’m all about keeping my tough outer shell polished, but I was so touched, I couldn’t keep up the facade. 

“You’re a pretty great friend, you know that?” 

He smiled, but he looked embarrassed, and tried to cover it by moving to put the flowers next to Annie’s headstone.

“Did you really come just to put flowers on Annie’s grave?”

“No, not just for Annie. I took some to Rebecca, too.” He was kneeling, positioning the flowers, with his back to me. I couldn’t see his expression.

“Oh.” 

Rebecca had been Coop’s wife and my nemesis until she was killed last year. I wasn’t happy that Coop had lost someone he loved, but I couldn’t pretend I was sorry she was gone. She’d done everything she could to break up our twenty-year friendship and came close to succeeding. I couldn’t think of anything nice to say about her. So, I employed the Thumper rule, and didn’t say anything. 

Coop apparently didn’t want to get into the subject of Rebecca either, because as he stood and turned to me, he said, “I’ll walk out with you. I’ve got my truck. We can throw your bike in the back and you can ride home with me.”

“Yes, please. I didn’t realize it was so hot. I just about sweated to death pedaling out here.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” he said, taking in my damp, bedraggled hair, slipping from its hair clip, and the beads of moisture coalescing into a river of sweat running down the side of my forehead. “You kind of look like you just took a shower.” He sniffed the air, “Except you don’t have that shower-fresh scent.”

“Shut up,” I said. “I’m a head-sweater from way back. Deal with it.” I smiled though, because there’s something very nice and very easy being with a person who really doesn’t care how you look—or in the present situation—smell. 

We walked together in companionable silence, until I’d decided he hadn’t heard any of my one-sided conversation with Annie. That dream died in the next minute.

“So, what’s going on with you and Gabe? He’s a nice guy, Leah. You’re not getting ready to toss him overboard, too, are you?”

“No. Why would you say that? And what do you mean by ‘too’?”

“You really want to go there?” He cocked an eyebrow. It’s a not very funny running joke between Coop and my mother that I always find a reason to cut my romances short. 

“No, I don’t. I thought you didn’t believe in illegal surveillance, and what do you call lurking around cemeteries where people are having a private conversation? It’s nothing. Really.”

He looked at me for a second, but all he said was, “OK.”

Our conversation was cut off as a tall woman in her fifties, her hair pulled back and hanging in a long, gray braid down her back, appeared and abruptly crossed the path in front of us.

“Hello, Marcy,” I said.

She looked up as though surprised we were there.

“Leah. Coop.” She nodded but didn’t stop to talk. We knew where she was going. To the top of the hill on which sat a small granite building that resembled an ancient Greek temple. The family mausoleum held Marcy’s grandparents, her own mother, and Marcy’s baby daughter, Robin. One day, it would hold Marcy, too.

We watched in silence as she reached the building, pulled a key out of her pocket, unlocked the door, and slipped inside, like a ghost gliding through a wall. It had been sixteen years since Marcy White’s baby had died, and she still came every week. People said she brought a different book each time and read it to Robin. They said it like it was something weird, or even crazy. Not me, though. I understood why she did it.

“You know what, Coop?” I asked, as we continued on down the path.

“What?”

“I’m calling bullshit on death.”

***

Author Info

I am a charter member of Introverts International (which meets the 12th of Never at an undisclosed location).I’ve worked as a reporter and managing editor, during which time I received a first place UPI award for investigative reporting and a Michigan Press Association first place award for enterprise/feature reporting. Which for someone whose previous award history consisted of 3rd place in the 50-yard-dash, when there were only 3 runners, was a pretty big deal.

I’ve also taught composition at the college level, written advertising copy, newsletters, press releases, speeches, web copy, academic papers and memos. Lots and lots of memos. I live in rural Michigan with her husband Gary, who is a man of action, not words.

During certain times of the day, I can be found wandering the mean streets of small-town Himmel, Wisconsin, looking for clues, stopping for a meal at the Elite Cafe, dropping off a story lead at the Himmel Times Weekly, or meeting friends for a drink at McClain’s Bar and Grill.

Some of my favorite mystery writers are Jill McGown, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Lisa Scottoline, Lisa Lutz, Michael Connelly, Peter Robinson, Raymond Chandler, Reginald Hill, Kate Atkinson, Laurie King and well, more than there is room for here.

Please visit my website; https://leahnashmysteries.com/ 


Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: A Venomous Love by Chris Karlsen

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for A VENOMOUS LOVE (The Bloodstone Series Book #3) by Chris Karlsen. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for the third historical mystery featuring Detective Rudyard “Ruddy” Bloodstone.

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

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Book Description

A veteran, Detective Rudyard Bloodstone has fought a brutal battle and witnessed war horrors that haunt his nightmares. Now one of those horrors has followed him home from Africa.

A vicious predator, the Cape cobra, can kill a man in thirty minutes. A suspect using the snake as a weapon in robberies is terrorizing London.

When the crimes escalate into murder, a victim’s daughter, Honoria Underhill, becomes the focus of the killer. After several attempts on her life, Scotland Yard threatens to take over the high profile case. With few leads to follow, Bloodstone and his partner must now fight department politics and catch the killer before Underhill becomes another murder victim.

Title: A Venomous Love (Bloodstone, #3)

Author: Chris Karlsen

Genre: Historical Suspense set in Victorian London

Release Date: February 28, 2020

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

***

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A Venomous Love (The Bloodstone Series Book #3) by Chris Karlsen is the latest historical mystery in this series set in the Victorian era featuring Detective Rudyard Bloodstone. These are entertaining reads that give you a snapshot of the people in this era and it also gives you a look at the limitations of the police to solve crimes. No CSI here, just old-fashioned legwork and logic with a little luck thrown into the mix.

Detective Rudyard “Ruddy” Bloodstone and his partner Detective Archie Holbrook are on the case of a thief who uses a unique deadly weapon to get his victims to turnover their valuables, a Cape cobra. Ruddy knows how quickly this snakes’ venom can kill having fought against the Zulus in Africa.

When the robberies escalate into murder, Ruddy and Archie wonder why the victim’s daughter, Honoria Underhill becomes the main focus of their thief. As they work the case, Ruddy’s brother, Will who has returned from service in India becomes a bodyguard for Honoria.

With few leads and the threat of Scotland Yard taking over the case. Ruddy and Archie are racing the clock to catch the killer before Honoria becomes another murder victim.

I really enjoy reading these mysteries featuring Rudyard Bloodstone. Ruddy, his partner and all the secondary characters pull you back in time with an interesting case to solve. Ms. Karlsen makes you realize how limited early law enforcement was and the class differences that could also impact a case. The use of the Cape cobra as a weapon was unique and even though you know the person behind the crime, the story still keeps you intrigued and interested.

I recommend this historical mystery and all the books in The Bloodstone Series.

***

Author Bio

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.  

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and five wild and crazy rescue dogs.  

Social Media

Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Moonlight_Serenade 

Website: http://chriskarlsen.com/ 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisKarlsenAuthor/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/chriskarlsen/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCKarlsen 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/chriskarlsenwriter

Buy links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2T8xhf2

iBooks: https://apple.co/2VtNblW

Nook: http://bit.ly/3933A4N

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2TojkJ6


Universal: https://books2read.com/u/mqvwA2

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Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Witness Protection Widow by Debra Webb

Hi, everyone!

Today I am very excited to be posting on the Harlequin February 2020 Series Blog Tour. My Feature Post and Book Review is for Debra Webb’s new Intrigue – WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW.

Below you will find a short author Q&A, a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and an about the author blurb. Enjoy!

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Debra Webb Author Q&A

1. Did you always want to write for Harlequin?

A: From the moment I read my first Harlequin Intrigue novel, I knew I wanted to write them!

2. Share your favorite memory of reading a Harlequin romance

A: I write romantic suspense so sometimes something light is a great way to relax. My fav memory is of laughing out loud while reading a Stephanie Bond Harlequin romance!

3. What is a recent book you have read that you would recommend? 

A: In The Dark by Loreth Anne White

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Book Description

Can the witness protection program keep her identity secret?


After Allison James finally escapes her marriage to a monster, she becomes the star witness in the case against her deceased husband’s powerful crime family.

Now it’s up to US Marshal Jaxson Stevens, Ali’s ex-boyfriend, to keep the WITSEC widow safe. But as the danger escalates and sparks fly, will Jax be able to help Ali escape her ruthless in-laws.

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW (Winchester, Tennessee Book #5) by Debra Webb is the February 2020 Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense second chance romance and since it is written by Debra Webb, I knew I would be getting a great story even in this shorter format. I was NOT disappointed. Though this book is part of the Winchester, Tennessee series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

Allison James Armone has been trapped for several years in an abusive marriage to the son of the head of the Armone crime family. She has been planning and waiting for her chance to escape. At the weekly meeting between father and son, Allison witnesses the father shoot the son and kill him.

She makes her escape and becomes the star witness in the case against her father-in-law. When the US Marshall guarding Allison (aka Alice Stewart) is involved in an accident, he calls on one of his best friends in the Marshalls to fill in. It is only a few days until the trial and Ali’s life is at stake.

US Marshall Jaxon Stevens cannot believe his assignment is his young foolish mistake in love. Can Jaxon convince Ali he wants and deserves a second chance even as he works to keep her alive to testify?

Ali is a great heroine. After everything she has been through, she refuses to back down and wants to testify no matter the danger to herself. She made a mistake that cost her, but she has come out on the other side and is strong and determined. I also liked that her main concern is for Jaxon’s safety and not her own. Jaxon is a strong alpha protective hero, but he also must come around to understand how Ali got caught up in her marriage and to understand his own feelings about wanting her back even though he left her before for his career. There are a lot of emotions and misunderstandings to get through in this book even as physical danger is just around the corner. My only concern is Ms. Webb never revealed who changed their travel plans and set them on the run from the bad guys. Other than that, this is a fast-paced story that intertwines the suspense and the romance perfectly.

I love sitting down with a Harlequin Intrigue and an author I enjoy because I know I can be entertained with a romantic suspense that engrosses me in the story and is a quicker read than a full-sized novel. I recommend this second chance romantic suspense.

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Excerpt

She shivered. The fire had gone out. She kept on her jacket while she added logs to the fireplace and kindling to get it started. Within a couple of minutes, the fire was going. She’d had a fireplace as a kid, so relearning her way around this one hadn’t been so bad. She went back to the kitchen and turned on the kettle for tea.

Bob growled low in his throat and stared toward the front door.

She froze. Her phone was in her hip pocket. Her gun was still in her waistband at the small of her back. This was something else Marshal Holloway had in­sisted upon. He’d taught her how to use a handgun. They’d held many target practices right behind this cabin.

A creak beyond the front door warned that some­one was on the porch. She eased across the room and went to the special peephole that had been installed. There was one on each side of the cabin, allowing for views all the way around. A man stood on the porch. He was the typical local cowboy. Jeans and boots. Hat in his hands. Big truck in the drive. Just like Marshal Holloway.

But she did not know this man.

“Alice Stewart, if you’re in there, it’s okay for you to open the door. I’m Sheriff Colt Tanner. Branch sent me.”

Her heart thudding, she held perfectly still. Branch would never send someone to her without letting her know first. If for some reason he couldn’t tell her in advance, they had a protocol for these situations.

She reached back, fingers curled about the butt of her weapon. Bob moved stealthily toward the door.

“I know you’re concerned about opening the door to a stranger, but you need to trust me. Branch has been in an accident, and he’s in the hospital undergoing surgery right now. No matter that his injuries were serious, he refused to go into surgery until he spoke to me and I assured him I would look after you, ma’am.”

Worry joined the mixture of fear and dread churn­ing inside her. She hoped Branch wasn’t hurt too badly. He had a wife and a daughter.

She opened her mouth to ask about his condition, but then she snapped it shut. The man at her door had not said the code word.

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About the Author

DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama.

Visit Debra at www.DebraWebb.com

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Water’s Fine by Janice Coy


Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Virtual Author Book Tour for THE WATER’S FINE by Janice Coy. This is an intriguing read that is a women’s fiction story with a suspense sub-plot.

Below you will find a book description, an author Q&A, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!

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Book Description

Catalina Rodrigues believes she’s living her best life, traveling to exotic locations around the world as a scuba dive master, spending every moment possible in her beloved ocean.

Bertie Clark is excited for a week-long scuba trip with her husband exploring the underwater wonders of an ocean teeming with life – the Sea of Cortez.

But a tragedy on their dive boat sends both women into uncharted territory, questioning what they’ve always thought to be true, and fostering an unlikely friendship. Will either trust the invitation to “come on in, the water’s fine” again?

Water’s Fine: Suspense Novel by Janice Coy

Publisher:  Independently Published (April 22, 2019)
Category: Suspense, Family Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Tour dates: January/February, 2020
ISBN: 9781795669047
Available in Print and ebook, 312 pages

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Author Q&A with Avonna Loves Genres

What is your favorite scene in “The Water’s Fine?” why?

I have many favorite scenes in “The Water’s Fine,” and I hope readers will agree. One is when Catalina and the rest of the boat crew welcome the newest guests on board the Calypso for a week-long scuba dive trip. Catalina believes it will be just another group of strangers to shepherd on dives for a week, and then back to the port where the people will depart never to be seen again. All she cares about is being assigned the more experienced divers this time around. She doesn’t know that before the week is out her life will be changed forever.

How long did it take you to complete “The Water’s Fine”?

Including research, the novel took me about two years to complete. When I’m done with the first draft, I like to set my novel aside for a while so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. By the time I’m ready to publish, I’ve written about seven to eight drafts, and gotten feedback from several first readers. Even then, I must take a deep breath and let it go. Someone said once that a novel is like a painting, even when the art is done, the artist or writer can always find something to fix.

Where did you get the inspiration for your cover?

One of my favorite things to do as a scuba diver is to look back up to the water’s surface. If the water’s clear, it’s amazing to see how deep the sun’s rays can penetrate through the layers. Twilight is especially beautiful when the water is like liquid gold above, and already getting shadowy below. The cover of “The Water’s Fine” is from the perspective of a scuba diver looking back up at the surface. The bubbles are the expended air the diver has used; the bubbles closer to the surface are open.

What draws you to this genre?

I read a lot of Fairy Tales and Nancy Drew when I was growing up. I loved the suspense of wondering what was going to happen next. Would Nancy solve the crime? Would the princess live up to her bargain to sleep with the toad on her pillow? Alfred Hitchcock once said a mystery is for the intellect while suspense is about emotion. Typically, in a mystery, the crime happens immediately, and a detective sets about solving it. In suspense, the protagonist only gradually becomes aware of the danger, much like a frog in a slowly heating pot.  I have a lot of fun putting my characters in unexpected situations and discovering what they will do next.

What writers have you drawn inspiration from? Are there other inspirations you draw from?

As an avid reader, I enjoy reading books by authors who are great storytellers and writers like Sue Monk Kidd, Amor Towles, Anthony Doerr and Larry McMurtry. They all inspire me to become a better writer as do Liane Moriarty, Kate Morton and Kristin Hannah. I also am inspired by adventures I’ve had, the stories people tell me, and the choices people make. While writing “The Water’s Fine,” I relied on my own week-long stay on a scuba dive boat on the Sea of Cortez.

What book/s are you reading at present?

I just finished “A Gentleman in Moscow”; I’m starting “The Lilac Girls” and am waiting on “What Alice Forgot.”

Are you currently working on another book?

Yes! I’m in the very rough draft stages of my sixth novel. I don’t outline, so I use the rough draft as a general outline. I didn’t know if I would have a sixth story to tell, but one day a hazy vision of the story evolved in my head. Tony Morrison said, “I always know the ending; that’s where I start.” I have a beginning and an ending. It’s how my characters will get from A to Z that’s challenging!

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE WATER’S FINE: A NOVEL by Janice Coy is an intriguing women’s fiction story with a suspense sub-plot. This is a standalone book which takes you on a journey into the love and perils of scuba diving, friendship, family and suspense.

Catalina took off immediately after graduating college to work as a scuba dive master. She was going to travel the world for one year, but she is now on her sixth. She is currently on The Calypso and getting ready for a new group of vacationers for a week-long trip. She is very pleased because her group of six are all experienced divers.

Alberta “Bertie” and her husband Matt are looking forward to this new experience of diving in cold water. Previously they have only gone on warm water dives. Bertie is very outgoing and friendly, but she also comes off as being a know-it-all because she always researches and prepares for everything.

Catalina and Bertie hit it off. Neither has many friends and they find they enjoy each other’s company. When a tragedy strikes that ends the trip, the two are determined to keep in touch even long distance. Catalina returns to San Diego to get her Masters degree and Bertie and Matt return to their jobs in Michigan.

Bertie and Matt decide to move to San Diego. Catalina is very happy they are on their way because strange and dangerous things have been happening to her. Is it a just stress and/or coincidence, or is someone really trying to hurt Catalina?

I enjoyed this fiction novel even though it does not neatly fit into any one genre. Catalina and Bertie are both strong women going through different life decisions in this story, but they also click as friends. Ms. Coy gives a complete description of scuba diving including all the beauty and danger involved that paints a picture and is not an information dump. The family members of both women are fully fleshed and realistic. The tragedy in the first part of the story ties into the suspense in the last third of the book. It is easily figured out and I was not completely sure if I liked the addition of this sub-plot, but I kept turning the pages.

Ms. Coy has written an entertaining novel and it is worth the read.

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Author Bio and Social Media Links

Award winning Janice Coy is the author of five suspense novels. Her work is also published in four anthologies. She was a finalist at the San Diego Book Awards Association annual contest. She’s received the IndieReader Seal of Approval. A former journalist, Ms. Coy has received several awards for her reporting including a national award for best feature story in a community newspaper.

Ms. Coy is an advanced certified scuba diver; she’s run five half-marathons and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. She lives in Southern California with her husband.

Website: http://janicecoy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janice-Coy-182435188445057/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicecoyauthor/

Buy Water’s Fine: Suspense Novel by Janice Coy

Amazon
IndieBound

Praise Water’s Fine: Suspense Novel by Janice Coy

“I just finished The Water’s Fine by Janice Coy which means I am must bid farewell to the characters I have become attached to and I must close the cover on a plot that kept a firm grasp on my attention and continued to surprise. The act of reading this book can cause laundry to pile up, dust to gather and dirty dishes to dry crusty because one cannot stop reading from chapter to chapter – – from scuba action, to mystery, heartache, friendship, suspense and self discovery.
The author is artfully descriptive in all areas of scene and character development which draws you in and holds you! In fact, I would like to invite you to do a little scuba diving and not get wet? Slip on those fins, adjust your mask, get your regulator set and start reading The Water’s Fine.”- Kjans, Amazon

“Oh wow, what a well written book! Being someone who thinks that scuba diving is too scary to try I was drawn in by the author’s imagery. It captured all the anxiety of “breathing underwater”, the suspense of what dangerous creatures you could encounter as well as the absolute beauty and serenity you could feel while exploring the deep blue sea. I fell in love with her characters and was sucked into the mystery and suspense and enjoyed joining them on their journeys of self discovery, life and loss. I really enjoyed this book.”-Amazon Customer

Praise Smallest of Waves by Janice Coy

“Thanks to Coy’s descriptive, immersive world, the waves of Agave Beach leave a distinct impact in The Smallest of Waves. – Indie Reader

“A seaside mystery with an appealing heroine…Coy uses her beachside setting well, contrasting Agave Beach’s innocent sand castles and clueless tourists with the mysterious ocean – so foreign with its dark depths, sharks, kelp forests, and sea caves.” Kirkus Reviews

2017 Finalist San Diego Book Awards Association

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Giveaway

This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends February 27, 2020, midnight pacific time.

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Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Tracking Tahlula by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

I am very excited to once again be a part of a Release Blitz for a new Freya Barker book! TRACKING TAHLULA (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Series, On Call #3) is another GREAT romantic suspense addition to the series!

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

Title: Tracking Tahlula (On Call #3)

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: November 12, 2019

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Buy links:

Kindle Unlimited

https://amzn.to/31Wzk8f

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Book Description:

As author Tahlula Rae has discovered; success is a double-edged sword. Leading a quiet and anonymous life, she isn’t prepared for the hateful backlash when her latest book hit the lists, propelling her into the limelight. No longer feeling safe in Denver, she takes her laptop and dog, Luke, and moves to the mountains around Durango, where her peaceful solitude is disrupted when a red-bearded man knocks on her door. 

While one of the fire department’s finest, Evan Biel, is relatively content with his life, he can’t escape the sense something’s missing. When on fire-safety housecalls, he finds himself staring into a pair of soulful, copper-colored eyes sparking a deep interest.  Discovering the exotic-looking woman may be in more trouble than he can handle, he tries—yet fails—to keep his distance.

When Tahlula offers San Antonio firefighters, Moose and Penelope Jacobs, temporary lodging, as they help fight seasonal wildfires, Evan’s relieved she’s no longer alone on the mountain. Yet when her troubles become outright threats on her life, his focus has to be keeping Tahlula safe.


Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48337335-tracking-tahlula

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My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

TRACKING TAHLULA (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Series, On Call #3) by Freya Barker is a GREAT romantic suspense addition to this series! Ms. Barker always gives me realistic characters that I would love to be friends with out of her books. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are several crossover characters from previous books in this series and Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world.

Tahlula Rae is a successful romantic suspense author who is finding herself in a real-life suspense plot. As soon as she hit the NY Times bestseller list and had to do live publicity, she seems to be the target of a stalker for an unknown reason. After a break-in, she moves to Durango from Denver with her rescue dog, Luke to be closer to her brother and hopefully get away from any danger.

Evan Biel, Durango firefighter and paramedic is out making fire-safety house calls. As he rings the bell for a remote home in the hills, he is surprised by the exotic beauty with the soulful copper eyes who answers the door. Evan finds he cannot get the feisty, independent, pregnant woman off his mind.

As their relationship grows, Tahlula and Evan work to balance her independent streak vs. his protective nature. At the same time, the summer wildfire season threatens the city as the personal dangers to Tahlula increase. Can Evan and his friends keep Tahlula safe?

I always LOVE Ms. Barker’s characters! They are mature, realistic, smart and likable. The romantic suspense plots keep you turning the pages, but it is always the characters that make Ms. Barker’s books a “must buy” for me. I am happy when I find an author who writes about older characters finding their HEAs and Ms. Barker does it so well.

I recommend this romantic suspense and the whole series for great characters and stories. I highly recommend Freya Barker for realistic mature HEAs.

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About Freya:

Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories. 

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; with characters who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and their own slice of happy.

A recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya has not slowed down. 

She continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Social Media:

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook

Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub