Today it is my turn on the Toxic Deception Blog Tour. I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for Toxic Deception (A Jordan Reed Mystery Book #1)) by K.C. Gillis, who is a new to me author.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. This is a fast-paced, entertaining start to a new thriller series. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Strange symptoms. Bloody secrets. Can one reporter solve a medical mystery before she ends up in a body bag?
Jordan Reed put her world on hold to hunt down corruption. So when the gutsy journalist gets tipped off about blood money changing hands at a pharmaceutical factory, she dives into the story. With an otherwise healthy worker dropping dead of multiple organ failure, Jordan suspects something far more sinister than a simple accident…
Daring to go up against big pharma, she gains an ally on the inside and recruits two friends to join the investigation. But after a string of false leads and tight-lipped witnesses, she ties her case to disturbingly similar evidence in a medical trial on the other side of the globe. And if she doesn’t expose the lethal conspiracy soon, Jordan is terrified she and her team could be the next victims of the lethal cover-up.
Can Jordan take down a greedy corporation before they sacrifice more lives in the drive for profit? Toxic Deception is the first book in the gripping Jordan Reed thriller series. If you like tenacious heroines, underdog stories, and edge-of-your-seat action, then you’ll love K.C. Gillis’s page-turning tale.
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
TOXIC DECEPTION by K.C. Gillis is an engrossing new
thriller by a new to me author. A junior staff reporter versus an amoral
biochem/pharmaceutical company and it just picks up in speed and suspense as it
progresses.
Jordan Reed is a staff reporter on the metro beat at a small
newspaper. She returns home one day after her morning swim to find an envelope
taped to her door. It contains an obituary for a young husband and father who
died under mysterious circumstances. Jordan is not a crime reporter, but when
she starts to ask questions, she finds she has a story that may tie the pharmaceutical
company and its COO back to an experimental drug trial that killed her mother.
With help from her ex-fiance, still best-friend Travis and her
friend Charlie Choi who works at the CDC, Jordan fights to learn what the
company is hiding. This lethal conspiracy needs to be uncovered before there
are more victims, including Jordan and her friends.
I enjoyed this introduction to Jordan and her friends from
K.C. Gillis. The thriller plot is an interesting investigation into the biochem/pharmaceutical
industry and the massive amounts of money that corrupt the entire system. Jordan
makes an interesting new journalist protagonist to follow, but she is at times
a little too naïve to believe for her position. That said, she will hopefully
be a little more careful in her decisions in future books. She is inquisitive
and caring and I do not want those qualities to change. The secondary
characters are well fleshed out and I hope to read more about Travis in future Jordan
Reed books.
I recommend this thriller for a fast-paced, entertaining
read.
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About the Author:
K.C. (Kevin) Gillis is the author of the Jordan Reed mystery series.
Despite being a lifelong lover of stories and books, writing took a distant
back seat as his professional career travelled through the Canadian Air Force,
a decade as a chemist, followed by a long and continuing run in corporate
America. With writing no longer in the back seat (but not quite yet in the
front seat), Kevin has the initial novels (plus one novella) in the Jordan Reed
series well under way. His personal interests focus on endurance and water
sports, and obviously a lot of reading!. Having grown up in the Canadian
Maritimes, he now lives in the US northeast.
Today is my first share on the Anna Blanc Myseries Audiobook Series Blog Tour. This Feature Post and Audiobook Review is for THE SECRET LIFE OF ANNA BLANC (The Anna Blanc Mysteries Book #1) by Jennifer Kincheloe.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my audiobook review, an author interview Q&A, the author and narrator’s info and social media links and a giveaway. Enjoy!
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About Audiobook #1
Author: Jennifer Kincheloe
Narrator: Moira Quirk
Length: 12 hours 45 minutes
Publisher: Jennifer Kincheloe⎮2016
Genre: Historical Fiction Mystery
Series: Anna Blanc Mysteries, Book 1Release date: Nov. 14, 2016
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Book Synopsis:
It’s 1907 Los Angeles.
Mischievous socialite Anna Blanc is the kind of young woman who devours purloined crime novels, but must disguise them behind covers of more domestically-appropriate reading. She could match wits with Sherlock Holmes, but in her world women are not allowed to hunt criminals.
Determined to break free of the era’s rigid social roles, Anna buys off the chaperone assigned by her domineering father and, using an alias, takes a job as a police matron with the Los Angeles Police Department. There she discovers a string of brothel murders, which the cops are unwilling to investigate. Seizing her one chance to solve a crime, she takes on the investigation herself. If the police find out, she’ll get fired; if her father finds out, he’ll disown her; and if her fiancé finds out, he’ll cancel the wedding.
Midway into her investigation, the police chief’s son, Joe Singer, learns her true identity, and shortly thereafter she learns about blackmail. Anna must choose – either hunt the villain and risk losing her father, fiancé, and wealth, or abandon her dream and leave the killer on the loose.
The Secret Life of Anna Blanc (Anna Blanc Mysteries Book #1)
by Jennifer Kincheloe is the first book in a historical mystery series set in
1907 Los Angeles featuring young socialite Anna Blanc. I listened to this audiobook
and was entertained by the narrator’s performance.
Young socialite Anna Blanc feels caged by her overprotective
father and societal rules. After several failed attempts to change her life
which only managed to tarnish her reputation, Anna finally has a plan that can
work. She has a new chaperone she bribes for her freedom and she uses an alias
to obtain a job as a police matron for the Los Angeles PD.
Anna discovers there are a string of brothel murders the
police are covering up. Anna has always dreamed of being a police detective and
this is her chance to solve a crime and prove herself, but the consequences for
failure and/or exposure are high.
I hope the listener will give this audiobook/book a chance to get going. At first Anna’s personality is that of a spoiled, sheltered and self-centered debutante, BUT she evolves and learns as her circumstances change. I do feel the author makes you feel the restrictions of that time for women as well as Anna’s frustrations very well. Anna is inquisitive and intelligent, not just a young female character who lucks into the resolution. While the crime itself is serious, there are many lighter moments throughout. I would have given this book a higher rating, but it took too long to get to the mystery plot and for Anna to begin to mature. Once the storyline progressed though, I enjoyed it more.
I look forward to listening to more of Anna’s adventures. Moira
Quirk does a wonderful job of narrating this book and brought Anna to life for
me.
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Author Interview Q&A:
1. How did you select your narrator?
An Anna Blanc fan who is also a fan of Moira’s knew I was auditioning narrators because I posted it on Twitter. She tweeted me and said, “You need to hire Moira Quirk.” So, I checked Moira out. While I loved her work, I initially dismissed the idea because Moira is English and Anna Blanc is American. I didn’t yet realize that Moira can do anything. She’s won a million awards. Anyway, the book is hard to narrate because you have to get the delicate mix of humor and darkness right. I auditioned some 30 narrators, and they had many strengths, but no one had everything I wanted. I finally approached Moira and asked, “Can you do an American accent?” Her audition was perfect.
2. How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
Moira instinctively gets Anna. Also, she’s a perfectionist and committed to excellence. I like her artistic choices. She might ask how to pronounce a word, but she doesn’t need me at all.
3. Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
Yes. I got my storylines straight from the 1900s newspapers. A 19-year-old white missionary woman was found dead and stuffed in the trunk in her Chinese American lover’s apartment in New York’s Chinatown. I moved the story to Los Angeles, but lots of things are the same, right down to tiny details. After you’ve listened to the audiobook, Google Elsie Sigel and Leon Ling. The B plot in the novel is about two singsong girls–Chinese sex slaves–who were stolen away from their “owner,” a tong president. It almost led to a gang war. The LAPD were hunting the singsong girls to give them back to their “owner” so the LAPD could collect a $1,000 reward and avert violence.
4. Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I LOVE audiobooks. I listen to 20 audiobooks for every one paper book I read. The narrator is everything to me, which is why I’m so thrilled with Moira Quirk.
5. If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
Definitely 1900s Los Angeles! I’d go everywhere that Anna would go–fancy hotels, cheap brothels, Joe Singer’s apartment.
6. What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
Nonsense.
7. How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
I need to work on that celebration thing.
8. In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
I liken it to a movie vs. a TV series. You simply have more time to develop the characters. You know them so well.You also have the challenge of making them grow or change in every book. Sustaining the romance is a trick, but I love how Elizabeth Peters did it in the Amelia Peabody series. It never got old. The audiobooks of that series are seriously the best I’ve ever heard (after Moira). They relate the adventures of a woman Egyptologist in the late 19th and early 20th century. Start with CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK. You’ll thank me.
9. What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Write for yourself. Not for money, critics, or glory. Only write for yourself
10. What’s next for you?
I have a contract for book three in the Anna Blanc mystery series, which I’ve tentatively titled GRIFFITH PARK. It’s hard to describe the plot because there’s a twist in the beginning and I’m not sure how much to reveal, but it’s more Anna and Joe, more adventures, more LA history straight from the papers.
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About the Author: Jennifer Kincheloe
Jennifer has been a block layer, a nurse’s aid, a fragrance model, and on the research faculty at UCLA, where she spent 11 years conducting studies to inform health policy. A native of Southern California, she now lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two teenagers. She’s currently writing book three in the Anna Blanc Mystery series. Book two, THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK, is coming out in Fall of 2017 from Seventh Street Books.
Moira grew up in teeny-tiny Rutland, England’s smallest county, which is fitting as she never managed to make it past five feet herself. Moira’s work spans the pantheon of the voiceover world: plays for BBC radio, plays for NPR, video games, commercials, television promos, podcasts, cartoons, movies and award winning audiobooks. She’s won Multiple Audie Awards, Earphone Awards, as well as Audible’s prestigious Book-of-the-Year Award. She has lately set foot in front of the camera again, appearing in “Pretty: the Series” and the Emmy-winning “Dirty Work.”
Today I am very excited that it is my turn on the Blog Tour for J.S. Strange’s second book in his Jordan Jenner Mystery series – The Art of Murder. I am looking forward to many more books in this series!
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media inks. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Artist Xander Draper is being threatened by a dangerous group. With PI Jordan Jenner’s help, Xander hopes to remain unscathed.
But when Xander is murdered, his body displayed as his final exhibit, Jordan realises the extent of the trouble Xander was in. Now, there are people following Jordan. They know his name, and they want him dead.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s brother Ashley has returned, and he has a secret. As time runs out to solve the murder of the famous artist, Jordan begins to fear his brother may be responsible.
A classic cosy mystery set in the heart of Cardiff.
A perfect read for fans of Agatha Christie.
A murdered artist. A brother with a deadly secret. A group intent on killing. The Art of Murder is the second in the Jordan Jenner Mysteries series, a cosy murder mystery set in Wales.
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
The Art of Murder (Jordan Jenner Mysteries Book #2)
by J.S. Strange is the second cozy P.I. mystery featuring Jordan Jenner. The
mysteries are set in and around Cardiff, Wales with a gay male protagonist
which makes this series unique and the author’s writing style makes it an
intriguing mystery read.
Jordan’s brother, Ashley has shown up unexpectedly from his
home in Australia and tells Jordan he is in trouble, but he will not reveal
what is the problem.
P.I. Jordan Jenner is hired by artist Xander Draper. He has
been receiving threats from a group called The Dirty Dollys. They are an
anonymous group that disrupt showings, blackmail and threaten new artists that
they feel have been artificially pushed into stardom using illegal means.
Xander’s dead body is displayed in one of his last exhibits.
Jordan and his brother are being threatened and followed. Is
it for the paintings Xander gave them before he was murdered? Did the Dirty
Dollys kill Xander or are there other enemies that Jordan needs to find. And
what secrets is Ashley hiding?
Jordan has several suspects, but will he be able to solve
this case before they come for him?
I really enjoyed this second mystery in this series. Jordan
became more fully fleshed and vulnerable in this book. We see him start to let
people in and try to consciously change his isolation. (I am still cheering for
Lloyd.) The mystery was well paced and kept me guessing. All the information
about illegal money and publicity tied to the rise of an art world star was
interesting and kept me engrossed in the story.
I recommend this book, series and author! I hope I will be
able to follow Jordan on many more adventures in the future.
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Author Bio
J.S. Strange is an author from Wales,
United Kingdom. He writes crime, mystery and horror. His first novels,
published in 2016 and 2017, were set in an apocalyptic London. Murder on the
Rocks, is the first in a cozy crime mystery series, featuring a leading gay
male detective.
Murder on the Rocks was written by Strange for many reasons. One of those
reasons was a lack of representation within the crime genre, particularly with
detectives and sleuths. Strange created Jordan Jenner, a private investigator,
who lives and works in Cardiff. Murder on the Rocks was written with the
intention of shining light on Cardiff, and bringing Cardiff, and furthermore,
Wales, into the crime genre.
Strange’s previous works, such as ‘Winter Smith: London Burning’, also explored
LGBT themes, and featured socialite Winter Smith escaping a zombie apocalypse.
‘London’s Burning’ became an Amazon best-seller in LGBT fiction.
When Strange doesn’t write, he works in television. He also presents a radio
show all about the paranormal. He has an enthusiasm for Britney Spears and
cats.
I am very excited to be on the Blog Tour for the first book in Kendra Elliot’s new romantic suspense series – Columbia River. THE LAST SISTER (Columbia River Book #1) had me glued to the page from start to finish.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. This is a new romantic suspense series, but there are a few characters you may recognize from Ms. Elliot’s Callahan & McLane series. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Twenty years ago, Emily Mills’ father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed.
Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night – until an eerily similar murder brings it all back. It also brings FBI special agent Zander Wells to the Oregon logging town. As eager as he is to solve the brutal double slaying, he is just as intrigued with the mystery of Emily’s and her sisters’ past.
When more blood is shed, Zander suspects there’s a secret buried in this town that no one wants unearthed. Is it something Emily and Madison don’t know? Or aren’t telling? And Tara? Maybe Emily can’t bear to find her. Because when Tara disappeared, she took a secret of her own with her.
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THE LAST SISTER By Kendra Elliot Montlake; January 14, 2020 (Mystery | 336 pp. | Hardcover: $24.99, ISBN#: 978-1542006729; Kindle: $5.99, ASIN#: B07SLZ9LMN; Paperback: $12.95, ISBN#: 978-1542006705)
“Elliot skillfully unravels layers of intersecting stories, each one integral to the overall story of the Mills family and their small-town secrets. Readers will want to see more from this author.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“Part budding romance, part compelling backstory, part prescient tale of racism: provocative on all fronts” – Kirkus Reviews
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE LAST SISTER (Columbia River Book #1) by Kendra
Elliot is the first book in a new romantic suspense/FBI mystery series. This
book is easily read as a standalone, but a few of the characters are carry
overs from Ms. Elliot’s Callahan & McLane series.
Twenty years ago, a family was shattered when the father was
found hanging from a tree and their home burned to the ground. The mother committed
suicide a week later, the eldest daughter disappeared and that left two small
girls with secrets that they would hide for years.
Present day. FBI Special Agents Zander Wells and Ava
Callahan are sent to investigate a double murder in a small Oregon coastal town
that is eerily similar to a twenty-year-old crime that was supposedly solved. The
tip came from Emily Mills who found the slain couple and was one of the sisters
who survived the old crime. Zander is determined to solve this double homicide,
but he is also intrigued by the old case and Emily.
As Zander and Ava investigate, the killer threatens Emily
and her relatives and then strikes again to hide his crimes past and present. Secrets
long buried need to be revealed for the past and present cases to be solved
before someone else is killed.
I was completely engrossed in all the plot threads in this
suspense. Past and present, multigenerational secrets. I like that Ms. Elliot
shows the insidious, not in-your-face racism that can infect and destroy multi-generations
and towns. Zander and Emily each deserve to find happiness and I feel they were
perfect for each other. There is no sex in this story and Zander and Emily are
very attracted to each other, but Zander waits until the case is solved.
I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for more book
in this series. There is intriguing investigation, secrets revealed, and the
start of a romance that had me turning the pages continually from beginning to “The
End”.
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Author Biography
Kendra
Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list
multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan
& McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful
Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is
a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller
Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious
reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie
Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy
Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward
to the day she can live in flip-flops. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.
Today is my turn on the Audiobook Blog Tour for Andrew Cunningham’s new mystery SECRETS & LIES (“Lies” Mystery Series Book #4). I am very excited about sharing my Feature Post and Audiobook Review.
Below you will find a narrator Q&A, a synopsis of the book, my book review, the author’s bio, social media links and the narrator’s bio along with a giveaway at the end of the post. Good luck on the giveaway and enjoy!
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Narrator Q&A
1. When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
In 2014 I was looking down the road toward retirement from my federal government job. I knew I wanted to do something with voice over, but I didn’t want to go to an office. I read the book, “More Than Just A Voice: The REAL Secret to Voiceover Success” by Dave Courvoisier. The chapter on audiobooks was very intriguing. I did some research and auditioned in late 2014. I was ecstatic that I was selected quickly. It’s been a great adventure and learning experience ever since that fateful day.
2. Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
I was a radio news reporter in my first career. Being in front of a microphone was my comfort zone. I was very glad that I got my first audiobook a few days after my audition. It helped a lot that I worked with digital audio in 1987 when it was first introduced at ABC Radio News. Those skills have worked in my favor as an independent narrator not working with a publisher. Plus, I was an audio engineer when I was a student at Syracuse University working with analog audio.
3. A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
I believe it’s necessary to know a little about acting because that’s what narrating mysteries and thrillers is all about. Through my first reviews, I learned that listeners want distinct character voices so that they know who’s speaking. They don’t want to keep rewinding to keep up with character dialogue. I’ve studied acting and taken acting classes in order to make the dialogue sound like a movie soundtrack
4. Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
I listen to hundreds of hours of audiobooks each year. My favorites are biographies narrated by the author. There’s nothing like hearing someone’s story as told by them. I also love mysteries and thrillers. I also am very picky about narrators.
5. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
I enjoy the whole process from narrating, editing and processing the audio for final production. Since I edit my own narrations, it’s my goal to make certain the audio is the best quality to give the listener a terrific experience. The only frustrating part of narrating is when I get a cold. That shuts down the whole process behind the microphone. That’s when I go into editing mode.
6. What would you say are your strongest narration abilities?
Over the past five years, I’ve made it a point to come up with distinct character voices. I don’t want them to sound over the top. I want them to sound like every day people and believable. Some voices come naturally from the author’s words, and others take a little time to get the right cadence and inflection.
7. What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
I have narrated six books by Andrew Cunningham. I haven’t auditioned for a book since 2015. Andrew and I have a great collaboration. I call him my director because he’ll let me know if I’ve gotten a character’s voice the way he envisioned it when he wrote the story. There are about four more books that Andrew wants me to narrate. This latest series allows me continue voicing the two main characters, Del and Sabrina, that I now consider my alter egos.
8. How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
I enjoy authors that listen closely to my narration and provide feedback. I’ve been fortunate to work with Andrew Cunningham on several books because he provides valuable input that makes my narration all the more real sounding. I get great satisfaction when an author says I’ve brought their book to life.
9. What bits of advice would you give to aspiring audiobook narrators?
I advise aspiring audiobook narrators to do their research. Narrating an audiobook is time consuming. When starting out, it takes about three hours to narrate and produce a finished hour of an audiobook. With time and experience, you can cut that down but not by much. You have to be prepared mentally and vocally for the long haul. It takes even longer if you edit and produce your own narrations.
Bonus question: Any funny anecdotes from inside the recording studio?
There are some words and long sentences that sometimes pose a challenge. I’ll get half way through a long sentence and then blow the next part or run out of breath. It’s amazing how some words come out that are not on the page. When I hear the playback, I’ll have a laugh. Take two, please!
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Book Synopsis
Horrific plane crash, murderous deception, and a deadly chase in the alligator-infested Florida Everglades!
On the afternoon of May 11, 1996, ValuJet 592 plunged into the Florida Everglades. There were no survivors. But something came through the crash unscathed: a small box with huge implications for humankind. And the one man unlucky enough to discover its whereabouts disappeared without a trace.
Now, 20 years later, the mystery of Flight 592 hits close to home for Del Honeycutt and best-selling mystery author Sabrina Spencer. A shocking revelation launches them into the middle of a dark conspiracy, and locating the box becomes a matter of life or death. They are not alone in the hunt for the mysterious package and very quickly learn that others will stop at nothing to find it, eliminating anyone who stands in their way.
With killers hot on their trail, Del and Sabrina must navigate dangers lurking both above and below the swamp waters of the Everglades in order to find the box…and to survive.
SECRETS & LIES (“Lies” Mystery Thriller Series Book #4) by Andrew Cunningham is another entertaining mystery/thriller addition to the series. This is the fourth book in the series and the first of the books I have listened to in audiobook format. The mystery plot is a standalone, but I believe you will enjoy these books more by reading them in order.
This book starts with a BANG, literally. Seymour shoots
intruders that are sneaking into his apartment.
The story then goes back twenty years in time to when
Seymour was called Jack and an airboat driver for a tourist company in the
Florida Everglades. Jack/Seymour was enjoying some solitude when ValuJet 592
plunged into the Everglades killing all on board and changing his life forever.
Back to present day and Del Honeycutt, best-selling mystery
author Sabrina Spencer and Del’s other tenant Mo, are all shocked to learn the
truth about Jack/Seymour, Mo and how his past is coming back to haunt him.
The four friends return to the Everglades together to find a
box Jack/Seymour buried twenty years ago and in the process they are on the run
from rogue government agents, mobsters, a crooked billionaire and alligators.
Are samples from the fabled “Fountain of Youth” really in that long-buried box
and will the friends be able to live long enough to find out?
This is such a fun mystery/thriller. The four main
characters are unique and entertaining in their own way quirky ways. All the
characters, good and bad were able to take the story from fun, dry humor to
serious in a heartbeat. To find out Jack/Seymour’s secrets really changed my
perception of him from previous books. The mystery plot is full of twists and
turns that kept me guessing.
This fourth book, same as the previous book in the series
are fun, entertaining reads. Mr. Hernandez does a great job of narrating this
book. Because I read the first books, some of the character narration does not
match how I envisioned some of the characters to sound in speech. It did not
detract from my enjoyment of the audible book though.
I recommend this unique series of books and characters, but as stated previously, I do believe they should be read or listened to in order.
***
Author Bio and Social Media Links: Andrew Cunningham
I’m the author of novels in several genres, including, mystery, thriller, and post-apocalyptic science fiction. Under the name A.R. Cunningham, I’ve also written the Arthur MacArthur series of mysteries for children.
I was born in England, but have spent most of my life living in the U.S.—including 25 years on Cape Cod before moving to Florida. A former interpreter for the deaf and long-time independent bookseller, I’ve been a full-time freelance writer and copy editor for many years. A 4th-degree Master Black belt in Tang Soo Do, I finally retired from active training when my body said, “Enough already! Why are you doing this to yourself?” I’m married, with two grown children and two awesome grandsons. My wife and I spend as much time traveling as we can, and are especially fond of cruising the Caribbean.
I have been gratified by the response to my books. When I published Eden Rising back in the spring of 2013, I had no idea what to expect. When I sold my first few copies, I was excited beyond belief that someone was willing to take a chance on it. Numerous books and thousands of copies later, I am still humbled by the emails I get from readers telling me that my books kept them up late into the night.
In October of 2014, Wisdom Spring made me an official Amazon Bestselling author, a thrill I never thought would happen. But it still comes down to being able to bring a few hours of escape to a reader. That’s what it’s all about for me.
I hope you will try my books. Please feel free to email me with your comments.
Author-preferred Narrator of Mysteries & Thrillers
Narrating audiobooks is highly gratifying. I immerse myself into an author’s story in order to bring it to life for the listener. I’ve enjoyed working with Andrew Cunningham for several years. His books are filled with rich characters, and the stories keep me turning the pages.
I also work as a background actor in movies and TV shows.
For more than 20 years, I worked as a radio news reporter and news writer. I spent half of my broadcasting career at ABC News Radio in the Washington, D.C., bureau. I covered all the federal agencies as well as Congress and the White House. I reported on a wide range of stories during my career, including financial and entertainment industry news.
For nearly 24 years, I worked as a federal government spokesman at three separate agencies—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Mint and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Today I am excited to be posting my Feature Post and Book Review on the Book Tour for B.R. Stateham’s WWI historical mystery DEATH OF A YOUNGLIEUTENANT.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio. This book has a charismatic main character, a mystery plot that keeps you guessing and it is set in France at the beginning of WWI and the dawn of aviation warfare. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb:
Meet Captain Jake Reynolds – pilot, adventurer, art thief, spy.
In the opening weeks of World War One, and as a member of the newly formed British Royal Flying Corps, Captain Jake Reynolds is shipped off to Belgium.
Roped in by his squadron commander to prove the innocence of a young lieutenant accused of murder, Jake also wants to steal a 14th Century Jan van Eck painting.
The problem is both the evidence and the painting are behind enemy lines.
How do you prove a man’s innocence and steal a masterpiece while an entire German army is breathing down your neck?
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My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Death of a Young Lieutenant by B.R. Stateham is a WWI
historical mystery that is distinctive in period, setting and protagonist,
entertaining and an engrossing mystery read from start to finish.
Jake Reynolds is an American who loves to fly the new aeroplanes.
He volunteers to become a pilot in the newly formed British Royal Flying Corps.
Captain Reynolds is handsome, charismatic, an adventurer, a talented artist and
master thief.
The son of a client, a young lieutenant in Jake’s squadron is
found unconscious holding a smoking gun by the dead body of a sergeant in their
unit. When Jake is asked to prove the lieutenant’s innocence, he is more than
willing to assist even though he must travel behind enemy lines because he also
has his eyes on a van Eck three panel masterpiece of the Madonna and Child
behind those lines.
Can Jake find proof of the lieutenant’s innocence even as
the killer strikes again? And will Jake be able to beat the German army to the
van Eck?
This is such a wonderful historical mystery. The main character
is charismatic and I so hope this is just the beginning of his adventures. The
WWI European setting and the birth of aviation in war are a unique backdrop.
Mr. Stateham’s mystery plot kept me guessing until the end and it entwines with
the art theft subplot effortlessly. Everything works for a great read.
I highly recommend this mystery!
***
Author Bio:
B.R. Stateham is a
fourteen-year-old boy trapped in a seventy-year-old body. But his
enthusiasm and boyish delight in anything mysterious and/or unknown continue.
Writing novels, especially detectives, is just the avenue of
escape which keeps the author’s mind sharp and inquisitive. He’s
published a ton of short stories in online magazines like Crooked,
Darkest Before the Dawn, Abandoned Towers, Pulp Metal Magazine, Suspense
Magazine, Spinetingler Magazine, Near to The Knuckle, A Twist of Noir, Angie’s
Diary, Power Burn Flash, and Eastern Standard Crime.
He writes both detective/mysteries, as well as science-fiction and fantasy.
In 2008 the first book in the series featuring homicide detectives
Turner Hahn and Frank Morales came out, called Murderous Passions.
Also, in 2008 he self-published a fantasy novel entitled, Roland
of the High Crags: Evil Arises.
In 2009 he created a character named Smitty. So far
twenty-eight short stories and two novellas have been written about this dark
eyed, unusually complex hit man.
In 2012 Untreed Reads published book two of the Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales series A Taste of Old Revenge.
In 2015 NumberThirteen Press published a Smitty novella
entitled, A Killing Kiss.
In 2017 a British indie publisher, Endeavour Media,
re-issued A Taste of Old Revenge, and soon followed by a
second Turner Hahn/Frank Morales novel entitled, There Are No
Innocents.
In 2018 Endeavour Media published a third novel of mine, the first
in a 1st Century Roman detective series, entitled While
the Emperor Slept.
Also in 2018, NumberThirteen Press merged with another famous
British indie, Fahrenheit Press. Soon afterwards, Fahrenheit Press re-issued an
old novel of mine entitled, Death of a Young Lieutenant.
Now, after all of this apparent success, you would think Fame and
Fortune would have sailed into my harbor, making me the delight of the
hard-core genre world. Ah but contraire, mon ami! Fame and Fortune are two
devious little wraths who pick and chooses the poor souls they wish to bedevil.
I remain in complete anonymity and am just as bereft of fortune as I have
always been. And apparently will continue to be for a long time to come.
