THE INHERITANCE (A Port Henry Novel) by Amy Briggs is a contemporary women’s fiction with a mystery subplot. I do not agree with the romantic comedy description.
Riley Maxwell is a reasonably successful freelance writer
and copywriter who does it all from her small New York City apartment. Riley
prefers work over people. Her world is her writing and she only ventures out
into the neighborhood for food.
She is offered the amazing opportunity to write the biography of the wealthy Jamison Prescott from Port Henry, who requires all of Riley’s time and he pays for the privilege. When she is notified that Jamison has died, she is devastated. They respected each other and were friends. What comes as the ultimate surprise is that Jamison has left everything to Riley in his will. He not only leaves Riley all of his wealth, but also his beach house in ritzy Port Henry and his young Great Dane, Scrappy.
Donovan Hunter has succeeded in moving up the social ladder
in Port Henry. He has gone from being the son of the help to the successful veterinarian
to the rich and famous in Port Henry. Good looking and single, he especially
enjoys the summer crowd and the influx of females looking for a summer fling
and nothing more.
When Scrappy gets sick, Riley takes him to Donovan. She is
not interested in anyone or anything in Port Henry and cannot wait to leave it
behind and return to her apartment in the city, but Donovan suddenly finds he
is only interested in the new sassy heir.
Donovan wants Riley to stay and give their relationship a
chance at least for the summer. Riley does not know what she wants to do about
her all new found inheritance, but there is definitely a mystery involved in
why Jamison left everything to her.
This is an O.K. romance read, but I really did not connect
with Riley or Donovan. All the elements were there, but I felt like I was just
reading about two characters, I did not really fall into the story. The author
also left the main characters as boyfriend/girlfriend, not a HEA ending. I did
love Scrappy though and he added some funny moments. As I was progressing
through the story, I kept waiting to find out about Jamison and his connection
to Riley, but you only get a partial answer at the end and then a cliff-hanger
on the mystery. I was disappointed because the description had me believing
this was a standalone, but it is not. Not what I was hoping for, but others
might find it cute and want to continue on for the resolution of the mystery.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for SAVE YOURBREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda Leigh. I have loved this romantic suspense/PI mystery series since Say Your Sorry, book 1 in the series.
Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This book, like every book in the series is a page turner! Enjoy and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway.
***
Author Interview: Melinda Leigh
1) Your newest release features two of your most
popular characters, attorney Morgan Dane and P.I. Lance Kruger. While this
couple has a habit of getting involved in difficult (and dangerous) criminal
cases, the mystery in this book is much more personal for them.
In Save Your Breath, Morgan and Lance aren’t
working for a client. They’re looking for Sharp’s girlfriend, Olivia Cruz, who
vanished from her home in the middle of the night. After Olivia goes missing,
Sharp realizes his feelings for her run much deeper than he’d thought. As the
investigation continues, with no trace of Olivia, the usually calm and centered
PI begins to unravel. Morgan and Lance had always depended on Sharp for his
insight and stability. Save Your Breath reverses these
established roles.
2) How does the personal nature of the crime affect the
other characters?
Morgan and Lance are also thrust into unaccustomed roles.
In the previous five books, Sharp has been the source of stability. He is their
rock. Now Morgan and Lance have to step up and help him hold it together. The
book deliberately challenges the cohesiveness of the team.
3) The story starts with a terrifying scene where Olivia is
kidnapped. It is raw and visceral and plays on everyone’s worst fear—being
unsafe in our own home. How do you get into the mindset for crafting this kind
of scene?
I close my eyes and envision the scene in my mind from
beginning to end. Everyone has been woken by a strange noise in the middle of
the night. We’ve all stared at the ceiling, listening for the sounds of a
stranger moving through the house. Being attacked in our sleep is a basic,
primal fear. That’s the vulnerable feeling I wanted to generate in the reader,
so I imagined it happening to me. Basically, I’m channeling the overactive
imagination that got me into so much trouble as a child.
4) Morgan and Lance are planning a wedding and solidifying
Lance’s place as a step-dad to the Dane girls, all the while dealing with
terrible crimes around them. How do they disconnect from the violence around
them in order to create a space just for themselves and their family?
The family demands their full attention, and in their world
of chaos and crime, their home is what keeps them sane. Both Morgan and Lance
operate best when they have the support and love of their family to return to
at the end of the day.
5) Can you give readers any hints of what’s next for Morgan
Dane and her crew?
I wrote Save Your Breath as the final book
in the Morgan Dane series, but my next project is a spin-off. The Bree Taggert
Series will take place in Grey’s Hollow. Morgan and the crew will likely make
appearances.
***
Excerpt: Save Your Breath by Melinda Leigh
Her weekly dinner
with her family had distracted her earlier in the evening. Her mother had
served frijoles negros, Olivia’s favorite traditional Cuban dish. Olivia had
overindulged, and the minute she’d left her parents’ house in Albany to make
the hour drive back to Scarlet Falls, her true crime research had flashed right
back into her mind and unsettled her stomach.
Chewing an antacid, she mulled over her
stunning discovery. The implications of what she’d learned further stirred the
black beans and rice in her belly. As a journalist, her job was to seek the
truth, not play judge or jury. But should she choose to pursue and publish this truth, other people could pay the price for her
revelation—possibly with their lives.
Her new book proposal was overdue, but Olivia’s
predicament felt like a no-win situation. Ignoring the truth went against all
her principles. Then again, so did putting other people in danger.
But how much risk was involved? Could she live
with being responsible for even a single innocent person’s death?
Obsessing about her book research had
translated into three consecutive nights of insomnia. Enough was enough. Olivia
didn’t need to make this decision alone. What she needed was outside
perspective. She brought the antacids with her into the bedroom, picked up her
phone from the nightstand, and checked the time. Eleven o’clock. She sent a CALL ME IF UR UP text message to Lincoln
Sharp, her . . .
The word boyfriend seemed silly at their ages. She was forty-eight. Lincoln was
fifty-three. They’d been dating for several months, and they spent the night
together once or twice a week. She assumed their relationship was exclusive,
although they hadn’t specifically discussed it.
Labels weren’t important to either of them, but
when she saw him or he called unexpectedly, the stirrings of excitement and joy
in her blood made her feel like a teenager. Beyond her attraction to him, she
respected him both personally and professionally.
So why had she been stewing over her decision
instead of asking for his opinion?
Lincoln owned and operated a private
investigation firm. As a retired police detective, his practical experience
with the legal system—and his knowledge of criminal behavior—exceeded hers. She
valued his insight and trusted him to keep her research confidential. If she
decided to pursue the story, she would hire his firm to help with the
investigative legwork anyway. She may as well bring him on board now.
She burped. Her indigestion began to burn its
way up her esophagus. She chewed a second antacid, the chalky taste coating her
mouth. She reached for the glass of water on her nightstand and sipped.
A few seconds later, her phone rang, and she
pressed “Answer.”
“Is everything OK?” Lincoln asked in a worried
tone. Her late-night text was unusual.
“Yes,” Olivia assured him.
“I’m sorry I missed dinner with your parents
again,” he said. “I wrapped up my case tonight. I should be able to make dinner
next week.”
He didn’t talk much about work, which was fine.
She understood his professionalism and appreciated his need to maintain client
confidentiality. But he had mentioned the case had involved a great deal of
evening surveillance.
“They understand,” she said. “I called because
I’m stuck in my research, and I’d like your opinion. Are you free sometime
tomorrow afternoon? I can come to your office.”
“Sure.” Interest brightened his voice. “How
much time do you want me to block out?”
“An hour should do.” She considered his
associates. Lincoln’s business partner, PI Lance Kruger, and Lance’s fiancée,
defense attorney Morgan Dane, could also provide useful insight on Olivia’s
dilemma. Morgan’s legal advice might be particularly helpful. “I’d like Morgan’s
and Lance’s thoughts as well. Could you see if they’re available?”
“Hold on. Let me check their digital
calendars.” The line went quiet for a few breaths. “Lance should be here in the
afternoon. Morgan has a client meeting at nine a.m. Her calendar is clear the
rest of the day. How about I put you in the one p.m. spot?”
“Perfect.” Olivia lowered the phone and made a
note in the calendar app. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“You know, when you texted”—Sharp’s voice
deepened—“I had hoped this was a booty call.”
A little thrill rushed through her, followed by
another burp. Olivia rubbed the fire behind her breastbone. “Tonight isn’t a
good night. I ate way too much of my mother’s food.”
He snorted. “That happens. She’s an incredible
cook. Get some rest and feel better.”
“Good night.” Olivia lowered the phone.
Satisfied he would help her make her decision,
she slid into bed and picked up a book. At midnight, she still wasn’t sleepy.
She set down the book and redirected her mind. Lincoln was teaching her to
meditate. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breaths. She conjured a mental
image of the beach in her mind and synced her breathing to the ebb and flow of
the imaginary waves. At first she had trouble concentrating, but eventually her
body felt heavy.
Olivia jolted, her heartbeat quickening, sweat
dampening her T-shirt.
What was that?
A glance at the clock on her nightstand told
her hours had passed. It felt as if she’d just closed her eyes, but she must
have fallen asleep. She scanned the darkness of her bedroom. Her gaze passed
over her dresser and chair. Had she heard something real, or had it been a
dream?
She concentrated, listening hard to the sounds
of her house, but she heard nothing unusual. A thunk and hum signaled the
heater switching on. Hot air blew out of the floor vent and moved the sheers
that hung over her windows.
The alarm hadn’t sounded. She reached for her
cell phone. It was far too early to rise for the day. She double-checked the
security system app on her phone. The house was secure. She needed to go back
to sleep.
She shifted her legs under the covers, closed
her eyes, and tried to get comfortable.
Something whooshed. Her eyes snapped open. A
large shape rushed toward her. A heavy body landed on top of her, pinning her
to the mattress. The weight and size of her attacker felt male. She flailed and
tried to push him off, but her arms and legs were trapped as he straddled her.
She was cocooned in her comforter like a swaddled baby. Her throat constricted.
She couldn’t scream.
Panic sprinted through her bloodstream as she
stared up at the dark assailant looming over her. His face seemed distorted,
his features brighter and flatter than normal. He was wearing a mask.
With a bolt of gut-twisting horror, she recognized the character as Michael Myers from the movie Halloween.
A flash of terror shot up her spine. She inhaled, preparing to
force a scream out of her tight throat.
He slapped her across the face. Pain, bright
and sharp, sang through her cheekbone but faded in seconds as her adrenaline
surged. The scream died in her chest.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I love this book! I love this series! I am so terribly sad
that this is the final book in the series!
SAVE YOUR BREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda
Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery and this time the focus is on Lincoln
Sharp and Olivia Cruz, but the danger still has a way of finding Lance and Morgan.
True-crime writer Olivia Cruz has disappeared. Lincoln and
Olivia have been dating for a few months now and he knows the type of criminals
she interviews and fears the worst. She attempts to leave a few clues, but she
is taped, tied and then drugged. Sharp gets Lance and Morgan to assist in going
through her files of her current book looking for clues.
They find Olivia was writing about two cold case murders.
The mother of one of the convicted men committed suicide right outside Morgan’s
office after Morgan turned her down as a client the same day they find Olivia
missing.
The suspects increase as the suspense builds and it is a
race against the clock. Will Sharp find Olivia and will she be alive? And has
Morgan and Lance’s involvement in the case made them targets of the killer?
I love all the characters in this book and series. I always
look forward to each book knowing I can pick it up, reconnect with Morgan,
Lance and all the secondary characters and immediately be immersed in a mystery
that pulls me into the story and their lives once again. Ms. Leigh knows how to
keep you on the edge-of-your-seat and turning the pages. I am very sorry this
series is ending, but I know I will be going back to reread them again.
I highly recommend this book and the entire series! All the
books have memorable characters and well plotted mysteries. I do recommend they
be read in order to follow all the personal connections and changes.
***
About the Book
Title: Save Your Breath
Author: Melinda Leigh
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
When true-crime writer Olivia Cruz disappears with no signs of foul play, her new boyfriend, Lincoln Sharp, suspects the worst. He knows she didn’t leave willingly and turns to attorney Morgan Dane and PI Lance Kruger to find her before it’s too late.
As they dig through Olivia’s life, they are shocked to discover a connection between her current book research on two cold murder cases and the suicide of one of Morgan’s prospective clients.
As Morgan and Lance investigate, the number of suspects grows, but time is running out to find Olivia alive. When danger comes knocking at their door, Morgan and Lance realize that they may be the killer’s next targets.
***
Author Biography
#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A lifelong lover of books,
she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity when her youngest child
entered first grade. During the next few years, she joined Romance Writers of
America, learned a few things about writing a novel, and decided the process
was way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut
novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the
International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver
Falchion Awards, along with two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du
Maurier Awards. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate; teaches
women’s self-defense; and lives in a messy house with her husband, two
teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescue cats.
SECRETS NEVER DIE (Morgan Dane Book 5) by Melinda
Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery. I cannot get enough of Morgan, Lance
and the whole cadre of secondary characters. The only reason I put this book
down was because I had to go to work.
Tina Knox comes home from work to find her husband, a retired
sheriff shot dead in the den and her teenage son, Evan missing. Tina calls PI
Lance Kruger for help because her son is on Lance’s hockey team for at risk
teens. As the evidence begins to come together, Evan goes from being considered
a missing person to the prime suspect.
Lance and Morgan work together to locate Evan and find evidence to prove him innocent. Just when the trail goes cold, another deputy goes missing. Is his disappearance connected?
Also, Lance and Morgan do not believe that Tina is telling them the whole truth. What is she hiding and is it connected?
Lance and Morgan fear Evan is the killer’s target. Will they
be able to find Evan alive and unravel family secrets that put everyone in
jeopardy?
Once again, Morgan and Lance go all out to prove the innocence
of their client. It is difficult to not give away secrets because I want
everyone to see how clever Ms. Leigh is with her plotting. She gives you a fast-paced,
page-turning, intense read with plot twists that always surprise me. Morgan and
Lance’s relationship continues to develop and they are a powerhouse couple at
home and on the job. I always look forward to catching up with all the
secondary characters, also.
This is my favorite series by Ms. Leigh and I am going to be
very sorry to see it end. Until then, I highly recommend this book and the
whole series for great reads!
Today I am excited to share this Feature Post/Blog Blitz and Book Review for a great new release from Pamela Murray – BLOODLINE: an edge of your seat crime thriller which is the second book featuring DI Joe Burton and DS Sally Fielding. This book can easily be read as a standalone, but I loved it so much I will be going back to read the first title, MURDERLAND.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio. I highly recommend this British police procedural/mystery!
***
Book Blurb:
When a young boy discovers a man’s body
lying in a doorway, DI Burton and DS Fielding are called to the scene.
Believing the man was homeless, the police
are shocked to discover the true identity of the victim; a Detective Constable
from London who was working undercover.
But when the DNA from the victim is linked
to a cold case Burton and Fielding find themselves looking into another
unsolved murder.
And as the case unfolds, the detectives are faced with unpicking through a web of lies and deceit. But can they solve the murders before any more blood is spilt?
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
BLOODLINE: an edge of your seat crime thriller by
Pamela Murray is a new and exciting British police procedural featuring Detective
Inspector Joe Burton and Detective Sergeant Sally Fielding. This is the second
book in the series and can be easily read as a standalone. I will definitely be
going back to read the first book, MURDERLAND.
A homeless man is found stabbed to death lying in a doorway.
But something is not right. The police are shocked when they find out the
homeless man was one of their own from London working undercover.
The fingerprints identify the slain office, but his DNA
comes back linking him genetically to a cold case homicide. Now DI Burton has
two homicides to investigate as DS Fielding goes undercover to follow the case
that leads to the policeman’s death.
These cases are tied together with lies and deceit which the
detectives must unravel before more people end up dead.
This book is an exciting page turner that hooked me right away. There are so many unanswered questions, deceptions, twists and turns. The main characters are likable and realistic. The two plots are intertwined and flow seamlessly from start to resolution.
I am very happy to have found this author and series now,
when I only have one book to go back to read. I can highly recommend this British
procedural/mystery!
***
Author Bio:
Pamela
Murray is from the North East of England, and has spent most of her life living
in Boldon. She began writing at an early age when she and her school friend
used to write stories for one another. The writing continued on and off over
the years, but was only recently reignited when the same school friend
introduced her to the local writers group she was in.
Pamela had intended to enter Journalism after leaving
school but found herself going to work in a Public Library instead, and has
always had more than a passing interest in books and literature.
When
not writing, Pamela is passionate about Cinema and her three grandchildren. She
has also appeared as a Supporting Artiste in two episodes of the hit TV crime
series “Vera”.
Today is my turn on the Blog Blitz for THE EDITOR by Simon Hall.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s biography. This book is not what I was expecting. I would not classify it as a classic mystery, but a fiction story with a mystery subplot. You will have to judge for yourself. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb
A mysterious advert in a newspaper promising to
restore hope to the hopeless brings together four strangers.
None realising they will end up investigating a
twisted and troubling crime that threatens their very futures.
Mitch, a former Crime Scene Investigator,
Olivia, a brilliant PhD student, and Florence, a middle-aged solicitor, find
themselves working with an enigmatic newspaper editor who refers to himself
only as Ed.
But when Maddie, a teenage girl, disappears in
sinister circumstances, the team are drawn into the hunt for her. And when a
neighbour’s body is discovered in a pool of blood, they realise they must use
their unique skills in a race against time.
But can they solve the mystery before it’s too late? And before Ed’s shadowy past overcomes them all?
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
THE EDITOR by Simon Hall is not the book I was
expecting, but that is not necessarily a bad thing at times. I was expecting a
straight mystery due to the book blurb and the marketing, but for me it was
more of a general fiction story with a mystery sub-plot.
An ad is posted in the newspaper promising to restore hope
to the hopeless by Ed. Ed is a mysterious figure who chooses three people from
the applicants to assist him in starting a new newswire to get them out among people
and reconnect them with humanity and hope.
Mitch is a former crime scene investigator who has seen too
much. Olivia is a brilliant computer and mathematician PhD student who hates
humanity. Florence is a lawyer who feels that no matter who or what she tries
to help, it ends in disaster. Ed is the leader, but he is also is looking for an
unnamed answer.
As they search for news stories, the four become involved
with a family in crisis. When teenager, Maddie disappears after her mother is sent
to the hospital after a domestic abuse incident, the four work together to
solve her disappearance. They all use their unique skills in a race against
time and fight to maintain their hope.
The four main characters are the focus of this book more
than the mystery which is easily figured out. Even the surprise twist at the
end is focused on the main characters and not the mystery itself. I really
enjoyed the differences between the four and how they came together. The twist
at the end surprised me and cleared up questions about Ed.
This book is one of those books that everyone will have different
views on and leave the ratings all over the place, but I enjoyed it. I recommend
it for a different type of read with the emphasis on the four main characters
and not the mystery sub-plot.
***
Biography
Simon Hall is an author, journalist, communications
consultant, and business coach.
He was a broadcaster for twenty five years, mostly as a BBC
Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent, covering some of the biggest stories
Britain has seen.
He now lectures, and coaches companies at the Judge Business
School, part of the University of Cambridge, working on presentation skills,
branding, pitching, websites, and media profile, both conventional and social.
Simon has had seven books in his tvdetective series
published. They focus on a television reporter who covers crimes and gets so
involved in the cases he helps the police to solve them.
He has also contributed articles and short stories to a
range of newspapers and magazines, written plays, and even a pantomime.
Alongside his novels and stories, Simon is a tutor in media
skills and creative writing, teaching at popular Writers’ Summer Schools such
as Swanwick and Winchester, for the National Association of Writers’ Groups, at
universities including Cambridge and Exeter, on cruise ships and overseas.
Simon has also become sought after as a speaker, appearing
at a variety of prestigious literary festivals. His talks combine an insight
into his writing work, along with some extraordinary anecdotes from the life of
a television reporter, including the now notorious story of What to do when you really need a dead otter.
He began a broadcasting career as a DJ on the radio and in
nightclubs, then moved into radio and TV news. He worked in Europe, London, Ireland,
and the south west of England, before settling in Cambridge.
Simon is married to Jess, Director of Libraries at the
University of Cambridge, and has an adopted daughter, Niamh. She’s an army
officer, which makes her father both very proud and very nervous.
Simon also lectures on careers in the media at Cambridge
University, and in schools and colleges. Amongst his proudest achievements, he includes
the number of young people he has helped into higher education and jobs in
broadcasting, and aspiring writers into publication.
As for his likes, Simon lists beer – he judges at real ale
festivals – running, cycling, solving cryptic crosswords, composing curious
Tweets (find him @SimonHallNews) and studying pop lyrics.
SOLVING CADENCE MOORE by Gregory Sterner is a mystery
written in the form of a radio podcast series intertwined with intervals of the
background workings and relationships of the main character. The podcast
scripts reveal the mystery and interviews in an attempt to solve a ten-year-old
murder mystery.
Ten years ago, Cadence Moore, a talented but troubled young
singer disappeared. After a drunken altercation with her college friends, she
was left on the side of the road while returning from a party and was never
seen again.
Charlie Marx is the host of a popular conspiracy radio show.
After the huge popularity of a movie about the disappearance of Cadence
reignites public interest, Charlie’s boss wants a special series of podcasts on
the subject. He launches his own investigation into the disappearance and claims
to have solved the mystery which he will reveal in a groundbreaking live radio
special after the podcasts run.
But is it really solved? Is there finally closure for
Cadence?
If Charlie has succeeded and truly solved this mystery, he
will be acclaimed, but if he fails and everything he is promoting are lies, his
entire career will be destroyed live on air.
I liked the mystery and the podcasts revealing the
information, speculation and characters involved. It was a unique way to let
each character reveal their versions of Cadence and the case. It was a
fictional case, but the author made feel you feel as if you were following a
true-crime case which pulled you into the mystery. Charlie Marx is a flawed
character that has everything on the line and you feel equal parts empathy and revulsion
for. I did find the sections of the book where Charlie interacts with others
outside of the podcasts realistic, but drawn out and slow. I also found the
lead section into the climax slow and unnecessary. That said, it was not enough
to stop me from reading until the end to find out both the solution to the
mystery and the resolution of Charlie’s career.
I would like to thank Kelsey Butts from bookpublicityservices.com
for the copy of this book for review.
