In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family’s fears.
As Syd investigates both crimes, she’s drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it’s not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.
The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren’t isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society’s doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town’s most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie blends history with fiction.
In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family’s fears.
As Syd investigates both crimes, she’s drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents, most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists. They claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community.
The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren’t isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society’s doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town’s most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.
This story is multi-layered and intertwines culture, history, and suspense.
***
Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?
Vanessa Lillie: I moved to Rhode Island in 2011 which is the setting of this book. The first book in the series, Blood Sisters, was set where I am originally from, Oklahoma. I made friends with those in this tribe and attended a Pow Wow, the oldest continuing Pow Wow in the country. There is a lot of history of here. I am Cherokee but did think about the history of the Narragansett Tribe. It is interesting of a writer to come in with my own Cherokee background and look at this tribe through my own lens. I have Syd Walker, my main character, an archeologist, sent there to investigate the remains found that were tied to the Great Swamp Massacre. She also finds that a Narragansett teenage girl is missing. It will all come together.
EC: What was the role of the Warden Journal?
VL: There are a lot of journals and texts from colonial days. I studied about the Massacre. The journal to me represented the historical perspective of the period and draw the reader back to those days.
EC: Why the opening quote?
VL: Maria Pearson was one of the first people who questioned why the remains are dug out and put on shelves and not treated with the same respect as white people. I decided this quote resonated with the story. Archeology has deep roots in colonialism. Family members buried their dead in the ground with the intention that is where they would stay. People who do not even understand the life they lived, dug them up and put them on a shelf with no context. There are a lot of remains that are in a museum and have not been returned to the tribes.
EC: Has Luna from the first book changed since she achieved freedom?
VL: Yes. In this book she has a chance of having freedom, joy, and hope. She is no longer captive but does have a lot of traumas from it. In this book she is trying to find purpose. Her background story is how she is trying to fit in a world that she has not really been a part of for a long time. Her narrative is to connect with her daughter and Syd. I wanted to make it realistic, so I did not make it an easy road for her. She realizes she is good at investigating and surviving.
EC: Is it true that Indigenouschildren were taken out of their community?
VL: Yes. There was a law that was enacted, ICWA (the Indian and Child Welfare Act). Religious people were taking the children out and giving them to white families to adopt. I have friends on that journey where they are trying to reconnect.
EC: Was Bud a good person or a bad person?
VL: Everyone is grey in my books. He is a man of his times. He thought working with the Founder’s Society and the children at the camp was his job. Syd is the next generation of archeologists in BIA who sees her job as being more engaged with the tribal community. Bud saw his job to be engaged with the white communities. By the end he did try to redeem himself and pushed back.
EC: Next book?
VL: Hopefully there will be more. I am also working on a stand-alone thriller set in Oklahoma.
THANK YOU!!
***
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for LOST HEART IN KING MANOR on this WOW! Blog Tour.
Below you will find a book summary, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Summary
Some secrets are worth killing for.
And some hearts don’t break quietly.
At 45, Gabby Heart isn’t looking for drama—just quiet days on Dost Island running her village gift shop, teaching art, and keeping her past tucked safely away. But when her mother suffers a sudden health crisis, Gabby is pulled into a storm of family secrets, betrayal, and a dark legacy buried within the walls of the once-grand King Manor.
What was supposed to be a safe place for her mother’s recovery becomes the backdrop for a chilling mystery. Strange incidents begin to unfold, and it becomes clear: someone inside King Manor has a deadly agenda.
As a hurricane traps Gabby inside the sprawling estate, she’s forced to work alongside two very different men—her maddeningly attractive officemate and a charming new neighbor, both hiding dark secrets. One man may want her heart. The other may want her dead. But can she trust her instincts before it’s too late?
Publisher: Independently Published (April 15, 2025)
ISBN: 979-8280071773
ASIN: B0F2ZML3M9
Print length: 347 pages (also available as ebook)
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
LOST HEART IN KING MANOR (Mysteries of the Heart Series Book #1) by Celeste Fenton is a romantic suspense/mystery mash-up with gothic elements set on an island off the Massachusetts coast in King Manor, a historic mansion turned into a senior rehabilitation and research center with a hurricane looming. This first book in the Mysteries of the Heart series by this new-to-me author kept me turning the pages well into the night.
Gabby Heart is a talented artist and children’s book illustrator who lives on Dort Island. She receives a call from the island while she is away getting her daughter settled for college in Michigan. Her mother is having problems on her own and when she falls and needs a hip replacement, she agrees to move to King Manor which is a senior rehab/research center on the island. The manor is full of secrets and danger.
The slow-burn romance has Gabby torn between two men, Rick and Jay. Both have secrets and motives that kept me guessing about who to trust almost to the end of the story. The mystery plot is well paced throughout the story with plenty of twists that had me continually changing my mind about what was really going on and who to trust. The historic manor with its secret passages adds to the gothic feel and the hurricane adds to the sense of dread, fear, and suspense.
I enjoyed this book with its mix of genres, well-paced plot, and engaging cast of characters.
I recommend this book, which is easy to read and entertaining and I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
***
About the Author
Celeste Fenton holds an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in education and has over thirty years’ experience in higher education. Her writing is fueled by a lifelong love of mystery, a fascination with the complexities of the human heart, and just enough real-world experience to keep things interesting. A widow, mother of adult twin sons, proud grandmother, dog lover, and semi-retired professor living in Florida, she weaves imagination with insight to create stories that are both emotionally rich and laced with suspense.
When she’s not writing, reading, or plotting her next twist, she’s often off exploring small towns across America—setting out solo for month-long adventures, much to the awe (and occasional alarm) of friends and family. Her latest obsessions include escape rooms, mastering the perfect miter cut for a DIY bathroom remodel, and making the impossible decision of where to travel next.
In this romantic suspense series filled with intrigue, danger, and second chances, The Mysteries of a Heart Series follows the journey of Gabby Heart, a sharp-witted illustrator with an uncanny knack for stumbling into adventures of a lifetime and secrets worth killing for.
With each book unraveling a new mystery and deepening the emotional ties between characters, The Mysteries of a Heart blends pulse-pounding suspense with slow-burn romance and proves that sometimes the most dangerous secrets are the ones hidden in the heart.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MURDER AT THE WEDDING (Modern Midwife Mysteries Book #1) by Christine Knapp on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Promoamp giveaway. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Birth, death, mayhem, and murder…..
Maeve O’Reilly Kensington loves her job as a nurse-midwife at Creighton Memorial Hospital in the quintessential New England seaside town of Langford. Nothing could bring her more pleasure than helping women usher new life into the world… except possibly having a child of her own with her husband, Will. In the meantime, she’s happy to celebrate the families of those she treats, and content to support her husband in his newly formed catering business.
However when Creighton Memorial’s Chief Obstetrician suddenly drops dead at his daughter’s extravagant wedding reception, catered by Will, Maeve’s two worlds collide in the worst possible way. Suddenly murder is on the menu, and Maeve is desperate to help her husband and find out who killed the doctor.
With the help of her wealthy, acerbic sister Meg and quick-witted Boston Irish mother, Maeve sets out to solve a murder and clear her husband’s name. Can she stay one step ahead of the killer? Or will they strike again… this time closer to home?
Genre: Cozy Mystery Published by: Gemma Halliday Publishing Publication Date: June 10, 2022 Number of Pages: 249 ISBN: 9798835432134 (pbk) Series: Modern Midwife Mystery Series, Book 1
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
MURDER AT THE WEDDING (Modern Midwife Mysteries Book #1) by Christine Knapp is an exciting and intricately plotted start to a new cozy mystery series featuring a nurse-midwife who becomes involved in a murder investigation with her family and friends. This new to me author pulled me into the story, and I was so involved with the clues, crimes, and the entire cast of characters that I read this book completely in one sitting.
Maeve O’Reilly Kensington is a midwife at a New England hospital. She loves her work, her husband, and her family. The head of her OB department’s daughter is getting married, and her husband’s new catering company is handling the reception. Suddenly, the father of the bride collapses and dies after giving his toast to the newlyweds. It was not natural causes.
Maeve is determined to help her husband prove his company or employees were not responsible, and she also wants to find out who killed the doctor. Her police detective brother tells her to stay out of the investigation, but Maeve and her sister Meg are determined to get to the truth. Can she discover the killer before the killer decides she knows too much?
This is a wonderful read with fully developed characters and a perfectly paced cozy mystery plot. Maeve and her family are realistically written with the foibles of any large loving family. Maeve’s family is contrasted well by her rich and snobby in-laws and their family who wish Will would enter the family investment company rather than be a caterer. Maeve’s profession as a midwife is intertwined throughout the story with many different situations she encounters, both emotionally difficult and easy, and all are described with medical details. This is just one of those stories you begin to read, and you become immediately immersed in the characters and plot. I love it when that happens.
I highly recommend this new cozy mystery and cannot wait for the next in the Modern Midwife Mysteries series!
***
Excerpt
The parking lot at St. Andrew’s Episcopal was filled almost to capacity. Despite a recent visit to the car wash, my Jeep looked out of place next to all the Mercedes, BMWs, Range Rovers, Jaguars, and Porsches.
I took out and quickly scanned the engraved linen cream invitation. It read:
Matrimonial Ceremony of
Charlotte Alexis Whitaker
and
Brooks James Hawthorne IV
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Langford, Massachusetts
Saturday, the eighth of June, at two o’clock in the afternoon
As I approached the massive church, I saw all the pink plantings and railings wrapped in white tulle with pink peonies at precise intervals. It was a floral tour de force that must have taken an army of gardeners and florists a few days to accomplish. Inside there were pink roses, peonies, and hydrangeas everywhere. The scene was right out of InStyle Magazine. I wondered, were there any pink flowers left on the East Coast? On the West Coast?
As I squeezed into the last row, a large choir serenaded the full house in the loft above the congregation.
The choir began to sing “My Spirit Sang All Day” as Mrs. Whitaker, resplendent in a strapless, rose silk Carolina Herrera with a vibrant pink cabbage rose behind one ear and a necklace of marble-sized, green South Sea pearls, was ushered to the left front pew. Really? Strapless for the mother of the bride? Well, she does look amazing.
A hush fell over the crowd. The stained-glass doors closed, and the groom and his men filed to the altar.
Did one have to be six feet two, gorgeous, and ripped to be in this wedding party?
As the first strands of Wagner filled the air, the doors opened, and down the aisle came Anastasia Bleeker. She was one of the bride’s four-year-old charges at Miss Bloomfield’s School, where wealthy, pregnant women enrolled their offspring-to-be to claim a coveted spot. Anastasia was wearing a white tulle fairy-tale gown with a dark rose-colored sash. A circle of petite, light pink roses and baby’s breath crowned her chin length, straight, white-blonde hair. She carried a small, white wicker basket in one hand, and with the other, she started to drop pale pink rose petals down the long aisle.
Channeling Lady Di, I thought.
Next came the ring bearer, Barrington Cabot. He was another nursery school trust-fund-baby-in-the-making in white linen shorts and jacket and a head of black, curly hair. Then six breathtaking models, or rather bridesmaids, dressed in rose-colored tulle skirts and pale pink lace wrap blouses, floated down the aisle carrying white and pink hydrangeas wrapped in rose-colored ribbons. They looked like an upscale version of an ad for the United Colors of Benetton.
After a slight pause, the stained-glass doors parted again, and Dr. Whitaker appeared in his morning suit, standing at Charlotte’s right side. She was breathtaking in a Vera Wang white silk ball gown glittering with thousands of tiny seed pearls. A deep rose satin ribbon wrapped around her bouquet of white peonies. Her Belgian lace veil trailed behind her down the aisle.
The ceremony went on amid candlelight, roses, and organ music. It was like being in a dream, albeit a very, very expensive dream.
Finally, vows were exchanged, there were no objections, and Charlotte and Brooks were off to the photo-taking session in a vintage, white Bentley. As they left, the guests milled about outside the church for a bit and then headed to the reception.
Evelyn Greyson, the sixtyish director of Obstetric Nursing, stood at the top of the church stairs as I exited. She was dressed in a powder blue suit with a short jacket with peplum and knee-length, fitted skirt. A pearl necklace, her ever-present pearl brooch, and small pearl stud earrings completed the look. Her graying hair was, as usual, in her trademark chignon.
“Beautiful wedding,” I said.
“Magnificent,” Evelyn replied. “Dr. Whitaker wouldn’t have it any other way. See you at the reception, dear.” And then she strode off to her car.
Evelyn always agreed with everything Dr. Whitaker said and did. She worshipped him. Did she also have an unrequited crush on him?
I quickly greeted a few colleagues but didn’t linger because I wanted to see how Will was doing.
The Country Club was buzzing with activity when I drove through the porte cochère, pulled up to the main entrance, and handed my keys to a valet. The grand foyer was glittering with hundreds of candles and still more massive floral arrangements in blush pink. A string quartet played Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” beside the grand staircase.
Out on the veranda, the wedding party was taking pictures before an expanse of green lawn and brilliant blue sky and sea. It would be a wedding album worthy of its own issue of Town & Country.
Large silver serving trays were circulated among the guests, offering tiny crab cakes topped with dill aioli, mini beef Wellingtons, smoked salmon pinwheels, and tomato and goat cheese on toast points. There were massive silver bowls of fresh shrimp on ice on round marble tables.
“Maeve! Maeve! Over here!” one of the midwives called. Looking around the ballroom, which held table settings for six hundred guests, I saw that the Creighton Memorial staff was on the right side of the room while family and friends were on the left. I waved to the midwives but walked over to the table where Grand, Will’s grandmother, was sitting with Will’s parents, Will’s sister, Eloise, her husband, Taylor, and Will’s younger brother, Teddy.
“Hello, Maeve.” William stood and extended his hand. Never a hug, never a kiss on the cheek, just a handshake.
“Hello, so nice to see you all,” I replied, shaking his hand as I nodded to the table. I saw that Lydia, my mother-in-law, was outfitted in a mint green silk cocktail dress with a large diamond necklace and matching drop earrings. She tilted her head toward me and smiled but said nothing.
“The Country Club is such a perfect wedding venue,” I offered.
“Quite lovely,” she replied.
“You look beautiful, Maeve,” Grand said.
“Thanks, Grand.”
“Sweet dress,” Lydia said.
Sweet dress? What, am I five years old? Lydia was a master of the backhanded compliment, and she was not my biggest fan. Keep it together, Maeve.
Eloise was in a sleeveless, pale green and cream striped dress with an emerald and diamond pendant and earrings. Like mother, like daughter.
“Well,” I said, “enjoy the meal. Will has been creating a masterpiece.” I saw William’s and Lydia’s smiles tighten. They did not respond. They were not pleased with Will’s chosen profession.
“I can’t wait,” Grand said.
I gave a little wave and headed over to find my table.
Scanning the room, I saw my sister, Meg, cross her eyes and raise her wine glass in a mock salute. Meg was the Langford real estate agent of choice for the wealthy and had been invited along with other top business leaders of the town. She knew I had just navigated a minefield with my emotionally distant in-laws. As soon as I reached my table, I quickly sat down and took a long drink of chardonnay.
Herend Chinese Bouquet china in pink, Gorham Newport Scroll sterling, and Baccarat crystal decorated each setting.
My gosh, they’ll have to pat everyone down before they leave.
Murray Alfond, the famed orchestra leader, turned on his mic and said, “Please be seated while the bridal party arrives.”
There was sustained applause as Charlotte and Brooks triumphantly paraded into the ballroom. “The bride and groom will dance to a classic personally chosen by Brooks,” Alfond announced.
“The Very Thought of You” wafted through the room as Charlotte and Brooks took to the floor. They obviously had attended many ballroom dancing classes in preparation for this moment, and they danced impeccably.
Then the entire wedding party sashayed to “Fly Me to the Moon.” It was like watching La La Land. They were all perfectly coiffed, dressed, and ready for filming. Plus, they could dance.
When they were done and returned to their seats, Alfond intoned, “Please bow your heads while Reverend Lucas Mathers says grace.”
The Episcopal pastor of St. Andrew’s, Reverend Mathers, was slightly rotund with flushed pink cheeks. He ran his hand through receding black hair, obviously feeling the weight of this moment. Then he bowed his head.
“Dear Holy Father, thank you for this glorious day! What a wonderful celebration! We ask you to bless Charlotte and Brooks, as well as their families and friends, and we beseech you to grant this special couple a life together that is happy and blessed. We further ask you to bless this fabulous repast and grant your blessings on all present. Amen.”
Gee, that was short. He must be hungry.
A phalanx of waiters served the first course of spring green and white asparagus spears with shaved red onion. As we started in on the delicate vegetables, the best man, Ry Farmington, took the microphone and asked all to raise their glasses in a toast to the couple.
“Brooks has been like a brother to me since our first day at Hollis in Harvard Yard. We’ve seen many adventures together—none of which, out of respect for your patience and his reputation, I will go into here.”
He paused for applause and a few knowing hoots.
“In the words of the Bard,
No sooner met but they looked;
No sooner looked but they loved;
No sooner loved but they sighed;
No sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason;
No sooner knew the reason, but they sought the remedy;
And in these degrees have made a pair of stairs to marriage
Please rise and toast to their lives together.”
Six hundred guests rose and toasted the couple.
Then came truffle-scented tenderloin with dauphinoise potatoes and tender baby carrots. I snuck a look first at the Whitaker table and then at William and Lydia. They all seemed to be enjoying the meal, and I prayed that all the reviews would be excellent.
For dessert, a chocolate mousse with a crème brûlée center was placed at each setting. I knew the wedding cake would be cut and served later.
Just then, the wait staff re-entered the room. They set a Baccarat champagne flute filled with pink champagne at each place. A hush came over the ballroom. Dr. Whitaker was standing at the head table, staring the crowd into silence. Then he picked up his glass and smiled adoringly at Charlotte.
Everyone listened as he gave a long, loving toast to his daughter. Finally, he took a moment to gather his thoughts before saying, “Charlotte, your mother and I found this magnificent champagne in France a few years ago and had it shipped in for your wedding.”
Mrs. Whitaker stared at Dr. Whitaker with a huge Miss America smile.
Dr. Whitaker continued, “Would everyone please rise and toast my lovely daughter Charlotte and her husband, Brooks.” He lifted his crystal flute to his lips and took a sip while beaming at Charlotte.
Immediately, his cheeks turned scarlet, and he started to wheeze. The crystal dropped from his hand and shattered on the ground. He clutched at his throat while making extensive gasping attempts to pull in a breath. Then he went limp and collapsed to the floor. The room erupted into pandemonium.
***
Author Bio
Christine Knapp practiced as a nurse-midwife for many years. A writer of texts and journal articles, she is now thrilled to combine her love of midwifery and mysteries as the author of the Modern Midwife Mysteries. Christine currently narrates books for the visually and print impaired. A dog lover, she lives near Boston.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for MURDER UNDERREDWOOD MOON: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #1) by Sherri L. Dodd on this Black Tide Book Tour.
Below you will find a book summary, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Summary
At the age of eight, Arista Kelly was frantically swept up by her parents and whisked off to an isolated town in the California redwoods. Two days later, her parents were gone.
Now at the age of twenty-three, she has settled quite nicely into an eclectic lifestyle, much like her great aunt, and guardian since childhood, Bethie. She enjoys the use of herbs and crystals to help her commune with the energy and nature around her and finds pleasure in the company of her beloved pet, Royal. Usually quite satisfied with her mundane life high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, life becomes unsettling when a new recurring vision of an ominous tattoo as well as increased activity from the ghostly presence within her own cottage invade her once-harmonious existence.
But life in this mountain sanctuary takes an even darker turn when the body of Arista’s former classmate is found in the nearby river. As other young women fall prey to a suspected serial killer, Arista realizes that the terror is coming to her.
MURDER UNDER REDWOOD MOON: A Witch Paranormal Murder Mystery (Murder, Tea & Crystals Book #1) by Sherri L. Dodd is a paranormal romance/murder mystery and the first book in this trilogy. This is an interesting mix of a young adult white witch coming into her more advanced powers, finding love, and a serial killer crime mystery all intertwined.
Arista has grown up and learned of witchcraft since the age of eight with her father’s aunt. The family has a history of paranormal powers being passed down through the generations and they believe Arista will be the strongest of them all. When girls Arista knows are found murdered, she and her aunt take measures to protect themselves, but it may not be enough to turn back the attraction of a killer set on Arista.
This first book in the trilogy does have a complete solution to this murder mystery, but the overarching family plot with Arista’s dark magic uncle looking for her is only partially answered. This book was a mixed bag for me, but still strong enough for me to continue reading the trilogy. The beginning felt as though a lot of information and too many characters were being introduced to close together, but it begins to settle down and is easier to read about a quarter of the way through. Also, while the information about crystals, magic, spells, and nature were interesting for some reason the author keeps interjecting how all the young male characters are devout Catholics, which did not seem pertinent and makes Arista’s boyfriend, Shane, a bit of a stretch. The romance is mild and gave me the feeling that this trilogy is better targeted at a young adult readership than a more mature paranormal romance reader.
This is an entertaining, easy-to-read paranormal book and I will continue the trilogy to discover what happens to Arista in future books.
***
About the Author
Sherri was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first short story for sale about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. It was not long after that her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. She has ping-ponged throughout the area ever since.
Her first real step into writing was the non-fiction fitness book, Mom Looks Great – The Fitness Program for Moms published in 2005, and maintaining its accompanying blog. Now, transmuting the grief of her father’s passing, she has branched into Fiction, specifically the genre of Paranormal Thriller with generous dashes of Magick Realism! Her Murder, Tea & Crystals Trilogy released book one – Murder Under Redwood Moon – in March 2024. Book two – Moonset on Desert Sands – released in March 2025, and the final book in the series will release October 2025!
Solving her biggest case means facing her greatest fear.
Trust can kill.
Forensic specialist Dr. Cassia Davis learned that lesson when she placed her faith—and her life—in the hands of the man she loved. Four years later, despite debilitating agoraphobia and PTSS, she lives a virtual life teaching and consulting online, locked away from the world she’s come to fear. Her expertise and guidance helped to uncover a mass burial site in the Hollywood Hills, the biggest case of her career, but her inability to actively work the scene calls her competence into question. Work is all she has left. If she’s going to remain in charge, she’s going to need someone on the ground. Someone who understands how she thinks and what she can do. Someone willing to do anything to make up for the past.
Some mistakes can’t be forgotten. Or forgiven.
FBI Special Investigator Mitchell Keaton’s lapse in judgement nearly cost Cass her life. It did cost him her love. Every case he’s worked since has been an exercise in redemption. Becoming Cass’s eyes and hands out in the field means reconnecting to her in ways that reignites old desires. Despite his unforgivable betrayal, Mitch can’t help but feel there may be hope for them after all.
But the deeper they dig into the burial site, the further into danger they fall. Invisible enemies determined to stay in the shadows have plans to stop them. Plans that begin with exploiting the one thing Mitch and Cass have no defense against: the past.
BURIED (Circle of the Red Lily Book #3) by Anna J. Stewart is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat addition to the Circle of the Red Lily romantic suspense series. This can be read as a standalone because Ms. Stewart does an excellent job of filling in information from the overarching conspiracy of the Circle of the Red Lily, but I feel they are best read in order to keep continuity with all the changes in the characters’ personal lives and relationships.
Dr. Cassia “Cass” Davis is one of the foremost forensic specialists in the country, but for the last four years she has lived her life virtually after barely escaping a serial killer she has severe PTSS and agoraphobia. She and her assistant, Nox, have helped their friends, the women of Temple House, with their investigation and discovered a mass grave in the Hollywood Hills. She is frustrated with her inability to work on the crime scene in person and someone behind the scenes is calling her competency into question. She is told she needs someone on the ground she can trust from the FBI, and she knows just who to call.
FBI Special Investigator Mitchell “Mitch” Keaton has waited four years for a call from Cass. Becoming Cass’s person on the ground at the mass grave is a way to not only ask for forgiveness, but to hopefully receive a second chance with her. Mitch has been keeping a secret though and an enemy from their shared past has new plans for them both besides the Circle of the Red Lily.
This series just keeps getting better and better. The women of Temple House are all interesting in their own right but add the intrigue and danger of the Circle of the Red Lily, and the men who have become involved with them, you have a read that is impossible to put down. Ms. Stewart does a wonderful job at showing Cassia’s abilities even while dealing with her life cocooned in her apartment and the empathy shown by her female friends when they discover why she is so isolated. Mitch is a steady and loving with Cass and when the romance heats up, sparks are flying. I enjoyed more time spent in the story with Elliot, Cass’s service dog, his back story and his pivotal role in the plot. I will say that while this series always offers many surprise twists throughout, the epilogue in this book left me shocked! I need the next book sooner rather than later!
I highly recommend this thrilling romantic suspense and the entire Circle of the Red Lily series.
***
About the Author
Award-winning, USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart writes sweet to sexy romances for Harlequin and ARC Manor’s CAEZIK (Kay-Zehk) Romance. Her sweet Harlequin Heartwarming books include the Butterfly Harbor series as well as the ongoing Blackwell continuity series. She also writes the Honor Bound series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and has contributed to the bestselling Coltons. Her Circle of the Red Lily romantic suspense series, published by CAEZIK, will launch with EXPOSED in November of 2022.
A Holt Medallion winner (BRIDE ON THE RUN), as well as a Golden Heart, Daphne DuMaurier, and National Reader’s Choice finalist, Anna loves writing big community stories where family found is always the theme. Since her first published novella with Harlequin in 2014, Anna has released more than fifty novels and novellas and hopes to branch out even more (horror romance, anyone?). Anna lives in Northern California where (at the best times) she loves going to the movies, attending fan conventions, and heading to Disneyland, her favorite place on earth. When she’s not writing, she is usually binge-watching her newest TV addiction, re-watching her all-time favorite show, Supernatural, and wrangling two monstrous cats named Rosie and Sherlock.
MURDER AT THE WHITE PALACE (A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery Book #6) by Allison Montclair is an intriguing historical mystery that has not one, but two mysteries, past and present, that may be connected and many personal changes occurring in the lives of the two main protagonists. Each book has a unique mystery that is solved, but the main characters continue to evolve and for continuity, I feel these books are best read in order of publication.
The Right Sort of Marriage Bureau is doing well, so Gwendolyn Bainbridge decides she and her partner, Iris Sparks, should throw a New Year’s Eve party for their clientele. With limited availability this close to the new year, they look at an old club being repaired by Iris’ boyfriend, Archie Spelling. While investigating the basement, a wall crumbles and a long dead body is discovered.
Though they both want to be done with murder investigations, the recovered body matches some information surrounding that of a missing thief from a trio of robbers from before the war which all tied back to Archie and Des’ murdered fathers. Are they safe as they investigate the cold cases, or could the past be coming back to clean up any ties to a murderer among them?
The murder mysteries, past and present, are intertwined throughout a more intense and personal character driven story line than previous books. Gwen is now free to control her own life and destiny and is finding freedom intoxicating, while Iris is on track to make more permanent decisions regarding her personal life. The duo’s true friendship, no matter their differences or what occurs in their personal lives, is a reason that I love this series. This story leaned more towards the protagonist’s development, which could change the direction of the entire series, than the mysteries, but the mysteries themselves were interesting and well plotted. This addition to the series does leave a bit of a cliffhanger, but it is in Iris’ personal life and not a part of the mystery plot line.
I highly recommend this historical mystery series and continue to look forward to following Bainbridge in Sparks.
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About the Author
ALLISON MONTCLAIR grew up devouring hand-me-down Agatha Christie paperbacks and James Bond movies. As a result of this deplorable upbringing, Montclair became addicted to tales of crime, intrigue, and espionage. She now spends her spare time poking through the corners, nooks, and crannies of history, searching for the odd mysterious bits and transforming them into novels of her own. The Right Sort of Man is her debut novel.
