A breakneck procedural that is beautifully written and masterfully crafted, Erin Young’s The Fields is a dynamite debut—crime fiction at its very finest.
Some things don’t stay buried.
It starts with a body—a young woman found dead in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of Big Agriculture.
When Sergeant Riley Fisher, newly promoted to head of investigations for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, arrives on the scene, an already horrific crime becomes personal when she discovers the victim was a childhood friend, connected to a dark past she thought she’d left behind.
The investigation grows complicated as more victims are found. Drawn deeper in, Riley soon discovers implications far beyond her Midwest town.
THE FILEDS (Riley Fisher Book #1) by Erin Young is a gritty, dark, and intense start to a new police procedural crime thriller series featuring a rural American female police sergeant as the protagonist. This is a hunt for a serial killer and the author does not shy away from explicit crime scene descriptions which is fine for an ID and true crime lover as myself, but may be too graphic for some.
Newly promoted Sergeant Riley Fisher is to lead the Black Hawk, Iowa Sheriff’s Office Field Investigations Unit. A young woman is horrifically murdered and is found in a cornfield. When Riley arrives to investigate, she is shocked to discover the victim was a childhood friend.
As the investigation continues, so does the body count and the connection to Riley’s own dark past.
I really loved Riley and am very glad this is a series because there is still so much more I want to know about her. All the secondary characters are interesting and fully fleshed. I felt the police procedural plot was made more realistic with the missteps along the way instead of the usual step-by-step perfect investigation. The inclusion of government corruption and Big Ag interwoven throughout sometimes slowed the pace for me, but it was thought provoking. I will be interested to see where the author takes these characters in the future.
Overall, a strong start to a new police procedural crime thriller series with an intriguing new protagonist.
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About the Author
The Fields is Erin Young’s debut crime thriller, featuring Sergeant Riley Fisher of Black Hawk County, in the first of a planned series. Young lives and writes in Brighton, England.
Today is my turn on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions blog tour. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for CHRISTMAS ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #6) by Stewart Giles.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
CHRISTMAS: The silly season. Or, the suicide season?
A string of suicides on the island arouses Detective Liam O’Reilly’s suspicions. He understands that the suicide rate tends to increase during the festive season, but the ways in which these people have chosen to end their lives doesn’t feel right.
As O’Reilly and his team dig deeper they soon learn there is much more to these apparent suicides than they initially thought and O’Reilly realises there is a seriously damaged mind on the loose.
Dubbed the suicide killer by the press, this madman will stop at nothing to get his depraved message across and O’Reilly is the only one who can put an end to his killing spree.
This festive season is one the Irish detective will never forget.
DS JASON SMITH SERIES Book 0.5-Phobia Book 1-Smith Book 2-Boomerang Book 3-Ladybird Book 4-Occam’s Razor Book 5-Harlequin Book 6-Selene Book 7-Horsemen Book 8-Unworthy Book 9 – Venom Book 10 – Severed Book 11 – Demons Book 12 – Deadeye Book 13 – Motive Book 14 – Australia Book 15 – Wishbone
DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES Book 1 – Blood on the Island Book 2 – Lies on the Island Book 3 – Fear on the Island Book 4 – Malice on the Island Book 5 – Revenge on the Island Book 6 – Christmas on the Island
DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES Book 1-The Beekeeper Book 2-The Perfect Murder Book 3-The Backpacker Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3
DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES Book 1 – The Enigma Book 2 – Dropzone Book 3 – The Raven Girl Trilogy: The DS Smith & Harriet Taylor box set
THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers) Miranda Mistress Medusa
STANDALONE HORROR The Divide
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
CHRISTMAS ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #6) by Stewart Giles is another exciting police procedural/crime mystery featuring the crusty DI Liam O’Reilly on the Channel Island of Guernsey set during the Christmas holiday. The crime mystery in each book is unique, but these books are best read in order due to the ever-evolving main characters.
A string of suicides occur on the island right before Christmas, but when O’Reilly arrives on each scene there is something that just feels off. As O’Reilly and his team investigate, the coroner and Crime scene techs make it clear that they are looking for a killer.
Dubbed the suicide killer by the island press, O’Reilly searches for a connection between the victims which does not appear to exist until a young journalist and his twin sister seem like the perfect suspects.
Will O’Reilly and his team be able to stop the killer or killers before Christmas day?
I love the O’Reilly mysteries series! O’Reilly is a determined DI who will investigate every little piece of evidence until they all click together in his mind to solve the case. Having read all the books in this series, O’Reilly, his team at the police station, his daughter and his girlfriend have all become friends I look forward to revisiting in each book. The crime mystery plots are always intriguing with lots of red herrings and plot twists that always lead me to false conclusions. Mr. Giles is very good at twisting a mystery plot to completely change the outcome while still being believable.
I highly recommend this addition to the series!
***
Author Bio
After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow with book 16 recently published. The first 5 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for FREEZE BEFOREBURNING (Sam Tate Mystery Book #3) by Nikki Stern 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 Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Book Description
True Crime Fans Iced by Cold-blooded Killer
What do a bartender, a priest, and a librarian have in common? They all work in New York City. They’re all true crime fans. And they’re all dead, courtesy of a predator with a chilling approach to murder.
Talbot County, Maryland Lieutenant Sam Tate is in the Big Apple to find answers about her own tragic past when she is pulled onto the case of the Dry Ice Killer by an old friend with the NYPD. Drawn to a new colleague, she questions her long-time relationship with her FBI boyfriend. Meanwhile, she’s caught between the demands of an impatient bureaucracy and an especially sadistic sociopath. This may be Sam’s most dangerous case yet—if she survives.
Genre: Mystery/Suspense Published by: Ruthenia Press Publication Date: December 8, 2021 Number of Pages: 295 ISBN: 978-9995487-7-6 Series: The Sam Tate Mystery Series, Book 3
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
FREEZE BEFORE BURNING (Sam Tate Mystery Book #3) by Nikki Stern is an exciting, fast-paced police procedural/crime mystery featuring Lieutenant Sam Tate who manages even on vacation to become involved in the chase for a serial killer. This book can be read as a standalone with a new location and fully solved crime, but there are a backstories from the previous books regarding Sam’s personal life and previous cases that you miss out on. This series should be read in order.
Lieutenant Sam Tate is in NYC to reconnect with family and investigate lingering questions from her own tragic past. When she runs into the brother of a former partner, she is pulled into an investigation as a consultant which quickly turns into the search for a serial killer who seems to be targeting members of a true crime podcast.
As the body count increases, so does the threat to Sam’s own life.
This is a page turner with a great balance between the protagonist’s past story investigation intertwined with the present-day police procedural chasing The Dry Ice Killer. Sam is a strong, intelligent investigator who you can empathize with. The author does a good job of portraying how her past has influenced her current life and relationships. The ending leaves Sam moving to a new position again and a new type of personal intrigue surrounding her extended family. The crime mystery plot in this book in the series was well paced and continued to ratchet up the tension right up to the climax.
I can recommend this edge-of-your-seat police procedural crime mystery and I am looking forward to following Sam on more adventures in the future.
***
Excerpt
Ed Rizzo slid his ample body into the ornate confessional, crossed himself, and pushed a strand of thinning hair off his forehead. “Forgive me, Father,” he intoned, “for I have sinned, although I’m pretty sure God will cut me some slack even if my wife won’t, if you take my meaning.”
At ten in the morning, the sanctuary was deserted. Good. He didn’t need anyone listening to his confession, which he unloaded to the figure who sat beside him in the confessional over the next ten minutes.
Even as he talked, he considered who might be on the other side of the grate. Rizzo couldn’t make out the features of the man. He wondered if he’d landed the new priest. Maybe a younger person would make light of his transgressions, which mostly related to his perfectly legitimate reaction to his obnoxious neighbor, Frank Pagonis.
Rizzo had his justifications lined up. He hadn’t survived more than a year of enforced quarantine with three kids and a demanding wife, never mind the missing paycheck for a while, only to put up with the stolen newspapers, a lawn mower returned with a bent blade, and a television loud enough to wake the dead.
“But when his dog, which, by the way, he refuses to leash and that’s against the law, went and dug up my tomato plants, yeah, I sprayed some stuff on whatever the mutt left. Not enough to kill the animal, you understand. He can’t help it if he has a jerk for an owner. I would have sprayed his owner’s food if I could have. The point I’m making is, the dog got sick, but it didn’t die, okay?”
Rizzo cocked his head, thinking he might have heard a faint sigh.
“Now he’s coming around with a pile of vet bills and talking about suing me. I told him to take his threats and shove them. I tell you, Padre, I am this close to beating that smug face or maybe twisting that scrawny neck of his. My wife claims that kind of thinking is sinful. I don’t think it’s as bad as doing the deed. I haven’t told her about poisoning the dog, but sparing her the details isn’t the same as lying, is it?”
Nothing. The guy had probably fallen asleep. The confessional was stuffy, and Rizzo experienced a touch of claustrophobia. Time to move things along.
“If you can just suggest a penance to perform, I’ll get it covered. Then I can be on my way.”
He stopped talking, suddenly aware of the silence, how absolute and enveloping it was. The noises of the city street outside had receded. He could hear himself breathing.
“Hey, Father? You all right in there?” Rizzo scratched the grill dividing the two sides of the confessional. His head was pounding now, and he felt vaguely dizzy.
“I know I’ve been yakking a lot. How about we wrap this up, okay?” Again, no response. It occurred to Rizzo that the other man hadn’t said a word the entire time. What if the good father had suffered a heart attack?
He hoisted his bulk off the narrow bench and pushed himself out of the tiny space. The other side of the confessional had its own entrance. He rapped on the door, then tried the handle, more out of instinct than anything else. It turned in his hand, and he pulled.
The black-garbed figure sat with head bowed, hands folded in his lap as if in prayer or contemplation. Or asleep. Rizzo put a tentative hand on the man’s shoulder. With a sigh like a punctured balloon, the black-robed figure tipped sideways off the bench, fell to the floor, and rolled like a blow-up toy.
Startled, Rizzo jumped back. Stay cool, he told himself.
He bent over with an umph and put two fingers to the priest’s throat to search for a pulse. He expected to feel cold, not the scalding heat that burned his skin.
“Jesus Christ!” he yelled, forgetting for a moment where he was. He waved his blistered hand in the air and hopped around until a wave of nausea stopped.
With his foot, he nudged the body so that it rolled onto its back. He stared, speechless for once, at the face of the priest. Then he stepped farther back, pulled out his cell phone, punched in 9-1-1, and gave his report to the dispatcher in a calm, measured tone.
He agreed to wait for the police and medical authorities just outside the church. He even accepted the suggestion that he might dissuade others from entering until help arrived.
Without looking again at the body of the priest, Ed Rizzo crossed himself. He walked slowly to the front door, stepped into the fresh air, and threw up.
***
Author Bio
Nikki Stern is the author of six books, two non-fiction and four fiction. The Wedding Crasher, a 2019 Kindle Book Award Winner, and Bird in Hand, a 2020 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie, are the first two books in the Sam Tate Mystery Series. Freeze Before Burning is the latest. Nikki shares author credit on a series of interactive murder mysteries published by Samuel French. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Today is my turn on the Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour and I will be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for CLIFF DIVER (Emilia Cruz Mysteries Book #1) by Carmen Amato.
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 Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Acapulco’s first female police detective dives into an ocean of secrets, lies, and murder when she investigates her own lieutenant’s death.
In this explosive start to the award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series set in Acapulco, Emilia beat the odds to become the resort city’s first female police detective. But she’s living in a pressure cooker. Other detectives are scheming to push her out and the police department is riddled with corruption and drug cartel influence.
When the lieutenant is murdered, Emilia is assigned to lead the investigation. Soon the man’s sordid sex life, money laundering, and involvement in a kidnapping double-cross combine to create an ugly mess no one wants exposed. The high profile murder case could wreck Emilia’s career. When another detective–Emilia’s worst enemy in the squadroom–emerges as the prime suspect, keeping her job might be the least of her worries.
Readers who love international mystery series crime fighters including Armand Gamache, Harry Hole, Guido Brunetti, and the Department Q series will also love Detective Emilia Cruz’s complex plots, pulse-pounding suspense, and exotic location. Perfect for lovers of detective fiction by Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, and Peter May, as well as Don Winslow’s Mexican cartel and border thrillers.
CLIFF DIVER (Emilia Cruz Mysteries Book #1) by Carmen Amato is an absolute page-turner of an intricately plotted police procedural mystery set in Acapulco, Mexico featuring their first and only female detective as the protagonist. I cannot believe I have not been aware of this series before now and I will immediately be diving into book #2 and the rest of the series.
Detective Emilia Cruz is finding acceptance difficult in a male dominated position, but she loves her job. When the squad’s lieutenant is found murdered, Emilia finds herself placed temporarily in his position and in charge of the investigation over senior investigators in her unit. The evidence soon points to the lieutenant being a dirty cop with possible ties to a kidnapping, illicit sex, counterfeiting and drug trafficking. Emilia does not know who in the department she can trust.
As the investigative pieces come together, Emilia realizes she is in danger of becoming a pawn to any number of powerful players in Acapulco’s police department, government and corporations. She needs to stay one step ahead and learn who she can trust to survive as she works to uncover the truth.
This book has everything I look for and love in a police procedural mystery. A female protagonist that is intelligent, strong and yet vulnerable. Emilia has a strong moral compass and is ethical in a corrupt environment and must learn how much she needs to bend to continue to survive in this environment. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed, and I could imagine meeting any of them on the streets of Acapulco. The plot of this story is fast-paced, gritty and completely believable. Every piece of evidence can be viewed in several ways with the twists and red herrings keeping me glued to the pages and unable to put this book down. The author makes Acapulco, good and bad, come alive on the pages of this book.
I highly recommend this police procedural mystery, this protagonist and this author!
***
Excerpt
CLIFF DIVER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1
There is no choosing between two things of no value.
Mexican proverb
The two newcomers surveyed the squadroom. One of them looked vaguely familiar, as if he’d been in the newspaper lately. He was in his late thirties, with longish dark hair slicked back from a high forehead and the sort of angular cheekbones that spoke of a strong indio heritage. He wore a black leather blazer over a black tee shirt and cuffed pants. There was a slight bulge under the left arm.
Emilia stopped typing. The man exuded power.
The other man was bigger and blockier, with a square chin and a nose that had been broken too many times. He was also well dressed in expensive casual clothing.
“I’m looking for a Detective Cruz,” the black-clad man announced.
Emilia felt all eyes shift to her. But before she could say anything Silvio crossed the room. “Detective Franco Silvio,” he said to the man in black.
“I know who you are,” the man replied. “I’m here to talk to Cruz.”
Emilia slowly stood up.
“In the office.” The man jerked his chin at Emilia and then he and his cohort pushed past Silvio and headed into el teniente’s office.
Silvio swung over to Emilia. “What the fuck’s this?” he hissed.
“I don’t know,” she flashed back. Rico came to stand next to her and Silvio gave him a what-the-fuck-do-you-think-you’re-doing look but Rico stood his ground.
The three of them went into the office. The man in black sat in el teniente’s chair and jiggled the locked desk drawers. “Shut the door,” he said without looking up.
Silvio complied and the man came out from behind the desk.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked Emilia.
Emilia gave her head a tight shake. With five people in the room it felt crowded and Emilia felt that cold spurt of wariness she always did when she was the only woman in a crowd of unfriendly men. “I’m sorry, señor.”
“I’m Victor Obregon Sosa, the head of the police union for the state of Guerrero,” he announced. “This is my deputy, Miguel Villahermosa.” The other man didn’t acknowledge the introduction but it was clear Obregon had not expected him to do so. “We’re here to make sure that the investigation into Fausto Inocente’s death is handled properly.”
Rico bristled, as if he was offended that the union would butt in. Emilia waited for him to say something stupid but Silvio shot him a murderous glare and Rico kept his mouth shut.
“We’re barely two hours into the investigation,” Silvio said, obviously making an effort to keep his temper. It had been less than 40 minutes since the call to the chief of police. “It came in as a routine dispatch call. Cruz and Portillo were given the assignment, made the discovery, locked down the scene, and notified the next of kin.”
“So let’s hear it,” Obregon said and flapped a hand.
Silvio nodded at Rico.
“We got a report of a drifting boat,” Rico began. “It was off the beach at the Palacio Réal hotel–.”
“No,” Obregon interrupted. He folded his arms. “Cruz.”
Emilia stole a look at Rico. His face was like thunder. She swallowed hard. “As my partner said, the call was to investigate a drifting boat off the beach at the Palacio Réal. The hotel chef and manager saw it from the beach early this morning, thought there were bloodstains on the side. We met Water Patrol at the hotel and they towed in the boat.” She took another breath and tried to sound as professional as possible. “Lt. Inocente was in the bottom of the boat, with his head encased in a plastic bag. It was pulled tight and knotted around his neck. When the crime scene technician opened the bag it appeared that the back of his head was caved in. We’ll know more when the coroner examines the body.”
Obregon nodded. “Any other injuries?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No bullet holes in the hull of the boat, no evidence of a struggle. Blood on the deck under the body, likely from the head wound. Blood had also soaked through his shirt and there was some on the upper edge of the boat hull. Technicians took samples but they’ll probably all come back as his.”
“Anything else?”
“The boat is his. His wife gave us the registration papers.” Emilia paused, discomfited by Obregon’s stare. The tension in the room was palpable. She glanced at Rico and plowed on. “They live in the same area as the hotel. The wife wasn’t much help regarding his whereabouts last night. The last person who could pinpoint his whereabouts last night was their maid. Said he got a phone call late in the evening and went out. Took the boat keys but nothing else.”
“Wife didn’t see him?”
“She had gone out to a charity event,” Emilia said. “Of course, we’ll be checking to verify her story.”
Obregon tipped the chair back. A thin silver chain showed inside the loose neck of the tee. His skin was smooth and his jaw was tightly defined. He looked like someone who worked out a lot. And liked showing off the results.
“So, Cruz, tell me how you’re going to proceed,” he said, as if Rico and Silvio weren’t even in the crowded office.
“We’ll set up a hotline and get detectives out talking to everyone at his apartment building and the hotel to see if we can piece together his last hour. He was apparently close to his brother. We’ll talk to him as well. Look at his phone records to see if we can find out who the late night caller was. Coroner’s report. Forensics on his laptop. See if we get any prints off the boat.”
Obregon nodded and straightened the chair. Even that simple movement belied grace and power and focused intent. “This is how the investigation is going to go.” He pointed at Emilia. “You’re appointed acting lieutenant. Do whatever you want with these clowns”–he snapped his fingers at Silvio and Rico–“and the other cases you’ve got but I want you to personally head the Inocente investigation.”
Both Silvio and Rico froze as if they couldn’t believe what they’d just heard.
“Chief Salazar has already been notified. You’ll report directly to my office every few days until this thing is over.” Obregon indicated Villahermosa who’d remained by the door during the entire conversation, like a large, menacing statue. Obregon’s deputy was even bigger than Silvio, with legs the size of tree trunks. Another former boxer, no doubt. “Villahermosa will be on call to assist as well.”
The tension in the room was now tinged with menace. Emilia struggled to keep breathing normally.
“Cruz is a junior detective.” Silvio’s voice was tight. “She doesn’t have the experience or the seniority to be acting lieutenant.”
“Cruz has my full support,” Obregon said.
“With respect,” Silvio said. “We understand that. But she’s not the senior detective here.”
“Nobody’s asking for your fucking opinion,” Obregon blazed. His eyes drilled into Silvio. “Cruz is in charge as of now. Thanks for coming.”
Villahermosa pulled open the door and jerked his chin at Silvio and Rico. They both walked out.
Emilia stood rooted to the spot as her mind jumped around. Why had he chosen her? Did the union have the authority to put her in this position?
Obregon motioned to Villahermosa and the man left the office, too. And then it was just Obregon and Emilia. He walked round the desk again and rifled through a few of the papers on the desktop.
“The mayor has a press conference tomorrow and she’ll want to say something about the Inocente investigation,” Obregon said as he looked through the papers. “Be nice if you could have this all wrapped up by then.”
Emilia felt as if she’d been gutted. She forced a single word out around the tightness in her throat and the dryness in her mouth. “Sure.”
She must have sounded sassier than she felt because he looked up and laughed. “At any rate, we’ll meet beforehand to review what you’re going to tell her. Let’s say tomorrow 4:00 pm.”
He glanced at his watch, an expensive-looking silver job with three knobs on the side. “That gives you more than 24 hours to come up with something significant.”
Emilia licked her lips. “I won’t even have the phone records by then.”
“You’ll have something for the press conference,” Obregon said nastily. “Some nice sound bite about the diligence of the Acapulco police and how they’re sad but determined.”
“You want me to say this to the mayor?”
“Inocente was as dirty as they come.” Obregon turned his attention back to the overflowing inbox. “You’re going to turn up a lot of bad things. When you do, you tell me or Villahermosa. Not the other detectives and not the chief of police. You don’t arrest anybody, you don’t get yourself shot, you don’t do anything. I’ll take care of that part.”
Emilia’s heart hammered like a warning bell in her chest. “I think Silvio should be in charge of this investigation. He’s the senior detective.”
“If you find that the wife popped him,” Obregon went on. “And you know it beyond a shadow of a doubt, go ahead and arrest her. Otherwise come to me first. Nobody else.”
“Did you hear what I said?” Emilia said.
“I’m trying to clean up the police in this state,” Obregon said as he plucked a folder out of the box. As he flipped it open his hands knotted with veins, as if he had a lot of practice clenching and unclenching his fists. “I’m sick of the corruption and men like Inocente making deals with the cartels. People like him protect their empires, feed it with drugs and private armies. When you find out who killed Inocente we can probably roll up whatever cartel he was in bed with.”
“Why me?” Emilia asked. She was talking to his bent head as if he couldn’t be bothered to look her in the eye. The warning bell was deafening and Emilia knew she had to get herself out of this situation. Silvio should have this job. Or Loyola. They’d know how to deal with Obregon as well as how to conduct a major murder investigation. “You heard what Silvio said. Almost all the detectives out there are senior to me. There will be a lot of resistance. From all the other detectives. Enough to keep the investigation from going forward.”
“You’ll handle it.” Obregon read something else out of the inbox.
“You don’t understand.” Emilia slammed her hand down on the desktop to get his attention.
“Good,” he said, finally looking up from whatever he’d been reading. “You’ve got a fire in the belly. You get those detectives talking to everybody in that fucking hotel. Everybody who lived near him. Whoever even heard of Fausto Inocente. And if the boys don’t do what you say, shoot one of them. The rest will fall in line.”
He was serious.
“I don’t know who you think I am, señor,” Emilia gulped. “But I’ve only been a detective for two years. Mostly I’ve handled the crap cases. You need a seasoned investigator on this one. Get one of the other detectives to be acting lieutenant.”
“You’ve made quite a mark in two years, whether you know it or not,” Obregon said. “Recovering the Morelos de Gama child was a big deal.”
“The media made it out to be more than it was,” Emilia parried. “The case was handled in Ixtapa, not here.”
“We’ve been watching you.” He tossed the file onto the desk and regarded her. “Our girl detective. You’re a hungry one. You want to get someplace.”
“I’m sorry,” Emilia said. “Not this.”
“You’re the only woman here.” Obregon’s glance was searing.
“This is because I’m a woman?”
“Yes. Everybody knows women are less corrupt.” Obregon came around the side of the desk and Emilia resisted the urge to shrink away from him. “You do this or you won’t even be able to be hired on as the lowliest transito cop in any police force in this state.”
He leaned down and put his face close to hers. “You know he was corrupt. Up to his neck in shit. Well, I’m the person putting an end to it in the state of Guerrero, and you don’t get to choose sides.”
***
Author Bio
Carmen Amato turns lessons from a 30-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency into crime fiction loaded with intrigue and deception.”
Her award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series pits the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s drug cartels, government corruption, and social inequality.
Described as “A thrilling series” by National Public Radio, the Detective Emilia Cruz series was awarded the Poison Cup for Outstanding Series from CrimeMasters of America in both 2019 and 2020 and has been optioned for television.
Originally from upstate New York, Carmen was educated there as well as in Virginia and Paris, France, while experiences in Mexico and Central America ignited her writing career.
Her family tree includes a mayor, a Mensa genius, and the first homicide in the state of Connecticut with an automatic weapon. The perpetrator, her great-grandfather, eluded a state-wide manhunt after killing two people–one of whom was his wife. He was never brought to justice. Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.
Grab a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library at CarmenAmato.net.
You’ll see why Amazon Hall of Fame reviewer Grady Harp wrote: “For pure entertainment and a gripping story likely resulting in nail biting, read Carmen Amato’s addictive prose. She knows this territory like a jaguar!”
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Review for the Kate Burkholder Short Story Collection – A SIMPLE MURDER by Linda Castillo.
Below you will find a book description and a mini book review for each of the six short stories in this book and an about the author section . Enjoy!
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LONG LOST
(Kate Burkholder Book #4.5)
Book Description
It’s autumn in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti are taking a much-needed vacation at a small bed and breakfast an hour outside of town. After closing a difficult case, they’re looking forward to some down time, but their relaxation is cut short by rumors that the old house where they’re staying is haunted by a girl who disappeared twenty years earlier, leaving nothing behind but some bloody clothes by the river and rumors of a volatile relationship. Swept up in the girl’s story, and a need for justice, Kate and John begin looking into the mysterious disappearance of Angela Blaine. They discover long-buried secrets—and unravel a mystery with an unexpected outcome.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A perfect short story for the in between novel time!
Kate and Tomasetti are trying to get away for a romantic weekend when the couple who run the B&B they are staying in drop an unsolved cold case of the disappearance of a young girl by their inn in their laps. Everyone who knows Kate, knows she won’t be able to leave it alone.
The case is solved in this short work and the ending was wonderful. Sometimes justice is best served in not revealing the truth.
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A HIDDEN SECRET
(Kate Burkholder Book #6.5)
Book Description
When a baby-only hours old-is discovered on the Amish bishop’s front porch in Painter’s Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish.
The little girl seems healthy and whole; but who would abandon her and why? Though the quilt and rattle could be purchased, Kate suspects the mother is Amish, possibly young and unmarried, both of which would be powerful motives for such a desperate act. With the rattle and the baby quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and “English” communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A newborn is left on the Amish bishop’s doorstep.
Kate is called and works to discover the identity of the mother. The baby was wrapped in an Amish quilt and left with a hand carved wooden rattle which leaves Kate to believe the mother is Amish.and as the case progresses, Kate believes the mother is young and unmarried.
The discovery of the baby’s young parents is tragic and sad, but the ultimate happy ending for the baby brings an Amish couple a new beginning.
A perfect short story to hold you over until the next full length Kate Burkholder book.
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SEEDS OF DECEPTION
(Kate Burkholder Book #7.5)
Book Description
It’s autumn in Painter’s Mill, and fourteen year old Katie Burkholder has been tasked with picking apples in Zimmerman’s Orchard with her brother. It’s just another day filled with chores—until her best friend Mattie arrives to help. Somehow, boredom transforms into fun and games whenever the girls are together. The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and his gang of friends interrupts. Katie is no prude, but she knows better than to associate with the older English boys, especially since they’re known troublemakers. Mattie has no such compunction. Thumbing her nose at the Ordnung and all of the Amish rules, she disappears into the old barn with Billy.
Moments later, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects Billy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation—and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
This short story takes the reader back to Kate’s past when she was fourteen, gives a glimpse of her friendship with best friend, Mattie and a crime that leaves her with a troubled conscious.
The title is very appropriate as we see Kate’s blindness and trust in regards to Mattie, even as she also demonstrates her ability to critically analyze facts in regards to a crime, her love of mysteries and her restlessness in the strict Amish community.
Even though this short story is #7.5, you may want to read it before “Her Last Breath” book #5 in the series. (Just a hint at some background you may want to understand.)
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ONLY THE LUCKY
(Kate Burkholder Book #8.5)
Book Description
It’s Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and rumors of an Amish “rager”—a huge outdoor party rife with underage drinking—puts Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her small department on edge. To make matters worse, Painters Mill is in the midst of a county-wide power outage. At the height of the rager, a teenage Amish girl is attacked with a hammer and left for dead. Kate is called to the scene—an abandoned farm teeming with loud music and rowdy behavior—to find the girl unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. With the girl in a coma and an unknown attacker on the loose, Kate must discover who would want to hurt her, and why, before it’s too late.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
ONLY THE LUCKY (Kate Burkholder, #8.5) by Linda Castillo is a novella that lets you return to Painters Mill for a short period of time between full length novels and reconnect with the characters you love in this series.
It is Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and even though Chief of Police Kate Burkholder does not believe in superstitions the problems just keep on coming. Kate learns of a huge outdoor ‘rager’ on an abandoned farm, the town is having a complete power outage until morning and the department receives a 911 call about an unresponsive Amish teen found by her boyfriend in the barn at the party.
This novella is only 56 pages long. It is an entertaining story that assumes you are already familiar with the main series characters. The crime was easily solved, but still a good read. I will always pick up a novella or book by this author in this series to check out how my favorite characters are doing.
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IN DARK COMPANY
(Kate Burkholder Book #9.5)
Book Description
It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that “Jane Doe” remembers more than she’s letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate’s watch, Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane’s memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover what Jane was running from—and who is still pursuing her.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
IN DARK COMPANY (Kate Burkholder Book #9.5) by Linda Castillo is an intriguing novella which has Kate dealing with a young woman who has been attacked and is in fear for her life, but she has amnesia. For a short story, this is a complete mystery that is as satisfying as a longer story and is a great way to keep in touch with Kate and Tomasetti in between full-length books.
This is a great short story addition to the series. The characters were very well developed, and the mystery is compelling and kept me turning the pages. I was very interested in the inclusion of the background of the Hutterites, another anabaptist group, but with differences from the Amish and Mennonites. I always enjoy these short reads between full length books in this series and this one is exceptional.
I recommend this novella in the Kate Burkholder series and it can be read as a standalone if you have not tried this series yet.
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IN PLAIN SIGHT
(Kate Burkholder Book #10.5)
Book Description
Seventeen year old Amish boy, Noah Kline, is struck by a car as he walks alongside a dark country road late one night in Painters Mill. Seriously injured, he lapses into a coma. Initially, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder believes it’s a straightforward hit and run, a driver that panicked and fled. But evidence soon emerges that the incident wasn’t accidental at all–and Kate uncovers a story of teenage passion and jealousy that may have led to attempted murder.
My Mini Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
IN PLAIN SIGHT (Kate Burkholder Book #10.5) by Linda Castillo is the latest short story in between full-length books in the Kate Burkholder series. Kate is called to the scene of a seriously injured Amish teenager. It looks like a hit-and-run, but Kate soon uncovers evidence of a more sinister crime.
I continue to find these novella/short stories in between the full-length books in the series to be well written with fully developed characters and always containing an intriguing mystery/crime. I always enjoy catching up with Kate, Tomasetti and any of the other recurring Painters Mill characters. The crime is solved in this short story, but there seem to be characters that may still cause problems in the future for Kate and I will be interested to see if they are uncovered in the next full length installment of the series.
A good short read to touch base with Kate between books.
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About the Author
Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer–and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen. She’s published thirty books for three New York publishing houses and won numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Golden Heart, the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita.
Her debut thriller, Sworn to Silence, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist–and spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The following books in the series also hit the NYT and USA Today lists and became international bestsellers. Sworn to Silence was recently adapted into a two-hour original movie re-titled An Amish Murder and starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder.
In her spare time, Linda enjoys trail riding, and dabbles in barrel racing. She resides in Texas with her husband, two rescued Blue Heelers, and two Appaloosa horses. She’s currently at work on her next novel, a thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder.
Today I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the blog tour for THE LAST LINE (Traci Crosswhite Book #8.5) by Robert Dugoni.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my mini book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section, the author’s social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
From books to movies to television, police procedurals are incredibly popular with audiences. What do you think is the appeal of these stories?
I think the appeal is readers and viewers have good guys to root for and bad guys to root against. Readers also like a good mystery. They like to see if they can solve the crime, determine the bad guy and figure out what he did and how he did it, just like the detectives. It keeps them engaged in and part of the story.
Do you recall the first detective story you ever read or perhaps you have a favorite? What was it about this type of story that made you want to write in the genre?
Years ago, I remember reading Michael Connelly’s The Poet. I don’t know if it was the first detective story I read, probably not, but it was visceral and stuck with me. I do recall reading All The President’s Men when I was in high school, and though Woodward and Bernstein were not detectives, per se, they very much functioned like detectives in that story—finding clues, trying to piece together those clues, and then solve the puzzle. In many ways, that’s what a good detective story is all about: solving a puzzle. I think that is one of the appeals to writers, as well as readers and viewers.
Del Castigliano, the police detective in your newest release The Last Line, has worked in narcotics, arson, sexual assaults, robbery, and now homicide. He has definitely seen the worst that humans have to offer. What keeps him sane and on the job?
For most police officers I’ve spoken with, they do the job knowing that they are keeping people safe—maybe people they know or even love. It’s a tough job and burnout can be a problem. Most detectives have to be mentally tough and can be frequently rotated to help minimize burn out. It’s one of the reasons detectives and uniformed officers, I believe, are underappreciated. It’s a tough job.
Throughout The Last Line, readers get to see Del at his worst—he faces loss, failure, insecurity, loneliness…yet we also respect him. He is honest, hardworking, and clever. How do you see him? If you were to sit down to have a beer with him, what would you talk about?
In The Last Line, I see Del as a guy trying to find his way after life has thrown him a curveball. If we sat down for a beer, I’d ask him if, looking back, he has any regrets, or if time has helped him put life in perspective and he realizes that what he went through as a young man actually helped him to get to a better place in his life.
The Last Line ends in a way that will have readers wanting more. Do you have any future plans for Del and the larger cast?
Very much so. Del is a central character in the Tracy Crosswhite series, and in Tracy #9, What She Found, the story of Del’s first case from The Last Line comes back to Tracy, who is now working a cold case and trying to figure out what happened 24 years ago.
For fans of your bestselling Tracy Crosswhite series, will they feel at home with Del as the lead protagonist? For readers who haven’t discovered Tracy yet, will they be able to dip right in?
Absolutely. The Last Line is a standalone story that predates Tracy arriving at Seattle PD. I’ve had so many readers ask me for more of Del and Faz! Writing The Last Line was an opportunity to dig into how they got started and what shaped them. I have a thought now about Tracy #10 being a cold case that Del and Faz investigated 25 years earlier and telling the story from both time periods leading up to Tracy solving the crime in the present.
What do you have coming up next?
The third book in the Charles Jenkins espionage series, The Silent Sisters, will be published, February 22, 2022, followed by Tracy #9, What She Found,which will be out August 23, 2022. Beyond that, readers can look for a new standalone legal thriller introducing criminal defense attorney Keera Duggan. I’m excited about that novel and working hard to get it finished soon.
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Book Summary
His old life in the rearview, Del Castigliano has left Wisconsin to work homicide for the Seattle PD. Breaking him in is veteran detective Moss Gunderson, and he’s handing Del a big catch: the bodies of two unidentified men fished from Lake Union. It’s a major opportunity for the new detective, and Del runs with it, chasing every lead—to every dead end. Despite the help of another section rookie, Vic Fazzio, Del is going nowhere fast. Until one shotgun theory looks to be dead right: the victims are casualties of a drug smuggling operation. But critical information is missing—or purposely hidden. It’s forcing Del into a crisis of character and duty that not even the people he trusts can help him resolve.
THE LAST LINE (Tracy Crosswhite Book #8.5) by Robert Dugoni is a short story which takes us back in time to when Delmo Castigliano first becomes a homicide detective for the Seattle PD. This is a prequel that features Del’s first lead on a homicide case and the beginning of his friendship with another rookie detective, Vic Fazzio.
Del is paired with veteran detective Moss Gunderson and they are called out to investigate two bodies fished out of Lake Union. Moss gives Del the lead, but every trail is a dead end until he reinterviews the harbormaster that Moss interviewed alone. Information is missing and Del goes to Vic for advice and assistance. Everyone does not have Del’s back, and he learns a valuable lesson.
I was immediately hooked. This short story has familiar characters from the Tracy Crosswhite series in an intriguing case from their pasts that is quickly read. This 1990’s case cements Del and Faz’s friendship and I am looking forward to how it impacts Del in the present.
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Excerpt
Del drove from the parking garage into a blustery and cold November morning—cold being relative. In Madison, anything above freezing was balmy for November, though Del was starting to understand what Seattleites meant when they said it wasn’t the temperature that chills you; it’s the dampness. He could feel the cold in his bones. A stiff wind rocked his metallic-blue Oldsmobile Cutlass.The wind had started blowing late the prior evening; branches of a tree scraping against Del’s bedroom window had kept him awake half the night.
He drove from Capitol Hill with the defroster on high and worked his way around the southern edge of Lake Union, noting marinas and water-based businesses. He pulled into a parking lot where Moss stood beside a black Buick LeSabre, sipping coffee and towering over a patrol officer. Moss was almost as big as Del, who stood six foot five and weighed 250 pounds.
Del pulled up the collar of his coat against the howling wind as he approached the two men. He recognized the green logo on Moss’s Starbucks coffee cup, the company name taken from Captain Ahab’s first mate on the Pequod, the whaling ship Moby Dick sent to the bottom of the ocean. The logo, a green siren, tempted sailors to jump overboard and drown. Neither was a good omen.
“Look what the cat dragged out. Did we wake you, Elmo?”
“Funny.” Del had heard iterations of Elmo since his teens, when the beloved puppet first appeared on Sesame Street. Moss introduced Del to Mike Nuccitelli, the patrol sergeant. “How’d you get here so quick?” Del asked Moss. He understood Moss lived in West Seattle, twenty minutes farther from the marina than Del’s apartment.
“I didn’t take time to do my hair.” Moss rubbed the bristles of a crew cut. “I’m like my name. You know. A rolling stone.”
Del knew. More than once, Moss had told him his parents bequeathed him the moniker because as a child he never remained still. Vic Fazzio had said it was more likely Moss gave himself the nickname. His Norwegian first name was Asbjorn.
“Halloway here?” Del asked.
“At this hour of the morning?” Moss scoffed. “Stayaway doesn’t come out this early on a cold morning unless he thinks the brass might show up and he can shine their badges with his nose.”
“What do we got?” Del asked.
“Two grown men. Looks like they drowned,” Nuccitelli said. “We’re waiting for the ME.”
“What more do we know about the victims; anything?” Del asked.
Nuccitelli raised the fur collar of his duty jacket against the wind. “Hispanic is my guess, though the bodies are pretty bloated and their skin the color of soot. I’m guessing roughly late twenties to early thirties, but again . . .”
“They didn’t have any ID?” Del asked.
“Not on them,” Nuccitelli said.
“That strike you as odd—they didn’t have ID?”
Nuccitelli smiled.“Not my job.That’s your job.”
“How far out is the ME?” Moss looked and sounded disinterested.
Nuccitelli checked his watch.“Should be here in ten.”
“We’ll take it from here.”
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About the Author
Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series, which has sold more than seven million books worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling Charles Jenkins series; the bestselling David Sloane series; the stand-alone novels The 7th Canon, Damage Control, The World Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni won an AudioFile Earphones Award for narration; and the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post best book of the year. He is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He is a two-time finalist for the Thriller Awards and the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, as well as a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award for mystery and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards. His books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than two dozen languages.
