NO EASY ANSWER (The Dublin Murder Mysteries Book #6) by Valerie Keogh is a perfectly plotted, twisted and unique crime thriller/Irish Garda procedural. I finally had time to read this latest in the Detective Garda Sergeant West books and I was pulled into the investigation and mystery immediately. Even though this is the sixth book in the series, it is easily read as a standalone, but I will be making time to go back and read the previous books.
Detective Garda Sergeant Mike West and his team are hoping for a break after the complicated cases they have had recently. At first glance, the two new cases to cross his desk are seemingly simple and unrelated, but after the first interviews with relatives and the autopsies, West and his team are left with facts from interviews that do not match the science and results of the autopsies.
And then the dismembered body parts are discovered.
West and his team have clues that defy science, no motives, and contradictory statements from those involved. Will West and his team be able to solve the seemingly unsolvable?
I was captivated by the plot in this crime thriller and the intricate step-by-step investigation. This book has a plot which seems unconnected and easily solved, but it just keeps getting turned back on itself and getting more and more tangled. From comments made throughout this book, I feel this team has been involved in previous twisted plots and I will definitely be going back to read them. Mike West and team all work well together and his fiancée, being a crime writer makes the discussions in his home helpful and interesting. Ms. Keogh has written a group of recurring characters that are all fully fleshed and I would love to meet them in a pub and have a Guinness with them.
I highly recommend this crime thriller/Irish Garda procedural!
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Author Bio
Valerie started to write several years ago. She self-published eight crime novels and one psychological thriller before signing a two book contract with Bookouture in March 2018. The first of these, Secrets Between Us, is available now and the second is due in Feb 2019. She is a registered nurse with a degree in English and a Masters in American Literature. Recently she has given up nursing to concentrate on her writing career.
Today I am excited to be on the Buoni Amici Release Blitz and sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE PERFECT HERO (The Themis Series Book #1) by Anna Bishop Barker.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description:
Themis, the Titan goddess of justice. The purveyor of divine law and order.
The men and women of The Themis Group have a singular cause – to bring justice and closure to those who have lost hope.
But while they are united in mission, they all have their reasons for being with the mysterious private investigation firm that straddles the converging lines of crime scene science, traditional investigation, and mainstream law enforcement. Some do it for the thrill. Some do it for the satisfaction. Some do it because they are compelled.
But each member of the team is looking for something they will never find in the work they have chosen.
The Perfect Hero – Book 1 of The Themis Series
Hired to follow a trail of blood, bodies, and madness, Logan Pressley and the Themis Group are looking for a killer. Not just a killer—The Slayer.
He is not looking for a woman. At 45 years old, he has had enough of humanity, and wants no part of the myth that people call love.
Starting a new life, Maggie Robertson is not looking for a hero. Hell, she’s not even looking for a watered-down version of one. Romance, she has found, is a wasted phenomenon for the young, and the days for being swept off her feet are long past.
Then there was that one-night stand. The night Logan and Maggie lost themselves in each other. In that single night, all the carefully laid rules were broken.
THE PERFECT HERO (A Themis Series Book #1) by Anna Bishop Barker is the first book in a new romantic suspense series featuring the men and women of The Themis Group. The Themis Group is a private investigation firm in Tampa, Florida with all the capabilities of public law enforcement and more. They also have the willingness to help law enforcement and the hopeless when called.
One night out when neither was looking for anything, but a drink with friends, Maggie Robertson and Logan Pressley are thrown together and the sparks fly straight into a night of unexpected passion. While both would like to see the other again, it does not happen as expected.
The Themis Group has been hired by the FBI task force to assist in the chase of a vicious serial killer called The Slayer. Logan has been recovering the victims of The Slayer from bodies of water all around Florida. Co-owner of Themis with his brother and a former Army Ranger, Logan strives for perfection to make up for one terrible mistake from his past.
Maggie is a mature woman on the verge of a new career. Her son is in his last year at West Point and she decides to accept the offer from The Themis Group to put her new Criminal Psychology Degree to use. She is surprised to find her new boss is Logan’s brother. She is intelligent, smart and mature and willing to give the situation a chance and see where it leads.
As Themis searches for a serial killer, Logan and Maggie each find they have events from their pasts that have shaped them, but can they get past them and share their vulnerabilities to find happiness with each other?
This is my kind of romance with mature characters that have mature issues and work to solve them without games or lack of communication. Maggie and Logan are both in their forties and know what they want and do not want and are surprised by the instant connection they find. The sex scenes are explicit and smokin’ hot throughout the story. The suspense plot was not as intricately integrated into the romance as I would have preferred. The crossover was not brought to light until close to the end of the book and it is not one you can guess. There is a glimpse of one of the antagonists crossing over into the next book. This book also sets up many of the characters we are likely to follow into future books in The Themis Group.
I can recommend this romantic suspense for a great mature romance read and I am looking forward to many more books to come from this author.
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About the Author
I was born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, so I am a southerner through and through. Since I was old enough to pick up a book, I have been a voracious reader. I wrote the usual poetry and short stories in high school, and I kept the dream of writing in the back of my heart until opportunity and encouragement helped me to realize that dream.
I live in Tampa with my kids, grandkids, dogs, various other livestock, and way more books than is strictly healthy.
Hot Romance.
Suspense.
Humor & heart.
Grown up stories for grown up people. This is what I write. There’s also food, music, dogs, the occasional geek reference, and quite possibly an inappropriate joke. There will likely be dead bodies as well.
Three random facts about me: 1. I was bitten by a shark when I was 14. 2. I have read War and Peace. (When I get to the afterlife, I am demanding that week of my life back. Sorry, Tolstoy.) 3. It is my sincere belief that any situation can be improved by eating some cheese.
My life philosophy is guard your inner peace and read dirty kissing books.
Today is my turn on the Book n All Promotions Blog Tour and I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for BURY ME DEEP (Detective Rozlyn Priest Book #1) by Jane A. Adams.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
THREE VICTIMS. TWO MILLENNIA. ONE TIMELESS WEAPON.
Theadingford dig site, present-day.
Detective Rozlyn Priest never expected to find herself here. Teetering on the brink of an ancient grave. She takes a breath, willing herself to look down.
Old bones, broken relics. That’s what should be buried here. Not the dead man staring back at her now.
He is Charlie Higgins, a petty criminal Roz once called on for help.
Is she the reason he’s dead? Slashed with a spear that belongs in the Dark Ages?
Roz won’t rest until she finds the truth. But her investigation is leading nowhere. And now she’s seeing things — visions of a flame-haired Saxon warrior who shares her thirst for justice.
But just how much deeper is Roz prepared to dig?
Slipping effortlessly between two intertwining mysteries, Jane Adams has crafted a police procedural like no other. Her unique blend of intrigue, mystery and history will captivate fans of Kate Mosse, Barbara Erskine, Alex North and Stephen King.
BURY ME DEEP (Detective Rozlyn Priest Book #1) by Jane A. Adams is the story of a historical crime set in the Dark Ages intertwined with a present-day crime mystery/thriller/suspense with a bit of paranormal thrown into the mix. It sounds as though all of this could be a mess, but the author brings it all together in a unique, well woven plot with an intelligent and intriguing protagonist.
Detective Rozlyn Priest is called to the scene of an archeological dig where she identifies the body of one of her petty informants, Charles Higgins dead in ditch on the site. Charlie was not killed at the site, but he was stabbed through the heart with a spear from the Dark Ages.
As Rozlyn investigates, she feels remorse at not knowing Charlie better and vows to discover his killer. As she works the case, she has visions and vivid dreams of the area from long ago and a flame-haired Saxon warrior who shares her quest for justice.
This is such a unique read with its dual timelines, crimes and investigations. The author’s writing pulled me into both intertwining stories with fully fleshed main characters from the past and present. Both timelines have plenty of twists and red herrings which kept me turning the pages all the way to the satisfying conclusion.
This is a wonderfully unique, entertaining and satisfying introduction to a new protagonist I am looking forward to following on future adventures.
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Author Bio
“I am the author of more than thirty published crime novels. The first, The Greenway, was nominated for both the Authors’ club award and the CWA John Creasey for best debut novel.
I’m constantly amazed at where life has taken me. Writing had never been on my ‘possible careers’ list, but once stories take root in your brain, they just have to be told – and I feel very fortunate that people want to read them.
In addition to writing I teach creative writing, read and mentor for The Literary Consultancy, am a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and FRSA.”
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for WATERBORNE by J. Luke Bennecke which is the second book in the Civil Terror series featuring Civil Engineer Jake Bendel.
Below you will find a book description, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
A thought-provoking thriller about a very real threat to the essence of life: water. You’ll be forced to consider how you’d react if you were cornered and trapped in a terrifying, life-threatening situation. Jake Bendel and a cunning team of experts create a five-plant desalination system – all powered by environmentally friendly molten salt reactors – providing clean, healthy drinking water to millions of thirsty Californians. But the dark side of humanity sees this as a chance for revenge against the United States. A genius weaponizes the system, threatening to kill more Americans than all of World War II.
The clock is ticking. Can Jake and the FBI stop the terrorists before more innocent people are murdered in the name of the Jihad? WATERBORNE will grab you by the throat and pull you into a vicious struggle that will define the fate of the world for generations to come.
WATERBORNE by J. Luke Bennecke is the second book in the Civil Terror thriller series featuring Civil Engineer Jake Bendel. This is an action packed, fast paced thriller set in the immediate future that is equal parts thought provoking, edge-of-your-seat thrilling, but also a fun read with characters good and bad that remind me of an over-the-top movie adventure. While you can read this book as a standalone, I believe all the main characters and their motivations are better understood if you read the first book, “Civil Terror: Gridlock” first.
Jake Bendel is “the” civil engineer in California who has big ideas and answers to many of California’s and the nation’s climate problems. Jake is working to get five desalination plants up and running which are powered by an environmentally friendly nuclear reactor to solve the shortage of fresh water problem and the nuclear waste problem together.
A criminal mastermind works to weaponize the water flowing from the plants with a waterborne virus that effects not only humans, but plant life, also. Can Jake, his friends and the FBI discover who is behind this plot and find a way to neutralize the virus and save the infected?
I really enjoy reading this series of thrillers! Mr. Bennecke writes a protagonist who makes being a civil engineer exciting and demonstrates the many solutions they work on for the good of civilization. Jake is an average man thrown into extraordinary circumstances and danger. The premise of the book is interesting, realistic and thought provoking. It is easy to read and fast paced with plenty of thrills, but it is the characters that pull me in and keep me turning the pages. The characters are over the top, especially the evil antagonists and so are the FBI agents.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me, this series of books are an action-adventure thrill ride based on a realistic premise.
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Author Bio
J. Luke Bennecke is a native Californian and veteran civil engineer who has spent his career helping people by improving Southern California roadways. In addition to his first book, Civil Terror: Gridlock, which became an Amazon Bestseller, Bennecke has written several novels and screenplays, a creative process he thoroughly enjoys. He has a BS in civil engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, an MBA from Cal State San Bernardino, a private pilot’s certificate, and is a partner in an engineering firm based in Riverside. In his role as philanthropist, he awards scholarships annually to high school seniors at his alma mater.
Bennecke resides in Southern California with his wife of 30 years, whom he enjoys traveling with, and three spunky cats. In his leisure time, he spends his hours flying, learning about innovative tech, playing golf, and catching up with his grown daughters.
Bennecke is a member of International Thriller Writers and looks forward to attending ThrillerFest every year in New York.
Today is my turn on the Blackthorn Book Tour to share my Feature Post and Book Review for MOONLIGHT BECOMES YOU (An Eidola Project Novel Book #2) by Robert Herold.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media link. Enjoy!
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Book Description
The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community—rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team’s activities, and the group is falling apart.
Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them?
Suitable for young adults? This is an adult book but suitable for mature teenagers 16+
Trigger warnings: Some sexual scenes. Supernatural violence. Recollected murder of a child.
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
MOONLIGHT BECOMES YOU (An Eidola Project Novel Book #2) by Robert Herold is an intriguing and entertaining historical paranormal horror story set in rural Virginia twenty years after the Civil War. The Eidola Project team come together in Book #1 “The Eidola Project” and while each book has a complete paranormal investigation, I feel it is best to read these books in order due to the continued character revelations and interactions.
Dr. William James and the other paranormal investigators on the Eidola team have been asked to investigate a series of mutilation murders within a small black community in Petersburg, Virginia. The team does not know at first if they are dealing with human monsters riding as the KKK or a true werewolf. It soon becomes apparent they are dealing with both.
This book is such a wonderful mix of paranormal horror and historical reality. The author does an amazing job of mixing and balancing both throughout the entire story. The Eidola Project team is an eclectic group that take their research seriously, but also each have their own very human foibles and weaknesses. All the team members and secondary characters are fully fleshed and time-period appropriate. This book kept me captivated from start to finish even though it is not your typical paranormal werewolf story.
I highly recommend this historical paranormal horror story, series and author!
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About the Author
The supernatural always had the allure of forbidden fruit, ever since Robert Herold’s mother refused to allow him, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in. (Well, not literally.)
As a child, fresh snow provided him the opportunity to walk out onto neighbors’ lawns halfway and then make paw prints with his fingers as far as he could stretch. He would retrace the paw and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned into a werewolf on their front lawn. (They were skeptical.)
He has pursued many interests over the years (among them being a history teacher and a musician), but the supernatural always called to him. You could say he was haunted. Finally, following the siren’s call, he wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an idea he had as a teenager.
Ultimately, he hopes the book gives you the creeps, and he means that in the best way possible.
Today I am kicking off the Books n All Promotions Blog Tour and sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for KNIFE EDGE (Detectives Harvey & Birch Mysteries Book #1) by Kerry Buchanan.
Below you will find a book description, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
A MESMERIZING BREAK-OUT CRIME THRILLER SET IN NORTHERN IRELAND FULL OF BREATH-TAKING TWISTS
Nic always hated clubbing.
She only went out that night because she’d promised a friend.
She wakes up, naked and bound in an abandoned cottage in the middle of nowhere. Dappled light comes in through a dirty window. Her body is covered in cuts. Across the room her friend groans in pain.
A shadow passes the window. He’s back.
He picks up a knife. He begins to cut her friend. In that moment of bloody frenzy, Nic wrenches free and runs.
She’s finally safe. But this is only just the beginning.
Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch arrive at the scene hours later. There is no body, there is no sign of the killer. It’s as if it never happened.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW IT ENDS? THINK AGAIN.
Fans of Lynda La Plante, Tana French, Patricia Gibney, Brian McGilloway and Helen H. Durrant will devour this electrifying crime thriller by one of Northern Ireland’s newest talents.
KNIFE EDGE (Detectives Harvey & Birch Mysteries Book #1) by Kerry Buchanan is a fast-paced crime thriller that takes off on page one and does not stop even through the unexpected epilogue. The investigation is set around Belfast featuring two new protagonist detectives.
Nic is has never liked clubbing and being around so many people, but her roommates have talked her into joining them with her friend, Colm. That is the last thing she remembers. She wakes to find herself tied to a wall, gagged and naked. She is repeatedly tortured with knife cuts by an unknown captor until she is able to, or allowed to escape?
Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch are assigned to investigate this case which is not the first with this killer. As he is tracked, he is always one step ahead of the search and is able to abduct Nic’s sister and his first victim once again. Will Nic and the detectives figure out this mad man’s identity and what is his end game?
This is a fast-paced book that is difficult to put down. The suspense and pace continue to ramp up throughout even though it started with a high degree of tension. All the characters are fully fleshed and interact with each other in a realistic manner, although I do not believe Nic would have been so involved in the investigation in real life. This book was not strictly a police procedural because several time the plot followed Nic’s feelings or instincts over strict police procedure, but it was a great suspense/thriller read. The ending and epilogue while not an explicit cliff-hanger, does lead to more questions and a need for the next book hopefully for answers.
I recommend this chilling crime thriller and I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
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Author Bio
Kerry Buchanan has had numerous short stories published internationally, including some prize-winners, but her heart lies with novel-writing. Her crime series is set in Belfast and in the rolling County Down hills she sees from her window as she writes. She is often invited to perform her work at literary events or to be a member of panels at conventions, and she loves to help new writers by facilitating writing groups and classes in her local community.
Although Kerry is disabled, her hobbies include sailing and attempting to outwit the slugs in her vegetable patch. Generally, the slugs win.
