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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
Tom Clancy Terminal Velocity and Red Tide by M. P. Woodward are both riveting military thrillers. Although Red Tide is not part of a Tom Clancy series, it’s very much in that style. Terminal Velocity has the Jack Ryan family, while Red Tide introduces the Cole Family. Both these books are a salute to those who have served and their families. There is plenty of action but also some family drama.
Both these books blend geographical tension within action-filled realistic plots.
Book Description – Terminal Velocity
A string of savage murders in the United States seems unrelated until the FBI makes a shocking discovery: a decade ago, all of the murder victims were involved in a raid to eliminate the Umayyad Revolutionary Council, a vicious terror group that—were it not for John Clark and the Campus—would have perpetrated the most devastating attack against critical American infrastructure in history. Now it appears they’re back, with a next-generation leader hell-bent on revenge.
Mary Pat Foley, Director of National Intelligence, greenlights an op for the Campus to cut the head off the snake. Clark taps ex-Delta commando Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski to lead a kill team deep into the mountains to snuff out the charismatic terror leader. But when the hunters become the hunted, it’s up to Jack Rayan Jr. to avert disaster amid a deadly power game of nations vying for control of the disputed region.
On a rapid covert ingress from neighboring India, he’ll traverse the Himalayan wilderness with a rifle on his back and a tough Mujahadin fighter by his side. Jack knows time is growing short—he must save his team and lead them into position to be the first to hit terminal velocity.
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Elise’s Thoughts – Terminal Velocity
Terminal Velocity begins with Jack Ryan Jr., and his fiancée, Lisanne Robertson, visiting Delhi, India, to attend the wedding of Srini Rai, the brilliant surgeon who attached Lisanne’s prosthetic left arm. But there is trouble back in the US with a string of murders of former military who were involved in a raid to eliminate the Umayyad Revolutionary Council, a vicious terror group. John Clark, who heads the Campus, has ex-Delta commando Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski leading a kill team deep into the Pakistan/Afghan mountains to snuff out the charismatic terror leader who seeks revenge against those involved. Unfortunately, when the hunters become the hunted, it’s up to Jack Ryan Jr., who happens to be in the area for the wedding, to avert disaster amid a deadly power game of nations vying for control of the disputed region of Kashmir and to stop the terrorist attack in the US.
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Book Description – Red Tide
Rear Adm. Will Cole, outgoing operations officer (N3) of the Pacific Fleet, knows this is a recipe for disaster. But after decades at sea, he is ready to pass the torch to the next generation of “fighting Coles”: his eldest, Henry, a Navy lieutenant who flies F-18s; his middle son Jaime, a merchant marine officer; and his daughter Lu back home. When the new Cold War turns hot, however, Cole must abandon his plans. Proven right when the missiles start flying, Cole’s reward is an order to do the impossible: destroy the Chinese fleet and retake Taiwan—before it’s too late.
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Elise’s Thoughts – Red Tide
Red Tide’s plot examines the US Navy’s ability to remain the world’s guarantor of a free sea. Tensions between China and the United States have never been higher as both nations compete for access to advanced semiconductor chips produced only in Taiwan. Pearl Harbor comes to mind as the Chinese launch a surprise attack, crippling the U.S. fleet with devastating missile strikes while knocking American GPS, communications, and reconnaissance satellites out of orbit. A modernized Chinese fleet blockades Taiwan and seizes control of Pacific Sea lanes, throttling global commerce. One courageous military family, the Coles, are at the center of thwarting the Chinese in this war where the US must destroy the Chinese fleet and retake Taiwan. To succeed, Will Cole decides to listen to the reserve commander and tech-savvy venture capitalist Gabe Sorkin. With ties to the DOD’s new Defense Innovation Office, Sorkin pushes Cole to think outside the bureaucratic box.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for Tom ClancyTerminal Velocity?
M. P. Woodward: In all the Clancy books I write I want there to be an echo back to an original Clancy book. Tom Clancy wrote a book Dead or Alive before he died, published in 2010. It featured a terrorist network, the Umayyard Council. They had great designs to do something terrible to the American infrastructure. In this book even though the Umayyard Council was knocked out, the American operators who participated in achieving that goal are now dying, effectively murdered. The former terrorists have reconstituted themselves in Kashmir. I used the idea of the original Clancy book but modernized it.
EC: How would you describe one of the terrorists, Fahim?
MPW: Intelligent, charismatic, ambitious, and lecherous. He represents how a Muslim can be pushed into becoming a terrorist. I wanted to show the rift between East and West. His half-brother is a strict terrorist who manipulated him into it.
EC: How would you describe Rafa, Fahim’s half-brother?
MPW: A terrorist, unbalanced, thinks he is God’s messenger, and thinks he is a descendant of Mohammad. He feels he has a great score to settle against the US.
EC: You seem to be able to spot the hot geographical areas of the world. Is that why you had the setting in Northern Pakistan?
MPW: Yes. The clash between India and Pakistan is very real. Just a few months ago there was a terrorist incident in Kashmir, because it is so politically unsettled.
EC: Why the characters of Gavin, Midas, and Mandy in this book?
MPW: The Campus has about ten people with cross-functional skills. Bartosz “Midas” Jankowski has never really been featured except in the book Dead or Alive. The same with Mandy so I wanted to give both characters more page time. Gavin has been a constant character. Midas is a retired Lt-Col ex Delta operator, a commando. Mandy was an FBI-counter-terror investigator. Gavin is a computer nerd and hacker.
EC: There are some scenes with AI in this book. What would you like to say about it?
MPW: I did put in my book how Gavin has AI, Princess, his homegrown AI that can analyze data. AI is just another technical tool to make that easier. It makes sense for Gavin to build his own agent. AI will go into plots but that is different than using it to steal intellectual property.
Copyright protection is a real problem. When it becomes easier to imitate other people’s work, copyright protection should apply. Just as I cannot rebroadcast an NFL game without paying the NFL, permission should be asked, or else it is stealing author’s characters. AI is just another technical tool to make that easier. AI is the next extension of computing power.
EC: The idea for the story of Red Tide?
MPW: There is great power competition happening between China and the US. China is building up its naval power, trying to shut the US out of the South China Sea. I thought about how the US has a dependence on the Taiwanese semi-conductor production. I wondered since China is also dependent on that semi-conductor production, what if they just took it? This is a scenario of how a trade war can lead to a real war.
EC: Do you think this story has points about China?
MPW: China wants to regain Taiwan as a lost province and wants to project power across the South Pacific, calling it the defense of the first Island chain. It goes from Japan down to Indonesia. This is why they built up illegal reefs all over the China Sea, and have territorial disputes with the Philippines and other countries.
EC: Why call it “The Hide and Seek War”?
MPW: It is a fictional name I developed. As the fighting begins, each side will blame the other and try to take out the satellites. Once that happens it becomes a contest of fleets, a la WWII when there was not long-range intelligence. I put in the beginning of the book the President Reagan quote because it speaks of needing American naval power to maintain a free sea. It is something that is an obligation. We are still the number one naval power in the world but are stretched too thin versus China that is trying to control the South China Sea. The US naval power is the one since WWII to enforce that the oceans are open to all. There are other countries that want to close off oceans.
EC: What is the importance of the semiconductors?
MPW: Everything in our world is based on semiconductors. All the AI that is powering the economy is based on semiconductors. I think 70% of that production comes out of Taiwan. The design comes out of the US, but the physical manufacturer all happens in Taiwan. It is a major threat to the global economy.
EC: In this story there is an implication that Japan is not a true ally of the US. Agree?
MPW: When there are challenges national alliances will shift. At some point nations do not have friends, but interests. In this story, I wrote a fictional scenario how China was in a conflict, and the livelihood of Japan was threatened, so Japan wanted to stay out of it.
EC: There are some relevant parts of the story that is happening today. Agree?
MPW: The US Navy must make sure it works at innovating and not be bounded by procurement policies. Recently created was something I came up with in this book, working more with tech innovators. As I put in the book, China’s naval industrial capacity far outweighs the US. This has been a developing problem for many years.
EC: How would you describe the Cole family, the featured characters of the book?
MPW: I wanted them to be like families I have meant that are dedicated to service. The father, Will, is a naval officer, and one of his sons, Henry, also a naval officer, flies F-18s. The daughter, Lucy, works for the defense industry. The other son, Jamie, is a Merchant Marine. Henry’s wife, Sarah, works in DC as a lobbyist. I wanted to show how great this mindset is and hope there will be many more who are out there. We should all admire families like the Coles.
EC: How would you describe Gabe Sorkin?
MPW: I wanted a character who represented reservists. He came from the tech business; someone committed to defense and the military. His point is be prepared to fight each war differently.
EC: Next books?
MPW: I will be writing another Tom Clancy book, coming out in 2026. Red Tide is a standalone, but I am working on another military thriller that should be out in 2026 and is not a Red Tide sequel but is based around the Navy.
THANK YOU!!
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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.
In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.
As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not.
When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.
FIRE MOUNTAIN (Elements of Danger Book #1) by Dana Mentink is a fast paced, edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense/crime thriller with the protagonists and a baby running for their lives on a volcanic mountain getting ready to blow. This is the first book in this new series and a new-to-me author.
Self-employed long haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her overturned big rig with no memory of the accident and bullet holes in her windshield on a mountain road in the evacuation zone on a mountain threatening to erupt at any time. She is hesitant to accept the help of a stranger who offers help, but there is nothing else she can do. As they gather supplies to leave the truck, they discover a baby in a car seat in Kit’s back living area. It is not Kit’s, and she has no idea how it got into her truck.
Former cop Cullen Landry has been putting off evacuating until the last minute. He comes across an overturned big rig and helps the woman inside even though she is reluctant for his help. When they discover the baby, he does not know what to think of the surly, but attractive trucker. When two-armed men approach, they are in for a race for their lives and do not know whether it will be the men chasing them or the volcano that will end their lives.
This is one of those books that keeps you turning the pages because you just need to know if Kit, Cullen, and baby, Tot, will escape the mountain with their lives. The author does a great job realistically describing all the dangers a volcanic mountain can throw at these characters. Both Kit and Cullen are having difficulty dealing with their individual pasts and their belief in God and the author by throwing them together in dangerous and life-threatening situations which have them working together to survive also brings them to a new understanding of their pasts and of their faith. This is a Christian romantic suspense so there are no sex scenes. There are few secondary characters but the crusty old Marine, turned librarian, Archie was amazing and of course baby, Tot. The antagonists were necessary to be the foil to the main characters in the story, and their continued chase was necessary to the suspense and plot, but not realistic. That said, some suspension of belief makes this a story you cannot put down.
I highly recommend this Christian romantic suspense/thriller and look forward to the next book in this new series.
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About the Author
Dana Mentink is a New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty novels for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, Poisoned Pen Press, and other publishers. She lives in sunny California with Papa Bear and close to her two cubs, affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.
Kate Holland has a new case. A psychologist assigned to a Little Rock VA hospital was found brutally stabbed to death. Kate met the man mere days earlier…following his argument with her own shrink.
At the victim’s house, Kate’s stunned to discover a cache of military-grade explosives. Is there more deadly C-4 floating around out there—and does someone have plans to use it?
Evidence found in the victim’s safe suggests yes. The psychologist was conducting a private investigation into a heinous crime that occurred more than two years ago and half a world away…in an active war zone.
Back in Arkansas, connections and bodies have begun to multiply. Can Kate zero in on the killer before he obliterates the most innocent victim of all—with the rest of that stolen C-4?
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Elise’s Thoughts
Blood On the Wire by Candace Irving brings back Kate Holland and her loving furry partner, Ruger. She is a former US Navy Lieutenant who writes the “Hidden Valor Series,” and the “Deception Point Military Detective Series.” Fans of Ruger get a bonus because there is now merchandise available for purchase at https://store.candaceirving.com/collections/hidden-valor-merch-collection
The plot of this book has Kate initially investigating the death of a VA psychologist who was brutally stabbed to death. But during the investigation, Kate discovers a cache of military grade explosives. But the psychologist is not the only death, and the multiple deaths bring about multiple suspects including Gwen Lindt, someone brutally raped. Kate must put together the pieces to find out if there is a connection between the C-4 explosives, the rape, and the killings.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?
Candace Irving: I wanted to put in this book where Kate will be in her PTSD journey, even after she finishes her therapy. The mystery involves multiple dead bodies including a psychologist and multiple suspects, one of which will be a worker in Civil Affairs.
EC: You better never ever kill off Ruger. Do you agree?
CI: Ruger will never grow old and will never die in the series. Never mind Kate, I could not handle it. This is fiction. There is not a timeline in the series. Kate and Ruger are in a little bubble so it will take many books to get through a year.
EC: What about PTSD?
CI: Part of my goal for writing this series is to help vets and those who have PTSD. It is never just gone, even if someone finishes up their therapy. With Kate I took readers through the process of having PTSD and getting into the right therapy. The character is this story Gwen Lindt is the flip side who does not go to therapy. My consultant, Dr. Patricia Resick, and I discussed rape victims because the story centers on it. The victim in the story became promiscuous because of her horrific rapes. In her mind that is how she is dealing with her stress because she feels she can control it.
EC: Why does Kate have PTSD about her capture by Islamists and being tortured but not about her being raped by them?
CI: Dr. Resick pointed out that Kate is not hung up about the rape. I put in the earlier stories the reason. Because she was raped when unconscious she has no memory of it and therefore no PTSD regarding it. Kate will never lose control so for example she will never get drunk because she was raped while unconscious. She did kill everyone who raped her. What she did have is her physical appearance hang ups and conflicts.
EC: Why the Afghan smuggling plot of the story?
CI: SIV means Special Immigrant Visas that were given to translators and families who helped US forces during the War on Terror. But in this story, there were some characters who charged Afghans to falsify documents who wanted to come to the US. I found through my research this was going on. This part of the story was one of the chess pieces of the whole chess board part of the plot. One of the characters was motivated because he wants to help those who helped US forces out of these deadly situations and is not concerned with getting money.
EC: How would you describe Gwen?
CI: In the scene where Kate is first interviewing her, Gwen comes across as a major jerk. But as the story progresses readers might understand why Gwen acted the way she did, having a lot of resentment toward Kate. She had displaced anger. Gwen comes across as arrogant but actually she is still living in her trauma. Kate seems to understand why Gwen is acting out, that she is punishing people she displaces for those who were involved in the rapes. The statistic I put in the book is true: 20% of the women in the US at some point in their life will either be a victim of an attempted rape or were raped.
EC: Was this book sort of a crossover since you have CID Special Agent Regan Chase making an appearance from the Deception Point Series?
CI: Yes. This book is as close as I have come so far. Kate and Regan are friends. They can read each other, almost being able to finish each other’s thoughts. Kate was Regan’s mentor. Back when I wanted to connect “The Deception Point Series” featuring Regan and “The Hidden Valor Series” featuring Kate I decided that Kate while in Iraq realized that Regan is very good at doing investigative work.
EC: Why does Ruger dislike Dr. Manning, Kate’s psychologist?
CI: Ruger can sense Kate’s feelings and hurt. Ruger does not like men for obvious reasons. The moment Kate and Ruger walked into Dr. Manning’s office Ruger realized this was a smell that is freaking my mom (Kate) out because he is so attuned to Kate’s feelings and has such a strong sense of smell.
EC: What is the role of Ruger in this story?
CI: He comforts, a partner of Kate, and a search dog. Anyone who has a dog understands how Ruger is a comfort to Kate. Ruger can pick up on all her emotions.
EC: What about Arash and Kate’s relationship?
CI: They love each other. She wants to become intimate with him but initially pulls away because of the scars all over her body. They are honest with each other.
EC: Next books?
CI: There will be two books in “The Deception Point Series” that will finish off the arc. Pitch Black is the next Regan book and another one after it. These books will have a dual point of view, one from CID Agent Regan and one from NCIS Agent Mira.
The next Kate book will be after the two books in “The Deception Point Series.” The working title is Into the Cold. There will be people readers know and love and hate in this story.
EC: Rumor has it that fans of the Ruger series can get some merchandise?
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 TRUST NO ONE (Agent Tori Hunter Book #8) by Roger Stelljes on this blog tour.
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
In a cabin by a lake, a mother and father tuck their little girl into bed and kiss her goodnight. But they can’t enjoy the evening summer breeze—because this is no ordinary family on vacation. This is a family with nowhere left to run… and no one left to trust.
When FBI Agent Tori Hunter and Detective Will Braddock are called to a crime scene at a remote hunting cabin, they find blood everywhere. A small pink suitcase has been left behind, filled with children’s clothes and medicine. Has a family been murdered on vacation, or did they run just in time?
The team quickly tracks down the details of the family renting the cabin. But Braddock freezes at the last name. He claims to have never heard it before… but Tori can always tell when her partner is lying.
Furious that Braddock might keep something from her when lives are at stake, when two New York City detectives show up in Minnesota with questions for Braddock her fears are proved right… because there’s a murder case in Braddock’s past he never told Tori about. It took over his life just after his wife died, and forced him out of the city for good. Why did he keep it secret?
Tori has no time for games. Tracking down suppliers of the medicine from the cabin is her one lead to find this family before it’s too late. But with fingers pointing at Braddock, and her own instincts screaming that he’d never betray her or the shield, Tori will have to put her own career on the line to defend the man she trusts above all else—and find the real killer with a deadly score to settle.
TRUST NO ONE (Agent Tori Hunter Book #8) by Roger Stelljes is an action-packed thrilling tangled web of a crime plot that intertwines flashbacks in Detective Will Braddock’s past in the NYCPD which seems to jeopardize his present life with former FBI agent Tori Hunter in Minnesota. This is the eighth book in this great series and can be easily read as a standalone, but I read the books in order to follow the two main protagonist’s growing relationship.
Detective Will Braddock gets a call from a snitch from an old case in NYC who has come to Manchester Bay for help. The case involved one of his friends from the NYPD who was killed while he worked the case because his nephew was involved. At the time, Will’s wife was dying of cancer, and he just did not want to work on it as he normally would. He refuses to get involved, but the next day Tori and Will get called to a hunting cabin riddled with bullet holes and blood everywhere, but no bodies.
Two NYC cops from Will’s past show up at the police station and accuse Will of being dirty. After leaving the station, they are both nearly killed. Tori has had enough and decides with the help of their friends to turn this hunt around and go after the hunters by becoming the hunters themselves to keep those she loves safe.
This series is amazing, and this book even topped the rest for me. I could not put it down. The book is intricately plotted and full of surprises, so I was never sure what to believe so I had to keep turning the pages. Tori is smart, strong, and intelligent and so is Will, which makes for head butting along the way, but it also is what made them attracted to each other. The beautiful descriptions of the lake they live on and all the different types of weather and terrain in Minnesota brings it to life.
This is an overall well written and very strong police procedural/crime thriller series that I highly recommend to all lovers of the genre.
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About the Author
Roger Stelljes is the acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of pulse-pounding murder mystery and suspense novels, including the Tori Hunter and McRyan Mystery Series. Roger’s crime thrillers are noted for their fast-paced, yet intricate plots filled with layered and complex characters.
Roger started his first novel in July 2002 while on vacation in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area and has been writing ever since. His debut book, The St. Paul Conspiracy, was nominated in genre fiction for the Minnesota Book Awards along with finalists Brian Freeman and William Kent Krueger. With his follow-up, Deadly Stillwater, where Vince Flynn hailed Roger as a “powerful new thriller voice”, he won the Midwest Independent Book Publishers award for commercial fiction.
Born and raised in Minnesota, Roger still lives there with his family. In addition to his work as an author, Roger is a partner in his law firm. Roger is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors boating, attending hockey games, and honing his golf game.
