I am so excited to be sharing my Feature Post on this Blog Tour for this new series of Harlequin Intrigue books – TACTICAL CRIME DIVISION.
Perfect for fans of Criminal Minds and Blacklist…
Uncover the lives and loves of the FBI elite as they take on the toughest assignments. This is a new four-book miniseries featuring an ensemble cast of characters spread across 4 books, featuring 4 urgent cases, with one stellar team of crime solving experts.
The Tactical Crime Division—TCD—is a specialized unit of the FBI. Because of the growing concerns and need for ever increasing response time to criminal events, the FBI created a specialized tech and tactical team combing specialists from several active divisions that include: weapons, crime scene investigation, protection, negotiation and IT.
Each title can be read as a standalone novel, featuring a unique hard to solve crime case.
Keep following and I will be sharing a Feature Post and Book Review for each individual book in the series.
Until then, please enjoy this YouTube book trailer:
Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for this exciting new thriller and to share My Feature Post and Book Review for I MAY KILL YOU by Keith Dixon. This serial killer lets you know he is coming for you.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section with the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Serial killers are secretive animals. They keep their deeds to themselves and hope never to be found.
But there’s a new man in town—a killer who warns people in advance he’s going to kill them, then does it, in a variety of unusual, even bizarre, ways.
Ex-policeman Ben Buckland wants to catch this man not because he’s on the list … but because his 15-year-old daughter is. And that’s just not fair.
Especially when the killer has sent out warnings to several hundred people …
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
I MAY KILL YOU by Keith Dixon is an intriguing new serial killer standalone thriller by a new to me author. The protagonist is an ex-DCI and the action moves along at a fast pace as he works to find the killer when his daughter is threatened.
Random people are receiving a letter in the mail that finishes with the final line – “I may kill you”.
Ex-DCI Ben Buckland left the police force three years ago in disgrace. He has been working a job he hates as a mall security guard when one of the elderly tenants in his building shows him a threatening letter. He takes it to DCI Serena Howarth at his old station and learns there have been many letters received throughout their town. When murders related to the letters are discovered and his daughter receives the same letter, the chase for a killer has now become personal.
Ben is able to figure out the way the killer will eliminate his targets, but he cannot figure out the why. As Ben consistently butts heads with the police, he is also helped by Serena as he works to find a way to stop the killer and save his daughter.
I really enjoyed this thriller. Ben is not your typical hero, but even with his moral flaws and failures, I was cheering for him and admired his love for his daughter. The killer in this book is known almost from the beginning as he tells his own story at intervals and yet it did not take away from the suspense. All the characters in this book are realistic and could walk right off the page, good and bad. This thriller moves along at an ever increasing pace to a climax that satisfies.
I enjoyed this thriller and can recommend it for an engaging and tension filled read. I will also be looking for other books by this author in the future.
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About Keith Dixon
Keith Dixon was born in Yorkshire and grew up in the Midlands. He’s been writing since he was thirteen years old in a number of different genres: thriller, espionage, science fiction, literary. Two-time winner of the Chanticleer Reviews CLUE First in Category award for Private Eye/Noir novel, he’s the author of ten books in the Sam Dyke Investigations series and two other non-crime works, as well as two collections of blog posts on the craft of writing. His new series of Paul Storey Thrillers began in 2016.
When he’s not writing he enjoys reading, learning the guitar, watching movies and binge-inhaling great TV series. He’s currently resident in France.
I am so excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Melinda Leigh’s CROSS HER HEART (Bree Taggart Book #1). This book has everything I look for in this genre and a protagonist I cannot wait to follow into future books!
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 homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.
For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.
Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.
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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
CROSS HER HEART (Bree Taggert Book #1) by Melinda Leigh is the first book in a new romantic suspense/thriller series that has everything I look for in this genre. A strong, intelligent female protagonist, an engaging cast of secondary characters and a thrilling, intense plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat which all come together in this exceptional debut.
Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggart receives a call
for help from her younger sister, Erin. She drops everything and returns to her
hometown. When she arrives, it is to a nightmare which is eerily reminiscent of
her traumatizing childhood. Erin is dead and the main suspect is her estranged
husband, Justin who is missing. Bree vows to get justice for Erin and her
children.
Bree is not alone in her search for Justin. His best friend,
former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn knows Justin has
problems, but he loved Bree and he does not believe he is capable of murder. Bree
and Matt work together to uncover Erin’s secrets and to find Justin.
Bree and Matt do not realize how closely the killer is
watching. Once again, Bree’s family is in danger and she may be the next
Taggart in the line of fire.
This book is Melinda Leigh at her best! Bree and Matt are realistic,
multifaceted characters that work very well together and complement each other.
Bree and all the characters in this story come to life immediately. I found
Bree’s compassionate handling of Erin’s children to be a great example of her internal
character. The plot has a myriad of twists and turns that had me continually
surprised and turning the pages.
I highly recommend this first book in the Bree Taggert series and I am anxiously waiting for the next in the series!
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Author Bio
#1 Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A life-long lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity while raising her kids. Over the next few years, she learned a few things about writing a book. The process was much more fun than analyzing financial statements, and she decided to turn her hobby into a career.
Her debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. Since then, she has garnered numerous publisher awards, including two Silver Falchions and three Golden Leaf Awards. She is a two-time RITA® Award Finalist and has earned three Daphne du Maurier Award nominations. Melinda’s books have sold over 8.5 million copies.
She holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate. She’s dabbled in Arnis stick fighting, studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and taught women’s self-defense. She lives near the beach with her family and a small herd of spoiled rescue pets. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark and disturbing nature of her imagination.
HIDE AWAY (Rachel Marin Thriller Book #1) by Jason
Pinter is the start of a new thriller series featuring a single mother turned
vigilante that had me so engrossed I could not put it down. Rachel Marin is a
compelling new main character and I cannot wait for more books in this series!
After an unspeakable crime shatters a mother and her small
children’s lives, she changes their identities and moves from the east coast to
a small town in Illinois. Rachel Marin emerges from this tragedy changed not
only emotionally, but physically. She vows that she will always be able to
protect her children in the future.
The disgraced former mayor of Rachel’s town is dead. To all
the first responders it appears to be a tragic suicide, but not to Rachel when
she sees the pictures from the scene on the news. The former mayor was kind to
Rachel when she first moved to town and she will not let authorities believe
this was anything but a murder that needs to be solved.
Rachel inserts herself into the investigation because she
has reason to distrust law enforcement, much to Sergeant Seranno and Tally’s
displeasure. She finds herself in the crosshairs of the police as well as a
killer.
This is an amazing new female kick-butt character to love!
How she transformed her body and brain to protect her children was fierce. Even
as she works to find justice for others, she has to find her own equilibrium
between blind anger, true justice and the emotional fall-out on her children. The
plot is intricate and intense even as flashbacks pop up to show how Rachel
became the woman she is in the present.
I highly recommend this fast paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller
with a strong female protagonist!
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Author Info
Jason Pinter is the bestselling author of HIDE AWAY, the first Rachel Marin novel, as well as six other novels: the acclaimed Henry Parker series (The Mark, The Guilty, The Stolen, The Fury, and The Darkness), the stand-alone thriller The Castle, as well as the middle-grade adventure novel Zeke Bartholomew: SuperSpy, and the children’s book Miracle. His books have over one million copies in print worldwide and have been optioned for film. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Thriller Award, Strand Critics Award, Barry Award, and Shamus Award, and more
Pinter is the founder of Polis Books, an independent press, and was honored by Publishers Weekly’s Star Watch, which “recognizes young publishing professionals who have distinguished themselves as future leaders of the industry.” He has written for the New Republic, Entrepreneur, the Daily Beast, Esquire, and more. He lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, with his wife and their two daughters.
Visit him at www.JasonPinter.com, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @JasonPinter.
Today is my turn on the Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tour and I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for the new Jacob Stearne Thriller – DEATH AND BETRAYAL by Seeley James.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
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Book Synopsis
Have you ever been betrayed by your government, your best friend, and your fiancé—all at the same time?
Jacob is about to propose to his girl when he discovers the next generation of weapons are being shipped to our enemies. Factions in the government ask him to find the perpetrators while others work to make sure he fails. His intended fiancé does not understand his disappearance and he can’t give an explanation. Can he lose the woman he loves to save the nation?
When Jacob sets out to expose the billionaire intending to auction off national secrets, he is fired, expelled, and hunted by the government that once awarded him medals. If he ever wants to return to his homeland, he must insert himself into the dangerous world of technology smugglers. It’s a place where only the aggressive and ruthless survive. In the cutthroat world of modern-day pirates, every breath he takes may be his last.
As the bad guys close in and those who could deny him aid, he confronts a terrible choice: to complete his mission or take millions in cash and run. The former is a death sentence and the latter is a lonely future. He must ask himself, can he outsmart the most corrupt billionaires in history before democracy is destroyed?
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller Published by: Machined Media Publication Date: February 18th 2020 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 978-1-7333467-2-6 Series: Sabel Security Thriller #8 Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEATH AND BETRAYAL (A Jacob Stearne Thriller; Sabel
Security Book #8) by Seeley James is another great addition to this thriller
series. I always find these books to be so entertaining. I start a book in the
series and get immersed in Pia and Jacob’s world immediately.
Jacob and the winged god Mercury are once again at the
center of a fast-paced, action packed plot full of bad billionaires, arms
dealers and a weapon that could destroy the balance of power in a country.
This time though, Jacob is without Pia and Sabel Securities.
He is fired without knowledge of just what he did wrong and thrown into a
dangerous world of a billionaire auctioning off a new technological weapon. To
survive, he becomes a modern-day pirate and becomes as ruthless as the bad
guys.
Jacob has decisions to make that will change his entire life
and future.
I love all of these characters, especially Jacob. Jacob has
so much to deal with physically, mentally and emotionally in this addition to
the series and I could not stop reading until the end. The plots of all the
books in this series are fast-paced and entertaining and this one was no
exception. Mr. James writes plot twists and turns that keep me riveted
throughout.
I highly recommend this thriller and all of the books in
this series!
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Book Excerpt
Chapter 1
The man they called Ra stood on the Savannah’s main deck, staring hatred into the eyes of the general’s emissary. The smug bastard needed to learn a hard lesson about respect. Ra took several deep breaths, tamping down his growing agitation without betraying his emotions. The general had a good deal of money to spend. Ra held the emissary’s gaze as he cooled off. He said, “We’re talking about an auction for the most advanced weapon system the world has ever seen. An auction the general could easily win. What concerns could he possibly have?”
Ra resisted the urge to glance over the sea toward Monaco’s harbor. He was dying to see if his darling’s tender was on its way back from town, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.
“The general does not believe you have what you claim.” The emissary said in his heavily accented English. He gestured with his arms wide, encompassing Ra’s superyacht. “I do not see it here on your little skiff.”
Behind his left shoulder, the emissary’s sycophantic lieutenant made an insolent face to match his boss.
The dig was childish. Ra had the biggest yacht in Monaco, a present to himself after making billions in commodities. Too big to dock in the harbor. Sure, it was post-season, and the Numina would drop anchor due east of him in a few weeks. Until then, the Savannah reigned supreme. He felt like gutting the slimy emissary for his rudeness. Instead, he smoothed his Kiton sport coat and puffed up his thin frame.
“Don’t be a fool,” Ra sneered. “If I kept Alvaria onboard, sleezy generals from around the world would send commandos to take it from me. In case that’s what you’re thinking, rest assured, I have security. We call them ‘the dogs.’ You’ve met two of them.” He gestured to two bulky men in black suits standing close by. “Fido and Rover. Spot keeps watch with a rifle in case someone approaches uninvited. There are more. I have a whole kennel.”
Ra turned his back on his guests and checked the harbor. He couldn’t wait for his darling to return but he needed to conclude this delicate business before then. He didn’t want her to see the kind of men he dealt with. The emissary wore a ludicrous uniform without insignia yet festooned with medals. His black hair was greased straight back with what might’ve been motor oil. The lieutenant dressed and groomed himself to match. The very definition of a toady.
“The general does not believe the system can do what you claim,” the emissary said.
“Oh, my misguided friend. Alvaria is the stuff of autocrats’ dreams.” Ra laid his hands on the railing, keeping his focus out to sea. “Imagine what it can do. At the push of a button, a hundred drones leap into the air, locate their target, and annihilate whoever you choose. Each drone on a single-purpose mission, never stopping until one of them achieves the objective.” He straightened up and turned to face the emissary. “No more political rivals. No more annoying reporters asking inconvenient questions. No more adversaries across your western border. Everyone doing as they’re told, all under the general’s control. As it should be. It’s science fiction—and it’s here today. If your general doesn’t want to bid on it, he won’t get to see the show we have scheduled.”
“The general is skeptical you can obtain this system.” The emissary crossed his arms and widened his stance. “The Americans have impenetrable security.”
“I stand on my reputation. Many times your poor general has failed to pay me in a timely manner, yet I have never failed to deliver what he needs. From rocket launchers to automatic rifles, they arrived on time and under budget. He would still be a lieutenant were it not for me making good on my promises. He knows damn well my word is gold. My plan has been in the works for years. I have all the right people in all the right places. Alvaria will fall into my hands at exactly the right moment. If he does not believe me, he won’t see the demonstration.” Ra paused before making a sympathetic face. “Until his rival uses it to target him.”
To his credit, the emissary didn’t flinch.
“Think about this,” Ra said. “If Iran acquires Alvaria, they could destroy the ruling classes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in an afternoon. The next morning, they could annihilate Iraq’s parliament. Then, they invade. The price of oil skyrockets because they would control 24% of the world’s production. Sanctions are lifted under threat of an oil embargo. And just like that, the Persian Empire is reborn.”
The emissary thought while he took a long, deep breath. He pressed a finger to his lips and looked at the deck. After a long moment, he lifted his finger and shook it at Ra. “The general does not like the glimpses of the future you have illuminated. He does not want to participate in your auction. Instead of bidding for it, he will report you to the Americans. That way, no one will have this system.” He paused and smiled. “There will be no resurgent Persian Empire.”
Ra flicked a quick glance at Fido, who sprang into action. To the emissary, Ra said, “I am most disappointed to hear you say that. On a different subject, do you recall meeting my man Bonham in a café last month? Bonham is my second-in-command. He offered you money to turn against the general. Ah, I see from your surprise that you do recall the encounter vividly. Well, sport, the problem for you is that when you turned him down, your lieutenant did not.”
As the emissary’s surprise turned to shock, his gaze swiveled to his lieutenant. At that moment, Fido knelt at the emissary’s feet and clamped leg irons on his ankles. In disbelief, the emissary looked down at his shackles, then followed the attached chain to find Rover standing at the railing, holding a very large, very heavy stone. “Do you think you can scare—”
“You’ve been paid,” Ra said to the emissary’s lieutenant. He held out an old, razor-sharp dagger. “Slit his throat.”
The lieutenant stared at Ra in disbelief. “Now?”
“Yes, now. Or die with him. Your choice. Ah. You’ve seen the light. Good man. Right here, above the collar. Stand behind him so you don’t get blood on yourself.”
As the young man weighed the knife in his hand and moved behind his former boss, Ra took out his phone, set it to video, and pressed record. The knife slashed through the stunned and wordless emissary’s neck. Blood sprayed forward. Rover dropped the rock overboard. The chain’s slack disappeared and yanked the emissary’s body with it, over the railing and into the deep.
The young man looked up at Ra, who kept the video rolling. The psychological weight of his first murder began to contort the young lieutenant’s expression. As he pondered his rapidly changing allegiances, he looked down to find Rover placing leg irons on his ankles. Behind him, Fido stood at the railing with another rock. He looked back at Ra and squeaked, “Why? I did what—”
“I think it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Ra asked. “You can’t be trusted.”
Over his shoulder he saw the tender bearing his darling returning from shore. She would be onboard in five minutes. No time for long goodbyes.
He turned back to face the lieutenant as Rover slit the young man’s throat. “There are four more of your kind in the general’s private guard. He’ll be dead by morning, so you’ll be in good company.”
The stone dropped. The chain tightened. The lieutenant’s body flew over the railing into the deep.
Ra looked at the pool of blood covering the deck. He snapped his fingers. A steward appeared. “You see this ugly mess? Scrub it clean.”
***
Author Bioand Social Media Links
Seeley James’ near-death experiences range from talking a jealous husband into putting the gun down to spinning out on an icy freeway in heavy traffic without touching anything. His resume ranges from washing dishes to global technology management. His personal life ranges from homeless at 17, adopting a 3-year-old at 19, getting married at 37, fathering his last child at 43, hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim at 59, and taking the occasional nap.
Seeley’s writing career began with humble beginnings including publishing short stories in The Battered Suitcase leading to being awarded a Medallion from the Book Readers Appreciation Group. Seeley is best known for his Sabel Security series of thrillers featuring athlete and heiress Pia Sabel and her bodyguard and operative, veteran Jacob Stearne. One of them kicks ass and the other talks to the wrong god.
Seeley’s love of creativity began at an early age, growing up at Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture in Arizona and Wisconsin. He carried his imagination first into a successful career in computer technology sales and marketing, and then to his real love: fiction.
I am very excited to be one of the first to share on the Deadly Waters Blog Tour today! This Feature Post and Book Review is for DEADLY WATERS (Detective Jane Phillips Book 2) by OMJ Ryan.
I am a huge fan of DI Jane Phillips books! Jane was first introduced in DeadlySecrets and now is featured in the Detective Jane Phillips series that began with Deadly Silence which is labeled as book 1.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and an about the author section with social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Several young women have recently drowned in Manchester’s vast network of canals. A coincidence? Or something more sinister?
When star detective DCI Jane Phillips begins to investigate, her finely tuned instinct tells her these are no accidents. And when she discovers that each of the drowned women has a mysterious circular bruise on the back of her neck, Phillips is sure of it — she’s up against a very clever serial killer.
But how are the victims being chosen? And who will be next?
With the body count rising, Phillips and her team find themselves in a fight to the death with a shadowy figure who always seems to be one step ahead.
Can Phillips stop the killer before the next victim dies? Or will she herself become an offering to Manchester’s deadly waters?
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEADLY WATERS (Detective Jane Phillips Book 2) by OMJ
Ryan is an edge-of-your-seat addition to this British Police procedural thriller
series. This can be read as a standalone focusing on the serial murder plot
itself, but the characters continue to become more fully fleshed with each book
in the series and I recommend they be read in order. (FYI: To read about Jane
in order, the numbering of these books is somewhat confusing. Jane is
introduced in Deadly Secrets but is featured in Deadly Silence which is labeled
book 1 and now Deadly Waters is labeled book 2.)
DCI Jane Phillips and DI Jones are called to the scene of an
apparent drowning in a Manchester canal by an overeager young recruit on the
basis of a rumor. Everything points to an accidental drowning until a second
body is found with the same strange circular bruise on the back of her neck and
under the same circumstances. Each was a heroin addicted young prostitute with
a small child at home.
With the body count rising and pressure from the top, Jane
and her team have a short amount of time to figure out how and why the victims
are being chosen. Will Jane be able to stop the killer or will she be another
corpse in the deadly waters?
I loved DCI Jane Phillips, her team and this thriller plot. This
series is fast becoming one of my favorites. Mr. Ryan was able to focus my
attention completely away from the true identity of the killer. I once again
thought I had it all figured out with the team and I was wrong, but I love when
that happens. I also love being completely engrossed in the suspense and not
being able to put a book down as I was with this book. The pace of this
thriller starts out slowly with just a hunch and then builds to a fast-paced
crescendo. The tool used by the killer that produced the bruise on the neck of
the victims was unique and an interesting twist.
I highly recommend Deadly Waters and all of the books in
this series!
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About OMJ Ryan:
Hailing from Yorkshire, OMJ Ryan worked in radio and
entertainment for over twenty years, collaborating with household names and
accumulating a host of international writing and radio awards.
In 2018 he
followed his passion to become a full-time novelist, writing stories for people
who devour exciting, fast-paced thrillers by the pool, on their commute – or
those rare moments of downtime before bed. Owen’s mission is to entertain from
the first page to the last. DEADLY WATERS will be his third novel
published with Inkubator Books.
