I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Robert Brynzda’s new series debut NINE ELMS (A Kate Marshall Thriller Book 1) which will be released here in the US on Dec. 1, 2019. It is no secret that I love Mr. Brynzda’s Erika Foster series and was thrilled to get an early copy of this debut. It is everything I hoped for and more!
Below you will find a summary of the book, my book review and a short blurb about the author and his social media links. I highly recommend this debut. It is definitely one of my favorites this year and I cannot wait for more books with Kate and Tristan!
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Book Summary:
Kate Marshall was a
promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial
killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Traumatized,
betrayed, and publicly vilified for the shocking circumstances surrounding the
cannibal murder case, Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal.
Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, Kate is still haunted by the unquiet ghosts of her troubled past. Now a lecturer at a small coastal English university, she finally has a chance to face them. A copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol.
Enlisting her brilliant research assistant, Tristan Harper, Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster. Success promises redemption, but there’s much more on the line: Kate was the original killer’s intended fifth victim…and his successor means to finish the job.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
NINE ELMS (A Kate Marshall Thriller Book 1) by Robert
Brynzda is the debut suspense/thriller book in a new P.I. series. I love Mr.
Brynzda’s DCI Erika Foster series and was thrilled to receive an early copy of
this book. I could not put it down!
Kate Marshall was a young police detective when she was
placed on the task force for the Nine Elms Cannibal case. She was determined to
prove herself. She caught the serial killer, but at great personal expense,
physically and mentally, to herself. Due to a bad personal decision during the
investigation, she went from hero to villain during the trial and it ended her
career on the police force.
Fifteen years later, Kate has become a lecturer in
criminology at a small university. She has worked hard to get her life in
order. She attends AA meetings and has rebuilt her relationship with her
fourteen-year-old son who is in the custody of her parents.
Kate receives a call from the original medical examiner on
the Nine Elms case. He has been called to the scene of a murder which is an
exact replica of a murder from that case. As more bodies are found, Kate knows
they have a copycat, because the original killer is locked up in a psychiatric prison.
Kate is told to stay out of the investigation by the local
DI handling the case, but she cannot ignore the fact that she feels she can
help. She enlists the help of her research assistant, Tristan Harper and the
two set about combing the new and old facts to find the copycat. What Kate does
not realize is that the killer knows who she is and plans to finish what the
original Nine Elms Cannibal did not.
This is an amazing debut that kept me turning the pages to
the very end. The plot is tightly woven between past and present. It is dark,
thrilling and delivers discoveries that surprise throughout. The crime scenes are
written in explicit detail and may be disturbing to some, but this antagonist
is a cannibal serial killer as is his copycat, so it is not gratuitous. Kate is
a memorable character realistically flawed, intelligent and dogged in her
pursuit of the copycat killer. Tristan is an interesting character who is great
at doing the research that Kate requires, but Kate is definitely the mentor in their
partnership. I am looking forward to learning more about Tristan in future
books. I am also looking forward to reading how Mr. Brynzda handles the
character arc of Kate’s son in future books.
I highly recommend this debut thriller and I am looking
forward to many more books in the Kate Marshall series!
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Book Tour for Seeley James’ new book in the Sabel Security series – Death and Conspiracy:A Jacob Stearne Thriller.
Below you will find an excerpt from the book, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
***
Excerpt:
SOMETHING WENT WRONG WITH MY girlfriend.
I trudged along the stone-paved streets at dawn wearing my blue jeans and black leather jacket over a t-shirt that read, “That which does not kill me—should run.” I was thinking things over. There were no real indicators I could put my finger on, but when I said we should step out for coffee, she offered to join me “later.” Something in her tone of voice. Something in her distant gaze.
What happened? Last night we were thirsty for each other. I did my Julius Caesar impression, Vini, Vidi, Vici. She channeled the Whore of Babylon. Laughter and romping ensued.
This morning, she was different.
A shop lady dragged a stand filled with bouquets onto the sidewalk in front of her store. Figuring flowers might perk Jenny up, I picked one. The lady took one look at my face, smiled, and told me they were free for lovers. At least, I think that’s what she said. I studied Arabic and Pashto to get me through my eight tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. French never came up. I thanked her, sniffed the bouquet, and kept strolling.
We’d had a whirlwind romance, the kind you read about in books. If you read that kind of book. Which I don’t. So, I guess it was how I imagined a storybook romance goes. I’d saved her mother’s life, which led to Jenny getting a pardon. As soon as she got out of prison, she came to my house to say thank you in person. Come to think of it, that doesn’t sound like a storybook romance at all. Anyway. One thing led to another. Two weeks later, I invited her for a getaway weekend. I was thinking something like a bed-and-breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley. Cozy and affordable and nearby.
Then I made the mistake of telling my boss, Pia Sabel, about my plans. She thought Jenny Jenkins would prefer Paris. After all, Jenny’s the daughter of Bobby Jenkins, the billionaire drug lord—I mean, founder of Jenkins Pharmaceuticals. Since no one can say no to Ms. Sabel, especially when she insists on paying and providing a private jet, the next thing I knew we were in Paris, staying in the Hotel Lutetia on the Left Bank.
It turned out Jenny had been to Paris so many times it was like going to Walgreens. Her dad rented out Napoleon’s Tomb for her ninth birthday. For my ninth, Dad filled a barn bin with dried soybeans so we could jump in them. Things are different for farm boys in Iowa.
There was an upside. Instead of going to see the fire damage at Notre Dame or visiting the Louvre, she wanted to spend the entire trip in bed. I was fine with that.
Then this morning happened.
My brain came back to the street in front of me. Two men hauled tables and chairs out of a café and placed them on the sidewalk. I put my flowers on a table and dropped into a wicker chair. One of the men said something about not being open yet, but the other guy pulled him away.
I said, What did I do wrong? I made sure she was satisfied several times over. Wait. She wasn’t faking it, was she?
Mercury, winged messenger of the Roman gods, pulled up a chair next to me. If she be faking an orgasm when you’re going downtown like a Detroit rapper, who is she cheating?
Sometimes it’s nice to have a god you can chat with. Most of them are invisible and mute. I enjoy our little chats. Sometimes. But every now and then, the diagnosis of my Army psychiatrists rolls through my head like a thunderstorm. “PTSD-induced schizophrenia,” they said. Yeah. Well. What do they know? The guys who served with me in combat considered me divinely inspired.
Mercury first came to my aid in a battle where a company of Iraqi Republican Guards had pinned down a Marine platoon. I’d been separated from my Army Ranger unit and snuck through the combat zone lost, scared, and confused. With Mercury whispering in my ear, telling me where to aim, I took out half the Iraqis attacking the Marines and scattered the rest. The Marines loved me. I got medals. From then on, my heavenly powers on the battlefield made me the soldier’s soldier. Everybody wanted to transfer to my platoon.
All Mercury wanted was a return to his former glory. Just kick Christianity to the curb and reinstate the whole Roman pantheon. No problem. After fifteen hundred years, he and his buddies were done with living on food stamps and desperate for a reunion tour.
I said, Is it me? Too much of a socio-economic divide?
Mercury leaned in. You want a woman like that, brutha? Really want a woman like that? Then you gotta think like a Caesar.
I said, I’m her master and commander in the bedroom.
Sheeyit, dawg. Mercury rolled his eyes and leaned back. (Did I mention he’s black? He cites the Judeo-Christian Bible, where it says God made man in His image. Mercury points out that the Great Leap Forward happened in Southern Africa. There were no white people in Southern Africa in the days of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all gods are black. Yeah, took me a while too.) I’m talking real Caesar, not just another white dude whipping out some cheap leather gear in a hotel room. I’m talking invading nations, burning villages, raping, pillaging…
And that’s where I tune him out. Certain aspects of civilized behavior have changed a good deal since he whispered in the ears of the rich and powerful. I texted Jenny that I was waiting for her at the Café de la Mairie. She didn’t reply.
Ever listen to some old guy go on about winning the state championship back in high school? Try spending an hour listening to a used god talk about the good ol’ days when Julius Caesar defeated the official Roman Army under Pompey—not because he should but because he could.
Mercury said, And that’s how Julius Caesar became emperor. The lesson here is: Kill everyone who defies you.
I said, How’d that work out for ol’ Julius in the end?
The streets began to fill with enough vehicles to start the rhythmic honking cycles peculiar to big cities. It sounded a lot like that Broadway tune by George Gershwin. What was it called? “An American in …” somewhere.
There were no texts from Jenny on my phone when I checked for the three hundredth time. I sent her a picture of the menu and asked if she wanted me to order for her. No response.
Mercury said, There they go again. Those two clowns been circling the block all morning, dressed like Siberians.
I had a croissant with jam and a coffee. Alone.
Are you listening to me, homie?
Mercury’s supposed to be the god of eloquence, but tutoring William Shakespeare five hundred years ago didn’t work out for his resurrection, so he tried channeling inner-city kids. He thinks he sounds like Dr. Dre, but he comes off more like Eminem will in forty years. Desperately dated.
I’m telling you, Mercury said, those two are your ticket to fame. You kill them, and the press will love you. Glory will be ours!
Having lost track of which two people he wanted me to kill, I said, Jenny doesn’t care about glory.
The sun rose higher in the sky. The waiter brought more coffee. People going places began to fill the sidewalk. Singles, couples, families. It was Sunday, and many of them were filing into one big-ass church across the street.
Mercury said, What’s the big deal about this here girl has you so distracted, brutha?
I said, Remember when I rescued her mom from the assassins? Before her mom was VP, she was an admiral. And brass tends to expect a concierge rescue. But not Admiral Wilkes. She fought and ran and knocked out bad guys like a superhero. That woman was determined to get out of there. I was impressed.
When Jenny showed up, I realized the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. She was just as determined and driven as her mom. A woman like that, you can build a life together. A real partnership. The two of us working out family, friends, and careers together. We could grow old without the flame dying out.
Mercury said, Determined? Driven? You really want a woman like that, dude? Nothing but trouble if you ask me. In my day, women didn’t read, they didn’t vote, they didn’t talk back. We had a good thing going and y’all messed it up.
My phone’s screen was blank. Still no word from Jenny.
I said, Maybe she needs something more than just sex?
Mercury said, What else is there?
I dunno, I said. Like therapy or something. She had a traumatic year. Maybe she needs help with her mental health.
Mercury said, What would you know about mental health?
The waiter brought a vase for my bouquet. It was wilting. I gave him a nod. “Merci.”
Pretty much the extent of my French vocabulary.
I was stuck. If I went back now, I’d look insecure, worried. If I kept my cool, acted unconcerned, maybe she’d come around. Maybe she’d text me back.
I hate playing games like that. Unless I win.
See here now, bro. You need to take down those terrorists with the two coats. Mercury nodded at the men he’d pointed out earlier. You can be a hero again.
I said, What makes you think they’re terrorists?
Mercury said, They radiate hate.
Across the lane was a large, open plaza. In the center stood a massive chunk of marble with statues of ancient Frenchmen in niches surrounded by water splashing from a central fountain. The Frenchmen were probably important at some point in the history of the area, but now they were just a backdrop for selfies.
Two guys stood next to the fountain. They stole glances at the cathedral doors. They had jet black hair and beards. One had a swarthy, Mediterranean look. The other looked distinctly American. They kept their heads down, their hands shoved in their coat pockets. Their overcoats were heavy enough for winter, but it was a sunny spring day.
Maybe Jenny was worried about the paparazzi. We’d been swarmed outside the hotel. Again later when we went out to dinner. Neither of us is a celebrity, but her divorced parents are minor tabloid material.
Jenkins Pharma sold a questionable number of opiates, and her mom is the Vice President of the United States. Which is why there’d been plenty of controversy over Jenny’s pardon.
The paparazzi couldn’t be it. I’d shared Ms. Sabel’s advice for dealing with tabloid photographers with Jenny. Ms. Sabel told me to smile for the cameras because (a) they hate that, and (b) they’ll print it anyway so you may as well look good. Jenny still hated them.
I thought about going to church. I checked the name of the one across the street. Église Saint-Sulpice. I invited Jenny in a text. We hadn’t discussed religion, and she didn’t seem the type, but if she was mad at me, where better to work things out? She was the kind of woman worth working things out for. The kind worth having an intimate relationship with. Someone you could tell all your secrets to. Or is it, someone to whom you could tell all your secrets? I never get that stuff right. Maybe she didn’t like my grammar.
Mercury grabbed my hair and pulled my head up out of my phone. He pointed at the two guys. Quit thinking about getting laid and ask yourself the million-dollar question: why two coats?
Shoplifters wear overcoats. It gives them room for all their stolen merchandise. So do mass shooters. Coats cover weapons.
The shorter guy fiddled with a string of beads. Sweat dripped from his forehead. He mumbled to himself. The American looked calmer, yet significantly more agitated than your average churchgoer. My military training included a good deal about recognizing terrorists. They often say prayers. They’re often quite nervous. They often sulk to avoid notice.
Either these two were sinners in desperate need of redemption … or they were terrorists.
I found myself crossing the street, heading for the fountain. At the same time, the two men headed for the church. As he pushed off, the short guy tossed his beads into the water.
It was a wide plaza, and they had a shorter distance. I changed course to intercept them. Being unarmed put me at a disadvantage. But they had the terrorist’s tunnel vision. Their eyes remained glued to the entrance. Nothing around them mattered anymore.
A few people in nice clothes funneled up the steps and filed through the massive front door, each taking a bulletin from the greeters. None of them wore more than a light sport coat.
The overcoat guys slowed and hung back. When the funnel cleared, the greeters at the door waited. The overcoat guys trotted up the steps and entered without taking the offered bulletin. Without a bulletin, they would have no idea which hymns to sing. Definitely terrorists.
I bounded up the steps, full throttle.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEATH AND CONSPIRACY: A Jacob Stearne Thriller by Seeley
James is a fast-paced, action packed thriller. Although this is the seventh
book in the Sabel Security series, it can be easily read as a standalone. Each
book contains continuing characters arcs, but the plot is unique.
Jacob Stearne is taking time off after his last mission for
a romantic weekend in Paris with his girlfriend. As he waits in a bistro,
Mercury (the Roman god is a figment of Jacob’s imagination and/or a
manifestation of his battle-hardened combat sense) points out two possible
terrorists about to enter a crowded cathedral.Jacob
flies into action, but the eyewitnesses and the video of his heroic act, can be
misinterpreted and some are accusing him of being one of the terrorists.
The French authorities and the CIA use the misunderstanding
to leverage Jacob into helping them infiltrate an international conference of
neo-Nazi fanatics to help uncover the next big attack. As he gets deeper into
the group, he can trust no one, but at the same time he undermines his own credibility.
Can Jacob survive and stop the terrorists before thousands die
and the world erupts into chaos?
This is such a roller-coaster-ride of a thriller! Mr. James
has written a serious and topical thriller plot with great characters and lots
of action, but he also has interspersed humor with the internal dialogues
between Jacob and Mercury. I found it difficult to put this book down because
of all the twists and turns.
I always feel like I should be watching these books on TV or
at the movies instead of reading them. Thrills, terrorists, quirky characters
and fast-moving plots make me a very happy Sabel Security series reader every time!
***
Author Bio:
His 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, adoptig 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 love of creativity began at an early age, growing up at Frank Llyod Wright’s School of Architecture in Arizona and Wisconsin. He carried his imagination first into a successful career in sales and marketing, and then to his real love: fiction.
His writing career ranges from humble beginnings with short stories in The Battered Suitcase, 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, veteran Jabon Stearne. One of them kicks ass and the other talks to the wrong god.
I am so excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for the Happy Publication Day of Ann Gridharry’s new book KILLER MOTIVE! This is the start of a great new series featuring DI David Grant and his team.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links. The plot is riveting and will keep you turning the pages. I am looking forward to following this team on many more investigations and I highly recommend this new crime thriller!
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Book Blurb
When a nurse is murdered, Detective David
Grant recognises the hallmarks of a serial killer called Travis.
Twenty-five years ago, Grant caught Travis
for the murder of five women and the murderer has been incarcerated ever since.
A frail sixty-year-old, Travis is in the terminal stages of cancer. The problem
is, he was at the hospital in the custody when the nurse was murdered.
Determined to solve the case, Grant
recruits a specialist to his team, Ruby Silver, a top criminal profiler. But
Ruby is hiding something from her colleagues.
Who is the copycat killer and what is their
motive?
Grant and the team must work quickly to solve the case as the body count rises…
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
KILLER MOTIVE by Ann Girdharry is a riveting start to
a new British crime thriller series. This new to me author had me intrigued
with all her characters, on-the-edge-of-my-seat with her thriller plot and gave
me a chilling in depth look into two serial killers.
DI David Grant is a 25 year veteran of the force with a stellar
career and record. He is intelligent and dogged in his pursuit of the truth. When
a nurse is found murdered, it bears all the characteristics of a serial killer
from Grant’s past. The killer is in the final stages of terminal cancer and at
the hospital for treatment when the murder occurred.
Ruby Silver is a research assistant, who is the true author
of a highly acclaimed publication on serial killers. Grant recruits Ruby to
assist his team, but Ruby has secrets of her own on why she is determined to be
on the team.
As DI Grant and Ruby work together to uncover the identity
of the copycat killer will they be able to stop him as the body count rises?
I was entirely engrossed in this investigation, the psychological
twists and all the characters in this thriller! Ms. Girdharry’s plot was rife
with twists, surprises and red herrings that were never over the top, but quite
believable. Ruby was an interesting character to add to the mix of a normal
police team Her backstory and emotional growth during the investigation pulled
you in emotionally and added extra depth to the story. All of the other team
members were fully fleshed and I will be looking forward to reading more about
them.
I highly recommend this book for a great thriller read and a
wonderful new group of characters to follow in future books!
***
Author Bio and Social Media Links
Ann
Girdharry is a British crime fiction author. Her debut novel, Good Girl
Bad Girl, is an Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist and a Readers’ Favourite
Five Star Book.
Trained in psychotherapy, she worked for many years in
the not-for-profit sector. She loves to travel. After the UK, she lived in
Norway and the USA, and she currently lives in France.
You can find out more about her books on her website
– www.girdharry.com. On her site, Ann also blogs occasionally about life in
France and she posts reviews for books she’s enjoyed reading
I am very excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review on my turn for the Blog Tour for OMJ Ryan’s soon to be released new book DEADLY SILENCE (Detective Jane Phillips Book 1). I am racking up quite the number of amazing British police procedural thrillers and female DCI’s I follow and now I have another.
DCI Jane Phillips was first introduced in Deadly Secrets. She is now DI Jane Phillips and a lot has happened in the six months since the climax of Deadly Secrets, but you can read this book as a standalone and not be confused. Jane is now the main character in this new series.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio. Enjoy!
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#DeadlySilence
#IncubatorBooks@OMJRYAN1
@damppebbles@DamppebblesBTs
#damppebblesblogtours
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Book Blurb:
Some
sins can never be forgiven.
DI Jane Phillips was a star detective driven by a
relentless quest for justice. But then she stepped outside the law.
Now, demoted and suffering with PTSD, she finds herself
facing the deadliest threat of her career — a serial killer who is preying on vulnerable
women, murdering them in a shocking and bizarre ritual.
A master of deception, he selects his victims at random. Or
so it seems. But as Phillips investigates, she begins to see a method in the
killer’s madness. Perhaps these victims aren’t random at all…
As the pressure mounts, can Phillips find the link between these ritual murders before the killer strikes again — or will her dogged determination to solve the case bring his deadly silence to her door?
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEADLY SILENCE: A gripping serial killer thriller
(Detective Jane Phillips Book 1) by OMJ Ryan is the start of a new DCI/DI
British police procedural thriller series now featuring DI Jane Phillips and
the other detectives from the author’s first book, Deadly Secrets. This book can
be easily read as a standalone without any confusion.
The consequences from previous decisions in the pursuit of
justice have left DCI Jane Phillips just recuperated from a gunshot wound which
almost took her life, demoted to DI, coping with PTSD and dealing with a DCI
from her past in charge of her and her team.
A serial killer is preying on women in the quiet town of Cheadle. As Jane and her team investigate the similar gruesome ritual murders, they discover the women are not random, but connected through their Catholic Church.
As the pressure from their new DCI and superiors mount, Jane’s
relentless pursuit of justice just may bring the killer to her own door.
I will be adding another engaging, intelligent, strong female British detective to follow on my reading list. I was very happy to see that Jane was given the main character role in this new series. I love her sense of right and wrong and her determination to discover the truth and not just solve a case. I will be looking forward to Mr. Ryan adding more backstory to Jane’s character in future books as well as the rest of her team. DCI Brown is the boss you “love to hate” and I enjoyed finding out why Jane and he are at such odds. The killer was sadistic in his method of murder, but you also felt a small amount of sympathy for him when his motive is revealed. I was not surprised by the killer or his motive for the murders, but the plot and characters are so engaging it did not matter.
This is a fast paced read with the perfect balance of
thrills and chills vs. smart detective work. I highly recommend Deadly Silence
and I am looking forward to many more books featuring DI Jane Phillips!
***
Author Bio:
For the last twenty years I’ve worked in radio and entertainment across the UK and Australia, collaborating with household names, celebrities and music icons, accumulating a host of international writing and radio awards.
And in 2018 I followed my lifelong 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. My mission is to entertain from the first page to the last.
Hailing from Yorkshire, I’ve lived and worked across the UK in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Sydney and Melbourne before settling in the north east of England with my wife and young son.
I am very excited to be sharing this Feature Post and Book Review for Mary Burton’s new release I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2). I highly recommend this romantic suspense, which can be easily read as a standalone.
Below you will find a guest post from the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy and as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
An Affair (and
a Murder) To Remember with Author Mary Burton
I SEE YOU, my latest romantic suspense, features
two of my very favorite characters: Homicide Detective William Vaughan and FBI
Special Agent Zoe Spencer.
Zoe Spencer is a member of an FBI criminal profiling team dedicated to finding
the most violent and prolific killers. Zoe, a talented artist and agent,
specializes in forensic reconstruction. She skillfully merges her interview
skills with pencil and paper to create stunning likenesses. And when only bones
remain, she molds clay over bone to recreate the faces of the lost.
Zoe’s work generates a high case-closure rate, which draws the attention of the
law enforcement community. Her lectures at the FBI headquarters at Quantico are
often standing room only. Among those interested in her work is Homicide Detective
William Vaughan.
Detective Vaughan, divorced and raising a college bound teenager, is a man of few words and when he does comment, his observations are always thoughtful and insightful. He not only hears what is said and but sees what is communicated via body language.
The more time Vaughan spends with Zoe, the greater his desire to breach her cool demeanor. He draws upon all his powers of observation, practiced detective skills and his somewhat rusty charm to win her. Though they begin an affair, she still remains elusive.
When a charred skull is found in Vaughan’s jurisdiction of Alexandria, Virginia, he turns to Zoe. Zoe recreates a stunning clay bust that leads to the identification of a girl who has been missing for fifteen years.
As Vaughan and Zoe dig deeper, the cold case heats up when several more women,
similar to their victim, are discovered brutally murdered. This killer, who has
avoided capture for so many years, is still hunting women. It becomes a race
against time to catch a madman who shifts his sights to his next victim: Zoe
Spencer.
I hope you enjoy I SEE YOU and this magnetic couple who I’ve pitted against one of my most chilling villains so far.
***
Excerpt
The
instant Vaughan woke, he knew she was gone. He should not have been surprised.
She never stayed long, but he’d thought last night would be different.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and
instantly spotted the note on the mirror. It was written on the back of the
fast-food receipt in fluid and graceful handwriting.
Called a car. Didn’t want to wake you.
Spencer. He knew how to make that woman’s body
tighten with desire and how to make her moan in a way that told him she was
fully attuned to his body. But beyond that, she was still a complete stranger.
He flicked the edge of the note, surprised he
had not awoken. Since he had become a cop and father, he had turned into a
light sleeper. Both incarnations, like a doctor on call, were summoned at all
times of the day and night. His ability to shake off sleep in seconds and then
think clearly was well honed. But yesterday had been long, even for him.
He laid the note on his dresser as he glanced
at the pillow that still held the impression of her head. It was not like him
to be sentimental, but he was sorry he likely would not see her for a while.
He showered, and fifteen minutes later he was
dressed, his badge and sidearm on his belt. As the coffee brewed, he scrambled
five eggs before he realized Nate was gone. He toasted a bagel and ate alone at
the kitchen table.
He filled a travel mug with more coffee and was
on the road by six o’clock. Moonlight mingled with the lights looming over
I-395 as he looped around the beltway and headed north toward his exit. The
traffic was already building, and soon it would slow to a snail’s pace.
With luck, the first wave of files from the
Prince case would be in his office. He had been warned that there were a dozen
file boxes, but he did not care. He also had the autopsy of the Jane Doe
stabbed to death in the motel room to attend. It was going to be another long
day.
Fifteen minutes later, he had parked and was in
the break room, refilling his coffee. When he flipped on the lights of his
office, there were six file boxes stacked in front of his desk. A green sticky
note read More to come.
It was too early to call the medical examiner
about his Jane Doe from the motel room, so he set his cup down and flipped
through the first set of files.
He spent the next hour and a half reading
through the detectives’ notes. At the time of Marsha’s disappearance, the
detectives had exhausted every lead and tip that had come into the station, but
in the end came up with nothing.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2) by Mary Burton
is the second romantic suspense in the Criminal Profiler series. This book focuses
on two suspense plots, a cold case and a present day serial killer case while
still managing to give you a believable romance intertwined with the
investigations.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer is a profiler and a forensic
artist who can use skeletal remains or eye- witness testimony to build or draw a
visual representation for law enforcement. As she works on the reconstruction
of a recently found skull, she brings back the face of a missing teenage girl from
19 years ago.
Alexandria homicide detective William Vaughan has been
called to the scene of a brutally murdered teenage sex worker. Just as he
begins investigating, he gets a call to assist on Zoe’s cold case. He is
interested in the case and is happy to once again work with his on-again,
off-again lover.
As William and Zoe reconnect with the sister of the cold
case victim, they are shocked to get a call that the sister’s husband has been
stabbed and the sister and her daughter have been abducted. There are deep
secrets in this family and as the investigation heats up, more bodies are being
found. Can William and Zoe find out who and what connects the past with the present
and if they are connected stop the killing spree?
I love all the layers in these suspense plots from the past
and present and how they were tied together. Ms. Burton kept me guessing and
changing my mind on who was guilty with an ending that satisfies, but also
leaves a scary question mark for the future. William is a steady, strong hero
who does not overshadow Zoe, who is a very strong heroine on her own. The
romance was believable because they were both at a point in their lives where
they were both ready to move on. The sex scenes are steamy and intimate, but
not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and author. Ms.
Burton always gives me intriguing cases to solve, strong and intelligent heroes
and heroines and a romantic HEA.
***
About the Book
Title: I See You
Author: Mary Burton
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate
the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the
process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals
she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.
As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the
victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to
tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.
Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William
Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in
the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed:
someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing,
time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills
again?
***
Author Biography
New York Times and USA Today bestselling
novelist Mary Burton is the popular author of thirty-five romance and suspense
novels as well as five novellas. She currently lives in Virginia with her
husband and three miniature dachshunds. Visit her at www.maryburton.com.
Today I am sharing a Feature Post and Book Review for the new gritty noir DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham for my turn on the Dark Retribution Book Tour.
There have been short stories featuring this character by this author, but this is the first full length novel featuring the mysterious Smitty. Noir is a genre of crime film or fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity and this book has it all. I enjoyed this first book and will definitely be following Smitty on his future adventures!
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark
Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham is a suspense/noir crime fiction book
featuring Smitty, a mysterious P.I./hitman/fixer/spook with his own moral code
and an almost paranormal ability to appear and disappear. There are several
short stories featuring this character, but this is his first full length story
and it is easily read as a standalone.
A modern-day Jack the Ripper is brutally killing prostitutes
without leaving even the smallest of clues. One of the police officers working
the case, Artie Jones knows the women being killed and are related on the job to
his sister-in-law who is the leader of this group of working girls. To protect
his sister-in-law, Artie decides to request the help of the mysterious Smitty.
Smitty is as much a mystery man as the killer. There is speculation
and rumor about whether he is a P.I., a security consultant, a mob hitman or
fixer, but no matter which is correct it is an absolute truth that he is a
killing machine who never leaves any evidence behind.
As Smitty works the case, the killer becomes aware that he
is now the hunted and he looks forward to a showdown with Smitty.
This is a fast-paced suspense crime read with a very intriguing new-to-me main character. I enjoy reading about a character that is as morally ambiguous as Smitty. A dark angel or knight is sometimes needed to fight evil. The plot moves at an increasingly fast pace to a climax that satisfies. This is a noir crime genre book with some stereotypes that may seem out-of-date, but can and should be expected in this type of genre book. I do wish that Mr. Stateham had not given Smitty’s elderly black snitch colloquial dialogue; it was not necessary in my opinion.
Overall, it is a great introduction to Smitty for readers
and an interesting crime read. I will be looking for more stories about Smitty
from this author in the future.
***
Short Biography:
B.R. Stateham is a fourteen-year-old boy trapped in a
seventy-year-old body. But his enthusiasm and boyish delight in anything
mysterious and/or unknown continue.
Writing novels, especially detectives, is just the avenue of
escape which keeps the author’s mind sharp and inquisitive. He’s
published a ton of short stories in online magazines like Crooked, Darkest
Before the Dawn, Abandoned Towers, Pulp Metal Magazine, Suspense Magazine,
Spinetingler Magazine, Near to The Knuckle, A Twist of Noir, Angie’s Diary,
Power Burn Flash, and Eastern Standard Crime. He writes both
detective/mysteries, as well as science-fiction and fantasy.
In 2008 the first book in the series featuring homicide detectives
Turner Hahn and Frank Morales came out, called Murderous Passions.
Also, in 2008 he self-published a fantasy novel entitled, Roland
of the High Crags: Evil Arises.
In 2009 he created a character named Smitty. So far
twenty-eight short stories and two novellas have been written about this dark
eyed, unusually complex hit man.
In 2012 Untreed Reads published book two of the Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales series A Taste of Old Revenge.
In 2015 NumberThirteen Press published a Smitty novella entitled, A
Killing Kiss.
In 2017 a British indie publisher, Endeavour Media, re-issued A
Taste of Old Revenge, and soon followed by a second Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales novel entitled, There Are No Innocents.
In 2018 Endeavour Media published a third novel of mine, the first
in a 1st Century Roman detective series, entitled While the
Emperor Slept.
Also in 2018, NumberThirteen Press merged with another famous
British indie, Fahrenheit Press. Soon afterwards, Fahrenheit Press re-issued an
old novel of mine entitled, Death of a Young Lieutenant.
Now, after all of this apparent success, you would think Fame and
Fortune would have sailed into my harbor, making me the delight of the
hard-core genre world. Ah but contraire, mon ami! Fame and Fortune are two
devious little wraths who pick and chooses the poor souls they wish to bedevil.
I remain in complete anonymity and am just as bereft of fortune as I have
always been. And apparently will continue to be for a long time to come.
