Live, Local and Long Dead - Nikki Knight

LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD: 

Vermont DJ Jaye Jordan's Green-Up Day ends in murder when not one, but two, bodies turn up in an old park -- and one of them was much too close to both her ex and her current man when it was alive and bodacious. Now Jaye, with the help of a colorful (and diverse) cast of townies, will have to clear her men's names, unravel a World War II-era mystery…and get Grandpa Seymour to the Senior Prom on time. 

 

My Review

Live, Local and Long Dead is a fantastic murder mystery, set in a small town in Vermont. Our heroine, Jaye (or Jaqueline) is a radio DJ and after she stumbles across two bodies she can't help but try and work out who they are and how they ended up there. One of these bodies has been there for quite some time, but the other is a much more recent death and has links to the men in Jaye's life.

I loved the supporting cast in this story. In many ways, the mystery side of things took second place to everything and everyone else that was going on. Jaye is finding her feet with her new partner Will, while older members of the family are also embarking on romantic liaisons. Jaye's daughter Ryan (who I realised was a girl after I'd read a few chapters and started getting confused) is also a great character who really adds something to this story. I think my absolute favourite has to be Neptune the cat, who reminds me very much of cats I've known. Brilliant.

I did actually manage to guess who was behind the more recent murder in this book and quite a bit before Jaye did. I wasn't so sure about the older mystery though and the two elements to this story really made for a great read. I loved the story, setting and the people in this book and I'd really love to rejoin Jaye and the rest of them again in the very near future.

 

Buy:  https://www.amazon.com/Live-Local-Vermont-Radio-Mystery/dp/1509257462/

 

Blurb

Nikki Knight describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York City’s 1010 WINS Radio, she writes short stories and novels. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, and Black Cat Weekly, online, and in anthologies – and been short-listed for Black Orchid Novella and Derringer Awards. Active in writers’ groups, she’s served as Vice President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and is currently Co-Vice President of the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime. As Kathleen Marple Kalb, she writes the Ella Shane and Old Stuff mystery series. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

 

Website:  https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/nikki-knight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikkiKnightAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NikkiKnightVT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenmarplekalb/

Other: YouTube: NIKKI KNIGHT'S RADIO STORYTIME - YouTube  

  

Cruel Lessons - Randy Overbeck

On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there, poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous threat: if he continues, those close to him will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?

Four kids dead. Can Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks unmask the drug dealer poisoning his students before more kids die?

My Review

Cruel Lessons is a thriller with a mystery at the heart of it. It isn't a murder mystery as such, although there are certainly deaths and ones related to the mystery. It's the kind of read that will keep you turning the pages and guessing (often wrongly) where it will go next. 

There perhaps should be a warning with this book, the victims are children, mostly pre-teens who are engaging in troublesome but not entirely unexpected teenage behaviour. Someone is taking advantage of that though and putting them at serious risk.

I considered various people that might have been behind it as I read this book. I did settle on the right person once or twice, but not firmly and I changed my mind a few times. It was a gripping read though and one that kept me guessing.

I was a little confused about the period, I believe it was the mid-nineties which mostly made sense. There were a few things that seemed to be too modern, with the internet and email playing a big role here. I know that it was around back then, just not quite as wide spread and accepted as it appears to be here. Or perhaps that's my memory playing tricks on me.

This was a well-written and entertaining read. I'd certainly be interested in more from this writer in the future.

Bio

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades and has turned that experience into captivating fiction, authoring the bestselling series, the Haunted Shores Mysteries, winner of nine national awards. This past fall, the Wild Rose Press released his newest work, an atmospheric amateur sleuth mystery, CRUEL LESSONS, which has captured two national awards already. He hosts the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets. He is also a speaker in much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” “A Few Favorite Haunts,” and “Everything You Wanted to Know About Publishing” with audiences all over the US. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.

 

More info about his novels, programs and podcast can be found at his website www.authorrandyoverbeck.com .

randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com

513-633-2838

 

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Randy-Overbeck/e/B07QQHW7DM

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4825632.Randy_Overbeck

 

Buy Links:

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The Girls in the Fire - Dea Poirier

 Harlow looked down at a photo of her victim and couldn’t reconcile it with the body found by the lake. Here was a young and carefree woman, gazing at the camera with her striking emerald green eyes, her long black hair waving in the breeze. But within an instant her future had been extinguished. Harlow had to find out why.

When the remains of a young woman are discovered on the edge of Saranac Lake in upstate New York, local law enforcement immediately call Detective Harlow Durant. When she arrives at the scene, she instantly knows this case will get under her skin. Lying just beyond the picturesque lake popular with families are the remains of a victim who has seemingly been burned to death. With very little evidence remaining, Harlow begins scouring missing persons reports.

The victim is identified as twenty-six-year-old Ellie Gordon—a fun-loving young woman who worked in the bookstore and enjoyed going out with friends. When her mother comes to ID the body, she reports her daughter’s gold crucifix missing and the hunt begins to locate it and any potential DNA evidence. But as Harlow starts to piece Ellie’s last movements together, another body is found. The victim was killed in exactly the same way and worked with Ellie.

Witness statements identify a local man who was obsessed with both women and when Harlow sees video evidence of him pawning the gold necklace, she thinks she has her man. But when he too winds up dead, Harlow has to start over. The only other link to the women is Gavin Croswell, one of the most powerful men in the town. But with a whole host of alibis, pinning the murders on him is almost impossible.

With time running out to find the killer before another woman loses her life, the case soon becomes personal when Harlow’s car is violently run off the road. Someone wants to warn her off the case and they will use anything they can to threaten her. Even if it means exposing her own dark secret.

Can Harlow confront her demons to save another innocent life from being lost? And just how much is she prepared to sacrifice?

An absolutely addictive serial killer thriller perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, and Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series.

Author Bio:

Author Dea (D.H) Poirier is the author of NEXT GIRL TO DIE, which hit #1 in the Amazon charts. She was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she got her start writing in creative writing courses. She attended The University of Central Oklahoma for Computer Science and Political Science. Later, she spent time living on both coasts, and traveling the United States, before finally putting down roots in Central Florida. She now resides somewhere between Disney and the swamp. She spends her days at her day job as a President of Digital Marketing, and her nights writing manuscripts.

https://www.dhpoirier.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dhpoirier/

https://www.instagram.com/deapoirier/

https://twitter.com/deapoirierbooks

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09KCDJLT4social

My Review

The Girls in the Fire is the second book in the Harlow Durant series. I read Find Me In The Dark a little while ago and was keen to revisit these characters. Harlow is a strong female lead which is something I particularly enjoy in this kind of book. (Any kind of book if I'm honest.) This might be the Harlow show, but it isn't just about her, her sidekick Lucas, who is an interesting character in his own right, is right alongside her helping her get to the bottom of things. I particularly enjoy the two of them together.

As with the first book, we see flashes of Harlow's past, alongside the current case that she's investigating. Whole chapters appear with events from twenty years previously. Not only is she a detective dealing with murderers, but her own father is a serial killer. Whether this gives her a unique insight into the criminal mind or doing what she does just helps her to deal with her past, without ever being able to come fully to terms with it. I'm not sure that she would know either.

The murderer this time specialises in young women who he brutally disfigures and then sets alight. While in some books it's obvious who is behind it all and why, before some kind of big reveal, that wasn't the case here. Instead, we follow alongside Harlow and Lucas as they uncover what is going on.

This was a gripping read and one I really enjoyed. I hope that we will be seeing more of this pair soon.

A Body at the Altar - Dee MacDonald

 Jilted grooms, sudden deaths, broken hearts and threatening letters. All in a day’s work for super sleuth Kate Palmer!

Nurse Kate Palmer thought the pretty Cornish village of Tinworthy would be the perfect place for a peaceful retirement. She couldn’t have been more wrong! But even she is shocked when she attends a beautiful wedding at St. Pirin’s Church and the handsome groom drops dead in front of her very eyes.

While the rest of the wedding party panics, Kate notices the strange behaviour of the not-so-blushing bride and the posh mother-in-law – and vows to find out the truth behind the poor young man’s sudden demise. Especially when the new detective Charlotte Martin makes it known that she doesn’t want Kate involved – and also shows an interest in Woody Forrest, Kate’s partner in crime-solving.

Undeterred, Kate discovers this isn’t the only wedding to have been sabotaged. A series of peculiar letters contain the clues Kate needs to get to the heart of the matter. But is the mystery letter writer behind the unusual deaths? Or is more than one person responsible for the strange goings on in the seaside village…

As Kate digs deeper, she adds more suspects to her growing list: the world-weary vicar, the unlucky-in-
love cleaner and the bride’s former flame. But, as a pair of boots bring Kate closer to the killer, it becomes clear their investigation has placed Woody in danger.

Can Kate solve the murder and save the man she loves at the same time?

If you love cozy crime mysteries by Agatha Christie, Faith Martin or Joy Ellis, this page-turning novel will have you reading late into the night!

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://twitter.com/dmacdonaldauth

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3mJXoXy

My Review

A Body at the Altar by Dee MacDonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the Kate Palmer series finds her present for another murder. Kate seems to have the worst luck when it comes to finder herself involved in these mysteries, but they do make entertaining stories for us. This time she is present for the death of a bridegroom at his wedding, dropping dead before his wife to be even makes it down the altar. Despite her best intentions, Kate soon finds herself drawn into investigating the mystery, putting herself in danger again.
I do enjoy these murder mysteries. They fall into what I'd describe as a classic British mystery style. There are plenty of clues along the way, as well as the classic red herrings to throw you off the scent. I thought I'd got this one solved a couple of times before the end. Although, I had figured it out eventually.
I don't know what's next for Kate, she's promised her significant other, Woody, that she won't get involved in another murder, but I can't help but think that she might not have much choice in that when it comes to it.
If you're a fan of the classic who done it style of murder mystery, then I think you'll love this latest instalment from Dee MacDonald.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

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The Child in the Photo - Kerry Wilkinson

 

I stare at the newspaper article about a baby snatched from the back of a car thirty years ago, and wonder why someone would post it through my door. Looking closer, my blood freezes. The little girl in the photo has an unusual scar – just like mine. I’ve never met anyone with one like it. Is this
stolen child… me?

Trembling with shock, I know I have to confront my mother. My parents got me through a horrific accident, helped me find a job I love teaching art, and even with buying my own house. But was it all built on lies?

She tells me the day I was born was the best day of her life, and I’m flooded with guilt for questioning her – but why do I catch her burning papers in the garden the next day?

Then I come home to find a woman sitting on my doorstep, covered in bruises and claiming she knows who abducted me. I don’t know if I can trust her – or if I’ll be the next to get hurt.

Because all the while, I’ve been hiding my own secret. Does whoever sent the article know what really happened the day of my accident? Desperate for the truth, I break into the house of my supposed kidnapper. Inside, I find a handwritten list of names. A shiver goes down my spine as I realise wasn’t the only child to be stolen.

Then I hear a key in the lock, and I know my life is in terrible danger…

An absolutely addictive read that will have you racing through the pages and questioning everything you thought you knew about your family. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena.

Author Bio:

Kerry Wilkinson is from the English county of Somerset but has spent far too long living in the north. It’s there that he’s picked up possibly made-up regional words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’. He pretends to know what they mean.

He’s also been busy since turning thirty: his Jessica Daniel crime series has sold more than a million copies in the UK; he has written a fantasy-adventure trilogy for young adults; a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter and the standalone thriller, Down Among The Dead Men.

https://kerrywilkinson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks/

https://twitter.com/kerrywk

Buy LInks:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3x2C9no

Apple: https://apple.co/33loBqc

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3vIH2kI

Google: https://bit.ly/3eVuDmR

My Review

From the moment I picked this book up, I was drawn into the story and didn't want to put it down. It tells the story of Hope. She's faced some difficulties in her life, but seems to have come out the other side and is doing well. When an old newspaper article is posted through her door suddenly she finds herself questioning everything that she ever believed about her life.
We follow Hope who tries to get to the bottom of the truth and find out who she really is. Are her parents really her parents or did something else happen when she was small? The story is exciting and there are lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing. I did see some of the twists coming, but there was plenty there that I didn't. I have read similar storylines before, but this was a fresh take on the idea and it worked well. I couldn't help but feel for Hope and the position that she finds herself in.
This was a great read and one that I really enjoyed, polishing it off in just over a day.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Counterfeit Lover - J.C. Farmer

Counterfeit Lover
J.C. Farmer
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: November 24th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller

Darrin Clark is an impoverished young man, madly in love with his long-time friend Janie. He is desperate for a job, and any way to win Janie’s affections. Then a Hollywood studio promises to make him a movie star—if he will submit to a face-modifying procedure they are developing.

Darrin’s love overcomes his fear, and he allows the movie studio to alter his face. Soon his dreams come true. He is extraordinarily handsome, rich, and popular, full of the confidence he needs to earn Janie’s love. Yet, changing faces doesn’t seem enough, and the studio wants him to sacrifice more of his identity than just his appearance.

His plan to win Janie’s heart becomes complicated when she unexpectedly joins the cast and changes her face too. Now a gorgeous star, she’s pursued by prominent, powerful men, and beneath the glitz and glamour, Darrin finds himself in a world of death and deceit, where anyone can have any face.

Several of his friends have been murdered by a mysterious killer, and the ability to alter appearances seems to make the criminal invincible. Soon, Darrin abandons his pursuit of Janie, simply hoping to keep her alive.The only way to outsmart the ruthless villain is to risk everything. How drastic a transformation is Darrin willing to make for love?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:

Jerome Connelly Farmer has had a successful career as an engineer, inventor and technology consultant. He has three engineering degrees from Stanford and an MBA from the Anderson School. He has several patents and spent many years managing engineering teams and consulting for high-tech firms, movie studios, and Fortune 500 companies.

J.C. was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI. He is an airplane pilot, sailor, scuba diver and avid traveler; he has explored Tibet, camped in the Australian outback, canoed through the Amazon River, and retraced segments of Ernest Shackleton’s famous rescue in Antarctic. J. C.’s passion for wildlife photography has taken him to all seven continents, including searching for Komodo Dragons in Indonesia, wild macaws in the Peruvian jungle, endangered species in the Galapagos Islands, Duck-billed Platypus in Australia, and White Rhinoceros in Botswana.

J.C. is the author of the romantic thriller Counterfeit Lover and the children’s book Santa’s Dashboard. Writing combines his love for adventure, invention and exploration.

When he is not traveling, J.C. lives in Solana Beach, CA.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

My Review

Counterfeit Lover is an unusual book, I think that I would call it a thriller over and above anything else, but even in this, it is very different. The story is about actor Darrin Clark, he's been in love with his close friend Janie for years and years. He finally gets the chance to win her over and become a well-known actor when he actually becomes a famous actor from the past.

The whole premise of this story is unusual and very interesting. There is a lot going on although it's not really clear why people are doing what they are doing or indeed who is behind everything. This book really keeps you guessing throughout. Even worse than that, you don't even get to find out at the end. I saw that this was book one, but didn't realise that it was the kind of series that follows on and leaves you on a cliffhanger at the end of the book.

There is a romance of sorts, although it really isn't a big part of the story and I have to admit that I didn't fully connect with this side of the story. I do wonder if this is something that will play out in more depth in the next book.

I was kept guessing the whole way through this story and I have to admit that I still have not idea where this one is going. This is a really interesting and different read and I really enjoyed it.

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The Night Whistler - Greg Woodland

The Night Whistler by Greg Woodland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Night Whistler is set in Australia in the 1960's. Despite being a Brit, living in New Zealand in 2020, there was something about the writing that sets that time and place very vividly. We're not just told that's where and when it is, but you can feel it too. The story focuses on what starts as a pet killing and nuisance caller and progresses into murder. Told from the point of view of disgraced detective Mick and young teenager Hal.
With much of the story being told from a younger person's viewpoint, there's always the danger that it becomes simplistic or childish, but that wasn't the case here. Hal's discoveries worked alongside Mick's as the story unfolds.
I have to admit that I hadn't worked out who was behind it all by the time everything was revealed. Mostly because I'd actually forgotten about this one character, he was quite shadowy and in the background with other people pushing him out the way. I think that this was probably intentional.
This was a great read and once I started I wasn't keen to put it down. This is a gripping read that draws you in completely with a well-drawn setting and compelling characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Tangled Threat - Heather Graham

Tangled Threat by Heather Graham
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this one, I really did. Usually a combination of two of my favourite genres, romance and mystery is something that I really enjoy, but for some reason, this one just fell a bit flat.
Firstly the mystery aspect. While there was an interesting storyline, with a parallel murder, or in fact two, in the past, for some reason it was all just a bit flat. I think that it might be, at least in part because it all seemed a bit rushed. The book was short and there wasn't really time to build the story and the mystery in quite the way that I would have liked. I had figured out who was behind it all and why quite early on, or at least half of it. When the big reveal came, in all honesty, it just didn't make much sense.
When it came to the romance side of things, again, I think this suffered because of the speed with which the story progressed. There was little chemistry between the two of them and they go from not having seen one another for 12 years, to nothing has changed.
This book was an easy read and I didn't hate it, but I had expected enjoy it so much more than I did, which means that ultimately it was really quite disappointing. I think that a longer book with a bit more development of both the mystery and the romance would have been much better.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Sanctity of Sloth - Greta Boris

About the Book

Title: The Sanctity of Sloth
Author: Greta Boris
Genre: Suspense, Mystery
Series: The Seven
There's one thing more dangerous than testifying to a crime—staying silent. 
Locked in the ruins of a California Mission, Abby Travers watches helplessly as a girl dies outside her window. As she struggles between her moral obligation to come forward as a witness, and her commitment to a Medieval religious practice that requires her to retreat from the world, the situation spins out of control. 
Abby's hesitation starts a series of catastrophes. She finds herself at the centre of a deadly cover up where every minute counts and indecision could be fatal. She questions all her beliefs and everyone she knows becomes suspect. To save herself and those she loves, she must break free from her self-imposed prisons of stone and fear. 
The Sanctity of Sloth is a taut, psychological thriller that answers the question: What happens when a good woman does nothing? Fans of Paula Hawkins and A.J. Finn will enjoy this third book in Greta Boris's Seven Deadly Sins Series. 

Author Bio

Greta Boris was raised in Greenwich Village, New York by an opera singing, piano playing, voice coach and a magazine publisher. Her original life plan was to be a famous Broadway actor, singer, and dancer, but when she moved to Laguna Beach, California, she changed her plans due to the commute. Today she writes to inspire, entertain, motivate, and so she can afford nice wine.

Links

Facebook Author Page Twitter Website Goodreads Amazon Author Page  

My Review

The premise of this book is 'what happens when a good woman does nothing?' It's an interesting question, but not one that I'm convinced this book answers. Why? Because I'm not particularly of the opinion that the main character, Abby, is a good woman. I'd go as far as to say that most of this book is populated with characters who aren't particularly likeable. That doesn't mean that it is a bad story, or that I didn't find myself totally gripped by it.

Abby is spending forty nights locked in a small room that her father has built in the side of a Californian mission. I'm not really sure what missions are, but obviously some kind of religious structure, Google tells me that they were used by the Spanish for converting the native population to Christianity. Her father hasn't done this as a punishment for Abby, or anything like that. Instead, she is trying to write a book about the Anchorites who lived in small cells in the walls of Churches and Cathedrals in medieval Europe. She does this without the permission of the people who run the Mission, putting her father's job in danger. She also pressures her father, who is against the whole idea, into helping her and doesn't tell the man that she is thinking of marrying that she is doing and where she is going. So far this 'good woman' seems to be self-obsessed and only bothered about what she wants to do.

When she sees a young woman, who is clearly in a bad way, dumped on the grass outside of her cell, she does nothing. While she couldn't have got out, she doesn't try particularly hard, she doesn't shout and scream on the off chance, however remote, of getting help. She stays quiet when the now dead body is discovered and the police arrive. She then pressures her father into claiming to have seen everything that happened. These actions then lead on to the thriller aspects of this book as we try to discover who the girl was, why she was left and by whom.

I was gripped by this story. I have to admit that I wasn't convinced who, if anyone, I wanted to win through. Abby, as I've mentioned is a childish, self-obsessed type and her father enables this behaviour. Her boyfriend Carlos was a little more likeable, but I couldn't really see what he saw in Abby. In any case, I did want to know what was going to happen and where the story would lead. I thought that the idea behind the storyline and the way that the plot played out was very interesting and the book itself was a thoroughly enjoyable read. 

Jeopardy in July - Barbara Venkataraman

Jeopardy in July by Barbara Venkataraman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is, sadly, the last book (so far) in the Jamie Quinn series. I hope that it is only so far and that another is to follow soon as I've become quite a fan after reading the previous books. I think that I mentioned in previous reviews that each one just seems to get better and better and that was still the case with this one.
I am probably repeating myself here, but much of the joy of this series is the characters who appear in every book, rather than the mystery so much. Jamie herself is fantastic and I love reading about what she gets up to. Then there is the ever-growing cast of supporting characters, from the wonderful Duke, her tame private detective, to Jamie's best frenemy Nick. Each of them adds too much to the books and I'm as keen to find out what is going to happen with Jamie and her boyfriend/fiance-to-be Kip and with Jamie's father.
The mystery this time has to do with the residents of an old people's home (an assisted living facility I think is the current term) a number of whom seem to have got themselves mixed up in art fraud. Jamie, of course, is in the thick of it, even though she doesn't intend to get involved in these things, she seems to have a knack for it.
This was another great instalment in this series and I can't wait to read more if and when they come out.

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Hunger Moon - Alexandra Sokoloff

Hunger Moon
Alexandra Sokoloff
(The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #5)
Publication date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Revenge has no limits.
Special Agent Matthew Roarke has abandoned his rogue search for serial killer Cara Lindstrom. He’s returned to the FBI to head a task force with one mission: to rid society of its worst predators. But as the skeletal symbols of Santa Muerte, “Lady Death,” mysteriously appear at universities nationwide, threatening death to rapists, Roarke’s team is pressured to investigate. When a frat boy goes missing in Santa Barbara, Roarke realizes a bloodbath is coming—desperate teenagers are about to mete out personal, cold-blooded justice.
Hiding from the law, avenging angel Cara Lindstrom is on her own ruthless quest. She plans to stay as far away from Roarke as possible—until an old enemy comes after both her and the FBI, forcing her back into Roarke’s orbit. This time, the huntress has become the hunted . . .

Goodreads / Amazon

Previous books in the Huntress/FBI Thrillers Series:

Author Bio:
"Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre." - The New York Times
ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF is the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker, Anthony, and Black Quill Award-nominated author of the Amazon bestselling Huntress/FBI series (HUNTRESS MOON, BLOOD MOON, COLD MOON, BITTER MOON, HUNGER MOON - now in active development as a TV series), and the supernatural HAUNTED thrillers (THE HARROWING, THE PRICE, THE UNSEEN, BOOK OF SHADOWS, THE SHIFTERS, THE SPACE BETWEEN). The New York Times Book Review called her a "daughter of Mary Shelley," and her books "Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre."
As a screenwriter she has sold original horror and thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios. She has also written three non-fiction workbooks: SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS, STEALING HOLLYWOOD, and WRITING LOVE, based on her internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (www.ScreenwritingTricks.com), and has served on the Board of Directors of the WGA West and the Board of the Mystery Writers of America.
Alex is a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where she majored in theater and minored in everything Berkeley has a reputation for. In her spare time (!) she performs with The Slice Girls and Heather Graham's all-author Slush Pile Players, and dances like a fiend. She is also very active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. But not an addict. Seriously, it's under control.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

My Review 

I can't even begin to tell you how much I've been enjoying this series. I hadn't actually read any of Alexandra Sokloff's books before, but started with the first in this series Huntress Moon recently. Since then, I've not been able to put them down, reading quickly through to this latest installment; Hunger Moon.

As the series has gone on, the relationship between Matt Rorke and Cara Lindstrom has grown and developed. Although they are on different sides, he the law man, she the killer, they know and understand one another. They are in effect working for the same end, trying to achieve the same thing. They are almost like each other's alter ego.

In this book, things have changed very slightly. Rorke's focus is now on bringing down sexual predators, it is no longer Cara that he is chasing. The setting of this book is the US today and it is much more political than previous books. It's not really an easy read in many ways, but very engrossing. Which of course is often the way when something so serious and relevant to us all is dealt with.

The book is well written and a fast paced exciting read. If you haven't read the others in the series, then I would suggest that you go back to the beginning and start there. Highly recommended. I love this series.

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Accidental Lawyer - Kim Hamilton

I love murder mystery books, so I'm always on the look out for a new author. When I was offered the chance to read and review Accidental Lawyer by Kim Hamilton, I jumped at the chance.

Accidental Lawyer

Set in the brilliant and diverse city of Baltimore, Accidental Lawyer, is a humorous, often irreverent portrayal of the dubious practice of personal injury law. Jessica Snow has a crisp new law degree, a grinding ambition, and a pesky moral compass that is often at odds with her new job as an ambulance chaser. Her face and name appear on billboards and buses throughout the city, and if that isn t enough to embarrass her mother, there s a television commercial in the works. Her elevated status has her wrangling with a local mob boss, duping a drug dealer, and confronting phony clients. With the help of her bold and brassy sidekick, Kari, Jess develops a remarkable proclivity for this ignoble profession by wrapping up difficult cases and finding new business in unexpected places. When trumped-up murder charges are brought against her boss, she faces her biggest challenge yet tracking down a killer. Along the way, Jess builds a new kind of family for herself, her own tribe, made up of friends, colleagues and clients, many of whom are sure to raise eyebrows at her mother s dinner table.

My Review

You can't beat a good, funny, crime fiction book. Accidental Lawyer is all of these things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found my self giggling out loud as I made my way through it. Jessica Snow is an ambulance chaser, who, while being good at the job, isn't entirely convinced that it's what she wants to do. She has been hired so that her law firm can use her face (with a little bit of photoshop work) on their adverts around town. 

The characters in this book are great. There's Jessica's fantastic next door neighbour with her mob connections. Then her assistant and sidekick, Kari, who doesn't let much stand in the way of drumming up businesses. Her boss, Dawson, who doesn't even let a murder charge get in the way of his ironing. There are no end of well drawn, funny, and entertaining characters in this book.

I really enjoyed Accidental Lawyer. A great quick read, if you're looking for something funny and fun, then I don't thin that you'll go far wrong with this.

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Triple Threat - A.K Leigh

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. I thought that the idea of triplets working together to solve cold cases, with some romance thrown in, sounded like an interesting idea.

Triple Threat

They’re beautiful, accomplished, and they have identical interests...

In their spare time, identical triplets the Farris sisters work together to solve cold cases. Lizzie uses her skills as a Criminal Profiler, Nina her Scenes of Crime Officer experience, and Carrie assists through her work as a both a Forensic Scientist and Forensic Anthropologist.

Romantic and idealistic, Lizzie is picky about men. But despite the good-natured teasing of her sisters, she refuses to settle for anything less than ‘The One’. She loves her life, her job as both a profiler and a university lecturer, and her sisters, and won’t make changes for anything less. If that makes her unrealistic, then so be it. 

Gabe Montcoeur has just moved across Australia from Perth to Cairns and starts a job as a journalism teacher at Cairns University: the same university where Elizabeth Farris works. On the surface, the move seems innocent, but he has an ulterior motive. Gabe wants to elicit the aid of the Farris sisters in solving the murder of his family members, and the only way to circumvent their notorious ‘no contact’ policy is to reach out to them in person. 

But when Gabe meets Lizzie for the first time, the attraction is instantaneous — and mutual. The deeper they fall into each other, however, the more guilty Gabe feels about his real motivation for getting close. Lizzie wants the real deal, the one, true love — can Gabe ever offer her the future she deserves if he keeps holding on so tightly to the past?

My Review

I have to admit, that books that focus on twins, are not my favourite, I don't think that I've come across one about triplets before though. I think that if anyone else were writing it, I'd have the same concerns that I do with twins; using the usual twin cliches, using twins as an obvious plot device, only using twins because they are twins. If the author in question is a twin, then it's different, our author in this case is an identical triplet, so obviously, they have the insight to write from that perspective. 

There was a lot I liked about this book. The mix of crime novel and romance made for interesting reading, two of my favourite genres. I liked Gabe and Lizzie, I liked the way that their romance played out. The book is a quick read and quite short, so I did wonder if it would have been slightly better if there had been a bit more room for things to be developed a bit more. The romance happened quickly, despite their plans to take things slow. The mystery was cleared up fairly quickly too. I would have liked a little more time spent on both of these things.

This is the first book in a series of three, I'm not sure, but I would expect that the next books are going to focus on each of the other sisters as they find their man. I did think that the question of Gabe and Lizzie wasn't completely resolved in this book. (It's not that there's a cliffhanger, or that the question of their relationship was left up in the air, more that there's certainly room to find out what will happen next with them.) I'd be keen to read the next book in the series and find out where the story is going to go. I found this an enjoyable and entertaining read.

The Girl Before - J.P. Delaney

It's been a while since I read a good psychological thriller, so I was excited to get a copy of The Girl Before through Netgalley.

The Girl Before

A damaged young woman gets the unique opportunity to rent a one-of-a-kind house. When she falls in love with the sexy, enigmatic architect who designed it, she has no idea she is following in the footsteps of the girl who came before: the house’s former tenant.

The eerie parallels in the two girls’ lives lay bare an enthralling story…and make this novel the must-read thriller of the season.

Everything that is yours, was once hers . . .

Enter the world of One Folgate Street and discover perfection . . . but can you pay the price? 

For all fans of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and GONE GIRL comes this spellbinding Hitchcockian thriller which takes psychological suspense to the next level.

Jane stumbles on the rental opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to live in a beautiful ultra-minimalist house designed by an enigmatic architect, on condition she abides by a long list of exacting rules. After moving in, she discovers that a previous tenant, Emma, met a mysterious death there - and starts to wonder if her own story will be a re-run of the girl before. As twist after twist catches the reader off guard, Emma's past and Jane's present become inexorably entwined in this tense, page-turning portrayal of psychological obsession.

My Review

For me, the sign of a good psychological thriller, is one that you can't put down, even though you know that the more you read, the more likely something bad will happen. I started The Girl Before, yesterday and finished it this morning. It is a cliche to say that you couldn't put a book down, but I really wanted to know what was going to happen. 

The story is told through alternating view points, Emma, who lived in the house previously and Jane, who is the current resident. We soon discover parallels between the two women; from the way that they look to the things that happen to them. Jane becomes more and more interested in Emma and more importantly, what happened to her and who was to blame.

Everyone that Jane meets has a different view of Emma and what happened, but which is the right one? There were lots of twists and turns as the story unfolded, some that I saw coming and others that were a surprise. 

I haven't read the Girl on the Train or Gone Girl, so I can't comment on whether this book is similar or not. Personally I tend to prefer books to stand on their own, rather than claiming it's like something else. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing as the story unfolds in The Girl Before.

There were some aspects of the book that didn't really work for me. I was a little put off with the way that rape was used as part of the plot. I see what the author was trying to do, adding to the confusion surrounding who to believe, but I think that it could have been done just as well with something else, without adding to the fiction that perpetuates rape culture in modern society.

On the whole this was a fast paced, exciting, well written and enjoyable read. I did guess what was going to happen a few times, even towards the end of the book, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment. (I do sometimes like to guess the ending and get it right, it makes me feel clever.) I look forward to reading more by this author and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

In the line of duty - Carolyn Arnold

I haven't read any of the books in the Madison Knight series before, so I wasn't sure about starting with book seven. I thoroughly enjoyed this book though and it really did't matter that I hadn't read any of them before.

In the line of duty

He devoted his life to seeking justice. But would she get any for him?

 It was an ordinary day for police officer Barry Weir. It was the end of shift, he was tired, and he just wanted to get home to his wife and kids. But someone had other plans for him—shooting him down and forcing him to make the ultimate sacrifice.

 When news of Weir’s murder reaches the precinct, it leaves Detective Madison Knight and every cop in the Stiles PD itching for revenge. It cuts Madison’s boyfriend, colleague, and Weir’s childhood friend, Troy Matthews, deepest of all, driving him away from everyone he loves, just when they need one another the most.

With evidence pointing to a gang-related drive-by, Madison and her team investigate the town’s seedy underbelly in search of justice for their fallen brother. But the deeper they dig, the more convoluted the case becomes. Now they need to figure out if this was a random shooting as part of a gang initiation, a straight-up hate crime, or a targeted kill. But with the Stiles PD under attack, they have to do it fast…before more people pay with their lives.

My Review

I haven't read a police procedural novel for a while, although I do enjoy them. I was looking forward to getting stuck into this one. I was a little worried before I started that being book seven in the series, I might struggle a bit. Fortunately, even though there were small references to what I assume are previous books, it didn't detract from this one at all. It could be read as a stand alone novel, as I did, although now that I've read one, I'd quite like to go back and read the rest in the series.

If I had a fault to find with this book, it would be that I got a little confused towards the end. I wasn't sure who was who when Madison was solving the crime. There were lots of interconnected characters who were mostly refered to by their surnames. I was a little bit lost as to who was who, although it didn't really detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I thought that the loss of a collegue was very sensatively and thoughtfully handled. There was also the interesting subplot of the relationship between Madison and her boyfriend Troy. I really enjoyed this well written, police procedural novel and I'll be back for more in the series.

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