Category: Mystery

Review: Last Shot by Eve Gaddy

Posted June 10, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Last Shot
Series:
Author: Eve Gaddy
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Published: April 30, 2015
Publisher:
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Love is a dangerous choice.

Murder is the last thing homicide Detective Nick Sheridan wants to deal with when he retreats to the small, coastal town of Freedom, Texas. His last case–possibly his last ever–was the most horrific he’d ever seen. No, he wants to drink, forget, and find a warm, willing woman.

The Last Shot Bar & Grill seems like the perfect place to do that.

Della Rose, single mother and waitress at the Last Shot, is anything but warm and willing. Della has baggage; she pegs Nick as a cop the moment she sees him, and no matter how hot he is, she’s not interested. When her boss, Charlie Banks, is murdered and the local police chief writes it down as a robbery gone bad, Della is forced to turn to Nick for help.

Soon, Nick is unwillingly drawn in to the mystery of why Charlie was murdered and what the gunmen wanted. As Nick and Della enter a red-hot affair, Nick falls hard for Della, but Della has no intention of a serious relationship.

Della and her family are in danger. Nick’s instincts are to protect and serve, but Della’s are to push away anyone who might hurt her. Even him.

Can they catch a murderer and solve the mystery without Della’s life being torn apart once again? And can they put aside their past long enough to trust their love?

Read on for my thoughts on Last Shot. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Don’t Turn Around by Caroline Mitchell

Posted June 2, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 2 Comments

Title: Don’t Turn Around
Series: DC Jennifer Knight series #1
Author: Caroline Mitchell
Genre: Supernatural Crime Thriller, Mystery, Paranormal
Published: April 24, 2015
Publisher: Bookouture
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: Author, Personal Collection
Cover Blurb:

You don’t know him. But he knows you.

Soon he would be able to touch her, to feel the warmth of her blood. And when the time came, nothing would stop him.

As D.C. Jennifer Knight investigates a routine stabbing in the quiet town of Haven, she is shocked at what seems like a personal message from beyond the grave.

When more bodies are found, Jennifer is convinced the killings are somehow linked. What she discovers is more chilling than she could possibly imagine. The murders mirror those of the notorious Grim Reaper – from over twenty years ago. A killer her mother helped convict.

Jennifer can no longer ignore the personal connection. Is there a copycat killer at work? Was the wrong man convicted? Or is there something more sinister at play …

With her mother’s terrifying legacy spiralling out of control, Jennifer must look into her own dark past in a fight not only to stop a killer – but to save herself and those she loves.

Read on for my thoughts on Don’t Turn Around. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Spore by Tamara Jones

Posted June 2, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Spore
Series:
Author: Tamara Jones
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Samhain
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

The dead are coming back.

Ten naked people walk from a cemetery into artist Sean Casey’s backyard: ten Spore People who used to be dead. One, Mindy, stays with Sean while trying to reclaim her life, but her ex would rather she return to her grave. Sean struggles to protect Mindy and other Spores while battling his recurring—and worsening—nightmares. Meanwhile, the media feeds a panicked frenzy that leads both the hopeful and hateful to Sean’s front door.

As the Spore fungus spreads, so does the fear. When mutilated children match Sean’s nightmares, he realizes his own worst terror may be closer than he thinks.

Read on for my thoughts on Spore. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Macyn’s Letter by S. L. Stacker

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Macyn’s Letter
Series: Macyn McIntyre series #1
Author: S. L. Stacker
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Mystery
Published: May 18, 2015 (original October 2013)
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

A near-death experience at the hands of her husband would cause any woman to cling to her crippling trust issues and dating phobia, and Macyn McIntyre is no exception. Falling into the lap of a sexy stranger may persuade her to change her mind, but before Macyn realizes what’s happening, a second potential love interest is vying for her affections.

When a threatening letter turns up in her mailbox, Macyn realizes choosing between two guys is the least of her worries. Abduction, violence, and rescue by an elite squad change the course of her life forever. When she seeks revenge on those who hurt her, she has to decide if she can trust the ones who vow they love her.

Will Macyn be able to overcome her past and use their aid in her vendetta, or will she take matters into her own hands?

Read on for my thoughts on Macyn’s Letter. No true spoilers, promise.

Defending the Dead by Sheila Connolly

Posted May 6, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Defending the Dead
Series: Relatively Dead Mysteries #3
Author: Sheila Connolly
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Romance
Published: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing
My Rating: 3 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Abby Kimball has slowly accepted her recently discovered ability to see the dead, but none of the harmless sightings she’s experienced could have prepared her for the startling apparition of a centuries-old courtroom scene—where she locks eyes with a wicked and gleeful accuser. Thrown back more than three hundred years, Abby realizes she’s been plunged into a mystery that has fascinated people throughout American history: the Salem witch trials.

With her boyfriend Ned at her side, Abby digs into the history of the events, researching the people and possible causes of that terrible time and her own connection to them—all the while going more deeply into her connection to Ned, both extraordinary and romantic.

As Abby witnesses more fragments from the events in Salem and struggles with the question of how such a nightmare could have come about, she’s suddenly confronted with a pressing personal question: Were one or more of her ancestors among the accused? Unraveling the puzzling clues behind that question just might give Abby and Ned the answer to a very modern mystery of their own.

Read on for my thoughts on Defending the Dead. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Taken by Dee Henderson

Posted April 27, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Taken Title: Taken
Series:
Author: Dee Henderson
Genre: Romance, Mystery
Published: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Bethany House Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She has enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time.

When Shannon contacts private investigator and former cop Matthew Dane to help her navigate her reentry into society, she quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn’t mean her troubles are over. For one thing, her brother is the leading candidate in the race for Illinois governor, and news of her escape will create a media frenzy. For another, the ransom her family reportedly paid years earlier appears to have been a scam; no one knows what happened to the money. And then there’s the fact that Shannon’s escape involved faking her own death. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they’ll stop at nothing to silence her.

If justice is to be done, and if Shannon’s life is ever to get on track again, Matthew will need to discover exactly what happened to her–even if it means stirring up a hornet’s nest of secrets.

Read on for my thoughts on Taken. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Blood and Bone by Tara Brown

Posted April 25, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Blood and Bone
Series:
Author: Tara Brown
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Published: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
My Rating: 3 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

What would you do if your life was a lie—and everyone knew but you?

Jane has come a long way from the dark days of the horrific car accident that robbed her of many memories. Living the life of a shopgirl with a charming boyfriend—a handsome, green-eyed doctor named Derek—is so satisfying that she doesn’t want to revisit her past.

But the past insists on revisiting Jane. People keep thinking she’s Samantha, a dead girl who looks exactly like her. Now, Jane is determined to discover her connection to the girl, leading her to question everything from her relationship with Derek to her own sanity. Should she believe Rory, the man who insists she actually is Samantha? Or should she depend on Derek, who offers her love and shelter…but who may have other reasons for keeping her under wraps? Who is telling her the truth—and what are the others hiding?

Read on for my thoughts on Blood and Bone. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Hidden by Catherine McKenzie

Posted April 5, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Hidden Title: Hidden
Series:
Author: Catherine McKenzie
Genre: Adult Fiction
Published: April 7, 2015 (originally June 18, 2013)
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
My Rating: 3 outta 5
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

While walking home from work one evening, Jeff Manning is struck by a car and killed. Two women fall to pieces at the news: his wife, Claire, and his co-worker Tish. Reeling from her loss, Claire must comfort her grieving son as well as contend with funeral arrangements, well-meaning family members, and the arrival of Jeff’s estranged brother, who was her ex-boyfriend. Tish volunteers to attend the funeral on her company’s behalf, but only she knows the true risk of inserting herself into the wreckage of Jeff’s life.

Told through the three voices of Jeff, Tish, and Claire, Hidden explores the complexity of relationships, the repercussions of our personal choices, and the responsibilities we have to the ones we love.

Read on for my thoughts on Hidden. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Holiday Party by Brian Perry

Posted April 3, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: The Holiday Party
Series:
Author: Brian Perry
Genre: Adult Literature
Published: April 3, 2015
Publisher: First Edition Design Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

“All cops go to Heaven. Cop killers, they go to that other place.” So says the narrator of The Holiday Party, a police officer who has seen his best friend killed in the line of duty.

Six years later…September 11, 2001. Struggling with alcoholism and on the brink of suicide, our hero finds himself buried beneath one hundred stories of concrete and steel. Now, in the midst of unspeakable tragedy, he fights to survive, even as he discovers that his greatest challenge is to escape the wreckage of his past and find hope for a better future.

As his situation grows increasingly desperate, a troubled hero learns those timeless lessons his own father never had the opportunity to teach him: love, forgiveness, and honor. But can he learn the final lesson – that though we cannot change our pasts, we can decide what type of person we want to be today.

A touching reminder of the sacrifices police and their families make, this heartwarming and inspirational book is for anyone that has been through a difficult time, or has regrets, or had faith and lost it. In other words, The Holiday Party is a book for all of us, and one that will stay with you long after you put it down.

Read on for my thoughts on The Holiday Party. No true spoilers, promise.

The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die by Marnie Riches

Posted April 1, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

The Girl Who Wouldn't Die Title: The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die
Series:
Author: Marnie Riches
Genre: Mystery
Published: April 2, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins, Maze
My Rating: 2 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

He’s watching her…she doesn’t know it…yet
When a bomb explodes at the University of Amsterdam, aspiring criminologist Georgina McKenzie is asked by the police to help flush out the killer.

But the bomb is part of a much bigger, more sinister plot that will have the entire city quaking in fear.

And the killer has a very special part for George to play…

Read on for my thoughts on The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Death Falls by Todd Ritter

Posted March 31, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 2 Comments

Title: Death Falls
Series:
Author: Todd Ritter
Genre: Mystery
Published: February 9, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins, Maze
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

When a young boy goes missing, it’s easier to believe the lies than to believe the truth…

On the same night that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, nine-year-old Charlie Olmstead jumped on his bike to see if he could get a better look. It was the last anyone ever saw of him.

After Perry Hollow Police Chief Jim Campbell found Charlie’s bike caught up above a waterfall, he assumed the worse, and so did everyone else except Charlie’s mother. Years later, Eric Olmstead – and famous author and Charlie’s brother – has come back to bury his mother and fulfill her last request: find his brother.

To do so he goes to the current police chief and his former sweetheart Kat Campbell, and it isn’t long before they discover that finding Charlie was his mother’s secret obsession, and while she never found him she uncovered clues suggesting that he wasn’t the only victim.

Read on for my thoughts on Death Falls. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: My Blood Runs Blue by Stacy Eaton

Posted March 5, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: My Blood Runs Blue
Series: My Blood Runs Blue (book 1)
Author: Stacy Eaton
Genre: Paranormal
Published: Original April 1, 2011 Reissue: December 30, 2014
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

“I’m still a cop, and my blood runs blue.” Officer Kristin Greene has always felt that something was missing from her life. Even though her job with the Fawn Hollow Township Police Department keeps her busy, she continues to feel as if there is something else out there she is meant to be doing. Kristin finds herself investigating a homicide where a young woman has had her throat ripped brutally out. As she begins to dig for the answers, she finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed.

When Julian and Alexander crash into her life, she finds herself being pulled into a love triangle that has been going on longer than she has been alive. Kristin in determine to figure out who they are and why they keep calling her Calista. Join Kristin as she fights to learn the truth about the recent murder, the two seductive men who have entered into her life and the real truth about herself in a suspenseful tale that weaves paranormal into to the realistic world of law enforcement.

Read on for my thoughts on My Blood Runs Blue. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Kittens Can Kill by Clea Simon

Posted February 27, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 2 Comments

Title: Kittens Can Kill
Series: Pru Marlowe Pet Noir
Author: Clea Simon
Genre: Mystery
Published: March 3, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

The dead don’t keep pets. So when animal behaviorist expert Pru Marlowe gets a call about a kitten, she doesn’t expect to find the cuddly creature playing beside the cooling body of prominent Beauville lawyer David Canaday. Heart attack? His three adult daughters angrily blame drug interactions, feline allergies—and each other. And begin to feud over their father, his considerable estate, and that cute ball of fluff.

While the cause of death is pending, each sister has an axe to grind –with arguments that escalate when David’s partner reads out the will. Pru’s special sensory talents and sensitivity to animals that caused her to flee the cacophony of Manhattan for the quiet Berkshires add further problems. The local vet is overwhelmed with money running out. There’s that needy Sheltie and some invasive squirrels? But the dead man’s kitten, his former partner, and his troublesome family keep drawing “wild-girl” animal psychic Pru back in.

Despite the wry observations of her trusty tabby Wallis, now the wrongfully accused kitten’s guardian, and the grudging compliance of her cop lover, this may be one time when Pru can’t solve the mystery or save the kitten she wants to believe is innocent. A single witness knows the truth about that bright spring morning. How far can Pru investigate without risking her own hidden tale?

Read on for my thoughts on Kittens Can Kill. No true spoilers, promise

Review: Breath of Scandal by Sandra Brown

Posted February 22, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Breath of Scandal
Series:
Author: Sandra Brown
Genre: Romance, Mystery
Published: re-published February 26, 2013 (original 1991)
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

On a rainy Southern night, Jade Sperry endured a young woman’s worst nightmare at the hands of three local hell-raisers. Robbed of her youthful ideals and at the center of scandal and tragedy, Jade ran as far and as fast as she could. But she never forgot the sleepy “company town” where every man, woman, and child was dependent on one wealthy family. And she never forgot their spoiled son, who, with his two friends, changed her life forever. Someday, somehow, she’d return, exact a just revenge — and free herself from fear, and the powerful family that could destroy her.

Read on for my thoughts on Breath of Scandal. No true spoilers, promise.

**This novel describes a brutal rape. If this might be a trigger for you – please read no further and click away now.**

Review: Chasing Vito’s Ghosts by G. R. Benyue

Posted February 22, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Chasing Vito’s Ghosts
Series:
Author: G. R. Benyue
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery
Published: February 3, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Becka Brandt’s ability to see the dead is pushing her farther from the living. When an explosion in Boston’s downtown district kills her fiancé and colleagues, Becka reluctantly leaves the city she loves to seek refuge from her heartbreak and the restless spirits of those she lost.

Moving to a small Massachusetts suburb, her life is further disrupted when she unknowingly leases a haunted house. Her new roommate is Vito, an ornery old ghost whose flashbacks to his recent murder draw Becka into the terrifying world of a serial killer who targets small children. When Vito was killed, his great-grandchildren were taken. Becka races against time to solve the mystery of their disappearance before an evil force, activated by Vito’s tangled past of hatred and revenge, invades the neighborhood and destroys the trail to the children.

Plagued by new ghosts and haunted by visions of her lost love, Becka struggles to connect clues from Vito’s past life to current events. She is aided in her investigation by her closest friends and a handsome FBI agent who understands her ability in a way that nobody ever has. Despite the pain of her broken heart, Becka will have to embrace the living to free the dead and start life over.

Read on for my thoughts on Chasing Vito’s Ghosts. No true spoilers, promise.