Category: Mystery

Review: Summer of Fire by Kitty Pilgrim

Posted July 28, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Summer of Fire
Series: John Sinclair Mystery #3
Author: Kitty Pilgrim
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Published: May 19, 2015
Publisher: River Grove Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

When nature takes charge, sparks fly

On the beautiful island of Capri, a royal princess begins a secret love affair, oblivious to the dangers that surround her.

Internationally renowned novelist Kitty Pilgrim chronicles a modern thriller based in the historic volcanic region of Southern Italy.

Her characters, archaeologist John Sinclair and oceanographer Cordelia Stapleton, team up once again for a tale of glamour and romance that spans every level of society—from the dangerous criminal underworld of Naples to the jet set of Europe.

Read on for my thoughts on Summer of Fire. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Minutes to Kill by Melinda Leigh

Posted June 29, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Minutes to Kill
Series: Scarlet Falls #2
Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Murder, Thriller, Romance
Published: June 30, 2015
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

After corporate attorney Hannah Barrett tries—and fails—to stop a kidnapping in Vegas, she can’t shake the haunting image of the terrified young girl she couldn’t save. She tells herself that a visit to her hometown in Scarlet Falls could be a welcome distraction. But soon, Hannah realizes the kidnappers have all the info they need to track her every move. And when chilling e-mails about the victim appear in her inbox, it’s frighteningly clear what happened in Vegas has followed her home.

Eight months after a terrible family tragedy, Hannah turns to Detective Brody McNamara once again. Brody is eager to help, though he’s embroiled in the investigation of a brutal murder. But the closer they work together, the stronger their feelings grow…and the more they stand to lose when two seemingly unrelated, but equally deadly, cases collide.

Read on for my thoughts on Minutes to Kill. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Hour of Need by Melinda Leigh

Posted June 28, 2015 by Marsha in Mystery / 0 Comments

Title: Hour of Need
Series: Scarlet Falls #1
Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Published: December 9, 2014
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: Owned, Kindle edition
Cover Description:

While fighting in Afghanistan, Major Grant Barrett receives devastating news: his brother and sister-in-law have been murdered in Scarlet Falls, the sleepy suburb of Grant’s youth. Emotionally scarred from war, the career soldier returns home on emergency leave to temporarily care for his orphaned nephew and niece. But when someone tries to kidnap the kids and their teenage babysitter, Grant knows it’s not a random act…and neither were the murders.

Already devastated by her neighbors’ violent deaths, Ellie Ross is shattered by the attempted abduction of her teenage daughter so she desperately turns to Grant for help. As they navigate a deadly search for the truth, they struggle with growing feelings for each other and Grant’s impending return to deployment.

But time is running out. The killer is growing bolder by the hour, and Ellie and Grant must find him before the children become his next victims.

Read on for my thoughts on Hour of Need. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Warning Sign by Mia Marlowe

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

Title: The Warning Sign
Series:
Author: Mia Marlowe
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Published: August 14, 2014
Publisher:
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: Owned, Kindle edition
Cover Description:

Sara’s been hurt. Badly. Her cheating ex has her doubting everything about herself. But after graduating from Boston College, she’s trying to start fresh with a new job. A new guy in her life seems more complicated than she needs right now.

But Ryan’s too hot, too insistent and too tempting to pass up. Too bad he has some pretty dark secrets as well. Which is something Sara totally doesn’t need–especially after she figures out an accidental drowning wasn’t so accidental and ends up on a mob hitman’s “to do” list.

And the only cop who’ll believe her is her cheating ex.

Read on for my thoughts on The Warning Sign. No true spoilers, promise.

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.