Crash And Burn by John Carson

December 12, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Crash And Burn by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

They left him for dead. They made a mistake.

On sabbatical from the force after a personal loss, DCI Harry McNeil spends his days renovating an old cottage he bought, and his nights down at the local bar. He’s living in a small town where nothing much happens. Until it does.

Harry meets a young woman who is searching for her brother who went missing in the area two years ago. He is special needs and she’s convinced he wouldn’t just run off.

Meanwhile, over a hundred miles away, a body is pulled from Loch Lomond, badly decomposed. In his pocket is the name of the missing man.

When the corpse is identified, it throws the missing man’s case in a new light.

Harry gets embroiled in the search and before long, his own life is put in danger.

A killer is on the loose and now he’s back in the town where Harry thought he was going to get peace, but he’s going to get much more than that…

After the recent upheaval and struggling with his grief, Harry McNeil is on an extended sabbatical and renovating a cottage he purchased. In the small town, nothing much happens, until one night Harry stumbles on a young woman who is searching for her missing brother. A seemingly easy favour quickly grows into something far larger and soon Harry is back doing what he does best – investigating.

On the surface this is an easy to follow mystery/suspense story with a number of excellent characters and plenty of Scottish flavour. I have to admit though – much of my patience and interest for the first quarter or so of the book is catching up with Harry himself and learning how he is coping with the recent death of someone very important to him and the ramifications from that loss. Readers who haven’t read the previous few books might feel the start of this book is a little slow and equally they might not understand the importance of this catching up in the start of the story. While I do feel readers who are new to this series will still enjoy the book, I think it will have far more weight and importance to those who – like me – want to catch up on how Harry is dealing with things.

That said, once the investigation gets underway the pace moves a little faster and the case certainly gets more interesting with a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I feel this strong police procedural mystery really gets going and readers will find themselves as hooked as I was. A number of the series favourites are showcased here – though there are a few exceptions – and overall, I feel this is an excellent quick mystery novel. Harry is away from his home ground and not working in an official capacity as he struggles with his grief and coming to terms with the new settings in his life, all of which I find completely understandable.

Readers who have been following along this series should enjoy this mystery and the update to how Harry is progressing, and I equally feel this is a good read for those new to Harry McNeil as a whole. While knowing the background to a number of the secondary characters and Harry’s recent problems might make this story more emotionally compelling this will give new readers a really good taste for Harry’s world and Carson’s writing style, and I feel is a good place to see if this is a series they’d enjoy. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James

December 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James
The Secret Library Cozy Mysteries, Book 3
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A mysterious mansion, a suspicious death, and a cat too smart for its own good…Laura Lee and her secret book club, led by Hank the marmalade cat, find themselves in the heart of their deepest mystery yet! Laura Lee’s efforts to bring the beautiful but decrepit old manor back to life uncover even more secrets that the ancient house has been keeping from her. Hank, hiding from the workmen, gets himself stuck under a broken board. Rescuing him, Laura Lee finds not only a small root cellar, but a nearly intact skeleton holding a sheaf of papers. How long has it been there? Who was it? And why were those papers so important? It’s not just a lesson in history; someone who’s very much alive is trying to stop them from discovering the secret . It will take the entire book club’s help to discover the truth as every clue they find takes them in a different direction and puts them in unknown danger.

I have read several of Ceecee James books before, but it has been quite some time. This book, Catastrophe in the Library, is Book 3 of The Secret Library series. This book was as fun as the rest of the ones I read. The picture of a wonderful old Victorian house with secret passages and a skeleton in the walls set you back in time. Miss Janice, the owner, still has a full-time staff, even a wonderful wholesome lady in the kitchen addressed only as “cook”. But…the cell phones and laptops make sure you remember that you are in present day times. Somehow this mix of eras seems to fit. It isn’t a back-and-forth-in-time type of story. It’s a staff of today working in jobs in an old Victorian house. Somehow it all fit perfectly with me. I liked the picture of running to help cook get the table set and running back to your room to text someone.

As usual, the author has added enough clues in this cute cozy to make you wonder who the “bad guy” is, and her play with the dialog of the three young girls who are amateur sleuths is fun. It’s light and humorous and adds to the atmosphere of a cozy. I would tell you that this is a series not to miss, but all of the books I’ve read by CeeCee James are in a series not to miss.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Cold Sanctuary by David J Gatward

December 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Cold Sanctuary by David J Gatward
Publisher: Weirdstone Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A tragic farm accident… or so it seems. Can this former big-city detective defeat the human monsters lurking in the Yorkshire Dales?

DCI Harry Grimm’s happy emotions are confusing the hell out of him. Enjoying the company of his new girlfriend and furry black dog, the usually gruff detective finds himself feeling genuinely content for the first time in a very long while. But it’s soon back to business as usual when the idyllic countryside is rocked by the demise of a popular farmer in a horrific hay-baler accident.

After the coroner rules the mangled remains a homicide, Grimm sends his team out to follow clues that provoke more questions than answers. And as his officers drop like flies, the victim’s adopted son vanishes, and suspicious threats emerge, the justice-driven investigator vows he’ll restore peace and slam another killer behind bars.

Can he shed light on the darkest of sins before more lives are lost in the hills?

DCI Harry Grimm is called out to a local farm in what at first glance appears to be a farming accident gone horribly wrong. But the evidence quickly points to something far more sinister. The situation grows more complicated as tragedy strikes one of DCI Grimm’s own team members and all too soon, they realise the tensions boiling under the surface of their idyllic home are about to burst.

I’ve been really enjoying the DCI Harry Grimm series and found this to be one of the strongest additions yet. I feel Harry himself has really settled into both the countryside and his role leading the local police team. I love how tight knit the small team is and how the characters work so well together but each with their own distinct personalities. I also really enjoy how even though this is set well into the dales and countryside the problems and crime are both realistic but also utterly relatable. This is an exceptional blend I feel and really helps sell me on the series as a whole.

I also really enjoyed how while the plot was fairly straightforward from the start there were still a number of twists I didn’t foresee but the pace kept along at a good clip so at no stage did I feel the story was dragging. While the two main plots/cases did take up the lion’s share of the story I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the team work together and continue to grow. After the last few books – where there has been a lot of character growth in particular – it was nice for this to take somewhat of a back seat and the police procedure to once again come more to the forefront.

Readers should easily be able to pick this book up as a standalone story. The plots are well contained in this story and while the characters are a solid team and clearly have history together, I feel this doesn’t mean readers can’t pick this book up by itself and enjoy it on its own merits.

A strong mystery with interesting characters and a well woven plot. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Rihanna’s Rancher by Bella Settarra

December 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Rihanna’s Rancher by Bella Settarra
The Cowboys of Cavern County
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

There’s no time for love when you’re only passing through town…is there?

When Rihanna Richards takes a job as the new bank manager in Pelican’s Heath, she is relieved to leave her life in the city behind, especially with all the pitiful expressions of those who are only too aware of how Phil Cartwright dumped her shortly before their wedding.

Ace Blenheim, the new foreman at the Shearer Ranch, also came to the town to put his past break-up behind him.

When the two meet, sparks fly. It seems they both have a tendency to wind each other up, and neither is willing to back down. Rihanna’s stubbornness and Ace’s knack for making assumptions lead to a very fiery relationship.

Ace gradually learns a little about his beautiful nemesis, though, and softens his approach toward her. After all, he can’t deny how he has begun to feel about her.

Rihanna secretly has feelings for the gorgeous cowboy but can’t afford to let her heart get broken again—and, besides, she’s not planning to stay long in Pelican’s Heath.

Rihanna discovers that something is very amiss at the bank, and when her life is at stake, will anyone care enough to come to her rescue? And has Ace overstepped the mark completely when he delves into her past?

She’s not staying and he’s not playing around.

I love stories with characters who initially are mean to each other or get under each other’s skin are thrown together. This story ticks a lot of those boxes. I love the work of Bella Settarra and I couldn’t get this book fast enough. Now add the cowboy aspect and there’s a great thing going. This story has a lot more than that going on.

Ace and Rihanna are great together. I like couples that initially give each other hell and that push makes them grow closer together. It’s good. Guys like pushy women and women like alpha males. In this story, it really works. Plus, he’s a cowboy and I could see him. That’s the best part. The writing was so descriptive, I could see him and felt like I was right there with them. Rihanna thinks she knows what she wants and what she’s going to do. She’s a purpose driven person and relatable. She has her failings, but it was easy to relate to her.

If you’re looking for a story that’s got relatable characters, steamy scenes and a great plot, then this is the one for you.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

November 30, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

BODY AND SOUL

The song. That’s what London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant first notices when he examines the corpse of Cyrus Wilkins, part-time jazz drummer and full-time accountant, who dropped dead of a heart attack while playing a gig at Soho’s 606 Club. The notes of the old jazz standard are rising from the body—a sure sign that something about the man’s death was not at all natural but instead supernatural.

Body and soul—they’re also what Peter will risk as he investigates a pattern of similar deaths in and around Soho. With the help of his superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, and the assistance of beautiful jazz aficionado Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter will uncover a deadly magical menace—one that leads right to his own doorstep and to the squandered promise of a young jazz musician: a talented trumpet player named Richard “Lord” Grant—otherwise known as Peter’s dear old dad.

PC Peter Grant is back, and I really enjoyed this second book in the Rivers of London series. This book picks up pretty much where the first book finished, but I was really pleased to find it stood rather well by itself. The remaining ramifications from the first book – like PC Grant’s friend and fellow police officer, Lesley, physical recovery as well as PC Grant’s governor Thomas Nightingale recovering from being shot – are all quite clearly explained without dragging the book down nor leaving the reader too mystified about what was going on. Indeed, for much of the first half of this book Grant is actually following along with two seemingly separate cases. It’s a bonus that the author manages to slowly and very subtly begin to link them, and I was impressed I wondered before the characters did if they were, in fact, related. So that made me feel pretty good about myself.

I also really enjoy how while there is a very strong paranormal aspect throughout the entire book, it’s not too overladen on the actual storyline. It’s still very much a modern London book, with regular people and plenty of “normal” stuff – there just happens to be magic and other paranormal beings out there below the surface. I found this realism really well handled and personally I felt it really added to the book and my enjoyment of it.

I feel both mystery readers and paranormal readers should feel there is strong enough writing to appeal to both genres – and only purists who dislike anything other than their chosen genre might not enjoy this well written and well-paced storyline. I also really appreciated the author has a “chatty” kind of style – instead of a gritty or stilted type of tone to the telling of his story it feels like two friends catching up on the latest action in their lives over a strong cup of tea. This writing style greatly appeals to me – it’s light enough to not bog me down or depress me over the harder aspects of the plots, but it’s catchy and interesting enough to keep me eagerly turning the pages. I really enjoyed it.

With a small but thoroughly enjoyable cast of characters, two excellent plots that were woven together with great skill and a bunch of mystery and paranormal aspects to the plot I feel this should appeal to a wide range of readers. A great book and I’m eager for the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wild Cowboy by Gemma Snow

November 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wild Cowboy by Gemma Snow
The Sinclair Seven
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Submitting to this wild cowboy is one hell of an adventure…

Environmental journalist Reece Prescott never expected to see the mysterious woman from the Turkish marketplace again, so to meet Morgan Tempest in the middle of a summer storm at the top of the Blackleaf Mountains knocks him sideways.

Their instant connection blows him away… and makes him want to return to The Ranch, the secret club he owns with six of his friends. It’ s the closest thing he has to home and the place he always finds himself avoiding when the anniversary of the worst day of his life rolls around. For Morgan Tempest, though, he might just be able to handle it.

Morgan has spent the last year reclaiming her independence and rebuilding her business. She’s in control and saying yes to life now. That includes the wild cowboy she meets in the mountains… and The Ranch, a place where everything she thought she knew about her boundaries—and desires—is challenged.

But before Reece and Morgan can explore everything the other has to offer, the real world comes crashing in, bringing with it climate disasters, armed mercenaries, corrupt politicians and their own troublesome pasts.

If they can survive all that, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll be ready for that next great adventure— falling in love.

Hot and satisfying.

I love a good Gemma Snow book and this one delivered. The writing flowed well and had me on the edge of my seat for the duration. I couldn’t get enough and will certainly look for more in this series. I felt like I was right there at the ranch with these characters. Holy smokes and the chemistry was off the charts.

Morgan and Reece are great together. I loved the instant chemistry and the willingness between them to explore what they needed. I love that this story is set in somewhere not a city club and wholly there for exploration. The real world aspects of the story are plausible and I needed to know what would happen next. I’m glad I did. This story scorched the page and I loved it.

If you’re looking for a solid story, hot characters and plenty of sizzle, then this is the one for you.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Visions by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.

November 25, 2022 By 1 Comment


Visions by Kaye Lynne Booth, et.al.
Publisher: WordCrafter Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An author’s visions are revealed through their stories. Many authors have strange and unusual stories, indeed. Within these pages, you will find the stories of eighteen different authors, each unique and thought provoking. These are the fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, and horror stories that will keep you awake long into the night.

What happens when:

An inexplicable monster plagues a town for generations, taking people… and souvenirs?

A post-apocalyptic band of travelers finds their salvation in an archaic machine?

The prey turns out to be the predator for a band of human traffickers?

Someone chooses to be happy in a world where emotions are regulated and controlled?

A village girl is chosen to be the spider queen?

Grab your copy today and find out. Let authors such as W.T. Paterson, Joseph Carabis, Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Stephanie Kraner, and others, including the author of the winning story in the WordCrafter 2022 Short Fiction Contest, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, tantalize your thoughts and share their Visions

From Kaye Lynne Booth, editor of Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Fairy Tales & Folklore, Refracted Reflections: Twisted Tales of Duality & Deception and Gilded Glass: Twisted Myths & Shattered Fairy Tales.

Not everything in life can be easily explained.

As odd as this may sound at first, I smiled at the kidnapping gone wrong in “Tourist Trap.” You see, the main character knew the men who were showing her good photography sites weren’t trustworthy, and she had a plan to handle every curveball they threw her way as they attempted to kidnap her for ransom. It’s always nice to meet protagonists who are that resourceful and intelligent, especially when there are so many plot twists coming to help a reader get to know her even better.

Ashling was shocked to realize she was missing a tattoo in “The Vanishing Tattoo.” Her reason for originally getting it is something other readers should discover for themselves, but I was immediately drawn into her reaction and emotions when it disappeared. I only wish there had been more world building so I could have determined whether this was as impossible in that setting as it would be in the real world or whether such a thing had been known to happen there before. It was a bit confusing for me as a reader to hear about something impossible happening without knowing the context of it all.

In “At Mountains, Majesty,” a wanderer named Ahlam discovered something spectacular that had been created and then abandoned many years earlier. He and his family didn’t have a permanent home thanks to how unstable human society was in the future, but he hoped his discovery might help to change that. I loved the creativity and hopefulness of this tale. While the characters were in a tough situation, they had multiple reasons to believe their luck was about to change. That’s the sort of science fiction I always enjoy discovering.

Visions was a satisfying anthology.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Infirmary by LJ Ross

November 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Infirmary by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

No man is an island…​

In the stifling summer heat of 2014, a killer has been stalking the streets of Newcastle causing city-wide panic. When the officer in charge of the case turns up dead, it falls upon Detective Chief Inspector Ryan to take up the baton and find the person responsible.​

To the close-knit team of police in Northumbria CID, Ryan is still an outsider; aloof and uncompromising. He’s lived a charmed life and has an unbroken track record to match. But, as The Hacker’s death toll rises, Ryan realises this is one adversary he’ll never bring to justice on his own… ​

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced crime thriller, set amidst the iconic North-Eastern landscape.

​
In the summer of 2014, a killer has been stalking the streets in Newcastle. The officer in charge of this growing case is found dead, and DCI Ryan is put in charge. Still fairly new, he hasn’t yet become solid friends with the close-knit group and as the death toll rises, the members of the team realise they need to work together, or all will be lost.

I was a little surprised to find that this, the 11th book in the DCI Ryan series (the spine of the book clearly states it’s book #11) was actually a prequel. I’m very pleased this is quite clearly shown as a prequel on the title/cover page because I’m not convinced that the opening chapter being set in 2014 would have been enough for me to cotton on immediately and I very well might have been confused for a while otherwise. DCI Ryan and his team have been through a number of cases and history together and so I expect a certain level of friendliness, connectedness and the weight of that history between them all. As this is a prequel the tone and rapport between them all – while still present – is definitely different to my mind, and had I not realized before starting that this was going back in time, that could have been very jarring.

I have to admit though, it was interesting to turn back the clock for a bit and see some of those very early relationship building experiences between the team members. In particular I found it wonderful – though admittedly bittersweet – to see Ryan interacting with his sister. A cornerstone of the series as a whole was how life – and career – changing the death of Ryan’s sister was in this exact case. So, seeing the before and after, watching the events actually unfold even knowing exactly where it would end up was lovely – though at times quite emotionally difficult to read.

I believe as long as readers know clearly and up front that this is a prequel – in fact “the” story of the Hacker and Ryan catching the serial killer who ended up killing his sister – this should be an excellent addition to the series for fans. I could understand some readers will find it jarring to mid-way through the series go back before the beginning and find that a bit hard to wrap their heads around – but overall, I think most readers should really enjoy this. I found this to be a well-paced police procedural style of story with a gripping plot and even though readers who have followed this series will know all the main points and know exactly who the bad guy is and how this ends up, I don’t feel that detracts from the book in the slightest. Highly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

November 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changelings, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins – cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted – and had her mind violated – by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

Complicated, hot and fantastic.

I’ve never read Nalini Singh before and I’m glad I remedied that. I can’t wait to go back and pick up more of her titles. This one was hot, so hot it scorched the pages, complicated – I’ve never read a world this intricate – and fantastic. The pacing was good, and the reveal was even better. I got emotionally involved in the story and didn’t want to put it down.

Brenna is a changeling with issues. Oh boy, does she have issues. She’s been traumatized and her past may be a trigger to some – there is violence and assault toward her – but this makes her who she is. She’s stronger than she thinks. I liked how Judd plays off her, too. He’s cold as ice and trained to be that way, but he’s got a reason. He’s an Arrow. An elite. He’s supposed to be tough, unyielding and strong. I like how he melts for her and the way their pairing progresses. It’s hot and sometimes painful, but worth the ride.

If you’re looking for something intense, then this might be the romance for you. I’m hooked.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Broken Summer by J. M. Lee

November 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Broken Summer by J. M. Lee
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

A death, a lie, a secret. For twenty-six summers he didn’t have the courage to face the past.

Lee Hanjo is an artist at the peak of his fame, envied and celebrated. Then, on his forty-third birthday, he awakens to find that his devoted wife has disappeared, leaving behind a soon-to-be-published novel she’d secretly written about the sordid past and questionable morality of an artist with a trajectory similar to Hanjo’s. It’s clear to him that his life is about to shatter and the demons from his past will come out. But why did his wife do it? Why now?

The book forces Hanjo to reflect on a summer from his youth when a deadly lie irreversibly and tragically determined the fates of two families.

What if you were 40+ years old and found what you thought had been a good marriage, was not that at all? What if you found out because your wife was missing? Even more so, what if your wife left a note making it quite clear that she was aware of your past. Definitely not the good part of your past.

This book slips from one POV to another. It also weaves back and forth in time. Usually, I would say this was irritating, but here, the author seems to handle it well. It flows so well that you don’t realize the breaks. More importantly, it never seems to be confusing.

As far as the genre is concerned, this is a quick read with some tension, but I would label it more a suspense than a thriller. This is actually a point that made it more enjoyable to read as far as I’m concerned. If you’re in the mood for an easy read that will make your mind work a little too, Broken Summer is the perfect solution.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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