Fools Deadly Gold

by admin | Aug 12, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense

MY REVIEW:

Fool’s Deadly Gold is a contemporary suspense/murder mystery that does a good job illustrating what can happen when greed takes over a person’s life. The story begins with an accidental death that may not actually be an accident. As the tale progresses, there are several characters who could easily be the killer but a number of other deaths, plot twists and surprises makes it difficult for the reader to discern the truth. For me, the final revelation came as a surprise.

Overall, the story was intriguing, if a bit slow moving.  I found the story concept and the investigative process interesting; however I did not particularly connect with any of the characters, possibly because there were so many of them. I also did not find as much of a Christian message as I expect to find in this genre. Personally, I prefer a novel with more character development and interaction but others may enjoy this book.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Covenant Communications, Inc. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lauralyn LaPlant and her sister, Bridgette, could not be closer. Their shared passion for adventure draws them to scale a sheer cliff one fateful day, but despite their experienced precautions, Bridgette suffers a terrible accident and plummets to an untimely death. Shattered by grief, Lauralyn soon makes a sobering discovery: this was no accident—her sister’s climbing rope was cut. But who wanted Bridgette dead, and why? It’s up to Lauralyn and her grieving brother-in-law, Dade, to uncover the truth, even if it means putting themselves in the path of a ruthless killer. As their search for clues leads them deep into the heart of Gold Country, they discover that in the world of prospecting, greed knows no limits.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Clair M. Poulson is an author specializing in mystery books. Before he became a writer, Poulson served for more than 35 years in the criminal justice system. He uses many of these experiences when he writes. As a result, he is able to portray characters and real life settings that many other authors can’t do.

Fragments of Fear by Carrie Stuart Parks

by admin | Aug 4, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense

MY REVIEW:

It didn’t take reading but one book to place Carrie Stuart Parks on my absolutely must read author list. She is one author whose novels I will purchase as soon as they are released if I am not offered a review copy. Happily for me, I managed to score a copy of Fragments of Fear to review but it is definitely worth the price. Each one of this author’s books has been awesome but I believe Fragments of Fear is the best one yet. I was hooked from page one and was pretty much useless until I had reached the end.

The plot moved along quickly, sometimes at breakneck speed, with so many twists, turns, and surprises that I never knew what to expect next. Characters were well-rounded and realistic. I loved that Tavish was so unaware of her own attractiveness, primarily because she didn’t live up to her mother’s expectations. Sawyer was the perfect hero, so affirming and protective and full of faith! And of course Marley the dog tried to steal the whole show! It was encouraging to watch Tavish transform from a relatively unhappy, insecure person who relied on her crystals and other new age practices to a beautiful and confident young woman who learned to trust the Lord.

I loved Fragments of Fear but will cut my review short for fear of offering any spoilers. Take it from me, if you are a fan of Christian suspense or thrillers, you don’t want to miss this one.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book: Fragments of Fear Author: Carrie Stuart Parks Genre: Suspense Release date: July 23, 2019 Click here to purchase your copy.

From award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks comes a new novel with danger that reaches from a New Mexico Anasazi archaeological dig to micro- and nano-chip technology.

Evelyn Yvonne McTavish-Tavish to her friends-had her almost perfect world in Albuquerque, New Mexico, come to a crashing end with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she’s given the news that her dog is about to be destroyed at the dog pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine-with her name and address-makes it hers.

Tavish recognizes the dog as one owned by an archaeologist named Pat Caron because she did a commissioned drawing of the two of them months earlier. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner, but she arrives only to discover Caron’s murdered body.

After meeting undercover FBI agent Sawyer Price the mystery deepens as more people start disappearing and Tavish becomes a target as well. Her only solution is to find the links between microchip technology, an Anasazi site in the desert, her fiancé’s death, a late-night radio show, and the dog. And the clock is ticking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol Award-winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

Using Art to Solve Crime: Techniques Used by Forensic Artists

Since 1981, I’ve been a forensic artist—an amazing feat since I’m only . . .um. . . well, younger than that. In those years, I’ve seen some shifts and trends, but some things have never changed. Despite the overwhelming prevalence of computers in almost every other field, they have never been able to replace a trained forensic artist. Artists have an amazing toolbox of techniques we use to gather the information we need to help solve crime.

1. The pencil. Any forensic artist worth her weight in graphite knows the power of the lowly pencil and a sketchpad. Law enforcement would love a photographic image of the suspect, but all we have to work with is memory…and memory is faulty. The more the image looks perfect, the more imperfect it is for helping to identify a suspect. We want the drawing to just suggest a likeness and eliminate those not similar.
2. Now that we brought up the subject of memory, a forensic artist needs to understand how memory works. The average witness will remember between four and five facial features. When they describe the person they saw, they will do so from their strongest memory to their weakest memory, from most important to least important. We listen carefully to the order of facial features.
3. Whole vs Parts. We don’t look at faces as individual parts, although a particularly outstanding nose or Marty Feldman eyes might catch our attention. We will remember the face as a whole, with the proportions of the face an unacknowledged part of that. Forensic artist prefer to use reference photographs where the whole face is viewed.

Want more? Check out the rest of my article at The Strand Magazine

BLOG STOPS:

GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e592/fragments-of-fear-celebration-tour-giveaway

Beauty in Battle by Robin Patchen

by admin | Apr 11, 2019 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Suspense

MY REVIEW:

Beauty in Battle is the suspense-filled conclusion to Robin Patchen’s Beauty in Flight trilogy. Once Jack learns Harper’s secrets he convinces her to return to Maryland with him to face the police with the truth before Derrick catches up to them.

Well-developed characters and plot made this series one that I didn’t want to put down but I was grateful to have copies of all three books so that I didn’t have to wait to find out what happened next. Jack and Harper faced more than enough danger along their journey back because in addition to Derrick, an unidentified killer also wants them dead. Unexpected twists and surprises kept me in suspense until the very end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this skillful blend of drama, suspense, romance, and faith. I am glad I had the opportunity to review this series and recommend it to those who enjoy Christian suspense novels.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The truth is out, but will it set her free, or will it land her in the grave?

The last thing Harper wants is to do is return to Maryland to face the police and explain the mess she left behind, but with Red safe and the authorities waiting, she has little choice. At least Jack didn’t abandon her, even after he discovered her lies.

Now that Jack knows the truth about Harper, his feelings for her are deeper than ever. Jack isn’t about to leave her side, and he’ll protect her from anybody who tries to hurt her–or die trying.

But Derrick is on their trail, and he’s the least of their problems. How can they battle both Derrick and the killer who hides in the shadows?

Don’t miss the exciting conclusion of the Beauty in Flight series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Patchen writes contemporary Christian suspense, romance, and romantic suspense. Her books are often set in New England, where she grew up. She creates strong, protective heroes and intelligent, courageous heroines.

Aside from her family and her Savior, Robin Patchen has two loves—writing and traveling. If she could combine them, she’d spend a lot of time sitting in front of her laptop at sidewalk cafes and ski lodges and beachside burger joints. She’d visit every place in the entire world—twice, if possible—and craft stories and tell people about her Savior. Alas, time is too short and money is too scarce for Robin to traipse all over the globe, even if her husband and kids wanted to go with her. So she stays in Oklahoma, shares the Good News when she can, and writes to illustrate the unending grace of God through the power and magic of story.