by admin | Apr 13, 2017 | Books, Historical, Jazz Age, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have read each of Kristy Cambron’s novels to date and would find it difficult to choose a favorite because they are all so different. That being said, I really, really liked “The Illusionist’s Apprentice”. This book is delightfully mysterious with appropriately spooky and curious settings throughout.
The author set the stage perfectly for her narrative with well researched historical details and just the right characters and background. Wren Lockhart was extraordinary and I loved the way her story was revealed to the reader one layer at a time as she learned to trust Elliot. Wren was a strong and independent woman, yet surprisingly feminine and vulnerable. As elements of her past were slowly revealed, it was easy to understand how her personality and love of privacy had been shaped.
“The Illusionist’s Apprentice” is an emotionally charged story filled with drama, danger, mystery, suspense, betrayal, and romance. Its pages are filled with twists and surprises and I was particularly surprised to find out who was behind the plan to destroy Wren.
If you enjoy historical suspense, “The Illusionist’s Apprentice” is not to be missed.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that was provided by Amazon Vine. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Not all illusions happen on the stage.
Wren Lockhart, apprentice to master illusionist Harry Houdini, uses life on a vaudeville stage to escape the pain of her past. She continues her career of illusion after her mentor’s death, intent on burying her true identity.
But when a rival performer’s act goes tragically wrong, the newly formed FBI calls on Wren to speak the truth—and reveal her real name to the world. She transfers her skills for misdirection from the stage to the back halls of vaudeville, as she finds herself the unlikely partner in the FBI’s investigation. All the while Houdini’s words echo in her mind: Whatever occurs, the crowd must believe it’s what you meant to happen. She knows that if anyone digs too deep, secrets long kept hidden may find their way to the surface—and shatter her carefully controlled world.
Set during one of the richest, most vibrant eras in American history, this Jazz Age novel of illusion, suspense, and forgotten pasts is perfect for fans of The Magician’s Lie, challenging all to find the underpinnings of faith on their own life’s stage.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut novel, The Butterfly and the Violin, was named to Library Journal’s Best Books of 2014 and nominated for RT Book Reviews’ Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and for the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal’s Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction) for February 2015 and a Top Pick for RT Book Reviews. Kristy holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three young sons.
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by admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Books, England, Mystery
MY REVIEW:
Although it is book five in the Drew Farthering mystery series, “Murder on the Moor” easily stands on its own merits. Because of a heavy review calendar, I have had opportunity to read only the first book in the series prior to this one and I had no problems at all figuring out what was going on.
I am not certain if “Murder on the Moor” would be considered a cozy mystery but it is a fairly easy-going read with light suspense and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor. Several quirky characters help keep things interesting with several of them considered good candidates for the guilty party. Plenty of unexpected twists and a surprise ending were in store. Just when I was beginning to think that Drew was never going to put all the clues together, he came through with flying colors. I sure didn’t see that coming!
I loved this book, especially the subtle humor that runs through it. One scene between Drew and Constable Watts had me in stitches. I highly recommend “Murder on the Moor” as well as the previous books in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Click to purchase
At the urgent request of an old school friend, Drew and Madeline Farthering come to Bloodworth Park Lodge in the midst of the Yorkshire moors, a place as moody and mysterious as a Brontë hero. There have been several worrisome incidents around those lonesome rolling hills–property desecrated, fires started, sheep and cattle scattered. Worst of all, the vicar has been found dead on the steps of the church, a crime for which Drew can discern no motive at all.
Few in the town of Bunting’s Nest seem like suspects, and Drew can’t keep his suspicions from falling on his friend’s new bride. Do her affections lie more with her husband’s money and estate, while her romantic interests stray to their fiery Welsh gamekeeper? As the danger grows ever closer, it’s up to Drew to look past his own prejudices, determine what’s really going on, and find the killer before it’s too late.
Click here to purchase your copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Julianna Deering is the creator of the acclaimed Drew Farthering Mystery series. She has always loved British history and is a particular fan of the writings of Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie. She graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in business administration and spent several years as a Certified Public Accountant. She lives outside Dallas, Texas.
For more information visit www.juliannadeering.com.
BLOG STOPS:
March 2: Fiction Aficionado
March 2: Inklings and Notions
March 3: ASC Book Reviews
March 3: Just Commonly
March 4: Reading Is My SuperPower
March 4: A Baker’s Perspective
March 5: The Power of Words
March 5: knightress4theking
March 6: Bibliophile Reviews
March 6: Splashes of Joy
March 7: Blogging With Carol
March 7: Through the Open Window
March 8: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
March 8: Black ‘n’ Gold Girl’s Book Spot
March 9: Thoughts from Mill Street
March 9: Christian Bookaholic
March 10: History, Mystery and Faith
March 10: Daysong Reflections
March 11: Just the Write Escape
March 11: Book by Book
March 12: Radiant Light
March 12: Bigreadersite
March 13: A Simple Life, really?!
March 13: Carpe Diem
March 14: Pause for Tales
March 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
March 15: Back Porch Reads
March 15: Baker Kella
GIVEAWAY:
To celebrate her tour, Julianna is giving away a set of the A Drew Farthering Mystery
(5 Book Series)!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4664b0499
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by admin | Mar 7, 2017 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book of this series “Down and Dead in Dixie” so I was quite willing to review “Down and Dead in Dallas”. The title is a bit deceiving because most of the action takes place somewhere other than Dallas but that doesn’t detract at all from enjoyment of this book.
It was fun renewing my acquaintance with characters from the first Down and Dead book and meeting new characters is always interesting. As is often the case, I was a bit confused for awhile as events played out but gradually it all began to make sense (or did it?). Actually that is the beauty of this series – delightful confusion. After all confusion and deception is the name of the game when you want someone dangerous totally off your trail.
“Down and Dead in Dallas” is a little bit mystery, a little bit romance, plenty of humor, and lots of enjoyment. I highly recommend this clean and fun mystery that held my attention all the way through.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book that was provided by the author. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sometimes to live, ya gotta die. And sometimes dying right takes practice…
Christine Branch is elated. Finally her sister, Caroline Branch Easton, has left made the break from her abusive ex, Martin Easton, and returns to Dallas to Christine’s ranchette to heal. Only Martin refuses to let her go. Within twenty-four hours, his thugs are doing everything they can to intimidate Christine into returning home. Christine knows she must do something to get her sister the time and space she needs to heal—and she concocts a plan:
Operation Switch and Bait. The sisters trade lives and Christine baits the thugs into following her. It works! Caroline undergoes counseling, eventually divorces Martin, though he refuses to accept it, and the operation continues… until Martin shows up at the ranchette and issues a return-home ultimatum. Christine’s had enough. She ends the operation, resumes her identity and disappears.
Christine continues with the switch, hoping confusion of two Carolines will assist in a clean getaway. On Christmas, Caroline calls Christine. A chef from Dallas is assisting her. She’s in Even, Georgia but within an hour leaves for Sampson Park. She’ll call again as soon as she’s settled.
But Caroline doesn’t call. And three months later, Christine remains unable to find anything on the mysterious Sampson Park, or on her sister’s whereabouts. She must take the risks of leading Martin to Even to find out what happened to Caroline.
Has she escaped, or is she to remain Down and Dead in Dallas?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
by admin | Nov 12, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Romantic Suspense
MY REVIEW:
What a fun series! I love the mystery/suspense combined with humor and romance concept, especially when the romance itself is somewhat of a mystery. Readers will find FBI Special Agent Serena Jones hard at work once again trying to solve stolen and/or forged art mysteries while balancing a love triangle that includes FBI agent Tanner and her apartment manager Nate. Both men are equally attractive and each has his own endearing traits but Serena is mostly unaware of their true interest in her. Then of course she has her great-aunt Martha to deal with and even finds herself upstaged by her investigating talent. A somewhat crotchety grandmother and matchmaking parents round out the main characters quite nicely.
A seemingly simple request from her grandmother to investigate a missing painting of a friend quickly turns into a dangerous case filled with secrets and numerous suspects. A murder seems to be connected but that could be difficult to prove. Two steps forward and one step back seems to be the way the case is going for Serena and Tanner, especially when someone close to Serena might not be all he appears to be.
I am really loving this series with its unique and sometimes quirky characters, plenty of laugh-out loud moments that help to relieve the suspense for a moment or two, and its promise of romance and wondering which man Serena will choose. I am looking forward to the next installment.
A free copy of this book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing
Group. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The world of art theft can be a deadly game–one that Serena Jones understands all too well.
When FBI Special Agent Serena Jones takes on the case of a forged Dali painting as a favor to her grandmother, she assumes it will be a typical investigation. Hopefully collaring the thief will also mean finally measuring up in her grandmother’s eyes. But the deeper she delves into the forgery and the suspects surrounding it, the less typical it becomes.
The Dali isn’t the only painting that’s fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the possibility of a sophisticated theft ring–one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena’s grandfather. To make matters worse, someone connected to the forgeries seems to be determined to stop Serena’s investigation–no matter the cost.
Another Day, Another Dali gives the plucky Serena Jones–and readers–a new high-stakes case to crack. You won’t want to miss a single brushstroke!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Orchard is the award-winning author of many inspirational romantic suspense and mysteries, including Deadly Devotion, Blind Trust, and Desperate Measures. Her writing has garnered several Canadian Christian Writing Awards, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. In addition to her busy writing schedule, Sandra enjoys speaking at events and teaching writing workshops. She lives in Ontario, Canada. Learn more about Sandra’s books and check out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location pics, at http://sandraorchard.com.
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by admin | Oct 4, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I was unfamiliar with Alison Stone’s novels when I agreed to review “Pointe and Shoot” but its description sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. I was pleased to find it to be a well-written book that held my attention throughout with its fast moving and suspense filled plot. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more books by this author.
I particularly liked Jayne, the primary character. Her devotion to her family, especially her mother, was admirable. Giving up on a career she had dreamed of in exchange for helping her mother with her dance studio was a pretty big sacrifice. I also thought that Danny was a good match for Jayne and enjoyed reading about how their relationship grew from a renewed friendship to love. When one of the dance instructors dies in a mysterious car crash, Jayne suspects it was more than an accident and is determined to prove it despite the doubts of nearly everyone else. Even Danny is unsure of her suspicions but because he cares, he tries to help. Adding the perpetrator’s thoughts to the story was a brilliant idea that gave me some insight into the warped mindset of the killer without giving too much away. By the end, I did have an inkling of who this person was but was never 100% certain.
Lots of danger, mystery, and suspense as well as plenty of personal insight fill the pages of “Pointe and Shoot”. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and learning about the dance school. I also found the subtle message of faith to be just the right touch. I would recommend this novel to all who enjoy a good contemporary suspense.
A digital copy of this book was provided by the author through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jayne Murphy has always put family first. That’s why she abandoned her dream of joining the police force to run her ailing mother’s dance studio.
When one of the studio’s most talented instructors dies in a car crash, Jayne isn’t convinced it was just an accident. Relentlessly pursuing her hunch, she teams up with Officer Danny Nolan, the best friend and partner of her brother Patrick, who died in the line of duty. Haunted by Patrick’s death, Danny has begun to question whether he should still be a cop at all.
As Jayne digs deeper, suspects emerge, including the victim’s clingy ex-boyfriend and a jealous foe from the cutthroat dance world. Her evolving insights into the case rekindle Jayne’s passion for police work. Danny, too, feels a renewed sense of purpose…and a definite attraction to his unofficial partner, which seems to be mutual. Now, if Jayne can only keep herself out of harm’s way, she and Danny both might get a second chance—with their careers and each other.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
With a degree from Georgia Tech, Alison Stone was an engineer in several industries before trading her corporate career for motherhood shortly after the birth of her second child. She became a novelist in a roundabout way, first trying her hand at writing children’s books and articles for local publications before eventually discovering her love of romantic suspense. Stone lives with her husband of twenty-plus years and their four children in western New York, where the summers are gorgeous and the winters are perfect for curling up with a good book—or writing one.
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by admin | Sep 24, 2016 | Books, Canada, Dectective, Historical, Mystery
MY REVIEW:
The second installment of McMillan’s Herringford and Watts Mysteries finds Jem married to Ray but it seems that the honeymoon may be over. Oh, they are still in love but pressure from Ray’s long hours at work, not enough money to meet their needs, and Ray’s determination to take care of his sister and nephew has taken its toll. And now that they are married, Ray seems equally determined to protect Jem much to her dismay. Not only that but a new client has upset Merinda’s usual composure.
As in the first novel of the series, I found the dialogue to be witty. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter and the footnotes often added just the right touch, especially the quotations from Benny and Jonathan’s handbook. I personally found them quite eloquent. As other reviewers have mentioned, I liked seeing the personal growth of the primary characters but also sympathized with Ray and Jem’s communication problems. I also found it very natural to have two such good friends with only one of them a believer yet also could see some progress being made in that area.
Then there was the plot. Although not quite as mysterious as the first novel, “A Lesson in Love and Murder” was very action-packed with danger at every corner. The mystery itself was more in the line of proving who was behind the death and destruction that followed the team from Toronto to Chicago. I enjoyed the introduction of Benny the Mounty but felt sorry for Jasper as he watched Merinda’s reaction to Benny.
I thoroughly enjoyed another encounter with those endearing bachelor girls and can’t wait to join them on their next adventure. I love the unique yet somehow old-fashioned approach this author has taken with this series.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Howard Books through NetGalley.
I later purchased a print copy.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
From political danger to personal drama, life is about to get explosive…
The legacy of literary icon Sherlock Holmes is alive and well in 1912 Canada, where best friends Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts continue to develop their skills as consulting detectives.
The city of Toronto has been thrown into upheaval by the arrival of radical anarchist Emma Goldman. Amid this political chaos, Benny Citrone of the Royal North-West Mounted Police arrives at Merinda and Jem’s flat, requesting assistance in locating his runaway cousin—a man with a deadly talent.
While Merinda eagerly accepts the case, she finds herself constantly butting heads—and hearts—with Benny. Meanwhile, Jem has her hands full with a husband who is determined to keep her out of harm’s way.
As Merinda and Jem close in on the danger they’ve tracked from Toronto to Chicago, they uncover a sinister plot to assassinate presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt. Will they be able to save the day and resolve the troubles threatening their future happiness before it’s too late?
Independence, love, and lives are at stake in A Lesson in Love and Murder, the gripping second installment of the Herringford and Watts Mysteries series.
Purchase a copy of “A Lesson in Love and Murder” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.
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