You know what they always say about not letting success go to your head? Yeah, a little success with a case and Elliot is raring to take on another one – this time pro bono because she felt sorry for the gal her boss turned down. As frequent readers of Christy Barrit’s cozy mysteries know, things are about to get a little crazy ’round here.
It doesn’t take very long before Elliot finds herself right in the middle of danger but in her own naive and clueless way, she keeps on following those clues into one disaster after another. But somehow, some way Elliot manages to put together the clues and solve yet another case.
The Perks of Meddling is yet another fun cozy mystery with a quirky heroine whose ignorance of Americanisms offers a chuckle or two. Then there are those two guys – her cute coworker Michael and that handsome cop Hunter who keeps showing up everywhere she goes. It seems to me that they are both interested in Elliot but neither is quite on her radar yet. It will be interesting to see how that part of the story goes. I am also very interested for Elliot to learn more about her father’s mysterious journal.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She’s determined to work this case—with or without permission . . .
Investigator-wannabe Elliot Ransom doesn’t have much clout with the PI firm that recently hired her. When she meets a woman whose “riffraff” sister has gone missing, Elliot can’t resist the urge to help—despite her boss’s stern warning to stay away. But her snooping may prove as dangerous as the jungle she left behind.
As Elliot digs deeper, the underbelly of wealthy Storm River bubbles to the surface. Following the advice found in her father’s old journal, Elliot tracks the killer. But the more she uncovers, the more of a target she becomes. Could a little meddling lead to a vast amount of trouble?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”
A Publishers Weekly best-seller, Christy writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have sold almost two million copies, and one is currently being developed as a movie.
Christy’s books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.
She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.
Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She loves spending time with her husband, her two sons, and her four dogs.
Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish is both entertaining and humorous with a somewhat heated romance between the two main characters Hadley and Max. Their story begins with them as competitors on a televised cooking competition where Max loses to Hadley and also totally loses his cool leaving Hadley just a tad traumatized. When they once again share a show, they are forced to work together but this time as partners rather than competitors.
I enjoyed how Hadley and Max navigated the trials and errors of the series, especially as they learned that they were being pitted against each other and decided to surprise the director by not falling in with his plans. It was a great example of how our heroes often do not live up to our expectations. Dialogue between Hadley and Max was often witty and fun but it definitely took awhile for them to trust each other. I liked the change in Max that he attributed to Hadley’s influence. What a better testimony it could have been if he changed because he saw Jesus in Hadley’s life.
Although this was a fun book to read, I fear that my age is showing. It is obviously a novel for the younger, more hip gals. I think I may have to bypass the current chick lit in the future and stick with something directed toward us more mature women.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Get ready for a heaping helping of humor, romance, and second chances
Celebrity chef Maxwell Cavanagh is known for many things: his multiple Michelin stars, his top-rated Culinary Channel show, To the Max, and most of all his horrible temper. Hadley Beckett, host of the Culinary Channel’s other top-rated show, At Home with Hadley, is beloved for her Southern charm and for making her viewers feel like family.
When Max experiences a very public temper tantrum and is sent packing, his only chance to get back on TV and in the public’s good graces is to work alongside Hadley. As these polar-opposite celeb chefs begin to peel away the layers of public persona and reputation, they will not only discover the key ingredients for getting along but also learn the secret recipe for unexpected forgiveness . . . and maybe even love.
Bethany Turner is the award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey and the director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. A former bank executive and a three-time cancer survivor (all before she turned 35), Bethany knows that when God has plans for your life, it doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say. Because of that, she’s chosen to follow his call to write. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight.
Patricia Bradley has gotten her latest series off to an exciting start with Standoff. It just doesn’t get much better than this as far as I’m concerned. If this is what I can expect from the rest of the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series, then sign me up! I don’t plan to miss a word.
I loved everything about this book. Its Southern setting in Natchez, Mississippi and the Natchez Trace National park was the perfect backdrop for the suspenseful tale that kept me turning the pages well into the night. In this story filled with action and danger and death, drug runners and cartels, secrets and second chances with a touch of romance, the plot and characters were very well developed and came to life within its pages. Heroine Brook Danvers is a young woman of grit and determination who refuses to rest until the man responsible for her father’s death is caught. Hero Luke Fereday has a secret life but not the kind that Brooke suspects.
The author drops a few clues along the way but managed to keep me guessing until the end. Be sure and pick up a copy of Standoff and join other readers for a breathtaking ride along the Natchez Trace.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It’s the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it’s also perfect for moving drugs.
Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John’s daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father’s murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her.
Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who’s going to keep him safe when he realizes he’s falling–hard–for the daughter of the man he failed to save?
Patricia Bradley is the author of Justice Delayed, Justice Buried, Justice Betrayed, and Justice Delivered, as well as the Logan Point series. Bradley won an Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award in Romantic Suspense, a Daphne du Maurier Award, and a Touched by Love Award, and she was a Carol Award finalist. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com.
Dead Silence is a contemporary suspense that could easily be inspired by current news and kicked up a notch or two. Featuring Elise Carmichael, widowed mother of a young deaf son, the story begins with Elise accidentally reading lips of a man discussing a murder plot. Once she has relayed the information to the FBI, Elise quickly finds herself and her son threatened time and time again. The danger ramps up with each page as Elise, her sister-in-law, and others work together to identify the person behind the threats.
I enjoyed the character of Elise, a gutsy mama bear of a woman who would do everything possible to protect her beloved son. It was fun watching her face off with the FBI agents – this woman pretty much told them what she thought of them. I also liked how she took things into her own hands when she felt that law enforcement was not doing enough to solve the case. A subtle faith message highlighted a disillusioned Elise who slowly found her way back to God.
I did have my suspicions early on but the narrative really didn’t let any obvious hints slip by to diminish by enjoyment of the story. Dead Silence would be a great book to recommend to those friends who may be looking for a good suspense without romantic elements to detract from the rest of the story. I recommend this book as well as Caroll’s previous novels.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Amazon Vine. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin Caroll grew up in Louisiana with her nose in a book. She still has the complete Trixie Belden series, and her love for mysteries and suspense has only increased with her age.
Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her published novels.
Best-selling author of thirty-plus novels, ROBIN CAROLL writes Southern stories of mystery and suspense, with a hint of romance to entertain readers. Her books have been recognized in several awards, including the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and more.
When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of three decades, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home in the South.
Robin serves the writing community as Executive/Conference Director for ACFW. To find out more about Robin, visit www.robincaroll.com
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USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”
Patricia Bradley is the author of Justice Delayed, Justice Buried, Justice Betrayed, and Justice Delivered, as well as the Logan Point series. Bradley won an Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award in Romantic Suspense, a Daphne du Maurier Award, and a Touched by Love Award, and she was a Carol Award finalist. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at 
Robin Caroll grew up in Louisiana with her nose in a book. She still has the complete Trixie Belden series, and her love for mysteries and suspense has only increased with her age.
