Posts Tagged ‘suspense’

 

Welcome to the book tour for Zipline by P. Anthony Michael. Read on for my review!

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Zipline

Publication Date: June 2022

Genre: Thriller/ Suspense

If Gail knew Uncle Perkins’ stories were true, she wouldn’t have taken her friends up that mountain.

The plan was simple. Hike, camp, and ride the zipline back down the mountain. But Uncle Perkins’ stories are true, and the horrors are real. Now the simple plan is the only plan they have to get off that mountain or disappear, remaining there forever.

Zipline is an immediately gripping, fast-paced, unique story that will keep you entertained until the last sent

Available on Amazon

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MY REVIEW

I have a bucket list and taking a ride on a zipline is on the list. After reading this book, I’m sure I’ll be imaging what scary things I’m rushing past as I zip along above the tree canopy.

Coming in at just 82 pages in my paperback copy, Zipline packs an eerie punch. The author managed to flesh out his characters too, and that’s no mean feat with so few pages.

There’s something strange happening at Finch Mountain. Nicknamed BEASTLY, that tag and an old man’s warning should have been enough to deter Gail and her friends. That old saying, “Curiosity Killed The Cat” turns out to be oh so true as they venture into the dark forest. And the second part of that saying, “Satisfaction Brought Them Back” proves not so true.

The action begins almost immediately and the story “zips” along. Will they get off the mountain? Who survives? Anyone? My curiosity was answered and what fun it was finding out.

4 STARS

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About the Author

Michael received a creative writing certificate from the University of West Virginia in the late 90s. He’s been running a successful writer’s group called For The Love Of Words for almost two decades. When he has time, he teaches in the local library Story 101 – How to create a story. He has won in every category over a five-year period in a state-funded wordsmith competition in Poetry, Essay, Short Story, and One-Act Play.

P. Anthony Michael

Book Tour Organized By:

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Cold Pursuit

by Nancy Mehl

July 17 – August 4, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

 

 

Synopsis:

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They’re soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son, who disappeared four years ago. River knows there’s almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be. But as they follow the boy’s trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. As River and Tony race to stop him before he kills again, an even more dangerous threat emerges, stirring up the past that haunts River and plotting an end to her future.

Praise for Cold Pursuit:

“Guaranteed to captivate with plot twists you won’t see coming.” ~ Tosca Lee, New York Times bestselling author “This story is sure to leave you breathless from the thrill of the ride. Hold on tight, it’s about to get exhilarating!” ~ Lynette Eason, bestselling and award-winning author of the Extreme Measures series “Cold Pursuit sucked me in from the first riveting page and pulled me deeper into an intricate, danger-filled plot.” ~ Elizabeth Goddard, bestselling author of Cold Light of Day

 

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense

Published by: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: July 2023 Number of Pages: 336 ISBN: 9780764240454 (ISBN10: 0764240455) Series: Ryland & St. Clair (#1)

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | ChristianBook.com | Goodreads | Baker Book House

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MY REVIEW

The book opened with a horrific scene that had my pulse pounding. Then flashed forward a bit.  Former FBI profilers River Ryland and Tony St. Clair have just started their new careers as private detectives at Watson Investigations. Not much is happening and they’re twiddling their thumbs when a woman walks in. She needs help. Her teenage son disappeared 4 years ago and she needs to know what happened to him. They take the case and begin digging in.

I easily connected with River and Ryland. They had mental and physical obstacles to overcome. The traumatic event that led to their leaving the FBI lingered and I wanted them to succeed with the cold case and perhaps find their own closure.  But  the killer had other plans.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, indeed. Following along with River and Ryland as they investigate, we meet a sinister character. The boogey man had nothing on this killer. Gave me shivers. And there’s something else that rears it’s ugly head. All of this led to a suspenseful read that had me crossing my fingers and toes, a lot.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which the stimulation of one sense triggers an instantaneous and involuntary experience in another. In other words, it causes two or more senses to cross. People with Synesthesia may be able to “hear” color, or “taste” sound. There are many kinds of Synesthesia, and people who have it sometimes have more than one type. —The Synesthesia Network

Prologue

River Ryland was convinced that madness exists only a breath away from genius. The man who stood in front of her and Tony had proven this to be true. He’d kept his identity hidden from the FBI’s best. Now River and Tony’s lives were about to end, and there was no one to save them. Moonlight caused the river to sparkle as if it were layered with precious jewels. But the image didn’t provoke a sense of beauty. It spawned a feeling of terror so deep and evil that her body betrayed her. She couldn’t move. Why were they even here? She and Tony were behavioral analysts for the FBI, not field agents. They wrote profiles for the agents who were trained to confront insanity. A call from another agent had brought them here. “Come and see,” she’d said. “It’s important. I think we got it wrong.” This was someone they trusted. Someone whose opinion mattered. Jacki was so smart. So naturally intuitive. And so surely dead. Why hadn’t River been alerted by the quiver in her voice? Why hadn’t the profiler profiled her friend and realized she was in trouble? She’d failed Jacki, Tony, . . . and herself. And now, without a miracle, she and Tony were going to die on the bank of this killer river—with moonlight standing guard over their execution. “Come closer,” the man said to River, his face resembling a Greek theater mask. Was it Comedy or Tragedy? She wasn’t sure. She couldn’t think. Even though she willed her feet to move, she stayed where she was. It was as if her shoes had been glued to the ground. But that wasn’t possible, was it? The man swung his gun toward Tony. “I said move. If you don’t, I’ll shoot your friend.” River forced her feet from the spot where she stood. It took every ounce of strength and willpower she possessed. She locked her eyes with Tony’s. Slowly, she made her way toward the man in the moonlight, his gun glinting in the soft light as he pointed it at her. A line from Shakespeare’s Othello echoed in her mind. It is the very error of the moon; She comes more nearer earth than she is wont and makes men mad. She turned her face toward the man who planned to take her life. She knew she shouldn’t panic. She knew how to fight. How to defend herself. She hated feeling so helpless. So afraid. This was the moment she desperately needed to summon the trained agent inside of her. The one who knew how to confront evil. Yet she was aware of how powerful this man was. How deadly. He’d killed eleven women that they knew of, not counting Jacki, but he’d teased authorities with letters claiming up to eighty. Although it sounded impossible, it wasn’t. Transient women went missing every day. Hookers. Teenagers living on the streets. The number could be right. The one truth that was indisputable? No one had ever survived him. No one. When she was close enough to smell his sour breath, in one quick move, he swung the gun back toward Tony and fired four times. Tony fell to the ground. River started to scream his name, but before she could make a sound, the killer’s hands were around her neck, squeezing. Choking the life out of her. Suddenly, something clicked on in her brain, like her alarm clock in the morning. She had to help Tony—if it wasn’t already too late. She struggled, hitting at this horror of a human being. This man full of death and destruction. Then she rolled her eyes back in her head and stopped breathing, holding her breath for dear life. And that’s exactly what it was. Life. Hers and Tony’s. She went limp, hoping the monster would think she was dead. He finally dropped her on the ground and walked toward his car. She needed to gulp in air but was afraid he’d hear. Breathing in a little at a time hurt her chest, yet she had no choice. She began to crawl quietly toward the gun he’d taken from Tony. It lay only a few feet away. She had no idea where hers was, but that didn’t matter. She heard him close the trunk. She scrambled as quickly as she could until her fingers closed around the barrel of the gun, but before she could pick it up, he was behind her. He hit her on the head, and she felt herself losing consciousness. She could only stare up at the moon and hate it for watching this happen. The next sensation she experienced was throbbing pain in her head and neck. Her first reaction wasn’t relief, it was surprise. The pain was awful, but didn’t that mean she was alive? A flash of euphoria gave way to terror when she realized she couldn’t move. Where was she? Why was she wet? She couldn’t see anything, and her hands were bound in front of her. Her fingers reached out and touched something hard. What was it? When she realized she was trapped inside some kind of container—and that water was leaking in—she screamed out in horror. She was in a large chest. All of the Strangler’s victims had been found in the Salt River, and most of them were inside old trunks. But they’d been dead when they went into the water, and she was still alive. He’d done it on purpose because she’d come too close. He needed more than her death. He wanted her to experience the terror he knew his madness could create. River struggled with all her might, but she couldn’t get free. She pulled her hands up to her mouth and tried to use her teeth to rip through the duct tape wrapped around her wrists. She realized immediately that there was too much of it. She couldn’t make enough progress to help herself before she was completely submerged. The river was seeping in, slowly but surely. She was on her side, and half of her head was already under water. She cried out in terror as she tried to push herself onto her back so she could clear her nose and mouth, but there wasn’t enough room. As hope faded, she did something she never thought she’d do again. Something she hadn’t done in many years. She prayed. “God, please. If you’re real, if you care anything about me, save me. Get me out of here. I’m sorry I’ve been so angry at you. If you give me another chance . . .” She couldn’t get the rest of the words out because water filled her mouth and she began to choke. She’d swallowed some of it, and she couldn’t catch her breath. She was suffocating. Drowning. Just when she’d decided to give in to the inevitable and let death overtake her, something flashed in her mind. Right before the Strangler hit her . . . there was something. A movement on the hill behind them. Was someone watching? Had they gone for help? Was there a chance? As much as she wanted to believe it, another part of her thought it would be best to just relax and float away. Hope only brought disappointment, and she’d experienced too much of it. Still, she couldn’t help but grab onto a slim chance that . . . That’s when she felt it. Movement. Something jostled the trunk. Was she being lifted out of the river? As the water level began to decrease inside the trunk, River began to cry. She was going to live. “Thank you, God,” she croaked. “Thank you.” He was convinced he’d been born to be exceptional. He was certainly smarter than these weak, feckless creatures who revolved around his genius. Was he a god? Or was he a demon? Who was smarter, God or Lucifer? It seemed Lucifer had certainly ruined the plan of the Almighty. If God was really the Creator of all things, how was it that one of His creations was able to rebel and cause such havoc on Earth? Seemed to him that the devil was the winner of that particular contest. So, on whose side was he working? Being honest about it, he didn’t really care. He only knew that the desire to rid the world of those who were unworthy of life burned in him like a fire. One that he had no power or will to quench. It was his destiny. His reason for living. His fate had been decided for him many years ago, and he’d accepted it gladly. Lucifer or Jehovah. It didn’t matter. Some would call what he’d done sin. But what was sin anyway? Perhaps it was the road less traveled because of fear of retribution. He didn’t fear judgment. His god didn’t threaten him. Instead, he only fueled the glorious desire that clawed and scratched inside him, demanding release. He especially enjoyed pitting himself against those who called themselves righteous because they had the ability to forgive. Forgiveness was for the feeble-minded. He would never forgive. He hated anyone who considered themselves moral or spiritually justified and had promised the voice that whispered in the darkness that he would never fail to respond to its unending song of reckoning against them. He laughed suddenly, the sound echoing around him. These idiotic cattle thought they’d defeated him, but he had a surprise for them. All he had to do was wait. They would rue the day they’d tried to cage him. The killing hadn’t stopped. It had only just begun.

Chapter One

Brian woke up shivering again, calling out for his mother and father. As he looked around the small room he rented in the rundown boarding house, reality sunk in. He had no idea where his parents were, and even if he could find them, they didn’t want him. They’d stuck him in that residential facility until he was eighteen, like some kind of unwanted dog left in the pound. They’d paid the hospital boatloads of money for all those years, yet when he’d been released there was no family waiting to take him home. So why was he still having the same nightmare? Would it ever leave him alone? Before they’d kicked him out, the social worker at the hospital had found him a job, but if he wanted to keep it, he had to visit a therapist every week. He hated going, but he couldn’t walk away from his job. Although he didn’t make much, at least he could pay for this room. Fredric, a kind man who’d worked in the hospital cafeteria, had helped him find this rooming house and had even paid his rent for two months. Brian was grateful for Fredric’s help, but this place was really awful. Paint peeling off the walls. A shared bathroom for all three rooms on this floor, which was usually dirty. The guy who lived across the hall drank and didn’t flush the toilet. And at night the cockroaches came out. Brian didn’t blame Fredric. He’d done everything he could with his limited funds. Brian blamed his parents. They were rich. They could have helped him. Kept him safe. Brian hated them with every fiber of his being. When he was very young, they were attentive—even loving. But as he grew older, and they realized he was different, everything changed. Although he’d never met his father’s father, he’d heard the whispers—that Brian was crazy, just like his grandfather had been. When he first began to tell his parents what he was experiencing, they seemed concerned. Then when doctors informed them he was hallucinating and that he needed professional help, the way they looked at him changed. The word schizophrenia became his enemy—and his identity. At first, his father appeared to care for his broken son, but as his mother applied pressure, he began to distance himself—just as she had. It was clear he wasn’t the child they’d wanted. And then his brother was born. And his sister. They were perfect. As he grew older and his problems began to increase, it was obvious that his mother only saw him as an embarrassment. Something that interfered with their perfect lives. Thankfully, in their eyes, God had shown them mercy and given them the children they deserved, so sending him away solved their dilemma. He had a memory of his parents fighting one night. His father wanted Brian to stay with them, but his mother had threatened to leave him and take his ideal children away. Finally, his father gave in. Brian hated him even more than his mother for caving in to her demands. For turning his back on the son that needed him so desperately. After he went to live in that terrible hospital with its white walls, disinfectant smells, locked doors, and abusive staff, his parents began to visit him less and less. The more he begged them to take him home, the more uncomfortable they became, and by the time he was thirteen, they stopped coming altogether. As he remembered the anger he’d felt, bad words swirled around in the air, each letter a different color. As they turned red, he mouthed the words he saw, and rage built inside him. He would need to release it soon. Suddenly his alarm clock went off, causing the air around him to pulsate. He hit the alarm and pushed himself up from the bed. It was an especially cold November. The blanket he’d purchased from Goodwill wasn’t enough to keep him warm, especially in this drafty room, but it was all he could afford if he wanted to pay his rent and eat. As his teeth chattered, the word cold floated in front of his eyes. He couldn’t hold back a sneeze that made his mouth feel funny. He swiped at the bad words that started flying around his head. “Stop it!” he said loudly. Immediately, he put his hand over his mouth. What if someone complained because he was too loud? No matter what, he couldn’t lose this room. He had nowhere else to go, and he didn’t want to live on the streets. That was a nightmare he couldn’t face. The afternoon sun shone through a gap in the curtains on his window, but it brought no warmth. He took off his sweatpants and sweatshirt and hurried over to the decrepit chest of drawers where he kept his clothes. He pulled out his work pants and some clean underwear. Then he went over to the hooks on the wall where he hung his three work shirts. There was only one clean shirt left. He’d have to go to the laundromat tomorrow. That could be a problem since he had to see his therapist in the morning. He’d have to wake up early to get everything done. He glanced at the clock on the top of his dresser. Four o’clock. He needed to leave by five-thirty to get to work on time. At least the cleaning company left him alone, since they trusted him and knew he would get the job done. As long as he had a place to live and he could keep his fifteen-year-old car running, he would keep showing up. His supervisor usually only showed up once a week to collect Brian’s time sheet. He used to check his work, but he didn’t anymore. Most importantly, the man never gave him the look. Brian hated that look. The one he saw on his parents’ faces before they’d shipped him off. Rage burned inside him toward normal people who laughed at him and treated him as less than human. As he headed toward the bathroom, the word blood pulsated in front of his eyes, and he could almost taste its sugary aroma in his mouth. *** Excerpt from Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl. Copyright 2023 by Nancy Mehl. Reproduced with permission from Baker Book House. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Nancy Mehl:

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Nancy Mehl

Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of almost fifty books, a Parable bestseller, as well as the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne Du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for two Carol Awards, and the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. To learn more, visit nancymehl.com.

Catch Up With Our Author: NancyMehl.com Goodreads BookBub – @NancyMehl Twitter – @NancyMehl1 Facebook – Nancy Mehl Fan Page

 

 

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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Nancy Mehl & Bethany House Publishers. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
 

 

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Cold Pursuit 

Ryland & St. Clair #1

  by Nancy Mehl

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Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Christian Fiction

From page 56 in the paperback.

Watson Investigations. What a stupid name. Now, Sherlock Holmes Investigations would be cool. 

Just what were they investigating? Were they watching him? Were they a threat?

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Synopsis

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case that went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They’re soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son who disappeared four years ago. River knows there’s almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy’s trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. With a killer on the loose set on finishing the job he started, will River be pulled back into her tormented past or finally face the demons that haunt her?

With her trademark blend of page-turning thrills and intricate plots, Nancy Mehl delivers a spine-tingling thriller that will keep readers up all night.

Amazon

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour organized for The Charterhouse Of Evil by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Janice Tremayne will be awarding an Audiobook of The Infants Spirits (Book 4) Haunting Clarisse Series to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Charterhouse Of Evil

by Janice Tremayne

Genre: Supernatural / Suspense / Horror

Synopsis

Bound to life old and new, the sins of the departed still haunt her. When wickedness infects the innocent, can she see the curse undone?

Western Australia. Clarisse Garcia is ready to return stronger than ever. With her husband by her side, the plucky spirit hunter is back on familiar territory with an assignment for Benedictine monks. And now she’s out to vanquish whatever evil is plaguing the monastic village that caused orphans to mysteriously die.

With what could be a voracious demon on her hands, Clarisse partners up with a man who grew up in the local orphanage to investigate suspicious activities. And as they dig through the monastery’s shrouded history, she discovers that some of these servants of God might not be as benign as they claim… and she may be their next quarry.

Can this driven woman end the impiety before more lives are sent to the grave?

The Charterhouse of Evil is the shocking fifth book in the Haunting Clarisse supernatural horror series. If you like bold characters, adrenaline-spiking investigations, and jaw-dropping twists and turns, then you’ll love Janice Tremayne’s malevolent tale.

Enjoy this peek inside:

Detective Ramsey flung the door open, the doorknob etching into the paster wall. He didn’t care about this room of horrors.

It was still a crime scene with broken police tape on the floor after all these years. No one had entered this room since they had found the monk’s body sprawled on the floor in a fetal position, his hands reaching for the sky as though announcing himself to his creator in his dying moments. But the detective thought it was a naïve end, as the priest had been charged with the murder of a boy in 1970. He was a criminal. A paradox to think a murderer could enter the kingdom of heaven.

“The white marking on the floor is where the priest was found dead,” Detective Ramsey said.

Clarisse tentatively stepped into the room. She felt something morbid.

“Death lives here,” she said.

“What do you mean?” the detective asked.

“Whoever died here never left. His soul remains, I mean.”

“His spirit occupies the room?” The detective raised his eyebrows.

“The monk died a shallow death, questioned his faith, and held his hands up to the Lord to save him.” She paused, held her palms in front of her, and closed her eyes. “But it was too late. He had already traded his soul with the demon and knew it.”

“A desperate attempt to avoid the confines of hell?”

Clarisse nodded. “In our hour of death, the truth always comes out, Detective. All the things we lust for in the immortal world become insignificant. Because it’s in our last minutes, as we cling to life, that we realize we have a soul.”

The detective placed his hands in his pocket. “I don’t know what to make of that, Clarisse. You’re saying we learn about the afterlife in our hour of death?”

“Yes, even nonbelievers come to terms with that.”

“And that is more frightening than death itself? To think that there is life after death?”

“And then Detective, it is too late to reverse the course of your life.”

About Author Janice Tremayne:

Janice Tremayne is an award-winning supernatural horror writer from Australia. Her acclaimed novel, Haunting Hartley, was a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards. She was recently awarded the silver medal at the IPPY Awards 2021 Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim – Best Regional Fiction and the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2020 Bronze Award in Adult Fiction.

Janice is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. The Haunting Clarisse series has regularly reached number one in the Amazon kindle rankings for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts and Haunted Houses, and British Horror for hot new releases/bestsellers. Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She grew up in a family with a cultural heritage where religious taboos and superstitions were entrenched into their way of life. This fascinated her as she was growing up and laid the foundations for developing a passion and style for writing supernatural horror novels for adult readers.

Writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago when she finally decided to put pen to paper, and she has never looked back. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale to the delight of her readers worldwide.

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Fletcher J. McKay has been shot, driven insane, and tortured by a madman, so what’s one more psycho coming after her?

 

 

 

 

Title: Crossing a Fine Line: The McKay Series Book Five

Author: W.L. Brooks

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Pages: 314

Genre: Romantic Suspense

 

Fletcher J. McKay has been shot, driven insane, and tortured by a madman, so what’s one more psycho coming after her? But this foe’s disturbing attempts to extinguish Fletch’s light leave her shaken. Running out of options, she must consort with the enemy.

Fletcher is undoubtedly Sheriff Noah Reed’s nemesis. Their discord began with an irrevocable outcome of an unforeseeable trauma, but duty demands he keeps her safe. The closer he gets, the more his loathing turns to lust.

Devastated by loss, Fletcher agrees to go into Noah’s protective custody. Passion takes them across the boundaries of their animosity, but is their tentative bond enough? Or is the line between love and hate, as with life and death, fixed.

Pre-order eBook on Amazon

Amazon (paperback)

Book Excerpt  

 

 

Noah walked barefoot to his office and poured himself a scotch. He closed his eyes as the liquid traced a molten path to his stomach. Shaking it off, he sat at his desk and flicked on the TV for background noise. On top of his stack of mail was a letter with his name on it, one that hadn’t been there before.

Opening the drawer to his left, he pulled out a pair of latex gloves. Using every precaution, he unsealed the envelope and dumped out the contents.

He picked it up with his thumb and forefinger and unfolded the paper.

Reed around the rosy

Someone’s too damn nosy

Ashes to embers

Make sure he remembers

Ashes take flight

Someone dies tonight

What the hell? Someone had been in his house. He squeezed his eyes shut. She’d broken in before. Hadn’t she?

 Damn it; this had gone too far. He got a plastic baggy from the kitchen, put the note inside, slipped on his loafers, and grabbed his keys. So much for getting any sleep tonight.

 

More…

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

W.L. Brooks was born with an active imagination.  When characters come into her mind, she has to give them a life- a chance to tell their stories. With a coffee cup in her hand and a cat by her side, she spends her days letting the ideas flow onto paper.  A voracious reader, she draws her inspiration from mystery, romance, suspense and a dash of the paranormal.

A native of Virginia Beach, she is currently living in Western North Carolina. Pick up her latest novel, Unearthing the Past – available now!

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

 

 

 

Sponsored By:

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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Salt Island

E&A Investigations Thriller Series Book 2

by Lisa Towles

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

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At the request of an old college chum, former CIA operative and private investigator Mari Ellwyn investigates the blackmailing of a CEO amid a high-profile IPO deal and a motivated witness determined to expose him for corruption and fraud. Mari’s new partner, Derek Abernathy tries to help uncover the truth behind the accidental death of two farm workers in the Central Valley, only to discover that they weren’t accidental and they’re connected to a seamy underworld of illegal drug manufacturing and toxic chemical dumping. Lured by compassion and ties to their former lives, Ellwyn and Abernathy leverage their collective experience in the biggest challenge of their lives – bringing justice and staying alive in the process.

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What readers are saying:

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An intricate, gorgeously written, character-driven page-turner with some shocking twists”

– Prairies Book Reviews

“An Intoxicating read, hugely entertaining”

The Book Commentary​

An exceptional thriller and a riveting work of espionage, wrongdoing, and discovery”

– Midwest Book Review

Towles is a master when it comes to parallel storylines. Readers will love the quick pace and snappy dialogue of this thriller, and Mari is a character who jumps off the page and into your heart.”

– Literary Titan

​”Likeable, interesting characters and a confident narrative keep the pages turning of this crime thriller, in a series that harkens Evanovich, Grafton, and Millhone.”

– RECOMMENDED, The US Review of Books

Highly recommended for fans of intricately plotted mystery tales, high-stakes action, and dynamic detectives”

Reader’s Favorite

Powerful and entertaining, a harrowing journey into the heart of corporate greed”

Book Viral Reviews

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Hot House

E&A Investigations Book 1

Who killed Sophie Michaud? Stay up all night reading this award-winning psychological thriller that has readers obsessed.

Shot in the line of duty, ex CIA operative Mari Ellwyn is again chasing adrenaline, when she reinvents herself as a private investigator on a quest to find the killer of college student Sophie Michaud. Every door Mari opens proves to be more perilous than the last, but she’s hell bent on bringing the killer to justice—for Sophie, students, and all women.

Teaming up with seasoned investigator and former detective, Derek Abernathy, the crime-savvy pair discover Sophie’s journal, which is filled with names and controversial secrets—listed among them is Mari’s own father.

What secrets was Sophie hiding?

As they connect the dots leading to Sophie’s death, the blackmailing of a federal judge, and Mari’s own family, Sophie’s murderer is closing in for the next kill. Facing an adversary like none she’s ever experienced before, Mari must find her missing father and reconcile her broken past before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

A multiple award-winning novel, Hot House is a page-turning psychological thriller packed with tension, secrets, suspense, and surprises. If you like Blake Crouch, Harlan Coben, and Lisa Gardner, discover Lisa Towles’ E&A Series today.

First Place Winner of The Book Fest 2022 Literary Award, Mystery & Crime category

Literary Titan Gold Award for Fiction

Escape into this devious mind mystery by getting your copy of Hot House now, so you can solve the puzzle of who killed Sophie Michaud.

What readers are saying:

A dark, edge-of-the-seat thriller. Highly recommended!”Chanticleer Reviews

Memorable characters make for a winsome, absorbing detective tale.” – Kirkus Reviews

Towles does a fantastic job of pacing the storyline so that the reader hangs on to every clue… I recommend this for fans of crime fiction writers Baldacci, Slaughter, and Gardner.” San Francisco Book Review

Award-winning author Lisa Towles delivers again and again with her gripping thrillers…” Sarah Lovett, Bestselling author

The plot is propelled forward by the clever use of suspense, measured action, and ingeniously written conflict. It is a moving and delightful read with cinematic scenes and characters that will stick with readers for a long after they turn the last page.” – The Book Commentary

Hot House is an intricate maze of blackmail, surprise and suspense delivered by quirky characters, pithy dialog and LOL humor. Another hit by my favorite thriller writer, Lisa Towles.” – Ana Manwaring

Fans of investigative thrillers and mysteries will be the audience for Hot House, but its ability to craft a sassy, fun series of dialogues and inspections… creates an exceptional read with a powerfully unexpected conclusion... This will attract audiences both within and beyond the thriller and mystery genres.” – Midwest Book Review

Towles has produced a knockout novel with Hot House. Towles’s plot is as twisted and unpredictable… Nowhere will thriller fans find a more engaging keep-you-on-your-toes read.” – Literary Titan

This meticulously constructed, remarkable mystery deftly explores people’s darkest flaws while revealing hard truths about the hidden workings of the world. A fast-paced and psychologically astute thriller.Prairies Book Review

“Hot House is one of those books that pries your eyelids open and doesn’t relent until you’ve reached the end. Good luck getting Mari out of your head!” – Benjamin Bradley

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Lisa Towles is an award-winning, Amazon bestselling crime novelist and a passionate speaker on the topics of fiction writing, creativity, and Strategic Self Care. Lisa has nine crime novels in print with a new title, Salt Island, forthcoming in June of 2023. Her latest thriller, The Ridders, was an Amazon #2 Kindle Bestseller and won an American Fiction Award. Her psychological thriller, Hot House (June, 2022) was an Amazon #1 Bestseller (Kindle version) the first place Winner of the 2022 Book Fest Literary Award in Mystery & Crime. Her thriller Ninety-Five was released in November 2021 and won a Literary Titan Award for Fiction. Her 2019 thriller, The Unseen, was the Winner of the 2020 NYC Big Book Award in Crime Fiction, and a Finalist in the Thriller category of the Best Book Awards by American Book Fest. Her 2017 thriller, Choke, won a 2017 IPPY and a 2018 NYC Big Book Award for Thriller. Lisa is an active member and frequent panelist/speaker of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She has an MBA in IT Management and works full-time in the tech industry.

Read more about Lisa’s book on her publisher’s website.

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I’ll Love You Tomorrow

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 3

by Julie Navickas

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

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Follow your heart, even if it takes you all the way to Las Vegas.

For precisely $102 dollars, Mitch Benson and Lauren Templeton marry in a 15-minute ceremony inside a little Las Vegas chapel. Soulmates since elementary school, nothing makes more sense than eloping to Sin City for a secret wedding.

But seven years later, the brilliant glare from the city of lights has faded.

Scratch that. The bulbs are burnt out.

In fact, the wiring may have been faulty all along.

Bitterly accepting that their marriage is coming to an end, Mitch and Lauren stray further and further from the love that once blossomed on the playground of their youth.

Lauren sells her soul to Pier Ninety-Two, her once-fabulous restaurant in downtown Los Angeles now a sad shadow in the Saturday night party scene. And Mitch falls into the arms—er, legs—of none other than childhood enemy, Tess Browning.

Devastated by the direction their love has spiraled, Mitch and Lauren make one last trip to the city of second chances, hoping to turn their pennies into the million-dollar love they once shared.

Will their last roll be a miracle—or a mirage—in the desert?

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Her eyes glimmered under the streetlights, their dark brown hue lit up by the dazzling glow of the city. She smiled, stepping closer to his body to allow a couple to pass behind her. The evening breeze caught in her hair, each of her dark strands dancing across her shoulders.

His body warmed as she moved nearer, the smile on her lips squeezing his heartstrings with the ghosts of the past. Their spontaneous wedding day flashed before his eyes… the red eye flight to Vegas… the little white wedding chapel… and the celebratory…

“Hot dogs,” he answered, gripping her hand and leading the way down the Strip.

She snorted. “Well, tradition, I guess.”

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pointed to their right. “Come on, I think the food trucks are this way. At least they used to be.”

Nodding, she fell in step with his long strides as they dodged and weaved in and out of the mob of tourists ready to experience the nightlife of the adult playground. On their right, the fountains of the Bellagio burst to life—swaying in synchronization—lit up by the golden lights reflected in the pool.

“I think that’s where Austin wants to propose tomorrow.” Lauren pointed to the grand hotel and dancing fountains.

Swarms of people lined the railing, ogling the show.

“Why did he need us here then? He’ll have hundreds of people surrounding him.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. I think it’s kind of sweet that he wants to make it a big deal!”

“And you think that’s what Casey wants? A spectacle?”

Frowning, Lauren gripped his upper arm and squeezed as they crossed the street, leaving the magnificent fountains behind.

His stomach dipped at the pinch of her fingers on his bare skin.

“I think what Casey wants most… is just Austin. It doesn’t matter how.”

The greasy scent of street food pummeled into his nostrils as a line of white trucks and picnic tables appeared down a side street. Mitch pointed at the second truck, the words ‘Hotdogs in a Hurry’ painted in big bold yellow letters. “And what is it that you want most?”

What do you want? A divorce? Or…

She scrunched her nose and shrugged. “Chicago style, I guess?”

I didn’t really mean hotdogs… 

Grinning, he gripped her hand and led her over to the truck to place their order. The desert wind picked up, ruffling through his hair as a chill tingled his skin.

“Will you hold my purse for a second?” Pushing the bag toward his chest, she pulled her dark hair back into a ponytail, wrapping the long strands together with a pink tie from her wrist. Her high cheekbones stood out, complemented by the rosy hue growing on her skin. She grinned, dropping her gaze as her natural beauty punctured his heart, reminiscent of the first day they met. “What?”

The words spilled from his lips, unfiltered. “You look really pretty tonight.”

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I Love You Today

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 2

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Because when you least expect it… and when you’re least ready for it… love happens.

Casey McDaniels lacked direction, spending the better part of her youth boyfriend hopping, partying, and bartending – her dreams, career ambitions, and education put on the backburner in favor of a social life and steady paycheck… that is, until a new lawyer moves into town.

When sexy, smart, and brokenhearted Austin Templeton relocates from Los Angeles to Chicago, Casey can’t help but put her former lifestyle aside in favor of the sweet romance that erupts between them. Finding more than just her heart set ablaze, Austin’s own professional ambition ignites a fire beneath her – pushing her forward into uncharted territory.

But one thing’s for sure… his career will always come first. When an unexpected promotion threatens to take him back to California, Casey reels, forced to choose between the man who captured her heart and the newfound path to success he led her down.

With her heart torn down the middle, Casey leaves the choice in Austin’s hands. After all, what’s more important? A job… or love?

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Austin stepped forward, his shoes crunching the grains of sand as he left the safety of the parking lot and headed for the woman sitting alone on the picnic table, her wild dark curls whipping in the gusts of ocean wind like snakes striking their prey.

“Turn around, Austin,” he whispered to himself, pleading with the sole remaining ounce of sanity left in his brain. “Just go home.” His feet faltered, his brain battling with his heart. He eyed her, watching as she reined in her hair and fastened it into a low ponytail with a white ribbon. Austin shook his head and sided with his heart. Just see what she wants. You owe her that. He moved forward, each footfall bringing him closer to his personal Garden of Eden’s forbidden fruit. Heaving out a heavy breath, he reached the table, his heart sinking as his lips parted. “Princess?” he whispered.

She turned, the deep green of her eyes penetrating his soul, her heart calling out to him from the ghosts of a war zone.

His chest pounded, the blood speeding through his veins with ferocity. Austin gulped and swallowed the fear erupting in his gut at the sight of her, a surge of repressed longing rippling through his body as his eyes met hers.

“Hey, you.” She patted the wooden seat beside her. “Thank you for coming,” she whispered.

Austin shook his head and exhaled the heartache he loathed. The remaining pieces of his soul still belonging to her roused from the rubble surrounding his damaged heart. “Why am I here, Mavs?”

Her hand stilled on the tabletop. “Because I knew you’d come.”

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I Loved You Yesterday

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 1

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Secrets always have a way of coming out.

Mavis Benson made a huge mistake. Scratch that—colossal mistake. Twice. Sleeping with her high school sweetheart’s twin brother definitely wasn’t part of the plan… nor was falling in love with him.

But that wasn’t the only complication Mavis faced. When an unplanned pregnancy upends her life at seventeen, Mavis skips town to spare her boyfriend, Josh Templeton, from the fallout. With only a letter of apology, she disappears, but not before confiding her secret to Josh’s brother, Austin.

When Austin resurfaces in her life years later, he brings the past to Mavis’s doorstep. Josh wants her back, Austin isn’t willing to surrender, and the path to happiness isn’t clear. Caught between both men, Mavis must choose between the brother for whom she broke her own heart, and the brother who picked up the pieces.

I LOVED YOU YESTERDAY is a heart-pounding reveal of best kept secrets. The truth is never easy, and neither is putting down this page turner. Fans of Nora Roberts and K.G. Fletcher will want to get a copy of I LOVED YOU YESTERDAY.

~Winner of the ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS CLARION AWARD.~

 

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His hands toyed with the envelope. Dipping a finger beneath the lip, he flirted with the idea of revisiting the seventh circle of hell once more.

“Damn you, Mavs,” he whispered and tore the letter from the envelope. It fluttered to the floor and the words of the past rippled over his body with the intensity of a rusted razor gliding across his skin.

My dearest Joshua,

By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. I’m not asking you to understand, but I am asking that you let me go. Please don’t try to find me. I left because I had no other choice. If I stayed and you learned the truth, you would put your dreams aside in favor of me. I can’t let you do that. I can’t let my mistake be the reason you’re kept from your future and the man you’re meant to be. 

I didn’t know what else to do, Josh. I’m scared. I’m terrified. I’m stupid… And I just hope one day you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me, to forgive us. Until then, my love… 

I loved you yesterday, I love you today, and I’ll love you tomorrow, Joshua Templeton. 

 

Mavis 

It still stung. Vomit threatened Josh’s throat as he swallowed the memories erupting from the remains of his shattered soul. Damn it, Duchess! Why did you leave me? 

“I fucking loved you,” he whispered to the silent room, all traces of thunder having subsided. Josh crinkled her letter in his fist and dropped his head to his knees. The stillness of the room beat across his brain, only the pitter-patter of soft rain meeting the window, breaking the lifeless moment.

You never forget your first love, do you?

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Julie Navickas is an award-winning, nationally recognized contemporary romance novelist, known for her keen ability to tell heart-wrenching, second-chance love stories through relatable characters with humility, humor, and heroism. She is also an award-winning university instructor and serves as the executive director of The Writing Champions Project. Julie earned master’s degrees in both organizational communication and English studies with an emphasis in book history, as well as a bachelor’s degree in public relations, graduating cum laude from Illinois State University.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Obedience organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Liza Snow will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Obedience

by Liza Snow

Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

Cassandra

 

Growing up, I was mesmerized by a man soaring the skies.

The greatest silk aerialist in the world, Chandler Moreau.

 

He was once my lifeline, the dream I clung to after my parents died. I’ve always believed he was my destiny. To join him at the Dreamers Academy. To perform for him.

 

To soar with him.

 

He’s more than I ever imagined. Far more than a mentor. When I am high in the silks, turning, flying, falling, he’s my lifeline once again. Twisting my heart and my body into knots like the knots of his beloved Japanese rope bondage, Shibari.

 

I don’t want to live without him. With each lesson, each touch, I crave more. Only he can satisfy me. And only he can destroy me…

 

But I must keep him safe from the past that relentlessly follows me.

 

Chandler

 

She is my protégé, the student I’ve been waiting to take under my wing for my entire career. Someone with whom I could share my lifelong journey in my family’s circus, Cirque du Lys.

 

I never intended to fall in love with the student I was supposed to protect—from myself and the demons that lurk in my shadows. But sometimes fate has other plans.

 

Cassandra, my beautiful butterfly. I know she’s off limits. Forbidden. Still, I want her in my life. My heart. My bed.

 

My grandfather’s taunting words still linger.

Mieux vaut plier que rompre.

Adapt and survive.

 

It’s what we must do. Cassandra and I share a history that entwines us more than the silks we’ve spent our lives mastering ever could.

 

There are secrets from the past that must never be told. And truths that could destroy what we’ve just begun…

 

More to Love:

In addition to the paperback, Obedience is also available in a full-cast narrated audiobook, starring Daniel Zbel and Rapunzaroo, along with a cast of additional voiceover actresses. Brought to life in the way the story is meant to be told, and it will be the best audiobook you listen to this year—possibly for a very long time. You’ll love listening to the two voices of these iconic characters. And don’t forget to read along with them and enjoy a fantastic, immersive experience. You’ll need the paperback copy to fan yourself off from some of the narration!

Check out this peek inside:

I hadn’t needed to prompt her. She began, pulling herself upward, drawing those silks around her small frame as she went. Climbing high into the air as the two women began their duet. The French lyrics pulled me in every time. It was perhaps one of the reasons that while I simply tolerated most opera songs I’d heard, I adored this song.

 

Every time I heard it, every time I got lost in those little nuances of the language, it brought me back to summertime in Melun, France. Playing on the hills overlooking the city, lost in the grasses filled with wildflowers. Climbing into Meme’s apple trees. Perhaps the time in my life when it had felt so simple. All there were, were the memories of when I’d been happy.

 

And if there was any place I wanted to be, as I watched Cassandra ascending above me, knowing in seconds I would be right beside her, it was in those memories again. Bringing her with me.

 

The first stanza finished, and my mind immediately centered. My hands had already been wrapped in the silks without having to think about it. She paused, and I saw her attention drift downward. We fell captive to one another, and it was all I needed to see. I knew it was my turn to go to her. She was waiting for me.

 

In the same fashion she had moments earlier, I began my way up the silks beside hers, which had been a deep royal purple color. The entire time I made my way high into the room, I immersed myself in the French lyrics, the strings complimenting every rise and fall of the two women’s voices. Some moments, I’d lose myself in what I was doing, taking careful note of all the little adjustments my body was making. Other times, my attention drifted upward. Until finally, I was just beneath Cassandra.

 

When I paused again, I took a few deep breaths, steadying myself. Focused entirely on the beautiful woman above me, who was just as attentive to me. I nodded to her, signaling I was ready, prepared to follow her in whatever she had thought to do next.

 

At the precise moment when I had met her, she had already begun moving herself into a sailor pose above me, legs splitting, and much to my satisfaction, every single part of her in perfect position. All the small details I’d shown her the first lesson we’d had together were as pristine as when I’d helped her myself.

 

I would have taken more time to truly enjoy how proud of her I felt if she hadn’t twisted downward, dropping her torso straight toward me in a graceful fall. Before she’d completed it, I knew what she’d done. A Rainbow Marchenko. A famous move of Jeanne’s for many years. But watching her as she settled into it, I would have thought it was hers alone.

 

Cassandra’s hands dropped, releasing the silks. Dangling inches away. The only thing holding her in the air was the precise folds of those green fabrics wrapped around her legs.

 

Looking into her eyes as she hung there, waiting for me to act, all I could do was smile. She’d been focused, lost in her own world, but she’d come back to me. We were together again in the very place I had wanted to be with her ever since I’d seen her flying through the silks at her audition. I had dreamt about it every time since, every lesson we had, every time I’d watched her from the shadows of the theater while she practiced.

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About Author Liza Snow

A bestselling independent author from Florida, Liza has been putting romance books into her readers hands for over a half decade, and has loved every minute of it.

 

​Liza lives with her husband, her two dogs and her cat, ten minutes from the beach. When she isn’t writing, you can often find her walking and enjoying outside, with a coffee and a book in hand.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest

Audio Book Excerpt

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The Art of Love and Murder

A Wild Horse Peak Novel #1

by Brenda Whiteside

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Mystery

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A woman searching for her past. A sheriff hiding in his present. Their future together threatened by murder.

Forty-three years after the airplane crash she survived killed her parents, Lacy Dahl is looking for answers. When her research uncovers secrets about the mother she never knew and disputes the identity of her father, someone is willing to murder to keep her discoveries hidden.

Sheriff Chance Meadowlark is still haunted by the death of his wife and the revenge he unleashed in the name of justice. When he meets Lacy, he is determined not to become involved, but their pasts make that impossible saving Lacy may be his only redemption.

Just as she begins to believe the present is more important than her past, Chance’s connection and a murder spin her deeper into danger and further from love. When the truth is revealed, will the revelations free Lacy and Chance…or destroy them?

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Guest Post by Author Brenda Whiteside

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STRONG WOMEN OF FACT AND FICTION #girlpower

 

What’s the definition of a strong woman? Would you define female strength different than male strength? In days gone by, I think we did, but the lines have blurred especially in fiction. Kick-ass women heroines are extremely popular. Girl Power!

 

The fact is, even in real life the lines have blurred. Take for instance, FDW and me. June 22 is our wedding anniversary. For the first thirty-seven years of our marriage, my husband always surprised me with a gift or greeting…surprised because I never remembered the date. Now, that’s just backwards. Women are supposed to be the sentimental ones, right? Then one year, we moved into a house with a new phone number. This is back a few years when everyone had landlines. The phone number ended with 22. At last, something I could relate, make a connection, give me a hint to the date we were married! I’ve remembered the date ever since. FDW is mushier than I am. Nowadays—we can admit such things.

 

The heroines of my Wild Horse Peaks books have varying degrees of physical strength, but, for me, inner strength makes for a more compelling story: living through the deaths of parents and a husband; standing up to a stalker; leading a double life to avoid a murderer; surviving abuse; facing a Nazi mad-woman. Each woman endures hardships and comes out on the other side with a shining inner strength.

 

What’s your definition of a strong woman? Do you prefer the muscle variety packing a gun? Do the women of the west, enduring hardships and loneliness strike a chord? Do you enjoy reading about heroines whose attitude says everything about strength?

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Southwest of Love and Murder

A Wild Horse Peak Novel #2

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Writing murder mysteries is all in a day’s work until an obsessed fan brings Phoebe’s stories to life.

Mystery writer, Phoebe Anderson, owes her success to killing her first husband on paper seventeen years earlier. Now, someone has actually done it. Taking a few days to re-group on an isolated ranch, she doesn’t expect romance…or murder…to find her.

Mason Meadowlark is happy with his wild cowboy ways, avoiding love since the death of his baby and the end of his marriage twenty years before. When Phoebe shakes up his routine, he fights to control his emotions, fearing the pain of opening his heart again.

With an obsessed fan close on her heels, Phoebe is thrown into her own murder mystery…and the next target on the psychopath’s list is Mason.

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The Power of Love and Murder

A Wild Horse Peak Novel #3

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Penny’s secrets can ruin the presidential contender who ordered her family’s murder…and mark her as the next hit.

Penny Spark’s desire to reconnect with family this Christmas exposes her true identity—a secret she’s hidden for thirteen years from the political powers that murdered her family.

Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets Penny, he believes this holiday season could be the start of life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world.

With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender who targeted her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hopes for a new life…and love.

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The Deep Well of Love and Murder

A Wild Horse Peak Novel #4

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A vengeful ex-husband and bloody fight for land threaten a love-struck couple’s happiness.

After an abusive childhood and bad marriage, Laura Katz has finally found a home, stability…and possibly love. But her blissful refuge as nanny on the Meadowlark Ranch, miles from Flagstaff, shatters when her ex is released from prison, determined to reclaim her.

Randy Silva, the Argentine foreman, has plans for his own ranch, but a brutal land grab is underway. As the battle escalates, Laura steals his heart, but there are outsiders who stand in their way. He’s in a vicious battle for his land—and the woman he wants by his side.

Stakes are high, as the attacks on Randy and his ranch draw blood. While the vengeful ex-husband stalks Laura, a mob-backed land developer teams with a desperate gambler. Uncertain where the next attack will come from—will their love be caught in the crossfire.

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A Legacy of Love and Murder

A Wild Horse Peak Novel #1.5

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Inheriting an Austrian Castle is an Alpine fairytale for August, until someone begins targeting the heirs.

August Myer arrives in Austria to meet her great-grandfather and explore his castle estate filled with priceless art, only to find he’s died under suspicious circumstances. As one of his heirs, her life is in danger, turning her Alpine adventure into a nightmare of veiled threats, unexplained accidents, and murder.

Inspector Tobias Wolf splits his time between catching criminals and fighting the spread of neo-Nazism. But when the beautiful, intriguing American crosses his path during a murder investigation, ensuring her safety challenges his priorities…and his heart.

When August learns the handsome inspector is concealing secrets, and the death of her great-grandfather is somehow connected, she takes the investigation into her own hands. Can Wolf save her before the killer strikes again?

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https://brendawhiteside.com

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Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, cozy mystery, and romance. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart so won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Book Details:

Book Title:  Copper Waters – A New Zealand Mystery (Annalisse Series Book 4) by Marlene M. Bell
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 340 pages 
Genre: Mystery-Suspense
Publisher:  Ewephoric Publishing
Release date:   October, 2022
Content Rating:  G. Book is for general audiences. No profanity. No graphic scenes. Crimes described briefly after-the-fact. Mild and limited romance
 
 

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MY REVIEW

I wonder if Analisse and Alec will finally seal the deal and get married. It seems Annalisse is wondering that also. Needing a break from the stress of it all, she heads to New Zealand to visit a family friend at his sheep ranch. Not able to go along, Alec sends his friend Bill Drake to accompany her on the flight. She’s no fan of flying and he’s proved handy when things go sideways. Which they quickly do.

Not one but two deaths occur and Annalise and Bill are right in the thick of it. Not exactly suspects, their help isn’t desired and in now way do the residents or authorities want them digging into things. The way ahead is going to be tricky and dangerous.

It’s been a whole lot of fun getting to know these characters. No many different personalities. And so many secrets and obstacles to overcome. I enjoyed each book as much as the other and would be quite happy if more were to come.

4 STARS

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Book Description:

Annalisse Drury and Alec Zavos find themselves on opposing sides when an ex-lover from Alec’s past introduces him to his alleged son. With Alec distracted and their future engagement in limbo, Annalisse accepts a key to her dream cottage—situated on a picturesque sheep station on South Island, New Zealand—only this time, she travels alone.

But not long after her arrival she’s confronted by two peculiar deaths—either accidental, or the deliberate acts of a psychopath.

Local investigators are closing the cases too quickly and want Annalisse to exit the country before she reveals the town’s darkest secrets.

Will she return to Alec, or sacrifice their future together to expose it all?

 
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