Archive for June, 2024



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The Prince She Kissed in Paris

by Scarlett Clarke

 

(Harlequin Romance)
Publication date: June 25th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

What happens when an architect has to work with the far-too-tempting prince she shared one magical evening with in Paris? Find out in Scarlett Clarke’s debut for Harlequin Romance!

ONE STARLIT NIGHT IN PARIS…

Architect Maddie is still thinking about her steamy kiss with a stranger when she walks into her meeting the next morning… And finds her new client, Nicholai, is that stranger and a prince! No matter how incredible the attraction, he’s now completely off-limits. He’s her boss, a dutiful royal and she’s sworn off men. But when their inevitable second kiss is caught on camera, there’s only one solution to the impending scandal—faking their engagement!

From Harlequin Romance: Be swept away by glamorous and heartfelt love stories.

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DEAR READER

Dear Reader,

THE PRINCE SHE KISSED IN PARIS is my debut royal romance with Harlequin Romance. Kicking off the story in Paris was a no-brainer; it was my husband’s and my first international trip together. I fell in love with the old architecture, the iconic landmarks, and just the overall feel of the city.

It was a lot easier to write the chapters set in Paris than creating the country of Kelna, although I learned so much about world-building throughout this process! Kelna was inspired by the country of Croatia, a stunning setting that is now on my travel bucket list.

I also want to give a shout-out to my incredible sister-in-law Rachel, for helping bring Madeline and her passion for architecture to life. Rachel is an architect in the Pacific Northwest and has worked on everything from museums to embassies. She was a wonderful resource on how design processes, site visits, and construction work, and let me get away with some twisting of how an actual timeline would progress!

I hope you enjoy Madeline and Nicholai’s romance. Happy reading, and have a wonderful summer!

Love, Scarlett

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Prince Nicholai Adamović braced his arm against the balcony doorframe as the wrought iron beams of the Eiffel Tower lit up with hundreds of sparkling white lights. The display no doubt dazzled the hordes of tourists who, despite the late hour, would be thronging the Pont d’léna and surrounding streets to snap the perfect picture.

He’d seen it plenty of times, had frequently dismissed it as nothing more than a cheap trick to attract visitors and romantics.

But tonight, he, too, watched the show.

When would he have the freedom to be in his own hotel room alone again? Without security guards or press or his family lurking about?

Or worse, a wife.

The lights performed one last dance before settling into a steady golden glow. A beacon for all of Paris to look to. One of hope, history and love.

He snorted. Love was for books, movies and the occasional lucky sap who stumbled upon their soulmate. For people like him, love was not always an option. Especially when the law of his country required that he have a wedding ring on his finger before accepting the crown.

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About Author Scarlett Clarke:

From sneaking behind the shelves of her local library to read a few pages of romance to absconding with her mom’s copy of A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss, Scarlett has loved romance for as long as she can remember. By day, she works in public relations. By night, she powers through her most hated chore (laundry) and writes sweet, contemporary romance with strong heroes and the fierce heroines who make them realize true love really is possible.

When she’s not reading or writing, she’s wrangling her two little ones while trying yet again to plant a vegetable garden, visiting her husband at the fire station, or sitting on her front porch savoring a cup of hot tea and the sight of the Midwestern countryside.

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It’s a drama-rama summer at Shamrock Stable.

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No Horsing Around

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Shamrock Stables Book 6

by Shannon Kennedy

Genre: YA Teen Drama Fiction

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When
the school year ends, Sierra and her friends plan to have a horsy
good time riding their horses, teaching summer day camp, and helping
their favorite riding instructor arrange a wedding to the local
animal-control officer. Difficulties arise before they even pass
their final exams. Robin wants to work at the vintage car lot with
the beautiful, classic Mustangs she loves. However, her parents are
sending her to horse camp whether she likes it or not and she
doesn’t!

Meanwhile, Vicky intends to train
horses. Does her dream job mean she can’t spend time with her
boyfriend before he leaves for college? Horse camp brings in much
needed income to the McElroy’s Shamrock Stable, so how can a
talented athlete like Sierra tell her family she wants to join the
high school basketball and soccer teams at their training camps
instead of teaching little beginners again?

After a stunning performance in
the spring musical, will Dani ever be able to let her glory-hungry
parents know she’d rather be at the barn this summer, not on stage
in a theatrical company in Oregon? Catch rider, CeCe worries she
won’t be ‘emancipated’ and allowed to remain with the people
who offered her a ‘real’ home but are her new friends too busy to
help when she needs them most?

It’s a drama-rama summer at
Shamrock Stable. What will the five of them do to stay together and
ensure each girl’s dreams come true?

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Chapter One

Robin

Marysville, Washington

Wednesday, April 17th ~ 5:30 pm

Chores done, I offered my rescue horse, Twaziem one last carrot. He considered it for less than a heartbeat before he did the ‘crunch, munch, gone’ routine. Okay, so he wasn’t the bay skeleton I’d saved from starvation last September, but he still had food issues. Maybe, I should sign him up for a horsey shrink, not that his sessions with my older sister, Felicia when she was home on spring break from Washington State University did him much good.

He didn’t like it when she tried braiding his mane the way she did her humongous Appaloosa’s although she’d fed Twaz horse cookies from the feedstore the whole time. Twaz preferred the chunks of organic apples my boyfriend, Bill Petrie brought even if it meant he had to earn them by doing the horsey stretches the massage therapist taught us. She said Twaz needed to build up his muscle tone and flexibility if I wanted to ride him this summer. I didn’t.

I hadn’t rescued him because I wanted to ride him. I just wasn’t leaving him to starve to death. I didn’t make a secret of the fact that I only brought him here to teach my horse-crazy family a lesson when they decided I should follow our Gibson tradition of choosing purebred horses on our sixteenth birthdays.

Not me. I wanted the presidential blue classic 1968 Mustang I’d dreamed about forever. I’d even talked the owner of the vintage car lot down to fifteen thousand cash, but my parents totally didn’t understand my passion for old Fords. Luckily, Bill did. He gave me the hulk of one for Christmas, a frog-green body without an engine or tranny. I’d been restoring it for the past four months and figured I’d be driving it this summer.

I’d painted it over spring break, going for the shade of deep blue I preferred. Luckily, it went well with the saddle brown and white interior. When I’d saved Twaziem, I warned him I wasn’t into horses like everybody else who lived here. I wasn’t a ‘keeper’ kind of person. He’d be moving onto a good home when I found him the perfect owner. I’d use the money I got for him to finish fixing up my car. Next on the list was tires and those were super spendy.

My best friend, Vicky told me to be prepared to give the cash to my dad who paid ‘beaucoup’ bucks to return Twaziem to reasonable horse status. Dad might claim to want repayment for the veterinarian, the chiropractor, the massage therapist, the farrier, the trainer and the unending feed if or when I sold Twaz, but I could talk around my father. I wasn’t his spoiled rotten youngest daughter for nothing.

Blonde, brown-eyed, five feet, six with a great figure, I made friends easily, and I insured everyone wanted to hang out with me. Of course, I had an ulterior motive. People who say they don’t have agendas are lying. I don’t. Truth may hurt. Too bad, too sad. Get over it. If somebody doesn’t want me to use him or her, then walk away.

My dad, the accountant who tracked down every cent and my mom who aided and abetted him in his penny-pinching ways only allowed me a certain number of animals. It meant I needed to find homes for any extra dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, ducks, snakes, sheep, goats – well, that was the idea and I did the ‘go along to get along’ dance. I’d done it for years, so my friends knew if I started the charm routine, I was hunting a home for something with paws, claws, hooves or webbed feet.

All cowboy in jeans, boots and a western shirt, Jack came up behind me. Twazeim promptly glared at my tall, dark-haired older brother, stomped his hooves and pinned back tulip-shaped Arabian ears. “Wow, he still hates me, and it’s been seven months. I’d think I’d get credit for feeding him and mucking his stall on a regular basis.”

“I do it most of the time.”

“Yeah, but who do you think picks up the slack when you have practice or a track meet? I don’t feed the rest of the critters and skip him. Come on, Princess Robin. Dad will freak if we’re not on time for dinner since the tax season ended and he’s not burning the midnight oil anymore.”

“I’ll be right there.” I took the carrot he handed me and held it out to my horse. “Here, you big baby. It doesn’t have Jack cooties, so you can eat it.”

Twaziem tossed his brown head with a shake of his black forelock, eying the long, skinny carrot suspiciously. He sniffed at it one more time, then gobbled it up when I started to take a step down the barn aisle toward Jack’s off the track Thoroughbred. Nitro wasn’t one of my faves, but he didn’t bully my horse when the two of them were out in the pasture together. I had to give him that much credit even if I thought it was too bad Jack hadn’t brought home a ‘real’ horse when he and Dad did the sixteenth birthday, male bonding trip.

Two gold and white collies met us on the way to the house. They must have had doggie business to take care of since the mom, Lassie usually hung out in the barn with me and her youngest son, six-month old Zorro always kept us company too. They knew the rules about staying in the mudroom, an inside back porch area during meals. I gave them each a beef chew stick, homemade treats from my friend, Dani who lived in an exclusive gated community with one of Lassie’s daughters.

Another rescue. I’d found Lassie and her litter of tiny puppies at a cross-country meet last fall. Zorro was still here, but his brothers and sisters had gone to homes with the closest members of my posse, Vicky, Sierra, and Dani. The other two were with members of my track team. I had a feeling that CeCe, a ‘catch rider’ at Salmon Pond Stable might take the last of the pups once she settled into a permanent home, but that was still up in the air since my older sister also loved him dearly. Sooner or later, CeCe would share what she wanted with me and if it wasn’t a half-grown puppy, I’d keep her on my list of potential adopters.

In the kitchen, Mom turned from the counter when she heard us. I smelled meat, tomato sauce and cheese. Yum, it was lasagna night which meant she’d stuffed a frozen casserole in the oven because she never had time to make it from scratch and my control-freak father hated it when she served supper later than six pm.

I suspected she’d been conditioning her Arabian for one of their extra-long competitive trail rides, but I didn’t need to ask since she wore cowgirl clothes, faded blue jeans, a western shirt and laced up Ropers. She’d tied back her strawberry blonde hair and a smile lit up the bright blue eyes. “Wash up first. Finish the salad and set the table for me, Jack. Robin, your cats are giving me the heebie-jeebies tonight. Feed them in the pantry please, then get your dad. He’s in the study.”

“Why? Didn’t he file all the taxes for his clients by midnight?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean all of the e-filing went through.” Mom swung back around and began cutting into the lasagna again. “He spent most of the day on the phone with the IRS and now he’s re-sending the forms they claim not to have received.” She heaved a huge sigh. “It’s the same every year.”

I didn’t say they should plan for electronic snafus. I had in previous years and been lectured for my crappy attitude too many times. It was the same every April, August and October when the deadlines fell due. Dad would send in all the paperwork, then battle with the government to accept the forms without penalizing his clients and the other agents who worked for him. He said it was why he got the ‘big bucks’, but personally I thought he enjoyed the challenges.

Mom claimed his hang-up about everything starting and ending on time was just a personality flaw and nothing to get in a dither about. Of course, she was the one who said no animals, no TV, no IPODs or cell phones at the table. We had to talk to each other like civilized people or she’d make us wish we had. I lived with two total control freaks for parents and Felicia and Jack were pretty much the same way.

While we ate, Mom talked about the upcoming endurance trail rides she planned to compete in this summer. She and her purebred Arabian mare, Singer usually topped out at fifty miles in a day. I knew all the details about them covering the ground in twelve hours and successfully passing the various vet checks at each and every event. I’d certainly heard them often enough. Even if they were considered one day contests, they weren’t really. Mom and our neighbor, Linda generally hauled out the Friday morning, spent most of the weekend wherever the ride would take place and hauled the horses home on Sunday or Monday.

Jack went off about the gaming competitions. He’d already been accepted to Washington State University for the fall semester and intended to take Nitro with him. If they scored highly enough at the various gymkhanas, he’d be able to join the western equestrian team at college. He was a valued football and basketball player at our private high school, but he only played for fun. Although he didn’t say it a lot, we knew his passion was for his art classes and then for writing poetry.

He’d had his share of offers to play ball at different universities, not just in Washington State, but turned down all of them. He was going to W.S.U. to study business and then applying to the law school in nearby Moscow, Idaho. He and my B.F.F., Vicky had plans to eventually open their own stable after college, but my brother was super smart about everything he did. He’d said everybody thought horse people had ‘deep pockets’, were extremely rich and would try to take away what they had. His law degree would protect him and Vicky.

After Jack finished, it was Dad’s turn. He shared his own plans of team roping on his Quarter horse, Buster. I liked the big solid horse. He was quiet in the barn, always looking for extra hay in the manger or crumb of grain in his bucket, but he went from zero to zoom when he saw the calves in the arena.

Finally, they all looked at me. I reminded them that I had a track meet on Friday afternoon, work on Saturday at the car lot in Marysville and would shadow Dr. Larry, the premier veterinarian from Equine Nation on Sunday after church when he went on emergency calls. That took care of my business.

Mom and Dad shared a glance, then she said, “Rocky was here to work with Twaziem today. He’s turning three this month.”

“If you think I’m throwing him a birthday party, get over it,” I said. “I’m not Sierra who makes everyone come to the barn and sing to her horse on New Year’s Day before we can have cake and ice-cream. Twaz isn’t the sentimental sort and neither am I.”

“Sierra’s great. She helped Bill and me hide your car at Shamrock Stable last Christmas,” Jack said, “and I know Tom assures everyone she walks on water.”

“Okay, so she’s a real hero who helped save Twaz when he had colic a few months ago. I’ll tell her that she has to hostess a party for him and I love all of you, but this family is way too gaga about their horses.”

Another long look between my parents before Mom said she’d order in a cake from the local bakery, chocolate with custard filling and there’d be chocolate ice-cream in the freezer for the two-legged guests, but I’d be in charge of the organic carrots and apples for my horse as well as the other four-legged wonders in the barn.

“Rocky brought the summer camp applications I wanted.” Mom pinned me with a steady, blue gaze. “We need to discuss which weeks you’ll be at Shamrock Stable this year.”

“No way!” I nearly dropped my fork on the table. “I helped set up a peer-counselor program for her tween students so I wouldn’t have to go there to help with Pee-Pee camp.”

“It’s Pee-Wee camp.” Dad leaned back in his chair. “Be specific, Robbie.”

“I am. I spend all day taking the little piddlers back and forth to the bathroom. They always ‘have to go potty’ when it’s time to brush their ponies, clean the hooves, lead the ponies around the ring. The only time the kids don’t ‘have to’ use the toilet is at snack time when I barely get to drink water because I’m watching them to be sure they eat their sandwiches before their goodies.”

“I thought the little kids only came for a few hours in the morning or afternoon.” Jack barely hid his smirk. “You’re exaggerating. It’s not that bad, is it?”

“It’s worse. Yes, the first bunch leave at noon, but before I can finish my lunch, I have to ‘meet and greet’ the afternoon group. And of course, the first thing they have to do is ‘go potty’ before they can even put on their helmets.”

“All right then.” Mom pushed her plate far enough away to fold her hands on the table. “We’ll sign you up for the weeks in June, July and early August when Shamrock isn’t offering Pee-Wee Camp.”

“Hello! Are you even listening at all? I’m not going there this year. Brenna says she’ll increase my hours at the Mustang Corral. She’ll let me do the tune-ups and oil changes on the cars she buys. I’ll be able to get ‘real’ tires for my car, new ones at Les Schwab, not have to go to the salvage yard for pull-offs.”

“For safety, new tires are a must,” Dad said. “I agree with you, Robbie.”

“Great. I’m glad somebody’s finally hearing me.”

Dad held up his hand. “Here’s the deal. I’ll put good tires on your Mustang, but you’re going to Shamrock for at least six weeks this summer. You need to build your skills so you can ride Twaziem and stay on him. Young horses make mistakes and falling off him isn’t an option.”

“Dad’s right,” Jack agreed. “If you teach him that people, go ‘splat’, he’ll figure that’s what you want, and he’ll dump you six ways from Sunday all the time.”

Tears burned and I shoved back from the table. “You people never freaking listen. I told you on my birthday that I didn’t want a horse and you all ganged up on me until I brought one home. Now, you think you’re making me ride him. And it’s not happening!”

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**Don’t miss the rest of the series!**

Find them on Amazon

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Shannon
Kennedy lives and works at her family business, a riding stable in
Washington State. Teaching kids to ride and know about horses since
1967, she finds in many cases, she’s taught three generations of
families. Her life experiences span adventures from dealing cards in
a casino, attending graduate school to get her master’s in teaching
degree, being a middle and high school teacher, and serving in the
Army Reserve – all leading to her second career as a published
author. She recently retired from teaching school and plans to write
more books for Fire & Ice YA, the Stewart Falls Cheerleaders
realistic fiction series and the Shamrock Stable series about teen
girls and their horses. Visit her at her
website, 
www.shannonkennedybooks.com to
learn about her books.

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Audio Book – Double Scoop of Murder:
Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries
by Lena Gregory
Read by Eleanor McCormick

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Double Scoop of Murder: Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Watchogue, Long Island, New York
Audiobook (June 25, 2024)
Publisher Tantor Audio
Listening Length – 6 hours and 39 minutes
ASIN B0D67ZB8TB
Audio CD: ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CZ31MZVK
Gemma Halliday Publishing (November 21, 2023)
Number of Pages 226
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CCLT922F
Paperback ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8879730982

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From author Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure . . .

Danika Delany is loving running her uncle’s old-fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Cafe join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.

 

About Lena Gregory

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links: Newsletter / Website / Facebook / Facebook Page

Twitter/X / Goodreads / Pinterest

Audiobook Purchase Links – AmazonB&NKobo
Find the entire Coffee & Cream Café Mystery Series in all formats here.

Coming August 27, 2024

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Secrets and Photographs by A. K. Ramirez Banner

SECRETS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
by A. K. Ramirez

   

June 17-28, 2024 Virtual Book Tour
The Marissa Ambrose Witness Series
Synopsis:

 

How do you stop a killer you can’t even see?

It’s been two years since Detective Marissa Ambrose nearly lost her life working the Couple’s Killer case, but time hasn’t stopped the vivid nightmares. She still carries the heavy guilt of her partner’s death, and the Seattle Police Department refuses to support her theory that the suspect they arrested had an accomplice. With her ex-husband regretfully out of the picture, Marissa was supposed to be focusing on adjusting back to something resembling normalcy in her quiet tourist town. Then the letters came.

Unmarked envelopes full of photographs have been arriving at Marissa’s door. Candid shots of her at home. Now, Marissa is certain the missing murderer is stalking her, tracking her every move to finish what he started. As she obsesses over the strange images, the Seattle PD unexpectedly asks for her help. A serial killer is on the loose and targeting members of the Port Townsend community. Despite a personal connection to the first victim, Marissa agrees to pin her badge on once more.

The photographs are piling up and the suspect can’t be seen by surveillance cameras. Like a ghost, this killer is haunting her.

Praise for Secrets and Photographs:

“This book is Amazing!! I couldn’t put it down. I need book 2!!!” ~ Nicola Jamieson

“We love a messy family and a plot thick with dark and winding paths. Truly enjoyed this book and read it very quickly! I am very excited to get a signed copy of the next book that was just released!! AK Ramirez is “one to watch” in the crime/thriller genre. You have a fan for life now.” ~ Molly Badgett

“I had the pleasure of meeting this author in Richmond at a convention. I really enjoyed the story. The author pulls you in from the first page. Quick read” ~ Chris Kennedy

“A friend recommended this book to me as I was looking for a new mystery novel and I was so sad when it ended because I wanted more! The writing was exceptional and the story captivated me. Twists I didn’t expect had me reading this book in record time. Absolutely recommend!” ~ Melissa Brown

“I’m a sucker for a good crime novel and this one kept me hooked. I also love books set in the Pacific Northwest – I might be biased since I live in the PNW but I thought the author did a good job of using the coziness of Port Townsend to contrast with the horror of the crimes. I’m looking forward to reading book 2!” ~ April O’Brien

“I was hooked on the book from the beginning. It was a great read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone that likes mystery and suspense.” ~ Diana

“I wasn’t sure how much I enjoyed this book at the beginning. It felt like it was moving very slowly. In fact, I was wondering if there was ever going to be a murder when I was about a third done. Then a couple minutes later, a murder! That’s when the book sped up! I had a little trouble keeping the two investigations separate. The twist was great! And I did enjoy how the two cases crossed. I felt for Marissa that no one believed her and was thankful when the police started listening to her. She’s a great detective and I’m looking forward to revisiting her and hopefully solving the big mystery soon!” ~ CMC

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Thriller Published by: 4 Horsemen Publications Publication Date: November 15, 2022 Number of Pages: 362 ISBN: 9781644506639 (ISBN10: 1644506637) Series: Marissa Ambrose Witness Series, #1

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | 4 Horsemen Publications

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MY REVIEW

This book…… How do I love thee. Let me count the ways.

One: Suspects. Plenty of them. In the shadows, hovering just out of sight, or right in my face. It creates a bigger challenge to sift out the red herrings and find the right direction that leads to the villain.

About those suspects.  In Secrets And Photographs, the first suspect that pinged my radar about a third of the way through the book ended up with me being right. It was something I now can’t quite put my finger on that made the character stand out. I reread that whole scene several times but never nailed it down. But, there’s more than one crime, and the second suspect that pinged my radar seemed kind of obvious. I knew better than to just assume and actually kind of forgot about that one for a while. But, the character kept popping into my head as I continued reading and is number one on my list. But, since that crime is continuing into the next book, I’ll have to wait and see if I was right.

Two: The title and cover are perfect for this book. I’ll explain. There are secrets. So many. And you won’t get to know all of them. That will come in the next book. And photographs. That’s the killer’s calling card. His signature. And a way to torment his victims. The cover perfectly compliments the title. Both beautiful and chilling.

Three: Characters. I came to care about several. Especially the main character, Detective Marissa Ambrose. She was kidnapped by a serial killer and was the only victim that had ever survived. So damaged. Emotionally and physically scarred. Medication and alcohol an important coping tool. Her panic attacks are debilitating. Leaving her vulnerable. Though she thinks she’s weak, I think she’s incredibly strong.

Four: The feels. So many. Marissa has some amazing support from long time friends and her family. The author worked her magic and made so many of them genuine. I laughed with them. Got mad with and at them. And cried. Several times. Whew….

Five: The ending. I got some answers. Was left hanging on others. I loved this book and so many of the characters. No way I won’t read more of this series.

5 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:
Chapter 1

Marissa felt cold. She couldn’t see anything, a blindfold tied tightly against her eyes. Music blared against her ears, the throbbing in her head synced with the beat of the music. The cold, rough concrete burned her bare legs, and every time she attempted to adjust them, she felt sharp sensations rush through. She was stiff and cold and tired. Her right hand was handcuffed to something that felt heavy and unbreakable, though she tried to pull away. Time had blurred, and her mind swam, unable to focus on anything. She was thirsty, hungry, and tired. Marissa had never been so frightened in her life.

Someone grabbed her by the arm, squeezing tight as they unlocked her cuff from whatever she was attached to and ushered her along. She whimpered in protest and tugged away from the fingers that dug into her. She thought she heard a laugh in her ear over the music before that hand shoved her hard. She nearly toppled over but fell into another set of hands that caught her in their arms. These weren’t as rough and didn’t grip her as tightly. They held her up as she pulled her legs back under her, and one of the hands rubbed her arm where the other had aggressively gripped. She could feel his breath on her neck as his lips touched her ear, whispering something she couldn’t quite hear.

She gasped, sat up with a start, and sighed, acknowledging she was safe in her room. Ellie was lying on top of her legs, her cold nose poking at her in concern. She rubbed Ellie’s ears, feeling her heartbeat slow to normal. Her chest heavily convulsed as tears fell down her cheeks. Pulling the dog in close, she hugged her tight—a solid reminder she was no longer in that place but inside her bedroom, in her home. Safe.

“Good girl,” she whispered, gripping Ellie’s fur. The shepherd leaned in close, burying her cold nose into her neck.

Leaning back, Marissa glanced over at her clock. It was nearly five. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs.” With a heavy sigh, she shifted as Ellie bounced off the bed and toward the door. Marissa swung her legs over the side and winced, aches traveling through her body from her heels as they hit the floor. “It’s going to be a day,” she mumbled and forced herself to stand. It was still dark outside, and she was sure the air outside was cold, but the old house was warm. It may have been old, but her mom had updated everything except for the walls. Marissa wandered into the bathroom; she could still hear Ellie bouncing in the hallway, excited to start her day. She did not share the dog’s enthusiasm. She washed her hands and stared at the reflection that stared back at her. Her dark hair was a tangled mess, and dark circles were under her eyes. Marissa remembered when she took pride in how she looked, brushed her hair several times a day, and had a whole skincare routine. She had been a beauty queen when she was younger. It all seemed so pointless now. Her eyes drifted from her face down to her shoulder with the long, dark scar. Then they drifted to the scar that ran from the bottom of her collarbone across her chest. Her tank top covered most of it, but she knew the rest ran down her side and to her back. She was full of scars now. She turned the light off and followed Ellie to the hallway, stopping at the top of the stairs. It was the same every morning: the stairs were always daunting. Her ankles locked up like they usually did, forcing her to take slow and precise steps. Once she reached the bottom, she headed to the kitchen and opened the back door, letting Ellie bound out into the dark yard. Sunrise was still a way off, but the sky was beginning to lighten. She went to the cabinet above the sink and dug out her meds. Since her recovery from the events at the warehouse, Marissa had received a long list of diagnoses: fibromyalgia brought on by trauma, panic attacks, PTSD, and arthritis. Not to mention a rapid heart rate they couldn’t pin down, chronic migraines—so many meds. Putting on her tea kettle, she set up her teacup and waited for the water to boil. It had taken some time, but Marissa had made her childhood home her own again. Her mom had signed the house over to her while she healed, which gave her full rein to do as she pleased with the place, taking the opportunity to downsize without selling. Port Townsend was not where Marissa thought she would be, especially after so many years in Seattle. She loved the city: the noise, the crowds, the food. The fact that almost everything was open until at least midnight. Not like this tourist town, which felt like it had a town-wide bedtime of 9 p.m. It was known as a charming, quaint town by the sea, and as far as she was concerned, it had lost its charm decades ago. Slowly but surely, the house was coming together. She sighed, grabbed her hoodie off the hook by her back door, and threw it over her head while letting Ellie back inside. Her mom had done all the hard stuff, remodeling the upstairs and downstairs to an open-concept floorplan and updating the plumbing and electricity. Marissa could see her front door, the living room, the dining room, and a study from the kitchen. Below the stairs was a full bathroom. As the tea kettle screamed, she poured the water into the cup and watched the steam rise. This was not where Marissa expected to be at thirty-six. Growing up, all she wanted was to get the hell out of this town. She would be married to her high school sweetheart with kids, living in a big city, and making detective. The funny part was, Marissa had married her high school sweetheart. Twice. They’d also had two divorces. She had been living in a big city, owning not one but two properties in Seattle. She had made detective, reaching incredible heights as one of the youngest promoted in her unit. And now, she was back in her childhood home, divorced and alone, still a detective but benched for the unseen future. It felt like a punishment. Of course, some of it was her doing. She had pushed Jared away and moved back home. Her nightmare wasn’t only when she slept. Her precinct had done all but call her a liar during her recovery when she told them there was more than one assailant. She couldn’t see, so it was simply her word. She had undergone so much; she couldn’t have been sure. That was what her unit had said because it didn’t fit into the profile the SPD had given. People she had trusted with her life didn’t have her back. She paused for a moment before retrieving the hidden key from her hutch and carefully climbing onto her counter. Despite telling herself she wouldn’t, most mornings she would pull down the box. She winced, pain stretching through her leg as she reached the top of her cabinets to recover a lockbox. Once it was on the counter, she paused as her feet hit the ground. She hoped that one day, something new would stand out. Some tangible clue she could hold in her hands. Ellie came right alongside her and whined, sensing her discomfort. Marissa stretched a hand down, scratching her ear as she unlocked the box and let the photographs pour out onto the countertop. There were candid shots of her going about her day, walking down the street, leaving the bakery, checking her mail. A good stack of them was just Jared. Sometimes they would arrive weekly, and sometimes she would go a few weeks without receiving anything. Or maybe it was just a good reminder of why this was her life now. Why she had chosen to be here, alone. A reminder that her life was in danger. Local cops and SPD, while agreeing she was a victim of a stalker, wouldn’t connect it to that case because before the warehouse, Marissa hadn’t received any photos. She had been given police protection across the street, but she knew no one had taken her seriously. In the eyes of the law, she hadn’t been threatened and couldn’t identify anyone. She only had pictures that appeared on her doorstep or in her mailbox. She kept them safely locked away, spending most of her days trying hard to forget them. But too often, she found herself thumbing through them. It had become an almost daily ritual. Once she was satisfied the tea had steeped long enough, she returned the photos to the box and put everything back in its place. Her former partner, Tom, would tell her dwelling over the same pieces of evidence wouldn’t get her anywhere. He had always given her advice like that. He had been so much like the older brother she’d never had, having been the oldest of three sisters. Taking her mug with both hands, she headed out to the backyard, not bothering to turn the light on. She stretched out on her swinging bench and scrolled through her socials. Occasionally, she found her eyes wandering over the backyard, watching for anything or anyone out of place. She knew there was always an officer across the street, watching over her and her home, but they hadn’t proven very helpful yet. They hadn’t managed to see who or how things were being left on her doorstep. The early morning air was chilly and quiet. The only noises she could hear were Ellie’s panting as she plopped herself down next to Marissa and the occasional breeze blowing by. She glanced at the clock on her phone. Barely any time had passed. Putting her feet up, she finished her tea, put the empty cup down on the side table, and looked out into her dark yard. She needed to rest, but she knew sleep would keep eluding her. She didn’t want to sleep anymore; the nightmares had worsened. If she had stopped to think about it, she would have realized why. All that mattered was every time she closed her eyes, she was back there again. *** Excerpt from Secrets and Photographs by A. K. Ramirez. Copyright 2024 by A. K. Ramirez. Reproduced with permission from A. K. Ramirez. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author A.K. Ramirez:

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A. K. Ramirez

A.K. Ramirez is a mystery writer tucked in a corner of the Pacific Northwest. She likes to weave mystery, and family drama with a little bit of romance all in one. She has participated in NaNoWriMo on and off for years, reaching her goal three times with three different novels, in both the mystery and fantasy genres. When she isn’t writing, she runs a dog training, boarding, and daycare facility or spends time with her husband, kids, and pack of dogs.

Catch Up With A.K. Ramirez: www.akramirezwrites.com Goodreads Instagram – @AKRamirezWrites Threads – @AKRamirezWrites Twitter/X – @AKRamirezWrites TikTok – @AKRamirezWrites Facebook – @AKRamirezWrites

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

 

 

JOIN IN ON THE GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for A. K. Ramirez. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

 

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The Golden Manuscripts is inspired by the real-life theft of medieval manuscript illuminations during World War II.

 

 

The Golden Manuscripts: A Novel

Author: Evy Journey

Pages: 360

Genre: Historical Fiction/Women’s Fiction/Mystery



goodreads add to

A young woman of Asian/American parentage has lived in seven different
countries and is anxious to find a place she could call home. An unusual
sale of rare medieval manuscripts sends her and Nathan—an art
journalist who moonlights as a doctor—on a quest into the dark world of
stolen art.  For Clarissa, these ancient manuscripts elicit cherished
memories of children’s picture books her mother read to her, nourishing a
passion for art.  When their earnest search for clues whisper of old
thieves and lead to the unexpected, they raise more questions about an
esoteric sometimes unscrupulous art world that defy easy answers.   Will
this quest reward Clarissa with the sense of home she longs for? This
cross-genre literary tale of self-discovery, art mystery, travel, and
love is based on the actual theft by an American soldier of illuminated
manuscripts during World War II.
Buy Links:

 

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MY REVIEW

Clarissa has lived in many places and now she’s trying to put down roots. This takes her back to the US, where she was born. Looking for a subject for her MA theses, she comes across an article in a art newspaper. It’s about illuminated manuscripts that were supposedly stolen during WWII and disappeared. Their reappearance raises many questions.

I’d not heard of illuminated manuscripts so I did a search to understand what they were. I got lost down the rabbit hole and quickly realized how this would be a great subject for Clarissa’s thesis. And how daunting the task would be to prove their authenticity and ownership. Of course, she’d need help and someone from her past is called upon to help. As Clarissa and Nathan dig deeper into the mystery of the manuscripts, their attraction to each other grows.

As much a mystery as a romance and a woman seeking a place to call home, The Golden Manuscripts was a fascinating and hopeful read.

4 STARS

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Book Excerpt:

November 2000

Rare Manuscripts

I sometimes wish I was your girl next door. The pretty one who listens to you and sympathizes. Doesn’t ask questions you can’t or don’t want to answer. Comes when you need to talk. 

She’s sweet, gracious, respectful, and sincere. An open book. Everybody’s ideal American girl. 

At other times, I wish I was the beautiful girl with creamy skin, come-hither eyes, and curvy lines every guy drools over. The one you can’t have, unless you’re a hunk of an athlete, or the most popular hunk around. Or you have a hunk of money.

But I’m afraid the image I project is that of a brain with meager social skills. The one you believe can outsmart you in so many ways that you keep out of her way—you know the type. Or at least you think you do. Just as you think you know the other two.

I want to believe I’m smart, though I know I can be dumb. I’m not an expert on anything. So, please wait to pass judgement until you get to know us better—all three of us. 

Who am I then? 

I’m not quite sure yet. I’m the one who’s still searching for where she belongs. 

I’m not a typical American girl. Dad is Asian and Mom is white. I was born into two different cultures, neither of which dug their roots into me. But you’ll see my heritage imprinted all over me—on beige skin with an olive undertone; big grey eyes, double-lidded but not deep-set; a small nose with a pronounced narrow bridge; thick, dark straight hair like Dad’s that glints with bronze under the sun, courtesy of Mom’s genes. 

I have a family: Mom, Dad, Brother. Sadly, we’re no longer one unit. Mom and Dad are about ten thousand miles apart. And my brother and I are somewhere in between.

I have no one I call friend. Except myself, of course. That part of me who perceives my actions for what they are. My inner voice. My constant companion and occasional nemesis. Moving often and developing friendships lasting three years at most, I’ve learned to turn inward. 

And then there’s Arthur, my beautiful brother. Though we were raised apart, we’ve become close. Like me, he was born in the US. But he grew up in my father’s home city where his friends call him Tisoy, a diminutive for Mestizo that sometimes hints at admiration, sometimes at mockery. Locals use the label for anyone with an obvious mix of Asian and Caucasian features. We share a few features, but he’s inherited a little more from Mom. Arthur has brown wavy hair and green eyes that invite remarks from new acquaintances. 

Little Arthur, not so little anymore. Taller than me now, in fact, by two inches. We’ve always gotten along quite well. Except the few times we were together when we were children and he’d keep trailing me, like a puppy, mimicking what I did until I got annoyed. I’d scowl at him, run away so fast he couldn’t catch up. Then I’d close my bedroom door on him. Sometimes I wondered if he annoyed me on purpose so that later he could hug me and say, “I love you” to soften me up. It always worked.

I love Arthur not only because we have some genes in common. He has genuinely lovable qualities—and I’m sure people can’t always say that of their siblings. He’s caring and loyal, and I trust him to be there through thick and thin. I also believe he’s better put together than I am, he whom my parents were too busy to raise. 

I am certain of only one thing about myself: I occupy time and space like everyone. My tiny space no one else can claim on this planet, in this new century. But I still do not have a place where I would choose to spend and end my days. I’m a citizen of a country, though. The country where I was born. And yet I can’t call that country home. I don’t know it much. But worse than that, I do not have much of a history there. 

Before today, I trudged around the globe for two decades. Cursed and blessed by having been born to a father who was a career diplomat sent on assignments to different countries, I’ve lived in different cities since I was born, usually for three to four years at a time. 

Those years of inhabiting different cities in Europe and Asia whizzed by. You could say I hardly noticed them because it was the way of life I was born into. But each of those cities must have left some lasting mark on me that goes into the sum of who I am. And yet, I’m still struggling to form a clear idea of the person that is Me. This Me can’t be whole until I single out a place to call home. 

Everyone has a home they’ve set roots in. We may not be aware of it, but a significant part of who we think we are—who others think we are—depends on where we’ve lived. The place we call home. A place I don’t have. Not yet. But I will.

I was three when I left this city. Having recently come back as an adult, I can’t tell whether, or for how long, I’m going to stay. You may wonder why, having lived in different places, I would choose to seek a home in this city—this country as alien to me as any other town or city I’ve passed through. 

By the end of my last school year at the Sorbonne, I was convinced that if I were to find a home, my birthplace might be my best choice. I was born here. In a country where I can claim citizenship. Where the primary language is English. My choice avoids language problems and pesky legal residency issues. Practical and logical reasons, I think.

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Evy Journey writes. Stories and blog posts. Novels that tend to cross genres. She’s also a wannabe artist, and a flâneuse. Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D. University of Illinois). So her fiction spins tales about nuanced characters dealing with contemporary life issues and problems. She believes in love and its many faces. Her one ungranted wish: To live in Paris where art is everywhere and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She has visited and stayed a few months at a time.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Evy Journey will be giving away nine $25 Amazon Gift Cards & nine boxed sets of the last 3 books in the series, Between Two Worlds! This is the way it works. Evy is touring for 6 months. At the end of each 2 month period she will be giving away 3 $25 Amazon Gift Cards and 3 boxed sets of the last 3 books in the series, Between Two Worlds. You will have a chance to win 3 times during her tour!

Terms & Conditions:

  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • Nine winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a boxed set of the last 3 books in the series, Between Two Worlds.
  • This giveaway starts February 5 and ends July 30.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on March 28, May 31 and July 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

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The Rumble and the Glory

by JA Huss

 

Publication date: June 27th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

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Deep in the hills of West Virginia, three small towns have found a way to flourish in the face of extreme poverty. Disciple runs a side-show tent revival that brings in millions of dollars a year. Bishop flaunts traditional ways in the vein of Colonial Williamsburg, luring weary city people to the slow-living lifestyle. And Revenant offers them an experience of sin filled with tattooed bikers and live-music dive bars.
It’s a sacred trinity that worships the almighty dollar and everyone plays their role like a well-trained Broadway actor. But these hills have secrets, and so do the people.
Collin Creed is a killer, but he’s Lowyn’s killer. And after a twelve-year separation, she wants him back. To the untrained eye, Lowyn is the good girl to Collin’s bad-boy reputation. But to those in the know, she’s just like everyone else up in these hills—not as wholesome and pure as she looks.

*****
The Rumble and the Glory is a cinematic and spicy second-chance romance wrapped up in a cloak of mystery and suspense. It honors the themes of found family, redemptive anti-hero, and is filled with bigger-than-life, morally-grey characters against a backdrop of deceit and deception.

TROPES:
Morally Grey
Enemies to Lovers
Found Family
Anti-Hero
Small Town Secrets

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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About Author JA Huss:

JA Huss is a scientist, New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, and a cowgirl who rides English. Five of her books were optioned for TV/film, several of her audiobooks have been nominated for the Audie and SOVA Awards, and she was a RITA Finalist in 2019. She has been an indie author in both fiction and non-fiction for seventeen years and lives on a ranch in Colorado with her family, horses, dogs, goats, donkeys, and chickens.

Website / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon / Audible

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Breach: A Terrifying Summer Adventure
by Holly S. Roberts

 


Breach: A Terrifying Summer Adventure
Psychological Thriller
Setting – Off the coast of California
Publisher ‏ : ‎Independently Published (March 22, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8320606989
Digital: Wicked Story Telling (June 20, 2024)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CQYXJ3T1

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Craving the vastness of the open sea, Kate and her family set out on a journey of forgiveness and healing aboard Ryan’s Gift, their newly remodeled yacht. After a tragic accident, it’s imperative that Kate returns to the ocean, the place she once called home, in an attempt to restore her spirit.

In the middle of their idyllic voyage, the nightmare begins. With no power or communication, a monster lurks below the surface and the family must find a way to defeat the darkness before it destroys them.

Experience this gripping story of a family’s fight for survival and a terrifying reckoning from the deep.

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

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“Eighteen months had passed since the accident that left Kate with an incomplete spinal cord injury, taking away the use of her legs. The rehabilitation center staff had believed her fortunate for retaining some sensation below the waist, but Kate had never felt unluckier” .

“Kate examined the water looking for a dorsal fin. Slight waves from the Sea Doo rocked the yacht. She wheeled herself frantically toward the stern, her pulse hammering as the real threat lurked unseen below”​​.

“Kate’s voice was a whisper, her hands tense on the wheels of her chair. ‘Ryan, hold on,’ she breathed as the shark’s massive silhouette darted beneath the yacht toward her daughter”​​.

“With every ounce of her being, Kate focused on the rolling waves. ‘This ends today,’ she declared, determination lining her features as she prepared to defend her family from a terrifying nightmare”​​.

About Holly S. Roberts

Holly S Roberts is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thrillers, mysteries, and romance. Her Detective Eve Bennet crime series is a #1 Amazon bestseller. She’s a retired homicide detective who worked high-profile cases in Arizona. Holly lives high in the mountains with her husband and two spoiled dogs.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon/Kindle Unlimited

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The Author is running a Giveaway for a Shark Plushie.

Click HERE to enter.

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June 20 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT

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June 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

June 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 23 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

June 24 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

June 26 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

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Easier Dead Than Drawn: A Paint by Murder Mystery
by Bailee Abbott

 


Easier Dead Than Drawn: A Paint by Murder Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series (1st with this publisher)
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Level Best Books (May 7, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D15342M1

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When the town council hires Chloe Abbington’s close friend, famous wall muralist Lana Easton, to paint a mural advertising the return of the floating amphitheater, not everyone in Whisper Cove is happy about the theater or Lana. Naysayers think the noise from concerts and visitors will disrupt their quiet community. It doesn’t help that a lot of money taken from the town’s budget is being used to pay the muralist for her services. The mood turns even more grim when Lana is found dead, and since Chloe was there alone to discover her body, that makes her the prime suspect.

Before Chloe finds herself painted into a corner as the killer, she and sister Izzie hurry to solve the case and find the real criminal. The suspect list grows to include Lana’s boyfriend and her intern, as well as a couple of local residents. The task is a tall order for the sisters, and it doesn’t help that the detective on the case is someone who doesn’t seem to care for Chloe or her interference. Clues about Lana’s past surface and point to more than one suspect. The challenge will be to decide which one is the real killer.

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

Tipping the bottle, I swigged on water and shifted my gaze back and forth

across the lot. The neon yellow convertible stood out alongside a drab grey

sedan. The vanity plate with the name MILES VIP1 confirmed my hunch.

I tapped the bottle with one finger, giving myself a few seconds to decide

whether to pursue the matter. A quick glance through the window showed

Izzie and Willow laughing while guests busied themselves at the sidebar

pouring wine and choosing from the assortment of cheeses, meats, and

condiments. A few more minutes away from the activities wouldn’t hurt.

I sprinted across the lot to reach a row of grapevines bordering several tables

that looked out over the lake. Bright red umbrellas provided shade for those

patrons who chose to take their wine and meals outside.

Hiding behind the curtain of vines, I peered through an opening. Miles sat

at one of the tables, facing toward me. Another man sat across from him.

Dark hair with a slight waviness and those broad shoulders caused me to

gasp. “Nick.” I whispered under my breath. Why the two of them would

be together, having a meal at Tasty Spirits, I couldn’t guess. Other than

the amphitheater mural, what did they have in common? Maybe Nick was

renegotiating the contract Lana had signed. That thought puzzled me. Nick

had firmly suggested he, Audrey, and Tate would leave Whisper Cove, that

matters with Rita’s outburst and Audrey’s emotional reaction were making

it difficult to stay. However, why else would he and Miles meet?

As if to help answer my questions, Miles suddenly sprang up from his chair.

He tossed an envelope on the table. Shaking a finger at Nick, his face reddened

with a rush of anger. “This better be the last I hear of this.” The raised voice

and his words carried across the lawn. I winced at the sound and shrunk into

the cover of vines as he stormed away.

Within seconds, Nick stood. Glancing side to side, he then gathered the

envelope and tucked it inside his jacket pocket. Turning, he walked toward

me and my shelter of vines.

~~~~~

About Bailee Abbott 

Bailee Abbott is a native Ohioan who spends her days plotting murder and writing mysteries. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. Bailee lives with her husband and furry friend Max in the quiet suburbs of Green, Ohio. Visits to Bemus Point, a town along the Chautauqua Lake in southwest New York inspired the setting for the PAINT BY MURDER mystery series. Bailee also writes the SIERRA PINES B&B MYSTERIES and the MACKENZIE BLUE MYSTERIES as Kathryn Long.

Author Links: Website / Twitter/X / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram

Purchase Links – Amazon

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June 17 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

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June 20 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 21 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 24 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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June 30 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

 

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The Honeymoon Homicides: A Provincetown Mystery
(Sydney Riley Series)
by Jeannette de Beauvoir

 


The Honeymoon Homicides: A Provincetown Mystery (Sydney Riley Series)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting – Provincetown, Massachusetts, is a resort town on the tip of Cape Cod.
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Homeport Press (June 15, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986865430
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CYHL3FBH

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Despite an unforeseen disaster ruining her carefully planned wedding reception, hotelier Sydney Riley is undaunted as she and her brand-new husband Ali leave for their honeymoon in the dunes of Cape Cod’s National Seashore. But even in this deserted location, Sydney uncovers clues that might have a bearing on the wedding fiasco. Despite hoping for a new life, she’s drawn into yet another murder investigation—this time to protect Ali, who’s been called away on a secret and dangerous assignment.

Can Sydney find the murderer(s) before Ali is harmed, or will a joyous week in the dunes be her only memory of their married life?

About Jeannette de Beauvoir

Jeannette de Beauvoir is an award-winning author of historical and mystery fiction and poetry, whose work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her Provincetown mystery series is now on its 10th book, and she’s a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Historical Novels Society. She’s also a local theatre critic and hosts an arts-related program on WOMR, a Pacifica Radio affiliate. She lives and works in a seaside cottage on Cape Cod.

Author Links: Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Goodreads

Purchase Links – AmazonBookshop.orgB&N

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June 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Prince. Fugitive. Exile. Necromancer.

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To celebrate the
16th release anniversary, Chronicles of the Necromancer
has been re-issued with new hardcovers, and two commemorative
special-editions!

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The Summoner

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Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 1

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by Gail Z. Martin

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Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy Action Adventure

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Prince.
Fugitive. Exile. Necromancer.

Martris Drayke, second son of King Bricen of Margolan, never
coveted the crown. But when his older half-brother Jared and Jared’s
dark mage kill the king and the rest of the royal family, seizing the
throne, Tris’s comfortable world shatters and he finds himself
running for his life.

Tris flees with three friends: Soterius, captain of the guard;
Carroway, the court’s master bard; and Harrtuck, a member of the
royal guard. They seek sanctuary and the chance to plot the overthrow
of the usurper, gaining unexpected helpers along the way.

Tris has a secret—one that might well determine the fate of
Margolan and the Winter Kingdoms. In a land where spirits walk openly
and influence the affairs of the living, he is the mage heir to the
power of his grandmother, Bava K’aa, once the greatest sorceress of
her age. That magic makes Tris a Summoner, arbiter between the living
and the dead.

Can a half-trained mage-prince and his unlikely allies take back
his kingdom and avenge his family—or will his wild power destroy
him before he has the chance to set things right?

The Summoner is an action-packed epic fantasy adventure filled
with magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, loyal friends, found
family, immortal creatures, secrets, curses, forbidden love—and a
necromancer hero!

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Amazon
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The Blood King

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Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 2

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Exiled
prince. Mage heir. Necromancer king.

Prince Martris Drayke of Margolan escaped the bloody coup that
murdered his family and put his half-brother, Jared, on the throne.
He fled with three close friends, found allies along the way, and
gained the backing of loyal deserters, the undead vayash moru,
and the vengeful ghosts of Jared’s many victims.

In just one year under the Usurper’s thumb, Margolan has gone
from prosperity to chaos and starvation. Jared’s troops hunt down
any who oppose him, filling the gibbets and scaffolds and carrying
out a reign of terror.

Tris has risked destruction to gain control of his spirit magic,
and harness his power. But when he and his allies return to Margolan,
Tris must confront Foor Arontala, Jared’s blood mage, and stop him
from freeing the soul of the Obsidian King from its crystal prison.
If Tris fails, Arontala will set the Obsidian King free and take on
his power, becoming unstoppable and destroying the last chance to
free Margolan from Jared’s rule.

Can Tris stand against the blood magic of the Obsidian King to
take back the throne and save his kingdom—or will his half-mastered
magic bring about an even greater destruction?

The Blood King is an action-packed epic fantasy adventure filled
with magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, loyal friends, found
family, bloody battles, immortal creatures, secrets, treachery,
forbidden love—and a necromancer hero!

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Amazon
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* Goodreads

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Dark Haven

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Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 3

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King. Necromancer. Warrior.

Martris Drayke fought the Usurper and defeated both the blood mage
Arontala and the spirit of the Obsidian King.

As the newly-crowned King of Margolan, Tris must rebuild a kingdom
shattered by betrayal and bloodshed. Some of the usurper’s
loyalists evaded capture and remain a danger. Famine and hardship
threaten to bring more chaos and divisions. And in his Court of
Spirits, the necromancer-king is overwhelmed by the ghosts seeking
retribution and release.

With their royal wedding just weeks away, Tris and Kiara
Sharsequin, heir to the throne of Isencroft, will unite the rule and
succession of two allied kingdoms. Not everyone is pleased to see
that happen. As threats multiply, Tris and Kiara must guard against
traitors and enemies both inside and outside the castle, determined
to destroy them and everything they fought to gain.

Meanwhile, former smuggler and mercenary Jonmarc Vahanian, the new
Lord of Dark Haven, finds himself at the center of a power struggle
among the undead vayash moru. As he untangles a web of
deception, Jonmarc realizes that the conflict in Dark Haven threatens
not only the future of the Winter Kingdoms but also the fate of the
living, dead and undead.

Dark Haven is an action-packed epic fantasy adventure filled with
magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, vampire politics, loyal
friends, found family, bloody battles, immortal creatures, secrets,
treachery, and star-crossed love!

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Amazon
* Apple
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Books2Read * Bookbub
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Dark Lady’s Chosen

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Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 4

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Loyalty.
Honor. Magic. Sacrifice.

Treachery & blood magic threaten King Martris Drayke’s hold
on the throne he risked everything to win. As the battle against a
traitor lord comes to its final days, war, plague & betrayal
bring Margolan to the brink of destruction.

Civil war looms in Isencroft, forcing Kiara to make hard choices
between her duty to her kingdom-by-blood and her commitments to her
kingdom-by-marriage. Thrones and successions are at stake, and a
wrong choice could change the history of the Winter Kingdoms forever.

In Dark Haven, Lord Jonmarc Vahanian has bargained his soul for
vengeance, plunging into a conflict among ancient immortals based on
grudges centuries in the making. If he succeeds, Jonmarc preserves
the truce, stops the bloodshed, and saves what matters most. Failure
brings destruction—and dooms his soul for eternity.

Dark Lady’s Chosen is an action-packed epic fantasy
adventure filled with magic, occult lore, honorable ghosts, vampire
politics, loyal friends, found family, bloody battles, immortal
creatures, secrets, hard choices, and star-crossed love!

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Amazon
* Apple
* B&N
* Kobo
* Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

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The Shadowed Path is back in print and ebook with an updated
cover! Explore the first of two books revealing Jonmarc Vahanian’s
backstory years before his heroic role in the Chronicles of the
Necromancer.

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Get it here:

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Amazon
* Books2Read * Bookbub
* Goodreads

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**Celebrate
the 16th anniversary of the release of the Chronicles of the
Necromancer series with two different commemorative special
limited-edition collections! **

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Get a limited lettered and signed special edition with an all-new
color artwork/dust jacket!

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Includes books 1 &
2 in the first volume, and books 3 & 4 in the second
volume—signed and lettered so there will never be more than 26
sets!

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Grab Volume One HERE

And Volume Two HERE

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 Or grab a numbered special edition with completely different
​black-and-white laminated covers – two volumes containing all four
books, signed and numbered and limited to only 250 copies!

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Grab Volume One HERE

And Volume Two HERE

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Gail Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy, steampunk and more for
Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and
Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and
the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include
Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle,
the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and the Assassins of Landria.

Together
with Larry N. Martin, she is the co-author of Iron & Blood, Storm
& Fury (both Steampunk/alternate history), the Spells Salt and
Steel comedic horror series, the Roaring Twenties monster hunter Joe
Mack Shadow Council series, and the Wasteland Marshals near-future
post-apocalyptic series. As Morgan Brice, she writes urban fantasy MM
paranormal romance, with the Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail,
Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow series. Gail is also a
con-runner for ConTinual, the online, ongoing multi-genre convention
that never ends.

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

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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.