Author Archive

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Animal Kingdom

by Ian Rob Wright

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Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

I’ve read several of Iain’s books and have more on my Kindle waiting for me. This is one of my favorites.

It was supposed to be a special day. Since the divorce, Danny really missed his dad and had ants in his pants when he found out Joe was taking him to the zoo. Joe was just glad to have his son with him. It didn’t matter what they did but he knew Danny would love the animals.

Everything is great until the reptile show starts. The handler has a giant boa constrictor wrapped around his body. While he tells the gathering crowd about the snake it suddenly begins to wrap its thick coils around his neck, constricting and crushing the man. Joe does his best to help him, but the snake is too strong and time runs out for the handler.

The crowd panics and runs in all directions, horrified by the grotesque killing. As Joe grabs Danny and rushes to get help, he notices people are screaming and running from all directions. They couldn’t all have been at the exhibit. Then all of the animals start making a racket. Something bad is happening elsewhere in the zoo.

Deciding to get inside, away from whatever is occurring, Joe ducks into the new visitor’s center. Most people were running for the exits, but Joe had to get Danny to safety quickly. There were several people inside, along with the zoo’s curator. The curators protestations that an animal attack couldn’t be happening are cut short. When Joe turns to see what he’s looking at, he can’t believe what he’s seeing. There in the doorway are four massive lions, snarling and revealing their thick fangs, dripping with blood.

This is where the story really cranks up. The animals, for some unknown reason, have gained intelligence and have turned on mankind. From the lowly spiders to the gigantic elephants, they all want everyone dead.

The diverse group of people trapped in the visitor’s center are safe for the moment, or so they think. The animals won’t be denied, and find ways to get in. How the individual characters react to this is very interesting. As you’d expect, there are the one or two bad apples that think their way is the only way, you have an older woman spouting prophecy, a young girl without her medication, Joe, whose main concern is his son Danny, the curator, not much help there, and an older man with some fight in him. It’s up to them to work together. Otherwise, no one will get out of this alive.

Except that the story takes place in a zoo with animals from all over the world, it reminded of a book I read years ago. I also watched the movie and really enjoyed both. It was Day of the Animals.

The author gave me the same sense of dread and gut-wrenching fear with Animal Kingdom. You just knew people were going to die and die horribly. The animals are too many to fight off.

Reading scenes about the group dynamics was very real. People react differently when their lives are at stake. Some step up, some cower, and some act like blustering buffoons. I can’t figure out why some people can’t see past their own arrogance, or should I say ignorance.

This is a book about a war we may not be able to win. About surviving minute by minute and always looking for the way out.

At the end of the book there are some short Bonus stories. They all tie into the Animal Kingdom book and the one by Eric. S. Brown, Night of the Squirrels, is very interesting!

5 STARS

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Synopsis

WELCOME TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOD CHAIN!

Aside from being freakishly tall, Joe is just an ordinary divorcee taking his son, Danny, to the zoo for his weekend of custody. Everything is going great until a bizarre snake attack sends everybody in the zoo running for cover. It isn’t long before Joe realizes that there is a lot more going on than a simple snake attack. And if the hungry lions, roaring gorillas and charging elephants now free from their cages have anything to say about it, there is more bloodshed to come. All of the world’s animals are attacking, and no one knows why. What they do know is that man is now on the bottom of the food chain.

FEATURES BONUS MATERIAL THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM UNIVERSE: 7 Short stories by Iain Rob Wright and Eric S. Brown

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

UNNATURAL INTENT
by Brooke L French
October 24, 2024 Book Blast

 

 

Synopsis:
A Letty Duquesne Thriller

  The last one they sent didn’t come back.

Disease ecologist Letty Duquesne is barely settled in to her new job when a colleague goes missing in the field. Letty arrives in Alaska’s Katmai National Park to take over the investigation, only to find a violent welcome and the case in shambles. No record of the last scientist’s work exists. His footsteps at the incident site disappear into nothing. And the polar bears Letty has been sent to find are hunting for human prey a thousand miles from the pack ice where they belong. If Letty can’t figure out why, more people will die. An unimaginable threat lurks under the icy waters of the Arctic, animals stalk the people of a tiny seaside village, and the greatest danger waits where Letty least expects it.

Praise for Unnatural Intent:

“Field research has never been so riveting—and potentially deadly. Unnatural Intent is a tense combination of scientific detective work and corporate intrigue, set within the brutal but starkly beautiful landscape of the Arctic, where man is no longer an apex predator.” ~ Regina Buttner, author of The Revenge Paradox

Unnatural Intent is like Michael Crichton’s State of Fear meets Michael Connelly’s The Rapture of the Deep…” ~ Cam Torrens, award-winning author of Stable and False Summit

“French weaves a complex tale of corporate greed, ecological disaster, and survival in this thriller, inserting you deep into the minds of her characters. The science is as accurate as it is terrifying, and the plot twists will keep you engaged until the final chapters.” ~ Gary Gerlacher, author of the AJ Docker thriller series

Book Details:

Genre: Action and Adventure, Medical Thriller

Published by: Black Rose Writing Publication Date: October 24, 2024 Number of Pages: 319 ISBN: 9781685134976 (ISBN10: 1685134971) Series: A Letty Duquesne Thriller, Book 2 | Each is a Stand-Alone

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Black Rose Writing

Enjoy this peek inside:
Chapter 1
October 16, 2018 San Diego, California

Letty Duquesne wound her way through the ornate Spanish architecture of Balboa Park, dodging tourists and scanning the crowd. Even on a weekday, the place was packed. Families taking photos, school kids on their way to one of the twenty-plus museums spread throughout the park, and an assortment of street musicians playing everything from Mozart to Bon Jovi.

She dropped a few dollars in an upturned hat and aimed for the shade of an archway. As much as she wanted to pretend otherwise, her shift from the familiar comfort of working in academia to her current situation — a new job, in a new company, in a new city — hadn’t been exactly smooth. No matter how committed she was to making the Jessa Duquesne Foundation a success, the past month she’d spent “starting over” was harder than she’d expected.

Lonelier. Which was how she’d wound up on the friendship equivalent of a “first date.” Letty scanned the crowd again and, this time, spotted Gemma on the opposite side of the lily pond, waving to her from the foot of the Botanical Building. The JDF’s office manager and general jack-of-all-trades looked like Debbie Harry. She had a shock of what had to be home-dyed platinum-white hair, Doc Martens, and jeans that had been hacked off mid-calf. Gemma pointed to a short stone bench, her eyebrows raised in a question — this good? Letty gave her a thumbs-up and made her way through the crowd to where Gemma now sat cross-legged on the bench. “This is perfect.” Letty smiled as she sat beside her. “Thanks for meeting me.” “Thanks for the invite.” Gemma slid a silver packet from the pocket of her oversized blazer, her voice kissed with a South London accent. “I usually eat at my desk. But with everything that’s been going on, I’m glad for the break. I’m knackered.” “I bet.” Letty pulled a takeout salad from her bag and balanced the plastic clamshell on her lap. “Seems like getting Mark ready for tomorrow’s presentation took a full-court press.” The handful of people that made up the foundation’s on-site staff had been in and out of his office all day, every day for the past week. Mark would be at his desk when she arrived in the morning and still there when she left each night, poring over binder after binder of data. Reviewing everything the foundation had been able to find about the rise in animal attacks, the increase in zoonotic diseases crossing over to the human population, and the myriad governmental responses… or failures to respond. In a reasonable world, the volume of the data alone would’ve been enough to establish the need for greater action. The need for some centralized agency, like Jessa’s foundation, to manage a response. But, of course, things didn’t work that way. Not when half the congressional committee formed to look into the public’s concerns were the same folks who claimed climate change was a hoax. The thready notes of “Livin’ on a Prayer” slipped through the courtyard, the street musician’s violin shrill but on beat. “You have no idea how mad it’s been.” Gemma ripped open the silver packet and pulled out a rainbow-sprinkled Pop-Tart. “Usually Mark’s only in after hours. He’s got to be at Stafford Oil during business hours, but lately he’s at the foundation all the time. And he’s stressed as hell.” She picked a sprinkle from the top of the pastry and popped it in her mouth. “At least Kathryn came to the rescue. I can’t imagine how we would’ve gotten Mark ready without her helping to manage his Stafford Oil work load this week.” Gemma chewed another bite and swallowed. “Even if having her here does set my teeth on edge.” “Really?” Letty forked through her salad, building the perfect bite of chicken, feta, and cucumber. “She seems nice enough.” And the day Kathryn had arrived had been the only time Letty had seen Mark smile since she’d come to California. “She’s alright, I guess. Does so much for the JDF, she should be on payroll.” Gemma shrugged, brushing crumbs from her jeans. “I just don’t trust anyone that doesn’t age.” Letty laugh-choked on a piece of lettuce. Kathryn’s Upper East Side vibe was sort of intimidating. “Well, Botox or not, I’m glad she’s gonna be there tomorrow to back him up.” They had too much riding on what happened at that meeting for Mark to go it alone. There was only so much the foundation could do to identify what might be causing the changes they were seeing in the animal world without having access to real-time information about what was happening globally. As much good as they were doing handling any individual case, it wouldn’t be enough to make a real difference unless they could see the trends and follow them back to the source. Poor Mark had to know how much was riding on tomorrow’s presentation, had to feel the weight of what failure would mean. Especially when the foundation’s future would be decided by a bunch of political cronies. “I can’t imagine how stressed he must be. I mean, who gets called to speak before a congressional committee?” “He didn’t exactly get a summons. He volunteered, so that’s a little less scary. And he’s there for the greater good. Maybe he’ll get a nicer reception than they give their usual lot.” “True.” The other CEOs who spoke before congressional committees were usually there to get a public reprimand. A slap on the wrist after they’d used the corporate structure to get away with one form of mass destruction or another. And those people were nothing like Mark. She felt an odd sense of pride in her once almost brother-in-law, now boss, even though she couldn’t claim responsibility for all the work he’d done in Jessa’s memory. For all the things he was still trying to do. Letty picked her way through the salad. Where would he be now? On a plane? Probably halfway to DC, with his dark head bent over another binder. Wearing the glasses that made him look so much more serious than he did in her memories. The ones she shouldn’t be thinking about. Gemma popped open an energy drink. “All we can do at this point is keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.” “Yeah, for sure.” Letty cleared her throat, forcing herself back to the present. To reality. “I’m glad we did this.” She looked up at the palm trees swaying above them, then to the giant lath structure of the Botanical Building reflected in the pond. Built for a world’s fair more than a hundred years before, it still stood proud and beautiful, giving them shade on a day too warm for October. “It’s nice to be outside for a bit.” “Careful what you ask for.” Gemma broke off another piece of pastry. “I’m surprised they didn’t just skip orientation and send you out into the field already. We’ve been swamped all summer and now into the fall, every scientist on the team out on assignment since the doors opened. Seems like every other day we get a request from somewhere. Mountain lions turning the hiking trails in Oakland into a buffet. Or some crazy hyper-virulent bird flu popping up in the middle of Copenhagen. God knows what’s next.” Letty shoved a bite of salad in her mouth, chewing it along with the guilt she’d been trying to ignore since she’d realized how understaffed the foundation was. A situation that was in some part — maybe a large part — her fault. She’d been meant to start working with the foundation in August. But it had taken longer than she’d expected to end her lease, to close up her life at the university, to say goodbye to Bill and Priya. And, then, she hadn’t wanted to miss Andrew’s wedding. A smile flickered over her face. Renee had been beautiful at the ceremony, she and Andrew both glowing over Renee’s baby bump. Of course, she hadn’t realized her delay would leave the foundation short a scientist. She cringed. It was not an ideal situation for them to be in as Mark prepared to offer up their services to the world. Literally. Gemma finished her Pop-Tart and took another deep swig from an eye-poppingly chartreuse can of caffeine. “You know, if Mark convinces the committee to let the foundation manage the country’s national response, you may never see the inside of an office again.” Letty couldn’t imagine anything better. She stabbed a cucumber with her fork. “I’d almost always rather be in the field.” And a little space from Mark wouldn’t be a bad thing either. He’d be back in a few days, and so would the awkward silences that cropped up anytime the two of them were alone together. It wasn’t that he was rude. He’d taken her to lunch when she first started, said all the right things — he was so glad she was there, she should let him know if she needed anything, maybe they could grab a coffee or he could help her get settled. But it was stilted, and no matter how nice he was when they ran into each other in the halls or at the office coffee pot, she could never think of what to say. She put her fork down with the cucumber still stuck to the tines. It was like the past clogged up her throat, wrapped her brain in cotton, and nothing but basic banalities would come out. If that. He had eventually stopped trying. Which was almost worse. Gemma’s phone rang from her purse. As she went digging for it, a huge brown bird with white markings swooped through the promenade. It narrowly missed a camera-laden tour group, the crowd ducking and screeching as it swept past. A red-shouldered hawk. Letty tracked the bird’s ascent back into the sky as it rounded over the Botanical Building and came back for a second pass. What was it after? She scanned the ground for a mouse or chipmunk. Maybe a smaller bird? Hawks would eat most anything their size or smaller. Although it was odd for it to be hunting here, in a place so crowded with people. “This is Gemma.” Her new friend finally answered the call, her tone now formal and pure Queen’s English, which meant the call must be important. Something for the foundation. “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite hear that. Could you start again from the beginning?” The hawk swept back across the pond, its trajectory lower as it headed toward the entrance to the Timken Museum. It landed on the handle of a baby carriage. The mother stood with her back turned to the stroller as she searched for something in a diaper bag. Gemma lowered her voice. “What do you mean missing?” Letty glanced back to Gemma. Whatever that was, it didn’t sound good. She kept half her attention on Gemma, the rest on the bird. The hawk leaned forward, as if trying to see past the cloth draped over the carriage to find what soft morsel might wait inside. Letty’s mouth went dry, and she clapped her hands, hoping to startle the bird into flight. It ignored her. The animal would have no reason to hurt a child. But if the past year had taught her anything, it was that she couldn’t assume it would act predictably. Things were different now. Very different. Letty shifted to the edge of her seat. The bird turned, meeting Letty’s gaze. Its eyes reflected a flat, predatory black. “Shoo.” She stood, clapping her hands again in its direction and moving closer. “Excuse me?” She called out to the mother, who was still busy digging through the baby’s bag. The hawk kneaded its claws against the stroller’s handle. “You’re not going to believe this.” Gemma turned her way. Letty didn’t break eye contact with the bird. “Hang on.” She strode toward the carriage, the bird not moving an inch. A few other tourists turned to look, but no one moved to help. The mother plucked a pacifier from the bag and turned. A shriek tore out of her, and she threw herself toward the carriage.The bird took off in a flutter of indignant feathers, and a wail came from inside the stroller as the mother hurried to wheel the child away. Letty finally let go of a breath and turned back to Gemma, who seemed only now to have realized what had been happening with the hawk. They both watched as the bird disappeared over the roof of the museum. Gemma refocused on Letty, and lines creased around her eyes. “Cody Crawford’s gone missing.” “Crawford?” Letty tried to place the name. “That’s the large mammal guy, right?” “Yeah. That’s him. He’s been up in Alaska working on our polar bear case. Seems he went out to the incident site and got lost in the woods.” She cringed, whether from worry or as an acknowledgment of how bad that sounded, Letty couldn’t tell. Gemma dropped the phone back into her purse. “Search and Rescue’s out looking now, but they say it doesn’t look good. No sign of him.” Letty sat on the bench, watching the sky for any sign of the hawk. The idea that Crawford might just “get lost” in the woods didn’t sound right. She’d spent an hour after work one night browsing the bios for the foundation’s other scientists, mostly out of a perverse desire to know how she stacked up. From what she remembered, Crawford was an experienced field researcher like her, mostly working with large carnivores. He would have known not to go out to the site alone. And, even if he had, he wouldn’t just wander off and not be able to find his way back. When you spent your life working in one unknown wilderness after another, navigation was part of the basic skill package. Letty closed the lid on her salad, her appetite gone. If Crawford was missing, chances were good he wasn’t coming back. *** Excerpt from Unnatural Intent by Brooke L French. Copyright 2024 by Brooke L French. Reproduced with permission from Brooke L French. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Brooke L. French:

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Brooke L French

Brooke L. French is a recovering lawyer, author, and boy mom. Her debut thriller, Inhuman Acts, hit number one on Amazon’s kindle charts in both medical thrillers and suspense in 2023, and her second novel, The Carolina Variant continues climbing the charts. Brooke got her undergraduate degree in English from Emory University, followed by a law degree, which, after many long and sometimes fulfilling years of practice, she mainly uses now as a coaster for the cup of coffee she puts down only to type. Brooke lives with her husband and sons between Atlanta and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Catch Up With Brooke L French: www.BrookeLFrench.com Goodreads BookBub – @brookelfrench Instagram – @brookelewisfrench Threads – @brookelewisfrench Facebook – @brooke.l.french

 

Tour Participants:

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ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Brooke L French. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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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.

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Claw

Claw #1

by Katie Berry

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Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

A creature from the past….. ooh, can’t wait to find out what it is. Or they are.

I love a good creature story. The meaner, the better.  And especially if the weather and small town setting play a part in survival.

Lawless, British Columbia. A small town shrouded in fog. Something’s in the fog. Old, cunning and oh so hungry. Christine Moon, a conservation officer, is tasked with sorting things out. People are dying and disappearing. Where will the creature strike next?

This was fun. A bit wordy on descriptions, but the characters were interesting and the creature didn’t disappoint. Wait until you find out what it is.

3 STARS

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Synopsis

Lawless, British Columbia is on edge after a powerful earthquake jolts the region, quickly followed by a string of savage animal attacks. Newly stationed to the area after her predecessor mysteriously disappears, Conservation Officer Christine Moon needs to calm the jangled nerves of the small mountain town.

Awakened from ancient slumber, something stalks the swirling, grey mists that surround Lawless. A beast with a gnawing hunger that grows stronger by the minute — its only thought, to satisfy its ravenous appetite.

Rampant corruption at the highest level has targeted Christine to be the next mysterious disappearance. Now, she’s in a fight for her life while trying to track and contain the creature threatening to decimate the local population.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

     

     

     

     

13129925 

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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.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Goblin King’s Mischief organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author D. Lieber will award a $10 Bookshop Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

The Goblin King’s Mischief

by D. Lieber

 

 

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Synopsis

A promise unkept. A love she can’t forget. This wily human will do anything to reclaim the heart of the Goblin King.

Lady Melody Piobaire never lost faith her first love would come for her when she was forced from his side. That is, until she finds out he doesn’t even know who she really is…doesn’t even know she’s human. To make things worse, she’s the promised mistress of the sidhe king. Rather than bear Tir’s heir, she devises a plan to win back her true love in the most goblin of ways.

Orphaned elf Aodh never forgot what it was like growing up on the mean streets of Goblintown. And now, as Goblin King, he’s dedicated to being the just and attentive ruler the neglected goblins deserve. So when a spoiled human who knows nothing of what it means to be a goblin tricks him into marriage, he’ll do anything to be rid of her.

Melody is certain she can win Aodh’s heart again, so she isn’t prepared for his hot and cold hostility. Aodh is unsettled by the forward human in his home and the way she seems to know just how to get to him.

What can Melody do if her only love no longer wants her, or worse, no longer exists?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

I looked up at Aodh, taking in the face I used to know so very well. His features had sharpened in the last ten years. His thick hair—which had been quite messy when it was shorter—now fell in long locks that could no longer hide the pointed tips of his ears. The groove between his straight nose and wide lips had deepened, and he still had a tiny break in the hair of his left eyebrow, a scar too small to see if not for the space where the hair no longer grew.

I took in the sight of him, memorizing the small changes that had taken place since the last time I’d seen him. He’d grown both taller and wider—his shoulders now the broad and strong shoulders of a man. Though, despite the added years, his eyes had changed the most. They were much darker than I remembered, not in color but in substance. He’d helped me as I knew he would, but he no longer had that carefree glint in his eyes. The lack of that little light of mischief hurt more than anything else.

“Miss?” he called. “Where do you live? What’s your name?”

I let my mouth widen in a smirk of bravado. “Me? My name is Lady Melody Píobaire, daughter of the Earl of Piskishire.” I swallowed my heart. He’s not going to like this. Raising my left hand, I displayed the ring I’d just sneaked from his finger onto mine. “I’m the goblin queen, and you can come for me at Maplecrest, my family home, whenever is convenient for you, husband.”

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About Author D. Lieber 

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  1. Lieber has a wanderlust that would make a butterfly envious. When she isn’t planning her next physical adventure, she’s recklessly jumping from one fictional world to another. Her love of reading led her to earn a Bachelor’s in English from Wright State University.

Beyond her skeptic and slightly pessimistic mind, Lieber wants to believe. She has been many places—from Canada to England, France to Italy, Germany to Russia—believing that a better world comes from putting a face on “other.” She is a romantic idealist at heart, always fighting to keep her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.

Lieber lives in Wisconsin with her husband (John) and cats (Yin and Nox).

Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Bookbub

Preorder Links: Amazon / B&N / Universal / BookBub / Goodreads

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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.

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Sam

by Lisa McCourt Hollar

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Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

I grabbed this on a whim after reading the synopsis. A goldfish dies. A boy wants him back. A woman casts a spell. Voila. Sam the goldfish is swimming around in his tank again.

Wait for it…. Sam isn’t the friendly little goldfish anymore. He’s got a strange new hunger.

At only about 17 pages there’s not much I can say without spoiling it for you. I don’t think I could look at a pretty goldfish the same anymore. Creepy good fun.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Sam is dead. Tommy, his best friend, wants him back. Sam might only be a goldfish, but he is the only friend the neglected boy has. When Mama Tasha casts a spell to bring Sam back to life, things get a little strange and Sam develops a decidedly, un-fishlike appetite.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

     

     

     

     

13129925

~~~~~

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.

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

Author Claudia Riess will award a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Dying For Monet

by Claudia Riess

 

 

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis

Dying for Monet, book 5 of Riess’s art history mystery series, opens on a gala evening auction at Laszlo’s, an upstart auction house in New York City. After a much sought-after Impressionist still life painting is without notice withdrawn from the auction block, its broker is found dead at the foot of an imposing statue in Laszlo’s courtyard. Amateur sleuths Erika Shawn and Harrison Wheatley are once again drawn into an investigation involving an art-related homicide, this time with one sharing an unnerving coincidence with violent crimes occurring abroad.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

For a short while they ate in a silence broken only by the soft clatter of utensils and restrained exclamations of praise, the meal more than living up to its aromatic overture. Yet, beneath the silence there was an insensate hum of anticipation, like an underlying spice that defines a dish, but can’t quite be identified.

Erika was slicing into a tender fragment of chicken; Harrison, scooping up a forkful of buttered noodles; Greg, wiping his lips with his napkin—when Robin, staring down at her plate, suddenly blurted, “Ivan and I—we were having a squabble.” She looked up. “It wasn’t much of anything at the start, but it escalated. We were having dinner. Right where we are now, at this table.” She seemed to marvel at the coincidence. “I complained, not very adamantly, that he was spending a lot of time in Manhattan—too much time. He said he was ‘learning the ropes.’ I remember thinking, how odd, I’ve never heard him use that phrase.” She studied her plate again. “I told him he didn’t share things with me. What was he doing at Laszlo’s? Who were his colleagues? I became agitated. I asked him if he was having an affair.” She sucked in her breath, as if someone other than herself had surprised her with that statement.

“He was stunned by my accusation. At a loss. For a minute he was silent, and then he said, ‘An affair? You want to know what I haven’t shared with you? Something personal? All right, I’ll let you in on my secret, my only secret, but you have to swear you’ll keep it to yourself. It concerns the contract between me and one of my clients. I’m going against my word, here, you understand. I gave Mr. Keller my word I’d keep it between us.’ It was essential, Ivan said. Essential.”

Robin picked up her fork and began pushing a morsel of chicken around on her plate, poking at it, as if to get a response out of it. “What was I thinking?” She let the fork drop onto the plate and looked up. “I can’t talk about this. I swore not to. There was a reason not to tell. A danger in telling.” She shook her head. “Greg, Greg, I was drunk with grief when I shared this with you. I know you’ll keep your word. Erika, Harrison, I’m sorry. I’ll give you anything else but this. Not this.”

Erika was sitting next to Robin. She laid her hand on hers. Robin placed her free hand on Erika’s and kept it there. Erika nodded her understanding, inwardly begging Robin to recant. The plea went unanswered.

A short time later, after acceding to Robin’s remorseful insistence they partake of her apple pie à la mode and coffee, the sated visitors were back on the road, heading toward Manhattan.

All three were seated in the back of the car, Erika between the men. Bill had taken it upon himself to shut the partition separating him and his passengers so that they could converse in private.

For a while silence ruled. Then, not quite breaking it, Erika turned to Greg, on her left, and, cocking her head ever-so-slightly, fixed him with an imploring look.

“No,” Greg said.

“Just thought I’d ask,” she answered. “I understand.” She rested her head on Harrison’s shoulder and tried to distance herself from the double-edged guilt for having pressed Greg to break his oath and disappointment for not having succeeded at it.

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About Author Claudia Riess:

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Claudia Riess has worked in the editorial departments of The New Yorker and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and has edited several art history monographs. Stolen Light, the first book in her art history mystery series, was chosen by Vassar’s Latin American history professor for distribution to the college’s people-to-people trips to Cuba.  To Kingdom Come, the fourth, will be added to the syllabus of a survey course on West and Central African Art at a prominent Midwestern university.  Claudia has written a number of articles for Mystery Readers Journal, Women’s National Book Association, the Sisters in Crime Bloodletter, and Mystery Scene magazine.  To read more about Claudia and her work, visit the author’s website.

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest

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A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell Banner

A HUSH AT MIDNIGHT
by Marlene M. Bell
October 7 – November 1, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

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Synopsis:
From the award-winning author of the ANNALISSE MYSTERY SERIES.

THE VISIT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. Celebrity chef Laura Harris dwells on the horror of finding her mentor’s body in the groundskeeper’s disheveled bed—pillow and bedding half covering her open eyes—purple bruising around her mouth. A grisly snapshot in time revealing the Texas woman’s last moments during her attack. The elderly matriarch from the small town of Stenburg has left the physical world, and Laura is shattered. She is catapulted headlong into the pursuit of a casual executioner, one bold enough to come and go from the crime scene with ease, dropping bizarre crumb trails designed to mock the deceased. But Laura herself doesn’t go unnoticed. As she digs deeper, she is followed and bombarded by warnings to leave the state. When the victim’s attorney informs Laura that she’s to inherit the entire Stenburg fortune, the last act of kindness has made Laura the main person of interest in the investigation. Message by message, Laura is methodically taunted by someone so deranged and driven they’ll do whatever it takes to dislodge Laura from Texas – permanently.

 

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth/Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Published by: Ewephoric Publishing Publication Date: October 1, 2024 Number of Pages: 368 ISBN: 979-8-9863409-6-8

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

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MY REVIEW

I do like my mysteries and the author had me coming and going, at a loss as to the who or why in this one.

I like a strong female protagonist and Laura fits the bill. She has a protective instinct along with some stubbornness. When she visits her mentor and friend, elderly Hattie, she notices something’s off. She seems so frail. She knows something is very wrong when she discovers Hattie dead. What killed her? Why was she in the grounds keeper’s house? These are some of the questions she asks herself and she smells a rat.

I mentioned the author was adept at keeping me guessing. There were plenty of false trails and suspects. I’d love to say I had it all figured out. Not the case and I enjoyed how it all wrapped up.

4 STARS

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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About Author Marlene M. Bell:

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Marlene M. Bell

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch for her readers, they often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic mysteries and children’s books as characters or subject matter. Marlene is an accomplished artist and photographer who takes pride in entertaining fans on multiple levels of her creativity. Marlene’s award-winning Annalisse series boasts Best Mystery honors for all installments including these: IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, Global Award Best Mystery, and Chanticleer’s International Mystery and Mayhem shortlist for Copper Waters, the fourth mystery in the series. She offers her children’s picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written primarily for younger kids based on true events from the Bell’s East Texas sheep ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of belonging and unconditional love between a little girl and her lamb.

Catch Up With Marlene M. Bell: www.MarleneMBell.com Goodreads – @dorsetghal BookBub – @dorsetgalwrites Instagram – @marlenemysteries Twitter/X – @ewephoric Facebook Facebook – @marlenembell Amazon Author Page

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway! Click here to view the Tour Schedule  

 

Win Big! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Marlene M. Bell. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Horrorstor

by Grady Hendrix

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13129925

Genre: Horror

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MY REVIEW

As I work in a huge retail store and work lots of night shifts, it was a no brainer that I would read this book. I also knew I had to have a physical copy and it sure added to the fun and creepiness. A glossy cover with chilling images captured in the frames promised scary fun. I loved how the book was designed like a catalog, the start of each chapter offering an advertisement for goods sold in the store. As the story plays out the ads get more and more ominous.

Some people may not enjoy the slow start as it’s all about the store, how it works, and the employees who work at Orsk. I’ve always liked that. I like to envision the location and picture the characters. One or two in this story were very similar to people I work with. At my job, I’m often staying past closing and it gets really creepy without people around and noises seem to come from nowhere. I felt that when Amy and her coworkers stayed after closing to try to catch whoever had been damaging and moving products around after hours. Gave me the heebie jeebies. Once things started happening, it got more and more creepy and I ate it up.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom.

Designed by Andie Reid, cover photography by Christine Ferrara

Amazon

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Bowling Bodies at Spare Lanes Alley

by Laura Hern

 

(The Lainey Maynard Mystery Series, #5)
Publication date: August 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

What a fun and exciting read! Humor and suspense kept me engaged, and it was hard to put down! Looking forward to the next book in this series!!” Bobbi

When planning a murder, practice makes perfect…or does it?

Super sleuth Lainey Maynard and the Whoopee group are preparing for the bowling tournament fundraiser to save Spare Lanes Bowling Alley. Until an envelope arrived during their practice game that caused more excitement than a scored card filled with strikes. Why hadn’t Gerry Hayward been more concerned?

Spare Lanes Alley had been the hot spot where local celebrity bowlers and newbies gathered. Even framed and signed photos of professional bowlers lined the trophy wall. Now, threats of foreclosure loomed over Gerald and Phoebe Hayward, the owners, and the entire bowling community. More than bowling balls are crossing the foul line.

Gerald and Phoebe Hayward purchased the alley to start fresh after the Professional Bowling Association banned him. Past suspicions of murder, accusations of impending revenge, and enormous gambling debts don’t exactly stop the gossip mongers’ embarrassing rumors.

Lainey and the Whoopee Pin-Slayers will need more than gutter bumpers, shoe covers, and shammy rags to solve the unfolding mysteries.

A fun and intriguing cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. You’ll love the delightful characters, and the twists will keep you turning the pages!

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“What crazy weather! I’ve been running all over town in this icy rain!” Della shivered as she hurried through the door of Babe’s House of Caffeine and toward the Whoopee’s regular table.

“Mother Nature must think it’s March, not October.” Francy grinned and pulled out the chair between her and Lainey. “Sit down and dry out. Mom’s running a bit late, too.”

“Are you still trying to figure out a costume for the bowling fundraiser?” Lainey asked. “I think I’ve decided on mine!”

“Didn’t Francy tell you? We’re going as the Blues Brothers!” I’m Jake and she’s Elwood.” She leaned closer to Lainey and, looking at Francy, pretended to whisper. “She’s jealous of my dancing abilities!”

“Absolutely not!” Francy smirked. “I have dance moves that make Elwood look like a beginner!” She stood up, pushed her chair from the table, and began stomping her feet, shaking, and wiggling her body, waving her hands in the air while shouting ‘Hallelujah’!

Everyone in the cafe laughed. Some clapped and chanted, “Go Francy. Go Francy. Go Francy.” “Okay, okay! You can dance, but I’m still the lead singer,” Della chuckled.

Francy stopped, turned to the cafe patrons, and took a bow while they applauded. She pretended to blow kisses to thank them, then turned to sit down at the table again.

“Whew! That’s hard work. I should have done more of Mom’s ‘Sweating to the Oldies’ workout videos!” she said breathlessly. “I’m going to need a large Caramel Macchiato.”

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About Author Laura Hern:

Laura Hern is an author who writes Cozy Mysteries and Romance novels.

She loves cats, charred brussel sprouts with bacon, and romantic murder mysteries!

Laura grew up in Texas and lives in Minnesota. She loves to ride motorcycles, and is an avid domino and card player. Music and traveling are her passions.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

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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.

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Let Me In

by Samuel Small

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Genre: Horror / Short Story

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MY REVIEW

This is a very short story. Around 18 pages on my Kindle. On Goodreads, there is no description so I’m going to share my review that way too.

Short stories are like a box of chocolates. You know…. you never know what you’re gonna get. This little gem packed a lot of scary good stuff in it.  Quick and to the point. No frills and quite the ending.

4 STARS

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

     

     

     

   

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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.