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Archive for the ‘Mystery’ Category

The Sophia Freeman Series by T. X. Troan ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: December 1, 2022 in Fantasy, giveaways, middle grade, Mystery
Tags: fantasy, giveaway, middle grade, mystery

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Te Sophia Freeman Series organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author T. X. Troan will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

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

The Sophia Freeman Series

by T. X. Troan

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Mystery

Book 1:

EARTH AWAKENED … SEED PLANTED … PATH REVEALED.

What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old Sophia Freeman and her father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and fantastical creatures. Later, she learns she is dying from an eternal curse and the only way to prolong her life is to drink the island’s sacred water. Can Sophia and her companions reach the fountain and defeat the guardian before time runs out?

Book 2:

Sophia Freeman and the Gate of Jade (Book 2) by [T.X. Troan]

THEY MUST RISK IT ALL TO REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM … OR BE SEALED AWAY FOREVER.

Sophia Freeman and her best friend, Tim Charnal, must beat all contestants in a three-round Beyond Event organized by the mighty arbiters to free him from the penalty of murder and gain the islanders’ trust. Entering the hologram and surviving environments filled with everything from hammer-throwing cave giants to a slimy tentacled sea monster, they will need all their courage, wits, and skills. But how are they going to win when magic is forbidden?

Book 3:

EVIL RISING … ISLANDERS MISSING … AND FRIENDS BETRAYING.

With the increase in deaths of Pandilone Islanders, the arbiters devise a strategy to free the god demon within five days to lift the Eternal Curse. All goes as planned until iron-masked creatures kidnap magic users, weakening the army. To gain reinforcements, Sophia Freeman, Tim Charnal, and rescued Allen Chan must gather all six items to cast the Dream Spell, connecting them with Sophia’s father and his air force. But how can the trio succeed in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Another flaming whip slashed between Sophia and Tim, and they swiftly dodged it. Who could possibly be using Dark Art spells? They looked over and saw Allen’s smoking wand in one hand and Sophia’s scroll in the other.

“S-sorry, guys—I got curious,” said Allen, trembling.

Tim roared, “Curious? You’re not supposed to—”

Sophia raised her hand like Dad did to her, to silence him.

“Allen, can I have my scroll back?” she asked calmly, easing toward him.

Staring at it, he said, “Um … yeah,” and handed it to her.

“Did you hurt yourself?” Sophia asked. “Do you feel any different?”

“I’m fine—actually, I feel good,” said Allen, with a tiny grin.

“Interesting—could you show us how you did that spell?”

Allen gave her a puzzled look. “You mean I’m not in deep trouble? Uh … sure.” He shifted into the attack position and shut his eyes.

“Sophia, I don’t understand—why are you wasting our time?” Tim demanded.

“Shh … Mona was right—you should really work on your temper.” She kept staring at Allen without blinking. “Just watch.”

A moment later, a strong gust howled past them as his wand lit up.

“Allen, break that tall boulder with roots wrapped around it!” Sophia shouted.

He struck with an aggressive roar. “HELLFIRE LASH!” The third flaming whip was unleashed, and it was much bigger than the previous two. It struck directly at the target.

KABOOM!

The spell left a hole through the boulder the size of Allen’s fist.

“Wow, that was impressive,” Tim mumbled.

Sophia handed him the scroll and turned to Allen. “Do you feel any different this time?”

Admiring his wand, he said, “Yes, I felt … confident. Something I didn’t think was possible.”

I get it—he’s attracted to Dark Art spells! At that instant, an absurd idea came to her mind.

About Author Thuan Doan

Thuan Doan was born in Indonesia, and grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Thuan has been fascinated by art from a young age, especially fantasy. He would wake up hours before school, sit outside the classroom, and scribble in his sketch book.

After college, he worked on a series of jobs, including: an advergaming association as a storyboard/concept artist, gaming company as lead concept artist, and graphic designer for various clients.

Thuan conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet. 4 years later, the story is complete. While book 1, 2 and 3 are being shared with the world, he’s writing and illustrating book 4 of the Sophia Freeman series.

Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents’ names.

“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”

T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs and school of fish!

AWARDS

★ Entrada Publishing Incipere Award, 2020

★ Readers’ Favorite 5 star Badge, 2019, 2021 and 2022

★ Literary Titan Badge, 2020

Book Links:

Author Website / B&N / Amazon / Walmart / Indie Bound / Book Depository

Social Media: Facebook / Instagram / Goodreads

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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.

The Enchanted Bungalow by Eva Pohler ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: November 4, 2022 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: excerpt, giveaway, mystery

The Enchanted Bungalow
by Eva Pohler

The Enchanted Bungalow (The Mystery House Series Book 9) by [Eva Pohler]

(The Mystery House Series, #9)
Publication date: October 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Mystery

Ellen and her friends never saw this coming.

During a Twilight tour of Forks, Washington, Ellen, Sue, and Tanya rent a bungalow on Quileute land to celebrate Tanya’s sixtieth birthday. They’re having the time of their lives until strange visions make them question everything they know about the afterlife. Can the three best friends uncover the mystery of the Machiavellian spirit sharing their bungalow?

Here’s what readers are saying about this series:

“Slightly wacky ladies, humor & good intentions result in a very interesting story. I’ve already ordered the second one in the series.”–Lynne J. Condon, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“They begin a dangerous quest digging into the real history behind the Gold House. What they find will blow your mind! My heart was racing throughout this entire book. If you believe in ghosts or even if you don’t, I suggest reading by a lamp. I jumped several times as if a movie were playing inside my mind. . . . The three women in this book are wonderful. This is definitely a must-read. 5 stars for Eva! Well done!!”–Book Lover Reviews ★★★★★

“This is a real page turner. Riveting, and exciting. The characters are very well written, it’s easy to read and you won’t want to put it down.”–Southermermaid85, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“This is my first experience with author Eva Pohler and I can’t believe I haven’t read anything of hers before! Loved the book and I’ll be checking out more in this series.”–The Novel Lady, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

Described as “Nancy Drew meets The Golden Girls,” these friends get in way over their heads as they try to bring peace to ghosts haunting their most recent flip project or vacation rental.

**The books in this series can be read in any order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Two days later, Ellen flew with Moseby to Seattle, where she rented an SUV—a white Nissan Rogue—and drove in the dark and through the rain for three hours toward La Push. The last two hours were on winding roads that had Ellen gripping the steering wheel and clenching her teeth.

Moseby whined. He sat in a carrier strapped in the front passenger seat.

“I know, Moseby-Mo. It’s been a long car ride, but I think we’re nearly there.”

Brian had business meetings in Portland all week, and Ellen hadn’t wanted to board the dog, worried it would cause post-traumatic stress disorder. Plus, she needed him, since she was traveling without her friends, hoping to get everything ready to save Tanya’s birthday.

It was so dark and rainy in La Push when she arrived that she nearly missed the turn into the Oceanside Resort Office. She pulled in, put the rental in park, found the totem pole Dorothy had described, and, clutching her hood beneath her chin, used the phone inside the totem to telephone security.

“I’ll be right there,” a man on the other end of the line assured her.

Moments later, a black truck approached, and a police officer rolled down his window to hand her a key.

“Are you staying there alone?” he asked as she stood in the rain beside his truck. “I thought there were three of you. My paperwork shows three signatures.”

Ellen and her friends had been asked to sign, scan, and email liability waivers.

“The other two will be joining me in a couple of days.”

The officer frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, staying there alone? Dorothy told you about the history of the place, didn’t she?”

“I’ll be fine.” Ellen sounded more confident than she felt. “I just need directions.”

“It’s up there on the highest hill,” he pointed out. “Just follow this road on up. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Ellen said.

“Let us know if you decide to leave early,” the officer added, handing her his card with his contact information. “The cell service is spotty out here, but you can always drive over to the totem and call me from here.”

“Will do.” Ellen read the card. “Thank you, Officer Hobucket.”

The officer waited until Ellen had returned to the SUV before he drove off. She said a prayer as she followed him from the parking area and back onto the road in the opposite direction, heading toward the beach, until she came to a fork. The road to the right went downhill and the road to the left went up, so she went left.

“This has to be it,” she said to Mo as they neared a bungalow surrounded by enormous western red cedar trees, the silhouettes of which were visible in her headlights.

She parked the Nissan Rogue and took Moseby from his carrier. With his leash attached to his collar, she walked him toward the front door. It was too dark to make out much about its features. An old porchlight illuminated the front door and wooden porch, but not much else. She couldn’t even tell what color it was painted. Maybe gray?

As she waited for Mo to do his business, she turned her face toward the ocean, but it was too dark to see. She could hear it, though, gathering in great bursts against rocks that must not be too far below. A glance to the dark sky above revealed no moon, but an ocean of stars twinkled down at her, and she felt suddenly small and nervous.

“Come on, Moseby-Mo.” She nudged her dog from the grass toward the front door. “Let’s check out the inside.”

Dorothy had warned her that it hadn’t been cleaned in years, and the stale air that greeted her when Ellen opened the door did nothing to contradict that.

Moseby whined at the stoop.

“Inside,” Ellen commanded as she blindly felt the wall for a switch.

Not finding one, she stepped further into the bungalow, making the leash taut between her and Mo, who’d remained on the threshold.

Ellen’s hand swept across a cobweb, and she gasped with surprise at the unexpected texture. Shuddering and wiping her hand against her jeans, she continued to flail around for a light switch and finally found a floor lamp when she walked right into it.

She dropped the leash by accident to steady the lamp, and Moseby scurried away.

Ellen rushed outside into the rain. “Mo! Come back here!”

Mo stood at their rental car looking back at her without any intention of minding her call.

Fortunately, he didn’t run off as she approached him and scooped him into her arms.

“Why are you shaking, boy?” she said in a soothing voice. “Are you cold? I’ve got you. It’s okay.”

She fumbled for her phone, which was somewhere at the bottom of the purse draped over her shoulder. Once she found it, she turned on the flashlight app and proceeded back toward the house.

When she reached the porch, the front door, which she’d left ajar, slammed shut in her face.

“The wind is really something out here,” Ellen remarked as she reached for the knob.

Author Eva Pohler:

Eva Pohler is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty-five novels in multiple genres, including paranormal mysteries, thrillers, and young adult fantasy based on Greek mythology. Her books have been described as “addictive” and “sure to thrill”–Kirkus Reviews.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Youtube

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—

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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.

It’s News To Me by R. G. Belsky ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 26, 2022 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: excerpt, giveaway, mystery

It’s News to Me

by R.G. Belsky

October 3-31, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Dashed dreams: she wanted to run for president one day, now she’s dead at 20

When Riley Hunt—a beautiful, smart, popular student at Easton College in Manhattan—is brutally murdered, it becomes a big story for TV newswoman Clare Carlson. After days of intense media coverage, a suspect is caught: a troubled Afghanistan war veteran with a history of violent and unstable behavior. The suspect’s mother, however, comes to Clare with new evidence that might prove her son’s innocence. As Clare digs deeper into the puzzling case, she learns new information: Riley had complained about being stalked in the days before her murder, she was romantically involved with two different men—the son of a top police official and the son of a prominent underworld boss—and she had posted her picture on an escort service’s website offering paid dates with wealthy men.

Soon, Clare becomes convinced that Riley Hunt’s death is more than just a simple murder case—and that more lives, including her own, are now in danger until she uncovers the true story.

Praise for It’s News to Me:

“[It’s News to Me is] witty, clever and engaging. Clare Carlson’s irreverent comments and dogged reporter’s instincts make for a propulsive ride as she races from the chaos of a newsroom’s inner sanctum to the dangers of a murder victim’s deepest secrets. Once you start, you won’t put it down.”

Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times best-selling author

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery

Published by: Oceanview Publishing Publication Date: October 4th 2022 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 1608094561 (ISBN13: 9781608094561) Series: Clare Carlson #5 (each is a stand alone work)

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

I met Brendan Kaiser, the owner of my TV station Channel 10 and about a zillion other properties, for lunch on a sunny spring day at a restaurant called Tri-Bar in lower Manhattan. Tri-Bar is what’s known in New York as a celebrity restaurant. In other words, whenever you read the gossip columns, there’ll be an item about how “so and so said such and such over dinner last night at Tri-Bar . . .” Robert DeNiro sometimes ate there. So did Jimmy Fallon and Alec Baldwin and Julia Roberts when she was in town. I’d been to trendy hotspots like this a few times to see if I could spot someone famous. Mostly all I ever saw were a lot of other people like me hoping to see if they could recognize anyone. The closest I ever came to a celebrity was when I ran into Sally Struthers once in the ladies’ room of a restaurant on the Upper East Side. It had been a long time since Sally was a big star on All in the Family. My last memory of her had been doing those late-night infomercials about world hunger, and she sure didn’t look much like Gloria Bunker anymore. I decided not to ask for her autograph. There was some kind of a maître d’ standing at the entrance to Tri-Bar. He wore a black tuxedo like outfit, highly shined shoes, and white gloves. I had on a pair of tan Calvin Klein jeans, a chocolate-colored silk blouse, and beige sandals. I thought my outfit was pretty swell, but he looked me over coolly. “Is there something I can do for you, ma’am?” “I’m looking for Brendan Kaiser. My name is Clare Carlson.” “And?” “I’m the news editor of Channel 10 News.” He still didn’t seem too impressed. Maybe he didn’t like my color coordination. “And what might your business be with Mr. Kaiser?” “Well, I might be here to pick up his dry cleaning, but I’m not. How about I discuss my business with him?” He scowled and picked up a phone to check with someone inside. The truth was I wasn’t sure why Brendan Kaiser wanted to meet me here. I’d had a few dealings with him in the past on big stories in my job as the news director for Channel 10—but he’d never invited me to lunch. Maybe he was going to give me a raise. Maybe he was going to tell me I’d been named Employee of the Month. All I knew is that when the big boss asks you to go to lunch with him, you go to lunch. The maître d’ still looked unhappy when he got off the phone, but he eventually directed me to a table inside. Brendan Kaiser was already there. Kaiser was in his 50s, with thick gray hair. Not a bad-looking guy, but he did have a bit of a paunch. I noticed it when he stood up to greet me. Probably from eating too many lunches at a place like Tri-Bar. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, Clare,” he said. His office had just arranged the meeting with me a few hours earlier. “I hope I didn’t interfere with any other lunch plans you had for today.” “Well, until I got your call, my lunch plan had been to go for a Big Mac at McDonald’s. That special sauce they put on it is to die for.” He smiled. We made small talk for a few minutes, and then a waiter came over and took our orders. Kaiser was having some kind of duck dish with orange sauce and shoestring potatoes. I went for the tortellini with a salad. According to the menu I’d scanned, this meal was going to cost a lot of money. What the hell—he was paying, not me. Whatever happened next, maybe I’d at least get a good meal out of it. “So do you want to tell me what this whole lunch deal between me and you is all about?” I said after a bit more conversation. “You do get to the point, don’t you?” “I’m a journalist. I used to be a newspaper reporter. I like to get to the lead of the story as quickly as I can.” He nodded. “The reason I asked to see you like this was to discuss a situation we need to deal with, Clare.” “What kind of situation?” “A situation involving Channel 10 News.” “I didn’t know we had a situation.” I took a drink of some iced tea I’d ordered with my meal. I wished now it was something stronger. “Look, I think that everyone at Channel 10 news is doing a really terrific job,” Kaiser said. “Glad to hear it.” “Especially you as news director.” “Glad to hear that too.” “And you’re a star, besides being the news director. You’ve broken some big stories for us, gotten a lot of publicity and notice in the media world. The Charles Hollister murder case. The serial killer you helped catch. I appreciate that from you, Clare. I appreciate all of your success and all your hard work. I really do.” “But?” “Excuse me?” “There is a ‘but’ coming here, right?” “Yes, there is,” Kaiser sighed. “Despite all your hard work, the ratings—and, as a result, the advertising revenue—isn’t quite at the level we need at Kaiser Media to run a profitable news operation. I want to do better. I think we can do better.” The waiter brought our food. We both ate in silence for a few minutes. I waited to see what Brendan Kaiser would say next. I didn’t really have anything to say. So I stuck my fork into the tortellini and bit into a piece. Pretty tasty. Good cream sauce too. Almost as good as the sauce on a Big Mac. “I’ve decided to make some changes at Channel 10 News,” Kaiser said finally, nibbling on a shoestring potato. “What kind of changes?” “Changes at the top.” “Wait a minute—are you firing me?” “No, of course not.” “Demoting me? Is that the reason for this lunch?” “You’re still going to be the news editor.” “But you said you were making changes at the top so . . .” That’s when it hit me. “Jack Faron?” I asked. “Yes.” Jack Faron was the executive producer at Channel 10 News. My boss. “I’m replacing Faron. Jack’s done a good job, but he’s more old school than we need right now. I’d like to put someone in the job with more drive, more energy, more new ideas. So I’ve hired a new executive producer. Jack will still be with us at Channel 10 News. But moving forward, he’s going to be in a more . . . uh, advisory role.” “Does Jack know about this?” “Not yet. I know you’re close to him, so I wanted to make sure you were the first to hear about this.” I wasn’t sure what to say. Jack Faron had been my mentor at Channel 10 News. The one who had hired me when the newspaper I worked for went out of business. The one that stood by me when my early on-air appearances as a TV reporter bombed. The one who promoted me to news editor and had backed me on every story and crisis since then. And now he was not going to be there for me. At least not in the same way. I asked Kaiser the obvious question. “Who’s replacing him as executive producer?” “Susan Endicott,” he said. “Do you know her?” “Not really.” “I think you two will get along really well. That’s why I wanted to have this conversation with you. I want you to accept this. I want you to understand the reason for it. I want you to be happy. I want you to help make Susan Endicott feel welcome here. Are you good with all that, Clare?” “Hey, you know me—I’m a team player.” “No, you’re not.” I sighed. “Yeah, you’re right, I’m not.” “Let’s try to make this work, huh?” I wasn’t sure what to say next, but it turned out I didn’t have to. I got a break. My phone rang, and—when I looked down at it—saw it was from Maggie Lang, my top editor at Channel 10 News. “Where are you?” Maggie said. “At lunch.” I hadn’t told anyone who I was having lunch with. “We’ve got a big story breaking. A murder. Female college student found murdered near Washington Square Park.” “Who is she?” “Her name’s Riley Hunt. She came here from Ohio to go to school at Easton College, not far from the park. Family has money, it sounds like. Her father’s a doctor back in Ohio, her mother a lawyer.” “All hands-on-deck for this one,” I said. “Already done. We’re gonna lead the newscast with it at 6.” After I hung up with Maggie, I told Kaiser what was happening. I said I needed to get back to the station right away to direct the news coverage. That wasn’t totally true, Maggie could have handled it on her own. But I wanted to get out of here, and this seemed to be the perfect excuse. I didn’t like what was happening to Jack Faron. I didn’t like the fact I knew about it before him. And I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like Susan Endicott, even though I’d never met her. And so I did what I do anytime I can’t deal with problems in my life. I threw myself into a big story. And this murder sounded like a big story. I said goodbye to Kaiser, walked through Tri-Bar and out the front door to catch a cab back to the Channel 10 newsroom. The maître d’ didn’t bother to say goodbye. Excerpt from It’s News to Me by R.G. Belsky. Copyright 2022 by R.G. Belsky. Reproduced with permission from R.G. Belsky. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His new mystery, It’s News to Me, will be published on October 4 by Oceanview. It is the fifth in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station. Belsky has published 19 novels—all set in the New York city media world where he has had a long career as a top editor at the New York Post, New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. He lives in New York City and is a contributing writer to The Big Thrill magazine.

Catch Up With R.G. Belsky: www.RGBelsky.com Goodreads BookBub – @dickb79983 Instagram – @dickbelsky Twitter – @DickBel Facebook – @RGBelsky

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!

GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for R.G. Belsky. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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.

Cause For Elimination by Marla White ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 13, 2022 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: excerpt, giveaway, mystery

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Marla A. White will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Cause For Elimination

by Marla White

Reclaiming her life after a devastating riding accident, equestrian Emily Conners’ world shatters again when she discovers her friend and boss laying in a stall with a smashed skull. Now jobless and with a handsome cop underfoot investigating the case, she’s torn between wanting the killer found and keeping her own secrets safe.

Detective Justin Butler always gets his killer, but this victim has a stampede of enemies and few leads to go on. Stonewalled by the tight-knit equestrian world, he looks to Emily for help, but she’s strangely reluctant. Is she hiding something, or is she afraid of their growing attraction?

As the search for the murderer heats up, their hearts become entangled and their lives at risk, forcing Emily and Justin to work together to find the killer before they strike again.

Enjoy this peek inside:

Sitting around the rickety picnic table and talking over old times, she almost forgot for a moment why the detective—Justin, she reminded herself—was there. He sat there, loose limbed and relaxed, interested in their conversation while most non-riders soon got glassy-eyed with boredom. But he wasn’t just chatting, was he? She had to remind herself he was listening for information to help him catch a killer.

“What about you ladies?” he ventured. “Did any of you ever have any problems with Ms. Yates?”

After another fit of laughter, Erin howled, “Like we’d ever ride with Pam. Despite what everyone around here may think, we’re not crazy. Well, not that crazy at least.”

“Hunters are more our speed,” Samantha chimed in. Emily took in her very un-hunter-like, fringed pink half-chaps and raised her eyebrow. “Okay, we don’t fit in with that crowd either,” Samantha admitted. “Which is why we’re here with Ben.”

“Since Pamela had Ben blacklisted, he’s stuck with us ladies who hack.” The three shared another round of titters.

They may not have realized they’d supplied Ben with a motive to kill Pamela, but Emily did. “Hang on, rumors have blown that way out of proportion. Pamela wasn’t thrilled after Ben dissolved their partnership and took his clients to Middle Ranch, but—”

“Hah! ‘Wasn’t thrilled’ is putting it mildly,” Sandy interrupted. “First chance she got, she had him brought up on abuse charges.”

Samantha added her two cents. “They banned Ben from showing for three years, so naturally, his clients who were serious left him and found another trainer.”

“Funny, no one told me this before now.” Justin’s voice lost its light tone, and the heat of his glare rolled over Emily’s skin.

About Author Marla White:

Marla White is a story analysis instructor at UCLA and writing coach who lives in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Kentucky (go Wildcats!), where she took her first horseback riding lesson. After dabbling in hunters, barrel racing, and weekly trail rides, she fell hopelessly in love with the sport of eventing. She conquered Novice level before taking a break to pursue novel writing but hopes to return to the saddle someday soon. Her first novel, “The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder,” was published in 2021 followed by the first two books in her Keeper Chronicles series. When she’s not writing, she’s out in the garden, hiking, or putting together impossibly difficult puzzles.

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Buy Links:

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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.

The Ghost Hunters Series by Susan McCauley

Posted: October 2, 2022 in giveaways, middle grade, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy
Tags: giveaway, middle grade, mystery, paranormal

Bones In the Wall

Ghost Hunters Book 1

by Susan McCauley

Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Mystery

Twelve-year-old Alex may have lost his ability to play sports, but he gained the ability to see ghosts. Now he must figure out how to put a malevolent spirit to rest — or die trying.

Once an athlete and popular kid, Alex is in a terrible car accident that severely injures his hip and leaves him with a rare power: he can hear and see ghosts. All Alex wants is to be normal. But when a vicious spirit begins haunting him, Alex must accept his unwanted psychic powers and work with his best friend and his paranormal investigator cousin to solve the mystery of bones in the wall and put the ghosts in the house to rest. If he fails, he’ll lose his family and friends to a gruesome fate.

Ghost Hunters: Bones in the Wall is the first novel in the heart-pounding Ghost Hunters middle-grade horror series.

PRAISE FOR GHOST HUNTERS: BONES IN THE WALL:

“Young readers should find themselves deeply engrossed. . . (an) absorbing supernatural tale of change and coping.” – Kirkus Reviews

“McCauley puts forth a fascinating premise that will captivate readers. . . a creative and highly original new work. . .”
– BookLife Prize

“Unique and imaginative, Ghost Hunters: Bones in the Wall blends middle grade angst with a big helping of the heebie jeebies. A sure hit for fans of R.L. Stine.” – James R. Hannibal, award-winning author of The Lost Property Office

“An inventive, fast-paced tale brimming with chills, thrills, and heart. Perfect for fans of Lockwood & Co.”– Henry H. Neff, author of The Tapestry series

**On Sale for Only $1.99 September 13th – 19th!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Pirate’s Curse

Ghost Hunters Book 2

In this ghostly and fast-paced adventure, twelve-year-old Alex must use his psychic gifts to speak with pirate ghosts to solve the curse of an old pirate hangout—if he fails, his best friends could be trapped there forever.

Ghosts are commonplace in this dark and exciting world, and the psychics who deal with “the Problem” are rare. Apprentice psychic investigator Alex and his two best friends embark on their first solo case to discover who’s haunting an old New Orleans pub. They battle ferocious winds, driving rain, and raging spirits to put a pirates’ curse to rest.

Ghost Hunters: Pirates’ Curse (Book 2 in the Ghost Hunters series) is filled with rich characters, spooky moments, and lots of action-packed fun. Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Stroud, and Stranger Things.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Spirit Fire

Ghost Hunters Book 3

Who—or what—is causing the fires in the French Quarter? A little girl? A long-dead prisoner? An evil presence calling to those beyond the grave?

In this spooky, fast-paced adventure, twelve-year-old Alex must fight smoke, flames, and ghostly prisoners to stop whatever’s causing the blazes—before more lives are lost.

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Swamp Witch

Ghost Hunters Book 4

In this spooky-fun mystery, thirteen-year-old psychic Alex and his paranormal investigator friends face their biggest challenge yet: the hospital haunting. The friends are convinced that this surge of ghostly activity is far more devious than the “experts” suspect—and that only the ancient magic of an elusive swamp witch can put the ghosts to rest. Finding the witch means braving the Louisiana swamps full of gators and snakes, but if Alex and his team fail, New Orleans could become a realm of the dead.

Book 4 in the paranormal mystery Ghost Hunters series is perfect for fans of Lockwood & Co. and Stranger Things.

**^{Available September 20th}!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Susan McCauley is a screenwriter and award-winning author of books for adults, young adults, middle grade, and young readers. Susan fell in love with writing, theater, and film when she was eight-years-old. That passion inspired her to receive a B.A. in Radio-Television with a minor in Theater from the University of Houston, an M.F.A. in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California (USC), and a M.A. in Text & Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and King’s College in London. Susan also studied acting at Playhouse West with Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day) in Los Angeles.

Susan has several short stories published, one of which, “The Cask”, was made into an award winning short film. “The Cask” was published in the Camden Park Press anthology Quoth the Raven, which won Best Anthology of 2018 in multiple reader polls. In addition to her short stories, Susan has one novella and four novels in print, as well as a feature length film in development. Many of her books have appeared on the Horror Writers Association Recommended Reading List.

Susan loves travel, animals, movies, theatre, taekwondo, her family, and books (of course!)

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

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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.

Whispers In The Waters by Sara Chislon ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 1, 2022 in Fantasy, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: fantasy, giveaway, mystery

Whispers in the Waters
by Sarah Chislon

Publication date: September 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mystery

Ladies don’t shame their families.

Ladies don’t confront Otherwordly threats.

Ladies certainly don’t admit some taint of the fae has touched their souls—unless they wish to find themselves confined to an Institution.

Gently-bred herbalist Jessa Caldwell is trying to be a lady. She conceals her true nature amongst her plants and her sketches—where she can almost shut out the whispers she alone hears. But a threat to her beloved aunt forces her from the comfort of home to a town perilously near an Otherworldly Crossing, with its ever-present risk of fae incursions.

To protect her aunt and the townsfolk she comes to care for, she must uncover the individual responsible for a series of increasingly dangerous attacks—but to find this saboteur will require embracing the part of herself she fears most, an act that could cost her dearly. In a world where Vigilists lock up fae-touched mortals, Jessa must decide if she’s willing to risk exposing her true nature to obtain the truth and protect those she loves.

Whispers in the Waters, a gaslamp fantasy novella, serves as the prequel to Tattoo of Crimson, the first book in the Blood of the Fae series. If you like quick-minded heroines who solve cases with logic and intuition, Otherworldly intrigues, and beautiful yet deadly fae, then you’ll love this mystery set in a world of manners and mythical monsters.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

I rounded a bend, and the slight woman I’d seen in the stratesman’s shadow when we’d arrived in Milburn stumbled down the lane, her gown of muslin streaked with dirt and littered with forest debris. She clutched a ragged silk shawl around her shoulders, as though it could shield her from notice.

Nelda, Mrs. Wilkins had called her. Her palm dripped blood, and tears streaked her cheeks. For a moment, I remained rooted in place. If the townsfolk were to be believed, Nelda had brought a vengeful attack against Melle and her family. But the downcast lines of her body spoke of brokenness and distress, not malice.

“Nelda?” I hoped she wouldn’t take offense at the use of her given name from a stranger. I hurried forward. “You’re hurt. What happened?”

“I . . . I don’t know.” Nelda lifted her hand and watched as blood wept from it, one drop after another splatting against the dusty surface of the road. The wound cut deep.

Could Mrs. Wilkins have been right when she’d suggested madness? I shifted the bundle of clothes from one arm to the other. “Can I accompany you home and find someone to tend your injury?”

She laughed, a wild, off-key sound. “Home? I have no home.”

“Then where are you staying?” I lowered my voice in an attempt to soothe her. “I’ll help you there and fetch an herbalist, if it suits you.”

“Staying? No one will house me. Not after what’s happened at the mill.” She jabbed toward the trees with her uninjured hand. “I stay in the forest. At least here, I’m close. Close to where home used to be.”

I drew in a sharp breath. To live in the forest, this close to a Crossing? It was unthinkable. Otherkind might lurk anywhere, not to mention natural predators. Had the entire town truly forsaken her, simply because she’d wed the wrong man and he’d abandoned her? Or was there more that I missed? Society offered swift condemnation for those who failed to abide by its strictures, but other than a poor choice in a husband, what wrong had she done?

She swayed, and I rushed to steady her. “You can’t stay out here. You need proper shelter and someone to look at your wound. Come with me into Milburn, and we’ll find an herbalist.”

“No, I can’t.” She backed away, every scrap of color leeching from already-pale features. “No one here wants to help. They’d only try to lock me up!”

Author Sarah Chislon:

Sarah Chislon lives in Virginia with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing, she’s homeschooling her children and running a web development business with her husband. As an avid reader and a lifelong story-weaver, she delights in creating fantastic worlds and exploring them alongside her characters.

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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.

The Henrietta And Inspector Howard Novels by Michelle Cox ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Posted: September 28, 2022 in giveaways, Historical, Mystery
Tags: giveaway, historical, mystery

Join us for this tour from Sep 26 to Oct 21, 2022!

Book Series Details:

Book Series:  The Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novels by Michelle Cox
Category: Adult fiction (18+), 200-400 pages each
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher:  She Writes Press
Release date:  April 2016; April 2017; April 2018; April 2019; April 2020, Oct 2022
Tour dates: Sep 26 to Oct 21, 2022
Content Rating: This book series is rated R. Books 1 – 2 do not have sex scenes, but they are implied and the content is mature (prostitution, gambling, alcohol, murder, serial killer). Book 3 introduces tasteful sex scenes between a married couple and there is one rape (not graphic at all). Books 4 – 6 usually have 2 tasteful sex scenes in each Swearing is present in all 6 books, but is minimal.

“Downton Abbey meets Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries!”

“Henrietta and Clive are a sexy, endearing, and downright fun pair of sleuths. Readers will not see the final twist coming.” ―Library Journal, starred review

“Fans of spunky, historical heroines will love Henrietta Von Harmon.” ―Booklist, starred review

“Henrietta and Inspector Howard are the best pair of sleuths I’ve come across in ages. A fantastic start to what is sure to be a long running series.” ―Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author

Book Series Description:

A GIRL LIKE YOU: Beautiful Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar, Poor Pete’s, on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide. Left to care for her antagonistic mother and seven younger siblings, Henrietta is persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall. Henrietta is just beginning to enjoy herself, dancing with men for ten cents a dance, when the floor matron suddenly turns up murdered. The aloof Inspector Clive Howard then appears on the scene, and Henrietta unwittingly finds herself involved in unraveling the mystery when she agrees to go undercover for him in a burlesque theater where he believes the killer lurks.

Even as Henrietta is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld, she struggles to still play the mother “hen” to her younger siblings and even to the pesky neighborhood boy, Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and continues to pop up in the most unlikely places, determined, ironically, to keep Henrietta safe, even from the Inspector if needs be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

Buy the Book:
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The Damned Lovely by Adam Frost ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: September 10, 2022 in giveaways, Mystery
Tags: Crime Mystery, giveaway

The Damned Lovely

by Adam Frost

August 29 – September 23, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

“She wasn’t pretty but she was ours…”

Sandwiched between seedy businesses in the scorching east LA suburb of Glendale, The Damned Lovely dive bar is as scarred as its regulars: ex-cops, misfits and loners. And for Sam Goss, it’s a refuge from the promising life he’s walked away from, a place to write and a hole to hide in. But when a beautiful and mysterious new patron to the bar turns up murdered, Sam can’t stop himself from getting involved. Despite their fleeting interaction, or perhaps because of it, something about her ghost won’t let go… Armed with the playbook from the burned-out ex-cops, Sam challenges the police’s theory on the killing, butting heads with hardened detectives and asking questions nobody wants to answer. As his obsession takes hold so does his sense of purpose—as if uncovering the truth about the killer might heal some part of his own broken life. But the chase sets him on a collision course with a crooked charity, violent fundamentalists, corrupt cops, brazen embezzlers and someone dangerously close to home—all who want to make sure the truth never comes out.

Praise for The Damned Lovely:

“The Damned Lovely is the LA crime story born anew, an addictive mystery and a love letter to the careworn and forgotten places of Los Angeles—Los Angeles as it is right now. Adam Frost is a crime writer with a sharp new voice, telling a tale about the one thing everyone in Los Angeles has: desire. Desire for truth, for justice, for love, or maybe just a place to call home. Highly recommended.”

Jordan Harper, Edgar Award-winning author of She Rides Shotgun

“Frost’s crackling debut novel belongs on the shelf right next to Joseph Wambaugh and Michael Connelly. Crisp prose. An intricate plot worthy of Raymond Chandler, packed with scruffy, lovable, and lived-in characters that leap off the page. Frost brings a fresh voice and much-needed new blood to LA crime fiction.”

Will Beall, author of L.A. Rex and creator of CBS’s Training Day

“An unputdownable and suspenseful whodunnit: anchored in the quandary of manifesting destiny in grief and lost opportunity.”

Blake Howard, producer and host of the One Heat Minute podcast and Film Critic

“Every bourbon-soaked sentence in this endlessly entertaining first novel proves Joseph Wambaugh dipped Adam Frost by his ankle into the L.A. river. Roll over Michael Connelly, tell Raymond Chandler the news.”

Adam Novak, author of Rat Park and Take Fountain