Archive for the ‘Mystery’ Category

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

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from:

Silver River Secrets

  by Linda Hope Lee

32851884

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Genre: Mystery / Contemporary Romance

From page 56 in the paperback.

She opened the cover and idly flipped the pages.

Excitement rippled down Lacey’s spine. Perhaps her mother had written on the days leading up to the murder and her own death. Maybe she’d recorded something on that very day.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Tragedy made them strangers. The truth could change that…

Lacey Morgan’s grandmother is the only reason she has to ever set foot in Silver River. Her hometown is populated with too many ghosts and memories. Too many painful reminders. Including Rory Dalton.

In all her brief visits over the past ten years, they’ve barely spoken. Locked on opposite sides of the tragedy that tore their lives apart, they buried their feelings along with their parents. But this trip is different. She will stay a little longer. Dig a little deeper. And try to solve the mystery that has kept them from the truth…and each other.

Amazon / B&N

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

Moses & Mac

Vatican Archaeological Service #1

by Franca Pelaccia

42898931

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Genre: Action / Adventure / Mystery

  Teaser from page 53 in the paperback.

“Are you married?” I sounded like my grandmother.

“To my planes. They don’t argue with me – or scold me for flying them when I know I shouldn’t.”

“You’re mother isn’t on your case to reproduce little Eoins?”

“I bought her a dog last year.”

“Did it help?”

“Her blood pressure stabilized.”

~~~~~

Synopsis

On her dismal 30th birthday, unassuming Victorian scholar Mackenzie Braden receives a mysterious package from her Aunt Sara, urging her to locate Moses’ rod. The most powerful weapon in history will start global chaos if it lands in the wrong hands. Sara was an agent for the top-secret Vatican Archaeological Service. She has also been dead for 30 years and the agency dormant for just as long. Mackenzie’s only clue is a souvenir figurine of Moses, and except for hunky ex-military pilot Eoin Reilly, her allies are as inept as she is.

But nothing is going to stop Mackenzie from recharging her lacklustre life, fulfilling her mission, finding answers about her aunt, and making Eoin her birthday present. Armed with the figurine, Mackenzie sets off with Eoin for the Middle East. There she has to fend off a Ph.D. candidate turned terrorist, a dysfunctional family of treasure hunters, a fake Mossad operative, a manic former VAS agent, the underground tunnels of the Gaza Strip, and a whole lot of rocket launchers. But this is training for the ultimate confrontation with her aunt’s and now her greatest foe, a charming deposed Saudi prince with world domination on his mind.

Amazon

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

Blackwell

A Magnus Blackwell Novel #0.5

by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

32312194

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

  Teaser from page 63 in the hard cover.

Magnus confronted the stranger’s dark brown eyes. “Thank you, Mr…?”

“Wilde, Oscar Wilde.”

“You must call me Magnus, Oscar. Like you, I am looking for some new experience to distract me….”

“Experience is the name men give to their mistakes.” Oscar returned.

Oscar raised his glass. “Then I am here to, hopefully, make a great many mistakes. ”

~~~~~

Synopsis

Hell has a new master

In the late 1800s, handsome, wealthy New Englander, Magnus Blackwell, is the envy of all.

When Magnus meets Jacob O’Conner—a Harvard student from the working class—an unlikely friendship is forged. But their close bond is soon challenged by a captivating woman; a woman Magnus wants, but Jacob gets.

Devastated, Magnus seeks solace in a trip to New Orleans. After a chance meeting with Oscar Wilde, he becomes immersed in a world of depravity and brutality, inevitably becoming the inspiration for Dorian Gray. Armed with the forbidden magic of voodoo, he sets his sights on winning back the woman Jacob stole from him.

Amid the trappings of Victorian society, two men, bent on revenge, will lay the foundation for a curse that will forever alter their destinies.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

 

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

.

Murder Of Ravens

Gabriel Hawke #1

by Paty Jager

 

 

43502108

Murder of Ravens (Gabriel Hawke)
Mystery
1st in Series
Windtree Press (January 20, 2019)
Paperback: 302 pages
ISBN-10: 1947983822
ISBN-13: 978-1947983823
Digital ASIN: B07KZ612BY

My Review

I always enjoy reading about character’s that are more mature, sport a few grey hairs. Gabriel Hawke, a Fish and Wildlife State Trooper, is on the other side of 50. He’s seasoned in his job, had his share of love and loss, and prefers spending his time alone, enjoying the company of his four-legged friends. His solitude is shaken when he comes across a woman bent over the body of a dead man sporting a wolf tracking collar. The deceased isn’t exactly missed by those who knew him, but murder is murder and Gabriel will get his man.

The author paints some lovely scenes of the mountains and meandering streams in Oregon. She puts you right there in it’s lush forests. The scent of green tantalizes and the babble of water flowing over rocks is soothing. The you’re on the trail with Gabriel Hawke. I liked how he didn’t jump to conclusions. He followed where the leads took him and methodically picked apart the clues. But, he’s still a man and adding an attractive, independent woman into the mix stirs something dormant. His vulnerability and attraction despite himself made him easy to like.

A solid mystery with a lovely backdrop and some dabs of romance made this one a fun read for me. I’d be happy to continue with the series.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

The ancient Indian art of tracking is his greatest strength…

And also his biggest weakness.

Fish and Wildlife State Trooper Gabriel Hawke believes he’s chasing poachers.

However, he comes upon a wildlife biologist standing over a body that is wearing a wolf tracking collar.

He uses master tracker skills taught to him by his Nez Perce grandfather to follow clues on the mountain. Paper trails and the whisper of rumors in the rural community where he works, draws Hawke to a conclusion that he finds bitter.

Arresting his brother-in-law ended his marriage, could solving this murder ruin a friendship?

About Author Paty Jager

 

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 35 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her Shandra Higheagle mystery series has been a runner-up in the RONE Award Mystery category, and a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier.

Author Links 

Website / Blog / Facebook / Amazon / Pinterest

Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter-Mystery / Bookbub

Purchase Links – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 15 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW

January 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 16 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

January 17 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

January 17 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

January 18 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT  

January 18 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

January 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 20 – Mythical Books – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Laura`s Interests – REVIEW

January 22 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 23 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW

January 24 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

January 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

January 25 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST

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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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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The Corpse Whisperer
An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Book 1
by H.R. Boldwood
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
 
Welcome to the world of Allie Nighthawk, corpse whisperer and badass zombie
hunter.
If you raise deadheads, you’d better be able to put ‘em down. Nobody
said it was pretty. But in this day, when vampires aren’t just for
breakfast anymore, and the dead are disposable pawns for
necromancers, someone has to ante up. Looks like I won the lotto.
Imagine my delight. You should thank me, really, because the world is
batshit crazy.”
When the zombie population spikes and no one knows why, it’s up to Allie
to solve the mystery. But there’s a hitch. She’s stuck
babysitting Leo Abruzzi, a zombie-bitten gangster who’s turning
state’s evidence. But the mob and a powerful necromancer will stop
at nothing to take Leo and Allie down.
Allie Nighthawk is Anita Blake on steroids, with a fondness for leather and
Jack on the rocks. She has a healthy dose of Stephanie Plum and
Rachel Morgan in her, too, though she’d never admit it.
The battle between good and evil just got wicked fun.
 
.
excerpt
.

There aren’t many good reasons for raising the dead, but there are plenty of bad ones — greed, revenge, and absolute lunacy top the list. I’m Allie Nighthawk and raising the dead happens to be my only talent. People are willing to pay for it. Go figure. I’m also one of the few corpse whisperers who puts the “toys” away when clients are finished playing with them. Away, as in hermetically sealed back in their coffins, with their disease-ravaged brains neutralized. That’s shop talk for scattered, smothered, covered and chunked. The last thing we need is zombies clawing up through the dirt like demented whack-a-moles, and gnawing on the residents of Cincinnati.

I was born a corpse whisperer, twenty-six years and too many zombies ago to count. It’s a genetic thing, like blonde hair or blue eyes, except that it’s … raising the dead. Yeah. Okay. It’s not exactly the same. It involves different genetic markers.

Buy a vowel, people. The concept’s the same.

The supernatural abilities that come with this gift have increased with each generation. That makes me very good at what I do. And a little dangerous. If you raise deadheads, you’d better be able to put ‘em down. Whisperers like me take care of business.

I can remember a time when you never saw biters shambling in the streets. But things have changed. Vampires aren’t just for breakfast anymore, and the dead have become disposable pawns for necromancers. Someone had to ante up. Looks like I won the lotto. Imagine my delight.

You should thank me, really, because the world is batshit crazy.

corpse whisperer tease 1

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H.R. Boldwood is a writer of horror and speculative fiction. In another
incarnation, Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and was awarded the
2009 Bilbo Award for creative writing by Thomas More College.
Publication credits include, “Killing it Softly,” “Short
Story America,” “Bete Noir,” “Everyday Fiction,”
“Toys in the Attic,” “Floppy Shoes Apocalypse II,”
“Pilcrow and Dagger,” and “Sirens Call.”
Boldwood’s characters are often disreputable and not to be trusted. They are
kicked to the curb at every conceivable opportunity. No
responsibility is taken by this author for the dastardly and
sometimes criminal acts committed by this ragtag group of miscreants.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 
Enter the giveaway to win this beautiful
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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You’re Not Alone
Whispers Series Book 1
by Nance Newman
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
 
When you’re dead, you’re dead. That’s it. Nothing more. At least
that’s what Quinn O’Reilly thinks until she starts hearing
whispers after losing the love of her life to cancer. Quinn either
has to start believing in an afterlife or admit that her own sanity
is in jeopardy. As a battle begins for her beloved’s estate,
threatening her with financial ruin, the voices intensify. 
To make them stop, Quinn and her best friend Chaz follow an unlikely mix
of characters into the world of spirits, ghosts and specters. What
they must do to unravel the mystery of the whispers tests Quinn’s
belief system in every way. Can the dead really reach out from the
other side? Can Quinn open her mind enough to help her and her dead
lover? Is it okay to commit a crime for a greater purpose? And what
is appropriate attire for a séance or digging up a grave?
 
 
Bad Man, Bad Ghost
Whispers Series Book 2
 
Finding clues in the shoes of a dead man in a coffin wasn’t what Quinn
thought she would do when she became a mortician. She also didn’t
expect the bodies that entered her funeral home to have lived their
lives as bad men or to whisper their requests to her—not only
demands that she has to fulfill to get them to stop, but ones that
might lead her to commit acts on the wrong side of the law.
The spirit of a mob boss has entered Quinn O’Reilly’s funeral parlor
and his whispers drag her into a world of criminals, secrets and
lies. Once again, she enlists the help of her friends—Andjela, a
communicator with the dead, Mr. Princeton, a professor of Egyptian
studies at the local university, Chester, the owner of the town
cemetery and Chaz, her best friend and assistant—to find the clues
that will lead her to what the dead man wants. She realizes that she
can’t answer the whispers alone which force her to put her friends
in danger. 
Soon she finds it’s not only the dead Mafia boss that wants something
from her, but so does his wife, his mistress and strange, dark men in
dark suits.
To make matters worse, Quin is realizing that the whispers of spirits
aren’t going to go away. Neither is the specter that still haunts
her apartment.
 
 
Dirty Wrong
Whispers Series Book 3
 
Eleanor’sspirit is doing a lot of griping in Quinn’s funeral home. She was
the wife of a member of the Mafia who was murdered several years
prior and now she wants something from Quinn. Her best friend
nicknamed her “Mafia magnet” since this is the second spirit to
contact her who is connected to the mob. She knows she is destined to
a life of answering their ghostly requests but she wonders if all the
spirits that contact her will always be on the wrong side of the law.
Once again, Quinn must put her friends in danger to help her decipher the
clues Eleanor’s spirit has communicated to them. It leads them to
the now defunct, dark, and foreboding subway tunnels beneath the city
where they discover they’re not the only one’s searching for
whatever Eleanor has hidden. There’s a war going on in the tunnels
and they can’t tell who’s winning—the ghosts or the Mafia. What
will happen if the war in the tunnel keeps them from finding the
answers to Eleanor’s clues? Will the price they have to pay for
being in the middle of it be too much for Quinn to handle? 
 
 
Sound Travels
Whispers Series Book 4
 
Once again, Quinn hears the whispers of the dead, but when it follows her
on a trip to New York City with Andjela and Chaz to help her parents
find a missing girl, Quin realizes the whisper is that of the missing
girl, Sofia. 
The niece of Eleanor, the last spirit to elicit Quinn’s help, Sofia had
somehow gotten mixed up in her family’s Mafia mess. Now she is
dead. 
Quinn summons Mr. Princeton and Chester to New York City to help them
communicate with Sofia. Together, they must follow the clues to find
Sofia’s body and the cause of her death.
Who is really responsible for the murder of a young girl? What was Sofia
hiding that got her killed? Will Quinn and her friends find her and
what it was she was hiding?
And why are there two different black SUV’s that show up where ever
they are?
Follow Quinn, Andjela, Mr. Princeton, Chester and Chaz into two very
menacing worlds-that of the Mafia and of the dead, and discover the
newest hiding spot—a very large hole in Brooklyn.
 
 
 
I live in upstate New York with my two dogs; a 17 year old Min Pin
(Zeus) and a female dog I recently rescued from the Puerto Rico
hurricanes (I have been learning Spanish and she is learning
English!). Her name is Ela and she is a joy.
I have been writing in some form or other since high school when I
bought my first guitar (a 12 string for $50 from one of those
magazines my mother used to receive in the mail) and began writing
songs. In college, I started my first novel that I hope to go back to
and finish someday.
I currently work for a school district in transportation as a router
and dispatcher where I use software to solve the puzzle of getting
5600 students to many different schools, but my goal is to become a
full time writer of novels and music. I try to fit writing in with my
full time job and hobbies that include biking, gardening, hiking,
kayaking and watching movies (lots of them and all kinds)
I continue to write songs and perform with Dooley(my music partner) We
have a CD of original songs and it is available for your enjoyment.
Visit me at nancenewman.com to check it out.
I am really excited to share my work with you, and some days you might
see me driving a big yellow school
bus.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

.

Darkest Before The Dawn

A Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series

by Mike Martin

 

Darkest Before the Dawn (Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Supernatural Suspense Mystery
7th in Series
Ottawa Press and Publishing (September 27, 2018)
Paperback: 266 pages
ISBN-10: 198843713X
ISBN-13: 978-1988437132
Digital ASIN: B07HRTTMLY

Darkest Before The Dawn is the latest adventure in the Sgt. Winston Windflower mystery series, the popular Maritime tales about a Mountie who finds himself with a new family and a new life in tiny Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Ghosts, mysterious deaths, and a new, perplexing character confront Windflower, Tizzard and the other police officers in Grand Bank as they unearth secrets that have been lying hidden in the sleepy hamlet for decades. A fast-moving mystery, Darkest Before The Dawn is also a story of love, loss and learning how to grow old gracefully; a tale of family, community and looking after each other, of not giving up hope, just before the dawn.

Author Mike Martin

Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a longtime freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine.

The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Other books in the series include The Body on the T, Beneath the Surface, A Twist of Fortune and A Long Ways from Home.

A Long Ways from Home was shortlisted for the 2017 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award as the best light mystery of the year. A Tangled Web is the newest book in the series.

Facebook / Twitter / Website

Purchase Link – Amazon

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BOOK BLAST PARTICIPANTS

DECEMBER 10

The Power of Words  

Laura’s Interests         

Socrates Book Reviews          

Books, Dreams, Life   

Here’s How It Happened        

The Cozy Pages          

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

DECEMBER 11

Ruff Drafts      

StoreyBook Reviews  

The Haunted Reading Room  

Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Brooke Blogs  

Celticlady’s Reviews

DECEMBER 12

FUONLYKNEW

Lisa Ks Book Reviews 

Babs Book Bistro        

The Book’s the Thing 

Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews           

Carla Loves To Read               

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from a short stories series:

Holly In Hiding

The Twelve Mysteries Of Christmas #6

  by P. Creeden

40690166

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Cozy Mystery

From 56% in the eBook.

After getting only two or three hours of shallow sleep, Bethany paced around her living room. The police weren’t doing what they needed to do, and it was going to end badly if she didn’t do something. The fear of the close call had vanished entirely. Who would save Holly? Bethany lost her parents two years ago, and she wasn’t about to lose her sister too.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Bethany has been acting as parental guardian for her younger sister ever since the death of their parents in a car accident. She tries hard to make Christmas a special as she can for her sister. But when her sister meets a man online who wants to meet her over the holiday, Bethany puts her foot down. Her sister shows her rebellious side and disappears. Now former police detective from Boulder is looking for the couple and suspects that the Christmas Killer from Boulder might have set his sights on their small town.

Amazon

THE 12 MYSTERIES OF CHRISTMAS series:

• IN THE NICK OF TIME by Susette Williams

40664323

• GABRIEL’S SECRET by Alexa Verde

40682658

• GUARDING CANDY KANE by V.B. Tenery

40727443

• MURDER: UP ON THE ROOFTOP by Lilly York

40728581

• JOY IN JEOPARDY by Lynette Sowell

40775485

• HOLLY IN HIDING by P. Creeden

40664323

• STARR WITNESS by Susette Williams

40728598

• NOELLE ON THE RUN by Alexa Verde

40682694

• GOLDEN BELLES ARE WRINGING by Gina Conroy

40739207

• DEATH BY FIGGY PUDDING by P. Creeden

40746850

• DANGER FOR GLORIA by Lynette Sowell

40746851

• MERRY WITHOUT MALICE by P. Creeden

40725683

Aren’t these covers so cute and festive. And the stories sound so fun.

Me wants all of them!

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

I’m so happy to be sharing another of Lauren Carr’s thrilling mysteries. This one has so much going on, from a sixteen year old murder to some current ones, it could all be connected.

Enjoy my review of Crimes Past.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 Crimes Past by Lauren Carr
Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13)
Category: Adult fiction, 322 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: October 16, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 12 to Dec 14, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

My Review

So much happens in this book and I’m hard pressed to not spoil it for you when sharing my review.

Lauren gives you a mystery within a mystery, more suspects than you can shake a stick at, a cold case, and a cast of characters that will charm your pants off. Well, maybe not literally.

Mac Faraday feels guilty about not solving the murder of two police officers,, gunned down on their wedding day sixteen years ago. He made a promise to one of the murdered officer’s young daughter’s and he plans to keep it even now. So, when the daughter is set to be married, he offer’s up his five star resort for the ceremony and invites all of the people from that long ago wedding to attend. Surely he can find and nail down the killer.

Well, I sure didn’t see the killer coming. Lauren had me hopping from one likely suspect to the next. I’d feel like this one did it, then that one did it. When several more murders occurred, I gave up and let the author reveal things for me. I was having so much fun with other things and I just went with the flow.

As usual the characters are plenty and the author does this handy thing at the beginning of the book. She lists all of the main players and how they connect to each other, even the four legged ones. I do confess, I’m always excited when Mayor Gnarly shows up. Yes, he’s the mayor and a darn good one when he’s not stealing cell phones from purses or the food from your plate. He’s a hundred pound  German Shepherd, a hero and a lovable scamp. He stole my heart the first time I met him and still has it.

Being familiar with how Lauren springs surprises, I couldn’t wait to see what she offered up this time. There’s some doozies. She managed to make me feel giddy as each one was revealed. If I wasn’t holding the book to read it, I’d be clapping my hands.

Another fun, exciting mystery from Lauren that will have you using your brain pan. If you’ve read her books before, you’ll have fun settling in with these characters again. If you haven’t, jump in and meet them. You’ll be comfortable soon enough.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

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Synopsis

It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to attend the wedding of a former colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double homicide on her own wedding night.

The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious to explore every possibility for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former friends was the killer.

When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his friends was a cold-blooded murderer.

 

Buy Crimes Past:
Watch the trailer:
 
 
Praise for Lauren Carr’s books:
.

“Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.”
– Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

“Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!”
– Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

“Lauren Carr’s books are never boring, that’s for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr’s series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!”
– Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

“She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end.”
– Working Mommy Journal

“Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end.”
– Every Free Chance Book Reviews

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Meet the Author:
 
 

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

​Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

~~~~~

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Enter the Giveaway!
Ends Dec 22, 2018
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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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I’ve been reading Lauren’s books for a while now. Each series has genuine, fun characters that have charmed me from one book to the next. I’m thrilled to be able to share some short stories from her collection, Spring Thaw.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Spring Thaw

by Lauren Carr

Category: Adult fiction, 237 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery, Short Stories
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: August 12, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 12 to Dec 14, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

My Review

When I like a series, and Lauren has several that I’ve been enjoying, I also like to grab any side or short stories collections that go along with them. Spring Thaw dips into a couple of her series. Each one has a lot of characters and the author provides a list at the beginning of the books explaining who’s who . By the end of the first book in each series these characters were so memorable I no longer had to refer to her list to know who was who. So when I started reading each of these stories, the characters were familiar and I just dove in to see what was going to happen.

I quickly engaged with the character’s, human and critters. And the mystery was established without fanfare so the author get right to the meat of it. I enjoyed the dialogue, either cracking a grin or laughing while following along. And the critters are a huge bonus. They’re all shapes and sizes and have unique personalities. It’s common for them to steal the limelight.

I was hoping for and got an appearance from Mayor Gnarly, a mischief making German Shepherd that stole my heart the moment I met him. Yes, you read this right, he was actually elected Mayor. Lauren describes him so clearly it’s like I’m watching his scenes, not reading them. When he’s kidnapped by two bungling thieves, he actually made me snort and think, oh no, you didn’t. LOL

If you’ve read Lauren’s books, you’ll enjoy these fun nibbles. If you haven’t, you can easily read this collection and meet some of the stars. There’s plenty of humor, snark and twists to keep you entertained.

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Synopsis

In today’s hectic world, many whodunit fans don’t have time to get their mystery fix diving into a whole novel. Lauren Carr’s SPRING THAW AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES is for these fans—but that doesn’t mean whodunit fans who do have time can’t dive in as well.

A novella, Spring Thaw features retired federal agent Chris Matheson from Lauren Carr’s newest bestselling cold case series. When his late father’s former friend is indicted for the seven year old murder of a church bishop, Chris renews old broken friendships to thaw out the cold case.

Featuring Mac Faraday from Lauren Carr’s popular Mac Faraday Mysteries, an estate auction turns into a deadly affair after Gnarly’s antics cause Mac to purchase a gem of a dress, which isn’t his color in Killing Bid. (Previously published in Lauren Carr’s BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Beauty to Die For features the Lovers in Crime, Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates in a race against the Angel of Death to clear the name of a dying woman’s son, who was framed for murdering Miss Pennsylvania. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Countdown to Murder returns to the Lovers in Crime where Cameron and Joshua try to solve the murder of a young pregnant widow before it happens. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Mystery fans will see that every dog has his day, especially if that dog is Gnarly. In Lucky Dog, Gnarly helps Mac Faraday to solve the murder of a wealthy society girl. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Dog Loving Mystery Fans will get a special treat when they read The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program. In this Gnarly Mystery Short, Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dog nap Gnarly. (Previously published as a bonus feature with A WEDDING AND A KILLING.)

Gnarly, the rambunctious German shepherd, is also featured in Lauren Carr’s Christmas short, A Gnarly Christmas. It is Christmas day and Gnarly has been up to his old tricks again. Now he’s in the dog house–or rather the boathouse–after stealing the Christmas feast! Moments after Archie and Mac leave Spencer Manor, Gnarly hears a call for help from Rocky, the Maltese down the street. Four assassins for hire have invaded the home of Rocky’s elderly owners. While the home invaders wait for instructions from a mysterious caller, Gnarly must plot to stop them. Can Gnarly save Christmas with only the help of an 8-pound Maltese dressed in an elf suit? (Previously published as a single short story by the same name.)

 
Buy Spring Thaw:
Praise for Lauren Carr’s books:
.

“Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.”
– Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

“Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!”
– Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

“Lauren Carr’s books are never boring, that’s for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr’s series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!”
– Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

“She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end.”
– Working Mommy Journal

“Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end.”
– Every Free Chance Book Reviews

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Meet the Author:
 
 

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Enter the Giveaway!
Ends Dec 22, 2018
.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

~~~~~

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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.