Archive for the ‘Mystery’ Category

Thirteen authors give you….Happy Homicides ~ Review and Two Giveaways

Posted: October 20, 2015 in Anthology, Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Mystery, New Release, reviews
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Happy Homicides – 13 Cozy Holiday Mysteries
by Joanna Campbell Slan and 12 more Cozy Authors

Doesn’t this sound awesome. You’ll probably recognize many of these authors, as I did, and find some new ones too!

Come on in, cozy up, and enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

Happy Homicides Cover Final   Happy Homicides Bonus Final

 

Happy Homicides & Happy Homicides Bonus

Not Available for Sale or Pre-Order Yet.

My Review

Thirteen stories for the holidays. How great is that!

Some of my favorite authors contributed to this anthology along with some new ones for me.

Each story, though not a full length novel, was so well written it felt complete. That shows the talent of these authors, giving you a beginning, middle, and end, in a limited amount of words.

Spend the holidays meeting new characters, falling in love, and solving some murders.

Each new story brings that feeling of wonder. You are entering a new world, going on a new adventure.

After I finished one story, I couldn’t resist starting the next one. And so it went until I finished them all.

With weather cooling down, these stories would be great companions while curled up with a snug blanket and a hot cuppa tea.

5 Stars

Synopsis:

A holiday bonanza! A collection of traditional mysteries to celebrate the holidays, written by thirteen bestselling and award-winning authors. Heartwarming, brain puzzling, craft-centered, and character driven reads that’ll keep you entertained for hours. Nearly 800 pages of reading material, plus a special Recipe and Craft Bonus.

Included are:

Kiki Lowenstein and the Rowan Branch – (Joanna Campbell Slan) When Horace Goldfader is accused of murder, Kiki learns how difficult it can be to maintain peace on earth—and to keep her deathbed promise to her late friend, Dodie.

Cara Mia Delgatto and the Misdirected Gifts  — (Joanna Campbell Slan) Two waylaid items cause Cara to take a break from her booming retail business and follow her heart. Can a sprinkling of holiday magic create a “happily ever after” ending for all involved?

The Christmas Dog — (Joyce and Jim Lavene) A woman running from her deadly past finds hope, and a dog, at Christmas.

and more.

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joanna campbell slanAbout This Author

Joanna Campbell Slan is the award-winning author of the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries (an Agatha Award Finalist) and two other mystery series. Her stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series has been read and loved by millions. Her books reviving the classic heroine Jane Eyre have won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award. In her past life, Joanna was a television talk show host, an adjunct professor of public relations, a sought-after motivational speaker, and a corporate speechwriter. She is married to David Slan, CEO of Steinway Piano Gallery-DC. The Slans make their home on Jupiter Island, Florida. Visit Joanna’s website at www.JoannaSlan.com

Author Links

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest

Purchase Links
Amazon
B&N

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There are two giveaways today!

First Giveaway

Win an eBook copy!

Entry is easy. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you win, and leave a comment.

What do you think of the covers? Do you love mysteries? Show some love!

Giveaway ends October 29th.

 Second Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click on the links below to follow the tour for more fun stops.

Tour Participants

October 15 – Michelle’s Romantic Tangle – Guest Post

October 16 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy,  &, Sissy, Too ! – Spotlight, Giveaway

October 16 – Mallory Heart Reviews – Review

October 17 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway

October 18 – Community Bookstop – Review, Giveaway

October 19 – THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK – Review, Giveaway

October 19 – MysteriesEtc – Review, Giveaway

October 20 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway

October 20 – Book Babble – Spotlight

October 21 – A Year of Jubilee Reviews – Review

October 21 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Interview, Giveaway

October 22 – readalot – Review, Giveaway

October 23 – A Fold in the Spine – Review

October 24 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Interview, Giveaway

October 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Giveaway

October 26 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – Review, Giveaway

October 27 – Laura’s Interests – Review, Giveaway

October 27 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Guest Post, Spotlight

October 28 – Bubble Bath Books – Review

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Teaser Tuesdays #133 ~ Flask Of The Drunken Master

Posted: October 20, 2015 in Mystery, Series, Teaser Tuesdays
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

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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!

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My Teaser for this week is from

Flask Of The Drunken Master

A Shinobi Mystery

by Susan Spann

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My Teaser from page 89 in the Hardcover.

“You were asleep when the murder happened,” Hiro said.

“I’m a dangerous man,” Suke replied. “Lehtal, even in slumber.”

“Maybe so,” Hiro said with a sigh, “but the evidence says you’re not the killer.”

Suke’s arms fell down to his sides. “You’re sure it wasn’t me?”

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Master ninja Hiro Hattori and his companion Father Mateo are once again pulled into a murder investigation when a rival artisan turns up dead outside of their friend Ginjiro’s sake brewery. They must find the killer before the magistrate executes Ginjiro, seizes the brewery, and renders his family destitute. All the evidence implicates the brewer, yet with Kyoto on alert in the wake of the shogun’s recent death, Ginjiro’s is not the only life at risk.

As tensions rise, Hiro investigates a missing merchant, a vicious debt collector, a moneylender and the victim’s spendthrift son. But when a drunken Buddhist monk insists on helping Hiro and Father Mateo solve the crime, the monk’s bumbling threatens to foil the investigation altogether. With time running out, Hiro once again gambles on a clandestine mission to find the truth. Except that this time, Hiro isn’t the only one with a secret mission to fulfill.

Flask of the Drunken Master is the latest entry in Susan Spann’s thrilling 16th century Japanese mystery series, sure to gain new fans and please old alike.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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It was supposed to be a relaxing getaway ~ The Cypress Trap by JC Gatlin ~ Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted: October 16, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews, suspense
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Welcome to my tour stop for The Cypress Trap by J.C. Gatlin. This is an adult suspense/thriller novel. The tour runs October 12-23 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
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The Cypress Trap

by JC Gatlin

Cypress Trap Book Cover

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My Review

Hang on to your boot straps! This is one intense, suspense filled read.

Rayanne knows her marriage is in trouble, so she talks her husband, Owens, into changing his plans and going fishing with her. They need to work on things.

She’s none too happy when Owens fishing buddy Daryl shows up, but sucks it up and goes along with them. What first appears to be some punk kids messing with them on the lake quickly turns into a fight for their lives.

From the water, to the woods, to an old cabin, they are relentlessly pursued by maniacal teens and a ferocious Rottweiler.

It makes you think twice about going off road. You go on a trip into the wilderness, or even just a bit away from the populace, never thinking anything bad will happen. Is that ignorance? Or is it denial? Bad things happen all the time. People disappear and are never found.

What do the teens want? How did it get so out of control?

I can’t wait for you to read this book and find out.  It’s something so inconsequential.

And the relentless suspense will keep you reading to the end.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect.

Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means — including a posse led by a killer dog.

At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive.

~~~~~

JC Gatlin

 

About the Author:
JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. In addition to regular fishing trips, he wrote a monthly column for New Tampa Style Magazine, then began penning several mystery/suspense stories. He also maintains a blog about the art of spinning a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat mystery yarn.

Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC grew up in Grapevine — a small Texas town just outside of Dallas. He moved to Tampa in 1999, and most of his stories feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrop.

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$10 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends Oct. 28th
Prizing is provided by CBB Book Promotions, hosts are not responsible for prizing.
Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Follow the tour for more fun stops.

10/12

Excerpt – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

Excerpt – Born Bookish

10/13

Excerpt – WS Momma Readers Nook

10/14

Guest Post – CBY Book Club

Review – The Desert Bibliophile

10/15

Excerpt – Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions

Guest Post – Bookhounds

10/16

Excerpt – Turbulence In The Eye Of The Storm

Review – fuonlyknew

10/19

Review & Guest Post – fundinmental

Review – Candace’s Book Blog

10/20

Review – Cassandra’s Reviews

10/21

Excerpt – Alpha Book Club

10/22

Guest Post – Curling Up With A Good Book

10/23

Review – Maureen’s Books

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Your Next Choice For Saturday Screams ~ The After House

Posted: October 3, 2015 in Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to my Saturday Screams!

With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.

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Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.

The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.

Next up is The After House.

Come on in and get your scare on!

The After House

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My Review

This was an entertaining haunting.

Remy rents a cottage for her and her young daughter, despite the protests of her parents. She needs her independence since her divorce.

It’s not long before eerie things start to happen in the house. Her daughter, Olivia, sees a ghost. Remy hears things and sees things out of the corner of her eye. And someone is stalking her.

Trying to run her business and raise her daughter, Remy has precious little time for romance. Her parents say that’s nonsense. There’s always time for love. And her mother arranges a meeting with the town mayor.

Hugh and Remy hit it off immediately. It’s like they’ve known each other forever. Someone or something doesn’t like this one bit.

Her house is ransacked, someone tries to burn down her business, and she sees something in the bushes by her house. And her ex-husband is a pain in the behind.

Will she have a happy ever after or will something put an end to her dreams, or her?

This was a lot of fun. I liked Remy and her need for independence. Her daughter, Olivia, is a precocious, charming young girl. And Hugh is sexy and smart, yet gentle and nurturing.

The ghost is another matter. He’s a mess and ornery as a snake. There’s something keeping him here, and as I read more, I began to cheer him on, hoping he’d find what he forgot.

There’s more than one mysterious otherworldly being in this story two. There are two onlookers that have their own agenda. They seem to have been involved with the characters in another book by this author, The Flip. I like that connection.

There’s also a fascinating prologue. You learn a lot about the whaling era. And you will understand the meaning behind the title. I enjoy learning some new trivia from stories. Then the story begins in the present and the connections are made later.

I enjoyed meeting these characters. Liked the mystery. Enjoyed the multiple character’s stories. And had a good feeling when I finished this book.

Not to scary. Just right.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Remy Galway and her daughter Olivia are rebuilding their life after a failed marriage in a 300 year old cottage in historic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Little do they know, another occupant is lurking in the haven of their own home. Will the After House be their shelter or their tomb?

Trailer

 

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Stop back by next Saturday for your next choice!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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Love the snark! The Friday 56 #80 ~ Brooklyn Bones

Posted: October 2, 2015 in Mystery, Series, The Friday 56
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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from

 Brooklyn Bones

An Erica Donato Mystery

by Triss Stein

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My 56 

Oh yes, and I had a fight with Joe. I meant to give him a heads up that the police would be asking him some questions about security when he was working at my house, but they got to him first. He was more than a little ticked off about this and tole me so by phone at seven a.m. I had an uncomfortable feeling he was right, too, so of course I came back with a strong, “I really don’t have time to deal with this!” and hung up.

There were several quotable moments on page 56. This one tickled my funny bone the most.

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

In Brooklyn Bones, a crime of the past comes much too close  to home when Erica Donato’s teen-age daughter Chris finds a skeleton behind a wall in their crumbling Park Slope home. Erica – young widow, over-age history Ph.D candidate, mother of a teen, product of blue-collar Brooklyn – is drawn into the mystery when she learns this was an unknown teen-age girl, hidden there within living memory. She and her daughter are both touched and disturbed by the mysterious tragedy in their own home.

Chris’s dangerous curiosity and Erica’s work at a local history museum lead her right back to her neighborhood in its edgy, pre-gentrification days, the period when the age of Aquarius was turning dark. A cranky retired reporter shares old files with her. The charming widow of a slumlord has some surprises for her. The crazy old lady who hangs around her street keeps trying to tell her something. And there are people, including some she is close to, who know the whole story and will stop at nothing to make sure it stays buried forever.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

It gets hairier and hairier ~ Kill And Run by Lauren Carr ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: September 24, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
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iRead Website new logo

As promised yesterday, I’m now sharing my review of Kill And Run, A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr.

More laughs with these lovable characters, both human and furry. Lots of intrigue and action too.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Kill and Run

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My Review

Five women and counting… Who killed them and who’s next?

Lieutenant Murphy Thornton is assigned the case and at first finds no connection between the five murdered women. As he digs deeper, he finds iffy connections and one huge one that rocks many back on their heels.

After reading Three Days To Forever from The Mac Faraday Series, I was so excited to read this book. The Thorny Rose Mysteries are a companion series. I bumped into many of my favorite characters and this one features another fun couple.

Murphy and his new wife, Jessica, are still adjusting to married life, when all of a sudden their home is over run with guests.

Jessica’s brother, Tristan, needs a place to stay while having his place repaired after it was flooded. He brings his beloved pet, Monique, under heavy objections and much negotiation. For those of you unfamiliar with her, she’s a tarantula about the size of a dinner plate!

Now, that makes three people along with a giant spider, Murphy’s TV watching mixed breed dog Newman, and Jessica’s Shetland sheepdog, Spencer/Candi. Jessica calls her Spencer. Murphy calls her Candi. She answers to Candi.

When a connection is found between one of the murdered women and the cold case murder of State Trooper Nicholas Gates, his widow, Cameron Gates, their step-mother, comes to stay at the Thornton household.

Now, there are four people, a tarantula, and two dogs. Cameron adds to the furry mix with her opinionated Main Coon cat, Irving. She looks like a skunk, all black with a white stripe down her back from her head to the tip of her tail.

One more stray is added to the household. Izzy (Isadora Crenshaw). the young teenage daughter of one of the murdered women is brought to Murhpy’s and Jessica’s home under police protection. She’s wise for her age and quickly becomes a part of the gang. She also has a special affinity, seems to communicate with the herd of animals. They all adore her, even Monique.

Now there are five people, a giant spider, two dogs, and a large cat. How much more can one house hold.

So many connections must and do lead to deadly shootouts, stalkers, conspiracy, and cover ups.

The action is intense, the mysteries keep you engaged and eager to see how they connect, and the characters, both human and furry, keep you laughing and gasping.

The author includes a bio of each of the characters, including the animals, at the beginning of the book. I’d recommend you read them first. It just takes a few minutes and makes it so easy to follow and connect with them throughout the book.

This can easily be read as a stand alone book, but I’m betting you’ll be wanting more about Lauren Carr’s characters and will be grabbing more of her books.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

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Yesterday I reviewed Three Days To Forever, a Mac Faraday Mystery. It was my first encounter with some now much loved characters.

Three Days to Forever

You can find my 5 Star Review HERE.

Author

Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Open Season for Murder is the tenth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduced Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for Kill and Run, the first installment in this series, to be released September 1, 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn Book Services’ website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~  Twitter  ~   Facebook

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Will it be ’til death do us part?’ Three Days To Forever by Lauren Carr ~ My Review and a Giveaway

Posted: September 23, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: , ,
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iRead Website new logo

Thanks for visiting my stop on the tour.

Make sure to stop back by tomorrow for my review of Lauren Carr’s Kill and Run too!

Enjoy my review of Three Days To Forever.

Learn more about Author Lauren Carr and her other books.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Three Days to Forever

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My Review

It’s Three Days To Forever. The countdown has begun.  Will it be Til Death Do Us Part or Rest In Peace?

Day One.

It’s three days until Mac Faraday and Archie Monday tie the knot. Family and guests are arriving at the fabulous Spencer Inn, owned by Mac.

A stalker sends a picture to Mac. It shows the man with his arm around Archie and says, “I was this close.”

The stalker ends up dead, stabbed multiple times with a knife engraved with the Spencer Inn’s initials. Mac becomes a suspect.

While in contact with the police at the scene of the crime, Mac, along with Joshua, his best man, Agnes, his soon to be mother-in-law, and Gnarly, his faithful German Shepherd, come under attack as a hit squad shoots up the place.

Joshua is shot but they all make it out alive and escape to a safe house.

And Archie’s spitting mad about the hair-do she got at the salon. Not what she wanted at all, and too late to change it before the wedding. I must tell you, she’s not being shallow. She doesn’t know about the attack yet.

Day Two.

Time to figure out who attacked and why. Did stalker, Russell Dooley, now dead, hire the hit men? He was out for revenge after Mac got his wife locked up in prison. Once she learned her last appeal failed and she’d never get out, she killed herself. Dooley blamed it all on Mac and swore revenge on him and those he loved.

Or could it be something to do with Joshua? He has a lot of secrets. Really big ones.

Or could it be something else?

The men scramble to solve the mystery while the women scramble to keep their men in line and at their appointed destinations on time.

Day Three.

Ah, it’s the wedding day.

I wonder if it will happen. Will their be wedding crashers, with big guns?

That I can’t share with you. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Wow. what a rollercoaster this was. Stalkers, black-ops, terrorists. Global connections keep you guessing as to who is doing what and why.

The character list is vast. A description of each one is provided at the beginning of the book. After reading each one, I quickly became familiar with their names and the story flew.

Aside from the violent parts of the book, there’s plenty of humor, romance, and fun pets. Especially fun is the furry Monique.

I had no idea when I started reading this book that it was the 9th book in the series, and had no trouble at all following the plots and connecting with the characters. I’ve put a face to most of them and now I want to go back to the beginning and see how they all first connected.

Lauren Carr has a few other mystery series with characters you’ll recognize. All of her books are stand alone reads so feel free to jump in anywhere you like.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!

Author

Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Open Season for Murder is the tenth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduced Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for Kill and Run, the first installment in this series, to be released September 1, 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn Book Services’ website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~  Twitter  ~   Facebook

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Double Trouble ~ A Ghostly Demise and A Ghostly Murder ~ My Reviews and a Giveaway

Posted: September 21, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Humor, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy
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They’re back!

The residents of Sleepy Hollow are back and there’s murder in the air. Along with some new ghosts.

Venture on.

Enjoy my reviews.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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A Ghostly Demise/A Ghostly Murder
by Tonya Kappes

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GhostlyDemiseA Ghostly Demise:
A Ghostly Southern Mystery 
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Witness (August 25, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0062374912
E-Book ASIN: B00PQRWLRC
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The prodigal father returns—but this ghost is no holy spirit

When she runs into her friend’s deadbeat dad at the local deli, undertaker Emma Lee Raines can’t wait to tell Mary Anna Hardy that he’s back in Sleepy Hollow, Kentucky, after five long years. Cephus Hardy may have been the town drunk, but he didn’t disappear on an epic bender like everyone thought: He was murdered. And he’s heard that Emma Lee’s been helping lost souls move on to that great big party in the sky.

Why do ghosts always bother Emma Lee at the worst times? Her granny’s mayoral campaign is in high gear, a carnival is taking over the town square, and her hunky boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, is stuck wrestling runaway goats. Besides, Cephus has no clue whodunit…unless it was one of Mrs. Hardy’s not-so-secret admirers. All roads lead Emma Lee to that carnival—and a killer who isn’t clowning around.

My Review

So here we are, back in Sleepy Hollow, Kentucky. And yes, Emma Lee still sees and hears ghosts. It’s a side affect of having a giant plastic Santa fall on her and knock her out cold.

Her doctor calls it ‘funeral trauma’, not believing she really communicates with ghosts. Appropriate name as she and her sister run Eternal Slumber Funeral Home.

Emma is shocked and pleased to run into Cephus Hardy. He just up and vanished 5 years ago, leaving his wife and daughter to fend for themselves. It’s only after Doc Clyde starts talking to her that she realizes Cephus is a ghost. Drat, now Doc will tell her grandmother, Zula Fae, and soon the whole town will know she still suffers from funeral trauma.

Cephus tells her he didn’t abandon his family. Says he never left Sleepy Hollow. Adamant that he was murdered. But, he can’t tell her where his body is or who killed him. Emma Lee takes this info to her boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry. Yep, they are now officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

There’s not much to go on, but Jack Henry starts digging. So does Emma Lee, much to his consternation. With two murder cases under her belt, Emma dives back in with no regard to danger. Business as usual, think Jack Henry.

You never know who you;re going to meet in this series. each book introduces new characters, new ghosts. They all have such fun names.

In the south, lots of people go by their first and middle name. You’ll be bumping into Zula Fae again. Emma’s grandmother is following through on her plans to run for mayor, and she’s taking her campaign to a whole new level. She’s such a pistol.

There’s also Mable Claire, Beulah Paige, Hettie Bell, and Cheryl Lynne. to mention a few more. I keep waiting for a Bubba to pop up.

So, the skinny is, someone murdered Cephus. Emma Lee has to solve the case, the whole town thinks she’s still whacko, and her granny is taxing her last nerve. So much fun.

About twenty-five percent into the book, I found my first clue. But, knowing this author, I couldn’t count on that leading me anywhere but down the garden path. So I pressed on, and tripped over a few more clues. Yep, they led all over the place.

I’ll leave you here. Don’t want to spoil anything. Grab it. Read it. Find out for yourself who did what. A good thing is, you don’t have to have read the other books to jump into this series. The author fills you in on past events quickly and in just the right places.

4 Stars

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N
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IMG_5265A Ghostly Murder:
A Ghostly Southern Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Witness (September 29, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0062374936
E-Book ASIN: B00RTMCOPQ
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Emma Lee Raines knows there’s only one cure for a bad case of murder.

I told you I was sick, reads the headstone above Mamie Sue Preston’s grave. She was the richest woman in Sleepy Hollow, Kentucky, and also the biggest hypochondriac. Ironic, considering someone killed her—and covered it up perfectly. And how does Emma Lee, proprietor of the Eternal Slumber Funeral Home, know all this? Because Mamie Sue’s ghost told her, that’s how. And she’s offering big bucks to find the perp.

The catch is, Mamie Sue was buried by the Raines family’s archrival, Burns Funeral Home. Would the Burnses stoop to framing Emma Lee’s granny? With an enterprising maid, a penny-pinching pastor, and a slimy Lexington lawyer all making a killing off Mamie Sue’s estate, Emma Lee needs a teammate—like her dreamboat boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross. Because with millions at stake, snooping around is definitely bad for Emma Lee’s health.

My Review

Here we go again. Another murder, another ghost, more fun characters with those double names. I couldn’t wait to dive in and see what Emma Lee was up to.

She’s busy with the murder of Mamie Sue, the towns richest resident, or she used to be. She comes to Emma, offering bug bucks to find out who killed her.

Things get sticky when several other people want that money too. One of them is Eternal Slumber’s arch rival, Burnes Funeral Home. It looks like the showdown will finally happen.

All of the usual characters are back, plus you’ll meet some new ones. The town still thinks she’s crazy, even though Emma Lee has three solved murdered cases under her belt.

The romance between Emma Lee and Jack Henry is still going strong. That saying, “They’re meant for each other,” is so true. I love these two together. And I love that Jack Henry believes that she sees and talks to ghosts. He still gets the heebie jeebies when she talks to one when she’s with him.

I had such fun following Emma Lee around as she stuck her nose in everyone’s business, sniffing out clues. Lots of suspects, some quickly eliminated, some staying in the hot seat. A lovely mess to mull through.

As with the other books, you can read this without having read the others. You’ll get filled in on past events without the story slowing down.

Come meet the residents of Sleepy Hollow. You never know who or what you might bump into.

4 Stars

Purchase Links
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Tonya 5

About The Author –

Tonya Kappes is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

I write fun humorous fiction, some with romance and some with a little mystery.

More than anything I love to connect with readers! I’m a huge fan of them and LOVE getting to know them. Making readers smile, and remembering not to take life too seriously is how I like to write. I’m addicted to coffee, McDonald’s Diet Coke, and Red Hots Candy to keep her going!

When I’m not writing about quirky characters and even quirkier situations, I’m busy being the princess, queen and jester of my domain which includes my BFF husband,  three teenage boys, two dogs and one ornery cat.

Author Links:

And be sure to stalk me on Facebook,  Twitter, TSU, Instagram!

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I have one eBook copy of A Ghostly Demise or A Ghostly Murder to give away. Winners choice.

Entry is easy. Just leave an email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

Have you ever had a strange experience, perhaps a ghostly encounter?

Giveaway ends September 30th.

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Tour Participants

September 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – Guest Post

September 19 – Book Babble – Review

September 20 – Laura’s Interests – Review, Spotlight

September 21 – fuonlyknew – Review, Giveaway

September 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Guest Post

September 23 – Community Bookstop – Review

September 24 – Bea’s Book Nook – Review, Giveaway

September 25 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy,  &, Sissy, Too ! – Review, Giveaway

September 26 – Frankie Bow – Guest Post

September 27 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review, Giveaway

September 28 – Back Porchervations – Review, Interview

September 28 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Giveaway

September 29 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Giveaway

September 30 – readalot – Review, Giveaway

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I’ve also read the first two books in this series.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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The Friday 56 #77 ~ Stillwater : A Jack McBride Mystery

Posted: September 11, 2015 in Mystery, Series, The Friday 56
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from

 Stillwater

A Jack McBride Mystery

by

Melissa Lenhardt

24693868

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My 56 

“I love you too.” His throat thickened; he couldn’t remember the last time he said those words to his son. He lifted his arm full of tubes and pulled Ethan closer. “We’re going to be fine.”

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Former FBI agent Jack McBride took the job as Chief of Police for Stillwater, Texas, to start a new life with his teenage son, Ethan, away from the suspicions that surrounded his wife’s disappearance a year earlier.

With a low crime rate and a five-man police force, he expected it to be a nice, easy gig; hot checks, traffic violations, some drugs, occasional domestic disturbances, and petty theft. Instead, within a week he is investigating a staged murder-suicide, uncovering a decades’ old skeleton buried in the woods, and managing the first crime wave in thirty years.

For help navigating his unfamiliar, small-town surroundings, Jack turns to Ellie Martin, one of the most respected women in town—her scandal-filled past notwithstanding. Despite Jack’s murky marriage status and the disapproval of Ethan and the town, they are immediately drawn to each other.

As Jack and Ellie struggle with their budding relationship, they unearth shattering secrets long buried and discover the two cases Jack is working, though fifty years apart, share a surprising connection that will rattle the town to its core.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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

Isolation ~ A Faye Longchamp Mystery ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: September 9, 2015 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: , , ,
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Partners In Crime Tours

I do love a good mystery. And it’s even better when there’s a mystery inside a mystery. Lots to keep you guessing and on your toes in Isolation!

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Isolation

A Faye Longchamp Mystery

by Mary Anna Evans

25575967

Genre: Mystery, Women Sleuths
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Number of Pages: 284
Series: A Faye Longchamp Mystery, 9
ISBN: 9781464204029

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My Review

This has all the makings for a good mystery.

A family torn apart by tragedy, isolation on a private island, toxic spills, murder, stalkers, and all of this might possibly be connected to a mysterious history. I was hooked already!

Being a fan of character driven stories, this didn’t disappoint.

There’s Faye Longchamp – Mantooth. She’s coping the only way she knows how after a terrible loss. She spends every waking minute and most nights prowling the island and doing random digs. Not herself at all. Being a professional archaeologist, she knows better. You need to investigate, do the math, before digging. I think she’s just trying to stay numb.

Her husband, Joe Wolf Mantooth, is such a gentle soul. He loves his wife and patiently waits for her to come around, knowing she needs time to grieve and heal. In the meantime, he takes care of their young son, Michael, making sure he’s happy and loved.  When things go wiggy and bodies start adding up, he goes into alpha mode. I loved the gentle bear and the warrior spirit of Joe.

Joe’s father, Sly Mantooth, out after serving time in prison, shows up on their doorstep and they invite him to stay awhile. Faye hopes the two will stay out of her hair, and Joe’s looking to get reconnected with his father. I like Sly. He’s a diamond in the rough. He keeps his thoughts to himself, unless a pretty gal is around. Then the charmer, the ladies man, comes out to play. There was one particular lady I wanted him to get better acquainted with. I hoped the author would grant my wish.

Not just a murder mystery, there’s also the mystery of Faye’s ancestor. Some people want to prove her great-great-grandmother Cally was a murderer. Faye’s having none of it and launches her own investigation, keeping their relationship secret while she works to clear Cally’s name. Not so easy when you’re going back 150 years.

A strange toxic find on the island, chemical dumps in the gulf, murder and violent attacks. Could all of this be random events or do they all tie together? I couldn’t wait to find out.

Though this is the ninth book in the Faye Longchamp Mystery Series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. I’ve not the read the other books and with some short mentions of past events, had no trouble reading this first.

Good clean fun, with no sex scenes or foul language.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Archaeologist Faye Longchamp-Mantooth has dug herself a deep hole and she can’t make her way out of it. As she struggles to recover from a shattering personal loss, she sees that everyone she loves is trying to reach out to her. If only she could reach back. Instead she’s out digging holes all over her home, the Florida island of Joyeuse.

In their old plantation home, Joe Wolf Mantooth is surrounded by family—Faye, the wife he loves; their toddler son he adores; and his father, who hasn’t gotten around to telling him how long he’s been out of prison or how he got there—yet Joe has never felt so helpless or alone.

Then a close friend at the local marina is brutally murdered, the first in a string of crimes against women that rocks Micco County. Joe, desperate to help Faye, realizes she is in danger from both her inner demons and someone who has breached the island’s isolation. Local law and environmental officials say they want to help, but to Faye and Joe they feel more like invaders. A struggling Faye reaches back over a century into her family’s history for clues. And all the while, danger snakes further into their lives, threatening the people they love, their cherished home, even the very ground—some of it poisoned—beneath their feet.

Purchase Links

Amazon / B&N / Goodreads

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Author Mary Anna Evans

Mary Anna Evans

Mary Anna Evans is the author of the award-winning Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries–Artifacts, Relics, Effigies, Findings, Floodgates, Strangers, and Plunder. She has degrees in physics and chemical engineering. Her background includes stints in environmental consulting and university administration, as well as a summer spent working offshore in the oil fields. Writing lets her spend weeks indulging her passion for history, archeology, and architecture, and months making up stories. Mary Anna is preparing to move to Oklahoma since accepting an Associate Professor position with the University of Oklahoma.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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