Archive for the ‘Mystery’ Category

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Murder in the Dog Park/Dog Spelled Backwards
 by Jill Yesko

Ms. Yesko is skilled as a writer…
~rantin’ ravin and reading

Great series, well-written and very entertaining. Four Stars!
~Mommasez

This is a more gritty detective story. Unique characters, with lots of flaws.
~readalot

Dog Park cover

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Murder in the Dog Park
Mystery
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Baxter World Publishing (May 28, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0985485207
File Size: 242 KB
Print Length: 128 pages
 ASIN: B00A10IU7O

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 My Review

I loved this book right from the first sentence. The author cracked me up and it was something I could relate to as a dog lover. From then on it was full speed ahead.

Jane reminds me of one of my sisters in her younger years. A wise cracking woman who hunts down bad guys, drinks too much, smokes too much, and breaks the rules on a regular basis.

She has an oddball cousin, Lenny. He’s kind of a lost soul. Not sure why, but I like him.

And Archie, Jane’s bull terrier, is as ballsy as she is. If you don’t know what a bull terrier is, picture Spuds McKenzie from the old Budweiser commercials. A short, stout body packed with muscle, and beady little eyes. A land shark with attitude. Ever had a dog take you for a walk? The author called it fourpaw drive.

A freezing constitutional walk for Archie at the dog park lands Jane in a murder mystery after the dog unearths a dead body.

Her skills at hacking help her make a living and come in handy when she attempts to solve the murder and clear her cousin’s name.

There’s also a hint of romance when hot cop Don and Jane meet. I was looking forward to finding out if he could handle her.

The writing is neat. The author keeps the story moving quickly. It’s earthy and the characters are flawed and genuine. Definitely a series I’ll be following.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Discovering a brutally murdered boy in a rainy dog park sends misanthropic private detective Jane Ronson on a journey through Baltimore’s gritty underbelly. Aided by a sexy cop, a bad-ass bull terrier, and an only-in-Baltimore cast of characters, Jane must use her computer-hacking and street-fighting skills to save her only family member from being framed as the killer.

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DogSpelledBackwards
Dog Spelled Backwards: An Unholy Mystery
Mystery
Paperback: 210 pages
Publisher: Baxter World Publishing (August 17, 2013)
ISBN-13: 978-0985485214
File Size: 1355 KB
Print Length: 118 pages
 ASIN: B00FDXQVO8
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My Review

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such a mishmash of characters and scenarios.

I had a hard time picturing Jane as an Orthodox Jewish woman. Several scenarios left me laughing. She’s a hard partying, sailor cussing, nobody tells me what to do gal and it was fun seeing her play this undercover role.

Jane and Don’s romance is steaming along. Her odd cousin Lenny and her hot cop boyfriend are scheming for wedding bells for the couple. I don’t see her as the settling down and getting married type, but we shall see.

And Jane’s loveable bull terrier, Archie, is up to his old tricks along with some new ones. Nothing like a dog to make a story more fun.

The author really ups the ante for Jane. She has a huge target on her back with the Russian mob after her. Also, she learns she’s Jewish, not the Catholic girl her mother led her to believe. Talk about a curve ball.

This second book in the Dog Park mysteries is even more intense, with very interesting and diverse characters. Another race to the finish line read and every bit as good as the first book, Murder in the Dog Park.

4 Stars

Synopsis

Private investigator Jane Ronson suffers from oppositional defiant disorder, the uncontrollable urge to punch first then ask questions later. When a rabbi with a shady past offers her a bag of cash to spy on a rival rabbi, Jane jumps at the chance to make what think will be easy money. To get her cash, Jane impersonates an Orthodox Jewish woman and infiltrates a black market kidney ring in Baltimore’s Orthodox community. Between Russian gangsters and double crosses, Jane is number one on everyone’s hit list. To save her life, she forms an alliance with a religious woman and confronts a family.

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Jill Yesko Headshot
About This Author

Jill Yesko’s 20+ year writing career has included stints as a sport writer, NPR commentator and investigative reporter. She’s written about everything from body piercing to human pyramids in Spain. After a solo trek around the world, Jill was profiled as an “adventurous traveler” in O, the Oprah magazine. Before becoming a writer, Jill was a national-class cyclist and graduate and cartographer. A New Jersey native, Jill now patrols Baltimore’s dog parks with her basset hound.

 

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Author Links

Website / Blog / Goodreads

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Tour Participants

April 14 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review
April 15 – Mommasez… – Review, Guest Post
April 16 – readalot blog – Review
April 17 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview
April 18 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – Guest Post
April 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review
 April 21- deal sharing aunt – Guest Post
April 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review
April 22 – fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s Ramblins and Reviews – Review
April 23 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Review
April 24 – fundinmental – Guest Post
April 25 – Thoughts in Progress – Review, Interview
April 26 – Chloe Gets a Clue – Interview
April 27 – Melina Book Blog – Guest Post
April 28 – Teena in Toronto – Review
April 29 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review
April 30 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Guest Post

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Tour giveaway
An eBook copy of Murder in the Dog Park
An eBook copy of Dog Spelled Backwards

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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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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Written Reckoning Banner

I just love the cover art for Written Reckoning and I’m addicted to stories about human dynamics in times of great turmoil. And there are zombies!

Check it out and enjoy the glimpse inside the book!

Genre: Mystery

Twenty years ago, a mysterious infection gripped the entire world, turning ordinary people into vicious cannibals. Until now, the pain, anguish, fears and losses suffered have been kept concealed by those too broken to relive their terrible ordeal.

 

While trying to escape his home of Pittsburgh, which had succumbed to the infection, young writer, Matt Everett, documented his harrowing struggle to keep both himself and his friends alive, while traveling across the country in search of safety and answers.

 

He did all of this to both preserve his sanity and describe the awful truth about a time when humanity was almost wiped out, for any future generations that may somehow exist.

 

This is that story. This is the truth. This is the world’s ‘Written Reckoning’.

 

~Excerpt~

 

I hit the top of the truck twice with my hand. “Just go!” I shouted back, still standing on the truck. There wasn’t time to get down.

 

Amber hit the gas as I kept shooting those nearest the truck, struggling to keep my balance while doing so. We weren’t moving very fast due to the abandoned cars surrounding us. Some of the Rots had caught up with us, we were that slow.

 

“Matt, look out!” I heard Danielle scream through the back window. I turned to see two Rots climbing onto the back of the truck to join me. I shot them before they could make it. They fell, still hanging over the truck, blood pouring from their heads. More of them were gaining on us, not that they had to move that fast. We were still surrounded by cars as we tried to get away.

 

I saw another Rot making its way onto the truck. I took aim but let out an exasperated shriek when, to my horror, the gun didn’t release a bullet, instead it just clicked; it was empty.

 

“Shit! Guys, I’m out of ammo!” I shouted.

 

But there was nothing they could do. If we stopped we’d be over-run in seconds.

 

“Just hang in there, Matt!” Darry yelled back.

 

That was much easier said than done. The Rot had made its way on board with me now.

 

“Crap!” I stood up, ready to fight it off. We locked arms as if it was a wrestling match and he tried to bring his bloodied mouth towards me, snapping his sordid teeth in anticipation. He was a strong fucker. He managed to push me over to the floor, which caused me to smash my arm against the side of the truck. I cried out as I felt the sharp edge slide into my skin.

 

I could hear the others screaming in fear for me from inside the truck. As soon as I was down, the Rot jumped on top of me, sensing an opportunity. I fought with everything I had to keep his mouth away from me, trying to punch and kick him off me. The truck had started speeding up now. We were out of the traffic but still not safe, the hordes of Rots were still chasing us. But for now, my only problem was getting this one off me.

 

Everything else faded from my concentration as the world around me ceased to exist. I reached around next to me for a weapon to use. All of the guns were inside the truck, but I felt around anyway, which meant I only had one free arm to keep him away from my face. As I kept searching with my hand, I felt a cold bar-like thing under my fingers and brought it up to the Rot’s head. I swung it towards him, missing a few times and even almost hitting myself. But on the next try, I got it right. I managed to hit him hard enough for him to roll off me, I quickly stood up.

 

He got back up and just kept coming for more. I pushed him against the edge of the truck, trying desperately to throw him off but I didn’t have enough strength. I could feel the blood making its way down my arm from my fresh wound.

 

Once the Rot noticed it, he began to go even crazier. Maybe he could smell the blood; making him want it even more. What a sight this would be for any passers-by, I thought. Man vs. Zombie on the back of a moving truck—just a bit of light entertainment.

 

At this point, we must have been far enough away from the rest of the Rots for Amber to feel it was safe to stop the truck. She put the brakes on hard, causing me to lose balance and fall over again. And again the Rot jumped on me, he wasn’t giving up. This time though, Joey and Darry were able to help. They got up on the truck with us and dragged the vicious thing off me, throwing it off the truck to the hard concrete road. As it stood up again, Darry aimed to shoot it. He shot it through the shoulder, not its head so it’s just kept going. Both he and Joey tried but couldn’t aim at its head properly.

 

Buy Link:  Amazon 

Written Reckoning button

 

~About the Author~

 

A.L. Parker is a writer and novelist just getting ready to release her first book, ‘Written Reckoning’. She has been published in Rock Sound magazine and on various music and gaming websites and currently writes for TrophiesonPSN.com. When not writing, Amy can be found listening to music too loud, watching hockey (LET’S GO PENS!) or playing video games. She also has a keen interest in horror, especially zombies and loves reading graphic novels and anything written by Hunter S.Thompson.

 

Author Links:   Site        Twitter

More fun tour stops

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Secrets, Lies and Trash  Banner

You just never know what you’ll find in the trash these days. Check this out!

Secrets, Lies and Trash

by Dawn Miller

secrets lies and trash cover

Genre: Mystery

Was it just another day on the job for garbage man/single dad, Russell Waverly?

Not if ordinary includes finding a severed head in the morning trash pickup. Four bodies in 48-hours send the working-class community of Spotswood, New Jersey reeling and it’s up to Russell and his childhood buddy, Detective Jake Turner to set things right.

~Excerpt~

I couldn’t make out the face, but I certainly recognized the voice. It was Jake Turner, my best friend since kindergarten. We had been inseparable since the day our tussle over a train engine had ended in a draw. The friendship stayed intact all the way through elementary school and into high school. Jake and I were all set to room together in college when the words

“I’m pregnant” forever altered my future. I have never regretted the decision to marry my childhood sweetheart, Caroline, and I couldn’t imagine my life without Ryan, but here we were.

Jake was a rising star with the Spotswood Police Department and I picked up his trash.

 Buy Links:  Amazon 

 ~About the Author~

You can connect with Dawn Miller at  Facebook       Google +    Pinterest

Check out these other stops on the tour!

Secrets Lies and Trash button

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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Who’s up for a good mystery? I always am and I’ve got a fun one to tell you about.

Tip of a Bone has plenty of suspects and more than one mystery to solve.

Check it out. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway to win your own copy!

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Tip of a Bone  cover image copy

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Genre: Mystery Paperback: 264 pages

Publisher: Adventure Publications (September 3, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1591934394 E-Book ASIN: B00EGWE5HC

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My Review

Tip of a Bone is all about mystery. There are brief touches on romance but it doesn’t really play a part.

Maya moves from California to Oregon after her divorce. Same old story. Husband falls for younger woman, gets her pregnant, starts a new life. Old wife, like she never was.

The move gives her a chance to get to know her brother, Harley. As young kids, their parents divorced and each parent took one of the children. Maya was raised by her mother, having no contact with her father or Harley.

Just when they are starting to connect as friends, as siblings, Harley dies in a mysterious fire. The authorities say it was arson, the fire set by her brother, and he succumbed to smoke inhalation. Maya suspects something else.

As she questions his friends and fiance, she must stir up something, because she’s now being stalked, someone has broken into her apartment, and she’s nearly killed when a truck runs her off the road.

Now it’s a race to solve the mystery before she’s killed too.

What drew me to this book was the mention of eco-activists. There are the big companies coming in to set up their condos and the environmentalists who try to stop development, doing things like tree hugging and lying down in a busy intersection to stop traffic. Then, an activist vanishes and someone ups the ante to arson, burning equipment, a boat, and buildings.

One thing I missed was a connection to the characters. I enjoyed Maya, her divorce and subsequent struggles to find a path hit home. Been there before. But I didn’t really connect with anyone else in the story. Her brother, Harley, sounded promising if I’d had more time with him. Others played their part, adding to the list of suspects, but I didn’t much care about them.

While I didn’t particularly connect to a couple, they did make me wonder what they were. Good guys or bad guys?

Nick seemed like a nice guy while Tomas seemed scary. Both were part of the Coast Defenders group. Nick became suspect when right in the middle of some heavy petting, he stopped to answer his phone. Hmm…interested in Maya or what she knows?  And Tomas was a looming hulk, gruff like a bear. He made no bones about how he felt towards Maya sticking her nose in their business.

About half way into the mystery I had my suspect tagged. It wasn’t blatant, but I had a good idea he was guilty. Still had fun following Maya as she did her snooping and the ending was quite good. I got my man and you’ll find out if Maya got hers.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Buried bones, a missing eco-activist, and a deadly fire? It’s not what Maya Rivers bargained for when she moved to the coastal city of Newport, Oregon to reunite with her brother, Harley. Yet when Harley is accused of an unthinkable crime, Maya insists on adding “amateur sleuth” to her career options. It isn’t long before she discovers an eerie clue . . . but the closer she gets to the truth, the closer a murderer follows.

Purchase Links  ~  AMAZON   ~   B&N   ~  Book World

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About This Author

CFinlayson author photo with skull

Christine Finlayson borrowed from her “past lives” as a waitress, barista, environmental educator, and water scientist when creating her debut mystery novel, Tip of a Bone—a tale that takes place on the stormy Oregon coast. In her spare time, Christine loves to run on forest trails, watch waves break, compete in triathlons, and photograph anything Northwest-weird or wild. She’s now working on her second book, a novel of suspense.

Christine’s an active member of Sisters in Crime, Friends of Mystery, Oregon Writers Colony, and Willamette Writers.

Author Links:

Webpage ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

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I have one copy of Tip of a Bone to giveaway.

Print or eBook (winners choice)

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Do you like a lot of suspects in a mystery?”

Giveaway ends April 4th

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Tour Participants

March 25 – fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s Ramblins and Reviews – Review, Giveaway

March 26 – readalot blog – Review

March 27 – Books-n-Kisses – Review

March 28 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Guest Post

March 29 – Deal Sharing Aunt – Review, Interview, Giveaway

March 31 – Reviews By Molly – Review, Giveaway

April 1 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post

April 2 – Brooke Blogs – Review

April 3 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview

April 4 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Guest Post, 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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I’m excited to be hosting a stop for the Artifact Hunters tour that features Nefertiti’s Heart and Hatshepsut’s Collar by A.W. Exley.   This series is new adult / Mystery / Steampunk, recommended for ages 16+ (there’s some mature content). The tour runs March 3-14th.  Check out the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

Nefertiti’s Heart (Artifact Hunters #1) by A.W. Exley

Page Count: 284 pages

Published: February 4th, 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press

Genre: NA/Mystery/Steampunk

Recommended Age: 16 and up

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*****

My Review

Many people tagged this as steampunk, but I’m going with a Victorian murder mystery with elements of steampunk. For instance, there are mechanical horses that pull the carriages, cyborg servers, and mechanical artifacts.

I would have liked to see more of those elements, but the murder mystery more than filled the gap. The way the victims were slain had  an ancient ritualistic feel to them and were pretty brutal. The author kept me hopping from suspect to suspect and it was in no way obvious who the killer was.

I was also expecting more swashbuckling action as Nathaniel Lords was a sky pirate with his own airship. He does play the dual roles of villain and hero quite well. He sent the thugs to recover an artifact and they almost killed Cara. Later, I’m sure he’s glad they didn’t.

After many years away, Cara returned to London to settle her father’s affairs upon his passing. Not surprising, she’s only interested in the money to be had. Afterall, he did sell her into slavery to protect his precious artifacts. If she can follow his clues and recover them, she’ll be a very rich woman. Luck was on her side when the thugs attacked her, because she survived.

About the characters. There weren’t many I connected with. I did become fond of Cara, but some of her choices didn’t feel quite right. After her traumatic past, she seemed to accept Nates attention rather easily.

Maybe it’s because of her past that she was willing to let him assume the alpha role and stay under his wing. How do I know what’s the appropriate response and actions. That’s where fiction steps in and takes you where it does. I just let go and enjoyed the ride.

The romance between the two main characters is rather quick and hints at something more serious to come.

While Nefertiti’s Heart wasn’t quite what I was expecting, it was entertaining and my favorite part, the serial murderer, was very well done. I’m thinking the next book, Hatshepsut’s Collar, will have more fun and intrigue, and like with most books in a series, be even better. I’ll be reading it to find out.

4 STARS

*****

Stop back by tomorrow for my review of Hatshepsut’s Collar!

*****

Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently.

London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the

strange death of her father – sell off his damned collection of

priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start

dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through

their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal

beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to

immortality.

Her Majesty’s Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a

connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere

in London her father hid Nefertiti’s Heart, a fist sized diamond with

strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life,

notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his

desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she

could figure out his motive.

Self-preservation fuels Cara’s search for the gem. In a society where

everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure

out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

Links:

Hatshepsut’s Collar (Artifact Hunters #2) by A.W. Exley

Page Count: 274
Published: November 13th, 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press


An ancient Egyptian artifact is driving Queen Victoria insane, and that’s not top of Cara Devon’s growing list of problems.

Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is a man of numerous secrets, but there is one in particular that threatens his fledgling relationship with Cara. Stunned by Nate’s revelation, and before she can absorb the ramifications of his actions, he is arrested, charged with treason and imprisoned in the grim Tower of London. He stole something the mad queen wants, and only has days to deliver, before his date with the executioner.

Although sorely tempted, Cara can’t let him die on Tower Green, not when their connection means she would share his fate.

Only together can Cara and Nate figure out how to wrestle Hatshepsut’s Collar from around the queen’s neck, before she plunges Britain into a world war. The search for answers sends Cara to the opulent Winter Palace of St Petersburg and the frozen depths of Siberia, with every step shadowed by an enemy with his own dark plans.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon US | uk | de fr | it | es | Kobo

Anita Exley’s Biography:

Books and writing have always been an enormous part of A.W. Exley’s life.

She survived school by hiding out in the library, with several thousand fictional characters for company. At university, she overcame the boredom of studying accountancy by squeezing in Egyptology papers and learning to read hieroglyphics.

Today, Anita writes steampunk novels with a sexy edge and an Egyptian twist. She lives in rural New Zealand surrounded by an assortment of weird and wonderful equines, felines, canine and homicidal chickens.

 

Author Links:
Facebook | Goodreads

*****

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Giveaway:

Steampunk Dragon Jewelry Box,  Butterfly Hairclip, Full set of paperback books in the Artifact Hunters series & A pair of custom Nefertiti’s Heart / Hatshepsut’s Collar bookmarks with drawn character art (US/CA)

Google Chromecast, Full set of paperback books in the Curiosity Quills anthologies (Primetime & After Dark ’13) (US/CA)

12 ebook prize – READ AN EBOOK A MONTH Any 12 ebooks from the CQ catalog in the format of your choice (INT)

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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This tour was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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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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Choose the Voice of Sydney Rye
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Sydney Rye is coming to Audio and we need your help picking the narrator!

Emily Kimelman’s “Sydney Rye” series features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

Haven’t read Sydney Rye yet? Download the first book, UNLEASHED, for free on Amazon, iTunes, B&N, or Kobo and see how she sounds in your head then vote for the best narrator!

Voting enters you to win all sorts of great prizes including Amazon gift cards, signed books, and the finished Audio book! Add to your chances of winning by joining Emily’s email list, liking her Facebook page, or telling your friends about the contest. The Rafflecopter is at the end of this post.

Here are your choices:

The code to listen to each artist is below along with their bio.

Emily Strong

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/135354626″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Bio: Emily Strong is an actor, voiceover talent, and first time filmmaker. As a native of Michigan, she is a nature-lover at heart but has the mind of a city girl and moved to Chicago nearly three years ago because she wasn’t smart enough to go somewhere warmer. She takes full advantage of what the city has to offer by training at legendary places like The Second City and eating lots and lots of ethnic food (will travel all the way across the city to Pilsen for the best tacos!). Her love of reading was the catalyst for her adventurous spirit and the reason why she is always stoked to tell stories in their many different forms.

You can visit her at www.emilystrong.net

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Erin Jones

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/135361730″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Bio: Erin has narrated over 500 audio books including “The Hunger Games” trilogy for The National Library Services/Library Of Congress, “A State Of Wonder,” The Garden Of The Beasts,” “Anna Karenina,” “Ferdinand The Bull, and “Madeline.”

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Sonja Field

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/135364511″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Bio: Sonja has two loves: acting and reading. Narrating audiobooks is her absolute passion. She has logged over 600 hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and is currently in the process of recording a kids’ action-fantasy-adventure novel, a steamy and mysterious paranormal romance, and a non-fiction about writing. She loves nothing more than bringing vivid worlds and unique characters to life. When she’s not recording, Sonja can be found onstage, traipsing around Brooklyn, or entertaining children with a variety of dubious accents.

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Erica Newhouse

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/136160912″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Bio: Erica Newhouse is a film, televesion and theater actor living in New York City. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.

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More about UNLEASHED:

UNLEASHED is the first book in Emily Kimelman’s best selling Sydney Rye series of mysteries.

When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller’s dog-walking business on Manhattan’s exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.

But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim–and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.

When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit–cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan’s elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.

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The Rest of The Sydney Rye Series:

DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2)

INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)

STRINGS OF GLASS (A Sydney Rye Novel, #4)

THE DEVIL’S BREATH (A Sydney Rye Novel, #5) Coming April 2014

Emily Kimelman Biography

Emily Kimelman is the author of the best sellunleashed Emily (author photo)ing “Sydney Rye” series of mystery novels including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS and the forthcoming THE DEVIL’S BREATH. Emily lives with her husband, Sean Gilvey, and their dog, Kinsey Millhone “Pup Detective”, on a trawler docked in the Hudson Valley during the summer. She spends her winters traveling to where ever the next Sydney Rye Novel takes place. Right now she is in Costa Rica working on Sydney Rye #6.

If you’ve read Emily’s work and liked it please contact her. She loves hearing from readers. You can reach Emily via email ejkimelman@gmail.com or on twitter @ejkimelman. Follow her on Instagram to see pictures from Emily’s latest adventures. Visit www.emilykimelman.com to learn more about Emily and the Sydney Rye series.

Links:

UNLEASHED

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ iTunes ~ B&N

Social Media

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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Copies of the Finished Audio Book

Signed Copies of Unleashed

Set of all 5 Books, including the forthcoming The Devil’s Breath

A $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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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 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

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

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The only concrete thing I had was a worn dock, some rope and that girl I kept seeing that tries to tell me things. It all has to tie together, right? I rub at my temples wishing I could reset my clock to yesterday, with the knowledge I have now.

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When the Dead Whisper

By Tara Neideffer

When the Dead Whisper

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Haunted by her past
Wanted by the dead
Tracking a killer

Follow Mia Rushton on her journey to find answers.

Tattoo artist, Mia Rushton, has never proclaimed herself as normal. She likes being different, even her cat is weird. But when random haunting memories from her childhood won’t go away, she decides it’s time to find out the real reason behind them.

As she takes her life into a new direction, Mia soon discovers she has new found feelings for a guy she’s been deliberately pushing away for six months. A guy who is now covered in tattoos thanks to her. Ryan Mosier, is persistent, confident, and turns out to be exactly what she didn’t think she needed.

When things start to slowly unravel around her, she knows she has no choice but to follow the path life has dealt, even if it means following the dead who give her clues to a string of murders that have been happening around the city of Danvers. Will she piece the disturbing puzzle together and find out who the killer is before it’s too late or will the killer find her first?

*No Cliffhanger and is a Standalone*

**Due to sexual content and language, this novel is intended for audiences ages 18+**

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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I love telling ya’ll about new releases and I’ve got a good one to show you today!

Check out The Making of Nebraska Brown.

The title got me curious. The cover art even more so.

Then I read the blurb.

Now it’s your turn. Enjoy:)

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Title: The Making of Nebraska Brown

Author: Louise Caiola

Genre: New Adult Mystery, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

Audience:  YA to Adult

Formats: eBook and Paperback

Publisher: Immortal Ink Publishing

Cover By: Rebecca Hamilton

Editor: Rebecca Hamilton & Rudy Kraul

Pages: 318

ISBN-10: 1938750772 ~ISBN-13: 9781938750779 ~ ASIN:

Date Published: Feb. 6, 2014

 

Blurb

The last thing eighteen-year-old Ann Leigh remembers is running from her boyfriend in a thick Nebraska cornfield. This morning she’s staring down a cool Italian sunrise, an entire continent from the life she once knew. The events of the eighteen months in between have inexplicably gone missing from her memory.

All at once she’s living with Tommy, an attractive, young foreigner asking for her continued love. Though he’s vaguely familiar, she recalls a boy named Shane in America who she reluctantly agreed to marry. Juggling a new world while her old one is still M.I.A is difficult enough without the terrifying movie scenes spinning a dizzy loop in her mind: glimpses of a devastating house fire, a romance gone wrong, an unplanned pregnancy, and a fractured family – each claiming to be part of who she once was – a girl and a past somehow discarded.

Ann Leigh must collect the pieces of herself to become whole again, but she doesn’t know who to trust especially when Tommy’s lies become too obvious to ignore. And above all, her heart aches to discover what became of the child she may or may not have given birth to.

The Making of Nebraska Brown tells the story of one girl’s coming apart from the inside and the great lengths she’ll go to reclaim herself and find her way home.

Book Links

Barnes and Noble  / Kobo  /Amazon

Excerpt

 “Where am I, exactly? I mean . . . what is this place?”

He smiled. “The Palace of Portici.”

“A palace?” I squinted, then flipped the hair off of my face.  I was Ann Leigh, wasn’t I? Ann Leigh, strawberry blonde, five-foot-four, dreadfully allergic to cats. I grabbed the ends of my hair again and looked down at it. It wasn’t yellow-red at all but more like brown butter pecan. My head hummed. Martino was still grinning, as if he was more amused by me now that he was sure I wasn’t dead.

 He spoke again. “Orto Botanico.” “Botanical garden?”

“Si, yes. Ana, ora andiamo? La Pasticceria Tartoni?”

“Yes. We’ll go to the pastry shop now.” And I went with him. Even though, for all I knew, he could have been one of those freaks who got his jollies from attacking innocent young girls. But then, for all I knew, I wasn’t an innocent young girl.

The sky in Campania, Italy, looked familiar; the clouds were funny cotton ball shapes that could be giant sheep— pecore? If I were Ann Leigh from Nebraska, then how did I know those clouds, those words?

About The Author:

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                        As a young girl who spent her allowance on Nancy Drew mysteries, Louise realized that one day, she might have a story of her own to tell. Maybe even more than one story. After years focused on raising her children she eventually reconnected with her passion for creative writing. She soon began to craft a large collection of short stories which were published in the inspirational online magazine, Faithhopeandfiction.com. Shortly thereafter, she authored her first novel, Wishless, a contemporary YA, released in 2011.

Louise devotes a portion of each day to honing her skills. She has several other novels currently in various stages of development. A confirmed bibliophile, Louise enjoys reading outdoors on a warm spring day and watching her pup chase leaves on a breeze. She looks forward to meeting others who share her love of the written word and invites you to visit her blog, her website and follow her on Twitter and Facebook

 

Media Links –

Website / Blog /  Twitter / Twitter 2 / Facebook / Goodreads

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Release Blitz Schedule: The Making of Nebraska Brown by Louise Caiola

Feb 8

Platypire Reviews –  www.platypire.com

Niecey’s Book Addiction –  http://nieceysbookaddiction.blogspot.com/

I Loves 2 Read –  www.iloves2read.blogspot.com

Donnie Darko Girl – http://donniedarkogirl.blogspot.com

Crazy Beautiful.Reviews –  www.crazybeautifulreviews.blogspot.com

fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s Ramblins and Reviews – http://fuonlyknew.com

Bound 2 Escape – http://www.bound2escape.com

Bookalicious Traveladdict – http://bookalicious-traveladdict.blogspot.co.uk

Sweets Books – http://sweetsbooks.WordPress.com

Have Book Will Read – http://havebookwillread.com

Cajun Book Lover – http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com

Kimber Leigh Writes – http://www.kimberleighwheaton.com

The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl –http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/

Pretty in Pink Reviews –  http://www.prettyinpinkreviews.blogspot.com

Author Karen Swart – http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com

Eclipse Reviews – http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

The Dragon Legacy by Jane Hunt

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 When emotionally fragile Fleur Curwen decides she wants excitement in her boring life she signs up for a Murder Mystery Weekend in the wilds of the English Lake District. She enters a paranormal world where danger and death are common occurrences.

Demon slayer Lukas Draco is a loner. He lives by two simple rules: No emotional entanglements and duty must remain his first priority. His beliefs are challenged when he’s inexplicably drawn to Fleur, a human woman with an unusual psychic aura. Sparks of sexual attraction ignite threatening both his search for the dragon’s egg he buried a thousand years ago and Fleur’s life. Under the cover of a murder mystery weekend an apocalyptic hunt begins.

 

Excerpt:

Fleur stole a sideways glance at Lukas as he conversed with Jasmine. His impressive physique exuded an aura of power personified by a fit, muscular body and long, lean limbs. Filled with suppressed sexual excitement, she half closed her eyelids, leaned back against the headrest, and continued her secret study of him. His face was the epitome of masculine beauty, characterized by well-defined angular cheekbones, covered with pale, almost translucent skin. Its apparent delicacy did not detract from his masculinity; he looked like a fallen angel. A tell-tale blush stained her cheeks rosy. A rush of heat pooled between her legs. Fleur shuddered. Shocked at her impulsiveness, she sat on her hands and admired the sleekness of his fashionable long, straight hair, which looked like silk. Neediness overpowered her cautious nature as her gaze feasted on its remarkable black color, reminiscent of an exotic bird or reptile with highlights of metallic turquoise and blue woven through it. Fleur stole another glance at Lukas from under her lashes. He stared back. Horrified, she blushed unable to avoid his inquisitive gaze. She waited for the smug look or the double entendre. Lukas’ smile hid a myriad of emotions. The fire in his heated look betrayed him, luminescent and golden, in stark contrast with the dying afternoon light.

Lukas slanted a glance at Fleur. The look of rapt absorption on her face stilled his breath. She looked at him hungrily, as if he was a delicacy she would love to taste. His blood echoed in his head as it thundered through his arteries. Arousal exploded in every inch of his body, highlighted by the uncomfortable tightness of his designer jeans, a testimony to his body’s readiness to act. He stopped talking in mid-sentence. Jasmine looked at him through the rear view mirror. His body leaned into Fleur’s, attuned to her hot gaze’s invitation. No. He couldn’t, not here or anywhere, with her. Lukas sensed the exact moment Fleur noticed him. He disguised all signs of his arousal. He hoped his expression revealed none of his inner turmoil.
The truck turned into a concealed driveway. Calmer, he resumed his light conversation with Jasmine, who didn’t remark on his recent distraction. Fleur stared through the window. Moments later, the truck stopped with a shudder. Lukas smiled at her hasty retreat. He sighed as the truck door shut behind her. His lack of control bothered him. His mission needed all his attention. A dalliance with a pretty human was not on his agenda. It would jeopardize the dragon egg’s safety.

“Welcome to Hallow House.”

Jasmine walked around the truck for their luggage. The grey, windswept house stood hidden among the hills. Paint peeled from the window frames and moss grew along the grey stone walls. A wave of coldness swept through Fleur. She shuddered. “It’s so atmospheric, perfect for a murder mystery.” She looked across at Lukas. He seemed preoccupied. A woman appeared at the house’s front door. Lukas’ face lost its shuttered look. He smiled.
“It’s lovely to meet you both. I’m Grace.”
“It’s lovely to meet you too,” Fleur smiled at the older woman, reassured by her kind smile.
“I’m delighted to meet you.”
Lukas shook Grace’s hand. Her gaze widened as their physic auras merged. Lukas controlled his response; his face remained devoid of expression. Jasmine frowned and touched her mother’s shoulder. With one last puzzled look at Lukas, she said,“I’ll show you to your rooms. Afternoon tea is at three. The conservatory is at the back. You’ll have an opportunity to meet the other guests there.”
Lukas smiled. He sensed her interest and strength. They’d met once, years before. She owed him, and he needed her help now.

Fleur unpacked her bags in her shabby-chic room. Her mind strayed to Lukas’ surprising effect on her. Vivid recollections of his strong embrace and the hardness of his muscular body bombarded her. She splashed cold water on her face in an attempt to cool the burn from her inner heat. Why did she crave this man’s touch? Intimate images danced through her confused mind. She sprayed perfume on her heated skin. Nothing in her life prepared her for this tangle of conflicted emotions.
Perhaps she’d hidden away too long? She needed excitement. Her ex-lover didn’t understand her grief after the premature deaths of her much-loved parents. Instead, he chipped away at her self-esteem. Lukas saw through her layers of self-protection. He noticed her. The heat in his stare scorched her deep inside. She needed this man. She blushed at her wickedness. The alarm on her mobile sounded, almost three; time to go. She took a deep breath, determined to dampen her aroused state. With a final check of her appearance, she retrieved her bag and headed downstairs.
Fleur stood inside the conservatory until her eyes adjusted for the brightness. She walked further into the room and scanned the occupants for Lukas, but he wasn’t there. Disappointed, Fleur looked around the room. Jasmine’s companions drew her gaze. Something set the unusual men apart from the other people there. She saw a familiar face. Grace was deep in conversation with two of the older guests. She looked busy, so Fleur didn’t disturb her.
The designer-clad men recaptured her interest. The dark-haired man appeared fascinated with Jasmine. His face darkened as Jasmine interrupted his diatribe.
“You’ll have to excuse me. I need to welcome Fleur.”

Jasmine headed in her direction. Without Jasmine’s vivacity, the conversation between the two high-powered men lapsed into silence. The younger man looked bored and distracted. The delicate rose- patterned china tea cup appeared awkward in his large strong-boned hands. He ran his long fingers through his shaggy, platinum blond, almost silver, hair. It masked the paleness of his silver-colored eyes. He looked handsome. Fleur waited to see if her heart flipped. It didn’t. Her stomach lurched at the implications of her discovery. Her attraction to Lukas was based on something deeper than eye candy.

Buy Links:   Amazon 

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About the Author:

Writer, Blogger, Book Reviewer.

As a child I had a complete stable of make believe horses and my imagination remains as vivid. Now it creates characters and scenarios which provide the inspiration for my stories.

I am so excited to finally have career as a writer. My love affair with the written word started as a teenager. I secretly dreamed of writing the romantic novels I loved to read. Life had other plans for me. Marriage at twenty-one whilst still at university launched me into a career in health service management. I often thought about writing in my spare time but my career and two wonderful children kept me occupied 24/7. Illness forced an abrupt end to my career. Always the optimist I seized the opportunity to write full time in 2012.

The Dragon Legacy is my first published novel and I am excited to be sharing it with a wider audience. When I’m not writing I enjoy reading, book reviewing, blogging, social media and walking in the countryside. Passionate about animal welfare.

Author Links:  Website    Facebook Page    Twitter

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 today is from Jubilee’s Journey by Bette Lee Crosby.

Jubilee's Journey (Wyattsville #2)

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My tease from page 53

I didn’t want to tell Grandma this on account of she’s a worrier. Mama never worried about nothin’, but Grandma, she worries about everything. The sorry truth is I didn’t see no live people come out of that grocery store. Far as I could tell, they was all dead.

My tease from page 81.

I ain’t never had six dresses at one time. And I sure ain’t never had underpants with the day of the week spelled out so you don’t get mixed up and wear Tuesday’s pants on Wednesday.

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Synopsis

When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?

Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series. This story of discovering lost family and finding love reconnects readers with Ethan Allen and the other heart-warming characters of the bestselling novel SPARE CHANGE.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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