Excerpt and Giveaway ~ Aftermath by Terri Blackstock

Posted: May 13, 2021 in giveaways, suspense
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Aftermath

May 10 – June 4, 2021 Tour

Synopsis:
Aftermath by Terri Blackstock
This gripping new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock will leave you on the edge of your seat.
A devastating explosion.

Three best friends are at the venue just to hear their favorite band . . . but only one of them makes it out alive.

A trunk full of planted evidence.

When police stop Dustin with a warrant to search his trunk, he knows it’s just a mistake. He’s former military and owns a security firm. But he’s horrified when they find explosives, and he can’t fathom how they got there.

An attorney who will risk it all for a friend.

Criminal attorney Jamie Powell was Dustin’s best friend growing up. They haven’t spoken since he left for basic training, but she’s the first one he thinks of when he’s arrested. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence . . . but why?

Praise for Aftermath:

“In Aftermath, Terri Blackstock plumbs the depth of human emotion in the face of devastating tragedy, grief, and loss. Yet, she still manages to give readers her trademark suspenseful story, sweet romance, and hope for the future. From gut wrenching scenes in a cancer patient’s hospital room to seeing the world through the eyes of a young woman with a debilitating mental health disorder, Blackstock pulls no punches about human frailties. Does the end justify the means? Romantic suspense lovers won’t want to miss Aftermath.” —Kelly Irvin, bestselling author

“Justice may be blind but that doesn’t keep it from facing mortal danger. In Aftermath, expert storyteller Terri Blackstock ratchets up the suspense in a novel that delivers on every level. Conflicts rage and loyalties are tested to the ultimate limit. Set aside plenty of time when you pick up this book—you’ll not to want to take a break.” —Robert Whitlow, bestselling author

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Published by: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: May 11th 2021 Number of Pages: 320 ISBN: 0310348587 (ISBN13: 9780310348580) Series: Aftermath is a stand-alone novel Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Goodreads

 

Read an excerpt:
Aftermath Chapter One Taylor Reid’s phone flashed as she snapped the selfie with her two friends, their heads touching and their backs to the stage. The shot from the third row, with the lead singer in the background and the three of them in the foreground, was perfect. No one would believe their seats were so close. They turned around to face the band, dancing to the beat of the song they’d been listening to in the car on the way to Trudeau Hall. Taylor quickly posted the pic, typing, “Ed Loran targets nonpoliticals for his rally with band Blue Fire. Worked on us!” She put her phone on videotape and zoomed onto the stage. “I don’t want it to end!” Desiree said in her ear. “Me either!” Taylor yelled over the music. “Maybe they’ll play again after his speech,” Mara shouted. The song came to an end, and the crowd went crazy, begging for one more song before the band left the stage. But an amplified voice filled the auditorium, cutting off the adulation. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the next president of the United States, Ed Loran!” The crowd sounded less enthusiastic as the band left the stage and Ed Loran, the Libertarian celebrity magnet, made his entrance. Taylor kept cheering and clapping, letting her enthusiasm for the band segue to him. It happened just as the candidate took the stage. The deafening sound, like some confusing combination of gunshot and lightning bolt, a blast that blacked out the lights and knocked her to the ground. Smoke mushroomed. Screams crescendoed—shrieks of terror, wailing pain, shocking anguish . . . then sudden, gentle silence, as if she were underwater. A loud ringing in her ears filled the void. She peered under the seats, choking for breath as dimmer lights flickered through the smoke. Even from here, she could see the fallout of whatever had happened. Blood pooling on the ground, people hunkering down as she was, feet running . . . What was happening? An explosion? A crash? She looked around and couldn’t see her friends. She clawed her way up and looked over the seat. Smoke and fire billowed from the stage into the crowd, and heat wafted over her like some living force invading the room. Muffled, muted sounds competed with the ringing. Get out! Now! She dropped back down and crawled under two rows of seats until she came to someone limp on the floor. She felt herself scream but couldn’t hear her own voice. Scrambling to her feet, she went to her left to get to the aisle, but her foot slipped on something wet. She grabbed the seat next to her to steady herself, then launched into the frantic crowd in the aisle. The room seemed to spin, people whizzing by, people under her, people above her, people broken and ripped and still . . . She stepped and fell, crawled and ran, tripped and kicked her way to the bottlenecked doorway, then fought her way through it. The ringing in her ears faded as she tumbled downstairs, almost falling into the lobby below. The sound of crying, coughing, wretching, and the roaring sound of pounding feet turned up as if some divine finger had fiddled with the volume. She set her sights on the glass doors to the outside and pushed forward, moving through people and past the security stations they’d stopped at on the way in. She made it to the door and burst out into the sunlight. Fresh, cool air hit her like freedom, but at first her lungs rejected it like some poison meant to stop her. At the bottom of the steps, on the sidewalk, she bent over and coughed until she could breathe. After a moment, the crowd pushed her along toward the parking garage until she remembered that her car wasn’t there. She had parked on the street, blocks away. She forced her way out of the flow of people and ran a block south. Where was it? She turned the corner. Her car was here, on this block. Near the Atlanta Trust Bank. Wasn’t it? Or was it the next block? Sweat slicked her skin until she found her silver Accord. There! She ran to it and pulled her keys out of her pocket, wishing she hadn’t lost the key fob. Her hands trembled as she stuck the key into the passenger side lock and got the door open. She slipped inside on the driver’s side, locked it behind her. Instinctively, she slid down, her head hidden as if someone were coming after her. What just happened? One minute they’d been taking selfies and videotaping the band, and the next they were on the floor . . . Where were Mara and Desiree? She hadn’t even looked for them! Should she go back for them? No, that would be insane. She could smell the smoke and fire from here. They would know to come to the car when they got out. Call the police! She tried to steady her hands as she swiped her phone on. “911, what is your—” “An explosion!” she cut in, her voice hoarse. “At the Ed Loran rally at Trudeau Hall!” “Where are you now?” the woman asked in a voice that was robotically calm. “I got out. There’s fire . . . People are still in there. Please send ambulances!” “Ma’am, did you see what exploded?” “No . . . the stage area, I think. I don’t know where my friends are. Please . . . hurry!” “We’ve already dispatched the fire department and police, ma’am.” She heard sirens from a few blocks away and cut off the call. She raised up, looking over the dashboard for the flashing lights. She couldn’t see any, but the sirens grew louder. She knelt on the floorboard, her knees on her floormat and her elbows on her seat, and texted Desiree. I’m at the car. Where are you? No answer. She switched to a recent thread with Mara and texted again. Got out. At car waiting. Where are you? Nothing. She dictated a group text to both of them. Are you all right? They were probably running or deaf, fighting their way out like she had. She tried calling them, but Mara’s phone rang to voicemail. When Desiree’s phone did the same, she yelled, “Call me! I’m waiting at the car and I’m scared. Where are you?” She was sobbing when she ended the call. *** Excerpt from Aftermath by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2021 by Terri Blackstock. Reproduced with permission from Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:
Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She’s the author of If I Run, If I’m Found, and If I Live, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, Moonlighters, and the Restoration series.

Visit her at: www.TerriBlackstock.com Goodreads BookBub Instagram – #terriblackstock Twitter – #terriblackstock Facebook – @tblackstock

 

 

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The Cold Case ~ A Billy Jo McCabe Mystery by Lorhainne Eckhart

Posted: May 13, 2021 in giveaways, Mytery/Thriller
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The Cold Case
Billy Jo McCabe Mystery Book 3
by Lorhainne Eckhart
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
What happens when you stumble across a case that should never have been closed?
Detective Mark Friessen uncovers a disturbing mystery: A little girl was taken, but when evidence disappeared, the case was closed.
While cleaning out closed cases, Mark discovers a file on a missing toddler, Gabby Martin. After reading the two pages within, he realizes evidence is missing. The only interviews, by the detective who previously had Mark’s job, was conducted with a bitter ex-wife and a former business partner, both of whom pointed at the father.
It appears to have been an open and shut case. The father took Gabby in retaliation for a bitter custody dispute with her mother, and then he killed her. Although no body was found, the father was charged and convicted, and the case was closed.
However, an old woman the town has dubbed Crazy Carla disagrees. She says she saw everything, and she contradicts the investigating detective’s notes, yet the local cops pursued only one lead, the father.
As Mark secretly delves into the closed case and realizes that nothing adds up, he reaches out to social worker Billy Jo McCabe. Did social services receive any suspicious reports about the girl or her parents? What Billy Jo soon discovers is a family of secrets, a volatile marriage, and a forbidden relationship—and the mystery of the missing girl, whose body has never been found, becomes a case that should never have been closed.
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Imagine a scene: Two young teenage boys walk into an outhouse at the ferry terminal. Shortly after, there’s a boom and some smoke. What do you think could possibly have happened?

Yes, this really occurred on the island, where kids have to take the ferry to school every morning and then wait with all the other kids on that same ferry in the afternoon to go home. It can be a tedious, boring ride, so crowded that no one can social distance, and then there are all the adults sitting in their cars, parked in line, also waiting to get on. One ferry worker is standing there, and his only job is to direct traffic onto the ferry when it’s ready to load and make sure no one cuts into the line. (That has happened, and I wrote about it in another post.)

But as far as bathrooms at the dock on the island, you’re looking at one of those portable outhouses—not exactly the kind of bathroom anyone is lining up to use. In fact, it’s a last resort. The daily commuters comprise the twenty to thirty kids dropped off by the school bus, a few teachers, and the minimum-wage frontline workers who commute because the island no longer has affordable housing. Among this bunch are two teenage boys who walk past the line of cars to the outhouse. At this point, you may be wondering what they’re doing, but instead everyone waiting to walk onto the ferry or sitting parked in their cars carries on with their own business, looking at their phones, playing games, or staring off into space.

Then something catches your eye. You’re not sure—a waft of smoke? This is followed by a loud boom. Now everyone is looking, staring in horror, watching as smoke wafts up from the outhouse. Yet the two teenage boys aren’t running; they’re casually walking back down to the ferry dock as if nothing is wrong. Would you expect anyone to do something, say something, call someone? There’s no fire, only smoke, and the nuisance bomb that was set off has likely only created the kind of mess no one wants to clean up. Now the ferry is docking, and no one wants any disruption in getting on and back home or wherever they’re going.

When I heard this had happened, hearing a blow by blow of the shenanigans of those two teenage boys, I had a good chuckle. “Hey, guess what? Two boys blew up the outhouse at the ferry today,” I was told. Of course, I thought, You mean the disgusting, dirty one no one wants to use? I could really imagine two teenage boys walking to the outhouse together and then walking away five minutes later as it blew up.

Now, if any of you have read The O’Connells, you’ll know that sort of prank is something Marcus O’Connell would have been all over during his teenage bad-boy years. In fact, his name would have been graffitied near the incident, marking him as the mastermind behind it. And he wouldn’t have done it alone, instead roping his brother Ryan in as his sidekick and partner in crime. Where the two of them were concerned, trouble was something to get neck deep in. Though Marcus never got caught, Ryan was a different story. Marcus was wily, smart, and as he says, that’s likely why he’s such a good cop today. When you understand that kind of trouble, having gotten up to it yourself, you have a pretty good idea of who might be behind it when a similar incident occurs.

But back to those boys and the outhouse on the island. There were adults in their cars, even a few teachers, and island workers waiting with the crowds to board the ferry to go home, yet no one said anything. My response was, “You mean no one called the police, the fire department? No ferry worker walked over to see what had happened? No one got out of their car?” Apparently, no one did. There were just a few headshakes and a few looks at the boys. As the ferry docked and unloaded, the boys made their way into the crowd of walk-ons, and the cars boarded, and the only thing that happened to that outhouse was that a worker taped it off. No one said anything, no one did anything, and no one seemed to care.

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“Lorhainne Eckhart is one of my go to authors when I want a guaranteed good book. So many twists and turns, but also so much love and such a strong sense of family.” (Lora W., Reviewer)
New York Times & USA Today bestseller Lorhainne Eckhart is best known for writing Raw Relatable Real Romance where “Morals and family are running themes.” As one fan calls her, she is the “Queen of the family saga.” (aherman) writing “the ups and downs of what goes on within a family but also with some suspense, angst and of course a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.” Follow Lorhainne on Bookbub to receive alerts on New Releases and Sales and join her mailing list at LorhainneEckhart.com for her Monday Blog, all book news, giveaways and FREE reads. With over 120 books, audiobooks, and multiple series published and available at all, retailers now translated into six languages. She is a multiple recipient of the Readers’ Favorite Award for Suspense and Romance, and lives in the Pacific Northwest on an island, is the mother of three, her oldest has autism and she is an advocate for never giving up on your dreams.
“Lorhainne Eckhart has this uncanny way of just hitting the spot every time with her books.”
(Caroline L., Reviewer)
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Whisper ~ A YA Romantic Thriller by Tracy Bilen

Posted: May 12, 2021 in giveaways, Romance, thriller, YA
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Whisper
Tracy Bilen
Publication date: May 8th 2021
Genres: YA Romantic Thriller

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Stop him.

After her friend Samantha is murdered, seventeen-year-old Olivia is the only one who still hears her voice.

Years ago, Jacob closed his eyes. In a park. Playing hide-and-seek. His little brother is still missing. And Jacob’s mom is the FBI agent who couldn’t find him.

Now Jacob has dreams he can’t explain. And draws faces of those about to die.

In a town terrorized by a serial killer, Jacob meets Olivia. Sparks ignite.

Until the voice in Olivia’s head echoes the warning in Jacob’s dream…

You’re next.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

CHAPTER 1: OLIVIA

My dad used to tell me there are people inside of marbles. They were always talking to him. Whenever I wanted to play a game, he would pick the one with marbles. Only we wouldn’t actually move the marbles. My dad would just stare at them. Finally I stopped asking to play games. But that didn’t matter. My dad would still get out the game with the marbles, and he’d put the marbles in their little resting spots and watch them. And listen.

At Samantha’s house, her three-year-old sister, Cara, is playing a marble game with one of her friends. They’re off in a corner by themselves, probably wondering why all these people are stuffed inside the house, wearing dark clothes, crying randomly, and talking in hushed voices. Cara wasn’t at Samantha’s funeral. Does she understand that her sister is never coming home?

I move away from Cara and fill a plate with cubes of cheese, triangles of salami, and round crackers. I chew, swallow, and make small talk. But mostly I just stare out the window at the pool and remember the last time I was here. Sixth grade. A pool party for Samantha’s birthday. She and I were friends then. We stopped being friends sometime in seventh grade. I think it had something to do with green slime, a ham sandwich, and a guy we both liked, though I’m not really sure anymore. It all seems pretty stupid now, which gives me a lumpy ache in my throat, and makes me feel like a fraud for being here. But the whole junior class was at the funeral, all ninety-eight of us.

Make that ninety-seven.

Plus a good part of the rest of the high school. And although not everyone made their way here after the funeral, the house is still packed, with people spilled out onto the lawn, hovering by the pool, and clutching their paper plates as if they’re life preservers.

My best friend, Julia, slides up next to me. Her chestnut brown hair is arranged in its usual French braid, except a lot of strands that she missed are poking out today. She takes a loose bit and wraps it around her finger.

“Brings back memories, huh?” she says, following my gaze to the pool. “Remember that sleepover in sixth grade?”

“Yeah, that was fun.” Except now my brain jumps right from sleepover to sweet dreams. The Sweet Dreams Strangler.

I shake my head, trying to blot out the images seared into my mind by the news media. Images of Samantha, lying in a field wearing a beautiful dress, her head on a pillow, hair neatly arranged, hands folded.

Beautiful. But dead. Strangled. I don’t know what to say, even to Julia. I look back out the window. A cardinal is perched on the feeder, picking through seeds, scattering debris on the ground.

“It sure is stuffy in here,” Julia says.

I’m about to agree when a wall of cold air hits me. “Mrs. Young must have read your mind. Wow. That feels good.”

Julia scrunches up her face. “What are you talking about?”

“The air. She turned on the air. Don’t you feel it?”

“No. Are you under a vent or something?” Julia peers up at the ceiling.

“Here, switch places with me.”

“It’s just as hot here—”

“It’s just as cold—”

We say it at the same time. “I guess it’s just your wishful thinking.” Julia pats my shoulder. “Enjoy. I’m going to get some more to drink.”

I nod and head across the room, by the TV, where hopefully it’s warmer.

Goose bumps pop up on my arms. I rub them, but it doesn’t help.

Next to me Josh Wallace tosses a cube of cheese into his mouth. Is that sweat dripping off his forehead? Why am I the only one shivering?

I spot a decorative blanket on the couch. Should I? I tap Marcus on the shoulder. “Sorry, could you lean forward? I just need to get something behind you.” I tug at the blanket and drape it over my shoulders.

Julia is back with a drink in her hand. “Why do you have a blanket wrapped around you? Are you feeling okay?”

“Not really,” I answer. “What’s that noise?”

“What noise?”

“That buzzing sound. Is that the TV? Maybe someone turned it on without switching on the cable box.” I fumble with the buttons on the TV. An image flashes across the screen, and a voice blares.

Funeral services were held today for Samantha Young, the fourth victim of the Sweet Dreams Strangler.

Mrs. Young hovers in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. All the color drains from her face.

I can’t seem to move. Julia turns off the TV. The buzzing grows louder, and then I realize that it’s voices I’m hearing, lots of them, all blending together into one big buzzing sound.

And then the buzzing fades away until I hear only one voice.

Olivia.

It’s not real. I know it’s not real.

Olivia.

It’s not real because the voice is Samantha’s, and Samantha is dead.

Olivia!

It’s not real because the voice is not coming from a person. It’s coming from a fricking figurine on the mantel. From a yellow bird with black wings and a black head. I pick up the figurine, and I hold it in my hands. This is what my dad meant when he said there were people living in marbles. And then it speaks again.

Olivia! Stop him!

Even though I’m kind of expecting it, Samantha’s voice scares me all the same. It makes me jump and my hands open up and that figurine smashes on the floor and breaks. And I’m a little glad because maybe now the voice will stop. But suddenly I’m burning up, the salami and cheese rumbles around in my stomach, and before I can sit, the room spins all around me and darkness sets in.

Author Tracy Bilen

Tracy Bilen is the author of What She Left Behind and Whisper. She is a high school French teacher in Michigan where she lives with her husband and children. Tracy studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and taught Spanish at a high school ski academy. She loves biking, traveling, and red velvet cake.

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Pierced Peony ~ A Motts Cold Case Mystery by Dahlia Donovan

Posted: May 10, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Pierced Peony
Motts Cold Case Mystery Book 2
by Dahlia Donovan
Genre: Cozy Mystery
On a casual walk along the Cornish Coast, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley stumbles upon a body and a perilous new murder case in the second novel in the Motts Cold Case Mystery series.
As spring rolls into summer, Motts settles into her cottage. She’s enjoying a daily stroll when a body in the sea destroys her peace and quiet. It brings yet another mystery for her to solve.
How does a woman who vanished from Polperro three years prior wind up battered by waves?
Motts is drawn into the investigation despite her best attempts. She finds a family in turmoil and loads of suspects. With no easy answers, she tumbles further into chaos and ever closer to danger.
Can Motts find the killer before she’s the one put on ice?
Will she survive a bone-chilling brush with death?
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Poisoned Primrose
Motts Cold Case Mystery Book 1
“Wonderful mystery with a unique and special heroine!” – A Cozy Cup of Murder
Meet Motts and the quirky cast of characters in her world. Poisoned Primrose is a quintessential cosy British mystery and an all-round fun story to throw yourself into.
Autistic, asexual, and almost forty, Pineapple “Motts” Mottley flees London with her cat and turtle to a quaint cottage in Cornwall. She craves the peace of life in a small village. The dead body buried in her garden isn’t quite what she had in mind, though.
Unable to resist her curiosity, she falls directly into a mess of trouble and runs head-first into the attractive detective inspector, Teo Herceg. She tries to balance her business with the investigation, but as the killer focuses on her, staying alive becomes trickier than advanced origami.
Will Motts survive the onslaught of murderously bad luck?
Can she solve the mystery before it all spins out of control and off a cliff?
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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
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Peaches And Schemes ~ A Georgia B&B Mystery by Anna Gerard

Posted: May 8, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Peaches And Schemes

A Georgia B&B Mystery

by Anna Gerard

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Peaches and Schemes: A Georgia B&B Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (May 11, 2021)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1643855840
ISBN-13: 978-1643855844
Digital ASIN: B08FZLH8HS

In Anna Gerard’s third delightful Georgia B&B mystery, Nina Fleet learns that despite the satin, lace, and buttercream trappings, weddings often prove to be anything but sweet…

 

Nina Fleet might be new to the innkeeping business, but she’s savvy enough to know that Cymbeline’s tourists aren’t enough to keep her fledgling bed and breakfast going. And so, Nina decides to tap into the destination wedding market by taking a booth at the Veils and Vanities Bridal Expo. The twice-yearly event is sponsored by the town’s two wedding pros: Virgie Hamilton, the sixtysomething owner of Virgie’s Formals, and Roxanna Quarry, a Gen X event planner and Nina’s new friend. But everything goes wrong during the expo’s fashion show, when Roxanna comes tumbling out of an oversized prop wedding cake, strangled to death by her own scarf.

 

Virgie is arrested for the crime, thanks to Nina’s statement to the police about having overheard the woman accusing her partner of embezzlement. Meanwhile, the situation grows tense with her sometimes nemesis and current tenant, the dashing out-of-work actor Harry Westcott. Harry is concentrating on plugging his most recent side hustle …but he’s not too busy to break the news to Nina that her ex-husband is engaged to be married again.

 

Certain that Virgie’s only offense is a bad temper, Nina decides to do her own investigating. First, however, she and Harry retrieve Roxanna’s now ownerless dog, planning to foster him until a new home can be found. But local gossip soon convinces Nina that others beside Virgie might have had reason to murder Roxanna. As Nina gets close to the truth, she’s putting her own life at danger. And when Virgie vanishes after being bailed out of jail by an unknown benefactor, Nina fears that if she can’t find the dress shop owner in time, tying the knot will take on a whole new meaning for them both.

 

About Anna Gerard

DIANE A.S. STUCKART began her writing career in the 1990s as the critically acclaimed author of historical romance under the names Alexa Smart and Anna Gerard. She later switched to the mystery genre and is the NYT bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries (written as Ali Brandon) and the award-winning Leonardo da Vinci historical mysteries. Her Tarot Cats Mystery series launched in 2018 with FOOL’S MOON. Her Georgia B&B Mystery series (also written as Anna Gerard) debuted in 2019 with PEACH CLOBBERED. Kirkus Reviews describes that book as “Filled with Southern charm and enough ditzy characters to keep readers guessing and laughing.” Book 3 in that series, PEACHES AND SCHEMES—her 17th published novel—will be on the shelves May 2021.

Author Links : Website / Facebook / Book Lovers Bench

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

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The Ghost And The Haunted Portrait ~ A Haunted Bookshop Mystery by Cleo Coyle

Posted: May 4, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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The Ghost And The Haunted Portrait

A Haunted Bookshop Mystery

by Cleo Coyle

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The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher: Berkley (May 4, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 0425251861
ISBN-13: 978-0425251867
Digital ASIN: B08274WCLM

Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her gumshoe ghost team up to solve the stunning mystery at the heart of a madwoman’s self-portrait in this all new installment from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

 

While gathering a collection of vintage book cover paintings for a special event in her quaint Rhode Island bookshop, Penelope discovers a spooky portrait of a beautiful woman, one who supposedly went mad, according to town gossip. Seymour, the local mailman, falls in love with the haunting image and buys the picture, refusing to part with it, even as fatal accidents befall those around it. Is the canvas cursed? Or is something more sinister at work?

 

For answers, Pen turns to an otherworldly source: Jack Shepard, PI. Back in the 1940s, Jack cracked a case of a killer cover artist, and (to Pen’s relief) his spirit is willing to help her solve this mystery, even if he and his license did expire decades ago.

 

About Cleo Coyle

Cleo Coyle – Alice Alfonsi – Marc Cerasini

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries—now celebrating eighteen years in print. They are also authors of the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, previously written under the pseudonym Alice Kimberly. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also both bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together.

Author Links: Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Bookbub / Goodreads / Instagram

Purchase Links:

Amazon    Barnes & Noble     Kobo     Google Play    IndieBound

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 4 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

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May 5 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW

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May 12 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 13 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  

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May 13 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Justice ~ A Choose A Hero Romance by Tracy Tappan

Posted: May 3, 2021 in giveaways, Romance
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Justice organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Tracy Tappan will be awarding one “Hero” coffee mug: Keith or Brayden or Pete, winner’s choice which one. (US only shipping) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

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

Justice

by Tracy Tappan

Justice: A Choose A Hero Romance™ by [Tracy Tappan]

Synopsis

A star athlete with a notorious reputation, Justine “Justice” Hayes is offered the chance to join the United States’ elite Special Operations Forces. SOF is standing up three new units called “Special Missions,” and Justice’s past as a master thief makes her perfect to lead one of these intelligence-gathering teams.

But an impossible condition stands between her and her dream job.

She has to survive the Navy’s most intensive and grueling SPECWAR training program: BUD/S.

Despite opposition, Justice soon finds herself wearing the rank of a Navy ensign and competing with some of America’s toughest men. Two of these SEAL candidates will come to test her mind and her heart, as much as her will to keep business and pleasure firmly separate. Temptations multiply when she crosses swords with the cocky helicopter pilot who commands her Special Missions flight crew.

Her vow to maintain a professional distance is finally shaken when an unorthodox training exercise goes terribly wrong. In the brutal aftermath, she needs a man who cares about her to help her fully heal. But which hero will ultimately win her…?

The gentleman? The leader? The wild one?

YOU CHOOSE!

In this unique Choose A Hero Romance™, the reader decides which hero will earn a happily ever after with Justice Hayes.

Love every hero in his own way?
You can have as many happily-ever-afters as you want!

When you’re finished with one ending, simply choose another and keep reading.

All endings are available NOW

AMAZON

Check out this peek inside:

Justice followed Pete inside his stateroom and banged the door shut. Loud noise: generated for reasons of temperamental satisfaction. She stood rigidly in place, lungs working hard. Beyond words. If the appearance of her eyeballs was anything like her vision, they probably looked like they’d been dunked in Red Dye Number Forty.

A man who knew what restraint actually was would’ve handled a woman in her condition—like a stick of dynamite on the tail end of its fuse—in a conciliatory fashion.

Maybe, All right now, what’s wrong?

Or, Come on, let’s work this out.

But no.

First thing out of Pete Robbins’s mouth was a Scottish accent. “She cannae take any more, Captain. She’s gonna blow!”

Astounded. Then murderous. Many more things, but Justice’s brain was actually spluttering. Robbins was mimicking Scotty from Star Trek. “You’re going to make a joke out of this?”

He shrugged. “Until I know what’s wrong, sure.”

According to the pressure in her ear canals, she was currently standing eight leagues under the sea. “What’s wrong,” she gritted back, “is that you’re dangerous.”

He perked up. “Oh, we’re doing Top Gun now? Cool.” He rolled into mimicking Maverick. “That’s right, Ice…Man. I am dangerous.” He gestured at her face. “Now you bite your teeth at me.”

She totally lost it.

Grabbing the collar of his flight suit in both fists, she slammed him back against the bulkhead. The metal wall rattled as if all the rivets were coming loose—she’d gained an unrealized amount of strength over the past months at BUD/S.

About Author Tracy Tappan

Tracy Tappan

Tracy Tappan is a bestselling and award-winning author and the creator of the Choose A Hero Romance™ reading experience, a brand-new concept in storytelling where the reader controls the ending. You can find out more about this exciting new trend at http://www.chooseahero.com.

Tracy’s books in paranormal and military romance have earned both bronze and gold medals in the Readers’ Favorite contests, have finaled for the USA Book News and Kindle Book Awards, and won both the HOLT Medallion and the Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY) bronze medal for romance.

Tracy holds a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, Child Counseling (MFCC), loves to play tennis, enjoys a great glass of wine, and talks to her Labrador like he’s a human (admittedly, the wine drinking and the dog talking probably go together).

A native of San Diego, Tracy is married to a former Navy helicopter pilot, who retired after thirty years of service and joined the diplomatic corps. He and Tracy currently live in Rome, Italy.

Visit her website and join the gang on her monthly newsletter for giveaways, publication updates, and other fun and sexy news.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Goodreads / Amazon / Choose A Hero Website

 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

What’s New On My Book Shelf #394 and The Sunday Post

Posted: May 2, 2021 in Freebies!, giveaways, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: ,
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Reading, Read, Peaceful, Woman, Dusk, Outside, Outdoors

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Sunday Post

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

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Some chit chat.

Hi y’all! Long time no see. It’s been several weeks since I’ve done a Sunday Post and I’ve sure missed it. The past year has been filled with many changes and so much to do. I’m looking forward to something close to normal again.

On a better note, I finally get a day off. Today!! Cross your fingers for sunshine so I can finally get in the pool!

Stay safe and have a great new week!

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Some of my new books.

Chaos in Little Leaf Creek (A Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery Book 1) by [Cindy Bell]  The Reluctant Florist: A Heartwarming Journey of Faith, Hope & Love (First Street Church Romances Book 1) by [Melissa Storm]  Murder at the Marina: A Quirky Cozy Mystery (A Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery Book 1) by [Ellen Jacobson]

Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by [Lisa Kröger, Melanie R. Anderson]  An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by [Helene Tursten, Marlaine Delargy]  55526432. sy475

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Here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Hopeless Pocus (A Witch Cozy Paranormal Mystery #1) (Hex Falls Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series) by [Ruby Rivers]  The Witching Place: A Fatal Folio (A Curious Bookstore Cozy Mystery—Book 1) by [Sophie Love]  But Wait, There’s Myrrh: Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mystery (MenoPaws Mysteries Prequel) by [Morgana Best]

Ghost Diaries, Case #1- Sarah Beth Hawkins by [Willow Cross, Covers by Magical Design, Melissa M. Ringsted]  The Secret Keepers (Black Water Tales Book 1) by [Jean Nicole Rivers]  Macabre Sanctuary by [Joan Hall, Mae Clair, Jan Morrill, Staci Troilo, Pamela Foster, Stacy Claflin, Michele Jones, K.E. Lane, Harmony Kent, C.S. Boyack]

The Mystery of the Five Oranges: A New Sherlock Holmes Mystery by [Craig Stephen Copland]  The Bones of Others (Skye Cree, Book 1) by [Vickie McKeehan]  Someone Knows Something by [Christa Weisman]

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Other posts on my blog this week.

Whole Latte Murder ~ An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery by Lena Gregory

If She Dies by Erik Therme ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

A Scene In Time by Jessica A. Clements ~ Audio Blitz and Giveaway

Reel To Reel by Isla Grey ~ Movie Mistakes From Hollywood’s Favorite Films

Condition Black ~ A Medical Thriller by Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington

Southern Sass And A Battered Bride ~ A Marygene Brown Mystery by Kate Young

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Whole Latte Murder ~ An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery by Lena Gregory

Posted: May 1, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Whole Latte Murder

An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery

by Lena Gregory

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Whole Latte Murder (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation Lyrical Press(April 27, 2021)
Paperback: 206 pages
ISBN-10: 1516110498
ISBN-13: 978-1516110490
Digital ASIN: B08F2X8NGW

Ex-New Yorker and local diner owner Gia Morelli is still getting used to the sweltering Florida sun. But this summer she’ll have to deal with a more dangerous kind of heat—when she’s hot on the trail of another murderer . . .

Summer in Boggy Creek has arrived, and Gia’s best friend, successful real estate agent Savannah, is getting hitched. Now she’s enlisted Gia’s sleuthing talents in a desperate search for the perfect wedding dress. But when Savannah mysteriously vanishes after showing a mansion to a bigwig client, Gia investigates the house Savannah was trying to sell. The first clue she finds is Savannah’s car in the driveway. Inside the house, they stumble on Savannah’s potential buyer—dead. Someone had apparently closed the deal—with a two by four full of nails to the client’s head. Soon afterward, a woman’s body is fished from the lake near the same house. The townsfolk are now sweating bullets over the murders, and the heat comes down on poor Gia to find her missing friend, and track down the killer . . .

About Lena Gregory

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

 

Author Links : Newsletter / Website / Facebook / Facebook  Author Page

Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest / Instagram / Amazon / Bookbub

Purchase Links:

Amazon    Barnes & Noble      Kobo    Kensington     Apple    Google Play

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 26 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

If She Dies by Erik Therme ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: April 29, 2021 in giveaways, Mytery/Thriller
Tags: , ,
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If She Dies

by Erik Therme

55691874. sy475

 

GENRE:   Psychological Thriller

Synopsis

Nine months ago, Tess’s five-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. The driver, Brady Becker, was sentenced to two years in prison. It didn’t make Tess’s pain go away.

Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve who walks to Chandler Middle School every day. Tess knows this because she’s been watching Eve for the last three weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.

When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.

Or so she believes.

Check out this peek inside:

“Oh my God,” a voice moans.

It comes from behind me, and panic permeates every inch of my skin as I whirl and see Meg Becker standing in the parking lot looking as stunned and horrified as me.

“What?” I rasp.

“I didn’t believe them,” Meg says in a trembling voice. “They told me to come here and watch and wait, but they didn’t say for what or that it was you.” Her face begins to twitch and pull. “How could you do this? Eve had nothing to do with what happened to your daughter!”

“I-I . . . didn’t,” I stammer, shrinking against the driver’s side door. “I got a text—”

“She’s here, isn’t she?” Meg cups a hand over her mouth and her eyes go wide as she points a shaky finger at room ten. “You were going into that room. Is that where she is? Oh, God—is Eve in there right now?”

Meg’s words are so muffled, they’re almost inaudible, and before I can even begin to formulate a response, she goes to room ten and claws open the unlocked door.

“Wait!” I cry, but it’s too late; Meg is inside the room, and without thinking, I move forward two steps, heart thundering, trying to see who or what’s inside . . .

. . . but the room is empty. No, not empty—there’s something lumpy and pink on the bed, and my blood runs cold when I realize it’s Eve’s backpack.

 

Author Erik Therme

 

Erik Therme

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.

 

Buy Links: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Audible US / Audible UK

 

Social media: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Bookbub

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

 

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