Posts Tagged ‘mystery’

Slashing Mona Lisa ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Posted: August 17, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, Romance, suspense
Tags: , ,
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Slashing Mona Lisa
by D.M. Barr
Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense 
 
Killer body or body killer? When fat shaming backfires…
Most people are dying to lose a few pounds. Not so in Slashing
Mona Lisa, where it’s the weight-loss advocates who
are losing their lives.
Whenever Terry Mangel’s body acceptance revival meeting rolls into town,
local diet execs and “fat shamers” turn up dead, often in
grotesque, ironic ways. All single murders in small suburbs, no one’s
noticed the pattern…until now.
Rookie journalist Camarin Torres is a crusader against discrimination,
partially to assuage the guilt she feels over the suicide of her
obese, bullied twin sister. She reluctantly accepts a job offered by
handsome publisher Lyle Fletcher, a widower with a vendetta, who sees
Torres as salvation for Trend, his fledgling fashion magazine.
Torres, however, detests everything the publication stands for,
and joins solely to transform its judgmental, objectifying content.
As an unexpected romance blossoms, the overconfident, justice-hungry
reporter defies orders and infiltrates Mangel’s world—only to find
herself in the crosshairs of a vigilante group targeting the
sixty-billion-dollar diet industry. Unmasking the killer may save her
life but shatter her heart: every clue seems to implicate Fletcher,
her mercurial mentor and lover, as the group’s mastermind.
With a sassy, snarky voice and multi-cultural overtones, Sashing
Mona Lisa explores body shaming and its victims:
the disenfranchised who don’t conform
to society’s arbitrary norms, and the lengths they will go to for
love and acceptance.
Content Warning:
contains some strong language, violence, and explicit sexual scenes
 
 
WHO IS D.M. BARR?
By day, a mild-mannered salesperson, wife, mother, rescuer of senior
shelter dogs, competitive trivia player and author groupie, happily
living just north of New York City. By night, an author of sex,
suspense and satire.
My background includes stints in travel marketing, travel journalism,
meeting planning, public relations and real estate. I was, for a long
and happy time, an award-winning magazine writer and editor. Then
kids happened. And I needed to actually make money. Now they’re off
doing whatever it is they do (of which I have no idea since they
won’t friend me on Facebook) and I can spend my spare time weaving
tales of debauchery and whatever else tickles my fancy.
The main thing to remember about my work is that I am NOT one of my
characters. For example, as a real estate broker, I’ve never played
Bondage Bingo in one of my empty listings or offed anyone at my local
diet clinic.
But that’s not to say I haven’t wanted to…
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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The Friday 56 #189 ~ The Dog Thief

Posted: August 10, 2018 in Mystery, The Friday 56
Tags: ,
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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from:

The Dog Thief

Coyote Run #1

  by Marta Acosta

The Dog Thief (Coyote Run Book 1) by [Acosta, Marta]

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre:

From 24% in the eBook.

“Sasha, what’s the difference between a dog and a spouse?”

“I don’t know.”

“After a year together, a dog is still happy to see you every time you come home.”

~~~~~

Synopsis

Can she save herself by saving the dog she loves?
From Library Journal Women’s Summer Reading & Romantic Times Editor’s Choice author Marta Acosta comes a “heart-breaking and heart-warming” novel about taking risks, making friends, and finding love, while staying true to yourself.

Broken-hearted Maddie Whitney, aka Mad Girl, is a dog trainer whose significant behavioral issues make her an outcast in the small rural California town of Coyote Run. When Maddie discovers a murdered woman in a field, she impulsively claims that she’s an animal psychic to promote her canine rehabilitation center and save the family ranch.

Now the girl who can’t make eye contact is the focus of the wrong kind of attention.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

The first cover is the edition I own.

Here are three alternative covers.

37663086  39022813

Which do you like best?

The book is free on Amazon. Click o any cover to grab a copy.

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The Mystery Of Flight 2222 ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 8, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews, suspense
Tags: , , ,
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The Mystery of Flight 2222
by Thomas Neviaser
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
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My Review
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A man and a woman play a silly guess the name game to pass the time while their plane speeds across the ocean. Is it coincidence or fate that the two strangers wind up sharing a life raft with the seven people they chose for their game when the plane nose dives into the ocean?  One by one they start to succumb to the physical and psychological terrors they are faced with. They’re playing a new game now. One where some or none may survive the outcome.

I had a good vibe about this book. First, that killer cover promised me some extreme situations. Then, the synopsis promised some more. While the beginning was a bit slow as the author set up her characters, the rest of the read was like a bullet leaving a gun barrel.

Part horror. part mystery, a whole lot surreal, and one twist and then another and another had me wondering how the author was going to wrap this up. I never saw it coming. Really.

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Two strangers meet while seated together on a long distance air flight.
The more seasoned of the two creates a game to pass the time. They
choose seven passengers and proceed to guess their names, age,
occupation, marital status, and personality. Later, they are informed
of severe mechanical problems disabling the plane, leading to a crash
into the sea. They survive along with only seven other passengers,
incredibly the seven people from the game they had just played. The
subsequent prolonged and horrifying adventure in a raft presents many
obstacles to their survival including sharks, severe weather, death,
hunger, thirst, declining physical and mental health, paranoia, and
pirates of the high seas. Their long awaited rescue from the ravages
of the sea is just the beginning of their trip to Hell and back.
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Enjoy this peek inside:
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The sun was setting, and a cool breeze had begun to blow. Frank awoke to see Yuto and Soo Mi staring at the sea, then splashing their faces with seawater. Helen’s head was lying in Frank’s
lap, the back of her head blood-caked. He soaked a rag with water and attempted to moisten the blood to remove it. She tried to open her eyes, but the seawater mist had evaporated, and a salty crust covered her eyelids. Frank dabbed the rag on her eyes gently.
“Thanks. Any signs of…?” Helen whispered.
“No. They’ll be here soon.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Hey, this is the twenty-first century. Technology and all that stuff. They know we’re down. They will search for us,” Frank said authoritatively.
“It’s been quite a while, you know.”
“Yeah, I know, but only a day,” he said, panning the sky. Noticing more water at his feet than just a few minutes ago, he grabbed one of the plastic cups retrieved from the plane and bent over
and bailed water out of his area of the raft and passing it on to Yuto, motioning that he do the same and pass it on. “This will be an ongoing thing unless we can stop it,” he said to Yuto.
The others also seemed to understand.
Feeling a bit refreshed, Frank stood carefully, inspecting the nooks and crannies of the raft hoping to find something new. The tip of a red strap peeked out under Otto. Kneeling down and
crawling to him, Frank pointed down. Otto reacted and rolled to his left, and Frank pulled on the rubbery material attached to the strap. Whatever it was, it was huge and bright red.
“That’s a cover for this raft. This will stop the water from soaking us, and if it rains, it sure will be a Godsend,” Kimberly said softly while replacing the rag on her bloody head.
Frank wondered why she hadn’t offered this information before. He guessed she was injured more than she or he suspected. She, indeed, was acting unusual.
That gash is pretty big. Did she suffer a concussion, too?
The cover was spread out, the edges lying on each passenger’s lap. Each connection on the cover fit raised areas on the top of the sides of the raft, and the cover was soon being attached in an
organized fashion. Once raised by two inflatable poles in the middle and to the sides, window flaps could be lowered to allow the breeze, if any, to ventilate the inside yet keep out the penetrating sun and exhausting heat. A silent celebration of sips from liter bottles of water followed.
Flairs, a beacon, water, food, a flashlight, and now a cover. Christ, this is incredible. Kate would be proud that we found them. Now, I have to be sure we don’t lose them. We really need food.
“What about food?” Otto asked.
A mind reader, now?
“There’s a two-day supply of food rations in all rafts, uh, and, I think, saltwater desalting kits. I’m getting sort of goofy so let me think here. There is also a little, uh, fishing kit, I think. Yeah,
there is. What else? Uh, a knife somewhere, and, geez, I can’t seem to remember everything.”
“We have some unused platters from last night’s dinner, too—not many of them, mind you. Have to go slow with them just like the water,” Frank said, considering the request spooky,
especially right after he’d thought of food.
“I’m damn hungry. Break one of those suckers open now,” Otto said, raising his voice.
Frank viewed the other’s affirmation of Otto’s request and opened two dinners. The food was devoured in no time. Frank reminded them not to drink too much water, but his pleas were being
ignored, especially by Otto and Homer.
Better get found soon. The water and food will be gone shortly if these fools don’t heed the warnings. Shit, the more that fat bastard drinks, the more the others will drink to keep up.
“Listen up, folks. I’m not kidding. I know you all think we are going to get rescued soon, but what if we were way off course, and they’re searching elsewhere? We have to conserve food and
water for the worst possible scenario.”
No one seemed to hear his voice.
Finally, Helen spoke up. “Listen to the man, you assholes. Stop drinking all the fucking water and eating the food. Before you know it, we’ll be destitute out here. Get real. We’re survivors of
a shitty crash. How often does that happen? Now, we need to rely on each other and get out of this shithole in one piece. Do you jerks want to live or die of stupidity?”
All eyes were upon Helen as she spoke about how cooperation must exist in this floating cosmos. Frank’s pleas had been rejected, but the faces of the others showed understanding,
reasoning, and concern.
Swearing at these idiots got their attention. I’ve told Kate this multiple times. She always scoffed at my justification for cussing. Wait until I tell her this one!
Cussing at times was a serious contention between Kate and Frank. Frank had been brought up with a bunch of boys in the neighborhood, and cursing was the way they made themselves feel
like adults and all grown up. The more you cursed, the more the others thought of you as ‘cool.’ However, Kate was not a fan of it. Her father did a lot of it, and it turned her off and embarrassed her for as long as she could remember. She loved her father, but his constant repetition of these words deflated his effect as a father figure in her eyes, and she didn’t want that to happen to their children so she always showed some obvious disappointment when he cursed, often saying, “You don’t want your little girl to grow up cussing, do you?”
But it was so difficult to stop cold turkey. It was as if the cursing was automatic, ingrained, so to speak. The words just blurted out without him thinking, often before he even knew he’d said
them. He thought Helen’s screaming and using the ‘F’ word proved his point. The people who weren’t listening were shocked into listening for sure. Wasn’t that a good thing?
“What’s that in the water?” Irving said, pointing out of his portal in the cover.
Everyone leaned toward him, and the raft shifted, throwing several of them into the middle, crushing some of the dinners. Some continued to try to view what Irving had seen while others
salvaged the food.
“Where?” Maxine asked.
“There,” he said.
“Shit. It’s a fin, a fucking shark’s fin. He’s going to attack. He’s a Great White. Jesus Christ, get us out of here,” shrieked Homer.
“Shut up, Homer. Stop making noise. It will only make him more suspicious. Sharks don’t attack just to attack,” said Irving.
“They do if they are hungry,” Homer blurted.
“Contrary to your stupid beliefs, they don’t, especially rafts and boats,” Irving replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Yeah, I saw Jaws,” Homer said with authority.
“That was Hollywood, not real life. Calm down. Keep quiet. Just watch the thing for now,” Frank suggested.
For the next few hours, they remained fixated on the shark. It flowed through the water effortlessly while the front end searched and the back end guided the head to and fro. Its movements
were repetitive and deliberate, and it certainly was not in a hurry and wasn’t acting agitated. At times, it seemed the shark actually was looking up at the passengers and then glancing down as it turned.
The gray leathery covering of its body was quite mesmerizing, and the dorsal fin was the central point, allowing them to follow it wherever it went. Occasionally, the shark dipped below the water, and the fin of the tail replaced it, but shortly after that, the dorsal fin reappeared and moved slowly past the raft. There were other sharks nearby, but this one was the closest and for the longest time.
Then, it was gone. They were all gone. Rain in the form of a warm shower began. Frank and Yuto, with the help from Kimberly, fashioned the cover’s top into a funnel to direct the rainwater
into some empty bottles. Others scooped up any extra rainwater they could and drank it. It was considered a blessing from above, for sure. Otto seemed to be a dying animal trying to suck up and
swallow any water near him. He couldn’t use his right hand, but he licked his shirt and pulled it up to his lips with the left hand, all the while jerking his body around to lick the raft’s edge where the
raindrops were so obvious as they hit. Kimberly used a gentler technique, cupping her hands and sipping from the heels of them as water fell onto her fingertips. Others just leaned back with open
mouths, and others placed their hands in a circle around their mouths as funnels.
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Dr. Neviaser is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and author of many medical articles,
papers, presentations, and contributions to medical texts.  He’s
written extensively on shoulder conditions, his specialty. He is
available as a speaker on most orthopaedic conditions.  His
dynamic presentations involve a great deal of audience participation
and personalized attention to attendees.
Dr. Neviaser is proud of his orthopedic guide book for the lay person, THE WAY I SEE
IT: A Head-to-Toe Guide Guide To Common Orthopaedic Conditions and
his first novel, YOU DEAR SWEET MAN.
He is now especially excited to introduce to his new novel,
THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 2222,
to be published this 2018 summer.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Summer McCloud Mysteries by Nikki Broadwell ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: August 6, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy
Tags: , ,
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Murder in Plain Sight
Summer McCloud Book 1
by Nikki Broadwell
Genre: Paranormal Mystery 
 
Like Stephanie Plum?
Just add ghosts and stir!
Summer is an amateur sleuth with the hots for a cop on the
local police force. And Jerry is on her trail, but not because
he wants her body.
Summer is a suspect in a murder investigation.
When Summer dons a wig and sunglasses and disappears,
her best friend, Agnes, is worried–
will Summer end up being another victim?
Meanwhile Jerry is seen on the news asking her to turn herself in.
Will she heed his warning?
Find out in this fast-paced sexy and humorous thriller by
picking up a copy now.
Note to readers:
If you are a stickler for police procedures or read a lot
of hard-boiled murder mysteries, this might not be the book for you!
 
 
Saffron and Seaweed
Summer McCloud book 2
 
Summer and Jerry’s romantic weekend takes a dark turn when they discover
the body of a young woman in the surf. 
When the local police deny the crime and the newspaper prints nothing,
Jerry and Summer realize they are on their own. But they have no idea
how deep they will have to dig to find out the truth. The murder is
only a thread in a web of lies that extends to the furthest reaches
of political office.
Are Summer’s visions to be the only clues? Jerry doesn’t think so,
his focus on good old-fashioned detective work, but when he doubts
her psychic abilities the trust between them begins to crumble.
As the days pass, Jerry and Summer come to understand that not only
their relationship, but their very lives are in jeopardy.
 
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Black and White and Red All Over
Summer McCloud Book 3
 
A terrible school shooting has the entire sleepy town of Ames in an
uproar. Who would do such a thing, and why can’t the witnesses
remember any details about the shooter? 
When Summer has a visit from a ghost she’s left wondering…could
someone long dead actually heft an assault rifle?
Along with the furor over the murders, Summer is falling for Jerry again,
despite his obvious deranged state of mind. Add to that the upcoming
wedding between Sam and Agnes, and include a smattering of ghosts and
possible psychopaths to the guest list, and you have a recipe for disaster.
 
 
 
Finlay’s Folly
Summer McCloud Book 4
 
Summer is in Scotland doing an errand for a ghost. But when she comes face
to face with her distant past her world turns upside down. 
Finlay Ross McCloud, a ghost in the Ames graveyard, has sent her on this
fool’s errand, his facts confused. And when Summer discovers the
truth she’s already in over her head.
Will she succumb to the charms of the handsome highlander she can picture
running across the moors in a kilt, or will she pull herself away
before it’s too late?
Find out in this fast-paced romantic tale of love and loss.
 
 
 
The Night of the Jaguar
Summer McCloud Book 5
 
A honeymoon without a husband is not so fun.
Akumal is beautiful, but without Jerry, Summer’s hopes of sunbathing,
margaritas, and rolling around in bed together, are ruined.
But it’s the dead body in the cenote that clinches it. Jerry is working
on a case that he never mentioned, and Summer is left out– that is
until she decides to do a little sleuthing herself.
Even with the help from ghosts and a jaguar Summer is out of her depth.
And when her life is put in in danger it is up to Jerry to save her.
Will he make it in time?
Find out by reading this fast-paced supernatural thriller.
 
 
 
 
I graduated with a BA in art and English from Sonoma State University
in California. I’ve been an avid reader since I first learned how and
a writer from my early teenage years on. I’ve had several art related
businesses, including greeting cards and more recently a silk
painting business. When I began to write in earnest I put aside the
art, concentrating only on the writing.
I’ve traveled a lot over the years, finding inspiration wherever I go.
Scotland holds a special place in my heart, hence the setting for
“The Moonstone”. I had to make a 4th trip there to do
research as I was putting the book together!
 
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summer mccloud teaser
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Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Beneath The Lighthouse ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: August 3, 2018 in giveaways, horror, Mystery, Supernatural, YA
Tags: , ,
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Displaying beneath-the-lighthouse-by-julieanne-lynch-banner.jpg

Beneath The Lighthouse

by Julieanne Lynch

39704429

Genre: YA Supernatural Horror, Mystery
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Number of Pages: 334
ISBN: 978-1-944109-59-2
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

My Review

Whenever I see the words haunted or possessed in a book description my attention zeroes in. Imagine my delight when I read that this has both.

The haunting starts fairly quickly and the blurb already tells you who’s the haunter and the hauntee. I felt that worked well as the author got right down to business. The haunting starts gradually with some odd events but soon, Jamie can’t even sleep in his own room. Later he hesitates to even go in his own house. Doesn’t matter once he gets possessed. The haunting follows him everywhere then. He’ll have to settle accounts with the ghost or die trying.

I often like a story where I have a good idea where the author is taking me. Then I can relax and roll with the story, or maybe not as this is filled with creepy atmosphere, not to mention some startling twists. The story really gets dark when the mystery of what really happened to Jaime’s sister is revealed and the consequences are doled out with horrific results.

Did this book scare me? Not enough to make me sleep with the lights on, but it did kind of creep me out. Would I read more by this author? Definitely. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely.

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Synopsis

SOME SECRETS ARE MADE TO BE UNCOVERED.

Sixteen-year-old Jamie McGuiness’s sister is dead. Sinking into a deep depression, he frequents the lighthouse where her body was discovered, unaware of the sinister forces surrounding him.

When an angry spirit latches onto Jamie, he’s led down a dark and twisted path, one that uncovers old family secrets, destroying everything Jamie ever believed in.

Caught between the world of the living and the vengeful dead, Jamie fights the pull of the other side. It’s up to Jamie to settle old scores or no one will rest in peace—but, first, he has to survive.

~~~~~

Enjoy this glimpse inside:

Jamie sat on the edge of his bed crying. Unable to stem the flow, he pounded his fist against the bed. The guilt-laden emotions swelled until they crushed him from the inside out, battered by the past.

If he had told his parents sooner about the things his sister Emer had been doing, she’d still be alive. Every time he thought of her, all the things he should have done to save her flooded through his mind. But he still ended up facing the harsh reality—he had failed her. It was his fault. A void like no other existed, leaving him in a limbo worse than death.

Jamie took off his school shirt and walked to the dresser. He grabbed a T-shirt from one of its drawers. He looked hard at his reflection in the mirror. How would it feel to not exist? The mirror showed the Jamie everyone knew and loved, yet his blue eyes were empty.

The young lad with dreams of playing for his favorite football team no longer existed. In his place stood a shadow, a living, breathing shell of the person he used to be. The ugliness of his home had become a constant reminder of the person he no longer was, and he hated himself even more. There was no escape or a happy ever after. Desolation and depression lurked in his future, and it hurt almost as bad as Emer’s death.

Jamie closed his eyes for a moment.

A chill, the same kind he’d felt in the library, pricked at his skin. The air grew thick and icy. Each labored breath became sharp. Every nerve in his body stood on edge, his senses on overdrive. He opened his eyes.

A shadow loomed behind him in the mirror’s reflection, its presence dominating him. He stood still, his heart pounding hard.

The shadow flowed, a discordant and uncoordinated swirling mesh of movement.

Jamie’s gaze remained locked on the mirror, unable to break free. The apparition descended upon him, shrouding him in its dark, wet residue. It moved through him.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His heart was in a vise, compressed by whatever moved through his core. His eyes bulged, and he gasped for breath. Cool air washed over him.

Water lapped around his ankles. A strange odor assailed his nostrils. Unsure of where he was, or why he was there, Jamie scrambled to make sense of it. One minute, he stood in his room. The next, he was confined in a pit.

Scream after scream ripped through his throat. Jamie struggled to find a way out. He caught sight of his hands … only they weren’t his. The shock silenced his screams.

He wasn’t in his body.

He saw things through someone else’s eyes. Darkness crowded the edges of his vision.

Back in his room, he stood in front of the mirror, trembling and soaking wet. Jamie searched the room, trying to figure out what had just happened. Nothing was out of place. He shivered. Nothing would ever explain what had just occurred.

Jamie took a few deep breaths and dried off, while sweat trickled down his brow. He put on a fresh change of clothes, doing his best not to think. Taking a step towards the door, he glanced around the room. Unease swarmed within him. He grabbed the door handle and swallowed the tight ball, which had formed in the back of his throat.

He closed the door tight behind him and whispered, “It’s all in your head.”

~~~~~

Author Julieanne Lynch

Julieanne Lynch is an author of YA and Adult genre urban fantasy books. Julieanne was born in Northern Ireland, but spent much of her early life in London, United Kingdom, until her family relocated back to their roots.
Julieanne lives in Northern Ireland, with her husband and five children, where she is a full-time author. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. Julieanne has several projects optioned for film.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go HERE to follow the tour.

~~~~~

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.

Teaser Tuesday #243 ~ Voodoo On The Bayou

Posted: July 31, 2018 in Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

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

 

My Teaser for this week is from

Voodoo On The Bayou

A Cajun Magic Mystery #1

by Elle James

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Paranormal / Romance / Mystery

  Teaser from 26% in the eBook.

Peering over, she leveled the net and scooped the fish out of the water, holding it high. A triumphant smile graced her lips. “I did it!” 

Her exuberance brought a smile to Craig’s face. “Very good. You caught a dead fish. Now, let’s move on to live frogs.”

I used to go night fishing for frogs. This brought back some fun memories.

This books is sexy, charming and fun.

~~~~~

Synopsis

“By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon…”

At first, lawyer and ladies’ man Craig Thibodeaux thought Madame LeBieu’s chant was a strange bayou joke. But the voodoo worked and Craig is spending his days as…well, a small green frog. Now he has only two weeks to find love, or his new froggy transformation becomes permanent.

When she receives the anonymous toxic water sample from Bayou Miste, research scientist Elaine Smith decides a trip to the bayou is the perfect excuse to escape the lab, and forget about her cheating ex-fiance. Then she accidentally stumbles upon Craig’s oh-so-fine naked form, and her science-nerd brain is overrun with naughty thoughts about her new gorgeous night-time bayou guide.

But there’s more to Bayou Miste than voodoo curses and sexy late-night trysts. Dark secrets threaten the delicate ecosystem, and there are those who would do anything to keep those secrets hidden. Even murder…

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

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The above cover is the one I own. This is the one I found on Goodreads.

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Which do you like better?

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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Dive Smack ~ Nerd Blast and Giveaway

Posted: July 24, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, suspense, YA
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Dive Smack

by Demetra Brodsky

Dive Smack Cover

Synopsis

Theo Mackey only remembers one thing for certain about the fire that destroyed his home: he lit the match.

Sure, it was an accident. But the blaze killed his mom and set his dad on a path to self-destruction. Everything else about that fateful night is full of gaping holes in Theo’s mind, for good reason. Maybe it’s better that way. As captain of the Ellis Hollow Diving Team, with straight A’s and solid friends, he’s only one semester away from securing a scholarship, and leaving his past behind.

But when a family history project gets assigned at school, new memories come rushing to the surface, memories that make him question what he really knows about his family, the night of the fire, and if he can trust anyone—including himself.

A 2018 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

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Praise for DIVE SMACK

“A tense psychological drama with a voice that pulls you in and a twist you won’t see coming, Dive Smack is an instant Hitchcockian classic!” —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten“A twisty, witty thriller readers will love puzzling through to the very end. A visceral, delightful debut.” —Carrie Mesrobian, author of William C. Morris award finalist Sex & Violence“This riveting debut will plunge readers into an accelerating coil of twists and turns as if in free fall, plummeting them from a precipice as they cling to the dwindling hope of safe entry into the mysterious darkness below.” —S.A. Bodeen, author of The Compound“Brodsky’s debut combines an engaging school story, filled with best friend shenanigans, first love, and a fascinating look at competitive diving, with a tense psychological mystery.” —Booklist“In an impressive debut, Brodsky injects her teen drama with ambiguity, and a subtle hint of paranormal phenomena, leaving readers to guess at what’s really going on. Strong characters and a compelling mystery make this a real page-turner.” —Publishers Weekly“A taut thriller with a twist ending that will blow your mind.” —Kim Liggett, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of The Last Harvest“Complex, thrilling, and with a pitch-perfect narrative voice, Dive Smack will leave you on the edge of your seat and unable to put this one down.” —C. Desir, author of Bleed Like Me

“Heartbreaking, human and heroic, Dive Smack is a Perfect 10!” —Karen LaFace, 1992 USA Olympic Springboard Diver

“A taut roller coaster of a thriller chock full of dark family secrets, twisty lies, and finally, the redeeming power of truth.” —Michelle Zink, author of This Wicked Game

 
Author Demetra Brodsky
 
Dive Smack Author
Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning graphic designer & art director turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs where she is always trying to make more time for the beach. Dive Smack is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you’ll understand why.
PHOTO CONTENT FROM DEMETRA BRODSKY

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Dive Smack Giveaway

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The Clock Flower ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: July 24, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, suspense
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Casey will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Clock Flower
by Barbara Casey
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Genre: Mystery / Suspense

Synopsis

Mackenzie Yarborough, one of the three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—finds herself facing a terrifying death of an ancient evil dragon while in China working on a secret research project and trying to discover the truth of her birth parents.

Enjoy the Excerpt:

Dara knew that once she started researching the ancient writing systems and language of Shandong Province, there was no way she was going to waste her time attending her required undergraduate classes when she could be working on her research. Therefore, with Dr. Chu’s permission and using the syllabi she received on the first day of classes, she simply completed all of the course work in advance and turned it in. Most of the professors only wanted a report anyway. “Now with that out of the way, I can turn my full attention to the Longshan period dating 2500-1900 BC and researching the early writing, language, and human sacrifice at the Shang Dynasty capital of Anyang,” she told Mackenzie, Jennifer, and Carolina during another one of their nightly visits by phone.

“I am so impressed, Dara,” said Carolina. “Not surprised that you could do it, but still impressed.”

Jennifer and Mackenzie agreed.

Dara had something else to tell them. “I was going to wait to talk to you about this once I had all of the details worked out, but since Mackenzie might be going to China over our winter break to visit the Yellow Sea Laboratories, I’d better go ahead and let you know what I am thinking.” Then she told them about Dr. Wu inviting her to the small village of Dawenkou in the Shandong Province over the winter break in order to meet the rest of the archeology team and see the dig site and their research facilities. “I was hoping the four of us could go together—check it out. Dr. Wu said you are more than welcome.” She hesitated, and when no one said anything, “Mackenzie, Dr. Wu said that the Yellow Sea Laboratories is also in the Shandong Province and near Dawenkou where the dig site is.”

“That’s right—Ling told me it is in the town of Puli.”

Carolina interrupted, “Did you say Puli?”

“Yeah, have you heard of it?” Mackenzie asked. “I don’t think it is a very big town—Ling calls it a village. It is located on the Yellow Sea, and it is near Qufu where Confucius lived. That is where her family and ancestors are from although she was born in Hawaii. And other than what I am doing at MIT, that is also where the research on the Clock Flower Project is being conducted.”

“Talk about coincidence,” Jennifer mumbled. “Well, I’m in,” but she couldn’t say anything else. The pounding in her chest, the painful heaviness of the rock, and the brilliance of the bright yellow and red took her breath. As the pain eased, she once again heard the delicate tones of the banhu—a little more distinct this time—a few more notes—another measure to be added to the symphony.

Carolina’s heart started to race, and it felt like all of the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Taking little breaths, she managed to say, “That goes for me, too.” Putting her hand on her chest and taking a deep breath, willing her heart to stop pounding, “I’ve never been to China, and this is too good of an opportunity to miss. Maybe they will let us tour the research lab, Mackenzie. And it will be great fun to see an actual working archeology site, Dara.”

But those weren’t the reasons she wanted to go; she knew when it concerned the FIGs, there was no such thing as coincidence. Larry had told her that he believed Mackenzie’s mother was from Puli and that is where she returned after giving birth. Something was happening which she didn’t understand. She had heard her mother’s warning, and she knew she needed to go to China. She needed to be with her girls. And she needed to protect Mackenzie.

About Author Babara Casey:

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books where she is involved in acquisitions and day-to-day operations and oversees book production.

Ms. Casey’s two middle-grade/young adult novels, Leilani Zan and Grandma Jock and Christabelle (James C. Winston Publishing Co., Trade Division) were both nominated for awards of excellence by the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, the National Association of University Women Literary Award and the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award. Shyla’s Initiative (Crossquarter Publishing Group), a contemporary adult novel (occult romance/mystery), received a 2003 Independent Publisher Book Award and also an award of special literary recognition by the Palm Beach County Cultural Council. The Coach’s Wife (ArcheBooks Publishing), also a novel for adults (contemporary/mystery), was semi-finalist for the 2005 Dana Award for Outstanding Novel and listed on the Publisher’s Best Seller List. The House of Kane (ArcheBooks Publishing), released in 2007, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination. Another contemporary novel for adults, Just Like Family, was released at Christmas 2009 when it received “Special Recognition from the 7-Eleven Corporation,” and The Gospel According to Prissy, also a contemporary novel written for adults, received a 2013 Independent Publishers Book Award for Best Book in Regional Fiction.

The Cadence of Gypsies, a novel written for young/new adults, was released in 2011 and was reviewed by the Smithsonian Institute for its List of Most Notable Books. In 2012, The Cadence of Gypsies was expanded into a four-book mystery series called THE FIG MYSTERIES: The Wish Rider (2016), The Clock Flower (2018), and The Nightjar’s Promise (to be released in 2019).

Ms. Casey also writes book-length nonfiction for adults. Kathryn Kelly: The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly was released in 2016 and has been optioned for a major movie. In 2018 her book Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave was released and it has been signed for a major movie.

Ms. Casey’s award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey’s essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation). Other award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories.

Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. She is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and writers’ conferences around the country including the SCBWI Regional Conference, the Harriett Austin Writers Conference in Athens, SIBA (Southeastern Independent Book Sellers Association), Florida Writers Association, and the University of Auburn, Montgomery.

In 2018, Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband and Benton, a hound mix who adopted her.

Website / Goodreads / Linkedin 

Purchase: Amazon

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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A Pilgrimage To Death by Alexa Padgett ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Posted: July 19, 2018 in giveaways, Mytery/Thriller
Tags: , , ,
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A Pilgrimage To Death
by Alexa Padgett
Publication date: August 14th 2018
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller
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Synopsis
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They murdered her sister. They threatened her church. But their day of reckoning will cost her everything…

When Cici Gurule finds the dead body of a parishioner in the nearby Santa Fe National Forest, she’s horrified to realize the victim bears the same stab wounds that ended her twin sister’s life one year earlier.

Now, as a freewheeling, progressive reverend who’ll stop at nothing to protect her flock, she’ll need to join forces with her detective friend and loyal pair of Great Pyrenees to hunt down the killer before she’s forced to officiate another funeral.

Soon, however, Cici discovers her sister was on the trail of a deep-rooted criminal operation, and her death was no random act of violence. With the criminals out for Cici’s blood, she needs to catch the wolf by the tail…before it goes in for the kill.

Fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and Stacy Claflin will love Alexa’s Padgett’s new edge-of-your-seat novel! Scroll up and click to start this fast-paced, high-octane mystery thriller!

Purchase:
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Author Alexa Padgett
A pil author

With a degree in international marketing and a varied career path that includes content management for a web firm, marketing direction for a high-profile sports agency, and a two-year stint with a renowned literary agency, award-winning author Alexa Padgett has returned to her first love: writing fiction.

Alexa spent a good part of her youth traveling. From Budapest to Belize, Calgary to Coober Pedy, she soaked in the myriad smells, sounds, and feels of these gorgeous places, wishing she could live in them all—at least for a while. And she does in her books.

She lives in New Mexico with her husband, children, and Great Pyrenees pup, Ash. When not writing, schlepping, or volunteering, she can be found in her tiny kitchen, channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa.

Author links:

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Book Blast and Giveaway ~ Bluebonnet Ballerina by Carol Kilgore

Posted: July 17, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, Romance
Tags: , ,
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Bluebonnet Ballerina

The Amazing Gracie Trilogy #2

by Carol Kilgore

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Genre: Mystery / Romance

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Synopsis

Gracie Hofner returns, and chaos reigns—including a couple of ghosts trying to save their granddaughter.
But as Gracie dances from problem to problem, she’s unaware the music has been orchestrated into a murderous symphony.
When a different melody reaches Gracie’s ears from a guitar played by the new tenant living in her garage apartment, her tension vanishes. She listens unseen, cocooned in the shadows on her patio, and wonders who he’s longing for—and how it would feel for a man to crave her that much.
She can’t dwell on those thoughts, however. Problems of murder and missing prisoners abound. To say nothing of the ghosts. No one ever said being a law enforcement consultant would be easy.
BLUEBONNET BALLERINA follows JALAPENO CUPCAKE WENCH and is the second book in The Amazing Gracie Trilogy.

Amazon

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Enjoy the excerpt:

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Gracie Hofner twitched with each exclamation.

“For crying out loud, Grace, you’d think I was trying to kill you.”

“You are. This is supposed to feel good.” Gracie tried to lift herself up.

Ariana held her down with one arm and tortured her with the other. “You’ve got a knot bigger than Thor’s fist in here. I’m working it loose.”

“It’ll work itself out.”

“No it won’t. It’ll give you a headache and neck spasms and a hitch in her side. Now lie still and shut up.” A hundred and ten skinny pounds of pure muscle and bone returned to attacking Gracie’s back.

Ariana Ayala was Gracie’s best friend, but when Ariana went into massage mode, arguing was futile. This was her first massage in her friend’s new studio, but nothing about her technique had changed. Gracie sighed and tried to relax. The more she loosened up, the harder Ariana dug. The woman had forty fingers and ten elbows, all of them poking Gracie’s sore back.

“Much better now.” Ariana continued to knead the same spot, except with much less pressure. That’s what it felt like, but Ariana always said the pressure was the same. The difference was the muscle had relaxed. “Next time I’ll work on it again. It won’t be so bad. You must’ve had one hell of a week.”

“Something like that.”

“You can tell me later. Relax now. You’ll enjoy the rest of this.”

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Author Carol Gilgore

Carol Kilgore

Carol Kilgore is the author of Jalapeno Cupcake Wench, Secrets Of Honor, Solomon’s Compass and In Name Only.

Carol Kilgore is the award-winning author of The Amazing Gracie Trilogy—Jalapeno Cupcake Wench, Bluebonnet Ballerina, and the upcoming third book. In addition, she is the author of In Name Only, Solomon’s Compass, and Secrets of Honor, three standalone romantic suspense novels set along the Texas Gulf Coast.

She and her husband live in San Antonio, the setting for the Amazing Gracie books, with two quirky herding dogs who still require help opening the food bin and the door.

You can learn more about Carol and be the first to know when the third book in the Amazing Gracie Trilogy will be released by visiting her website and subscribing to her newsletter at http://www.carolkilgore.net

Facebook / Twitter 

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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

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