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Posts Tagged ‘review’

The Puppy Who Knew Too Much ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: February 19, 2019 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: cozy mystery, giveaway, review

The Puppy Who Knew Too Much

A Dog Club Mystery

by V.M. Burns

The Puppy Who Knew Too Much (A Dog Club Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Lyrical Underground (February 12, 2019)
Paperback: 190 pages
ISBN-10: 1516107918
ISBN-13: 978-1516107919
Digital ASIN: B07D233MVK

My Review

Lilly is eager for a fresh start. Three months ago her cheating husband was murdered and she was the prime suspect. She’s finally cleared of suspicion and moves to Chattanooga and a new beginning, Her tiny poodle, Aggie, isn’t so keen on the move and finds creative ways to make it known. Fate is on Lilly’s side and she finds the perfect rental house and a great new job at the museum. But her rosy new life hits a bump in the road when she stumbles upon a dead body. Then her new house is ransacked. She won’t sit idly by when her new beginning is threatened.

I was surprised when I reached the end of this book. It felt like I’d just started it. I was immediately charmed by the characters. Lilly is so authentic and likable and would be such a great friend to have. Some other favorites are her boss and co-worker at the museum. I loved how they welcomed Lilly, made her feel at home, and how they actually used some of the antique pieces. Dixie is the perfect best friend. And her daughter and son-in-law are very supportive and a great couple. As for the grouchy neighbor, I couldn’t wait to see if she could win him over. The author brought them all to life and I had such fun getting to know them.

I don’t want to forget the other characters. The four legged ones. So many dogs in this book. I say, the more the merrier. Each have their own personalities and charms. And the part where Lilly’s daughter rescues a stray golden retriever had me almost in tears. So sweet.

The mystery here wasn’t easily solved. There were some obvious suspects and then some that lurked off the radar. I picked my culprit and followed the story closely, sniffing out clues, wandering off the obvious paths, and I was wrong. What a fun surprise.

This is my first book by V. M. Burns and I’m thrilled to discover another cozy author and series. I’ll be following these characters to their next adventure and I’ll miss them til we meet again.

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Lilly Echosby and her toy poodle Aggie find a fresh start in Chattanooga, Tennessee, spoiled by the scent of murder . . .

Having solved the shooting death of her cheating husband, Lilly’s left behind the drama of Lighthouse Dunes, Indiana, to start over in the hometown of her best friend, Scarlett “Dixie” Jefferson. As she gets settled in her new rented house, Lilly gives Aggie, short for Agatha Christie, her own fresh start by enrolling her in the Eastern Tennessee Dog Club, where Dixie is a trainer.

But drama seems to hound Lilly like a persistent stray. Her cranky new neighbor appears unfamiliar with Southern hospitality and complains that Aggie barks too much and digs up his prized tulips. But what the poodle actually unearths is the buried body of a mysterious man who claimed ownership of the lost golden retriever Lilly recently rescued. Now it’s up to Lilly and Dixie to try to muzzle another murderer . . .

Author V.M. Burns

V.M. Burns was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest, she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime. Readers can learn more by visiting her website at vmburns.com

Author Links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – IndieBound: – Books-A-Million – Kobo

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This counts towards my They Call It Puppy Love Challenge

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Freakin Fridays #68 ~ Unidentified by Michael McBride

Posted: February 15, 2019 in Aliens, audible, horror, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: aliens, audible, Horror, review, sci-fi

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

I’ve been delving back into some science fiction. Those of you who know me won’t be surprised that this also has elements of horror. It’s time for some aliens!

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Unidentified

by Michael McBride

Narrator: Joe Hempel

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Publication Date: July 10, 2018

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 2 hrs. and 24 mins.

Genre: Horror / Science Fiction

My Review

The opening scene is from 40 years ago. A group of friends slowly regain consciousness, battered and confused about what had happened to them. Flash forward 40 years and the suicide of one of the group. The event brings them back to the place they’d hoped never to return to. It was time to dust off the buried memories they couldn’t outrun and once and for all put an end to them.

This is a fairly short story and I think that worked well. I was quickly filled in on past events and the author kept the momentum of the story moving right along as the story leapt to the present and the scary stuff began.

Ever wondered about those reported cattle mutilations? Does the government know who or what is behind them? Michael McBride took those elements and gave me quite the scary read. He also kept me guessing. What really happened to all of those missing people? Was it aliens or wasn’t it?

As the childhood friends meet up 40 years later they have their own set of questions. Did they stop it all those years ago or did whoever or whatever was doing the killings just learn to hide their actions better? How could they not be discovered? This is where it got particularly creepy. As the characters get their answers so did I, and they weren’t what I was expecting. I leapt to one conclusion and then to another and back again.

I wish I could share how it all ends. Another surprise.

Did I enjoy Unidentified? Yes, I did. Especially when the story took a surprising and creepy turn. Would I recommend it? Sure enough. It’s a fun spin on alien’s that would make a great movie.

Read by Joe Hempel

Joe Hempel did a good with the creepy scenes and I could easily tell which character was speaking. He made this a fun experience and I’d gladly listen to him again.

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Synopsis

Four teenagers awaken in a scorched cornfield with no memory of how they got there. All they know is that there were five of them when they found the carcass of the mutilated cow.

Forty years later, Eric Devlin sends a cryptic email to the other three survivors: I remember everything.

Karl Doering has spent the majority of his life trying to understand what happened that night and learn the fate of his missing friend. He responds to the mysterious message and finds that Eric has killed himself in a decrepit barn, behind which is a cornfield filled with mutilated cattle.

When a local girl goes missing, Karl realizes that he and the other two survivors are her only hope. To find her they must confront repressed memories so traumatic they’d driven Eric to take his own life . . . and creatures straight out of their worst nightmares.

Amazon / B&N / Tantor

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The above cover is for the audible edition.

Here are some additional covers.

33285353 38310393

Which do you like more?

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Who survives the Night Shift

Posted: February 9, 2019 in reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: review, Science Fiction

Got a chilly one for you today. Thanks to Flame Tree Press I received this beautiful paperback ARC of Night Shift by Robin Triggs and I’m happy to share my review with you.

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Night Shift

by Robin Triggs

Genre: Science Fiction

My Review

I was really wanting to love this. Stories that are set in Antarctica are a big draw for me. The harshness of frigid temps and the isolation from society. It brings group dynamics into play. Another favorite aspect for me.

It was fascinating to see how this group of miners would handle the challenges that were thrown at them. The long night is coming. A new Chief of Security, Anders Norvekdt, arrives. The crew lacks confidence in his abilities as the winter over starts. His own self doubt is evident and when the commander’s body is found frozen outside and communication with the outside world goes down, he’s the likely suspect. But, trust is in short supply, and the crew also turn their suspicions on each other.

Who would fall to the hunger, fear and isolation and who would rise to lead was the best part of this story. I can’t say it was the character’s personalities. I didn’t warm up to any of them. And I was disappointed in the world building. I gathered it was in the near future as the mining operation was a last ditch hope to discover a new energy source to keep society alive. But it was never really explained. You’re left to draw your own conclusions.

The last quarter of the book was pretty thrilling. As the last remaining crew members have to rely on each other to survive, despite their mistrust, their situation gets more dire. Lack of food and water and a way to stay warm force them into smaller and smaller locations. The author put me in their shoes as they despair, grow weaker and weaker. Crammed together, they wait for the night shift to end.

The issues that kept me from loving this book weren’t major, yet, they did add up. I can say I never wanted to stop reading and I did enjoy it.

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Synopsis

Antarctica. A mining base at the edge of the world. Anders Nordvelt is over-promoted and he knows it. Arriving at Australis base on the last transport before the long night falls, he is to take over as Chief of Security. It should be an easy job. The crew have all been rigorously psychoanalysed and he’s there only because the rulebook says the position must be filled. The biggest challenge Anders anticipates is to find his place within an established group. But shortly after his arrival communications to the outside world are cut. Suspicion immediately falls upon Anders. It’s his job to uncover the culprit – but how can he find answers when the rest of the crew, bound by relationships, resentments and passions he knows nothing about, see him as the threat? Surely no-one can have crossed thousands of miles of wasteland – the sabotage must have been an inside job. But how could a criminal have got past the screening process? Then the commander’s body is found in the ice. The running of the base falls to the senior staff, Anders included, but there is open hostility towards him. Only the uncertain support of the engineer, Max, gives any hope. But can he trust her? Is he giving her too much leeway as it is? Amidst the fear the work must continue. In a world where every last scrap of fuel is precious, the minerals must keep flowing. But the attacks continue, leaving them with no heating and little food. As they shelter in a basement room, claustrophobia, starvation and madness become as big a threat as a murderer. Will Anders live long enough to find the killer? Will anyone survive the night shift, or will future explorers find only ice and frozen corpses in the last remaining wilderness on the planet? FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Amazon / B&N

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Saturday Screams #61 ~ That Which Grows Wild

Posted: February 2, 2019 in Dark Fantasy, horror, reviews, Short stories and collections
Tags: dark fantasy, Horror, review, Short Stories

Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that thrill and chill!

Today I’m sharing That Which Grows Wild, a collection of short stories by Eric J. Guignard. There’s a lot to offer in these pages, including some dark fantasy, horror and the bizarre.

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That Which Grows Wild

by Eric J. Guignard

Genre: Dark Fantasy / Horror / Short Stories

My Review

I usually find that when reading a collection of short stories, some of them are great, some are okay and some miss the mark. I was thrilled to find that I was happy with all sixteen tales in That Which Grows Wild.

The book begins with A Case Study in Natural Selection and How It Applies to Love. I’m a huge fan of dystopian and apocalyptic tales and this one adds human combustion to the mix. The fact that the author made it seem like something that could actually occur was like sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Tasty.

From there I went on to devour the book. I was expecting to need a break somewhere. For my interest to taper off. But, no. I kept right on to the end, encountering tormented beings, creatures big and small, aliens and ordinary people facing difficult and fantastical situations. But that wasn’t all I found. There were some deeply moving scenes and some characters I wanted to tuck under my wing and keep safe from harm.

I was going to list my favorites but I found myself adding another and then another. The writing is powerful and the stories intoxicating. Eric is a storyteller in the true sense of the word.

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Synopsis

That Which Grows Wild collects sixteen dark and masterful short stories by award-winning author Eric J. Guignard. Equal parts whimsy and weird, horror and heartbreak, this debut collection traverses the darker side of the fantastic through vibrant and harrowing tales that depict monsters and regrets, hope and atonement, and the oddly changing reflection that turns back at you in the mirror.

Discover why, after only several years, Eric J. Guignard has developed an ardent following and earned praise by masters of the craft such as Ramsey Campbell (“Guignard gives voice to paranoid vision that’s all too believable.”) and Rick Hautala (“No other young horror author is better, I think, than Eric J. Guignard.”)

Table of Contents includes:

A Case Study in Natural Selection and How It Applies to Love
Last Days of the Gunslinger, John Amos
Momma
Footprints Fading in the Desert
The House of the Rising Sun, Forever
The Inveterate Establishment of Daddano & Co.
Last Night…
Those Who Watch From On High
Vancouver Fog
A Curse and a Kiss
Whispers of the Earth
A Serving of Nomu Sashimi
Certain Sights of an Afflicted Woman
A Journey of Great Waves
A Quaint Ol’ Bigfoot Tale
Dreams of a Little Suicide

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

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You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

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The Current by Tim Johnston

Posted: January 31, 2019 in Mytery/Thriller, reviews
Tags: mystery, review, thriller

The Current

by Tim Johnston

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

My Review

Sometimes I think reading the synopsis for a book spoils the reading experience for me. Not in this case. Instead, in my eagerness to know what happened to the two young women on that cold, dark night, I made sure I set aside plenty of time to savor the story. I knew this was going to be a straight through read for me.

The two girls weren’t friends, but then they were. How that came to be was a great idea by the author. It made the girls real and likable. I quickly formed a connection with them and it saddened me. I knew the events of that night would leave one of them dead. It had me wishing I could change the outcome. That, to me, is a sure sign the rest of the book will take me places I might not want to go, make me feel things on a higher level and, perhaps, give me an ending I wish were different. Not that that is a bad thing.

All of those feelings, and that’s just the beginning of the book. What comes next is a string of events and reveals that had me both holding my breath, wringing my hands and thinking, oh no, that did not just happen.

I read Descent, another of Tim Johnston’s books. I liked his writing and how he could pen genuine characters and have me thinking I knew what was going to happen and then taking the story in a whole other direction. I got more of that with The Current. And a boatload more suspense. Lovers of this genre need to grab a copy and dive in. Just remember to breathe.

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Synopsis

A Stunning New Novel from the Bestselling Author of Descent

Tim Johnston, whose 2015 national bestseller Descent was called “astonishing” by the Washington Post and “unforgettable” by the Miami Herald, returns with another tour de force about the indelible impact of acrime on the lives of innocent people.

When two young women leave their college campus in the dead of winter for a 700-mile drive north to Minnesota, they suddenly find themselves fighting for their lives in the icy waters of the Black Root River, just miles from home. One girl’s survival, and the other’s death—murder, actually—stun the citizens of a small Minnesota town, thawing memories of another young woman who lost her life in the same river ten years earlier, and whose killer may yet live among them. One father is forced to relive his agony while another’s greatest desire—to bring a killer to justice—is revitalized . . . and the girl who survived the icy plunge cannot escape the sense that she is connected to that earlier unsolved case by more than a river. Soon enough she’s caught up in an investigation of her own that will unearth long-hidden secrets, and stoke the violence that has long simmered just below the surface of the town. Souls frozen in time, ghosts and demons, the accused and the guilty, all stir to life in this cold northern place where memories, like treachery, run just beneath the ice, and where a young woman can come home but still not be safe.

Brilliantly plotted, unrelentingly suspenseful, and beautifully realized, The Current is a gripping page-turner about how the past holds the key to the future as well as an unbreakable grip on the present.

Amazon / B&N

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Tag Team Review And Giveaway ~ Scraps Of Paper by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Posted: January 25, 2019 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: cozy mystery, giveaway, review

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.

It’s always a pleasure to share more books by Kathryn Meyer Griffith. I’ve read many of her books and plan to read everything she writes.

For today, I’m sharing my review of Scraps Of Paper from Kathryn’s Spookie Town Muder Mystery Series.

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental to check out her review and enter another giveaway!

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Scraps Of Paper

A Spookie Town Murder Mystery

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Genre: Mystery / Cozy Mystery

My Review

I’ve read many of Kathryn’s books. She writes about ghosts, vampires, witches, time travel and more. Being addicted to cozy mysteries I was curious to see how she would do in this genre.

Abigail’s husband walked out the door, got in his car and vanished. Two years later his body is discovered, a victim of a mugging. After two years of wondering what had happened to her husband, she now has answers and feels a need to move on with her life. A fresh start is in order and Abigail sets off on an adventure, finally coming across a quaint little town with the curious name of Spookie.

Kathryn’s descriptions of the town and inhabitants of Spookie felt like she was describing the small town I live in. The buildings, the flora and the eccentric character or two could easily be what I see every day.

Feeling a strong connection to the place, Abigail buys a fixer upper and begins her new life. While doing some repairs she begins to find scraps of paper with notes scribbled on them in crayon. Inquiring about the history of her new home, she learns a mother with two small children mysteriously disappeared some 30 years ago and were never heard from again. She’s curious about what happened to them and digs deeper into the town’s history.

Thus begins the mystery. And this is where you get to meet some of the other players in the story. It seems every small town has stereotypes and you get some of them here. I’d say my favorites are the two older sisters, both quite eccentric and both with some secrets to share. And retired Chicago homicide detective, Frank Lester. Kathryn wrote him so well. I could see Frank, calmly contemplating the mystery while also being amused by Abigail. Her naivete and his quiet, confident demeanor would be a good fit and I had hopes they might find some peace and happiness together. Yep, I’m a match maker.

Scraps Of Paper reads at a steady pace. As the crime happened over 30 years ago, there’s no violent scenes. And while the mystery of who might have committed the crime was apparent fairly early on for me, I was still tantalized by the story. Kathryn writes so visually that I found even the little things engrossing. And she added this tiny bit of paranormal to the story that had me wondering right along with Abigail. Is her house really haunted?

Did I enjoy this as much as Kathryn’s other books? Yes, I did. I do like her darker books, but I was just as happy with this cozy mystery.

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Synopsis

Abigail Sutton’s beloved husband walks out one night, doesn’t return, and two years later is found dead, a victim of a long ago crime. It’s made her sympathetic to the missing and their families.
Starting her new life, Abigail moves to small town and buys a fixer-upper house left empty when old Edna Summers died. Once it was also home to Edna’s younger sister, Emily, and her two children, Jenny and Christopher, who, people believe, drove away one night, thirty years ago, and just never came back.
But in renovating the house Abigail finds scraps of paper hidden behind baseboards and tucked beneath the porch that hint the three could have been victims of foul play.
Then she finds their graves hidden in the woods behind the house and with the help of eccentric townspeople and ex-homicide detective, Frank Lester, she discovers the three were murdered. Then she and Frank try to uncover who killed them and why…but in the process awaken the ire of the murderer.

Amazon / B&N

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In exchange for an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads, Kathryn will send a free eBook copy of any of her other 26 books. You can find the complete list of her books in her author bio below. Just send your request to this link HERE.

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About the Author

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-five years ago now, and have had twenty-six (six romantic horror, four thrillers, three horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and eight murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from many traditional publishers since 1984. But since 2012 I’ve gone into self-publishing in a big way; and upon getting some of my older books’ full rights back for the first time in 33 years, have self-published all of them along with my newer novels. My four Dinosaur Lake novels and four Spookie Town Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away, Ghosts Beneath Us and Witches Among Us) are my best-sellers. Once branded a horror writer, these days I consider myself a storyteller.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-nine years; have a son and two grandchildren and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois. We have a quirky cat, Sasha, and the three of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

*All Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s books can be found HERE.

*All her Audible.com audio books HERE.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forged, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDSFinalist in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus bonus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Four Spooky Short Stories Collection, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDSFinalist in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising and Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation, Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Memories of My Childhood (short story collection) and Christmas Magic 1959 short story.

Author Links

Twitter / Blog / Author’s Den / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon

Smashword / Pinterest

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

GIVEAWAY

Three winners!

Up for grabs:

Three winners will receive eBook copies of the first two books in the series, Scraps Of Paper and All Things Slip Away, in mobi, ePub, or PDF format.

(Winner’s choice)

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

What is one ingredient you look for in a mystery?

Giveaway ends February 6th.

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

Now hop on over and check out Sherry’s review, and enter for another chance to win HERE.

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Other books I’ve read by the author.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

Full length novels.

Short stories.

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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

The Silicon Valley Mysteries ~ Uncle And Ants ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: January 25, 2019 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: cozy mystery, giveaway, review

Uncle and Ants

A Silicon Valley Mystery Book 1

by Marc Jedel

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Mysterious attacks. Mischievous nieces.

Can a clueless uncle catch a tech-savvy killer …

and be home before bedtime?

Whena freak accident hospitalizes Marty Golden’s sister and condemns

him to babysitter duty, he thinks it’s just another case of hardwired badluck in Silicon Valley.
Until a suspicious murder suggests the mishap was no mere coincidence. Something must be done.

Too bad this quirky, fashion-backward uncle isn’t exactly hero material.

Convinced his sister is in mortal danger, this amateur sleuth follows clues to an
oddball array of suspects. Armed with nothing but an eye for detail
and powers of self-delusion, Marty tangles with gangsters, a cantankerous school secretary,

and a perplexing woman he can’t help but fall for. Glitches in his
investigation seem like a piece of cake compared to dinner-prep and
bedtime stories with his two precocious, pre-teen nieces.

Can Marty catch the culprit, save his sister, and get his life back in
order before he gets unplugged?

Uncle and Ants is the first novel in a refreshingly modern mystery series set in Silicon Valley.

If you like clever humor, sassy side characters, and average Joes facing
extraordinary circumstances, then you’ll love this twisty mystery.

Buy Uncle and Ants to login to a fresh, funny mystery today!

Goodreads * Amazon

Chutes and Ladder

A Silicon Valley Mystery Book 2

Can super-agent (in his own mind) Uncle Marty solve not one, but two mysteries without
becoming a victim himself? Will he ever be forgiven for bringing
Buddy, the Labrador, into his sister’s house?

All your favorite characters from Uncle and Ants are back in a crazy, new adventure.
Plus, introducing a new member of Marty’s family!

Coming Soon!

Add to Goodreads

Marc Jedel writes humorous murder mysteries. In his high-tech marketing
roles, he’s also written fiction. These are just called emails, ads,
and marketing collateral.

In his family, Marc was born first — a fact his sister never lets him
forget, no matter what milestone age she hits. For most of Marc’s
life, he’s been inventing stories. Some, especially when he was
young, involved his sister as the villain. As his sister’s brother
for her entire life, he feels highly qualified to tell tales of the
evolving, quirky sibling relationship in the Silicon Valley Mystery series.

Family and friends would tell you that the protagonist in his stories, Marty
Golden, isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for Marc, but he
proudly resembles that remark.

Like Marty, Marc lives in San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley, where he
writes within earshot of the doppler effect of the local ice cream
truck. Unlike Marty, Marc has a wonderful wife and a neurotic but
sweet, small dog, who much prefers the walks resulting from writer’s
block than his writing.

Visit his website, marcjedel.com, for free chapters of upcoming novels,
news and more.

Website * Facebook * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE!

https://kingsumo.com/g/w3hq96/win-a-signed-copy-of-uncle-and-ants-a-silicon-valley-mystery

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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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This Book ….. Will Haunt You

Posted: January 24, 2019 in horror, reviews
Tags: Horror, review

Got something different to share with you today!

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Will Haunt You

by Brian Kirk

Genre: Horror

My Review

I had high hopes going into this. The synopsis sounded creepy. And while I did get plenty of that, I also got some bizarre scenes. It was hard, at first, to see where the author was going with his story. Once I figured that out, kind of, I kept thinking this would work so much better as a movie. The plot was out there and hard to follow by reading. I enjoyed some parts, especially the twist at the end. Other parts, not so much. I was left wishing I’d gotten more of what I thought this was going to be about. If you like books that take you into the strange unknown and make you think, this might be a good one for you.

Thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

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Synopsis

You don’t read the book. It reads you.

Rumors of a deadly book have been floating around the dark corners of the deep web. A disturbing tale about a mysterious figure who preys on those who read the book and subjects them to a world of personalized terror. Jesse Wheeler–former guitarist of the heavy metal group The Rising Dead–was quick to discount the ominous folklore associated with the book. It takes more than some urban legend to frighten him. Hell, reality is scary enough. Seven years ago his greatest responsibility was the nightly guitar solo. Then one night when Jesse was blackout drunk, he accidentally injured his son, leaving him permanently disabled. Dreams of being a rock star died when he destroyed his son’s future. Now he cuts radio jingles and fights to stay clean. But Jesse is wrong.

The legend is real–and tonight he will become the protagonist in an elaborate scheme specifically tailored to prey on his fears and resurrect the ghosts from his past. Jesse is not the only one in danger, however.

By reading the book, you have volunteered to participate in the author’s deadly game, with every page drawing you closer to your own personalized nightmare.

The real horror doesn’t begin until you reach the end. That’s when the evil comes for you.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Amazon

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Murder Of Ravens by Paty Jager ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: January 23, 2019 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews
Tags: giveaway, mystery, review

Murder Of Ravens

Gabriel Hawke #1

by Paty Jager

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

My Review

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

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

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

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Synopsis

The ancient Indian art of tracking is his greatest strength…

And also his biggest weakness.

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

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

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

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

About Author Paty Jager

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

Author Links

Website / Blog / Facebook / Amazon / Pinterest

Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter-Mystery / Bookbub

Purchase Links – Amazon

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Moon Games by Shelly Frome ~ Cozy Review and Giveaway

Posted: January 19, 2019 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: cozy mystery, giveaway, review

Moon Games

by Shelly Frome

Moon Games
Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuth
Milford House Press (August 6, 2018)
Paperback: 264 pages
ISBN-10: 1620061848
ISBN-13: 978-1620061848
Digital ASIN: B07G6LN41H

My Review

Right from the beginning Miranda had me going in circles. She’s disorganized and going in several directions at once. This is why I keep lists. LOL And like her, I work more than one job. This all helped me to connect with her quickly and I had some laughs as she would her way through this mystery.

About the mystery. At first I was confused, not sure just what was occurring. Then, things started coming together and making sense, the suspense ramped up, some surprise twists were dropped on me and the mystery became something I had to solve. Wish I could have been there with Miranda. I could see us having some laughs, throwing our hands up in exasperation and putting our heads together to sort things out.

I’m always a bit worried when I try a new author. Will I like their writing? Will their characters be genuine and will I be able to connect with them? Will I enjoy the plot? Shelly Frome fairly quickly put my worries to rest and I had fun reading Moon Games. He’s now on my to read again author’s list.

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Synopsis

At the outset, Miranda Davis has nothing much going for her. The tourists are long gone by October in the quaint Carolina town of Black Mountain, her realty business is at a standstill, and her weekend stint managing the local tavern offers little to pull her out of the doldrums. When prominent church lady Cloris Raintree offers a stipend to look into the whereabouts of a missing girl hiker on the Q.T, Miranda, along with her partner Harry (an unemployed features writer) agree.

But then it all backfires. A burly figure shambles down a mountain slope with a semi-conscious girl draped over his shoulder. Miranda’s attempts to uncover Cloris Raintree’s true motives become near impossible as she puts up one smokescreen after another, including a slip of the tongue regarding an incident in Havana. The local police keep stonewalling and Harry is of little help.

Tarot cards left on Cloris’ doorstep and arcane prompts on her e-mail only exacerbate the situation. Growing more desperate over the captive girl’s fate, Miranda comes across a link to a cold case of arson and murder. With the advent of the dark of the moon, she is summoned to “Tower Time” as this twisty tale continues to run its course.

About Author Shelly Frome

Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor, a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He is also a features writer for Gannett Media’s Black Mountain News. His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, Murder Run, and The Secluded Village Murders. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing for the stage. Moon Games is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon

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