Review - Trouble on the Books

This is the debut novel of a new author on the cozy mystery scene.  The setting appealed to me immediately: upstate New York, Thousand Islands region, and a castle on an island!  See what you think.  

#TroubleOnTheBooks #NetGalley

Author: Essie Lang

Copyright: March 2019 (Crooked Lane Books) 332 pgs

Series: 1st in Castle Bookshop Mystery series

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy

Main Characters: Shelby Cox, former editor who co-owns a bookstore now 

Setting: Modern day, Alexandria Bay, NY and castle on nearby Blye Island

Obtained Through: Netgalley for honest opinion

Book cover blurb: "Shelby Cox never intended to become a bookseller, so when the former editor returns to her hometown of Alexandria Bay, nestled in upstate New York’s breathtaking Thousand Islands region, to take over her aunt’s bookstore, she has no idea what to expect. To her amazement, she discovers that she now owns a fifty-percent share in Bayside Books, and will also run the store’s second location in the majestic castle on nearby Blye Island.

But just as Shelby is gearing up for the start of the tourist season, the Castle volunteer coordinator is found murdered in the nearby Grotto. Castle caretaker Matthew Kessler is suspect number one, but Shelby thinks the killing may be connected to an earlier era, when violence among Prohibition-era smugglers was rampant in the region. As Shelby launches her own investigation, handsome and unnerving Special Agent Zack Griffin of the Coast Guard Investigative Services tries to quell her smuggling theory and keep her safe. But Shelby is determined to summon all her savvy as a book editor to plot the murder—and find the killer before he strikes again"

Shelby Cox, finds herself half owner of the two bookstores in town. She lives on a houseboat, adopts a stray cat, and can be stubborn.  Special Agent Zack Griffin of the Coast Guard Investigative Services is the cop romantic interest with a twist.  Aunt Edie is a patient and loyal woman who had knee replacement surgery a month prior and is relying on Shelby.  Matthew Kesler is the caretaker of the castle and grounds with a murky past and primary suspect.  Chief of Police Tekla Stone grounds us in the small town feel with a grudge against Aunt Edie and suspicion of Matthew.

Shelby's living on a houseboat really immersed the story in the seaside location. I was hoping for some Gothic 
atmosphere from the castle, but the grounds were used more in this story.  Looking back, I have a good image of the grounds, but not so much the actual castle interior.  I am hoping to have more castle interior description in the next book.  

The motive for the murder isn't obvious and Shelby's theory that it has something to do with prior smugglers using the island is as feasible as other motives that develop.  The pacing was steady, until the killer reveal.  It seemed Shelby was still in her asking around phase when - bam, it's time to unmask the murderer.  The suspense was pushed aside after only a few sentences to explain the motive.  I love a tense killer confrontation, so that just seemed too abrupt.

Overall it is a light cozy read and good debut of a new series.  I am hoping for more atmospheric touches in the castle in future books and a more gripping killer reveal in the books to come.

Rating: Very Good - A light and fun read.


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Spiked (Resort to Murder 3) by Avery Daniels

Julienne needs only three things: successfully pull of a last minute wedding relocated to her resort, work out things with her stubborn ex- boyfriend, and solve the murder of a private investigator found with her business card on his dead body. The wedding she can handle, but it comes with a flirtatious brother of the bride who manages to give Mason the idea she has moved on, and the dead PI was playing with fire before he was poisoned leaving a myriad of suspects. Two suspects are part of a scandal waiting to explode and nobody wants to be in the middle of the fallout.

Can Julienne wade through the various suspects while coordinating the wedding and dealing with a handsome amorous guest before her rival on the local paper exposes her connection and thus damages the resort’s reputation? Will she and Mason find their way to each other?

Reviews of Spiked
"Another fantastic book. Very entertaining, great characters."  Book Hound

"This is another fantastic cozy mystery with warm, well written characters and a fantastic female lead." Katie T

"The characters in this series are believable. I appreciate the fact that the main character is relate-able. There is enough of a mystery that the reader doesn’t guess the culprit right off the bat. In addition, there is a bit of romance but not enough that it becomes the focus of the story." OneReader

"Ms Daniel's has done it again. This series has it all-believable romance, entertaining characters and a mystery to solve"  Darlene

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Review - Mission Critical

I had not heard of the Gray Man thrillers before, but the blurb sounded good and I was in the mood for a thriller.  Although this was the eighth in the series, I had no problem jumping in and understanding the backstory and interpersonal relationships.  I have to wonder why I hadn't heard of this series before now that I have gotten into the Court Gentry main character.  

#MissionCritical #NetGalley

Author: Mark Greaney

Copyright: Feb 2019 (Berkley) 527 pgs

Series: 8th in The Gray Man Thriller series

Sensuality: Some language and violence, off-page intimacy

Mystery Sub-genre: Spy/Action Thriller

Main Characters: Court Gentry is CIA operative Violator-nicknamed Gray Man

Setting: Modern Day- USA, London, and Scotland

Obtained Through: Netgalley for honest review

From the cover: "Court Gentry's flight on a CIA transport plane is interrupted when a security team brings a hooded man aboard. They want to kick Gentry off the flight but are overruled by CIA headquarters. The mystery man is being transported to England where a joint CIA/MI6 team will interrogate him about a mole in Langley.

When they land in an isolated airbase in the U.K., they are attacked by a hostile force who kidnaps the prisoner. Only Gentry escapes. His handlers send him after the attackers, but what can one operative do against a trained team of assassins? A lot, when that operative is the Gray Man."

Court Gentry is the experienced and "graying" legendary CIA operative who finds himself in the middle of a plot to infect the intelligence agencies of UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand during a conference.  In the middle of it all is his love interest, Russian operative turned US asset, Zoya Zakharova.  This makes much of his mission a tad personal.  Zoya Zakharova (raised by two Russian Agents) is in the process of becoming a US operative and asset when the compound she was lodged at was attacked.  She goes on the offensive and flees which results in CIA officials feeling skeptical as to her loyalties.  Agent Zack Hightower is another CIA agent who doesn't flinch if asked to torture or do whatever is needed.  His interactions with Court are very telling about both men.  

General Feodor Zakharova, Zoya's father and former GRU Chief was supposed to be dead.  But, he has been living in England under a new identity and devising his own revenge on those he deems responsible for his wife's suspicious death.  Dr. Won Jang Ji, a North Korean virologist researcher has teamed with General Zakharova to deliver a blow for her beloved North Korea.  Russian mercenaries, sleeper cell members, and at least two moles/double agents add to the action.

The setting ranges from a Virginia safe house compound, London locations, and the showdown in a castle on the banks of Loch Ness.  That was a great location with enough description to feel you are there.  The plot has the high stakes and danger at every turn to keep readers interested. The climax was well done with nail biting suspense and a surprising twist. The wrap-up adds a complication to Court's happiness with only a glimmer of hope that was in line with tenor of the overall story line. 

Besides the spy thriller plot with high stakes echoing current international tensions, the political maneuvers and layered characters of Court and Zoya gave a more personal aspect.  Without that touch, I wouldn't have continued reading.  Court and Zoya have a loyalty and trust in one another that goes deep and made the book memorable in my humble opinion.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list.

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The Society by C.G. Abbot

When Elizabeth Grant sees her childhood friend, she is

thrown into a world of secret societies laced with conspiracies.
     Elizabeth has been plagued with visions since the disappearance of Loralie. When she returns to the small town of her childhood, she’s unaware that she’s walking into the middle of what killed her friend.
     Unknown to the rest of the world, The Society for a Restored America has been preparing to seize control of the government through manipulation of a national crisis. The Society's membership has already infiltrated the government and military at the highest levels. The only thing between them and success is Elizabeth Grant.
     Elizabeth must accept her special gift and stay alive long enough to uncover the Society's dark plot to seize control from a nation that blindly supports them.

Reviews of The Society
"The Society was a well written book that made what could have been a crazy conspiracy theory into a thrilling plot that did not fail to grab my attention for a single moment. This book was an amazing thriller with a great cast of characters that all had their own unique backgrounds that clearly showed off the author's talent of bringing together plots and characters into one amazing story!" Sefina Hawk's Books 

"Such a strong read! I love diving into the world of secret societies and conspiracies but often find myself lost with the intricate details. C.G. Abbot kept me intrigued without getting me lost in the details. It was so real-feeling that I had goosebumps! Every page turn led to another piece of the puzzle that left me wanting more. I'm so glad I was able to start this series - definitely a keeper!" Lynchburg Mama 

"The Society was filled with plots to take over the government and the one person that could stand in their way being there at just the right time to just maybe make a difference. Elizabeth Grant was a strong female character who had no idea what she was walking into, yet with so much on the line she had to persevere. It was her perseverance that really made her such an amazing character that kept my interest for the whole book." Books for Books
 #TheSociety #SuspenseThriller

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Book Review - Circle of Influence

This is a new-to-me author that I had to share with you.  This book was recommended by a fellow author and it lived up to my expectations.

Author: Annette Dashofy

Copyright: March 2014 (Henery Press) 294 pgs

Series: 1st in Zoe Chambers Mystery series

Sensuality: Adult themes without details

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Zoe Chambers, Paramedic 

Setting: Modern, rural Pennsylvania

Obtained Through: Personal Purchase

Zoe Chambers, paramedic and deputy coroner in rural Pennsylvania’s tight-knit Vance Township, has been privy to a number of local secrets over the years, some of them her own. But secrets become explosive when a dead body is found in the Township Board President’s abandoned car.

As a January blizzard rages, Zoe and Police Chief Pete Adams launch a desperate search for the killer, even if it means uncovering secrets that could not only destroy Zoe and Pete, but also those closest to them.

Zoe Chambers is a strong woman with her share of baggage that she has to face in this story.  She is a good neighbor and friend who works hard.  Her job of paramedic and part time coroner puts her in the middle of murders quite naturally.  Chief Pete Adams is a potential romantic interest with his own baggage, such as his ex-wife who is somehow linked to the murder.  His relationship with Zoe is complicated, as most are in reality.  All the characters are finely brought to life to populate the town with intertwined connections and motives.

The winter setting had me feeling chilled as I read and the rural location was used to great effect for a sense of isolation.  The story opens by setting the stage of a contentious Township Board meeting and from there the plot leads you on a twisting path.  This is one of the few mysteries where I didn't connect the various threads myself.  The pages flew by as I just had to read more to see what happened.  

The climax was harrowing and not rushed (as many tend to feel). I particularly liked how the killer reveal was pulse pounding and suspenseful while coming together naturally.   

Although this could be classified a cozy, it has a slightly more gritty feel to it.  All the elements of the story are deftly woven together for a first rate mystery.  I highly recommend and will definitely be delving into the following books in the series.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

The Syndicate-born Trilogy Spotlight

 I am sharing the thriller Sydicate Born series with you today.  If you enjoy thrillers, the newest addition, The Sally Ride Chronicle, is on sale.  

Fans of David Baldacci and the novel Girl on the Train will love this gritty, true-to-life spy thriller featuring a strong female character readers are calling their favorite. USA Today Bestselling Author K.M. Hodge’s The Sally Ride Chronicle is just the beginning; for more on her adventures, check out the complete "The Syndicate-Born Trilogy."

KM Hodge Series Launch: The Syndicate-born Trilogy + Prequel 
Book#1: Red on the Run books2read.com/u/bQxB0e (ON SALE $0.99 March 27-30)
Book#2: Black and White Truth: books2read.com/u/4NZRM9
Book #3: True Blue Son: books2read.com/u/mey2w9

Book #4 PREQUEL The Sally Ride Chronicle:

books2read.com/u/4AJKg0 ON SALE $0.99 

The Syndicate doesn’t believe in divorce, but murder is another story.  Sally wants out-out of her marriage, out of the mob, out of Ocean City. An impossible dream. That is until the MDNA, a secret hacktivist group, invites her to join the ranks of their rebellion. The goal? Take down the criminal empire.

She’s no Jane Bond, but no one in her town suspects the quiet church-going mom is a threat, especially The Syndicate’s criminal defense attorney, Michael David, who’s got a thing for mysterious blondes. His love-’em-and-kill-’em exploits, and his penchant for causing witnesses to disappear, make him enemy number one for the hacktivist group. Sally’s mission sounds simple enough—destroy the lawyer’s life and make him pay—but....

Once she starts, there’ll be no turning back.

Follow Sally as she attempts the unthinkable—take down the largest crime ring in US history—in this prequel to "The Syndicate-Born Trilogy."

New Thriller Spotlight

Here is an exciting new thriller I wanted to share with you.  If you like suspense thrillers consider this for your next read.  I recommend it.

The Society (Elizabeth Grant Thriller 1) by C.G. Abbot

     A troubled young woman looking into the disappearance of her friend, an FBI agent, and a young journalist each on the trail of a White Supremacist secret society manipulating events to gain control of the nation. Each has parts of the puzzle, but time is running out to stop the well-planned agenda and save the nation from disaster.
     When Elizabeth Grant sees her childhood friend, she is thrown into a world of secret societies laced with conspiracies.
     Elizabeth has been plagued with visions since the disappearance of Loralie. When she returns to the small town of her childhood, she’s unaware that she’s walking into the middle of what killed her friend.
     Unknown to the rest of the world, The Society for a Restored America has been preparing to seize control of the government through manipulation of a national crisis. The Society's membership has already infiltrated the government and military at the highest levels. The only thing between them and success is Elizabeth Grant.
     Elizabeth must accept her special gift and stay alive long enough to uncover the Society's dark plot to seize control from a nation that blindly supports them.

A Goodreads reviewer said:  
"What can I say but WOW! This is a true suspense thriller. I couldn’t believe how the characters lives eventually intertwined to an ending that is just surprising. I don’t want to spoil your experience by giving too much away. Let’s just say Elizabeth’s “gift” is remarkable. Great story line that kept me guessing out loud while I was reading and really did not have this one figured out at all!"

$1.99 (BUY HERE)