Book Review: How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano @BerkleyPub

How I’ll Kill You
by Ren DeStefano

 

Amazon  / B&N  / BB

Your next stay-up-all-night thriller, about identical triplets who have a nasty habit of killing their boyfriends, and what happens when the youngest commits their worst crime yet: falling in love with her mark.

Make him want you.
Make him love you.
Make him dead.

Sissy has an…interesting family. Always the careful one, always the cautious one, she has handled the cleanup while her serial killer sisters have carved a path of carnage across the U.S. Now, as they arrive in the Arizona heat, Sissy must step up and embrace the family pastime of making a man fall in love and then murdering him. Her first target? A young widower named Edison—and their mutual attraction is instant. While their relationship progresses, and most couples would be thinking about picking out china patterns and moving in together, Sissy’s family is reminding her to think about picking out burial sites and moving on.

But then something happens that Sissy never anticipated: She begins to feel protective of Edison, and then, before she can help it, she’s fallen in love. But the clock is ticking, and her sisters are growing restless. It becomes clear that the gravesite she chooses will hide a body no matter what happens; but if she betrays her family, will it be hers?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The sound he makes is pitched and small, like a mewling little boy. When people know they’re going to die, they become children again. They shrink back down to when they were still aware of how helpless they truly are. Back when there were monsters in closets and skeletal hands reaching out at them from under their beds.

It’s been seven years since my sisters or I have been called by the names that were given to us by the state. Those cold syllables are meaningless and dead, like costumes hanging in a closet with no one to wear them.

I can see that he’s lonely too. Children don’t say as much, but they can smell emotions like bloodhounds. They can see misery, see loss at such a level that it frightens the words right out of them.

There’s a sameness to us, even in times like this when I hate it, when I hate my sisters so much that I wish I could drain all the blood I have in common with them and become someone new.

My Review:

 

Ms. DeStefano’s writing style was keenly honed, vivid, and had a depth that quickly snagged my gray matter and held my attention rapt throughout perusal. Even when I was forced to put my Kindle down and was quite busy elsewhere, I found myself ruminating on the genius of the character development, her grasp of the intricacies and nuances of the various twisted personalities, and the brilliance of the pacing and storytelling. The writing was disturbingly perceptive and kept me on edge and anxious for each new development. The gal has mad skills. I found her word voodoo to be devious and bewitching and have added her name to the top of my list of new favorites to watch.

Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.

Book Review: Death By Greed (A Josiah Reynolds Mystery 18) by Abigail Keam  @AbigailKeam

Death By Greed
A Josiah Reynolds Mystery 18
by Abigail Keam

 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP / BB

 

Josiah is working in her honeybee yard when she hears a commotion coming from her horse pasture. She rushes toward the uproar and comes upon a huge, enraged Texas Longhorn bull. The massive beast is angrily snorting, pawing the turf, and threatening a prized Thoroughbred stallion, Comanche. Getting the bull to calm down is no small task and in the end, Josiah has a busted fence and a barn door ripped off its hinges. Once the bull is secure, Josiah hurries to confront the bull’s owner only to discover he is dead and lying in a pool of his own blood.

The police naturally assume the bull is responsible for the man’s death, but Josiah has her doubts. She is convinced foul play is involved and works to save the Texas Longhorn from being “put down.” Will she solve the murder and save the Longhorn in time?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Why did I have to stumble upon dead people? It was unnerving. This was my eighteenth corpse. Dead people were the gift that kept on giving.

I stood up from my chair and raised my shotgun and squeezed the trigger. You might say I let the gun speak for me. It was loud.

My Review:

 

This was an amusing and satisfying cozy mystery with humorous insights, colorful observations, and snarky asides to the reader from the main character. This was my first exposure to the Josiah series, and as this is book number eighteen, I am definitely behind the eight-ball. Josiah is an odd name for a woman, but it suits her as she is a bit cranky and what my dear Gran would call, “a caution.”

The writing and storylines were entertaining, easy to follow, populated with an unusual yet authentic collection of eccentric characters, and developed at an active yet comfortable pace before entwining at the conclusion. I am curious and plotting to go backward and delve into the previous volumes as well as forward with future installments of Josiah’s adventures.

 

 

About the Author

One thing Miss Abigail loves to do as an author is to write real people and events into her stories. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy. I certainly learn a lot from my research, and I hope my readers come away with a new appreciation of beekeeping from my Josiah Reynolds Mysteries.”

Book Review: A Mountain Divides Us (Crescent Pass Book 2) by Allie Winters

A Mountain Divides Us
(Crescent Pass Book 2)
by Allie Winters

Amazon / BB

– Kristen –

Eli Andrews wasn’t supposed to be anything other than a temporary roommate.

On paper, it all makes sense. I rent out a room to him to earn some much-needed cash when my work hours get cut. I’ll stay on my side of the house and he’ll stay on his. Away from me and my kids.

But he wasn’t supposed to be tall and gorgeous and make butterflies flutter in my stomach. He wasn’t supposed to be helpful and charming and supportive in a way I didn’t know I needed. He wasn’t supposed to wake that part of me that’s laid dormant for so long, an attraction building between us the longer he stays. I wasn’t supposed to fall under his spell.

Or into his bed.

For years, I’ve made sensible choices. Ones that are best for my kids and me. Ones that don’t involve sexy blue-eyed strangers who are only in town for a month.

Eli Andrews isn’t staying in Crescent Pass. But tell that to my heart.

– Eli –

Kristen Taylor wasn’t supposed to be the woman of my dreams.

On paper, it doesn’t make sense. She’s a widow with two kids, while I’m the guy who avoids relationships. Only, when plans fall through and I’m stuck on a job with nowhere to stay, she’s the one who comes through for me.

But she wasn’t supposed to be so easy to get along with. She wasn’t supposed to show me what a family could really be like. She wasn’t supposed to make my heart pound.

Or tempt me beyond belief.

For years, I’ve kept to myself. It’s safer that way. No one to disappoint or hurt you in return. Besides, I’m not staying in Crescent Pass.

So why can’t I get her out of my head… or my heart?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

As Jenny returns to the living room, what ensues is a passionate argument on the young girl’s side espousing all the benefits of Kraft macaroni and cheese, but her pleas fall on deaf ears as her brother refuses to entertain any idea other than dinosaur chicken nuggets.

How can I not dream? Sometimes families aren’t ones you make, but ones you find.

The certainty that this was the right decision fills me again and I send up a silent prayer to whoever may be out there, thanking them for this moment. That I’d ever have the chance for it. Because now that I have this, I’m never letting it go.

 

My Review:

 

My enchantment with Allie Winters continues with the second installment in her cleverly penned new series. Realistically drawn people with real problems, annoying family members, and the stirring to life of a repressed, suppressed, and oppressed libido. I loved every well-chosen word. Ms. Winters has mad storytelling skills. Sign me on for more of the same. I live for this!

 

About the Author

Allie is the author of the Suncoast University series, the Bishop Brothers series, and the Lessons Learned series. She lives in sunny Florida with her husband, daughter, and two cats. A librarian by day, she spends her nights writing happily ever afters. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and all things Disney.

Find Allie Winters online

Website: http://bit.ly/357VYOr

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/389mnNO

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3b5KJdk

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3pOJNhB

 

 

Book Review:  Meet Hate (Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters Book 4) by D.E. Haggerty   @dehaggerty

Meet Hate
(Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters Book 4)
by D.E. Haggerty

 

Amazon / B&N / BB

 

Peace isn’t just his name. It’s his calling. The last thing he needs is a tempting woman with troublemaker written all over her strolling into his small town.

I have no idea what I did to Peace but the man hates me with every breath of his being. Too bad my body lights up like a freaking Christmas tree whenever he struts by wearing his police uniform that hugs his thighs and molds to his ass.

Good thing I have no time for romance since a troublemaker should never get involved with a cop. Even if she is a reformed troublemaker.

Instead, I’m focusing all my energy on convincing my family to forgive me for my past transgressions, because I am not that person anymore.

But Peace isn’t leaving me alone. Of freaking course not. He’s literally blocking me from acquiring the yoga studio in Winter Falls.

I got this. I can convince him I’m not about to bring trouble to this adorably quirky small town.

But somehow instead of proving what a great asset I’ll be to Winter Falls I end up kissing the man. I blame those symmetrical dimples. Or maybe it’s his lush hair. Or his dark chocolate eyes.

Doth the man protest too much? Does Peace not hate me as much as he professes?

Maybe with the help of my sisters and the eccentric townspeople who play matchmaker like it’s their sole purpose in life, Peace and I can not only figure out how to put our differences aside but join forces as a couple.

Can a reformed troublemaker and a police officer have any chance at a happily ever after?

This enemies to lovers small town romantic comedy features a reformed troublemaker who’s way too busy trying to rebuild her life to have time for a man, a police officer who can’t help but take one look at the troublemaker and want despite knowing she’s no good for him, three sisters who don’t understand the word ‘pushy’, and a whole town of hippies convinced they’re the best matchmakers this side of the Mississippi.

Meet Hate is a standalone novel in the Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters series.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Oh boy. She is one pissed off bartender. I hope she doesn’t put laxatives in our drinks.” I better not tell her about the time Cassandra added cherry-flavored milk of magnesia to our cherry vodka sours. It was a shit show. Literally.

I have to admit this town is adorable. It’s quaint and cute. It could be the set of a Hallmark movie. Except there’s a man walking his squirrels down the street.

From now on, I will always treat you the way you deserve.” “Which is?” “As my queen.” She smiles. “You’re a quick learner.”

She’s loved him since she was old enough to understand boys don’t have cooties.

My Review:

 

This was a fun and lively read laced together with amusing scenarios and unique family issues and flare-ups. The storylines were active and well-paced and occurred in the oddest, most eccentric, and ecologically greenest little hamlet on earth. The concept for this humorous and sexy series was as clever as it was entertaining.

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown-up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn’t stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn’t do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She’s now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.

Join her newsletter for free stories, writing updates & great deals on books here:

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Book Review: Death on Deck (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #13) by Verity Bright  @BrightVerity  @Bookouture 

Death on Deck
(A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #13)
by Verity Bright

 

Amazon  / B&N / BB

When Lady Swift embarks upon her first luxury cruise she imagines a gilded ballroom, afternoons on deck taking tea and all the delectable food she can eat. But she can’t seem to escape from murder…

Lady Eleanor Swift is all set to spend her birthday with her beau, dashing Detective Hugh Seldon, until he calls to cancel on her again at the last minute. What’s a girl to do? Pack up her staff and her faithful old bulldog, Gladstone, and head off on a cruise to New York, that’s what!

On the stunningly opulent ocean liner Celestiana, Eleanor tries to forget her worries and make the most of her trip. That is, until she sees a man being shot and falling overboard. On closer inspection of the scene, Eleanor literally stumbles over the likely murder weapon. And the nick in the barrel is unmistakable: this gun belongs to Detective Seldon…

With some discreet digging, Clifford discovers Detective Seldon is aboard the ship on an undercover mission. Eleanor doesn’t want to make waves but she’s sure that something fishy is going on and he’s being framed. To get Seldon off the hook, Eleanor casts her net wide and searches for the real murderer among a sea of suspects including European nobility, Italian opera stars, and American nouveau riche. But does the victim’s expensive gold ring point to a lavish lifestyle or is it a red herring?

When another passenger is found dead in his first-class cabin, a poisoned whisky glass clutched in his hand, Eleanor realizes they are really in hot water. Will the killer be Eleanor’s catch of the day, or will she spend her birthday at the bottom of the sea?

A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey, and Lee Strauss.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘I’ve met some hard-boiled eggs before—’ ‘But he’s the full ten minutes.’

I just wanted to say as how we’ve been walking up and down the decks like grand people and… and taking tea in a proper dining room with people waiting on us! ’Tis like a naughty dream, your ladyship. But real.

My Review:

 

I have relished each and every installment of this entertaining series. The writing is easy to follow yet the mysteries are always confounding and difficult to solve, proving me wrong almost every time. The recurring characters are endearing and populate storylines that sparkle with wit, wry humor, clever observations, and villains that are complete rotters. This adventure occurred on an opulent ocean liner with scenes that were lushly depicted and vividly described while still remaining true to the period. I was contemplating booking a cruise for myself until they fell on harsh conditions. Terra firma now seems more appealing than ever.

 

About the Author

.
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humor, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Book Review: The Family Bones by Elle Marr @zhongxia246 @ellemarr_

The Family Bones
by Elle Marr

Amazon  / B&N / BB

 

What makes a psychopath? A young woman delves into her family’s shadowy legacy in a terrifying novel by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know.


Psychology student Olivia Eriksen’s family is notorious among true-crime buffs. Faced with a legacy of psychopathy that spans generations, Olivia has spent much of her academic life trying to answer one chilling question: Nature or nurture?

Although she’s kept a safe distance from her blood relatives for years, Olivia agrees to attend a weekend reunion. After all, her fiancé is eager to meet his future in-laws, and the gathering may give her a chance to interview her elusive grandfather about the family traits.

But nothing is ever peaceful among the Eriksens for long. Olivia’s favorite cousin is found dead in a nearby lake. Then another family member disappears. As a violent storm isolates the group further, Olivia’s fears rise faster than the river.

And an uninvited guest is about to join the party. True-crime podcaster Birdie Tan has uncovered a disturbing mystery in her latest investigation―and she’s following it right to the Eriksens’ mountain resort. There’s a deadly twist in the family plot that even Olivia doesn’t see coming.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Nature or nurture? Is it genetic that so many of my family members seem to fall along the spectrum of personality disorders? Or simply circumstantial because we’ve been swimming in the same toxic fishbowl our entire lives?

It struck me as unusual and a little scary, but the rest of the household went right on eating cake.

Strange to think you could grow up knowing someone, yet know only the life they chose to share with you.

My Review:

 

This toxic collection of relatives was all kinds of creepy and had a family tree that was rotten and diseased to the roots. The storylines were taut with tension and populated by vile and disturbingly black-hearted human beings. I was on edge yet deeply intrigued and unable to let the story go, even when I put my kindle down and went about my day. I also found that I was so invested in the story I was occasionally fretful during perusal. Elle Marr is a sly minx, her tale sucked me in, tossed me around, and spit me back out all disheveled and exhausted. Her word voodoo is strong and held me captive. I now need a spa day and a vat of wine to relax my shoulders from my ears. I’m running back to check her listing to see what else she has conjured.

Elle Marr is a #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of thrillers. Her latest book THE FAMILY BONES earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it a “mesmerizing psychological thriller.” Originally from Sacramento, Elle graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She now lives and writes in Oregon with her family.

Coming in Spring 2024, her next book THE ALONE TIME is available for pre-order now. YOUR DARK SECRETS, a thriller in the vein of Flight Attendant meets I Care A Lot, will publish Summer 2024.

Book Review: Because You Said Yes (A Willow Bay Novel Book 3) by Kelly Collins  @kcollinsauthor

Because You Said Yes
(A Willow Bay Novel Book 3)
by Kelly Collins

 

Amazon / BB

 

He needs a bride.
She needs a project.
Can a fake marriage lead to a lifetime of love?

 

Charlotte Sutton has dreams as big as the Texas sky, and she’ll do anything to make them come true. She’s been Miss Lonestar State, a beauty consultant, a real estate agent, and has now set her sights on becoming Willow Bay’s most sought-after wedding planner. She’s never been in love or married but that doesn’t stop her from creating every bride’s fantasy day. It’s easy—all she does is plan her dream day. So, when devilishly handsome billionaire Bastien Richmond approaches her about arranging an over-the-top wedding, she’s all-in until she finds out he doesn’t have a bride.

Bastien Richmond is a lot of things, but marriage material isn’t one of them. He’s been a playboy all his life, until his sister passed away and left him the sole guardian of his niece. The only promise he’s ever made was that he’d take care of little Ivy, so when his mother threatens to fight for custody if he doesn’t marry, he tells her he’s already engaged. With the clock ticking, he needs to find a bride. Can the pretty little wedding planner deliver everything she promised? After all, she did say that no request was too large.

A handsome billionaire. A beautiful bride. A dream wedding. Is it a fairytale come true or a disaster in the making?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She had a bougie appetite on a bologna budget.

She thought about what was in her freezer. Any good Southern girl worth her salt had a dish waiting for an event, whether it be a death, a birth, or an intervention. Nothing said I care like a casserole.

Charlotte was a diamond in a world of cubic zirconia.

His mom had an uncanny ability to recognize when something wasn’t right, even at a great distance. He wondered if that was motherly instinct when she wasn’t busy eating her young. Or just her ability to smell chum in the water.

It’s like bringing a cake knife to a gang war.

My Review:

 

This was a satisfying and pleasantly entertaining escapist read from start to finish. Even the conflict and villainous mother were amusing and well-contrived. The primary and secondary characters were authentically drawn, accessible, enjoyably endearing, and easily likable. I can always count on a Kelly Collins book for an enjoyable read laced together with a unique small-town populous and smirk-worthy snark, resulting in a contented sigh-producing HEA.

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

 

  Goodreads  / Website  / AmazonFacebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Bookbub

International bestselling author of over 30 novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Book Review: The Greedy Three by Karen Katchur @karenkatchur @XiaBeata

When a kidnapping goes awry, three desperate characters find themselves trapped inside a remote cabin with a baby and a bag full of money. Noah is a kidnapper, hired to buy a baby from a human trafficking ring and smuggle her across the Canadian border for a cool half a million dollars. Eve is a teenage runaway, who takes the infant—and the sack full of cash—away from him. Hester is an outcast, living alone in a backwoods cottage, harboring secrets of her own. When their paths cross, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll come out on top.


With the law hot on their trail and the traffickers’ hired guns closing in, this unlikely trio is soon holed up together—and at one another’s throats. They’ll stop at nothing to save their own skins and escape with the loot and child. But which of the greedy three will be the last one standing? One thing’s for sure: no one will emerge unscathed . . .

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

Then she looks inside the silverware drawer. Several girly magazines are thrown in with the forks and spoons. Not surprising to find porn in a man’s cabin in the woods. They need some kind of entertainment, because God forbid they neglect their penises for a couple of hours.

Time has a way of dulling memories, smudging the sharp edges of tragedy, smoothing out the vivid images in order for a person to go on living. She supposes what she’s feeling now, sitting here, is a kind of quiet reflection. It doesn’t mean she forgets the sacrifices that were made or the lives that were lost.

My Review:

 

I was transfixed on my Kindle while reading this gripping, brutal, horrifying, and haunting story. I rarely read such tragic, gruesome, or violent tales but the storytelling was simply stellar and oddly captivating while told from multiple points of view with expert handling of the interior narratives of the devastatingly fractured characters. I was taut with tension, enthralled, anxious, intrigued, and growing increasingly fretful as their stories unfolded and tragedies compounded. Karen Katchur is an evil genius, her neighbors should tread quietly and carefully.

 

Karen Katchur is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of RIVER BODIES and the Northampton County series. She holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and a master’s in education. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters.

Book Review: Something to Talk About (Kissing Creek #3) by Ruthie Henrick @RuthieHenrick @wordsmithpublic

Something to Talk About
(Kissing Creek #3)
by Ruthie Henrick

 

Amazon / BB

 

Dixie’s found her way back home again, and this time she wants to stay.

All it took was four days. Less than a week and my emotional cocktail of love and concern were stirred up again—for Deke, and my hometown. The big career I’d built was no substitute for the quiet life I left behind. Deke loved me, supported me, and wanted only the best for me. Kissing Creek raised me, knew me, and when it was time, let me go. Now the idea of returning to my hometown fills me with joy and hope. And Deke? His warm touch and caring heart might be the biggest incentive of all.

Deke’s life is in Kissing Creek. And there’s plenty of room for Dixie.

Yeah, okay, I have a pretty good life here in Kissing Creek. But I’d pack it all up and chase Dixie out west for a chance to live out my dreams with her. She always has kept me on my toes, though, especially when it comes to her actions. So why am I surprised when she shows up again, and with a plan? I’m not crazy about it but I’ll play along. She wants to build a life of her own here. I can help. She wants to date? We’ll date. But beware, Dixie, I have plans too.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Right now, you could pretty much name your price.” I pretended to give it heavy consideration as I strolled alongside her waddling form on our way to the curb. “Baby snuggles, that’s what I want. The price is steep, I understand, but you’ll just have to share. And not just any snuggles, either. I want the ones when she smells good right after her bath. Not the ones right after she pukes up her formula.” I crinkled my nose and gave a slight shudder that was not at all feigned.

My Review:

 

I enjoyed the conclusion of this delectably steamy and pleasantly amusing second-chance small-town romance. It was my favorite and the least angsty of the three installments and had Dixie finally pulling her head from her colon and delivering that much prized HEA. Sigh.

 

 

Author’s Note: Kick back and enjoy this sweet and sexy small-town romantic comedy set in Kissing Creek, Tennessee—Book Three of the Heart of Dixie trilogy featuring Dixie and Deke. This book was originally released a few years ago, set in the fictional small town of Moreover, Tennessee. You may have read it. If so, you probably loved it *grins* But sometimes, even authors need a do-over. Because I was so in love with these characters and their history together, I decided to introduce the setting’s name change in a prequel novella of their origin story and, well, oops! Got a little carried away while writing. Then I decided I wanted a bonus epilogue for y’all—and what do you know? Uh oh. Same thing happened. Now we have three books to binge. Heads up, you hopeless romantics, you’ll find Deke and Dixie shenanigans in later books in this series, but Something to Talk About (Book Three) is the last book of their story—for now at least. Ruthie xoxo

 

 

Ruthie’s an Arizona girl, married to her high school sweetheart and mama to three grown sons. She writes contemporary romance with heroes who make you swoon, yet might live right next door. She’s a true romance junkie and a lifetime avid reader who spent far too much time shushing the voices in her head—until the day she sat at her keyboard to see what all those voices had to say.

She’s a big fan of coffee and easy-to-cook meals, and country music songwriters, who she believes are some of the best storytellers ever. She loves chatting with other readers, sharing her favorite books and authors, and discovering those new to her. Go by and hang out with her on any of her social media!

 

Book Review: The Catch (Hollywood #2) by Shari Low and Ross King @sharilow

The Catch
(Hollywood #2)
by Shari Low and Ross King

Amazon  / B&N  / BB

They’ve made it to the top… but someone is determined to make them pay.

At a glittering after-party on the night of the Academy Awards, author Mirren McLean celebrates her win with her childhood friends Davie Johnston and Zander Leith by her side.

Three kids from a tough street in Glasgow, the dazzling trio rose from the ashes to become Hollywood stars with global fame and vast fortunes.

This is their moment in the spotlight.

But by morning, there’s only darkness.

A secret from their past has come back to haunt them and the shield of stardom can’t protect them from the horrors of their old lives.

Someone is out to destroy them… and unlike the movies, there’s no guarantee that the good guys will win.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

That was showbiz. A year ago, Jizzo was washed up, almost a joke, a has-been with a bad weave who was desperately holding on to a fanbase that had long ago swapped their leather trousers for pension plans and brochures for assisted-living facilities. Throw in a supermodel girlfriend, a hit reality show and behaviour that would get him arrested anywhere else in the world, and the result was the kind of homage that used to be reserved for state leaders and royalty.

She prided herself on being the last person in Los Angeles who still consumed carbs on anything other than birthdays, Christmas or the discovery that your partner was cheating on you with a twenty-two-year-old waitress.

Mellie unfurled her legs from under her and stood, her spiked heels and black leather trousers giving her a look that sat somewhere between Robocop and an occupation that demanded the use of a safe word.

Others saw a career that epitomized the very pinnacle of success. She wondered when he was going to get a real job and actually build something because ‘All you do is talk for a living. It’s not proper work, is it?’

My Review:

 

Another bitingly witty, cleverly plotted, complex, and multi-layered thriller full of twists, sensuality, scandals, and subterfuge. I lapped up every perfectly chosen and evocative word, snarky misdirection, and vibrant detail like a starving dieter on a binge. The characters were so fabulously flawed they were teetering on the edge of ruin yet I was fascinated by their work ethic and continued successes despite their jagged histories and poor choices. Shari Low is a skilled scribe and master storyteller while the synergy in pairing with Ross King has yielded a dynamic and explosive combination. I hope there is more to come as I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

 

 

About the Authors

 

Amazon
Goodreads
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Facebook
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BookBub
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Ross King and Shari Low is a writing partnership forged in a friendship of over 30 years. Los Angeles-based Ross King is a four-time News Emmy award-winning TV and radio host, actor, producer, writer, and performer, and is currently the Hollywood correspondent for ITV’s Good Morning Britain.  Shari Lowi is the bestselling writer of nearly thirty novels including My One Month Marriage and One Summer Sunrise and she lives in Glasgow. They are publishing their Hollywood thriller trilogy with Boldwood.