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Book Review: Wrong Alibi (Murder in Alaska #1) by Christina Dodd   @ChristinaDodd

Wrong Alibi
(Murder in Alaska #1)
by Christina Dodd 

Publisher: HQN Books

 Harlequin / Indiebound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / Walmart / Google / iBooks / Kobo

 

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd delivers an all-new thriller, featuring a bold and brash female protagonist.

WRONG JOB
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME
Evie’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse.

WRONG ALIBI
At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

There was another, shorter line, a lot shorter than this one, and Petie couldn’t figure out why, so she watched. Behind the glass stood a middle-aged female officer, short, skinny, tanned, wrinkled, smoking a cigarette. She didn’t speak, she blared. “Back again, are you? What’s it been, what? Two months since you beat your wife? Or two months since she turned you in? I suppose she’s coming to pick you up. A weak woman and a guy with heavy fists. You’re made for each other. Pay the fine at that window.” … “That’s Chief of Police Gretchen George. Wretchen Gretchen we call her.”

 

No sane cop would come out in this weather, not even to capture a convicted and escaped murderer. She grinned. That was the real definition of cold comfort.

 

He’s charming. He’s mesmerizing. That voice would lull a baby to sleep… right before he smothered it with its own pillow.

 

He knew he’d been a jerk. Signa stared at him like a Valkyrie about to smite a mortal.

My Review:

 

I greatly enjoyed this unpredictable and quirky tale; it was highly eventful with several conundrums to solve and multiple storylines that blended the genres of family drama, thriller, and women’s fiction. My curiosity was alert and on-point throughout perusal. The active storylines and engaging and smooth writing style were entertaining, well-paced, and easy to follow with shrewdly placed hits of humor and oddly intriguingly and peculiar characters. I began to eagerly look forward to each new player as their introductions and descriptions were lively and fun. This was my first time reading this prolific scribbler with Goodreads reporting ninety-four listings and multiple genres. How have I not noticed her agile word skills and deft pen before?   I have rectified this grievous error by adding her to my list of favorites.

About the Author

 

New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd writes “edge-of-the-seat suspense” (Iris Johansen) with “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (ALA Booklist). Her fifty-eight books have been called “scary, sexy, and smartly written” by Booklist and, much to her mother’s delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list at www.christinadodd.com.

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Book Review: MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER by T.A. Willberg @Tess_Amy_

 

MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER
by T.A. Willberg

Harlequin / Park Row Books

 

 

The letter was short. A name, a time, a place.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder plunges readers into the heart of London, to the secret tunnels that exist far beneath the city streets. There, a mysterious group of detectives recruited for Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries use their cunning and gadgets to solve crimes that have stumped Scotland Yard.

Late one night in April 1958, a filing assistant at Miss Brickett’s receives a letter of warning, detailing a name, a time, and a place. She goes to investigate but finds the room empty. At the stroke of midnight, she is murdered by a killer she can’t see―her death the only sign she wasn’t alone. It becomes chillingly clear that the person responsible must also work for Miss Brickett’s, making everyone a suspect.

Marion Lane, a first-year Inquirer-in-training, finds herself drawn ever deeper into the investigation. When her friend and colleague is framed for the crime, to clear his name she must sort through the hidden alliances at Miss Brickett’s and secrets dating back to WWII. Masterful, clever, and deliciously suspenseful, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a fresh take on the Agatha Christie-style locked-room murder mystery, with an exciting new heroine detective.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

But that was the thing about death, as Marion knew so well. No matter how much the deceased were loved, life does not wait for the grieving. Though on the inside everything will change and what used to matter falls away, the routine and ordinary remain unchallenged.

 

My Review:

 

This is not my typical genre and I struggled a bit with the unfamiliar world-building, complex storylines, and vast cast of uniquely drawn and unorthodox characters, but my curiosity was well and truly poked and continually primed throughout this deeply puzzling and intriguing tale. Ms. Willberg deftly staged her scenes and players with intricate and unfailingly compelling descriptions so finely detailed that sharp visuals danced through my gray matter with the smoothness of a film reel.

This would be an excellent series for the big or small screen. The unusual storylines and writing style were polished, well-honed, and maddeningly paced; keeping me on edge with dark and gloomy settings, untrustworthy characters, questionable hidden agendas, and ingenious and creative gadgets. I coveted their resourceful tools and could put some of those items to good use for myself on a despicable neighbor or three.

About the Author

Author Website

Twitter: @Tess_Amy_

Facebook: @tawillberg

Instagram: @ta_willberg

T.A. Willberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and holds a chiropractic master’s degree from the Durban University of Technology. MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER is her debut novel and launch of her detective series. She currently lives in Malta with her partner.

 

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Book Review: Boone (Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas #3) by Emily March 

Boone
(Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas #3)
by Emily March 

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple 

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 In Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas, New York Times bestselling author Emily March presents a brand new arc set in the Lone Star State that features a family-linked trilogy within the author’s romantic series.

With his smooth talk, rugged good looks, and deep pockets, native Texan Boone McBride appears to be a man who has it all. Few people know about the heartbreak behind his decision to leave home, family, and career for the isolation of a small town in the Colorado Rockies. Luckily, time and life in Eternity Springs have worked their healing magic upon his wounded soul, so when he meets obviously troubled Hannah Dupree, Boone sees a chance to pay his good fortune forward. The last thing he anticipates is tumbling into love.

 

Tragedy has taken everything Hannah loves, and her will to keep going is failing. So when Boone strides into her life determined to save her, it’s easier to go along with him than to resist. Soon she is drawn into the fabric of life in Eternity Springs, and as her spirit begins to heal, her strength returns, and she’s able to go toe-to-toe with this hardheaded, big-hearted Texan. But just when love blooms and happiness is within their grasp, shadows from the past threaten. Hannah and Boone must stand strong and united in order to defeat old ghosts—if they are to create a brand-new life together.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I know you’re probably wondering why a single guy built a house this big. You have to understand that we’re wall-to-wall Texans from Memorial Day to Labor Day… I can’t tell you how many times friends or relatives call from the front porch of hell to tell me they’ve had a sudden hankering to see me.” “The front porch of hell?” “Texas in the summertime.”

 

“What about you? Do you sing?” “Only if I’m trying to scare raccoons away.”

 

“I mean it, Boone. No more going lawyer on me. You’re too good at it.” “Thank you.” “That wasn’t a compliment.”

 

“You are looking for a romance battle plan. You got a name for your operation?… It helps. Believe me… Give it a name.” “Did you have a name for your plan to win Gillian?” Jackson asked. “I did. I came up with it when I spied a critter as Gillian and I were hiking the canyon.” He paused dramatically. “Operation Horny Toad.”

 

Unbelievable… Outmaneuvered by a Yankee. I’m going to have to turn in my cowboy card.

 

My Review:

 

I adored this sweet couple and their supportive and tender romance. Their storylines were refreshingly free of contrived conflict and overarching angst, which I find so tedious.   Although both main characters had uniquely compelling and heartbreaking back-stories, their relationship with each other was thoughtful, caring, and eventfully sizzling. Ms. March’s engaging and smooth writing style was easy to follow with relevant and realistic modern-day issues, family drama, wry humor, amusing levity, and witty banter.

 

About the Author
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Emily March is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the heartwarming Eternity Springs series. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

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Book Review: Breathe Your Last (Detective Josie Quinn #10) by Lisa Regan @Lisalregan  @bookouture

Breathe Your Last
(Detective Josie Quinn #10) 
by Lisa Regan

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple 

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Josie presses her hands into the center of the drowned girl’s chest and pumps, counting off compressions. She takes in the girl’s beautiful face, her brown eyes glassy. The memory of a champion swimmer on the podium with her teammates—a red swim cap on, her head thrown back in laughter—a stark contrast to the cold, still body before her. Breathe. Just breathe…

The body of a young girl lying face down in a swimming pool—white tennis shoes still on her feet, chestnut hair fanned out like a halo—is the last thing Detective Josie Quinn expects to find on an early morning visit to see her brother before class at Denton University. But when she recognizes the girl’s face as she drags her limp body from the water, there’s only one question racing through Josie’s mind: how does a champion swimmer accidentally drown?

Nysa Somers’ family is distraught. She was a model student, beloved daughter, and everybody’s friend. There’s no way she would do anything reckless enough to put her scholarship at risk, let alone her life. It’s up to Josie and her team to piece together what happened in the hours leading up to Nysa’s death, and that begins with finding her missing backpack.

But the bag, discarded in the woods on the nearby campus, contains nothing more than empty food wrappers, Nysa’s phone, and a cryptic calendar entry telling her to be a mermaid.

The next day, a terrible housefire envelops the nearby home of a retired fireman, nearly killing his two granddaughters. The last words the little girls heard him mutter before he set the blaze were, be a match.

As the body count rises, it’s only Josie who can see the deadly pattern forming. Can she convince her team that the wrapper found in Nysa’s bag that everyone overlooked is the crucial link they’re missing? Not while her partner, Noah, is avoiding her calls and acting so coldly towards her. Josie knows she must go it alone if she’s going to stop this silent and calculated serial killer before any more precious lives are taken.

But with the killer finally in her sights, Josie takes a deadly risk and finds herself hanging onto life by her fingernails. Can she trust her team to save her, and before it’s too late?

An unputdownable and totally gripping crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni, and Rachel Caine.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Her heart pounded so hard in her chest, it felt like each beat rattled her bones.

 

He had shaggy black hair that hung in hanks around his head. Almost like someone very angry had given him a haircut and quit in the middle of doing it.

 

He never knew the feeling of absolute power over someone’s life the way I did. He never knew what it felt like to right the wrongs people perpetrated against you. Making people pay was like heroin for my soul.

My Review:

 

This was brilliantly contrived, shrewdly paced, taut with tension, and fraught with confounding and chilling intrigue. I was afraid to blink for fear I’d miss something and profoundly resented having to put my Kindle down for a second. And judging from the stiffness in fingers, I may have been clutching it in a white-knuckled death grip throughout perusal. I had read book one before picking up this cunningly crafted missive and holy brain spasm Batman, so much as happened to Josie in the intervening four-years that it singed the little pea in my brain. I need to take out a second mortgage and borrow Herminie’s time turner so I can read the other eight books in between.

I soon discovered that between book one and book ten, Josie had acquired a previously unknown set of parents, a twin sister, a brother, a new love interest, and an adorable dog. She was still an epic trouble magnet, deeply flawed and stubborn stoic, and death-defying risk-taker; so not everything had changed. Every character, even those who appeared only briefly, was uniquely etched and curiously compelling if not enigmatic. I am hooked, bewitched, besotted, and totally enamored with this agile wordsmith and in awe of her deft wordcraft. Sigh, fangirling hard!

 

About the Author

Lisa Regan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and Amazon bestselling crime novelist.  She has a bachelor’s degree in English and a Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University.  She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.

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Book Review:  Vanishing Girls (Detective Josie Quinn #1) by Lisa Regan @Lisalregan @bookouture

Vanishing Girls
(Detective Josie Quinn #1)
by Lisa Regan

 

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple 

 

She was close enough to see that the girl had written a word on the wall in bright, warm red blood. Not a word, actually. A name…

Everyone in the small American town of Denton is searching for Isabelle Coleman, a missing seventeen-year-old girl. All they’ve found so far is her phone and another girl they didn’t even know was missing.

Mute and completely unresponsive to the world around her, it’s clear this mysterious girl has been damaged beyond repair. All Detective Josie Quinn can get from her is a name: Ramona.

Currently suspended from the force for misconduct, Josie takes matters into her own hands as the name leads her to evidence linking the two girls. She knows the race is on to find Isabelle alive, and she fears there may be others…

The trail leads Josie to another victim, a girl who escaped but whose case was labeled a hoax by authorities. To catch this monster, Josie must confront her own nightmares and follow her instinct to the darkest of places. But can she make it out alive?

Fans of Angela Marsons, Helen Fields, and Robert Dugoni will be utterly gripped and sleeping with the lights on once they discover the first in this unputdownable new crime thriller series.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Denton was roughly twenty -five square miles, many of those miles spanning the untamed mountains of central Pennsylvania with their one-lane winding roads, dense woods and rural residences spread out like carelessly thrown confetti.

 

We can keep arguing about this… but you’re never going to be right.

 

Whatever. Or is it whatevs? I heard Mrs. Sole’s great-granddaughter in here the other day and she said, ‘whatevs’. Is that the new thing? Young people are too lazy to even finish saying words?

My Review:

 

This was my first experience with the devastatingly talented Lisa Regan and I found her work to be breathtakingly well-crafted and brilliantly executed with crimes and behaviors that were deeply disturbing and found me cringing and flinching in distress. Her characters were complex, driven, and deeply flawed, yet compelling and vastly intriguing. I can’t wait to dive back in, I am greedy that way, I want all her clever arrangements of words.

About the Author

Lisa Regan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and Amazon bestselling crime novelist.  She has a bachelor’s degree in English and a Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University.  She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.

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Book Review: A California Christmas (Silver Springs #7) by Brenda Novak @Brenda_Novak

A California Christmas
(Silver Springs #7)
by Brenda Novak 

 

Amazon  / B&N / GP

 

Up-and-coming TV anchor Emery Bliss can’t imagine anything more humiliating than the sex tape her ex revenge-posted online. That is, until it causes her to lose her job on top of her self-esteem. Seeking solace—and anonymity—in Silver Springs, Emery isn’t looking to get involved with another man anytime soon. But when she’s thrown back into contact with Dallas Turner, she sees something that his many detractors have missed.

Being home for the holidays and his adoptive mother’s wedding isn’t where mountain climber Dallas feels most comfortable. Thanks to his troubled childhood, he’d rather be on a rock face alone than trying to connect with people. Emery, however, makes him want to overcome his past…somehow. Both Emery and Dallas had been planning on a quiet, solitary Christmas, but the sparks between them are lighting a fire strong enough to last—possibly forever.

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Attitudes are as catchy as the flu.

 

My Review:

 

This holiday romance featured multiple storylines which were all equally engaging and well-nuanced with family drama, wedding prep for an older couple, career crossroads, a revenge-porn sex-tape scandal, a new budding relationship that was meant to be a non-romance, and new beginnings. Ms. Novak’s small-town characters were immensely likable, realistically flawed, and held my interest. The story threads were busy and eventful yet relatively easy to follow, even for someone like me who is not familiar with the series or read the previous installments, although now I am feeling the pull to do so as I am quite curious about several of the characters.

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It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s career as a bestselling author–she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.” When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including eight Rita nominations, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Book Seller’s Best, the Silver Bullet, and the National Reader’s Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children–three girls and two boys. When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.6 million!

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Book Review: Christmas Charms by Teri Wilson @TeriWilsonauthr

Christmas Charms
by Teri Wilson 

 

She never dreamed her holiday would include

her hometown, a dog, or a firefighter.

But a mysterious charm bracelet

predicted it all…

Ashley’s supposed to be having the Christmas of her dreams. After four years of working at an upscale jewelry store in Manhattan, she’s finally going to get a little velvet box of her own―from her boyfriend Jeremy, who’s taking her on a romantic trip to Paris. What could go wrong?

Well, everything.

Ashley heads home to Owl Lake instead, falling asleep on the train ride there…and waking up with a beautiful antique charm bracelet on her wrist. Soon, she realizes that each silver charm predicts an event that happens in real life. What does this mean for her and Jeremy…or her and Aidan, her former high school boyfriend, who’s now a local firefighter? Is there still a chance that she could have the perfect Christmas?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

You should have dumped your pizza on his head and smeared the tomato sauce in his hair… He deserves way more than public humiliation by way of cheese.

 

Let me tell you, drawing things with frosting is a lot harder than it looks. My poor gingerbread firemen look like they’re wrestling yellow snakes instead of wielding fire hoses. Happy holidayssssssssssss.

 

I should probably stop getting enchanted by the idea of a perfect holiday date and concentrate on living in the real world. The last time I thought I was going to have the ultimate Christmas date, I ended up breaking up with my boyfriend of three years. I’m still haunted by the thought of mozzarella cheese.

My Review:

 

This was a whimsical, light, and pleasantly amusing holiday second chance romance featuring a magical charm bracelet, small-town rituals, and a chance meeting with a lovely woman who just may have been Mrs. Claus. I enjoyed the sweet Hallmark Christmas flavor, wry humor, and lovable characters. The Santa Skate was brilliant, I don’t know if that is a real thing or not, but it certainly should be if it isn’t, even though I have never strapped on a pair of ice skates in my entire life.

About the Author

 

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Teri Wilson is the author/creator of the Hallmark Channel Original Movies Unleashing Mr. Darcy, Marrying Mr. Darcy, and The Art of Us, as well as a fourth Hallmark movie currently in development. Teri is a double finalist in the prestigious 2018 RWA RITA awards for her novels The Princess Problem and Royally Wed. Teri also writes an offbeat fashion column for the royal blog What Would Kate Do and is a frequent guest contributor for its sister site, Meghan’s Mirror. She’s been a contributor for both HelloGiggles and Teen Vogue, covering books, pop culture, beauty, and everything royal. In 2017, she served as a national judge for the Miss United States pageant in Orlando, Florida, and has since judged in the Miss America system. She has a major weakness for cute animals, pretty dresses, Audrey Hepburn films, and good books.

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Book Review: The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker  @sandybarker

The Christmas Swap
by Sandy Barker 

 

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple 

Chloe, Jules, and Lucy meet at a Maui resort kids’ club, aged 11, forging a lifelong friendship spanning two decades and three continents.

Twenty-two years later, they decide to swap Christmases, none of them expecting the hilarity and romantic escapades that will ensue.

Chloe from Melbourne spends her Christmas with Lucy’s mum and dad in a sleepy village in Oxfordshire, England, stunned to the core when she discovers who grew up across the road from Lucy.

Lucy, who has jetted off to snowy Colorado for her dream-come-true white Christmas, is taken into the fold of Jules’s loud and brash family, discovering more about herself in a few short days than she has in years.

And Jules leaves the cold climes of Colorado to spend a balmy ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ with Chloe’s friends in Melbourne, finding that time away from her mundane life is just what she needed.

Join these three lovable women as they each get a Christmas to surpass their wildest dreams.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Flattery, flattery, flattery— in her experience, the three best ways to earn someone’s trust quickly.

 

Mr Tate, may I remind you that I am from Australia where we say the F-word on TV and include words like ‘bloody’ and ‘bugger’ in award-winning ad campaigns. Yes, I know that those are the height of profanity here in the UK, but in ’Straya”— she bunged on a broad Aussie accent—“ they are regularly heard on the playground.

My Review:

 

This was a fun, amusing, and low conflict women’s fiction holiday read, perfect for the days leading up to Christmas, which is exactly when I read it. While three separate romances were blossoming across the globe, the underpinning of the storylines was a long-standing twenty-year friendship between three women from three different continents. Their deep and supportive friendships were established as young girls when they met during family vacations in Hawaii and well maintained into adulthood. The type of friendship everyone yearns to have yet few can successfully sustain.

The author was new to me yet her smooth and relaxed writing style felt immediately comfortable, pleasantly familiar, and easy to follow. Her agile storytelling was engaging and insightful and I enjoyed her characters as much as their storylines. This was a fresh take on a familiar premise and while I was well entertained and enamored with all three couples, I will confess to loving Chloe a bit more for her fierceness.

About the Author
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I’m a writer, traveler, and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list. I love exploring new places, outdoor adventures, and eating and drinking like a local when I travel, and many of my travel adventures have found homes in my novels. I’m also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover, and a coffee snob.

My first novel, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by my real-life love story, was published in June 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins). In 2020, two follow-ups in the Holiday Romance series hit the shelves: That Night in Paris and A Sunset in Sydney. My novel, The Christmas Swap, is a stand-alone inspired by some of my own Christmas adventures, and I am currently writing my 5th book (the 4th in the Holiday Romance series) and 6th book (a stand-alone), with plans for 7 and 8!

I am represented by Lina Langlee of The North Literary Agency.

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Book Review: The Last to See Her by Courtney Evan Tate @Court_Writes

THE LAST TO SEE HER
by  Courtney Evan Tate

Publisher: MIRA Books

Harlequin  / Barnes & Noble / Amazon / B-A-M / Powell’s

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Courtney Evan Tate’s The Last to See Her (MIRA; 12/29) is a twisty, fast-paced domestic suspense about sisters, secrets, and betrayal–for fans of B.A. Paris and Riley Sager.

Genevieve, a writer, is about to finalize her divorce from her cheating husband Thad. So when her sister Meg, an ambitious physician, has a convention to attend in New York City, she invites Gen along to celebrate her return to single life. It will be a perfect sisters’ getaway in the big city! But things go awry when, on their first evening at the hotel, Gen decides to take a late-night walk and disappears without a trace. Eventually, she is officially declared a missing person.

Suspicion soon falls on her sister Meg, who was the last person to see her.

Through twists and turns, it is revealed that Meg has been sleeping with her brother-in-law Thad… And then there is a question of a newly purchased insurance policy that just has just gone into effect before Gen’s disappearance. Both Thad and Meg deny any knowledge of it.

But has an actual crime been committed? Can it be proven? And if so, who is really the guilty one?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Divorcing a lawyer was the only thing worse than being married to one.

 

He seemed intrigued now, at the very least. Mention sex, and you get a man’s attention. It wasn’t always the attention you wanted, though.

 

… a bustling room filled with ringing phones and the sounds of metal file cabinets slamming closed. If a place could smell like unsolved crime, it would be this.

 

Thad is an ambulance chaser. He’ll survive. He’s like a cockroach after an atomic bomb.

My Review:

 

I was waffling a bit on how to rate this twisty tale but a check of my highlighted quotes removed all doubt. This wily wordsmith is a master of deception as nothing was as it was initially presented, even after I thought I had it solved, it wasn’t. She craftily stitched her tale with several shrewdly paced and slyly nuanced storylines that took sudden sharp turns that left me somewhat addled and grappling for a hold.

I would never play cards with this devious little madam as I’m sure she would have an entire deck hidden up her sleeves which she would cunningly deploy while regaling me with enticing tidbits and enthralling tales as she cleverly fleeced me of my life savings. And silly me, I would most likely merrily hand it over while stunned and disoriented yet well entertained, which is the very condition I’m currently circling now.

About the Author

Author Website

Twitter: @Court_Writes

Instagram: @CourtneyColeWrites

Facebook: @CourtneyColeWrites

Goodreads

 

Courtney Evan Tate is the nom de plume (and darker side) of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Courtney Cole. As Courtney Evan Tate, she is the author of Such Dark Things and I’ll Be Watching You. Courtney grew up in rural Kansas and now lives with her husband and kids in Florida, where spends her days dreaming of new characters and storylines and surprising plot twists and writing them beneath rustling palm trees. 

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Book Review: A Perfect Paris Christmas by Mandy Baggot   @mandybaggot @aria_fiction

 

A Perfect Paris Christmas
by Mandy Baggot 

 

 

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple / Kobo

 

Keeley Andrews knows more than anyone that you only live once. So when she receives an invitation to spend two weeks in Paris, all expenses paid, she jumps at the chance.

Ethan Bouchard has had the worst eighteen months of his life. He’s ready to give up on everything, including his hotel chain. So when he meets Keeley, it simply isn’t the right time.

As Keeley and Ethan continue to bump into each other on the romantic Parisian streets, they can’t help but wonder whether this is fate telling them to let go of the past and leap into the future…

Head to Paris this Christmas and fall in love under the lights of the Eiffel Tower with best-selling author, Mandy Baggot.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Your mum hasn’t ever really done “OK”… She generally ranges from “pallbearer” to “Elton John in his heyday” and nothing in between.

 

The church came in today. They all looked at me like they were sizing me up for my coffin.

 

… he had other more important things to do. Right now he needed to… drink coffee and… smell other people’s cigarettes and dream about smoking them himself and… eat more sweets. He was a very busy man.

 

You are still under the tourist illusion that everything in Paris is fragranced like it was manufactured in a perfumery… We learn to live with the scent of pee. No one knows where it comes from. We clean. We sanitise. After that, no one wants to know where it still comes from.

My Review:

 

This was a fun and cleverly amusing story with an original premise and enticingly quirky and complex characters.   The lively storylines were well-paced, engaging, highly textured, and hit all the feels while alternating between squeezing and warming my heart. Ms. Baggot’s deft storytelling flows smoothly with colorful details that fleshed out each scene and kept me closely implanted within the characters’ periphery. I got to enjoy Paris without the jetlag, long lines, olfactory assault, or calories.

About the Author

Amazon

Goodreads

Website

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Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy’s books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech, and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music, and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

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