Review: SHE’S GONE by David Bell

So I read a lot of mysteries, usually cozies or thrillers. No news there. However, this time I was surprised to find myself engrossed in a new YA mystery – She’s Gone by David Bell, which released earlier this month.

Description*

When a girl disappears, who do you suspect?

When 17-year-old Hunter Gifford wakes in the hospital on the night of homecoming, he’s shocked to learn he and his girlfriend, Chloe Summers, have been in a terrible car accident. Hunter has no memory of the crash, and his shock turns to horror when he is told Chloe’s blood has been found in the car—but she has disappeared.

Back at school, his fellow students taunt him, and his former best friend starts making a true-crime documentary about the case—one that points the finger directly at Hunter. And just when things can’t get any worse, Chloe’s mother stands in front of the entire town at a candlelight vigil and accuses Hunter of murder.

Under mounting pressure from the police, Hunter takes matters into his own hands by questioning anyone who might know the truth and posting videos to prove his innocence. When Hunter learns he and Chloe were seen arguing loudly outside the dance, he faces a sickening possibility. Was he angry enough to kill the person he loved?

*As appears on Amazon.

My Review

After a terrible car accident, Hunter faces accusations which he honestly has no way of proving or disproving. He doesn’t want to believe he might have hurt Chloe but he simply doesn’t remember the events leading up to the crash. A pretty level-headed teenager, he is a likable character and it’s easy to sympathize with his plight and his emotions. He may want to do the right thing, but he is a teenager after all, and in his efforts to root out the truth some of his actions are ill-advised, impulsive, risky. His sister and sometimes partner-in-crime is delightful, a bit snarky, and totally loyal.

The story is told entirely from Hunter’s point of view in an easy to read style that puts the reader in touch with his thoughts and feelings. The writer’s style in this novel is well suited to both teen and adult audiences. The plot was well-placed, building in intensity as the story progressed and Hunter comes closer to discovering the truth. The novel was intriguing enough to keep those pages turning.  Like Hunter, I had to know what happened to Chloe.

Content advisory: This novel includes light description of sex between teens (not erotic at all) and profanity, thus may not suit those seeking “clean” reads.

FTC disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review.

Cover Reveal & Series Spotlight: HANNAH AND TAMAR MYSTERIES

Christa Nardi and I decided it was time to shake things up a bit and so we are pleased to present a new look for our Hannah and Tamar YA mystery series. In addition, this mystery series for teens and mystery lovers of all ages is now available from your favorite booksellers (including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more) in digital, paperback, and audiobook editions.

About The Mysterious Package

Hannah and Tamar are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving break with their grandparents. On the long ride to Vermont, the sisters are quick to offer assistance when a fellow passenger – a girl in her late teens – is hassled by a rough-looking young man. Grateful as she may be for their help, Gwen is in no hurry to make friends, not even as she thrusts a mysterious package into Tamar’s hand and disappears in the Rutland train station. Puzzled by her behavior, Hannah and Tamar set out to locate Gwen and unravel the secret of the mysterious package.

About Mrs. Tedesco’s Missing Cookbook

Hannah never imagined her high school service project with the elderly would draw her into another mystery. Mrs. Tedesco, a lonely widow who loves to bake, has just one simple request — that the teen retrieve her cookbook from her old house. Easier said than done. The house has been ransacked and the coveted cookbook is nowhere to be found. Eager to help the woman, Hannah and her sister, Tamar, are driven to locate the cookbook and uncover its secrets. But the teens aren’t the only ones seeking the cookbook’s hidden treasures, and the other side is playing for keeps.

About The Misplaced Dog

It’s love at first sight when Tamar meets Rusty – the newest resident at the local shelter where she volunteers. However, the arrival of the well-trained and affectionate dog coincides with the onset of suspicious and dangerous incidents involving the shelter and its staff. Is it a coincidence or is the dog the key to solving a major crime? In this latest addition to the Hannah and Tamar mystery series, the sisters are determined to find out.

About Malicious Mischief

When a popular jock senses something’s up with his younger sister, he turns to local teen sleuths, Hannah and Tamar, for help. At the same time, a rash of smoke bombs attacks across Rosedale has the community on edge. Are these events connected and could someone at Rosedale High be involved?
Join Hannah and Tamar as they uncover malicious mischief and forge new friendships in this mystery for teens and young adults. 

About Mayhem on the Midway

Emotions run high at Rosedale High as Tamar and her friends plan the junior class’s year-end fundraiser – a school fair set to involve students, staff, and the community.  Even when a  series of puzzling incidents put a friend and their plans at risk, the teens are not deterred. They are determined to pull off a spectacular fair and help the police identify the source of the mayhem on the midway.

Review: WATCH OUT FOR HER by Samantha M. Bailey

A mystery I read recently released today – Watch Out for Her – by Samantha M. Bailey. I enjoyed it. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers/mysteries, be sure to check it out.

Description*

Wherever you go…
she’ll be watching.

Sarah Goldman, mother to six-year-old Jacob, is relieved to move across the country. She has a lot she wants to leave behind, especially Holly Monroe, the pretty twenty-two-year-old babysitter she and her husband, Daniel, hired to take care of their young son last summer. It started out as a perfect arrangement—Sarah had a childminder her son adored, and Holly found the mother figure she’d always wanted. But Sarah’s never been one to trust very easily, so she kept a close eye on Holly, maybe too close at times. What she saw raised some questions, not only about who Holly really was but what she was hiding. The more Sarah watched, the more she learned—until one day, she saw something she couldn’t unsee, something so shocking that all she could do was flee.

Sarah has put it all behind her and is starting over in a different city with her husband and son. They’ve settled into a friendly suburb where the neighbors, a tight clique of good citizens, are always on the lookout for danger. But when Sarah finds hidden cameras in her new home, she has to wonder: has her past caught up to her, and worse yet, who’s watching her now?

A spine-tingling, page-turning novel from USA TODAY and #1 national bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey, Watch Out for Her is psychological suspense at its very best—a chilling look at trust, voyeurism, and obsession in the modern age, and how far we will go to watch out for those we love.

*Publisher’s description as appears on Amazon

My Review

This well written novel presents an intriguing tale centered on the personalities of two women. Both are somewhat emotionally unbalanced yet for very different reasons. They both seek a sense of security, love, and validation. Holly is desperate to become part of a loving family at any cost, and Sarah is cast in the role of surrogate mother to the troubled young woman. Holly and Sarah get along well. That is, until a series of events lead to a falling out. As the story unravels, the extent of their respective psychological issues becomes apparent and the questions surrounding who is/was watching whom are answered.

The author’s choice of voice was interesting, with the point of view alternating between Sarah’s (1st person) POV after the move and Holly’s POV (in 3rd person) before the move. Felt odd to me at first, but it works. Overall, the pace was pretty even thoughout, picking up pace near the end leading to a speedy resolution. I enjoyed the book and will be on the look out for future work by this author.

FTC disclosure: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley and have voluntarily posted this honest review.

A Conversation with Author Cassidy Salem

I Read What You Write!

IR- What does it mean to you to be called an author?

CS- Difficult question. I have always had great respect for authors and their ability to invent and tell a story. I have written and published stories so I, too, am an author. When I wrote my first novel, it was the result of a challenge I had set for myself – a self-dare of sorts. For me, being called an author is a source of pride and a sense of accomplishment.

IR- Which book are we talking about today?

CS- Dead amid the Dogwoods, a standalone novella in the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth mystery series. This time Adina’s plans for a stress-free weekend getaway in rural Pennsylvania take a deadly turn with the appearance of an uninvited and decidedly unwelcome corpse.

IR- What inspired the idea for your book?

CS- No specific person or thing. The first…

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Book Blast: MESSAGE IN A BULLET by Owen Thomas

Today, I am happy to let you know about a new mystery – Message in a Bullet (A Raymond Mackey Mystery – Book 1) by Owen Thomas. I haven’t read it yet, but it sounds interesting. Enjoy.

About the Book

Raymond Mackey is a struggling crime writer. His friends call him Mack. But friends are in short supply these days. Mack’s thirty years as a homicide detective came to the kind of abrupt, ignominious end that tends to make friends dry up and blow away. It matters little that Mack was never actually a mole working for a shadowy, seemingly omnipresent mob boss. Somehow, the evidence was there anyway and the scandal ended everything for him overnight. Lucky to stay out of prison, Mack lives in a netherworld of forced retirement, spinning his memories of old homicide cases into pulp fiction and working part time as a shopping mall cop. His wife Marlo, the greatest criminal investigator Mack has ever known, has been dead of pancreatic cancer for nearly five years. That leaves his ancient Smith-Corona Corsair, a pack of Camels, a bottle of Old Forester, and Marlo’s bourbon-loving cat, Phil, as Mack’s only company. 

Almost. Because Mack also keeps himself company. The psychiatrists call it Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder. Mack calls it Triple-D. But crazy also works. It means he watches himself, usually from an overhead perspective, as though someone has tied a floating camera to a back beltloop on a long string. It makes him feel watched, and not by someone inclined to judge him kindly. So Raymond Mackey comes complete with his own Greek chorus. “Watch yourself, Mack,” people tell him. He has no choice.

When one of Mack’s old informants goes missing and Mack’s face turns up in a dead man’s camera, his past comes roaring painfully back to life. Now the police want him for questioning, the mob want him dead and it’s increasingly difficult to tell who, exactly, is working for who. As a mercilessly hot Chicago summer finally breaks and it starts to rain bodies, Mack finds himself past his prime for this kind of action. Retirement has added weight and subtracted agility. He hasn’t fired a weapon in years. His antiquated cell phone will not stop ringing with a mysteriously blocked number. In the end, as Mack watches himself from above, it is razor-sharp instinct, cheap consumer electronics and his dead wife that offer his only hope.
Link to purchase:  Amazon    

New Release Review ~ Dead Amid the Dogwoods (Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Book 5) by Cassidy Salem

Excited to share with you the first review of my latest book – Dead amid the Dogwoods.

Bayou Book Junkie

Nothing disrupts a celebration quite like an uninvited corpse.

Adina already knows the city can be a dangerous place. That’s why she’s looking forward to a stress-free weekend in rural Pennsylvania with her favorite detective. Maybe not all that stress-free. They are attending an engagement party and Adina will be meeting Jonathan’s family for the first time.
Except the holiday weekend takes a deadly turn when leading industrialists, a hard-core environmentalist, and a bevy of wealthy partygoers converge on the Riverfront Lodge, and the couple stumbles upon yet another dead body. Drawn into the ensuing investigation, making a good impression on Jonathan’s parents is the least of her worries.

A standalone novella, Dead amid the Dogwoods is the fifth mystery in the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Series.

Amazon

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Review: LOVE, LAUGHTER & HAPPILY EVER AFTER

If you enjoy sweet romance and are looking for fun reads, then this recently romantic comedy collection is just for you.  Wide range of novellas from diverse group of authors.

Description

Escape with 20 Sweet Romantic Comedies with all the feels!

✔ Flirty & swoony heartthrobs

✔ Funny & sassy heroines

✔ Off-the-charts chemistry & charm

✔ Sweet kisses & happily ever afters

This sweet romcom collection contains 20 original humorous novellas from best-selling authors that are heartwarming, feel-good, and laugh out loud funny.

Between the pages, you’ll find tropes such as enemies to lovers, second chance romance, high school sweethearts, opposites attract, friends to lovers, fake dating, and more.

Don’t miss this limited edition box set, featuring some of your favorite authors, that will leave you reeling with laughter:

• Ellie Hall – An Unwanted Love Story
• Summer Dowell – Her Plus One
• Liwen Y. Ho – Head Over Stilettos
• Meg Easton – Looking for Love (sort of)
• Rachael Eliker – Lassoed into Love
• Sophie-Leigh Robbins – Take a Hike
• Rachel John – Worst Neighbor Ever
• Jennifer Griffith – Elevator Pitch
• Cami Checketts – The Sassy One
• Sarah Gay – Once Upon a Midnight Swim
• Jennifer Youngblood – Cold Feet
• Kimberly Krey – Five Days With My (Super Hot) Ex
• Ellen Jacobson – Smitten with Candy Canes
• Cindy Roland Anderson – Breaking All the Rules
• Taylor Hart – Secret Wedding Date
• Carina Taylor – Jude and the Matchmaking Llama
• Gigi Blume – Baby You Can Drive My Car
• Amy Sparling – Julie and the Fixer-Upper
• Johanna Evelyn – I Think Maybe I Lied
• Melanie Jacobson – The Backup Plan

* Description from Amazon.

My Review

This collection provided a pleasant diversion – sweet  romance novellas, each with different style and storyline. Something for everyone. Each story short enough to read in one or two settings.  Although I enjoyed this anthology as a whole, with 20 authors, inevitably I like some more than others.  And I can’t exactly provide detailed revies of each and every one. However, there were a few that stood out in particular -“Elevator Pitch” for its Tolkien references, fan fiction of a sort; and Her Plus One, which had me laughing out loud on more than once occasion.   “Smitten with Candy Canes” was also a fun holiday-themed read.  Enjoy.

Review: KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS by David Bell

Already a fan of David Bell’s work, I was quick to snap up a pre-release copy of the author’s latest book, Kill All Your Darlings. Though I must admit, even if I wasn’t already familiar with the author its gorgeous cover would certainly have caught my eye. It doesn’t release until next month, but it’s already available for pre-order.

Description*

After years of struggling to write following the deaths of his wife and son, English professor Connor Nye publishes his first novel, a thriller about the murder of a young woman.    

There’s just one problem: Connor didn’t write the book. His missing student did. And then she appears on his doorstep, alive and well, threatening to expose him.    

Connor’s problems escalate when the police insist details in the novel implicate him in an unsolved murder from two years ago. Soon Connor discovers the crime is part of a disturbing scandal on campus and faces an impossible dilemma—admit he didn’t write the book and lose his job or keep up the lie and risk everything. When another murder occurs, Connor must clear his name by unraveling the horrifying secrets buried in his student’s manuscript.  

This is a suspenseful, provocative novel about the sexual harassment that still runs rampant in academia—and the lengths those in power will go to cover it up.

* as appears on Amazon

My Review

This is the kind of book that pulls you in from its first pages. It is a fast-paced read and full of surprises. Although you know that what Connor has done is wrong, very wrong, you can’t help rooting for him as he tries to prove he is innocent of murder. Connor and Madeline are both well developed yet somewhat tragic characters. They are complemented by a cast of diverse characters, with the true nature of several of them revealed only over time.

As the mystery unravels, you are exposed to real issues in the academic world – the pressure to publish or perish, the temptations of plagiarism, and most important – sexual harassment and the “old boys” network. Shining light on these issues gives this book added relevance on top of its page-turning quality.

If you enjoy mystery and suspense, you’ll want to add this well-written book to your TBR list.

FTC Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Showcase: THE MADNESS OF MERCURY by Connie di Marco

As part of a virtual book tour organized by Partners in Crime Tours, today’s spotlight shines on The Madness of Mercury by Connie di Marco.

About the Book

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti’s life is turned upside down when she becomes a target of the Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle. The Reverend, a recently-arrived cult preacher, is determined to drive sin from the city, but his gospel of love and compassion doesn’t extend to those he considers an “abomination unto the Lord.” Julia’s outspoken advice in her newspaper column, AskZodia, has put her at the top of the Reverend’s list. While the powerful Mercury-ruled preacher woos local dignitaries, his Army of the Prophet will stop at nothing to silence not just Julia, but anyone who stands in his way.

Driven out of her apartment in the midst of a disastrous Mercury retrograde period, she takes shelter with a client who’s caring for two elderly aunts. One aunt appears stricken with dementia and the other has fallen under the spell of the Reverend Roy. To add to the confusion, a young man claiming to be a long-lost nephew arrives. The longer he stays, the more dangerous things become. One aunt slides deeper into psychosis while the other disappears. Is this young man truly a member of the family? Can astrology confirm that? Julia’s not sure, but one thing she does know is that Mercury wasn’t merely the messenger of the gods – he was a trickster and a liar as well.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Excerpt

“Thank God you’re there.” Gale sounded very shaky.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m at the Mystic Eye. Something very strange just happened. I heard a knock at the back door. I thought it might be you.”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes. I closed up and sent Cheryl home. When I opened the door . . . oh God, Julia. Someone left a dead cat on the doorstep.”

I cringed. “I’ll be right there.”

“I’m sorry. You don’t need to come. I wrapped it up and put it in plastic in the dumpster. It looked like its neck had been broken.” 

Don’t argue. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Less than that.”

I drove the length of California Street as fast as I could, slowing at each red light. Once I was sure no other cars were crossing I ran through several intersections. When I reached the Eye the shop was closed but the display lights were on in the front windows. I pulled down the alleyway and parked next to Gale’s car. I tapped on the door. “Gale, it’s me.” She opened the door immediately. The storeroom was dark. A stack of empty boxes and packing materials stood against the wall. Inside, the only light was a small desk lamp in the office.

Gale is tall and self-assured with a regal bearing. Tonight she was completely shaken. She hugged her arms, more from fright than from cold. “I feel bad now that I’ve called you. I was just so freaked out. I recognized the cat, it was the little gray one that hangs out behind the apartment building next door. I think it’s a stray. Everyone around here feeds it, even the restaurant people, and it’s such a friendly little thing. Some sick bastard probably gave it some food and then snapped its neck. God, I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Shouldn’t you call the cops?”

“And tell them what? I found a dead cat? Please. Like they’d listen. Even if they thought someone had killed it, what could they do?”

“It shows a pattern of harassment. Might be worth making a report.”

She sighed. “Yeah. You’re probably right. I just wasn’t thinking straight. I was so upset.” She collapsed in the chair behind her desk.

I shrugged out of my coat. “Why are you here so late?”

“We just got a huge shipment of books and supplies in. Cheryl’s been working late every night so I sent her home. I had just finished stacking the boxes in the storeroom.” Gale shivered involuntarily. “Look, let’s get out of here. Have you eaten? Why don’t we go up the block and grab some food? Actually a drink sounds even better.”

“Okay.”

“Get your coat. We can leave the cars here and walk. I’ll just get my purse.”

I headed to the front door and checked that the locks were all in place. The drapes separating the display windows from the shop were drawn for privacy. Gale left the desk lamp on in the office and walked out to the front counter. As she reached under the counter for her purse, we heard glass breaking. Then I saw a flash of flame through the doorway to the back storeroom. I screamed. The empty boxes and packing materials had caught fire in an explosive flash. The smoke alarm started to ring, filling the shop with earsplitting sound. Using my coat like a blanket, I dropped it over the center of the flaming pile. It wasn’t going to be enough, but I had to do something before the entire storeroom went up, if not the building.

Giveaway

Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win an Amazon gift card.

About the Author

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti. The Madness of Mercury, the first book in the series will be re-released in October 2020.

Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With Connie di Marco:
ConniediMarco.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!

Review: HOLIDAYS, INC. by Rachelle Paige Campbell

Time for a chance of pace. Instead of another mystery, today’s post features a sweet romance – Holidays, Inc. (Finding New Hope Book 1), by Rachelle Paige Campbell. I was offered the opportunity to read and review the book as part of a virtual blog tour organized by Goddess Fish Productions. I’m glad I did.

About the Book

Former child actress, Danielle “Dani” Winter, left Hollywood to transform an old cinema into a dinner theater, seeing the project as her chance to take control of her future. The middle-of-nowhere location in Wisconsin is a perfect escape from backstabbing celebrity friends. The small town welcomes her help with open arms, but one man questions her plan. After unsuccessful writing stints on both coasts, Paul Howell returns home to New Hope. He’s shocked to discover that his sister has sold the family business to a beautiful woman. With the encouragement of his neighbors, he reluctantly agrees to write Dani’s next musical.

Working together, they discover more similarities than differences and grow close. When Dani’s former best friend and America’s sweetheart, Kara Kensington arrives, their blossoming relationship is threatened in more ways than one.

My Review

Dani and Paul are both likeable characters carrying baggage from their past relationships, business and personal, and not just romantic. The attraction between them is instantaneous and mutual. But they have been hurt by people they trusted and are reluctant to put their faith in others. Like the main characters in most romance novels, the two dance circles around each other as they try to figure out what they are looking for, both in terms of their growing feelings and their careers. The dinner theatre in a would-be ghost town provided a charming backdrop for what was an enjoyable sweet romance with the predictable feel good happily-ever after for both the town and the couple.

FTC Disclosure:   I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of this blog tour.  This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Get the book: Amazon

Giveaway

Enter a rafflecopter for your chance to win a copy of Holidays, Inc. from the author.