Rusty Nail

In the third installment in the Jack Daniels mystery series, Rusty Nail, someone was out for blood and caused a whole lot of trouble. It all started with the grotesque videotapes that someone sent to Jack--morbid and disturbing were the words to describe people being murdered on film. When he started to piece together the picture to this wicked mystery, she didn't see this coming. With her mom in a coma and Herb needing surgery, she was on her own for this one. When she discovered there was a shocking connection to the Gingerbread Man case, she connected the dots to the killer's family roots. We watched Jack fight back from the cross-hairs and thresholds of danger. There was some surprising twists and turns to this shocking mystery. If you think your family's dysfunctional, guess again in this one. The killer's not who we really suspect... until the end.

This one was another compelling witty mystery. Most of the scenes were a bit gruesome in nature on videotape and in person. I continue to root for Jack Daniels and the Chicago PD to solve the most real complicated murders they ever faced. I do feel for Herb, who needed to curb his appetite and his sexual appetite down a bit. I believe the FBI was a bit whimsical in nature. I do feel bad for Jack and her relationship problems in the opposite species I continue to love the title with matching book cover and the Chicago location. Great drama, nice tense action-packed scenes, and good mystery to solve.

Watch out for rusty nails? Grab a copy today!

Shattered

If you love red-hot explosive romantic suspense novels, this one is for you. Thirty years ago, the Garcia family disappeared on the face of the earth. In Shattered, nothing what it appeared to be or what it seemed. Lisa Grant worked for the DA's office in her hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. When she uncovered their cold case file, she set things in motion and uncovered deep surprising secrets. Scott Buchanan was the DA and her boss. With a wary eye, he watched her back and helped her on the case. Although Lisa's rich and he's poor, there's red-hot chemistry that goes way back to when they were kids. Along the way, someone wanted to stop Lisa from going further to find the answers, putting herself and her family in danger. And they suspected everyone she was close to, when more family secrets and revelations turned up from the grave. Together they discovered the truth and the power of love between them, when her life remained dangling on the line until the end.

This was a powerful romantic suspense. I loved the Kentucky background and the small town connections. I loved how Lisa became a strong main lead character. I believe Scott and Lisa would make a good couple together. I did feel bad for Marisol and the family that was killed. There was some characters I couldn't care less about. I loved Lisa's mom, until she died in the car accident. This was beautiful and heartfelt with lots of action, explosive sexual chemistry, and great drama.

Ready to fall to pieces? Pick up a copy today!

Red Tide

If you love a great compelling thriller, you'll enjoy this one from Peg Brantley. For Search and Rescue dog handler, Jamie Taylor, she was on her toughest assignment yet. Someone was out there after her and making a move on her and her family. When new bodies turned up with the old, those secrets came from the grave. A madman was out there, concocting the perfect experiment to kill humans unknowingly. She went toe-to-toe to FBI Agent Nick Grant, who wasn't much of a dog lover, and worked with her to solve the case and save her life. Someone placed her loved ones on pressure for money--and it became personal, when someone she loved was on his victim list. This one left you chilled and breathless with shocking twists and turns to keep you guessing whodunit and why in the end in Red Tide.

This was an intense thriller with some ecological factors. It could be almost considered as a eco-thriller, too. I loved Jamie's compassion to protect her father and her sister from trouble, and for searching people with her dog. That made her a strong character with tough skin. I also loved the backdrop too with such vivid colors to paint the crime scene. I thought Nick was a puzzling guy and somebody who wanted to protect his own daughter, too. I loved how they came together to bond and come across with the creepy killer. A light read with a splash of action and plenty of drama to boot.

Don't get knocked over! Grab a copy today!

A Woman Betrayed

In A Woman Betrayed, Barbara Delinsky gave us a heart-wrenching novel right from the start. Laura Frye thought she had it all: a perfect marriage, a loving husband and terrific family, and a successful business. But when her husband disappeared one night, that's when her perfect world came unraveling. One thing after another, she'd been scrutinized by the public eye in the press and by her mother. In multiple POVs from Laura to Jeff, Daphne and Taylor and Christian, we saw how this situation unfolded. More secrets and lies kept on coming, when she thought she knew her husband well, while her family fell apart at the seams. Other people jumped on the band wagon. When her brother-in-law returned from Tahiti to help out, we watched how things collide and get heated. Not only have Laura been betrayed by Jeff, by others as well in the shocking conclusion. The tough lesson we'll take away from this is no one's perfect and not to take life and love for granted. This is a beautiful novel about it all.

This was a heart-breaking woman's fiction about trust, fidelity, and newfound love. My heart ached for Laura and her family, when her husband disappeared to start a new life. It cracked more, when his evil and ugly secrets came out in the open. I also felt the same kind of sorrow for Christian as well, when her came out in the open and said goodbye before he faked his death. I felt bad for her kids as well. I loved how Daphne and Taylor got there to work on this disturbing case, I loved the locations featured in this novel. This would make you feel sad and cry happy tears in the end. Great drama, terrific suspense, and a fresh breath of air for a new love.

Check this out today!

Lie Down with Lions

Ken Follett's Lie Down with Lions wasn't just your ordinary thriller. Set in the backdrop of the Soviet-Afghan War, in part of the Cold War, there was a love triangle,  during one of the toughest and longest war in decades. In the course of three years, we follow the love story between Jane, a nurse, and her battle for love during war with Ellis, an American CIA operative, and Jean-Pierre, a Frenchman for the opposition. From Washington D.C. to Afghanistan, we watched how everything unfolded from Jane's main POV, along with JP's and Ellis's, too. We learned everything on life in Afghanistan, how they operated and treated woman, which was no different than how they treated females nowadays. Jane experienced it all. With lies and betrayal, there was deception and love in the midst of it, while an ongoing war was fierce and deadly, which is no exception. This is part historical romance, part historical fiction, and part thriller. If you love novels set during any type of war, you'll love this one, too. Five stars!

This was another great historical fiction/romance by Ken Follett. With the backdrop of the Afghan war during the 1980s, it really painted the scene for this novel.  From Europe to the USA and Afghanistan, the settings were really fantastic. I felt so much compassion and heartache for Jane and Ellis, even for her own daughter. I didn't like JP that much or his Russian compatriots. He was such a cold-hearted calculated man.  The wartime scenes were really gruesome and tough to swallow so many vivid imagery. From the start to the end, you'll be fighting along with them to win the war.

Ready to save a life in a war-torn country? Check this out today!

Well-Schooled in Murder

If you love a real good mystery set in England, you'll love the third installment of the Inspector Lynley series. In Well-Schooled in Murder, when a student was gone missing from a school, it was up to New Scotland Yard to send out their very best. And when Matthew Whateley turned up dead, then it became a serious matter between them all. For Havers, who had some family issues to contend with at home, it was up to her and Lynley to talk to everyone involved with Matthew's life at home and in school. The closer they get to know to the truth, the more embroiled they were in truth and danger. With every twisting turn ahead of them, there were more players involved in the scandal.  Everything's not what it seemed at the prep school, when there were secrets and lies at every angle. We rooted for Lynley and Havers to discover the true culprit or culprits and feel a tug in our heart for Matthew's family at the shocking truth behind it all. It struck a chord nowadays to what's going on at home.

This was a fantastic Lynley and Havers English mystery. I liked when they worked together to fight the bad guys and to solve the murder. I thought the concept of a prep school murder and bullying worked well together for this novel. I loved the English and Welsh backdrop to paint the scene. I didn't like the concept of bullying nowadays in novels. But I thought it was well played out. I did feel sorry for the Whateleys and for some of the students in the school. Great drama, nice storyline plot, and good intense action.

Ready to get schooled? Give this one a try today!

Scent to Her Grave

If you like to read something different for a change in cozies, pamper yourself with India Ink's Scent to Her Grave in the Bath and Body Mystery series. Persia Vanderbilt owned and worked at Venus Envy,a bath and body shop dealing with fragrances and facials in Gull Harbor, an island across from Seattle, Washington. She didn't expect to get embroiled into a mystery or into a perplexed love triangle, too. When Lydia Wang had gotten killed in her shop, it could mean more than bad business for her shop. We followed Persia in her journey to prove her friend's innocence and stepped into the heart of danger looming over her. While Lydia's enemies had more than an ax to grind, Persia had to watch over her back and fend over danger her own way. While dealing with her crazy ex-boyfriend, she had a childhood friend and a new love interest vie over her. This is an unique cozy series that might pique your interest.

This was a fun new cozy debut to try.  I did love to learn about Persia's life and her family background. Gull Harbor sounded like an unique Washington town. I loved the theme of the bath and body work of a spa for this short-lived cozy series. I did feel a ting pang for Lydia though. I did like Persia with her new love interest than a childhood friend or her crazy. With bonus tips, this bubbly cozy had a hint of drama and a dash of mystery.

Ready to get cleaned up? Give this cozy a try!

Simply Irresistible

When Maddie Moore escaped Los Angeles with no job and boyfriend, she was down on her luck. The chance encounter between Maddie and Jax Cullen was priceless, when she almost ran him down in his car. From there, there was chemistry between the two that was enough to start a wildfire. We watched Maddie reunite with her two half-sisters and build up her self-confidence, when she ventured on refinancing her late mother's inn. In this heart-warming contemporary romance, you'll fall in love with Maddie and Jax, when we watched their relationship blossom and bloom. He's just what she needed and more. This romance would make you root for them, laugh and cry, and believe in second chances and taking a chance on luck. Simply Irresistible was just that and explained it all for its readers to devour and love.

This was a fantastic contemporary romance. I loved the chemistry between Jax and Maddie. I ove the priceless location of the Lucky Harbor area. It was perfect and ideal for this romance series. I loved how the three sisters bonded and pulled ranks to make miracles happen for their mother's inn. This was so moving, it brought me to tears. I found nothing wrong about it. The title was perfect for the novel too. Beautiful storyline, perfect romance, and a hint of drama to make you want to read the entire series.

Ready to find your luck? Grab a copy now!

Janeology

In Karen Harrington's thriller debut, she woven an interesting tale for a story. When Tom Nelson's wife Jane drowned their twin son, he'd been charged with "failure to protect". Like Susan Smith and Andrea Yates among the others, we followed Tom's story on his tale on how he prepared for his own court trial. With the help of a clairvoyant and his attorney, they took us to a quasi-historical journey to both sides of her family. Right down to her genetic disposition and propensity for violent tendencies, he would be able to understand why she snapped and would spend the rest of her life in a mental institution. She'd inherited the bad genes that's been passed on from one generation to another, even perhaps to her surviving twin daughter. In the end of Janeology, we found out what happened to Tom and Sarah, too. 

This was a harrowing and twisted thriller. I loved the concept of genealogy mixed into a thriller to know our backgrounds. In this one, we do get to know more about Jane's background that stemmed to her great-grandparents. I did feel bad for Tom and Sarah. I thought Naomi's background was quite interesting too as her cousin. I did like the background for this story, even with the prison scenes. I didn't blame Jane for her genes. Plenty much packed with suspense and lots of twisted turns.

Ready to know more about Jane? Give this book a try!

The Novice's Tale

If you like a mystery set in a historical fiction setting, this series is the one of you. A few years ago, I've read  The Reeve's Tale. And today, I've read The Novice's Tale by the late Margaret Frazer, who perished a year ago.  In the Sister Frevisse Mystery series, we entered the world of Medieval England, when kings ruled the world. Sister Frevisse was a hosteler for the St. Frideswide Convent. When Novice Thomasine wanted to become a nun, it wasn't what it seemed. First her step-aunt tormented her and made a racket in the nunnery. Through Sister Frevisse's eyes, she witnessed everything in her church. When two people wound up dead in the convent, one night after another, it was up to Frevisse and her nuns to find out what happened and what went wrong, when they've pieced together this twisted puzzle. In fear of Thomasine being in danger of the real killer, it was a matter of question of picking a certain poison and why. And the real culprit was a shocker of pure evil, and who would've been next to join the dead.

This was a great introduction to the series. I loved how it was centered in the Renaissance/Medieval era period. We do get a sense of how things were back then and how people lived by those customs. I liked how Sister Frevisse was the lead character, when you learn more about the convents back then. I did feel bad for Thomasine and didn't like her sister and her brother-in-law much. The same went for her step-mother. This was packed with drama and suspense with a twist or two. This was an enjoyable read.

Ready for a trip back in time? Grab a copy today! 

Guilty Pleasures

Step aside, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Make room for Anita Blake, vampire hunter and animator. She made her debut in the Anita Blake series from Laurell Hamilton. In Guilty Pleasures, it wasn't your ordinary nightclub. When she was there for a friend's bachelorette party, things weren't what they seem--vampires strip down. As a fellow animator, she was assigned the task of finding out who killed master vampires. From her point of view, she took you an adventure of goodness and evil, darkness and light, when she battled other vampires, raised zombies, and watched out for ghouls and lycanthropes. Every step she took, she was in the crossfire of the battle of ultimate supremacy, right up to Nicolaos, a child-like vampire queen. We watched her risk life and limb and feel the painful bites of a vampire marking her for life. Anita was a most formidable opponent you'll want on your side.

For starters, I loved the war of the worlds between good and evil and the backdrop for the setting,  too. As for Anita Blake, she was quite an unique and inquisitive female lead character. The vamps here weren't too scary in this paranormal romance. I was hooked with every page-turning delight, when danger followed her every step or misstep as well. I didn't care for much for Nicolaos. But the other characters were quite kooky and amusing too boot. I'm forever be on Team Anita's side for sure.

Ready to join a worldly fight? Step in line to pick up a copy today!

Deer Season

In Deer Season, the third book in the Ray Elkins Thriller series by Aaron Stander, it all started with an accidental shooting from a high school student in the midst of a Michigan winter. This was nothing, but people practicing for target practice for hunting season for deer. When Sheriff Ray Elkins was on the scene, it was up to his team to get down to the bottom of it. And when TV reporter Lynne Boyd came to Ray about a stalker with threatening letters via mail, it took a turn for the worse, when she was shot in cold blood. In this fast-paced mystery, we saw Ray face an interesting array of characters and how he operated with his team for his investigation. There was many twists and turns on this mystery, when things came altogether with some bad blood and family secrets on Round Island. Before another person became a victim of the shooter's prey, things got heated to a drastic ending for a conclusion. This is good for a quick and easy read.

This was a great mystery or thriller to sink your teeth into. I loved the backdrop of a Michigan winter, when things got cold and chilling. The Round Island subplot made for good interesting reading as well. I loved to get to know more about Ray's friends and lady love. I did feel a pang of heartache for Lynne's family, especially her twin brothers. I couldn't care less for her soon-to-be ex-husband. I loved how things came to a-head, when everything wound up in a full circle. Great drama and plenty of non-stop action to keep you reading to the end.

Ready for a cold winter? Warm up with a copy this week!

Pirate Latitudes

Pirate Latitudes was the best Michael Crichton ever wrote, right before he died in 2008. His finest yet for his literary swan song. This was about privateer Charles Hunter's adventure on the great blue ocean as a pirate in the 1600s. From Jamaica Colony to Mataceneros, Spain, this had everything you could expect for everything he had written in the past--action adventure, historical facts and tons of drama for a thriller with a hint of romance. This would be even great as a future film. From start to finish, you'll root for Hunter and his uncanny crew to journey north. And when he returned, he didn't get much for a hero's welcome, when the tables had been turned on him. Charles Hunter was the final one to have his own say. You'll root for his foiled nemesis to walk the dreaded plank. Well done!

For this historical thriller, this one was packed with a punch. To set the scenes as a privateer in the 1600s, this had the makings of a fine novel. I did love the Jamaica, England and Spain locations, when he sailed on his pirate ship. I also liked Charles Hunter and hated the people who wanted to do him in. They were too many to name or to remember. This packed tons of drama and action with every twisted turn you can ever imagine. You would be awed and amazed with this one fine novel.

Ready to sail the high seas? Grab a copy of the book tonight!

The Monkey's Raincoat

In Robert Crais's debut novel, the Monkey's Raincoat, he introduced us to PI, Elvis Cole. A cool guy with all the looks and a former cop named Joe Pike as his partner. When Ellen Lang came to him to help find her missing husband and son, he took on the case. Elvis investigated a little bit on Morton Lang's background and ran into some unsavory characters. The more deeper he learned about Lang, the more trouble followed him. He would do anything to find her missing son, when Lang turned up dead. Gangsters, Mexican cartels, and their cronies made sure, it didn't happen. Pike and Cole ruffled up the feathers from the police, when they didn't take kindly to threats and use violent force to get their way. A little bit of humor and a tiny dose of romance made this mystery goes a long way for future books in the series a fun read.

This was a great introduction to the Elvis Cole mystery series. I loved how Elvis and Joe Pike were introduced for their first case. I did feel a kind of sorrow for Ellen Lang and her family, when her husband was missing and later found dead. I did feel there was a spark between him and Ellen, him and Janet as well. I loved the backdrop of California and of Hollywood in general. This had an ounce of humor with plenty of fun dramatic reading.

Ready for a good read? Give this one a try!

You Cannoli Die Once

Bongiorno! Welcome to Miracolo, a family-owned Italian Restaurant in Quaker Hills, PA. Eve Angelotta was the head chef and discovered a dead body in her kitchen in Shelley Costa's You Cannoli Die Once, the first installment in the Miracolo Mystery series. Later on, she discovered he was her nonna's boyfriend. And when Maria Pia was a suspect for his murder, she would do everything to clear her name. Besides running the restaurant, she kept everything in check, including her cousins and her best friend Dana. The digger she dug into the murder, the more dangerous the situation it was for her. And when she fell for Mark Metcalf, a potential love interest, things weren't the way it seemed. But sparks flew between her and hot lawyer, Joe Beck. With the lot of happenings going on in Quaker Hills, she learned more than she bargained for. There was a shocking twist and turned close to the end on who was the real culprit and why. Bon appetit! This culinary cozy had some yummy recipes to make for your home, too!

I love the background of an Italian restaurant for the setting. It made everything authentic as an Italian. The delicious yummy Italian recipes in the back of the book are to die for. I loved the connection between Eve and Joe when they first met. This is another great cozy when a small community stuck together throughout crises. Mark Metcalf was a doofus! I hated him at first sight of reading this book.

Hungry for Italian food? Check out this book today!