Antiques to Die For

In Jane Cleland's Antiques to Die For,  the third book in the Josie Prescott series, this was set in the winter, when Josie's boyfriend Ty was offered a new job in D.C. Not only that, her close friend, Rosalie, was murdered, leaving Rosalie's sister an orphan. It was now up to Josie to find out who killed her, when it really did hit close to home, and to find out about a Whistler pallette fraud from a customer. When Josie had gotten closer to the truth, she was being targeted by a "secret admirer", who wanted to scare her away. This is a great read for sure. 

This was another terrific Josie Prescott cozy. I really cared about Josie and Ty, when they had dealt with Ty's new job promotion. I wondered if they would pull off a long-distance relationship that way. This one was intriguing and gripping as well from start to finish. I loved the winter scene for the setting and the New England area for the location of the series. Great drama, good non-stop action, and plenty of shocking surprises right to the end.

Do you have any antiques to die for? If so, pick up a copy today!

The Spy

In Clive Cussler's The Spy,  the third installment of the Isaac Bell series by Clive Cussler, this was set in 1908, when Isaac Bell was looking for a spy, who was targeting and killing people, when someone murdered Arthur Langner. It had set him off to find out who's who and who told the truth, coast to coast on a variety of naval ships. There was a lot of drama and action sequences to the very end, when it was now up to Bell to apprehend the bad guys, and save the day. Another great action adventure/historical fiction mix for a enjoyable read.

This was another fun read to go back in time for another adventure. I loved how it centered on two spies this time around. I'm still a big fan of Isaac Bell and his Pinkerton Detective clan. I did feel bad for Langner and loved the navy ship adventure. The cross-genre of a historical action-adventure series worked well for me. I did care about Isaac too and Marion as well. Great drama, plenty of action and adventurous scenes, with plenty of dangerous intrigue, too.

Ready to go after the spy? Check it out this weekend!

Wired Kingdom

I've had the pleasure of receiving an ARC copy of my Twitter/Facebook friend, Rick Chesler, for his thriller to review, albeit almost a month late. Wired Kingdom starts out with a tagged whale, who's shown on a reality show named Wired Kingdom, which is for educational purposes, and also held contests for viewers who see it stream online the whale's latest move. When a murder is caught on tape by a vicious shark attack, everyone wants that tag. That's when they bring in, Agent Tara Shores from the FBI, who's in charge of the case to investigate the murder and meets with Trevor Lane, who's in charge of Wired Kingdom's website, and Dr. Anastasia Reed, a marine mammalogist, who leads her to the whale. Meanwhile Hector Gonzalez leads his Mexican divers to get the tag and hone in on some cash for his sick daughter, and Eric Stein, the leader of an eco-terrorist group called Ocean Liberation Front is on the race to stop the people from filming it on TV. Things gets heated up, when the whale is caught up on nets, while the race is on to save it, and things gets deadly. There's plenty of twists and turns, if you love a thriller on the ocean. It's a great read.

Friends Till The End

If you love a beautiful heart-warming story, you'll love Talk Before Sleep. It's about two friends, Ann and Ruth, who met at a party, and became fast friends. When Ruth's diagnosed with breast cancer, Ann and Ruth's friends are there for her in support and with love. When the cancer progressed to spread across her body, they cherished every moment they spent with her, making memories as they go along, until she died. A beautiful tear-jerker for a quick read about friendship and living life to the fullest.

As the World Churns

It's been a little over two years, since I've read a Tamar Myers Penn Dutch Inn book. It's good to go back to a great culinary cozy to enjoy with yummy recipes. Out of nineteen books in the series, this is the 16th one, when I hope to read Hell Hath No Curry #15, and the Crepes of Wrath, #9, hopefully, later this year, although I'm reading it out of order. In this installment, As the World Churns, Magdalena is hosting a Hollstein cow competition at her inn, when someone clobbers Doc Shafor. It's up to Magdalena, who faints, and deals with her mother-in-law, and other problems, to find out who kidnapped her pseudo-stepdaughter and her husband, when she learns a shocking twist in the end. I know I have many books in the series I haven't read: #2, #10-14, #17-18. I Hope to be caught up with this series in a year or two.

One Last Scream

In Kevin O'Brien's One Last Scream, in this thriller,  there were many surprising twists and turns you won't see coming, until it hurt in the end. Amelia Faraday at age 19 experienced blackouts and other phantom pains, when bad things happened, due to her drinking habits. But people close to her were dying. She received promotions of a death that might happen. When no one believed her, it was now up to her therapist and friend, Karen Carlisle. When the truth of the past unraveled later on, they discovered a long-forgotten "twin" who was out for revenge and out to get her last. It was now up to Karen to stop her.

This was an awe-shocking thriller to send chills up and down your spine. I cared for Amelia and her friend Karen and become shocked about Amelia's twin sister, who I've pitied and loathed her.  I loved the central Oregon locations and the vast scenic locations including the lake in the end. This would make you hold your breath and count your blessings. Great drama, excellent suspense and intrigue, and lots of superb non-stop action all the way to the climax.

Will you have one last scream this spring? If so, holler for a copy today!

Fatal Remedies

In Donna Leon's Fatal Remedies, the 8th installment in the Guido Brunetti Italian mystery series, this one in another captivating read set in Venice Italy. It all first started out with a phone call, that his own Paola was caught creating graffiti and arrested for vandalism. Thus for, it created a crisis at his own household, when he was also under increasing pressure at work on a robbery case, which might have a connection to the mob and linked to a suspicious death. His superiors wanted results with quick answers fast, while both his professional and personal life clash head on, which might push him over the brink in this gripping mystery.

 This was a fantastic Italian mystery that went straight to the heart of the matter. I cared about Guido and was concerned for Paola, when she was caught in the act. Thus for, I was worried about their marriage. I continued to love the Venetian settings in this series with fantastic Italian locale for the locations. This would hook you on the first page and compel you to read to the end of the book. Great drama, tons of non-stop action and suspense with every turning page of intrigue and mystery.

Will you discover your own fatal remedies? If so,  give it a go today!

Coast Road

This was a beautiful contemporary romance that could fit into the woman's fiction and the romance niche about second chances for romance. In Coast Road, Jack McGill's ex-wife Rachel ended up in a coma from a car accident; he discovered what he lost with his daughters, what he had with Rachel, and how tropical Big Sur was in his life. He juggled new relationships, two daughters who were struggling and growing up, and the friendships Rachel made, since she moved. He also dealt with his law firm, too. Slowly, he realized he wanted it back, when she came out from the coma to start all over and never leave her side. Meanwhile, Katherine fell in love with one of Rachel's doctors, who've had two failed relationships, since she had breast cancer and reconstructive surgery.

This was a remarkable romance novel. This dealt with second chances. I did feel a mixed bag of emotions for jack to reconnect with his daughters, while he remained by Rachel's side and went down Memory Lane. I felt sadness and apprehension for his entire family.  When he learned about Rachel's life, we learned the same as well. I also loved how Katherine reached out to them as well. Big Sur was a big backdrop of the vast coastline of California. This would move you to tears and sigh with a heavy heart.

Ready to go for a drive? Jump aboard with a copy today!

Devil in Winter

If you love great historical romances, you'll love Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series. In Devil in Winter, the third book in the Wallflower series, this was Evangeline Jenner's story of how she won the heart of Sebastian St. Vincent. She proposed a bargain he couldn't stand to lose: marry her to prevent her evil relations from forcing her into a marriage with her cousin. St. Vincent's agreed to the bargain and married her in a marriage of convenience. Later, after they married, with one night of seduction, they faced many challenges, including a dying father, her father's club, and secret enemies who wanted to do her in. When he protected her from them, when one time it endangered his life, they couldn't help, but fall in love with each other in the end.

I loved how each season corresponded to one central Wallflower character from the series to focus on their search for romance. To every season, there was a reason for why they find romance. For Evangeline and Sebastian, you can tell there was a chemistry between them. He would most certainly warm her heart during the winter season. Tenderness, passion, and heavenly bliss, that's what I love about their explosive connection between them. I didn't care much for her  evil relations to set her up someone creepy, when that was the norm in the back of the day. What a splendid story.

Ready to get warmed up this summer? Check out a copy today!

The Reeve's Tale

If you love historical fiction and mystery, then you'll love the Sister Frevisse series. Although this was the ninth installment out of seventeen books in the series, this was set in Medieval England, one of my favorite historical periods. In this book, the Reeve's Tale, Sister Frevisse helped the reeve, Simon Perryn, with some court cases, when there was an outbreak of the Measles. During this time, one man was found dead, and questions were asked about the guilty party. When another dead body turned up, secrets came out with sin, when it hit close to home with a surprise ending. Plenty of action, drama and lots of historical facts about Medieval England that set the scenes for a great wallop of a delightful read.

This was another fascinating historical mysteries. I loved how much researched was read for this time period. I loved the backdrop of Medieval England. The Measles outbreak gave it a big twist. Sister Frevisse was a woman on a mission as for the nun. I did like her teamwork with Simon to help him out in court. This series had a good combination of historical fiction and mystery to set the others apart. Great drama, lots of intense action, and a great mystery in the olden times.

Ready to go back in time? Give this one a try today!

Testimony

Like the Duke scandal, Testimony is set in a small Vermont town, when one scandal comes to tape, and sets off a chain reactions of events, after it happens, and later on, when you learn what led to it. It shatters families, relationships, friendships, from a variety of POVs that tells the story, until the end, when we learn the shocking truth of what happened, two years ago. This is a strong poignant story that breaks us hearts from one careless mistake. A great novel.

String of Lies

Last year, I've read the first book in the Craft Corner series, Wreath of Deception. Now I've finished book two in the series, String of Lies. Another good cozy with an intriguing mystery in winter. This takes a month after the first murder, when there's rumors of small businesses is being sold to a larger corporation called Holt Meadows. This makes Jo McCallister concerns for her own Craft Corner shop too of being sold. When she learns of her neighbor's shops being sold, and worried for her own, she went to the Holt Manor to talk to Parker Holt himself. And what turns up was his dead body. More than one person had a good reason to kill him, when there's a string of lies popping out of the woodwork to cover their asses. When Jo gets closer to the truth, she might be the next victim of the killer's. An enjoyable read with crafty beading tips.

Lawman

In Diana Palmer's Lawman, Grace Carver led a tragic life, with a nagging grandmother, and a dangerous past. She was poor and ordinary, and loved to live life to the fullest. Garon Grier was a FBI agent on a case on a serial child killer, who was also her neighbor and fellow ranch hand, who didn't believe in God, and was a widower. At the start, they become friendly, before he took her on dates and a whirlwind romance. She wanted marriage, while he wanted sex. When he needed to call it off, he treated her like garbage and scared her, when he was the only one she loved, and sought after a shelter life. In a small town of Jacobsville, TX, everyone protected her and treated Garon like crap, since they were polar opposites. When he came to apologize, weeks later, after he learned her shocking secret, he understood why she was afraid of men--a secret from her past. When she might be in danger, she agreed to come home under his protection and fainted. Then she learned she was pregnant, when it was deemed impossible, since her tragic past came into light. They married out of obligation, and because of the baby, which could be precarious to her health ailment. Months later, he found out, when she was endangered and needed medical help. In the end, they loved each other. What a great story!

This was a terrific contemporary romance from Diana Palmer. I cared about Grace and Garon, when they were two different people who needed each other. though they lived two different lifestyles. I loved the Texas location for the background settings of this beautiful romance. I didn't like how he once treated her and hated how she was mistreated by men in the past. This would move you to tears and make you cry throughout the novel. Great drama, excellent romance with tons of action and intrigue, and plenty of mystery to the end.

Will you be careful of the lawman? Stay safe with a copy today!

Mary Mary Quite Contrary...

While I'm waiting for Don't Blink, the Postcard Killers, and the 9th Judgment to come out and to my library, (the 9th Judgment is a bit late), I thought I'll start by adding an earlier classic Alex Cross, Mary Mary. This one is set in Los Angeles, while Alex in on vacation with his family, and dealing with the mother of his second son, Ali, who wants custody of Alex Junior aka Ali. When he's called on this case that deals with a serial killer who's killing the elite in Hollywood, it sends a frenzy with emailed letters and a true shocking twist in the end, while Alex juggles relationships on and off the duty, and being a good father to his kids. A great quick ready for those mysterious at heart.

Shopaholic and Sister

In the 4th installment of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, Shopaholic and Sister, this one dealt with Becky and Luke's return from their almost year-long honeymoon, and things had changed. Her best friend found somebody new, her husband was acting strange and obsessed with work, and she found out she had a long-long older sister named Jessica. As Becky had gotten stuck in debt, she tried to bond with Jess, who could be stubborn as hell, when things blew up for her. She risked her life to try to mend fences, and ended up bonding. In the end, things turned up rosy for Becky, when things were going smooth as well. A delightful read.

This was another delightful chick lit novel in the Shopaholic series. I loved how everything came to a head, after they returned back to the United Kingdom. I continued to love Becky's love for shopping, but hated it when she continued to get back into the rut of being in debt. I loved the surprise of Becky's sister Jessica and on how they tried to bond together to work things out. The UK location was an ideal place.  Great witty humor, plenty of suspense and a hint of romance.

Ready for a shopping spree? Pick up a copy today!

End in Tears

Ruth Rendell's 20th installment of the Wexford series is  End in Tears, another powerful Wexford mystery set in England. It started off with a murder of a teenage girl, and what kind of life she led before her death, and then another teen turned up missing, when she succumbed to the same fate. There was a connection between the two girls, when the links fell into place, and a shocking twist right into the end you wouldn't believe. Plus, there was a possible blooming romance between two of Wexford's colleagues, and Wexford's daughter Sylvia's surprising third pregnancy. A good novel all the way around.

This was an heart-wrenching and emotional classic British mystery from Ruth Rendell.  I loved the working relationship of Wexford and his fellow colleagues. They defined teamwork and then some. The British scenery is compelling and intriguing to say so for this tearful mystery. I felt sorry for both the victims family. This had gripped me with the first page and kept me reading all day and all night to the end. The shocking ending would blow you away.

Ready for a hard case? Grab a copy for this weekend!