Crescent Dawn

In Clive Cussler's Crescent Dawn, the 21st installment in the Dirk Pitt NUMA action-adventure series, this took you right into the heart of the Middle East. It all started with the missing Roman galley who disappeared many centuries again. Now with a heated war between Turkey and Israel during a political year, things get down to the nitty gritty. For Dirk and the NUMA cry, it all began with a vacation and them it went downhill from there with stolen antiquities, terrorism and piracy, and the loot of pilfered treasures. It reached far back from England and back to the shores. For the Celik siblings, they wanted to do it for power for their new leader. But they would do anything to get in their ways from explosives to committing murders. When Dirk and his crew are onto them, it's a fight to the finish on land and on sea with a fitting ending.

This was another fascinating action-adventure novel with gripping pages to read. I cared about Dirk and his family, along with the NUMA crew. I hated to see Sophie killed from a senseless act of violence. I didn't like the Celiks one bit, while Bannister was okay. I loved to see Dirk Jr. and Summer have adventures of their own. The scenery from England to Cyprus, Turkey and Israel was stunning for the locations. This would enthrall you with plenty of action, drama, twists and turns, and lots of adventure and suspense every step of the way.

Will you be ready to go exploring by a crescent dawn?

The First Wife

In Erica Spindler's The First Wife, this was an excellent standalone thriller that deals with family secrets and deceptions. For Bailey Browne, she met and fell in love with Logan Abbott on her summer vacation. Instantly and on impulse, she agreed to marry him and move to his horse ranch in Wholesome, Louisiana.  Little did she know what she had gotten herself into in that small town.  She came across his sister, Raine, his best friend Paul, his trainer August. But it all started with her accident from her horse and the dreadful secret she couldn't remember. She learned about his first wife who disappeared and the others who came before and after her. Embroiled into a sickening plot on one Sheriff Williams who has it in for Logan with revenge, she learns more harrowing secrets and discovered the truth on her own. That the answers she had in front of her was someone she trusted and cared for, who had an ax to grind of his own.

This was another excellent thriller from Erica Spindler. I loved the horse riding theme and the central location of Wholesome, Louisiana, and how it's set on a horse ranch. I cared for Bailey and Logan's love story and how they tried to find some happiness of their own. I didn't care for Billy Ray much and I despised Paul with a passion. I loved how they propelled us into plenty of non-stop action, nail-biting drama, and plenty of heart-wrenching twists and turns along the way and straight to the end.

Will you check out The First Wife today?

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Reckoning and Ruin

In Tina Whittle's Reckoning and Ruin, the 5th installment in the Tai Randolph mystery series, a southern mystery with all the fixings to keep you in suspense all night long. For Theresa Ann "Tai" Randolph, her new homestead in Savannah had but been nothing but that to her. While she dealt with her boyfriend Trey Seaver's injury of the predicament, she dealt with more than she can handle. First it started with a lawsuit from her Uncle Jasper and what followed suit after it. Home it wasn't what it supposed to be, when someone requested her services to find John Wilde who had gone missing. That's when she ran into trouble with her cousins and other ruffians, when she had gotten truth to the matter. It all boiled down to the missing looted money that lead her being on the lam from the law. With a couple attempts on her life, she had gotten closer to the truth of her uncle's business with the KKK and some unfortunate family business of her own. She was also concerned about Trey's health and her relationship with him in the end as he told her some secrets of his own.

This was a delightful and intriguing mystery set in the south. I loved the Atlanta and Savannah dual locations and settings in Georgia to make it all too surreal and authentic. I cared about Tai and Trey's relationships and what they had to endure to make it work and get through some sticky spots. I didn't like the KKK connection, but that's part of our history and the south these days. This would give you a great read this summer with a great hooked mystery to sink your teeth into with drama, suspense, intrigue, a hint of romance, and plenty of non-stop action.

Will you check out Reckoning and Ruin today?

A Florentine Death

In Michele Guittari's A Florentine Death, the first installment in the Michele Ferrara Italian mystery series, this chilling mystery will give you an ice cold look on a ruthless serial killer. For Superintendent Ferrara, it all started with a gruesome murder in his adopted city of Florence. When they investigate the murder of the first victim, they learned more about him and his private life. As the body count began to pile up with more gruesome murders, he later learned about the sexual nature of the victims as he received death threats of his own. While he took charge of his squad, his superiors and the press aren't impressed with him. For Valentina Preti, she had feelings for Mike Ross, an American journalist, who worked on a story in Italy. But she had her own mixed up feelings for her friend and lover, Cinzia Roberti. As a relationship forms with Mike, she learns about the secretive nature of him, before it became too late for her. As Ferrara picked up the pieces of this serial hate crimes against gays, he delved into the killer's past and captures him on a manhunt across the country.

This was a fantastic and dark Italian mystery debut. I cared for Ferrara and how he handled this gruesome murder investigation. I felt torn for Valentina and Cinzia, who had issues of their own. I didn't like the suggestive nature of a hate crime against gays. I loved the Italian locations and settings all over Italy from Florence and elsewhere. It made it very real and picturesque. This would reel you in with non-stop action, intrigue, mystery and tons of suspense.

Will you discover a Florentine death?

Lily of the Nile

In Stephanie Dray's Lily of the Nile, the first installment in the Cleopatra's daughter historical fiction/romance series, she had taken account on altering history with a fictional touch.  For Cleopatra Selene, her world changed, when her mother committed suicide. Now her two brothers and herself are wards of the Roman emperor and orphans without a home. Forced to live with Gaius Juba's home, she joined her half-brothers and sisters and learned how the Roman ruled the world.  For this preteen female, it was up to her to save her brothers from the Roman empire and lived with the magic from the Isaics temple with blood-written hieroglyphics on her arms. While she lived in a home filled with family secrets and new rules, especially when her twin escaped from their new home, an arranged marriage was set with her, when her younger brother became ill. She would stop to nothing from preventing the emperor one of his own and for himself.

This was a wonderful historical romance novel that dealt with the Ptolemic mythical history in the past. This was well focused on Selene as she and her twins went through a lot. For this former princess turned prisoner, she was one tough cookie. I cared at her and her brothers all the way and wondered what she had gotten herself into. I loved the mythical and historical woven facts and the Roman locations and settings to make you feel about her. This would take you into a whole new world with non-stop action, drama, a hint of romance and plenty of intrigue.


Will you discover Lily of the Nile today?

Waiting for Your Love

In Anna De Stefano's Waiting for Your Love, the next installment in the Echoes of the Heart contemporary romance novella series, this story is about Clair Summerville and her turn for romance. Set in Chanderville, Georgia, Clair Summerville looked for love in all the wrong places with dead-end relationships that went nowhere. With her mother playing matchmaker, she built her world on her business for pet sitting with an app to avoid her. She always relied on her best friend since kindergarten, Conrad Lancaster, a widower with a young son. They've been friends forever, but they both want to take things to another level and love each other more. When a chance merger for her business to relocate to Charlotte, Clair needed to decide on what she want and what's worth fighting for. In the end, she decided to follow her heart and make her dreams come true with Conrad.

This was a beautiful contemporary romance novella from Anna De Stefano, once more. I cared about Clair on how she followed her heart to be with the one who's right for her and how she made a success story of her own. I adored Harper and Conrad, who went through a lot, and took a chance with Clair to make things right. I continue to love the Chandlerville GA settings and locations to make things surreal. This would warm your heart from start to finish with romance, non-stop action, drama and intrigue.

Who will be waiting for your love today?