The Jewel of St. Petersburg

If you love beautiful historical romances, you'll love this one set in Russia in 1911. This is the time the Russian revolution strikes the country, when the poor strike again the rich. Valentina Ivanov is the finance minister's eldest daughter. When her younger sister Katya is crippled in a horse accident, she wants to be a nurse, while taking care of her. Nonetheless, she plays the piano well and falls in love with Jens Friis, a Danish printer, who bewitches her. When she's set up in an arranged marriage, she doesn't like it one bit, when jealous strikes the couple, and a spy plots against the family. Not only that, there's cholera in the air. When Valentina gets married to Jens, he gives her father something he needs to make it work. Years past, it's World War One, when the Friis family is on the run from a new rule to China. But it's not easy, when a rival reveals himself and makes an even plot against them. What a delightful story, which continues with the Russian Concubine.

Dirt

If you love a great thriller, you'll love the Stone Barrington series. In the second installment, Stone Barrington is assigned the case for Amanda Dart. Someone's been spying on them and spreading rumors by fax. It's up to Stone to find out who, while wining and dining some interesting women along the way. When it gets too close to comfort, a cop's get killed, Stone gets injured twice, and they're on the run. When Amanda finds out the source of the rumor, it's up to her to squash it, while someone's after her for good. Keep your  friends close and your friends closer, and be careful on who you trust in this novel. Lots of twists and turns in this one.

A Trace of Smoke

If you love historical fiction and mysteries, you'll love Rebecca Cantrell's A Trace of Smoke, the first book in the Hannah Vogel hsitorical mystery series. It was set in the 1930s in Germany. Hannah Vogel was a crime reporter under the guide of Peter Weill. Her brother Ernst was missing. She was looking for clues to finding him. Everywhere she looked, there was danger. There were people after him. She also fell in love with Boris Kreuse and came across surprises that her brother left behind, while her friend Sarah borrowed her passport to get to America. Without giving it away, she came across Anton, a small boy who claims Hannah as his mother and her brother was her father, according to the birth certificate. While protecting him and finding out her brother's death, dangers closed in on her, when the Nazis were after her and the truth from Ernst Rohm's secret identity. What an adrenalin rush as Hannah plans to escape everyone behind in Germany and freedom to the UK.

This was a terrific historical mystery. I cared for Hannah Vogel and her journey to look for her long-lost presumed dead brother. I did swoon a tiny bit for Boris as she did. I loved the backdrop of the World War I in Europe where this took place. It was the perfect backdrop for it in location and setting. This had a lot of mystery, intrigue and suspense packed into one fantastic novel with great action and plenty of drama, too.

Will you follow the trace of smoke? If so, give it a go today!

NightKeepers

If you love great paranormal romances, you'll love the Keeper series by Jessica Andersen. In the Night Keepers, the first book in the Final Prophecy series, Leah Daniels was a Miami cop, who was after a cult who've killed her brother. Striking-Jaguar (Strike) was one of the last of his kind, a Mayan god and Night Keeper, who had magical powers of his own to fight evil. Since the moment they met, there was tension between Strike and  Leah, when he saved her from Zipacna's clutches, when she did the job. Since that moment on, when the worlds of New Mexico and Florida collided, Leah was stuck in the middle of this war and joined forces with Strike's Night Keepers, if they liked it or not. Clearly, Leah and Strike were meant for each other, whether it was from dreams or from the gods themselves, since they had great sexual chemistry. In the end, they fought the odds to be together and to become as one. Lots of drama and adventure with hints of romance.

In this debut, I loved the scenic descriptions and the background descriptions of who they were and fighting for. Great details on how they shifted into animals and used their magical powers for good. In Leah's journey, we get to know them better and who their clashed forces with, right to the shocking end, when they  lose one of their own. I liked Leah and was glad she found closure on her brother's killer and how she became Strike's mate. Each Night Keeper was eclectic and special in his or her way. This would take you on an adventure like no other with each gripping page.

If you're all aboard to fight for the future, check out a copy right away!

Murder with Puffins

If you love great mysteries with a side of humor, you'll enjoy the Meg Langslow series. Last year I've read #1 and #3. Now I'm going to the second one of the series. When Meg and her boyfriend head to the Monhegan Island for a romantic getaway, it was anything but romantic. First, there's the hurricane, second her family showed up. Not only that, there's the birders who's scouting for puffins and an angry artist named Victor Resnick, who didn't like trespassers. When they've reported his shooting to Jeb Barnes, they have to report to the police. Later on, they witness an argument between Resnick and someone else. During the storm, Resnick ended up dead. It's up to find out who, when there's an island of people who hate his guts, including Rhapsody, a children's book writer on puffins, while they discover some family secrets in Meg's family closet. When they've got it all figured out, they're trapped by the murder, who tried to burn them in flames. What a great humorous mystery.

Justice

If you love great mysteries, you'll enjoy Justice, the 8th installment in the Lazarus/Decker series by Faye Kellerman. Peter Decker was worried about his eldest daughter Cindy, who was at college, when a rapist hit their campus. While he investigated the case, you'll hear the story between Terry, a nerdish tutor to Chris Whitman, the nephew of a mob boss, and their obsessive love affair, when a murder happened on Prom Night, and this couple was torn apart. It was up to Decker to nail the killer and put away the bad guy. But due to Whitman's good eye and story, he did get locked up for a crime he didn't commit, as he tried to tie up loose ends, which put a strain on his career. In the end, things took a wicked turn for Terry and for Decker. A great compelling read.

This was another great earlier classic mystery from Faye Kellerman. This told the story about how Terry and Chris met each other, who was also featured in Hangman and Gun Games in the series. You begin to feel the same concern for Peter and Rina, when he met Chris and Terry. I did feel bad for Terry and had bad vibes for Chris. It wasn't a night to remember for anyone. To tackle the hard subject matter of rape, she did it in clear and subtle context.  Great storyline, good action and drama, and a well-written mystery.

Want some Justice? Grab a copy today!

Kill Zone

If you love great romantic suspense, you'll love Kill Zone by Vicki Hinze. Dr. Morgan Cabot is one of the members of the S.A.S.S. team, a trio of women with special abilities, when she's on a mission to take down Thomas Kunz and his G.R.I.D. team. When she tranquilized Captain Jackson Stern, things heat up between them, when he discovers that his brother's arrested for his sister-in-law's murder. it's up to Stern and Cabot to find out how and why, when there's a mutual attraction between them, that heats things up. When things get complicated, as Kunz's GRID are after them, as they discover the connection between Kunz and her murder, until it gets too close for comfort, as he got away. Lots of military drama in this one. You'll love it.