2022 Reviews – Page 17 – Rosepoint Publishing

Moment in Time: A Novel by Suzanne Redfearn – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookblog

“I believe in a better world where chickens can cross the road without their motives being questioned.”

Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes a heartrending story about the power of friendship during the most challenging moments in life.

It’s been eight years since a tragic accident changed Mo Kaminski’s and Chloe Miller’s lives forever. Now in their midtwenties, they’re sharing an apartment in San Francisco and navigating the normal challenges of early adulthood. Along with their roommate, Hazel, they are making their marks on the world—Mo revolutionizing the news with her media start-up, Hazel using her big brain to anticipate the future, and Chloe rescuing abandoned strays in the city.

But when Hazel disappears after being sexually assaulted, Mo’s and Chloe’s lives are again suddenly ripped apart. And when the perpetrator turns up drugged and beaten, the mystery of where Hazel is deepens. Intensely worried and desperate to discover the truth, they set out to find Hazel and bring her home.

Mo and Chloe are no strangers to tragedy, but this journey will test them in ways they never imagined. The stakes are high; the future uncertain; the need for justice essential.

Will their commitment to their friend bring them closer together—or ultimately drive them apart?

My Review:

I was really thrilled to get this book as I’ve read the author’s previous works, including In An Instant, and discovered this book is somewhat of a sequel. Searching for that designation, however, could not find it.

This one explores two survivors, Mo and Chloe, of a horrendous accident that changed their lives as well as their families, eight years ago. Neither are really over that accident and now in their twenties, rooming with Hazel, establishing themselves. Chloe is now a veterinarian. They are dealing with their issues when Mo decides to go out with Hazel, a wallflower, who needs a push into the social scene.

Unfortunately, Hazel is drugged and sexually assaulted and then goes missing. Introducing Hazel to a sketchy friend from school wasn’t Mo’s best decision nor was taking a phone call away to privacy, leaving Hazel to fend for herself.

The two pull together to find Hazel and in the background are a couple rather vague sub-plots. I’m not quite sure what happened with this novel and was a bit disappointed it didn’t have the driving emotional, compelling plot of the previous, forcing always the next page read. While there was some thoughtful prose, quotables, I kept questioning the decisions these two were making. “Most people think that in the face of terror, the choice is fight or flight, but Mo knows a third, far more likely choice exists: freeze.” (And don’t I know that feeling and was sorry to discover of myself!) An insta-love addition to the plot was distracting, annoying, and over the top and twists didn’t feel authentic.

This one didn’t leave me breathless, exhausted, wanting more. It used the two characters from In An Instant, as well as others, recapping scenes from the previous book, so this time they were a little flat (assumed familiar) and I couldn’t engage. I’m not sure I’d recommend this as a standalone. Still, I’m a fan of the author and look forward to her next novel.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Three-point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Friendship Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: 1542037212
ASIN: B09DYDQCCK
Print Length: 287 pages
Publication Date: March 8, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Suzanne Redfearn is the bestselling author of four novels: Hadley & Grace, In an Instant, No Ordinary Life, and Hush Little Baby.

Born and raised on the east coast, Suzanne moved to California when she was fifteen. She currently lives in Laguna Beach with her husband where they own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza & Beer. In addition to being an author, Suzanne is an architect specializing in residential and commercial design.

The Doomsday Medallion: A VanOps Thriller by Avanti Centrae – #BookReview – #Technothrillers

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Aikido black belt Maddy Marshall is celebrating the completion of her black ops training when news of a military takeover in the South China Sea shocks the world because it was predicted by a sixteen-year-old French student. When intel chatter spells danger to Avril, the young seer, VanOps Director Bowman assigns Marshall and her twin brother, Will Argones, to protect the girl.

Emotions between the siblings are running hot due to their aunt’s recent stroke, which has reminded them of the childhood accident that scarred both his chin and her heart. Tensions ratchet higher when they arrive at Avril’s home to find the instant social media star has been kidnapped, leaving them with only clenched fists and cryptic clues that lead to a formula encoded on an etched-bronze medallion.

While Taiwan fears an invasion that will set off an apocalyptic chain of events, Marshall and Argones race through medieval French towns, Italian cathedrals, and ancient Greek temples attempting to find Avril before their enemies use the girl to discover the Holy Grail of military intelligence. If the team fails, they won’t need a crystal ball to know millions of innocent souls will be destined to join Nostradamus in the afterlife.

The Doomsday Medallion is an electrifying, globe-trotting thriller that delves into humankind’s timeless fascination with prophecy and illuminates the mesmerizing and dangerous potential of a weaponized oracle.

Fans of Dan Brown, Steve Berry, and James Rollins will get an adrenaline rush turning the pages of this standalone thriller.

His Review:

Countries have looked for centuries for ways to predict the future. Nostradamus was a world-class prognosticator who encoded many predictions that have proven to be true. Major world powers caught wind of a walnut box left to his offspring that may hold some predictions having world affecting results. A mad scramble has begun to find the box and utilize its’ potential.

Avril is just sixteen and has been told about the box by her grandparents. Her mother was tragically lost when she was born. She made a prediction that China would attack and take control of a small island near Taiwan. This has happened and now and the major world powers want to know how she could have known! A couple of operatives are sent from the Lake Tahoe, California region to find and protect the young girl. Of course, the U.S. has a vital interest in discovering how she is able to make predictions and utilize her talents. China also sent a very skilled team to capture her and bring her back to the homeland.

Avanti Centrae is very adept at keeping and building suspense throughout her story. Young Avril, like most teenage girls, values her independence and does not wish to be controlled by any foreign power. At her age, her major fault is that she feels competent enough to do everything on her own. She ditches the people sent to protect her and rushes headlong into a foreign powers’ clutches.

Can Avril be found in time or will she disappear into the dark world of espionage and be forever lost to the world as she knows it? Ruthless bounty hunters from a number of countries confound the situation.

This saga is very entertaining and will keep most readers flipping pages of the well-plotted, fast-paced technothriller. 5 stars – CE Williams

My first book by the author and we enjoyed as a standalone. We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.

Book Details:

Genre: Occult Suspense, Technothrillers, Psychic Suspense
Publisher: Thunder Creek Press
ASIN: B09H1VHL5X
Print Length: 378 pages
Publication Date: March 8, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: The Doomsday Medallion [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: International multi-award-winning and Amazon #1 bestselling author who blends intrigue, history, science, and mystery into pulse-pounding action thrillers.

http://www.avanticentrae.com – First six chapters FREE!

Avanti Centrae is the author of the international multi-award-winning VANOPS thriller series. An instant Barnes and Noble Nook bestseller, THE LOST POWER took home a genre grand prize ribbon at the Chanticleer International Book Awards, a bronze medal at the Wishing Shelf Awards, and an Honorable Mention at the Hollywood Book Festival. SOLSTICE SHADOWS won a bronze at the competitive Readers’ Favorite Awards, the Global Thrillers Genre Grand Prize at the most recent Chanticleer Awards, and was a #1 Amazon bestseller in both the U.S and Canada. Her father served as a U.S. marine corporal in Okinawa, gathering military intelligence during the first decade after the Korean War. Her work has been compared to that of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Dan Brown, and Clive Cussler but has a voice all its own. She resides in Northern California with her family and German Shepherds.

Enjoy your Sunday

Trapped (Orca Anchor) by Sigmund Brouwer – #BookReview – Teen and Young Adult

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Matt is counting down the days until he turns sixteen.

He’s been living with his foster parents in Yukon River valley in their isolated cabin. His plan is to leave and never come back. He is done with the harsh lifestyle and helping his abusive foster dad, Dan, run the traplines so he can make money selling animal furs. He can’t wait to start a new life on his own in the city. But when Matt discovers a big and valuable gold nugget, everything changes. What seems like a dream come true and an easy way out quickly turns into a nightmare that will test Matt’s wilderness survival skills to the fullest.

This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

His Review:

At the age of 16, a young man living with a step-father really doesn’t have a life of his own. Dan, the foster father, is a trapper and makes a living selling beaver pelts to clothing companies. Matt is nearly his size and is required to keep half of the trap lines going each day. Dan has the time to check the traps down to the minute and checks the backpack of pelts that the young man carries every time they check the traps.

A trapped beaver has a broken leg and cannot get into the beaver lodge. The young man takes pity on the animal and releases it. He checks the lodge and discovers a heavy fist sized hunk of gold nugget. How can he keep this from his foster father? The nugget is the ticket to his freedom!

Dan tracks his foster son’s footsteps in Dawson and gets wind of the nugget. He bullies the young man to get the nugget. The situation turns desperate. How can the young man protect his windfall and leave the abusive foster dad?

This is a fast moving and well written drama of a young man at life’s crossroads. Sigmund Brower writes a compelling, believable page turner which is short but very believable. 5 stars – CE Williams

We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.

Book Details:

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Orphans & Foster Homes Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Mystery & Thriller Action & Adventure, Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (High Readability edition)
ISBN-10: 1459828615
ISBN-13: ‎978-1459828612
Print Length: 96 pages
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Trapped [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble

The Author: With over four million books in print, Sigmund Brouwer is a bestselling author of both children and adults books. His novel, Dead Man’s Switch, is the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada’s best young adult mystery of the year and was a finalist in the TD Children’s Book Awards. His novel for grownups, Thief of Glory was selected as the a Book of the Year for the American Christy Awards and is a winner of the Alberta’s Readers Choice Awards.

He loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show. (www.rockandroll-literacy.com)

Have a great weekend from Rosepoint Publishing

Murder on an Irish Farm (An Irish Village Mystery Book 8) by Carlene O’Connor – #BookReview – #cozymystery

Book Blurb:

The wedding of Siobhán O’Sullivan and Macdara Flannery in the village of Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland, comes to an abrupt halt when the skeleton of a groom is unearthed . . .

If only her mother could be here! The entire O’Sullivan brood—not to mention the regulars from Naomi’s Bistro—have gathered at St. Mary’s Church for the wedding of Siobhán and Macdara. It’s not every day you see two garda marrying each other. Only Siobhán’s brother James is missing. They can’t start without him.

But when James finally comes racing in, he’s covered in dirt and babbling he’s found a human skeleton in the old slurry pit at the farmhouse. What farmhouse? Macdara sheepishly admits he was saving it as a wedding surprise: he purchased an abandoned dairy farm. Duty calls, so the engaged garda decide to put the wedding on hold to investigate.

James leads them to a skeleton clothed in rags that resemble a tattered tuxedo. As an elderly neighbor approaches, she cries out that these must be the remains of her one true love who never showed up on their wedding day, fifty years ago. The garda have a cold case on their hands, which heats up the following day when a fresh corpse appears on top of the bridegroom’s bones. With a killer at large, they need to watch their backs—or the nearly wedded couple may be parted by death before they’ve even taken their vows.

My Review:

Here I am again with a favorite series for the #BEGORRAHTHON in honor of the annual celebration of Reading Ireland Month (March). Of course, this one lands somewhat early in the year, but no problem, I always enjoy these quirky cozy mysteries.

I began with Book 4 of the series and managed to catch each successive entry through Book 7 last year, Murder in an Irish Bookshop. The author’s sense of humor and strong Irish flavor in her writing style never fails to keep me engaged and entertained.

Book 8 finds Siobhan O’Sullivan and Macdara Flannery excited about their wedding day and poised to walk up the aisle when brother James arrives disarrayed and dirty to announce a skeleton has been found on the property Macdara just bought. Rather than proceed with the nuptials or postpone for an hour while they investigate, they totally call off the wedding. Talk about garda dedication—no way on earth I’d have done that! A skeleton?

Has been there for awhile. It’ll keep a few minutes longer.

The skeleton is in a slurry pit—oh UGH! If not before, right there, I’d have bowed out. (Where’s my gas mask?) The problem is that it is the body of a groom (Tommy) intended also to have been wed that same day—50 years ago. Uh oh. I don’t believe in coincidences. (Do you?)

As you can imagine, the storyline takes on a complicated tack and proceeds to become more complex as they find one clue only to have it open fifty more questions. They won’t want for suspects, really, and especially after a second (but fresh) body is found, the clues become more pointed, narrowed, eliminating one then the other from suspicion. (Well, still suspicious, but good alibis anyway.) And did I mention the small but poignant missing or unaccounted for 30 grand (Euros?)?

No matter. My love for this series is the two gardai, their communication with each other, the sense of humor, and the strong large family (keep them together) theme. Yes, Dara knows what he’s getting into. The mysteries are good ones, always interesting and I learn something, but I love the setting, the peek into rural Irish life, the countryside, and the food. My only reservation this time was the extended conclusion wrapping up all loose ends–every one of them.

And did they finally get married? Yes! If I’d spent boo-koo bucks getting there for the one postponed, however, not sure I’d have wanted to do that all over again. Thinking it was smaller than intended maybe? Oh yes, and I miss a pronunciation key—how in the world is Siobhan pronounced?

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

A 2-22-22 release sure to be a fun, fast hit. Currently on pre-order.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: International Mystery & Crime, Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ASIN: B0964F2G1Y
Print Length: 322 pages
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Carlene O’Connor comes from a long line of Irish storytellers. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America during the Troubles, and the stories have been flowing ever since. Of all the places across the pond she’s wandered, she fell most in love with a walled town in County Limerick and was inspired to create the town of Kilbane, County Cork. Carlene currently divides her time between New York and the Emerald Isle.

http://www.carleneoconnor.com

Enjoy Your Sunday

The Berlin Exchange: A Novel by Joseph Kanon – #BookReview – #historicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

From “master of the genre” (The Washington Post) Joseph Kanon, an espionage thriller set at the height of the Cold War, when a captured American who has spied for the KGB is swapped by the British and returns to East Berlin needing to know who arranged his release and what they want from him.

Berlin. 1963. The height of the Cold War. An early morning spy swap, not at the familiar setting for such exchanges, or at Checkpoint Charlie, where international visitors cross into the East, but at a more discreet border crossing, usually reserved for East German VIPs. The Communists are trading two American students caught helping people to escape over the wall and an aging MI6 operative. On the other side of the trade: Martin Keller, a physicist who once made headlines, but who then disappeared into the English prison system. Keller’s most critical possession: his American passport. Keller’s most ardent desire: to see his ex-wife Sabine and their young son.

The exchange is made with the formality characteristic of these swaps. But Martin has other questions: who asked for him? Who negotiated the deal? The KGB? He has worked for the service long enough to know that nothing happens by chance. They want him for something. Not physics—his expertise is out of date. Something else, which he cannot learn until he arrives in East Berlin, when suddenly the game is afoot.

Filled with intriguing characters, atmospheric detail, and plenty of action Kanon’s latest espionage thriller is one you won’t soon forget.

His Review:

Early in the cold war, it was almost impossible to go from East Germany to West Germany. A wall divided the country into four zones. People trying to get from the east to the west were often shot by the border guards. The thinking was that they were taking vital state secrets from the east to the west.

This story centers on a man who was going from the west to the east. He was a nuclear scientist who helped on the Manhattan Project. These people were closely monitored by their governments. The secrets of the atomic bomb were being taken to Russia to “help balance out the world powers.”

The protagonist fell in love with and married a woman in the east and had a son. His objective was to get his wife and son out of the eastern block and ultimately into the west, but being caught crossing the border could result in instant execution. The wife thought they could be happy living in East Germany. However, she is suffering from bad health and her husband wants to get her to hospitals in the west.

This novel reminded me of the era of the cold war and the tension felt by everyone on both sides of the Berlin wall. As a child in grammar school, I can remember being taught how to “duck and cover.” Knowing now the power of the atomic bombs realize this exercise was absolutely worthless.

Read the book and observe the arguments between the characters as they discuss the problems with getting the family across the border. It should be enlightening for those who did not live through the era! 4.0 – CE Williams

We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions. Released on 2-22-22

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Thrillers, Espionage Thrillers
Publisher: Scribner
ISBN: 1982158654
ASIN: B08VJLQFQC
Print Length: 316 pages
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): The Berlin Exchange [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of Leaving Berlin, Istanbul Passage, Los Alamos, The Prodigal Spy, Alibi, Stardust, and The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. He lives in New York City.

Have a great weekend from Rosepoint Publishing

Hidden Agendas (A Dr. Kyle Chandler Thriller Book 2) by D Marshall Craig MD – #BookReview – #medicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

When busy trauma surgeon Dr. Kyle Chandler goes to a medical symposium in London, he agrees to two innocent meetings for his friend Ian Griffin, who runs a private investigation firm. During his time in England, Dr. Chandler stumbles on a mysterious system of illegal smuggling to the United States. How could the smuggling of products in bulk wine carriers have anything to do with the shipping of French antiques? As Kyle continues his investigation, he soon realizes he faces a powerful, complex network involving organized crime. At the same time, escalating threats to him reveal the truth—and the truth nearly costs him his life.

My Review:

Interesting novel with a trauma surgeon becoming involved in all manner of medicine, intrigue, smuggling, and organized crime. (Perhaps a trauma surgeon isn’t as busy as I’d assumed.)

Dr. Kyle Chandler (KC) has quite a network of business associates, former patients, and outside interests. These contacts led him to agreeing to two easy missions while in London to attend a medical symposium. The problem is that while he can easily discern the answers to one (a problem of reproduction of French antiques) the other only leads to further investigation and that becomes a very sticky-wicket.

A bulk wine carrier, a one-time use only bladder of sorts that is easily transported and disseminated into bottles upon destination, was a new one for me though it certainly makes more sense than shipping umpteen glass bottles across the pond. So, it’s easy to figure that someone would be able to use the idea to further one’s own applications.

The doc can’t resist following up and each link leads to another until he finally attracts a bit too much attention. These guys don’t play fair but they do play for keeps. KC also has a love interest with whom he’d like to get to know on a deeper level than the occasional romp in the hay, but their schedules clash a bit. She is also a high-producing professional and I really liked her character.

So, several thoughts: First Book 2 is the first I’ve read in the series. I know Chandler is a widower, but not the whole backstory on him. He has a lot of tentacles out there, which is a good thing as he discovers a lack of interest by the feds in resolving his dispute with the mob leaves him on his own. That may be, or may not, a good thing as it almost gets him killed. He’s going to have to watch his back but has definitely earned some street cred. He and his romantic partner dissolve into calling each other by sarcastic titles which I found rather juvenile. And, I’m having a difficult time believing the mob could be handled in such a manner—scratching my head over some of the dialogue.

However, the narrative was entertaining and engaging. Unfortunately, while I didn’t note that this was an uncorrected digital proof, the copy I received was so rough as to be difficult to read sometimes for stumbling over edit misses. Otherwise, I found the story premise interesting, a bit unusual, and would read another—hopefully with benefit of additional editors.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Medical Thrillers, Organized Crime Thrillers
Publisher: White Bird Publications, LLC
ASIN: B09LC35T1D
Print Length: 297 pages
Publication Date: February 8, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Across a 30-year career in medicine, I accumulated plenty of wild stories and met more than my share of interesting characters. I always thought they might one day make for a good book. Then in 1995, when large insurance companies started muscling their way into the healthcare industry, providing a natural antagonist, I decided to put pen to paper. Or in this case, fingers to a little bitty vintage Dell laptop.

After a year of early-morning writing sessions, and two unsuccessful years of mailing manuscripts to dozens of publishing houses, the book sat on the digital back-burner for almost two decades. Inspiration struck again in the summer of 2019, and I set about revising and re-promoting the work. Through determination, persistence, and the help of my partners at White Bird Publications, I’m proud to be able to present to you Cut to the Chase, a Dr. Kyle Chandler Thriller.

Have a great week!

Red Burning Sky: A WWIINovel Inspired by the Greatest Aviation Rescue in History by Tom Young – #BookReview – #HistoricalFiction

Book Blurb:

From the author of Silver Wings, Iron Cross comes a suspenseful and thrilling saga based on the true story of one of World War II’s most daring and successful rescue missions.

Summer 1944: Yugoslavia is locked in a war within a war. In addition to fighting the German occupation, warring factions battle each other. Hundreds of Allied airmen have been shot down over this volatile region, among them American lieutenant Bill Bogdonavich. Though grateful to the locals who are risking their lives to shelter and protect him from German troops, Bogdonavich dreams of the impossible: escape.

With three failed air missions behind him, Lieutenant Drew Carlton is desperate for redemption. From a Texas airbase he volunteers for a secretive and dangerous assignment, codenamed Operation Halyard, that will bring together American special operations officers, airmen, and local guerilla fighters in Yugoslavia’s green hills. This daring plan—to evacuate hundreds of stranded airmen while avoiding detection by the Germans—faces overwhelming odds. What follows is one of the greatest stories of World War II heroism, an elaborate rescue that required astonishing courage, sacrifice, and resilience.

Red Burning Sky is a riveting and ultimately triumphant military thriller based on true events, all the more remarkable for being so little known—until now.

His Review:

Yugoslavia is between Italy and Romania and Romania is the source of oil for fuel for the Nazi’s. The “Miss Carolina’s” mission is to disrupt the oil field and production of fuel for the Nazi’s. The mission is never easy and the flight path is over Yugoslavia where they are in the midst of a civil war between the Partisans led by Marshal Tito and the Chetniks.

The B-24 has taken heavy fire and many of the crew are dead. The order must be given to bail out as the plane is no longer able to be controlled. Bogdonavich is the gunner in the nose compartment. He sees nearly eight Messerschmitt BF109’s attacking the plane. The plane shudders and reports of burning wings and engines cause the pilot to order the evacuation of the plane.

Bogdonavich leaves the plane and his parachute opens before he gets whipped by the trees approaching the ground. He wonders how many men were able to exit the aircraft. Cutting his parachute cords he approaches a tree-line and sees three people approaching him; a young boy, an old man, and a pretty young lady. They take him to a farmhouse but make no effort to hide him. The young boy is part of the Chetnik group that is aiding downed allied aircrew. A bullet in the head is their reward if they are caught.

Nearly 500 US and allied airmen are rescued by these freedom fighters! The one rescuing Bogdonavich is a 17-year-old named Vasa the Wolf. The people of Yugoslavia are assisting downed pilots from being captured by the Germans. They supply hiding places, food, and medical assistance to the airmen at the peril of instant death.

This saga is about a mission in WWII that was classified top secret during the war. The final reward for the rescue of the pilots was silence and deniability by the war department. No air medals nor ribbons for bravery were ever awarded. This is the first exposure of this small part of the war. That 500 airmen could have been rescued by the Chetniks and never recognized seems unthinkable particularly because the Partisans under Marshall Tito wound up the ruling faction after the war and the Chetniks were considered the enemy.

I recommend this book as a means of understanding the sacrifices for anyone who is a war buff. The writing will help to understand some of the unsung heroes of WWII. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical World War II Fiction, Historical Thrillers
Publisher: Kensington Books
ASIN: B0964FXLFS
Print Length: 300 pages
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Red Burning Sky [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: Thomas W. Young has logged nearly 5,000 hours as a flight engineer for the Air National Guard in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, and elsewhere, including Latin America, the Horn of Africa, and the Far East. Military honors include three Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. He retired from the military as a Senior Master Sergeant.

He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and studied writing there and at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, among other places. He is also the author of the oral history The SpeedFour of Heat: An Airlift Wing at War in Iraq and Afghanistan, and contributed to the anthology Operation Homecoming, edited by Andrew Carroll.

More information about Tom Young and his work can be found online at TomYoungBooks.com.

The Texas Job by Reavis Z Wortham – #BookReview – Small Town & Rural Fiction

Book Blurb:

Texas Ranger Tom Bell is simply tracking a fugitive killer in 1931 when he rides into Kilgore, a hastily erected shanty town crawling with rough and desperate men—oil drillers who’ve come by the thousands in search of work. The sheriff of the boomtown is overwhelmed and offers no help, nor are any of the roughnecks inclined to assist the young Ranger in his search for the wanted man.

In fact, it soon becomes apparent that the lawman’s presence has irritated the wrong people, and when two failed attempts are made on his life, Bell knows he’s getting closer to finding out who is responsible for cheating and murdering local landowners to access the rich oil fields flowing beneath their farms. When they ambush him for a third time, they make the fatal mistake of killing someone close to him and leaving the Ranger alive.

Armed with his trademark 1911 Colt .45 and the Browning automatic he liberated from a gangster’s corpse, Tom Bell cuts a swath of devastation through the heart of East Texas in search of the consortium behind the lethal land-grab scheme.

His Review:

Early 20^th Century east Texas was a wide-open territory. Texas Ranger Tom Bell has a very dangerous job. The mob has infiltrated the area because of quick riches from the discovery of oil. A forest of oil rigs blight the once open range and forest lands. Where money flows, greed and corruption closely follow. One of the get-rich schemes was to marry the ladies who owned the land and then kill them to inherit the land and the wealth stream.

The mob has no compassion for people, their problems, or their needs. Take whatever you can and if someone dies in the process, oh well! Author Wortham weaves a very interesting tale of bravado and heroism against wanton killing and conniving. I found his tale engaging and entertaining. His writing style harkens back to western authors of old. The characters who became Texas Rangers were smart and cared for the people of east Texas.

The weapons and attack methodology were reminiscent of WW I war tactics. The mob sent in large groups of killers with the instructions to “take care of the problem.” Ranger Tom Bell is one of those “problems.” Six men are sent down from Hot Springs, Arkansas to accomplish the goal. Their problem was a lack of understanding the abilities of Tom Bell.

Segregation was rampant in Texas at that time. The African American youth were considered slightly less valuable than cattle. African American women were considered ignorant and were generally ignored. Therefore, Tom has a ready source of intelligence because the criminals gave them little consideration. The Black population, however, knew everything that was going on and appreciated being treated fairly.

Enjoy this tale from a gifted writer. Set aside time because you will not want to put the book down. 4.5 stars- CE Williams

We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions. Current on pre-order.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Small Town & Rural Fiction, Murder
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
ASIN: B096L96MP1
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): The Texas Job [Amazon]
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The Author: As a boy, award-winning writer, Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for the fictional setting for The Rock Hole and The Red River Mystery Series. He was born in Paris, Texas, but lived in Dallas. “We grew up in the city and went to school there, but every Friday evening my parents put us in the car and made the 120-mile drive to Chicota, where we truly lived at my grandparents’ place in the country until Sunday evening, when we came back to the city. Our real home was that little scratch farm in Lamar County.”

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Reavis also penned Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. More than 2,500 newspaper and magazine articles bear the byline of this award-winning Texas writer. The Rock Hole was a finalist in the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association, is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Writers’ League of Texas, International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch), and International Thriller Writers.

He lives with his wife, Shana, in northeast Texas.

(Reavis Z. Wortham retired in 2011 and now works harder than before as the author of the critically acclaimed Red River historical mystery series. Kirkus Reviews listed his first novel, The Rock Hole, as one of their Top 12 Mysteries of 2011. True West Magazine included Dark Places as one of 2015’s Top 12 Modern Westerns. The Providence Journal writes, “This year’s Unraveled is a hidden gem of a book that reads like Craig Johnson’s Longmire on steroids.” Wortham’s new high octane contemporary thriller from Kensington Publishing, Hawke’s Prey, featuring Texas Ranger Sonny Hawke was released in June, 2017. [Goodreads])

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