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Need You by Blake Pierce – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

A Daisy Fortune Private Investigator Mystery

Book Blurb:

When private investigator Daisy Fortune is approached by an uber-wealthy, mysterious woman to discover who murdered her fiancé on a yacht in the Mediterranean, Daisy is skeptical. Her client seems guilty, yet Daisy, a brilliant but floundering P.I., needs this case. As Daisy immerses herself in the opaque world of the mega-rich, she comes to learn, after a series of shocking twists, that the beautiful people hide the darkest secrets of all.

Daisy Fortune never wanted to be a private investigator, but when her father had a stroke, she felt obliged to carry on the family business. Her P.I. business is on the brink of bankruptcy when an uber-wealthy client offers an extraordinary fee to clear her name. To do so, Daisy will have to immerse herself in the world of the mega-rich—a world Daisy knows nothing of.

Red flags abound as Daisy finds herself pulled deeper into the web of lies and dark secrets of the world’s wealthiest.

Secrets they will do anything to protect.

Daisy, though, is brilliant and tenacious, and as she steps into the role, she begins to realize she has her father’s gift. Unearthing the truth becomes a passion for her and she learns she will stop at nothing to do it—even if it means risking her own life.

A page-turning private investigator thriller, the DAISY FORTUNE series is a riveting mystery, featuring a brilliant detective and packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben and L.T. Ryan are sure to fall in love.

My Review:

Daisy Fortune is getting very nervous about her ability to continue with the PI agency left to her by her father, who had achieved some notoriety during his heyday.

Worried she’ll lose the business and wondering what she’ll do next, she is unexpectedly engaged by a wealthy woman who appears to be lost until she confirms she is looking for her agency to discover what happened to her recently departed fiancé. Well, yeah, doesn’t she need the money? Daisy starts packing but doesn’t realize she’ll end up on an island in Greece.

The young Jacob Vandiveer was a spoiled, uber rich male used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted. The holdings of the super rich, including the palatial estate, were beyond anything Daisy could imagine though she almost doesn’t succeed in even gaining entry. Once in, with fits and starts, she begins her investigation mostly contained within the grounds, the employees, friends, and any relatives that might have attended the party on the yacht at which he was found deceased.

My first experience with this author and this being Book 1, I thought I got in on the ground floor of a new series! The writing style is fairly simple and the installment can be an easy, fast read. Not a particularly complex plot, there are twists, but it’s easy to guess who is going to be the perp.

Daisy is not fully developed and few of the support characters are either. I’m sure Daisy will evolve with further installments. The other characters won’t be reoccurring sidekicks although there is a possible introduction to a love interest. There is, however, the suggestion of a thread that her father was not able to solve—that of her missing brother that I suspect will factor into further installments.

The conclusion wrapped up most of the loose threads, no problem there, but I was astounded that with the hefty check she received from the patriarch for solving his son’s murder, it only allowed her to pay past due and current bills—cover the next few months. My God, how much does it cost to keep a low-rent PI office open? I’ll bite on Book 2 (and I see it was published in February, Books #3 and 4 May and June respectively), see where this is going, but hope it gets a little more complex and creates interesting reoccurring characters besides Daisy. Right now I can’t decide if she’s milk toast or a self-assured and competent PI.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from my local library that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Private Investigator Mysteries, Women Sleuths
ASIN: B0BPJVVQD4
Print Length: 203 pages
Publication Date: January 6, 2023
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Blake Pierce is the USA Today bestselling author of the RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seventeen books. Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising fourteen books; of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising six books; of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising seven books; of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising six books; of the JESSIE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising twenty-eight books; of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising three books; of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising six books; of the ADELE SHARP mystery series, comprising sixteen books, of the EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series, comprising six books; of the LAURA FROST FBI suspense thriller, comprising eleven books; of the ELLA DARK FBI suspense thriller, comprising fourteen books (and counting); of the A YEAR IN EUROPE cozy mystery series, comprising nine books, of the AVA GOLD mystery series, comprising six books; of the RACHEL GIFT mystery series, comprising ten books (and counting); of the VALERIE LAW mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the MAY MOORE mystery series, comprising eleven books; of the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the NICKY LYONS mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting), of the CAMI LARK mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting), of the AMBER YOUNG mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the DAISY FORTUNE mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the FIONA RED mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the FAITH BOLD mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), of the JULIETTE HART mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the new MORGAN CROSS mystery series, comprising five books (and counting).

ONCE GONE (a Riley Paige Mystery–Book #1), BEFORE HE KILLS (A Mackenzie White Mystery—Book 1), CAUSE TO KILL (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 1), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery—Book 1), WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige—Book 1), NEXT DOOR (A Chloe Fine Psychological Suspense Mystery—Book 1), THE PERFECT WIFE (A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book One), IF SHE KNEW (A Kate Wise Mystery—Book 1), MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) (A European Voyage Cozy Mystery—Book 1), LEFT TO DIE (An Adele Sharp Mystery—Book One), A MURDER IN PARIS (A Year in Europe—Book 1), CITY OF PREY (An Ava Gold Mystery—Book One), and HER LAST WISH (A Rachel Gift FBI Suspense Thriller—Book One) are each available as a free download on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit http://www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Silhouette attribute: Millande’s

Mainely Wicked by Matt Cost – #BookReview – Witch & Wizard Mysteries

A Goff Langdon Mainely Mystery Book

Book Blurb:

Langdon is hired to find a man who answered a classified ad and then disappeared into thin air. And then a second person vanishes. What starts as a couple of simple missing-person cases quickly spirals into a diabolical world of witches, wiccans, and wendigos.

“You ever hear of the Church of Satan?” Jewell asked. There was silence around the fire. The flames danced and flickered, casting shadows in the dark May night. Langdon took the bottle from Richam and poured himself another…

Bart, the dour but poetic cop, is back, even if demoted to a blue uniform. The dapper lawyer, Jimmy 4 by Four, is up to his regular philandering ways. Richam is hiding a secret from Jewell, and Chabal makes a new friend… And then goes missing.

What is going to happen during the Super Flower Blood Moon and who is the Wendigo? This time, Langdon might be too late to solve these mysteries before the blood flows…

His Review:

Langdon’s sidekick, Annie, is missing and he is intent on finding her. His investigation turns up a devil worship group call Wendigo. The group gathers young women for his sustenance.

Langdon is intent upon getting Annie back but is thwarted by the Devil’s followers.

Chabal accompanies Langdon on this quest. Investigating the “Wendigo Grotto of Satan” is pretty freaky. Can this intrepid duo find Annie in time?

This story is well out of my comfort zone and I found it distressing. Apparently a nod to the 600,000 who go missing every year, there were scenes and descriptions of practice that I found difficult to read. Devil worship is simply not my thing.

An unusual departure from the books I’ve read by this author before, this will be a one-off for me. You may enjoy it if you are a fan of the genre or familiar with the legend of the Wendigo. C E Williams 3.5 stars – CE Williams

I previously read Velma Gone Awry, a historical mystery, which was engaging and entertaining and I greatly enjoyed.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Witch & Wizard Mysteries, Private Investigator Mysteries
Publisher: Encircle Publications
ASIN: B0C4D86219
Print Length: 301 pages
Publication Date: August 9, 2023
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Matt Cost was a history major at Trinity College. He owned a mystery bookstore, a video store, and a gym, before serving a ten-year sentence as a junior high school teacher. In 2014 he was released and began writing. And that’s what he does. He writes histories and mysteries.

Cost has published four books in the Mainely Mystery series, with the fifth, “Mainely Wicked”, due out in August of 2023. He has also published four books in the Clay Wolfe Trap series, with the fifth, “Pirate Trap”, due out in December of 2023.

For historical novels, Cost has published “At Every Hazard” and its sequel, “Love in a Time of Hate”, as well as “I am Cuba”. In April of 2023, Cost will combine his love of histories and mysteries into a historical PI mystery set in 1923 Brooklyn, “Velma Gone Awry”.

Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing.

Have a Great Sunday

Iwo, 26 Charlie by P T Deutermann – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

World War II Navy #10

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

T. Deutermann is a contemporary master of World War II military fiction: writing about the lives, deaths, dreams, fears, and combat experiences of sailors and soldiers, generals and grunts, captains and snipers, pilots and submariners, who served in the Pacific theatre war against Japan.

The island of Iwo Jima was the epic land and sea battle that produced one of the iconic images of WWII: the Marines raising the American flag on Mount Surabachi, an active volcano that was the site of intense hand-to-hand combat. In this gripping novel, Deutermann follows a young gunnery liaison officer, Lee Bishop, who during the ferocious battle for the island is pulled from his station aboard the USS Nevada to serve on-shore as a spotter, calling in coordinates for the ship to target with missiles.

But Bishop is completely unready for what he will witness and experience: a literal hell, during which 26,000 Americans are killed in a fight to the very last man, which culminates in the blistering, sulphurous tunnels of Surabachi itself, where an entire platoon of Marines is held captive. Iwo, 26 Charlie is a dramatic, utterly authentic novel by an award-winning writer.

His Review:

One of the most iconic images of the battle of Iwo Jima and World War II is the raising of our flag on Mount Suribachi. This is one of our country’s proudest moments during the war in the Pacific. This achievement took a lot longer than the citizens of our country knew. Most battles the U.S. Marines fight are in concert with the U.S. Navy. This is one of those stories.

There is a rivalry between these two branches of the U.S. military and also a bond of brotherhood. Lieutenant Lee Bishop goes onto the island with the intention to assist in firepower from the naval bombardment to “soften up” the island prior to the marine’s landing effort. The Japanese had prepared the island for the war with a myriad of caves and fortifications to thwart any attempt to occupy the island.

Lieutenant Bishop goes in to assist in fire control and direction to destroy the Japanese fortifications. His call name is IWO, 26 Charlie. The Japanese are extremely adept at killing any spotter who comes onto the island. The life expectancy of a spotter is estimated at 24 hours. The Japanese come out at night and kill anyone who is not fully awake or vigilant.

The USS Nevada has a myriad of weapons systems including 14-inch guns. Their fire control includes a rudimentary analog computer. Grids are utilized to give accurate coordinates for the placement of the ordinance. Most shells fired at the island were the 5-inch and 8-inch explosive types. The effect on the Japanese emplacements was generally minimal due to the excellent design and construction of the emplacements.

Anyone interested in the history of the Second World War will find this novel both interesting and amazing. I could not put the book down and I am sure most history buffs will have the same problem, which is a very one to have when reading! 5 stars – CE Williams

Last year I read The Last Palatine and found it absolutely riveting. I’ll be looking for anything released by this author going forward. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical World War II Fiction, WWII Historical Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
ASIN: B0BQGFM2HK
Print Length: 288 pages
Publication Date: November 28, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Peter Deutermann was born in Boston in 1941. His father was in the Navy, so he subsequently lived all over the United States and also in Argentina. He graduated from the naval academy in 1963 and served in the navy for 26 years, rising to the rank of Captain. While in the navy, he published one textbook on naval operations and several professional articles in navy-oriented journals. He held three commands: a Swiftboat in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, a guided missile destroyer in the Atlantic Fleet, and a destroyer squadron based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His last tour of duty was as the division director for chemical, biological, and radiological weapons arms control negotiations on the staff of the Joint Chiefs in Washington, DC.

He retired from active duty in 1989 and began his fiction-writing career. He has published twenty novels since 1992, all with St. Martins Press, including the just-released World War II navy novel, entitled The Commodore, and the Washington thriller, The Red Swan. He has completed his 21st novel, entitled The Iceman, a World War II navy submarine story, scheduled for publication in August, 2018. See all the books on his website at http://www.ptdeutermann.com

In addition to a BS in naval engineering, Mr. Deutermann holds an MA in public administration from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. He is also a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. He is married and has two children. Mr. Deutermann and his wife of 50 years live in Rockingham County, in the Piedmont of North Carolina, on their family pony farm.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Water Tower by Amy Young – #BookReview – #crimethrillers

Book Blurb:

Josie Ashbury was a successful Hollywood actress with a booming career—until an on-set breakdown sends her back to her small Ohio hometown to recover. Taking a job teaching at her old high school, Josie is beginning to put the pieces of her life back together when one of her students dies under suspicious circumstances. The police close the case quickly, without any real answers. Josie is determined to find the truth behind the girl’s death.

At the same time, Josie is battling demons of her own. As she faces debilitating insomnia that leaves her with gaps in her memory, she dives into the tangled secrets surrounding the investigation. When she finally unravels the web, she discovers that the truth lies much closer to home than she could have ever imagined.

His Review:

A bright young student is found dead at the bottom of the town’s defunct water tower. Josie, one of the town’s high school teachers, found her during one of her sleepless nights’ sojourns. Was she a victim of foul play or a suicide? Josie seems to recall someone on the tower at the time of her death, but one of the town’s most influential citizens, the girl’s father, has the investigation curtailed!

Josie had left her small hometown to become a celebrated thespian in the Hollywood Hills environs. She returned to her hometown to teach high school and become reacquainted with her former classmates. She is well-liked by all of her students but is devastated by the apparent suicide.

How could the girl’s father not want the truth about his daughter’s death?

This story has many intriguing plot twists which kept me on my toes and flipping pages. I felt I needed a scorecard to keep track of the male interests in Josie’s life. Her entanglement in the death of the student pushes her beyond the normal pressures of everyday life. Can her life be in danger because of her desire to know the truth about the student’s death and the possible subsequent coverup? Read and enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thrillers, Murder Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0BT3T8M1C
Print Length: 290 pages
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Amy Young is an author, comedian, and actress. Growing up in Bay Village, Ohio, she could most often be found with her nose buried in a book, and was particularly fond of Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, and The Babysitters’ Club. Amy always had a flair for the dramatic and has worked as an actress in many stage productions and, during her decade living in Los Angeles, a few TV shows and movies. When not writing, Amy enjoys reading thriller and mystery novels, drinking red wine, and binging on reality TV shows with her husband and many, many cats. She currently resides outside of Cleveland, Ohio.

Enjoy your day

A Line in the Sand by Kevin Powers – #BookReview – Political Thrillers & Suspense

Book Blurb:

In this “spellbinding and totally original thriller” (Philipp Meyer, author of The Son) a lonely veteran’s gruesome discovery throws him right into the face of danger as a twisted investigation unravels the secrets of his dark past.

One early morning on a Norfolk beach in Virginia, a dead body is discovered by a man taking his daily swim—Arman Bajalan, formerly an interpreter in Iraq. After narrowly surviving an assassination attempt that killed his wife and child, Arman has been given lonely sanctuary in the US as a maintenance worker at the Sea Breeze Motel. Now, convinced that the body is connected to his past, he knows he is still not safe.

Seasoned detective Catherine Wheel and her newly minted partner have little to go on beyond a bus ticket in the dead man’s pocket. It leads them to Sally Ewell, a local journalist as grief-stricken as Arman is by the Iraq War, who is investigating a corporation on the cusp of landing a multi-billion-dollar government defense contract.

As victims mount around Arman, taking the team down wrong turns and towards startling evidence, they find themselves in a race, committed to unraveling the truth and keeping Arman alive—even if it costs them absolutely everything.

His Review:

Life can be short in third-world countries. Arman had a lovely wife and daughter in Afghanistan during the war. He received fair compensation as an interpreter for the U.S. military. However, he lost both of them during the conflict and would never forgive himself for not staying there to protect them.

Sally was stationed in Afghanistan at the time and they became good comrades and associates. With his family gone and nobody left in his home country, he emigrated to the United States and worked as an informant with law enforcement. Sally considers him one of her best assets. Her record is exemplary and her boss is jealous of her successes and wants her fired from the police force.

People die with an alarming frequency in a usually quiet seaside town on the east coast. Sally realizes that her success in catching criminals is directly related to the intel that Arman provides. They have a mutual respect and admiration for each other; two loners navigating the sea of life with constant danger.

Kevin Powers presents the life of drug dealers and immigrants who are forced to become involved with them by necessity. Losing an entire family during a war and then being required to become engaged in illegal activities to survive is harsh. The refugee is subjected to the same pressures that the war placed upon he and his family in his own country. Eye-opening and an engaging read. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Political Thrillers & Suspense, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Military Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ASIN: B0BD4G2Y5M
Print Length: 369 pages
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Kevin Powers is the author of The Yellow Birds, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and was a National Book Award Finalist. He was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, and holds an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a Michener Fellow in Poetry. He served in the US Army in 2004 and 2005 in Iraq, where he was deployed as a machine gunner in Mosul and Tal Afar.

Have a good Weekend!

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

An Andy Carpenter Mystery Book 27

in Animal Fiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Lights, camera, action in bestselling author David Rosenfelt’s Flop Dead Gorgeous, as Andy Carpenter goes bicoastal to prove an old friend’s innocence.

Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that’s come through the Tara Foundation’s doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie. Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols—Andy’s high school girlfriend—the miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.

Andy doesn’t hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she’s in town filming her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there’s a plot twist the next morning that none of them see coming: Jenny’s costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It’s not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of Andy’s legal services.

While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy’s golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and famous.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

Attorney Andy Carpenter is very wealthy and retired. Or at least he’s worked very hard at retiring, but it seems something always comes up that touches him personally and he has to, absolutely must, be involved in their defense.

This time, though, it really is personal, as the accused is an old high school flame, now a well-known movie star, Jenny Nichols. When back in Paterson, she adopted a mini-poodle from Andy’s Tara Foundation. So don’t you know he has an investment in seeing her found not guilty.

Andy has an amazing team, including his wife, an ex-cop and her K-Team which includes Corey and his retired police dog Simon Garfunkel. There are others, of course, including Marcus Clark, who is far more vocal this time than in previous installments. All work beautifully to round out an all-star cast of characters you come to know and love.

Now comes all the grunt work, meetings, assignments, and investigation. If Jenny didn’t do it, who did? Each well-developed character gets to shine, including the dogs—and we do love the dogs!

Andy is full of his snarky sense of humor as they weave through threads, twists, and misdirections.

These stories aren’t simple, they develop layers not always initially satisfied. I was surprised at the courtroom outcome this time. I don’t ever remember such a development before but remind you that these stories are all different. Author Rosenfelt always presents a new wrinkle.

Remarkable this is Book #27 and can still be fresh and unique. I’ve read or listened to most of this series and often fall back on an audiobook I might have missed, including my last Holy Chow. I love the banter, the investigation, and the courtroom footwork. This is one of my favorite series and I must assume yours as well. If not—check it out!

I received a complimentary review copy of this uncorrected digital galley from the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you, thank you! These are my honest thoughts and, as usual, looking for the next installment.

Book Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ASIN: B0B9KV1T2L
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: July 4, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Flop Dead Gorgeous [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. “Open And Shut” was his first novel; “First Degree,” his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.

#TuesdayBookBlog

North of Nowhere: A Thriller by Allison Brennan – #BookReview – #crimethrillers

Book Blurb:

New York Times bestseller Allison Brennan’s latest standalone is an unputdownable race to the dramatic finish.

After five years in hiding from their murderous father, the day Kristen and Ryan McIntyre have been dreading has arrived: Boyd McIntyre, head of a Los Angeles crime family, has at last tracked his kids to a small Montana town and is minutes away from kidnapping them. They barely escape in a small plane, but gunfire hits the fuel line. The pilot, a man who has been raising them as his own, manages to crash land in the middle of the Montana wilderness. The siblings hike deep into the woods, searching desperately for safety—unaware of the severity of the approaching storm.

Boyd’s sister Ruby left Los Angeles for the Army years ago, cutting off contact in order to help keep her niece and nephew safe and free from the horrors of the McIntyre clan. So when she gets an emergency call that the plane has gone down with the kids inside, she drops everything to try save them.

As the storm builds, Ruby isn’t the only person looking for them. Boyd has hired an expert tracker to find and bring them home. And rancher Nick Lorenzo, who knows these mountains better than anyone and doesn’t understand why the kids are running, is on their trail too.

But there is a greater threat to Kristen and Ryan out there. More volatile than the incoming blizzard, more dangerous than the family they ran from or the natural predators they could encounter. Who finds them first could determine if they live or die. . .

His Review:

How dare Tony take Kristen and Ryan in his plane and attempt to get to Ennis, Montana! Their father, Boyd Mc Intyre, is not someone to be trifled with. Tony is trying to protect the children from their father and particularly their grandmother, who is a woman with no discernable sympathy or soul.

As Tony is taxiing the plane for takeoff a sharpshooter hits him but he is determined to rescue the two children. Then a second shot goes through the aircraft and lodges in Tony’s chest. Gravely wounded he crash lands the plane in Lost Lake. Wounded and unable to help the sixteen and ten-year-olds, they become his rescuers.

Boyd sets out to recover his two kids. The description of the difficulties and terrain is a breathtaking visual of the lovely Montana mountains. Kristen, the oldest, tries her best to save Tony!

This story explores the corruption and lawlessness of the very wealthy and their families. Boyd has no compunction about removing anyone who gets in his way. There is always a lot going on—numerous characters.

The conclusion to the story illuminates the thinking of absurdly rich people with no morals. I was both exasperated and aghast at the cruelty exhibited by this ludicrously rich family. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Disaster Fiction, Military Thrillers, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ASIN: B0B9KX9185
Publication Date: August 8, 2023
Print Length: 368 pages
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of three dozen thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids and spends all her non-writing time as a sports spectator, chauffeur, and short-order cook for her munchkins. She has a dog, two cats, and three chickens. Allison and her family live in northern California.

Have a Great Sunday

Hidden Beneath by Barbara Ross – #BookReview – #CozyCulinaryMysteries

A Maine Clambake Mystery Book 11

Book Blurb:

Serving up mouthwatering shellfish, the Snowden Family Clambake has become a beloved institution in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. But when new clues rise to the surface five years after the disappearance of Julia Snowden’ s mother’s friend, the family business shifts to sleuthing . . .

Julia and her mother, Jacqueline, have come to the exclusive summer colony of Chipmunk Island to attend a memorial service for Jacqueline’s old friend Ginny, who’s been officially declared dead half a decade after she went out for her daily swim in the harbor and was never seen again. But something seems fishy at the service—especially with the ladies of the Wednesday Club. As Julia and Jacqueline begin looking into Ginny’s cold case, a present-day murder stirs the pot, and mother and daughter must dive into the deep end to get to the bottom of both mysteries . . .

My Review:

One of my favorite series and the one that has me planning a trip to Bar Harbor. (I’ll be looking for lobster.) Julia lives with her sister and mother where they annually set up a clambake with hungry customers ferried in on a set schedule.

In this installment, a friend of her mother went missing five years previous and has now been declared dead. There is to be a memorial service on the small island where she lived and is said to have gone missing following her routine afternoon swim. Something goes weird, however, when Julia’s mother, who has been declared executor of the will reunites with the group.

First, it doesn’t make sense that she was named executor as they had not been close in years. The will involves a complicated division of property and Jacqueline calls on Julia for help in going through everything and delivering what she can to the appropriate recipients.

In the meantime, there are twists and turns, the group with which Jacqueline was involved is quirky, harboring secrets, and obviously hiding clues to her friend’s disappearance as well as an earlier death deemed accidental—not. The storyline goes complicated with sub-stories.

As always, the characters come to life, the support characters both good and bad. There is a new boyfriend for which we’ll reserve judgment. It’s not the complex storyline delivered before as in Installment 9, Shucked Apart. Perhaps I missed the clambake on their Busman’s Harbor property. The mystery and suspense weren’t quite as strong this time.

Still, it’s a lovely series, entertaining, fun and fast read and I’m always looking for the next one.

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: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries
Publisher: Kensington Books
ASIN: B0BGYV3W33
Print Length: 230 pages
Publication Date: June 27, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

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The Author: Barbara Ross is the author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries and the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries. Her books have been nominated for multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and have won the Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Portland, Maine. Readers can visit her website at http://www.barbararossauthor.com