#blogger – Page 59 – Rosepoint Publishing

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard – #BookReview – #psychologicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

Summer and Leo would do anything for each other. Inspired by the way each has had to carve her place in a hostile and unforgiving world, and united by the call of the open road, they travel around sunny California in Summer’s tricked-out Land Cruiser. It’s not a glamorous life, but it gives them the freedom they crave from the painful pasts they’ve left behind. But even free spirits have bills to pay. Luckily, Summer is a skilled pickpocket, a small-time thief, and a con artist—and Leo, determined to pay her own way, has learned a trick or two.

Eager for a big score, Leo catches in her crosshairs Michael Forrester, a self-made billionaire and philanthropist. When her charm wins him over, Leo is rewarded with an invitation to his private island off the California coastline for a night of fabulous excess. She eagerly anticipates returning with photos that can be sold to the paparazzi, jewelry that can be liquidated, and endless stories to share with Summer.

Instead, Leo disappears.

On her own for the first time in years, Summer decides to infiltrate Michael’s island and find out what really happened. But when she arrives, no one has seen Leo—she’s not on the island as far as they know. Plus, there was only one way on the island—and no way off—for the coming days. Trapped in a scheme she helped initiate, could Summer have met her match?

His Review:

What entertainment can a billionaire not afford? Michael is very handsome and his blue eyes bewitch young women. Leo is immediately smitten and follows him to his island retreat. Summer, her best friend, wonders what happened to this free spirit and discovers that Leo may have gone to the recluses’ island.

Leo is honored and thrilled that Michael would choose her to go to his island retreat and offer to paint her portrait. His wall is filled with smiling, lovely young ladies. Summer, however, is not convinced that this is a good idea. Her best friend is now incommunicado and she goes to the island to find her friend.

Javier is fiercely loyal to Michael and will protect him with his life. All of the ladies who visit Michael on the island are approved by Javier as there is a danger and potential loss of livelihood if Michael’s secrets are revealed. Summer coming to the island without a real invitation is clearly troubling!

Wendy Heard has developed a fluid and frightening tale of intrigue and suspense off the California coast. The primary lesson of this tale is: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Enjoy the narrative and its’ myriad twists. 4.5 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 point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN-10: ‎ 0593599314
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593599310
ASIN: B0BF8PYCMX
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Wendy Heard is the author of acclaimed suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s. You can access free short stories and an interactive fiction game through her newsletter at www.wendyheard.com.

Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @wendydheard

Enjoy your day

Plum Island by Nelson DeMille – #AudiobookReview – #TBT

“If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.”

Book Blurb:

Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide detective John Corey convalesces in the Long Island township of Southold, home to farmers, fishermen — and at least one killer. Tom and Judy Gordon, a young, attractive couple Corey knows, have been found on their patio, each with a bullet in the head. The local police chief, Sylvester Maxwell, wants Corey’s big-city expertise, but Maxwell gets more than he bargained for.

John Corey doesn’t like mysteries, which is why he likes to solve them. His investigations lead him into the lore, legends, and ancient secrets of northern Long Island — more deadly and more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. During his journey of discovery, he meets two remarkable women, Detective Beth Penrose and Mayflower descendant Emma Whitestone, both of whom change his life irrevocably. Ultimately, through his understanding of the murders, John Corey comes to understand himself.

Fast-paced and atmospheric, marked by entrancing characters, incandescent storytelling, and brilliant comic touches, Plum Island is Nelson DeMille at his thrill-inducing best.

My Review:

How have I not found this author before? And the book so right down my favorite genre alley. A protagonist that has the smarts, expertise of Connelly’s serious Harry Bosch and the wise-cracking but intelligent David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter. John Corey is a seasoned homicide detective convalescing on Long Island who transcends both with additional snarky, often sexual, acerbic comments.

“Do you know why Daughters of the American Revolution don’t have group sex?….

“Daughters of the American Revolution don’t have group sex because they don’t want to have to write all those thank you notes.”

It’s his delivery. Most of the time funny, though as a woman, can be offensive as well. Corey has seen it all, done it all, just doesn’t give a flying fig anymore. Whether another detective or supervisor, he’ll casually pull an unaffected Bosch. The thing is—he’s good at what he does.

In this case, he is asked by Southold Police to look into the double homicide of friends of his. As employees of Plum Island, they come under a heavily shielded rumor mill regarding the island said to study deadly animal diseases. Is it biological warfare? Perhaps something more on the opposite side of the microscopic bugs—a vaccine that could have made them billions. If so, did the deal go bad?

Corey doesn’t come off subtle as he pursues clues, posing and dismissing various scenarios—drugs maybe? He goes to Plum Island for a detailed canned lecture tour of the facility. Definitely an eye-opening tour into a major federal virus and bacterial research facility!

After confronting and eliminating most theories, he accidentally stumbles over another reason for the legal archeological digs on the island. Okay—it could happen. There are SOOO many entertaining stories, folklore, out there of treasures (including the one my grandfather wrote of on Cocos Island).

With all the theories, the interviews, and the characters, it is a fast-paced well-plotted storyline that entertains as well as informs. Twists and turns shine in the multi-faceted texture of the narrative, never a dull moment. Except for the side trip into the (rather ridiculous) romance, I enjoyed the police procedural aspect, the suspense, and the non-stop action.

My first experience with this author won’t be my last. Also, I’ve already found another audiobook narrated by Scott Brick who does an excellent job with this kind of novel. I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Action Fiction, Mystery Action Fiction, Mystery Action & Adventure
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ASIN: B000FA5SMK
Listening Length: 19 hrs 43 mins
Narrator: Scott Brick
Publication Date: June 11, 2021
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Plum Island [Amazon]

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

The Author: Nelson Richard DeMille was born in New York City on August 23, 1943 to Huron and Antonia (Panzera) DeMille, then moved with his parents to Long Island. He graduated from Elmont Memorial High School, where he played football and ran track.

DeMille spent three years at Hofstra University, then joined the Army where he attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the United States Army (1966-69). He saw action in Vietnam as an infantry platoon leader with the First Cavalry Division and was decorated with the Air Medal, Bronze Star, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

After his discharge, DeMille returned to Hofstra University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History. He has three children, Lauren, Alexander, and James, and resides on Long Island.

DeMille’s first major novel was By the Rivers of Babylon, published in 1978, and is still in print as are all his succeeding novels. He is a member of American Mensa, The Authors Guild, and is past president of the Mystery Writers of America. He is also a member of International Thriller Writers and was chosen as ThrillerMaster of the Year 2015. He holds three honorary doctorates: Doctor of Humane Letters from Hofstra University, Doctor of Literature from Long Island University, and Doctor of Humane Letters from Dowling College.

Nelson DeMille is the author of: By the Rivers of Babylon, Cathedral, The Talbot Odyssey, Word of Honor, The Charm School, The Gold Coast, The General’s Daughter, Spencerville, Plum Island, The Lion’s Game, Up Country, Night Fall, Wild Fire, The Gate House, The Lion, The Panther, The Quest, Radiant Angel, The Cuban Affair and The Deserter. He also co-authored Mayday with Thomas Block and has contributed short stories to anthologies, and book reviews and articles to magazines and newspapers.

The Narrator: Scott Brick is an American actor, writer and award-winning narrator of over 800 audiobooks. Audiobook narrator Scott Brick (2012). Born, (1966-01-30) January 30, 1966 (age 57). Santa Barbara, California, US. Occupation(s), Actor, Writer, Narrator. [Wikipedia]

#ThrowbackThursday

The Devil’s Glove by Lucretia Grindle – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Rumors of War, Whispers of Witchcraft; A Spellbinding Historical Novel

Book Blurb:

Northern New England, summer, 1688.
Salem started here.

A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.

Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They’re known as healers taught by the local tribes – and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.

Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.

As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew – about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.

Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, THE DEVIL’S GLOVE is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village’s dark and mysterious past?

My Review:

It takes a little while to get used to the writing style, emulating I imagine the speech patterns of the late seventeenth century. It’s stilted and somewhat hard to read, digest, interpret. Even so, the narrative is also heavy in prose resulting in quotables too numerous to list.

It’s the story of Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, who are trying to assimilate into the village of Falmouth. Deliverance, most especially, has become somewhat of a personality known for her cures and limited medical expertise, which has resulted in both a positive and negative in the villagers’ suspicion of her knowledge of poultices and potions. It is generally felt she gained much of her knowledge from the local natives who are viewed with fear.

When Resolve is not working with her mother, she is palling around with Judah White, with whom she has become close personal friends, foresworn blood sisters.

“…all that is beautiful is but a glove for the Devil’s hand.”

There is a lot of mistrust about the local tribe with a recent history of conflict still strong in the minds of the villagers. The whispers regarding new unexplained happenings grow stronger with rumors handed from one to another until truth is no longer recognizable.

“I’d not care to try to outrace or hide from them amid waves any more than among trees. That’s when you understand whose land, and sea, this truly is.”

Events are beginning to push war to a reality when a peaceful solution has been orchestrated but mishandled badly by a member of the colony with ulterior motives. In the meantime, Resolve is betrayed by the one she thought could be trusted while the wild child among them, her junior and dangerous, is furthering her own agenda.

It’s not looking good for Resolve (nee Savannah) nor her mother and appears to be time to move on—they are thinking perhaps to Salem?

Heavy with description, exceptional details, and weighed down somewhat by unnecessary backstory, the main storyline tends to wallow at times. I always enjoy the descriptive utilization of plants and their properties, a visit to a native village, and the possible use of hallucinogenics that pushes the narrative to a mystical and ethereal atmosphere.

A historical fiction novel obviously the benefit of research but not quite the pace or plot expected. 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 Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Historical Fiction, U S Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Casa Croce Press
ASIN: B0BWSD5SVL
Print Length: 360 pages
Publication Date: May 1, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: The Devil’s Glove [Amazon]

The Author: Lucretia was born in Massachusetts. Her family moved to the UK when she was six months old, and she has spent the rest of her life – to date – living ‘half in England, half in the US’. She went to school and University in both countries, and rode and produced competition horses professionally before quitting her day job to write full time. She has published six novels, two when she was very young, and four since she wasn’t so very young. She writes both fiction and non-fiction, and when she isn’t staring absently out of the window, spends her time cooking, gardening, sailing enthusiastically if not very well, and discussing deer and squirrels with the dog.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Reaping the Whirlwind by Rosey Dow – #BookReview – #ChristianHistoricalFiction

Book Blurb:

No one suspects foul play when an old recluse dies behind locked doors.

The doctor claims the old woman’s heart gave out, and Deputy Sheriff Trent Tyson doesn’t give the case another thought until the medical examiner finds poison.

This death is just one in a series of unusual deaths happening in Tyson’s quiet town, which takes the deputy sheriff on the hunt for answers while the rest of the town is caught up in local hysteria, starstruck by visiting celebrities William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. Within a week, Deputy Sheriff Trent Tyson is on the tenuous trail of a serial killer who snuffs out the unwanted, the disabled—the most helpless and lovable—without reason and with no mercy.

Reaping the Whirlwind is a historical mystery set during the real events of the Scopes evolution trial in 1925 Dayton, Tennessee. The mystery weaves through trial events in an accurate portrayal of this pivotal case that forever changed the U.S. education system.

His Review:

Dayton has always been a small town devoid of any fame, but the city wants to be famous so they decide to set up one of their teachers to take the fall. He is arrested for teaching The Theory of Evolution as opposed to Creation as the source of human kind. This radical teaching will not stand in this small Tennessee enclave of Christianity.

The case attracts two of the most famous jurists of the early 20^th century; Charles Darwin and William Jennings Bryant. Newspapers from all over the country begin to sensationalize the trial and the notoriety. The local deputy constable/detective, Tyson, is assigned the case.

Because Bryant and Darwin are coming to town every possible domicile is let. The small town becomes notorious. Meanwhile, some young people are mysteriously dying of poisoning. Between keeping order at the courthouse and trying to solve the cases of murder Tyson has his hands full. Being a single parent, his first obligation must be to his disabled daughter, Lori.

The author weaves a very intricate fabric of suspense into the story. Everyone involved is extremely careful with the town’s young people and yet they keep dying! Guarding the courthouse and maintaining order in this small town becomes a very challenging task. Can Tyson solve the murders and foil the culprit? This is a fun and intricate story and plot line. Enjoy! 4 stars – CE Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Religious Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Morgan James Fiction
ASIN: B0BT141GD6
Print Length: 378 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Source: Author and Publisher

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Rosey Dow is the pen name of Lana McAra, an award-winning, international best-selling author and ghostwriter of more than 40 titles with a million books sold, including three cookbooks. An author via traditional publishing with Barbour Publishing and WinePress Publishing for 25 years, she has been editing and ghostwriting for more than 20 years, working for WinePress Publishing as well as Author One Stop and individual clients.

She won the national Christy Award for Reaping the Whirlwind in 2001, and her historical cozy mystery series, Colorado, sold more than 250,000 copies. Her titles have appeared around the world in bookstores and libraries in regular print, large print editions and audiobooks. She also has several journals and other titles under the name This Girl Loves Paper.

Originally from Delaware, she lived on the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada for 14 years and now resides in North Florida.

©CE Williams – V Williams

Enjoy Your Sunday!

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes- #Audiobook Review – #psychologicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed….

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….

Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.

My Review:

It’s not like I haven’t sucked up to a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick before (witness my recent review of both the audiobook and the Daisy Jones and the Six Netflix series, but really—this one?

Yes, I noticed it was a book pick, but also read the blurb and thought it sounded interesting. After all, it was billed as a “can’t put it down” debut and I needed an audiobook. I thought I’d wised up to that kind of hype, but obviously needed to read a few of the posted GR reviews first.

Maya has issues, lots of baggage, and she’s steadfastly refused to let it go through seven years of meds, booze, and shrinks. Now that she’s seen a video that duplicates the death of her best high school friend, up to and including the very man that was in attendance of the former death, she’s at it again, while trying to dodge accusations of mental illness, issues with drying out and investigating two similar deaths.

Maya has returned to her Berkshires hometown to look into the matter further. She has a boyfriend, but he is unaware of her struggles with drugs, memory lapses, and booze. The support characters are not fully developed and except for Frank, couldn’t engage in either them or Maya. Frank is just…creepy.

I had a problem with the flip-in-time sequences, the entry into the mystery of the Guatemalan father’s book, and the law student (oblivious) boyfriend. The pace is slowww and there were periods when it just seemed to die. Then something would happen and I’d tune back in.

There are times when it just doesn’t mesh and there are holes that aren’t filled with logic. The big reveal isn’t a big surprise as it seemed to be hinting—heading that way. The conclusion, while disquieting, is unfulfilling.

Maybe I’m just getting tired of damaged MCs, and I won’t call this a snooze fest, but neither did it capture my interest from the beginning. I got tired of Maya’s problems (guess I just don’t have the patience anymore) and areas that ran in disbelief.

Do you read Witherspoon’s book picks? This one? If so, do you agree or disagree with this pick?

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction, Women’s Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Penguin Audio
ASIN: B09X51M1NK
Listening Length: 8 hrs 34 mins
Narrator: Marisol Ramirez
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: The House in the Pines [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Three stars

The Author: Ana Reyes is a writer in Los Angeles with an MFA from Louisiana State University. Her work has appeared in Bodega, Pear Noir, The New Delta Review and elsewhere. The House in the Pines is her first novel.

K, luv u, bye

The One Who Fell (A Whitecliff Bay Mystery Bk 1) by Kerry Wilkinson – #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. Everyone knows your name. And everyone knows your secrets…

Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly – she is gone.

Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake’s one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley…

Everybody thinks Ingrid is confused: but Millie knows how it feels to not be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff – such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls – are convinced Millie killed them.

Desperately searching for evidence to find the girl Ingrid saw, a broken roof tile could prove Ingrid was telling the truth. But when strange footprints appear in Millie’s garden, she’s certain someone out there is watching.

Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?

My Review:

I love it when I get to start a series with Book 1 as my norm seems to be to get in on Book 14 of one that is already successful (and fully developed). Sometimes that’s a great introduction to the series, other times it’s assumed the backstory has been rehashed and the MC so well developed the reader already knows every freckle or mole on his/her face.

Of course, that can work the other way as well. Starting a new series means getting the protagonist established, developed, the support characters introduced and the setting created in the mind of the reader. The process can be a slow one.

For me, it meant that this is one sluggish read. The main character Millie is hiding in plain sight, volunteering at the local nursing home where she can get lost with the old folks, providing a visit, a game, a story for those who get precious little one-on-one.

In the course of visiting with Ingrid, Ingrid relates witnessing from her upper story window a young girl being pushed from the roof a house or two away. Ingrid, of course, is known to get confused sometimes but Millie finds her story plausible and having somewhat of a gap in her own credibility, believes her. She is sympathetic to Ingrid and feels she must check into the story. But who does she trust?

It’s a small town with all the small town foibles, but a seaside village beautifully described. There is a support character who becomes somewhat a source of help while adding additional layers to the narrative and throwing off red herrings. A distraction.

Millie has an upward battle in finding an ear that will listen as her parents died suspiciously recently and she is suspected of providing their push into the hereafter. (Another small backstory I couldn’t quite buy or the reason people thought so.)

I couldn’t warm up to Millie and the story wove in and out of my interest. Too many questions not resolved in Book 1 because it is so obviously intended to lead into Book 2. My problem is lack of incentive.

I’ve read Kerry Wilkinson before, the most recent being The Blame, and can usually become engaged or entertained if not hanging on the edge of my seat to see where it’s going. No doubt there are Wilkinson fans who’ll enjoy picking through the breadcrumbs, but for me, this is a one off.

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: Murder, Murder Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Bookouture
ASIN: B0BWK5W5K2
Print Length: 357 pages
Publication Date: April 17, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Kerry Wilkinson has sold two million books – and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy – a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults – a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’.

When he’s short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he’s not, he writes it all down.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Velma Gone Awry: A Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery by Matt Cost – #BookReview – #historicalmystery

Book Blurb:

Award-winning author Matt Cost brings us back to Brooklyn in the Roaring ’20s and introduces us to Hungarian private eye, 8 Ballo, who is hired to find the daughter of a wealthy businessman. The search will lead him to cross paths with Dorothy Parker, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Bugsy Siegel, Babe Ruth, and many more as he tries to uncover why Velma went awry.

8 Ballo’s mother was certain he was going to be born a girl, but when he comes out a boy, she writes down simply the number 8, as he has seven older siblings. She meant to change it to a real name at some point but never got around to it.

Now, in his mid-thirties, 8 is a college-educated man, a veteran of the Great War, jilted in love, and has his own private investigator business. He enjoys his friends, a good book, jazz music, and a very simple life. When he is hired to find the young flapper daughter of a German businessman, life suddenly becomes much more complicated.

His Review:

A young girl was raised by a step-father after her mother’s death at age 13.

Velma seems to be far off the rails of society’s norms and heading for personal destruction. 8 Ballo is a private detective hired by her father to find her and bring her home. Her father, Mr. Hartmann, is paying well and wants to have his daughter home and under his thumb.

Finding Velma is not so easy. She has protectors in the underworld of the city and some of her father’s competitors would love to see him eliminated. There is an ongoing struggle in the city for the continued dominance of the drug and prostitution trade. Velma is caught in between.

Detective Bello runs into issues when he is finally is able to track her down. She is exceedingly beautiful and has many admirers who would fall on their swords for the young lady. Meanwhile, her father’s competitors would like to control her and ruin her father’s hold on the drug trade.

Falling for the charms of Velma was not in 8’s plan, but she has him under her thumb and he is torn between his contract to her father and his affection for Velma. The story takes many twists and keeps the reader engaged. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

This is Book 1 in a new series (we think). We’ve read his Clay Wolfe/Port Essex Mystery series as well as the Goff Langdon Mainely Mystery series. Each series has grown and the author’s writing style matured. We enjoyed each one. This one is off to a good start as well. Recommended!

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction, Private Investigator Mysteries
Publisher: Encircle Publications
ASIN: B0BDVBSLHN
Print Length: 306 pages
Publication Date: April 12, 2023
Source: Auther and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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.

Enjoy Your Sunday!

Spare by Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex – #BookReview – #Memoirs – #audiobook

#1 this week

Book Blurb:

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love.

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

My Review:

You can say what you like about Harry’s book, but one thing it is is entertaining. Where is Snopes when you need them? So many controversial snippets contained within these pages, it’s hard to know if you haven’t carefully followed the royals all your life what is accurate and what isn’t. What we do know is that it’s extremely personal at times getting into the over-sharing, TMI zone of stories (a frost-bitten penis? mercy!).

You don’t have to be reading the National Enquirer to know that some of the stories out of the major news sources are ca-ca. We’ve long held that you can only “believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.” So with that, I’ll venture to say that I found Harry’s book enlightening, while also confirming much of my impression of the monarchy. This is not, has never been, a loving, demonstrative family. It’s a major business and as such, now more than ever must rely on good press for validation.

Prince Harry was a casualty of birth—the second male—and told and understood from the beginning he was only a backup heir—the spare. He loved his mother and grandmother and the loss of his mother at twelve years of age was a tragedy he denied into adulthood. He tangled often with “the paps” (as he called the British paparazzi) who often made a healthy living off the photos they took by any means to sell.

In this raw memoir, he relates the struggles with his childhood, school, his brother, and those members of the royal family as well as the courtiers who dictated his life down to whether or not he could have a beard. He openly relates his experiences with drugs, alcohol, mental illness, and his failed relationships with women most of the latter of which were blamed on the paps. Of his school years, I wonder why he hadn’t been tested for ADHT and/or dyslexia, something, but then can’t explain his success in the military. It seems inconceivable that he could fly an Apache helicopter in combat if he had experienced neurodevelopmental symptoms.

1 – There were several stories in this narrative that I found most engaging and one was that of his military service (impressive!)—his struggle to find the proper niche—and his success with flying one of the world’s most advanced and proven attack helicopters into Afghanistan. If he could have chosen, it would have been his career choice—the military.

2 – His introduction to Africa and his love of the animals and experiences there where he also meets the people who would become those he escaped to in times of soul-crushing stress.

3 – His story of Diana and what she meant to him—how he finally—as an adult drove that last mile of her life into the tunnel and received the police report (and pictures) to which he was finally given access.

I cannot even begin to understand or walk in the shoes of Meghan Markle and this is a story that understandably was left near the end of the book. We certainly had enough press of Diana to see she had gained enormous popularity the world over. It was not the first time we were plunged back into the drama of the monarchy. And there again, the paps or press printed some of the most despicable stories and pictures imaginable—of both the Princess and Meghan.

There are times he comes off as a spoiled, entitled brat and I wonder how he could not, as he discusses the castles, the retreats, the summer home, the trips, the food, other accouterments of the wealthy. Then this is juxtaposed against the most simple of privilege being denied.

There are no free lunches.

Still, disinherited Harry has landed on his feet in one of the most expensive cities in California, beautiful historic Santa Barbara. Whether or not you’re a fan of him and his bride, you have to give him kudos for exposing a massive, unfiltered peek into the life and times of the business that is the royalty of Britain. Not exactly a touchy/feely hugging-type family but definitely one of fantasy or fairytales (the Grimm kind?).

His ghostwriter, J R Moehringer, did a smashing job. His narration—riveting. I found it open, honest, heartfelt, and emotional. I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library (after a significant wait time!). These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Great Britain History, Memoirs, Biographies of Royalty
Publisher: Random House Audio
ASIN: B0BJ4JGQGS
Listening Length: 15 hrs 39 mins
Narrator: Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Spare [Amazon-US]
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

The Author: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, is a husband, father, humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist. He resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his family and three dogs. https://princeharrymemoir.com [Goodreads]