#bookpost – Page 96 – Rosepoint Publishing

Trick or Thief: A Humorous culinary Cozy Mystery Short Read (Death by Cupcake) by D E Haggerty #BlogTour #BookReview #cozymystery

I am so delighted to provide a review for you today at my blog stop for Trick or Thief by D E Haggerty on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

Trick or Thief: A Humorous Culinary Cozy Mystery Short Read (Death by Cupcake)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Independently Published
Digital – 120 pages
ASIN: B0878QF5V9

A little haunting sounds like innocent fun until a ghost plunders your stockroom.

Kristie is convinced ghosts don’t exist until food starts disappearing without a trace from the Youth Center storage. There are zero clues as to who’s been inside the building. The security guard hasn’t seen a thing, and the security tapes are mysteriously blank. When the ghost widens his hocus-pocus to include Kristie’s office, the gals of Callie’s Cakes jump in to find the culprit before Kristie can get in a whole mess of spooky trouble.

Will the gals of Callie’s Cakes expose the ghost before Kristie’s facility is destroyed?

Cupcakes not included, although recipes for all the delicious cupcakes Anna bakes are.

My first short read by the author and this the sixth of the series. Callie and Anna and co-owners of Callie’s Cakes. They specialize in beautiful and very tasty cupcakes and are the two best friends of Kristie Larson who took over management of the local youth center.

Kristie likes to think she is the more sane of the three, but Callie is a also a bit on the reticent side, following Anna who tends to leap into whatever situation is confronting them at the moment and at the moment that would be the mysterious thefts at the youth center. Who would steal bread and peanut butter at 4 am? More than once?

It is approaching Halloween and Kristie has plans for the kids, but Anna and Callie are all in the investigation of the penny ante thefts. Then it starts getting more serious and Anna and Callie have to become more subtle in their plans if they are to keep their activities a secret from their police detective significant others. Kristie’s guy, Tyler, is a fireman and working odd hours, so she reluctantly goes with the plans of “Lucy and Ethel.”

They do manage to solve the mystery and no one gets maimed or murdered and the narrative stays light-hearted, humorous, and well-fed. Lots of cupcake recipes following the conclusion.

A fast, easy read, a promised romance, and clean mystery (no filters needed here). I received the digital download for the blog tour and these are my unbiased opinions.

About The Author: D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn’t stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn’t do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She’s now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.

Author links

Website: http://dehaggerty.wordpress.com

Blog: https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/category/mymusings/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dehaggerty

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dehaggerty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dehaggerty/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210211.D_E_Haggerty

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/D.E.-Haggerty/e/B00ECQBURU/

Newsletter signup: https://mailchi.mp/027b2768aa1c/newsletter-sign-up-for-a-writers-life-by-de-haggerty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/denahaggerty/

Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/d-e-haggerty

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-e-haggerty-4b49a29/

Purchase Link – Amazon

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

August 20 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 20 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

August 21 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW

August 21 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, GUEST POST

August 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 25 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

August 26 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

August 27 – Books to the Ceiling – GUEST POST

August 28 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

August 28 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

August 29 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

August 30 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

August 30 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

August 31 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 1 – Thoughts in Progress – SPOTLIGHT

September 1 – ebook addicts – REVIEW

September 1 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT

September 2 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – RECIPE

September 2 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this short cozy mystery!

Magic Once Removed by James Kirst – Book Blitz for RABT Book Tours and PR #paranormalsuspense

I am excited to present to you today a book blitz for Magic Once Removed by James Kirst for RABT Book Tours and PR.

Paranormal Suspense

Published: June 2020

Publisher: World Castle Publishing

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Down on his luck, former police detective turned private investigator Peter
Cunningham thought the beautiful Abigail Mitchell was just another crazy
client. Now he’s entangled in an ancient conspiracy that dates back to
the Salem Witch Trials, a far cry from the simple assault case the woman
wanted him to solve.

His budding romance with the witch Abigail will have to be put aside as he
travels the Pacific Northwest with estranged friend and former partner Kelly
Martinez to discover who these people are and their goals.

A coin, a five-year-old case, the Malleus Maleficarum, televangelist and
motivational speaker Tony O’Stein, Pope Innocent VIII, and a secret
society all tie back to a tragedy from Peter’s childhood and he will
need to figure out what it all means and a solution.

Though many witches live amongst us, they are also part of a secret society
but their clandestine organization seems to have been discovered which has
led to a new wave of persecution. Internal tensions were already high and
the attacks have only exasperated the issues. Peter must expose the members
of the conspiracy and thwart their nefarious plans before an even bigger
tragedy strikes.

About the Author

James Kirst lives in the Evergreen State in a humble little abode within
the forested city of Dupont. There, he earned his Master’s Degree at
the University of Washington. Commuting up north to Tacoma, he has worked as
a senior programmer and software development lead for almost ten
years.

With a borderline obsessive interest in the paranormal, James has conducted
an intensive study on the subject. To that end, he has visited some of the
most haunted places in the United States including Salem, the LaLaurie
Mansion of New Orleans, and his personal favorite, the Shanghai Tunnels of
Portland, Oregon.

As an avid fan of mystery both in fiction and in real life, he has done
extensive research into police procedurals, the machinations of detective
work, and life as a private investigator.

A big sports fan, James is sure to either be watching or participating in
one when not writing about or educating himself in one of the aforementioned
subjects. In fact, he has won multiple championships in bowling and
slow-pitch softball and has made several appearances as a softball All-Star
where he was given the privilege of playing in Cheney Stadium. He is still
seeking that elusive kickball title, however.

Contact Links

Purchase Links

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James – A Supernatural Thriller Audiobook or Print?

Book Blurb:

Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the best-selling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

My Review:

So much hype. So many reviews that praised this thriller…and that cover? How many readers are old enough to have seen many of those motels on the road? Are you driving exhausted yet and ready to pull over? Gees, it so hooked me in…

until I started listening to the audiobook.

Many who have read my audiobook reviews before know that I generally much prefer the audiobook—they usually make it come alive, so real, so yeah—part of the conversation.

Vibes of Norman Bates—don’t take a shower…

Told in two POV’s, Vivian is working the night shift at the front desk in the early 80s when she begins to see ghosts. Once she begins to investigate, however, she discovers there have been a number of murders, disappearances, and she’s beginning to make a solid break-through when she herself disappears—without a trace.

Fast forward to 2017, Carly Kirk visits the town of Fell hoping to figure out why her aunt disappeared. At odds and without ties, she gets the front desk job at the motel, also on the night shift, where she can freely dig around for additional information. It doesn’t take long before she, too, begins to spot apparitions, smell cigarette smoke, smell perfume.

Okay, the descriptions of the motel and how it has run to ruin are creepy. The people Carly meets are interesting but seem to get her nowhere, rebuffing inquiries. The ghosts begin to fade into the background as the storyline begins to flip back and forth between Vivian’s story and her discoveries and Carly’s story and her progress.

Vivian begins to think she knows what happened to the girls missing and murdered. She’s pushing her luck, but something just seems…off.

As Carly begins to make real progress, the story timeline overlaps and it’s déjà vu told in two perspectives. Their POV begins to blend and it’s no longer easy to remember who is speaking, only that Vivian’s perspective tends to make a little more progress pushing the plot.

While I had difficulty connecting to either of the two main characters, I did enjoy two support characters who added real interest to an otherwise dull delivery in what was essentially the monotones of both Vivian and Carly.

Worst, I knew (or thought I knew) what happened to Vivian about half-way into the narrative. And was right. The only thing left was to get the why and how.

I’m not sure why the audiobook was narrated in this particular fashion. I’ve never before listened to such a dull droning approach to reading what I understood was a successful novel by a bestselling author. While the description, the people, the plot may have provided a disturbing picture and engaging mystery in your head while reading, this audiobook may only relieve your insomnia.

Book Details:

Genre: Supernatural Thrillers, Horror Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Audio

ISBN-10 : 0440000203
ISBN-13 : 978-0440000204
ASIN: B084641FWV

Print Length: 352 pages
Listening Length: 11 hours
Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Kirsten Potter
Publication Date: February 18, 2020
Source: Local (Audiobook Selections) Library
Title Link: The Sun Down Motel

The Author: Simone St. James is the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare, which won two prestigious RITA® awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada. She writes gothic historical ghost stories set in 1920s England, books that are known for their mystery, gripping suspense, and romance.

Simone wrote her first ghost story, about a haunted library, when she was in high school. She worked behind the scenes in the television business for twenty years before leaving to write full-time. She lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband and a spoiled cat.

The Spiritual Adventures of Russell the Dog by Trisha Watson – #BookTour @iReadBookTours #Giveaway

Today I am thrilled to participate in the book Tour for The Spiritual Adventures of Russell the Dog by Trisha Watson, a unique, powerful expression of reincarnation, karma, grace, & forgiveness.

Join us for this tour from August 24 to September 4, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title: The Spiritual Adventures of Russell the Dog – A Blend of Truth, Fiction and Inspiration from the Other Side by Trisha Watson
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 284 pages
Genre: Dog Story, Inspirational
Publisher: Stone & Light Publishing
Release date: January 20, 2020
Content Rating: G for General Audiences

Book Description:

By reading this newly released book for the dog lover’s soul, you
are about to take a remarkable journey through the eyes of Russell the
dog. At times you will find that reading about his spiritual adventures
takes an open mind, and a willingness to laugh and cry. By choice,
Russell has come into this life with a unique dual purpose: to
experience his present lifetime as a dog and to review his previous
lifetime as a man. His journey is multidimensional; taking him through
numerous challenges triggering a spectrum of emotions which he resists.
One of his special abilities is to telepathically hear and communicate
with other animals, his Spirit Guides, and even people when necessary
for his growth. In the process, Russell learns about reincarnation,
karma, grace, unlimited thinking, and forgiveness – all from a dog’s
point of view and that of a soul who has had many previous human
lifetimes.

My Review:

You’ve heard that many times, but canines have such an impact on our lives and such a strong attachment to the human spirit, it’s almost easy to see Russell as the spiritual journey he is intended to be in this strong metaphysical romp.

Russell is a medium sized scruffy dog of interesting heritage. But Russell is not just a dog. He’s a conduit for the soul through which he’s been transformed into the physical and it’s his turn to finally and resolutely seek answers. While Russell the dog may not have been here before, his soul certainly has, and it is this journey for which you’ll become embroiled.

The engaging story of a puppy born into “the Pit,” as he describes it, is fraught with stories of hunger and constantly being on guard. The dangers are many. Becoming a rescue and finding a forever home, he begins the excursion into a succession of reincarnations. Each story may help explain the who and why of his soul, dissecting fears, confronting failures and learning to forgive himself and others, and finally love. All is directed toward growth.

The storyline is told in an easy, informative way, that quickly and totally immerses the reader in the philosophy, regardless the perspective from which you begin. Amazingly, it all begins to make sense. Russell’s spirit guides are familiar, patient, loving, and kind as they casually direct him to his next revelation and ease him from pain to enlightenment.

Flashbacks to Paul Coelho’s book The Alchemist but this gentle tale seems so much easier to swallow, digest, understand, and champion. And so many beautiful passages of prose…

“If he doesn’t succeed in reviewing his previous life, he will likely choose to return to a suspended state, leaving his soul’s growth stifled…”

“You did not fail but only revealed what you had not yet mastered.”

What is revealed in conclusion may come as a surprise to some readers, but with the strong mantra of connectedness, not unexpected. Powerful, immersive, and thought-provoking on many levels. Totally recommended.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

About the Author

Trisha Watson has a reverence for life, nature, and compassion for those
in need, including, and especially animals. Of course, that encompasses
pets too, and thus all her dogs and cats over the years were rescues or
strays. Because of her passion, a portion of the proceeds from the sale
of each book is donated to different animal rescue organizations.
Twenty years of self-employment helped her develop a can-do attitude.
When asked about the process of writing a book she said, “This story
wouldn’t leave me alone, much of it flowed easily. Some of it I don’t
remember writing, which at first was spooky, but later made complete
sense as the story revealed itself. My intention with this book is to
perhaps provide a source of inspiration and healing for those who read
it.” At sixteen, Trisha began her spiritual journey. Over the years she
has delved into many facets always with an open mind and a dash of
healthy skepticism. Never looking back, she keeps moving forward in her
own spiritual adventure, seeking to learn and share her experiences with
others. Trisha was born in Rhode Island. A few years later her family
moved to the “Mile High City” Denver, Colorado where she grew up. As an
adult she was drawn to the mountains eventually settling in Evergreen, a
small mountain town outside of Denver. It is there she’s built a life
with her husband Mark and their two dogs, Maggie and Cooper.

Connect with the Author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:
Aug 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 25 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / guest post / giveaway
Aug 25 – Rosepoint Publishing – book review / giveaway
Aug 26 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Aug 27 –Books for Books – book review
Aug 28 – Corinne Rodrigues – book review / giveaway
Aug 30 – Book World Reviews – book review
Aug 31 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Sep 1 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Sep 2 –Reading Authors Network – book review / giveaway
Sep 3 –Sefina Hawke’s Books – book review
Sep 4 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review

Enter the Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Front Line: A Domestic Spy Espionage Terrorism Thriller (Phantom Force Tactical Book 3) by Jessica James – a #BookReview

A domestic-military thriller review by the CE.

Rosepoint Publishing: Five of Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Special operators work against the clock to stop a radical extremist from detonating a dirty bomb during a Monday night football game near Washington, DC. in this award-winning domestic terrorism thriller.

Phantom Force Tactical’s Nicholas “Colt” Colton thought the radical extremist he captured years ago was locked away for good. Unfortunately, a new classified mission reveals that the threat is still very real, and corruption within the U.S. government runs deep.

Task Force 2 agent Josephine “Joey” Summers has been working her own angle, trying to figure out where the terrorist leader will strike next. She’s come up with a very plausible—and terrifying—theory, but doesn’t know who she can trust. After teaming up with a retired Navy SEAL, she discovers the plot is even bigger than she’d imagined—and the consequences much more alarming.

When the stakes are this high, promises must be kept. And when thousands of people could die, sacrifices must be made. Only by letting go of their pasts will they have any hope of stopping the chaos. But courage and commitment—plus a pledge—fuse to create an outcome that is both unpredictable and unimaginable.

All books in this series can stand alone.

His Review:

This is a fast-moving framework for espionage at the highest level. Jessica James has written a quick moving tale of treason at the highest level of government. Former Navy Seal Nicholas Colton is working with an off the books’ agency called Phantom Force. Working directly with the President and carrying the highest security clearance available, Nick helps to defuse a well devised terrorist plot.

Josephine is a chance encounter who turns into a valuable asset in the enterprise. Both Nick and Josephine are widowed and do not want to be involved or hurt again. The author handles this relationship with understanding and comfort.

Government intelligence sometimes gets in its’ own way. A highly placed foreign operative whose goal is chaos at a major sporting event that would foul a major metropolitan area adds to the plot.

Highly placed government officials want to bring down the United States and teach it a lesson for interfering in other countries business. A dirty bomb may be the way to cause this catastrophe. Can Nick and his team accomplish this task? The novel could be a playbook for the current situation in Washington. Can Nick and his group stop the plot to cause a major international event similar to the bombing of the twin towers? Infiltrators at the highest level of the US government are involved in planning and executing the plot.

The overall book is a fast read and very satisfying. I feel the author may have had some of these experiences herself. She handles the entire situation with sympathy and understanding. I appreciated the slow and tentative road to intimacy in this novel. Rather, it is two adults getting to know each other while both are reeling from past experiences and that is refreshing. Read and enjoy! 5 stars CE Williams

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookBub. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Thriller, Military Thriller, Terrorism Thriller
Publisher: Patriot Press
ASIN: B06WD4YPH1
Print Length: 340 pages
Publication Date: March 27, 2017
Source: Direct author request
Title Link: Front Line [Amazon]
Find the book at these locations:
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: Jessica James‘ award-winning novels are inspired by her love of the land, her belief in everlasting love, and her curiosity about the past. She enjoys transporting readers back in time with complex characters and stories that stir deep emotion.

By weaving the principles of courage, devotion, and dedication into each book, James attempts to honor the unsung heroes of the American military–past and present–and to convey the magnitude of their sacrifice and service. Her novels appeal to both men and women and are featured in library collections all over the United States including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy.

James is a four-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and has won more than a dozen other literary awards, including a Readers’ Favorite International Book Award and a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America.

Get your choice of one of two books when you sign up for her newsletter (or get them both, if you can’t decide). The first one is From the Heart: Love Stories and Letters from the Civil War. The other is a bestselling romantic suspense novel Protecting Ashley. Sign up today!

Penned In (A Farm-to-Fork Mystery) by Lynn Cahoon a #BookReview #cozymystery

“’Should we wake up the others?’ Felicia glanced around the table. The remaining guards looked shell shocked.”

Book Blurb:

Angie Turner, chef at Idaho’s finest farm-to-table restaurant, has organized a team-building event at a haunted prison, only to find a real-life murderer in their midst. . . .

Contented employees make for a successful restaurant, which is why the County Seat’s crew goes on a quarterly out-of-office meeting. This time, the location is the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills, a prison brimming with ghostly lore. The lock-in features actors role-playing as guards, fascinating prison stories . . . and an unscripted murder.

Who sentenced one of the faux guards to a very authentic death? Angie, her boyfriend, and the County Seat gang are locked in with a killer—excellent motivation for a little sleuthing. Between ghostly apparitions and flesh-and-blood suspects, Angie’s plate is full, but will her luck, and her life, hold out until the gates reopen at dawn?

My Review:

Yes, I love when a book location is one of my old stomping grounds and in particular this spine-chilling old penitentiary in the foothills of Boise. My WOW® motobuddies and I took the years’ ride-in-mascot to the prison for some very special shots of the facility with the mascot (and us in prison stripes).

In this Halloween themed novella, Angie Turner and her County Seat restaurant crew have scheduled a 24 hr stay in the haunted prison as a team-building exercise. (Sorry—no way would I want to be locked in that place overnight, particularly with no cell phone. So many stories about that place and it does give off creepy vibes.)

Anyway, in addition to the team, there are four “guards” (actors) as well as other guests. Angie is allowed to include Dom, her trusty St Bernard. It’s a cozy. Someone is gonna die. And it’s a prison after all…

I’m not sure how much team building actually got done, although we got to be privy to some support character personalities and their work together as they solved the whodunit. The fun part (for me) was the paranormal element—that of the story of a female ghost (so many stories there). The ghost and Angie communed and Angie (with the help of her crew) followed the clues. There can’t be that many suspects—right? But it won’t be as easy as you think to solve.

This is a great setting for a Halloween mystery. It’s has some interesting characters and the mystery moves along. A fast read and fun cozy.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

Add to Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48763879-penned-in

Book Details:

Genre: Two-Hour Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads, Fiction Short Reads

Publisher: Lyrical Press

ASIN: B07ZPKM799

Print Length: 92 pages

Publication Date: August 4, 2020

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

The Author: Get a free story at http://www.lynncahoon.com.

Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today best-selling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. She also pens the Cat Latimer series available in mass https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0market paperback. And, because she can’t help telling stories, she also writes the Farm to Fork series. Romance novels are published under the pen name, Lynn Collins. She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and three fur kids. Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.lynncahoon.com

NB: This is the first post using WP’s new block editor. I voted it down last time. Apparently, I do not have that choice this time. So, it being rather crude, it’s obvious there’s a learning curve and not easy for this old dog. Please forgive.

TV Netflix Series vs Audiobook – Walt Longmire Mysteries – by Craig Johnson

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”
Sherlock Holmes

Wahoo! One of my favorite Netflix series and lots of audiobooks (as well as ebooks) at my local well stocked library. We binged right through the Longmire series, even trying to discipline ourselves to three episodes per night, so of course when I discovered the audiobooks at my library I grabbed the first that wasn’t on a waiting list. And whadda know, it’s about bike week—Sturgis! (which, coincidentally, was last week). I doubt there is few around the globe that hasn’t heard of Sturgis, and no, that’s one rally I didn’t go to (just a little too nutsy for me), although that is me on my Kawi in the background of the blog banner getting ready to pull off the road.

An Obvious Fact-Book Blurb:

In the 12th novel in the New York Times best-selling Longmire series, Walt, Henry, and Vic discover much more than they bargained for when they are called in to investigate a hit-and-run accident near Devils Tower involving a young motorcyclist.

In the midst of the largest motorcycle rally in the world, a young biker is run off the road and ends up in critical condition. When Sheriff Walt Longmire and his good friend, Henry Standing Bear, are called to Hulett, Wyoming – the nearest town to America’s first national monument, Devils Tower – to investigate, things start getting complicated. As competing biker gangs; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; a military-grade vehicle donated to the tiny local police force by a wealthy entrepreneur; and Lola, the real-life femme fatale and namesake for Henry’s ’59 Thunderbird (and, by extension, Walt’s granddaughter) come into play, it rapidly becomes clear that there is more to get to the bottom of at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally than a bike accident. After all, in the words of Arthur Conan Doyle, whose Adventures of Sherlock Holmes the Bear won’t stop quoting, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”.

Audiobook

This is Book 12, so while the protagonist or his major support characters are not wholly fleshed, they don’t need to be—they are whittled out of casual remarks, innuendo, description. Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. The wild west. Two other main characters, Henry Standing Bear (Native American) and Vic (Victoria Moretti), his (female) deputy—a Philadelphia transplant. Walt is often accompanied by Dog, (of dubious parentage) who needs no further description. Walt’s daughter is not notably featured in this episode.

Walt received a call from another county about a motorcyclist run off the road near Devil’s Tower and his mother shows up to ask again for Walt’s help. The mother is Lola, the mother for whom Henry named his classic T-Bird. Yes, it’s “the” Lola.

Unsurprisingly, it won’t be a simple hit-and-run and while the young man languishes in the hospital not expected to recover, Walt soon discovers bad-ass motorcycle gangs and multitudes of despicable conspiracies.

I love the scenes, so beautifully laid out you can smell the landscape, and the banter between Walt and (Henry Standing) Bear and his undersheriff, who by the way, is a great deal more profane than she appears on Netflix. Also appreciated the motorcycle lingo; been awhile since I’ve participated. Almost non-stop action, the multi-plotted storyline getting more complex with fast-turning pages. I love the tidbits of knowledge about the area, the people and culture and in this case, of course, motorcycles.

The narrator, George Guidall, did one heckava outstanding job creating a down-to-earth narrative and understated conversational quality to the written words. He wasn’t just reading it. He made it come alive. It’s drugs, money, and mayhem and I can’t wait to tear into the next episode that becomes available. 4.5/5 stars

Netflix Longmire Series

I loved this series of the modern Western crime scene. The TV drama series began on A&E but was picked up by Netflix and developed by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin somewhere around the fourth season. It ran for six seasons and is still streaming on Netflix after the sixth season ended in 2017. Popular? Oh, yes…what is not to love?

Despite amazing viewership numbers, A&E felt that the demographic was primarily older Americans—the horror of it all! Thanks to a huge fan uproar (think Star Wars), it was picked up by Netflix.

The cast is perfect: Australian Robert Taylor as Walt, Katee Sackhoff as Vic, and American Filipino Lou Diamond Phillips as Henry. Also, it was filmed in New Mexico (not Wyoming). While it doesn’t follow each book of Johnson’s series per se, there is crime fiction we’ve come to expect including bank robberies, murder investigations, and prominently featured conflicts with the local Cheyenne Indian reservation.

The series became so popular they began a yearly July festival in Buffalo (WY). (Absaroka County is fictional), according to Wide Open Country.

If there was a revival, Season 7, I’d be tuning in. Hollywood version Americana but well written and immensely engaging and entertaining. 5 enthusiastic stars

Overall Impression

I don’t think you can go wrong with either the Netflix series and that outstanding cast, gripping installments, and immersive episodes or the books. (Of course, I’m among that older demographic that had A&E dumping it.) While the audiobooks, the character Vic being more profane, might alienate a few of that older demographic, the descriptive storyline, natural and often humorous dialogue, and the narrator’s excellent delivery make it a winner. I’m a solid fan looking for my next audiobook. Wholly recommended.

Rosepoint Publishing recommended

Book Details:

Genre: Native American Literature, Western Fiction
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B01K23ZXCE
Listening Length: 7 hrs 50 min
Narrator: George Guidall
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: An Obvious Fact [Amazon]

The Author: Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve Walt Longmire mystery novels, which are the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix original drama. The Cold Dish won Le Prix du Polar Nouvel Observateur/Bibliobs. Death Without Company, the Wyoming Historical Association’s Book of the Year, won France’s Le Prix 813, and Another Man’s Moccasins was the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award Winner and the Mountains & Plains Book of the Year. The Dark Horse, the fifth in the series, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and Junkyard Dogs won The Watson Award for a mystery novel with the best sidekick. Hell Is Empty, selected by Library Journal as the Best Mystery of the Year, was a New York Times best seller, as was As the Crow Flies, which won the Rocky for the best crime novel typifying the western United States. A Serpent’s Tooth opened as a New York Times bestseller as did Any Other Name and Wait for Signs, Johnson’s collection of short stories. Spirit of Steamboat was selected by the State Library as the inaugural One Book Wyoming and included visits to sixty-three libraries. Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population twenty-five.

The Narrator: George Guidall is a prolific audiobook narrator and theatre actor. As of November 2014, he had recorded over 1,270 audiobooks, which was believed to be the record at the time. Wikipedia

The Night Drop by Ian D Wright – A #BookReview – #historicalthrillers #TuesdayBookBlog

“The remote marshland villagers did not want them, but if their mission failed, the Allies could lose the war!”

A book review by the CE.

Book Blurb:

A WW2 Historical thriller – Resistance in the Marshlands

The summer of 1943 and Jack Ross, a talented young recruit to the British special forces, was flown into a marshland village near St-Omer, France, along with Roland Keene, an Irish-American volunteer to the British forces. Their mission was to find out how successful the Allied bombing raids had been on the massive V2 flying bomb installations, which had been built under a giant concrete dome near St-Omer. The Nazi V2 project could have had a devastating effect on England and changed the future of the war.

Jack and Roland joined with the local Resistance cell and quickly established a good working relationship. But incidents occur that point to a mole in the ranks. Two feuding brothers, one in the Resistance, the other with the Partisans, make identifying the traitor almost impossible.

Jack’s primary source of information was Sofia, a young girl who was one of the most active members of the group. She was brave, smart and tireless, and Jack found himself falling in love.

Twenty years later, in 1965, and one of the suspects decides to go back to the village to clear his name. His arrival immediately triggers a murder. Two investigative journalists agreed to help Jack tackle the job of finding the real mole but find themselves in a battle with a group of fanatical Nazi sympathisers.

His Review:

Investigating war crimes can be dangerous business. Jack Ross goes back to the place where he was dropped during the height of WW II. The year is 1965 and he is assisting Steve, an investigative journalist and his wife Emily to write an account of the area during Nazi occupation in 1943. Working on the story becomes fraught with danger as the story develops.

Retrospectively I have often wondered what the world would have been like if the Nazis had prevailed. This book paints a picture of grudges that develop even within families during a war. Do you side with the occupiers who have your country under marshal law or fight in a resistance that tries to overthrow your occupiers? During such conflicts there will always be winners and losers.

During times of war, food is always hard to get. Helping the enemy may provide some food or other assistance that otherwise would be unavailable. Occupied France was no exception. Jack Ross is parachuted behind enemy lines to find the location of V-2 rocket launch sites and get that information back to the British. His mother was French and his father English and his spoken French sounds like a native.

Sofia is a young teenage girl who can get around the occupied area on a bicycle. She is almost invisible and therefore able to gather information. Jack joins the resistance and she becomes very helpful in obtaining updates on the location of the launch facilities and also a production factory. Every day is fraught with danger as the British start bombing the facility and begin to suspect a mole is giving secret information to the enemy.

The Audomorais Marshes in France are poorly defended and the Nazi troops are spread thin. However, who is actually loyal to whom? As the invasion nears and the attacks on the rocket facility increase, the Nazis look for the leak. Brothers with a long running feud are highlighted. One of the brothers is grabbed and executed by the Nazis. His contact was Jacks’ wife Sophie. Suddenly she becomes a target for the German occupiers.

Who is the mole who identified Sophie and thereby Jack? The invasion is about two months away and suddenly they must go underground. Later in 1965 they are trying to solve the riddle of who the mole might have been. Anyone harboring allied pilots or servicemen are summarily shot upon identification and capture.

The list of suspects included the local butcher, the parish priest and the feuding brother. Unraveling the answer is an integral part of this well-developed novel. One of the suspects is found hanging in a tree and danger is rampant, even in 1965! I found the book keeping me up nights with my search for the answer. History buffs and WW II aficionados will find this read compelling. My only quibble was that the thread between the war and 1965 was at times scattered and elusive. 4/5 stars CE Williams

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Thrillers, Historical British Fiction, Military Thrillers
ASIN: B086JZDY8K
Print Length: 251 pages
Publication Date: March 29, 2020
Source: Direct author request
Title Link: The Night Drop [Amazon]

The Author: My passion for writing goes back to a Christmas present I received when I was seven years old. It was a John Bull printing outfit that inspired me to produce a newspaper for my family to read. By the time I finished the first edition, several weeks had passed, and the stories were long-forgotten events.

I was encouraged at school by my English teacher, and he suggested that I should write a newsletter about school activities. It was handwritten and pinned to the notice board. The encouraging words he wrote on my school report then enabled me to get of job in the publicity department of a large engineering company. This introduced me to the luxury of the typewriter, which I still think is an amazing invention.

As the years went by, I happily wrote anything that I was given; brochure copy, advertisements, press releases, speeches for other people, scripts for industrial films, videos, and copy for websites. In 1988 I started my own media company, which I ran until retiring a few years ago.

My only venture into fiction was in my early twenties writing teen romance stories for Jackie magazine. It was just a part-time addition to my real work, but it taught me how to build characters in as few words as possible and how enjoyable writing fiction can be. I always promised myself that when I had the time, I would return to fiction again. Just over two years ago, I started on my first novel, Murders of Consequence, which was followed by Murders of Necessity and Murders of Misfortune. They are all available in eBook and paperback on Amazon.

All three books are set in the nineteen-sixties when the UK was going through a significant transformation of social outlook. Young people were making their views known in fashion, music, attitudes, and public protests about the many different causes that concerned them. The reasons were not frivolous; all they were asking was for nuclear disarmament and world peace.

I live in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, with my wife Sheilah, who is editor, proof-reader, and critic of my work. We are both avid readers, enjoying mainly thrillers.
I also love music, particularly jazz. When I was young, I played tenor sax in a rock/blues band, and more recently, Sheilah and I formed a Jazz duo to raise money for charity. We both enjoy traveling, watching cricket, and football.