#bookseries – Page 40 – Rosepoint Publishing

New Releases Tuesday – Retailers still call it Super Tuesday! (This one is REALLY super!)

February 22 release dates

Remember back in 2018 that I discovered the phenomenon of so many of my upcoming books with a Tuesday release date?

It’s happened again with my February books, but not just with a Tuesday release date—all scheduled to release February 22, 2022. There is something magical about that date!

2-22-22

I have four and didn’t realize the commonality until I was surveying my upcoming review dates for NetGalley. But I’m not going to wait for February. These are all scheduled for my reviews in January (two are mine, two from the CE). Oh. My. Gosh! I’m thinking you have to check these out—they will be special. (Blurbs are excerpts.) Links on pics.

The Silent Sisters by Robert Dugoni

(Charles Jenkins Book 3)

International Mystery and Crime
Print Length: 399 pages
ISBN: ‎ 1542008344
ASIN: ‎ B08WLVP716

In this pulse-racing thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Agent, an American sleeper cell in Russia goes silent—and it’s one man’s duty to find them…

After a harrowing escape from Russian agents on his last mission, Charles Jenkins thinks he’s finally done with the spy game.

An Amazon Charts, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal bestselling series.

My review, first of the year, on January 2.

Red Burning Sky by Tom Young

A WWII Novel Inspired by the Greatest Aviation Rescue in History

Historical WWII Fiction, Military Thriller
Print Length: 300 pages
ASIN: ‎ B0964FXLFS

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

Summer 1944: Yugoslavia is locked in a war within a war. In addition to fighting the German occupation, warring factions battle each other…

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

His review on January 4.

Murder on an Irish Farm by Carlene O’Connor

(An Irish Village Mystery Book 8)

International Mystery and Crime, Cozy Mystery
Print Length: 330 pages
ASIN: ‎ B0964F2G1Y

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

It’s not every day you see two garda marrying each other…

My review on Jan 18.

The Berlin Exchange by Joseph Kanon

Historical Thrillers, Espionage Thrillers
Print Length: 384 pages
ASIN: ‎ B08VJLQFQC

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

Berlin. 1963. The height of the Cold War. An early morning spy swap, not at the familiar setting for such exchanges, or at Checkpoint Charlie, where international visitors cross into the East, but at a more discreet border crossing, usually reserved for East German VIPs…

His Review on Jan 30.

How many books will you review that also have a release date of 2-22-22?

I think it calls for a collective raise of glasses—a special toast—how often can that happen? Cheers!!

The Great Witch of Brittany: A Novel by Louisa Morgan – #BookReview – #historicalfantasy

Book Blurb:

Return to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchière and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her.

Brittany, 1762

There hasn’t been a witch born in the Orchière clan for generations. According to the elders, that line is dead, leaving the clan vulnerable to the whims of superstitious villagers and the prejudices of fearmongering bishops.

Ursule Orchière has been raised on stories of the great witches of the past. But the only magic she knows is the false spells her mother weaves over the gullible women who visit their fortune-telling caravan. Everything changes when Ursule comes of age and a spark of power flares to life. Thrilled to be chosen, she has no idea how magic will twist and shape her future.

Guided by an ancient grimoire and the whispers of her ancestors, Ursule is destined to walk the same path as the great witches of old. But first, the Orchière magical lineage must survive. And danger hovers over her, whether it’s the bloodlust of the mob or the flames of the pyre.

A tale of magic and fate, triumph and heartbreak, and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters unfold in the late 1700s in this spellbinding novel from master storyteller, Louisa Morgan.

My Review:

I’d guess it’s difficult to find any area around the world that has not at some point furthered the supposition of witches and witchcraft as the answer to unexplained phenomena, particularly any country with a history of gypsies, many now called Travellers. People, different, are labeled and viewed with suspicion.

This novel picks up the story of Ursule Orchière in her early teen years as she supports her mother in the telling of fortunes. Witch-hunting, however, is an ever-present danger and her mother Agnes doesn’t escape the notice of the superstitious villagers, particularly of those in the church seeking higher status. The ugly dispatch of witches by burning at the stake puts another notch on his mitre.

When her mother is dragged off one night to suffer that fate, Ursule must act without the aid of those in her clan. She is forced to flee her caravan in an effort to rescue her mother, aided by a clan canine and her familiar, a raven. But it’s an experience that changes her mother forever and Ursule is not yet aware of the magic she possesses.

They are fortunate in their circumstances, finding a safe haven on a farm where Ursule gradually realizes she has been chosen out of the Orchière line to carry the secrets, the power, the incantations, and the whispered knowledge of her ancestors. She has recovered the grimoire and studies the pages intently, gradually adding to her experience of the philters and potions.

“…the cost of magic did not always match its reward.”

As Ursule and Agnes cement their position on the farm, tending animals, Ursule finds a way to subtly protect and increase productivity, sweetening crops, as Agnes tends her gardens. When Ursule feels the biological clock hammering, mother and daughter conspire on arranging a relationship with a local traveling sightless musician. The relationship yields a daughter.

The plot expands to cover the travails of three generations while preserving the fourth. The author writes with convincing authority, three times three times, slipping in the prose, mixing the languages of French, Breton, and Romani, hardships, practices, and heavily scented descriptions of the land. Overlain all, the cloud of the imminent terror of being found out.

This novel might be considered a prequel to A Secret History of Witches, released September 17, 2017, that I reviewed early last year. That audiobook got me started with this series and I discovered The Age of Witches last year as well. This might also work well as a standalone. The series spurs the imagination and conjures scenes of history both horrific and fascinating. I’m hooked and happy to recommend. Currently on pre-order.

I received uncorrected advance content collected for 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

Add to Goodreads

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Magical Realism
Publisher: Redhook
ASIN: B096RS2G56
Print Length: 446 pages
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Louisa Morgan lives and writes and rambles with her Border Terrier on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. A musician and a yogini, she finds inspiration in the artistic environment where she makes her home. [Amazon]

Louisa Morgan is the author of A Secret History of Witches, The Witch’s Kind, and The Age of Witches. She’s looking forward to the publication of The Great Witch of Brittany in 2022!

Louisa is a yogini, a musician, a mom, and a dog lover. She lives in scenic Northern Idaho with her family and her spirit familiar, Oscar the Border Terrier. Visit her at www.louisamorgan.net. [Goodreads]

Rohm Around the Dial (A Max Harmon Mystery Book 2) by Micheal Maxwell – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

“You’re listening to the heart of Classic Rock here on KRHM…”

These are the last words Jeff Davis would ever speak before he gets strangled on air.

When a second disk jockey meets the same suffocating end, it gives dead air a whole new meaning.

A serial killer is on the loose in Rohm.

The rules have changed suddenly, and Max Harmon is on a high-stakes race against time to solve a spine-chilling mystery—one that might break him.

If you love fast-paced, clean detective mysteries, then you would love Micheal Maxwell’s latest addition to the nail-biting Max Harmon Mystery series.

His Review:

Riding the airways can be a lonesome gig. Radio transmission stations are usually located in remote areas because of the large array of equipment and antennas. A really accomplished broadcaster should be a shoo-in for a job when a slot comes open. Carson has the late shift, a job he can only face when he has enjoyed a sufficient number of libations. Tonight, would be no exception. He pulled into the parking dreading the beginning of his 2:00 a.m. shift.

A number of DJ’s were winding up being murdered with no explanation. There was no physical evidence and no way of finding a way to track the killer. Male or female made no difference. They were being choked while at the board in the night. Max Harmon, an experienced detective, is assigned to the case. Without a clue or any trace evidence to go on, where would he start the investigation?

Another murder occurs and still no evidence or clues to follow. The police chief is getting very aggravated at Max and is demanding results. He adds an assistant to Max’s team, Paige Weaver. She is a rookie just out of school and anxious to start her new career. Max will be the perfect mentor.

Everyone is expecting a quick resolution to the case. Hard to accomplish without any trace evidence or leads! Max and Paige doggedly pursue every angle and possible lead.

The author has constructed an entertaining case with a satisfactorily evolving body of evidence and resultant resolution. Book 2 can be read as a standalone. Read and enjoy. 5 stars – C. E. Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Action & Adventure Literary Fiction, Serial Killers, Mystery Series

ASIN: B09K7Y4ZYV

Print Length: 189 pages

Publication Date: November 29, 2021

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link: Rohm Around the Dial [Amazon]

The Author: Bestselling Amazon author Micheal Maxwell has traveled the globe on the lookout for strange sights, sounds, and people. Having visited over fifty countries, he’s always looking for a story to tell and interesting people to meet.

Mr. Maxwell has dined with politicians, rock stars, and beggars. He has rubbed shoulders with priests and murderers, surgeons and drug dealers, each one giving him a part of themselves that will live again in the pages of his books.

Micheal Maxwell has found a niche in the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Steampunk, Alternative History, and Time Travel genres. All of Maxwell’s books give readers clean, character-driven stories, with twists, turns, and page-turning plot lines.

Micheal Maxwell along with his lovely wife and travel partner, Janet, divide their time between a home Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, and their lake house in Washington State.

Follow Micheal on Facebook: https://www.amazon.com/Micheal-Maxwell/e/B00F20MDCG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1378671759&sr=1-1

Always be informed of new releases follow Micheal on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/micheal-maxwell

Currently Available:

The Cole Sage Mystery Series 1-10
The Adam Dupress Mystery Quadrilogy
The Time Pedaler Series 1-8
The Logan Connor Thriller Trilogy
Max Harmon Mysteries 1-2
The Simon Barlow Steampunk Alternative History 1-(2-coming soon)
The Flynt & Steel Mystery Series 1-5
Three Nails (A Tale of Tragedy, Testing and Triumph)
The First Chapter: The Collected Short Stories and First Novel: The Whistler 1964 -2017

Holiday Reads

Coming Soon – My reviews for these Exciting Books currently on the #TBR

#comingsoon - my December reads

So many great books on tap this month, I singled out just six to highlight upcoming books on my #TBR.

While there doesn’t appear to be Christmas books on this list, you may still find just the book you are looking for (including two audiobooks) in this wide variety of genres. I’m including a short (in most cases, excerpt) blurb and the cover links will take you to the Amazon listing. Check them out!

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Domestic Thrillers, Suspense, Family Life Fiction

Listening Length: 18 hrs 3 mins

Released: September 14, 2021

From Liane Moriarty, the number one New York Times best-selling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, an audiobook that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.

The Delaney family love one another dearly – it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other….

If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father?

This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

I finished this audiobook a week ago. I can understand why this was a (final) nominee for Mystery and Thriller in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2021. My review on Thursday, Dec. 16.

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The Great Witch of Brittany: A Novel by Louisa Morgan

Historical Fantasy, Magical Realism, Women’s Fantasy Fiction

Print Length: 446 pages

To be Released: February 15, 2022

Return to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchière and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her.

Brittany, 1762

A tale of magic and fate, triumph and heartbreak, and the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters unfolds in the late 1700s in this spellbinding novel from master storyteller, Louisa Morgan.

The author weaves a hypnotic tale of the arts in the seventeenth century. I greatly enjoyed A Secret History of Witches and in April, 2020, The Age of Witches, and I’m excited to jump into her new book to be released early next year—currently on pre-order. My review scheduled for Dec 19.

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Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door (A Jane Darrowfield Mystery Book 2) by Barbara Ross

Cozy Craft & Hobby Mysteries, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries

Print Length: 250 pages

To be Released: December 28, 2021

Jane Darrowfield is using her retirement years to work as a professional busybody, with most of her business coming from her West Cambridge, Massachusetts, community. This time her client is right next door . . .
Megan, who’s purchased the house next to Jane’s, needs some help from her snooping neighbor. Megan’s been having blackouts, hearing voices—and feeling like someone’s following her. Are these symptoms of an illness—or signs that she’s in danger?

I enjoy the author’s Maine Clambake Mystery series including this year Shucked Apart, and Professional Busybody Book 1 of this new series in an audiobook. Enjoyable, easy, fun, and fast reading. My review scheduled for Dec 24.

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Targeted (Bob Lee Swagger Novel Book 12) by Stephen Hunter

Assassination Thrillers, Political Thrillers & Suspense

Print Length: 384 pages

To be Released: January 18, 2022

After his successful takedown of a dangerous terrorist, Bob Lee Swagger learns that no good deed goes unpunished. Summoned to court by the United States Congress, Swagger is accused of reckless endangerment by a hardheaded anti-gun congresswoman. But what begins as political posturing soon turns deadly when the auditorium where the committee is being held is attacked…

A CE review scheduled for tomorrow, Dec 10.

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The Last House on the Street: A Novel by Diane Chamberlain

Women’s Historical Fiction, Mothers & Children Fiction, Family Life Fiction

Print Length: 346 pages

To be Released: January 11, 2022

A community’s past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery.

Two women. Two stories. Both on a collision course with the truth–no matter what that truth may bring to light–in Diane Chamberlain’s riveting, powerful novel about the search for justice.

My review scheduled for Dec 12

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The American Agent: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

World War II Historical Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries, Women Sleuth Mysteries

Listening Length: 11 hrs 2 mins

Beloved heroine Maisie Dobbs, “one of the great fictional heroines” (Parade), investigates the mysterious murder of an American war correspondent in London during the Blitz in a pause-resisting tale of love and war, terror and survival.

When Catherine Saxon, an American correspondent reporting on the war in Europe, is found murdered in her London digs, news of her death is concealed by British authorities. Serving as a linchpin between Scotland Yard and the Secret Service, Robert MacFarlane pays a visit to Maisie Dobbs, seeking her help. He is accompanied by an agent from the US Department of Justice – Mark Scott, the American who helped Maisie get out of Hitler’s Munich in 1938. MacFarlane asks Maisie to work with Scott to uncover the truth about Saxon’s death.

Fresh from a raving review of the audiobook by a blogger buddy, I discovered a copy in my wonderful, well-stocked local library. My review on Dec 30.

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See any here that you’ve either read or will want to read? Winners all, NYTimes bestselling authors several, favorite authors, and stories you don’t want to miss. I can highly recommend both audiobooks mentioned above and I know Ms. Morgan’s book will have my head swimming in fantasy soon. I can’t wait.

Autumn reading time

Elinor: A Riveting Story (Daughters of the Lost Colony) by Shannon McNear – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A Journey Full of Hope…
Escape into a riveting story based on the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.

In 1587, Elinor White Dare sailed from England heavy with her first child but full of hopes. Her father, a renowned artist and experienced traveler, has convinced her and her bricklayer husband Ananias to make the journey to the New World. Land, they are promised, more goodly and beautiful than they can ever imagine. But nothing goes as planned from landing at the wrong location, to facing starvation, to the endless wait for help to arrive. And, beyond her comprehension, Elinor finds herself utterly alone. . . .
The colony at Roanoke disappeared into the shadows of history. But, what if one survived to leave a lasting legacy?

His Review:

Freedom of religion is one reason to come to “the New World.” Elinor and her husband braved the wild Atlantic Ocean to start a new life across the sea. England has been at war with both Spain and France and has learned to take what they want by force. However, the New World is already populated with indigenous people. How does one make a new country? The usual European way was by the force of arms.

The population of the New World has struggled for centuries with war between themselves. The primary problem with the newcomers were the radical new weapons they possessed. Therefore, it was easier to try to befriend the colonists and assimilate them into the native culture. The pilgrims thought that the natives were “heathens” and had no real god. Knowing the “True God,” they needed to indoctrinate the natives.

Planting, growing livestock, and building housing were the initial goals of the young colonists. The natives already had long houses that were shared by the entire tribe. The colonists set about making bricks and building stockades as well as individual houses for the inhabitants. They depended upon the generosity of the natives to help them get through the first winter. There was simply too much work and too little time to accumulate enough stores for the long winter.

Soon the natives realize that the interlopers would not contribute but rather attempt to take everything they needed by force. Another problem was the diseases that the colonists had brought to the new land, which ran rampant through the tribes and killed as many as 40% of the population. It soon became apparent that the interlopers needed to go. People who were hunting and gathering when caught alone were quickly dispatched.

Shannon McNear has written a very charming story of the “lost” first colonists to the new world. The moral dilemma faced by the principals in the story is very thought provoking. Every population throughout the history of humanity has faced such questions. This saga illuminates the struggles then and the continuing struggles that are going on today around the world. I highly recommend this story to anyone who is a student of history. 5 stars – C.E. Williams

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

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Religious Historical Fiction, Historical Christian Romance
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
ISBN: ‎ 1643529544
ASIN: B09GJVTKTD
Print Length: 323 pages
Publication Date: December 1, 2021
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): Elinor [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble

The Author: Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. A Midwestern farm girl who lived in Charleston, South Carolina, for more than two decades before being transplanted to North Dakota, she’s a military wife, mother of 8, and a member of ACFW and FHL. When not cooking, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.

Silent Parade: Detective Galileo Series Book 4 by Keigo Higashino – #BookReview – #policeprocedurals

Book Blurb:

Detective Galileo, Keigo Higashino’s best loved character from The Devotion of Suspect X, returns in Silent Parade, a complex and challenging mystery—several murders, decades apart, with no solid evidence.

A popular young girl disappears without a trace, her skeletal remains discovered three years later in the ashes of a burned out house. There’s a suspect and compelling circumstantial evidence of his guilt, but no concrete proof. When he isn’t indicted, he returns to mock the girl’s family. And this isn’t the first time he’s been suspected of the murder of a young girl, nearly twenty years ago he was tried and released due to lack of evidence. Detective Chief Inspector Kusanagi of the Homicide Division of the Tokyo Police worked both cases.

The neighborhood in which the murdered girl lived is famous for an annual street festival, featuring a parade with entries from around Tokyo and Japan. During the parade, the suspected killer dies unexpectedly. His death is suspiciously convenient but the people with all the best motives have rock solid alibis. DCI Kusanagi turns once again to his college friend, Physics professor and occasional police consultant Manabu Yukawa, known as Detective Galileo, to help solve the string of impossible-to-prove murders.

His Review:

Saori Namiki is missing! She is the eldest daughter of Yutaro and Machiko Namiki. She had a beautiful voice (concert quality) and was absolutely stunning. Where could she have disappeared to? Three years later her body is discovered in a derelict house in the outskirts of a neighboring village.

The writing is very complete and covers all of the characters in the village. Some of them have known Saori since she was a small girl. Everyone in the village felt she was a credit to her family, would go far in life, and she was a talented treasure.

Kanichi Hasunuma is a stranger to the village and is disliked by everyone. He is abrasive and obnoxious. The Namiki’s own a restaurant and put up with his bullying every day. He requires that Saori refill his tea cup each time he drinks his tea and requests demeaning service from the young lady. He has been seen more than once pinching her buttocks and then laughing or smirking at her displeasure. He is finally banned from using the restaurant, however, he continues to come around with his haughty and demeaning attitude.

The whole village suspects Hasunuma has done something to Saori but they have no proof or witnesses. She was such a happy and outgoing young lady. A potential star musical performer! The discovery of her body destroyed her parents and her boyfriend left the village searching for answers. Who would have done such a thing to such a beautiful and gentle creature?

The writer builds this story like the integral detective investigation it took to solve it. Each character in the story is proven to have a solid alibi during the commission of the crime. The novel involves rather intricate devices to dispatch people. When the corpse of Hasunuma is discovered in a closed room the plot thickens. There are very few marks on his body and yet he is dead.

This entire novel reads like a crime investigation primer. How could some of the crimes actually have been committed? I marveled at the intricacies of the various methods and thought processes utilized to complete the crimes. I recommend the book as a way to delve into the minds of Japanese detectives and criminals. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: International Mystery & Crime, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: ‎ 1250624819
ASIN: B08R2L9Y3L
Print Length: 345 pages
Publication Date: December 14, 2021
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): Silent Parade [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: Keigo Higashino (東野圭吾) is one of the most popular and biggest selling fiction authors in Japan—as well known as James Patterson, Dean Koontz or Tom Clancy are in the USA.

Born in Osaka, he started writing novels while still working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co. (presently DENSO). He won the Edogawa Rampo Prize, which is awarded annually to the finest mystery work, in 1985 for the novel Hōkago (After School) at age 27. Subsequently, he quit his job and started a career as a writer in Tokyo.

In 1999, he won the Mystery Writers of Japan Inc award for the novel Himitsu (The Secret), which was translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published by Vertical under the title of Naoko in 2004. In 2006, he won the 134th Naoki Prize for Yōgisha X no Kenshin. His novels had been nominated five times before winning with this novel.

The Devotion of Suspect X was the second highest selling book in all of Japan— fiction or nonfiction—the year it was published, with over 800,000 copies sold. It won the prestigious Naoki Prize for Best Novel— the Japanese equivalent of the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize. Made into a motion picture in Japan, The Devotion of Suspect X spent 4 weeks at the top of the box office and was the third highest‐grossing film of the year.

Higashino’s novels have more movie and TV series adaptations than Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum, and as many as Michael Crichton. [Goodeads]

Happy Autumn Weekend to you from Rosepoint Publishing

Darkness Falls: A Kate Marshall Thriller by Robert Bryndza – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling series.

Kate Marshall’s investigation into a journalist’s disappearance sends her down an unexpectedly twisted path in a riveting thriller by the author of Shadow Sands.

Kate Marshall’s fledgling PI agency takes off when she and her partner, Tristan Harper, are hired for their first big case. It’s a cold one. Twelve years before, journalist Joanna Duncan disappeared after exposing a political scandal. Most people have moved on. Joanna’s mother refuses to let go.

When Kate and Tristan gain access to the original case files, they revisit the same suspects and follow the same leads—but not to the same dead ends. Among Joanna’s personal effects, Kate discovers the names of two young men who also vanished without a trace.

As she connects the last days of three missing persons, Kate realizes that Joanna may have been onto something far more sinister than anyone first believed: the identity of a serial killer hiding in plain sight. The closer Kate comes to finding him, the darker it’s going to get.

His Review:

Joanna Duncan, a promising town reporter is missing. A twenty year old cold case because there is nothing but her old cell phone left. Kate Marshall and her brother Tristan are hired as private investigators to solve the mystery. Joanna’s mother could get nothing but condescending lip service for her daughter’s disappearance.

Mr. Bryndza spins an interesting tale which includes some exploration into the male sex scene in rural England. The main focus of the story is to actually find out the reason for the disappearance. Why would an investigative reporter have disappeared in rural England? The police had finally thrown up their hands.

The investigation exposes the ugly truth of the plight of young male exploitation by well to do citizens. One of these winds up as the focus of the investigation. The author seems to turn over each clue with a more onerous one being under the last. I found it hard to set this book down.

Starting an investigation agency in rural England has many pitfalls. Most of the cases include philandering wives or husbands and catching them in ill advised deeds.

A cold disappearance is a whole other endeavor. The tenacity required to delve into a 20 year old case is intriguing. The author handled the case with clever feints and dodges that kept me reading until the end. The ending was particularly unexpected–very clever twist. Read this book and see if you do not agree! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Private Investigator Mysteries, Serial Killer Thrillers
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: ‎ 1542005736
ASIN: B08KQ1Z155
Print Length: 303 pages
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(S): Darkness Falls [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble

The Author: Robert Bryndza is an international bestselling author, best known for his page-turning crime and thriller novels, which have sold over four million copies in the English language.

His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).

Robert has released a further five novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller.

Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 15 countries. The second book, Shadow Sands was published in November 2020.

Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.

You can find out more about Robert and his books at http://www.robertbryndza.com

All the Best Quotes by Rufus & Friends in the Road to Key West Series by Michael Reisig – #BookReview – #fictionanthologies

Rosepoint Publishing:

Book Blurb:

Best-selling author Michael Reisig has probably produced more profound, profane, and proverbial quotes than nearly any other writer in his class, and the following effort here, is really a wonderful, definitive collection of … Reisig… and his thirteen-book “Road to Key West” series. For the price of an order of french fries you can buy a ebook view of island life here — a few hours of Caribbean island-hopping insight in the form of clever quotes by the remarkable Rufus the Rastaman, as well as those from a gathering of other great authors, adventurers, and entertainers. All of which will make you nod your head with understanding or laugh out loud in pleasure, with nearly every page… As you walk along The Road To Key West…
As Rufus would say: Sometimes you’re the wind, and sometimes you’re the sails…
Cool Runnings, mon

My Review:

Yes! At last, one of my favorite authors has gathered a collection of favorite quotes finally answering requests from fans of the Road to Key West Series (and a number of others besides), including one from Stanley McShane (my grandfather).

Just when you needed some humor in your life, these memorable (often touching) quotes bring a chuckle to your lips along with several LOL moments from some of your favorite characters of his popular series including Rufus, Crazy Eddie, Will, Kansas, Travis, and Cody, as well as others (including one from Paulo Coelho—I kid you not). Of his richly drawn characters, I love Rufus—always an enigmatic, engaging, and often mysterious individual armed with an appropriate saying (if not a timely prediction). But Crazy Eddie? He’s just plain lovably crazy.

“Remember, you’re not dead until someone can touch your eyeballs and they don’t flinch. Until then, you got a fighting chance.” –Crazy Eddie

“If you’re smoking after sex, you’re doing it way too fast.” –Will Bell

“Coincidence is the Grand Messenger’s way of reminding us how small the ship of life is, and that destiny sometimes has a sense of humor…” –Rufus

If you’ve never read a Michael Reisig book, whether in this series or one of his standalones, you owe it to yourself to get this little book, a great preface to his novels. It’s a wonderful collage of quotes and sayings, unforgettable moments in the novels that vicariously quench your adventurous spirit. The little pictures of the characters are endearing. Immerse yourself in the (often times philosophical) prose, his obvious love of animals, and the pure excitement of life through many heart-pounding exploits.

I was thrilled to receive a complimentary review copy of this book from Mr. Reisig that in no way influenced this review. (Visit any of my Road to Key West adventure reviews by searching this blog for Michael Reisig.) The ebook is a bargain, but I’d suggest the print book with the graphics might make a delightful Christmas gift. A reading delight for men; a guffaw or three for women. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Fiction Anthologies, Satire Fiction, Literary Anthologies & Collections
Publisher: Clear Creek Press
ASIN: B09M99718T
Print Length: 171 pages
Publication Date: November 18, 2021
Source: Author request

Title Link(s): All the Best Quotes by Rufus & Friends in the Road to Key West Series [Amazon]

Just released!

The Author: Michael Reisig has been writing professionally for 20 years. He is a former Caribbean adventurer turned newspaper editor, award-winning columnist, and best-selling novelist.

After high school and college in Florida, he relocated to the Florida Keys. He established a commercial diving business, got his pilot’s license, and traveled extensively throughout the southern hemisphere, diving, treasure hunting, and adventuring.

Reisig claims he has been thrown out of more countries in the Caribbean Basin that most people ever visit, and he admits that a great many of the situations and the characters in his novels are authentic – but nothing makes a great read like experience…

He now lives in the mountains of Arkansas, where he hunts and fishes, and writes, but he still escapes to the Caribbean for an occasional adventure.