#greatreads – Page 17 – Rosepoint Publishing

Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt #AudiobookReview #animalfiction

An Andy Carpenter Mystery #29

Book Blurb:

Paterson, New Jersey’s favorite reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter returns in Dog Day Afternoon, the next mystery in this fan favorite series from National Bestselling Author David Rosenfelt.

Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter has run the Tara Foundation—the dog rescue organization named after his beloved golden retriever—for years. It’s always been his calling, even as Andy’s pulled into representing clients in court. His investigator, Marcus Clark, has been at Andy’s side for a long time. Even though they’ve known each other for years, Marcus keeps his personal life a mystery.

So it’s a shock when Marcus arrives at the Tara Foundation with two strangers in tow. Turns out Marcus takes disadvantaged young men under his wing, gets them jobs, a place to live, and a chance at a different life. And they want a dog. Andy’s specialty. One of the young men, Nick Williams, instantly falls in love with one of the dogs, Daisy.

When there’s a mass shooting at Nick’s work, leaving six dead, all signs point to Nick. Marcus, who’s never asked Andy for anything, asks Andy for help. Despite Nick’s troubled background, Andy trusts his friend and takes the case.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

Yes, it’s time for another Andy Carpenter legal mystery narrated by one of my favorites, Grover Gardner—who is Andy Carpenter personified. I just have to hear that voice and I see the man. (Andy may need to walk his dogs a little longer.)

You’ll remember by now, since this is one of my favorite series, that Andy Carpenter has been trying to retire from being a defense attorney for years. He no longer needs to work but is heavily involved in the dog rescue organization he created with a partner, a former client. He has three dogs in his own family dynamic, each with very different personalities, levels of energy, and contributions to the storyline.

And then there is Marcus, who never known for his verbosity, suddenly seeks Andy’s help in the defense of a disadvantaged young man he helped get the job where there has now been a mass shooting. Marcus knows he couldn’t have done it, Nick is a dog lover.

I love the complexity of the installments. They are multi-layered and twisty, and you never know where the storyline is heading. These narratives are never simple. Andy has his usual crew besides Marcus, including Sam and his wife Laurie. Each character adds an authentic touch to the crew that helps with his investigation and legal proceedings.

Along the way, just in case things are getting heavy, are the usual banter, snide remarks, and casual snarky observations.

While the author follows his successful format pattern, the characters are well drawn and relatable, balance each other well, and the stories work as standalone. This is absolutely a series you’ll opt for the audiobook as Gardner’s narration is always a hoot and just too much fun. (Of course, it helps that the author has penned his signature sense of humor.)

The novels are always well-paced and, of course, I love the inclusion of the dogs. Each of the installments is engaging and entertaining.

This last book in the series I read in October 2023, Book 28, was ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas” and I loved it. I’m thinking we’ll soon have one for Christmas 2024. I’m looking forward to it.

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0CH1D7WJF
Listening Length: 7 hrs 13 mins
Narrator: Grover Gardner
Publication Date: July 2, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Dog Day Afternoon [Amazon-US]
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author:

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

Facebook
Website

The Narrator:

Grover Gardner’s narration career spans twenty-five years and over 550 audiobook titles. AudioFile Magazine has called him one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and features him in their annual “Golden Voices” update. Publishers Weekly named him Audiobook Narrator of the Year for 2005. His recordings have garnered 18 “Golden Earphones” awards from AudioFile and an Audie Award from the Audio Publishers’ Association.
http://grovergardner.blogspot.com/

Big Love and War Horse: a novel by Shallen Anne Chitwood #BookReview #HistoricalLiteraryFiction

Book Blurb:

In the wake of the Great Depression, during the 1942 bombings off the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the Deacon family has lost the life they knew before the Second World War. As the family and their closest friends struggle to make sense of the secrets they keep from one another, their dogs—Big Love and War Horse—help them find the strength and endurance to survive the aftermath of devastating loss and adversity.

Abandoned by their father, Luke, after the sudden death of their mother, fifteen-year-old Jonas and his younger sister Kay are coming of age in a world shrouded in secrecy and uncertainty. Luke’s sister Linnie steps in to help mend the broken family, but haunted by her own hidden truths, her life is shattered by the past.
Through the intimate perspectives of the Deacon family and their dogs, this intricately woven tale of tragedy and love reminds us of the power of the human spirit to rise above seemingly impossible circumstances.

My Review:

Yes, of course, I grabbed this book because of the promise of dogs in the story—sweet cover.

The promise is kept and this turns out to be a great book with a fairly unique plot, the premise of the life of the dogs living with their humans in Autumn of 1942 in North Carolina. The family has been beset with a recent tragedy that has threatened to tear the remaining family members apart.

Jonas at fifteen, his sister a couple years younger, lost their mother to suicide and then their father in an inability to cope finding solace only in a bottle. The two have been left almost wholly on their own, learning to survive, and preparing for a harsh winter.

Told largely in the POV of the dogs as they observe their humans grappling with the changes to the family dynamic, Big Love, a old Great Pyrenees, and War Horse, a Doberman puppy too big to succeed as a Marine war dog, the reader is privy to the private struggles of the kids.

Their aunt comes around to check on the kids and later becomes a bigger part of the family. She has secrets and struggles of her own. The father eventually comes back and tries to make up to the kids, Jonas now bitter and angry at having been left to survive on their own. The reconciliation is slow and deeply moving, poignant.

The novel evokes many emotions as it navigates the grief, anger and profound confusion over the loss. The writing style is simple, sometimes reminding you it’s a debut author, while still managing a beautiful narrative.

A lot going on in this novel with twists and turns and themes of love, loss, murder, suicide, and reconciliation. I loved the interpretation of the circumstances by the dogs who do their best to take care of their humans while strongly conveying a canine sensibility to the situation rather than going anthropomorphic.

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

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Thriller Suspense Literary Fiction, Women’s Literary Fiction, Historical Literary Fiction
ASIN: B0D6RR9Z77
Print Length: 208 pages
Publication Date: June 10, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Shallen Anne Chitwood is the recipient of the Literary Titan’s Book Award for her debut novel Big Love and War Horse. She was born and raised in the Midwest. The time she spent on her grandparents’ farm down South and the stories she heard as a young girl influenced her writing and her way of life. After earning her Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Tennessee, where she and her husband live on their own farm. When she isn’t writing stories or poetry, Shallen can be found in the garden or tending to her furry and feathered friends.

Chill--It's Sunday

The Broken Truth: A Thriller by Reavis Wortham #BookReview #ContemporaryWesternFiction

Tucker Snow Thrillers

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

The endless Texas landscape hides all manner of sins…

Special Agent Tucker Snow knows there’s big money roaming the fields under the wide Texas sky—and the cattle rustlers committing large-scale thefts on remote ranches know it, too. But when a prominent local rancher dies unexpectedly and his property is quietly sold to an unknown buyer, Tucker suspects there’s something more sinister going on in his jurisdiction than the usual steal-and-resell racket. Still raw after the tragic death of his wife and young daughter, the lawman can’t bear the thought of more innocent lives destroyed by people whose greed poisons everything around them.

Working alongside his brother, Harley, Tucker uncovers a dark ring of organized crime that goes well beyond cattle rustling—a breed of deception and greed that has turned into a silent killer and will take down anyone who crosses its path. The question is whether Tuck and Harley will be able to shut it down before it finds the people they love the most…

His Review:

Ah the wild West and cattle rustling, memories of my childhood. Rustlers tracking across the prairies, sleeping under the open stars and collecting $10 to $20 a head on the animals delivered to a railhead. But that thieving life still plagues the country today with rustlers bagging up to $1,000 per head for these animals.

Tucker Snow is a special ranger for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Assn. He shows up at most stock sales and verifies the shipping tickets with the stock actually brought to market. Trying to catch cattle thieves is a full time and very dangerous job. With a horse trailer full of 10 or 12 head of animals the payoff is over $10,000. Many of these animals may have no brands or other identifying marks and the ownership is declared by possession.

Tucker’s brother Harley often assists him tracking lost shipments. He has a quick wit and even quicker temper. Together they team up to reduce the amount of thefts. The drivers of the getaway trailers are often very skilled. They also utilize decoy vehicles and intervention teams to separate Harley and Tucker from their goals. The banter between them is hilarious as they continue to track the bandits.

Revis has woven this story into a very believable narrative. State and Federal authorities often assist in capturing the thieves. Large-scale profits attract high-level, cold-blooded thieves. Consortiums grow and the biggest thieves get the richest. Can Tucker and Harley thwart these thieves? Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams

I read Hard Country last year and really enjoyed the writing style of the author. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Contemporary Western Fiction, Organized Crime
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
ISBN: 1728256739
ASIN: B0CMC3J2QY
Print Length: 375 pages
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: As a boy, award-winning writer, Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for the fictional setting for The Rock Hole and The Red River Mystery Series. He was born in Paris, Texas, but lived in Dallas. “We grew up in the city and went to school there, but every Friday evening my parents put us in the car and made the 120-mile drive to Chicota, where we truly lived at my grandparents’ place in the country until Sunday evening, when we came back to the city. Our real home was that little scratch farm in Lamar County.”

Author Reavis Z. Wortham’s first novel, The Rock Hole, is described by Kirkus Reviews as “an unpretentious gem written to the hilt and harrowing in its unpredictability.” Kirkus also listed it as one of the “Top 12 Mysteries of 2011.”

[Truncated]

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

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

Book Reviews - check

Authors to books to reviewers

Book Reviews - check

Reading or Listening with Covid #BookReviews #TuesdayBookBlog

As mentioned last Sunday, day nine of the Covid infection, it was thought I might have lost several pounds. My son brought out his scale and discovered I had—ten pounds. He kept saying it looked like that, but was both a surprise and rather shocking to see him right. Loss of ten pounds in nine days? I knew I was getting weaker, but didn’t imagine. In the meantime, the CE lost…maybe eight? (He wasn’t sure.) And our son has now tested positive for it as well.

However, it’s been a long time since I could just lay around and read (or listen—when my eyes wouldn’t cooperate), and I’ve definitely chalked up a number of books. Both of the following were great reads and the first, The Blind Devotion of Imogene: The Misadventures of Imogene Taylor by David Putnam was an absolute hoot. The second, On Wahoo Reef, a Blacktip Island Novel, is the second in the series by Tim W Jackson. I read Blacktip Island back in October 2016 and loved it—unique plot, quirky well-developed characters.

The Blind Devotion of Imogene

Book Blurb:

In 1973, Imogene Taylor is seventy-five years old, on parole for murder, and works at a store that sells dented canned goods. Twelve years earlier, she went to prison for killing her love-of-her-life-husband, Wayne. She called it an accident. The judge and jury called it murder. Imogene’s parole agent is constantly on her case, looking to send her back to prison.

During her time in prison, Imogene had to vent her angst at someone and sent the sitting Presidents (during the ten years in prison) threatening letters bringing her to the attention of the Secret Service. She does extensive research and writes a novel, Peekaboo POTUS, about the assassination of a US President. She sends the book “over the transom” to one publisher. The publisher, after being unable to contact Imogene, comes looking for her.

The Cigar, an organized crime gangster, walks into Dentco, where Imogene works, and extorts the store for protection money. Pay up or get firebombed. The entire strip center is under this threat.

At the same time, Imogene’s neighbor dies of natural causes and leaves a hoarder’s mess to his daughter, Suzanne. Imogene helps Suz clear out a pyramid of boxes filled with junk in the garage. At the bottom of the pile, they find a box with a dead woman who has been hidden for many years.

Imogene must dodge an overzealous parole agent while dealing with a dead woman in the neighbor’s garage. She’s on parole for murder, so she can’t report it to the police. No one would believe her. Imogene and Suz think the woman in the box is Suz’s long-estranged mother. Rather than reveal Suz’s father as the probable killer, Imogene convinces Suz to bury her mom under the avocado tree in the backyard. Until Thelma, Suz’s mother, appears after reading the obituary.

It’s a race to uncover the real killer as Imogene dodges gangsters, family members, and a publisher on her quest to find the truth.

My Thoughts:

Oh my God. This whacked-out book…it’s a first for me.

A 75-year-old protagonist recently released from prison for killing her husband? (It was an accident!)

Imogene is out on parole working at Dentco. Yes, it sells dented goods, is situated in a less fortunate area of the city, and she has to stay on the good side of her parole officer for one more year—she needs this job! Something the parole officer is working very hard to keep from happening.

Imogene is one of those people who seem to attract mayhem. Trouble finds her no matter how innocent she is. Part of the problem stems from the time she spent in prison penning threatening letters to POTUS, eventually writing a book she called Peekaboo POTUS. It gets their attention and a coveted place on the “crazy” list.

Separate is the introduction to “The Cigar”, a local street thug bent on providing “protection” to those already struggling shop owners in the grimy strip center. Imogene has several friends, her next-door neighbor for one, and Ange, her erstwhile philosophical bunkmate in prison who still intrudes often into Imogene’s ear.

This thing may go over the top more than once, but it provides some hilarious scenes, quirky characters, outrageous dialogue, unexpected twists, and relief from laying in bed with the flu. 5 stars

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0CYHQ3N5M
Listening Length: 282 pages
Publication Date: July 9, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): The Blind Devotion of Imogene [Amazon-US]
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble

The Author: Visit Davidputnambooks.com and also check out “David Putnam”‘s Bruno Johnson series.

D.W. Putnam is a pen name for David Putnam.

On Wahoo Reef: A Blacktip Island Novel

Book Blurb:

Northern Exposure meets Margaritaville in this comic Caribbean romp.

Wally Breight’s a miserable-in-his-job P.R. executive who dreams of escaping to happily-ever-after in the Caribbean. When he stumbles across a run-down scuba diving operation for sale on Blacktip Island, he snaps it up and settles into paradise. But paradise has other ideas. His dive boat’s a lemon. His business partner proves the age of piracy isn’t dead. Scuba guests are scarce. And a free-spirited dive mistress might party him into an early grave. If Wally can’t get a handle on paradise, pronto, he’ll be leaving Blacktip Island faster than a coconut in a hurricane.

My Thoughts:

It’s those thirties when many men take stock of their lives, bored, and don’t like what they see. But Wally Breight has given up his career, home in the US, and security to snap up a diving business on this Blacktip Island.

Typical of the author, he plunges his main character into hot water immediately when reality of the floundering business hits home. It’s not like even the boat is sea worthy, but he does manage to find two employees that skip soon as they’re paid for greener waters. The man is pathetically naïve and what money he brings to the business begins to sift through his fingers like…(um) water.

I love the characters! They are strange and unpredictable, the circumstances outrageous, the decisions…stupid less than well considered. What’s with this guy?

It’s pure escapism. Fun, simple, fast read, descriptions of the island almost have you packing for tropical climes (I said almost). Looking for something different, light-hearted, and twisty fun? Those who enjoy action, adventure, root for the underdog type tales, this is for you. 4.5 stars

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Action Fiction, Crime Action & Adventure, Mystery Action Fiction
Publisher: Devonshire House Press
ASIN: B0CW1HM6H6
Print Length: 249 pages
Publication Date: May 17, 2024
Source: Author
Title: On Wahoo Reef [Amazon-US]
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble

The Author: Tim W. Jackson started kindergarten in Indonesia, graduated high school in Egypt and was educated everywhere in between. His first taste of scuba diving came at the age of six when he sneaked breaths off his dad’s double-hose regulator in the deep end of the pool. Later, as a former journalist armed with a newly-minted master’s degree in creative writing, he discovered he was qualified to be a bartender, a waiter or a PhD student. Instead he chose Secret Option D: run off to the Cayman Islands to work as a scuba instructor and boat captain by day and write fiction at night. Two decades later, he still wishes that was half as interesting as it sounds. Or even a quarter . . .

Jackson is the award-winning author of the comic Caribbean novels Blacktip Island and The Secret of Rosalita Flats, as well as The Blacktip Times humor blog. His “Tales from Blacktip Island” short stories have been published in literary journals worldwide. He is currently concocting his next Blacktip Island novel and still enjoys scuba diving with his dad’s old double-hose reg.

If you’d like to stalk Tim online, visit his website (www.timwjackson.com), the Blacktip Times (www.blacktipisland.com) or follow him on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/timwjacksonauthor/) and Twitter (@timwjax).

Rosepoint Reviews – July Recap – Six Audiobooks of Twelve Reviewed

Rosepoint Reviews - July Recap

Too hot for much in the way of outdoor activities, but I’ve been working on saving rain water as we are charged for every drop out of the faucet and then the same for sewer services, so I hate watering the garden with water that will also be charged for sewer.

One barrel in the front is enough to water a few potted plants decorating the front yard. Then I got a temporary rain barrel for the back and the first time it filled to capacity in one of our upper Midwest T-storms it went over. One hundred gallons is a LOT of water and quickly overwhelmed the overflow at the top. So I reconfigured the base and siphoned the water out in anticipation of another gully washer. It’s going a long way to watering the veggie and flower bed as well as the potted plants on the deck and the deck plants are looking very happy. We used to have dry periods, not this year though. This year, we’ve not just had rain, we’ve had some serious major storms, and looking ahead, August is promising some douzies. We are still cleaning up a couple trees that came down in the fairy garden.

Update on Punkin the Pom: that little stinker is still a challenge now at almost ten months with us. Looks like progress with housetraining, then we regress. She continues to bond with the CE but must still equate me with the dragon that forced her to have another litter. Now she’ll occasionally initiate a walk, running outside then plopping butt down to have the leash attached. (That doesn’t mean a successful potty walk, however.) I have found a new treat she’ll accept (that’s two!) and she is beginning to spend some “social” time near the CE (play time, however, was apparently something she never had nor a clue how to jump up on a couch).

I managed to bake a successful loaf of bread from my third sourdough starter—long story there that includes an attack by a demon squirrel on the starter left on the deck to slow rising—and the separation of 20 grams I’d saved in the fridge for use later. Turned out, later was the next day, but it turned out wonderful, great texture, light and airy, flavorful. Thrilled but now wonder if I could have siphoned off ten grams to save and ten to use.

So yes, July was a blur with the CE’s attention divided and my spending more time in the kitchen. I’m still thinking of a short break, so much going on, it’s been a struggle and I’m relying on more audiobooks to provide content as evidenced by July stats.

I’m still getting books from NetGalley as well as author requests, but July saw more audiobooks than before from my library (six in July!) or half the books reviewed for a total of twelve. As always, links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase or source information.

July Recap

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (audiobook)
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (audiobook)
Knee High by the Fourth of July by Jess Lourey
Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda (audiobook)
City Gone Askew by Matt Cost (CE review)
The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear (audiobook)
Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger
12 Coffins by Lewis Pennington
Middletide by Sarah Crouch (audiobook)
Dark of the Moon by John Sandford (audiobook)
The Road to Roatan by Michael Reisig

Favorite Book of the Month

I actually had two five-star books in July—loved them both—and if I had to choose just one, fail. 12 Coffins was a YA, unusual for me, but more than quirky enough to really keep me glued to the pages. Lilac Ink is by one of my favorite authors and this novel begins a new series—totally captivated by the characters—all so real they came alive on the pages. Thoroughly invested and looking forward to Book 2.

Favorites for July – 12 Coffins by Lewis Pennington

Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger

My Reading Challenges page…Reading Challenges page—I refuse to give up on this page—I will bring it up to date, but at this point, it will probably be Fall. The Goodreads Challenge is still six books behind schedule at 80 of 150. I must be having too much fun somewhere!

Welcome as always to my new subscribers and thank you so much to those of you who continue to monitor, read, and comment on my posts. I appreciate all of you.

Happy Thursday!

12 Coffins by Lewis Pennington #BookReview #Crime & MysteryScienceFiction

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Brothers Cody and Drew Edwards and their gang of mischievous friends are looking for excitement in their sleepy little southern town through games of make-believe and even fake seances. It is only when they venture into a supposedly haunted coffin factory that they get more than they had hoped for. When they discover that lying in the coffins grants them paranormal abilities, they begin a mysterious journey involving murder, deceit, and greed along with the power to prevent one of the nation’s most devastating events. Determined to use their power for good, they realize that every action they take is accompanied by harrowing consequences. In this crucible of danger and discovery, family bonds and friendships are tested, and true strength of character is revealed. The stakes couldn’t be higher, but neither could their determination.

My Review:

Hoo boy! I opened a whole new genre for myself this time, not just a YA but a Teen & Young Adult Paranormal & Urban Fantasy. That’s a mouthful, huh? but this book, as weird as the plot is, plays with your mind, conjures visions, and reminds you even if not male, what it was like to be a youngster with boundless imagination.

I loved the boys, particularly the older boy, Drew. He was the perfect big brother to Cody but it was Cody’s POV that powered the storyline. Opening with the solemn funeral procession for Kennedy, Cody sets the stage for the modest beginnings of their youth with their grandmother while their widowed mother studied to become an anesthetist. A lovely property with neighbor kids about their age formed a powerful bond back when the kids played outside together until called for supper.

It was a sad time for the nation and made a profound impact on the kids. So it’s perfectly plausible that the kids might incorporate the newly discovered “Fletcher and Son Coffin Company during the time the schools were closed in their daring plans. And, learning something about Drew, might also be possible, given his bravado, that Drew might challenge himself (with his neighbor gang as witnesses) to enter the building…late at night.

Not just Drew, there are more support characters you come to love, Mr. Merriweather for one (though the Capuchin monkey not so much). There are bad guys who are sincerely bad.

I can’t say too much more about the well-plotted and paced tale, just to say that it’s full of suspense, fun, and mystery. Sweet the clever and calm way he deals with his young and sincere brother with the brash idea.

The CE read The Memory Stones, the author’s time travel fiction back in June of 2021 and said, “The characters are engaging, endearing, and feel real” and I totally concur. A totally different kind of read for me, but a sweet one. You don’t have to be a teen to enjoy this one, just let your inner child or imagination connect.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These opinions are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime & Mystery Science Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Paranormal & Urban Fantasy eBooks, Paranormal Suspense
Publisher: Silver Lining Publishing
ASIN: B0CYXSKD6F
Print Length: 322 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2024
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Lewis Pennington graduated from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina with a degree in Graphic Design and Marketing. Upon graduation, he moved to New York City where he began his career with the now-defunct Science Fiction Magazine Omni Magazine. After decades of navigating through the corporate marketing maze, he is now focusing on his next chapter in life–providing readers with inspirational fiction. Lewis and his family live in Asheville, North Carolina. [Goodreads]

Website

https://lewispennington.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/chrispennington

Have a great day!

The Comfort of Ghosts: Maisie Dobbs Book 18 by Jacqueline Winspear #AudiobookReview #HistoricalMysteries

in Historical Mysteries

Book Blurb:

A MILESTONE IN HISTORICAL MYSTERY FICTION AS MAISIE DOBBS TAKES HER FINAL BOW

London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas, has taken shelter with the group.

aisie’s quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie’s first husband, James Compton, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband’s life, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true.

The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, audiences drawn to a woman who is of her time, yet familiar in ours—and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family, but serves as a fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War.

My Review:

The eighteenth in the series and I didn’t realize when I got it, intended to be the last. As I read it, however, it seemed an obvious goodbye; farewell.

This is one of those series where the protagonist actually ages with the years, beginning in 2003 as a teen in the early twentieth century and ending in 2024 having lived through two world wars. This book ends with the end of WWII in 1945, post-war UK.

The author does a beautiful job of molding a young woman through her service as a young maid to becoming a nurse during the war and extending her expertise to becoming a private investigator, psychologist. She has endured love and lost it, experienced the death of both husband and child but she never turned inward, instead becoming a compassionate support for post-war individuals and their stories.

This story is about the discovery of children who, like many post-war individuals, discovered empty or abandoned homes in which to squat. The children eventually tell a harrowing story of the service to their country they were to execute should there have been an invasion of the English shores. It’s a shocking story now becoming familiar. A sad testament to the use of one last desperate commodity.

Maisie also begins to uncover secrets tied to her own past when yet another revelation is made that has her digging into the death of her first husband. The dual plot line leads to doors that will open to a peaceful future and quell heartaches she’s failed to conquer. A lovely conclusion pulling together threads not closed prior to Book 18.

Back in February 2022, I read To Die But Once and greatly enjoyed it, vowed to read more in the series. It’s a great historical novel with the mystery well drawn and satisfying then in the conclusion. I can recommend to any who enjoys a detective story authentically mixed with WWII wartime drama.

This installment signals the end of an era, sad to say of a lovely series that draws you in and invests in the characters so you might very well wish to begin with Book 1. The narrator does an emotional job of it, conveying her own goodbye.

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mysteries, Women Sleuth Mysteries
Publisher: Recorded Books
ASIN: B0CQZ3TJG1
Listening Length: 10 hrs 6 mins
Narrator: Orlagh Cassidy
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: The Comfort of Ghosts [Amazon-US]
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author:

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of eighteen novels in the award-winning, New York Times, National and International bestselling series featuring psychologist-investigator Maisie Dobbs. In addition, Jacqueline’s 2023 non-series novel, The White Lady was a New York Times and National bestseller, and her 2014 WW1 novel, The Care and Management of Lies, was again a New York Times and National bestseller, as well as a Dayton Literary Peace Prize finalist. Jacqueline has also published two non-fiction books, What Would Maisie Do? and an Edgar-nominated memoir, This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing. Jacqueline’s work encompasses essays and journalism covering a wide range of subjects, from women working in wildfire management to articles on international education and social history. [Amazon]

Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Following higher education at the University of London’s Institute of Education, Jacqueline worked in academic publishing, in higher education and in marketing communications in the UK.

She emigrated to the United States in 1990, and while working in business and as a personal / professional coach, Jacqueline embarked upon a life-long dream to be a writer.

A regular contributor to journals covering international education, Jacqueline has published articles in women’s magazines and has also recorded her essays for KQED radio in San Francisco. She currently divides her time between Ojai and the San Francisco Bay Area and is a regular visitor to the United Kingdom and Europe.

Jacqueline is the author of the New York Times bestsellers A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, Among the Mad, and An Incomplete Revenge, and other nationally bestselling Maisie Dobbs novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs, which was also nominated for the Edgar Award for best novel and was a New York Times Notable Book. [Goodreads]

The Narrator: Orlagh Cassidy is an American actress, both parents from Dublin, Ireland. She works in Theatre, Television and Film and has recorded numerous award winning audiobooks and commercials. She can be seen in ‘St. Vincent’ with Bill Murray as well many guest starring roles on ‘Homeland’, ‘Billions’, ‘Good Wife’, ‘Elementary’ and ‘The Mysteries Of Laura’. She has worked in New York theatre at MTC, The Public Theatre, MCC, Origin Theatre Company and The Irish Rep where she received a Drama Desk nomination for the role of ‘Mamie’ in the ‘The Field’ in 2007. She is a recipient of The Princess Grace Foundation Award and has a BFA from SUNY Purchase.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog Keera Duggan Book 2

Keera Duggan Book 2

Book Blurb:

A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court—she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Five years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she was: a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears that this time she’s telling nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

My Review:

The second in the series, the first Her Deadly Game read by the CE in October 2022, was my turn and I had no problem reading it as a standalone.

Keera’s father taught her to play chess and play very well. She uses many of those techniques as she takes on Jenna Bernstein, an old childhood friend turned nemesis. Jenna will never tell the truth when a lie will do and at this age doesn’t seem to be able to distinguish between the two. She declares her innocence, however, when her business partner is found murdered. And what do you know? She clearly has motive, means, and apparently opportunity. Or was the latter just more manipulation to play the all too obvious?

“…any kind of SODDI defense–some other dude did it.”

As always with Dugoni’s complex plots, it won’t be easy to get to the bottom of the disturbing premise. Jenna is a deeply unlikable character. Keera comes off as smart, quick-witted, and street-smart savvy. She was taught by the best, her dad, the “Irish Brawler.” I appreciated her character as she turned a jaundiced eye on Jenna, who clearly appeared to be a sociopath. There is the promise of what might be a romantic thread with open-minded Detective Rossi, who appears may be strong support in coming series episodes.

Of course, it is a legal thriller and as always I love those courtroom scenes, the jousting, the timing, and the use of the nuances of the law—so like chess moves—with an eye on plays well down the line.

As the book weaves the way through the mysteries, twists, and revelations, the storyline moves smoothly into the conclusion. Any reader who enjoys legal thrillers will certainly appreciate the Dugoni writing style. It’s gripping, entertaining, and well paced.

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

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Legal Thrillers, Murder, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 166250022X
ASIN: B0CRWV4125
Print Length: 365 pages
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series set in Seattle, which has sold more than 10 million books worldwide. He is also the author of The Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, the Keera Duggan legal thriller series, and several stand-alone novels including The 7th Canon, Damage Control, the literary novels, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell – Suspense Magazine’s Book of the Year, for which Dugoni’s narration won an AudioFile Earphones Award and the critically acclaimed, The World Played Chess; historical novels based on true events: A Killing on the Hill about Seattle during the great depression and Hold Strong, a WWII novel; as well as the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. Several of his novels have been optioned for movies and television series. Dugoni is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Award for Fiction and multiple awards for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He has also been a finalist for many other awards including the International Thriller Award, the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, the Silver Falchion Award for mystery, and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.