#mysteryactionfiction – Rosepoint Publishing

Sea of Death by Mark Nolan #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Jake Wolfe Thrillers Book 8

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

We’ve not missed one book in this series and as it’s one we both enjoy, we chose this novel as another buddy read.

Book Blurb:

American covert operative Jake Wolfe cruises his motor yacht to Mexico’s Sea of Cortez and hunts for a rogue cartel assassin who will soon meet up with a narco submarine delivering military grade weapons to the Baja Peninsula. Jake’s mission is to find and capture the arms dealer, along with the supply of AK-47 rifles, armor-piercing ammunition, and rocket-propelled grenades destined for criminal gangs that will use them to terrorize local citizens.

Jake and his former war dog, Cody, search the city streets of La Paz and find shocking hidden criminal activity going on behind closed doors. When Jake shuts down one of the assassin’s trafficking enterprises, he sets off a war with the killer that can only end with one of them dead.

On this mission, Jake brings Dr. Sarah Chance, his girlfriend and Cody’s veterinarian, along for the wild ride. Although Sarah is in mortal danger every day, she wants to be Captain Jake’s First Mate on his motor yacht Far Niente and to help protect Cody.

Sea of Death is part of a series but may be read as a standalone novel.

My Review:

These are always fun to get into and never fail to deliver a fast, intelligent, and easy read.

This installment has Jake cruising in the Sea of Cortez with Sarah and Cody, his retired military K-9 on a mission to catch an assassin and a narco dealer delivering heavy-duty weapons to Baja. Jake is cooperating with Mexico, carries a US marshall’s badge, and connects with local authorities to help find the assassin, capture, and deliver the dealers and their cargo.

Jake is smart, combat experienced, and together with his equal on four feet and fur manage to stay a step ahead of his targets. These are multi-layered episodes and complex and there is always something to learn as they’ve been well researched.

Written simply, the storyline includes a sense of humor and emotion, balanced with a dollop of romance and travelogue experience. I do love Cody—such a special dog—and he can be formidable when he wants.

The installment is fast, can be violent, but rewarding as well and one could hope there might be these hardy individuals working to curb the influx of guns and drugs into our country—something both countries can agree on.

His Review:

Is there such a thing as a quiet cruise in the Sea of Cortez? With the large number of drug smugglers and opportunists, the answer is no. Cartels have become very sophisticated and they attempt to control all shipping through this area. This is the gateway to the very lucrative U.S. drug market.

Jake Wolfe is aboard his 60-foot motor yacht, Far Niente; parked at the marina in Cabo San Lucas. He has an agreement with the Mexican Government to assist in controlling the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. The drug dealers are well aware of his mission and there are multiple targets on his back; as well as bounties for the people who capture or kill him and put Far Niente out of business.

Mark Nolan’s writing style keeps the reader enthusiastically engaged and the book is hard to put down. With his girlfriend Sarah, along with Cody his retired service dog, they are usually only minutes ahead of his hunters. Each of the three characters has integral contributions to the outcome of the book. This makes the read very enjoyable. 5 stars – CE Williams

The duo of Jake and Cody (along with Sarah now) are engaging, intelligent, fast, cunning, and capable, but tender and generous at the same time! The CE read the last several and I figured it was my turn as I enjoy these action thrillers as well. These can be read as a standalone and all are recommended.

We received a review copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are our honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Action Fiction, Assassination Thrillers, Action Thriller Fiction
ASIN: B0DLFX6YL4
Print Length: 322 pages
Publication Date: October 29, 2024
Source: Author

Title Links:

Sea of Death – Amazon-US

Amazon-UK

The Author: Mark Nolan is an Amazon bestselling novelist who writes exciting action-adventure thrillers about the reluctant assassin Jake Wolfe and his adopted war dog, Cody. Subscribe to his reader newsletter at marknolan dot com for updates, specials, and news. Click the FOLLOW button near Mark’s author photo, and Amazon will notify you when a new book is available.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Darling Girls: A Novel by Sally Hepworth #AudiobookReview #mysteryactionfiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Sally Hepworth can really write deeply flawed characters that come alive on the pages!

Book Blurb:

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling suspense of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

My Review:

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia grew up in a foster home at Wild Meadows, viewed from the outside as the ideal. A beautiful property, lovely home, and anything but a loving mother. Miss Fairchild is the epitome of the horrors of foster care.

Sisters by their shared experience, they manage to survive the dreadful conditions until they manage their escape. Close as any biological sisters could be, they are brought together in adulthood again following the discovery of human remains on the property. With their heads together, they revisit the possibilities. Who could the remains belong to? Law enforcement also wants to know and they are called back to be interviewed.

Are they withholding information or sharing a secret each has vowed never to divulge?

Yes, the book will hook from the beginning and describe the background of each of the girls. The characters, both the girls and Miss Fairchild are very well developed. It’s easy to invest in the girls, root for them to survive the latest “discipline.”

There are twists and turns, flips between the present and the past. There were sub-levels of plot. There is a shocking disclosure in the conclusion. Psychological impact of the girls’ past is interwoven in their stories, the way each girl handled the situation, and their fit in the sisterhood. Miss Fairchild is a deeply flawed main character dealing emotional as well as physical abuse on her foster girls.

I read The Good Sister in June 2022 and loved it. This one hooked quickly and became a page-turning thriller, engaging, and fast paced. The narrator did a terrific job of driving the suspense. Recommended.

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

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Action Fiction, Action Thriller & Suspense, Domestic Thrillers
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0C3N8Z9FB
Listening Length: 9 hrs 6 mins
Narrator: Jessica Clarke
Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Darling Girls – Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate. Her latest novel, Darling Girls, was released in Australia in September 2023, and will be released in North America in April 2024.

Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her three children and one adorable dog. She has recently taken up ocean swimming (or to put it more accurately, ocean dipping.

Happy Listening!

Mission Target by Mark Nolan – #BookReview – #FinancialThrillers

(Jake Wolfe Thriller Book 7)

Book Blurb:

A mysterious criminal syndicate is importing massive quantities of a strange new drug that causes many users to drop dead, and there’s no antidote. Jake Wolfe discovers that the powerful drug is being used as a weapon, deployed by a hostile foreign entity fighting a secret war against US citizens.

It’s a race against time to hunt down and stop the conspirators threatening mass murder, but if anyone can possibly search and destroy the mission target, it has to be Jake and his highly intelligent K-9, Cody.

As the two Marine veterans get pulled deeper into a secret conspiracy, Jake becomes a target himself, and he’s shocked to discover the acts of treason involve people he never would have suspected.

Jake has tried to leave his secret work as an assassin behind him, but when duty calls, he once again takes up the fight.

Grab your copy of Mission Target and come along with America’s outlaw operatives, Jake and Cody, for a fast-paced and pulse-pounding action-filled thriller you can’t put down until the final page.

Mission Target is part of a series, but may be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

His Review:

Jake and his dog Cody receive a high-value target request from Washington. He is to eliminate a foreign agent who can cause irreparable harm to the intelligence community of the United States. After 9/11, the pressure on the covert community has become great and the duo needs to act quickly. They would have preferred being on Jake’s yacht in California.

The target has been mixing illegal chemicals into a pill that kills those who take it. War is fought on many fronts including signal intelligence, electrical intelligence, and clandestine operations. Our country was never in more danger than from this underworld group of killers. Profit is the motive and the fools who take the drugs are incidental casualties of the operation.

Stopping drug smuggling is very difficult. The criminals are highly sophisticated and well-versed in their line of work. Eliminating them is often the only way to slow the flow of illegal drugs into the country. Jake and his “devil dog” Cody are in constant danger because the bad guys are aware of their identities. Kill or be killed is often the only option.

Jake is committed to one woman, a veterinarian who is known simply as Dr. Sarah. She enjoys her relationship with her Marine veteran boyfriend and his faithful dog. She agrees to spend a few days with Jake and Cody off the coast of Sausalito, California but their nautical sojourn turns into a nightmare.

I am a fan of Nolan’s books and this one did not disappoint. At times my imagination is stretched because some of the situations would have required a security classification from the government. These scenarios, however, add a spice to these books. 5 stars – CE Williams

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

Book Details:

Genre: Financial Thrillers, Mystery Action Fiction, Assassination Thrillers
ASIN: B0CJR3SFS1
Print Length: 416 pages
Publication Date: October 31, 2023
Source: Author
Title Link(s): Mission Target [Amazon]

The Author: Mark Nolan is an Amazon Bestselling Author and Kindle Unlimited All-Star. He enjoys hearing from readers, and is hard at work writing his next novel about Jake and Cody.

Subscribe to his reader newsletter at marknolan dot com for updates, specials, and news.

Click FOLLOW under Mark’s author photo, and Amazon will notify you when a new book is available.

http://www.marknolan.com/

Desert Star (Renée Ballard Book 5) by Michael Connelly – #Audiobook Review – #mysteryactionfiction – Little, Brown & Company

in Mystery Action Fiction

Book Blurb:

LAPD detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch team up to hunt the brutal killer who is Bosch’s “white whale”—a man responsible for the murder of an entire family.

A year has passed since LAPD detective Renée Ballard quit the force in the face of misogyny, demoralization, and endless red tape. But after the chief of police himself tells her she can write her own ticket within the department, Ballard takes back her badge, leaving “the Late Show” to rebuild and lead the cold case unit at the elite Robbery-Homicide Division.

For years, Harry Bosch has been working a case that haunts him—the murder of an entire family by a psychopath who still walks free. Ballard makes Bosch an offer: come volunteer as an investigator in her new Open-Unsolved Unit, and he can pursue his “white whale” with the resources of the LAPD behind him.

First priority for Ballard is to clear the unsolved rape and murder of a sixteen-year-old girl. The decades-old case is essential to the councilman who supported re-forming the unit, and who could shutter it again—the victim was his sister. When Ballard gets a “cold hit” connecting the killing to a similar crime, proving that a serial predator has been at work in the city for years, the political pressure has never been higher. To keep momentum going, she has to pull Bosch off his own investigation, the case that is the consummation of his lifelong mission.

My Review:

Okay, wait…what is Connelly telling us with Book 5? COME ON! We are talking Ballard and Bosch here! I particularly enjoy it when these two get together.

Read most of his books, I’m a fan; watched all the Netflix episodes. While Welliver sells Bosch in the title role of the TV series, he reinforces Titus Welliver in the audiobooks—makes him real! So what’s with the ending in this installment?!

This installment, though, where Ballard brings Bosch in to help her with her cold case, it also renews his interest in solving a cold case of his own. I was quite surprised when the two so quickly handled her cold case, almost too soon. But Bosch’s “white whale” (that of the odious murder of an entire family) kept the two working.

Yes, Harry had quit the force—hasn’t gotten any younger. Ballard, of course, is eyeing a successful partnership again—they work well together. Have cases to solve. She is eager to keep her funding, her new department active. Ballard has grown in character depth, but there is still a lot to learn about her while we are quite familiar with Bosch.

Connelly is preparing us though—things are going to change—hopefully not in the next episode, but Ballard appears to be gaining in her position. She’s done well under the mentoring of Bosch. Out of left-center field comes a psychic. I’m not at all sure if she is to remain part of the Open-Unsolved Unit and I’m not sold on her yet.

Fast-paced, well-plotted, packed with technology—something new to learn. Always suspenseful, building tension as Bosch navigates treachery and Ballard handles personnel, the department, the funding and budget, the direction, the clues, and dispenses appropriate action. Perhaps this is not the installment to break into this series.

Something’s afoot!

I’ve enjoyed previous episodes, the last Dark Sacred Night and the CE’s review of The Dark Hours. Hopefully, there will still be more.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library and again recommend the audiobook with Welliver’s narration. My only reservation with the audiobooks is that it sounds sometimes like he read his parts at some other place or time and it was fitted with the other two narrators. Can’t put my finger on it—but it’s an obvious change in timbre. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Action Fiction, Crime Action Fiction, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
ASIN: B09X295Y68
Listening Length: 9 hrs 37 mins
Narrator: Titus Welliver, Christine Lakin, Peter Giles
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Desert Star [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

The Author: Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include Desert Star (2022), The Dark Hours (2021), The Law Of Innocence (2020), Fair Warning (2020), and The Night Fire (2019). Michael is the executive producer of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime/Amazon Freevee. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer, streaming on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, “Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story’ and ‘Tales Of the American.’ He spends his time in California and Florida.

Titus Welliver - actor, narrator — Titus Welliver–Compliments of Wikipedia–thank you!

The Narrator: Titus B. Welliver is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of the Man in Black in Lost, Silas Adams in Deadwood, Jimmy O’Phelan in Sons of Anarchy, and the title role in the television series Bosch. Wikipedia Born: March 12, 1962, New Haven, CT.

Cheers

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

Regardless of the Consequences by L D Lauritzen – #BookReview – #crimeactionfiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Sheriff Lance Tallbear’s half-blood Apache heritage leaves him struggling to find his place in a world where neither white nor Indian wants or readily accepts him. He faces the world his shaman father turned away from and acknowledges the one his shaman grandfather prays he’ll return to.

Tallbear’s new case uncovers a mysterious plane wreck discovered in the Superstition Mountains that turns out to stir both his life decisions and ultimate direction. Along with his troubled FBI partner, Brad Hanley, they face a myriad of obstacles in their journey to the truth.

The skeletons at the site hold the clues to not only who the killers were but also why the people died. Tallbear quickly find the crash site hides a deadly secret that reaches out of the distant past to threaten the lives of all who seek it. He will need to use all his skills and experience to discover the answers and stay alive.

His Review:

Lance Tallbear, the son of a white mother and Apache father did not follow the way. He became a sheriff with the Phoenix sheriff’s department. He was groomed to be a shaman by his grandfather but chose to help with crime fighting instead. He knew the way but did not follow as his grandfather wished.

The chance discovery of a long-lost airplane crash in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona by a young Navaho/Apache lad begins this excellent mystery of greed and intrigue. Poverty often turns the head of an otherwise honest youth. Being a young struggling Native American youth adds desperate need to mature logic.

The discovery of the accident scene catches the attention of the local FBI department in Phoenix. Sheriff Tallbear is called into the office of his superior. The investigation is just beginning and yet a CIA operative and IRS investigator have shown up requesting to take over the crime scene and investigation. Thomas Kane, the CIA operative, is keenly interested and wants the entire case turned over to the FBI and his organization. Unusual to say the least!

Lauritzen weaves a very entertaining tale of international intrigue and greed. The well-developed characters in this novel flesh out as strong willed and self-assured. I immediately adopted a sympathetic bent toward Lance Tallbear. Having so much strong governmental intervention in a local airplane accident built the suspense. Why should the government be so interested in a plane crash nearly seventy years ago?

Other characters are added by the author which further enhances the drama and raises a basic question. Should two high level government investigators be involved in a decade’s old accident? The drama expands exponentially with added characters and sub-plots. Evil seems to sprout from nowhere as the size of the prize expands and gluttony prevails. Read the book and enjoy the adventure. 5 stars – CE Williams

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

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Action Fiction, Mystery Action Fiction, Crime Action & Adventure
ASIN: B098RDVWHQ
Print Length: 425 pages
Publication Date: July 5, 2021
Source: Direct author request
Title Link: Regardless of the Consequences [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

The Author: [L D Lauritzen] A retired agriculture teacher. I fish, play golf, play poker, metal detect, and travel like all retired people do. Along iwth my wife, I travel, take a lot of pictures, and spin a tale or two. Somewhere along the way I decided to try writing. Not sure of what words I want to put to paper, I write a variety of short stories, westerns, mysteries, and science fantasy. I’m fascinated with life, and how we manage to survive given our societies penchant for destructive behavior.