#NewBook – Page 8 – Rosepoint Publishing

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe – #AudiobookReview #HumorousFiction&Satire

Best Books of the Year So Far 2024

Book Blurb:

Audiobook Narrated by Elle Fanning!

As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet’s always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college, even though she can’t imagine how she’ll ever make a living. She’s still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor—and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone’s advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naiveté and a yearning for something bigger.

Now, at twenty, Margo is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion—fast. When her estranged father, Jinx, shows up on her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with childcare. Then Margo begins to form a plan: she’ll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, and soon finds herself adapting some of Jinx’s advice from the world of wrestling. Like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she’s turned it into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margo’s problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

Blisteringly funny and filled with sharp insight, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a tender tale starring an endearing young heroine who’s struggling to wrest money and power from a world that has little interest in giving it to her. It’s a playful and honest examination of the art of storytelling and controlling your own narrative, and an empowering portrait of coming into your own, both online and off.

My Review:

Okay…SORRY! I’m too old to know about OnlyFans…there IS such a thing? Not that I was ever in the loop, but at my age, I don’t even remember what the loop was. Obviously, it’s changed, and this narrative will pull the uninitiated oldsters into a whole new world of hip. (Or maybe hip is an old word too.)

I’m still debating about whether or not that’s a good thing.

I suppose I’m guilty of relating to the title and that cover? Oh yeah…that’s a gotcha.

I should have read the blurb, but even so having done that would not have prepared me for the smart and modern reality the reader is thrown into. (Sex and the City? Gasp.) But, as the blurb would tell it, when she keeps the baby from a brief affair with her English professor, her world will definitely do a 180. Not the baby fantasy she had in mind? Unemployment won’t stave off eviction? What to do if you need money…quick!

Jinx, her estranged father shows up needing a place to live. How timely. He’ll provide some childcare about the time she’s introduced to the idea of an OnlyFans website.

Innocent fun—you know? And as an ex pro-wrestler, Jinx has lots of advice on getting her site out there. He’s ready to help her promote.

Margo is no bimbo and she learns quickly. Her mother is totally disgusted with her but she has support from friends. After a learning curve, she’s astonished to discover it’s taking off and lucrative. Now she’s sparking off ideas, increasing her research, trying new staging techniques, getting braver in her presentations.

No, it’s not like I could identify with Margo, except for the money part, but the characters are all unique and very modern and forthright in blazingly raw and frank conversations.

There are several themes here, and pretty much all of them are taking me out of any comfort zone I have. While it’s a world alien to me, knowing it exists, and getting to know those who inhabit that world is a revelation.

The more determined Margo is to be successful, the deeper she sinks into moral undergrounds. Until, finally, she is questioning herself and looking for a reckoning. The author mixes in humor (laughter a great tension releaser), as she hones a perceptive and entertaining storyline that appears to go places I’d never have considered. It’s alternately heartwarming and shocking. And the baby in all of this? At times barely an afterthought.

The book is currently being adapted for television by A24 and AppleTV.

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: Humorous Fiction & Satire, Coming of Age Fiction, Humorous Fiction
Publisher: HarperAudio
ASIN: B0CJ5WLM5M
Listening Length: 10 hrs 21 mins
Narrator: Elle Fanning
Publication Date: June 11, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Margo’s Got Money Troubles – Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Rufi Thorpe received her MFA from the University of Virginia in 2009. She is the author of four novels, The Girls from Corona Del Mar, Dear Fang, With Love, and her most recent, The Knockout Queen, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award. Her newest book, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, is due out June of 2024. She lives in California with her husband and two sons, and teaches at The Book Incubator.

Happy Thursday!

Late Checkout: A Mess Hopkins Novel by Alan Orloff #BookReview #amateursleuthmysteries

Book Blurb:

Motel proprietor Mess Hopkins is more interested in helping others than turning a profit, so he opens the doors of the Fairfax Manor Inn to those seeking refuge from a bad situation. But when his cousin Finn shows up in trouble, his world is rocked, because Mess had thought Finn was dead, having run away six years earlier.

Unfortunately, Finn was in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw the wrong thing—an incident with deadly consequences.

It’s up to Mess, his girlfriend/newspaper reporter Lia Katsaros, and buddy Vell Jackson to solve the crime before some bad men achieve their goal—killing the only eyewitness.
Mess’s frightened cousin Finn.

His Review:

Running a motel is not an easy task. Mess Hopkins expects to inherit one from his parents, but he has been left with the management task. Problem is, Mess is a very compassionate man and is a sucker for a sob story. The motel is barely staying afloat and continues to limp along.

Finn is his cousin who has been missing for years. He suddenly shows up after being a lost soul and his family is very irritated with him. Mess and Finn were best friends as youngsters and they are happy to be back together. Finn has declared that he is gay and also that he witnessed a murder. He is sure that the murderers are after him.

The manager that Mess hired to help run the motel is a character who really does all the work. He is continually admonishing Mess for his lack of attention to detail and also for letting rooms to vagabonds who are unable to pay.

Killers hunting for Finn and continual management issues keep this novel moving. Will mismanagement finally doom the motel? Will the killers catch up with Finn and eliminate the family problem? Will the rest of the family finally accept Finn for who he is and bring him back into the fold? Read this well-written novel and find out. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Note: The CE read and reviewed Sanctuary Motel last year and greatly enjoyed it. This series is well-plotted and moves smoothly through the storyline. Mess is an emotive character, garners empathy, and is easy to become invested in.

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0DGJY67Q2
Print Length: 310 pages
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Source: Author and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Before Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.

Alan Orloff’s debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD (Midnight Ink), was a 2010 Agatha Award Finalist for Best First Novel. He’s written two books in the Last Laff mystery series, KILLER ROUTINE and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (also from Midnight Ink), and writing as his darker half Zak Allen, he’s published three books: THE TASTE, FIRST TIME KILLER, and RIDE-ALONG. His novel, RUNNING FROM THE PAST, was one of the initial Kindle Scout selections.

His novel, PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT, won the 2019 ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original.

His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP, was a Shamus Award Finalist for Best First PI Novel.

HIs YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV, won both the Agatha Award and Anthony Award for Best Children’s/YA Mystery.

His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, WINDWARD, SNOWBOUND, LANDFALL, SEASCAPE, and MASTHEAD (BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES 2016 – 2020), THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL, GUNS + TACOS, and MICKEY FINN: 21st Century Noir, Volumes 1 and 3.

His flash fiction story, “Happy Birthday,” was nominated for a 2018 Derringer Award, and his story, “Dying in Dokesville,” won a 2019 Derringer Award.

His story, “Rent Due,” won the 2021 ITW Thriller Award for Best Short Story, and “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books) was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.

He loves arugula and cake, but not together. Never together.

Alan can be followed/stalked on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alanorloff) and Twitter (@alanorloff). For more info, visit http://www.alanorloff.com.

Have a great week!

Death by Jelly Beans by Susan Black #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 5

Book Blurb:

Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.

My Review:

Oh my stars, I did it again—accepted another cozy mystery (yes, me), cleverly reeled in by the cover and the request by Holly Schwartz for Susie Black. This is that one, you know, with the unlikely protagonist, Holly Schlivnik. Nothing boring about Holly! She lives in a houseboat while being a President of Mermaid Swimwear. (Yes, and there are interesting bits of marketing strategy included.) She also has Siggie, the dog with all the answers, if you know how to interpret them appropriately.

Once again, dialogue can be refreshingly sharp, Holly doesn’t always apply a filter. Still, she seems to have that sixth sense in these matters, albeit at times difficult to grasp. Once again, she meets the Yentas daily, including Queenie Levine. Her bestie, Assistant Medical Examiner Sophia Cutler MD (also known as Snip) is good for a laugh.

Need I say there is a raft of remarkable support characters? This time the crew put their heads together to solve the mystery of the death of the department store Easter Bunny when Sue Ellen (aka the “Queen of Mean”) is arrested for the crime. Okay, granted she wasn’t exactly a favorite among the industry, but Sue Ellen? No way!

I did note in Book 4, Death by Cutting Table, the number of references to Nancy Drew. I didn’t see as much of that this time, but a new one popped up, “Thank the Goddess.” Where did that come from and why?

On the whole, I enjoy this wacky series, the main characters and those around her. The narrative generally stays on track, although there are some twists and red herrings, still some involvement in the romance interest this time, although she is reconsidering it. The novel moves with a good pace and is well plotted, and I always appreciate a good dog involved in the storyline. Additionally, there are always a few tidbits to learn.

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

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Inc
ASIN: B0D12LQBXL
Print Length: 207 pages
Publication Date: September 4, 2024
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Susie Black biography

Named best US author of the year by N. N. Light Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more? Reach her at mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

#TuesdayBookBlog

Going Dark by George K Mehok #BookReview #technothrillers

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

In the aftermath of 9/11, remnants of Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network quietly infiltrated the U.S. heartland, lying dormant for over two decades. On Thanksgiving Day, they strike—triggering a sinister cyber-terrorist plot poised to plunge America into unparalleled digital darkness. But it’s only the beginning.

Paul Knox, a seasoned NSA cybersecurity expert and former Air Force communications officer, is thrust into a clandestine conflict spanning generations. As Knox delves into a complex web of cyber intrigue, he must confront both the mission’s high stakes and personal demons, including the unwitting involvement of his daughter, Emma, a brilliant MIT computer scientist who holds the key to the next-generation internet.

The narrative intertwines with the origin story of the Liberty Unit’s first member, John “Jack” Jouett. In 1791, Jouett embarks on a perilous mission to deliver a critical message from Thomas Jefferson to General Henry Knox, altering the Revolutionary War’s trajectory.

As the lines between past and present blur, Knox races against time to save his daughter and unravel mysteries that could reshape history. Going dark won’t be a problem for a man who’s spent his life tracking the “worst of the worst” on the dark web. But in this game, every move could be his last.

His Review:

The Revolutionary War is cleverly juxtaposed against the current world stage. The culprits are a brother of General George Washington and Hassan from Damascus who sees the United States and its citizens as the enemy of the Islamic world and worthy of the most painful of deaths. Struggles are very personal during any war, be it the Revolutionary War in America or the struggle of the Islamic Revolution against the Western infidels.

Hate is a basic element of any conflict. Hassan sees the Americans who are the root of his country’s struggles and should die for their interference in his country’s business. He even kills his younger brother sending him to his reward in heaven to illuminate the injustice of the struggles.

General George Washington is the leader of the American Revolution and is leading the Revolutionaries in battle against the British Dragoons at various locations. He is the target of an extensive effort by the British to eliminate the struggle by a group of revolutionaries who object to the lack of representation in Parliament despite being heavily taxed and levied. King George III will entertain no delegation from “The Colonies”.

The plots are interesting and well developed. The action is fast paced and keeps the readers’ attention with suspense and questions. This is a fun historical read and a very well written dual plotted novel. 5 stars – CE Williams

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: Technothrillers, Terrorism Thrillers, Historical Thrillers
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
ASIN: B0DG72F3KY
Print Length: 398 pages
Publication Date: November 12, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: George K. Mehok is an author, technologist, and entrepreneur with a distinguished career in designing software and leading high-performing teams in the financial services, telecommunications, and aerospace industries. His insights have been featured in prestigious tech journals and notable publications like the Wall Street Journal, CIO Review, and InformationWeek, covering wireless communications, cybersecurity, and data analytics. George’s expertise has earned him accolades, including Crain’s Business Magazine CIO of the Year award, and his work has been recognized in InformationWeek’s Annual Elite 100 ranking of the most innovative technology users in the United States. An avid storyteller, George weaves his real-world knowledge into gripping narratives, crafting thrilling plots that captivate readers. GOING DARK, the first in Mehok’s Liberty Unit series, combines his extensive technology background with historical intrigue, presenting a captivating blend of modern-day suspense and revolutionary-era secrets. When not reading or writing, George enjoys fly fishing and competitive US Masters swimming.

Happy Autumn

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty #AudiobookReview #FamilyLifeFiction

Amazon Charts #1 this week

Book Blurb:

Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did?

The plane is jam-packed. Every seat is taken. So of course the flight is delayed! Flight attendant Allegra Patel likes her job—she’s generally happy with her life, even if she can’t figure out why she hooks up with a man she barely speaks to—but today is her twenty-eighth birthday. She can think of plenty of things she’d rather be doing than placating a bunch of grumpy passengers.

There’s the well-dressed man in seat 4C who is compulsively checking his watch, desperate not to miss his eleven-year-old daughter’s musical. Further back, a mother of two is frantically trying to keep her toddler entertained and her infant son quiet. How did she ever think being a stay-at-home mom would be easier than being a lawyer? Ethan is lost in thought; he’s flying back from his first funeral. A young couple has just gotten married; she’s still wearing her wedding dress. An emergency room nurse is looking forward to traveling the world once she retires in a few years, it’s going to be so much fun! If they ever get off the tarmac. . . .

Suddenly a woman none of them know stands up. She makes predictions about how and when everyone on board will die. Some dismiss her. Others will do everything they can to make sure her prophecies do not come to pass. All of them will be forever changed.

How would you live your life if you thought you knew how it would end? Would you love who you love or try to love someone else? Would you stay married? Would you stop drinking? Would you call up your ex-best friend you haven’t spoken to in years? Would you quit your job?

Intricately plotted, with the wonderful wit Liane Moriarty has become famous for, Here One Moment brilliantly looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives.

My Review:

Cherry is a fascinating character, no denying that. She has a history that is woven in and out of the story as we begin to know those deeply affected by her predictions on the plane and how they confront the information.

The rich character development engrains an investment in them and morbid curiosity in how they will confront and possibly work the knowledge advantageously. Can you change fate? Or is this fate written in stone by an old woman who then has no memory of her delivery of the edicts?

It comes down to: How seriously would you, in that situation, take the prediction? What if other predictions began manifesting true?

Well, you can’t say it isn’t thought-provoking, a psychological challenge to delve into that reverberates after the novel is finished—quite handily—I might add. It’s an oddly satisfying conclusion, albeit leaving a few unanswered questions, challenges.

There is a complex storyline, lots of characters. Moments of humor, emotions first jerked one way and then the other. The narrators were super.

This is one I’d recommend purely for the unique premise in a psychological thriller, one that grips quickly and doesn’t sag midway through. It is well-plotted and paced throughout to denouement. I read this author the first time in 2021 with Apples Never Fall, slow burn and thoughtful. Thinking I’ll watch for this author again.

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: Family Life Fiction, Women’s Domestic Life Fiction
Publisher: Random House Audio
ASIN: B0CVSJJLW4
Listening Length: 15 hrs 53 mins
Narrator: Caroline Lee, Geraldine Hakewill
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: Here One Moment – Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of nine internationally best-selling novels: Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist’s Love Story, Nine Perfect Strangers and the number one New York Times bestsellers: The Husband’s Secret, Big Little Lies, Truly Madly Guilty and Apples Never Fall. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and sold more than 20 million copies.

Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and Apples Never Fall were adapted into popular television series with the star-studded casts including Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Melissa McCarthy and Annette Bening.

Her new novel, Here One Moment will be released in 2024.

Liane lives in Sydney, Australia, together with her husband, son and daughter.

Happy Autumn Sunday!

In Too Deep: A Reacher Novel by Lee child and Andrew Child #BookReview #suspenseaction fiction

Jack Reacher Book 29

in Suspense Action Fiction

Book Blurb:

The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child

Reacher had no idea where he was. No idea how he had gotten there. But someone must have brought him. And shackled him. And whoever had done those things was going to rue the day. That was for damn sure.

Jack Reacher wakes up alone, in the dark, handcuffed to a makeshift bed. His right arm has suffered some major damage. His few possessions are gone. He has no memory of getting there.

The last thing Reacher can recall is the car he hitched a ride in getting run off the road. The driver was killed.

His captors assume Reacher was the driver’s accomplice and patch up his wounds as they plan to make him talk.

A plan that will backfire spectacularly . . .

His Review:

Being in a car accident after hitch hiking and then suffering from amnesia does not make for a good witness. Jack Reacher cannot remember the accident nor anything else that happened before the accident. Being trussed up like a wild animal does not jog his memory. He remains silent because he cannot remember anything from the incident.

The central theme of this novel is a very large payday for whomever can disrupt a criminal activity and eliminate some very bad individuals. The plot is further complicated by the fact that the criminals include a couple of law enforcement individuals who are looking for a rich, early retirement.

As the plot thickens, distrust expands between the various divisions of law enforcement and the perps. Jack Reacher’s loyalty and voracity are questioned! The prize continues to grow and the death count continues to rise. Who among the various law enforcement agencies can be trusted? C E Williams Reading this book was a delight and a very complex affair. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Action Fiction, War & Military Action Fiction, Action Thriller Fiction
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ASIN: B0CR2Z9KKD
Print Length: pages
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Lee Child is one of the world’s leading thriller writers. He was born in Coventry, raised in Birmingham, and now lives in New York. It is said one of his novels featuring his hero Jack Reacher is sold somewhere in the world every nine seconds. His books consistently achieve the number-one slot on bestseller lists around the world and have sold over one hundred million copies. Two blockbusting Jack Reacher movies have been made so far. He is the recipient of many awards, most recently Author of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards. He was appointed CBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Happy Autumn Sunday!

Saving the Guilty by Liz Milliron #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

A Laurel Highlands Mystery Book 7

Book Blurb:

When defense attorney Sally Castle agrees to do a favor for an old friend she thinks the case will be simple: present the appeal for a murder conviction and the work is already done. But the more Sally looks into the facts of the case, the more problems she sees. Did sloppy police procedure result in the conviction of an innocent man?

State Trooper Jim Duncan is also working what seems like a straight-forward homicide: the execution-style murder of a man with suspected drug ties. But before the scene is released he learns the victim was living with a deep-cover fake identity. Why?

Jim and Sally pursue their separate investigations and lines begin to cross, leading them to wonder how separate the cases are. As they uncover murder, drugs, infidelity, and federal-level fraud, one thing becomes clear. Someone wants Sally’s client in jail. And they will go to any length, including murder, to keep him there.

My Review:

I enjoyed this character-driven plot where Sally Castle, an exceptional defense attorney and her boyfriend State Trooper Jim Duncan work together so beautifully, cooperatively, and supportively. She has a retired racer greyhound named Pixel. They work well as main characters while Sally’s law partner Tanelsa and Cavendish, Jim’s partner in the state police round out two strong support characters.

Sally agrees to take on a case for a friend in the hospital despite the bad timing which turns out to be a great deal more complex than viewed on first blush. When a second body is found that appears to be tied to the first, it’s Duncan and Cavendish who become involved in the case up to their eyeballs.

“I hope their definition of shortly isn’t the same as my doctor’s office.” (SOOO true!)

Matters become very convoluted very quickly as the author adds clues and twists that keep the reader turning pages. Dialogue is right on, authentic between intelligent and appealing characters. Easy to become invested between the good guys contrasting sharply against the bad guys. Ohhh, the tension.

An entertaining read from start to finish. The plot is well paced and complex but it was the characters I found most appealing. If you enjoy mystery, tension, legal fiction, and great characters, then this one will keep your interest. Recommended.

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

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Series, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0D9ZRF8JM
Print Length: 345 pages
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Compassion, loyalty…and crime.

Liz Milliron is the author of the Laurel Highlands mystery series, featuring a Pennsylvania State Trooper and a Fayette County public defender in the scenic Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, and The Homefront Mysteries, set in Buffalo in the early 1940s and following Betty Ahern, a Rosie the Riveter with dreams of being Sam Spade. Liz’s short fiction includes stories in Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales and The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Fifth Course of Chaos, as well as stories in Mystery Most Historical, Fish Out of Water, and the Anthony-winning Blood on the Bayou. She is a past president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of Sisters in Crime, as well as a member of International Thriller Writers and Pennwriters. Liz splits her time between Pittsburgh and the Laurel Highlands, where she lives with her husband and a very spoiled retired-racer greyhound.

http://www.lizmilliron.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LizMilliron/

https://www.instagram.com/lizmilliron/

#TuesdayBookBlog

You’ll Never Find Me by Allison Brennan #AudiobookReview #WomenSleuthMysteries

Angelhart Investigations Book 1

If you love getting in on a new series with Book 1, you may want to check this one out.

Book Blurb:

Nothing brings family together like crime. In the first book in the thrilling new Angelhart series from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan, private investigator Margot Angelhart helps clients the law overlooks, but when she takes on a case more dangerous than she imagined, teaming up with her estranged siblings may be her only hope for survival.

Working alone as a private investigator is tough. Estranged from her PI family, Margo Angelhart does what she must to get by—including taking on sordid cases that pay the bills, even if she’d rather be helping those the justice system has failed.

That is, until a cheating husband case she’s working intersects with her siblings’ corporate espionage investigation, forcing Margo to cooperate with the Angelhart firm. Now, as the siblings compare notes, it’s clear they need to work together before a white-collar crime escalates to murder.

With far more questions than answers and a key suspect on the run, they’ll need the whole family to pitch in. But as they investigate the ever-twisting mystery, Margo isn’t sharing everything. Can she learn to trust her family and heal their once-close relationship before her secrets put those she loves most in danger?

My Review:

The author introduces us to the Angelhart family in a new series. Not my first experience with the author but thought I’d try again with the first in a new series as I usually come in well after the characters are established with history.

Margo is a PI, estranged from the family. The dynamic with the family is strained and I had a hard time engaging with Margo’s character, discovering the separation from the family business was possibly explained in a prequel that I didn’t read it.

This narrative splits and creates a sub-plot. As the blurb describes, one of Margo’s cases and her siblings intersect. Margo is also trying to help a woman escape a dangerous situation with her husband. Add the dissension between Margo, her family, and why her dad is in prison and the storyline gets complex. She’s sure he didn’t commit the crime and can’t understand why her family won’t back her in working to clear his name.

There may be too many threads packed into the storyline—it becomes a bit convoluted—and working on separate plot points, found myself disassociating from the audio and not staying tuned.

The chapters bounce between different characters POV. Sometimes that works well for me. While it gives the reader more inside info into the thought processes of the characters, it became just too much in this case. The point seems to be setting them up for further inclusion in additional installments. I did enjoy the descriptions of the Phoenix area since we spent a year in Goodyear and got to understand the real beauty of the area.

Too many holes for me, bouncing POVs, switching plot threads, setting the stage for the next installment, and the conclusion left me with unanswered questions. I had somewhat the same experience with the writing style in The Wrong Victim last year. Again it seems, I want more potency in the main thread, more tension, faster pace, suspense.

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

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women Sleuth Mysteries, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
ASIN: B0CT479PLS
Listening Length: 10 hrs 31 mins
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Publication Date: June 25, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: You’ll Never Find Me [Amazon-US]
Amazon-UK
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The Author: Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of more than forty thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids and writes three books a year. Originally from northern California, in 2019 she and her husband relocated to Arizona where they enjoy baseball Spring Training, hiking, and spending time with their kids, grandson, and assorted pets.