#NGEW2025 – Rosepoint Publishing

A Walk Among Heroes by James McDevitt #BookReview #MilitaryAviationHistory

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Step into the heart of history with A Walk Among Heroes, a sweeping tale of courage, sacrifice, and enduring love that transcends generations. This powerful World War II novel takes you on an unforgettable journey through the lives of ordinary men and women who became extraordinary in the face of unimaginable challenges.

Through the eyes of T.J., a young soldier returning from World War II, and Smitty, a World War I ace haunted by the ghosts of his past, the story weaves a rich tapestry of interconnected lives shaped by war, hope, and resilience. Anchored by a love story that defies time, the novel masterfully bridges two world wars, exploring the bonds of family, the weight of duty, and the ultimate cost of heroism.

A Walk Among Heroes isn’t just a novel—it’s a testament to the power of love, memory, and courage in the face of humanity’s darkest hours. This beautifully crafted tale will inspire and resonate with readers long after the final page is turned.

His Review:

Serving our country to many is a calling and to others a demand. During the Vietnam War the government reopened the draft and avoiding the war was not an option. It wasn’t for me either.

The first night was an introduction to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, listened to until four in the morning. Staying awake during the recording was impossible for most of us. The next step is the swearing in and then boot camp. After being pretty well scalped, everyone looks the same. Bonds are formed with people you would never associate with under ordinary circumstances. The completion of tasks requires teamwork. Staying alive also requires teamwork and you soon learn to rely upon your brothers in arms.

This book visits the bonds that are formed when the people next to you may hold your future in their hands. This is particularly vital when you are moving forward with people shooting at you. Having someone to think about and love back home gives you a goal to strive for staying alive.

James McDevitt provides a very clear picture of the brotherhood of men in arms. It is a testament to someone who has served and watched someone take a bullet to save the life of a fellow soldier. The pain that their sacrifice causes lives with the survivors for the rest of their lives.

The narrative places you in the middle of the chaos, the boredom, the experience of one who’s been there, seen it, done it—and authentically conveys the emotions. A very thoughtful read and highly recommended to those who enjoy action-packed spell-binding stories. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Military Aviation History, World War II History, Literature & Fiction
Publisher: Independently published
ISBN-13: ‎979-8992459807
ASIN: B0DT25MG9P
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: November 11, 2025 – Just Released!
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: James McDevitt is a firefighter, an infantry officer, and author with a passion for crafting stories that capture the courage, sacrifice, and connections forged in the crucible of war. With two deployments to Iraq, and one deployment to Syria, James draws on his firsthand experiences to create gripping, heartfelt historical fiction. His debut novel, A Walk Among Heroes, blends authentic detail with timeless themes of love, loss, and resilience, inspired by true events and a deep respect for history. When he’s not writing, James enjoys woodworking, playing guitar, and jiu-jitsu. He currently resides in Alabama with his wife, Lindsey, as they prepare to welcome their first child. Connect with James on social media or through his website to follow his journey and upcoming projects.

#SundayRead

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #NetGalley

Book Blurb:

In the peaceful California coast city of Playa Maria, CRIME WRITER ZOEY KOZINSKI joins a local police officer for a ride-along in hopes of breaking through her writer’s block. But during a routine traffic stop, the cop is shot, the victim of a brutal homicide.

Zoey realizes she is the only witness and the number one target on the killer’s hit list. PTSD kicks in, sending her into a tailspin. It doesn’t help that she lives on an illegal cannabis farm and that her estranged mother has just arrived. Even the police officer’s widow points a finger at the writer, claiming she was a distraction, and the police department knew it.

Lurking on the fringes is a man who stopped briefly at the crime. Good Samaritan or sinister suspect? For her safety, Zoey needs to find out.

My Review:

I’m fence-sitting on this one. I liked it okay, but didn’t really feel compelled to sit down and finish it up.

It’s one of those that gives you the who as it hooks. That doesn’t mean it’s all over. No. Zoe is up to her eyeballs in the thick of it, having witnessed the killing of the police officer who allowed a ride-along for Zoe, who is experiencing writer’s block.

Unfortunately, not only does she witness the killing, but she is, in turn witnessed. Not the best thing if she wanted to remain hidden and anonymous. Of course, her notes for her book appear to implicate her in the murder of the officer (something his widow latches onto—her being a deadly distraction)…and I always hate that obvious assumption. We know there are so many ways these days to prove it wasn’t her.

Zoe might have had some additional development, although she is not one-dimensional and she has an interesting friend in Harvey. I love the location, beautifully depicted in description as well as the town’s inhabitants. Once she realizes she has been exposed, things get dicey and ramps up the suspense considerably.

You can’t say it isn’t entertaining. I love those small California coastal town settings; they create such a vibe, but you’d better know the town better than the perp if you’re to survive! If you enjoy suspense thrillers, you may very well give this one a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder, Psychological Thrillers, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0FMGNWM2D
Print Length: 307 pages
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Source: NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Vinnie Hansen fled the South Dakota prairie for the California coast the day after high school graduation.

A reading addict since childhood, Vinnie is now the author of the Carol Sabala mysteries. The seventh installment in the series, Black Beans & Venom, was a finalist for the Claymore Award. She’s also written two stand-alone novels titled Lostart Street and One Gun as well as over 60 published short stories. Her flash fiction, “Bad Connection,” won the 2015 Golden Donut Award from the Writers’ Police Academy.

Vinnie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Still sane after 27 years of teaching high school English, Vinnie has retired and lives in Santa Cruz, California, with her husband and the requisite cat.

Happy Autumn

The Tenth Trail Mark by Joe Looby #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #WarFiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A WWII STORY OF COURAGE AND LOVE
For fans of The Nightingale, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and Band of Brothers

In the dead of night, Adirondack woodsman Johnnie Grey leads the legendary 10th Mountain Division up an ice cliff the Germans call unconquerable—a linchpin of the brutal Gothic Line. One slip means oblivion. One victory could rip the German front wide open and help liberate Italy.

Johnnie’s survival instincts—honed hunting through blizzards and the Great Depression to feed his family—are his greatest weapon. But his heart belongs to Ellie, the West Virginia farm girl who slips a silver St. Andrew’s Cross around his neck: a trail mark of love meant to guide him home.

Now, under a relentless “ring of fire” artillery barrage, Johnnie must gamble everything on a wild, audacious plan.

Inspired by true events, The Tenth Trail Mark is a sweeping novel of courage, sacrifice, and a love strong enough to light even the darkest ascent.

His Review:

The Adirondacks are a mountain range that held back the early settlers in most areas of the east coast of the United States. Life was very difficult and even the kids were expected to contribute to the family’s food. Johnnie Grey is born in the summer of 1923 and hunts every day for game to help with this need. He becomes very good at reading game trails and finding squirrels and other game for the table.

Prior to the United States entering the Second World War, the former site of the 1932 Olympics near Lake Placid, New York, was the playground of Johnnie and his new best friend Darby. Darby was from a well-to-do family but was a fast friend of Johnnie’s. Together they learned the art of skiing and mountaineering. A former 1932 Olympic national skier, Rolf Monson, taught them the basics of skiing. In 1938, the National Ski Patrol was formed by Charles “Minnie” Minot. Johnnie became a member of the Ski Patrol as an extension of his mountain upbringing.

Germany began to make demands of the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway to provide personnel and supplies for their military moving eastward. The greatest ally was the weather in these countries. At 45 degrees below zero, the fuels in the transports and tanks froze and the military was stalled. Johnnie tried to go to Canada to join the military and fight Hitler. Instead, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and together with Darby was able to send his dollar-a-day salary home to help with his struggling family.

The 10^th Mountain Division was formed utilizing ski patrollers and others who understood how to navigate and function in the cruel winter conditions of the cold New York winters of Lake Placid. In September of 1942, Johnnie Grey was one of 10,000 to 14,000 men who volunteered for this specialized training. Training was at Camp Hale in the Colorado Rockies. Elevation was very high and winter very brutal.

The 10^th Mountain Division was instrumental in winning the war in Europe. This book is an excellent review of the hardships faced and overcome by a very special group of American soldiers. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: War & Military Action Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: 10TH Mountain Films, LLC
ISBN-13: 979-8999130198
ASIN: B0FD84QY86
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Joe Looby, an avid hiker, skier, and veteran, writes with inspiration from his late father—a decorated WWII 10th Mountain Division soldier awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart at the Battle of Mount Belvedere. He lives near Charleston, SC, and often returns to Lake Placid, NY.

Mature man with glasses reading a book on his cell phone. — AI graphic courtesy Gemini

Ain’t Nobody’s Fool by Martha Ackmann #BookReview #DollyParton #BiographiesofComposers&Musicians

The Life and Times of Dolly Parton

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.

In Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone’s expectations except her own. During a time when the Beatles set the standard for contemporary music, Dolly appeared on a local country music television show that her high school classmates thought was pure cornpone. The day after her high school graduation, she boarded a bus for Nashville, but record executives turned her down. One said her voice sounded like a screech owl.

When Dolly finally got her foot in the door, her talent and focus catapulted her to the top of country charts, the pop world, and movie stardom. Yet her success came at a price. Shunned by many in Nashville who saw her ambition as a betrayal of her country music roots, Dolly became the target of death threats, lawsuits, and a judge who threatened to throw her in jail. She nearly collapsed on-stage and later succumbed to depression that pushed her to the brink, but she refused to be counted out and came back stronger than ever developing Dollywood, the amusement park that became the economic engine of East Tennessee, and founding the Imagination Library that provides free books to children around the world. Her philanthropy to health organizations led to creation of the Moderna COVID vaccine. And, finally, she returned to her roots, recording bluegrass albums that became the most celebrated of her unparalleled 60-year career.

Ain’t Nobody’s Fool is a deep dive into the social, historical, and personal forces that made Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and unifying figures in public life and includes interviews with friends, family members, school mates, Nashville neighbors, members of her band, studio musicians, producers, and many others. It also features never before seen photographs and unearthed documents shedding light on her family’s hardscrabble life. More than anything, Martha Ackmann’s fresh and animated new book proves Dolly Parton knows just who she is and she ain’t nobody’s fool.

His Review:

Being raised with a very poor family in the heart of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee was not a bad thing. Little Dolly’s family had very little but the compensations were unabridged love and family values. A Parton family name meant many brothers and sisters, parents, and grandparents.

Being “dirt-poor” is the memory of many youths from the Tennessee mountain country but family was always there and love and nurturing always supporting. Dolly Parton was surrounded by family and shared everything available. She was a child prodigy and taught herself music and how to play by ear. Her pure tones were always present as she grew. Her family encouraged her musical development.

The polished multi-talented performer that is Dolly Parton is a gift from God and those Smoky Mountain families. She worked hard to become noticed and when it happened, she never looked back. There are those who feel they were instrumental in getting her recognized. This has some truth but her talents and stardom are the result of a lady who never took no for an answer.

Much of her music is derived from the struggles and determination of her youth. She is a self-made superstar and her songs a testament to the determination to escape poverty. I felt honored to read her story and mentally meet a person of her ability. Thank you for the journey! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Reader Copy. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Biographies of Composers & Musicians, Biographies & Memoirs of Women, Composer & Musician Biographies
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1250286864
ASIN: B0F5PB7WBG
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: December 30, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Martha Ackmann is a journalist and author who writes about women who have changed America. Her essays have appeared in The Atlantic, the Paris Review, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She also is a frequent commentator for New England Public Radio, and has been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, and the BBC. Martha is the recipient of fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her books include: The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight; Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League; and These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson. –This text refers to the hardcover edition. [Amazon]

Ms Ackmann was born in St Louis, Missouri and currently resides in western Massachusetts. Website: https://marthaackmann.com [Goodreads]

Happy Autumn Weekend to you from Rosepoint Publishing

The Proving Ground: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly #BookReview #LegalThrillers

Lincoln Lawyer Book 8

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, the Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company whose product may have been responsible for the murder of a young girl.

Following his “resurrection walk” and need for a new direction, Mickey Haller turns to public interest litigation, filing a civil lawsuit against an artificial intelligence company whose chatbot told a sixteen-year-old boy that it was okay for him to kill his ex-girlfriend for her disloyalty.

Representing the victim’s family, Mickey’s case explores the mostly unregulated and exploding AI business and the lack of training guardrails. Along the way he joins up with a journalist named Jack McEvoy, who wants to be a fly on the wall during the trial in order to write a book about it. But Mickey puts him to work going through the mountain of printed discovery materials in the case. McEvoy’s digging ultimate delivers the key witness, a whistleblower who has been too afraid to speak up. The case is fraught with danger because billions are at stake.

It is said that machines became smarter than humans on the day in 1997 that IBM’s Deep Blue defeated chess master Garry Kasparov with a gambit called “the knight’s sacrifice.” Haller will take a similar gambit in court to defeat the mega forces of the AI industry lined up against him and his clients.

My Review:

Does it get much better than the Lincoln Lawyer? I love these books and devour any new installment that comes up in print, digital, or Netflix.

Even better, this one tackles AI, a current hot topic, a novel that grapples with so many moral questions over the legal. Haven’t we been talking about our children watching violent cartoons? Now with computer games the kids of eight years up are playing, do we have any clue what kind of intelligence they are dealing with?

AI generated by Gemini

What about the mind of a sixteen year old? Who has written the code for the chatbot he calls Wren? And who is to blame when that sixteen year old violently acts on a suggestion from Wren?

I love the character of Haller. He has left criminal law for civil. The narrative examines in detail the question: who is ultimately responsible for games coded with possible explosive code? We’ve all heard of GIGO. Garbage in, garbage out, “bad programming, programming contradictory to the purpose of the app?”

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly — Lincoln Lawyer cover-US

That is the supposition of this extremely complex legal thriller. The storyline boils over with tension, almost from the beginning. All your favorite Haller characters are included, though I never warmed up to a new character who provided deep intel on AI while gathering journalistic juice. A layered plot from main to sub, each adding depth, creating a fully rounded story from professional to personal, those of his family and close associates.

I love the way the writer mentions or includes characters, including Harry Bosch, from his other series in his current narrative, consolidating the Haller world. In his world, he is up against a multi-billion dollar corporation, and he’ll have his work cut out for him.

He has his flaws but he brings an intelligence to the legal science of law that is downright compelling. He has wit, energy, and charisma you can’t beat. And, by the way, I enjoyed the author’s little humorous zinger by naming the judge in the case, Judge Ruhlin. RUHLIN? Funny, Mr. Connelly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

PS: No AI was used in writing this review. (Or perhaps that’s obvious. )

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Legal Thrillers, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 978-0316563840
ASIN: B0DZ24GYPN
Print Length: 400 pages
Publication Date:
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than forty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty-nine 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 The Waiting (2024), Resurrection Walk (2023), 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.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Wild Instinct: A Novel by T Jefferson Parker #BookReview #MurderThrillers

Book Blurb:

The hunt for the truth is the deadliest game.

Former Marine sniper Lew Gale, now a detective with the Orange County California Sheriff’s Department, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County.

The investigation takes a chilling turn when Lew and his new partner, Daniela Mendez, discover that Bennet was dead long before the lion got to him. And while he might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last.

At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

His Review:

Bennet Tarlow III is shot dead and the most influential person in Texas must be avenged! His grieving sons are fighting over his substantial fortune and must never turn their backs on another family member.

This story focuses on the greed and corruption that come when spoiled offspring scramble for the position of heir. The father has written a will and it defines the child he wants to become his heir. His sons and daughters care about their father’s riches but particularly where they stand in the heir position. A story about family greed and discord.

I found the tale a bit of a ring road with danger to each sibling at every turn! Can their father mean so little to the heirs? Read and experience the calamity! 3 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder Thrillers, Crime Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN-13: ‎978-1250907929
ASIN: B0DPV1B3LP
Print Length: 336 pages
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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

The Author: T. Jefferson Parker is the bestselling author of 28 crime novels, including Edgar Award-winners “Silent Joe” and “California Girl.” Parker’s latest work, “The Rescue”, explores the strength of the human-animal bond and how far we will go to protect what we love.

Parker was born in L.A. and grew up in Southern California. He studied English at UC Irvine and worked as a newspaper reporter for five years while writing his first book, “Laguna Heat” on evenings and weekends. HBO made “Laguna Heat” into one of its first original television movies in 1987.

Although the “T” is part of his legal name it does not stand for a name. It is a decorative initial put there by his parents, who once told him they thought T. Jefferson Parker would look good on the White House door.

Parker lives in north San Diego County, and enjoys fishing, hiking and just about anything outdoors.

http://www.tjeffersonparker.com

Twitter: TJParkerauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/tjeffersonparker

Summertime reading — Gemini-generated AI graphic

Good Days Bad Days: A Novel by Emily Bleeker #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

A daughter reconnects with her estranged parents before it’s too late in an emotional novel about memories, secrets, and finding home by the bestselling author of When We Chased the Light.

Charlie McFadden was fifteen years old when CPS removed her from her hoarded home. Her mother, Betty, chose her worthless collectibles. Her father chose Betty. Neither chose Charlie.

Thirty-one years later, a mother herself and cohost of a popular reality show with her husband, Charlie is proud of what she accomplished without her parents—relative strangers she never saw again. Until the day Charlie’s father pleads with her to come home and to say goodbye to her mother, now confined to a memory care center. Betty has her good days, recognizing her daughter with familiar resentment. And her bad ones, lost in the past as a blissful young mother with a cherished newborn. Those days make Charlie feel loved.

For Charlie, each memory is a journey and a revelation. She sees a mother she never knew—bright and beautiful with so much promise. But hidden away is also a fiercely guarded secret. Shared, it could finally bring hope and healing to a broken family. If Betty can bear to remember it.

My Review:

Extreme cases of hoarding. Good grief. Something I’d never read about before nor took terribly seriously. It’s as insidious as alcoholism, slowly taking over the person and then that person’s close members to the point of their very class of living.

My mother lived through the depression. When I tried to help my sister with the storage shed behind their mobile home, I was confronted with a quarter of the shed stacked with toilet paper. Funny then, years later when Covid hit that mother was gone too late to see her stash come in handy. But she was not a hoarder. Not in this definition.

Charlie (Charlotte, Lottie) McFadden is a TV host ah la Joanna Gaines who, at a crisis in her own home, is called by her father that he needed help with their home. Her mother, Betty, is in memory care, had been a hoarder to the point that Charlie was removed from the home at age 15 to foster care. She never went back and estranged all this time, reluctant to go back now except for the predicament with her marriage. He will lose the home if it is not cleared and cleaned up.

The time line as remembered through her dad then switches back and forth between the present day and Betty’s history is becoming exposed with the extensive cleaning. Her dad has always supported Betty to the exclusion of Charlie, something she grew very bitter about.

And the “good” days? That’s according to the nurse handling Betty that day who sees the real Betty—the one who is angry, disagreeable, and recognizes Charlie with vehemence. Not at all the loving mother of “Laura,” who on “bad” days doesn’t recognize Charlie as Charlie but a soft spoken, kindly, and loving mother. It’s the disease, the dementia.

As Charlie hammers away at Betty on bad days, trying to get to the truth of her history, there are hints of a twist. Who is…was…Laura? What’s with her father? Why won’t he talk to Charlie, fill in all the blanks?

A powerful story that examines, dissects, and disseminates dementia, painting the character scary and beautiful at the same time; sympathetic, clueless, difficult. That the house and hoarding was chosen over Charlie, their daughter, is a mantra throughout the book. Themes of a fractured, enabled marriage, damaged family dynamics, secrets, and emotional dimensions.

The setting of Lake Geneva is lovely, bringing to mind our one trip there to explore and taste the food, drink in the scenery. A tourist destination.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Marriage & Divorce Fiction, 20^th Century Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: 978-1662531255
ASIN: B0DXG9J6ZT
Print Length: 379 pages
Publication Date: October 7, 2025
Source: Publisher and Netgalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Emily Bleeker is a former educator who discovered her passion for writing after introducing a writer’s workshop to her students. She soon found a whole world of characters and stories living inside of her mind. It took a battle with a rare form of cancer to give her the courage to share that amazing world with others. Emily lives in suburban Chicago with her family. Between writing and being a mom, she attempts to learn guitar, performs with the house team of a local improv troupe, dabbles in karaoke, and embraces her newfound addiction to running. Connect with her or request a Zoom visit with your book club at emilybleeker.com.

#TuesdayBookBlog

To Catch a Spy by Mark ONeill #BookReview #HeistCrime

Book Blurb:

“A worthy sequel to the classic.” ― Harlan Coben

Estate approved sequel to the novel To Catch a Thief by David Dodge and 1955 Academy Award-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock

It’s been a year since John Robie, notorious Riviera jewel thief, proved his innocence by catching a copycat burglar. And it’s been a year since John has seen Francie Stevens, the adventurous socialite who not only saw through his disguise, but helped him catch the copycat. Now Francie is returning to the Riviera for its first-ever Fashion Week as a model for a top French designer, and John plans on rekindling their romance. But there’s a problem. While helping a friend, John chases down a mysterious courier, whose ruthless associates now want John dead. To make matters worse, when Francie arrives, she has a boyfriend in tow, and tells John that she wants nothing to do with him.

John has to figure out why he’s a hunted man, and why Francie is acting suspiciously. Digging deeper, he discovers a spy ring with evil intent. As John works unofficially to gather evidence, a question begins to haunt him―could Francie Stevens be a spy? With his enemies closing in, John turns to his cat burglar skills to try to save his life and expose the traitors. To survive, he has to catch the spies before they catch―and kill―a retired thief!

His Review:

John Robie is a very accomplished individual. He has trained as an acrobat in the circus and has maintained his climbing abilities throughout his life. He is an ex-patriot living on the French Riviera and has honed his craft as a jewel thief. He frequents the posh hotels and other places where the rich and famous go to play.

Francie Stevens is a young lady learning the modeling trade. She is very lovely and picks up the business fairly well. Some of the designers decide to use her in the upcoming fashion shows and she is quickly becoming famous. Many designers wish to engage her to promote their designs. She is new to the business and eager to please.

Francie has an off/again, on/again affair with John, and although they seem to hit it off, they soon part ways. She is lured by wealthy designers who want her to help with their clandestine activities. She does not know she is being used, but many of the designers are engaged in many nefarious activities. Francie is unknowingly drawn into this world and she is dragged into the world of espionage.

This story is well written and follows the format of a story written nearly a century earlier. The plot has many twists and will keep any reader glued to the outcome. The characters are particularly well developed. The French Resistance during WWII honed the skills of many of the participants. Enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

I read To Catch a Thief by David Dodge in January. While this author has been given approval to write this sequel by his estate and did an admiral job, there was a certain writing style to the original by David Dodge that I just didn’t quite find in this novel. The book will catch and hold your interest and attention but if you’ve read the original concept, (especially recently) might note a perceptible difference.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Heist Crime, Heist Thrillers, International Mystery & Crime
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
ISBN: ‎ 146422501X
ASIN: B0D1XMV53C
Print Length: 366 pages
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley