In accordance with new FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review on my site are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book. I do not receive money for such reviews. The books are sent to me for an honest review. I will make known in such reviews if I received the book for free. I am an Amazon affiliate, so many links will direct you to Amazon. If you make any purchase through my link, I will receive a small commission. If you have any questions, please contact me.
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions!…
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?
What am I currently reading? ~
Undercover in High Heelsby Gemma Halliday ~ This is the 3rd book in the Maggie Springer series. I love this series and wish I started catching up on it sooner!
What did I recently finish reading? Index to Murder: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Miss Zukas Mysteries)by Jo Dereske~ This was the last book in the Miss Zukas series. Unfortunately Avon/Harper collins decided to let it go :( I'm sorry to see it end. Although the ending dead leave it open for (hopefully) more stories featuring Helma, Boy Cat Zukas and the other lovable characters we've come to know and love. It was also the last book I needed for my 2009 e-book reading challenge ;)
What do I plan on reading next? The Red Thread: A Novelby Ann Hood ~ I received an ARC of this in the mail (it's due out May 3rd). I've been waiting to read her next book since I read the last one and was beyond excited when I received the ARC in the mail (thank you to whomever sent it to me!) I wanted to dive in right away, but I wanted to save it for tomorrow so it can cound towards my 2010 challenges. It's by the same author of The Knitting Circle, one of my favorite books from last year.
A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in bloodred lipstick.
The most dangerous
The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling is woken by a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars' worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is a nearly empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.
The most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever
Lindsay spends every waking hour working with her partner, Rich--and her desire for him threatens to tear apart both her engagement and the Women's Murder Club. Before Lindsay and her friends can piece together either case, one of the killers forces Lindsay to put her own life on the line--but is it enough to save the city? With unparalleled danger and explosive action, The 9th Judgment is James Patterson at his compelling, unstoppable best!
Secret affairs, hunky gardeners, and housewives desperate enough to bare it all... welcome to Magnolia Lane, TV's newest hit show. As the new wardrobe assistant, shoe designer Maddie Springer is in fashion heaven. But then a young starlet is found dead. Now it's up to Maddie to sift through a secretive leading lady, an actor on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a sexy cyber scandal, and one tabloid reporter who'll stop at nothing to get the story of the century. Not to mention her tangles with the infuriatingly sexy lead detective, Jack Ramirez. In a biz where lies and deception earn Emmys, Maddie will have to play the role of a lifetime to catch Hollywood's hottest killer. But if she doesn't watch her step, Maddie's fifteen minutes of fame just may be her last.
It’s that time of week again, everyone, and time for the Tuesday Teaser. Again the reminder of what this is all about. We are asked to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
Share the title of the book that the “teaser” comes from, so people can find the book if they like the teaser.
And again remember – avoid spoilers.
Here's mine ~
After seven rings she left off flossing and answered the telephone, bracing herself. Very little good news arrived after ten o'clock in the evening. "Hello?" she said warily. The whispered answer was intelligible. "Ruth, is that you?" Helma asked. "Shh. Just come pick me up." "Why? And where are you?" "I'm not in a bar. I'm cold sober and I'm not in trouble. At least not yet."
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.
Here's what I got ~
English Trifleby Josi S. Kilpack ~ High Crimes at High Tea Things to Do in England Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo Take the Jack the Ripper tour creepy! Sample authentic English scones and crumpets Discover a dead body What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery when they discover a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor. Breanna's boyfriend, Liam, is heir to both the family title and the family estate of Southgate, where everyone seems to have a secret . . . or two. When the body in the sitting room disappears, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave. With their departure delayed, they might as well solve the murder. Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But as Sadie uncovers layer after layer of misdirection, secrets, and outright lies, she wonders if anyone is telling the truth or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be. Take a missing family history, toss in a secret romance, mix with a mysterious murder, and this is one vacation Sadie will never forget.
Old City Hall: A Novelby Robert Rotenberg ~ What appears to be an open-and-shut murder case turns out to be anything but in Rotenberg's overstuffed debut, a legal thriller. After celebrated radio host Kevin Brace (aka the Voice of Canada) confesses to killing his wife, Katherine, in their Toronto apartment, he refuses to utter another word, even to his attorney, Nancy Parish. The police, including homicide detective Ari Greene and ex-lawyer-turned-cop Daniel Kennicott, try to piece together a motive, while rookie prosecutor Albert Fernandez gears up for his first murder trial. As Greene and Kennicott dig deeper into Brace's life, they discover links not only to an ex-wife and son but also to Katherine's own checkered past.
212: A Novelby Alafair Burke (ARC) ~ In New York City, nights are dangerous. Days are numbered.....When NYU student Megan Gunther finds personal threats posted to a website specializing in campus gossip, she's taken aback by their menacing tone. someone knows her daily routine down to the minute and is watching her 00 but thanks to the anonymity provided by the Internet, the police tell her they can do nothing to help. Her friends are sure it's someone's idea of a joke, but when Megan is murfered in a vicious attack, NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher is convinced that the online threats are more than just empty words. As Ellie, with smooth, straight-talking partner J.J. Rogan at her side, tries to identify Megan's enemies, she begins to wonder if her murder was more than just the culmination of a cyber obsession. Through phone records, they find a link between Megan and a murdered real estate agent who was living a dangerous double-life. They also learn that the murdered real estate agent shared a secret connection to a celebrity mogul whose bodyguard was mysteriously killed a few months earlier. And when Megan's roommate suddenly disappears, they know they have to find her before another young woman dies.
Blood Vinesby Erica Spindler (ARC) ~ When Alexandra Clarkson starts having terrifying visions filled with blood and ceremonial images, she tries to find a rational explanation – maybe her mind is playing tricks on her, resurrecting creepy tableaux from her research on religious ceremonies and sects. But when Alex’s mother, Patsy, commits suicide without leaving behind any information, Alex is left wondering: could she be haunted by something from the childhood she doesn’t remember? Naked, writhing bodies…Detective Daniel Reed was the last person to speak to Patsy. What he reveals to Alex is shocking. Twenty-five years earlier, Patsy was married to Harlan Sommer, one of Sonoma County’s most prominent vintners, when their infant son disappeared without a trace. The loss destroyed the Sommers’ marriage, causing Patsy to leave and take Alex with her. A dead child…Called on to investigate the identity of a baby’s remains unearthed in a Sonoma vineyard, Reed had picked up a trail that led him to Patsy in San Francisco. Now Reed and Alex both wonder if the cold bones could be her baby brother Dylan, and Alex decides to accompany Reed back to Sonoma for the investigation. No sooner does she arrive, however, than she is drawn deep into the search for a twisted killer…
No one could be more orderly or organized than dedicated librarian Helma Zukas. No one could be more rash and raucous than avant-garde artist Ruth Winthrop. Yet the two women are best friends and a resourceful, ingenious, crime-solving team. So when two of Ruth's latest paintings—each depicting an ex-lover who met a very untimely and mysterious end—are stolen, the amazing amateur detectives get to work.
But digging through Ruth's romantic rendezvous turns up more than broken hearts. There's an angry ex-wife, a jealous fellow artist, and a rampaging group of local tree-huggers. There's trouble brewing in Bellehaven . . . and only Helma and Ruth can make certain that mayhem doesn't lead to murder.
In this bare-knuckled adrenaline ride from New York Times bestselling author Erica Spindler, Alex Clarkson’s worst nightmares are about to come true…
A sinister, hooded figure…
When Alexandra Clarkson starts having terrifying visions filled with blood and ceremonial images, she tries to find a rational explanation – maybe her mind is playing tricks on her, resurrecting creepy tableaux from her research on religious ceremonies and sects. But when Alex’s mother, Patsy, commits suicide without leaving behind any information, Alex is left wondering: could she be haunted by something from the childhood she doesn’t remember?
Naked, writhing bodies…
Detective Daniel Reed was the last person to speak to Patsy. What he reveals to Alex is shocking. Twenty-five years earlier, Patsy was married to Harlan Sommer, one of Sonoma County’s most prominent vintners, when their infant son disappeared without a trace. The loss destroyed the Sommers’ marriage, causing Patsy to leave and take Alex with her.
A dead child…
Called on to investigate the identity of a baby’s remains unearthed in a Sonoma vineyard, Reed had picked up a trail that led him to Patsy in San Francisco. Now Reed and Alex both wonder if the cold bones could be her baby brother Dylan, and Alex decides to accompany Reed back to Sonoma for the investigation. No sooner does she arrive, however, than she is drawn deep into the search for a twisted killer…
Alexandra Clarkson is having nightmares again. The images are scary ~ hooded figures, a faceless screaming baby, flickering candles and naked bodies writhing together. She has no idea what the dreams mean. Could it be tied to the work she is doing on her dissertation of religious practices and rituals? But the images were so vibrant, so real. Her booty call, ex-husband, psychologist thinks she could be repressing memories from her past. Memories that should stay buried??? But then tragedy strikes. Alexandra's bio-polar mother Patsy commits suicide. And along with her death, Alex realizes she may never find out the truth about who her father is. While going through her mothers things, she finds an article in the newspaper with the name of a detective and his phone number circled. When she calls the number to find out what her mother was so curious about she was rocked to her core.
Detective Daniel Reed is horrified by what he sees. The virtual mummified remains of an infant were uncovered while vineyard workers were removing some old, infested vines. The vineyard belongs to the Sommer family. A family that 25 years ago suffered the loss of their beloved 6 month old son Dylan, believed to have been kidnapped right from his crib while his sisters slept right across the hall.
After meeting with Daniel, Alex is more confused than ever. It seems that when she was a young child her mother was married to Harlan Sommer, Dylan was her baby brother, and they all lived at the vineyard together. But after his disappearance the marriage collapsed. Patsy took Alex away, never to return again and at the same time virtually erasing all of Alex's memory of her time there. Upon arriving at the vineyard, Alex is greeted with mixed emotions. While some are so happy to have her back, there are others that are terrified of what she may remember.
While Daniel works the police angle of the case, Alex works the personal one. She returns to the vineyard because the memories are most vivid there. But the more she remembers the more she is terrorized. Ominous messages are left for her, including a sacrificed lamb in her bathroom and people she knows and care for start turning up dead. The families of Sonoma County are rich, connected and will stop at pretty much nothing to keep their perfect imagine in tact. But would they go so far as to kill for it? And while both Alex and Daniel are working their respective angles, they're also working each other. There is no denying the attraction between the two of them - it's electric. But what happens when it starts to look like Alex might have something to do with what has been going on and Daniel needs to start playing cop and stop playing lover?
The more Alex digs the more disgusted she becomes. She soon wonders if she really wants to find out the truth. Does she really want to know who her father is? Can she believe the truth she hears about her mother? Can she forgive Daniel for treating her like a suspect and open herself up to the love he apparently has for her? Blood Vines is an exhilarating saga of love, murder, family drama, wonderful characters, and long buried secrets that will keep you guessing right up until the very end. It's a story that should be read slowly and savored, enjoying each word as you would a fine wine. This is one book not to be missed.
In New York City, nights are dangerous. Days are numbered.....
When NYU student Megan Gunther finds personal threats posted to a website specializing in campus gossip, she's taken aback by their menacing tone. someone knows her daily routine down to the minute and is watching her 00 but thanks to the anonymity provided by the Internet, the police tell her they can do nothing to help. Her friends are sure it's some one's idea of a joke, but when Megan is murdered in a vicious attack, NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher is convinced that the online threats are more than just empty words.
As Ellie, with smooth, straight-talking partner J.J. Rogan at her side, tries to identify Megan's enemies, she begins to wonder if her murder was more than just the culmination of a cyber obsession. Through phone records, they find a link between Megan and a murdered real estate agent who was living a dangerous double-life. They also learn that the murdered real estate agent shared a secret connection to a celebrity mogul whose bodyguard was mysteriously killed a few months earlier. And when Megan's roommate suddenly disappears, they know they have to find her before another young woman dies.
What could a college student, a real estate agent, the bodyguard of a real estate mogul, and a missing roommate possibly have in common? It just might be a little thing called murder.
A late night anonymous 911 call directs Homicide Detective Ellie Hatcher and her partner J.J. Rogan to the penthouse apartment at the 212. There they find a bloody mess, a man shot to death, naked in bed. Turns out the man does not own the apartment, but is the body guard of Sam Sparks, real estate mogul (think Donald Trump) who occasionally lets his employees use it. For some reason, Sparks is determined to keep his thumb on the pulse of the investigation, possibly even having the sitting judge on the case in his back pocket.
Megan Gunther is your typical NYU college student. Living in an apartment with a roommate who's a virtual hermit and missing her best friend, who is only six miles away at her own school. But Megan's world comes crashing down around her when she sees a post on CampusJuice.com, a website where people can post anonymously whatever they want about any college stupid. The posts are all about her schedule ~ she's being stalked. But by whom and more importantly WHY? She goes to the police, but they tell her there is nothing they can do. Then one night, one roommate ends up dead and the other ends up missing.
Katie Battle is a real estate agent working in NY to pay her bills, including the assisted the living facility where her mother is currently residing. With the real estate market in the toilet, Katie is having a hard time struggling to pay all the bills with just her day job. One afternoon she gets a phone call for a "appointment" later that night. She really doesn't want to go, but knows that there are bills to pay. So Katie goes home and Miranda goes out!
Ellie and J.J. have no reason to believe that the two cases, the murdered bodyguard and the murdered college student are related until the missing students fingerprints are matched to the ones left on a champagne flute at the penthouse apartment. That sends them on a course of intersecting phone records, fake names, double lives and a whole lot of secrets. 212 is one heck of a thrill ride, with enough twists and turns to rival any roller coaster ride you would find at your local amusement park. Although you may want to turn the pages quickly to find out what happens next, make sure to take your time. Savor each page, pay attention to each clue. You aren't going to want to miss a thing with this book. An intense story that will keep you reading way past your bedtime. And when it's over, it will leave you begging for more.
It's early summer in Lake Ede, MN and The Cookie Jar is bustling with orders for wedding showers, graduation parties, and family gatherings. Hannah's just wondering how they can get it all done when Mrs. Bascomb comes in to order twelve-hundred cookies for the opening luncheon at the 3-day charity event she's holding on the campus of Jordan High. The theme of the event is "Turn Over a New Leaf" the mayor's wife explains. She wants people to give twice as much as they did last year. Lisa loves the theme -- why don't they make turnovers to sell at the event? "Turnover" a New Leaf... get it? Mrs. Bascomb thinks that's a marvelous idea. Hannah thinks they're overworked as it is, but she guesses they can manage if Lisa has a good turnover recipe. Lisa doesn't, but her mother-in-law Marge makes the best apple turnovers in the world, and they set up an apple turnover assembly line after work in The Cookie Jar kitchen. Now every hour in Hannah's day is filled. Thank goodness there hasn't been a murder to investigate for a while! Hannah vows not to take on any extra work, but she simply can't refuse when Herb asks her to be his magician's assistant at the charity event talent show. At least she had the foresight to give that hideous purple dress she wore last time she assisted him to some Jordan High students for a clothing drive. Now she'll never have to wear it again... she thinks. The Amazing Herb and his red-haired assistant stop the show -- literally. Right after their act Hannah finds the MC of the show, Bradford Ramsey, dead with one of her apple turnovers in his hand. Everything is happening at once for Hannah. There's Norman, who's not being forthcoming about his 3-day trip to Minneapolis. There's Mike, who's beating himself up over something. There's Delores, who's not a bit lonely now that Carrie and Earl are away on their honeymoon because all the single men in town are squiring her around, There's Andrea, who's afraid that Bill will take a job in Florida and they'll have to move. And there's Moishe who's decided that he wants to learn how to bake. There's one other concern for Hannah, perhaps the most important one. She must solve thus murder case before the authorities start asking probing questions. No way she wants her former relationship, and her sister Michelle's not-so-former relationship, with the poetry professor to become the newest topic on the Lake Eden Gossip Hotline!
Release date: February 23, 2010
Here's how to enter ~
U.S. addresses only please
Leave a comment here with your email address or PBS ID (I need to have a way to get in touch with you!)
Follow my blog (on lower right sidebar) ~ get an extra entry
Rate my blog ~ get an extra entry
Blog about it ~ get an extra entry
Tweet about it ~ get an extra entry
Contest ends January 4th. The winner will be announced on January 5th.
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions!…
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you'll read next?
What am I currently reading? ~
Apple Turnover Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)by Joanne Fluke. This is an ARC, the book is due out in late February.. I just started it last night and didn't read as much as I wanted to. I will say that it does start off with a wedding....
What did you recently finish reading?
Dead Air: A Talk Radio Mysteryby Mary Kennedy ~ This is the first in the Talk Radio Mystery series featuring Maggie Walsh. Maggie is a psychologist who gave up her Manhattan practice to be an on air personality in Southern Florida. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next one in the series. My review is here.
After a stunning debut with Restitution, Vance makes a triumphant return: a whip-smart, fast-paced, and eerily timely thriller that ties the 2008 global economic meltdown and international energy wars to the heartbreaking story of one family’s loss and slow re-formation.
Manhattan, 2002: Mark Wallace appears to have it all—married to the love of his life with two bright, beautiful children and a job that keeps them all living in style—until one winter night when his twelve-year-old son, Kyle, is snatched off the street.
Seven years later: Kyle was never found, and the loss has almost destroyed the Wallaces’ marriage, as well as Mark’s career. Personal connections have enabled him to recast himself as an energy consultant to the hedge fund community. Now, on the same day that a natural gas pipeline in remote western Russia is blown up by suspected terrorists, a new lead opens up in the case of Kyle’s disappearance. When a colleague slips him classified information on Saudi oil production and then suddenly commits suicide, it remains for Mark, with the help of his tech-savvy daughter and still-grieving wife, to find the sinister connections between everything that’s happening.
I've sent an email requesting their addresses. If I don't hear back from in 48 hrs, I'll choose another winner. Thank you to those that have entered :)
It's early summer in Lake Ede, MN and The Cookie Jar is bustling with orders for wedding showers, graduation parties, and family gatherings. Hannah's just wondering how they can get it all done when Mrs. Bascomb comes in to order twelve-hundred cookies for the opening luncheon at the 3-day charity event she's holding on the campus of Jordan High. The theme of the event is "Turn Over a New Leaf" the mayor's wife explains. She wants people to give twice as much as they did last year. Lisa loves the theme -- why don't they make turnovers to sell at the event? "Turnover" a New Leaf... get it? Mrs. Bascomb thinks that's a marvelous idea. Hannah thinks they're overworked as it is, but she guesses they can manage if Lisa has a good turnover recipe. Lisa doesn't, but her mother-in-law Marge makes the best apple turnovers in the world, and they set up an apple turnover assembly line after work in The Cookie Jar kitchen. Now every hour in Hannah's day is filled. Thank goodness there hasn't been a murder to investigate for a while!
Hannah vows not to take on any extra work, but she simply can't refuse when Herb asks her to be his magician's assistant at the charity event talent show. At least she had the foresight to give that hideous purple dress she wore last time she assisted him to some Jordan High students for a clothing drive. Now she'll never have to wear it again... she thinks.
The Amazing Herb and his red-haired assistant stop the show -- literally. Right after their act Hannah finds the MC of the show, Bradford Ramsey, dead with one of her apple turnovers in his hand.
Everything is happening at once for Hannah. There's Norman, who's not being forthcoming about his 3-day trip to Minneapolis. There's Mike, who's beating himself up over something. There's Delores, who's not a bit lonely now that Carrie and Earl are away on their honeymoon because all the single men in town are squiring her around, There's Andrea, who's afraid that Bill will take a job in Florida and they'll have to move. And there's Moishe who's decided that he wants to learn how to bake.
There's one other concern for Hannah, perhaps the most important one. She must solve thus murder case before the authorities start asking probing questions. No way she wants her former relationship, and her sister Michelle's not-so-former relationship, with the poetry professor to become the newest topic on the Lake Eden Gossip Hotline!
It’s that time of week again, everyone, and time for the Tuesday Teaser. Again the reminder of what this is all about. We are asked to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share two teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
Share the title of the book that the “teaser” comes from, so people can find the book if they like the teaser.
And again remember – avoid spoilers.
Here's mine
I looked over at Vera Mae, and now her eyes were ballooning, her mouth open, frozen in horror like the subject of one of those Edvard Munch paintings. I thought about my mother and my friends, and the fact that I was way to young to be blasted to kingdom come. And then an explosion rocked WYME and suddenly I didn't have to think anymore.
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.
Here's what I got ~
Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mysteryby Josi S. Kilpack~ Award- winning author Josi S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary cozies that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado turned amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller tries to solve the murder of her beautiful young neighbor a single mother who was mysteriously lured from her home while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie s search is the woman s missing two year-old child. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects including her! For an added treat, original mouth- watering recipes for Sadie s Lemon Tart, Homemade Alfredo Sauce, Carrot Cookies, Brownies, and Granny s Gingerbread Bundt Cake are sprinkled throughout the book.
Truly, Madly: A Novelby Heather Webber (ARC for review) ~ Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love. Plus, her rent is due.Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…
From Cradle to Graveby Patricia MacDonald ~ A nail-biting novel of domestic suspense from a best-selling author - When Morgan Adair arrives at the small seaside town of West Briar on the Long Island shore, she is looking forward to attending the baptism of her new godson, Drew. Morgan and Drew's mother, Claire, have been friends since childhood, and Morgan was delighted when Claire married the handsome Guy Bolton. But a few days after the christening, Morgan receives a devastating phone call from her friend . . .
Dead Air: A Talk Radio Mysteryby Mary Kennedy (For Review) ~ When a psychologist hits Florida's airwaves, there's no telling who she's reaching... ...and there's no telling who wants to reach back. Maggie left her clinical practice in Manhattan and moved to sunny Cypress Grove, Florida, where she became host of WYME's "On the Couch with Maggie Walsh." From co-dependent wives to fetish fiends, all the local crazies love her show. Then threats start pouring in against one of the station's special guests-self-styled new age prophet Guru Sanjay Gingii. When one of the threats becomes a deadly reality, Maggie's new roommate, Lark, is surprisingly the prime suspect. Now, Maggie has to prove Lark innocent while dealing with a killer who needs more than just therapy...
Psych: The Call of the Mildby William Rabkin (For Review) ~ Shawn Spencer has always hated the wilderness-by which he means anything outside the delivery radius of his favorite pizza place. But Psych has been hired to solve a baffling case of industrial espionage, and the only way to catch the spy is to join their client's bonding retreat-a grueling seven day backpacking mountain trek. But when one of the campers turns up with a bullet in the head, Shawn and Gus soon realize that sheer cliffs, rampaging bears, and freeze- dried pineapple aren't the greatest threats they face.
Apple Turnover Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)by Joanne Fluke (ARC) ~ It's June in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and for Hannah Swensen, that means bridal showers galore, plus a massive fundraising event in need of confections—not to mention a killer who never learned that charity begins at home... Early summer brings plenty of work for Hannah, even before Mayor Bascomb's wife drops by The Cookie Jar to place an order ...for eleven-hundred cookies! Stephanie Bascomb is organizing an elaborate three-day event to support local charities, and though it's a worthy cause, Hannah almost flips when her business partner, Lisa, suggests setting up an apple turnover stand. Hannah's never made a turnover—but, pushover that she is, she places her faith in Lisa's mother-in-law's recipe and agrees to be a magician's assistant in the fundraiser's talent show...Dozens of pastries and one hideous purple dress later, Hannah has to admit that stepping out of her comfort zone has been fun as well as profitable. The only snag is the show's host, community college professor Bradford Ramsey. Hannah and her younger sister Michelle each had unfortunate romantic relationships with Ramsey, and when the cad comes sniffing around between acts, Hannah tells him off. But when the curtain doesn't go up, she discovers Ramsey backstage—dead as a doornail with a turnover in his hand...Now, to protect her reputation and Michelle's, Hannah must get to the bottom of the professor's bitter end. There are plenty of scorned suspects, including an ex-wife who feels cheated in more ways than one, and a prominent local who may have been using Ramsey to avenge her own randy spouse. But who was unstable enough to snuff out Professor Love? A killer who's flakier than puffpastry—and far more dangerous...
How to Wash a Cat (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries)by Rebecca M. Hale (For Review) ~ A deceased uncle and a surprising inheritance propel a woman and her two very curious cats into the mystery surrounding his death. An investigation that starts amid the curios and novelties of a San Francisco antiques shop follows a twisted trail of dangerous deception that leads all the way back to the days of the Gold Rush itself. Ghost Sudoku (A Sudoku Mystery)by Kaye Morgan (For Review) ~ After spending her vacation hiding from the media, Liza returns to find that the town has put her in the running for mayor. She has a feeling that the neighboring county and its dirty political machine are involved. When she turns to an old classmate to find out, she discovers that he's been murdered. A closeted Sudoku fan, he's left behind puzzles that may have hidden clues to what finished him off and who is trying to run Liza into the ground.
Eggsecutive Orders (A White House Chef Mystery)by Julie Hyzy (For Review) ~ When NSA big shot Carl Minkus dies right after eating the dinner Olivia Paras's staff had prepared, all forks point to them. Now the Secret Service is picking apart the kitchen-and scrutinizing the staff's every move. The timing couldn't be worse with the White House Lawn Easter Egg Roll to prep for without access to a kitchen. Olivia must find the real culprit-before she cracks under pressure.
Murder Has No Class (A Bellehaven House Mystery)by Rebecca Kent (For Review) ~ A headmistress gets a primer in murder in the third Bellehaven House mystery. Lord Stalham has claimed innocence in the murder of his father, even after they've hanged him. Now Stalham's ghost is haunting Meredith Llewellyn. The headmistress needs her sleep, so she sets out for the truth-and discovers a high-society scandal.
Who Killed the Pinup Queen? (A Where Are They Now? Mystery)by Toni L. P. Kelner (For Review) ~ Entertainment reporter Tilda Harper has to pin down a pinup queen's killer. Freelance reporter Tilda Harper is working on two articles simultaneously-one about a former pinup model and one about an old Western show. But when she discovers the pinup queen brutally murdered, she finds that the two stories may have some disturbing connections.
When a psychologist hits Florida's airwaves, there's no telling who she's reaching...
...and there's no telling who wants to reach back.
Maggie left her clinical practice in Manhattan and moved to sunny Cypress Grove, Florida, where she became host of WYME's "On the Couch with Maggie Walsh." From co-dependent wives to fetish fiends, all the local crazies love her show.
Then threats start pouring in against one of the station's special guests-self-styled new age prophet Guru Sanjay Gingii. When one of the threats becomes a deadly reality, Maggie's new roommate, Lark, is surprisingly the prime suspect. Now, Maggie has to prove Lark innocent while dealing with a killer who needs more than just therapy...
Maggie Walsh is a licensed PhD psychologist who gave up her Manhattan practice to become a radio "shrink" in Cypress Grove Florida. She fields call from women who are looking for advice on how to get out of an abusive relationship to an irate man who defends his life as a "furrie" (people who dress up as animals and have sex with each other).
"On the Couch with Maggie Walsh" frequently has special guests sit in for her talk show. Guru Sanjay Gingii is a new age prophet with a huge following. Maggie's roommate Lark is on the Guru bandwagon too. And when she finds out that he's staying at the inn right next door to their condo, well she MUST go over and meet him. Everyone seems to be in love with him. Until that is, he's found dead in his hotel room. Guess he isn't as loved as everyone thought! Unfortunately Lark is the last person seen going into the Guru's room and that makes her the polices prime suspect. Maggie knows that Lark had nothing to do with the Guru's death and will stop at nothing to prove her innocence. She begins to investigate on her own - much to the dislike of the very handsome detective Rafe Martino. Miriam is the Guru's right hand "man" who is about to be replaced by someone younger. Kathryn Sinclair is the mother of a young girl who went to one of the Guru's retreats and has never been the same physically or emotionally since. Lenore Cooper is the Guru's ex-wife, the driving force behind getting him where he is today. Together they wrote numerous bestsellers and had the world in their hands. Now she can barely get anyone to attend her book signings, and blames it all on Sanjay. Travis is one of the Guru's trusted employees who was cheated out of what could be millions. Working for years on his book. he mentions it to the Guru, who ends up turning in it as his own work, robbing Travis of the fame he believes he has earned. Ray Hicks is not in a forgiving mood. He purchased a house from the Guru on the bay, only to have it ripped right out from under him - taken by the City by eminent domain. Causing him to not only lose his new home but his money as well. And he's conviced the Guru knew what was going to happen and the whole thing was a scam. Despite being bashed on the head and receiving threatening phone calls, Maggie is deteremined to find out who the real killer is. But will she be able to figure it out before she becomes the next victim?
Dead Air is filled with a fantastic cast of characters. Maggie is young, smart and refreshing. Vera Mae is Maggie's redneck producer who also has some witty comment and always has Maggie's back. Ted is the love-sick owner of the Inn next door where the Guru is staying. He has it bad for Maggie, but she's just not into him. Lark is Maggie's roommate who is quiet, into all things "new-age", has a shocking secret in her past and is the prime suspect in a murder. Rafe Martino is the hottie detective assigned to the case. He is not happy with Maggie's involvement in the case, but might he want her involved in his life???? And then there is Lola ~ Maggie's mother. What a hoot!! A TV/Movie star who has played in a role for every situation they find them selves in (from a Russian hypnotist to a nurse who has dealt with a patient with a concussion). She will have you in stitches!
Dead Air is the excellent start to the Talk Radio Mystery series. The characters are fresh, fun and exciting. The story moves along quickly and constantly holds your attention. There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing right up until the very end. And just the perfect hint of sexual tension to keep you turning the pages to find out what, if anything happens. I will definitely be tuning into to the next book in the series, Reel Murder: A Talk Radio Mystery, due out on June 1st.
I'm very happy to have Mary Burton stopping by today. I'm a huge fan & to have her visit my lil ole blog means a lot to me :)Thank you for visiting with me today.
“Hey, you write books, don’t you?” my neighbor asked.
“Yes, I do.”My nineteenth book, DYING SCREAM, just hit stores in December.It’s the third in my series
for Zebra and follows I’M WATCHING YOU and DEAD RINGER.But my neighbors only have a vague notion of what I do.They know I bake cookies and bread; they know that my miniature dachshunds Buddy and Bella are great fun to play with (and they bark a lot) and they know I way over decorate my house for any holiday.But my writing is something that hasn’t quite hit their radar screens.
“So you are a real author?”
Not only had I started my next romantic suspense, but I had just returned from a stock signing tour and a book signing that took me over 450 miles over a very snowy weekend.
“Why, yes I am.”
Her eyes narrowed.“But are they mysteries?”
I could have gotten into a discussion of genre groups and explained that what I really write is romantic suspense but I knew right off that would have been lost on her.“Yes they are mysteries.”
“So can you talk to my reading group?We are reading mysteries now.”
“Sure.”Within a couple of days and a few exchanged emails I had agreed to talk to her group.Before I knew it, I was standing in the front of a group of women ready for my words of wisdom.
I started off with the importance of research and character development and the need for strong hooks.But when talk turned to individual stories, we quickly ended up in discussion about The Good Guy (or Gal) in their favorite books.
We talked about these character’s jobs, homes, pets, favorite desserts and greatest talents.It was clear that they all had invested a good bit of energy into the Heroes.It was all a great lively discussion.
And then I asked, “So what about The Bad Guy or Villain?You know this character is the most important character in your book,” I sad.
That comment earned me a few blank and confused stares but I was not swayed.Since I started writing romantic suspense, I’ve come to believe that the villain is the most important character in the book.The villain drives the story.He or she is the reason why the story is even happening in the first place.After all, if there were no Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz Dorothy could have sailed right back to Kansas. And would life have been all that interesting for Batman if not for The Joker or the Penguin?
In DYING SCREAM my latest romantic suspense, my villain is a very, very bad guy.We know that from the outset.But that doesn’t stop me from taking moments and digging into his insecurities and fears.These moments don’t excuse what he’s done but they do shed light on the demons that drive him.They make him a little less black and white and a lot more interesting.And interesting is the name of the game.The more engaged your reader is in any character, the more interesting your overall book is going to be. But of course in the end, like all good Villains, he gets caught and we enjoy a sense of justice.
So looking back at your stash of Keeper books, who is your favorite Villain?
An aspiring artist. A high-school senior. A stripper. Three women who seemed to have nothing in common except their sudden disappearance. But one man knew them all. Wealthy, privileged Craig Thornton even claimed to love them. And for that, they paid the ultimate price.
No One Will Save You
When Adrianna Barrington receives an anniversary card from her husband Craig, she assumes it's some crackpot's idea of a joke. After all, Craig is dead. But then come phone calls, flowers, messages. . .all reminding her how much Craig misses her. While Adrianna begins to doubt her sanity, grisly remains are found on the Thornton estate. Detective Gage Hudson is convinced the bodies are linked to Craig. But the biggest shocks are yet to come.
No One Will Hear You Scream
A psychopath has taken up his chilling work again, each death a prelude to the moment when she is under his control at last. And the only way for Gage and Adrianna to stop him is to uncover the truth about a family's dark past--and a twisted love that someone will kill for, again and again. . .
Dying Scream was released earlier this month. Make sure to pick up your copy of this fantastic book today!
