Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

 Book Excerpt:

"The author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here returns with a thriller set in the vineyards of Napa Valley. It asks what happens when the husband you thought died years ago shows up alive.

Ten years ago, June's beloved husband drowned on their honeymoon, and his body was never found. Now, a decade later, June is finally ready to move on. She owns a natural wine bar in Brooklyn and is engaged to a patient, a supportive man named Kyle. She's excited to finally begin a new chapter and start a family.

But out of the blue, she sees him—Josh, her first husband. Is this just a hallucination from the guilt June carries about finally moving on, or is it possible that her husband never died in the first place?

June tries to forget about this vision, chalking it up to grief and nerves, but soon enough, she stumbles across a website for a winery in Napa, and the owner in the photo is identical to her dead husband. June secretly flies to Napa for answers with her upcoming wedding looming and a fiancé worried she hasn't entirely left her past behind. But she's not prepared for all the secrets she's about to unlock because everything she thought she knew about her first love is a lie."

Title:  Till Death Do Us Part

Author:  Elizabeth Flynn

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster 

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

'Till Deth Do Us Part' by Elizabeth Flynn

My Perception:  

"Till Death Do Us Part" was interesting because the author gives the reader something to think about long after they read this Wine story. We find out that June has married Jost, but he drowns during their honeymoon. Quickly passes away after one week of their marriage. What was even stranger... Josh's body was never found. After ten years, she becomes engaged to Kyle,  but something strange happens. It seems like June is seeing her first husband, Josh, who is supposed to be dead. That's when this story picks up...as June starts digging into Josh's past. What is up with that? The reader must keep up with this read to fully understand what is going on or has gone on. Be ready for many twists and turns, grief, secrets, friendship, heartbreak, and drama in this thriller as you continue to read this story, as shocking revelations come out at the end and the horrible truth emerges! I will stop here because I don't want to give out any more spoilers. Be ready for two stories that come together in the end.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley.

SHEEPDOGS: Keeping the Wolves at Bay (A Gil Mason Novel Book 1) Kindle Edition by Gordon Carroll

 Book Excerpt:

"My fingers traced the indented letters of the silver WWJD bracelet on my right wrist. I do that when I'm considering pummeling someone. Gil Mason is a simple guy with complex problems. Cross Phillip Marlow with Caesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, and you create a new breed of a private eye; the courage of a Pit Bull, the heart of a Labrador. Max, Gil's K9 partner, has a few problems of his own. It's a love-hate relationship. Part of Max wants to love his human master, while his alpha personality instinctively drives him to take control of the pack. So how does a former cop turned PI find a missing teenage boy who has been kidnapped by a corporate billionaire while dealing with his own feelings of guilt and loneliness over the murder of his family and keeps his canine's homicidal tendencies in check? Brains, guts, and fists combined with an intimate understanding of dog psychology. As long as Max doesn't eat him first."

Title: Sheepdogs: Keeping the Wolves at Bay
Author: Gordon Carroll
Publisher: G.C.
Series: A Gil Mason Novel Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Sheepdogs: Keeping the Wolves at Bay" by Gordon Carroll

My Opinion:

'SleepDog' was indeed quite an entertaining read that kept your attention turning the pages to see what was coming next. This author did an excellent job of giving the readers a thrilling story about a man and his dogs. I enjoyed reading from Max's perspective and giving us a twisting plot of greed with its extremeness. It was quite a challenging read at times in all Max and Gil Mason, the private investigator, had gone through. However, by the end, you are given quite a spell-bounding story.

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

 

Book Excerpt:

"Award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks combines her expertise as a forensic artist with her talent for crafting a gripping story in this page-turning web of light and shadow.

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she’s on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames, and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby’s area of expertise . . . but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she’s trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly."

Title: Woman in Shadow
Author: Carrie Stuart Parks
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Woman in Shadow" by Carrie Start Parks

My Opinion:

What will happen when Darby Graham, a forensic linguist, is sent to a ranch that helps her deal with her PTSD? We find she is sent from Clan Firinn, a law enforcement program that needed help with this issue, completing her final test.

The setting is new Yellowstone with frequent earthquakes adds to this story with the author giving us an intriguing story of what all had happened to Darby as the story weaves back and forth till the end. Even though Darby was no longer in law enforcement, we find that her training skills will help with all that is happening at 'Mule Shoe Resort and the little town of Targhee Falls.' How will the verse that was sent to her...'Be strong and courageous...Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go' be able to help Darby since she had been a non-believer? The read gets even more exciting as there was a hint of romance. How will that all turn out? Who was this 'Shadow Woman', and let's not leave out those beautiful dogs, Holly and Maverick, in how they came into play? For the most part, the characters were well-developed and defined, giving the reader a good read to the end. To find out the who, what, and why, you will have to pick up this book to see how well this author delivers it to the reader.

Be ready for a mystery-thriller and suspenseful story with some Christian aspects as you read through 'Woman in Shadow.' It gets even more so as we find out what had happened as Darby's PTSD flashbacks come out, giving us all that we needed to know about what had happened earlier in her life that would help her in the situation she was now in. Would this be a redemption and healing process for Darby?

'Women in Shadows' was one of those reads that one will find hard to put down until the end. And yes, I was left surprised by who this wrong person turned out to be!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Darkness Drops Again by Melissa E. Manning

 Book Excerpt:

"With jaw-dropping twists balanced perfectly with down-to-earth mom-moments, Darkness Drops Again is a sexy crime thriller that isn't afraid to push the envelope." - Indies Today.

Thirty-nine-year-old attorney Maeve Shaw has painstakingly constructed the perfect life. Her husband, Patrick, is a handsome senior manager at a prestigious consulting firm. They have two adorable boys, Declan and Seamus. And if Maeve just keeps her billable hours up and her mouth shut, she could actually have a shot at making a partner at her male-dominated law firm. 

But Maeve’s perfect life starts to fall apart when she discovers her marriage might not be what it seems, and a new case at work brings up long-hidden, dark memories from her own childhood. Determined to save her marriage and keep secret her childhood demons, Maeve attempts a balancing act that leaves her more vulnerable than she’s ever been. And soon she’s unsure if everything she has worked so hard for will crumble as darkness overtakes Maeve once again."

Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, this page-turning legal thriller will keep readers hooked till the very end. 

Title: Darkness Drops Again
Author: Melissa E. Manning
Publisher: Bowker
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Darkness Drops Again" by Melissa E. Manning

My Opinion:

"Darkness Drops Again" was an excellent legal thriller that not only reflexed on the story of Maeve, who was a lawyer and had been put on a pro-bono case that found her defending a mother who was accused of killing her drug-addicted daughter. But also, the story brought in Maeve's personal life as she grew up while living with her parents with demons of her own. And what was going on with Maeve's marriage? The story will be wound up around issues... of 'addiction, murder, legal system, infidelity, and friendship.' Be prepared for twists and turns, courtroom scenes that will keep you turning to pages to see what is coming next. This author really does an excellent job of bringing the reader a good storyline in this action-packed thriller where one will keep on guessing to the end!

Thank you to Bowker and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fixed: A Chloe Daniels Mystery (The Daniels Project Book 2) Kindle Edition by Deidra D. S. Green

Book Excerpt:

"He was born different. They tried to make him stay the same.

Melvin Lane never felt comfortable in his own skin. He was much more comfortable as Mica Lanae, her most real self. But those who were supposed to love Melvin unconditionally refused to accept her, resorting to brutality to keep Melvin who they wanted him to be. A stifled rage begins to grow.
And with the death of a prostitute whose life parallels her own, Mica plots revenge. The rage Mica held back so long is unleashed, and she leaves bodies in her wake. Just who dies at her hands is yet to be seen."

Warning: This story addresses gender issues. It can be read as a standalone but is interconnected to the Daniels Project.

Title: Fixed: A Chloe Daniels Mystery
Author: Deidra D. S. Green
Publisher: D.D.S.G.
Series: The Daniels Project Book 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Fixed: A Chloe Daniels Mystery" by Deidra D. S. Green

My Speculation:

The author puts quite a spin on this story. My feelings were left all over the place from all of the abuse, Melvin [Mica] had endured. Being so sad from it, all one could see how he [she] Melvin Lane/Mica Lanae strikes out at his family members who were nothing but a lousy piece of work. And in his last go-round getting messed up in finding out what has happened in Lei Lie situation being hindered due to our famous Anna Black. Will this bring in Dr. Chloe Daniels back into all of this mayhem with her team trying to solve another case that involves not only Anna Black but some other person? 

FIT: The 4th installment in the Chloe Daniels Mysteries Kindle Edition by Deidra D. S. Green

Book Description....

"Sick, Sicker Sickest brought you the notorious Anna Black, now standing trial for multiple counts of murder in the first degree. Grace Pembroke Wetherby refused to be upstaged by the Angel of Death and continued her murderous spree. Mischief’s Mayhem gave you Major and Mayven, two love crossed killers, dropping bodies in different area codes. Dr. Chloe Daniels and Detective Michael Phillips are fighting against the clock to put an end to the serial killers reign. And then comes Logan, who kills by influence. Will Anna get the justice she so desperately seeks; to be free to help lost souls to the kingdom? Has Grace tested the limits one too many times? Will Major and Mayven kill again? Find out in the fourth installment of the Chloe Daniels Mysteries."

Title:  FIT
Author:  Deidra D. S. Green
Publisher:  Rathsi Publishing
Series:  The 4th installment in the Chloe Daniels Mysteries
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Fit" by Deidra D. S. Green

My Thoughts...

Well, as we go into the 4th installment in the 'Chloe Daniels Mysteries' we have 'Fit' and all I can say is that this author gives the reader quite a captivating story that will keep you turning the pages and leave one wanting more.  In this series the reader will spend time with some interesting characters from  Mayven and Major, Anna Black, [Detective Fatima Moore] Logan Spencer...a new character, Grace Pembroke Wetherby, Detective Phillips, Dr. Daniels, [Chief Livingston], [Stanley Lucas][Wallace King & Theo Coulter] to name a few that keep your attention all the way to the end.  By the end will these serial killers still reign or will there be a 'standoff?'  Yes, we get another cliffhanger! The story is very well written and I found there seems to be so much going on with some new characters as well as old ones.  The reader will have to keep up as we are presented some more interesting things going on that will certainly be of great interest in the series.  As we go into last series 'Run'...the 5th Installment in Chloe Daniels Mysteries hopefully this series will tie this whole story all together so  that the reader will get all unanswered questions answered.

Watching You: A terrifying thriller with a mind-bending twist (Detective Kerri Blasco Book 3), By J.A. Schneider

Book Description....

"A serial killer texts his victims first. A detective vows revenge. He comes after her.

In the chill of an October night, Detective Kerri Blasco is called to a bizarre murder scene. Leda Winfield, a young volunteer for the homeless, has been shot. Her cell phone displays the frightening text, WATCHING YOU, and into her back, hideously pushed with a hat pin, is a note with the same awful message. Leda's socialite family and friends insist that no one would have wanted to harm her, but Detective Kerri isn't convinced.

Until another random young woman is killed in exactly the same way. Kerri and her team profile a monstrous killer who enjoys terrifying his victims before stalking and killing them. But how does he get their phone numbers?

Kerri soon finds that the killer is after her, too, and that the key to finding him may just be in the homeless shelter. When the body count rises, she vows to stop the madman - even if it means battling her own personal trauma, risking her job, her love relationship with her boss Alex Brand, and her life."

Title:  Watching You

Author:  J. A. Schneider

Publisher:  R.G.S. Media

Series:  Detective Kerri Blasco Book 3

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five
Review:

"Watching You" by J. A. Schneider

My Thoughts......

Another good thriller mystery read 'Watching You' that I thoroughly enjoyed the read! This novel is a third in this series.. 'Detective Kerri Blasco' which can be read as a standalone read.  This thriller mystery will get Detective Kerri Blasco involved with three murders..Leda Winfield, Tricia Simms and Patrick Vale.  However there will be a little twist in this read as these bizarre murders will involve Detective Blasco personally. I loved how this author was able to bring in information about the homeless as the reader will see from the read.  This will be a case with lots of twist and turns as this murderer is texting to his  victims 'WATCHING YOU' on their cell phones.Now, how will this be done?  It will be quite a case of 'cat and mouse' but Detective Blasco will not give up...'even if it means battling her own personal trauma, risking her job, her love relationship with her boss Alex Brand and her life.'  I don't want to spoil it for you other than to say if you are in for a good mystery thriller ...pick up "Watching You" to see how well this author gives to the reader another good story as Detective Kerri Blasco brings it all out front and center.

Thank you to the author for a early read of your novel for my honest thoughts of the read.

Close to Home By: Brian W. Smith

Book Description...

"Vera Gordon is tired of her husband cheating on her. One night she follows him to his lovers house and kills them both. Justified? If so, then why did this crime passion lead her to standing on the tallest bridge in New Orleans recounting the series of events that transpired. There is much more to this crime than meets the eye."
Book Description...

"Vera Gordon is tired of her husband cheating on her. One night she follows him to his lovers house and kills them both. Justified? If so, then why did this crime passion lead her to standing on the tallest bridge in New Orleans recounting the series of events that transpired. There is much more to this crime than meets the eye."


Title:  Close to Home A Novella
Author:  Brian W. Smith
Publisher: B. W. S.
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"Close to Home" by Brian W. Smith

My Thoughts...

All I can say is wow!  I truly didn't see that coming! This author as always know how to get and keep your attention with all of the action that is going on till the very end even though its a novella! I think this person Vera had enough of his hubby's crap with his extramarital ways and with enough being enough she took charge and in doing so we get the whole story sad as it was  and in the end so does Cole!

A Christmas Escape By: Anne Perry

Book Description....

"For countless readers, Christmastime means a delicious new holiday mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry. A Christmas Escape, her thirteenth noel to the season, transports us to the Mediterranean island of Stromboli for an unconventional Yuletide adventure—and an unforgettable volcanic encounter.

Lonely Charles Latterly arrives at his small hotel hoping that the island's blue skies and gentle breezes will brighten his spirits. Unfortunately, there's no holiday cheer to be found among his fellow guests, who include a pompous novelist, a stuffy colonel, a dangerously ill-matched married couple, and an ailing old man. The one charming exception is orphaned teenager Candace Finbar, who takes Charles under her wing and introduces him to the island's beauty. But the tranquility of the holiday is swiftly disrupted by a violent quarrel, an unpleasant gentleman's shocking claims of being stalked, and the ominous stirrings of the local volcano. Then events take an even darker turn: A body is found, and Charles quickly realizes that the killer must be among the group of guests.

Captivating in its depiction of untamed nature in all its awesome power, and of the human heart in the throes of transformation, A Christmas Escape gifts readers with Anne Perry's talent for making the season brighter—and more thrilling."

Title:  A Christmas Escape
Author:  Anne Perry
Publisher:  Random House Publishing Group
Series:  Christmas Stories #13
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"A Christmas Escape" by Anne Perry

What I liked about this novel...

This was a enjoyable mystery thriller that happened around Christmastime.  I found this read one
excitable read that will definitely keep your attention  as it was for Charles Latterly's three week adventure where he finds himself on the 'Mediterranean Island of Stromboli' in Tyrrhenian dealing with a awful volcano. We find that Charles had left London to get away after the death of his wife. Will this "heal the sense of helplessness and  the bitterness of endless small failures" that had happened in his life?

The characters in this novel were all very interesting...well developed, well portrayed and even some shady ones  that would keep the readers turning the pages. Will this be a tranquility time for Charles as he had hoped it would be as he meets these people [Stefano, Finbar, Candace, Walker Bailey, Isla, Bretherton and Quinn] whom he would be traveling with? What will happen after Charles meet Candace and her uncle Finbar?  Will Charles be able to keep a promise he made with Finbar?  What will happen as the volcano gets worse and a body is found?  I liked the descriptions of the foods that Stefano prepared so well for the guests[creating dishes that would dazzle all the senses]. To get all of these questions answered in this short read and a lots more you will have to pick up this authors mystery thriller to see how it will all come out.  Who will make it out of this island alive to hear the ng them know it was Christmas and the 'Time of Hope, for everyone?"

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What Lies Within By: James Morris

Book Description....

“You’re going to die”

"Shelley Marano is an ordinary, unexceptional high school senior…until the day she receives a cryptic text message, and her world tilts sideways. Now she’s in real danger, although she doesn’t know who would want her dead, or why. As she starts to unravel the mystery, the truth about who she really is proves to be more frightening than she ever imagined. With the lives of her and her friends hanging in the balance, one thing is certain:

Nothing will ever be the same."

Title:  What Lies Within
Author:  James Morris
Publisher:  Kindle Press
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"What Lies Within" by James Morris

My Thoughts....

This was quite a interesting mystery thriller read that once I started reading it I wasn't able to put it down until the end.  Everything seemed to be going great for Shelley Marano...and then she receives a text from a brother that she didn't know she had saying .... [YOU'RE GOING TO DIE].  Now what was up with that? ...And then there is more...Shelly was also told that she was adopted and in danger. Now what is going on in Shelley Marano life...where she had been a happy senior in high school...looking forward to going to college...working at  her father's auto body shop and best friends with Winston?  Now for Shelley...it seems like her life has been turned upside down and this is where I will stop and say that you will have to pick up this fast paced, well written story to find out what all will come of Shelley Marano.  It will be one ride with many twist and turns, drama, suspense with some real intriguing characters that will keep you turning the pages wanting to know what will be coming next in this good read.  Will 'Nature vs. Nature'  win out in the end for Shelley?  I love how the storyline presented which showed  the growth of this heroine ....Shelley definitely learning just who her true  loyal friend really was in the end.  Will life for Shelly ever be the same after 'a series of terrifying revelations that she goes through?'  Again you will have to pick up the read to see how this author presents it so well to the readers.

As I came to the end of this novel I was left wanting more answers like... ['who are the others...and who is this real Shelley?'], so I hope there will be a sequel for more of this story.

Thank you to the author for letting me read your novel  and give my honest  opinion of the read.





I received free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you so much for letting me read your novel.

Megan's Cure (An Enzo Lee Mystery Thriller) By: Robert B. Lowe

Title:  Megan's Cure
Author:  Robert B. Lowe
Publisher:   Enzo Lee Publications
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"Megan's Cure" by Robert B. Lowe was a down right good old mystery thriller read and the third in this author's series.  Once you start reading "Megan's Cure" it will be hard to put down.  We find this investigator reporter, Enzo Lee only doing what he does so well  trying to save his dying grandmother life when he uncovers a 'pharmaceutical conspiracy.'  This story will move rather quickly so you will have to keep up because there is so much going on between where this story starts....the Gulf  Coast  of Alabama where this young child of 10 was kidnapped and on into where Enzo lives in San Francisco.  As a visitor of the  San Francisco area I was able to identify with some of the descriptions of that area as the author gave to the reader.   Also, I found from the read that this author gave a very captivating storylines with  twist and turns of a view of the pharmaceutical industry along with some very interesting characters.  From this read you will definitely get into some real world issues of it all that will  give the reader something  truly think about long after the read.