Tag: First in Series

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Crime Thriller-The Darkwater Girls-Available Now

A crime thriller can be too predictable. I have favorite authors (here is one), but others I have stopped reading. Always willing to give the first book in a series a shot, though.

And very glad I did that with this one because it is one of the best crime thrillers I have read in a long time.

Everything from the characters to the background, to the setting, is fresh. In some ways, that makes it an even more exciting read.

It would be easy to do a “by the book” review for this one because it does have the hallmarks of a great crime thriller. But that would be giving it short shrift.

It is just so much better than that.

crime thriller blog tour schedule
Buy Links: 
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Audible:
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I like Georgia. She’s normal – even though we find out that she really isn’t. In fact, I like how everyone in this book is an “everyperson.” There are no caricatures and no rote character studies.

Everyone is real. It also adds to the interest level because it made me feel like I was just plopped down in the middle of a real town. I guess that makes me sort of like Georgia.

The author does a great job of keeping the reader off-balance, just as Georgia is. Even at the climax, I still wasn’t sure of where the greatest menace was coming from.

And OMG, what a freakin amazing few chapters mark the high point of the plot.

Honestly, I don’t want to give anything away about the plot. I will say that if you think you have it figured out, you probably don’t,

Even though my guess at one major aspect was accurate, I still didn’t get how widespread the entire enterprise was.

And something else – the author is smart in hinting about a few things regarding Georgia’s background. The story stops short of revealing her secrets. It is a guarantee to get readers like me to read future books in the series.

I will be reading the series regardless, however. I am now invested, and I have to see how Georgia and Linc’s story plays out – it is far from over.

And I do hope that certain characters from this book make a return. Some of them deserve whatever may be coming to them.

This is a fantastic start to a new series. It has great characters, an intricate yet easy-to-follow storyline, and enough detail to create full scenes. In short, it made me feel like I was watching a movie at times.

I highly recommend getting in on the ground floor of this crime thriller series, because I can already tell it is going to be a good one!

Facebook: thrillersandkillers/
Twitter: @maeganbeaumont
Instagram: maeganbeaumont/

AUTHOR BIO

Maegan Beaumont is the award-winning author of the Sabrina Vaughn thriller series. Her debut novel, CARVED IN DARKNESS was awarded the 2014 gold medal from Independent Publishers for outstanding thriller as well as being named a Foreword Book of the Year finalist and Debut Novel of the Year by Suspense Magazine. When she isn’t locked in her office, torturing her protagonists, she’s busy chasing chickens (and kids), hanging laundry and burning dinner. Either way, she is almost always in the company of her seven and a half dogs—her truest and most faithful companions—and her almost as faithful husband, Joe. She also writes hot contemporary romance as USA TODAY best-selling author, Megyn Ward.

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The Little Grave-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, I liked that the protagonist (Amanda Steele) had such a personal connection to the case she was trying to solve. As with any plot, if there is more human connection to the events, it is more interesting.

The grief that Amanda was still feeling about losing her husband and daughter was palpable from the beginning. It did make her sympathetic and relatable, because anyone who has suffered a tragedy would be able to relate.

That feeling of “get up, go through the motions, get through the day” was well-captured by the author.

Once the case pops up, her grief (and the anger that went along with it) has to be tempered with the drive to solve the case properly. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of feelings that presents certain challenges to Amanda.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08LHBX81DSocial
Apple: http://ow.ly/2KQC50BZr47
Kobo: http://ow.ly/KjwQ50BZr1j
Google: http://ow.ly/3O1750BZr8y

That’s kind of the problem I had with the believability of it. From what I know, no supervisor in their right mind would even think about allowing someone to be that involved with such a personal case, much less essentially take the lead on it.

But reading novels is about suspending disbelief, right? So, I tried to do that. For me it was a bit difficult because Amanda’s emotions are so closely tied to her actions that the separation of the two didn’t always happen.

I suppose in that regard, my reading experience mirrored Amanda’s more closely than some others might, simply because I understood the conflicts?

All of that being said, this isn’t the author’s first crime procedural and she apparently does extensive research, so I could be totally off base on this. I don’t know.

What I do know is that the author did a great job of tying threads together. Amanda soon finds that what she thought was a simple case with a personal attachment is actually much more. I thought this was well-plotted.

All in all, I think it was a successful first book of the series, and I look forward to seeing how Amanda progresses through future investigations.

TWITTER: Carolyn_Arnold
 FACEBOOK: AuthorCarolynArnold

Author Bio:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

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The Next Widow by C.J. Lyons – Books On Tour (Review)

I always love the excitement of a new series. I can’t wait to see how an author handles all of the details, from establishing backstories and relationships to addressing the plot at hand. If this book is any indication, the Jericho and Wright series promises to be quite thrilling, indeed.

The book kicks off strong with a gruesome trauma then careens into an even worse experience for Dr. Leah Wright and doesn’t let up for quite a bit. I liked how the author seemed to have no problem just jumping in and running with the story, as the first part was laced with tension and excitement.

There were just enough clues dropped that the reader was supposed to be kept off-balance. Are they legitimate or are they red herrings? I had my suspicions early on, but that’s only because of my background. Well, and the fact that I read A LOT of crime thriller and mysteries. I’m always looking for the alternative answers.

I’m not telling if I was right or not. Because that might give things away.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B087V762MFSocial Apple: https://apple.co/2SFxNkr
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2y7XbIx Google: https://bit.ly/2WhDqGe

I also thought it was interesting that the story sort of switched gears through the middle of the book. It became very “cat and mouse” as backstory was revealed, and possible motives came to the forefront. This worked somewhat, but also dragged in places.

The introduction of new “actors” was interesting though and set the stage for the last third of the book, which is when the author really hit a stride. It become much more “page turning” and interesting.

I’m not sure that all of the reasoning completely worked out. There were some things that didn’t ring true and felt forced. But overall, I liked where the plot ultimately ended up and was intrigued by the set-up for future stories.

I would definitely suggest giving this series a look and getting in at the very beginning. I have a feeling that the history of the two main characters will play a bigger role in books to come.

Author Bio

As a pediatric ER doctor, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.

CJ has been called a “master within the genre” (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as “breathtakingly fast-paced” and “riveting” (Publishers Weekly) with “characters with beating hearts and three dimensions” (Newsday).

Learn more about CJ’s Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net

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Blog Tour (Review): Blood on the Tyne-Body Parts

What a departure from my usual genres this book was!

The description caught my eye, so I thought I would give it a go. I’ve always enjoyed “older” mysteries from Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I love the whole “noir” genre. Imagine my surprise to find that Blood on the Tyne fits right in with them.

I loved the setting from the time period to the location. The mid-50s is a ripe playground for exciting characters, and the author gets them all in there: the chanteuse, the homebody sister, the gangster, the bad boy ex…it’s a great gallery of personalities.

The premise is good also. Rosie has returned home from London for her mam’s funeral. While she is there, she gets embroiled in a police investigation. Young ladies are missing and then found murdered. And they all have a connection to the very places and people Rosie is around. (Don’t want to give too much detail and give anything away).

One thing I especially appreciated was the way the author wrote dialectically. I think it takes great talent to portray an accent or lexicon accurately. When an author takes the time to do so, it adds a whole new layer to the story for me. It also usually takes me longer to read because I read all of it as written to get the full effect. (Plus, the theater-geek in me still likes to work on accents).

I was pleased to see that this is the first in what might be a series, or at least there will be a book two. I enjoyed this one very much, and I look forward to the further adventures of Rosie Robson.

About Colin Garrow

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

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Blog Tour w/Review: Kiss Me Not by Emma Hart

I have been a fan of Emma Hart for quite a while, and I was very excited to see this new release. The cover grabbed my attention (I love the style), but the story was even better.

I especially liked the setting of the kissing booth. It conveyed small-town romance, but also served as a unique way for Preston and Halley to realize their feelings for each other. That’s not to say that it happens immediately, because the two of them are stubborn – even though everyone around them knows it, they deny the attraction.

Their verbal sparring throughout the book was entertaining and added to the tension that was growing between the two of them. I thought that the focus on kissing would feel overdone after a while, but the author did a fantastic job differentiating the different types of kisses (and there were a lot of different types, thanks to the kissing booth). The descriptions of a couple, however, really allowed the reader to understand the characters’ point of view – especially Halley’s.

There were so many fun aspects to the story. My particular favorite involved Halley’s love for animals (no spoilers – you have to read it to understand). But I could see myself doing what she did. The fuzzy creatures were indirectly responsible for one of the best apology scenes I have ever read.

As far as “grand gestures” go, Preston wins in both the apology and romantic categories. But, what made them both special was that he was willing to take advice from Halley’s friends along the way (instead of being a usual guy who tried to do things on his own). I appreciated the depth that came with him being able to listen and understand a problem.

Kiss Me Not is the first in a new series (although a character from a previous novel does show up) and I cannot wait to see what is in store for Halley’s friends. Hopefully, we also get a little more of Halley and Preston along the way as well.

Kiss Me Not (Kiss Me, #1)Kiss Me Not by Emma Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You do not want to miss the latest from Emma Hart! From the unique setting at the county fair to the quirkiness of both Halley and Preston, this book is a winner. I love how the author manages to create characters who are thoroughly real – their idiosyncrasies add to their attraction. I also liked how the whole book was a slow burn, both for the characters and the reader, which made the inevitable that much sweeter. For more thoughts on this 5-star book, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of the book.

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Books On Tour: Silent Night by Geraldine Hogan

A good crime thriller should give the reader the feeling that they are solving the crime right along with the police. There should be ties between characters, and conflict that impacts the effectiveness of the officers/detectives (because that is true to real life). Clues should only come to light as characters discover them, but it’s okay to give the readers a few red herrings along the way to keep them off balance.

Given these parameters, I am pleased to say that Silent Night by Geraldine Hogan qualifies as a terrific crime thriller!

I will admit, the beginning was very slow, and I did sometimes feel like there was too much exposition. But I quickly realized that the author was setting a complete and detailed scene for the reader because once the action picked up, it was vital to have the information from the beginning.

As always, you will not find any significant plot points or spoilers here. I will say that I got the definite feeling that the author either was personally familiar with law enforcement or did a bang-up job researching because she hit the nail on the head with her descriptions of both methods and relationships between members of the squad, as well as investigative techniques.

Every reviewer has their pet peeves, and this is one of mine. I get frustrated at crime novels that don’t get those aspects correct; it ruins the book for me. Not the case here.

I also particularly enjoyed the way the author crafted the plot. There were times that I thought, “Oh, it must be this” (not revealing anything here, sorry) or “Aha, I thought so!” I love it when I am right sometimes and wrong others. Being kept off-balance keeps me engaged. There is little that is more annoying than a predictable crime thriller. Again, you won’t find that problem here; instead, you will find twists and surprises throughout the book.

Silent Night is the first in the new Detective Iris Locke series, and it is a stellar read. Just make sure that you have time to devote to this one because reading carefully is a must. If you skim, you will miss important information. I do hope that future books move a little bit faster, now that we have been introduced to many of the characters (or have we?), but I will be looking forward to the next in the series.  

SILENT NIGHT 

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Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/y5nxuz7z
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/yxpq5nk2 
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About the author
Geraldine Hogan was born in Ireland. She gained an Honors Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree in Training and Management from University College, Galway. She is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of four contemporary fiction novels under the pen name Faith Hogan.
Silent Night is her first crime novel, her second is due out in December 2019.
She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children, and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker, and reluctant jogger – except of course when it is raining!

You can find out more about Geraldine here:
www.Facebook/GeraldineHoganAuthor.com
Twitter @gerhogan 
https://www.instagram.com/faithhoganauthor/
Silent Night (Detective Iris Locke, #1)Silent Night by Geraldine Hogan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many crime thrillers claim to be “absolutely gripping,” but sometimes don’t live up to the hype. I’m happy to say that Silent Night by Geraldine Hogan does live up to the phrase. There is a lot to wade through at the beginning, but once the characters and setting are established, the action takes off. The reader is taken on quite a ride through the twists and turns of the murder investigation. I thought the author did a great job of keeping the action taut because it kept me hooked to the end. For more thoughts on what was so right about this five-star read, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

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New Release: The Way Back To Me



The Way Back to Me by Anne Mercier

AMAZON
US | UK | CA | AU

Series: The Way; Book 1
Genre: New Adult / College Romance

 GOODREADS


My life was charmed. I had the best friends ever. We were known as the Fab Five and our futures were planned out.

In a flash, everything was taken from me. I don’t know how to live without them. I don’t want to.

I’m broken.

When I get to college, I see him.

Cameron Stone. Mr. Football. Mr. Popular. He’s definitely hot, but on the inside he’s vile. He made my childhood a living nightmare. I don’t know why he hates me or why he’s suddenly being so nice to me. All the sweet talk in the world won’t work. I know better.

So, why am I listening?

Note: This is a second edition with major revisions. The book does end on a cliffhanger with the second book (The Way With You – also revised) due out late October.






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New Release: Sugar & Spice



Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander

*ebook is part of the Sweetest Obsessions Boxed Set *


Series: Spicetopia; Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance / RomCom


I’d always been the black sheep of the family. No wonder they picked me to play undercover boss at Sweetopia, the theme park my family owned. While they lounged in the lap of luxury, I’d be donning an apron to serve pastries at Cotton Candy Castle, one of our most popular attractions. 

But I was tempted to blow my cover when I met The Red Velvet Queen. She as wearing a costume and a fake jeweled crown, but this woman was absolutely breathtaking. I invented a baker’s dozen reasons to talk to her every day, quickly becoming addicted to her sweet, sugary goodness.

She thought I was just seasonal help. Too bad I was actually her boss. It could never be more than a fling … a fleeting one at that. Flings were what I lived for, so why couldn’t I settle for just one slice instead of wanting the whole damn pie?





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New Release: Black Horse



Black Horse by A.C. Williams


Series: Breaking Black; Book 1
Genre: Romantic Suspense / Dark Romance


“What would you do if the only man you ever loved was the son of the man that murdered your parents?”

In A.C. Williams’ fiery romantic suspense novel, Averi Ford’s future collides with her past with ferocious intensity. Averi Ford and Colt McClain have loved each other since they were children. They both come from a broken past. Colt’s mother died with he was young, and Averi’s parents were taken from her at the tender age of five. The same man is responsible for both of their broken childhoods: Tom “Black Horse” McClain. Now twenty years after the crimes that fractured both of their hearts, Black Horse is getting out of jail and he’s coming after the girl who testified against him: Averi, herself. Colt wants to hide her, but Averi refuses to run.

“Our past does not own us, and we owe it to our hearts to show the world that love can arise from the darkest of places. We just have to survive Black Horse to tell the tale.” 




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About the Author

My name is A.C. Williams, but you may know me better by Addison Kline. I recently got married and updated my pen name.

A.C. Williams is an International Best-Selling Author of romantic suspense and mystery novels. She resides in Pennsylvania with her family. She is the wife to an Army Veteran and the proud mom of their three sons. When she is not writing, she is immersing herself in music, reading to her heart’s content, and traveling with her family.

She is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association and while she loves to write in a variety of genres, A.C. always says “mystery is her game.” Some of her other favorite sub-genres to write include romantic suspense, psychological thrillers, crime, MC and mafia thrillers.

Some of her greatest influences to date include Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Harper Lee, Gillian Flynn, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen and James Patterson.



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New Release: Dirty Pitch

Title: Dirty Pitch
Author: A.M. Williams

Kindle Unlimited!

Series: Boys of Summer; Book 1
Genre: Sports Romance



It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye .. or you wake up in Vegas married with no memory of the event. 

Callie has no time for a relationship. Who needs the hassle of a constant man when she can just run through a line of boytoys with little issue?

Derek was attracted to Callie from the moment he saw her. From her black hair, to her green eyes, he wanted it all. The only problem? She wasn’t interested.

It all goes sideways at a bachelor and bachelorette party and they end up tied together in an unimaginable way. Will they be just another statistic or will they figure out they’re meant to be together?







Dirty Pitch is the first book in A.M. Williams new series The Boys of Summer. It has hot men in tight pants, a splash of baseball, and as always, a happily ever after.
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About the Author

A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
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