Book Tour: We’ll Never Tell by Wendy Heard

We’ll Never Tell

by

Wendy Heard

Young Adult Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Publishing Date: May 16, 2023

Page count: 320 pages

SYNOPSIS:

An ambitious and juicy whodunit doused in Hollywood lore, perfect for readers of sexy summer thrillers like The Twin by Natasha Preston and The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.

No one at Hollywood High knows who’s behind We’ll Never Tell—a viral YouTube channel where the anonymous creators trespass behind the scenes of LA’s most intriguing locales. The team includes CASEY, quiet researcher and trivia champ; JACOB, voice narrator and video editor, who is secretly dating EDDIE, aspiring filmmaker; and ZOE, coder and breaking-and-entering extraordinaire.

Now senior year is winding down, and with their lives heading in different directions, the YouTubers vow to go out with a bang. Their last episode will be filmed at the infamous Valentini “murder house,” which has been left abandoned, bloodstained, and untouched since a shocking murder/suicide in 1972. When the teens break in, they capture epic footage. But someone trips an alarm, and it’s a mad dash to get out before the police arrive—at which point they realize only three of them escaped instead of four. Jacob is still inside, slain and bleeding out. Is his attack connected to the historic murder, or is one of their crew responsible?

A week of suspicions and cover-ups unfolds as Casey and her remaining friends try to stay alive long enough to solve murder mysteries past and present. If they do, their friendship may not survive. If they don’t, the house will claim more victims.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Heard is the author of suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s.

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May 15th
The Someday Librarian – Interview
DB’s Guide to the Galaxy – Review, Favorite Quotes
deepireads – Review
Booksland – Review

May 16th
Boys’ Mom Reads! – Review
The Book Review Crew – Review, Favorite Quotes
PopTheButterfly Reads – Review
Jen Jen Reviews – Review

May 17th
Twirling Book Princess – Promotional Post
The Review Booth – Review
Abigail’s Lost in a Book – Review

May 18th
Andonshereads – Interview
Pages & Plots – Promotional Post
Phannie the ginger bookworm – Review, Playlist
Mallory Books – Review, Creative post: Annotation Art

May 19th
Confessions of a YA Reader – Review
Little Voids – Review, Mood Board
The Clever Reader – Review

May 20th
A Short Book Lover – Review, Playlist
Reading Stewardess – Review
bookloversbookreviews – Promotional Post
The Momma Spot – Review

May 21st
Literary Liza – Interview
the nutty bookworm reads alot – Review
Book-Keeping – Top 5 Reasons to Read We’ll Never Tell
Charli’s Book Box – Review

May 15th
bookishlifeofkels – Promotional Post
ablueboxfullofbooks – Review, Creative post: Little Free Library Drop
daniereads87 – Review
thesomedaylibrarian – Content Creator’s Choice
deepireads – Content Creator’s Choice
aayureads – Content Creator’s Choice

May 16th
overlookingpages – Review, Favorite Quotes
get.outside.and.read – Promotional Post
reading.late.into.the.night – Content Creator’s Choice
popthebutterfly – Content Creator’s Choice
jenjenreviews – Content Creator’s Choice

May 17th
bookdemonio – Promotional Post
dreaminginpages – Review
staxsonstaxs – Promotional Post, Playlist
melaniereadsbooks – Review
thereviewbook – Content Creator’s Choice
abigailslostinabook – Content Creator’s Choice

May 18th
writingrosereads – Promotional Post
silveryquills – Review
stacialovestoread – Review
phannietthegingerbookworm – Content Creator’s Choice
bookdreamr – Content Creator’s Choice

May 19th
tbrandbeyond – Promotional Post
lisashelves – Review, Mood Board
brittyoreads – Review
readlivelaugh – Review, Favorite Quotes
bookishly_sweety – Content Creator’s Choice
thecleverreader – Content Creator’s Choice

May 20th
ninebookishlives – Promotional Post
froggyreadteach – Review, Favorite Quotes
skygoddess1 – Content Creator’s Choice
bookloversbookreviews – Content Creator’s Choice
BookDragonsTBR – Content Creator’s Choice

May 21st
quirkylitlover – Promotional Post
lunatonks_777 – Review
gsreadingspree – Review
literaryliza – Content Creator’s Choice
hollymbryan – Content Creator’s Choice
charlisbookbox – Content Creator’s Choice

Book Tour: Girl Forgotten by April Henry

Girl Forgotten

by

April Henry

Young Adult Thriller

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Publishing Date: March 28, 2023

Page count: 272 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Piper Gray starts a true-crime podcast investigating a seventeen-year-old cold case in this thrilling YA murder mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry. 

Seventeen years ago, Layla Trello was murdered and her killer was never found. Enter true-crime fan Piper Gray, who is determined to reopen Layla’s case and get some answers. With the help of Jonas—who has a secret of his own—Piper starts a podcast investigating Layla’s murder. But as she digs deeper into the mysteries of the past, Piper begins receiving anonymous threats telling her to back off the investigation, or else. The killer is still out there, and Piper must uncover their identity before they silence her forever. 

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Review:

5 stars!

An exciting young adult thriller that will appeal to fans of true crime podcasts!

Girl Forgotten by author April Henry is a fascinating young adult thriller that had me glued to its pages from the very start. The main characters have compelling backstories, and in their current lives, they are still overcoming their pasts which makes for an absolutely riveting read.

Piper Gray is new in town, now living with her biological father and his wife and children, after growing up with just her mother, a single mom who always had to work hard to make ends meet. The discovery of the senior passion project catches her off guard; she just wants to coast through this last year of high school and be on her way, free to escape the uncomfortable living situation with her father’s new family. Her father and his family are not unkind or horrible people; it’s just that Piper doesn’t really know them and feels like an outsider intruding into their established and settled lives and routines. Her grief over her mother is palpable, and I was dumbfounded when it was finally revealed what had happened to her. But throughout, Piper remains focused on uncovering Layla’s story and unmasking a murderer. Of course, she is excited and pleased by her podcast’s success, but I felt she wanted justice for Layla rather than simply using her tragedy for self-promotion.

The book is told partly in narrative and partly as transcripts of the finished podcast episodes, which really capture the essence of the events. The little details of creating a podcast and producing quality weekly content (and on a shoestring) were fascinating. The story contains some great twists that, when revealed, literally made me exclaim out loud! I think the final reveal of the killer will be a surprise to most readers, but there are clues along the way to their identity and motive. This ultimately makes for a very tense showdown and, eventually, a very satisfying ending.

I recommend GIRL FORGOTTEN to readers who enjoy young adult thrillers, true-crime podcasts, and stories set in the Pacific Northwest.

About the Author:

New York Times-bestselling author April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. There was one detour on April’s path to destruction:  when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children’s author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he showed it to his editor, who asked if she could publish it in Puffin Post, an international children’s magazine. By the time April was in her 30s, she had started writing about hit men, kidnappers, and drug dealers. She has published 27 mysteries and thrillers for teens and adults, with more to come. She is known for meticulously researching her novels to get the details right. 

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March 27th
Stuck in Fiction – Interview
Confessions of a YA Reader – Review

March 28th
The Sleepy Bookworm – Review
forthenovellovers – Review

March 29th
And On She Reads – Review
Beauty & Her Books – Review

March 30th
Kait Plus Books – Interview
Phannie the ginger bookworm – Review, Playlist

March 31st
Reading Stewardess – Review
Charli’s Book Box – Review

April 1st
DB’s Guide to the Galaxy – Review
Boys’ Mom Reads! – Review

April 2nd
The Book Dutchesses – Interview
The Clever Reader – Review

March 27th
books.andsnacks – Review
whatageminireads – Promotional Post
hooked.by.books – Review
cozybooktraveller – Review, Playlist

March 28th
casreadz – Promotional Post
thesleepybookworm – Content Creator’s Choice

March 29th
lisashelves – Promotional Post
dreaminginpages – Review
thereadinggargoyle – Promotional Post
beautynherbooks – Content Creator’s Choice

March 30th
neverknotreading – Promotional Post
lifewithprinceman – Review, Creative Post: Annotation art
daniereads87 – Review
a_young_writer – Review, Favorite Quotes

March 31st
bookishlifeofkels – Promotional Post
naturegracereader – Review
charliebookbox – Content Creator’s Choice

April 1st
justa.gal.andherbooks – Review
nissa_the.bookworm – Review
shereadytoread – Content Creator’s Choice

April 2nd
lunatonks_777 – Review
laurensbookvibes – Promotional Post
kathytrihardt – Top 5 Reasons to Read Girl Forgotten
thecleverreader – Content Creator’s Choice

Book Tour: I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu

I Will Find You Again

by

Sarah Lyu

Young Adult Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: March 14, 2023

Page count: 304 pages

SYNOPSIS:

All the Bright Places meets Ace of Spades in this smart, twisty teen thriller about a girl who can’t stop pushing herself to be the best—even after losing her best friend and the love of her life.

Welcome to Meadowlark, Long Island—expensive homes and good schools, ambition and loneliness. Meet Chase Ohara and Lia Vestiano: the driven overachiever and the impulsive wanderer, the future CEO and the free spirit. Best friends for years—weekend trips to Montauk, sleepovers on a yacht—and then, first love. True love.

But when Lia disappears, Chase’s life turns into a series of grim snapshots. Anger. Grief. Running. Pink pills in an Altoids tin. A cheating ring at school. Heartbreak and lies. A catastrophic secret.

And the shocking truth that will change everything about the way Chase sees Lia—and herself.

Content Warning: drug use

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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REVIEW:

5 stars!

I Will Find You Again will mesmerize readers from start to finish.

I Will Find You Again by author Sarah Lyu is a brilliant contemporary young adult novel that will mesmerize readers from start to finish. What starts out as a well-told tale of the stresses and rigors of  the senior year of high school, deciding a path for the future and nailing down final details, is revealed to be so much more. It was like watching a duck paddling on a pond, calm on top but a flurry of motion under the water.

Chase is a driven soul, trying to live up and surpass her parents’ expectations, and doesn’t understand her friend Lia’s attitude toward life, her future, or her family. She sees what Lia has and thinks she’s got it made. It seems that resentment and envy have been bubbling below the surface of their relationship from the start. When Lia goes missing, readers watch as Chase tries to find out what happened to her friend, not realizing that Part One of the book isn’t the beginning of the story. That’s when suspicions about Chase’s involvement in Lia’s disappearance take a big left turn.

The writing is smooth, and every aspect of the story is realistic. I liked that the girls’ relationship felt accepted. This isn’t about their love being challenged, picked apart, or the girls being ostracized. Finally. Excellent descriptions, natural dialogue, and clever twists and turns move the story forward in one direction, only for the reader to realize that wasn’t where things were headed after all. The tension in the story is there from the beginning and builds with every turn of the page. I couldn’t put the book down, and I was completely invested.

With its engaging, sympathetic main characters and riveting plot, I recommend I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN to readers who enjoy contemporary young adult fiction with an LGBTQ+ storyline.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Lyu grew up outside of Atlanta, GA, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She loves a good hike and can often be found with a paintbrush in one hand and a cup of milky tea in the other. She is the author of I Will Find You Again and The Best Lies. You can visit her at sarahlyu.com.

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March 13th
Never Hollowed By The Stare – Promotional Post
And On She Reads – Promotional Post
dinipandareads – Review, Favorite Quotes

March 14th
Twirling Book Princess – Promotional Post

March 15th
Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
Book-Keeping –Review

March 16th
Cindy’s Love of Books – Review
Boys’ Mom Reads! – Review
Forever In A Story – Review, Mood Board

March 17th
Pages & Plots – Promotional Post
Charli’s Book Box – Review

March 18th
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promotional Post
Midsummer Night’s Read – Review

March 19th
Kait Plus Books – Promotional Post
The Nutty Bookworm Reads Alot – Review
Jen Jen Reviews – Review

March 13th
neverknotreading – Promotional Post
hoardingbooks.herdingcats – Review, Favorite Quotes
dinipandareads – Content Creator’s Choice

March 14th
ninebookishlives – Promotional Post
allielovestoread – Review, Favorite Quotes
silveryquills – Review
spoonie.bujo – Review, Favorite Quotes

March 15th
dreamininpages – Promotional Post
gsreadingspree – Review
hollymbryan – Content Creator’s Choice

March 16th
writingrosereads – Promotional Post
nikki_bookbinges – Review, Playlist
foreverinastory – Content Creator’s Choice

March 17th
tbrandbeyond – Promotional Post
wellreadwyvern – Review
charlisbookbox – Content Creator’s Choice

March 18th
bookdemonio – Promotional Post
booknerd_jen22 – Review, Playlist

March 19th
quirkylitlover – Review
theenchantedshelf – Review
jenjenreviews – Content Creator’s Choice

Central Station by Joseph Cariffe

Central Station: A Ray DeLuca Novel by Joseph Cariffe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Action-packed and enthralling, I loved Ray DeLuca and cheered for him every step of the way.

The son of an east coast Sicilian mafia boss, young Ray DeLuca, was part of “the life” but entered the Navy instead of following in his father’s footsteps. Sixteen successful years later and a SEAL Chief Petty Officer, he retires to pursue a career in protecting and serving with the San Francisco Police Department. However, on his very first shift at Central Station, he attracts the ire of the Watch Commander, Lt. Flynn, who takes any opportunity to criticize and embarrass him.

Assigned to a two-officer black and white, Ray and his partner, Chinese-American Officer Hank Lau, patrol the Chinatown/Little Italy neighborhoods experiencing an upswing in gang activity. Chinatown, already home to the deadly Ghost Boys, has attracted the notice of a Sicilian mob family, and an influx of wise guys shaking down the business owners for protection money has the area teetering on the brink of an all-out war.

When a domestic violence call goes south, and a Ghost Boy dies, Ray is marked for death with a $50K bounty on his head. Ghost Boys make several failed attempts on his life but still seem one step ahead of Ray at all times. One night while he’s out on a first date with his dream girl, four gang members confront the couple. Ray fights back, injuring two and sending them running. His date, appalled by the violence and frightened out of her mind, never wants to see Ray again. But worse yet, later that night, he is called into Central Station, where Lt. Flynn is gleefully waiting with the news that the thugs he fended off have filed charges and a complaint, intending to sue the city. But when Flynn blames Ray and takes the thugs’ side over his own man, Ray loses his cool standing up for himself and earning himself a suspension.

With his gun, ID, and protection of his badge gone, Ray must now fend off continued attacks from the Ghost Boys on his own while waiting for his opportunity to defend himself, clear his name, and return to the job he loves.

Central Station is a riveting crime thriller featuring the engaging and immensely likable Ray DeLuca. The action is non-stop as the story unfolds and we follow the main character through his trials and tribulations and the will-he-catch-him murder plotline. I was glued to this story from page one until the close, smiling almost the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the family ate out while I was reading it. Who has time to cook when you’ve got such a page-turner in your hands?!

Our man Ray is a charming guy with a successful career as a Navy SEAL behind him. He has a couple of relationships with different women during the course of the story, some of which, for a number of reasons, don’t flourish. Like Ray’s mother, though, I have high hopes.

While the action and adventure commands center stage, I loved his interactions with his mother. Whenever he got a care package from home, I was dying to know what she’d sent this time. The discussions of her cooking had me enthralled and ready to head to Sicily (or at least the east coast.) One thing I didn’t go for was how her dialogue was written to convey her accented English, but I don’t know any other way the author could have accomplished this. I eventually got the rhythm of it, and it didn’t slow me down as much as it did initially. I also enjoyed the peek inside THE FAMILY, especially when Ray’s father was incarcerated.

The book is GODFATHER long but literally full of exciting action. The author’s writing is smooth, comfortable, and compelling. It is also the author’s DEBUT novel. Amazing! I can hardly wait to see what comes from his pen next and for Ray DeLuca’s future adventures.

I recommend CENTRAL STATION to readers who enjoy crime fiction with a charming main character, police stories featuring organized crime and criminals, San Francisco settings, and non-stop action/adventures that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

View all my reviews

Book Tour: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

The Black Queen

by

Jumata Emill

Young Adult Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publishing Date: January 31, 2023

Page count: 400 pages

ISBN-10: 0593568540 / ISBN-13: 9780593568545

SYNOPSIS:

Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she’s dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.

Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.

Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.

No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t fact the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.

Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.

But Tinsley has an agenda, too.

Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.

| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository |

| Indigo | IndieBound | Kobo |

About the Author:

Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his B.A. in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, La.

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January 30th
Never Hollowed By The Stare – Promotional Post
A Short Book Lover – Review

January 31st
The Litt Librarian – Promotional Post
PopTheButterfly Reads – Promotional Post

February 1st
Book-Keeping – Top 5 Reasons to Read The Black Queen
Midsummer Night’s Read – Review

February 2nd
forthenovellovers – Review
Justice For Readers – Top 5 Reasons to Read The Black Queen
And On She Reads – Promotional Post

February 3rd
Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
Jen Jen Reviews – Review

February 4th
leosthetics – Review & Favorite Quotes
Thesleepybookworm – Review

February 5th
Reading Stewardess – Examination of themes in The Black Queen
Enunciate This – Review
Boys’ Mom Reads! – Promotional Post

January 30th
shereadytoread – Review & Book Look
bibliovino – Review
booking.with.janelle – Review & Favorite Quotes
thelittlibrarian – Content Creator’s Choice

January 31st
kaythebookworm – Mood Board
whisperingprose – Review
mostlyreadthings – Promotional Post
popthebutterfly – Content Creator’s Choice

February 1st
tbrandbeyond – Promotional Post
hollymbryan – Content Creator’s Choice

February 2nd
writingrosereads – Promotional Post
hoardingbooks.herdingcats – Review & Favorite Quotes
stacialovestoread – Review
justiceforreaders – Content Creator’s Choice

February 3rd
nissa_the.bookworm – Review
booksatlunch – Top 5 Reasons to Read The Black Queen
jenjenreviews – Content Creator’s Choice

February 4th
ohyouread – Review & Mood Board
tpetersonbooks – Review
biblio.jojo – Review
thesleepybookworm – Content Creator’s Choice

February 5th
ninebookishlives – Promotional Post
karendeeandabc – Review
skygoddess1 – Content Creator’s Choice
25thavenuewest – Content Creator’s Choice

Edge of Dusk (Annie Pederson, #1) by Colleen Coble

Edge of Dusk by Colleen Coble
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tragic, tense, and gritty, EDGE OF DUSK is romantic suspense at its best!

It was summer again in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and time for Park Ranger Annie Pederson to take leave and oversee the reopening and operation of her family’s marina and camping resort. Annie’s husband, Nate, and her parents had died a couple of years earlier on Lake Superior, so it was now just her and her young daughter, Kylie. The camp was hard work, but it looked like it was gearing up to be a great summer, that is, until she caught sight of her former fiancé in downtown Rock Harbor.

Annie’s had not been a carefree life. Twenty-four years earlier, 9-year-old Annie and her little sister, Sarah, had snuck out of the family’s lake cabin late on Tremolo Island late one night to watch and listen to the loons. But as they sat together on the end of a dock, a large canoe approached. Annie was stabbed and thrown into the lake to drown while Sarah was taken, never to be seen or heard from again.

Jon Dunstan was back in Rock Harbor to ready his family’s summer cabin for sale. A busy orthopedic surgeon in Rochester, Jon hadn’t been back to the place in nine years, and with his mother gone and his father recuperating from a recent stroke, he wasn’t likely to spend any more summers here. But after embarking on the repairs and upgrades necessary to get the property listed, the beautiful, calming setting began to work its magic on both Jon and his ailing father. And this is where Annie, the only woman he’d ever loved, still lived.

While Jon’s return brings back many memories and regrets for Annie and Jon, his reappearance also sets off old rumors about why he left Rock Harbor nine years ago. He went to take up a much sought-after internship with the Mayo Clinic; still, others gossiped that he’d been involved in the disappearance of two teenage girls who were last seen in his company. Since his return, there had been two random attacks on campers in the area, and some were eager to point the finger his way.

Edge of Dusk is the first book in a new series by renowned author Colleen Coble featuring Park Ranger Annie Pederson. The plot is tragic and tense as Annie investigates the cold-case disappearance of Penelope Day and Sophie Smith to find the answers to what happened to them and, hopefully, clear Jon’s name once and for all.

Annie is an energetic go-getter, working as a park ranger and keeping the family business afloat while being a single parent to her daughter, Kylie. The two are still grieving the loss of husband and father, Nate, with Kylie terrified that something will happen to her mother. It is hard watching Jon try to find common, acceptable ground with Kylie, especially with Kylie’s true parentage up in the air.

The story is told from a couple of different viewpoints: Annie’s, Jon’s, and the hired hand at the marina/resort, Taylor’s. Readers are privy to Annie’s and Jon’s inner thoughts about their failed relationship and continued love for each other. I couldn’t help but root for this couple to finally talk to each other about their past. For most of the story, Taylor Moore is a wild card of a character, and there are surprising plot twists regarding her. There is a big reveal of a cliffhanger ending to this book.

As an experienced law enforcement officer, Annie runs a legitimate investigation into the disappearance of the two teenage hikers. So, while this feels a bit like a cozy mystery, it is much grittier than that, and there is a professionally-trained investigator at the helm. Annie and Jon team up to clear his name, and the pair head out across the Upper Peninsula region to chase down leads. I enjoyed the variety of interesting small towns and legendary local establishments woven into the story, such as Poorrock Abbey’s Jampot in Eagle River. (I can confirm that you can buy their jam online.) The descriptions of the beauty of the area and Lake Superior really shine and will tempt you to plan your next vacation to visit it.

I recommend EDGE OF DUSK to romantic suspense readers who enjoy a lot of action, second-chance romance plots, and a great Upper Peninsula location.

View all my reviews

The Accidental Spy by David Gardner

The Accidental Spy by David Gardner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Accidental Spy is one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in forever!

When Middlebridge College closed its doors, 56-year-old history professor, Harvey Hudson, found himself out of the job he’d held for 24 years and struggling to find a position at another institution. Desperate to keep body and soul together and to keep secretly paying the mortgage on his widowed mother’s home, he took a series of part-time delivery gigs.

A chance meeting with his old high school sweetheart landed him in an entry-level technical writer position at the high-tech firm she co-owned with her ex-husband. However, the years he’d spent in his collegiate ivory tower had left him unprepared for the new job’s work assignments. He struggled to understand the programming for which he was to write the documentation.

Under fire from the CEO, Margo’s ex-husband, Harvey outsources his job to a subcontractor in India at a small percentage of his salary. The results are a stunning turnaround for him at work. He begins to have romantic thoughts about Amaya, the woman in India who is actually writing the documentation he is taking credit for. But just as things are looking up, Harvey gets a late-night pizza delivery request from two FBI agents who reveal that the contracting firm in India is a front for a Russian intelligence agency and Amaya, his dream girl, is a Russian spy.

I was hooked! At the start of the book, the main character Professor Harvey Hudson is trapped in the depression trifecta: he’s lost his job, wife, and self-respect. But wait! There’s more. He’s secretly paying the mortgage on his widowed mother’s home while living in a dump over a poultry butcher shop, and the job at his old girlfriend’s software company is kicking his butt. I could completely relate to Harvey’s job security woes and his discomfort with his much younger coworkers. The fact that he knows absolutely nothing about the work at T&M exacerbates the problem and his deepening loss of self-worth. All in all, Harvey is a decent and lovable guy. The premise that he outsources his job to India absolutely sold me on picking this book up, and I was wholly behind Harvey’s strategy proving to be a successful move. And it really did work like a charm until it didn’t.

I was also completely caught up in Amaya’s backstory and involvement in the Russian cyberattack plan. She’s gentle and a total lady but feisty when she feels she’s been wronged. I rooted for these two to click and find their HEA.

The author’s writing style was easy to read and deliciously witty. This was definitely a book I didn’t want to put down; it was a five-star read for me from the start. However, there was at least one sentence (if not more) where I wanted to round that up to “11.” (“Because I stole his wallet.”)

With its outstandingly clever plot, witty, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and sympathetic main characters, I highly recommend THE ACCIDENTAL SPY to readers who enjoy spy thrillers and would like a lighter, less-than-serious take on the genre.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi

Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story is riveting, and I was compelled to keep reading; it was that good!

During the work week, Camilla Black (not her real name, by the way) is the cool, collected, and laser-focused editor of the successful fashion magazine, Couture. But away from the office, she is the secret avenger of abused women and children, seeking out the predators who take advantage of those weaker than themselves and meting out justice. But one night, when she herself is almost a victim of date rape, she lets her rage and need for vengeance carry her away. Her impulsive actions that night sidestep her usually meticulous planning and attention to detail, and now the police have her on their radar.
Pretty Evil is a gritty and dark thriller of a novel: tense, twisted, and full of surprises. The story unfolds through the eyes of a murderer, Camilla herself, so readers are privy to her thoughts and feelings and firsthand narrative. Camilla is chameleon-like, and I wondered throughout the tale whether she was a reliable narrator at all. Her backstory is fascinating and horrible; she was an abused child whom no one believed.

Camilla functions in London’s world of high fashion and the ultra-wealthy: but that’s her “day job.” We are also treated to a variety of London’s less sparkling neighborhoods and suburbs as she researches and tracks down her next project. There are vivid descriptions of the murders that are committed and a good handful of explicit sexual encounters, making this book one for mature audiences only.

The action begins immediately and never lets up. The plot is tightly constructed with Camilla enacting her vengeance, seeking to blow off steam with her lovers, taking evasive maneuvers to throw off the police, and going on to track down her next victim. The story is riveting, and I completed the book in only two reading sessions; it was that good!

With its fascinating secret assassin as a protagonist and an exciting and compelling storyline, I highly recommend PRETTY EVIL to readers who enjoyed the series, Dexter, how-done-its, thrillers, and gripping tales set in London.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Xpresso Book Tours.

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Deception Pass (Spider Green, #3) by Norm Harris – Audiobook Review

Deception Pass by Norm Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An exciting military adventure story that left me hungry for more of the series!

JAG Navy lawyer Faydra “Spider” Green is on call when the report of a death on the base comes in. She arrives to discover that the wife of a young marine has been murdered in their home. That call is quickly followed by another for the same thing, another wife has been found murdered, and a third woman is found in similar circumstances before the day is over. All three husbands are devastated and have only recently returned home from a classified mission. Working with the civilian NCIS investigator, Fay counsels the three young men to only speak in the presence of their attorney and offers to stand that role for all of them.

In the meantime, a special prisoner of the Chinese is secretly released from custody and whisked to freedom in Russia. The man, Roman Justine, is an evil from Fay’s past, an evil she’d thought she had already eliminated with extreme prejudice. Justine is out to finish the business between him and Fay, which he failed to complete previously. Fay is equally determined to end things once and for all.

Deception Pass is the third book in Norm Harris’s exciting and action-filled military adventure series featuring Fay ‘Spider’ Green. It is the first in the series to appear in audiobook format, and narrator Maria McCann does a fantastic job giving voice to this strong female protagonist. She completely captures Fay’s personality, and her voice will forever be Fay’s to me. The story includes many other main or supporting characters, and McCann’s presentation skillfully makes each sound natural and unique. I never had trouble discerning which character was talking during an exchange of dialogue.

The story takes Fay and her crew from Washington state to Moscow, in both the present and the past, as both the hunter and the hunted. I found the plot fresh, interesting, and absorbing, and it kept me reading well past the time when I needed to call it a night. It was that good! There were many moments I loved but in particular I enjoyed Fay’s interactions with her Russian counterparts and her performance in the courtroom. I also liked the reappearance of characters from previous books. And don’t be worried about having to read through a recap of all that has gone on before; there is just enough backstory to lend understanding to the current action.

Speaking of which, although the third in the series, the story can be enjoyed as a standalone, but the pleasure would be enhanced by having read the previous books. However, using Deception Pass as your jumping-off point in the series will be dangerous; you will want to acquire those first two books “quick, fast, and in a hurry.” I was glad to see the next book in Fay’s story is already available as an audiobook, and I couldn’t help but snag it the minute this one concluded.

I recommend DECEPTION PASS for readers who enjoy military-based action-adventure thrillers with a side of sci-fi and time travel.

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Hero Haters by Ken MacQueen

Hero Haters by Ken MacQueen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Intriguing premise, non-stop action, and clever dialogue, with regular people trapped in a plot for revenge.

Jake Ockham is the editor of his family’s local newspaper, and freelances investigating nominees for the Sedgewick Medallion, a prestigious award recognizing acts of selfless bravery. He himself had been honored while in college by rescuing a teenage boy from his burning home. During the rescue, Jake had sustained burns to his hands that had ended his Olympic dream of representing the United States in rowing, however, that wasn’t the worst thing to come from his actions.

When Jake dragged the unconscious and injured boy to safety, he was doing it in full view of the boy’s mother, who was trapped on the second floor of the family home with no way for Jake to reach her. As he watched in horror, the woman’s young daughter came home just in time to witness her mother’s terrible death, screaming at Jake the whole time that he was a coward. Now year’s later, the Medallion recipients were once again in the news. Several of these heroic individuals had suddenly gone missing … along with their medals. Despite the various police departments brushing off the missing persons’ reports from the heroes’ families, Jake was determined to get to the bottom of things and stop whoever was kidnapping the heroes.

I am so happy I was selected to read and review Hero Haters, a new thriller by author Ken MacQueen. The story is a terrifying mind game and pulse-pounding thriller, and it is filled with regular people who, at some point in their lives, stepped forward to help out a stranger. Early on, the reader knows who is behind the disappearances of the courageous medal winner. Still, it is exciting as Jake and Erik hack away at discovering the truth themselves and stop them. I was completely invested in the story from the very start.

Despite what Jake thinks of himself, he is a hero. He continually chooses the high road, well, except for a couple of great jabs at a particularly petty sheriff’s deputy who totally deserves it. His best friend, Erik, is fun and independent and a fantastic sidekick but a genius in his own right. He has some of the best dialogue in the book, too. The kidnapped medal winners are a varied group of individuals, with some continuing to be courageous in their direst moments.

I was immediately attracted to this book by its premise, and as the drama unfolded, I was not disappointed. It is fast-paced throughout, and the author is terrific at revealing backstories without slowing down that pace. And when the climax arrives, things happen even faster. I was really on edge, concerned about whether things were going to work out or not.

The story is told from more than one point of view; the narrative shifts between Jake’s actions and what is happening with the kidnap victims. The author’s writing style is smooth, witty, and easy to read, so I was quickly immersed in the story. I will be looking for more from this author.

With a likable, sympathetic main character, an engaging sidekick, an irresistible love interest, and a breakneck plot, I recommend HERO HATERS to mystery and thriller readers who like non-stop action and regular people trying to make a difference.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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