Review - Under the Storm

 

Title:  Under the Storm

Author:  Christoffer Carlsson

Series:   Hallandsvitten #1

Publisher:   Hogarth

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   416

Date of Publication:   February 27, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

*First published March 1, 2019

DESCRIPTION:

A farmhouse mysteriously goes up in flames with someone trapped inside and a community is never the same in the aftermath—both a page-turning whodunit and a deeply touching coming-of-age story by one of Sweden’s top criminologists and “a rising star in Scandinavian crime fiction” ( Reviews)

On a cold November night in rural Sweden, a farmhouse burns to the ground. Inside, a young woman is found dead—murdered. To the people of Marbäck, the fire becomes a before and after. For ten-year-old Isak, it sets in motion something he cannot control, igniting his future into an inferno.

The police immediately focus their attention on Edvard, the boyfriend of the murdered woman and Isak’s beloved uncle. After a quick investigation, Edvard is found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, and Marbäck believes it can return to its innocence. Vidar, the rookie officer who first responded to the fire, prides himself on having helped solve the murder. Little does he know this will become the defining case of his career and that it will drive him to the brink of professional and personal disaster—and link his fate to young Isak’s.

A celebrated professor of criminology, Christoffer Carlsson digs deep into the psyches of ordinary people and shows how one crime can haunt a community for decades. A #1 international bestseller, Under the Storm is already a modern classic of Scandinavian crime fiction and shows why many regard Carlsson as one of the great crime writers of his generation.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

When a young woman is found dead after the fire of a farmhouse, her death is quickly ruled a murder. Residents of Marbäck are shaken, but no one more so than ten-year-old Isak. Isak is devastated as his beloved uncle Edvard is arrested, tried and convicted of the woman's murder. At the time there was a rookie cop named Vidar who was one of the first on the scene of the fire. For years, Vidar had strong doubts of Edvard's innocence and this led Vidar to many difficulties over the years. This included Vidar eventually leaving the police force.

Isak's parents were having difficulties while he was young, and Edvard had been a wonderful influence on him. With Edvard's imprisonment, Isak's years as a child and then young adult become wrought with difficulties. Meanwhile, Vidar never once stops looking for answers.

Under the Storm was set in Sweden and written by a brilliant author who truly understands criminology, especially when it came to Vidar's continued investigation of the murder, even up to two decades later. As this is the first book in a series, one translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles. I do look forward to following this series, and hope to see more of Vidar.

Many thanks to Hogarth and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

BLOG TOUR - Her Feud

DESCRIPTION:

Fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers will love this nail-biting gangland crime thriller from bestselling author Emma Tallon.

Family is everything to Lily Drew and she’s always battled to keep hers together. But following the death of her only daughter, Ruby, and after losing her son, Connor, to a rival firm, Lily feels like everything she’s fought so hard to protect is about to fall apart: and when a turf war between two rival gangs starts on the Drew’s doorstep, Lily must pick a side…

The right choice could take the firm to a whole new level and bring her beloved son back into the fold. But get it wrong and her empire could come crashing down, and all of their lives could be in danger.

When Lily makes a bold decision and goes up against the most powerful firm in the city, she puts all of her men on the case. But the job goes wrong, and when one of London’s most dangerous crime bosses comes after the family, hellbent on revenge, Lily’s heart pounds. Did she just put everyone she loves in danger? And when the bitter feud ends, what will be left of the Drews??

BUY LINK:
https://geni.us/B0CPLZ52NRsocial

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Her Feud

Author:  Emma Tallon

Series:  Drew Crime Family #7
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   377

Date of Publication:   February 27, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

“A wounded bear is a dangerous creature." No other words could more aptly describe Lily Drew and what she is facing..

A turf war is about to be underway. Which side will Lily choose? Her twin sons Killian and Connor are now on different sides. Killian stayed with his mother's crime firm, along with his cousin Scarlett. Connor went to a rival firm, run by Ray. Ray is not only the twins' father, something only recently revealed, but he and Lily have been in love for three decades, despite being on opposite sides, with the conflicts between them never letting up. 

So Killian and Lily are a mess. They both miss Connor desperately, but business and pride seem to have gotten in the way. Whether or not they will ever reunite with Connor remains to be seen. Meanwhile, as Killian is about to marry, yet another turf war is at hand. This war could end a lot of lives, but not before sweeping major disaster and tragedy along the way.

This final installment of  the Drew Crime Family series starts at break-net speed and never once loses its grip. This thrilling read shows more than one Drew is on borrowed time, and the story maintains a fever pitch throughout. This story comes to an end with a tense and satisfying conclusion, both to the book and to the series. 

Emma Tallon has not only written this stellar seven-book series, but her previous series, the Anna Davis and Freddie Tyler series is just as compelling, just as addictive and just as riveting as this one. I implore the reader of this book to read to the VERY end, because we have met some new characters in this book, Her Feud ... enough said. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Emma Tallon is a British author of gripping, gritty, organised-crime thrillers. With a number of bestsellers published by Bookouture since early 2017, Emma continues to write full time and has many ideas in the pipeline for future novels.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmatallonofficial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmaesj

Website: http://emmatallon.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my.author.life/

For more information on Emma or to join her mailing list, please go to: www.emmatallon.com

 

Review - A House Built by Slaves

Title:  A House Built by Slave

Author:  Jonathan W. White

Publisher:  Post Hypnotic Press

Genre:   Biographies & Memoirs; History

Format:  Audiobook ALC

No. of Pages:   240

Length:  9 hr 31 min

Narrator:  Jesse Lipscombe

Date of Publication:   December 21, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

*First published February 15, 2022

DESCRIPTION:

The forgotten but essential story of how President Lincoln welcomed African Americans to his White House in our nation’s most divided and war-torn era.

Jonathan White illuminates why Lincoln’s then-unprecedented welcome of African Americans to the White House transformed the trajectory of race relations in the United States. From his 1862 meetings with Black Christian ministers, Lincoln began inviting African Americans of every background to his home, from ex-slaves from the Deep South to champions of abolitionism such as Frederick Douglass. More than a good-will gesture, the president would confer with his guests about the essential issues of citizenship and voting rights. Drawing from an array of primary sources, White reveals how Lincoln used the White House as the stage to amplify African American voices. Even 155 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln’s inclusion of African Americans remains a necessary example in a country still struggling from racial divisions today.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

For the last couple of years, memoirs have become an interest of mine. When I saw the audiobook of A House Built by Slaves pop up on NetGalley, I was immediately intrigued. In fact, the remainder of the title shows as "African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House."

During the years between 1861 and 1865, the Civil War was raging in America. At the same time, the president at that time, Abraham Lincoln, was engaged in a different fight, that of welcoming African Americans to the White House, forever changing most of America's hold on slavery. 

What was interesting to me - okay, I have been out of school for decades - was (re)learning about colonization. In fact, for a time Lincoln was a strong advocate of colonization. He began meeting with African Americans at the White House, but had wanted to implement a way to have Blacks migrate to other countries. In fact, Lincoln once said, "your race are suffering, in my judgment, the greatest wrong inflicted on any people...but on the broad continent, not a single man of your race is made at the equal of a single of ours."

However, Lincoln continued to meet with various guests at the White House and soon his decisions, if not his very words, began to take on a transformation. Citizenship of African Americans, as well as voting rights, became matters of importance to Lincoln. In fact, on January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which stated, "that all persons held as as slaves...are, and henceforward shall be free." These were not mere words of Lincoln's, but his actions showed even more concern for a race that was experiencing so much turmoil.

Jonathan W. White does quite a remarkable job exploring the various ways in which Lincoln used his platform at the White House to initiate change for African Americans. I thought it was a good note in the book that Lincoln could not simply initiate policy even though he was President of the United States. It took years for the Proclamation to be signed, and today, 155 years later, African Americans are still struggling in many respects.

A lot of the focus in White's book was about how often Lincoln met with African Americans at the White House and how these frequent meetings went a long way when it came to changing Lincoln's attitude and reference to Blacks. Of course, Lincoln faced many an objection to his changing views of Blacks, even to the point of being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. The freedoms and kindness that Lincoln showed Blacks did not extend to future presidents for decades.

It is hard to believe that this book was only 240 pages. White did an excellent job reminding readers like myself of what our forbearers experienced and what many are still dealing with during our present day.

 

Many thanks to Post Hypnotic Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jonathan W. White is professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University. He is author or editor of 17 books and more than 100 articles, essays and reviews about the Civil War, slavery and emancipation, African American history, Abraham Lincoln, and the U.S. Constitution. His book Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln was named a best book of 2014 by Civil War Monitor, was a finalist for both the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize and the Jefferson Davis Prize, and won the Abraham Lincoln Institute's 2015 book prize. Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams during the Civil War was named a best book of 2017 by Civil War Monitor. His 2018 book, "Our Little Monitor": The Greatest Invention of the Civil War, co-authored with Anna Gibson Holloway, was a finalist for the Indie Book Awards and honorable mention for the John Lyman Book Award. He is a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians, serves on the Boards of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Institute and the Abraham Lincoln Association, and is the Vice Chair of The Lincoln Forum. He also serves on the Ford’s Theatre Advisory Council, the editorial board of the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, and as editor of both Lincoln Lore and ​The Lincoln Forum Bulletin. In 2019 he won the Outstanding Faculty Award of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the highest award given to faculty in the Commonwealth. His recent books include My Work Among the Freedmen: The Civil War and Reconstruction Letters of Harriet M. Buss (2021), which he co-edited with his student, Lydia Davis; To Address You As My Friend: African Americans' Letters to Abraham Lincoln (2021); A House Built By Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House (2022), which was co-winner with Jon Meacham of the 2023 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize; Shipwrecked: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Jailbreaks, Blockade-Running, and the Slave Trade (2023); and (2023), which he co-edited with Brian Matthew Jordan. In 2024, he published his first children's book, My Day with Abe Lincoln.​

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WEEKLY WRAPUP #2 - 2024

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme that is posted here @Caffeinated Reviewer. It is a chance to share news~A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.  Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up.  See rules here:  Sunday Post Meme.

*HOW WAS MY WEEK*

Well, my Sunday began with disappointment. I was about halfway done with my eeBoo jigsaw puzzle but I hit the tray and it crashed to the floor. Hubby picked it all up for me, but I don't even want to look at it at the moment. Thus, I am spending the morning diamond painting. As my drafting table is kitty corner to my desk, I did take a moment to write a couple of book reviews. Then I put on my first book for this week, Murder at the Island Hotelby Helena Dixon. I ended up having a good reading day by reading four books.

*LAST WEEK ON MY BLOG*

The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago

Missing Before Daylight by Carolyn Arnold

Cover Reveal - The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin

Her Last Words by Carolyn Arnold

Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

The Guest by B. A. Paris

The Library Murders by Merryn Allingham

Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay

The Spy and I by Tiana Smith

The Wife's Mistake by Lorna Dounaeva

*WHAT’S ON MY CURRENTLY READING SHELF?*

ALL OF THESE BOOK COVERS ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO GOODREADS:

    

                      

 

*NEW ARRIVALS/APPROVALS*

ALL OF THESE BOOK COVERS ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO GOODREADS:

     

                                

*FEBRUARY 2024 READS*

*FINAL THOUGHTS*

Well, I did not read as much as I thought I would this past week. I did listen to a book each morning while I diamond painted, and here is my progress with that project:

I usually get a jigsaw puzzle done every other day, but this past week I only got one finished, and just a portion of another. The first puzzle here shows some missing pieces as it got knocked over and I had difficulty retrieving all of the pieces. This second puzzle I have been working on very slowly as I have some health issues and have had a few difficult days. I have some surgeries coming up next month so I plan on getting all of my March ARCs read this coming week and also a few April ARCs, with the hopes of getting some of my blog tours done early.

Here are the two jigsaw puzzles that I mentioned:

                            

BLOG TOUR - The Custody Battle

 

DESCRIPTION:

“What’s going to happen to me?” my little girl asks, clutching her teddy bear tight. “Daddy and I love you,” I reply. “Nothing is going to change.” But I was so wrong. How far will I have to go to keep my darling daughter?

When Greg and I first decided to separate, we promised to keep it civil for our daughter Lola. So when she stopped wanting to hug me, I thought Lola was just struggling with the divorce. Then she started screaming at me, calling me a liar, and I could hear Greg in her words. I’m certain he’s trying to turn our baby against me.

He’s determined to dig up dirt on me, to make the court think I’m a terrible mother… But two can play that game.

So when he reveals the worst thing I have ever done, my heart pounds in my chest. Because I know Greg’s deep dark secrets, too. But the more we each try to win, the harder it is to turn back. Now I’m terrified that we’ve put Lola in terrible danger…

By the time we realise what we’ve done, will it be too late for us to save her, or ourselves?

A completely gripping dark domestic suspense novel about a family tearing themselves apart, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.

BUY LINK:

https://amzn.to/3SBWdJB

MY THOUGHTS: 

Title:   The Custody Battle

Author:  Ellie Monago

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   General Fiction

Format:  Audio and Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   356

Narrators:  Davis Brooks, Sarah Borges

Length:  10 hr 34 min

Date of Publication:   February 21, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

Madeline and Greg start off with the intent of having an amicable divorce. As far as Greg was concerned, they had a good marriage. In fact, he is gobsmacked when Madeline wants to dissolve the marriage. She is a pediatrician and he is an architect and they wanted for nothing. In fact, their home was a $5 million dollar showplace. The couple has a young daughter, and they decide on custody issues.

Greg soon realizes that Madeline was pretty much the manager in their marriage, and made some of the more critical decisions over the years. In fact, she gives him a list of names of divorce attorneys for him to choose from. Then there is Sidney, Madeline's best friend. Sidney just might find herself caught in the middle of Madeline and Greg.

This book by Ellie Monago was heavy on drama, with a few surprises thrown in. The custody battle made me think of the decades-old movie, Kramer vs. Kramer, to the tune that no matter how amicable things start out they won't necessarily stay that way. Things can change on a dime and that is what kept me riveted to this dramatic read.

I enjoyed the narration of this book when it came to Madeline's and Greg's points of view. Some of the additional dialogue by other characters was rather unimpressive, odd in one character's case to be sure. Nonetheless, I really could not put this book down and listened to it in one siting. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Monago is the pen name of an acclaimed novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail.

Review - Missing Before Daylight

Title:   Missing Before Daylight

Author:   Carolyn Arnold

Series:   Detective Amanda Steele Book #10
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:   Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   371    

Date of Publication:   February 22, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

She wakes surrounded by an inky black darkness and can barely breathe. A sack is covering her head, and her hands are tied behind her back. She desperately tries to struggle free as she hears footsteps walking toward her. She silently starts to cry as a chilling voice whispers “It’s time to pay for what you did…”

When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the murder scene of a young gas station clerk just before dawn, she assumes it must be a robbery gone tragically wrong. But when she discovers nothing has been stolen, she knows the motive must be far more personal.

Watching the security footage, Amanda is shocked to witness the cold-blooded killer not only shoot the clerk dead but abduct a customer. And her heart stops when she recognizes the customer as her former colleague, Katherine Graves . As Amanda breaks the news to Katherine’s heartbroken Aunt May , she vows to do whatever it takes to bring her niece home alive.

Desperate for a lead, Amanda and her partner, Trent , search Katherine’s home. Soon, they discover that despite no longer being with the police department, Katherine has a long list of very dangerous enemies. Enemies who have been sending her anonymous letters promising revenge.

The more Amanda digs into Katherine’s past, the longer her list of suspects becomes. But when May is sent a ransom demand and a picture of Katherine close to death, Amanda knows time is running out. With only hours left to find Katherine alive, Amanda is prepared to risk everything to keep her promise to May, even her own life…

MY THOUGHTS:

 

While Detective Amanda Steele thinks she is being called into the case of the murder of a young gas station attendant, she finds much more. Devastated to soon discover that her former colleague Katherine Graves was abducted from the gas station during that murder. Amanda worries but also wonders about the motivation behind Katherine's abduction.

Meanwhile. Katherine is looking for any opportunity to escape her abductor and the story switches back and forth from Amanda and her partner Trent's investigation. While all of this is going on, Amanda finds herself torn when it comes to her personal life. Determined not allow conflicting feelings to affect her work, Amanda soldiers on.

The Detective Amanda Steele series is definitely captivating and I have read the series from the beginning. It has been really good to see the struggles that Amanda has experienced and how they have made her stronger over the years. Also, it is interesting to see Amanda navigate her personal and professional relationship with Trent while growing her relationship with her romantic partner Logan and her adopted daughter Zoe. Book 11, please head my way soon.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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 many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, 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.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

Website: https://carolynarnold.net/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorcarolynarnold/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/carolyn-arnold 

COVER REVEAL - The Hollow

 

THE HOLLOW, which releases April 1st, is a romantic thriller in the vein of HEMLOCK, THE REUNION, and THE MESSES SERIES. It is sun-soaked, full of nostalgia, and filled with sinister secrets! I can't wait for you to read it!

About the book: 

It was the perfect place to grow up…and the perfect place to die.

After experiencing a personal tragedy, Carmen McKenna finds Hunter’s Hollow—a bustling campground in rural North Carolina—to be her new home and worst nightmare.

Despite the promises of a chosen family and a safe place to grow up, living next door to the Hunters’ two sons comes with its own set of challenges. Jack and Dean introduce Carmen to a world she’s never known—one filled with young love, first heartbreak, and sinister secrets.

When a body is found at Hunter’s Hollow, instantly shattering the tranquil façade that has surrounded the campground, the residents are forced to accept the truth: a killer is among them. 

As the police search for answers to no avail, Carmen leaves the campground in hopes of clearing her mind and healing her broken heart.

Now, eleven years later and with the case still unsolved, Carmen returns to face the past and discover the truth about that terrible night. Before she can, a guest is reported missing from the campground and the circumstances are all too similar to the horror Carmen once faced.

They say you can’t go home again, but when buried secrets call to Carmen from Hunter’s Hollow, she’s determined to learn the truth about what happened back then—and what’s happening now—if it’s the last thing she does.

Returning to once again blur the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings She wakes surrounded by an inky black darkness and can barely breathe. A sack is covering her head, and her hands are tied behind her back. She desperately tries to struggle free as she hears footsteps walking toward her. She silently starts to cry as a chilling voice whispers “It’s time to pay for what you did…”

→Pre-Order: books2read.com/thehollow

→Add to Goodreads TBR: https://bit.ly/thehollowkm

PLEASE NOTE: The ebook & audiobook formats are available for pre-order on most retailers now (Kobo & Google Play links coming soon). Hardcover & paperback versions will be available on release day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon top-30 bestselling author of award-winning psychological thrillers and a member of International Thriller Writers. Kiersten lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston Terriers: Cedric and Georgie. She is best known for her unpredictable suspense and her readers have dubbed her 'The Queen of Twists.' A Netflix addict, Shonda Rhimes super-fan, psychology fanatic, and indoor enthusiast, Kiersten enjoys rainy days spent with her nose in a book.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kierstenmodglinauthor 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kmodglinauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kierstenmodglinauthor

Review - Her Last Words

Title:   Her Last Words

Author:   Carolyn Arnold

Series:   Detective Amanda Steele Book #9
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:   Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   322

Date of Publication:   October 17, 2023

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The glow from the fireplace throws an eerie light over the woman’s carefully arranged body, her lifeless eyes reflecting the flames that slowly burn the evidence of who did this to her…

When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the brutal murder scene of successful local author Felicity Kelley , her blood runs cold. Because Amanda not only knew the victim, but was the last person Felicity called moments before she was murdered. Plagued with guilt that she never answered, Amanda is left wondering whether she could have prevented the murder, and vows to catch the killer, no matter what.

Desperately searching the crime scene for clues, Amanda is shocked when she discovers a Queen of Hearts playing card, suggesting the murder could be an imitation of a scene from Felicity’s bestselling crime novel. Terrified that she is dealing with a crazed fan who could strike again, Amanda’s worst fears are confirmed when another innocent woman is viciously murdered, with the same chilling calling card left behind.

But when Amanda connects the murders with a cold case from fifteen years ago, a case that Felicity appears to have been researching for her next novel, she is forced to question if the killer’s motive is even more sinister than she first suspected. But the closer Amanda gets to unearthing this motive, the closer she gets to becoming the next victim…

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Detective Amanda Steele is in the second week of a much-needed vacation and she finds herself bored stiff. She had recently received a telephone call from an author asking her for police procedural advice for her next novel. She hadn't intended to get in touch with the author, but now she has time on her hands. So, she gives her a call, and is shocked when a fellow detective answers her phone. She was Felicity Kelley and she was found murdered by a dear friend. While not Amanda's case initially, Amanda and her partner Trent Stenson are able to take over the case.

Evidence at the brutal scene soon leads to a strong connection to Felicity's latest book, The Romeo Killer. In fact, the setting is almost exactly what occurred in the book. Amanda and Trent look hard for answers, starting with the man Felicity had been seeing. Amanda is no stranger to tragedy and is determined to find out who killed Amanda.

Amanda soon discovers that Felicity had been digging deep into a cold case for the novel she was writing, and Amanda can't help but wonder if the crimes are connected. In typical fashion for Amanda, she knows how to dig for answers no matter what it takes. I really enjoyed this ninth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series and am very much looking forward to reading book ten, Missing Before Daylight.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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 many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, 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.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

Website: https://carolynarnold.net/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorcarolynarnold/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/carolyn-arnold