BLOG TOUR - Cougar Point

DESCRIPTION:

She wakes to find herself alone in complete darkness. Fearing for her life, in that moment her only thought is for her beloved daughters. What will they think when they find out she’s missing? Then it hits her. She’s kept a secret hidden from her family for years. Is she about to pay for it with her life?

When Victoria Marsh disappears from her family’s exclusive resort in Cougar Point, Washington, her family is devastated. A charity worker and pillar of the local community, how could she just vanish without a trace?

Though not officially her case, Detective Megan Carpenter races to the scene for a very personal reason. Victoria is Ronnie’s mother and Megan will do anything to help her when she has sacrificed so much.

Together they build up a picture of the days before the disappearance but the only clue is a note with the words, “You promised” scrawled on it. It soon emerges that Victoria’s marriage was far from perfect and she had spent years running from a deadbeat brother. Could someone in Victoria’s family want her dead?

But when the body of another woman is found, Megan starts to link the cases. Both women had huge ransoms placed on them. Both families received chilling threats in the mail. And with one victim already dead, time is running out to find Victoria alive.

Local law enforcement warns Megan off the case but she’s certain that the disappearance is more than just bad blood. But with a potential serial killer on the loose, how much is Megan willing to risk? Worse still, could they be closer to her than she had ever imagined?

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MY THOUGHTS:  

Title:   Cougar Point

Author:  Gregg Olsen

Series:  Detective Megan Carpenter #5
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   424

Date of Publication:   September 24, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

It has been a few years since Gregg Olsen released a Detective Megan Carpenter book, and now we have Book #5 in the series. As we’ve seen in the series, Megan has started her life over and is a very good detective. In her latest case, she is in Cougar Point as her partner Ronnie’s mother Victoria is missing. 

As readers see Megan’s viewpoint as the case intensifies, there is also that of Victoria. Meanwhile, as we see Ronnie worried, so is her sister Rebecca. Then, another character, Lucas, a detective who lives and works in Cougar Point, is doing his best to keep Megan and Ronnie away from the case. 

Lucas’ POV is rather interesting because the story also flashes back to February 2023 and it is interesting to see how this drives Lucas when looking for Victoria. Megan doesn’t like Lucas at all, and she is also worried about threats against her past. 

A very busy story to be sure, with a lot of dynamics. And it most definitely packs a punch. What a way to bring readers back to the series!

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gregg lives in rural Washington State (about a mile as the crow flies from Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard's infamous Starvation Heights sanitarium). His thriller, THE LAST THING SHE EVER DID was an Amazon Charts bestseller. LYING NEXT TO ME was a reader favorite, charting at No. 1 in the Kindle store and the bestseller's list at the Washington Post. Gregg's true crime book, IF YOU TELL, found a home on Amazon Charts for more than 140 weeks. In fact, it was the bestselling Kindle ebook of 2020 (and the second-bestselling of 2021). He's been a guest on Dateline NBC, NPR, Good Morning America, The Early Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, 20/20, Snapped, Deadly Women, William Shatner's Aftermath, and A&E's Biography. You can find out more about Gregg at www.NotoriousUSA.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreggOlsenAuthor?ref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gregg_Olsen

Website: http://www.greggolsen.com

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15035.Gregg_Olsen

BLOG TOUR - Murder on the Nile

 

DESCRIPTION:

A cruise down the Nile, a camel ride around the pyramids, lunch in the shadow of the Sphinx… And a very dead body!

1924. Lady Eleanor Swift and her butler Clifford are touring the great, ancient sights of Egypt on a much-anticipated extended vacation. But when the pair arrive at the docks in Cairo expecting to board the luxurious paddle steamer advertised in their brochure, they are baffled by the crumbling old cruiser waiting for them. And things only go from bad to worse as death stalks the decks of the SS Cleopatra…

Two days into the trip one of their fellow passengers, Lieutenant Baxter, is found shot dead in his locked cabin. Immediately suspicious and desperate to see justice done, Eleanor discovers a half-finished note addressed to her hidden in Baxter’s travelling trunk. In it he asks her to deliver a vitally important letter to the authorities at their next stop down river: a priceless treasure worthy of a king has been stolen and an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance.

But before the sands of time wipe away all evidence on board, Eleanor must uncover who among the other travellers wanted Baxter dead. Was it the anxious archaeologist who doesn’t have an alibi, the reptile expert with a passion for the murderous Nile crocodile or the art dealer with a devious secret?

With the killer readying to strike again much closer to home, can Eleanor dig up the truth before she’s trapped in a tomb under the pyramids forever?

A gripping and twisty 1920s murder mystery set in Egypt, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss!

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CYQBKJLNsocial

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MY THOUGHTS: 

Title:   Murder on the Nile

Author:  Verity Bright

Series:  Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #19
Publisher:  Bookouture    

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:  347

Date of Publication:  September 26, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

Nineteen books into this Lady Eleanor Swift  series has Eleanor boarding a ship that is completely different than what was advertised. For the sake of Eleanor’s ever-reliable butler Clifford, she is willing to forgo the trip. However, Clifford knows Eleanor was looking forward to the trip, so they board the ship.

As Eleanor approaches her fellow travelers, they seem either rude or odd. But, the cruise promises more benefits that would outweigh the negatives. However, two days into the trip a gunshot is heard and a man is dead.

Much to the consternation of the other passengers, Eleanor is not shy about asking questions, especially when the murderer was right there among them. Not only does she follows clues as closely as possible, she has great instincts and has become an excellent amateur sleuth. Time is slipping away and Eleanor is determined to find the identity of the killer. 

I have really been enjoying both Eleanor and Clifford over the course of the series. And, as aalways, Clifford reminds me of Mary Poppins, always having exactly what Eleanor needs at any given time. I am very much looking forward to whatever will be in store in the next installment of this series. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

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BLOG TOUR - Her Last Walk Home

DESCRIPTION:

Her shoes pinched as she shivered in the cold night air. She just wanted to get home. A taxi slowed to a halt next to her, and as she buckled her seat belt, she noticed the child’s seat next to her and felt safe. But when she saw his eyes in the mirror, a shiver of terror shook her to her core…

When a young woman’s body is found on a patch of wet grass in the early hours of the morning, Detective Lottie Parker mourns the young life so brutally snatched away. Looking at the victim’s flimsy strappy top, damp from the dew and soaked with blood, it is clear that this young girl never came home from a night out. Lottie’s heart breaks as she thinks of the girl’s parents finding their daughter’s empty bed and she vows to catch the murderer.

The young woman is soon identified as Laura Nolan, and Lottie watches the blood drain from her mother Diana’s face when she tells her the terrible news. Diana reveals that Laura was on a date the night she was killed, but she doesn’t know who with… and Laura’s empty bedroom with make-up scattered across her dressing table offers no clues.

Lottie and her team rush to trace Laura’s last moments. But hope at a potential breakthrough turns to horror for Lottie when another young woman, Shannon Kenny is reported missing, last seen climbing into a taxi with a broken light, close to the same bar.

But then, Lottie discovers a connection between Laura and Shannon that totally overturns everything she thought she knew. The killer didn’t stalk these two young women at random. He knew exactly who they were and where they would be. But can Lottie stop him before he strikes again?

A completely compelling page-turner from bestselling author Patricia Gibney. If you like Rachel McLean, Kendra Elliott and Robert Dugoni, Her Last Walk Home will have you hooked.

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CW1DMVZJsocial

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MY THOUGHTS: 

Title:  Her Last Walk Home

Author:  Patricia Gibney 

Series:  D.I. Lottie Parker Book 14
Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers 

Format:  Kindle and Audio ARC

Narrator: Michelle Moran

Audiobook Length:  13 hrs

No. of Pages:   500

Date of Publication:  September 20, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

With a chilling start in the 14th book in the exceptional D.I. Lottie Parker series, Laura, a young mother with a four-year-old son is found murdered. Before long, Shannon, a second victim, is also discovered. Lottie gives her all to find justice for these victims, as well as to prevent any further murders from occurring. It is undeniable that the two murders are connected. 

Meanwhile, there is drama on Lottie’s home front as well, as her mother is showing early signs of dementia. Also, Lottie’s partner Boyd is adjusting to being a full-time father to his young son Sergio. So with Lottie and her team being incredibly busy, and the dynamics changing in her family, an underlying tension grows between Lottie and Boyd. 

Although I all but inhaled this book as soon as the ARC became available, I just had to give it a reread by way of an early audiobook release. The experience of listening to this as an audiobook was well worth the time invested.

Patricia Gibney delivers a powerfully crafted story with multiple points of view while Lottie navigates the difficulties of the tragic case involving several murders, her home life, and the POVs of the victims and suspects. Might be a lot to keep track of, but for me, it kept me riveted to the story. I can imagine Lottie as the lead role on a television crime drama because of all the dynamics she faces in her career and her personal life. 

This book had it all, including excellent pacing and a dramatic storyline which kept my emotions involved. Factor in compelling characters, and this book was impossible to put down, even with a second read, barely two months later.

I was excited to discover that this series by Patricia Gibney has been translated into other several languages. So far I found Hungarian, Spanish, Castilian, Czech and German! In fact, I clicked the buy link for German and the first 13 books are in the series are on Kindle Unlimited, as I’m sure this 14th book will be as well. Now, this might not be the case for all languages, but be sure to click the link above to find out.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children.

https://patriciagibney.com/

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Review - Remember Her Name

Title:  Remember Her Name

Author:  Lisa Regan

Series:  Detective Josie Quinn Book 21
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:  423

Date of Publication: September 17, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Her heart stutters as she draws closer. A woman’s fingertips curl over the boat’s edge. Dark crimson blood clashes with the faded blue peeling paint beneath. They’re too late, the beautiful woman within has been dead for some time…

Detective Josie Quinn lifts the baby from the pram, holding her close and gently soothing her. Josie scours the scene for the sweet little girl’s mother, but the park is deserted. Glancing down, something catches her eye. Nestled amongst the child’s soft pink blankets is a polaroid photo, the corner smudged with blood.

The search for Cleo Tate has Josie and her team in a chokehold; the abandoned newborn needs her mother, and every second counts now lab results show the blood belongs to her. The blurred photo of a body of water is Josie’s only lead. But what does it mean? And where was it taken? The answer is just within reach, but with Cleo’s husband lying about his movements that day, Josie can’t see it. Then it finally Cold Heart Creek, a crime scene from Josie’s past that she will never forget. Josie is terrified by what she finds Cleo’s body, cold as ice, with a second photo of a new location.

A twisted killer is playing a devilish game. And when Josie finds a second innocent victim at the site of a different case she solved, she begins to suspect that she herself is at the very heart of it. But why? As more bodies and more photos follow, Josie must dig deep into the secrets and mistakes of her past to get one step ahead.

The link between these women is key to cracking the case. Someone wants revenge, and won’t stop until their story is told, and no one involved is left breathing. Can Josie stop them before any more precious lives are taken? And just what will it cost her?

Buckle-up for a totally twisted serial-killer thriller that will keep you flipping pages until dawn. This unputdownable crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

There is a killer at large and a game is afoot. Small clues are left at one crime scene after another. Why is the killer leaving clues, with a very distinct signature, and will Josie and her team be able to stop him without even more bodies being found?

While being heartbroken at the loss of each victim, Josie struggles to get along with her new partner. He is called Turner and is unrepentantly irreverent. Then, Josie and her husband Noah, the lieutenant on her team, have been approved for adoption and are eager to be contacted so that they can begin to grow their family. Definitely a lot going on for Josie. 

Meanwhile, the deeper the team gets into the investigation, Josie cannot help of thinking where she got her start with the police, a job she almost gave up on. One of her first crime scenes keeps coming to mind. It was an utterly gruesome site, something Josie will never forget. However, she made a promise to herself and refused to give up, no matter how difficult things would be, case by case. It is fifteen years later, and Josie has excelled at her job.

As incredibly intense as this 21st book is - yes, 21st book! - in the ever successful Josie Quinn series, there are moments of levity, such as the swear jars that the team use to keep the language in the squad room clean. This helped me as I was reading this book, because more than once I had a huge lump in my throat while reading. The tension, accompanied by heart-stopping scenes, never once lets up.

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

Please enjoy my video book review:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com

 

Author Social Media Links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Regan-189735444395923/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Lisalregan

WEBSITE: www.lisaregan.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6443334.Lisa_Regan

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BLOG TOUR - Murder On a Country Walk

DESCRIPTION:

Julia Bird loves a walk in the countryside. There’s nothing quite like the fresh air and green rolling hills of the Cotswolds to clear your head. Unless you come across a dead body, that is…

When the local Berrywick vet, Dr Eve Davies, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, the police believe it’s nothing more than a tragic accident, but Julia isn’t so sure. Just a few days earlier when she took her dog, Jake, to the vets, Dr Eve said she believed something awful was about to happen. It turns out she was right…

But who would want the beloved village vet dead? Was it her mother Kay, a down-and-out gambler who stands to inherit her unwedded daughter’s home? Was it her assistant Olga, who was close to getting fired? Or was it her cut-throat tennis partner Will, with whom Dr Eve had an argument shortly before she took a tumble? And who is the stranger skulking around Berrywick peering into people’s windows?

When a second body appears in the exact spot where Dr Eve was found, Julia knows it can’t be a coincidence. Both victims were pushed off the cliff, but why? Should Julia let sleeping dogs lie, or will she be like a dog with a bone to find the murderer?

A totally gripping and charming cosy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries.

BUY LINK:

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Title:    Murder On a Country Walk

Author:  Katie Gayle

Series:   Julia Bird Mysteries #6
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  250

Date of Publication:  September 11, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Julia Bird had just taken her dog Jake to the vet for a sore tail. Soon after, Julia discovers that the vet, Dr. Eve, was found over a clifftop. How did Dr. Eve die? Not only does Eve not agree with the police ruling it an accident or even suicide, she takes it upon herself to find out what really happened. 

Julia is absolutely certain that Dr. Eve was murdered, so she begins to snoop around. This snooping definitely brings stress to Julia, but she just might not be able to let things go. Meanwhile, in the village of Berrywick where Julia lives, all of a sudden there is a stranger in town. Julia is not the only one being nosy. This further cements Julia’s belief that Dr. Eve’s fall was due to foul play.

What a delightful addition to a really enjoyable series. I just love cozy mysteries and Katie Gayle has done a fabulous job with this book and the previous five titles in the series. No doubt book seven will be just as engaging. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. Unlike their sleuth Epiphany Bloom, neither of them have ever stolen a cat from the vet.

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BLOG TOUR - Death In the Mayfair Hotel

DESCRIPTION:

In a candlelit ballroom, London’s most fashionable amateur sleuth, Cressida Fawcett, is dancing the night away in her sparkling silk dress. It’s a night Cressida will never forget. Because outside the window, there’s a body under the falling snow…

Christmas Eve, 1925. The Honourable Cressida Fawcett is delighted to attend an exclusive ball at London’s glamorous Mayfair Hotel. When she steps out into the moonlit courtyard with her little pug Ruby wrapped in her furs, she is thrilled to see a dashing man propose to her best pal under the swirling snowflakes. But instead of squealing ‘yes’, Dotty lets out a terrified scream…

Because floating in the fountain, with her long blonde hair rippling in the ice-cold water, is the body of their dear friend Lady Victoria Beaumont.

It’s clear the wealthy young beauty was murdered, whacked over the head with a bottle of champagne. Would Victoria’s elderly husband Lord Beaumont kill his wife over rumours of her younger beau? Or did someone clobber Victoria to prevent her producing an heir for the Beaumont fortune?

A snowstorm prevents the authorities from arriving, and just as Cressida searches for clues, she finds herself locked inside a large wicker hamper. Why does the scent of the hamper’s smoky luxury tea remind her of the crime scene? And will a suspiciously rotund Ruby follow her snuffly nose and find Cressida in the nick of time?

Trapped in the hotel with a killer lurking among the guests, will Cressida lose someone dear to her heart? And when she finds a clue among the Christmas crackers, can Cressida solve her most mysterious case yet?

The perfect cozy whodunnit for a cold winter’s night. Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss won’t be able to put this down!

BUY LINK:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CZPCRZS2social

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Title:   Death in the Mayfair Hotel

Author:  Fliss Chester

Series:  A Cressida Fawcett Mystery #6
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  295

Date of Publication: September 13, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars  

MY THOUGHTS:

Cressida Fawcett is enjoying herself on Christmas Eve at the glorious Mayfair Hotel, and is very excited to see something very wonderful happen to her best friend, Dotty. Instead, they discover something that totally spoils the mood. Cressida and Dotty’s dear friend Lady Victoria Beaumont is lying in a nearby fountain. The ladies are beyond upset that the Countess of Worcester is dead. Also present is Dotty’s brother Alfred, a man who is slowly stealing Cressida’s heart. 

Cressida on the watch. She will find out what happened to her friend. As the drama unfolds, Cressida soon finds that there was more than one person who might have wanted her friend dead, so she vigorously searches for clues.

Quite naturally, the more Cressida digs for answers, the more she is setting her own life up for danger. Thankfully her loving pug Ruby is always looking out for her mistress. With a snowstorm causing its own share of problems, which includes preventing the police from getting to the hotel, Cressida does what she does best and will make it her business to identify the killer.

What a delightful addition to an already enjoyable cozy mystery series. Cressida is a delight and I love her friends. Of course, Ruby is utterly adorable. This series is one I where I look forward to each book as it is released, so quite naturally, I am eager to see what Cressida and her friends get into next. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.

https://www.instagram.com/flisschester/
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