#TeaserTuesday- Virtually Gone #WIP @amwriting


Teaser Tuesday

I’m hard at work on my next novel, a police procedural suspense, coming out the beginning of June.

This is an eight book collection of high tech novels, each one releasing two weeks apart, with characters from our books making guest appearances in other stories within the series.

It’s fun and interesting, but definitely poses challenges as well. We have to be careful to maintain characteristics and fit varied careers and locations (even if by phone) into our plotlines.

Here is a short excerpt from my book, Virtually Gone, with Edward Dasso’s character, Wes Watley, mentioned within the passage.

Excerpt

Julie paced her bedroom like a twitchy cat, stopping to stare out the window at the empty street, then across to her silent cellphone on the dresser. Connor had been gone for hours without word—it was driving her mad.

The house was too quiet without her boys. Usually, she’d hear Dustin tossing and turning, and Freddy’s light snores, but tonight there was only silence. It unnerved her. Ever since she’d been kidnapped by the ABC Killer, the smallest things made her jumpy. She used her job as a journalist to combat the fear, to do what she could to protect victims like her. And yet, another rapist was loose in their city.

She shivered and left her room to double-check the locks.

There’d been two rapes near the university a couple of months ago. The women had escaped with their lives but were brutally beaten and robbed at knifepoint. Then there was the young girl last week, barely old enough to drive, killed just minutes from her home. The police were assuring the public they had no reason to be alarmed, whereas Julie disagreed. Maybe if those targets had been warned of the danger, they would have stood a better chance of avoiding his trap. If there was one takeaway she’d learned from her own experience, it was that psychopaths were in it for the thrill of the chase. They got off on terrifying their victims. The only answer was to take away their power.

Which was why she was up pacing instead of getting some much-needed sleep. Connor was keeping things from her and she didn’t like it. Either there was trust in their relationship, or it couldn’t continue. She didn’t expect him to divulge details of the investigation, but at the same time, she wasn’t just any reporter, either. He knew how personal cases like this were for her—she’d defied death and now it had become her calling to help others going through the same thing. Beating back the monsters one story at a time.

She turned from the locked front door and stopped in front of Mike’s photo hanging in the hall. Her husband’s green eyes stared at her with a perpetual smile. He was the light in their relationship, able to drag a laugh out of her even in her grumpiest days. He’d been a wonderful father to the boys—their daughter would have loved him, too, if not for the accident that took their lives. Julie liked to think they were together now, watching over their family. He’d certainly been there for her when that madman had chased her through the woods. He’d given her the strength to hold on until help could arrive.

“I miss you so much,” she murmured, her finger tracing the glass. “I think you’d like Connor… he’s a good man.” Warmth filled her chest and Mike’s eyes seemed to glow with tenderness and a sad acceptance. He would always be her first love, the gangly teen who’d stolen her heart and given her two beautiful sons, but he was gone and life moved on. She hadn’t expected to fall for another man. For a long time, she’d put her growing feelings down to loneliness, but Connor had impacted her life too much to be ignored. He could be arrogant at times, and overprotective, but he was also sweet and incredibly patient with Dustin and Freddy. She was happy for perhaps the first time since the accident that took her husband and unborn daughter. Was it wrong to wonder when the other shoe would drop?

The phone rang in the bedroom and she hurried down the hall, expecting it to be Connor. Instead, Taylor’s number showed up on the display.

“Hi, what are you doing still awake?” Julie asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and tucking bare toes into a plush throw rug she’d grabbed from a bargain bin.

“Sorry to call so late,” Taylor said in her no-nonsense voice. “I managed to book you onto a seaplane to Vancouver tomorrow morning. Can you make it?”

Julie blinked. What…? Oh, yeah, the private security consultant she was supposed to meet. With everything else that happened tonight, it had slipped her mind.

“Tomorrow is fine. The kids come home this weekend, so I’d just as soon get it over with. What was his name, again?”

“Watley. Wes Watley. Ex-FBI and Army CID Officer. He knows his stuff. Hopefully, you can bounce ideas off each other and come up with a solid lead. You never know, maybe he can even suggest something to catch our rapist.”

Privately, Julie was more cynical on that score. She’d met FBI types before and found them to be close-mouthed, but maybe this would be different. A little quid pro quo. “Where do we meet?” she asked, turning as the front door opened and closed.

“He’s coming into YVR at nine. By the time he gets through customs you should be able to catch him near the baggage claims.” Taylor paused. “Laurie is a mess over this. Anything you can do to help…”

Julie wandered to the dim hallway in time to catch Connor rubbing a tired hand over his neck, the streetlight from outside turning his hair to burnished copper. He stopped when he noticed her and raised his brow. Her pulse scattered.

“Of course,” she murmured. “Can you send me a recent photo of Mr. Watley, so I know who I’m looking for?” If not, she planned to do an online search for his company, his bio should be there.

“You’ll have it by morning,” Taylor assured her. “It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days. An introduction to your contacts with the VPD should set him on the right track. Thanks, Julie.”

“No problem. See you when I get back.” Julie ended the call and strode into Connor’s welcoming embrace. His chest was warm and comforting, the arms around her waist strong, yet gentle. He nuzzled the top of her head and she leaned back to look at his face. “Hi,” she said softly, concerned by the dullness in his normally expressive eyes. “Long night?”

“You could say that,” he agreed, bending to steal a kiss. “I thought I was dreaming when I walked in. That shirt never looked half as good on me.”

Some might recognize Julie and Connor from my Mended Souls series. While this book has the same characters, it is focused more on detective work than the paranormal element highlighted in the other books. I might add a bit of guardian angel influence, but it’s not the main element of this new sub-series I think I’m starting 🙂

I’m curious whether you think readers will accept the new direction. Any ideas for a series title that will tie into Mended Souls?

Virtually Gone: A Mended Souls Novel (High-Tech Crime Solvers Book 6)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085PQTV69

International: https://books2read.com/VirtuallyGone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/virtually-gone-a-mended-souls-novel-high-tech-crime-solvers-book-6-by-jacquie-biggar

Add to your TBR List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52329219-virtually-gone

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Jacquie Biggar, comes a gripping techno-thriller, part of a multi-author series tied together by an interlocking cast of characters, all centered around the fantastic new promise of high technology and the endless possibilities for crime that technology offers, in a world where getting away with murder can be not only plausible, but easy…if you just know how..

Investigative reporter Julie Crenshaw stumbles upon the case of a lifetime–one that could cost her everything.

When Julie is called on to investigate a string of sexual abuse cases, she doesn’t expect to land in the crosshairs of a serial rapist. Soon she’s in a race to find the facts before a killer makes her the headline.

Detective Matthew Roy is frustrated with his inability to track a rapist terrorizing his city. Added to that, his partner’s reporter girlfriend is dogging his every step and won’t heed his warnings. Time is ticking with the perpetrator escalating his crime to murder. Matt needs to find the killer soon, or chance losing someone he cares for- the question is, how?

★★★★★ “This author is an auto-buy for me. Each of her novels including this one is a perfect mix of angst, suspense, humor, and steaminess.”

Jacquie Biggar23 Comments

#BookReview- Connections in Death by J. D. Robb #Mystery


#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER (February 2019)

Lieutenant Eve Dallas fights to save the innocent—and serve justice to the guilty—on the streets of New York in Connections in Death, the gritty and gripping new In Death novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J.D. Robb.

Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. They know that the hard life can lead kids toward dangerous crossroads—and with this new project, they hope to nudge a few more of them onto the right path. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering—whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support.

Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. After all his work to get clean, Lyle’s been pumped full of poison—and a neighbor with a peephole reports seeing a scruffy, pink-haired girl fleeing the scene.

Now Eve and Roarke must venture into the gang territory where Lyle used to run, and the ugly underground world of tattoo parlors and strip joints where everyone has taken a wrong turn somewhere. They both believe in giving people a second chance. Maybe even a third or fourth. But as far as they’re concerned, whoever gave the order on Lyle Pickering’s murder has run out of chances…

Biography

J.D. ROBB is the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. She is the author of over 200 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Photo by Lukas Rodriguez on Pexels.com

My Review

Vengeance is murder in J.D. Robb’s police procedural, Connections in Death.

When the brother of child psychologist Rochelle Pickering dies of a seeming overdose, it becomes immediately apparent the poorly enacted suicide is in fact murder.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas can’t figure out why the killers would stage such a sloppy setup and then steal traceable items from the home. Her investigation places her and Roarke in the middle of a gang where the only law is loyalty to the gang.

When the murders begin to pile up, Dallas is in a race against an unknown enemy bent on creating a war between the gangs and endangering innocent civilians.

This is a sad story of a young man who had done all the right things to turn his life around and yet still paid the ultimate price for his past. It begs the question, why bother?

The author answers this by showing us the joy and pride his family had for him and the strength of will it took for him to turn his back on the lifestyle- not an easy decision.

I guessed where the story was headed fairly quickly, but it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Roarke, Eve, and the rest of the NYPD are relatable characters who get hurt, make mistakes, and love ferociously. Fifty books in and this series just grows stronger and stronger!

I give Connections in Death 5+ lovely kisses- Excellent!

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Jacquie Biggar13 Comments

Silent Payback by Jaye Marie #NewRelease #Suspense @jaydawes2


I’m pleased to host Jaye Marie and her new release, Silent Payback. This looks like a must-read!

About Silent Payback

A city on edge – a detective on shaky ground…

A serial killer roams the streets of Brighton, hunting for his next victim.

When the case lands on detective David Mallory’s desk, will his personal demon prevent him from bringing this vicious monster to justice?

As the body count rises, Mallory finds himself sinking under the weight of his heavy secret – one that could jeopardise his job and his reputation.

With the pressure building, can the troubled detective reconcile his issues and solve the case, before more women die?

UK:  amzn.to/2p4xxzg or US:amZn.to/2LXHgjO

Excerpt

Chapter 19

After leaving the police station, the interview kept replaying in Will’s mind. When they had questioned him after his mother-in-law went missing it had been informal, with simple, run of the mill questions, all polite and respectful. Today had been different.

The man in charge of the interview made his opinions clear, and almost accused him outright of killing his wife and her mother too. Poor Julie, how she would have laughed about that. He missed her sense of humour and the way she always found something to laugh at.

It was a great pity she had ruined everything by insisting on bringing that dreadful woman into their home. He tried to remember if she had found anything funny about that day and couldn’t. His anger filled his mind again, and he couldn’t remember anything else. Had she laughed, cried, tried to reason with him?

His memory struggled, then moved on to the day she had waited for him in the University car park. She had tried to talk to him, failed to apologise and quickly became angry when he wouldn’t cooperate.

Will thought back to the barely concealed accusations, wondering why they seemed to blame him for Julie’s death. He wished they would explain their reasons. Why were they so convinced he had something to do with it? Or was it because they couldn’t find anyone else?

Up until now, he had dismissed their attitude; sure they would move on once they found out who did kill them. This last interview, which had felt like an inquisition, had unnerved him. They seemed hell-bent on pinning both deaths on him, and he had no idea how to convince them he was innocent.

His mind moved on again, and he thought about Agatha Blackstone.

That woman had always hated him. He couldn’t think why as he had tried to be respectful and follow her rules. The mother of one of his students had started the decline in his popularity, demolishing any respect Blackstone may have had for him when he was accused of improper conduct with her daughter. This was the first time anyone had attacked his carefully acquired reputation, and when Blackstone had taken the mother’s side against him, the downward slide had begun.

When the mother turned up dead, no one had visited him making all kinds of accusations. Logically, he thought, wouldn’t he have killed the daughter too if that was the kind of person he was?

About the Author

Jaye Marie is affectionately known as the giant redwood, probably because she is very tall, but also because of her love for trees. Most afternoons she can be found repotting or taking care of her bonsai collection, but her love of detective mysteries soon brings her back indoors. She has written three fiction novels in this genre, Nine Lives, Out of Time and Crossfire and is looking forward to publishing Silent Payback, her fourth book.

She spends any free time learning everything she can about self-publishing, and despite all the obstacles, she never gives up on anything and is as stubborn as a mule. She also shares a website http://jenanita01.com with Anita Dawes…

Jaye’s Links

e-mails              jayemarie01@btinternet.com

website              https://jenanita01.com

Twitter               https://twitter.com/jaydawes2

Facebook           https://www.facebook.com/doubletrouble44/

Goodreads         https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6586480.anita_dawes

Amazon Author Page       https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaye-Marie/e/B00O2ZUFOK/

Pinterest             https://www.pinterest.com/anitajayedawes

Instagram           https://www.instagram.com/jenanita01/

Medium              https://medium.com/@jaydawes2

Jacquie Biggar15 Comments

The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel… A Louise Penny Masterpiece #Mystery #BookReview


A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Louise Penny’s The Long Way Home is an intriguing Chief Inspector Gamache Novel.

Happily retired in the village of Three Pines, Armand Gamache, former Chief Inspector of Homicide with the SĂťretĂŠ du QuĂŠbec, has found a peace he’d only imagined possible. On warm summer mornings he sits on a bench holding a small book, The Balm in Gilead, in his large hands. “There is a balm in Gilead,” his neighbor Clara Morrow reads from the dust jacket, “to make the wounded whole.”

While Gamache doesn’t talk about his wounds and his balm, Clara tells him about hers. Peter, her artist husband, has failed to come home. Failed to show up as promised on the first anniversary of their separation. She wants Gamache’s help to find him. Having finally found sanctuary, Gamache feels a near revulsion at the thought of leaving Three Pines. “There’s power enough in Heaven,” he finishes the quote as he contemplates the quiet village, “to cure a sin-sick soul.” And then he gets up. And joins her.

Together with his former second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and Myrna Landers, they journey deeper and deeper into QuĂŠbec. And deeper and deeper into the soul of Peter Morrow. A man so desperate to recapture his fame as an artist, he would sell that soul. And may have. The journey takes them further and further from Three Pines, to the very mouth of the great St. Lawrence river. To an area so desolate, so damned, the first mariners called it the land God gave to Cain. And there they discover the terrible damage done by a sin-sick soul.

Biography

LOUISE PENNY is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (five times) and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. She lives in a small village south of MontrĂŠal.

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

My Review

Strangely Fascinating!

Armand Gamache would like to lay the past to rest and enjoy his retirement in the picturesque Quebec village of Three Pines with its cast of eccentric characters, but a mystery compels him to help an old friend.

Clara Morrow loves her husband, even though his jealousy is driving them apart. Not of another man, but because of her newfound fame as an artist. Clara suggests a one year separation to rethink their relationship and is distraught when he doesn’t return on their anniversary as he promised. She asks Gamache for help and though he almost fears leaving the safe haven of Three Pines, he enlists the help of his son-in-law and former second in command to retrace Peter’s footsteps.

What follows is a slightly strange and yet meaningful journey that winds up on the shores of the St. Lawrence River in what mariners called the land God gave to Cain.

I love how the author brings us full circle from what seems like something innocuous to a dramatic ending.

Favorite Lines

Turmoil shook loose all sorts of unpleasant truths. But it took peace to examine them.

Penny, Louise. The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Book 10) (p. 4). St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition.

After spending most of her life scanning the horizon for slights and threats, genuine and imagined, she knew the real threat to her happiness came not from the dot in the distance, but from looking for it. Expecting it. Waiting for it. And in some cases, creating it. Her father had jokingly accused her of living in the wreckage of her future.

Penny, Louise. The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Book 10) (pp. 22-23). St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition.

This painting flouted all the rules of art and most of the rules of common courtesy. It was a bad smell tacked to the wall.

Penny, Louise. The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Book 10) (p. 83). St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition.

“A poem begins as a lump in the throat,” said Armand Gamache as he took a seat on one of Ruth’s white preformed chairs. “You make it sound like a fur ball,” said Ruth.

Penny, Louise. The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Book 10) (p. 151). St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition.

I had to add the last one- I love Ruth 🙂

I give The Long Way Home 5 lovely kisses- A Haunting Masterpiece!

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Jacquie Biggar24 Comments

A cold-blooded killer resurfaces from the past… The Dark Bones by Loreth Anne White #Suspense #BookReview @Loreth


She’s come back to solve the mystery of her father’s death and confront her own dark past.

When Detective Rebecca North left her rural hometown, she vowed never to return. Her father’s apparent suicide has changed that. The official report is that retired cop Noah North shot himself, knocked over a lantern, and set his isolated cabin ablaze. But Rebecca cannot believe he killed himself.

To prove it, she needs the help of Ash Haugen, the man she left behind. But Rebecca and Ash share more than broken hearts. Something darker lies between them, and the investigation is stirring it back to life. Clues lead them to the home of Olivia West and her deeply troubled twelve-year-old daughter, Tori. The child knows more about the murder than anyone can imagine, but she’s too terrified to say a word.

And as a cold-blooded killer resurfaces from the past, Rebecca and Ash begin to fear that their own secrets may be even harder to survive.

Biography

Loreth Anne White is an internationally bestselling author of thrillers, mysteries, and romantic suspense. A three-time RITA finalist, she is also the Overall 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award winner, and she has won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall, in addition to being a Booksellers’ Best finalist, and a multiple CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award winner.
​
A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now resides in the haunting mountains of the Pacific Northwest with her family … where she tries to avoid the bears, albeit unsuccessfully! When she’s not writing, you will find her skiing, biking, or hiking the trails with her dog (aka the Black Beast). Or open water swimming. She calls this work, because that’s when the best ideas come. 

You find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne.White
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or connect with her via her website at:
http://www.lorethannewhite.com

My Review

A desperate phone call from Becca North’s drunk father fills her with a sadness that changes to horror when she receives the news he’s committed suicide. A trip home to arrange his funeral uncovers a string of inconsistencies that soon has the RCMP officer embroiled in a past she never wanted to revisit.

Ash Haugen can’t believe Rebecca- his Becca- suspects him in the growing case proving her father was murdered for the secrets he’d uncovered. Ash had a few of those himself; ones that could ruin any chance he might have of winning her trust.

As the investigation heats up, Rebecca is forced to rethink her beliefs while fighting a growing attraction to her teenage love- Ash Haugen- her chief suspect.

Loreth does it again in this spine-tingling thriller!

We get a little reminiscing with characters from the first in the series, A Dark Lure, a whole lot of broody settings, and a cast of characters that will leave you wondering in the way of classic mystery-suspense page-turners, who-done-it?

I give The Dark Bones 5+ lovely kisses- A chilling suspense!

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the opportunity.

 

Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb #Mystery #BookReview





Lieutenant Eve Dallas tails a serial killer who has a passion for the “Twelve Days of Christmas” in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series.

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York’s most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer who likes to dress up as Santa Claus, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters into an elite world of people searching for their one true love. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal…

 

 

 

Biography
J.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Leverage in Death, on sale Septenber 2018, is the 47th entry in the series.
My Review

Santa is on the warpath in this holiday who-done-it by New York Times bestselling author J.D. Robb.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas faces one of her toughest assignments as a sadistic killer haunts the city dressed as Santa Claus. His calling card: expensive tokens depicting the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Eve has to track a monster terrorizing the patrons of a dating service while trying to block the memories of her own childhood. Thankfully, she has the support of her incredibly talented and sexy husband, Roarke.

This story deals with some tough issues, but adds to the depth of Eve’s character and her relationships on the police force. She often comes across as brash, but underneath, in a place she usually only lets Roarke see, she’s still the abused, lonely little girl who killed her father to survive.

I give Holiday in Death 5 lovely kisses- A must read!

Are you a fan of the In Death series? Do you like Eve?

 

Jacquie Biggar15 Comments

Celebrate your love of Romantic Suspense novels with @BookSweeps and enter to win more than 40+ – PLUS receive a collection of FREE reads!📚 #books #amreading


Today, I have a fun surprise I’d like to share with you.

 

BIGGAR-Romantic-Suspense-Oct-18

 

I’ve teamed up with 40+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Romantic Suspense novels to 2 lucky winners, PLUS a brand new eReader to the Grand Prize winner!

 

Oh, and did I mention you’ll receive a collection of FREE reads just for entering? 😁

 

You can win my novel Tempted by Mr. Wrong, plus books from authors like Ann Major, Christie Craig, and Jacki Delecki.

 

Enter the giveaway by clicking here 👉 http://bit.ly/romsuspense-oct18

 

JacquieMr.Wrong

Here’s an excerpt from Tempted by Mr. Wrong

Tammy-Jo Hawthorne limped down the side of the highway, broken shoe in hand, and cursed everything from the gravel cutting into her bare foot, to the drizzling rain making her mascara run. But most of all, she cursed fate for ever introducing her to her no-good, dirty, rotten scumbag of an ex-husband—Timothy Hawthorne the third, and don’t you forget it.

Her cheeks flamed again even as goosebumps of embarrassed anger chased themselves over her flesh. They’d escorted her out; she still couldn’t believe it. Not one person had stood to defend her either. Ten years she’d belonged to that stupid high-falutin club, and no one had supported her in her time of need. Well, screw them.

A semi-trailer flew past, and a sheet of water drenched her to the bone.

“Ooh.” She raised her shoe in the air and shook it at the fading taillights. “Thanks for nothing.”

Disheartened, she dropped her Louboutin in the grass, careful to keep it off the scratchy gravel, and wrung out the hem of her shirt. Tim had a lot to answer for; not least of which was the fact her Jaguar had been towed away while she’d been inside the country club. It was becoming clear that this had been a well-choreographed plan on his part. He’d thought of everything too. When she’d tried to call for a cab, she found her phone had been cut off. She’d stomped over to a nearby gas station to use the payphone, and found her bank and credit cards had been cancelled as well. He’d taken her love and stomped it beneath his wingtips and now he wanted her pride too.

Well, he couldn’t have it, damn him.

If she had to walk the entire twenty miles to home, she would.

And then she was going to sue that bastard for every red cent he owned.

The traffic snaked by in a never-ending ribbon of color, the noise a match to the static in her head. She thought about doing like she’d seen on television and lift her thumb to catch a ride, but fear held her back. Those were the same shows where the unlucky traveler was never seen again. She didn’t plan on giving her soon-to-be ex that easy of an out.

The rain was falling harder now, coating everything in sight with a silvery glow. If she wasn’t so cold—a combination of nerves and early spring weather—it would be pretty. Okay, maybe that was a stretch. There was nothing remotely pretty about being stranded in the middle of nowheresville thanks to the man you’d promised to love and honor until death did you part. The last of which was looking tempting right now.

If only she knew a hitman.

A throaty engine gearing down set her heart to leap-frogging in her chest—he’d changed his mind and returned her car. She swung around, a relieved smile tipping her scowl upside down, but instead of her beautiful silver Jag, a black-as-sin Mustang idled behind her in the parking lane, its driving lights blinding her with their brightness.

Now her heart pounded for an entirely different reason. She glanced into the ditch, but the forest seemed impossibly far away and the traffic never even hesitated, unaware and uncaring that her life could be in danger.

T.J. shaded her eyes, but she couldn’t see the driver. She clutched her handbag. It wasn’t much, but the soft lambskin purse held the keys to her house and her car—once she got it back—her identification, all the odds and ends a woman deemed necessary, and the proof that her husband was the reason she was in this predicament. She wouldn’t give it up without a fight.

She picked up the only weapon at her disposal, her shoe, and inched backward, dismayed when the car stalked after her. Panic overrode decorum and she turned to run, but the ditch was slippery with the mud and rain and she lost her footing, careening down the steep embankment with a little screech. She landed hard on her butt and sat there for a minute, stunned. How the mighty had fallen. The Hawthorne couple were the envy of Magnolia, South Carolina. Everyone wanted to be them, have the same kind of loving relationship they had. What a joke.

And it was all on her.

A car door opened and a few ominous seconds later, T.J. heard footsteps on the gravel meridian. Even through the rain and early evening light, her white shirt practically glowed a neon here I am signal to anyone looking. And of course, someone was. She hunched over, doing her best to become one with the mud, and prayed like she’d never prayed before. Not hard, since she’d never followed any religious beliefs, but she promised anyone who was listening that she’d change. Just don’t let her die.

“Tammy-Jo Hawthorne?” scary stranger dude called down the hill, his voice filled with amused aggravation.

What did he have to be aggravated about? She was the one sitting in a cold, wet ditch while a stalker… well, stalked her.

“Go away,” she yelled, fed up with men and life in general. She swiped at a clump of ooey-gooey crap clinging to her leg below the silk pencil skirt she’d no doubt have to throw in the trash after this episode. Just one more reason to shoot Tim.

“I was at the club today,” he said, and the sympathy in his voice made her squirm. “I heard about your car, thought you could use a lift.”

She threw back her head and let the rain wash over her face. The humiliations just kept coming. The moment he’d mentioned the club she’d known who her dubious savior was; her evil step-brother.

Jason McIntyre.

 

Good luck and enjoy!

 

 

Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

In Las Vegas, secrets can kill… Casino Girl by Leslie Wolfe #Mystery #Bookish @ExpressoBookTours @WolfeNovels


Casino Girl
Leslie Wolfe
(Baxter and Holt #2)
Publication date: August 31st 2018
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

In Las Vegas, secrets are deadly.

Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re hunting for a killer.

The girl

When a beautiful, young girl is killed in the high-roller Pleasure Pit of the exclusive Scala Casino, the news reverberates for hours among the ritzy clientele. Before taking the stage where she found her death, Crystal was last seen boarding an unmarked helicopter for a late-night flight to an unknown destination.

The money

The stakes are high at the roulette table, and the players are hot-blooded. Among them, a stone-cold killer watches, waits, and kills without leaving a single trace of evidence. Rien ne va plus but death.

The game

The name of the game is murder, and it doesn’t stop with Crystal’s demise. Anyone who threatens to expose the killer’s identity will soon find they’re being targeted.

In Las Vegas, secrets can kill.

Two mavericks make an intriguing team. Baxter and Holt trust each other with their lives, only not with their darkest secrets.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Odds

They’re called quasi-strippers.

They don’t really bare it all, like real strippers do behind the darkened glass doors of specialty adult clubs, but they aren’t exactly fully dressed either while they perform.

Crystal preferred the term exotic dancer. Five nights a week she took the small stage at the center of the high-limit blackjack tables, in the glamorous Scala Casino. Five nights a week she danced and smiled and undulated her perfect body to the rhythm of sultry songs, carefully chosen to lure the gamblers’ attention away from the cards and the ever-diminishing stacks of their chips. In the background, nothing is more Vegas than the Scala Casino floor, filled with a million noises, dazzling lights, and excess adrenaline. Nothing is more alive.

That’s where she belonged, among the glitter and the gold, the glitzy and the rich.

She wore strappy lingerie with black and gold lace accents on beige silk, designed to trick the mind’s eye into believing she was naked. Black, knee-high stiletto boots completed her attire, her black, garter-belt straps attached to them, sexy and kinky and fun. The appreciative looks she basked in that night told her she’d chosen her ensemble well. It was going to be a profitable evening.

The familiar music seemed a bit too loud, making her wince, a little dizzy. She grabbed the pole tighter, aware she was dancing out of rhythm, but knowing the customers were too far gone to notice. It was almost four in the morning, and by that time, most of them were pleasantly inebriated, high on their own excitement and maybe more, living the Vegas dream.

The only danger was that asshole, Farley, a fat, lewd pig who liked to scream at the girls, giving them a hard time for everything they did, right or wrong regardless. Two minutes of being late or changing clothes mid-shift and she’d get pulled inside the pit manager’s office for another scolding session.

But she held her head up during those moments, aware they were going to pass and even more aware they were meant to intimidate her into offering sexual favors in return for a privileged work atmosphere.

Oh, hell, no.

Not ever. Not even if the prick turned blue in the face from too much screaming, or his waiting-to-happen stroke knocked him dead right before her eyes.

But even Stan Farley was looking away that moment, focused on a newly arrived high roller who’d taken a seat at one of the blackjack tables with a view of the stage. She didn’t know that one, but judging by the way Farley fawned over him, he must’ve been someone important.

Someone rich.

Someone who didn’t care that the odds at his blackjack table were stacked higher against him, just because the table came with a view of full inviting cleavage and tight little buns.

Hers.

She felt beads of sweat bursting at the roots of her hair and forced some stale air into her lungs. Maybe the air conditioning was off, or something. The cigar smoke made it almost unbreathable, but it was an acceptable tradeoff for being allowed to work the high roller pit, not some fifty-cents-minimum roulette floor, where the tips were always Washingtons, never a Franklin and rarely a Lincoln, and not a whole lot of them to count at the end of a shift anyway.

No, she’d been lucky, and her luck had started to play in her favor about a month after she’d been hired. For that she probably had Devine to thank.

Her sweaty palms made it difficult for her to get a good grip on the shiny, chrome pole, but she managed a back hook spin and landed facing Devine. Her best friend danced some 30 feet away, on a small, elevated stage set among four, high-limit, roulette tables.

She waited until she could make eye contact with Devine and waved discreetly at her best friend. Just seeing her smile back made her feel less lonely, less vulnerable. Maybe she was going to be okay. Maybe things would work out after all.

Without realizing, she put her palm on her belly in a soft, caressing gesture, aimed to comfort the tiny sparkle of life growing inside her. She wasn’t showing a baby bump yet, but soon that would change, and with it, her entire life as she knew it.

She skipped out of rhythm again, but soon snapped out of her trance, motivated by Farley’s mean glare. She focused on her customers for a while and, within a few minutes of smiling provocatively and wiggling her rear, a crisp fifty-dollar bill landed under the thin strap of her thong, delivered by long, hairy fingers that reached lower and lingered longer than was necessary.

Sometimes she was happy the payout was 6:5 instead of 3:2 on a blackjack at the tables facing her; those jerks deserved to pay.

But she smiled at the man who’d delivered the tip and mocked a reverence without letting go of the pole. Then she let herself fall into a back bend and frowned when she saw Farley was approaching.

“What the hell is wrong with you, huh?” he snapped, after grabbing her arm and pulling her close. The music was loud, and no one could hear his words; not that anyone would care if they did. “Could you be bothered to do your job tonight? A deaf penguin has more rhythm than you.”

“I’m working it, Stan, what the hell? I haven’t taken a break in two hours.”

“The hell you are, bitch. You see those bozos? If they’re looking at their cards instead of your ass, you ain’t earning your keep.”

He let go of her arm and disappeared before she could say anything. He was a two-faced creep; with her and the other girls he showed his real charm. For all the patrons and the rest of the Scala staff, he was a perfect gentleman, always dressed in an impeccable suit and starched, white shirts, pleasantly smiling and accommodating.

She knew better than to let him get under her skin.

But her head was spinning, and she held on tight to the pole, not as part of her routine, but for much-needed balance. The music changed, and she welcomed the new beat, one of her favorites. She knew the playlist by heart; the casino had a limited supply of premixed tracks, but the customers didn’t seem to care.

Cheers erupted at the table in front of her, and one of the players lifted his arms in the air, beaming. The croupier pushed an impressive pile of chips in front of the man, and she quickly flashed her megawatt smile and made lingering eye contact. He didn’t disappoint; he picked one of the chips and sent it flying her way. She caught it gracefully, then placed it on the floor, next to the pole. Her barely-there panties weren’t made to hold casino chips.

When she looked up, she startled.

It was him. It was Paul, and he was furious, by the angle of his eyebrows, by the deep ridges flanking his mouth.

He stood right there, next to her stage, glaring at her with a loaded gaze filled with such hatred that her breath caught. He beckoned her to come closer without making a single gesture. She approached him hesitantly and crouched to bring their eyes on the same level, aware not even Farley would dare say a word. She shot a quick glance toward Devine’s stage, but she was gone, nowhere in sight.

His eyes drilled into hers, close enough she could see his dilated pupils. Without a word, he shoved a purple and white chip deep inside her bra, then grabbed the thin strap, pulling her closer to him. He said something, keeping his voice low and menacing. She couldn’t make out his words but didn’t dare to ask. She wanted to explain herself, wanted him to understand her motives, but she couldn’t find her words.

She didn’t want his money, and she didn’t deserve his anger.

When he finally let go of her strap and pushed her away, she almost fell. Her knees were shaking, and she felt the urge to sit for a moment, to catch her breath. She grabbed the pole tightly and did a clumsy back slide against the shiny surface, landing hard on her butt, then folded her legs to the side. She let her head hang low, and her long, wavy hair covered her face, hiding the fear in her eyes until it subsided a little.

Then she wrapped her hands around the pole again, planning to stand and do a pirouette, but her arms and legs felt numb, listless. She tried to breathe, but air refused to enter her lungs. Frantic, she looked around, searching for someone, anyone, who could help. Only one man was looking at her, but her desperate and silent plea was misunderstood.

The man licked his lips, arranged his crotch with a quick gesture, then looked away at another dancer.

She gasped for air a couple of times, then the bright lights of the casino seemed to dim, inviting darkness to engulf her view of the lively floor. Silence came, heavy, palpable. Against it, not even her own heart beats could be heard.

Defeated, she let go. Her body landed on the stage floor with a loud thump that no one heard. Unnoticed, a white and purple casino chip fell out of her top and rolled onto the floor, stopping under a table.

For a long moment, Farley thought the immobile pose was part of Crystal’s routine, some new dance move that she was trying. Customers really enjoyed seeing girls crawling on the stage; it made the viewers feel powerful, superior, in control. By the time Farley realized he’d been wrong, she was already gone. His chubby fingers felt for a pulse and found nothing.

Now he’d have to call the cops and close the pit. His worst nightmare.

 

Author Bio:

Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense, backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.

Leslie released the first novel, Executive, in October 2011. It was very well received, including inquiries from Hollywood. Since then, Leslie published numerous novels and enjoyed growing success and recognition in the marketplace. Among Leslie’s most notable works, The Watson Girl (2017) was recognized for offering a unique insight into the mind of a serial killer and a rarely seen first person account of his actions, in a dramatic and intense procedural thriller.

A complete list of Leslie’s titles is available at http://wolfenovels.com/order.

Leslie enjoys engaging with readers every day and would love to hear from you.

• Become an insider: gain early access to previews of Leslie’s new novels.

• Email: LW@WolfeNovels.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Amazon

 

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Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

Lt. Eve Dallas must separate rumors from reality… Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb #Mystery #BookReview


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A new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series: Lt. Eve Dallas must separate rumors from reality when a woman who traffics in other people’s secrets is silenced.

The chic Manhattan nightspot Du Vin is not the kind of place Eve Dallas would usually patronize, and it’s not the kind of bar where a lot of blood gets spilled. But that’s exactly what happens one cold February evening.

The mortally wounded woman is Larinda Mars, a self-described “social information reporter,” or as most people would call it, a professional gossip. As it turns out, she was keeping the most shocking stories quiet, for profitable use in her side business as a blackmailer. Setting her sights on rich, prominent marks, she’d find out what they most wanted to keep hidden and then bleed them dry. Now someone’s done the same to her, literally—with a knife to the brachial artery.

Eve didn’t like Larinda Mars. But she likes murder even less. To find justice for this victim, she’ll have to plunge into the dirty little secrets of all the people Larinda Mars victimized herself. But along the way, she may be exposed to some information she really didn’t want to know…

 

Biography

J.D. Robb

J.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Leverage in Death, on sale Septenber 2018, is the 47th entry in the series.

selective focus photography of man and woman sitting on chair inside restaurant during nighttime
Photo by Huy Phan on Pexels.com

My Review

What happens when the woman everyone loves to hate dies in front of you?

See that justice is served.

When society reporter Larinda Mars dies just steps away from Eve Dallas in a busy New York restaurant (coincidentally owned by her husband) she locks down the doors and begins an investigation that will lead her into the dirty little secrets of some of the city’s most prominent members.

Larinda Mars held a profitable sideline blackmailing people to keep their secrets. The deeper Dallas searches, the more suspects turn up.

I love the connection between Dallas and Roarke. Their relationship is the quiet in the storm that is Eve’s job. The little things Roarke does for her, such as making sure she eats healthy and has comfortable shoes warms my heart. As he puts it;

He brought the hand he held to his lips. “My cop spends a good portion of her day on her feet, walking these streets and chasing bad guys. I have a fondness for those feet, and consider good boots as essential in your daily pursuits as your weapon.”

Robb, J. D.. Secrets in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death, Book 45) (p. 35). St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition.

I give Secrets in Death 5 lovely kisses

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Jacquie Biggar10 Comments

Love Torn by Stacy Eaton #RomSuspense #NewRelease @MoBPromos #StacySEaton


LOVE TORN

Book 2 of The Twisted Love Series

Written by USA Today Bestselling Author Stacy Eaton

Co-Authored Series with Bestselling Author Amy Manemann Continue reading “Love Torn by Stacy Eaton #RomSuspense #NewRelease @MoBPromos #StacySEaton” →

Jacquie Biggar5 Comments

Special Agent Maximilian by @MimiBarbour #BookReview #RomSuspense #mgtab


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Identical twins but different men – she loves both!

In this electrifying romantic suspense set in the steamy streets of New Orleans, Lieutenant Commander Nik Baudin, accidently meets up with an identical twin he never knew existed. When his brother Max goes missing, Nik assumes his identity as Special Agent Maximilian. This gives him access to FBI files making it easier to arrest the gangsters who attacked his brother and to stop their trafficking of underage girls. Being that Nik has specialized commando training, he’s the perfect man for the job – that’s if his PTSD doesn’t kick in and leave him cowering in a corner.

Special Agent Maya Barnes can’t believe it when she spots her partner, Max Foster, wandering along the French market without a care in the world. Since he’d been beaten and had gone missing weeks earlier, they all believed him dead. There’s only one problem… though this man might look exactly like the missing agent, she knows differently. In all the years they’ve worked together, she’s never wanted to have mind-blowing sex with her partner before.

 

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Biography

New York Times, USA Today, Best-selling author – Mimi’s been heard to say: “I’m an author who loves to write uplifting stories about romance. Add in some time travel, or maybe an angel, or even a little romantic suspense and it makes the story more fascinating because of the incredible possibilities.”

Mimi is an Amazon best-selling author who’s sold over 500,000 copies of her books world-wide. Her five romance series: The Vicarage Bench/ time travel at its best, Angels with Attitudes / angels love romance, Vegas / fast-paced plotting, Elvis / make a song a book and her newest, Undercover FBI / with sizzling conflicts and lots of humor.

**Visit her blogs at http://mimibarbour.com / http://Authorsbillboard.com

**Sign up for her monthly newsletter at http://mimibarbour.com

**Follow Mimi on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimi-Barbour-Fan-Page/203964072966134?ref_type=bookmark

**Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MimiBarbour

 

My Review

Imagine finding out you had an identical twin you knew nothing about.

A chance meeting brings Nik and Max together just in time for Max to disappear under suspicious circumstances. When Nik learns Max has been savagely beaten by the mobsters he’s trying to build a case against, the brothers come up with a plan to have Nik go undercover– as Max!

Maya Barnes can’t believe when the partner she’s been searching for suddenly shows up as though nothing has happened. Except Max isn’t acting like himself. It doesn’t take her long to guess something is going on. The chemistry between Nik and Maya is off the charts!

The author covers the sensitive subject of human trafficking with realism and empathy. This story is fast-paced with some fun twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I loved the premise of two brothers finding each other after years apart.

I give Special Agent Maximilian 5 lovely kisses- An entertaining read!

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Jacquie Biggar3 Comments

Indecent Exposure by Tessa Bailey #Romance #NewRelease @puretextuality @AvonBooks @mstessabailey


Is there a problem, Officer?

Jack Garrett isn’t a police officer yet, but there’s already an emergency. His new firearms instructor—the one who just dropped every jaw in the academy gym—is the same sexy Irish stranger Jack locked lips with last night. The Olympic gold medalist and expert markswoman is now officially off-limits, but Jack’s never cared much for rules . . .

Katie McCoy’s been cooped up in a shooting range for too long. A wild love affair is just what she needs to let loose, though she never imagined it would be with her smokin’ hot trainee. She cannot get involved with Jack—but a quick fling? Perfect. Falling hard for a charismatic recruit with an equal amount of sex appeal and secrets? Bloody stupid.

Jack’s charmed the pants off plenty of women (literally), yet few have ever looked beyond his perfect surface. Until Katie. He’ll do anything to keep her in his life . . . except tell her about his past. But a tiny lie of omission never hurt anyone, right?

 

About the Book

Indecent Exposure
by Tessa Bailey

Series
The Academy Series

Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance

Publisher
Avon Books

Publication Date
January 30, 2018

Amazon  |  Avon Romance  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Google Play  |  iBooks

 

Excerpt:

“One kiss.”

He takes a step forward, his big chest rising and falling. “I know I’m pushing it, Snaps. But I’m dying over here.”

I’m dying, too. No denying it. This attraction is very bad for my mental and physical health. He probably won’t even show up tomorrow night. His romantic comedy costar will distract him with an invitation to eat grapes on a sun- drenched rooftop somewhere and I . . . I could never get another chance to kiss this outrageously beautiful man. This trip to New York isn’t only a career opportunity, it’s a chance to shake off my comfort zone.

Do it, Katie. Don’t regret it. Don’t be a coward. What’s the worst that could happen?

“Just one, then,” I whisper.

His green eyes go molten as he takes two big strides and swoops in. I hear my backpack hit the ground and then nothing, nothing, but Jack’s mouth has any part of my focus.

What’s the worst that could happen?

 

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Tour Wide Giveaway

To celebrate the release of INDECENT EXPOSURE, we’re giving away two paperback copies of DISORDERLY CONDUCT series by Tessa Bailey!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. Two winners will each receive a paperback copy of Disorderly Conduct by Tessa Bailey.  This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  Giveaway ends 2/3/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address.  Duplicates will be deleted.  CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

 

 

About Tessa Bailey

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Author Links

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Jacquie Biggar6 Comments

The Lullaby Girl by Loreth Anne White #Thriller #BookReview @Loreth


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Detective Angie Pallorino took down a serial killer permanently and, according to her superiors, with excessive force. Benched on a desk assignment for twelve months, Angie struggles to maintain her sense of identity—if she’s not a detective, who is she? Then a decades-old cold case washes ashore, pulling her into an investigation she recognizes as deeply personal.

Angie’s lover and partner, James Maddocks, sees it, too. But spearheading an ongoing probe into a sex-trafficking ring while keeping Angie’s increasing obsession with her case in check is taking its toll. As startling connections between the parallel investigations emerge, Maddocks realizes he has even more than Angie’s emotional state to worry about.

Driven and desperate to solve her case, Angie goes rogue, risking her relationship, career, and very life in pursuit of answers. She’ll learn that some truths are too painful to bear, and some sacrifices include collateral damage.

But Angie Pallorino won’t let it go. She can’t. It’s not in her blood.

 

 

About the Author

Loreth

Loreth Anne White, an award-winning author of thrillers, mysteries, and romances, has sold over 1.5 million books, including ‘The Drowned Girls’ and ‘The Lullaby Girl’ – the first two books in the Angie Pallorino series. Winner of the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in the Mainstream Mystery/Suspense category, and Overall Daphne Winner for the 2017 published division, Loreth is also a three-time RITA finalist and has won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall, in addition to being a Booksellers’ Best finalist, and a multiple CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award winner.

A former journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now resides in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest with her family where she tries to avoid the bears, albeit unsuccessfully. When she’s not writing, you will find her skiing, biking, or hiking the trails with her dog, aka The Black Beast.
Visit her at http://www.lorethannewhite.com.

Loreth loves to hear from readers. You can find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne.White
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or connect with her via her website at:
http://www.lorethannewhite.com

 

My Review

Detective Angie Pallorino must face down her past in this thrilling continuation of a bestselling series.

Angie has been reprimanded for use of excessive force in the takedown of a serial killer and put on desk duty for twelve months. Anger fights with loss of self as Angie delves further into her murky past and learns that sometimes the monsters are in your own backyard.

James Maddocks is sympathetic of his girlfriend’s issues, but he has a job to do- catching the people behind an international human trafficking ring. And he has a bad feeling Angie is pulling the dragon’s tail.

This series is set on the west coast of Canada. The visualizations are so realistic the reader can easily picture the pristine beauty of the area and acts as a strong counterpoint to the horrifying events outlined so spectacularly by Ms. White. She weaves murder, mafia, police procedures, and love into a tale so realistic you’ll be checking the newspaper headlines!

The Lullaby Girl is a page-turning suspense thriller that will keep you guessing right until the very end!

I give The Lullaby Girl 5+ lovely kisses- A Highly Recommended Read!

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Jacquie Biggar5 Comments

Touch of Red by Laura Griffin #BookReview #Suspense @Laura_Griff


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New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin “delivers the goods” (Publishers Weekly) again with this gripping, “spellbinding” (Fresh Fiction) thriller full of twists and turns—the twelfth in her bestselling Tracers series.

When crime scene investigator Brooke Porter arrives at the home of a murdered woman, the only thing more shocking than the carnage is the evidence that someone escaped the scene. But where is this witness now? A thorough search of the area yields more questions than answers, and before Brooke even packs up her evidence kit, she’s made it her goal to find the witness and get them out of harm’s way.

Homicide detective Sean Byrne has seen his share of bloody crime scenes, but this one is particularly disturbing, especially because Brooke Porter is smack in the middle of it. Sean has had his eye on the sexy CSI for months, and he’s determined to help her with her current case—even if it means putting his attraction on hold so he and Brooke can track down a murderer. But as the investigation—and their relationship—heats up, Sean realizes that keeping his work and his personal life separate is more complicated than he ever imagined; especially when the killer sets his sights on Brooke.

With Griffin’s signature “fully fleshed characters, dry humor, and tight plotting” (Publishers Weekly), Touch of Red demonstrates why she is one of the most acclaimed and popular authors of sexy thrillers today.

 

 

 

Laura Griffin

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty books. She is a two-time RITA Award winner (for the books Scorched and Whisper of Warning) as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award (for Untraceable). Booklist magazine calls Laura’s popular Tracers series “the perfect mix of suspense and romance.”

Laura got her start in journalism before venturing into the world of romance fiction. She lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next novel. Visit her website at http://www.lauragriffin.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LauraGriffinAuthor

To hear about new releases, sign up for Laura’s newsletter at: http://lauragriffin.com/subscribe/

 

 

 

 

 

My Review

This book opens with a horrifying murder that left me with chills and the urge to check my locks!

CSI Brooke Porter discovers disturbing evidence that a child may have witnessed the killer and could now be in grave danger. She presses the detective in charge of the case, Sean Byrne, to find the child before it’s too late.

Sean is under pressure to solve the murder and find their key witness, a child, before the killer strikes again. And his job isn’t made easier when the sexy crime scene investigator he’s been attracted to for months gets in the way of his investigation.

Sean and Brooke must race against time to stop a killer intent on erasing his tracks before someone else dies.

This is a fast-paced read I found impossible to put down! The Tracer series is set around the Delphi Centre, a top-notch forensics lab. Each book can easily be read as a standalone, but once you read one you’ll want to buy them all!

I give Touch of Red 5+ lovely kisses- A must read!

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Jacquie Biggar3 Comments

#Crimefiction about an undercover cop written by a former undercover cop! Who The F*ck Am I? by @StephenBentley8 #Suspense


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Link – https://www.amazon.com/Who-Steve-Regan-Undercover-Book-ebook/dp/B075N3158G/

Blurb

This surely has to be a first! Crime fiction about an undercover cop written by a former undercover cop!

From Amazon UK bestselling author, Stephen Bentley, comes a fictional undercover cop, Steve Regan, following on the success of his true crime undercover cop memoir ‘Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story.’

Steve Regan, undercover detective, is tempted by the riches of drug smuggling so he can be free of debt, police bureaucracy, and help a loved one. He wonders whether he can go ‘rogue’ and cross the line.

Regan gets involved in one deal with a Miami-based drug lord. But is everyone who they say they are?

Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment, from a bestselling author who knows how to suck you into a story.

Excerpt:

“Boss, I need a passport and need it double quick.”

“What for? Where are you going?” asked Green.

“Miami, Florida, the United States of A!”

“Over my dead body!”

“Bang! Bang! You’re dead,” Regan pointed a make-believe gun and pulled the make-believe trigger twice.

Three days later Regan held his new passport in his hand. “Hey boss, I don’t know how you do it but that was rapid.”

Rick Green fired back, “You don’t want to know. Come in my office, Steve.”

As Regan eased into the leather high-backed chair and stretched out his long legs, Green closed the door behind them.

“Uh uh! I’ve seen that look before. I could be in for a bollocking.”

“No bollocking, but I do want a serious chat.”

“That’s even worse. A bollocking I can take, but seriousness …”

“Steve, shut the fuck up … please. And take off those sunglasses. I bet you sleep with them on.”

Regan removed the Aviators and said, “Sorry boss. Go ahead.”

“I’m concerned about this trip …”

Regan’s mouth started to move … “Shut the fuck up.” Green cut off Regan before he could utter a word.

“These guys are serious players. Fucking Colombians ….”

“Bolivians actually, boss.”

“Same fucking thing. They don’t fuck about. This isn’t our guys making acid here. These are the real deal. Nasty fuckers. What really worries me is you are going in alone now that Red is off the scene.”

“In some ways that’s better.”

“How so?”

“These guys are gonna be wary of a twosome. It’s kinda like classic Starsky & Hutch stuff, don’t you think? Besides less chance of cock-ups if I go alone.”

“Yes, there is that to be said for it but how are you going to keep in touch?”

“I’m not. Too risky.”

“Take a wire with you,” Green said.

“No fucking way, boss. Those things are the size of house bricks. I’m dead if they pat me down and find that thing and the wires. Besides you need half a ton of sticky tape to stop it falling and hitting the floor with an almighty bang. ‘Oh fuck me!’ says I – ‘where did that come from?’ No way!”

“I have to agree with you on that one. Promise me this – as soon as you land back at Heathrow, call me.”

“Promise.”

“And don’t do anything stupid.”

“Such as?”

“Just behave, is all.”

“You sound like my dad,” laughed Regan.

“Fuck off, Steve. Who would want you as a son?”

“My mother?”

Green laughed and said, “You have always got an answer.”

“Let’s hope that is always the case. It may just keep me alive.”

“Bon Voyage, Steve, bonne chance.”

“Ca Va! Et au revoir.”

 

Bio:

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Former UK Detective Sergeant, undercover cop, barrister (trial counsel). Now a writer, author, blogs at HuffPost UK.

Author of ‘Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story’ – an Amazon UK bestselling book about his undercover days on one of the world’s largest drug busts.

Lives in the Philippines, enjoys the beaches and a cold beer and follows “his team”, Liverpool Football Club from afar.

 

A portion of all my book sales royalties are to be donated to the Jamie Bulger Memorial Trust, a UK Registered Charity. Please consider donating even if you never buy my books.

 

How do you approach starting a new book?

It depends on genre. If it is non-fiction, I first research if necessary. Next step is to organize the flow of the book in Word then I write.

For fiction, I now use beat cards to beat out the structure of the book. I am a plotter not a pantster!

Beat cards sound interesting. I’m a pantser, but one day I might change, lol. What are the best writing books or blogs you’ve ever read?

I am a fan of Katie Weiland (K.M. Weiland) and the Creative Penn by Johanna Penn. I have also bought several of Katie’s books.

Those are great sites, I visit them often. What are your non-writing hobbies, or what do you do to relax?

I am a Brit expat living in the Philippines so I relax on beaches with a cold beer and a book. English football (soccer) is a love of mine and I watch that on the TV here.

Jealous! That sounds like Heaven to me 🙂 Do you have any personal heroes/heroines?

Nelson Mandela for his humility and achievements. Mahatama Gandhi and Mother Theresa for their purity of heart and spirituality.

Great choices, we could all use some of their sweetness of spirit. Have you had any unusual or noteworthy occupations?

Yes, yes, and yes! Undercover cop for one. The others I guess are unusual because of the variety involved – barrister (trial attorney), hospital porter, motorcycle delivery rider, truck driver, industrial plant operator (payloader etc.).

You’ve done a bit of everything! What was your best date ever?

Ha! First time I ever met my wife. We met in Manila and I fell in love with her wit, intellect, vivacity and her looks of course.

Aw! Are you sure you’re not a romance author in the making? Tell us something you are really proud of.

Qualifying as a barrister in London at the famous Inns of Court School of Law. It was a tough post graduate course and even tougher to establish a law practice as a criminal trial advocate. I did it!

That’s awesome. Can you confide something you wish you were better at?

Writing. Seriously, wouldn’t it be wonderful if future generations knew my work? It would be a great legacy but unlikely to happen, but who knows? I may just have one book in me that does the trick.

Thank you!
Stephen

 

Jacquie BiggarLeave a comment

A Time of Fear & Loving – Riverton Road by @AliceOrrBooks #RomSuspense #MFRWauthor #IndieAuthor


A Time Of Fear & Loving - Medium - 200x300 px - for FB, Tweets, Guest Blogs, Online Promo

 

A Time of Fear & Loving – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Book 5

Mike & Amanda’s Story

by Alice Orr  

 

A hot car and a hot guy can get a girl into trouble.

Maybe that’s what Amanda Miller needs. But how much trouble is too much trouble? Dead bodies on the riverbank? A possible kidnapping? Sexy detective Mike Schaeffer might save the day. But who will protect Amanda’s heart?

Alice Orr is known for Delicious Suspense Spiced with a Love Story.

She does it again in A Time of Fear & Loving.

 

A Time of Fear & Loving is Book 5 of the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series set in Riverton, New York featuring the Kalli and Miller families and the Women of West Main who will debut in Book 6. Find out more at www.aliceorrbooks.com.

 

Amazon Reviews of Alice’s Books.

“Alice Orr hits it out of the park. If you see her name, grab the book.”

“Kept me turning pages. So many twists of the plot kept me wondering what would happen next.”

“Anytime I see Alice Orr’s name on a book, I will be sure to pick it up. I know I am in for a great ride.”

 

A Word From Alice Orr

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit Willow Fowler is impetuous. I even admit I’m happy she’s not my heroine. Willow has taken some hard knocks in the past, especially from the men in her life, but we don’t know about those at this point, so we tend to be hard on her too.

 

Our heroine, Amanda Miller, is no stranger to hard knocks herself. In fact, she has suffered a huge loss and kept her wits about her all the same. She’s known for doing that. So much so she will be called upon by Willow when her impetuousness gets her into serious trouble and she desperately needs somebody to save her.

 

There is probably no contest over which of these two, Amanda or Willow, we would choose to champion. Except for one thing. We haven’t heard the whole story. We’ve only just begun, with many surprises yet to come. What will those surprises be?

 

RR

 

Excerpt.

 

Amanda had survived her unexpected encounter with Mike Schaeffer. She’d been cool and impersonal. She hadn’t allowed herself a blink of an eye when the rasp in his voice made her want to touch the tanned skin of his throat where she might feel the sound. Part of her was still infatuated with him, but she hadn’t let a single sign of that betray her and she never would. She was repeating this resolve to herself and fitting her keycard into the slot in her hotel room door when Willow Fowler was suddenly there also.

“Get inside. Quickly!” she said.

Before Amanda could fully comprehend her surprise, Willow’s delicate fingers with their perfectly shaped nails were flat against the door, shoving it ajar. She slipped through the opening as urgently as she’d spoken into Amanda’s ear a moment ago. She followed inside and watched her old friend hurry to the window, yank the draperies closed, then peek between the folds.

“Please, shut the door,” she said, sounding even more anxious than she’d been in the hallway.

Amanda dropped her luggage and slammed the door’s lock guard shut as if her friend’s anxiety might be contagious. She’d seen Willow’s eyes just now, and something in their lustrous brown depths had leapt across the room. Amanda found herself suddenly apprehensive and not liking the feeling.

“What’s going on here, Willow?”

“I’m in the most desperate trouble, Amanda. You have to believe me.”

“I believe you. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“And I cannot thank you enough for coming.”

Willow darted to Amanda’s side to grasp her hand.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to tear yourself away from your responsibilities,” Willow said. “I know how busy you must be.”

“I needed a break,” Amanda answered. “Besides, I haven’t forgotten how you helped me all those years ago when I needed you.”

“Be that as it may, I do not recall anyone ever doing anything this kind for me. Not ever.”

Amanda smiled. Willow had always used phrases like, “Be that as it may.” Even when they were girls together, she’d sometimes talked like an old spinster lady with tatted doilies pinned to her furniture. At the same time, Willow was anything but spinsterish in most ways. She was irrepressible. Amanda’d had her own high energy in those days too, driven by her determination to get out of the North Country and never return.

Even so, her father’s relentless need to dominate and her mother’s distracted indifference could deflate Amanda’s enthusiasm. Those were the moments when having Willow for a friend was a special blessing. Amanda would plug into Willow’s exuberance and, before long, feel recharged enough to take on Jake or Millicent or anybody. Maybe Amanda could return some of that gift now. The possibility felt good to her, and right too. What didn’t feel either good or right was seeing Willow’s usual liveliness transformed into a state of near panic.

“What exactly has your husband done to you?” Amanda asked.

 

Buy A Time of Fear & Loving HERE.

 

Alice 72 headshot[1]

ALICE ORR is the author of 16 novels, 3 novellas, a memoir and No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing a Manuscript that Sells. A former book editor and literary agent, Alice now lives her dream as a full-time writer. She has two grown children and two perfect grandchildren and resides with her husband Jonathan in New York City and New Jersey.

Alice’s Website – www.aliceorrbooks.com

Alice’s Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/aliceorrwriter

Alice’s Twitter Page – https://twitter.com/aliceorrbooks

Jacquie BiggarLeave a comment

The Murder Stone by Louise Penny #BookReview #Mystery #mgtab


It’s the height of summer, and the wealthy Finney family have gathered at the Manoir Bellechasse to pay tribute to their late father.

 

 

The Murder Stone

 

 

But as the temperature rises, old secrets and bitter rivalries begin to surface. When the heat wave boils over into a mighty storm, a dead body is left in its wake.

Chief Inspector Gamache, a guest at the Bellechasse, finds himself with a building full of suspects. With the hotel locked down, the murderer is trapped. But a cornered predator is always the most dangerous of all…

 

 

 

 

My Review

What can I say? I’m in love with Inspector Gamache!

Here’s a line that best describes him:

But what was most striking were his eyes. Deep, warm brown. He carried calm with him as other men wore cologne.

A man to trust.

Louise Penny has such an amazing style of writing. She draws vivid pictures with just a few simple words. Like this sentence about one of the guests at the Manoir Bellechasse:

Her clothes seemed to have a grudge against her and either slipped off or scrunched around awkwardly so that she was constantly rearranging herself, pulling and tugging and wriggling.

So visual.

This story is set around a recurring character in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, Peter Morrow and his dysfunctional family, the Finneys.

When Peter’s sister, Julia Martin, is found murdered under the fallen marble statue of her beloved father, it sets off a string of lies and recriminations that leave the inspector and his team scratching their heads.

There’s a surprise twist at the end that I didn’t see coming and so much fresh writing I could go on for days!

If you’re looking for an excellent author I highly recommend this series!

I give The Murder Stone 5+ lovely kisses

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Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

The deadliest weapons are the ones we never see… Digital Velocity by @Reily_Garrett #Suspense #Thriller @MoBPromos


DIGITAL VELOCITY

Jacquie BiggarLeave a comment

What I Learned From Lucifer #Writer #Suspense #mgtab


It’s not what you’re thinking. Okay, maybe it is.

I’ve fallen in love.

He’s Handsome, smart, charming, and oh yeah, he’s the devil.

And I’m not alone.

Thousands tune in every Monday night to watch what is quickly becoming a craze on Twitter and various other social media platforms.

That’s right, it’s Lucifer.

So what is this phenomenon all about?

Based on characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg, this series follows Lucifer, the original fallen angel, who has become dissatisfied with his life in hell. After abandoning his throne and retiring to Los Angeles, Lucifer indulges in his favorite things (women, wine and song) — until a murder takes place outside of his upscale nightclub.

For the first time in billions of years, the murder awakens something unfamiliar in Lucifier’s soul that is eerily similar to compassion and sympathy.

Lucifer is faced with another surprise when he meets an intriguing homicide detective named Chloe, who appears to possess an inherent goodness — unlike the worst of humanity, to which he is accustomed. Suddenly, Lucifer starts to wonder if there is hope for his soul.

Like Lucifer-played by the amazing Tom Ellis, I think we all go through phases where we don’t feel good enough (He thinks he was sent to Hell as punishment from Father. His older brother, Amenadiel- played by D.B Woodside, tells him it was actually because He trusted Lucifer to keep the evil ones down there and so protect humanity.)

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Lately, I’ve been struggling with personal self-esteem. That’s the problem with being an introvert, you spend way too much time in your head.

My sales are down. My writing is slo… ow going, each word is like pulling teeth, and my family has been having medical problems.

Hard to stay positive in the face of all that adversity.

But, then hope appears (much like Lucifer’s guiding light, Chloe). A good review here, a kind word there, and the darkness falls away. Maybe I can finish this story. Find new readers. Make my mark in this crazy world of writing.

Maybe.

If you haven’t watched Lucifer yet, you should. It’s surprising what the devil can teach us. 🙂

By the way, I have a new release coming out!

July 1st 2017 is the one hundred fiftieth birthday of Canada’s Confederation and our local writing/critiquing group decided it would be fun to do an anthology to celebrate.

My contribution, My Baby Wrote Me A Letter, stems from a news segment I watched. A woman bought an old desk at a yard sale. After bringing it home she began the process of refinishing the wood and happened to find a letter taped to the back of a drawer.

When she read the message, she realized the note could be important to someone, and with little more than a faded name to go on, began a search for the writer of the mysterious letter.

It was placing a picture on Facebook that led to the son of the man who had written that long ago message to his family. He had recently been diagnosed with cancer and feared he would never survive to see his children grow, so he wrote them a letter from the heart.

The news story had a happy ending; the man survived the cancer and lived not only to see his children to adulthood, but several of his grandchildren as well.

His story was an inspiration to me,

Jacquie

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Jacquie Biggar6 Comments

The Drowned Girls by Loreth Anne White #BookReview #Thriller #Montlake @Loreth


He surfaced two years ago. Then he disappeared.

 

 

The DG

 

 

But Detective Angie Pallorino hasn’t forgotten the violent rapist who left a distinctive calling card—crosses etched into the flesh of his victims’ foreheads. When a comatose Jane Doe is found in a local cemetery, sexually assaulted, mutilated, and nearly drowned, Angie is struck by the eerie similarities to her earlier unsolved rapes. Could he be back?

Then the body of a drowned young woman, also bearing the marks of the serial rapist, floats up in the Gorge, and the hunt for a predator becomes a hunt for a killer. Assigned to the joint investigative task force, Angie is more than ready to prove that she has what it takes to break into the all-male homicide division. But her private life collides with her professional ambitions when she’s introduced to her temporary partner, James Maddocks—a man she’d met just the night before in an intense, anonymous encounter.

Together, Angie and Maddocks agree to put that night behind them. But as their search for the killer intensifies, so does their mutual desire. And Angie’s forays into the mind of a monster shake loose some unsettling secrets about her own past. How can she fight for the truth when it turns out her whole life is a lie?

 

 

 

 

Loreth

Loreth Anne White is an award-winning author of romantic suspense, thrillers, and mysteries. She has won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Romantic Suspense, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall. In addition, she is a three-time RITA finalist, a Booksellers’ Best finalist, a multiple Daphne Du Maurier Award finalist, and a multiple CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award winner. A former journalist and newspaper editor who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

Loreth loves to hear from readers. You can find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne.White
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or connect with her via her website at:
www.lorethannewhite.com

 

My Review

Loreth Anne White’s books are NOT for the feint of heart!

They’re gritty, thrilling, page-turning suspense novels that will stay with you long after the last page is read.

Detective Angie Pallorino has seen the worst of human nature during her years on the sex crimes unit, but nothing can prepare her for the vicious killer stalking her city.

James Maddocks marriage ended due to the stress of his job as a cop, and his relationship with his daughter is floundering. He takes a demotion in order to move closer to her and finds himself caught up in a high-profile murder case with the officer he’d hooked up with in an anonymous one night stand.

Can they put their growing feelings aside in order to catch a killer before he strikes again?

White puts a boatload of intensity into her characters. They’re damaged, sometimes even unlikeable, but it’s impossible not to feel empathy for them and hope and pray for their emotional and physical well-being.

The scene-setting was as chilling as the storyline. Coming from Victoria, I could easily picture the areas described which added an extra WOW factor to the book. I won’t be going out alone anytime soon, lol.

I give The Drowned Girls 5+ lovely kisses and can’t wait until the next Angie Pallorino tale comes out this fall!

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Jacquie Biggar2 Comments