Hello everyone. Please help me to welcome Nick Knardirell to The Book’s the Thing today. Nick is the author of Minnesota: Her Account; Her View, and I’m pleased to be able to share this interview with you.
Mystery
House of the Hanging Jade by Amy M. Reade – Giveaway (ENDED)
A dark presence had invaded the Jorgensens’ house. On a spectacular bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, something evil is watching and waiting . . .
Tired of the cold winters in Washington, D.C. and disturbed by her increasingly obsessive boyfriend, Kailani Kanaka savors her move back to her native Big Island of Hawaii. She also finds a new job as personal chef for the Jorgensen family. The gentle caress of the Hawaiian trade winds, the soft sigh of the swaying palm trees, and the stunning blue waters of the Pacific lull her into a sense of calm at the House of Hanging Jade–an idyll that quickly fades as it becomes apparent that dark secrets lurk within her new home. Furtive whispers in the night, a terrifying shark attack, and the discovery of a dead body leave Kailani shaken and afraid. But it’s the unexpected appearance of her ex-boyfriend, tracking her every move and demanding she return to him, that has her fearing for her life . . .
House of the Hanging Jade is a suspenseful tale of murder and obsession, all taking place against a beautiful Hawaiian backdrop. Lush descriptions of both the scenery and the food prepared by the protagonist leave you wanting more. Fans of both gothic romance and mystery novels should enjoy this story.
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway (ENDED) to win an ebook copy for yourself.
About The Author
Amy M. Reade grew up in northern New York. After graduating from college and law school, she practiced law in New York City before moving to southern New Jersey, where she lives now with her husband, three children, dog, two cats, and a fish. She writes full time and is the author of Secrets of Hallstead House, a novel of romantic suspense set in the Thousand Islands region of New York, and The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, a novel in the same genre set outside Charleston, South Carolina. Her third novel, House of Hanging Jade, is set in Hawaii and will be released in April, 2016. She is currently working on the first book of a series set in the United Kingdom (expected release date in early 2017). She loves cooking, reading, and traveling.
website: www.amymreade.com
blog: www.amreade.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amreadeauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/readeandwrite
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/amreade
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/amyreade
Tour Participants
April 25 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 26 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
April 28 – Musings and Ramblings – INTERVIEW
April 29 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 30 – dru’s book musings – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
May 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
May 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
May 3 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – GUEST POST
May 4 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
May 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
May 6 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY
May 7 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
May 8 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
NOTE: I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review – After the Fire by Jane Casey
After the Fire by Jane Casey / Maeve Kerrigan series Book #6
Available May 3, 2016 from Minotaur Books
London police detective Maeve Kerrigan has spent plenty of time at Murchison House. One of the many cement high-rise towers comprising the Maudling Estate housing project, Murchison Tower is home to a motley mix of society. From domestic abuse victims and elderly widows with nowhere else to turn to its flourishing criminal elements, Maeve is familiar with many of its occupants by name or reputation. But when a fire breaks out at Murchison House that consumes the top floors and leaves three dead, Maeve and her colleagues are startled to learn the identity of one of the victims. Geoff Armstrong was a wealthy, notoriously right-wing London politician – the last person they’d expect to find in a place like the Maudling Estate. And things get even murkier when evidence surfaces indicating Armstrong was murdered before the fire broke out. Was his death connected to the fire? To the other deaths at Murchison Tower? And what was he doing there in the first place?
Genre: Mystery
My Rating: **** (4 stars)
This was the best police procedural that I have read in a long time. I sometimes have issues with procedurals bringing so many police officers into the investigation that I can’t keep track of who’s who. That’s not a problem in After the Fire! Even with an entire department full of characters to keep track of, plus the residents of the burned out high rise, there was never any problem keeping people straight. Each individual in the story was just that – individual – which made them all memorable and the story easy to follow. That doesn’t mean that it was easy to guess what was going on or who was doing what, however. Once I got started, I didn’t want to put the book down until I reached the end. It was fast paced, suspenseful, and occasionally shocking. If you’re a mystery fan, I highly recommend this one, whether or not you have read any of the other Maeve Kerrigan novels. I have to thank Minotaur Press for introducing me to another “always-buy” author for my list!
NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. All thought and opinions are my own.
5 Stars – Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber
Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber
Synopsis from Goodreads: When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, Chessa Paxton must run for her life…but will the truth set her free?
Chessa Paxton, an event planner in Lake Tahoe, celebrates a successful night at the Happily Ever After Ball, but her dream quickly becomes a nightmare when she wakes up beside the body of her dead husband. Nauseous and confused, feeling as if she’s been drugged, she can’t explain to the sheriff why her princess costume is bloodied. With her father already a convicted murderer, she feels invisible shackles ratcheting onto her wrists and ankles. She runs! But she can’t escape vivid flashes of memory: a massacre in a meadow; men and women in fairy tale costumes; Snow White’s dead body shielding her from bullets.
Though Chessa is a former costumer and a master of disguise, she quickly learns that hiding while trying to prove herself innocent is the most difficult task imaginable. Especially when the sheriff wants to throw her in jail and the real killer wants to silence her forever.
Genre: Mystery
My Rating ***** (5 stars)
Available 4/9/16 from Amazon, or pre-order now
I love Daryl Wood Gerber’s cozy mysteries, and was both curious and excited to get my hands on this, her first novel in the suspense genre. I was not disappointed!
At first glance, it appears to be a standard setup – woman found with her dead husband and accused of murder – but it quickly takes off in its own direction and never stops. Once Chessa decides that she is going to have to find the truth on her own and takes off running, the suspense doesn’t stop. She doesn’t know what is going on or who she can trust, and seems to encounter more questions than answers in her search for the truth. I was completely sucked in and had a hard time putting the book down.
Chessa is my favorite type of female heroine – strong and smart, but not perfect by any means. She’s just too stubborn to give up.
I really enjoyed this new venture from a favorite author, and hope there will be more to come!
Daryl Wood Gerber also writes the Cookbook Nook Mystery series and as Avery Aames, the Cheeseshop Mystery series. You can visit her at http://www.darylwoodgerber.com/ for info on all her books.
NOTE: I received a free advanced copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber – #WAYRW
What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by It’s A Reading Thing. To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.
The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?
2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)
3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
Now for my answers this week…
2. Girl on the Run by Daryl Wood Gerber
2. As Chessa lifted the items, her body trembled with grief. Zach. How could you? She pushed the painful thought from her mind, slipped inside the guest bathroom, and took her first full breath since the sheriff’s department had arrived.
3. It very much depends…I would not have a problem living in Lake Tahoe, but if i had to take off like Chessa, then no thank you! 🙂
So tell me, what are you reading this week? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to leave a link if you have a post to share.
Between Good and Evil – Blog Tour and Giveaway!
Be sure to keep reading for a chance to win one of 2 print copies!
Synopsis from Goodreads: Years after the Willis Asylum closed, the secrets of its past lingered in its decaying halls as a reminder to the good people of Auburn Notch—when Evil closes a door, he also opens a window. Sheriff Promise Flynn was new to the town, and she was about to find out some windows should never be opened.
Promise Flynn is an overly impulsive Metro Detective whose disregard for procedure finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch—a favorite vacation spot of her youth. For two years everything was idyllic, until the body of a young girl found in the abandoned asylum outside of town awakens the insecurities she thought her new life would insulate her from.
As the new Sheriff she begins her investigation ignoring the similarities between the young woman’s death and her own case, oblivious to being unexpectedly recognized and penciled in at the top of a clever murderer’s To-Do list. Her internal struggle intensifies when a discredited crime reporter from the past suspiciously arrives in town to resurrect his threadbare reputation, along with an FBI agent chasing down a lead in a cold case. Both men quickly become entangled in Flynn’s investigation and her attempts to finally put her past to rest. (read more)
Guest Post / Giveaway from Author Ritter Ames
Happy Monday all! I’m pleased to be hosting a guest post from Ritter Ames, author of Counterfeit Conspiracies, today. There’s also a great Rafflecopter giveaway you can enter in honor of her new book and blog tour. Look what you could win: a signed copy of Counterfeit Conspiracies, a 7″ Kindle Fire HD, a movie DVD, a SAS SpyPen with hidden camera, and an Amazon gift card – a $150 value! 🙂
Enter the Giveaway here.
New Release Review – Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon
Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon
Goodreads Description:
For fans of Lianne Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, an arresting debut novel of psychological suspense: a young journalist struggles to keep the demons of her alcoholism at bay as she finds her purpose again in tackling the mystery of a shocking headline-making crime, still unsolved after fifteen years.
Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.
Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.
Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.
The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.
In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.
Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breathe unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
My Rating: **** (4 stars)
City of Gold by Carolyn Arnold – WAYRW
What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by It’s A Reading Thing. To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.
The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?
2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)
3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
Now for my answers this week…
1. City of Gold by Carolyn Arnold
2. It wasn’t like he never visited the artifacts he’d tracked down. He just preferred not to see them on their opening nights.
3. The characters actually make their home in Canada, and I wouldn’t mind living there. However, in this story they take off for Bolivia in search of the City of Gold. I’ve lived in South America, but nowhere quite so remote as this. I don’t think I’d like it at all! I’ll stick with reading about it. 🙂
So what is everyone else reading this Wednesday?
To Be Read Thursdays 2/11/16
To Be Read Thursdays is a meme hosted by The Writer’s Inkwell. This is a way to feature the books you’ve added to your TBR list over the past week or a newly added book that you are excited about reading in the near future. Anyone is welcome to participate in this meme. Please just link back to the hosting page so she can read your posts.
The Book's the Thing 