Review/Guest Post/Giveaway: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

I am very excited to share my review of Run the Risk by Lori Foster for my stop on the Fiery Hot Reads For Icy Cold Nights Blog Hop. Lori is here with a guest post and giveaway, so enjoy and then check out the other blog hop stops listed below! 

Run the Risk
by Lori Foster
Series: Love Undercover #1
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: September 25, 2012
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?

I love a romance wrapped in suspense and mystery so when I won Run the Risk by Lori Foster I was very excited to begin reading it. The first in her new Love Undercover series, Foster brings us a yummy, suspenseful tale with lovable characters, villains and just the right amount of heat.

The tale begins when we meet smexy Detective Logan Riske. He is undercover trying to find a witness regarding the unsolved murder of his friend by a corrupt club owner. He has finally tracked down Pepper Yates the witness’s sister and has moved into the apartment next door. Pepper is living under an alias and doing her best not to be noticed and the new hot neighbor is getting under her skin. Logan slowly gains her trust and a whole lot more than he bargained for but his misunderstanding of key facts might put them all in danger. The tale that unfolds was hot, dangerous and action packed.

Logan is a cop through and through and he is determined to get justice for his friend. He quickly realizes he is in over his head with Pepper and I loved how it unnerved him. He trusts his instincts and I liked that about him. Pepper is damaged when we first meet her, and I loved watching the layers of her personality peel back as the tale unfolded. The chemistry between them was hot, sweet and at times downright hilarious. Pepper’s brother Rowdy is everything you would want in a brother and while he moves in the gray area of the law his dedication to his sister made him lovable  Reese is Logan’s partner at the police station and the next character to be featured in this series. The villains are creepy and the corruption far reaching making this very suspenseful.

Foster’s tale flowed deliciously and literally grabbed me in the first few pages. I easily consumed this in a single afternoon and found myself longing for the next book in this series. I love series where each book features a character and their romance and this is exactly what Love Undercover delivers. The characters were well fleshed out and believable. The plot was suspenseful and I loved watching all of the pieces fall into place. The attraction was slow to build and the romance felt genuine. We get a few hot scenes with just enough detail to turn up the heat. The ending was sweet and gave us a glimpse at the next installment. I closed this book with a smile.

I totally recommend Run the Risk to fans of romantic suspense, crime and men in blues. Foster weaves a delicious action packed tale and the newest book Bare It All; Love Undercover #2 will be released in April of 2013. My copy is already pre-ordered. eep!

Four cups of mocha lattes out of five 

Author Guest Post

 Perfect Valentine’s Day Date

What’s your idea of the perfect Valentine’s Day date? Are you a romantic who wants chocolates and flowers and lots of attention? Are you someone who might not even remember it’s Valentine’s Day if your significant other doesn’t remind you? Or do you, like me, use it as an excuse to give your kids and grandkids gifts?

I love to buy heart shaped boxes of chocolates to send to the kids. I have three sons– ages 31, 27 and 25, and two grandsons, ages 7 and just turned 1. (Yeah, we don’t really make girl babies in this family.) My 7 year old grandson loves to gets cards from me, but he also informed me that he’d enjoy some packages too. J (He is soooo adorable!) So whenever I have a good reason, I try to send him a package. This year it’ll be a variety of chocolates and a fun kid-friendly card. When the 1 year old is ready, I’ll be sending him packages and cards too.

I know it’s supposed to be the ultimate romantic day. But, despite writing romance, I’m not really a romantic person. For me, love is shown day in and day out by being supportive, understanding, sharing, listening. My husband is the absolute best.

I love flowers. But he brings me those off and on all the time. I’ll be scrambling to get something done, feeling frustrated with something, and there he is a beautiful bouquet. ::sigh:: He’s a great guy.

And I love chocolate, but we go to the movies often – sometimes two or three times a week if there are movies I want to see. (Movies are my mind-break from writing.)  I try to restrict my candy habit for when I’m sitting in a theater munching away on Milk Duds or Sugar Babies or a Milky Way bar.

This year we’ll celebrate our 35^th anniversary, so gifts are something we buy for ourselves whenever we want something. We’ll shop together, but we don’t really wait for special occasions. 

So how do we celebrate a great holiday like Valentine’s Day?

Luckily my husband knows me well – and understands I’m not a super romantic person – so when we saw that a new Die Hard movie – A Good Day to Die Hard – was releasing on Valentine’s Day, he gave me a high five. J Yes, seeing Bruce Willis is my perfect idea of an awesome Valentine’s Day date! We’ll grab dinner somewhere – maybe Olive Garden or Longhorn Steak House – and then we’ll watch Bruce Willis kick butt. What could be better than that?

I do have some wonderfully romantic, sexy and funny books I’ve been waiting to read too. I adore books by Jill Shalvis and Erin McCarthy, but I set them aside when I’m on a deadline so that I can stick to finishing my own work before I enjoy theirs. Now that I’ve finished Rowdy’s story – GETTING ROWDY, out Sept/Oct, part of the “Love Undercover series” – I can give my brain a rest with a few good books. That’ll help round out a terrific Valentine’s Day.

But then, being totally honest, every day with my husband is a good day.

How do YOU plan to celebrate the day? 

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Lori has a paperback copy of Run the Risk for one lucky US follower! 

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Today's Stops on the Fiery Hot Reads for Ice Cold Nights Hop 

 Check out these awesome posts and giveaways! Each day different blogs will be participating so be sure to check in daily for your chance to win and discover new Fiery hot reads!

Cambria Hebert@CambriaHebert: Heather Hildenbrand: Whisper

Maghon@Happy Tales and Tails:

Tricia@Musings of a Writer Reader:

Nikki@Nikki's Book Blog: Cambria Hebert

Review: Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Shadowlands
by Kate Brian
Series: Shadowlands #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: January 8, 2012
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye. Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

I am not going to lie; I was drawn to Shadowlands because of the beautiful cover. The synopsis led me to believe this would be a thriller, but Kate Brian blew my mind! From page one the author grabbed my attention and held me completely enthralled. My palms were sweating and I stopped frequently to share my thoughts with anyone who would listen. The tale was, dark, suspenseful, brilliantly done with an ending that left me speechless.

From the synopsis we know that Rory Miller, her father and sister Darcy all end up in witness protection because Steven Nell a serial killer who has killed fourteen girls wants to finish the job. He attempted to kill Rory with her golden hair but she escaped. From the moment they set out for Juniper Landing my palms began to sweat and the tale that unfolds was brilliant as a girl goes missing in this oasis by the sea and Rory begins to suspect that something is very wrong.

Rory is the youngest sibling, and from the onset we see some of the difficulty she has encountered in her young life. She is both sweet and caring. Since the attack she has been experiencing nightmares, feels like someone is watching her and doing her darndest to make the best of a bad situation.  Darcy is a typical, selfish teenager concerned mostly with; “me, myself and I” however she does have her moments. Their Dad has been an absentee father since their mother’s death five years ago, but life at the beach has him acting like his old self. The local teens on the island are friendly despite their clicky-ways and their interest in Rory is odd. Steven Nell is obsessed with Rory and downright creepy!

What made Shadowlands an over the top five cups of Kopi Luwak coffee out of five for me was the unbelievable world building. Brian had me off kilter from the first pages, when I mistakenly thought Steven was waiting for his lover in the woods. You know that creepy music in a movie that lets you know something bad is going to happen? Well, it played none stop in my head. As Rory began to question things, I knew something was off, something was wrong but I could not quite place it and when I did: totally mind shattering moment! When the author confirmed it, I sat back and admired the sheer brilliance of it all. I loved the pacing, the author's ability to take you from a nightmare to tender moment with the stroke of her pen. This is a book you will want to talk about from fellow book lovers to complete strangers. My poor in-laws and hubby had to endure my outbursts as I rapidly tried to explain what the author was doing to me, to the characters..Eek gads! This is a must read peeps! 

I highly recommend Shadowlands to fans of thrillers, suspense, mind benders and epic world-building. I cannot wait to read more by Brian.

*update, this tale will continue. Hereafter is the next novel and there is no news on it's release date

I want to thank Hyperion for sharing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Five cups of Kopi Luwak coffee out of five

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens {review~giveaway}

The Restorer
by Amanda Stevens
Series: The Graveyard Queen #1
Publisher: Mira
Publication date: 2/21/2012
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase*:Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

I read a review on a blog about The Restorer and immediately downloaded it for my nook. Sadly I cannot remember who reviewed it, but thank you so much! I love crime mysteries and when you wrap it in a little paranormal woo-woo I begin to drool. Amanda Stevens delivered a beautiful, dark, chilling mystery with a side of sexual tension. I quickly became swept up in this tale, the characters and the crime. The opening sentence “I was nine when I saw my first ghost.” grabbed me and the tale kept me enthralled.

Ameila Gray is a cemetery restorer and has quickly built a reputation for herself. She also has a successful blog showcasing old cemeteries which has made her recognizable. Since she was nine she has been cursed with a gift she shares with her father. She can see ghosts and her father taught her rules that she must follow to keep herself safe. Rule number one, never acknowledge them. Until now she has always followed the rules. When a haunted, smexy, dark, brooding police detective asks for her assistance after discovering a dead body in the cemetery she is restoring everything changes. When the clues to solve the murder(s) involve symbols on the headstones she realizes she may be the only one who can help them catch a killer.

I really connected with the protagonist Ameila. She is quite, refined, intelligent and confident in her profession. She also seems very lonely and guarded. I loved her profession and the fact that she blogs and enjoys it so much had me smiling. John Devlin is a police officer, a true southern gentleman and he oozed smexy. John has suffered from a horrific loss and it shows in his eyes and the lines on his devastatingly handsome face. He unnerves Amanda and she struggles with her attraction to John on so many levels. I adored the tango these two danced. Their tale is just beginning and I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I love the secondary characters and the southern door Stevens opens for us. I am really looking forward to learning more about all of them.

Stevens is a breathtakingly gifted writer. She brought Charleston and its historical district to life. I could see, hear, taste and smell the world she immersed me in. Her attention to detail and the facts surround these old neglected cemeteries captivated me. The mystery itself was filled with twists, foreboding and an air of believability that had me chilled. The twist she put on ghosts and Amelia’s gift are completely original and the back-history on these entities was freaky-tastic! The flow of the novel was wonderful, and Steven’s descriptive writing style kept me reading late into the night. I am in love with this writer and must read more of this series. My favorite type of series are ones that can be read as standalones, but also have sub-plots, romances etc running through them. Where each book solves a case, shows character development and further advances these overall sub- plot. This appears to be the recipe Stevens is using. Eep! I have not been this excited since reading The Passage by Justin Cronin and if you know me at all, you are rushing to ordered this book!

I recommend The Restorer to fans of mystery, urban fantasy and paranormal suspense. This book totally rocked my face off and Stevens has made my auto buy list. The Kingdom is the next book in the Graveyard Queen series which is calling me from my nook. Look for my review next month.

I gave this novel 5 delicious coffee cups out of 5.

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*purchases made through buy links on this blog earn a small commission that supports our giveaways.

Giveaway time!

Open to US/Canada residence

I loved this book and Amanda Stevens has graciously agreed to help me share it. 

One lucky follower will win a paperback copy of The Restorer.
Just follow the rafflecopter instructions below and good luck! 

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Last to Die: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen

Last To Die
by Tess Gerritsen
Series: Rizzoli & Isles #10
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: August 28, 2012
Genre: Mystery/Crime Thriller
Purchase:Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Despoitory

“Suspense doesn’t get smarter than this. Not just recommended but mandatory.”—Lee Child

For the second time in his short life, Teddy Clock has survived a massacre. Two years ago, he barely escaped when his entire family was slaughtered. Now, at fourteen, in a hideous echo of the past, Teddy is the lone survivor of his foster family’s mass murder. Orphaned once more, the traumatized teenager has nowhere to turn—until the Boston PD puts detective Jane Rizzoli on the case. Determined to protect this young man, Jane discovers that what seemed like a coincidence is instead just one horrifying part of a relentless killer’s merciless mission.

Jane spirits Teddy to the exclusive Evensong boarding school, a sanctuary where young victims of violent crime learn the secrets and skills of survival in a dangerous world. But even behind locked gates, and surrounded by acres of sheltering Maine wilderness, Jane fears that Evensong’s mysterious benefactors aren’t the only ones watching. When strange blood-splattered dolls are found dangling from a tree, Jane knows that her instincts are dead on. And when she meets Will Yablonski and Claire Ward, students whose tragic pasts bear a shocking resemblance to Teddy’s, it becomes chillingly clear that a circling predator has more than one victim in mind.

Joining forces with her trusted partner, medical examiner Maura Isles, Jane is determined to keep these orphans safe from harm. But an unspeakable secret dooms the children’s fate—unless Jane and Maura can finally put an end to an obsessed killer’s twisted quest.

Last to Die was pre-ordered for my Nook months ago. I adore this series and was a fan long before TNT made the hit tv series Rizzoli & Isles. While I enjoy the show and being able to share Jane and Maura with my hubby, it cannot hold a candle to the awesomeness that the novels deliver. Each of them can easily be read as a standalone. I read this over two evening and found it to be captivating and suspenseful.

Rizzoli and Isles are called to the scene of a horrific home invasion. A young boy named Teddy Clock is the sole survivor when his foster family is brutally murdered. Two years ago his real family was slaughtered and he barely escaped.  Rizzoli is asked to interview this traumatized young man and she cannot help but try and protect him. Maura Isles is looking forward to visiting Rat at Evensong; the exclusive boarding school he attends. Once there she makes some startling discoveries. All of the children are survivors/victims of violent crimes and two of these children have stories that are strikingly similar to Clock’s case. Can there be a connection and does someone want these children dead? The tale that unfolds is full of spies, conspiracies and a psycho path that will stop at nothing to complete his mission.

The characters in this series are unique, well fleshed out and quirky. Jane Rizzoli is a by the book and driven homicide detective who takes heat because she is a woman. Her partner Frost is loyal and has her back, even if it means sneaking around their commander. Cases get under Jane’s skin and her intuition is usually correct. When her commanding officer considers this a slam dunk case against a perp with priors, Jane wants to purse a link between the children. I love Jane’s attitude and fearlessness. Maura Isles the chief medical examiner is struggling with personal issues, and unsure if she fits in with the Boston crowd. Her friendship with Jane has been strained since she testified against a fellow police officer. The children and staff at Evensong were interesting and well developed for secondary characters. The witnesses and suspects surrounding the violent crimes that took the children’s families was fascinating. An interesting friend of Maura's reappears and I so want to know his story. He is surrounded in mystery and he intrigues me. We learned more about him, but like Maura I was frustrated and want to know more. Throughout the novel chapters are told from the murderer's POV.

The world-building was fascinating and I enjoyed watching Rizzoli and Isles piece together the clues. Creepy happening, deaths and dead animals around the school made the tale suspenseful. I found the Evensong Academy interesting and it's ties to a previously mentioned club creepy. The Jackals forensic club and the schools curriculum adding to the chill factor. While I generally like getting inside the mind of the killer, something Gerristen does so well..this time I felt it gave too many clues away. There were still plenty of twists and turns that kept me completely immersed and overall I was satisfied. Gerristen has a medical degree and worked until she went on maternity leave. She then began writing and her background shows.Her attention to forensic detail is chilling. Her researched in police procedures makes her stories feel authentic. Her writing style and arc development is beautiful. From the first page to the last I was enthralled. She had my heart racing as Rizzoli and Isles worked to solve this case. I love the secondary plots threaded throughout the series, and each novel shows more development. 

I recommend Last to Die and any of Tess Gerritsen’s novels to fans of mysteries, crime thrillers and physiological thrillers. She captivates me every time and I am always left in awe. When someone asks me to recommend a mystery writer, Tess is at the top of my list. I am anxiously awaiting news of her next novel.

I gave this novel 4 cups of coffee out of 5.

The Silent Girl (Rizzoli & Isles #9)

The Uninvited by Heather Graham -Release Day Review

The Uninvited
by Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters #8
Publisher: Mira/Harlequin
Publication date: August 28, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository 

1777: In the throes of the Revolutionary War, Landon Mansion is commandeered by British Lord "Butcher" Bedford. He stabs Lucy Tarleton—who spurned his king and his love—leaving her to die in her father's arms.

NOW: After the day's final tour, docent Allison Leigh makes her rounds while locking up and finds a colleague slumped over Bedford's desk, impaled on his own replica bayonet. Resident ghosts may be the stock-in-trade of stately Philadelphia homes, but Allison—a noted historian—is indignant at the prospect of "ghost hunters" investigating this apparent murder. Agent Tyler Montague knows his hauntings and his history. But while Allison is skeptical of the newcomer, a second mysterious murder occurs. Has "Butcher" Bedford resurfaced? Or is there another malevolent force at work in Landon Mansion? Wary, yet deeply attracted, Allison has to trust in Tyler and work with him to discover just what uninvited guest—dead or alive—has taken over the house.

Or their lives could become history!

If you follow my reviews you are probably aware that I love romantic suspense wrapped in a little paranormal woo-woo. Heather Graham is one of my favorite authors for when the mood strikes. Each of the novels can be read as standalone, as each book deals with one member of the special FBI unit and their romance. I love that each case brings us a mystery to solve and a swoon worthy guy. The Uninvited tells Agent Tyler Montague’s story as he works to solve a murder investigation.

The case is set in Philadelphia and involves the historic Tarleton House. Allison Leigh is a history professor and spends her summers working as a guide at the Tarleton House. Dressed in colonial attire, she is locking up after a busy day of tours when she discovers the body of a co-worker impaled by his own replica bayonet. While resident ghosts are good for drawing in visitors, the board is concerned because this isn’t the first bizarre accident to occur. They call Adam the head of the special FBI unit and Taylor Montague is dispatched from Virginia to investigate. Allison isn’t happy about this crew of “ghost hunters” invading  the historic home, but when she begins seeing and hearing the voice of her dead colleague ..she might just change her mind. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful as they race to stop a killer.

We previously meet Agent Taylor and I was delighted to finally get his story. He is ex-military and was a Texas Ranger who helped find a missing girl with the help of a ghost. Taylor is tall and lean and looks like a linebacker.  I really liked this soft spoken man. He feels like people are intimidated by his size and are quick to make judgment about him. He finds himself attracted to the sexy, refined, intelligent dark haired raven, Allison. Allison isn’t ready to deal with the murder, let alone all this ghost woo-woo, but Taylor is so patient with her. *sighs* These two were obviously attracted to each other, but the discovery and dance was paced throughout the book allowing the romance to slowly unfold. The rest of the Krewe of Hunters arrived, but as is Graham’s style they worked the case mostly in the background. Hints were dropped about whose story we will get next and I hope I am right. The list of suspects was colorful and the secondary characters including the ghosts added to the suspense and mystery.

The world building in Graham’s novels are always fun. I love the investigation aspect and piecing together the clues. Having ghosts provide clues and unlock lost mysteries is always intriguing. In this type of tale the story lines follow a predictable recipe;  murder, boy meets girl, search for clues, fall in love, solve the case. Graham takes this recipe and mixing up a delightful new batch each time and I always find myself completely immersed in the tale. I love that the romance is just a side dish to the mystery. She knows how to serve it and this one was spicy. I enjoyed watching it develop, the awkwardness, tension, that first kiss..eep! While there is sexual content it is all implied and should not offend. I loved the dead colleague and fans of the Ghost Bartholomew should be delighted by him. While I had my suspicions about whom the murderer was, Graham surprised me with a twist at the end.

I recommend The Uninvited to fans who like paranormal suspense, crime, mystery and a side of romance.  There is no news on the next book in this series, but I will be sure and update you. Below you will find links to reviews of previous Krewe of Hunter novels.

I want to thank Mira/Harlequin and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Purchases made thorough buy links on this site earn a small commission and help support giveaways. 

I gave this novel 3.5 coffee cups out of 5. 

My reviews of Graham's earlier novels from this blog:

• Bride of the Night 
• Scared Evil (#3 Krewe of Hunters)
• The Evil Inside (#4 Krewe of Hunters)
• The Unseen (#5 Krewe of Hunters)
• Unholy  (#6 Krewe of Hunters)
• Unspoken (#7 Krewe of Hunters)

The Unholy by Heather Graham

The Unholy
by Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters #6
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: June 26, 2012
Genre: Adult Paranormal Suspense/Mystery/Crime
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

A Hollywood shrine hides unholy deeds The 1940s: hard-boiled detectives and femmes fatale are box-office gold. In one iconic scene, set in a deserted museum, the private eye arrives too late, and the buxom beauty is throttled by an ominous Egyptian priest. Now: the Black Box Cinema immortalizes Hollywood's Golden Age in its gallery of film noir tributes. But the mannequin of that Egyptian priest is hardly lifeless. He walks-and a young starlet dies a terrifying death. Movie mogul Eddie Archer's son is charged with the grisly murder. Eddie calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in...irregular investigations. As part of an FBI paranormal forensics team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren't limited to the silver screen. Working with special-effects artist Madison Darvil-who has her own otherworldly gifts-Cameron delves into the malevolent force animating more than one movie monster....(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Unholy is the sixth novel in Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunter series. Each of her novels follows a special unit of the FBI that solves difficult cases utilizing paranormal gifts. All of her novels can be read as a standalone. They each deal with one member of the team, their love interest and a new case. Unholy was a fun read involving a closed room murder, the ghost of Humphrey Bogart and an old Hollywood Cinema. I quickly became swept up in this tale, and was surprised when the murderer was revealed.

The tale begins when a murder occurs at the Black Box Cinema and the owner’s son is arrested for the heinous crime. Owner, Eddie Archer pulls every favor he has in Los Angeles to help clear his son’s name. He contacts former special-effects employee and friend Sean Cameron. Sean is now a member of the FBI’s special unit; Krewe of Hunters. He and the rest of this unusual team have recently finished their FBI training. Sean arrives a day ahead of the team, and Archie introduces him to Madison Darvil. She is a trusted employee and special effects artist. He puts Madison in charge of showing Sean around the cinema. The tale that unfolds was both delightful and creepy as we searched for clues to solve this murder.

Sean Cameron is a sweetheart. He is smexy, protective and sensitive. His back-story will delight you, and I found him to be completely swoon-worthy. He is a talented special-effects artist, and one heck of an FBI agent. His training and special abilities help him as he works to clear a man’s name, protect Madison and prevent another murder. Madison Darvil is talented, kind, head strong and lives with the ghost of Bogart. Yep, movie icon Humphrey Bogart watches television and chats with Madison in her bungalow! Their interaction was hilarious. At the age of six her best friend died and appeared as a ghost. She shared this experience with her mother. That experience taught her to never talk about her gift..to anyone, ever! While happy in her career she is lonely. Living with this secret and having Bogart around (who likes to sit in the living room when she entertains perceptive dates) doesn’t do much to help her non-existent love life. The rest of the Krewe team is there, but they work strictly on the case as the tale focuses on the murder, Sean and Madison. Graham gives us a great array of characters as suspects from an actor to a costume designer. She provides characters that scream guilty; like Archie newest wife. I wanted to slap this woman and then turn around and slap the loveable Archie for falling for a woman like this..eek gads!

The case is a good one. It features a favorite mystery classic; a murder within a closed room. I loved the setting of the old movie theater and the back history to the old black and white movies. I found the whole thing intriguing. Graham shows us the killer in costume and it is quite frightening. She reveals bits and pieces of the murderer’s psyche. As Cameron, the team and Madison piece together clues I became completely enthralled with the tale. I pieced together parts and totally failed on the masked killer. The romance is secondary to the mystery which is one aspect I appreciate in Graham’s tales. I get great suspense and a couple who I end up believing in and rooting for. There is some sexual content in this novel, but Graham has a talent for providing heated scenes that are all implied.

I highly recommend The Unholy to fans of paranormal mystery and suspense with a side of romance. Heather Graham is one of my favorite authors in the mystery/suspense genre and I encourage you to check out her other work. My personal favorite is her Bone IslandTrilogy. I look forward to the next two novels in the Krewe of Hunters series due out this summer. They are The Unspoken and The Uninvited.

I want to thank Harlequin and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 4.5 coffee cups out of 5. 

Reviews of earlier Graham novels on my blog:

• The Unseen (#5 Krewe of Hunters)
• Bride of the Night 
• The Evil Inside (#4 Krewe of Hunters)
• Scared Evil (#3 Krewe of Hunters)

Eyes Of Justice (Triple Threat #4) by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

Eyes of Justice
by Lis Wiehl with April Henry
Series: Triple Threat #4
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Genre: Christian/Mystery

Buy: Barnes and Noble /Amazon /Book Depository

The Triple Threat Club has solved intense mysteries before . . . but this time it's personal.

Cassidy, Allison, and Nicole fight for justice every day-Cassidy as a crime reporter, Nicole with the FBI, and Allison as a federal prosecutor. Together they're a Triple Threat to be reckoned with. But never have they faced a case so full of blind alleys-or so painfully close to home. When a devastating turn of events upsets the balance of the Triple Threat team, they discover an ally in a quirky Private Investigator named Olivia. The women vow not to stop until the case is solved and justice is served. Yet just when it appears the police have the killer in custody, he somehow strikes again. Not knowing who to trust, the Triple Threat women go undercover for an intricate and deadly cat-and-mouse game where nothing can be taken at face value . . . and nothing will ever be the same.

Success - or survival - isn't assured in this riveting Triple Threat mystery that will leave readers both shocked and satisfied.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Eyes of Justice, is the fourth novel in the Triple Threat Club series by Lis Wiehl. When I received this from Booksneeze I was excited, even though I hadn’t read the first three. Last year I reviewed Wiehl’s paranormal mystery called Waking Hours the first in her new East Salem trilogy. While this novel is part of a series, Wiehl has done an excellent job of allowing it to be read as a standalone. This was a suspenseful read, with lots of twists and characters I enjoyed.

The main characters are three women who all went to high school together, but were never really friends. At a reunion, they discovered they all had a lot in common. The charming Cassidy Shaw is a crime reported at Channel Four. Allison Pierce is a federal prosecutor and Nicole Hedges is an FBI agent. One thing led to another and they all began working in Portland.  They got together one evening for dinner and enjoyed themselves immensely. While each has a completely different personality, they bring out the best in each other. That night they shared a rich chocolate dessert. One slice, three forks and they jokingly called themselves the Triple Threat Club. That was six years ago and they have been friends ever since. 

When this novel begins, it’s Cassidy’s turn to choose the restaurant, and she picks loud and Mexican.  However, she text the gals that she will be late, when a mysterious caller tells her he has proof that the cops planted a gun to cover up a shooting.  Cassidy never makes it to dinner, and the tale that unfolds is suspenseful as Allison and clue driven Nicole search to understand what happened to Cassidy. When Portland PD decides they cannot be involved, they hire Ophelia, an independently wealthy private investigator to help. The tale was very suspenseful, and I didn’t figure out who was involved until almost the end.

  

I really enjoyed Eyes of Justice. Each character has a unique personality. Wiehl did a great job of sharing their personal lives with us as they worked to solve the case. I really liked the new character Ophelia and hope to see more of her in future novels. I became emotionally invested in these women and wanted them to succeed. This is a faith-based novel, but Wiehl doesn’t drown us in religious messages. Instead, one of the characters is religious and draws on her faith to help her through the investigation. It felt genuine and not preachy. The plot had a great pace and twists that kept me glued to the book. I consumed this in a few sittings and was thoroughly entertained.

I highly recommend this series to fans of mystery and crime thrillers. I have added the first three books in the Triple Threat Series to my wish list. Lis Wiehl is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of her work. All of her novels are available in eBook, paper and audio formats.

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

Lis Wiehl

Website

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Marcie's Murder (Donaghue and Stainer Crime Fiction Novel #2) by Michael J. McCann

A beautiful woman is murdered in a small town in Virginia and Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue is the prime suspect! 

Donaghue is on vacation when he stops overnight in Harmony, a quiet little town where very little happens. Until, that is, the police kick down the door of his motel room in the middle of the night and drag him off to jail on suspicion of having strangled a woman behind a bar. Although he insists he’s a cop himself and had nothing to do with it, the local chief of police won’t listen. An eyewitness claims he saw Donaghue go behind the bar where the murder took place – and the victim was Chief Askew's wife!

Stuck in a cell in a small town, surrounded by cops who are convinced he’s a murderer, Donaghue must find a way to free himself and find Marcie Askew’s killer before it’s too late. When he’s finally allowed to make a phone call he dials the number of the one person he knows can help him out of this mess – Detective Karen Stainer.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Marcie’s Murder is the second book, in author Michael J. McCann’s, Donaghue and Stainer Crime Fiction novels and my first time reading his work. I found this to be an entertaining crime novel, with likable characters. 

The tale begins when Donaghue is awakened in the middle of the night, beaten and handcuffed. Despite his cries of being a police officer, he is dragged down to the station.  His vacation stop in Harmony quickly turns into a nightmare as he is accused of murdering the chief-of-police’s wife.  When he gets his phone call, he calls his partner from the Maryland PD, the snarky Detective Karen Stainer.  Stainer quickly gets Donaghue released and they end up assisting the local police department.  Small town politics and secrets make this tale interesting as they work to solve the case.

Town folk are reluctant to share but Donaghue and Stainer begin putting the pieces together. McCann’s depiction of the small town and the characters residing there was colorful.  The story is told in third person, and we are provided information regarding the murder and suspects as they are revealed to the detectives. Clues helped me piece together the information before it was revealed, but I enjoyed the climactic capture of the murderer. 

I liked both Detective Donaghue and Stainer. They are bright, intelligent and witty.  They seem to work well together. Donaghue, for having been beaten and held in prison has a well tempered personality. He is quiet and calm; she is loud and in your face.  We learn more about Detective Stainer and her background. She is engaged, but hasn’t completely opened up to her fiancé about family matters and her fears. She is haunted by an old case and confesses this to one of the townsfolk. We learn of her affection for guns. This woman knows her weapons. She is a tough cop and doesn’t take any crap.  McCann creates a unique set of characters for the town of Harmony, each with their own history. This made the murder; the town and the story feel genuine. He completely captured the politics associated with living in a small town.

Fans of weapons will love the detailed description of weapons throughout the novel.  We also get an in-depth look at Indian ancestry from a friend of the victim. This occurs when Donaghue interviews her. I felt both topics were not necessary to the plot, and slowed the pace. I did find the information interesting and it was well researched.  This was a good story, but the overall plot wasn’t as fast paced and intense, as I prefer in a crime novel.  The pace was fast in the beginning, fell flat in the middle, and moved at a maddening pace towards the end. 

I recommend Marcie’s Murder to fans of crime novels and small towns. Fans of the Agatha Raisin series and Cozy Mysteries should find this delightful.  Be sure and check out the first novel in this series titled, Blood Passage, currently available in paper and eBook formats.  (See cover and synopsis below) Marcie’s Murder will be published on April 6, 2012. I will be watching for more from this author.

I want to thank the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. 

I gave this novel 3.5 coffee cups out of 5. 

Blood Passage, the first novel in the Donaghue and Stainer Series:

Experienced criminal investigators Donaghue and Stainer wrestle with their disbelief of a little boy's claims that he remembers the men who killed him in his previous life.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Get your copy here:
Amazon:Blood Passage (The Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series)
  Barnes and Noble:Blood Passage 


Do you like crime novels? What do you think of the covers?