Tag: Crime Thriller

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Blog Tour

November Road by Lou Berney @wmmorrowbooks @tlcbooktours #bookreview

Posted on November 7, 2019November 6, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

happy Thursday everybody!

This is one of those books that snuck up on me. I was definitely not expecting to love it as much as I did! Love it when that happens!

My Thoughts

Lou Berney has a way with words, this stunning story was both mesmerizing and memorable. A story about second chances, heart crime thriller, part romance, set against the backdrop of 1960s America. The Kennedy assassination, civil rights, Vietnam, the time was as much a character as the characters were. Frank Guidry has it made snappy dresser smooth talker a lieutenant in the mob, one of Carlos Marcello‘s best men. Then things change after he has delivered a Cadillac Eldorado to Dallas days before the JFK assassination. Guidry knowing that he is now a disposable loose end those on the run. Charlotte is fed up! She’s tired of dealing with her drunk husband and a job that won’t take her seriously. So she packs up the car with her two daughters and heads to LA. When Frank and Charlotte’s paths cross they become friends and possibly even more. Meanwell Barone has been hired to hunt Frank down and eliminate him.

This book was so good, these characters so Multi dimensional. I was rooting for all of them even the mobster and the hitman, and I could not figure out how this could turn out well for everybody. The bond that forms between Frank and Charlotte was quite remarkable I was both hopeful and afraid for them. The overlying theme of the story really was second chances, but sometimes these characters second chances weren’t necessarily better then there previous situation. Out of the frying pan into the fire if you will. Beautifully told, captivating characters, compelling storyline, what more could you want?

This book in emojis: 🏩 🛣 🏙 🚗 👩‍👧‍👧

*** Big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of this book ***

About November Road

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (October 22, 2019)

“When people say they want to read a really good novel, the kind you just can’t put down, this is the kind of book they mean. Exceptional.” –Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author

Named a Best Book of the Year by Entertainment Weekly • Washington Post • AARP • Newsweek • Dallas Morning News • South Florida Sun-Sentinel • Crime Reads

Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Frank Guidry’s luck has finally run out.

A loyal street lieutenant to New Orleans’ mob boss Carlos Marcello, Guidry has learned that everybody is expendable. But now it’s his turn—he knows too much about the crime of the century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Within hours of JFK’s murder, everyone with ties to Marcello is turning up dead, and Guidry suspects he’s next: he was in Dallas on an errand for the boss less than two weeks before the president was shot. With few good options, Guidry hits the road to Las Vegas, to see an old associate—a dangerous man who hates Marcello enough to help Guidry vanish.

Guidry knows that the first rule of running is “don’t stop,” but when he sees a beautiful housewife on the side of the road with a broken-down car, two little daughters and a dog in the back seat, he sees the perfect disguise to cover his tracks from the hit men on his tail. Posing as an insurance man, Guidry offers to help Charlotte reach her destination, California. If she accompanies him to Vegas, he can help her get a new car.

For her, it’s more than a car— it’s an escape. She’s on the run too, from a stifling existence in small-town Oklahoma and a kindly husband who’s a hopeless drunk.

It’s an American story: two strangers meet to share the open road west, a dream, a hope—and find each other on the way.

Charlotte sees that he’s strong and kind; Guidry discovers that she’s smart and funny. He learns that’s she determined to give herself and her kids a new life; she can’t know that he’s desperate to leave his old one behind.

Another rule—fugitives shouldn’t fall in love, especially with each other. A road isn’t just a road, it’s a trail, and Guidry’s ruthless and relentless hunters are closing in on him. But now Guidry doesn’t want to just survive, he wants to really live, maybe for the first time.

Everyone’s expendable, or they should be, but now Guidry just can’t throw away the woman he’s come to love.

And it might get them both killed.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Lou Berney

Lou Berney is the author of three previous novels, Gutshot Straight, Whiplash River, and multiple prize-winning The Long and Faraway Gone. His short fiction has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Ploughshares, and the Pushcart Prize anthology. He lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Find out more about Lou at his website, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Tour

The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter @slaughterkarin @wmmorrowbooks @tlcbooktours #bookreview #thelastwidow

Posted on August 29, 2019August 28, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Thursday all! This was my first Karin Slaughter and I absolutely loved it! Definitely will not be my last! Thanks Trish for my invitation to the tour!

My Thoughts

The Hype IS Real!!!

This was my very first Karin Slaughter and I have to say… I get it! Dark, disturbing, and oh so delicious! This is the ninth book in the Will Trent series, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a standalone. I’d definitely go back and read the previous books I’d like to learn the history between these characters especially Will and Amanda (his boss/pseudo-mother). Will was quirky and likable, I’d love to witness how his character has evolved through the course of the series.

The book starts with a BANG! Dr. Michelle Spivey a scientist at the CDC is abducted from a Walmart parkinglot. The book then jumps forward a month, will and his girlfriend Sarah(Who is also a medical examiner) are at her parents house when they hear an explosion. The explosion appears to have happened at Emory university home of the CDC and several hospitals. Will and Sarah immediately start heading to the bomb sight knowing they will be needed, but they never get there. There is a car accident, a gun fight, and then another kidnapping. Chaos ensues …we are then caught up in the dark world of white supremacy, terrorism, rape, and pedophilia. Most of this was so timely, so real, it made the book all that more frightening. The book jumps around between the perspectives of Will, Sarah, and Will’s partner Faith. This was extremely impactful because we were always privy as to what was going on, there were even a few times we got the same scene from both Will and Sarah’s perspectives. This book was action packed edge of your seat thrilling from first page to last. Never a doll moment! Karin Slaughter has a new fan right here!

This book in three emoji’s: 💣 🔪 👩🏼‍🔬

About The Last Widow

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (August 20, 2019)

New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter brings back Will Trent and Sara Linton in this superb and timely thriller full of devious twists, disturbing secrets, and shocking surprises you won’t see coming

A mysterious kidnapping

On a hot summer night, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping center parking lot. The authorities are desperate to save the doctor who’s been vanished into thin air.

A devastating explosion

One month later, the serenity of a sunny Sunday afternoon is shattered by the boom of a ground-shaking blast—followed by another seconds later. One of Atlanta’s busiest and most important neighborhoods has been bombed—the location of Emory University, two major hospitals, the FBI headquarters, and the CDC.

A diabolical enemy

Medical examiner Sara Linton and her partner Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rush to the scene—and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to destroy thousands of innocent lives. When the assailants abduct Sara, Will goes undercover to save her and prevent a massacre—putting his own life on the line for the woman and the country he loves.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. Published in 120 countries with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her eighteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Townand the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, Karin Slaughter lives in Atlanta. Her standalone novels The Good Daughter and Cop Town are in development for film and television.

Find out more about Karin at her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Blog Tour

Her Silent Cry by Lisa Regan @lisalregan @bookouture #bookreview #hersilentcry

Posted on August 16, 2019August 15, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Friday y’all!

Cannot believe this is the sixth installment in this fantastic series! The Josie Quinn series is definitely one of my favorites! Thank you so much Noelle for my invitation to the tour!🎠

My Thoughts

Josie Quinn is back! Can’t believe this is book six! This is hands-down one of my absolute favorite police procedural series, I just love Lisa Regan’s writing style. This time Josie is on the hunt for a missing child. While at the park with young Harrison Josie has a front row seat when little Lucy disappears into thin air after a ride on the carousel. The kidnapper has left several messages implying that this is personal and Josie is convinced that the parents are keeping secrets. As the body count rises the tension increases, will Josie solve the crime in time?

This book had a little bit of a different feel to it. The rest of the books in the series have a personal connection to either Josie or one of the other members of her team. Both Gretchen and Noah are in the story, but neither of them play a very significant role. So while I was interested in the story I missed the personal touch. I think one of my favorite parts of this series is Josie and how much her character has developed over the course of the series, there was a little of that but not as much as I would’ve liked. Having said that the mystery was very well done. The kidnapper/killer was quite disturbed, diabolical, and cunning. I was completely invested and liked how all the pieces came together. Cannot wait to see what’s next for Josie, Gretchen, Noah, Trinity, and Luke.

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Round and round she goes, blonde pigtails flying, her high-pitched giggle catching on the wind. But as the ride slows to a stop, her seat is suddenly empty. Little Lucy is gone…

When seven-year-old Lucy Ross is snatched from the carousel in Denton city park, Detective Josie Quinn joins the frantic search. She’s the one who finds Lucy’s sparkly butterfly backpack abandoned by the ticket booth, a note with a devastating message stuffed inside: answer your phone, or your sweet little darling will die…

The next day, Lucy’s parents are filled with hope when they pick up a call which they think is from their babysitter – but instead it’s a chilling male voice on the line. Josie races to the babysitter’s small apartment only to find her lifeless body in a tangle of sheets on her bed.

Josie is faced with the most high-stakes case of her career as each new phone call from someone connected to the family ends with the shocking discovery of another body. This twisted killer wants revenge, and he won’t stop until the Ross family are in pieces…

Something is telling Josie that Lucy’s parents aren’t giving her the whole truth, but digging deeper into their lives will force her to confront a life-changing secret of her own. Does Josie have what it takes to crack this case? She has no choice if she’s going to bring Lucy home alive…

About the Author

Lisa Regan is an Amazon bestselling crime novelist. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com

Author Social Media Links:

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Lisalregan

WEBSITE: www.lisaregan.com

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

Let’s Connect

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Audiobook Review, Blog Tour

The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer @AshleyDyerAuthor @wmmorrowbooks @tlcbooktours @harperaudio #bookreview #audiobook #thecuttingroom

Posted on June 18, 2019June 17, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Tuesday all and happy publication day to this deliciously disturbing book!

I’ve been really trying hard not to start any more crime thriller series, but I am certainly glad I gave this one a try! It was seriously SO good! Thank you so much Trish for my invitation to this tour!🎨

About The Cutting Room

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (June 18, 2019)

Detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver, introduced in the electrifying Splinter in the Blood, must stop a serial killer whose victims are the centerpiece of his macabre works of art.

While Britain is obsessed with the newest hit true-crime television show, Fact, or Fable? detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver are tormented by a fiendish flesh-and-blood killer on the loose.

Lured to a “crime scene” by a mysterious digital invitation, Ruth Lake is horrified by what she finds: a bizarre and gruesome tableau surrounded by a crowd of gawkers. The deadly work is the latest “art installation” designed by a diabolical criminal dubbed the Ferryman. Not only is this criminal cold-blooded; he’s a narcissistic exhibitionist desperate for an audience. He’s also clever at promoting his deadly handiwork. Exploiting England’s current true-crime craze, he uses social media to titillate and terrorize the public.

Ruth is joined in the investigation by her partner Greg Carver, who is slowly regaining his strength after a run-in with another sadistic criminal. But Greg can’t seem to shake the bewildering effects of the head wound that nearly ended him. Are the strange auras blurring his vision an annoying side effect of his injury, or could they be something more . . . a tool to help him see a person’s true nature?

In this utterly engrossing and thrilling tale of suspense, a pair of seasoned detectives face off against a wickedly smart and inventive psychopath in a tense, bloody game that leads to a shocking end.

My Thoughts

ᴅɪsᴛᴜʀʙɪɴɢ. ᴅᴇʀᴀɴɢᴇᴅ. ᴅᴇʟɪᴄɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴅᴀʀᴋ.

Ashley Dyer has twisted together One deranged, disturbing, and deliciously dark tale! Would you follow a serial killer on Instagram? This book picks up shortly where the first book leaves off (from what I can gather). I did not read the first book and I still thoroughly devoured this book. However I think it would’ve been nice to have read the first book because both Ruth Lake and Greg Carver are suffering from repercussions from their previous case. There is a sadistic serial killer on the loose, preying on the men of Liverpool. Not only does he kill, but he publicly displays the body parts and calls it art. A narcissistic psychopath who thrives on attention. Attention that is easy to get in the age of social media. The serial killer really whipped the public into a frenzy creating a mob mentality where ever his artwork was displayed. Made you wonder could this really happen? Would people follow a sadistic killer on Instagram?

This was such a well done crime thriller! I loved all the investigative and forensic details. I particularly liked all the time that Lake and Carver spent with the medical examiner. The characters were all so well developed, so real. I particularly was fascinated by Carver and the auras he would see as a side effect of his head injury. Oras that allowed him to read peoples moods and emotions, that really helped him in his role as a detective. We also got a glimpse into Ruth Lake’s past and private life. Glimpses that I am sure will be expanded on in future books. I also got to spend some time in the mind of this serial killer. This book was told from multiple perspectives including that of this sadistic deranged killer. If you’re like me and like spending some time with crazy you will love how off the chains this character was! I’ve really been trying to avoid starting any new crime series, but I am certainly glad I gave this one a shot! Going to try to read the first book before the next one comes out. What a wild and crazy ride that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of!🎧🎧🎧 Peter Noble masterfully narrated this dark tale. I thought he had the perfect English accent to draw me into this atmospheric story. When you read a book set in England there is nothing better than having it read to you by someone with an accent, it really gives you a true sense of the story.

*** many thanks to William Morrow and Harper Audio for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Ashley Dyer

Ashley Dyer is a writing duo based in the United Kingdom.

Margaret Murphy is a Writing Fellow and Reading Round Lector for the Royal Literary Fund, a past chair of the Crime Writers Association (CWA), and founder of Murder Squad. A CWA Short Story Dagger winner, she has been shortlisted for the First Blood critics’ award for crime fiction as well as the CWA Dagger in the Library. Under her own name she has published nine psychological suspense and police procedural novels.

Helen Pepper is a senior lecturer in policing at Teesside University. She has been an analyst, forensic scientist, scene of crime officer, CSI, and crime scene manager. She has coauthored, as well as contributed to, professional policing texts. Her expertise is in great demand with crime writers: she is a judge for the CWA’s Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction Award, and is a forensic consultant on both the Vera and Shetland TV series.

Find out more at their website, www.ashley-dyer.com.

Blog Tour

Savage Games by Peter Boland @PeterBoland19 @BOTBSPublicity #bookreview #savagegames

Posted on June 9, 2019June 9, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Sunday evening/Monday morning!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend! Excited to share with you today my review for this action packed Mystery! Thank you so much Sarah for my invitation to the tour!🕵🏼‍♂️

My Thoughts

This was an action-packed fast-paced thriller. This is the second book in Peter Boland’s John Savage series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone. The story starts off with a body being found in a tree. A young man approaches JohnSavage to help solve the murder of his father who also happens to be a old school friend of Savages. There is also a second storyline about “undesirables“ living in less than desirable conditions. Two storylines seemingly completely disconnected that come together to form the perfect crime thriller.

This was a well done action driven crime thriller with some pretty remarkable and interesting characters. John Savage suffers from PTSD, there is a constant struggle between his inner demons and himself. I thought this part of John’s character made him so authentic, complex, and vulnerable. Tannaz, Johns sidekick, a hacker who really balances John out. The relationship between these two characters really was the highlight of this book for me.The story was a definite high-octane thriller perfect for adrenaline junkies. In the blurb John Savage is compared to Jack reacher and I thought that was a fair comparison. If I’m being completely honest this is not my favorite type of thriller, but the strength of the characters really made this an enjoyable read for me! So if you like a lot of action in your thrillers you will absolutely love this one! Great characters, high flying action, and a perfect ending!

*** A huge thank you to Sarah and the author for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

A body hidden in a tree.

A forest full of dark secrets.

A man determined to find the truth…

“Wow. Just seriously wow!” Goodreads reviewer, five stars

John Savage receives the shocking news that his friend has been found dead in bizarre circumstances. His body hidden in the branches of a towering fir tree in the New Forest. Savage vows to find out who is responsible.

Together with brilliant computer hacker Tannaz, he discovers his friend was down on his luck, living among those who society would rather forget – the dregs, the desperate and the homeless. Entering this dark and dangerous world, Savage soon discovers that the death of his friend was just the tip of the iceberg…

Savage Games is a bestselling, fast-paced action thriller for fans of James Patterson, Lee Child and David Baldacci.

About the Author

After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings he just couldn’t make them stand up, which is a bit of a handicap in an industry that likes to keep things upright. So he switched to advertising, writing ads for everything from cruise lines to zombie video games.

After becoming disillusioned with working in ad agencies, he switched to writing novels (or was it because he wanted to work at home in his pyjamas?). He soon realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about a year). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing, playing Nintendo Switch with his son, watching America’s Next Top Model with his daughter and drinking beer in a garden chair.

Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterBoland19

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7102414.Peter_Boland

Purchase Link:

mybook.to/SavageGames

Let’s Connect

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Blog Tour

Dead Inside by Noelle Holten @nholten40 @BOTBSPublicity @HarperImpulse #bookreview #DeadInside

Posted on May 31, 2019May 30, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

TGIF!

Excited for the weekend and excited to share my review for this wonderful debut! Thank you so much Sarah for my invitation to this tour, I enjoyed your character in the story! And thank you Noelle congrats girl!🥳

My Thoughts

ᎴᏗᏒᏦ. ᎴᎥᏕᏖᏬᏒᏰᎥᏁᎶ. ᏰᏒᎥᏝᏝᎥᏗᏁᏖ.

Noelle Holten’s debut was dark, disturbing, and brilliant. This is the first book in the DI Maggie Jamison series but it really centered on Lucy a probation officer. Three men have been murdered, three men that were convicted of domestic abuse, three men whose probation officer was Lucy sherwood. When Lucy’s own abusive husband is killed, she becomes the primary suspect. But could Lucy possibly be a killer? And is murder ever justified?

This was less of a crime investigation and more of a dark character study of abusers and the abused. Noelle worked for 18 years as a probation officer and I thought this really shown through in this book and gave it some major authenticity. Abuse is a dark and difficult subject, but I think it was handled with a careful hand in this story. I thought it was important that the book really showed you that abuse doesn’t discriminate, anyone regardless of their background or Socio economic status is vulnerable. It is easy to say why don’t you just get out, but unless you have been there I don’t think that is a fair statement. Lucy was such a complex character she had so much strength and yet was so vulnerable. Maggie is a character I am really looking forward to getting to know even better in future books.

This was a well told story with a large cast of characters. It took me a while to get all the characters straight. Additionally if you are a book blogger or follow book blogs there are lots of familiar names in this book. This distracted me and took me out of the story quite a few times in the beginning, until it didn’t. And Noelle i’m certain there is a Berit in the next book, right? Murder victim, murderer, best friend of the murderer, I’m not picky! The murder mystery in this book even though it wasn’t as prevalent as I thought it would be it was compelling and I was super surprised by the outcome. Simply put this was a compulsively readable dark tale that will have you coming back for more. Well done Noelle!

*** thank you to Harper Impulse for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Book Description:

‘Kept me hooked … excellent pace and a very satisfying ending’ Angela Marsons

‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole

‘A brilliant debut – gritty, dark and chilling. Noelle Holten knows her stuff’ Mel Sherratt

A dark and gripping debut crime novel – the first in a stunning new series – from a huge new talent.

The killer is just getting started…

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered.

And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

About the AuthorAuthor Bio:

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the booklove via her blog.
Dead Inside is her debut novel with Killer Reads/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.

Links:

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

Twitter: (@nholten40) https://twitter.com/nholten40

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18489795.Noelle_Holten

Blog: https://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk

Instagram: @crimebookjunkie

Let’s Connect!

Have a magnificent day!🌼

Berit☀️✨

Blog Tour

Fierce Girl by Emma Tallon @EmmaEsj @bookouture #bookreview #fiercegirl

Posted on May 26, 2019May 25, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Sunday all!

Excited to share with you today in my review for this book that is the fourth in this series that I absolutely adore. Thanks so much Noelle for my invitation to this tour!😍

My Thoughts

𝕲𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖕𝖎𝖓𝖌. 𝕲𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖞. 𝕱𝖎𝖊𝖗𝖈𝖊.

Emma Tallon has written another gripping gritty tale packed with fabulous characters! This is the fourth book in the Anna Davis series. While this book certainly could be read as a standalone I’d strongly encourage you to read the entire series it is well worth your time. Anna is still grieving from a tragedy that happened at the end of the previous book. Her business is thriving, but her BFF/business partner Tonya’s mother Rosie is in town. Anna is suspect of Rosie‘s intentions and is not buying that she is back to help out her daughter. Meanwhile anna’s boyfriend Freddy Who is somewhat of a mob boss once again find himself in danger.

This book was fast paced and had my heart racing throughout. The story was a little dark and some parts were a bit gruesome, definitely not for the faint of heart. BUT these characters are so amazing and really got under my skin. Anna stole my heart in the first book and I have loved seeing her grow from an abuse victim to a strong self-sufficient woman. I was keeping my fingers crossed for Tonya throughout this story, and once again I just love the bond between these girls. Freddie once again reminded me of Sonny Corinthos, such a lovable thug. The relationship between Anna and Freddie is still strong. Anna is definitely FIERCE and in this book she was fighting for those she loves. Another great installment in the series that once again left me wanting more!

*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Jessie Keane will be hooked by Fierce Girl.

When loyalty is everything, betrayal hits harder.

Anna Davis has grown up. She’s not the naive runaway who escaped her vicious gangland boyfriend anymore. She’s tougher than ever and she won’t let anyone take advantage of her – or the people she loves.

Anna’s devoted boyfriend, East End baron Freddie Tyler, is in trouble. There’s a rat in his organisation and he needs to stop the leaks before a very big mistake from his past is revealed to people who will want swift and brutal revenge.

Anna wants to help Freddie but she’s got problems of her own. Her best friend Tanya’s mother has turned up, and is staking a claim on Tanya’s share of their club. With Tanya buying her mum’s reformed sinner act, Anna knows she needs to act before both their friendship and Club Anya goes up in flames.

But if there’s one thing Anna and Freddie have learned, it’s how to play the game, and as their enemies close in they’ll fight with everything they’ve got to protect the life they’ve built.

About the Author

Emma Tallon is a British, gritty crime writer, adventurer, Londoner and mother to a young son. Starting her career a few years ago as a ghostwriter, Emma crafted some of the most adventurous, edgy and heart-wrenching stories you can find on the shelves today.

In March 2017 Emma stepped out of the literary shadows and self-published her first book, Life Game. The book was an instant success, the results far exceeding anything she had expected. As news of Life Games popularity spread, she joined forces with W.F.Howes and the audiobook was launched in October 2017.

In December 2017, Emma signed a three book deal with publishers Bookouture. This included Life Game which was changed, re-edited and re-released as Runaway Girl.

Drawing inspiration for her books from a mixture of her own observations and an active imagination, the characters Emma paints are colourful and larger than life. Her story lines are an interesting recipe of deep emotion and violent grit, that keep her readers engrossed.

With more books in the works for this series already, Emma has many more stories planned out for the future.

Social Media Links:

For more information on Emma or to join her mailing list, please go to: www.emmatallon.com or alternatively, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmatallonofficial or on Twitter: @EmmaEsj

Let’s Connect

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Before-Coffee-OShea-Fiction-ebook/dp/B07NJNYGP3/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=death+before+coffee&qid=1552730233&s=gateway&sr=8-7

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Blog Tour

Death Before Coffee by Desmond P. Ryan @RealDesmondRyan @damppebbles #bookreview #deathbeforecoffee

Posted on April 13, 2019April 12, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy Saturday, yay it’s the weekend!

Excited to share with you today my review for this compelling book. A huge thank you to Emma for my invitation to the tour!☕️

Book Blurb:

By 2:27 on a Thursday afternoon, the one-legged man from Room 8 at 147 Loxitor Avenue has been beaten to death with a lead pipe. Twenty-eight minutes later, Detective Mike O’Shea is testifying in a stuffy courtroom, unaware that, within an hour, he will be standing in an alleyway littered with beer cans and condoms while his new partner—the man who saved his life thirteen years ago—flicks bugs off of a battered corpse with a ballpoint pen. When a rogue undercover copper prematurely hauls in the prime suspect, Mike blows a fuse, resulting in an unlikely rapport developing between him and the lead homicide detective sergeant, a woman known for her stilettos and razor sharp investigative skills. At the end of his seventy-two-hour shift, three men are dead and Mike O’Shea is floating in and out of consciousness in an emergency room hallway, two women by his side.

Death Before Coffee, the second book in the Mike O’Shea Crime Fiction Series, weaves a homicide investigation through the life of an inner-city police detective intent on balancing his responsibilities as a son, brother, and newly single father with his sworn oath of duty. When faced with death, Mike is forced to make decisions that stir up old memories, compelling him to confront his demons while fighting the good fight.

My Thoughts

This book is like a cup of coffee… dark, strong, and caffeinated. This is the second book in the Michael O’Shea series, and I think I might have missed a little having not read the first book. From what I gather this book takes up 13 years after the previous book and now Mike is no longer working on juvenile cases. This book was very real and raw. Very reminiscent of some of the better police programs on TV such as NYPD Blue or my beloved Law and Order. Also I’m not quite sure I’ve ever seen the murder weapon being a lead pipe other than in the board game Clue. I’m kind of rambling, but I really don’t know if I should say much about the plot, I think it might spoil it?

Mike is an old school detective, a bit grumpy with some strong family ties. I really love his large Irish family, especially mom! The mystery was very intriguing although quite dark. In fact the entire book had a bit of a bleak and gloomy air about it. Although I think this just added to the overall tone of the story, definitely didn’t take anything from it.

An extremely well done crime thriller that will leave you wanting more!

*** Big thanks to the author for my copy of this book ***

About Desmond P. Ryan:

For almost thirty years, Desmond P. Ryan worked as a cop in the back alleys, poorly-lit laneways, and forgotten neighbourhoods in Toronto, the city where he grew up. Murder often most unkind, assaults on a level that defied humanity, and sexual violations intended to demean, shame, and haunt the victims were all in a day’s work. Days, evenings, midnights–all the same. Crime knows no time.

Whether as a beat cop or a plainclothes detective, Desmond dealt with good people who did bad things and bad people who followed their instincts. And now, as a retired detective, he writes crime fiction.

Real Detective. Real Crime. Fiction.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealDesmondRyan

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

Website: https://realdesmondryan.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B07H9MMV81?_encoding=UTF8&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true&ref_=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1&rfkd=1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Before-Coffee-OShea-Fiction-ebook/dp/B07NJNYGP3/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/death-before-coffee-1

Publishing Information:

Published in eBook and paperback on 8th February 2019.

Blog Tour

Against Nature by Casey Barrett @CapandGoggles @suzyapbooktours @KensingtonBooks #bookreview #againstnature

Posted on April 3, 2019April 2, 2019 by Berit @ Audio Killed the Bookmark

Happy hump day!

Thrilled to share with you today my review for this book sure to appeal to all crime thriller fans! Many thanks to Suzy for my invitation to the tour.🧡

My Thoughts

Casey Barrett has crafted a clever fast-paced thriller packed with plenty of action. This is the second book in the DI Duck Darley series, but I don’t feel as though I was at a disadvantage having not read the first. Duck is a hard-working, hard playing, and hard drinking flawed character. He prefers solving problems with his fists rather than his words, and as you would expect this tended to get him in some trouble. New York was the perfect backdrop for the unconventional enigmatic Duck’s antics.

Duck is currently hooking up with a rich divorcee Juliet who has a eight-year-old son Stevie. That is until his old partner Cass calls from the Catskills. Her boyfriend is dead and she is convinced it was murder. Cass’s boyfriend had been writing an article about doping and the East German Olympic team. What follows is a dangerous search for the truth.

This was an interesting story with a unique storyline packed with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. However the jury is still out on most of these characters especially Duck. I seriously had no idea what to make of him? I’d start liking him and then he’d go do something stupid generally while intoxicated and then I had to rethink my feelings, again. Cas was equally confusing, I felt for the girl but… Juliet was a piece of work and I straight up did not like her, but her son Stevie on the other hand was simply adorable. Thank goodness for Stevie, he save the day and redeemed most of the characters in this book.

Gritty and raw this was a well done crime thriller that will appeal to all that enjoy the genre!

*** many thanks to Kensington for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Against Nature: Book Two in the Duck Darley Series

Perched in an airy penthouse above the corrupt streets of Manhattan, unlicensed P.I. Duck Darley has settled into an unlikely domestic routine with a wealthy divorcée and her precocious eight-year-old son. But old nightmares return when a desperate text from Cass Kimball, the former partner Duck once took a bullet to protect, lures him back into sworn-off vices and the sinister world of professional sports . . .

Cass cries murder after her boyfriend tumbles to his death in the Catskills while researching the tragic doping experiments that changed the lives of East German Olympic athletes during the Cold War. Following the brutal killing of a champion javelin thrower, Cass herself is arrested on charges of double homicide, leaving Duck on an impossible quest for answers while doubting everything he ever believed about his secretive sidekick . . .

Now, caught between the secret horrors of extreme performance enhancement and shadowy criminals who stalk him relentlessly, it’s sink or swim as Duck stumbles through a reckless investigation that endangers both his life and that of anyone he allows himself to hold dear.

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