Book Review: Red Flags ( Locard Institute Thriller #1) by Lisa Black

 

Title: Red Flags (Locard Institute Thriller #1) 

Author: Lisa Black

Star: 3 1\2

Review:

This is the first book from Lisa Black that I have read and thankfully it is the start of a new series by this author.

This is an interesting start to a new series and the author focusing a little too much on the online safety and protecting children. The author loves her forensic science and readers who love the CSI side of mysteries will love all the accepts the author puts into her story.

Even if readers are hit over the head with online safety the story is a fast-paced thriller that will have readers invested with finding the missing child a in hopes of a happy.

With all the positive and a little negative this is a good beginning to a new series.

Thank you to Netgalley Lisa Black Red Flags.

Synopsis:

When D.C. crime scene analyst Dr. Ellie Carr is called to investigate the heartrending case of a missing baby, she’s shocked to discover that the child’s mother is her own cousin. Close during their impoverished childhoods, Ellie and Rebecca eventually drifted apart. Rebecca is now half of a Washington power couple, and she and her wealthy lobbyist husband, Hunter, have been living a charmed life in an opulent mansion—until their infant son is taken.

“Every contact leaves a trace.” That’s the basic principle of forensic science followed by pathologist Dr. Rachael Davies. A reluctant Ellie is teamed with Rachael, employed by Hunter to help with the investigation. Rachael is assistant dean at the prestigious Locard Forensic Institute, named in honor of the French criminologist who inspired the profession. But in this case, discovering where those traces lead quickly becomes a dangerous journey through a web of greed and deadly ambition.

At first antagonists, then allies, Ellie and Rachael race to find the baby alive and bring the kidnappers to justice. What seemed like a simple ransom grab reveals links to a lobbying effort to loosen regulations on a billion-dollar gaming empire. Unless they can piece together the evidence before the Senate hearing, Rebecca’s son—and others like him—will face an unthinkable fate . 

About The Author:

Lisa Black spent the happiest five years of her life in a morgue. Strange, perhaps, but true. After ten years as a secretary, she went back to school to get a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Cleveland State University. In her job as a forensic scientist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office, she analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes.
She had her life sorted out just the way she liked it until her husband got fed up with Cleveland snow and moved them to Florida, 1400 miles away from her family and her career. Not that she’s bitter or anything. Now she works as a Certified Latent Print Examiner and Certified Crime Scene Analyst for the city of Cape Coral, Florida, police department.
Lisa has lectured at writer’s conventions and appeared on panels. In her life as a writer she’s a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In her life as a forensic specialist she’s a member of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has had over 1050 hours of instruction in forensic topics and has testified in over 60 trials.

Book Review: The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

 

Title: The Last to Vanish

Author: Megan Miranda

Star: 3

Review:

The Last To Vanished is a very slow and predictable mystery that moves slowly though the first half of the story and as the story picks up there are eye rolling moments that will pull readers out of the story.  The Last To Vanished comes across as a b movie horror with too many predicable moments that will leave readers bored.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of Megan Miranda The Last to Vanish 

Synposis:

Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass. Cutter’s Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself.

Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her.

About The Author:

Megan Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of ALL THE MISSING GIRLS, THE PERFECT STRANGER, THE LAST HOUSE GUEST, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection, and THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS. She has also written several books for young adults, including COME FIND ME, FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST, and THE SAFEST LIES. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from MIT, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.

Her next adult suspense, SUCH A QUIET PLACE, will be published on July 13, 2021.

Book Review: Burn (Deep 8 series #3) by Kenzie Macallan

 

Title: Burn (Deep 8 series #3)

Author: Kenzie Macallan

Stars: 4

Review:

This is book 3 in the Deep 8 series and it can be read as a stand-alone or apart of the series.  Either way readers will not be lost as they start book 3. The author creates a world that romantic suspense readers will fall in love with and never want to leave. 

This is a perfect romantic suspense story with your alpha men, strong females and one little girl readers will enjoy her ability to bring the story into the real world.

Thank you to Netgally for a copy of Kenzie Macallan Burn

Synposis:

She’s a scientist fighting to keep her secret hidden. He’s an ex-soldier with a tragic past. Will the chemistry between them ignite lost love?

Declan Creighton lives in the shadows after his accident. So the former MI-6 agent hesitates heading back to the biotech firm in Germany that left him with scars and no memory. But when his cover gets blown and Olivia is threatened, curiosity gets the better of him. He’ll do whatever it takes to uncover the truth behind his accident and save the woman he loves.

Dr. Olivia Marcel is an ambitious biochemist with a complicated past. So when she discovers a drug designed to harm soldiers, she helps her uncle by hiring an undercover contact. But when she meets the agent, all bets are off. She tries desperately to protect her past and resist his charms.

As Declan finds a way to expose the person behind the deadly plot, his growing attraction to Olivia threatens to jeopardize the mission. And though Olivia yearns to tell him about the past he’s forgotten, she struggles to trust he won’t leave her again.

Can these brilliant scientists make it out alive and finally find happiness?

About The Author:

Kenzie Macallan is an author who has a passion for writing action adventure romance filled with suspense and steamy scenes. She dabbles in photography and painting portraits. Creativity flows through her veins.

Being a world traveler adds fuel to her imagination and places to take her characters.

Strong, vulnerable, sassy, and sexy characters are written with a brush of humor.

Book Review: Dangerous Deception (Leah Nash Mysteries #9) by Susan Hunter

 

Title: Dangerous Deception (Leah Nash Mysteries #9)

Author: Susan Hunter

Stars: 4

Review:

I enjoyed Dangerous Deception even though it is book 9 in a series readers can jump right in because it pretty much your basic murder mystery story along with basic strong woman her pain in the butt nemesis, relationship issues along with a murder to solve.  What did set this story apart was the ending.  I have to admit these readers didn't see it coming or maybe it was because it no longer felt like a basic murder mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Susan Hunter Dangerous Deception

Synposis:

The murder of police captain Rob Porter sends shockwaves through the small town of Himmel.

And when a member of Rob's own department is arrested for the crime, everyone is stunned.

But journalist Leah Nash isn't buying it.

To her, the motive isn't plausible, the evidence is thin, and the investigation smacks of an overconfident detective eager to solve a high-profile murder. So when Leah's asked to do some digging for the defense, she jumps at the chance.

Leah starts tugging at a few loose threads in the case and discovers that Rob Porter was keeping some very ugly secrets—and not just his own. What she uncovers is a tangled web of deception, delusion, and obsession—with Rob at the center.

And as she nears the truth in a twisting tale of hidden motives and long-buried guilt, a killer with everything to lose will do anything to stop her.

About The Author:

Susan Hunter is a happy introvert who lives with her husband Gary, an extreme extrovert, in rural Michigan.

She spent some years as a reporter and then as the managing editor of a small daily newspaper. From there Susan went on to work at a university in publications and marketing where she honed her skills at appearing engaged in academic meetings, while internally composing her grocery list. She also taught a few classes as well—in English composition, that is, not in faking your way through meetings.

In addition to writing the Leah Nash series, Susan enjoys reading other people’s writing, watching classic films, occasional walks and snarky conversation with old friends and family, eating chocolate chip cookies, and answering emails from her readers. Visit her website, susanhunterauthor.com

Book Review: The Serial Killer’s Daughter (The Serial Killer's Family #2) by Alice Hunter

 

Title: The Serial Killer’s Daughter (The Serial Killer's Family #2) 

Author: Alice Hunter

Stars: 4

Review:

The Serial Killer's Daughter is a unique story about the daughter of a serial killer.  She has been running from her past and who she is related to.  The perfect life she has created is turned upside down and fingers are starting to point at her direction.  Once a serial killer daughter she is now a wife and mother facing pain and murder.

The author created a fast-paced story with an intriguing story with a predictable ending.  That I have to admit was a little disappointing.  

Overall, it is a good mystery readers will enjoy this story.

Thank you for Netgalley for a copy of Alice Hunter Serial Killers Daughter. 

Synopsis:

Is murder in the blood?

In a sleepy Devon village, a young girl is taken from the streets. Local vet, Jenny, is horrified. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.

But it’s not the first time she’s been so close to a crime scene. The daughter of a prolific serial killer, she’s spent her whole life running from who she really is.

And the crime is harrowingly similar to those her father committed all those years ago…

But she’s not her father’s daughter.

Is she?

About The Author

After completing a psychology degree, Alice Hunter became an interventions facilitator in a prison. There, she was part of a team offering rehabilitation programmes to men serving sentences for a wide range of offences, often working with prisoners who'd committed serious violent crimes. Previously, Alice had been a nurse, working in the NHS. She now puts her experiences to good use in fiction. THE SERIAL KILLER'S WIFE draws heavily on her knowledge of psychology and the criminal mind. Her next book THE SERIAL KILLER'S DAUGHTER is out in July.

Book Review: The Unrighteous Son(Circle Seven #2) by Gabrielle Ash

 

Title: The Unrighteous Son (Circle Seven #2)

Author:  Gabrielle Ash

Stars: 3 1\2

Review:

This is the first book I have read by Gabrielle Ash and of course I didn't start with book 1.  Nope thankfully book 2 in the series Circle Seven.  The author catches readers up quickly from what happened in book 1 to the beginning of book 2.

This book is written like a YA novel which I have to assume it is.  The female lead is strong and wont break under pressure.  The male lead is swoon worthy as I have learned is normal for YA novels.  Gabrielle has some great lines in this book that will have readers remember and might use with their loved ones. 

Yes this YA supernatural series is cheesy and steamy romance that will have fans loving the book.  With all Supernatural books a battle of good vs evil and who will win.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of The Unrighteous Son

Synopsis:

Matilda Ashby has seen the monsters that lurk in the shadows of Manhattan—and within the walls of her family business. While creatures of myth aren’t hunting her anymore, she can’t say the same for Samson, her former bodyguard, after a photograph of the telepath in danger finds its way to her desk. Desperate to save him, Matilda dusts off her Manolos and ventures back into the supernatural world, a world she wanted nothing more than to leave behind.

However, Matilda isn’t the only one searching for Samson. Necromancers, sent by Samson’s former boss, are hot on her heels, and her MBA curriculum didn’t include a course on how to kill them. So, in order to save Samson, she’ll have to trust former enemies—and her instincts—to get him back.

But in a world where being human is a weakness and being kind is a liability, Matilda isn’t sure how she can succeed in saving him, especially when her brother, and the family business, needs her too.

About The Author:

Gabrielle Ash is a perpetually tired mom of four from Texas. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English, which ultimately landed her in a high school classroom to teach writing and coach the debate team. Dismayed at her inability to wear sweatpants to work, she left the classroom and now dedicates her brain power to books and taking care of her daughters.

Book Review: Fatal Witness (Detective Erika Foster #7 ) by Robert Bryndza

 

Title: Fatal Witness (Detective Erika Foster #7 ) 

Author: Robert Bryndza  

Stars: 5

Review:

Fatal Witness is one of the books in the Dect. Erika Foster series.  The series is a police procedural series that let be honest has a long list of suspects for a horrific murder that readers will be wondering how to keep everything straight.

 Robert Bryndza is hands down on of the best police procedural thriller writers I have read in a long time.  The author brings readers into his world that will have readers wondering how could have killed this person. Erika Foster is a great female lead that all readers can get behind.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Fatal Witness.

Synopsis:

How do you find a killer who has destroyed all the evidence?

Detective Erika Foster is on a late-night walk near her new house in Blackheath when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster.

Erika is assigned to the case and discovers that Vicky had been working on a new podcast episode about a sexual predator who preys on young female students around South London, staking out his victims in their halls of residence before breaking in at the dead of night. When Erika discovers that Vicky's notes and sound recordings were stolen from her flat at the time of her murder, it leads her to believe that Vicky was close to unmasking the attacker, and she was killed to guarantee her silence.

The case takes on a disturbing twist when the body of a young Bulgarian student doctor is discovered in the same building, and this makes Erika question everything she thought she knew about Vicky. With very little evidence, the clock is ticking to find the killer before he strikes again

About The Author:

His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).

Robert has released a further five novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, the seventh Erika Foster novel, is now available to pre-order and will be published 7th July 2022.

Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands and the third book, Darkness Falls, has just been published.

Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.

Book Review: The Hidden One ( Kate Burkholder #14) by Linda Castillo

 

Title:  The Hidden One (Kate Burkholder #14)

Author:   Linda Castillo

Stars: 4

Review:

Starting a book series at book 14 sounds crazy.  I have found so many authors who are able to bring readers in at book one or book 14.  Linda Castillo created a stand alone book in a series that readers who want to try something new will be able to enjoy.  Readers who have stuck with Linda Castillo will be beyond happy they picked up The Hidden One!

Readers will enjoy Kate Burkholder and her ability to show the local police how to do their job. Readers will bite their nails from the actions and suspense that will keep readers up late into the night needing answers to all the questions Linda Castillo created in her world of Kate Burkholder.  

Thank you Netgalley for a Copy of The Hidden One by Linda Castillo

Synposis: 

The discovery of an Amish bishop's remains leads chief of police Kate Burkholder to unearth a chilling secret in The Hidden One, a new thriller from bestselling author Linda Castillo.

Over a decade ago, beloved Amish bishop Ananias Stoltzfus disappeared without a trace. When skeletal remains showing evidence of foul play are unearthed, his disappearance becomes even more sinister.

The town’s elders arrive in Painters Mill to ask chief of police Kate Burkholder for help, but she quickly realizes she has a personal connection to the crime. The handsome Amish man who stands accused of the murder, Jonas Bowman, was Kate’s first love. Forced to confront a painful episode from her past, Kate travels to Pennsylvania’s Kishacoquillas Valley, where the Amish culture differs dramatically from the traditions she knows. Though Bishop Stoltzfus was highly respected, she soon hears about a dark side to this complex man. What was he hiding that resulted in his own brutal death?

Someone doesn’t want Kate asking questions. But even after being accosted and threatened in the dead of night, she refuses to back down. Is she too close to the case―and to Jonas―to see clearly? There’s a killer in the Valley who will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Will they get to Kate before she can expose the truth? Or will the bishop’s secrets remain hidden forever?

About The Author:

Linda Castillo is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Kate Burkholder mystery series, set in the world of the Amish. The first book, Sworn to Silence, was adapted into a Lifetime original movie titled An Amish Murder starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder. Castillo is the recipient of numerous industry awards including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for the Mystery Writers of America’s Sue Grafton Memorial Award, and a nomination for an “Audie Award” for best mystery audiobook. Her work has appeared on numerous bestseller lists and earned a spot on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel.

In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty, but loveable Blue Heelers.

Summer Break

 I am so sorry for the spotty reviews. School starts on Wednesday.  I will be getting back to reviews.  This summer is one for the record books with hot days, crazy monsoon storms and a teenager who thinks the sun will melt him! 

 Not to mention home improvement projects that will take time with everyone at home.  The kitchen will be looking brand new once I can figure out how to cook and paint at the same time.  It has only taken 12 years to find a new paint color for the walls and cupboards.  I'm not pickie or anything.

Starting Wednesday Reviews will be posted three times a week.

Book Review: Peril at the Exposition (Captain Jim Agnihotri #2) By Nev March

 

Title:  Peril at the Exposition (Captain Jim Agnihotri #2)

Author: Nev March

Star: 4

Review:

A murder mystery set at the exposition in Chicago, Illinois during the mid 1890s. A murder has taken place and an undercover private investigator has been dispatched from Boston to investigate. He is an ex Indian Captain from the British Army in India. His wife is also Indian from a wealthy family. As time passes, without hearing from him, she departs to seek him out and assist where possible. During which she becomes involved and in danger. A plot to blow the exposition up is uncovered and derailed. This story takes place in a time which is foreign to most of us who were raised during the age of unions, worker and civil rights. Most will read the story and think it is an outlandish tale. But the worker was exploited, Jim Crow laws were in effect and the company owners were absolute rulers over their domains. Not a time most Americans remember or want to remember. This book clearly shows some flaws in American society for the time period. But thankfully most have been resolved. 

I have rated this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who wants a peek into a dark time in history for the American worker.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Heidi, I have also included my review for the authors previous book which is the start of a series.  Frank

Murder in Old Bombay

I always enjoy reading books, historical or otherwise, that are located in an area I have visited. This book is no exception as it takes me back to a beautiful area during the day of the British empire. The death of two wealthy young Indian ladies fails to be resolved by the British authorities and justice is not seen to be done. A recently retired Indian Captain, of the British Army, is hired by the husband of one of the ladies to investigate for a period of 6 months. As he begins to investigate a series of events unfolds which puts him on the right track to find the killer(s). The story is masterfully told and the descriptions, of both the locations and people, are vivid and believable. It makes you feel you, the reader, are there on the hunt for justice. The ending is both happy and sad at the same time. I will leave it to you to decide which is the one you feel.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys both mysteries and romance stories.

I was provided an electronic Advance Readers Copy (ARC) by Netgalley for my unbiased review. The above review is my honest review and is not influenced in any Way 

Synopsis:

1893: Newlyweds Captain Jim Agnihotri and Diana Framji are settling into their new home in Boston, Massachusetts, having fled the strict social rules of British Bombay. It's a different life than what they left behind, but theirs is no ordinary marriage: Jim, now a detective at the Dupree Agency, is teaching Diana the art of deduction he’s learned from his idol, Sherlock Holmes.

Everyone is talking about the preparations for the World's Fair in Chicago: the grandeur, the speculation, the trickery. Captain Jim will experience it first-hand: he's being sent to Chicago to investigate the murder of a man named Thomas Grewe. As Jim probes the underbelly of Chicago’s docks, warehouses, and taverns, he discovers deep social unrest and some deadly ambitions.

When Jim goes missing, young Diana must venture to Chicago's treacherous streets to learn what happened. But who can she trust, when a single misstep could mean disaster?

About The Author:

Nev March is the first Indian-born author to receive the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Award for Best First Crime Fiction.

Her debut novel, Murder in Old Bombay is nominated for Macavity and Anthony Awards as well as Edgar, Barry and Hammett Awards for Excellence in Crime Fiction.

She has appeared in radio and podcast interviews including NPR, and been featured in Mystery Tribune, Mystery Scene Magazine, CrimeReads, BookPage, DearReader, The History Reader and other publications. Murder in Old Bombay was an Amazon’s Editor’s Pick. The New York Times listed it as one of the “Best crime novels of 2020”.

After a long career in business analysis, she returned to her passion of writing fiction and now teaches creative writing at the Rutgers-Osher Institute. A Parsee Zoroastrian, Nev now lives in New Jersey with her husband and sons.