This sci-fi, Stealthy Steps, was  my favorite read this time. It was well written, believable, and it took me on a wild ride. Judging by the lengthy list of references at the end, the idea of nanophysics is not just a figment of someone’s imagination. That’s cool. This book was intriguing  and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

  Nanostealth Series – Stealthy Steps book 1 – Vikki Kestell …. Gemma Keyes is unremarkable. With a degree in business and little-to-no knowledge of science she find herself employed in a high level nanophysics research center and she’s not sure how or why it happened. The lab is housed in an abandoned military weapons storage facility built into the side of a mountain, with unobtrusive escape tunnels and multiple security fences. Her duties are to care for the administrative needs of two researchers – physicists who seem to hate each other.

The project is top secret and of great interest to a hard nosed, two star general who happens to be an elegant but shark-like woman. It’s no secret she has a hidden agenda for her presence in their offices and what she has in mind will not be good for their country.

Tension is high in the lab this morning and Gemma finds herself in a life threatening situation with Dr. Bickle. Feverishly working to pack up his invention and run, he’s convinced the General is about to swoop in and take possession of his work. He will do anything to keep his nanobots from  falling into the wrong hands.

Time is up, the army can be heard running toward his lab. Desperate to hide them, he smashes the glass wall of the cage and commands the released cloud of nanobots to hide. Expecting the enemy to burst through the door with guns blazing, he orders Gemma to run. “Hide, Gemma run” he yells.

Soldiers and guns are everywhere, Dr Bickle said run but he didn’t seem to be behind her. The bots fled their cage but she didn’t see if they managed to hide in time.

When Gemma becomes aware of her surroundings, she has no idea how she managed to  escape the facility. She’s found her car and on the way home, distressed to think the doctor perished in the gunfire. She can’t imagine how he could have survived.

Heart-sick over Dr. Bickle, she glances in her rear view mirror… and…

Her face is not there.

 Reluctant Melody – Sandra Ardoin … Joanna is anxious to sell her rundown property after the death of her husband. Partly for lack of upkeep funds, partly to escape vicious rumors. There are some who think she was responsible for her husband’s death. Joanna’s willingness to sell disappeared when she discovered the prospective buyer is a mistake from her past. How did he know where she was, or did he know?

  Be Mine – Rick Mofina … Molly has been waiting at Jake’s Bar & Grill for over an hour. It’s not like Cliff to be late without calling. Something is really wrong.

A shocking  murder scene greets her as she checks out his apartment. Shock made worse by the message left for her… written in blood.

The homicide department is up in arms at the senseless execution of  one of their own. It looks like Molly is a target but she’s determined to do her part in tracking down the killer, hoping her fellow crime reporters will help.

She’s unaware of the strange flowers that show up in her office on the heels of another killing.

A tense psychological thriller.

  Conclusive Evidence – Al Macy … Garrett Goodlove used to be an arrogant defense lawyer and he’s lost the stomach for it. Family Law is easier to live with. His twin sister, Carly, finds herself in need of a good defence lawyer and insists she wants him. He’s worried he’s lost his edge and won’t be able to give her the defence needed. He may be right.

The police detective  assigned to the case has a grudge against Carly and will do whatever it takes, legal or not, to make sure she is convicted in the death of her husband.

 A Preston Barclay Mystery – Murder Mezzo Forte book 2 – Donn Taylor … Two professors stop by a colleagues office, as requested, and discover she has been murdered. This time they have witnesses to prove they aren’t the killers. Unlike their first involvement in discovering a body.

They’re determined to find the killer and someone is nervous. False evidence pointing fingers at them is showing up in their offices, the police are delighted. The uptight university administration is nervous. To protect the school’s reputation from perceived harm, the decision is made quickly to relieve them of duty.  Proof of guilt is unimportant. At least they haven’t been outright fired and they sill have their campus privileges. On the bright side – they have more time and freedom to figure this out.

  The Lazarus File – Donne E. Taylor … Undercover Agents are dying and they don’t know how it’s happening. Even off-the-books, deeply embedded agents no one is supposed to know about are having their covers blown. The challenge is; to stay alive – and uncover the person behind these killings. Everything points to insider information but how is that possible with only a handful of trusted  knowledgeable people?  It’s time to involve an outside agency as handlers, keeping inside information to a minimum. It looks like they are trusting a double agent but who.

 Secrets and Wishes – Kathleen Rouser …. Maggie, and Thomas, each widowed, struggle to do their best as single parents. Maggie goes to great lengths to avoid Thomas. It’s hard to see her husband replaced by the new pharmacist in the store he loved.

The choice to make a change is taken out of her hands. Their sons have gotten into a school yard tussle and the situation must be addressed. Her son needs to face the father of his opponent and apologize. The surprise of the whole encounter is how quickly the boys figure out they want to be friends.

Still reluctant to have contact with this man, Maggie is horrified when the local doctor requests she nurse the deathly ill pharmacist. She’s the only one equipped for the task and the doctor won’t take no for an answer.

It turns out, Thomas isn’t the only one needing her. His family is in desperate need of parental attention while he is out of commission. The downside to all of this…. his children are learning to love her.

I hope you are feeling inspired, maybe even enough to read some of these books.

Happy Reading!