mystery

Bargain books April 13, 2022

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It’s been a crazy day. We were excited because spring was happening and the snow was nearly gone … until this morning. We woke up to the results of another big storm moving in and it looks like it will be hanging around for a few more days. The whole world is covered in snow again, the heavy wet sloppy kind. I’ve been putting off grocery shopping and the promise of more snow is a great motivator. There is food in the cupboards, let the storm do it’s thing.

On top of that we have books. We are ready.

BookBub has a great suggestion. I’m hooked on the first chapter.

Vendetta (The Nikki Boyd Files Book #1)

No one needs to push Nikki Boyd to excel on the Tennessee Missing Persons Task Force. The case of her own missing sister, still unsolved after ten years, is the driving force in her work. When a Polaroid photo of a missing girl shows up at a crime scene, Nikki quickly recognizes similarities to the past. The closer she gets to the abductor, the more she feels this case has become personal, and she is not the hunter . . . but the hunted.

With this explosive first book in The Nikki Boyd Files, award-winning author Lisa Harris takes you on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have you holding your breath until the heart-stopping finish.

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1531 Entertainment has a FREE suggestion from an author we’ve not seen before.

The Loophole in Lilies: A small-town, Christian romance (Hometown Holiday Heartstrings Book 4)

Let her stubborn but oh-so-dreamy neighbor remain single? Not on her watch. If only he weren’t her perfect match.

Kendra Keller prides herself in her matchmaking prowess until she tries to set up Dusty Williams. He has a knack for derailing her plans while making her weak in the knees. She knows when she’s not wanted, though, and has no desire for a repeat heartbreak.

Dusty has been dodging Kendra for months. She talks too much. Plus, all she wants is to play matchmaker, and he’s not interested. He has a more pressing problem, and he doesn’t want to talk about it. But when Kendra moves in across the way, there’s no more avoiding.

As Dusty discovers she’s not so bad—maybe even meant to be—can he admit his attraction when he’s at his lowest? He may be the only one who can make Kendra believe she has more to offer a man than mere matchmaking.

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I’m soon to be finished my current read and this first book has a good chance at being my next one. I’m looking forward to it already.

Have a good day folks…

and Happy Reading

Read and enjoyed April 12, 2022

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It was a profitable weekend, reading wise, and this first book was my favorite. Aside from the fact it was a well written story, my favorite part was the wealth of undiscovered secrets. And they weren’t restricted to the usual select few characters either.

My other all time favorite part was the fresh story line. This one had the new-and-exciting fibe going on, big time. As things progressed I had suspicions in a few cases but it wasn’t enough, the ending was a big surprise.

I loved the flow of this unpredictable story.

Woman in Shadow

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she’s on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby’s area of expertise . . . but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she’s trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly.

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Three more good choices this weekend, all of them immensely enjoyed.

I wasn’t sure at first if I would like all three or if maybe they would be strong reminders of other stories. There were certain familiar elements, all right, but over all they were new stories and I had a good time reading them.

How can you tell reading was the main event at my house this weekend.

I’m almost halfway through the next read but it isn’t real long and will go by fast. I think I’ll wait for the end before you telling about it.

The usual book suggestions were non existent today, tomorrow could make up for it though.

In the meantime…

Happy Reading

Free and bargain books April 11, 2022

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Good morning! On this beautiful sunny day in my part of the world. Hopefully your day is sunny too. If not by the sun in the sky then hopefully by the joy in your life. The kind of joy not dictated by our circumstances.

Maybe we can find a book that will contribute to your joy, or at least will be a needed distraction.

BookBub has a FREE suggestion from an author we’ve seen often. Her books are thoughtful and insightful, just what we need at times. I have read and enjoyed this one.

A Nest of Sparrows 

His Fiancée Was the One Woman He’d Loved.
Her Children Are All He Has Left.

Reserved contractor Wade Sullivan never expected to fall in love with Starr Parnell or to love her three small kids as if they were his own. But that’s exactly what happened. As their wedding draws near, however, tragedy strikes–and Wade must put aside his own grief in order to help Starr’s children cope.

As Wade focuses his efforts on caring for the children, he discovers that their tender, young lives give tremendous meaning to his own broken one. Then Starr’s abusive ex-husband shows up to claim the offspring who barely remember him–and Wade prepares for the fight of his life.

Will Anyone Believe His Claim to Love the Children More than Their Father Loves Them?

A powerful novel of loss and discovery, courage and grace, A Nest of Sparrows masterfully illustrates one man’s struggle to know when to fight, when to let go, and when to simply wait.

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1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion with another author we see often. I’ve read and enjoyed this book too.

Agent Undercover (Rose Mountain Refuge Book 1)

From bestselling author Lynette Eason comes this exciting suspense about a child in need of protection—and a killer in pursuit, part of the Rose Mountain Refuge series.The traumatized six-year-old boy hasn’t said one word since the unsolved murder of his single mother. And now, the killer is after the child—and the devoted uncle raising him, Dr. Dylan Seabrook. Working undercover in the boy’s school, DEA agent Paige Ashworth is determined to find the murderer. But she can’t tell Dylan her real identity, what she knows—or just how close to the case she really is. Dylan’s strength and fierce love for his nephew soon have Paige longing to join their family. First, though, they must catch a killer who never wants little Alex to speak again.

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That’s it for now. If anything else interesting shows up later I will be back.

Happy Reading!

Read and enjoyed April 09, 2022

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I loved this book. No contest, it was my favorite read for the week. As usual, another Davis Bunn story was well written and captivating. The characters were complex, and real, with an unpredictable flow in the action. The setting was timely too, given present day world events. I wasn’t the least bit ready for it to end when it did.

The Cottage on Lighthouse Lane (Miramar Bay Book 5) 

Billy Walker is a North Carolina boy whose Hollywood star is beginning to shine. His rough past is in the rear view. Now seeing the world from the back seat of a limousine, Billy has no regrets about what he had to do, and the choices he made, to get there. But all it takes is one death-defying moment for Billy’s world to shift. When an on-set accident leaves him shaken, plagued by haunting dreams, he’s in desperate need of a rest cure. Given keys to a getaway cottage on Lighthouse Lane in Miramar Bay, he’ll regroup, relax, and recover. Yet as Billy’s dreams grow darker and more fearful, his only promise for light is in a stunning, mysterious, and uniquely gifted stranger . . .

And your next act is rewritten  . . .

 Mimi has never forgotten her tragic childhood in eastern Ukraine. Violence, a vanished family, abandonment, and a hard-won struggle to escape. Miramar Bay couldn’t be a more beautiful or unexpected refuge. In yoga and dance, and imbued with a talent to read the unrestful visions of others, Mimi has a seemingly divine ability to comfort.  She may be everything Billy desires, but Mimi knows what Billy needs. He must confront his troubling past—and not just in his dreams. As their connection deepens, Billy finds himself falling in love, and waking up to something he’s never felt before. But when the real world comes calling again, how can he say goodbye to a woman who’s changing his life one illuminating sunrise at a time?

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My current read is shaping up to be a favorite as well. One thing I have to say, the story line is not tired and well used. It is fresh as a daisy. Not that there aren’t familiar elements here and there, that’s pretty much unavoidable no matter where your story goes.

This bargain won’t last long, so hurry if you don’t want to miss out.

Beneath the Surface (Dive Team Investigations Book #1)

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she’d left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

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I’m in Chapter four, the no-brakes part of the story. It’s a little early for a main character to be seriously injured so I will assume the best, for now anyway. The tone of the story tells me things are likely to get a lot worse though.

Join me, it’s a good read.

Bargain book April 09, 2022

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BookBub has an attractive suggestion for us.

Beneath the Surface (Dive Team Investigations Book #1)

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she’d left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff’s Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer–one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

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A great beginning to this story and I want to read this next I think.

In the meantime, this is it for the moment, if anything else shows up, I’ll be back.

I will likely be back anyway, to share my current read. It is, hands down, my favorite read of the week and I need to talk about it. Soon.

Happy Reading guys.

Bargain books April 08, 2022

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1531 Entertainment has interesting bargain suggestions for us. Several authors are new to this site and that’s always something to celebrate. It’s lovely meeting new people.

Woman in Shadow

Award-winning author Carrie Stuart Parks combines her expertise as a forensic artist with her talent for crafting a gripping story in this page-turning web of light and shadow.

A woman off the grid.

Darby Graham thinks she’s on a much-needed vacation in remote Idaho to relax. But before she even arrives at the ranch, an earthquake strikes. Then a barn on the edge of town is engulfed in flames and strange problems at the ranch begin to escalate, and Darby finds herself immersed in a chilling mystery.

A town on fire.

More fires erupt around town, and a serial arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each. As a forensic linguist, this is Darby’s area of expertise . . . but the scars her work has caused her are also the reason she’s trying to escape her life.

A growing darkness.

As the shadows continue moving in, pieces of the town around her come into sharper focus. To make it out alive, Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly.

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Beyond Justice 

Hayden McCarthy is on track to become the youngest partner in her prestigious D.C. law firm . . . if the case she’s just been handed doesn’t destroy her first.

Hayden McCarthy knows firsthand the pain when justice is not served. It’s why she became an attorney and why she’s so driven in her career. When she’s assigned a wrongful death case against the government, she isn’t sure if it’s the lucky break she needs to secure a partnership—or an attempt to make sure she never gets there.

Further complicating matters is Andrew, her roommate’s distractingly attractive cousin. But Andrew’s father is a Congressman, and Hayden’s currently taking on the government. Could the timing be any worse?

The longer she keeps the case active, the higher the stakes become. Unknown enemies seem determined to kill the case—or her. Logic and self-preservation would indicate she should close the case. But how can she, when justice is still just beyond her reach?

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Divine: A Novel (A Clean, Contemporary Christian Fiction Story of Life, Loss, Love, Faith, and the Miracle of Resurrection) 

With hallmark tenderness and power, #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of life, loss, love, faith—and the miracle of resurrection.

Mary Madison is educated and redeemed, a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. But she also has a past that shamed polite society. A survivor of unspeakable horror, Mary has battled paralyzing fear, faithlessness, addiction, and promiscuity. Yet even in her darkest valley, Mary was sustained from afar, prayed over by a grandmother who clung to the belief that God had special plans for Mary. Now a divine power has set Mary free to bring life-changing hope and love to battered women living in the shadow of the nation’s capital—women like Emma Johnson. A single mother fleeing an abusive relationship, Emma wonders whether there is hope for her and her young daughters. She is desperate, broken, and unloved . . . and tempted to commit the unthinkable. Then Mary introduces Emma to the greatest love of all, greater than any either of them has ever imagined.

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I’m going for the first two, only because I have to hold the line, it’s running away on me.

The author of the third book has been a favorite for a very long time and I’m sad to leave her behind.

I hope you find something here appealing to you too.

Happy Reading y’all!

Bargain book April 05, 2022

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1531 Entertainment has an interesting bargain suggestion. Another long time favorite author of mine with a book I’ve not read yet.

Vicious Cycle (Intervention Series Book 2)

Bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she’s the newborn daughter of a meth addict he’s been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan—the man she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own.

Kent flies to Barbara’s aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

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That’s all I’m seeing for the moment, if anything else shows up I’ll be back.

Happy Reading y’all

Current read April 05, 2022

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Today’s new read has a fresh slant to the family-secrets scenario. Besides that, the author is stingy with clues. At nine chapters in the main thing we know is that we don’t know anything. Who was this man? Famous author, awesomely wealthy, loving husband-father-grand father, frustratingly private. Where did he, or his wife, come from? Why is the first picture in the album their wedding picture? What happened to their childhood?

I’m intrigued with the story but admit to unexplained frustration. Sometimes it’s the writing style that leaves me on edge. That could be it.

There is an abundance of scene description and I’m wondering what importance this has to the story. Admittedly, it is a beautiful house and many will appreciate the word pictures. I guess I just don’t want to spend time figuring out what matters and what doesn’t. Especially when it comes to clothes and furniture.

There are a number of threads in the family dynamics that may or may not matter, as well.

Each member of the family (and their spouses by association) has become wealthy overnight. How will this change their lives and will the changes matter to the story.

Or:

Maybe the secrets once uncovered (if uncovered) will affect their lives more than their sudden wealth.

I’ll have to go back and read the blurb to see if I’m on track with my observations and projections.

The Discovery

Gerard Warner was not only a literary giant but a devoted family man. When he dies he leaves his Charleston estate to his grandson, Michael, an aspiring writer. Michael soon discovers an unpublished manuscript his grandfather had written, hidden from everyone but clearly intended for Michael to find. Michael reads an exciting tale of Nazi spies and sabotage, but this story is very different from all of Gerard Warner’s other books. It’s a love story.

As Michael delves deeper in, he discovers something that has the power to change not only his future but his past as well. Laced with suspense and intrigue, The Discovery is a richly woven novel that explores the incredible sacrifices that must be made to forge the love of a lifetime.

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Yup. Big changes coming!

More free and bargain books April 04, 2022

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LPC Free Books has FREE repeat suggestions and one new bargain.

Rhapsody in Red (A Preston Barclay Mystery Book 1)

It was a bad day to find a corpse on campus.

Preston Barclay is a self-made recluse (and he likes it that way). Teaching college history allows him time to grieve the loss of his pianist wife and find relief from the musical hallucinations that have been playing in his head since her death.

But when he and a headstrong colleague, Mara Thorn, discover the body of another instructor on campus, Press’s monotonous solitude is shaken up. The preliminary evidence points to Press and Mara. Now they must take some chances, including trusting each other (and bending the rules) to build their own defense. With their unlikely alliance, they must stay ahead of the police, the college’s incompetent administration, and whoever is trying to get away with murder.

If not, they might end up unemployed, behind bars, or worse . . .

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Land of My Dreams

Blessings come when you leave the familiar and take a step of faith.

Alone and betrayed by a former fiancé, American professor Bonny Bryant accepts a position at a small college in Fort William, Scotland. But when she meets a fellow professor, Bonny discovers her wounds may be the scars of healing Kieran MacDonell needs to reach past his own grief. Land of My Dreams spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.

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Bent Tree Bride: A Novel

“Romance. Intrigue. Honor. All that and more. I heartily recommend it.”
—Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author

Susanna Moore can’t get him out of her mind—the learned lieutenant who delivered the commission from Andrew Jackson making her father colonel of the Cherokee Regiment. But the next time she sees Lieutenant Sam Hicks, he’s leading a string of prisoners into a frontier fort, and he’s wearing the garb of a Cherokee scout rather than the suit of a white gentleman. 

As both Susanna’s father and Sam’s commanding officer, Colonel Moore couldn’t have made his directive to stay away from his daughter clearer to Sam. He wants a better match for Susanna—like the stuffy doctor who escorted her to Creek Territory. Then a suspected spy forces Moore to rely on Sam for military intelligence and Susanna’s protection, making it impossible for either to guard their heart.

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A day with many books is a good day.

Happy Reading

Free and bargain books April 04, 2022

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BookBub has a repeat FREE suggestion. Read and enjoyed.

Invisible (A Mendocino Village Novel Book 1)

When an overweight woman who’s hidden from romance discovers a handsome doctor is in love with her, will she finally risk her heart?

Ellyn–chef, cafe owner, and lover of butter–is hiding something behind her extra weight. While she sees the good in others, she has only condemnation for herself. So when a handsome widower claims he’s attracted to Ellyn, she’s certain there’s something wrong with him.

Sabina–tall, slender, and exotic–left her husband, young adult daughters, and a thriving counseling practice to spend a year in Northern California where she says she’s come to heal. But it seems to Ellyn that Sabina’s doing more hiding than healing. Why?Twila has come out of hiding and is working to gain back the pounds she lost when her only goal was to disappear. When her eating disorder is triggered again, she’s tempted to go back into hiding.

As these women’s lives intertwine, will they dare to come out of hiding?

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1531 Entertainment has a bargain suggestion. Another read and enjoyed.

Key Witness (The Security Experts Book 1)

After witnessing an armed robbery, a woman in danger needs a bodyguard’s protection in this suspenseful romance from USA TODAY bestselling author Christy Barritt, part of The Security Experts series.

When Elle Philips witnesses an armed robbery while standing in line at the bank, she sets into motion a deadly game of cat and mouse. Mark Denton, a security contractor and former Navy SEAL, also witnesses the robbery, and is hired by Elle’s father to keep his daughter safe following the incident. And while Denton’s desire to protect Elle goes beyond professional bounds, he cannot let personal feelings cloud his judgment—judgment he’ll have to rely on when the robbers’ true motives are revealed…and Elle becomes a target in the ultimate plot of revenge.

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More to come in next installment.

Happy Reading.