Gabriela and His Grace Blog Tour!

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour! Check out my review, read the synopsis, an excerpt and meet the author below. This one is a pure delight to read! Don't miss it!!

Author: Liana De la Rosa

Series: The Luna Sisters #3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Day: Aug. 26, 2025

Thanks to Berkley for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.

#BerkleyPartners #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

A scandalous arrangement between a hellion heiress and destitute duke reveals truths that neither can outrun….

Review:

GABRIELA AND HIS GRACE is the third and final book in The Luna Sisters trilogy, and I think the author saved the best for last! This one has everything I love about historical romance - a sassy, independent heroine, a brooding rogue with a heart of gold, and the authentic history of the time period seamlessly woven throughout the story. Who can ask for anything more?

Gabriela Luna is a deviant, fiery, beautiful belle with a brain and a mind of her own who refuses to be manhandled into a marriage of convenience. Fleeing yet another scandalous, British fortune hunter seeking to trap her into marriage, she boards a ship back to her home in Mexico although she knows her father will not be happy to see her return unwed. As she boards the ship, she's dismayed to learn Sebastian Brooks, the Duke of Whitfield, is also traveling to Mexico to tour a silver mine he is investing in with her brother-in-law. Sebastian needs the income to reestablish his family's estate to its' former state. Gabriela and Sebastian have an antagonistic love/hate relationship and continuously trade barbs, matching wits as the tension between them sizzles. The red-hot passion explodes as they interact over the course of the ten-day journey and time spent in Mexico, leaving them both questioning their true feelings. And when Gabriela's father pushes her to choose one of the many suitors he's throwing her way, Sebastian steps up to her defense.

Author Liana De la Rosa renders a delightful, heartfelt story with a lot of snap, crackle and pop in GABRIELA AND HIS GRACE. The characters are so well developed and authentic that readers can't help but cheer them on. The setting and history of the 1860 political conflict between Mexico and Europe are flawlessly woven throughout adding to the tension but not taking over the storyline. While this is the third book in a series, everything you need to know to enjoy GABRIELA AND HIS GRACE  is within these pages. If you love a tantalizing historical romance with snarky banter, sizzling chemistry and passionate main characters, this one is for you! I'll be backing up to read the first two!

Synopsis:

As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.

For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?

About the Author

Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance author who writes diverse characters in the Regency and Victorian periods. Liana has an English degree from the University of Arizona, and in her past life she owned a mystery shopping company and sold pecans for a large farm. When she’s not writing, Liana is listening to true crime podcasts and pretending she’s a domestic goddess while she wrangles her spirited brood of children with her patient husband in Arizona. Learn more online at lianadelarosa.com.

Author photo courtesy of Berkley Romance 2022

GABRIELA AND HIS GRACE Excerpt:

To set the scene: Gabriela is preparing to embark on the journey from England to Mexico

when her brother-in-law, Gideon, reveals that she will be accompanied on the journey by

none other than Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield—and the bane of Gabby’s existence.

"I can't believe you changed your mind about me leaving, Gideon. I thought I was going

to have to resort to bribery . . ." Gabby narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe even battery, to

convince you to let me return home."

Gideon didn't smile-he saved all of his smiles for Ana María and Estella-but there was a

spark in his dark eyes that Gabby had long recognized as amusement. "Let's just say that

once I learned you wouldn't be traveling alone, my concerns over your safety lifted a

tad."

"I've always appreciated your concern," she allowed, "but I'm certain Señorita Moreno

and I will be perfectly fine."

Her brother-in-law's lips twisted in a manner Gabby had never seen before, and she

frowned. "What?"

With quick movements, Gideon scooped Estella from her arms and propped her against

his chest. Gabby didn't miss Ana María's quiet laugh. "As much as I'm sure you and Miss

Moreno are capable of caring for yourselves, there will be another on the ship to provide

your assistance should you need it," Gideon said.

Jerking her chin back, Gabby looked from Gideon to her sister, whose attention was

focused on her daughter. Ana María refused to meet Gabby's eyes. When she turned his

way, Tío Arturo was studying the ship's masts. Lady Yardley, however, stared back at her

with a broad smile. Dread dropped in Gabby's stomach like a rock.

"Who?" she demanded, spinning about in a whirl of skirts, her eyes darting about the

busy docks. A name flashed in her mind and she drew up short, her breath catching.

Surely not. Of all the people who would be traveling to Altamira, it couldn't be him.

Gritting her teeth so tightly her jaw ached, she pivoted, following the direction Gideon

searched. It was then that the crowd shifted and her gaze collided with a familiar pair of

blue eyes and her skin flushed so hot, Gabby was certain she would combust. Without a

thought, she stomped her foot and shrieked, "Ay, no!"

XXX

Sebastian Brooks, the eleventh duke of Whitfield, knew better than to expect an effusive

. . . or even a cordial greeting from the likes of Miss Gabriela Luna. But he certainly

hadn’t expected her to exclaim so loudly she’d frightened several of the sailors working

on the gangplank.

Sighing, Sebastian plucked his spectacles from his face and massaged the bridge of his

nose. The voyage to Altamira was scheduled for twelve to fourteen days, and then the

carriage ride to Dawson's home would take five to six days. Surely he could survive three

weeks in Miss Luna's company.

Even across the sixty or so feet between them, Sebastian could see the disbelief and

frustration sparking in her greenish-brown eyes.

"And here I thought you were a rake about town, Your Grace." Brodie, his valet, stopped

next to him, his head cocked to the side. "But that lass appears angry enough to bite

through steel."

Sebastian snorted as he slid on his spectacles. Brodie had worked for him for nigh on a

decade, and he was used to his easy manners and glib tongue. He continued to employ

the man despite his propensity for bringing Sebastian down a peg because, frankly, no

one dressed Sebastian quite like the burly Scotsman. He should have foreseen Brodie's

delight at Miss Luna's fiery disdain for him.

Three weeks, he reminded himself. Just three weeks, and he would be in Mexico with his

old friend, Sirius Dawson, touring the silver mine that had single-handedly brought the

Whitfield dukedom out of arrears.

Excerpted from Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa Copyright © 2025 by Liana De la Rosa. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Framed In Death Review

Author: J.D. Robb

Series: In Death #61

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Date: Sept. 2, 2025

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Death imitates art in the brand-new crime thriller starring homicide cop Eve Dallas from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author J.D. Robb.

Review:

Devoted fans of J.D. Robb’s In Death series are always thrilled when the talented author releases another book in the long-running series. While there are a mind-boggling sixty previous books, Robb’s expertise in the art of storytelling keeps each one fresh, exciting, and highly entertaining. The author turns her attention to the world of art and all it encompasses in Framed in Death (In Death #61)—a world of incredible art galleries, famous artists and works of art, collectors, and, unfortunately, mediocre wannabe artists. It’s a world where careers and fortunes are earned, and dreams and hearts may be broken. Once again, Robb has crafted a well-plotted, intriguing murder mystery with a delectable smorgasbord of investigative police work, in-depth characterizations, and immersive settings, with a healthy side of romance. Settle in for an entertaining evening of reading with the knowledge that J.D. Robb never disappoints.

In Manhattan resides an artist, a painter, a narcissist who fancies himself deserving of adoration and accolades among the art community, as well as a prominent ranking among the greatest artists of all time. Living lavishly off family wealth and trust funds, he’s unencumbered by mundane everyday tasks such as earning a living. With a mother who has always fed his inflated ego and warped sense of entitlement by repeatedly telling him how great his work is, he’s sorely disappointed when others fail to acknowledge his talent. As rejections from art galleries and collectors stoke his rage, he fumes over what he sees as imbeciles’ inability to recognize him as one of the greats and decides he’ll show the world just how brilliant he is by recreating some of the world’s most famous paintings. Soon the entire city will be talking about his work.

In the wee hours of the morning, Lt. Eve Dallas is called to a bizarre, staged murder scene to find a victim dressed like the woman in Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. Dallas knows she’ll need all hands on deck, including billionaire husband and civilian consultant Roarke, after a second staged murder victim is discovered. The hunt is on for a serial killer dubbed “The Artist.”

Framed in Death is a futuristic police procedural set in New York City in September of 2061. Don’t worry if futuristic stories aren’t your thing—the science-fiction elements take a backseat to the murder investigation. In fact, many of the futuristic aspects in these books are already a reality, or close to becoming one, in our world today. The story is narrated from the point of view of Eve Dallas as she methodically conducts her investigation, with a few scenes from the killer’s perspective. The villain’s identity is revealed to readers early on, and while some armchair detectives may find that a bit disappointing, it allows readers to witness firsthand the rapid deterioration of the killer’s mental faculties as he spirals out of control. As always, Eve’s mind is a fascinating place to be when she’s actively pursuing a killer, following clues until one by one they snap into place. One of the most compelling recurring scenes in every In Death book comes near the end, when Eve gets the suspect in the interrogation room and rips him or her to pieces like a dog with a bone.

Author J.D. Robb is a gifted storyteller with the ability to capture readers’ attention on page one and hold them mesmerized until the final page. Her talent for descriptive, lyrical prose transports readers from their homes into fictional scenes via sight, sound, smell, and touch. As Eve and company unravel clues and get closer to unmasking a killer, the tone and pace increase until all the pieces are in place. Themes of friendship, trust, justice, and nature versus nurture are present, as they are in many of Robb’s books. This reader found the mother’s role as an enabler and fixer for her son disturbing yet all too familiar in today’s society. Fans of the In Death series will rejoice at the stellar performances of many recurring characters in this one, as the gang’s all here with Eve and Roarke taking center stage. As she often does, Robb lightens heavy themes with snarky humor and delightful family/friend scenes courtesy of series regulars like Peabody and Mavis. Framed in Death is another excellent addition to this complex series that I hope never ends. Highly recommended to fans of the series and to readers who appreciate a beautifully written, intriguing murder mystery.

Synopsis:

Manhattan is filled with galleries and deep-pocketed collectors who can make an artist's career with a wave of a hand. But one man toils in obscurity, his brilliance unrecognized while lesser talents bask in the glory he believes should be his. Come tomorrow, he vows, the city will be buzzing about his work.

Indeed, before dawn, Lt. Eve Dallas is speeding toward the home of the two gallery owners whose doorway has been turned into a horrifying crime scene overnight. A lifeless young woman has been elaborately costumed and precisely posed to resemble the model of a long-ago Dutch master, and Dallas plunges into her investigation.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

Author: Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Series: Savvy Summers #1

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: July 29, 2025

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

 

A sparkling debut mystery set on the south side of Chicago, featuring the quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, proprietor of a soul food café.

Review:

SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO CRIMES is a well-crafted, cozy murder mystery with a unique, middle-aged protagonist whose talent for serving the best soul food and sweet potato pie has made her restaurant on Chicago's south side famous. Business is booming . . . until seventy-five-year-old Grandy Jaspers drops dead while sitting at table two eating Savvy's to-die-for sweet potato pie. While police rule the death as accidental, the bad press spreads like wildfire and just like that, the business is in trouble. With suspicions and rumors flying, Savvy decides to go uncover as an amateur sleuth and find out what really killed Grandy. She knows it wasn't her sweet potato pie. Joined by sidekick assistant manager Penny Lopes, Savvy cooks up a plan to clear her name and keep her restaurant afloat. 

Author Sandra Jackson-Opoku's debut novel is a cozy mystery with a ton of laughs, soul food, and murder all tossed in a pot and served up as a deliciously entertaining whodunnit that's highly entertaining. Savvy is a strong, spunky character that readers will identify with as is her quirky sidekick, Penny. They play off each other in a manner reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel of I Love Lucy fame which is hilarious. I enjoyed the introduction of a middle-aged main character with a sharp mind unafraid to stand up for herself. A large, convoluted cast of characters seem a bit confusing at first, but roles are soon claimed, and the story is off and running. A sea of red herrings threatens to spoil the stew, but Savvy Summers won't stop until she sifts through facades and unearths the truth. Afterall, her reputation as a chef and her famous sweet potato pie are at risk.

 SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO PIE is an entertaining cozy mystery with charismatic characters serving up a plate full of soul food. Armchair detectives will enjoy figuring out whodunnit while rolling on the floor in laughter. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Savvy and her crew.  Highly recommend to fans of cozy mysteries.

 Synopsis: 

When Savvy Summers first opened Essie's soul food café, she never expected her customer-favorite sweet potato pie to become the center of a murder investigation. But when Grandy Jaspers, the 75-year-old neighborhood womanizer, drops dead at table two, she suddenly has more to worry about than just maintaining Essie's reputation for the finest soul food in the Chicagoland area.

Even as the police deem Grandy’s death an accident, Savvy quickly finds herself—and her beloved café—in the middle of an entire city’s worth of bad press. Desperate to clear her name and keep her business afloat, Savvy and her snooping assistant manager, Penny Lopés, take it upon themselves to find who really killed Grandy.

But with a slimy investor harassing her to sell her name and business, customers avoiding her sweet potato pie like the plague, and her police sergeant ex-husband suddenly back in the picture, will Savvy be able to clear the café’s name and solve Grandy’s murder before it all falls apart?

After all, while Savvy always said her sweet potato pie was to die for, she never meant literally.

We Are All Guilty Here Review

Author: Karin Slaughter

Series: North Falls #1

Publisher: William Morrow

US Release Date: Aug. 12, 2025

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

First published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

The gripping and exciting first book in a brand new crime thriller series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author.

Review:

Author Karin Slaughter returns with a new crime thriller series set in a small town where everyone knows everyone, or do they? WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE is a highly addictive, well-crafted suspense thriller that's impossible to put down, featuring flawed characters with a ton of baggage that bears a closer look. Slaughter draws readers in from page one and doesn't turn them loose until the final shocking revelation slaps them in the face. Take care of business and find some alone time before settling in with this masterpiece. 

 WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE explores the many layers of life in a typical small town in the south. On the surface, everyone's life is an open book. No secrets, right? Peel back a layer or two and you'll find almost everyone has nasty little secrets, something they'd do anything to keep hidden. These dark secrets begin unraveling after two teenagers disappear on the night of the town's annual Fourth of July celebration. Police Officer Emmy Clifton and her father Chief Gerald Clifton are on the scene working the case from the start, and they follow the evidence eventually putting the bad guy in prison despite Emmy's lingering doubts. Over a decade later, another girl disappears under similar circumstances. Emmy is now Chief of Police and faced with the possibility they may have put the wrong guy away. To uncover the truth, Emmy and Jude Archer, a retired FBI agent and psychologist, work together in a race against time. It's soon clear the small-town neighbors Emmy thought she knew are hiding secrets that could destroy them if revealed. How far would they go to keep them hidden? With a few skeletons rattling around in her own closet, Emmy is forced to face her own demons and the complexity of relationships within her own family when her personal and professional lives clash.

Author Karin Slaughter slays it with this gripping, tension laden, tautly written thriller balancing smalltown dynamics with compelling, richly developed characterizations led by a flawed, yet likable protagonist burdened with guilt and regret. The dual timeline connects past crimes with the present setting a chilling tone of malice throughout. As the story unfolds, characters and readers are sent reeling with each shocking revelation until it becomes clear no one in North Falls is as blameless as they may seem . . . even Emmy.

We Are All Guilty Here is an emotional, gripping thriller that highlights how the past can dictate the path of the future while throwing open all the doors in a tightly knit town. As always, Slaughter excels at turning small-town settings into vivid, living elements that shape the story and drive the pace. Guilt, secrets, and family dynamics all collide and explode across the pages of this suspense thriller. No one does it better than Karin Slaughter. I can’t wait for the second book in this series. Highly recommended for readers who love a challenging whodunit and fans of mysteries and psychological thrillers.

Synopsis:

Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.

Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.

For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.

But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.

Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?

Roadtrip With A Rogue Review

Author: Kate Bateman

Series: Her Majesty's Rebels #3

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Day: July 29, 2025

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Mistakenly holding up the coach of the man who broke her heart is bad enough, but having to endure his sinfully alluring company all the way to Scotland is Daisy Hamilton’s worst nightmare . . . and her most secret desire.

Review:

ROAD TRIP WITH A ROGUE is the third and final book in 

the Her Majesty's Rebels series featuring three women operating a private investigation firm, King & Co., in London. Daisy Hamilton embarks on a mission to stop a young heiress from eloping. Pretending to be a highwayman, Daisy holds up a coach only to find it's occupied by Lucien Vaughan, a Duke, war hero and a rogue--one who broke her heart five years ago. Daisy has no idea that the eloping groom is Lucien's nephew, and he's determined to thwart her plan and see the happy couple married. With that in mind, Lucien talks Daisy into joining forces with him to catch the couple. She has no idea he's carried a torch for her all these years and will use any means to get closer to her. As they embark on a dangerous journey, the biggest threat may be to their hearts.

Author Kate Bateman excels at crafting historical romance books featuring spicy chemistry, steamy banter, stubborn heroines and to die for bad boy heroes. Daisy and Lucien's story sizzles from cover to cover, but it's also filled with laughable scenes that make it a delight to read. While this is book three, it does standalone with sufficient background information; however, I highly recommend reading the first two books - partly for the character development that occurs, but mostly for the fun reading experience. ROAD TRIP WITH A ROGUE is everything I love about historical romance where the hero falls first, and the heroine refuses to see what's right in front of her eyes. Fans of historical romance and romcoms will adore this one!

Synopsis:

A midnight mishap.

Daisy Hamilton’s new mission for King & Co., London's premier private investigation firm, is simple: stop heiress Violetta Brand from eloping. But her case is derailed when she mistakenly holds up the carriage of Lucien Vaughan, Duke of Cranford—cynical war hero, infamous libertine, and the very man who broke her heart five years ago.

A reluctant road trip.

Lucien’s determined to see his lovestruck nephew married to Miss Brand, but the unexpected appearance of Daisy— the one woman he’s never been able to forget—could ruin his plans. As they follow the runaway couple together, Lucien decides that delaying the headstrong Daisy by any means possible—including seduction—will be his absolute pleasure . . . and hers.

A dangerous desire.

After Daisy’s reputation is threatened, Lucien makes a scandalous claim, but when an unexpected enemy threatens her life, he realizes she’s the only woman for him. Their past encounters have made Daisy almost as jaded about love as Lucien himself, and it’s going to take action, not words, to convince this knife-wielding hellion to risk her heart on him again...

The Blue Horse Review

Author: Bruce Borgos

Series: Porter Beck #3

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Day: July 8, 2025

Special thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

A controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada results in two murders and too many suspects for Sheriff Porter Beck to deal with.

Review:

THE BLUE HORSE, the third installment in the Porter Beck series by Author Bruce Borgos, checks all the boxes when it comes to exciting, unputdownable suspense thrillers. It's a taut, fast paced, action packed story with dynamic characters involved in a race against time to stop the bad guys. Borgos's expertise at maintaining a high intensity level while weaving multiple plotlines involving prevalent issues is impressive and highly entertaining. I found it extremely hard to stop reading once I started this one and now find myself anxiously waiting for the next one.

Sheriff Porter Beck returns along with several series’ favorites, including his adopted sister Brinley and his love interest Detective Charlie Blue Horse, in THE BLUE HORSE. Beck and his deputy are observing a wild horse roundup herded by a helicopter from a cliff above a Nevada canyon when he witnesses the copter crashing. Arriving on scene, they quickly determined the crash was the result of the pilot being shot. The leader of an anti-roundup activist group protesting in the area becomes a suspect, but when another tragic death occurs, Beck, who isn't primary on the case, follows his gut instinct looking beyond the obvious for motive. As he and Charlie work the clues, a disturbing, emerging pattern leads them to take a closer look at a Canadian Lithium mining operation buying up land in the area. The stakes skyrocket for Beck when Brinley goes missing from a wilderness camp as he suspects her disappearance may be tied to the killings. Time is of an essence, and Beck will move heaven and earth to find Brinley. Will he be in time?

Wild Mustang Roundups are controversial with strong emotions and reasonings on both sides of the issue, and Author Bruce Borgos taps into those often heated, contrasting points of view in the fictional THE BLUE HORSE. I found it interesting that Borgos states that after his in-depth research into the pros and cons of both sides, he's landed firmly on one side, but he sincerely hopes his opinion doesn't show in his rendering of this story. In my opinion, it does not. Having wild horses roaming free on the Outer Banks in North Carolina where I live, I've witnessed their majestic, breathtaking beauty but like Borgos, I won't disclose my opinion here. I will say Borgos has done a magnificent job at weaving the pros and cons into a tension laden plot line that kept this reader on the edge of her seat from start to finish. A menacing tone drives a pace that increases chapter to chapter to the explosive climax. The author incorporates the trials and tribulations we all experienced within the confines of the Covid pandemic, adding additional complicacies to the storyline. Complex characters are well defined both professionally and personally. Beck's continuous battle and insecurities learning to maneuver life with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease that renders him with extremely limited night vision, with the aid of a devoted dog is a lesson in perseverance while learning to cope with a handicap. The author also shines a light on groups helping troubled teens cope with PTSD with Brinley's work (herself a victim of childhood abuse) through the wilderness group, especially one troubled teen, Rafa.

As the story unfolds, various plotlines begin connecting like pieces of a puzzle. The result is a highly entertaining suspense thriller with a lot of heart highlighting some controversial, real-life issues. Beck's wry sense of humor lends a bit of comic relief to an otherwise serious subject as does his budding romance with Charlie. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone as the talented author flawlessly incorporates needed backstory into the narrative; however, I suggest you treat yourself by diving into the previous books. THE BLUE HORSE is a tautly written, intense, must-read thriller that fans of suspense thrillers will enjoy.

Synopsis:

A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there's no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.

Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.

Porter Beck's new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck's mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck's sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they're just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.

The Ghostwriter Review

Author: Julie Clark

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Day: June 3, 2025

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Review:

THE GHOSTWRITER is a deeply moving, dysfunctional family drama that still lingers in my thoughts days after reading it. In several ways, it's a tragedy - the heartbreaking story of young lives cut short while others are ripped apart by a series of traumatic events that altered their futures forever. Author Julie Clark brilliantly captures the essence of each character, bringing their individual as well as collective stories to life while drawing readers into the fold. The result is a haunting, thought-provoking, mysterious drama that I read from cover to cover in one sitting.

Olivia Taylor aka Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont cut family ties years ago, leaving her last name and devastating family history buried in the small town where she grew up, along with the unwanted notoriety of being the only child of legendary horror author, Vincent Taylor, -- who’s even more famous as the prime suspect in the 1975 brutal, unsolved stabbing deaths of his siblings, Danny and Poppy. No one, including her agent and Tom, a man she hopes to build a life with, knows her real identity. Deep in debt and in danger of losing her home, Olivia has no choice but to accept when a request from Vincent asking her to collaborate with him as a ghostwriter on his final book arrives through her agent. Reluctantly, Olivia heads home only to discover her father is losing his memory and life to Lewy Body Dementia. It's soon clear through his raving hallucinations, faded memories, and short periods of lucidness that Vincent has a different story in mind for his daughter to write - he's ready to tell his story, his memoir, his version of the events that occurred that fateful night in 1975. In doing so, will Vincent reveal himself as a murderer . . . or identify someone else as the villain? Is her father manipulating her into one final treasure hunt through his cryptic notes like the games they played when she was a small child? Olivia knows it’s too late to turn back now, but in proceeding with her investigation, she’s forced to face a few hard truths of her own and decide if she, too, is ready to move out of the shadows, acknowledge her roots, and move forward with her life.

Like the expert she is, Author Julie Clark delivers a mesmerizing, gut wrenching mystery that resonates with regret, guilt, betrayal, and what "might have been". Seamlessly alternating past/present chapters evolve through multiple points of view from highly unreliable narrators. In the past, readers get a firsthand accounting of the chilling events as they occur through Vincent and Poppy's voice, old, grainy, silent film footage and Poppy’s diary. The present is told through Olivia's interviews with her father, his haphazard, puzzling notes and chaotic manuscript as well as her investigation and interviews with other people. An insane pace accentuates a dire tone of malice that increases page by page with every new twisted revelation until the shocking truth is revealed. Multilayered characterizations are expertly crafted, each packing a punch as the story unfolds through tautly interwoven plot and timelines. The strained father/daughter relationship dynamics are brilliantly explored with so many lost moments and missed opportunities lending an air of regret while increasing the tension. Clark's research on Lewy Body Dementia is obvious, and I appreciate her managing the topic with grace and compassion. My thoughts on who the murderer was shifted back and forth throughout this story and while I guessed part of the truth by the climax, the author still surprised me in the end.

THE GHOSTWRITER is a deeply immersive, hauntingly beautiful, not soon to be forgotten family drama. Author Julie Clark has firmly established herself as a must-read author in the mystery and suspense genre. The depth of emotion she evokes in characters and readers is nothing short of amazing. I can't wait to read what she writes next. Highly recommended to fans of twisted mysteries, family dramas, and suspense.

Synopsis:

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father's last book, not realizing she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family.

Parents Weekend Review

Author: Alex Finlay

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Day: May 6, 2025

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

From the bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me, comes one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers. 

Told through multiple points of view in past and present—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family.

Review:

PARENTS WEEKEND is a fast-paced, propulsive suspense thriller that's impossible to put down. Author Alex Finlay explores the highs and lows of first-time college students and their parents, beginning with the thrill of students moving into dorms and making new friends and quickly morphing into every parent's worst nightmare - a missing child.

It’s Parents Weekend at the University of Santa Clara and the excitement, nervousness and lofty expectations of first-time college students and their parents is evident as they begin a new phase of their lives. Four families are meeting their kids, Libby, Stella, Felix, and Blane, for dinner and cocktails on the first night along with Tom whose parents aren't attending. The parents are enjoying drinks and small talk when it begins to dawn on them that not one of their kids have shown up. At first, there's little concern. After all, everyone recalls how it is being a college student, right? However, as time passes without a word and phones go unanswered, concern turns to fear and eventually panic. A call to police produces a quick response, search parties are formed, and FBI Agent Sarah Keller is brought in to assist. It doesn't take long for reporters to swarm in as rumors run rampant, spreading like flames through gathering crowds with whispers of another student who was found dead a few days prior. While it’s true that death was ruled accidental, it elevates the level of concern fueling a greater sense of urgency for the missing five. How could five students disappear without a trace?

Author Alex Finlay utilizes short, past/present chapters and multiple points of view to draw readers into this twisted, edge-of-your-seat thriller. As the story unfolds, secrets surface among both parents and teens. The drama builds when masks begin slipping among the vastly different group of anxiously waiting parents, allowing readers insight into the dynamics of each family. A large cast of support characters muddy the waters, giving readers a wide array of red herrings to sift through. As time passes with no word, a foreboding tone intensifies fueling the steadily increasing pace that eventually leads to an unpredictable, explosive climax. I loved the return of FBI Agent Sarah Keller of THE NIGHT SHIFT and EVERY LAST FEAR fame, two of my favorites by Finlay, and her presence serves as a steady force lending an air of authenticity to this story. PARENTS WEEKEND is a mesmerizing thriller that explores the dynamics of dysfunctional families and the emotional uncertainties experienced by parents and students leaving the nest for the first time. Highly recommended to fans of well-crafted suspense thrillers.

Synopsis:

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up at dinner.

At first, everyone thinks that they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon, the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them—come from five very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril or a threat to the friend group from within?

Told through multiple points of view in past and present—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family.

King of Ashes Review

Author: S.A. Cosby

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Release Day: June 10, 2025

Thanks to Flatiron Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.

 

Review:

Author S.A. Cosby’s KING OF ASHES is a bold, brutal, in your face Southern Noir family drama by that begs the question, "What would you do to protect your family?". Like Cosby's preceding books, this tension laden story is a gritty, raw, gut-wrenching masterpiece with blood, sweat, and tears permeating every page. Settle in your favorite corner before starting this highly addictive page burner. It's a wild ride!

Roman Carruthers, a financial guru, left his run-down hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia, and the family Crematorium business he detested in the rearview five years ago, seeking the bright lights and opportunities of the big city. Over time, Roman built a reputable, profitable business as a respected expert managing clients’ money and making them wealthy. He's living the good life when a phone call informs him his father is comatose following a near fatal car crash, and he's needed back home. Roman has no choice but to swallow his dread and return to the place he fled to pay his dues with plans to make an appearance and then get back out as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Roman's plans change when he finds his sister, Neveah, exhausted and nearing the end of her rope as she single handedly works killer hours to keep the Crematorium running while keeping vigilance by her father's hospital bed and riding shotgun over younger brother, Dante, whose bad decisions put him in a dicey situation with local, lowlife criminals. Upon arrival, Roman analyzes the situation as he would any mathematical problem and proceeds with a plan to pay off Dante's debt; however, events backfire and quickly escalate out of control. He learns the hard way that Dante's careless actions have attracted criminal elements way beyond the local thugs. Someone with power is seeking retaliation against his family, leaving him to wonder if his father's car crash was a warning . . . not an accident. Now, everyone Roman cares about is in danger, and to Roman, family is everything. Money won't buy them off, but Roman knows how the game is played. Swallowing his pride and the bile rising in his throat, Roman crosses over to the dark side, selling his soul to the devil in a bargain that may forever bind him to the small town life he worked so hard to escape. While he doesn't like it, one lesson Roman learned from his father is that everything burns. And he's not above striking the match that'll burn this town down around them to save his family.

Cosby never lifts his foot off the gas in KING OF ASHES. From beginning to end, it's an action-packed, fast paced family drama with flawed, larger than life characters battling impossible odds in an age-old battle of good vs. evil, but in doing so, what do they become? What sets Cosby's characters apart is their strong family ties, hearts of a lion, keen sense of morality even as they're forced to cross lines in the name of old timey justice, and their ability to display vulnerability while stepping up as antiheroes all in the name of family. Fueled by an increasing tone of impending doom, nonstop action drives the maddening pace forward through flawlessly woven, twisted, multiple plot lines towards an explosive climax that left me breathless. Family skeletons along with all the dark family secrets escape to wreak havoc in this epic southern noir thriller. Who will remain standing when they sift through the ashes? Highly recommended to readers who enjoy fast-paced, graphic, family drama thrillers.

 

Synopsis:

When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger.

Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his himself, and his own particular set of skills.

Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything.

Because everything burns.

Dogged Pursuit Review

Author: David Rosenfelt

Series: Andy Carpenter Prequel

Narrator: Grover Gardner

Publisher: Minotaur Books & MacMillan Audio

Release Day: July 1, 2025

Special thanks to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title for review. Opinions expressed are my own.

First published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

In Dogged Pursuit, David Rosenfelt takes readers back to the start of this beloved series as Andy Carpenter begins his career as a defense attorney in Paterson, New Jersey.

Review:

Author David Rosenfelt sweeps fans of the Andy Carpenter series away with a nostalgic journey back in time to the beginning of it all in DOGGED PURSUIT. Readers are introduced to a young Andy along with a few of the main characters that play significant roles in the many books that follow. Perhaps more importantly, we get our first look at Andy's beloved dog, Tara, and learn about the events that brought him to adopt her from the shelter. This prequel is the perfect entry point for first time readers and an absolute must read for longtime fans of the series.

Andy Carpenter is feeling a bit untethered as he and his wife Nicole are finagling their way through some marital issues that have her living at her parents' house while he roams around the empty rooms of their home. Andy has turned down yet another offer from Nicole's dad to come work for his firm - a move that would secure their financial future but contribute nothing to Andy's mental health and personal satisfaction. Since finishing law school, Andy has spent three years working as a prosecutor but has now chosen to switch sides by becoming a defense attorney to serve as a voice for the accused. All he needs now is a client. In Nicole's absence, Andy decides a small dog will make the perfect companion, so he heads to the local animal shelter where it's love at first sight when he spies Tara, a golden retriever, who is most definitely not a small dog. As it turns out, Tara has a little sidekick, Sonny, a beagle who belongs to a man arrested for a triple murder. Not having the heart to split the pair up, Andy seeks permission from the incarcerated man to take Sonny home and in doing so winds up taking the man on as his first client as a defense attorney. Frank Tierney stands accused of planting explosives under the car of his former boss thereby blowing him and his two passengers to smithereens. Tierney swears he's innocent, but the prosecutor’s unsurmountable evidence says otherwise. Andy needs to sift through an array of red herrings to unmask a murderer to prove his client's innocence. Things are about to get complicated...and dangerous for Andy and those he cares about.

DOGGED PURSUIT is a delight to read! Fans of the series are transported back to the beginning of it all to witness Andy’s first connection with several series' favorites like Laurie, the ex-cop investigator, Sam, the computer whiz, along with an "almost meet" with the enforcer, Marcus. And, of course, we meet a young, enthusiastic, gung-ho Andy as he hones his courtroom skills utilizing what later becomes his signature sharp wit and charming personality to irritate the judge, win over the jury and successfully wrap up his first case as a budding defense attorney . . . all while navigating his turbulent personal life with all the bumps and bruises of a young, floundering marriage. If this is your first Andy Carpenter book, this book serves as the meet-cute foundation for the rest of the series, and I promise you'll be hooked! If you're a longtime fan, what a gift!

Like all the rest of the books that follow, DOGGED PURSUIT is a highly entertaining, humorous whodunit rendered via complex characters, adorable dog scenes and an intriguing murder mystery. While it would be easy to label it as another lighthearted mystery, Rosenfelt's expertise at weaving weighty themes throughout a convoluted, twisted plotline while challenging readers and Andy to figure it out is evident. The end result is a page burner, often funny, always heart touching story that's impossible to put down. Narrator Grover Gardner delivers a star performance on audio. In my eyes, he IS Andy Carpenter! Highly recommended to fans of the series, first time readers and any reader who enjoys a good mystery with a healthy dose of laughter.

Synopsis:

Andy Carpenter has spent the three years since graduating law school working as a prosecutor in Paterson. But having seen how the system never looks out for the little guy, he leaves to start his own practice as a defense attorney. His office might be a little bit of a dump, but he's excited to make a change.

Andy goes to the shelter to adopt a dog, where he meets his beloved golden retriever, Tara, for the first time and feels an immediate connection. The shelter is crowded and Tara's been sharing space with a dog named Sunny; Andy hates to break them up and so asks to take Sunny, too, but since there's a pending criminal case involving the owner, he'll need to get written permission for temporary possession.

Andy discovers that Sunny's owner, Frank Tierney, has been arrested for the murder of his ex-boss. But he takes an immediate liking to Frank and his clear dedication to his dog, and ends up with his first case along with the two dogs.

The Debt Collector Review

Author: Steven Max Russo

Publisher: Steven Max Russo Books

Release Date: March 20, 2024

Review:

THE DEBT COLLECTOR by Author Steven Max Russo is an intriguing, character driven thriller with a protagonist readers won’t forget. Abigail Barnes is driving down the street in Hackensack, New Jersey, when a man (Hector) wearing nothing but boxers runs out of a store into the street waving a gun and carjacks her. Her reaction is anything but typical and sets the tone for the rest of this highly entertaining crime thriller.

Abigal aka Abby is a pretty, petite, angelic little blonde whose good looks are deceiving, often giving her the upper hand in her occupation of choice. Abby is a debt collector - not for legitimate companies, but rather for bookies and loan sharks looking to collect past due debts. Being a pretty, demure blonde, Abby often has to prove her worth by giving a demonstration of her skills. She easily handles gangsters triple her size, reducing them to a humiliated, whimpering pile of bloody limbs on the floor. Such a demo earns her a job collecting for Bennie, a lowlife bookie, with her new carjacker friend, Hector, by her side. Things are going great until a man she just collected from is found murdered, and she's the prime suspect. Things become even more complicated when the bookie she was working for also turns up dead. Abby can't go to the police because it seems she left her last gig under highly suspicious circumstances so what's a girl to do? Solve the crime, of course. Armed with her weapons of choice, a special set of brass knuckles, a gun, and a don't mess with me attitude, Abby begins her own investigation while avoiding the local thugs, mobsters, and the cops. Things are about to get western!

Author Steven Max Russo has crafted a complex crime thriller with unique, fun characters battling life and death situations. Abby is a refreshingly different, highly skilled protagonist with a lot of attitude and sass . . . and a heart of gold. Hector provides comic relief, lending a lighter air to some otherwise heavy scenes. The action moves along at an increasing pace through twists and turns as events escalate, only slowing down later in the story when the same scenes are delivered through three different points of view. After a few times, I found this repetitiveness to be slightly distracting; however, it didn't lessen my overall enjoyment of this story. The ending of THE DEBT COLLECTOR felt like the perfect setup for more episodes with Collector Abigail Barnes. Highly recommended to fans of crime fiction and suspense thrillers with a unique twist.

Synopsis:

Abigail Barnes is young, pretty and petite, but her looks and size can be deceiving. She's a tough as nails drifter who makes her living collecting outstanding debts for low-end bookies and loan sharks, Abigail arrives in Hackensack, NJ, from Baltimore, MD, and gets a job collecting for a small-time bookie, who winds up dead.

With a large Wall Street firm moving into town bringing jobs, prestige, and money, the press is soon up in arms about the killing. So the cops decide to put the squeeze on Ronnie “Slacks” Falcone, a mobster who heads organized crime in the Jersey City area, to help find the killer.

Soon Abigail finds herself being sought by a gang of hoodlums, the mob, and the police. She knows she can’t run and she won’t turn herself in because she has a past that could send her to jail. She has little choice but to try and find out who killed the bookie – without getting killed in the process.