This Summer Will Be Different Review & Book Tour

Author: Carly Fortune

Publisher: Berkley Publishing

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Special thanks to Berkley Publ. for an arc and book tour invitation! All opinions expressed are my own. #BerkleyPartner

5 Beautiful Hearts

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Review:

THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT is a perfect summer read. Think vacation, beaches, best friends, long days frolicking in the sun . . . and steamy nights with the local hot guy you'll never see again. Think about finding out that local hot guy you spent the best night of your life with is your best friend's younger brother. The one she explicitly warned you not to fall in love with.  Oops! Too late.

I love a good best friend's younger brother romance story, and THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT is the best one I've read in a long time.  Lucy and Bridget are long time best friends. Each summer, Bridget invites Lucy to her family's beach home in Prince Edward's Island. The one-year Lucy arrives before Bridget, she has a one-nightstand with a local guy who rocks her world while threatening to wreck her heart. Imagine Lucy's shock when she realizes that guy is Bridget's brother. The chemistry is insane, the emotional connection real, but the one thing Lucy will not risk is her friendship with Bridget.  And so Lucy and Felix vow to be friends and only friends . . . and they break that promise once a year when Lucy visits Bridget. As years pass, Lucy and Felix's feelings grow as they struggle with the guilt both feel over keeping secrets from Bridget . . . until the summer one unforeseen event forces everyone's hand.

Carley Fortune has crafted a sweet, heartfelt, love story in THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT. She has an obvious gift for rendering real characters with depth that readers have empathy for. While the trope has been done many times before, Fortune draws readers into the setting with vivid descriptions of Prince Edwards Island that engages all the senses and feels.  I love that the romance develops and matures slowly over the years until it consumes them, refusing to be denied any longer. The sense of family, both by blood and found, and friends is strong throughout and highly relatable.  As much as I loved the relationship between Lucy and Felix, the love, respect and sisterly affection between Lucy and Bridget makes the story.

THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT is different and highly entertaining. The emotional turmoil is real, the chemistry sizzling and the friendship beautiful.  Highly recommended to fans of romance and a great forbidden love, best friend's sibling stories.

Synopsis:

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

Mind Games Review

Author: Nora Roberts

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Date: May 21, 2024

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.

Review:

MIND GAMES is an intriguing smorgasbord of suspense and romance with a side of supernatural served up via Author Nora Roberts's signature style. A multi-layered, character driven story with a strong yet vulnerable protagonist, MIND GAMES pits good vs. evil in an epic battle of the minds between two individuals with the gift of sight.

Twelve-year-old Thea Fox and her younger brother Rem are excited to be spending two weeks of their summer vacation with their maternal grandma Lucy on her idyllic farm in Appalachia, Kentucky. Unfortunately, their happiness is shattered when tragedy strikes during a home invasion in which their parents are brutally murdered back in Virginia . . . An attack both Thea and Lucy witness in horrifying graphic color in their nightmares. Thea inherited her psychic gift of sight from her grandmother as it's been passed down through generations of women in the family. Thea's powers of sight surpass those of her grandmother's, and it's her detailed description of the killer and his subsequent actions that aids authorities in locating, capturing and locking him away for life. Over time, Thea realizes the killer can also "see" her, and a mental battle of the minds begins between them.

Like several of Roberts's books, MIND GAMES unfolds in parts beginning with Thea Fox's early formative years starting at age twelve and continuing over a span of fifteen years into adulthood. Over the course of the story, readers get a sense of the love, respect, kindness, and tradition in which Thea and Rem thrive, growing into productive, caring adults with a keen sense of family. Over the years, Thea continues perfecting her gift of sight while utilizing her abilities to keep an eye on her parents' killer locked away in prison. She's careful, or so she thinks, to never let him "see" her watching him, but as she soon learns his powers are growing also, and he taunts and threatens her while stalking her nightmares. There's no doubt a confrontation is coming. Will she survive the challenge?

MIND GAMES is an emotional story that evolves slowly over time. Roberts gift for crafting heartfelt, emotional family sagas is highlighted as is her talent for rendering characters with deep family roots and tradition. Some readers may find the development of this story a bit slow as the author takes time to introduce the characters and set the stage for the coming battle while building tension. While the pace is slow, there's an escalating undertone of malice lurking that builds to the final showdown and epic battle of the minds. For those looking for romance, a love interest appears in the second half of the book with a relationship developing slowly, but for the most part MIND GAMES is a family drama about a girl who grows up learning to accept and embrace a unique gift while yielding it in ways to help not harm her fellow man. It's a showdown of good vs. evil reminiscent of the epic battle at the O.K. Corral, but with weapons of the mind not guns. It's another Nora Roberts classic in the making. Highly recommended to fans of Roberts and romance suspense as well as those who enjoy stories featuring protagonists with psychic gifts.

Synopsis:

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them―and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

The Five Year Lie Review

Author: Sarina Bowen

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Release Date: May 14, 2024

Many thanks to Harper Perennial for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. #oliveinfluencer

Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

For fans of Laura Dave and Julie Clark, but with a heart-stopping romance that only Sarina Bowen can execute, The Five Year Lie is a page-turning, spine-tingling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.

Review:

When I first heard Author Sarina Bowen was releasing a domestic thriller, I knew I had to read it as I've enjoyed several of her contemporary romance titles, especially the True North series. THE FIVE YEAR LIE kicks off with a captivating, heart stopping prologue designed to grab readers' attention while enticing them into shutting off their phones, setting aside all snacks and drinks and settling in for the duration so plan accordingly. You don't want any distractions once starting this mysterious story.

Ariel Cafferty is a single mother living in her mother's guesthouse while pursuing her passion of glassmaking and putting in required appearances at the family business, the Chime Co. Five years prior, the man Ariel loved ghosted her - disappearing without a trace unaware she was carrying his child. Years later, she reads his obituary in a newspaper, effectively closing that chapter of her life. Drew was a programmer with her family's cybersecurity company, secretly exploring suspicions of fraudulent activity when he left. In the present, Ariel is sitting in a business meeting when a disturbing text pings her phone - a text that rocks her to the core. A text from a dead man asking her to meet him immediately. Is this a cruel hoax or is Drew alive? Needing answers, Ariel goes to the meeting spot, but no one shows. Confused and unsettled, Ariel begins digging into the past, looking for answers about what really happened to Drew. What she uncovers alarms her, leaving her wondering if she ever really knew the man she loved at all and quite certain that someone has been lying to her all along. Pushing ahead, it's soon obvious someone doesn't want the truth to surface. Can Ariel solve the mystery of what happened to Drew before the same danger claims her and her son?

Through concise, alternating chapters of past and present, a chilling story of deceit, secrets, and family drama emerges in THE FIVE YEAR LIE. The past becomes known via Drew's point of view, and readers are apprised of present events through Ariel's point of view. The transition is seamless and highly engaging. A sinister tone drives the plot forward at a steadily increasing pace with mini shockers keeping characters and readers on their toes as they work to unravel a mystery. Bowen does an excellent job of incorporating the dangers posed to careless, unsuspecting victims of technology and cyber security schemes into a riveting plot line that's relevant today. Long time readers of her work will appreciate the well-developed, relatable characters like those everyone loves from her contemporary romance stories.

THE FIVE YEAR LIE is a riveting, thought provoking suspense thriller that blends an engaging mystery with a light side of romance. Readers and characters are challenged with solving a mystery while considering the many ramifications and ethical questions involving technology in today's world. Author Sarina Bowen successfully makes the transition to suspense with an immersive, chilling thriller that will keep readers on alert from start to finish. Highly recommended to fans of good mysteries and engaging romance suspense.

Synopsis:

Dead men don’t send texts…

On an ordinary Monday morning, Ariel Cafferty's phone buzzes with a disturbing text message. Something’s happened. I need to see you. Meet me under the candelabra tree ASAP. The words would be jarring from anyone, but the sender is the only man she ever loved. And it's been several years since she learned he died.

Seeing Drew’s name pop up is heart-stopping. Ariel’s gut says it can’t be real. But she goes to the tree anyway. She has to.

Nobody shows. But the text upends everything she thought she knew about the day he left her. The more questions she asks, the more sinister the answers get. Only two things are clear: everything she was told five years ago is wrong, and someone is still lying to her.

The truth has to be out there somewhere. To safeguard herself—and her son—she’ll have to find it before it finds her. And with it, the answer to what became of Drew.

THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER Review

Author: Nicola Solvinic

Publisher: Berkley Publishing

Release Date: May 14, 2024

Many thanks to Berkley Pub. for a copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Interview published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

A hypnotic, sinister debut mystery about a seemingly good cop who is secretly the daughter of a notorious serial killer.

Review:

THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER by Author Nicola Solvinic is a chilling, highly addictive debut that gave me serious goose bumps. There's a supernatural element with an air of malice lurking that saturates the pages of this story, leaving readers jumping at night sounds. I burned through this book with trepidation over what would happen next, afraid to continue but unable to stop. You'll want to settle in with the lights on to read this one!

As a young child, Elena loves nothing more than spending long days meandering through the forest with her beloved father Steven Theron, listening to him speak of spirits, fairies and the Forest God. Despite her mother's disapproval, her days are idyllic until the day she ventures out alone and stumbles across a horrific discovery. Severely traumatized, Elena’s memories are repressed, and she grows up to be Anna Koray, a respected police officer where no one knows she's the daughter of the notorious Forest Strangler.

Lt. Anna Koray is off duty when she arrives at the scene of a domestic dispute. Things quickly go south when she inadvertently comes in contact with PCP and is forced to shoot the domestic perpetrator in the line of duty. Awakening in the hospital, Anna is disoriented and suffering hallucinations. She's assured it's her exposure to the PCP, but as more of her dark memories surface, Anna's left fearing the unknown. When a young woman's body is discovered in the same manner as her father's victims, rumors of a copycat serial killer arise. Anna panics when she starts getting cryptic notes claiming to "know who she really is", leaving her to wonder what she does during periods of blackouts. One thing is clear. Someone is killing young, blonde women again. Is it a copycat serial killer? Did her father somehow escape execution? Or has the darkness brewing inside her surfaced? Anna needs answers and to get them, she must unmask a killer. Even if it destroys her world.

Author Nicola Solvinic has rendered a mesmerizing tale that's impossible to put down in THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER. Anna is a unique, conflicted character that struggles to separate fact from myth. As a respected police officer, she strives to do the right thing, but as the traumatized daughter with the genes of a serial killer father in her veins, she's lost in a world of smoke and mirrors. Slovinic does an amazing job of drawing attention to the long-term psychological effects of trauma on fragile minds as she explores the issue of nature vs. nurture. She flawlessly weaves the supernatural aspects of this story with forensic science. The imagery is brilliant creating a highly visual, tingle all the senses setting. Characters are as real as they are illusive, charging readers with sifting through all the hidden clues and red herrings to follow the breadcrumbs through twists and turns before arriving at the epic climax. While I had an inkling about what was happening that proved to be true in the end, it in no way lessened the dramatic impact of experiencing this stunning story.

THE HUNTER'S DAUGHTER is a raw, gritty, all-consuming psychological thriller that is masterfully rendered - a unique jewel in the genre. Author Nicola Slovinic's skill is evident as she expertly manipulates characters and readers and monsters through a tunnel of darkness to emerge at the end. Themes of good vs. evil, nature vs. nurture and the aftereffects of trauma are managed with skill and grace. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.

 Synopsis:

Anna Koray escaped her father’s darkness long ago. When she was a girl, her childhood memories were sealed away from her conscious mind by a controversial hypnosis treatment. She’s now a decorated sheriff’s lieutenant serving a rural county, conducting an ordinary life far from her father’s shadow.

When Anna kills a man in the line of duty, her suppressed memories return. She dreams of her beloved father, his hands red with blood, surrounded by flower-decked corpses he had sacrificed to the god of the forest.

To Anna’s horror, a serial killer emerges who is copying her father – and who knows who she really is. Is her father still alive, or is this the work of another? Will the killer expose her, destroying everything she has built for herself? Does she want him to?

But as she haunts the forest, using her father’s tricks to the hunt the killer, will she find what she needs most…or lose herself in the gathering darkness?

The Garden Girls Review

Author: Jessica R. Patch

Publisher: Love Inspired Trade

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Many thanks to The Big Thrill and the author for an arc.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review published in The Big Thrill Magazine

Review:

THE GARDEN GIRLS by Author Jessica R. Patch is an intense, intricately woven suspense thriller with subtle Christian overtones. FBI agent Tiberius Granger and his team from the Special Crimes Unit return in a frenzied race against time and the fury of Mother Nature to apprehend a serial killer dubbed ‘The Artist’ for the elaborate flower tattoos he inks on victim's bodies that match the kind of flowers in their name. When the investigation brings Ty face-to-face with Bexley Hemmingway, a ghost from his past life in a religious cult, his world tilts off-axis as he struggles to bridle long suppressed anger, confusion, and hurt. For now, he sets aside personal issues to search for Bexley's missing sister who's believed to be the latest kidnap victim of ‘The Artist.' Can they find her in time?

Author Jessica R. Patch renders a dark, complex psychological thriller with a strong emphasis on the healing power of love and faith in THE GARDEN GIRLS. Her gift for crafting damaged characters with dark, deeply rooted pasts capable of earning readers' empathy is evident. A frenzied pace is driven by the fury of an approaching hurricane, the urgency to catch a killer before he strikes again, and Ty's personal inner conflict over his faith and trust in God as well as his battle to block the deluge of emotions overwhelming him over the return of Bexley. The intricately woven narrative is unique, dark, and emotionally raw and draining for both characters and readers. Patch skillfully interweaves complex themes in THE GARDEN GIRLS via main characters navigating life after escaping a religious cult that altered their future. The perfect blend of psychological thriller with a Christian perspective, this book is for readers who enjoy deeply emotional, intense thrillers that highlight the redemptive power of love, forgiveness, and faith.

Synopsis:

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past. FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.  Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

Funny Story Review

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley Publ.

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for a free arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyInfluencer

A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Review:

FUNNY STORY by Author Emily Henry is a sweet, poignant fake dating and opposites attract romance with a super interesting premise. On one hand, you have Daphne, a librarian and neat freak who's highly structured and organized and then you have Miles - an adorable but sloppy man working at a winery who doesn't mind living in chaos. And it’s a really 'funny story' how these two became roommates and eventually more. Daphne's ex-finance is now engaged to Miles ex-fiancé leading to Daphne moving in with Miles. Confused yet?

Daphne's wedding to Peter is nigh when Peter goes out to a bar for his bachelor party. Peter's best friend is childhood friend, Petra, and she's at his bachelor party when she professes her undying love to Peter and he to her. Back at their house, Peter tells Daphne she has one week to move out and then he and Petra leave for a week's vacation. Miles shows up in hopes of stopping Petra from leaving him only to discover she's already gone, and a devastated Daphne is in tears trying to figure out where she'll live. The answer seems obvious - she'll move in with Miles who just happens to now have a vacancy. For weeks, they co-exist in the same space - just two ships passing in the night as they both deal with their grief. But when Daphne speaks to Peter again, she lets it drop that she and Miles are now a happy couple. She has no idea why she did that, but when she confesses to Miles he quickly gets on board the idea of 'fake dating' to make their exes jealous. As the story unfolds, Daphne and Miles begin to realize they have real feelings for one another, but the baggage and insecurities suffered by both keep them from revealing their real feelings. Sparks fly and a 'fake kiss' feels anything but fake. This is just a rebound thing, right? It's not possible that they're really falling in love, or is it?

Author Emily Henry has a gift for rendering heartfelt stories with incredibly real characters. While the trope of fake dating has been done a million times, Henry adds a unique twist to the story and then fleshes it out with characters readers can't help but love. The support cast is outstanding with most having intriguing backstories of their own. Themes of friendship, family or the lack thereof, and finding oneself are prominent. The small-town setting where everyone knows everyone is perfect for this story. I love that Henry develops these characters over time, letting them deal with their personal issues before writing them a happy ever after ending. The chemistry sizzles, and the warm fuzzies are plentiful. I read FUNNY STORY in one setting because I simply couldn't put it down. Highly recommended to fans of fake dating, opposites attract and friends to lovers' tropes. And to fans of heartwarming romance. It doesn't get any better than this!

 Synopsis:

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. 

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Indian Burial Ground Review & Book Tour

Author: Nick Medina

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 16, 2024

Many thanks to Berkley Publ. for an arc of this title.  All opinions expressed are my own. #berkleypartner #berkleybookstagram

Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Meet the author & read an excerpt below!

Review:

INDIAN BURIAL GROUND by Author Nick Medina is a bone chilling, highly atmospheric acknowledgment of the stereotyping and plight of Indigenous people. A character driven story of generational drama that's rich in mythology and tribal lore, this story highlights social issues long suffered by marginalized people living on reservations including suicide, alcoholism, and violence. It's an honest, straight forward portrayal of a family in crisis as they confront the spirits and demons they thought buried.

Thirty-eight-year-old Noemi Brossard is optimistic about escaping the reservation for a better life when she receives devastating news that her prosperous, happy boyfriend committed suicide. She knows in her heart something's not right and begins probing into the circumstances surrounding his death. After being gone for decades, her Uncle Louie returns to the reservation around the same time. To help Noemi with her grief, he descends back down the dark, lethal rabbit hole of his past, sharing his time as a seventeen-year-old boy working to hold his family together as his mother succumbed to the lure of alcohol. Eventually, Louie ended up alone caring for a young Noemi while navigating an array of mysterious and horrific supernatural events occurring on tribal land. Among other things, strange occurrences are attributed to a sinister spirit targeting the tribe and some of these scenes are horror based, so be forewarned. Now, Noemi and Louie are facing some tough questions. Has Louie's return to the tribe angered the spirits causing them to lash out? Was Noemi's boyfriend's death suicide or is something more sinister happening? Despite the imperilment of unlocking demons and spirits best left to rest, Louie and Noemi begin rattling cages by digging into the past.

INDIAN BURIAL GROUND is a stunning, bloodcurdling blend of mystery and horror. I don't mind saying I'm a wimp when it comes to reading horror, but I found this story to be eerily hypnotic and haunting and was intrigued by the mysterious yet deadly aura engulfing the characters and story overall. Medini's expert weaving of mythical and cultural lore throughout enhances the story line while lending an authentic yet supernatural feel. The story unfolds through two timelines - the dark past through Louie and the present via Noemi. Both points of view come together to paint a heartbreaking picture of the generational impact of trauma and abuse on groups of Indigenous people. While the story is chilling with a menacing tone, an encouraging message of inner strength and hope manages to peek through.

Author Nick Medini has crafted a brutally honest, powerful story of the devastating effects of substance abuse on both the addicted and their loved ones in INDIAN BURIAL GROUND. His commitment and willingness to take a stand and offer a voice to marginalized people by exposing the stereotyping and challenges faced by life on a reservation is commendable. Medini's passion and desire to open the public's eyes and be a conduit for change is evident by the inclusion of his message at the end offering helpful avenues to Natives (and anyone else) seeking help for alcohol abuse and mental health issues. The author's enthusiasm and knowledge of Native lore and culture is clear as he flawlessly weaves supernatural myths and legends into this suspense laden, heartbreaking mystery/horror story. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, horror and stories featuring Indigenous people.

Synopsis:

All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for her. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down. But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.

After more than a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets and horror and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers...but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to question whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.

About the Author:

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Nick Medina has degrees in organizational and multicultural communication, and has worked as a college communications' instructor. He has had short stories published in various fiction outlets since 2009. An enthusiast of local and Native lore, his debut novel, Sisters of the Lost Nation, features several supernatural myths and legends. He became interested in the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls after reading an article in the Chicago Tribune about Ashley Loring Heavyrunner, who went missing from the Blackfoot reservation in 2017. He enjoys exploring the strange and unusual, haunted cemeteries, and other spooky places, playing guitar, blues-based music and classic rock, physical fitness, and spending time with family.

(Photo courtesy of Ashely Suttor)

INDIAN BURIAL GROUND EXCERPT

Noemi

The bathroom door opened just then, and I'm sure we were both glad it did. From within, black leather boots, skinny jeans, a black tank top with a rainbow heart bedazzled across the chest, shiny lips, and puffed-up hair emerged. Mom. 

Her eyes widened. Fear momentarily cracked her made-up face, and a scream of terror in response to the strange man standing in our living room almost rang out, transforming instead into a cry of joy at the last second, right when she recognized him. "Louie!" She did a little hop, her boots thumping against the laminate floor. "Don't do that to me!" A second later, she was in her brother's arms. 

"Lula," he cried. 

We'd gone years without phone calls, video chats, and greeting cards. Sometimes we'd exchange texts on birthdays and holidays, filled with statements like Hope you're well, rather than questions that might encourage conversation. 

Mom looked up at him, taking his face in her hands. "You cut off your hair. It's gray." Even though she was three years older than him, Mom's hair has been chocolate cherry my entire life. "Let me turn back time for you." She laughed. "My god, what are you doing here?" 

"Pow wow," he said. 

"I wish you'd have told me. Everyone's going to be so surprised to see you. But this is perfect!" She clapped her hands. "We're meeting friends at the Blue Gator tonight. You can meet Noemi's boyfriend. My new guy's gonna come by too." 

"No he won't," I interjected from the couch. Mom threw a dismissive wave in my direction. 

"Say you'll come," Mom said. 

"Sure. Yeah." He seemed to reassure himself again. "I'll meet you there after I check in at the hotel."

 "Why not stay here? I know it's a little small for-" Mom paused, finally looking past her brother. "Where's Holly? Jill?" 

"Can we-?" he started, but was cut off by a trio of stern knocks against the door. It wasn't Holly or Jill.

 "Chief Fisher," Mom and Uncle Louie said in unison the instant I opened the door.

Luke Fisher wasn't chief of the tribal police anymore, but he had been for so long that most of us still called him that. Most days, he still acted like he was on the job. 

"Noemi." His hands reached for mine as his eyes gave Mom an acknowledging glance. They lingered a little longer on Louie, but whatever he'd come to say took precedence over the friendly reunion that might have otherwise occurred. 

"What is it?" I said. Luke wasn't the type to just drop in for visits. He wasn't the type to just stroke the back of your hand either. 

"Let's sit," he said. I didn't want to. "It's Roddy," he uttered. "I know how close the two of you are, so I thought I should tell you before-" 

"Tell me what?" His old hands, veins stretching the thin skin, squeezed mine. "He was hit by a car."

 "What?" I shrieked. Mom did too. 

Luke glanced at the sofa, but I hadn't changed my mind about sitting. "I'm really sorry." 

Sorry. I'd never known how much weight a word could hold until Luke uttered it. 

"No!" Tears appeared as if a magician had waved a wand in front of my eyes. "Tribal PD will figure out what happened." "You're saying . . . ?" Though I heard what he was saying, I couldn't grasp it. Didn't want to. 

"I'm sorry," he said again. 

"How?" 

"He was out on Grand Nacre Drive. The driver said he came out of nowhere." 

That didn't make sense. I'd texted Roddy a couple hours earlier, confirming our plans for the night. He was going to pick me up at eight. I told Luke as much. "He didn't say anything about driving anywhere else." 

"He wasn't driving. He was on foot." 

That made even less sense. "It's the height of summer. Roddy hates walking in the heat." There were only two reasons to be along Grand Nacre Drive: to get to the casino or to leave it. 

"Was he at the casino?" I asked, knowing he had no reason to go there. 

Luke's shoulders hitched. "There's a lot to figure out." 

I pulled my hands away from his and braced myself against the wall. Reality wasn't yet registering, but I knew what I'd lose if I lost Roddy. Hopes, dreams, second chances. Without him, all I'd have were memories, regret, and forty years in the rearview mirror. Mom told me the years would go fast, back in my twenties when $130k-the amount of my trust fund, thanks to years of per capita payments I couldn't touch until I turned twenty-one-seemed like a million bucks. And Mom was right, the years came and went like sparks. And, like the money, I'd wasted them all. 

"When?" I asked Luke. 

"About an hour ago." 

I looked out the window. The sun was below the horizon. All that remained of its light was a fiery orange band like the ring around a lit cigarette. 

"It must have been light when the accident happened." Anger rose within me. "Was the driver drunk?"

 "Noemi . . ." Luke threw his head back and cupped his brow. I'd never seen him so unsettled. "It might not have been the driver's fault." 

"He's blaming Roddy?" 

"She's saying . . ." Eyes clenched tight, he slowly exhaled and then, finally looking like the authority he'd always been, as his arms fell to his sides and he gave it to me straight. "The driver said Roddy lunged in front of her vehicle. You've already said yourself that Roddy didn't like to walk and that he hadn't mentioned going anywhere today. There's concern"-his voice softened-"that this could have been suicide." 

"What?!" I shrieked again. "No fucking way. He wouldn't. He wouldn't. We had plans. We were gonna get out of here. We were gonna get tattoos!" 

"There's a lot to figure out," he repeated. 

"What exactly did the driver say about Roddy?" Uncle Louie asked, stepping closer to Luke.

 "According to her, he jumped in front of-" 

"He wouldn't!" I insisted. 

"With the way word travels around here, I might as well tell you everything." Luke exhaled another deep breath. "The driver ran for help. When she returned to Roddy, she saw a coyote standing over his body . . . with blood around its mouth." 

My stomach churned. I finally sat. Mom plopped beside me, wrapping me in her arms, while Uncle Louie, paler than before, inexplicably locked the door.

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Excerpted from Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina Copyright © 2024 by Nick Medina. 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.