Gosh, I haven't posted in 15 days. Truthfully, I have been thinking of taking an extended break but will see if I can get back on track. Seems I have been so busy (work is so crazy, that they are actually going to hire another person, very unusual) and I have been so distracted for whatever reason. I have read some books and listened to some books other than what I have posted. Several were ARCs and others recommendations. So I will just list them here and maybe you read some of these authors too and will be interested in them. It is quite a variety of mysteries and a non mystery thrown in.
First books I read. I received free copies for them.
Zero Island by Chris Bauer - suspense, reminded me of the recent Hawaii Five-O t.v. show. Fast paced, quick to read because it is pretty exciting but some gruesome parts.
About:
"Take a Hawaiian vacation, they told Philo.
Relax. Maybe keep a runaway mob cleaner alive while you’re there, they said.
Try not to get killed while doing it, they said…
The Hawaiian mob isn’t dead; they moved to Philly. And now one of their own has fled.
Hawaiian mob fixer Kaipo Mawpaw is incognito somewhere in the South Pacific, and she wants to stay that way.
A mobster wants her back and is willing to buy a small Hawaiian island that isn’t for sale to make it happen: Miakamii, Kaipo’s birthplace, where seashell jewelry made by the island’s indigenous people are worth small fortunes, where there might be a cure for dementia, and where its inhabitants have been sheltered from outsiders since the 1860s.
But the island’s quiet native citizenry is now under siege as bodies of current and former inhabitants start piling up.
Philo Trout, retired Navy SEAL, current crime scene cleaning business owner, and reluctant tourist, is about to get the vacation of a lifetime."
Blind Secrets by Shawn McGuire - book 12 in the Whispering Pine series - good, a little darker than the other books in this series if you have read others
About:
"It’s been almost a year since Sheriff Jayne O’Shea arrived in Whispering Pines. Deciding to stay was the best decision she ever made, but the closer the anniversary gets, the gloomier she feels..
It doesn’t help that she and Tripp have been arguing. Neither does the dense fog blanketing the village. Or the group of cranky wedding planners staying at the B&B. Trying to organize an outdoor event when the weather won’t cooperate is understandably stressful, but their constant bickering is pushing everyone to the edge.
It doesn’t help that she and Tripp have been arguing. Neither does the dense fog blanketing the village. Or the group of cranky wedding planners staying at the B&B. Trying to organize an outdoor event when the weather won’t cooperate is understandably stressful, but their constant bickering is pushing everyone to the edge."
Dead in the Water by Jeannette de Beauvior: A Provincetown Mystery. Very good, quick paced mystery with clever use of previous characters. I love the writing of the main character, Sydney - the way Sydney thinks and her dry humor/sarcastic wit. Her mother is a hoot and her dad could be anyone's dad. Great mystery with interesting historical information.
About:
"Sydney Riley's parents, ensconced at the Race Point Inn, expect her to play tour guide. Wealthy adventurer Guy Husband has reappeared, seeking help regaining the affections of her best friend, Mirela. And the body of a kidnapped businessman has washed up under MacMillan Wharf.
Sydney is literally at sea (not her favorite place), juggling friends and family to indulge her supersized curiosity. Is the murder the work of a regional gang led by the infamous "Codfather" or the result of a feud within an influential Provincetown family? What's Guy Husband's connection? And why does Sydney's boyfriend Ali suddenly insist on visiting—especially while her mother is in town?"
Here is what I listed to in audio books.
Malice in Miami by Barbara Venkataraman - Jamie Quinn mystery 6: I like Jamie's character and all the antics that take place. I received a free audio code for this book.
About:
"Reluctant family law attorney Jamie Quinn is loving life--and why wouldn't she? Her boyfriend Kip is back from Australia, her long-lost dad finally has his visa and she's about to start her dream job at an art foundation. But it all falls apart when Jamie is accused of stealing priceless art from a rare book collection. If she can't find out who framed her, she can kiss her dream job good-bye--and her law license too. Meanwhile, Kip has problems of his own. Now an environmental activist, he uncovers a deadly secret--one that just might get him killed. Jamie's in trouble, Kip's in danger, and Duke Broussard has gone AWOL. How could Jamie's favorite P.I. abandon her at a time like this?"
Angel Falls by Colleen Helme - Sand and Shadows #1. This is a spin off from Colleen's Shelby Nichols series. Ella was introduced as a nurse in NY in the last Shelby book. She has a real gift to heal. I liked it once it got going. A few of the characters from the Shelby books made an appearance too. I received a free audio code for this book.
About:
"Sent away because she let someone die, her burgeoning powers leave her with more questions than answers. Now her only chance for redemption comes at a price... one she may not survive.
As a trauma nurse in a New York City hospital, Ella St. John had no idea that refusing to help a known killer would have such dire consequences. Being sent to the middle of nowhere is bad enough, but when she crosses paths with a handsome stranger, everything changes. She can't deny the attraction blossoming between them, but that is nothing compared to the trouble he brings to her door. Helping him could be the biggest mistake of her life... if she manages to live long enough to regret it.
From the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventures, comes a new series that will plunge a woman with growing powers into the dark world of mystery, murder, and death.
Perfect for fans of Shannon Mayer, Annette Marie, K.F. Breene, and Jennifer Estep."
A View Across the Rooftops by Suzanne Kelman - historical novel. This is not a mystery. It was very good, mesmerizing.
"1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. An unforgettable story of love, hope and betrayal, and a testament to the courage of humanity in history’s darkest days.
As Nazis occupy his beloved city, Professor Josef Held feels helpless. So when he discovers his former pupil Michael Blum is trying to escape the Gestapo, he offers Michael a place to hide in his attic.
In the quiet gloom of the secret room, Michael talks of his beautiful, fearless girlfriend, Elke. Michael insists that not even the Nazis will come between them. But Elke is a non-Jewish Dutch girl, and their relationship is strictly forbidden.
Josef sees the passionate determination in his young friend’s eyes. Furious with the rules of the cruel German soldiers and remembering his own heartbreak, Josef feels desperate to give Michael and Elke’s love a chance. But then tragedy strikes, and Josef is faced with an impossible choice.
In the dark days of war, with danger and betrayal at every turn, no-one can be trusted. If Michael is to survive and get back to the woman he loves, it will be down to Josef – to find the hero inside himself, and do whatever it takes to keep Michael alive.
Even if it means putting his own life in mortal danger.
A heartbreakingly beautiful story about courage against the odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, All The Light We Cannot See, and The Nightingale."
I currently am reading two books and listening to another while I work for part of the day. So I will talk about those soon...I hope.
