Stripped Bare by Shannon Baker

 I was introduced to the Kate Fox series by Shannon Baker through Audible. The first book in the series, Stripped Bare, was/is one of the "free" extras. 

About: 
"Kate Fox is living the dream. She’s married to Grand County Sheriff Ted Conner, the heir to her beloved Nebraska Sandhills cattle ranch, where they live with Kate’s orphaned teenage niece, Carly. With the support of the well-connected Fox Clan, which includes Kate’s eight boisterous and interfering siblings, Ted’s reelection as Grand County Sheriff is virtually assured. That leaves Kate to the solitude and satisfaction of Frog Creek, her own slice of heaven.

One night Kate answers a shattering phone call from Roxy at the Bar J. Carly’s granddad Eldon, owner of the ranch, is dead and Ted has been shot and may never walk again. Kate vows to find the killer. She soon discovers Ted responded so quickly to the scene because he was already at the Bar J . . . in Roxy’s bed. And to add to her woes, Carly has gone missing.

Kate finds out that Eldon was considering selling his ranch to an obscenely rich environmentalist. Some in town hate the idea of an outsider buying up land, others are desperate to sell . . . and some might kill to get their way. As she becomes the victim of several “accidents,” Kate knows she must find the killer before it’s too late ."

I liked this book well enough to want to move on to book two. Good start to a series with a strong female lead. Kate is trying to investigate a murder to get her sheriff husband cleared of suspicion of the murder. Kate finds out that maybe her happy marriage isn't as happy as she thought.

Not unlike other first in a series books, it was a little slow in places and lots of characters. But all the characters needed to be introduced for future books. 

This book reminded me somewhat of the Joe Pickett series but with a female main character fighting lots of despicable people in a similar location. 

I liked Kate's ability to pick herself up and do what needs to be done. And I LOVED the ending. Great hook into the next book.

)Hint: Be sure to use the author's name if you search for this book. There is another book of the same name but with a headless naked torso on the cover. Not this book. lol)

There are six books in the series. 

Shannon Baker also writes the Nora Abbott series (three books), Michaela Sanchez Southwest Crime Thrillers (two books) and has written a standalone - The Desert Behind Me. They all look pretty good to me.

https://shannon-baker.com/

Featuring: Chariss K. Walker - Cozy Mysteries, Romantic Suspense Psychic Thrillers, Dystopian and more

 Happy Friday and end of  April. 

I have a new to me author that I thought you might be interested in hearing about.

I found out about Chariss thru Authors XP. I think I have mentioned that I am on the Authors XP mailing list. This is a great place to get ARC's, other read and review, heads up on new books, free books, and opportunities to join "Street Teams" - helping authors by sharing and reviewing their books. You can set your genre interests so you get info on books you may be interested in. 

Here is that website in case you are interested in joining their list: https://authorsxp.com/

An opportunity recently came through Authors XP to be a part of a Street Team for Chariss K Walker. I liked the the sound of her books so I joined. 

Chariss has several series.

Becky Tibbs - A North Carolina Medium's Mystery Series: A Cozy Mystery series with a paranormal twist..

"Becky Tibbs, a medium in Asheville North Carolina, works with ghosts every day. She helps them with their unfinished business and sometimes that includes solving the mysteries surrounding their deaths. This a light cozy ghost mystery series." 

There are 10 books in this series with more to come.

The Vision Chronicle Series: A Romantic Suspense Psychic Thriller series:

"Mike Lewis has a secret that he has kept for fifteen years. Is it a gift or a curse? He sees the future through a kaleidoscope, but when he stops fighting this ability it changes and evolves with his acceptance. Once, Mike only saw images of horrifying distant events that didn't affect him personally but now the visions warn him of his own impending dangerous situations. Only a few days after he finally shares the secret, he discovers that someone is after him and they’re determined to learn all they can about his ability. The further he delves the eerier it gets until Mike finally realizes that the best he can do is learn how to protect himself, stand and fight as long as he can, and then run. When he runs, chaos follows.
The Vision Chronicles, an eight book series, details Mike’s changing ability. As the titles change, so does his ability and the method through which he sees the visions. Each book covers approximately eight weeks in his life. It's a fast-paced reality thriller series, so hang onto your butt as you learn of the challenges he faces and Mike's honest self-reflections. There are moments of intimacy and tenderness that can bring a tear or a nod of understanding, along with heart-pounding instances of abduction, imprisonment, and near-death experiences. Through every challenge, Mike uses his mystic ability selflessly to help his family and friends."

There are eight books in this series. 

The Alec Winters Series: Dark Fiction

"This supernatural suspense series is a controversial tale of transformation to angel and demon where Alec Winters roams the gritty streets of New Orleans to protect its innocent victims and brutally destroy the wicked people who hurt them."

There are four books in this series.

Serena McKay novels: Dystopian Crime Novels: There are two books in this series 

"Serena McKay, P.I., lives in a post-apocalyptic dystopian time where the rich get richer and the poor are homeless. Existence in August City is nightmarish at best and disastrously chilling at worst. Serena has suffered from devastating emotional and physical abuse but she continues to do her job in spite of it."

Dystopian Fantasy Series: There are three books in this series.

2121 Trilogy, A Dystopian Fantasy Story, is written for Young Adults, New Adults, and All Age Adults who enjoy dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction with a bit of horror.
TheTriloby includes Salazar, Book 1, Sondra, Book 2, and Dinah, Book 3.

Chariss also has several non fiction books. 

I read A Medium's Birthday Surprise: Book One in the Becky Tibbs series.

About: "Becky Tibbs didn’t ask for the job or the gift of being a medium, but after her parents died, the unusual ability became a bequest – a gift handed down from her mother’s side of the family.

An optimistic and positive young woman, Becky determines to make the best of a difficult situation in the small town of Asheville, North Carolina where the smallest detail is noticed and everyone knows everything about everyone else.

Becky deals with a lot of departed spirits in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Such a job can get rather hectic at times. Misunderstood ghosts can create a lot of sticky problems for the living and a community such as hers.

Used to dealing with ghosts on a daily basis, Becky is not easily surprised. However, on her 26th birthday, Becky gets the biggest shock she’s had in the past ten years and it’s a doozy."

While this is a cozy mystery series, the main characters are dealing with real issues - not all cozy.  Becky's brother and sister, Bobby and Barbara, also have the "gift" of seeing ghosts. Problem is they do not want this gift, whereas Becky has embraced it and frequently helps ghosts to move on. The dark side to this cozy mystery is that Bobby is dealing with it by drinking and Barbara is self medicating, both to numb their ability. I am interested to see how these characters develop and how they deal with the issues. I also like paranormal twists. 

About Chariss K. Walker: 

"Award-winning author, Chariss K. Walker, M.Msc., Reiki Master/Teacher, writes both fiction and nonfiction books with a metaphysical and spiritual component. Her fiction expresses a visionary/metaphysical message that illustrates growth in a character's consciousness while utilizing a paranormal aspect."

If you would like to find out more about Chariss, I recommend checking out her website. 

https://chariss.com/

Scot Harvath series by Brad Thor

 Happy Spring! I hope it is nice weather where you are. I just heard from a high school friend that it snowed again yesterday where I used to live. Wow. 

Our Mystery Book Club met in the library last week for the second month in a row! Everyone is so glad to be back. Even the library staff is glad the book clubs are back. They are posting the meetings and book selections on the website again. That really made me feel like we were back.   We may have lost a few regulars through all of this. But we seem to have good core group. Time will tell. 

For our April selection, it was readers choice of the Brad Thor Scot Harvath series. I had seen Brad Thor speak virtually last year and it got me interested.. Since he has 21 books in the series now, it was reader's choice in case some had already read some of the books.

The Scot Harvath books are political thrillers. I chose to start at the beginning and read the first book:

The Lions of Lucerne

About: "On the snowy Utah slopes, thirty Secret Service agents are viciously executed and the vacationing president of the United States kidnapped, seemingly by the Fatah, a lethal terrorist organization in the Middle East. But Scot Harvath, surviving agent and ex-Navy SEAL, doesn't believe the Fatah is responsible. A shadowy coalition comprises some of the highest-ranking officials in government and business – men who operate above the law, realize the threat Scot poses to their hidden agenda, and will do anything to stop him. Framed for murder and on the run, Scot takes to the towering mountains of Switzerland with beautiful Claudia Mueller of the Swiss Federal Attorney's Office. They brave subzero temperatures and sheer heights of treacherous Mount Pilatus, and the den of notorious professional killers."

There is some interesting background to this book. 

First, Brad Thor's background: "Brad has served as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Analytic Red Cell Unit. He has also lectured to law enforcement organizations on over-the-horizon/future threats, and has been a keynote speaker for the National Tactical Officers Association annual conference. In 2008, Brad shadowed a Black Ops team in Afghanistan to research his thriller, The Apostle. Brad graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California where he studied creative writing, film, and television production. Prior to becoming a novelist, Brad was the award-winning creator, producer, writer and host of the critically acclaimed national public television series, Traveling Lite."

Second: During his days of hosting a travel show, he had been to Switzerland and seen the Lion Monument or The Lion of Lucerne rock carving. He thought it would make a good book cover and/or title. 

Third: Thor saw an article about a Swiss Intelligence officer who was embezzling money from the Swiss government and training his own shadow militia in the Alps.

The idea for this first book was born.

I really liked The Lions of Lucerne. I listened to it in audio. It is very fast paced with constant action. 

Everyone in the MBC liked the book or books they had read in this series. A couple people went on to read more than one of the books. One person had read them all before and enjoyed revisiting the books. There certainly had to have been a great deal of research for this books in this series. The books often deal with things that are going on in the world and gave many of us a "that could happen" feeling. We all agreed, that it didn't seem like Scot Harvath would live to be in another book. lol 

All in all, this series is a good pick if you like political thrillers and lots of action.

https://bradthor.com/

Coming to Hallmark: Diane Mott Davidson's Dying for Chocolate, and Cut, Color Murder

 I am excited about this one. I like all of the Hallmark Mysteries but I used to read Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear series years ago. Lucky for me I caught a commercial for her second book in the series, showing on Hallmark Mysteries

Curious Caterer: Dying for Chocolate

Sunday April 10, 8 p.m. central time

About: "Colorado caterer Goldy Berry teams with detective Tom Schultz to identify the ingredients that led to the mysterious death of her friend — and ends up discovering a hidden recipe for murder. Starring Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker."

This series was first published in 1990 with Catering to Nobody. As above, Goldy Bear has a catering business in Colorado. She has a nuisance of an ex husband and if I remember correctly, a child or children. The weather is usually bad. She has a catering van she has to maneuver in the Colorado terrain. Someone usually ends up dead and she tries to find out "who dunnit". 

I have read all but the last two books, I think. I picked up this series as one of my first books when I got back to reading after getting two children past the toddler stage and could read a chapter here and there again. I set up my DVR to record this. The only thing I am noticing already, is Goldy looks fancier than I remember or pictured her in the books. 

Another Hallmark Mystery that was on in February but I missed, is repeating Sunday April 10 at 6 p.m.

Cut, Color, Murder

"When a beauty pageant creator is found dead, a savvy hairdresser works with a detective and risks everything to clear the names of those she loves. Starring Julie Gonzalo and Ryan McPartlin."

I will be watching for more Hallmark Mysteries and let you know as they come up.

State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

 I recently read State of Terror. It was written by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny. 

When it first came out, I didn't plan on reading it. I thought, like may others, that it as a book about politics that Hillary Clinton wrote. I am not a person that spends alot of time on "politics." But several of the members of our Mystery Book Club read it and really liked it. 

It is very popular at our library. I put myself on the hold list and waited a couple of months. I finally got it a few weeks ago. 

About: " After a tumultuous period in American politics, a new administration has just been sworn in, and to everyone’s surprise the president chooses a political enemy for the vital position of secretary of state.

There is no love lost between the president of the United States and Ellen Adams, his new secretary of state. But it’s a canny move on the part of the president. With this appointment, he silences one of his harshest critics, since taking the job means Adams must step down as head of her multinational media conglomerate.

As the new president addresses Congress for the first time, with Secretary Adams in attendance, Anahita Dahir, a young foreign service officer (FSO) on the Pakistan desk at the State Department, receives a baffling text from an anonymous source.

Too late, she realizes the message was a hastily coded warning.

What begins as a series of apparent terrorist attacks is revealed to be the beginning of an international chess game involving the volatile and Byzantine politics of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran; the race to develop nuclear weapons in the region; the Russian mob; a burgeoning rogue terrorist organization; and an American government set back on its heels in the international arena.

As the horrifying scale of the threat becomes clear, Secretary Adams and her team realize it has been carefully planned to take advantage of four years of an American government out of touch with international affairs, out of practice with diplomacy, and out of power in the places where it counts the most.

To defeat such an intricate, carefully constructed conspiracy, it will take the skills of a unique team: a passionate young FSO; a dedicated journalist; and a smart, determined, but as yet untested new secretary of state."

I loved this book. I didn't expect to. I thought it would be "about politics.". 

It is a political thriller. It reads like the T.V. show "24" to me. It is very fast paced and reads quick despite the number of pages. It is very intense and hard to put down. If you are a fan of Louise Penny's series, you will stand up and shout out loud (in a good way) at the last couple of chapters. 

Be sure to read the Acknowledgements at the end. Three of the characters are named after friends of Hillary Clinton. Ellen Adams. Katherine who is the real Ellen's daughter. Betsy Jameson who is named after Hillary's childhood friend and my high school Spanish teacher - Betsy Ebeling. Knowing Mrs. Ebeling, having gone to Spain with her in a high school group, this was a great tribute to her. She really was a wonderful person.  "Mrs. Ebeling" and Ellen that Ellen Adams is named for, have passed away. 

The Acknowledgements also talk about how H. Clinton and Louise Penny met and ended up writing this book. Even that part of the book was really good.

I really recommend it.

What else did I read on my blog hiatus?

 First, we had a very successful Mystery Book Club last week. Not on our usual day and kind of last minute, but we had a good turnout. The weather was not good so I was a bit worried. Cold, windy, drizzly early in the day. But the regulars persevered! Everyone was so glad to meet in person at the library again. It was exactly two years since we met there regularly, had one false start back in January and hoping this "sticks". I said we need a t-shirt. 

Everyone liked The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen and several plan to explore other books in the series. Everyone commented on Bump the dog and how he was their favorite. One person expressed her shock that everyone else was so concerned about the dog. lol

Everyone had the same thoughts about The Current that I talked about last time. A bit confusing in parts but interesting story. A lot of bad things happened to everyone in the book.

So what have I been reading to and/or listening too since December? A mix of traditional mysteries, cozies, and cozies with a paranormal twist. It was funny that authors that I am on their ARC lists and haven't heard from in quite awhile, all published a new book in February and March. So I got to read those. The timing was a bit tricky but I did it.

I finished listening to the Atlee Pine series. I really liked this series and highly recommend it. I believe that was the last book (4) in the series.

Books three and five  (Yep. I had read book four evidently but when I went to read book five, I realized I had three but never read it.) in the Madeline Brooks English cottage type traditional mysteries by Tannis Laidlaw. Madeline is a newly divorced, trying to be a realtor to support herself woman who keeps finding bodies in the houses she is showing.

There are five books in this series - The Grace Street Mysteries. 

"David Randall's perfect family life came derailed when his little daughter Lindsey died in a car crash. Thrown out by his second wife and wanting to leave a dead-end detective agency to start his own, he reluctantly accepts his psychic friend Camden's invitation to stay in Camden's boarding house in Parkland, North Carolina"

As the series goes, more people move into the house on Grace Street. They are a pretty quirky bunch. Humorous at times. Big Bang feeling group but one is a P.I., one is slightly psychic and the women who love them? They all hang around together, live together but don't always agree. And in Fatal Fantasy, David and Camden go to Extravaganzacon.I found the books entertaining.

This book two in the series. I also read the first one. I liked them. Scarlet and the Duke feel.

"Amateur sleuth Kitty Worthington once more jumps into the fray to nab the wily murderer of a high-ranking member of the nobility. Can she catch the killer before her sister's beloved pays the ultimate price?

London. 1923. Much to her consternation, Kitty Worthington's debut season is a resounding success, prompting marriage proposals from lords, rogues, scoundrels, and ne'er do wells. Even as she dodges them, a new intrigue arises, and at Westminster, no less. A high-ranking member of the nobility is murdered, and her sister's beau has been framed to take the fall."

This is a historical fiction book based on true events. Not going to sugar coat it. It was tough book to listen to.

"Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades.
 
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
 
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
 
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
 
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten. "

And after The Lilac Girls, I luckily got to read a couple of ARC''s that were lighter. I have read the first four books in this series also.

"On the private island of a wealthy banker, a young and talented stonemason falls from a cliff. A tragic accident? Or murder?

The dead man’s sister is obsessed with justice and will stop at nothing.
A glamorous French widow and her heart-throb son are certain they have been cheated of their legacy.
A daughter is bequeathed an island mansion beyond her means.
An enigmatic letter hints at a hidden fortune.

After the collapse of her theatrical tour, actress Derry O’Donnell must work to pay her way in a West of Ireland village. As Madam Tulip, she tells fortunes for a local charity only to be drawn into a maze of mystery and intrigue."

This is a fun, quick read cozy series. I have listened to the previous books in this series too.

"A touching gift. A shocking truth. Can this psychic sleuth solve a decade-old murder?
Mitzy Moon is happy to leave her painful past buried. But a thoughtful present turns her world upside down and forces her to abandon Ghost-ma and her fiendish feline to search for answers in the Southwest. Turns out her mom’s death was no accident, and proving it could be the last thing she does…"

Whew!

Currently listening to The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor and reading State of Terror by Hillary Clinton Rodham and Louise Penny. (pleasantly surprised)

The Vanishing Season, The Current

 Hi all,

I think I am back. Not sure if anything is more settled but the Covid Stage here is back down to three, from five all winter, masks requirements are coming down, it is warmer with a couple of cold fronts coming through again but with less frigid cold, thankfully. After a false start to March, as of today our Mystery Book Club can meet in the library again.

I thought I would start off with the books we read for February (our meeting had to be cancelled) and March (which should have been last week but will be this coming week.)

The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen (Ellery Hathaway #1)

About: "Ellery Hathaway knows a thing or two about serial killers, but not through her police training. She's an officer in sleepy Woodbury, MA, where a bicycle theft still makes the newspapers. No one there knows she was once victim number seventeen in the grisly story of serial killer Francis Michael Coben. The only one who lived. When three people disappear from her town in three years―all around her birthday―Ellery fears someone knows her secret. Someone very dangerous. Her superiors dismiss her concerns, but Ellery knows the vanishing season is coming and anyone could be next. She contacts the one man she knows will believe her: the FBI agent who saved her from a killer all those years ago. Agent Reed Markham made his name and fame on the back of the Coben case, but his fortunes have since turned. His marriage is in shambles, his bosses think he's washed up, and worst of all, he blew a major investigation. When Ellery calls him, he can’t help but wonder: sure, he rescued her, but was she ever truly saved? His greatest triumph is Ellery’s waking nightmare, and now both of them are about to be sucked into the past, back to the case that made them...with a killer who can't let go."

I really liked this book. It was very suspenseful, creepy in parts and was definelty a page turner. The author was really good at redirecting your focus to potential suspects. I was sure the culprit were two different people and then they weren't.. Although there were clues, totally caught off guard with who the killer was. Loved Bump (the dog) and got worried. I liked  Ellery and Reed and glad to see he the Ellery is in the next book. 

There are five books in the series. https://www.joannaschaffhausen.com/

The Current by Tim Johnston

About: "Tim Johnston, whose 2015 national bestseller Descent was called “astonishing” by the Washington Post and “unforgettable” by the Miami Herald, returns with another tour de force about the indelible impact of a crime on the lives of innocent people.

When two young women leave their college campus in the dead of winter for a 700-mile drive north to Minnesota, they suddenly find themselves fighting for their lives in the icy waters of the Black Root River, just miles from home. One girl’s survival, and the other’s death—murder, actually—stun the citizens of a small Minnesota town, thawing memories of another young woman who lost her life in the same river ten years earlier, and whose killer may yet live among them. One father is forced to relive his agony while another’s greatest desire—to bring a killer to justice—is revitalized . . . and the girl who survived the icy plunge cannot escape the sense that she is connected to that earlier unsolved case by more than a river. Soon enough she’s caught up in an investigation of her own that will unearth long-hidden secrets, and stoke the violence that has long simmered just below the surface of the town. Souls frozen in time, ghosts and demons, the accused and the guilty, all stir to life in this cold northern place where memories, like treachery, run just beneath the ice, and where a young woman can come home but still not be safe "

I received this book as one of The Strand Book Hook Up books. I thought it was pretty good, very suspenseful, a good thriller. Lots of secrets being kept by the characters. I did have a little trouble getting into rhythm of the writing. I was a little confused at first because the story does flash back 10 years on and off. I can usually follow that ok, but maybe after reading some cozies, I had to get into a different mode. It is a stand alone. 

http://www.timjohnston.net/

The April Mystery Book Club selection is Brad Thor month - reader's choice. 

I will post some the ARC's and audio books I have read/listened too in the past few months, soon.