Book Review: Fear Farm No Trespassers by S. J. Krandall

 Genre: Psychological Horror / Thriller

Tropes: Small Town Secrets, Unreliable Narrator, Disappearances, Serial Killer Threads, Short-Story Structure, High Tension

Spice Level: None

Format: Physical Copy (Signed Edition)

Series: Standalone

                Over the course of a year several people had gone missing from a section of deep country-side never to be heard from again. Rumors abound, but no one knows for sure what happened. A young woman obsessed with their fates begins to live them. Are they real or a figment of her imagination?

                I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. That book was signed and even had a cute little photo of the actual farmhouse the author based the stories around.

 I like this book if you think of it like a series of short stories around one area. If you try to connect each chapter into one overall story that is where it gets confusing. I read it and reread parts and I still don’t know how they are connected. Outside of the murder bit.

That isn’t to say the book is bad, far from it. We have a high tension read where you never know if anyone is going to survive. Just because a story is from that person’s perspective doesn’t mean they will make it. I loved that part, because we usually know someone will live till the end.

The book is well written as a series of short stories. Each chapter has a new instance set in the same general area with the same murderer. That person may or may not be alive, but the risk is still the same. The stories had a very Twilight Zone feel to them and I would absolutely read more by this author in the future.

This book is available on Amazon for $8.99 by clicking here.

You’ll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• Psychological horror with an ambiguous edge
• Anthology-style storytelling
• Small town or rural thriller settings
• Stories where anyone can die
• Twilight Zone–inspired tension
• Atmospheric horror over gore

This is a strong, well-written collection that thrives on mood and unpredictability. I would absolutely read more from this author in the future.

Book Review: Neon Fever by Anna Mocikat (There’s No Murder in Paradise Book 3)

Genre: Crime Thriller / Detective Fiction (with Sci-Fi Elements)

Tropes: Detective Duo, Murder Investigation, Conspiracy, Corrupt Elite, Human Trafficking Themes, Futuristic Society, Moral Dilemmas

Spice Level: None

Format: eBook

Series: There's No Murder in Paradise Book 3

    Siro and Kate are handed what appears to be a straightforward case: a companion who seemingly jumped to her death. Open-and-shut suicide.

    Except Siro doesn’t believe it.

    The autopsy confirms his instincts—this was murder. What begins as a routine investigation quickly spirals into something darker, exposing a system that disguises exploitation as choice and power as protection. As Siro and Kate dig deeper, they uncover a web of corruption and control that reaches higher than anyone wants to admit.

    I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

    I’ve loved every book I’ve read by this author, and this one is no exception. The investigative process is what really shines here—Siro and Kate relentlessly follow every lead, refusing to let power or influence shield the guilty. No stone is left unturned, no matter how dangerous it becomes.

    The central theme surrounding the “companion program” is complex and morally layered. The book raises difficult questions about autonomy, coercion, and systemic control. While I struggled at times with Siro’s rigid stance on the issue, I appreciated that the narrative didn’t treat it lightly. It forces readers to confront uncomfortable realities about exploitation disguised as opportunity.

    The ending didn’t surprise me—and that’s not a criticism. In a world where those in power often evade consequences, the resolution feels frustratingly realistic. The idea that entrenched systems protect their own mirrors real-world politics in unsettling ways.

    One noticeable shift in this installment: there’s no crossover mention of characters from the Behind Blue Eyes universe (such as Nephilim or Metatron), which was a departure from previous books.                

     Additionally, Siro’s earlier internal struggle with his cybernetic upgrades is largely absent here. It was surprising given how much space it occupied in prior installments, but I can understand why it wasn’t central to this particular storyline.

    Overall, this was another strong entry in the series—intense, thought-provoking, and morally complex. I’m absolutely hooked and will continue reading if more books are added to this world.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll love this book if you enjoy:

• Detective duos with strong moral codes
• Crime thrillers involving systemic corruption
• Futuristic or cyber-enhanced investigative worlds
• Dark, layered conspiracies
• Realistic (and sometimes frustrating) endings

Books by this author: 

Shadow City (Shadow City Book 1)

Dark City (Shadow City Book 2)

Behind Blue Eyes (Behind Blue Eyes Book 1)

Fallen Angels (Behind Blue Eyes Book 2)

War Games (Behind Blue Eyes Book 3)

Last Stand (Behind Blue Eyes Book 4)

The Tigress (Behind Blue Eyes Book 5)

Level 1 (Cyber Squad Book 1)

Level 2 (Cyber Squad Book 2)

Level 3 (Cyber Squad Book 3)

Volume 1 (Nephilim Origins Volume 1)

Volume 2 (Nephilim Origins Volume 2)

Volume 3 (Nephilim Origins Volume 3)

Space Punks (Space Punks Book 1)

Nightingale's Song (Space Punks Book 2)

Shadows of the Past (Space Punks Book 3)

Nemesis (Space Punks Book 4)

Neon Nights (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 1)

Neon Dreams (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 2)

Book Review: Last Stop Slumberland by Jay Cameron Parker

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

Setting: 1950s Hollywood

Tropes: Down-on-His-Luck Protagonist, Amateur Sleuth, Family Secrets, Redemption Arc,                             Hollywood Noir, Alcoholism Recovery

Spice Level: None

Format: Physical Copy 

Series: Stand-alone

Matthew Brooks is a nobody in 1950s Hollywood—an assistant to a background character in films that barely require him to exist. His life runs on repetition: wake up, drink, go to work, flirt with his girl, drink, go home, repeat. His ambitions don’t stretch much further than keeping a roof over his head and a flask in his pocket.

Everything changes when he receives a call that his estranged sister has been admitted to the hospital. By the time he arrives, she has already died—and the routine life he’s clung to quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ Content Warnings:

• Heavy alcoholism
• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Racism (historically reflective of 1950s Hollywood)

A note on the racism: this book is set in 1950s Hollywood, and the depictions reflect the realities of the time. It may be triggering for some readers.

I’ll admit I almost stopped reading around the 90-page mark when the story began leaning heavily into religion—something I try to avoid. I’m glad I continued. While faith becomes part of the MMC’s personal journey, it does not take over the main plot.

Aside from that hesitation, I genuinely enjoyed this book. Some moments stretch plausibility—most notably a severe alcoholic seemingly overcoming withdrawal after a single day of detox and cough medicine—but it ultimately serves the redemption arc the author was building. It didn’t derail my enjoyment.

The mystery itself was engaging. We follow Matthew step-by-step through the investigation, uncovering clues and motives alongside him. Whenever events felt overly outlandish, the author circled back through alternate perspectives to clarify how and why things unfolded the way they did, which helped ground the story.

Overall, this was a well-written historical mystery with strong noir undertones, a compelling redemption arc, and a satisfying closed ending that leaves readers hopeful for the characters’ futures. I would absolutely read more from this author.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• Historical fiction set in 1950s Hollywood
• Character-driven mysteries
• Flawed protagonists seeking redemption
• Noir-inspired storytelling
• Stand-alone mysteries with satisfying endings

Book Review: How to Fake it with a Fae by Amy Boyles (Seven Suitors for Seven Witches Book 1)

Author: Amy Boyles

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Engagement, Forced Proximity, Fae, Cozy Mystery

Spice Level: Low 🌶

Series: Seven Suitors for Seven Witches Book 1

     Addison can match you with your perfect read-but that is where her magic ends. Born into a powerful magical family, many consider her a failure for her own inability to do more. To keep the magic strong they must marry, but her boyfriend broke up with her just before her grandmother died. 

    At her Aunt's insistence, Addison attends a ball, where an attempt to avoid her manipulative ex goes horribly (and magically) wrong. A Fae stranger named Feylin accidentally binds himself to her, forcing them into a fake engagement neither of them wanted-but might need. 

    This was an adorable read. While it's technically enemies to lovers, it leans more into miscommunication and third-party meddling than outright hostility. 

    Oh. This is also a forced proximity fake engagement book with the added bonus of a murder mystery thrown into the mix. The characters were charming, especially Feylin's nephew, who completely stole the show for me. I will say Feylin went a bit too far with the bookstore incident-but it was made up for, which I appreciated. This is book 1 in a series that ends with Feylin and Addison all wrapped up, but still going on in the background. 

    You can see the set-up for the characters of book 2 in this one and I fully intend to read on in this series. There are spicy scenes, but this is a low-spice romance overall. If you enjoy a good rom-com without the spice overpowering the plot, this strikes a nice balance. If you are one of the people, like me, that frequently find yourself being dragged into those gods-awful Facebook ReelDrama/DailyMotion ads and then watching them even though they are so over the top you will love this. 

Who This Book is For: You'll love this book if you enjoy: 

• Cozy Fantasy Romance
• Fake Engagements
• Fae characters
• Light spice
• Murder mysteries mixed with romance
• Over-the-top drama

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Ghost Unleashed by Charmaine Ross (Demon Cursed Book 1)

     Mom has had a curse her entire life. She sees dead people, but my sister and I have never seen anything. I work in the hospital and try to save as many people as possible while my sister would love to have the sight. She is a paranormal journalist. Mom has hidden herself away with dad as far away from people as possible, but when I mysteriously lose a patient and am not notified until the following morning and wind up hitting my head I start seeing people as well. People who shouldn't be there. Like my dead patient and a very handsome ghost detective. I need to help for them to move on, but I also don't want to go crazy like Mom....

    I went down a rabbit hole for ghost stories for a hot minute there. Not really sure why. And honestly this one has the ability to turn into a paranormal romance. Sort of. It's weird in that regard, although not the weirdest thing I've read and it was far from a no from me. Basically able to touch the ghost while astral projecting. Anyways. 

    This is a murder mystery type book, which I am all for. However, I will say that the antagonist was painfully obvious. Like from the first interaction with the character I had no doubts what happened. Wasn't sure on the why until later but the how and who was plain. It didn't take away from the story and getting to the bottom of things was fun. 

    This book wraps up the goal of the story nicely of helping her patient while leaving enough strings unattached to want to continue reading. Mostly to find out what happened with Elliott (her ghost detective). It could be a cute series. I really liked all of the characters involved. Well, aside from those we weren't meant to like. 

    Biggest detractor from me was the throwing in of religion. Yes, yes. Most people are religious and this would be a plus for them. I know that. Just stating my opinion. At least the writing and everything outside of that one aspect was enjoyable. Especially Elliott. 

    This book is available on Amazon for FREE by clicking here. 

Book Review: Neon Dreams by Anna Mocikat (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 2)

     Robots are completely safe for humanity. It has been programmed into each and every one. There has never been a reported robot murder. Until now. A man has been murdered by his own sexbot harem. Eviscerated to the point it is hard to tell how much of what remains is human. It is up to Siro and Spader to find who, or what, is responsible and fast. The victim's father is a retired board member and no one can know. 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. As always I love Anna's books and this one did not disappoint. This book picks up a year after the events in book one. While you could, in theory, read this book without having read book one you are going to be missing a lot of background information if that is the route you choose. Personally I would suggest just starting with book one. And reading the BBE series while you are at it as there is a bit of cross-over. Both are set in the same area and have many of the same characters (ie Siro and Spader). 

    The book is well-written and engaging. We get to see as Siro filters through possible scenarios and the author only lets you know as much information at a given time as she is ready for you to know. I enjoyed the death scene. I am trying very hard to be vague here. Scene in lock-up with the robots. If you've read most (or all) of the author's books it isn't hard to guess what is really transpiring, but for newer readers there is every possibility it could be believed that this was the end for a character. 

    While I wasn't overly surprised by who was behind the murder I enjoyed the process of getting to that resolution and the author did a great job of trying to throw you off along the way. I think the "If you can't tell does it matter?" went a good way towards helping Siro with his own dilemmas surrounding getting cybernetic parts as that was always something he prided himself on not having before it was no longer an option.  

    As always, the main goal of the story was completed but there was still plenty of ability for the series to continue at the end of the book. I will absolutely be reading the next in this series when it comes out. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this Author: 

Shadow City (Shadow City Book 1)

Dark City (Shadow City Book 2)

Behind Blue Eyes (Behind Blue Eyes Book 1) 

Fallen Angels (Behind Blue Eyes Book 2)

War Games (Behind Blue Eyes Book 3)

The Last Stand (Behind Blue Eyes Book 4)

The Tigress (Behind Blue Eyes Book 5)

Level One (Cyber Squad Book 1)

Level Two (Cyber Squad Book 2) 

Level Three (Cyber Squad Book 3)

Nephilim Volume 1 (A Behind Blue Eyes Origin Volume 1)

Nephilim Volume 2 (A Behind Blue Eyes Origin Volume 2)

Nephilim Volume 3 (A Behind Blue Eyes Origin Volume 3)

Space Punks (Space Punks Book 1)

Nightingale's Song (Space Punks Book 2)

Neon Nights (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 1)

Neon Fever (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 3)

Book Review: A Ghost for Christmas by J. D. Winters (Mele Keahi's Mysteries Book 1)

 

    On a visit to her aunt's house after a bad breakup Mele notices first a ghost in the window that has plagued her periodically throughout her life followed by a man dead on her aunt's doorstep. After calling the police she still can't get over it and is determined to find out who is behind the grizzly murder. It could be anyone from her aunts best friend, her aunt, to anyone in between. Will her ghostly apparitions be a help or a hindrance to solving this crime or will she end up joining them as ghosts? 

    This book is adorable and fast paced. It is a who-done-it with a little bit of very light romance thrown in. Closer to attraction and tiny date than anything else, but it was cute. I really liked the detective and the woman who was always running in this book (can't remember her name right now). The detective was gruff and kind of a pain, but he was all goo on the inside. Then the woman was a real friend, even in the short encounters. 

    Mele and her aunt are very sweet and I loved how the ghosts popped in and out and how that was explained. The author did a good job with setting and mixing in Hawaiian aspects along with small town living. Also, the scene in the book with the statue was amazing. Trying to be vague with that one. The author does a good job of flipping blame from person to person until she is ready for you to know who the culprit was. 

    This is book one in a series, but I felt everything was well explained and enjoyed all aspects of the book. The book did not end on a cliff-hanger and is one that you could feel content stopping here if you weren't ready to pledge to a series or continue on to enjoy more activities Mele gets into. 

    This book is available on Amazon for FREE by clicking here. 

Book Review: Ghost Squad by Bob Moats (Rest in Peace Book 1)

     Detective Russ Baker hasn't had an exemplary track record. In fact, the captain is so frustrated with him that he has been sentenced to the cold case files. But, when he arrives he learns that he has a new partner. A ghost helper from the beyond in the shape of a long dead cop. With the help of his new ghost partner Russ can not only talk to the ghosts in the cold case room, but bring killers to justice. 

    This book was one of my impulse purchases. I thoroughly enjoy paranormal books. Be they spicy or not. In this case, there is no spice and it is something I am kind of glad of. There is a strip club though. And there is the very good possibility of a slow-burn romance starting, but I don't know how in depth the author is going to go with it. Seems like it may end up being more of a closed-door situation, if that path is pursued. 

    Anyways, we have a cop that is basically spirally and has an awful close record being sent to cold cases as a punishment. Once there he meets a ghost detective who lets him know that he has been sent to help Russ help the ghosts move on by bringing their killers to justice. It works out great by both improving Russ's close rate and by helping get him out of his slump. 

    I enjoyed every aspect of this book from the character's personalities to the actions taken against the criminals. It was like a fun, and somewhat crass, mashup of Psych and Ghost Whisperer. I would absolutely read more in this series. 

    This book is available on Amazon for FREE by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh (The Beautiful Quartet Book 1)

 

    Celine was forced to leave her home and dress-making apprenticeship in Paris after an unfortunate event. On the run, she finds herself in a convent bound for New Orleans. The church has agreed to take in the girls until they find suitable matches and are married off. Celine quickly finds herself caught up not only in the entertainment of her new home, but in La Cour des Lions and their leader, Sebastian. Still, this mysterious man and her keepers are not Celine's biggest concern. A murderer stalks the streets and it soon becomes apparent they are targeting her. 

    I was lent this book by a friend of mine and I really enjoyed it. This is a dated book, if the dress-maker description didn't give that away along with the suitable matches to be married off to. It takes place in the late 1800s, which isn't something I read a lot of simply because I am not big on women being treated as little more than property. Still it was a YA vampire book, so I was going to give it a shot.     

    The book started off with some concerns. First, of course, was the time frame. Followed closely by the fact she is in a convent. We know I don't do religion so I was concerned. But, I kept reading and it paid off. While there are some minor religious contexts this is not a down your throat Christian book. In fact, it's a morally grey male main character book. We do have a good guy to choose from too, but the morally grey's are so much more fun. 

    Celine does not fit in the tiny boxes women used to fit into and by the time we finally discover what she was running from it wasn't even a surprise. I kind of assumed from the beginning, but there were a lot of clues leading up to. I genuinely loved Celine almost as much as Sebastian. Although the woman she made the dress for was very close to being my favorite character. So much attitude and did not care what anyone thought. She was wonderful. 

    Then, of course, we have the added thrill of murders happening around town. Bodies of women who were being courted by others found drained of blood. Celine keeps showing up in the wrong places until it becomes clear that she is the killers newest target. We get to flop back and forth between perspectives in this story and it provides an added element of fun. Especially when we see through the killers thoughts but not enough is given away to know who they are. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $5.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Becoming Insane by Leyla Cardena

     When the body of a junkie is left outside one man's apartment he and his previous best friend reconnect, only to slowly descend into madness together. The trigger may be a long buried shared memory from their childhoods that has come for them once more. Will the pair be able to regain their sanity and return to a normal life, or will their newfound afflictions bring them into a permanent institutionalized state?

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I found this book a bit hard to get into. We jump around between the two characters as they complain about their average lives not going how they want, without ever actually doing anything to change them. Then, the madness slowly starts to overtake them with one insane instance after another to the point the reader doesn't know what is going on half the time. 

    Don't get me wrong, the insane bits held some excitement, although all the details on what actually happened to the pair I am still unclear on after actually finishing the book. Even though the book wasn't my favorite that I have read recently I didn't walk away from it with any feelings of distaste. My favorite part was where the agent and psychologist were tracking down the man. I'd say more about him, but considering that was the best bit, I'll leave it out. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $3.97 by clicking here. 

Book Reivew: The Expat Wife by Courtney Hargrove

     After a whirlwind romance Rose moves with her new husband Wesley to his new job in Switzerland where things quickly begin to sour. As she is on a spouse visa she is unable to work in the country, making her give up her journalism career and be a stay at home wife. While she knew this going in, she was under the assumption that finances would be split without her having to basically beg to make any purchases. Although there is this minor bump in their relationship which is not unheard of with newlyweds their relationship is mostly perfect. Then one of the woman in her new circle of friends goes missing. No one else seems concerned, but it is like an itch she just can't scratch, and must keep looking. Can she find out what happened to Jacqueline or will she be next? 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I genuinely loved this book. From start to finish. It has action, adventure, new scenery, and plenty of mystery to go around. Is Jacqueline dead or did she just go home? If she is dead who did it? Why does no one talk about the others that have left The Company in the past? The further Rose digs the more questions you will have. Can you figure out who is behind everything? Or is it all just Rose's sleep deprived brain making connections where there are none? 

    The scenery depicted is wonderful. The characters are great, even my least favorite character. I can't say who he is because it will give things away. But you shall see what I mean. Just the sheer amount of manipulation. It is so hard to believe that the other girls within the group simply didn't care that their friend was gone, but with pictures it's hard to dispute. 

    Join Rose as she battles herself and others to discover what is happening in Lucerne, Switzerland. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Opera by Julie Anderson

     Cassandra asked to meet with her old boss only to arrive at a grizzly murder scene. It seems her previous boss has a task for her to undertake from beyond the grave. A task that will shed light on her own removal from the previous institution. Can she find the truth before either this treasonous murderer or a dethroned crime lord from her past kill her first?

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Going into the book I did not know it was not book one. While I feel like I am missing a large piece of Cassandra's past involving the crime lord and all that happened at GCHQ I was able to receive the gist of it in this book and was thereby not completely lost. While this book could be read as a stand-alone, if you don't mind some knowledge gaps, if you plan on reading the others in this series it is probably best to start at the beginning. Personally, now that I have read this one I wouldn't want to read the others because I already know how they play out. While that is fine with romances, it takes something away from mysteries. 

    Other than this one detail I enjoyed this book. The blame is constantly shifted around to various parties as should be done during a murder mystery. Even if you suspect the murderer, which I did, there are better candidates. You'll see what I mean. The book is fast paced and you don't feel like you are having to work your way through the dialog portions just to get to the action. 

    I'm also not saying there is only one character in this book you will love to hate. Because the person I hated most in this book wasn't even the killer. Big surprise there. But, he deserved what he got. 

    Still, this book was exciting and a fun read. I look forward to more from this author, just not in this series since I know how the first books would end now. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $4.96 by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Hills be Shaken by Michael Stewart

     When a dam in Kansas releases killing thousands the President of the United States demands answers. To get these answers a new band of FBI are trained who were former engineers. Their goals are simple. Figure out if what happened at the dam was natural causes or an attack and how to keep it from happening again. One such engineer is Kansas native Mose who begins making more progress than he should. Can he solve the truth behind the dam or will the death and threats stop him instead?

    I received a copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have said it time and again and I get to reiterate it here, unfortunately. I loathe religious books. So much. We know my stipulation for that. But I will unabashedly state that every time it came up (with frequency) in this book I hit the 30 second skip button to get past the religious nonsense. 

    If that was ignored completely it was a good and interesting book. For me, that was a major detractor. The mystery of if it was an internal threat, external threat, or natural causes made for a great storyline. Also, a person who had no business in the FBI being the main character is a nice change of pace. Even if their marriage makes no sense. One moment he is having an internal monologue about not even being sure if he should call his wife Honey because they are little more than roommates that don't even sleep in the same room. The next they are talking about how they are so in love and that they mean the world to each other. 

    Moving on. I genuinely liked the cop, Sam in this book and his storyline was sad. I like how the author gave a bit of mystery as to who lived all the way up to the last chapter, though. 

    This book is available as an eBook on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: What Meets the Eye by Alex Kenna

     Kate was a Detective at the top of her game with an excellent solve rate, an attorney husband, and a beautiful little girl. That is until a car chase ended with the driver ramming her car in the blockade. Her back was broken and the pills became an easy escape from the pain. Soon her husband's nagging lead to him filing for both divorce and custody. She only gets her little girl on the weekends. Sometimes. Still, Kate is determined to be better and get her life back on track. Without her ex. She is a PI now and a grieving father has asked her to look into his daughter's suicide. The truth could have more than one head rolling. 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I haven't read a lot of PI books in the past. Well, at least not ones that aren't primarily smut. I don't avoid them or even dislike them, they just aren't something I get a lot of requests for. Still, when I received this one I was excited, if only to break up my other continuous genres. 

    The characters in this book are relatable and the plot feels like something that could realistically happen. While this book is the first in a series featuring the main character this book can absolutely be read as a standalone. Probably because it is the first book. Still, the main point to this book is resolved at the end with some character threads hanging that I am sure will continue on as the series does. 

    This book has characters to love and those we love to hate. Like her ex. I hope she gets everything she wants moving forward. She has already leapt the biggest hurdle. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $13.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Dead Close by Mark Robinson (The Last Podcast)

     One night all the residents of Roanoke Road go missing. A year later and the police are no closer to finding them, although a podcast by a friend of the niece of a resident casts plenty of speculation on what happened. Was it the mob? A sketchy pharmaceutical company? Rival drug dealers? The husband who was having an affair? Or maybe it was the previous land-owner Randal. Whatever the case may be no one is safe in Roanoke. 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I love a good murder mystery and each possibility within is discussed, even though we were given the answer within the first few chapters. I was curious to see if what caused all these disappearances would be stopped or if it would continue unhindered. Still, the who done it aspect was resolved during the book and there was some closure, even if all aspects of the book were not tied up tightly. This would give a great jumping off point for another book/story in the future, however. 

    The only aspect of the book I didn't really like is while we gain more information on Sarah and how her life changed with this ordeal after the initial set-up with Clive he is never mentioned again. We know he is living at his house. We know he leaves for work one day. Then nothing more is mentioned. It just felt like a string I wanted to pluck, even if the answer was likely as mundane as what he hinted at wanting before listening to the podcast. 

    While this wasn't the longest story it was engaging. The characters were developed and not one dimensional. Typos were infrequent and I have no major qualms with the end result. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $0.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Summerside Lake Massacre by L. R. J. Allen

    The year after the grand opening of Camp Summerside Karl Molyneux dropped his mask of normality and killed 8 people, including a little girl. He pled insanity and has resided in Lake Side Hospital ever since. Now that his trail has come to a re-hearing, almost fifty years later to see if he is rehabilitated enough to be moved to minimum security he escapes and is fully prepared to take anyone and everyone with him to maintain that freedom. This does not mean the councilors of Camp Summerside are safe. While setting up the camp they begin dropping, leaving behind a grisly tale. 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I love slasher movies and this slasher book has all of our favorite 80s and 90s horror movie aspects. Secluded and isolated camp. Revenge. Unhinged killer. And one can never forget the chase scenes. All of these things make for a read that you don't want to put down. 

    The book starts with the sheriff looking at the murder scene at the camp, although we have no idea if any of the residents survived the ordeal we are told of at least one of the people that are definitely going to die. Then, the story jumps backwards and begins to tell the story starting with the Molyneaux transfer. 

    While I fully enjoyed this book, including the epilogue I would have liked this section to include an update on the other hospital escapee to see how she is handling life with what was brought to life. It would be a hard thing to process, that is for sure. That is the only negative I have to add on this story. 

    The author casts just enough doubt for you to wonder who the murderer may be while leaving enough clues to make it obvious once revealed. An all around enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this author in the future.  

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: A Christmas in Calcutta by AM Sardar (A Charlotte Holmes Mystery Book 1)

     After a devastating loss Charlotte is intent to escape her husband's confines and visit Calcutta to visit her brother as well as unveil a threat. On her way, while attempting to escape her brother in law, Jonathan, she meets and becomes the traveling companion of Dr. Josh Watan. Together they solve a murder aboard the train, but can they keep their lives against the threat to the crown?

    I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. While it is obvious this author's favorite characters are sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson I feel like this was just a bit too much like them. The characters names are plays on their as well as the fact that they act similarly. Of course Charlotte is a female instead of a male and things are a bit different because of that. That being said, if you have never read Sherlock Holmes then this will be a treat.

    We follow a woman as she escapes from confinement on a train where a murder has occurred. Once that is solved they continue on with the intended victim to her new home to meet her betrothed. Here we find another murder. Together between Dr. Watan and Mrs. Holmes they determine who is behind these horrid acts and fight for their very lives. Once free they are far from safe as there is still the threat against the crown to contend with. The only problem is will anyone listen before it is too late? 

    The characters are well developed and easy to understand and there is genuine banter between the two. While not all books in a HEA this one has a bittersweet tang. I will leave the details for you to discover. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan

     Stella has been tormented by dreams of murders since she was 4 years old. "Mommy, Daddy is doing the bad thing again." These words will haunt her nightmares each time she helplessly watches the deaths. This time, however, she doesn't want to run. Stella loves her home in the Sierra Nevada's and doesn't want to leave because someone found out who she was. With the help of her friends, and her sexy second in command, Sam, she wants to save as many people in her home as possible. 

    This book as an impulse download from the Libby app as I didn't have any requested review audiobooks at the time and I love Christine Feehan. One of my previous best friends turned me onto her years ago and my love of that author lasted longer than that friendship. I have read a multiple books across a variety of series by her, but this one was new for me. 

    In the other books I have read by her they are basically smut with a plot. The Ghostwalkers series, Leopard, and the Carpathians. I love them for this reason, but this was a change of pace. There was it's fair share of sexy scenes, but the plot was a much larger part in it than the sex was. In fact, the sex scenes were largely glossed over in this book. This was more of a murder mystery book by an amazing author who knows how to put you into a scene. 

    I will admit that I had an idea who the killer was all along, but the author did a great job of casting doubt. Stella was wonderful and I couldn't imagine going through what she had to go through. Not only with her father, but also with her mother. I truly hope that this book becomes a series. Feehan is big on series, so I don't think it will be a problem, but you never know. For now this book can be read as a stand-alone. Most things are tied with a bow, other than Sam's father. 

    My favorite character in this book was Rena (?) and I want to know more about her history with the underboss. I am sure there are some spicy details in that history. Now, I don't know for sure that they have a history, mind you, but the suggestions are there and it would be a wonderful jumping off point into the next in the series. Can't wait to see what she does!

    I have read a lot of other reviews on this book and a lot of people are complaining about the lack of sexual content in this book. It isn't what we typically expect from Feehan. I will give you that. It's not. BUT. Authors are allowed to try new things. They are allowed to write the story as it wants to be told. Not stay within the confines of books they have previously written. While this book has a military man in it, a couple of them in fact, it is NOT a rip off of the Ghostwalkers. There is no lab experiments gone wrong-or in that case right. It is a murder mystery with a dash of contemporary romance. If you don't like it read some of her smut. I know the ones I mentioned earlier are full of it. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $8.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams (Echo Falls Mystery Book 1)

 

    Young, aspiring actress, Ingrid left her shoes at the house of Cracked-Up Katie when she got lost in her home town on her way to soccer practice. The next day Katie is found dead and in an attempt to get her shoes back Ingrid finds herself deep in a web of secrets and town history. Can a 13 year old really solve the truth behind the murder while going to school, soccer, and starring in the town's production of Alice in Wonderland? 

    As I am currently out of physical books from indie authors on my TBR list this is a book I've picked up at one or another thrift store over the years. It had two things that drew me to it: Alice in Wonderland related and a ringing endorsement by Stephen King on the cover. 

    After I read the book I tried, and failed, to track down the full endorsement from King. It said "My all time favorite...astonishing." Trust me when I say I would never use any of those words to describe this book. It is a young adult murder mystery. She gets into things she shouldn't and almost gets herself killed in the process. It is interesting and about what you'd expect out of a young adult book. There is a lot of slang and petty girl fights in it. Unless King was talking about other works by this author, which I will go ahead and state that I haven't personally read any of, I don't know what he was talking about. 

    I'm not saying the book was bad. It wasn't. It was just predictable and didn't meet my hopes for it with the props it was boasting. This book is book one in a series of mysteries featuring this sleepy little town, but at the close of this book everything is tied up with a nice little bow. We know who did it, we know what happened, and all issues presented in the book are resolved. It could easily be a stand-alone book for "Griddie" and her missing cleats. In my mind, I think I will be keeping it as a stand-alone instead of adding the next in the series to my list of books to buy. 

    While I enjoyed the book it wasn't enough to buy the next. On to the other point that drew me to this book: features Alice in Wonderland. It is true that she is in a play and that she has the lead role. Normally, I wouldn't just tell you that since it is a minor spoiler, but considering the author already put it in the blurb it is a non-factor. The production takes many twists and turns and how people actually managed to learn their lines with all of the changes is truly beyond me. Especially in the time-frame. But, I know nothing of acting so I suppose it is possible. Even though the story itself didn't feel as if it were getting "curiouser and curiouser" the familiar setting of the hatter's table brought a smile to my face. 

    My favorite character in this book was Ingrid's grandfather. His take-no-shit attitude and proving that he will truly do whatever he pleases to keep things just how he wants them made me love him. My own grandfather is just the same and no one will ever be able to change that man's mind on anything he doesn't want it changed on. Even now in the end stages of lung cancer he is determined to do house repairs and tend to his doves (literal fan-tails). No matter how many offers to help he receives it's brushed away. Although he won't stop me if I just start doing something. I can be as stubborn as he is. I have to get it from somewhere. Why not the man who raised me? 

    The biggest suspense factor in this book was the underlying family drama in Ingrid's house. She and her brother have so much pressure on them by their parents to be the best at everything just so they can "keep up with the Jonses" or in this case it would be the Findley's. Maybe Farleys. Something with an F. I finished this book almost 2 weeks ago and between covid and other things am only now getting to the review. Then there is what I am certain her father is doing. See if you can spot what I mean when you read the book. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Moonlight Becomes You by Robert Herold (The Eidola Project Book 2)

 

    When the professor and his team, The Eidola Project, are asked to come to Virginia to look into the mysterious murders happening to the black community. While the Klan plays a large part in this town's issues these are different, with the people being completely destroyed with barely enough remaining to tell it was once a human at all. Upon arrival they hear of a town legend, the Bogeywolf, and the townsfolk may not be too far off. Before their hunt for the supernatural is over they may have to face something just as bad: bigots. 

    I received an eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I started this book after I finished book one, and while helpful you would be able to read this book without the benefit of the other. You would be missing little details, but not enough were you would be lost. Personally, I feel this is a good way to handle a lot of sequels. Tip of the hat to the other, then move on. 

    There were a few minor issues within the book that I have already discussed with the author, so no need to rehash them here. Mostly a title of an idiot being incorrect. By idiot I do mean the character Garraty, and that is the nicest term I have for him. The level of disgust a person must be in order to...nevermind. While it takes place in the book it's done from a historically accurate point, not in condonement. You will see what I mean within the pages. I know I have a tendency to get a bit vague, although it is in the synopsis. 

    The mystery of the werewolf as well as who it was was intriguing and you didn't know who it was until the author wanted you to. I definitely didn't expect it, although looking back now I can see the bread crumbs. I have book 3 now (which will be released Wednesday) and and already reading it as fast as I can in hopes of having the ARC read and review ready by launch. 

    The setting is amazing in this book and you are able to tell exactly where you are, even picturing the battles and trauma that Nigel went through in the war. I feel for him, and can't say I blame him completely for how he dealt with his curse now that I know more about it. I don't know why Annabelle turned to what she did, but it has been mentioned previously. Maybe we will get the answer to it in the next book. Personally, she has never been my favored character as she wants a happily married man. All of the gag. But, characters are supposed to be well-rounded and take on a life of their own. She has certainly achieved that. Sarah still seems almost fragile, but I like her. Edgar has some anger issues, but I can't blame him for them. And the professor has always seemed a stand-up guy. I don't know that I have a favorite in this rag-tag bunch. 

    I completely enjoyed this book, as is obvious by having already started book 3. The author knows how to set the scene, make real characters, and make the supernatural seem plausible. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

The Eidola Project (The Eidola Project Book 1)

Totem of Terror (The Eidola Project Book 3)