THE DEVIL ASPECT by Craig Russell

March 7, 2019

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A novel that is guaranteed to grab hold of the reader immediately and not let go until the finale. It should be termed dark, but not gothic, although the concept of malevolent spirits permeates its pages. Viktor Kosarek is a young recently graduated psychiatrist who had studied under Carl Jung, one of the fathers of modern psychiatry. It is 1935 and set in a Czechoslovakia with the advent of Nazism on the horizon as Viktor seeks his first job. He holds the theory that evil in a person is due mainly to an evil spirit existing within the makeup of people. That the reason for murder taking place is the pressure brought by this force beyond the ability of the person to control.

Viktor’s theories catch the attention of the manager of a famous insane asylum known as the Hrad Orlu asylum for the criminally insane. At the time the asylum houses only six patients who are among the most horrific killers in Europe . He is invited to work at the asylum attempting to treat the six and prove his theory. Upon arrival Viktor begins sessions with the six; One woman and five men. He is aided with a young lady, Judita, handling the written transcription for the interviews with the patients. She is Jewish and is attempting to flee Europe ahead of the Nazi terror she realizes is coming. A love affair does develop between her and Viktor which plays out in the background.

A second scenario is developed dealing with a serial killer known only as Leather Apron who is terrorizing Prague. His methods of slaughter are reminiscent of England’s Jack the Ripper murderer. Russell follows the chase led by a policeman and also ties in ancient legends about evil entities that have permeated Czechoslovakia’s past.

The reader will be led into reading about murder at its most horrible with descriptions of mutilated bodies that can definitely be very difficult to bear. These are tied into Viktor’s findings in a logical way that helps lead to a finale that is logical and ends the novel in a manner very suited to the story being told. An excellent piece of dark literature that will keep readers glued to the pages attempting to discern an ending that is certainly not telegraphed but is quite satisfying.

3/19 Paul Lane

THE DEVIL ASPECT by Craig Russell. Doubleday (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-0385544368. 432p.

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MR. ACCIDENTAL HERO by Gina Robinson

March 6, 2019

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Jet City Matchmaker Series, Book 1

From the publisher:

One beautiful and mysterious woman. One hot multimillionaire looking for his soul mate. When their matchmaker gets involved, though, falling in love is anything but accidental.

Jeremy Marino is the kind of guy who runs towards the sound of gunfire, leaping in to help anyone in trouble. His friends call him the accidental hero. He always seems to be at the right place at the right time to save a life.

Crystal Pruitt is the kind of woman who instinctively jumps in to help people in trouble. Her friends call her the accidental heroine. But a cool-hunter like her can’t afford any publicity.

When they meet working to save a trucker from his burning beer truck, the chemistry between them is off the charts. Until Crystal disappears into the gathering crowd, leaving Jeremy wondering if he’ll ever be able to find her again. Was their attraction real or just the heat of the moment?

This came up as a free Kindle book from BookBub, and if you haven’t heard about this site, check it out. If you like inexpensive or free ebooks, it is definitely worth a visit. I think the most expensive book I’ve seen on there is about $3.99, many are $1.99 or free. It’s one of the best emails I get every day.

I grabbed this free book and gave it a read and I was very glad I did. It is short, only 234 pages so almost a novella, but the characters and back stories are developed enough in that time frame. I actually thought it was possibly the second book in the series, but by the end I realized what was going on.

Crystal is a great character, strong, fierce, sure of her own self worth. I’ve had it with women with low self esteem; Crystal is the antithesis of that and a refreshing change in the romance genre. More and more strong women characters are populating this genre and I couldn’t be happier about it. Our hero, Jeremy, is literally that; he and Crystal meet when they are inadvertently at the scene of a horrific truck accident and they both jump in to save the driver. But like Cinderella, Crystal takes off before he can get her name or number.

Enter Ashley, one of Jeremy’s closest friends and a super successful professional matchmaker. She has been trying for over a year to find Jeremy a wife, he is more than ready to settle down. But he is intrigued with the mystery woman he met at the accident, so when she sets him up with Crystal, he half-heartedly agrees to meet her for coffee, not an auspicious beginning. But once they realize that they have met and where, the sparks fly and the romance is full on fire.

This was a super fast read, partly because it is a short book but mostly because the story is so engaging. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more books in the series.

02/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

MR. ACCIDENTAL HERO by Gina Robinson. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (January 15, 2018).  ISBN 978-1981468492.  234p.

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CEMETERY ROAD by Greg Iles

March 5, 2019

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There is one absolute truism in any of Iles’ books written about the American south and set in the twentieth century: There will be a man or woman that is inherently good and facing a group that is evil personified. Just prior to the present novel he was involved in writing several books centered in the city of Natchez. His principal character became involved with fighting a group calling itself the “Double Eagles”. The story actually painted the villains as being involved with both the assassination of John F. Kennedy as well as running Natchez.

Cemetery Road introduces Marshall McEwan in the role of principal protagonist and a shadow group known as the “Poker Club.” Marshall grew up in the small town of Bienville, Mississippi. He was an athlete, a good student and in love with a girl nicknamed Jet. Jet seemed to reciprocate this love until circumstances drove them apart. Marshall left his birthplace, went to Washington, D.C. and over eighteen years gained a well earned reputation as a great reporter. He found himself in many dangerous areas and it appeared that he would continue. His work won him a Pulitzer prize capping his already great reputation.

His progress was interrupted by his mother calling him to return to Bienville to run the family newspaper. His father who was the editor in chief had suffered a major coronary and Marshall was asked to keep things moving until his father recuperated. The biggest problem for Marshall was that he ran into his old girl friend Jet. She was married to Paul, a boyhood friend of his, but it looked like she and Marshall were still in love with each other. While they planned to leave together when Marshall was free to return to his Journalistic career Jet was hampered by Kevin, her son, and the obvious fact that her husband would never let him leave with his mother.

The circumstances of the novel include the winning of the construction of a big Paper mill by the Chinese government In Bienville and the prospect of more jobs, higher wages and added fortunes for members of the Poker Club. A murder of a man that found ancient bones and works at the proposed site of the paper mill with the prospect of the town losing the site and the Mill galvanizes the actions of both Marshall and the Poker Club in different points of view. Marshall to expose the murder and the club to protect their turf.

Iles is a superb builder of characters for his novels and Cemetery Road is no exception. How will the affair between Marshall and Jet turn out? And, of course will the Poker club succeed in keeping the knowledge of a probable historic site from the U.S. government and the turning of it into a protected national park. Like his previous novels centered on Natchez, this one is possibly the first of more. But it stands alone as a completely mesmerizing read with the questions raised by the ending not spoiling the enjoyment of a great author at his best.

3/19 Paul Lane

CEMETERY ROAD by Greg Iles. William Morrow (March 5, 2019). ISBN 978-0062824615. 608p.

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Meet the Author: Anissa Gray

March 4, 2019

Author Anissa Gray (THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS) shares advice for aspiring writers, reinforces the importance of reading, and explains her policy on loaning books.

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS

“If you enjoyed An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, read The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls…an absorbing commentary on love, family and forgiveness.”—

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The Washington Post  
 
One of the most anticipated reads of 2019 from Vogue, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Essence, Bustle, HelloGiggles and Cosmo!

“The Mothers meets An American Marriage” (HelloGiggles) in this dazzling debut novel about mothers and daughters, identity and family, and how the relationships that sustain you can also be the ones that consume you.

The Butler family has had their share of trials—as sisters Althea, Viola, and Lillian can attest—but nothing prepared them for the literal trial that will upend their lives.

Althea, the eldest sister and substitute matriarch, is a force to be reckoned with and her younger sisters have alternately appreciated and chafed at her strong will. They are as stunned as the rest of the small community when she and her husband Proctor are arrested, and in a heartbeat the family goes from one of the most respected in town to utter disgrace. The worst part is, not even her sisters are sure exactly what happened.

As Althea awaits her fate, Lillian and Viola must come together in the house they grew up in to care for their sister’s teenage daughters. What unfolds is a stunning portrait of the heart and core of an American family in a story that is as page-turning as it is important.

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THE WRONG HIGHLANDER by Lynsay Sands

March 3, 2019

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Highland Brides, Book 7

From the publisher:

A laird’s daughter kidnaps a Highlander—and loses her heart… in New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands’ new historical romance

Lady Evina Maclean has heard much about Rory Buchanan’s skill as a healer. What she hasn’t heard is how good the brawny Highlander looks bathing in a waterfall. But Evina can’t afford the distraction, for her ailing father urgently needs care. Only when she’s rendered Buchanan unconscious and dragged him back to her family’s castle does the truth emerge—it’s not Rory she’s kidnapped but his brother Conran.

Other ladies try to ensnare Conran with flattery. Evina hits him over the head with the hilt of her sword to save her kin—and Conran likes the spirited redhead all the more for it. He’s learned enough from his brother to heal Evina’s father, but there are other dangers swirling around the Maclean clan. And while the beautiful, independent lady has sworn not to marry, this wrong Highlander may be just the right man for her.

I started this series with book 5, and I didn’t love it. But I forgot that and read book 6, which I liked a lot so here I am. I really enjoyed this latest entry in the series so now I think I will try at least one of the earlier books.

I love historical romances with strong women characters, and Sands introduces a new one here in Lady Evina. She rides her horse astride, carries a sword and is expert enough in sword fighting that she helps train the men. So when her father is dying, out of desperation she takes off in search of Rory Buchanan, who is reputed to be the most skilled healer in all of Scotland. She arrives at the Buchanan property to find a horse with a saddlebag stuffed with medicinal herbs, but the rider is apparently showering under the waterfall. When one of her men approaches him, he lashes out and Lady Evina rushes in and knocks him out with her sword.

They take the unconscious healer, tie him to the horse, and set off at a rapid pace for home. Lady Evina is praying that her father is still alive when they get there. Eventually the healer comes to, they make it back and he immediately starts seeing to the laird.

The confusion arises because it turns out the man she kidnapped is not Rory, but his brother, the always helpful Conran. He was out helping his brother collect medicinal herbs when he was called away to attend a patient, leading to the mistaken identity. Conran doesn’t bother to correct them, he has helped his brother enough that he knows what to do.

Conran and Evina have instant attraction. When she tells him she is married, he backs off immediately. Then he finds out that she is actually widowed, and he decides a dalliance with the merry widow might be fun. Except turns out Evina was married and widowed as a child, leading to some very uncomfortable sex and a compromising position.

There is also a bit of suspense throughout this story, as there was in the other books I’ve read in this series. This time it appears someone is trying to kill Evina, and that suspense keeps building, helping make the pages fly by. This was another terrific read, and the Highlands setting is a good way to help me through the Droughtlander.

3/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE WRONG HIGHLANDER by Lynsay Sands. Avon (February 5, 2019).  ISBN 978-0062890672. 288p.

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CALIFORNIA GIRLS by Susan Mallery

March 2, 2019

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From the publisher:

The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning-show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by the news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery.

Susan Mallery writes great characters then puts them through hell, but they always find their happily ever after which is why I keep reading her. These sisters care about each other but also recognize each other’s faults. Even though I didn’t necessarily love all the sisters equally, I quickly became invested in what happened to them. I was especially rooting for Ali, who felt that Finola was her mother’s favorite and Zennie was her father’s favorite, leaving her out in the cold. So when her fiance dumps her via his brother, I really felt for her.

Finola’s world crashes when her husband leaves her for a young pop star, who is a bitch, by the way. Finola’s reactions felt very real to me, and I liked watching this character learn about herself and grow. I was very surprised by, and especially loved, her happy ending.

Zennie’s break up isn’t really even a break up. She went out with Clark a few times, thought he was nice but she just wasn’t interested in a relationship. So when he dumps her, it’s more surprising than upsetting as usually Zennie is the one to walk away. Meanwhile her best friend, a cancer survivor, asks her to be a surrogate so she and her husband can have a baby. After some soul searching Zennie agrees, but her family and friends are not all on board with her decision. Again the reactions all the way around felt real to me. So did Zennie occasionally thinking about Clark; after all, she wasn’t the one who dumped him and that gives her pause.

Mallery does such a good job with family dynamics and intersperses plenty of drama and laughter and of course, romance. I found myself totally engrossed, staying up much too late to finish it. But I had to get to the happy ending and I’m very glad I did. Another terrific read from one of my favorite authors.

3/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CALIFORNIA GIRLS by Susan Mallery. Forever (January 29, 2019). ISBN 978-1455541829. 496p.

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Win the March ’19 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

March 1, 2019

Welcome to the March bookshelf of signed thrillers!

This month the International Thriller Writers have provided some superb thrillers for you to win. There are a couple of incredible debuts, lots of bestselling authors, true crime, romantic suspense, unreliable narrators and more! To enter, go to the Win Books page. More books may be added throughout the month, so check back often.

Best of luck!

THE BLACK ASCOT by Charles Todd: An unexpected tip lands Inspector Ian Rutledge on the trail of a suspect behind a royal horse-race murder, only to find his own sanity brought into question by shocking events.

A LETHAL LEGACY by Heather Graham: Summoned to a New York island by his father’s mysterious death, an FBI agent teams up with a compelling local to investigate a present-day killer.

MY LOVELY WIFE by Samantha Downing: A seemingly typical suburban husband discloses the secret ways that his wife of 15 years and he keep their marriage alive and chase away domestic boredom by orchestrating creative ways to get away with murder. A first novel.

THE FIFTH DOCTRINE by Karen Robards: Offered her freedom in exchange for a dangerous undercover assignment, master manipulator Bianca St. Ives poses as an elite hacker to feed strategic misinformation to North Korea’s tyrannical regime.

BLOOD OATH by Linda Fairstein: A key witness’ revelation about a sexual assault at the hands of a prominent official is complicated by rumors about a colleague’s abusive conduct and another associate’s violent, mysterious collapse.

THE PERFECT ALIBI by Phillip Margolin: Two rape cases at the same bar are complicated by a prominent athlete’s threats, baffling DNA evidence, suspicious attacks on case lawyers and a D.A.’s resolve to prosecute a killing in self-defense.

AND EVERY WORD IS TRUE by Gary McAvoy: Sixty years after news of the 1959 Clutter murders took the world stage, “And Every Word Is True” pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to the true story of “In Cold Blood.”

HOUSE ON FIRE by Bonnie Kistler: Believing in the strength of their blended family, a couple is horrified when the son of one is charged in the drunk-driving death of the other’s daughter, triggering a manslaughter trial that is rocked by conflicting accounts.

BLOOD ORANGE by Harriet Tyce: A young lawyer’s idyllic family life and blossoming career is upended by a murder case involving a questionable confession and the lawyer’s toxic affair with a manipulative senior partner. A first novel.

YOU OWE ME A MURDER by Eileen Cook: Stuck on a class trip to London with her unfaithful ex and his new girlfriend, 17-year-old Kim imparts her woes to a good-humored stranger only to find herself set up for her ex’s murder and blackmailed into committing another.

You can win autographed copies of these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Penguin Random House books for giveaway were provided by the publisher. #PRHpartner

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how you to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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HOMECOMING by Andrew Pyper

February 28, 2019

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After learning of the death of their mostly absentee father, Aaron and his sister Bridget (Bridge) Quinlan are summoned to a vast property in the Pacific Northwest in order to hear details of Dad’s will. There they meet their mother and another sister. The will indicates that their father left a good deal of money to be divided up among the family. There is one unexplained condition, which is to stay on the property without leaving the grounds for 30 days. Can’t be that bad so they agree. But totally unexpectedly another group shows up the following day and is another group of Quinlan children. The discussions among both groups gives rise to the obvious conclusion that the frequent absences by the father are explained by the apparent fact that he had two separate families with one not knowing about the other.

The two groups get to know each other when something out of the ordinary happens. A very tall man-like figure and apparently an old lady are spotted wandering around in the forest surrounding the property. On top of that there is a group of buildings found in semi repair which looks like it was a camp.

The reader at this point could come to the conclusion that this is a ghost story. The reality is that Pyper has created something much more imaginative than a simple tale about wandering ghosts. None of the events in the beginning of the novel point directly at the ending. When it does occur it is something so out of any conclusions reached by the reader that the obvious idea is that it wasn’t prepared for by any action Pyper describes. But it is and so well done that the long hours spent reading the book are rewarded by one of the most ingenious stories that I have read in a long time.

My final reaction is that I want more, but based on the events and the finale this may not be possible. Even so this book is a must read, as is any future works by Andrew Pyper.

2/19 Paul Lane

HOMECOMING by Andrew Pyper. Simon & Schuster (February 26, 2019). ISBN 978-1982108977. 368p.

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DEVIL’S DAUGHTER by Lisa Kleypas

February 27, 2019

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The Ravenels meet The Wallflowers

The Ravenels Series, Book 5

From the publisher:

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself…as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire…not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn’t bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She’s the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil’s daughter knows…

I’ve read several of the books in this series and liked them all. Kleypas excels at portraying a world gone by, with terrific, well developed characters and always a strong storyline. This book is no exception.

Lady Clare is a widow with a heart of gold. She and her husband were childhood sweethearts and best friends, but their marriage was overshadowed by his illness. Henry had some sort of “wasting” disease, that left him weak and sickly for all of his life, and ended his life very young. Henry’s nemesis at boarding school was West Ravenel, a well known rake and a man with a very bad reputation. But for Lady Clare and West, there is instant chemistry.

That chemistry causes Clare to feel guilt and to fight it every step of the way. And West is determined to keep her at arm’s length, feeling that he does not deserve her and does not wish to harm her children’s reputations as well.

There are a lot of obstacles to overcome here, but their families see what’s going on and help them along to find their happily ever after. A fast, fun and sexy read – highly recommended with the caveat that it probably helps to read this series in order. There are a lot of characters, but I was comfortable with them because I remembered them all.

2/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEVIL’S DAUGHTER by Lisa Kleypas. Avon (February 19, 2019).  ISBN 978-0062371935. 384p.

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THE COWBOY NEXT DOOR by R.C. Ryan

February 26, 2019

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Montana Strong, Book 2

From the publisher:

From New York Times bestselling author who “delivers it all with page-turning romance” (Nora Roberts) comes a story about a down-on-her-luck teacher, a carefree cowboy, and finding second chances in the most unlikely places.
After weeks on the trail, Sam Monroe is looking forward to a hot bath, a home-cooked meal, and a real bed. In that order. But he’s greeted by something even better when he opens the door to his family’s ranch house. Seems the new housekeeper is a gorgeous young woman who cooks like an angel and wrangles his family like a pro. If only she didn’t dislike him so much…
Penny Cash is down on her luck, and the last thing she needs is a flirtation with a wild, carefree cowboy. Sure, he’s funny and sexy, but they’re as different as whiskey and tea. And she’ll be leaving town as soon as she finds a full-time teaching position. But when trouble comes calling, Penny will find out how serious Sam can be when it comes to protecting the woman he loves…

This second entry into the Montana Strong series lived up to my expectations – an how often do I get to say that. The first book, Cowboy on My Mind, had some suspense running through the story, this book does not, which was fine with me. I think this series is probably best read in order, although there are enough explanations in this book to make the reader feel comfortable if they haven’t read the first book, but not too many to be annoying. It really is a fine line and Ryan did it admirably.

It is the characters that drive these stories and they are all well developed. We learn about Sam and Penny as they learn about each other, and the rest of the characters are brought to life as well. I felt like I knew these people. The setting, a Montana ranch that abuts a small town, is equally well described and so real I could almost smell the long neck beers.  Penny Cash, aka Ms. Money, had a silly name but do a lot of real people so why not.

These books are charming, fun and a little bit sexy without being too explicit. I read these first two books in a few hours and enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to the next installment.

2/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE COWBOY NEXT DOOR by R.C. Ryan. Forever (February 26, 2019). ISBN 978-1538711170.  464p..

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