If you love Emily in Paris, you will love this BRAND NEW book in the Annie Valentine series from bestselling author Carmen Reid. Personal shopper Annie Valentine is back! Older and bolder!
Fashion guru Annie is struggling to cope with her hectic life. With the demands of two older children, plus four-year-old twins, her marriage to Ed is in a romance-free rut and she’s clinging by a couture thread to her job as the nation’s favourite fashion fixer.
And where is Svetlana, her multi-millionaire friend, when Annie needs her? Busy with an expensive mid-life crisis, that’s where!
When Ed gets the chance to teach in Paris, Annie thinks time apart could be the answer. Wrong!
In Paris, Ed transforms into a debonair silver fox, attracting the attentions of stylish siren Sylvie.
Annie can’t lose her man or the job she loves, so bundling her bags, her babies and a reluctant Svetlana onto the Eurostar, she sets off to the rescue. But can the City of Love deliver the ooh la la that her marriage, and her fashion series, so desperately needs?
Another brilliant laugh out loud emotional read, perfect for fans of Fiona Gibson, Tracy Bloom and Sophie Ranald!
Praise for Carmen
“Annie Valentine is a wonderful character – I want her to burst into my life and sort out my wardrobe for me!” Bestselling author, Jill Mansell
“You will enjoy getting to know Annie Valentine; laughing with her and crying with her. You may even fall in love with her . . . I have! A fantastic read!”⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
“Fantastic read, couldn’t put it down” ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
“Can’t wait to read the next one!” ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
My rating: 5 of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed it, and as it was my first “Annie Valentine” book, I have plenty to catch up on. It can easily be read as a standalone, though, I imagine that if you’re new to the series, you’ll quickly become enamoured with Annie and her family and friends. Annie is so likeable, very believable and so “normal”. She walks the tightrope of life as a busy mum, knowledgeable career woman, loving wife and caring friend in precariously high high heels. It’s not easy being everything to everyone and sometimes she makes matters worse but always with the best of intentions. Being as far removed from a fashionista myself as it’s possible to be, I loved how each chapter opened with advice from the fabulous MM; she and Annie were destined to meet. A hugely entertaining read, one I didn’t want to put down. This was a funny, optimistic, heart-warming and incredibly relatable story and I’m looking forward to reading up on Annie Valentine’s life.
The last time witchy car mechanic Victoria Fox did magic, she nearly blew up half a street. Oops. No more magic for her, but is a witch who doesn’t do magic still a witch?
Well, she does have a kitty familiar named Professor Studmuffin Salvitore III. She also has a knack for inviting magical trouble to her shop’s doorstep.
Like her business rival who shows up and offers her a deal. A tempting deal, but she shuts the door in his face anyway. Moments later, his star employee drops dead.
All roads lead to Victoria as the murderer. The problem? She didn’t do it. The other problem? Almost no one believes her.
It’s now up to her and her kitty familiar to prove she’s innocent. Tiptoeing closer to the truth could put them both in danger though. And it might just take a lead paw on the gas pedal to get them out.
Paranormal stories are not my usual read, but with this being a cozy mystery, I thought I’d give it go. It was actually great fun, with some bizarre but entertaining plots. Victoria doesn’t see herself as a witch, certainly not a practising one, and she has doubts she’d ever be able to pull of any spells after her last attempt went so disastrously wrong. Her familiar, a cat by the name of Professor Studmuffin Salvitore III bakes – of course – but with the driest sense of humour and the biggest ego ever. What could possibly be any more bizarre? Maybe when Victoria tries to prevent a series of deaths (one of which is her own) and has to keep travelling back in time with a spell to do so, but is constantly thwarted by one thing or another. It’s funny, amusing, yet you can’t help be drawn into Victoria’s life and her problems. For me, a non-American, the narration was an issue at times, usually when the narrator was in character, and the Southern accent was hard to understand. At one time, Victoria says something about “having a laff” (which to my British ears is having a laugh). However, after rerunning it a few times, I realised she meant “having a life”. I would definitely read more in this series but think I’ll stick to reading rather than listening. Great fun, quirky, and frequently chaotic – in the best possible way!
Missy Mays’s mother, Naomi, had been the best matchmaker on the west coast of the United States for the rich and unique clientele she worked for. Unfortunately, in Missy’s opinion, Naomi was also the meanest and most direct human that ever walked the earth. When she unexpectedly gets run over by one of her clients, Missy takes over the business and tries to make love matches for all the forlorn that cross her path. She believes in love, not as a transaction but as a finding of the other half of your soul, and intends to overturn the business style her mother was famous for.The only problem is it is nearly impossible to forge a new identity for the business when your mother refuses to let go. She wrestles with her love woes when the new divorce attorney moves in next door and spouts all his anti-love views. Then things get REALLY weird when her mother, in a bid to redeem herself and not get sent to the hot place down under, is sent back to earth to make ten enduring love matches before she can move into the light. Will Missy lose her mind trying to juggle clients and her dead mother’s plethora of opinions? What is a woman to do except try to help ten individuals as fast as possible find love, rid herself of a nosy ghost and try not to fall in love with the cynical divorce attorney next door?Follow along on this crazy ride of love, redemption, and motherly love gone wrong!
Missy has inherited her mum’s matchmaking agency, though she has very different ideas on how to run it. What she didn’t expect was for the ghost of her dead mother to be readily on hand to criticise. Well, who would? Missy and her mum Naomi didn’t have the greatest mother and daughter relationship. But to save her mum from an eternity in hell, Missy agrees to a business-related challenge: to match 10 people in genuine love matches( unlike some of the “money-focused” and “status-oriented” matches that Naomi was famous for) The challenge sees them bicker but, with the help of a great cast of characters, more is revealed about Naomi’s life that gives Missy the chance to finally understand why her mum was the way she was. The twist towards the end seals the deal in seeing the mother and daughter come closer, and allows them both to move on. The secondary characters are funny, kind, and supportive and help make this an enjoyable story to listen to. The narration is clear and easy to follow and the story flows seamlessly, though I would have liked it to be longer.
This was my first experience of a Tracey Waples story; it won’t be my last. With more twists than a helter-skelter, this was a most entertaining story to listen to. Soooo good!
Helen, grieving her husband’s untimely death, agrees to a holiday with her little sister, Mia. And why not? A change of scenery might do her the power of good. Until she wakes up with a splitting headache and a fuzzy memory of the previous evening. Given that Helen doesn’t drink, the reason for her headache is somewhat strange, but more bizarre is the later insinuation that not only had she been drunk, she’d driven them home that night too. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an accident occurred during that drive home and Helen looks to be guilty.
Yet, she really can’t remember anything, certainly not drinking alcohol. Her sister, Mia, however, confirms Helen was driving that night, and even if she can’t explain the drinking, Helen has to accept that she was responsible. But, there’s something about Mia’s story that doesn’t add up. And those loose threads start to unravel. What is Mia hiding?
With many unexpected twists that will keep you enthralled, this story challenges the norm in regards to sibling relationships and pushes boundaries that you can’t believe. Clearly, not all sisters are “such devoted sisters” and in this case, one sister is definitely “doing things” for herself.
Great narration, easy to follow, and a superb plot. I’ll look out for more from this author.
Age range: This is an adult book, but would be suitable for mature teens age 16+
Trigger warnings: Murders, historic racism
Amazon Rating: new book, not yet rated
(This is the third in the Simone Doucet series, but reads well as a standalone novel)
ABOUT ECHOES OF BALLARD HOUSE
Hidden secrets. Unearthed truths. Simone Doucet returns to uncover the sinister truth behind a series of murders within an opulent mansion in the heart of New Orleans’ Garden District.
Yearning to escape the confines of her New York City brownstone, Simone jumps at the opportunity to house-sit a gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian home in her cherished New Orleans Garden District. Upon her arrival, the walls whisper ancient voices, the owner’s parrot mimics an eerie nightly tune, and elusive footsteps echo through the floorboards. Simone quickly discovers she is not alone in this majestic house.
Tackling the afterlife alone, Simone becomes entangled in the stories of three tormented souls caught in a web of greed, hatred, and infidelity. Their deadly secrets converge in a bone-chilling tale of murder. Yet, within the grandeur of Ballard House, Simone is far from alone.
The peril she faces extends beyond the spectral world, and she will soon confront evil from both the living and the dead. What dark secret lies hidden within the walls of Ballard House?
PRAISE FOR THE SIMONE DOUCET SERIES
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Billups always packs a punch when the other worldly visitations appear, and I found myself eagerly switching back and forth from past to present day, learning of the connections between everyone involved. Watching Simone’s friendships and love interest evolve is a lovely side story, and the author’s depth of research about early 20th century American lifestyles is apparent and pays off in dividends. Toss in the early stages of COVID appearing in America, and there’s a realistic touch that grips readers until the end. What’s causing Simone’s friends to get ill, and is the ghost responsible for all the drama or an unknown illness beginning to spread around the world? I can’t wait to see what happens in a possible third installment. Thanks for making some magic happen, Ms. Billups. Amazon review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an intoxicating novel, one that you will not be able to set down. The novel is well written, and the world building is extensive and right in shape with the story. A story line of ghosts and paranormal adventures, a girl who goes on a trip with who roommates to New Orleans. She expects to have a wild weekend, only to find it complicated by witches and ghosts and all kinds of various paranormal events. This author is able to captivate you from page one. You find yourself hanging onto the edge of your seat, never being able to set the novel down. This is a complicated, nerve racking and wonderful all at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next one. I know it will be even better. Amazon review
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
E. Denise Billups was born in Monroeville, Alabama, and raised in New York City, where she currently resides. She’s a former Financial Analyst turned writer. A multi-genre fiction author, she’s published six novels and several supernatural short stories. A skilled artist, she trained as a dancer (ballet, modern, and jazz dance) in her younger years and dabbled in writing, which she would not pursue until much later.
As an avid reader of many genres, she was greatly influenced by magical realism, mystery, suspense, and supernatural novels. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s running miles in the park, finding her inner calm with yoga, experimenting with vegan dishes, and enjoying time with family and friends.
I’ll admit to not being a regular reader of paranormal books, and those labelled as “horror” tend to have me running for the hills, but I will always make an exception for E. Denise Billups, and in particular for the Simone Doucet series.
Why? Well, simply because this series is more than simply a story, it’s an experience. The author writes so eloquently, so evocatively that it’s impossible not to feel involved, included and in so deep you have no choice but to read till the end.
In this, the third book of the series, Simone is house-sitting for a friend, using the time to write up the story she uncovered during her last encounter with one of her ancestral spirits. What she is not aware of – and what her friend has kept from her – is the gruesome history of Ballard House. And it takes but moments for Simone’s sixth sense to alert her to something that will soon endanger her own life.
For Ballard House was the scene of an horrific crime one hundred years ago, and the victims still seek an acknowledgement of what happened, as well as a reckoning for the culprit, but more than that they seek closure. Within the walls of Ballard House lies a secret so sad, so haunting that Simone cannot ignore. The spirits need to be heard. They need someone to act for them. They need Simone to finish what was left unresolved.
As the story progresses, however, the spirits are aware of another evil, and this one threatens Simone’s ability to help, and even her life. They cannot allow evil to win again, nor will they. In telling Simone their stories, she is able not only to make sense of the events back in 1919, but also to understand that history has distorted the facts. He who was presumed guilty of the killings was not the infamous murderous axe-man that the city feared. And while revenge lay at its core, his was not the only act of vengeance that festered through successive generations.
Lies, secrets, jealousy and revenge blend together in this heady cocktail of death and devastation, and Simone – as the conduit to unravel the mysteries – discovers that her presence in Ballard House is the only way to bring peace the spirits and let the house become a home once more. But she has to survive the ordeal first.
Beautifully written, intoxicatingly immersive and hugely engrossing, Echoes of Ballard House will keep you engaged throughout. The spirits are determined to be heard, and for Simone, their stories run skin deep. The way in which the author weaves that final twist, the one that makes it so personal to Simone, seems effortless and yet inspired.
After reading this, the idea of house sitting – even for a friend or family member – may forever be off the cards, but if you must, remember to take notice of the parrot (other pets may be available)!
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.
Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
Before long, the case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.
In this first instalment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?
**Audiobook ** I received a free copy from the author for an honest review.
I previously listened to the second book in this series – A Fine Year to Murder (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show…) – and vowed then I’d check out book one. I’m so glad I did, but not because it filled any gaps rather simply because it was even more tense and dramatic and exciting… I could go on 🙂
So what did I like about it? Firstly, hats off to the narrator who made this such a great listening experience. Clear diction, perfect emotion, and superb character definition. Kudos to C.J. McAllister! But, there’s the small matter of a great story too. Being familiar with Murphy and Jessica, it was easy to settle back and follow their journey. And what a journey it was.
Lieutenant Murphy Thornton takes on a case concerning the murder of five women in one house. Five women who share no common history except for one thing – they were joining forces to exact revenge on a man who raped them years before and got away with it every time. A man whose career in the military has seen him climb to the highest echelons of power, within breathing distance of The White House. Can it be possible that such a man could become the president’s advisor? They didn’t think he should be allowed such a privilege, yet someone else thinks differently and wants them out of the way so they cannot muddy the waters.
Murphy and Jessica (now a PI) and his father (Captain Josh Thornton) and new mother-in-law (Cameron Gates, also in law enforcement and with a personal interest in this case relating to her first husband) work together to find the murderer, not expecting the military connection at first, but then realising that greater forces are protecting the man at the centre of the case. With fast-paced action (shootouts in a coffee shop, car chases – with potentially life-threatening consequences – and even a kidnapping), the story lurches from one drama to the next, making for a page-turning, hold your breath, kind of read. Interspersed with the action are lovely family scenes with the most incredible pets, and a subplot focusing on Izzy, the daughter of one of those five women.
It’s tense and heart-warming, and will raise all sorts of questions over the ability of those in power to control the outcome to their advantage. I’m so glad there are more in this series, and will be heading out to nab them right away.
Age range: This is an adult book but suitable for mature older teenagers
Trigger warnings: off-scene marital abuse
Amazon rating: New release, not yet rated
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ABBEY
When Ingrid flees a violent husband to become a housekeeper in the Scottish Highlands, she discovers the family she works for has a much darker history than her own.
Who haunts Strathbairn? Why are the adult McCleod children at each other’s throats? And why does the youngest sneak off at night? As Ingrid searches for answers, she grows ever more fearful that her husband will track her down.
Set in late 19th century Scottish Highlands, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ABBEY is a gothic mystery brimming with intrigue, ghostly drama, and family secrets.
PRAISE FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ABBEY
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I thoroughly enjoyed this story which seemed to throw up one mystery after another….
I loved this book which kept me enthralled and entertained to the very last page. Thoroughly recommended! 5 big stars. Amazon review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
…Sinister goings on have happened there in the past and continue to the present day. Nobody can be trusted, and you, the reader will analyse each character with a critical eye. What is going on here? Can Ingrid unlock the mystery and save herself before her husband finds her, or has fate got something else in store? Goodreads review
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Isobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of unique and engaging fiction. She writes gripping mysteries, historical fiction and dark psychological thrillers. Her Canary Islands collection begins with The Drago Tree and includes A Matter of Latitude, Clarissa’s Warning and A Prison in the Sun. Her interest in the occult is explored in The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey and the dark mystery A Perfect Square.
Her dark thriller The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018. Isobel’s biographical short story ‘Nothing to Declare’ which forms the first chapter of Emma’s Tapestry was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. A Prison in the Sun was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2020 and the International Book Awards 2021. And The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards.
Isobel writes non fiction too. She is the author of the world’s only biography of Theosophist and mother of the New Age movement Alice Bailey – Alice A. Bailey: Life & Legacy.
Isobel’s first work, which she wrote in 2008, is Voltaire’s Garden. This memoir is set in the mid 2000s and tells the story of building a sustainable lifestyle B&B in Cobargo on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, which gained international attention when a firestorm razed the idyllic historic village on New Year’s Eve 2019.
Isobel’s writing appears in journals and websites around the world, including Esoteric Quarterly, New Dawn Magazine, Paranoia, Mused Literary Review, Trip Fiction, Backhand Stories, Fictive Dream and On Line Opinion. Isobel was a judge for the Shadow Awards 2020 long fiction category. Her book reviews have appeared in New Dawn Magazine, Esoteric Quarterly, Shiny New Books, Sisters in Crime, Australian Women Writers, Trip Fiction and Newtown Review of Books.
Isobel’s interests are many and varied. She has a long-standing association with the Canary Islands, having lived in Lanzarote in the late 1980s. A humanitarian and campaigner for social justice, in 1999 Isobel founded the internationally acclaimed Ghana Link, uniting two high schools, one a relatively privileged state school located in the heart of England, the other a materially impoverished school in a remote part of the Upper Volta region of Ghana, West Africa.
Isobel has a background in Western Esotericism. She holds 1st Class Honours in Social Studies, and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking research on the works of Alice A. Bailey. After working as a teacher, market trader and PA to a literary agent, she arrived at writing in her forties, and her stories are as diverse and intriguing as her life has been.
Isobel has performed her literary works at events in a range of settings and given workshops in creative writing.
British by birth, Isobel entered this world in Farnborough, Kent, She has lived in England, Australia, Spain and the Canary Islands.
Why would an educated woman leave a comfortable home in Hampshire with her daughter for the Scottish Highlands to take up the role of a housekeeper, having been used to having staff of her own? To escape the clutches of an abusive and tormenting husband, that’s why? With the little savings she has amassed and a job arranged for by her bishop, Ingrid Barker and daughter, Susan head for pastures new, Ingrid having persuaded Susan to tell anyone who asks that her father is dead. It’s a big ask of a seven-year-old, but fortunately Straithbairn is so remote that they have few people to lie to. And, they’re not the most hospitable bunch either, certainly not the type to whom Ingrid would want to tell her life history, assuming they showed any interest in her anyway. In fact, they are some of the rudest and most inhospitable people she has ever met, both upstairs and down. While Ingrid hopes she has made the right decision to flee Hampshire, Straithbairn is a difficult place in which to enjoy life. Her employer, a drunken bully; his children, three grudge-bearing, bickering and damaged siblings; the staff, wary and unrelenting. And everyone has a secret that they’re happy to scream at each other about, but no-one will enlighten Ingrid as to why nothing seems to make any of them happier. So much angst, so many secrets, so much moody tension. The grim atmosphere of the outside is reflected inside and there is little light relief until another young man, Hamish, arrives as an unexpected party guest. With Hamish, Ingrid gets to explore the nearby abbey, take picnics and see the glorious sunsets. Could Hamish be the one to bring her the happiness she seeks? Or will her husband discover her whereabouts? The dreary state of the big house, the miserable family and their arguments, mysterious letters and diaries, the murkiness of the surrounding bog and the abandoned abbey, and not forgetting the smell of sage in the attic… all make for a tense gothic novel filled with intrigue and drama.
I was initially caught out by the sudden change in point-of-view and recognising the switch wasn’t always obvious. It’s also a darker read than I’m used to when reading historical fiction, and a little too heavy on descriptive detail that I found myself skimming at times, but it gets full marks for creepiness and for the most dysfunctional family ever. Fans of gothic hist-fic will lap it up.
PS – to get a better of the chilling tone of the story, check out this brief trailer.
Actress Carrie Murray’s films are a Christmas lover’s delight. Filled with twinkling lights, festive carols, and happy endings, they’re the perfect escape from reality – for her and the audience. Then Tinseltown calls. Braxton Timothy is Hollywood’s biggest action star. Handsome and talented but decidedly on the naughty list, no one can fathom his sudden desire to produce a feel-good Christmas movie – least of all, his no-name co-star.
Alternating between scenes reminiscent of everyone’s favorite made-for-TV movies and unexpected, off-screen chemistry, Gingerbread Falls has surprises in store this holiday season. The question is, will there be enough Christmas magic to convince two imperfect people that they’re perfect for each other? This “sweet as a Christmas cookie” romance (best-selling author Heidi Swain) includes an original recipe for Maple Glazed Gingerbread Scones.
This is a very original Christmas story with two plots running in tandem. You may think that baker Noelle and Doctor Carson are the main characters – and you’d be right… up to a point, since this is a story within a story and Noelle and Carson are fictitious characters in a Christmas movie. Aren’t all fictional characters fictitious, you may well ask? Sure, but here’s the bit that makes this so original… Noelle and Carson’s romance mirrors that of the actors playing them. Actors? Yes. Clever, eh? Played by (the also fictitious, but not quite as much) Carrie and Braxton, Noelle and Carson’s story is set by the script… and the Christmas holidays trope. But when Carrie and Braxton look as though they’re falling in love off-screen, it becomes a case of life imitating art. As for the setting, well, it couldn’t be more perfect. It has all the makings of a Christmas movie and would not look out of place on the Hallmark channel. Having listened to the audiobook, I can visualise Gingerbread Falls already. There’s a bit more heat than you might find in your regular Christmas romance, and the story handles some interesting topics well (Note, none of these are graphic but they definitely give the characters a realistic backstory that is not all sugary sweet) This was the perfect story to listen to in the run-up to Christmas.
US Air Force Colonel Benjamin “Benny” Alexander has been raising his daughter alone while continuing to search for the woman they both love, US Navy Lieutenant Stacy Greene. She has been deployed and the fact that no one in the Pentagon will reveal her mission to him gives him reason to suspect that where ever she has been is dangerous to her life. His search will lead him from Tokyo, Japan, to the Blue Ridge Mountains around Asheville, North Carolina. He’s on a mission of his own: to find the mother of their child and the woman he loves more than his next breath.
Vivian Alexander, one of Benny’s younger sisters, and her law school cohorts and housemates are on a parallel mission without realizing that they are putting their lives at risk. Vivian has other issues to resolve that for her may also be life altering. While on a romantic rendezvous on one of the secluded islands of Bimini, she is uncharacteristically caught in a prism of emotions, commitments, and obligations. Only her family’s support can see her through her crises of conscious.
The Alexander family of Summer County, South Carolina, is richly steeped in their ancestral traditions and embrace life living it to the fullest. The strength and selflessness of the family links them together as tightly as the gold chain that each family member wears. Their relationships with others in their extended family promise that what threatens one will be faced by all. The bonds that hold them together are strong, but the challenges that they face may be stronger.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was probably the longest audiobook I’ve ever listened to: 19 hours 24 min. A really epic saga of the Alexander family, this was like having a family tree come to life with all its branches having their own story. The downside was having so many characters to keep track of, and just as I was invested in one, the story switched to another. That said, the reunions were magnificent, their traditions so beautifully upheld and the relationships between siblings truly impressive. Despite the length of the story, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye and will now happily check out the other stories in this series.
After ten months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in the darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.
When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family while visiting family at the winery near-by, and suppressed the memory.
Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?
My rating: 4 of 5 stars I haven’t read the first in this series but I’m definitely going back to check it out even though this seems to stand alone.
Newly wed Jessica and Murphy have an unusual dilemma to solve: Jessica’s nightmares are causing her to hit, scratch and even bite him during her sleep – even on their honeymoon. The reason behind the nightmares relates to an incident Jessica witnessed several years before, the memories of which she has suppressed, though snippets of the incident – a murder – are coming back bit by bit. After speaking to Dallas Walker, it seems that Jessica may have witnessed the Pine Bridge Massacre, a story Dallas (as an investigative reporter) is revisiting. They decide to return to the scene of the crime to see if, indeed, these memories of Jessica’s may hold the key to the mystery. Hopefully, if Jessica can get to the root of the problem causing her nightmares she will see an end to them too. So, with Spencer (or is it Candy) the dog in tow, they head to Pine Ridge where very odd characters (I’m talking about you, cousin Celestino) and a haunting lady in white sees them dice with many dangers as they seek to solve the crime. There are plenty of twists in this tale that throws the case up in the air several times and kept me listening long into the night. Another reason for my attentiveness has to be down to the great narrator who really brings everything to life and maintains a great pace of suspense and high stakes with some funny, light-hearted moments to balance things out. A new-to-me author whose back catalogue I can’t wait to explore.
About the Author
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Just 4 My Books 