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Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Review of Blood Lasts Forever by Jeff Gunhus(#Contests- Win a Copy of the Book and A Gift Card)

 

 

I want to welcome Jeff Gunhus to Books R Us. Jeff is the author of a great psychological thrill called Blood Lasts Forever. Check out my review of the book and do not forget to enter the contest below. You could win an autographed copy of the book and a Starbucks gift card. Thanks for stopping by.


Book Details:

Book Title:  Blood Lasts Forever by Jeff Gunhus
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 256 pages 
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher:  Seven Guns Press
Release date:   November 2024
Content Rating:  R. Blood Lasts Forever is a psychological thriller with supernatural elements and similar to a Stephen King novel. While not gratuitous, the story centers on an act of violence that could be disturbing to some. Could be PG-13 + M or R.
Book Description:

Not every death is a tragedy.

When fifteen-year-old Wyatt Bucks is found dead in the Sagasett River, the small town of Chambers breathes a collective sigh of relief. Wyatt was a troubled youth, feared and despised by many. But his death, deemed an accident by the local sheriff, leaves a chilling legacy that will haunt the town for decades.

Twenty years later, Mitch Ansel, now a middle school teacher, receives a call that resurrects the nightmares of his past. Alongside his old friends, the Fab Five, Mitch is forced to confront the dark secret they’ve buried for years—a secret that ties them to Wyatt’s death.

As the friends reunite at a remote cabin, they must navigate a web of deceit, fear, and violence. Each carries scars from the past, but none are prepared for the revelations that await them. Mitch’s terrifying visions of Wyatt and the relentless pull of their shared guilt threaten to unravel their lives and sanity.
MY THOUGHTS: 
I love a book that keeps me engaged and on my toes, especially when the characters interact well with one another. The author skillfully alternated between the past and present lives of each character to explain their backstories. The numerous twists and turns kept me captivated, and I finished the book quickly. There are other books I've struggled to finish, often not making it past the first 100 pages, but this one was different. It had a fantastic ending that I didn't see coming, which left me pleasantly surprised. I wasn't aware that you wrote The Jack Templar Chronicles until my son mentioned that he had read some of them. He told me he enjoyed them. Great job, Mr. Gunhus!

Buy the Book:
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Meet the Author:

Jeff Gunhus is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year-old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 30 on Amazon, have been recognized as Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists, Kirkus Top 100 Indie Books, and reached the USA TODAY bestseller list. As a father of five, he leads an active life in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of Old Fox Books in Annapolis, working on his next novel, or on JeffGunhus.com.


connect with the author:  website  ~  X/twitter  ~  facebook instagram goodreads bookbub


Enter the Giveaway:
BLOOD LASTS FOREVER by Jeff Gunhus Book Tour Giveaway



Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Book Blitz of The Sun by Frank F. Weber (#contests- Enter To Win An audiobook of THE SUN- 2 winners)

The Sun
Frank F. Weber
Publication date: December 10th 2024
Genres: Adult, Thriller

Taytum Hanson, a determined and alluring attorney, steps into the sunlight, as she relentlessly searches for a loophole in her lover’s conviction. Is freeing Tug Grant the answer or the beginning of a new set of problems? Taytum’s passionate lifestyle and willingness to take on the Minnesota Mafia places her life in jeopardy. Jon and Serena Frederick face hard choices in this intense fast-paced thriller with a fierce pulse-pounding ending. If you enjoyed Scandal of Vandals you’ll love how The Sun warms and then burns.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

EXCERPT:

TUG GRANT
6:00 A.M., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2021
MINNESOTA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY – LINO LAKES
7525 4TH AVENUE, LINO LAKES

The cells in each pod at Lino are dull brown concrete with blue metal doors. I shiver as I glance out the thin side window, waiting for the day to start. Everybody wears two layers because there’s a chill that runs through this cellblock on a cold night that you can’t shake. The common area has blue metal tables and chairs bolted to the floor. It would be impossible to make a seat less comfortable than the flat steel circles mounted too close to our tables.

I’m tempted to call the Innocence Project. Dick Doden mur- dered my wife, Deb Grant. Doden testified that my friend, Roan Caruso, hired him for the hit. And that’s where the evidence ends. How the hell did I get convicted of murder-for-hire? Prosecutor Bridget Bare claimed the circumstantial evidence was over- whelming. But was it? Is taking out an insurance policy on your partner evidence of murder? Ten million dollars might have been a little excessive, but it’s not enough to convict a man of murder.

I had loaned Roan one hundred thousand dollars before Deb’s murder. That loan and the insurance were all they had. It was all circumstantial. Roan never implicated me.

Author Bio:

Frank Weber is a forensic psychologist who has completed assessments for homicide, sexual assault, and domestic abuse cases. His work has ranged from assessing murderers chained to the cement floor in the basement of a prison and assessing psychopaths to providing therapy for wealthy professionals who’ve engaged in multiple affairs. He has testified as an expert witness in numerous sexual assault and homicide cases, written seven different treatment workbooks, and in 2015 published a training series for psychologists which has been accredited by the MN Board of Psychology. He has received the President’s Award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work, and recently received an award for excellence in his clinical work. Frank Weber has used his unique understanding of how predator’s think, victim trauma, and actual court cases to create a thrilling mystery. His debut novel, Murder Book, will be available in May, 2017.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram



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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Book Blitz of Change of Heart by Cristina LePort, MD(#Contests- Win An Amazon Gift Card)

Change of Heart
Dr. Cristina LePort
(A Miner & Mulville Novel)
Publication date: February 4th 2025
Genres: Adult, Thriller

In the bustling heart of New York City, a young medical student’s life is tragically cut short, though her heart continues to beat, holding the promise of life for another. Detective Kirk Miner is called to the scene and quickly uncovers a chilling conspiracy involving organ donations and high-stakes crime. As the investigation unfolds, Miner realizes the case is far more complex and dangerous than it initially seemed.
Enter FBI Agent Jack Mulville, who steps in to supervise Special Agent Charlotte Bloom as they join forces with Miner. Together, they unravel a web of corruption, revealing that Amy Winter’s death is connected to a ruthless organ trafficking ring. Amy Winter, a promising pre-med student, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Her death triggers an investigation that pulls Miner, Mulville, and Bloom into a labyrinth of deceit and desperation. As they dig deeper, they discover that Amy’s heart is not just a donor’s gift but a coveted prize in a deadly game controlled by criminals willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden.
The quest for justice takes Miner, Mulville, and Bloom through the shadowy underbelly of organ trafficking, revealing the lengths to which people will go to secure life-saving transplants. Amidst the danger, they face moral dilemmas and personal risks, pushing them to their limits as they strive to protect innocent lives and dismantle a powerful criminal network.
“Change of Heart” is a gripping medical thriller that intertwines the intricacies of modern medicine with the relentless pursuit of justice. Cristina LePort, M.D., masterfully combines her medical expertise with edge-of-your-seat storytelling, delivering a novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night. Dr. LePort is an accomplished physician with a passion for weaving medical knowledge into thrilling narratives. Her extensive background in medicine lends authenticity and depth to her stories, making the Miner & Mulville series a unique blend of fact and fiction. (CristinaLePort.com)

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

He examined the blood-smeared paper. Only one typed sentence: I donate my organs for transplant. Kirk stared at the illegible signature. Something begged for attention, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was…

“Any weapons or bullets?”

“This was on the driver’s seat between the victim and the door.” John produced an evidence bag from his backpack. “A Ruger. A woman’s gun. Small, concealable, and accurate.”

Kirk reached for the bag and wrapped his hand around the plastic covering the grip’s checkered frame. In his mind, the weapon’s light weight and John’s words triggered an image of a beautiful young woman, Amy Winter, with no future.

“The bullet,” John went on, “ended up embedded next to the ceiling, on the car’s front passenger side. No other bullets found in the gun.”

“Why next to the ceiling?” Kirk lifted his eyes from the gun.

“It must have hit her cellphone.” John handed Kirk a plastic-wrapped iPhone with a dazzling pink case. “She must’ve been holding the phone to her ear when the bullet exited. We found the phone on the car floor between the two back seats. Screen’s shattered, phone’s dead.”

Kirk examined the phone. The black screen bore a bloody diagonal fracture from top to bottom. That would have been the direction of the exiting bullet grazing a phone glued to the woman’s right ear. Who in hell would she be chatting with while killing herself?

“Who discovered the victim?” Kirk said.

“A man called the hospital ER and 9-1-1 at about the same time.” John extracted a smartphone from his sport jacket and scrolled through his notes. “The call to the ER was registered at 4:41a.m. I’m not sure how precise that is. The 9-1-1 call came in at 4:42.”

Kirk placed his index finger on the phone’s volume button. Nothing happened. Then his thumb pressed the reset button several times. After the third try, the screen lit up. A key piece of a puzzle fell into place, making Kirk feel almost giddy with excitement.

“I’m afraid we’re not dealing with an attempted suicide,” Kirk said, turning the face of the phone toward John, “but an attempted murder.”

“I agree.” John’s brows went up. “But how can you be so sure without any forensics?”

“Several things,” Kirk said. “The note was added later, after the shot. Smears of blood, instead of sprays. Poor attempt by the shooter to make us believe the note was on the seat before the bullet hit.”

“Yeah,” John said, “that’s been bothering me also. You’ve come a long way from your training over ribs and beer.”

Kirk smiled at the memory of their favorite pub. It seemed a long time ago when Kirk decided to leave the police force and John helped him get started as a private investigator. John was more than a mentor. He always cared about Kirk, but cared even more after Kirk’s near-fatal car accident years ago. John had become as protective as an older brother.

The image of the dark pub dissipated and Kirk refocused on the victim’s note.

“I’m no calligrapher,” he said, “but, from the slanting of the signature, I think the victim is right-handed. A right-handed person would shoot her right side.”

“If it’s actually her signature,” John said.

“The shooter could have forced her to sign at gun point,” Kirk said. “Either way, it would point to attempted murder.”

“What else?”

“We’ve got the exact time of the shooting,” Kirk said, waving the plastic-clad phone. “Here in this frozen, undead iPhone.”

John grabbed the evidence bag. He stared at the fractured, frozen screen.

His lips stretched into a grin.

“The bullet froze the time at 4:43,” Kirk said. “One minute after the 9-1-1 call. The man called before the shooting occurred. It’s unlikely someone would notice the shooter, figure out what he was going to do, call the police, and leave without talking to them.”

“The witness could have left because he was afraid the shooter would come after him,” John said.

“Or perhaps,” Kirk said, “the caller knew the shooting would occur because he himself was the shooter. And he wanted the victim to be found as soon as possible.”

John referred again to his notes. “The caller said that someone had been shot. Not someone is going to shoot, or is shooting, somebody. The woman had gun powder residue on her left hand, but the shooter could’ve placed the gun in her hand before throwing it in the car. We’ve got a few prints on the handle. I bet they’re all from her. But I still think you’re right.”

Kirk nodded. “The shooter made sure she would be rescued in time for her organs to be saved for donation and subsequent transplant.”

Kirk turned toward the hospital ER entrance. A vivid memory materialized. A plastic bracelet around his wrist, from six years ago, in a different hospital. The bracelet classifying him as an organ donor. After his prolonged coma, doctors had given up on Kirk. Luckily for him, he had woken up and retained his organs.

The woman who had crossed the ER threshold earlier that morning wouldn’t be so lucky. Someone wanted her organs badly enough to put a bullet in her brain.

Author Bio:

Dr. Cristina LePort was born in Bologna, Italy. She attended medical school at the University of Bologna and then completed her medical training at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn and at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases and has been practicing medicine for more than thirty years. Cristina is also the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Genescient, a biotech company devoted to genetic research on aging and the amelioration of chronic diseases. Medicine and fiction are her twin passions, and she is absolutely thrilled to be able to share her medical thrillers with the world.

Cristina LePort currently resides in Orange County, California, with her husband Peter LePort, a general surgeon. They have three children and three grandchildren.

Website / Facebook / Instagram


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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Interview of Joseph Finder Author of The Oligarths Daughter And My Review (#Thriller, #Review)

I want to welcome Joseph Finder to Books R Us. Joseph is the author of the Thriller The Oligarch's Daughter to be released today. Joseph has provided an interview just for my readers and check out my review of the book. Thanks for stopping by.

 

About the Book:

Well, everything old is new again. With Vladimir Putin’s relentless war on Ukraine, the mysterious deaths of his foes, and numerous accounts of Russians infiltrating U.S. life and business, we find ourselves in a brand-new Cold War. As a writer whose finger never left the pulse of the intelligence world, Joseph Finder is primed to write the first new Cold War novel. THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER (Harper, Hardcover; $30.00; ISBN: 9780063396012; on-sale: January 28, 2025) is that book. Set against the years before Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and deeply informed by Joe’s expertise in Russia, this novel has a delicious thriller premise.

Paul Brightman is a man on the run, living under an assumed name in a small New England town with a million-dollar bounty on his head. When his security is breached, Paul is forced to flee into the New Hampshire wilderness to evade Russian operatives who can seemingly predict his every move.

Six years ago, Paul was a rising star on Wall Street who fell in love with a beautiful photographer named Tatyana—unaware that her father was a Russian oligarch and the object of considerable interest from several U.S. intelligence agencies. Now, to save his own life, Paul must unravel a decades-old conspiracy that extends to the highest reaches of the government.

 

Interview:

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I always say, plumbers don’t get plumber’s block, so writers shouldn’t get writer’s block. But in reality I know plenty of writers, including me, can find themselves stuck, unable to write further. So I diagnose it, try to find the reason for it. Do I need to do a little more research? I make a phone call to a source. Do I need to think more about the plot? I brainstorm plot ideas. And so on. By now I’m pretty good at figuring out what the problem is that’s causing the blockage – and dealing with it.

How long did it take you to write the book?

This one took a long time – two years -- because I had to write two very different storylines and then tie them together. Then there was the wilderness research and the Russian research. So it was a lot.

Can you tell me about your experiences finding a publisher for the book?

Sure. I wrote the book on spec – not having a publisher – and my agent sent it out for auction. Fortunately, 6 publishers bid on it. The highest bidder also happened to be the editor who was most enthusiastic about the book – no accident, I guess.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?

I work out nearly every day, but that’s not always fun. I walk my dog, Millie, and play with her. I read for fun. And I watch TV or movies.

What are your current/future projects?

I’m working on a novel set in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay. But I can’t say a lot more about it.

Do you have any tips for a young writer just starting out?

Read a lot. You learn by reading. Read Stephen King’s On Writing. And you have to be stubborn – determined – and learn to deal with rejection, because you’ll get rejected a lot when you start out.

If your book were to be made into a movie, who would you like to play the main character and why?

Jake Gyllenhaal. Chris Pine. John Krasinski. But I’d be happy with any movie star in the right age bracket who can play someone smart and do action too.

 

REVIEW: 


I have always enjoyed thrillers that feature espionage and memorable characters; however, I was not impressed with this novel. The backstory and timeline of the main character, Paul, felt overly stretched, making it difficult for me to finish the book. While Paul had an interesting past that was explored in the story, it took too long to reach the main point. I am not saying that the book was bad, but it simply wasn't for me.

 

About the Author: 

 

Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of sixteen suspense novels, including House on Fire, The Fixer, and Suspicion. Two of his novels have been adapted into major motion pictures—Paranoia (starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman) and High Crimes (starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman). Four more have won the industry’s top best novel awards—Killer Instinct (the International Thriller Writers Award), Buried Secrets (the Strand Critics Award); Guilty Minds (the Barry Award), and Company Man (the Barry Award). Finder lives in Boston, Massachusetts. For more on Joseph Finder, visit: https://josephfinder.com/

 

Joseph Finder has developed and maintained close contacts throughout the intelligence world and draws on them to add authenticity and inside detail to this incredible new book. THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER is not only a harkening back to classic spy novels by John le Carré and Graham Greene, but it is a literary guidebook to the New Cold War -- the frightening world we live in now.

 

Thanks for Stopping By: 



Disclaimer: I was giving an ARC by the publisher for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

Book Spotlight of Deadly When Disturbed by D.M. Barr (#Contests-Enter to win a GIft Card)

Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr Banner

DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED

by DM Barr

January 13 - 31, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr

Deadly When Disturbed follows the journey of leading Realtor and philanthropist Dara Banks. When Dara searches for an assistant, finding someone as resourceful as Meryl “Merry” Rafter seems too good to be true. So good in fact, she neglects to run a reference check. Bad move. Before she knows it, Merry, a former “actress” trying to be “helpful,” has insinuated herself into Dara’s business, family, and charity, and may be the only person saving her from prison. Dara becomes suspicious and begins snooping into Merry’s past. Feeling cornered, Merry reciprocates by launching an investigation of her own and realizes—too late—that she may have picked the wrong mark to con. These women’s unsettling discoveries, and their desperate efforts to safeguard their skeleton-filled closets and fragile self-images, lead to an explosive confrontation certain to destroy the lives of everyone in their midst.

 

Praise for Deadly When Disturbed:

"Two women. Friends? Hardly. They’re both after the same thing. And as the stakes get higher, the mind games get uglier, until—well, I’m not going to give away the killer ending. D. M. Barr’s latest domestic thriller is a total rush. It’s like being back with Betty and Veronica all over again—only this ain’t high school, and these women (like the title says) are DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED."
~ Marshall Karp, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the NYPD RED series

"Who’s the hunter and who’s the hunted in this taut domestic thriller? Don’t even try to guess. Just relax, enjoy, and hang on as DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED takes you on a wild ride."
~ Brad Parks, international bestselling author of THE BOUNDARIES WE CROSS.

"Tense, well-written, and surprising—Liane Moriarty meets Gillian Flynn by way of John Lutz in D.M. Barr's latest domestic thriller, DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED. Gaslighting and suburban intrigue abound in this carefully crafted tale, guaranteed to keep you in suspense all the way to the final chapter. Put this one at the top of your to-be-read pile!"
~ Richard Helms, Thriller, Macavity, and Shamus Awards winning author of 22 RUE MONTPARNASSE.

"DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED is a superb dark thriller that offers a brilliantly written bizarro take on the classic All About Eve. Shifts in reality and twists of the plot keep the reader on edge until the stunning and unexpected climax. Fasten your seatbelt and hang on. It's a great ride."
~ S. Lee Manning, award-winning author of TROJAN HORSE, NERVE ATTACK, BLOODY SOIL, and DEADLY CHOICE.

"DEADLY WHEN DISTURBED by D.M. Barr is a clever psychological thriller reminiscent of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, updated for today's culture and with a superior narrative.… With a steady and increasingly intense pace, [it] is a hypnotic read of insanity and wretchedness that will stay with you long after the last page."
~ Gaius Konstantine for Readers’ Favorite

Deadly When Disturbed Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Suspense, Domestic Thriller
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: January 2025
Number of Pages: 310
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

She stood at her dining room table and calmly fingered through the cardboard box, double-checking that the paperwork was in chronological order. Even now, no one could accuse Samantha Ellingsworth of being anything but organized and precise. For nearly forty years, it had been both a gift and a curse.

First the letters from Harry, professing his incendiary ardor during their abbreviated law school courtship. The GIA certificate for the diamond, his glittering promise of passion extending through eternity. The deed to their Upper West side condo. A copy of her resignation from Davis & Milliken, where she’d been on the fast track to partner. The birth certificates for her daughter, dated a year later, and the surprise twins, ten years after that.

Next, the children’s coveted acceptance letters from Harrison—Manhattan’s most elite private pre-school and elementary—followed by every one of the glowing report cards she’d worked with them so diligently to earn. Campaign flyers she’d created for Harry’s run for state senate. Her passport opened to the page containing the stamp from that fateful trip to Aruba. The letters she’d written, refuting everything he’d accused her of as lies—all unopened and marked “Return to Sender.” The prescription for Prozac, unfilled, as if any pharmaceutical could rescue her from this pit of depression. Finally, the divorce papers she’d received a few weeks ago, still unsigned.

A lifetime of aspirations, misunderstandings, and betrayals, all encapsulated in a pile of paper less than an inch thick. She affixed the cover to the box and took a long, wistful look at the “perfect” apartment they’d been so ecstatic about buying, beating out several competing bids thanks to the lingering cachet of the Ellingsworth name and its clout in political circles. Confident that the condo was spotless, with everything in its place, Samantha slowly donned her hooded sheepskin coat, grabbed the box, and headed out.

The elevator operator nodded as she entered, but Gloria from the floor above murmured a curt hello and diverted her gaze as they descended from the seventh floor. Samantha had grown used to the frostiness over the past few weeks. Did the other tenants fear it was catching, that they too might be abandoned by their spouse and children, their lives reduced to rubble, if they inched too close? Whatever.

She trudged southbound through the early morning wintery mix; package still cradled to her chest like a newborn. Frigid raindrops grazed her eyelashes before cascading downward and stinging her cheeks as she passed the signs in Zabars’ windows, reminding patrons to purchase their Thanksgiving turkeys. The holiday was only days away. The irony did not escape her.

Shivering as much from the weather as from what lay ahead, she descended the subway staircase at 72nd Street, pushing against the throngs headed toward the sidewalk. She had someplace to go too and nothing—not crowds nor apprehension—was going to delay her.

Today was the day, a chance to have her say. Finally, she’d make him understand.

Samantha ran her MetroCard through the turnstile and headed toward the stairway leading to the uptown train. She positioned herself as close as possible to the opening of the tunnel and stood by the edge of the platform, resummoning her fleeting courage as the crowds swelled behind her. Commuters too involved with their phones to notice the determined woman beside them whose breathing had quickened and whose face had grown hot. She hugged the box even tighter to her fidgeting body and waited. And waited.

A collective sigh arose from the crowd as the loudspeaker announced that the next train was going out of service and wouldn’t be stopping. She saw the light in the distance and heard the clunk-de-clunk and whirl—a deafening gale descending onto the tracks, drowning out the murmur of the passengers. Her ride to the most important meeting of her life. And it was the number 2 train. How appropriate. Just like her, relegated from number one.

Timing was everything, the oncoming gleam only yards away. She tightened her grasp on what was left of her world, recalling the face of the bitch who’d laughed as she’d stolen it all away. Then she took one last breath and jumped onto the tracks.

***

Excerpt from Deadly When Disturbed by DM Barr. Copyright 2025 by DM Barr. Reproduced with permission from DM Barr. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

DM Barr

Dawn M. Barclay is an award-winning author who writes psychological and romantic suspense as D.M. Barr and non-fiction under her own name.

Her eight other published books include Expired Listings, Murder Worth the Weight, and Saving Grace: A Psychological Thriller. Along with Deadly When Disturbed, in February LBB will also publish the first of her multi-volume series, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover's Travel Guide.

Dawn recently completed her second stint co-editing a Sisters in Crime NY/Tri-state anthology. New York State of Crime, published by Down & Out Books in the fall of 2024, which includes her third published short story, "Orchestral Removals in the Dark." She is currently editing an anthology of crime fiction for Down & Out Books inspired by the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

Dawn offers developmental and copy editing through SuggestedDevelopment.com, and ghostwrites personal histories and corporate profiles through LegacyQuest.net. A member of ITW, she has served as president of Hudson Valley Scribes, vice president of Sisters in Crime-NY (still a board member), and the newsletter author/board member of the NY chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Catch Up With DM Barr:
www.DMBarr.com
Goodreads - @DMBarr
BookBub - @DMBarr
Instagram - @AuthorDMBarr
Threads - @AuthorDMBarr
YouTube - @BarrSinister-m7u
Bluesky - @AuthorDMBarr
YouTube - @BarrSinister-m7u
Facebook - @AuthorDMBarr
TikTok - @AuthorDMBarr

 

 

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Review of audiobook the AXE by Linda Griffin(#Contests- Enter to win a Starbucks Gift Card.)


 

Book Details:

Book Title The Axe by Linda Griffin
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  66 pages (1 hour, 46 minutes)
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
PublisherACX (ebook edition by The Wild Rose Press)
Release date:  July 2024 (ebook edition September 2023)
Content Rating PG-13A few f-words. Sexual violence that is not depicted, but is described by the victim (not explicitly) and may trigger some listeners. 



Book Description:

Sweethearts Eric Leidheldt and Desiree Chauveau are spending a weekend at his uncle's cabin when they encounter two strangers cutting wood. Eric is knocked unconscious, and Desi is viciously attacked. The following day two police officers come to their apartment to arrest Desi. Her assailants are dead, murdered with an axe, and her fingerprints are on it. She confesses but is she really guilty? Eric is determined to stand by her, but the physical and emotional effects of the attack severely challenge their relationship. 
 
My Thoughts:  
 
The author wrote an excellent thriller/mystery featuring believable characters and an engaging story line. Although some readers may find the story disturbing due to its violent content, I thoroughly enjoyed the novella. The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, allowing me to feel their emotions as I listened. I finished the book during my daily walk and found myself walking faster as the story progressed, so I walked further that day. The characters interacted well with one another, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. I had a few questions, but the author addressed them in the epilogue. It is always nice to read or listen to an interesting book with a plot that is not boring and is well-written. 
 



Meet the Author:

Linda Griffin knew she wanted to be a "book maker" as soon as she learned to read and wrote her first story at the age of six. Her passion for the printed word also led her to a career with the San Diego Public Library. She retired to spend more time on her writing and has had stories published in numerous literary journals The Wild Rose Press has published nine of her novels. In addition to the three R's—reading, writing, and research—she enjoys travel, movies, Scrabble, and visiting museums and art galleries. .

Connect With The Author:

website ~X ~ facebook ~ instagram ~  goodreads


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Thursday, January 9, 2025

Review and Interview with E. William Podojil author of the Poseidon Project (#REVIEW,#CONTESTS- Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card.)


 I want to welcome Mr. Podojil to Books R Us. Mr Podojil is the author of the suspense novel," The Poseidon Project."Thanks for stopping by and enter the giveaway below to win a great prize.


About the Book:

The Poseidon Project is an international suspense thriller and the first book in The Herb Society Mysteries series

Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past. Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom. Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands. But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are. Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future. But not only their futures; the world’s.

 

About the Author:

E. William Podojil has worked as a writer, advisor and international business executive while living in the Netherlands and the United States. He studied screenwriting at UCLA. His first novel, The Tenth Man, was published in 2004, by Haworth Press. His latest novel, The Poseidon Project, was published by Wild Rose Press in August, 2024 as the first book in the Herb Society Mysteries series.

Podojil currently resides in Northeast Ohio with his husband and three sons. He travels extensively and writes about his experiences on his website www.ewpodojil.com.

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My Thoughts:

I couldn't put the book down because the story line was fantastic. The book combined mystery, action, thriller, and LGBT+ romance themes. Molly's husband, John, is kidnapped, and she sets out on an adventure to rescue him. When she was younger, she was involved with the Herb Society. A group of women who were strong, intelligent, crafty, and had an exciting past. She is accompanied by her son Lucas, his boyfriend, and the women of the Herb Society, who fly to Dubai to save John. There was so much excitement and twists that kept me on my toes. Initially, I was a bit unsure of what the Poseidon Project was, but as I read on, I figured it out. The author wrote a thriller with a cast of characters that interacted well and added to the plot. The ending was unpredictable, and I never saw it coming. Great Job, Mr Podojil.

Interview and Excerpt:

 

Click Here For Interview and Excerpt




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