Review | "The Secret of Pembrooke Park" by Julie Klassen

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen
Inspirational Regency Romance published December 1, 2014
Published by Bethany House
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . . 

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure. 

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

my thoughts...

This was my first book by Julie Klassen and I did enjoy it.  It's a fairly long book and it did take me longer to read it than I anticipated. This is a Regency Mystery and while it's classified as romance there was really very little focus on the romance.  This is also a Bethany House published book so there is some aspect of religion throughout the book.  It's not as in your face as some of the books they publish are.  This one is more subtle in that the main male character Will is a curate on the Pembrooke property.  This, for all intents and purposes, means that he's the pastor of the church.  His position is overseen by an elder pastor who travels so Will lives in the rectory and holds the weekly services.

Abigail finds herself in a bit of a quandary when, because of her advice on financial matters, her family finds themselves in trouble.  They can no longer afford to live in the way they have become accustomed so she needs to find them a place to live when they sell their London home.  She is the older sister who feels doomed to remain an "old maid" even though she is not yet 25.  This hits her especially hard when the man she thinks she's in love with, a man she grew up with, appears to be quite taken with her younger sister.  They seem to stumble upon the opportunity of a lifetime when they are offered a year lease on the Pembrooke property.  An offer that comes complete with household staff.  The caveat is, the house has been empty for nearly 20 years.

As Abigail begins to ready the house for the rest of her family, she learns that there is so much more about the house than what was revealed to her initially.  There is a secret in the house and she's not the only one searching for it.  Some say it's a treasure, but just what kind of treasure could there be in a house that was abandoned so suddenly?  Abigail becomes close with Will and his entire family as she uncovers the truth about what really happened all those years ago.

This is a great mystery story, it's full of twists and turns.  Some of them I saw coming, but others hit me out of the blue.  Like I said earlier, it's a long book, but the mystery of it kept me going right on to the end.  There is a little romance that's all very proper for the time in which the book is set.  If you like a nice clean read with a little romance and a lot of mystery then you will probably enjoy this book.  I know I did!

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Review | "Father of Fear" by Ethan Cross

Father of Fear by Ethan Cross
Mystery/Thriller published August 19, 2014
The Story Plant
Author's website  |  Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A father returns home to find that his family has been kidnapped and the only way to save their lives is for him to kill another innocent person…

So begins a journey that will force Special Agent Marcus Williams of the Shepherd Organization to question all that he believes, unearth his family's dark legacy, and sacrifice everything to save those he loves. In order to stop the serial murderer whom the media has dubbed the Coercion Killer, Williams must enlist the help of one of the world's most infamous and wanted men...the serial killer Francis Ackerman Jr.

Rippling with intensity, charged with tension, and brimming with a relentless spirit of humanity, FATHER OF FEAR is the latest evidence that Ethan Cross is one of the finest suspense novelists on the planet.

My Thoughts...

I said it in my review of the last book in this series and I will say it again....these really should be made into movies, they would be excellent!  This book was more of a psychological thriller than the last one, at least in my opinion.  Ethan Cross can definitely write crazy and it's so, so good.

In this installment we find Marcus and his crew in Kansas City trying to catch the Coercion Killer.  He is someone who kidnaps every family member but one and forces the remaining member of the family to kill someone he has chosen.  If they refuse he kills a member of the family until they complete the task, if they follow his orders he releases the family unharmed and virtually unaware of the situation.  Marcus enlists the help of his brother, who happens to be a wanted serial killer.  He's also the perfect person to help because of the way his mind works. Both Marcus and Francis are quite brilliant and they work well to kind of balance each other out.  Marcus the light half to Francis' dark.

Marcus is having his own problems, trouble sleeping, headaches, etc... He's kind of a loose cannon on the job, but Maggie helps keep him in check.  Despite his qualms he's also bonding with Francis as they work together.  Things go from bad to worse and Maggie is forced to work along side Francis, whom she despises.  It's a race to the finish to save someone they care about as well as the lives of countless others and they have to learn to trust people they wouldn't ordinarily trust in order to see it through.

This book is written in third person through the eyes of many different characters depending on what's happening at the current time.  It's fast paced and most of the chapters are short and succinct.  That combined with the quick pace makes for a very quick read if you have the time to sit for a couple hours.

This is a very dark read filled with lots of action, but a fair amount of gory imagery as well.  Not only from the serial killers view, but from Francis as well.  I have to admit that I loved Francis' character in this book.  He is clearly still a very unstable person, very prone to violent outbursts, still a killer no doubt about it, but he's changing.  He's a smart guy who knows that someone made him this way, and it's not necessarily who he wants to be anymore so he's trying very hard to change.  He reminds me of Dexter just a little bit.  He knows that what he is is wrong, but it's not entirely his fault that he's like this.

If you like a good thriller then I highly recommend this series.  You will be on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Blog Tour Review | "Favors and Lies" by Mark Gilleo

Favors and Lies by Mark Gilleo
Mystery/Thriller published July 1, 2014
The Story Plant

Where to find Mark Gilleo Online:

Website
Goodreads Author Page

Buy the Book:  Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble

Synopsis from Goodreads

Dan Lord is a forty-year-old private detective with a law degree working the blurred line between right and wrong in the Nation’s Capital. As a self-employed solutions broker and legal consultant, he works for a very select clientele. He doesn’t advertise and only takes cases on referral. But when two people close to him are murdered, Dan's work becomes very personal.

With the assistance of a newly hired female intern, extracting clues from a ladder of acquaintances, Dan bounds through both the underbelly and elite of society, each step bringing more questions and yet ultimately taking him closer to the answer he seeks. A bail bondsman, a recluse hacker, a court clerk, a university student, an old-school barber, a high-class madam, an intelligence officer, a medical doctor, and a police detective are among the list of people Dan must cajole for help. His quest will lead him to discover things he never wanted to know, and put him in the position to reveal things that important people would prefer remain unrevealed.

Tense, ingenious, and filled with the unforgettable characters that have become a Mark Gilleo trademark, FAVORS AND LIES is the most thrilling novel yet from one of the great new voices in suspense fiction.

My Thoughts...

This is the second book by Mark Gilleo that I have read and I must say that I enjoyed this one even more than the first one.  I think I managed to finish this one in 2 sittings, I was hooked from the first chapter and I really didn't want to put it down.  

Dan Lord is a 40 year old man with a very complicated past that lends a thick air of mystery to his character throughout the course of the book.  Dan gets a call in the middle of the night that changes the course of his life and it takes all the resources he has in his repertoire to solve this case.  As he gets more involved things become more dangerous for him and anyone he has contact with.  Even the people he starts to trust aren't who they seem and when we finally find out who is behind the whole thing it's a huge shock.  This is all I am going to say about the plat for fear of spoiling it and that would be a shame to do since this whole book is so plot driven.

The whole book is full of twists and turns and it's pretty much non stop from the very first chapter.  The characters are very well written and Dan is just one of those guys you love from the first page.   There were a few rambling bits that I didn't feel were altogether necessary to further the story.  They did provide back story for some of the more minor characters and I suppose they did lend them an air of credibility in the end.  Marks' writing style is very easy to be drawn into and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next, although I would love to see more of Dan Lord in the future!

If you love a good suspense, murder mystery story then I can't recommend Mark Gilleo enough and this book is a great way to get a sense of his writing style for sure.

XOXO, Shelly

Author Bio

Mark Gilleo holds a graduate degree in international business from the University of South Carolina and an undergraduate degree in business from George Mason University. He enjoys traveling, hiking and biking. He speaks Japanese. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, he currently resides in the D.C. area. His first two novels were recognized as finalist and semifinalist, respectively, in the William Faulkner Wisdom creative writing competition. 

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Review | "You're Not Safe" by Mary Burton

You're Not Safe by Mary Burton
Mystery Thriller Published March 25, 2014
Zebra Publishing
Author's Website  |   Goodreads  |  Buy the Book on Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

He Will Never Forget
The broken body hanging from a tree in Texas Hill Country. . .the frozen figure huddled in a meat locker. . .only at second glance does the truth become apparent. What seems like suicide is far more sinister, and the terror is only beginning...

Never Forgive

One devastating moment changed Greer Templeton's life and ended two others. Now, with a body found on her property and Texas Ranger Tec Bragg on her doorstep, Greer's nightmare has returned. With each new victim, her link to Tec's case grows, and soon it will be too late to run.

And Never Let Them Live. . .

Greer hoped the past was behind her, but an obsessed killer has never forgotten the bond that unites them. One by one, he will track down his victims, finish what was started--and make Greer's dying wish come true. . .

My Thoughts...

I literally just finished this book minutes ago.  I blew through this book in no time at all, once I started it I couldn't put it down.  This is the 3rd of the Texas Rangers series that I have read and this was most definitely my favorite of the 3.  The story is intense and fast paced and the characters are well written.  This book would do just as well as a stand alone book, but Tec does work with Brody Winchester on this case.

This story opens with a murder staged to look like a suicide.  Rory, the murdered man is someone that was connected to Greer Templeton back years ago when she was still a teenager.  Before Ranger Tec Bragg even meets Greer she approaches his nephew Mitch and offers him a job working on her vineyard.  Greer has has a troubles past and she still feels the weight of that every day, she is working off a debt to her aunt Lydia when she seeks Mitch out.  Lydia helped her when she needed it most and she promised her that one day she would pay that forward and help out someone else.  Mitch is that someone.  He is going through much the same thing that she went through all those years ago.

Tec isn't so sure about Greer when he meets her initially, but he soon learns that there is a living, breathing woman under the tough exterior she projects.  We don't know much about Tec, but he's a good Ranger there is no doubt about that.  He did a lot of work on the Border and has the scars to prove it, but since his nephew Mitch returned from Iraq with physical and emotional problems he has started to put down roots in the Austin area.  Mitch is the only family Tec has left and vice versa, but they aren't exactly close.  Tec has tried to break through to Mitch with no luck until he starts working with Greer.  There is something about her that speaks to Mitch and he starts to change slowly, but it's a start. Tec doesn't want to like Greer, but the change in Mitch is one more reason for him to get to know her better.

When more bodies start turning up, much the same as the first they all start to lead to Greer.  It soon becomes clear that she is in danger and that riles Ranger Bragg up.  He is tough as nails and will stop at nothing to solve this case and keep Greer safe.

This story unfolds just perfectly and I had no idea who the killer was until the moment they were revealed.  if you like a good mystery / thriller, then I highly suggest this book.  I was engrossed from the minute I started reading. This was a 5 star read for me, without a doubt.  It's an adult read and it has some tastefully done love scenes, but not too much detail and very little, if any profanity.

XOXO, Shelly

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Mystery/Thriller Review "No Escape" by Mary Burton

Title: No Escape

Author: Mary Burton

Released On: October 29, 2013

Publisher: Zebra

Buy Link -  AMAZON 

Author's Website:   http://www.maryburton.com/
Author's Goodreads Profile:  Mary Burton

Synopsis

He Was Taught How To Kill

Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work…

And Now He’ll Teach Them

He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.

How To Die

Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all…

MY REVIEW

Every once in awhile I like to sit down and read a really good murder mystery and this was an excellent read.  I was also sent the first book in this Texas Rangers series and I loved it as well.  This could absolutely be a stand alone book though.  The main female character is Jolene Granger she's a psychologist who works occasionally with the Rangers and she did make an appearance in the first book and the 2 main characters from that book show up in this book as well.  You don't need any of that back story for this story though.

When Jo was going to school she did one of her big papers on Harvey Day Smith, when he decides to make a confession before he dies he want to talk to her.  The problem is that the Ranger responsible for his capture and the man who contacts her, Brody Winchester, happens to be her ex-husband.  They haven't seen each other in 14 years and working side by side is causing all sorts of old feelings and hurts to come to the surface.  Not to mention the fact that someone is out there killing and disposing of the bodies in the same manner that Harvey Day Smith did.

This book is fast paced and full of twists and turns.  For just a minute I thought I had it all figured out and boy was I wrong!  I love a book that keeps me on my toes and this one definitely did that.  Harvey has Jo all turned around and confused.  He intimates that there is a connection between them that she needs dig deeper to find and this has her tied in knots.  She is starting to re-connect with Brody a man who disappointed her at a time in her life when she needed him to stand by her side.  Jo has a lot of things working against her, but she is a strong woman who doesn't seem to let anything get her down.

If you are looking for a relatively quick read and you love a good murder mystery then I highly recommend this book.  It's an adult read and it has some tastefully done love scenes, but not too much detail and while there is some profanity it's used very sparingly.

*Disclaimer:  I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Mystery Review "No Way To Die" by M.D. Grayson

Title:  No Way To Die
Author:  M.D.Grayson
Publisher:  Cedar Coast Press
Publication Date: July 16, 2012
Genre:  Mystery
Format:  Kindle 690 KB   | Paperback 310 pages

Buy this book on Amazon:  Paperback  |  Kindle Edition
Author's Goodreads Profile:  M.D. Grayson 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Danny Logan, Toni Blair, and the rest of the Logan PI crew are back in action. They're investigating the supposed suicide of a famous mathematician - a man who was on the brink of revealing a new set of encryption protocols that could rock the world. But if they're right - if it was murder, not suicide, then whoever did the killing must be highly skilled and highly motivated - exactly the type of someone who would not appreciate being investigated. And, if that someone had already killed once, they'd have no trouble killing again to prevent Logan from uncovering the truth.

My Thoughts...
This is the 2nd book in the Danny Logan Mystery series and I have enjoyed them both.  You can read my review of the first one, Angel Dance, here.  I actually enjoyed this one more than the first one.  I felt like I knew the characters better and overall I liked the story line in this book better.

The story is pretty much your basic murder mystery with a twist.  The twist being that while the police have ruled the murder a suicide the widow insists that he had everything to live for.  Once she tells her story to Logan Investigations they are inclined to agree with her even though the evidence shows otherwise.  They work as a team to try to discover the truth behind his death.

I said that Toni was my favorite character in the last book and she definitely still is.  The tension between her and Danny is even more intense in this book.  They have this unspoken pact that since they work together they will never be more than friends, but that is tested greatly in this book.  It's clear that there is more there, on both side and it's something they won't be able to deny much longer.

This is another book that is just really well written and edited.  The cover is a bit lackluster, but the story itself is a really good one.  The murdered man in this one was a very bright mathematician who developed a device or code that can decrypt any secure passcodes.  There is a lot of mathematical jargon in this book that undoubtedly took a lot of research on Mr. Grayson's part.  It's a little overwhelming at times, but not so much that it take you out of the story.

Again, I love that this series is set in Seattle.  I love how descriptive the settings are.  This is a great detective novel full of great plot twist and turns.  If you are a fan of this genre then you are sure to enjoy these Danny Logan Mysteries!

*Disclaimer:  I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*