Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger - Audio Version

 Confessions on the 7:45

by Lisa Unger

Audio Version

A friend of mine had posted that she wanted to 

read this one on Goodreads. The title and the short

synopsis I found sounded so interesting. I mean,

Confessions on the 7:45. Doesn't the title alone make

you want to check it out? I don't read

mysteries very often. But I just in the mood that day.

My library had the audio version with a long waiting 

list. Which isn't unusual for newer items. But I lucked

out and it was ready for me in no time.

My first time reading Lisa Unger. She certainly wowed me! 

She had a way of introducing the characters that was easy

for me to keep them straight. But I have to say, the time 

perspective changes, back and forth, often, during the story. 

I did not find it hard to follow most of the time. I made a

mental note of particular characters at the beginning. 

There is really no way to write a review with any 

information that doesn't include a  spoiler. 

The story is full of intrigue from the very start. 

You will be compelled to listen so close. You won't

want to miss a single word. 

I loved the story. I believe I will be a continued

Lisa Unger fan. It is 12 1/2 hours listening time. 

So you will for sure get your moneys worth. 
There is not a minute of down time. The story

moves right along. The narration is fabulous. 
Her name is Vivienne Leheny. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

Susan's Review of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins

An intrepid female reporter matches wits with a serious, sexy detective in award-winning author Manda Collins' fun and flirty historical rom-com!

England, 1865 : As one of England's most notorious newspaper columnists, Lady Katherine Bascomb believes knowledge is power. And she's determined to inform and educate the ladies of London on the nefarious-and deadly-criminals who are praying on the fairer sex. When her reporting leads to the arrest of a notorious killer, however, Katherine flees to a country house party to escape her newfound notoriety-only to witness a murder on her very first night. And when the lead detective accuses Katherine of inflaming-rather than informing-the public with her column, she vows to prove him wrong.

Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham's refusal to compromise his investigations nearly cost him his own career, and he blames Katherine. To avoid bad publicity, his superiors are pressuring him to solve cases quickly rather than correctly. When he discovers she's the key witness in a new crime, he's determined to prevent the beautiful widow from once again wreaking havoc on his case. Yet as Katherine proves surprisingly insightful and Andrew impresses Katherine with his lethal competency, both are forced to admit the fire between them is more flirtatious than furious. But to explore the passion between them, they'll need to catch a killer. 

The connection between strong willed newspaper owner and columnist Lady Katherine and the serious, determined detective Andrew Eversham drew me into A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem immediately. Katherine authored an article about the “Commandments Killer” citing new information. This article contained an interview with a witness that the police overlooked. The newpaper article ruined the lead detective, Andrew Eversham's career. Andrew and Katherine meet at a crowded assembly announcing that the Commandments Killer had been caught. Andrew rescues her from the crush and sees her to safety.

I adored this delightful whodunit which takes place at a house party at a country estate. The storyline reminded me of Clue, one of my favorite board games. The cast of characters was fabulous! The guest list includes an American businessman and his daughter, an ex-prize fighter, the Earl and Countess of Eggleston and Reeve Thompson. Lots of different personalities that added to my enjoyment of the novel.

Andrew and Katherine are reunited when a murder occurs at the house party. Loved the initial conflict between these two characters and how their relationship changed as they learned to work together to solve the murders. The attraction between Andrew and Katherine intensified with every murder and the author crafted fabulous dialogue for them—witty, serious and passionate.

The focus of the storyline was solving the mystery— which appealed to me. Enjoyed that the author added in several red herring clues which added intrigue and a sense of uneasiness to the novel. I loved trying to figure out the killer’s identity and when he or she might strike again.

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is well written, the romance between Andrew and Katherine is engaging and the unmasking of the killer totally surprised me!

Well done Manda Collins--I fell for one of the red herring clues and believed another character was the murderer!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the Publisher

Susan's Review of A Crime of Fashion by Nancy Robards Thompson

When a murder mystery-themed fashion show is struck by a real murder, there are enough suspects to line the runway.

Bridal boutique owner and cozy mystery writer Maddie Bell and her daughter, Jenna, are hard at work planning Hemlock, North Carolina’s, annual 4th of July charity fashion show. When the show’s hometown star, bestselling mystery author Kellen Corsi, turns up dead, the mother-daughter pair find themselves playing detective...again.

Kellen’s death, which has been staged to mimic a murder from the book that launched her career, leaves the whole town reeling. The violence feels shockingly personal—Kellen was a founding member of the local writing group, Hemlock Homicide Heroines, before success swept her away to the big city.

Soon, it becomes clear not everyone was thrilled with Kellen’s success. As suspects multiply faster than designer knockoffs, Maddie and Jenna are determined to figure out who was resentful enough to kill over it.

Do you like cozy mysteries? I do! I am so glad that one of my favorite authors-Nancy Robards Thompson is writing cozies!

I am loving Nancy Robards Thompson’s Wedding Bell Mysteries! A Crime of Fashion is the second book in the series. The fast-paced novel features bridal boutique owner and mystery writer Maddie Bell and her event planner daughter Jenna. I loved the fun Mother-Daughter vibe in the novel, the hint of romance between Maddie and Jackson and the small town setting in Hemlock, North Carolina.

Maddie and her Jenna are co-chairing a charity event with a murder mystery theme. Bestselling author Kellan Corsi is the celebrity guest star in this year’s Successful You Fashion Showcase. Before she became a best-selling author, Kellan was a member of Maddie’s writers group; the Hemlock Homicide Heroines (HHH). Loved that the fashion show gave the group of writers a chance to reconnect. Kellan is the most successful member of the group. Her first book was a best seller and is being made into a movie—and several members of the HHH are extremely jealous of her success. So, is it really a big surprise when Kellan is murdered during cocktail hour?

The characters is the novel are fabulous! I loved Olivia—she was quite the diva and my prime suspect during the murder investigation! Olivia accused Kellan of plagiarism and that caused a lot of hard feelings in the group. The relationship between MJ and Olivia was interesting. Loved the conversations between MJ and the HHH members. MJ is a mother hen and was always the first to defend Olivia. The small town setting was an important in the story line as most of the characters were connected.

The clever plotting in A Crime of Fashion kept me guessing until the last page! I loved figuring out the clues and learning more about Kellan and the HHH members. Loved that this book focused a bit more on Maddie’s sleuthing abilities and her feelings toward Jackson. Maddie was determined to figure out the identity of the killer! I could imagine the stylish Maddie hopping through a window to snoop through a suspect’s office without wrinkling or smudging her outfit! The scenes when Maddie and Jenna visited Kellan’s hotel room at night was perfectly written with just the right amount of suspense. Maddie and Jenna’s relationship is tested little bit when Maddie tells Jenna about her date with Jackson. Jenna’s reaction is spot on and significant to the romantic angle of the story.

In an effort to keep my review spoiler free—I am not going to reveal the name of Kellan’s killer. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and the great plot twists and turns held my interest. Maddie and Jackson’s romance added to the storyline –it was relatable and very sweet—in keeping with the cozy mystery genre. It's back to watching more Hallmark mystery shows for me as I was not able to figure out the identity of Kellan’s killer!!

If you are looking for a fabulous, fashionable whodunit with a great mother-daughter detective team, two adorable corgis and a group of envious writers—grab a copy of A Crime of Fashion! I can’t wait for the next book in the Wedding bells series—The Taming of the Shoe which will be available in 2021!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Book purchased on Amazon

Interview: A CRIME OF FASHION – Book Two in The Wedding Bell Mysteries

Susan: This is such a great series! What inspired you to write cozy mysteries?

Nancy: Thank you, Susan! I’m having such fun with The Wedding Bell Mysteries series. I’ve written more than forty romance and women’s fiction novels, but a while back I found myself drawn into The Hannah Swensen Mysteries (written by Joanne Fluke) on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. I couldn’t get enough of Hannah and her town of Lake Eden, Minnesota. I loved the setting, the quirky characters, and the fact that the plots kept me guessing. As any reader would do, I picked up the books and quickly devoured all twenty-five in the series. What does a writer do when she’s reached the end of her favorite series? You got it! She plots her own. I liken The Wedding Bell Mysteries to Gilmore Girls meets Murder She Wrote. Gilmore Girls because the heroines, Maddie Bell and Jenna Bell are mother and daughter. Murder She Wrote because Maddie writes cozy mysteries when she’s not running her bridal shop, Blissful Beginnings Bridal Boutique.

Susan:What are your favorite elements in a cozy mystery? What do you like to include in your books?
Nancy: I love puzzles and brainteasers, so the “who-done-it” element of a cozy mystery really appeals to me. I also love small town dynamics that create a sense of community, and a cast of lovable and quirky characters that start to feel like friends and family. Those elements draw me into the cozy series I enjoy reading, and it’s only natural that I include them in my own.

Susan: Love the fun Mother- Daughter relationship between Maddie and Jenna. Loved the scene when they were in Kellan’s hotel room. Did you have a favorite Maddie -Jenna scene In this book?

Nancy: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed that scene. It was fun to write. I liked that one, and I also enjoyed Maddie and Jackson’s “date,” and the scene at the bee farm.

Susan: A Crime of Fashion focused on Maddie’s writing group. Do you belong to an author critique group?

Nancy: I do and they are life savers! They are some of my very best friends. We “meet” via the magic of technology because we live all over the country. One of my best writing buddies lives in the UK. I’ve known most of these women for a long time. There’s a tremendous amount of trust that goes into sharing your pre-published work with anyone. Not just for the reasons at the center of the A CRIME OF FASHION plot (I won’t say too much because I don’t want to give anything away), but it’s also important that critique partners share the same sensibilities. Writing is so subjective that if a person doesn’t understand where you’re going with a story, they could do more harm than good and at the very least, it’s a waste of time for both of you. But a critique at it’s best is when writers are helping each other make their stories stronger.

Susan: I loved that Maddie’s friendship with Jackson has blossomed into a romance. Was that fun to write/explore?

Nancy: It’s a lot of fun! There are some interesting twist and turns ahead as I hinted in at the end of A CRIME OF FASHION. The next book in the series, THE TAMING OF THE SHOE, will be out next year. That story will explore their relationship even more.

Susan: I know how much you love corgis. Are there any in this series?
Nancy: Every chance I get, I put a corgi -- or two -- in my books! This one is no exception. Maddie has two corgis – a girl names Agatha Christie and a boy named Sherlock Homes. Aggie and Homie, respectively. To me, just as a home isn’t a home without a corgi, a story feels like it’s missing some warmth without one…or several.

Susan: How can readers reach you?

Nancy: Thanks so much for having me on the blog today! I love to hear from readers! They can contact me and sign up for my newsletter HERE!

They can reach me on Facebook HERE and HERE.
I’m on Instagram and Twitter.

Virtue Falls by Christina Dodd - Audible edition

Virtue Falls

by Christina Dodd

Audible edition

☆☆☆☆☆

Elizabeth has spent her life as the one that watched

her mothers brutal murder. When she was 4 years old. 

Talk about your reputation preceding you.

But she has embraced it in some ways. Then made 

another reputation for herself. As a geologist.

 

So Christina Dodd builds a woman from that little girl.

And a place for her to live. 

Plus a job for her thrive at.

Who else do you know that would add an earthquake

and a tsunami to the beautiful perfect place that

Elizabeth lives?? There are so many surprises.

 The entire story is completely unpredictable. There is

not a dull moment. Mystery and questions and

uncertainty abound throughout. 

 

Rebecca Soler does a good job on the audio performance.

This was my first time hearing her.

 

 

Review by Lisa Hutson 

The Wicked Duke by Madeline Hunter

Madeline Hunter saved the best story for last in her Wicked Trilogy! The Wicked Duke is a smart, sexy, well-plotted whodunit filled with exceptional characters! Lancelot Hemingford, the Duke of Alyesbury, has spent the past nine months in seclusion at his country estate. Percy, his older brother, died quite suddenly and Lance is the primary suspect in his brother’s death. Lance is a charming rogue and is my favorite of Ms. Hunter’s heroes.

 
The author sets the tone and engages the reader in the first few pages of the novel. Marianne Radley mistakes Lance for a poacher while she is visiting a local graveyard. She exchanges polite conversation with him and mentions his rustic grooming, his beard. Lance shyly asks her if she would dance with him if he shaved. Marianne response is that they should be properly introduced first. Marianne has returned home to her childhood home with her widowed mother and cousin. Her uncle, Sir Horace inherited her family’s estate and is the local justice of the peace and he believes that Lance harmed his daughter. Sir Horace is investigating the case and will determine Lance’s fate. 

The relationship between Lance and Marianne is very romantic. Loved the scene when Lance charmed Marianne by kissing her hand….very slowly. (swoon!) The couple’s romance evolves slowly and the writing is very sensual. Although Marianne appears to be calm and in control, she falls for Lance. The couple is well suited. Marianne brings out the best in her husband and her questions force Lance to look at situations in a different way. 

 
The author does a wonderful job weaving both families into the storyline. Enjoyed Gareth and Ives’ visits with Lance. The complicated relationship between Sir Horace, Marianne’s mother and cousin Nora was an important dynamic in The Wicked Duke. Lance’s desire to solve Percy’s murder drove the plot; Percy’s presence was felt during the storyline. The author was able to blend mystery, suspense and romance in this novel. The conclusion of the novel and the unmasking of the murderer was fabulous! The identity of the murder surprised me—Kudos to Madeline Hunter for a well-written book!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Novel provided by the author.

Celeste photo by Susan Gorman

Katharine Ashe---The Rogue

I have read and enjoyed all of Katharine Ashe's Falcon Club books. I have waited for three years to read Lady Constance's story and it's FABULOUS!!

Ms. Ashe is known for creating intelligent , one-of - kind heroines, such as Lady Constance Read, and pairing them with honorable heroes!


Saint left the room, crossed the antechamber and reached for the door handle. The panel swung open and abruptly she was before him, her cheeks flushed and her lips parted. She had changed her hair and wore jewels about her bare neck now. The lamplight set them aglitter, like the candid blue of her eyes. She practically glowed. 

She was an heiress, a woman of beauty and wealth and rank who had in her youth engaged in a careless flirtation with an idiotically susceptible young man. She was no grand villain, No matter that he'd spent years avoiding this moment, now he saw only the soft, quick surprise of that girl with whom he had spent one forbidden fortnight, the girl he had not for one day in six years forgotten. 

Ms. Ashe’s is an excellent storyteller. Her deeply romantic writing style and attention to historical detail lend itself to this story as the reader becomes immediately immersed in the novel. I could visualize Haiknayes Castle and the six -pointed star carved over it's front door. I felt the couple’s desire for each other as each scene unfolded. And, I believed that I was watching Saint teaching Constance how to fence in Lord Read's ballroom. 

The author does an excellent job crafting the novel's heroine and hero. Lady Constance Read is an agent for the Falcon Club who has been tasked with solving the murders of two young woman who were murdered on the grounds of Haiknayes Castle. Saint is an honorable man, a soldier and a master swordsman who has been hired to teach Constance the art of self defense. The couple shared a passionate kiss six years ago that neither has forgotten. I wondered if this couple would be able to rekindle their relationship or if Saint would let her go. Constance learns to trust Saint and they are both pulled into the mystery of the missing women. Saint puts Constance's safety before his own and vows to protect her because he loves her unconditionally. 

 
The Rogue is an intricately woven story which combines the quest for the kidnapper’s identity with Saint and Constance’s love story. The novel has an original and very intriguing storyline and there were several clever plot twists and turns. The last one hundred pages are very suspenseful and the writing is superb. Each of the author’s words adds to the building tension within the novel and leads to its fabulous conclusion. 

If you are looking for a fabulous regency read, I recommend The Rogue!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman 

Edited by Brian McGee 

Graphics by Celeste and Avon 

Book purchased from Amazon by the reviewer.

The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall by Lauren Smith

The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall

by Lauren Smith

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense with Gothic Elements
Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Release Date: September 29, 2014

A thrilling gothic romance from Entangled’s Otherworld imprint…

To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past…

Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn't believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory. His plans are disrupted when a stubborn American shows up on his doorstep hoping to pry into his family’s tragic history.

Jane Seyton, an American graduate student, is convinced there’s more to the tragedy of Stormclyffe Hall than history claims. Ever the scholar, she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means putting up with the arrogant, yet sexy, Bastian.

Although Bastian wants nothing to do with the pushy American, it soon becomes clear that something evil is in the house—and that something is targeting both Jane and Bastian. The two must join forces to purge the ghosts of Stormclyffe Hall once and for all—even as they try to fight a physical attraction between them that grows more and more impossible to deny.

The twenty-minute drive to the estate took her on a narrow road that paralleled the edge of the coast. Although it was October, the grass was still green on the hillsides, and storm clouds were only a vague outline on the horizon.  The landscape gave way to a slowly rising hill and a mass of distant trees, gnarled and knotted together tight as thorns. Just beyond was a glimpse of the castle. It was a massive edifice that stood stark against the sky and trees, towering over the fields, and she couldn't help but stare.

The countless photographs she’d collected over the years hadn't prepared her for the raw beauty and power of the structure. The worn battlements were still fully intact, facing the sea like warriors, ever defiant in the face of nature’s force on the coast. The steep cliffs merely half a mile from the castle loomed, dark and threatening.

No fence lined the cliff edges. No warning signs guided visitors away except one that read Private Property. Heavy Fines for Trespassing. She repressed an achy shiver as a cloud stole across the sun’s path, dimming all light.

The gray stones of Stormclyffe stood stalwart and proud, challenging her to drive closer. The road turned to gravel and thinned even more, leaving only enough space for her car.

Sheer desolation seemed to pour off the structure as she pulled into the castle’s front drive. If not for the five work vehicles that obviously belonged to various handymen, she would have thought the castle was devoid of all life.

Strands of hair stung her face as the wind whipped it about. There was an unsettling silence on the grounds, like something unnatural muffled the sound of the sea. No crashing waves, only the violence of the wind against the castle’s stones.

The house seemed to be wrapped in an invisible layer of thick wool, where sight and smell were dulled. The wind’s icy fingers crawled along her shoulder blades and dug into her hair, making her tense with apprehension. The castle walls were pitted with small chinks in the stones like fathomless obsidian eyes that stared at her, sized her up, and found her wanting.

The hairs rose on the back of her neck. The eerie sensation of eyes fixed on her back sent a cold wave of apprehension over her skin. She whipped around to look at the deserted landscape, suddenly fighting off a rush of panic at being alone out here.

Her heartbeat froze for a brief moment. A woman in a long white nightgown, hair loose down to her waist, stood hesitantly on the cliff’s edge, half turned toward the sea. She stared at Jane. Her skin was grayish, and her eyes were shadowed with black circles as though she hadn't slept in years.
Something wasn't right about the way she looked, or the fact that the nightgown looked far too old in style for any modern woman to be wearing. Not to mention a woman in a nightgown in broad daylight wasn't right either…

The Shadows of Stormclyfee Hall is a thrilling modern gothic novel.  It has all of the elements of a gothic novel that I enjoy reading: it is set in a dark mysterious castle, several unexplained murders and accidents have taken place and it's dark and very sensual.  Although, I am not a huge fan of the paranormal genre, the paranormal elements fit into the storyline and add to it's believability.

Lauren Smith creates a very mysterious and handsome hero in Bastian Carlise, the a Earl of Weymouth. Bastian is in the process of renovating the castle and attending to the family's estate matters when he receives a letter from Jane Seyton an American graduate student asking to visit Stormclyfee to read about the families history to complete her thesis dissertation.

Bastian felt like a damn fool. He'd just snogged  a woman in his drawing room without any control over himself. If he were a man who believed in ghosts, he might think that his ancestor Richard had taken over his body. Possessed him. But, that was impossible.

Author Lauren Smith's descriptive writing style flows well in this modern gothic novel. I  could visualize the rooms in the castle , the dovecote and the shadows in the castle.The plot is well-paced and I found it hard to break away from the story. The mutual attraction between Bastian and Jane is more than sexual, they are connected. I became invested in these characters and I wanted them to solve the 200 year curse at Stormclyfee Hall.  I wanted to know what happenned to Bastian's uncle Richard and his wife Isabelle and why the castle was cursed. As a romance reader, I wanted  Bastian and Jane to fall for each other. Lauren Smith delivered so much more in this mysterious, sexy, and sometimes scary thrilling novel.

If you love an excellent gothic novel, pick up Stormclyfee. The novel is slightly less than 200 pages in length and it's the perfect read for a dark rainy evening!

                                    

Reviewed by Susan Gorman.

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo

Lauren Smith is an attorney by day, author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smart phone flashlight app. She’s a native Oklahoman who lives with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, sophisticated cat and dapper little schnauzer. She’s won multiple awards in several romance subgenres including being an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist and a Semi-Finalist for the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award. Lauren loves hearing from readers and can be contacted through her site at www.laurensmithbooks.com.

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