The Raven

the-raven Author: Make Nappa

Series: Coffey and Hill #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 13, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill are back with another case even more peculiar than their last! Who is The Raven and what is Nevermore?

The Raven, a deception specialist as he likes to call himself, has made his home in Atlanta and works the streets wowing crowds with his tricks. If he happens to pick a pocket or two along the way to help him make ends meet, that is something he is willing to live with. That is, until he winds up with the wallet of a city councilman. He doesn’t find the large sum of money he is hoping for; instead he finds photos of the councilman and his “personal assistants” in compromising positions. The Raven intends to blackmail him for his biggest score yet, unfortunately the councilman’s ties with the Ukrainian Mafia get in his way and he is quickly in over his head as he learns of a life-threatening plot code-named, “Nevermore.” All this inadvertently puts him in the path of Trudi Coffey whom he instantly falls for. Trudi and her ex-husband Samuel work together to sort out the clues to this new puzzle and try to figure out their feelings for each other. Together, they work to rescue The Raven and save the lives of countless others about to be affected by Nevermore.

Mike Nappa has found a unique blend of mystery and intrigue with the Coffey and Hill series. With this second book in the series, I wasn’t sure if it would pick up where Annabel Lee left off or not. A few characters from the first are mentioned but for the most part this is all about the next case for Coffey and Hill, Nevermore and The Raven. Nappa has crafted a way for you to find sympathy for the so-called bad guy as well as the other characters. It took me very little time to get into this story and once I was in was no putting it down. There were twists throughout and a nice ending that kept things rolling and open for the next in the series. Several of the characters were what kept the story going. One such character is Mama Bliss who is the kind of character that is a force to be reckoned with. It was a satisfying ending with how everything played out, one I was happy with. I encourage mystery lovers to seek out Mike Nappa and the Coffey and Hill series, they won’t be disappointed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Catching Heat

Catching Heat Author: Janice Cantore

Series: Cold Case Justice #3

Publisher: Tyndale

Release Date: September 1, 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

As the final installment in the Cold Case Justice series concludes, Abby and Luke look for closure in the case that has haunted them for decades.

It has been 27 years since the deaths of Detective Abby Hart’s parents and she still searches for answers and justice for them. She can’t prove it yet, but she knows the governor’s wife, Alyssa Rollins, is the one behind her years of pain. She has teamed up with PI Luke Murphy on the cold case squad and together they head to San Luis Obispo to try and solve the cold case murder of a college student. Their new investigation will put them near the town where Alyssa Rollins grew up. Hoping to find more information that will help put her behind bars, Abby and Luke try to work their cold case along with the investigation into Rollins. As they continue to work closer together, their feelings develop even further putting a personal stake into all that they do. Abby goes over the top in the investigation and Luke is afraid her obsession might be too much to handle.

Janice Cantore has become one of my favorite authors. Her writing is clean, and always keeps me turning the page. With Catching Heat, I was looking forward to a nice conclusion to the Cold Case Justice series. While questions were answered, I found this to be my least favorite of the series. It was still a great read, I just found myself bothered by the amount of time spent focusing on the relationship and romance aspect of the story. There wasn’t as much suspense as I would have liked. The end took it up to a nice level but throughout there wasn’t the normal suspense Cantore normally provides. Abby and Luke were meant to be together, that was obvious, they both spent too much time trying to deny their feelings for each other instead of facing it head on. There was a lot to this story. Not only were they trying to solve the murder of Abby’s parents, but they were also looking into multiple other cases at the same time. It seemed as if Cantore was trying to bring up the suspense with the extra cases but instead it took away from the main focus of the story. Cantore is a great writer of the police procedural if she sticks with the formula that works and doesn’t try to put too much into the story. Overall my favorite aspect of the whole series was the way Abby was a female but didn’t have to rely on a male to keep her safe or do any of the dangerous work for her. Just like all of Cantore’s characters she is strong, and capable of handling whatever she encounters. I look forward to the start of the next Janice Cantore series for another great read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest and thorough review. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Everything We Keep

Everything we keep Author: Kerry Lonsdale

Publisher: Lake Union

Release Date: August 1, 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Suspenseful, thought provoking, and just a good overall book!

Aimee Tierney has just had her life turned upside down. She just buried her fiancée. On her wedding day. If that weren’t bad enough, after the funeral a woman came by claiming to know that her fiancée, James, was still alive. Aimee doesn’t believe her, but after realizing that she never saw the body, doubts begin to build in her mind. A week after this, her parents announce that they have sold the family restaurant that Aimee grew up in and is currently sous chef. With her world crumbling around her, she has to figure out what she wants to do and how to move on. Eventually, she decides to open her own restaurant, which she uses the money given to her by her late fiancée’s brother. In the process, she meets Ian, a photographer who is exhibiting his photos in a local gallery. There is instant electricity between the two of them, but Aimee just can’t bring herself to act on it. As the doubts begin to build and she continues to receive clues that James might be alive in Mexico, Aimee decides to go find out for herself. Maybe she can finally either get James back or move on.

This summer I have been blessed with books that have made me think. This one was no exception. Every time that I thought I have it figured out, the author kept pushing me in another direction. I’m so glad that she did because it gave me a great ride.

Even though Aimee is twenty-seven, I would still consider this a coming of age novel. She has always been dependent on somebody her entire life and she is finally coming into her own. She has to make her own decisions and then she finally makes the decision that affects her life from that point forward. Along the way there is plenty of humor and tense romance to keep it interesting.

There was some occasional strong foul language and a couple of love scenes that weren’t explicit, but pretty easy to get the point of what was going on. I wouldn’t recommend this book to YA. More to the twenty something crowd!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the TLC Book Tours. The views and opinions expressed throughout are mine.

The Cantaloupe Thief

Cantaloupe Thief Author: Deb Richardson-Moore

Series: Branigan Powers Mystery

Publisher: Lion Fiction

Release Date: June 27, 2016

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A great combination of mystery and heart that results in a fun, entertaining story.

Branigan Powers is set to run a story on the tenth anniversary of one of the only unsolved murders in Grambling, Georgia. Too many people have stayed silent about what they know of the murder of wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick and it is time for the truth to come out. She was stabbed in her home, and as the case is reinvestigated, there turn out to be more suspects than originally thought. Brannigan has to do some major digging to get her story and the truth out. She turns to the homeless community for help knowing they are the one group of people in town that know far more than they are given credit for. However, the more she digs, the more the people around her end up in danger and even dead. Soon things start to hit a little too close to home and she must decide if continuing is worth the risk.

Sometimes it is nice to sit down with a fun story that isn’t too intense but is still able to keep the pages turning quickly. That was the case for me with The Cantaloupe Thief. I enjoyed just about every aspect of the book. The characters were fun, I especially enjoyed Malachi; he was a character that was just right for everything he found himself involved in. Branigan has a twin brother and that relationship played out nicely. The name of the book makes it an interesting draw, but there is so much more to it than that. Early on I thought I had it pegged who the bad guy was, but I ended up changing my mind on that several times. Even so, in the end was very pleased with the reveal. There is a lot of back and forth from past to present to talk about the murder and the way it has gone unsolved. Sometimes that can get a little confusing, but I thought the author did a very nice job of working that to tie things up nicely without anything being too over the top or unbelievable. This was just a fun interesting read. I am looking forward to the next Branigan Powers Mystery!