Murder on the Moor

murder-at-the-moor Author: Julianna Deering

Series: A Drew Farthering Mystery #5

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Another murder, another mystery, and Drew and Madeline are back to solve it!

As Drew and Madeline Fathering get ready for another typical night, the phone suddenly rings with a request to speak with Drew. One of Drew’s old schoolmates, Beaky Bloodworth, is calling with a request for his help. He has read about Drew’s amateur sleuthing in the newspapers and wants his help to investigate some matters going on up in Yorkshire at his newly inherited lodge. As it turns out, the local vicar has been recently murdered and no one can figure out why or who would do it. Beaky’s recently wedded wife, Sabrina, is now hearing things in the lodge and getting rather scared about it. Drew and Madeline consent to coming to help, but may be stepping off into more than what they expect. Soon after arriving, they begin meeting many of the residents around the small town as well as the neighbors, who had bad blood with Beaky’s uncle. There is also a gamekeeper on the property who could give Don Juan a run for his money. Add a local poacher that lives on the moor and there are more than enough suspects as to who would want to run Beaky and Sabrina off the moor. But why kill the vicar? Then when another murder takes place, it has connections to both Sabrina and Beaky’s uncles. Can Drew and Madeline solve it before they become the next victims?

Julianna Deering writes such fun loving mysteries. I love reading these stories and have been so happy that the common characters always return for each new installment. I thought I was going to be a little disappointed that Nick Dennison wasn’t going to be in this one, but then he showed up at just the right time, as usual. However, after five mysteries, I’m beginning to find that I’m a pretty good sleuth right alongside Drew and Madeline. I actually had this one figured out pretty well into it. Well, I should say I knew who-did-it, but not actually who it was. I should have though, so she still has that on me.

I also love the way that we’ve seen Drew grow spiritually throughout the books. He has really gotten some depth to his character. And the witty banter between himself and Nick is always there. Not as much in this particular book, but I still love it. I recommend the entire series, but this one is still a good stand alone as well. No matter the age, pick up one of these and give it a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Moving Target

moving-target Author: Lynette Eason

Series: The Elite Guardians #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A game of cat and mouse leaves Maddy McKay and Quinn Holcombe running for their lives while trying to protect their loved ones.

Maddy Mckay is a member of the Elite Guardians, a group that provides protection and helps solve hard cases when needed. She has been working with Quinn Holcombe for a while now and they both can feel their attraction to each other growing. When neither of them show up for a surprise birthday party for Quinn, their friends fear something has happened to them. It isn’t like them to disappear without telling anyone and the more the friends search, the more it becomes clear that Quinn and Maddy didn’t just run away to be together. As their friends are searching, Maddy wakes up in a strange cement room with no memory of how she got there. She finds she isn’t alone. Quinn is with her and they are being hunted by a crazed madman out for revenge. Maddy and Quinn are in his game whether or not they want to be and the rules are being made up as they go. If they don’t find a way to win the game, they won’t make it out alive.

The Elite Guardians is quickly becoming one of my favorite series with this installment being right at the top. The game of cat and mouse had the tension so tight I could hardly turn the pages fast enough. However, I wish the hunt on the island at the beginning would have gone on a little longer. I think there really could have been more developed there to make the story even better. I know this is partly a romance story too, but if that aspect had been toned down just a little bit and focused more on the suspense with Quinn and Maddy being chased, it would have blown the story away. The end didn’t really surprise me too much, I could pretty much see every twist and turn coming in the last 50-100 pages. I’m not sure what the next book in the series is going to focus on but it is going to be hard to top this one. An excellent read that I will recommend to readers that enjoy a fast paced suspense story with a little romance sprinkled throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Trapped Girl

the-trapped-girl Author: Robert Dugoni

Series: Tracy Crosswhite #4

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The fourth book in the Tracy Crosswhite series is a must read, top notch thriller with twists at every turn. This is Dugoni at his best!

Tracy Crosswhite finds herself called out when a woman’s body is found submerged in a crab pot in Puget Sound. This is not going to be an easy case. Before they can do anything else, Tracy and her team must first identify the victim who has gone to great lengths to keep her identity a secret. This raises the question, who and what was she running from. Following the evidence the team is lead to believe that their Jane Doe might be a woman who disappeared several months earlier climbing Mt. Rainier with her husband, who was a suspect in her disappearance. Without a body on the mountain, it was hard to make a case against the husband. All this hits close to home with Tracy as she remembers the disappearance of her sister and how that case consumed her life. Each clue brings about another one that conflicts with the previous, making the investigation that much harder. Tracy is more determined than ever to find the truth of what happened and is determined not to let anything get in her way.

Robert Dugoni is now one of my top favorite authors with the Tracy Crosswhite novels as one of my most recommended series. The first in the series is my favorite, but The Trapped Girl gives it a run for its money. This story goes back and forth at times between Tracy and what is happening with her and then to Andrea Strickland, the woman they think they found dead. This can sometimes be confusing but Dugoni has found a way to write both scenes without losing the reader at any point. These are the stories I love to sit down and devour in one siting if I have the time. With two boys at home it took me a few days to read but I loved every page. I’m can definitely say that a Dugoni novel has never bored me and a Tracy Crosswhite novel keeps me up well into the night. Dugoni has found a way to write characters that are easily likable (Tracy), and characters that you can’t help but despise, (Nolasco, Fields). I really hope this isn’t the last in the series. There is so much more I could see happening with Tracy and the squad. Her relationship with Dan is continuing to pay out nicely and the rest of the squad has developed a dynamic that is hard to find in other books. I know it is early in the year but I feel certain I can say this will be in my best of the year list, it will be hard for another book to top this one. I can’t say that this is the best in the series, the first one is one of my top books of all time and that’s just hard to beat. But this one is a very close second. The way I know a book is one of the best, like My Sister’s Grave, is several years later I can think about that book and recall most of it. Many of the books I read fade from my memory within the next year. I am sure The Trapped Girl will stick around and be one I recommend for a long time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat guessing at what is going to happen next. There is some mild language that may not be suitable for young readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Spartan Dagger

the-spartan-dagger Author: Nicholas Guild

Publisher: Forge Books

Release Date: December 27, 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A wickedly exciting cat and mouse game set in Ancient Greece!

As young Protos and his parents leave his dying uncle’s house, two young Spartan soldiers emerge in the dark with no other intention to kill them for sport. At his father’s command, Protos runs away as his parents are slaughtered by the two soldiers. One of the soldiers than takes off for him, but he is careless and Protos manages to knock him out and then steal his dagger. When he wakes up, Protos then kills him. When the other soldier finds that his brother has been killed, he declares that he will find this boy and hunt him down. His name is Eurytus. The next day, Eurytus and four more Spartans return to find Protos and go to his uncle’s house. When they cannot tell him where he went, the Spartans murder the entire family just as Protos returns to witness. He then leads the soldiers into a trap where he single handedly relieves them of their heads and throws them at Eurytus. Now a personal battle between the two has been waged.

As time goes on, Protos moves onto Thebes where he becomes one of Sparta’s main enemies. Throughout assassination attempts, battles, and quarrels, Protos and Eurytus come to understand and respect one another. They are not friends, but neither of them can imagine life without the other. The thought of a future without looking forward to vengeance fills empty. But no one can live forever and someone must win the battle between the two.

If a book could play chess against itself, this would be a master game. The strategy that is set up in this book between Protos and Eurytus is very well played out by both of the characters. It is always one of them makes a move and the other counters and then so on and so forth. I was engrossed within the book very quickly and enjoyed the entire story. The historical setting and characters played out interestingly for history too. Specifically the diplomats of Thebes. If you’ve never read a book about this location in this era, your eyes may be opened. If really gets into great, yet disturbing, detail on many aspects of the way of life. Even so, the back and forth between the two main characters was great. With many of the movies today that depict Ancient Sparta, you find yourself rooting for them. However, that is not the case in this book. For once, I was rooting against them and for a common slave that was a natural born warrior, but reluctant leader. But aren’t those the best kind?

There was very little foul language in the book. However, there was a lot of graphic violence. Also, there was a lot of implied sex and sexual activity throughout the book. Nothing really graphic, but enough that some readers will get uncomfortable, especially the parts with underage kids. However, I understand that this is what went on in that time and to be historically accurate, some of it has to be depicted, even if it gives some shock value.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

In the Shadow of Denali

denali Authors: Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse

Series: The Heart of Alaska Book #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Awesome historical fiction about the Curry Hotel along the Alaskan Railroad in the early 1920s.

Allan Brennan has had a lifelong dream of climbing Mount McKinley, or Denali as it is called by the locals. He wanted to climb it with his father back in 1917, but he was a Captain in the US Army during the Great War and missed the expedition that his dad did with his business partner. His dad made the summit, but lost his life during the climb. Six years later, Allan has taken a job as an apprentice guide at the Curry Hotel along the Alaskan Railroad, which is currently the gateway to the new McKinley National Park. When he meets his new boss, he is shocked to find that it was the guide, John Ivanoff, his father hired for the climb back in 2017. Unsure if he can control his anger and frustration with John, Allan tries to find a way to work alongside him. If that doesn’t complicate things, Allan has become infatuated with John’s lovely daughter, Cassidy, who works in the kitchen as the assistant head cook. As Allan gets to know John, he realizes that he is not the man that has been portrayed to him by his late father’s business partner. As he dwells on the past, things about this man don’t start to add up. Can Allan finally uncover the truth about his father’s death? And can he finally let go of his anger against God?

This was my first Tracie Peterson book and I have just found an author who is a master at writing conflict into her story. There was just the right amount needed to keep me hooked throughout the whole story. Never was there a dull moment. And the character development was fantastic. The story follows four main characters, John Ivanoff, Cassidy Ivanoff, Allan Brennan, and Frank Irving. Three of the characters continued to have growth throughout the entire story while the antagonist, Frank, managed to spiral further downward. I felt an instant connection with these characters and felt that I was alongside them rather than reading about them.

The history within the story was well researched too. I’m a little familiar with the railroad, but I had to go and research different parts of the story and found them to be in-line with history. Even the dates of the bridge in the last chapter lined up. I bet it was a sight to see. I recommend this book to history lovers as well as those just needing a great book to kick off the new year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Where I Can See You

where-i-can-see-you Author: Larry D. Sweazy

Publisher: Seventh Street Books

Release Date: January 10, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A small town mystery that has big time consequences for criminals being chased by Hud Matthews in his quest to find the truth.

Hud Matthews became a detective partly to find out what happened to his mother. She disappeared when he was eight and he is still searching for the truth to what happened to her. He has moved back home and joined the force their just in time to try and help catch a killer. He quickly becomes a target. But the killer is not the only one after him. Many in town wish he would leave the past buried and move on with his life. The closer he moves to uncover the truth about the recent crimes, the more he also discovers about his mother’s disappearance. The question arises, how far will he go to make sure justice is served?

Where I Can See You had an interesting style to it. There was a back and forth between the actual story and a dialogue between Hud and someone. Sweazy keeps you in total suspense through the entire book until the very end to uncover who he is talking to and what it is really about. Even so, all the transitions kept me confused for a large portion of the book. Looking back, I can see how it fits in but I think it could have been done a little better to make the story flow smoother. Sweazy wrote a very interesting story making the main character sympathetic but at times a little hard to like and even relate to. None of the characters fully meshed to bring the story to life in a way I would have really enjoyed. There was some harsh language and some sex scenes that don’t make this a suitable read for anyone very young. I think mystery lovers will really enjoy this read, but you do have to be prepared of the back and forth to not get lost in the story. Overall it was an enjoyable read but I will let other readers make their own call about this being one that they keep on the shelves to pick up again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Fudge and Jury

Fudge and Jury.jpg Author: Ellie Alexander

Series: A Bakeshop Mystery #5

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fun cozy mystery almost as sweet as the treats in the story.

Ashland, Oregon is known for its Shakespeare and Chocolate Festival. Torte is a local family bakery hoping to make a name for itself at the festival. Jules and her team have been cooking up specials and are ready to show their best. The festival promises to be a sweet event and everything is looking to be perfect, until a murder happens in front of the Torte booth. Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, is one of the top names in the chocolate world. He is at the festival and is quick to let others know if they are not good enough they will be gone. It is easy to see how he has many enemies and that list is sure to be examined when he turns up dead after sampling cake from Jules and the Torte booth. Jules is on a mission to not only clear her name and that of her bakeries, but to also find out who among them is a murderer.

Fudge and Jury is the fifth book in the Bakeshop mysteries. I didn’t realize that when I started, so I haven’t read any others in the series. Even so, that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this one. This was an extremely fun and entertaining read. The characters were witty and engaging, the mystery was realistic and not over the top. There was a unique method to the murder that made it more enjoyable than if it was just a normal shooting, stabbing or one of the commonly used methods. Jules and Lance should have had more scenes in my opinion. When they were together, there was something about their interaction that kept the pages turning faster than when most of the other characters were together. There were a few points that were left unanswered, maybe they will be answered in the final book of the series, but I do wish there had been a little closure on those points. That has to be one of my only critical points. This is the kind of read that I think of sitting by the fire at a bed and breakfast or at the beach somewhere. Just a fun enjoyable read that is clean and able to put a smile on your face throughout. I recommend this to mystery lovers and chocolate lovers alike.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

An Unsettling Crime for Samuel Craddock

samuel-craddock Author: Terry Shames

Series: Samuel Craddock #6

Publisher: 7th Street Books

Release Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A prequel to the series that shows how he got his start with a very disturbing case that will leave you guessing till the end.

In the small town of Jarrett Creek, a fire on the outskirts of town sends the fire department running. Once the blaze is out, it is discovered that the fire was set to cover up the murder of five young black people. Samuel Craddock has just been appointed chief of police after finishing his time in the Air Force and finds himself on the outside of an investigation headed by the Texas Highway Patrol and a racist trooper, John Sutherland. When an arrest is made in the murders, Craddock has a hard time believing the accused is guilty. Truly Bennett, a young black man that has been working with Samuel is the last person he would expect involved in such a crime. Sutherland dismisses all of Craddock’s claims that he has the wrong man saying he has evidence that points to Truly being guilty. When Samuel refuses to accept Sutherlands findings he takes on his own investigation knowing it could put him and his family in danger. He also knows if he doesn’t, he might not be able to look himself in the mirror knowing he let an innocent man go to prison.

This is set as a prequel to the Samuel Craddock series, of which I haven’t read any, but that didn’t seem to be a problem with my understanding of this story. The story itself was good. You do have to keep in mind that this is not set in present day, even though a lot of it could be relevant to the here and now. Samuel Craddock is trying to get himself established as police chief and before he can even get started he is almost run out of town with his first case. The characters for the most part fit the story, a few name choices could have been changed to help ease understanding (Tilly/Truly, etc). I liked that the chapters were short and concise, along with the entire story. There was some language and themes that keep this from being recommended to a younger audience but is a good read for its intended targeted readers. However, I can’t say that anything in particular stood out to me as being great or exceptional. If you are looking for a quick read that does the investigation for you this is a great book to go with.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Purgatory Road

purgatory-road Author: Samuel Parker

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A dark and twisted tale of survival in a remote part of the country where there is more to fear than you can imagine.

Jack and Laura are on a little vacation in Las Vegas to try and spark something back into their relationship. Jack wants a day out of the city so they set off on an adventure that turns into more than they can handle. On a road in the middle of nowhere, the car breaks down and leaves them stranded in the desert. As the hours pass and their supplies dwindle, they begin to wonder if anyone will come down the road to rescue them. Rescue does come, but not in the form they would expect. A desert hermit stumbles upon them and takes them back to his trailer further into the desert. They are grateful for the help, but soon realize he isn’t helping them get home. One night the hermit comes back with a kidnapped girl he found in a cave. It doesn’t take long for Jack and Laura to realize that their vacation has turned into a nightmare. Jack wants to go for help as it might be their only way to survive. What he doesn’t realize is by leaving Laura alone the kidnapper has an opening to get back what was taken from him and more.

Purgatory Road is a gripping tale of what can happen when we take what we have for granted and to be aware of those around us. Jack doesn’t think or seem to really care about his wife very much anymore. It takes going through a terrifying ordeal for him to realize how much he needs to be there for her and what he needs to do to be the husband she needs. Boots, the hermit, was a very interesting character. He was there to help but in his own special way. Seth was like the little devil on your shoulder pushing people down the wrong path. The way Parker wove these characters together made the story a riveting tale that was hard to put down. This is the kind of novel that could easily be read in a single sitting. I had a hard time liking Jack till the very end, but I think that is the way Parker intended it. He’s not very likeable until he realizes the changes he needs to make. I liked that Laura and Jack had these issues they needed to work through and the way the story made them do it. Life can be tough plain and simple. When you throw in the worst humanity has to offer, it can be too much for some without having a little faith to survive. I recommend this to those looking for answers to some difficult questions and want a gripping tale to help them along the way.

If this sounds interesting to you, click here to purchase from Amazon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Chemist

the-chemist Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Little Brown & Co.

Release Date: November 8, 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A surprisingly good read that keeps you guessing and rooting for the characters survival.

After being on the run for three years trying to stay alive, Juliana must do one more job to clear her name. Juliana might be her real name but it’s not one she has gone by in the last three years. She has had to change her identity several times over the years to stay hidden. She used to work for the U.S. Government, not something many ever knew. She was the one they called on as a last resort to get information needed. She liked to refer to herself as The Chemist. In order to get secrets out of even the hardest to break, all she had to do was administer a few chemicals and wait for them to do their magic. When she saw something she wasn’t supposed to see, she became a liability. They want her dead. Then she gets a cryptic email from her former handler, one last job to clear her name and ensure her safety. She thinks it is too good to be true but has to find out more. When she has the subject in a safe place and begins the process of extracting information, she quickly finds out that she was not given all the details. It doesn’t take long for her to realize she has even fewer choices than she did before coming out of hiding and her life is now in more danger than ever. Without knowing who to trust, she ends up forming an alliance with an unlikely partner in order to ensure both their safety and survival.

I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical when starting this. I read the Twilight series almost ten years ago and really enjoyed. Now, as I look back at them after having read many, many more books, I feel they could have been written better. But Stephanie Meyer was a first time writer at that point and even if they were not written as well as others out there, they sold like crazy so it really doesn’t matter. A decade later, I am pleased to say Meyer’s writing has greatly improved. I found The Chemist an overall improvement. At times it did seem to drag a smidge and it could probably stand to cut close to a hundred pages and make the story flow better. If you were to take out some of the unnecessary fluff, it would be a top notch thriller. With that being said, I did enjoy this much more than anticipated. The tension at the end, where it mattered most was delivered beautifully. These characters had some real spunk to them. The main character did get a bit confusing at times with the name changes but wasn’t too difficult to follow. If this is an avenue that Meyer plans to continue writing down I see a bright future for her and an audience ready to read whatever she puts on the shelf.

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