Review Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

Laura Griffin is the absolute best in romantic suspense and her latest stand alone proves just what a master storyteller she is. No wonder she's my fave in that genre.
Enjoy!

ISBN-13:  9780593197363
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: 9-28-2021
Length: 336pp
Source: Author for review
Buy It: Publisher/ Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

When they face the most baffling missing person's case of their careers, a fiercely ambitious lawyer and a homicide detective have no one to turn to for help except each other, from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he's dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

#MacmillanAudio Review of The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

I love debut authors it's almost like traveling to a foreign land for the first time, new sights, new sounds, new experiences and that is exactly what I got with this amazing debut by an author who I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot from in the future.
Enjoy!

ISBN: 9781250824400
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 9-28-2021
Length: 11hours/20 minutes
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Audible

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

"Mystical, magical, and wildly original...If Alice Hoffman and Sara Addison Allen had a witchy love child, she would be Paige Crutcher. Do not miss this beautifully realized debut!"--- JT Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Her Dark Lies on The Orphan Witch.

A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost...and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

#GIVEAWAY Beneath The Marigolds Interview with author Emily C. Whitson a Partners in Crime virtual tour

Beneath the Marigolds

by Emily C. Whitson

October 1-31, 2021 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Playing on our universal fascination with reality TV, Emily C. Whitson’s Beneath the Marigolds is The Bachelor(ette) gone terribly wrong.

When her best friend, Reese Marigold, goes missing after attending Last Chance, an exclusive singles' retreat on a remote island off the coast of Hawaii, no-nonsense lawyer Ann Stone infiltrates the retreat.

Ann quickly realizes there's more to Last Chance than meets the eye. The extravagant clothes, never-ending interviews, and bizarre dates hint that the retreat is a front for a reality dating show. Could Reese be safe, keeping a low profile until the premier, or did something sinister occur after all?

Torn between the need to uncover the truth and her desperate desire to get off the island, Ann partakes in the unusual routines of the "journey to true love" and investigates the other attendees who all have something to hide. In a final attempt to find Reese on the compound, she realizes that she herself may never get off the island alive.

Praise for Beneath the Marigolds:

"Cleverly plotted...Whitson's debut novel is an intriguing new entry in the women's suspense genre, driven by dual first-person narrators and tension-filled parallel timelines."— Carmen Amato, Silver Falchion Award Finalist and author of The Detective Emilia Cruz Mystery Series

"Exhilarating twists and turns...a fast-paced psychological thriller that mashes up the reality series The Bachelor with Gone Girl." — Helen Power, author of The Ghosts of Thorwald Place

"A fun, propulsive read...this book cleverly combines the archetypes of "reality TV" and the "trapped-on-a-remote-island" mystery that will perpetually keep you guessing." — Marcy McCreary, author of The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller/Psychological
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: September 21st 2021
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 0744304202 (ISBN13: 9780744304206)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Sophia Rose Reviews: Pemberley by Moonlight by Stephen Ord

 Today Sophia Rose reviews a historical novel
Enjoy!

Pemberley by Moonlight by Stephen Ord

Historical Romance, Fantasy

Publisher:  Quills & Quartos

Published:  9.7.21

ASIN:  B099P71C22

Pages:  142

Rating: 4 stars

Format: Trade Paperback

Source:  Quills & Quartos

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

“I wish I could meet you, Mr Darcy, and tell you to come home. There seems to be a large gap in the world where you should be.”

WHAT HAS HAPPENED to Fitzwilliam Darcy?

IT HAS BEEN NEARLY A YEAR since the master of Pemberley disappeared, leaving behind his distraught young sister and a family in turmoil. But clues to his whereabouts are scarce and it soon seems there will be nothing to do but see Georgiana married and have him declared legally dead.

ELIZABETH BENNET, ON HOLIDAY with her aunt and uncle, visits Pemberley and soon finds herself drawn into the mystery of the missing gentleman. But what secrets are hidden within the gardens of Pemberley? And what is the strange attraction she feels towards the statue of the man she has never met?

Powerful forces want to keep them apart, but true love will overcome even the most fearsome evil.

#MacmillanAudio review of - Empire of The Vampire by Jay Kristoff narrated by Damian Lynch

Those who know me well know I LOVE dark, epic fantasy well brothers and sisters, Empire of the Vampire is all that and more, it's one hell of a brilliant piece of fiction. Plus the illustrations are FAB in fact I've just ordered the Hardcopy just to have them!!
Brava!! 
I just hope he doesn't make us wait years for the next installment.
Enjoy!

ASIN: B08TY4KW4P
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 9-14-2021
Length: 27 hours and 10 minutes
Source: Publisher for review
Buy It: Audible

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

From New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff comes Empire of the Vampire, the first volume of an astonishing new dark fantasy saga.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hand sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness.

Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order could not stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains.

Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope:

The Holy Grail.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

“Brilliant and unputdownable, with tenderness and light bound into the bitterdark of a grim and fascinating world.”—Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer

“Kristoff wields his writing like a fine blade—well-balanced, graceful and wickedly sharp.” —V.E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Here's the UK cover

#Giveaway - Showcase Death Rang the Bell by Carol Pouliot a Partners in Crime virtual tour

Death Rang The Bell

by Carol Pouliot

October 1-31, 2021 Book Tour

Synopsis:

21st-century journalist Olivia Watson thinks traveling back in time to 1934 to attend a Halloween party with her friend Detective Steven Blackwell will be a lot of fun. And it is...until she witnesses the head of the Shipley Five-and-Dime empire murdered, and fears the killer saw her face.

The smart move is to return to the safety of the present, but Olivia possesses a secret and is about to defy the unwritten rules of time-travel. She convinces Steven to let her stay in his time and help unravel the motives behind the murder, even if it means risking her own life to save another.

When Steven delves into the investigation, he discovers how a bitter relationship, a chance encounter, and a fateful decision converged to set the stage for murder. In a maze full of unreliable clues and misdirection, dark secrets refuse to stay buried and forgotten ghosts won’t fade away. Steven is reminded that old sins cast long shadows.

Can Steven catch the killer before time runs out for Olivia?

Praise for Death Rang the Bell:

"This highly inventive series serves up a real treat--a perfect combination of mystery, time travel, and romance."
~~ Deborah Crombie, New York Times Bestselling author of the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novels

"Pouliot has the period details mastered, adding realism and depth to this wholly satisfying read."
~~ Marni Graff, author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries

"With engaging characters, a murder mystery, and a trip back in time, Carol Pouliot’s Death Rang the Bell will keep you turning the pages all night!"
~~ Nancy Allen, New York Times Bestselling Author

"A Halloween setting, a house where time folds back on itself, and a crime with deep roots in the past make Carol Pouliot’s Death Rang the Bell a joy for fans of crisp writing and twisty, character-driven plots."
~~ Connie Berry, Agatha-nominated author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries

"A delightfully immersive story, filled with surprising twists and turns, a touch of romance -- plus a heroine you will happily follow as she jumps between decades, Death Rang the Bell is a truly great escape."
~~ Alison Gaylin, USA Today and international bestselling author

"This intriguing and beautifully written series will draw you in and make you feel right at home in a time period you’ll wish you could visit."
~~ Grace Topping, USA Today bestselling author of the Laura Bishop Mystery Series.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery (Traditional Police Procedural with a Time-Travel Twist)
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 21, 2021
Number of Pages: 311
ISBN: 978-1-68512-000-9
Series: The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, #3 || Each is a Stand-Alone Mystery
Purchase Links: Amazon | BN.com | Goodreads

Showcase- A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman

Kate Bateman, historical romance author extraordinaire is beginning a brand new Ruthless Rivals series and book one, A Reckless Match, is now available. Well don't just sit there!
Enjoy!

ISBN-13: 978-1250801562
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Release Date: 09-28-2021
Length: 336
Ruthless Rivals #1
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

"Kate Bateman's writing sparkles." - USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke

Meet the Davies and Montgomery families - two households locked in an ancient feud, destined to be on opposing sides forever. Until now...

CAN LIFELONG HATE

Madeline Montgomery grew up despising––and secretly loving––the roguish Gryffud “Gryff” Davies. Their families have been bitter rivals for hundreds of years, but even if her feelings once crossed the line between love and hate, she’s certain Gryff never felt the same. Now, she’s too busy saving her family from ruin to think about Gryff and the other “devilish” Davies siblings. Since he’s off being scandalous in London, it’s not like she’ll ever see him again...

TURN TO TRUE LOVE

As the new Earl of Powys, Gryff Davies planned on spending his post-war life enjoying the pleasures of London. But when an illegal duel forces him to retreat to his family’s Welsh castle, he realizes the only exciting thing in the dull countryside will be seeing the fiery Maddie Montgomery. Thoughts of his nemesis sustained Gryff throughout the war; but the girl he loved to tease has grown into a gorgeous, headstrong woman – who loathes him just as much as she ever did. Will secret tunnels, dangerous smugglers, and meddling from their feuding families be enough to make Maddie and Gryff realize that their animosity is really attraction...and maybe even love?

A Reckless Match is the first in a new regency romance series by Kate Bateman about two feuding families, and reunited childhood enemies whose hatred turns to love.