"Who Did You Tell" by Lesley Kara

 "What goes around comes around. And now it's time. It's time to pay for what you've done"..............                                                                             

Astrid is trying to start over. Leaving a hard life behind and trying to find her way in a sober life. She’s lost so much. She’s made awful mistakes.

Living with her mom and attending AA meetings, she’s putting forth the effort. Course she has her doubts she can do it. Someone else is doubting her as well. Someone is slowly tormenting her. Dropping clues to her past.

Who could know? Who did she tell? What will happen to her new life if her old life is revealed? A great psychological game of cat and mouse.

I enjoyed this book. Well written. The ending not obvious. Something I always admire in an author. Don’t make it so easy for me that I already know the ending half way through.

Will Astrid really be able to start over? She may have to pay for her last sins. Her stalker insists.

Thank you Leslie Kara, Netgalley, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books.

Buy "Who Did You Tell" available on Amazon June 16th: click here!

#netgalley #whodidyoutell

The Night Police: Beyond The Line of Duty by Chris Berg and Paul James Smith

The “Night Police” is based on true crime events, and real police officers. Dark, and at times quite disturbing. Written in a way that you can imagine the gore quite well. The story will definitely appeal to law enforcement officers, those that shared this life.

The story goes back and forth between events in the officers lives, to a night they meet up in their favorite bar. Bristol City is the setting for the crime ridden tale. A run down area full of drugs and decay. Also full of the "Night Police," cops that just want to make a real difference no matter what it takes to make it happen. Cops who have each others backs no matter what.

As these five meet for a night of drinking and reliving old stories, much about them is revealed. A shocking ending. While I found the stories very interesting, I think the people it will most appeal to is other police. I think they’ll understand the ins and out, and it will speak to them. A decent read though.

Thank you Chris Berg, James Paul Smith, Netgalley, and Book Baby

#Netgalley #thenightpolice

Buy "the Night Police" now on Amazon: click here!

"The Men of Holmby Hills: Aiden Book Two by Allyson Simonian

"Now I'll receive the terms I want in our divorce. I should be happy. No judge in their right mind would reward a cheating spouse. Brianne and I had a prenup in place, but my terms were still generous. Given what's happened, though, I won't pay out a single dime. I won't reward someone who has betrayed me."......

In this contemporary romance we find Aiden and Brianne on the edge of divorce. Aiden, convinced that Bri cheated on him. A new factor arises in their splintered relationship when Aiden discovers that Brianne is pregnant.

Aiden is self centered and narrow minded. He can’t see past his flourishing business and his expensive lifestyle. The people who deal with him are probably at the end of their patience with him. Even Bri has had enough.

Aiden's attitude threatens his future of having a civil relationship with Bri. It also threatens his work and a major project he's working on. If something doesn't change, and soon, Aiden stands to lose it all.

A quick, fun read. You’ll want to keep those pages turning. Will Aiden and Brianne work it out? Whose baby is it? Can anything, or anybody, make Aiden see the error of his ways?

Thank you Allyson Simonian

Buy "The Men of Holmby Hills: Aiden" on Amazon: click here!

"Little Secrets" by Jennifer Hillier

                                                                                             

"They say if a missing child Sebastian's age isn't found within twenty-four hours of his disappearance, chances are he never will be. This is the first coherent thought Marin Machado has every morning when she wakes up. The second thought is whether this will be the day she'll kill herself."...….

This psychological thriller will take you on an unforgettable ride. As in Jennifer Hillier’s previous novels, her writing is outstanding. I’ve enjoyed several of them.

As a parent, one of Marin’s worst nightmares has come true. While shopping with her son, she lets go of 5 year old Sebastian’s hand for just a moment. Then he’s gone.

Marin and Derek are doing their best to hang on. They have money, homes, businesses, and fast cars. None of it will matter a year down the road. Marin keeps a small secret. She keeps a private eye on retainer. She’s never stopped looking for Sebastian.

Unfortunately, she finds that Derek is cheating. If she can’t get her son back, she can focus her rage on her husbands mistress. Marin will do things she’d never imagined she was capable of.

The story was a thriller from start to finish. Can she come to terms with their loss? Can Derek pull it together before Marin ends up doing something that could land her in prison, or perhaps a widow?

Well written, stunning amount of reality, loss, grief. Last, but not least, a lot of things are done out of love. What will the aftermath of all this tragedy bring?

Thank you Jennifer Hillier, Netgalley, and St. Martins Press. 

Buy "Little Secrets" on sale on Amazon April 21st: click here!

"Snapshots" A Collection of Short Stories by Eliot Parker

“As they crested over the embankment, they saw a terrible scene. Cutting through the dusk, the coruscating lights of police cars and an ambulance pulsed like red eyes.”....

“Snapshots” is a great title for this book. Each short story is a look into a moment in time for each of the characters. You will be drawn in immediately by the story, and the characters.

They were unique storylines. Endings you would not predict. I had previously read an Eliot Parker novel, “ Fragile Brillance.” He’s a very gifted writer. He knows just the right things that will pull you into the story.

From the creepy “Hands” to a baseball game with consequences, to a look at a couple and their choices. A little bit of love, a little bit of superstition, a little bit of crime. A great read overall!

Thank you Eliot Parker

Buy "Snapshots" now on Amazon: click here!

"Weapons of Remorse" by Chevron Ross

"Six men are dead because of me, and the fact that my platoon survived because I shot those soldiers doesn't make me feel any better. Hardly a day passed since I got home that I haven't wondered about them. Who they were. What they were like. Whether they had wives and children and hopes for the future. If we hadn't been soldiers, if we'd met some other way, we might have liked each other, maybe even became friends. "...….....

This realistic tale involves the stories of several families, and how gun violence affects them. A Christian Fiction story that gets to the heart of the issues.

Hank, a former soldier, who feels he has blood on his hands. A cop, Laronda, who finds that using her gun will come with horrible consequences. Then there is David, a man who believes that all school shootings are hoaxes. Dan will have his 5 year old grandson stolen from his family. Is there any hope of his return?

Each of these families will have to find peace it’s their situations. I was unsure of the subject matter at first. Not my usual first choice. As the story went along, and the pieces became connected, I found myself wondering the outcome.

Is there an answer to end gun violence? The author had very interesting, and realistic ideas, as to how we could get a handle on this as a country as a whole.

As you read along you get a feel for how gun violence, the laws, and our rights, have been twisted or misused. No matter what your stance is on owning or banning guns, this is a reflective opinion of ways that could actually help and save lives, while preserving our 2nd amendment rights.

Thank you for the thoughtful read Chevron Ross. 

Buy "Weapons of Remorse" now on Amazon: click here!

Currently Reading: Weapons of Remorse

Thank you!

Just a brief thank you to my readers. I just want to take a moment to let you know that I've not stopped reviewing books. I have taken on a job that takes up more time then any job I've ever had. Its put a slow down on the amount of books I can currently accept. I used to have 5-10 books ready to read and review at any given time. Now, to be fair to my authors requests, I'm only taking one at a time. Thank you for your patience. You can still send me an email at mmshealy@aol.com. If I have room, and you don't mind waiting a bit, please send your requests along. 

"Accidental Activist: Justice for The Groveland Four" by Josh Venkataraman and Barbara Venkataraman

A very interesting read. One of the authors, Josh, came upon the story of what was named “The Groveland Four.” Because of the fire it ignited in him, he took it upon himself to help find justice for their families.

I admire his drive and the fact he didn’t give up. There were dead ends and stone walls at many turns. That didn’t stop him. By publishing this, he also has educated others, myself included, about a piece of history. This story was not known to me.

He tells you the methods he used to achieve the things he did. Is there something or an event you feel needs attention, and perhaps it’s own justice? I’d recommend this book as a way to get a feel for the things you might need to get started.

Definitely an informative and interesting education of facts. I’m glad the author was able to do something for the families of “The Groveland Four.” They deserved justice, but it was not an easy road. Briefly, "The Groveland Four" involved the awful treatment and outcome of four young black men accused of raping a white woman in 1949. The evidence was pretty clear that this had not taken place. Still they were beaten, arrested, convicted, attacked by mobs. Homes burned. It would be 70 years before their families would find justice.

The world should have more people like the young man who authored this book, and didn’t take no for an answer. Thank you for the informative read. 

Buy "Accidental Activist: Justice for The Groveland Four" now on Amazon: click here

"Please See Us" by Caitlin Mullen

                                                                                          

"Jane Doe #2 is newer- she's only been in the marsh for two days. If you got close enough you might still be able to smell the traces of her perfume on her skin or the scent of the last cigarette she smoked lingering in her hair. She is still that close to life, like a door she could almost walk back through. Jane Doe #1 has been here for two weeks now"...…..

Atlantic City. Once a haven for casinos and nightlife, it’s bright lights fading into the seedier side of the city. A tale told from the living and the dead.

There are dead bodies in the marsh behind the motel. They lay there waiting to be seen, begging to be seen. Needing to be found so that they may find their eternal peace.

Clara is a psychic, operating along the boardwalk. Clara is barely hanging on, and not overly gifted. Lily is back in her hometown, dissatisfied with her life and herself. She’s come home to start over. When Clara and Lily form a odd friendship, it could take them to dark places.

When a relative of one of the dead girls asks Clara for a reading, things take a turn for her. Her inner sight begins to strengthen, and gives her some unsettling pictures in her head. If she can just sort them out and make sense of them.

The story was riveting from the start. A resemblance to true crime made the story more eerie. The characters felt real, surrounded by the whispers of the dead. The women are there and you can feel them pleading to "Please See Us."

Thank you Caitlin Mullen, Netgalley, Gallery, Pocket Books. 

Buy "Please See Us" on Amazon: Coming March 3, 2020