Delayed Justice (True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn #8) by Shirlee McCoy

Delayed Justice

(True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn #8)

by Shirlee McCoy

Kindle Edition

Published November 1st 2020

Goodreads synopsis: 

A closed case brings a new threat.

Detective Bradley McGregor and his K-9 partner, King, come to the rescue when journalist Sasha Eastman’s targeted by a shooter who looks just like her mother’s murderer. But that killer supposedly died years ago in a shootout with the police. Now it’s up to Bradley and King to protect Sasha…but how can they stop a killer who’s already dead?

***

4.5 stars

This is the eighth book in the True Blue k-9 Unit: Brooklyn series.

This was a really intense book. Both of the main characters had a lot of old baggage that was currently triggering them. Bradley had uncovered his father’s killer in the previous book to this one and this book featured the duo solving the crime of Sasha’s mother’s death and the truth behind it.

I could feel this book to my core since I recently lost my mother six months earlier. I always enjoy the Love Inspired Suspense line and this one particularly resonated with me. I will definitely be looking for other books in the K-9 series.

If you want to read a good romantic suspense book, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Flip That Haunted House (Haunted Renovation Mystery #1) by Rose Pressey

Flip That Haunted House

(Haunted Renovation Mystery #1)

by Rose Pressey

Kindle Edition, 251 pages

Published October 11th 2011 by Magical Press (first published October 10th 2011)

Goodreads synopsis: 

Alabama Hargrove has a new, sure-fire, money-making scheme up her sleeve: house flipper. So what if she knows zilch about renovating homes--how hard can it be?

Tougher than she thought when she discovers ghosts inhabiting the run-down

mansion and the corpse of the previous owner. Oh yeah, and now the local sheriff thinks Alabama is the killer.

Holy house rehab, what's next? Reed O'Hara, the sexy know-it-all next door neighbor that's what. Alabama is hell-bent on proving she can handle the fixer-upper. Plus, unravel the mystery and find the killer. But if she's not careful, she may end up in the house forever… 

***

3.75 stars

This is the first book in the Haunted Renovation mystery series by Rose Pressey.

I thought this was pretty good. It did give me pause in the beginning since you can almost see the trainwreck about to happen when Alabama Hargrove buys that old Victorian house that is haunted by a real ghost!

Although, this does still need a lot of work in the editing department, the book did keep me entertained. I wasn’t quite sure why ‘Bama kept pushing away the cute next door neighbor and then immediately gets swindled out of $200 by a man claiming to be a fix-it guy. 

The mystery was okay and I liked the parts where she interacted with the ghostly resident. I still feel like this needs a lot of work but it did make me curious about book number two and I have already purchased it.

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

Berried Motives (Cranberry Cove #6) by Peg Cochran

Berried Motives

(Cranberry Cove #6)

by Peg Cochran

Kindle Edition, 211 pages

Expected publication: November 17th 2020by Beyond the Page

Goodreads synopsis: 

An ambitious TV personality takes a star turn in murder in the new Cranberry Cove Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Peg Cochran!

With the cranberry farm in full harvest mode, Monica is thrilled to learn that they’ll be the featured guests on a local TV news show. Certain the exposure will give her bakery products and the farm’s store a welcome boost, she’s also nervous about how she’ll come across on-screen. But her real worries begin when the show’s ruthless star is found bludgeoned to death on a side road of the farm—and Monica’s own brother heads up the list of suspects.

Launching an investigation to find the real killer and clear her brother, Monica discovers there was no love lost between the victim and those closest to her. From the dead woman’s husband, a calculating politician with his sights set on more lucrative pastures, to the timid cameraperson she repeatedly bullied, there’s no shortage of suspects or motives. And when Monica unearths a compromising secret that turns the spotlight on one of them, she suddenly realizes the solution has been staring her in the face. As she closes in on the killer, she’ll need sharp wits and steely nerves to avoid taking her final bow . . .

***

4.5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Cranberry Cove series by Peg Cochran. 

Wow. This was a real page turner! I loved the whole experience of this. The TV personality who ends up dead and then the search to find out who did her in was quite fascinating. Loved the mystery part and the characterization was spot on! Even the secondary characters seemed to shine.

This series has really grabbed my attention  in the past so I was happy to see a new mystery ready to dig into. Such a fun read and it shows how a cozy mystery should be dealt with. The red herrings were all placed well and the killer was hard to figure out which is what made it super fun!

Definitely a series I will continue with!

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Murder at the Gorge (The Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries #7) by Frances Evesham

Murder at the Gorge

(The Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries #7)

by Frances Evesham

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: November 17th 2020

Goodreads synopsis: 

A joke? A prank? Or something more sinister?

When the Exham-on-Sea residents are targeted by anonymous emails containing apparently harmless nursery rhymes, no one knows whether to laugh or shudder until an unexplained death touches the town.

Libby Forest, baker, chocolatier and Exham’s very own resident private investigator, alongside her partner Max Ramshore, set out to solve the puzzle before more people die. But when Max’s ex-wife arrives on the scene, ahead of Max and Libby's long-awaited nuptials, things go from bad to worse.

With the town and their relationship under threat, Max and Libby need the help of the Exham History Society if they're going to find the nursery rhyme killer in time.

Murder at the Gorge is the seventh in a series of Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries set at the small English seaside town full of quirky characters, sea air, and gossip.

If you love Agatha Christie-style mysteries, cosy crime, clever dogs and cake, then you'll love these intriguing whodunnits.

***

4.5 stars

This is the seventh book in the Exham-on-Sea murder mystery series by Frances Evesham.

I felt like this was a cross between a police procedural and a cozy mystery. Probably more of the latter than the former. The couple is great at solving crimes that even the police call on them for help now and then. Right before the two are to be hitched, Max’s ex-wife shows up after she is being threatened through her email account. Max fails to tell Libby about it and it sets up a perfect storm that careens throughout the story.

I definitely loved the action in the mystery and how it impacted both of their personal lives. Great plotting and character building. I felt like I was watching a reality tv show that I couldn’t take my eyes away from. 

This is the first book I have read in this series and I am sure it won’t be the last. 

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Good Mourning Moving Through Everyday Losses with Wisdom from the Other Side by Theresa Caputo

Good Mourning

Moving Through Everyday Losses with Wisdom from the Other Side

by Theresa Caputo

ebook, 224 pages

Published October 6th 2020 by HarperOne

Goodreads synopsis: 

Theresa Caputo, TLC’s Long Island Medium and the three-time New York Times bestselling author, teaches us how to ritualize and recover from the daily losses in our lives.

Life on earth comes with losses that often go unrecognized, unacknowledged, and un-mourned. This invisible pain causes deeper emotional damage— devastation that Theresa Caputo has witnessed in many of her clients. Though they are suffering, they rarely understand where the anguish is coming from—or how to deal with it. 

Theresa’s clients often confuse their emotional distress with depression or anxiety. But it’s more than that. It’s grief, deep and profound, and it consumes the soul. The only relief, according to Theresa’s special gift she calls Spirit, is to pay more attention to how we experience, ritualize, and recover from the hurt in our lives.

Once we name these feelings of grief, recognize the losses for what they are, and create mourning rituals around them, we can move through the pain and begin to heal. It isn’t just a good idea to mourn these types of upsets; it’s essential, so that we can then enjoy a fresh beginning.

In Good Mourning, Theresa opens up more than ever before, and with the help of Spirit, helps us manage daily losses to ultimately lead more fulfilling and joyful lives.

***

4.5 stars

I have always been fascinated by the New Jersey Psychic dubbed the Long Island Medium. She seems like a fascinating person. So, when this book came up to review, I jumped on it. Little did I realize that my own mother would pass away in the meantime. I found this book hard to read when I was in the midst of my struggles. But once I had some distance a few months later (like four months later) I found this book quite a comfort.

Theresa gives us a lot of great ideas in here that really hit home hard for me. If you are going through something, this definitely has a lot to offer and suggest. I loved how many avenues this book went into and get get a great glimpse into her life as well to show us that we are not alone and we can move forward when things knock us on our butts.

I will definitely look for more books written by this great lady in the future!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Hidden Bones (Dead Remaining #2) by Vivian Barz

Hidden Bones

(Dead Remaining #2)

by Vivian Barz 

Kindle Edition, 236 pages

Published August 11th 2020 by Thomas & Mercer

Goodreads synopsis: 

Amazon Charts bestselling author Vivian Barz pits Susan Marlan and Eric Evans against a new menacing adversary in this suspenseful sequel to her acclaimed debut, Forgotten Bones.

Two months have passed, and the horrors of Death Farm still torment police officer Susan Marlan and college professor Eric Evans. Susan struggles to regain her zeal for fighting crime, while Eric is slowly coming to terms with his newfound “gift” of seeing the dead.

Seeking much-needed rest, Susan and Eric follow their musician friend Jake and his band to Washington State. But once they reach the cheerless town of Clancy, Eric’s murderous visions start again. Something seems wrong about the town and its aloof citizens—and suspicions turn to dread when members of Jake’s band go missing.

Eric, Susan, and Jake search deep in the dark forest of the Olympic Peninsula, where many have disappeared. But the harder they search, the less cooperative the locals become. As the case begins looking more like a murder investigation, the trio must work together to locate the lost and uncover chilling town secrets buried in the darkest of places.

***

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the Dead Remaining series by Vivian Barz.

It took me a few chapters before I got a good idea who the main characters of this story were. Even though the police officer usually leads a story like this, I felt like the teacher, Eric was way more compelling. I loved his uneasiness with his new psychic gift and how it might affect his relationship with Susan.

The story was a bit of a mind-bender but that doesn’t mean it was bad. You just really need to pay attention to all the players and what is going on to get anything out of this. Definitely a great read that I completely enjoyed.

I will look into book one and see how that differs from this one.  I look forward to see where the story goes from here. I am surely intrigued.

If you love a good police procedural, detective fiction mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Trust No One (Devlin & Falco #1) by Debra Webb

Trust No One

(Devlin & Falco #1)

by Debra Webb

Paperback, 428 pages

Published August 1st 2020 by Thomas & Mercer

Goodreads synopsis: 

A double homicide and a missing woman lead a detective to unearth disturbing secrets in this gripping thriller from USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

It’s the worst possible time for Detective Kerri Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case. She’s locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything but trustworthy.

Still, she has a job to do: there’s a killer at large, and a pregnant woman has gone missing. Once Devlin and her partner get to work, they quickly unearth secrets involving Birmingham’s most esteemed citizens. Each new layer of the investigation brings Devlin closer to the killer and the missing woman, who starts looking more like a suspect than a victim.

But just as answers come into view, the case twists, expands, and slithers into Devlin’s personal life. There’s a much more sinister game at work, one she doesn’t even know she’s playing—and she must unravel the truth once and for all to stop the killer before she loses everything.

***

4.5 stars This is the first book in the Devlin & Falco series by Debra Webb. Definitely loving this new series by Debra Webb. Kerri Devlin is going through a tough time with her daughter wanting to spend more time with her Dad, while the ex is also threatening to go for full custody. Then a double homicide falls into her lap. A man and his mother-in-law are found dead and suspects are few and far between.  This was a great ride. It was hard to weed out who the real killer was even though that person had a POV chapter every so often thrust between the action of the detectives.  I thought this was a great building book and gave us great characterization as well as a setting that truly stood out. They whodunit was spot on as well. Definitely dig into this series!  If you love a good police procedural, detective fiction mystery, definitely check this one out. I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.