mystery

Book Blast: The Moscow Affair by Nancy Boyarski ($20 Giveaway)

Today we have mystery thriller The Moscow Affair by author Nancy Boyarski. This is book 6 of the Nicole Graves Mysteries series.

Read more about the book below and check out the intriguing excerpt! And, of course, enter the blog tour giveaway at the end of the post. Enjoy! :)

The Moscow Affair (A Nicole Graves Mystery)

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“The Moscow Affair is a thoroughly entertaining and unforgettable thriller punctuated by smart dialog, richly crafted scenes, and a topical plot.” –Dave Edlund, USA Today bestselling author of Valiant Savage

In this fast-paced mystery, P.I. Nicole Graves agrees to an unusual, short-term assignment working for MI6 in Russia. It sounds straightforward, even pleasant: a two-week luxury riverboat cruise on the Volga, observing a group of fellow passengers and filing a daily report on their activities. It’s simple enough, except for one caveat: No matter what these people do, she’s to tell her handler at MI6—no one else, especially not the Russian police. When one of the riverboat passengers winds up dead, Nicole realizes this assignment was anything but straightforward.

Soon, Nicole is immersed in a high-stakes game of murder and espionage where trusting a stranger can be as deadly as a bullet.

“Nicole Graves is the best fictional sleuth to come down the pike since Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone.” –Laura Levine, bestselling author of the Jaine Austen Mysteries

The Nicole Graves Mysteries have been compared to the mysteries of Mary Higgins Clark and praised for contributing to the “women-driven mystery field with panache” (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their “hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster” plots (RT Book Reviews).

Add this book on Goodreads. Buy on Amazon or B&N.

About the Author

Nancy Boyarsky is the author of the Nicole Graves Mysteries. Her sixth installment of the series will be released September 2021.

Nancy has been a writer and editor for her entire working career. She coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband, Bill Boyarsky. She has written textbooks on the justice system and contributed to anthologies, including In the Running about women’s political campaigns and The Challenge of California. She has also written for the Los Angeles Times, West magazine, Forbes, McCalls,  Playgirl, Westways, and other publications. She was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.

In addition to writing mysteries, Nancy is producer and director of the “Inside Golden State Politics” podcast.

Nancy can be contacted through her website: nancyboyarsky.com. You can find the other books in the Nicole Graves series at https://www.torchflamebooks.com/nancy-boyarsky.

Read an Excerpt

When Nicole opened the door, Kolkov was even more abrupt than on his previous visit. No greeting, just, “Get dressed. I take you in for questioning.” He talked fast and fairly vibrated with impatience.

“Why can’t we do it here like before?” Nicole said.

“Get dressed!” He shouted, pointing to the bedroom. “I give five minutes.”

Kolkov was waiting at the door and seemed to be in a tremendous hurry. As she approached, he stepped toward her and firmly gripped her by the arm, as if he expected her to try to escape. She pulled back, pointing to the closet. “I have to get my jacket,” she said, pointing to the hall closet. He let go so she could pull out her zippered hoody and put it on. It was going to be cold out, and longed for her warm coat, but it was in the hamper, stained with Chet’s blood. Before she could finish zipping up the hoody, Kolkov took hold of her arm again and was pulling her out the door.

Other passengers stared as Kolkov led Nicole down to the main deck and across the ramp to the ship next to theirs. Surely they could tell she was being taken from the ship involuntarily; perhaps they recognized Kolkov from the day before. But no one stepped forward to ask what was happening. Nicole wondered what they were thinking.

The pair of them drew an even larger audience as they walked through the four vessels anchored between Queen of the Volga and the dock. Finally, they reached the street, where a boxy black sedan was standing at the curb with a uniformed policeman at the wheel. Kolkov put Nicole in back, not relaxing his hold on her until he was about to close the door. He climbed in the the front seat, and they took off.

Giveaway

Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Visit the other tour stops and leave a comment for more chances of winning! Check out the tour dates here:
https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/11/book-blast-moscow-affair-by-nancy.html

Blog Tour [Review]: The Fallen In Soura Heights by Amanda Jaeger

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This week we’re featuring a thriller, The Fallen In Soura Heights by author Amanda Jaeger.

Read more about the book below and don’t forget to follow the blog tour as well. Enjoy!

The Fallen In Soura HeightsThe Fallen in Soura Heights

Author: Amanda Jaeger
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: 15 March 2021
Age group: Adult
Genres: Thriller

Synopsis:

Fey Anderson has dreamt about Soura Heights and how picture-perfect it appears to be. What she never expected was for her husband’s body to be found in the forest. Determined to find out the truth behind his death, she moves there and finds herself weaving into the fabric of the small town.

But things aren’t always as they seem. As she learns more about Bruce’s “accident,” she unravels secrets about the town and its people she wishes she never learned. It’s all about survival in Soura Heights. Will Fey uncover what happened and bring justice for her husband, or will she be the next to fall?

Trigger and Content Warnings: Mild language, mild violence, insinuated animal cruelty

Get this book on Amazon. Add on Goodreads.

About the Author

Amanda Jaeger has always had an interest in true crime, suspense, and mystery. As a long form copywriter, she has always had a hand in writing creatively for businesses to boost their income.

She’s the wife of her college sweetheart and the mother of two spit-fire girls, but she’s also been a sign language interpreter, transcriptionist, and a book slinger. Working with words isn’t her job, it’s her career.

Now, she uses her knowledge and experience in engaging an audience and applies it into her author career, crafting suspense and mystery to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Residing in Virginia, you can bet on Amanda listening to true crime podcasts, watching cold case documentaries, and playing with her kids. (Not simultaneously.)

Connect with the author on her website, Goodreads, Instagram and Twitter.

Mystery and suspense in a small town

This is an interesting read! The book kicks off with a pretty dramatic prologue that straight away lets you know that this is going to be some sort of whodunnit.

The story is told in an interesting way – alternating between the past and present. I have to admit it was slow going for me at first and I couldn’t get into it right away, but as the story slowly unraveled, it became more intriguing and made me want to keep on reading to find out what happens in the end. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for me, this is not a long book and I was rewarded with the ending soon enough.

Fey is an interesting character. She comes off as weak and helpless, but she’s really just someone dealing with a lot of grief and pain. She’s also very determined to find out what happened to her husband and she eventually comes to recognize and accept her own strength.

The town, Soura Heights, itself is a fascinating character. It’s a seemingly nice and happy little town with friendly people and cozy shops that have punny names, but you also get the feeling that there’s more to it and that there’s something dark hiding behind the surface. I would’ve loved to know more about each character and the place, especially the forest.

As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t a long book but it’s an easy and interesting read. If you like mystery and suspense, you might enjoy this one.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour. All opinions and views expressed here are my own.

The Fallen in Soura Heights
Follow the tour and check out the other stops! You can find the blog tour schedule here: Caffeine Book Tours

Blog Tour [Review]: Never Say Chai by Kirsten Weiss ($10 Giveaway)

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Today we’re featuring a cozy mystery, Never Say Chai by Kirsten Weiss. Have to admit, it was the “Tea & Tarot” bit that got me interested in joining this blog tour. Plus the story seemed fun, so I dove in. I’m glad I did!

Read on to know more about the book. Don’t forget to enter the blog tour giveaway for a chance to win a a $10 Amazon or B/N GC!

Never Say ChaiNever Say Chai cover

It’s Halloween season in small town San Borromeo, and Abigail and Hyperion are determined to make Beanblossom’s Tea & Tarot spooktacular. But when Hyperion’s boyfriend, Detective Tony Chase, is arrested at Beanblossom’s for murder, the duo is certain someone’s playing a nasty trick. And when the official investigation turns into a witch hunt, the stakes to unearth the truth are raised…

But a clever killer has plans to squash their investigation… and the two amateur detectives. If they don’t solve this puzzle—and fast—it will be out of the cauldron and into the fire for them both.

Never Say Chai is the fourth book in the Tea and Tarot cozy mystery series. A fast-paced and funny cozy mystery, packed with quirky characters, pets, and murder! Perfect for fans of Jana DeLeon, Janet Evanovich, and Donna Andrews. Buy the book and start this hilarious caper!

Tearoom recipes in the back of the book!

Add this book on Goodreads. Get this book on Amazon, Apple Books, Nook, Google Play, or Kobo.

About the Author

Amazon bestselling author Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop. Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea & Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Connect with Kirsten Weiss: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub | Email

Fun and fast-paced mystery

I liked it. This was a fun read. Light, humorous and fast-paced with interesting characters.

Abigail and Hyperion seem like such a fun duo and I enjoyed their banter and dynamics. This is the fourth book in the series but it can stand on its own. Sometimes though I did feel like I missed out a lot on how their friendship and partnership became what it is, but that didn’t really take away from the story. It just made me curious about what happened in the previous books.

The story is not really deeply complicated, but it’s intriguing enough to make you keep reading. The book manages to keep you guessing til the end.

Overall, this book was an easy and enjoyable read. I liked the little tarot bits sprinkled in there. If you like cozy mysteries or want something light that you can breeze through, you might enjoy this one.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from the author and Goddess Fish Promotions as part of my participation in the blog tour. All opinions and views expressed here are my own.

Read An Excerpt

There are some things that should go without saying. For example, don’t leave a coffin in your business partner’s driveway. It’s just not done.

But there was a coffin in my driveway. And it had wheels. I looked from the black coffin to the yellow bungalow. Yep, it was my house. Just above the peaked roofline, fog blurred a watery sun.

“Do you have any idea why there’s a coffin in my driveway?” Because there was really only one person who would put one there. I tore my gaze from the wooden coffin to Hyperion. “And why is it on wheels?”

He shifted his weight. “Didn’t I mention the coffin race?”

“No.”

“Why’d you think I had a t-shirt cannon?”

“I still have no idea why you’ve got one.”

“For the coffin race.” He patted the coffin’s hood.

I waited.

“I entered Beanblossom’s in the race,” he said patiently. “We’re going as the Death card. I’ve got a scythe and everything.”

“A scythe at high speeds. What could go wrong?”

“It’ll be like in one of those Italian medieval morality parades. Did you know those parades most likely spawned the Tarot’s major arcana cards?”

“Oh, boy.”

“Or was it the Renaissance?” He shook his head. “They were in Italy. I know that much.”

Giveaway

Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Visit the other tour stops for more chances of winning: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2021/07/book-blast-never-say-chai-by-kirsten.html

Review of Vapor Trail by Dick Hannah

I always gravitate towards science fiction and fantasy, but I also like picking up some suspense or mystery/thrillers every now and then. And today I have one for you! We’re featuring Vapor Trail by author Dick Hannah. I had the chance to review his first book a couple of years back. Vapor Trail is his third book and it’s a good one.

Read on to know more about it and check out my thoughts on the book.

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Books to Movies: Angels and Demons

Angels and Demons

Angels and DemonsBasic info. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown was released in 2000. The movie came out in 2009, a couple of years after The Da Vinci Code came out. The movie brought back Tom Hanks and also starred Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, and Stellan Skarsgard.

What’s the story? Renowned cryptologist Robert Langdon is called to decipher a mysterious symbol that was branded on the chest of a physicist murdered inside a research facility. He discovers that the symbol points to an ancient underground brotherhood called the Illuminati. It seems the secret organization has surfaced to do some damage to their supposed adversary, which is the Catholic Church. To make things even worse, someone planted a bomb somewhere in the Vatican, where cardinals of the world are gathered to choose a new pope.

Which one did I experience first? I saw the movie first and later on I decided to read the book so, you know, I’ll know the real basis for the movie. By that time, The Da Vinci Code was already out for two years and everyone already knew the Robert Langdon character, and I think everyone was just curious about the ‘new’ Dan Brown book-based movie. So you know, me included. I wanted in on the bandwagon. Hah.

Read more

Books to Movies: The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci CodeThe basic info. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was published in 2003 and became a bestseller all over the globe. Of course they decided to make a movie out of it. The movie came out in 2006 and starred Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Paul Bettany, Jean Reno, Ian McKellan, and Alfred Molina.

What’s the story? Robert Langdon, a symbologist, gets called to the scene of the murder of the curator of the Louvre. The curator left a clue that led to more clues found in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci. With the help of French cryptologist Sophie Neveu, Robert discovers that the curator was part of a secret society dedicated to protecting a religious relic. Robert and Sophie follow the clues while trying to evade an unknown danger that seems hell bent on getting their hands on whatever it is the secret society is protecting.

Which one did I experience first? I read the book first and it was during the time when it was already very popular and everyone was mostly raving about it.

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Spotlight & $100 Amazon Giveaway: I Can See You by Joss Landry

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I Can See You Blog Tour (Jul 28 – Aug 22)

I thought this book had an interesting story, that’s why I agreed to help out in the blog tour and host a guest post by the author. Check out the book and the guest post, and enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win $100 Amazon Gift Card or $25 Amazon Gift Card.

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Cover Reveal: REDEYE by Michael Shean

This sinister cover, my friend, is none other than that of REDEYE, the second installment of author Michael Shean’s The Wonderland Cycle. I haven’t read the first book, Shadow of a Dead Star, but I’ve read and reviewed the author’s other book Bone Wires.

The Wonderland Cycle is set in the same world where Bone Wires took place so I’m pretty sure these are cool reads, too. Check out the book summaries below!

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