Tag Archives: drama

May 6, 2022 · 7:00 am

“Candidate for Murder” and “Crimes Past” by Lauren Carr (2 Book Spotlight)


OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy “10”  with her latest, Candidate for Murder!…Don’t just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren Carr! I’m telling you right now it’s a must-read for daring, adventure, crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination.” – reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

“OMG!!! The best Mac Faraday…yet. Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.” – review by Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental, As Eye See It

 
Book Description:

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure.

With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!
 
 
Buy the Book:   
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“With her usual panache, Lauren Carr blends the grittiness of murder(s) with a good deal of humor, the latter revolving largely around Gnarly and David’s Belgian shepherd, Storm, who would much rather be couch potato-ing than anything involving exertion.” – review by Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books

Lauren Carr is one of the best authors I know who is able to combine humor and drama in one captivating and easy-listen story. Yes, you can listen to this one, narrated by Mike Alger. Mr. Alger has read several of Mac’s series, so he has the voices down, along with the variations and the tone.” – review by Merry Citarella, Mystery Suspense Reviews

 
 
Book Description:

It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to attend the wedding of a late colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double homicide.

The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former friends is the killer.

When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his friends is a cold-blooded murderer.

 
Buy the Book:   
  Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:

Author Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 

She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

 

connect with the author: 
website  ~  facebook  ~  instagram ~ pinterest ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

 
 
 

 

 

 

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April 15, 2022 · 7:00 am

“A Wedding and a Killing” and “Open Season for Murder” by Lauren Carr (2 Book Spotlight)

“Five Stars. A Wedding and a Killing has lots of action, suspense, murders, mysteries and humor.” – Review by Rhonda Laney, readalot

“There is actually a mystery within a mystery in Carr’s new book. It’s a tangled, twisting adventure that adds more dead bodies along the way. Carr’s characters are lively, her plots complex, there is always just enough humor to set a lighter tone.” – Review by Allene Reynolds, Mystery and Me

 
 
Book Description:

When Mac Faraday decides to do something, there’s no stopping him … even murder!

Not wanting to wait until their big day to start their life of wedded bliss, Mac Faraday and his lady love, Archie Monday, decide to elope to the little church where his ancestors had all married—along the tranquil shore of Deep Creek Lake. However, before they can say, “I do,” the sanctuary erupts into chaos when Gnarly finds a dead body in the church office.

As they dive into the investigation, Mac and his team discover more questions than answers. What kind of person walks into a church and shoots a man for no apparent reason? How do you solve the murder of a man who has no enemies in the world? Which of the seemingly kind-hearted church members is really a cold-blooded killer?

Then, there is the all-important question, how long do Mac Faraday and his lady love have to wait to get married?

PLUS: SPECIAL BONUS FEATURE: THE GNARLY REHABILITATION PROGRAM (A Gnarly Mystery Short): Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dog nap Gnarly.

Buy the Book:   
  Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
 

 
“There’s lots of drama, crimes, murder, and laughter that surrounds the Diablo Ball. As usual, Gnarly is in the middle of everything. Hated to have to keep putting this down. I loved reading Open Season for Murder.” – review by Rhonda Laney, readalot

“Mac Faraday does it again! I loved every minute!” – 5-star review by Texanne

 

Book Description:
“It’s Ashton. Robin, it’s me, Ashton.”

Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer, Maryland.

This year, the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday’s five-star resort, has the added duty of preparing for the Diablo Ball, an annual benefit event that used to kick off Deep Creek Lake’s summer season. The exclusive gala has drawn in A-listers from across the country—including suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who had disappeared while skinny dipping in Deep Creek Lake five years earlier—days after the last Diablo Ball.

Intrigued by a mysterious phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can’t resist diving head first into the cold case. But he’s not the only one. Someone behind the scenes has gone to a lot of trouble to bring Ashton Piedmont’s friends and enemies to the Diablo Ball—which promises to be a gala event to die for!

 
Buy the Book:  
  Audible ~Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Author Lauren Carr
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
 
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.  

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.  
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. 
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

 
connect with the author: 
website ~  facebook  ~  instagram ~ pinterest ~ bookbub ~ goodreads
 
 
 

 

 

 

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March 9, 2022 · 7:00 am

Grace Among Thieves (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee (Book Review)

GRACE AMONG THIEVES (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee

 
A priceless heirloom worth its weight in lives. Can she crack the case before she becomes a killer’s trophy?

Hollywood, 1924. Grace Michelle’s professional star has risen. Now a successful costumier for a major studio, the ambitious woman has just about everything she wants. But when the father she thought was dead reaches out to reconnect, the talented designer doesn’t know what to think… especially after his new wife is kidnapped.

Discovering her dad is mixed up with a stolen Russian artifact, Grace puts her sleuthing skills to work to rescue the abducted lady. But with a famous actress murdered in connection with the missing valuable and a man she put away stalking her for revenge, the frazzled amateur detective fears getting to the bottom of this crime will leave her six feet under.

Can she hunt down the treasure before it bankrupts the lives of everyone she loves?

Grace Among Thieves is the nail-biting third book in the Grace Michelle Mystery historical series. If you like bright-but-beset heroines, breathtaking twists and turns, and the glamor of a lost age, then you’ll adore Kari Bovée’s riveting tale. 

 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
 
 
 
 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 

In Grace Among Thieves (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee, the bodies keep piling up. Grace agrees to put on her imaginary detective hat and solve multiple cases, but maybe she shouldn’t have. With danger lurking close to home, she should reconsider sticking with her day job. I don’t think Grace ever will, though. Luckily, she has friends and family who lend a helping hand and watch her back. Heck, Grace even has the undead assisting her. Not zombies —just spirits. 🙂


When she’s not solving crimes or designing costumes, she runs a foster home with Chet. When you open your home to foster children, you must prepare for turbulence. There was plenty of drama between two foster boys — Daniel and Stevie. Stevie is the latest child to join the ranch, and he has baggage, as most foster kids do. The scenes featuring foster life added depth to the story. 


The drama that unfolded on and off the ranch did reach a happy resolution, which might not be a shocking revelation. Speaking of shocking revelations, Kari Bovee delivered quite the humdinger! This surprise development raised the score a bit. Why? Cause who doesn’t love the unexpected (when it comes to mystery novels)!

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:

Author Kari Bovee

When she’s not on a horse riding along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her historical mystery novels.

Kari Bovée writes the award-winning Annie Oakley mystery series and the Grace Michelle mystery series. In 2020 she was honored with First Place in category for the Chanticleer International Clue Awards for her book Folly at the Fair. In 2019 she was awarded the NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and won First in Category in the International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards. It was also a finalist in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings won First in Category for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards. Peccadillo at the Palace won Grand Prize in the 2019 Goethe Awards, and was a finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category.

Kari Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant.

 
Connect with the author:  
Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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March 7, 2022 · 7:00 am

Grace in Hollywood – A Grace Michelle Mystery by Kari Bovee (Book Review)

GRACE IN HOLLYWOOD (A Grace Michelle Mystery) by Kari Bovee

All that glitters… is sometimes blood. With her golden ticket buried in the ground, can she save a wrongly accused teen from the gallows?

Hollywood, 1924. Promoted to lead costume designer of a star-studded film, Grace Michelle should be on top of the world. But between her husband’s debt, her sister’s recent death, and the troubled teenaged girl she’s fostering, she’s struggling to please everyone and still keep a smile on her face. And when a Tinseltown shindig turns deadly, Grace is horrified to discover her young charge unconscious alongside the director’s grisly corpse.

Determined to prove the girl’s innocence, Grace’s own haunted past fills her sleep with prophetic nightmares. And no sooner has she sought clarity from a medium than a second body lands the scared teenager in the slammer.

Can Grace turn the camera on the real culprit before another victim ends up on the cutting room floor?

Grace in Hollywood is the second book in the riveting A Grace Michelle Mystery historical series. If you like fiercely loyal heroines, thrilling whodunits, and the magic of old cinema, then you’ll love Kari Bovee’s enthralling tale.​

 
​BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
 
Grace and Chet have come a long way since Sophia’s death. They now live on a ranch and foster four children of various ages. They did more than open up their homes; they opened up their hearts. 


While in their care, though, tragedy struck. A murder occurred during a Hollywood party, and their oldest charge, Lizzy, is the prime suspect since she was found with the deceased. Lizzy denied responsibility, and Grace believed her. 


The evidence is mounting. Bodies are piling up. Lizzy is losing hope. Grace, however, doesn’t give up. Like with the murder mystery of her sister, Sophia, Grace will turn over every rock to uncover the truth. Through her investigations, she learns some shocking facts. She also finds herself facing the real villain of the story. 
 
Grace in Hollywood – A Grace Michelle Mystery by Kari Bovee is a mystery you WON’T figure out quickly. All the twists and turns will keep you puzzled as to who is the real murderer. 


The last page will have you muttering, “WTH,” or something close to that. I can’t wait to read Grace Among Thieves (A Grace Michelle Mystery), book three in the series. 

 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
Amazon
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:

Author Kari Bovee

When she’s not on a horse riding along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her historical mystery novels.

Kari Bovée writes the award-winning Annie Oakley mystery series and the Grace Michelle mystery series. In 2020 she was honored with First Place in category for the Chanticleer International Clue Awards for her book Folly at the Fair. In 2019 she was awarded the NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and won First in Category in the International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards. It was also a finalist in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings won First in Category for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards. Peccadillo at the Palace won Grand Prize in the 2019 Goethe Awards, and was a finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category.

Kari Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant.

 

Connect with the author:  
Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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March 2, 2022 · 7:00 am

Grace in the Wings – A Grace Michelle Mystery by Kari Bovee (Book Review)

Disclaimer from me,  Kam: There are some scenes that might be triggers for some readers – physical abuse. 
 
 
 
​A ghost from her past. Her sister murdered. Can Grace slay her demons and find the killer before she ends up dead?
​
New York City, 1920. Grace Michelle has everything she wants: a home, a family, and a future career as a costume designer for famed showman Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.’s Ziegfeld Follies. Pretty good for a girl who once lived on the streets of New York City. But when her sister, Sophia, the star of the show, is murdered, Grace’s safe and protected life is shattered.

Battle-scarred by the war and emotionally scarred by his past, Chet Riker has made it a practice to keep his distance from others; love, after all, leads only to pain. But Chet has a problem—a big one: he’s become indebted to mob-boss Joe Marciano in an attempt to save his estranged mother’s life, and Marciano wants him to pay up or else. Desperate to get the money, he contacts former client Florenz Ziegfeld for work.

Soon, Chet finds himself playing bodyguard for introverted Grace, who has reluctantly agreed to be Ziegfeld’s new leading lady—on the condition that Ziegfeld promises to find Sophia’s killer. Upon meeting Grace, Chet quickly finds his hardened theory that love equals pain tested. Grace, meanwhile, is swept up in a life she never wanted as the Follies’ star, and as the pawn in a series of publicity stunts during a transcontinental train trip to California that puts her life at risk. Who would want her and Sophia dead? Together, she and Chet must confront publicity-hungry Florenz Ziegfeld, power-driven Joe Marciano, and their own pasts to find Sophia’s killer—and let themselves love once again.

 
 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
 
When a loved one dies under unusual circumstances, it’s not uncommon to go to any lengths to find out what happened to them. Grace did just that regarding the sudden death of her sister, Sophia. 


Before Sophia died, she publicly disclosed some shocking revelations. I don’t want to spoil what they were, but it was on the icky side. As more information about Sophia is unveiled, her sister’s (Grace) life becomes in jeopardy. This is the point in the story where readers might encounter “trigger” moments. Let me explain: There are several detailed scenes where a man is severely beating a woman. He also gets violent with another, and rape was insinuated but (thankfully) never occurs. 


There were a few components of Grace in the Wings I did enjoy: the dynamic between Chet and Grace and the power of women working together in a specific set of scenes. (No spoilers) The cover is also fantastic. It represents the period perfectly, the 1920s. 

Unfortunately, due to the brutality of specific engagements, I dropped my score a couple of points. I’d suggest placing a disclaimer on the book’s summary for potential readers/buyers. 
 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Author Kari Bovee

When she’s not on a horse riding along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her historical mystery novels.

Kari Bovée writes the award-winning Annie Oakley mystery series and the Grace Michelle mystery series. In 2020 she was honored with First Place in category for the Chanticleer International Clue Awards for her book Folly at the Fair. In 2019 she was awarded the NM/AZ Book Awards Hillerman Award for her novel Girl with a Gun. The novel also received First Place in the 2019 NM/AZ Book Awards in the Mystery/Crime category, and won First in Category in the International Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Awards. It was also a finalist in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Awards. Her novel Grace in the Wings won First in Category for the 2019 International Chanticleer Chatelaine Awards. Peccadillo at the Palace won Grand Prize in the 2019 Goethe Awards, and was a finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards Historical Fiction category.

Kari Bovée has worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant.

 

Connect with the author: 
Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

 
 
 
 

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