Tag: mystery novels

New book release: ‘Losing Lee’ by Joe Egan

‘Losing Lee’ is the new mystery novel by Joe Egan. Photo: Amazon

When it comes to books, family drama fiction always draws me in, especially when there is a family secret involved. We tend to relate to these stories and characters, much so when the story takes place in our home town or state. Such is the case in today’s new book release “Losing Lee” by Joe Egan. The story takes place in 1998 Dallas, so it should resonate with former and current Texas natives. Bryant Blankenship’s brother Lee died in an accident when Bryant was just 12 years old. Now that he is older and in high school, he wants to know what really happened and won’t rest until he does. This contemporary coming of age novel is perfect for readers of all ages who appreciate family saga fiction as well as stories that take place in the 90s-so retro! “Losing Lee” is available on Amazon and signed copies are available through the author’s website. Get your copy today and find out what really happened to Bryant and why there is so much secrecy around his death.

Joe Egan, a Minnesotan, resides in the heartland with his wife and daughter. His literary journey began at the age of seven crafting short stories and creating student newspapers and he has been hooked to the pen ever since. Joe is a devout Catholic, a golf fanatic, and a friend of Bill W. In his spare time, you can find him driving his truck, hanging out with family, or writing his next novel. His new book “Losing Lee” is a mystery novel about the mysterious death of a teenage boy’s brother. (Joe Egan, 2023)

“Losing Lee” – In 1998 Dallas, Texas, 17-year-old Bryant Blankenship grapples with the mystery surrounding his older brother Lee’s untimely death five years earlier. Covered in secrecy, Lee’s passing has left Bryant yearning for the truth. An off-color comment from a classmate hints at Lee’s involvement in dubious activities, sparking Bryant’s quest for the truth. “Losing Lee” is a gripping mystery about what it means to find closure.

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New book release: ‘House One’ by Nina Wilson

‘House One’ is the new novel by Nina Wilson. Photo: Amazon

Who can resist a good mystery novel filled with suspense and spooky settings? These types of books have always been my favorite, and growing up, I would look forward to my next suspenseful read. Today’s new book release is a novel for young readers ages 15-18 that centers around the strange goings on in a summer camp for children. “House One” by Nina Wilson takes place at a summer camp and involves unexplained deaths and malevolent forces. Check it out for yourself. Suitable for all readers, it is available on Amazon.

Nina Wilson is an author, poet, and photographer from the middle of nowhere Iowa. She has a B.A. in History and Fiction, and an M.F.A. in fiction. She has published a handful of poems in various literary magazines. Her two previous novels, “Surrender Language” and “Malady,” were published by Adelaide Books, the editor of which unfortunately is now involved in a handful of class-action lawsuits for fraud. Personally, she is an avid cat-lover, history nerd, and spear-fighter in a Historical European Martial Arts group. She enjoys hiking with her cats and cemetery photography. Her novel “House One” is largely based on her experience working at a summer camp for six summers and all the mayhem and mystery that went along with it. (Nina Wilson, 2023)

“House One” – Deep in the hills of Greenville, Iowa sits a century-old summer camp for children—Camp Kellova. Throughout the various remodels over time, House One remains a mysterious entity. Danger still lurks and unexplained deaths continue with frequency. Long-time camp counselor, Laurel has always been leery of House One. This summer, after she pulls a body out of Lake Owaissa, she decides it is time to find out why the spirit of this cabin has become so merciless. What malevolent forces are behind the mysterious happenings at House One? More importantly, what can Laurel do to keep the children out of its shadowy grip?

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Book review: ‘Runway Dreams: A Pricey Affair’ by T.K. Ambers

‘Runway Dreams: A Pricey Affair’ is the new mystery thriller by T.K. Ambers. Photo: Amazon

T.K. Ambers is the award-winning author of “Runway Dreams A Pricey Affair.” Her novel has been recognized in four different award competitions and took second place in the Pencraft Awards, Women’s Fiction category. She lives in New Richmond, Wisconsin with her husband and two cats: Bellatrix and Kit. She would spend her perfect day lakeside, where she would swim, play games, and then wind down with a bonfire, s’mores, and stories told by family and friends. “Runway Dreams: A Pricey Affair” is a dark and comedic thriller about family dynamics and what happens when the youngest sibling in a prestigious family of models falls for a con man with a dangerous past. Follow the author: Facebook Instagram (T.K Ambers, 2023)

“Runway Dreams” – As a model born into the modeling industry, Bernadette (Bernie) Price has everything an heiress could desire, except a romantic partner to share her dreams with. Which is why she turns to online dating where she meets Martin Day, a handsome and successful financial advisor who is moving to her town. Her sister Belinda (Bell) has reservations about online dating, but Bernie is determined to meet Martin in person after talking to him online and on the phone for six months. This is where the story begins, as Bernie is getting ready for her date with Martin. With an absent mother, Bell has taken up the role and is voicing her reservations about this date. By the time she meets Martin at her father’s jazz club, Bernie is hooked. The couple clicks, and their relationship is on the fast track to marital bliss and they become engaged after only a few months of meeting in person. Before the wedding, a stranger (Matthew) brings unsettling news of Martin’s past. The Price family finds themselves divided as they sort through who is telling the truth. When Bernie disappears, her siblings must put their frustrations aside and help their sister reclaim her life before Martin claims theirs.

Most often, the modeling world comes across as a luxurious and worry free lifestyle filled with glamour, photo shoots, and money. What many seldom see is the reality that even beautiful, rich, and famous people ignore their instincts and get into toxic relationships, often with tragic results. It is interesting to read what happens behind the scenes at fashion shows and how models deal with publicity and fame. The story is narrated in the third person point of view and the language is easy to understand and descriptive at times, especially when describing the characters: “His bronzed skin was like a light creamy chocolate, and she guessed it might taste just as sweet.” The first half is lighthearted with occasional funny moments but after Chapter 13, it turns dark as reality sinks in and Bernie is faced with an abusive husband and her family is in the crosshairs. It should be noted that there are brief scenes of domestic abuse, but they are not graphic and only serve to highlight the seriousness of the situation and in fact they make the characters more relatable. The pulse pounding action makes the story flow effortlessly until the dramatic climax. With a perfect balance of comedy and thrilling action that highlights the importance of family, “Runway Dreams” is a must read and recommended for fans of mysteries and dramatic domestic thrillers similar to the best of Nora Roberts.

“As they drove back toward town, there was no laughter. The tears fell silently, and the three siblings held hands. Bernie knew that in time, some of the worst days of their lives would be far behind them, but for now, it was okay to let the tears flow.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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New release: ‘Red Zone’ by Luke Murphy

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‘Red Zone’ is the newest novel in The Charlene Taylor Mysteries by Luke Murphy. Photo: google

Luke Murphy is the international bestselling author of two series: The Calvin Watters Mysteries: “Dead Man’s Hand” and “Wild Card” and The Charlene Taylor Mysteries: “Kiss & Tell” and “Rock-A-Bye Baby.” He is a teacher with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a Bachelor of Education (Magna Cum Laude). His newest novel, “Red Zone: A Calvin Watters & Charlene Taylor Mystery (A Calvin Watters Mystery) has Calvin Watters, a former running back at USC, and Detective Charlene Taylor, working together on a homicide case when a woman’s dead body is found on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum football field.

In “Red Zone,” Calvin has not returned to USC since he was stripped of his scholarship.  Detective Charlene Taylor knows the freshman cheerleader’s murder is complicated because the USC football team is a close knit family and getting inside the trusted circle as a cop is nearly impossible. When Calvin and Charlene meet, Charlene sees an opportunity to use Calvin to penetrate the circle. Little does she know that Calvin is now an outsider who is no longer welcome and who many would like to see fail. Together they must find a way to solve this case without letting their egos get in the way.

Movie adaptation: ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie

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The new movie adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is now in theatres.

Agatha Christie was an English crime novelist, short story writer and playwright. She wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short stories but is best known for her novels featuring the fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her works have sold billions of copies worldwide and is she is listed as the best-selling novelist of all time. Most of her works have been adapted for television, radio, video games, comics and more than thirty feature films. The most recent is Murder on the Orient Express, based on her best-selling 1934 novel of the same name featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. It stars Kenneth Branagh as Poirot, with Penélope Cruz, Willem Defoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer and is the fourth adaptation of the book.

According to Amazon, in ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ Poirot is on holiday and on his way to Istanbul aboard the famous Orient Express. On his first day, he is approached by Samuel Ratchett who believes his life is threatened and asks Poirot to be his bodyguard, but he refuses due to his instant dislike for the man. The next morning, he is found dead and Poirot is drawn into the investigation into his death. Isolated by an avalanche that disabled the train, he must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man’s enemies on board before the murderer strikes again.

New release: ‘Bone Box’ by Faye Kellerman

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‘Bone Box’ is the new mystery novel by Faye Kellerman. Photo: amazon

Faye Kellerman is an author of mystery novels with the most popular being the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Her stand-alone novels include “The Quality of Mercy,” “Moon Music” and “Straight Into Darkness” and overall her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. “Bone Box,” her newest Decker/Lazarus novel was released today and has Rina Lazarus making a shocking discovery in the woods of her upstate New York community.

According to Amazon, in “Bone Box,” Rina Decker is out for a walk when she stumbles upon human remains that were once buried deep beneath the forest. Her husband Peter, a former detective lieutenant with the LAPD who is now working for the local police is brought in to investigate the case. It turns out that the body had been buried for years and the evidence includes the skeleton of a young woman, a skull wound and long dark strands of hair surrounding the frame. The victim is identified as a missing student from the nearby college.  This leads Decker, his partner and Rina to investigate what turns out to be a series of gruesome, unsolved murders that point to a diabolical serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight for years. They are in a race to protect the community from a killer who is still in the area and in search of a new victim.