‘Every Silent Thing’ is the first in The Claire Deveraux series by Alan Brenham. Photo: Amazon
Alan Brenham is the pen name of Alan Behr. He worked as a Texas law enforcement officer for over twenty years and as a criminal prosecutor and later criminal defense attorney for over twenty-five years. He is the author of five published novels. Two of those novels, “Price of Justice” and “Cornered,” have been translated into five foreign languages and published in several countries. “Price of Justice” won several awards including best in police/crime fiction. It also became a top 100 international bestseller. In his new book, “Every Silent Thing,” Claire Deveraux must find a way to help keep her identical twin sister stay alive while she herself is fleeing from a killer who thinks she has some important missing information. It is the first in The Claire Deveraux series. (Amazon, 2023)
“Every Silent Thing”- Shy and deaf, twenty-three-year-old Claire Deveraux has worked hard to land her dream job as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Yet her idyllic life is shattered when she finds a woman lying on the restroom floor dying from a gunshot wound. The dying woman utters three words to Claire and conceals a thumb drive in Claire’s pocket. The items are keys to the location of proceeds from a bank robbery. The killer, certain Claire now has sole possession of those items, must find her, recover the code words and the drive, then kill her before she can solve the puzzle and recover the money. Knowing he is determined to find and kill her, Claire must do whatever she can to keep her heart beating.
‘Runway Dreams: A Fox in the Fold’ is the new murder mystery novel 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. Her eighth-grade English teacher loved her work and pushed her to publish. Though writing has always been her passion, it took nearly eighteen years before she decided to follow her teacher’s guidance. T.K. has a love for nature, travel, photography, concerts, off-roading, and hiking and aside from her novels, she runs a website on travel and life. She lives in New Richmond, Wisconsin with her husband and two cats: Bellatrix and Kit. In her new novel “Runway Dreams: A Fox in the Fold,” everywhere Bell Price goes, death is stalking and toying with her. (Amazon, 2023)
“Runway Dreams: A Fox in the Fold” – The story begins with a Prologue that takes place overseas as a young lady is taken away to a new life. This is book two in the Runway Dreams series, so the events take place a few days after. Bell Price wants nothing more than peace, quiet, and a drama-free life for her family. With Martin now in custody, she thinks the worst is behind her but life has a few surprises for her. The last thing she suspects when she goes to the local police precinct is that the prior week’s horrors are only the start of what is headed her way. Gunshots ring out in the early hours of the morning and a scream pierces the air. It is now clear that an unknown assailant is stalking her with revenge in mind. Family, friends, and even innocent bystanders get caught in the middle as she is in danger no matter where she goes. She grows increasingly suspicious of everyone around her and finds it hard to trust anyone. Will Bell and her siblings be able to catch the stalker before one of them becomes the next victim? With their parents now gone, they must work together in spite of the increasing danger to finally have the much needed peace they all deserve.
The drama continues in the next installment of the Runway Dreams saga as the family of models is still in danger. Even though Martin is already in jail, someone out there is bound and determined to get revenge in his name. Danger and violence seems to follow the siblings wherever they go and just goes to prove that being rich and privileged does not protect anyone from the dangers of the real world, even with bodyguards and safe houses. The author brilliantly combines the action and suspense of a murder mystery with the glamour of the fashion industry, including fashion shows, parties, and traveling. Her writing style is beautifully descriptive: “A blood-curdling scream ripped through the early morning stillness” and brings the action to life. Thanks in part to it being highly dialogue driven, the story flows easily through the pages and makes this an easy read. Even though the characters can be considered privileged, they are still relatable due to the extensive character development, showing that everyone has drama in their lives and toxic relationships affect everyone, regardless of socioeconomic levels. As far as the murder mystery part is concerned, everyone is a suspect and there are plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing. The young lady in the Prologue becomes relevant towards the end and perfectly wraps up it all up. Overall, “Runway Dreams: A Fox in the Fold” is a must read mystery novel and is recommended for readers who appreciate mystery, comedy, and psychological suspense fiction.
“The storm may have been outside, but it was raining inside the limo as a waterfall of silent emotion washed away their pain.”
*The author was contacted for an honest review of this book. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Darkness Within’ is the new young adult thriller by Crystal Oliver. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
In book news this week, there is a new young adult thriller out by Crystal Oliver. “The Darkness Within” is a thrilling tale of a young girl’s journey of self-discovery and supernatural powers. Will Emma be able to master her abilities and defeat the Darkness, or will she become its next victim? Get your copy today of this action-packed young adult thriller. It is on sale for the next few days for $2.99 at the Kindle Store. It is also available on Books2Read. (Crystal Oliver, 2023)
“The Darkness Within” – Sixteen-year-old Emma wakes up to a nightmare: blood in the living room, her mother missing, and a darkness lurking in the mist outside. As people are dying, Emma discovers that the government has created a terrifying creature that not only escaped from their facility but is on a killing spree. To make matters worse, the creature seems to have a strange connection to the girl. As Emma struggles to come to terms with her new reality, she must also master her growing psychic powers that seem to have come out of nowhere. With the help of Eric, a government soldier with his own special abilities, Emma learns to control her powers and take on the Darkness.
As the creature closes in on Emma, she realizes that it’s not just a mindless killer. It has a purpose, and Emma might be the only one who can stop it. As the final battle approaches, Emma must confront her fears and use all of her powers to save her town and herself.
SA Examiner 