Written Off: a famous author has gone missing. Why is only one woman determine to find her?

 Written Off by Karen McQuestion is a story of one author’s disappearance and another woman’s determination to find her despite the apathy of others. Dana Broderick is a bestselling, celebrity author. Publicly, she is bold, glamorous and ready for the spotlight. However, behind the scenes it is her assistant, Courtney Hart, who helps keep everything on track. Quiet, dependable, Courtney has been Dana’s friend since college and is content to stay in the background until Dana vanishes without a trace. To her shock and surprise, Courtney finds that no one but her is frantic to find her. When a ransom demand eventually comes through, it is ignored as a publicity stunt. Courtney is not convinced and as she investigates the mystery, she realizes that the question is not where Dana is but why no one wants her found? Where is Dana? Who is behind her kidnapping? And why is Courtney the only one to care? 

Karen McQuestion is one of my go-to authors. She writes it, I’ll read it. After two years of no new releases, Ms. McQuestion announced she had a new book release and to say I was excited is an understatement. Wow! Written Off is filled with many twists and turns that left me guessing. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, a new turn that would throw that thought out the window. I loved Courtney’s character as she grows from the quiet assistant  to the bold and brave friend. In fact, every character, even the not so favorable ones, were wonderful and added to the plot. I was eager to figure out who was behind Dana’s disappearance and yet I enjoyed the characters so much that I didn’t want the book to end. If you haven’t discovered Karen McQuestion’s books, you need to read them now! I highly, highly recommend Written Off. 

Written Off is available in paperback and eBook

Starting Over: the Gray family and the citizens of Hart's Ridge must find hope and strength in the darkness

Starting Over is the eighth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. In the aftermath of the events of Hello Goodbye, the Gray family bands together in unwavering strength and resilience as a crisis appears to threaten to tear them apart once again. As a new case hits the small town of Hart’s Ridge a little too close to home, the Gray family and the rest of Hart’s Ridge must come together and find the courage and hope to keep going and start fresh. A local woman is taken while shopping and it becomes a race against time to find her and bring her home safe and sound. With every picture and facade being questioned and bonds tested by secrets, they can ever feel secure again. Will the Gray family and the citizens of Hart’s Ridge find strength and hope in the darkness of tragedy? Can they move forward as a family with love and forgiveness? 

When Kay Bratt first announced her new series, she originally planned for eight books. The overwhelming support and response for the Gray family and this series, she announced that she is continuing the series. And I am so happy! I can see how Starting Over was supposed to be a send off for the Gray family; but, there are still so many stories to be told in this tiny little hamlet. The main case of the story took my breath away as I awaited their resolution with every twist and turn. I wish I could talk about my reaction to the resolution but no spoilers! I will definitely be waiting for book nine and future books in this heart pounding series. If you have not started the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly, highly recommend starting with book one, Hart’s Ridge, which is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. If you have read the Hart’s Ridge series, you will not be disappointed with Starting Over! 

Starting Over is available in eBook

Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping: competition and jealousy ends in murder and kidnapping

 Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping is the twelfth book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. Mae West has found a home in the small southern town of Normal, Kentucky. Despite her rocky start, she has become a beloved member of the town and her efforts to help the rundown Happy Trails Campground thrive have paid off. And her efforts are being noticed. The campground is in the running for the Campground Hospitality Award of the Daniel Boone National Park, but she has been offered a vacant seat on the park’s committee. To add to her efforts, she has organized Paddle Fests and a kayak competition which brings champion and Olympian kayaker Bryce Anderson to Normal. Everything comes crashing down when Bryce is discovered dead. When his death is ruled a homicide, Mae and the Laundry Club ladies once again put their sleuthing skills to use to find a killer. 

How many times can the reputation of the Happy Trails Campground and Normal be in jeopardy? A few times in fact. Once again, a murder linked to the campground throws a monkey wrench into the thriving plans. Mae immediately jumps into action and discovers a twisted trail of clues and a long list of suspects. This mystery kept me on my toes and I wasn’t sure who the killer was until the reveal. I enjoyed how Mae, despite her sleuthing reputation, stays humble and her motivation is simply to help Normal to continue to thrive. It’s not her fault that murders seem to happen in and around her campground. Overall, I enjoyed Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping. It was a nice addition to the series and I look forward to next adventure in Normal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend Kickbacks, Kayaks and Kidnapping as well as the rest of the Campers and Criminals series. 

Kickbacks, Kayaks, and Kidnapping is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Trace of Death: a kidnapping mystery

A Trace of Death by Blake Pierce is the first book in the Keri Locke mystery series. Keri Locke is a detective with the Missing Persons division of the LAPD. She is haunted by her own daughter’s abduction, years before, never to be found. Still obsessed with finding her daughter, Keri buries her grief into her cases. When a routine call from a worried mother strikes a cord with Keri. Even though the teenager, Ashley, has only been missing for two hours, something in the mother’s voice tells Keri to investigate. Ashley is the daughter of a prominent California senator and is hiding secrets, as teenagers do. But Keri feels there is something more than just a teenager keeping secrets. When all the evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. But Keri won’t give up. Despite the pressures from her superiors, the media, and all trails growing cold, Keri refuses to let go. She knows that she only has 48 hours for any chance to bring Ashley home safe and sound. Will she find Ashley in time? 

A Trace of Death is a fast-paced thriller which I read in one day. It was an easy read without overly complicated clues and misdirections. I have read several of Blake Pierce’s mysteries and while A Trace of Death wasn’t as exciting as the others, I was still hooked and thrilled as I read. Keri is a typical cop who is tormented by personal issues that haunt her but makes her a brilliant detective. I particularly enjoyed the camaraderie between Keri and her partner, Ray, a former boxer turned cop. There were a few exchanges between the two that I laughed at and could see happening between friends. And there is the typical superior who can’t stand the troubled but brilliant female detective and has to eat humble pie later when Keri is proven correct. Overall, I enjoyed A Trace of Death. It was a nice, easy afternoon read. I liked the fact that I could read and enjoy the mystery without getting a headache from the over-the-top and difficult to read herrings that I’ve experienced in other mystery thrillers. If you enjoy mystery thrillers, you will enjoy A Trace of Death. 

A Trace of Death is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Favorite: a haunting story

Favorite by Karen McQuestion is a thriller young adult novel in which no one and nothing is what it seems. On her 11th birthday, 16-year-old Angie Favorite’s mother disappeared without a trace. Five years later, Angie is abducted from a mall parking lot. She narrowly escapes and her attacker is arrested but takes his life in jail before he can answer for his crime. When Lillian, the attacker’s mother, contacts Angie, begging forgiveness on her son’s behalf and offers any help Angie may need. She agrees to meet Lillian. When she arrives at the woman’s massive estate, she can’t help feeling uneasy and unable to shake the feelings of foreboding. Something is not right and despite her urges and warnings, no one is listening to Angie. Can she finally figure out what’s wrong before it’s too late?

Favorite was an easy read, fast paced as the reader is taken on a journey with many twists and turns. I was able to finish the story in one day as I could not put it down. Every time I tried to find a good stopping point, something would happen to fuel my interest to find out what happens. I did not see the ending coming! There were hits and misses with the characters. I enjoyed Angie who acted and behaved as someone who has been through a traumatic event. Her family, despite being concerned for her when she was in the hospital, seemed to focus on their own desires as Angie raises her concerns. While I enjoyed the book, I feel the target audience of young adults may enjoy it more. I recommend Favorite. 

Favorite is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

Secret Seduction: its no secret that this is a bad romance story

Secret Seduction by Jill Sanders is the first book in the Secret series. It is the story of Katie Derby who confesses her secret love for her long-time friend, Jason Keaton, and then learns a disturbing truth from her mother that undoes everything she knew about herself and her family. Unable to deal with the media circus surrounding the revelation, Katie leaves everything behind and runs to backpack across Europe. Fast forward a year later, Katie is almost kidnapped by two men in Greece until she is rescued by, none of other than, Jason, who has been sent to Europe to find her and bring her home. The two are suddenly in a race for their lives as they try to stay one step ahead of the men who want to kidnap Katie. Why do they want Katie? Will they discover who is behind this kidnapping plot? Will they make it to safety?

Secret Seduction is a romance novel with so many problems. First, it was hard to like Katie. She is 26 years old and acts like a child and pouts when she doesn’t get her way. Throughout most of the book, she adamantly refuses to see her mother, understandable given the devasting news her mother dropped on her over the phone. However, when her mother and Katie are finally are face to face, the scene was very anticlimactic. A short argument, one statement made and then suddenly all is forgiven and well between them? Second, Jason is nice, likable but has skills that the author gives no explanation for. Other than explaining that Jason studied judo, explains his fighting skills, no other his ability to track Katie through Europe when she was supposedly off the grid. Did I miss something? Lastly, while the sex scenes were steamy, there was one scene that was very uncomfortable and unrealistic. Katie reveals in an internal monologue that she is inexperience sexually and still a virgin and then, a few pages later, can perform a sex act with skilled expertise! Come on! I do not recommend Secret Seduction.

Secret Seduction

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Girl in Trouble: a mystery that's hard to care about

Girl in Trouble by Stacy Chaflin is the first book in the Alex Mercer Thriller series. It is the story of Alex Mercer who is a self-described deadbeat dad and loser. His daughter, Ariana, was adopted by her mother’s, Zoey, parents as both Alex and Zoey were 16 at the time of her birth and wanted to give her a better chance at a decent life. One night, Alex takes Ariana to a popular hangout for kids. After an evening of fun and excitement, Alex witnesses Ariana being taken by a man in a dirty SUV. As investigation gets started, Alex must deal with the criticisms of those who blame him while he tries to track down the man who took his daughter and finding Ariana alive. Will he find her in time? Will they discover the identity of the man who took her?

When I read the description of Girl in Trouble, I was intrigued; however, the book fails to live up to its description. From the get-go, I found myself uninterested in the characters. Alex’s self-loathing is annoying. Zoey’s meanness and bitchiness were irritating. The opening chapters were bored and failed to truly draw me into the drama. The book is described as a thriller but there was nothing thrilling about it. I was also disturbed by the number of chapters. 82 in a 365-page book. That is just too many. The chapters are too short for any real action to take place. Once something starts to happen, the chapter ends, and the reader is taken to a new scene and different action. It was hard to stay engaged. I do not recommend Girl in Trouble.

Girl in Trouble

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook