Nobody Told Me: a crime hits closer to home

Nobody Told Me is the sixth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. Another crime in Hart’s Ridge hits home for Deputy Taylor Gray. She investigates the sudden disappearance of Jarret Clark, a young man who holds a special place in her life. She hopes for the best but fears the worst. Her sister, Lucy, is working on starting her life over with her son, Johnny. As she sets out on her path of self-discovery, Lucy realizes that it’s not as straightforward as she thought. Not only does she have to deal with her personal issues, she discovers someone is trying to destroy her life. While she thinks she knows who it is, she must decide when enough’s enough and confront her tormentor. Will Lucy find the strength to truly change for the better? Will she stand up and fight back? Will Taylor solve the mystery of Jarret’s disappearance before it’s too late?

The Hart’s Ridge series has it all: crimes inspired by true stories, family drama and a small town setting. It is important to read this series in order and I have enjoyed it since Hart’s Ridge (book 1). I’m not sure what it was; but the story in Nobody Told Me felt a little off. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It was fast paced. It held my attention but I wasn’t exactly wowed by it. I love that many characters who were featured in previous books made appearances. I loved the ending and the cliffhanger that I am, of course, eagerly awaiting book 7 to read the fallout. While Lucy’s stalker was a bit of a surprise, I kept expecting someone else from her past to pop up again. Maybe they will? Despite it all, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend Nobody Told Me. I look forward to the next book in the series. 

Nobody Told Me is available in paperback and eBook

No Place Too Far: standing firm and fighting back

No Place Too Far by Kay Bratt is the second book in the new By the Sea series. In this story, readers return to beautiful Maui as Quinn’s friend, Maggie Dalton, begins to renew her life with her son, Charlie, on the island after her stalker was sentenced to prison. Maggie begins a new job at a local vet clinic with the handsome Dr. Joe Starr and meets the eccentric staff including Juniper, the no nonsense receptionist with brightly colored hair and a nose ring. As she begins to live again and find new friends, her worst fears come to life as her stalker may have been able to find her again despite being in prison. Just as Maggie is learning to deal with this possibility, Quinn is adjusting to reuniting with her family as well as her new relationship with Liam. When a reporter threatens Quinn’s new life on the island, her only solution is to run. Has Maggie’s stalker truly found her on Maui? Will he attempt to come to the island? Will Quinn run or will she stay and fight for her new family and home?

No Place too Far is an awesome sequel to True to Me and I enjoyed following up with Quinn and her story as well as learning more about her long-time friend, Maggie. Maggie’s story with a stalker is creepy and eerie and I can only imagine the paralyzing fear that she and victims of stalking must deal with during the stalking and in the aftermath. In this digital world of email, social media and more and more of life existing through online connections, it is easy for someone to find another person and it makes it extremely hard for someone to truly hide. I enjoyed all the new characters especially Joe and Juniper. I look forward to see them along with Quinn and Maggie in book 3 and beyond in the By the Sea series. Overall, No Place Too Far is about standing firm and fighting for yourself, your loved ones, and your freedom. I highly recommend No Place Too Far!

No Place Too Far

will be available September 1, 2020

in paperback, eBook and audiobook

If you have not yet read True To Me, I highly recommend it.

True to Me is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Check out my review for True to Me

https://observationsfromasimplelife.blogspot.com/2020/01/true-to-me-adventure-of-self-discovery.html

Blindsided: when one woman decides to fight back against the evil chasing her

Blindsided by Kate Watterson is a suspense thriller, a cat and mouse game and a race against time. Dr. Cadence Lawrence knows she’s being followed. She knows someone has been in her house when she’s gone and has gone through her belongings. She even knows who it is, but he has managed to stay one step ahead and avoid apprehension. FBI Agent Thea Benedict is on the trail of a serial killer, tracking him all over the country and knows he may be heading to settle a score. When Cadence makes the sudden decision to flee Indianapolis and head north, she is trapped on a snowy road, Michael “Mick” McCutcheon offers her a place to stay until she can get her car out of the snow. At first, she is reluctant to allow Mick to get close, but she finds him to be caring and generally concerned that she opens up with her story. Mick finds himself enthralled with the beautiful doctor and can’t help himself as he helps her battle against this evil. As Cadence, Thea, and Mick follow this man’s trail, he realizes his time is short and steps up his efforts. Will they be able to stop him before he hurts someone else?

Blindsided was an interesting twist from a usual suspense thriller. From the beginning, you are told who is stalking Cadence, you are told why but he remains a suspenseful evil lurking in the dark. I enjoyed each character. Cadence was a strong, independent woman who knew to fight back but at the same time she realizes she is afraid, vulnerable and fights anyway. Mick is a dashing knight in shining armor who is confident but can be shaken. One of my favorite scenes is when Mick is worried and nervous about meeting Cadence’s parents as their investigation takes them to her hometown. And Thea, the confident FBI agent, who is like a cat on the hunt. She is determined to catch her prey. I thoroughly enjoyed Blindsided as a fast paced, attention grabbing thriller which keeps you reading until the last page. I highly recommend Blindsided.

Blindsided

will be available July 9, 2019

in hardcover and eBook

Convergence: how does one fight back against terror?

Convergence by Ginny L Yttrup is a suspense thriller about one woman’s fight against her stalker and returning her life to normal. Dr. Denilyn Rossi is a psychology professor who once had it all. A loving marriage and a bestselling book until its all shattered by someone who was sending her gifts, hang up phone calls. Her marriage becomes shattered and her own mental health is left in a fragile state. After many years, she is still trying to get her life back and once she feels she has a handle on things, the stalker returns. Another woman enters the story, Adelia is traveling to Three Rivers, California to take a job as a rafting tour guide. The stories of these two women are told from different time points. As the journey of these two women converge, who is the person torturing Denilyn? Can she find him and fight him once and for all? How does Adelia play into the whole story?

I loved this book. It kept me guessing on how it was playing out and where it was going. When I finished the book and looked back on all the clues, the identity of the stalker was there all along and like a really good thriller, the author has skillfully hidden them in plain view. There isn’t much I can discuss about what I liked about the book because it would give away major plot points; however, I can say that, while the book starts off slow and you aren’t quite sure what’s going on as the book jumps back and forth in time, it all becomes clear as the book reaches it the final act. I highly recommend Convergence!

Convergence

is available in paperback and eBook