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Recommend this book:
Twisted Deception
Love Can Be Dangerous
Isabella
2018 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
Twisted Deception: Love Can Be Dangerous by Isabella is a tale of romance that begins with a deceptively simple premise for a romance that suddenly develops complexities as the story gets involved with murder. Handled with great tonal balance, it’s a story that shimmers with feverish, fatalistic intensity, with themes of murder, identity, and obsession brilliantly introduced into the narrative as well as lesbian relationships. The characters are complex and I found myself following them closely.
Addie Blake and Drake Hogan are girlfriends — in a relationship — but Drake doesn’t see much of Addie, who seems more attached to her job than to her lover, and no matter how irksome this might be for Drake. But Addie will soon have enough of her mechanic girlfriend. Greyson Hollister’s life is built around the success of her company, Integrated Financial. But can she protect her company from the harm that rumor-mongering can cause it? When an attack is orchestrated on Integrated Financial, she will have to deal with one of the most relentless and skilled detectives, Nancy Hill.
I love authors who transform ordinary experiences into strong plot elements and Isabella seems to do it very well. Her writing is crisp and she has this uncanny gift of transporting readers into the very center of the heart of her characters. Stress and anxiety are obvious in the characters and it seems to fuel the tension that moves the story forward. The conflict is beautiful developed and the masterful use of suspense makes it hard for readers to put down Twisted Deception: Love Can Be Dangerous.
Twisted Deception: Love Can Be Dangerous by Isabella is a tale of romance that begins with a deceptively simple premise for a romance that suddenly develops complexities as the story gets involved with murder. Handled with great tonal balance, it’s a story that shimmers with feverish, fatalistic intensity, with themes of murder, identity, and obsession brilliantly introduced into the narrative as well as lesbian relationships. The characters are complex and I found myself following them closely.
Addie Blake and Drake Hogan are girlfriends — in a relationship — but Drake doesn’t see much of Addie, who seems more attached to her job than to her lover, and no matter how irksome this might be for Drake. But Addie will soon have enough of her mechanic girlfriend. Greyson Hollister’s life is built around the success of her company, Integrated Financial. But can she protect her company from the harm that rumor-mongering can cause it? When an attack is orchestrated on Integrated Financial, she will have to deal with one of the most relentless and skilled detectives, Nancy Hill.
I love authors who transform ordinary experiences into strong plot elements and Isabella seems to do it very well. Her writing is crisp and she has this uncanny gift of transporting readers into the very center of the heart of her characters. Stress and anxiety are obvious in the characters and it seems to fuel the tension that moves the story forward. The conflict is beautiful developed and the masterful use of suspense makes it hard for readers to put down Twisted Deception: Love Can Be Dangerous.
Recommend this book:
Stronger
Suzanne Jenkins
2018 Finalist
113 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
In Stronger by Suzanne Jenkins, Karen Pruitt is smart, beautiful, and fit. She comes to New York with her friends for a long weekend holiday organized by the airlines she had worked for. And then she meets Michael Calder, an FBI Special agent, who instantly falls for her, a bachelor twice her age. The encounter transforms Michael and everyone can see it. But then when Michael’s team puts a gangster in jail, everyone connected to him is put in grave danger, including Karen. And can Karen love the man whose work puts her life at risk?
Stronger by Suzanne Jenkins melds crime and romance, introducing very sophisticated characters and a conflict that infuses the narrative with the tension readers want to follow. We encounter characters that are rock solid, deeply explored, and the embodiment of two distinct cultures. Michael is not the outgoing, easy to be with kind of guy, but the effect that Karen has on him is almost magical and readers become intrigued, longing to discover what happens after that.
Suzanne Jenkins writes in a style that is friendly, with a voice that is compelling, and in prose that is crisp and delightful, merging exciting dialogues with intense drama and vivid descriptions to create scenes that are as absorbing as they are focused. Stronger is emotionally charged and features situations that are real and believable. I felt as though I was part of the décor in most scenes. The narrative is fast paced, cunningly plotted, and conflict driven. A real delight, absorbing and hard to put down!
In Stronger by Suzanne Jenkins, Karen Pruitt is smart, beautiful, and fit. She comes to New York with her friends for a long weekend holiday organized by the airlines she had worked for. And then she meets Michael Calder, an FBI Special agent, who instantly falls for her, a bachelor twice her age. The encounter transforms Michael and everyone can see it. But then when Michael’s team puts a gangster in jail, everyone connected to him is put in grave danger, including Karen. And can Karen love the man whose work puts her life at risk?
Stronger by Suzanne Jenkins melds crime and romance, introducing very sophisticated characters and a conflict that infuses the narrative with the tension readers want to follow. We encounter characters that are rock solid, deeply explored, and the embodiment of two distinct cultures. Michael is not the outgoing, easy to be with kind of guy, but the effect that Karen has on him is almost magical and readers become intrigued, longing to discover what happens after that.
Suzanne Jenkins writes in a style that is friendly, with a voice that is compelling, and in prose that is crisp and delightful, merging exciting dialogues with intense drama and vivid descriptions to create scenes that are as absorbing as they are focused. Stronger is emotionally charged and features situations that are real and believable. I felt as though I was part of the décor in most scenes. The narrative is fast paced, cunningly plotted, and conflict driven. A real delight, absorbing and hard to put down!
Recommend this book:
Moscow Venture
A. K. Celer
2017 Silver Medal
344 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite
In an exciting and highly engaging new read by author A.K. Celer, Moscow Venture is a true thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and obsessively turning the pages from the start all the way through until the very end. Follow the story of John Baran, a man determined to find out the truth behind the death of his best friend. John is convinced he didn't die from a stroke caused by natural causes, but from something much more nefarious. He heads to Moscow to find answers, and gets much more than he bargained for, including espionage, a bio-terror plot, and the middle of hard-line communists' attempt to reverse history, plus the opportunity to save countless American lives and help derail a second Bolshevik revolution. But he'll only be able to do that if he can stay alive. Will he? You'll need to read the book to find out!
I very much enjoyed Moscow Venture. Author A.K. Celer has done an amazing job in creating a real roller coaster of a read, as well as in creating characters that his readers will relate to, connect with, and truly come to care about. If those aren't hallmarks of a great author, I'm not sure what are. Any reader that loves spy thrillers with realistic drama and action adventure should absolutely read this book. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Moscow Venture and look forward to reading more from author A.K. Celer as soon as I possibly can!
In an exciting and highly engaging new read by author A.K. Celer, Moscow Venture is a true thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and obsessively turning the pages from the start all the way through until the very end. Follow the story of John Baran, a man determined to find out the truth behind the death of his best friend. John is convinced he didn't die from a stroke caused by natural causes, but from something much more nefarious. He heads to Moscow to find answers, and gets much more than he bargained for, including espionage, a bio-terror plot, and the middle of hard-line communists' attempt to reverse history, plus the opportunity to save countless American lives and help derail a second Bolshevik revolution. But he'll only be able to do that if he can stay alive. Will he? You'll need to read the book to find out!
I very much enjoyed Moscow Venture. Author A.K. Celer has done an amazing job in creating a real roller coaster of a read, as well as in creating characters that his readers will relate to, connect with, and truly come to care about. If those aren't hallmarks of a great author, I'm not sure what are. Any reader that loves spy thrillers with realistic drama and action adventure should absolutely read this book. I am so pleased to be able to highly recommend Moscow Venture and look forward to reading more from author A.K. Celer as soon as I possibly can!
Recommend this book:
Cachibache
Book two of the Director series
Zach Fortier
2017 Bronze Medal
192 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite
Cachibache is the second book in the Director series by Zach Fortier, a quick, suspenseful story that is as entertaining as it is intense, a story with a setting that excites readers as much as the exhilarating plot. After admitting that Camp Baroota has been a failed project, the Director gets back to work, masterminding the creation of Camp Cachibache, strategically located and hidden. But before things get exciting for the camp, a dangerous enemy resurfaces from the Director’s past, the psychotic known as the Wild Card, who is poised for revenge and will stop at nothing to see to it that the Director is completely destroyed. Will Nick Hudson and his accomplice from Camp Baroota, Nõnkos Zia, get their revenge on the Director or could things work out differently? It is interesting to follow these compelling characters as they engage in a powerful conflict, taking readers on a rollercoaster, pulsating ride that will get them emotionally involved and utterly intrigued.
The story starts with Nick, bored and irritated, waiting at the bus stop, and the reader quickly gets an idea of the kind of character he is: sick and unstable. He is a person with zero tolerance for tardiness and the reader already knows that it will be easy to get this character to reveal “his surly personality.” The plot is fast, unpredictable, and readers will be thrilled by the surprises that come as exquisite treats for them. The writing is great, and the balance between dialogue and descriptive prose is measured and masterfully accomplished. Cachibache is a breezy read, the kind of book readers complete in few hours, but one of those rare thrillers whose characters stay in the reader’s mind long after the book is shelved. Zach Fortier may be a master of the genre for he has created a thriller that readers will find hard to put down.
Cachibache is the second book in the Director series by Zach Fortier, a quick, suspenseful story that is as entertaining as it is intense, a story with a setting that excites readers as much as the exhilarating plot. After admitting that Camp Baroota has been a failed project, the Director gets back to work, masterminding the creation of Camp Cachibache, strategically located and hidden. But before things get exciting for the camp, a dangerous enemy resurfaces from the Director’s past, the psychotic known as the Wild Card, who is poised for revenge and will stop at nothing to see to it that the Director is completely destroyed. Will Nick Hudson and his accomplice from Camp Baroota, Nõnkos Zia, get their revenge on the Director or could things work out differently? It is interesting to follow these compelling characters as they engage in a powerful conflict, taking readers on a rollercoaster, pulsating ride that will get them emotionally involved and utterly intrigued.
The story starts with Nick, bored and irritated, waiting at the bus stop, and the reader quickly gets an idea of the kind of character he is: sick and unstable. He is a person with zero tolerance for tardiness and the reader already knows that it will be easy to get this character to reveal “his surly personality.” The plot is fast, unpredictable, and readers will be thrilled by the surprises that come as exquisite treats for them. The writing is great, and the balance between dialogue and descriptive prose is measured and masterfully accomplished. Cachibache is a breezy read, the kind of book readers complete in few hours, but one of those rare thrillers whose characters stay in the reader’s mind long after the book is shelved. Zach Fortier may be a master of the genre for he has created a thriller that readers will find hard to put down.
Recommend this book:
Broken Dolls
Tyrolin Puxty
2017 Honorable Mention
176 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Dinah Roseberry for Readers' Favorite
I loved Broken Dolls by Tyrolin Puxty! I was first drawn by the strange cover; it had a sci fi-ish look, yet an innocence hidden in the form of a partial ballerina—a broken doll. Hmm, I thought. What could this be about? I was very excited to find that the doll was a real doll with a real human part to her. The action went from page to page quickly with a sweet pull, and I had difficulty putting it down. Ella is the heroine in this bizarre treatment of a seemingly nice but unusual “professor” taking care of dolls that were somehow really human. How does that happen? Why does it happen? This can’t be right. It's unfortunate that Ella, with significant memory loss, can’t figure out the mystery, and she’s not sure she wants to know the answers anyway. She only wants to dance and to be unbroken. More and more obstacles (in the way of other dolls and even a human child) come to her home in the unkempt attic, deepening the secrecy that seems to be clouding the truth. Can she be saved? Can any of them escape? Do they even want to? Well, there’s more than meets the eye here—or doll, in this case.
Tyrolin Puxty has a comfortable style of writing that makes you cozy right into the plot from page one and especially connect to the characters. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter that Ella and Lisa are dolls—they are so much more. There are layers and layers of mystery, and I didn’t see the creative outcome arriving. It’s a good one. Broken Dolls can also have a deeper psychological meaning if you care to ponder it once you’re done reading. I didn’t expect that either. I was compelled to learn more about the author and visited her site and read the couple-page offering at the back of the book as a sample for the next doll book. Yay! A next one! You may ask yourself once you’ve completed Puxty’s Broken Dolls what you would do if you found yourself in such a circumstance. Trust me, it won’t be an easy answer. Of course, not everyone can pull off wearing a tutu anyway! An excellent read and the layout of the book is fabulous!
I loved Broken Dolls by Tyrolin Puxty! I was first drawn by the strange cover; it had a sci fi-ish look, yet an innocence hidden in the form of a partial ballerina—a broken doll. Hmm, I thought. What could this be about? I was very excited to find that the doll was a real doll with a real human part to her. The action went from page to page quickly with a sweet pull, and I had difficulty putting it down. Ella is the heroine in this bizarre treatment of a seemingly nice but unusual “professor” taking care of dolls that were somehow really human. How does that happen? Why does it happen? This can’t be right. It's unfortunate that Ella, with significant memory loss, can’t figure out the mystery, and she’s not sure she wants to know the answers anyway. She only wants to dance and to be unbroken. More and more obstacles (in the way of other dolls and even a human child) come to her home in the unkempt attic, deepening the secrecy that seems to be clouding the truth. Can she be saved? Can any of them escape? Do they even want to? Well, there’s more than meets the eye here—or doll, in this case.
Tyrolin Puxty has a comfortable style of writing that makes you cozy right into the plot from page one and especially connect to the characters. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter that Ella and Lisa are dolls—they are so much more. There are layers and layers of mystery, and I didn’t see the creative outcome arriving. It’s a good one. Broken Dolls can also have a deeper psychological meaning if you care to ponder it once you’re done reading. I didn’t expect that either. I was compelled to learn more about the author and visited her site and read the couple-page offering at the back of the book as a sample for the next doll book. Yay! A next one! You may ask yourself once you’ve completed Puxty’s Broken Dolls what you would do if you found yourself in such a circumstance. Trust me, it won’t be an easy answer. Of course, not everyone can pull off wearing a tutu anyway! An excellent read and the layout of the book is fabulous!
Recommend this book:
Pigeon-Blood Red
Thrilogy
Ed Duncan
2017 Finalist
250 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan is a suspenseful and thrilling story of a hit man, Richard Sanders, who receives a simple assignment from his gangster boss to retrieve a necklace of rubies and bring it back to him. It’s a simple job for the likes of Rico, indeed. But things get quickly complicated when he loses the gems to a double-dealing cheater. Now he finds himself pursuing the gambler and his estranged wife through the dirty Chicago streets to Honolulu. Watch as Rico grows to respect the gambler and his wife. But when he finally hits his target, the necklace is nowhere to be found and the worse thing is that the local cops are after him. As time runs out, Rico is faced with a dilemma and his life hangs in the balance. Can he locate the necklace fast enough to avoid a more sinister outcome?
Ed Duncan’s writing is entertaining and readers, especially fans of dark thrillers, will enjoy this. Rico is a well-developed character and the reader will enjoy watching him through sticky situations. The prose is tight and crisp, and it offers vivid descriptions of prolific scenes, intense action, and the characters. The dialogues are created to read naturally and they constitute a great element of entertainment for the reader. Pigeon-Blood Red has its unique twists and surprises and readers will enjoy the pace, which is fast with complex moments. Overall, this was a splendid and an exhilarating ride for me, a novel I’d gladly recommend to anyone looking for an interesting read.
Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan is a suspenseful and thrilling story of a hit man, Richard Sanders, who receives a simple assignment from his gangster boss to retrieve a necklace of rubies and bring it back to him. It’s a simple job for the likes of Rico, indeed. But things get quickly complicated when he loses the gems to a double-dealing cheater. Now he finds himself pursuing the gambler and his estranged wife through the dirty Chicago streets to Honolulu. Watch as Rico grows to respect the gambler and his wife. But when he finally hits his target, the necklace is nowhere to be found and the worse thing is that the local cops are after him. As time runs out, Rico is faced with a dilemma and his life hangs in the balance. Can he locate the necklace fast enough to avoid a more sinister outcome?
Ed Duncan’s writing is entertaining and readers, especially fans of dark thrillers, will enjoy this. Rico is a well-developed character and the reader will enjoy watching him through sticky situations. The prose is tight and crisp, and it offers vivid descriptions of prolific scenes, intense action, and the characters. The dialogues are created to read naturally and they constitute a great element of entertainment for the reader. Pigeon-Blood Red has its unique twists and surprises and readers will enjoy the pace, which is fast with complex moments. Overall, this was a splendid and an exhilarating ride for me, a novel I’d gladly recommend to anyone looking for an interesting read.
Recommend this book:
 by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a tale of suspense. Katerina Mills needs to find $14,000 in two weeks, otherwise she will lose everything – her home, her place in school, and the last of her luck. Then she gets an offer she should refuse but can’t. New York is full of rich, privileged men w...){kind=link}
The Fixer
The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1)
Jill Amy Rosenblatt
2017 Finalist
180 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a tale of suspense. Katerina Mills needs to find $14,000 in two weeks, otherwise she will lose everything – her home, her place in school, and the last of her luck. Then she gets an offer she should refuse but can’t. New York is full of rich, privileged men who have problems that need to be fixed. Katerina’s new job is The Fixer, and all she has to do is get the money and fix their problems – easy, right? Her first job is easy, but the next one isn’t. She needs some help and turns to the handsome thief, Alexander Winter. But things aren’t quite so straightforward and Kat is heading for danger. There are no rules for Fixers and, as Kat is about to learn, there is no getting out. Can Katerina escape with her life intact? Can she fix her own problems or is it all about to go very wrong for her?
The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a book that I would recommend to anyone who wants a good juicy tale of suspense with a bit of humor thrown in for good measure. This is a fast book, moving at a steady pace with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down. The story is an original idea with a well-written plot, one that has been well developed and, with the addition of the obligatory romance, a winning story. The characters have been written perfectly for the story and the development is such that it is easy to identify with them, to feel as though you know them personally, especially Kat, the main protagonist. This has been written in an incredibly engaging style, hard to put down and with an ending that leads neatly on to the second book in the series.
The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a tale of suspense. Katerina Mills needs to find $14,000 in two weeks, otherwise she will lose everything – her home, her place in school, and the last of her luck. Then she gets an offer she should refuse but can’t. New York is full of rich, privileged men who have problems that need to be fixed. Katerina’s new job is The Fixer, and all she has to do is get the money and fix their problems – easy, right? Her first job is easy, but the next one isn’t. She needs some help and turns to the handsome thief, Alexander Winter. But things aren’t quite so straightforward and Kat is heading for danger. There are no rules for Fixers and, as Kat is about to learn, there is no getting out. Can Katerina escape with her life intact? Can she fix her own problems or is it all about to go very wrong for her?
The Fixer: The Naked Man (The Fixer - Katerina Mills Book 1) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is a book that I would recommend to anyone who wants a good juicy tale of suspense with a bit of humor thrown in for good measure. This is a fast book, moving at a steady pace with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down. The story is an original idea with a well-written plot, one that has been well developed and, with the addition of the obligatory romance, a winning story. The characters have been written perfectly for the story and the development is such that it is easy to identify with them, to feel as though you know them personally, especially Kat, the main protagonist. This has been written in an incredibly engaging style, hard to put down and with an ending that leads neatly on to the second book in the series.
Recommend this book:
Pink Slips
Beth Aldrich
2017 Gold Medal
266 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
Pink Slips by Beth Aldrich is a suspense thriller. Betsy is expecting her third child and has suddenly started receiving threatening notes, notes that force her to go back to the past and face memories she would rather forget. Betsy joins forces with her dog, Barney, to help her find out who is behind the notes. When her husband has to go out of town, Betsy must keep her cool as the notes continue and she must keep her sons safe. The only people she trusts are her best friend Misty, her parents and, of course, Barney. Who is the stalker? How do they know so much information about Betsy? Is it the person who changed her life forever with one vile act ten years before? Betsy must stay strong and she must face her fears if she is to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Pink Slips by Beth Aldrich is a gripping tale of suspense. Packed with action, this is a rollercoaster story; once it reaches the top, which is very quick, it is full scream ahead on an unstoppable journey of suspense and terror, a journey that has plenty of twists and unexpected turns in it so that you simply won’t guess the ending until it hits you right in the face. The psychological aspect of this story is incredibly well written; Beth Aldrich will have you gasping in terror, and examining your own mind as you wind your way through this incredibly well-written novel, a masterpiece that is up there with many of the big authors of the day. She has developed the characters so well that you really can identify with them and you feel as though you are living their lives through them, especially the main character, Betsy. I can’t recommend this book enough for anyone who wants a gripping read that they simply won’t be able to put down.
Pink Slips by Beth Aldrich is a suspense thriller. Betsy is expecting her third child and has suddenly started receiving threatening notes, notes that force her to go back to the past and face memories she would rather forget. Betsy joins forces with her dog, Barney, to help her find out who is behind the notes. When her husband has to go out of town, Betsy must keep her cool as the notes continue and she must keep her sons safe. The only people she trusts are her best friend Misty, her parents and, of course, Barney. Who is the stalker? How do they know so much information about Betsy? Is it the person who changed her life forever with one vile act ten years before? Betsy must stay strong and she must face her fears if she is to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Pink Slips by Beth Aldrich is a gripping tale of suspense. Packed with action, this is a rollercoaster story; once it reaches the top, which is very quick, it is full scream ahead on an unstoppable journey of suspense and terror, a journey that has plenty of twists and unexpected turns in it so that you simply won’t guess the ending until it hits you right in the face. The psychological aspect of this story is incredibly well written; Beth Aldrich will have you gasping in terror, and examining your own mind as you wind your way through this incredibly well-written novel, a masterpiece that is up there with many of the big authors of the day. She has developed the characters so well that you really can identify with them and you feel as though you are living their lives through them, especially the main character, Betsy. I can’t recommend this book enough for anyone who wants a gripping read that they simply won’t be able to put down.
Recommend this book:
The Blow-up Man
Nina Blakeman
2016 Finalist
428 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite
In a great new story by debut author Nina Blakeman, The Blow-up Man is a thriller that will keep readers obsessively turning the pages from the very start all the way through until the very end, determined to find out what happens. Follow the story of Faye Brady, a woman who thinks she may have found love with Dr. Todd Davis, her mentor, as she is preparing for her PhD. His life definitely comes with complications, however, including the mother of his twin daughters, Annette. Faye has little experience in the world of love, and certainly none of the dangerous manipulations and vengefulness of a person like Annette. Will Faye survive to be with the man she loves? You'll need to read the book to find out!
I very much enjoyed The Blow-up Man. Author Nina Blakeman has done a great job in creating characters that her readers will connect with, relate to, and truly come to care about, thinking about long after the story is done. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. The story is one that kept me on the edge of my seat. It is quite the psychological thriller and was full of twists and turns I truly did not expect. For a person who reads a great deal, and can usually figure out the ending of books well in advance, this was quite a treat! I am pleased to be able to recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from the promising author, Nina Blakeman, as soon as she has something else available.
In a great new story by debut author Nina Blakeman, The Blow-up Man is a thriller that will keep readers obsessively turning the pages from the very start all the way through until the very end, determined to find out what happens. Follow the story of Faye Brady, a woman who thinks she may have found love with Dr. Todd Davis, her mentor, as she is preparing for her PhD. His life definitely comes with complications, however, including the mother of his twin daughters, Annette. Faye has little experience in the world of love, and certainly none of the dangerous manipulations and vengefulness of a person like Annette. Will Faye survive to be with the man she loves? You'll need to read the book to find out!
I very much enjoyed The Blow-up Man. Author Nina Blakeman has done a great job in creating characters that her readers will connect with, relate to, and truly come to care about, thinking about long after the story is done. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. The story is one that kept me on the edge of my seat. It is quite the psychological thriller and was full of twists and turns I truly did not expect. For a person who reads a great deal, and can usually figure out the ending of books well in advance, this was quite a treat! I am pleased to be able to recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from the promising author, Nina Blakeman, as soon as she has something else available.
Recommend this book:
Captured Lies
Book One of The Caspian Wine Series
Maggie Thom
2016 Finalist
346 Pages
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Fiction - Suspense
Reviewed by Patricia Day for Readers' Favorite
In Captured Lies: Book One of The Caspian Wine Series written by Maggie Thom, Bailey was successful in her adult life. This was a far cry from her pitiful childhood, which mostly consisted of constantly moving from house to house, town to town. All her memories are of running, hiding, begging, and being fearful. She does not recall too much joy in her younger days, and prefers not to dwell on those painfully difficult memories. Now she has control of her own destiny and success has not been easily attained.
When her mother dies, Bailey’s life is completely turned upside-down and she finds herself under the scrutiny of someone intent on ending her life. Why?Geoffrey and Mr. Lund, as well as Guy, are the obvious protagonists and Bailey is placed in the unenviable position of having to trust one or all, but is that wise? A photograph appears to hold the key to discovering her identity and her elusive past. When she is informed that her real name is Cassidy, it begins an exploration into who she really is, and why her life is filled with secrets. Murderous intent and kidnapping turn her life into a nightmare.
Questions grow and so does the pace of this excellent story. Discovering her mysterious past, and why she grew up under an assumed identity, blow her relatively quiet life into complete disarray and horror. Join Bailey, or is it Cassidy, on her quest to solve the puzzle. You’ll find yourself turning pages quickly to keep up with the race against time. Excellent read. I highly recommend it.
In Captured Lies: Book One of The Caspian Wine Series written by Maggie Thom, Bailey was successful in her adult life. This was a far cry from her pitiful childhood, which mostly consisted of constantly moving from house to house, town to town. All her memories are of running, hiding, begging, and being fearful. She does not recall too much joy in her younger days, and prefers not to dwell on those painfully difficult memories. Now she has control of her own destiny and success has not been easily attained.
When her mother dies, Bailey’s life is completely turned upside-down and she finds herself under the scrutiny of someone intent on ending her life. Why?Geoffrey and Mr. Lund, as well as Guy, are the obvious protagonists and Bailey is placed in the unenviable position of having to trust one or all, but is that wise? A photograph appears to hold the key to discovering her identity and her elusive past. When she is informed that her real name is Cassidy, it begins an exploration into who she really is, and why her life is filled with secrets. Murderous intent and kidnapping turn her life into a nightmare.
Questions grow and so does the pace of this excellent story. Discovering her mysterious past, and why she grew up under an assumed identity, blow her relatively quiet life into complete disarray and horror. Join Bailey, or is it Cassidy, on her quest to solve the puzzle. You’ll find yourself turning pages quickly to keep up with the race against time. Excellent read. I highly recommend it.
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