Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Advocate's Justice (The Advocate Series) by Teresa Burrell is a murder mystery. Sabre Brown is an attorney with a job on her hands – to save Conner from a life behind bars. Fifteen-year-old Conner is accused of murdering Bullet, his grandma’s abusive boyfriend. The evidence is there; the boy did it. Things aren’t quite as straightforward as that, however. JP Torn, investigator and Sabre’s boyfriend, is Conner’s uncle and JP is about to come face to face with a brother he hasn’t seen in years. Sabre and JP settle into the investigation and the list of suspects grows as lies and sordid secrets come to the surface. JP's family has created a complex web that JP and Sabre must untangle to get to the truth.

The Advocate’s Justice (The Advocate Series) by Teresa Burrell is a great book. I haven’t read any of the Advocate Series until this one but I’ll be reading them now! The story has plenty of twists in it, as well as dead ends, red herrings and lots of action. It is a story that starts as it means to go on, right in the thick of the action and it doesn’t let up until the last page. The characters are developed well, considering how far through the series this is, and I feel that it could be read as a standalone story. The suspense builds and I thought I had it sussed early on – turned out I was wrong. Every character – from Conner, to his sister Morgan, from Muriel to Roxy, and a whole other cast in between – played their parts to make this a really good story, ideal for anyone who likes murder mysteries and legal stories; it’s made me want to get the rest of the series and read them all.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Murder of Paolo Mancuso: A Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brian Crime Mystery, Book 5 is a hard-boiled sleuth mystery novel written by Owen Parr. While this is the fifth book in Parr’s series, the author gives enough background information within the story for it to be enjoyed as a standalone novel. When Tony (The Hammer) Falcone called Joey to his deathbed at Rikers Correctional Center, he gave Joey a name, Wetherley Stevens, and he told him to look in Barcelona. Joey had been waiting twenty years for a clue, any clue that could help him understand why there had been a hit placed on his father. Joey had been sixteen years old then, and thought of himself as part of the family. He had been there in that bar in Little Italy, with his dad and Tony the Hammer, when the man walked in and shot Tony and Joey’s dad. Tony survived, but Joey’s dad didn’t. Joey couldn’t understand why the family didn’t seek vengeance, nor did the police seem to do much to apprehend the killer, and the case quickly was consigned to the cold case files. Now, Tony’s deathbed confession finally gave Joey something to work with, and he was determined to find the answers which had so long evaded him.

The Murder of Paolo Mancuso is a tense and gripping tale about vengeance and a son’s need to understand the facts behind his father’s murder. This is the first Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brian book that I’ve read, but it definitely won’t be the last. Parr quickly familiarized me with the main characters in his series, and I loved being in sunny Barcelona along with Joey as he investigates the Wetherley Stevens' clue. Parr’s Joey Mancuso speaks in the first person, a device that made me feel as if I were privy to his every thought and plan, and it was quite effective in keeping up the suspense. Parr’s characters are everything I could hope for in a detective/private eye series. Father Dom works quite well as Joey’s older brother and business partner, and Agnes, their office manager and “hacker extraordinaire,” is a perfect complement to the two brothers. The plot keeps the reader thinking, puzzling facts out along with Joey and being not quite sure what is going to happen throughout, and it is a positive delight for the armchair sleuth who likes their mysteries anything but cozy. And yes, I had a grand time reading this book. The Murder of Paolo Mancuso: A Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brian Crime Mystery, Book 5 is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

On the Count of Three is the seventh book in the Brandon Fisher FBI series by Carolyn Arnold, a disturbing, psychologically strong, and emotionally rich thriller that will put readers on the edge of their seats. FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher and his team are working together with Detective Kelly Marsh to uncover the whereabouts of a missing woman. She is believed to have been taken by a serial killer. The obvious connection between this case and other cold cases is the fact that the victims have had to serve time for vehicular homicide related to driving under the influence. Each has disappeared after their release. In a case involving a cunning serial killer, can the detectives beat personal prejudice and outsmart the killer?

There is a lot at stake in this fast-paced, engrossing thriller. The author succeeds in grabbing the attention of the reader from the onset and keeps it riveted until the explosive denouement. The narration is excellent, featuring timely paragraph breaks that reinforce the strength of the drama in the story. I enjoyed the conflict between the characters, the doubts, the differences in opinions that allow these characters to evolve through the story. The plot is cunningly done, with twists and turns that readers will want to follow. On the Count of Three is exciting, a read filled with thrills. Carolyn Arnold makes sure the reader gets no moment of respite from the dynamic action that punctuates the narrative. A real page-turner.

Reviewed by Justine Reyes for Readers' Favorite

Death said the Gypsy Queen by Susan Boles is the fourth book in Boles' Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery series. The story begins with Lily Gayle retrieving her late husband's red 1965 Mustang from storage. The Mustang had been sitting in storage for eight years. With the help of her friend Dixie, Lily Gayle decides it's high time she conquers her fear of driving. Pulling over at a rest stop, Lily Gayle and Dixie meet an old gypsy woman who warns Lily Gayle to "beware the vampire blood." As fate would have it, Lily Gayle later finds the corpse of an old man. His cause of death? A stake through the chest.

If you are a fan of books like Agatha Raisin, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, or Sarah Graves' Home Repair is Homicide, then you will undoubtedly love Susan Boles' Death said the Gypsy Queen. This was my first Lily Gayle Lambert book, but it likely won't be my last. Death said the Gypsy Queen is the sort of novel you would want to unwind with after a long day of work. The cast of characters felt familiar to me, despite my never having read any other novel in the series before now. I guess that's due to Boles' tremendous writing talents. I felt like a welcome reader, free to come and go as I pleased. It isn't a mystery-thriller, but it is a cozy mystery at its finest. The sort of book that readers will pick up, knowing the author will deliver what is promised.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Carlswick Mythology: The Carlswick Mysteries, Book 5 is a sleuth mystery novel written by S.L. Beaumont. While they had had their share of adventures together, Stephanie Cooper and her rock-star boyfriend of eighteen months, James Knox, were finally going away together on vacation. She had just finished her second year at Oxford and had returned to her grandmother’s home in Sussex when James sprung the news of their surprise vacation on her. When they finally arrived at Heathrow, Stephanie was thrilled to discover that James had booked them for four days on the island of Santorini where her friend, Kerry, just happened to be working on an archaeological dig. She and James would be touring the Minoan ruins with Kerry the very next day. As the unexpected usually did happen when Stephanie was involved, their visit to Santorini was no exception. Armed intruders stole irreplaceable objects that were not Minoan in origin, and Kerry’s colleague and romantic interest seemed to be the most likely suspect. But how did they get there?

The Carlswick Mythology is a fast-paced and exciting novel of suspense set in the Greek islands. I loved exploring the island of Santorini with Stephanie and James and touring the Minoan ruins with them was a marvelous bonus. Beaumont’s characters are authentic and credible, and Stephanie’s musings over her future will resonate with many new adults. The underlying mystery will keep armchair sleuths mulling over the red herrings strewn in their path, and the tension between the police procedural and private sleuth aspects of the series continues to enthrall and delight. The author’s story is well-written and fun to read. The Carlswick Mythology: The Carlswick Mysteries, Book 5 is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Light of the North Star: The Descent is a short work of mythological fiction penned by author Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya, which forms the first book of a new series. Written in the form of an epic poem, this modern-day retelling takes its influences from both western and eastern mythological works, namely Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad, and Vyasa’s Mahabharata. At the crux of the story is a flood in the Indian city of Dwaraka, which marks an important crossover point in both Greek and Indian mythological storytelling and traditions. From here the journey continues through the Indian history of the Yuga-Sandhi, the transition from ancient culture into the modern life we know today.

I have some knowledge of classical literature, which helped me into the rhythm and pacing of this tale, as well as the references to the points of Greek mythological history that I already knew. Author Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya both educates and entertains in this continuation and transformation of the poetic narrative form, introducing readers to the perhaps lesser known eastern narratives and traditions of ancient India. What resulted was a pacey, well described and fascinating work that I found myself reading over again and again with a desire to fully understand the tale being told. The prose is elegant, with beautiful words well chosen for their poetic effect, but also not at the expense of not understanding the storyline. Overall, Light of the North Star: The Descent will be a treasured read for anyone with both an appreciation of poetry and a desire to learn more about Indian history and culture.

Reviewed by A. L. Peevey for Readers' Favorite

Kameron Williams has written a novel about the world before the moon shone in the night sky. The Time Before The Moon is the story of Omi, who, at first, seems like any of a dozen other boys. He seeks the best flint for his spear, he dutifully goes to the village Seer to receive enlightenment, he tries to woo the girl of his dreams, and he goes hunting with his friends. Then one day he begins to doubt the leadership and teachings of the Seer and secretly questions the Seer’s supposed connection to the gods. But to question the Seer is to risk being “cleansed”, a fate worse than death. When a cruel rival crushes his most prized hope, Omi flees into the wild, leaving behind everything and everyone dear to him in search of freedom. But will he find it?

Kameron Williams’ The Time Before The Moon has an authenticity to it. This shows in the descriptions of the labor intensive processes the characters use for creating their homes and weapons. The culture of The Time Before The Moon is the Stone Age. The characters possess nothing that they have not crafted themselves. If they are going to eat, they must hunt for their food and plan for the future. The author describes all of this in fascinating detail, but has also written a compelling story with characters that readers care about. We experience Omi’s curiosity, love, hunger, and intensity first hand, and we yearn to find out if he and the others will find what they seek: freedom from rules and traditions that have no real worth. The Time Before The Moon comes highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Evening in the Yellow Wood is a paranormal coming of age novel written by Laura Kemp. Justine’s childhood essentially ended one afternoon when her mother came and dragged her out of the community swimming pool where she was hanging out with her friend, Sherry. As her mom pulled into the driveway, she finally broke the news that Justine’s dad was gone. Her mom had no idea why or where, and the note her mom found added little to the mystery of his disappearance. He had indicated that one of his paintings had been sold, and he wanted the proceeds to be put towards Justine’s college funds, and he asked that they not try to find him. Justine would finish high school and go on to college as her dad had envisioned, but always there was that ache for what had been so abruptly torn away. Then, one day, a headline and a photograph on the front page of the local newspaper grabbed Justine’s attention. Her dad was in that picture and she was determined to go to Lantern Creek where the photo was taken and find him.

Evening in the Yellow Wood is unutterably transcendent and extraordinarily powerful. I was drawn into the story with the opening lines and loved every moment I spent following Justine as she leaves her familiar world and goes north to find her dad. The Northern Michigan setting cast its spell upon me, and it was only in remembering the harshness of winter that I was able to dissuade myself from considering a similar relocation in the future. Kemp’s characters are multifaceted and credible, and their interactions drive this compelling and remarkable coming of age novel as a quixotic adventure to find a long-absent dad becomes a life-changing reality. Kemp’s plot is original and complex. Mystery, the paranormal and cultural aspects add to the depth and intensity of this well-written and enthralling first novel. I’m looking forward to Laura Kemp’s next offering. Evening in the Yellow Wood is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Beast of Rose Valley: Lorestalker #1 is a horror novel written by J.P. Barnett. Something was killing livestock in Rose Valley, Texas. Steve Witmer and his friend, Jake Rollins, were stunned and saddened at the sight of one of Steve’s lambs which had been savagely ripped in two. Sheriff Cam Donner actually considered briefly that the two of them had pulled this as some sort of deranged publicity stunt, but this was not the first such killing in the area. Donner wanted the matter dropped and forgotten, dismissed as the actions of coyotes or maybe even the cheetahs from the nearby animal reserve, but Jake and Steve knew no coyote or animal would have sufficient ability or inclination to rip a creature in two and leave it uneaten. The sheriff’s interest in keeping the matter under wraps was instantly thwarted, however, by the arrival of Shandi Mason, the local investigative journalist. Jake had made sure to send word to her before the sheriff locked it down. They all had history together, having grown up in Rose Valley, but Shandi had the rare ability to stand up to Cam Donner and actually win.

J.P. Barnett’s horror novel, The Beast of Rose Valley: Lorestalker #1, is a marvelous romp into the little-known world of cryptozoology as townspeople and a world-renowned cryptid hunter try to survive repeated encounters with a powerful and deadly creature. The author’s characters spring into being in that opening scene wherein childhood friends play very different roles as adults. I loved the rural setting with the town’s football games and the solidity of a place where everyone knows just about everyone else, and that bucolic ordinariness makes the bizarre aspects of the story work so very well. Barnett’s plot is clever and irresistible, and his book is a sheer pleasure to read. Horror, thriller and mystery fans alike will find much to their liking in this intriguing story about the unknown. The Beast of Rose Valley: Lorestalker #1 is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

Jake Wood is a tough homicide detective with a partner who has been his best friend since middle school. He’s a few weeks away from marrying the love of his life when a friend calls for help from South America. Jake drops everything to go to his aid, but ends up injured, in a coma, in a South American hospital. He awakens after eighteen months to discover his fiancée has married and is pregnant with another man’s baby, his job is gone and his partner has been transferred to another city.

There are good reasons for Jonas Saul's best-selling author brand, and The Immortal Gene provides all the proof anyone could need. What starts out as a straightforward crime/serial killer thriller, becomes a sci-fi, horror thriller that will please fans of all the above-mentioned genres. There is much to impress in this story. Saul writes with an authoritative knowledge of biology, the many facets of zoology, criminal justice, and plain ol’ writing skills. As outlandish as the primary plot becomes, Saul makes it real with deft use of in-depth knowledge of the subjects involved, and writing technical know-how. From characterization to dialog to plotting and sub-plots, he displays expertise.

I’m a fan of authors who don’t pussyfoot around graphic events (violence, sex, et al.) and instead write it like a movie... visual and realistic. Jonas Saul gets an A+ for verisimilitude. The Immortal Gene is the first book in a series and, as such, has a cliffhanger ending, but it’s not a debilitating fall and sets up book two perfectly. This is my first Jonas Saul book, but it won’t be my last.