Maggie has decided to write a cookbook because she is bored and her husband, Laurent, is a chef. She doesn’t know anything about cooking, but she figuMaggie has decided to write a cookbook because she is bored and her husband, Laurent, is a chef. She doesn’t know anything about cooking, but she figures she can get all she needs from him. It is driving him crazy. He seems to spend more time in the vineyard and with his friends at the bar than her.
Everyone had heard of the murder of the nurse who worked at the same hospital as Yves. It had been two weeks and there was no arrest or suspect in sight.
Maggie was losing her best friend, Grace, who was returning to the United States, but she had met Brigitte and they seemed to hit it off right away. Maggie’s life took an immediate turn for the worse when Brigitte, Marie’s daughter was murdered. Grace came for Maggie so they could go to Marie and help in any way possible.
Maggie hadn’t been told that Brigitte had been raped and beaten as she was killed. Rene, Marie’s husband hated Yves, Brigitte’s husband and told the police he knew it was him.
Maggie looked at Marie and she could feel her anguish. How do you handle losing your child? We’re supposed to go first. Maggie went to the kitchen thinking of coffee, just something she could do to help Marie. Detective Inspector Roger Bedard intercepted her, suggesting she come back at another time. That so wasn’t happening. She was not leaving her friend.
Maggie was surprised by her sudden feelings of attraction to the detective. She couldn’t help thinking, what’s this. She loved her husband, Laurent. Did the detective feel it too?
Maggie and Laurent were having dinner, when Maggie blurted out that she wanted to help find the killer. She had helped solve a murder a year earlier and cleared her friend of suspicion at the same time.
La Canard was the meeting place of the village. Maggie made an appointment to meet Detective Bedard at the cafe. He wouldn’t give her any information, but that wouldn’t stop Maggie.
When she returned home, Pijou, Brigitte’s, sister was there, drunk and flirting with Laurent. She told Maggie, not only was Brigitte’s best friend sleeping with Yves, so was she.
Maggie realized she was on her own, and she was surprised to find that it wasn’t so bad in Provence. It had finally started to feel like home.
She was sitting in a cafe when she noticed Madeline entering a house across the street. She decided to visit her to see what she could find out and was glad she did. They hit it off right away and Madeline proceeded to tell her who killed Brigitte. And made a point of telling her that the police hadn’t even questioned him yet.
I was offered this book in return for a fair, honest and unbiased review.
A nice cover with eye-catching colors. Title tells the story.
A light murder mystery for great summer reading on the beach or around the pool.
The descriptions of the area were so detailed that you could visualize the countryside.
Characters were real. It was interesting to watch Maggie as she grew and changed through the story. Friendship. Amazing how someone can influence you without you realizing it until long after.
There were some editing errors, but I find this a common occurrence in almost every book I read, even from the best sellers of the large publishing houses.
Spoiler alert: If you haven’t read Just Evil, there will be some information included in this review that will give away some of the plot. I have trieSpoiler alert: If you haven’t read Just Evil, there will be some information included in this review that will give away some of the plot. I have tried to keep it to a minimum, because even though it’s a trilogy, I feel the books could be stand alone. Each book covers the life of one of the women. And if I only read one of the books and not the others, I would still feel that I was glad I to have read it.
He was parked outside the Book and Bean in San Madrid, right back where he started. He knew Baylee Scott was running the store this morning and that she was alone with Sarah, her baby daughter. When he got up, he had a feeling that something was going to happen. He knew to pay attention when his gut was talking to him.
He is a mystery within the mystery.
It had all started with the death of Noah’s parents back in 1969.
Frank Geller still had to account for his part in the murder. Jessica, Eva and Sumner had already paid the ultimate price.
Now that Kit and Jake Boston are a couple, and both of them are murder suspects, Baylee figured most of the customers were there to see Kit.
Since Kit’s kidnapping, the media had flipped their verdict from guilty to innocent. Kit had been saved by the stranger and he had left his calling card, a gold cowboy.
Baylee was afraid that with all that had happened to Kit, it would bring the media attention back to her. She had done her best to keep a low profile.
Collin had been crazy enough to kidnap Kit, what would Connor, his brother do if he knew Baylee was still in town?
Baylee had left town when she found out she was pregnant with Sarah. She had been staying with a friend of hers in Denver, until she found out her father was dying of cancer. She had told no one, not even Kit and Quinn why she had left. Since being back, she had rented a guest cottage from Gloria in Agora Hills, hoping Connor wouldn’t find her, even worse find out about Sarah.
Dylan Burke, VP of Billing-Pro Software, was on his way to drop off some computer equipment to Jake, who was the CEO and his best friend. They had been hiding out at Kit’s house since the kidnapping. Dylan had an ulterior motive, Baylee Scott. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since he’d first met her. He was daydreaming as he drove and didn’t notice he’d passed through town. He turned back and stopped outside the Book and Bean.
When he entered the store, he saw Sarah first and watched as she tried to reach her toy. When Baylee saw him, he told her he was running an errand for Jake and just stopped by for some of her delicious chocolate cake.
They had a good laugh when she told him the media left because of an anonymous phone call, telling them a mega superstar had to be rescued when he tried to surf off Malibu, and was rushed to the hospital. Who could possibly have called it in? She hadn’t grown up in Hollywood without learning something.
Baylee held Sarah as she cut the cake and Dylan offered to take the baby. When she asked him if he knew what he was doing, he said “What’s to handle….First you pick up them up by their legs, swing them around a couple times….” Had me cracking up. I like that even though the plot was heavy there was plenty of humor to be found.
All of a sudden her face turned white and she told him to take Sarah and leave immediately. He didn’t ask questions, just did what she said. As he walked by the store window he looked in, only to see Connor Boyd. Dylan quickly called Jake and told him to get here as soon as possible. Baylee needed help. As Jake and Kit drove to the store, Dylan was talking to him on his cell phone, telling him how terrified Baylee was that Connor would see Sarah and that’s why he had to leave her alone with him.
Baylee had known this moment would come. Collin had come by the store before and recognized her, so she had known it was only a matter of time before he told Connor. He had told her to never tell anyone about their being together, even if it was only once.
When Jake and Kit came in, Connor quickly started telling the story that he was there to explain to Kit how she should feel grateful that Collin rescued her. How everyone had it wrong, Collin wasn’t the bad guy. Yeah, right.
Baylee knew it was time for her to explain what was going on, why she had left. Kit thought Baylee had an affair with Connor and jumped on her, saying how evil all three of Boyd brothers were, and how they had tried to keep Quinn from Cade. So how could she do it Baylee went on to tell her what really happened.
Connor had drugged her, raped her and left her alone in the hotel room. He had called her later saying what a great time he’d had. After finding herself pregnant and with weeks of threatening phone calls from Connor, she left town without telling anyone anything. The Boyd’s had so much power, they could do whatever they wanted and not have to pay the price, so to try and fight them would be useless.
It was Dylan’s idea for Baylee and Sarah to stay with him. They would pretend they were a couple and make people believe Sarah belonged to him. They admitted to each other they had feelings, but agreed to take it slow.
Frank Geller had just returned from his honeymoon, this was his fifth marriage. There had been three funerals while he was gone, his two sisters and Connor’s father. Connor brought up to Frank, that of the four original partners in the law firm, he was the only one left. The vendetta that took them out wouldn’t be over until he got his. When Connor brought up the subject of the gun, Frank said for all they knew the gun was long gone, the gun that was used in the murder that got them the money to start the Boyd’s law firm.
They didn’t know they were overheard, but Trevor Dane had bugged the house. There was only one more person left that was responsible for killing Noah’s, his mentor, parents back in 1969, Frank Geller.
No one knew that Noah had lived through his imprisonment by the Viet Cong. Trevor was the only one who knew Noah’s story and when Noah found out he had cancer, he knew he’d never be able to make them pay, but Trevor could. He would avenge him because he knew the evil was deeper than Noah had known.
5+ STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The cover is awesome. I always love trees, especially so with this series because of how the plot keeps branching out, yet still comes back to the root of the story – the murder of Noah’s parents and the three women whose lives it affected. A complex and twisted plot. The branches weave around the women, engulfing them and all those whose lives they touch.
I just couldn’t put it down. Made myself because my eyes were starting to cross. I have tried to ration the books, there is one more, Ending Evil. I love the characters so much, I am going to hate when it is over. I feel like they are my friends, and I will miss them dearly.
The friendship of the girls is something to strive for. More than once I was on the verge of tears for all the terrible things done to them and still being done, through no fault of their own. A friendship like theirs is to be treasured. It lasts for a lifetime. How many friends are there for you, no matter what?
Characters were so real, you will love them or hate them, but they will make you feel emotions that will stay with you long after the story is over. I’m not a huge fan of romance, but the love and care the characters had for each other was so real, that I could only hope that they would find the one, their soul mate. I wanted them to be happy and have the dream we all want, someone who loves us unconditionally, by our side through thick and thin.
When Reece gave Jake and Dylan the finger I laughed out loud. So realistic, I could picture it in my mind, like a film unrolling.
I loved when Dylan said he was a regular Magnum PI, I used to watch that show all the time. It help’s me to relate to the character by defining his personality.
A masterpiece work of suspense, mystery, thriller and romance.
Zoe was in Serenity Hills because she had tried to kill herself. She was also accused of killing two men. Dr. Channing had taken over her care and wasZoe was in Serenity Hills because she had tried to kill herself. She was also accused of killing two men. Dr. Channing had taken over her care and was weaning her from the heavy medications she had been on since her admittance. When he told her there was no such thing as ghosts, she told him they had nothing to talk about. He asked her to tell him about Lancaster House. He didn't think she would answer, but she slowly began to tell him how she fell in love with the house and why she was so desperate to return to it.
The realtor explained about the old Victorian home. It needed a lot of work. She tried to discourage Zoe from going in, let alone buying it, but Zoe could feel the house calling to her. For the second time she thought she saw someone in the window. She laughed with delight at the unexpected finds and oddities of the house. She was intrigued by its idiosyncrasies, the hidden rooms and secret passageways. She loved it. The real estate agent, Barbara, called the builder, Andre Lancaster, peculiar, but Zoe thought him amazing.
The neighbor lady, Mrs Pearson, had come in with them and, while Barbara was busy on the phone, she told Zoe the story of the house. The builder's wife and a vagrant were found dead in the house. The husband was never found. Everyone thought the house was haunted. But that wasn't going to stop Zoe.
After making the place livable, her first project was the banister. She worked late into the night, and even though she wanted to finish it, she quit with ten rails to go. In the morning she found it was done. She thought she must have been high from the fumes and turned her mind to the next project.
When she arose the next morning, the piece of wallpaper she had deliberately left unhung, was put up. Also, during the night a blanket had been placed over her. Did she have an uninvited quest living with her? As she thought about it, all the acts were helpful and caring towards her, so she wasn't afraid, was she?
Still... She went to the courthouse and got the original blue prints. She found the builder had intentionally created an illusion on the outside of the house to hide the additional room. She tore through the wall and found the wife's bedroom and knew she had been murdered there. But the room was covered in dust and no one could have been in there for a long time. So where was her elusive guest staying?
That night someone broke in and attacked her. Zoe was surprised when another man came to her rescue.
He was shocked that she could see him and speak to him. It wasn't long before she was wanting more than his help with the house. She wanted him. She wanted to see him, speak to him, be held by him.
Where in the house did he Live? Why can't he leave? He had told her his name was Andre, but she had never done her research on the house, so the name held no meaning for her.
She questioned if he really existed, but she felt his presence. He was physical, because she saw him, talked to him, touched him, loved him. She couldn't be imagining him, could she?
4 - Would Highly Recommend To Others
This was definitely a different twist on a vampire (?), ghost (?) or madwoman (?) story. I got about halfway through and thought WT. Never saw that coming. Now I get it, or do I?
A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. The minute you think you have the answer, you better think again.
The plot had me guessing if HE was real or not, but I'm a reader, not Zoe, so it is totally feasible to me. The book was well written and I liked that it took a twist here and there. Not your typical vampire or ghost story. Or even that of a locked up mad woman. As soon as I thought I had it figured out, something else would happen and I would be wondering, what now? Definitely messed with my mind, had my head spinning. And still does.
What would you do if you had an uninvited guest in your house? Would you believe it was supernatural or would you think your mind was playing tricks on you? Even though you felt him, touched him, kissed him, would you be able to hold to your belief while everyone is telling you that you are wrong? That is Zoe's situation.
Zoe was confident in her knowledge of Andre, no matter what anyone else tried to tell her. All she cared about was being with Andre. He tried to make her see they couldn't have a relationship, that they lived in different worlds - his was supernatural and she couldn't join him there, or could she?
I felt the doctor was arrogant and controlling, and I really didn't like him. He became obsessed with Zoe and lost his perspective. Maybe he's the one who needs help. lol
Shortly into the book, I thought, this will be a three. It quickly turned into a four, for the simple reason I began to read faster and faster. I had to know what was going to happen next. The writing was captivating and took me deeper into the story as it built to its suspenseful ending.
The end will take you away. Just hope you don't end up in Serenity Hills with Zoe.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
When I first picked this book up all I saw was a monster in the water, super, right up my alley. I love these stories. As I read along, it became appaWhen I first picked this book up all I saw was a monster in the water, super, right up my alley. I love these stories. As I read along, it became apparent it was much more than that. Kelan did a great job with the small town descriptions and details of the people lives that brings them together to save their town and themselves, detailing their acts of heroism, growth and change, bringing out the best in people.
Calvin was mechanically inclined and from early on he had been able to make broken things work, to take something apart and put it back to working order. He was the McGyver of the Ghetto.
He knew it was wrong to go out with Rashawn, his childhood friend, but he did it anyway. Rashawn had talked him in to hot wiring his Escalade, said it was his ride and he wanted it back. It had been impounded. Of course, they got busted. Angela, Calvin’s mother didn’t expect this kind of problem from Calvin because he had a mind of his own and didn’t follow the pack. She knew it had to be because of his loyalty to Rashawn. In Juvenile court, the judge told Calvin cocaine had been found in the car.
Angela was sending him away for the summer. His Uncle Samuel had a place in the Delta and he was to go there and give him a hand in his shop. Angela kept his Ipod and cellphone and put him on the bus to the Delta.
Samuel wasn’t too sure about having Calvin for the summer, but what could he do? He had a soft spot for his niece and her take no prisoners attitude. Calvin, with his mechanical abilities, might come in handy at Samuel’s Maritime Repair Shop.
When Samuel picked up Calvin at the Greyhound Terminal, he offered his hand. He liked that Calivn had a good handshake. It said a lot about him. He knew Calvin would feel like he had come to the end of the earth, but he hoped he would come to love the Delta just like Samuel had.
Samuel turned suddenly and drove down a dirt road to a produce stand. He thought Calvin would follow him out of the truck, but he ended up introducing him to the Cheng’s through the truck window. Mei-Li worked the stand with her mother and was happy to have a distraction. Dent, Mei-Li’s younger brother, quickly won Calvin over. As they pulled away from the stand, Calvin couldn’t help but look back and saw Mei-Li watching as they drove away.
Calvin and Jess were sitting in the cafe when someone came roaring up to the gas dock in their boat. It was obvious something was very wrong. They were shouting at the sheriff that he had to come see what they found – a woman’s mutilated head. As they tore off heading to Desperation Slough, Jess led Calvin on a tour of the marina.
Jess took Calvin out on the water in the ski boat. When he radioed his mother to let her know, she knew he would be heading out to Desperation Slough. Calvin liked the speed of the boat as he sat on the back of the seat. Not bad, he thought.
As they passed a huge freighter, they rode the wake, flying through the air. Speed, machine, water. Calvin was really beginning to enjoy the day.
They kept going toward the Slough passing the rich boys on the way and came up on the Casa del Agua, which was overdue back at the marina. Jess thought it looked empty, but it was one of theirs and late, so they stopped to check it out. There was music playing and melted drinks and the dingy was gone, so Jess just figured they left the boat for lunch and headed on to Desperation Slough. As they reached the area of the Sheriff’s boat, Jess kept his distance, but picked up the binoculars to watch the sheriff scooping things from the water – body parts. As he watched, he saw them pull something red from the water and realized it was the dingy from the Casa del Agua. Jess called Sergeant Ray Cruz and told him he thought it was the rich Vegas couple who had rented the Casa del Agua. Jess figured it wasn’t a boat accident, there was no way a propellor would chop them up like that.
When Heustus left the Crawdaddy Club drunk, Danny had kept his keys. He didn’t realizeCrawfish : Single vector lobster isolated on white background. Huestus had a spare in his pocket. As he zigzagged down the road trying to light a cigarette, he didn’t see the turn and drove right into the levee. He was so drunk he got out to check under the hood, not realizing he was standing in water. The lights were still on and he saw something unusual in the water that sobered him up. He dove through the window of the car, but before he could pull his legs in, he was pulled back out of the car.
As Calvin settled in, he found it wasn’t so bad. He liked working in the shop, alone, late at night. He even got used to the quiet, with just the hum of the insects.
As Samuel finished up his phone call, Calvin was prowling around in the back of the shop. He uncovered an old Yamaha Wave Runner. Samuel told him he could have it to work on as long as the paying jobs came first. He told Calvin that Jess could probably help him, if he needed it. Jess invited Calvin skiing and used the loan of the tools to get him to show up. When Mei-Li arrived he tried to back out, but she was not going to have it. Jess smiled to himself as he started the boat.
When they came back in another dead body was being bagged. They were beginning to add up.
A lot of the kids would be going to One Plank - the huge summer party. Even though some were forbidden to go, they snuck out anyway. Ray had the sheriff’s boat out , just close enough, in case of an emergency. Him and Burt, his deputy, were patroling the area, but saw nothing unusual. He knew what was going on, had been at the party himself many years ago. It was harmless enough, just kids letting off steam.
Three of the kids wandered off on their own to a secluded cove. They were skinny dipping and playing Marco Polo. When Stocky jumped off the diving raft, he jumped right into the monster’s mouth. What was it? The screaming brought the rest of the kids to the cove.
When the creature attacked them, Calvin couldn’t figure out why it didn’t eat them – the monster and Mei-Li were eye to eye and it left them to return to the cove.
Then Mei-Li took them to her grandfather who proceeded to tell them about the legend.
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I won this book in a Giveaway on fuonlyknew’s blog. Thank you Kelan and Laura for the giveaway. It included some good swag.
I love creature stories, so it’s easy for me to rate this one very high. The cover was over the top. Simple, yet complex, as you delve into the eye trying to see what’s there. The cover and title related well to the book, it’s important to me that they do.
I really got a feel for the small town setting, where the cafe seemed to be the focal point and you could hear what was going on. The cops even hung out there. I used to visit a small southern town in Mississippi, and their local hangout was a gas station, where everyone would meet, drink colas and play checkers. Very quaint.
Characters were well developed, seemed very real, and I could picture them in my mind. I could relate to them. Some of the characters were hateful and disgusting, others so much like your next door neighbor. Just living their lives. When Kelan described Huestes as a Weeble, I busted out laughing . It brought back memories of buying them for my son when he was young. Can’t you just picture Huestes? “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.”
Writing was very good. If there were any errors, I was way too engrossed in the story to catch them.
Laid a good base in the first half to crank it out in the second half.The suspense kept building and I kept waiting for the creature to appear. Every time someone went near, the water I was waiting for the monster to get them. Just like Jaws. Don’t go in the water. How many times do you have to be told, don’t go in the water. LOL! Just like the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Aliens……would you believe it if someone was trying to tell you what happened if you weren’t there to see it for yourself?
There were two surprises at the end, one I saw coming and I figured Kelan threw that one in to distract me from the other one, which I didn’t see coming. lol Even though there is a Book II, this tied things up nicely, while leaving it open enough to continue the story. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next, so I hope you are busy writing, Kelan.
The history leading to the legend was well developed and detailed, going in to depth about Chinese history in relation to building the Transcontinental Railroad System and the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta.
I can absolutely see this as a movie. As I was reading along, the scenes played out in my mind as the story unfolded. I saw the ending as if I was watching it.
I was walking along Cedar Creek Trail, my usual route. All of a sudden, the wind blew like an omen of doom, the ground felt like a roller coaster undeI was walking along Cedar Creek Trail, my usual route. All of a sudden, the wind blew like an omen of doom, the ground felt like a roller coaster under my feet and as rocks fell around me, I ran, trying to find a safe place to hide. As I reached the cliff, the ground there was stable, but I looked down and saw lava, smoke, and ash.Total destruction.
As I reached the fire pit I would sit around with the campers I brought as a guide, I saw it was still alive, telling me someone was there. As I looked around, I saw him – Tiamat.
I remembered the first time we met. I had taken a corporate group out hiking the trails in Pinecrest National Park. Of course, there had to be one moron in the group, that would be Brian, constantly hitting on me. So when we came to the stream for the last team challenge, I removed one of the rocks. Petty? Perhaps. Gotta get your revenge where you can find it. After we crossed the stream, wet but no worse for wear, I told them about water and fire safety and that they would have to fend for themselves for food. Everyone was to be ready to go in the morning. I would be just across the stream from them, but only call me if it’s an emergency. I cleaned myself up and headed to Lookout Peak to watch the sunset. Someone was already there. It was Tiamat.
Before she could stop herself, she asked, “What have you done?” “It’s not what I have done. It’s what I must do.” There was something about him, an aura of sadness and danger.
I hit my head and blacked out. I didn’t remember what happened. How did I get up here to Lookout Peak? I looked around at the total devastation and I remembered Tiamat, standing as if he was God, as if he was the one making it happen.
I found him, buried in sand and unconscious. He had pushed me out of the way and taken the hit, but where were the boulders? Why was there all this sand?
It had been ten years since I had seen. He looked the same. I tried to reach out to touch him, and he quickly jerked away. Why wouldn’t he let me touch him? At times I swear he wanted to reach out and touch me, then he would run away.
I asked him about the boulders. He told me he’d show me how he did it, but he couldn’t tell me how. It wasn’t his story to tell. Why was he so cryptic about everything? Acting like there is this big, huge secret he has to keep.
He told me to remember ten years back and what he had told me, it hadn’t changed. When I asked if he was good or evil, he told me he thought he was good, but people would probably consider his actions evil. I asked what good would come from destroying the forest, he told me it wasn’t just the forest. It was everywhere, the whole world.
Why had he saved her, why not just let her die? Was there a reason he had to save her, even though he was torn about it? He was asking himself these questions. Maybe God has his own plan and Tiamat wasn’t clued in on it.
Judgment Day? Every moment I thought, why is he keeping me alive? When will he kill me?
What was left of the world? What about survivors? Was he human, alien, demon or angel?
Has God forsaken us? Is he punishing us? What would you think? Do angels have feelings? Can angels be evil?
5 STARS – WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND
. I won this book through fuonlyknew’s blog. I would like to thank Laura and D. H.Nevins for the giveaway. Laura still talks about the book, though she read it a while ago, so I had to move it up on my list to see what she was raving about.Look below for the link to her review.
Right off, the cover grabbed me. I didn’t know what to think of the title, but as you read the book, you will find out what it means.
The writing was very good. Starts out fast and holds your attention throughout. The description of the devastation made me able to visualize the world around them. I can’t find the words to describe it myself, but D. H. did a great job of it.
The actions of Tiamat will make you question things yourself. Is God a kind, gentle person, or is he vengeful and vindictive? And what about angels?
I was torn between a 4 or 5 rating, then I remembered, as I was reading I kept thinking of Supernatural. I watch the reruns on TV most mornings. This book reminded a lot of how God and the Angels treated humans on the show. If you’ve watched it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. God has his own agenda and the angels will follow it, us humans are along for the ride. Because I kept thinking about the book long after I read it, I believe it earned a five-star rating.
The relationship between Kali and Tiamat, and Tiamat and God, was creative and complex. Raises more questions than answers. I am sure most everyone has asked “Why Me?” more than once.
The biodegradable soap made me chuckle along with Kali. He was thoughtful, like when he supplied her with toiletries and clothes, but stood away from her emotionally and physically.
The things that happened to her, could make the strongest person give in to the misery, horror, devastation, desolation, abuse………..
Katie’s mom had come with a gift for the nursery. As Katie was trying out the rocker, she was seized with an excruciating pain, followed quickly by anKatie’s mom had come with a gift for the nursery. As Katie was trying out the rocker, she was seized with an excruciating pain, followed quickly by another. Wade picked her up and Shirley, Katie’s mother, ran to start the van. This was their third trip to the hospital, but the first two babies didn’t survive. The baby was in terrible trouble. Even though she was only six months along, they were going to do a C-section. Wade and Katie looked at each other with anguish, tormented by the thought they could lose this baby, also.
When he saw his baby son, he was blue. The neo-natal team stabilized him and took him to NICU. All he could do was stand in shock, unable to think, afraid the baby wouldn’t make it. When he was allowed to see his wife, they held each other as the pain and agony racked their bodies, the tears flowing freely.
Michael was trying to get the perfect picture of Tammy with Kristian, their baby son. When she got up to go in the house, Michael headed off to work. Tammy changed Kristian’s diaper and laid him down for a nap. She knew she should take one while she had the chance, so she laid down on the couch and promptly fell asleep.
When Michael came home and saw her still asleep, he woke her. She thought he was home early, because the baby would have awakened her if he had been gone for hours. Michael went to the cracked door, pushed it all the way open and shouted for Tammy. Kristian was gone.
Tammy ran from room to room, but Kristian could not have gotten up and walked out by himself, he was only three months old. Michael called 911.
Jason, the police officer on duty, answered the call and immediately put out an Amber Alert. He believed the baby had been kidnapped and the parents were not involved. Two and a half years later and the investigation had gone cold. Seemed everyone, including Tammy, had given up ever finding Kristian.
They kept trying for another baby, but while trying, she found out she had ovarian cancer – the diagnosis was terminal. She had taken the blow with little reaction, pretty much having given up. She wouldn’t fight the disease. It was almost a relief to know she was going to die and end her torment.
Someone was going to pay. First his son was taken from him, now his wife. After she died, his mission – find his son.
4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others
Won in Goodreads First Read Giveaway. The author was gracious enough to sign it for me. Thank you. I was happy I won it and wanted to get to it right away. The cover caught my eye, led me through the open door to the horror on the other side, but the title is what drew me in first and it speaks for itself.
Where’s my son? is a quick read and I loved the book. As I was reading along, I thought it would be a three rating. The last half of the book was full of so much anguish and despair, I had to change it to a four rating. If it would have had more depth and detail it definitely would have been a five rating. It was well written, with few editing errors.
Can Jason Save Michael from himself?
. Would you want revenge for the death of your wife and the loss of your child? What would you do if you felt you had nothing to live for? What would anger and rage drive you to do? Feeling an overwhelming sense of loss, with nothing left to lose and wanting to make them pay, could you stay rational? Would insanity take over? The ending broke my heart, even though I couldn’t see it happening any other way.
I read a lot of murder/crime/mystery books and consider it pretty hard to get to me. I love to watch CSI, Bones, NCIS and all the other murder shows on TV. For being a short book, it was so intense and heartbreaking, by the time I closed the cover, I had tears in my eyes.
These Dire Wolves really did exist four thousand years ago. They are double the size of the grey wolf. Their bones were found in the La Brea Tar Pit iThese Dire Wolves really did exist four thousand years ago. They are double the size of the grey wolf. Their bones were found in the La Brea Tar Pit in Los Angeles. Why did they become extinct? Who knows?
Mark Lansdowne saw a sign saying Granny Barton’s Antiques. He was curious and stopped. He was just browsing when he spotted an old book and was drawn to it. He purchased it for five dollars and left.
He was reading the book, when the dogs, he had three named after the Three Stooges, growled and the hair on their backs rose . He went out, but saw only a pair of red eyes and smelled a scent of rotting meat. The red eyes drifted back into the forest as if they were never there.
As he sat drinking a cup of tea, he heard a scream. It could be anything, a wild animal. He decided he couldn’t do anything in the dark, so he’d check it out in the morning.
In the morning, Lansdowne checked around his pond and found something had come to eat or drink. Just the one with huge paws, but no nail prints. The dogs were with him, and these prints did not look anything like theirs. And then there was the awful smell , which he and the dogs followed.
His dogs all had something that distinguished them from each other. Larry was the biggest, Moe heard the best and Curly was the smeller in the group. Curly returned with a bone. It could only be human, it contained a screw. It was Janey Malone, the waitress at Barkers.
In Maple Hills, Missouri, it is such a small community that everyone knew everyone else. Barkers was the local gathering place. Farmers were talking about missing cows and deer hunters were seeing no deer.
Dave and Janey didn’t show up for work at Barkers. Now Myron Cox was missing, with just a trail of blood . Lansdowne called the sheriff. Sheriff Ralph Benson showed up. Morrison, a deputy was at the Cox home, investigating his disappearance, while Benson was at Lansdowne’s. Benson received a call from Morrison saying Christine McKay, from the Department of Conservation, had found Dave Morris, dead.
Benson joined up with Skruggs, Lansdowne’s lifelong friend, and Lansdowne to follow the smell to the cave. The woods were silent, no sound of squirrels or birds. The smell was stronger than before and he spotted a paw print that hadn’t been there earlier.
Months ago two girls had turned up missing from their rafting trip. He found a tennis shoe belonging to one of them. As they left the cave, Lansdowne said one of them had to stay in the area. He told them he would stay and protect what was left of Janey. grey wolf Pictures, Images and Photos
Lansdowne had climbed a tree with a view of the cave entrance. As the creature approached, Lansdowne came down from the tree to track it. The creature felt something was wrong and turned around. It had laid a trap for Lansdowne. Now Lansdowne became the hunted.
The bite caused excruciating pain, but he was still able to kill the beast. He felt he was going to die.
When he came to, his pal, Skruggs, was there. He must have been at death’s door, because his wife, Glenna, had come to him telling him he must get better and move on. Mark seemed to be healing very quickly, he was hungry and anxious to go home.
As the sheriff and Lansdowne talked, Amy came in. She always cut his hair. She kissed his cheek and told “Mike” how glad she was he wasn’t dead. She looked to see if Benson caught what she had said.
The sheriff thought there were seven missing, but Lansdowne figured nine, maybe eleven. Too many in too short a time for it be done by one animal.
The carcass of the wolf had been taken in for examination. It was an extra-large wolf, even though there had never been any wolves in the Ozarks. It couldn’t be identified in any database. Where had it come from? Are there more?
4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others
I won this book in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. The author was gracious enough to autograph the book for me. Thank you. This is Patrick’s Jones debut novel and I feel he knocked it out of the ballpark. I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with next.
I thought it was going to be just another werewolf book, by the cover and title, but was very pleasantly surprised. The blurb made me a little more curious, but didn’t do the book justice.
It is about wolves that had gone extinct 4,000 years ago. I love creature books. It is so realistic and I can see how it could be true. With all the scientific advances of today, why couldn’t someone recreate a wolf? Jurassic wolves, what’s not to love?
The writing was excellent and the characters were well developed. I fell in love with Lansdowne and his “puppies”. He has an awesome best friend in Skruggs, now all he needs is a love interest, or does he already have one and not realize it? He thinks he hasn’t moved on from his wife’s death, but has this experience made him realize life is too short, you must live it, not just exist.
There is more than one mystery, and it seems Mark Lansdowne is not what he appears to be. This is a series and I am eagerly awaiting the next book, whether it is about how Mark came to be in Maple Hills, or about the wolves, I don’t care. I feel it can only get better. Soooooooo, write faster Mr. Jones. lol
Kit Griffin was the last one. She was blond and tan, and worth the drive in the rain. How could she go from Beverly Hills to the small fishing villageKit Griffin was the last one. She was blond and tan, and worth the drive in the rain. How could she go from Beverly Hills to the small fishing village of San Madrid? He went inside the bookstore out of curiosity. As he stood talking to Kit, he saw the painting. The artist had given the painting to Kit, Baylee and Quinn, when they moved in together. When he asked about the painting, Kit couldn’t help but wonder why the stranger was so interested in it.
The authors use of He instead of a name for her character adds mystery to the story.
Kit was proud of her bookstore, the Book and Bean, and all the hard work she had put into making it a success. With the support of Baylee and Quinn, her best friends, Kit had been able to overcome her past and the abusive relationship she had with her mother, Alana Stevens. She refused to think about the past, so when Jake Boston, a family friend that she had been in love with since she was a young girl, walked in, to say she was surprised would not begin to cover the range of emotions she was experiencing. He had been gone more than a year without speaking to Kit and he thought now was as good a time as any to see her again. Jake had left Los Angeles without saying a word to Kit. He was the prime suspect in the murder of his wife, Claire, and the constant police harassment had driven him to the point of sheer exhaustion, so he had left the city to try to move on with his life. He returned as a rich man after building a multimillion dollar company with hard work and determination. Gloria, Kit’s aunt, had kept Jake informed of all that was going on in Kit’s life, even though she was unaware of it. He had really missed her and wanted to tell her he had bought the Crandall House and was renovating it because Gloria had told him that Kit loved the old house and he hoped they might have a life together.
He was still sitting outside when the man came out. He knew, if the man got in the way, he would have to get rid of him.
When Kit went to bed that night she had a feeling of doom, something bad was coming. She didn’t sleep well and was glad when she called her mother to tell her Happy Mother’s Day and she didn’t answer the phone. Kit and her mother, Alana had never gotten along. If it hadn’t been for her Aunt Gloria, she never would have made it this far.
He waited for Alana to come home. No one would find her until the maid came in the morning.
When Alana was found murdered, the police became very interested in her estranged daughter, Kit. Alana’s best friend and attorney, Jessica Boyd, immediately pointed the finger at her ungrateful daughter and her crazy sister, Gloria Gandis. Even though Jessica knew the police would check out the law firm, she would do whatever she could to distract them and try to lead them in a different direction.
Gloria felt Kit was in danger. People thought she was crazy, but she had a gift and right now it was telling her that Kit was in need of help. She called Jake and told him Kit was the main suspect in her mother’s death. He could relate well to her situation, because he had been the main suspect in his wife’s death a year ago.
Jake walked into Kit’s bookstore and found the police questioning her in an aggressive and intimidating manner. He immediately felt a need to protect and shelter her from them and told them to back off. Their response was that maybe they should arrest him for his wife’s murder now that he was back in town.
He thought of Kit, but for the first time his job was leaving him feeling uncomfortable. What would happen to Kit?
He was waiting in the backseat of her car when she came out from her tryst. When he was done, he left the car parked on the side of the road and walked away.
When the police pulled up behind the parked car, they thought it was a just rich drunk, but Jessica wasn’t going to be talking to anyone. Just as in the case of Alana, they found a gold cowboy on a horse had been left with the murder victim. When Sumner Boyd, Jessica’s husband, was notified, all he could think of was everything they had done to become one of the largest family law firms on the West Coast and wondered if anyone knew what had happened and how they had got started. Could someone have a vendetta against them?
When Kit found the gold cowboy on the counter, she figured some kid had left it in the bookstore and asked Baylee, her friend and employee, about it. She didn’t know anything. Kit knew Baylee was hiding something. She had left and come back with a baby, Sarah. She was Kit’s best friend and employee and would go to any lengths to protect her, so Kit was loath to pressure her for answers.
After Alana’s death, her lawyer’s quickly presented Kit with papers to sign, she was the sole beneficiary of Alana’s estate. Kit couldn’t understand why she would do that, since she had left home at an early age and her mother had never liked her anyway. Jake said he would take a look at the papers, just to be on the safe side. He saw there was property worth a lot of money but he couldn’t help wondering, where was the cash? He was going to have his lawyer go over them before Kit signed anything.
Collin’s obsession with Kit had made him dangerous and unpredictable. Being part of Boyd Boyd Geller and Getz, the family law firm, made him and his family feel a sense of entitlement. They would do whatever it took to get what they wanted and take what their hearts desired. He blamed her for making him fall in love with her and was determined to make her pay for her rejection of him. Just how far would he go to seek revenge? If he couldn’t have her, would he make sure nobody else could?
After Alana’s funeral, Jake invited Kit out sailing. While they were relaxing and enjoying being out on the water, an SOS was sent out over the radio. Since they were so close Jake set sail for the coordinates he believed would take them to the distressed vessel. Before they could reach the old sloop it erupted in a huge explosion that blew both of them off their feet. If they had been any closer it would have blown them up too. They later found out it had been a bogus signal. Was it staged? Were they the target? Why?
Jessica’s sister, Eva Getz, a partner at the law firm, was missing. When they found Eva’s body, they found a gold cowboy. Jake believed it was all linked to the law firm and since the police wouldn’t take their focus off of Kit, Jake thought they should do some investigating of their own. Public records showed that Alana had been married and divorced five times, but there was no record of her being married to John Griffin, Kit’s father. Husband number three was Frank Geller, Jessica’s brother. As Jake investigated further he found that Kit had a brother, Ben Griffin who lived in Ireland. Why was he so difficult to locate?
Jake had made it his priority to protect Kit. He wasn’t going to leave her alone until this whole mess was settled. At 3:03 in the morning, Jake woke Kit from a nightmare. She told him it was a recurring nightmare and each time it went a little further. She dreamt that an older couple were murdered at their ranch in a Charles Manson style. This was the first time she had seen the name on the sign-Sundown Ranch. Why did she keep having a nightmare that seemed so real? When Jake found the scar from the bullet wound, Kit wondered what he would do when he found out everything, when he found out that Alana was “just evil”.
Kit: She could tell a tale, filling it in with the most minute details. It made me think of my husband, who can take what to me would be a five-minute story and regale people for twenty. Kit loved the simple, ordinary things in life-like when she found the red, white and blue decorations on the boat and took such delight in setting the dinner table.
Jake: I loved how tender he was with Kit when she needed him the most, not questioning or pushing her, just putting her needs first. Amongst murder and mayhem, I don’t think anyone would complain about a hero and a good love story.
I received this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. A paranormal, mystery, thriller that will grab you from the first page and not you let go. I am a voracious reader and love it when an author BLOWS ME AWAY and Vickie definitely did that in spades. I loved the cover. I photograph and sketch trees without leaves. If you look closely enough and long enough you will see many things other than a branch or twig as your imagination draws you into the picture. I really like this cover over the alternate, because the colors are rich and vivid and the tree is descriptive of the story, encompassing all the characters and subplots branching out from the main storyline. The title is short, to the point and relates to the story. The book was very well written making me race through the pages.The moment I felt I knew here it was going, I found myself holding tight as it took me on a twisting, turning ride through the feelings of terror and exhilaration of love, murder and intrigue. The characters covered the spectrum, from truly heroic to “just evil”. It is a cliff-hanger that will leave you screaming for more. Just evil is a trilogy and you truly will want to read the next one and the next one.
Micaela was driving to Bridewell to visit her Una when she saw Reece, the son of Chief Deerfield of Pokanoket, on the side of the road. He appeared blMicaela was driving to Bridewell to visit her Una when she saw Reece, the son of Chief Deerfield of Pokanoket, on the side of the road. He appeared bloody and beaten, maybe dead. She stopped and went back to check, but there was nothing there. Had her visions returned? Samhain was approaching and was the time of year when Spirits and people could move between worlds. Was Reece a spirit?
. Peggy, Reece’s wife was Yankee. She was at the house when Micaela arrived and told her Reece was missing. Because of her “gift” , Micalela had been treated as a pariah but now that they needed her help, they wanted her to use her “gift” to find Reece. She had buried it deep when she left Bridewell and wasn’t sure if she could pull it out at will. As she held Adam’s hands, she found her way to Reece. It was if she was really with him, not sitting on the porch with Adam. The horror was more than the mind could imagine and she told Reece to hold on, Peggy was pregnant and they were coming to save him.
Micaela returned to New York just in time for the party at the Metropolitan Museum. While she was there she met Francois Leveque, who tried to get her alone. She could tell he was afraid, but they were interrupted by Baron Vasilievich before they could talk. She arranged to meet him in a couple of days at his hotel.
She had a recurring nightmare for the past four years. She was fleeing something and ran into a clearing. Her Una and mother were there and told her they were glad she had come to take her rightful place, but there had never been a beast before.
Micaela was meeting Francois in his hotel room, but there was no answer at the door. As she knocked again, the door opened on its own. The living room was in a shambles. The bedroom was covered in blood, it was everywhere. Even though she didn’t want to, she went to the bathroom thinking he could still be alive. When she saw him in the tub, his throat and chest had been ripped out. As she fought the scream, she fumbled with her cell phone trying to dial 911.
Thank God her friend responded with the others. Nikki was a cop and her friend, there to help. She had accumulated time and said she was taking it. Micaela was determined to find out what happened and Nikki was going to help.
At first she was surprised when she looked across the room and saw Francois. They were having his wake at the Salmon Run Inn. What was he trying to tell her?
She headed back to Bridewell for some leisure time. She needed to regroup. She stopped at a diner for a quick bite. When she felt a tingle, she looked around to see why. Lately she had been having more and more psychic events and tried her best to control them. She spotted a Hummer she thought was following her. When he rammed into the back of her car, she thought of Francois. The road was abandoned and the police were too busy to respond to her call for help. When she gunned the Porsche to outrun the Hummer, two motorcycles took over the chase. She managed to lose them. The only thing watching her now was a large bird, black as night, as she headed to Bridewell and Una hoping she wasn’t bringing the bad to her.
When she arrived and was leaving the car, she saw a black feather on the dashboard and took it with her. It felt like it was humming to her and she looked up to see the Raven above her parents bedroom.
Everyone was there, Nikki, Liam, Una, Reece, the Pokanoket Ethan Lowell, Sons of Danu, Sean Murphy… What was going on? Whoever had been after Francois was now after her.
Liam and Micaela walked to the creek to talk, he told her she should come to the gathering in the Grove, that plans for Beltaine were set. She said no, she never came to the Grove but she would be at the Ceili.
She felt her gift was out of control, she had to talk to Una before she left again. Micaela told her about seeing the entire Grove when Reece was missing, seeing Francois beat up and dead, and how at the dance she was there, yet somewhere else. Una told her to remember what her father used to tell here while they were out sailing. “Don’t fight the currents or the wind, use them.” Una assured her the Grove was there to help her.
3 STARS – Would Recommend to Others
I won this in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. Karen was gracious enough to sign my copy for me. Thank you Karen.
I liked the cover and the title. I always like a simple, clean look, with a little mystery. I like it when they make me think what the book might be about before I read the book blurb. I thought the cover and title both were relevant to the book.
Events start happening at the very beginning of the book. The suspense and mystery continue through the book, keeping you on your toes while you try to figure out what is going on. Karen doles the story out in small pieces so you can’t quite be sure of what will happen next.
Characters were interesting. Really had me wondering about Lowell and Ivan. Couldn’t quite figure out who was good or bad. Even when I thought I had them figured out, it kept twisting and turning making me unsure again.
“When she thinks the spirit world is a much a part of her childhood as the NE Patriots and the Boston Red Sox”, it made me smile. My husband is an avid Red Sox fan and his brother is a Patriots fan. It makes the story feel more real when I can relate to it in a personal way.
Other than a few editing errors, nothing that interfered with the flow of the story in any way, I thought it was well written and easy reading.
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