Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that have been waiting on the ‘to be read’ pile for however long, and are finally getting an airing.
Tag Archives: Supernatural
A House of Ghosts by W.C. Ryan ~ #HistFic #Crime with a supernatural thread @WilliamRyan_ @BonnierZaffre #TuesdayBookBlog
Author: W.C. Ryan
Published: October 2018 by Zaffre
Category: Historical Fiction, Murder, Crime, Mystery, Espionage, Supernatural, Book Review
Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives.
At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons who were lost in the conflict. But as his guests begin to arrive, it gradually becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends on the island, the guests will find themselves trapped. Soon one of their number will die.
A House of Ghosts is primarily a tale of espionage during the height of WW1, with a dark and atmospheric supernatural thread.
#NewRelease ~ The Emissary 2 : To Love Somebody by @MarciaMeara ~ Book Info & Short #Extract
I’m delighted to welcome Marcia Meara with the info on her new release and a short extract.
Thank you so much for having me here today, Cathy! I’m so excited to be sharing the release of The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody with you and your followers. The great review you gave the first book of this trilogy definitely inspired me to continue the story of Jake, Dodger, and Azrael, and I hope you’ll enjoy this middle book just as much. I tried to provide all the laughs–and tears–the first book had, along with a few sneaky surprises here and there.
#BookSpotlight ~ Violet Souls: Book 1 The Evoxian Legacies by @abbeymacmunn #Fantasy @rararesources #PubDay
Today I have a book spotlight to share, courtesy of Rachel’s Random Resources. Violet Souls, book one of the Evoxian Legacies, is released today on kindle.
Lost On The Water by D.G. Driver #YA Suspense with a touch of Supernatural @DGDriverAuthor #BookReview
Author: D.G. Driver
Published: July 2018 by Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
Category: Young Adult, Suspense, Supernatural, Contemporary, Book Review
Forced to leave the California beach behind to spend the summer with her grandma in rural Tennessee, Dannie is certain this will be the most boring summer of her life. Things start looking up when a group of local kids, mistaking her short hair and boyish figure, invite her on their ‘no girls allowed’ overnight kayaking trip. Obviously, her grandma refuses to let her go. But Dannie suspects the real reason is that the woman is afraid of the lake, only she won’t tell Dannie why.
The last place Dannie wants to spend a good portion of her summer holiday is in rural Tennessee with her grandmother, while her parents spend two weeks in Paris.
#ThrowbackThursday ~ Passing Notes by @DGDriverAuthor #YA with a touch of the Supernatural
Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that have been waiting on the ‘to be read’ pile for however long, and are finally getting an airing.
This week I’m showcasing a lovely young adult novella with a touch of the supernatural. Passing Notes was published in January 2016.
#Spotlight & #Excerpt ~ The Mischief Maker by Simon Maree #Poltergeist
He’s just a soul whose intentions are good… Oh Lord, please don’t let him be misunderstood…
Joe has a problem. He is falling in love with his new housemate. Nothing unusual there, except for Joe is a poltergeist and this sort of thing just shouldn’t happen. Joe is suffering an existential crisis of no small proportion.
The object of his misguided affections – a feisty and self-assured teenager named Harriet. Will he be able to save her from something much darker than himself that lurks in the shadows of the Brighton house they share? Will she be able to help him on his newfound quest for redemption?
I’d been waiting for someone like her for a great while. I had no idea how long. I’d all lost track of time. It could have been years, decades or even centuries. If I was given to clichés, I could say that it felt like an eternity, but nobody knows what that’s like (although I’m learning, slowly; one day at a time).
Cuttin’ Heads by D.A. Watson #BookReview & #Giveaway ~ Supernatural Horror @davewatsonbooks @rararesources #TuesdayBookBlog
I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Cuttin’ Heads by D. A. Watson, with a review and giveaway.
Aldo Evans, Ross McArthur and Luce Figura, otherwise known as Public Alibi, are a rock trio gigging in their spare time. They’re good and over the past year they’ve been getting some decent engagements considering they’re an unsigned band.
The Ghost In You: A First-Hand Account from Beyond the Grave by Katrina Mountfort #SupernaturalFiction @curlykats #YA
Author: Katrina Mountfort
Published: February 2018 by Elsewhen Press
Category: Supernatural, Romance, Fiction, Book Review
What do you do if you’re dead but haven’t ‘moved on’?
You keep finding yourself back where you died, with very little control over when; sometimes you can be away for days, weeks or even months, and then you’re back. Between times, when you’re ‘away’, where do you go, what do you do? You’ve seen some other ghosts asleep at their graves, but you don’t even know where your own grave is.
After an accident which left her with terrible facial scars, nineteen year old Rowena spends most of her spare time helping others. Two of her favourite people are her landlady, Marjorie, and her best friend, Kirsty, who is waiting for a bone marrow transplant.
#ThrowbackThursday ~ Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann #AudioBookReview @SuzBrockmann #Supernatural #Suspense
Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.
This week I’m revisiting Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann. The audiobook was released in 2010 by Brilliance Audio and the narrators are Patrick Lawlor and Angela Dawe.
Marked: An Irish Paranormal Thriller by B.E. Balfinny ~ the Kerry Horrors Book 1 #BookReview for #RBRT #FridayReads
Author: B.E. Balfinny
Published: November 2017 by Oakwood Press
Category: Supernatural, Thriller, Horror, Book Review
When freelance writer Kate Murray’s Great Aunt bequeaths her a cottage in remote south Kerry, she is overcome with the peace and beauty of the little stone house. Set high up a hillside overlooking the ocean, even David, her architect husband, falls in love with it.
The short first chapter telling of an old woman gathering items together before leaving the house to complete a task she wasn’t looking forward to, but something that had to be done, is a great hook and gives the immediate sense that something untoward is in the offing.
Christmas at Bay Tree Cottage by @LinnBHalton #BookReview @BrookCottageBks #Extract #Giveaway #TuesdayBookBlog
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Christmas at Bay Tree Cottage, a contemporary holiday romance by Linn B Halton. Published by Harper Impulse and released on November 3rd 2017.
Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US
*****
The countdown to Christmas is usually a magical time, but Elena James is fed up with living on a building site! The renovations on her beautiful cottage – like her heart – have been frozen in limbo ever since she was unexpectedly widowed. Elana calls in a professional, Luke Stevenson, to help finish the cottage, so her little girl can send letters to Santa up the newly-repaired chimney. Luke’s kind, capable and sexy – but he’s also ten years younger than Elana. So why has her heart decided it’s finally time for a thaw?
The perfect read to curl up by the fire with … for fans of Rebecca Boxall.
Elana James and her young daughter, Maya, are approaching their second Christmas without Niall, Elana’s husband and Maya’s father, who was killed in a tragic road traffic accident. Bay Tree Cottage is a work in progress, which isn’t actually progressing much at the moment as Elana was left mortgage free but without the funds to tackle all the renovation work needed. And more bad news comes from her good friend and next door neighbour, Eve. Both their chimneys needs urgent repointing which means Elana is unable to light the fire in her cottage and Maya is desperate to send her wishes up to Santa, via the chimney, as they always do.
Perfect Responses by Margaret K Johnson #Contemporary #Fiction @Margaretkaj
Author: Margaret K Johnson- Published: July 2017 by Earthy Works
- Category: Contemporary, Supernatural, Book Review, Books, Reading
Three women are about to face the biggest challenges of their lives.
Janet has been mistaken for a sex tourist after being abandoned by her fiancé in Africa. Debbie is hell-bent on a hopeless affair with Adam, her married boss. Pregnant Kate has just married the love of her life only for him to turn into a distant stranger overnight.
Janet, Debbie and Kate – three women whose responses to the events in their lives will determine the fate of Corrinne Walker. Corrinne, a self-help writer, who failed to live by her own life plan advice, is being judged in the afterlife. Janet, Debbie and Kate have been chosen as guinea pigs to put Corrinne’s book to the test. If it works within thirty days the charges of not following her own advice will be dropped and she can pass on. If not, Corrinne will be confined to Limbo forever. Continue reading
#ThrowbackThursday ~ Eli’s Coming by @DarciaHelle #Supernatural #Suspense
Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.
I’ve chosen Eli’s Coming for this week’s Throwback Thursday. It was published in 2015. The menacing cover caught my eye initially and I’m still hoping for a sequel 🙂 Continue reading
Afterlife by Marcus Sakey #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog @MarcusSakey **Release Day**
Author: Marcus Sakey- Published: July 2017 by Thomas & Mercer
- Category: Thriller, Romance, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Book Review, Books, Reading
Between life and death lies an epic war, a relentless manhunt through two worlds…and an unforgettable love story.
The last thing FBI agent Will Brody remembers is the explosion—a thousand shards of glass surfing a lethal shock wave.
He wakes without a scratch.
The story opens in 1532 as Edmund killed an apprentice and took his place aboard the Persephone, sailing to the new world. Two weeks into the return voyage a violent storm lashed the ship. The cargo and all provisions were lost and the men who survived on the battered ship resorted to desperate measures to stay alive, until only Edmund was left. He died just shy of a mile from land. Continue reading
In The Blue Hour ~ A Novel by Elizabeth Hall ~ #Audiobook #NativeAmerican #FridayReads
Author: Elizabeth Hall- Performed by Joyce Bean
- Released: November 2016 by Brilliance Audio
- Category: Contemporary, Supernatural
Elise Brooks dreams of a car accident on an icy road. Weeks later, her beloved husband, Michael, is killed in just such a crash. Now, overcome with grief and uncertainty, Elise believes his spirit may be following her in the form of a raven, trying to tell her something from beyond the grave.
Elise is depressed and in mourning after her dream of a car accident involving her husband months earlier which she believed to have been more of a prophecy. Guilt and blame for failing to interpret the dream are added to the swirling mix of emotions as Elise struggles to make sense of her loss. Michael, Elise’s husband, was a Native American wood carver whose work was in high demand, more especially since his death. His last piece was a beautifully detailed carving of a raven. Continue reading
Harbinger ~ Wake-Robin Ridge #3 by @marciameara #TuesdayBookBlog #Contemporary Fiction #Supernatural
Author: Marcia Meara- Published: June 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Category: Contemporary Fiction, Supernatural.
“. . . he felt the wet slide of the dog’s burning hot tongue on his face, and the scrape of its razor sharp teeth against the top of his head. A white-hot agony of crushing pain followed, as the jaws began to close.”
The wine-red trillium that carpets the forests of the North Carolina Mountains is considered a welcome harbinger of spring—but not all such omens are happy ones. An Appalachian legend claims the Black Dog, or Ol’ Shuck, as he’s often called, is a harbinger of death. If you see him, you or someone you know is going to die.
The story opens in 1994 when eight year old Sissy Birdwell meets neighbour Cadey Hagen as she begins the walk home after being dropped off from the school bus. Cadey has a secret he promises to share with Sissy and takes her into the woods. She is never seen again. If I actually needed a hook for the book, this would have been it. Continue reading
A Boy Named Rabbit: WakeRobin Ridge #2 by @marciameara #SundayBlogShare
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Author: Marcia Meara - Published: April 2015 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Category: Contemporary Fiction with Supernatural Elements
“Evil’s comin’, boy…comin’ fast. Look for the man with eyes like winter skies, and hair like a crow’s wing. He’s the one you gotta find.”
Those are the words of ten-year old Rabbit’s dying grandmother, who has ‘seeing’ dreams. She tells Rabbit he must leave their camp and find the ‘good people’. Rabbit has lived in the mountains of North Carolina, as far back as he can remember with his gran and grampa, never seeing another soul and has been taught that people are not to be trusted. Rabbit is scared seeing his gran so weak and frail, and worried because his grampa hasn’t returned from getting supplies. But now his gran has become so sick that she’s insisting Rabbit must leave all he’s ever known and go off into the wilderness. So begins Rabbit’s almost two months long and perilous journey over the mountains to fulfil his promise to his gran. He’s determined to find the man she described before she died. Continue reading
#FridayBookShare ~ A Boy Named Rabbit by @marciameara ~ Wake Robin Ridge Book 2 @ShelleyWilson72
#FridayBookShare ~ an excellent idea created by Shelley Wilson.
With the weekend approaching it’s the perfect time to seek out new books to read, so Shelley created a Friday Book Share game to help search for that ideal read.
Anyone can join in. Just answer the following F.R.I.D.A.Y. questions based on the book you’re either currently reading (or listening to, in my case) or have just finished reading. Use the hashtag #FridayBookShare and remember to tag Shelley (@ShelleyWilson72) Continue reading
Fury ~ A Supernatural #Horror by @JoanDeLaHaye #TuesdayBookBlog Reviewed for #RBRT
Author: Joan De La Haye- Kindle Edition
- Category: Supernatural, Horror, Murder
A young girl is brutally murdered.
Two rival crime bosses fight for dominance on the streets of South Africa’s capital city.
The prologue sets the scene as the mutilated corpse of a young woman rises and sets off on a dark quest for vengeance. While on a night out with friends, Angela meets Andre and is persuaded to go home with him. Only she isn’t going to Andre’s home. Andre is a junkie who will do anything for his next fix and that includes supplying girls for the worst kind of depravity. Angela is tortured viciously and murdered, what’s left of her wrapped in plastic bags and dumped. Angela finds herself in some sort of limbo, dead yet determined to make those responsible pay. Continue reading
Hello Again By @StanSchatt ~ Murder/mystery with a #supernatural twist #weekendblogshare
Author: Stan Schatt- Published: May 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Category: Murder, Mystery, Supernatural
A dead lover wants company. Meanwhile, a no-nonsense detective who doesn’t believe in ghosts teams up with a psychic who fears something very evil is stalking its prey. A scientist finds that modern science can’t explain what he’s experiencing.
Bill Eisner, former lawyer, Trekkie and thoroughly nice guy, owns The Cozy Cup coffee shop, which he loves. He’s just been refused a small business loan and things are looking bleak. The coffee shop is well liked and supported in the neighbourhood, with a Good Karma table for the homeless, a community room used by local social groups and featuring resident entertainers.
Bill realises he needs something else in his life and allows his best friend, Roger, to talk him into a speed dating event. Just when Bill has lost hope of connecting with anyone, Amber Love comes to his table. They hit it off and begin seeing each other, even though Amber is less than forthcoming about herself and gets upset when Bill asks questions. Continue reading
Wake-Robin Ridge by @MarciaMeara #TuesdayBookBlog ~ Contemporary #romance with a #supernatural twist #books
Author: Marcia Meara- Published: December 2013 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Category: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Supernatural
On a bitter cold January night in 1965, death came calling at an isolated little cabin on Wake-Robin Ridge. Now, nearly 50 years later, librarian Sarah Gray has quit her job and moved into the same cabin, hoping the peace and quiet of her woodland retreat will allow her to concentrate on writing her first novel. Instead she finds herself distracted by her only neighbor, the enigmatic and reclusive MacKenzie Cole, who lives on top of the mountain with his Irish wolfhound as his sole companion.
Two women, two stories, fifty years apart, their lives connecting in a terrifying way. Ruth and Frank met in the 1960s when Ruth escaped from an abusive husband and settled in a little cabin on Wake-Robin Ridge. Ruth thought she was safe and could at last find happiness when she met Frank, but it wasn’t that easy to remove Lloyd from her life. Her husband, Lloyd Carter, himself an abused child which shaped him into the man he was to become, had been imprisoned for multiple charges, including assault with the intent to kill. Ruth took her chance and made the break for freedom, taking Lloyd’s money and car. From prison, Lloyd employed his cousin to keep an eye on things for him. When he learned what Ruth had done his anger knew no bounds and he swore revenge. While he served his time, he plotted and planned, and two years later he was paroled. That’s when Ruth’s nightmare began. Continue reading
#FridayReads ~ The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag ~ #Supernatural Audio #BookReview
Audiobook Review- Author: Menna van Praag
- Performed by Elizabeth Sastre
- Released: February 2016 by Lamplight Audio
- Category: Contemporary Fiction, Supernatural
A magical debut about an enchanted house that offers refuge to women in their time of need.
Alba Ashby, a nineteen year old Cambridge student, is devastated and her world shattered, after she experiences the worst possible event of her life, both professionally and personally. As she wanders aimlessly through the streets of Cambridge she finds herself at the door of number 11 Hope Street and feels inexplicably drawn to the house. She is invited in by Peggy Abbot, the ‘oldest and most beautiful woman’ Alba has ever seen. Continue reading
Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young ~ #YA #AudiobookReview ‘Stay Tonight, Stay Forever’
Audiobook Review- Author: Suzanne Young
- Performed by Julia Whelan
- Published: Simon & Schuster Audio, released on Audible November 2015
- Category: Young Adult, Supernatural
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are devastated over the sudden and premature death of their mother. Their father is also finding it hard to cope and is taking them to stay with their grandmother. The three of them are distanced from each other, dealing with grief, or not, in their own way. Tired and emotional, their father decides on a one night stop over at the Hotel Ruby. Continue reading
Midnight Picnic by @nickantosca #Audiobook #Fantasy @audbks #TuesdayBookBlog
Audiobook Review- Author: Nick Antosca
- Performed by RC Bray
- Published by Blue Heron Audio and released by Audible in January 2016
- Category: Fantasy, Suspense, Supernatural
In the morning, Bram finds the bones of a murdered child. At noon, the murdered child begs for his help. And by nightfall, they have killed a man together and set off into the afterlife, where nothing is what it was, and death is only the beginning of punishment. An eerie story about the nature of death and the self, Midnight Picnic inhabits an American landscape made strange and unfamiliar. From the author of the cult novel Fires, Midnight Picnic is a haunting and disturbing experience.
Passing Notes by @DGDriverAuthor reviewed for #RBRT lovely #YA novella
Author: D.G. Driver- Kindle Edition
- Published: January 2016 by Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
- Category: Young Adult, Supernatural
Mark has finally gotten the attention of the girl of his dreams. Only, his lame attempts at romance through texts and emails seem to be turning her off. When he gets put in the back of the room in an over-full class at school, he begins to discover old notes giving advice about how to write a great love letter. At first he thinks he’s stumbled on some long-forgotten notes passed in class ages ago, but every time he reads them they seem directed specifically to him. They also appear at the perfect moment each time he needs more advice. It’s like someone is haunting him.
How do the notes keep appearing? Who’s writing them? Why?
And if Mark follows the ghostly writer’s advice, will he win Bethany’s love?
This novella highlights today’s changing world and how the ways of communication differ from not that many years ago. The art of letter writing is becoming obsolete along with the need for cursive writing, as computers figure largely in education and people use texting and emails to keep in touch. When Mark Dowd finds himself having to use a very old, odd-looking piece of furniture as a desk in his English class he notices a half hidden carving in the wood. A heart with the name Eileen stylishly carved inside. Mark tries to copy the carving, eventually with a marker pen on the back of his hand as he runs out of space on the paper. Continue reading
Maelstrom
Author: Francis Guenette- Published: November 2015 by Huckleberry Haven Publishing
- Category: Suspense, Thriller
A shot is fired into the still night air and a young woman dies on Suicide Ridge. A dangerous game has begun. Over the course of one blistering, hot week, winds of change sweep through an isolated valley in small town America.
In a clash of powerful men, with fathers pitted against sons, no one will be left unscathed. Maelstrom is a page turner that speeds along like a runaway train.
When Sheriff Bert Calder comes to tell Amos Tanner, the Mayor of Haddon, that Gracie Davison is dead, Amos’ wife Laura is eavesdropping on the conversation. She is sure her husband and the Sheriff have something to do with it. Laura knew Gracie from before she came to live in Haddon and is almost certain now who is responsible for all the bad things that happen in town. Her stepson Casey is running wild and Laura promises herself she’ll leave and take Casey with her. Casey experiences visions and dreams, able to ‘see’ past and future events when he touches an object or is close to someone.
Sheriff Calder, a cold and calculating man, capable of cruelty beyond comprehension, has been controlling the town by fear, with the help of Amos Tanner, for over twenty years. He considers himself too powerful and intimidating for anyone to end his reign of terror. Continue reading
The Sickness
Author: Dylan J Morgan- Kindle Edition
- Category: Supernatural Horror
A husband confronted by his jealous wife . . . an old man abandoned so his grandson can claim his inheritance . . . a fifteen year-old boy disowned because of his handicap. All of them are dead. All of them have returned. And they have come for revenge. Nash is a small farming community in rural England: picturesque and serene, but it has secrets—violent, horrific, depraved secrets. Wanting to keep their business hidden, someone is not about to let James leave. But when an unexpected visitor arrives in the village searching for James, things take a horrific turn for the worst and he is forced to face the horrors of his past if he is to have any hope of survival.
In the small village of Nash Grahame Harris is woken by noises outside his farmhouse. What he discovers as he goes to investigate is beyond comprehension and is the last thing he ever sees before dying horrifically. Continue reading
A Cynical American’s Guide to British Myth ~ Synopsis and Guest Post
Author: Ann Kenney- Published: August 2015 by Craig na Dun/Ravenswood Publishing
- Category: Paranormal/Supernatural Romance
When Lydia, a teacher of English folklore and myth, contacts a cynical American writer on-line, their relationship seems doomed because despite their shared love of the paranormal and supernatural their beliefs are poles apart. To Lydia’s astonishment, Jensen accepts her invitation to visit England and to explore its myths and legends. A road trip across Britain in a tiny KA is not quite what Jensen was expecting but as he travels the country with Lydia as his guide, his cynicism is tested, not only by Lydia herself, but also by the colourful array of characters that they meet along the way.
His efforts to debunk legends such as Black Annis and the Cottingley Fairies are thwarted by both Lydia and those who truly believe. As time goes on Jensen begins to question what he sees and feels as his love of the British countryside and Lydia become entwined. Jensen hears tales of the White Worm, experiences first-hand a Phantom hitchhiker battles nature itself when he confronts the legendary Green Man. The final tale of shape shifting Selkies makes Jensen realise that his cynicism is being replaced by humanity and humility and as his love grows deeper, he begins to believe in the myths and legends he once wanted to disprove. Continue reading
The 20’s Girl, The Ghost and All That Jazz
Author: June Kearns- Published: November 2013 by New Romantics 4
- Category: Romance, Historical, Paranormal
1924. The English Shires, after the Great War.
When her jazzing flapper of an aunt dies, Gerardina Mary Chiledexter inherits some silver-topped scent bottles, a wardrobe of love-affair clothes, and astonishingly, a half-share in a million-acre ranch in south-west Texas.
Haunted by a psychic cat and the ghost voice of that aunt Leonie, Gerry feels driven to travel thousands of miles to see the ranch for herself.
Against a background of big sky, cattle barons and oil wells, she is soon engaged in a game of power, pride and ultimately, love, with the Texan who owns the other half.
Gerardina Chiledexter struggles to maintain the bookshop she inherited after her beloved aunt Leonie’s death. Leonie was beyond glamorous, free spending with a lavish lifestyle hence the mountain of debt Gerry was also left with. When an impassive American named Cooper arrives at the bookshop one day, all the way from Texas, with the news Gerry has inherited half his cattle ranch, she is at first disbelieving then incredulous. As is Cooper, having expected Gerry to be a man. Continue reading
Dead Shift ~ Rho Agenda Inception #3
Author: Richard Phillips- Performed by MacLeod Andrews
- Published: May 2015 by Brilliance Audio
- Category: Crime/Thriller/Suspense, Supernatural, Sci-fi
In this page-turning sci-fi adventure, the NSA’s most brilliant hacker is abducted and the world stands on the brink of cyberwar. The Ripper and his ghost team commandos are called to action, battling a host of enemies ranging from a genius tech-billionaire and the Chinese government to an emerging superintelligence capable of bringing the world to its knees. With every threat in play, Jack must confront his alien passenger and regain some semblance of self-control. As the origins of the Rho Agenda come to light, Jack struggles to embrace his destiny. But how can even one such as he prevail against an existential threat to humanity?
Jamal Glover is the best of the NSA’s elite team of hackers, known as the Dirty Dozen, who work in the War Room at the NSA headquarters, keeping the country safe from cyber attacks and a lot more besides. Nineteen years old and straight out of MIT, Jamal loves his job. He also loves his girlfriend, Jill, and is on his way home to have dinner with her. What awaits him will change his life and if the Chinese government’s plans succeeds it will spell disaster and the threat to humanity will be immense and devastating. Continue reading
The Jack Lockwood Diaries
Author: Geoffrey D West- Kindle Edition published January 2015
Category: Mystery, Adventure, Supernatural
22 short stories relating to the life of Behavioural Investigative Adviser to the police and writer, Jack Lockwood. There are supernatural, mystery, adventure and humorous stories, each one giving an insight into Jack’s life, relating to past adventures and incidents.
A collection of short stories featuring Jack Lockwood, a Behavioural Investigative Advisor to the police. I haven’t yet read the full length novels which precede this collection but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment and I was able to get a real sense of Jack’s personality. He’s a good friend to have, trustworthy and reliable, especially in difficult situations and is well able to take care of himself.
The first batch of stories have a paranormal theme, one of my favourite topics. Cutting Your Losses, in which Jack is rescued from a precarious predicament by his friend. ‘Bloody, bloody fool! Why had I risked going so near to the roof’s edge?’ And Crash where a doctor shows Jack how to help some of the other victims. ‘Shortly after we’d got moving there was an incredibly loud bang and a splintering, tearing sound.’
Then we have several adventure/mystery stories which consists of, among others, The Confession about the man who confesses to past crimes when he believes he’s about to die. ‘It’s a bomb, yes. I’m sure it is. A wartime bomb.’ And The Waxed Jacket which shows appearances can be misunderstood and very deceptive. ‘Instinct made me put my hand in and take out the chunky brown envelope, and to slip open the unsealed flap, to see a thick wad of twenty pound notes.’
The Uncashed Cheque and The Ghost of Peter Cushing are two of my favourite stories showing what a very handy and thoughtful friend Jack can be.
The third and final section is Humour/Surprises/Twists which includes The Secret, showing how gossip can get totally out of hand with the potential to ruin someone’s life. ‘Would you believe it of a vicar? Long dark hair she had, short skirt, too much make up, and driving his car into the vicarage drive at two in the morning!’ And The Foursome where Jack’s motto should be ‘be careful what you wish for.’ He gets much more than he bargained for. ‘Susanne had long dark hair, a wonderful figure, sensational smile and an intelligent lively face,’
For such short pieces each of the stories are set up well, descriptively and visually, and each has a twist at the end. They are peopled by believable, sometimes humorous, characters and situations and are easy to get drawn into. I like Jack as a protagonist and have the first two full length novels waiting on my kindle. If I didn’t already have them I would be heading over to Amazon after reading the excerpts at the end of this collection.
Book links ~ Amazon UK Amazon US
I’m reviewing this book as part of Rosie Amber’s book review team.
About the author
Having worked as a freelance journalist for past 20 years (magazines, newspapers, mainly about DIY, building and travel), writing novels part-time and getting nowhere with the conventional route to getting published, decided to self publish Rock’n’Roll Suicide on Kindle – probably my 20th novel (I hope I’ve improved with each one). It’s the first of a series featuring Jack Lockwood, a Behavioural Investigative Adviser (modern term for a criminal profiler) who also writes books about crime. He’s a troubled man, having had psychiatric problems in the past, but he;s tough enough to take on the bad guys, and he never lets anyone down. He falls in love again and again, but he;s usually unlucky with women, though he always treats them well. Am now rewriting the next Jack Lockwood novel, where he falls in love with a woman he believes may have been a killer, and may still be one . . .
Author links ~ www.geoffreydavidwest.com, Twitter, Goodreads
Dead Wrong ~ The Rho Agenda Inception #2
Author: Richard Phillips- Performed by MacLeod Andrews
- Published: Brilliance Audio, released on Audible January 2015
- Category: Crime/Thriller/Suspense, Supernatural, Sci-fi
Ex-CIA assassin Jack Gregory has been hired for a singular mission: to journey to South America and rescue an imprisoned shaman. Beloved by the struggling masses and feared by the ruling elite, shaman Tupac Inti is destined to unite Bolivia’s indigenous people and bring down the corrupt government.
The second of the Rho Agenda prequels centres around a very powerful and ancient Incan artefact known as the Sun Staff, formerly held by Pizzaro after conquering the Incan empire hundreds of years ago, now being hunted for the mystical and alien powers it’s believed to possess.
Tupac Inti, a shaman in the Quechua tribe, is currently in Palmasola prison, Bolivia. Only he knows the whereabouts of the Sun Staff. Jack Gregory has been hired to keep Tupac alive and out of the hands of an evil group of Neo-Nazis led by Conrad Altmann, the bastard son of Klaus Barbie, who needs Tupac in order to gain control of the Sun Staff. Barbie realised the Sun Staff had mystical power and had managed to return the artefact to Bolivia. Now Altmann was about to lay claim to the reality.
But Jack still had to meet the man. And then he had to get them both the hell out of here. In this part of the world, bribery was the best option for making something like that happen. The trick was to find the right people to bribe, and then to make sure that they feared Jack more than they feared the UJC. He’d accomplished the first part before getting in here. Yesterday’s violence closed the deal. Now, if Jack could avoid being poisoned in the meantime, so much the better.
Janet Price is employed by the NSA and accountable to Admiral Jonathan Riles, who has been working towards the opportunity to study the Sun Staff for the last three years, although he doesn’t subscribe to the theory claiming the activation of the Sun Staff will be the catalyst to bring a master race back to earth. Janet’s assignment is to get to Tupac Inti before Jack.
Jack is slowly succumbing more and more to the entity known as Anchanchu, and understanding more of it’s interaction with human hosts makes it vital that Jack controls Anchanchu rather than the other way around.
Jack is no stranger to dreams of a past not his own but now vivid waking visions plague him, of memories that also aren’t his, about Pizzaro and the Sun Staff. They give his mission a new meaning when he realises what they imply. It’s more than just a job to Jack now, it’s a matter of survival. Can Jack free himself from the being that controls his mind and wants to kill him? The ever more violent emotions Anchanchu evokes in Jack threaten his state of mind.
The characters, and Jack and Janet’s relationship, continue to develop as more of their back story is revealed, along with an extraordinary and well thought through storyline full of action, suspense, Neo-Nazis and corrupt officials. The writing is descriptive, detailed and powerful and it’s really a confirmation of that writing, and narration, that I was totally engaged in the story.
And again, each short and compelling chapter is from different characters’ perspectives, which works extremely well. I always enjoy MacLeod Andrews’ excellent, and wonderfully voiced, narrations and I’m looking forward to the third instalment to see how it all plays out and ties in with the Second Ship.
Drowned Murmurs
Author: Honour Amelia Dawson- Published: June 2014 by Stoats & Swan
- Category: Supernatural, Mystery
I received a copy from the author as part of Rosie Amber’s book review team.
Michaela and Sam are renovating a Victorian house. Primrose Cottage has a tragic history which somehow influences Michaela’s emotional stability. Local residents provoke a strong reaction from Michaela, their nasty accusations of abuse and child murders refer to Catherine who once lived in Michaela’s new home. Unconvinced, effected by personal conflicts, Michaela sets out to investigate Catherine’s family life, a mystery with angry undercurrents.
Set in an old house in Cornwall the story parallels the lives of two women. Michaela in the present day and Catherine, who lived there in the early 1900s and is one of Michaela’s ancestors. Michaela has inherited the house from an uncle she never met. She and her husband, Sam, are renovating the property for themselves. The house has a less than favourable history and Michaela and Sam are warned against settling there.
After having several visions about Catherine and the distressing events in her life, Michaela confides in Sam and decides she wants to prove Catherine innocent of the accusations levelled against her. Michaela is convinced the rumours surrounding Catherine are unfounded.
Catherine’s story is very sad and I appreciate the difficulties she faced as a woman without rights of any sort in the days of terrible inequality. The cultural and environmental factors of the time were not focused on the welfare or support of women. I could feel Catherine’s frustration and feelings of injustice at her helplessness.
The premise of the story is interesting and makes you wonder if evil and tragedy can live on and affect future generations.
‘You think this is about Bloomer?’Silence.‘Are you completely stupid?’He perched on the bed and reached out his hand. She knocked it away. ‘Just go, I want to be alone. And don’t bother me again.’
Sadly, I couldn’t empathize with Michaela. She comes across as very abrasive, especially to Sam, and, to be honest, I was quite surprised he took all that was dished out as meekly as he did. Although the possible cause is discovered and she is redeemed somewhat, as it’s written in the book ‘it explains but doesn’t excuse.’ For all that she wants to dig and find out the truth when Sam sees a suspicious photograph Michaela doesn’t want to take it further, saying it’s none of her business.
There are several missed edits which was quite off-putting and frustrating after a while.
Drowned Murmurs may be purchased here
You can find out more about Honor on her website, Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook
Red Moon/Sorcerer
Author: Randy Mixter- Kindle Edition
Jake Stanton, FBI Agent and former member of the U.S. Army’s elite Omega force, is dispatched to Virginia to find the murderer known only as the Red Moon Killer. Together with Silvanus Merlin, a man with extraordinary talents, they track the elusive killer who attacks only on nights of the full moon. They must hurry, for soon the moon will be full once more, and the killer will strike again.
‘The moon is rising, and a killer prowls the night.’
After reading the wonderful Swan Loch I wanted to follow Jake Stanton’s story. Before Sorcerer comes a short story, Red Moon, in which we’re introduced to Silvanus Merlin and his daughter, Keira. Jake and Merlin solve a series of gruesome murders which only occur during nights of the full moon. Merlin has an uncanny capability and is able to solve seemingly impossible cases. He is sometimes brought in by the FBI and he and Jake are assigned to the Red Moon case. They are in a race against time to find the murderer before the effects of the next full moon have more horrific consequences. A really good lead in to Sorcerer.
Author: Randy Mixter- Published: April 2013 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Category: Mystery/Suspense, Adventure, Fantasy
FBI agent Jake Stanton is a wanted man. He is wanted by the same individuals who search for Keira’s father, Silvanus Merlin, his partner in a previous case, and the man who once saved his life. Together, Stanton and Keira will journey to a place dark and dangerous, a place where an amazing discovery awaits and a secret that may change the world as we know it.
Keira hasn’t seen her father since the Red Moon case but they communicate regularly through dreams. Merlin is in danger and wants Keira to find Jake and ask for his help.
The danger involves an artefact Keira uncovered at a dig in Egypt. An artefact that could, and probably would, catastrophically change the world if it fell into the wrong hands. Even as Keira and Jake race to find Merlin, men with evil on their minds are on Merlin’s trail and they will stop at nothing to get what they want.
From a cave deep in the forests of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina to the heat and dust of Egypt, a trip undertaken by extraordinarily unconventional means, a very descriptive tale of adventure, action and mystery, with a sci-fi twist, pulled me along on a tide of suspense. Whatever thought I had of what was about to happen was turned on it’s head as something completely different transpired.
Great character development, and especially interesting is getting a little more of Merlin’s backstory and a slight insight into his amazing powers.
He leaned on the railing and closed his eyes. He set his mind free to see what it would find. When he oped his eyes an hour had passed and he had found things hidden in the dark, things born in fire, with sharp teeth and claws, crouched and ready to spring. He had been wrong, but there was still time to make the necessary changes. At least he hoped so.
I love how Randy Mixter stretches the bounds of possibility, in different ways in each novel, and compels the reader to consider unimagined concepts. The quote in the front of the book is very apt.
‘The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious’ ~ Albert Einstein
The epilogue is bittersweet. Will Jake and Emma meet again? I hope so.
Once Dead ~ Jack Gregory #1 (A Rho Agenda Prequel)
Author: Richard Phillips- Performed by MacLeod Andrews
- Released: August 2014 by Brilliance Audio on Audible
- Category: Crime/Thriller/Suspense/Supernatural, Sci-fi
Jack Gregory, the CIA’s top assassin, went rogue after a mission gone wrong. When a confrontation leaves him bleeding out on death’s doorstep, he is faced with an offer from a dark figure named Anchanchu. If Jack is willing to act as a human host for Anchanchu, the entity will revive him and give him another shot at life. Jack takes the deal…but he must now face the consequences of having the same dark creature in his head as some of history’s greatest villains. Struggling with desires and memories that are not his own, Jack is not the man he once was.
One year later, he is known internationally as The Ripper, assassin for hire, and is faced with having to wrest control of his dark compulsions while preventing a nuclear attack on the United States.
All through The Rho Agenda I was intrigued by the characters of Jack Gregory and Janet Price. What was their story? Why did Jack’s eyes sometimes seem to have a red glint? In this first of three prequels we get to learn much more about Jack and Janet and what makes them who they are.
Jack, a CIA agent on the trail of his brother’s killer, finds himself facing Carlton ‘Priest’ Williams and a gang of knife wielding thugs in a Calcutta alley. After a bloody fight Jack, well outnumbered and badly wounded, is found by a nun. Taken to a basic clinic and unable to be saved, Jack is pronounced dead. Until, that is, he’s visited by the demon, Anchanchu. Jack has an unimaginable decision to make.
Doctor Misra had filled out and signed the death certificate for one Jack Gregory, the name on the identification card in the man’s wallet. Sister Mary Judith watched as he took one last look at the chiseled face of the dead man on the table, shook his weary head, and departed……As the sheet settled over the dead man’s face, she saw something that sent a shiver up her spine, a shallow billowing in the sheet where it covered his mouth.
Jack has been freelance since his revival and it’s his latest client who inadvertently involves him and Janet in a plot, masterminded by an accomplished scientist, the Russian mafia and corrupt members of the CIA, which threatens the safety and security of the United States. Once again the integrity of intelligence agencies and governments, and the way they operate at the highest levels, is called into question.
I love the supernatural twist in the story and how it relates to Jack and his deadly skills. Richard Phillips has created a fascinating and compelling protagonist, fulfilling the promise which began in the Rho Agenda. The narrative pulled me into the story totally and, as always, MacLeod Andrews gives a superbly delivered performance whilst actually raising the bar. As each chapter comes from a different point of view so the narration reflects that person’s characterisation. It works really well. Significant character development and an extremely fast-moving plot kept me hooked until the end. This was well worth the wait.
About the author
Born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1956, Richard Phillips graduated from West Point in 1979, qualified as an Army Ranger, and served for several years as an officer in the United States Army. In 1989, he graduated with a Master of Science degree in Physics from the Naval Post Graduate School, completing his thesis work at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He then spent three years as a Research Associate at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, before completing his tour of duty as an Army Officer. He now lives in Phoenix, with his lovely wife, Carol, where he develops simulation software for the U.S. military and writes science fiction.
Road Rash
Author: Simon Janus- Published: January 2014 by Dead Wood Books
- Category: Horror/Supernatural
James Straley might think his life is cursed, but it doesn’t compare to what lies ahead of him on life’s highway. He’s on the run with the proceeds of a botched bank robbery. It’s all he has. His crew is dead and his getaway car just died on him. He’s on foot with the cash when he comes across a two-car pileup. There’s no saving the drivers, but he can save himself by stealing one of the wrecked cars. Unfortunately, he boosts the wrong set of wheels.
Within an hour of driving off, he develops a rash that eats away at his flesh. No doctor can help him – only the car’s original owner. If Straley wants his skin back, he must journey on the road to redemption, which ends in the heart of Central America
Horror is not usually my genre of choice but I was curious when I read the synopsis and the story repelled and fascinated in equal measure. I’m glad I read it.
A short but very chilling tale, fast-moving and intriguing. James Straley’s problems begin when he stumbles upon a head on collision and steals one of the cars, leaving the driver for dead. He pays an incredibly high price for his sins and even though he is extremely unlikable at the start his situation and resulting race to find some sort of cure changes him completely.
His hand itched worse than before. In the failing light he checked it out. His palm was red and hot to the touch, swelling now. He was having a reaction, but to what? He wasn’t allergic to anything. He opened the window and stuck his arm out to numb his inflamed hand with the cool evening air. His shirt sleeve blew back from his wrist to reveal the source of his itching. A hand shaped rash marked his wrist where the Caprice man had grabbed him. Straley choked on his shock.
The story starts with a crime and crosses over into the supernatural as James finds out more about the curse causing his dreadful affliction. The vivid and gruesome descriptions of the progression of James’ nightmarish rash are, well…gross is the word that comes to mind (the repelling part). As the story unfolds James’ journey takes unexpected and surprising turns as his hope builds and is crushed again and again until despair takes over.
At his journey’s end James learns that ultimately there is only one way to rid himself of the horror taking over his body. As he comes to terms with his condition and makes a life for himself where the curse originates from (the fascinating part) there’s a nice twist I didn’t see coming at the end, leaving the imagination to take over.
Road Rash may be purchased through Amazon US
About the author
Simon Janus is the horror identity for the award winning thriller writer, Simon Wood. As Simon Wood, he’s the author of four thrillers and two short collections. As Simon Janus, he’s the author of the acclaimed Road Rash and The Scrubs. Learn more about both Simons at www.simonwood.net
Our Beautiful Child
Author: Annalisa Crawford- Published: June 2014 by Battered Suitcase Press
- Category: Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction
“The Boathouse collects misfits. Strange solitary creatures that yearn for contact with the outside world, but not too much. They sit, glass in hand, either staring at the table in front of them, or at some distant point on the horizon.”
… so says the narrator of Our Beautiful Child. And he’s been around long enough to know.People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.
Ella finds love, a moment too late; Rona discovers a beautiful ability which needs refining before she gets hurt; and Sally meets the captivating Murray, who threatens to ruin everything.
Three women. Three stories. One pub.
I was given a copy in return for an honest review.
A collection of three fairly short character driven stories, supernatural and eerie, that centre around three women, a particular place and a pub named The Boathouse.
Ella: ‘It was a dream that woke me. The dream. The one I’ve had so often. Only this time there was an ending…oh, definitely there was an ending.’
Can dreams foretell the future and if so, is it possible to change the course of events.
Sally: ‘Murder. I shudder, feeling nauseous. That word…murder. It’s so menacing, so malicious. It’s so final.’
Sally is running from her dark past but how far will she go to keep it hidden.
Rona: ‘As the sun sets, Rona sways between the tables, lighting candles. Shadows hover on the walls, looming over the room – a slight menace, a slight disquiet prevails. In the furthest corner, away from the bar and the entrance, a candle refuses to be lit.’
Rona has a gift, a gift she will have to master.. or pay the ultimate price.
These women are inextricably linked, all running away from events in their lives and ending up in the same place. Each story is detailed wonderfully and evocatively written, painting vivid pictures, chilling and macabre and all with unexpected endings. These are not feel good tales but compelling nonetheless. What brings each woman to this place and why? Is the Boathouse the catalyst? Each tale is unique yet part of the whole and all are woven together very cleverly in the final story.
Our Beautiful Child may be purchased through Amazon UK
About the author
I live in Cornwall UK, with a good supply of beaches and moorland right on my doorstep to keep me
inspired. I live with my husband, two sons, a dog and a cat.
Despite my location, I neither surf nor sail, and have never had any inclination to try. I much prefer walking along a deserted beach and listening to the waves crashing over rocks. For this reason, I really love the beach in the winter!
Annalisa can be found through the following links:
Sapphire’s Divinity ~ Justine Winter
Sapphire’s Divinity, book two of the Paranormal Romance series, Nature’s Destiny, by Justine Winter, has a release date of 27th August 2014. I’m very pleased to be able to share this lovely cover with you here. (Anything wolfish gets my vote!)
I was a hybrid werewolf with a secret destiny shadowed by a prophesy the Ancient Guardians foretold. The same Ancient Guardians that had organised the annual Alpha summit Riley had been summoned to. Since Jackson’s demon threat everyone was powered up on overtime at the gym. Train, sweat, repeat. Train, sweat, repeat.
But all that rage-filled preparation wasn’t enough. We were being targeted by something new, and it didn’t stop there.
The summit was proving to be my nemesis. Egotistical morons challenged me with threats to the one I loved, and I knew I couldn’t endure a life without Riley. Besides all of that there was one thing I was finally understanding about the supernatural. Nothing was as it seemed. Not even me.
Add to Goodreads
Nature’s Destiny, the first book in the series is on sale for a limited time. It may be purchased through the following links…
About the author
I’ve always lived a life based on my imagination, from hopeless dreams of romance to concocting alternate realities involving supernaturals. I’m completely fascinated with anything hero related and often speculate which superpowers I’d possess. I haven’t settled on one yet.
I was born in England and currently reside in Wales, UK. I love to write and most days you’ll find me happily tapping at the computer whilst in my pyjama-clad bubble. I also spend my time reading and if that isn’t enough I’m often in the kitchen baking up a treat.
You can find out more about Justine on…
Twitter, Facebook, Website, Instagram, Pinterest and Goodreads
