Month: June 2019

Years ago, Maine State Warden Mike Bowditch was forced to provide testimony that landed his best friend, Billy Cronk, in prison. Now he receives a message from Billy’s wife, stating that Billy desperately needs to see him. Billy is asking him to investigate the background of a new prison guard, telling Mike that it’s a matter of life and death. Mike is reluctant to do so, and Billy ends the conversation telling his friend not to come back. Feeling a bit guilty, Mike does a cursory search on the prison guard, finding little information on her and heads back to the prison, only to learn that Billy is now in the hospital after being stabbed by another inmate. Upon arrival, he learns that Billy saved the life of the guard he had asked Mike to research and is in surgery. As Mike begins to learn of the events leading up to the stabbing, he feels that something is off with the situation.

Meanwhile, he receives an early AM call from an old Warden friend, Gary Pulsifer, who calls to tell Mike that Shadow, a wolf-dog hybrid that he’d had as a pup, has been mortally injured. Shadow had escaped confinement as a pup and has been running free in the woods of Maine for years. The vet fully anticipates Shadow’s death is imminent and gives Mike the crossbow that she removed from his body, Mike wants answers, and is hopeful that he can track the female wolf Shadow’s been seen with, to ensure her safety.

As Mike attempts to locate Shadow’s shooter, he meets resistance at every turn. He also manages to get on the bad side of the town terror, Gorman Peaslee, who wants nothing but revenge. Then Billy, who is awaiting a pardon from the governor, suddenly escapes prison, and Mike knows that there’s only one reason why – because his family is in danger…. As Mike rushes to protect the Cronk family, he puts himself right in the crosshairs of a dangerous gang that will stop at nothing to silence Billy – and Mike…

This is my second book in the Bowditch series, and I am hooked! I love Mike’s character and having spent some time in Central Maine, I love re-visiting that time in my life with all the familiar landmarks! Mike is a bit of a backwoods Lucas Davenport, mixed with a little Jack Reacher! Great read! You will NOT be disappointed!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Rory Moore is a forensic reconstructionist. In addition to restoring old china dolls to their original perfection, she also has a unique ability to see crimes, patterns and offenders in ways that others cannot, which makes her a valuable asset to Detective Ron Davidson, who frequently utilizes her abilities. After a six-month hiatus, he’s tossed another case her way, in the form of a broken Kessler doll – who’s young owner was murdered. Shortly thereafter, she receives a call from her father’s assistant, informing her of his death that morning, at home.

As Rory struggles to come to terms with her attorney father’s death, she has to reassign all of his casework to other area attorneys. While doing so, she finds records of a client that her father has done over 30 years of work for – and his parole board meeting is coming up quickly – leaving Rory no time to reassign the case. A lawyer herself, she must assume her father’s role in the proceedings. In researching his case, Rory learns of a young woman, Angela Mitchell, who 40 years ago, diligently worked to gather evidence against a suspect known only as The Thief, submitting it to law enforcement, before she too, became a victim. Rory feels a strange kinship with the woman, who is the only victim that The Thief (and her present client) was convicted of killing. But no trace of her body was ever found.

As Rory works to secure her client’s release, she begins to explore the mystery of Angela Mitchell, The Thief, and the missing victims he’s believed to have killed, and in doing so, unwittingly opens the door to a past that was best left buried…

Told in excerpts from Angela’s life in 1979, the killers life and Rory’s investigation in the present, the storylines converge with wild twists and turns as Rory attempts to put the pieces together, and all lines converge in a surprising (or not so surprising, but no less thrilling) climax that will keep you turning pages well into the night! I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery. Hoping that we’ll be seeing more of Rory Moore in the near future as well!! Great read!!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Mary Cardwell Savage is a young single woman living in Big Sky, Montana. Beautiful, but aloof, Mary continues to love the man who left her – her best friend and high school sweetheart Chase Steele. After receiving a package in the mail for him, Mary breaks down and pens her feelings into a letter, never intending for it to be mailed.

Chase Steele has come to terms with things. After receiving Mary’s letter, he too realizes that she’s the one he’s never stopped loving, and that it’s time to go home to Montana – and to Mary. However, someone else has read his letter…as he makes plans to set out for home, Fiona Barkley will stop at nothing to thwart his plans and gain his affection as her own….

Fiona has set her sights on Chase as a husband, and she’ll stop at nothing to get him. Believing she’ll soon transfer her affections to another man, Chase vastly underestimates Fiona. But when Fiona’s vehicle has been found in a river, the result of a one car crash, Fiona is presumed dead.

Lucy Carson, newcomer to Big Sky Montana, seems to have incredible luck. Shortly after her arrival, a barista, and tenant in Mary’s apartment, is killed by a hit and run driver, freeing up a job and an apartment for Lucy. A sweet girl, Mary soon becomes fond of her. Then Chase returns to Montana to claim his love – and things start to happen…

This was the perfect mid length story that Harlequin is famous for. A quick but captivating read, even if you know how the end will turn out. I’ve read a few of B.J. Daniels’ stories, and I’ve enjoyed every one of them! I hope to see her in some full-length novels soon – she certainly has what it takes!! Great read!!

Katie Scott is fresh off the plane from deployment in Afghanistan and undecided as to what she’ll do now. On a leave of absence from Sacramento PD, she is unsure if she wants to return to police work, especially after the atrocities she saw as part of the K9 explosives team. As a result, her Uncle Wayne, Sheriff of Pine Valley, offers her a temporary job clerking in the department, which she readily accepts. He also surprises her with her K9 partner, Cisco, who, for me, is the complete star of this book.

While dropping off some documents to his office on day, she notices a case file he left out – that of a child who’s been missing for a few months. She immediately is drawn to the file – as a child she had a friend that suddenly disappeared, never to be found. She peruses, then copies the file to study. On her off time, she starts searching remote areas for signs of a dumping site, and inadvertently finds two small depressions in the ground, that resemble graves.

When the site is excavated, and the children’s bodies are recovered, the search for the killer commences in full swing. The lead Detective on the case is now openly hostile to Katie, who has unexpectedly been promoted to Detective by her uncle and several others share his contempt. While assisting the task force, Katie quietly investigates on her own, and in doing so, she unknowingly angers a killer. Then, another child goes missing…

I loved this book!! I’m always looking for a new series, and this series is most promising! Katie and her partner Cisco, are very likeable, and there are a lot of potential characters and storylines left open for further development as the series continues. Full of suspense and hard for me to put down! I highly recommend! If you enjoy the Creed series by Alex Kava, you’ll love Katie & Cisco!

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.