Book Blitz - Burton's Solo by Richard J. Cass

An Elder Darrow Mystery, Book 3

Crime Fiction

Publisher: Encircle Publications

Published: October 2018

When Dan Burton beats up Antoine Bousquet, the clothing designer suspect in the murder of two Chinese seamstresses, he jeopardizes his job as a homicide detective and his life. Bousquet is released without bail because of Burton’s mistake. When Bousquet turns up dead, beaten and tortured, Burton becomes the prime suspect. The department’s Internal Affairs inspectors, Bousquet’s live-in lover, several Russian gangsters, and the kingpin of the Boston underworld are all looking for Burton. But Elder Darrow, his best friend and proprietor of the Esposito bar, hides Burton and helps save his position on the Boston Police Department and rescue him from death. In the process, they expose an evil scheme by which illegal immigrants were effectively enslaved to work in Antoine Bousquet’s sweat shops.

Other Books in the Elder Darrow Mystery Series:

In Solo Time

An Elder Darrow Mystery, Book 1

Publisher: Encircle Publications

Published: September 2017

An alcoholic walks into a bar . . . and buys it. At the urging of his sometimes lover and sometimes drinking partner Jacquie Robillard, Elder Darrow uses the last of the money from the trust fund his mother left him to buy the Esposito, a bucket-of-blood bar in Boston that he plans to turn into a jazz nightclub. But before he can turn the place around, the body of Timmy McGuire, a jazz guitar player, shows up on the small stage at the Esposito, stabbed to death.

Dan Burton, a Boston Homicide detective, likes Jacquie for the murder. She had a contentious relationship with the guitar player (and a few other men along the way). But one of the other men Jacquie is involved with is the son of an old-line Boston landlord with political designs on the commonwealth’s governorship. Burton arrests Jacquie for Timmy McGuire’s murder but Elder is certain something darker and deeper than a lover’s quarrel is at stake.

Jacquie is released on bail. When she shows up dead, Elder is drawn into a conspiracy going back to Timmy’s childhood, an arson in the three-decker in Mattapan where he grew up, and the unraveling of a political conspiracy. Elder’s need to solve Timmy’s murder peaks when his jazz singer lady friend, Alison Somers, is kidnapped by the perpetrators. In the end, he has to solve the mystery and rescue Alison without the help of the police or anyone else.

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Solo Act

An Elder Darrow Mystery, Book 2

Publisher: Encircle Publications

Published: September 2017

An alcoholic walks into a bar . . . and buys it. In this amateur sleuth mystery, Elder Darrow uses the last of the money from the trust fund his mother left him to buy the Esposito, a bucket-of-blood bar in Boston, hoping to turn it into a jazz nightspot. Though he knows that working in a bar is going to test his sobriety, he's relying on the support of his ex-lover, a jazz singer named Alison Somers.

The two of them split when Alison moved to New York to further her career but before she left, the two of them made a pact: he'll stay off the booze if she keeps taking her antidepressants, which keep her from another suicide attempt. Then one day Elder hears that Alison has killed herself by diving out her apartment window.

With his sobriety threatened, he follows an instinct that says she wouldn't have quit taking her meds, or killed herself, without talking to him first. Along the way, Elder encounters a beautiful collector of jazz memorabilia, a Native American gangster with aspirations to management, and a bomb-throwing piano player, as well as the usual stresses and strains of running a bar. But with the reluctant help of his friend Dan Burton, a homicide cop, Elder investigates and exposes the conspiracy of local thugs, corrupt physicians, and shipments of pharmaceuticals of questionable quality, proving that Alison was murdered and who was responsible.

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About the Author

Richard Cass is the author of the Elder Darrow jazz mystery series: Solo Act was a finalist for the 2017 Maine Literary Awards in Crime Fiction. Its prequel, In Solo Time, won the 2018 Maine Literary Award in Crime Fiction. The third book in the series, Burton’s Solo, was released November 1. Cass serves on the board of Mystery Writers of America’s New England Chapter.

Cass holds a graduate degree in writing from the University of New Hampshire, where he studied with Thomas Williams, Jr. and Joseph Monninger. He has also studied with Ernest Hebert, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Molly Gloss. He has been an Individual Artist's Fellow for the state of New Hampshire and a Fellow at the Fishtrap Writers' Conference in Oregon. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in Playboy, Gray’s Sporting Journal, ZZYZVA, and Best Short Stories of the American West.  Cass lives in Cape Elizabeth. Visit: rjcassbooks.com.

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Review: Riverboat Point by Tricia Stringer

Riverboat Point by Tricia Stringer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paperback, 400 pages

Published December 1st 2014 by Harlequin MIRA

Synopsis:

'Savannah Smith’s been hurt by life. She doesn’t need people, then she meets Ethan Daly. In the peace of Riverboat Point, magic can happen.

From the award-winning author of Right as Rain and Queen of the Road.

Savannah has a chip on her shoulder. And no wonder: apart from her tough teenage years, a car accident not only claimed her parents’ lives, but left her with permanent injuries.

She’s not close to her little brother Jax either – although she’s always been envious of his ability to just enjoy life. Jax moves to a small town, Riverboat Point, on the Murray River, and asks her to come too. She won’t leave the city but when Jax disappears leaving a vague warning to watch out for the neighbours, she’s forced to move and take over his houseboat business.

With no idea what to watch out for she keeps all the neighbours at arm’s length, including the mysterious guy next door, Ethan. Savannah is attracted to her tall dark neighbour but won’t admit it. She can trust no one. In spite of her fears, they work closely and she can’t deny the chemistry. Finally, she lets her guard down – only to discover he has been lying to her all along...

Will Jax ever return, or has he met with foul play? Who is interfering with the houseboats and stealing from the business? Will Savannah find out the truth about Jax and Ethan’s deal ... and can she ever trust Ethan again?'
My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was kind of disappointed for it to end and to leave the world of Savannah and Ethan.

I honestly liked Savannah as a main character and thought she was very realistic and likeable. It wasn't your typical 'useless female meets big macho romantic interest' story which tends to get a bit repetitive and old in romance books in my opinion. Savannah could hold her own and wasn't a brainless, needy female like what is so often portrayed in books of this nature these days.

I really enjoyed the way their romance developed slowly and that they didn't fall into bed with each other straight away. The houseboat angle was also quite interesting and not something that I've encountered in a story line before.

I was also very surprised about the ending and had no idea it was going to turn out the way that it did. Although I knew there was something sinister building, it definitely was not the result that I was thinking.

Overall, this is a story I would definitely recommend if you're after a refreshing change from most other romances and I'm certainly interested in reading more from this author in the future.

Book Blitz - The Last Caliph by T.L. Williams

Logan Alexander, Book 4

Military Thriller

Publisher: First Coast Publishers

Published: March 2019

The Last Caliph is a novel that delves into the threat foreign extremists pose to U.S. national security. Harnessing technology to recruit domestic jihadists bent on ripping the very fiber of the country apart, ISIS is on a mission to destroy the United States. America's intelligence agencies, military and law enforcement are at the forefront of an intense effort to preserve and protect what all hold dear: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The White House has declared ISIS vanquished and the president has ordered U.S troops home from the Middle East. But CIA Operations Officer, Logan Alexander, knows the threat is real. Working with Special Forces personnel, the CIA and law enforcement, Logan attempts to penetrate the terrorist group. In this 4th book in the Logan Alexander series, Logan faces his most lethal foe.

Other Books in the Logan Alexander Series:

Cooper's Revenge

Logan Alexander, Book 1

Publisher: First Coast Publishers

For fans of Tom Clancy, James Patterson and Vince Flynn novels, T.L. Williams debut novel, Cooper's Revenge hits the mark. It immediately draws the reader in as Navy SEAL, Logan Alexander, attempts to put his life back together following a career-ending injury in Afghanistan, when he learns that his younger brother, Cooper, has been killed in an ambush while on patrol with his Ranger unit in Iraq. As Alexander delves into the circumstances leading to Cooper's death, he learns of the role that the secret arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Qods Force, plays in exporting terror. Alexander vows to avenge his brother's death. With the financial backing of a Kuwaiti billionaire, and a group of like-minded Special Forces operatives, Alexander conceives a plan that takes his team to the Sonora Desert, Europe, and the Middle East, where he comes face-to-face with the man responsible for Cooper's death.

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Unit 400 The Assassins

Logan Alexander, Book 2

Publisher: First Coast Publishers

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is reeling from a devastating attack on its covert training center in Bandar Deylam, Iran. In retaliation Iran’s Supreme Ruler unleashes an ultra secret weapon - Unit 400. This cadre of trained assassins has its roots in ancient Persian culture, when Ismaili leader, Hassan al-Sabbah, unleashed the Hashashin from their mountain fortress at Alamut to assassinate political and religious foes. One man stands in their way - former Navy SEAL Logan Alexander. In this exciting sequel to award winning author, T.L. Williams' debut novel, Cooper’s Revenge, Logan and his Special Forces team travel to Europe and South America in an effort to track down the elusive killers before they can strike again.

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Zero Day: China's Cyber Wars

Logan Alexander, Book 3

Publisher: First Coast Publishers

For readers who enjoyed Tom Clancy and James Patterson thrillers, CIA veteran T. L. Williams unfolds a chilling—and highly conceivable—scenario in his latest novel, ZERO DAY: China's Cyber Wars.  Moving between Chongqing, China and Langley, Virginia, this fast-paced spy thriller revolves around a plot by the Chinese government to seize the edge on global power by undermining the U.S. economy.  Armed with an underground force of hackers, China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has a mission: to destroy confidence in the dollar by launching persistent, aggressive cyberattacks on America’s banking system.  Revenge—against the Communist Party for his father’s shameful death, Li Jiang, a senior Public Security Bureau officer in Chongqing, lets America in on the covert details of China’s masterful cyberattack plan.  To vet and handle this potential asset, the CIA dispatches Logan Alexander, a former Navy SEAL, working undercover in Hong Kong, to China.  Logan quickly comes to trust Li. But the brass back in Langley have doubts. Could Li be a double agent? Or could a trusted American be spying for the Chinese?  Reviewed by the CIA, ZERO DAY is packed with authentic insider details. As discussed on FOX, NBC, CBS,ABC and NPR, Williams latest novel is a must read. KIRKUS Reviews, the Midwestern Book Review, Foreword Reviews and Creative Loafing have all praised Zero Day with critical acclaim.

ZERO DAY, the third book in the Logan Alexander series, follows the award-winning Cooper's Revenge and Unit 400: The Assassins.

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About the Author

T.L. Williams is a veteran officer of the CIA's clandestine service. Over a thirty-year career he served in Asia, Europe and Central Eurasia, where he was engaged in clandestine collection of critical intelligence with an emphasis on denied-area operations. Williams conducted recruitment operations against East Asian, Middle Eastern, East European and Caribbean targets. As Chief in CIA Stations he was the senior U.S. intelligence official in country. He partnered with foreign allies in counterterrorism, counternarcotics and counterproliferation operations.

Williams' other award-winning novels include Cooper's Revenge, Unit 400: The Assassins and Zero Day: China's Cyber Wars. He and his wife live in northern Florida.

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Review: Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon

Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love & Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published September 18th 2018 by Touchstone

Synopsis:

'Academy award-winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm.

Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery.

Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids—not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in these pages, you will learn Reese’s fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favourite southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks.

It’s easy to bring a little bit of Reese’s world into your home, no matter where you live. After all, there’s a southern side to every place in the world, right?'

My Thoughts:
I actually really enjoyed reading this book. It's one of those frivolous purchases to just chill out with and remember that life isn't so serious all of the time.

I loved reading all the little bits of inside information into Reese's home life and how her life was growing up and this book certainly showcases how priviledged and well-off her family must have been. You get a real inside view into exactly how Reese has become the person she is today and what shaped her personality and family values growing up so if you're a fan of hers, you'll really love this book.

This is a very fun book and not one to take too seriously. It does contain some interesting raw truths as well which was quite refreshing. There's nothing worse than when someone tries to look too perfect all the time.

There are some interesting and tasty recipes scattered throughout and I'll definitely be trying some out with my family in the near future.

If anything it makes a pretty coffee table book to flick through whenever you're feeling a little flat or if you're in need of a lighthearted conversation starter.