Review | Bogs, Brews and Banshees by Rowan Dillon

May 6, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

She’s looking for a fresh start. But with eerie noises in the night and murder most foul, can she keep from going down for a crime she didn’t commit?Skye Brigid O’Shea is desperate for an escape. Losing big in a nasty divorce and taking the fall for a patient’s death, the stressed-out thirty-two-year-old jumps at the chance to move to Ireland after inheriting her grandmother’s B&B. But the nosy American quickly lands back in hot water when she investigates unearthly howls and discovers the disagreeable local she argued with earlier stone-cold dead.

Named as the prime suspect, Skye finds herself relying on the constable’s wife and the cryptic clues from her gran’s talking black cat to clear her name. But when her ancestor’s diary points to a supernatural culprit, the ex-nurse isn’t sure if she’s cracked the case or lost her mind.

Can this novice detective overcome a rival pub owner, a dogged policeman, and a thick web of ancient myths to stay out of the slammer?

Bogs, Brews, and Banshees is the charming first book in the Skye O’Shea paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like amateur sleuths, fish out of water, and sídhe sidekicks, then you’ll love Rowan Dillon’s snarkalicious whodunit.

I’ve read a good amount of cozies and know the general format of them, so am excited to see more paranormal ones coming out. From the get go I feel like Skye’s character was well established, you learn right away some of the struggles she’s been going through as well as where her emotional state is at. I did feel that for a little bit the pacing was a little slow, but once the mystery really gets going the story picks up. Skye delves more into her new home and all the somewhat odd things that she encounters. While I felt Skye was really well established, I did want a little more on the other characters – but I’m assuming as the series goes on they will be developed more. Overall this one was really fun and a very enjoyable read.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian | Review

February 23, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER meets Stephen King in this character-driven thriller about a study group of six teenagers who witness something tragic in an abandoned mine, which comes back to haunt them 20 years later.

SIX CLASSMATES.

ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT.

A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING…

There’s more to Wesley Falls than meets the eye, but for six high school students, it’s home.

Kelly, the new girl and rule-follower.

Maddy, the beauty and the church favorite.

Padma, the brains and all-A student.

Casey, the jock and football star.

James, the burnout and just trying to make it to graduation.

And Jia, the psychic, who can see the future.

When these six are assigned to work on a summer group project, their lives are forever changed. At an end of the year party in the abandoned mine, they witness a preventable tragedy, but no one will take them seriously. As things escalate, they realize the church, the police, and the town’s founders are all conspiring to cover up what happened. When James is targeted as the scapegoat, to avoid suspicion, they vow their silence and to never contact each other again. Their plan works – almost.

Twenty years later, Maddy is found murdered is Wesley Falls, and the remaining five are forced to confront their past and work together to finally put right what happened all those years ago. If they can survive…

BUY LINKS | Bookshop.org | Amazon | B&N

Do not let the complexity of the characters and plot of this one scare you, once you get through the beginning you may be sucked in like I was. I could not put this one down once I really got into it and had to know what was going to happen to each of the characters. It does have more of a slow burn vibe and is more character driven then plot driven, which I know may not appeal to everyone – for me it really worked. I really enjoyed the overall feel of the book, a wonderful mix of mystery, mystical and horror. I felt like all the characters felt unique and enjoyed seeing their paths throughout the story. I didn’t necessary love all of them, but still felt each was authentic. I would definitely read from this author again as I really enjoyed this one and liked the experience of seeing where it went.

Vera Kurian is a writer and scientist based in Washington DC. Her debut novel, NEVER SAW ME COMING (Park Row Books, 2021 was an Edgar Award nominee and was named one of the New York Times’ Best Thrillers of 2021. Her short fiction has been published in magazines such as Glimmer Train, Day One, and The Pinch. She has a PhD in Social Psychology, where she studied intergroup relations, ideology, and quantitative methods. She blogs irregularly about writing, horror movies and pop culture/terrible TV.

SOCIAL LINKS | Author website | IG | Twitter

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | The Framed Woman of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace | Review

February 17, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.

After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.

With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…

Buy Links | BookShop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Books A Million

I’ve been in the mood for more mysteries and thrillers lately and this one really piqued my interest, so I was eager to grab it. Though the story itself started out pretty slow, it was hard not to get invested in Jo and her story. I found the mystery itself fun and interesting and really enjoyed how all the characters played off of each other in some ways. Each character had a good identity, which is hard to do – though Jo was by far my favorite character, her personality and character really shone through. The mystery itself was fun and I felt that the ending did a good job of wrapping everything up without any lingering questions. This was exactly the read I wanted.

Brandy Schillace, PhD, is a historian of medicine and the critically acclaimed author of Death’s Summer Coat: What Death and Dying Teach Us About Life and Living and Clockwork Futures: The Science of Steampunk. The editor-in-chief of the journal Medical Humanities, she previously worked as a professor of literature and in research and public engagement at the Dittrick Medical History Center and Museum. Brandy also hosts the Peculiar Book Club Podcast, a twice-monthly show.The Framed Women of Ardemore House, featuring an autistic protagonist caught at the center of a murder mystery, is her fiction debut. Brandy is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation. Find her at https://brandyschillace.com/

Happy reading!

Review | The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

January 5, 2024 DeAnneLeave a comment

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut.

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

I was hooked on the concept of is it a haunted house, could there be an intruder or is the MC going mad, so I was excited to pick it up. I sometimes hesitate when it’s an unreliable narrator, especially when it’s a woman who drinks a lot, since that’s a too common trope. I enjoyed the slow unwinding of Sarah and Joe’s past and what had led them to the point they are at today. I also enjoy the additional perspectives that pop up later and further expand the angles we see the story from. There were definitely some messy spots and lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing until right before the end. I felt the final twist was a good one and not entirely expected. The writing was also compelling and made it an easy book to consume in one sitting.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd | Review

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020 DeAnneLeave a comment

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd delivers an all-new thriller, featuring a bold and brash female protagonist.

WRONG JOB
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME
Evie’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse.

WRONG ALIBI
At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family?

I did not expect this book to fly by as fast as it did and was surprised by how fast it seemed to go. This is my first experience with Dodd’s writing but I was pulled in by the writing and the way it flew by. I did feel like it could have been honed a bit as sometimes it did seem that some things weren’t necessary, or were affecting the other aspects of the story in ways they didn’t need to, but overall it was a really enjoyable read with vibrant characters. I look forward to picking up some of Dodd’s other books in the future when looking for a good mystery.

New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd writes “edge-of-the-seat suspense” (Iris Johansen) with “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (ALA Booklist). Her fifty-eight books have been called “scary, sexy, and smartly written” by Booklist and, much to her mother’s delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list at www.christinadodd.com.

Happy reading!

Review | Violet Tendencies by Kate Dyer-Seeley

August 17, 2020August 16, 2020 DeAnneLeave a comment

Britta Johnston and her aunt Elin are delighted that their Portland floral boutique is part of the city’s Rose Festival, which draws thousands to the Pacific Northwest for dragon boat races, fireworks, and other attractions–capped off by a big parade. They’re building a float that’s sure to rock the judge’s boat . . . until a gang of angry protestors shows up. The group, who call themselves Dark Fusion, are decidedly not into flower power, and they want to take down the system . . . including the upcoming extravaganza.

Then their leader is strangled with a garland of violets–and Britta finds the body. With tensions running high and so much at stake, there are plenty of suspects, from the Grand Marshal to a longtime volunteer to a former Rose Queen. But before Britta and Elin can stem the violence, the case is going to get even more explosive . . .

I love the Rose City Mystery series for a number of reasons, but firstly because of how Dyer-Seeley describes Portland and flowers. I really enjoyed this installment in the series, as we follow Britta and Elin as they create a float for the Rose Festival Parade as well as deal with a group of anarchist protesters who are focusing on the parade and making sure it doesn’t go to plan. Britta, as always, is a strong woman who wants to find out the truth, though that often ends up in her getting into sticky situations. I loved the further depth that Tomo had in this book and would have loved even more about Pete as he and Britta continued their will they/won’t they relationship. Also, learning more about Elin’s past was a great interjection and really filled out her character even more. All in all a great mystery that will leave you changing your mind on how the killer is just as much as Britta.

Happy reading!

Review | Goldie Vance Vol. 1

May 8, 2020May 8, 2020 DeAnneLeave a comment

From Nancy Drew to Veronica Mars, we really dig girl detectives! Eisner award-winning writer Hope Larson (Batgirl) and Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!) present the newest gal sleuth on the block with Goldie Vance, an exciting, whodunnit? adventure that mixes the fun of Eloise with the charm of Lumberjanes. 16-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and dreams to one day become the hotel’s in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery utilizing her smarts, random skills, and connections with the hotel staff and various folks in town.

I knew very little going in to Goldie Vance, but I had heard it compared to Nancy Drew so obviously wanted to check it out. It was adorable and fun, as well as fast paced. The characters were very easy to get to know as they were introduced and given individual identities pretty quickly. There were times that Goldie’s actions were very extreme, so that made some of it even less believable, but the whole story was a fun caper that you had to suspend disbelief for in some ways.

If you’re looking for a humorous whodunit with characters that practically jump off the pages with personality, this is definitely a great one.

Goldie Vance volume one is currently available in kindle unlimited, so if it interests you be sure to give it a try. Happy reading!

Cold Backed | Audio Blitz

May 6, 2020May 6, 2020 DeAnne1 Comment

Author Candace Carrabus and the Audio Flow are delighted to share Cold Backed: A Dream Horse Mystery Prequel narrated by Melissa Moran. You can listen for FREE. Come check out this murder mystery and look for the rest of the audio series coming this summer! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Cold Backed: A Dream Horse Mystery Prequel

Viola Parker can’t land a job since the famous jumper, Wastrel, crashed to his death with her aboard. She can barely afford her whipped-cream-in-a-can addiction. When she finds her mentor unconscious, she suspects foul play and wonders if her old friend, Harry, has answers. But Harry disappears with the truth, leaving behind a mysterious delivery and cryptic confession.

A short story prologue to the Dream Horse Mysteries with a preview of On the Buckle: Dream Horse Mystery #1.

Dream Horse Mystery series:

On the Buckle, Dream Horse Mystery #1
Run Out, Dream Horse Mystery #2
Wrong Lead, Dream Horse Mystery #3

Listen to the Dream Horse Mystery Prequel For Free

3 ways to enjoy it.

Listen to the sample above.
Download the mp3 and listen on your desktop or favorite app.
Download the Podcast App & Podcast Player – Podbean and listen for FREE right from your phone.

About the Author

Candace Carrabus writes from the Lincoln County, Missouri farm she shares with her husband and daughter. A scoliosis diagnosis at age 11 changed her life. A horse lover from a young age, she signed up for riding lessons and learned much more than posting trot. With quiet power, horses provided comfort and a sympathetic ear, never judging or poking fun at her cumbersome back brace. Those years, though often difficult, taught Candace the value of persistence, the healing power of believing in oneself, and how strength can be gained through kindness. Her stories are imbued with the irresistible wonder, mystery, and solace her equine friends have provided.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Enter and Win
Open to US residents. Enter to win a handcrafted book pillow and a signed copy of the Dream Horse Mystery series.

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Review: Heart of the Matter

February 28, 2020February 28, 2020 DeAnne1 Comment

Addison Moore, a well-known psychiatrist, is having difficulty coming to terms with the death of her grandmother, Cookie. The woman was everything to her after her parents died in a plane crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. Little did Addy know, an old picture tucked away in the family bible of Cookie with a handsome stranger would lead her to a discovery for which she is little prepared.

Ethan Taylor is an art historian. He’s lived with his Great Uncle Ben for a long time and would do anything for him. He never anticipated Ben’s dying wish would introduce him to his biggest sacrifice.

Neither Addy nor Ethan are prepared for the lengths at which their families went through to keep Cookie and Ben apart. As they put the pieces together, they uncover a decade’s old unsolved murder implicating Cookie and Ben. Will Addy and Ethan’s blossoming love be able to stand the strain of finding the truth? Will they be able to get to the heart of the matter?

This one was such a fun read! We follow two people who have recently gone through tremendous loss and are drawn together because of the relationship between the people they lost. Addy and Ethan are instantly attracted and both want to discover what the relationship was between their loved ones. Along with that there’s a mystery that needs to be solved regarding events that happened in the past.

It is a whirlwind story and a super quick read. There is a touch of insta-love but with the length of the book that is completely reasonable. There’s just enough mystery to keep you intrigued within the story. In essence it is a very warm story about two people finding love, but there are definitely some deeper subjects explored such as grief and moving on. I would definitely pick up more stories by this author in the future as I truly enjoyed this story, the characters and the writing style.

Heart of the Matter is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to pick it up!

Happy reading!

Review: Murder Is a Debate

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 DeAnneLeave a comment

Nora and her two best friends, Liv and Nina, aren’t like most people. Nora is the private school kid; the rich girl, though everyone hates her. Liv and Nina attend the run-down public school on the opposite side of town where the football team is a solid two and the art department was shut down due to funding. Their worlds should have never collided, but they had one common factor that brought them together, murder.

In an online mystery chat room, the three girls meet and decide to form The Murder Club. Each week one of the girls must come up with a murder scenario for the other two to solve. It’s fun. It’s active. It’s also deadly.

When one of Nora’s classmates ends up dead, she’s suspicious of her new friends. His death mirrors the very same scenario Nora came up with in their previous meeting. As clues emerge, pointing more definitively at the members of the Murder Club, Nora begins digging for her own clues, bringing fantasy to reality. Could Liv and Nina be involved, and if so why?

They were all curious, but the question is, was one of them too curious?

I didn’t know much about this story going in, but the description caught my interest so I decided to give it a listen. This story was a lot of fun, while also addressing a lot of deeper issues such as anxiety and mental health. The main character, Nora, really goes through a lot of things that are only made worse by figuring out that she has issues with anxiety. A lot of the other characters contribute negatively to that, but there are definitely some stars that are loyal and truly want to help her as she works to unravel what is going on in her town.

This was really well written and a quick mystery that had a few great twists that kept me guessing. I was fairly sure I knew who was doing everything, then was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong, which is always a good sign for me!

Happy reading!