reecaspieces

“Coauthors Steve Berry and M.J. Rose take lots of hairpin turns, making for an intense, suspenseful, and action-packed read. – Apple Books

The House of Long Ago, an all-new thrilling and mysterious tale from New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry and international bestselling author M.J. Rose is available now! 

The time has come for Cassiopeia Vitt to sell her ancestral home.  It sits on a Spanish bluff by the Mediterranean Sea, and bears the name Casa de Hace Mucho Tiempo, House of Long Ago.  Trapped inside its walls are memories from a time when Cassiopeia was growing from a rebellious adolescent into a thoughtful young woman—regretful times when she often found herself estranged from her parents.  Also inside are fifteen paintings, each one a masterpiece, together representing an investment in the tens of millions of euros—her father’s private art collection—which she intends to donate to museums.  But when an art expert declares all fifteen paintings fake, and suggests that her father may have been involved with something illegal, she embarks on a quest to find answers.

From a secret repository in Andorra, to a mysterious yacht in the Mediterranean, then finally onto the streets of Paris and a horrific reminder from World War II, Cassiopeia must battle every step of the way to stay alive—a fight that will finally bring her face to face with the truth about the House of Long Ago. 

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3c7e18Q

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2Wv0BND

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/houselongago

Nook: https://bit.ly/2yrPo8o

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3baeru9

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Lck0h7

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Yzi1LF

Review

Cassiopeia has decided the time has come to sell her parents home. As she is going through her father’s extensive art collection. She realizes all the paintings are fake. This leads her to a secret repository is the mysterious country of Andora.

Cassiopeia discovers a possible theft and her life becomes endangered. But, don’t worry…this does not deter her in the least. Cassiopeia never backs down from a fight. She is one of my favorite fictional characters. She is tough and smart as a whip.

Give me an old house and a mystery and I am set! And this one does not disappoint. This story is action packed and full of history!

I received this novel for a honest review

About Steve Berry

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of nineteen novels, which include: The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King’s Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. His books have been translated into 40 languages with 25,000,000 copies in 51 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists.

History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. It’s his passion, one he shares with his wife, Elizabeth, which led them to create History Matters, a foundation dedicated to historic preservation. Since 2009 Steve and Elizabeth have crossed the country to save endangered historic treasures, raising money via lectures, receptions, galas, luncheons, dinners and their popular writers’ workshops. To date, 3,500 students have attended those workshops with over $1.5 million dollars raised.

Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve its spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors are the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award; the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers; the Anne Frank Human Writes Award; and the Silver Bullet, bestowed by International Thriller Writers for his philanthropic work. He has been chosen both the Florida and Georgia Writer of the Year. He’s also an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board. In 2010, a NPR survey named The Templar Legacy one of the top 100 thrillers ever written.

Steve was born and raised in Georgia, graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He was a trial lawyer for 30 years and held elective office for 14 of those years. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers—a group of nearly 6,000 thriller writers from around the world—and served three years as its co-president.

Connect with Steve

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Z51dIO

Website: https://steveberry.org

About M.J. Rose

M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice…  Books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Rose is a the Co-President and founding member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz. She runs the blog, Museum of Mysteries.

In 1998, her first novel Lip Service was the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.

Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek, and New York Magazine.

She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L’Official, Poets and Writers, and Publishers Weekly.

Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the ’80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

Connect with M.J. Rose

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Z2S1Ve

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2N14QNO

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2KMwTxp

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2MglysF

Website: https://www.mjrose.com

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Overview

Set during the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, two intrepid young women–an aspiring journalist and a down-on-her-luck actress–form an unlikely friendship as they navigate a world of endless possibility, stand down adversity, and find out what they are truly made of during the glorious summer of spectacle and opportunity…

“An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me breathless.” –Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls

“A remarkable novel about the challenges women face and the courage they must summon in order to lead the lives they deserve.” –Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

Vivi Holden is closer than she’s ever been to living her dream as a lead actress in sun-dappled L.A., but an unfair turn of events sends her back to New York, a place she worked so hard to escape from. She has one last chance to get back to Hollywood–by performing well as the star of the heralded Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular at the World’s Fair. Everything seems to be working against her, but her summer in New York will lead to her biggest opportunity to find her own way, on her own terms…

Maxine Roth wants nothing more than to be a serious journalist at the iconic New York Times, but her professor has other plans. Instead, she’s landed a post at the pop-up publication dedicated to covering the World’s Fair–and even then, her big ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts. Max didn’t work this hard to be the only–and an unheard one at that–woman in the room. 

When Max and Vivi’s worlds collide, they forge an enduring friendship. One that shows them to be the daring, bold women they are, and one that teaches them to never stop holding on to what matters most, in the most meaningful summer of their lives.

Review

Max is a young lady struggling to make it in journalism. She loses the internship she wanted at the New York Times to a man. She was given the internship at the Worlds Fair news paper. Not exactly what she wanted at all.

Vivi is an up and coming actress and she is replaced in film. She is then sent to NYC to perform in the Aquacade show at the Worlds Fair. She is under the impression that if she does this, she will be given a starring role in a film in the fall.

These two ladies struggle to overcome the male world during 1939. They are both unique characters in unique situations. I loved each storyline and the author did a great job melding them together. And the historical setting of the Worlds Fair is amazing.

This is great story about friendship, feminism, and strength with a good bit of history thrown into the mix. Grab your copy today. You will not be disappointed!

I received a copy from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys.

For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler’s legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person’s paradise can be another’s prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.

After the Cuban Revolution of 1933 leaves Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a notorious American. Following her wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to her new husband, his illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.

Elizabeth Preston’s trip to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles after the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.

Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys.

Review

This story is told by three different narrators, Helen, Mirta and Elizabeth. Their lives are intertwined but they do not know it. It takes a hurricane to bring these three together.

Helen is in an abusive marriage and she is expecting. She must get away from her husband now! Mirta is a newlywed. And she does not know her husband well…at all. Elizabeth is running away from her fiancé to find her lost brother.

These three ladies are strong and resilient. They each tackle their problems differently. I connected with each of their stories immediately. The author uses a powerful, historical hurricane to unite these three into a very unique and compelling tale.

This is the best book by this author…hands down. I loved everything about it. The setting, the characters, the intensity…fantastic from start to finish.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by The Every Girl, PureWow, Book Riot, Library Journal and more.

“Forever and to the end. That’s what they say instead of I love you.”

When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it’s a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy.

Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free.

An unforgettable debut novel, Saving Ruby King is a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present and the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.

Review

Ruby’s mom has been murdered. Ruby is completely at a loss. Her mother’s death leaves her with an abusive father and with little recourse to get away. Layla, Ruby’s best friend, is always there. She is determined to help her friend but to what end. There are way too many secrets and dangers.

Wow! This is a wonderful story. This is a debut novel and the author nailed it. I fell in love with Ruby right from the start. And her and her mother’s situation terrified me. The deeper I went into this tale, the more tangled it became.

Well, if you read one book this year..this is it! It is unforgettable, amazing and intense! The way this story is twisted around itself and just keeps unfolding literally keeps the reader on the edge of the seat! And the ending! Oh my!

Plus, the author is profound in many of her statements. Her prose is unique and I cannot say enough about her talent!

This book will stay with you for a while! Do not miss this one!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Catherine Adel West is a writer/editor living on the South Side of Chicago. Her experience as a black woman shapes every aspect of her writing and she is sure to be a voice for many women. Her work has been published in Black Fox Literary Magazine, Five2One, Better than Starbucks, Doors Ajar, 805 Lit + Art, The Helix Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and most recently Kaaterskill Basin Literary Journal. Saving Ruby King is her debut novel.

Additional Praise for Saving Ruby King:

“Told with teeth and tenderness, SAVING RUBY KING is a surprising, pedal-down debut that explores what happens when the fabrics of family, faith, and friendship snag on violent machinations of the heart. Redemption and survival share a pew with reckoning and hope here, all tangled up with the ties that bind. Catherine Adel West gifts us Chicago, the black church, and a choir of flawed, wonderfully complicated characters who flash fresh with every turn of the page, who stand against the wind, who won’t go down without a fight.”

—Leesa Cross-Smith, author of Whiskey & Ribbons and So We Can Glow

“Fans of Brit Bennett’s The Mothers will be eagerly awaiting a copy. Like a Greek tragedy, West cleverly employs a cast of narrators, including the church building itself, to tell the story of a community where family is not always home, and the church does not offer sanctuary. Religion is supposed to save souls; however, Ruby and the other girls in this novel come to realize that friendship can only take you so far – then you must save yourself.”—Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books

” Using Chicago as her backdrop, West weaves a haunting and thought-provoking story about what happens when good people do really bad things to help protect the ones they love, and when secrets kept too long help create monsters among us. Saving Ruby King is a must-read.” —Dawn Braasch, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore

“A compelling story, unique perspectives, and lyrical prose–Saving Ruby King is a wonderful debut full of shadows and secrets, truths and lies, and the dark and the light that make up the church-going world of these Southside Chicago characters who overcome great trauma, both personal and political. Catherine Adel West is a voice for the invisible; her words a beacon in these divisive times.” —Samantha Kolber, Bear Pond Books

“Catherine Adel West’s stunning debut novel explores the dark and cobwebbed corners that lurk in the history of two families. Through the eyes of the Calvary Hope Christian Church, set in Chicago’s South Side, we witness the strength of community, the on-going struggle of racial divide and the sad reality of neighbors who turn a blind eye to a crisis unfolding in the house next door. The murder of Ruby King’s mother is the catalyst that forces the past to the surface and holds the key to forgiveness, hope, understanding and the possibility of a new beginning.” —Maxwell Gregory, Lake Forest Book Store

“Secrets don’t just hurt people; they kill. And Ruby isn’t the only person who needs saving in this debut novel; pretty much everyone needs help on some level. Each character tells the story in their own voice, including their church, Calvary Hope, a building who has seen many things over the years and has secrets of its own.”

—Anne Holman, King’s English Bookshop

“Catherine Adel West’s Saving Ruby King is by turns heartrending and tender. It pulls us into the lives of its characters—each more complex than the next, each caught in a moment of tragedy—and shows us the power they’ve found in their friendships and in their faith. Saving Ruby King is an excellent selection for readers looking for a story filled with grit and hope in Chicago.”—Jenny Clines, Seminary Co-op Bookstore

Overview

When the game is deception, nothing is as it seems in this novel of cunning psychological suspense by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of I’ll Never Tell.

Do you want to play a game?

Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped a cult. Thanks to the private detective who rescued her, she reintegrated into society, endured an uncomfortable notoriety, and tried to put it all behind her. Then, at an airport bar, Jessica meets a woman with an identical name and birth date. It appears to be just an odd coincidence—until a week later, when Jessica finds her bank account drained and her personal information stolen.

Following a trail of the grifter’s victims, each with the same name, Jessica gathers players—one by one—for her own game. According to her plan, they’ll set a trap and wait for the impostor to strike again. But plans can go awry, and trust can fray, and as Jessica tries to escape the shadows of her childhood, the risks are greater than she imagined. Now, confronting the casualties of her past, Jessica can’t help but wonder…

Who will pay the price?

Review

Jessica Williams has been robbed in a clever scheme. She is just not going to stand for this. Jessica begins an intricate plan to get her money back.

Jessica has a unique past. She was raised in a cult, LOT or The Land of Todd. This part of the book is fascinating. It adds so much to the story and the characters.

As this story began to unfold, I was afraid of all the “Jessica’s”… there are quite a few in this tale. I hate it when an author names a character very similar to another main character. So, I thought this would not work for me. But, Catherine McKenzie did a fabulous job. You will have to read this to see how she did it.

Catherine McKenzie just keeps getting better and better. This is her best book yet! No doubt about it! I love an unpredictable story and this one just keeps twisting and turning. Just when you think you have it figured out, it twists again.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

From the author of The Salt House and This Is Homecomes a profound novel about the power of community and a small town’s long-buried secrets as a group of New England islanders come together for a recently orphaned girl. 

On Ichabod Island, a jagged strip of land thirteen miles off the coast of Massachusetts, ten-year-old Sky becomes an orphan for the second time after a tragic accident claims the lives of her adoptive parents.

Grieving the death of his best friends, Leo’s life is turned upside down when he finds himself the guardian of young Sky. Back on the island and struggling to balance his new responsibilities and his marriage to his husband, Leo is supported by a powerful community of neighbors, many of them harboring secrets of their own.

Maggie, who helps with Sky’s childcare, has hit a breaking point with her police chief husband, who becomes embroiled in a local scandal. Her best friend Agnes, the island busybody, invites Sky’s estranged grandmother to stay for the summer, straining already precarious relationships. Their neighbor Joe struggles with whether to tell all was not well in Sky’s house in the months leading up to the accident. And among them all is a mysterious woman, drawn to Ichabod to fulfill a dying wish.

Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Ann Leary, My Kind of People is a riveting, impassioned novel about the resilience of community and what connects us all in the face of tragedy.

Review

Sky’s adopted parents have been killed in a tragic car crash. So she is an orphan for a second time. Leo becomes Sky’s guardian. It takes the whole community to come together to help Leo and Sky.

Sky is a child which tore up my heart! She has had such a tragic life but that has not stopped her from being caring, and respectful. Then there is Leo! Oh, what a great guy! He takes Sky in at risk of his marriage and does his best to give her the love she needs. Plus, there is more to Sky’s story than what the reader is lead to believe.

On top of these great characters and this fantastic story is this setting. I had never heard of Ichabod Island but it is now on my bucket list!

To say I loved this book is an understatement! I devoured this story. I read it in one day and I have already purchased Lisa Duffy’s The Salt House.

Need a great summer read…oh my…THIS IS IT!

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