SEDUCED BY A STEELE by Brenda Jackson (Harlequin Desire, April 2020) WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY by Melissa Senate (Harlequin Special Edition, April 2020) THE FLAPPER’S FAKE FIANCé by Lauri Robinson (Harlequin Historical, April 2020) COPYCAT KILLER by Laura Scott (Love Inspired Suspense, April 2020) AN AMISH EASTER WISH by Jo Ann Brown (Love Inspired, April 2020) HOSTILE PURSUIT by Juno Rushdan (Harlequin Intrigue, April 2020) 48 HOUR LOCKDOWN by Carla Cassidy (Harlequin Intrigue, April 2020) THE INNOCENT’S FORGOTTEN WEDDING by Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents, April 2020) SECRET HEIR SEDUCTION by Reese Ryan (Harlequin Desire, March 2020) THE AMISH TEACHER’S DILEMMA by Patricia Davids (Love Inspired, March 2020) BEFORE HE VANISHED by Debra Webb (Harlequin Intrigue, March 2020) TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION by Jayci Lee (Harlequin Desire, February 2020) BLAME IT ON THE BILLIONAIRE by Naima Simone (Harlequin Desire, February 2020) HER HOMECOMING WISH by Jo McNally (Harlequin Special Edition, February 2020) MOUNTAIN HOSTAGE by Hope White (Love Inspired Suspense, February 2020) HER TWIN BABY SECRET by Therese Beharrie (Harlequin Romance, February 2020) WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW by Debra Webb (Harlequin Intrigue, February 2020)
Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus By Joe Canzano Genre: Science Fantasy
About the Book
When outlaw Suzy Spitfire flies to Venus in search of a vicious serial killer, she’s looking for the road to redemption—but instead, she quickly becomes involved in a gang war, a revolution, and a desperate attempt to protect a young girl from a violent future.
Join Suzy Spitfire and her friends for another wild ride through the solar system!
*This book contains profanity.
About the Author
Joe Canzano is a writer and musician who lives in New Jersey, U.S.A. His latest novel is called “Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus,” an action-packed science fantasy with a dose of dark humor. For more information about Joe, please visit http://www.happyjoe.net.
Suzy Spitfire ran a slender finger through her coppery hair and tried to smile. With a little luck, she looked like all the other peaceful pedestrians strolling through downtown Atlanta. It was a hot summer night, and the hover-cars roared by, and it would be nice to blend in with the waves of smiley people on the busy sidewalks—but no, they all seemed so distant. They’re all part of a big pretty picture, she thought, and I’m part of something else. Of course, none of them were wanted fugitives throughout the Nine Nations of Earth, not to mention the rest of the solar system. None of them were being followed by an ugly guy with bad intentions. Suzy squinted at the carnival scene on the street but kept smiling. She sauntered past a few touristy bars, and a pounding dance club, and a writhing three-dimensional advertisement for cosmetic body sculpting. The light from every window was blasting her in the face like a firing squad. Her skin felt fried and her eyeballs ached. I’ve got no regrets, she thought—but it would be nice to have fewer people chasing me, or at least someone more attractive. She glanced at a reflection in a flashing window. Yeah, the ugly dude was still back there. Then she saw the slick showroom of an air taxi service offering fast rides to Daytona Beach. For one second, her smile became real as she recalled her sister, walking on a different beach so long ago. She used to follow me, too, Suzy thought. But her intentions had been sweet. Her mind filled with a picture of two little girls. Trish was four years younger, giggling as she followed Suzy around in the surf with a pail and shovel. She was looking for seashells and building a sand castle, and crying as it collapsed beneath a diabolical wave. Suzy was laughing as usual, telling Trish it was no big deal, they could build another one tomorrow so don’t worry about it. But Trish was always worried. It was just her nature. Even in old photos, at the age of three, she had a worried look on her face—like she knew what was coming. But I didn’t know, Suzy thought. And now Trish was gone, and she was on the run—and she was going to shoot this fucker who was following her. Because that’s my nature. She dropped her hand down near the Series 7 pulse pistol strapped to her thigh, right under her jet-black skirt. Was she proud of her nature? Not always. And was this guy a cop or something worse? And did it matter? A cop would be part of a team, harder to evade. A cop would also have to follow certain procedures, at least out here on an open street. A bounty hunter, on the other hand, would be more inclined to do something desperate and stupid. And this guy looked stupid, based on the conspicuous trench coat he was wearing in the sultry summer heat. But an opponent with a small brain isn’t always a good thing. A dumb guy will often take a big risk, something crazy and unpredictable. Sometimes the dumb ones are the most dangerous. She had a quick vision where she just whirled and shot him in the face. She paused and gave a grim sigh. I’m not that dumb anymore, she thought. And sometimes it’s a shame. Being smart is no fun at all. It was too bad this had to happen now; she had somewhere to go. It was a hopeful place, too—maybe. A place where someone like her might get a new start. But this guy was screwing everything up. She swore softly to herself and took a deep breath, cooling her rage a bit. The last thing she needed was to end up surrounded by bloody body parts—again. She stopped in front of a Mexican restaurant called El Sol and glanced sideways down the expanse of Peachtree Street. The smell of spicy rice and burritos wafted into her nostrils, just like it had back in her hometown of Diego Tijuana, where other people sometimes tried to kill her. Meanwhile, the guy had also stopped. He was looking at his allcom, maybe just staring at a blank screen, or maybe actually communicating with somebody. All right, it was time to make her move.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season Author: Molly Fader ISBN: 9781525804557 Publication Date: June 6, 2020 Publisher: Graydon House Books
BOOK SUMMARY For fans of Robyn Carr, commercial women’s fiction about three generations of women who come together at the family orchard to face secrets from the past and learn to believe in the power of hope and forgiveness.
In cherry season, anything is possible…Everything Hope knows about the Orchard House is from her late-mother’s stories. So when she arrives at the Northern Michigan family estate late one night with a terrible secret and her ten-year-old daughter in tow, she’s not sure if she’ll be welcomed or turned away with a shotgun by the aunt she has never met.Hope’s aunt, Peg, has lived in the Orchard House all her life, though the property has seen better days. She agrees to take Hope in if, in exchange, Hope helps with the cherry harvest—not exactly Hope’s specialty, but she’s out of options. As Hope works the orchard alongside her aunt, daughter, and a kind man she finds increasingly difficult to ignore, a new life begins to blossom. But the mistakes of the past are never far behind, and soon the women will find themselves fighting harder than ever for their family roots and for each other.
Chapter 1
Hope had never seen a dark so dark. It had heft and dimension, like she was driving right into an abyss. She thought about waking up Tink in the back to show her, but the girl had finally fallen asleep and she needed the rest. And Hope needed a break. Who knew traveling with a completely silent, angry and traumatized ten-year-old could be so exhausting? Hope’s phone had died when she got off the highway about twenty minutes ago. In those last few minutes of battery she had tried to memorize the directions: Left on Murray Street. Slight right onto County Road 72. Your destination is five miles on the right. But County Road 72 wasn’t well marked and now she feared she was lost. Well, for sure she was lost; in the grand scheme of things she was totally off the map. But she was clinging to the one ratty thread of hope she had left in her hand. And then just as that tiny bit of thread started to slip out of her fingers, from the murk emerged a blue sign. County Road 72. The road took a long arcing right into the dark, and she unrolled her window, trying to keep herself awake. Adrenaline and gas station coffee could only do so much against two sleepless nights. Her yawn was so wide it split her lip. Again. Copper-tasting blood pooled in her mouth. “Shit,” she breathed and pressed the last of the napkins against her mouth. She was even out of napkins. In the back, Tink woke up. Hope heard the change in her breathing. The sudden gasp like she was waking up from a nightmare. Or into one. Hard to say. “Hey,” Hope said, looking over her shoulder into the shadows of the back seat. Her daughter’s pale face like a moon slid into the space between the driver and passenger seats. “We’re almost there.” Hope sounded like they were about to drive up to the gates of Disney World. Tink rubbed her eyes. “Did you see the stars?” Hope’s voice climbed into that range she’d recently developed. Dementedly cheerful. Stepford Mom on helium. She winced at the sound of it. That wasn’t her. It wasn’t how she talked to Tink. And yet she couldn’t tune her voice back to normal. “There are so many of them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars.” Tink ducked her head to look out the windshield and then turned to cock her head at an angle so she could look out the passenger windows. They’d gone to an exhibit about the constellations at the Science Center a year ago and Tink still talked about it. Pointing up at Sirius like she’d discovered it herself. “Aren’t those the pieties?” Hope got the name wrong on purpose, hoping for a snotty-toned correction from her miniature astronomer. Or at least a throat-clearing scoff. But no. “Sooner or later you’re going to talk to me,” she said. “You’re going to open that mouth and all the words you haven’t said all day are gonna come pouring out.” Silence. “Do you want to ask me questions about where we’re going?” They were, after all, heading deep into Northern Michigan to a place she and Tink had never been, and Hope had never told her about until today. Tink rubbed her eyes again. “Or maybe what happened…tonight?” Her gaze bounced between Tink and the road. When you’re older, you’ll understand. When you’re a mom, you’ll understand. She wanted to say that to her daughter, but she herself barely understood any of what had happened the last two days. Still silence. Hope tried a different angle. “I’m telling you, Tink. I know you and you can’t keep this up much longer. I’ll bet you ten bucks you say something to me in five…four…three…two…” She pulled in a breath that tasted like tears and blood. Please, honey. Please. “One.” She sighed. “Fine. You win.” Her beat-up hatchback bounced over the uneven asphalt and Tink crawled from the backseat into the front, her elbow digging into Hope’s shoulder, her flip-flopped foot kicking her in the thigh. The degree of parenting it would take to stop Tink from doing that, or to discuss the potential dangers and legality of it, was completely beyond her. She was beyond pick your battles, into some new kind of wild west motherhood. Pretend there were no battles. They drove another five minutes until finally, ahead, there was a golden halo of light over the trees along the side of the road, and Hope slowed down. A gravel driveway snaked through the darkness and she took it on faith that it had been five miles. “This is it.” Please let this be it. The driveway opened up and there was a yellow-brick, two-story house. The Orchard House. That was what Mom called it in the few stories she’d told about growing up here. Actually, the words she used were The Goddamn Orchard House. It was a grand old-fashioned place with second-story windows like empty eyes staring down at them. White gingerbread nestled up in the corners of the roof, and there was a big wide porch with requisite rocking chairs. Seriously, it was so charming, it could have been fake. The car rolled to a stop and Hope put it in park. Her maniacal new voice failed her, and she just sat there. Silent. Suddenly the front door opened and a dog – a big one, with big teeth – came bounding out. Cujo stopped at the top of the steps and started barking. Behind the dog came a woman in a blue robe carrying a shotgun. Tink made a high panicked sound in her voice, climbing up in her seat. Hope’s impulse was to turn the car around and get out of there. The problem was there was nowhere to turn around to. They had no place left to go. “It’s okay, honey,” Hope lied. She went as far as to put her hand over Tink’s bony knee, the knob of it fitting her palm like a baseball. “Everything’s going to be all right.” More desperate than brave, Hope popped open the door. The dog’s bark, unmuffled by steel and glass, was honest-to-god blood curdling. “Hi!” she yelled, trying to be both cheerful and loud enough to be heard over the barking. “Get your hands up,” the woman on the porch shouted. Hope shoved her hands up through the crack between the door and the car and did a kind of jazz hands with her fingers. “What do you want?” the woman asked. “Are you Peg—” “I can’t hear you.” She stood up, her head reaching up over the door. “Are you Peg?” “Never mind, me. Who the hell are you?” She pointed the business end of the gun toward them. Hope quickly side-stepped away from the car door, and Tink reached across the driver’s seat and slammed it shut. The heavy thud of the engaged lock was unmistakeable. “You don’t know me—” “No shit!” “My name is Hope,” she said. The gun lowered and the woman’s face changed. From anger to something more careful. “Hope?” “Yeah. I’m Denise’s girl. I’m…well, you’re my aunt?”
Molly Fader is the author of The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets. She is also the award-winning author of more than forty romance novels under the pennames Molly O’Keefe and M. O’Keefe. She grew up outside of Chicago and now lives in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter, @mollyokwrites.
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.
Actress (The Good Wife and Law and Order SVU, to name a few), Writer, Director and Multiple Award-Winning Audiobook Narrator. She has recorded over 400 titles of all genres for various publishers. She can be seen in an upcoming episode of Virgin River on Netflix soon. Thérèse has narrated all 20 books in the Virgin River (by Robyn Carr) series and voiced every single character in each book (men, women and children)!
Thérèse Plummer won the 2019 Audie Award for her work on the multicast, Sadie by Courtney Summers for Macmillan Audio, and was nominated for the Multicast Any Man by Amber Tamblyn for Harper Audio and her solo narration for The Rogue: Planets Shakenby Lee W. Brainard for Podium Publishing. The American Library Association (ALA) awarded her work on Sourdough by Robin Sloan as part of the 2018 Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration for Adult Listeners. Thérèse has been nominated for 5 Audie Awards in 2018 and won for her Multicast narration for Penguin RandomHouse’s production of See You In the Cosmos by Jack Cheng. She was named AudioFile’s Best Voices of the Year in 2015 for her work on Robyn Carr’s A New Hope. Thérèse is the voice of Maya Hansen in the Marvel Graphic Motion Comic Ironman Extremis, Dr. Fennel in Pokemon and for various Yu-Gi-Oh characters. Television Guest Star Roles on The Good Wife, Law and Order SVU and Virgin River for Netflix. Regional Theatre: Sister James in Doubt. Learn more at www.thereseplummer.com
During these uncertain times, mindfulness is key to sustaining social distancing and what better way to escape the news than to get lost in a classic or try out a new release? What is more, there are many services out there right now that are offering free audiobooks and subscription services!
One size fits all, they are easily portable (in your phone!), and you can listen while doing something else: driving, in the tub, working out, cooking the big meal, etc. Here are a few of my top picks for this summer reading/listening season:
Virgin River by Robyn Carr (Also on Netflix)
The Jetsetters by Amandaa Eyre Ward
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. Webb
The Country Guesthouse by Robyn Carr
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan
Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenburg
Some Sing Some Cry by Ntozake Shange, Ifa Bayeza
There’s a Word for That by Sloane Tanen
TALKING POINTS
How storytelling saved her life and has helped so many others: from the characters who have impacted Thérèse to the heartwarming stories of how her narration has made a difference to listeners (she receives fan mail from veterans with PTSD and family members of the blind, among others).
In such an expanding media landscape, very little is often known about the actors who bring audiobooks to life. A behind-the-scenes look at narration (going from man to woman, from English to Irish at a moment’s notice.)
The market for audiobook listeners keeps rising. When we listen to a book (the rise of audiobooks might have to do with busy lives/ long commutes/ multitasking), we are still allowed to use our imagination to create the characters or the setting in our heads, unlike with watching movies.
A voice can make or break a story.
Bringing a character to life, that you can only hear, is such a different experience than using your whole body (Thérèse is both a physical actor and voice actor). Thérèse has had guest spots on shows like Law & Order, and The Good Wife. (She’s had to learn accents and do sex scenes for audiobook narration.)
Her mom was a librarian that got her hooked on reading books as a child; her dad was an actor who used accents while cooking in the kitchen–she combined inspiration from both parents to form a career as an audiobook narrator.
Audiobooks: is it still reading (or is it listening)? Which senses do we use?
PRAISE
“Therese Plummer has become one of the continuing characters in my series with her magnificent acting and powerful characterization. It didn’t take long before my readers started looking for books she narrates. She is the voice of my heart.” – Robyn Carr, author of the Virgin River Series
“Plummer expertly mines the depth of emotion of each family member, and her portrayal of Maggie is a tour de force.” –Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, Audiofile May 2015: The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern
“Plummer’s skill with varied voices and accents is without equal. She navigates Fitzgerald’s glamorous world with panache, immersing the listener in the intense characters personalities.” —AudioFile January 2015: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Thérèse Plummer’s buttery voice conveys the warmth in this Romance. Plummer’s rich narration captures the familial qualities of the tight-knit community while offering a versatility of male, female and children’s character voices.” –AudioFile August 2014: The Promise Thunder Point Book 5 by Robyn Carr
In 1971, the fictional city of Bellport, Massachusetts is in decline with an urban redevelopment project on the horizon. The project promises to transform the dying factory town into a thriving economic center, with a profound effect on its residents. Sydney Stallworth steps away her law degree in order to support her husband Malachi’s dream of opening a cultural center and bookstore in the heart of their black community, Liberty Hill. Across the street, Della Tolliver has built a fragile sanctuary for herself, boyfriend Kwamé Rodriguez, and daughter Jasmine, a troubled child prone to frequent outbursts.
Six blocks away and across the Bellport River Bridge lies Petite Africa, a lively neighborhood, where time moves slower and residents spill from run-down buildings onto the streets. Here Omar Bassari, an immigrant from Senegal known to locals as Drummer Man, dreams of being the next Duke Ellington, spreading his love of music and African culture across the world, even as his marriage crumbles around him and his neighborhood goes up in flames. An arsonist is on the loose. As more buildings burn, the communities are joined together and ripped apart. In Petite Africa, a struggling community fights for their homes, businesses, and culture. In Liberty Hill, others see opportunity and economic growth. As the pace of the suspicious fires pick up, the demolition date moves closer, and plans for gentrification are laid out, the residents find themselves at odds with a political system manipulating their lives. “It’s a shame,” says Malachi, after a charged city council meeting, where residents of Petite Africa and Liberty Hill sit on opposing sides. “We do so much for Petite Africa. But still, we fight.”
The former Nathaniel Hawthorne Boot Factory, was on Atlantic Avenue on the banks of the Bellport River.
It was a five-story brick and stone structure with a flat roof and a clock tower that chimed on the hour. The old building housed a daycare and provided space for artist studios and community meetings. The cafetorium was where the Liberty Hill Neighborhood Association met monthly. Today, city po-lice and firefighters had the space for a briefing on the fires in Petite Africa.
When Sydney and Malachi arrived, the room was nearly full. Sydney noted a seating pattern based on people’s attire. Petite Africa people sat left of the center aisle, and Liberty Hill people were on the right. Onstage were Mayor Chauncey McShane, Fire Chief Patrick O’Connell, and Police Chief Francis Toler-ico. To their right was Petite Africa resident and restaurant owner Mustapha Mendy. Sydney had seen his picture in the newspapers. Mendy appeared to be in his late sixties, bony, with heavy bags under his eyes and grey, coiled hair and beard.
At the back of the room were tables filled with toiletries, blankets, stuffed animals, and canned goods. Sydney picked up a can of corned beef. “What is all of this for?”
“The Neighborhood Improvement Association’s Relief Ef-fort,” Malachi replied. “Whenever there’s a fire or we find out about a needy family, people go shopping or bring things from home. Then they come here and put together care packages.”
the talking drum 79
“We should go through our things to see if we can donate anything.”
Malachi grinned. “As stuffed as your closets are, I’m sure you’d find something.”
Sydney playfully poked him in the side. “I could say the same for you.”
She spotted Kwamé, dressed in a grey, pin-striped three-piece suit. He swaggered as he worked his way down the aisle, shaking people’s hands and clapping men on the back. His smile broadened as he strolled over to them. “Glad you two could make it,” he said.
Sydney told him about her assignment to report on the meeting for Inner City Voice.
“Cool. So that worked out for you,” Kwamé said. “Max is good people.”
“Looks like you’ve got a full house,” Malachi stated, looking around.
Kwamé nodded, and puffed out his chest. “We did what we had to to get the word out. I’ve been telling the mayor for weeks he needed to have one of these. I said, ‘Mayor, my man, we can’t keep people in the dark. It’s not fair to them. Lives are in jeopardy. They need to know what’s going on’.”
Sydney rolled her eyes. More big talk from Kwamé, she thought. She and Malachi found two chairs near the back of the room by the tables of donations. “I’m sure Kwamé’s inflating his level of influence with the mayor or making up the story entirely,” she said.
“Not now,” Malachi whispered, tightness in his voice. She pulled her camera out of its case. As she took out her
reporter’s notebook and a pencil, a hand grabbed her shoulder. It was Max sitting in the row behind her. “I didn’t tell you I was going to show up because I didn’t want you to get nervous,” he said in a loud whisper. “Just pretend I’m not here. If you need anything, you’ll know where to find me.” He got up and took a seat near the front of the room. She appreciated that. This
AUTHOR BIO
Lisa Braxton is an Emmy-nominated former television journalist, an essayist, short story writer, and novelist. She is a fellow of the Kimbilio Fiction Writers Program and was a finalist in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University, her M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University, and her B.A. in Mass Media from Hampton University. Her stories have been published in anthologies and literary journals. She lives in the Boston, Massachusetts area. www.lisabraxton.com
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