THE LADY AND MR. JONES (A Spy in the Ton series, # 4) by Alyssa Alexander. Historical Romantic Suspense Release, ARC Review. Excerpt & Giveaway

THE LADY AND MR. JONES

A Spy in the Ton series, Book 4
by Alyssa Alexander

Greco´s Game, by James Houston Turner. Thriller / Suspense / Action / Romance Blog Tour, ARC Review

Thriller / Suspense / Action / Romance

Date Published: November 1, 2017

Publisher: Regis Books

Colonel Aleksandr Talanov – the “ice man” – is married to a woman he wishes he could love. But he can’t, and it’s an ugly consequence of his training with the KGB. Even so, no one should have to experience what Talanov experiences: the brutal murder of his wife in front of his eyes.

Wracked with guilt and suspected of plotting her death, Talanov spirals downward on a path of self-destruction. He should have been killed, not her. He was the one whose violent past would not leave them alone. Months tick by and Talanov hits rock bottom on the mean streets of Los Angeles, where he meets a hooker named Larisa, who drugs and robs him.

But in the seedy world of human trafficking ruled by the Russian mafia, Larisa made the mistake of stealing the ice man’s wallet. In it was Talanov’s sole possession of value: his wedding photo. Talanov tracks Larisa down to get that photo because it reminds him of everything that should have been but never was, and never would be because an assassin’s bullet had mistakenly killed his wife. Or was it a mistake?

The answer lies in Greco’s Game, a chess match played in 1619 that is famous for its queen sacrifice and checkmate in only eight moves. In an unusual alliance, Talanov and Larisa team up to begin unraveling the mystery of what Talanov’s old KGB chess instructor regarded as the most brilliant example of how to trap and kill an opponent. The question is: who was the target?

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Aleksandr Talanov is an ex KGB operative,  now living in the USA.  Since his wife was murdered by a sniper he has just been going through the motions of living,  until he gets robbed by a prostitute. Then someone from his past turns up offering to help him find the killer.  
Larisa is a young woman who was conned by people traffickers into a life as a sex slave.  She must do as they say or her family back home will all die.  
This is an action packed story full of flying bullets, crazy car chases and incredible fights.  Our hero is an older man but definitely great hero material.  Our traumatized heroine only  plays a small but very important part in the story.  The secondary characters are just as memorable.  
This reads like the start of a series with a teaser at the end.  
This will keep you on the edge of your seat most of the way through.  
I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

About the Author

James Houston Turner is the bestselling author of the Aleksandr Talanov thriller series, as well as numerous other books and articles. Talanov the fictional character was inspired by the actual KGB agent who once leaked word out of Moscow that James was on a KGB watch-list for his smuggling activities behind the old Iron Curtain. James Houston Turner’s debut thriller, Department Thirteen, was voted “Best Thriller” by USA Book News, after which it won gold medals in the Independent Publisher (“IPPY”) Book Awards and the Indie Book Awards. His novel, Greco’s Game, has just been optioned for film. A cancer survivor of more than twenty-five years, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Baker University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston (Clear Lake). After twenty years in Australia, he and his wife, Wendy, author of The Recipe Gal Cookbook, now live in Austin, Texas.

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Snifter Of Death (Bloodstone Series #2) by Chris Karlsen. Historical Suspense, Excerpt , ARC Review & Giveaway

Title: Snifter of Death
Author: Chris Karlsen 
Genre: Historical Suspense (With Romantic Elements)
Release Date: May 16, 2017
Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

The summer of 1889 was proving to be a strange one for Detective Inspector Rudyard Bloodstone and his partner. 

They had a sexual pervert loose. The man didn’t actually harm women but threatened them at knife point, fondling them, and ultimately stealing their stockings. 

Far more serious were the murders of influential men, which appeared random other than they were all killed by arsenic poison. Never had he and his partner had cases with so little workable evidence. 

Also, the rivalry between him and his detective nemesis at London’s other police department was intensifying. That nemesis was the boxing champion of their department and looking to challenge Rudyard, who never trained as a boxer. 

Besides Rudyard’s pride being at stake, and the pride of his station, his nemesis also had in his possession a photograph of the woman Rudyard cares very much for. The new lady in Rudyard’s life had captured his heart and he’d fight the devil himself to save her reputation.

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Rudyard Bloodstone is a detective in the Victorian Metropolitan police and an ex soldier.  He is a down to earth type of man,  from a large Welsh family.  He has little time for the politics of bowing down to the upper classes.  He will follow the clues to a crime no matter where they lead.  

Graciela is an old lady's companion with a big secret and a mind set on vengeance.  Can she carry out her plans in time.  

This is an intriguing mystery that shows us just how difficult it was for Victorian police to solve crimes with the limited means they had.  

The fabulously strong characters are ones I want to meet again.  A little touch of romance for our wonderful hero . We can't help but feel a little sympathy for Graciela.  

A very entertaining read.  

The autopsy report and test results on the contents of the decanters were returned by midmorning the next day. Skinner had died of arsenic poisoning. The claret in the decanter was the same as in his stomach and both contained arsenic. The port did not.

“What the deuce kind of maniac do we have on our hands now?” Archie lamented.

“A strange one indeed.” And Ruddy meant it. “Shall we give Jameson the bad news?”

“Let’s get it over with.”

Jameson listened with a pained expression. The crease between his eyes deepened with each named similarity. When Ruddy finished, the Superintendent looked from Ruddy to Archie and back to Ruddy. “Is there no other way to look at these cases other than as connected?”

“We could. We can always take a different approach. Follow a different course of investigation but I think sooner or later we’d have to pursue this theory. If nothing else, to eliminate the possibility they’re related,” Ruddy said.

“I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. The idea we may have a demented looney on the loose poisoning well-to-do businessmen curdles in me.” He fixed hard eyes on Ruddy as he made his objection known.

Ruddy had a response sitting on the tip of his tongue. He’d love to tell the Superintendent the nature of the case didn’t exactly set him doing a jig either.

“I’m beginning to think there’s something about you Bloodstone, that attracts these cases involving influential people. Somehow, someway while investigating the case I just know you’re going to overturn a rock and an ugly frog of information will pop out that has another influential person screaming like a banshee.” Jameson pointed a finger in Ruddy’s face. “I believe that. I truly do.” He turned to Archie. “I can feel it. The two of you. Get out.”

Back at their desks, Ruddy snatched his coat from the stand where he had carefully hung it. “I hope we do discover some toff involved up to his wealthy neck in these cases,” he said without bothering to lower his voice. “I hope it turns into a carbuncle on Jameson’s bum.”

“Shh,” Archie raised a finger to get Ruddy to quiet down. He’d drawn the attention of the other detectives who were listening with interest to the tirade.

“Let’s talk to Cross’s staff first. His residence is closest and on the way to Belgrave Square. If they don’t recognize Skinner as a friend or associate, we’ll move on and speak to Skinner’s family,” Ruddy said, changing the subject and putting on his coat.

“Good idea. I’m happy to get out of here for a while,” Archie said with a quick glance toward Jameson’s closed door.

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. 

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and five wild and crazy rescue dogs.

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Secret Lives and Private Eyes, by Heather Weidner. Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Release & ARC Review

 

Title: Secret Lives and Private Eyes
Author: Heather Weidner

Release Date: May 2016

Publisher: Koehler Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Business has been slow for Private Investigator Delanie Fitzgerald, but her luck seems to change when a tell-all author hires her to find rock star Johnny Velvet. Could the singer—whose career purportedly ended in a fiery crash almost thirty years ago—still be alive?

As if sifting through dead ends in a cold case isn’t bad enough, Delanie is hired by loud-mouth strip club owner Chaz Wellington Smith, III, to uncover information about the mayor’s secret life. When the mayor is murdered, Chaz becomes the key suspect, and Delanie must clear his name. She also has to figure out why a landscaper keeps popping up in her other investigation. Can the private investigator find the connection between the two cases before another murder—possibly her own—takes place?

Secret Lives and Private Eyes is a fast-paced mystery that will appeal to readers who like a strong, female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of difficult, and sometimes humorous, situations.

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Delanie Fitzgerald is a private eye.  These new cases will be a nice change from cheating husbands.  She has a strip club owner with quite a few problems to solve,  and research for a biography of a dead rock star.  
Our heroine and her business partner are very good at their jobs,  even when the danger starts.  
The characters are a lot of fun.  A really good mystery to solve and plenty of action to keep us interested.  I look forward to following our heroine on some more adventures.  
I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

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Heather Weidner’s short stories appear in Virginia is for Mysteries, Virginia is for Mysteries Volume II, and 50 Shades of Cabernet. Currently, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime Central Virginia, Guppies, Lethal Ladies Write, and James River Writers. Secret Lives and Private Eyes is her debut novel. 

 Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers. 

 Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.

Visit her at http://www.heatherweidner.com or on social media at: