Mysteries

A Second Helping of Crazy

In A Second Helping of Crazy, author John D. Ottini has collected thirteen of his most memorable stories in one volume. Three stories were previously chosen as Finalists in the annual Royal Palm Literary Awards competition, and the rest are a selection of the author’s personal favorites.

This is a new author to me, as I ran across his stories when searching for short story collections. All 13 of these shorts are written well and quite entertaining and creative. I’ll read more of his work.

A Man Called Midnight
by James Leonard
Rating: 4.4 #ad

Midnight is a former slave who’s only just begun to taste freedom. But … the moment he does, everything goes wrong. Outlaws abduct his friend’s sister, and threaten the very liberty he has worked so hard to obtain.

The Red Hand Gang is behind it all. They’re selling women to the Indians. Slaves to be used any way these men see fit. And their leader is Bloody Hands, a Comanche chief who delights in seeing other people squirm. There is nothing Bloody Hands won’t do to get his way, and no one brave enough to stand up to him.

Until now.

Written in Bone
by Simon Beckett
Rating: 4.5 #ad

Dr. David Hunter should be at home in London with the woman he loves. Instead, as a favor to a beleaguered colleague, he’s on the remote Hebridean island of Runa to inspect a grisly discovery. David is shocked by what he finds: a body almost totally incinerated except for the feet and a single hand. The local police are certain it’s an accidental death, but David is not convinced.

After examining the scorched remains, it’s clear to David that this was no accident—it was murder. But as the small, isolated community considers the enormity of David’s findings, a catastrophic storm hits the island. The power goes down, communication with the mainland is cut off, and then the killing begins in earnest . . .

Check out:
(The David Hunter Mysteries)

Santa Grint
by Jodi Taylor
Rating: 4.7 #ad

It all begins when the Time Police hold their first Children’s Christmas Party. Their most dangerous mission yet . . .

No good deed ever goes unpunished. Lt Grint succumbs to his softer side and soon lives to regret it. The combination of bubble universes, candy floss, a small boy, a toad named Mr Fluffy, Mount Fanboten, £6.5 million, and a love-struck Officer Lockland are all hard enough to believe, but imagine a situation so dire that only Officer Parrish can save the aforementioned Grint from a lengthy stay in prison. At least, he can – but will he?

Under the Banner of Heaven
by Jon Krakauer
Rating: 4.5 #ad

At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.

Guardian Dragons of Prospect Falls Collection
by Serena Meadows
Rating: 4.7 #ad

These Dragon-shifters are the ultimate predators, but their rock-hard abs and endless stamina will offer little defense against the four soulmates waiting to bring them to their knees. With sizzling seductions, brutal betrayals, and a whole lot of growling, things are heating up in Prospect Falls!

As always MS Meadows does not disappoint. Each of these stories were interconnected with the others and had the same enemy to vanquish! She has a gift of story telling that draws the reader right into each story making you wish it would never end! I love reading her books and look forward to her next series of a paranormal romance!

Thursday’s Mystery eBooks

January 12, 2023

A Catered Halloween
by Isis Crawford
Rating: 4.3 #ad

With the promise of a hefty commission and some valuable word-of-mouth for their catering business, A Little Taste of Heaven, sisters Bernadette and Libby Simmons agree to cater the charity haunted house being staged at the old Peabody School. But when wealthy socialite Amethyst Applegate is found dead in the haunted house, Bernie and Libby wonder if a murderer might also be lurking about Peabody’s gloomy halls…

While almost everyone Amethyst ever met might have a motive for killing her, not everyone had access to the Peabody School. All Bernie and Libby know is if they don’t solve this mystery soon, they might become the next stars in a real-life horror flick…

Check out:
(A Mystery With Recipes Mysteries)

Shadows Unveiled
by Amanda Berthault
Rating: 4.4 #ad

FINALIST IN 2022 CHICAGO WRITERS ASSOCIATION’S BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

A dark past will always linger no matter how deep it’s buried. Sometimes you can live with it. Sometimes it tries to kill you.

Heavy metal singer Shadow McKinley has faked his death to leave behind what he considers a torturous life. While disguised under his new identity as Shanley, a traveling pool hustler, he meets Macy, a teenage runaway and fan of his former band. Her plan to find her father in Los Angeles has fallen apart, and together they begin a cross-country road trip to get there.

Check out:
(The Shadows Trilogy)

Verity
by Colleen Hoover
Rating: 4.4 #ad

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of the night her family was forever altered.

Caravan Courage
by William Black
Rating: 5.0 #ad

This time it involves a caravan freight wagon company, J.C. Holdings Co. The business founder, Jed Coburn, has been murdered by a disgruntled former worker named Flint Mattox. And now Jed’s daughter, Ruth, wants to find Mattox and bring him to justice. Evan is out to help the Coburn family after they previously saved the life of his brother Baxter.

Once again, it will take bravery and quick thinking for Dory and Evan to capture the thoroughly evil Mattox. Come ride along and experience first-hand what caravan freight wagons experienced as they helped to settle a frontier and supplied tens of thousands of people in the west.

1979
by Val McDermid
Rating: 5.0 #ad

The year started badly and only got worse—blizzards, strikes, power cuts, and political unrest were the norm. For investigative journalist Allie Burns, however, someone else’s bad news was the unmistakable sound of opportunity knocking, and 1979 is ripe with possibilities.

But Allie is a woman in what is still a man’s world. Desperate to get away from the “women’s stories” the Glasgow desk keeps assigning her, she strikes up an alliance with wannabe investigative journalist Danny Sullivan. From the start, their stories create enemies. First an international tax fraud, then a potential Scottish terrorist group aiming to cause mayhem ahead of an impending referendum. And then Danny is found murdered in his flat. For Allie, investigative journalism just got personal.

Don’t Call it a Cult
by Sarah Berman
Rating: 4.5 #ad

Sex trafficking. Self-help coaching. Forced labor. Mentorship. Multi-level marketing. Gaslighting. Investigative journalist Sarah Berman explores the shocking practices of NXIVM, a cult run by Keith Raniere and many enablers. Through the accounts of central NXIVM figures, Berman uncovers how dozens of women seeking creative coaching and networking opportunities instead were blackmailed, literally branded, near-starved, and enslaved. Don’t Call It a Cult is a riveting account of NXIVM’s rise to power, its ability to evade prosecution for decades, and the investigation that finally revealed its dark secrets to the world.

Within and Without Time
by D. I. Hennessey
Rating: 4.8 #ad

Be prepared to laugh and cry, to be inspired, and find your heart rejoicing!

Experience the Origin of a Prophet …

When a sixteen-year-old boy is suddenly caught up in a series of miraculous encounters, it heralds an adventure that will transform his life, rock his town, and trigger events that will ultimately change the world!

Befriended by a powerful angelic warrior, Jimmy finds himself in the center of God’s plan for Earth’s final Great Revival. The beginning of God’s amazing harvest at the End of the Age. Like an intense roller coaster, the journey he experiences is exciting and unpredictable. Heartwarming, as well as heart-rending. God prepares him for a mission more extraordinary than anything he could have imagined, placing him in the rare company of ancient prophets and apostles alike.

The Buried
by Sharon Bolton
Rating: 4.3 #ad

AN OLD ENEMY IS LAID TO REST . . . AND A NEW CRIME IS DISCOVERED

Florence Lovelady, the most senior serving policewoman in Britain, visits convicted serial killer Larry Glassbrook in prison. Larry is coming to the end of his life but has one last task for Florence: to learn the identity of the remains discovered at children’s home Black Moss Manor. The town Florence escaped narrowly with her life still holds many secrets. Will she finally learn the truth? Or will time run out for her first?

Wednesday’s Mystery eBooks

January 11, 2023

Music and Memories, Another Murder
by Christa Nardi
Rating: 4.7 #ad

KINDLEAUDIBLE

A murdered art teacher, a piano bar, and danger for Sheridan Hendley, amateur sleuth.

Sheridan Hendley, amateur sleuth, wants nothing more than a return to routine following their family vacation. The last thing she needs is to find herself involved in another murder investigation. But that’s precisely what happens when the victim is one of Maddie’s favorite teachers at the high school. While Sheridan’s trying not to sleuth, the high school principal assures everyone Sheridan will find the killer. Despite an abundance of people wanting to share their thoughts on the teacher, Sheridan and the police are stymied.

Check out:
(A Sheridan Hendley Mysteries)

Falling: Apocalyptic Survival Thriller
by VJ Dunn
Rating: 4.6 #ad

Nathan just wants to survive long enough to get his wife to safety. In a world reshaped by chaos and evil, it seems to be an impossible task.

Coming to grips with his own mortality was difficult enough, but coupled with a complete economic crash that sends the world spiraling into an abyss of doubt and fear, Nathan Diamond has no idea what to do next.

His best hope is to get his wife out of the city… and fast.

Check out:
(Saints of Salvation Mysteries)

Gallows Hill Academy Complete Boxed Set
by D.R. Perry
Rating: 5.0 #ad

Free bird? Don’t make me laugh.

I’m Mavis Merlini and I want out. Of my shady family, this rowdy school, maybe even the world.

My brother got kicked out of Gallows Hill School for inciting mermaid violence. I’m determined to cut out all distractions and be the first of my six siblings to actually graduate.

Will Mavis succeed in her goals? Grab this 9-book complete series boxed set to join the adventure with Mavis and friends!

The Moose Paradox
by Antti Tuomainen
Rating: 5.0 #ad

Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction?

Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late…

Fatal Witness
by Robert Bryndza
Rating: 4.5 #ad

KINDLEAUDIBLE

How do you find a killer who has destroyed all the evidence?

Detective Erika Foster is on a late-night walk near her new house in Blackheath when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster.

Erika is assigned to the case and discovers that Vicky had been working on a new podcast episode about a sexual predator who preys on young female students around South London, staking out his victims in their halls of residence before breaking in at the dead of night.

After the Flood
by Kassandra Montag
Rating: 4.3 #ad

A Chicago Tribune Best Book of the Year

An inventive and riveting epic saga, After the Flood signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent.

A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water.

The Cobra in the Monkey Cage
by Anna Elliott
Rating: 4.3 #ad

A deadly day at the zoo . . .

A desperate appeal from Dr. Watson’s medical school classmate brings Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James to the London Zoo, where they encounter a mystery like no other. A monkey has been killed in a strange and sinister way, and it’s up to the Baker Street team to find out what really happened and uncover the true culprit. But what starts out as a curious case leads to a night of perilous adventure as the team races to keep a remarkably clever murderer from striking again . . .

Autism and Your Family Finances
by Tamara Hull
Rating: 5.0 #ad

The financial burden of autism is real. Many parents who have an autistic child struggle financially because not only do they have to pay out-of-pocket for more care and services for their child, but studies show they also tend to bring in less income. Yet, parents with autistic children can take control of their money, build wealth and secure their and their child’s future.

“Autism and Your Family Finances” provides you with a roadmap to make the most of your money and succeed financially. It focuses on important financial topics such as money mindset, debt payoff, budgeting, emergency funds, investing for retirement, and more. However, it also covers more specific topics that are especially important to parents of autistic children such as autism grants, special needs trusts, Social Security Income for their children, ABLE accounts, planning for their child’s future, and more.

Tuesday’s Mystery eBooks

January 10, 2023

Vampires and Villains
by Elizabeth Pantley
Rating: 4.6 #ad

Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic. They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.) Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likeable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show.

Check out:
(Magical Mystery Book Club)

A Stranger in the Kingdom
by Howard Frank Mosher
Rating: 4.4 #ad

This novel of murder and its aftermath in a small Vermont town in the 1950s is “reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird . . . Absorbing” (The New York Times).

In Kingdom County, Vermont, the town’s new Presbyterian minister is a black man, an unsettling fact for some of the locals. When a French-Canadian woman takes refuge in his parsonage—and is subsequently murdered—suspicion immediately falls on the clergyman. While his thirteen-year-old son struggles in the shadow of the town’s accusations, and his older son, a lawyer, fights to defend him, a father finds himself on trial more for who he is than for what he might have done.

JULIA PRIMA
by Alison Morton
Rating: 4.4 #ad

“You should have trusted me. You should have given me a choice.”

AD 370, Roman frontier province of Noricum. Staying faithful to the Roman gods in a Christian empire can be lethal. Half-divorced Julia Bacausa is condemned to an emotional desert and a forced marriage, Lucius Apulius barely clings onto his posting in a military backwater. Strongly drawn to each other, they are soon separated, but Julia is determined not to lose the only man she will love.

Neither wholly married nor wholly divorced, Julia is trapped in the power struggle between the Christian church and her pagan ruler father.

Tribune Lucius Apulius’s life is blighted by his determination not to convert to Christianity even to save his cherished career. Stripped of his command in Britannia, he’s demoted to the backwater of Noricum – and encounters Julia.

Check out:
(Roma Nova Thriller Series)

The Line
by Rachel Lynch
Rating: 4.4 #ad

The truth can have deadly consequences…

On a sunny morning, when the Mediterranean is dead calm, Captain Paul Thomas embarks on a dive to the wreck of the Zenobia, off the coast of Larnaca, Cyprus. Within hours, he has taken his final, gasping breath in an accident below the surface. A new Royal Military Police liaison is required to pick up on his work, and Major Helen Scott gets the assignment.

It turns out Paul Thomas had rattled cages during his current case – four serving soldiers are in custody accused of the leaking of state intelligence. If proven, the scandal would rock the foundation of the armed forces.

A Child Alone with Strangers
by Philip Fracassi
Rating: 4.7 #ad

When young Henry Thorne is kidnapped and held prisoner in a remote farmhouse surrounded by miles of forest, he finds himself connecting with a strange force living in the woods – using that bond to wreak havoc against his captors. Unknown to the boy, however, is that this ancient being has its own reasons for wanting the interlopers gone – there is something hidden beneath the house, tucked away in the dark, damp root cellar . . . waiting for its return.

The Line Between
by Tosca Lee
Rating: 4.6 #ad

When Wynter Roth finally escapes from New Earth, a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie, she emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation.

As Wynter struggles to start over in a world she’s been taught to regard as evil, she finds herself face-to-face with the apocalypse she’s feared all her life—until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples. That night, Wynter learns there’s something far more sinister at play: that the prophet they once idolized has been toying with the fate of mankind, and that these samples are key to understanding the disease.

The House of Wolves
by James Patterson, Mike Lupica
Rating: 4.9 #ad