Review Roundup Summer 2024 – Part 1

A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: The Burning Author: Linda Castillo Series: Kate Burkholder #16 Much thanks to Linda Castillo, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to use free ARCs in exchange for an honest review. Not much to say, this book was great! The mystery was very intriguing and brilliantly framed the dilemma of victim blaming, how easy it is to fall into. The …

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Interview with Amanda Quick (Close Up)

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Close Up by Amanda Quick blends together the historical, suspense, and a tinge of the romance genres. Through a gripping mystery, readers also get a glimpse of the 1930s Hollywood-type glamour of California. The books opens with Vivian Brazier rushing to a crime scene to take photographs of a murder. Cut off from her family’s funds for pursuing her dream, a career in art, to make ends meet she takes crime scene photos and …

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Interview with Amanda Quick (Tightrope)

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Tightrope is a fabulous mystery, typical of what readers have come to expect from Amanda Quick also known as Jayne Krentz. This action based plot has secrets, betrayals, Hollywood actors, circus characters, spies, gangsters, and a sweet romance, although the focus is more on the suspense than the romance. The plot has Amalie Vaughn putting the past behind her, especially the recent attack from the Death Catcher, a serial killer who targeted trapeze artists. …

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Interview with Christopher Rice (Bone Music)

Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Bone Music’s story by Christopher Rice is not a classical melody, but more like hard rock. The scenes are riveting and realistic enough that there is an element of believability, alternating between a thriller and the fringes of science fiction. This consuming read has the heroine trying to overcome her tragic past by rebuilding her life and overcoming her trust issues. The intensity begins from page one when a husband and wife team of …

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A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning Author: Jessica Cluess Series: Kingdom of Fire #1 Rich mythos, complicated characters, a great debut novel A rare breed of magic ability, Henrietta Howel must find her place in a society full of prejudice and a world ravaged by war. Beyond that one sentence, I don’t dare try to summarize everything that goes on in this book; there are too many facets and subplots that I believe I wouldn’t do it justice. That might …

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