Tag: Fiction

Book Review: The Wharton Plot

BonnieReadsAndWrites13 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM AMAZON)

New York City, 1911. Edith Wharton, almost equally famed for her novels and her sharp tongue, is bone-tired of Manhattan. Finding herself at a crossroads with both her marriage and her writing, she makes the decision to leave America, her publisher, and her loveless marriage.

And then, dashing novelist David Graham Phillips—a writer with often notorious ideas about society and women’s place in it—is shot to death outside the Princeton Club. Edith herself met the man only once, when the two formed a mutual distaste over tea in the Palm Court of the Belmont hotel. When Phillips is killed, Edith’s life takes another turn. His sister is convinced Graham was killed by someone determined to stop the publication of his next book, which promised to uncover secrets that powerful people would rather stayed hidden. Though unconvinced, Edith is curious. What kind of book could push someone to kill?

Inspired by a true story, The Wharton Plot follows Edith Wharton through the fading years of the Gilded Age in a city she once loved so well, telling a taut tale of fame, love, and murder, as she becomes obsessed with solving a crime.

BOOK REVIEW

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the personality of a real-life character as well described as it is in this portrayal of Edith Wharton. Mariah Fredericks has captured the inner thoughts, feelings, doubts, heartbreak,, and desires of her main character so well that she comes alive. It is a master class in writing and a true portrait of Wharton’s faults, disappointments, and imperfections as well as her talents and strengths.

The murder mystery is based on the real-life murder of David Graham Phillips, and it is captivating from start to finish. The plot and history of the time combine with superbly written, strong characters to create a fascinating and compelling story. Wharton’s struggles, both in her marriage and her career, are honestly depicted and nothing is hidden from the reader. It is an intriguing combination of murder mystery and fictionalized biography that fans of historical fiction will enjoy.

I also listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Kitty Hendrix is well done.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mariah Fredericks was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from Vassar College with a degree in history. She enjoys reading and writing about dead people and how they got that way. She is the author of the Jane Prescott mystery series.

PURCHASE LINKS

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Book Review: The Perogi Peril by Geri Krotow

BonnieReadsAndWrites11 Comments

(PUBLISHER”S DESCRIPTION) Lydia Wienewski has opened her Polish-American cafe and bakery on the shore of Lake Erie, but her idyllic new venture is shattered when the low tide leads to a terrible discovery.

July, 1982. Lydia Wienewski’s dream has finally come true: Lydia’s Lakeside Cafe and Bakery, selling delicious Polish-American fare on the shore of Lake Erie, is now open and her fortunes are looking up. Even her old nemesis and tutor, the irascible Madame Delphine, has made time to sample Lydia’s delectable pierogi, with some of her students in tow.

But when Lydia finds Madame Delphine dead in the water, her lakeside dream turns into a nightmare. Was it a bizarre suicide, or brutal murder? As Lydia and Grandma Mary investigate, they discover that there was more to Madame Delphine than meets the eye, and quickly find themselves drawn into an increasingly perilous situation! Can they uncover the truth about Madame Delphine’s untimely death?

BOOK REVIEW

1982. Lydia Wienewski runs Lydia’s Lakeside Cafe and Bakery in Buffalo,New York. Lydia’s pierogi is hailed as the best in the area, and everyone wants her to enter the pierogi contest at The Buffalo International Food Festival. But when her former mentor, Madame Delphine, comes to town, along with some of her students, she dredges up memories that Lydia would sooner forget. And then Lydia finds Delphine dead at the cafe. Lydia and her grandmother, Mary, again team up to try to solve the murder. This is Book Two of the Kielbasa Queen mysteries.

    I loved the portrayal of Polish/American culture, the 1980s Western New York setting, and the delicious descriptions of all of the food. Lydia’s grandmother steals the show with her unconventional behavior, such as getting caught making out in the car with her boyfriend. At times I felt the overall mystery moved too slowly. There were plenty of red herrings, but the conclusion was a little bit predictable. However, the characters and the setting make it well worth another trip to Lydia’s cafe.

    I received a free copy of this book from Severn House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Geri Krotow writes smart, humorous cozy mysteries that feature (mostly) lovable characters who are challenged by…dead bodies. The Kielbasa Queen Mystery series showcases 1982 Buffalo, New York as Lydia Wienewski and her Grandma make the most unlikely–and perfect!–sleuthing duo. Geri’s Shop ‘Round the World series is set in contemporary–albeit fictional–Stonebridge, Pennsylvania, where retired Navy pilot Angel Warren attempts to open an international gift shop and renew lifelong friendships while solving the most unlikely murders along the way.

    With over 35 published novels ranging from cozy mystery to thrilling romantic suspense to women’s fiction-y romance, there’s a Geri Krotow book for you.

    INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK

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    Indie Spotlight: False Truth and Dark Truth

    BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments

    Below are book descriptions and buy links for the first two books in the Joe Wilde series, a mystery/thriller that will be a total of three books. A link to my past review of Book One, False Truth, can be found below.  Book Two, Dark Truth, was just published in December and I will post a review at a later date.

    BOOK DESCRIPTION

    False Truth

    Private Investigator and former MI6 agent Joe Wilde is hired by Sally Devlin to investigate her son’s disappearance. Liam Devlin was a rising football star. His car was found abandoned at Lea Bridge in Hackney, a known suicide spot, six weeks prior. With help from friend and retired MI6 Data Technician Mark Thompson, Joe uncovers a huge secret in Liam’s life. Putting the pieces together, he starts to suspect that this case is far more complex than he originally envisioned. Falling ever deeper into his own investigations, Joe meets with the detective in charge of the case, D. I. Carl Whatmore, who does not take kindly to Joe getting involved. As Joe and D. I. Whatmore go head-to-head in their own investigations, more lives are put in danger. But who will crack the case? Only time will tell…

    My review of False Truth can be found here.

    Dark Truth

    ‘Dark Truth’, the second in a series of three novels, is a suspenseful mystery thriller full of intrigue that will leave you guessing right until the very end. Private investigator Joe Wilde is hired by Tom and Marie Archer to investigate the disappearance of their six-year-old daughter Laura. Joe also takes on an unusual case for a client by the name of Jack Riley. Jack believes he was framed to make it look like he was cheating on his fiancée Claire Brooks. Claire has been the target of disturbing vandalism. As Joe helps the police investigate Laura’s disappearance, he uncovers disturbing secrets concerning the Archers and some of their neighbours. Meanwhile the attacks on Claire become more extreme. Fearing for her life, Claire also hires Joe. As Joe continues to investigate, he puts himself in great danger.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    C.D. Steele is the author of the Joe Wilde mystery thriller series. There are at present two books in the series, False Truth which was published by The Book Guild on the 28/04/21 and Dark Truth which was published by The Conrad Press on the 15/11/23.

    He works as an Executive Officer in the Civil Service, has a degree in Recreation Management and lives in County Down, Northern Ireland.

    GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

    PURCHASE LINKS

    FALSE TRUTH: AMAZON UK | AMAZON US

    DARK TRUTH: AMAZON UK | AMAZON US

    Book Review: Random in Death by J.D. Robb #JDRobb #InDeath #Thrillers #BookReviews

    BonnieReadsAndWrites9 Comments

    BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM PUBLISHER)

    In the new crime thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling J.D. Robb, a small and easily concealed weapon wreaks havoc, and the killer is just a face in the crowd.

    Jenna’s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It’s the best night of her life.
    It’s the last night of her life.

    Minutes later, Jake’s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle—and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

    After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body—and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents. Dallas searches for a pattern: Had any boys been harassing Jenna? Was she engaging in risky behavior or caught up in something shady? But there are no obvious clues why this levelheaded sixteen-year-old, passionate about her music, would be targeted.

    And that worries Dallas. Because if Jenna wasn’t targeted, if she was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come.

    BOOK REVIEW

    This book was compelling from beginning to end. The author, as always, does a great job of detailing the crime and the investigation. The futuristic setting only adds to the appeal. The perpetrator is slowly revealed, but their horrible crimes splash across the page immediately from the beginning of the book. As Eve Dallas begins to peel away the layers of this crime, the reader will be transfixed, both by the complexity of the investigation and the potential for more crimes that would surely be coming.

    This book is hard to put down.The characters just flame to life, and the personalities of the victims, their friends, and the perpetrator are so well described.

    I listened to the audiobook as well, and the narrator Susan Ericksen portrayed teenagers in such an authentic way. She was also able to expertly convey drama, horror, grief, sadness, and love in such a powerful way.

    Eve Dallas’s personal life is subtly layered throughout the book, but never takes over from the crime and investigation.

    This thriller is horrifying, enthralling, and captivating throughout. J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) has done it again. She has created another quality book that keeps us all mesmerized. 

    I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

    PURCHASE LINKS

    Amazon

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    Apple Books

    Google

    Kobo

    Indie Spotlight: The Finding Machine by Lucy Lyons #IndieSpotlight #HistoricalMystery

    BonnieReadsAndWrites2 Comments

    Indie Spotlight is my effort to help Indie Authors with marketing. It’s the biggest task indie authors have, so if I can help even a little bit, I’m happy to do it. You can help too by sharing this post with your social media followers. Below see a book description, author bio, and purchase links for THE FINDING MACHINE by Lucy Lyons. 

    BOOK DESCRIPTION

    HER FATHER’S MYSTERIOUS INVENTION… A 1920s COLD CASE… CAN ALEX FOLLOW THE DOTS TO SOLVE IT?

    One winter morning in 1998, Alex Martin inherits a mysterious invention from her late father. The Finding Machine solves mysteries. But the biggest mystery of all lies deep within its wiring — the unsolved disappearance of a little girl, dating back seventy years.

    What happened to the girl, all those years ago? Who was she?

    Alex and her handsome housemate, Antony, must follow the dots to solve the mystery. But, as dark family secrets are revealed, will the Finding Machine bring them together…or push them further apart?

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Lucy Lyons worked in London as an editorial illustrator before realising she loved writing novels so much, she wanted to do that full-time.

    She now lives in leafy Surrey with her illustrator husband, two grown-up boys and a bearded dragon called Pancake. When she’s not at her desk writing, she loves to escape into the garden and other worlds.

    Lucy writes page-turning mystery novels with a sprinkling of magic.

    INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

    PURCHASE LINKS

    AMAZON | AMAZON UK

    *Kindle Subscribers in the US can borrow this for free.

    Book Promo: Centotaphs

    BonnieReadsAndWrites1 Comment

    **Not a Book Review

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    Cenotaphs copy

    Welcome to the book tour for Cenotaphs by Rich Marcello! Read on for details and a chance to win a fantastic giveaway!

    Cenotaphs FRont Cover FinalCenotaphs

    Publication Date: July 26th, 2021

    Genre: Contemporary Fiction

    AFTER A CHANCE MEETING, AN OLD MAN AND A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN CHART AN UNCONVENTIONAL PATH FORWARD.

    When Ben Sanna, a contemplative retiree with a penchant for helping people, and Samantha Beckett, a secretive New York City hedge fund manager, meet by chance in a small Vermont town, they enter into a tenuous relationship. Over several weeks, Samantha and Ben open their pasts inch by inch, sift through their futures consciously, and come to terms with the strength and depth of their bond. A meditation on redemption told in alternating chapters of musings and scenes, Cenotaphs is about platonic love; the ways we close ourselves off in reaction to pain and what happens when we open ourselves up again; and the deep, painful legacy of loss.

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    A SORTING

    The parts recur––the son, the lover, the husband, the father, the friend, the citizen. They come in whispers and fragments, in the unwinding of memory. They come in your smile, in the laughter of our children, in nightmares, in bursts of violence against once precious objects. How do you gauge the parts of a life? Did I perform any of them well? How do you summon them into an unfettered whole?

    I am old now. I’d hoped I would’ve figured out a few answers by this point, but the truth is I spend more time each day watching the Red Sox than thinking about such things. In the summer and fall, the games are on every day, often twice a day, and watching them gives Zeke and me something to do. Something zen exists about the game, something appealing to me as I age, something about the stillness, the waiting, the bursts of energy, all mimicking the best and worst times in life. And I like the red, blue, and gray uniforms. They remind me of a more structured time.

    Zeke, a big black, brown, and white mutt I rescued about ten years ago, keeps me company in our cabin. When I first got him, he liked digging holes in my yard, searching deep and dirty, with only a rare unearthing. His record: twenty-two holes. Twenty-two! In one of them, he found an empty wine bottle, message-less. Now, Zeke mostly sleeps in the same worn spot on the living room rug. I’m not sure which one of us will die first.

    Available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble

    About the Author

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    Rich is the author of five novels, The Color of Home, The Big Wide Calm, The Beauty of the Fall, The Latecomers, and Cenotaphs, and the poetry collection, The Long Body That Connects Us All. He also teaches creative writing at Seven Bridges’ Writer Collaborative. Previously, he enjoyed a successful career as a technology executive, managing several multi-billion dollar businesses for Fortune 500 companies.

    As anyone who has read Rich’s work can tell you, his books deal with life’s big questions: love, loss, creativity, community, self-discovery and forgiveness. His novels are rich with characters and ideas, crafted by a natural storyteller, with the eye and the ear of a poet. For Rich, writing and art making is about connection, or as he says, about making a difference to at least one other person in the world, something he has clearly achieved many times over, both as an artist, a mentor, and a teacher.

    Rich lives in Massachusetts with his wife and Newfoundland Shaman. He is currently working on his sixth and seventh novels, The Means of Keeping and In the Seat of the Eddas, a follow-on to The Latecomers.

    Rich Marcello | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

    Click the link below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! (E-Card)

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    The Nothing Girl

    BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments

    Jenny, orphaned as a young girl, goes to live with her aunt and uncle. She has a pronounced stutter and is set aside as an afterthought by the family. While contemplating suicide at a young age, she is suddenly visited by a giant golden horse, and here Jenny’s life actually begins.

    This is so well written. The characters just jump off the page, especially Jenny, Russell, and Thomas. Jenny, ignored all her life, begins helping Russell, who has been jilted by the love of his life, renovate his farmhouse. Nudged along by her faithful companion Thomas, the giant golden horse, Jenny begins to live again. There is a wonderful cast of characters, and of course there are pitfalls along the way, and the brilliant Jodi Taylor once again makes us laugh and cry as we cheer Jenny on.

    I recommend this for anyone who enjoys a magical, heartwarming story.

    Link to The Nothing Girl on Amazon

    Link to Signed Copies of The Nothing Girl on Jodi Taylor’s Website

    Link to my Goodreads Review: (Like and Follow if you are so inclined)