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Happy Release Day to Gail Meath! A Bloody Banquet is Book Two of The Stone and Steele Series. The review is below.
BOOK REVIEW
Fashion designer Vivian Steele is excited to attend an awards banquet at the Cocoanut Grove club in Hollywood. Some of the honorees are going to be wearing Vivan’s designs, and she and her best friend Carole Lombard are looking forward to an enjoyable evening. When Carole sees a dead body in the club’s restroom, she immediately calls for help. But when help arrives, the body has disappeared. Vivan begins to investigate, reluctantly allowing playboy Preston Stone to assist her once again. This is the second book in the Stone and Steele Series and can easily be read as a standalone.
This is a wonderful cozy set in Hollywood, and I love the fact that the fabulous Carole Lombard is a supporting character. The mystery is so well crafted, and I did not guess the villain before they were revealed. The backstories of Vivan and Preston continue to be another captivating mystery, and a little bit of that onion is slowly unpeeled in this second book. The ending of this compelling cozy offers more clues into their backstories and hints at an exciting third book in the series to come. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this series, which transports us to the Golden Age of Hollywood.
I received a free copy of this book. I also purchased a copy. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gail Meath is the author of the multi-award-winning Jax Diamond Mysteries, a fun 1920s series about wise-cracking PI Jax Diamond, his courageous German Shepherd partner, Ace, and Broadway star Laura Graystone, as they, along with a crazy group of friends, solve some of the toughest crimes in New York City. She is alternating that series with her new 1930s Golden Age of Hollywood mysteries series, Stone & Steele, starring Vivian Steele, a widow seeking justice, and Preston Stone, a playboy vigilante.
In both series, the author challenges readers to identify the villains before she reveals them:)
Gail also has a list of other award-winning historical romances, westerns, and fictional biographies of true heroines. She lives in a small village in Upstate New York with her husband and sweet Boston Terrier, and she spends loads of time with her grandchildren.
PURCHASE LINK
Click on the cover to buy this book on Amazon. It’s only $2.99!
BEFORE YOU GO
*After you read the book, be sure and leave a review. Reviews do not have to be complex or fancy. Just a sentence about how it made you feel will help the book succeed on Amazon.
Indie Spotlight is my attempt to help Indie authors with the daunting task of marketing. It’s the biggest job they have and I am happy to help. You can help too by sharing this with all of your social media followers. Below is a book description, author bio, and book review of Wildcard by Gail Meath
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Niagara Falls, 1923. Traveling out of the city isn’t PI Jax Diamond’s cup of tea, but when he and Laura along with their courageous companion, Ace, head to Niagara Falls on their honeymoon, they’re on cloud nine. That is, until Jax carries his new bride over the threshold, and there’s a corpse in their bed that looks to have been there since the dawn of time.
A ten-year-old unsolved murder sets off a string of others with victims plunging to their deaths over the falls, and all the evidence is pointing to nightclub owner and their good pal, Orin Marino, as the killer.
Jax, Laura, Ace, and friends risk their lives trying to solve a crazy riddle and stop a killer before the next victim takes the plunge. But every step forward sends them two steps back. It’s a wild and crazy ride with twists, turns, and belly flops in this fun and fast-paced 1920s cozy thriller.
Easily reads as a standalone.
BOOK REVIEW
In this eighth book of the Jax Diamond series, Jax and Laura’s honeymoon in Niagara Falls takes an unexpected turn when they find out their good friend Orin Marino is in town, and then that he is accused of murder. Jax and Laura immediately start to investigate with the help of a wealthy hotel owner, their clever German Shepherd, Ace, and their friends Tim and Carla. When another body turns up, things get more confusing than ever.
Orin has long been my favorite character, so I was thrilled to see a book with him on the cover, and to get a peek at his backstory right away. The mystery is full of twists and turns, and I did not see the end coming. The story is engaging and will keep you guessing the whole time. Orin, always a great friend to Jax, Laura, Tim, and Carla, is suddenly in need of a friend himself, and they all drop everything to come to his aid. I loved the mystery, Orin’s determination to protect his friends, and, of course, Ace’s contributions as well. Cozy mystery lovers will enjoy this book. It can be read as a standalone. I also recommend the whole series.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gail Meath is the author of the multi-award-winning Jax Diamond Mysteries, a fun 1920s series about wise-cracking PI Jax Diamond, his courageous German Shepherd partner, Ace, and Broadway star Laura Graystone, as they, along with a crazy group of friends, solve some of the toughest crimes in New York City. She is alternating that series with her new 1930s Golden Age of Hollywood mysteries series, Stone & Steele, starring Vivian Steele, a widow seeking justice, and Preston Stone, a playboy vigilante.
In both series, the author challenges readers to identify the villains before she reveals them:)
Gail also has a list of other award-winning historical romances, westerns, and fictional biographies of true heroines. She lives in a small village in Upstate New York with her husband and sweet Boston Terrier, and she spends loads of time with her grandchildren.
* Kindle Unlimited Subscribers can read each book in the series for free.
* All books in this series can be read as standalones.
BEFORE YOU GO
If you read the book, please be sure and leave a review on Amazon. It helps Indie authors so much. A review does not have to be a masterpiece. Just a sentence or two about how the book made you feel will make an author’s day and help their books succeed.
The Golden Age of Hollywood, 1938. Vivian Steele moved to California to start a new life. She opened a fashion boutique in Beverly Hills, befriended Carole Lombard, the actress, and married a successful banker. But when her husband is murdered, Vivian discovers she isn’t the only one hiding a few secrets.
An anonymous phone call lures Vivian to a plush hotel room where she stumbles upon the dead body of a beautiful young actress – her husband’s mistress. To add fuel to the fire, she’s not alone.
Preston Stone, her adversary and Hollywood’s notorious playboy, is standing beside her. Suspiciously, they part ways only to find themselves alone again at a movie premiere two days later, and the message becomes brutally clear. They’re both the next targets of a cold-blooded killer.
Together, Vivian and Preston are thrown into a deadly race to find a missing collection of valuable coins and stop a vicious killer before they become the next murder victims. But first, they need to stop pointing their fingers at each other.
BOOK REVIEW
A PERILOUS PREMIERE is the first book in the STONE AND STEELE Mystery Series, and I can’t wait for more. Vivian Steele is a fashion designer whose husband has just been murdered. Preston Stone is a wealthy playboy who is not Vivian’s favorite person. They are thrown together when Vivian begins investigating her husband’s murder and the killer lets them both know that they are next.
This is a captivating mystery with an amazing cast of characters. I easily connected with both Vivian and Preston. The surprise supporting character, Carole Lombard, a good friend of Vivian’s, brings light, laughter, and loyalty to the story. There are two dogs in the series–Bella, a Boston Terrier, and Boris, a St. Bernard. They are an enjoyable addition to the cast. I felt instantly transported to 1930s Hollywood, and the book was well researched.
The mystery has plenty of twists and turns. It is also made plain that both Vivan and Preston have secrets of their own that have not yet been revealed. I look forward to finding them out in subsequent books. Movie stars, fashion, murders, and glamour combine to create an entertaining mystery. Highly recommend!
I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own
Q&A With Gail Meath
Hi Gail! Thanks so much for answering my questions today, and for all your past interviews. It’s always so great to talk to you. Let’s start with the first question about your new book, A Perilous Premiere, the first in the Stone & Steele series.
Bonnie: In this 1930s mystery series, you included an absolutely wonderful supporting character—Carole Lombard. What inspired you to make Carole a part of this series?
Gail: My mother and I used to love watching old movies together. There were so many wonderful actors in Hollywood during the 1930s-40s, but for me, Carole Lombard always stood out above the rest. Like the parts she played in her movies, she was beautiful, witty, brave, and talented in real life. Her marriage to Clark Gable was truly a fairytale romance that ended in tragedy in 1942 when she died in a plane crash after attending a war bond rally. I have so much admiration for her that I decided to include her as a character in the book as a tribute to her.
Bonnie: You do such a wonderful job of describing 1930s Hollywood. Could you tell us about your research for this series?
Gail: Have I mentioned that I love research? Honestly, by choosing the most popular era in Hollywood history, the research has been fairly easy, although it wasn’t all glamor and glitz back then. Too often, I found myself researching a specific topic for the book, then an article would lead me to another off-topic article, then another, etc. I’ve learned more than I wanted to! (David Niven wrote about a lot of the Hollywood scandals in his memoir.)
Bonnie: Your first cozy mystery series, The Jax Diamond Mysteries, included an animal as a supporting character—Ace the German Shepherd. As you have told us in past interviews, Ace was based on your real-life dog, Gretchen. In the Stone and Steele Mysteries, you introduce Bella the Boston Terrier and Boris, the Saint Bernard. Are Bella and Boris based on any animals in real life?
Gail: Yes, they are! I love all types of dogs, and Ace was the perfect partner for Jax Diamond. I wanted to include two canine companions in this series and decided they needed to be opposites. The choice was easy. Bella is based on our little Boston Terrier, Addie, who is nearly as smart as Ace. And big, old Boris is based on Addie’s good friend, Leif, who lives next door and weighs 220 lbs.!
Bonnie: The main characters, Vivian Steele and Preston Stone, end up solving a mystery together. But the reader is shown that there is a lot in both of their backgrounds that neither are telling. It ends as a cliffhanger of sorts, as Vivian is about to reveal her past to Carole. Are we going to learn a lot more about both Vivian and Preston in Book 2?
Gail: Both Vivian and Preston have some very special investigative talents stemming from their complex pasts, and yes, they will be revealing more about themselves in the next book, although probably not everything. What fun would it be to learn everything about each character right off the bat?
Bonnie: Speaking of Book 2, can you tell us the title and a short synopsis:
Gail: The title is, A Bloody Banquet: Now You See a Murderr, Now You Don’t. When dead bodies start to disappear, Vivian and Preston uncover a sinister killer who has mastered the art of illusion and set his sights on two Oscar-winning stars. It should be a lot of fun!
Bonnie: Before we go, can you tell the reader what else you are working on right now?
Gail: Oh, boy, I considered ending the Jax Diamond series with Book 7, their marriage, but some of the readers requested at least one more book. So, I’m working on Wildcard, Book 8, which is due to release in April. It takes place in Niagara Falls, and it looks like Jax’s good friend, Orin Marino, is a serial killer. Bonnie’s note: Noooo, not Orin!
Bonnie: Thanks again Gail for sharing with us today!
Gail: Thank you so much, Bonnie! This is the first time your questions didn’t stump me!! Bonnie’s Note: Uh, oh I’m going to have to up my question game!
Welcome to It’s Monday! What are you Reading? It’s hosted by Kathryn from Book Date. This is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.
WHAT AM I READING NOW
I’m reading the final ARC of The Diamonds by Gail Meath. It’s Book 7 of the Jax Diamond series, and it’s out May 15th. You’ll soon see a Q&A with Gail along with my review.
JUST FINISHED
This is the story of a Manhattan family from 1912 to 1965. I read it for The Historical Novel Society so I can’t give my impressions until it is published on August 1st. You can read more about it on Amazon.
NEXT UP
(From Amazon) Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.
GENERAL UPDATE
DINANT, BELGIUM
Really beautiful town that I visited this past weekend. I was taking pictures from the Citadel, where there is a museum. Dinant is the home of the Saxophone! My pictures are slow to upload today, so I’ll post more about this later.
How about you? How was your week? What are you reading?
As many of you know, I’ve been singing the praises of this fabulous historical novel for some time, and other reviewers agree! Historical Novels Review Magazine, the magazine of The Historical Novel Society, made this an Editor’s Choice book for the August 2021 edition, and gave it a fabulous review!
I’m especially happy about this because the author, Gail Meath, a wonderful person by the way, is a self-published author. As you know, I have a heart for self-published authors so I am thrilled to see this book in the magazine alongside books from top traditional publishers like William Morrow and Revell.
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