Alex Gray’s stunning new Lorimer novel, set against the backdrop of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, brings the vibrant city to life in a race to stop the greatest threat the city has ever known.
2014: The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow and security is extra tight, particularly after a mysterious bomb explodes in nearby rural Stirlingshire. As the opening ceremony for the Games draws ever closer, the police desperately seek the culprits. But Detective Superintendent Lorimer has other concerns on his mind. One is a beautiful red-haired woman from his past whose husband dies suddenly on his watch. Then there is the body of a young woman found dumped in countryside just south of the city who is proving impossible to identify. Elsewhere in Glasgow people prepare for the events in their own way, whether for financial gain or to welcome home visitors from overseas. And, hiding behind false identities, are those who pose a terrible threat not just to the Games but to the very fabric of society.
Critical Praise:
“An excellent procedural in which Gray … does for Glasgow what Ian Rankin did for Edinburgh in the annals of crime fiction.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Silent Games
“Gray has no equal when it comes to unmasking killers and she has excelled herself here . . . Gray is the new master of Scottish crime writing.” — Scottish Daily Express
“Brings Glasgow to life in the same way Ian Rankin evokes Edinburgh.” — Daily Mail (UK)
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery Published by: Witness Impulse Publication Date: March 13th 2018 Number of Pages: 368 ISBN: 9780062659262 Series: A DCI Lorimer Novel, #11 (Stand Alone)
If you read my blog, you know I love Alex Gray’s DCI Lorimer novels. They all can stand alone, but I love to read them in order. This one was no exception – I couldn’t put it down! It seemed to have three different story lines going at the offset: Lorimer attends his high school reunion which is organized by his old flame (whose husband promptly turns up dead), a young girl is kidnapped from Africa and black-marketed for sex in Scotland, and some thugs are planning a bombing at the Scotland Glasgow Games. I wasn’t sure how these three would come together, but converge they did, with a satisfying conclusion!
Thank you for making me part of the tour and for my review e-copy! I hear there’s another title in the works….
Author Bio:
Alex Gray was born and educated in Glasgow. After studying English and Philosophy at the University of Strathclyde, she worked as a visiting officer for the Department of Health, a time she looks upon as postgraduate education since it proved a rich source of character studies. She then trained as a secondary school teacher of English. Alex began writing professionally in 1993 and had immediate success with short stories, articles, and commissions for BBC radio programs. She has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing. A regular on the Scottish bestseller lists, she is the author of thirteen DCI Lorimer novels. She is the co-founder of the international Scottish crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, which had its inaugural year in 2012.
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Alex Gray and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) Print copy of Alex Gray’s THE SWEDISH GIRL. The giveaway begins on March 12, 2018 and runs through April 15, 2018. Open to U.S. addresses only. Void where prohibited.
My friends at Harper-Collins Publishing asked me if I’d like a kindle copy of Alex Gray’s FIVE WAYS TO KILL A MAN, her latest DCI Lorimer novel. I like this crime series, which is set in Scotland and has a “BBC” feel to it. I had read several, though not all, of the DCI Lorimer novels and enjoyed them all. They are fast-paced and well-plotted, but not overly graphic or gruesome.
Here’s the overview from Amazon:
DCI Lorimer must track down a malicious cutthroat inching closer to his own family in this atmospheric mystery from international bestselling author Alex Gray
An unpredictable killer is loose on the streets of Glasgow, experimenting with death. Beginning with brute force, the murderer moves on to poison and drowning, greedy for new and better ways to kill. Faced with a string of unconnected victims, DCI Lorimer turns to psychologist and friend Solomon Brightman for his insights. When Lorimer is also assigned to review the case of a fatal house fire, his suspicions are raised by shocking omissions in the original investigation. Some uncomfortable questions have been buried, but Lorimer is the man to find the answers.
As the serial killer gets closer to Lorimer’s family, can the DCI unmask the volatile murderer before the next victim is found too close to home?
A lot of the same characters appear in this series, so they start to feel like old friends. Life goes on and people get married, babies are born, people die, all while Lorimer keeps solving crimes!
Today I’m part of the PIC Tour for THE LAST SIN by KL Murphy. This is #3 in the Mike Cancini mystery series, but it is easily a stand alone title (I haven’t read the previous books and I was not lost at all!). I always enjoy these light crime novels that take place in big cities. This one was centered in a Catholic church. It read quickly and I enjoyed it. I will look for other titles in this series!
Thanks for making me part of the tour and for my e-copy!
The Last Sin
by KL Murphy
on Tour March 13 – April 14, 2017
Synopsis:
Detective Mike Cancini has seen some dark days, but his skills are put to the test when a priest is discovered, brutally murdered in a run-down church in Washington, D.C. The man who discovered the body is none other than Cancini’s longtime friend and confidant, Father Joe Rossi. The murdered priest, Father Matthew Holland, was adored by the congregation, and it seems clear that this was a crime of opportunity in a deteriorating neighborhood.
However, Cancini soon learns some shocking details from the church secretary, and begins to suspect that Father Holland was not as saintly as he may have appeared. This new information leads to a trail of bribes and decades of corruption polluting the church. Cancini must confront his own struggles with his faith and uncover the truth of the conspiracy before more people are killed.
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural Published by: Witness Impulse Publication Date: March 2014 Number of Pages: 304 ISBN: 9780062491633 Series: Detective Cancini Mysteries #3 Purchase Links:Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
Author Bio:
K.L. MURPHY was born in Key West, Florida, the eldest of four children in a military family. She has worked as a freelance writer for several regional publications in Virginia, and is the author of A Guilty Mind and Stay of Execution. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, four children, and two very large, very hairy dogs.
To learn more about the Detective Cancini Mystery series or future projects, visit her Website 🔗, Twitter 🔗, & Facebook 🔗 pages.
Giveaway
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for KL Murphy and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) code for a BlueFire eBook copy of The Last Sin by KL Murphy. The giveaway begins on March 13th and runs through April 16th, 2017.
My friends at Smith Publicity sent me an e-copy of FATAL OPTION (thank you!) so that I could be part of the blog tour on this title.
This story follows a father, who has already had a lot of pain and distress, as he deals with a life-changing decision he makes one snowy night. He will do anything to protect his two teens, but will he do the right thing?
Here’s the overview from Amazon:
A tragic accident. A family in crisis. And a killer watching every move.
Five months after the mysterious death of his wife, Stephen Porter is pulled from a dreamless sleep by a midnight phone call. His 17-year-old daughter Sara is stranded in a blizzard near the top of a mountain beyond their suburban home. She’s terrified and unable to stop crying as she begs him to come to her rescue.
Unfortunately Stephen went to bed just an hour before after a night of binge drinking. With his blurred vision and unsteady balance he knows it’s dangerously irresponsible to get behind the wheel. But he heads out into the snowstorm to bring Sara home.
High school teacher Kieran O’Shea is also behind the wheel, searching for his autistic younger brother Aidan, who is wandering aimlessly through the storm on that same mountain. Kieran is terrified—of the voices in his mind, that Aidan will be taken from him, and that he may soon be arrested for murdering three women.
In a matter of minutes Stephen will encounter Kieran and drive headlong into a collision that will force him to unlock the secret of his wife’s death, avoid prosecution, and protect his children from violence that hits all too close to home.
I read this book quickly as I wanted to see what would happen. I did find it pretty heavy, though. This story had, among other things, rape, murder, suicide, incest, child abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional), and a serial killer. Just mentioning these things as I know they can be triggers for readers. I did read it to the end, and I liked the ending as I felt it was positive. I felt for the main character as he was just an average joe who was in some bad situations and trying to make the best of it while he was trying to keep his life and his kids’ lives together. I will look for Mr. Beakey’s other titles!
Here’s a bit of info on the novel from Smith and a book trailer:
Fatal Option [February 21, Post Hill Press] is a nail-biting thriller that explores the devastating moral consequences of a dangerous choice. It’s garnered the following praise:
I’m excited today to take in the book blast for REVEALING NICOLA by Sam Cheever! This post includes a giveaway!!
Synopsis:
She has to overcome a lifetime of secrets…the shock of discovery.
He must protect a treasure that has turned passion to hate… reason to incoherence.
Poisoned by danger, intrigue, lust, and greed…their very survival is in the balance.
Can they endure the conspiracy and find love? And if they do…will it be enough?
Book Details:
Genre:Romantic Suspense, Thriller Published by: Electric Prose Publications Publication Date: February 7, 2017 Number of Pages: 183 ISBN: 978-1-63587-971-1 Series: La Fortuna DeVitis #1 Purchase Links:Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | iTunes 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author Sam Cheever writes romantic paranormal/fantasy and mystery/suspense, creating stories that celebrate the joy of love in all its forms. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 50+ books and has been writing for over a decade under several noms de plume.
Sam would love it if you Liked/Followed her wherever you enjoy hanging out online. Here are her online haunts:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Sam Cheever. There will be 1 winners of one (1) $20 Amazon.com Giftcard. The giveaway begins on February 19th and runs through February 27th, 2017.
Today I’m thrilled to be taking part in a blog tour for THE PIPER, through Partners in Crime Tours, my first time taking part with them!
I received this mystery novella via e-copy. It is a quick read and cleverly plotted. I’d love to read more with this character in it and by this author.
Here’s the overview from PICT:
Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge returns shell shocked from the trenches of World War I, tormented by the spirit of Hamish MacLeod, the young soldier he executed on the battlefield. Now, Charles Todd features Hamish himself in this compelling, stand-alone short story.
Before the Great War, Hamish is farmer in the Scottish Highlands, living in a small house on the hillside and caring for a flock of sheep he inherited from his grandmother. When one spring evening he hears a faint cry ringing across the glen, Hamish sets out in the dark to find the source. Near the edge of the loch he spots a young boy laying wounded, a piper’s bag beside him. Hamish brings the piper to his home to stay the night and tends to his head wound, but by the time Hamish wakes the boy has fled. He tracks the footsteps in pursuit of the injured lad and finds him again collapsed in the grasses—now dead.
Who was the mysterious piper, and who was seeking his death? As Hamish scours the countryside for answers, he finds that few of his neighbors are as honest as he, and that until he uncovers a motive, everyone, including Hamish, is a suspect.
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery Published by: Witness Impulse Publication Date: January 10th 2017 Number of Pages: 100 ISBN: 0062678094 (ISBN13: 9780062678096) Series: Inspector Ian Rutledge #19.5 Purchase Links:Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗
About Charles Todd:
Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, they live on the East Coast.
I really enjoyed the first Detective Helen Grace mystery I read – EENY MEENY – so I was excited to find POP GOES THE WEASEL on Net Galley. DI Helen Grace is a multi-layered character with a dark past and a dark side to her personality. In this installment, she is chasing a serial killer — one who mutilates his/her victims and then sends a body part home. But as Helen is seeking a killer, she is also watching over a young man for a very specific reason that relates to her shadowed past.
Apparently there are two more Helen Grace mysteries that escaped my attention (I wish Net Galley had a “notify” feature). This is a gritty series, but I like it. I really like uncovering the layers that make up Helen and figuring out the mystery, too. Thank you for my review e-copy!
My friends at Smith Publicity sent me a kindle copy of David Myles Robinson’s new crime novel: TROPICAL JUDGMENTS. This is one in a series centering on Pancho McMartin, Honolulu attorney, and the first one I’ve read by him. This novel easily stands alone.
In TROPICAL JUDGMENTS a popular Hawaiian performer is murdered in an apparent robbery and a young, homeless black man is charged with the crime. Pancho is asked to defend him as his court appointed defense attorney and he is really not looking forward to the experience. However, the more Pancho and his partner Drew look into the facts, the more they question whether Jackson, their client, is actually guilty, or just at the wrong place at the wrong time. As things progress Pancho starts uncovering an underworld of crime that definitely wants to stay covered.
I just loved this fast paced mystery which takes place in one of my favorite places! If you know me, you know I love all things Hawaiian. There is something intriguing about layering the beauty of the islands and Hawaiian culture with the seediness of drug lords, addiction, and homelessness. I really liked the character of Pancho, and hope to go back and read the previous book in the series.
Here a bit about the author from Net Galley: David Myles Robinson is a retired attorney who specialized in personal injury and workers’ compensation law and was awarded the Consumer Lawyer of the Year by the trial lawyers’ association in Hawaii. He retired in 2012 and currently lives in Taos, NM with his wife. He is the author of Tropical Lies and Tropical Judgments.
If you like a realistic crime novel set in paradise, pick up TROPICAL JUDGMENTS by David Myles Robinson!
I picked up EENY MEENY through Net Galley as I can’t resist a good British mystery! This is the first book in the DI Helen Grace series.
A bizarre serial killer is on the loose and it’s one that doesn’t fit the typical profile. She is female and abducts two victims, letting them decide who will live and who will die. DI Helen Grace is determined to discover just who this is and how the victims are all connected. However, she begins to realize that the connection they all share is one to her.
I enjoyed this first installment in this series. If you read me you know I have a thing for British mysteries. Helen is a strong character, a loner, a woman with a dark past. The mystery was well-plotted and kept me guessing up to the end.
It’s a keeper!
Thank you, Net Galley and Penguin, for my review copy!
I picked up this little mystery off Net Galley. There’s something about winter that makes me want to read crime novels!
In this story, which is part of series featuring the main character- a male detective, a police officer is found brutally murdered near a homeless camp where he had been giving out blankets. Suspicion turns to several homeless people, including twin brothers who have some special needs and mental health issues. At the same time, someone is drugging and sexually assaulting teen girls, then blackmailing their families for money or threatening to release videotape of the assaults. The two crimes can’t be related – or can they?
I enjoyed reading this novel, though I have to say that the very first scene did not work for me. I found it contrived and awkward. Once the book switched to Detective Jackson’s perspective, I got right into it. I thought the author did a good job in covering what it’s like to work for a newspaper as a crime writer, too (role of another character in the book). It seemed pretty realistic. As for the murder, I had figured most of it out by midway (using the old “pick the person least likely” approach) but the final scenes put all the pieces in place for me. The Oregon setting is solidly portrayed throughout – no surprise that that is where Ms. Sellers lives!
This was a quick read that held my attention – I’d read more about Detective Jackson.
Thanks, Net Galley and Thomas Mercer, for my copy!
USA Today Bestselling Author Sam Cheever writes romantic paranormal/fantasy and mystery/suspense, creating stories that celebrate the joy of love in all its forms. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 50+ books and has been writing for over a decade under several noms de plume.
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