thriller

Harper-Collin’s Blog Tour for THE PERFECT HOSTS by Heather Gudenkauf

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I love being part of HTP blog tours – the books are always SO GOOD!

This was a suspense mystery centering around an explosion at a wealthy young couple’s gender reveal party. (Can we talk about gender reveals? These started after my own were born. They are really not my thing — it’s odd to me that people are so fixated on a baby’s perceived gender. Think of it — when you are expecting the first thing people ask is ‘do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?’ So interesting to me…).There was no dearth of suspects and the plot was rather twisty. I thought I had it all figured out — but I was wrong! I really liked the main character cop, Soldano. Let’s have a sequel with him – or better yet – a Netflix limited series!

Here’s the scoop:

The Perfect Hosts

Heather Gudenkauf

Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense

320 pages

About the Book:

A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly and everyone is a suspect in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest.

Is it a boy or a girl? They would die to know…

Madeline and Wes Drake have invited two hundred of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets.

As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why? As the shadow of a killer looms, the happy parents-to-be must unravel the truth before it’s too late.

About the Author:

Heather Gudenkauf is the critically acclaimed author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Weight of Silence, The Overnight Guest and Everyone Is Watching. She lives in Iowa with her husband and children. 

Social Links:

Website: https://heathergudenkauf.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heather-Gudenkaufs-Books-259685275092/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathergudenkauf/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hgudenkauf/ 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heather-gudenkauf 

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Hosts-Novel-Heather-Gudenkauf-ebook/dp/B0DQQ9BRLR 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfect-hosts-heather-gudenkauf/1146709766?ean=9780778360049 

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-perfect-hosts-original-heather-gudenkauf/22162822?ean=9780778360049&next=t 

Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781488236150-the-perfect-hosts 

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Perfect-Hosts/Heather-Gudenkauf/9780778360049 

Target: https://www.target.com/p/the-perfect-hosts-by-heather-gudenkauf/-/A-94483956?preselect=94481317#lnk=sametab 

Indigo: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/otherwise-engaged-a-novel/9780778387268.html  

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-perfect-hosts?sId=7c9b6427-a9f0-4dbf-824b-e63babdb3880 

AppleBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-perfect-hosts/id6739534386 

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour! Pick this one up today – Heather never disappoints!

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson

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Book Description:

‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.

One tape is labelled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.

The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.

‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…

Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages late into the night! Anyone who loves Shari Lapena, John Marrs or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted.

I really loved this mystery thriller; I think I was drawn to it because of my fixation on true crime and true crime podcasts. I found this one so engaging and perfectly paced. Wilkinson is an experienced writer, but this was the first novel I’ve read of his; I definitely will look for more!

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Author Bio:

Kerry Wilkinson is from the English county of Somerset but has spent far too long living in the north. It’s there that he’s picked up possibly made-up regional words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’. He pretends to know what they mean.

He’s also been busy since turning thirty: his Jessica Daniel crime series has sold more than a million copies in the UK; he has written a fantasy-adventure trilogy for young adults; a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter and the standalone thriller, Down Among The Dead Men.

https://kerrywilkinson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks/


Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Kerry Wilkinson here: https://www.bookouture.com/kerry-wilkinson

Buy Link: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FFH4CSRGsocial

Bookouture Blog Tour for Nobody Saw Him by Liz Lawler

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I’m here today as part of the blog tour for Nobody Saw Him (also known as “one of my worst motherhood nightmares”). The woman in this book has a little boy who disappears and no one saw him go anywhere or be taken. In fact, no one saw her with him and soon everyone is questioning her story, her integrity, and even her sanity. Talk about a suspenseful read!

Here’s the scoop:

Book Description:

You say your child was taken. The police say you’re lying…

As I sit my beautiful blue-eyed boy Sam down on the bench outside the changing room, I’m certain today is going to be a better day. He can splash about with his pool toys without worrying about making too much noise, and I can take a break from tiptoeing around my husband Pete, who is becoming more distant every day.

But when I return to the bench to collect Sam, my little boy is gone…

I can feel my heart hammering as I search for him, rushing to the staff at the front desk who tell me they haven’t seen him. Nobody spotted Sam waiting patiently for me or saw him wander off through the frosted front doors. Nobody saw me reassuring him on our way in, his tiny hand clutched tightly in mine. Nobody saw him at all.

My blood turns to ice as the police show me the CCTV. I strain to see Sam’s light-brown hair through the grainy footage, sure I’ll see his curls bouncing as we walked in. But in the video, I’m completely alone.

How is this possible? He’s been erased. Gone without a trace.

And then it hits me. Will the police now discover my past?

I will stop at nothing to find Sam. My child won’t pay for what I’ve done…

An unputdownable, heart-stopping psychological thriller filled with jaw-dropping twists. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, Lisa Jewell and Nicole Trope.

Author Bio:

Liz Lawler grew up sharing pants, socks, occasionally a toothbrush, sleeping four to a bed. Born in Chatham and partly raised in Dublin, she is one of fourteen children. She spent over twenty years as a nurse and has since fitted in working as a flight attendant, a general manager of a five star hotel, and is now working with trains. She became an author in 2017 when her debut novel Don’t Wake Up was published by Twenty7.
https://www.instagram.com/lizlawlerauthor
https://twitter.com/ authorlizlawler?lang=en

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Liz Lawler here: https://www.bookouture.com/ liz-lawler

Buy Link: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0F53NVC4Zsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Bookouture Blog Tour for WHAT EVERY MOTHER NEEDS by Emily Shiner

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I’m happy to be part of this thriller of a novel today! This was disturbing and suspenseful, and I honestly was not sure how it was going to turn out. Great for fans of psychological thriller and suspense, What Every Mother Needs is one you’ll find hard to put down!

Here’s the scoop:

Book Description:

She’s what every mother needs. But can you trust her?

Charlotte: Since my husband Lawrence died it’s just me and our sweet baby girl Jordan. It’s so hard raising her alone. Then Sophie shows up at my door. She says she is Lawrence’s sister… and she seems like a blessing in disguise. But with her in my house, looking through my things, it’s going to be difficult to keep the secrets about my marriage hidden…

Sophie: Charlotte didn’t recognize me. That isn’t surprising. She seems frantic, and I know she’s not sleeping. I hear her tossing and turning while I rock her baby to sleep. When Jordan stares up at me with those big blue eyes, my heart melts. Charlotte doesn’t deserve such a gorgeous child. Not after what she did.

It’s clear to anyone that Charlotte isn’t coping. All she needs is a little push to send her over the edge… And then I’ll finally get what I really came for.

Both of these women are liars. One of them is a killer. Who is really in danger in this house?

Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl in Seat 2A, this totally addictive psychological thriller will have you up all night!

Author Bio:

Emily Shiner always dreamed of becoming an author. After spending years devouring stacks of thrillers, she decided to try her hand at writing them herself. Now she gets to live out her dream of writing novels and sharing her stories with people around the world. She lives in the Appalachian Mountains and loves hiking with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs.

It’s nice to meet you!
https://www.facebook.com/authoremilyshiner/
https://www.instagram.com/authoremilyshiner/

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Emily Shiner here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/emily-shiner/

Buy Link: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0F3FTJX3Zsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

The Day after the Party by Nicole Trope

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My friends at Grand Central Publishing sent me this suspenseful read and I read it this week as it published 1/7. Marriage issues, infidelity, friendships, birthdays, and amnesia combine for a taut, suspenseful thriller.

Highly recommended! Thanks for my copy!

The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?

Katelyn smiles at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…

She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.

When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.

Did someone at the party harm her? What is her husband hiding? Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?

About the Author

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realized the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story. She went on to publish a further five novels in Australia before joining Bookouture in 2019. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

MURDER ROAD by Simone St. James

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This was a thrilling, sometimes creepy novel by an author that I’ve enjoyed before. I loved the supernatural element in this story! It kept me up reading at night.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my review copy!

Here’s the scoop:

Description

A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases.

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.

HTP Blog Tour for THE PARIS WIDOW by Kimberly Belle

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I’m happy today to be part of the tour for a new suspenseful novel: The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle. I think this book would make an amazing movie or limited series! It was suspenseful and exciting, but I also could not put it down since there were so many twists and turns.

Here’s the scoop:

THE PARIS WIDOW 

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

ISBN: 9780778307976

Format: Trade Paperback

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing / Park Row Books

Price $18.99

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-paris-widow-kimberly-belle?variant=41107486801954 

BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-paris-widow-original-kimberly-belle/20673937?ean=9780778310723

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-paris-widow-kimberly-belle/1144012778?ean=9780778307976 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=paris+widow&i=stripbooks&crid=4KU7XSQ0O5YV&sprefix=paris+widow%2Cstripbooks%2C83&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.kimberlybellebooks.com/ 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimberlybelle 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimberlySBelle 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlysbelle/ 

Book Summary: 

From USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Belle comes a deliciously twisty new thriller following a married couple vacationing in Paris whose trip takes a dark turn when the husband goes missing, dredging up secrets from both of their pasts, perfect for fans of THE PARIS APARTMENT.

When Stella met Adam, she felt like she finally landed a nice, normal guy – a welcome change from her previous boyfriend and her precarious jetsetter lifestyle with him. She loves knowing she can always depend on Adam, which is why when he goes missing during a random explosion in Paris, she panics. Right after what is assumed to be a terrorist attack, she’s interviewed live on TV by reporters, begging anyone who knows anything about her husband’s whereabouts to come forward and is quickly dubbed “The Paris Widow.”

As the French police investigate, it’s revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer in the black market for priceless antiquities, making deals with very high-profile and dangerous clients. Reeling from this news and growing suspicions about her husband, Stella can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed. And with Adam assumed dead, she realizes that whoever was responsible for the bombing will come after her next. Everything – and everyone — that Stella has tried to keep in her duplicitous past might be her only means of survival and finding out what really happened to Adam.

An irresistible and fast-paced read set in some of Europe’s most inviting locales, THE PARIS WIDOW explores how sinister secrets of the past stay with us – no matter how far we travel.

Author Bio:

Kimberly Belle worked in marketing and nonprofit fundraising before turning to writing fiction. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Kimberly lived for over a decade in the Netherlands and currently divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam. She is the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie, Three Days Missing, Dear Wife, as well as The Last Breath, The Ones We Trust, Stranger in the Lake, My Darling Husband, and The Personal Assistant.

This was my first read by Ms. Belle and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I liked her writing which flows well and has vivid descriptions. I could picture the scenes but also felt the emotions.

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian

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I’m excited today to be part of the blog tour for Vera Kurian’s new thriller A Step Past Darkness.

This was a fast and exciting read, following 6 friends who witness something terrible and come back together twenty years later when one of them dies from a supposed accident. I could see this book being for adults or YA or new age readers. What I really could see would be it as a Netflix or Hulu limited series.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

A Step Past Darkness : A Novel 

Vera Kurian

On Sale Date: February 20, 2024

9780778310761

Hardcover

$30.00 USD

Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological 

448 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK: 

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER meets Stephen King in this character-driven thriller about a study group of six teenagers who witness something tragic in an abandoned mine, which comes back to haunt them 20 years later.

SIX CLASSMATES.

ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT.

A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING…

There’s more to Wesley Falls than meets the eye, but for six high school students, it’s home.

Kelly, the new girl and rule-follower.

Maddy, the beauty and the church favorite.

Padma, the brains and all-A student.

Casey, the jock and football star.

James, the burnout and just trying to make it to graduation.

And Jia, the psychic, who can see the future.

When these six are assigned to work on a summer group project, their lives are forever changed. At an end of the year party in the abandoned mine, they witness a preventable tragedy, but no one will take them seriously. As things escalate, they realize the church, the police, and the town’s founders are all conspiring to cover up what happened. When James is targeted as the scapegoat, to avoid suspicion, they vow their silence and to never contact each other again. Their plan works – almost.

Twenty years later, Maddy is found murdered is Wesley Falls, and the remaining five are forced to confront their past and work together to finally put right what happened all those years ago. If they can survive…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vera Kurian is a writer and scientist based in Washington DC. Her debut novel, NEVER SAW ME COMING (Park Row Books, 2021 was an Edgar Award nominee and was named one of the New York Times’ Best Thrillers of 2021. Her short fiction has been published in magazines such as Glimmer Train, Day One, and The Pinch. She has a PhD in Social Psychology, where she studied intergroup relations, ideology, and quantitative methods. She blogs irregularly about writing, horror movies and pop culture/terrible TV.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: https://www.verakurian.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/verakurianauthor/?hl=en 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vera_kurian

BUY LINKS: Not affiliated with BBNB

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-step-past-darkness-original-vera-kurian/20155061?ean=9780778310761

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Step-Past-Darkness-Novel/dp/0778310760

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-step-past-darkness-vera-kurian/1143574161

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for THE VACATION by John Marrs

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I’m always thrilled to be part of the Harper-Collins blog tours, and this fall there were SO MANY good books from which to choose.

If you know me, you know I like suspenseful mysteries that are not overly violent/gory, so The Vacation was the perfect blend of mystery and suspense for me!

This was my first John Marrs book, but it won’t be my last. I know he is a favorite author of many readers. I did find that there were a lot of characters in this novel (and I read on my kindle so I can’t easily flip back), but it was suspenseful, which is something I love for my late night reading!

Thank you for my ePub and for making me part of the tour!

Here’s the overview:

THE VACATION
Author: John Marrs
ISBN: 9781335006042
Publication Date: 12/19/2023
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
18.99 US | 23.99 CAD

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Harlequin 

BookShop.org

Barnes & Noble  

Books A Million

Amazon

Social Links: 

Author website: https://www.johnmarrsauthor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmarrs.author/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnmarrs1

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmarrs.author

Book Summary: 

How far would you run to escape your past?

Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach-front hostel, there is far more on their minds than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they’d kill to keep…

This holiday-set read is a compulsive and addictive thriller, perfect for fans of T.M. Logan.

Author Bio: 

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan. Follow him at www.johnmarrsauthor.co.uk , on Twitter @johnmarrs1, on Instagram @johnmarrs.author and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor. 

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for Perfect Little Lives by Amber and Danielle Brown

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I’m happy to be a stop of the blog tour for Amber and Danielle’s new novel: Perfect Little Lives. I will admit that it took me a bit to get into this novel, in part because I was expecting a different type of read in the beginning (I thought it started in the past with the murder) and I was also not prepared for the level of “spiciness”, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it. For me, it felt like a “new age” genre read, which can sometimes be a challenge for an over 55 gal like myself!

Here’s the scoop:

Perfect Little Lives

Authors: Amber and Danielle Brown

ISBN: 9781525805059

Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Publisher: Graydon House/HarperCollins 

Buy Links: Not affiliated with BBNB

HarperCollins.com: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/perfect-little-lives-amber-and-danielle-brown?variant=41028995514402 

BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/perfect-little-lives-original-amber-and-danielle-brown/19612183?ean=9781525805059 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfect-little-lives-amber-and-danielle-brown/1142864657? 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1525805053/keywords=thrillers?tag=harpercollinsus-20 

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781525805059

Social Links:

Author Website: https://www.amberanddanielle.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ambersharelle 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberanddanielle/ 

Goodreads

Book Summary: 

LibraryReads December Bonus Pick! 

ON ASHER LANE, SOME SECRETS ARE WORTH KILLING FOR…

Simone’s mother was murdered when she was thirteen. When her father was convicted, everything changed. Overnight, Simone went from living in a wealthy white neighborhood to scraping by.

Ten years later, Simone has given up on her dreams and lives a quiet life, writing book reviews and getting serious with her boyfriend. But with a true crime documentarian hounding her for a scoop and a surprise encounter with her childhood next-door neighbor, Hunter, the past seems set on haunting her. And after Hunter reveals that his father and her mother had a years-long affair, Simone is determined to find out who really killed her mother.

Simone is convinced that all evidence points to Hunter’s father, a renowned judge who had everything to lose if his affair—and his nascent love child—came to light. Playing the game from all sides, Simone enlists Hunter’s help in her investigation into his family—whether he realizes it or not. But is she so desperate for closure that she’ll risk imploding her carefully rebuilt life?

Authors’ Bio: 

Amber and Danielle Brown both graduated from Rider University where they studied Communications/Journalism and sat on the editorial staff for the On Fire!! literary journal. They then pursued a career in fashion and spent five years in NYC working their way up, eventually managing their own popular fashion and lifestyle blog. Amber is also a screenwriter, so they live in LA, which works out perfectly so Danielle can spoil her plant babies with copious amount of sunshine. Their debut Someone Had to Do It, was a Library Reads pick.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!