Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: No Stone Unturned by Andrea Kane

Series: Forensic Instincts #8
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes
Publisher: Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC
Source: pr firm in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Release Date: March 17th, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

WHAT IF YOU FOUND YOUR FRIEND DEAD AND FEARED YOU'D BE NEXT?

Jewelry designer Fiona McKay is working on her latest collection of Celtic-inspired jewelry. She's excited by the possibilities uncovered by Rose Flaherty, the antiquities dealer helping her research the heirloom tapestries inspiring her new collection. So when Rose calls to tell her she has answers, Fiona hurries to meet her. But her artistic world is shattered when she finds the lifeless body of the elderly woman.

Why would anyone kill such a harmless person? And what if Fiona had arrived just a few minutes earlier? Would she have been killed as well? Unnerved, she heads for her brother's Brooklyn apartment seeking advice and comfort.

Ryan McKay, Forensic Instincts' technology wiz is not amused by his little sister interrupting his evening with his girlfriend and co-worker, Claire Hedgleigh. But when Ryan and Claire hear the details of Rose's murder, they fear that Fiona could be next, and quickly assume the role of her protectors. What they're unaware of is how many people are desperately seeking the information now buried along with Rose.

A former IRA sniper. A traitorous killer who worked for the British. Two vicious adversaries taking their epic battle to America. A secret Irish hoard as the grand prize in a winner takes all fight to the death.

As the story woven into the tapestries passed down from McKay mother to daughter unravels, Forensic Instincts realizes that Fiona and her family are in grave danger. Together, the team must stay one step ahead of two rival assassins or risk Fiona's life and the McKay family tree. 

Friday Memes: No Stone Unturned by Andrea Kane

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

For the Friday 56, grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56, or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that's okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and add the url to your post at the link here.

Bea and Steph Review A Face to Die For by Andrea Kane & A Giveaway

Series: Forensic Instincts #6
Publisher: Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC
Source: PR firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from PR Firm:

Urban legend says that everyone has a double, or exact look-alike. Would you search for yours? And if you found them, would you risk your life for theirs?

When a chance encounter outside the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan results in mistaken identity, wedding planner Gia Russo is curious to find the person whose cell phone picture has been shown her—veterinarian Dr. Danielle Murano, her exact look-alike. A Facebook private message blossoms into a budding, long-distance friendship, and the two women agree to meet in New York and see the truth for their own eyes.

Shocked at the sight of one another, they quickly bond over drinks, childhood pictures and an uncanny feeling that they share more than just a visual resemblance. Together they decide to end the speculation and undergo DNA testing for siblingship. But when the tests confirm they’re identical twins, more questions are raised than answered.

And with good reason. The same mysterious forces that separated the sisters years ago are still at large, frantic to keep the two women apart. Their attempts to do so become more violent once it becomes clear that the two sisters have found each other. But when the danger escalates and the sisters fear for their lives, Gia turns to a former client of her wedding planning company, Marc Devereraux of Forensic Instincts, for help.

Despite being embroiled in another case, Forensic Instincts agrees to help Gia and Danielle discover who has been threatening them. And when Forensic Instincts discovers that this case is linked to the [Mafia, Organized Crime], they must dig up skeletons better left buried, and get at the frightening truth without destroying the sisters and the families they have grown to love.

Review of The Stranger You Know by Andrea Kane

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Series: Forensic Instincts #3
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: Meryl L. Moss Media in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

It begins with a chilling phone call to Casey Woods. And ends with another girl dead.

College-age girls with long red hair. Brutally murdered, they're posed like victims in a film noir. Each crime scene is eerily similar to the twisted fantasy of a serial offender now serving thirty years to life-a criminal brought to justice with the help of Forensic Instincts.

Call. Kill. Repeat. But the similarities are more than one psychopath's desire to outdo another. As more red-headed victims are added to the body count, it becomes clear that each one has been chosen because of a unique connection to Casey-a connection that grows closer and closer to her.

Now the Forensic Instincts team must race to uncover the identity of a serial killer before his ever-tightening circle of death closes in on Casey as the ultimate target. As the stalker methodically moves in on his prey, his actions make one thing clear: he knows everything about Casey. And Casey realizes that this psychopathic won't stop until he makes sure she's dead.

Quote-Tastic #19 Do I Get A Corsage?

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in. 

Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! 

Just grab the button and put up your post :) 

Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section. 

 This week's quote is from "The Stranger You Know", the third book in Andrea Kane's Forensic Instincts series. Forensic Instincts is a private investigative firm and they are working on a case. In this scene, one of the members is reaching out for help. There's nothing between Marc and Ryan, they are both straight and seeing women but this scene made me laugh. Since the book is generally grim, I appreciated the break. This scene occurs at their place of employment.

He glanced at his watch-1:30AM. He wasn't discouraged. He knew Marc would still be awake and working.

Sure enough, when he went upstairs, he found Marc cross-checking the employee background searches Ryan had done on the Auburn Correctional Facility staff.

"Anything?" Ryan asked.

"Nope, not yet." Marc stretched. "I need a break."

"Good. Because I need a date."

Marc's eyebrows rose in amusement. "Do I get a corsage?"

"You get to play a video surveillance game with me, from setup to stakeout. Interested?"

"Sure." Marc rose, looking down at his T-shirt and jeans. "At least I don't have to change my clothes. I hate playing dress-up."

"Just bring refreshments," Ryan advised. "We're going to get bored, cramped and hungry. But I'm hoping it will pay off."

"Lead the way."

The Devil's Thief Book Trailer

The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane releases soon, on November 12th, so Random House kindly sent out this book trailer to pique out interest. You may recall that I recently interviewed Ms. Kane and I also posted an excerpt.

What did you think? I didn't love it, I wish they had used real people in it and the music maybe could have been a little sassier but I think it gives a good idea of what the book is about.

Interview & Giveaway with Romance Author Samantha Kane

My guest today is erotic and romance author Samantha Kane. She's stopped by for a brief chat and to give away a preview copy of her upcoming book, "The Devil's Thief", an historical romance. Samantha  lives in North Carolina with her husband of fifteen years and three children, two boys and one girl. She spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full time writer and mom. Ms. Kane has a Master's degree in American History.

She loves to hear from readers, so don't hesitate to  email her.

email: mail@samanthakane.us
website
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Bea: You have a Master’s degree in American history, how important is historical accuracy in a historical romance?

Samantha: This is a really good question, and one all historical romance authors have a different opinion about. I'm of the opinion that yes, it does, but exceptions can be made for the good of the story. It is fiction, after all. But if you try to change historical dates or events, then it becomes alternate history. So the gray areas of history--customs, speech, dress--can be altered to fit your storyline, or to make the story more accessible to a modern reader, but don't tell me George Washington was at Waterloo.

Bea: Using a tweet format, tell us why we should read your next book, "The Devil’s Thief".

Samantha: A sexy romp through Regency London. Steamy love scenes, great dialogue, unforgettable characters, and devilishly gorgeous rakes. Only $2.99.

 Bea: What is the most romantic anyone has ever done for you? How would you define romance in real life?

Samantha: Confession time: I am quite possibly the least romantic woman on the planet. I forget anniversaries, I really hate getting flowers (who wants to watch them die?!), I'm PDA phobic...well, you get the picture. My husband, on the other hand, is a big romantic, poor guy. So he keeps trying, lol. But he knows the way to my heart. On our honeymoon he surprised me at dinner the first night with tickets to a St. Louis Blues hockey game. I nearly cried I was so excited. Real life romance? When my husband offers to take the kids somewhere on Saturday afternoon so I can write. And the fact that he doesn't make me mow the lawn, ever. (I LIKE her husband! ~ Bea)

Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)

Samantha: I'd be the married, wise-cracking, comic relief best friend of the heroine. I'd love to be in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

Bea: I see on your site that you’re a member of S.W.A.G., the Steampunk Writers and Authors Guild, but you haven’t published any steampunk. So, why join? Are you working on a steampunk story?

Samantha: I've co-written a western, alternate history steampunk romance with Mari Freeman called Engine Number Nine. We're hoping to have it published next year. It takes place in 1869 in an alternate American timeline, where the United States is still relatively small, and fighting both Mexico and Britain for domination of North America. The hero, Ryder, is a yankee veteran of the Civil War with a clockwork arm, and the heroine, Lucy, is a secret agent for the U.S. posing as a Harvey House waitress with her team of female agents in Texas, as Mexico and America are getting ready to join the first trans-continental railroad. And, of course, I love to read steampunk, as well.


Samantha is giving away one digital copy of "The Devil's Thief" via NetGalley. The preview expires after one month so don't delay in reading it!

Excerpt from The Devil's Thief.

Enter via the rafflecopter widget.

Excerpt from The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane

Random House's Loveswept line is venturing into historical romance and the first one is "The Devil's Thief" by Samantha Kane. I've been slowly getting back into historical romance, after years away from it and this one sounds like one I might try. I'm a sucker for the Robin Hood story. Thank you Random for the excerpt!

The Devil's Thief
By: Samantha Kane
Publisher: LOVESWEPT 
ISBN: 978-0-345-53791-1
Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, PARANORMAL, REGENCY
Format: EBOOK
Release Date: November 12, 2012
Buying Links:   Amazon   Barnes & Noble

Book Blurb (from publisher):


In Samantha Kane’s sensual tale of wicked passion, a desperate woman must resort to burglary—but the beautiful thief ends up stealing the heart of a rogue.

The daughter of a reformed jewel thief, Julianna Harte knows a thing or two about stealth. When the foundling home she provides for finds itself in dire financial straits, Julianna is forced to do the unthinkable. In a bit of misguided Robin Hood derring-do, she slips through the window of a wealthy rake to search for a treasure she knows is there: an invaluable pearl. But when the towering and very naked occupant of the moonlit bedroom ambushes her with a bargain—a night in his bed in exchange for the pearl—Julianna doesn’t know if it’s masculine heat or sheer desperation that makes his terms so tempting.

Alasdair Sharpe had no intention of keeping his end of the bargain. Planning to offer his little cat burglar carte blanche instead, he promptly loses himself in the delights of unexpected pleasure. But when he awakes the next morning to find his family heirloom gone, fury quickly replaces sensual languor. Of course, Alasdair is more than willing to use seduction to reclaim his stolen pearl—and find the key to Julianna’s heart.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: About Last Night, Blaze of Winter, and Lana’s Lawman.

The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane, Excerpt

Review of The Line Between Here and Gone by Andrea Kane

Publisher: Mira
Series: Forensic Instincts #2
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

"The man she loved is gone forever. The child she lives for could be next."Each day is a struggle for Amanda Gleason's newborn son as he battles a rare immune deficiency. Justin's best chance for a cure lies with his father, who was brutally murdered before Amanda even realized she carried his child.


Or was he?

One emailed photo changes everything, planting a seed of doubt that Amanda latches on to for dear life: a recent photo of a man who looks exactly like Paul. Could Justin's father be alive? The mother in her is desperate to find out. But tracking down a ghost when every second counts is not for amateurs.

"Forensic Instincts is the one team up for the challenge."

A behaviorist. A former navy SEAL. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A retired FBI agent. A human-scent-evidence dog. Together they achieve the impossible, pushing ethical and legal boundaries whenever the ends justify the means.

The manhunt is on for the elusive father. Yet the further FI digs into his past, the more questions are raised about whether the man Amanda fell in love with ever really existed at all.

Dark secrets. Carefully crafted lies. From the congressional halls of Washington, D.C., to exclusive Hamptons manors, there are ruthless people who would stop at nothing to make Forensic Instincts forget about the man Amanda desperately needs to find.

Little do "they" realize that once Forensic Instincts takes the case, nothing will stop them from uncovering the shocking truth that transcends "The Line Between Here and Gone."

Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

*Warning: If dying children are a trigger for you, consider skipping this book.*

I had some reservations about the first book in this series, "The Girl Who Disappeared Twice". Although not marked as being the first book in a new series, though it ended up being so, it often read like one while at other times it read like a book in the middle of a series. This book, the second in the series, doesn't suffer from an identity crisis. Kane gives enough info to fill in new readers without dragging down the story; it would read well as a stand-alone, I believe.


This story grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go. I stayed up until 3:11 AM reading it and had tears on my face when I finished. As you can see from the book blurb, the story is designed to tug at your heart strings, and it does, but there's also a mystery and the FI team grabs hold of it, while never losing sight of their main purpose: Find Justin's father and maybe save his life. There were some predictable parts but also some twists and turns. The tension in the story comes from many sources: the dying infant, the missing father, the familial conflicts, the conflict between the FI team and the FBI, the conflicts between the team members. That sounds like a boat load of conflict and tension but it doesn't drag the story down; there's also humor, hope, romance and action.

The story was a quick read but an engrossing one. I really liked the interaction between the FI team members, including their disagreements; they felt real, not sugarcoated or exaggerated. In fact, I think it's the characters, and not just the team members, along with the urgency of Justin's situation, that really grabbed and held my attention. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Justin's father were a bit complicated, unnecessarily so at times but it did provide for a reason for the tension between the FI team and the FBI, as well as adding another layer to the disappearance. It's not a perfect book, but a good one. I will definitely read the next one in the series.



I received a print ARC as part of a blog tour. 


Andrea is currently on a blog tour for this book, you can follow along if you want. Click here for her schedule. Click here for short Q&A with Andrea and a brief excerpt from the book.

Q&A with Author Andrea Kane and Scavenger Hunt

Last month, romance author Andrea Kane popped in for a short interview as part of her blog tour for the anthology "Love Is Murder". This month she's back, touring for her new suspense novel, "The Line Between Here and Gone" and she generously took the time to answer a few more questions.

Kane’s psychological thriller "The Girl Who Disappeared Twice", became an instant New York Times bestseller, the latest in a long string of smash hits. It introduced Forensic Instincts, an eclectic team of maverick investigators, each with different personalities and talents, all with one common bond: a blatant disregard for authority. "The Line Between Here and Gone" is the next exciting installment in the Forensic Instincts series. Armed with skills and talents honed by years in the FBI and Special Forces, and training in behavioral and forensic psychology, the team solves seemingly impossible cases while walking a fine line between assisting and enraging law enforcement.

With a worldwide following and novels published in over twenty languages, Kane is also the author of eight romantic thrillers and fourteen historical romances. She lives in New Jersey with her family, where she is plotting new ways for Forensic Instincts to challenge the status quo.

Where to find Andrea online:

website and blog
twitter
facebook 

Bea: What sort of attachment do you have to your characters?
Andrea: They become part of me, like family. The ending of a book is bittersweet. My characters are fully formed, have achieved some resolution in battling the trials and tribulations of life. Just when I’m ready to enjoy their creation, it’s time to say goodbye. Fortunately with Forensic Instincts, I get the chance to stay attached and further the FI team’s characters and stories in their next book.

Bea: Where do you do most of your writing?
Andrea: Wherever my Pomeranian lets me. It’s amazing where he can place his snout, his paws, his tail and his body on my laptop to prevent me from writing

Bea: Do you have an inspiration board for each book? Maybe a scrapbook? What inspires you when you’re writing?
Andrea: No boards, no scrapbooks. I’m a pretty cerebral person. For me, the inspiration comes from within – characters with a story they’re excited to tell!

Bea: Are any characters in the book based on people you know or have met in your personal life?
Andrea: I am constantly inspired by people (and animals) I meet while researching my novels: FBI agents, cops, other law enforcement personnel, doctors, nurses, vets, dogs, as well as people I meet in my everyday life. I think my characters embody the best and worst traits of all of them. Working closely with the FBI has given me the opportunity to see integrity, dedication, intelligence, and insightfulness up close and personal.

Bea: Which part of THE LINE BETWEEN HERE AND GONE was the most enjoyable to write?
Andrea: The best part of writing THE LINE, for me, was bringing back the whole FI team. They've become so real to me, I love "spending" more time with them!

Brief Excerpt from "The Line Between Here And Gone":

An email from a fellow photojournalist, a friend of hers who’d been traveling internationally for months and wouldn’t be aware that Justin had already been born or that his condition had turned Amanda’s life upside down.

Andrea is currently on a blog tour for this book, you can follow along if you want. Click here for her schedule. Click here for my review of "The Line Between Here And Gone".

Blog Tour Q&A with Author Andrea Kane

Click here for more info & the tour schedule

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Andrea Kane to the blog. She's on tour promoting the new romantic suspense anthology, "Love is Murder", to which she contributed a story. Kane’s psychological thriller "The Girl Who Disappeared Twice" became an instant New York Times bestseller, the latest in a long string of smash hits. It introduced Forensic Instincts, an eclectic team of maverick investigators, each with different personalities and talents, all with one common bond: a blatant disregard for authority. "The Line Between Here and Gone", which I'll be reviewing in July, is the next exhilarating installment in the Forensic Instincts series. Armed with skills and talents honed by years in the FBI and Special Forces, and training in behavioral and forensic psychology, the team solves seemingly impossible cases while walking a fine line between assisting and enraging law enforcement.

With a worldwide following and novels published in over twenty languages, Kane is also the author of eight romantic thrillers and fourteen historical romances. She lives in New Jersey with her family, where she is plotting new ways for Forensic Instincts to challenge the status quo.

Where to find Andrea online:

website and blog
twitter
facebook


Bea: What is your guilty pleasure?

Andrea: I don’t even have to ponder this one. Ice cream. Always ice cream. If I could, I’d take a quart (maybe even a half-gallon if I had room) of homemade ice cream, a giant spoon, and eat it all in one sitting. Too bad broccoli and ice cream can’t switch places in terms of calories, fat content, and healthy eating!

Bea: Describe your favorite meal.

Andrea: I’d start with a Caesar salad, move on to filet mignon and lobster tails with a lovely glass of Beaujolais, and end with some fabulous profiteroles. I’m getting hungry just answering the question.

Bea: If you were not a writer, what would be your career?

Andrea: I can never answer this question, because I can’t imagine being anything BUT a writer. I almost went to law school, but then my writing called me back. It’s no use. I’m just a diehard storyteller.

Bea: If you could time travel, which year would be your destination?

Andrea: I’m fascinated with Regency England, which is why I set most of my historicals there. I’d have to visit some of the grand balls of the nobility, see the carriage rides through Hyde Park, and watch the Bow Street Runners in action. But I could never deal with the chamber pots!

Bea: What inspired your contribution to LOVE IS MURDER?

Andrea: I really wanted to give my readers romantic closure on FBI agents Sloane Burbank and Derek Parker. But I was also dying to mix in one of my new Forensic Instincts team (the series I’m immersed in right now). “Lockdown” gave me the opportunity to do both, and to do it in a romantic setting and a life-threatening situation.

Andrea, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions and I look forward to your guest post on here in July for your next book, "The Line Between Here and Gone".

Brief Excerpt from Kane's Short Story, "Lockdown":


It was times like this that Claire Hedgleigh hated her psychic gift.

Her best friend was about to get married. The chapel was alight with anticipation and joy.

But all Claire could sense was darkness. Dark energy. Filling the room. Hovering over the fairy-tale setting.

Why?

Review of The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

Publisher: Mira Books

Release Date: May 31, 2011

More Info: Amazon Book Depository

Book Blurb:

SHE COULDN'T STOP IT. NOT THEN. NOT NOW.

If she'd only turned her head, she would have seen the car containing her daughter, struggling to get out.

Struggling to escape her kidnapper.

Despite all her years determining the fates of families, veteran family court judge Hope Willis couldn't save her own. Now she's frantically grasping at any hope for Krissy's rescue. Her husband dead-set against it, she calls Casey Woods and her team of renegade investigators, Forensic Instincts.

A behaviorist. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A former Navy SEAL. Unconventional operatives. All with unique talents and personal reasons for being part of Casey's group, they'll do whatever it takes.
Able to accurately read people after the briefest of encounters, Casey leads her crew to Krissy's home. There, she picks up the signs of a nervous spouse, a guilty conscience, a nanny that hides on her cell. She watches as secrets beg to creep into the open.

Forensic Instincts will dig through each tiny clue and eliminate the clutter. But time is running out, and even working around the clock, the authorities are bound by the legal system. Not so Casey's team. For they know that the difference between Krissy coming back alive and disappearing forever could be as small as a suspect's rapid breathing, or as deep as Hope's dark family history.

My Thoughts:


As I was reading this book I kept thinking it read like the first book in a new series - several info dumps concerning Forensic Instincts, an investigation and security company, and it's employees; lots of explanations for characters behaviors and actions; and in general, lts of time and attention laying out background and parameters. I couldn't find any information about this being the start of a series, perhaps that depends on how well this book does. However, at other times, it felt as if there I started in the middle of a series, particularly with the interactions of the various agencies and investigators.

Despite the attention paid to the employees of Forensic Instincts, it was the family who hired them who actually were detailed and brought to life. This isn't a quick, simple investigation or novel. The investigation into the missing girl is complex and layered; it quickly becomes apparent that the present day investigation is tied into an event from Hope's past. I figured out about 2/3 of the way through who took Krissy but was only partially right on the why.

There's a lot going on this book, and at times it got bogged down with details, particularly all of the abbreviations of various local, state, and federal agencies and their various procedures. Still, it was fascinating and was not easy to put down. If this become a series, I look forward to learning more about all of the various members of Forensic Instincts.

An ARC of this book was received  from the publisher for review.