Steph Reviews Shadow Ritual by Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne

Publisher: Le French Book
Format Read: Paperback ARC
Source: From PR firm for an honest review
Release Date: March 25, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

An electrifying thriller about the rise of extremism. Two slayings—one in Rome and one in Jerusalem—rekindle an ancient rivalry between modern-day secret societies for knowledge lost at the fall of the Third Reich. Detective Antoine Marcas unwillingly teams up with the strong-willed Jade Zewinski to chase Neo-Nazi assassins across Europe. They must unravel an arcane Freemason mystery, sparked by information from newly revealed KGB files. Inspired from the true story of mysterious Freemason files thought to hold a terrible secret, stolen by the SS in 1940, recovered by the Red Army in 1945 and returned half a century later.

Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: Silhouette of Virtue: A Novel by Jay Richards

Publisher: Face Rock Press
Format Read: Paperback
Source: From PR firm for an honest review
Release Date: June 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A gripping psychological thriller from one of America's leading psychopathy experts that explores race, the criminal mind, and the changing cultural landscape of Vietnam Era America.

It's 1973. America is in the throes of Watergate, Vietnam, and increasingly heated racial tensions. A small college town in Southern Illinois is terrorized by a spree of sadistic sexual assaults against young Asian women, purportedly by a black man seeking payback for America's betrayal in Vietnam.

Acting more on suspicion than evidence, the all-white police force arrests a black theater instructor and Vietnam vet. His only African American colleague, philosophy professor Nathan "Ribs" Rivers, finds himself in the unlikely position of leading a coalition of student and faculty groups advocating for a fair trial, despite his own doubts about the suspect's innocence.

As the case intensifies, Professor Rivers uncovers a shocking web of conspiracy, underground activity, and psychopathy. He embarks on a vision quest for the truth about the crimes and his own character that threatens to topple his family and career, ignites in him a spiritual crisis, and plunges him headlong toward lethal unknowns.

Silhouette of Virtue is more than just a gripping psychological thriller. Through the complex story, which is based on true events from the author's own life, Jay Richards provides a penetrating look at some of the most complex and challenging issues facing American society, then and now. As a forensic psychologist with more than three decades of experience diagnosing and studying psychopaths and sex offenders, Richards offers an authentic portrayal of the complex characters and weaves together the culture and politics of the era with racial tension, mystery, and suspense.

EXCERPT And GIVEAWAY: Vision of Darkness by Tonya Burrows

Welcome to my stop on Tonya's blog tour for her newest book, "Vision of Darkness". It came out at the beginning of the month and is the first in a great new paranormal romantic suspense series. That hits all my likes so I knew I had to be part of the tour. I also have the book in my TBR pile and hope to have the review up next month. Fans of Christine Feehan's Ghost Walker series, or Rebecca Zanetti's FORGOTTEN SINS, will love this new series from Tonya! Today, I have an excerpt for you and at the end is a giveaway. So fix yourself a drink, push the cats out of your way, and sit back and enjoy!

Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn't put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she’s currently soaking up the sun as a Florida girl. She suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her two dogs and ginormous cat are excellent travel buddies.

Bea Reviews Tokyo Kill by Barry Lancet

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: Jim Brodie #2
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the second thriller of this new series from “a fresh voice in crime fiction” (Kirkus Reviews), antiques dealer-turned-P.I. Jim Brodie matches wits with an elusive group of killers chasing a long-lost treasure that has a dangerous history.

When an elderly World War II veteran shows up unannounced at Brodie Security begging for protection, the staff thinks he’s just a paranoid old man. He offers up a story connected to the war and to Chinese Triads operating in present-day Tokyo, insisting that he and his few surviving army buddies are in danger.

Fresh off his involvement in solving San Francisco’s Japantown murders, antiques dealer Jim Brodie had returned to Tokyo for some R&R, and to hunt down a rare ink painting by the legendary Japanese Zen master Sengai for one of his clients—not to take on another case with his late father’s P.I. firm. But out of respect for the old soldier, Brodie agrees to provide a security detail, thinking it’ll be an easy job and end when the man comes to his senses.

Instead, an unexpected, brutal murder rocks Brodie and his crew, sending them deep into the realm of the Triads, Chinese spies, kendo warriors, and an elusive group of killers whose treachery spans centuries—and who will stop at nothing to complete their mission.

Group Interview with Author David Baldacci

Recently, I had the good fortune to be part of a group phone conference interview with author David Baldacci. A number of bloggers were invited to participate and we each had a turn to ask a question. The call lasted about 30 minutes. I was delighted and flattered to be asked to be one of the bloggers in this interview. I've enjoyed David's books and enjoyed listening to him talk; he was funny and eloquent. I've tweaked the interview a bit but it's basically intact. It's a long one! So make yourself comfy and enjoy!

 

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Shadow Catcher by James R. Hannibal

Thriller
Re-Release: December 2, 2014

GIVEAWAY! Deadly Odds by Allen Wyler

Do you like thrillers? Are you looking for a new author? Well, take a look at Deadly Odds. The publisher, Astor + Blue is offering up one copy, a print for the US or an ebook for an international winner. Just enter below.

The Friday 56 Tokyo Kill by Barry Lancet

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm about to start reading a thriller, "Tokyo Kill", by Barry Lancet. The quote is from page 56  in the hard cover.

Good thing the yakuza enforcer was on my side.
Apparently, he knew where I lived.

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Help Me Interview Author David Baldacci

I was fortunate enough to be asked to participate in a telephone conference interview with thriller author David Baldacci. The call itself will only be about thirty minutes and I don't know how many bloggers will be there but we're allowed two questions each. Since there will be a bunch of us, I want a list of questions so that if some get asked before it's my turn I still have some to choose from.

So, leave me your questions below and I'll add them to my list. I can't promise I'll get to ask them but I'll try!

David's publicist will email the transcript and I'll get that formatted and posted sometime between December 6th and December 12th.

Thanks for your help!

Bea Reviews The Buried by Shelley Coriell

Publisher: Forever Romance
Series: The Apostles #2
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Secrets from the past.
Voices from the grave.
Because nothing stays buried forever...

Cypress Bend, Florida, is a small southern bayou town filled with long-buried secrets. It's also the home of successful, fiercely independent state prosecutor Grace Courtemanche, who's pulled into a world of terror and self-doubt when she receives a phone call from a young woman buried alive.

In a race to stop a revenge-seeking killer, Grace unearths skeletons from her past along with feelings for the one man she swore she'd never need again, Theodore "Hatch" Hatcher, a rootless, smooth-talking FBI crisis negotiator who's back in Cypress Bend to deal with a secret of his own.

EXCERPT from One of Us by Tawni O'Dell

EXCERPT

Today I have an excerpt from a thriller that came out in August. "One of Us" is a murder mystery and a psychological thriller that's heavily character driven. 

Tawni O'Dell is the New York Times bestselling author of Fragile Beasts, Sister Mine, Coal Run, and Back Roads, which was an Oprah's Book Club pick and a Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection. Tawni's screen adaptation of Back Roads is currently in development to be made into a film with Adrian Lyne set to direct. Her work has been translated into 15 languages and been published in over 30 countries.

Tawni was born and raised in the coal-mining region of western Pennsylvania, the territory she writes about with such striking authenticity. Her novels have been lavished with praise by critics, including the New York Times, People Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, Los Angeles Times, and many more.

SPOTLIGHT & GC GIVEAWAY: Last Hero Standing: A Romance Thriller Bundle & A Guest Post by Joan Swan

Today I'm delighted to present a new romantic thriller bundle, "Last Hero Standing". It's a collection of stories written by an assortment of authors to benefit fellow author Pamela Clare, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. The proceeds from the book go to her fund for medical expenses. Regular readers of the blog know that my family had been touched multiple times by cancer so I am always willing to do posts that could help someone with cancer.

The book is only 99 cents for 11 stories! I've got my copy; go get yours!

Bea Reviews Hard Return by J. Carson Black

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Series: Cyril Landry #2 
Format Read: Kindle book 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Cyril Landry has been a dead man since he escaped a firefight off the coast of Florida three years ago. In all that time, the former Navy SEAL has been living off the grid to protect his wife and teenage daughter, who have mourned him and moved on.

Five days a week, Landry watches from a distance as his daughter Kristal leaves school—his only chance to see her. One day a shooter in black unloads his M-16 on the students, killing eight kids—including Kristal’s boyfriend, Luke. Landry takes out the gunman with a single sniper shot before melting back into the city. But this wasn’t a typical massacre, and the clues add up to only one conclusion: someone knows Landry’s alive, and wants him dead—again. Teaming up with Detective Jolie Burke—a homicide cop who plays by her own rules—Landry must find a way to protect his family, and avenge Luke’s death.

In the second Cyril Landry thriller, black ops turn the world red.

ARC Review: Steph Reviews The Brothers' Keepers By Matthew Peters

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Series: A Nicholas Branson Novel #1
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the author for an honest review
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus’ purported spouse, Mary Magdalene. But what about Jesus’ siblings? What role did they play in early Christianity?

Contemporary Jesuit and renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is about to find out…and the answer will shake the foundations of the Judeo-Christian world.

It all starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. At the urging of his FBI friend, Branson joins the investigation. His effort to uncover the truth behind the murder draws him into the search for an eight-hundred-year-old treasure and into a web of ecclesiastical and political intrigue.

Accompanied by a beautiful, sharp-tongued research librarian, Jessica Jones, Branson follows a trail of clues, from the peaks of the awe inspiring French Pyrenees to the caves of war-torn Afghanistan. Along the way, shadowy powerful forces trail the pair, determined to keep safe a secret buried for centuries.

EXCERPT from No Limits by Lori Foster

The world of MMA wrestling has become a hot trend in romances and today I have an excerpt from Lori Foster's new release, "No Limits", part of her new series, "Ultimate", that's also a spin-off of  sorts from her "Love Undercover" series.

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author of over 70 novellas and novels. She currently writes single titles for HQN. Lori believes it’s important to give back to the community as much as possible, and for that reason she ran special contests in conjunction with a publisher, facilitating many first sales for new authors. She routinely organizes events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

GIVEAWAY: No Time To Die by Kira Peikoff

Thanks to Pinnacle Books and Meryl L Moss Media, I have one copy of an exciting new thriller to give away today. "No Time To Die", a medical thriller by Kira Peikoff, was released last month and today I am giving away a paperback copy.

Kira Peikoff is a writer based in New York City. She graduated with high honors from New York University in 2007 with a degree in journalism, after four years of various reporting internships: covering street crime for The Daily News, writing about Capitol Hill for The Orange County Register in Washington, D.C., reporting on business and technology for Newsday, and researching feature stories for New York magazine. After completing her first book, "Living Proof", Peikoff worked for several years in the editorial departments at two New York publishing houses, which gave her an invaluable inside look at the publishing process and the rapidly changing industry. Peikoff is working on her third thriller, freelancing for a variety of major media outlets, and attending Columbia University's Master of Science program in Bioethics.

Giveaway & Review: The Tenth Chamber By Glenn Cooper

Publisher: Lascaux Media
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the publisher for an honest review
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Abbey of Ruac, rural France: A medieval script is discovered hidden behind an antique bookcase. Badly damaged, it is sent to Paris for restoration, and there literary historian Hugo Pineau begins to read the startling fourteenth-century text. Within its pages lies a fanciful tale of a painted cave and the secrets it contains -- and a rudimentary map showing its position close to the abbey. Intrigued, Hugo enlists the help of archaeologist Luc Simard and the two men go exploring.

When they discover a vast network of prehistoric caves, buried deep within the cliffs, they realize that they've stumbled across something extraordinary. And at the very core of the labyrinth lies the most astonishing chamber of all, just as the manuscript chronicled. Aware of the significance of their discovery, they set up camp with a team of experts, determined to bring their find to the world. But as they begin to unlock the ancient secrets the cavern holds, they find themselves at the centre of a dangerous game. One 'accidental' death leads to another. And it seems that someone will stop at nothing to protect the enigma of the tenth chamber..

A Trick of the Mind by Penny Hancock: Review & Guest Post

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the publisher for an honest review
Release Date: September 11, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Apple iTunes | Smashwords*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Have you committed a crime ...or are you the victim of one?

Driving down to the cottage in Southwold she's newly inherited from her Aunty May, Ellie senses she is on the edge of something new. The life she's always dreamed of living as a successful artist seems as though it is about to begin. So excited is she that she barely notices when the car bumps against something on the road.

That evening Ellie hears a news flash on the radio. A man was seriously injured in a hit and run on the very road she was driving down that evening. Then Ellie remembers the thump she heard. Could she have been responsible for putting a man in hospital? Unable to hold the doubts at bay, she decides to visit the victim to lay her mind to rest, little knowing that the consequences of this decision will change her life forever.

The Friday 56 #40 Trust In Me by Sophie McKenzie

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

And again, I'm in between books so this week's quote is from a review book I received this week,  "Trust In Me", by Sophie McKenzie. The quote is from page 56  in the UK paperback. Yes, it came all the way from the UK. :D

I promise to take her to Julia's favourite spot overlooking the sea along the coast at Bolt Head. She told the she liked it because of the kies that so often flew there. She confessed to me it was also where she had met several handsome, well-heeled men whom she'd taken home for fast, furious sex.

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The Friday 56 #38 The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading an action adventure, "The Hunt for Atlantis", by Andy McDermott. The quote is from page 56 in the large print hardcover.

Living in New York, Nina was no stranger to threatening-looking characters, but there was something about this one that made her nervous. She looked up the street at the approaching traffic, but kept the man in the corner of her vision.