SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY

Suspense Sisters: September Giveaway

Book Review: STORM AND TEMPEST by Lisa Phillips and a book-giveaway!

Marji Laine here. And I just had the most delightful Saturday, crocheting on a new baby blanket and listening to an amazing suspense by bestselling author Lisa Phillips. I can certainly see why she's a bestselling author! 

There are so many things to unpack with this story, so let me start with the cast. What a list of players she has here. Now, I'm not gonna lie - there are stories that I've read with a large cast like this that completely confuse me. I lose track of who's who and have to look back or rewind the recording to figure out what's going on. 

Such was NOT the case with this extensive story population. Lisa Phillips creates unique players who feel visible, touchable. Each leaves a special impression with hints of their backgrounds, issues, and challenges. The narrator, Cynthia Farrell, helps with this. She doesn't do crazy-different accents or voices, but each had its own personal consistency - an edge or lilt - that clearly identifies the characters. The author and narrator combine incredible talent to make this story seamless and so enjoyable. 

Now as to the characters, there were a couple of rarities in this story - detours from the typical stories that I read. First, though this was full of romantic hints, the couple in question was married. I find most of the books I read are in the initial stages of a relationship - at least at first. And I didn't miss that "initial stages of the relationship" element at all. The change was refreshing and real. 

The second delightful change of pace was that the entire book was from the hero's perspective. Most of what I read is either from the female point of view or begins and ends in the female's perspective with the hero's viewpoint alternating or tossed in here an there. This story dug deep into Jax's psyche, revealing his weaknesses, his growth, his faults, and changes of opinions and attitudes. To say Jax is a full, rich character is putting it lightly. And he wasn't alone. We lived through quite a lot with several of the characters, though only through interaction with Jax. But with all they dealt with, seeing the depth of the characters wasn't hard. 

And they dealt with plenty! A missing person became a cover-up that seemed to infiltrate every area of Jax's life and his family. A team of misfits assembled to help him some from his background and some from a team that his wife had worked with for some time. But their enemy was unseen and insurmountable. I found myself on the edge between hope and "there's no way" over and over. And the climax caught me off guard but was so satisfying. 

Now here's the catch: this is book 13 of the series. I've not read any of the others (but I will!) and yet, I didn't have any trouble getting into this book and fully enjoying every step of the way. You can get your own copy RIGHT HERE! 

Have you ever read a series out of order? Did you like it? I'd loved to hear about it! Let me know the last book from a series that you've read and you just might win a copy of my book A TROLL FALLS. It's a mystery set 1948 Dallas, Texas, and based on the little-known fairy tale of Snow White and Rose Red, complete with real places, people, and situations. Wanna know more about A TROLL FALLS? Click HERE. 

Wanna win a copy? Leave your answer in the comments and don't forget to include your email address. 

Excerpt of Descended and a chance to win!

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy reading excerpts of books. They hit my feed here and there on Facebook, and I always get pulled in. So, I thought I'd share a short excerpt from my most recent book, Descended.

Watch for the man in the white fedora...you'll understand once you get to the end of the book.

Descended by Melissa Koslin

Ancient bloodlines, secret societies, an attempt in her life, and a familiar yet enigmatic stranger…

Thousands of miles from home, Isa sees a man who looks intensely familiar. After she thwarts an attempt on her life, she escapes down the mountain with the familiar man, Xander, and he explains about four ancient bloodlines, each with its own unique set of skills: Cicero, Solomon, Sun Tzu, and Lilith. He belongs to a secret society devoted to observing and recording, but never interfering. Until now.

As Isa fights to survive, she grows close to Xander. She learns of her abilities passed down through blood and struggles to uncover the truths of her past. She decides she has to put a stop to the killing of the bloodlines and protect Xander from any further harm…even if it kills her. But will the truth of the killer’s motivations and identity be too much to handle?

Amazon   |   Apple   |   Barnes & Noble

COMMENT to win a free paperback copy of the book!

Chapter 1

               “Do not embarrass me,” Mr. Lagides said. “This is not vacation. You are here to work.”

               “Of course.” Isa looked down at her notes rather than at him. She had to do that a lot so she wouldn’t be tempted to laugh at him. He was her boss, after all.

               They’d been driving through the snow-covered mountains for a while. Isa never thought she’d ever visit the Swiss Alps. They’d passed through a village farther down the mountain that looked like it came straight out of The Sound of Music, and now all she could see was miles of majestic mountain range.

According to the GPS, they were getting close to the hotel. This particular resort was high up in the mountains, so the roads had become rather steep.

               A building came into view. It was a combination of rustic lodge and posh, glittering, modern resort, nestled into the rock as if a natural outcropping.

               Mr. Lagides pulled the Mercedes rental up to the valet next to the main entrance.

               Isa got out and looked around at the beautiful people walking in and out of the hotel. Utterly different from her apartment in Jacksonville, FL, where half her neighbors were laborers. The temperature was just as different. She hugged her coat more tightly around herself. She’d lived all over the U.S., including plenty of cold areas, but she’d always been on the thin side and had never been able to develop much muscle mass, even with all her physical activity, so she tended to run cold.

Mr. Lagides walked around the back of the car toward her, while a bellman stacked their luggage onto a cart.

               Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a man speaking with someone. Tall and dark. He looked intensely familiar…

Mr. Lagides snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Pay attention.” He held up his phone to show her something.

A man in a white fedora walked by and bumped his hand. Mr. Lagides’ phone went flying.

“Look what you did,” Lagides snapped at Isa.

Isa jogged after his phone. The drive was sloped, so when it hit the ground, it started sliding. He kept his whole life in his phone, and she knew he’d be unbearable if he lost it.

The phone slid under a car. Isa darted around the car and barely avoided running into a bellman. The phone bounced off a column at the edge of the overhang and skidded down the drive, which was an even steeper angle. She darted after it, trying not to slide on the stone drive.

The things I do for that klutz of a man!

She was getting closer.

Almost.

She reached out to grab it… Someone bumped her. Was that the same man in the white fedora? She slid and fell—right in front of a car coming up the drive.

She managed to scamper back to her feet, and just before the car hit her, someone grabbed her and pulled her out of the way.

She looked back at the car as it screeched to a stop.

Then she turned to the person who’d grabbed her, who was still holding onto her. It was the familiar man. He had golden skin and sleek, black hair.

He was staring at her.

She stared back. Where had she seen him before? How?

She expected him to say something, ask if she was all right, something. He just stared at her, still with his arms around her. She literally had not been held since her parents died when she was ten years old. Maybe that was why she felt frozen in place and couldn’t seem to get any words out.

“Clumsy girl,” came Lagides voice. “Give me that phone.”

The man looked over at Lagides and then let her go and walked away. Without a word.

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE?

 Wondering what's HOT in Inspirational Suspense this week? Laura Scott is releasing book 7 in her "Sullivan K9 Search and Rescue" series, SCENT OF EVIL.   

Tracking an escaped convict...

When a sexual predator escapes from prison, US Marshal Raine Whitman is determined to find him. But when the evil man kidnaps her young niece, Ginny, Raine is desperate for help. When her FBI colleague suggests Justin Sullivan and his K9 Stone, she gratefully accepts, knowing time is of the essence.

Justin has never tracked a convicted killer, but he doesn’t hesitate to head into the Bighorn Mountains on horseback, with Raine. His K9, Stone tracks their quarry, but all too soon, the trail goes off in two different directions. They need to find Ginny, especially if the convict has left the eleven-year-old to fend for herself. But they can't allow this man to harm another innocent victim. Will they find Ginny and the escaped killer, before it’s too late?

Laura Scott has been releasing new books in this series regularly since the first part of January. This Christian romantic suspense is book 7 of 9 and you can find the series page at THIS LINK! 

I hope you LOVE it! ~ Marji Laine

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We have exciting things planned for you this week on the Suspense Sisters!

On Tuesday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine will tell us what’s hot in inspirational suspense and mystery.

Wednesday, we’ll hear from author Melissa Koslin. She’ll be sharing an excerpt from her latest release, DESCENDED. She’ll also be giving away a paperback copy of this exciting book to someone who leaves a comment.

DESCENDED

Thousands of miles from home, Isa sees a man who looks intensely familiar. After she thwarts an attempt on her life, she escapes down the mountain with the familiar man, Xander, and he explains about four ancient bloodlines, each with its own unique set of skills: Cicero, Solomon, Sun Tzu, and Lilith. He belongs to a secret society devoted to observing and recording, but never interfering. Until now.

As Isa fights to survive, she grows close to Xander. She learns of her abilities passed down through blood and struggles to uncover the truths of her past. She decides she has to put a stop to the killing of the bloodlines and protect Xander from any further harm…even if it kills her. But will the truth of the killer's motivations and identity be too much to handle?

ORDER IT HERE 

Friday, Suspense Sister Marji Laine reviews STORM AND TEMPEST by Lisa Phillips. One person who leaves a comment will win a copy of Marji’s book, A TROLL FALLS.

STORM AND TEMPEST

Their enemy might have Kenna, but Jax isn’t backing down. Ever.
For two months, FBI Special Agent Oliver Jaxton has been searching for his wife. Even with the help of her friends and the Phoenix FBI office, he’s no closer now than the day she disappeared. Forced to face his weaknesses, Jax is ready to admit he needs help. But with no break in the case in sight, he’s about to lose hope. When evidence surfaces that Kenna now works for their enemy, he refuses to believe it, even if it puts his job in jeopardy. He won’t quit. Even if he loses everything.

The more Jax and Kenna’s team dig into the evidence, trying to find her, the more it seems like they never will. Teaming up with Kenna’s extended family makes things more complicated when a drive-by shooting puts their lives in danger. With danger on their heels and no way to know who they can trust, Jax is forced into a choice that could either destroy his career or get Kenna back.

His Brand of Justice will save this family.

ORDER IT HERE 

Don’t forget to enter our monthly contest!

THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

WE LOVE BOOKS

Catching Up On Characters

 by Patricia Bradley

Do you like to catch up on characters from books you read years ago? I do. Not only that, I always have a character or two that I've written into a story that I want to find out what happened to them. I know that sounds strange--an author should know what happens to their characters, right? 

Wrong. Or at least for me, it is. Most of the time when I write a book, I don't even know who committed the crime until almost the end. In more than one book, I've had to go back and add information when the killer turns out to be someone other than the person I thought it was. 

And then there are the characters who didn't get their story, and I want to write it. Wade Hatcher from Shadows of the Past is one character. He always took his girfriend, the librarian, for granted, and I always wanted to show him the error of his ways.

I did get the chance to catch up on Scott Sinclair in On the Edge of Trust, which releases on November 4. When we last saw Scott in Shadows of the Past, he was seventeen and trying to stay sober after almost being murdered. I always wanted to redeem him, and ten years later, he's 27 and a decorated undercover FBI agent recovering from a shoulder wound that threatens to end his career.

I enjoyed catching up on some of the other characters from the Logan Point series, like Ben Logan and Nick Sinclair. By the way, during the month of September, the digital copies of the series are on sale, including Shadows of the Past.

He's remained sober, but recognizes he's only one drink away from falling back into his old pattern. Of course the heroine has been hurt deeply when she learns her father is a recovering alcoholic who she believes is responsible for her mother's death. So she believes all alcoholics will fail eventually. Makes for really good conflict. 

Here's the cover and back copy for On the Edge of Trust:

Sometimes the closer you get to justice, the deadlier it becomes

When decorated FBI undercover agent Scott Sinclair suffers a gunshot wound in his right arm, the injury threatens his future career in the field. He is determined to regain his former job by training himself to use his left hand, and failure is not an option--especially when he's unofficially pulled into an investigation.

Tori Mitchell is a passionate crime reporter and podcaster who has dedicated her life to seeking justice. Her relentless pursuit of the truth has freed a wrongfully convicted man from prison, making Tori an enemy of the true killer. When her nephew is accused of a different murder, nothing can stop her from getting involved and clearing his name.

Soon after Tori and Scott reconnect on the case, shots are fired, leaving them to wonder which of them has been targeted. As the investigation intensifies, so do the threats and the sparks between them, but Tori's doubtful if she can extend grace and trust to Scott. They'll have to combine their skills and rely on their growing relationship to outsmart the killer.



I'm giving away a digital copy of Shadows of the Past. Leave a comment by September 15, and let me know if you like to catch up on characters from past books.

Mark is the winner of Deadly Revenge from July's post!