What's HOT in Inspirational Mystery & Suspense

The Suspense Sisters had some great releases in July while we were sharing our giveaway. These simply must be shared with you! 

First, from Mary Alford released on July 23:  

Innocent lives at stake…
Can a former soldier and his canine save them?

Helping a pregnant woman he comes across in a mountain storm puts Axel Sterling right into the path of ruthless human traffickers. Now it’s up to the ex-soldier and his dog to keep Summer and her unborn baby safe from the abductors she’s finally escaped. But between the icy wilderness and the armed gunmen following them at every turn, one wrong move could cost Axel and Summer their lives.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

 Oooo! This sounds so good! You can get your copy from Amazon. 

 

And also released on July 23, this one by Jodie Bailey:

Kidnappers out for vengeance…

Can a K-9 team stop them?

Following the death of a crime boss he put behind bars, Ian Carpenter leaves witness protection—and runs right into an ambush. To escape assailants bent on revenge, he turns to his former handler, US marshal Meadow Ames, and her K-9 partner. But the stakes grow higher when Ian’s cousin is abducted. With threats closing in, can they rescue a kidnapped teen…and stop the criminals for good?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Mountain Country K-9 Unit

Love K-9 cops? Get your copy HERE! 

And lastly, Marji Laine has the final story in this cozy mystery and light suspense series bundle:

How do horses, a legendary creature, and a bride-to-be add up to family drama, intrigue, murder, and pure cozy mystery joy? 

Pick up your copy of THE VISITOR MYSTERIES and find out!

The Visitor doesn't invite mystery and mayhem to join her on her journeys. They just show up as she tours the country to support her family's charitable foundation and spend time with her many siblings. Match wits with her as she attempts to unravel the mysteries and unexpected dramas that go with them.

"The Visitor, Connie, is like a younger version of Jessica Fletcher, and trouble follows her all over the country."

See you next week! 

REVIEW and a Free Book!

The Visitor Arrived in Texas last week, and I’m glad she did!

The Visitor Mystery Series is a new, multi-author series with a main character that is something of a cross between Jessica Fletcher from “Murder, She Wrote” and Nancy Drew. The unique thing about this story, though, is that while The Visitor (Connie B. Wright) is considered the main character and travels from place to place where she meets with mayhem and mystery, the stories aren’t “from her.”

THE VISITOR MAKES A RETREAT is told from the point of view of a caregiver, Izzy Guiterrez, in the employ of Fanny Henderson. Fanny is The Visitor’s aunt. Connie and Aunt Fanny have set up a weekend to share the need for a riding camp for underprivileged and physically challenged children. (Connie is the head of her family’s Wright Foundation.)

Unfortunately, one of the invited guests is well hated by most of the others, and someone takes advantage of the timing to physically show him how hated he is. Izzy doesn’t even know Connie well enough to completely trust her, so when the sheriff starts investigating, the gloves are off.

Julie B. Cosgrove weaves a twisted little tale that has a full cast of suspects, both engaging and repulsing. And no, I didn’t quite figure out the whodunnit! All of the details were there in plain sight, but I didn’t catch a few of the clues. Maybe I’ll do better with the next THE VISITOR mystery!

Have you recently failed to figure out a mystery before the antagonist became obvious? Tell me about that book! You might just win An e-copy of THE VISITOR MAKES A RETREAT!

BOOK REVIEW: Hang on Every Word

Even in a small town, things and people aren't always what they seem. 

This fourth, stand-alone book from Julie Cosgrove's Wordplay mysteries once again marries some of the best things together - mysteries and word puzzles. 

I love them both, so this totally works for me. But let me catch you up to speed. 

Wanda Warner is a closet sleuth that is suddenly not so closet anymore. In fact, she's the head of the neighborhood watch for the whole town of Scrub Oak, Texas, and she takes that role seriously. 

In this fourth stand-alone book of the Wordplay Mysteries, Wanda herself is up against it. Somehow, she has foreknowledge of terrible crimes, and a lot of the townspeople are beginning to doubt her integrity. 

Horrors. 

Here are the details from the back of the book: 

It can't be happening again!

Wanda Warner is delighted to design the wordplay puzzles in The Oakmont Gazette. But when the clues to her Hangman puzzle are used to coordinate robberies, some people in tiny Scrub Oak, Texas wonder if she's masterminding the thefts so she can "solve" them in order to bask in more glory.

Then her own nephew, one of the town's cops, hauls her into the police station as her neighbors look on. The totally embarrassed Wanda is determined to crack this treacherous word puzzle crime spree, but can she do it before her fellow citizens hold a lynch party?

My Take

Since I'm already a fan of word games (Can't get enough of Wordle!) these books are right down my alley. But I also really like the way Mrs. Cosgrove has built consistent characters with realistic responses and genuine friendship. 

Take Wanda for instance. She has a cute little dog. She doesn't forget the dog, draws her into the "at home" scenes, and generally pays attention to her dog. Like a normal person. And she struggles with exercise and her eating habits. She's even been known to put her foot in her mouth and regret a harsh word to a friend. 

Never once does the author paint Wanda outside of those lines. She doesn't change her stripes for the sake of a scene. She's consistently kind, sometimes a little impatient, sincere in her faith, and very sharp. I love it when characters are so real. They make an impact, and their stories (or in this case the entire series) are more memorable for it. 

I also like the interplay between Wanda and her nephew and friends. It isn't the same type of interaction with any of them. Another example of real life. I tend to speak differently to my husband than I do to my grown kids, than I do to my neighbor, than I do to my best friend. So does Wanda. The depth of these characters is keeping readers coming back again and again. 

Add to that a twisted little mystery that kept me guessing to the end. With a well-woven story, I can always reflect and see the details that led to the revelation of the culprit, even if I don't catch them upon the first read. While it's always satisfying to beat the sleuth to the punch, I love being able to plainly see what I missed if I fail. Mrs. Cosgrove does a brilliant job of layering the details that will ultimately make a difference.

I really enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all of the Wordplay Mysteries. While you don't have to read them in order, it is more fun to watch Wanda's progression through them. 

HANG ON EVERY WORD is available on Amazon as an e-book or a paperback. 

Are you more a fan of cozy mysteries or of word puzzles? Which type of word puzzles do you like the best? (I'm a fan of logic problems along with Wordle!) Share your thoughts in the comments and you might win an e-copy of the first book of this series. 

REVIEW: Christy Barritt - How Did I Miss These?

Digging Through the Backlists

I have been delighted to begin the Squeaky Clean Mysteries by Christy Barritt. 

These mysteries feature a crime scene cleaner as the amateur detective and this character is so much fun. Straight-talking and a little coarse, Gabby St. Claire is a character to truly love. She's authentic and genuine, if a little rough around the edge. She has a genuine desire to do the best she can in all she does, so it's easy to like her. 

The first story, HAZARDOUS DUTY, jumps into the action immediately. Gabby is busy cleaning up from what is assumed to be a robbery gone wrong leaving the homeowner with a bullet in his leg and the man's wife dead. While Gabby might imagine some duplicity going on, she doesn't have to spend much time in the crime scene to be certain that something deceptive is going on. 

The action barely gives time to breath through this first book. Add to that the budding of a romantic triangle, some quirky neighbors that add to Gabby's trouble, and her cleaning assistant who is blamed for the crimes that occur, and Gabby's in over her head. 

This is a fun story, and the characters have all sorts of potential. I enjoyed Book 2 as well (SUSPICIOUS MINDS) and I'm now well on my way through Book 3, ORGANIZED GRIME. 

If you, like me, missed this series when it was new, don't miss it now! 

Here's a little more about HAZARDOUS DUTY. 

Buying a gun to kill your wife: $3,000
Hiring Trauma Care to clean afterward: $1,500
Having that same cleaner uncover evidence that frames you: Priceless

On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.

With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?

***

I'm giving away a copy of my award-winner, BREAKING POINT, to someone who comments, sharing the title of the oldest book on your current reading list. Mine is the one I'm reading by Christy Barritt -  Book 3, ORGANIZED GRIME. What's the oldest one on your list.