WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE by Mary Ellis

Wondering what's new in inspirational suspense and mystery? DiAnn Mills has a brand new suspense, Facing the Enemy, recently released from Tyndale Publishing. Here's a little bit about the story:

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

You can buy Facing the Enemy HERE from Christianbook.com

And Julie B. Cosgrow, has a brand new suspense, Away With Words, just released. Here's a little bit about the story: 

A brook, an apple, and a bloody sock… After two years of crime-solving, in which she was kidnapped, arrested, and had her kitchen blown to pieces, Wanda Warner agrees to go on a women’s retreat with her two best friends, Betty Sue and Evelyn … to get away for some much needed R&R. Especially when she hears they will play word games, her favorite pastime. Wanda has always had a way with words, as her nephew, the policeman, has told her many times.

But once again, solving the word puzzle clues to items on a scavenger hunt leads her to discover what could be a crime scene. Then she learns an area teenager is missing. So, why does the retired forensics scientist, who owns the retreat center, seem to downplay everything? Can Wanda convince the authorities that the brook-soaked clues could lead to the girl’s whereabouts? And will she still be alive if they find her?

You can buy Away with Words HERE from Amazon. 

Both of these inspirational mysteries sound wonderful! Have a great week of reading, lovers of suspense! ~ Mary Ellis 

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. 

Interview with Julie B. Cosgrove - and a FREE BOOK! Woohoo!

Hi, y’all! Marji Laine here and I’m chatting today with award-winning, multi-published author Julie B. Cosgrove who has recently released her latest “Wordplay Mystery” book. Book 1 in the series is Word Has It and involves an eerie Scrabble® game that gives clues to more than one mystery that hovers over the small town of Scrub Oak, Texas. Book 2 of the series has just released Word Gets Around involving a missing person nightmare.

I’m so glad you were able to join us here at Suspense Sisters today. Now, I know you have a lot of things that you’re good at. Certainly writing. But what would you consider to be your passion?

For the past eleven years it has been to let people know that God is there and He cares. I try to show that in my writings, whether it in woven into my novels, the devotionals I am contracted to write, or on my blog Where Did You Find God Today.

That is why I write “Mysteries with a Message”, and why I love to read mysteries as well. Mysteries have a common theme―seeking justice through discovering the truth. That hopefully leads the way to repentance. As it says in Malachi, what God requires of us is that we seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our Lord. Don’t we all want to do that?

So many people seem to need His presence but often cannot see the ways the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives. Their faith-eyes have installed blinders due to hurt, anger, guilt, or a myriad of other reasons. I pray the Holy Spirit uses my writing to help remove some of those obstacles as my readers follow my characters through the mystery.

Oh, I’m with you on that. I love how the Lord shows me things about Himself even through everyday events. Especially through what I read! But you have a unique niche in today’s market . . . sort of an Agatha Christie thing going on. Why do you write about senior sleuths?

I am a senior, so I relate to these characters more than mystery solvers in their thirties. But my main reason goes a bit deeper. There is so much worry out there about Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the elderly it is assumed all people over sixty are becoming feeble-brained. Not so at all. My mother was blessed to have life-long friends who had wit and charm well into their mid-eighties. I so admired those women. Therefore, to dispel that misnomer, I wanted to write about witty, savvy, and sharp senior women, all widowed friends like my mom and hers. They each have their quirks and personalities. They are hardly perfect but they love each other and forgive each other when snarkiness creeps up. These spirited fillies aren’t ready for the pasture yet.

You’re right about that. Wanda is anything but “ready for pasture.” She’s a hoot, and Word Gets Around shows some great examples of her character and the inter-workings of a small town. Tell us about the theme from your latest book?

Word Gets Around is the second of five, maybe six, planned books in the Wordplay Mysteries. Each book is based upon a word game, which is another love of mine. In this one, one-word notes are left on the windshield of cars around town and the women scramble to decipher the message thinking it to be a ransom note for a missing reporter. Underlying the story, the message in the mystery, is that jealousies can become destructive, especially when combined with ambition. When we start comparing ourselves to others in order to receive glory rather than striving to improve ourselves for God’s glory, we open the door for all sorts of negative decisions and reactions.

Yes, that creeps up throughout the story. Now every time we chat, you’re working on some new project. What’s next for you?

I am continuing the Wordplay Mysteries series. In Other Words is in edits, and I have recently turned in Hang on Every Word to my publisher, Write Integrity Press.  I plan to start writing the fifth one, Away with Words soon.

But I’m taking a detour and writing, along with six other mystery writers, The Visitor series. They are planning to release in 2023.

Yea! I’m getting to write on that series with you. I’m having so much fun with it.

Each novella involves a thirty-eight year-old woman who has inherited her parents’ non-profit foundation, and inevitably bumps into in a mysterious crime.

All seven of us have chosen people for our Visitor to visit along with fundraising plans for the foundation and a juicy mystery to solve. Your story idea is clever. I can’t wait for you to share that soon. Are you doing any other writing?

I continue to write devotionals for three publications, as I have since 2009, and produce my own blog as well. I’ve also recently become contracted with two publishing companies as an editor and continue to accept freelance editing for both fiction and nonfiction faith based works on the side.

One busy lady. Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Julie. We’ll have to chat with you again when your next puzzle hits the stands.

Here’s a little about Julie’s release: Word Gets Around

Random Notes,

One-Word Messages,

And a Puzzle that Might Be Too Hard to Solve.

Wanda Warner loves word games, but when she and her friends find random words stuck to their windshields, even her skills are challenged. A rising star reporter has disappeared and the newspaper office is trashed.

Could the words be clues as to why?

And can Wanda decipher the meaning of the complete message before it's too late to matter?

Get your copy of Word Gets Around at this HERE or click the cover image. And don’t forget to leave a comment. Got a question for Julie or Marji? By all means, ask! One commenting reader will receive a free e-copy of Word Gets Around. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments and make your comment by September 3, 2021.