Category: iRead Book Tour

Book Tour, Cozy, Ghosties, Historical, iRead Book Tour, Mystery, Women

Pryce of Conceit by Kari Bovee

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Book Description

Someone’s trying to frame this ambitious theater performer for murder. Can she get back to her adoring public and escape the noose? 

1885. Arabella Pryce is struggling with heartbreak. And with her recently deceased husband’s will demanding she leave her celebrity behind and refurbish her namesake hotel in Colorado, the distressed actress is forced to board a westbound train. But she’s barely arrived at the haunted, broken-down lodge when the town beauty shows up dead in one of the rooms… and Arabella is named the prime suspect.

Already feeling the sting of the community’s disapproval, she grits her teeth and works with a mischievous ghost to help prove her innocence. But with blood-stained evidence, handsome sheriffs, and libelous journalists turning her investigation into a dangerous drama, this determined thespian fears she’s missed her cue for survival. 

Can she shine the spotlight on a killer before more than her reputation dies a horrible death?

The Pryce of Conceit is the suspenseful first book in The Arabella Pryce Historical Cozy Mystery series. If you like driven heroines, atmospheric settings, and dashes of humor, then you’ll love Kari Bovée’s lighthearted twists and turns.

My Thoughts

This is a solid start to a new series described as an “historical/ghost/cozy mystery,” which seems to be a new favorite type among mystery readers. The “history” here is 1885, a time when independent women were rare and the West was still relatively unknown. The “ghost” is the deceased partner of the main character’s late husband, and the “cozy” is evident in the absence of the more grisly aspects of murder.

It took me awhile to connect with the main character, Arabella Pryce, since she is the kind of person who typically irritates me – supremely self-centered and entirely focused on her “adoring public.” However, she soon emerges as a strong, sassy, and very smart woman who cares deeply about those closest to her. She navigates a completely unfamiliar landscape in Colorado – although not without some humorous mishaps – and most certainly rises to the challenge set for her by her late husband.

Bovee is clearly a skilled writer, delivering wonderful narrative descriptions of Colorado. I was especially drawn to her description of Arabella’s first sight of the aspens and the Colorado skyline as she steps off the train. Her characters are nicely drawn, especially Arabella’s progression from the vain, petulant diva to a caring, capable woman. The mystery is clever and will keep the reader guessing to the end.

This is a series I will follow and recommend. I hope the author delivers #2 soon. Recommended.

Book Details

Book Title: The Pryce of Conceit – An Historical Ghost Cozy Mystery by Kari Bovee
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 270
Genre: Historical Ghost Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Bosque Publishing
Release date: May 23, 2023
Content Rating: G – Book has no bad language, sex, or violence on the page

Meet the Author

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovée is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined in her award-winning historical Annie Oakley Mystery series, Grace Michelle Mystery series, and Pryce Murder series. 

​In her past life, Bovée worked as a technical writer for a Fortune 500 Company, has written non-fiction for magazines and newsletters, and has worked in the education field as a teacher and educational consultant. 

Connect with the author: Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
~ Pinterest

Book Tour, iRead Book Tour, Mystery, Suspense

Underneath the Fireflies by Marianne Scott

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

On Tour April 17- May 12, 2023

Book Description

No matter where Grace Walker goes, her extra sensory power goes with her. She’s an empath and she sees things — terrible things. After a tragic accident at the place where she works, she decides to take a mental-health break on a remote West Coast island. But she no sooner gets to Galliano Island when a vision of the murder of an Indigenous woman draws her into a disturbing and threatening dilemma.

My Thoughts

Marianne Scott has produced an intricate and thoughtful mystery/suspense novel that features characters who weave in and out of two distinct plotlines. Protagonist Grace Walker is a complex character who wrestles with an unwanted empathic ability which has affected her since she was a child. Scott introduces the two plotlines almost immediately – the horrific “accident” that happened to Grace in Toronto and the even more horrific murder of an Indigenous woman that took place on the remote island where Grace is retreating to find peace from the former.

As a new reader of Scott’s, I immediately thought that the Toronto plotline was the subject of an earlier book, but that does not seem to be the case. The basics of that plot are a bit far-fetched (control of workers via microchip) and seemed out of place in this solid murder mystery, but I remain convinced that Scott should definitely write that book. I want to know the details of that story!

As the story progressed, the Toronto connection to the Galliano Island plot becomes much clearer, with all the loose ends tied up neatly, leading to a very satisfying conclusion.

Scott blends great characters with a lovely location and a story that keeps you reading late into the night. The vivid descriptions of Galliano Island and it’s inhabitants add depth to the dialog and characterizations. The bad guy here is really bad, and descriptions of his behavior made my skin crawl. Short chapters provide a easy reading experience, although the print version of this is pretty hefty.

I’ll be recommending this as a good summer read this year, on par with Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell. One trigger warning, though – there is a rape scene, but it’s handled with sensitivity.

Book Details:

​Book Title:  Underneath the Fireflies by Marianne Scott
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  496 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery / Thriller
Publisher: Crowe Creations
Release date:  January 2023
Tour dates: April 17 to May 12, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 – Colloquial expressions in dialogue.

BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon.ca ~ Amazon.com
​add to goodreads

Meet the Author

Marianne Scott is the Canadian author of four mystery thrillers and is currently working on her fifth novel, a sci-fi/thriller. She has a BA and a Diploma in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University. She studied creative writing through Conestoga College and Humber College. She enjoys writing workshops such as those offered by Brian Henry, publisher of blog, Quick Brown Fox and One Lit Place, a writers’ hub by creator/editor Jenna Kalinsky. She has an author’s website and blog. She is a full-time writer who lives in the historic small Canadian village of Hespeler Ontario (now amalgamated with the city of Cambridge).  

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Cozy, iRead Book Tour, Mystery

Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

“Lauren Carr’s books are never boring, that’s for sure. They entertain,
give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a
few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren
Carr’s series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one
book!” – Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

Join us for this tour from April 20 to May 22, 2020!Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr

Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages

Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Publisher:  Acorn Book Services

Release date:   April 23, 2020

Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!

“Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become asocial media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.
“This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a “cozy murder mystery.”  I promise, it’ll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this  series.” – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.

Fans of cozy but sassy mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this adventurous romp. Nikki Bryant is an appealing, trendy, and bold character in the vein of Kate Carlisle’s Brooklyn Wainwright.

The plot is suspenseful and inventive, blending an old mystery (the death of Nikki’s father) with a new one (the murder of Nikki’s childhood nemesis) in an engaging way that keeps you turning page after page.

Sometimes I find the protagonists of modern cozy mysteries to be extremely annoying, especially when a female character who has been written as smart and articulate suddenly starts making really stupid decisions. That doesn’t happen here. Nikki Bryant promises to become a favorite sleuth. Check this one out!

 

Order Your Copy Today!

Meet the Author:Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~Pinterest

Tour Schedule:

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Historical, iRead Book Tour, Mystery, Victorian

A Child Lost by Michele Cox

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

 
Join Us For This Tour from April 14 to May 11, 2020

 

BOOK DETAILS:
  • Series Title:  A CHILD LOST (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel #5) by Michelle Cox
  • Category:  Adult Fiction (18+)
  • Genre:  Historical Mystery
  • Publisher:  She Writes Press
  • Release dates:   April 2020
  • Content Rating: R: My book is rated R for 2 sex scenes
    that are somewhat explicit but which are tastefully done. There is
    periodic swearing (not excessive), but no violence.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A spiritualist, an insane asylum, a lost little girl . . .

When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant
Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly
boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned
schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of
their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more
complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to
believe the spiritualist’s strange ramblings.

Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of
her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel
Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find
and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with
him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some
terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself
mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and
Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however,
Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When
Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own
hands . . . with horrifying results.

This is a new series for me, so I realized early in the book that I really needed to read the earlier entries to have a better understanding of the character dynamics here. Even so, I was able to read through the story and follow the plot without issue. The story stands alone; it’s just the relationship histories of the characters that left me puzzled a couple times.

The plot is well-designed, with plenty of action and suspense that will keep you turning pages. Fans of historical/paranormal mysteries will especially enjoy the spiritualism and asylum elements here, climaxing in Henrietta’s harrowing scene at the end. The author also leaves us with a tasty little morsel on the very last page which foreshadows the next entry in the series (I think!).

Michele Cox is an author new to me, and my experience with A Child Lost will make me find her earlier books. Fans of Sarah Rayne and M.J. Rose will enjoy this.

MEET THE AUTHOR:Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly
blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others,
so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with the Author:

website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads

 

TOUR SCHEDULE:

 

April 14 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway

April 15 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway

April 16 – It’s All About the Book – book review

April 17 – Laura’s Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway

Apr 17 – Books,Dreams,Life – book spotlight / guest post

April 20 – Hall Ways Blog – book review / giveaway

April 20 – I’m All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway

April 21 – T’s Stuff – book review / author interview / giveaway

April 21 – eBook Addicts – book spotlight / giveaway

April 22 – Books and Zebras – book review

April 22 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / author interview / giveaway

April 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway

April 23 – Sahar’s Blog – book review

April 24 – The World As I See It – book review

April 24 – Just Another Reader – book review

April 27 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

April 27 – The avid reader – book spotlight

April 28 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway

April 28 – michellemengsbookblog – book review

April 29 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway

April 29 – A Madison Mom – book review / giveaway

April 29 – Mowgli with a book – book review

April 30 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / author interview / giveaway

May 1 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 3 – Jessica Belmont – book review

May 4 – Gwendalyn’s Books – book review / giveaway

May 4 – Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway

May 4 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – book review / author interview / giveaway

May 5 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review / giveaway

May 6 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway

May 6 – Down the Rabbit Hole – book review / guest post / giveaway

May 7 – Karma Readz – book review / author interview / giveaway

 

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

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iRead Book Tour, Mystery

The Last Thing She Said by Lauren Carr

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

the last thingBook Description: ​“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again. For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer.

With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel.

It can be difficult to jump into later entries in a series, but this one worked. While the characters are the same from book to book, the plot here stands alone and it’s a good one. Carr writes with tongue firmly in cheek and skillfully blends mystery, humor, and romance in an entertaining romp.

The inventive plot focusing on a missing author and her whereabouts for 40 years held my interest to the point that I got cranky when I had to put the book down. I enjoyed the characters and their quirks, but I will admit that I found the whole subplot about the German Shepard shenanigans silly and pointless. Other reviewers found it charming, so to each their own, right?

Lauren Carr has written a lot of books, many of them featuring the characters included here. I enjoyed this one so much that I plan on dipping into some of her other series. Recommended for mystery fans.

Book Details:

  • Book Title:  The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
  • Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  386 pages
  • Genre:  Mystery Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
  • Release date:   July 22, 2019
  • Formats available for purchase:  paperback, ebook, audiobook (audible & itunes)
  • Tour dates: October 7 to November 15, 2019
  • Content Rating:  PG-13

Buy the Book:

  • Amazon.com
  • Add to Goodreads​​

Try these other titles by Lauren Carr!

Winds of Winter

Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas.  Nothing is as it seems.  In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?

 

ICE ​When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted.  With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!

 

ICE is a strong start to a new series that will have fans of Lauren Carr thrilled to be introduced to another set of memorable and entertaining characters. Carr’s Geezer Squad has brought sexy back to mature men and women, whose kickass attitude and smarts sizzle as they melt the clues to those cold cases!
Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

Meet the Author:

2018_lauren_carr_pic Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Thorny Rose, Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries—over twenty titles across four fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns! Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook Instagram

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! ​

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iRead Book Tour, Mystery

Mayhem, Murder & the PTA by Dave Cravens

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Parker Monroe is a tough-talking investigative reporter used to writing headlines, not being the subject of them. When a key source vanishes on a politically toxic story, this single mother of three finds herself at the center of a media storm and out of a job. Ready to reset, Parker moves her family back to the rural town where she grew up. But a gossip-filled PTA, a tyrannical school principal and a gruesome murder make adjusting to the “simple life” anything but. Parker Monroe is about to chase the story of her lifetime…

If you like your protagonists irreverent and bold, Parker Monroe is for you. She is confident and assertive, even in the face of the abject and complete failure she faces at the beginning of the story.

It’s interesting to see how the author takes the rough-and-tumble, take-no-prisoners Chicago journalist and plants her back in her small hometown where the most exciting and challenging project she takes on is reinstating the music program at her children’s school. Leave it to Parker Monroe, though, to turn that mundane task into something horrifying.

The story is a romp, full of larger than life characters. However, I found the author’s interpretation of how a woman speaks and behaves, even one as irreverent as Parker, to be a little off. I’ve been known to drop an F-bomb or two, but the author takes Parker to a whole other level of swearing that I find just a little unbelievable. Maybe I lead a sheltered life, but I have never said, nor heard any other woman exclaim “Are you butt-f-ing me” aloud in a coffee shop. Not even in Chicago. But despite the over-the-top vulgarity, this is still a fun and intricate story that will appeal to mystery readers.

Book Details:

  • Book Title: Mayhem, Murder and the PTA by Dave Cravens
  • Category:  Adult Fiction, 434 pages
  • Genre:  Mystery / Thriller
  • Publisher:  Amazon
  • Release date:   May 20, 2019

Buy the Book: Amazon.com

Add to Goodreads

Dave CravensMeet the author!
 As a child, Dave Cravens planned to grow up to be a superhero, the first person to capture Bigfoot and Nessie on film, pilot experimental aircraft out of Area 51, develop cold fusion, and star and direct in his own blockbuster action movies so he could retire at the ripe age of twenty-five and raid tombs the rest of his life. Instead, he got a degree in journalism, which he hasn’t used at all other than to justify his incredibly insightful and valid complaints about the state of journalism. During his twenty-two years in the video game business, he’s written for award winning franchises, directed TV commercials and movies, sprained his ankles numerous times in ultimate frisbee games and published three original novels.

Website | Twitter | Facebook  

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iRead Book Tour, Mystery

Great Jewel Robbery by Elizabeth McKenna

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Mystery with a splash of romance…Chicago Tribune reporters Emma and Grace have been best friends since college despite coming from different worlds. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction being held at a lakeside mansion and her boyfriend bails on her, she brings Emma as her plus one. The night is going smoothly until Emma finds the host’s brother unconscious in the study. Though at first it is thought he was tipsy and stumbled, it soon becomes clear more is afoot, as the wall safe is empty and a three-million-dollar diamond necklace is missing. With visions of becoming ace investigative journalists, Emma and Grace set out to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the handsome local detective.
This is Nancy Drew for the 21st century! Grace and Emma make a fabulous team, and their first foray into mystery-solving is definitely a hit. The women play off each other’s strengths and each contributes to solving the crime. They are daring, smart, and driven to prove themselves to their editor and to each other.
This is a quick, light read – perfect for a day at the beach, or on your porch sipping an iced tea (or something stronger!). Fans of Kate Carlisle and Juliet Blackwell will enjoy Elizabeth McKenna’s mysteries.

Book Details:

  • ​Book Title: The Great Jewel Robbery: A Front Page Mystery Book 1 by
  • Elizabeth McKenna
  • Category: Adult Fiction, 204 pages
  • Genre: Cozy mystery
  • Publisher: Elizabeth McKenna
  • Release date: May 28, 2019
  • Tour dates: August 19-30, 2019
  • Content Rating: PG-13 (There is no profanity. There is drinking, desire, and a kiss.)
To read more reviews, please visit Elizabeth McKenna’s page on iRead Book Tours.

​
Buy the Book:

 Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. She had never read a romance novel until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene). She combined her love of history, romance, and a happy ending to write the historical romance novels Cera’s Place and Venice in the Moonlight. Her contemporary romance novel, First Crush Last Love, is loosely based on her life (she eventually married her first crush)

The Great Jewel Robbery is her debut cozy mystery, and she hopes readers will like it as much as they have enjoyed her romances. Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn’t writing, working, or being a mom, she’s sleeping.

Connect with the author: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Ends Sept 6, 2019

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iRead Book Tour, Mystery, Suspense

The Mind’s Eye by Perry Prete

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Nicole Baker is a quiet girl – the type of person who is seldom noticed by anyone. That is until one day she discovers she has the unique ability to see images move on photographs. At first, she uses her ability to entertain friends at parties and work. Then senior detective Paul Hammond learns of her ability and enlists her help in a case of unsolved murders that he has not been able to make any headway on.

​Carl Kadner, a rookie reporter with the local paper is investigating the murders as well. And he learns what it takes to be the kind of reporter he wants to be when he puts himself in danger for the sake of the story. It is only when Carl, Nicole and Detective Hammond pool their resources that things start making sense.

Perry Prete draws on 30 years of experience as a paramedic to deliver a story that reads like a crossover episode of Criminal Minds and Charmed. The story opens with a punch-to-the-gut abduction, which sets the tone for the rest of the fast-paced action. The characters are introduced, the plot set, and the action set in motion at a rapid pace. At first, I was a little put off by the super-masculine direction of the story (the description of Hammond waking up was a little over the top), but Prete has done a very good job of blending the testosterone-laden world of the homicide cop with the touchy-feely-fuzzy world of the girl who sees photos move. Once Nicole is introduced, the story takes on a really interesting, yin-yang direction as detection meets telepathy.

Prete skillfully writes both description and dialog, which is often unusual in these types of books where the author is usually skilled in one but not both. He’s got an unusual storyline here which, while pretty gruesome in parts, holds your interest. He develops Nicole’s gift powerfully, and by the end I was flashing back to Stephen King’s Firestarter. It would be interesting to see these characters become part of a series, book or television.    Recommended for fans who don’t mind in-your-face description of gruesome crime and appreciate good writing.

Book Details:
Book Title: The Mind’s Eye by Perry Prete
Category: Adult Fiction; 243 pages
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Sands Press
Release date: March 7, 2018
Tour dates: Sept 3 to 21, 2018
Content Rating: R (Violence towards women based on real life events, language, graphic violence)

To read reviews please visit Perry Prete’s page on iRead Book Tours.

​

Buy the Book:

 

 

Meet the Author:

Perry Prete is a Canadian crime writer and paramedic. His first novel, All Good Things, introduced us to Ethan Tennant, a City of Ottawa paramedic who looks at crimes from the medical perspective.

Perry continues to work full-time as a paramedic and uses his thirty plus years of life changing and sometimes dramatic experiences to bring realism to his gripping medical novels. His other works include, The Things That Matter Most and All Good Things.

He is also a business owner, specializing in the pre-hospital care field. His company sells medical equipment across North America, primarily to EMS agencies.

A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Perry, graduated from Fanshawe College in London but now lives and works in Brockville, Ontario.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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Ends Sept 29, 2018

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Fantasy, iRead Book Tour

Blue Moon Narthex by N.J. Donner

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

 

It’s 1919 and thirteen-year-old Cole McCarthy just wants more time with his father, who is a busy railroad executive. But a horrific train accident leaves Cole’s stepmother as his only family. Alone and lost, Cole wanders his family’s estate and runs into an old family friend who gives him a special object that belonged to his father.

Cole just wants to be a kid, not the owner of the most powerful object in the world. The Blue Moon Narthex is made from tangible bits of Karma and gives Cole the power to transport himself and control Karma.

Now, Alsin Gideon, traitor of the Legion of Karma, is on rampage to take Cole’s narthex and add to his body count. For their safety, Cole and two of his prep school friends are pulled into the enormous secret headquarters of the Legion, which operates like an underground 1920s spy organization. While living at the secret location, Cole learns about the secret double life of his father.

With the pressure to find his role within the legion, maintain a strained relationship with his stepmother, and live up to a daunting legacy left by his father Cole, withdraws and makes secret plans to take on his father’s enemies.

Alsin Gideon cleverly taunts Cole, to meet him at a prearranged battle meant for his father. Cole’s anger and determination boil over and he is willing to risk his powerful tool and Karma’s stability for the hope of getting his parents back.

Will Cole, along with his friends, be able to work together to bring back his parents, keep Karma’s in balance, and stay alive?

Book Title: The Blue Moon Narthex by N.J. Donner
Category: Middle-grade Fiction (Ages 8 to 12) 360 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Steele Page Press
Release date: February 7, 2017
Tour dates: June 4 to 29, 2018
Content Rating: PG (Some violence between forces of good and evil, but it’s not bloody or gory)

To follow the tour, please visit N.J. Donner’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:
 
Watch the trailer:
Meet the Author: 

N.J. Donner is a dad who loves to tell stories and create worlds. He has created 3D models of parts of the Legion’s secret headquarters and drawn extensive maps of the underground world where the Legion operates. He loves to explore and to figure out why and how things work, including Karma.When he’s not writing, N.J. runs a successful steel fabrication business in the Midwest. He loves to travel with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.

Six books are planned for the series taking the three main characters and the Legion of Karma to new continents and new adventures across the world.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Book Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway!
Ends July 7, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway