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Book Showcase: THE MAN WHO SCREAMS AT NIGHTFALL… by Rush Leaming
The Man Who Screams At Nightfall…
by Rush Leaming
January 16 – February 10, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Thailand. The Congo. Greece. Spain. America…
Four continents and 40+ years in the making.
The Man Who Screams At Nightfall is a landmark collection of short stories depicting a young man on a classic voyage of self-discovery, scouring the earth in search of some purpose in life.
From childhood to parenthood and everything in between—these tales are at times raw and unflinching, at other times poignant and moving.
Get ready for a literary journey unlike any you've experienced before.
WARNING: Some of these stories contain strong language, depictions of graphic violence, and sexual situations.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Published by: Bridgewood Publishing
ISBN-10: 0999745670 (Paperback)
ASIN B0BCZ9NW3S (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: IndieBound.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | B&N NOOK Book | BookDepository.com | BookShop.org | Kobo eBook | Goodreads
Praise for The Man Who Screams At Nightfall…and other stories:
"A powerful, gritty, and exquisitely written anthology —not to be missed."
J. Miller, Reader's Favorite
"A short story collection that excels in its sense of literary psychological growth and discovery. Libraries looking for interconnected short stories that represent life journeys and revelations will find The Man Who Screams At Nightfall…and other stories an appealing acquisition that promises much fodder for discussion to book club readers interested in fictional blends of psychological and social revelation."
Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan
"Sharply observed, nuanced, precise, and morally challenging…"
The Prairies Book Review
"Leaming's light hand with dialogue and keen sense of human psychology create a book that highlights weighty issues by putting a compassionate human face on human struggles. Sharp, inventive, and deeply moving: a fine literary collection."
Book View
"Without a lengthy description of the characters, just enough to provide the imagery necessary to identify them, he catches and holds the reader's attention like no other I've experienced in the hundreds of books and stories I've read over the years."
Reader's Favorite, L. Allen
…I could see the glow of a fire up ahead of us, and as we reached the mango tree, Pumbu motioned for me to stay low and follow him along a small wall of honeysuckle bushes. We crouched down, and from our hiding place, I saw Kachamba furiously pacing back and forth in his yard in front of a small bonfire. He swung his arms wildly in the air as if he was fighting off something that was falling on him. He dropped to his knees and then suddenly sprang three feet off the ground. Then he began to dance, swaying and spinning his body so close to the fire that I was certain he was going to fall in. All the while he screamed and shouted deep into the empty black night.
He spoke in a dialect that I couldn't understand, so I had to ask Pumbu to tell me what he was saying. I asked him many questions: Why was he doing this? Who was he speaking to? Was he drunk? What was going on? Pumbu patiently explained to me that no, he was not drunk, and that he really didn't know who he was speaking to, but that Kachamba's wife had left him a few years ago, run off with another man and taken their children, and that ever since, he had not been right in the head. He was not from this village and had been kicked out of all the other places he had lived. He came here only because Kachamba's father, the chief of Kitengo's uncle, had once saved the life of the chief's father (Kachamba's uncle) and so the chief had to let him stay to repay that old favor. It was all very complicated, Pumbu said, and he didn't fully understand it himself.
I was hardly listening, instead transfixed and horrified by what I saw. Spinning, swirling, shouting, and screaming—Kachamba's face, so calm and happy as I had seen it earlier that day, was now knotted and twisted like a grotesque carnival mask, like some gargoyle sprung from the lowest depths of hell. The glow of the fire cut fierce shadows and gorges in his face, adding to the haunting vision that I saw.
For a long while, Pumbu and I hid behind the honeysuckle bushes and watched Kachamba shriek and wail and try to push back the night, until suddenly, all at once, he just stopped. Suddenly, he just stood still and quiet and stared at the sky. I followed his gaze and saw another shooting star. When I looked back, Kachamba had disappeared.
"Is that it?" I asked.
"That's it," said Pumbu. "He usually only does this for an hour or so."
"And he does this every night?"
"Almost," said Pumbu and yawned. "Mmm. I'm tired. I think I am going to go home."
We left the bushes, went past the mango tree, and said good night. I walked home alone, both exhilarated and troubled by what I had seen.
I entered my room and prepared for bed, but long after I had extinguished my petrol lantern, I lay there staring into the darkness. I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned. It wasn't that unusual—I noticed that it had been happening a lot lately, that I couldn't sleep. I got up and found the bottle of Johnnie Walker and knocked back a tall glass until at last I was floating, and at last, my eyes did shut…
Excerpt from The Man Who Screams At Nightfall… and other stories by Rush Leaming.
Copyright 2022 by Rush Leaming.
Reproduced with permission from Rush Leaming.
RUSH LEAMING has done many things including spending 15+ years in film/video production working on such projects as The Lord of the Rings films. His first novel, Don't Go, Ramanya, a political thriller set in Thailand, was published in the fall of 2016. His second novel followed suit in the summer of 2018, entitled The Whole of the Moon, set in the Congo at the end of the Cold War. 2021 saw the 5-star reception of his crime thriller Dead Tree Tales. His short stories have appeared in Notations, 67 Press, Lightwave, 5k Fiction, and The Electric Eclectic.
He has lived in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Zaire, Thailand, Spain, Greece, South Carolina, England, and Kenya.
Catch Up With Rush:
LeamingRush.wixsite.com/Nightfall
BookBub – @RushLeaming
Instagram – @RushLeaming
Twitter – @LeamingRush
Facebook – @RushLeamingStories
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!
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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Rush Leaming. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 30, 2023 January 29, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, Book TourTags Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, fiction, giveaway, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Rush Leaming, THE MAN WHO SCREAMS AT NIGHTFALL1 Comment on Book Showcase: THE MAN WHO SCREAMS AT NIGHTFALL… by Rush Leaming
Book Showcase: THE ACCIDENTAL SPY by David Gardner
The Accidental Spy
by David Gardner
January 9 – February 3, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Harvey Hudson is an emotionally scarred, fifty-six-year-old history professor who has lost his job, his wife, and his self-respect. In desperation, Harvey takes a high-tech job for which he is totally unqualified.
So he outsources it to India.
Then Harvey discovers that a Russian intelligence agency owns the outsourcing company and are using him to launch a cyberattack on the U.S. petroleum industry.
Harvey now finds himself in a world of trouble with the Russians and the FBI, and he has fallen in love with the woman from New Delhi who's doing the job he's outsourced—who might be a Russian agent.
The Accidental Spy Trailer:
Genre: Humorous Thriller with Literary Pretensions
Published by: Encircle Publications, LLC
ASIN: B0BDS7QNDG (Kindle edition)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: IndieBound.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository.com | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Encircle Publications
And sorry I could not travel both."
Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken"
Spy: "A person employed by a governmental agency to obtain secret information on a hostile country."
The Philips Dictionary of Espionage
Accidental Spy: "Some poor jerk dragged into a world of trouble."
Harvey Hudson
Chapter 1: Bunny Ears
Harvey Hudson released the steering wheel and swatted at the blue balloon ("Congrats! You Did It!") that was banging against the back of his head.
What was the 'It' for? Someone earned a law degree? Pulled off a bank heist? Successfully underwent potty training? All three?
One day before turning fifty-six, and here he was, delivering balloons. How had he let this happen to him?
He chewed on the last of the Skittles he'd swiped from a bulky candy basket attached to a red balloon shaped like a birthday cake. Too many sweets for some spoiled kid. He was doing the pudgy brat a favor. The Snickers bar was tempting. Maybe later.
Harvey reached across the front seat, grabbed a handful of candy bars from the Skittle-less basket ($149), and dropped them into its modest neighbor ($39). He often shifted candy from larger baskets to lesser ones. He thought of himself as the Robin Hood of balloon-delivery individuals.
He'd had just $87 in the bank a few weeks ago when he'd shambled past a help-wanted sign in the front window of the Rapid Rabbit Balloon Service. He paused and reread the sign. "Part-time Delivery Person Needed. Become a Rapid Rabbit!" Yeah, what the hell. He hurried inside before he came to his senses. He would have taken any gig—balloon-delivery specialist, male stripper, or get-away driver for a grizzled bank robber.
With his part-time job delivering balloons and his full-time work as a beginning technical writer, Harvey could just stay afloat. His ex-wife had cleaned him out.
He double-parked on a smart street of brick-front homes on Boston's Beacon Hill. Hesitating, he clamped the hated bunny ears over his head and attached the spongy red nose. Sighing, he grabbed the $149 basket and, head down, ambled up the walkway and rang the bell. The balloon bobbed overhead, taunting him.
The woman who opened the door was a slim and pretty brunette in her fifties. She had a narrow face and large, dark eyes.
She was his boss at his day job.
Also his high school sweetheart.
Harvey wanted to disappear into the ground.
Margo took a step back. "Oh."
Harvey pulled off the bulbous red nose and stuffed it into his shirt pocket. "Uh…this is where you live?"
Margo shook her head. "I'm here with my daughter for a birthday party."
Harvey shifted from one foot to the other. "I'm…um…delivering balloons just for tonight to help out a buddy who had two wisdom teeth pulled this morning, a professor who lost his job the same time I did."
Margo blinked twice.
"A sociologist," Harvey added.
Margo gripped the edge of the door.
"Named Fred," Harvey said.
Margo nodded.
"The guy took the job in desperation because he's broke, recently divorced, and down on his luck," Harvey said and realized he was describing himself.
He handed the basket to Margo.
Did she believe him? Probably not. Did the company have a rule against moonlighting? He'd soon find out.
Margo poked around inside the basket. "There's too much candy in here."
"At least there aren't any Skittles."
Margo selected a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. "I've moved tomorrow's team meeting up to 10:00 A.M. Did you get my email?"
Harvey nodded.
Was that her way of telling him that moonlighters don't get fired? He hoped so. He was pathetically unqualified as a technical writer, and his job was in jeopardy.
Harvey hated meetings. Sometimes he thought the software engineers asked him questions he couldn't answer just to see him squirm. Many were kids in their twenties, making double his salary.
And he hated lying to Margo. At least he could be honest about one small thing. "Actually, this is my night gig. I've had it for a few weeks."
Margo unwrapped the Reese's, nipped off a corner, chewed and said, "Is that why I caught you asleep at your desk yesterday?"
No, it's because the job is so goddamn boring. He shook his head. "I wasn't sleeping. I have the habit of relaxing and closing my eyes whenever I'm searching for the perfect way to convey a particularly difficult concept to our worthy customers."
"And snoring?"
Margo was smiling now. That same cute smile from high school. He remembered it from the time they'd sneaked a first kiss in the back row of calculus class. The girl he'd loved and lost.
She set the basket down and pulled a twenty from the side pocket of her slacks. "Um…would you…uh…accept a tip?"
She shoved the bill into his shirt pocket. "Yes, you will."
Harvey shifted his weight to his left foot. A liar doesn't deserve a $20 tip. At most, a few dimes and nickels, couch-cushion change.
Margo finished the peanut butter cup in silence.
He didn't quite know what to say now.
Yes, he did know. He should tell her the truth.
He'd outsourced his job to India.
Was that illegal? Probably not. But highly unethical. Would she protect him after he'd confessed? Unlikely, which meant he would lose his job. But living a lie was exhausting and just plain wrong. She'd hired him and trusted him. She deserved better. He cleared his throat, once, twice, a third time. "Margo, there's something I have to tell you. It seems I—"
"Is that the balloon guy?" a young woman called from inside the house.
"That's my daughter," Margo said and picked up the basket. A blue balloon bobbed on a string attached to the handle. "I'll be right back."
Harvey stood at the open door, trying to think of some way to soften his upcoming confession. Or maybe just blurt it out and get it over with?
"Happy birthday, Dad!"
The daughter's voice again from inside.
"Candy and a kid's balloon again this year! Are you trying to tell me something?"
The daughter laughed.
Harvey recognized the man's voice.
Tucker Aldrich was the CEO of the company where Harvey worked. He was also Margo's ex-husband and a first-class dickhead.
So, it meant the balloon and candy basket were for Tucker and not some child. Harvey was sorry he'd passed on the Snickers bar.
The hell with telling the truth.
Margo came back out, holding a glass of white wine. She leaned against the door frame. "What were you going to say earlier?"
"Uh…that you're an over-tipper."
"Only when the delivery person is a cute, curly-haired guy with a spongy red nose," she said and sipped her wine. "Did I mention that the meeting's moved to 10:00?"
Silence, then Margo said, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
She closed the door behind her.
Harvey stared at the bronze horsehead knocker. He wanted to rip it off. The door too. He in fact wanted to tear the whole damn building down on Tucker's head.
Margo hadn't forgotten that she'd told him about the meeting. Margo was incapable of forgetting. She was warning him to show up.
Team meetings were a nightmare. The scruffy programmers spoke computerese, argued over stuff Harvey didn't understand, and gleefully pointed out errors in his documentation.
But way off in New Delhi, lovely Amaya understood, and with luck she might save his job.
Tomorrow's meeting would make or break him.
Harvey shuffled down the walkway, his head lowered, his bunny ears slipping down his forehead. He'd been so shocked to see Margo that he'd forgotten to take them off. One of life's bad moments.
Still, she had called him cute.
Yeah, sure. He was just hours from turning fifty-six, had found addional gray hairs while shaving that morning, and was thickening around the waist from too many Skittles and Snickers.
Harvey climbed into his car and slumped in the driver's seat. He was angry with Tucker for stealing Margo and angry at Margo for not offering him a glass of wine. But most of all, Harvey was angry with himself for letting her see him in bunny ears.
When he'd first started making deliveries a few weeks earlier, he'd refused to wear them, then thought, what the hell? Doesn't everyone at some time want to play the fool? There was no pressure to succeed, to show off, to one-up a colleague.
What if everyone from a prisoner sitting out a life term to the President of the United States had to set aside one day a year and play the fool, to go out in public wearing a spongy red nose and bunny ears?
What-Ifs and Whys had obsessed Harvey as a child, who from morning to night had trailed behind his father and mother and pestered them with questions. (What if there was a ladder to the Moon? What if everyone had four arms? Why is cousin Alice getting those bumps on her chest?)
Later, he would turn his pestering curiosity into a profession. He thought of himself as a 'speculative historian.' (What if the Allies had lost the Second World War? What if Caesar hadn't crossed the Rubicon? What if no one had invented the computer?)
Harvey started the engine, reached over to tap the next address into the GPS, then leaned back.
Why humiliate himself like this? His ex-wife had always insisted he was punishing himself in guilt over his younger brother. Harvey denied this, but he knew she was right.
Enough. He had reached his lifetime quota of humiliation.
Here's another What-If: What if he quit this goddamn job?
Harvey shut off the engine, climbed out of the car, went around back, and popped the trunk.
A dozen balloons bobbed on basket handles, aching to go free.
Harvey tied the spongy red nose to a balloon that read "Get Well Soon!" He cut it loose. Next, he liberated a black balloon picturing a racecar ("Turning Ten!"). Finally, he tied his rabbit ears to a cluster of white orbs trailing a banner that read, "Congrats, New Parents!" and set the bunch free.
He watched until the last of the balloons caught the breeze and disappeared into the night sky.
He slammed the trunk closed, climbed into his car, and right away started to fret. What if a balloon floated to the harbor for some sea creature to swallow (Headline: "Reckless Ex-Professor Kills Orca!").
Just one more reason to be angry with himself.
Excerpt from The Accidental Spy by David Gardner.
Copyright 2022 by David Gardner.
Reproduced with permission from David Gardner.
David Gardner grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, served in Army Special Forces, and earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin. He has taught college and worked as a reporter and in the computer industry.
He co-authored three programming books for Prentice Hall, wrote dozens of travel articles as well as too many mind-numbing computer manuals before happily turning to fiction: "The Journalist: A Paranormal Thriller," "The Last Speaker of Skalwegian," and "The Accidental Spy" (all with Encircle Publications, LLC).
He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Nancy, also a writer. He hikes, bikes, messes with astrophotography, and plays the keyboard with no discernible talent whatsoever.
Catch Up With David Gardner:
DavidGardnerAuthor.com
BookBub – @davidagardner07
Instagram – @davidagardner07
Click here to view The Accidental Spy by David Gardner Tour Hosts
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for David Gardner. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 25, 2023 January 24, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, Book TourTags Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, David Gardner, Encircle Publications, fiction, giveaway, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, THE ACCIDENTAL SPYLeave a comment on Book Showcase: THE ACCIDENTAL SPY by David Gardner
Book Showcase: ASSUMED by MHR Geer
Assumed by MHR Geer
ASIN: B0BLXK18LR (Kindle edition)
Publisher: MG3 Publishing
Genre: Fiction | Thriller
When her friend Sandy asks for help, Anne Wilson leaves her small, lonely life in Miami for the picturesque island of Saint Martin. But as soon as she arrives, Sandy is murdered, and her death exposes lies: an alias, a secret past, stolen money. Suspected of murder and trapped on the island, Anne is shocked when a cryptic message arrives:
Find the money. Take it and run.
She follows Sandy's trail of obscure clues, desperate for proof of her innocence and must decide if she can trust the two men who offer help-the dark, mysterious Brit or the American with a wide grin and a pickup truck. When memories resurface-dark truths she'd rather leave buried and forgotten, her past becomes intertwined with her present.
Her only way forward is to face her own secrets.
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Indiebound.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | | BookDepository.com | Bookshop.org
A constant stream of jubilant holiday-goers jostled my suitcase as I paced the arrivals gate, but Sandy's mobile went to voicemail a fourth time. I hung up without leaving another message and strolled past the baggage carousel. Again.
"Where are you, Sandy?" I muttered under my breath.
A man in a white Panama hat vacated a bench, and I collapsed onto the cold metal and hugged the handle of my suitcase. The other passengers exchanged greetings and gathered their baggage, and the automatic door slid open with a swoosh to receive them. Every time the door opened, humid air blasted my face.
The man in the white hat reappeared but saw me and turned away, presumably to find a bench without a slouching, scowling American. I raised my shoulders from a slump and crossed my legs.
"What now, Anne?" I asked myself, tapping the screen of my phone and resisting the urge to check the time.
A young boy, about five years old, wandered over and climbed onto the bench next to me. We exchanged nervous smiles. Couples and families regrouped near the door, and I watched their faces, expecting someone to claim the boy, but the door opened and closed, over and over, and he remained.
I was just about to ask where the boy's parents were when a tall woman entered and rushed toward us, shouting in French. Her profile was dark against the bright sunlight outside, and her long hair swirled in the vortex of the doorway. The boy pressed against me, and I almost wrapped my arm around him, but the door closed, and she smoothed her hair back into place.
She pulled the boy from the bench, gripping his arms with long, slender fingers. I couldn't understand her words, but her reprimand was clear. Her green eyes flashed with fear and anger. She blamed me for his disappearance. I shrugged, trying to remember how to apologize in French. Je suis desole? But I was unsure of the words, so I didn't say anything, and she didn't wait for my explanation.
He left with her, his little hand firmly inside hers, and when the door opened and whipped her hair back into the air, the boy turned back to me with a smile. I waved.
And then I was alone again.
I jumped when my phone buzzed.
Sorry, Sandy texted. Can't make it. Take a taxi to 16 Rue de l'Aile Perdue.
I stared at the text and considered purchasing a ticket for a return flight, but my phone buzzed again with a second text.
Please, Anne.
I squared my shoulders and pulled on my sunglasses. Then I walked through the whoosh of the doorway and into the sunlight.
The taxi line had already thinned; it took only a few minutes before a lively man ushered me into the back of a bright green sedan. The driver offered a brusque "Welcome to Saint Martin," and turned up her radio. Taxi code for no talking. Fine with me.
We sped through narrow streets, dangerously close to sunburned tourists wandering street markets. Stalls spilled out from under a rainbow of awnings, hawking loud shirts and oversized beach towels. The air was thick with cardamom and curry, mixed with the yeasty smell of a patisserie. My stomach rumbled. In my rush to make the early morning flight, I'd skipped breakfast.
We left town and traveled up and down winding roads that cut into the hillsides. The villas grew larger and farther apart and then disappeared into thick foliage behind security gates. I caught occasional glimpses of dirt lanes and even fewer paved driveways. When the driver pulled off the road, I leaned out the window to watch the tops of towering palm trees lining a long gravel driveway. We stopped on a cobbled motor court in front of a massive house.
I stared up at the imposing facade from within the safety of the taxi before I bravely stepped into the blazing sun. I thought there must be some mistake, but before I could say anything, the taxi drove away. Why had Sandy sent me to a dismal mansion and not to one of the dazzling resorts I'd passed?
Beyond the house, the sea stretched to the horizon. Sunlight reflected off the water, awakening childhood fantasies of pirate ships and mermaid tails. But the hot sun quickly melted the daydream, and I retreated into the shadow of the mansion.
Up close, the house was shabby and weather-beaten. Peeling gray paint revealed a history of more colorful choices. The porch railing leaned at a precarious angle, and as I cautiously climbed the rotting steps, the wood complained but held, and I reached the front door and knocked. The sound echoed within the house, but only silence followed. I knocked again, louder, and waited. Nothing.
"Now what?" I asked the house.
The house ignored me, but a piece of paper stuck between two floorboards fluttered in the ocean breeze. I stepped over and picked it up. She'd left a note—an inconsiderate welcome, even for Sandy. I exhaled loudly and unfolded the scrap of paper.
Excerpt from Assumed by MHR Geer.
Copyright © 2022 by MHR Geer.
Published with permission. All rights reserved.
Author – MHR Geer
MHR Geer was born in California but grew up in the Midwest. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara to study Physics. After school, she moved to Ventura, CA, and started a small bookkeeping business. She lives with her two sons and her unicorn husband (because he's a magical creature).
Connect with the author via: Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Website
This is a giveaway for one (1) signed ARC copy of Assumed, one (1) branded tote, one (1) branded koozie, one (1) bookmark, AND a $20 bookstore gift card to a winner in the US or Canada courtesy of MHR Geer. This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States and Canada only. All entries by non-US/Canadian residents will be voided. To enter use the Rafflecopter link below or click here.
This giveaway begins at 12:01 AM ET on 01/16/2023 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 01/22/2023. The winner will be announced by 10:00 AM ET on 01/23/2023. Void where prohibited.
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Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 16, 2023 January 16, 2023 Categories Book Excerpt, Book Giveaway, Book Showcase, Book TourTags ASSUMED, Author Marketing Experts, Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, fiction, giveaway, MHR GeerLeave a comment on Book Showcase: ASSUMED by MHR Geer
Guest Post: Karen Odden – UNDER A VEILED MOON
Saturday Salutations, my bookish peeps. Have you ever visited a place and the history tied to that particular spot just overwhelmed you? There have only been a few places I've seen that touched me emotionally. The first was Plimouth Plantation (now Plimouth Patuxet Museums) in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learning of the freed Blacks that had settled there with many of the first non-Indigenous settlers. The second was Salem, Massachusetts, and the history linked to the Salem Witch Trials. The last place was Mecca, Saudi Arabia. I can't even begin to describe the feelings brought on by thoughts of all the folks that had previously walked in the same areas I was covering. It probably sounds a bit sappy, but I often ponder who walked or lived in the areas I'm in as well as wondering what might have happened in that location 100 or 200+ years ago. Sadly, I don't do the research required to obtain the answers to these questions, but I continue to wonder. Today, I'm pleased to welcome someone that wonders about the past, actually does the necessary research, and crafts intriguing stories afterward. Karen Odden is the author of several historical fiction books, including the recently released Under a Veiled Moon, book two in the Inspector Corravan series. Thank you, Ms. Odden, for joining us today and sharing your thoughts on the river Thames. Without further adieu, I'll now turn the blog over to you.
The Magic of the Thames
By Karen Odden
Until I started researching for Down a Dark River (Inspector Corravan #1) I had no idea that the Thames was tidal. Did you know this? Twice a day, the flow of the river changes from east to west and then west to east, with some areas rising and falling up to twenty-four feet, from the North Sea in the east to nearly 100 miles inland, well past even the outskirts of London. Think about that: twenty-four feet. The eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor placed four horses in the Thames near Vauxhall, and the sculptures vanish and reappear with the tide, reminding people of our dependence upon water generally and the Thames specifically.
"The Rising Tide" Photo credit: Jason deCaires Taylor
As a result of the changing currents, a mix of trash and treasure alike are thrown upon the banks daily. As a child, in 1850s London, my (fictional) inspector Michael Corravan would mudlark along the banks, scrounging for bits of coal, wood, and metal that might be usable or saleable – and nowadays for about $50 on Tripadvisor, you can book a mud larking tour, complete with high rubber boots and a pail and a stick, and retrace his steps.
Mudlarkers on the south shore of the Thames, near Blackfriars Bridge. Photo credit: Karen Odden.
Back in 1858, when Michael Corravan was ten years old, London experienced "the Great Stink." Basically, the industrial waste from tanneries and manufacturing plants combined with approximately four million people's household waste had turned the Thames into a sludgy, smelly mess.
"The Silent Highwayman" (1858)
When Parliament met in Westminster, on the north side of the Thames, the Members were in agony. From the windows, they hung sheets which they sprayed with lime to try to keep the stink and the "miasma" (thought to carry disease) out. It didn't take long before they decided to hire Joseph Bazalgette, a civil engineer, to fix this problem. His solution was to send the waste ten miles downstream (east) to a processing plant. He built enormous pipes (much larger than people thought they needed because, after all, London couldn't possibly grow any larger than it already was – !) and overlaid them with the Victorian Embankment, which you can still walk on today. The Thames was revitalized, making it possible to romanticize it, which painters including Monet, Grimshaw, Whistler, and Canaletto did.
The Thames by Moonlight with Southwark Bridge by J.A. Grimshaw (1836-1893), Photo credit: City of London Corp.
(For a range of paintings of the Thames, see https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/london-art-nine-paintings-of-the-river-thames-you-have-to-see-a3900821.html)
The spectacular, fascinating thing about the Victorian Thames is it was both changeful and steady, old and modern, a disgusting sewer and the vital lifeblood of a city all at once. As such, it's a wonderfully suggestive setting for my books, Down a Dark River and Under a Veiled Moon, because there are no neat divisions of good and evil. My protagonist and the important secondary characters are complex, driven by motives they may not even know, and acting in ways that bring about results they don't necessarily intend. A man or woman can be both kind and cruel, clever and obtuse, frightened and courageous, depending on the tide of events at any given moment. (See what I did there? Tide?)
Frankly, I do not like books with flat secondary characters whose only purpose is to either enable or foil the protagonist. So I don't want to write them. People are complicated. Their backstories are varied and unique and a messy composite of a variety of experiences. And I believe characters can and should surprise us. They can stretch our compassion and our powers of sympathy. They can make it possible for us to imagine what it is to be an Irish inspector at Scotland Yard in the 1870s, tasked with discovering the truth about the tragic Princess Alice steamship disaster, and caught between warring factions, impossible choices, and a past and present both wondrous and appalling. ♦
Pamphlet, 1878. Photo Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
Under a Veiled Moon
January 2-27, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden's second Inspector Corravan historical mystery.
September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule.
For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion, and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever.
Corrovan's dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe's Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm's way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help.
As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
ASIN: B09S3J7LRP (Kindle edition)
ASIN: B0B622C43J (Audible Audiobook)
Series: Inspector Corravan, #2
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Praise for Under a Veiled Moon:
"[An] exceptional sequel … Odden never strikes a false note, and she combines a sympathetic lead with a twisty plot grounded in the British politics of the day and peopled with fully fleshed-out characters. Fans of Lyndsay Faye's Gods of Gotham trilogy will be enthralled."
"Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles."
"Will keep readers curious and guessing to the end."
Manhattan Book Review, 5-star review
"Damn fine historical crime fiction."
Bolo Books
"Rich in emotion and historical detail, Under a Veiled Moon is a brilliant tale of the dark, thorny places where the personal and the political intertwine."
Mariah Fredericks, Edgar award-nominated author of the Jane Prescott series
Karen received her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University and subsequently taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has published numerous essays and articles on Victorian literature, written introductions for Victorian novels in the Barnes and Noble Classics Series, and edited for the journal Victorian Literature and Culture. Her first novel, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller and A Dangerous Duet and A Trace of Deceit have won awards for historical mystery and historical fiction. Her fourth mystery, Down a Dark River, introduced readers to Michael Corravan, a former thief and bare-knuckles boxer from Whitechapel who serves as an inspector at Scotland Yard in 1870s London. The sequel, Under a Veiled Moon, is available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook. A member of Mystery Writers of America and a national board member for Sisters in Crime, Karen lives in Arizona with her family.
Catch Up With Karen Odden:
KarenOdden.com
BookBub – @KarenOdden
Instagram – @karen_m_odden
Twitter – @karen_odden
Facebook – @karen.odden
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Karen Odden. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 14, 2023 January 13, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Tour, guest author postTags Blog Tour, Crooked Lane Books, fiction, giveaway, guest author post, Guest post, historical fiction, Karen Odden, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, UNDER A VEILED MOON1 Comment on Guest Post: Karen Odden – UNDER A VEILED MOON
Book Showcase: WHAT MEETS THE EYE by Alex Kenna
What Meets the Eye
by Alex Kenna
From debut author Alex Kenna comes a pulse-pounding tapestry of secrets, retribution, and greed for fans of Jeffrey Archer.
Kate Myles was a promising Los Angeles police detective, until an accident and opioid addiction blew up her family and destroyed her career. Struggling to rebuild her life, Kate decides to try her hand at private detective work—but she gets much more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of a celebrated painter found dead in a downtown loft.
When Margot Starling's body was found, the cause of death was assumed to be suicide. Despite her beauty, talent, and fame, she struggled with a host of demons. But as Kate digs deeper, she learns that Margot had a growing list of powerful enemies—among them a shady art dealer who had been selling forged works by Margot. Kate soon uncovers a dirty trail that leads straight into the heart of the city's deadly underworld.
Margot died for her art—and if Kate doesn't tread lightly, she could be the next to get brushed out.
ASIN: B09TZP1DCF (Kindle edition)
ASIN: B0BBPHT776 (Audible Audiobook)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Indiebound.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Audible Audiobook | Audiobooks.com | Barnes & Noble | B&N NOOK Book | BookDepository.com | BookShop.org | eBooks.com | Kobo eBook | Goodreads | Penguin Random House
Praise for What Meets the Eye:
"[An] impressive debut . . . Sara Paretsky fans will be pleased."
"Alex Kenna is the real deal, a true talent. Her prose is stunningly eloquent and characterization masterful."
Crime Fiction Critic
"A righteous, painful debut. More, please."
"Dragging the world of high art down into the muck of Los Angeles' criminal underbelly, Alex Kenna has created an engaging mystery buoyed by the heart of its heroine, Kate Myles. Trying to win against stacked decks in her professional and personal lives, Myles' resilience and hustle makes her an easy hero to stand up and cheer for."
James Queally, author of the Russel Avery novels and Los Angeles Times crime reporter
"With the sure hand of an old master, Alex Kenna's debut blurs the line between catharsis and crime in this gritty and nimble noir mystery. When a routine investigation into the apparent suicide of art superstar Margot Starling becomes anything but, down-on-her-luck PI Kate Myles must square herself up for the fight of her life or lose it all. Entertaining and provocative, What Meets the Eye reminds us that truth often comes with a price tag much higher—and deadlier—than anything Sotheby's could ever hope to fetch at auction."
Katie Lattari, author of Dark Things I Adore
"Kenna gives us the LA crime story we want—a fronded, sun-beaten carousel of depravity and murder, all laced up with tight plotting, sharply hewn characters, and a gripping, original story."
Joseph Schneider, author of the Tully Jarsdel Mysteries
"A suspicious death dismissed as suicide leads PI Kate Myles deep into a web of blackmail and deceit, set against an intriguing backdrop of shady dealings in the art world. An all too human character, Kate is determined to piece together the wreckage of her life and career, and salvage her fractured relationship with her daughter. With clever twists & turns, and a host of convincing suspects along the way, the plot delivers a satisfying ending, but leaves us with tantalizing hints of more to come from Kate…"
Julie Cameron, author of Nameless Acts of Cruelty
Six Months Ago – Margot
All week long, I'd felt a fire in my belly. The spirit passed through me like lightning, brushes flying from wet canvas to wet canvas. Cooking was a waste of time, so I ordered takeout and drank whiskey. Sleep was out of the question. I cranked up the music and worked to the beat. Sometimes I sang along, dripping globs of color onto the floor. The paint went on smooth, like buttery icing. After a while, my brushes stayed in their jar and my fingers danced across the canvas. No bristles between skin and cloth.
Soon the images came alive. I'd been studying the Spanish greats: Velasquez, Goya, Zurbaran, Ribera. For them, it was all about bottomless darks with hints of warm, mellow light. I took a break from bold colors, indulging in white and yellow ochre on burnt sienna. The effect was sinister but mesmerizing. One after another, my hands pulled ghostly figures out of a dark void.
I finally passed out around dawn on Thursday, just as the birds were starting to chatter. When I woke, it was midafternoon, and the magic was gone. My mouth tasted of bile and I felt like someone had scooped out my eyeballs and punched me in the sockets.
I wandered into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. One of Goya's haggard witches stared back at me. My skin was the color of rice pudding. There were purple half-moons under my eyes and a cadmium streak in my hair. I picked at my nail beds, filled with Prussian blue. The thought of cleaning them was exhausting so I didn't bother.
My stomach let out a growl and I stumbled over to the fridge. Nothing inside was fresh enough to tempt me. I turned to a soggy takeout container on the kitchen table. The waxed cardboard had partially melted, and a puddle of sauce oozed onto the table. A dead fruit fly was trapped inside the congealed orange liquid like a mosquito in amber. I pulled a half-eaten egg roll off last night's dinner plate and popped it in my mouth. At least it was still crispy.
After lunch-breakfast-dinner, I had an edible and downed a pot of coffee. I tried to get back to work, but the electricity was gone. The images that were so alive last night now looked dull and mannered. A self-portrait smirked at me. I'd given myself a pouty red mouth like an Instagram twat and artificial jolly-rancher-green eyes. It was pathetic. The last desperate cry of a lonely train wreck nearing forty. I felt worthless. I should go jump off a bridge or wander onto the freeway.
I lay on the couch for what must have been hours, binge watching some show about British aristocrats and their servants. Thank God I wasn't born in nineteenth century England. You can't be a British lady if you're a mouthy alcoholic who screws half the landed gentry. I would've done worse as a servant. I can barely fry an egg and half the time I'm too paralyzed by my own shit to get out of bed. I'd end up as a consumptive whore blowing sailors for my supper in a London tenement.
The curtains were drawn, and eventually light stopped leaking in from the window edges. I usually do better when the sun goes down. But nightfall didn't bring me a second wind. It made me feel worse. I poured myself another drink and lit a cigarette.
My cell kept blowing up with a number I didn't recognize. I'd had this phone for six months and never transferred my contacts over from the last one. Now my caller ID served as a kind of litmus test. If someone hadn't reached out in half a year, they weren't worth my time. I let it go to voicemail and turned back to the aristocrats. The only decent one was dead now. This show was making me tired.
There was a knock on the door. Probably the neighbor coming to tell me her baby couldn't sleep because I make use of my electronics. I ignored it, took a swig of whiskey, and lit another cigarette.
Then whoever it was started pounding. "Margot, open up," said a loud baritone. The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it. His tone had an edge of desperation. Could it be that cop from last week? A wave of dread flowed through me. My hands started shaking and a clump of ash fell on the couch. If I kept very still, maybe he'd think I wasn't home and go away. No, the TV was too loud. He knew I was in here.
I tiptoed over to the keyhole and gasped. My drink flew from my hand and shattered, coating the floor in alcohol and shards of glass.
Excerpt from What Meets the Eye by Alex Kenna.
Copyright © 2022 by Alex Kenna.
Reproduced with permission from Alex Kenna.
Alex Kenna is a lawyer, writer, and amateur painter based in Los Angeles. Before law school, Alex studied painting and art history. She also worked as a freelance culture writer and sold art in a gallery. Originally from Washington DC, Alex lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and a giant schnauzer, Zelda. When she's not writing Alex can be found exploring Southern California, toddler-wrangling, and playing string instruments badly.
Catch Up With Our Author:
AlexKenna.com
Twitter – @AlexKenna9
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, and giveaway entries!
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Alex Kenna. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 11, 2023 January 10, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, Book TourTags Alex Kenna, Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, Crooked Lane Books, fiction, giveaway, mystery, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, WHAT MEETS THE EYE1 Comment on Book Showcase: WHAT MEETS THE EYE by Alex Kenna
Book Showcase: MISFIRE by Tammy Euliano
Misfire, Book 2 in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series, by Tammy Euliano
ASIN: B09X5ZPQCL (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Genre: Fiction | Medical Mystery | Thriller
A device that can save a life is also one that can end it
Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it's meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.
When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm's cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate's aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.
The misfires continue as Christian O'Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?
A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.
Perfect for fans of Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen
While the novels in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:
Fatal Intent
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Praise for Misfire:
"From surgery to suspense, Tammy Euliano knows the worlds she writes of. Misfire is a first-rate medical thriller—the kind that leaves you thinking that was too close!" —Michael Connelly, New York Times best-selling author
"A medical thriller meets domestic suspense meets serial killer terror all rolled into one page-turning extravaganza. You will read Misfire for the plot, but absolutely stay for the characters. I miss them already." —Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times best-selling author
"Medical suspense as sharp as it gets. Euliano is off to a good, no, a brilliant start." —Kathy Reichs, New York Times best-selling author
"You aren't gonna let me die this time, are ya, Doc?"
Oh boy.
So started my Wednesday, with about the worst line any anesthesiologist can hear from a patient in preoperative holding.
"This time?" the nurse said.
"Last time my heart decided to dance a little jig instead of pumpin' my blood."
Sitting close beside Mr. Abrams, his wife squeezed her eyes closed. "Abe, tell Dr. Downey the whole story."
"I read about it in your chart last night," I said. "Last time they tried to fix your hernia, your heart needed a jump start." To the nurse I added, "V fib," a chaotic heart rhythm that usually requires electrical shock to convert back to a normal rhythm. "It happened when they were putting you to sleep and they canceled the case." Instead of a hernia operation, Mr. Abrams ended up with a very different procedure that day—placement of an automated internal cardioverter defibrillator, or AICD. A device implanted in his chest to detect and treat the problem should it recur.
"Your AICD hasn't fired, right?" The device had been checked by cardiology the day before.
"Right. Rosie watches it like a hawk huntin' a rodent." He nodded to his wife, who slipped her phone under the book in her lap.
"I completely understand," I said to her, nodding at the hidden phone. "My aunt has the same AICD, and I can't stop checking the app either." Maybe a downside of the novel AICD, the Kadence communicated through the patient's phone to the cloud, where I could view status reports on my beloved Aunt Irm's heart. "I don't expect any problems this time, but we're ready if your heart decides on another jig."
"Dr. Downey, I need to ask a favor." Mrs. Abrams didn't look at me, or at anyone. She gripped her paperback as if it would fly open.
"Call me Kate."
"Come on, Rosie, let the doc do her job," Mr. Abrams said.
She ignored him. "Dr. Yarborough is his cardiologist. She said if he could keep his phone during the operation, she would be able to watch his AICD."
I generally like to honor requests. This one required a caveat. "I'll make a deal with you. We'll keep the phone close for Dr. Yarborough as long as you promise not to watch the app."
Her sparse gray eyebrows drew together.
"During surgery, there's electrical noise that can confuse the AICD. I don't know what it might report and I don't want you frightened." Sometimes we turn off AICDs during surgery, but this operation was far enough away from the device implanted near his left shoulder that the noise shouldn't cause a problem. What she might see on the app, though, I couldn't predict.
She nodded uncertainly.
Eric, the anesthesia resident assigned to work with me on the case, arrived with a small syringe of a sedative. "What do you think about some happy juice?"
"I think my wife needs it more than me," Mr. Abrams said.
Her lipstick appeared to redden as her face paled.
"Unfortunately, it goes in the IV," Eric said with a kind smile for her. "We'll take good care of him."
"You'll watch his blood sugar," she said.
"Yes, ma'am." Eric unlocked the bed.
"And be careful with his AICD."
"We will." He unhooked the IV bag from the ceiling-mounted pole and attached it to one on the stretcher.
Tears dampened her eyes as Mrs. Abrams stood and leaned down to kiss her husband's cheek.
"I'm gonna be fine, Rosie. Don't you worry. I'll be huntin' by the weekend, and we can try out that new squirrel recipe before our anniversary."
"We are not serving squirrel stew for our fiftieth anniversary," she said.
Eric and I exchanged a smile.
"Oh now, you wait and see." Mr. Abrams patted his wife's hand.
"What's squirrel taste like?" Eric pushed the bed from the wall.
"Tastes like chicken." Mr. Abrams laughed loudly. "No, just kiddin' with ya . . ." As they turned the corner, the voices faded. I stayed behind to reassure Mrs. Abrams.
"I can't lose him." Eyes squeezed shut, a sob escaped.
I wrapped an arm around her ample shoulders and waited. I knew that feeling; had lived that feeling; had lost.
"I'm sorry." She dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
"No need to apologize. Last time scared you. Tell you what, once he's asleep, I'll give you a call and let you know it went fine."
That calmed her. We walked together to the main doors, where I directed her to the waiting room. I turned the opposite direction to not let her husband of fifty years die during a hernia operation. No pressure there.
In the OR, we helped Mr. Abrams move to the operating table. After applying monitors and going through our safety checks, Eric held the clear plastic mask over his face and said, "Pick out a good dream."
"Oh, I got one." He winked at me. "I'll try to behave this time, Doc."
"I'd appreciate that." I maintained eye contact and held his hand as I injected the drugs to put him off to sleep. Despite having induced anesthesia thousands of times, I always experience a tense few moments between the time the patient stops breathing and when the breathing tube is confirmed in the windpipe. During those couple of minutes, if we couldn't breathe for him, there's a real, if remote, chance the patient could die. Not a failure to save, but, in essence, a kill. Anesthesia is unique in that. We take people who are breathing fine, mess it up, then fix it, so the surgeon can correct the real problem.
When Mr. Abrams' induction proceeded without incident, I felt an extra sense of relief and was happy to share that with his wife. The operation, too, went well, and an hour later, he awoke from anesthesia, gave a sleepy smile, and said, "How'd it go, Doc?"
"Fine. No more hernia. Are you in any pain?"
He shook his head. "Nope, you done good."
As Eric gave his transfer-of-care report to the recovery nurse, I helped re-connect the monitors. Mr. Abrams looked great. Whether he'd be hunting squirrel in a few days, I couldn't say. I headed toward the pre-op area to see our next patient.
"Dr. Downey!"
I spun back to see Mr. Abrams' head loll to the side, his eyes closed, his hands on his chest. In two steps I was back at his side. "Mr. Abrams?" I placed two fingers to his neck where his pulse should be while the ECG monitor above showed ventricular fibrillation—a randomly bumpy line—and his pulse oximeter, the sticker on his finger that recorded pulse and oxygen, became a flat line. Cardiac arrest.
What the hell?
I forced the image of his wife saying, "I can't lose him," from my mind as I lowered the head of the bed and started chest compressions. "Eric, manage the airway."
He placed a mask over Mr. Abrams' nose and mouth and started squeezing the breathing bag. "Why isn't his AICD firing?"
The overhead monitor flashed and shrieked an alarm.
The fire-engine red crash cart arrived and a nurse snapped off its plastic lock. As she tore open the foil pack of defibrillation pads from the top of the crash cart, the charge nurse assembled medications. A smoothly running team, each member with his or her own tasks.
The overhead alert began, "Anesthesia and Charge Nurse stat to the PACU." I tuned it out as a crowd in scrubs assembled around us. The anesthesiologist in charge of the recovery room said, "How can I help?"
"Call Nikki Yarborough in cardiology." As I continued chest compressions, the nurse reached around my arms to place the large defibrillator pads on Mr. Abrams' chest. I noticed the small scar where his AICD was implanted and silently ordered the damn thing to fire. The charging defibrillator whined with an increasing and eventually teeth-itching pitch.
Seconds before I yelled, "Clear!" the ECG monitor traced a "square wave"—three sides of a bottomless square, up-across-down. I held my breath, though it was only seconds. Normal sinus rhythm followed. His AICD had finally fired, kick-starting his heart back to normal electrical activity.
I stopped chest compressions and placed my fingers on his neck. Strong pulse. "Mr. Abrams?" I grasped his hand and leaned forward. His head turned toward me. "How do you feel?"
He rubbed his sternum with his other hand. "Chest hurts."
"Like a heart attack, or like someone pounded on it?"
"Pounded." He opened one eye.
"No. Thank you." The corners of his mouth turned up weakly. "You did good."
"I'll have cardiology come check out your AICD and figure out why it took so long to fire."
He nodded. "Can you tell my wife I'm okay?" It struck me his first thought was for his wife, and that I'd told her everything would be fine. Crap. It also struck me she might have peeked at his app.
The recovery room attending waited for me as I stepped away. "Dr. Yarborough's in a procedure but will come by as soon as she's done."
I thanked him and hurried to the waiting room to check on Mrs. Abrams.
She must have followed directions, because I found her in the back corner of the crowded space, the book unopened in her lap. At my approach, she looked up.
"He's fine." Always the best lead, but she didn't smile. I sat beside her and lowered my voice in an attempt at privacy. "After the surgery, he had a rhythm problem like before."
She gasped and I placed a hand on her arm.
"We did CPR until his Kadence fired and everything is fine now. He's awake and he asked me to tell you that."
Tears filled her eyes.
Though I wasn't supposed to invite her to the recovery room until the nurse was ready, Mrs. Abrams needed to see for herself. I knew what that felt like. "Would you like to see him?"
She nodded and walked with me in silence.
The very understanding nurse lowered one of the stretcher's side rails, and Mr. Abrams extended an arm to embrace his wife. "Now, Rosie, I told you I'd be fine." He looked past her shoulder and winked at me, but his eyes shone as well. Such a beautiful couple. I returned to work before we were all bleary eyed.
Excerpt from Misfire by Tammy Euliano.
Copyright © 2023 by Tammy Euliano.
Tammy Euliano writes medical thrillers. She's inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher, and medical educator. She is a tenured professor at the University of Florida, where she's been honored with numerous teaching awards, nearly 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date calendars).
When she's not writing or at the hospital, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing sports, cheering on the Gators, and entertaining her two wonderful dogs.
Connect with the author via: Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter | Website
This is a giveaway for one (1) print copy of Misfire by Tammy Euliano and a bookmark. This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States only. All entries by non-US residents will be voided. To enter use the Rafflecopter link.
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Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 10, 2023 January 9, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Excerpt, Book Giveaway, Book Showcase, Book TourTags Author Marketing Experts, Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Showcase, fiction, giveaway, MISFIRE, Oceanview Publishing, print book giveaway, Tammy EulianoLeave a comment on Book Showcase: MISFIRE by Tammy Euliano
Guest Post: Colleen Coble – DARK OF NIGHT
Dark of Night
by Colleen Coble
January 9-February 3, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Good day, my bookish peeps. I was recently asked by a family member what I planned to do for the New Year's weekend and I responded that I'd be curled up in my reading chair with a pot of tea and a few good books. I ended 2022 and began 2023 by reading romance. Some were romantic suspense reads, a few were paranormal romance and historical romance, and the others were romantic comedies. What can I say, the past few years I've been reading a lot more romance than normal. Romance has become my go-to genre whenever I'm in a reading slump, feeling a bit down, or having a sick day. I'm incredibly thankful to the authors that create these wonderful romantic stories. One such author is Colleen Coble, with her soon-to-be-released, Dark of Night, book two in the "Annie Pederson" romantic suspense series. Thank you, Ms. Coble, for coming back to visit with us. I can't wait to learn your thoughts on romance, the blog is all yours.
The Power of Romance
I've always been a romantic at heart. Back in my teen years, I swooned over Barnabas in Dark Shadows (I know that's weird, and also dates me, but what can I say? ) I married at nineteen and have been married to the same wonderful guy for 51 years. Being a romantic has been instrumental in that long happy marriage!
I have always taken romance a bit for granted since my husband is also a romantic, but I recently had a wake-up call when I received an email from a reader. They'd just read one of my books. All four books in my Lonestar series have the same marriage of convenience underpinning, and the reader realized that love is a choice. She let me know she was choosing to love her husband all over again and was going to try again in her marriage. Whoohoo! I love being able to be part of making people think about life and relationships.
Many people think of love as a feeling—and it is of course—but it's much more than that. We don't always feel like being loving. The house is a mess, the kids are snarking at each other, and you feel like giving as good as you're getting from everyone else. But it's those times when we need to stop and realize that we can choose to love even when we don't feel like it. That decision can carry us through the bad times that always come. Romance novels aren't frivolous. There is nothing more important than choosing to love someone and being an agent of change in the world that way. Thinking of someone else's happiness first could bring deep and lasting changes to our lives—and to the world.
Romance always has an edge of optimism to it because we know there's going to be a happily ever after. Life isn't always that way, but I like looking at the world through a romantic prism because it helps me see the good even when bad things happen. I know things will eventually turn out fine even if that happy-ever-after finale has to wait until heaven to materialize. ♥
The law is about justice—not grace. But perhaps ranger Annie Pederson can find a way to have both.
As if the last few months haven't been hard enough—complete with threats on her life and the return of her first love, Jon—Annie has to figure out whether or not to believe a woman who claims to be her sister, Sarah, who was abducted twenty-four years ago at age five. Annie's eight-year-old daughter, Kylie, has plenty of questions about what's going on in her mother's life—but there are some stones Annie doesn't want uncovered.
As Annie grapples with how to heal the gulf between her and her would-be sister and make room in her daughter's life for Jon, she's professionally distracted by the case of yet another missing hiker in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A woman named Michelle Fraser has now been abducted, and though the woman's estranged husband is at the top of their suspect list, Annie and her colleagues will need to dig deeper and determine whether these recent mysteries are truly as unrelated as they seem.
In this second novel of bestselling author Colleen Coble's latest romantic-suspense series, Annie and Jon must fight for the future—and the family—that could once more be theirs.
Published by: Thomas Nelson
ISBN10: 0785253742 (Paperback)
ISBN13: 9780785253747 (Paperback)
ASIN: B0B1WKV7M4 (Kindle edition)
ASIN: B0B61MK9BK (Audible audiobook)
Series: Annie Pederson #2
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: IndieBound.org | Amazon | Amazon Kindle | Audible Audiobook | Audiobooks.com | Barnes and Noble | B&N NOOK Book | B&N Audiobook | BookDepository.com | Bookshop.org | ChristianBook | Downpour Audiobook | eBooks.com | Kobo Audiobook | Kobo eBook | Goodreads
Colleen Coble is a USA TODAY bestselling author best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels, including The Inn at Ocean's Edge, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, and the Lavender Tides, Sunset Cove, Hope Beach, and Rock Harbor series.
Connect with Colleen online at:
colleencoble.com
BookBub: @colleencoble
Instagram: @colleencoble
Twitter: @colleencoble
Facebook: colleencoblebooks
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Harper Collins and Colleen Coble. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
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Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on January 9, 2023 January 8, 2023 Categories Book Blog, Book Tour, guest author postTags Blog Tour, Colleen Coble, DARK OF NIGHT, fiction, giveaway, guest author post, Guest post, HarperCollins, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, romantic suspense, Thomas Nelson Fiction2 Comments on Guest Post: Colleen Coble – DARK OF NIGHT
Guest Post: Heather Day Gilbert – ROAST DATE
Good day, book people. For those of you in the US experiencing the recent Arctic blast and Snowmaggedon, I hope you're all staying safe, dry, and warm. In my little corner of West Virginia, we're not expected to get much snow (please don't let us get snow), but we are expecting frigid temperatures and a possible ice storm. (Something tells me this could be a good day to curl up in my reading chair, fix a pot of oolong tea, and grab a book or two and read the day away.) I'm incredibly pleased and honored to welcome Heather Day Gilbert, a fellow West Virginian and author of the Barks & Beans Cafe series including the latest release, Roast Date. Ms. Gilbert will be discussing her fictional cafe with us. So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and let's learn more about the Barks & Beans Cafe. Thank you, Ms. Gilbert, for taking the time to join us today. I'll now turn the blog over to you.
Thanks for letting me visit your blog today! Since my Barks & Beans Cafe series features a cafe where folks can enjoy gourmet sandwiches and drinks while petting shelter dogs, I thought I'd give you the top five foods/drinks you'll find in Roast Date, a Christmas-set mystery! Trust me, I have so much fun finding special tastes of the season. If you want to see more ideas, you can find all my Barks & Beans cafe Pinterest boards here.
Top Five Specialty Foods/Drinks you'll find in Roast Date:
1. A cafe isn't complete without its own special house blend coffee, and at the Barks & Beans Cafe, it comes from Costa Rica. It's a fresh, cozy blend with citrus and brown sugar notes, and you'll find amateur sleuth Macy Hatfield is selling some at the Christmas book club party in Roast Date!
2. Cafe baker and barista Charity keeps busy concocting new foods for Barks & Beans Cafe customers. Her latest hit are chocolate peppermint patty cookies, which go in gift baskets for the book club!
3. A vegetarian cafe visitor will try Charity's delicious eggplant pesto sandwich before she leaves.
4. Homemade sweet & spicy meatballs. Macy's neighbor Vera serves these at her ill-fated book club Christmas party.
5. Cinnamon eggnog and gingerbread cookies—Vera's made these for the party, but her eggnog is about to get a very bad rap. You'll have to read Roast Date to find out what happens!
Thanks so much for having me today, and happy holidays to all! ♦
Roast Date (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery)
by Heather Day Gilbert
About Roast Date
BOOK SEVEN in the bestselling BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
After much cajoling, Macy gives in to her neighbor, Vera, and agrees to come to her book club's Christmas party so she can share about the cafe. While public speaking isn't Macy's thing, she wants to brighten Vera's lonely holiday season…and she can sell a little house blend on the side.
When a lively book discussion spirals into a public roast of the mayor—who happens to be sitting in their midst—things get uncomfortable. Soon afterward, the mayor shows up dead in Vera's bathroom, and no amount of gingerbread cookies or eggnog can restore Vera to the club's good graces. 'Tis the season for Macy to find the murderer, or else Vera might be taking a long winter's nap in a jail cell.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Book 4: Spilled Milk
Book 5: Trouble Brewing
Book 6: Cold Drip
Book 7: Roast Date
Setting – West Virginia
WoodHaven Press (December 20, 2022)
Number of Pages ~250
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09Z8NYHX9 (Kindle edition)
ISBN : 9781735565194 (Paperback)
Purchase Links #CommissionEarned: Amazon | Amazon Kindle
About Heather Day Gilbert
Award-winning novelist Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing mysteries and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather's realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she's not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.
Webpage: https://heatherdaygilbert.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherdgilbert
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-day-gilbert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7232683.Heather_Day_Gilbert
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 19 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 19 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
December 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
December 20 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
December 21 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW
December 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 21 – Lady Hawkeye – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 21 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 22 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 22 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
December 22 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 22 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
December 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
December 23 – The Book Diva's Reads – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 23 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT
December 23 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
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Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on December 23, 2022 December 22, 2022 Categories Book Blog, Book Tour, guest author postTags Blog Tour, cozy mystery, fiction, giveaway, Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, guest author post, Guest post, Heather Day Gilbert, ROAST DATE, Woodhaven PressLeave a comment on Guest Post: Heather Day Gilbert – ROAST DATE
Guest Post: Kelly Oliver – CHAOS AT CARNEGIE
Good day, book people. Most of you are probably aware that I have an eclectic reading style. Although I read mostly fiction, I'm not tethered to just one genre. I read a little bit of everything. I'm especially in awe of authors of historical fiction. Stop and think about it folks, these authors have to do quite a bit of research to ensure they're describing the clothing, customs, and language accurately. Yes, any author can use creative license when crafting their stories, but we readers generally don't expect to see a reference to a telephone or television if the story is set in the 18th or 19th century. Please help me welcome Kelly Oliver, author of Chaos at Carnegie. Ms. Oliver will discuss her thoughts on some important considerations about crafting historical fiction. Thank you, Ms. Oliver, for joining us today and welcome. As a reader of historical and contemporary fiction, I'm looking forward to what you have to share with us today. I'll now turn the blog over to you.
Do you like historical mysteries?
I do. I love reading historical mysteries—Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs, Rhys Bowen's Georgiana Rannoch (and her standalones), Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry, and Mariah Frederick's Jane Prescott, L.A. Chandler's Lane Sanders and more.
I also love writing historical mysteries. I've written nonfiction books, contemporary suspense, and children's mysteries, but my historical series, the Fiona Figg Mysteries, is my favorite to write. Why?
I love doing historical research. It is so fun to discover weird details about the past. And it is helpful to have real events to anchor the plot. For me, it makes writing easier. And I think readers are more interested in characters who are grounded in real-life events and true crime.
I've learned a lot about writing since I started writing fiction. But there are some particular lessons I've learned from writing historical mysteries.
Historical Details Shape Plot and Setting
I love the fact that the details of history can help shape not only my plot but also the everyday lives of my protagonists. It's like having a cheat sheet.
The challenge, of course, is getting it right. And not just being accurate but also finding the right balance between historical details and story.
History can play so many roles in the novel, from those spicy tidbits sprinkled throughout the text, to the rich tapestry of everyday life that forms the background or setting for your story.
Since the Fiona Figg Mysteries are set in 1917 during WWI, I've learned about war strategy, early twentieth-century British slang, what soldiers ate in the trenches, WWI female spies, and so many fun details.
Fiona's nemesis throughout the series, Fredrick Fredricks, is based on a German spy named Fritz Duquesne, who was a fascinating character in real life. He was a spy for the Germans in both world wars (which means Fiona can chase him across the globe for years to come). He used various aliases, including Fredrick Fredricks. And, like a chameleon, he changed his looks, personality, and professions to evade capture. He is definitely a worthy adversary for Fiona.
Historical Research is Fun
As a nerdy academic, I love doing the research! It's so fun to look through old newspaper advertisements or to use William Brohaugh's English Through the Ages, Etymonline, or an old Baedeker's guidebook. So fun to hold those antique books in your hands.
Of course, the Internet is a vast source of information about everything from the food and clothes of an era to the political events that shaped it. It's amazing where you can find helpful information, especially stuff to help you paint a vivid picture of the details. First-hand accounts in documentaries, autobiographies, and nonfiction are also great resources.
In the latest Fiona Figg Mystery, Chaos at Carnegie Hall, Thomas Edison, Dorothy Parker, and Margaret Sanger make appearances.
In the past, I've resurrected Mata Hari, Mileva Einstein (Albert's first wife and collaborator), and a mysterious French serial killer.
For the next in the series, I'm researching French aviator and sportswoman, Marie Marvingt. I love reading about powerful women who may have been forgotten by history.
Anachronisms are Fascinating
Even the dreaded anachronism can be fascinating. What words and gadgets existed and when? Anachronisms are things or words used in the wrong time period, either because they didn't exist yet, or because they were already out of use. There's also the issue of region or place.
Words used here might not be used there, even in the same time period. For example, in the US we say "cafeteria" and in England they say "canteen."
And on top of that, some words or things might feel out of place, even if they aren't. Even though it would be fair game to use a phrase like "hang out" in a 19th Century novel, it might make your reader stop and question its accuracy. So, you need to use words that not only are right but also sound like they're right.
Facts versus Truth
It might sound like writing historical fiction is full of landmines and pitfalls, but those same challenges and obstacles can become a great help in fashioning a believable and engaging story. And, while emotions and reactions are also period and place-dependent, a good historical novel adds the fleshy truth of experience to the bare bones of historical fact. A great historical novel makes people, places, and the past come alive.
How about you? What are your favorite historical novels? ♦
Chaos at Carnegie Hall
by Kelly Oliver
December 5 – 30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series opener.
Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?
1917. New York.
Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It's an opportunity the War Office can't turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperone duties for Captain Hall's niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?
From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it's treble on the high C's. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!
And the trouble doesn't stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America's most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.
When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it's finally curtains for the notorious spy.
But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis' name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby…
If Fiona's going to come out on top, she's going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Published by: Boldwood Books
Series: The Fiona Figg Mysteries
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads
Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle grade series, Pet Detective Mysteries; and the four-book historical cozy series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries.
Chaos at Carnegie Hall is the latest Fiona Figg mystery, and the first to feature sidekick, Kitty Lane.
When she's not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.
To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:
www.KellyOliverBooks.com
BookBub – @KellyOliverBook
Instagram – @KellyOliverBook
Twitter – @KellyOliverBook
Facebook – @KellyOliverAuthor
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Kelly Oliver. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on December 7, 2022 December 6, 2022 Categories Book Blog, Book Tour, guest author postTags Blog Tour, Boldwood Books, CHAOS AT CARNEGIE, fiction, giveaway, guest author post, Guest post, historical fiction, historical mystery, Kelly Oliver, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours1 Comment on Guest Post: Kelly Oliver – CHAOS AT CARNEGIE
Guest Post: Adam Sikes – LANDSLIDE
Good day, book people. I've learned that some readers appreciate gaining insight into authors and their "writing process." Every author, from those just starting out to those with years of writing and publishing experience, seems to have a writing routine or process. Some of these routines seem very similar, such as writing in the morning and having a favorite beverage on hand, and others are quite unique, writing in longhand with a specific type of writing instrument. I enjoy learning about them all and am very pleased to welcome Adam Sikes, author of Landslide, to the blog today. Mr. Sikes will be answering the question "what is your writing process?" for us. I hope you'll enjoy the information he's sharing, follow the blog tour to learn more about this author and his book, and grab a copy of Landslide to read. Thank you, Mr. Sikes, for taking the time to join us today. I'll now turn the blog over to you.
What is your writing process?
The "writing process" is something I didn't understand until I started doing it. I had to learn my process over time and, in truth, it took a few years.
Although I just recently started writing fiction seriously in the past ten years, I've always considered myself a writer. I remember in junior high trying to outline a techno-thriller along the lines of Tom Clancy. When I was in high school, I recall enjoying writing historical research papers, which I then continued in college and during graduate school. With the CIA, writing was a part of my daily experience. And even while in the Marine Corps and special operations, I wrote.
When I began writing novels, however, I approached and experienced writing differently. I found the process of thinking about a subject, outlining the story, and then writing the narrative to be insufficient. My writing was flat, lacking the kinds of sentences and word use that I so enjoyed from other writers, and as one editor called my dialogue, it was "wooden."
Consequently, in addition to seeking out education and training to improve my craft, I engaged in self-reflection to understand how I produced my best work. This led me to a multi-step process that allowed me to think through single scenes as well as plotting an entire book, honing my writing to engage the reader, keep them turning the pages, and feel connected to the characters.
Running: I found that movement stimulates my creativity and when I went running, I was able to think through the various aspects of a plot, a character's personality, and especially tough scenes I felt stuck on.
Notebooks: I handwrite every scene in a Moleskine notebook using a form of shorthand. I write fast and small, trying to keep the scene flowing and not getting hung up on precise language. I also use a handmade pen given to me by my brother, a woodworker and craftsman. This pen is very dear to me and physically connects me to the pages and my writing.
Typing 1 of 2: After I handwrite a scene, I then type it in Word, double-spaced, font Garamond 12. This initial typed scene is raw and barebones.
Typing 2 of 2: Now that I have the scene on the computer, I go back through slowly, adding the "meat" to the story, being precise about words and phrasing, and endeavoring to flesh out the narrative.
Read Aloud and Type: In the final stage before entering the editing process, I try to write in the morning and read aloud as I go through the scene once more, listening to how the words and phrases sound and editing grammar and punctuation to achieve the desired effects.
This process works well for me and gives me confidence that even if my first run-through seems weak, as I perform each step, the writing gets stronger and better. On the other hand, I am also able to see when a scene or piece of writing isn't working. If that happens, I don't hesitate to start over. I find it better to start from scratch rather than continually trying to force a scene to work.
And finally, I always have a cup of coffee or tea with me when writing. Even if it just sits there and goes cold—it's there.
by Adam Sikes
November 14 – December 9, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
International Arms—Private Military Companies—Corruption at Every Turn
U.S. Marine veteran Mason Hackett moved to London to start his life over, and he's done his best to convince himself that what happened fifteen years ago doesn't matter—the people he killed, the men he lost, the lives he ruined. But when Mason sees the face of a dead friend flash on a television screen and then receives a mysterious email referencing a CIA operation gone bad, he can no longer ignore his inner demons.
Driven by loyalty and a need to uncover the truth, Mason launches on a perilous journey from the Czech Republic to Romania toward the war-torn separatist region in eastern Ukraine to honor a fifteen-year-old promise. The answers he seeks—the fate of a friend and his connection to the underworld of international arms dealers and defense corporations—throw Mason into the cauldron of a covert war where no one can be trusted.
Praise for Landslide:
"Sikes imbues the emotionally complex Mason with a palpable sense of grief. Readers will look forward to his further adventures."
"Landslide is not only a gripping geo-political thriller, but a morally-complex tale. It grapples with fraught questions of both individual and national loyalty as well as killing and the grim realities of war. I read this book over the course of two-white knuckled days that I won't soon forget. Adam Sikes is a huge talent."
Elliot Ackerman, New York Times best-selling author
"Adam Sikes is the consummate storyteller. What a fast-moving train Landslide is, a real rollercoaster of a ride, gripping, emotional and thought-provoking. I enjoyed every thrilling second. This is good stuff!"
J. Randy Taraborrelli, New York Times best-selling author
"A gem of a read with mach-speed mayhem, loaded with rich detail from a writer who knows what he's talking about."
Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author
"With an irresistible hook that grabs you from the get-go, Landslide is an action-packed, nonstop espionage thrill ride that will keep you furiously turning the pages. Marine Corps veteran and former intelligence officer Adam Sikes delivers a fast-paced, gritty, supercharged read."
Andrew Kaplan, New York Times best-selling author
"Landslide is a seismic quake of an international, high-stakes thriller in the grand tradition of Daniel Silva, Brad Thor, and Brad Taylor. Adam Sikes has penned a seminal effort that's bracingly effective in its portrayal of current geopolitical dynamics through the eyes of former Marine, and current expatriate, Mason Hackett. A terrific tapestry of a tale with the kind of stitching that would make the likes of Alistair MacLean and Frederick Forsyth take notice."
Jon Land, USA Today best-selling author
Genre: Spy Thriller
Published by: Oceanview Publishing
ISBN: 9781608095049 (ISBN10: 1608095045)
Series: A Mason Hackett Espionage Thriller, #1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Oceanview Publishing
Adam Sikes is a novelist and freelance writer. He is a graduate of Georgetown University with a degree in International Politics and a Masters in History. Prior to taking up the pen, he served in the US Marine Corps with combat tours in the Balkans, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East. Following the Marines, Adam joined the CIA and conducted operations in Central Asia, East Africa, and Europe. He is the author of the international thriller Landslide and is the co-author of Open Skies: My Life as Afghanistan's First Female Pilot. He lives in Southern California.
Catch Up With Adam Sikes:
www.AdamSikes.com
BookBub – @sikesar
Instagram – @Adam_R_Sikes
Twitter – @Adam_R_Sikes
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Adam Sikes. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
Author thebookdivasreadsPosted on November 21, 2022 Categories Book Blog, Book Tour, guest author postTags Adam Sikes, Blog Tour, fiction, giveaway, guest author post, Guest post, LANDSLIDE, Oceanview Publishing, Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours1 Comment on Guest Post: Adam Sikes – LANDSLIDE