crime

Preorder Blitz Malice and Forethought

May 4, 2020 Leave a Comment

Malice and Forethought cover

Malice and Forethought:

Short Stories of Malice and Murder

by Felicia Denise

Cover Design: perry elisabeth design

Genre: Crime Thriller / Suspense / Short Stories

Release Date: June 1, 2020

Malice – noun; mal·ice | ˈma-ləs
1 : desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
//
2 : intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
//ruined her reputation and did it with malice
Everyone is capable of malice and no one is immune to its outcome.
A Hint of Malice – When her last living relative commits suicide after having her identity and assets stolen, a grieving niece longs for justice.
Burned – When the masterminds behind a major drug operation get off with a slap on the wrists, a frustrated police detective warns them their wealth cannot shield them from everything.
The Marshall Sisters – After seeing her sister mistreated by far too many men, Leslie Marshall is proud of Paula for standing up for herself and accompanies her on a cold winter’s night to confront her boyfriend, but even Leslie isn’t ready for the new, assertive Paula.
The Watcher – Shamed into exiled by his family because of his sexual fetish and hanging on to the shreds of his sanity, a man plots the ultimate date night with his new neighbor.
What’s done in the dark always comes to the light.

~ PreOrder ~

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https://geni.us/Malice

Malice 3D mockup

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Bloggers needed for preorder and/or release day blitzes!

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About the Author
After writing as a hobby for most of her life, at the urging of a good friend, Felicia took on the challenge of NaNoWriMo in 2015, writing what would become her first published work, In the Best Interest of the Child. It was released in the fall of 2016. Free, a Novella, which began as a three-installment series on her website, was published as a short story in May 2017.
Currently working on projects in several genres, Felicia plans to release book 2 of In the Best Interest of the Child – Family Matters, as well as anthologies of her suspense and women’s fiction short stories in 2020.
A long-time blogger, she also features books by indie authors daily on her blog, Nesie’s Place.
Felicia lost her husband of nearly 36 years of May of 2019, and is a strong advocate and supporter of the National Kidney Foundation. She has three adult children, four grand-pups, and as one of nine children, she has too much extended family to even go into!
In her free time-when not reading-Felicia sews and enjoys experimenting with new dishes in the kitchen. She always has a cup of robust coffee and far too many pun jokes nearby.

~ Stalk Felicia on Social Media ~

Author Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Newsletter

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Filed Under: Book Tours, Giveaways Tagged With: crime, preorder blitz, short stories, suspense, thriller

Book Spotlight No Ordinary Girl

January 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

How long have you been writing?

I guess I’ve always been a secret writer, just needed a push to put myself out there

What is your favorite genre to write?

This is a tough one, I love dark crime and horror that’s the type of book I would pick up, I’m not fluffy but I’ve just completed a YA fantasy which will follow soon, so I guess I like most genres except historical fiction.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?

I’ve tried them all

Please tell us about your book.

I wanted to create a piece that was face paced and full of action, with a graphic twist that would make your toes curl. So with my love of crime and horror, No Ordinary Girl was birthed.

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?

I love Aimee the main character, I had read so many stories about weak women and I didn’t want to portray women that way, so therefore even though Aimee suffered brutality at the hands of monsters, and is broken but her pain gave her a determination to seek revenge.

-I even like my bad guys, is that wrong?

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Writing is the easy part it’s the technical side, I struggle with.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?

I don’t really have a routine, I just crave some quiet time in a busy household with three loud demanding daughters. Hence notes and scraps of paper dotted in every room.

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?

6 to 12 months.

Can you tell us about your editing process?

I have an editor, I would be lost without her.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?

At the minute No Ordinary Girl is a stand –alone, due to working on other projects, although I wanted to leave it open so I could write a follow up, in the near future.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Be true to yourself. Follow your heart and your dreams!

Why should everyone read your book?

Why not, if you like a dark read this book is for you.

If you could meet three authors, dead or alive, which authors would you choose?

James Herbert for his spine chilling style, Stephen King for all the obvious hair raising reasons, Richard Laymon with his ruthless endings.

What inspired you to write your book?

Writing has always been a hobby hence my laptop being crammed with many manuscripts, but I think the real reason is I was fed up of reading lots of waffle and filler in many books, so I wanted to create something raw and straight to the point.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it?

I certainly am, I’m just tweaking my next dark novel before publication and I’m also exited to reveal that I have ventured out of my genre with a YA fantasy novel that is sat with my editor at the moment.

No Ordinary Girl

What started out as a night of celebration for Aimee soon turned into a nightmare. Snatched by cruel, sadistic monsters – the worst creatures mankind has ever produced – she’s thrown into a metal container, among other victims too frightened to make a single sound.

The game-keepers force everyone to play. They deliver torment and pain in equal measure. Every hunter has their own agenda and reasons to maim and torture.

Detective Johnson is one step away from catching the killers. Wrestling with his instincts as a father to serve justice his own way, this is no ordinary case for him. Can he stop the vile sadists before they damage more young girls, as well as his own daughter?

Aimee’s ordeal within the compound brings her to the conclusion that she’s no ordinary girl. But can she hang onto her sanity long enough to escape? And will she find a different way to play?

This crime thriller will keep you riveted. It’s no ordinary story.

Please note: contains graphic content.

Purchase from Amazon – http://amzn.to/2sjxG2k

Author Bio

Cheryl Elaine was born in Germany but moved to Northern Ireland as a young child. She then moved to Yorkshire where she spent most of her childhood and this is where she currently resides with her husband and 3 daughters.

Cheryl Elaine is an avid reader and enjoys watching horror movies – the more gruesome the better! She enjoys travelling and socialising but also loves spending time at home with her family and her ever expanding menagerie which currently includes 2 dogs, a budgie, 2 fish and a rat called Rocky!

Website – www.cherylelaine.co.uk

Twitter – @CherylElaine15

Insta – cherylelaine15

Giveaway

Win 1 of 3 x Signed copies of No Ordinary Girl (Open Internationall)

Filed Under: Author Interviews, Book Spotlight Tagged With: book spotlight, crime, mystery, thriller

Blog Tour: The Matter of The Crown

January 15, 2018 1 Comment

Guest Post: Art Crimes

Crime stories engage the most intelligent readers because they want to know who done it and they want the crime solved, while they devour every morsel of the story. When a beautiful work of art is at the heart of the story, well then, we all fall in…hook line and sinker. And usually, thank God, the work of art is not lost. The protagonist rescues her canvas As a person schooled in the history of art and the law, and one who teaches future lawyers about the overlap, I know too much about art crime. I love writing about it, however, because I love telling readers about the objects themselves.

Artworks are unique and always valuable in one way or another, so they attract both love and avarice In the days of conquest by marching armies, from the Romans to Napoleon, there has been booty and loot. Plenty of that hangs even now in the collections of private art lovers and museums all around the world. There is another, related topic that is technical art theft. This takes us, indirectly, to the topic of why people acquire masterpieces in the first place; it’s not always the pure love of fine art.

In my lifetime, the press has fallen in love with the subject of art theft because people love to read about it and it does sell copy. It’s more than scandal, isn’t it? There have been famous military moments, rich and famous people, eccentric people, gorgeous unique objects, all of which are the makings of exquisitely tantalizing stories. There is almost always a daredevil in the mix, sometimes a pirate or a jewel thief, to say nothing of an object that cannot do its own speaking. Then there is the policeman in hot pursuit.

The Mona Lisa was stolen once. And there are lists of famous and important works of art that have been missing for decades, even centuries. Objects surface out of nowhere, too, for example the painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci that sold very recently for about $450 million. Edvard Munch’s paintings have been stolen over and over again, and one thief even left a note. Everybody is aware of the horrible theft from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Lots and lots of drama.

One of my favorite films is the more recent version of The Thomas Crown Affair, although there are plenty of good films about art crime. I encourage my students to watch them all because they are visual, like the objects in question, and because they spotlight the excitement that goes with this type of crime. They begin with a work of art and the next thing you know, there’s a hot story. Some people are drawn to write about it and I am one of those.

They amaze me, some of these crimes. “They” say that a good story has to be credible. Well, who is to challenge the credibility of a tale about a theft or a forgery of a work of art? As wild as some of these episodes have been, they have happened for ages.

The Matter of the Crown

The Crown of the Andes, one of the world’s most precious and beautiful sacred objects, has been stolen right off the stage at Satterling’s Auction House in New York City. Five pounds of magnificent baroque gold that ransomed the Inca Ruler Atahaulpa, and hundreds of perfect Colombian emeralds, all gone without a trace! Will this legendary treasure be destroyed for its gold and emeralds? One woman is dead and another one in hot pursuit.

Purchase from Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2jd6bEd

About Linda Ferreri

Linda Ferreri is a well-known art lawyer and author. Her books include novels about the Crown of the Anes, a novella entitled The King of UNINI, and whimsical hand-illustrated iBooks. She is known, also, for her drawings. She divides her time between Italy and the United States, and lectures widely around the world about art and history. Her next novel is in progress.

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Filed Under: Book Tours, Guest Blog Post Tagged With: book tours, crime, guest posts, thriller

Blog Tour: Brothers and Sisters

July 30, 2017 Leave a Comment

About the book

Nothing remains buried forever… What would you do to protect the ones you love?

A gripping, highly emotive story of love, survival, dark family secrets and sibling loyalty. Perfect for the fans of Kathryn Hughes and Dorothy Koomson.

When human remains are found on Fitzpatrick Estate, Detective Kelly is drawn deep into the complex web of Fitzpatrick family secrets as Timothy and his sister Rose, now in their sixties, are catapulted into the centre of the investigation.

When the pathology report identifies the remains as that of their uncle, Patrick Fitzpatrick, missing from Fitzpatrick Estate since 1970, they scramble to protect their past.

What would you do to protect the ones you love?

About the author

Having lived and worked in the UK and Dublin since college, Adele now lives in her hometown of Arklow, Co. Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland, with her husband and two teenage daughters. She writes overlooking the Irish Sea and is an active member of the Wexford Literary Festival committee.

Follow Adele

Facebook: @AdeleONeillBooks

Twitter: @AdelesBooks

Links

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Filed Under: Book Spotlight, Book Tours Tagged With: book spotlight, book tours, crime, thriller

Book Tours: Starter Day Party The Suspenseful Collection

July 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for multi-genre romance / crime / erotica / fantasy “The Suspenseful Collection”. Enjoy!

Tour Schedule

July 28^th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

July 28^th: Promo Post @ Jena Baxter Books

July 31^st: Promo Post @ Bare Back Magazine Blog

August 1^st: Book Excerpt @ Bright Street Books

August 3^rd: Promo Post @ The Bookworm Lodge

August 4^th: Book Excerpt @ Silver Dagger Scriptorium

About the Book

Title: The Suspenseful Collection

Authors: Kim Knight and Didi Oviatt

Genre: Multi Genre: Romance / Crime / Erotica / Fantasy

A suspenseful novel with a twist. Eight short stories, by two suspense authors, from diverse backgrounds. From opposite sides of the Atlantic these stories have been created. One author started the tale and the other ended it. No discussion, no pre-planning, yet their stories are seamless. With just creativity and the use of writing prompts, to craft one tale, with two different writers. This anthology of suspenseful, fast paced and engaging tales covers multiple genres. From heartfelt romance, crime, fantasy, and steamy historical fiction. There is a story for everyone!

Steamy Historical Crime Fiction: It was The First Time I Killed A Man.

It’s 1972 and New York’s first female serial killer Lisa Vanacilli is in the hot seat again, ten years after her conviction of murder to the first degree and innocent plea. The ruthless but sexy reporter Tiffany Low cracks Lisa for a confession… at a price. Lisa is strong, courageous and says it how it is. This story has been extended due to reader’s demand. And is only for adult readers.

Psychological Fiction: Every Time I Hear That Voice From The Basement.

George appears to be harmless. The local neighbourhood geek on the outside, married to Jolene. In reality, he’s a very disturbed man. His path crosses with Dana, the local check out girl. This is a psychological suspense story with a twist.

Crime Fiction: The Entrance To The Tunnel Is His Only Way Out.

Juan is a wanted man, and an ex-gang member on the run from Atlanta to Mexico. With a hundred grand in cash stolen from his ex-boss, he meets an unlikely fate in Mexico. A fast-paced crime fiction story.

Contemporary Romance: When His Hands Run Up My Thighs I…

Love has no time limit, age limit or use by date. Sarah now in her fifties is reunited with her long-lost love Joshua. They last had contact in 1961. In the present day, thanks to the advancement of technology their paths cross. A heart-warming and modern tale, about long distance love, that will leave you warm inside.

Suspense: We Only Said Goodbye With Words, I Died A Hundred Times:

In 1963 Russian Femme Fatale Mila Petrov is London’s top Madam. Her entertainment house is booming, she has a team of London’s strongest women behind her. Unfinished business from her past creeps up and haunts her. It’s nothing she can’t handle. A suspenseful historical tale, with a strong Femme Fatale.

Fantasy: The Ones Who Live At The Bottom Of The Ocean, Come To The Surface.

A beautiful coming of age story, featuring sixteen year old Zoe and her mother May-Li. Myth becomes reality, as Zoe finds out who and what she really is. Her mixed descent reveals more than what meets the eye. This fantasy story is set against the backdrop of a Greek island and Hong Kong, China.

Suspenseful Crime Fiction: Guilty As Charged, In Self-Defence

California’s sassy, tough, and likeable defence lawyer Catherine has taken on a case so high profile, if she wins she’ll become a partner of Martin Law Firm. Defending forty six year old Mrs. Chevelle. An ex Las Vegas show girl, now a Hollywood wife, on trial for the murder of her high-profile husband. She claims she’s innocent. Readers are taken on a fast -paced journey on a mission to seek the truth.

Contemporary Fiction: It’s A Man’s Man’s World:

A beautiful modern tale showing the love and appreciation of a woman. James Brown said it right when he said, “it’s a man’s man’s world, but it would mean nothing without a woman or a girl.”

Purchase the Book:

Smashwords

Amazon

B&N

Author Bio: Didi Oviatt

Didi Oviatt is a small- town gal who married a small town guy. Within a few years of experiencing a new families bliss, she discovered that she had a thirst to write. Now, after digging down deep and getting in touch with her literary self, she’s writing mystery/thrillers like Search For Maylee (coming soon), Aggravated Momentum, The Stix, and New Age Lamians. Along with a six- piece short story collection called the Time Wasters. And don’t fret: there are two more Lamian novels in the works. When Didi doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, she can found enjoying a laid back outdoorsy life. Time spent sleeping under the stars, hiking, fishing, and ATVing the back roads of beautiful mountain trails, and bathing in the desert heat plays an important part of her day to day lifestyle.

Social Media Links:
https://didioviatt.wordpress.com/
amazon.com/author/didioviatt
https://www.facebook.com/didioviatt
https://twitter.com/Didi_Oviatt
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7207389.Didi_Oviatt
https://www.instagram.com/didioviatt/

Author Bio: Kim Knight

Kim is thirty four (born in 1983), and from London in the UK. She’s a mother to a beautiful toddler and a proud author of seven romance and thriller books. Kim started her journey as a traditionally published author after she scored a publishing contract with a USA based publisher. She was over the moon! However, it became clear to Kim that things were not as she expected. Therefore, she set out on her own journey, she dived head first into the world of self-publishing and republished two of her fictional stories, and became a proud self-published author also. Something great was unleashed, she’ll never look back in regret.

As a reader she’s head over heels in love with romance, historical fiction, crime fiction, African- American, suspense and thriller genre books. At present Kim is writing a romantic thriller novel, and brainstorming steamy romance novella ideas. As a writer, Kim enjoys creating stories with a diverse and multi-cultural line up, within the romance, romantic suspense, general thriller and crime genres. When she’s not reading, or writing stories of her own her other passions include practising her French, fashion, drawing, make-up artistry, spending time at her sewing machine dressmaking, watching make up and beauty tutorials on YouTube, letter writing and being a mum.

Follow me on Twitter @kimknightauthor

Like me on Facebook @kimknightauthoruk

Favourite me on Smashwords www.smashwords.com

Amazon Author Page Amazon

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Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, crime, enchanted book promotions, fantasy, multi-genre, romance, starter day party

Book Review: The Watcher by Eli Carros

June 21, 2017 Leave a Comment

Title: The Watcher
Author: Eli Carros
Genre: Crime Thriller
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Watcher
Author: Eli Carros
Genre: Crime Thriller

One man must stop a psychopath in his tracks…

Chief Inspector Jack Grayson is hunting a serial killer terrorizing London, a stalker who watches his prey carefully and displays the bodies of his young female victims brazenly. But Grayson has a problem – only one lead and scant evidence – and the body count is rising.

He discovers that an unsolved 18-year-old murder case bears all the hallmarks of the current killings, but he still can’t seem to find a single, obvious suspect, and he is so far unable to outthink a master predator.

Grayson must catch a hunter who knows how to outwit the police – a showman intent on completing his macabre collection. But he’s missing a vital clue, a critical piece of the puzzle. When he finally discovers the killer’s identity, he’s completely unprepared for the fallout…

In The Watcher, Chief Inspector Jack Grayson is hunting down a serial killer who is terrorizing London, a killer with a penchant for putting his victim’s body on display. But the killer scarcely leaves any evidence, just a lot of bodies.

Jack manages to connect the murders with an unsolved 18-year-old murder case, but it still doesn’t bring him to a single suspect. He’s missing a vital clue, a critical piece of the puzzle, that might just change everything.

I don’t want to spoil the book, but it had quite a few surprises that I didn’t see coming. Jack is an intriguing Chief Inspector, hardened by his job and personal life, and willing to do whatever it takes to find this vicious murderer. The setting was described well, and the story was fast-paced and so suspenseful I had to stop myself from biting my nails.

Recommended to readers who enjoy crime novels / thrillers.

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Reviews, Thrillers Tagged With: book reviews, book tours, crime, enchanted book promotions, mystery, thriller

Book Tours: Starter Day Party Bang Bang You Are Dead

December 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for crime thriller “Bang Bang You Are Dead”. The tour runs from December 10 to December 17. Enjoy the tour and visit all the tour stops!

Tour Schedule

December 10^th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

December 12^th: Promo Post @ Rising Indies United

December 14^th: Author Interview @ The Single Librarian

December 16^th: Promo Post @ Bedazzled Reading

December 17^th: Promo Post @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

About the Book

Title: Bang Bang You Are Dead

Author: Saul Warshaw

Genre: Crime Thriller

When a prominent Los Angeles businessman is targeted with a series of life threatening letters and phone calls, and the Police Department’s investigation is going nowhere, the businessman hires Will Jonas, a retired LAPD homicide detective, and now a private investigator. Will’s assignment: Find the person or persons threatening the businessman. Will’s investigation, however, goes far beyond the letters, as he uncovers hidden family secrets that lead to a deadly final outcome.

Author Bio

After careers as a broadcast journalist and then a public relations counselor, Saul Warshaw, at age 83, now is enjoying his third career—as a writer of mystery thrillers, featuring Will Jonas, a private investigator and former homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police department. Saul and his wife, both native New Yorkers, are long time residents of Los Angeles. If you wish, please write Saul Warshaw at: saul1warshaw@gmail.com

Links

https://www.facebook.com/saul.warshaw?fref=ts

Amazon (paperback)

Amazon (eBook)

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, crime, enchanted book promotions, starter day party, thriller

Mini-Reviews: Helter-Skelter Part One and Two, Crime Scene Investigations

June 14, 2015 Leave a Comment

Time for some mini-reviews! What are mini-reviews, you ask? As the title suggests, these are short reviews, consisting of one paragraph tops, about a book. It’s a way to catch up on the books I’ve read a while ago, but never got around to reviewing.

Title: Helter-Skelter: Part One of the Shocking Manson Murders

Author: Vincent Bugliosi

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Crime

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Part One: The Shocking Story of the Manson Murders.
On August 9th 1969, seven people were found shot, stabbed and bludgeoned to death in Los Angeles at two different locations.
Among them was Sharon Tate Polanski: Roman Polanski’s heavily pregnant wife who was found with multiple wounds of the chest and back having been stabbed sixteen times. Before she was stabbed to death, Sharon was hanged from one of the rafters in the living room.
Jay Sebring: a popular figure in Hollywood circles, Jay was found with a bloody towel covering his face, a rope around his neck slung over rafters and tied to Sharon Tate on the other side. He was stabbed and shot. Cause of death: Exsanguination, the victim bled to death.
Abigail Anne Folger: A coffee heiress, a civil rights devotee, volunteer and friend of the Polanski’s, Anne was stabbed twenty-eight times.
‘Woytek’ Frykowski: a close friend of Roman Polanski, and an aspiring novelist, Woytek was shot twice, struck over the head thirteen times and stabbed fifty-one times.
Part One gives a detailed account of the crime scene, the victims and the long wait to list the suspects. This was the crime that shook Hollywood and the world.

When I requested this review copy (and part two, of eight parts), I was hoping the other parts would be put up for review as well. Alas, no, so I’m left having read half a book, and I’m tempted to buy the full book so I can read the rest of it. Anyway, we’ve all heard of the Manson Murders – seven people got shot one night on two different locations back in 1969 in Los Angeles. The two murders seemed to have no connection, until police traced it all back to Charles Manson and his followers. The book’s true strength is how detailed it is. Obviously, a lot of research went into it. This is the first installment, so it touches in detail on the murders, and only mentions Charles Mansion in passing. The book works chronologically, establishing a time line starting with the murders, and then linking it to possible suspects. It’s a bit of a slow read (hence the 4 stars) but overall, definitely intriguing enough to make me want to pick up the sequel.

Title: Helter-Skelter: Part Two of the Shocking Manson Murders

Author: Vincent Bugliosi

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Crime

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Part Two: Meet the Killers.
Twenty-four members of a hippie cult known as the Manson family, led by ex-con Charles Manson, are arrested in connection with the murder of a music teacher Gary Hinman, killed on the same night in Hollywood.
Susan Atkins aka Crazy Sadie, is one of the imprisoned. Seemingly high and excited, she tells everyone in gruesome detail how they did it, and how they were going to unleash hell.
She reveals that the Manson family were also involved in the Cielo Drive murders, the horrifying place Sharon Tate Polanski and her friends were bludgeoned to death.

As the title of this second installment suggests, here we get to meet the killers: Charles Manson and his cult. Some connections between Manson and the murders are revealed, and the readers gets to follow the police’s way of thinking as they cross out other suspects and start building their case. Some witness testimonies are included too. So far, this book is one of the most detailed and best researched true crime books I’ve read. The most interesting parts about these books is that they’re written by a prosecutor, so by someone with good knowledge of how the system works and how these cases are investigated. Great writing too. I’ll pick up the third installment as soon as I can, but I might choose to paperback (with all eight parts) instead.

Title: Crime Scene Investigations

Author: Daniel J. Baum

Genre: Non-Fiction, Law, Crime

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase: Amazon

When police are called in to investigate a crime, what powers and limitations apply to them? What are their rights to question strangers, search without warrants, or detain individuals who might become suspects? Crime Scene Investigations breaks down the Supreme Court’s decisions on questions like these into clear and practical terms.
Police themselves need to be vigilant, since the line between a lawful search and an improper one can be dangerously thin, and officers can be held accountable for any wrongdoing, intentional or not. The controversy surrounding such techniques as “stop-and-frisk” sweeps and compulsory DNA testing underscores the importance of understanding the legal dimensions of police powers. Because interactions between law enforcement officers and civilians are often charged with complexities, Crime Scene Investigations provides a level-headed guide, indispensable for those on either side of an investigation.

This book, by Daniel J. Baum, focuses primarily on Canadian law, and as such does a good job explaining the rights of police officers, how they go about investigating crimes, and what they’re limitations are. I mostly picked this up because I’m a law school student and criminology student, and I wanted to compare the law and rules of across the globe with those in my own country, Belgium. The book did teach me a few things. It’s informative without ever being boring, and a must-read for people interested in learning more about police investigations, especially in Canada.

Filed Under: Mini-Reviews Tagged With: crime, mini-reviews, non-fiction, true crime

Book Review: No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill

May 1, 2015 1 Comment

Title: No One Gets Out Alive
Author: Adam Nevill
Genre: Horror
Age Group: Adult (18+)
Rating: 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Darkness lives within …Cash-strapped, working for agencies and living in shared accommodation, Stephanie Booth feels she can fall no further. So when she takes a new room at the right price, she believes her luck has finally turned. But 82 Edgware Road is not what it appears to be. It’s not only the eerie atmosphere of the vast, neglected house, or the disturbing attitude of her new landlord, Knacker McGuire, that makes her uneasy – it’s the whispers behind the fireplace, the scratching beneath floors, the footsteps in the dark, and the young women weeping in neighbouring rooms. And when Knacker’s cousin Fergal arrives, the danger goes vertical. But this is merely a beginning, a gateway to horrors beyond Stephanie’s worst nightmares. And in a house where no one listens to the screams, will she ever get out alive?

In No One Gets Out Alive, Stephanie thinks her life can’t get any worse. But this wouldn’t be a horror novel, if things weren’t about to get ten times as bad. She ends up taking a room in a huge, but rambling, old building in desperate need of a make-over. The room is cheap, but she thinks that’s probably due to the bad state of the property. That is, until she starts hearing strange noises, even on her first night there. Ghostly stuff starts to happen: voices when no one’s around, screams in the dead of night, strange noises in the bathroom. Despite her better judgement (seriously, everyone would’ve gotten the hell out of there by then), Stephanie stays to stick it out…and then the true horror begins.

Knacker, her land lord, is a vile excuse for a human being. His cousin Fergal is easily ten times as worse. And their wicked personality is enhanced by the beings festering inside the house, a supernatural force that thrives on blood and control and sin. By then, the tension was so high I almost jumped off my seat every time someone as much as entered the room. The author has a spectacular ability of creating tension, of making the reader feel like they’re right there, alongside the main character, living through the terror too.

At first, I thought Stephanie’s character was weak, because who in their right mind doesn’t run when hell drops open you? But then I got to know her, she grew on me, and I figured she had this inner strength. She’s a lot tougher than we give her credit for. No matter what happens, she always finds the strength to keep on going.

And the house…it’s a character in its own right. You get that a lot with horror books, but no one does it as masterfully as this author. The malice grows slowly, creeping up on you, but after reading this book, you won’t be able to read “82 Edgware Road” without cringing. I guarantee it.

There’s an amazing plot twist toward the end that I didn’t see coming at all. Giving I read hundreds of horror books (not exaggerating, I read over a hundred last year) a year, that’s saying something.

The writing is sublime. The characters are realistic, even the villains. They’re vile and slimy, but they’re still three-dimensional people with hopes and aspirations, and when you look at it from their point of view, their reasoning makes sense. The plot is dark and brutal, and it might shock you, it might thrill you, but it will definitely leave you scared.

Filed Under: Dark Fiction, Horror, Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, crime, dark fiction, horror, thrillers

Book Tours: Starter Day Party for Amongst the Killing

March 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting a starter day party for the book tour for crime thriller “Amongst the Killing”. The tour runs from March 10 to April 10. I’ll be reviewing the book on March 27. Stay tuned for the review and meanwhile, visit the other tour stops.

Tour Schedule

March 10^th: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

March 10^th: Book Excerpt @ Indy Book Fairy

March 10^th: Promo Post @ Nat’s Book Nook

March 12^th: Book Excerpt @ I’m an Eclectic Reader

March 14^th: Promo Post @ Bookish Madness

March 16^th: Author Interview @ C.A. Milson

March 18^th: Book Excerpt @ Bookaholic Ramblings

March 20^th: Promo and Book Review @ Undercover Book Reviews

March 22nd: Book Excerpt @ Hollow Readers

March 24^th: Author Interview @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

March 25^th: Promo Post @ 365 Days of Reading

March 27^th: Book Review @ I Heart Reading

March 28^th: Promo Post @ The Book Gazette

March 30^th: Book Except @ The Book Daily

March 31^st: Book Review @ PRATR

April 1^st: Promo Post @ Cassidy Crimson’s Blog

April 3^rd: Book Excerpt @ Cajun Book Lover

April 4^th: Book Review @ Books are Forever

April 5^th: Guest Post @ Bedazzled Reading

April 7^th: Book Excerpt @ The Single Librarian

April 9^th: Author Interview @ Literary Musing

April 10^th: Book Review @ Bedazzled Reading

About the Book

Title: Amongst the Killing

Author: Joe Compton

Genre: Crime Thriller

For as long as he could remember, Detective Charles Street wanted to be a police officer, moreover a detective. He wanted to be knee-deep in the action, working the biggest cases, and reaping the biggest rewards. But he didn’t think when his dream job came calling that it would ever turn into his nightmare.

For as long as he could remember, Jack Casey just wanted to be free, his own man to do what he pleased, when he pleased. He too craved action, and when his dream life came calling, he didn’t think he would meet anyone who was his equal, and definitely didn’t think he would ever have difficulty leaving behind the world he loathed and mocked.

Amongst The Killing documents both of their stories, told in their own words, as the moments unfolded when their paths first crossed and their lives intersected. How could two men, with two different philosophies, be so different and yet so connected?

As the ultimate cat and mouse game unfolds, each has to deal separately with the other’s decisions and the effects they have in turning their lives sideways and upside-down. Will one of them crack? Will one of them succeed? Ultimately, the journey may mean more than the game, and show both of them the outcome neither was ever expecting.

Author Bio

Born in Hawthorne, CA in December of 1973 Joe grew up in Southern California; the majority of that spent in Torrance, CA. Writing has always been that thing he could do at an early age. He spent many a summer stints with his Grandma and Aunt where he was left mostly to his imagination and would escape by writing scenes and short stories; then acting them out in the backyard. Sometimes bringing in his brother to help act or just be an audience member. Then when his mother went back to work, Joe would spend the summer with his brother, write scripts ( even before he knew what a screenplay was), and perform all the characters for his brother. Joe went on to South Torrance High School and while he wasnt the world’s best student, he did manage to have 3 short stories published in the school’s annual creative anthology. They were mostly horror driven, in the vein of Poe or Lovecraft. It would be Joe’s first published works. One of those stories Joe would end up turning into a screenplay and short film. Joe served his country in the United States Marines for 4 years, were he wrote the very first draft of Amongst the Killing. Once he was out of the Marines Joe moved to Denver, got another short story published in a underground magazine called Harvest Moon, a sort of reader’s digest for Horror fans. Joe started writing screenplays and decided he would like to try making movies. He shot his first movie, Karl’s Liquor in 2001 ; which had one screening and one screening ever, at the awesome, world famous Mercury Cafe in Denver, CO in August of 2001. You can still see the trailer on youtube. Joe went on to make 2 more short films, Devilwind and aforementioned (short story turned into movie) Out of Range. Joe at one time had a deal in place with a publishing company to publish Amongst the Killing but didn’t want to change the principle concept and thus walked away. Now a few years later he has started this company and decided to his first release would be Amongst the Killing . In 2010 Joe met the love of his life, his wife Shawna. Knowing that they will have children very soon he wanted to have something to hand over to his child, should they want it. So he felt the time was now to do this.