Dark Ugly Places

by

Ashley Mansour

Unbearable grief becomes a bid for revenge in this riveting psychological thriller.

Dark Ugly Places by Ashley Mansour is a riveting tale of loss, grief, mental health, and vengeance that will have readers on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting the final resolution. When a hit-and-run accident takes the life of her husband, Ben, and leaves the bodies and spirits of Nicola Holiday and her teenage daughter dashed on a LA street, their lives are forever altered. Six months later, due to mounting bills, they’ve lost even more: their house, car, and income, and still the perpetrator remains at large, the only witness being Nicola herself. But as their lives shrink and desperation grows, she begins to remember small details she noticed about the driver and the car before it left the scene. But when she suddenly realizes she’s come face to face with the man one day, something inside her, something long forgotten, pushes its way to the forefront of her consciousness, and that something is ready to take control and exact vengeance for what he’s done to them on its own terms. 

What an eerie, frightening, and compelling take on this riveting story of grief, mental health, and revenge! Nicola is the damaged wife and mother who saw her husband die before her very eyes, and her daughter and herself left for dead, and is living with one overriding emotion: an all-consuming rage. But what initially appears to be a long-running internal dialogue with herself, talking her through her day and her challenges, quickly becomes something else entirely. Nicola is also Martha, a long-suppressed alternate personality who is strong, decisive, and ready to take matters into her own hands. 

The story unfolds from multiple points of view: Nicola, Martha, and Bambi Renfern, the professional model-wife of famous film star and reckless driver Jason Renfern. As the women’s paths cross, the story becomes one of serendipitous connections and opportunity. The resolution is surprising but fits the twists and turns throughout the tale. 

I recommend DARK UGLY PLACES to readers of psychological thrillers and suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

The Legend of Rachel Petersen

by

J.T. Baroni

Eerie tale of a malicious young spirit intent on setting the record straight!

The Legend of Rachel Petersen is a satisfying, spooky, entertaining story that might not have been the best choice for bedtime reading. The author cleverly juggles multiple points of view and timelines to create a fun and eerie tale that will keep readers wondering about the existence of ghosts and a murder that happened over 150 years ago. 

The main character, sportswriter Christian Kane, is fed up with his job at the Pittsburgh paper, where he has excelled for many years, and impulsively quits when passed over for a promotion. Instead, he decides to pursue his dreams of writing a best-selling novel. However, he is woefully unprepared for the daunting task of writing such a novel and for what it takes to get a book published once it's written. He's tentatively supported in this endeavor by his loving wife, Shelly, who worries about the practical aspects of their lives when he suddenly quits his well-paying job. While she is his most brutal critic, she is also his most enthusiastic cheerleader, continually boosting his spirits to keep trying. 

The plot is well-paced, and an eerie creepiness sets in the moment the couple discovers the long-hidden tombstone on a walk, especially when Christian repeatedly visits the gravesite of his new muse (Rachel Petersen). Headstones are a marvelous source of inspiration, and a child's marker is always heartbreaking and raises questions. I enjoyed how the author told the stories of the Kanes, the Yoders, and Rachel and the Tremont family in alternating chapters, each from a significant character's point of view, showing how the past was bleeding into the present. 

The rural Pennsylvania setting felt fresh and interesting, and I liked the inclusion of agricultural history and Civil War events near the farm. I enjoyed it when the Yoder family listened to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio, and the author included the names of real entertainers of the time, famous names readers may recognize. The small and large details gave me a real feel for the place and the area's remoteness, which compounded the brooding atmosphere and unsettled feeling I had while reading. I read this book in an evening, completely absorbed by Christian's, Thaddeus's, and Rachel's stories. 

I recommend THE LEGEND OF RACHEL PETERSEN to readers who enjoy paranormal thrillers and horror stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

All Guilty Anyway

by

Russell W. Johnson

Riveting courtroom drama and legal thriller.

All Guilty Anyway by Russell W. Johnson is a riveting legal thriller featuring a first-year attorney assigned to the defense of an immigrant mother in what appears to be a slam-dunk case of child abuse. But everything quickly goes off script, starting with no plea deal and ending with a courtroom showdown against a renowned assistant district attorney nicknamed "The Hatchet Lady." 

Fledgling defense attorney Ivy Collins had turned her back on joining her father's prestigious law firm and gone to work for Lester "The Truth" Williams, a famed defense attorney who may be beyond his glory days. Sonia Cabrerra, the pregnant mother of eight-year-old Hugo, is in jail awaiting adjudication on charges of child abuse, based on the child's testimony that the scarring on his torso came from her deliberately burning him with a hot skillet grate. Speaking neither English nor Spanish well, she had given the investigating detective compromising answers that indicated she had hurt the boy in the past. However, subsequent questioning in her native language soon revealed a different story than what the police and district attorney were peddling. Still, obtaining corroborative evidence from those who could help prove Sonia's innocence hit roadblocks at every turn. Ivy has her work cut out for her in her first-ever court trial, defending a client who faces overwhelming evidence against her, whom she believes is innocent. 

Ivy Collins is an engaging young attorney, ready to do all she can to provide a righteous defense. She's stubborn and headstrong when it comes to being told she can't do something: the initial reason she turned her eyes toward working as a criminal defense attorney rather than following in her demanding and larger-than-life father's footsteps. She's softhearted, too, and willing to help her friends, even considering some shady maneuvers to keep a coworker from being deported. She's a character you want to root for from start to finish. 

The plot hinges on a horrible accusation by a seemingly charming little boy, so it's a long shot that readers will be persuaded to sympathize with the accused. However, the author pulls it off, and Sonia Cabrerra becomes the underdog, trapped by circumstances and facing impossible odds. The courtroom scenes are riveting, with all the involved attorneys portrayed as top-notch professionals. For once, none were made to look buffoonish or incompetent, just formidable adversaries. The resolution is satisfying, with careful attention to the future of Sonia and Hugo's unbearably broken mother-child relationship. 

I recommend ALL GUILTY ANYWAY to readers of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

Hanging By A Thread

Sewing Studio Mystery, #2

by

Dorothy Howell

A baffling murder, multiple storylines, and engaging characters make this second in the series a winner!

Hanging By a Thread is the second book in author Dorothy Howell's cozy series, the Sewing Studio Mysteries, and along with the murder of an abhorred local gold digger, there are multiple subplots of interest to unwind. This robust story caught my attention from the start, and I was quickly drawn into life in Hideaway Grove. 

The main character, Abbey Chandler, a recent arrival to town after her high-pressure life in LA imploded, is good-hearted and willing to help her friends and business acquaintances out any way she can. She is swamped with work, mostly favors for others, including Janine, the town's flighty tourism manager, as she prepares for an important upcoming women's conference. Meanwhile, Abbey is trying to build her fledgling tote bag business and juggle volunteers for her charitable project making pillowcase dresses for young girls in Africa. It was exhausting, given what she had on her plate, but I could relate to her load, as could many other readers who have pitched in to make things happen. 

The murder sets off the small-town gossip mill, and along with the fear of a killer on the loose, local business owners are scrambling, worried the failure of the sheriff to solve the case will impact the lifeblood of the tourist-dependent economy. Abbey's friend and local business owner, Anna, was most often the herald of imminent doom, spreading any and all rumors, no matter how outlandish. It got to the point where Abbey had to talk to her about the impact of her gossip, but someone needed to have an honest "Come to Jesus" with the woman. 

The murder victim is a perfect target, almost universally disliked for her well-discussed and dissected shady past behavior. Not a soul sheds a tear on her behalf, and the sheriff appeared to drag his feet on the investigation. Even with Aunt Sarah directly in his sights, he makes zero effort to drag her in for questioning. However, Abbey, believing she needs to solve the crime herself to save Aunt Sarah, puts off talking to her aunt for far too long. Still, I loved where the story goes with the resolution of the murder. 

Other intriguing subplots were winners with me and will have me anxiously awaiting future books in the series. Abbey and Zack's relationship teeters between romantic and antagonistic. Props to Abbey for refusing the flowers; she was way more understanding of how Zack spoke to her than I would have been. Caitlin's personal saga will be one to watch, too, with her perceived future and past dreams so at odds, and a third party in the wings with his own unrequited hopes for a future with her. The baffling mystery at the toy shop also makes a great side story, especially given the suspect's lovely reputation and personality. Tidbits about Abbey's projects and business are sprinkled throughout for the craft-minded among us to enjoy. 

With multiple storylines and an engaging array of characters, I recommend HANGING BY A THREAD to cozy mystery readers, especially fans of the previous book and those who enjoy craft-themed stories or tales featuring small businesses. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Rocket Girl

Kick Johnson Mystery, #1

by

Diane Vallere

A riveting space race mystery in a nostalgic Dallas setting.

Rocket Girl is the first book in Diane Vallere's delightfully nostalgic Kick Johnson Mystery series, set in an exciting, booming 1960s Dallas, Texas, during the first year of the Kennedy administration. Kathleen "Kick" Johnson, a recent widow, soon discovers her new life as a single woman is an unfair, uphill battle without a male head of the household. Banking, credit, and major appliance purchases were suddenly beyond her reach, and ready funds were soon to run out. While Trudy, her older sister, urged her to return to her old job at the airplane parts firm and find another husband there, Kick longed for independence and equity as she charted her own course for the future. Thinking she may have finally found her niche as a math aide at the top-secret Center for Rocket Science Research, Kick's dream career is almost over before it has even begun when she stumbles across the body of one of the research engineers. Things get even dicier when Kick discovers the murdered man may have had a connection to her late husband, who died in a tragic workplace accident at the airplane parts firm. 

Kick is an engaging, sympathetic main character, thrust into the unpleasant realities of women's financial plight in the 60s. Equality for women has come a long way when comparatively viewed, yet there are still ridiculous constraints and prejudices at play today. Kick flourished under her older sister's care and sacrifices, and while she is aware of this on a superficial level, it takes deep consideration to understand what this meant for Trudy. Her older sister had, in effect, given up her teenage and young adult years to provide a secure home for her when their widowed mother had passed away at an early age. The sisters' relationship is evolving, and the changes are painful for both young women. Still, they keep returning to each other to work through their feelings and shape their shared vision for the future. 

Growing up, Kick's interests and strengths lay in science and math, uncommon for girls of the era, so they were ignored or discouraged rather than nurtured. It was satisfying to watch this character blossom as she found a comfort zone with the people and in the tasks supporting the NASA missions. It may be surprising to some to note the racial integration among the female staff then, though the directors and managers were solidly all white males. 

The plot gets edgy right away with Kick experiencing the financial discrimination against women and the quick discovery of a murder victim at her new workplace. With the divisive political climate and the rocket center's absolute need for secrecy in their work, rumors of stolen plans and traitors add another layer of mystery and danger. Kick doesn't know who she can trust as she investigates a secret connection between the dead man and her late husband, whom she's coming to realize kept his own secrets. As she gets closer to the truth, she also gets closer to a new relationship with a handsome, friendly engineer also working at the rocket center. 

The 1961 Dallas setting is fresh and still nostalgic, with the author imbuing the city with the excitement and explosive growth of an up-and-coming urban center. Mentions of real locations and historic figures were fun, though some were sobering, as they couldn't help but foreshadow the tragic history to come two years later. The author creates a solid framework of clues that sharp-eyed armchair detectives will enjoy putting together, and the final resolution proves highly satisfying. 

I recommend ROCKET GIRL to readers of historical mysteries. 

For this and other book reviews, visit by blog, Boys' Mom Reads!