The Mysterious Case of the Missing House

Redemption Detective Agency Mystery, #4

by

Michele Pariza Wacek

How can an entire house go missing?

The Mysterious Case of the Missing House is the fourth book in author Michele Pariza Wacek’s wild and wacky Redemption Detective Agency Mystery series, and this time Emily, Aunt Tilde, and her friends are tasked with locating a house that’s gone AWOL. A local woman who won big in the lottery returns home to Redemption, Wisconsin, when the niece who was housesitting for her as she traveled the world stops responding to her phone calls. But once she’s back in town, she discovers that not only is her house gone, now the site of the country club’s new tennis courts, but the niece hasn’t been seen by her family in over a year! She hires the Redemption Detective Agency to get to the bottom of things and bring her niece back home. 

Emily has her work cut out for her on this bizarre case and must do some soul-searching as she contemplates leaving the agency for a “real” job with the school district, working with her boyfriend Jerome. However, she has to decide if returning to the work life she had before is actually what she wants for her future. 

The plot moves at a fast pace as Emily, Aunt Tilde, and Mildred unravel the clues around Meli Clark’s missing house, which the other ladies seem to think smacks of alien abduction and other bizarre possibilities. They enlist the services of their favorite attorney, Nick Stewart, and the chemistry between him and Emily sparks, even as he tries to avoid direct eye contact and conversation with her. Still, they make a great team as they investigate what happened to Meli’s niece, Brandy. As things begin to fall into place, Nick’s contact at the Redemption Police Department, Officer Brandon Wyle, and a crossover character from the author’s Charlie Kingsley series joins the case. Together, they tease out the truth about what happened in a dramatic and shocking final reveal. 

I recommend THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING HOUSE to readers who enjoy humorous and paranormal cozy mysteries. 

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

Guilty by Association

Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries, #2

by

TG Wolff

The brothers join forces once again to solve a murder at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat.

Guilty by Association is the second exciting book in author TG Wolff’s action-packed, full-of-heart Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries, and it is a riveting tale of intrigue, betrayal, and danger, with a doozy of a cliffhanger finish. When the retired police detective who investigated their mother’s murder dies under suspicious circumstances, the Rizk brothers join forces to dig deeper and discover the truth. 

Only weeks have passed since the brothers reunited in book one, and Seth has returned home to Miami to face an internal affairs board regarding his assault on a crooked coworker. He’s surprised when Jakob, who is the interim Indiana Attorney General, appears at the hearing as his advocate. But even after Jakob’s masterful performance, they’ll have to wait almost two weeks before the board makes their recommendations to find out if Seth still has a career with the Miami Police Department. With time on his hands, Seth agrees to accompany Jakob back to Indianapolis and work for him as a special investigator and look into retired Captain Declan Jameson’s death at the exclusive rehabilitation facility where he’d gone to recover from a car accident. 

The story is fast-paced and complex, with a lot going on under the surface at the rehab facility besides their old friend’s death. Complicating Seth’s inquiries is the shocking arrival in the area of the disgruntled and very angry vice detective he’d pounded on back in Miami, as well as the pressure of Jakob’s struggling campaign for the permanent Attorney General seat. Jakob’s initial success and popularity are being challenged by his former boss and her state senator backer, who are pulling out all the dirty tactics they can to beat him, including using Seth’s troubles to damage his reputation. 

I enjoyed Seth’s undercover story of being the nephew of one of the rehab facility’s permanent residents, who happened to be in a developing relationship with Declan Jameson. His hiring by the facility director to teach yoga classes led to a lot of fun scenes. Seth’s investigation yields positive results, and there are some good red herrings to rule out before the reveal of the actual murderer. Their showdown has a great twist, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the didn’t-see-that-coming cliffhanger ending. 

I recommend GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION to readers of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers. 

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

Rathuun: King of the Prairie

by

David Fitz-Gerald

Riveting saga of the last days of the massive buffalo herds of the American West told from the viewpoint of the buffalo.

Rathuun: King of the Prairie by David Fitz-Gerald is the surprisingly riveting saga of the final days of the massive buffalo herds that roamed the plains of the American West as told through the eyes of a herd's leader. Rathuun was born at a time when his kind still migrated seasonally unimpeded by man across the vast continental grasslands. Only hours old, he was separated from his mother when the herd stampedes because of a bear attack on his twin. Young Rathuun, frozen in fright, is a witness to the huge creature killing and eating his twin brother, but he is reunited with his herd through the efforts of two young Native American boys. From this tragic and unusual start, Rathuun narrates the rest of his life and the experiences of the herd as their home, the open prairies, change as human population begins its unrelenting westward expansion. 

Rathuun and his fellow herd members live a full existence, always on the move, searching for the buffalo version of "The Promised Land" as passed down through generations from their ancestors' stories of the great mammoths that once shared the same grazing lands. The buffalo include many different characters, some good, some bad, some wise, and many gullible. Rathuun's life is dedicated to keeping the herd safe, first as a young bull assigned to the perimeter as lookout and later as the leader of the great herd. The author incorporated actual herd behavior and mentality into the plot as they migrate from one point to another, following hidden trails by instinct. 

As humans make their way into the buffaloes' traditional grazing lands, the encounters become dangerous for all, as the creatures are mercilessly hunted for their hides, tails, and tongues. On occasion, the herd runs across a human who is content to let them just be, but it is rare, as the animals represent value and opportunity for gain to the human population. 

Besides their encounters with deadly humans, there is drama internal to the herd as alliances to the old lead buffalo wane and a new leader emerges. Rival herd leaders offer some competition to Rathuun, but he proves over and over that he's a worthy fighter and capable leader. 

The language used in the story includes buffalo terms for common items important to their existence. The herd is a brum, the lead bull is the grath. They depend on hruun (grass) for sustenance and head to the tukk (river or other water body) to drink. There is a link to a Buffalo language guide on the author's website along with other helpful and interesting items. The audiobook version is ably narrated by John McClain, who absolutely breezes through the unusual terminology and gives different, contrasting voices to the buffalo characters. His performance as Rathuun is perfect and his portrayals of the other male buffaloes are especially notable. 

The story is compelling reading, full of tragedy as the impact of human expansion on the buffalo is ultimately devastating. However, the tale does end on a hopeful note as efforts to safeguard the last of the herd begin to show positive results, but I cried my heart out as Rathuun's story came to its expected conclusion. 

I recommend RATHUUN: KING OF THE PRAIRIE to readers of western fiction who are looking for something a little bit different. 

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

Indigo, The Deep

The Yellow Cottage Stories, #3

by

Kellye Armstrong

Return to Dipitous Beach and surrender to the pull of the Autumn Equinox.

Indigo, The Deep is the third book in author Kellye Abernathy’s magical middle-grade fantasy series, the Yellow Cottage Stories, and there is excitement and self-understanding throughout as the storylines established in the previous novels come together. Told through multiple points of view, the young residents of Dipitous Beach face big challenges from both outside their community and inside themselves. 

The ugly, black research ship anchored off the shoreline of Dipitous Beach not only mars everyone’s lovely view of the ocean, but its occupants’ careless activities below water are destroying the local ecosystem and drawing sharks to the perfect surf spot. While the residents grumble, so far, they have been unable to halt the operations that are more geared toward making a profit than adding to the knowledge of the ocean. In addition, newcomers to the area, drawn by the expensive new housing development under construction and the massive new marina, are racing speedboats through the surf, oblivious to the damage they are causing in the local sea turtle habitat. Then, too, the autumn equinox brings its own changes to the ocean. In the previous two years, the ocean has revealed its magical secrets to one young resident, and Condi and Isaac wonder who will be next? 

Author Kellye Abernathy continues the stories of the families in the small coastal town: Condi Bloom, Grand Ella, and their fosters: Firth, Cissy, and Malcolm; Tad, Cara, Lorelei, and Gabby Finch; Abe and Isaac Huddleston; the Arondales; Kait Dooley; Andy Marshall; Trippy; and the rest of the Beachlings. The story is about discovering one’s heart, living your own life and not someone else’s dream; releasing false memories; learning to establish boundaries that respect how you will be treated by others; and letting go of and healing from the past to move on to a happier future. This story explores the pursuit of knowledge and profit and how it must be balanced with preserving the environment and adding to the greater good. All these important concepts are delivered in a gripping seaside tale, with magical underwater adventures. 

I loved the northern California coastal setting, which the author makes so broodingly atmospheric and filled with dark, hidden dangers on the surface, while another light and color-filled world exists just below. The young characters are well-drawn, engaging, and it was easy to connect with their emotional and physical dilemmas. My favorite character remains Condi Bloom, and I already know that her frightening journey through the sea caves with Firth is going to stay with me for a long time. 

While this book can be read as a standalone, the histories of the main characters are deep and complex, with the backstories presented in this book only touching the surface. I feel that this book would best be enjoyed after having read the previous novels in the series. I recommend INDIGO, THE DEEP and the rest of the YELLOW COTTAGE STORIES to readers of middle-grade fantasy. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

A Superhero Called Doberman

The Superhero Doberman, #1

by

John and Shami Stovall

A super origin story for this new superhero series!

A Superhero Called Doberman is the first book in John and Shami Stovall’s The Superhero Doberman series featuring an alternate world where everyone born in the last 30 years has a superpower, superheroes are licensed and closely monitored, and vigilantism is strictly prohibited. Leon Lewis’s omega-trait is enhanced vision, but he is also the victim of a family curse known as the Visage of Anubis, which transforms him into the physical embodiment of the seven-foot-tall, jackal-headed, ancient Egyptian god of death. When in his Anubis form, Leon has greater strength and speed but also the ability to sense how close someone is to their death. However, it also curses any relationships Leon has, and anyone he’s ever gotten close to dies. 

Set in Sacramento, California, Leon’s hometown has experienced a recent upturn in the kidnapping of young women and some men. When Rachel Anderson, his next-door neighbor, is targeted by the Kings in Yellow, the gang behind the kidnappings, Leon takes on a protective role. But as the gang members don’t recognize his Anubis guise, they dub him the “Doberman” instead. 

Leon is such a great guy, and despite his superpowers, he gets tongue-tied in Rachel’s presence. It was so tragic that with the danger the curse poses to anyone he gets close to always on his mind, he’s deliberately isolated himself from others. He works as an Uber driver and Door Dasher to make ends meet, but sadly for the short intervals of human contact the jobs also provide. His loneliness is almost palpable. He manages his feelings with a quick wit and laugh-out-loud commentary, a trait not completely appreciated by the official superhero in the neighborhood, Steelant. I had so many feelings as they became friends. 

The plot hits the ground running, with an early confrontation with a couple of the Kings in Yellow as they try to snatch Rachel, and the pace continues throughout with many well-choreographed fight scenes. Not only does the story have the emotional feels, but there is quite a lot of action, plot twists, and a big misunderstanding. 

I recommend A SUPERHERO CALLED DOBERMAN to readers of action/adventure and superhero tales. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.