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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Nov 17, 2021  
Stop by my blog to read part of the prologue from the contemporary Western fiction novel THE BIG EMPTY by Loren Steffy. If you like what you read, enter the giveaway to win a signed copy of the book as well as a logo hat - three winners!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2021/11/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-big-empty.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
When Trace Malloy and Blaine Witherspoon collide on a desolate West Texas highway, their fender bender sets the tone for escalating clashes that will determine the future of the town of Conquistador.

Malloy, a ranch manager and lifelong cowboy, knows that his occupation—and his community—are dying. He wants new- millennium opportunities for his son, even though he himself failed to summon the courage to leave familiar touchstones behind.

Witherspoon, an ambitious, Lexus-driving techie, offers a solution. He moves to Conquistador to build and run a state-of-the-art semiconductor plant that will bring prestige and high-paying technology jobs to revive the town—and advance his own career.

What neither man anticipates is the power the "Big Empty" will wield over their plans. The flat, endless expanse of dusty plain is as much a character in the conflict as are the locals struggling to subsist in this timeworn backwater and the high-tech transplants hell-bent on conquering it. While Malloy grapples with the flaws of his ancestors and his growing ambivalence toward the chip plant, Witherspoon falls prey to construction snafus, corporate backstabbing, and financial fraud. As they each confront personal fears, they find themselves united in the search for their own version of purpose in a uniquely untamable Texas landscape.
     
Keeping secrets is a very bad idea.
Former teenage runaway and new single mother Nadia Armstrong moves to Kingston to turn her life around. But six months after she rents a low-end apartment, her body is found on a concrete slab at an isolated construction site. Major Crimes begins piecing together her last days, uncertain if this is a case of suicide or murder. To make matters more difficult, a member of the team is leaking information to reporter Marci Stokes, putting Staff Sergeant Rouleau in a precarious position.
Meanwhile, Officer Kala Stonechild’s niece, Dawn, is secretly corresponding with her father, who’s out on early parole. Dawn isn’t sure what he wants, especially when he turns up in town uninvited. Dawn’s friend Vanessa is also keeping a dangerous secret — her relationship with an older man named Leo, who preys on young girls. And it’s not long before he has Dawn in his sights.
*Disclosure - I received a free copy for purposes of an honest review; Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn for the eARC.*
I have not read any other books in this series and this has not hindered me in any way with how I was able to pick up with the already established characters. The author did a great job of giving me just enough to give the story depth with back story tidbits.
This book has plenty of twists and turns to it to keep you engrossed from the start. I like the story-line of this book and it had relevant topics; sadly things that are happening daily in our world.
I don’t want to give too much away to the story-line but will say completely hooked me and a very surprise ending but also sad.
Will be reading the previous ones as really enjoyed this.
  
Ghosts of Painting Past
Ghosts of Painting Past
Sybil Johnson | 2019 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Uncovering the Past at Christmas
The house across the street from Rory is being torn down, so she is trying to drown out the sound of construction vehicles with Christmas carols when the sound suddenly stops. The crew has found bones buried under a building in the backyard. It isn’t long before the police have been able to identify the bones, but their identity puts Rory’s father in the role of suspect. Rory tries to help out with a variety of holiday events planned in the community, including finishing up her own ornaments to sell at the craft fair despite what is happening in town, but when a new body turns up, the stakes are raised. Can she figure out what happened in the past and how that is impacting the present?

Mysteries that involve the past can be great when there is a compelling reason for the characters to care about it today. That’s definitely the case here. Rory has a couple of reasons to make sure this case is wrapped up in time for Christmas, and she gets plenty of clues and red herrings to keep her guessing. The pace is fast, and the climax answers all our questions. The series’ tone is a bit darker overall, and that’s the case here again as well, but we do have some Christmas fun to help lighten the mood. I really enjoyed the fact that this book is set in Southern California, so, while we get plenty of holiday spirit, we do it without snow. I could relate. The main characters continue to grow, and the new characters are just as strong. With Christmas fast approaching, now is the perfect time to pick up this book.