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Christmas Dessert Murder

Joanne Fluke

8.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

The perfect stocking stuffer for fans of culinary capers, this holiday omnibus from New York Times...

Kristin (149 KP) rated Learn To Love Me in Books

Dec 7, 2018

Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is an exciting mystery/crime thriller/suspense/sort-of-romance all wrapped together with a tight little bow. Emily is a journalist trying to break into the exciting world of news instead of just writing a column. She gets her wish, but only after a girl she interviewed for her column goes missing. While trying to cope with the tragedy, her marriage is starting to falter, she's not so sure her husband is still the man she fell in love with, and to beat it all, she's getting harassing phone calls at work and home. When the detective assigned to her case turns out to be an old flame, things get really interesting, and Emily's whole life seems to spiral out of control.

This story has everything: journalists, cops, quarreling spouses, old boyfriends, haunted pasts, kidnapping, etc. etc. Once I started reading, I only put it down because my husband yelled at me to go to bed. I kept trying to guess who the bad guy was throughout the story, and I just couldn't settle on one person for too long. The author definitely keeps you guessing until the reveal at the end, and then the explanation is just as crazy as those we hear on the news. I can say, I totally didn't see the Epilogue coming, but it's just fantastic!!

I would definitely recommend this to fans of mysteries, suspense thrillers, crime thrillers, and anybody who just wants to read an awesome story that'll keep you guessing. =)

5 stars (wish I could give more)

Kudos

Louise (64 KP) rated Burned and Broken in Books

Jul 2, 2018

Burned and Broken

Mark Hardie | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry

4.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher, my opinions are honest and my own.
Mark Hardie’s debut novel is set in Essex following our main protagonists DS Frank Pearson, DC Catherine Russell and young girl called Donna. DI Sean Carragher has been found burned to death in his car and Donna’s best friend Alicia was found dead in an underpass. Could these two deaths be connected? That’s the job for Pearson Russell to find out!
Starting off the book was very slow-paced, difficult to follow and the writing was very descriptive…maybe too much. The timeline of the book felt very jumpy and the POV’s would switch without so much as a warning. The first part of the book was setting the scene and some of the characters I felt unnecessary and were there just to fill a few more pages. The second half of the book was a lot better and Hardie get’s in to the flow of things. The ending was ok, but there wasn’t enough suspense in the book. I wasn’t excited to find out ‘whodunnit’.
This isn’t a bad book, especially for a debut but there is a lot of Police/Crime books out on the market and this doesn’t really stand out.
I believe there is going to be more books that continue following Pearson and Russell on more investigations. I might read them to see how Mark Hardie’s writing develops.
If you are a fan of Crime/Mystery novels..still check this out as though it wasn’t for me.. you may love it.

Kudos

Lindsay (1779 KP) rated Murder by Perfection in Books

Jan 4, 2019

Murder by Perfection

Lauren Carr | 2018 | Mystery, Romance, Thriller

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Lauren Carr has done it again. If you have read one of her books, you know that you have been hooked from that first one you read. You will want more. If you have not read Lauren Carr books you are truly missing out on some really good murders and murder mystery. She write so well that you will not be able to stop with one chapter.

Murder by Perfection is no different. We see that Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are doing in there lives. Things looks like they are still enjoying there bliss but it starting to warn off as they both have busy schedules. Can they fix it? Will they be able to find time for themselves?

Things really start to get interesting once Murphy runs into an old buddy of his from his time at the academy. His buddy starts talking to him about making it work to keep his marriage work. Though his buddy and Captain want to talk to Murphy alone about something important?

By the time, Murphy get to the park, there a crime and he a witness to his navy buddy crime. We go for a ride with murder galore. Murphy goes missing? Who want him gone and took him. Jessica get a ransom and also bring in the Thornton family like, JJ Thornton, Joshua Thornton, NCIS Team and a few others. We even see Tristan Faraday involved.

Lauren Carr brings in drugs, kidnapping and so much more. I loved just about everything. You are keep guessing until the end. How is it all connected? What does Natalie Shepherd's life got to do with Murphy?