The Thorny Rose Mysteries Series ~ Book Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway!

"The plot was original, fresh and fast paced in spite of the "traditional elements" employed which can normally be found in any other thriller of this genre. The USP of this story would be its unpredictability. When you think you have it all guessed up, the plot would change its course keeping you hooked. There were a lot of suspense twists and turns that kept the momentum up. Needless to say, the writing was simply perfect. One thing that writer needs to be lauded for is the humor she inculcated in the book. Minus those humorous parts, the book would have been one serious read."

- Reviewer: Book and Ink

Join us for this tour from May 4 to Jun 5, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title: Kill and Run by Lauren Carr
Series: Thorny Rose Mystery Series (Volume 1)
Genre:  Adult fiction, 422 pages
Category:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  September, 2015
Format available for review:  audible (download code), ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

Book Description:

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to shift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

Buy the Book:
Audible ~Amazon
Add to Goodreads

"Mysteries, murder, danger, and memories that threatens their lives keeps the action and suspense at a high level and even when the
answers are found, it left me wanting more." - Review by Sherry Fundin of Fundinmental

Book Description:

After ten months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in the darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family while visiting family at the  winery near-by, and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

 Buy the Book:  
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Murder by Perfection is a wonderful read and a perfect to escape from the challenges of a busy day. Danger, intrigue, humor, and love all take their turn in this tale which will keep you reading into the wee hours." Review by Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

Book Description:

Beware: Perfection has a dark side!

Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. 

The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.

When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.

CLICK FOR HALL WAYS REVIEW!

Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Enjoy this latest

Thorny Rose Mystery! 

Coming soon to Audible!

"Wow - this is one INCREDIBLE novel that I could not put down. It had me  on the edge of my seat and I can honestly say that I never  saw the end coming. It was full of suspense, action but also humour  (done in a way  that only Lauren can accomplish)."
- 5-Star Review of THE NUTCRACKER CONSPIRACY by Working Mommy Journal

Book Details:
Book Title: The Nutcracker Conspiracy (A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr Genre: Adult Fiction (18 +), 388 pages
Category: Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: January 30, 2020
Format available for review: audible (download code), mobi, epub, PDF
Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs! 

Book Description:

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin. Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.

Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.

“She was number twelve,” Dean says.

“Twelve?” Murphy asks.

“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”

Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:

“13”

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible (coming soon!)
BookBub
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway:

WIN A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD,

courtesy of author Lauren Carr!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

May 4 - Hall Ways Blog - series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 – She Just Loves Books – series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 - Elizabeth McKenna – Author – series spotlight / giveaway
May 4 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 4 – Michelle L. Bloodworth - Goodreads – audiobook review of Kill and Run
May 5 - Michelle L. Bloodworth - Goodreads – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder
May 6 - Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 6 - Michelle L. Bloodworth - Goodreads – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection
May 7 - A Mama's Corner of the World – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 8 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 11 - Locks, Hooks and Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 11 - Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 11 - Merlot Et mots –series spotlight / giveaway
May 12 - Laura's Interests – series spotlight / giveaway
May 12 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 13 - Bookish Quest – audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 13 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of Kill and Run / giveaway
May 13 - Lamon Reviews - series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 14 - Buried Under Books – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 15 - Sefina Hawke's Books – series spotlight
May 19 - Rockin' Book Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 19 - Rosepoint Publishing – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 20 - Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
May 20 - Bookish Quest – audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 20 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of A Fine Year for Murder / giveaway
May 21 - Books for Books – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection
May 21 - La libreria di Beppe - series spotlight / giveaway
May 22 – fundinmental – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 25 - Buried Under Books – audiobook review of Murder By Perfection / giveaway
May 25 - T's Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 26 - Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – series spotlight / giveaway
May 27 - Bookish Quest – audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May  27 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of Murder by Perfection / giveaway
May 27 - Books for Books – series spotlight
May 28 - Bookish Quest – series spotlight / author interview/ giveaway
May 29 - Mystery Suspense Reviews – series spotlight / guest post
Jun 1 - Thoughts in Progress – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 2 - Svetlana's reads and views – series spotlight
Jun 2 - Kristin’s Novel Café – series spotlight
Jun 3 - Buried Under Books – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 3 - Blooming with Books - series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 4 - Rosepoint Publishing – series spotlight / giveaway
Jun 4 -Splashes of Joy - series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jun 5 - The avid reader – series spotlight / giveaway

Spring Thaw ~ Audio Book Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway!

SPRING THAW:

A CHRIS MATHESON MYSTERY NOVELLA

AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES

BY LAUREN CARR

Narrated by Mike Alger

Genre: Adult Fiction

Categories: Unabridged Audio Book, Murder Mystery, Short Stories

• Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
  Release date: October 23, 2018
• Publisher: Acorn Book Services

Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In today’s hectic world, many whodunit fans don’t have time to get their mystery fix diving into a whole novel. Lauren Carr’s SPRING THAW AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES is for these fans—but that doesn’t mean whodunit fans who do have time can’t dive in as well.

A novella, Spring Thaw features retired federal agent Chris Matheson from Lauren Carr’s newest bestselling cold case series. When his late father’s former friend is indicted for the seven year old murder of a church bishop, Chris renews old broken friendships to thaw out the cold case.

Featuring Mac Faraday from Lauren Carr’s popular Mac Faraday Mysteries, an estate auction turns into a deadly affair after Gnarly's antics cause Mac to purchase a gem of a dress, which isn't his color in "Killing Bid." (Previously published in Lauren Carr’s BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

"Beauty to Die For" features the Lovers in Crime, Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates in a race against the Angel of Death to clear the name of a dying woman's son, who was framed for murdering Miss Pennsylvania. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

"Countdown to Murder" returns to the Lovers in Crime where Cameron and Joshua try to solve the murder of a young pregnant widow before it happens. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Mystery fans will see that every dog has his day, especially if that dog is Gnarly. In "Lucky Dog," Gnarly helps Mac Faraday to solve the murder of a wealthy society girl. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Dog Loving Mystery Fans will get a special treat when they read "The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program." In this Gnarly Mystery Short, Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dog nap Gnarly. (Previously published as a bonus feature with A WEDDING AND A KILLING.)

Gnarly, the rambunctious German shepherd, is also features in Lauren Carr’s Christmas short, "A Gnarly Christmas." It is Christmas day and Gnarly has been up to his old tricks again. Now he's in the dog house--or rather the boathouse--after stealing the Christmas feast! Moments after Archie and Mac leave Spencer Manor, Gnarly hears a call for help from Rocky, the Maltese down the street. Four assassins for hire have invaded the home of Rocky's elderly owners. While the home invaders wait for instructions from a mysterious caller, Gnarly must plot to stop them. Can Gnarly save Christmas with only the help of an 8-pound Maltese dressed in an elf suit? (Previously published as a single short story by the same name.)

To read more audio book reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy Spring Thaw:
Amazon ~ Audible

PRAISE FOR LAUREN CARR'S BOOKS:

“Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list." - Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

"Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!" - Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

"Lauren Carr's books are never boring, that's for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr's series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!" - Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

"She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end." - Working Mommy Journal

"Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end."  - Every Free Chance Book Reviews

REVIEW

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. At under two hours listening time, Spring Thaw and Other Mystery Short Stories gives listeners a very satisfying, quick-fix of what author Lauren Carr does so well. Within just a few minutes of starting Spring Thaw, the first story, Carr fully defines a not-so-holy bishop (he’s a jerk), sets the tone for the scene (contentious), and brutally kills-off a character (BAM)! To say I was sucked-in to Spring Thaw is an understatement. Whether they’ve met main character Chris Matheson and crew before or not, readers won’t be able to resist this fully developed mystery packed into a novella.

“Chris cast a glance at the coffee pot; it was only one third full.

The way his day was going, it was two thirds empty.”

Back to main character Chris Matheson and crew… Carr’s writing makes you feel like you are at the kitchen table with Chris and Doris, his FABULOUS mother, and part of this family and life. They are my people! If you haven’t read ICE, the first book in the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, you need to get busy! Spring Thaw, like Ice, is smart, infused with subtle humor, and keeps leading and misleading you along until the big reveal to neatly tie-up the loose ends.

In addition to the two books thus far in the Chris Matheson series, the only other of Carr’s series I have read is Murder by Perfection, one of the Thorny Rose Mystery books. So, Spring Thaw is a great sampler of what readers can expect in the Mac Faraday and Lovers in Crime series. There are a few common denominators in all the short stories (these people are rich, for one), but the real scene-stealer in these is Gnarly the dog.  Actually, Gnarly is pretty much the main character in three/four of the seven short stories! His stories are fun little capers full of irony and yes, even a Scooby-Doo line (“I would have gotten away with it if…”) and ending or two. This light-hearted comedy is perfect.

The two Lovers in Crime short stories are surprisingly intricate and complete mysteries for such brief stories. Again, Carr’s writing skills shine as she masterfully and efficiently writes the twists and turns and surprises. Each of the stories involves a wide cast of characters (tip: trust no one), and I was completely caught off guard with the ending of “Beauty to Die For.” WHOA. This and “Countdown to Murder” shows the sparks and connections between MCs, Joshua and Cameron, and make me want to go back to the beginning to see how they met in the first place.

Several of the story lines take place in in Pennsylvania and in/around Pittsburgh, which adds a layer of fun and interest for me since I lived there for seven years. The descriptions of landscape and places is richly written, and even those who aren’t familiar with that part of the world will enjoy it. It’s been more than a few years since I lived there, so it’s possible these things have changed, but my ear did catch some misfit information: one, (sadly) I never once came across a person in Pennsylvania who offered sweet tea, and two, (sadly) Hershey Park (well, the rides anyhow) aren’t open in April. Who knows? Maybe since the ‘80s, circumstances have evolved, but consider this a PSI to avoid a potential Griswold kind of experience.  

ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK: There are some jaunty music snippets that introduce the book and provide segues between the stories, which give the audio a real production feel. Also, there’s a little echo sound-effect to indicate we’re hearing a character’s internal monologue/thoughts – super helpful. Mike Alger is back as narrator, and though his pace is a little slow for me (I swear he could be the Smuckers commercial guy), I left it alone and listened at regular speed. He voices the numerous characters well (Doris is best) and his accents really complement the personalities. There are a few technical issues – places where voices overlap and sound blips that draw the ear. It is a little hard to separate the characters from story to story when listening to the audio book – for example, Mac and Catherine from story two sound like Chris and Doris from story one. The stories are so good that I listened straight through, so from this perspective, it might be better to take a breather between and not listen back-to-back. Overall, it’s a recording well-done.

I highly recommend this set of short stories, which are perfect listening for quick hits of humor and mystery -- with a dash of romance. And with that gorgeous winter-y cover, go ahead and add a print copy to your library to show your shelf some love.  I am looking forward to immersing myself into my next adventure from Lauren Carr, and fortunately there are a lot to choose from … decisions, decisions.

Thank you to iRead Book Tours and the author for providing me an audio download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends Dec 22, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUDIOBOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Dec 3 - Library of Clean Reads - kickoff of Spring Thaw audio book tour / giveaway
Dec 4 - Rockin' Book Reviews - review of Spring Thaw / giveaway
Dec 6 - Kristin’s Novel Café - review of Spring Thaw
Dec 10 - Hall Ways Blog - review of Spring Thaw / giveaway
Dec 10 - Mystery Suspense Reviews - review of Spring Thaw / guest post / giveaway
Dec 10 - Dab of Darkness Book Reviews - review of Spring Thaw / guest post /giveaway
Dec 11 - Locks, Hooks and Books - review of Spring Thaw / author interview / giveaway
Dec 11 - Laura's Interests -  review of Spring Thaw / guest post /  giveaway
Dec 12 - JBronder Book Reviews - review of Spring Thaw / guest post
Dec 12 - Amy’s Booket List - review of Spring Thaw / giveaway
Dec 12 - Sefina Hawke's Books - review of Spring Thaw
Dec 13 - Kai's Goodread Page - review of Spring Thaw
Dec 13 - Cheryl's Book Nook - review of Spring Thaw / giveaway
Dec 13 - Books for Books - review of Spring Thaw
Dec 14 - Rocksprings Crafts - review of Spring Thaw / guest post / giveaway
Dec 14 - Bound 4 Escape - review of Spring Thaw / giveaway

RELATED:

Click for Hall Ways Review

Honor Kills ~ Audio Book Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway!

HONOR KILLS

ANGELINA BONAPARTE MYSTERIES, #3

BY NANCY RATHBUN

Narrated by Kieren Calland Metts

Publisher: Dark Chocolate Press LLC

Released: August 27, 2018

Length: 7 hours 35 minutes

Sub-Genres: Modern Detective / Mystery

A missing husband. A suspicious obituary. She’s not the only one hunting down a dead man’s footsteps.

As a divorcee, Angelina Bonaparte knows firsthand the lengths some men will go to escape responsibility. When a worried mother wants the private investigator to track down her missing husband, she’s eager to bring the deadbeat dad to justice. But even after she discovers the man’s obituary, she refuses to believe it until she sees the body. Tracking down the nurse who last saw him alive could be the missing puzzle piece to her client's broken family.

But as she digs deeper, she realizes there’s something darker at play than dodging child-support payments. And she may not be the only one hunting down the man. To close the case and reunite her client's family, she must track down the missing husband without falling prey to the same ruthless hunter.

Honor Kills is the third audio book in the captivating Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries series. If you like bold female detectives, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and unexpected twists, then you’ll love Nanci Rathbun’s gripping novel.

Buy Honor Kills to track down a fast-paced missing persons mystery today!

Nanci Rathbun is a lifelong reader of mysteries – historical, contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, hard-boiled, cozy … you can find them all on her bookshelves. She brings logic and planning to her writing from a background as an IT project manager, and attention to characters and dialog from her second career as a Congregationalist minister.

Nanci grew up an Army brat, living in Germany, France and Korea, as well as several states in the U.S. After her dad retired from the service, the family settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, Nanci raised her daughter and son, while working at AT&T. She never expected to move, but when her second grandchild was on the way, she wanted to be closer. One of her greatest joys is hearing her three granddaughters shout "Nana" when she comes in their front door in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Nanci and her Maltipoo, Teeny, now live in Wellington, Colorado. No matter where she makes her home, she will always be a Green Bay Packers fan.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads

Kieren Calland Metts is addicted to audio books. She has almost 1,000 in her Audible.com library and has listened to most of them! She tends toward mysteries of all kinds, especially cozies, and YA dystopia.

She grew up a diplomat brat, traveling to tours in Baghdad, Iraq; and Kabul, Afghanistan. After several more moves in the U.S., the family settled in Ohio.

Kieren has a background in copy editing, book & newspaper design, and web production, adores arts and crafts, and has a weakness for fluffy orange kitties.

$25 Amazon Gift Card⎮Runs Oct. 16th-Nov. 5th⎮Open internationally

The Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card



Oct. 30th:
Dab of Darkness Book Reviews
The Book Junkie Reads . . .


Oct. 31st:
Jazzy Book Reviews
A Page to Turn


Nov. 1st:
Turning Another Page


Nov. 2nd:
2 Girls and A Book


Nov. 3rd:
Writers N Authors
Book Addict
Page Princess
T's Stuff


Nov. 4th:
Bound 4 Escape
Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm


Nov. 5th:
Lilly's Book World
The Book Addict's Reviews
Blätterflüstern
Hall Ways Blog

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Cash Kills ~ Audio Book Blog Tour Review & Giveaway!

CASH KILLS

ANGELINA BONAPARTE MYSTERIES, #2

BY NANCY RATHBUN

Narrated by Kieren Calland Metts

Publisher: Dark Chocolate Press LLC

Released: April 24, 2018

Length: 9 hours 40 minutes

Sub-Genres: Modern Detective / Mystery

A double murder. A mysterious inheritance. One PI is about to follow the money all the way into a den of thieves…

After surviving a bullet, Angelina Bonaparte was certain she could handle any case that came her way. But when her next client walks through the door with an unexplainable seven-figure inheritance after the death of her parents, the private investigator wonders if she's in over her head. After all, when she visits her client's family attorney, Angelina discovers yet another bloody crime scene.

With the help of her new flame, Angelina follows the clues into an underworld of war-plundered artifacts, stolen treasures, and deadly consequences. As their last lead grows colder, the PI must catch the killer before an endless cycle of murderous greed gets her client killed.

Cash Kills is the second book in the suspenseful Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries series. If you like hard-as-painted-nails female detectives, historical mysteries, and twists and turns you won’t see coming, then you’ll love Nanci Rathbun’s loaded crime thriller.

Buy Cash Kills to follow the money trail to a sassy, suspenseful mystery today!

✪✪✪✪

HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. Author Nancy Rathbun is back with a second book in the Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries series.  Cash Kills comes to readers with a new, enticing mystery, a steadily increasing body count, and a relationship for main character Angie that’s moving to the next level. Though the book is part of a series (and I loved book one, Truth Kills), it easily stands alone with Rathbun giving plenty of background to get readers up-to-date.

“Put not your trust in money, but put your money in trust.”

-- Oliver Windell Holmes

Cash Kills has a fascinating premise and readers really want to know what’s up with this woman and all that money – and so does Angelina! Once the digging begins, people start dying and an intricate and long existing web of criminal activity begins to get exposed.  This story goes into some dark places as it pulls in dealing with the treatment of Muslims and victims of Sarajevo. Rathbun took me out of my cozy novel comfort zone by bringing reality in – and it brought me to tears. The author even provides some notes at the end with sources/resources for information about Sarajevo. Cash Kills has a diverse cast of characters and raises cultural awareness not only with the story line, but with the basic cast of characters and their Sicilian and Polish roots.  

Readers get to better know Angie’s family and the dynamic of her tightly knit Sicilian family. As is the case in the prior book, women of a certain age will enjoy Angie’s relationships with her now adult children and her grandchildren. The best part is that though Angie cherishes her roles as daughter, mom, and grandma, she still retains her femininity, identity, and sexuality. And wow – her sense of style! It is fun that readers always know exactly how Angelina looks. Some may not care for that level of detail, but I find it fun hearing her fashion choices made depending on the vibe of each situation.

Since our fifty-something Angie comes from a mafia family, it’s often a bit of a quandary for her to separate herself from the mafia ways of getting information, providing protection, and financing deals. Angie is clever enough to use those perks legally to help her investigations, but it’s the mafia, so she really doesn’t have a choice.  Ted Wukowski, Angie’s policeman boyfriend, also has to cleverly deal with his girlfriend’s mafia ties and propensity for finding dead people. This provides plenty of opportunity for misunderstanding and make-ups.

“While I missed the sensual pleasure of handling

catalog cards in their narrow wooden drawers,

I appreciated being able to search based on key words.”

BONUS POINTS AWARDED: Angelina is a former librarian, and it comes through as the good thing it is, loud and clear. Her vocabulary (she uses sybarite! Yaaass!) is fabulous and her thought process leads her to find answers at an academic library, which gives readers the awesome character of Lilly the librarian! She is cast in the positive, helpful light where she belongs and is a hoot; I really hope Lilly returns in the next installment.

“A morning without caffeine is simply not worth living.”

Yes, bonus, bonus points are being awarded. Angie repeatedly gives credit where credit is due and that’s to her morning coffee. A woman after my own heart. That is all.

My only gripe with Cash Kills is that readers get an info dump, via the police, that spells out the complicated scheme behind the money and murders. It's logical that Angie would learn the information that way, but it felt forced. Even so, I highly recommend this series thus far, especially to women approaching or in mid-life. We rarely find ourselves in books as kick-ass main characters, and Angelina shows us that we are capable and even formidable in all kinds of roles.  She’s a great reminder that we can define ourselves however we want.

ABOUT THE NARRATION:  Narrator Kieran Calland Metts returns to perform Cash Kills and IS the voice of Angelina Bonaparte. As in book one, she continues the choice to be very matter-of-fact in voicing Angelina whether she’s talking about a gory death scene or a sexy love scene. Metts makes Angelina sound pragmatic, slightly sarcastic, but not unemotional – perfect to match Angie’s librarian background. (After all, librarians see and deal with a lot of s**t and must solve the problems without falling to pieces.) There are a few places where Metts falls out of her accent, but she voices the international characters well. Technically, there are some uneven volume issues here and there, but overall, Metts does an excellent job and makes me more than ready to listen to the next installment in the Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries series, Honor Kills.  

Thank you to Audiobookworm Promotions and the author for providing me an audio download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

I received this audio book as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Nanci Rathbun. The gifting of this audio book did not affect my opinion of it.

Nanci Rathbun is a lifelong reader of mysteries – historical, contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, hard-boiled, cozy … you can find them all on her bookshelves. She brings logic and planning to her writing from a background as an IT project manager, and attention to characters and dialog from her second career as a Congregationalist minister.

Nanci grew up an Army brat, living in Germany, France and Korea, as well as several states in the U.S. After her dad retired from the service, the family settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, Nanci raised her daughter and son, while working at AT&T. She never expected to move, but when her second grandchild was on the way, she wanted to be closer. One of her greatest joys is hearing her three granddaughters shout "Nana" when she comes in their front door in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Nanci and her Maltipoo, Teeny, now live in Wellington, Colorado. No matter where she makes her home, she will always be a Green Bay Packers fan.

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Kieren Calland Metts is addicted to audio books. She has almost 1,000 in her Audible.com library and has listened to most of them! She tends toward mysteries of all kinds, especially cozies, and YA dystopia.

She grew up a diplomat brat, traveling to tours in Baghdad, Iraq; and Kabul, Afghanistan. After several more moves in the U.S., the family settled in Ohio.

Kieren has a background in copy editing, book & newspaper design, and web production, adores arts and crafts, and has a weakness for fluffy orange kitties.

$25 Amazon Gift Card⎮Runs Oct. 16th-Nov. 5th⎮Open internationally

The Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card



Oct. 23rd:
The Book Junkie Reads . . .
Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm


Oct. 24th:
Dab of Darkness Book Reviews
A Page to Turn


Oct. 25th:
Bound 4 Escape
Blätterflüstern


Oct. 26th:
Jazzy Book Reviews


Oct. 27th:
2 Girls and A Book
Turning Another Page
Page Princess


Oct. 28th:
Writers N Authors
Book Addict
T's Stuff


Oct. 29th:
Lilly's Book World
The Book Addict's Reviews
Hall Ways Blog

WATCH FOR HALL WAYS BLOG'S REVIEW OF BOOK THREE, HONOR KILLS, ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 2018 STOP OF THE AUDIOBOOKWORM PRODUCTIONS TOUR! 

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