Review - Tomb with a View by Casey Daniels - Starred Read

Tomb with a View
A Pepper Martin Mystery, Book #6
Casey Daniels
Berkley Prime Crime - Penguin Group USA
ISBN:# 9780425235515
Release Date: July 6, 2010

About the Book:
Cemeteries come alive for amateur sleuth/reluctant medium Pepper Martin.

Cleveland’s Garden View Cemetery is hosting a James A. Garfield commemoration. For tour guide and reluctant medium Pepper Martin this means that she’ll surely be hearing from the dead president himself. And when she’s assigned to help plan the event with know-it-all volunteer and Garfield fanatic Marjorie Klinker, she’ll wish Marjorie were dead...too bad someone beats Pepper to it.

My Thoughts:
Tomb with a View is the sixth release in the Pepper Martin Mysteries series, and quickly immerses readers into Pepper's latest adventure with one of Garden View Cemetery's permanent residents. Ms. Daniels has a smooth writing style that she skillfully uses to keep fans guessing throughout her stories. Tomb with a View is a mystery that involves the dead just as strongly as the living, and it's one of many intriguing elements that make reading the Pepper Martin Mysteries so wonderfully addictive. With twists, turns, and surprising revelations from history, this mystery is sure to keep readers fully engaged until the very end. I'd happily recommend any book from this series, and am eagerly awaiting Pepper's next ghostly adventure.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

A new review has been posted on the website for Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris. This is the fourth book in the Harper Connelly series.
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Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - Doom With a View by Victoria Laurie

A new review has been posted on the website for Doom With a View by Victoria Laurie. This is the seventh installment in the Psychic Eye Mysteries series.
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Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

A new review has been posted on the website for Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire. This is the first installment in the October Daye series.
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Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Promo - Berkley Prime Crime - 08-04-09 Releases

Inked Up
A Stamping Sister Mystery, Book 2
Terri Thayer
Berkley Prime Crime
August 4, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22912-5

Book Blurb:
Halloween is scarier than ever in Aldenville, Pennsylvania, when professional rubber stamper April Buchert discovers a dead body in a "haunted" corn maze. The police suspect the victim's husband murdered her, but April knew the couple, and she and the Stamping Sisters are determined to find the real killer before he catches another in his murderous motif.

http://www.territhayer.com/

Larceny and Lace
A Vintage Magic Mystery, Book 2
Annette Blair
Berkley Prime Crime
August 4, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22911-8

Book Blurb:
Maddie Cutler has it all in the bag: fashion, magic—and murder!
If that dress could talk...

With all the stress of opening her new vintage clothing store (in a renovated old morgue) Madeira Cutler feels like a bag of bones—until she discovers the real deal, unearthed by an intruder, in an old body drawer. And the bones are as vintage as Maddie's stock, or so says Maddie's resident ghostly hunk, Dante Underhill.

Could the break-in have something to do with the local playhouse and its curator going down in flames? Somehow Maddie will have to juggle dressing the store, party planning, and crime solving. Add to the brew the local witch's costume ball, being held at her store, and Madeira is wishing she knew how to ride a broom right out of there...

http://www.annetteblair.com/

You can read an excerpt of Larceny and Lace: HERE

Sew Deadly
Southern Sewing Circle, Book 1
Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Berkley Prime Crime
August 4, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22910-1

Book Blurb:
The rules of South Carolina's Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle are hard and fast, and the new Yankee librarian, Tori Sinclair, will need to catch up. She'll also need a Northern-to-Southern dictionary—and a way to clear her name of murder...

Ever since she moved to Sweet Briar, South Carolina, Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair has been the talk of the tiny town. But she's been so busy at work, winning over the sewing circle, and trying to forget her cheating ex that she hasn't even had time to baste together a pillow, let alone mind local gossip. Then she finds the hometown sweetheart dead at her back door...

Everyone believes the police investigator, who's just fixin' to link Tori to the murder in a love triangle gone bad. To clear her name, Tori will have to rely on her new sewing sisters and stitch together the truth—or be darned.

http://elizabethlynncasey.com/

Spackled and Spooked
A Do-It-Yourself Mystery, Book 2
Jennie Bentley
Berkley Prime Crime
August 4, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22913-2

Book Blurb:
A mystery surfaces behind the walls in the new Do-It-Yourself series.

Home renovation is never easy, especially when the home's inhabitants are dead. Avery's hunky boyfriend and business partner, Derek Ellis, wants to flip a seriously stigmatized ranch house where murder occurred two decades ago. It's a good thing Avery has more faith in her boyfriend than in ghosts.

Their renovations are quickly interrupted when a presence is felt—and it's not happy with the new alterations. Could it really be that the property is possessed? If they're going to flip this house, all the outdated fixtures—including the supernatural squatters—must be disposed of, or else this project will haunt them forever...

http://www.jenniebentley.com/

Bundle of Trouble
A Maternal Instincts Mystery, Book 1
Diana Orgain
Berkley Prime Crime
August 4, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-425-22924-8

Book Blurb:
First-time mom Kate Connelly is bringing up baby—and bringing down a killer.

Kate Connelly may have found the perfect work-from-home Mommy job: private investigator. After all, the hours are flexible, she can bring the baby along on stake-outs, and if you're going to be up all night anyway, you might as well solve some crimes. But when a body is pulled from San Francisco Bay that may be her brother-in-law, Kate must crack the case faster than you can say "diaper rash" in order to keep her family together.

http://dianaorgain.com/

You can read an excerpt from Bundle of Trouble: HERE

Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson

A new review has been posted on the website for The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson. This is the first installment in the Tattoo Shop Mystery series.
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Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

A new review has been posted on the website for Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. This is the first book in the Witchcraft Mystery series.
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Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews.com

Review - Defending Angels by Mary Stanton

Defending Angels
A Beaufort & Company Mystery, Book 1
Mary Stanton
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22498-4

Book Blurb:
With a long list of ethereal clients who need her help, Savannah lawyer Brianna Winston Beaufort's career choice is beginning to haunt her . . .

An already dead businessman needs Bree's help to find his murderer and prove his innocence against the charge of greed, which comes from the mightiest hand of the law, the Celestial Court. And the verdict in this case could put Bree's life on the line-as well as her client's afterlife.

My thoughts:
Moving to Savannah to take over her uncle’s practice, Brianna Winston Beaufort soon finds that her experience as a lawyer didn’t prepare her for the clients that would come with the new job. It’s a good thing that the staff Bree’s hired has experience, or she might not survive her first case.

With so many possibilities it won’t be easy to prove that Mr. Skinner was murdered, but there’s much more at stake. Benjamin Skinner is being charged with Greed in the Celestial Court, and if Bree can’t prove his innocence he’ll face a grim fate in the hereafter.

This is the first installment in the Beaufort & Company Mystery series. Ms. Stanton gives readers a murder mystery with an intriguing storyline and makes it her own with wonderfully fresh twists. Defending Angels entertains with a surprising paranormal element and a charming cast of characters. I’ll be looking forward to more from this fun new series in the future.

To learn more about Defending Angels, please visit the author’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Berkley Prime Crime

Dead Men Don’t Crochet
A Crochet Mystery, Book #2
Betty Hechtman
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22500-4

Book Blurb:
When a member of Molly Pink's crochet group is suspected of murder, it's up to Molly and her pals to pick up the dropped stitches and catch a killer.



Ding Dong Dead
A Dolls to Die For Mystery, Book # 4
Deb Baker
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22502-8

Book Blurb:
Doll restorer Gretchen Birch and the other Phoenix Dollers can hardly wait to open their doll museum. But when an out-of-town doll-maker meets her own maker, the Dollers's dream-come-true will soon prove more of a nightmare.



Eggs in Purgatory
A Cackleberry Club Mystery, Book #1
Laura Childs
Berkley Prime Crime
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22495-3

Book Blurb:
Now Laura Childs is cracking a whole new case of murder in a brand new series-RECIPES INCLUDED.Introducing the Cackleberry Club Mysteries...Suzanne, Toni, and Petra lose their husbands but find independence when they open the Cackleberry Club. Then their cozy cafe becomes the scene of a crime when a lawyer dies with a secret on his lips and egg on his face. What this all has to do with a religious cult and Suzanne's past could put her own life on the line.


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Behind the Shadows by Patricia Potter

Behind the Shadows
Patricia Potter
Berkley Sensation
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22490-8

Book Blurb:
Some secrets are meant to stay that way.In a race against time to save her mother's life, Kira Douglas is stunned to discover that the woman who raised her is not her biological mother. Kira was switched at birth by someone with a mysterious motive. Untangling the clues, Kira finds herself face to face with a handsome, ruthless man who is either Kira's darkest nightmare-or her greatest destiny.

My thoughts:
Kira Douglas wants nothing more than to see her mother saved from the certain death that waits without a kidney transplant. Eager to donate her own, Kira is tested and finds that not only is she not a match, but she’s not Katy’s biological daughter.

With the help of Chris Burke, a longtime friend of the family, Kira uncovers a decades old secret that managed to go unnoticed. The discovery affects far more than Kira’s family, and someone has begun working hard to prevent the truth from coming out.

Ms. Potter weaves an emotional story as her characters fight for their lives, accept surprising truths, and learn to fall in love. Behind the Shadows offers readers a suspenseful tale as the mystery surrounding babies switched at birth is brought into the light. Fast moving, with a touch of romance nicely blended into the storyline.

To learn more about Behind the Shadows, please visit the author’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Deadly Harvest by Heather Graham

Deadly Harvest
Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 2
Heather Graham
Mira
November 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2560-4

Book Blurb:
When a young woman is found dead in a field, dressed up as a scarecrow with a slashed grin and a broken neck, the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, begin to fear that the infamous Harvest Man is more than just a rumor. But out-of-town cop Jeremy Flynn doesn't have time for ghost stories. He's in town on another investigation, looking for a friend's wife, who mysteriously vanished in a cemetery.

Complicating his efforts is local occult expert Rowenna Cavanaugh, who launches her own investigation, convinced that a horror from the past has crept into the present and is seducing women to their deaths. Jeremy uses logic and solid police work. Rowenna depends on intuition. But they both have the same goal: to stop the abductions and locate the missing women before Rowenna herself falls prey to the Harvest Man's dark seduction.

My thoughts:
Jeremy Flynn is a retired police diver currently working as an investigator along with his brothers. When Jeremy receives a call that his former diving partner’s wife went missing on a trip to Salem, he hops the next flight out of New Orleans to join in the search.

Rowenna Cavanaugh got to know Jeremy while they participated in a debate on talk radio, and she got the distinct impression that he had no interest in her. Returning home to Salem, Rowenna emerges herself in the investigation for Jeremy’s friend, and finds herself researching the chilling legend of the Harvest Man.

This is the second story in the Flynn Brothers Trilogy, and tells Jeremy’s story. Ms. Graham builds this dark paranormal to a cleverly executed climax. Readers will find themselves considering nearly every possible suspect, and in the end they’ll be surprised by how well this mystery plays out. Deadly Harvest will easily entertain mystery and paranormal romance fans alike. While part of a trilogy, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

To learn more about the Flynn Brothers Trilogy, please visit Ms. Graham’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

Devil May Ride
Ghost Duster Mysteries, Book 2
Wendy Roberts
Obsidian Mystery
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-22565-8

Book Blurb:
When Sadie and her sexy partner Zack stumble on evidence of a chilling cult ritual in an abandoned meth lab, Sadie comes face to face with an evil spirit unlike any she's ever seen before. And it's no coincidence that a bundle of stolen cash turns up at her next crime scene just in time to convince a biker gang that Sadie made off with their money. She knows the threads are connected-but how?

My thoughts:
While covering jobs for a friend’s business, Sadie Novak and her crew are taking on nearly twice their normal workload. David Egan’s meth lab clean-ups are wearing thin on Sadie, and at the most recent scene she finds herself confronted by her first truly bad spirit. Into some dark cult activity in life, the spirit has only gotten worse in death, and Sadie is about to find out just how deep Penny’s dark connections went.

Former cop, and current employee, Zach is growing more concerned for Sadie’s safety. There’s a group of bikers who believe she’s taken something that belongs to them, and they’re quite serious about getting it back. Add to that the cult that has a less than pleasant agenda where Sadie and her family are concerned, and Zach has his hands full trying to fit the pieces together before time runs out.

This is the second installment in the Ghost Duster Mysteries. Sadie’s ability for talking with ghosts has helped those who were ready to let go of the living and move on. Now her ability has put her life in danger and left Sadie to wonder who in her life can be trusted. Ms. Roberts pens a fast-moving paranormal mystery that will keep readers rapt attention every step of the way. The characters are well-defined, the action is plentiful and the storyline is believable. I’d happily recommend Devil May Ride to anyone who enjoys an intriguing mystery with a strong paranormal element and a nice touch of romance.

To learn more about the Ghost Duster Mysteries, please visit Ms. Roberts’ website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Unusual Suspects - edited by Dana Stabenow

Unusual Suspects
Anthology
Edited by Dana Stabenow
ACE
December 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01637-2

Book Blurb:
All-new from the top names in mystery and fantasy- including a never-before published Sookie Stackhouse story from Charlaine Harris!

This follow-up to Powers of Detection showcases bestselling and award-winning names from Simon Green to Laurie King to Sharon Shinn-with original stories featuring otherworldly investigators trailing uncanny criminals across fantastical realms. From video game characters seeking civil rights and a cave dragon loan shark pondering an investment, to Santa Claus's Australian vacation and an enemy of Sam Spade's out for revenge-plus visits to the Nightside and Sookie Stackhouse's hometown- these stories will take readers around the world on a magical mystery tour.

My thoughts:
Lucky by Charlaine Harris – When Sookie’s insurance agent stops by with concerns of a break-in at his office, she and her housemate Amelia do some detective work to take down the culprit.

Bogieman by Carole Nelson Douglas – When the body of a CinSim is discovered with a corkscrew from the Inferno Bar in its chest, Snow recruits Paranormal Investigator Delilah Street to solve the mystery.

Looks are Deceiving by Michael A. Stackpole – Someone is trying to kill Duke Serean Darikean so he calls upon Primin to find and stop the murderer. With Kellach watching his back what they discover is surprising, but even more startling is the Duke’s reaction to the news.

The House of Seven Spirits by Sharon Shinn – A writer in the midst of divorce, Erica needs a quiet place to live and get her life back together. In the process, she’ll help change the afterlives of the ghostly residents of the home she chooses to rent.

Glamour by Mike Doogan – When his daughter goes missing and his wife has no clue where to look, Alf finds himself working with a stranger to locate her. He wasn’t nearly as surprised that she’d gone missing as he is to find out where she’s been.

Spellbound by Donna Andrews – With a witch setting her sights on Master Justinian, and a murder to investigate, Gwynn is busy keeping an eye on everyone. It seems that the conference being held at their Westmarch College of Magical Studies has just brought more trouble than any of them could have anticipated.

The Duh Vice by Michael Armstrong – Sometimes taking simple advice to heart is the right way to go. For this Resource Allocation officer his failure to heed that advice will find him all alone in a shack near Boundary.

Weight of the World by John Straley – When one elf is found dead and another goes missing, Santa calls off their yearly vacation to get to the bottom of things. The killer’s actions will bring forth some interesting changes for Santa and his helpers.

Illumination by Laura Anne Gilman – From the letter she receives, it’s easy for Bonnie to see that her father, Zaki, is in trouble. He’s a gambler, and this time he may have cost himself more trouble than Bonnie wants to handle.

The House by Laurie R. King – Brad and his friends have an assignment due for school and have chosen the empty house in their neighborhood as their subject. When one of their small group disappears, one of the remaining kids will realize the shocking truth.

Appetite for Murder by Simon R. Green – With a serial killer on the loose, Sam Warren and Ms. Fate team up to uncover the clues. Only one of this investigating pair will be smart enough to discover and capture the murderer.

A Woman’s Work by Dana Stabenow – Seer and Sword are sent to Pylos to hear charges and dole out justice in the King’s name. They’ll uncover a surprising secret in the midst of judging a criminal for the most heinous of crimes.

Filled with creative tales from twelve top writers, Unusual Suspects is an entertaining collection of short stories that should please fans of both mystery and fantasy. Readers will enjoy suspenseful visits to worlds they’ve previously journeyed to, and will also be introduced to captivating new places they’ll wish to visit again. Unusual Suspects is a follow-up to Powers of Detection (ACE; 2004).

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Deadly Gift by Heather Graham

Deadly Gift
The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 3
Heather Graham
MIRA
December 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2527-7

Book blurb:
Caer is spending this Christmas among strangers. Brought to Newport, Rhode Island, from her native Ireland to nurse ailing millionaire Sean O'Riley, she's living a life few can imagine. But money can't hide the tension between O'Riley's trophy wife, his paranoid daughter, the eccentric aunt in the attic and the staff members who run the house.

When O'Riley's business partner goes missing, family friend Zach Flynn arrives. Determined to help him solve the case, Caer becomes enmeshed in a mystery that weaves together the sins of the past with one family's destiny…and a spirit that watches the mansion, possessing a deadly gift.

My thoughts:
A much needed vacation brings Sean O’Riley and his wife Amanda to Ireland just before the Christmas holidays. Their trip is cut short when Sean lands in the hospital and they return to the states with Caer, a private nurse that the hospital has offered to assign. Back home in Rhode Island, Sean’s friend and business partner Eddie has mysteriously disappeared. They’ve called in the police and a close friend of the family, Zach Flynn, to continue the search.

Someone is trying to kill Sean O’Riley and Zach plans to stop the killer in their tracks. While he doesn’t trust Caer completely, he does trust her with Sean’s health. As things heat up with more death and accusations, Zach finds himself drawn to Caer. While his life may be in danger along with the O’Rileys, it’s losing his heart to the enigmatic Caer that really has him worried.

This is the third book in The Flynn Brothers Trilogy and is Zach’s story. Ms. Graham pens a well-executed murder mystery with intriguing paranormal elements and the sweet touch of romance. Easily read as a stand-alone story, Deadly Gift will entertain readers and keep them guessing until the surprising end.

To learn more about The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, please visit Ms. Graham’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Deadly Night by Heather Graham

Deadly Night
The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 1
Heather Graham
MIRA
October 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7783-2585-7

Book blurb:
The Flynn brothers have inherited more than a New Orleans plantation. They've inherited a ghostly presence… and a long-kept secret.

Aidan Flynn, a private investigator and eldest of the Flynn brothers, scoffs at the haunted-house rumors—especially since Kendall Montgomery, a tarot card reader who has been living in the mansion, is the one to tell him the tale of a woman in white. But when he finds a human bone on the grounds and another by the river, Aidan delves into the dark history of the Flynn plantation.

Forced together to uncover the truth, Aidan and Kendall realize that a serial killer whose victims seem to vanish into thin air has long been at work…and that their own fates are about to be sealed forever unless they believe in the unbelievable.

My thoughts:
Aidan Flynn, the oldest of three brothers who’ve just inherited a New Orleans plantation home, works as a private investigator. When he finds two human bones and gets the brush off from local authorities, he’s all the more determined to find answers. As he begins digging in to local missing persons he discovers there may be a dangerous killer loose in the area. Kendall, the woman he’s started to care for, could be a target.

Kendall Montgomery owns a small shop where she does tarot readings. After staying by Amelia Flynn’s side during her final days, Kendall is surprised to meet the men who knew nothing of Amelia’s existence. Aidan, the one she pegs as the rude one, soon grows on her. As her readings and dreams begin changing in a direction she never expected, Kendall believes that something has stirred up the ghosts of the Flynn home. Until the evil is stopped no one will be safe.

This is the first book in The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, and tells Aidan’s story. Ms. Graham knows exactly how to wrap her audience up in a ghostly tale and keep it believable. The characters are well-detailed and supported by a nicely diverse group of secondary characters, each of which adds something to the over-all story. Deadly Night moves at a steady pace, without rushing scenes or losing the reader’s interest. The mystery, suspense and romance in this installment will have paranormal lovers anxiously awaiting Deadly Harvest, the next in the trilogy.

To learn more about The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, please visit Ms. Graham’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Death Perception by Victoria Laurie

Death Perception
Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 6
Victoria Laurie
Obsidian
September 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-22486-6

From the Publisher’s website:
Abby Cooper’s betting the house on her inner eye...

It took a while for Abby Cooper’s FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby’s visions. So when his favorite cousin Chase is kidnapped in Vegas, they both catch the next flight to Sin City. Abby’s inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up—especially Dutch’s reluctance to involve his own Bureau.

On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she’ll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won’t fold without a fight...

My thoughts:
Abby Cooper has the gift of being psychic and uses it in the best way she knows how, solving mysteries. When her boyfriend’s cousin goes missing, Abby’s intuition is telling her that he’s still alive and she’s more than willing to help Dutch track him down. What Abby learns in the process is that there’s quite a bit about Dutch’s life that she didn’t know. Enough to make her question that he’s the good man she believed him to be.

Dutch Rivers is an agent for the FBI and has just learned that his cousin, Chase, has disappeared while working a security detail. With the only option of finding him being a flight to Las Vegas, Dutch doesn’t hesitate to begin a search, taking Abby along for her skills and support. Fighting an unknown illness along the way, they follow every lead they can find. As things heat up Dutch asks Abby to leave town if anything happens to him, but when Abby’s dreams become reality and she questions many things, saving the man she loves isn’t one of them.

This is the sixth book in the Psychic Eye Mysteries, and Abby is as busy as ever following her intuition and solving crime. There is more than one mystery going on between the covers of Death Perception, including Dutch’s suddenly poor health that adds to Abby’s growing concern. Ms. Laurie gives readers an edge of your seat mystery that unfolds through a myriad of twists, turns and deadly surprises. Emotions run high, the danger is intense, and the resulting climax is explosive. While each mystery in the series can be read as a stand-alone, I’d recommend reading from the beginning to appreciate the full impact of Death Perception.

To learn more about the Psychic Eye Mysteries, please visit Ms. Laurie’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Aphrodisiac by Allyson Roy

Aphrodisiac
Allyson Roy
Berkley Sensation
September 2, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22323-9

From the back cover:
Something about Gwen Applebee’s death doesn’t add up. Sex therapist Saylor Oz knows for certain that late perfume-maker and fashionista extraordinaire wouldn’t have been caught dead wearing a fanny pack. So why was there one strapped around Gwen’s waist when her body was discovered? Not to mention the coded message embedded in her “suicide note.” It seems Gwen stumbled upon an ancient formula with great powers, and someone was willing to kill for it.

Unfortunately for Saylor, the villain did not get his hands on the formula—but in his quest he does get his hands on Saylor. Now she and her tough-talking best friend have less than one week to figure out where Gwen hid the formula. Between patients, parties, and an escalating flirtation with a hot local boxer, Saylor’s desperate hunt leads her from the dark corners of Brooklyn and the glittering skyscrapers of Manhattan to the beaches of the Hamptons—all while she tries to stay one step ahead of a ruthless killer.

My thoughts:
Dr. Saylor Oz works as a sex therapist and has been hit hard by the recent death of her best friend. More than that, she doesn’t think the death was a suicide at all. When Saylor realizes that Gwen’s poetic suicide note is actually filled with clever clues, she and her roommate Benita begin a frantic search to decode the message and discover what the killer was after.

Eldrige Mace is a retired professional boxer who keeps up on his boxing at their local gym. He’s also a drop-man who washes high-rise windows. Eldrige is the protective sort, even if he’s not the committing kind in a relationship. When he realizes that the doctor’s life is in danger he’s not about to walk away, whether she wants him around or not. While he may not be able to convince her with his charm, saving her life a time or two just might do the trick.

Aphrodisiac is an action-packed romantic suspense with a strong and complicated mystery. There are a lot of secondary characters bringing additional threads to the storyline, and while each is explained they are sometimes difficult to keep track of. The mystery is the strong point of this fast-moving read, and Ms. Roy is very creative in the way it plays out. Saylor is stubborn and sassy, while Eldrige is as annoying to her as he is charming. The chemistry between them is apparent, and the romance is there, but it’s not the main focus. I’d love to see these characters in a future read where they’re able to further explore the possibilities between them.

To learn more about Aphrodisiac and Ms. Roy’s work, please visit her website: Here

Kimberly Swan, DarqueReviews

Killer Charms by Marianne Stillings

Killer Charms
The Darling Detectives Trilogy, Book 3
Marianne Stillings
Avon Books
August 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-06-085074-6

From the back cover:
If he could really see the future . . .

Logan Sinclair is nothing but a fraud. Or at least that's what Inspector Andie Darling, undercover on the streets of San Francisco, is determined to prove. Sure, the sexy Scotsman may say he's a clairvoyant, but Andie's never believed in second sight—or love at first sight. So why does his sweet talk turn her into a lovestruck fool?

He'd know that Andie Darling always gets her man.

Getting the goods on the elusive con man would get Andie out of boring Vice and into Homicide, yet all she can think about is getting into Logan's arms. But juggling her job and her heart leaves her with little time to protect herself from a crazed killer hot on her heels. Logan would love to help Andie—and get closer to her—but charm might not be enough to save them now.

My thoughts:
Andrea Darling is a detective for the SFPD where she and her partner, Dylan Jericho, are working on catching a con man who claims to be psychic. The problem for Andie is that Logan Sinclair is a charmer and he’s good at distracting her from her job. If she doesn’t find the proof that he’s guilty soon, the people she cares about most will all be in danger.

Logan Sinclair is a world renowned psychic with a past he can’t put to rest. When he agrees to help a lingering spirit find peace to move on, he gets much more than he bargained for. There’s a valuable necklace in question, and Logan finds himself in the midst of a murder investigation. With Andie nearby, he’s having a hard time remaining focused on his job, but focus he must because their lives may depend on it.

In this final book of The Darling Detectives Trilogy, readers are treated to Andie and Logan’s story. Ms. Stillings brings to life a heroine who is strong in character, deeply caring when it comes to her family and friends, and will have you laughing when you least expect it. The attraction between the detective and her psychic suspect is impossible to miss as their passion builds along with the mystery, lies, murder and blackmail. The story erupts in a surprising climax, and should leave most readers well satisfied. While Killer Charms is the third story in a trilogy, it’s written well as a stand alone book.

To learn more about Killer Charms and to read an excerpt, please visit Ms. Stillings: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Death's Half Acre by Margaret Maron

Death’s Half Acre
A Deborah Knott Mystery, Book 14
Margaret Maron
Grand Central Publishing
August 20, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-446-19610-9

From the back cover:
As family-owned farms and lush fields in North Carolina's picturesque countryside start to give way to shoddy mansions and housing developments, discontent begins to rile the inhabitants of Judge Deborah Knott's beloved Colleton County. Beneath the surface of her seemingly peaceful town, a tide of corruption is rising, and even her strong-willed father might be led down a dark path. In the meantime, the murder of a controversial, high-profile woman commissioner leads Deborah and her husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, into the shadows of the past, where even the most prominent townsfolk have something to hide, including the honorable judge herself. Intent on protecting those who love her most, Deborah must balance her own concerns with her commitment to justice, and the knowledge that a vicious killer is still on the loose.
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My thoughts:
As developers reshape the area of Colleton County, NC, Judge Deborah Knott sees more and more cases in the courtroom caused by those changes. Housing developments coming in mean more people used to city living have to learn to accept and respect the farmlands that back the property in many of those neighborhoods. With so much going on it’s easy to sometimes miss what her family is up to, as is the case with her father, Kezzie Knott. Deborah has no idea what he’s gotten into this time, but whatever it is it can’t be good. Unless she can discover what it on her own she may never know, because he has no intention of talking.

When Candace Bradshaw is found dead, Deputy Dwight Bryant becomes involved with the case. Many of the townspeople are shocked, especially the deceased’s ex-husband. As a business owner and chair of the board of commissioners, power was what Candace was after and she had worked hard to get to where she was. Taking her own life just doesn’t add up. It’s not long before the Sheriff’s office is investigating a murder, rather than a suicide, that sends them on a hunt for a well-hidden item that could contain nearly all of the answers they’re looking for.

This is the fourteenth installment in the Deborah Knott Mysteries. Deborah is a judge who sees her town changing with little she can do to stop the process. Love and protection for her family comes first, and with a killer at large Deborah will do everything in her power to help her husband discover who may have had a secret dark enough for murder. Ms. Maron has built a strong world for her characters and she mixes in murder, mystery, and family values in a comfortable country setting. Death’s Half Acre will appeal to readers who enjoy a good mystery and love a small town atmosphere.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris

Dead Over Heels
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 5
Charlaine Harris
Berkley Prime Crime
August 5, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-425-22303-1

From the Publisher’s Site:
Part-time librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden never liked Detective Sergeant Jack Burns, but she also never wanted to see him dead—especially not dropped from a plane right into her own backyard. But when other strange things happen around her, ranging from peculiar (her irascible cat turns up wearing a pink ribbon) to violent (her assistant at the library is attacked) to potentially deadly (her former lover is stabbed), she must decipher the personal message in the madness before it's too late.

My Thoughts:
Aurora Teagarden-Bartell, Roe to her friends, set up a lounge chair to relax while her bodyguard finished mowing the backyard. Alerted by the buzz of the plane, Roe looked up just in time to launch herself and Angel out of the path of a falling man. It’s an incident that begins a string of death and mishaps all around them, and a mystery that Roe intends to solve.

Arthur Smith, Roe’s ex-husband, appears to be observing her with hungry eyes every opportunity he gets. Her co-worker has turned threatening because she feels that Roe is not doing her share of the work. Angel has just been given some shocking news from her doctor and her husband, Shelby, is less than understanding. As things heat up, Roe manages to track down leads, rule out suspects and discover the identity of the killer just in time to stop them from taking another life.

This is the fifth Aurora Teagarden Mystery, and was easy enough to follow without having read the previous installments. However, there may have been information in prior books that would help in solving the mystery in Dead Over Heels. Ms. Harris is a creative author who develops interesting characters and a story that will entertain. While this is a fun mystery, because Roe does get herself into some rather compromising situations, there seems to be so much going on outside of the actual mystery that it’s easy to get lost along the way. It may just be that this is a reprint from an earlier time in the author’s career, and I’m accustomed to her advanced skills. If you’re a fan of the series, then do check it out, but if you haven’t read the prior stories in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries then you may want to get a more detailed introduction of the characters by starting at the beginning.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews