Happy Tuesday! Once again, I have two books to share today. One held me riveted the other was…eh.

I have mixed emotions about the second book because it had plenty of good points. I’ll let you judge from today’s reviews. I will mention that Natalie Barelli is an author I discovered last year, and she immediately went on my auto buy list. I’ve scooped up several of her back issues as well. If you enjoy psychological suspense, she always delivers a good tale. Sometimes the circumstances require a suspension of belief, but for sheer entertainment value, they always deliver.

BLURB:
She’s a liar. She’s a stalker. She’s in your house.

When Claire sees Hannah Wilson at an exclusive Manhattan hair salon, it’s like a knife slicing through barely healed scars. It may have been ten years since Claire last saw Hannah, but she has thought of her every day, and not in a good way. So Claire does what anyone would do in her position—she stalks her.

Hannah is now Mrs. Carter, living the charmed life that should have been Claire’s. It’s the life Claire used to have, before Hannah came along and took it all away from her.

Back then, Claire was a happy teenager with porcelain skin and long, wavy blond hair. Now she’s an overweight, lazy drunk with hair the color of compost and skin to match. Which is why when Hannah advertises for a housekeeper, Claire is confident she can apply and not be recognized. And since she has time on her hands, revenge on her mind, and a talent for acting…

Because what better way to seek retribution—and redress—than from within the beautiful Mrs. Hannah Carter’s own home?

Except that it’s not just Claire who has secrets. Everyone in that house seems to have something to hide.

And now, there’s no way out.

MY REVIEW:
This is a quick read and an easy one, but highly entertaining. Despite how messed up the main character is, you get sucked into her life. Claire had it all when she was young. A happy home life, rich parents, tennis lessons, pony rides. Then Hannah waltzed into her world as a nanny for her younger brother and her life took a nosedive. I’d say more about why, but that’s part of the story, and I don’t want to spoil anything.

Fast forward ten years and Hannah is now married to a wealthy doctor, living the high life in a beautiful house. She’s in need of a housekeeper who will also help care for her infant daughter from time to time. Through a series of pretty “out there” circumstances, Claire changes her appearance, assumes another identity, and lands the job. She’s there to upend Hannah’s life and exact revenge.

This is a juicy read which alternates for the reader between disliking Claire and cheering for her. Written in first person POV, there is plenty of snarky asides sprinkled throughout, as well as a steady build of suspense and tension. There aren’t many characters to keep track of, but all play an integral part in the story, and the ending is well worth the ride. This is my second book by Natalie Barelli, but I like her work so much, I’ve already picked up another two for my Kindle.

5 STARS

BLURB:
Ten years ago, Hannah’s husband was knifed in their bed. Hannah was questioned but was unable to recall anything about the night of Graham’s death. Someone else was charged with his murder and sentenced to life in prison. Now, ten years later, Hannah is living with her boyfriend, Dan, and her teenage daughter, Evie. A true crime podcast with a reputation for overturning wrongful convictions begins to pick Hannah’s story apart, determined to get to the bottom of what really happened ten years ago.

MY REVIEW:
Talk about a compelling plot! The premise of this book immediately intrigued me. Hannah’s life begins to unravel when she’s judged in the court of public opinion, one sensationalized podcast episode at a time. This is a slow-burn suspense read with several elements that play exceptionally well, including Hannah’s spotty memory. Did she or didn’t she? Even she doesn’t know if she’s a killer. That keeps the reader wondering, too—right up until the end.

Another thread involves the ruins of a Gothic insane asylum where Hannah’s grandmother was incarcerated for killing her husband and daughter. Hannah is drawn there when she learns someone is interested in renovating the property. The scenes in the shell of the old building are some of my favorite, played heavily for atmosphere.

There are numerous snaking plot lines that weave together at the end. Kudos to the author for juggling so many intricate puzzle pieces. I thought the ending was brilliant.

What I didn’t like, and found implausible, is that Hannah—a professional psychiatrist—would be such a doormat for her husband and her ex-boss. Her behavior, especially in the past, didn’t ring true. Though most of the book takes place in the present, there are numerous scenes where the reader is treated to Hannah’s married life with Graham. The more I was exposed to her past, the more annoyed I became. In the present, some of the actions of the police left me scratching my head. I had some other issues as well, but it’s hard to say more without giving away spoilers.

The overall tone of the book is dark. I honestly found it depressing. This is one novel that will come down to a matter of personal taste. If you like dark, twisty reads, this is well-written and well-plotted though it does moves slowly. For me, it didn’t quite work.

3 STARS

I can’t believe it’s the last Tuesday of April already, and somehow I’m still not caught up on sharing my book reviews. I’d love to hear your thoughts on The House Keeper and Possession. Intrigued or pass? As always, happy reading!

Hi, friends. Just peeking in to drop a quick note asking that you pardon my absence these last few days. I had a chance to grab several unexpected vacation days and jumped on the opportunity. I’ve been off work for most of the past week. As I already had guests scheduled, I’ve made an effort to keep up with those posts but have been lax in my visits. I should be back to normal by Monday, but in the meantime am still enjoying lazy fall days and plenty of shopping (my favorite sport). Looking forward to catching up with all of you soon!

My guest today has a lot of pluses in her corner—she’s a good friend, a Story Empire colleague, a gifted writer, and has been blessed with a wonderful sense of humor. She’s also a fabulous supporter of others. I have gobbled up everything she’s written, including her first two Emissary novels—and this one! You can find my 5 STAR REVIEW HERE. I thoroughly love these characters! You’ll find out why soon enough as you read the blurb and excerpt she’s sharing. Take it away, Marcia!

Thanks so much for having me here today, Mae. It’s a great pleasure to be sharing the news of my latest release, The Emissary 3: Love Hurts, with you and your followers. I hope you’ll all enjoy this excerpt from Chapter 2. Dodger is battling a panic attack as he tries to get ready to visit the library where he’s just discovered the girl of his dreams works. I think it’s a pretty good example of the unofficial father/son relationship between Jake and Dodger, the bedrock of this series.

But first, let’s start with the blurb, so those unfamiliar with the novellas can get an idea of what’s going on overall.

Blurb

The archangel created his emissaries to help mortals avoid choices that would doom them for eternity. He hadn’t planned on the youngest member of his team falling in love with one.

~~~

Azrael’s emissarial program was growing daily, but it still met with stubborn opposition from many on the Council of Angels. Dodger’s request to be allowed to experience what falling in love was all about didn’t help matters, but Azrael thought the boy was onto something. He agreed emissaries who’d shared a loving relationship during their mortal lives would have a deeper understanding of human emotions and motivations, thus enhancing the skills they needed to do their jobs.

With that in mind, Azrael gave Dodger one chance to search for true love. He then laid down a daunting set of stringent rules and guidelines that could not be broken under any circumstances lest dire happenings occur. But while the angel sincerely hoped Dodger would find a way to make this endeavor work, he feared an avalanche of unintended consequences could be in store for his youngest emissary.

Sometimes even angels hate to be right.

~~~

Will Azrael ever tire of popping up behind Jake just to see his first emissary fall out of his chair in shock? Will sharp-eyed motel owners ever notice a big red and white semi mysteriously appearing and disappearing from their parking lots overnight? And will Dodger be able to track down the mystery girl who caught his eye two weeks earlier to see if she’s really The One?

To find the answers to these and other angelic or emissarial questions, come along on one last adventure with Jake, Dodger, and that ginormous, glowy-eyed archangel, Azrael. They’re waiting for you!

Excerpt

In the Somewhat Cool Trailer of Their Big Semi,
Gulping Down Coffee While Talking Over His Shoulder
And Hunting Everywhere for His Cleanest Pair of Jeans.

“WHERE THE HELL are the good ones? I only wore them to dinner the other night. They shouldn’t be in the laundry yet. And have you seen my belt? Or my other sneakers?”

Jake studied Dodger’s frustrated grumbling and frenzied search. “I don’t suppose it’s me you’re trying to impress, is it? Or maybe you think Azrael will be dropping in today?”

The boy didn’t answer, but an embarrassed flush spread across his cheeks.

“Okay, kid. If it isn’t either of those, I’m going to take a wild stab and say you’ve finally worked up the nerve to stop by the library.”

Shoulders slumped, Dodger glanced back at Jake, his eyes filled with panic. “That was my plan. Of course, it was my plan yesterday, too. And the day before.”

“So, what happened then?”

“Same thing that’s happening now. I start thinkin’ about all the ways I could screw this up, and I chicken out and put it off to go lookin’ for folks you and I can help, as usual.”

“But today, you’re not going to give in to the temptation to overthink this, right? You’re just going to jump in feet first like you always do with everything else and figure it out on the go.”

No answer.

“Dodge? Please tell me you’re going to quit driving yourself insane with needless worry and go talk to the girl. You don’t have to do more than that, you know. Just stop by to say hi and see how it goes.”

Still no answer.

“Look, kid. I understand how you feel. I do. Trying to have those first conversations with someone you really want to get to know is one of the hardest things in life, even without all the complications Azrael added into the mix. But I think you’ve put your own roadblocks in the way now, by inventing things to worry about that probably won’t happen at all. It’s time for you to trust your instincts and go for it.

“You don’t have to settle every rule and regulation and goal for this relationship right off the bat. All you have to do is drop in for a quick visit. I have a feeling she’ll be happy to see you. Everybody likes to know others enjoy chatting with them, right?”

With a shaky sigh, Dodger plopped down on his bunk. “I know, I know. But I can’t help it. When I think about her, nothin’ works right. My heart beats too fast and my mouth gets dry and my knees shake. I can’t mess this up! I just can’t.”

“Oh, ye of little faith. In all the things Azrael said, did he once mention you’d screw up this possible relationship due to being too scared to carry on a normal conversation?”

“No, but—”

“No buts about it. It sounded to me like our angel wasn’t worried about how things would start out. His concern was directed at how it might end up, and the potential for future scenarios you wouldn’t like. I didn’t pick up on a single thing about you messing up right off the bat. Only that finding a way for it to turn into more would likely be pretty tricky.”

Jake rose, stepped to the little bookcase they used for storage, then grabbed a pair of jeans from the top shelf. “Here.” He tossed the jeans at the boy. “Are these the ones you were digging all over creation for?”

As Dodger caught the jeans, his embarrassed smile morphed into a sheepish grin. “Yeah. I guess I wasn’t lookin’ very hard.”

“Fear makes us blind, Dodge, and not always just about the big things. Get dressed so we can grab a quick breakfast. You’ve got a library to check out.”

~~~

Buy The Emissary 3: Love Hurts HERE

Bio

Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years and four big, spoiled cats.

When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she’s good with that.

Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish her first book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?

CONTACT MARCIA HERE:
marciameara16@gmail.com | The Write Stuff | Pinterest | Twitter: @marciameara

Find Marcia’s Books Here: MARCIA’S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Happy Tuesday! I only have one book review to share this week, but it’s a charmer, and part of a cozy mystery series I love. It was so good to catch up with some of my favorite characters in The Body From the Past.

The Body From the Past
by Judi Lynn

The latest Jazzi Zanders mystery delivers in a big way. I have enjoyed all of the books in this series to date, but this is my favorite. Jazzi, her hunky husband Ansel, and her cousin Jerrod are in the process of flipping a new house when they discover a young woman who lived there in the past was murdered.

Jessica Hodgekill had everything going for her when someone pushed her from a second-floor balcony the night of her high school graduation party. The suspects are plenty and range from rivals to a busybody neighbor, and even family members. As Jazzi digs for an answer, rattling skeletons that shouldn’t be rattled, new murders occur in the present and the roster of suspects mounts.

I really enjoyed the multiple angles in this story that included glimpses into Jessica’s past and even journal entries she’d left behind. The mystery builds slowly with each suspect rising to the surface as individual motives are revealed. The author does an excellent job in painting several characters as having plenty of reasons to plot murder. Set against the backdrop of October, the story also offers a nice balance with Jazzi’s homelife as she and Ansel prepare for a Halloween bash. There is plenty of warmth with familiar secondary characters who have become like friends and neighbors throughout the series. Even Jazzi and Ansel’s pets—pug George and cats, Inky and Marmalade—get moments to shine in multiple scenes.

The plot threads are tightly woven for a satisfying ending when all the pieces fall into place. Judi Lynn knows how to deftly juggle numerous characters within an engaging story, while continuing her characters across a series that leaves the reader eagerly looking forward to the next mystery. 5 Stars!

AMAZON LINK
Genre: Cozy Mystery > Amateur Sleuth Mysteries

And there you have my latest read. As we head into October, The Body From the Past with its Halloween theme and long unsolved murder mystery makes for perfect reading during jack-o-lantern season. I give it 5 Plump Pumpkins! 🙂

I had some free writing time this weekend, and although I tinkered with my WIP,  I also found time to participate in Suzanne Burke’s latest flash fiction challenge. If you’d like to play, you can find all the details HERE.

This week’s photo prompt:

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

Shattered Dreams

“It’s iconic, you know that, right?” Terrence pointed to the photo behind his desk.

“You have to ask?” Marco smirked, rolling a toothpick in his mouth. “Who doesn’t know the Hollywood sign?”

The town inspired dreams, fantasies and stardom. Sometimes, it inspired hate.

Terrence studied his fingernails. “How much?”

“Depends.” The toothpick tasted woody. Marco flicked it aside. “Do you want it flattened or—”

“Obliterated.” Terrence circled his desk. Stood gazing at the framed photo on the wall, hands clasped behind his back. “I was thirteen when this was taken. Family vacation. That’s me and Russ in front of the sign. He was ten… grew stars in his head that same night. Said he was going to be a big name when he was older.”

“Sorry it didn’t work out.” An outright lie. Marco didn’t give a rat’s ass, but he’d learned it helped to project a measure of sympathy until the payout was in hand.

“I’ve dumped every dollar I have into supporting my brother. I’m out of cash, and patience. The idiot thinks he has a shot at the lead in the Merchant Mercury franchise.”

Marco snorted. This was too rich to pass up. “Your brother’s claim to fame is a shaving cream commercial. Merchant Mercury is supposed to be the next Star Wars.”

“You see what I’m up against.” Terrance grimaced. “I want you to take down that damn sign, so he realizes the whole thing is a pipe dream. He needs to man up, start earning a living. Forget this ‘acting is my destiny’ crap. The guy’s a loser. It’s time he faced the facts.”

“Consider it done.” Marco had already stockpiled the explosives. “You know where to send the money.”

++++

Terrence scrubbed his face, suppressing a yawn. He folded into the couch, coffee in hand, then snatched the TV remote. Every channel had the same news—someone had blown up the Hollywood sign sometime after 3:00 AM. Videos and images showed police swarming the scene. What remained of the iconic sign was strewn in chunks and splinters over the hillside. Helicopters pinwheeled overhead and reporters angled for face time. Talking heads popped up in a mosaic of windows on his screen, one after another.

“Hell, yes!” He pumped a fist in the air. Marco had blasted that wretched sign into fragments and—if Terrance had calculated properly—Russ’s dreams right along with it. When his phone rang, he juddered to his feet, snatching it from the end table. “Yeah?”

“Hey, Terrance, how are you, big brother?” Strange that Russ sounded energized. He should be crestfallen after seeing his altar blown to smithereens.

“I, um…” Terrence knew he should feign horror or sorrow. Maybe outrage. Outrage was always good.

“I’m so freaking stoked I don’t even know what day it is.” Russ didn’t give him the time to decide.

“Where are you?”

“My pathetic shoebox of an apartment, but not for long.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I hit the big time.”

Terrence muted the TV remote. “You’re not making sense.”

“Probably because I kicked a bottle of champagne in under fifteen minutes.”

A queer sense of foreboding spread in Terence’s gut. “You’re celebrating?”

“Sure am. I landed the lead in Merchant Mercury.” Russ’s voice climbed an octave. “Just got the call. Can you shittin’ believe it? The studio head is already saying I’m going to be the next Harrison Ford. First thing tomorrow, I’m hiking to the Hollywood sign to have my picture taken.”

Terrence’s knees buckled. He sank onto the couch, eyes glued to the emergency personnel on the screen. What the hell had he done?

“I’d love it if you could be with me big brother. You always believed in me. Never gave up on my dreams.”

Terrance dropped the phone, cradled his face in his hands. He’d spent every dime he had paying Marco’s price, figuring Russ would crawl home when broken. They’d start over, go into business together. But all of that had changed. His bank account read zero and his younger brother was destined for stardom. Who was the loser now?

He clawed the phone to his ear. “Russ…” His voice broke. “I, uh… I hate to ask, but I’m out of cash.”

“Seriously? How?”

“I did something stupid.” He swallowed bitter tears. “I shattered my dream.”

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed my take on the photo prompt, and—as always—I wish you happy writing wherever your muse may take you!