Book Review: Silent All These Years by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Silent All These Years by Skyla Dawn Cameron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This mystery series is an addiction for me. I can't get enough of it and love making notes to see what I can learn of who The Crossroads Butcher is along with what happened to Sebastian.

It has my strategizing mind working overtime to place the pieces in place and come up with the answer. This book unearths many new pieces to what happened to Detective Sebastian Kyle. And even new clues to Meadow's murder and The Crossroads Butcher.

It's the 12th anniversary of Meadow's murder and the town is attracting people who are here to do podcasts and try to solve the mystery. It's a rough time to be a Milton in town. With having a little opening in her schedule, Waverly thinks it's time to take on Sebastian's case.

Part of Sebastian's case is going to his home town and working to get to know Sebastian before he followed The Crossroads Butcher to Port Milton, and the cases and people he worked with during the case. This finds Sebastian here doing research and Waverly doing her thing with annoying people and picking to get pieces to place.

Waverly does solve a few things that were kept under wraps from others with those she speaks to. Maybe upsetting a few people along the way, which means she's doing her job and being herself. There's new pieces to our puzzle as well.

I love that I have the Murder Journal that is Waverly themed to write my thoughts, notes, and ideas in as I follow along in this series.

If you love a book and series that will keep you mind twisting and turning to solve it, this series is the one for you.

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Audio Book Review: Trouble Wore Red by Chris Lewis

Trouble Wore Red by Chris Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

PI's know not to get attached or emotionally involved with a case. But... What if you take a case for an old flame. Things could get a little confusing and distorted in what you interpret.

This book has an old style mystery feel with a new age twist to it with a science fiction setting.

Rocky is on his home station closing up a case. And chatting with friends he's kept contact with. Then Penny walks in. There's lots of history with Penny. With them all, really. But the feelings are there and Rocky wants to help Penny, even knowing it's against his best interest.

I like how we follow along with Rocky as he investigates. We get the tips with him and can start to connect the dots as we collect more information. We also see the personal affect the case is having on Rocky and his trusted colleagues, and friends, along with his friends from the past.

I had a feel of friendships and returning home to get to spend time with and know old friends again. It's hard returning to where you grew up after decades. There was a log that happened here and we get to learn of the past as we go through the story too. Rocky has lots to work through from the past to see if Penny and others are who he thinks they are. Or have they changed that much over the years?

One more thing I enjoyed with this book... The main character is older. Rocky's 47 and dealing with aging and a body that he's abused over the years. (Yeah, I feel your pain Rocky. lol)

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Book Review: Alone at Night by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Alone at Night by Skyla Dawn Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't know how Skyla does it, but I'm hooked and sunk into this series for the long haul.

I'm loving the mysteries we get. Sure, there's a mystery to solve but we also get so much more of the world and other characters are we go. We are emersed in the town, characters lives, and so much more that we feel like we're there and seeing them. So much so that I want to Google the Crossroads Butcher to see if I can get info on the deaths and more. lol.

Waverly, who's our main character and we see event and people through her eyes, is my kind of character. She's flawed. She's got hang-ups that people don't like. She knows this and accepts this about herself. She has socializing struggles, and knows others see her as strange. But, once again, she knows herself and comfortable in her skin along with using her flaws to get the job done.

This book is us following the loss of a daughter at the mothers request. Her daughter struggled with depression and suicide was her escape. But the mother wanted to know about her daughter as she'd pulled away in the last year and the mom just wanted to know her, feel a little closer to her. Thinking there's not much of a case, Waverly tells the mom this but is urged to look.

As Waverly looks, more things come to light than anyone would have guessed. Oh boy is there. And Waverly becomes a target too.

Waverly gets roped into babysitting her little brother, which is a hoot. That boy learns a few things from Waverly. lol. And maybe has a few scares. But it's a great bonding time for her and Monty.

This book feels to start a little slower on the mystery side, however I was flipping pages to get more with Waverly. We get a deeper view of Waverly with Sebastian and her thinking with the business. There's a new idea here, and we get to see her with her moms.

I'm completely invested in this series. Waverly is growing as a person and slowly she's picking up new pieces for her sisters case and learning new things along the way that come in handy along with a new angle to look at things with her sisters case.

I'm so looking forward to the next book, releasing SOON when I do this review.

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Audio Book Review: Crossing Danger by Colleen Helme

Crossing Danger by Colleen Helme
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ai, Shelby. Just when you think she's faced death and out of harms way, another case takes a terrible turn!

Working her own case of her friend Niece gone missing, a cold case for Detective Harris (aka Dimples), helping Billie after a burglary gone wrong, and Uncle Joey with a past "friend" that's in town. Shelby finds her way into trouble in all cases!

Shelby wants to help everyone in such a great way. She knows she can get information, even in the most dangerous moments, from people on how things happened or why. She's great at getting people to think about what she wants to learn and piecing everything together.

I will say, I was worried about Shelby a number of times in this book. Not only for her own safety, but that she's walking a line with the questions and how she talks after getting the answers from their thoughts. I'm worried more people are going to pick up on what and how she's doing it.

I love Shelby's personality and how she unwinds to help her nerves. And she's really come to love Ramos's motorcycle. lol. This is too funny. Wait until you see her get caught ogling over the motorcycle. lol.

Shelby has made some strong bonds with the police, Uncle Joey, and others that I'm looking forward to all the cases she works on in the future.

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Audio Book Review: Deep In Death by Colleen Helme

Deep In Death by Colleen Helme
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Shelby's view on things. She tries her best to stay positive and keeps going, even when she's scared. She's determined to protect her family and friends and help them too.

This book sees Shelby take on her own case as a Private Investigator that takes an unexpected, yet dangerous, turn for her. She finds she is in trouble without working with Uncle Joey and Ramos. But who can she turn to, to help her get through this? Dimples? Ramos? A new friend?

We do see Shelby get brought in on a case with the police and quickly solves it. Good to show that cop that's not a fan of hers. I want to give him the raspberries. lol. Shelby is amazing and great at asking the right questions to get information. I know people think that the cops asked that already, but it gets them thinking in the direction she needs them thinking in to hear what happened.

And her case with Uncle Joey! Oh boy. That one is a bit of a tug on the heart strings. Really! I feel for everyone. And that Uncle Joey does...kind of... try to keep her out of this case. Crazy how we have grown so close to the mob boss and his hit man and the family. I like to think Shelby is making them a little more honest deep down... until we see other things come about.

And seriously. How can Shelby have such amazing men? Her husband, Chris. He's a dream. And then there's the bad boy, Ramos. There's nothing there with Ramos, but dang if we don't all want there to be. lol.

I love this series and will be on to many of the books in this series. :)

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Audiobook Review: Secrets That Kill by Colleen Helme

Secrets That Kill by Colleen Helme
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I so love this series for several reasons... they are fun. Shelby. Ramos. And the adventure. The mysteries and events can be dangerous, but Shelby's personality is light and fun. These are so well written too!

I love listening to Wendy Tremont King narrate Shelby. She's TOTALLY Shelby for me! She steps right into Shelby's role and character when she creates these books. An amazing fourth dynamic to the books.

I love Shelby's outlook on things and life. Even when she's being followed by men with guns, she's got a great view that makes me smile. Working with "Uncle Joey" usually leads to trouble for Shelby, who has a soft heart for all. Even with a task as simple as delivering a letter...it goes wrong for poor Shelby. lol.

I love how the story comes together and the light view always makes it fun.

And then there's Ramos! Sometimes I think Ramos keeps his thoughts positive for Shelby. Does he really know what he says? Or does he have things covered like he leads on? He really is great at comforting Shelby when she's ready to panic. I love that we learn more of Ramos's past in this book too.

Such a great series to be hooked on.

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Book Review: The Last Track

The Last Track

By:  Sam Hilliard

Publisher:  Buddhapuss Ink LLC

Publish Date:  February 2010

Genre:  Mystery/Thriller

Format:  Paperback, 272 pages

Series:  Book 1 of A Mike Brody Novel

Recommendation:  If you are a mystery reader this is a mystery read with a few twists while searching for a lost child.


Book Synopsis:
Mike Brody - The man you want, when the one you love is missing.

More than just a master tracker, Mike is a former Special Forces operative, smoke jumper, and now extreme adventure tour guide who can tap into the memory and emotional state of those he pursues.

In The Last Track, Mike is recruited to find an asthmatic boy lost in the dense woods surrounding a dude ranch in Montana.  An unwitting murder witness, the boy burrows ever deeper into the rugged terrain, fearful of being found by the killer.

While Mike tracks the boy, his ex-wife, a journalist, uses her contacts to unravel the truth behind the murder.  Her discoveries threaten to snare them all in a treacherous conspiracy...

First Sentence:
Sean Jackson counted to four and exhaled.

My Review and Summary:
Mike is on a vacation at a modern-day dude ranch with his ex-wife and eight year old son, as promised some time ago (before divorce) - the family vacation.  When they arrive at the ranch something is going on, with all the red and blue flashing lights around.  Detective Lisbeth MaCarthy recognizes Mike and tells him she would like to talk to him after he has checked in.  Mike has a record of being able to find lost people.  His special ability is what makes him an amazing tracker for lost loved ones.  And there is a boy missing from the ranch, now lost in the woods.  Mike who can't pass on helping lost people agrees to track the boy, even at the disappointment and hurt of his own family.

I found myself liking this read.  I don't normally go out of my reading genre very often as I am afraid I will not like the books.  This book was a good mystery read for me.  It did take me about eighty pages to figure out what had happened and what was going on, but once on the right track liked the read.  I found myself liking the characters and even when questioning the characters as to why they acted the way they did, I thought at the same time - I could see people actually saying these things to their family members or each other.

The book did have a few twists in it I was not expecting, in the end of the book when the truth played out.  But, through the mystery and the hints dropped I found I figured out most of the mystery.  What helps give you all the clues is the story telling is from different view points.  You get a section of the read from the lost boy, from Mike, from Jessica (Mike's ex-wife), and even from the killer.

I did find at times the story started to drag for me.  In this meaning, I remember one part where we are being explained the way Homeland Security has surveillance on all the computers phones and knows everything everyone is doing at all times, yet there is one computer that does not have the surveillance on it.  I started to stray with all the details of the surveillance in Homeland Security.  I understand the author is sharing the details to let us know the setup and how that person had to do things to get around being seen, but I just started to lose interest with all the details.  There were just a few areas with the same issue for me.

But, over all I enjoyed the read and had to see what the author had in store for me in the end.  After I read the ending and who was who I thought back to all the clues that where dropped through the book, yes the clues where all there for me.


I received this book as a winning from Good Reads.

Book Review: Partners in Crime

Partners in Crime

By:  Agatha Christie

Publisher:  Signet Mysteries, Penguin Books

Publish Date:  November 2000

Genre:  Mystery

Format:  Paperback, 217 pgs - Pocket size

Series:  I am not sure if it is considered a series, but part of Featuring Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.

Recommendation:  If you are a mystery lover, they you probably already love Agatha Christie.  If not this is for straight mystery for people.

Book Synopsis:
Who is the beautiful actress whose trail leads to a perfectly staged murder?  What are a mother and daughter to do when a haunted house becomes their deadly inheritance?  Where better than a costume ball to conceal the identity of a masked killer?  A variety of uncanny crimes calls for a variety of resolve.  In this "hilarious burlesque of detective fiction" (New York Times), two of Agatha Christie's most adventurous sleuths, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, adopt the methods and manners of every major literary detective from Hercule Poirot to Sherlock Homes to piece together an increasingly complex series of delightfully different - and deadly - misdeeds.

First Sentence:
Mrs. Thomas Beresford shifted her position on the divan and looked gloomily out of the window of the flat.

My Review and Summary:
I am sure many of you are wondering what this book is doing here.  Well, I read it with the TuesBookTalk on twitter.  (You are welcome to join us for our next book discussion if you would like!)  I stick pretty much to fantasy and paranormal reads, so thought I would expand my horizons - or something like that - and give different genre a quick try.  Doing discussions with others is what helps keep me into reading the books.

This book is a collection of short mysteries in which Tommy and Tuppence work their way through posing as detectives owning their own agency, as asked by Scotland Yard, to catch a mean suspect.  Tommy and Tuppence are wonderful characters.  They have great humor and love to pick on each other.  I really enjoyed the teasing of each other.  And this lovely couple act out different detectives for each case, based on what they know of the case.  You really get a small glimps of how they see other detectives in the books.