Thursday, March 28, 2013

Anne Allen - Dangerous Waters is featured in HBS Mystery Reader's Circle

Anne Allen is in the HBS Mystery Book Reader's Circle.


Author Genre: Romance Mystery Author

Website: Anne Allen
Twitter: @AnneAllen21
E-Mail: me@anneallen.co.uk
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LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
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Author Description:
Anne was born in Rugby to a Welsh father and an English mother. As a result she spent many summers with her Welsh grandparents in Anglesey and learnt to love the sea. Now she is based in Devon to be near her daughter and 2 small grandchildren. Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves, the longest stay being in Guernsey for twelve years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns. Her younger son is based in London - ideal for City breaks. By profession Anne is a psychotherapist but had long had a desire to write and Dangerous Waters is her first novel.

Dangerous Waters

Mystery, loss and love on the island of Guernsey


Author: Anne Allen
Book Trailer: Dangerous Waters
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


'Oh my God, what's happening to me? After all this time, please, not again!' Jeanne Le Page, gripped by fear and panic, struggles to breathe as the ferry arrives in Guernsey, the island she had fled 15 years before, traumatised by a family tragedy.

Now she has to return after her grandmother's death. Jeanne has inherited her cottage and she plans to sell it before returning to the UK. Deeply unhappy after the recent end of a long-term relationship, she has no desire to pick up her old life on the island.

Suffering traumatic amnesia after being involved in the accident that killed her family, Jeanne has experienced nightmares for years.

The return to Guernsey triggers frightening flashbacks and Jeanne undergoes hypnosis to recover her memory, reliving the tragedy as the ghosts continue to haunt her.

But someone on the island does not want her to remember, and she faces danger from an unexpected source… A contemporary story of love and loss that will capture the reader's imagination, Dangerous Waters will appeal to fans of female fiction. Anne is inspired by a number of authors, including Robert?Goddard, Katie Fforde and Mary Higgins Clark. A comparison can be drawn to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.


'The island of Guernsey is so vividly evoked one feels as if one is walking its byways. An atmospheric and tantalising read as the vulnerable Jeanne uncovers the mystery of her family's long buried secrets.'
Elizabeth Bailey, author of The Gilded Shroud

A thoroughly enjoyable book that I couldn't put down.

Jeanne Le Page, arrives in Guernsey on a ferry and has a panic attack. She hasn't been back for fifteen years, since she was the only survivor of a boating accident which involved her parents. Her grandmother has also now died and she has returned to the island because she has inherited her cottage.

Jeanne has to make a decision as to whether she should sell the cottage, do it up and sell it, or do it up and live in it herself. It is the latter that she decides and as she has just come out of a relationship along with its associated memories, she makes new friends and meets up with old friends in her efforts to build a new life in the place that she grew up in.
Kim Nash's review


Excerpt:

Chapter 1
Jeanne went out on deck as the spring sun broke through the clouds. A warm glow spread over green and gold jewel-like Herm and its larger neighbour, grey and white building encrusted Guernsey.

The salt-laden air enveloped her like an old and trusty coat. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and was a child again, playing on the beach with her parents. The image was so powerful that tears formed and she blundered, unseeing, towards the railings.

As her vision cleared she found herself staring at Herm and, without warning, was overwhelmed by such a strong feeling of fear that she had to hold onto the rail. Jeanne’s heart began to race, blood pounded in her head and her breathing came in short, painful gasps. Oh my God, what’s happening to me? After all this time, please, not again! Struggling to breathe she was on the verge of passing out. Letting go of the rail she stumbled, crashing into a man who was walking past.

‘Hey, steady on! Look where you’re going!’ he said angrily, grabbing hold of her to stop them falling. ‘Overdid the duty frees, did you?’

Stung by his accusation, she took a deep breath before replying. ‘No . . .no. I. I just lost my balance.’
v The man’s hands were gripping her arms so hard that she could already imagine the bruises. ‘Hey, that hurts!’

He loosened his grip and guided her back to the rail where she clung on, filling her lungs with the sea air.

‘Sorry, didn’t mean to hurt you. OK now?’

Jeanne nodded. As the man stepped back she took in, through still blurred eyes; dark brown hair, deep blue eyes and the muscled arms of a man unlikely to be a pen-pusher. Responding to his slightly warmer tone, she managed a tight smile before straightening up and walking, unsteadily, to the starboard side.

What on earth was that? Is this what I can expect now? Perhaps I shouldn’t have come back though I didn’t have much choice . . . The thoughts whirled around her pounding head. She shuddered as she leant against the railings and Guernsey came into full view. While the ferry headed towards St Peter Port harbour, she felt as if she were approaching a strange, unknown country rather than the land of her birth. The whole of the northern sea front, from Les Banques into St Peter Port, had been transformed. Towering edifices of granite and glass had replaced the old, tired mish-mash of warehouses, scruffy hotels and shops. With a gasp, she realised that even the elegant landmark of the Royal Hotel had been supplanted.

Wow! What’s happened here? It was if a natural disaster had occurred, flattening the old front and replacing it by buildings more reminiscent of London than of the parochial island she remembered.

She’d never have thought that Guernsey would move into the twenty first century with such a bang.

The dramatic transformation which lay before her seemed to Jeanne to be an echo of all the change in her own life and she felt a stranger here. She wished that she had stayed in the familiar, dull Midlands town which had been her home these past fifteen years. For a moment the urge to remain on the ferry and return to England, without setting foot on the island, was overwhelming. Her face must have mirrored her inner turmoil as a middle-aged lady standing nearby asked, ‘Are you all right, dear? Only you’ve gone very white.’

‘I’m fine, thanks. Just not very good on boats.’

The older lady nodded sympathetically. ‘My Tom gets seasick too. Has to fill himself up with beer or the odd whisky or two before he’ll set foot on a boat. Just as well I can drive or we’d be marooned on the ferry till he’s sobered up!’ She laughed.

‘Aren’t these waters supposed to be dangerous?’

‘Yes, they can be, if you don’t know where all the rocks are,’ Jeanne replied. Yet again, her heart hammered against her chest and her breathing quickened. She fought down the feelings of panic to add, ‘but these big boats are perfectly safe,’ wondering who she was really trying to reassure.

Jeanne now joined the throng of eager passengers heading towards the car deck, found her car and sat there feeling sick and trapped in the echoing bowel of the ship. She would just do what had to be done here and then go back – but where? Her body arched with pain at the memory of her loss.

Going back would be as painful as going on, she realised. The sound of car horns blaring behind her brought her back to the present. She started the engine and joined the queue towards the gangway and whatever lay ahead.

Chapter 6
The next morning, burdened with an armful of flowers, Jeanne picked her way through the graves at St Saviours Church. It was completely still and peaceful. As the church was quite high up there were far-reaching views over the fields to the sea. Jeanne sighed as she trod carefully past ancient stones, thinking what an idyllic place to be buried, a true quintessence of ‘Rest In Peace’.

Some of the more recent graves displayed splashes of colour from newly-placed fresh flowers and others the dying sticks of blooms brought weeks or even months ago. Jeanne vowed that while she was on the island she would bring fresh flowers weekly. The sight of the dried-up, colourless skeletons was so depressing.

It took a while for her to find her parents’ grave with its beautifully polished black granite headstone standing proudly and protectively at the head. The grave had been unmarked when she had left the island in such a hurry fifteen years before. Reading the gold-lettered inscription brought tears to her eyes.

In Loving Memory

Of

Owen Le Page

1946-1990

A much loved Son and Father

And His Beloved Wife

Janet Le Page

1947 – 1990

A Much loved Mother

Died tragically together at sea

Forever in Our Hearts

God Bless

To see a complete Author Profile on the HBS Author's Spotlight, CLICK HERE.

Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight
plus the industry blog: eBook Author's Corner.
Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Claude Bouchard - Femme Fatale is featured in HBS Mystery Reader's Circle

Claude Bouchard is in the HBS Mystery Book Reader's Circle.


Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Website: Claude Bouchard Books - Crime Thrillers and other Stuff...
Twitter: @ceebee308
E-Mail: claude@claudebouchardbooks.com
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Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
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Author Description:

I was born in Montreal, Canada, where I still reside with my spouse, Joanne. I completed my studies in human resources, accounting and management at McGill University and worked in various management capacities in the fields of HR and finance for a handful of firms for what seemed like decades, because it was. I should also mention I love pizza, but who doesn't and, in my opinion, nothing rocks more than cooking on the grill.

My first stab at writing was in 1995, the result being my first novel, Vigilante. This was subsequently followed by The Consultant (1996) and Mind Games (1997), all of the same series. Professional obligations and other creative interests led me away from writing for a number of years but I found myself busy at the keyboard in 2009 with The Homeless Killer after having finally published my first three novels. I then followed up with 6 Hours 42 Minutes in 2011, also part of the Vigilante series born from Vigilante. In July 2011, I released ASYLUM, my first stand-alone novel and Discreet Activities, my sixth Vigilante crime thriller was published in January 2012. In October 2012, I penned and released Something’s Cooking, a faux-erotica parody and cookbook under the pseudonyms RĂ©al E. Hotte and Dasha Sugah. My eighth novel and seventh installment of the Vigilante series, Femme Fatale, has just been released. I think I'm really starting to like this writing thing.

Besides writing, editing and promoting my work, I also spend some artistic energy with my five guitars, oil paints and watercolours. Other passions include cooking (big time with fine wine to go with it, of course), reading, traveling and working out just enough to stay fit. It should also be noted that following several years of practice, I now excel at being cat furniture for Krystalle and Midnight, or so they tell me.

Femme Fatale

VIGILANTE Series


Author: Claude Bouchard

Amazon


Less than two years earlier, Leslie Robb, an accountant in her late twenties working for the Imperial National Bank, had seen her life-partner and co-worker, Gina, shot to death during a bank heist subsequently foiled in part by Chris Barry, millionaire and clandestine operative of the government's 'Discreet Activities'.

Taken as a hostage along with Chris by the remaining robbers onto a helicopter secretly piloted by two 'DA' operatives, including 'DA' head, Jonathan Addley, Leslie had played an integral role in helping bring the offenders down. As a result, thanks to her sang froid, sense of moral justice and martial arts affinities, Leslie left the world of finance to fight crime as a member of the 'DA' team.

Now, Leslie has a new partner in life, Dominique Petit, a Canadian/French dual citizen who suggests Leslie visit Paris with her while she is in the City of Lights on business. Less than twenty-four hours after Leslie arrives, Dominique and her sister, Corinne, disappear, turning Leslie's vacation into her own business trip of justice and revenge…


Beautiful Killer. Bouchard does it again.

Another phenomenal chapter in the VIGILANTE chronicle and another great journey into the cunning mind of Claude Bouchard. If you've read any of the other books in this great series then you need to read FEMME FATALE now! And if you haven't then you still need to read FEMME FATALE now!

As with all the books in the series, the strength lies in the characters Bouchard creates and the way they interact with each other, dancing together to weave a wondrous tale of espionage and death, this time in Paris.

Leslie Robb from Discreet Activities returns as a heroine searching for her partner… and maybe a little revenge along the way.

Great story from a great storyteller. Stop reading this and start reading FEMME FATALE now! By Luke Romyn

VIGILANTE Addiction!
Claude has done it again in this latest book in the Vigilante series. Once I opened the first chapter it was impossible to put it down until it was over.

Leslie Robb the heroine in this book has turned into one of my favorite characters and I truly hope to see more of her in the future. As with all of Claude's characters, she is someone you feel like you know personally. I am always amazed at the depth of personality he portrays with his characters.

Kudos Mr. Bouchard! Your quick wit and mesmerizing storytelling keep me coming back for more! By EdwinaP


Excerpt:

As Leslie looked back down at the dead guard, still crouched by his side, the door from the entrance foyer opened behind her. Turning her head, she saw the front guard standing there, staring at her without expression. A few seconds went by then he pushed the door closed with his foot and smiled at her as he pulled a switchblade from his pocket.

“You came to the wrong place to cause trouble, pretty lady,” he said taking a step towards her. Rising to her feet, Leslie took a couple of steps back and a switchblade suddenly appeared in her hand as well.

“Give it your best shot, you big ape,” she replied as they began circling each other, each looking for that opportunity which could lead to the other’s demise.

Chris, who still stood at the top of the landing and had yet to be noticed by the guard, was trying to determine something, anything he could do to assist Leslie in the deadly dance being performed below. He doubted he could make it down the stairs without getting the man’s attention then it suddenly dawned on him that getting the man’s attention was the best thing to do.

“I’m glad I’m not in your shoes, my friend,” he called down.

As expected and hoped, the man jerked his head to the right and up towards Chris.

The half second distraction was all Leslie needed who launched into a vicious reverse roundhouse kick, catching the man solidly in the throat.

Dropping his knife, the big Moroccan clutched at his neck as he tried to suck in precious air. Taking no chances, Leslie delivered a flying kick to the chest, knocking the man to the stone floor where Chris rolled him onto his stomach, binding his wrists and ankles with zip ties.

“You’ll live,” Chris told the man as he lay on the floor wheezing. “Now, how do I unlock that door?” In response, the guard attempted to spit at Chris, managing only to send himself into another choking fit. Chris kicked him in the thigh and said, “If you want to join your dead friend here, we can accommodate you. Now, what’s the magic numbers for that fancy keypad?”

“Three, six, nine, four,” the big Moroccan gasped.

“Same for the front door and gate?” asked Chris as Leslie tried the combination, confirming it was correct.

The man nodded in response, still wincing in pain.

“Thanks for your cooperation,” said Chris then reached into his pocket as his phone began to vibrate

Discreet Activities

VIGILANTE Series


Author: Claude Bouchard

Amazon


As a result of information gathered via electronic surveillance by intelligence agencies in the U.S. and Canada, a budding terrorist organization, the Army for Islam or AFI, is suspected of planning an attack, its target possibly NYC, Burlington, Vermont or even Canada's famed Montreal.

When four foreign students from Pakistan with known ties to the AFI's Montreal cell arrive in the area on New Year's Eve, Discreet Activities' head, Jonathan Addley, along with Chris Barry and other DA consultants are more than willing to take on the additional workload.

After two of the DA team members die violently in an AFI related suicide-bombing, the job becomes getting revenge on those responsible for this Holy War…


Excerpt:

“That was a fine meal,” Cat declared as she pushed away the empty dessert plate, “And now I’m stuffed.”

“You and me both,” Leslie replied. “I’m thinking a little walk along the beach wouldn’t do me any harm.”

“Sounds good to me,” Cat agreed as she signalled the waiter for the bill.

After signing for the meal and picking up a glass of port at the bar, they made their way across the vast terrace surrounding the pool and down the steps leading onto the beach. Though a few people could be seen strolling here and there, the area was mostly deserted as it was after ten in the evening. Moving on to the water’s edge to feel the gentle waves wash over their feet, they then headed northward at a leisurely pace, chatting along the way.

Several minutes into their walk, they came upon some rocky outcrops which reduced the beach to practically nothing though they could see that the expanse of sand extended for quite some distance beyond the natural barrier. As they got closer, they noted that the rocks could be circumvented with relative ease if they wished to pursue further.

“Do you want to go a little ways yet or head back?” asked Leslie as they reached the first rock formations.

“We haven’t been walking that long,” Cat replied. “We can go on for a bit.”

They moved forward, walking in the shallow water around one particularly large mass of stone. As they came around its edge and back onto the sand they found themselves face to face with two local men. Both of average build and height, dark-skinned and in their early twenties, they left the impression they had been waiting for the women to appear.

“Hello, pretty ladies,” one said with a flash of white teeth as both men stepped forward. “It is a lovely evening for a walk, yes?”

“Yes, it is,” Cat replied, she and Leslie standing their ground and watching for signs of possible aggression, “And that’s exactly what we’re going to keep on doing.”

Sensing movement behind them, Leslie turned to find a third man, of the same age bracket as the two others but stockier in build, standing there and smiling at her.

“Aw, come on,” the first man continued. “Why don’t you sit with us, have a drink, talk and have some fun.”

“We’re having fun as it is,” Cat coolly replied, “So just get out of our way and everything will be fine.”

“But you will have more fun if you party with us,” the man said, his smile less friendly.

“Actually, if you insist on partying with us,” Cat warned, “I can guarantee that we’ll have more fun but you certainly won’t. This is your last chance to get the hell away from us.”

“Do you think you can speak to me that way and get away with it?” the man snarled in sudden anger as he raised his hands towards Cat.

At the same moment, the heavier man grabbed hold of Leslie from behind which, of course, was not a wise move. Her port glass, now empty, was a stemmed flute which she smashed against the rock at her side. The flute now gone, what remained in her hand was the stem and base. Wrapping her fingers around the base with the underside flat in her palm, she swung her arm down and back, ramming the full length of the three inch jagged stem into her aggressor’s thigh.

Howling in pain, he released her, another mistake on his part. Spinning to face him, Leslie grabbed the back of the man’s neck with both hands and head-butted him, not once or twice, but three times in the face, crushing his nose and knocking him unconscious.

In the meantime, Cat had slapped her attacker’s arms open as he reached for her and followed up with a solid knee to the groin. Upon impact, the man had doubled over, only to meet Cat’s knee as it rose again, sending him tumbling backwards. As his accomplice lunged at her, Cat swung a hand at him, the hand which still firmly gripped her port glass by the stem, and caught him just below his right eye by his nose. The glass exploded on impact as the man shrieked and slapped his hands to his bloody face. This was just before Leslie leaped into the air, kicking his hand covered face and knocking him against the rock wall behind him where he slid to the ground in a whimpering daze.

“Well, that was fun,” said Leslie as they looked down at the three moaning, disabled men. “You’re okay?”

“Not really,” Cat grinned as she displayed a small scratch on her hand. “I cut myself. How about you?” “The big ape got blood on my top, ughh,” Leslie grimaced. “What do we do with these idiots?”

“They got here by themselves,” Cat scoffed. “I’m sure they can find their way back without our help.” “That’s not what I meant, silly,” Leslie laughed. “I meant, do we teach them a lesson and kill them?” “Hmmm…” Cat pondered. “Nah. Let’s go back to the hotel and have another port instead.”
To see a complete Author Profile on the HBS Author's Spotlight, CLICK HERE.

Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight
plus the industry blog: eBook Author's Corner.
Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Katherine Logan - The Ruby Brooch is featured in HBS Mystery Reader's Circle

Katherine Logan is in the HBS Mystery Book Reader's Circle.


Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers - Time Travel

Website: Katherine Lowry Logan
Author's Blog: Katherine Lowry Logan's Notes from Tabor Lane
Twitter: @KathyLLogan
E-Mail: Kathy.Logan@insightbb.com
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Author Description:
Katherine was born the second of five children to a Presbyterian Pastor and a stay-at-home mom. She came of age in Louisville, Kentucky, during the tumultuous 1960s. Sit-in's, bra burnings, the sexual revolution, pot, campus unrest, and the Vietnam War were brought vividly to life by Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News. While the rest of the world seemed to spin out of control, Katherine spun stories in her head.

College, marriage, and two daughters kept the muse simmering on the back burner. She worked as a real estate and tax paralegal in a law firm in central Kentucky, and was actively involved in the life of her community.

It wasn't until the nest was empty that she sat down to write full-time. Life, as it often does, brought tragedy and a screeching halt to her writing. Her husband, best friend, and lover died unexpectedly. Healing was a slow process, but two weddings and five grandchildren have a way of putting life into perspective. Following the birth of her second grandchild, she found her writer's voice again.

Katherine lives in Lexington, Kentucky and is blessed with a wonderful and supportive family and circle of friends. They have encouraged her and celebrated each and every step of her journey.

The Ruby Brooch

Author: Katherine Logan

Amazon
Barnes and Noble


And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~AnaĂ¯s Nin

Can a 21st century paramedic find her heart's desire on the other side of time?

From the white-plank fenced pastures of Lexington, Kentucky, to the beautiful Bay of San Francisco, The Ruby Brooch, a saga steeped in family tradition and mystery, follows a young woman's journey as she searches for the truth on the other side of the heather-scented mist.

As the lone survivor of a car crash that killed her parents, paramedic Kit MacKlenna makes a startling discovery that further alters her life. A faded letter and a well-worn journal reveal that she was abandoned as a baby and the only clues to her identity are a blood-splattered shawl, a locket that bears a portrait of a nineteenth-century man, and a Celtic brooch with mystical powers.

After studying the journal, she decides to continue her father's twenty-year search for her identity and solve her birth parents' murders. For safety reasons, she adopts the persona of the Widow MacKlenna. Although a perfect cover for her eccentric behavior, she will be forced to lie and MacKlennas don't lie, or so she thought. Finally, dressed and packed, she utters the incantation inscribed on the ancient stone and is swept back to Independence, Missouri, in the year 1852.

Upon arriving in the past, she meets Cullen Montgomery, an egotistical Scotsman with a penchant for seducing widows. The San Francisco-bound lawyer happens to resemble the ghost who has haunted Kit since childhood. She quickly finds the Bach-humming, Shakespeare-quoting man to be over-bearing and his intolerance for liars threatens her quest.

If she can survive his accusations and resist his tempting embrace for seventy-three days, she might be able to find the answers she seeks, and return home to a new life without changing history or leaving her heart on the other side of time.


Fantastic New Voice in the Romance Genre!

The Ruby Brooch is the first book in the Celtic Brooch Trilogy by Katherine Lowry Logan. When I was contacted by the author to read this book, I was instantly excited. It combines several of my favorite things; historical romance, time travel and a stubborn woman. I could not wait to read it. From modern day Kentucky to 1852 Independence, Missouri, this book brings you on a woman's journey through time that defies all the odds.

Kit, our main character is such a strong and determined woman, you can't help but love her as she tries to learn the truth about her parentage. Her loyalty and bravery are other traits that I really admired. She doesn't know how not to help people in need. I loved watching her story unfold. All the characters were vibrant and complex; no cardboard cut outs here. Cullen, Kit's love interest, is beyond swoon-worthy; he quotes Shakespeare, hums Bach and is overprotective in a non-control freak way. I adore him.

This was a fast read for me, probably because I couldn't put my kindle down. Instead I was carrying it from room to room so I could see what would happen next. It's fast paced, sweet and sad at times. I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster as I read. Laughing one moment and crying the next. It's an incredible story rich with detail. I could picture the wagon train in my mind so easily from the author's descriptions. The story is told from the third person perspective which I really love because you get to get inside all the characters' heads and see what makes them tick.

Amazing characters and great storytelling make this a real page turner. The Ruby Brooch is one of the best books I've read this year; it's a fantastically original and moving book that will make you believe in true love and soul mates.This book was breathtaking from beginning to end. A poignant tale of loss and love and hope. I cannot wait for the next installment! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good romance.
By Girls *Heart* Books

Wonderful Exciting Story of Love

Wow! What a book! I thought at the first it might be just a regular story, was I ever wrong. This story took off and didn't stop till the very last word. It is full of growing excitement, twist truns, surprises and full of romance and love. It will make you laugh, cry and tug at your heart. Great writing great read. I am looking forward to reading more of this authors books in the future.
By Shirl

Loved this book. Love historical, time travel novels and this is one of the best I've read. Being full of twists keeps it from being too predictable. As soon as I finished I looked to see if the others in the trilogy are out. Sad to say, not yet, but looking forward to them when they come out. Great read.
By Spider Witch


Excerpt:

From the twenty-first century white-plank fenced pastures of Lexington, Kentucky, to the nineteenth century Oregon Trail, Katherine Lowry Logan weaves a story rich in detail and mystery and takes us on one woman’s journey of recovery and discovery as she searches for her true identity.

A lone survivor of a drunk-driving crash that killed her parents and fiancĂ©, paramedic Kitherina MacKlenna makes a startling discovery that further alters her life. A faded letter reveals she was abandoned as a baby on the doorstep of MacKlenna Mansion’s east portico wrapped in a blood-splattered shawl, with a portrait miniature of a nineteenth-century man in one hand, and a Celtic brooch with mystical powers in the other.

Following leads in an Oregon Trail journal, she is swept back to 1852. The clock is ticking. She has only eight weeks to unravel the journal’s secrets, solve a murder, and uncover the truth about her birth.

Her quest is thwarted when she meets Cullen Montgomery, a Bach whistling, Shakespeare quoting San Francisco bound lawyer. He quickly sets his sights on seducing the eccentric ‘widow’ who stirs his passion and confounds his logic. If she gives in to the growing attraction between them, it will put his life in danger and threaten to destroy her only chance to discover who placed the brooch in her hand and sent her off through the amber light to a time not her own.

THE LAST MACKLENNA

Contemporary Romance


Author: Katherine Logan

Amazon


Work in Progress - Award winning previews

From the bluegrass pastures of Central Kentucky, to the glens of Callander, Scotland, to the vineyards in the Napa Valley, baby boomers Elliott McGregor Frasier and Meredith Montgomery find love and take risks in the last season of their lives.
To see a complete Author Profile on the HBS Author's Spotlight, CLICK HERE.

Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the HBS Author's Spotlight
plus the industry blog: eBook Author's Corner.
Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Amy Metz - Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction is featured in HBS Mystery Reader's Circle

Amy Metz is in the HBS Mystery Book Reader's Circle.


Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Humor, Romance

Website: Amy Metz, author
Author's Blog: A Blue Million Books
Twitter: @authoramymetz
E-Mail: amy@amymetz.com.
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest
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Author Description:
Amy Metz is the mother of two sons and is a former first grade teacher. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or spoiling her dog and two granddogs, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in her hands. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky.


Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction

Author: Amy Metz

Amazon
Barnes and Noble


An Old Mystery In 1932, John Hobb, father of four, is a witness to a bank robbery. He identifies the robbers and testifies against them. They are later pardoned by the governor. In 1935, Hobb is found in his idling car by the side of the road, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The circumstances surrounding his death are a mystery, and the killer is unknown. In 2010, John Hobb's murder is still unsolved when Tess Tremaine moves into his former house. She finds a job at the local bookstore, which is owned by Lou Stafford, the youngest daughter of John Hobb. During renovations to the old house, Tess finds a mysterious old key, labeled "trunk." Mayhem ensues when she attempts to find the owner of the key: Her house is broken into twice, but nothing is taken; she finds cigarette butts and footprints outside a bedroom window; she gets threatening phone calls and ominous messages in the mail; she and a friend are attacked on the street. All of this has the opposite reaction than was intended--it doesn't scare her away, it strengthens her resolve to find John Hobb's murderer.


"Very rarely do you find an author who can respectively capture the essence of the south and that quaint southern charm, but Amy Metz has done just that. Jennifer of Southern Belle"This book is pure southern charm and had me longing for a glass of sweet tea and the friendship of these wonderful characters. So excited this is the first in a series...just fantastic!"
Melissa Lapierre, Mochas, Mysteries and More

"Well, gracious me! This book made my week! Excellent plot. This is a murder mystery (with romance and humor) I wouldn't mind reading over and over again. It's that good!"
Ara of My Book And My Coffee

The author has created a cast of characters that are quirky and lovable, their southern charm, crazy antics and hysterical dialogue will keep you in stitches.
Kathleen of Jersey Girls Book Reviews

"What a treasure...Enticed by a mystery, riveted to the swoon-worthy romance, and tickled by the 'countrified' life, I was thoroughly entertained on all levels."
--Carmen Pacheco, The Reading Café


Excerpt:

If brains were dynamite, Willy couldn’t blow his nose. Could a murderer be that stupid? Jack can charm the dew right off the honeysuckle. Could a murderer be a fine southern gentleman? Told with southern humor, Murder And Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction is a murder mystery that will keep you guessing and laughing until the very end.

Starting a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, Tess Tremaine tries to learn the foreign language of southern speak and to resist her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, while dealing with the strange things that happen to her when she begins looking into a seventy-five-year-old murder. A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy are the background of the mystery which Tess and Jack attempt to solve. As Tess gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, and a lot of southern charm. Her quest to find answers brings her friends, enemies, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.

Combining mystery, a little romance, and a lot of southern humor, Murder And Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction is the first in a series set in the zany fictional town of Goose Pimple Junction
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