I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
Success has come quickly to Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. The New York City agency led by three detectives—Brendan Holmes, “the brain,” Margaret Marple, “the eyes,” and Auguste Poe, the “muscle”—with famous names and mysterious pasts is one major case away from cementing its professional reputation.
But as a series of child abductions tests the PIs’ legendary skills, the cerebral Holmes’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the agency roster.
Only by closing ranks and solving the mystery within can they recover all that’s been lost.
My Thoughts
The private investigative team of Marple, Poe and Holmes takes on a really tough case involving stolen newborns. Their investigation is turned on its head when Brendan Holmes decides that he doesn’t want to be part of the group anymore. Suffering from the lingering effects of addiction, Holmes isn’t sure what he wants to do, but he knows that he doesn’t want to continue to work in the partnership. Marple and Poe convince him to help them with the case of the kidnapped infants and thus the non-stop action begins. Encompassing several U.S. states and two continents, this book is a high-octane thrill ride, with false clues and multiple suspects along with a police detective who is less than cooperative with their investigation. I really enjoyed the way the trio figured out what was really happening and followed their instincts to try to save the babies’ lives as well as solve a second mystery involving a serial killer. There was a lot going on in this book, at a fast pace and with the author’s signature style of short, packed with action chapters. I felt as though I got to know Marple, Holmes and Poe more personally in this book because their flaws were evident as well as their many strengths. They also showed how much they cared about each other and that solving the case was not for monetary gain but rather for the satisfaction of helping others stay safe. The interaction between the characters was realistic and the plot is relevant and compelling. This is the second book in the series but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone if you have just discovered it. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is general fiction. I would rate it PG.
About the Authors
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels withBill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and receivedan Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal
Brian Sitts is an award-winning advertising creative director and television writer. He has collaborated with James Patterson on books for adults and children.
He and his wife, Jody, live in Peekskill, New York.
What an excellent, heart-tingling in all the right places kind of book! Roz had a hard life as a child, ended up marrying the brother of her childhood sweetheart and now she has been diagnosed with cancer. A widow with three children she has no one else to call on except her brother-in-law, Paul Martin. Paul reluctantly leaves his prosperous fitness center empire behind to go to Sweet Briar to help Roz as she undergoes treatment and hopefully recovers. This book touched me in all of the right ways. With a theme of forgiveness and second chances, it was well-written with charming characters. Little Suzanne, a precocious six year old, is totally besotted with her Uncle Paul as he helps her to overcome her fears about her mommy’s future. Nathaniel, a mature eleven year old, is happy to have the help with his mom and sisters and needs the role model that Paul provides. Roz and Paul have a long way on a separate journey to go before there is even the possibility that they can get together again. This is a totally clean read, which is always a real bonus to me. Fans of romance that is uplifting will enjoy this book. Even if you are like me and have not read any of the other Sweet Briar books, you will definitely find something to enjoy in this one: love, hope, laughter, and even a few tears. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Author bio: Kathy Douglass came by her love of reading naturally – both of her parents were readers. She would finish one book and pick up another. Then she attended law school and traded romances for legal opinions.
After the birth of her two children, her love of reading turned into a love of writing. Kathy now spends her days writing the small town contemporary novels she enjoys reading.
Kathy loves to hear from her readers and can be found on Facebook.
Excerpt, THE SINGLE MOM’S SECOND CHANCE by Kathy Douglass
Paul drummed his fingers on his desktop. “Do you want to get to the reason you barged into my office today? I’m sure it wasn’t just to look at me.”
Roz’s face grew hot as she struggled to keep from staring at him. As a teenager, he’d been dedicated to clean living and his body had reflected that. The years had been very good to him. He was six feet two inches of lean muscle. His brown skin glowed with good health, and his face was beyond hand-some, even with his eyes narrowed with irritation.
She took a breath but the word cancer clogged her throat, leaving her unable to speak. To her horror, her eyes filled with tears and her vision blurred. Blinking back the moisture, she forced herself to talk. “I need your help.”
“With what? Not that it matters. The answer is no. We don’t have that type of relationship. Remember? If you’d thought it through, you could have saved yourself the trouble and me the time and aggravation.”
“Are you still holding what happened when we were kids against me?”
“No. But I’m not willing to pretend that we’re friends either. And since Terrence has died, we are no longer family.” He made air quotes with his hands making it clear he’d never accepted her as part of the family.
“Do you consider my kids your nephew and nieces? Are they still your family? Do you still love them?”
“Of course I love them. What do they have to do with this favor of yours?”
“Everything. If not for them I wouldn’t be interrupting your workday.” The annoyed look on his face indicated that her time was coming to an end. Since there was no easy way to say it and she doubted the word would affect him the way it affected her, she just blurted it out. “I have cervical cancer.”
He blinked and jerked as if she’d given him an electric shock. “What?”
“You heard me.” She couldn’t say it again. Her voice wobbled and one of the tears she’d tried so hard to hold back escaped and then slid down her face. She brushed it away, hoping he hadn’t seen it. She didn’t want Paul to see her cry. He might accuse her of using her tears as a weapon, and she wasn’t pre-pared for that battle.
His mouth moved but no sound emerged. She could relate. She’d been floored when her doctor had delivered the news. Though she’d been sitting down, her knees had shaken like Jell-O in an earth-quake. Even now, it was a struggle to stand. But she couldn’t worry about his state of mind. She needed to get to the point of this meeting. “I’m going to be undergoing chemotherapy and having surgery soon.”
When he simply stared at her, his face devoid of all expression, she continued. “I won’t be able to take care of my kids. I have friends who will help me but that won’t be enough. I’m going to need live-in help. Hiring someone is out of the question. I don’t want my kids to have to adjust to a stranger in the house in addition to dealing with my illness. If there were someone else I could go to for help, I would. But there isn’t. Your mother offered to postpone their cruise again, but I can’t ask them to do that. Your father needs to get away from here in order to move past his grief and start living again. So I need someone—you—to come to Sweet Briar.”
Paul’s head was swimming and he fought against a sudden wave of dizziness. Cancer. Roz had cancer. The word echoed in his brain, then slammed repeatedly against his skull. It didn’t make sense. How could she be so sick?
She looked fine. She’d always been slender, with small breasts, a tiny waist and slim hips, but, upon closer examination, she did appear a little thinner than she’d been at Terrence’s funeral last year. Her white top was a bit loose and she kept adjusting the strap, preventing it from slipping off her shoulder. Although her face was as beautiful as ever, the spark in her eyes had been replaced by fear and her brown skin looked dull. Her lips trembled as she tried to smile. Apparently, her mouth refused to cooperate, and after a moment, she gave up the attempt.
“I know it will be inconvenient for you, but you’re my only hope. I’m determined to get well fast, so you shouldn’t have to stay for long. And Nathaniel is old enough to help with Megan and Suzanne.”
It took a minute for her rapidly spoken words to register. Was she still trying to convince him? Was she that uncertain that she could rely on him? “Of course I’ll come. Whatever you need.”
Her body sagged in relief. “Thank you.”
“Did you think I’d say no?”
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure. I’d hoped you’d say yes but I came prepared to be turned down.”
Considering that he’d initially said no before knowing what she needed, there was nothing he could say in his defense. “When did you get your diagnosis?”
“A week ago.”
A week? And she hadn’t said anything to him? “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? We haven’t spoken a civil word to each other in years unless there was someone else around. As you just pointed out, we’re neither family nor friends.”
The words sounded so much crueler now. He’d been unnecessarily harsh. Shame battered him, leaving him speechless.
“My oncologist is working on a treatment plan. He’ll have it together by Friday, with dates and schedules. I’ll check with you before I confirm any-thing with him, to make sure you’re available first.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be there whenever you need me to be.”
What started out as a really fun book to read kind of ended flat for me since there was little conflict, the plot didn’t seem fully developed and the characters were either eccentric to the max or not fully revealed. The premise was that Thomas and Savannah McClair are teens living with their permissive grandmother Maggie since their mom was killed in a terrible accident. The precocious twins decide to find their bio-father via their podcast. They research, interview people who knew their mom and sign a contract with a media company to hype the podcast and help them in their quest. My favorite character was the very quirky Chef Bart, the cook for the family. The deceased mom Bess “talks” to Maggie, giving her advice that is generally wise and may or may not have been followed. The father is revealed quickly, too quickly in my opinion since the reason for the podcast seemed to be irrelevant after that revelation. The plot is plausible and certainly relevant to today’s times, but it all fell short for me because there was an implausible villain and a mystery that just fell short of holding my interest. The disagreements between the twins were annoying and just added pages to the book but did not add to the plot in any way. All in all, this book provided a light and enjoyable read without a lot of take-away from it or a feeling of having read a really good book. It was okay and might be enjoyed more by a young adult audience. But even parents of YAs should be cautioned that pre-marital sex is a thing in this book, not a big thing, just presented as a regular occurrence. Three stars for entertainment value and timely topic. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Information about the author can be found at her website: Gretchen AnthonyAvailable tomorrow. Rated PG from me
Note to my readers: This book might make a good gift for a teen in your life, but I suggest you read it, too, so that you can discuss the issues from the book with them.
The story of Julie Weathers is one of a slow burn to an “ah-ha” reveal. Julie has left behind her grief over losing her infant daughter and her betrayal by her husband who then asks for a divorce. In her attempt to start over again, Julie answers an ad for a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse on a remote island in Maine. At the island, Julie befriends Ellie who tells her a lot of island secrets as she drinks wine excessively. Julie attempts to befriend the dowager “queen” of the island, grandmother Hempstead, but seems to make an enemy of her from the beginning. Therein lies part of the mystery. Why is this leader on the island so unfriendly, in fact actually menacing at times? Julie also tries to help teen-ager Peter, a young man who is precociously intelligent but who keeps showing up unexpectedly wherever Julie is, scaring her and creeping out me. Then there is Callum, a man who handily does repairs at Julie’s new house and who also seems to be using the island for escape. His backstory is a big part of the draw to reading and finishing the book. The plot is so-so, but the characterization is excellent, with characters who are deep and realistically portrayed. I enjoyed reading the book, especially the fact that it made me think back on it after I read it and realize how deep it really was. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Although this is a part of a series, I did not feel that I had to read the other books in order to enjoy this one. I loved this suspense-filled thriller that is my favorite kind of book to read! This is actually my first book by this author, but now I definitely want to go back and find her other books to read them. I devoured the story of investigative reported Rae Burke and former DEA agent Liam McCade. Rea is doggedly determined to find her missing sister-in-law when she shows up in Wyoming asking for Liam’s help. He agrees to help, and I could feel the sparks coming off the page any time these two were together. The romance took a back seat to the suspense though because apparently Zoey is in grave danger and now that Rae is hunting her, so is Rae. Drugs and human trafficking are involved, so the villains were not easy to uncover. The setting was wonderful! Wyoming in the winter and with a blizzard coming! The descriptions of the setting added to the taut suspense in the book as I waited for the next big reveal. They just kept coming! Fans of thriller and romantic suspense are encouraged to grab this book and read it. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of their Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is one of those books that should be in everyone’s Christmas collection of novels for the holiday. Jacob Churcher is a bestselling author whose mother has just died. He has to return to his hometown to settle her affairs and finds more than one secret in her house of hoarding. In his attempt to clean up after his mom, he also ends up cleaning up some of the past in his own life. He also meets Rachel, a young lady trying to find her mother, Noel, who lived with the Churchers when Jacob was very young. I loved how the story unraveled slowly and how the diary entries of Noel showed me her heart and what she had been through. It was an insightful and terrific book to read for the holidays with a message of forgiveness and hope for the Christmas season!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased this book from Amazon for my Kindle. I was not required to write a positive review, so the opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This is one of those magical books that makes you feel good and that only happens infrequently. The author immediately draws you into the story of Beck, a hard and angry police sergeant in New York City, the same city in which her dad gave his life on 9-11. She is bitter and angry but can’t seen to get to the bottom of her feelings until she finally gets suspended from work because of her actions. This suspension gives her time to find out what is going on down south since she inherits a house from a former neighbor that she doesn’t even remember very well. It is in Everleigh’s former home that Beck seeks to find herself. This is a romantic mystery; the story of why Everleigh left the house to Beck is revealed slowly via the tale of both of their lives. Flashbacks are used well, as is the point of view switching between these two main characters. Both women need courage to face down the tragedy of the past so that they will be able to move into a promising future. Both need healing, and God is part of this process in a way that is subtle but miraculous. Rachel Hauck does a masterful job of writing a novel that will stay with me for a long time since the heroines are strong female characters who overcome obstacles that would fatally cripple others. Fans of Christian fiction should definitely read this book; fans of romance will love it; and fans of mystery will be surprised at the way the stories of the two women mingle and form one beautiful tale.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, so the opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Coming on April 2, 2019. But you can pre-order it now from your favorite bookseller.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 