High Child - An Intriguing Addition to Series by J. T. Bishop

Gus put his own bottle down. "Come on, Starman. I want to see."

Royce tried to divert Gus's attention. "Why do you insist on calling me Starman?"

Gus eyes' narrowed. "You know why."

Royce studied the trees. "I know. Another one of your visions." He sighed, "You should stop calling me that."

"Why?" asked Gus. He settled back in his seat. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"It's not something I talk about."

Gus's mouth turned up. "Don't worry. It's not something I plan to share."

"I don't even know why you believe it. It was just a vision."

Gus spoke with certainty. "I always trust my visions. And I know what I saw. You come from the stars." He raised a hand to the sky.

Royce sat up but didn't respond. He stared at his fingers. Gus continued. "I suppose that has something to do with how you hide from bears that are standing right in front of you." Royce fidgeted...

"What is it Chief?" he asked. "Something on your mind?"

Gus was quiet and Royce waited. They both listened to the wind stir the leaves. "On this walk, I had another vision." Gus finally said.

"You told me. You saw me with the bear."

Gus shook his head. "Not that," he said. "Something else."

"What?" Royce tuned in to Gus's energy and felt the concern drift off the man. Since Gus rarely worried about anything, Royce perked up.

Gus shifted and held Royce's gaze. "You, my friend."

"Me, what?"

Gus studied his palms. "I saw death."

That made Royce straighten. "You saw what?"

"And there's a woman."

Royce didn't understand. He thought of his mother and sisters. "A woman? What woman?"

Gus's eyes drooped. "She will break your heart."

Royce didn't understand. He wasn't dating anyone, and considering who he was, he wondered if he ever would. "What the hell are you talking about, Chief? Other than my family, there are no women in my life."

Guy held his gaze. "Not yet."

Royce felt his body stiffen. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that there's trouble on the horizon. Someone's coming."

Royce though back on the previous six months and felt his belly curl in fear. He gripped the chair. "Who?"

Gus was unfazed. "Two maybe more. I can't be sure..."

...Royce gripped the rail. "Should I leave?"

Gus shook his head. "It's too late for that."

"Who are they? Do you know?"

Gus stood and went to stand next to Royce. "I didn't see that in my vision."

Royce didn't know what to think. "Damn it..." It was all he could think to say.

Gus spoke calmly. "But that might be the reason there's a car on the road, watching your house..."

"Leaving won't help. You must face this," said Gus. "You can not run from it."

"Run from what?" asked Royce. "What exactly am I running from?" He itched to race back to the house and start packing.

Gus didn't hesitate. "Your destiny, Starman. You have one and you must prepare for it."

~~~

Destiny can be a Deadly Choice

High Child is the fifth in the Red Line Series. This is my first book by J. T. Bishop and can assure you that this is definitely free standing, although I did get curious about what had happened to get the story to this point...

The book centers in on Royce Fletcher, who is living in a cabin in the woods, where we meet him while he is testing his paranormal skills of cloaking while a large bear is close by. The bear can definitely smell him, but cannot see him... Remember the bear because he gives payback later when he can see Royce!

While we get to know Royce, there is a murder in the nearby woods--no identification and with one shoe missing... Getting to know the sheriff and his son was a great sub-plot that I enjoy, especially when they both become part of the mystery...

Royce's friend, Gus, is a Native American. I loved his part as he uses the skills of our American Indian friends in sharing his visions to readers...He has "outed" the main character, Royce, as a man who comes from the stars...specifically from Eudora... Royce and his two sisters live on Earth, while their father lives on Eudora. Royce knows little about where he came from or his father, but made the rest of his family his responsibility when his father left. 

Through Gus' latest vision, Royce has become aware that new people are coming into his life... All strangers... Now he worries if he is the only family member who is in danger... But then Gus' vision begins to come true...

Destiny - Do you believe in destiny? Must you follow it or does it just happen? For Royce, Destiny came through that bear getting even and a new woman caring for his wounds...

And again, when a man and woman were waiting in his cabin, there, to present both more of his own history, and his destiny for the future...

Two women, both of whom Royce is drawn to...Will either of these break his heart as Gus' vision indicated? Readers have the delightful opportunity to follow Royce's relationships with both of them. Which woman will you choose for Royce... but remember, the vision claims his heart will be broken..

Readers are quickly caught up as the investigation of the first, and then another attack in the woods occurs, while Royce seems to have a central role in that, at the same time he is being, albeit, unwillingly, drawn toward his destiny... With this part of the vision, it needs to be kept secret as the story gets more and more complex, dangerous, and another amazing surprise brings more people into the story, including Royce's family members.

The story grows intense, intriguing and, in the end, unexpected as the surprising climax comes... Still, while a satisfactory ending, I felt that it could also be an early indication of what the next book will cover... Mainly, I'm hoping Royce's broken heart does not remain that way! I really enjoyed this book and wish my time would allow going back and catching up with the series... On this one, I do recommend you check out what has to be an epic series!

GABixlerReviews

J. T. Bishop is the author of the Red-Line series, Gold Badge winner from Readers Review Room, and an Indie BRAG Medallion recipient for her first book, Red-Line: The Shift and her fourth book, Curse Breaker.

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, J. T. Bishop began writing in 2012. Two years later, the Red-Line trilogy was complete. She’s not done though. The Red-Line saga develops as she continues to write new books.

J. T. loves stories that explore character’s unique abilities and origins. What if extraterrestrials did walk among us? It’s a theme she finds intriguing and provides a wealth of inspiration for her books. Drama, angst, passion, and humor all add to the fun. A little bit of romance doesn’t hurt either.

J. T. loves to spend time with family and friends, traveling whenever she can, and spending time in nature (despite the heat in Texas). Getting up in the morning with a cup of coffee, ready to write is the start of a perfect day.

If you'd like updates on upcoming books and events, then connect with J. T. on the J. T. Bishop website (www.jtbishopauthor.com), her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/jtbishopauthor) and Twitter (@jtbishopauthor).

The Back Road by Rachel Abbott Coming in Paperback on October 8th! Will You Solve This Case?!!

www.city-data.com

"And in local news, we have a report on a hit-and-run accident in the quiet village of Little Melham. A young girl was knocked down on the B522 and the driver failed to stop. This road--locally known as the back road--connects the A564 and the A5194 but according to the police is normally only used by locals. The girl, who has not been named yet, is said to be in a critical condition. The accident took place in the early hours of this morning, and the police are asking anybody who was out in the area last night to..."

"An angry hand reached out and switched the radio off. "Why did she reject me? Why was she scared? Why did she run? All that planning...blown away by an impulsive action...
                                         ~~~


The Back Road

By Rachel Abbott

I loved the back road near the house where I grew up... The trees would bend out over the road and create a canopy that created a shady sometimes mysterious place that showed up even in my dreams--there I would be running, running so fast back toward home that I would take off and fly! In the summers, my sister, Dee, and I would take some type of food, walk up that back road and find some big rock on which to have our picnic... That road became part of my precious memories of my early years...

But for Abbie Campbell, that back road, first, had looked like a possible escape... only to become a place of great pain as she was rammed by a speeding car, and then left with no help... There were many people out that night, doing things they shouldn't have been doing--but one of them was the monster that had earlier held Abbie captive, until she had escaped and ran...

Ellie Saunders is the main character who is actively involved, not with the hit-and-run, but with...others... For one, she has a stalker, a man with whom she "almost" got involved one time and who has, since then, declared that they must be together. Don't mind telling you that this man is scary! 

"Ellie was staring vacantly at Abbie as the turbulent thoughts churned round and round her mind. A flicker of movement caught her eye, and she focused on Abbie's young face. Nothing. But she was sure she'd seen something. Maybe it was the shadow of a cloud moving over the sun...She reached out and stroked its peachy surface with the back of her fingers, hoping and praying that she had been right; that there had been some flicker of movement. Suddenly she felt that all her problems were trivial. Imagine if this was your child, she thought. That's what devastation is--not worrying about secret phone calls and foolish mistakes...

"Ellie tenderly stroked the girl's hair back from her face. She remembered Kath trying to sing to Abbie on Saturday, but she was so choked she'd had to give up. Ellie had asked her what the song was, and Kath had told her that Abbie had always loved Adele and her dad sometimes played 'Someone Like You' on the piano for her to sing to. So now Ellie hummed it quietly. She didn't remember the words, but hoped that didn't matter...

"Ten minutes later, Ellie felt a flicker of hope. She'd seen it again, and this time she was certain..."

~~~

mostbeautifulflower.com
"Why don't you let me in, and we can
talk? I'm right here.
"The voice was quiet and persuasive,
but Ellie shivered in fear. She turned
her back on the window sho that her
expression would be hidden from the
watcher in the grounds. He mustn't
see that he was getting to her.
"Of course, I can't let you in. Max will
be home any minute now. Please
don't  do this. Please.
"You know he's not  going to be home
for a long time yet. He's at the party--
and he's with her. We both know that.
I've seen him with her, Ellie...
~~~

But her husband, Max seems to be involved with another teacher at his school and Ellie is getting reports of their being seen out and about. Unfortunately the stalker has been one who has seen them and is using it to further his personal cause... He calls, leaves yellow roses in public places where she is... But, later, the one who kidnapped Abbie sees that she's become involved...and also starts following her...and...more...

It was Leo, her half-sister, who found the latest rose he'd left--on the front step...and she immediately saw the reaction the rose created...

Leo and Ellie had always gotten along, even though Leo, from the time she had moved in, had been either tortured by her step-mother or ignored by her father. But her father had had no choice. When Leo's mother died, who was also married to Ellie's father, he'd brought her into their home... Ellie's mother had used her mostly as a slave from then on, and worse... Leo had many nightmarish memories of those days and had much to try to get over... That's why she was back, living in the house that Ellie had retained in the family and recently renovated...

It was her hope that, since her mother had died, that her father, who had walked out on them, might return to his daughters... Though Leo had no desire to ever see him again, since her memories were quite different!

"Max watched Ellie carefully in the mirror for a
few seconds. Her head had dropped back down and
she was gazing at the floor as if transfixed by the
pile of the pale cream carpet. He could see she
wasn't impressed by his little performance.
Normally she would have shrugged off his
silliness, or laughed with him. But not anymore.
A pang of guilt struck him hard in the chest. He
knew what he'd been doing to her for the past
couple of months, but he couldn't help himself.
Every morning he gave himself a good talking to,
and every night he acknowledged that he had
failed once again to stick to his resolutions."
~~~

When Abbie had been hurt and left at the side of the road, the whole town started talking. Who would hit her and just leave her? And why was a young girl out on that back road late at night?

Of course, the police had started the gossip even more. They asked that anybody who had been out driving that night let them know, so that they could try to pinpoint details...

But nobody wanted to share that information, for personal reasons!

This book is nearly 500 pages so be prepared to try to follow all that was happening and figure out who was doing what! I was totally lost by the time the book ended! And, Wow, what a climax!

The key to this hold over readers' attention is because there are so many secrets! But they don't necessarily have anything to do with what happened on that back road... So how are you going to know who is doing what?! Sure, there are hints, but they are just guesses, at the most. This author surely keeps a white board handy nearby to keep her characters and plots straight... for her mind cannot keep each track straight on its own...LOL... In whatever way she does it, I've got to praise her skills in plots, twists and turns!

I was amazed at the things Leo faced as she returned to certain spots in town--amazed to realize that people could have been so cruel to a young child who had absolutely no responsibility for the sins of her father...

"The room was quiet. He had no doubt turned off his least favorite music as soon as she went upstairs...

"The shower was a good idea. You look more relaxed and it's dark now--so even more romantic. You take it easy, and I'll sort out the pasta.

"With a final stroke of her still-wet hair, Max returned to the kitchen, flicking the iPod back on as he went...The music continued to soothe her, as track after track of all her 'soppy' music was played. She wished she could talk to him. Really talk to him. But she was too afraid...

~~~

At the same time, I enjoyed watching a relationship develop between Leo and Tom, the sheriff... Leo, I was surprised to learn, was now a "life coach" who had obviously gotten over the trauma of her past and now was reaching out to help others. In fact, her blog entries run through the novel and are a pleasant diversion of "good thoughts..."

But Leo's occupation and offer to provide free life coaching introductions to a number of women in town really brought about a reaction from many of the men--who also had secrets that they had no intention their wives share!

This is one of the best mystery suspense novels I've read this year! I certainly recommend it to everybody that loves to be stumped by an author! I sure was...and if you figured it out, let me know what "clue" got you started on solving it!


GABixlerReviews

About the Author

I lived most of life in the north of England, and worked for many years as the managing director of an interactive media company. I wrote every day - everything from creative proposals to user manuals - but most exciting of all was writing interactive dramas - including for the Cluedo (Clue in the US) interactive games. I was fortunate enough to sell my company in 2000 and we moved to Italy where we bought and restored an old country house. 
My first novel Only the Innocent is about the cold-blooded execution of a well respected man, and as the story develops it becomes clear that sometimes murder can, perhaps, be justified. Only the Innocent was launched in November 2011 and reached the #1 spot on Amazon UK in mid February - and stayed there for four weeks.  I recently published my second novel - The Back Road and I'm working on the third.

Related articles

• Guest Blogger: Rachel Abbott on Turning Dreams into Reality

Walter Ramsay's Tucker Lee Anderson is Back to Stop Corrupt Judge!

Location of Brevard County within the state of Florida (Photo
"Who could have thought, Mitch smiled to himself, that
Tucker Lee Anderson would be the new media sweetheart of Central Florida? Hell, if not the entirestate. Tucker's eye-opening investigative reports into the
growth of local corruption, from past to present, had shocked this quiet, sometimes pretentious community.
"How Tucker came about his information was a heavily
guarded secret--until now. Mitch had planned to let the
secret out; well, at least a little lead of it. The very idea that a prominent figure, a corrupt one at that, had been
brought to his knees because of a dream--yes, a dream--that a small town reporter had had was sure to attract more attention for the paper, as well as, of course, revenue...
The U.S. Globe was one of the biggest gossip magazines
in the United States...but it sold, and sold well..."
credit: Wikipedia)

Coastal Access

By Walter Ramsay


I was excited to get to spend some more time with Tucker Lee Anderson, who I had met in Beneath the Dune (check that review). What? You don't talk about characters as if they were friends? That's a shame because it means that you've never taken the time to really read a book, gotten to know the characters, and allowed them to affect you, with you as an admirer Certainly I have and I appreciate Walter Ramsay's bringing Tucker Lee back to this fan!


Tucker has many surprises coming in Coastal Access. One is that somebody wants him dead! And he has no idea why...

Tucker is living on a docked boat, owned by his boss. He has been well-regarded after his investigative report (in Beneath the Dune) and has moved into more reporting than just sports. He even has a new office! But he still has to deal with his boss being willing to place him into situations that he doesn't want...

Now Mitch had leaked to a local news reporter that he was able to gain information and solve some cases through dreams and knowledge provided by his ancestors. Fortunately, when she finally got to talk with Tucker, he took a direct approach and seriously shared his past, causing her to move from the usual "spooky" story to one that was very well presented. That was important because he was on his way to the investigation and writing of a major media disclosure of a local long-term resident!

And a corrupt project that had already begun, in which he was right in the middle! Not only does he not know he's involved, he also cannot figure out what and why "coastal access" was a goal for Judge Arnold Galley and a consortium of local and other businessmen.

Another dream was what started the questions. His dream had been of a beautiful woman with two children walking along a beach in Central Brevard... And then the boys were gone and the woman was frantic, turning to Tucker begging to know where they were... He wanted to know more!

He'd already been talking to Craig, a life-long friend who was now a detective. Things were getting more confused as a man is killed in the woods and Tucker attempts to search his cabin. Not only are they prevented from this by two guards, but when Tucker tries to sneak back--the cabin is gone!

Then his next door neighbor (on his own boat) is also gone and Craig alerted Tucker that he didn't really exist, that there was no record of the man Tucker called Doug and with whom he had developed a good relationship...

And then his daughter gets in real trouble when her boyfriend leaves her stranded in the same area, when she refuses to make out with him!

Problems, information, misdirection--all coming out, forcing Tucker into reaction mode... But he has help, you will discover, as you read this thrilling page-turner that combines the paranormal with local political criminal corruption that ultimately places Tucker in serious danger...

What a wonderful character and series! Ramsay is a dynamic writer that keeps readers working with his main characters in trying to put pieces of information together, some of which goes back to the time of the Civil War! I certainly enjoyed hating the bad guys and even Tucker's ex-wife to some extent...LOL You'll understand that though... The suspense keeps building, while an alligator (with red eyes) even gets into the act. I loved it! If you haven't met Tucker Lee, I recommend that you start with Beneath the Dune and go right into Coastal Access for a Tucker Lee Anderson marathon...


GABixlerReviews

Walter is a part time resident of the Central Florida coast.  He became enamored with the beauty, culture, and people of this pristine area over 30 years ago, and still can't get enough.  He has vigilantly taken the time to delve into the history of this beautiful coast line and incorporated that background into his writings.

Walter spent much of his earlier years traveling the Florida coast from Saint Augustine to Key West from his father's home in Daytona Beach.When not working on his next novel, Walter enjoys reading as well as outdoor activities that include surfing and jogging.

Walter is married to the former Michele Lee Sperber, and along with his children, they look forward to splitting their time between their homes at the Jersey Shore and Brevard County Florida.

Great Christian Mystery and Romance from Anne Patrick!

"Preliminary findings of the coroner suggest she died from smoke
inhalation."
"She also had a skull fracture."
"You've seen the body?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Well, she could have received the head injury when she woke
up disoriented. She was found next to the bed. She could have
tripped and struck her head on the corner post."
"That's one possibility..." "I don't give theories, I see facts,
and I develop opinions."
"Opinions based on what? Most of the physical evidence, if
any, is destroyed or drastically altered during a fire?"
"The basics of fire behavior, dynamics and investigative
experience based on what is visually seen, smelled, heard and
touched." She glanced over her shoulder.
"And just so you know,
my opinions are seldom wrong..."

Fire and Ash


By Anne Patrick







When a somewhat chauvinist man and a expert professional woman meet, there might be sparks flying. In the case of Sadie McGregor and Quinn Harrington met, things happened quite professionally, even as the ash moved while they walked through the building that had burned. Quinn, a police officer had been sent because a body had been found and he was also already considering how the fire might have started. But when Sadie turned to introduce herself, she quite calmly proceeded to explain to him why his assumptions were wrong...

I love novels with strong female leads, especially if they are in male-dominated professional fields. Sadie, as she was quick to point out to Quinn, represented the State Fire Marshal's Office--and was seldom wrong in her findings...

Of course I love many male lead characters as well, but, having worked in a male-dominated profession for many years, I must say that the reality is rarely how it's written in books, so I enjoy escaping into a fantasy where the female "rules." LOL And, of course, Sadie and Quinn will begin a relationship, but later in the book!

Larissa Ingram had apparently been house sitting for her parents, Mike and Donna, who were away on vacation. Quinn was upset that arson was suspected, since the Ingrams were such a nice family and well respected in the community. If it was arson, was it someone within the family or a crime against them?

It was after she had left the scene of the fire, with a promise to get her report to him, that Quinn learned from another officer who had known Sadie for years, that her own family had been killed in a fire and that Sadie had been raised as part of her uncle's family, who was fire chief...

As he got to know her and wanted to know more about her, he realized that there was one thing that could prevent the relationship that he soon began to hope for: Quinn was an active Christian and Sadie wanted nothing to do with God. And worse, she could not forgive herself for having started the fire that had killed her family...

I enjoyed watching as the relationship between Quinn and Sadie developed. In her professional life, she had grown confident and self-assured, while Quinn, around her, seemed to be lost for words--even admitting she had him bested from time to time. Sadie's teasing was a natural outgrowth, except when Quinn forced a serious discussion about her past.

Everybody reading the novel will catch the amount and quality of the forensics expertise displayed by Sadie and how it was used to finally solve the case, unfortunately not without her being hurt in the process. Many issues keep readers fully interested, not the least of which is the romance. Well written and thoroughly enjoyable!


GABixlerReviews

Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award-winning and bestselling Fire and Ash, Lethal Dreams and Sabotage. Her heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated...combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent. When she isn't killing off people or falling in love with dashing heroes you can usually find her surfing the web. Check her out on Facebook.

To learn more about Anne, please visit her website: http://annepatrick.weebly.com/index.html or blog: www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com. She loves to hear from her readers!

Debut Novel by Layton Green Thought-Provoking, Fascinating, And So Much More...

http://www.ehow.com/about_6468182_ceremonial-african-mask-information.html

The Summoner:


A Novel of Suspense


By Layton Green


Provocative...
 Fascinating...
   Intriguing...
     stunning...
     
I have to admit upfront that I might not have read this book if I had known more about its content, so I want to point out that there is much explicit violence associated with a "cult" religion that was hard for me to read at times.. Many of the individuals involved may have been Catholics, who had just wanted to explore, "worshipping in a different way. It was an escape, hey? A Diversion.". It was often pointed out that "believing" the possibilities of supernatural events was important to those who got involved with such activities... In fact, the discussions soon became provocative and intriguing as readers are introduced to the beliefs and activities of various characters...

At the same time, it is one of the best written and suspenseful books I've read! It has clearly been well researched and the literary flair of the writing clearly must be recognized. What I did to get through several of the explicit scenes was to stop reading to avoid the images in my mind...but, once started, I just had to continue! Indeed, it is a book of heavy suspense, but it certainly has touches of horror, born out of the reality of the story line as opposed to its being intended.

Zimbabwe had a new leader, one who had begun to be called N'anga, The Summoner... His meetings were in secret, but he was gaining more and more followers, even though he taught a religion that had not previously been there in that country...

And at each meeting, someone disappeared! This had followed animal sacrifices by those who served and then by the babalawo himself. Each of the humans came willingly to the front, but then a circle...of blood...was drawn around that person at the same time he seemed to be snapped out of a trance...

The latest to disappear was a U.S. diplomat. Dominic Grey, a Diplomatic Security special agent was assigned to investigate.. However, although there was much political pressure to find the missing man, Grey was not head of the investigation and thus found roadblocks in doing what he needed to do. This was compounded by the mandate that he must always be escorted by Nya Mashumba, liaison to the local government. After hearing from the woman who had accompanied the diplomat to the ceremony, at least, they both realized that in order to start, they would have to actually attend one of the gatherings where the he had last been seen.

One other individual thankfully was assigned to help--Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults. This character is one cool dude and plays a major role in sharing important information about the differences of this particular priest as well as in the actual investigation. All they knew at this point, since he always wore robes and a mask was that he was African, since his hands had been visible... Through the character Victor, readers learn much about religious phenomena differentiated by the specific groups or activities encountered, as he explains various aspects as if he were in his classroom.

Aside from the actual story, Green provides much about the political climate as well as the beauty and people living there. The setting is both heart-breaking and thrilling as readers go deep into the bush itself as well as the culture there. Dominic Grey is clearly worthy of being the center of this series, here in its debut, and I loved watching his internal thoughts as he struggled with his attraction to Nya... The back stories for both Dominic and Nya add greatly to the novel, as each deals with the personal issues brought to mind, resulting from this case.

I can't say I loved this book, but I must say that it was more stimulating, both intellectually and emotionally, than I've experienced in a long time. I'm certainly glad I had the opportunity to read it, though some parts are truly hard to read and visualize. Unfortunately, it is reality in our world and the author has done a fantastic presentation of that reality in creating his story. The suspense is long, initiated almost from the beginning, and is skillfully woven to keep readers on constant edge, wondering not only who was doing what...but how. Because certainly, the magic and rituals of the juju priests had been handed down for many, many generations and we all become in awe as we witness them!

I've highlighted a reader warning...now I must say that I must also present this novel by Layton Green as a must-read. The explosive ending will surprise--but should it? Certainly one of the most thought-provoking novels you will ever read!

Book Received from

Author

GABixlerReviews

"Professor Radek sat patiently on the rocky outcropping, his massive frame hidden from view by the boulders and Masai trees...He had arrived hours ago to procure his position, and he felt secure...This promised to be an extraordinary event. His intellectual side--his professional side--was excited at the prospect... But he wondered if his other side, the side he knew from long experience lurked dormant or otherwise, inside everyone, was anticipating the event as well: grinning lasciviously, waiting to shake its craven thirst on the coming depravity. The side of him that he feared, after witnessing too many senseless monstrosities, had caused him to grow not just indifferent to the horror, but on some level beholden to its unholy fix...Victor found it captivating. Religion is the ultimate anthropological palette, a fascinating arena where each culture's concept of the divine manifests into intricate social constructs. Perhaps, he thought, we'll never know who has it right, if anyone. And that's the damnable wonder and terror of it all...

More men carried in a sheep, and the N'anga performed the two hundred cuts. Victor watched, enthralled. He'd never seen this ritual performed live. It was quite chilling...
Victor would never forget what he saw next...
http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/poco_bw/poco_bw0701/poco_bw070100095/733801-traditional-zulu-african-mask-wood.jpg

About the Author:

In addition to writing, Layton attended law school in New Orleans and was a practicing attorney for the better part of a decade (even though  he still resents having cut his hair for that first interview). He has also been an intern for the United Nations, an ESL teacher in Central America, a bartender in London, a seller of cheap knives on the streets of Brixton, a door-to-door phone book deliverer, and the list goes downhill from there.

He has traveled to more than fifty countries, lived in a number of them, and has a burning desire to see every country, city, beach, moor, castle, cemetery, twisted street and far flung dot on the map. Religion and cults, as well as all things spiritual and supernatural, have also been a lifelong interest. Combine the travel and the religion with fifteen years of Japanese Jujitsu training, and the Dominic Grey series was born.

Layton lives with his wife and son in Miami.

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• Review: The Egyptian {Dominic Grey #2} by Layton Green (bookdout.wordpress.com)
• http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/review-the-summoner-by-layton-green/ (bookdout.wordpress.com)

Prequel to Webs of Power Series An Exciting Addition!

"Why would Mitchell send white roses when he knew...?
A picture of Gran in her coffin flashed before her eyes.
For a moment she doubted herself. Hadn't she
mentioned...? She had. Ashleigh had specifically
told him that white roses reminded her of death..."
http://products.proflowers.com//Peace-and-Prayers

Webs of Fate








By Darlene Quinn




Scheduled Out October 1, 2011
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Whew! The Prequel to the Webs of Power series is fantastic! If you haven't read Quinn yet, I encourage you to start with this prequel before moving on to Webs of Power and Twisted Webs (Click to my earlier reviews). It is, of course, a great stand alone novel, but also does provide an earlier look at several of the main characters that brings each even more alive to readers.

Ashleigh McDowell, our main female character, had been engaged before. She had loved Dan dearly and before he died, Ashleigh had promised to look after her sister Danielle Norman. Now years later, Danielle was working as a buyer for Bentleys Royale, while Ashleigh was the leader in the human resources area and had done much to ensure personnel issues were routinely and quietly handled. She was well respected by all, even though none of them really knew her secret connection to Bentleys Royale.


Now, Danielle has disappeared and there were signs that she may have been attacked and taken from Bentleys...

But there are also signs of major financial tampering in her sales area--was she responsible for the thefts or  had she discovered what somebody else had done and been taken because of that knowledge?

Fighting against Danielle's supervisor who immediately wanted her fired and replaced, Ashleigh realized that they needed to find Danielle to really prove her innocence. But she was met with resistance from everybody, including Mitchell, her fiancee, who was just too selfish to have time taken away from him, even for Ashleigh to help a close friend.

As the investigation continued however, Mitchell became involved personally when one of his investments, Medley Originals, was named as one of the vendors who apparently was involved in the embezzlement.

"Ashleigh fingered through the Medley Originals sweaters, which were displayed in new Lucite bins, and looked up when the associate returned from the dressing room, her dark eyes filled with enthusiasm. She pointed to her special twenty-four-karat, gold-plated associates' badge with two sparkling diamond chips, which identified Angela as a member of the honorary Hundred-Thousand-Dollar-Cl;ub. Though inflation had more than doubled the average sale over the past two decades, for the sake of morale, the sales requirement for the honorary club had not been raised..."

Amid the constant daily business life of the struggling but highly recognized Bentleys Royale, readers see the beginnings of corporate takeovers, merging, and loss of autonomy by the leaders of individual stores. One man, in fact, Conrad Taylor, had already been brought in and was overseeing activities at Bentleys. But he also one night met Ashleigh outside the home of Danielle Norman, both there to try to find some reason, some understanding of what Danielle has gotten herself into. Ashleigh finds herself attracted to him, even as she becomes more sure that she cannot marry Mitchell Wainwright. What she can't understand is why Conrad is personally involved and, even more, why he has access to Danielle's home...

However, when Ashleigh becomes the target of death attempts, she is glad Conrad has her back!


Webs of Fate is the best of Quinn's books, in my opinion, providing an outstanding drama and excellent murder mystery. The fact that it also provides a solid background to this series is a bonus. Having read the entire series, knowing that each are powerful novels, I choose this as my favorite just because I enjoy the whodunit aspect wherever I find it! For corporate power action and suspense, the entire series must be applauded. It is clear that the author has a solid background in the world of department store management. This latest novel shows her expanding beyond her, perhaps, comfort zone into the mystery/suspense genre. Certainly a success! Highly recommended...

Book Received
from publisher


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