Buried Threads by Kaylin McFarren...Just...Amazing...

Buried Threads

By Kaylin McFarren

Synopsis: Rachel Lyons and her partner Chase Cohen accept a contract to recover a lost priceless treasure in the Sea of Japan. However, upon arriving in Tokyo, they soon discover their mission is more complicated and dangerous than they originally believed. In order to prevent a natural disaster from striking Japan and killing millions, they must form an alliance with yakuza members, dive into shark-infested waters and recover three ancient cursed swords before time runs out.

...all lust is grief.

It's not often that I provide a synopsis of a book, but this one needs you to have somewhat of an overview in mind as you begin to even consider what you're getting into by opening this book...

Certainly the beautiful cover captures your attention...

"Sorry I'm late," Kenji said. "I had some business to
take care of."...
By the look of excitement in Tak's eyes, he knew
exactly what Kenji was talking about. Earlier that
night, Mitsue-san had ordered a hit on Nobu Kimura.
He was a retired detective who had spent half his life
trying to bring down the Zakura-kae. The man was
clever, considering he was old, half blind, and favored
a leg from a childhood injury. But he was also brazen
and secretly hassled their business associates. He
even went so far as to interrupt the boss's birthday
party just when his cake arrived. All because Mitsue
refused to drop a dime--hand him a boss on a silver
platter to make him look good with his department
heads.
Of course it came as no surprise when Kenji got
the order to get rid of him. Yet the recollection
left him grimacing...
"C'mon, gimme the gory details," his friend
insisted.
Kenji leaned in and lowered his voice. "I
sliced his neck from ear to ear like I'm gonna
do yours if you don't shut up."
Tak laughed and slapped his fish into his hand.
"Aw, man! Nice. Quick death. Now if it was me,
I would've delivered slow torture..."
~~~

Who is the beautiful woman glaring at you? She has a sword and is definitely able to use it, you can be sure! 

And what's with the white feathers?

Did you notice the gem on the sword--it's real!

But, look, what is that hanging phrase supposed to mean? ...all lust if grief. Wow! Whew! Putting it all together certainly puts you on edge, right? And we're just on the cover!

I saw some refer to this as Indiana Jones style...But, no, this is definitely a Lara Croft movie for me!

The girl on his left handed him one of the beers from
the table. He nodded his thanks and twisted off the cap.
After a long pull, he sat back and waited for Tak's
answer. "I heard Satoru Yamada hooked up with an
American treasure-hunting company and is flying in
from Los Angeles tonight. The lead diver showed up
three days ago and has been real tight with your sister
Yuki ever since. They've been buying gear and going
to libraries. Checking out history and treasure hunting
shit. No one seems to know much, but I got a good
feeling about this one...
They're getting together for a meeting on Friday
night and Yamada is planning to invite that geisha
Mariko Abe to join them. One of my guys saw him
checking out rings in Los Angeles a few days ago.
Before the night is over, they might be celebrating
more than a partnership."
Shit. Kenji swallowed hard. He lowered his crossed
arms but managed to keep his eyes level, knowing
the slightest sign of weakness could undermine his
position. "Is that it?" he asked
~~~

Kenji was a hit man, of course for the Yakuza gang...He walked around every place with his sword across his body, prepared for anything and anybody. Not too many would even consider going up against him. Kenji had his eyes on Mariko. He moved fast and had worked with those in charge at the geisha house to ensure that Mariko became his... An intense erotic relationship takes place between these two. Although it is very much an important part of the book and will provide readers with an interesting look at the life of geishas, I'm foregoing sharing any of that on this blog! 

Besides, the treasure hunting was waiting... 

An American couple Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen had been successful in past treasure hunting, but they had no idea what they were getting into. Chase had come early and was already meeting with Yuki, Kenji's sister... And, yes, she was part of the same group, but not as active...

Sorry, this is Indian sword
With their recent success at
recovering the Heart of the
Dragon diamond which had
been hidden onboard an
ancient shipwreck, it seemed
she and her partner were
quickly become recovery
agents for missing hearts
in some of the most
dangerous places in the
world...
~~~

Rachel had come in separately but had been warned by Dr. Ying who had briefed her in preparation, to "watch your back" with the Japanese street gangs on the top of his list! They had been hired to find the missing Templar stone, or Heart of Darkness... The other most dangerous enemy would be the Goblin sharks!

What she hadn't counted on was meeting the man who had hired them on the plane! After what was somewhat like an interview, finally Rachel cornered him and asked who he was and what he collected...

She wasn't prepared for his answer, nor was I: "he looked directly at her and replied in a matter-of-fact tone, 'Souls.'"

Yep, we've now got a Monk into helping those who have died and not crossed over, in the story. Now after hiring them... before long, he discloses to the team that he has had a prophetic dream that if all three of the /swords/knives were not returned, Japan would be destroyed by a natural disaster! Yikes, nothing like putting the pressure on, right?!

Of course, that was after she had met Yuki! And asked how she fit into this adventure. She was not happy when she was told that Yuki would be the lead...especially when they were heading under the Sea...

As they arrived at the beautiful New Otani hotel in downtown Tokyo, dozens of questions were flooding Rachel's mind. Who are these members of the yakuza? What do they want? Why won't Shinzo explain anything? She managed to remain quiet with the knowledge that Chase would soon be arriving to fill her in and hopefully put her mind at ease...
Yuki leaned forward and kept her voice low. "You must remember that you're not in the United States, Miss Lyons. It's important not to pry into personal matters."
Rachel was taken back. "Excuse me?"
"Shinzo has reasons for not answering your questions. When he's prepared to do so, he will."
Really? Yuki's impertinence came as a surprise. Obviusly she wasn't a stereotypical Japanese woman: shy, meek, or demure, as one might expect.
"Let me ask you something, Miss Ota," Rachel said. "Just how did you come to know Chase? He never mentioned your name or said anything about you being involved in our business...

"Oh good. I know this is a bit off the subject, but I have to tell you how lucky you are Miss Lyons. I know it's not appropriate to talk this way...especially with him being my boss and all...but I'm not going to lie to you. Every time Mr. Cohen shows up at the hotel, in restaurants, or in meetings, I find myself completely captivated. You're definitely one of the pretties and smartest ladies on the planet, and I know in his mind no one could every compete. I just don't want you to take offense if you see me staring at him from time to time. It's just that I've never seen anyone with such beautiful eyes or met a more insightful, caring man...aside from Shinzo, of course." Egad, Is she kidding?"~~~ 

I must say that this is an early conversation between Yuki and Rachel (Lara Kroft)... Sooooo, which one do you think will win (or keep) the man...LOL

"You're looking at Kagoshima Prefecture, which governs Kuchinoerabu Island," Yuki said. "It's located on the southwest tip of Kyushu and is surrounded by the Yellow Sea. Once we arrive in Fukuoka, we'll be traveling to a fishing village on the westernmost tip of the island."

By the way, remember that phrase...all lust if grief...?

All I'm going to say is...where lust is concerned, don't dive underwater with someone with lust in their heart...

Really, there is so much happening in this novel that is soooo awesome that it is just pointless to try to share it all. I especially enjoyed a moment underwater when Rachel seemed to have a paranormal moment! Ghosts too?! And then what happens between Mariko and Kenji is so dramatic...so eerie... especially after Kenji loses his head... And I'm fairly certain that the Monk didn't assist in sending his soul into the light...

And there's one special individual which I've not even mentioned which makes a beautiful closing to a fascinating tale that encompasses so much of Japan's culture and people, that readers definitely feel the "essence" of a country across the seas, and yet brings it so close to readers here in the U.S.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to take this adventure, unlike any that you may ever find again...


GABixlerReviews

Kaylin McFarren is a rare bird indeed. Not a migratory sort, she prefers to hug the West Coast and keep family within visiting range. Although she has virtually been around the world, she was born in California, relocated with her family to Washington, and nested with her husband in Oregon. In addition to playing an active role in his business endeavors, she has been involved in all aspects of their three daughters' lives - taxi duties, cheerleading coaching, script rehearsals, and relationship counseling, to name but a few. Now she enjoys spending undisciplined time with her two young grandsons and hopes to have many more.
Although Kaylin wasn't born with a pen in hand like so many of her talented fellow authors, she has been actively involved in both business and personal writing projects for many years. As the director of a fine art gallery, she assisted in furthering the careers of numerous visual artists who under her guidance gained recognition through promotional opportunities and in national publications. Eager to spread her own creative wings, she has since steered her energy toward writing novels. As a result, she has earned more than a dozen literary awards and was a 2008 finalist in the prestigious RWA® Golden Heart contest.
Kaylin is a member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers. She received her AA in Literature at Highline Community College, which originally sparked her passion for writing. In her free time, she also enjoys giving back to the community through participation and support of various charitable and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
FUN TIDBITS
She is proud of the fact that her great aunt Bessie B. Cordell, an evangelistic missionary during WWII, was instrumental in opening an orphanage in Tientsin, China and also wrote two published novels, Precious Pearl and Blossoms of the Flowery Kingdom, documenting her dangerous, harrowing experiences.
She keeps a glass of wine close by while writing love scenes, Kleenex on her desk while writing heart breakers, and has been known to empty a box of chocolates when she's completely stumped.
A consummate "pantser" and perfectionist, she writes and edits as she goes, and uses photographs of models and actors from tabloid magazines to visualize her characters.
She loves her husband of 36 years dearly. However, if Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom came knockin', well... their marriage just might be put to the test.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
Kaylin sat before her computer writing FLAHERTY'S CROSSING as a source of personal therapy after losing her beloved father to colon cancer. You might say she was angry at him, at God, at the world in general. However, after writing this story, she had the opportunity to really look into her soul and consider the fact that so many other sons and daughters have had to deal with similar and even worse situations. Rather than a memoir, her novel evolved into a fictional journey which brought about the resolution she needed to find. She never expected this exercise in writing to go to press, touch lives, or win literary awards. But as a result of her good fortune, she has arranged for proceeds from the sale of this book to go directly to the Providence Medical Foundation's colon cancer research department in her father's name. She's now convinced and proudly shares her belief that good things can grow out of the worst times in our lives if you just take the time to open your heart.

The Emissary - Amazing Paranormal Water Fantasy Adventure by Patricia Cori! Out March 4th!

Just as Nathan waved goodbye, his foot about to step back on the gas, two small black birds dropped, simultaneously, out of the sky--right in the middle of the street, between them. Before either even had a chance to react, hell unleashed its fury. In one terrifying moment, hundreds of red-winged black birds plummeted to the ground, all at once, blanketing the pavement, as if something had zapped them right out of the sky Not one of them moved. It appeared that they had been hit by a force so fierce it had killed them instantaneously, in flight. Like a scene reminiscent of Hitchcock's filem, The Birds, Nathan drove in a slow crawl to the driveway, trying to avoid the fragile little bodies, but there were hundreds, maybe thousands of dead birds, strewn in every direction. They lined the pavement for as far as he could see down the road ahead of him. Their bodies were smashed against the windshield and the hood of the car and, looking through the rear view mirror, he saw the same black blanket of death, covering the street behind him...

~

Spending time together out by the water was always a great way to break up the tedium of the day's lessons, and it was a vital part of her work with the children, teaching them to honor and always celebrate the wonders of earth's own garden, while enjoying the magic of play That day, however, when they stepped out through the backyard gate and approached the shore, she was horrified to discover a strange, silvery patina covering the sand that, on closer inspection, turned out to be an enormous mass of dead fish. Their suffocating bodies littered the entire beachfront, all the way down the coast. She stared in disbelief, gazing as far down the shore as she could, estimating that there were tens of thousands of them, heaped up over each other, their gills expanding and contracting, as they lay dying in the open air.

            

The swollen female humpback was so pregnant--she seemed just hours away from delivering her calf. Sadly, this helpless mother would never live to know that ecstatic moment of birthing her infant, or teaching her baby the joy of swimming in the open sea with her; weaving the music of the waters, nestled in the safety of their pod. There would be no song, no light from the sun for these transiting souls as they passed from life, entwined and connected forever...at least not until they reached the other wide. Here, in this massive grave with their kin, shrouded in this strange electric cloud, there was only sadness and suffering a time of farewells; a time of silenced songs that might have been. 

Jamie peered deeply into the mother whale's eyes, asking permission to connect with her baby: to touch her soul. With that, the whale let fall a tear. It dropped to the sand and dissolved into traces of ocean foam, while for Jamie, that one tear was so deep she felt she could drown within it--immense as the greatest ocean, and timeless as the waves.

The might whale looked back into Jamie's eyes with that same sense of knowing, and a light sparked between them--a flicker of recognition between two ancient souls--and then, the gentle giant, a mother-to-be who never would, blew the last precious bit of air out her blowhole.

She and her unborn baby died in that instant--within that last breath, with Jamie's love around them.

As unbearable as it was to cope with the immensity of emotions surging within her, Jamie saw the others through their pain and the dying, until the suffering ended, at last, and every soul had made its passage. They deserved at least that. She knew how to hold the light for the dying, assisting in their transition to another plane, where the pure essence of her shamanic work, conducting souls through the transition from physical reality back to spirit, and she considered herself blessed to have been of service to such noble beings in their hour of going... Hopefully, thought James, as the great beings crossed over to the other side, they would remember that someone--some human being--had known and cared enough to stay through the night, to see them across the rainbow bridge.

~~~

The Emissary

By Patricia Cori

All over the world, birds, fish, dolphins, whales and more were dying... Of course people were out trying to save them, but most had been dead when they reached the earth...

After all the teams of exhausted volunteers packed
up and went home, and the sunless sky turned cold
and gloomier still in the blackness of that senseless
night, Jamie stayed, a grieving guardian in the darkness
alone but for the graveyard of dead corpses lined up on
the shore. Morning would bring crews of clean-up teams,
with all the necessary equipment...But, for that sacred
moment, hers was the only human presence there,
and she stayed through until dawn, knowing how very
profound it was to her and to the transitioning souls
of one hundred fifty whales and dolphins, who, for
some mysterious reason, had chosen to die...

One of the rescue workers in New Zealand was Jamie Hastings. She had sat with a pregnant whale as both she and her baby had died. Jamie helped those two plus all the others pass over into the light.

Jamie had real vision. She was connected from
birth with the spirit world, and she spent time
with beings and teachers from other realms:
light beings from other dimensions. She would
spent hours on end alone, in her room, rather
than playing with the other children in the
neighborhood, as she never exhibited an
affinity for playing make believe, when her
own experience was so real...
She would sit Amanda [her mother] down and
explain, patiently, that she had to spent time
with the faeries, and the spirits, or they would
disappear. It made sense to both of them, and
only them, so they managed to keep it their
carefully guarded secret, and no one, not even
her father, was in on it.
~~~

But the mystery that had caused these deaths would stay with her for the rest of her life and she intended to discover what had happened if at all possible. Sitting next to a dying giant of the ocean, she looked directly into her eyes, saw tears flow and made a direct connection to her soul. So much love flowed from Jamie that she knew a connection with the species had been formed... She didn't realize at that moment just how that would become her truth!

Jamie had been born connected to the spirit world, with a supportive mother. Her gifts began to be stronger in her twenties and soon she was being paid to act as a medium. She eventually worked at the Stanford Psychic Institute and her life evolved around her abilities. She then moved on to help the LA Police Department, which earned her talents a certain respect she needed to move on...the violence had become too much stress on her spirit.

New Zealand's tragedy had given her the mission she knew that someday she would find. She knew she had become their Emissary and would again find them sometime in the future...

It was just after the first of the year, 2012, when Mat Anderson, head of US Oil heard about what Jamie's latest job was and he was on his way to get her immediately!

If you are involved with environmental issues, have a concern and love for the whales, dolphins and other animals of this earth, this probably is a must-read for you! I found it fascinating--a fantasy? According to genre, yes... With an exceptionally surprising ending!

But it is so much more fun to consider the... intriguing, awesome...   possibilities...

An old painting by Edwin Lord Weeks showing an open-air restaurant in Lahore,
opposite the Wazir Khan Mosque during the British Raj.
"I heard her tell Oprah that she was dowsing out there--where was it again?
Martin knew Mat was trying to trap him, but still...he didn't have much of a choice but to answer his questions. It was political. "She was in Pakistan last."
Dowsing for water out there, in the desert?"
"No, Mr. Anderson--she was dowsing for oil." He figured Mat already knew, and that holding back information would only get back to the Governor. He didn't need the pressure
Mat, great actor that he was, hid his shock at Martin's disclosure, but, inside, his heart was pounding with the excitement that his hunch was right on the money. The woman dowsed for oil! "Right, right, plenty of oil over there, that's for sure...
~~~

From the time she met with Anderson and then got on board his ship, Jamie was on edge and watchful. After meeting some of the crew, who looked like they were on vacation and saw the ship, which appeared inside more like a yacht as opposed to a research or oil rigger, she knew something was off... But it wasn't until they had sailed right into the forbidden sanctuary, after the Captain had promised they would sail around it, that she knew there would be trouble...

And she knew exactly what and why, having been told... But those on the ship would have to wait, on watch and learn...

Why were they coming? Soon everybody on the ship had come out and by the time they had all come the ship was completed encircled and the whales were coming closer and closer...

GABixlerReviews

  

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Patricia Cori has been immersed in the New Thought Movement since its inception there in the early 1970??s. She has utilized her clairvoyant abilities in healing and support work throughout her life, which has been dedicated in great part to the study of mysticism, philosophy, ancient civilizations, metaphysical healing, spirituality and unexplained mysteries. She is a world-renowned author, teacher/lecturer and spiritual guide to the sacred sites of the Earth.

She has been recognized and celebrated as a gifted shaman by indigenous spirit teachers of the Tibetan, Mayan and Peruvian traditions. In 1996, she established SoulQuest Journeys, and that year led a group of spirit travelers, to whom she introduced the sacred temples and breathtaking spirit of the Tibetan landscape, to Nepal and Tibet. She has since guided people through sacred sites in Asia, Mexico, Egypt, Europe and Peru, awakening them to Earth energies and the Secret Wisdom. One of her most popular journeys involves leading people into the crop circle formations every summer, in the mystical lands of England.

Patricia's books The Sirian Revelations and CD of channeled meditations have enjoyed worldwide acclaim as wake-up call material for the expanding consciousness of humankind. They have been re-released to a vast international audience this year by North Atlantic Books/Random House Distribution and are also available in several foreign language editions.

She hosts the cutting edge web radio talk show, BEYOND THE MATRIX - a program dedicated to exploring new avenues of human thought and experience and merging science and spirit. And she has just founded Save Earth's Oceans, Inc., a worldwide non profit organization dedicated to the great whales and dolphins.

Her latest best-selling book, BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU: MESSAGES FROM THE GREAT WHALES AND THE DOLPHIN BEINGS, is receiving rave reviews. Through it, she reveals startling revelations from the Cetacean Nation as to the evolutionary crisis of the Planet, the urgency for humankind to respond, and the galactic role the Cetaceans are playing in weaving the harmonics of the earth through the seas.

Her latest project - LITTLE BOOKS by Patricia Cori - launched in July 2013 will provide her readers with a collection of short, concise works on topics about which she is impassioned and knowledgeable, as digital editions released through kindle on amazon. Volume 1, HEAVEN IS HERE, BENEATH A TREE, is a moving collection of her artistry as a photographer and artist, and poems which reflect her love of the earth and her visions of the beyond.

A true spirit leader, Patricia Cori is weaving her own music into the souls of her readers, calling upon humankind to wake up and take its true role of leadership for the preservation of the magnificent Planet Earth. She is most definitely a force to be dealt with!

"Amazing works, but 'phenomenal' is far more accurate! Uncanny intuition and incredible psychic gifts have made Patricia Cori an international icon and one of the finest radio hosts on BBS Radio, with her weekly radio program Beyond the Matrix. Her extraordinary vision and the way she communicates her truth to her readers will make Patricia a staple in every library. This woman will change your entire life, just like magic!"
--Donald Newsom, president of BBS Network, Inc.

"Patricia Cori is a living library and her books are living vessels"
--Alfred Webre, Exopolitics. 

Free to Die By Bob McElwain His First Book Published Now Free... In Memory...

“I grew up and trotted off to war with the idea our government was the finest possible. It’s different now. I know it’s the best on this planet, but it’s a crock. We’re being used and abused by a bunch of powerful greedy bastards.” His gray eyes were flat with disgust. “
And our highly touted legal system? It flat-ass terrifies me. Walden had to wake that judge up twice in twenty minutes. Hell. I don’t mean any more to him than dust on a window sill.” Abruptly he resumed pacing.

“Even one night in a cell.” He shuddered.
 “Ever been in jail?” She shook her head. He looked away, out the dirty window. He was gone to a place far away, to an ever-present past. 


“They dropped me into a hole, then covered it over. There was no light, no sound, except from an occasional drop of water seeping through the ground above me.
 “I counted five hundred and twenty-three drops before I lost count the first time.” 
When he turned toward her, his face was pale. “I’ve never believed it was only a month. 
I just don’t know if I can do it. The night I spent when they arrested me seemed like years.” 
“You’re stronger now.” 
“Maybe.”

~~~

Free to Die

By Bob McElwain

I had picked up this book free back in 2011, but because of my need to get a better handle on requests, and putting first priority to printed books, I didn't get back to this until recently. When I began to read, and realized I had a bad copy, I went back to Amazon, knowing I was already hooked and that I would pay for it to make sure I could finish it! It was still listed for free... which confused me because I don't think authors should give their books away on a long-term basis...

So I started looking for more about the author... and was so sad to see on the publisher page...

In Memoriam
1933-2007

Bob founded Foremost Press in 2002. What a gifted writer he was. Even though we never met face-to-face, I felt I had known him my whole life. He was my mentor and such a true friend. I miss him. I will never forget him. He was truly one of a kind.           - - - Mary Holzrichter

Having just lost my good friend and author, Robert Noonan, I realize how much we have gained from the writers in this world, who have used their creativity to share with all of us, even in their later years... So, this is probably the one and only book I will read from Bob McElwain, even though there are others he has written. I noted that he had tried to get this book published, but when rejected over and over, he self-published. To me, it's a perfect example of how self-publishing will allow more gems like this one to be created for our enjoyment. I loved this book and wish he could have still been around so that all of his books would have caught on, with his knowledge... I don't know how long his books will continue to be sold, so I highly recommend you go out an get a copy of this one at least... You won't regret it, in my opinion...

The tall woman was leaning against the trunk
 of the nearly dead elm, holding her purse
 in both hands. Dangling rhinestone earrings
 accented her long neck. He decided the odd bulge
 in her purse was a pistol. “Amanda sent me,”
 she said evenly in a low-pitched contralto.
 “I’m Josie Botsworth.” “Why would Tom Fairchild
 interest either of you?” So far as he could tell,
 none of his tension showed in his easy,
soft bass. She shook her head.
 “You’re Brad Ashton and
you’re wanted for murder.”
~~~

We meet Brad as he's coming to a friend's service station. Jake is being held up and tortured for even more money. All Brad could find was a wrench. It was enough...

He made sure help was on the way, that Jake would make it, and then left, heading for a shower to get the grease and blood from his body before he left town...

He slipped into clean clothes, his best shirt and

 slacks and laid his sport coat on the bed. 

He dusted off his black dress loafers with a towel,

 then tightly rolled what little remained and packed

 it into the carry-all bag. He wrapped the boots in

 a towel and slipped them inside. The Colt .45 auto-load

 was the last item tucked inside. His plan was simple. 

He was known in Vegas as a poker player

 who won more often than not. He’d play long enough

 to hitch a ride out of town with someone leaving. 

The police would not be looking for him in the casinos.

 He stepped once again into the bathroom, 

reached under the toilet tank, and stripped the

 heavy tape loose, freeing the money belt. Tightened

 around his waist,

 the belt was hidden by the drape of his shirt.
 As he slipped into his coat and reached for his bag,
 he saw the first hint of dawn through the dirty,
 dusty window.

~~~

.

No matter whether you saved a life and stopped a robbery, the police are still going to want you, especially when there are bodies lying around at the scene... Except that wasn't what he was "already" wanted for... He had previously skipped bail for the murder of his ex-wife's brother! And Amanda, a woman he cared about, had lost bail money because of his leaving...

The issue for Brad is that he has never recovered from PTSD of being in a covered prison hole during his time in Vietnam, as well as, of course, just the trauma experienced by soldiers of that war. He still experienced tremors, nightmares, and knew that he could just not deal with being in prison!

But Josie Botsworth reported that his case was being reviewed and that there were people now who were supporting his innocence. While he appreciated that, he still could not consider that they would not win--and feared the resulting imprisonment... Finally Brad agreed to turn himself in to Sgt. Hank Walters. But even with having a friend work with him, still each time he'd awoken, he'd have to take a firm hold, breathe deeply and work to calm himself...

They went into court and it was looking good, with seemingly the Judge in agreement, but then the two lawyers seem to have made some other agreement and the prosecutor announced they weren't ready to release him! The Judge was the first to explode since he had been told an agreement was made! Brad caught a glimpse of Lt. Stratford, who had originally arrested him...Why was he in court? Something was very wrong...

Then two CIA agents, Cogswell and Feldersen, came to visit, asking about his time in Mexico, what he was doing and his relationship to a local man Tuckman. Brad had never met Tuckman before but he had introduced himself and said he was an uncle by marriage...of his ex-wife... Of course, soon after that his ex was murdered...

As Brad found out more and more, and things were growing more complex than he could have ever imagined, it was even suggested that he break bail again and get out of town! But by that time, Brad was sure he'd never be free if these murders were not all solved... 

“Coincidence bothers me.”
“I’m not following.”
“You’ve been away about three years?” Brad nodded.
“When you return, Lydia Allison dies suddenly. Is it coincidence? Or did you kill her?”
“I had no reason.” He could feel the dryness in his throat.
 “Some men don’t need one, Mr. Ashton. It’s in their blood. You’ve killed before. In Vietnam at least. Did you get a kick out of it? A special kind of high?”
 “No.” Despite himself, he said it harshly, demanding rebuttal or retraction. He leaned forward in the chair.

Rinolli watched with alert eyes, but gave no sign of response. “If you didn’t kill her, we have a coincidence, do we not? You return; she dies. It worries me.”
“Why? What’s your interest in my ex-wife?”
“Then,” Rinolli continued, as if he hadn’t heard, “you went to work at Overnite Air on Tuesday using the name Tom Fairchild. And suddenly others begin dying. A coincidence certainly, but a bothersome one.” He paused, stroking his mustache. “Did you know Gates, Talbert or Sanchez?”
“I met Talbert and Sanchez; I never saw Gates.”
“You only met them?” Brad nodded. “Can you see my problem, Mr. Ashton? These people can easily be replaced, but it wouldn’t do to let others believe there is no concern over their untimely departure. I must be absolutely certain you’re not involved. Can you help me out?"
~~~

So he went undercover, using the name Tom Fairchild, which he'd used before to work jobs and started working for Overnite Air loading freight... and...seeing some things he shouldn't have seen...

Things seemed to be coming together but then three different employees of the freight company
were killed one after the other... Somebody was cleaning up... And Brad was right in the middle to be charged with murder...again!

A Whodunit that leaves readers guessing... Is it about drugs? Who was involved? Did Brad get set up or was he just the best "person of interest" to blame? Readers see the villain moving from one individual to another, cleaning up by merely eliminating his associates...Cold-hearted, to say the least! But there are some twists that may mislead you, or confuse you and I really didn't know what was what until the end... I enjoyed Free to Die and think you will too! Check this one out quickly!


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• FREE TO DIE by Bob McElwain

The Taste of Apple Seeds by Katharina Hagena Already International Bestseller...Now in U.S.!

Where should we sit? On the steps outside the house, below the rose bush? Not festive enough, and it was visible from the road. On the terrace under the willow? Given what I wanted to talk to him about, the former conservatory was not the right place. In the copse? Too dark, too many spiky branches. In the chicken shed? Too poky, and anyway it would still smell of paint. In the orchard? In the middle of the lawn in front of the house? Or maybe inside?
I decided on under the apple trees behind the house. The grass was too tall, but there was plenty of garden furniture around to put things on. And behind the orchard the wide pastures began. I went into the barn and fetched Hinnerk's scythe. Why shouldn't I be able to do it, too? I tried to remember how my grandfather had wielded the scythe as he made his way easily and slowly through the falling blades of grass. But what had looked so easy was actually very arduous, and the heat didn't help things. Bravely I cut a rather uneven patch beside the large Boskoop tree in which Bertha and Anna had once had their hideaway. It looked less as if someone had tried to prepare a pleasant spot for a picnic and more like the site of a fight. It was, in fact, and the scythe had won. I hung the blunt tool back in its place. Only blankets would help now. I went upstairs, rummaged through the chests, and found a large patchwork rug, several course woolen blankets, and a golden-brown brocade curtain. I hauled them down the stairs as if they were the skins of animals I'd slain, dragged them through the barn and into the meadow at the back.
Those dower chests were wonderful. I went back and fetched a white broderic anglaise tablecloth. As I walked down the stairs again my gaze fixed on the bookshelf. The spines of the books were looking at me. I stopped. There wasn't any system; things just happened and sometimes the arrangement worked.

~~~

"Memory would be of no use to us if it were strictly truthful." --Paul Valery

The Taste of Apple Seeds

By Katharina Hagena

Starting a drama revolving around a family will normally contain much that will touch readers personally. I am sure this will be the case if you follow the more than one million readers that have already enjoyed this novel. The author lives in Hamburg, Germany, where the setting also takes place. There were a couple of connections for me, but the family story as told and experienced by Iris, the young grandchild, will pull you in with the smells of the fields of apples, currant bushes, et. al., along with the fresh country air that seems to reach out as you read more and more...

My memories include fresh, delicious apples and pears picked from the trees, or picked up from the ground, just as Iris remembered. She had always loved visiting her grandmother Bertha; still, she was surprised, along with the rest of the family, that her grandmother's house came to her, with only the properties being divided among her three girls... She would have felt better if the house had gone, first, to her mother, and then be passed on to her. Bertha had made her own decisions, instead. I remember that a close sister of my mother had left her inheritance to Mom's four children. She lived with me and I learned of the hurt she felt for not having had it come to her first, which is what she had understood would happen.

So many secrets come out at the death of a family member, don't they? Or, if not, they continue to fester and affect those who are left. Just by being the new home-place owner, Iris was to learn much of what had happened in the lives of her relatives...

Before her memory went completely, Bertha
remembered us in her will. My mother, Christa,
inherited the land, Aunt Inga the stocks and
shares, Aunt Harriet the money. I, the final
descendant, inherited the house. The jewelry and
furniture, the linen and the silver were to be
divided up between my mother and aunts.
Bertha's will was as clear as spring water--and
just as sobering. The stocks and shares were
not particularly valuable, nobody except cows
wanted to live on the pasture of the north German
lowlands, there wasn't much money left, and the
house was old.
~~~

Bertha must have remembered how
much I used to love the house. But
we didn't find out about her will
until after the funeral. I went on my
own; it was a long, circuitous trip
involving a number of trains. I set off
from Freiburg and had to travel the
entire length of the country until finally,
right up in the village of Bootshaven at
the stop opposite my grandmother's
house, I got off a bus...I was worn down
by the journey, the grieving, and the
feelings of guilt you always have when
someone dies whom you loved but
didn't know very well.
~~~

Bertha had been the dominant leader in the home, while her husband spent most of the time in his office...But one day while picking apples, she had fallen and like many women, immediately got up, 
brushed herself off and
went on working.

But soon they were thinking that was when she started. First, forgetting little things. Her husband had little
tolerance for what could be happening and still depended upon her. After he had died, Inga and Harriet spent most of the time taking care of Bertha and had come to resent Christa, just because she was married and away from the area, did not take her turn.
Finally they had to place her in a care home since she had no memory left of her family or home...

Afterward, everyone went to the cafe beside the cemetery
to eat... As always happens after funerals, the mourners
all started talking at once, first in a murmur, then
gradually more loudly. The three admirers were now
standing around Aunt Inga, their legs wide apart and their
backs very straight. It seemed as if Aunt Inga had been
expecting them to pay homage, but at the same time she
accepted it with gentle irony...
When we left the cafe it was still warm. Herr Lexow
fastened metal clips around the bottoms of his trouser
legs and climbed onto a black bicycle that was leaning
unlocked against a wall. He raised his hand briefly and
rode off toward the cemetery. My parents and aunts
stayed by the entrance to the case, squinting in the
evening sun.

My father cleared his throat. "Those gentlemen from
the law firm--you saw them. Bertha left a will."
So they were the lawyers. My father wasn't finished;
he opened his mouth to speak again, but paused. The
three sisters continued to look at the red sun and
said nothing.
"They're waiting at the house."
~~~

What readers experience is not so much the family itself, but rather the memories that death evokes, often not the happy, but the sad or angry ones...

It was Iris, though, that spent the time going through the house, remembering her childhood times, her friends, and when her cousin, Harriet's daughter, died...

Rosmary and Myra had been her best friends, even though she was younger and was always brought into exactly what was happening. Now, Rosmary was dead, Myra was far away and only Myra's younger brother, who was a year younger than Iris, was still in town...

And now her lawyer... And soon she found that he was no longer the little wimp, the pest that had hung around with the girls...

Now, because Iris had thought her trip would be short, she "dressed up" in her aunts gowns and you will enjoy the fun she gets into with them!

You must understand that some of what you read will not be complete. You can look back, as Iris did, but you really can't be sure. The secret of Rosemary's death for instance... What exactly happened? Was it truly accidental?

And did her grandmother really have an affair? Or was it just the ramblings of an old man who had taken care of the house while nobody else had visited for years...

But even then, does it matter? Can memories only be true for the one that was involved? Or maybe not even for them? Was Bertha already losing her memory when Herr Lexow had visited?

What is memorable is the story, the way Katharina Hagena brings it all alive for readers--tempting you, forcing you to relive the parts of your own life that had similar results or feelings. Walk with Iris through her first home, if she decided to stay, as she picks up items that were important or wonders who kept changing the order of the books...and why? I remember I dreamed several times about having my grandmother's house come to me, or in another scenario, I would buy it from the estate. I would walk through the house in my mind and see the threadbare carpeting, the cupboard where the cookies were always waiting for me to sneak, and the fear of wearing red out into the fields where the animals were, having been told they would attack me... Why do some places hold good memories, and even the bad ones and you want to stay there and have those feelings for yourself that must have once been felt by your ancestors? Hagena pulls you in with her fluency of thought, with her search for love, now lost...but, also, for a love, now found???

Let your emotions come, your tears, warm thoughts, or the mystery and wonderment that unknown answers to secrets bring to you... Read The Taste of Apple Seeds... You know, I never in my life even thought of chewing on the seeds! Have you? Well, Katharine Hagena gives us much to chew on in her second novel! Find your past again, while experiencing the literary magic Hagena presents.


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Katharina Hagena is the author of On Sleep and Disappearing. She lives in Hamburg, Germany. www.katharinahagena.de. Her second novel, Apple Seeds is available now at Amazon | BandN | iTunes| IndieBound

Or try to win a copy at http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/97a55e15/

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• The Taste of Apple Seeds by Katharina Hagena review, excerpt and giveaway!