Chronicles of the Lost Years is a Sherlock Holmes story in the best tradition of Arthur Conan Doyle. Dr. Watson is, as in the original tales, the narrator, and the story features other well known Doyle characters such as Sherlock Holmes, his brother, Mycroft, the Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes’s adversary Moriarity, and a couple of others.
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(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Days of the Dead is the second in Anastasia Amor’s Adie Sturm series. In her newest novel, we find Adie Sturm, a smart, independent woman with an undeniable sex appeal, embroiled in another murder mystery. Adie, a tour guide for Fleischer Travel, has taken a group to Cozumel, Mexico for the Days of the Dead holiday.

Once in Cozumel, Adie’s boss, Ingrid, who has more than her fair share of enemies, begins receiving threats on her life. Adie must team up with two men from her past to figure out who wants Ingrid dead: Diego Alvarez, a sexy millionaire who wants Adie all to himself, and Wolf du Lac, an irresistible man that shares a past with her.

Together with Diego and Wolf, Adie travels through the streets and Mayan ruins of Cozumel searching for a killer. Will she solve the mystery in time to save Ingrid?

I had no trouble starting with the second book in the series. Enough was explained from the previous book that you did not feel any crucial information was missing. Anastasia Amor’s attention to detail creates the ability for the reader to feel as if they are taking part in the story.

I found Days of the Dead to be well written, but the indecisiveness Adie experienced romantically, constantly changing her mind in the middle of a sexual encounter, left me indifferent. Overall, the story was interesting, however the plotline involving the mystery seemed to be neglected. I give this novel three stars.

Book Stats:

• Paperback
• Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press (2009)
• ISBN-10: 1603136975
• ISBN-13: 978-1603136976

To purchase a print copy of Days of the Dead from Amazon click here.

To purchase an electronic copy of Days of the Dead click here.

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Since her divorce less than a year ago, C.D. Waddell is still feeling unsettled. Her ex-husband has started calling, trying for reconciliation, and she is torn between her loneliness and her sensibility. Her parents are loving and supportive but they thoroughly disapprove of C.D. and David getting back together. Her best friend, Mandy, has similar objections and is not at all shy about airing them. C.D.’s boss is an arrogant and fussy man, and though she loves her job and is successful, he does an excellent job of draining any pleasure she feels at work.

Feeling as though she is at the end of her rope, C.D. prays for a distraction, for something big enough to keep her occupied and drive David right out of her heart and mind. Towards that end, she decides to search for her birth parents, though she has no idea where to begin.

A new friend of her father’s, Mitch Everhart, happens to be a private investigator. C.D. decides to ask Mitch if he will help her search. There are few clues to go on, but Mitch agrees. While C.D. continues to pray for answers, David increases his pursuit, alienating her friends and family, and Mitch seems to be right behind her, always coming forward with new information. C.D. is confused about David’s renewed attentions and about her growing feelings for Mitch. The search for her birth family is progressing, but even that exciting news is clouded by her guilt over seeing David again. Her job situation is deteriorating, her parents are upset over her relationship, and C.D. is confused about her next step. Though C.D. continues to pray, she is frustrated by the lack of clear direction. Will C.D. receive the answer she wants?

Cheryl Warner has written an interesting story with many exciting elements. Her characters are believable (in fact, I think I may have been married to David at one time!) and realistic. C.D.’s faith is a constant theme throughout the story, and I appreciated that her faith was shown as a natural, enduring part of her life rather than becoming a sermon for the reader. I enjoyed this story very much and look forward to reading more from this author.

5 out of 5 stars

Book Stats:

• Paperback
• Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press (2008)
• ISBN-10: 1603133607
• ISBN-13: 978-1603133609

To purchase a print copy of A Prayer for Distraction click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of A Prayer for Distraction click here.
To purchase an electronic copy of A Prayer for Distraction click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Donna Lea Simpson crafts a lovely, historical novel, creating a plethora of delightful characters in this wonderful start of a new series. Lady Anne is a first-rate mystery of the highest quality, filled with delicious historical details and plot-twists that will capture the imagination.

Lady Anne Addison is a noblewoman in the late eighteenth century visiting her spooked friend, Lydia, in Yorkshire, who is certain she has seen a werewolf prowling the estate where she and her husband live. A werewolf, however, is only the beginning of the story, with the body of a servant-girl turning up upon Anne’s arrival and the start of a romance between Anne and Lydia’s brother-in-law, the Marquess of Darkefell. Lady Anne is a complex story of deception and hidden trysts, marked by the intense humanity and believability of even the smallest characters.

I highly recommend this book! This being my introduction to this excellent author, I was stunned by how well-orchestrated the novel was. Everything fell together seamlessly, and the interplay between the leads was humorous and natural. An lovely mystery and romance.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402217919
• ISBN-13: 978-1402217913

To purchase a print copy of Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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