Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Stenographer Lauren Besoner can’t catch a break! In the second book of this series, Lauren gets into another murder investigation when she fears the wrong person may be on trial. This book brings more secrets and more suspense. An added complication: the judge is her ex-husband…How does he fit into this crime?
Silent Gavel by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have never read a book quite like this one! Lauren Besoner is a court stenographer who is trying to start fresh after a recent divorce. She soon finds herself accused of murdering a local judge. In a page-turning whodunit, author Merissa Racine kept me thoroughly engrossed with secrets and reveals. I love, love a smart female main character!
Silent Gavel by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Who doesnt love a book that starts right off walking into find your bosses bloody body? This book has many twists an turns, the cop an reporter procedures kept the book interesting when the rest was lacking. Looking forward to seeing what the next book in the series has in store for us. I hope Lauren and Sam come back again so we get to see where their romance takes us.
#DawnMitchell
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A story of what comes of three adults who suffered a childhood of abuse in many different forms, by their mother. Turns out their mother was not only torturing them and making their lives miserable. When the death of their mother brings the middle child Vic back to Grimsby more mysteries blossom through the town. Each of the children possess a special talent that makes them a force to be reckoned with. Will the death of their abusive, narcissistic mother bring the siblings back together?
I really enjoyed this book. I read it quickly and couldn’t put it down most of the time. There was always a mystery to be solved in it. Byrd Nash has a way of writing her characters and describing everything that has you picturing everything as you go. I do like how she kept you wondering what more could possibly happen and how deep did the corruption in this odd town go. Definitely glad I read it and I would read more by Byrd Nash!
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery with a magical twist and witches to boot! There are so many things happening throughout this book that you will never be bored. It will keep you turning those pages.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
Vic has to return to Grimsby after her mother dies to meet with her siblings…but being back home brings back many memories of why she left to begin with. Her family is anything but normal…her mother was a witch, Vic is an empath, her sister can charm those around her, and her brother knows the history of any object he comes into contact with.
However, when the truth of what her mother was up to before her death comes out…Vic uses her powers to figure out what really happened. But, there is a price to pay for using her power. It doesn’t help that her ex-boyfriend, who now works for the FBI, is hanging around while another ex is also around as counsel to her brother. With so many secrets to keep while searching for the truth…Vic finds herself taking on all the feelings of others to her own detriment. Will they be able to find out the truth before it is too late?
I found this book to be quite interesting. It is different than other books that I have read and I found myself immersed into the story…wanting to see what was going to happen.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book did not turn out to be what I was expecting, but I think I like it more than what I expected. Byrd Nash weaves a wonderful tale that has a dash of magic, as opposed to a magical fantasy land with mystical creatures. It is a much more contemporary read with talk of traumatic life events, murder, mystery, and a touch of romance.
Rachel Rowan used her magical talents to traumatize her neighbors, and used her kids as pawns to use their talents in her favor. When their mother dies, Phillipa, Victoria and Liam are left to fit together the pieces of the messes she made and the fallout her choices lead to.
It’s a little hard to put a genre that fits the whole of the book, but I was hooked and happily surprised my interpretation of what the book WOULD be turned out to be incorrect. I look forward to reading more from this author.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I think I grabbed this book having high expectations with it, I read a lot of fantasy, magic, supernatural so I think maybe I was thinking it would be different then what it really was. Don’t get me wrong the book itself was very good, the plot line is just as good and really fits the characters the conflicts made me really think and wonder what was going to happen. I was intrigued by the characters in this novel. With a wonderful mix of personalities, how amazing of friends and family that they all seem to be. The characters in the book you can’t not enjoy, trying to fix issues that came up, problem solving, and how they all got along as good friends and family. The flow and the way you can easily read this book, it was a very short read for me. I really thought there was going to be more magic and supernatural not a book about black mail and murder. It was an enjoyable book on a low-key kind of way.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Spell of Rowans was a very interesting read. It is about a woman named Victoria, Vic for short, whose mother died resulting in Vic going to her hometown to deal with it. As it turns out, it appears as if her mother, Rachel, has been murdered. At the time, Liam, the youngest sibling, gets arrested as a suspect in another murder of a woman named Patty who worked closely with the Rowan’s mother.
The book follows the family trying to get closure and move on from their abusive past while also trying to figure out who the murderer is. Things aren’t adding up. The Rowan’s all have special abilities that their mother hoarded over them when they were children. As a result, the siblings want to get all of this done and over with as fast as possible but that’s hard to do when you may be the next victim in mind.
A Spell of Rowans did not disappoint. You could tell that the author was writing from experience. The way Byrd Nash taps into the emotions of a broken adult due to childhood trauma is spot on. Not only that but the book was also filled with action, magic, mystery with a splash or romance. I would highly recommend this book!
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The story takes place in a town named Grimsby where everyone knows one another. The story is told through Vic who left Grimsby 15 years ago under mysterious circumstances and never looked back. This story had me hooked from the beginning to the end.
I absolutely love how the author, Byrd Nash, has interwoven two stories together as one incredible story. One story follows Vic, who is head deep in a criminal trial where the FBI is intimately involved. The second story line follows a family with so many distrustful relationships. The ability to interweave both stories as this one amazing story that is a must read!! Bravo!!
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Spell of Rowans
By Byrd Nash
4-stars
A Spell of Rowans completely surpassed my expectations, it was nothing like I expected it would be but ended up being much better. I felt intrigued right from the start and the characters and storyline kept me captivated and wanting to know how everything was going to play out. I love how well the story flowed, there was always something going on that kept my attention, keeping me engaged.
This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more asap!
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash is an interesting book about the Rowan family. I was a bit worried about some aspects of this book which was noted that some instances could be a trigger for some readers. Even with that thought on my mind, I tried my best read the story with an open mind. Although I don’t have the abilities the Rowan siblings have, I did connect with the characters. Family can bring so much pain an suffering to some, the Rowan siblings went through a lot of bad things.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
After the death of their mother, a witch by any other name, the Rowan siblings have to clean up the mess. All the while trying to make a better future for themselves!
There is mystery in the murders that surround the family. Talk of childhood trauma and living through all the abuse the siblings endured from their mother. While their father sat back and let it all happen.
The way the author tells this story of family drama, death, and mysteries that have to be solved is beyond amazing. This was a great read and would recommend this book to anyone!
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Spell of Rowans is a story that may have some triggers and be difficult to read. This is a story of drama, crime, and mystery. It does have some triggers that relate to domestic abuse, domestic violence, and mental abuse. I feel knowing that there are triggers will be helpful to know before starting reading this book, as it may be a difficult subject matter for some. The storyline moves quickly which had me turning pages to see what was coming next. The characters are relatable. It is a story that focuses on a family unit. It shows me the family dynamics between siblings which brings the drama to the forefront of the characters. If you like mystery and crime books, then this story is for you. This book is also full of emotions so make sure you have a box of Kleenex nearby.
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine is the second installment in the Crawford Mystery series. In book 2 we continue to follow Lauren, court stenographer, further into her new job as she now works for her ex-husband who takes his place as judge. This time, when her town of Crawford is faced with a murder, she must either do what she is being paid to do, or go with her gut instincts. I totally appreciate the portrayal of strong and smart women protagonists, and Lauren has quickly become a favorite of mine. I started out with little knowledge of legal matters, but had no problems becoming engrossed in this story from book 1. The author is knowledgeable of the legal process, but writes it in a way that is engrossing, as well as believable. I fully recommend this series and hope there is a book 3!
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I did not know the life of a stenographer till now. Lauren is now freelancing with her stenographer position. She was doing a deposition for a Lady who ended up dying the next night. Now she is back in the court scene since the person who took her position had a baby and on maternity leave. Lauren is back to investigating while doing her job to help figure out what happened to her. During all of this, she still is haunted from what happened in the first book, and unraveling secrets she didn’t think would ever come out. She gains friends with a little drama while keeping her family relationships close. This is a great mystery series.
Reviewed by @ash18235
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this. I was hooked and intrigued from the beginning. The second in this series and absolutely amazing. I was on edge to the point I couldn’t put it down. Racine wrote this beautifully. The characters were amazingly developed.
Silent Gavel by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Silent Gavel (A Crawford Mystery Book 1) by Merissa Racine is the page-turning opener of a two book courtroom series. Lauren Besoner is a courtroom stenographer and, after moving to Wyoming, finds herself in the middle of a murder that she did not commit. This author is a court stenographer in real life (also in Wyoming!), so the writing is reliable as well as compelling. The characters in this book are well-written, and it is easy to imagine being in the middle of this story. The story makes you think and keeps you on the edge of your seat! I thoroughly enjoyed following Lauren’s story and cannot wait to dig into book 2!
Silent Gavel by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book took me for a mystery ride! Lauren Besoner is a stenographer in Crawford County and hasn’t been working there for that long yet. She went to pick up her Judge to a hearing in a different town to find her dead in her home. From there, she’s first suspect since she was the one to find her, but she goes to to prove her innocence to find all the facts. This includes her relationship with her ex-husband, keeping up with her job, and trying not to be the next victim. This was a great mystery to read and went straight to the second book when I was done.
Reviewed by @ash18235
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
5 Stars
I have read a few of Byrd Nash’s books and this has to be my all time favourite. It’s perfect! There is drama, murder, suspense and magic. The thing that I love best about the book is that the main character is not perfect. Victoria Rowan and her siblings are broken. Raised by a mother so horrendous, they were crushed. Each trying their best to survive her cruelty. Victoria returns home, a decade of being gone, after her mother’s death. Secrets are revealed and her mothers natural death turns into a murder. Although Vic is happy her mother is gone, she is put in harms way because of her. Rachel Rowan is still terrorizing her children from beyond the grave. The siblings need to uncover the truth if they finally want to put the past to rest.
This is an intriguing story with twists and turns that kept me riveted from the start. I loved the characters and all their flaws. I’m happy everything was resolved in the end but kind of sad because I would like to read more about these characters. Here’s hoping the author turns this book into a series!
Review by @Anna Hirsch
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A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great realistic fantasy
Usually I am a sucker for full blown fantasy reads. I want dragons, faeries, mages,werewolves, skinwalkers, witches the whole none yards! This story however has won me over with just a touch of magic in the book which I never thought was possible.
Beware once you start you can’t stop, I stayed up all night to just finish this book and all I can say is wow. I read it on my eReader but this is one I’m going to have a physical copy of.
Review by Autum Talamante
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another page turner! Lauren is smack dab in the middle of another mystery. I love how Merissa Racine makes the whole story so realistic: in how Lauren follows the clues and in how she builds her story. I could read a dozen more Crawford Mysteries (and another dozen after that)! An amazing author who writes great characters! One of my absolute new favorites.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow, where to start with this novel from Ms. Nash?! I suppose the first place I will start is with the gorgeous cover. With a cover like this it makes me have hope that this book could someday be a wonderful movie or miniseries like I dreamed as I read it. I loved this book and the moment I saw the cover it was like that must be a movie it instantly had those vibes coming off of it. The whole time I read it played out before me like a movie as well so this right here may as well be a a manuscript for a Netflix special lol. This book has so many layers to it from hints of paranormal fantasy to mystery and crime with twisted family secrets that will leave you scratching your head and also going well no wonder things are so messed up here. I won’t be giving away any storylines in my review because that will ruin all the fun but this is one you don’t want to miss if you like watching A Haunting or those types of shows. This book will be one I will be re-reading and enjoying again because I am sure I missed something the first time around. I hope that there is more of these to come from Ms. Nash in the near future. I will be first in line to get my hands on it!
Review by @lizaileen
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Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
The story follows Lauren, a stenographer in small town Crawford, Wyoming, who uses the insight from her position to find the justice she wants to see served – but can her suspicions prove to be true before her friend’s nephew is charged with murder?
I had my suspicions on whether he was innocent or not. Merissa Racine does an incredible job making you go back and forth on your opinion.
What I wasn’t prepared for was for Lauren to uncover the truth at the perfect time.
The tension leading up to the final moment is absolutely delicious. This book will have your mind racing to find the killer and the motive but nothing can prepare you for the truth.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Three siblings lose their mother. Middle child comes back to hometown because she is residing in the city. Once home disaster after disaster happen. They conquer everything together, including their powers, and each sibling with their love conquest.
Silent Gavel by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Worth every star! I was hooked from the first line. Merissa Racine sets the perfect small town Wyoming scene when Lauren, a court reporter, enters the Judge’s house to see why she’s running late for a court appearance and walks in on her bloody body laying on the ground – making Lauren suspect number one.
I’m a sucker for a good thriller and this book is no exception. It was easy to relate to the characters and really cool to see the insight from someone inside the legal system work to prove her own innocence.
I highly recommend this novel for an intriguing page turner that you won’t be able to put down!
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Shadows of Doubt was such a great read! The main character, Lauren, was very relatable and it was easy to root for her as she navigated her new life as a single woman. The story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat with all of its twists and turns. As soon as I thought I had this one figured out, something else happened to make me realize Merissa Racine was still two steps ahead! The ending was definitely a shocker and I hope there are more installments of the Crawford Mystery series.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amazing book. The author caught my attention from the very beginning. She was able to transport me into the world and took me through a world of emotions. Main characters and plot are very well written.
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book in this mystery series by this author. I found it to be just as enjoyable and suspenseful as the first one. In fact, maybe just a little bit more. I love mystery novels. I especially love mystery novels with women doing the investigating. More so when they are not “the investigator” but go out on their own to solve the crime. I thought that this story was very well written. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of it. I couldn’t put it down, so I was up almost all night reading just to finish this book. I love the way she captivates the reader with her characterization that literally makes me feel like I am writing the story. I must admit that the ending was so not what I was expecting it to be and that blew me away because it was such a plot twist. I highly recommend you pick up this book. But, before you do, make sure that you read book one in the series. I feel as that will be beneficial to you to know and understand the story and characters.
A Spell of Rowans by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! This book was amazing from start to finish, the writing was so easy to get hooked on and basically spending your time reading, not realizing all the time you are lost in this wonderful book. I was more than impressed with this book, the story was very captivating and a wicked good read! A must read!
I don’t even know where to start. When reading this I am sure you will fine the plots that all mesh into each other (eventually) will blow your mind. There were many different characters, but they were all connected. Each character was made differently and I found they all had their own sense of purpose. For what reasons they were, they had to find out on their own! The story immersed my body and soul, and the twists and turns really kept the interest high and strong! I was amaze throughout my entire reading!
For me the family drama, was very real and I found the toll at times emotional as real as it was. I felt I was right there with the kids, after what happened with their dear mother, they had things to figure out and things with in themselves. It was beautifully haunting the way it was written as well as things unfold and things come to light. I was sad when it ended, as I wanted to read more, and see what what else come come up or happen. The feels I had when reading were vivid and real, truly amazing read!
I had never read anything by this gifted author as of yet, and needless to say i am hooked for sure! The writing was more than fantastic, and there are no words that alone that can describe how impacting the story and all the corks and screws were within this novel. Experience this book and read it, and see the magic it will pour onto you. It is a book that is a must read, highly recommend with all my soul!
Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a very good crime mystery, I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of detail in the plot, but it is never difficult to keep it all straight, nor veering into boredom with monotony. I do find other books bore me with too many details, but this one was just right. The twists of the plot were very interesting, and definitely kept me guessing. Racine’s writing style is very engrossing, and seemed very realistic in the level of detail about Lauren’s stenography job and how the courtroom works. Great job!
Reviewed by @ericalorraine
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