Girl Trap (Madeline Dawkins #3) by Cynthia Hamilton was a gripping suspenseful read that kept me reading.
The third book in this series, I was excited to get my hands on it. Now this is a continuation series, so I highly suggest reading the other two books or you will not be able to get the full impact of this story.
Going into this book I think I might have set the bar a little too high, as I very much enjoyed the other two books, but I found this one was a little off. Right away I got that feeling, there was a little back tracking with the character development, and well, at this point in the of story the MC should be solidified, and we should be seeing the results. It wasn’t like that for the whole book, as the second half was pretty great, it just felt like there was two stories in one. I also found that there was some filler, and over explaining that made the flow dull and a little, meh.
Outside of this, this book still had the same suspenseful feelings as the other two. The main detail was on point, and pulls you in. The overall plot is pulling, gripping and has you second guessing some details, making it fun and engaging. This book has a lot of potential, and I think it just needs some polish, and a little more direction, to make it pop like the other two. I will warn you this books does end on a sort of cliff hanger, so I am excited that there’s going to be another book.
So with all that said, this wasn’t a bad read and I did quite enjoy it. It was just lacking a little, and frankly I think it was more a bridge to get to that forth book. So to end, this books gets my recommendation and my stamp of approval.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Emily-Ann Walshhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEmily-Ann Walsh2019-06-28 20:38:102019-06-28 21:00:50Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Emily Walsh
Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton is a four star novel. This is the third novel in the series and I have loved getting to know the character of Madeline Dawkins. Madeline is an event planner and a private eye. Such a weird combination, but it works for her. This novel touches on some very real and traumatizing material such as sex trafficking. I love that the author was not afraid to publish this novel with this raw material in it because people need to be more aware that these kinds of horrors are happening and how to help stop them. I also love how raw the character of Madeline is. She is real and someone you can relate to. Sometimes authors put characters in books that are hard to relate to because of too much good or too much bad happening to them but Madeline isn’t like that.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Julie Lounellohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJulie Lounello2019-06-28 20:37:172019-06-28 20:58:31Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Julie Lounello
Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton is part of a series that is a must read in your summer “To Read” collection. Each book in this series adds additional depth and dynamic to Madeline and the mysterious events that embark within her life. This story may be longer than some, but at the same time it makes for a solid read that will keep your mind engaged giving more than some of the shorter mysteries that are out there. Prior to this series, I hadn’t previously read a book by this author and she has absolutely brought a new appreciation to this genre which is not normally my cup of tea. Girl Trap was a great read as Madeline and Mike’s journeys take them in directions unexpected.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Bahmhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Bahm2019-06-28 18:28:202019-06-28 20:39:17Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Heather Bahm
Girl Trap by Cynthia Hamilton is the third book by Madeline Dawkins. I recommend reading this series in order to get the full back story with Madeline and Mike. I have been in pulled into this world and feel like Madeline and Mike are my friends and I will do anything for them. Madeline really finds herself in a bind. She found herself into two different cases, one is sex trafficking and the other a missing person. There are some wild twists and turns that keep you on your toes. Cynthia Hamilton does an amazing job with painting the picture with her descriptive writing skills. I cannot wait to see what else is in store for Madeline in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erica Fishhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErica Fish2019-06-27 12:32:392019-06-27 15:39:28Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Erica Fish
Girl Trap by Cynthia Hamilton was a book that was written well. I liked the plot, the suspense was insane and the book kept me mostly interested. There was to much going on at once. I felt the book was a lot for one book. Mike and Madeline were in 2 different places and it kept going back and forth every other chapter was about the other person. They were working two totally different cases so I feel like, going back and forth was pointless. I was more interested in Mike’s case but just when I thought I was going to get something good, the next chapter was about Madeline. Maybe this could’ve been two different books? Not sure! With that being said, I can’t believe what Madeline uncovered and Mike…..he’s good!!! I liked the characters as they were characters from previous books but there were quite a few others too. Will there be a happy ending insight for all involved? Can Mike and Madeline both solve the cases they have or do they work better as a team?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Michelle Mulveyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMichelle Mulvey2019-06-26 16:30:322019-06-26 16:39:46Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Michelle Mulvey
I continue to enjoy this series from Hamilton and found the third installment to be a perfect summer vacation mystery. The heroine is best understood if the previous series books are read but this book can be read on its own. I found the characters continued to be engaging as in previous books and the plot kept me entertained from beginning to end. I look forward to seeing where the series takes me next!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Lovelacehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Lovelace2019-06-25 22:38:412019-06-25 22:38:41Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Heather Lovelace
I have absolutely become obsessed with Cynthia Hamilton’s Madeline Dawkins mysteries. Girl Trap is the third installment, and I would highly suggest that you read the previous two books in the series prior to this one for the best enjoyment and understanding. They are the best poolside reads though so perfect to slip in the beach bag and devour while soaking up some sun. Madeline is the type of character that I find myself wanting to be like and following her growth as a person and in her profession truly make these books multidimensional and completely fabulous.
Girl Trap finds Madeline and Mike twisted up in two dangerous and high stakes cases. The two and the team struggle with these and find themselves often working against each other and split. Both of them are looking for missing persons, will they be able to find them alive and well? Can they figure out how to work together in the end? You won’t find much more as far as details here, I couldn’t bear to spoil any of this delicious novel for you. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment, hopefully soon!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Liz Vrchotahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLiz Vrchota2019-06-25 09:53:022019-06-25 10:38:19Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Liz Vrchota
Children of The Future by Jane Suen My rating 4 out of 5 stars
Everything I have read by this author so far as been short but very enjoyable. She knows how to put enough details, story line and punch into a few pages and I love it.
Telly is a loveable character. His concern for the missing children and his initiative to find them is beautiful. How can all the kids go missing except for one? I would highly recommend this book. Read to find out what happens with the missing children and enjoy all the mystery revolving around this lone bus driver and his one companion. Will they be able to uncover the truth?
The ending and well the whole story really was very well written. I again want to stress how intelligent Jane is in that she can fit so much punch and impact in just a short amount of time. I have not read a book from her that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Carrie Reedhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCarrie Reed2019-06-25 07:24:522019-06-25 08:19:30Children Of The Future by Jane Suen – Review by Carrie Reed
Girl Trap was another enjoyable read from Cynthia Hamilton. I really like this authors writing style, I find that I am easily pulled into her stories, they have a great flow and pace and the characters are really interesting to read about. I really like Madeline, I feel like I am right there with her in the story at times working alongside her trying to solve the cases that she has. I think that her and Mike make a great team, they both work hard and won’t give in until they have solved what they need to. I enjoyed seeing them work separately as well as together in this story! There were some good twists and turns in this story, a good amount of suspense and mystery running throughout the story that had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author again in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Katie Matthewshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKatie Matthews2019-06-24 07:23:072019-06-24 09:05:38Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Katie Matthews
Children of the Future was a quick read for me. I have read other books by this author but, this was alittle different from what I’m used to. The local bus driver Telly shows up at the end of the school day and there is no one in sight. He checks the playground, the classrooms, the halls and every where he could think. The school children and teachers are all gone. He’s about to leave and he hears a sneeze. One of the school children named Billy was hiding in a small area. He seemed frightened and said he didn’t want to go and decided to hide. No one knows where all the missing kids and teachers are. All the locals come to take search shifts and look all over. Just when you think they will find the missing people, it turns out to be a dead end. Will the missing people ever be found? Will Telly give up or will he keep looking for answers?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Michelle Mulveyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMichelle Mulvey2019-06-23 18:19:222019-06-23 19:54:23Children of the Future by Jane Suen – Review by Michelle Mulvey
Jane Suen is a new author to me, and I was defiantly not disappointed with this read! This was a quick read that had a lot going on. This author has created that have depth, and a storyline that is captivating and engaging. This book keeps you thinking for long after you have finished and it really makes you stop and think!
I couldn’t stop turning the pages with this read, it’s definitely a unique, interesting and an imaginative read! This is also a book that as you read you try and mentally work out how things are going to play out with the mystery and suspense that was surrounding this book you also find yourself on the edge of your seat wondering whether what you think will happen, actually happen!
This was an incredible book that should not be missed! I highly recommend that you take the chance to read this boom and really enjoy it!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Chantelle Smithhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChantelle Smith2019-06-23 16:27:272019-06-23 16:37:27Children Of The Future by Jane Suen – Review by Chantelle Smith
Children Of The Future By: Jane Suen 5 out of 5 stars
The story Children Of The Future by Jane Suen is a book that I found imaginative and interesting. It is what I would call a short story or novella. It had quite a way of grabbing my attention and holding it from the first chapter to the last. I enjoyed reading about the character of Telly. He is the town bus driver who one afternoon finds all of the children, with the exception of one, missing. Telly enjoys driving the children to and from school. He is quite concerned about the missing children and goes out to search for them along with Billy, the one child that he has found hidden in a cabinet. Will Telly and Billy find the children? Read this book to find out. The story has an atmosphere of mystery and I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. While the story is a bit shorter than some, I found myself identifying with the characters. I enjoyed many of them that are introduced and how they interact with Telly. Don’t miss out on a story that the author has made come alive. You will not be disappointed. Highly recommended.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laura Furutahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLaura Furuta2019-06-22 22:20:252019-06-22 23:06:08Children Of The Future By Jane Suen – Review by Laura Furuta
A small yellow school bus pulls up in front of the little red brick schoolhouse. Telly, the bus
driver, discovers all of the children are missing — all except one very frightened Billy who has
hidden in a cabinet. Where is everyone? Telly and Billy are determined to find the answers.
The little town of Rocky Flats is stirred into a frenzy. Nothing like this has ever happened before! Where have the children gone? Why? As the clock ticks and the little town rallies together in the search, will they find the children before it’s too late?
Jane Suen is an award-winning author who writes mysteries, sci-fi thrillers, and short stories.
Since her debut children’s mystery, Children of the Future, she’s wrapped up her thriller series, Alterations Trilogy. Look for a June 2019 release of her new mystery suspense, Murder Creek.
Jane is a transplant to the South who has taken a liking to grits, iced tea, and snow cones – so she’s there to stay.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-06-20 12:01:042020-04-05 09:34:36Children Of The Future by Jane Suen
Scarlet Fever (A Johnny Delarosa Thriller Book 1) By: David Stever 5 out of 5 stars
The story Scarlet Fever (A Johnny Delarosa Thriller Book 1) by David Stever is a thrilling mystery book that is amazing to read. It pulls you in from the very beginning and didn’t let me go until I had finished the final page. I loved reading about the character of Johnny Delarosa. He is a private investigator who is a retired officer, intelligent, resourceful, and has a reputation of putting his clients first. He is determined to investigate and solve a case that is presented to him by Claire Dixon. Even though he seems to feel that there is something off, with the help of a bright young amateur sleuth, he is determined to push forward. This starts events that keep the PI guessing as to the truth and trying to stay one step ahead. How much danger are Johnny and his young amateur sleuth in? Will he find out the whole truth behind the case he is investigating? Read this book to find out. This story has times when I was turning pages wondering what was going to happen next. It is a story that kept me on the edge of my seat. There is an impressive cast of additional characters that come alive on the page just as Johnny does. I felt like I was right there with him and found myself lost in the book. The story does a wonderful job in making you feel like your reading an older detective series genre. It is a book that will keep you on your toes and guessing. Highly recommended.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laura Furutahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLaura Furuta2019-06-18 14:38:182019-06-18 14:55:29Scarlet Fever (A Johnny Delarosa Thriller Book 1) By David Stever – Review by Laura Furuta
Girl Trap by Cynthia Hamilton is a novel belonging to the Madeline Dawkins Mystery series. This third in the series this book is every bit as interesting and fast paced as the previous two. The author has created yet another story full of twists and turns. It is the type of book that keeps the pages turning. You just have to find out what is going to happen. And I know a lot of people aren’t a fan “unfinished” endings but I really enjoyed knowing there will be more to come from this series and these characters. With each book I read the more attached I grow to Madeline. She makes a great one off character but an even better series character. You can really see her character development through the three books and I can’t wait to see what is next in store for her.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2019-06-18 13:18:082019-06-18 14:50:41Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Kerry Baker
A story full of action, suspense and mystery. This story had me sitting on the edge of my seat through most of it, a page turner for sure. The characters are strong, relatable and make the story pop and feel real for me. P.I. Johnny is hired to find a long lost fortune. His search takes him on a journey that he won’t soon forget as he takes on an intern that may or may not be helpful. I highly recommend reading this book to find out if Johnny is on a wild goose chase or if the money is real.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Bobbi Wagnerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBobbi Wagner2019-06-18 13:14:022019-06-18 13:14:02Scarlet Fever (A Johnny Delarosa Thriller Book 1) by David Stever – Review by Bobbi Wagner
I enjoyed this book and her ability to pull me right into the story right from the beginning. Her story is creative, well written and engaging. The twists and turns that she took me on had me sitting on the edge of my seat for parts of the book. Madeline and her partner, Mike are my favorite, they bring the story to life for me. In this book, she finds herself in the middle of two cases, sex trafficing and a missing person. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Bobbi Wagnerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBobbi Wagner2019-06-18 12:47:122019-06-18 12:47:12Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Bobbi Wagner
Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) By: Cynthia Hamilton 5 out of 5 stars
The story Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton is the next exciting and amazing book in a series that I have loved since reading the first one. The author really knocks it out of the park with both the storyline and the characters. It is a book that once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I love reading about Madeline and her partner Mike Delaney. Madeline is an intelligent, independent, determined woman. Mike is a man who is resourceful. They believe that each of them are on a case to find those who are missing. Little do they know that all is not as it seems to be. What does the future hold for Mike and Madelina’s cases? Will they find the missing that they seek? Read this book to find out. This story has suspense, mystery, and danger. It is a story that didn’t let me go until I had read the final page. The author does an amazing job of making the book and characters come alive and I felt like I was right there with Mike and Madeline. There are intense moments and dialogue. I love how Madeline is so methodical when working a case and has learned to trust her instincts. Once Mike is on a case, he doesn’t stop until he finds out the truth. They are both characters I would love to have as a friend. I enjoyed reading about how the additional characters fit into the story and the part that they played. Don’t miss out on the next amazing story that will keep you guessing. Highly recommended.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laura Furutahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLaura Furuta2019-06-18 02:52:422019-06-18 04:08:17Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) By Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Laura Furuta
Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton is another exciting book in this series. This book should not be read as a standalone as you will miss out on the back stories and how are characters came to where they are. Cynthia has done a great job of suspense and thrills and chills and weaving a story that has become addicting. We once again see Madeline and Mike trying to put the past behind them and move forward with their new Event and PI businesses but inevitably the past keeps coming back to haunt them.
In this book both Madeline and Milke take on missing person cases that split the team and stop them from working together. Madeline is on the case trying to find a missing daughter but what she uncovers shows who the real enemy is.
Mike is hired by his cousin to find his missing partner and her sister but what they uncover is something far more sinister than they ever could have imagined.
Now the two are in a race against time to find the truth and the women alive.
I really really enjoy this series and I look forward to more.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2019-06-18 00:40:482019-06-18 04:04:52Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Jenni Bishop
Private investigator Johnny Delarosa’s seen it all. Cheating spouses, greedy embezzlers, insurance scammers—it’s all part of the game to him. But when a drop-dead gorgeous redheaded mystery woman walks into his bar and drops a $20,000 retainer in his lap, he knows he’s met his match.
Claire Dixon wants the hard-drinking Johnny to find $2 million that was stolen from her mob-wife mother thirty years ago, but the money is only half the mystery. When every lowlife in Port City suddenly comes out of the woodwork to claim their share of the take, suddenly Claire’s nowhere to be found—and the body count starts to climb.
With the help of a bright young amateur sleuth, can Johnny crack the case before the streets of his beloved Port City run scarlet?
With a wink and a nod to the hard-boiled detective fiction of yesteryear, David Stever offers up a heaping helping of old-school noir sure to satisfy every thriller lover, even genre purists. Scarlet Fever is the first book in the Johnny Delarosa Mysteries.
David Stever is a novelist, screenwriter, and film producer. He writes the Johnny Delarosa mystery-thriller series, debuting with SCARLET FEVER, paying homage to the great detective fiction of the past. The series has been called “noir for the 21st Century.” Fans of hard-boiled, crime thriller books, complete with sexy femme fatales, will love the Delarosa series.
His short story, WICKED WIND, appeared in the June 2015 issue of HEATER. He produced the feature film, COFFIN, (2011), starring Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) and Bruce Davison (X-Men). He is a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers, and the Maryland Writers Association. Originally from Tyrone, Pennsylvania, he lives in Columbia, Maryland with his wife and family.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-06-18 00:02:022020-04-05 09:35:25Scarlet Fever (A Johnny Delarosa Thriller Book 1) by David Stever
Appearances can be deceiving. And in Southern California, where the sun shines almost every day and make-believe has its own industry, it’s hard to tell what is real and what is merely illusion. Two inquiries come to MDPI on the same day that seem like fairly straight-forward missing person cases. But it doesn’t take long to discover there’s nothing ordinary about the disappearance of two beautiful sisters from Minnesota and an estranged heiress who has never touched her eight-figure fortune.
While Madeline’s partner, Mike Delaney, heads down to Los Angeles to search for his cousin’s vanished girlfriend and her sister, Madeline heads to San Luis Obispo in hopes of picking up a twelve-year-old trail at a Catholic boarding school. Their separate pursuits lead them into a world where a frightening reality hides behind a glossy veneer. With several lives hanging in the balance, Mike and Madeline are faced with daunting odds and ruthless criminals who will kill to keep what they have taken.
Though I was always an ardent reader, I was convinced I couldn’t string sentences together if my life depended on it. Fortunately for me, when I was looking for something creative I could do from bed—if my mystery illness progressed to that point—I decided to try my hand at it. No pressure, no expectations. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to. I just wanted to see if I could string sentences together and tell an interesting story.
I remembered a quote by Hemingway, “Write about what you know.” With this mandate, I chose the time spent living with my husband in the French Quarter of New Orleans as the backdrop for my story. I typed out my first two paragraphs on my forty-third birthday. I finished that book on my next birthday, and started my second the same day. I now consider those my “practice books”.
As my still-nameless illness progressed, I continued running the family business and continued to write. Nine years after my symptoms began, I finally received a correct diagnosis: Lyme disease, and more specifically, late-stage Lyme, because it had been allowed to progress untreated for so long.
Though the pain was almost unendurable, I clung to my writing like a life preserver. It allowed me to crawl up inside my head, out of my body, giving me brief respites from the vast array of pains.
Though I would never wish this disease on anyone, I can honestly say I am grateful for the path my life took, for it gave me the gift of writing. I now have nine published books, all of which have special significance for me. I write general fiction, mysteries and some nonfiction.
Once Upon a Lyme: The Tale of Two Journeys, is the detailed account of the path my mystery illness led me down as I sought help from over two-dozen doctors, and the gift of writing that was the unexpected upside of being so hopeless ill.
Finding Ruth was inspired by a previously unseen photograph of my mother taken when she was nineteen. I found it as I was going through her things prior to her move into a skilled nursing hospital. That gorgeous photograph of her looking so happy and full of promise made me realize how little I knew about her life before I came along. Because Alzheimer’s has taken away all her memories, I painstakingly reconstructed her life from public records, thousands of photographs, and what my brother, sister and I could remember. The message in the tribute to my mom is Ask while you have the chance.
As of this writing, I have just completed the fourth book in the Madeline Dawkins mystery series. I’m still in love with writing and I still squeal with joy to think that I’ve written eleven books and self-published nine of them. If there is a message in this, it’s Never discounts what you are capable of achieving.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-06-17 00:03:392020-04-05 09:37:23Girl Trap (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 3) by Cynthia Hamilton
This is a short mystery that kept my interest from the beginning. There is a large cast of characters that come into play as Eve sorts through the evidence for a missing girl. I didn’t see the ending which is a plus. I love not being able to figure out the “who-dunnit”.
This is not a first time author for me. The story moves along at a quick pace. It has lovely short chapters which helps move things along for some reason. The characters are interesting and i was suspicious of them all! For a quick mystery…pickup this up.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Lisa Helmickhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLisa Helmick2019-06-11 15:39:092019-06-11 17:30:11Murder Creek by Jane Suen – Review By Lisa Helmick
College student Eve Sawyer senses something wrong at “Murder Creek”.
Named for infamous murders that occurred centuries earlier, it is the site where Lacey Walken disappeared twenty years ago.
With no trace … except for her bloody scarf tangled in fallen branches at the muddy water’s edge.
Drawn to this missing girl’s cold case, Eve investigates and uncovers long-kept secrets while writing a report for her journalism class.
As she puts the pieces of the puzzle together: the legacy of a man, the fate of a beautiful woman, and the lives that changed forever, Eve goes up against an unknown threat—someone with everything to lose.
Jane Suen is an award-winning author who writes mysteries, sci-fi thrillers, and short stories.
Since her debut children’s mystery, Children of the Future, she’s wrapped up her thriller series, Alterations Trilogy. Look for a June 2019 release of her new mystery suspense, Murder Creek.
Jane is a transplant to the South who has taken a liking to grits, iced tea, and snow cones – so she’s there to stay.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-06-11 00:02:402020-05-28 17:24:01Murder Creek by Jane Suen
What do the brutal murders of the Dallas District Attorney and two seemingly innocent women have to do with the nation’s highest rated radio personality? Everything. Robert Jake has frequent bouts of depression stemming from the loss of 18 soldiers under his command in Iraq as a Special Forces officer. The death of his wife adds to his horror story. Now he is a single parent to a young girl who has inherited her mother’s DNA as well as dad’s love of flying. Jake has no idea that a killer is trying to help him. How? A chess game for real.
“Writing was never my first priority. When I was 15, I knew what I wanted to do. When I was 18, I started doing it. It was becoming a personality on the radio. I got my first major market break in Atlanta followed by Miami, Houston, San Diego and Seattle. I retired in Dallas. I have to thank a listener there who read a memoir I had written and said I should write a novel. And here I am. It took 12 years but I have terrific excuses.
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Madeline’s dual professions as event coordinator and private investigator cross paths during the most lavish affair of her career—a weekend-long 40th birthday extravaganza for the wife of a famous film director. As the party draws near, a simple background check after the disappearance of precious family jewels quickly turns into a murder investigation, and before Madeline and Mike can put the pieces together, another body turns up.
Madeline’s dual professions as event coordinator and private investigator cross paths during the most lavish affair of her career—a weekend-long 40th birthday extravaganza for the wife of a famous film director. As the party draws near, a simple background check after the disappearance of precious family jewels quickly turns into a murder investigation, and before Madeline and Mike can put the pieces together, another body turns up.
Adding to Madeline’s already overflowing plate, the D.A. informs her that Rick Yeoman, one of the men who had abducted her three years earlier, has been released from prison after cutting a deal with the Feds. Besides fearing reprisals from the man she helped to convict, his parole also triggers the reappearance of soulless Lionel Usherwood, lured out of his hideaway by the call of revenge. When Yeoman’s body surfaces in Lake Cachuma, Usherwood moves on to the next target: Madeline.
A High Price to Pay is the second novel in the Madeline Dawkins series.
Though I was always an ardent reader, I was convinced I couldn’t string sentences together if my life depended on it. Fortunately for me, when I was looking for something creative I could do from bed—if my mystery illness progressed to that point—I decided to try my hand at it. No pressure, no expectations. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to. I just wanted to see if I could string sentences together and tell an interesting story.
I remembered a quote by Hemingway, “Write about what you know.” With this mandate, I chose a topic I knew well, the time spent living with my husband in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I typed out my first two paragraphs on my forty-third birthday. I finished that book on my next birthday, and started my second the same day.
As my still-nameless illness progressed, I continued running the family business and continued to write. Nine years after my symptoms began, I finally received a correct diagnosis: Lyme disease, and more specifically, late-stage Lyme, because it had been allowed to progress untreated for so long.
Though the pain was almost unendurable, I clung to my writing like a life preserver. It allowed me to crawl up inside my head, out of my body, giving me brief respites from the vast array of pains.
Though I would never wish this disease on anyone, I can honestly say I am grateful for the path my life took, for it gave me the gift of writing. I now have nine published books, all of which have special significance for me. I write general fiction, mysteries and some nonfiction.
Once Upon a Lyme: The Tale of Two Journeys, is the detailed account of the path my mystery illness led me down as I sought help from over two-dozen doctors, and the gift of writing that was the unexpected upside of being so hopeless ill.
Finding Ruth was inspired by a previously unseen photograph of my mother when she was nineteen. I found it as I was going through her things prior to her move into a skilled nursing hospital. That gorgeous photograph of her looking so happy and full of promise made me realize how little I knew about her life before I came along. Because Alzheimer’s has taken away all her memories, I painstakingly reconstructed her life from public records, thousands of photographs, and what my brother, sister and I could remember. The message in the tribute to my mom is Ask while you have the chance.
As of this writing, I have just completed the fourth book in the Madeline Dawkins mystery series. I’m still in love with writing and I still squeal with joy to think that I’ve written eleven books and self-published nine of them. If there is a message in this, it’s Never discount what you are capable of achieving.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-06-02 00:05:232020-04-06 08:37:44A High Price to Pay (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 2) by Cynthia Hamilton
Madeline Ridley had all she’d ever dreamed of: a handsome, successful husband, a place at the top of Santa Barbara society, every luxury money could buy. In all respects, her world was perfect…until she awoke in the early morning hours in a strange hotel room, alone, unclothed, with a splitting headache and no clue how she had gotten there.
When Steven Ridley comes home in the middle of a weekday and throws a sheaf of damning photos at her, Madeline’s comfortable world collapses in a swirl of blackmail, sabotage and deceit. Hoping to convince Steven of her innocence, Madeline drives to his office and unwittingly stumbles onto a scene that makes her realize who the real enemy is.
From that point on, Madeline Ridley deconstructs herself, reverting back to Madeline Dawkins in order to salvage what’s left of her life. In the process, she discovers where her true strengths lay, and with those, she steels herself for the battle of a lifetime.
Though I was always an ardent reader, I was convinced I couldn’t string sentences together if my life depended on it. Fortunately for me, when I was looking for something creative I could do from bed—if my mystery illness progressed to that point—I decided to try my hand at it. No pressure, no expectations. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to. I just wanted to see if I could string sentences together and tell an interesting story.
I remembered a quote by Hemingway, “Write about what you know.” With this mandate, I chose a topic I knew well, the time spent living with my husband in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I typed out my first two paragraphs on my forty-third birthday. I finished that book on my next birthday, and started my second the same day.
As my still-nameless illness progressed, I continued running the family business and continued to write. Nine years after my symptoms began, I finally received a correct diagnosis: Lyme disease, and more specifically, late-stage Lyme, because it had been allowed to progress untreated for so long.
Though the pain was almost unendurable, I clung to my writing like a life preserver. It allowed me to crawl up inside my head, out of my body, giving me brief respites from the vast array of pains.
Though I would never wish this disease on anyone, I can honestly say I am grateful for the path my life took, for it gave me the gift of writing. I now have nine published books, all of which have special significance for me. I write general fiction, mysteries and some nonfiction.
Once Upon a Lyme: The Tale of Two Journeys, is the detailed account of the path my mystery illness led me down as I sought help from over two-dozen doctors, and the gift of writing that was the unexpected upside of being so hopeless ill.
Finding Ruth was inspired by a previously unseen photograph of my mother when she was nineteen. I found it as I was going through her things prior to her move into a skilled nursing hospital. That gorgeous photograph of her looking so happy and full of promise made me realize how little I knew about her life before I came along. Because Alzheimer’s has taken away all her memories, I painstakingly reconstructed her life from public records, thousands of photographs, and what my brother, sister and I could remember. The message in the tribute to my mom is Ask while you have the chance.
As of this writing, I have just completed the fourth book in the Madeline Dawkins mystery series. I’m still in love with writing and I still squeal with joy to think that I’ve written eleven books and self-published nine of them. If there is a message in this, it’s Never discount what you are capable of achieving.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-05-21 00:01:042020-04-06 08:41:27Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton
Emotionally and mentally, Camille Thurston has had it. She needs a much-needed rest from her job and her life in Boston. She decides she’ll find it at her brother Zachary’s home in Connecticut. Little does she know that this is just the beginning of more emotional and mental exhaustion.
A woman is reported missing and Cammy’s brother Zach and his partner, Russ Nolan, are on the case. Cammy, who has worked for a private investigator for the last three years, decides she can’t sit by idly. She becomes involved not only with the case, but with the family of the missing woman.
I decided to write a different kind of biography. While the one written in a few of my books is accurate, this one adds a bit more detail. This one will give you the complete reason while I decided to not only write a novel, but to finally complete it, as well as continue writing.
Life is short. Yes, you’ve heard that cliche many, many times, I’m sure. For me, however, I understand it and feel it to my core. There are those of you who may feel it as deeply as me. Whether you changed your life completely, well, only you would know that. As for me, that’s exactly what I did, and the true reason I am now writing full time.
I had two close calls in my life, close as in the end of my life as we know it here on earth. This makes one stop and think. It certainly made me stop and think, a lot. It made me appreciate what I have, but it also made me consider if the life I was living and the direction it was heading was truly what I desired. This wasn’t a difficult decision for me. I always knew I wanted to write books, but as I said in the previous biography, something always seem to “get” in the way.
Besides the fact that physically I could have died twice, I did have four special people in my life who died way too young. They were all close to me as I was to them. The first important, irreplaceable person I lost was my mother who died from ovarian cancer. Next, was my brother who died due to heart issues; my best friend, who was more like a close sister, died due to breast cancer, and lastly, a cousin who was also a best friend to me, to suicide.
This alone should have been enough for me to make changes in my life. It did get me to seriously consider making these changes and attempt to start that writing career multiple times, but it didn’t push me over the edge enough to do it. It took me being diagnosed with breast cancer, not having great odds, and a couple of years contemplating my life that finally gave me the push I needed to close my business and write full time. It’s the second scare I experienced that keeps me writing.
So, if you don’t wake in the morning looking forward to starting your day, hopefully with a smile, then maybe you need to take a second look at the direction of your life. I found the joy and passion in writing books. Do I want to sell lots and lots of books? Of course. But that isn’t my driving force. I know not everyone is going to love my stories; but that doesn’t matter as much as the fact that I enjoy writing them. It makes me happy; it makes me full whole, and it makes me wake looking forward to starting my day because I know I have something waiting for me that I love to do.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-05-02 00:02:592020-04-06 08:44:29Murder Among Friends by Linda J. Burson
As a veteran of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, Talmon Bonnett usually holds his PTSD at bay. When a wealthy couple hires him to spy on Rusty Wing, the man responsible for building the Mourning Island’s new resort, Talmon injects himself into Rusty’s inner circle. Lying about his intentions, Talmon gets to know Rusty’s troubled fiancée Claire, his sinister Cuban first mate Santos, and Marlene, Rusty’s alluring sister. Talmon and Marlene begin a torrid affair; then someone is murdered, and Talmon learns that two Cuban mobster brothers are the money behind the resort. Talmon forces the couple to divulge the real reason they hired him. Everything is connected to the murder, Rusty’s circle, the mobster brothers, and Claire’s vanished father, who might know something vital.
Talmon’s lie threatens the life he envisions with Marlene. Violence erupts because of a dispute between the brothers, with Rusty’s circle as targets caught in the middle. Talmon desperately seeks Claire’s father, while the two brothers maintain their collision course. The Mourning Islands is an electrifying story that fuses mystery, passion, and tragedy against the serene beauty of Florida’s coast.
Douglas Wells is an award-winning author.His first novel, The Secrets of All Secrets, received the Literary Titan Silver Award and was a finalist in the 2017 Independent Author Network’s Book of the Year Awards. His second novel, How We End Up, also received the Literary Titan Silver Award and was a Finalist for Literary Fiction Category in the 2018 International Book Awards, the 2018 American Fiction Awards, and the 2018 Topshelf Magazine Book Awards. Douglas is a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books. He lives with his wife and two cats in Panama City Beach.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-04-24 00:05:462020-04-06 08:46:49The Mourning Islands by Douglas Wells
In this sequel to Hell On Heels: When is $6 Million not a gift? When it’s a curse.
Ask PJ Santini, private eye and TV news reporter. PJ thought she’d seen it all, but when her husband died in bed on their honeymoon, he left behind more unfinished business than the obvious! She has no way of knowing, as she draws closer to her nurturing but nutso Sicilian family, that she’s placing them in deadly jeopardy. Someone is prepared to kill for a treasure PJ holds in the palm of her hand… if only she knew what it was! Fortunately, she’s armed with decent common sense, a spectacular set of 38 DD’s, a retired cop for a father, a “connected” cousin, and a protective, smoldering PI boss. But will these be enough? Which one should she use first? As she learns the shocking truth about her late husband, she realizes she is the holder of a secret that could bring grave danger: danger of death by fettuccini Alfredo, danger of trusting the wrong man, danger of an actual terrifying end to her life. In case you’re picking up the Series with Book Two, you’ll want to know PJ Santini is a 30-something Buffalo, NY private eye/TV reporter with issues. She finally got married, and her husband died on her, literally, on the second day of her honeymoon. Short on money, she took her old TV news job back. She’s developed a weakness for dangerous men and 4” heels. Her Sicilian family – Ma, Pop, her lovable ADHD brother Tony, a cable guy who moves back home every time he breaks up with a girlfriend, and her grandmother, tiny but terrifying Nonna Giovanna – loves her to death. PJ’s old boyfriend, adorable and charismatic Johnny Renza, still knows how to hotwire her with food… in fact her butt is about to get its own zip code. Her hot, mysterious, resourceful, protective PI boss, Tango Daly is always first in her heart, but a heart – and certain other body parts – can get so confused…
Lynne Russell anchored CNN and CNN Headline News from 1983 to 2001, the first woman to solo anchor a network nightly newscast. Her long-standing dedication to the people’s right to know was recognized in The New York Times, which called her a “just-the-facts stalwart of CNN Headline News”. The Times also called her a news anchor with the personality of a professional wrestler, which she took as a compliment. In the Washington Journalism Review, she won a spot as “Best in the Business”. A licensed private investigator, former deputy sheriff, certified SCUBA diver, and holder of two black belts in the martial art Choi Kwang Do, Lynne now writes romantic crime novels. She and her husband split their time between Washington, D.C. and Italy.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-04-12 00:01:502020-04-06 08:50:19HEELS OF FORTUNE: PJ Santini Series: Book Two by Lynne Russell
On November 30, 2016, Hurricane Nina hit Bali, Indonesia. Eight Strangers. Eight Unique Stories. All Stand-alone Novels In the aftermath of death and destruction, eight strong sexy men will realize it’s time for a change in their lives. A resolution of sorts. A contractor, personal trainer, a millionaire, a stuntman, a rock star, a thrill-seeker, an army veteran, and a trust fund prodigal will all find a way to conquer their loss and learn to love. This is Rand’s story. Resolution: Without having to expose his mission on Bali, can trust fund prodigal Rand convince Air Force pilot Ciara he’s not an idle womanizer? One summer, at a time when both were vulnerable as teenagers, Ciara Ryan and Randall Mathew McAllister III crossed paths in Crystal Rock, Wisconsin, supporting each other through some traumatic family issues. Now an Air Force Lieutenant and pilot, Ciara is vacationing in Bali with two of her friends when she runs into none other than Rand McAllister, who’s residing on Bali, seemingly living the life of luxury because of a family inheritance. Ciara knew that Rand was there on Bali, and she’s never been able to reconcile the womanizing trust fund prodigal she’d heard he’d become with the boy she’d known as a teen. Especially since she’d discovered that Rand had also attended the Air Force Academy a few years ahead of her and had apparently excelled. Sparks fly from the moment they meet again. Unbeknownst to Ciara, Rand is also a first Lieutenant, an AFSOI agent working as a government liaison with the U.S. Embassy, while unofficially assisting the anti-terrorism unit in Indonesia. Their worlds collide on Bali during a tropical storm evacuation when a terrorist bombing threat is exposed. Amidst tragedy, Ciara sees a side of Rand she never knew existed. She’s suspected from the start that his life on Bali is not at all what it seems. When Rand is discovered to be on an ISIS hit list, he’s forced to disappear. Rand vows that he and Ciara will have a future together, but will it be too late when the assassin uses Ciara to draw Rand out?
Writing steamy yet sweet compassionate stories of fate that are wonderfully romantic, Tamara Ferguson is the multi-award winning, Amazon top 50 romantic suspense, #1 International and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the Tales of the Dragonfly Romance Suspense Series, the Kissed By Fate Series, the Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance Series, the Daydreams & Dragonflies Sweet Romance Series, and the Tales From Dragonfly Pointe Short Story Series.
A member of the RWA, the Authors’ Billboard and the Independent Authors’ Book Network, her stories have been included in several #1 bestselling anthologies.
Since she remains a full-time caregiver for an autistic son (along with a bunch of adopted pets!), you can usually find Tammy working at home, where she spends a lot of time not completing her numerous home improvement projects, because she’s writing or helping author friends promote their books on twitter.
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