Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

Mary complied with her dying mother's wishes that she move in with her Aunt Patience.  Little did Mary's mother know what that wish held for Mary.

Those wishes turned out to be very unpleasant for Mary.  Mary had to endure her uncle's ​horribly ​mean disposition, his illegal activities, his mistreatment of Aunt Patience, and ​Mary's being pulled into it all.

Mary saw things at Jamaica Inn that she had never seen before. For one thing​, this Inn never had any guests ​except for unsavory characters.

The setting of JAMAICA INN is perfect for this gothic, dark story line.  Ms. Du Maurier did it again with her detailed writing and pull-you-in tale.  She keeps everything dark enough, subtle​ ​enough, and interesting enough that even though you dislike what is going on and will definitely ​dislike ​Uncle Joss, you can't stop reading.

​I literally hated Uncle Joss because of his cruel, rude personality.  I felt sorry for Aunt Patience because of her fear of Uncle Joss and her reluctance to leave. I feared for Mary's safety in this desolate, dreary place.

The book was a perfect Du Maurier book.  The entire book was suspenseful, tense, and had a sinister tone.  

JAMAICA INN is a book I would recommend to those who know Du Maurier's writing even though it took me this long to know the book was out there and to read it.  :)  

If you don't know Du Maurier's writing, you will want to.

Enjoy and read JAMAICA INN when you can.  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.​

How About This For A Fun Thanksgiving!!!

Gobble, Gobble From New York City

My son always surprises me.

He wasn't able to come home for Thanksgiving, so I went to his place.  Needless to say a bachelor doesn't have all the pans and supplies for preparing a Thanksgiving feast.  :)

I was hesitant to head to New York for a Thanksgiving Celebration under those bare conditions, but my son said: "No worries, Mom, I have a surprise for you."

My son, Mark, the same son who vlogged about my reviews of books set in Paris a month or so ago, made reservations on a Thanksgiving Cruise.

Here we are, and we had a wonderful time.

Pre-cruise surprise :)

First leg of the trip:

This is the ferry that took us from Hoboken to Pier 79.

This is the dock at Chelsea Pier 61where we boarded The Lady Celestial.

 This is the my son who made it all possible.  :)

 
This is the dining room before it filled up with guests.

This is the menu and the sights we saw and stopped at.

Lady Liberty!!

One of many skyline shots.

It was beautiful weather and a wonderful day!!

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving.

The Hundred Gifts by Jennifer Scott

An empty nest, a cooking class, an ornery neighbor, and fun-loving women who wanted to learn how to cook.

Brenda had an empty nest, nothing to do to pass the time, and a husband that didn't pay attention to her.

When Brenda happened upon Paula who was starting a business that was a cooking class, Brenda thought being a cooking teacher would be something good for her.

Brenda got into more than she bargained for, though.  The class burned food and had to deal with a complaining neighbor who lived above the classroom, but luckily Brenda also met a wonderful group of women.

Virginia, the lady who lived above the classroom, always barged into the class and complained about noise and smells.  The students didn't know what to make of her at first or how to handle her, but they figured they should try a little kindness.  Did that work?

I laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It was witty, heartwarming, light, addressed family issues, and had a lovely ending.

A perfect book to boost your spirits and to give as a Christmas gift.

ENJOY!!!  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.

White Collar Girl by Renee Rosen

 

A family of journalists, stolen bylines. ​struggling ​women reporters in the 1950's, and Chicago.

WHITE COLLAR GIRL takes us into the world of journalism and news reporting as we are introduced to the Walshes who are generation after generation of journalists.

The ​elder ​Walshes ​definitely ​have talent, but a family​ tragedy​ ke​eps them from continuing their careers. The tragedy didn't stop Jordan Walsh, though. This tragedy kept her pushing ahead and wanting to break into having more respect for women reporters.

Jordan Walsh was one of the few female journalists on the staff ​at the Tribune and along with all of the women journalists was relegated to reporting and writing about weddings and fashion.  But....Jordan wanted more...she wanted a big story.

Jordan got her story​....corruption in the mayor's office…as well as many more big stories.  Being a woman, though, she had a tough time collecting information and being given credit as the journalist who did the research and wrote the article.

Ms. Rosen ​definitely ​knows how​ ​to skillfully ​spin ​together fiction and history​.  Her research and characters are always marvelous.
    
WHITE COLLAR GIRL is another terrific novel by Ms. Rosen​ where she blends a fascinating story line with historical facts and historical as well as fictitious characters​.   

Ms. Rosen also adds in love and life styles of the 1950's.  Cigarettes hung from everyone's mouth both male and female, and liquor flowed freely.

I enjoyed WHITE COLLAR GIRL just as I enjoyed Ms. Rosen’s other two books.  

Don’t miss reading this book and her other books.  Historical fiction and women's fiction fans will not want this or any of her books to end.   5/5

​This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Review and Giveaway of WHEN THE DEVIL'S IDLE by Leta Serafim AND a $25 Amazon Gift Card Or PayPal Cash

MY REVIEW:

A murder in ​the quiet town of Patmos, Greece.  Who would want to murder a 90-year-old ​German?

A murder in an enclosed compound with no one but family and the family's gardener and housekeeper around.​   How did the murderer get into the ​secure ​compound?  One of them had to be the killer since it was difficult to get into the compound, but who and why?​

WHEN THE DEVIL'S IDLE is set in Greece with interesting characters​ and a wonderful glimpse at Greece's culture.​
       
The main character Patronas ​was quite likable and a bit comical despite the seriousness of the situation he an​d​ his fellow policemen were investigating.​​  He was a great character to keep the book interesting and moving along. ​

​Along with the beauty of Greece, WHEN THE DEVIL'S IDLE brought up the horrors of WWII and what happened to the children of Aghios Stefanos.  Could this be the reason some​one wanted Gunther Bechtel dead after all this time?

The ending was a bit odd, but the crime was solved.  :)

WHEN THE DEVIL'S IDLE dragged a bit and was difficult to follow at first with all the Greek names, but I enjoyed the book and became attached to the characters as I continued reading. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

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FROM THE AUTHOR AND TOUR ORGANIZER:

Leta Serafim's Bio:

Leta Serafim is the author of the Greek Islands Mystery series, published by the Coffeetown Press, as well as the historical novel, To Look on Death No More. She has visited over twenty-five islands in Greece and continues to divide her time between Boston and Greece.

Leta Serafim's Web Site:
http://www.letaserafim.com/

Leta Serafim's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Leta-Serafim-768335269894253/

Leta Serafim's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/serafimleta

Leta Serafim's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8274457.Leta_Serafim

When the Devil's Idle Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26057071-when-the-devil-s-idle

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

When the Devil's Idle blog tour site:
http://whenthedevilsidle.blogspot.com

When the Devil's Idle Book Summary:

In the Book of Revelation, written by St. John on the Greek island of Patmos, it was said a pale horse would appear whose rider was death, others would cry out for vengeance, and the stars of heaven would fall to the earth. Death does indeed come to Patmos when a German tourist is found murdered in the garden of one of the island’s fabled estates. Yiannis Patronas, Chief Officer of the Chios police, is called in to investigate. He summons his top detective, Giorgos Tembelos, and his friend and amateur sleuth, Papa Michalis, to assist him. What the policemen discover will disturb them long after the conclusion of the case. Only six people were at the house at the time of the murder—the gardener and housekeeper, the victim’s son and his wife and their two children, a boy of seven and a teenage girl of sixteen. All appear to be innocent. But access to the isolated estate is severely restricted. Surrounded by high walls, it has only one entrance: a metal gate that was bolted at the time of the crime. Patronas can only conclude that one of the six is a killer. He continues to probe, uncovering the family’s many secrets. Some are very old, others more recent. All are horrifying. But which of these secrets led to murder?

Book 2 of the Greek Islands Mystery series, which began with The Devil Takes Half.

Price/Formats: $6.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre: Mystery Suspense Thriller
Pages: 192
Publisher: Coffeetown Press
Release: September 1, 2015
ISBN: 9781603819985

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603819983?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes and Noble buy link
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-devils-idle-leta-serafim/1121863864?ean=9781603819985

Smashwords buy link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/566886

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GIVEAWAY - RAFFLECOPTER:

THE PUBLISHER WILL BE CHOOSING THE WINNER

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL ENTRANTS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun With Sourcebooks and Charles Belfoure's book, THE HOUSE OF THIEVES

TAKE A LOOK AT THE LINKS AND INFORMATION SOURCEBOOKS HAS PROVIDED.

THE BOOK CLUB LINK HAS A GREAT DEAL OF FUN INSIDE....CHECK IT OUT!! 

ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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Gangs of New York meets The Age of Innocence in an exciting new novel from the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Paris Architect

John Cross only cares about two things: becoming the most prominent society architect in New York and upholding his family’s spotless reputation. 

His entire life changes the day he discovers that his oldest son, George, has racked up an unfathomable gambling debt to Kent, the city’s most notorious criminal mastermind. 

Desperate to save his son’s life and uphold his family’s good name, he uses his architectural knowledge to help Kent and his gang of thieves pillage the homes of his friends and clients until the debt is paid in full.

Want to learn more about House of Thieves?

Read an excerpt HERE.

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Already Read the Book and

Planning Your Book Club Event?

We have the perfect pairings for your House of Thieves book club event, featuring festive and fun ideas for setting the scene (including eats and drinks and a handy reading group guide). 

DON'T MISS STOPPING BY THE BOOK CLUB LINK BELOW.

TONS OF FUN WAITING FOR YOU!!

Click HERE to take a look!

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I read the book and loved it.

Take a look at my review HERE.  

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Which House of Thieves Character Are You? 

Are you the stately and protective John Cross, the risky and rebellious George, the mischievous mastermind Kent, the curious but naive Julia or the impeccably-mannered Granny?

Click HERE to take the quiz and find out!

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Let me know who you are?  I turned out to be Granny.  :)

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Blog Tour and Giveaway of Kindle Fire 7" - $25 Amazon Gift Card - Copy of Landscape For Murder

A Warm Welcome
 To 
Joyce Strand

About Joyce Strand:

Mystery author Joyce T. Strand, much like her fictional character, Jillian Hillcrest, served as head of corporate communications at several biotech and high-tech companies in Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. Unlike Jillian, however, she did not encounter murder. Rather, she focused on publicizing her companies and their products. She is the author of the Jillian Hillcrest mysteries ON MESSAGE, OPEN MEETINGS, and FAIR DISCLOSURE and the Brynn Bancroft mystery HILLTOP SUNSET. Strand received her Ph.D. from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and her B.A. from Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA. She currently lives in Southern California with her two cats, a collection of cow statuary and art, and her muse, the roadrunner.

 

About Landscape for Murder:

 

A friend’s murder. An unconnected cast of suspects, including the victim’s missing adult daughter. As if that wasn’t enough, Brynn Bancroft’s winery has been broken into. Can she deal with her co-owner ex and help the police find her friend’s murder so she can finally overcome her own troubled past and enjoy family life with her teenage ward?

 

Social Links:

 

Webpage:   http://joycestrand.com

Blog:  Http://strandssimplytips.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JoyceTStrandAuthor

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5385246.Joyce_T_Strand

Twitter:   @joycetstrand

Where to Purchase:

Landscape for Murder  Kindle Editions – November 5, 2015  

http://www.amazon.com/Landscape-Murder-Brynn-Bancroft-Mystery-ebook/dp/B016JL5RSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445991149&sr=8-1&keywords=landscape+for+murder

 

Giveaway:

Look at this AWESOME giveaway.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

MS. STRAND WILL CHOOSE THE WINNER THROUGH RAFFLECOPTER.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

 

1^st Prize: Kindle Fire 7” WiFi 8GB Black plus ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder 

 

2^nd Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card and ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder 

 

3^rd Prize: ebook or paperback copy of Landscape for Murder

 

How Ms. Strand Gets a Whodunit Started:

Conceiving a Whodunit
Inspired by the News and the Mundane
By Joyce T. Strand

“The best time to plan a book is while you’re doing the dishes.”-Agatha Christie

Yes, indeed. Ideas for my plots and traits for my characters occur during such mundane events as hassling household chores or taking car trips. The mind goes on curious journeys all by itself ignoring the tasks at hand.

But inspiration doesn’t begin or end with the mundane.

For my whodunits I search the news for crimes that might occur in my characters’ lives. For the Jillian Hillcrest series, I looked for murders that a public relations executive in Silicon Valley might encounter. For the Brynn Bancroft series, I researched possible crimes that would occur in the Napa/Sonoma wine region.

I then fictionalize the crimes to suit my plot and characters, but each of the crimes contains a kernel of real life.

My newest book, Landscape for Murder, involves burglaries of cases of wine, very much in the news. Also one of the characters is lightly based on a crime boss in San Francisco.

However, I approach my historical mysteries in a different manner by basing them on a real person, such as a California Superior Court Judge in THE JUDGE’S STORY; and a female reporter in the early 1900s for my still-to-be-written next book. My fictional Judge is based on the grandfather of a friend whose memoir inspired my character.

For my next story, I became excited about an early 20th century female reporter when I was visiting a museum where the description of a noted figure mentioned she’d gotten her start as a reporter. Further research on the subject of the history of women in journalism has proven fascinating. When I use the approach and mores of a real person, I build the mystery and back story around the character.

Nonetheless whether I start with a real crime or a real person, I proceed to develop the plot by integrating the elements of a mystery.  That’s where inspiration from mundane tasks most occurs—probably due to my writing process.

Typically I start writing a new story when I have done enough research to know the opening scene, the key characters (I usually write short biographies on each of them), the crime, and the conclusion. That leaves a significant amount of writing in between. And that’s where I most value those “thinkless” tasks and use them as focused time to inspire the scenes that advance the plot, create red herrings, build suspense, and show off the characters.

I target my writing time by number of words, rather than time spent. Depending on my deadlines, I set a goal of at least 3,000 to 5,000 words a day. If it takes me eight hours, then that’s what it takes. Sometimes, if I’ve done enough mundane tasks and have clearly thought-out scenes, I can easily write more than 5,000 in eight hours. However, I don’t over-step my goals because then what will I write about the next day? Momentum is helpful, and if I know exactly what I’m going to write that helps move it along.

No matter where the inspiration originates, my day is full of idea after idea for stories. Perhaps that’s a comment on the rate of crime in the news media. Regardless, inspiration for my whodunits arrives in full buckets!

Giveaway and Guest Post of The Immortals by Tori Eversmann

GUEST POST:

Ms. Eversmann's response to this question:

"What does ‘keep the home fires burning’ mean to me?" 

Superwoman and the Fire

In 1978, I was 8-years-old when Charles of the Ritz launched the Enjoli perfume commercial with the iconic line, “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan.” Anyone who saw the commercial remembers it. The feminist “superwoman” of the 1970s is still seared into my brain with her frying pan and slinky dress. Her various roles throughout the day remind me of today’s Army wives who navigate each day’s rituals and nuances juggling home, work, and often, children. Additionally, the commercial’s capable, competent, take-charge woman represented an element of sacrifice. Even with her 8-hour perfume, she was still expected to be a 24-hour woman. When does she get a break?
 
So when I was asked what “to keep the home fires burning” means to me, two thoughts immediately came to mind — sacrifice and Superwoman. The historically seminal idiom is just as much in the zeitgeist today as it was in 1914 when the British patriotic First World War song first trended. Today's Superwoman needs to be working 24 hours while her husband is off fighting wars for our nation. Fires need wood and stoking —  or they smolder and die.

From 2005 to 2007, I was an unwitting participant in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).  I was an Army wife and ostensibly, a Superwoman. The war was a force against my marriage, my motherhood, and, most importantly, my fierce independence. For a moment in 2005, I felt like one of Nora Ephron’s 1962 Wellesley classmates about whom she spoke at a commencement speech. She said, “…We weren't meant to have politics, or careers that mattered, or opinions, or lives; we were meant to marry them. If you wanted to be an architect, you married an architect. Non Ministrare sed Ministrari — you know the old joke, not to be ministers but to be ministers' wives.” 

I never wanted to be a soldier, but I did want to be a leader in some capacity– so I married a leader, who just so happened to be in the Army. Did you just hear the clock tick back to 1962? I was raised in a civilian family, had a college degree, and had been a successful career woman. Then, because of 9/11, I found myself steeply immersed in military life. Willingly, and happily, I gave up corporate life to raise our daughter, but was living a shadowed portrait of what an Army wife should be. 

My learning curve was steep. Military life is tough on marriage and families. My husband, Matt, always used to say, “It’s hard to be a great door kicker and a great husband and father.” Now what does that mean, you might be thinking? It’s because the Army demands that you love it like a spouse. You live Army. You dress Army. You pledge allegiance to the Army. And unless you are truly a successful polygamist, it’s hard to keep two lovers happy. All the time. When your husband carries a gun for a living, and belongs to a sacred brotherhood of gun-toters, and lives depend on that brotherhood, the home front can take an inadvertent ancillary position. Then throw in an unpopular war or two and voilà, Superwoman must show up.

I didn’t fit into the Army wife culture, at least, not in the beginning. Remember my fierce independence? It ran contrary to the Army esprit de corps where conformity is necessary — to keep the hierarchy in place and ultimately to save lives; independence could appear detrimental — to a marriage, to the unit, to the brigade. Admittedly, I presumed that the Army wanted to make me into an Army wife (whatever I thought that meant). I made harsh value judgements (even though this caught me by surprise because I’d always considered myself compassionate) and I felt that as Mrs. First Sergeant, I’d lost my identity (no one asked me my opinion about the war only asking me what Matt thought). 

The rules had changed and no one told me. It was expected that I would keep our home fires burning. Educated to think independently and seek diverse environments, a crisis ensued because there seemed to be a quasi ‘third-culture-kid’ aspect to my life. I no longer fit into civilian life but I hadn’t coalesced with the other Army wives. I didn’t speak mil-speak (the Army has so many acronyms that it really felt like a new language). It was one of my loneliest times even though I had my loving husband and beautiful, healthy daughter.

Knowing that I had to acquiesce to the military way of life or I’d sit in the mud and rot, I decided to embrace the new rules. Humility had not been a strong suit of mine, but I knew that if I was to transcend my hubris and create opportunity, I had to change. That’s what prompted me to learn the difference between a brigade and a battalion and a “cav" unit versus an infantry unit so I could have legitimate conversations with other Army wives. 

Things began to change when I surrounded myself with other Army wives who were miracles of courage. They took care of me and supported me. I listened and learned from the other log-carriers and fire-stokers. Superwomen started to mushroom around me. Had they been there before? Of course, they were — at the cookouts, the coffees, the Family Readiness Group meetings — but I was too busy being a spectator in my own life to realize I had to go out and get my own lasso of truth, indestructible bracelets, and red, white, and blue shield before they granted me access into the sorority.

There is an unconditional link between Army wives that I call the Female Predicament. They are the unsung heroes who are left behind on the homefront while their husbands fight on the front lines. Again, quoting Nora Ephron, “Be the heroine of your own life” takes on a huge significance when your husband is fighting on the front lines of a war. Because the sad reality can be that your husband doesn’t make it home or may be wounded in ways that change him physically and or mentally. 

As a community Army wives lift themselves up. Often disenfranchised by the Army in the past, Army wives have learned the invaluable lesson of womanhood: support each other. Always. Invite other Superwomen into the warmth of your fire and they will share theirs. Now there are blogs, magazines, and websites geared at military spouses. A Glamour magazine recent cover article featured First Lady Michelle Obama stating that America's servicewomen, veterans, and military wives—Superwomen—need our help with their fires. For Army wives, the narrative that connects their independence is fundamental. It revolves around a shared interest in sustaining life at home and a commitment to something far greater than themselves, our Nation. 

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A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN.

CONGRATS, KIMBERLY.

#11
 

USA and CANADA ONLY

ENTER HERE

November 9 to 16

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The Lake House by Kate Morton

Alice the author and sister of Theo and Sadie the detective.

Would these two women be able to find information about the disappearance 70 years ago of 11-month old Theo ​​if they worked together on this cold case even though the police had not been able to find one clue or to find Theo?

Alice had lived the nightmare of her brother's disappearance, and Sadie wanted to investigate the years-old case after she found the sprawling, abandoned estate of the Edevane family.

I LOVED exploring the estate and finding the clues of the case with Sadie and finding things that were left by the family.  I would have loved to live on the estate as well as to be a part of the investigating.

THE LAKE HOUSE goes back and forth in time and is filled with mystery, hidden passageways, intrigue, family secrets, and all of Ms. Morton's wonderful, creative writing skills, marvelous story lines, and descriptions that get better each time you turn the page and that put you right at the scene or definitely wanting to be there with the characters.  

​Ms. Morton knows how to keep her readers interested and not want the book to end.​  Twists and turns seem to be Ms. Morton's trademark along with marvelous, surprise endings.  And what a spectacular ending THE LAKE HOUSE has.  You will love it!!

Ms. Morton had me hooked on her book THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN, and THE LAKE HOUSE is going to be right up there with it as one of my all-time favorites.  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.​

Giveaway of Hostage by Kristina Ohlsson

ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS FROM THE PUBLISHER

ABOUT THE BOOK:

HOSTAGE (Emily Bestler Books; Trade Paperback; ISBN 9781476734033; On Sale November 10, 2015) follows bright and clever interrogator, investigative analyst Fredrika Bergman as she tackles a new case—this time involving the US government – and finds herself in another pulse-pounding mystery, the fourth in Ohlsson’s internationally acclaimed crime series.

Shortly after a crowded New York-bound Boeing 747 takes off from Stockholm, a bomb threat is found in one of the aircraft’s lavatories. The demands are directed at both the Swedish and US governments.

Police superintendent Alex Recht teams up with the energetic and often abrasive Eden Lundell from the security service’s counterterrorism unit to deal with the hijacking. Fredrika Bergman, who is currently working at the Justice Department, returns to the police force to act as a liaison between the government and the police.

The investigation team soon realizes that the plot behind the hijacking is far more complex than they initially thought, and they also must battle against the US government’s fear of a new terrorist attack. Now it’s a race against time as Fredrika, Alex, and Eden search for possibilities to save the plane and its passengers. Will they find a solution before the plane runs out of fuel?

HOSTAGE is a faced-paced, intelligent thriller, destined to leave reader’s hearts pounding as they race to turn the page.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

KRISTINA OHLSSON is a political scientist who has previously worked for the Swedish Security Service and as a Counter-Terrorism Officer at OSCE (the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe).Unwanted, Silenced, and The Disappeared are the first three books in her crime series featuring Fredrika Bergman. She now lives in Stockholm, where she works full-time as a writer.

GIVEAWAY: 

 Contest has ended....the winner is:

Kathy - #3

CONGRATS!!

USA Only

Enter here

November 5 - 12