Whiskey Wars by Sherilyn Decter Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery, Thriller & Suspense ISBN: 9781777515171 Print Length: 428 pages Buy from Amazon Reviewed by Joelene Pynnonen The stakes just keep climbing in this satisfying prohibition-era mystery series. When moonshiner Delores Bailey returns from a trip to Virginia City to find her moonshine still destroyed, her world falls apart. For almost two years, she’s made a good living in the Montana mining town, Pony Gulch, running ’shine for the locals. Now that’s gone, and she has no idea how to proceed. Staying comes with high risk ..read more

☆ Unshod, Cackling, and Naked by Tamika Thompson Genre: Short Stories / Horror ISBN: 978-1989206980 Print Length: 261 pages Publisher: Unnerving Books Buy from Amazon Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell A treasure trove of creativity, a dynamic story collection In Unshod, Cackling, and Naked, Tamika Thompson showcases 13 short stories that all carry an element of horror.  In one, a woman disappears on occasion and leaves her husband questioning how; in another, a man wakes up to discover his town is under siege by bats; another follows a woman as a tree overpowers her body and mind. The te ..read more

Book Review: The Deciding Hour Reviewed by Lindsay Crandall A fast-paced thriller that tests the limits of friendship and faith Returning home from a summer vacation in Acapulco, six lifelong friends end up caught in a vicious storm. Unable to continue driving, they seek shelter at a hotel that seems to appear from nowhere.  Once they find their room, they quickly learn that this is no ordinary hotel. Rather, it’s a place where the choices and decisions made throughout each of their lives come back to haunt them. It soon becomes apparent that a gaming system, supplied by the hotel a ..read more

Book Review: Engine Nine Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell A nearly impossible mission with world-altering consequences. What could go wrong? Expect a wild ride from Engine Nine. Author Bradley W. Wright delivers a book full of twists and turns, big revelations, and jaw-dropping moments that make you question where you think things are going. Engine Nine starts with the introduction of Justin, a single man living in Southern California. He leads a high-stakes life as a sort of specialist who retrieves things by way of his incredible escape skills. His latest call comes from a long lost relative. Hi ..read more

Book Review: Lawyer’s Angel Reviewed by Kathy L. Brown A tense battle of good and evil in a small-town courtroom The Lawyer’s Angel, a legal thrillerby Scott Allen Benkie, raises the stakes on typical courtroom dramas. Powerful forces will stop at nothing to win a wrongful death lawsuit brought against an unscrupulous truck rental company and its owner, Obadiah Talbot. Squared off against them, attorney James Crosson fights not only for his client but also for his own salvation. A recent widower and gambling addict, James Crosson is about to hit rock bottom. His wife didn’t survive when Cross ..read more

Book Review: The China Declaration Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell Just when you think Jack can’t rise any higher, he does just that.  The China Declaration might be the most dramatic and intense book in the The China Affairs series.  Jack is at his physical peak after going through a vigorous training program, and he’s more than ready to get back to work. As his political position reaches new heights, so does his influence over both China and America.  But after writing a document that’s sure to go down in history, the whole world has a much better idea of who Jack Gold is and wha ..read more

Book Review: Without End (Clifford’s War) Reviewed by Tomi Alo An action-packed, page-turning crime thriller with surprises at every turn J. Denison Reed is back with another smashing, mysterious thriller. Clifford’s War: Without End is the second book in the PI Clifford Dee thriller series, but  the novel can also be read as a stand-alone. It depicts the usual corrupt government officials and how readily these events are covered up by people in positions of authority. However, it also conveys the idea that there are still people, such as Clifford and Agent Sims, willing to fight a seemi ..read more

Book Review: Umbilical Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph A riveting, high-stakes journey about a baby hidden and rescued from a plane crash thirty years ago Umbilical alternates between several perspectives—characters whose family histories intersect at the point of rescuing a baby from a chartered plane crash that had no records of its boarding—and also between two timelines: present day, and thirty years ago. It spans various countries across the globe, including Botswana, Canada, South Africa, Tanzania, and the USA.  Author Jane Kay must be commended for making the reading experience of ..read more

Book Review: Little Town Blues Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell A little town mixed with big personalities and a drop of evil mystery  The little town of Fryebury Falls is home to a flock of interesting people, all suffering in their own human ways. They deal with divorce, the death of loved ones, self discovery, parenthood, and much more. With just that, you’d think it was a just another small town drama, but there’s a darkness lurking over the town that they just cannot shake. The clairvoyant among them might even call it the devil himself, as the evil feeling runs deep enough to warrant th ..read more

Book Review: Girls, Crimes, and the Ruling Body Reviewed by Timothy Thomas A novel that wraps crime, politics, and deception in an alluring bundle and delivers it with skillful poise Two women who have gone missing seven years apart have one thing that connects their cases: Ryan McNeil. The brilliant chief of staff behind congressman Nickolas Somatos’s meteoric rise, Ryan leads a picturesque life, complete with a sexless marriage and the role of loving stepfather to his stepdaughter Jessica. But it soon crumbles under the weight of murder allegations that hinge on circumstantial evidence and ..read more