Ever After - Kim Harrison

Ever After is the eleventh novel in the Hollows series. This time Rachel has to save the world from the end of magic. No pressure.

Rachel Morgan is a demon. Rachel is the only daywalking demon. The demon Ku'Sox twists Rachel's ley line so that it's sucking the ever-after into nothing and blames it on Rachel. Rachel has to find a way to fix it or she'll be put to death shortly before all demons wink out of existence. Needless to say it gets a bit tense. Another great Hollows story that shouldn't be missed. Very highly recommended.

His Prairie Princess - Kit Morgan

His Prairie Princess is the first novel in the Prairie Brides series. It's actually more of a novella. This book is free for the kindle. A western with a big dose of romance.

It's 1858, and Sadie Jones is in big trouble. She'd been trying to travel to the little town of Clear Creek Oregon. Sadie received word that her mother was dying there. On the way to Clear Creek, Sadie's stage coach is robbed and she's kidnapped. When Sadie's rescued by Harrison Cooke, he brings her to Clear Creek, but her trouble isn't over. Sadie is the only one who can identify the robbers, and they know it. This is a good story. Adventure, suspense, romance, and some truly stupid bad guys keep it interesting. Highly recommended.

Heller's Punishment - JD Nixon

Heller's Punishment is the fourth novel in the Heller series. Tilly's like the Timex watch of security officers.

Tilly Chalmers deals with a serious addict, a religious cult, and a TV host in this novel based around her life as a security officer for Heller's Security & Surveillance. In addition to some assignments from hell, Tilly also has to figure out her love life, or lack thereof. Another enjoyable adventure. Very highly recommended.

The Thirteenth Unicorn - W.D. Newman

The Thirteenth Unicorn is free for the kindle. This novel is the first in the Ben Alderman series. This is a fantasy book for children or young adults. Old adults should like it too. I did.

Ben Alderman is a 7th grader living in Georgia. Ben is small for his age, and he uses an inhaler for his asthma, but he's a smart kid. Ben's Mom had been in a coma for two years. Ben's Dad had to take Ben and his older sister Casey to South Carolina for the summer. The kids were going to stay with their grandparents while their Dad worked on a project in Chicago. While staying at his grandparents, Ben discovers a magic tree that will change his life forever. Ben helps save the thirteenth unicorn. This is a great story with magical creatures, plenty of danger and suspense, and a great ending. Very highly recommended.

The Hanged Man's Song - John Sandford

The Hanged Man's Song is the fourth, and probably the last Kidd novel from Sandford. This book was published 10 years ago, but Kidd still shows up in the Prey series from time to time.

When Bobby, the hacker that all other hackers look to for help, goes offline, Kidd and his buddy John try to track him down. They discover that Bobby is dead, and his laptop is missing. That missing laptop has everyone in the hacker community running for cover. Kidd has to find that laptop, or he and LuEllen could be on the run for the rest of their lives. Plenty of action and suspense. The computer technology is a little dated, but the story is great. Very highly recommended.

The Devil's Code - John Sandford

The Devil's Code is a Kidd novel from John Sandford. There are only four. This is the third one. Definitely worth reading.

Kidd is an artist first, but he's also a computer hacker and thief. When a fellow hacker, Jack Morrison, is killed by a security guard, Jack's sister comes to Kidd because she thinks Jack was murdered. The why and how are the puzzle Kidd has to solve. He'd prefer to solve it without getting killed. Lots of action and suspense. Another Sandford winner. Very highly recommended.

Shine On - Allison J. Jewell

Shine On is the first novel in the Shine On series. This book is free for the kindle. It's 1924, the 18th amendment is in full force, and if you want to drink in Kentucky, you drink shine.

Emmie Talbot is 21, single, and a "good girl." Emmie works for the local store as a seamstress, but her dream is to go to college and become a school teacher. Her step-daddy was killed in a car accident about a year ago, so Emmie is on her own. Emmie is barely making the mortgage payments, so there's no money for college. Then Emmie discovers her step-daddy was helping run a still. A still located on what's now her property, and the still continues to run. Emmie is about to get into the shine business, and it's not a business a "good girl" should be in. This is an interesting tale, with some danger, some humor, and some romance. Highly recommended.

Shock Wave - John Sandford

Shock Wave is a Virgil Flowers novel. Another great BCA mystery from John Sandford.

When a bomb goes off in the little Minnesota town of Butternut Falls, Virgil is called on to figure it out. An earlier bombing in Michigan seems to be connected, since both bombs are directed at the company putting up a new superstore in Butternut Falls. But the bombs are just starting to go off, and Virgil needs to hurry before more people die. Is it the fishermen or the small business owners who are trying to shut down the new store? If Virgil can escape the bombs, he'll find out. Very highly recommended.

Land of Shadows - Jeff Gunzel

Land of Shadows is the first novel in the Legend of the Gate Keeper series. This book is free for the kindle. This is a series I'll probably follow. The rest of the books aren't free though.

Eric Aethello thought he was a simple blacksmith's son. Eric is in for a big surprise. Unlike Eric, Jade Ethrista always knew she was special. She was raised for one purpose. To be the Gate Keeper's guardian. There are dimensions beyond the land of Tarmerria. The demon Dragot is plotting the death of the human race and the takeover of their dimension. Only the Gate Keeper can stand in his way. This is a great story. The only downside is the punctuation is bad in spots, and the characters occasional use of modern day idioms is dissonant. Still, I highly recommend this fantasy novel.

Into the Woods - Kim Harrison

Into the Woods is subtitled Tales from the Hollows and Beyond. This book is a collection of short stories and novellas from Kim Harrison. Some of the characters and settings are straight from the Hollows, while others are from earlier in her career or from different series. It's a great collection.

This collection has seven tales from the Hollows and four stories that look elsewhere. My favorite is Million-Dollar Baby. This novella tells the story of how Jenks and Trent managed to steal back Trent's baby Lucy. My favorite non-Hollows story is Pet Shop Boys. I'm still not sure what Kay was. All the stories are well worth reading. Very highly recommended.

Hybrid - Brian O'Grady

Hybrid is $6.15 for the kindle. This book was free when I downloaded it. Keep your eyes open for free books. This one was a real bargain.

Amanda Flynn was with the Red Cross, helping in Honduras after Hurricane Michael. She was the only survivor of a virus that swept the coastal village of Tela, where she and her team were working. Over 300 people died in the outbreak. Amanda was changed forever. Now someone is purposely spreading this virus in the US, and Amanda is doing her best to stop it. The problem is that Amanda has been on the run from the FBI for almost seven years, and nobody will listen to her. At least not yet. That will change soon, and may be the only way American can survive. This is a very good book. Plenty of suspense, action, and a great cast of characters. Very highly recommended.

Magic of Thieves - C. Greenwood

Magic of Thieves is the first novel in the Legends of Dimmingwood series. This book is free for the kindle.

Ilan couldn't even remember her name after, as a young child, she ran from the Praetor’s Fists, the day her parent's were murdered. A neighbor tried to smuggle Ilan to safety, but she ended up a captive of the bandit band of Rideon the Red Hand. The Hand gave Ilan her name. She became one of the band and seemed to thrive over the years. The thing the bandits didn't know was that Ilan had magic. Adventure, humor, and danger make this an interesting story. Very highly recommended.

Silken Prey - John Sandford

Silken Prey is the 23rd novel in the Prey Series. This is a great book that brings back some characters from the past. You can't beat Sandford for suspense.

Lucas Davenport is personally tasked by the democratic governor of Minnesota with helping a political opponent. This will be a sticky investigation, but that's the kind that Lucas enjoys. Was the republican senator from Minnesota really looking at kiddie porn on his re-election office computer, or was he framed? That's what Lucas is trying to find out, and hopefully before too many more bodies drop. Very highly recommended.

The Light Keepers - Mande Matthews

The Light Keepers is listed as a free epic fantasy adventure. It's free, but it's actually a short prequel to the ShadowLight Saga series, with the emphasis on short. I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series some day.

Astrid is a trained warrior, but she's only 17 years old. Astrid is guarded from contact with others by her mother Isla and her warrior guardian Balin. Astrid possesses a great power that she's forbidden to use, but she's young and lonely. Astrid is light, but she is drawn to the dark. Can she resist? This is a good novella that introduces the reader to the ShadowLight saga. Highly recommended.

A Perfect Blood - Kim Harrison

A Perfect Blood is the tenth novel in the Hollows series, which takes place in an alternate Cincinnati OH. You should read these books in order and savor each one.

Rachel Morgan has finally accepted the fact that she's a demon. Rachel is wearing a bracelet which suppresses her ability to perform demon magic. This keeps Rachel's demon mentor Al from finding her, and also makes her seem "safe" to society. But there are some bad people who want to use demon blood to work evil magic. It turns out that Rachel is a source for perfect demon blood. The usual cast of pixies, vampires, werewolves, witches, elves, and more, play their parts, and Rachel is once again the center of enough suspense and action to keep me reading late into the night. Very highly recommended.

Entangled - Casey Odell

Entangled is part of the Cursed Magic Series. This is is a prequel that should be read between book two and book three in the series. This is more of a novella than a full length novel.

The Cursed Magic Series has provided glimpses of Claire and Farron's past, but this novella gives more depth to the two characters. Claire's first real romance is covered in a way that helps explain her feelings about relationships. Farron's job as the King's assassin is covered in more detail, and brings us to the point where he discovers Lianna and her power awakens. This book is good background for a very interesting fantasy series. Very highly recommended.

Storm Front - John Sandford

Storm Front is a Virgil Flowers novel. Another thriller, courtesy of the Minnesota BCA.

Virgil Flowers is an investigator for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. When someone shows up in Minnesota with a stolen relic from Israel, Virgil gets the call. Turns out, this isn't a simple relic. This is a relic with terrorists, treasure hunters, Israeli government agents, and plain old crooks after it. Virgil would rather keep working on his ongoing case, but when people start getting shot, it's time to find the relic. The usual crew of Minnesota crime fighters give Virgil an assist, and of course there have to be women in the mix when Virgil is involved. Very highly recommended.

Awakened - Casey Odell

Awakened is the second novel in the Cursed Magic Series. Unfortunately, book three isn't available yet. Curses!

Claire and Farron travel from the Haven in their quest to find Claire's mother and discover more about her power. The adventure continues when Claire meets others of her kind. She's not the only one in which the world's magic has been hidden. Claire is working to control her magic, now that it's been awakened. Farron is working to protect Claire from the many people who want to possess her. More suspense, danger, and romance. Very highly recommended.

Stolen Prey - John Sandford

Stolen Prey is the 22nd novel in the Prey Series featuring Lucas Davenport. I could be off by one, but it's close. You don't have to read them in order, but I highly recommend it. You will not regret it.

Lucas Davenport is still sort of a freelancer in the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. When the BCA superintendent calls, because an entire family has been slaughtered, Lucas finds a murder scene that defies description. A killing team is loose in the Twin Cities area, and stopping them before they kill again is paramount. Why this is happening is a puzzle just as compelling. This is another gripping thriller with the familiar cast of characters. The story incorporates some humor, lots of suspense, and brutal murder into a book that is hard to put down. Very highly recommended.

Cursed - Casey Odell

Cursed is the first novel in the Cursed Magic series. This book is free for the kindle. This is an intriguing fantasy story. I've already paid for the second book.

Claire Tanith's Mom owns the Blazing Stallion tavern in the small town of Stockton. Claire has been helping with the tavern since she was small. When Stockton is attacked by centaurs, and the town's people are forced to flee or die, Claire and her mother separate. Claire is rescue by elves, but rescued for a price. Claire appears to have some magic that the elves want. Now Claire and her two elf companions are on a quest to try and bring magic back to the world. This is a great story. The suspense keeps building and the danger keeps growing, while Claire awakens to the world outside of Stockton and to her own mysterious powers. Very highly recommended.

Damascus Countdown - Joel C. Rosenberg

Damascus Countdown is the third and final book in Rosenberg's Twelfth Imam series. You have to read them in order. This is a great conclusion. This series would make great movies, but you'll never see Hollywood touch this material.

CIA agent David Shirazi is still doing his best to keep the middle east from erupting, but it's too little too late. David's new challenge is to stop the twelfth imam from launching a nuclear attack on Israel that will plunge the whole world into war. This story has more suspense and action than anything I've read since my last Rosenberg book. Very highly recommended.

Green Lake - S.K. Epperson

Green Lake is free for the kindle. This is a murder mystery with a cast of characters that will make you glad there is no real Green Lake.

Madeleine Heron is staying at a cabin in Green Lake because she needs a place to recover from her husband's suicide. She was forced to sell her house and almost everything in it because her husband had cashed in his insurance. Madeleine's sister suggested she spend the summer at her cabin, and Madeleine agreed. Thus begins a tale of strange characers and stranger events. Missing children, bullies, vandals, murder, and mahem are just a few of Madeleine's adventures. And then there's the man she could be falling in love with. A strange and quirky tale, with an ending just as bizaar as the rest of the story. Very highly recommended.

Everflame - Dylan Peters

Everflame is free for the kindle. This is a fantasy novel with some interesting twists. There are two other books in the Everflame trilogy

The Everflame burns eternal in the kingdom of the bears as a symbol of their spirit. Evercloud is a human who was rescued from wolves and raised by bears. Evercloud is the only human to ever live with the bears. He's the adopted son of the bear king Eveneye. When it appears the great tyrant has returned to the land, and there are rumors of the four ancients, Evercloud is part of the team sent to find the ancients. Evil and good are battling once again. The ancients may be the bears' only hope against the great tyrant, the only hope for all creatures. This is a great story. There's plenty of adventure and lots of marvelous creatures. Very highly recommended.

Insurgent - Veronica Roth

Insurgent is the second novel in the Divergent series. You have to read the first book Divergent before taking on the second. You'll be totally lost otherwise.

Tris and the rest of the characters who are still alive, continue their efforts to survive in a world that's been torn apart by the rift between factions. I really like the first book in the series, in spite of the contrived factions. This book is too little action and too much introspection. I finished it, and I'll probably read the third book in the series, but instead of this book compelling me to read, I found myself skimming in order to get past the parts that dragged. Recommended.

Deadly Stillwater - Roger Stelljes

Deadly Stillwater is the second novel in the McRyan Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle.

When Shannon Hisle is kidnapped in broad daylight in the middle of St. Paul, the police are quick to respond. Shannon is the daughter of St. Paul’s most famous attorney. Then Carrie Flanagan is kidnapped the next day and things go into overdrive. Carrie is the daughter of the St. Paul chief of police. Mac McRyan isn't the oldest detective on the force, but he's the smartest. Mac and his boys are on the case and working overtime. Why were the girls taken, and why these two? There's suspense, danger, and plenty of twists in this story. Very highly recommended.

Heller's Girlfriend - JD Nixon

Heller's Girlfriend is the third novel in the Heller series. This book is another danger filled romp through the world of private security.

Tilly Chalmers is back with more dangerous assignments and tangled relationships. She's not thrilled with being security at a swinger's orgy, or guarding an actress who brings new meaning to the word bitch. Then there's Tilly's personal life, which is even more complicated than her work assignments. A great book. Read 'em in order. Very highly recommended.

Deadly Aim - Patricia H. Rushford

Deadly Aim is the first novel in the Angel Delaney Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle. What if your first shooting as a police officer was a 12 year old kid with a toy gun?

Angel Delaney is not a rookie cop. She's been on the Sunset Cove police force for a little over a year, but Angel had been on the force in Bay City Florida for three years before moving back to Oregon. When Angel and her partner Eric respond to an early morning drug store robbery, Angel is confronted by a gang member with a gun. What follows is a tragedy, and something Angel will have to live with, but there's more going on here than a simple officer shooting. As the bodies start to pile up Angel finds herself a target. A target for the media, political activists, and a killer. This is a great story. There is plenty of suspense, danger, some interesting twists, and little romance too. Very highly recommended.

Night Broken - Patricia Briggs

Night Broken is the eighth novel in the Mercy Thompson series. How do you fight a volcano god?

Mercy has trouble on the domestic front when Adam's ex-wife Christy moves home for protection from a stalker. Sharing your home with your husband's ex-wife is bad enough, but the pack seems to sympathize with Christy. Then the stalker turns out to be more than human. Adding to Mercy's problems, a grey lord wants the walking stick back. The problem is Mercy gave it to Coyote for safe keeping. It's not clear how Mercy's going to get it back. It's another danger filled adventure for Mercy and the Columbia Basin werewolf pack. Very highly recommended.

Fair Game - Patricia Briggs

Fair Game is the third novel in the Alpha and Omega series. I recommend reading the first two novels in the series, and the novella in the On the Prowl anthology before reading this story.

Charles and Anna are husband and wife. They're also werewolves. When the strain of Charles' job as enforcer becomes a problem, he's asked to help with a serial killer investigation in Boston. The serial killer has murdered three werewolves so far, and that's something even the FBI could use a hand with. Charles and Anna are trying to reconnect on a personal level, while they also try to help the FBI. There are plenty of fae, witches, and werewolves, but humans can still be the most dangerous species to deal with. Very highly recommended.

The One You Love - Paul Pilkington

The One You Love is the first novel in the Emma Holden trilogy. This book is free for the kindle. Be warned, this is a British mystery.

Emma Holden is an actress. She's been on soaps and has some theater experience. On the night of Emma's hen party, and her fiance Dan's bachelor party, her fiance disappears. Dan's brother is found bludgeoned into unconsciousness in Emma and Dan's apartment. Who attacked the brother and where is Dan? The answer to this mystery, and others, takes what seems like an eternity to unfold. The book was suspenseful, but not in a good way. The ending was anti-climactic at best. I wouldn't read the rest of this trilogy, even if it was free. If you like British mysteries you might like this story. I did finish it, so barely recommended.

The Last Call - George Wier

The Last Call is the first novel in the Bill Travis Mystery series. This book is free for the kindle. How far would you go to help a damsel in distress?

Bill Travis is a "financial consultant." That's a job title that covers a multitude of sins, literally. When Bill's first appointment on Monday, one that he didn't schedule, is a beautiful redhead, Bill decides he's ready for some adventure. Getting punched, shot at, and blown up were probably not what he was thinking of as adventure though. This is a wild story with enough suspense and twists to keep the pages turning to the end. Very highly recommended.

Night of the Assassin - Russell Blake

Night of the Assassin is a prequel to the Assassin series. This book is free for the kindle. Did you ever wonder how El Rey became the highest paid assassin in the world? I recommend you read King of Swords first though.

The King of Swords, known as El Rey, started out as a peasant boy. This book chronicles El Rey's growth into the assassin that even the most evil cartel bosses fear. Be prepared for violence, pain, and death. Don't expect any remorse though. Very highly recommended.

King of Swords - Russell Blake

King of Swords is the first novel in the Assassin series. This book is $2.99 for the kindle, but it's also the ninth of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents. There is a prequel to this series called Night of the Assassin, that's free for the kindle. That's my next read.

The King of Swords is a tarot card. The assassin called the King of Swords, or El Rey for short, uses this card as his signature with every kill. Captain Romero Cruz is in charge of the Mexican Federal Police task force on drug cartels. Cruz gets a tip from a cartel leader that El Rey has accepted a contract to assassinate the president of Mexico and the United States. This sets in motion a desperate scramble to find El Rey and spoil the plot. People behind the scenes, who Cruz can't even imagine, are doing their best to stop him from intervening. Even if it means killing Captain Cruz. This is a dark and dangerous look into the drug cartels of Mexico. There is suspense galore and depictions of brutal senseless violence. This is a tense page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Very highly recommended.

Corpus Christi - Luke Romyn

Corpus Christi is the first novel in the Legacy Chronicles series. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection, that's available for only 99 cents. I'm not sure why this religious fantasy is included in a collection of killer thrillers, except that there's abundant killing. By the end of the book, the thrill was gone.

Jacob Hope works for the UN. Jacob has focused his life on making a positive difference, and chose the UN as the best place to do it. On a mission to stop a civil war, Jacob is kidnapped. Then he's rescued by a man who names Jacob the Christ reborn. Jacob dismisses this claim, but has lingering doubts about what happened. Jacob's next assignment in the field is for the Red Cross in Uganda. There Jacob meets true evil for the first time and discovers he really is the Christ reborn. Adventures proceed, with Jacob battling evil and slowly discovering his special abilities.

This book would be interesting if that was the main focus, but the main focus is Jacob's angst. The author can't simply describe what's taking place in the novel. He has to spend three or four times as many words, going through Jacob's introspection, as he does Jacob's actions. By the time I was done reading my brain was almost numb. If you like religious fantasy, you might give this book a try, but I'm not going back to this author anytime soon. Barely recommended.

Quicksilver -Toni Dwiggins

Quicksilver is the prequel to the Forensic Geology Series. This book is free for the kindle. I read the first book in the Forensic Geology Series, Volcano Watch, over a year ago. Both are great books, no matter which order you read them in.

Cassie Oldfield and her partner Walter Shaws are forensic geologists. When a man asks them to help him track down his missing brother, based on a rock left as a message, they agree. It could help save a life, and they'll be looking for gold, one of Walter's passions. Cassie is worried though. Will the brother they're trying to find want to be found? This story has plenty of adventure, suspense, and danger. The problem isn't if Cassie and Walter can make it out of the mountains with the brothers. It becomes, can they make it out alive themselves. Very highly recommended.

Snake Skin - CJ Lyons

Snake Skin is the first book in the Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

Lucille Teresa Guardino is the supervisory special agent in charge of the FBI's sexual assault felony enforcement squad in Pittsburgh PA. That's fancy government speak meaning Lucy is in charge of catching perverts. Lucy is very good at her job. She should be behind a desk supervising, but Lucy does her best work in the field. Lucy is thrown in a snake pit by some pentecostal zealots, men who like to "save" little girls. Lucy thinks she's had her fill of snakes, but she's about to discover there are more snakes in her future, and guns, and bombs, and dead bodies. Lucy has to handle all the workplace hazards, and keep her family together after dragging them to Pittsburgh for her new job. The question is can Lucy survive the challenge. This is a great story. Lots of twists and turn, and a happy ending. Very highly recommended.

The Hero, The Sword and The Dragons - Craig Halloran

The Hero, The Sword and The Dragons is the first book in the Chronicles of Dragon series. This is actually a novella. The subsequent books in the series are full length novels. This story is free for the kindle.

Nath Dragon looks like a man, a big burly champion of a man, but he was born a dragon. He has to earn his scales, and he's been trying to do so for 200 years. Nath's father, the king of the dragons, has been patiently waiting. Nath and his friend, Brenwar the dwarf, set out to earn Nath's scales. It turns out that not all scales are the same, and Nath's task is not going to be easy.

This is a good series for young adults, or even younger. There's some violence, but no cursing and no sex. There are ten books in the series so far, but only this first one is free. Highly recommended.

Big Lake - Nick Russell

Big Lake is a murder mystery with more twists than a southern Indiana back road. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

Jim Weber is the sheriff in Big Lake Arizona. When an armored car robbery results in the death of Jim's brother-in-law, he vows to catch the killer. While the investigation is going on, bodies keep piling up, almost as fast as suspects. Jim has to solve this one before more people die, and while he still has a job. You could get dizzy trying to figure out who the killer is, and the reader has a clue that Jim doesn't. Suspense, action, and some good laughs, but a little complicated. Highly recommended.

The 19th Element - John L. Betcher

The 19th Element is the first novel in the James Becker series. This book is $6.49 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

James L. Becker, Attorney-at-Law, lives in the small town of Red Wing Minnesota. Beck wasn't always a lawyer. Beck spent over 20 years in military intelligence, and he didn't sit behind a desk. When a professor from the University of Minnesota washes up on the bank of the Mississippi River, just north of Red Wing, Beck's curiosity gets the better of him. Turns out that's a good thing. Beck may be the only person standing between the country and an Al Qaeda engineered nuclear disaster. This is a great book. The suspense holds right down to the wire. Very highly recommended.

Steal the Dragon - Patricia Briggs

Steal the Dragon is a fantasy novel from an age when magic, of many kinds, was still active in the world. Patricia Briggs never disappoints.

Rialla is a horse trainer for the mercenaries of Sianim. When the Sianim spymaster requested her presence, she thought it might be because she was fluent in Darranian. Rialla was partly right. The main reason was that Rialla had been a Darranian slave. If she accepts the spymaster's assignment, Rialla will have to become a slave again. Can she take on that role to keep a war at bay? Rialla is more than meets the eye, and this task is more than the spymaster, and Rialla, thought it would be. Much more. Very highly recommended.

When Demons Walk - Patricia Briggs

When Demons Walk is a stand-alone fantasy novel from Patricia Briggs. This story takes place in a land where war has torn families and countries apart. Wizards are supposed to be a thing of the past, but you need a wizard to fight a demon.

When war swept through Southwood, Shamera was the daughter of the captain of the guard. The Cybellians defeated Southwood, and the conquerors were not kind. Now that the war has been over for twelve years, Sham is a thief, living in Purgatory, the most dangerous slum in the capital city of Landsend. Sham is not just a thief. She's also a wizard. Sham's mentor is killed by a demon. When that demon begins to slay members of the ruling class, Sham is enlisted to help the current ruler of Southwood, Lord Kerim, with fighting the demon in any way possible. Even though Kerim doesn't believe in magic. This is a great fantasy novel. It's full of suspense, danger, humor, and a touch of romance. Very highly recommended.

Traces of Kara - Melissa Foster

Traces of Kara is a psychological thriller. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

Kara Knight is ready to escape her home town of Williamsport Maryland. Kara is a loner, who doesn't seem to fit in. She's applied to nursing school in North Carolina, and is looking forward to getting out of town. But Kara's past is about to come back to haunt her. And to make matters worse, it's a past Kara can't even remember. Who is Marissa? This novel has plenty of suspense and mystery, but towards the end, the author went too long. The section of the book that should have kept readers on the edge of their seat, became monotonous and frustrating to me. The book is still good, but not great. Recommended.

The Devil's Deep - Michael Wallace

The Devil's Deep is a murder mystery that travels from snowy Vermont to steamy Costa Rica. This book is $3.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

Wesley Pilson is a Harvard Law student. Wes is also a twin, and his twin brother Eric is mentally handicapped. Eric is housed in a long-term care facility, Riverwood Care Center. Wes suspects Eric's being mistreated, so Wes applies for a job at the facility. Wes can't know the chain of events this will initiate. A chain of events that will link Wes to murders from the past, murders in the present, and possibly his own murder. This is a great read. Plenty of action, suspense, and just a touch of romance. Very highly recommended.

The Halo Effect - MJ Rose

The Halo Effect - is a novel in the Butterfield Institute series. This is a standalone story though. This book is $4.99 for the kindle, but it's also one of nine full length novels in the Killer Thriller Collection that's available for only 99 cents.

Dr. Morgan Snow is a sex therapist. Morgan volunteers one day a week to counsel prostitutes in prison. There's a serial killer in New York who's preying on prostitutes. Morgan had to identify the body of one client already, and other bodies are piling up. Then one of Morgan's patients, a very high priced call girl, goes missing. Morgan is doing her best to find her client, help the police find the killer, and not break her doctor/patient confidentiality. The trouble is the killer is about to find Morgan. Lots of suspense, mystery, and some steamy romance. Very highly recommended.

American Crow - Jack Lacey

American Crow is the first novel in the Missing Series. This book is 99 cents for the kindle. It was free when I downloaded it. This is a gritty detective story that ranges from England to Kentucky and back.

Sibelius Blake is a private detective working out of London. Blake prefers the term tracer. His specialty is tracking down missing persons. Blake has suffered a devastating personal loss, but his boss has convinced him to take a job tracing a missing 18 year old British girl to America. Blake's learned that simple jobs are never as simple as they seem. The first trick is getting back into America. Then Blake will concentrate on finding the girl, and staying alive while he does it. This book has plenty of suspense, action, and more than enough dead bodies. This is an amazing story. The only downside is, even though they're Americans, some characters still use parochial British English, and when the author tries to add American idioms to the dialog, he misses by a mile. Still, very highly recommended.

Heller's Revenge - JD Nixon

Heller's Revenge is the second novel in the Heller series. These books should be read in order. This is not a murder mystery, although there are murders. This is not a detective story, although there is some detecting going on. This is not a romance, although it's written for adults. This is a ribald romp through the life of a woman who took a job as a security officer.

Tilly Chalmers is still the only woman working for Heller's Security & Surveillance. Tilly enjoys her work some days and doesn't others. She's trying to balance her flirtatious relationship with her boss Heller, and her boyfriend Will. Tilly also has to deal with the adversarial relationship between her homicide detective brother Brian and her boss. In this book Tilly's engaged in assignments that challenger her, anger her, and almost get her killed more than once. The whole story is leavened with a hefty dose of humor. Very highly recommended.

Tainted Souls - Steven J. Wangsness

Tainted Souls is free for the kindle. This is a stand-alone detective novel. What do you do, when you have to cross the line to get to the bad guys?

Rick Frost is a detective on the Santa Isidora police force. Rick used to be a LAPD detective, but after a case when bad, a small town force seemed like a better idea. Rick is frustrated that bad things have happened, but he's been powerless to stop them, or bring the bad guys to justice. Now it's starting again. This time Rick may have to try something different. This is a great story with good characters, plenty of suspense, and some interesting twists. The ending is just about perfect. Very highly recommended.

The Liberty Intrigue - Tom Grace

The Liberty Intrigue is not free, but it's worth every penny I paid for it and more. This novel is a conservative's dream. If you want to feel good about how the 2012 election should have gone, you have to read this story. I only hope this book is used as a blueprint for the 2016 election.

Ross Egan is just an engineer. Ross is trying his best to keep a power plant running, as a civil war is about to break out, in the African country of Dutannuru. What he does in that small African country will change his life, and the world. No spoilers here. Read it yourself. I spent so much time grinning while I read this story, my face got sore. This is the best book I've read in a long time. Very highly recommended.

Phantoms In Philadelphia - Amalie Vantana

Phantoms In Philadelphia is the first novel in the Phantom Knights series. This book is free for the kindle. If you like 19th century historical novels you might like this story.

Bess Martin is 19 years old. She plays the part of a demure daughter and sister, but she's actually the head of a spy ring called the Phantoms. Along with her brother Jack, Bess is determined to find and defeat the organization known as Levitas. There is plenty of action and suspense. There is also plenty of boring high society posturing and awkward attempts at romance. I finished the book because of the action and suspense. I'm still not sure it was worth it. If you're really into the way American society worked in the early 1800s, you'll probably enjoy that part of the story. Recommended with that caveat.

Never Go Back - Lee Child

Never Go Back is the 18th Jack Reacher novel. Now that I'm caught up, I have to wait for Child to write another. Meanwhile withdrawal sets in.

Jack Reacher has been heading back to Virginia for some time. Trouble keeps getting in his way, but Reacher finally makes it. The problem is, the woman he's going back to Virginia to take to dinner, isn't there. She's been setup, and so has Reacher. If they work together they might just survive to get that dinner. The odds are long, but Reacher never lets the odds bother him. Another great adventure with plenty of action and suspense. Reading doesn't get any better than this. Very highly recommended.