Suspense/Thriller

Contrarian

(Lars the Hitman Book 2)

Lucas Sterling

Lars Christopherson is a former Homeland Security Agent and a bit of an enigma. There are a lot of people who don’t know about him, and he has every intention of keeping it that way. It’s one of those “if I tell you then I have to kill you” sort of deals. He has an impressive skillset and an unblemished record. A BND intelligence agent, Frederic Ulrich is a man on a mission. Determined to redeem himself for the sins of his past, he is determined to stop a Hungarian crime ring from continuing their deadly ways. When they Sind themselves working together, Lars and Frederic must put aside their differences and make it work for the sake of national security and to save a lot of lives. It won’t be easy, but they’re determined to get the job done.

One aspect that stands out in “Contrarian” is Lucas Sterlings knowledge of policy when it comes to the United States and the political points in the book. There are so many interesting aspects to this novel, not least the excitement and nail biting suspense. There is an abundance of intrigue, mystery, and a race against time that make this a page turner. Welldeveloped characters make readers want to go on a journey with them, and there are so many twists and turns in this book that one would be wise to beware of whiplash. Most deSinitely one to add to the reading list and if this is a reader’s Sirst experience with Lars the Hitman, go back and have a look at the Sirst book in the series.

Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

A Murder, Well-Scripted

Tony Piazza value of timeliness of revealed truths, which mystery readers will appreciate in this well-crafted story. Readers will enjoy the ease of Logan’s personality, rather than a stereotypical, overcharacterized, arrogant detective. His personal story is engaging and relatable. This engaging whodunit deserves high praise for providing a little bit of everything—a killer on the loose, movie stars, quirky characters, kidnapping, and a few dead bodies—what’s not to like?

Moira Wolf

Tom Logan, a detective for hire, Sinds himself on a Hollywood movie set when an untimely explosion reveals a dead body. It’s easy to be distracted by the famous actors surrounding him, but he immediately goes to work to solve the mystery. More is revealed as he meets with his friend, Inspector ‘Red’ Clancy of the Homicide Division. Though a kidnapped star has a seemingly odd connection to the body, Logan must follow the trail according to the partial truths he’s given. Unfortunately, Logan Sinds himself in harm's way. With his knowledge of Hollywood and the scripts they must follow, he realizes that the killer has been following a self-created script which may include Logan’s murder if he doesn’t Sigure out the plot in time.

“A Murder, Well-Scripted” is reminiscent of a classic old Hollywood murder mystery. Comments like “Welcome to the factory that creates dreams. If it doesn’t grow here, then Hollywood will supply it.” create the authentic atmosphere that makes this story alluring. Every character has traits that are believable and contribute to the overall vibe. Mr. Piazza knows the

Tainted Wine: A Steve Daniels Mystery #2

Linda Watkins

Steve Daniels is assigned to a new case that turned up overnight at a vineyard when a vintner is uncovered dead—murdered. The murder weapon is none other than a corkscrew lodged into his neck. Without any witnesses, the only suspect is that of Jessica Fauché r. She is the granddaughter of the owner of the winery and vineyard whose grandmother comes to Steve, pleading that her grand-daughter would never do such a thing after all she has lost. With his work cut out for him, Steve makes it his top priority to discover the truth about Jessica and the man that was murdered. Will he plead for her innocence too or will he reveal the truth about who Jessica is and what she was doing the night of the vintner's untimely death?

There are some murder mysteries that present a detailed description of how the story will unfold from the beginning, but “Tainted Wine” is not one of those novels. Readers will quite literally gasp as unexpected scenes unfold and the truth is revealed bit by bit. The romance between Steve and Izzy is sprinkled in perfectly, creating a realistic personal life for our star investigator, but it never overshadows the true storyline: Hector’s murder. Each character is given the perfect backstory to play into their role. Jessica is portrayed as a suspect with enough motive to convince a jury she’s cruel, but enough innocence to make them look elsewhere - depending on how the cards sprawled out. This is what makes her trial a nervewracking and suspenseful investigation for Steve to dive into head Sirst. “Tainted Wine” is the perfect read to partner with a glass of wine and cozy blanket, the nail- biting mysteries turning readers into living room detectives!

Sadie Wilson