19 November 2012

OUT NOW: Bitter Nothings by Vicki Tyley

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest mystery, BITTER NOTHINGS:



Melbourne-based graphic designer Dervla Johns' life is turned upside down when her brothers, Emmet and Gabe, turn up on her doorstep with the horrific news that their stepmother, Lucinda, and their half-sister and half-brother have been murdered – shot dead in their beds. Her father, Warren, has vanished, and the police have him in their sights as prime suspect. Dervla refuses to believe it. That's until he turns up dead in his car on an isolated bush track, the weapon by his side. Mix in a dysfunctional family and a friend with an abusive husband and the lines start to blur…

AVAILABLE FROM:

07 August 2012

On My Bookshelf: Seven Bones by Peter Seymour and Jason K Foster

Seven Bones by Peter Seymour and Jason K Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when both my wives end up deceased.”Seven Bones

Australian Thomas Andrew Keir was acquitted of murdering his second wife, and his conviction for killing his first wife was twice overturned.

This is a case I’ve followed over the years, even to the extent of reading court transcripts, so I was more than a little interested in reading this book, especially as it’s told from the viewpoint of one of the detectives involved in the case, Peter Seymour.

The prologue wasn’t quite as strong as it could have been. For example, I find it hard to imagine a psychopath like Keir thinking “dammit” when the phone goes in the middle of burying his wife. However, the rest of the book made for compelling reading and gave invaluable insight into an intriguing case. If it weren't for the perseverance of a dedicated police officer, Keir would have got away with not just one but two murders.

The book also has a wonderful Aussie flavour. Blokes and mates abound.

View all my reviews

03 July 2012

Fatal Liaison a Best Indie Books of 2012 Semifinalist

Exciting news: Fatal Liaison made the semifinals cut at The Kindle Book Review's BEST INDIE BOOKS OF 2012 contest.

I'm thrilled and honoured to be joining such writers as R S Guthrie, Jennifer Chase and Toni Dwiggins. Check out the full list here.



30 June 2012

On My Bookshelf: The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano

The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“The merry-go-round was traveling in reverse. The horses, tigers, bears, zebras were all circling tail-end first as if competing in some bizarre, backward race.” – The Merry-Go-Round

Thirty-eight-year-old lawyer Lauren Flynn harbours a lot of resentment toward her soon to be ex-husband, Greg. All she wants from him is his signature on the divorce papers. Or at least that’s what she tells herself.

While I didn’t feel that this was a comedy, it was one of the best romances I’ve read in a long time. Engaging story with strong, real people. Lots of sexual tension but no gratuitous sex scenes. Balanced pacing with no flat spots.

I didn’t warm to Lauren straight away, but the more I got to know her, the more she grew on me. In the beginning, she came across as quite hard and bitter, but I soon discovered that was only a veneer and brittle at that.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

13 June 2012

On My Bookshelf: With Full Malice by Brenda Hill

With Full MaliceWith Full Malice by Brenda Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“She aimed for his heart and pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed from a blackened hole in his shirt and he staggered backward. The pistol recoiled, but she stepped forward and fired a second time, knocking him off his feet. Bending over his sprawled form, she fired again, putting a round through his temple.” – With Full Malice

This is the second Brenda Hill novel I’ve read. I enjoyed this one even more – it’s not quite as intense as Ten Times Guilty and the reading is effortless, the writing more assured.

Hill’s strength is her character development. The author explains it best when she says she writes about women in crisis, celebrating the inner strength women sometimes forget they possess. And it’s this growth that we see with Maddy Young, haunted by the murder of her parents when she was only six years old and the promise the killer made to return for her. I cared as much for Maddy as her grandmother and Detective Dexter Quinn did.

If you’re looking for a fast, easy read that packs a punch, then I highly recommend With Full Malice.

View all my reviews

31 May 2012

On My Bookshelf: The Naked Room by Diana Hockley

The Naked RoomThe Naked Room by Diana Hockley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“I crouched over the steering wheel, urging the Suzuki car on. Drivers coming the other way leaned on their horns as they fronted my headlights. The car behind me caught up and settled right on the back bumper, forcing me to take more chances. It swerved and began to draw alongside, until I could see the dark shape of the driver in the side mirror. I did a lightning inventory of what was in the car. Nothing available for a weapon. Can’t out-run him.” – The Naked Room

The Naked Room was recommended to me as a cracking good read, and it’s that and more. Hockley’s writing is strong, sensory and compelling, the plot complex and fed on secrets and lies. The many strands are woven seamlessly into the story.

The book’s structure is a bit different from the norm in that there are multiple points of views with most narrated in first, one point of view per chapter. It’s a technique, I imagine, that takes skill, but it works well here. Chapter headings help keep the reader in the right head and on track, although I had to occasionally flip back to check whose head I was in. I think that’s probably more about the way I read than the narrative, though.

Highly recommended. I look forward to reading Hockley’s next, The Celibate Mouse.

View all my reviews

New Release Giveaway - Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave by David Burton

To celebrate the release of Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave, a Choose-Your-Own-Demise novel, author David Burton is doing a number of giveaways:

First up, the fine folks over at The Cheap. For Kindle readers, check out their KOTC site, for Nook/Kobo/etc, visit their regular site. I’m giving away 25 copies at each site, so go get your name in there for your chance to win!

As it becomes available at various retailers, I’ll update the links at my Billy Bones page, so check back often.

And if you’re new to Billy Bones, you can read the first chapter here.

For more information, please visit David’s website.

17 May 2012

Digital Book Today: Weekly Featured Great Reads

Digital Book Today: Helping book lovers find authors in a digital world 

09 May 2012

On My Bookshelf: The Lottery Ticket by Tony Eldridge

The Lottery Ticket: A NovelThe Lottery Ticket: A Novel by Tony Eldridge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“A thunderous bang shattered the surreal moment as the car hit the slope of the mountainside. Jason watched trees and bushes fly by as he stomped with full force on the brakes. The seatbelt cut into him like a violent fist refusing to let go. He lost all orientation when the car started tumbling down the slope.”The Lottery Ticket

The Lottery Ticket is a fast-paced, easy-reading thriller populated with complex characters, each with his/her own agenda. Greed is a powerful motive.

Eldridge’s writing flows with an ease and naturalness that makes reading a pleasure. It’s a “clean” story – no offensive language or the like – which also makes it suitable for a younger audience.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

View all my reviews

06 May 2012

Suspense Radio: Inside Edition for May 2012

Suspense Radio brought to by Suspense Magazine: M. William Phelps, star of the TV show Dark Minds in the ID channel and bestselling true crime author kicks off the show. DJ Niko is next, talking about her book The Tenth Saint, the first in a new series. NY Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey is back on Suspense Radio with his latest book, An Accidental Affair. Cindy Cromer closes out the show to talk about her book Desperate Measures and her journey into the eBook world and much more.

The much more includes audio clips from selected books. The opening to Thin Blood, narrated by Basil Sands, features in this episode (56m45s). Thanks for listening.



23 February 2012

NEW - Three Little Wonders: An Adoption Story $2.99

A heart-warming tale of two dads and their Three Little Wonders...


Together for ten years, David and his partner made the decision to become dads. Figuring out they wanted to adopt was easy, the waiting and complications along the way were not. Follow their journey as this same-sex couple tried to start their family and prevent three brothers from being separated.

AVAILABLE FROM:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
David H. Burton was born in Windsor, Ontario to parents that instilled in him the love of the written word at a very young age. Throughout his childhood, David read relentlessly, often into the wee hours of the morning.

Fantasy and Science Fiction novels have always been David's greatest vice and he has indulged in the likes of Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Margaret Weis, Mark Anthony, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Robert J. Sawyer, Isaac Asimov, Melanie Rawn, Marion Zimmer Bradley, J.K. Rowling and for interest, some Margaret Atwood and Jose Saramago.

David graduated from the University of Toronto with a major in Biology and a minor in Classical Civilization. He also dabbled in Computer Science, to which he owes his current occupation in the Telecommunications world at one of the large banks in Canada.

When David isn't writing he enjoys spending time with his partner and three boys: hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking, and reading. David has a great fondness for Portuguese cuisine, good wine, and all things left of centre.

15 February 2012

Young Adult Fantasy: Tempest by Holly Hook 99¢

A 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinalist, TEMPEST is book 1 of the Destroyers Series by Holly Hook.

Sixteen-year-old Janelle never thought the gray spiral birthmark on her arm meant anything special. That is, until she meets Gary, a boy her age with a birthmark exactly like hers. Gary’s attractive, brooding, and perfectly normal…except for the fact that he materialized out of a dangerous hurricane right in front of her. Janelle’s certain of only one thing. Gary’s mark—and hers, too—mean something, but he’s reluctant to tell her what.

At last she squeezes the truth from Gary about their markings. And the truth is utterly terrifying: Janelle and Gary are more connected to the destructive power of nature than she ever dreamed possible. And learning the truth about herself is only the start of her nightmare.


14 February 2012

NEW: Bangkok Burn by Simon Royle

“It took me a moment to realize, I couldn’t see her body, because it wasn’t attached to her head. I wiggled my toes and fingers.” – Bangkok Burn

Fast, furious and dangerous. A real page-turner. I’ll never look at a crocodile the same way again.

Take a walk on the darkside.

Orphaned as a child and raised as the only son of a Thai mafia godfather, Chance plans to quit the family business for the woman he loves.

Chance’s father is the godfather of Pak Nam and owner of the largest crocodile farm on earth. He didn't get to where he is without knowing a thing or two about people, including how long it takes for a crocodile to digest one. Before Chance can quit, his father asks him to “take care of a little something for me.” Then a bomb goes off.

Waking up in hospital later that night, his father in a coma next door, Chance’s troubles have only just begun. There are three guys dressed in black down the corridor and they aren't carrying flowers. Worse, Uncle Mike isn’t answering his phone, and a guy with a lisp is asking for a hundred million dollars in a week or “I’ll kill him, sthlowly.”

While figuring out who is trying to put the family permanently out of business, where to get a hundred million, and who’s got Uncle Mike, in the midst of a Bangkok gone crazy with factional fighting, quitting the family business takes a backseat to survival.

Survival begins with dying. And dying is the easy part.

AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON US AND AMAZON UK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Simon Royle was born in Manchester, England in 1963. He has been variously a yachtsman, advertising executive, and a senior management executive in software companies. A futurist and a technologist, he lives in Bangkok, with his wife and two children.

27 January 2012

Addicted to eBooks


Addicted to eBooks is owned and operated by New Yorks Times bestselling author Victorine Lieske, who started the website to help readers find low cost eBooks ($5.99 or less).

One of the features of the site that I haven’t seen elsewhere is that content is rated. For example, Not What She Seems by Victorine Lieske ratings:

Profanity:
No Profanity

Violence:
Mild Violence

Sex:
No Sex
Kissing




The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey:


Profanity:
Mild Profanity

Violence:
Heavy Violence

Sex:
No Sex

21 January 2012

Special Tribute to Indie Author L.C. Evans

On the 24th January 2012, The IndieView is hosting a special tribute to indie author L.C. Evans, who lost her fight with cancer earlier this month. To celebrate and honour her life and her contribution to the Indie eBook revolution, The IndieView is giving away a whole bunch of free books.

In Linda's own words, from her IndieView a year ago...

“I want my books to appeal to everyone, though I understand that men in general aren’t fond of reading chick lit or romantic comedy.”
Buy her books, read her books, and make her words live.

If chick lit or romantic comedy is not your thing, authors who have been interviewed on The IndieView, will give you one of their books for every one of Linda's books that you buy. Visit The IndieView 24 January and help Linda's words live on.