Happy Tuesday everyone! Here is this week’s teaser of Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights, out July 12th. Enjoy!
Though everyone at the table said hello, Claude and Bella only seemed interested in the argument they had brought along with them.
For such a young couple, they fought like one that had been married for years. While Jean and Jacques found humor in their spats, it could also put a damper on the mood.
“Your problem is you never admit when you are wrong.” Bella was nearly shaking her fists at Claude as they plopped down in the seats between Jean and Annette. He watched as Annette scooted her seat closer to Jacques, who smiled with satisfaction.
Jacques leaned toward the couple. “What’s the trouble now?”
Claude snapped his head in the direction of his friends. “Nothing at all, if you excuse the fact that Bella believes our current political climate is good and fair.”
Jean raised an eyebrow in surprise but Bella was already explaining herself. “You are misquoting me. All I said was that given what is going on in Britain and the Soviet Union, we are far better off than most. Is it ideal? Of course not. I hate the boches as much as any other patriotic Frenchman, but you cannot deny the fact that things here have been easy on us.”
“Because the Germans have us in a death grip!” Claude hissed, attempting to control his rage. “If we act out, we die. Just look at those students who attempted to protect Armistice Day. They were arrested and hauled off to God knows where. You believe that makes us better off?”
As the couple continued to argue, Jean felt Yannick tap his arm and he turned to her. Leaning in and whispering, she asked, “Do they always fight like this?”
Jean nodded. “Unfortunately.”
Yannick frowned at Claude and Bella. “Then what’s the point of being together?”
“Don’t know.” Jean wanted to laugh. “Still trying to figure that out.”
Yannick shrugged indifferently and the waiter brought over four cups of coffee. While Yannick focused on her coffee and Jacques attempted to play peacemaker between Claude and Bella, Jean once more focused on Annette. Instead of finding her making a face or mouthing a comment about Claude and Bella’s behavior, she appeared to be sinking into despair. What on earth was going on with her?
“Neither of you are listening to me!” Jacques was practically shouting.
“Maybe they can’t hear you,” Yannick said, finally removing her interest from her coffee.
Jacques twisted his mouth. “Probably not.” He looked at Jean. “Can I switch seats with you, old man?”
Jean was grateful, already rising to his feet. “Be my guest. I don’t want to lose all my hearing before I’m thirty.”
Switching seats, Jean plopped down next to Annette, who remained in a melancholy mood. Seeing her sad state, Jean felt the urge to say something.
As he leaned over to Annette, Jean could smell her rich perfume. He detected the overwhelming scent of rose with a hint of vanilla.
“Don’t fret about Bella. She’s not a collaborateur, just a bit misguided.”
Annette seemed to finally register Jean was talking to her and looked at him. Her composure had changed, a large smile gracing her face with soft and appreciative eyes. Still, there was an unhappiness there that Jean could not place. Did she know of someone who was a collaborateur, or someone else who was arrested by the Germans for no reason? Many French people did, so it wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility.
Trying to distract her, Jean cleared his throat and nervously inquired, “So why did you come to Paris? I mean, I know it was for school, but not many people want to come to Paris these days.”
Of the five million who had called Paris home before the Nazis came goose stepping under the Arche de Triumphe, only some roughly three million had returned, with many choosing to remain away from the epicenter of the occupation.
Annette admitted with a slight shrug, “It does sound mad when spoken out loud.”
“I’m not here to judge,” Jean encouraged.
She seemed amused. “You might be the first.” Facing forward, she said with more strength in her voice, “My family thought I had lost my mind when I made the decision. My mother was nearly on her knees at the train station as I climbed aboard. I couldn’t even wave goodbye to them from the window. I thought I might back out.”
Despite his turbulent relationship with our father, Jean couldn’t imagine leaving his family and neither could I, for that matter. Annette was brave for that.
“But I want to live my life.” She sighed heavily. She looked at Jean, who met her eyes. “Why should I let others control what I can and cannot do?”
Hello everyone! Here’s today teaser for Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights. Enjoy!
As Jean told me, he was stepping outside the university’s massive doors when he heard Claude call after him.
“Jean! Jean!”
He stopped short, turning around and finding Claude and Bella quickly approaching. To the outside, their appearances suggested things had returned to normal. Claude was immaculately turned out, and Bella was wearing her usual uniform of slacks, a short sleeves blouse, and a neck scarf. But, as my brother found out, outward appearances can be deceiving.
“Hello,” Jean greeted.
“We need to talk,” Claude said, his chest rising and falling as if he had run a race.
“Sure.” Jean didn’t see the warning signs.
They moved over to an area with a bench, and while Jean and Bella sat next to each other, Claude remained standing in front of them.
Claude cleared his throat and questioned, “Are you seeing Annette?”
“Romantically,” Bella cut in with a tone that struck Jean’s body like knives.
Though taken aback by the brazen nature with which they’d broached the subject, Jean chose not to deny it. “I am. We’ve been out a few times.”
Claude and Bella exchanged glances.
Though Jean felt he already knew the answer, he asked, “Is there a problem?”
Claude kicked a pebble. “Not necessarily.”
“Yes,” Bella added. She stared at Jean with an uncompromising glare. “Jean, you can’t see her.”
My brother burst into laughter. “Bella, since when do you decide who I can and cannot see?”
“This isn’t a joke, Jean,” Claude agreed and Jean looked at his friend with disbelief. “She’s not good.”
“Says the man who was chasing her no less than a month ago.” Jean’s tone was sharp and Claude’s eyes darted down to the ground.
“She uses men,” Bella stepped in. “And she’ll use you.”
“Use me for what purpose?” Jean demanded.
Claude shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know, but it can’t be good.”
“This is ridiculous.” Jean got to his feet and stepped away. “Just because you both had your ups and downs with Annette doesn’t make her a bad person or someone who is a user.”
He thought the dressing-down would be enough, but Claude and Bella seemed willing to risk everything for Jean to stop seeing her.
Bella retaliated. “It’s either Annette or us.”
Jean’s mind went blank. Who were they to demand such a thing? Unable to think, Jean slowly turned away and left. He heard Claude call after him—or he thought it was Claude—but he didn’t react. All the happiness and elation of the past few weeks evaporated.
Hello fellow readers! Somehow we’ve made it to June, which means we are already halfway through 2024! Not sure how that happened but instead of trying to figure that out, I am here to share with you my answers to the mid year freakout tag.
I did this last year and enjoyed sharing with you my thoughts and impressions of the books I have read so far. So I’m back to do it again. As a little recap, my reading goal for 2024 is to read 52 books. Using what I have read (and what I have yet to pick up) I’ve answered the following questions from the mid year freakout tag, which I highly suggest you do as well. Now, let’s get started.
1. How many books you’ve read so far. 27
2. Best book you’ve read so far this year. Unlike last year when The Silent Reader was the clear winner of 2023, I’m not yet sure which book might take the top spot for my favorite book I read in 2024. You’ll have to keep guessing! But if I had to choose a clear favorite from the first six months of the year I would have to give it to The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly. A historical fiction thriller set in post-World War Two Europe, this book had everything I wanted and more.
3. New release you haven’t read yet but want to. No matter what happens this year, Lucy Foley’s newest novel, The Midnight Feast, will be read before we say goodbye to 2024.
4. Biggest disappointment. I had high expectations but unfortunately Alice Winn’s In Memoriam fell a bit short for me.
5. Biggest surprise. Despite it’s violence and large page count, The Chestnut Man was superbly written.
6. Favorite new author (debut or new to you). I read my first Ruta Sepetys novel this year (I Must Betray You) and I can honestly say it won’t be the last one I will read by this talented author.
7. Book that made you happy. Christina Lauren must have a degree in making people smile. The Paradise Problem made me smile and happy for many reasons.
8. Most beautiful book you have acquired this year. Not surprisingly this is a special edition of a classic. See below for the gorgeous edition of Jane Eyre that I snatched up recently at Barnes & Noble.
(Photo credit: Penguin Random House)
9. Best sequel you’ve read so far. Finlay Donovan is back and she is knocking ’em dead.
10. What books do you need to read before the end of the year? The Fury by Alex Michaelides and The Only One Left by Riley Sager are my top priorities.
Hello everyone! In anticipation of the release of Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights I’m starting up #teasertuesday where I’ll share a teaser of the book every week until it’s release. As always enjoy and make sure you preorder your copy today.
“I can’t believe Claude wouldn’t walk me home.”
Annette repeated the phrase for the third time and as he had done the two previous times, Jean shrugged. “Claude doesn’t always think before he speaks. It’s not one of his talents.”
It was evening, and Jean had nervously glanced at his wristwatch when they left Claude’s apartment, noting they had about forty minutes before the curfew was enforced. Thankfully, Annette only lived about ten minutes away. If Jean hurried, he would be back home with a few minutes to spare. It was a tight timeframe, and while Jean wanted to walk a bit faster, Annette’s slow pace forced him to match her while he offered a sympathetic ear to her complaints about Claude.
“Is he always like this?” Annette looked at Jean. For a moment he could almost see the flicker of her second-guessing her interest in Claude.
Jean wanted to give an emphatic yes, but then he focused on Annette’s eyes—soft, gentle, and cloaked in a sadness he knew went deeper than what had happened that afternoon.
“No, he isn’t,” Jean lied effortlessly. “I think it was more the alcohol speaking than Claude himself.”
Annette seemed to ponder what he said before nodding slowly and looking across the street. Despite walking along a busy boulevard, the sidewalks were mostly quiet except for a couple here or there scurrying by, talking in hushed whispers or restrained giggles.
Still not looking at Jean, Annette said, “I haven’t been very kind to you lately, have I?”
Jean was surprised by the question. “What makes you say that?”
Turning her head to look at him, Annette smiled sweetly. “You really are a terrible liar.”
Not as bad as Annette thought, but Jean slouched his shoulders. “I understand why you were upset with me. You told me something deeply personal and I didn’t respond appropriately. For that, I’m sorry.”
“No.” Annette shook her head. “I should be apologizing. I…overreacted.”
That flabbergasted my brother. “You did not overreact in the slightest. I would have done the same.”
“What a horrifying thought.” Annette laughed, which seemed to echo down the abandoned street.
Jean was not amused. “I’m serious, Annette. You were within your rights to act the way you did. I’m the one who did not act right.”
Silence. The only noise was a distant car engine, the whispering of occasional wind, and Annette’s heels clicking against the sidewalk.
Her building came into view, and soon they were standing in front of it. Jean expected Annette to head right inside, but instead she stopped and turned to face him.
“Thank you,” Annette said softly.
“Of course.” Jean was just as quiet.
“Not only for the walk,” Annette spoke methodically, “but for your understanding with…that.”
Jean nodded once. “If you ever need to talk to someone, I’m here.”
They stared at each other without saying another word. Then, after what felt like a lifetime, Annette murmured, “I should go inside. Good night, Jean.”
As she turned away, Jean was seized by a realization: he loved Annette. No matter how much he propped up Claude, it would never erase his feelings for her. He had to do what Jacques had told him to do a long time ago. He had to take a chance.
“Annette.”
She stopped and faced him.
Despite the overwhelming nausea, Jean refused to back away like he had in the past.
“Would you like to go out with me? On a…outing?”
Annette’s face cracked into a smile. “You know, you’ll be the third man I’ve seen in this friend group.”
Jean’s body shook, but he outwardly appeared calm. “I don’t care. As long as I’m the last.”
Annette giggled, touching the side of her face before recovering and staring into his eyes. “I would love to.”
Jean felt an unexplainable happiness ripple through him and he was sure he was smiling like a fool.
Annette was far more composed and practical. “You should go. Curfew is enforced in fifteen minutes.”
“Oh.” Jean blinked rapidly. “Yes, you are right. Well, good night!”
Annette turned away, waving her little fingers. “Good night, Jean Janvier.”
She was already on her way before Jean was able to whisper, “Good night, Annette Zabek.”
In 1979 ten-year-old Marjane is living in Iran forward thinking parents. Smart and blessed with a rich imagination, Marjane has a happy childhood that is marked not just by normal childhood experiences but also by the rumblings and changes occurring in her country. Like many in Iran, Marjane’s parents protest against the Shah’s regime and demand change. When that does happen, Marjane’s life is changed forever. As the Ayatollah ushers in a new tyrannical regime Marjane and her family find themselves in challenging circumstances that ultimately leads them to make an impossible decision.
I’ve heard many good things about this graphic novel and I’ve been meaning to pick it up for a long time. So when I saw it as part of a “Banned Books” display at Barnes & Noble I decided now was the time to grab a copy.
I don’t read many graphic novels so the format was a change for me but I would consider it a strong strength of the book. The additional detail Ms. Satrapi can provide but using illustrations adds another layer to the story and helps you step into Ms. Satrapi’s shoes as she goes from a fun loving, carefree child to a teenager who values her independence so much she openly defies the generation, much to the concern and worry of her parents.
One of the other great strengths of this story is that Ms. Satrapi does not attempt to hide anything in her retelling. She freely admits that her family wanted a revolution to occur, a fact that some post-revolution accounts leave out, but when it does happen it leaves the family wondering if they had wanted the right thing. Ms. Satrapi also shows how the family attempted to live under the new restrictions of the government until it ultimately became impossible and a threat to Ms. Satrapi’s often safety.
This is an excellent account of life in Iran during the late 1970s and 1980s and I would highly recommend it, even one isn’t a fan of graphic novels. Which once more lead to the absurd question of why this book has been banned in the past. Ultimately one could argue some political reasons but I’m not going to get into that. Instead, I would urge you to share this piece with anyone. While the book might not be suitable for very young children as the subject matter can be quite terrifying and there are a few (very minimum) swear words, I would say if you a family member who is around ten that it would be an excellent chose for them to understand this event in history. Books like these should be protected and that I why I recommend Persepolis.
During World War Two Josie Anderson, the daughter of an American ambassador, and Arlette LaRue, a native Parisian and new mother, joined the French Resistance and became known as the Golden Doves, stealing many of the Nazis’ secrets and becoming heroes in Occupied France. But when they are finally arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, Josie and Arlette witness the true horrors of Hitler’s regime. Josie’s mother, a renowned Jewish singer, is experimented on by a sadistic Nazi doctor and Arlette’s young son is taken from her to be given to a “good” German family. Against the odds the two women survive and attempt to rebuild their lives in postwar America and France. Josie begins working for U.S. Army Intelligence but finds herself at odds with the American way of dealing with valuable Nazi war criminals and Arlette works at a cafe, still holding out hope that her son is alive. When both women are given an opportunity to achieve what they desire most, they immediately agree but will discover that while the war ended nearly a decade ago, they are still in just as much as danger as before.
While there are some flashbacks to Josie and Arlette’s time as resistance fighters and concentration camp prisoners during World War Two, a vast majority of this 500-page thriller is set in 1953 as both women attempt to achieve their own missions. For Josie this is hunting down and eventually apprehending a Nazi doctor that experimented on her mother and for Arlette, to be reunited with the son who was taken from her. Both storylines are as compelling and it is very clear that Ms. Kelly did an astounding amount of research. This is perhaps the biggest strength of the novel. Having studied World War Two and it’s aftermath for close to fifteen years I was struck by how much research Ms. Kelly put into this book and it pays off.
From the start, I was hooked on this story and found it very hard to put down. Something that is quite the feat given how long the book is and sometimes it can be difficult to hold the reader’s attention for that long. It is fast paced and the story moves smoothly, easily interweaving “present” scenes with flashbacks from the past. Usually I don’t like flashbacks throughout a novel but Ms. Kelly was able to do this part very well. These flashbacks weren’t overly long but just enough to give the reader vital information about Josie and Arlette’s actions during the war.
There isn’t anything about this book I would change. Ms. Kelly manages to take several post-war topics like the Nazi ratlines and Cold War tensions and blend them perfectly together. All the characters are well developed and while at it’s base it is a historical fiction piece, there are many mystery/thriller aspects to it that might interest readers who typically don’t gravitate towards historical fiction. The ending does given an indication that Ms. Kelly could turn this into the first book of a series and I hope she does. I enjoyed reading Josie and Arlette’s story and hope she continues it in the future.
In the immediate aftermath of the events that occurred in the first book, Finlay Donovan finds herself with a new mission. Her cheating, rude, and all around irritating ex-husband, Steven, has a hit out on him and though Finlay would like nothing more than to not deal with Steven’s games and power moves, she can’t willingly stand aside and allow him to be killed. But trying to find out who put out the hit, and the person willing to accept the challenge, won’t be an easy feat. Complicating matters is her sidekick, Vero, hiding secrets and hot detective Nick putting his nose into Finlay’s business. And was it mentioned that Finlay is behind on her newest book? The holidays are going to be quite busy for Finlay.
Like many, I loved the first book in this series that follows a newly divorce mother of two struggling with writer’s block. Having enjoyed the first installment so much I was eager to pick up the next book and as far as sequels go this is a very worthy successor. Ms. Cosimano gets right into the story and the shenanigans of Finlay and Vero that we were introduced to in book one continue. As always, there is plenty of humor and the story is well flushed out.
There isn’t too much to say about this book without revealing spoilers so I will leave you with this. If you enjoyed and love book one, don’t hesitate to pick up the second one. While I am a bit apprehensive of reaching for the third book, due to the less than warm reviews it has been receiving, I would not issue the same warning about this one. It is a good, fun story with no lagging in the story telling and Finlay and Vero remain my favorite duo.
Mariana Andros has been struggling. After losing her husband while on vacation in Greece, Mariana has attempted to bury her grief in her work. A group therapist, Mariana surrounds herself with those struggling through life and while the job initially gave her a reason to get up in the morning, it has now become another burden. But Mariana’s grief is interrupted when she gets a frantic call from her niece, Zoe, at Oxford. Zoe’s closest friend has been murdered and she needs Mariana. Without hesitation, Mariana rushes to her niece’s side and discovers that the murder victim was a member of a mysterious group of students called the Maidens, who study Greek under an American professor named Edward Fosca. Though loved and adored by most, Mariana suspects Fosca is not as perfect as he is portrayed to be. Ignoring the advice of friends and fellow work professionals, Mariana decides to investigate Fosca and his Maidens in hopes of discovering the truth.
After reading Alex Michaelides’ debut, The Silent Patient, I became hooked on his writing and did not hesitate to pick up Mr. Michaelides’ attempt at dark academia, a genre that has become a favorite of mine. This book differs slightly from the traditional dark academia book as the main character isn’t a student but a family member of a student who may be involved in what is going on. I thought that was an interesting idea and a nice way for Mr. Michaelides to make his book stand out against other dark academia books.
The story is well written, though I would not say it has the same hook as The Silent Patient. With Mr. Michaelides’ first book I was hooked from practically the first page but with The Maidens I was able to put it down and do other things. That is not to say the book wasn’t interesting, but it didn’t have the same grab as The Silent Patient.
Of course, I was very curious to say what kind of twist Mr. Michaelides would pull at the end of the book and I will say that it was very well executed. It’s not the same mind blowing twist as The Silent Patient but it is a good one nonetheless. Everything is tied up well and the reason for why the murders are occurring made good sense and show how deranged the murderer was.
What I also really enjoyed about this book was how Mr. Michaelides melted it into the same “universe” as The Silent Patient. I like when authors mention other characters or places from different books as it is something I do with my own works so I liked how Mr. Michaelides combined characters from The Silent Patient into The Maidens. I’m looking forward to who he brings in to this third novel, The Fury.
Overall this is a very well written book and while I wouldn’t necessarily put it in the top three best books of dark academia I would say it is very much worth the read. I’m looking forward to future works by Mr. Michaelides and what other twists he has in store.
Emma Carpenter has just read the worst book of her life. Well, that might be a stretch but it is certainly up there and Emma can’t help but vent her frustrations in a one star review on Amazon. That should have been the end of the matter until the author, H.G. Kane, messages Emma and asks her to take down her review. Emma refuses and Kane swears she’ll regret not doing as he ordered. Emma thinks nothing of it until he appears outside the house she is taking care of and promises Emma she’ll find his next book very realistic. Too bad she won’t be around to read it.
Ah, one star reviews. They suck.
As I’m sure my fellow authors can attest to, getting a one star review can be quite the punch to the gut. You spend hours, weeks, and months trying to perfect the story you’ve had in your mind for just as long (if not longer) only for someone to say how much they hated it. Yet, most of us will shrug it off, maybe take the criticism as constructive, and move on with our lives.
The same, unfortunately, can not be for H.G. Kane, the author Emma royally ticks off at the beginning of the book. Sure, there is some heated comments back and forth but Emma, like most of us, thinks nothing more of it and moves on and, surely, so will the author. But 99.9% of authors aren’t H.G. Kane and he doesn’t take kindly to a faceless reviewer trashing his book and he is determined to get even.
This book is incredibly fast pace and I flew through it. The action starts relatively quickly and there are many nail biting moments where we don’t know if Emma is going to make it out of this situation or not. What was also unique about this book is as the house invasion is going on we get snippets of Kane’s newest manuscript, inspired by his attack on Emma. We get a look into this madman’s mind and, in some cases, learn what’s going to happen next to Emma before she knows, making it all the more heart pounding.
The twist is well executed and I do like how Mr. Adams made Emma a realistic human, i.e. didn’t have her making dumb decisions that us, as the reader, would never make. My only criticism of the book and why I would give it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is that the book went on for a good 20-30 pages more than it needed to. This seems to be a common criticism of Mr. Adams’ works and while it didn’t make me hate the book, I still found it a bit longwinded and thought it should have been wrapped up a bit earlier.
Nonetheless, this book is well worth the ride and something worth picking up on a rainy weekend.
It’s 1989 and Romania remains in the tight grip of Communism, overseen by Nicolae Ceausescu. Free speech is repressed, food is scarce, citizens have lost their basic rights, and everyone is being watched. For teenager Cristian this place is not what he wants for his future but he has no choice, especially when he is forced by the country’s secret police to spy on an American diplomat and his son. But Cristian will not give up and as the country spirals towards revolution, Cristian decides he will do his part as well and make sure the rest of the world knows what life is like in Romania, even if it costs him his life.
Though this is my first book by Ruta Sepetys, I had heard many goods things about this author and her collection of young adult historical fiction books. I’ve seen Ashes in the Snow, based off Ms. Sepetys’ Between Shades of Grey (the movie was great and I imagine the book is the same), so I was anxious to pick up one of her other works. I chosen I Must Betray You because it covers a topic that doesn’t seem to be written about much in the large canon of historical fiction. I know a little bit about Communist Romania, but mostly about the end of the revolution and the Romanian orphans so I was very interested in reading a story set during their time period.
I Must Betray You is a well written story and Ms. Sepetys clearly did her research. She creates a vivid picture of life in Romania in 1989 and her characters are all very realistic. I also enjoyed the cat and mouse game that is weaved in throughout the story and the reveal of who was spying on Cristian was well done and unexpected though unfortunately not unrealistic given what I do know about these communist regimes.
Though this book is targeted to a young adult audience, I do think adults would be interested by this book as well. But do be aware that the writing isn’t on an “adult” level so the language is more simplistic, for lack of a better word.
I gave this book four stars instead of five because the last part of the book does seem a bit rushed. I wouldn’t have minded Ms. Sepetys making the book a bit longer to avoid the ending feeling like it was quickly put together. Nonetheless, this is a well written and well researched book that I would highly recommend to someone is looking to read about a different time period in history that is not always written about.
Happy Tuesday everyone! Here is this week’s teaser of Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights, out July 12th. Enjoy!
Hello fellow readers! Somehow we’ve made it to June, which means we are already halfway through 2024! Not sure how that happened but instead of trying to figure that out, I am here to share with you my answers to the mid year freakout tag.
3. New release you haven’t read yet but want to. No matter what happens this year, Lucy Foley’s newest novel, The Midnight Feast, will be read before we say goodbye to 2024.
7. Book that made you happy. Christina Lauren must have a degree in making people smile. The Paradise Problem made me smile and happy for many reasons.
Hello everyone! In anticipation of the release of Love and Betrayal in the City of Lights I’m starting up #teasertuesday where I’ll share a teaser of the book every week until it’s release. As always enjoy and make sure you preorder your copy today.
In 1979 ten-year-old Marjane is living in Iran forward thinking parents. Smart and blessed with a rich imagination, Marjane has a happy childhood that is marked not just by normal childhood experiences but also by the rumblings and changes occurring in her country. Like many in Iran, Marjane’s parents protest against the Shah’s regime and demand change. When that does happen, Marjane’s life is changed forever. As the Ayatollah ushers in a new tyrannical regime Marjane and her family find themselves in challenging circumstances that ultimately leads them to make an impossible decision.
In the immediate aftermath of the events that occurred in the first book, Finlay Donovan finds herself with a new mission. Her cheating, rude, and all around irritating ex-husband, Steven, has a hit out on him and though Finlay would like nothing more than to not deal with Steven’s games and power moves, she can’t willingly stand aside and allow him to be killed. But trying to find out who put out the hit, and the person willing to accept the challenge, won’t be an easy feat. Complicating matters is her sidekick, Vero, hiding secrets and hot detective Nick putting his nose into Finlay’s business. And was it mentioned that Finlay is behind on her newest book? The holidays are going to be quite busy for Finlay.
Mariana Andros has been struggling. After losing her husband while on vacation in Greece, Mariana has attempted to bury her grief in her work. A group therapist, Mariana surrounds herself with those struggling through life and while the job initially gave her a reason to get up in the morning, it has now become another burden. But Mariana’s grief is interrupted when she gets a frantic call from her niece, Zoe, at Oxford. Zoe’s closest friend has been murdered and she needs Mariana. Without hesitation, Mariana rushes to her niece’s side and discovers that the murder victim was a member of a mysterious group of students called the Maidens, who study Greek under an American professor named Edward Fosca. Though loved and adored by most, Mariana suspects Fosca is not as perfect as he is portrayed to be. Ignoring the advice of friends and fellow work professionals, Mariana decides to investigate Fosca and his Maidens in hopes of discovering the truth.
Emma Carpenter has just read the worst book of her life. Well, that might be a stretch but it is certainly up there and Emma can’t help but vent her frustrations in a one star review on Amazon. That should have been the end of the matter until the author, H.G. Kane, messages Emma and asks her to take down her review. Emma refuses and Kane swears she’ll regret not doing as he ordered. Emma thinks nothing of it until he appears outside the house she is taking care of and promises Emma she’ll find his next book very realistic. Too bad she won’t be around to read it.