Audiobook Review: Blood Moon by Sandra Brown

 

Blood Moon by Sandra Brown

Publication Date: March 4th 2025 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 448

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 15 mins

Narrators: Kyf Brewer

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Crisis Point, a popular true crime TV show is about to air an episode on the case of Crissy Mellin, a girl who went missing three years earlier and was never found. Beth Collins, a producer for the show, thinks Crissy is only one of several women taken and that the perpetrator is motivated by the Blood Moon, which is set to reappear in four days. Beth flies to Louisianna to meet with John Bowie, one of the detectives on the case, and see if she can prevent the next abduction.

 

John isn’t too thrilled with Beth at first, but he’s been haunted by Crissy’s case and the incidents that happened around it. With the spotlight on the case again, John’s corrupt boss warns him to keep his mouth shut on the matter, but John doesn’t want another girl to suffer the same fate and so he reluctantly works with Beth. There’s an attraction brewing between them from the start!

 

I’ve enjoyed Sandra Brown’s twisty mysteries for some time now, so I was excited to pick up Blood Moon. Romance and suspense combined in just the right amounts to make for a thrilling read! Fast-paced, short chapters hooked me from the start! Both Beth and John had to work against their respective bosses. Beth is trying to put the brakes on the show airing because of the discrepancies they discover, but John’s boss and henchmen held more of an urgent threat! I listened, riveted until the end!

 

Kyf Brewer did an excellent job narrating the story! His rough, masculine voice was perfect for John and I liked his performance of Beth’s voice, as well! His narration definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story!

4 Stars

Book Description:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown returns with a sexy thriller where an unruly detective and an ­­­­ambitious tv show producer work against the clock to prevent another young woman from disappearing before the next blood moon—while trying to resist the attraction between them.

Detective John Bowie is one misstep away from being fired from the Auclair Police Department in coastal Louisiana. Recently divorced and slightly heavy-handed with his liquor, Bowie does all that he can to cope with the actions taken (or not taken) during the investigation of Crissy Mellin, a teenage girl who disappeared more than three years prior. But now, Crisis Point, a long-running true crime television series, is soon to air an episode documenting the unsolved Mellin case. Bowie has been instructed by his unscrupulous boss to keep to himself his grievances and criticisms over the mishandling of the investigation.

Beth Collins, a senior producer on Crisis Point, knows what classifies as a great story and when there’s something more to be told. After working on the show for seven years researching, fact checking, and editing dozens of episodes, Collins is convinced that Crissy Mellin’s disappearance was not an isolated incident. A string of disappearances of teenage girls in nearby areas have only one thing in common: They took place on the night of a blood moon. In a last-ditch effort to find out the truth, Beth leaves New York City for Louisiana to enlist Detective Bowie in helping her figure out what happened to Crissy and find the true culprit before he acts on the next blood moon—in four days’ time.

At the risk of their jobs and lives, Bowie and Collins band together to identify and capture a canny perpetrator, while fighting an irresistible spark between them that threatens to upend everything.

Review: Overkill by Sandra Brown

 

Overkill by Sandra Brown

Publication Date: August 16th 2022 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 416

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

To the outside world Zach is a washed-up star NFL player, but he’s happy to live out of the spotlight. He was a star quarterback and MVP until he married Rebecca, a glitzy party girl. The marriage was a train wreck and short-lived, but unfortunately her partying ways ended tragically, and Zach was left as medical conservator when she was declared unresponsive and in a vegetative state. Zach felt he was in no position to take her off life support after her parent bitterly contested his rights since he wasn’t her husband at the time.

Four years later Prosecutor Kate Lennon shows up at his door when Rebecca’s convicted attacker, Eban Clarke, has been released early and she needs a way to put him away for good. The only way to do that is with new charges, like murder if Rebecca is taken off life support. Zach wants nothing to do with the whole situation.

Eban Clarke is a rich, spoiled, no-good, sociopath without a speck of remorse for all he’s done. When he hears Kate and Zach may be cooking up a way to send him to prison again, he sets his own plans in motion. This guy was a piece of work and his POV filled me with dread!

Of course, there’s a romance, ill-advised because of the circumstances, but the heat between Zach and Kate was hard to ignore. Stolen moments of passion are interspersed in between looking for a way to put Eban away for good, and trying to stay alive. Never a dull moment! 

I’m always sucked right in from the first page, as I was with Overkill, clamoring for more with her cliffhanger-like chapter endings. Overkill was fast-paced, full of action and rounded out with a steamy romance. Zach was Ms. Brown’s kind of standard hero, a man’s man, and a little bit of an asshole at the beginning, and I loved him! Kate was a likable heroine, smart with a passion for justice, which I understood once getting to know her background.

Sandra Brown is one of my all-time favorite mystery/romantic suspense writers! I eagerly look forward to her new releases, but I’ve gone back and read and enjoyed a lot of her back list, too. Highly recommended!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Zach Bridger hasn’t seen his ex-wife, Rebecca Pratt, for some time—not since their volatile marriage imploded—so he’s shocked to receive a life-altering call about her. Rebecca has been placed on life support after a violent assault, and he—despite their divorce—has medical power-of-attorney. Zach is asked to make an impossible choice: keep her on life support or take her off of it. Buckling under the weight of the responsibility and the glare of public scrutiny, Zach ultimately walks away, letting Rebecca's parents have the final say.
 
Four years later, Rebecca's attacker, Eban—the scion of a wealthy family in Atlanta—gets an early release from prison. The ludicrous miscarriage of justice reeks of favoritism, and Kate Lennon, a brilliant state prosecutor, is determined to put him back behind bars. Rebecca’s parents have kept her alive all these years, but if her condition were to change—if she were to die—Eban could be retried on a new charge: murder.
 
It isn’t lost on Zach that in order for Eban to be charged with Rebecca’s murder, Zach must actually be the one to kill her. He rejects Kate’s legal standpoint but can’t resist their ill-timed attraction to each other. Eban, having realized the jeopardy he’s in, plots to make certain that neither Zach nor Kate lives to see the death of Rebecca—and the end of his freedom.

Review: Mercy by David Baldacci

 

Mercy (Atlee Pine #4) by David Baldacci

Publication Date: November 16th 2021 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 432

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s twin sister was abducted when they were six years old, and Altee has never stopped searching for her.  Since the last book Atlee has been on leave from the Bureau, with their blessing and resources, to follow up on the crucial leads she’s found. With the help of her trusty assistant Carol Blum, they’re finally getting somewhere!

I read the book in one 24-hour period because I had to know how it all turned out! It was a harrowing journey at times, and painful to read in spots as what happened to Mercy is recounted.  The story was action packed and boy were there some tough situations, but just when I thought Atlee was backed into a corner she couldn’t get out of, she came out fighting!

Mercy is the fourth book in the Atlee Pine series and I’m so happy to finally have all the answers and closure! It was a satisfying conclusion to a thrilling series. Total recommend!

4 Stars

Book Description:

FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s harrowing search for her long-lost sister Mercy reaches a boiling point in this breakneck thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci. 
 
For her entire life, FBI agent Atlee Pine has been searching for her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Mercy’s disappearance left behind a damaged family that later shattered beyond repair when Atlee’s parents inexplicably abandoned her.
 
Now, after a perilous investigation that nearly proved fatal, Atlee has finally discovered not only the reason behind her parents’ abandonment and Mercy’s kidnapping, but also the most promising breakthrough yet: proof that Mercy survived her abduction and then escaped her captors many years ago. 
 
Though Atlee is tantalizingly close to her family at last, the final leg of her long road to Mercy will be the most treacherous yet. Mercy left at least one dead body behind before fleeing her captors years before. Atlee has no idea if her sister is still alive, and if so, how she has been surviving all this time. When the truth is finally revealed, Atlee Pine will face the greatest danger yet, and it may well cost her everything.

Review: Look What You Made Me Do by Elaine Murphy

 

Look What You Made Me Do by Elaine Murphy

Publication Date: July 13th 2021 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 357

Audio Book Length: 8 hrs 40 min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publisher & library audio lend

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Carrie’s been blackmailed into helping her sister, Becca, hide the body of any unfortunate person who catches Becca’s wrath, and there’s been many. When one of Becca’s victims is discovered with many other bodies, Becca swears she didn’t kill the rest. Is her sister lying or does the small town of Brampton have not only one prolific serial killer, but two?

Odd things start happening to Carrie, her car door left open, items in her house moved, but she can’t rule out her sister pulling these pranks to freak her out because Becca’s done this kind of thing in the past. But what if it isn’t her?

I really felt for Carrie because she spent her whole life dealing with her psychopathic sister, but on the bright side, she seems to manage Becca with skill and intelligence. I guess that happens when you’ve had twenty-eight years to perfect your responses. And in a weird/toxic way, they did have a sisterly relationship. Which comes in quite handy with the new situation Carrie finds herself in! I was definitely rooting for Carrie!

Look What You Made Me Do was a page turner! I alternately read and listened, and I didn’t want to put the story down! It’s the kind of story that made me notice every noise, scrape of branch on a window and creak in the floorboards! The suspense and tension thick as I read! Just when I thought everything was over, there was a new threat, and a thrilling ending! So good!

I highly recommend the audio version as Saskia Maarleveld does a fantastic job portraying Carrie in whatever her emotion: fear, paranoia, desperation, and resolve. She did a great Becca, too!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

A gripping thriller about a woman who must help cover the tracks of her serial killer sister -- only to discover her sibling isn't the only serial killer in town . . . and they're both next on his kill list.

Carrie wants a normal life.
Carrie Lawrence doesn’t need a happily ever after. She’ll just settle for “after.” After a decade of helping her sister hide her victims. After a lifetime of lies. She just wants to be safe, boring, and not trekking through the woods at night with a dead body wrapped in a carpet.

Becca wants to get away with murder.
Becca Lawrence doesn’t believe in happily ever after because she’s already happy. She’s gotten away with murder for a decade and has blackmailed her sister into helping her hide the evidence—what more could a girl want?

But first they have to stop a serial killer.
When thirteen bodies are discovered in their small town, people are shocked. But not as shocked as Carrie, who thought she knew all the details of Becca’s sordid pastime. When Becca swears she’s not behind the grisly new crimes, they realize the town has a second serial killer who has the sisters in his sights, and what he wants is…Carrie.

Review: Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown

 

Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown

Publication Date: August 3rd 2021 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 512

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads | Audible

My Thoughts:

Blind Tiger takes us back to 1920’s when the country is just recovering from the Great War and Prohibition is law. Running moonshine has become a lucrative and dangerous fact of life and the little Texas town of Foley is full of moonshiners vying for market share.

Thatcher Hutton a soldier on his way home but ends up in Foley. He just wants to make enough money to get back home but is caught up in the disappearance of a woman, bootlegging and intrigued by a headstrong widow, Laurel Plummer. The minute he lays eyes her he’s drawn in even though she’s completely prickly with him.

Young widow Laurel wants to never be completely reliant on a man again. She’s determined to find a way to provide for herself and falls into a dangerous opportunity. Suspicious of Thatcher and yet drawn to him it’s a push and pull of desire between them. They had great chemistry and I knew it just a matter of time before they gave into their attraction.

This was an interesting and volatile period in history, and even though the story was a little slow going at first, I was immediately engrossed. Sandra Brown’s short chapters that usually end with a bit of a cliffhanger sucked me right in, and as usual there were a few surprising twists and turns, a feature I love about her writing!  I didn’t want to put it down and ended up putting off another book I planned to read so I finish!

4 Stars

Book Description:

The year 1920 comes in with a roar in this rousing and suspenseful novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown. Prohibition is the new law of the land, but murder, mayhem, lust, and greed are already institutions in the Moonshine Capitol of Texas.

Thatcher Hutton, a war-weary soldier on the way back to his cowboy life, jumps from a moving freight train to avoid trouble . . . and lands in more than he bargained for. On the day he arrives in Foley, Texas, a local woman goes missing. Thatcher, the only stranger in town, is suspected of her abduction, and worse. Standing between him and exoneration are a corrupt mayor, a crooked sheriff, a notorious cathouse madam, a sly bootlegger, feuding moonshiners . . . and a young widow whose soft features conceal an iron will.

What was supposed to be a fresh start for Laurel Plummer turns to tragedy. Left destitute but determined to dictate her own future, Laurel plunges into the lucrative regional industry, much to the dislike of the good ol’ boys, who have ruled supreme. Her success quickly makes her a target for cutthroat competitors, whose only code of law is reprisal. As violence erupts, Laurel and—now deputy—Thatcher find themselves on opposite sides of a moonshine war, where blood flows as freely as whiskey.

 

Review: Daylight by David Baldacci

 

Daylight (Atlee Pine #3) by David Baldacci

Publication Date: November 17th 2020 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 432

Audio Book Length: 11 hrs 37 min

Narrators: Brittany Pressley & Kyf Brewer

Source: Publisher & Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★

Link: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Atlee Pine is searching for answers in the abduction of her twin sister, thirty years earlier. Her sister, Mercy was taken, and Atlee was left, but assaulted and almost died. The events shattered her family and is one of the chief reasons she became an FBI agent. All three books have taken us a little closer to the truth of that night, but the focus of each story is divided into that ongoing mystery and a new mystery Atlee which is solved by the end.

I won’t spoil the series by detailing the progress in her search for answers about her sister and family, but I will say that it doesn’t fully resolve by the end of Daylight. Honestly, I was a little disappointed by that, but even so, Daylight was a captivating read! Murder and political corruption are at the center of this mystery, and this time in addition to her intrepid FBI assistant Carol Blum she has John Puller as a partner in tracking down these evil people. Lots of action and danger with them barely coming away with their lives had me on edge of my seat!

So far, there’s been no serious romance for Atlee, but I have hope (hopeless romantic here) that along with the truth, Atlee will find someone special. There was the possibility in the last book, but nothing concrete happened however something may come of it in the coming book (s?).  

Atlee is my hero! She’s one badass having been an Olympic weightlifter and MMA competitor, she has the muscle and skill to take on the nastiest fights, and she has no problem fighting dirty when necessary! She’s a champion for victims and can’t stand to walk away when she should be focusing on her own investigation.

This series is best read in order.

I alternately listened and read the book, and the audio was fantastic! Brittany Pressley’s strong, calm voice made Atlee come alive, and I love that Kyf Brewer performed all the male parts. I listened at 1.3x normal speed.

 4 Stars

Review & Giveaway: Thick as Thieves by Sandra Brown

Thick as Thieves by Sandra Brown

Publication Date: August 25th 2020 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 448

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

About the book:

Twenty years ago in the dead of night, four seemingly random individuals pulled the ultimate heist and almost walked away with half a million dollars. But by daybreak, their plan had been shot to hell. One of them was in the hospital. One was in jail. One was dead. And one got away with it.

Arden Maxwell, the daughter of the man who disappeared all those years ago -- presumably with the money, after murdering his accomplice -- has never reconciled with her father's abandonment of her and her sister. After countless personal setbacks she decides to return to her family home near mysterious Caddo Lake, and finally get answers to the many questions that torment her. Little does she know, two of her father's co-conspirators -- a war hero and a corrupt district attorney -- are watching her every move.

Ledge Burnet, a rebellious teen at the time of the heist, evaded his jail sentence by enlisting in the army. Now he's back in town to care for his ailing father -- and to keep his eye on the county's corrupt district attorney, whom he suspects was the real murderer. Although the two are bound to silence because of the crime they committed together, each has spent years waiting and hoping that the other will make a fatal misstep. But the arrival of their elusive accomplice's daughter, Arden, who may know more about the missing money than she's telling, sets them both on red alert. She ignites Ledge's determination to expose the D.A.'s treachery . . . and sparks a desire he wishes to deny.

My Thoughts:

Arden is back in her small hometown after twenty years to find answers. A half million-dollar heist, a murder, and her father’s disappearance has left her with a lot of questions. Her reappearance doesn’t go unnoticed and unfortunately her return draws the attention of a nefarious person from the past. Does Arden know more about the theft and where the money went? Well, that speculation spells danger for Arden.

Ledge has had his own trouble in this little Texas town, but he’s paid his due taking military service in lieu of a jail term and come back home a hero. Mostly he keeps to himself, only staying in town to keep an eye out for his ailing uncle, but with Arden back the past comes back into full focus, and the trouble he’s managed to avoid comes roaring back up. Arden has no idea the hornet’s nest her presence stirs up, but Ledge knows, and he makes it his mission to keep her out of trouble’s sights.

I love Sandra Brown’s twisty mysteries! Her “heroes” are far from perfect, skirting the edge of right and wrong at times, but at the heart of things are good. Ledge is cast from that mold, and I couldn’t help but root for him! Oh, Ms. Brown writes the sexiest heroes! Ledge was raw masculinity, gruff, and not concerned with winning any popularity contest. Ledge and Arden are oil and water at first, yet the sparks of attraction fly between them making for a delicious push and pull until they finally succumb to irresistible forces!

I think it’s best to go in with any Sandra Brown with minimal knowledge and let her take you on a ride.   Keeps you hooked, she’s the queen of the cliffhanger chapter, and a twisty surprise or two! She kept me on the edge of my seat, and I usually end reading her stories straight through because I just have to know how it all turns out! She’s on my list of auto-buys and I think any suspense/thriller/romance fan will gobble Thick as Thieves up like I did!

4 Suns

A copy of Thick of Thieves by Sandra Brown to two winners has been provided by the lovely people of Grand Central Publishing. The giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. Good luck!

Spotlight & Giveaway: The Persuasion by Iris Johansen

I've read a few of the Eve Duncan series in the past, long before Goodreads and it's a series I've meant to get back to, so I'm happy I've finally got the chance. I’m about a third of the way through The Persuasion right now which is focused on Eve's adoptive daughter, Jane.

Jane’s all grown-up and embroiled in her own dangers with Seth Caleb at her side. Jane’s not entirely happy about that as she broke things off with him, but she needs his help to find whoever has targeted her.  There's some passionate history between these two, and I can tell that even though technically they're no longer a couple it's just a matter of time before they're together again.  There's been some action and thrills and it's become apparent someone sinister has set their sights on Eve.

 I'm enjoying the story so I'm thrilled that the publisher has generously offered up two copies to giveaway to two readers! Scroll down below to fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win!

The Persuasion (Eve Duncan #26) by Iris Johansen

Publication Date: June 2nd 2020 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 464

Source: Publisher

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

About the book:

When Eve Duncan's daughter, Jane MacGuire, becomes a killer's target, Jane must team up with longtime love interest Seth Caleb in this thrilling novel from the #1 bestselling author of Smokescreen.

Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy Seal Joe Quinn are about to give Seth Caleb their trust for the most important duty of his life: keeping their daughter, Jane, safe at any cost. Her talent as an artist has caught the attention of a brilliant psychopath with a violent past.

Seth, Jane's strongest ally and fiercest protector, is determined to keep her out of danger, but that becomes nearly impossible when Jane is forced to take matters into her own hands and confronts the madman who wants her for himself...and wants Seth Caleb dead.

As Jane and Seth chase down their blood-thirsty adversary, they also have to reckon with their own epic love story. Can they finally commit to a life together, no matter how uncertain? As the two come face to face with danger, one thing is made clear: it will take both of them to confront and defeat this evil.

Grand Central Publishing has kindly provided two copies to giveaway to two readers! The giveaway is open to US and CA readers only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

Review & Giveaway: Outfox by Sandra Brown

Outfox by Sandra Brown

Publication Date: August 6th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 448

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown combines heart-stopping suspense and forbidden passion in this psychological thriller about an FBI agent's hunt for a ruthless conman turned serial killer.

Sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats, this new novel will feature Brown's signature combination of steamy romance and jaw-dropping plot twists.

FBI agent Drex Easton is relentlessly driven by a single goal: to outmaneuver the conman once known as Weston Graham. Over the past thirty years, Weston has assumed many names and countless disguises, enabling him to lure eight wealthy women out of their fortunes before they disappeared without a trace, their families left without answers and the authorities without clues. The only common trait among the victims: a new man in their life who also vanished, leaving behind no evidence of his existence . . . except for one signature custom.

Drex is convinced that these women have been murdered, and that the man he knows as Weston Graham is the sociopath responsible. But each time Drex gets close to catching him, Weston trades one persona for another and disappears again. Now, for the first time in their long game of cat and mouse, Drex has a suspect in sight.

Attractive and charming, Jasper Ford is recently married to a successful businesswoman many years his junior, Talia Shafer. Drex insinuates himself into their lives, posing as a new neighbor and setting up surveillance on their house. The closer he gets to the couple, the more convinced he becomes that Jasper is the clever, merciless predator he's sought--and that his own attraction to Talia threatens to compromise his purpose and integrity.

This is Drex's one chance to outfox his cunning nemesis before he murders again and eludes justice forever. But first he must determine if the desirable Talia is a heartless accomplice . . . or the next victim.

My Thoughts:

As the book description points out, Drex is sure he’s found Weston Graham, now going by Jasper Ford, a man he thinks is responsible for the disappearance of eight or more wealthy women over the years.  Weston befriends them, and then they, along with their money disappear without a trace.  Jasper has married a rich, younger woman, Talia, and Drex is determined to snare Jasper before any harm comes to her.

Drex Easton was like most of Ms. Brown’s heroes, very male, hot blooded and a little rough around the edges. Yum! It was no wonder sparks flew between Talia and Drex the minute they laid eyes on each other.  Their relationship at first was attraction laced with a little hostility, because Drex isn’t sure that Talia isn’t an accomplice, he goes back and forth with his feelings for her.  Talia is attracted, but of course, she’s married to Jasper, yet, Talia something seems off with Jasper, especially since Drex came into their life.  Jasper welcomes Drex into their lives, inviting him to dinner and such, but their exchanges are on the adversarial side, and Talia isn’t sure what’s going on. Is it a male pissing match or something more sinister? 

The story sucked me in right away, each chapter ending on sort of mini cliffhanger, so it pained me when I had to put the book down!  Outfox was signature Sandra Brown, an addictive mystery, combustible romance, and a few twists sure to surprise! The last reveal was a total shock I didn’t see coming, but I loved how everything turned out!

4 Suns

Grand Central Publishing has generously provided not just one, but TWO copies of Outfox by Sandra Brown for giveaway to two winners!! The giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. Good luck!