Swipe by R G Belsky and Bonnie Traymore Blog Tour Book Review

 

SWIPE

by R.G. Belsky & Bonnie Traymore

May 12 - June 6, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Sonya's fed up with bad internet dates.
But she never meant to kill anyone.

After a stressful day at work and a creepy first meetup, Sonya Romano goes on a mission: teach a lesson to the smarmy guys she's meeting on her dating app. But when one of them falls to his death as a result of her confrontation--a married man posing as a single guy--she realizes she's gone too far.

Meanwhile, Jake Parker, former Pulitzer nominee, has hit rock bottom. His boss gives him an assignment: go undercover and produce a click bait story about dating apps. Things start to look up when another married man on the app is murdered, and Jake suspects that there may be a serial killer targeting cheaters.

With Jake hot on her trail, Sonya races to cover her tracks, until they finally meet. Fighting a powerful mutual attraction but suspicious of each other, neither of them know that a deranged psychopath is closer than they think, and much more of a danger than either of them realizes.

Can they figure out what's going on, before one of them is next?

Praise for SWIPE:

"You may think you see it coming--but in Swipe, the final twist is more shocking and explosive than you can imagine."
~ Emily Shiner, Bestselling Author of Meet the Parents

"Swipe is a chilling, taut and twisty psychological thriller that will have you frantically turning pages until its stunning end. Riveting from the very first page, Swipe is a roller coaster ride with complex, intriguing characters who will draw you in and not let you go. Clear your schedule because once you start reading, you won't be able to stop."
~ Lisa Regan, USA Today Bestselling Author of the Josie Quinn Series

"RG Belsky and Bonnie Traymore have teamed up to create a journalistic cat-and-mouse game that's suspenseful, addictive, thoroughly modern and loads of fun. Swipe right on this one -- you'll be glad you did!"
~ Alison Gaylin, USA Today Bestselling author of WE ARE WATCHING

SWIPE Trailer:

My Review:

I liked this psychological thriller exploring the deceptive and sometimes dangerous nature of online profiles. This novel focuses dating app profiles and what threatening ideas may be lurking behind an innocent appearing online presence.

The narrative is seen from different points of view. Sometimes readers revisit the same scene from the different viewpoints. As a psychological thriller, readers are aware of much the various characters are thinking. There is some serious suspense near the end of the book and a few well timed twists spaced throughout, otherwise it is a plot that moves long at a consistent pace.

One pet peeve I have is a character experiencing a frightening dream that is not set in italics. The authors did that here. Other than that, this is a good psychological thriller that should make every reader think twice about mindlessly believing an online profile.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: May 1, 2025
Number of Pages: 300
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

ONE

Sonya

Is he dead?

He must be.

I watched his body fall backward off the jagged Palisades cliffs, bouncing off the rocks like a crash car dummy before plunging into the Hudson River five hundred feet below. Nobody could survive a fall like that.

I’m not a violent person.

I didn’t want him to die.

But who would believe me?

And now what?

Competing thoughts flash through my mind in rapid succession.

Call for help.

Get out of here as fast as I can.

I opt for the latter.

Thankfully, he’s a morning person. It’s early autumn in New York, and there’s a chill in the air. I passed a few other hikers on my way up here. But looking around, I don’t see anyone here now. No one saw us together.

My body starts to tremble as I turn around, nice and easy, and head back down the short, steep path toward the spot where I locked up my bike. I wasn’t stupid enough to bring my car with its GPS and identifiable license plate number. I’ve learned a few things over the last month or so about being stealthy.

Funny. I actually kind of liked this guy. I thought it might go somewhere, and that my string of disaster dates would finally be broken. Then I could retire this little mission of mine and get on with my life. Silly me. I should have known better than to get my hopes up. No one finds love on the internet these days.

We’d been chatting on MetMee for the last few weeks. He called himself Greg. I found out later he was using an alias—but then so was I. At one point, I thought he was a catfisher because he kept saying he wanted to get together, but I couldn’t pin him down. He was average-looking, though, and if one were making a fake profile, wouldn’t they put up the hottest photo they could find? But he was attentive and funny, as much as I could tell over chats, and we were actually getting to know each other. Perhaps he simply liked to take it slow.

Then we made plans to meet up, about a week ago, but he canceled at the last minute. Something about a sick dog. We hadn’t exchanged our real names yet. This seemed to validate my suspicions that something was hinky. By coincidence, earlier this week, I recognized his photo on a real estate website.

Matt Furman.

He worked in White Plains, I discovered, about thirty miles north of Manhattan, but lived over on the other side of the Hudson, in New Jersey.

He’d told me that he was a real estate agent, so at least that much was true. I suppose it wasn’t a complete coincidence that I found him online, because I’d been looking at real estate company websites, trying to figure out if he was stringing me along. And with a first and last name, his life unfolded before me.

I discovered that he liked to hike.

His social media was peppered with scenic vistas, and he revealed that the one he was on this morning was his weekend favorite.

Oh, and I also found out something else.

Something very important.

He’s married.

With two small kids.

I couldn’t let it go.

I needed to teach him a lesson.

My plan was to confront him somewhere where he would least expect it, but secluded enough so I wouldn’t be making a scene. I wanted to record him admitting what he’d done so that I could tell his wife.

It wasn’t that hard to find him. The guy’s a serial poster, providing the world with a play-by-play of his every move, as if we are all waiting on the edge of our seats to see what he’ll do next.

Can’t wait for my Palisades hike tomorrow.

Stopping for a latte.

Heading up the trail now.

I caught up with him as he was stepping out on the rocks to take a selfie, beyond the warning sign, over the railing they put there to stop people from getting themselves killed.

That’s how idiots die.

“Hey, Matt,” I called out, a little out of breath. I had planned to catch him in the parking lot but my timing was off, as it had been all morning. So, I high-tailed it up the trail to try to catch him, but he was fast.

His brow furrowed. “Oh, hi…”

I could see the wheels turning in his head as he struggled to place me. I wore black bike shorts and a tan cycling jersey. Nothing too flashy so I wouldn’t stand out. My hair was in a ponytail and sunglasses covered my eyes and forehead. I was standing a few feet away from him, so it wasn’t too surprising that he didn’t recognize me.

“Gina,” I said, hoping that he wouldn’t notice the phone in the palm of my hand, recording our conversation.

His mouth froze half-opened, until it finally clicked. “From…the app?”

I stared him down, one hand on my hip. “Yes, Matt. Gina. From MetMee.”

“How did you…? Um. Hi!”

I walked toward him.

He took a step back, although he was already dangerously close to the edge.

I smirked. “I decided to take your recommendation. About how nice and peaceful this trail is at this time of day.”

“I don’t remember saying anything about…”

He squinted, his mouth still agape, as if seeing me more sharply would clear the fog in his brain.

Then he shook his head. “Wait. You what?”

“You really should be more careful about what you put on your social media. You never know who might see it.”

Maybe it was my snarky tone, but his attitude shifted. He narrowed his eyes at me. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, Gina.”

“What I’m trying to pull? Seems like you’re the one who’s trying to pull something, Matt. You’ve got a wife and two little kids. Is this how you get your kicks? Chat up single women on dating sites and get their hopes up? Or did you actually plan to cheat on your wife at some point?” I struggled to contain my growing outrage, gritting my teeth so hard, I feared I might chip a tooth.

“Look. I’m sorry, okay? My wife and I are having problems. I should’ve told you the truth. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just got carried away.”

“Well, you’re going to have bigger problems when I play this for your wife.” I held up my phone, which was recording our conversation. “Hi, Olivia. Sorry about this. But I thought you deserved to know.”

A hint of fear flashed in his eyes. For a moment, I thought he might bargain with me or beg me not to do it. Then his face contorted like an angry, cornered reptile.

“Are you some kind of psycho?” he barked. “Everyone lies on those sites. Look at you! You must be ten pounds heavier than you were in those photos you sent me. What’re they, from college? Olivia will never be able to handle this. My wife’s unstable. Fragile. If you play that recording for her, I’m warning you, it might be the last thing you ever do.”

“You’re threatening me?”

Fury exploded in me.

I lunged toward him, waving my phone in his face. “You hear that, Olivia? He says you’re crazy. He doesn’t want to take responsibility, just like my—”

Matt reached over the railing and tried to grab the phone out of my hand, but I pulled away. He stumbled but regained his footing, or so I thought. But then a look of confusion washed over his face and he started to wobble. And then he fell backward—and went barreling down the Palisades cliffs, plunging into the river, five hundred feet below.

The ground seemed to shift under my feet as the enormity of what had just happened hit me. My knees went weak. For a moment, I felt dizzy. Maybe it was a touch of vertigo. Expecting a wave of panic, I braced myself, but it didn’t come. Instead, I felt detached, like I was watching a movie. Like this couldn’t possibly be happening for real.

I didn’t push him, I swear.

But who would believe me?

It’s still my fault that he fell, and even if I could convince the cops that I didn’t shove him off that cliff, I would probably end up in prison. Involuntary manslaughter, isn’t that what it’s called?

Especially if they find out what else I’ve been up to on that dating app.

This was an impulsive move.

What was I thinking?

He could have grabbed me and hurled me off that cliff. I try to remain calm as I make my way down the trail, passing a few other hikers heading up. I replay the events in my mind, thinking of how I can spin this if someone sees me, but hoping to reach the end of this trail without being spotted. This little mission of mine has gone way too far. On the plus side, Matt Furman will never cheat on his wife again.

That’s probably not a normal thought to have at a time like this, and I wonder for a moment if I’m some kind of sociopath. But if I’m worried about being a sociopath, I’m probably not one. I’m in shock, I decide. Anyone would be in my position. I’m in self-preservation mode, and I’m sure the guilt will hit me at some point.

But not right now.

Now, I need to focus on getting out of here, unseen.

I reach the end of the trail, hop on my bike, and pedal like my life depends on it—hoping that he hasn’t, by some miracle, survived the fall.

***

Excerpt from SWIPE by R.G. Belsky & Bonnie Traymore. Copyright 2025 by R.G. Belsky & Bonnie Traymore. Reproduced with permission from R.G. Belsky & Bonnie Traymore. All rights reserved.

 

 

R.G. Belsky Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, BROADCAST BLUES, was published by Oceanview. It is the sixth in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station. The first book, Yesterday’s News, was named Best Mystery of 2018 at Deadly Ink. The second, Below the Fold, won the Foreward INDIES award for Best Mystery of 2019. Belsky has published 24 novels—all set in the New York city media world where he has had a long career as a top editor at the New York Post, New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.

Catch Up With RG Belsky:
www.rgbelsky.com
Goodreads
Amazon Author
BookBub - @dickb79983
Instagram - @dickbelsky
Threads - @dickbelsky
Twitter/X - @DickBel
Facebook - @RGBelsky

 

Bonnie Traymore Author Bio:

Bonnie Traymore is the Amazon International Bestselling author of nine domestic/psychological thrillers. Her "popcorn thrillers" feature strong but relatable female protagonists who peel back the layers of suburban American life and give readers a peek inside. The plots explore difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and the impact of psychological disorders, but she also includes bits of romance and humor to lighten the mood from time to time. She's an active status member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.

Catch Up With Bonnie Traymore:
www.BonnieTraymore.com
Goodreads
Amazon Author
BookBub - @btraymore
Instagram - @bonnietraymore
Threads - @bonnietraymore
Twitter/X - @btraymore
Facebook - @bonnietraymore

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for R.G. Belsky & Bonnie Traymore. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post war provided by Partners in Crime Book Tours.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.) 

Unexpected Hope by Pam Green Blog Tour Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: Unexpected Hope (Sully Parkway Comfort Dogs Book One)

Author: Pam Green

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: October 15, 2024

When Jack Shelton hightails it out of Lexington, Virginia, for the suburbs of Washington, DC, he just wants out. Now. First on the agenda: put mountains and miles between him and his hometown memories. Second: find a job as a reporter. Fast.

Those two things—no other expectations. If he gets that far, maybe he’ll make room for God in his life again.

Then Jack wanders into the Church on the Parkway, and a case of mistaken identity entangles him in ministry with a team of broken people and a golden retriever puppy.

Can Jack get back on track with his new career plans, or will he find something unexpected as he travels Sully Parkway with Team Hope?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is a good novel that explores the emotional topics of tragedy and healing. Much of the novel focuses on Hope, a comfort dog. I had no idea a well trained dog could offer such healing comfort, especially to children in stressful situations. But there is also healing for adults like Jack. He has experienced his own tragedy and needs healing both emotionally and spiritually.

Green has written a very readable informative and entertaining novel. It would be liked especially by dog lovers. Anyone interested in the potential of a ministry of comfort and healing using dogs will appreciate this novel too. It has a strong faith message and I recommend it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Pam Green made her writing début in fifth grade when drafted to write the class play, Ghosts! Ghosts! Ghosts! At twelve, she fell in love with the French language. After a satisfying teaching career, she still peeks in the windows of empty schools while traveling and lingers in school supply aisles in August. Her stories show that God is always working in the lives of His children and seeking new members of His family.

More from Pam

“Sully Parkway? Where’s that? I’ve never heard of the Church on the Parkway either. This area is changing so fast nobody can keep up!”

Life in the Virginia suburbs outside Washington, DC reflects the fast pace of our nation’s capital, and I know I’ve fooled some residents by sticking Sully Parkway and its non-denominational megachurch somewhere—and everywhere—in the area.

Welcome to my world! Sully Parkway is anywhere I want it to be!

You’ll have no difficulty recognizing the Church on the Parkway, or COP. Maybe it’s your church, with all its shortcomings, victories, quirky characters, inspiring leaders—and comfort dogs?!

Yes, COP takes its outreach responsibilities seriously, and they started a comfort dog ministry!

What Christian hasn’t struggled in situations where words fail to soothe a hurting soul? Real life comfort dogs, such as the 100-plus golden retrievers deployed by the Lutheran Church Charities, are ambassadors of Christ’s love in a range of challenging situations, from the minor anxiety of learning to read aloud to the unthinkable tragedy of a school shooting, and everything in between.

I fell in love with these sweet creatures of God who know intuitively how to reach out to hurting humans. Find out how Hope, COP’s golden retriever puppy, grows into her mission.

You’ll discover that some of the hope she brings is completely unexpected!

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 15

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 16

Vicky Sluiter, May 17

Life on Chickadee Lane, May 18

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 19

Stories By Gina, May 20 (Author Interview)

Roads to Everywhere, May 20

For Him and My Family, May 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 22

Simple Harvest Reads, May 23 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, May 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 25

Holly’s Book Corner, May 26

Texas Book-aholic, May 27

Artistic Nobody, May 28 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, May 28

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Pam is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of the book, and a surprise!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54223

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Bible Companion Book 1 by Karen Westbrook Moderow Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis–Exodus: Journey through Scripture One Day at a Time

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release date: April 16, 2024

The Bible Companion series is a simple, flexible, and compelling Bible Study guide. Short daily readings link God’s story to yours, help you through difficult passages, and highlight the treasures in each chapter of the Bible. In Genesis and Exodus, God reveals Himself as a loving Creator who longs to walk through life with you. Book 1 takes you deep into God’s plan to share His life and wisdom with those who love and follow Him. The storytelling approach of the series will keep you reading, even through the parts that are challenging and hard-to-understand. Find hope in the stories of ordinary men and women in the Bible whose encounters with God transformed them and reversed the direction of their lives. Discover that what God has done for them, He can do for you.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

There are many good scriptural insights in this book. There are good life lessons from Bible characters and events. Each Bible chapter is highlighted with its main point but there are also character studies and other information. I like how Moderow provides clear and meaningful teaching from difficult passages, like rituals and sacrifices.

One insight that surprised me was the value of genealogies. They ground Bible stories in actual people so we know they are not myths. They also help us see how people responded to God's revelation, yielding consequences sometimes generations later.

There are thoughtful questions at the end of every chapter and a suggested plan for a group study. This is a good book to gain insight into the first two books of the Bible. It can be read as a personal study or for use in a discussion group.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Karen Westbrook Moderow is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She graduated magna cum laude from California State University at Long Beach with a BA in English Literature. She also holds an MFA from Chapman University in creative writing and a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Seminary. She has been published by numerous Christian periodicals and authored two previous books.

More from Karen

A Father-Daughter Legacy: The Bible Companion Series
In 1993, my father, Pastor Floyd Westbrook challenged a group of men and women from his weekly Bible study to join him in reading the Bible from cover to cover. He found if he wrote short daily lessons for each chapter, people stayed engaged and were transformed by the Scripture they read. His work, though enjoyed by hundreds, was never widely published.
I shared his passion for making God’s word accessible to people who found it hard to understand parts of the Bible, couldn’t keep up with the schedule, or couldn’t relate Scripture to their journey. Later, after I completed degrees in theology and creative writing, we realized combining storytelling with his format could help people overcome the most common barriers to Bible reading. With his blessing, I began working on The Bible Companion. The result is a story-rich study which is simple, flexible, yet rich in content.

The Bible Companion Book 1 Genesis–Exodus is the first of twelve books that tracks God story from creation to the end of time. God, who tells His story through families, has graciously given me the privilege of carrying on my father’s legacy through The Bible Companion series.

Father and daughter, Pastor Floyd Westbrook and Karen Westbrook Moderow ministering together.

2004 Christ Church of Westminster

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 17

Vicky Sluiter, May 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 19

Godly Book Reviews, May 20

Lots of Helpers, May 21

Simple Harvest Reads, May 22 (Author Interview)

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, May 22

Texas Book-aholic, May 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 24

For the Love of Literature, May 25 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 28

Cover Lover Book Review, May 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 30 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54220

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Silo by Greg Heist Book Review

About the Book:

When Jacob Weaver is arrested, he is placed in a damp jail cell waiting for the other shoe to drop. Frank Braun, a retiring detective, is ordered to interview Jacob. A deep-rooted, yet painful, connection between the two men is exposed, creating a palpable tension. Jacob soon learns he may face life in prison under a law he never knew existed. The three strikes law.

Detective Braun's questioning awakens long buried memories from his days in Vietnam. What follows is a gradual unraveling of the Weaver family's dark and deadly secrets. When the evidence leads Braun to the Weaver family farm, he finds Aunt Rose sitting high atop the silo. She reluctantly speaks to Braun from the refuge of her familiar perch. What unspeakable crimes will she reveal? The Silo is a psychological autopsy of every character.

My Review:

This is an unusually crafted mystery. The entire book takes place in one day. There is really no action as most of the narrative covers the interrogation of an individual. Through continuing questions, Detective Braun uncovers secrets from decades ago. Emotions come to the surface as long ago decisions are revealed and we come to see the ramifications of choices. All of the talking leads to the final scenes of high drama.

Reading of an interrogation may seem boring but the way Heist created the plot made it really quite interesting. There is something almost compelling in getting to know the young man's story as Braun pulls the truth from him. This is a different police procedural. Rather than chasing down leads, Braun discovers the truth in one agonizing day. This is a good book for readers who would like insight into the methods a detective would use to draw out truth from a reluctant individual.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Greg Heist spent over thirty years in law enforcement. He was a detective for several years and retired Captain in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division. He developed expertise in several areas of investigation. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He began writing fiction after retiring, using his imagination derived from years of investigating real crimes. He and his wife currently live outside Chicago. The SILO, a psychological thriller, is his first published novel.

Independently published, 168 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Swell Media. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Dada Base by Allen Brokken Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: The Dada Base

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Comedy

This book is a compliation of the most popular one-liners, head scratchers and total groaners shared on social media by Author Allen Brokken.

Awarded the prestigious Cool Dad Everyone Talks About by his own kids these wholesome jokes are sure to be a hit with your family.

Plus this book contains his complete Telling Jokes and Puns for kids class with free digital access to course videos.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Brokken gives us a number of his jokes. Most of them are play on words. My favorite: “So, the past, the present, and the future walked into a bar. It was tense.” (54)

He offers a free class on telling jokes and puns for kids, giving a QR code to sign up. He also offers a number of suggestions in the book for creating jokes, such as play on words or twisting phrases. There are additional exercises to get the reader's mind moving toward creating good jokes. He also has suggestions for things to avoid.

This is a good book for anyone wanting to learn how to create jokes.

My rating :4/5 stars.

About the Author

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband, and a father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age-appropriate way. He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his own children are off to college, he’s sharing his life experiences at home school conferences and through his blog and newsletter at his website. You can get sneak peeks of the ongoing adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!) and the #dadjokeoftheday on all the major social media platforms.

 

More from Allen

When you are an author the industry encourages you to “have a social media presence”.  As a new author that’s pretty intimidating because the focus is generally on long form writing which is very different than a 140 character tweet.  For the first couple of years I tried different things in the hopes of engaging an audience and nothing seemed to gel.

Then my son introduced me to TikTok.  He said, Dad sometimes your jokes are actually funny so why don’t you do them on Tik Tok?  I was skeptical at first, but I have been known to be pretty PUN-ny at dinner parties so I tried it.

Given that my office has a lot of Star Wars memorabilia from when I was a kid I landed on telling Star Wars jokes at first.  I had very little success only getting between 200 and 1000 view.  Then one day I told this joke and my Tik Tok took off.

“So my son was on his way to take his drivers test and I handed him my collectable life size Storm Trooper helmet.”

He looked at me and said, “What’s this for?”

I replied, ”So you don’t hit anything.”

If you’re not familiar with Star Wars that joke is funny because Storm Troopers notoriously don’t hit their target.  Now I’ve broken the cardinal rule of joke telling, jokes that require the audience to do homework are not good jokes.  Which is just one of the many rules of joking around that I learned over the past couple of years.

As my joke list increased I found a group of them that did particularly well online and realized the might make a good joke book.  However, I also realized there are a lot of joke books for kids and I wanted to do something different with mine.  So I decided I should include my class on telling jokes for kids as a part of the book.  So in addition to a collection of funny jokes the book provides a workbook for learning how to tell your own jokes and access to my virtual class for kids on telling jokes and puns.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 16

Vicky Sluiter, May 17 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 18

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 20

Blossoms and Blessings, May 21 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 22

Stories By Gina, May 23 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 25 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 26

A Reader’s Brain, May 27 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, May 27

Artistic Nobody, May 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 29 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Allen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54219

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Penthouse on Park Avenue by Jenny Dandy Blog Tour Book Review

 

Houses of Crime Mystery Series

by Jenny Dandy

May 5 - June 13, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

THE BROWNSTONE ON E. 83RD

 

When FBI Special Agent Frank Jankowski goes undercover at Isabelle Anderson’s brownstone on E. 83rd, he thinks he’s the one calling the shots. Isabelle knows she is. As Isabelle’s butler, Ronnie Charles is privy to all her schemes—knowledge that will take her in a direction she never anticipated.

Amazon | Goodreads

THE PENTHOUSE ON PARK AVENUE

 

FBI Special Agent Frank Jankowski and former street thief Ronnie Charles team up once again in New York City, this time to take down John Anthony, suspected money launderer for the Mataderos Cartel who is known for their own brand of evil. Embedded as his live-in butler at the penthouse, Ronnie must reconcile her hatred of drugs with her need to work for Frank. Mateo Rosas de Flores, head of the cartel, comes to town and tests Ronnie’s loyalty. When she passes, her reward is a deeper involvement in his organization. But Mateo’s interest in her might not be enough to protect her as the danger mounts.

Frank’s search for his drug addicted daughter continues in the seamier side of the city, taking him places he never thought he would go. He becomes unexpectedly entangled with the very criminals he’s pursuing, threatening not only his career but his family as well. What they require of him is a betrayal of everything he believes in. Frank must find a way to protect his daughter and finish the case. And walk away with his morals intact.

Praise for the Houses of Crime Mystery Series:

"The Brownstone on E. 83rd grabbed my attention from the first page. Jenny Dandy’s debut has all the hallmarks of a veteran writer: blistering pacing, rapid-fire dialogue, and characters that not only keep you guessing, but caring about what happens to them. Dandy is an author to watch."
~ Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of The Father She Went to Find

"Jenny Dandy’s The Brownstone on E. 83rd hits the ground running and doesn’t let up. Sharply drawn characters, evocative language, knockout pacing, and a strong sense of place make this one of the year’s best crime novel debuts. It’s ambitious, polished, and beautifully crafted. I can’t recommend it enough."
~ William Boyle, author of Shoot the Moonlight Out and Gravesend

"The Brownstone on E. 83rd is an amazing debut with sharp, hard-edged dialogue, lyrical and strong prose, and a fantastic setting in New York City. The story of FBI Special Agent Frank Jankowski and small-time thief Ronnie Charles will keep you guessing as well as rooting for these vivid and compelling characters. I hope to read more from Jenny Dandy!"
~ David Heska Wanbli Weiden, award-winning author of Winter Counts

"The Penthouse on Park Avenue grips you from the start, never letting go through the twists and turns as Ronnie and Frank pursue a money launderer for the Mataderos Cartel. Jenny Dandy's characters stay with you long after you finish the book."
~ Abbott Kahler, New York Times best-selling author of Eden Undone, Where You End, and The Ghosts of Eden Park

"Jenny Dandy’s new novel delivers everything you crave in a mystery—hardboiled-yet-scrappy protagonists, high stakes, suspense, dry humor, and true villainy. Written with compassion and an appetite for justice, The Penthouse on Park Avenue lures us even more deeply into Dandy’s Houses of Crime series. I can’t wait for the next one!"
~ Erika Krouse, author of Save Me, Stranger

"The Penthouse on Park Avenue sneaks up on you, comes alive, and won’t let you go. Whether Dandy takes us to high end restaurants or low end diners, penthouses or homeless encampments, we’re along for the ride. You’ll care deeply about what might happen to Ronnie and Frank, eager for the next in the series."
~ Diane Capri, New York Times Bestselling author of the Hunt for Jack Reacher series

My Review of The Penthouse on Park Avenue:

This is an interesting novel exploring the complex plan FBI agents develop to capture a major drug lord. We met the main characters in the previous novel in this series. (You can read my review of that book, The Brownstone on E 83rd.) The focus of the plot is more on the characters than on action so its a good novel for readers who like to get to know personalities rather than experience lots of suspense. We get some insights as to how money is laundered as well as how powerful a drug lord can be.

The plot has an interesting juxtaposition as Frank, the FBI agent who directs the complex plan to capture the drug lord is himself looking for his own daughter, now a drug addict. We get to learn about the man running the drug kingdom as well as meet those working for him selling drugs on the street.

This novel is an interesting change from the typical gun toting, high energy FBI adventure.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Fiction
Published by: Level Best Books
Series: Houses of Crime Mystery Series (on Amazon)

Read an excerpt from THE BROWNSTONE ON E. 83RD:

Prologue

Ronnie Charles slotted the dirty champagne flutes into the plastic racks as fast as she could, two at a time, her arms flashing between trays and crates. Her skin tightened, an overall prickling that never failed her. It meant danger, meant she had to be out of there quick. The bracelet lay heavy in the secret pocket of her trousers, bumping her thigh as she moved. Someone shifted behind her, too close, and she worked faster. She didn’t have time to fight off one of those ass-grabbers who always seemed to work these big charity dos, creeping on anyone. Even when Ronnie dressed as a man like tonight, they would reach out and squeeze a handful. Ronnie swung her bangs out of her eyes, peeked over her shoulder.

“You’ll give me back my bracelet, or I’ll rip your balls off.” The silky voice caressed her ear, the woman crowding her into the boxes before she could turn around.

The Feline. Ronnie didn’t usually name her marks, but those two words had sprung into her head as she watched the way the calculating woman slinked through the room, eyed the crowd, pounced on her targets. Ronnie took a deep breath, got a whiff of expensive perfume, and then did the only thing she could in a situation like this. She made her voice higher than normal and said, “Ma’am, I don’t have any balls.”

The tall blonde stepped back. Ronnie whipped around and saw the guys lugging chairs and tables into the truck, the caterer with her clipboard, and the cleaning crew hard at work. She so needed to keep this job.

The Feline tilted her head, narrowed her eyes, examined her through mascaraed lashes. “Well, well.”

She scanned Ronnie up and down, checked over the details of her slim hips in the black pants, her flat white shirt and bow tie, her short hair in a boy’s cut. She studied the one thing Ronnie couldn’t fake: her lack of an Adam’s apple.

“It’s not often I’m fooled.” The Feline’s voice was low, dark clouds in the distance. “We both know you have my bracelet. I let you take it because I wanted to see how good you are.”

Ronnie sucked in a breath and watched the certainty come over her, her brown eyes shining. The Feline wasn’t trying to hide her age with makeup the way a lot of women did. She proudly wore the fine lines around her eyes, the smile lines on her cheeks. She was as beautiful up close as she had been in the crowds. Ronnie had watched her, watched as the men and women gathered around her as if just being near her would save their lives.

“And you’re good,” The Feline continued, “but I’m better. I could’ve taken it back from you.” Her eyes flickered to Ronnie’s hand, which had moved all by itself to cover the secret pocket in her trousers. The Feline smiled, lines etching her skin. “I could have, but I was curious about someone almost as brazen as I am, working a crowd of this caliber.”

Tiny beads of sweat gathered at Ronnie’s hairline, and she crossed her arms to keep herself still. The first time she got caught by a mark and it was this willowy goddess. She didn’t know why she’d taken it in the first place. Not like she needed it. “Look, lady.” The caterer approached them. “You have to go. Here, I’m giving it back.” She reached into her pocket and fumbled around, for some reason, not finding the opening. “I’ll give it to you, and you can leave. I really need to keep this job.”

The Feline ran her eyes over her once more then grabbed her upper arm and started walking Ronnie away from the crates. She smiled and nodded at Ronnie’s boss. Under her breath, she said, “No, you don’t.”

Ronnie tried to pull away, but the woman tightened her grip and kept walking.

“I’ve decided you’re going to come work for me.” Her heels punctuated her words as they strode toward the exit. “You have skills I can use.”

Ronnie caught a glance from another waitperson as they passed. Pure envy. Amazing the feelings this woman could pull out of people.

“I have a garden apartment you can live in while you work off the bracelet.” Isabelle cut her eyes to Ronnie, a lioness eyeing her prey. “Your androgyny will throw my marks off balance. I can teach you so many, many things.” Her voice was hard, yet somehow soft at the same time. “I’m giving you an offer of a lifetime.”

Ronnie stopped walking, planted her feet, and the woman’s voluminous gown swirled around her legs as if to trap her.

The Feline stopped, too, but didn’t let go of her arm. “Or I can call the cops.”

No way. Ronnie could not go to jail again. She’d used up whatever goodwill the system had for her, and it would be prison for sure this time. She knew she could run, spin out of her grip, jump off the loading dock, and into the night. Down alleys and through back doors, up fire escapes and over rooftops, disappear into the grit and the cold and the peculiar community of the homeless of New York City. She sucked in her breath. Did she say “garden apartment?” The woman’s earrings glittered at her. No more sleeping on the streets. No more dumpster diving. Okay, one night, that’s it. She’d scope the place out, learn the alarm system and The Feline’s habits. Tuck the information away for when she was desperate, and tonight, she could sleep in a soft bed. An offer of a lifetime.

“I have to get my backpack.” Before Ronnie turned toward the setup tables where she’d stashed it, she caught the grin spreading over the woman’s face, her eyes dancing.

Chapter One

Frank Jankowski burst through the emergency room doors, his sixteen-year-old daughter in his arms. He rushed to the front desk, pushed past people in line, yelled at the staff, tried to get someone to pay attention. Cathy moaned, her sweaty head lolling as if she had no neck. A rushing in his ears drowned out all other sounds, and his eyes darted from one person in scrubs to the next. When he opened his mouth to yell again, Cathy vomited on the floor. As if a director had yelled Action, everyone moved at once. A woman with a wheelchair waved aside the guy with the clipboard and yelled, He can do that later! They asked Frank for symptoms, for his daughter’s name, then told the nurse at the desk to page the doctor. The curtain screeched as they yanked it back and deftly placed Cathy on the bed.

She looked like a rag doll. More nurses, stethoscopes, pulse-ox on her finger, someone in scrubs pulled him aside to quietly go over the symptoms with him, poking the iPad she cradled with each thing he said. The nurse turned him away as they inserted an IV in his daughter’s arm and led him back to the waiting room to fill out the paperwork.

He got as far as “Catherine A. Jankowski” when his gut roiled, and he clutched the clipboard tighter, knuckles whitening, scalp tingling as he waited for it to pass. He breathed in through his nose, out through his mouth, counting breaths as images of his daughter surrounded by medical staff, machines, an IV hookup swam behind his eyes. Not again.

Damn. Susan. He called her, told her they were in the emergency room. “Everything’s under control. Don’t worry. I’ll explain when you get here.” He didn’t want her to think it was as bad as it had been a year and a half ago. “Really, it’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Her worry would make her anxious, and her anxiety would make her yell at him. He pressed the button to end the call.

Whatever this was, and it certainly warranted the ER, it couldn’t compare to the hit and run that took more than a year from Cathy’s life. The long hospital stay, the painful rehab. But she was past all that, seeing friends, catching up on her schoolwork. So this was just—dehydration from whatever cold or flu had laid her low.

He gazed down at the clipboard as if it had just leapt into his hand. He wrote the address of Susan’s apartment on the form. His old apartment. The apartment they had found when he was first transferred to the New York Field Office, the one he thought they would stay in forever, stretching for a two-bedroom because they planned on children. He had been glad she’d kept the walls white, hung cheerful photographs, so when he came home, put his keys in the dish on the table, trying to shed the thoughts of all the evil things people did to other people, the nastiness he worked hard to fight every day, he would pause and try to put himself in the photograph, try to hear the people in them laughing, feel the gentle breeze—

Someone sat down next to him and he shifted in the plastic chair, irritated that a stranger would invade his space like that.

“Frank.”

Susan, his wife—ex-wife—pulled the clipboard away from him and began filling in the form, glancing up at him as if trying to determine what kind of stupid he was. The rhythmic scratching of pen on paper calmed him. She checked off that Cathy had had her immunizations, was current on tetanus, that there was no history of diabetes in their family. The pen hovered over What brought you in today? She raised an eyebrow at Frank. “Are you going to tell me?”

“I thought it was the flu.” He stared straight ahead, not wanting to see the accusations firing from her eyes. “But then she started hallucinating…”

“The flu.” Susan’s pen scratched on the paper. “In August. You thought it was the flu.”

“SuSu—” Frank turned toward her but quickly looked away when he caught the flare of her nostrils and the flash of her blue eyes. He shouldn’t have used his old name for her, but it had just slipped out. He watched the activity at the front desk for a beat, then said, his voice quiet, “You would have thought so, too.”

“Not in August, Frank. I would never have thought that. Did she have a fever?”

“She didn’t seem to. I felt her forehead because she was sweating so much, but—”

“No thermometer at your apartment? How can that be? All these years of Cathy over there, and you don’t even have the rudiments of—the basics for—any way to take—”

Susan tripped over her words, sputtered in her anger, and Frank stayed still, waited for it to pass. A man a few rows ahead of them tapped on his phone, his three children around him squirming and kicking each other, whining at their father, who didn’t respond.

“…her symptoms?” His ex-wife had taken on a neutral tone, perhaps deciding that the paperwork was more important than fighting Frank.

He listed the symptoms in the order they had occurred, the aches, the sweating, the vomiting. Her pen flew over the paper, her frown deepened as the list went on, ending with the hallucinations.

“Mr. and Mrs. Jankowski?”

Susan flinched, her lips thin, jaw tight.

“Could you come with me, please?” The nurse checked for them over her shoulder, an iPad in her hand, led them down the hall, opened a door. “Okay, Mr. and Mrs. Jankowski, let’s go in here—”

“We’re divorced.” Susan forced the words through clenched teeth, sounding as if she wouldn’t mind going through the proceedings all over again.

They followed the nurse into a small room crammed with desks. The young woman in her cartoon scrubs and bright clogs didn’t ask them to sit. She shut the door and turned to face them. She held up her iPad as if it were a shield, aimed her question at the device, her tone mild as if merely confirming Cathy’s age, “How long has your daughter been addicted to opioids?”

***

Excerpt from The Brownstone on E. 83rd by Jenny Dandy. Copyright 2025 by Jenny Dandy. Reproduced with permission from Jenny Dandy. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Jenny Dandy is a graduate of Smith College and of Lighthouse Writers Workshop Book Project. Though she has lived and worked from Beijing to Baltimore, from Northampton to Atlanta, New York City was the place that held onto a piece of her heart. She now lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains where there is no way she would scam her dinner guests or launder money for cartels.

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(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)