Thursday, December 4, 2025

Fatal Invitation by S F Baumgartner Book Review

About the Book:

Vanished women. A rising body count. A detective who won’t quit.

Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy thought Major Crimes would be her big break. Instead, she’s chasing the brutal murders of young women—and the trail keeps circling back to Assistant State Attorney Gavin Watkins and his elusive ally, Kozlov.

Each lead vanishes before her eyes, every step forward dragging her deeper into danger. And when Kozlov’s men come after her, KC must rely on her instincts, and on the few people she can trust, to survive long enough to expose the truth.

But when KC gets too close to the truth, she becomes the target. Will KC survive the trap and bring down the predators or become their next victim?

My Review:

Baumgartner is off and running on a new entertaining detective series. There are interesting and engaging characters, including a brave heroine. KC is a great detective, dedicated and willing to step into dangerous situations. And there is plenty of danger and suspense as the plot develops. There is also a new special task force in Orlando called Orlando Prime. They combine their forces with the police department to work on the murder cases. While there is some tension between the two at the beginning, they find their way to work together. Baumgartner changes the focus from one enforcement group to the other as the action proceeds.

This is an engaging police investigative novel. Baumgartner's writing style is good. The suspense grows and I did not feel it lagged at all. This is a great start to a new series. Those who have read the Mirror Estate Series will recognize a name or two but reading that series is not necessary to enjoy this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the novella, Christmas Murders, introducing KC and the short story introducing Orlando Prime.

About the Author:

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets—Book 1 of her Mirror Estate series—named a Top Pick in the thriller category at Killer Nashville, 2024. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson's style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.

FB Publishing, 328 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through BookSirens. 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.)

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

The Genius Bat by Yossi Yovel

About the book:

With nearly 1500 species, bats account for more than twenty percent of mammalian species. The most successful and most diverse group of mammals, bats come in different sizes, shapes, and colors, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Some bats eat fruit and nectar; others eat frogs, scorpions, or fish. Vampire bats feed on blood. Bats are the only mammals that can fly; their fingers have elongated through evolution to become wings with a unique, super-flexible skin membrane stretched between them. Their robust immune system is one of the reasons for their extreme longevity. A tiny bat can live for forty years.

Yossi Yovel, an ecologist and a neurobiologist, is passionate about deciphering the secrets of bats, including using AI to decipher their communication. In The Genius Bat, he brings to vivid life these amazing creatures as well as the obsessive and sometimes eccentric people who study them–bat scientists. From muddy rainforests to star-covered night deserts, from guest houses in Thailand to museum drawers full of fossils in New York, this is an eye-opening and entertaining account of a mighty mammal.

My review:

This is a well written and very interesting book. Yovel really brought to life those odd things I remember flying around dusk during my childhood on a farm. We were never afraid of them as they seemed to be able to avoid coming too close to us. I had no idea of the amazing characteristics bats embody. The information is presented in a readable way, Yovel sharing his own studies as well as from others. I was overwhelmed at times with the deep dive into some of the research and the scientists involved. I do wish he would have been able to study bats closer to where I live in the PNW. Nonetheless, this ia s good book for anyone who wants to know about the world of bats.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the author:

Yossi Yovel is an ecologist and a neurobiologist – a rare combination of disciplines. A professor at Tel-Aviv University and the head of the School of Neuroscience, he has conducted research all around the world, using an arsenal of methods and equipment. His work has been covered by major media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, NPR, BBC, and National Geographic. A sought-after public speaker, he is currently a visiting scholar at McGill University in Montreal. Photo credit: Ofri Eitan.

St Martin's Press, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent 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.)

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Orlando Prime by S F Baumgartner Short Story Review

About the Short Story:

Before the high-profile cases and headlines, there was the beginning. A retired Navy commander. A call from the governor. A team built from the best—and the broken. Orlando Prime: The Origin Files reveals how Frank Travers assembled the elite crime-fighting unit that would redefine justice in Florida.

My Review:

This is a short story, not even novella length. It only recounts a little information, beginning with Frank Travers, commander in the navy, now retired. The governor of Florida taps him to head an elite crime fighting unit, Orlando Prime. He assembles a group of highly trained people or just extremely talented in their area. We get a hint of their characters and expertise.

I especially liked getting a bit of background on Travers. I have started reading Fatal Invitation, the book for which this is an explanatory short story. He comes across a bit different in that novel and I am glad I got to know his background here.

About the Author:

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets—Book 1 of her Mirror Estate series—named a Top Pick in the thriller category at Killer Nashville, 2024. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson's style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.

I received a complimentary egalley of this short story from the author through BookFunnel. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Vengeance in Vienna by Sara L Jameson Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: Vengeance in Vienna (Troubled Waters Book 3)

Author: Sara L. Jameson

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: July 16, 2024

A moonlight sail. A sniper on the shore. A terrorist financier determined to kill Jacob and all he holds dear.

Interpol Special Agent Jacob Coulter and his fiancée Riley Williams set out on a moonlight sail, but a sniper turns their idyllic Austrin vacation into a deadly nightmare.

On temporary assignment to the Vienna Interpol office, Jacob must apprehend a notorious terrorist financier and uncover his operations in Austria. But the financier is determined to destroy all Jacob holds dear. And that includes his kid sister and his fiancée, Riley Williams.

Opera singer Riley Williams is tired of dodging terrorist attempts on her life. When she insists on helping Jacob catch the financier and his henchmen, she gets into more trouble than she bargained for.

But the financier’s tentacles of evil reach far deeper into the Austrian economy than Jacob and Riley suspected. What they uncover appalls them. The clock is ticking. Can Jacob find them before it’s too late?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is another good thriller from Jameson. There is quite a bit of suspense as Riley, opera star and engaged to Interpol Agent Jacob, often goes off on her own and gets into trouble. There is also trouble when Jacob's younger sister thinks she is old enough (at 14) and wise enough to try to make it on her own. But there is an evil human trafficker and both are caught in his web.

Jameson balances the suspense with personal aspects of Riley and Jacob. Riley had a very controlling father and Jacob's care for her is sometimes seen by her as controlling. Hence her independent actions and ensuing trouble. Jacob's sister has a similar issue, thinking that Jacob's care for her is too restrictive. Both must grow through their wrong perceptions.

This novel deals with catching a human trafficker. While there are no overly graphic descriptions, Jameson does deal with some serious issues so this is not a cozy mystery. There is a clear faith element included and it is a good novel for readers willing to deal with a hard topic.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of the previous books in this series: Cruise to Death and Death in High Places.

About the Author

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in January 2021. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), released February 2023, followed by Vengeance in Vienna, July 2024. She is currently working on books 4 and 5 of the Troubled Waters series for Scrivenings Press.

In real life, Sara is a multi-published former university professor who has also written non-fiction under her real name and edits book manuscripts for other authors. She also pens WWII historical novels. When not at her computer, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, and dog-sitting.

More from Sara

Ever since childhood, I’ve loved to travel. Memories of family cross-country car trips still make me smile. Breakfast and lunch prepped from goodies chilled in the ice chest. Kellogg’s single-serve cereals or cake doughnuts with milk and juice. (Rare treats in our household.) A sandwich prepared at a roadside picnic table for lunch. As an adult, their lack of nutrition makes me shudder.

These days, my tastes have grown more sophisticated. Scrumptious buffet breakfasts in European or Asian hotels make my mouth water. Local dishes creep into my books. And no trip to Antwerp, Belgium is complete without a serious stop at a delectable chocolate shop. Naturally, for the reader’s sake, Sampling these treats for authenticity in the novel is a must, right?

While tempting the palate with sumptuous Viennese pastries at Heiner’s, my favorite Konditorei (pastry shop), Vengeance in Vienna whisks readers through the stunning Austrian countryside with assassins at Jacob and Riley’s backs, and a terrorist financier determined to destroy them. Dehmel’s is another Konditorei readers might want to visit. Both Konditoreien are steeped in history, atmosphere, and Old-World charm. Are you salivating yet?

Better yet, grab a copy of Vengeance in Vienna and curl up for a nail-biting armchair trip to beautiful Austria filled with heart-pounding romantic suspense.