The Gold Digger by Liz Tolsma

I have really appreciated the True Color series, novels about unusual crimes of the past. Tolsma tackles the story of a woman who murdered several men who were potential suitors, stealing their money.

Tolsma has done a good job creating a readable novel revolving around the facts of the crime she details at the end of the book. Her writing style is enjoyable. The only aspect of the novel I did not appreciate was a dream scene. Tolsma began a new chapter with a suspenseful scene that was not identified as a dream until well into the narrative. I do not like that deceptive technique.

I do recommend this novel as an interesting fictional exploration of a crime from over a century ago. Tolsma has added a bit of romance to flesh out the interesting story. You can find out some more about the novel at http://www.truecolorscrime.com/gold-digger.html.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of Write Direction Editing. She lives in a quiet corner of Wisconsin with her husband and their two daughters.

Barbour Publishing, 256 pages

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. 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.)

Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez

We love dogs and they love us humans. Sometimes dogs feel like one of the family. So how should they be fed and taken care of? The authors explore the big business of pet food, a 30+ billion dollar industry.

The first part of the book is about dogs and their relationship to humans. I was surprised to find about the increase in dog friendly coffee shops, for example, as the importance of pets is more widely recognized. That is followed by an exploration of the history of commercial dog food, the contents, and the corporate practices. Lastly, the authors identify what dogs really need to eat for optimum health, human grade food, and include some of their own recipes.

There is disturbing information included in this book, such as what the FDA really regulates and what “Made in the USA” really means (sourcing from China). The stories of dogs suffering and dying from toxic ingredients are heart breaking. The influence of corporations on veterinarians and vet schools is disturbing. And some of the descriptions of “meat” sourcing, I have to admit I skipped reading. It is for those with strong stomachs.

The authors did not write this book to make money. All royalties go to rescue organizations. They did not write this book to sell their own dog food products. They offer food recipes in the book and others readers can download for free at their JustFoodForDogs website.

If you love your dog, this book is worth reading.

You can read an excerpt here and watch the book trailer here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Entrepreneur and founder Shawn Buckley and veterinarian and professor in clinical pet nutrition Dr. Oscar Chavez are the owners of Just Food for Dogs, a pioneer and disrupter in the dog food industry, and the leading of brand dog food made with USDA approved whole foods, fit for human consumption. Photos by Rudy Poe.

St. Martin's Press, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. 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.)

Rocky Mountain Revenge Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: Rocky Mountain Revenge

Author: Rhonda Starnes

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: July, 2020

To survive her deadly homecoming, she’ll need to trust a man from her past…

Temporarily home to help at her family’s vet clinic, Grace Porter has no intentions of staying—but someone’s determined she won’t live long enough to leave. With both Grace and her sister in the crosshairs, her ex-boyfriend, Police Chief Evan Bradshaw, must protect them. But can the single dad lawman uncover the truth about why a killer’s out for vengeance before time runs out?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review 

This novel of romantic suspense started off with a good dose of heart pounding action and remained relatively intense throughout. It is a good debut effort. The lead characters are crafted pretty well. One of my pet peeves is a character making a stupid move and then a great deal of suspense resulting. That happens with Grace, the heroine, when she goes back on a promise to Evan, the hero, makes a very wrong decision and, of course, much suspense results.

The romance aspect of the plot was good, reacquainting people who were previously in love. That allowed feelings to grow quickly in this short novel. The Christian witness is sufficient, making it an overall pleasant read for this genre.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

  

About the Author

Rhonda Starnes is a middle school language arts teacher who has dreamed of being a published author since she was in seventh grade. She lives in North Alabama with her husband, who she lovingly refers to as Mountain Man. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Rhonda writes romantic suspense with rugged heroes and feisty heroines.

More from Rhonda

Probably the number one question any author receives is “How did you come up with the idea for the story?”

When the Love Inspired editors announced, in February 2019, they were hosting The Great Love Inspired Author Search, I knew I had to enter. After all I’d spent the last six years targeting the Harlequin Love Inspired lines. This would be my fourth time entering one of their pitch contests, my third pitching to Love Inspired Suspense. The only problem was I didn’t have anything new to enter. They’d already seen all of my manuscripts.

I follow the Love Inspired editors on social media, so I had read several posts on themes and settings they’d like to see. One editor had even mentioned Colorado as a setting she’d like to see in a book. This started my wheels turning because my husband and I lived in Colorado for a few months when we were first married. We loved our time there and have often talked about going back one day. I started researching parts of the state that we didn’t get to visit when we lived there, and then I created the fictional small town of Blackberry Falls.

I’d had an idea in the back of my head for while about a story that involved a heroine who wasn’t in law enforcement but who witnessed a crime while on video chat. That’s how I came up with Grace Porter, a veterinarian who had run away from her small-town roots. And what’s a homecoming story without a reunion romance? Enter, Police Chief Evan Bradshaw, the man Grace had left behind. Once I had the opening scene, main character, and setting in place, everything else just kind of evolved from there.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 9

Through the Fire Blogs, December 10

Genesis 5020, December 10

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 11

Simple Harvest Reads, December 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For the Love of Literature, December 12

Lighthouse Academy, December 13

Connie's History Classroom, December 13

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, December 14

Reviewingbooksplusmore, December 14

Inklings and notions, December 15

Betti Mace, December 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 16

deb's Book Review, December 16

Texas Book-aholic, December 17

lakesidelivingsite, December 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 18

For Him and My Family, December 19

Pause for Tales , December 19

Artistic Nobody, December 20 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

SusanLovesBooks, December 20

Splashes of Joy, December 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 22

Daysong Reflections, December 22

I received a complimentary digital copy 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.)

A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert

This is another cozy mystery from a seasoned author. Part of a series, we are entertained with wedding planning and an unwelcome murder. The plot is a bit complex, involving the sale of an antiquarian edition of Chaucer. At one point, one of the characters says, “There are more layers to this than you can possibly imagine.” I agree. Who had the old book and sold it or didn't sell it or wanted to sell it or wanted to buy it turned out to be a complicated mess.

This is a book for female readers, I would think. There is quite a lengthy section with women picking out bridal party attire. The interest for some readers may decline there, as did mine.

This is a pretty good cozy mystery. I learned a bit about buying and selling antiquarian books and art. It will especially appeal to readers who like details of a wedding preparation.

My rating: 4/5 stars,

Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has a BA in Theater, a Masters in Library Science, and a MA in Liberal Studies. She has worked as a reference librarian and library director for public and academic libraries as well as a research librarian. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and son.

Crooked Lane Books, 362 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. 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.)

Two Murders Too Many Blog Tour

  

Two Murders Too Many

by Bluette Matthey

December 1-31, 2020 Tour

Synopsis:

     

Barn burning in a sleepy farming community is a serious enough matter, but a grisly murder or two in a small midwest town is a showstopper. Throw in a serial blackmailer who has his claws in some of the town’s leading citizens and you have one big recipe for disaster.

Charlie Simmons, newly sworn in as Shannon’s policeman, takes on the challenge of investigating this cauldron of crimes in stride, untangling one thread after another from the fabric of the town of Shannon to find the simple truth.

My Review:

Matthey takes us to a small town in northwestern Ohio in the 1950s. Her writing style aptly reflects the sleepy town as we experience a rambling but methodical tour through its people and places. There are several side stories embellishing the mystery, the kinds of stories we would hear as we meandered through its streets. The acting police chief fits the small town as he goes about talking to people, gently probing for clues. It was a time long before rural towns had law enforcement with any training. Charlie fits the bill, sitting with his feet on his desk mulling over the last comments he's heard and wondering of there is a clue in their midst.

It took a while to become engaged in the pleasant narrative of this mystery with its lack of intensity. I continued reading with the idea of the author setting the pace of the plot to match the atmosphere of the town. That worked for me and kept me interested. The time is long before investigative or forensic techniques were introduced into small towns. It was interesting to see how a recent mechanic or farmer now acting police chief would go about rooting out the murderer in a more bumbling manner than modern police procedure.

The ending to the novel seemed a little unrealistic but Matthey is writing about events during her father's lifetime. Reading this novel was a pleasant change from more intense and structured mysteries.

My rating: 4/5 stars. 

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Blue Shutter Publishing
Publication Date: October 21st 2020
Number of Pages: 254
ISBN: 978-1-941611-16-6
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Goodreads 

  

Read an excerpt:

Blanche Gruman sprawled on the park bench in front of the Presbyterian Church Monday enjoying the afternoon sun, her long, tanned legs stretched out on the sidewalk in front of the bench. She looked serene, with her face turned sunward, eyes protected by aviator sunglasses. Her blonde hair was almost white, bleached by the sun, and she wore it long and loose.

“Afternoon, Blanche,” Charlie said as he made his way toward town hall.

Blanche turned her head to see who had spoken. “Well, hey, Charlie!” she replied. She quickly sat up, pulling her bare legs primly under the edge of the bench. It was a lady-like move; just what you would expect from Blanche. A broad smile, showing perfect pearl-white teeth lit up her face.

Blanche Gruman owned and operated a successful hair salon in town. For Shannon, it was an exclusive salon. Blanche was an excellent cutter and stylist, and her flamboyant but tasteful sense of style attracted the cream of Shannon’s women to her salon, as well as some of the more prominent men. She had expanded her business over the course of a decade, hiring additional staff, but she was the queen bee, and closely guarded her select clientele.

Blanche had never married, though she’d had a fairly constant parade of suitors. Rumor had it that when someone had once asked her why she had never married she had flippantly replied, “Why marry one man when I can make so many happy?” Whether or not this was true, it was generally agreed that Blanche had a less traditional approach to relationships with men than her female contemporaries, and it was speculated that many of her female devotees who religiously came to Blanche for hair treatment did so as a means of keeping an eye on her latest paramour, primarily to make sure it wasn’t a wayfaring husband.

“You look mighty pleased with yourself,” Charlie said. He stood in front of her, blocking the sun from her eyes. She removed her sunglasses, hooking one of the templates on the V-neck of a snug knit top that accented her generous curves.

“It’s a great day to celebrate life,” she told him, “and that’s just what I’m doing.” Clearly, she was enjoying herself.

Charlie changed the subject. “You hear about what happened to Otto Hilty the other night?”

His question soured Blanche’s mood noticeably. Her voice took on a hard edge when she responded. “That SOB …” she began. “I don’t truck with what happened to Otto,” she said, “but I’ll not shed any tears for him.” She put her sunglasses on and stood, facing Charlie. “Like I said … it’s a great day to celebrate.” She walked off leaving Charlie standing, literally, with his mouth agape.

***

Excerpt from Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey. Copyright 2020 by Bluette Matthey. Reproduced with permission from Bluette Matthey. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Bluette Matthey is a product of the melting pot of America’s settlers, with her ancestry rooted in the Swiss, German, and English cultures. She is a keen reader of mysteries who loves to travel and explore, especially in Europe. Bluette currently lives in Béziers, France, with her husband and band of loving cats. Other books by Bluette Matthey include the Hardy Durkin Travel Mystery series: Corsican Justice, Abruzzo Intrigue, Black Forest Reckoning, Dalmatian Traffick, and Engadine Aerie.

Catch Up With Bluette Matthey On:
BluetteMatthey.com, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Click here to view Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey Participants.

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

 

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

Blind Vigil by Matt Coyle

This is the first novel I have read by Coyle so this is my introduction to his hero, Rick Cahill. I found the novel to be a good character study about a man who is faced with the possibility of no longer being able to pursue his profession. How could a man blinded by a gunshot to the head (in a previous novel) ever hope to continue being a PI? That provides a bit of a twist on the PI genre.

There is an interesting additional aspect to the PI plot. Turk, an old friend of Rick's, suspects his girl is cheating and hires Moire to find out. Moire and Rick have worked together before so she asks Rick to help, more to buffer Turk than to actually do PI work. Tension ensues when the girlfriend is murdered and Turk is suspect. A boyfriend killing a cheating girlfriend had happened before to Moire so she splits. Rick is loyal to Turk, however. Is it loyalty to Turk or Rick's own desire to continue being a PI that drives his actions?

Coyle's writing style is good and this is a good book in the hard boiled PI genre. There is no snappy dialogue, however, nor memorable sentences. Cahill is a flawed character who can be harsh yet have a soft heart. This novel would be better appreciated if the previous ones in the series have been read to get the full sense of Rick's character and his struggles.

My rating: 4/5 stars

Matt Coyle is the author of the best-selling Rick Cahill series. He has a degree in English from University of California at Santa Barbara. He spent time managing a restaurant, selling golf clubs, and in national sales for a sports licensing company before writing his debut, Yesterday's Echo. It won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, the San Diego Book Award for Best Mystery, the Ben Franklin Award for Best New Voice in Fiction. He lives in San Diego.

Oceanview Publishing, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. 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.)

Win the Day by Mark Batterson

I've read plenty of personal development books and a ton of Christian growth books. Batterson's book may be the best I've ever read that combines both subjects. His message is clear, to be the very best we can be for the glory of God, giving God an A plus in effort. The key is living today, winning this day.

Batterson reveals his strategy for excellence in seven habits. The first two habits deal with our past, what we should forget and what we should remember. The next two habits deal with daily decisions, unleashing the power of a 24 hour day. The next two habits help us imagine tomorrow, taking risks and recognizing each moment is a gift from God. The last habit reminds us to seize the day because right now, this moment is all we've got.

Like most books in each genre, Batterson gives a number of inspiring stories and studies to illustrate his principles. Some are familiar but others introduce new insights. Unlike many books, Batterson actually includes practical suggestions to help us develop and live into his seven habits. He shares many of his own best practices and gives valuable tips throughout his writing.

I rarely read a book more than once because there are so many new ones begging my attention. Batterson's is a book I plan to read once a year to encourage me and help me develop my own best practices to win my days.

I highly recommend this book if you are ready to make an “uncompromising commitment to continuous improvement.” (2046/3740)

It's not releasing until December 29 but you can watch the book trailer here, get a sneak peek of the first 40 pages here, and find out more about the seven habits here.

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Win the day!

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. He has a DMin from Regent University and is the New York Times best-selling author of seventeen books. He and his wife live on Capitol Hill with their three children.

Multnomah, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. 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.)

Insights on the Book of Daniel Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: Insights on the Book of Daniel

Author: Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow

Genre: RELIGION / Biblical Studies/Old Testament/Prophet

Release Date: December 1, 2020

For more than four decades, Alan Stringfellow’s Bible studies have brought greater insight into God’s Word to thousands of believers. Now, the author of Through the Bible in One Year and Great Characters of the Bible leads readers on a 12-lesson, verse-by-verse study of the book of Daniel. Stringfellow’s in-depth teaching will bring clarity and understanding to one of the most misunderstood books in Scripture. With this study, readers will learn…

• How to identify the major themes
• How to memorize key verses
• How to recognize God’s central message
• An overview of various interpretations of the book’s imagery
• The role Daniel’s prophesies play in the entire biblical story

By embarking on this journey, believers will discover the influence that Daniel had on the life and literature of the Jewish people throughout the biblical period and all the way to the writers of the New Testament, including Jesus Christ Himself, who often quoted from it. But nowhere is that influence seen as thoroughly as in the writings of the apostle John and parallels that exist with the book of Revelation. As in John’s prophetic work, the book of Daniel describes in beautiful and marvelous language the glorious coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Like John, Daniel was sure and certain about the final triumph of the kingdom of God.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review 

This is an interesting exploration of the book of Daniel. Stringfellow makes some parallels to the book of Revelation I have not seen before. He also has a different take on the “times of the Gentiles,” a phrase that does not appear in Daniel but was used by Jesus. Stringfellow says the time began in 600 BC when Daniel was taken captive rather than in AD 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed. (544/2826)

I found it odd that Stringfellow says that the church and the dispensation of this age is never mentioned by Daniel or any Old Testament prophet. (1867/2826) What of the prophecies about Jesus? Certainly fulfillment of those prophecies took place in this dispensation age. And Stringfellow says Daniel “saw” the ten toes, toes Stringfellow says were fulfilled by the common market, in this dispensation. (Stringfellow has to believe prophets did not see this age so that the last of Daniel's seventy weeks can be moved beyond this church age of two thousand years to just before Christ returns, producing a gap in prophecy.) Stringfellow references Ephesians 3:1-6 to prove no Old Testament prophet saw this time. What the Ephesians section says was a mystery was that Gentiles would be heirs with Israel, not that this this dispensation, this age of grace was a mystery. Stringfellow says the church and Israel are two separate things (2262/2826) yet Paul tells us in Galatians 3:7 that those who have true faith (believers in Jesus Christ) are children of Abraham and are blessed along with Abraham (Gal. 3:9) Paul also argues there is neither Jew nor Gentile any longer. (Gal. 3:26,28) Many theologians disagree with Stringfellow on this entire concept.

Writers about prophecy sometimes make associations I don't think work at all. Stringfellow writes that the ten toes of the statue in Daniel 2 have been manifested and find their historical fulfillment in the form of the ten nations of the common market, for example. (622/2826) The common market became the EEC in 1973 and is now the EU with 27 members. Stringfellow's association may have been interesting in 1981 when Greece became the tenth member but lost its relevance when two more nations joined in 1986. Stringfellow died in 1993 and that might explain the correlation that is no longer accurate.

Another odd association is Stringfellow writing that the seven years Nebuchadnezzar was insane is a prophecy of the seven year tribulation. (1071/2826) I see absolutely no correlation between the two other than the seven years. I don't like to force a correlation when there is really nothing there to correlate.

I found Stringfellow to be confusing at times. For example, of Daniel 8:9-14, Stringfellow argues that the prophecy was fulfilled in the time of the Macabees. “So, we have a fulfillment of the prophecy,” he writes, “and it cannot be in the future except only in type and in shadow.” (2007/2826) Yet he says the “complete fulfillment” is in the future and Antiochus is only a type, a “faint type” of who is to come at the end of the times of the Gentiles. (2028 and 2052/2826) Stringfellow tries to convince readers the man of Daniel's vision in chapter 10 is the Lord Jesus (2427/2826) yet identifies the message he spoke as through an angel. (2531/2826 ) I also found it interesting Stringfellow says the tribulation is specifically for the Jewish people. (2646/2826)

Potential readers should be aware that Stringfellow promotes a pre-tribulation rapture, a view that is by no means accepted by all evangelical Christians. Historically, it is a rather new view. Christians did not believe it for nearly two thousand years.

This is an introductory study for readers unfamiliar with the book of Daniel. Stringfellow goes through the text generally paragraph by paragraph. Seasoned Christians who have studied Daniel before will find some new and interesting insights and historical information, such as the history of Babylon. As with any book about prophecy, readers should be ready to compare ideas with those of other theologians on the same subject.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

About the Author

Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow (1922-1993), a Bible teacher and minister of the gospel for more than four decades, specialized in Christian education. Long concerned with the struggle most people have in understanding the Bible, he set out to write a study course that would bring believers more knowledge and a greater appreciation of God’s Word. He wrote Through the Bible in One Year, Great Truths of the Bible, and Great Characters in the Bible for laymen, to be taught by laymen. His latest studies include Insights on the Book of Revelation and Insights on the Book of Isaiah. Dr. Stringfellow trained at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, after which he served at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth; First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, Florida; First Baptist Church of Fresno, California; and First Baptist Church of Van Nuys, California.

More about Dr. Alan

• Through the Bible in One Year has sold more than 30,000 copies
• Stringfellow’s solid Bible-based theology crosses all denominational  and theological lines
• Book of Daniel and its prophetic tone of the coming of the Messiah and the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God sparks great interest in believers
• Completes a trio of studies along with Insights on the Book of Revelation and Insights on the Book of Isaiah
• Can be utilized for individual or group study

 

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 4

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 5

Mary Hake, December 5

For the Love of Literature, December 6

Texas Book-aholic, December 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 8

For Him and My Family, December 9

Simple Harvest Reads, December 10 (Spotlight)

deb's Book Review, December 10

Artistic Nobody, December 11 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, December 12

Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 13

Godly Book Reviews, December 14

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, December 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 16

Inklings and notions, December 17

Captive Dreams Window, December 17

 

I received a complimentary digital copy 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.)