Twilight Tactics by Lynette Eason Blog Tour Book Review

 

TWILIGHT TACTICS

by Lynette Eason

August 3 - 28, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

SOLDIERS IN SHADOWS

 

He came to protect a witness. She came to teach survival skills. Now they're targets with an enemy who won't let either of them walk away.

FBI agent Sully Sullivan arrives at Broken Chains Ranch with Ollie Callahan--a foster teen and sole witness to a mob hit. The ranch, started by Sully's cousin to provide a trauma recovery facility for veterans, should be a place he can keep Ollie safe until the trial. But what was meant as a peaceful haven becomes a battleground when armed attackers surround the property.

Survival expert Elena Thompson teaches wilderness skills at the ranch and coaches Ollie in self-defense. As the series of attacks on the ranch escalates into a full siege, the question becomes who the attackers are after: Ollie, the young witness? Or Elena, with her mysterious past? With communications down and help out of reach, Sully and Elena fight to keep everyone alive as secrets and danger close in.

A gripping romantic suspense thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason, full of action and danger and set on a remote ranch. Forced proximity, surprising twists, and a race against tech-savvy enemies make this a pulse-pounding read for fans of Irene Hannon, Dani Pettrey, and Elizabeth Goddard.

My Review:

 Eason has crafted a good thriller with potential danger for those protecting a young witness. The setting of a remote ranch where veterans with PTSD can find healing adds to the possibility of danger. That danger is compounded when we find out there is a cult commune close by. They are preppers and should be relatively harmless but the group has gone to an extreme and aligned itself with dangerous people. There is a surprise twist involving one of the FBI agents that was a real surprise for me. My favorite character was Ollie, a young, brave and smart teen. The FBI agents could almost take lessons from her.

This is good thriller with danger, valiant heroes and a mean villain. The novel contains good references to a trusting faith and includes a potential romance. It is another entertaining novel from Eason.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Baker Publishing Group
Publication Date: August 4, 2026
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780800744939 (ISBN10: 0800744934)
Series: Soldiers in Shadows, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Lynette Eason is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Twilight Tactics and Deadly Charade. She has written many thrilling romantic suspense series, including Lake City Heroes, Extreme Measures, Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians. Learn more at LynetteEason.com.

Catch Up With Lynette Eason:

LynetteEason.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @LynetteEason
Instagram - @LynetteEason
Threads - @LynetteEason
X - @LynetteEason
Facebook - @lynette.eason

 

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TWILIGHT TACTICS by Lynette Eason

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The One And The Ninety-Nine by Luke Burgis

About the Book:

It’s not hard to find your tribe. The real challenge today is not losing yourself within one.

We are surrounded by tribes: political, professional, online, ideological. Each offer belonging at a price. Join, and you risk dissolving into a ready-made identity. Refuse, and you risk drifting into isolation. Either way, the modern person is pulled toward the same end: forming a fragmented self that is easier to manage, easier to sell to, and easier to recruit.

In The One and the Ninety-Nine, bestselling author Luke Burgis argues that the great crisis of our time is not simply polarization or loneliness, but a crisis of formation: it’s difficult to form an identity that is solid enough to withstand the pressure of the crowd, and modern institutions don’t reward the effort. Drawing from psychology, philosophy, and personal experience, Burgis shows how groups shape our desires, how “social contagion” spreads through families and institutions, and why the hunger to belong can turn ordinary people into instruments of movements they barely understand.

This book is about the missing skill that makes real community possible: learning how to remain oneself while staying connected to others. Burgis offers a practical map for recognizing false belonging, escaping coercive dynamics, and passing through the rites of passage that produce people with integrity and courage.

The One and the Ninety-Nine is a timely and inspiring wake-up call, an invitation to reject counterfeit community and develop depth of personality―to become someone who can stand alone―so that we can finally stand together.

My Review:

Burgis combines his own experiences about identity with historical ideas and modern research. How do we satisfy our desire to belong but not give up our own identity?

This is a thought provoking book for those struggling with knowing how to be in community while also maintaining one's own being.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Luke Burgis is the author of "Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life" and "The One and the Ninety-Nine: Forging Identity in the Age of Social Contagion". A four-time startup founder turned professor at The Catholic University of America, he studies how imitation, desire, and social contagion shape who we become. He is the Founder and Director of The Cluny Institute, which works at the intersection of Athens, Jerusalem, and Silicon Valley. He lives in Washington, D.C., and West Michigan with his wife, Claire, and their children.

St Martin's Press, 288 pages.

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

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Empty Side of Our Bed by Bill Beckett

About the Book:

This is not a how-to book. It is a grief memoir written by someone who lived it — an honest account of love, loss, and the difficult path of rebuilding a life after losing a spouse.

The Empty Side of Our Bed: A Journey Through Love, Loss, and Moving Forward is a deeply personal exploration of life after loss — a raw and honest account of love, caregiving, grief, and the difficult journey of rebuilding after losing a spouse.

Continuing the story that began in Love, Family, Cancer, Bill Beckett opens the door to the reality that comes after the loss: the empty chair, the silent house, the painful “firsts,” the unexpected triggers, and the challenge of finding a way forward while still honoring the love that came before.

This memoir has been recognized within the grief community and is currently listed as a resource by the National Widowers’ Organization, Wings for Widows, and Centering Resources. It has also been featured in Journeys, the monthly publication of the Hospice Foundation of America, highlighting its message of compassion, understanding, and hope for those navigating life after loss.

With honesty and vulnerability, Bill shares the moments that break us, the memories that sustain us, and the quiet victories that come with learning how to live again. This is not a story about forgetting. It is a story about carrying love forward.

My Review:

Beckett shares his experiences of deep grief at the loss of the love of his life. He found writing helped him heal the persistent grief and constant pain. He ultimately found a new way of existing. He writes of experiencing special days after the loss, of cleaning out closets, of struggling to manage his grief. He shares hard lessons he learned, like not to leave things unsaid, like expressions of love.

“I've learned that it's okay to grieve,” he writes, “to grow, and to become someone new.” (168)

This is not a how to book but rather an honest account of his journey through grief.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Bill Beckett is a former IT and digital forensics professional who turned to writing after the loss of his wife, Bonnie, in 2020. He is the author of Love, Family, Cancer, a heartfelt account of their journey through illness. His current project, The Empty Side of Our Bed, is a deeply personal memoir about grief, healing, and rediscovering identity.

A self-described logical thinker and Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), Bill writes with raw honesty about grief, caregiving, and life after loss. His work speaks especially to widowers and anyone navigating profound change.

Independently published, 198 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the author. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Merry-Go-Round Broke Down by David Woo and Margalit Shinar Blog Tour Book Review

 

MERRY-GO-ROUND BROKE DOWN

by David Woo & Margalit Shinar

July 20 - August 14, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A novel of nine linked parables about globalization, ambition, hope, love, and greed spanning two decades and eight countries.

Fall 2008. The Waldorf Astoria New York. Two armed men storm the hotel’s famed bar and hold the occupants hostage: an American corporate raider, a Chinese tycoon, a British hedge fund manager, a Japanese housewife-turned-celebrity, a Mexican undocumented worker, a Wall Street bond salesman, and a Norwegian environmentalist.

Who are these terrorists? What do they want? And what ties them to their captives?

Merry-Go-Round Broke Down is a genre-breaking novel that explores globalization’s “butterfly effect”: how choices made in one corner of the world ignited an unstoppable chain of consequences that upended lives across continents.

Praise for Merry-Go-Round Broke Down:

"What a fantastic tapestry of wordsmithing and storytelling! It left me with a much better understanding of how the world was woven so tightly by globalization, all through the dramatic stories of fascinating cultures and characters that are relevant to this day."
~ Paul Tudor Jones, Chief Investment Officer of Tudor Investment Corporation

"You might think that it would be impossible to write a novel that helps the reader put her arms around the complex issues raised by globalization. Yet, David Woo and Margalit Shinar have done precisely this. The result is most engaging and insightful. It is also one that even globalization experts such as myself can profit from."
~ Jagdish Bhagwati, University Professor of economics and law at Columbia University, author of In Defense of Globalization

"Merry-Go-Round Broke Down depicts the key socio-economic developments of the last quarter-century. It brings to life the people who put them into effect, as well as those who were affected by them. Few were untouched."
~ Howard Marks, the co-founder and co-CEO of Oaktree Capital and international best-selling author of The Most Important Thing

"A timely portrait of a world bound together by the pursuit of profit."
~ Kirkus Reviews

"An ambitious thriller with rich characterizations and a heart-pounding pace, Merry-Go-Round Broke Down also offers a stark, on-the-ground vision of globalization’s devastation."
~ Booklife by Publishers Weekly

"David Woo and Margalit Shinar have perfectly illustrated how even a tenuous connection between individuals can have a profound, far-reaching effect across the world that could never have been predicted."
~ Reader’s Favorite

"Merry-Go-Round Broke Down is a contemporary fiction novel with the propulsion of a financial thriller. It’s fiction, but it wants to explain the world while it entertains you… If you want a story that makes you look up from the page and think, “Wait, is this how it really works?,” then it delivers."
~ Literary Titan

Merry-Go-Round Broke Down Trailer:

My Review:

This novel defies being put in a category. One might say it contains linked short stories or character vignettes. The stories take place all over the world and highlight changing global economics, especially when capitalism is encountered. The experiences are life changing and reveal how money problems are handled in different cultures. There is much about changes in business styles, such as how factories are affected by opportunities opening up in new countries. We read how market futures are changed by news of wars or cease fires and how events in oil producing countries can be catastrophic or produce wealthy people. Each story revolves around one character who is then somehow connected to the character in the next story.

This is an interesting collection of vignettes revealing how people and financial conditions are connected around the world. 

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Financial Thriller
Published by: Regalo Press
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 9798895655801
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Simon & Schuster

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 4

TOMOKO WATANABE
Tokyo, Japan, January–July 2005

“Low interest rates punish savers.” —Bill Gross

THE HOUSE IN KASHIWA, CHIBA Prefecture, southeast of Tokyo, was a two-storied box with aluminum windows and clad in white mosaics. It had a grey-tiled roof and a tiny front garden. The wind was howling outside as Tomoko struggled to get up from her bed. It was six o’clock in the morning and still dark, and everybody in the house was asleep. She was loath to abandon the warmth of the heavy duvet, but today was her husband Akihiro Watanabe’s birthday, and she wanted to surprise him with a special breakfast.

Tomoko shivered as her feet, encased in thick white socks, trod silently on the tatami mat covering the floor. It was cold, even for January, and this was one time she wished there was heating in the bedroom upstairs. She put on her slippers, pulled on a heavy cardigan over her fleece pajamas, and went down to the kitchen.

The kitchen, Tomoko’s kingdom, was small, but she ran it like a tight ship, every utensil and small appliance kept in its assigned place.

She began to prepare her husband’s favorite menu: clam miso soup and omelet rolls. There was smoked fish left over from the previous night, as well as cooked rice.

After turning on the small heater and quickly swallowing a cup of hot tea, she put on her old blue-checked apron and set to work.

Poor Aki, she was thinking, as she removed from the fridge the asari clams she had bought the previous afternoon; he really deserved some cheering up. Only eight months ago he had lost his lifelong employment, the first serious crisis in their marriage of twenty-two years. The electronics company he had given his all to for over thirty years had gone bankrupt after its main customer decided to outsource to China.

She rinsed the clams in cold water, rubbed them clean with a dishcloth, and set them aside to soak in salt water. She then filled a pot with water from the sink and blanched a leaf of kelp. When it had softened, she removed it with chopsticks and then put it back in the pot to boil for a minute or two before taking it out again.

Though Aki had found a new job quickly enough, Tomoko was worried. It not only paid a third less than his previous salary, it was a temporary job, with a contract that had to be renewed every six months. While Tomoko was, by nature, someone who took life’s setbacks with a pragmatic optimism, she felt helpless in the face of the loss of their financial security. As she added dried bonito flakes to the boiling water, she shook her head and pursed her lips at the injustice of it.

When the fish was cooked, she passed the broth through a fine sieve lined with a cloth. Discarding the scum, she sieved it again. And again. Inspecting the liquid for any telltale specks, she repeated the process until she was satisfied the broth was perfectly clear. She now reached out for the clams, soaking in their bath of brine.

Usually, Tomoko loved the ritual fuss of birthdays, especially her husband’s—the shopping for presents, the paper decorations and cards, the candles on the cake—but this year there wasn’t much cause for celebration.

She rinsed the clams and tipped them into the broth. Bringing the liquid to a boil, she skimmed it patiently. Once the clams had opened, she mixed in the miso paste, squeezing it through a small sieve with a spoon. The soup was ready.

Now for the omelets. What was more worrying, she thought, breaking eggs into a bowl with a deft flick of her wrist, was that his pension was gone. And the new job offered no pension at all. The bleakness of their future agitated her as she whisked the eggs with more vigor than necessary and poured them into the frying pan.

The omelets were done. When they had cooled a bit, she rolled them up into narrow, finger-shaped wraps and put them aside. Then she arranged the fillets of cold smoked fish in the middle of a long rectangular plate, which she decorated in one corner with a dollop of daikon radish infused with ponzu sauce. Finally, she heated up the rice and took out some nattō, fermented soybeans, everyone’s favorite.

She looked out the window above the sink. The heavy night darkness was lifting, and she could make out the falling snowflakes and the leafless branches of the cherry tree in their garden bending in the wind. A cold grey light was beginning to infiltrate the kitchen. She switched off the overhead lamp, figuring she could do without it now.

A brown Formica-top table with six chairs stood in a nook just off the kitchen. Poor Aki, she repeated to herself as she began to set it. At the age of fifty-three, there was little chance of his finding steady employment again. Although they never talked about it, she knew that, ashamed and frustrated, her husband was unraveling. His drinking binges had become more frequent, and he had taken to coming home at all hours. He was also becoming moody and short-tempered.

Only last week he had flown off the handle when she told him she was thinking about looking for a part-time job. He wouldn’t hear of it, he had responded angrily. Their son was still at school and needed her. Besides, what would their neighbors think? It was out of the question.

Though Tomoko knew his objections had more to do with his pride, she didn’t bring up the subject again. She vowed to herself she would find another way to help. But how?

Tomoko put down a small flower arrangement, teacups, bowls, and chopstick supports on the table. She had to find a way to help Aki. Whereas she could still take comfort in little things, he had just lost his entire world. She took a moment to align the chopsticks just so. Taking a step back from the table, she viewed the result with satisfaction.

Tomoko glanced at the kitchen clock squeezed between the toaster oven and a shelf. It was seven-thirty and all was ready. Plenty of time left for a leisurely meal before Aki left for the office and their son, Nishio, left for school. What a pity her daughter, Keiko, wasn’t there.

Tomoko brushed that regret away, together with a lock of her permed black hair that had strayed onto her forehead, and stood meekly at the entrance of the kitchen, waiting. She could hear her family coming down the narrow wooden stairs.

She bowed to her husband and her mother-in-law as they appeared, her face faintly flushed from her efforts, her shoulders hunched forward ever so slightly. “Ohayō gozaimasu,” she said, with the politest of greetings.

But Aki only grunted a barely discernible thank-you as he viewed the mini-feast she had prepared and sat down, noisily pushing back his chair.

Then he buried his face in the morning newspaper that Tomoko had laid, neatly folded, to the right of his chopsticks.

He was followed by Nishio. At fifteen, he was a tall and gawky youth, with a few wisps of dark downy hair on his upper lip and chin. He advanced towards the table and sat down in silence. He sat there sullenly, looking down under lowered eyelids, not once making eye contact with his mother. He consumed his soup in a few rapid gulps and hurriedly shoved some rice into his mouth. Then with a curt, barely mumbled good-bye, he got up and was gone.

“Don’t forget your bento box,” Tomoko’s voice rang out after him, “you must eat lunch!”

The third person at the table was Mishimo, Tomoko’s mother-in-law. It was she who owned the house, and after the death of Akihiro’s father some ten years before had given over most of the space to her son’s family, keeping only one room for herself. It was a situation not without friction. She had never liked Tomoko and was of the opinion that her handsome son could have found a better match than the daughter of a taxi driver. Or, at the very least, a prettier one. Though their exchanges were invariably on the right side of civil, Mishimo inevitably found fault with everything Tomoko did. But this morning was different. She spooned down the soup slowly, savoring every sip. “Excellent, Tomoko,” she remarked loudly. “Well done.” A compliment! Tomoko was touched to the bottom of her heart.

She then turned to her husband.

“Anata,” he said, using a Japanese term of endearment. “I hope you’ll be home on time for dinner. I bought a cake for tonight. And there will be eel as a main course.”

Aki didn’t shift his eyes from the newspaper. “No. I’m eating out.

Client dinner. Don’t wait up for me. I’ll be back late.”

If Tomoko was disappointed, she showed no sign of it.

“Akihiro-san. I also bought you a small gift,” she announced timidly. She had bought it out of her personal savings and had hoped to give it to him at the evening meal. She would have to give it to him now instead.

She went to the living room where she had hidden it. Coming back, she bowed respectfully and held out the package in her two open palms like an offering, saying “Happy birthday” in English.

Aki finally deigned to lower the newspaper and stared at the box wrapped in delicately folded bright blue paper, tied with a slender red-and-gold string. He reached out to take it. But instead of opening it, he put it in the pocket of his suit jacket.

“Have to rush now,” he said dismissively.

“It’s the lighter you always wanted,” said Tomoko. But Aki responded with a dead gaze of bitterness at the wall behind her. Suddenly, he jumped up from his chair with such violence that it crashed to the floor.

“Baka! You stupid woman! Kono ama, you bitch!” He exploded in an inexplicable fit of rage.

Tomoko shrank back.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to waste money?” he yelled. “Don’t you see the situation we’re in?”

Without warning, he grabbed the cast-iron teapot from the table. He seemed ready to hurl it straight at her. Tomoko raised her arm to defend herself. He had hit her before, and she thought she knew what to expect.

At the last moment, however, perhaps in response to a whispered word from Mishimo that never reached Tomoko’s ears, he changed the direction of his aim and the heavy pot went flying toward the kitchen. Spurting tea, it smashed loudly into one of the kitchen cabinets.

In the silence that followed, Tomoko couldn’t move. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. But she didn’t say a word. Out of the corner of her eye, she was just in time to catch the expression of icy disapproval on Mishimo’s face.

***

Excerpt from MERRY-GO-ROUND BROKE DOWN by David Woo & Margalit Shinar. Copyright 2026 by David Woo & Margalit Shinar. Reproduced with permission from David Woo & Margalit Shinar. All rights reserved.

 

David Woo:

David Woo is a renowned global macro strategist, widely recognized for his bold and prescient calls on some of the biggest economic, political, and geopolitical stories over the past quarter century. Bloomberg called him “one of the most outspoken voices on Wall Street,” while Business Insider named him among “the twelve smartest people on Wall Street.” His views have shaped debates across markets, policy circles, and the global media. David began his career at the International Monetary Fund before going on to hold senior positions at Bank of America, Barclays Capital, and Citigroup. He earned a PhD in economics from Columbia University and a bachelor of arts in mathematics from Tufts University. A true product of globalization, David was born in Pittsburgh, raised in Taiwan, and educated in the United States. His career has taken him from Washington DC to London and New York. He is fluent in English, Chinese, and French.

Catch Up With David Woo:

www.davidwoounbound.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Facebook

 

Margalit Shinar:

Margalit Shinar is an architect. Margalit was born in New York, the daughter of French émigrés. She has a master’s degree in art history from Tufts University and a bachelor of arts in architecture from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. She has edited a history book on ancient Israel. She is fluent in English, French, Hebrew, and Italian.

Catch Up With Margalit Shinar:

Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads

 

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Nightmare at Manhattan Beach by D D Black

About the Book:

Former NYPD detective Thomas Austin has spent three long years haunted by his wife Fiona's unsolved murder.

Three years searching for answers.

Three years finding little.

Until one lead changes everything.

Back in New York City, Austin picks up the scent of a far-reaching conspiracy involving rogue elements of the FBI, the NYPD, and ruthless Southeast Asian and Colombian drug cartels. Each new clue paints a more sinister picture, suggesting Fiona was caught in something bigger than Austin ever imagined. Something powerful enough to silence her forever.

To get justice, Austin must plunge deeper into the corrupt underworld where she spent her final days. A world where the truth comes at a deadly price.

A price Austin may not be willing to pay.

Can Austin overcome the nightmares haunting Brooklyn's Manhattan Beach? And if he finally learns the truth, will it bring him the peace he's been yearning for, or shatter everything he thought he knew about himself, his city, and the woman he still loves.

My Review:

I have enjoyed this series. While they are good novels of mystery and suspense, they mostly take place in areas around Puget Sound, where I live. It is always fun to read of action taking place in a location I have visited. This novel, however, takes place in New York. I am happy with it. I have felt that Austin's investigative adventures have been over shadowed by his nagging desire to find his wife's murderers. He does that here.

This novel is a good one with action and suspense, especially near the end. I missed Run, Austin's loyal corgi. It just didn't seem right for Austin to have an adventure without her. I am sure Austin will be on another case soon. I'll be there, reading about it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of earlier books in the series: The Bones at Point No Point, The Shadows of Pike Place, The Fallen of Foulweather Bluff, The Horror at Murden Cove, The Terror in the Emerald City, and The Drowning at Dyes Inlet. 

About the Author:

D.D. Black writes crime fiction set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He is the author of the Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers and the FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. series. When he's not writing, he can be found strolling the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, cooking dinner for his wife, and throwing a ball for his corgi over and over and over. To learn more, check out my website, where you can join the VIP Reader Club for discounts, news, and more corgi photos than you ever knew you needed. You can find out more at https://ddblackauthor.com/  

Independently published, 248 pages.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

Lethal Design by S F Baumgartner Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: Lethal Design (KC & Orlando Prime Book 2)

Author: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Crime Thriller with Christian elements

Release Date: August 4, 2026

Some deaths are designed.

The death looks routine — no foul play, no reason to dig. But KC knows this building and what happened here a year ago. And the pattern spreading across the city is no coincidence.

Professionals with no addiction history are dying along eerily similar paths. Someone patient and invisible is engineering these outcomes. As the Orlando Prime task force chases separate leads across the city, the threads begin pointing to the same dark center.

The closer they get, the more dangerous the truth becomes. Some designs were never meant to be uncovered — and the cost of exposing this one may be more than any of them are prepared to pay.

Perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock and Lynette Eason who love fast-paced, clean crime thrillers with the intensity of Criminal Minds and the grit of NCIS.

Follow Kylie “KC” Cassidy and the Orlando Prime task force as they take on the cases no one else can crack, starting with Lethal Design.

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is another good police investigative mystery by Baumgartner. Like the first in this series, there are two investigative threads and the focus changes between the two. One thread is the regular Orlando Police Department and the other is the special task force called Orlando Prime. The focus of the narrative changes from one to the other as the plot develops. They both end up following the same leads so there is a bit of repetition in the narrative as they discover the same information..

A clever killer is their target. He is able to make murders look like suicide or accident and it takes a great deal of dedicated investigative work to identify the true murder scenes. The Commander of Prime is emotionally involved since the murder of his wife is one of those scenes.

Baumgartner's writing style keeps the action moving. The narrative is sleek with just what readers need to know to follow the action. The characters are well crafted as people dedicated to finding the truth and holding the guilty accountable. I recommend this fast paced novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my review of the first novel in this series, Fatal Invitation.

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 and Forgotten Secret—Books 1 & 2 of her Mirror Estate series—named Top Picks in the thriller & suspense categories, respectively, at Killer Nashville, and Tangled Secrets—Book 3 of Mirror Estate series—won couple of awards in the Christian Indie Awards and the Incipere Awards. 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.

 

More from S.F.

Lethal Design, Book 2 in the KC & Orlando Prime series, shifts the spotlight in a powerful way. While Fatal Invitation centered on Detective Kylie Cassidy, this installment dives deep into the elite Prime Task Force, especially its leader, Commander Frank Travers.

A year ago, Travers lost his wife to a brutal, unsolved murder. The case went cold. The killer vanished. But in Lethal Design, that past refuses to stay buried.

As KC and the Prime team investigate a new wave of suspicious deaths, threads begin to surface, threads that may finally lead Travers to the truth he’s been chasing. And this time, it’s personal.

What makes this story especially layered is how it connects back to the larger conspiracy introduced in Stolen Secrets. Pieces are moving. Secrets are colliding. And everything must align as the story builds toward a confrontation that’s been a long time coming.

Expect high-stakes action, tight investigative work, and emotional tension as justice and revenge blur into something far more dangerous.

Because when Travers comes face-to-face with his wife’s killer… there’s no guarantee he walks away.

And KC may be the only one who can keep him from crossing a line he can’t come back from.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 31

The Lofty Pages, July 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 1

Vicky Sluiter, August 2 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 3

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 4

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

For the Love of Literature, August 7 (Author Interview)

Blogging with Carol, August 8

Because I said so, August 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 11 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 12

Betti Mace, August 13

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.F. is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/uhz7K/lethal-design-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)

The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham Blog Tour Book Review

About the Book

Book: The Bachelor Spy (A Freddie and Grace Mystery Book 5)

Author: Pepper Basham

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction

Release Date: July, 2026

Spies Infiltrate Havensbooke Hall. . .and Another Mystery Adventure Begins

Stephen Blake’s life goal is to protect people, especially those closest to him, but war in 1914 England doesn’t follow any rules. When Blake is informed that a noted German spy may have taken up residence at Havensbrooke Hall—his cousin Lord Astley’s estate, which is being used as a convalescent war hospital—he’s sent there to uncover the plot.

Lady Grace Astley has become a force to be reckoned with while Frederick is out on the war front. With Havensbrooke as a hospital, she’s shocked by the devastation the war is bringing home; but ever hopeful, she is determined to help these weary soldiers find some relief. However, not everything is as it seems inside Havensbrooke. Precious items soon start disappearing. . .and not just the kind that are worth a lot of money.

Through a case of mistaken identity, a comedy of errors, a kidnapping, and a race for time within the crumbling subterranean passageways beneath Havensbrooke, can Blake and Gracie work together to root out the criminals, thieves, and spies before time runs out?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This novel was an absolute delight to read. Basham is a master at creating amazing characters who dialogue with subtle whit and gentle sarcasm. The repartee is so fun to follow. Basham creates seriously nefarious characters too. That leads to some exciting fight scenes, even a few among women. The descriptions are as good as any thrillers I've read. And the romance! There are some romantic scenes, totally clean and pure but with such depth of emotion they nearly took my breath away. There is also some good humor. I really liked that Grace is such a reader of mysteries. That allowed Basham to create some great tongue in cheek humor. There is a subtle but well presented faith message too.

I am not generally not a fan of historical fiction but I have loved this series. I highly recommend it.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

I have read a couple of the previous books in this series and you can read my reviews: The Cairo Curse and The Juliet Code.

 

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

 

Excerpt

Prologue

May 7, 1915

Stephen Blake had been trailing the presumed spy most of the voyage—first to secure his target, and then. . .to strike. Every clue pointed to the fact that the gregarious businessman Donald Leaman was none other than Albert Stein, a German informant ferrying English war secrets straight to the fatherland.

Unfortunately, every opportunity Blake had found to confront the man had been thwarted: too many watchful eyes, too much pomp and luxury for a clean cornering. With the Lusitania’s transatlantic voyage ending in less than a day, his time to complete this mission was slipping away.

Worse, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was being followed himself. Only a limited few knew of his operation to uncover a ghostlike informant who’d used their “ordinary” position to gain extraordinary intelligence—from transfer stations, casualty clearing posts, even a general’s bunker at the Western Front. The spy had proven madden-ingly elusive, slipping through every trap British intelligence laid

with almost theatrical flair.

But what did they know? Stein was the spy’s last contact. And Blake was tasked with finding out what he knew.

The Lusitania was hardly Blake’s first ship, but certainly it was the grandest. It felt as though Claridge’s, the famous hotel in London, had taken to the sea, complete with its extravagant marble floors and its crystal chandeliers, with champagne in the air and ease all around. Just after luncheon, Stein had excused himself early and started down the grand staircase toward the lower decks. An odd choice for a first-class passenger, especially so near the end of the trip and with

his companions urging him to remain for cards.

So, of course, Blake followed.

Deck by deck, corridor by corridor, until the music and chatter faded into the deep measured thrum of the engines.

Occasionally, Stein cast a look behind him but never appeared concerned enough to stop his descent. This was certainly a planned meeting.

The elegance of the upper floors gave way to simpler decor, narrower corridors. Second-class accommodations. Stein stopped before a cabin door. His knock held an unnatural rhythm—three quick raps, a pause, two more. After only a beat of silence, a murmur from within responded.

Stein’s immediate whispered answer? “Octavia.” A code word, no doubt.

The door opened. Stein slipped inside, but before the door could click shut, Blake rushed soundlessly forward and caught it with his fingertips.

Perfect.

He released a self-satisfied grin and then pressed himself against the corridor wall, listening through the crack over the hum of the ship’s engine.

The cabin was small—voices carried easily in the confined space—and the faint scent of cigarette smoke drifted through the opening. “You’re late.” A man’s voice, crisp and impatient. Something about the cadence nagged at Blake’s memory, but he couldn’t place

1. English, certainly. Kentish?

Blake frowned. He could overpower Stein easily—the man was more socialite than combatant, the sort who’d probably never thrown a proper punch in his life. But this unknown fellow, clearly in charge and confident enough to smoke a cigarette while conducting treason? That suggested either experience or exceptional stupidity. Blake hoped for the latter but suspected the former.

“It was difficult to get away without raising suspicion,” Stein replied, his accent thickening into full German. “Blake is on this ship.”

Blake’s pulse quickened. So Stein knew he was being followed. “I know.” The other man’s tone didn’t waver. A long exhale

followed, as if he were breathing out smoke. “We’ve been watching him to ensure he didn’t wreck things.”

We? Who?

Blake’s mind raced through the passenger manifest, through his team members, through every face he’d seen on this voyage. That voice. . .

“But with that in mind, we need to move quickly,” the Englishman continued. “What do you have for me?”

A rustle of papers. “The Midnight Angel’s next assignment. She’s to embed herself in a convalescent hospital—but not in France this time. There is too much interest in her there.”

Blake’s breath caught. She was called the Midnight Angel? The informant they’d been hunting for months. And she was a woman.

“Italy, then?”

“Nein,” Stein answered simply. “A place much closer to your front door, mein Herr.”

England? A convalescent hospital in England?

“Perfect,” the Englishman murmured. “Wounded officers talk too freely around nurses they think are angels of mercy.”

“Clever, no?” Stein’s voice held a note of pride. “No one suspects the nurses. They’re invisible, really. Moving between stations, tending to generals and privates alike. She’s already proven invaluable.”

“This is excellent information, Stein.” A pause. “And you’ve given

it so freely. Too freely, I’m afraid.”

Blake froze. He knew that tone—the shift from curiosity to finality. The Englishman was finished with Stein. The German had served his purpose, been found wanting, and now. . .had become a liability.

He couldn’t wait any longer. Stein had to be taken alive—had to be questioned, catalogued, and wrung dry of every detail about the Midnight Angel and her network before—

He drew his revolver and pushed through the door. The scene materialized in a horrifying instant.

Stein stood near a narrow desk, documents scattered before him. And holding a gun already drawn, already aimed at Stein’s head with casual confidence, stood Evan Montgomery.

Blake’s breath squeezed closed in his throat.

Montgomery? His colleague. His friend. The man he’d trained with in Scotland, shared terrible army rations with in the trenches, trusted with his life on half a dozen missions across the Channel. The man whose sister Blake had been half in love with for six months but was far too professional to mention. The man who was, apparently, a traitor.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 30

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 30

Melissa’s Bookshelf, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 31

Texas Book-aholic, August 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 2

Book Holds and Jello Molds, August 2

Sylvan Musings, August 3

Jodie Wolfe, August 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

Where Faith and Books Meet, August 4

Connie’s History Classroom , August 4

Simple Harvest Reads, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)

The Vine and The Branch, August 5

Stories By Gina, August 6 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, August 6

Mary Hake, August 6

Min Reads and Reviews, August 7

Wishful Endings, August 7

She Lives To Read, August 8

Blossoms and Blessings, August 8

Labor Not in Vain , August 9

Holly’s Book Corner, August 9

Lily’s Corner, August 10

Cover Lover Book Review, August 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 11

Pause for Tales, August 11

The Sacred Line, August 12

Devoted to Hope, August 12

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, August 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/ovQ5J/the-bachelor-spy-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)