Freeze Before Burning by Nikki Stern Blog Tour

 Freeze Before Burning

by Nikki Stern

December 13-31, 2021 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

True Crime Fans Iced by Cold-blooded Killer

What do a bartender, a priest, and a librarian have in common? They all work in New York City. They’re all true crime fans. And they’re all dead, courtesy of a predator with a chilling approach to murder. Talbot County, Maryland Lieutenant Sam Tate is in the Big Apple to find answers about her own tragic past when she is pulled onto the case of the Dry Ice Killer by an old friend with the NYPD. Drawn to a new colleague, she questions her long-time relationship with her FBI boyfriend. Meanwhile, she’s caught between the demands of an impatient bureaucracy and an especially sadistic sociopath. This may be Sam’s most dangerous case yet—if she survives.

My Review:

I like the ongoing story of Sam Tate. Even when she is on a restorative vacation she gets involved in solving a murder mystery. Serial killers seem to be her area of expertise and she rises to the occasion again.

This novel is a good exploration of police procedure in a big city. It was interesting to see how the detectives from different precincts worked together. Sam has an interesting role in the investigation, somewhat involved but somewhat independent too. Sam does do something that is a pet peeve of mine, going off to a dangerous situation without telling anyone her plans. Of course, without support or backup, suspense ensues. She even criticizes another detective for going into a potentially dangerous situation without backup yet goes to his aid by herself. (3408/3815) I don't like it when suspense is created that way.

This novel contains a good balance of police investigative procedure and personal relationship development. I like that Sam's investigation of her personal history is ongoing but is a side issue, not detracting from the current murder investigation. I like how this murder investigation is wrapped up well but we are left with a tantalizing hint as to Sam's next adventure. Bring on the sequel!

This is the third in the Sam Tate series. While it reads well on its own, the earlier novels in the series are good too. You can read my reviews: The Wedding Crasher and Bird in Hand.

My rating for this novel: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Published by: Ruthenia Press
Publication Date: December 8, 2021
Number of Pages: 295
ISBN: 978-9995487-7-6
Series: The Sam Tate Mystery Series, Book 3
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Ed Rizzo slid his ample body into the ornate confessional, crossed himself, and pushed a strand of thinning hair off his forehead. “Forgive me, Father,” he intoned, “for I have sinned, although I’m pretty sure God will cut me some slack even if my wife won’t, if you take my meaning.”

At ten in the morning, the sanctuary was deserted. Good. He didn’t need anyone listening to his confession, which he unloaded to the figure who sat beside him in the confessional over the next ten minutes.

Even as he talked, he considered who might be on the other side of the grate. Rizzo couldn’t make out the features of the man. He wondered if he’d landed the new priest. Maybe a younger person would make light of his transgressions, which mostly related to his perfectly legitimate reaction to his obnoxious neighbor, Frank Pagonis.

Rizzo had his justifications lined up. He hadn’t survived more than a year of enforced quarantine with three kids and a demanding wife, never mind the missing paycheck for a while, only to put up with the stolen newspapers, a lawn mower returned with a bent blade, and a television loud enough to wake the dead.

“But when his dog, which, by the way, he refuses to leash and that’s against the law, went and dug up my tomato plants, yeah, I sprayed some stuff on whatever the mutt left. Not enough to kill the animal, you understand. He can’t help it if he has a jerk for an owner. I would have sprayed his owner’s food if I could have. The point I’m making is, the dog got sick, but it didn’t die, okay?”

Rizzo cocked his head, thinking he might have heard a faint sigh.

“Now he’s coming around with a pile of vet bills and talking about suing me. I told him to take his threats and shove them. I tell you, Padre, I am this close to beating that smug face or maybe twisting that scrawny neck of his. My wife claims that kind of thinking is sinful. I don’t think it’s as bad as doing the deed. I haven’t told her about poisoning the dog, but sparing her the details isn’t the same as lying, is it?”

Nothing. The guy had probably fallen asleep. The confessional was stuffy, and Rizzo experienced a touch of claustrophobia. Time to move things along.

“If you can just suggest a penance to perform, I’ll get it covered. Then I can be on my way.”

He stopped talking, suddenly aware of the silence, how absolute and enveloping it was. The noises of the city street outside had receded. He could hear himself breathing.

“Hey, Father? You all right in there?” Rizzo scratched the grill dividing the two sides of the confessional. His head was pounding now, and he felt vaguely dizzy.

“I know I’ve been yakking a lot. How about we wrap this up, okay?” Again, no response. It occurred to Rizzo that the other man hadn’t said a word the entire time. What if the good father had suffered a heart attack?

He hoisted his bulk off the narrow bench and pushed himself out of the tiny space. The other side of the confessional had its own entrance. He rapped on the door, then tried the handle, more out of instinct than anything else. It turned in his hand, and he pulled.

The black-garbed figure sat with head bowed, hands folded in his lap as if in prayer or contemplation. Or asleep. Rizzo put a tentative hand on the man’s shoulder. With a sigh like a punctured balloon, the black-robed figure tipped sideways off the bench, fell to the floor, and rolled like a blow-up toy.

Startled, Rizzo jumped back. Stay cool, he told himself.

He bent over with an umph and put two fingers to the priest’s throat to search for a pulse. He expected to feel cold, not the scalding heat that burned his skin.

“Jesus Christ!” he yelled, forgetting for a moment where he was. He waved his blistered hand in the air and hopped around until a wave of nausea stopped.

With his foot, he nudged the body so that it rolled onto its back. He stared, speechless for once, at the face of the priest. Then he stepped farther back, pulled out his cell phone, punched in 9-1-1, and gave his report to the dispatcher in a calm, measured tone.

He agreed to wait for the police and medical authorities just outside the church. He even accepted the suggestion that he might dissuade others from entering until help arrived.

Without looking again at the body of the priest, Ed Rizzo crossed himself. He walked slowly to the front door, stepped into the fresh air, and threw up.

***

Excerpt from Freeze Before Burning: A Sam Tate Mystery by Nikki Stern. Copyright 2021 by Nikki Stern. Reproduced with permission from Nikki Stern. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Nikki Stern is the author of six books, two non-fiction and four fiction. The Wedding Crasher, a 2019 Kindle Book Award Winner, and Bird in Hand, a 2020 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie, are the first two books in the Sam Tate Mystery Series. Freeze Before Burning is the latest. Nikki shares author credit on a series of interactive murder mysteries published by Samuel French. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

Catch Up With Nikki:
NikkiStern.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @NikkiStern
Instagram - @realnikkistern
Twitter - @realnikkistern
Facebook - @NikkiSternAuthor

 

Tour Participants:

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Click here to view the Freeze Before Burning by Nikki Stern Tour Hosts.

 

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.)

The Bible Recap Study Guide by Tara-Leigh Cobble

I went through The Bible Recap Bible reading plan this year, listening to the podcasts by Tara-Leigh Cobble. I appreciate going through the entire Bible in a chronological way with insights from her podcast. I am going through the Bible again next year but with some added study.

While I appreciate Cobble's podcast insights (they are really good), I also wanted to up my involvement a bit by doing some of my own research and thinking so I will be going through the Study Guide.

Cobble provides five study questions for each day. Some questions are fact finding and rather objective. Others require reflection and critical thinking. Some require you look up a word in a Bible dictionary or Hebrew or Greek lexicon. You may also want to have Bible maps handy. Fortunately, now one can find the information online and won't have to buy additional books. Cobble lists many free online resources at the beginning of this book.

This book is designed to specifically go through the chronological reading plan Cobble uses. An added feature is an index of days with the Scripture covered given. If one wanted to study a book separately from the reading plan, one could. It should be noted that some of the daily readings cover several Bible chapters so this is not a comprehensive study. Cobble will hit only the main points. It is a good tool for Christians just beginning to read the entire Bible through with a first layer of study. Plenty of space is given to record answers.

This is a good tool to help Christians stay engaged with the Bible on a daily basis. It could be used for discussion with friends although The Bible Recap has an additional book for that. This is definitely a good book to increase your understanding of God's Word.

You can see an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Tara-Leigh Cobble is the creator and host of The Bible Recap podcast. Her zeal for biblical literacy led her to create D-Group (Discipleship Group), which has grown into an international network of hundreds of Bible study groups meeting every week. She also writes and hosts a daily radio show called The God Shot. You can find out more at www.taraleighcobble.com.

Bethany House Publishers, 384 pages.

I received a complimentary copy 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.)

Once Upon a Christmas, written by Dawn Young, art by Kenneth Anderson

If you are looking for something a bit different in a holiday story for kids, this is it. Young has created a fun mix of characters and story line loosely based on the fairy tale of the three bears. The three bears plan a Christmas party and invite all their fairy tale friends. When Rapunzel tumbles onto Jack Frost, the wind gets knocked out of him, downing an incoming Santa into a lagoon. Santa finally finds dry clothes just right and elicits the party goers to rescue his sleigh. The Not-So-Bad-Big-Wolf blows the sleigh dry and, well, you get the idea.

This is a fun holiday story having the good message of cooperation. There are unicorns and giants and dragons and little green men. They all work together to get a task accomplished. Children who are familiar with characters like the Gingerbread Man and Little Red Riding Hood will have fun recognizing them in this story.

While this book has nothing to do with the origin of Christmas, it is an entertaining story with lots of fairy tale characters and a good message.

You can sign up for activity sheets based on the book here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Dawn Young is the author of four picture books, including the Night Baafore series with WorthyKids. She has a degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA; she worked for many years for a large aerospace company. She is a member of SCBWI and many other children's writing groups. She lives in Glendale, Arizona.

Kenneth Anderson is an illustrator and character designer based in the UK. He has worked in games development, animation, and character set design for children's television shows, in addition to illustration work. He lives in Glasgow, UK.

WorthyKids, 32 pages.

I received a complimentary copy 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.)

The Story of The Wise Men, Written by Patricia Pingry Illustrated by Alice Buckingham

This little board book is a great retelling of the story of the wise men. The story begins with the angels appearing to shepherds. The angels announce the good news of a baby born in Bethlehem and the shepherds race to the manger. Next is the wise men, far away. Seeing the star, they know they must follow it. Their visit to Herod is told and then their continued journey presenting gifts to Jesus as he sits in his mother's lap. The last we see of the wise men is their going off on a different way.

I like that Pingry distinguishes the immediate visit of the shepherds and the later one from the wise men. I also like that the story ends before Herod decides further action. The vocabulary is simple, suitable for preschoolers. The illustrations by Alice Buckingham are well done. They are simple yet give a good impression of the actual events.

This is a good addition to books for youngsters introducing them to aspects of the Christmas story.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Patricia A. Pingry has written dozens of children's books and edited hundreds more. Among her best known are The Story of Christmas and The Story of Easter. Together, they have sold over two million copies. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

WorthyKids, 24 board pages.

I received a complimentary copy 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.)

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson

I liked this novel that was both entertaining and informative. It featured a different way women were able to be a part of the American war effort during WW II. The SPARS were women in the Coast Guard. Our heroine is Shirley, daughter of a fisherman in Lubec, Maine. She had been helping her father but when the opportunity was presented to get involved in the SPARS war effort, she did.

I appreciate that the plot of this novel involved danger toward Mrs. Roosevelt. She was a woman helping immigrants, promoting care for Jews and others suffering from prejudice. Some thought harming her would be disruptive for America in general. When the government discovered the traitorous plans, Shirley is sent home to Maine. The Roosevelts had a summer home on an island near Lubec and Shirley was to find what she could as an undercover agent.

The novel deals with several issues including prejudice against Jews, Blacks and women in general. It was interesting to read about the German American Bund, a group of Germans in America up to no good. While Patterson included some good information in her Author's Note, I do wish there had been something about this group.

Patterson's writing style is generally good. The novel kept my interest to the end, providing a good plot with a clear show of romance and a good dose of suspense at the end. There is a pet peeve that Patterson does, however, in ending a chapter with a deadly event then starting the next chapter with everything fine. It is not until pages later we find out what happened.

This is a good novel revealing another way women helped the American war effort during WW II.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Candice Sue Patterson studied at the Institute of children's Literature at age sixteen. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons. She writes both contemporary and historical romance. You can find out more at https://candicesuepatterson.com/.

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.)

Of Fire and Ash by Gillian Bronte Adams Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: Of Fire and Ash

Author: Gillian Bronte Adams

Genre: YA Epic Fantasy

Release date: December 7, 2021

She rides a fireborn, a steed of fire and ash, trained for destruction. Ceridwen tal Desmond dreams of ruling like her father over the nation of Soldonia, where warriors ride to battle on magical steeds—soaring on storm winds, vanishing in shadow, quaking the earth, and summoning the sea. After a tragic accident claims her twin brother, she is exiled and sworn to atonement by spending her life—or death—for her people. But when invaders spill onto Soldonia’s shores and traitors seize upon the chaos to murder her father, Ceridwen claims the crown to keep the nation from splintering. Combatting overwhelming odds and looming civil war, she begins to wonder if the greatest threat to the kingdom may, in fact, be her. With fire before her and ash in her wake, how can she hope to unite instead of destroy?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

This is an epic fantasy novel for readers who like plenty of battle scenes resulting in lots of bodies. The battle scenes are well described but I have to admit I started skimming through them after a while. The novel is not all battles, however, as the heroine, Ceridwen, is on a quest to prove her worth. I would have liked a deeper look at her character and her pursuit. She seemed all action and I had difficulty identifying with the character.

The novel is plotted out so that we follow a number of people, each chapter centering on one person. At first, they seemed unrelated but in the end their stories do come together. I did find going from Rafi to Ceridwen to Jakim repeatedly made the narrative flow a bit fragmented.

This is a good action adventure for young readers. It has the battle against evil, magical creatures, interesting characters, and a worthy quest. There are so many battles and good descriptions, like a head being cut off, I would think this fantasy would be better suited for older teen readers as escape literature.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Gillian Bronte Adams is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, wander- loving fantasy author, rarely found without a coffee in hand and rumored to pack books before clothes when she hits the road. Working in youth ministry left her with a passion for journeying alongside children and teens. (It also enhanced her love of coffee.) Now, she writes novels that follow outcast characters down broken roads, through epic battles, and onward to adventure. And at the end of a long day of typing, she can be found saddling her wild thing and riding off into the sunset, seeking adventures of her own. She loves to connect with readers online at www.gillianbronteadams.com.

More from Gillian

I still vividly remember the moment, years ago, that the idea for this book came to me. It was the end of July, sometime between ten and eleven at night, and the insects outside were buzzing so loudly you could hear them through the window of the back room of the camp office where I sat. Slumped exhaustedly in a chair, shivering in the air conditioning in my sweat-soaked jeans and a t-shirt, I was waiting for the other summer staff to arrive so we could start and finish our planning meeting and stumble off to our cabins to sleep.

Even then, writing felt like breathing to me, so to pass the time and keep myself awake, I drew a ragged notebook out of my backpack and started scribbling sparks and specks of story ideas, barely noticing how my arm left smears of dirt on the page. It was my third or fourth summer as Head Wrangler, which meant I spent my days either on horseback or jogging alongside kids who were learning to ride. Dirt was just a part of life.

So many details of that night remain fresh in my mind, it’s odd that I can’t remember exactly what sparked the idea itself—the wide-eyed grin of a boy on his very first ride, the budding confidence in a girl as she raced around the barrels, or the cumulation of all the hours I’d spent atop my own wild thing, clearing wooded trails with a machete, leaping across creeks because he refused to simply wade, and performing amateur stunts for the occasional skit.

Whatever lit the fuse, as soon as I scribbled the first set of words on that crumpled notebook page, I knew I had struck gold. I felt it in my bated breath and leaping heartbeat. “Super-powered horses.” Or better yet, “Magical steeds.” Some that could breathe fire, some with hides like stone that could quake the earth with their hooves, some that rode upon the waves of the sea, and still others that could step into shadow and disappear without a trace.

Seven in all, they quickly cluttered the page, and I couldn’t wait for the chance to write the epic tale that could contain creatures like these. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a story yet. Just a page full of fanciful beasts and a head full of wild dreams. No characters. No plot. No premise. Or so I thought.

The meeting started then and I had to tuck my notebook away, but I couldn’t banish the magical horses now roaming in my head. Over the weeks and months that followed, I took them out and let them dance across the page every now and then, gradually fleshing out details, uncovering their secrets, and imagining their world. Yet the story itself remained elusive, until I finally, reluctantly, set them aside and turned my attention to other things. Months before that summer night, I had, in a fit of wild inspiration, outlined a new three book series starring a female warrior who longed to rule like her father before her. It was a bit daring and a lot daunting, but while I liked the characters and the concept, the world itself was lacking that flare of uniqueness, that touch of magic, that allows a fantasy realm to sprawl beyond the confines of the page and take root in the imagination of a reader.

Reading the outline afresh, I lamented that it was the sort of lusterless story doomed to die on a novelist’s hard drive, and perhaps my incredible magical horses with it, for though they were lustrous enough, without a story, they could never truly live. Without a story …

What if my aspiring queen lived in their world? What if she rode a fire-breathing steed? How might those beautiful magical creatures enhance and ultimately, shape her and her story?

Combining any two concepts can be dangerous, as you never know how they will interact until you try it. The resulting explosion shattered my outline and blasted apart my carefully formed plans, but when the dust settled and the heart of the new story emerged, I knew that this finally was an epic tale worthy of my magical steeds, and a world deep and dangerous enough to have forged my aspiring queen. It was, at last, Of Fire and Ash, the first book of The Fireborn Epic.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 11

Rebecca Tews, December 11

Worthy2Read, December 12

Texas Book-aholic, December 13

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, December 14

For Him and My Family, December 15

Inklings and notions, December 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 17

deb's Book Review, December 18

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, December 19

Where Faith and Books Meet, December 20

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 20

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 21

April Hayman, Author, December 22

Blogging With Carol, December 22

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 23 (Spotlight)

Through the fire blogs, December 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 24

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.)

Dark Light by John Faubion

This is a good novel exploring what might happen when liberal theologians (there is no such thing as the supernatural) are confronted with the reality of spiritual evil. It starts at a liberal seminary when a student disrupts a class. It continues as the seminary professor commits suicide. Then another dies. Then another.

Leading the attempt to figure out what is happening and who is behind it are Jerold, professor and ordained (though a nonbeliever) and Brenda, daughter of the seminary president (also a nonbeliever). As the two follow leads provided by the first professor to die, they are confronted with spiritual truths they cannot deny. There must be a God. But if God exists, then does evil? If there is evil, how does one fight it?

Faubion does a good job of exploring evil spiritual attacks and deceptive temptations on unsuspecting people. People unaware of the whole spirit world. He portrays well the spiritual awakening and the struggle to recognize how wrong they have been.

I liked this novel. Some readers might be skeptical of the portrayal of evil and its influence on willing people. Faubion's novel is a good wake up call to the reality of the spirit world and the influence on humans. The events at the end might have been a little predictable but other than that, a fine, thought provoking novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

This is the second novel by Faubion I have reviewed. You can read my review of Friend Me here.

John Faubion was a foreign missionary in Vietnam, Guam and to the Chinese in Taiwan for nearly thirty years. He was then a professional software engineer for more than twenty years. He has taught a Bible class in his church for more than twenty years. He is the father of five children and lives in central Indiana with his wife. You can find out more at https://www.johnfaubion.com

Independently published, 289 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Book Sirens. 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.)

Think Again by Adam Grant

Grant begins his book by getting us to think about what it means to be mentally fit. One might think it requires intelligence. Certainly it takes the ability to think and learn. Grant says it also takes the ability to rethink and unlearn. He has written this book to help us know how rethinking happens, how we can encourage others to rethink, and create a community of life long learners.

We are hesitant to change our minds. Who wants to admit we were wrong? What damage might that do to our fragile egos? We exhibit cognitive laziness. We prefer the ease of hanging on to our views rather than go through the difficulty of grappling with opposing information. “We listen to views that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard.” (4)

He writes about thinking like a scientist, about confirmation bias and desirability bias. He suggests we have intellectual humility, knowing what we don't know. “If knowledge is power,” he writes, “knowing what we don't know is wisdom.” (28) He helps us recognize when confidence exceeds competence and to spot feigned knowledge.

Grant suggests an attitude of confident humility. We have faith in our ability to make good conclusions yet live with the awareness we may have some of it wrong. We have faith in our strengths and are aware of our weaknesses. Being wrong is how we learn. “We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions.” (86)

I appreciate Grant's insights shared in this book. I read it because I am a life long learner and I want to know how to keep investigating and correcting my views. I also want to know how to help others rethink their ideas, especially those formed from social media posts instead of scientific research. Grant provided good information and helpful strategy.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton and is one of TED's most popular speakers. His books have sold million and his podcast, WorkLife with Adam Grant, tops charts. He has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation. He received his BA from Harvard and his Ph.D. From the University of Michigan. He lives with his family in Philadelphia.

Viking, 320 pages.

Thank you to my local public library for the opportunity to read this important book.

(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.)