OBSCURITY by Christy Barritt, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

PROS AND CONS MYSTERIES #5

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"She knew all about secrets. They were what she did best."

Olive Sterling felt as if she had already lived a lifetime full of secrets. Now it seemed that the mountains of West Virginia were holding fast to some of their own. The daughter of a tech billionaire had gone missing while organizing and promoting an elite wilderness concert experience, prompting the girl's father to hire private investigators. Posing as a married couple, Olive and her colleague (and once the love of her life) Jason Stewart were slated to attend the inaugural Grayfall Music Festival which turned out to be nothing like they expected and everything they would have dreaded, if they had only known. Something very nefarious was happening on that mountain.

"The trees are watching."

This plot was wound so tightly that every sight and sound seemed like a tipping point. I may have even caught myself holding my own breath a time or two. Definitely my favorite episode in this series!
*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review 

 

BackCover Blurb:
What happened in Grayfall was supposed to stay in Grayfall.

When Chloe Kingston, daughter of a tech billionaire, vanishes while organizing a remote music festival in West Virginia, private investigator Olive Sterling takes the case. Chloe’s cryptic final message, “The trees are watching,” suggests there’s more to local folklore than mere legend.

Posing as married festival-goers, Olive and her colleague Jason Stewart trek deep into the mountains to attend the inaugural Grayfall Music Festival. What they find is a rustic disaster masquerading as a luxury experience. Promised headliners don’t show. Gourmet meals turn out to be cheap hot dogs. And the glamping accommodations are threadbare tents in a dilapidated ghost town.

As complaints mount and guests demand refunds, Olive realizes they’re not just dealing with fraud—they’re trapped in something far more dangerous. When other attendees start to disappear, Olive struggles to uncover what’s really going on before she becomes the next person to vanish.

The thrilling fifth installment in USA Today bestselling author Christy Barritt's Pros and Cons series.

Riverside Press, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon

A WRITING UPON THE SAND by J. M. Kirkley, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

PAULA'S REVIEW:
“May your character be not a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock.”

Based on the real, disastrous hurricane of 1900 in Galveston, Texas, the author brings the events to life in the story of twenty year old Emily Cleburn. Emily has agreed to become a governess for her cousins to enable her aunt to care for her ailing uncle.

Ms. Kirkley did an admirable job chronicling the devastation that befell the people of Galveston during the worst hurricane in U. S. history. Amidst the tragedy, the author spins a tale of a young girl helping family but also being pursued by two men: the local clergyman, Colin Hensleigh and Nathan Chambers, a neighbor. Nathan is a newspaperman who seeks to expose corruption in town having to do with Chinese immigrants.

Lots of complexities to this story with the addition of emotional upheaval that follows a tragic event. The book follows the spiritual struggles that Emily grappled with along her faith journey. When Emily questioned why God was silent, she was pointed to where God has already revealed himself: Holy Scripture. “Maybe God wanted her to desire knowing Him more than having answers.”

An exceptional story that gave spiritual insight with a backdrop of a historically significant event.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread

BackCover Blurb:
Galveston, Texas, 1900: Twenty-year-old Emily Cleburne seizes the offer to become governess, but chasing her dream places her in the path of the deadliest hurricane in American history.

Emily is desperate to succeed after her father thrusts her from home with no lifeline. With little experience, what she lacks in confidence, she makes up for in grit.

Nathan Chambers, a reporter with a secret, pursues Emily’s affections. Drawn in, Emily agrees to keep what he reveals confidential, thereby threatening her position, and clashing with her integrity. Colin Hensleigh, a young minister, challenges her while proving himself a trusted friend.

Emily's alarm grows as the catastrophic storm bears down on the island. She cannot foresee what will happen and who will survive.

When the storm reduces Emily’s plans to rubble, adversity tests her character and faith in unimaginable ways. Will the teacher stand firm when all else gives way, or will she fail the test?

~ Grief themes
~ Includes book club questions 

August, 2025, Available in digital and paperback at Amazon

A SCHEMING IN PARLIAMENT by Erica Vetsch, TOUR AND REVIEW with Paula Shreckhise #JustRead

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Scheming in Parliament by Erica Vetsch hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

 

Title: A Scheming in Parliament 

Series: Of Cloaks & Daggers #2 

Author: Erica Vetsch 

Publisher: Kregel Publications 

Release Date: August 26, 2025 

Genre: Regency Mystery Romance 

 Evil is masquerading in the halls of Parliament, and Sir Bertrand Thorndike is tasked with investigating from the inside. With his new position as a member of the House of Commons, he has access to the power brokers of English government. His tactic is to listen and learn, careful not to reveal his true motives, and he's quickly inducted into the mysterious Theban Club. 

Miss Philippa Cashel's mission, the Princess Charlotte Eleos School for Women in Need, is thriving with donations, and the students are learning skills to help them earn their livings in honorable ways. But when a dear friend's past is revealed by blackmail, Philippa must wrestle with the question, Is it ever right to do the wrong thing? 

Bertie's and Philippa's missions collide when Bertie uncovers a dangerous plot involving vulnerable women. He and Philippa join forces against the corruption threatening to topple England's government, all while navigating their outward reputations and inward feelings for each other.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

PAULA'S REVIEW:
I love the Haverly universe as penned by Erica Vetsch. Bertie and Phillipa make an engaging couple as they are paired by Marcus for a new adventure in spying which could be a little matchmaking too!
 

Phillipa has a tender heart for the misused women trying to leave a life of sin. Since establishing Eleos, the refuge that equips ladies and finds them respectable vocations, Phillipa is busy fundraising and furnishing the estate. “The past is the past, and that is where it belongs. You are not defined by what you once were, but who you are now in Christ.”
 

Sir Bertrand Thorndike is the perfect gentleman and gains a seat in the House of Commons in order to ferret out corruption. He falls right into a seedy situation that someone powerful is behind the scenes pulling the strings.
 

Lots of intrigue, a little romance, and some mischievous animals round out a perfect story. The political attitudes of the era were surprisingly similar to what we see today. Showing that some things stay the same.
 

A favorite character was the new vicar of Eleos. Mr. Hewitt was a humble man who showed repentance and gave back to others by not only preaching a good sermon but worked hard to help renovate the grounds and buildings. He treated all with respect and gave grace.
 

If you love Regency tales, this book is not to be missed.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Kregel on behalf of the author through Just Read Tours. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread.

More in this Series:

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About the Author

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling author and ACFW Carol Award winner, and has been a Romantic Times top pick for her previous books. She loves Jesus, history, romance, and watching sports. This transplanted Kansan now makes her home in Rochester, Minnesota. Learn more about Erica at ericavetsch.com.

Connect with Erica by visiting ericavetsch.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of A Scheming in Parliament and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 3, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 10, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

BURIED WILDERNESS SECRETS by Jaime Jo Wright, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"She wasn't supposed to find human bones in the wilderness."

Park ranger Aaliyah Terrence stumbles upon something totally unexpected in the middle of the Montana woods, a human skull. To make matters worse, the surrounding area shows signs of being disturbed, almost like . . . 

Aaliyah never gets to finish that thought before she is endangered by someone who does not appreciate the Bob Marshall park giving up its secrets. When cold case detective Wade Marlowe joins local law enforcement to asses the find, he brings news of a surprising nature as the interacting lines that ensue do not bode well for Aaliyah; she has a past that has literally been buried.

An absolute gem of a story! Everything that readers might expect from a full length romantic suspense novel are carefully packed into this highly dramatic, surprise-around-every-turn, heart-throbbing short one!
*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 

 

 SEE PAULA'S REVIEW

 

BackCover Blurb:
Uncovering cold case secrets

could be deadly…

Montana park ranger Aaliyah Terrence finds a serial killer’s burial ground—and narrowly survives the brutal attack that follows. And when cold case detective Wade Marlowe reveals that her birth mother was the murderer’s first victim, it soon becomes clear that Aaliyah has been marked as his next target. As their search into the past reveals old skeletons and puts Aaliyah in ever-increasing danger, she’ll have to rely on Wade to keep her safe. But will they discover the killer’s identity before she meets the same end as her mother?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith. 

 

Love Inspired, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook and paperback

Buy BURIED WILDERNESS SECRETS at Amazon or Christianbook .com