ARTIFICE by Christy Barritt, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

Pros and Cons Mysteries Book 4

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
Well. Well. Well. Lighthouse Harbor was definitely not what it was supposed to be.

Arriving on the campus of the private institution for troubled teens (the grounds an eerie carry-over as a former mental hospital), Olive Sterling is going in undercover as a wealthy benefactor determined to unlayer the school's secrets. Students have been disappearing. How and why? . . . the answer to those questions may be more dangerous that Olive was expecting.

Tip-toeing suspense mixed with diabolical intentions equals an absorbing read! Just a whisper of romance, and yet . . .

BackCover Blurb:
Three missing teens. One questionable school. Zero room for error.

When the teenage son of a prominent Boston family vanishes from Lighthouse Harbor—an exclusive institution for troubled teens—private investigator Olive Sterling is called to find him.

Posing as a wealthy benefactor, Olive infiltrates the school. But something sinister lurks within. Other students have gone missing. Each time a student disappears, the administrators label them runaways. But Olive doesn’t buy it. Strange behavior from the staff, whispers of experimental treatments, and a suspicious death all point to a dangerous conspiracy.

Complicating matters is Simon Long, an education consultant whose penetrating questions and convenient timing make Olive question his true motives. Their undeniable attraction only adds to her confusion. Is he an ally in her investigation or someone with a hidden agenda of his own?

With time running out, Olive must face harrowing cliffs of deception to uncover the truth and save the students before another life is lost.

River Heights Publishing, May, 2025

Available in digital ebook or paperback at Amazon

EVERY HOUR UNTIL THEN by Gabrielle Meyer, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

TIMELESS SERIES #5

REBECCA'S REVIEW:
" . . . there was only one thing to do. I had to surrender to God's plan. I wasn't sure what it was, or how it would work, but I was at the end of my own abilities."

Managing her life between London, England in 1887 and Washington, DC in 1938 has just gotten a lot more complicated. Coming to the realization that her sister's banishment from their London home was essentially a death warrant, Kathryn's work as a guest curator at the London Museum becomes all the more crucial. Jack the Ripper was an elusive historical figure in one time period and a dangerous criminal in another.

Might Kathryn's research expose the identity of the cold blooded killer and thus provide her with the evidence necessary to prevent her sister's demise? Time-crossers (of which she was one) were warned against trying to change history in either path, automatically forfeiting that portion of their life forever . . . which made the situation all the more heartbreaking, since this particular portion of her life included her beloved.

Absolutely brilliant! It is almost inconceivable to realize how skillfully this author twisted and turned the cogs of history to write this alluring, believable conclusion to one of history's most infamous mysteries ever autopsied within a narrative.
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

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SEE KIM'S REVIEW

 

BackCover Blurb:
Gifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger. In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling truth: Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper's final victim decades earlier.

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history's most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she'll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister. 

 

Bethany House Publishing, May, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy EVERY HOUR UNTIL THEN at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 

 

 

 

 

FIRE MOUNTAIN by Dana Mentink, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

PAULA'S REVIEW:

Trucker Kit and ex-cop Cullen meet in a volatile situation during the imminent eruption of Mount Ember. Their motto becomes: “Faith not Fear” in the face of danger. 
 

Ms. Mentink conveys the human condition through the frailties of her characters. She shows how they are unforgiving of themselves and others because of what they encountered in their pasts. But she also shows how they come to realize that they are not God and He requires them to forgive so that they can move on.
 

There is non-stop excitement during the days leading up to an eruption similar to Mt. Saint Helens. Complications in the form of bad guys looking for a girl that Kit helped ramps up the tension. Through it all, Cullen is tough and staunchly defends Kit and an abandoned baby. “Let’s see what you’re up to here, God.” 
 

This author sure knows how to put her characters through the wringer and test their mettle. She ramps up the action and had me on the edge of my seat in this exceptional story. 
 

A harrowing and riveting story with a spiritual dimension. 
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread 

SEE REVIEWS BY KIM AND REBECCA

 

BackCover Blurb:
Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive.

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he's the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn't want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he's in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby's missing mother--all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above. 

 

Revell Publishing, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy FIRE MOUNTAIN at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

THE HIGHLAND HEIST by Pepper Basham, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

A FREDDIE AND GRACE MYSTERY

PAULA'S REVIEW:

A murder, an inheritance, a castle in Scotland and the legendary Loch Ness. Grace is in for more mystery in this engaging tale of searching for a will with lots of family drama included. “She adored the thrilling pursuit of finding answers. And there were a great many unanswered questions piling up right before her.”
 

Ms. Basham has crafted the ultimate sleuthing duo. I cannot get enough of adorable Grace and darling Freddy. As Grace says: “I love it when you talk sleuth.” 
 

This time they venture to Virginia to find sister Lillias and her husband Tony and to visit their ancestral home. They are met with a crime freshly committed and a surprise inheritance for the sisters that needs to be quickly legalized. But of course complications arise and lives are in danger. 
 

The author is a masterful storyteller and had me right there in the ancient castle, viewing the carved depictions of legendary Scottish folklore characters. 
 

Along with the danger, the author does not forget the romance of a couple on their honeymoon nor the fact that they see everything through spiritual lenses. “If the world is shifting beneath our feet, dear Fredrick, then we must trust in the One who holds the whole world all the more.” 
 

I just want this series to go on and on! 
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Barbour via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread 

 

SEE REBECCA'S REVIEW:

 

BackCover Blurb:

Grace Storms a Scottish Castle to Save her Sister

Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace’s sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sister’s they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother’s inheritance.

The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias disappears, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland, sure the answers will be found in a long-forgotten castle.

With a ghost from Frederick’s past leaving threatening clues along the way, the mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself, and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must capture the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.

The Highland Heist is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess, The Cairo Curse, and The Juliet Code.

Barbour Fiction, July, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy THE HIGHLAND HEIST at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House