DYING TO SELL by Tina Radcliffe and Ellery Adams, Reviewed by Kim #ReleaseDay

HOPE STREET CHURCH MYSTERIES Book Nine

KIM'S REVIEW:

I just love this cozy mystery series! I always say, if Tina Radcliffe’s name is on it, I’ll read it. She’s such a gifted storyteller—her writing is warm, engaging, and full of heart. The characters she creates are so easy to love and root for, and I find myself completely immersed in their world every time I pick up one of her books.

One of my favorite elements of the series is the Bible study group. I love how this tight-knit, supportive group of friends works together to solve mysteries in their small town. It adds such a fun and unique twist to the usual cozy mystery formula, and their camaraderie brings depth to the story. The faith thread is always seamlessly woven throughout—never heavy-handed or out of place. It feels natural and uplifting, and it really adds to the charm of the series.

I also really love Cooper and Jon—watching their relationship grow and develop over the course of the series has been such a treat. Their dynamic adds a layer of emotional richness to the story, and I always look forward to seeing what’s next for them. Honestly, I think this series could just keep going and going, and I’d happily follow along for every installment!

While Dying to Sell is book 9 in the series, it reads perfectly well as a standalone. New readers won’t feel lost, but longtime fans will appreciate the continued growth of the characters and community.
*I received a complimentary copy of this story. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is light. Another 5-star read from Tina Radcliffe!

BackCover Blurb:
Welcome back to Hope Street Church, where friendships are formed, fresh starts are encouraged, and mysteries are solved . . .

When an unscrupulous real estate agent tries to strong-arm a wealthy friend of Grammy Lee’s into selling her stately home, Cooper and her Bible study friends are called in to investigate—before any crime has been committed. Grammy’s fear is that the man is so devious he’ll try to bump off her friend in order to get his hands on the estate. But before Cooper and the gang can do much more than confirm he’s as sketchy as Grammy suspects, someone else takes matters into their own hands and takes the agent out of the picture, permanently.

The Bible study group knows that even the wicked deserve justice, so they continue to investigate, this time to catch a killer. There’s a full roster of service staff heading up their list of suspects, along with the elderly home owner herself. Then Cooper learns that the feds have taken an interest in the case, and suddenly she and her friends begin to worry they’re in real danger. Because nothing about this case is what it seems, and while charity may begin at home, this home is full of secrets that may cost Cooper her life . . .

Includes heavenly recipes from Magnolia Lee’s kitchen!

Beyond the Page Publishing, June, 2025

Available in digital ebook at Amazon

 

OVERFLOW by Linda Rodante, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise for #JustRead

Book 2 of The Waterfall Mysteries, 

Christian romantic mystery and suspense

 

PAULA'S REVIEW:

This is a continuation of Waterfall and is the best read after that book. 
 

The four friends, Anna and Laurie who own a B&B and Richard and Trevor who are psychologists, are hiking near a beautiful waterfall. Laurie is injured, and the other hikers go to summon help. While sitting by the falls, she sees something frightening in the water: a body of a woman with a flashy ring on her finger.
 

This was an absorbing, complex story that kept you trying to figure out who could have put the body there, who took the ring, and who was threatening which of the friends. What an exciting plot, and a surprise ending.
 

I enjoyed the portrayal of faith discussions between the four friends and the romance that progressed.
 

I am looking forward to more stories in this fictional Tennessee town.
*A complimentary copy of this. Book was provided by the author for review. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

4 stars and a solid faith thread 

 

BackCover Blurb:
Can a peaceful waterfall hold the answer to a murderer's darkest secret?

In the small town of Benton, Tennessee, Laurie Brooks is seen as quiet and unassuming until she makes a deadly discovery at a waterfall. Determined to find justice for the victim, Laurie embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she thought she knew about herself.

Trevor Oppenheimer, a young, successful psychologist, loves his work helping others overcome emotional turmoil. But when Laurie begins to unravel a dangerous maze of secrets, Trevor's pain-filled past rises to threaten her investigation. Can he trust God and conquer his fear, or will he drive Laurie away?

While Laurie and Trevor navigate their struggles of faith, fear, and growing love, a killer lurks in the shadows. As the danger escalates, they’ll have to unravel the truth before they find themselves the victims of a vindictive killer.

Fans of faith-filled drama, suspenseful whodunits, and strong female protagonists, will love Book 2 of The Waterfall Mysteries. Although fun as a series, each book can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery.

Helpful Links:  Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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SMOKESCREEN and DECEPTION By Christy Barritt (Pros and Cons Mysteries), Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

PROS AND CONS MYSTERY SERIES

books two and three 

REBECCA'S REVIEWS:

SMOKESCREEN 

"Really, a smokescreen is a ruse, something that disguises a person's true intentions or activities."

Olive Sterling's present case as a professional investigator is riddled with half-truths and loose clues. Posing as the girlfriend of an affluent Wyoming rancher, Olive and her team go undercover to expose someone whose deception is equally efficient and deadly. The motive is a little murky; is it simply to ruin Reid Harrison's reputation or is there more going on than meets the eye, for apparently the common adage holds true; where there is smoke, there's fire. Olive is hoping that she doesn't get burned.

With twists, turns and a continuous flow of suspects, the steady pace of this story moves the reader closer and closer to the truth, which is a bit more complicated than one might imagine . . . except for the author!

Great addition to the series!
BackCover Blurb:

She was raised by a con artist. She’s using the skills she learned to catch a killer.

Growing up as a scammer’s daughter, Olive Sterling learned early on that deception is an art form. Now as a professional investigator, she’s transformed those skills into weapons for justice.

Reid Harrison’s Wyoming ranch is under siege. As sabotage escalates to death threats, he turns to Olive’s team for help. Posing as the rancher’s girlfriend, Olive works to uncover what’s smoldering beneath a string of unlikely accidents and vandalism.

When her probing catches the wrong attention, Olive becomes the next target. With lives and millions in property at stake, she faces an impossible choice: back down and survive, or risk everything to expose a killer ready to watch it all burn?

 

DECEPTION

"The case: A Woman in Oasis could be defrauding the community of their money to satisfy her own greed."

The curious part of this case for private investigator Olive Sterling was that it would take her back to one of the many locations where she had lived as a child, where she had met the one love of her life, Jason Stewart, who in an ironic twist, had hired her to uncover the potential fraud facing this small Texas town. A very popular member of the Oasis community was continuing to raise thousands of dollars to support her family's needs due to her dire cancer diagnosis. The blaring question? . . . is Rebecca Hansen actually sick?

In the meantime, Olive continues to receive cryptic messages about her own family's tragic demise. And then there is the matter of a "motorcycle man" trying to thwart her efforts . . . because of her current case or her past history in Oasis? To top it off, Jason arrives to assist. . . will he serve as a handsome distraction . . .or a welcome asset. . . to be continued.

Clearly, the plot is thickening and you won't want to miss a single detail! 

BackCover Blurb:
Sometimes, coming home is beautiful. Other times, it's fatal.

Private investigator Olive Sterling never thought she would return to Oasis, Texas. But when an old flame asks her to investigate a beloved local teacher who claims to have terminal cancer, she reluctantly agrees to help.

While the community rallies around Rebecca Hansen with prayers and financial support, Olive realizes something about her story doesn’t add up. Is Rebecca really fighting for her life? Or is she scamming people out of their hard-earned money? For Olive, whose own father was a master of deception, this case hits dangerously close to home.

As Olive digs deeper for answers, disturbing patterns emerge. Plus, a mysterious man seems to watch her every move. When threatening messages start arriving and the danger turns deadly, Olive realizes this investigation has stirred up secrets someone would kill to keep buried.

 

*I purchased both books and was not obligated to provide a positive review. 

 

PROS AND CONS SERIES is available in digital ebook and paperback. Buy at Amazon

WRITTEN IN SECRET by Crystal Caudill, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise for #JustReadTours

PAULA'S REVIEW:

This novel was packed full of goodies: an absorbing plot, a handsome detective, a forward thinking heroine, a clever but diabolical villain and spiritual lessons that make you think.
 

Lydia Pelton has published dime novel crime fiction under a pseudonym. All to bring justice to the victims whose perpetrators have gone free. But someone is out for vengeance and is using information in her novels to murder the villains. He is bringing fiction to life in the worst way.
 

This is by no means a dark tale because the author tempers it with witty banter, a blossoming romance and shows the faith journey of the two main characters.
 

Lydia dubs Abraham “Detective Darcy and we see into her writer brain: “Abraham was the hero she’d never dared to write- but real life rarely lived up to fiction.” The author depicts an authentic repentance when Lydia confesses to her father about her secret writing. And Abraham and Lydia encourage each other in Godly things.
 

This was a delightful story and I am awaiting the next book in this series.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Kregel 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

 

SEE WINNIE'S REVIEW

 

BackCover Blurb:
What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her.

With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall's only lead is Lydia's fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the "Killer Queen of Romance." Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself.

As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati's citizens, but for their own hearts too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kregel Publishing, March, 2025

Available in digital ebook or paperback

Buy WRITTEN IN SECRET at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House