A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1) By Mercedes Rochelle Audio Narrated by Kevin E. Green Blog Tour! #HistoricalFiction #RichardII #Plantagenets #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @coffeepotbookclub @authorRochelle @maryanneyarde

 

Book Title: A King Under Siege

Series: (The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)

Author: Mercedes Rochelle 

Publication Date: 5th January 2019

Publisher: Sergeant Press

Page Length: 313 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.

Buy Links:

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/brap6A

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Under-Siege-Plantagenet-Legacy-ebook/dp/B07L9L85GK

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/King-Under-Siege-Plantagenet-Legacy-ebook/dp/B07L9L85GK

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/King-Under-Siege-Plantagenet-Legacy/dp/0997318252

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/King-Under-Siege-Plantagenet-Legacy-ebook/dp/B07L9L85GK

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-king-under-siege-mercedes-rochelle/1138260555

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended! Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.MercedesRochelle.com

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/authorRochelle

Facebook: facebook.com/MercedesRochelle.net

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mercedes-rochelle

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mercedes-Rochelle/e/B001KMG5P6

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1696491.Mercedes_Rochelle

https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2021/10/blog-tour-king-under-siege-plantagenet.html

Honey Roasted (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle Book Tour and Giveaway!

Honey Roasted (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle

About Honey Roasted

 

Honey Roasted (A Coffeehouse Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 19th in Series 

Berkley (January 25, 2022) 

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593197569

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593197561 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08MPWDK78

Clare Cosi is busy as a bee planning her honeymoon when murder buzzes into the Village Blend in this all-new mystery in the beloved New York Times bestselling Coffeehouse series by Cleo Coyle.

 

While struggling to find a romantic (and affordable) destination for her upcoming honeymoon, coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi whips up a honey of a drink made from honey-processed coffee. Clare plans to serve her outstanding new Honey-Cinnamon Latte at her spring wedding to her longtime honey, NYPD detective Mike Quinn. The culinary world is also abuzz about the amazing honey that Clare was lucky enough to source for her shop's new latte. Produced by Madame's old friend "Queen" Bea Hastings, the rare, prize-winning nectar from Bea's rooftop hives commands a premium price, and top chefs compete for a chance to use it in their signature seasonal dishes.

 

One night, a swarm of escaped bees blanket the Village Blend's chimney, and Clare discovers Bea's unconscious body after she seemingly fell from her high-rise rooftop-hive setup. The police want to rule it as a tragic accident or possible attempted suicide, but Clare does not believe either theory. Like Madame, she knows this Queen would never abandon her hive. To sort out this mystery, Clare investigates a world of cutthroat chefs, culinary start-ups, and competitive urban beekeepers. But can she uncover the truth without getting stung?

RECIPE GUIDE

Click on picture above or click here for the free guide.

About Cleo Coyle

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries—now celebrating eighteen years in print. They are also authors of the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, previously written under the pseudonym Alice Kimberly. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also both bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together.

Author Links

Webpage Free Newsletter Facebook Twitter BookBub Goodreads Instagram

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play - IndieBound - Penguin Random House - BAM

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 1 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 1 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT

February 2 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

February 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

February 3 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW

February 3 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 4 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

February 4 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 5 – Author Elena Taylor's Blog – SPOTLIGHT

February 5 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

February 6 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

February 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 7 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

February 7 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

February 8 – Brianne's Book Reviews – REVIEW

February 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

February 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

February 9 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT

February 10 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW

February 10 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

February 11 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

February 11 – Moonlight Rendezvous - REVIEW

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Out of Temper (Bean to Bar Mysteries) by Amber Royer Book Tour and Giveaway!

 

Out of Temper (Bean to Bar Mysteries) by Amber Royer

About Out of Temper

Out of Temper (Bean to Bar Mysteries)

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series ‎Golden Tip Press (February 1, 2022) 

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952854121

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952854125 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09MBQ1186

Felicity Koerber's bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston's historic Strand has been the scene of two murders - both of which she has been instrumental in helping solve. So, when she gets invited to demo her chocolate skills aboard a cruise ship sailing out of the local port, she's excited at the chance to get away from the shop long enough to regain her equilibrium. She even brings her best friend along and makes plans for time at the spa. But when she gets on board, she finds out that she's been booked for a mystery-themed cruise, and said best friend, Autumn, has to finally deal with the real reasons she quit writing mysteries. Only - if that wasn't stressful enough - it doesn't take long before there's a real murder on the cruise, and someone Felicity knows becomes the prime suspect. When said suspect asks her for help, she can't exactly say no, can she?

 

Felicity finds herself surrounded by cruise goers who all had connections to the victim - and finds that both Logan (her business partner, whom she recently kissed) and Arlo (the cop who was once Felicity's first boyfriend, before she moved away from Galveston) are dealing with the case until more official help can arrive. How will Felicity survive the ensuing awkwardness?

 

One thing that helps: the retired police dog turned therapy dog she meets on board. Satchmo helps Felicity deal with being back on the water after tragedy in her past - and also helps her uncover a vital clue to the case. Can Felicity unmask the killer and keep a friend from being framed before all the suspects leave the ship?

  About Amber Royer

Amber Royer writes the CHOCOVERSE comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the BEAN TO BAR MYSTERIES. She is also the author of STORY LIKE A JOURNALIST: A WORKBOOK FOR NOVELISTS, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She blogs about creative writing techniques and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach. If you are very nice to her, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course.

Author Links 

  Website: http://www.amberroyer.com 

  Blog: http://amberroyer.com/blog/ 

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberroyerauthor/ 

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amber.Royer.Author/ 

  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoA_29HV2nPmRnox9LPVanw 

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/amber_royer 

  Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Royer/e/B00PFV4CGM 

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8144619.Amber_Royer 

Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Apple Books 

  TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 24 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

January 24 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT (BookBlast)

January 25 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

January 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

January 26 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST

January 26 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 27 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 28 – Here's How It Happened – REVIEW

January 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

January 31 – Literary Gold - SPOTLIGHT

February 1 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

February 1 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST

February 2 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE  

February 3 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 3 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – GUEST POST

February 4 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 4 – Baroness' Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

February 5 – Dear Reader – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

February 6 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 6 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

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John Brown's Women: A Novel By Susan Higginbotham Blog Tour! @authorsusanhigginbotham @coffeepotbookclub #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @S_Higginbotham @maryanneyarde

 

Book Title: John Brown's Women: A Novel

Author: Susan Higginbotham

Publication Date: 7th December 2021

Publisher: Onslow Press

Page Length: 402 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

As the United States wrestles with its besetting sin—slavery—abolitionist John Brown is growing tired of talk. He takes actions that will propel the nation toward civil war and thrust three courageous women into history. 

Wealthy Brown, married to John Brown's oldest son, eagerly falls in with her husband's plan to settle in Kansas. Amid clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, Wealthy's adventure turns into madness, mayhem, and murder.

Fifteen-year-old Annie Brown is thrilled when her father summons her to the farm he has rented in preparation for his raid. There, she guards her father's secrets while risking her heart. 

Mary Brown never expected to be the wife of John Brown, much less the wife of a martyr. When her husband's daring plan fails, Mary must travel into hostile territory, where she finds the eyes of the nation riveted upon John—and upon her.

Spanning three decades, John Brown's Women is a tale of love and sacrifice, and of the ongoing struggle for America to achieve its promise of liberty and justice for all.

Trigger Warnings:

Deaths of young children through illness or accidents (not graphically described); implied heavy petting involving a willing minor.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/4jP27l

Read an Excerpt

Bundled up in winter clothing, John came into the parlor. Handing his coat and other things to Bessie with a nod in acknowledgement of her services, he said, “I heard from my sister Ruth that Mr. Hotchkiss had died. I wanted to express my sympathies to Miss Hotchkiss—and to the rest of the family.”

Wealthy’s mother smiled wanly. “That is very kind of you, sir. Do sit down, you look frozen. Did you come from a great distance?”

“Akron. I got rides here and there, but I footed it much of the way.”

“You walked?” Wealthy asked.

He nodded. “I’m an inveterate walker. It’s invigorating.”

“Well, you must stay for supper after all that walking,” Mother said. “And stay overnight, unless you have made other arrangements.”

John shook his head. “No, I was going to find a tavern rather than impose.”

“Goodness, no,” Mother said. “There’s certainly no need for that.”

Wealthy listened as her mother launched into her favorite topic—temperance. It was the most animated she had seen Mother in days, and she was pleased to see John making such a good impression, even while hardly getting in a word edgewise.

Early the next day, after a hearty breakfast and a disquisition from Mother about healthful eating, John rose and prepared to go. “Ruth said that you would be returning to school. Am I right, Miss Hotchkiss?”

“Yes, Father wanted me to finish what I had started.”

“Good. Then I’ll see you back there in just a few days.”

Knapsack in hand, John bade them farewell. The weather outside could hardly look any less inviting. They hadn’t even been able to bury Wealthy’s father, the ground had been so hard; they had had to place his body in the cemetery’s holding vault until conditions improved. “Wait,” Wealthy said. “I’ll walk with you for a bit.”

“Dear! You’ll catch your death of cold!” Mother protested.

Even John asked, “Are you sure?”

“I won’t be out but for a minute.” Before her mother could say more, Wealthy gathered her cloak around her and enveloped her head in its warm hood.

It was even colder than she had supposed, but she grimly faced down the wind as John said, “I was glad to see you’re not in deep mourning.”

“Mother said I was too young to assume it, though I believe I’m quite old enough.”

“Well, I think it unnecessary no matter a woman’s age. Unnecessary and unfair, really, as no one expects a man to drench himself in black to prove his grief.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“My mother died when I was twelve, as I guess Ruth has told you. None of us put on mourning—not even an armband for Father—but it didn’t mean we didn’t grieve. Once or twice, I found Father sobbing at her grave. I wept there as well.” He took Wealthy’s gloved hand. “You’ll miss your father a great deal in the days to come, but don’t fear; after a while, the grief does settle down. It becomes something that you always carry with you but doesn’t obtrude upon you.”

“Thank you.” She shivered.

“Do go home, Wealthy. Your mother’s right; you’ll catch cold.”

“I will after I ask something. You came all the way here in the freezing cold just to give me your sympathies. Why?”

“I guess I was afraid that Ruth was wrong about you going back to school and worried that I’d never see you again.” He hesitated. “It’s the wrong time to say this, I know, but I love you.”

She stared up at him. “I love you too,” she breathed.

Susan Higginbotham

 

Susan Higginbotham is the author of a number of historical novels set in medieval and Tudor England and, more recently, nineteenth-century America, including The Traitor's Wife, The Stolen Crown, Hanging Mary, and The First Lady and the Rebel. She and her family, human and four-footed, live in Maryland, just a short drive from where John Brown made his last stand. When not writing or procrastinating, Susan enjoys traveling and collecting old photographs.

 

Social Media Links:

Website: www.susanhigginbotham.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/S_Higginbotham

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/susan.higginbotham 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanHigginbotham 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsusanhigginbotham/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Higginbotham/e/B0028OC748

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/260080.Susan_Higginbotham

Unmeasured by Alyssa Turner Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Unmeasured
Alyssa Turner
(Unmatched, #1)
Publication date: March 15, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

SHE’s a good girl, or at least she tries to be. People think Samantha Hunter lives a fairytale life. Only this young, wealthy American in Paris has a secret. If she lets it free, there’s no telling what she’ll do. Being the wild child is one thing. Letting her dark fantasies run wild is quite another. How could she? The better question is…how could she not?

HE wears a suit, but he is not entirely civilized. Oleg Balashov is often hungry for something he’ll probably never find. His closest friends have similar appetites and the private club they own is the perfect place to feed their desires. Oleg is ready to pay an old debt with an arranged marriage, mafia style. Then Samantha appears on a bar stool with just enough curiosity to get her into trouble. She’s in way over her pretty head. Or is it the other way around? The Masters of Club Duval have a new pet and she isn’t so easy to tame. Samantha Hunter is about to rewrite all the rules for these Doms and nothing will ever be the same.

Trigger warning: Oleg owns a whip, and he knows how to use it. After the happily ever after ending, the epilogue of this book will be an introduction to the prologue of book 2, Unleashed.

Goodreads / Amazon

Only 99¢ for a limited time!

—

EXCERPT:

Finally, he spoke. His voice was a raspy and feral version of itself. “Your safeword… Scream it loud. Scream it at the top of your fucking lungs, because I need your screams today for all the wrong fucking reasons.”

He cracked the whip again, and it snapped her shoulder blade with the thinnest of cuts, sounding like a gunshot, feeling like a hornet’s kiss.

“If I hurt you…” he said.

She turned around, and her gaze locked first on his trembling hand and then his tortured eyes. “I will survive you.”

“If you survive me, then you can have me, because truly I belong to no one else.” The whip cracked above her head.

“Turn the fuck around!”

When she did, he snapped a sideways strike across her ass. Her flesh lit with fiery agony. She balled her fists and inhaled deeply, trusting his control over the nine-foot length of braided leather.

Then a loud thud sounded, and a crash followed. She turned around to see Oleg stalking toward her, his whip strewn across the floor next to a broken vase.

Heavy, billowing breaths blew past his lips. He scratched his chin and then rubbed the back of his head. One last swallow, and he steadied himself. The worst of the storm had passed and she’d survived. In fact, she’d more than survived. Samantha had stood in the eye of the storm and remained on her feet.

“Where the hell did you come from?” he demanded, grabbing both of her shoulders, shaking her once, though she was certain he wasn’t concerned with the name of her hometown.

She didn’t flinch. His hold on her was nothing to fear. Then his thumbs swiped at the teardrops on her cheeks before he decided to sip on them instead. She melted right there. “How did you find me?” she asked the same unseen knower of all things.

God, how badly she wanted this man inside of her. She pawed at the chastity belt, angry at it so suddenly. Danger wafted off him in invisible waves, unspoken, ultrasonic, undeniably magnetic. The beautiful, broken monster had revealed himself, raw, untethered, and she devoured his anger, his pain. It had given her peace even as she hungered to know the limits of his pain, to be at the sharp edge of his despair with him. But why? What could be found in dark, bottomless pools that made her want to jump in? She’d been asking herself that question all her life and still didn’t have an answer.

Author Bio:

Alyssa believes that when characters speak to you, you've got to listen. She's been all ears and writing stories in all lengths since childhood. She only wonders where those notebooks of handwritten dramas ended up.

Almost everyone tags her romances as habanero hot, and with her proclivity for the ménage genre, Alyssa is often recognized for weaving complexity and emotional depth into her characters. She has so much fun writing, she can never be relied upon to put the wash into the dryer any time after 10 PM. Luckily, she is married to the most understanding husband in the world.

The Love Has No Regrets collection of novels by Alyssa Turner includes several series with familiar characters threaded into each story. Her LHNR world is ever growing, spanning from Manhattan to Paris, with Polyamorous love that answers only to the heart. Read more about Alyssa Turner and preview her published works on her blog.

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Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller by Valerie Webster Book Tour and Giveaway!

Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller

by Valerie Webster

January 17 - February 11, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Ex-investigative journalist, Rita Mars loses an old friend to what looks like suicide. She’s convinced he was murdered to cover unethical maneuvers and save reputations in the abyss that is Congress. Back stabbings inside the beltway sometimes extend beyond metaphorical. She’s going to butt heads with the local good ole boy authorities and navigate the deliberately stoked smoke screens of the duly elected, but she is never going to give up.

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Ignited Ink Writing
Publication Date: May 25th 2021
Number of Pages: 396
ISBN: 1952347033 (ISBN13: ‎978-1952347030)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

“Rita Mars, this is a voice from your past.”

“Who the hell is this?” Rita demanded.

It was eleven o’clock, and the dreary end of a long day. A miserable October rain tapped on the office windows. Through the water slashed glass, Baltimore’s Mitchell Court House next door was a smear of grey and black.

“I first met you devouring Hershey bars in the newsroom at midnight.” The man was gleeful.

“That narrows it down.”

Great clue. Hell, she’d been a reporter for seventeen years before she started the agency. Rita cradled her chin. The police department snitch who gave up the narcs ripping off drug dealers? The accountant with the guilty conscience who squealed on the HUD housing contracts?

“We were a pair and then again we were not.”

“Look, pal, I don’t know –”

“I was the snow king and you were the fire breather.”

Rita started to hang up, but there was something eerily familiar about that line.

“You never know when you’ve had your last chance,” the man said.

“Bobby Ellis.” Instinctively, Rita touched the worn chrome Zippo in her pocket that bore those very words. Chills ran along her arms and the hair bristled at her neck.

“Bingo,” Ellis said.

“God, I’m so glad to hear from you. Where are you? When can I see you?

“Sunday.”

“Halloween?”

“The Overlook Inn in Harper’s Ferry. Breakfast at ten. I’ll have a lot to tell you. A story for above the fold.”

Rita scribbled his instructions on a blank notepad. “Tell me now.” Above the fold on a newspaper’s front page was reserved for big time news.

“Just be there.”

Rita thought he was hanging up.

“By the way—ever think you’d see me alive again?” Ellis asked softly.

“No,” Rita said. “I never thought I would.”

Chapter 2

Rita Mars sang along with the Shirelles. She glanced at the Jeep’s speedometer and then at the rearview mirror to check for approaching troopers.

The West Virginia countryside blazed with yellow and scarlet. Sunlight sprinkled the rock-strewn pastures with brilliance and made the car’s white hood shimmer like a snowfield. Even the black and white Holsteins seemed brighter than usual as they ripped up the last shreds of yellowed pasture grass.

Though it was late October, Rita had the top down on the Jeep. It was good to ride on this open road alone with the sun and wind. She couldn’t really be forty-five this year. She ran thirty miles a week and could still get into jeans the size she’d worn in college. Rita peered over the top of her Raybans and took another look in the mirror. Ok, so her dark hair was shot through with silver.

She smiled. It made her look more interesting. After all, how many older women had she fallen madly in love with in her younger years?

Rita flipped the radio off and concentrated on her meeting with Bobby Ellis. She hadn’t seen him in forever. Yes, she had thought he might be dead. A superior journalist, he’d thrown it all away with a coke habit that he paid for with a career and a marriage. No one had seen or heard of him now for more than two years.

After he disappeared, a malaise had set. Rita abandoned investigative reporting and spend her time working on a detective’s license. She was going to right wrongs instead of writing about wrongs as she described her abrupt life change.

She sighed. She wanted to return to the happier thoughts that had so recently danced in her head.

A red truck with a rainbow sticker on the front bumper appeared the in oncoming lane. Rita’s smile came back and she waved as they raced each other.

“We’re everywhere. We’re everywhere,” she hummed to herself.

She returned to her former mood of excited anticipation. She was seeing Bobby again.

They had been reporters together on the Washington Star. More like brother and sister than co-workers, they had fought over editorial recognition, wept on each other’s shoulders, and held each other’s hand during their respective long, dark nights of the soul.

Rita tried sweet talk at first when his habit began to devour him. Then she got tough. They fought bitterly. In the end, he surrendered everything to the white powder.

She’d been as angry with herself as with him. She couldn’t make him stop. Like a flashback, the feelings were the same when she thought about her childhood. She hadn’t been able to stop the runaway train her father rode either. Alcohol carried him far and fast. In the end, he stuck his police revolver into his mouth and killed his pain.

Bad memories again. Rita shook her head and switched the radio back on.

“There she was, just a walkin’ down the street . . . “ Rita sang along at the top of her lungs and pushed the accelerator just a little farther with her docksider.

Five miles and three oldies but goodies later, she slowed as the road narrowed to the twisting mountainside lanes that led to Harper’s Ferry. Down the sheer embankment on the passenger’s side, she could see canoes below on this rocky segment of the Potomac. She took a deep breath. The cobwebs of leftover memory cleared. It was a gorgeous day. At the top of a steep winding hill, Rita spied the flagpole that stood in the center of the Overlook Inn’s circular drive. Old Glory ruffled its red stripes in a soft October breeze that seemed more spring than autumn.

The parking areas along the drive were jammed with American made pickups and SUVs. Lots of military bumper stickers and window decals. Families just out of church hopped out of cars and headed for the Inn’s dining room and Sunday brunch buffet.

As she reached the crest, she had to slam on the brakes. The drive was blocked by two Harper’s Ferry sheriffs’ cars, a West Virginia trooper vehicle—blue gumball lights twirling—an ambulance from nearby Ransom, a fire truck and a dented beige Crown Vic with county plates.

Guests and townies milled around the west annex. A tall, grim-faced sheriff’s deputy held them at bay.

“What the heck is this?” Rita jumped out of the Jeep.

Inside, the interior of the Overlook lobby was cool and dark. The desk clerk was a woman with long red nails and a plunging neckline to her sundress. Her blue eye shadow made her look like an alien. Oblivious to Rita, she leaned across the far end of the registration counter to stare out the front door toward the commotion outside. Rita pulled off her Raybans.

“What happened?” Rita asked.

“Man killed hisself.” The woman continued to lean and stare over the counter.

The taste of metal rose in Rita’s throat. “Killed himself?”

“Room 107. Maid found him.” The clerk’s sense of duty returned and she walked toward the center of the counter where Rita stood. “Can I help you with something?”

Rita felt icy from the inside out. She dug her hand into her pocket to touch that Zippo talisman she always carried.

“I came here to meet someone.” The words jumbled in her mouth.

“Name?” The clerk absently flipped the registration book behind the counter.

Rita said nothing.

The clerk looked up then and said once more. “Name?”

“Bobby Ellis,” Rita whispered.

The two women stared at one another.

***

Excerpt from Driven: A Rita Mars Thriller by Valerie Webster. Copyright 2021 by Valerie Webster. Reproduced with permission from Valerie Webster. All rights reserved.

My  Thoughts

Rita Mars, the protagonist in Driven, receives a call from an old friend Bobby Ellis. He wants to meet up with her at The Overlook Inn in Harper’s Ferry. Before she can meet him, he is found dead, hung in the bathroom of his hotel room. Cause of death, suicide, does Rita believe this, no she doesn't, and she is going to do all she can to prove that it was not suicide.

Rita is an Ex-Investigative journalist, now a private investigator. Bobby was investigating a big Pharma bill in Congress. The more questions Rita asks the deeper she gets. Rita is also hired to document the doings of a well to do doctor who is stalking his wife. The two cases overlap, and she is right in the middle.

Rita is a lesbian with a trans ex-Navy Seal secretary/ assistant, Bev. Rita has a backstory, her abusive relationship with her father, also an ex-lover impedes her ability to move on, romantically. The two cases overlap which certainly keeps her busy.

With a cast of great characters, the suspenseful element kept me reading. I loved the plot, Rita's tough facade and the other characters that kept this story going. I hope the author is going to keep going with this story as I would love to read another one with Rita. I give it 4 stars!

I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.

Author Bio:

Valerie Webster spent a career developing law enforcement applications for surveillance, security and forensics. She has also been a triathlete and a crime reporter. She honed her writing skills through "Sisters in Crime" and "Mystery Writers of America's" mentoring program. In DRIVEN: A RITA MARS THRILLER, she weaves professional experiences into a high tension plot that sweeps the reader into the action from Page 1 to the breath-taking conclusion.

Valerie makes her home near Boulder, CO.

Catch Up With Valerie Webster:
ValerieWebster.com
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Twitter - @RMars4Hire
Facebook - @RMars4Hire

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