Release Day Blitz & Review…Requiem & Reverie (Sandman Duet #2) by Keri Lake

 

Title: Requiem & Reverie
Series: The Sandman Duet #2
Author: Keri Lake
Genre: Romantic Thriller/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: May 13, 2019
Blurb
It takes a killer to catch a killer.
And no one understands the motives of ruthless murderer, The Sandman, quite like Rhett Voss. 
Having spent his childhood in the shadows of the deranged lunatic, he’s become an expert on the topic. Killing is in his blood, and as a hitman for hire, Voss maintains a steady diet of carnage, himself.
Except lately, it’s lost its appeal. Until he’s enticed to track down the clever
Sandman who has his sights set on Nola Tensley.
The stunning single mom is a distraction Voss can’t afford, but to catch his elusive kin, he needs to watch the next victim closely. Consequently, stalking her soon becomes a dangerous obsession, turning a friendly game of cat and mouse into more than he bargained for, when someone close to Nola goes missing.
Suddenly, it’s no longer an old vendetta fueling Voss’s need to hunt down his enemy, but new stakes that are sure to mean more bloodshed. Voss knows better than anyone, though: to draw a killer out of hiding, one must have the right bait.
And both of them want Nola.
Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

The ARC for this popped up on my kindle and I immediately halted whatever I was reading so that I could dive into this one because I truly had to see where Keri was taking this duet and who the Sandman was!!

Requiem & Reverie picks up exactly where Nocturnes & Nightmares ended and it does not slow down one bit.

We are still getting viewpoints from Voss, Nola and the Sandman which just keeps the whole plot all the more entertaining and engaging. Something that I want to point out that may bother some readers, but something that I think takes great talent in a writer. Both Voss and Nola’s POV are written in first person while The Sandman’s is written in third. I loved this switch up and thought it was quite unique.

On to the book itself –

Keri holds nothing back in her writing and doesn’t sugarcoat anything. This is a romantic suspense/thriller and she keeps us at the edge of our seats the whole time.

I refuse to say anything about the plot except that it is non-stop suspense, action and steam. And I love how Keri ends this duet – just when you think you’re going to get a certain ending, you don’t. And I love that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this duet and I really hope she writes more like this.

Also Available
99c for release week only!
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio

 

Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees.  When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’tretrieve a damn thing).  She runs onstrong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
Author Links

Release Day Blitz & Review….Nocturnes & Nightmares (Sandman Duet) by Keri Lake

 

Title: Nocturnes & Nightmares
Series: The Sandman Duet #1
Author: Keri Lake
Genre: Romantic Thriller/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: April 29, 2019
Blurb
The most terrifying monsters aren’t found in dreams
Four young
socialites have gone missing in the Chicago area. Two found dead, bearing the
signature marks of a brutal serial killer. With the kind of tragedy that mars
Nola Tensley’s past, she should be concerned, but without a pot to piss in, all
the struggling single mom cares about is making a normal life for her son.
After all,
she’s clearly not the murderer’s type.
Or is she?
When Rhett
Voss, an enigmatic and handsome stranger, answers her ad for the outdated
in-law suite at the back of her property, offering double her asking price,
Nola really can’t refuse. Even though the supposed Wall Street Wolf seems
better suited for a high-rise downtown—a suspicion that quickly turns into
hindsight once she submits to the flirtations of her charming new tenant, and
consequently, unearths a series of disturbing revelations.
Her
curiosities lead her down the path of a madman, whose moniker, The Sandman, only hints at the grisly
nature of his crimes. He’s smart. Evasive. A cunning psychopath with a twisted
method of disposing his victims.
And his
hunting grounds are hitting too close to home.

Author note:
This book contains scenes of graphic sex and violence that some readers
may find disturbing. 

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited

 

When Keri said that she was going to write a romantic thriller, I was all-in, no blurb needed.

Just when I think that Keri has taken us to the darkest recesses her of mind, she draws us down another dark alley with her twisted musings.

Voss is a very twisted man that I am not sure we will ever understand. He may be able to “control” his wants, urges and desires but I don’t think he will ever be able to truly control himself.

Nola’s family is definitely fucked over by fate – no way else to say it. Somewhere along the time, someone in her family pissed off a higher being and now Karma is having her fun with them.

The Sandman – who is he really?!?! How does he know Nola and what he does want with her? We have an idea how Voss plays into this, but that still remains a bit of a mystery too. What does the Sandman want from him??

I have to say that I am quite intrigued by the whole suspense and thrill of this story. The romance definitely plays second fiddle to it but it’s a nice blended feature. The sex in this book is definitely more on the erotic side and even a bit disturbing at times. However – that is what adds to the thrilling part of this story – without the depravity of those scenes, this book would be lacking.

Overall, I have no doubt this duet will be a smashing hit as a romantic thriller. Aside from a thing or two that bugged me, this book is an amazing start to the duet. I am so glad that we do not have long to wait for the second book to release; I am anxiously waiting on pins and needles to see what else Keri can surprise us with.

Read at your own risk. 😉

Author Bio

 

Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees.  When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing).  She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
Author Links

Cover Reveal….Nocturnes & Nightmares by Keri Lake

 

 

Title: Nocturnes & Nightmares
Series: The Sandman Duet #1
Author: Keri Lake
Genre: Romantic Thriller/Romantic Suspense
Cover Design: Okay Creations
Release Date: April 29, 2019
Blurb
The most terrifying monsters aren’t found in dreams
Four young socialites have gone missing in the Chicago area. Two found dead, bearing the signature marks of a brutal serial killer. With the kind of tragedy that mars Nola Tensley’s past, she should be concerned, but without a pot to piss in, all the struggling single mom cares about is making a normal life for her son.
After all, she’s clearly not the murderer’s type.
Or is she?
When Rhett Voss, an enigmatic and handsome stranger, answers her ad for the outdated in-law suite at the back of her property, offering double her asking price, Nola really can’t refuse. Even though the supposed Wall Street Wolf seems better suited for a high-rise downtown—a suspicion that quickly turns into hindsight once she submits to the flirtations of her charming new tenant, and consequently, unearths a series of disturbing revelations.
Her curiosities lead her down the path of a madman, whose moniker, The Sandman, only hints at the grisly
nature of his crimes. He’s smart. Evasive. A cunning psychopath with a twisted method of disposing his victims.
And his hunting grounds are hitting too close to home.
Author note:
This book contains scenes of graphic sex and violence that some readers
may find disturbing. 

 

Author Bio

 

Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees.  When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing).  She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
Author Links

Release Day Blitz & Review….Lust by Ker Dukey

 

NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO DELVE INTO THE SECRET SOCIETY

 

THE ELITE SEVEN

LUST an Elite Seven novel by Ker Dukey is LIVE!!

Keep reading to grab your copy & to enter to win a $20 gift card!!!

 

I was born with wealth, athletic ability, and looks that could melt the panties off a nun.
I had a clear path to success.
Until fate dealt me a cruel blow, leaving me empty and in need of purpose.
My only focus now is to become part of The Elite—a secret society in one of the most prestigious colleges in the world.
But everything comes at a price, and with The Elite, you have to earn your place.
Lucky for me, being sinful is in my DNA.
The only obstacle to full initiation is my task: seduce the un-seducible, the forbidden, and lure her with the sins of the flesh.
Easy for a man like me…in theory.
She started as my task, but what happens when the lines between lust and love blur, and the need for power rages war with the need for her?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.
This is my life, my chance, my legacy.
I am Rhett Masters.
I am Lust.

 

Lust is the start of the The Elite Seven series and each book is written by a different author. While each book is about a particular sin and character, the books do follow an overall plot and should be read in order.

Lust sets up the who the Elite Seven are and how they are to become like brothers and in order to be fully accepted into the The Elite, they must complete the initiation tasks. We unfortunately only get to see what task Lust (Rhett) has to fulfill in order to be accepted, but we do get glimpses of the others and we get an idea of what Gluttony (God) task is since Lust and Gluttony are best friends.  We do get to see the tasks of each in their books.

The start of this series did not wow me – I was expecting more with this book. It’s what sets the tone for the entire Elite world and I felt a bit letdown but it’s more due to what I expected and not the writer’s fault.  I didn’t expect the characters to be so young – just starting college. I was anticipating them to be graduating and finally proving their worth to be selected as a candidate for The Elite.  I was also hoping to get a better idea of how each character was chosen for their sin, but from what I’m gathering each book may explain that – that’ll be decided as they are released.

Rhett was a character I had a hard time connecting to – he was very unsettling in who he was. He does suffer a great loss and I get that plays in to him feeling guilty about it but his actions are all over the place. He parties a lot, fights with his father and yet, on a normal day-to-day basis, he acts completely normal. I felt a lot of inconsistences with his character and that hurt in connecting with him and his relationship with Chastity.

Chastity was the shining light in this book – not only for Rhett but for me. She made this book shine and brought another plot twist to the story. I love that she challenges Rhett, sometimes without realizing it, and never bowed down to him like all the other girls. She knew of his reputation with girls and steered clear of him, but also held her ground when she did have to deal with him. She was the fresh air that Rhett needed.

Overall, I think this book came down to more of my expectations but more of the writing style. The writing did not flow well for me and felt like the author was trying to fit a lot of information from introducing characters, the Elite background to focusing on this particular sin, Lust. I think that also hurt in being able to connect with Rhett and his relationship with Chastity – I wanted more of them in this book.

As for expectations, it is nothing like I anticipated and that is of no fault to the author.  This is why I like to keep an open mind and will continue with the series.

It’s a decent start to a series where there are a few authors I have not read before. I am hoping with each book that we get more details on each character along with their particular sin and the reasons they were all chosen. It’ll definitely be interesting to see this play out and what the end game is for these Elite Seven.

 

 

 

 

PURCHASE NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

The Elite Seven

7 AUTHORS.
7 STORIES.
7 DEADLY SINS.

 

Since 1942, The Elite Seven Society have created and guided influential leaders, molding the country into something better. This society was birthed by Malcom Benedict, II who wanted more for Americans. More wealth. More influence. More power. Some leaders have the skills, but not the influence, and that simply wasn’t fair according to Mr. Benedict. He invested his own money and time to construct a society that bred the best of the best, year after year.

But to be the best, you must be ruthless.

Good leaders make sacrifices. Sometimes the sacrifices are hard, but the rewards are plentiful. Mr. Benedict made sure to indulge these leaders with their utmost desires. A devout Catholic himself, he designed a society that rewarded his leaders with the sins that were frowned upon. If they were giving up love and happiness and joy for the betterment of the country, they deserved something in its stead.

Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust.

Choosing leaders for this society means that it takes intense focus. Only seven are to be selected, and the investments and time are showered upon the new seven chosen every four years. The predecessors of each group of seven choose people who fit the sin that will mold them into who they are needed to be in the future—what America needs them to be. This is after a detailed study of many potential candidates. The university’s acting dean behaves as a liaison for the society bringing the college applicants to the predecessors so that the selection may begin. The society members who are going out will bring forth a candidate that the society votes on and approves.

After they are chosen, the initiates are given a token and an invitation to initiation. The initiation will be a test to their character and ability to do what’s right for the betterment of the society. Once the initiates pass their test, they are discreetly branded with the mark of the society, and are groomed through challenges during the course of their elite education to breed them into the influential people they were meant to be.

Once in The Elite Seven, there is no getting out. The money and power are their reward. Should they choose to stray or break the rules, the society strips them of everything. Anything they once had will be removed. Opportunities will never arise. They will no longer have the support of the society. To this day, there have been no known occurrences of anyone from the society having to be banished. This elite group of people are what every young man and woman aspire to be a part of. While the group is a secret society, they are whispered about amongst the privileged folks in the country. Anyone who is anyone knows of the group and secretly hopes it’s their son or daughter who are selected, for good fortune is showered on the family for decades to come.

Lust: NOW LIVE

I was born with wealth, athletic ability, and looks that could melt the panties off a nun.
I had a clear path to success.
Until fate dealt me a cruel blow, leaving me empty and in need of purpose.
My only focus now is to become part of The Elite—a secret society in one of the most prestigious colleges in the world.
But everything comes at a price, and with The Elite, you have to earn your place.
Lucky for me, being sinful is in my DNA.
The only obstacle to full initiation is my task: seduce the un-seducible, the forbidden, and lure her with the sins of the flesh.
Easy for a man like me…in theory.
She started as my task, but what happens when the lines between lust and love blur, and the need for power rages war with the need for her?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.
This is my life, my chance, my legacy.
I am Rhett Masters.
I am Lust.

Purchase LUST by Ker Dukey NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK
Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

 

Pride: Releasing February 25th

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.

But who said the devil was a he?

In my world, she was out to cause havoc on all our lives.

She’ll use the one thing I care most about to control me—force me into her Elite world, filled with sin, deceit, and power. And under her spell, I’ll lead a sinister brotherhood of seven at one of the most prestigious universities in New Orleans.

Seven tasks set forth by the devil herself, promising nothing less than the forbidden fruit of power. What they don’t understand is it will all end in bloodshed and regret.

They call me the alpha. The one in charge. The one with pride bigger than any task I could be given. And my pride won’t let me be anywhere but at the top of the food chain until she gives me what I truly want.

My task is Meghan Thorne.

She’s too pure for me to touch, too good for me to ruin—and the only thing standing in my way to freedom.

Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.

As they say, pride comes before the fall.

I am Mason Blackwell.

I am Pride.

PRIDE By J.D Hollyfield

PRIDE Pre-Order Now!!
Amazon US |Amazon UK
Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

Wrath: Releasing March 11th

I’m a motherless son to a father who hates me. Fury has lived and breathed in my black heart for so long, it’s a part of my soul now. The only thing that’s ever mattered to me is protecting my twin sister, Sabella, from my father’s temper.

So when the chance to join a secret society presents itself, there’s no question I’ll do whatever it takes to become a member and earn my place in the ranks of only the most Elite.

With a taste for the deviant, I’m drawn to the darkest of desires, and no one ever leaves my bed unscathed.
My task: seduce Patience Noelle, St. Augustine’s sweetheart and the mayor’s beloved daughter—then break her heart.

Sinning is what I live for, and deviance is my passion. Failing has never been an option.

But what happens when my sin becomes my curse—when destroying the only woman I’ve ever wanted is my key to protecting my sister?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.

This isn’t just my chance, it’s my legacy and reckoning.
I am Samuel Gunner.
I am WRATH

WRATH by Claire C. Riley

 

Envy: Releasing March 25th

It was temptation that broke the sinner.

People say I have everything.
They’re wrong.
I may have looks, money, and privilege, but I don’t have the one thing that really matters, the one thing I crave: a woman with eyes only for me.
I’m searching for my woman—one who will fall to her knees because I’m her king. She’ll wear the crown of my tarnished name, and long for me when I’m not near. And when I am close, she’ll be naked across my lap, feeling the sting of my palm across her milky skin.
You could say I’m a sinner because I’d do anything to have the perfect woman—compliant to my every need and whim—and I’m envious of every couple who walks around naive to the luxury they have.

That’s why I joined The Elite, the most prestigious brotherhood in the south.
It’s the one place that will give me what I cannot have.
Only…the task assigned to me is too much for my jealous eyes.
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.
Those who envy have no peace.
My name is Sabastian Westbrook.
I am Envy.

ENVY by M.N Forgy

 

Greed: Releasing April 8th

I was born into a world of darkness—one that never touched me when I was around my brother, Mason Blackwell. Leader of The Elite Seven. The thing about darkness, though, is it’s persistent. Eventually, it pushes itself into my life, penetrating my soul and leaving its stench latched to every vein, rooted inside every bone, and sunken into every pore. I thought I reached rock bottom when I fell in love with my brother’s best friend. My very own brand of drug with no comedown. My own nightmare I never woke from. But I was wrong. So very wrong. When I returned to New Orleans, I arrived as a shell of the girl they once knew. Put on a smile. Be the sweet innocent girl they remember.

I’m Evie Blackwell, hostage to my demons. Can the damned be saved?

I’ve done some unforgivable acts in my years, but I never asked for forgiveness. Nothing beats the feeling of wrapping my hand around someone’s throat and watching as their life bleeds down their cheeks. She was everything I should have stayed away from. The first night I saw her, I knew I was doomed—a slave to the girl with the pretty eyes and soft smile. The girl who turned out to be my best friend’s baby sister. I couldn’t stay away. I had to be near her, even if it meant ruining her in the process. I wanted to wreck her, so I could piece her back together—a puzzle only I knew how to solve.

I’m Micah Dixon.
Greed.
I come for everything and get everything I come for—and I want all of her. But she’s changed, and so have I.
I’m much, much worse now…

GREED By Amo Jones

 

Gluttony: Releasing April 22nd

My life has been served to me on a gold platter to be devoured by my silver spoon.

Money, money, and more money. It’s the backbone of the Goddard name. I’m the only son, so it’s all mine for the taking.

But sometimes money isn’t enough. I always want more, yet nothing seems to satisfy me.

My father has made sure I become a part of The Elite Seven. Where most candidates are chosen, I was given my place. Everything comes at a price, though. Luckily, I can afford any price—no one has more money than God.

The Elite Seven have their initiations. My assignment is personal and beneath me: steal a car and send a warning. It’ll hurt my best friend in the process, but we both made a pact going into this. There’s no line we won’t cross.

My task makes an ugly turn and I nearly take a life. Such a small, unimportant person—someone no one would even notice was gone. She’s a problem my money and power can easily sweep under the rug.

It’s what my father wants. It’s what my brothers want. But when she finally opens those big, innocent brown eyes, I realize I’ve found what I’ve been searching for my entire life. I don’t want my little problem to disappear…I want to keep her.

Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.

Money is my legacy, but I want something money can’t buy.
I am Baxter Samuel Goddard V.
I am Gluttony.

GLUTTONY by K. Webster

 

Sloth: Releasing May 13th

I don’t give a fuck.
Not about money or fame, beauty or power. I’ve had all those things since birth, and trust me, they’re a fucking snooze.
I don’t give a fuck about anyone, not even myself.
Until my father proves evil can exist in the most holy of places. For the first time ever, something like interest stirs in my soul.
He wants me to enroll at St. Augustine.
Join The Elite.
Court the virginal daughter of Archbishop Savoie.
Prove to him I’m worth the family name.
I’ll do it all.
And I’ll do it so well, no one will know what’s coming. People are so quick to underestimate the wicked and lazy.
They forget idle hands are the best tools for the devil’s work.
I am Rush Dempsey.
I am Sloth.

SLOTH By Giana Darling

 

ENTER TO WIN A $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

▼▼▼Click the image to enter!!▼▼▼

The Red Ledger: Part 5 by Meredith Wild…Release Blitz & Review




The Red Ledger Series (part 5)
by Meredith Wild 
Release Date: 10th September
Genre: Suspense/thriller
 

The Red Ledger, a binge-worthy suspense/thriller series with Wild’s
signature erotic twist
The Red Ledger Series reading order#TheRedLedger5 #meredithwild #waterhousepress


Synopsis

TOMORROW ISN’T PROMISED…

I’ve seen death. I’ve watched my place in the world fall away. Every day, the life I’ve chosen with Tristan changes shape. It’s not the life I wanted for us, but it’s ours. I accept this, as unready as I sometimes feel to face the dark side of humanity he knows too well. 

Now the person who’s responsible for putting us on this path has slipped from our grasp. Our grand plans to free Tristan from the life of a mercenary are unraveling. Friends are looking more like foes, and the truth we’ve been searching for is uglier than we could have ever imagined. 

Every tomorrow brings a new fight I pray we can win. But what if tomorrow is something I’ve taken for granted all this time? What if we’ve met our match? What if tomorrow never comes?

Buy The Book

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2HSPlSZ
“Meredith Wild effortlessly moves into the suspense genre, joining the ranks of James Patterson and Robert Ludlum. Thrilling, suspenseful and heart-stopping!”
-New York Times bestselling author Alessandra Torre

“The Red Ledger is Wild’s most daring, suspenseful, and brilliantly executed work to date.”
-USA Today bestseller Angel Payne

 

I am loving every installment of this series.

Meredith keeps on delivering a suspenseful and enticing plot. Just when you think things can’t get any more twisted or convoluted, Meredith throws in another curve ball and has you more on the edge of your seat.

You will find yourself completely vested in this plot, these characters and needing to know what happens next.

I know I am being absolutely vague as to what happens in this installment and that is on purpose. Every detail is an important part of how things are being played so any specific details may give away a huge part of the suspense and twists thrown at you.

All you need to know is that Tristan is still remembering parts of his past with Isabel and that these two are still making new discoveries as they find out the answers to some questions but left with even more.

This book felt the most intense since the first one and I loved it!! I cannot wait to see where this all leads to.



Not started this series yet?

Download books 1 – 3 as a bundle today……….  

Reborn: The Red Ledger 



Amazon:https://amzn.to/2JiXjVJ
Amazon Print:https://amzn.to/2pDXJxi
Nook:http://bit.ly/2FdXmDx
iBooks:https://apple.co/2oEC4EN
Google Play:http://bit.ly/2F9aUAd
Kobo:http://bit.ly/2FboKlv

Meet The Author

 

Meredith Wild is a #1 New York TimesUSA Today, and international bestselling author. After publishing her debut novel Hardwired in September 2013, Wild used her ten years of experience as a tech entrepreneur to push the boundaries of her “self-published” status, becoming stocked in brick-and-mortar bookstore chains nationwide and forging relationships with the major retailers.

In 2014, Wild founded her own imprint, Waterhouse Press, under which she hit No. 1 on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. She has been featured on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, the New York TimesThe Hollywood ReporterPublishers Weekly, and The Examiner. Her foreign rights have been sold in over 20 languages.
Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband and three children, she refers to herself as a techie, whiskey appreciator, and shameless sun worshipper. Find out more about what projects she’s working on next at www.meredithwild.com.
Social Media Links

 

 

Release Day Blitz….The Surviving Girls by Katee Robert

 

Release alert for THE SURVIVING GIRLS! 

 Don’t miss this intense, and suspenseful crime novel by Katee Robert!  

 

 

“This is a must read summer read!” —Book Him Danno 

 

“Robert takes the story to an unexpected revelation of who the real killer is and the trip there is highly entertaining in a hang on to your chair kind of way. Every Robert book I’ve read has been filled with well defined, gritty characters and a well-paced plot. The women aren’t Cinderallas and the Princes Charming have an edge to them. Just the way I like it.” —Jeep Diva 

 

Download THE SURVIVING GIRLS or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek and your chance to enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or books from Katee Robert!  

 

 

 

Title: The Surviving Girls 

Author: Katee Robert 

Series: Hidden Sins #3 

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Release Date: May 29, 2018 

Publisher: Montlake Romance 

Print Length:  282 pages 

Format: Digital and Paperback 

ISBN: 978-1503902442 

 

 

Synopsis:  

 

A fierce survivor and a fearless FBI agent battle a copycat serial killer in a gripping thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert. 

 

Twelve years ago, Lei Zhang and her friend Emma Nilsson miraculously lived through the notorious Sorority Row Murders that left twenty-one of their sisters dead. Still wrestling with the trauma but finally out of the limelight, Lei and Emma are now devoted to helping other victims find closure. But most disturbing for Lei—beyond the gut-wrenching survivor guilt—is that the killer was her boyfriend. He’s behind bars, but she’ll never lower her guard again. 

 

When a copycat killer targets Lei and Emma, FBI Agent Dante Young is put in charge of anticipating the sociopath’s every move. But what he doesn’t expect is his immediate and overpowering attraction to Lei. The closer they get to each other, the more desperate and terrifying the questions become: Who wants to finish what the killer started—and why? 

 

Now Agent Young vows to protect Lei at all costs. If they have any chance of a future together, first they have to stay alive… 

 

Download at:  

Amazon:  http://bit.ly/TheSurvivingGIrlsAmazon 

B&N: http://bit.ly/2HcOsUZ 

 

Enter to win a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card or three (3) runner-up copies of a backlist eBook from Katee Robert! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Surviving Girls Excerpt 

Copyright © 2018 Katee Robert 

 

Lei couldn’t breathe. Her chest closed painfully as if she’d been knocked flat on her back, and her lungs burned with the need for oxygen. Somewhere in the tiny rational corner of her mind, she knew there was nothing really wrong with her, but rational thought had no place in the midst of her panic. 

He’s back. Emma was right all along and he’s coming for us. 

Stop. 

You’re spiraling. 

Travis Berkley is still in jail. This is a copycat, and no matter how bad a copycat is, he can’t be worse than Travis. You survived before. You will this time, too. 

A whine cut through her thoughts, and then Saul was there, nudging her hand with his cool nose. She inhaled sharply, suddenly aware that everyone in the room was staring at her. The Feds had the blank-slate expression she’d come to associate with cops when they were in a difficult situation. Emma looked at her as if she was on the verge of her own panic attack. 

Lei stroked her hand over Saul’s head, forming a wall of indisputable facts in her mind to keep the fear at bay. She wasn’t twenty-one anymore, only a couple of years out of the stifling family home she’d grown up on, still drunk on freedom and the realization that she could do anything she wanted to with her future. 

She’d been an idiot. A child who was playing dress-up without realizing the pitfalls of adulthood. 

Though most pitfalls don’t come attached to a knife. 

Lei wasn’t that girl anymore. She’d seen the worst Travis Berkley could offer and had the scars to show for it. She could shoot. She could fight. She’d worked with enough cops over the course of her career as a trainer and search team that she had an inside view to how their minds worked. 

She would not lose herself to terror. 

Another stroke to Saul’s head and she was able to speak. “How close to the original murders are the details?” 

Agent Young exchanged a glance with his partner and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. His big hands dangled between his legs, and she distantly noted that he had really firm thighs beneath the expensive slacks. He spoke slowly, as if gauging her response. “We haven’t had a chance to check the original case files, but the big details are almost identical. The murders were performed in the same way—girls kept in a main room and taken out individually. We think he snuck in through a window, because their condo was on the second floor and he used a knife from the kitchen.” 

She could almost hear Travis’s voice in her head, even after all these years. Let me in, Lei-Lei. I have a surprise for you. Stupid. She’d been so incredibly stupid, swayed by a pretty face and a boy her parents would approve of who made her feel. Smart, athletic, the right dollar amount in his family’s bank account. Someone bright and colorful and checking all the right boxes. 

Since she couldn’t bring herself to ask if one of the girls let him in, she focused on the rest. “If this is a fan, he must have been in contact with Travis at some point.” She put her hand on Emma’s leg when her friend flinched at his name. The Feds didn’t react, which made her sigh. “But you already knew that. You don’t need me telling you how to do your job. What is it you need?” 

Another loaded look between them. They’d obviously been partners for a long time, because they managed to convey an entire conversation’s worth of talking in a single look. 

Again, it was Agent Young who took the lead. “We can find the details of the case easily enough, along with your accounts, but what I’d like to know is your take on Travis.” 

“Because I dated him.” She stated it baldly, as if the fact she’d slept with a murderer was something she’d dealt with and moved on from. As if the fact didn’t still keep her up at night, moving beneath her skin until she wanted to take a wire brush to her body. There weren’t enough hot showers and bleach baths in the world to change the fact she’d willingly been with him. She could never take that back. 

“Because you—both of you—have known him longer than anyone.” 

“Agent Young—” 

“Dante.” 

She stopped short. Dante. It fit him somehow—strong and a little bit intense. He masked it well, but there was fire lurking in the depths of his dark eyes, in the way he clenched his fists as they spoke about Travis. She shouldn’t be forming personal opinions about any man, let alone one connected with the case. Lei’s track record had more than proven that fact. 

While she was still trying to process her strange and seriously inconvenient reaction to him, Emma had found her voice. She spoke softly, her southern accent giving her breathy tone a pretty lilt. She had a Dolly Parton thing going for her—at least before Dolly got a little crazy for plastic surgery—and Emma wasn’t above playing up the sweet-southern-belle thing when it suited her. “Travis Berkley is a sociopath with a healthy dose of narcissistic personality disorder—which you already know because you read the file. Everything is in the file. We have been doing our best to get past what he did to us—to our sisters—and that means forgetting as much as possible.” 

Maybe for Emma. Lei couldn’t afford to forget. It had been her mistake that tipped the first domino that destroyed so many lives. While it was possible Travis could have gotten into the house on his own, she’d been the fool who let him in her window. 

The knowledge made her hands shake. Emma might want to do everything to avoid that gory walk down memory lane, but Lei didn’t have that option. Guilt wrapped around her throat, tightening, ever tightening. “You have something specific you’re here for.” 

Agent Rowan leaned forward, a clear indication that she’d take it from there. As much as Lei wanted the calming force Dante—Agent Young—seemed to emanate, she turned almost gratefully to the redhead. She eyed her as if Lei was a particularly interesting bug. “We’re theorizing this fucker—” 

Clarke. 

She didn’t look at him. “These women have seen enough, Dante. You know as well as I do that a few choice curse words aren’t going to have them scrambling for their sniffing salts.” 

Lei understood now why Britton had paired these two together. Clarke was the blunt force designed to set a person back on their heels so they were too busy reacting to her foul mouth to stop and think that there might be a shrewd mind behind those deceptively big blue eyes. Dante on the other hand, was a cool summer mist, unruffling feathers and putting everyone in the room at ease with his calm presence. Both agents would be underestimated in different ways, which was only to their benefit. 

Clever. 

She eyed the dogs on the floor. Neither of them seemed overly concerned with the Feds in the room. Good. Lei had more than proven she could be fooled, but Saul couldn’t. Every time he reacted poorly to a person, she paid attention—and most of the time something eventually came to light to prove her dog’s instincts correct. 

Clarke followed her gaze and then refocused on Lei and then Emma. “A lot of sociopaths think they’re smarter than everyone else in the room—some of them are even right—and Travis sure as hell falls into the latter category. His IQ is 167, and from all accounts, prison hasn’t broken him. What we need to know is if he’d encourage a fan to take these steps.” 

“Of course he would. He’s a fucking psycho,” Emma snarled. 

“What do you think?” Clarke was looking at Lei. 

Because why not? Even now, cops thought Lei had some kind of inside track to the way Travis’s mind worked. She’d dated him for months, had slept with him countless times, and so she must have some insider knowledge to explain how the golden boy went so very, very wrong. 

She hadn’t been able to give them a satisfactory answer then. She didn’t have one now, either. But she could try. 

 

 

 

Katee Robert – you have outdone yourself with this book in this series. This is my favorite book so far in this series. I couldn’t stop reading (while I was awake). Hell, my brain even had me dreaming of this book.

The Surviving Girls gave me chills at so many points in this book – it was written that damn good. I got this sense that I was right there with these characters as this unwound this twisted path they were thrown onto.

I won’t give any details because you need to read this one blind (aside from the blurb). Lei and Emma survived that same brutal killings their friends unfortunately didn’t. But they both have moved on in different ways, but together.

But when a copycat killer starts things back up, they are thrown back into the thick of things. And even though it’s been over 10 years since they went through that whole ordeal, everything comes rushing back to them.

Katee wrote a very strong and intriguing plot. This book moves at the perfect pace; while everything may only happen in a few days time, it all makes sense and never feels rushed in any way.

The twists and turns are brought about very cleverly and she leaves just enough bread crumbs to string you along. I have so many different ideas as to who, what, why, how things happened. While I was right on one thing, it was how it played out that I was totally baffled on.

Bravo Katee for writing another amazing suspenseful read. You have this knack for writing books that keep your readers engaged and immensely emerged in the story.

If you haven’t read any of Katee’s books yet, I highly recommend giving this series a go!

Side Note – let me clarify something on all these books and it’s something that I have come to realize after now reading the third book. These books are classified as romantic suspense but there is very little romance in them; however due to the fact that there is some romance in them and due to standards, it can’t be listed as just a suspense/thriller. So please do not go into these books hoping for a lot of romance – it is definitely a subplot that is not really developed too much in the book, which I find to a be a great thing. The suspense and thrill are what really drives these books home.

 

 

Praise for The Hidden Sins Series 

 

“…a captivating read, made all the more rewarding when good triumphs.”—Washington Post on The Devil’s Daughter 

 

“Robert shows off her impressive versatility in this fast-paced and inventive new Hidden Sins series. The small-town setting is a masterful blend of quaint and oppressive, which ratchets the menace and thrill factor. The protagonists carry the full weight of their pasts with them, making their growing relationship as compelling as the mystery element in The Devil’s Daughter. With plenty of twists and betrayals, this is a book that is sure to earn Robert a wealth of new fans.” RT Book Reviews on The Devil’s Daughter 

 

“Katee Robert has definitely picked up the romantic suspense genre and made it her bitch. I can’t wait to see what we get next. Given some of the books I see she’s been using for research, I know it’s going to be frightening and amazing at the same time.” —Goodreads Review 

 

“Every bit as complex as book one but with a totally different storyline, The Hunting Grounds once again proved Katee Robert is more than capable of spinning a thrilling romantic suspense tale that will keep readers on their toes.” Harlequin Junkieon The Hunting Grounds (recommended read) 

 

“Filled with suspense and lot of unpredictable twists and turns…Gripping.” Life at 17on The Hunting Grounds 

 

 

Other Books in the Hidden Sin Series 

 

THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER 

Get more information at:  Goodreads  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

 

THE HUNTING GROUNDS 

Get more information at: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

 

 

About Katee Robert 

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.”  When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | TwitterGoodReads | Instagram  

 

 

The Red Ledger: Part 2 by Meredith Wild….Release Day Blitz & Review


Reborn: The Red Ledger Series 
by Meredith Wild 

Release Date: Part 2 – May 29th
Genre: Suspense/thriller
 

 

 

The Red Ledger, a binge-worthy suspense/thriller series with Wild’s
signature erotic twist
The Red Ledger Series reading orderRed Ledger Pt 1 – Add to your TBR
Red Ledger Pt 2 – Add to your TBR#TheRedLedger2


Synopsis

She’s the only link to his past… 

Six years ago, Tristan Stone was everything to me. My whole heart, my future. We were unshakeable, bound tighter by any force that tried to drive us apart. Then he disappeared from my life, leaving me in tatters, broken and running away to one of the most intense cities in the world. Somehow he found me, but now nothing is the same… 

Tristan claims someone wants me dead. He’s scarred and dangerous, but all of that seems to melt away when we touch. I might be the only one who can give him his memories, but I want more. The lover I could never forget is trapped inside the heartless man he’s become. I won’t stop until I reach him. I won’t stop until I find the answers he’s not giving me. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RedLedgerArmy/
 

 

 

The Red Ledger keeps getting better and better.

In Part 2, we are learning more about who Tristan was before he became a killer for hire. He is trying to retrace his past, but at the same time, debates on whether he really needs to know anything since the last 3 years he’s been fine with not knowing anything.

Isabel is determined to take control of her life and figure out where she fits into everything. She wants to help Tristan where she can, but she also knows that he isn’t going to tell her everything. Leaving her with the only option of finding things on her own.

Part 2 is just as captivating and intriguing as the first. It’s fast-paced, delivers that right amount of information to give us some answers, but also gives us new questions. You can’t trust anyone and Meredith does a great job of keeping us guessing as to what is really going on and why.

Part 3 can’t release soon enough!

 

 

 

 

Buy Part 1 NOW!



Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2CP2Q2a


B&N:  http://bit.ly/2FcNxWc


iBooks:  https://apple.co/2FcarNy


Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2FcXYJG


Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2oFQfcB

 

 

Buy Part 2 NOW!



 

Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2FcbA7O

 

 


Reborn: The Red Ledger (books 1-3 bundle) 
Releases 7th August


Amazon Print:  http://amzn.to/2GP1t6g


B&N print link:  http://bit.ly/2FdXmDx


BAM’s print link:  http://bit.ly/2FZPy9B

 

 

Meet The Author
 

Meredith Wild is a #1 New York TimesUSA Today, and international bestselling author. After publishing her debut novel Hardwired in September 2013, Wild used her ten years of experience as a tech entrepreneur to push the boundaries of her “self-published” status, becoming stocked in brick-and-mortar bookstore chains nationwide and forging relationships with the major retailers.
In 2014, Wild founded her own imprint, Waterhouse Press, under which she hit No. 1 on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. She has been featured on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, the New York TimesThe Hollywood ReporterPublishers Weekly, and The Examiner. Her foreign rights have been sold in over 20 languages.
Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband and three children, she refers to herself as a techie, whiskey appreciator, and shameless sun worshipper. Find out more about what projects she’s working on next at www.meredithwild.com.
Social Media Links
 
 

 

 

The Red Ledger by Meredith Wild….Blog Tour & Review


Reborn: The Red Ledger Series 

by Meredith Wild 
 


Release Date: Part 1 – May 21st
Genre: Suspense/thriller
 

 

The Red Ledger, a binge-worthy suspense/thriller series with Wild’s
signature erotic twist, will debut May 21, 2018


Synopsis

He’s death for hire…

Some people measure life in hours. Days. Weeks. I measure mine in kills. A covert military mission gone wrong robbed me of my memory and any link to my past. This is my existence now. I execute and survive. Nothing more, nothing less. I was ready to write Isabel Foster’s name in my ledger of unfortunate souls until she uttered the one word that could stop the bullet meant for her. My name.

She knows my face. She knows me. She’s the key to the memories I’m not sure I want back. Now nothing is simple. I still have a job to do, and my soul isn’t worth saving. I’m not the man she thinks I am. I can’t love her. And sparing her life puts us both in the crosshairs.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RedLedgerArmy/



Buy Part 1 NOW!

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2CP2Q2a

B&N:  http://bit.ly/2FcNxWc

iBooks:  https://apple.co/2FcarNy

Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2FcXYJG

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2oFQfcB

I know who Meredith Wild is and have heard nothing but amazing things about her and her books. But, I have never had the time to read anything by her, til now. I saw that she was starting a new series and that it was a thriller/suspense. And when I read the blurb, I was all in.

Meredith Wild does not disappoint with this one. This book is quick and fast paced and there is no slowing down either. There are 6 parts to this series and they are expected to release this year, so YAY on not waiting long to see how this all pans out.

Tristan remembers nothing of his life except the last three years. The three years he’s been a killer for hire. He has no emotion, has no qualms over what he does. He’s a robot in all sense of how he goes about life.

Isabel remembers who Tristan was before he went off grid. But that’s not who he is anymore. But she can’t walk away from, because he won’t let her. And not for the reasons you think.

Meredith delivers a suspenseful story full of twists, unknown possibilities and a lot of information that has you already trying to figure out who is behind everything. Part 1 gives us just bolts and screws to this captivating story with a Jason Bourne-like plot line.

The Red Ledger is a series you won’t be able to walk away from once you start reading!

 

 


Pre-order Part 2 – releases 29th May

http://www.meredithwild.com/book/?series=the-red-ledger


Reborn: The Red Ledger (books 1-3 bundle) 
Releases 7th August


Amazon Print:  http://amzn.to/2GP1t6g

B&N print link:  http://bit.ly/2FdXmDx

BAM’s print link:  http://bit.ly/2FZPy9B

Meet The Author
 
Meredith Wild is a #1 New York TimesUSA Today, and international bestselling author. After publishing her debut novel Hardwired in September 2013, Wild used her ten years of experience as a tech entrepreneur to push the boundaries of her “self-published” status, becoming stocked in brick-and-mortar bookstore chains nationwide and forging relationships with the major retailers.
In 2014, Wild founded her own imprint, Waterhouse Press, under which she hit No. 1 on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. She has been featured on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, the New York TimesThe Hollywood ReporterPublishers Weekly, and The Examiner. Her foreign rights have been sold in over 20 languages.
Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband and three children, she refers to herself as a techie, whiskey appreciator, and shameless sun worshipper. Find out more about what projects she’s working on next at www.meredithwild.com.
Social Media Links
 
 

Wishing Well by Lily White…Synopsis Reveal

Blurb Reveal – March 21st –

Wishing Well by Lily White

Releasing April 18, 2018

Blurb:

The perfect timing of a fairy tale is tied to its tragedy…

Journalist, Meadow Graham, is invited to interview death row inmate, Vincent Mercier. Given three days to hear his sordid confession, Meadow seeks to learn why a wealthy hotel owner killed four people, including her twin sister.

Sensually exotic and enigmatic, Vincent details his deception while bragging about the amusement he took in manipulating Meadow’s sister.

Their interview is a battle of wills.

His story is a twisted web of coercion and lies.

And the tragedy is too perfect to be real.

Will Meadow discover all of Vincent’s secrets while she fights to protect her own?

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2G2PGSC

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Hashtags: #SexGames #Hotel #PsychThriller #Manipulation

Sign-up to promote or get an ARC: http://bit.ly/wishingwellsignup

Pre-order Exclusive to iBooks:

iBooks: https://apple.co/2oSTfCL

iBooks: https://apple.co/2oSTfC

Such Dark Things by Courtney Evan Tate…Release Day Blitz & Review

Title:  SUCH DARK THINGS
Author:  Courtney Evan Tate (Courtney Cole)
Genre:  Psychological Thriller
Publisher:  Mira (Harper Collins)
Release Date:  March 20, 2018

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2BuQy29

B&N: http://bit.ly/2Ffmmee

Google Play:  http://bit.ly/2D107mv

Apple:  https://apple.co/2Fg8I6M

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2oR1D5z

 

Mark to Read on Goodreads:

http://bit.ly/2EM7C5O

 

Summary: 
 

I thought I knew him. He thought he knew me. We were both wrong…

Dr. Corinne Cabot is living the American dream. She’s a successful ER physician in Chicago who’s married to a handsome husband. Together they live in a charming house in the suburbs. But appearances can be deceiving—and what no one can see is Corinne’s dark past. Troubling gaps in her memory mean she recalls little about a haunting event in her life years ago that changed everything.

She remembers only being in the house the night two people were found murdered. Her father was there, too. Now her father is in prison; she hasn’t been in contact in years. Repressing that terrifying memory has caused Corinne moments of paranoia and panic. Sometimes she thinks she sees things that aren’t there, hears words that haven’t been spoken. Or have they? She fears she may be losing her mind, unable to determine what’s real and what’s not.

So when she senses her husband’s growing distance, she thinks she’s imagining things. She writes her suspicions off to fatigue, overwork, anything to explain what she can’t accept—that her life really isn’t what it seems.

When I heard that Courtney Cole was writing a psychological thriller, I was all in. The I read the blurb, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one.

Such Dark Things is a twisted thriller with a bit of romance added in. There are some situations that appear in this book that those who read Courtney Cole’s other books may not be able to handle in this book. It’s why she chose to publish this under a pen name. So please keep that in mind if you decide to read this.

This book hooked me from the start. It’s told from two POVs – Jude and Corrine’s. They are a married couple; he’s a psychologist and she’s an ER doctor. And it’s from the both the past and present with the past leading up to the present.

Seventeen years ago on Halloween, Corrine witnessed her father kill two people but she remembers nothing about that night except standing next to the two dead bodies. Her father is serving time in prison for the murders and she’s been fighting demons from that night ever since.

Corrine is very dedicated to her job and spends alot of her time there. It also helps her from focusing on her nightmares that comes around this time of year. As Corrine is struggling to get a hold of her nightmares, she feels her husband is pulling away from her. Jude knows that Halloween is a very difficult time of the year for Corrine so he always gives her extra space to work through it. But he finds himself seeking out the attention of a younger woman. She gives him the attention that he’s missing from Corrine. And once he makes that first mistake, she makes it impossible for him to stop.

Courtney throws a lot of twists and turns into this story. I really enjoyed watching how everything played out. Every single character is unique and plays a significant role. Jude’s brother Michel, Corrine’s sister Jackie and best friend Lucy are all intricate in Jude and Corrine’s life.

Such Dark Things was riveting and captivating. While I did figure out a thing or two, I was still surprised by a few shocks that Courtney threw in and had my jaw dropping. I am really hoping that Courtney continues to write in this genre because she wrote one hell of an spellbinding read.

 

 

 

Excerpt

Prologue-
My skin is sticky with blood.
My waistband is wet with it, and I can taste it on my lips. It’s splattered on my face, and it tastes like metal that has been rotting in the sun and rain for a hundred years. The night makes me shiver, the cool breeze rustling my hair, and for a split second, I’m back there in that house, standing in that blood. My bare toes feel the warmth of the liquid turn cool as the minutes tick past.
Goose bumps raise on my neck, and a knot that I can’t swallow is lodged in my throat. My feet are frozen frozen frozen on the ground, and I can’t move.
Their eyes are open and lifeless, although they stare at me.
They see me.
Yet they see nothing.
I can’t breathe.
My lips are ice, just like theirs.
My heart is pounding and racing and stuttering, and I can’t breathe I can’t breathe I can’t breathe.
“Corinne. You’re safe here. Corinne.”
And just like that, I’m not there.
I’m here.
“There was blood all over me.” My words are stilted and fragile, like glass.
I stare at my hand, and even though it’s clean now, I see it as it was seventeen years ago, covered in the blood of two souls…souls that were living and that aren’t anymore. It’s hard to wrap my mind around. First they were breathing, and then they weren’t. It happened in a split second. I inhale shakily.
“Think about that moment,” the doctor instructs. “Who can you see?”
I think on that. “Melanie is next to me on the floor. Her head is bleeding into a pool. There is so much blood that it looks black.” I close my eyes, because it had been the first time I’d seen blood like that, and it terrified me. “Joe is on the bed. His blood is splattered all over the wall. Both of them have their eyes open.”
Staring at me.
The emotions welling up in me are like a wave, swelling, swelling, swelling…until I can’t handle it anymore. The horror and the guilt and the pain are just too much.
“I can’t do this,” I blurt out. “I’m done for the day.”
Dr. Phillips looks at me, and he’s calm and detached.
“Corinne, why are you here?”
I pause. What a stupid question. “You know why I’m here.”
I hate it when they treat me with such condescension.
“Humor me,” he tells me. “Why are you here?”
I grit my teeth and look away.
He waits.
“You’re saying that I tried to hurt myself. But I wouldn’t do that.”
I look at him now, and he’s so fucking emotionless. I look down at my left wrist, at the bandage covering up the stiches.
“I wouldn’t,” I insist again. “I’m a fucking physician. I wouldn’t have cut my wrist horizontally. If I really wanted to hurt myself, I would’ve known to cut vertically along the vein.”
I finger the gauze. Beneath it, the cut throbs, evidence of something I don’t remember doing.
“I’m not crazy,” I add. And I don’t know if I’m trying to convince Dr. Phillips, or myself.
“You’re not crazy.” He nods. “But you’ve experienced a mental break. You’re here because you need to deal with the causal underlying issue so that it won’t happen again. Right?”
He’s a fucking asshole.
I stare at the wall. At the whiteness, at the sterility.
“You need some plants in here,” I tell him, avoiding the question. “Greenery puts patients at ease. All this blankness…it’s maddening.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says wryly. “Corinne…”
I interrupt. “Dr. Cabot,” I tell him. “I’ve earned it.”
“Dr. Cabot,” he corrects himself. “You’re right. You’ve earned it. You worked a long time to finish medical school and your residency. You’re a top ER physician. You have a life envied by everyone around you. You’ve got to take care of yourself, so you can protect this life you’ve built.”
I close my eyes. Behind my eyelids, it’s dark and safe. It’s black and warm.
“Protect it from what?” I whisper.
“You tell me,” he answers. “You’ve got something inside of you that is triggered now, something that creates panic and a fight-or-flight response. We know what your father did so long ago. What we don’t know is why…or what damage it has caused in you, damage that seems to be affecting you now.”
“I don’t know either,” I say helplessly, my eyes opening to the white walls again. “I can’t remember. I never could. You know that.”
“I know.” Dr. Phillips nods again, and he tries to be so fucking comforting. “You have a history of dissociative behavior. You blocked out what your father did so long ago, and it stands to reason that your brain has developed that as a defense mechanism. It’s doing it again now. If we don’t get to the bottom of why your memories are being triggered now, after all of these years…you’ll never have peace. Do we agree on that?”
Reluctantly, I nod.
“So we have to start at the beginning. You have to stay here and focus.”
Anger flares in me, red and hot, and I stare him down. He doesn’t blink and neither do I.
“Focus?” I ask him, and my words are sharp and I wish they would cut him. “You think it’s as simple as sitting down and focusing? How dare you sit there and tell me what to do, when you have no idea what it’s like?”
I stand up to leave, but the psychiatrist’s next sentence holds me in my place, freezing me.
“Corinne, you promised Jude you’d try.”
Jude.
My beautiful, understanding Jude.
I swallow hard. I did promise. And I have to follow through, even though the pain it causes me is immeasurable. I owe it to him. I’ll do it for him. Not for this psychiatrist, but for Jude.
My body folds back into the seat, and I finger the medical bracelet circling my right wrist. Corinne Elizabeth Cabot, Female. It’s me, condensed into one stark sentence, yet I’m a stranger to myself right now. That’s why I’m here. I don’t know myself or my thoughts. My memories are foreign, blocked, nightmarish, out of control.
“Fine.” There’s nothing else I can say.
Dr. Phillips is quietly triumphant. “Let’s begin again. Take a deep breath and close your eyes.”
I do, drawing the cool air in a rush over my teeth, expanding my lungs and holding it, before I let it slowly exhale. I do it again, then again.
“Think back to that night, Dr. Cabot. Stand in that room. Tell me where your father is.”
I envision it, I see it in my mind like it was yesterday. My father in his bloody steel-toed boots. “He’s on the porch, waiting for the police to come.”
“He left you alone in the house with two dead bodies?”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t try to run?”
“No.”
“Okay. What did you do then?” my doctor asks me calmly, unfazed by the ugliness of my story.
“I was stunned. I think I was in shock. My hand was bleeding.”
Dr. Phillips looks at my hand, because I’m stroking the scar now, an unconscious nervous tic that I often do when I’m anxious. “What happened to your hand?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Is there a lot that you don’t remember from that night?”
“Yes. You know that.”
“Yes, I do,” he acknowledges. “So you’re standing in the middle of a bloody crime scene because your father left you alone. What did you do then, Corinne?”
“I looked out the window,” I tell him. “I was frozen. I couldn’t move. My feet felt like concrete and I was afraid if I moved, my heart would explode. So I took deep breaths. I watched the trick-or-treaters walking by. I looked at the blood on my shoe. I looked at the jack-o’-lanterns that were lit on porches, and the ghosts hanging in the trees. There was a full moon. There was light on my shoulders.”
“Anything else?”
“I stared at the street sign on the corner. All Hallows Lane.”
“That’s ironic,” the doctor points out needlessly.
“Yes.”
“How long did you stand there?” His question is quiet.
“Until they came and took me away.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Courtney Cole

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Want a FREE book, exclusive super-fan prizes and contests, and general merriment? Sign up for my newsletter!

Want to learn all of my secrets?  

Check out my Website

Want to hear the lies I tell my husband to hide my shopping trips?  

Follow me on Twitter!

 
Want to see frequent pictures of smokin’  hot men and hilarious cat memes?  
Friend me on Facebook!

The Longest Silence by Debra Webb…Excerpt Tour Stop

We are so excited to announce a 2-part tour for The Longest Silence, a gripping thriller by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb!

Follow along the excerpt tour beginning in mid February, with long excerpts in consecutive order at each tour stop, followed by a review tour beginning March 5th, release week!

 

About The Longest Silence

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: MIRA (March 6, 2018)

“The twists and turns in this dark, taut drama make it both creepy and compelling.” —New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry

A killer stole her voice. Now she’s ready to take it back. Don’t miss the chilling Shades of Death series from USA TODAY bestselling author Debra Webb.

Joanna Guthrie was free. She had been for eighteen years–or so she needed everyone to believe. What really happened during the longest fourteen days of her life, when she and two other women were held captive by the worst kind of serial killer, wasn’t something she could talk about. Not after what they had to do to survive.

But when more women go missing in an eerily similar manner, Jo knows her prolonged silence will only seal their fates. She’s finally ready to talk; she just needs someone to listen. FBI special agent Tony LeDoux can’t deny he finds Jo compelling–he’s just not sure he believes her story. But with the clock ticking, Jo will do anything to convince him, even if it means unearthing long-buried secrets that will land them squarely in the crosshairs of the killer…

“This psychological thriller is rife with tension that begins on page one and doesn’t let up. It’s a race against the clock that had me whispering to the pair of flawed, desperate protagonists, ‘Hurry,hurry.’ A gripping read.”  New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown

Add to Goodreads badge

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

Excerpt:

Chapter Seven

Wild Things Lounge, Macon, Georgia
5:00 p.m.

Tony fought to restrain his temper as he waited for the manager to pick through the wad of keys he’d dug from his pocket for the one that would unlock the door. No matter that he had called the club manager en route to Macon he’d still waited an hour in the goddamned parking lot. According to the owner, who lived in Atlanta and was the contact Tony had called first, a new security system, including video surveillance, had been installed three years ago. The owner couldn’t confirm whether the recorded data from a month or more ago would still be available. The manager handled the day-to-day operations and such decisions were at his discretion.

While Tony had waited for the manager to show up he had walked around the building. There was a camera at the front entrance, the emergency side exit as well as the rear employee entrance. No cameras focused on the parking lot. No windows in the building. He’d glanced in the Dumpster noting the discarded condoms and drug paraphernalia which spoke to the establishment’s general clientele or, at least, those who hung out in the parking area.

His phone vibrated again. Angie. He let the call go to voice mail as he had the previous two. He wasn’t ready to talk to her. Anything he told her now would only get her hopes up. Until he had confirmed the roommate’s new story he wouldn’t share the information with his sister.

“You got a warrant?” Sean, the manager, asked as he finally unlocked the door. Then he leaned against it rather than opening it and waited for Tony to answer.

Sean Waldrop. Twenty-five. Shoulder-length hair badly in need of a wash. A few curly hairs that looked more like they belonged somewhere in the vicinity of his balls sprouted from his chin. Tony felt reasonably confident the tight, ripped jeans were cutting off the blood supply to his upper body and, more important, his brain. With the heavy metal band T-shirt, worn leather jacket and combat boots, he had the 90s grunge look down. So not the kind of joint he would have wanted his niece to patronize. Something else his sister didn’t need to know.

Apparently Tony didn’t respond quickly enough since Waldrop lifted his skinny shoulders in a shrug and warned, “No warrant, no entrance, man.”

If he didn’t have one hell of an ongoing hangover from the past week—maybe month—Tony would have taken that punk-ass attitude down a notch or two. Instead, he smiled and said, “I showed you my credentials already.” What was one more flash of his invalid creds? “The owner, Kenneth Jonas—you might recognize the name from your paychecks—gave me permission to look to my heart’s desire. You want to call him?” Tony offered his cell. “I’m certain he’d be interested in learning why your bartenders are selling alcohol to minors.”

Waldrop stared at him a moment before relenting. He opened the door. “Make yourself at home, Mr. Fed. I got shit to do.”

Tony waited for Waldrop to go inside first. The stench of nicotine had infused the air, the dark paneled walls as well as the worn upholstery, all of which was underscored by the smell of countless spilled beers emanating from the cheap carpet. Waldrop flipped on the lights, which only confirmed Tony’s assessment. Tables filled most of the space. A small tiled dance floor butted up to an even smaller stage while a long bar stretched across the far side of the space. A door behind the bar probably led to the kitchen and/or the office. Between the bar and the stage, a narrow hall disappeared into the darkness. A sign directing patrons to the bathrooms pointed in that direction.

“What’s the lighting like during business hours?” Tony asked.

Waldrop plopped a rack of glasses on the counter. “We keep the lights you see now on behind the bar and the stage.” He gestured to the stage. “The rest that stay on during opening hours are along the baseboards and under the tables—ambience lighting they call it.”

In other words it was basically dark in the place during operating hours. The one camera Tony had spotted was above the mirrored wall behind the bar. “Is this the only camera inside?”

Waldrop picked up a rag and set his hands on his hips. “That’s it. Old man Jonas is a cheap motherfucker. I see that when I look at my paycheck, too.”

Tony decided it wasn’t worth the effort to point out that the owner was likely getting exactly what he paid for. The rows of liquor bottles behind the bar had his mouth watering. “Is the video recorder in the office?”

The manager hitched his head. “Follow me.”

The door behind the bar led into a small kitchen, as Tony suspected. The grill was blackened with use and the sink was stacked high with beer glasses and mugs. The rest of the counter space was cluttered with cans, boxes and utensils.

“Told you I had shit to do,” Waldrop said.

Tony doubted the regulars showed up every night for the health department rating. “Hopefully this won’t take long,” he offered. “I have shit to do, too.”

Waldrop opened the office door and gestured for Tony to go on in. “The system’s set up in that coat closet.”

About Debra Webb

DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 130 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama.

Connect with Debra

Website | Facebook | Twitter

EXCERPT TOUR:

Monday, February 12th: Clues and Reviews

Tuesday, February 13th: What is That Book About

Wednesday, February 14th: The Book Diva’s Reads

Thursday, February 15th: Books & Spoons

Friday, February 16th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Monday, February 19th: Palmer’s Page Turners

Tuesday, February 20th: Broken Teepee

Wednesday, February 21st: Helen’s Book Blog

Thursday, February 22nd: The Lit Bitch

Friday, February 23rd: Lit Wit Wine Dine

Monday, February 26th: Ms. Nose in a Book

Tuesday, February 27th: Why Girls Are Weird

Wednesday, February 28th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Thursday, March 1st: Books a la Mode

Friday, March 2nd: Read Love Blog

REVIEW TOUR:

Monday, March 5th: The Sassy Bookster

Monday, March 5th: Books & Spoons

Tuesday, March 6th: Clues & Reviews

Wednesday, March 7th: Moonlight Rendezvous

Thursday, March 8th: Tales of a Book Addict

Friday, March 9th: Books & Bindings

Monday, March 12th: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind

Tuesday, March 13th: @athousandbookstoread

Wednesday, March 14th: The Book Diva’s Reads

Thursday, March 15th: Katy’s Library and @katyslibrary

Friday, March 16th: Not in Jersey

Monday, March 19th: Helen’s Book Blog

Tuesday, March 20th: Mama Reads Blog

Wednesday, March 21st: Ms. Nose in a Book

Thursday, March 22nd: Bewitched Bookworms

Thursday, March 22nd: A Bookish Way of Life

Friday, March 23rd: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, March 26th: Novel Gossip and @novelgossip

Tuesday, March 27th: Mystery Suspense Reviews

Tuesday, March 27th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, March 28th: Why Girls Are Weird

Thursday, March 29th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, March 29th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Friday, March 30th: Staircase Wit