Here are three more great novels from folks I’ve met on the Internet. I’m simply stunned by the talent:
- Cusp of Night–time to get your ghost on
- ThunderTree--guns, range wars, feisty women and obstinate cowboys–everything I want in a Western
- Red Eyes in the Darkness–when retirement is nothing like what you expected, except maybe in your nightmares
A note about my reviews: I only post reviews about books I liked so don’t be surprised to see lots of 4/5 and 5/5. If I don’t like the book, I won’t spend time writing about it.
Cusp of Night
by Mae Clair
5/5
In Mae Clair’s Cusp of Night (Lyrical Press 2018), Book 1 in her Hode’s Hill series, Maya Sinclair takes a job doing library research in a town she has never lived in, moving to a home managed by the town’s namesake, Hode Development. What she does know is she loves research, is drawn to the small-town nature of Hode’s Hill, and is eager to see where it all leads. It doesn’t take long to find out that the town is known more than anything for gory killings committed at the turn of the century that involved a fiend and a woman with blue skin–a spiritualist known as the Blue Lady of Hode’s Hill. What Maya doesn’t realize until later is that the Blue Lady not only lived in the house Mae now rents but held her seances there. On the night the town holds what it calls Fiend Fest to celebrate this strange creature, the town’s patriarch, Leland Hode, is attacked and Maya is witness to the assault. Following that, she encounters strange occurrences in her new house that convince her it is haunted. She forces the young leader of Hode Development, Collin Hode, to face the haunting with her–after all, it is his house–and everything takes off from there. As she digs more into the mystery around the Blue Lady and the rumors swirling around her death, whatever happened back in the 1890s seems to transcend time and be part of the present day world around Maya and Hode’s Hill.
Sounds pretty scary? Yes, but not the typical horror story. In fact, I’d call it more of a monster story than horror as Maya faces down a creature who seems as scary as any monster her brain can conjure up and impervious to death. The events come at readers fast with a host of fascinating and multilayered characters well-positioned to people the entire series. As one of Clair’s characters says in the story:
“It’s time to get your ghost on.”
I will definitely be reading more of this series.
ThunderTree
Sandra Cox
5+/5
As much as Ben Evers, star of S. Cox’s latest Western Romance ThunderTree (2019), has a reputation as a skilled cowboy and talented shootist, he is also a drifter. He loves his freedom, his lack of emotional entanglements, and his horse in equal measure. The only two rules he abides by are Don’t get involved and respect women, the second being the more important. Which is where the trouble begins. The feisty and beautiful Kate Landon is being harassed by strangers with one obvious goal in mind. Ben happens to be riding by but can’t let them do what they’re about to do. Without a second thought, he stops them and incurs the sincere thanks of her ranch owner father who is also a former Texas Ranger. That leads to Ben staying the night and then helping out with a few problems around the ranch. When a range war begins to bubble over, his drifter attitudes are set squarely against the family he has started to care for. His ability to recognize danger and fearlessly step in makes him invaluable to Kate’s family whose warmth and love is a polar opposite to what he grew up in. Put that together with Kate’s beauty, fire, and obvious affection for him–and his for her–he starts to wonder if he can in fact walk away this time.
S. Cox, as in her earlier Westerns, excels at not just intricate plots but her essential ability to build characters readers fall in love with. Read this, see if you agree:
“Do you see something you like or do I have crumbs on my mouth?”
A good western needs strong moral characters well grounded in their beliefs, and a fire to test them. ThunderTree has that. It’s a fast moving story with horses, bad guys, good guys, ranches, guns, a dog (in this case, an eagle), and life threatening consequences, all nurtured in the romantic atmosphere of the old West. I’m very picky about my westerns. Cox writes them well.
Red Eyes in the Darkness
by D.L. Finn
5/5
In D.L. Finn’s Red Eyes in the Darkness (2019), you get a quirky twist on cozy mysteries, where the amateur detectives don’t actually detect the crime but they do solve it. Older retired couple, Will and Cass Henderson, are accused of a murder they didn’t commit. Though innocent, they can’t prove it, even to the satisfaction of their own family. What should have been their golden years becomes a cold world where their friends turn on them, where their money must go first to proving their innocence and then defending themselves from the real killer. It is only when they become desperate that they come up with a plan to clear their good names.
I was drawn to this story because of its focus on older people who must adapt and overcome when their dreams of a comfortable pleasant retirement blow up. Their attitudes are positive despite everything to the contrary, their faith in each other unbending despite everyone else’s loss of it, and their creativity admirable. It’s a short story and as such highly recommended for those who worry about the unexpected and want to see how others handle it.
***
PS–If you’d like to help with my virtual book launch, please click here (it’s a Google form) to let me know which activity you would like to participate in.
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Quest for Home, September 2019. You can find her tech ed books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning
Pingback: Gwen Slade Bounty Hunter–another winner for Sandra Cox | WordDreams...
Pingback: New Author in the Western Genre | WordDreams...
Wonderful review! These books sound really good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These gals can write!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m reading Cusp of Night – Mae Clair’s novels have a unique style that explores the impact of the extraordinary on everyday (I hesitate to use the word ‘normal’) people and the way they react. They are also informative. Great page-turner, great read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right about that. I like hearing how the ordinary person handles the unusual, especially if they don’t call for help!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely reviews, Jacqui. I don’t know Sandra Cox but her book sounds intriguing. I have read Mae and Denise’s books and enjoyed both. I recently finished the second Hode’s Hill book and I enjoyed it even more than book one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a great series. I haven’t read any in her other series but if it’s like this, it must be a page-turner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They all sound really good, Jacqui. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One for each taste, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow congrats all on the great reviews. Thanks for for the introduction to these books 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are all different genres–and all great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Much appreciated. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the reviews, Jacqui. An eclectic collection.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It is! A little bit for all kinds of readers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lucky the writers who capture your attention, Jacqui. These three books sound like great reads.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I find myself really enjoying Indie authors. They are different than the more vanilla tastes–not in a bad way, just in a more neutral way–that capture the attention of agents.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love enjoy reading books by friends and I love it when I like the book. I just started one of Sandra’s and it’s prettu
LikeLiked by 3 people
I love how Sandra tells a Western. She’s becoming one of my favorite Western authors. I wish she could write one a month!
LikeLike
There ya go. Making my day again.
Hope your weekend has been grand, as well as your sales on your wonderful release.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great selections and reviews! Sharing…
LikeLiked by 3 people
These were all excellent reads, Bette. Denise is new to me but the others, I’ve been a fan for a while.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Jacqui, for the read, review, and post:) I’m in fantastic company today. I loved both Mae and Sandra’s books and completely agree with your reviews! Looking forward to reading your newest release, Jacqui.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I loved your book not only because it dealt with ‘oldsters’ but because they always stayed positive despite the circumstances. Kudos for this story!
LikeLiked by 3 people
🙂 I love the term oldsters!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choices here, Jacqui! I love Mae Clair’s books and have Red Eyes in the Darkness on my reading list. Will definitely check into Thunder Tree 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Mae’s is a great start to her series and Denise’s is a wonderful quick read. You’ll like both.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Aww, so nice to hear that, Jacquie. And you’re really going to enjoy Red Eyes. Sandra also tells wonderful tales. I’ve read a number of her books!
LikeLiked by 4 people
Yay! Thanks, Jacquie:)
I’m sure you’ll love Thunder Tree!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Jacqui, and in such great company. Mae is a very talented author and I’m a huge D.I. fan.
AND…Happy Birthdate to Quest. Woo hoo. I trust my copy is winging its way to my eReader.
AND..Thanks for the lovely review. You rock.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I loved your book, Sandy, and can’t wait for the next. Westerns are my thing! I’m excited to finally birth The Quest for Home–today I’m spending on the last in the trilogy. I love research!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent. It’s going to be hard waiting for the next one.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Sandra, I’m a huge fan of you, too!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, D.I:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jacqui,
I gave a tweet out for your book review. Unlike me, I have a lot of bloggy friends who love reading. Cusp of Night is a cool title, one that grabs my attention and I love the book jacket. Yeah, these are things to snag my attention. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
And that’s why they always tell us to pay attention to book covers. Mae’s really says what’s in the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
HI, Cathy! I am so glad both the title and the cover of Cusp of Night intrigued you. If you decided to read it, I hope you enjoy the tale. I had a wonderful time weaving all the various threads in this one!
LikeLiked by 3 people
It’s a pleasure to find Cusp of Night here in such great company. Thank you for the lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book.
I’ve read Red Eyes in the Darkness and loved the eeriness of that tale–and I must catch up with Sandra’s western. She always tells a good story.
Thank you again, Jacqui, and congrats to Sandra and Denise as well!
LikeLiked by 4 people
You have such a nice mix of likable characters and eerie plots in this series. I’m a fan, Mae. Sandy grabbed me with her Western genre and Denise with her oldsters. That’s me (well, without the drama).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Mae, and congrats to you as well. It’s a great series:)
I like your term “Oldsters” Jacqui!
LikeLiked by 2 people
A great line-up! Thanks for sharing, Jacqui!
LikeLiked by 3 people
If you have a free weekend, take these three along! Although, knowing what you do, I doubt that ever happens.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Loved Cusp of NIght! And I have Thundertree on my TBR. Need more hours in the day to read 😀 Great list, Jacqui!
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s the truth, innit–about longer days. Can we all move to Mars soon? That would help. Or Alaska in summer when the day never ends? Hmm…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great lineup of books, Jacqui. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hours of enjoyment in this list. I really enjoyed them.
LikeLike