Ark of Fire

In C.M. Palov's Ark of Fire, the first installment in the Caedmon Aisquith thriller series, this esoteric thriller is packed with non-stop action in every turned page. It all started, when Edie Miller, a photographer for the national art museum witnessed the murder of her boss's death. From there, everything's been covered up and swept under the rug. On the run for her life, she contacted Caedmon Aisquith, an associate from her boss, who could help her solve the puzzle on the Ark of the Covenant, a prized possession that withheld the hands of time and could start a war. From Washington D.C. to London, danger followed them by the hot of the heels from a war-crazed zealot named Stan MacFarlane along with his goons. As they began to untangle the twisted cryptic messages in the poem and later from a stained glass window, the more trouble followed them at their every doorstep. And it lead them to Malta, when they might start a world war. It's up to Edie and Caedmon to stop them in their tracks and to uncover the greatest mystery of them all, when this adventure would never end to find this lost and buried treasure.

This was an explosive thriller with a lot of non-stop action for this adventure and esoteric adventure thriller series. I cared about Edie and Caedmon as a force to be reckoned with, alone and with a potential couple. I do find Caedmon a bit annoying sometimes with this wealth of knowledge, but I do adore his red hair. I liked how they join forces to go across the country and to stop a new world war. I loved the trio of locations of D.C., London and Malta for the picturesque settings. This would take you on a whirlwind adventure wind with non-stop action, drama, romance, intrigue and a boat-load of mystery.

Will you be on the hunt for the ark of fire today?

The Vicious Vet

In MC Beaton's The Vicious Vet, the 2nd installment in the Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series, get ready for a light reading tale of lies and deceit of the worst kind. After Agatha Raisin returned from her vacation, she decided to take her cat to the newest vet. Low and behold, he became popular with the ladies. But when he was found dead, the police claimed it was an accident, while Agatha didn't think so otherwise. She searched for answers on who wanted him dead and why. When Mrs. Josephs claimed she had information on him, when Agatha paid her a visit, she turned up dead. Now with her death, she believes it was a suspicious death. As she started snooping around for shocking clues, someone threatened her and later kidnapped her cats to hush her. The closer she had gotten closer to the truth, the killer cornered her to make her next. After he confessed, it shocked her what he had done next in a climaxing end.

This was another great cozy mystery caper to read in a sitting or two. I still adored Agatha and her love for her two cats. I absolutely believe James Lacey could be the perfect man for her and just be himself. I've found the town of Carseley is charming along with the other English towns for the picturesque settings and locations. This is superb for a great read with drama, suspense, intrigue and plenty of mystery to go around.

Will you be wary of the Vicious Vet?

Sparking the Fire

In Kate Meader's Sparking the Fire, the third installment in the Hot in Chicago contemporary romance series, get ready to be doused by the hose to cool yourself down. Seven years ago, Molly Cade was an upcoming actress who met Wyatt Fox, a Marine and had a passionate love affair for a week. Fast forward to the present, when Molly arrives in Chicago to shoot a film for her movie and base it on Wyatt's sister. But in order to get through a yes, she needed to get through to him and to his big family. For Wyatt, since he injured his shoulder on the job, while it needed it to heal, he acted as a consultant for a movie set. Lo and behold, it was Molly's and the sparks began to fly. While he had a job to protect his niece from the family drama, he stayed away from Molly, but he couldn't help himself. Molly had to do with some ugly baggage from her ex-husband and the public scandal he caused to wreck havoc on her image. During the shoot, she made new friends and stood up to herself, while the chemistry between her and Wyatt was smoking hot to a steamy ending.


This was a sexy, steamy and hot contemporary romance all rolled up into one hot package. I loved the Chicago settings for this backdrop for this novel--inside and outside the firehouse. I loved how Molly stood up to take back her freedom and grabbed the reign about her own image. I loved how this showed a diverse case of foster siblings living in one family and how Gage cared about his man Brady. The chemistry between Wyatt and Molly were palpable and smoldering like a candle flame. You would fall in love with these two crazy lovebirds from page one. This has plenty of sexy romance, non-stop action, a hint of intrigue and plenty of drama with a capital D.

Will you be sparking the fire today?

The Queen's Accomplice

In Susan Elia MacNeal's The Queen's Accomplice, the 6th installment in the Maggie Hope Historical Mystery series, this would leave you breathless and shocking in this twisted tale. In England 1942, while the war waged on against German with the Blitz, a dead body have been located during the hectic panic of the war. For Maggie Hope, an SOE secretary and a code-breaking agent with MI-5, she was on the case and assisted them in the search for answers. While she worried about her half-sister's safety and an agent who had gone missing in Paris, she had a lot to contend with. A decade before, Jack the Ripper had made startling history by killing prostitutes. Now there's a new killer known as the Blackout East who's copycatting after him and targeting SOE agents. Maggie, a mathematical whiz, tries to put the pieces together with every dead body found, including one of their own and puts herself in harm's way during the war.  And when she realized who it is and why he's done it, she fights for her life and takes care of business with a shocking twist.

This was a fantastic historical mystery that dealt with war, spies, and a great chilling storyline. I really cared for Maggie and her fight for women's payment in the SOE agent. I also loved the twists and turns of the Jack and Ripper copycat-like murders that hit too close to home and a decade after the first murders. I loved the war-time storyline set in war-torn England and how it took center stage throughout this installment of the series. I liked how Durgin became her closest friend and ally and potential love interest. This gripping historical mystery would take you there with drama, non-stop action, intrigue and suspense to give you chills.

Will you be the queen's accomplice today? 

Neighing with Fire

In Katherine O'Sullivan's Neighing with Fire, the third installment in the Colleen McCabe mystery series, if you can't stand the heat, step away from the fire. For Colleen McCabe, a small town fire chief in Corona, North Carolina, it all started with finding a dead body being washed up by the shore. Then there was a series of arsons in the area that her small team had to help put out. Besides her budding romance with Bill Dorman, a police detective, and preparing for one of her fire fighter's wedding, she started snooping around to discover who wanted to set up her former teacher, Myrtle Crepe, and who had murdered Denny Custis in cold blood. The closer she asked around for answers, the fires became more frequent to scare the horses on the beach and with the piping plovers. If it wasn't for her Border Collie Sparky, she would've have figured out who was the arsonist and why, before he had a chance to escape from her dog's scent to catch the killer.

This was a beautiful mystery that's set in an idyllic small town. The location was so lovely in North Carolina and the beach scenes for the settings were wonderful. I love Colleen as a small town fire chief and how she had a budding romance with Bill. I loved how Myrtle cared for the environment and for the horses. This is similar to the Assateauque Island horses off the Maryland coast, who might lose their island home from the shore.  This is a a compelling mystery with plenty of intrigue and drama, suspense and non-stop action to keep you guessing.

Will you be neighing with fire today?

If Looks Could Kill

In Kate White's If Looks Could Kill, the first installment in the Bailey Weggins mystery series, she told us a compelling and intriguing mystery about what lies beneath the surface. When Bailey Weggins, a true crime writer for a magazine, receives a call from her fellow friend and co-worker Cat, about her nanny Heidi being unconscious in her bedroom, Bailey helps her find out and discovers that Heidi had died. Later on, they talk to the police about the discovery and learn she was poisoned by truffles at the party.  Bailey starts her own investigation to learn more about Heidi's life and more on Cat's marriage issues. The closer she had dug her own heels into the truth, the more someone wants her silent. As she had taken a closer look at her fellow colleagues at the magazine, she figured it out before she was next on the list with a shocking twist.

This was an intriguing mystery debut that takes us behind the scenes of the magazine industry. I cared for Bailey and became concerned about Cat. Some of the characters I didn't like, but I did found Jack a potential love interest for Bailey okay. I loved the NYC backdrop for the locations and the settings for the storyline. This would take you on a wild ride with a gripping storyline from start to finish with non-stop drama, action, suspense and plenty of mystery.

Will you be daring to read If Looks Could Kill?

The Highest Stakes

In Rick Reed's The Highest Stakes, the 4th installment in the Jack Murphy thriller series, hang onto your hat for a bumpy ride. It all started with a bombing in Chicago, when Jack Murphy and his partner Liddell chased a family of bank robbers and shooting them dead. But things get dicey, when his friend ATF George Killian gets shot in an undercover operation. As he investigates the scene with Liddell, they learn about who's involved into the crime of crooked cops and other unsavory characters. Every step of the way, he throws no punches to uncover the secret of why other federal agencies are on his tail and wanted to stop him dead. In the end, it comes to a shocking explosion that would knock your socks off. 

This was a gripping thriller to read with a lot of going on. I cared for Jack and for his troubles at work and liked Liddell a lot. I thought the CIA agents were swarmy and Susan were a great friend to Jack.  I liked the Evansville scenery in Indiana and how intricate the locations of the riverboats were on the Ohio River. This would take you for an action-packed ride with non-stop action, drama, a hint of humor, and lots of suspense that will keep you guessing.

Will you gamble on reading The Highest Stakes?