Book Review: ONE OF YOU (Tower District Mysteries) by Lorie Lewis Ham

One of You (Tower District Mysteries) Mystery 2nd in Series Setting – The Tower District of Fresno, CA 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mystery Rat’s Books (June 4, 2024) 

About the Book 

With her life on the California Coast behind her, Roxi Carlucci is beginning to feel at home in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno, CA—where she now lives with her cousin P.I. Stephen Carlucci, her pet rat Merlin, a Pit Bull named Watson, and a black cat named Dan. She has a new entertainment podcast, works as a part-time P.I., and is helping local bookstore owner Clark Halliwell put on the first-ever Tower Halloween Mysteryfest! The brutal summer heat is gone and has been replaced by the dense tule fog—perfect for Halloween! 

She just wishes everyone would stop calling her the “Jessica Fletcher” of the Tower District simply because she found a dead body when she first arrived. But when one of the Mysteryfest authors is found dead, she fears she jinxed herself! The Carlucci’s are hired to find the killer before they strike again. Will Mysteryfest turn into a murder fest? How is the local gossip website back, and what does it know about the death of Roxi’s parents? 

Review 

The Mysteryfest is stressful enough without the murder. As the story builds up, Ham gives the impression that the murder - and, of course, there's a murder - will be of the one no one has a kind word for. Not wanting to give it away, but with a small cast of "celebrities" and the erstwhile publisher and tyrant, it's all about jealousy and competition. Or is it? The Tower gossip tweets are back and it's not clear whose offering the hints or why. She or he might know the answer.

This is the second in the Tower District Series, but easily read as a stand-alone. Roxi's still trying to get her bearings but is in the thick of things trying to figure out who the killer is and why. The main characters are well-developed; the quirky ones are definitely quirky. This was a fun read. Cozy mystery lovers will enjoy the Tower District Series. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

The Tower District Series

One of Us

One of You

About the Author 

Lorie Lewis Ham lives in Reedley, California and has been writing ever since she was a child. Her first song and poem were published when she was 13, and she has gone on to publish many articles, short stories, and poems throughout the years, as well as write for a local newspaper, and publish 7 mystery novels. 

For the past 14 years, Lorie has been the editor-in-chief and publisher of Kings River Life Magazine, and she produces Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, where you can hear an excerpt of her book (link below).

You can learn more about Lorie and her writing here:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ GoodReads 

KLRTwitter/X - Lorie Lewis Ham Twitter/X 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo 

Universal Buy Link 

Watch the Podcast of One of You

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Book Review: ESCAPE FROM DEVIL'S DEN (Harlequin Romantic Suspense) by Bonnie Vanak

Romantic Suspense 

Setting – Florida and North Carolina 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harlequin Romantic Suspense (July 23, 2024) 

Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

She’s found the perfect disguise… Until he uncovers the truth! 

FBI agent Jace Beckett goes undercover to infiltrate the motorcycle gang Devil’s Patrol. But he never expected to encounter his stunning former fiancée, Kara Wilmington, hanging around the criminal organization. 

The gorgeous businesswoman is determined to protect her property—and her family—when she finds out that her cousin is involved with the DP. But as Kara and Jace relentlessly pursue the DP’s ruthless jewel-theft ring, it’s not only Jace’s cover that’s at risk. It’s their lives… 

REVIEW 

Jace Beckett has gone to a great deal of trouble to be accepted by the DP. He's FBI with a military background. Cold and calculating in his quest to gain access to the mystery man, Marcus, who is a domestic terrorist and using the outlaw motorcycle gang to get what he needs. Only this job gets personal when he discovers his ex-fiancée, Kara, may be the next victim of the DP.

The story behind Kara and Jace is revealed in bits and pieces - the secrets they both withheld - as the tension rises in the DP. The story moves at a steady pace, with twists and turns, and suspicion abounds as to who they can trust. It kept my interest as I tried to figure out who was behind the threat and the target. It's well written and the characters, especially Kara and Jace, are well-developed. One or two surprises pop up. There is sexual content (limited, but there),so readers beware.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Bonnie Vanak is a multi-published author of paranormal, historical, and suspense romance novels. After a career in journalism, she became a writer for an international charity, traveling to poor countries like Haiti to write about issues affecting the poor. 

When the strain of her job demanded a diversion, she turned to her childhood dream of writing books. Bonnie lives in Florida with her husband and rescue dogs. 

Author Links 

Website ~ Facebook 

Purchase Links 

Amazon ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Harlequin 

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