Lauren Carr has added a new series with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, ICE.
About ICE
The clues for a close-to-the-heart missing person’s case heat up when Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on the cold case.
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappear, the court of public opinion finds young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot.
My Thoughts
Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat.
In this story, a young woman who has a fascination with Chris Matheson states he is the Father of her unborn child. While some know the truth, before he can prove his innocence with a DNA test both Sandy and her unborn child disappear never to be heard from again. Even after years of a successful career in the FBI, a marriage that did not quite work out and being the Father of a group of smart young ladies, this incident is still hovering over him like a dark cloud.
When he returns home after the death of his wife to give his daughters some normalcy, he is drawn to a group of former law enforcement officers who have retired but still love the thrill of solving a case. This group has a wide range of shockingly amazing skills! They assist him with this cold case that as they begin to unravel the case, leaves you shocked and in horror. We follow a story of deceit, betrayal, murder and family lies. These events from the past lead into a string of current deaths in an interesting twist that constantly leaves you guessing to who is the real culprit.
I love the way Lauren spun this novel – I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns.
Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
From New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee comes a story of love, ancient secrets, and survival. Book One, The Progeny, in the House of Bathory duology.
About The Progeny
When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:
“Emily, it’s me. You.
Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.
By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that.”
You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.
You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run.
Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.
No one speaks when you enter the Center for the last time. There’s no need. You’ve gone through the counseling, tests, and a checklist of preparations to get the plastic bracelet you wear the day of treatment. The one that saves a life. They don’t need to know why you’re doing it any more. Or that you lied about it all. Just the scratch of the stylus as you sign your name on the screen one last time.
A nurse takes me into a room and I lie down on the table. I give her the sealed packet—the only thing I brought with me. There’s cash, meds, and an address inside, the one for “after.” It’s a thousand miles away. She’ll pass it to the companion assigned to me. No point meeting her now.
I’m 21 years old and my name doesn’t matter because it’s about to be erased forever. I’m choosing to forget the ones I love, and myself, in the process.
They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die. But they don’t tell you that every detail comes screaming back to life. That you taste each bite of every meal you savored, feel the shower of every rain you walked in… smell the hair against your cheek before that last, parting kiss. That you will fight to hold on to every memory like a drowning person gasping for poisoned air.
Then everything you knew is gone. And you are still alive.
Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Bathory Duology (The Progeny and Firstborn, currently in development for television), Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign). A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games and football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.
You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. (And be sure to check out Ismeni, the free e-short prequel to The Legend of Sheba!).
Get your copy of The Progeny here: http://toscalee.com/product/the-progeny/ (Kindle readers: now you can enjoy special insights in the author’s highlighted comments!)
From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream vividly recounts the journey of an African-American woman from rural, segregated Mississippi through academia, corporate America, and politics. It is the story of how she triumphed even when, more often than not, the ugly realities of racism and sexism tried to deter her.
About From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream vividly recounts the journey of an African-American woman from rural, segregated Mississippi through academia, corporate America, and politics. It is the story of how she triumphed even when, more often than not, the ugly realities of racism and sexism tried to deter her.
This book tells the broader story, too, of how her life epitomizes what the Civil Rights Act and Equal Rights Amendment have meant and have not meant for blacks and women as she has lived through their maturation during the last 50 years. What better time than now to examine how these two seminal and defining events played out in the life of an ordinary African-American woman who believed in all of America s promises?
What better moment than today to look deeply at the life of a woman who prepared herself and worked tirelessly to achieve her goals only to realize that many lay beyond her reach and that of most women and most blacks. From Liberty to Magnolia shows readers, especially aspiring women and minorities with whom her story will have special resonance how to navigate and ultimately embrace the challenges at every major crossroads and be triumphant.
A Discussion Guide is included for use by book clubs, classes, and group discussions.
My Thoughts
This is an incredible, powerful and moving book written by an inspiring woman. Dr. Ellis has a powerful way with words that draws you into her story, her life, her hopes and her fears. You can’t stop reading her story as she is so many of us. She is honest and her story is raw and heartfelt. She shares many intimate details that must have been hard for her but it empowers women to speak up and out against the same treatment towards themselves.
As a woman, you can connect immediately with her story. We are constantly struggling to make it in the world, always giving more of ourselves and pushing ourselves harder than our male counterparts to prove our worth. You may have felt gender discrimination yourself at some point in your life or you may have felt gender stereotyping. I know for myself having someone tell me what a woman should do or behave like, instantly makes me want to prove them wrong and I have had this instinct in me since a child. She shares so many intimate details from her life, from domestic abuse to emotional abuse in postgraduate education.
She shares an honest and open view of growing up black. Reading her story of being black, the treatment she received (and her family and those around her) is eye opening and shocking. We are talking the 60s, 70s, 80s and more recently. We clearly as a human race have a long way to go in acceptance and understanding. Even though she was treated unfairly many times due to her race and gender, she never let this turn to hate. She could have harboured a lot of anger but instead she fought to change perceptions and build understanding.
From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream is a powerful and honest book that empowers and builds understanding. You can find yourselves in many moments of Dr. Ellis’ life and when things feel hopeless she gives you courage. This book should be a mandatory read for all young adults (and adults).
Janice Ellis, Ph.D, has been an executive throughout her career, first in government, then in a large pharmaceutical company, later as President and CEO of her own marketing firm, and finally as President and CEO of a bi-state non-profit child advocacy agency. Along with those positions, she has been writing columns for four decades on race, politics, education, and other social issues. They have appeared in a major metropolitan daily newspaper, The Kansas City Star; a major metropolitan business journal, The Milwaukee Business Journal; and for community newspapers The Milwaukee Courier, The Kansas City Globe, and The Kansas City Call. She began her career writing and delivering radio commentary for two years for one of the largest ABC radio affiliates in Wisconsin. Later in her career she wrote and delivered a two-minute spot on the two largest Arbitron-rated radio stations in the Greater Kansas City area. She has also written for several national trade publications, focusing on healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Ellis published an online magazine, USAonRace.com, for seven years dedicated to increasing understanding across race and ethnicity, in which she analyzed race and equality issues in America. The website continues to attract thousands of visitors per year. The site also has a vibrant Facebook page with fans numbering in the thousands. Five years ago, Dr. Ellis launched a companion site, RaceReport.com, which aggregates news about race relations, racism, and discrimination from across the United States and around the world daily. Dr. Ellis also has her own website, JaniceSEllis.com, which houses a collection of her writings and where she continues to write about race inequality, gender inequality, politics, education, and other issues related to the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Janice Ellis, a native daughter of Mississippi, grew up and came of age during the height of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Born and reared on a small cotton farm, she was influenced by two converging forces that would set the course of her life. The first was the fear and terror felt by blacks because of their seeking to exercise the right to vote along with other rights and privileges afforded to whites. The second was her love of books, the power of words, and her exposure to renowned columnists, Eric Sevareid and Walter Lippmann, whose work solidified her belief that the wise use of words is what advances the good society.
Janice Ellis became determined to take a stand, and not accept and allow the conditions of that farm life, or the strictures of oppressive racial segregation and entrenched sexism limit what she could become. She became determined to use whatever talents God had blessed her with and the power of words to help improve the human condition. FROM LIBERTY TO MAGNOLIA is her first book.
Everyone sees the world differently and this is my collection of the quirkyness that I call life – Walk with Me.
About Walk with Me
Whenever I’m asked “which is the best camera?” I pretty much respond: “the one you have on you.” In fact, most of the images in this book were taken with my cell phone simply because I always have it with me.
This is not only a book about street photography but a visual diary, or collection of quirky, unusual and sometimes just plain weird photos I’ve taken over the course of the last decade.
As a street photographer, I need to be an assiduous walker. My sneakers often take me to little known, hidden corners, seaweed strewn (and sometimes stinky) beaches and really cool back alleys of my rather small island city of Victoria, BC.
I’ve also included images of curiosities I’ve seen throughout my travels.
Everyone sees the world differently and this is my collection of the quirkyness that I call life.
My Thoughts
I love photography – with a simple photo so many feelings can be expressed. We can guess at the emotion, the weather, the smells and the taste. A great photo draws you in and leaves you imaging exactly what is behind the image.
Debra is an incredible photographer – her images express so much meaning and thought. This book shows photos of the simple every day to the beauty of nature and architecture. You wonder at the meaning behind the expressions of the individuals on the bus and street – where are they going, what are they feeling? The images of the streets – you can almost hear the noise, smell the smells and feel the vibration of energy. Her images come alive in this book.
Walk with Me is a beautiful display of Debra’s travels and the incredible experiences she has had. She captures raw and real moments, moments of laughter, hope and sometimes I feel of sadness. It reminded me to always stop and take in the beauty of each moment, as there is beauty in everything.
“My dad always carried a camera under the seat of his car and was constantly taking pictures. I think that his example, together with pouring over National Geographic magazines as a child fuelled my curiosity for the world around me.
I am a documentary photographer and street photography is my passion. Some of my images have been chosen by National Geographic as editor’s favourites and are on display in the National Geographic museum in Washington, DC. I also have an off-kilter sense of humour so I’m always looking for the unusual.”
In The Clock Flower, the three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents.
About The Clock Flower
Dara Roux, abandoned when she was seven years old by her mother. Exceptionally gifted in foreign languages. Orphan. Accepted to Yale University.
Mackenzie Yarborough, no record of her parents or where she was born. Exceptionally gifted in math and problem-solving. Orphan. Accepted to MIT.
Jennifer Torres, both parents killed in an automobile accident when she was sixteen. Exceptionally gifted in music and art. Orphan. Accepted to Julliard.
The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again.
Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Julliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by an US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.
My Thoughts
I loved the first two books in this series based on three incredible young women and this part did not disappoint.
The FIGS are three special young women who are gifted in different areas – math, languages and the arts. They are also all orphaned and have been guided by Carolina, a special woman in her own right.
This book focuses on Mackenzie, who has been gifted in math. She does not know who her parents are or even where to start but in this book we learn quite a bit more. The girls head off to university and this is where Mackenzie has her first contact with her birth family, without realizing it. She also becomes tangled in an evil plot that could see her death. This book was very exciting although a tad bit too quick, I would have loved to have learned a little bit more about Mackenzie’s background. I find her to be the quieter one in the series and it was nice to see her come to life, be the center of attention and find her roots.
This was an excellent book from start to finish, with a growing anticipation throughout the novel to find out the ending which keeps you reading throughout the night.
Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.
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