Prodigal Son By Gregg Hurwitz

 

Forced into retirement, Evan Smoak gets an urgent request for help from someone he didn't even suspect existed―in Prodigal Son, the next New York Times bestselling Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz.

As a boy, Evan Smoak was pulled out of a foster home and trained in an off-the-books operation known as the Orphan Program. He was a government assassin, perhaps the best, known to a few insiders as Orphan X. He eventually broke with the Program and adopted a new name―The Nowhere Man―and a new mission, helping the most desperate in their times of trouble. But the highest power in the country has made him a tempting offer―in exchange for an unofficial pardon, he must stop his clandestine activities as The Nowhere Man. Now Evan has to do the one thing he’s least equipped to do―live a normal life.

But then he gets a call for help from the one person he never expected. A woman claiming to have given him up for adoption, a woman he never knew―his mother. Her unlikely request: help Andrew Duran―a man whose life has gone off the rails, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, bringing him to the deadly attention of very powerful figures. Now a brutal brother & sister assassination team are after him and with no one to turn to, and no safe place to hide, Evan is Duran’s only option. But when the hidden cabal catches on to what Evan is doing, everything he’s fought for is on the line―including his own life. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Prodigal Son: An Orphan X Novel (Orphan X, 6) (9781250252289): Hurwitz, Gregg: Books

GREGG HURWITZ is the New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty thrillers including OUT OF THE DARK (January 2019). His novels have won numerous literary awards and have been published in thirty languages. Additionally, he's written screenplays and television scripts for many of the major studios and networks. Gregg lives with his two Rhodesian ridgebacks in Los Angeles, where he continues to play soccer, frequently injuring himself.

My Thoughts...

I did not read the first 5 books in this series. I may have been a little bit lost but the over all plot and characters were good. I am going to have to go back and read all the books in Orphan X.

I recommend reading the series in order.

I gave this book 4 stars and I can't wait to read the others.

 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Deep Into The Dark By P.J. Tracy

 

New York Times bestseller P. J. Tracy returns with Deep into the Dark, a brand new series set in LA and featuring up-and-coming LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and murder suspect Sam Easton.

Sam Easton―a true survivor―is home from Afghanistan, trying to rebuild a life in his hometown of LA. Separated from his wife, bartending and therapy sessions are what occupy his days and nights. When friend and colleague Melody Traeger is beaten by her boyfriend, she turns to Sam for help. When the boyfriend turns up dead the next day, a hard case like Sam is the perfect suspect.

But LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, whose brother recently died serving overseas, is sympathetic to Sam's troubles, and can't quite see him as a killer. She's more interested in the secrets Melody might be keeping and the developments in another murder case on the other side of town.

Set in an LA where real people live and work--not the superficial LA of Beverly Hills or the gritty underbelly of the city--Deep into the Dark features two really engaging, dynamic main characters and explores the nature of obsession, revenge, and grief.

P. J. Tracy is known for her "fast, fresh, and funny" characters (Harlan Coben) and her "sizzling" plots (People); the Monkeewrench series was her first, set in Minneapolis and co-written with her mother. Now with Deep into the Dark she's on her own―and it's a home run. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Deep into the Dark: A Mystery (9781250754943): Tracy, P. J.: Books

PJ Tracy is the pseudonym of mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, author of the ten-book Monkeewrench series and winners of the Anthony, Barry, Gumshoe, and Minnesota Book Awards.

My Thoughts...

This was my first book by Tracy and it was super nice that it is the first book in their new series. I was not really sure what to expect form this new author but I was pleasantly surprised how fast the book went, it started out a bit slow but once it picked up I flew through it.

Good story line and some unforgettable characters.

I gave this book 4 stars and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Liberal Privilege By The Donald Trump Jr.

 

While everyday Americans strive to make an honest living by working hard, liberals within the swamp have perfected a way of barely working while elevating themselves above all of us. LIBERAL PRIVILEGE will take you behind the scenes of the swamp, just as the nation gears up for the next presidential election. In his second book, #1 New York Times best selling author, Donald Trump Jr reveals the truth the media has long refused to cover. Read about the countless liberal scandals, years of entrenched racism in the democrat party and decades of failed polices that will paint a stark picture of LIBERAL PRIVILEGE. As President Donald J. Trump seeks a second term based on real accomplishments, learn about the facts the media refuses to cover. As woke liberals attempt to burn our cities, abolish capitalism and rewrite history, liberals stand idly by encased by political correctness and guilt. Donald Trump Jr masterfully eviscerates critics in LIBERAL PRIVILEGE in a raw, witty and very direct way. Few American families have accomplished so little and benefited so much as the Biden’s. Through corruption, grift, and sheer greed - Joe Biden, Hunter, and the rest of the clan have exemplified LIBERAL PRIVILEGE. No other book will paint a sharper contrast this election season. A must read for anyone this election season! 

Pick up your copy here...

Liberal Privilege : Joe Biden And The Democrats' Defense Of The Indefensible: Donald Trump Jr: 9780578726984: Amazon.com: Books

EVP of Development & Acquisitions The Trump Organization, Father, Outdoorsman, In a past life Boardroom Advisor on The Apprentice.
Son of Former President of the United States Donald J. Trump.

Finding Freedom By Erin French

 From Erin French, owner and chef of the critically acclaimed The Lost Kitchen, a TIME world dining destination, a life-affirming memoir about survival, renewal, and finding a community to lift her up

Long before The Lost Kitchen became a world dining destination with every seating filled the day the reservation book opens each spring, Erin French was a girl roaming barefoot on a 25-acre farm, a teenager falling in love with food while working the line at her dad’s diner and a young woman finding her calling as a professional chef at her tiny restaurant tucked into a 19th century mill. This singular memoir―a classic American story―invites readers to Erin's corner of her beloved Maine to share the real person behind the “girl from Freedom” fairytale, and the not-so-picture-perfect struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and that make Erin’s life triumphant.

In Finding Freedom, Erin opens up to the challenges, stumbles, and victories that have led her to the exact place she was ever meant to be, telling stories of multiple rock-bottoms, of darkness and anxiety, of survival as a jobless single mother, of pills that promised release but delivered addiction, of a man who seemed to offer salvation but in the end ripped away her very sense of self. And of the beautiful son who was her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food―as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of bringing goodness into the world. Erin’s experiences with deep loss and abiding hope, told with both honesty and humor, will resonate with women everywhere who are determined to find their voices, create community, grow stronger and discover their best-selves despite seemingly impossible odds. Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin reveals the passion and courage needed to invent oneself anew, and the poignant, timeless connections between food and generosity, renewal and freedom. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch (9781250312341): French, Erin: Books

Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places and one of "12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience" by Bloomberg. A born-and-raised native of Maine, she learned early the simple pleasures of thoughtful food and the importance of gathering for a meal. Her love of sharing Maine and its delicious heritage with curious dinner guests and new friends alike has garnered attention in outlets such as The New York Times (her piece was one of the ten most read articles in the food section the year it was published), Martha Stewart Living, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Food & Wine. She has been invited to share her story on NPR’s All Things Considered, The Chew, CBS This Morning, and The Today Show. Erin was featured in a short film made by Tastemade in partnership with L. L. Bean, which won a James Beard Award, and The Lost Kitchen Cookbook has been named one of the best cookbooks by The Washington Post, Vogue.com, and Remodelista and was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award.

My Thoughts...

A memoir with so much heart and a little bit of grit. You can not stop reading it. The food descriptions  were something to savor. I could not read this just once. I read it twice.

The hardship and the overcoming is something else to read about. I have so much respect for French  after spending an afternoon in her memoir.

I can't recommend this enough. 5 stars and please grab a copy.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Every Waking Hour By Joanna Schaffhausen

 The fourth book in Joanna Schaffhausen's heartpounding Ellery Hathaway mystery series, Every Waking Hour....

After surviving a serial killer’s abduction as a young teenager, Ellery Hathaway is finally attempting a normal life. She has a new job as a rookie Boston detective and a fledgling relationship with Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her years ago. But when a twelve-year-old girl disappears on Ellery’s watch, the troubling case opens deep wounds that never fully healed.

Chloe Lockhart walked away from a busy street fair and vanished into the crowd. Maybe she was fleeing the suffocating surveillance her parents put on her from the time she was born, or maybe the evil from her parents’ past finally caught up to her. For Chloe, as Ellery learns, is not the first child Teresa Lockhart has lost.

Ellery knows what it’s like to have the past stalk you, to hold your breath around every corner. Sending one kidnapped girl to find another could be Chloe’s only hope or an unmitigated disaster that dooms them both. Ellery must untangle the labyrinth of secrets inside the Lockhart household -- secrets that have already murdered one child. Each second that ticks by reminds her of her own lost hours, how close she came to death, and how near it still remains. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Every Waking Hour: A Mystery (Ellery Hathaway, 4) (9781250249654): Schaffhausen, Joanna: Books

Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, a skill she developed in her years of studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter.

My Thoughts...

I have really enjoyed this series.  As of right now this is my favorite of the four books. I am #teambump all the way. This was not predictable. It was on the edge of your seat good. I had no idea where Chloe was, who had her. and if she was coming home. Now that is saying a lot from a thriller lover. 

This is a 5 star read and I highly recommend it.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Alter Ego By K.A.Masson

 

A woman in her early forties, juggling work, single parenthood and dating, is arrested for the attempted murder of her boyfriend. Will she be able to prove her innocence as the evidence mounts against her?

In K. A. Masson's domestic noir thriller, Alter Ego, Alex Kendrew finds the perfect man in Mal. They immediately click but shortly after meeting, he dumps her to go back to his ex. She returns to dating, but is horrified when her young son, Ned, discovers her drunk and dishevelled on the sofa one morning, after meeting a man in a hotel for sex the previous night.

An email inviting her to a reunion leads to a relationship with a man she knew at college; he is now successful, rich and, most importantly, has children himself. But rather than being a father figure for Ned, he is cruel and controlling.

Out of the blue, Mal gets in touch; Alex begins a passionate affair with him. But one morning, the police arrest her for his attempted murder. Someone is framing her; how can she prove her innocence as the evidence mounts against her?

Pick Up your copy here...                                                                                                                                    Alter Ego: Masson, K a: 9781838241605: Amazon.com: Books

Thank you for your interest in my book.

I live in London with my teenage son and our black cat Slinky, and have worked in graphic design for over 20 years, bringing to life the words of others. I began writing Alter Ego almost by accident. I emailed Faber Academy on a day when someone had just pulled out of their ‘Start Your Novel In A Week’ course. Without that stroke of luck, I may never have got further than the first few chapters.

I've always loved books with a psychological element; My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and the Dublin Murders series by Tana French are among my favourite books. I’m fascinated by the crazy things that normal people do, when pushed by anger, fear, jealousy, and hate.

I’m an avid runner, and love cinema, photography and art. I couldn’t live without coffee and I’m a decent meringue baker.

You can find out more about me at my website: https://www.kamassonwriter.com/

My Thoughts...                                                                                                    This was a new author for me. The story was good, there were a lot of characters for my liking but the story was good. Domestic thrillers are on the top of my favorite to read list. It took me a bit to figure this one out. Masson is on my radar now.  I plan to read more of her books as she writes more. I gave Alter Ego 3 stars. The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.                                                                                       

$500 Amazon Gift Card Winner

 

I have really special people in my life. They go above and beyond for me. I have hit the magic number to giveaway another Amazon gift card.  Drum Roll please and the WINNER is Mendy Sinclaire  Please email me and I will get you your card so you can start shopping. Congrats Mendy!

So the next Giveaway will be  Apple 12.9" ipad Pro valued at $1439 someone wonderful has donated it to be a GIVEAWAY gift to one special blog follower so be sure to share this blog and this GIVEAWAY with everyone!  As soon as we hit 2000 only 500 away I will announce the Winner!

Thank you all so much for all your support!