Out of the silence by Marie Theodore

 

The story highlighting domestic violence was brutal but realistic. The extent to which defending lawyers will go to shred any opposition and get their clients to go free to wreck damage on other victims is unbelievable even though lawyers themselves know their client is guilty as charged.

Casimir escaped the justice system once after almost killing a woman. Alexa is going to make sure he doesn’t get away again. This time her adversary lawyer is much more powerful. Not only is he, her co lawyer in the same office but he is known to be corrupt, dealing in drugs and friends with people on the wrong side of the law. Alexa a powerful attorney in her own right takes matters into her own hands to bring both the attorney O’Brien as well as the suspect down. Putting herself in grave personal danger as this becomes a personal battle.

The erotic part of the story did not add much to the book which could have done without it very well but Alexa’s secretary’s involvement showed the human element and how this can be manipulated and used to bring down someone.

Very well told of court room drama and the proceedings that precede a judgement, made for good reading.

Sent by Greenleaf Book Group for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape by Terry Roberts

 

Stephen Robbins is rather introverted but a reputation for finding missing persons and solving unsolvable crimes precedes him. It is the 1920s and he lives with his three year old son Luke and a couple who are like family to him. He would like life to continue like this.

The appearance of Benjamin Loftis put paid to that. Owner of a famous and old hotel, the discovery of a naked girl murdered in Room 340 does not do much for the image he is wanting to portray. Business is down and he wants the murderer found. Not easy in a town where racism is high, and tensions run high too.

Fast forward to Stephen’s appearance in town, his investigation which are quiet, but do not go unnoticed by the powers that be aka the local Sheriff who does not like outsiders and has got his suspect all tied up and ready for execution.  The discovery of a second body and a third does not affect the Sheriff even though his suspect is behind bars, because he wants the problem to just go away. Stephen is only interested in getting justice and when nothing works because his suspect is too powerful, Stephen’s takes matters into his own hands.

A very powerful story, very realistic of conditions in the 1920s, epitomizing the hold the rich, powerful and white community had over their neighbours.

Sent by Turner Publishing Company for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder on the Nile by Verity Bright ( A Eleanor Swift mystery)

 

Blogger does this to me, especially when I want to show a particularly nice cover.

The Eleanor Swift mysteries follow a pattern. Lady Eleanor and her faithful butler generally followed by her coterie of domestics, encounter a sticky situation. In this case a voyage to the Aswan Dam in a less than luxurious craft. The other passengers are a mixed bunch of archaeologists and businessman, all of whom seem shady and who never get their stories straight.  When one murder is followed by another, particularly when Lady Eleanor’s assistance was sought by the murdered man himself, something needs to be done. There is a constraint of time followed by the fact that they are in an isolated town, far from help.

The surroundings are gorgeous, the characters range from the shifty to the quirky and the detective work is done with much flair. It takes the cozy to another level altogether.

The Eleanor Swift stories are very entertaining

Sent by Bookouture for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Flipping the Birdie by S L Woeppel

 

This is not a book I’d normally pick up but I was surprised how easily I slipped into the story.

Birdie has super powers but she has irked many of her bosses, with unruly and uncontrolled rants. Now she is suspended from duty, asked to see a therapist and mend her ways.

A chance encounter sets her on a fresh path, trying to live a normal life, with work and developing friends which for Birdie has always been hard.

The story continues with Birdie trying to balance her strengths with her feminine side, give in to the increasing attraction she has for Aiden and be as normal as a super could.

Interesting take on alternative lifestyles.

Sent by River Grove for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Where Secrets Stay by CherAnn Wright

 

The story was a good but a twisted one. Plenty of solid characters, especially strong willed women. However it could get confusing with the constant change of place and period. One had to have your wits about you when reading this book. 

Plenty of secrets in this story. Everyone had one. In some cases so buried away that they were all but forgotten till a trigger happened, which brought back memories, mainly horrific. The psychic character of some of the women was very plausible in the context of this story and added another dimension.

Despite the going back and forth between childhood and the present day situation the story held one’s interest throughout.

Sent by Sleuthing Sloth Press for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

Set in Regency England the story of the two antiquities brokers and how the best friends fell apart forms the beginning of the story. Olivia and her sister are left with nothing as their father bequeathed the business to his brother, who through mismanagement has run it to the ground. Lucas has inherited his father’s business also in a precarious financial position.

The approach to Olivia to assess and catalogue Mrs. Milton’s collection is a rare chance to get a footing in the business, and establish herself despite her uncles antipathy and obvious disapproval. Lucas is approached by the nephew of the late Mr Milton to value and dispose of his inheritance. Mrs Milton and the heir do not see eye to eye on how to manage a burdensome estate and both Olivia and Lucas have to keep the purpose of their visit to Cloverton under wraps. A full scale week of entertaining has been arranged which provides the cover necessary for both Olivia and Lucas.

Covering regency England at its best and worst in a descriptive form, we are taken through the jobs undertaken by Olivia and Lucas under the eyes of their bosses, who cannot stand each other. Both have to be diplomatic, especially when Lucas discovers that a lot of chinoiserie is fake and that a scam is going on right under their eyes.

Discovering who was responsible was a difficult job, in the process Olivia loses her job but the romantic angle was just right and the story ends well.

Sent by Thomas Nelson Fiction for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder in Berkeley Sqyare by Vanessa Riley

 

Shades of Bridgerton here adding the beginnings of mixed race and black origin people in society, and the somewhat grudging acceptance of these folks in the community.

Lady Worthing and her cousin are visiting family over the Christmas holidays and accompanied by their friend Stapleton get stranded in Berkeley square due to a huge snowstorm. They did not expect to get embroiled in a series of murders meticulously planned and enumerated in a sequence decimating the eight members of the group one by one. The murders set in rhymes is detailing the manner in which each person will die.

Set in Regency England with its own strictures on what women could and couldn’t do, Lady Worthing has to work as speedily and surreptitiously as possible to save herself and her friend.

There are plenty of stories behind each character - the abolitionist movement, the lucrative slave trade, the revolt in Haiti all add interest to the book. 

Sent by Kensington Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.