If you were waiting for a sale to get your copy of Bitter Truth, now’s the time. The ebook is 99 cents until end of day Sunday, August 27 on Apple, Google Play Books, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Smashwords, and probably a few more. To make it easy for you, here’s a link that will let you choose your preferred store and country: books2read.com/bitter-truth.
Short-listed in The Word Awards 2023. Finalist in the Angel Book Awards 2022.
Attempted murder. A hostile rescuer. And an amateur sleuth’s vow to catch the attacker before he strikes again.
Against all odds, Landon Smith and her ordinary-hero neighbour Bobby Hawke survived a murderous plot six weeks ago. Now, she’s determined to leave solving mysteries to the experts—like handsome local police officer Dylan Tremblay.
But when her friend Ciara is nearly killed in a daring daylight attack, Landon can’t sit this out. Not when she knows the anger of being a victim.
Her faith tells her to leave room for God’s vengeance. Her heart says to retaliate.
The fight to expose Ciara’s enemy will uncover secrets and betrayal that could cost Landon her life.
Discussion questions included. If you like clean mystery/suspense and Christian women’s fiction, read Bitter Truth today! Buy link: books2read.com/bitter-truth.
Come to the Green Dory Inn for the mysteries, stay for the characters.
Book 1, Unknown Enemy, is 99 cents for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Apple, and Google Play until July 5. Great time to discover a new-to-you Christian fiction series set in beautiful Nova Scotia!
Buy your copy here: https://www.books2read.com/unknownenemy
“A nice assorted cast of possible suspects, and lots of twists in the plot that will keep you guessing.” ★★★★★
Jeffrey C. Reynolds, blogger and reviewer
“Recommended reading for all who love a good puzzley story.” ★★★★★
Violet Nesdoly, author, blogger, and reviewer
“I definitely recommend this book!” ★★★★★
Amy C. Blake, author and Goodreads reviewer
“Lots of twists and turns. A must read!” ★★★★★
Charlene, Goodreads reviewer
“A fun and thought-provoking read” ★★★★
Miranda S., Goodreads reviewer
“I did NOT see the ending!!” ★★★★
Trudy C., Goodreads reviewer
If you like clean Christian mystery and suspense, read Bitter Truth today! This link has international options for major ebook retailers and Amazon for print: books2read.com/bitter-truth.
Happy “book birthday” to the newest Green Dory Inn Mystery, Bitter Truth! The paperback version sneaked onto the scene early, and now the ebooks are live too.
Come back to the Green Dory Inn for another mystery! Bitter Truth releases in March 2022.
Who would want Ciara dead? And why? Landon’s quest for the truth will uncover secrets and betrayal that could cost her life.
Digital preorder discount price is $2.99 USD or international equivalent for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Apple, Google Play, and a few other places. A print version will also release in March without preorders. Here’s an international link for the ebooks at various stores: books2read/bitter-truth.
Detour, by Lorena McCourtney (Rogue Ridge Press, 2018)
Another enjoyable mystery, packed with suspects and unusual characters. This time, Mac and Ivy take a detour on the way to their honeymoon destination in Arizona for Mac to cover a magazine assignment covering a Northern California dinosaur theme park.
The park is run down and Ivy has doubts about the couple running it. Suspicions and motives fly even before a body comes to light. Naturally, shenanigans ensue. I had a little trouble getting into this one, and found the occasional clunky sentence, but Ivy and her mutant curiosity gene are a delight. By the end, I was reading at full speed.
Ivy MacPherson (formerly Malone) is a self-titled “LOL” (little old lady) with a knack for finding—and solving—mysteries. The Ivy ‘n’ Mac series follows the Ivy Malone series now that she and Mac are a couple.
Ivy is funny, sassy, and possessed of a double helping of spunk. She’s a treat to read, and it’s worth going back to meet her in her first book, Invisible. She and Mac travel the US in an RV, yet murders somehow find her at every turn.
To learn about author Lorena McCourtney and her other mysteries, visit lorenamccourtney.info.
[Review copy from the public library. This title is available through Hoopla.]
Who would want Ciara dead? And why?
Against all odds, Landon Smith and her ordinary-hero neighbour Bobby Hawke survived a murderous plot six weeks ago. Now, she’s determined to leave solving mysteries to the experts—like handsome local police officer Dylan Tremblay.
But when a friend is nearly killed in a daring daylight attack, Landon can’t sit this out. Not when she knows the anger of being a victim.
Her faith tells her to leave room for God’s vengeance. Her heart says to retaliate.
The fight to expose Ciara’s enemy will uncover secrets and betrayal that could cost Landon her life.
And now… the cover!
Pre-orders coming soon, for release in March 2022.
Landon Smith vowed never to return to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Despite her faith, the memories might undo her.
But a shadowy figure has been skulking around the Green Dory Inn—seen only by her friend Anna.
Loyalty demands she stand by this woman who’s been a second mother to her. No matter the cost.
With the police unable to find solid clues, and the incidents escalating, Landon must help Anna discover the truth about the prowler and stop him. Before he turns violent.
Unknown Enemy is a novella-length read. Hidden Secrets and the books to come after are all novel-length.
A Siege of Bitterns, by Steve Burrows (Dundurn Press, 2014)
It’s always a treat to find a new series I like, and when the books are from a Canadian author it feels like an extra bonus. Enter the Birder Murder Mystery series, recommended to me by a birder friend some time ago.
Inspector Domenic Lejeune is too good at his job. So he sticks with policing when he’d rather be hiking across marsh and cliff in search of rare birds. A Canadian serving in the UK police force, he can at least enjoy the location of his new posting. Norfolk is prime birding country.
He only has to overcome the distrust of his fellow officers while solving a high-profile murder case. On the plus side, the deceased was an avid birder. Minus side: the birding community doesn’t trust him any more than his new co-workers do.
Nicely plotted, with a broad cast of characters and complications, A Siege of Bitterns is a satisfying read. It’s one of those omniscient point of view books that drops into multiple heads in the same scene, which always confuses me a bit. Maybe because of the omniscience, it feels like more of a thinking, or puzzle, sort of story instead of a heart one. My brain appreciated that. I’ll definitely be reading more in the series.
Favourite line:
It was meant to be a smile, but Maik got some sense of the last sight a swimmer might see when a Great White Shark approached. [page 81]
Book 1 in the Birder Murder Mystery series, A Siege of Bitterns received the 2015 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel. You can find Canadian author Steve Burrows here: abirdermurder.com.
[Review copy from the public library. I read the print version, but the digital version is available to libraries through Hoopla Digital.]