Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Authors I Wish More People Knew About

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated.  

Happy Wednesday! Today, we're discussing authors we wish more people knew about. In the years I've been blogging, I've come across some really wonderful authors. Here are five that came to mind today.

I came across H.B. Berlow thanks to my job as an acquisitions editor. The Day of Calamity is one of those books that got away. I loved it in draft form. Loved it even more in published form. I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the series, one of which is coming out next month. 

Duffy Brown is a well-known author. She has two series, one book in a new series, and she is a National Bestselling Author. I read her entire Consignment Shop Mystery series and was disappointed when it ended. I wanted more! If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a hint of humor and some romance, she is an author to explore. 

K. M. Daughters is a sister writing team who have published fourteen award-winning novels and three novellas in the inspirational romance and romantic suspense genres. I reviewed Beyond the Code of Conduct first, and then went back and read the first book in The Sullivan Boys series. Superb!

Author Holly Bush seems to have written two books: Romancing Olive and Reconstructing Jackson, which was one of the most amazing books I read in 2013. It is a book that I loved so much, I still recall bits and pieces from it. 

F. M. Meredith is the alternate name of Marilyn Meredith. As F. M. Meredith, she wrote the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, which introduced me to one of my favorite fictional cops, Gordon Butler. Under the name Marilyn Meredith, she wrote the Tempe Crabtree Mysteries series and numerous standalone stories. She has also written three memoirs. She has chosen her latest book, My Writing Life, to be her last. Her friendship has been a true blessing to me for almost two decades. 

Hope you check out these authors. What is an author you wish more people knew about? 

Book Review: How I Survived My Childhood by Marilyn Meredith

 

You've been fascinated by the writing of Marilyn Meredith for decades. Now, it's time to learn her story from the very beginning. 

How I Survived My Childhood is Marilyn Meredith's first memoir. Taking the reader through her years growing up during World War II in a suburb of Los Angeles, California, through to her marriage to her beloved Hap, this is a story of the ups and downs of life, memories of a time when life was simpler--at least in some ways, and of a young girl who grows up, graduates high school, and finds the man she will marry and start a family with. 

How I Survived My Childhood tells of her father and his work at Paramount Studios, how he could build just about anything, and how he influenced Marilyn's life. It is a story of school days, childhood friends, and childhood antics. It is a story of leaving childhood behind, becoming a young woman, and then a wife. 

If you enjoy a trip down memory lane, then How I Survived My Childhood is a great read. It gives you insight into the life of a well-known author's early years and all of her fond memories growing up in an American suburb. For me, this book allowed me to get to know a good friend on an even more personal level, and that is a true blessing.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CT9W2RFX
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ 31 Months LLC; 1st edition (January 24, 2024)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 24, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2473 KB
• Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 173 pages

I purchased a copy of this book for my Kindle. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: A Final Farewell by Marilyn Meredith

 

Join retired deputy, Tempe Crabtree, as she works to solve another Bear Creek mystery in A Final Farewell by Marilyn Meredith. 

When Jerod Garfield finds a body in his pond, the buzz quickly spreads throughout Bear Creek. Though Tempe is retired from the police force, she is curious who it is and why they ended up there. That curiosity, however, might just get her killed. 

In the final book of Meredith's Tempe Crabtree series, Tempe finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Despite her husband's protests, she can't help but find out all she can about the victim's past and who might have wanted them dead, especially if it's possible one of the two handsome suitors wooing her friend, Miqui Sherwood, might be involved. 

Tempe has always depended upon her good friend, Nick Two John, to guide her as she solves mysteries, but as his health deteriorates, she wonders how long she will be graced with his friendship and counsel. 

I've been a fan of Meredith's Tempe Crabtree series since I read Judgment Fire back in 2007. With this final installment, Meredith continues to bring readers a mystery filled with twists and turns and a list of plausible suspects, while ramping up suspense along the way. The more Tempe investigates, the more determined a killer is to stop her. Meredith has made it her trademark to blend her character's personal lives and relationships into the unfolding mystery. In A Final Farewell, Tempe and her husband Hutch, along with their friends Miqui, Claudia, and Nick Two John, all face some sort of change in their lives. 

While always keeping the series fresh with new ideas and some new characters, family, faith, and mysticism has run through this series in every book I've read. I am sad to see the Tempe Crabtree series end, but I feel Meredith left her beloved characters in the right place. 

If you enjoy engaging, well-written mysteries set in a small community, then A Final Farewell and the other books in the Tempe Crabtree series are for you. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C1J7KR7K
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 8, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 227 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8390638750

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - June 15

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Hard to believe how quickly June is passing. Only one more Monday to go before we head to North Carolina. I'm not sure what to expect when we get there, but they are more open than we are here.

I am deciding if I should bring my laptop or only my Chromebook. I've never been thrilled about not being able to save things on the Chromebook. A Google Doc just isn't the same as a Word Doc to me. Any advice would be appreciated.

I am trying the new Blogger, but it will take some getting used to. Has anyone else tried it? What do you like better--the new or the legacy version?

Last week turned out to be a good reading and writing week. My sister and I are in the middle of revamping our women's novel of three sisters, and I reviewed two books.

Review here

Review here

I am currently reading the next Tradd Street book by Karen White.

Here are the books I plan to take with me on vacation. I will also bring my Kindle Fire. I'm thinking of replacing my original Kindle Fire. I am thinking of going with the Fire 7. I don't really use it for anything other than reading. Any advice on this would be appreciated. 

How do you feel about planning a vacation this year? What is your favorite vacation spot? If you're not vacationing, what special plans do you have for the summer? 

Book Review: End of the Trail by Marilyn Meredith

Deputy Tempe Crabtree is back in a new story that finds her drawn into the search for a missing hiker that could put her life in danger.

In End of the Trail by Marilyn Meredith, Tempe decides to join the search for a missing hiker. At a nearby campsite, she finds the hiker's wife and two of their close friends. Tempe quickly realizes there is more to this than meets the eye.

As people try to prevent Tempe from discovering the truth, she finds herself in harm's way. She will need to count on her husband Pastor Hutch, her friend Nick Two John, and maybe even her ghost hunting friend to solve this one.

I didn't realize how much I missed Tempe until I started this book. All the residents of her little community, the Bear Creek Inn, and the fabulous location came flooding back from previous Tempe adventures. Her Native American ancestry also plays a role.

As Meredith has always done well, she works Tempe's everyday life into the plot of the unfolding investigation. Fans of the series will recognize familiar names and be introduced to some newcomers.

Another thing I appreciate about Meredith's writing is that it gets right to the point. End of the Trail opens with a well-written conversation between Tempe and Hutch that hooks the reader into the story. I simply couldn't walk away and read it in between meetings and other daily chores.

I found the last chapter of End of the Trail piquing my curiosity of what the future looks like for Tempe and Hutch. It will be interesting to see what Meredith comes up with next.

If you like engaging police stories, you'll want to grab End of the Trail. This is a stand alone story, but part of the joy of picking this one up is that I knew these characters before. It's worth starting from the beginning.


File Size: 2603 KB
Print Length: 175 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: B087SFTC6K
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: 31 Months LLC (May 1, 2020)
Publication Date: May 1, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B087ZQMZ8P

I was gifted a digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

For a list of Tempe Crabtree books, visit http://fictionforyou.com

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - June 8

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Here it is Monday again. Did the week pass quickly for anyone else? The real estate market is booming (they warned us of the delayed spring market) and my head is ready to explode. It's great to be working full time again, but things have changed--just like other industries have changed--as a result of the pandemic.

As far as reading goes, I'm almost done this one. Love it so far.

These are next. The last one might have to come to North Carolina with me. We will see how much I can accomplish before then.

What's on your list to read this week? Anything exciting I should be adding to my wish list?

Shelf Control - June 3

Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves sponsored by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. Here's how to jump on board:

• Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
• Add your link in the comments!
• Link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your own post.
• Check out other posts, and…

Here is another book from my TBR pile that I hope to read soon.

BLURB: Tempe Crabtree, resident deputy of Bear Creek, a small community in the southern Sierra, as once again finds herself torn between loyalty to her minister husband, her job, and her Native American heritage. The wingbeat of an owl?a harbinger of danger...Suspicious newcomers and a hidden marijuana farm...A false accusation, shaken faith, a grandfather?s heartache...And murder.

DATE BOUGHT: Unknown. I bought it directly from the author. Best guess is 2012 or 2013.

WHY I BOUGHT IT: I've been a fan of this series since Judgment Fire came out in 2007. For years after that, I helped this author coordinate her virtual book tours through Pump Up Your Book. I read future books up through River Spirits. Because I loved this series so much, at some point I went back and purchased books prior to Judgment Fire from the author. I have moved them around my office for years, but now that a new Deputy Tempe Crabtree book is out, I want to go back to the beginning of Tempe's story.

What did you pick off your shelf this week?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - June 1

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome to the first Monday in June. It sure is a crazy time in our world. The pandemic, riots, states trying to re-open their businesses...

Sure makes one want to hide under a rock for a while and come out when things are better.

After a tense month and a half, we are focusing on being kind to ourselves. This week will be a busy one, but I have some writing to accomplish and maybe a bit of editing. Oh, and some reading to catch up on.

I reviewed this one last week. You can find the review here. I felt disappointed when the publisher stopped sending me books from this series (this book was the last one I had), but in fairness to them I wasn't returning reviews fast enough. I'm now six books behind. Yikes!

I opted to switch to Karen White this week because I have all the books in the Tradd Street series and I want to catch up.

Then comes these two.

I need to consider which books I'll bring with me to North Carolina at the end of the month. Maybe I'll contemplate that next week. 

What genres do you like to take on vacation? How do you pack them? Do you bring printed and e-books?

Free on Kindle: Deadly Omen, Book 1 of the Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series by Marilyn Meredith

A candidate for princess is murdered at a Native American pow wow while Tempe Crabtree is working there in her capacity as deputy. Tempe's investigation takes her onto the Bear Creek Indian Reservation. Her search for the killer puts her job in jeopardy, strains her marriage, and almost gets her killed.

File Size: 2916 KB
Print Length: 213 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1096900319
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: 31 Months LLC; 3 edition (May 4, 2019)
Publication Date: May 4, 2019
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07RGCVSYK

Book 1 of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series. Purchase here!

Musing Monday - February 5

Musing Monday is hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker.  It is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM QUESTION: Why did you become a reader?

Happy February! I hope you're looking forward to it. This was a rough weekend for me--nothing seemed to go right. I'm praying today is better.

I was sad to miss The Friday 56 last week. Had to do with the "nothing going right" weekend. Did you get a chance to read my review of To the Moon and Back by Kathi Macias? Fabulous book! It reminded me of how much I miss her books. I used to read each new one that came out, but that ended with the release of The Moses Quilt. 

That's what is such a bummer about me going back to work full time--I miss books by some of my favorite authors: Kathi Macias, Marilyn Meredith, Karen White, Lisa Gardner...

After reviewing The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse, I asked the publisher to keep me in mind for the next two books. The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo arrived last week. Love the cover.

One hundred years after her mother's family came to the New World on the Mayflower, Maribel Cordova has landed in New Orleans to seek the man who holds the key to finding her father’s lost treasure. Attorney Jean-Luc Valmot has buried his past life so deep that no living person will ever find it—or so he hopes as he accepts a position on the governor’s staff. But the daughter of an infamous pirate threatens all he holds dear. Can Maribel and Jean-Luc compromise so they both can hold onto what they most desire?

I hope to start reading it on school vacation week. Not sure what else I'll read, but I would like to polish off three books. How about you? School vacation coming up? Planning on doing some reading?

As for this week's question, it seemed natural for me to become a reader. Both my parents enjoyed reading and we didn't exactly have a ton of things to do growing up. Most of my days were spent outside after school, but I had a lot of free time to spend reading. Both my sisters grew up to be readers as well. How about you? How did you become a reader?

Think that is all from me this week. Hope you have a great one.

Musing Monday - November 20

Musing Monday is hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker.  It is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM QUESTION:   Do you like or dislike series books?


Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone! I hope your preparations are going well. Mine are very slow. Trying not to work, but I am working like a dog. House still isn't clean for me to host on Thursday and I can't even think about baking.

Enough of that stress. Let's talk books. If you visited lately you'll see I've been blogging more thanks to a little break in the real estate business. Not much of a break, but I'll take it. Be sure to read my review of When the Bishop Needs an Alibi by Vannetta Chapman. Love, love, love this series.

Speaking of series, I do like them. That said, I hate when life gets hectic and I can't keep up with a series. I've missed books by Karen White, Kathi Macias, Marilyn Meredith, C. W. Gortner and more that write books I absolutely adore. Even harder is when I come into a series in the middle and have to back track. That never seems to work out. That's why I've been so vigilant about Charlotte Hubbard's books. I know if I miss any one in a series I'll regret it and never catch up.

How about you? Do you prefer stand alone novels or series? Is there a series you're still trying to catch up on?

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

Guest Blogger: Marilyn Meredith, Author of A Cold Death

Deputy Tempe Crabtree and her husband answer the call for help with unruly guests visiting a closed summer camp during a huge snow storm are trapped there along with the others. One is a murderer—another a ghost.

How Tempe Has Changed

by Marilyn Meredith

When the series began Tempe Crabtree knew little about her Indian heritage. She didn’t grow up on the reservation and all she knew about being a Native American came from stories her grandmother told her. These stories play an important part in a couple of the mysteries.

When she went to high school she was made fun of for being an Indian by some of the other students, and shunned by the Indian kids who lived on the reservation.

Her friend, Nick Two John, is the one who gradually teaches her about what it means to be an Indian and some of the Bear Creek Indian legends. Many of these legends are also a basis for plots. Her feelings about her heritage and all it means change throughout the series.

As time goes on, she has reached out more and more to Indian mysticism and spirituality to help her solve the mysteries that confront her, despite her pastor husband’s objections.

What hasn’t changed is her willingness to risk her life to help others. Her strength has remained consistent throughout.

While writing this, I realize that I probably should have had her appearance change a bit—but hopefully the reader will use his or her own imagination to see Tempe with natural changes as she’s aged. To be honest, I see her in my mind’s eyes as the more mature woman that she is today.

What is your opinion about how much a series character should change?

Marilyn

Anyone who orders any of my books from the publisher‘s website: http://mundania.com

can get 10% off by entering MP20 coupon code in the shopping cart. This is good all the time for all my books, E-books and print books.

On Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XNP87Z

Marilyn Meredith’s published book count is nearing 40. She is one of the founding members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sister in Crime. She taught writing for Writers Digest Schools for 10 years, and was an instructor at the prestigious Maui Writers Retreat, and has taught at many writers’ conferences. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra, a place with many similarities to Tempe Crabtree’s patrol area. Webpage:  http://fictionforyou.com Blog:  http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/ and you can follow her on Facebook.

Contest: Once again I’m going to use the name of the person who comments on the most blogs on my tour for the next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery—which may be the last in the series.

Tomorrow I’ll be here:

https://amymbennettbooks.com/

My Journey as an Author

Favorite Reads of 2014

Thanks to my return to the workforce, I didn't come close to meeting my reading goals for this year. I'm still grateful for the books that got read--some of which I am hoping to review before the end of the year.

Most of the books I read in 2014 were in the children's or young adult categories, so I didn't make a list of favorites for this blog. Here are a couple I truly enjoyed:

Holidays on this Massachusetts island are nothing short of magical, and the season’s wonderful traditions are much loved by Nicole Somerset, new to Nantucket and recently married to a handsome former attorney. Their home is already full of enticing scents of pine, baking spices, and homemade pie.

But the warm, festive mood is soon tempered by Nicole’s chilly stepdaughter, Kennedy, who arrives without a hint of holiday spirit. Determined to keep her stepmother at arm’s length—or, better yet, out of the picture altogether—Kennedy schemes to sabotage Nicole’s holiday preparations. Nicole, however, is not about to let anyone or anything tarnish her first Christmas with her new husband.

While filming a movie on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, the film crew trespasses on sacred ground, threats are made against the female stars, a missing woman is found by the Hairy Man, an actor is murdered, and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has no idea who is guilty. Once again, the elusive and legendary Hairy Man plays an important role in this newest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

What are some of your favorite reads from this year?

Book Review: River Spirits by Marilyn Meredith

Tempe...is...back! In this exciting new installment of the Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series, an actor is murdered during filming at the Bear Creek Indian Reservation. Tempe is sent in to uncover the culprit. Meanwhile, her son, Blair, arrives home with some big news.

This series keeps getting better and better. Familiar faces from Bear Creek (Hutch, Miqui Sherwood, Nick Two John, and Claudia) are joined by a film crew shooting a movie at the reservation. When an actor is found murdered at the Painted Rock shelter, Tempe discovers numerous people could have wanted this man dead. In a style that readers have come to expect from Meredith, Tempe's personal and professional lives collide as she works to uncover a murderer. The Native American elements of the series continue to play a vital role in the plot--including the legend of the Hairy Man.


A perfect stand-alone novel, River Spirits will draw you in from the very first page and have you longing for more Tempe once you're done.

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC (September 30, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606594117
ISBN-13: 978-1606594117
Also available in Kindle format

Also available from the publisher, all formats:
http://mundania.com/book.php?title=River+Spirits
For Nook
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-spirits-marilyn-meredith/1120425385

Contest: The winner will be the person who comments on the most blog posts during the tour.
He or she can either have a character in my next book named after them, or choose an earlier book in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series—either a paper book or e-book.


I received an electronic ARC from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: Spirit Shapes by Marilyn Meredith

Spirit Shapes is a superb addition to Marilyn Meredith's Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series.

When ghost hunters discover the body of a murdered teen inside an abandoned haunted house, Deputy Tempe Crabtree is sent in to investigate. Tempe finds herself drawn into a whirlwind of restless spirits, good and evil, intertwined with the past and the present, and demons and angels at war.

Wow! This may be the best Tempe Crabtree mystery yet.

Lorna Collins brings a group of ghost hunters into the abandoned Wilkinson House and stumbles upon the body of a murdered teen. The body is finally identified as Tucker Philips, a boy whose family recently moved to the area and who was estranged from his best friend, Roland Garcia.

Detective Morrison asks Tempe to investigate Tucker's death, but she is soon caught up in the history of the Wilkinson House, and what role, if any, that may have played in the boy's death. Tempe's mystical connection to the spirit world has always concerned her husband, Pastor Hutch; and now, more than ever before, he finds himself concerned for Tempe's soul.

The Native American elements of this story combined with the restless spirits of the Wilkinson house, and the blending of past and present, make Spirit Shapes an engaging read. While in many ways this is a typical Tempe Crabtree novel, Meredith manages to keep this book fresh and exciting because this story is told in a slightly different way. Usually Tempe is called in to investigate and her focus is on finding the murderer. In Spirit Shapes, the focus is also on the history of the Wilkinson House, so while Tempe is actively talking to Tucker's friends and family, she's also trying to get to the bottom of what might have occurred at the house and whether or not that played a role in Tucker's death. Tempe meets a local historian and she talks to Nick Two John (still one of my favorites) about the house, as she's also spending time at the high school to see how Tucker was getting along before his untimely death.

While the clues led me to believe what was at play here, the book has a phenomenal ending I didn't see coming.

If you enjoy murder mysteries and books with spiritual elements, you'll want to pick up a copy of Spirit Shapes by Marilyn Meredith. Highly recommended.


Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC (September 24, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160659396X
ISBN-13: 978-1606593967

This is the 12th book I've read for the following challenge:

The author sent me a PDF version of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Spotlight: The Devil's Foothold by Marilyn Meredith

Resident Deputy Jessica McGuire’s day starts much the same as usual, but when she jogs by the old family cemetery she discovers the grave of a baby had been dug up and the skeleton missing. It wasn’t much later when Pastor David Tanner reports the theft of a hand-carved redwood cross from his church. Next a baby goat is reported stolen and one of the pastor’s cows discovered mutilated in the field. Jessica and Pastor David team up to investigate these strange occurrences. He is convinced Satan worshiping is going on in their town. Jessica isn’t sure until she discovers a hooded and robed group meeting in the woods who flee upon her arrival. She knows she needs to get to the bottom of things before what’s going on escalates into something worse. Or has it already?

File Size: 390 KB
Print Length: 176 pages
Publisher: Marilyn Meredith (October 14, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B009R7DZ1S

 

Only $2.99 on Amazon!

 

 

Marilyn Meredith is the author of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as the Rocky Bluff P.D. series.

One of the first authors to embrace e-publishing she has several books that are available in both e-format and trade paperback, among them, the award winning mystery Guilt by Association.

Christian horror is another of the genres she writes in-The Choice, Deeds of Darkness, and Cup of Demons are prime examples .

She also has a chapter in the best seller, "THE PORTABLE WRITERS' CONFERENCE" from Quill Driver Press.

Also a writing teacher, Marilyn has been a featured speaker at several writers' conferences. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, EPIC, and the Public Safety Writers Association.

Book Review: Raging Water by Marilyn Meredith

Deputy Tempe Crabtree is back in Raging Water by Marilyn Meredith.

Tempe has her hands full with a rash of burglaries and the murder of two older women. Were these harmless ladies the victims of an addict who wanted their prescription drugs?

A fast-moving thunderstorm quickly adds to Tempe's woes. With the water rising, temporary shelters are set up and relocated residents' tempers flare. A mud slide blocks the road into town, stranding the residents of Bear Creek--including the murderer.

Superb! Thrilling! A real page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.

The Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series has been one of my favorites since I began reading it. I never miss a book. In this installment, Tempe is battling many issues. There's a burglar on the loose, which leads to her being yanked out of bed at an ungodly hour. The murder of two best friends is puzzling, and a raging storm leaves everyone on edge. So, in addition to trying to fight crime, Tempe is put in the undesirable position of having to notify people to evacuate to shelters, break up disagreements, and keep herself out of danger. There is so much going on in this book, you'll be flying through it and be eager to read it over again once you're done.

Meredith has spent a good deal of time with Tempe, her family, and the residents of Bear Creek. It shows. Her characters are well-developed. There's enough back story so newcomers to the series aren't lost, but enough new characters and crime solving to keep long time fans satisfied. I like how each book stands alone, but also helps move the characters along in their lives in the process. We don't see Detective Morrison in this book, but Meredith smartly includes conversations between Morrison and Tempe, so the character is not forgotten. He and Nick Two John are my favorite characters.

If you're looking for a riveting mystery, you'll want to pick up a copy of Raging Water by Marilyn Meredith.




I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

This is the 40th book I've read for the following challenge:

It is the 24th book I've read for the following challenge:

It is the 10th book I've read for the following challenge:

First Chapter Review: Simon Said (The Professor Simon Shaw Murder Mysteries) By Sarah R. Shaber

I've always been a sucker for a good mystery. The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, and the Capital Crimes novels of Margaret Truman filled my childhood through my mid-twenties. Over the past few years, it's been the work of Marilyn Meredith/F.M. Meredith, Lisa Gardner, James Hayman and Heather Haven that has fed my love of the genre. Today I'm sharing one of the free mysteries I picked up this week.

TITLE: Simon Said

AUTHOR: Sarah R. Shaber

BLURB: Eyebrows are raised as yellow crime-scene tape drapes across the once-distinguished Colonial Bloodworth House. For the mansion, nestled cozily amidst the tranquil academia of Kenan College, may have once been the scene of a brutal murder.

The decayed body was found when archaeologist David Morgan conducted a dig beneath the original three rooms of the 1785 house-- he was only hoping to unearth some Colonial-era artifacts.

Professor Simon Shaw, Kenan College's youngest full-time professor, knows more about the house than anyone-- he even wrote a book about the historic building-- so naturally, Morgan enlists his professional friend for a little detective work. What Morgan has found, it seems, are the remains of the estate's heiress-- an unsolved missing persons case since 1926. As Simon digs deeper into this decades-old murder, he finds that someone still very much alive wants to put a permanent stop to his investigating.

COVER:  Beautiful. With the story set in Raleigh, North Carolina, this is the perfect cover. The above cover is new for the Kindle edition. While the cover (see right)  for the original paperback, which was released in 1997, is lovely, the added bits of red in the landscape make a big difference. The location of the stairs and the large window have been changed from the original cover, and we see the house from a different angle. I also like how the archaeological dig site is prominent on the new cover.

FIRST CHAPTER:  This has to be one of the shortest first chapters I've ever read. Professor Simon Shaw is in his office bracing himself against an intense North Carolina day.

His secretary, Judy Smith, enters and tells him he's about to get a visitor. A policeman arrives to request he go over to Bloodworth House because Dr. Morgan, an archaeologist and the Professor's good friend, discovered a woman's body and it appears to have died at least fifty years ago. Based upon Dr. Morgan's examination, it looks likely that the woman did not meet a natural death.

KEEP READING:  Definitely! As I mentioned, this is a very short chapter; but what Shaber manages to do is introduce our main character and then get him involved up to his eyeballs in a mystery. Dr. Morgan is his best friend. You can assume in Chapter Two Professor Shaw is walking over to Bloodworth House to see how he can help.

What the author also manages to do is quickly give us the setting. While we don't know what season it is, within the first paragraph, the Professor is working on a way to deal with the intense North Carolina day streaming in through his "old-fashioned Venetian blinds." She also draws a sharp picture of Professor Shaw's appearance and his office through the eyes of the policeman. The reader immediately gets a feel for who Shaw is.

I really want to see how this one turns out.

File Size: 313 KB
Publisher: Sarah R. Shaber (March 9, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B004RJ9G0U
SRP:  $2.99

I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. I received no monetary compensation for this review.

Book Review: Bears With Us by Marilyn Meredith

In Bears With Us by Marilyn Meredith, Deputy Tempe Crabtree and many of the residents of Bear Creek find themselves up to their eyeballs in bears, which creates many tense moments for everyone.

As the book opens, Tempe responds to a possible break in at the house of the Hamptons. Mrs. Hampton, a former active socialite of Bear Creek is suffering from dementia. It's soon obvious her condition puts stress on the rest of her family.

Tempe is also called to the Drysdale home, where fifteen-year-old Darren has shot himself. Tempe can't place her finger on it, but the way the family is grieving seems odd; even Hutch, her pastor husband thinks so. Tempe and Hutch are also the target for personal attacks by Mrs. Onstott, who wants them to interfere in her daughter's relationship with a boy she deems inapproproiate, despite the fact that the boy hasn't broken any laws.

As bears continue to wander into town creating problems for the community, Mrs. Hampton's condition deteriorates, Mrs. Onstott continues to make life difficult, and the Drysdales push away every attempt by Hutch and Tempe to help them cope with the loss of their son.

In this latest installment of her Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, Meredith creates an engaging, unique story filled with twists and turns. The unusual storyline pulled me in right away. As the various subplots unfold, there are moments you feel you have it all figured out, just to discover you're nowhere close.

Tempe and Hutch have always made an interesting couple: a Christian pastor and the sole female of the Bear Creek police force, who is part Native American. In Bears With Us, just like previous books, Tempe's heritage is explored in some way. Nick Two John is one of my favorite characters. He is the one who pushes Tempe to learn more about her heritage and to use the skills she has because of it. This has sometimes put Tempe and Hutch on opposite sides, but in this book, we see a husband and wife working together.

A strong female lead, Native American mysticism, and well-drawn characters fill Bears With Us. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel, but I suggest you read all the Deputy Tempe Crabtree novels. They're a bit like Lay’s® potato chips, "you can't have just one."

Title: Bears With Us
Author: Marilyn Meredith
Publisher: Mundania Press
ISBN-10: 1606592645
ISBN-13: 978-1606592649
SRP:  $12.95

Also available in a Kindle edition!

CONTEST DETAILS: Would you like to be immortalized in print? Marilyn Meredith is running a contest during her BEARS WITH US virtual book tour. Whoever leaves a comment on the most blog sites during the tour, will have his or her name used for a character in Marilyn’s next book. Please visit http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2011/08/11/bears-with-us-virtual-book-tour-october-2011/ for her entire schedule. Good luck!

The author paid me to promote her book through a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book! This fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I received no monetary compensation.