Desperate for Death

A Kelly O'Connell Mystery 

by Judy Alter

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Suspense

Publisher: Alter Ego Press

Date of Publication: January 9, 2016

# of pages: 228

 

Just when Kelly's life has calmed, she faces yet another of life's puzzles. Except the pieces in this one don't fit. First the apartment behind her house is torched, then a string of bizarre "accidents" occur to set her off-balance. Who is stalking her? Where does the disappearance of a young girl and her disreputable boyfriend fit in? And why are two men using the same name? Is the surprise inheritance another part of the puzzle? At a time when she is most vulnerable, Kelly can't make the pieces fit. Before Kelly can get the whole picture, she helps the family of a hostage, rescues a kidnap victim and attends a wild and wonderful wedding. 

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    Praise for Desperate for Death   

Once again, Kelly is thrust into action when her family and friends are targeted by a deranged convict and this time Kelly has more to protect. I enjoyed this fast-paced and well written drama that continues to get better and better with a strong and determined heroine and a secondary cast that plays a pivotal role in the telling of this tale. It was fun watching this mystery played out with all the key elements that lead to a fulfilling finale and I especially enjoyed Keisha presence in this book. This is by far the best book in this series and I hope there are more to come in this engaging series.—Dru Ann L Love

One satisfying aspect of Desperate for Death which sets it apart from other murder mysteries is its staccato action in which everything happens at once, little seems connected, and life becomes a series of challenges. Fast-paced action keeps readers involved in not only events, but Kelly's response to them, and in her efforts to keep her head above stormy waters.—Diane Donovan, Senior E-book Review Editor, Midwest Book Review

Judy Alter's books just keep getting better. Her characters have real growth and the plots get harder to figure out. This one is her best of this genre….David Hartley Burlingame

Kelly seems to have a very quiet life finally. Things are going well and the kids are happy. But for Kelly the adventure is about to begin. The action starts with a fire that almost destroys the entire place they rent out to others.  Funny thing is no one has lived there for awhile so how could a grease fire start in an empty apartment?

The story moves at a fast pace with twists and turns. I loved  the character Keisha. She was sassy, persistent and had a sixth sense that was vital to the story. The kids did not like the fact that once again their lives were chaotic and made their feelings known to anyone who would listen. Kelley is in a race to find out who wants her dead and the list of suspects grows daily. Will she solve the case before it is to late ? It is a nice cozy mystery that at times seems to skip around a bit but the ending is good and overall a nice quick read with fun characters .

I received a copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog for an honest review.

 

An award-winning novelist, Judy Alter is the author of six books in the Kelly O’Connell Mysteries series: Skeleton in a Dead Space, No Neighborhood for Old Women, Trouble in a Big Box, Danger Comes Home, Deception in Strange Places, and Desperate for Death. She also writes the Blue Plate Café Mysteries—Murder at the Blue Plate Café, Murder at the Tremont House and Murder at Peacock Mansion. Finally, with the 2014 The Perfect Coed, she introduced the Oak Grove Mysteries.

Her work has been recognized with awards from the Western Writers of America, the Texas Institute of Letters, and the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame. She has been honored with the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Achievement by WWA and inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame.

Judy is retired as director of TCU Press and the mother of four grown children and the grandmother of seven. She and her dog, Sophie, live in Fort Worth, Texas. 

 

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1/28    The Crazy Booksellers -- Promo

1/29    Because This is My Life Y'all -- Review

1/30    All for the Love of the Word -- Guest Post

1/31    My Book Fix Blog -- Review       

2/1      The Page Unbound -- Promo

2/2      Missus Gonzo -- Review

2/3      bookishjessp -- Guest Post

2/4      Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books -- Promo

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2/6      Books and Broomsticks -- Author Interview

 

 

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CHAPPY'S WEIGHT LOSS SOLUTION by CHAPLIN DICK PHELPS

The author has a great passion for weight loss and in helping firefighters who struggle with their weight. It is a short book packed with many helpful tips and a website to help encourage those who want to eat healthy and live healthy. "Shame may be the single most common experience of those dealing with food issues." For some that statement is so true and also very painful. Many of us try different weight loss programs with little results. Sometimes we reach our goal, only to regain all the lost pounds a few months later.

The author encourages firefighters not to live in shame but to take control of their  health. I loved how he shared his own experience with weight loss and how he found a program that worked for him. The book is geared toward firefighters, but I'm sure any of us could apply his useful tools to help us with our desire to lose weight.  He gives us several plans that  could be helpful in losing weight. The author also shared how faith can play a big role in your attitude and help you through the struggles you may face as you find a solution for a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the book he has included some very helpful resources and insights that are included in his website. This is a great tool to start your way to a healthy lifestyle and the author's dedication is very encouraging. I liked that this  The book is very uplifting and the author is very dedicated to helping firefighters as they find a weight loss plan that will work for them.

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

Pennies from Burger Heaven ~ ~ Blog Tour* & Giveaway

Pennies from Burger Heaven ~ ~ Blog Tour* & Giveaway

 Pennies from Burger Heaven

by Marcy McKay

Genre: Literary Suspense

Publisher: SkipJack Publishing

Date of Publication: December 28, 2015

# of pages: 340

 

Eleven-year-old Copper Daniels is homeless and alone. She spends her nights sleeping beneath the cemetery’s Warrior Angel statue for protection, and

her days battling the mean streets of Remington, Texas, hell-bent on discovering what happened the night her Mama disappeared. While Copper and

her rag-tag group of friends find danger at every corner, two horrors are certain:

her Mama’s really missing and someone’s after Copper, too. 

In the tradition of The Lovely Bones and Room, Pennies from Burger Heaven

tells a dark story through the eyes of a child. With

wit and wisdom, Copper Daniels will steal your heart,then break it in two.

 Awards for Pennies from Burger Heaven: 

*Winner – Writers’ League of Texas: Best Mainstream Novel 

*Winner – Frontiers in Writing: Best Mainstream Novel   

*Winner – Frontiers in Writing: Best of Show

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Praise for Pennies from Burger Heaven

“Against the gritty backdrop of an inner-city ghetto rises the unforgettable voice of 

eleven-year-old Copper ‘Penny’ Daniels, offering poignant and heartbreaking insights 

into the horrors and trials of homeless life on the streets, finding heaven where you l

east expect it, and help in those you never thought to ask.”


– A.G. Howard, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Splintered Series


“At once disturbing and exhilarating, heartbreaking and heartwarming, Pennies is the 

story of an undying love between a mother and daughter. It grabs you by the 

heartstrings from the start and won’t let you go, even after you’ve read the last word.”

– Ken Oder, author of The Closing and Old Wounds to the Heart


“Debut novelist McKay infuses Pennies from Burger Heaven with wit, charm and 

moxie, so much so that the achingly beautifulness of Copper Daniels’ life sneaks up 

on you. All of this wrapped around a mystery that is fast-paced and rife with tension, 

with a satisfying series of twists. Can’t wait for the next Burger Heavennovel.”


– Pamela Fagan Hutchins, author of the Katie & Annalise mystery series

 Copper Daniels is just eleven years old and living on the streets with her mom.
Everyday is a struggle to eat and survive. They try to find places to get free food and
a place to sleep, but it seems to be getting harder to do. Copper is a very tough young
girl with grit and determination. When her mom turns up missing , Copper must
depend on the few friends she has to find shelter and help her look for her mom.

  I found it very intriguing to read the different names the author uses for the group
of people Copper has contact with. It was a bit hard to understand at first , then I
realized this is part of a language that Copper uses on the street to identify different
people. It was somewhat slang terms that are often referred to as stereo typical ,
which for some could be found offensive. She must now try to solve the mystery
of her mom's disappearance and try to stay one step ahead of someone who is out
to hurt her.

  The story is written with such realism that you can visualize Copper walking the
streets at night looking for shelter. The author holds nothing make and I found myself
so engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down. There are times in the book that the
vivid details were hard to read, but I appreciate the darkness and evils that plagued
Copper as she raced to save her mom.


The book is a heart pounding story of Copper as she relies on street smarts to
survive in a world where she is abandoned by those she thought would never
leave her. The ending is powerful and reminds me of good vs evil as the story
leaves you in the edge of your seat.

I received a copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours for an honest review.

Marcy McKay knew she wanted to write stories the
moment she read about Oompa Loompas in the

fourth grade. She’s an award-winning short-story
author and copywriter, as well as a freelance journalist.
Her work has appeared in Writer’s Digest, Accent West,
Roots & Wings, The Write Practice, Write to Done, 

and Positive Writer and Jane Friedman. Marcy
lives in Texas with her husband and two teens, who all
still like her…most of the time. McKay is a member of the 

Writers’ League of Texas and the Texas High Plains Writers.

 

 

WEBSITE    FACEBOOK    TWITTER

3 WINNERS WILL WIN THEIR CHOICE OF AN eBOOK OR PRINT COPY OF PENNIES FROM BURGER HEAVEN. 

GIVE-AWAY

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1/18       My Book Fix Blog  -- Review

1/19       Hall Ways  -- Promo

1/20       The Page Unbound  -- Author Interview

1/21       bookishjessp  -- Guest Post

1/22       Because This is My Life Y'all  -- Review

1/23       The Crazy Booksellers -- Promo

1/24       All for the Love of the Word -- Author Interview

1/25       Books and Broomsticks -- Guest Post

1/26       Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books  -- Promo

1/27       Missus Gonzo -- Review

1/28       The Librarian Talks -- Guest Post          

1/29       Belle Whittington on Tumblr  -- Author Interview

1/30       Book Crazy Gals -- Promo

1/31       Secret Asian Girl  -- Review

2/1         Texas Book-aholic -- Review

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http://www.lonestarliterary.com 

Taylor Cabot  an ER nurse,  has recently lost her husband in a tragic accident. She feels guilt because they argued the night of the accident. As the third anniversary of his death is coming up, she decides that it is time to move on, to live again and perhaps let a man back into her life. Has she truly let go? Has she been through all the steps of grieving?

Seth Donovan is a crisis chaplain and was friends with Taylor at one time. He worries that she is not moving on and wants to help her out. They find  themselves working together when a terrible accident occurs at a kite festival. A plane is out of control and is barreling down on the crowd. Taylor rushes down to help and together with Seth they begin to help the people. Seth is very dedicated to his faith and the author writes his character as a caring person who is not preachy but does  share his faith with gentle and kinds words .

Later at the hospital, they have to deliver hard news to someone who just lost their loved one. Taylor and Seth work very well together on the crisis team. They both have a comforting tone and are able to speak to the victim's family and assure them they are there to help with whatever is needed. It must be a very emotionally draining job to deliver heartbreaking news.

The characters are well versed in medical language and helps the story flow with precision. The author delivers a fast past action packed story with details that are precise and believable as they race to save patients. Her attention to detail is always seen in each of her books,  and brings the medical field to the forefront with her gifted knowledge of a hospital. It ls like watching a scene from the show "ER"  where orders are being given, nurses are rushing around and the action is swift and fast
.
When a car accident occurs several members of the hospital staff are involved. As the investigation begins, the question arises that it could have been a deliberate act. Who was out to hurt someone that day? This is where the real mystery begins. Several  characters lives will be forever changed as the investigation takes a  suspicious turn toward someone on staff?

I especially liked Sloane. She was a complicated woman  with a secret that could hurt several people. She had a guilty conscious about something and her character was very well developed with an attitude of hardness and hate toward others. The author showed her vulnerable side and gave us insight to the pain that stays with guilt overtakes your life. The story is about a crisis team that works together to comfort others and along the way help each other. It is not easy to let go of a loved one and the book draws on that with compassion and a beautifully written story. Once again the author has delivered a superb story with mystery, hurting people and a touch of romance. Not everything is easy to overcome . Sometimes all you can do is go STEP BY STEP.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network for an honest review.

AUTHOR Q & A

http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/downloads/press_kits/StepbyStepQA.pdf