"Murder on the Med", by Nancy Cole Silverman

A Kat Lawson Mystery book #3

Kat, an undercover travel reporter for the FBI is assigned to report on a luxury cruise ship designed for retired seniors. On the Amalfi Coast Kat discovers a hidden agenda that threatens the lives of all on board.

“Overboard! Are you telling me the woman fell off the ship? And nobody did anything?”

I simply love this cozy mystery. It features elements of intrigue and suspense against the picturesque backdrop of the Mediterranean while vacationers cruise on a very luxurious ship and are highly pampered. The setting adds a sense of charm and allure.

Yes. our amateur sleuth, detective, is drawn into an investigation quicky when she finds a rare gold coin in Dede Drummerhausen handbag, the woman who owns the suite Kat is staying, passengers think Dede may have gone missing….and rumors abound……Kat snooping around soon finds out that her life may be in danger……

The protagonist is smart, sassy and is quick witted as she unravels the mystery and what a mystery it is. What began with a possible missing person morphed into a audacious trafficking scheme in stolen antiquities.

Nancy Cole Silverman is a great author who writes brilliant cozy mysteries. The dialogues are the every day language, easy to understand and not overly done. The pacing is steady, not rush but it moves at a good tempo.

Although a fiction, while I was reading, I pictured the scenes as it moved along and I thought this could really happen, it felt authentic.

No doubts, this mystery is an absorbing read and a page- turner.

Although this may be part of a series “Murder on the Med” reads perfectly well on its own.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

"Two Kind of Stranger", by Steve Cavanagh

A Legal thriller

Eddie Flynn book #9

This is the case of a Tik Tok personality who has millions of followers thanks to her random acts of kindness videos. Till one day she captured accidently a shocking betrayal on camera…..her account then went viral…Down spirited, Elly still can’t resist helping others but this time her kindness lands her in deep water and needs Eddies' help. Logan the stranger she helped may not be as helpless as she though.

I have a hard time resisting this author he pens such good legal stories. The opening is simply fantastic. The momentum takes hold right from the start and as the events spiral out of control, tension mounts, and as readers we are easily kept on a knife edge till the very last moment.

While Elly and Logan’s story unfold a subplot comes into the mix … surprise another case this one has everyone in danger, including Eddie and his family.

This story has less court action more investigating and preparation since two cases are on the go at the same time. I needed to pay a bit more attention for this reason, no distraction for me I needed to be all there since we jump from different scenes and different characters. Although we may switch from one drama to another, this high-stakes suspense is easy to follow.

Conclusion:

“Two Kinds of Stranger” is a stellar entry in the Eddie Flynn series. If you like a fast-paced thriller with intricate twists and interesting protagonist this book is for you.

Last note:

Although part of a series this thriller can easily be read on its own.

My thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC

"Missing", by E.A. Jackson

Every parent’s nightmare…your baby vanished in the middle of the night taken through a window in your hotel room when you were sleeping: how would you react?

DI Martha Allen is investigating and does all the right things to get to the bottom of this but she finds herself not trusting the witness and knows to be lying.

Fast forward 30 years later, a murder is committed that brings Martha back into the baby case investigation that was pulled from her so many years ago. She absolutely had to revived the old case, one she will absolutely won’t let go. The coincidence to strong to let go...

My thoughts:

This is good decent and twisted police procedural that has Martha uncovers a web of secrets and lies that span thirty years. Following her in her quest to find the truth is not only tense but it plunges us into the life of a promising young woman which turned morbid by exploitation and drugs.

I like the occasional twists that I never saw coming and the way the author has woven together the past and present to create a compelling narrative, not always easy to do, well-done here.

The first part is a tense page-turner as Martha is in a race to find the missing baby and the second part although a bit more measured reviving the cold case is as much intense and captivating as the first part. In whole a very intriguing and captivating case.

Well said and well-done, this is my first experience reading this author and it will not be my last.

I received this ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.