"Cold Pursuit," by Nancy Mehl

 "Cold Pursuit," by Nancy Mehl

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They're soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son, who disappeared four years ago. River knows there's almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy's trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. As River and Tony race to stop him before he kills again, an even more dangerous threat emerges, stirring up the past that haunts River and plotting an end to her future.

This is the first book in the Ryland and St. Clair series by Nancy.  After reading this, I can't wait until the next book comes out in January 2024.  Right from the get go you get sucked into this book.  There is action that has you sitting on the edge of your seat from the first page.  You just don't know where it will take you and then you take a breath for a couple of pages, and then BAM! you're right back into it.

You think you know where this story is going to go but the twists and turns involved in it, makes it a page turner.  One thing I love about reading is learning new things.  In this book's case it was SYNESTHESIA.  I had never ever heard of that word before and had no idea what exactly it meant; even though there is a paragraph describing it at the beginning of the book.  However having one of the characters in the book; Brian, having it explained the "illness" very well.

The whole book was very interesting and very well researched in my opinion, and had me thinking right throughout the book.  If you enjoy a murder/mystery type of book, this one if for you.

Stars out of 5 : 5 Loved it, and would have read it in a day, if I had, had the time.  Nancy's book's never disappoint.  Well worth reading!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"This Is Where It Ends," by Cindy K. Sproles

 "This Is Where It Ends," by Cindy K. Sproles

How long is a body expected to keep a secret?

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just fourteen years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her held gold. And when he died fifty years later, he made her promise to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contained.

Now at ninety-four, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept her promise. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

How long is a body expected to keep a secret? Now that is the million dollar question, and one that no one has the right answer too.  It will all depend on what you think!

I read this book in a day.  I just couldn't put it down; and not just for one reason, for many reasons.  There are so many twists and turns in this book that I had to keep turning the page.  It will come as no surprise that Minerva will die; she is 94.  The way the author wrote about her last few minutes on this earth was so moving, I was in floods of tears.  I knew what was happening, but I just couldn't stop those tears.

I think throughout this book it made you question things in your mind that were probably already there, but this book moved them up to the fore front of you brain.  It makes you think about death.  Minerva was concerned about dying alone.  I think that is a worry for many people.  Not long ago there was a documentary about older people in the UK, and it featured a man who had no living relatives left.  Every night before he went to bed, he laid out his will and all other official documents that people would need if he died through the night.  Minerva always made sure she had clean clothes on.

This book makes you realize how important friendship is, and how good for the soul having people around that cares for you.  I loved the way Del broke down the barriers of Minerva's hardened heart.  I think we all put up barriers to protect ourselves against people who have hurt us in the past.  Del chipped away at Minerva's barriers and broke through.

This would make a great book club book, as there are many topics of conversation and discussion to be had.

Stars out of 5 : 5 and very solid 5 at that.  Even the cover made me want to pick up this book.  It is well worth reading.  I wonder though if this will appeal to the older reader more than the younger readers?

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell , a division of Baker Publishing Group".