Welcome to my Book Review Blog. My goal is to connect readers with the wonderful and amazing books I am blessed to reveiw. And to introduce you to the talented and wonderful authors responsible for writing these books. May my love for books show through my reviews on this site.
Book Title: The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 386 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 22, 2019 Format available for review: ebook (MOBI, EPUB, PDF), audiobook (Audible download) Will send print books out: USA Tour dates: Feb 22 to Mar 31, 2023 Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage.
MY RATING: FIVE STARS
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Lauren Carr has done he Last Thing She Said again in this third book in this series, The Last Thing She Said. In this Cold Case, the Geezer Squad’s case is to find out what happened to Mercedes. Secrets will come to life as the Geezer’s dig more and more into this case. I love this group and the way they handle their cases. Carr does a phenomenal job writing this wonderful book. I have fell in love with many of these characters, but Sterling is at the top. I love this special furry friend! The characters are many, but they are so easy to keep up with because Ms. Carr includes an extensive list of all characters and a little bit about them.
I sure did enjoy this story, and I have already started reading the next one in the series and I love, love that one too! If you enjoy a good cozy mystery, this us your book. You will not be sorry you choose this book. I’m giving The Last Thing She Said Five Stars, and it deserves so much more!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Too many twists and turns to easily share about this book. Nevertheless, Carr has pulled off another “hit” that kept me reading in one setting until the clues were so well together that the villain fell into our laps…or Chris’s, LOL Carr has put a lot into the book beyond the mysteries this time…Characters enjoyed chocotinis, visited book stores…and even blundered into getting engaged (the ring had been purchased 4 months ago)… But, for me, a special thank you for the political spoof at a time when politics at the national level is devastating, gave me a laugh and lightened the load of it all!” – Review by Glenda Bixler, Book Reader’s Heaven
Book Description: “I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.
For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!
Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Book Title: Winter Frost (AChris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #2) by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult fiction, 332 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 22, 2019 Available for review in: ebook (EPUB, MOBI, PDF), audiobook (Audible download) Will send books: USA Tour dates: Feb 22 to Mar 31, 2023 Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
“Filled with twists and turns, Winter Frost reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, although it is part of a series. The author creates tension and suspense throughout by keeping the reader guessing; she keeps readers engaged with well fleshed out characters and a dash of humor. Sterling, the retired German Shepherd police dog turned card shark, is a new favorite. As the story flows, the truth unfolds, layer by layer, leading to a satisfying conclusion.“Winter Frost was an entertaining, at times humorous read with suspense, some surprises, and even cute animals in the mix.” Review of Winter Frost by The iRead Review
Book Description: It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.
Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas.
Nothing is as it seems.
In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?
Winter Frost starts of with Chris Matheson finding the shock of his life, running into the wife he thought he lost three years ago. What? Are you kidding? I’m afraid not. She is alive and about to be murdered, had Chris not taken out the man with the gun. And after this beginning, I couldn’t put this book down. Lauren Carr does it again, gives her readers another cozy mystery series with a different lead character I have already grown to love. And now I feel bad for him because, well, when you have a run-in with the wife you buried 3 years ago, all kinds of things happen.
With Chris now a murderer for shooting the guy about to take out his wife, this investigation is too much for anyone except the great and wonderful Geezer Squad book club, which is not really a book club. The Geezer Squad dives head over hills into the case, with the help of their retired canines by their side. Lauren Carr is on top of it with creating characters who are so realistic, it really feels like talking to old friends. Add to that, Ms. Carr had to do some extensive research to write the debth of the characters, the amount of training each have, and just everything about this Geezer Squad. And twists and turns, well don’t think you have the mystery solved because Carr will throw a nail in there that will keep you guessing. Of course I had to go back and re-read parts that were so good that I wanted to grab all of the good stuff.
And the furry friends, including the rabbit, Thor, are top notch. I keep looking around for Sterling, my favorite funny guy and the others, only to find my one inside cat and four outside cats. I love how Lauren writes animals into her stories. Just one more thing that makes it all so real and natural.
I can say so much about this book, but the more I saw the more I will give away, and I don’t like that. I will say, if you enjoy a good clean cozy mystery that will have you biting your nails one minute and laughing you heart out the next, you just have to try Winter Frost. And if you like this one, there are three more in the series to read right now, and more coming. If you have not read a Lauren Carr book, now is your chance.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Meet the Author:
Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Book Title: ICE (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #1) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult fiction, 364 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: February 26, 2018 Available for review in: ebook (mobi, epub, PDF), audiobook (audible download code) Tour dates: Feb 22 March 31, 2023 Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage.
“Lauren spins an amazing web of lies, murder and love that will have you on the edge of your seat…I love the way Lauren spun this novel – I could not put the book down! I had to know what happened to Sandy and her unborn child and how this disappearance was tied into a string of other murders. I never saw the end coming but it was perfect and suited the novel. A definite must read novel!”5-Star Review by Carla at Working Mommy Journal
Book Description: When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappeared, the court of public opinion found young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted.
With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!
If you have read any of Lauren Carr’s books, you already know you are in for some of the greatest mysteries written. I am so excited about The Chris Matheson series because I believe Chris Matheson will have more instore for us than we could ever dream! Being the first book in a new series, it is pretty slow going through a little bit of it, but it is necessary because Carr is introducing us to all of her wonderful new characters. And it is very helpful that in the front of the book, Lauren has added a list of all of the characters, in the order they appear in the book. I am finding this list very helpful. But never fear, the introductions didn’t last long and the story begins.
This story centers around Chris Matheson, who leaves town around 24 years ago to work with the FBI. Being back home all thesr years later, he finds the people are still suspicious of him being the murderer of a woman and her baby 24 years ago. Some people think Chris’s dad did something, like maybe withholding evidence to keep Chris out of jail. Chris wants nothing else now but to prove his innocence once and for all in this Cold This story centers around Chris Matheson, who leaves town around 24 years before working with the FBI. Being back home, he finds the people are still suspicious of him being the murderer of a woman and her baby 24 years ago. Chris wants nothing else but to prove his innocence once and for all in this Cold Case Murder that happened so many years ago. But it won’t be easy. Murder that happened so many years ago. But it won’t be easy.
I love these new characters, with a tease of some from the prior series. I can’t wait to watch them grow in their new). And I fell in love with The Geezer Squad. This group of fun and meaningful guys are going to grip our hearts and show us detective work we didn’t see coming. The group is made up of retired trained investigators as well as a trained K-9 German Shepherd. These unpredictable and quirky characters have set the stage for what’s to come in this new series from Author Lauren Carr. Hold on to your seats and come along for what lies ahead in this nail biting, edge of your seats books in this new series from Lauren Carr.
Meet the Author:
Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Book Title: The Wrong Side of Murder (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) Narrated by Anita Alger Length: 7.8 hours Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 21, 2022 Format available for review: audiobook (audible download code), ebook (MOBI for Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Oct 3 to Oct 28, 2022 Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for everyone!
The Wrong Side of Murder is another wonderful cozy mystery by author Lauren Carr. It has all the elements that draw me in – an intelligent female lead, an equally smart boyfriend who partners to help her, a complicated plot where clues are slowly revealed, people who aren’t what they seem to be, comedic moments to balance the darker ones, and several quirky pets full of personality.
It’s a wonderful book to escape into at the end of the day. And get ready to read into the wee hours as, if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading until the mystery is revealed. -review by Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn Nikki’s an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she’ll get the answers she wants and needs. – review by Blooming with Books
MY THOUGHTS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF MURDER
This cozy mystery is such an awesome read. Nikki Bryant is back with her fun and funny dog Elmo. Still investigating murders, and this time, a class mate accused of murdering her mom years ago when she was in high school. Jodi Gibbons has been accused of murdering her mom since that one day when she left home to attend school and her mother was later found dead. Could this teenager murder her mom, and go to school like nothing happened? This is what Nikki and her side kick Elmo is about to find out.
I didn’t want to put this book down!! I didn’t want to think Jodi was guilty, especially the way the town plagued her guilty. Author Lauren Carr and her phenomenal writing skills had me guessing with the twists and turns with the case. And Elmo always had his quirky say so as well. I love, love this sweet special canine that adds so much to the story. There are quite a few characters, some we know from book one, and some we meet new in this one. Carr creates solid characters, most of them I really love and some I could have put in their place real fast! But they all play their parts so well in each scene, it makes the story seem real.
I felt so bad for Jodi because of the way the people of her town treated her. I was so glad she was finally going to tell her story, but another twist in the story, and that didn’t happen the way readers wanted either. And then the ending was a shocker for me, I never guessed it, and it was great!! I love how Carr pulls everything together so smoothly and creates the special ending that is satisfaction for her readers.
Aspecial thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Book Description:
Nikki Bryant’s Next Case Takes Her to the Wrong Side of Murder
One spring morning, Jodi Gibbons got up and went to school as she did every day. Her young life went sideways though when the police found that her mother had been brutally killed during the night.
Twenty years later, many in Pine Grove believe Jodi got away with murder. After all, how could she have possibly slept through her mother’s violent death in the very next room? After decades of silence, Jodi accepts investigative journalist Nikki Bryant’s invitation to tell her side of the story. However, before the interview can take place, someone silences Jodi permanently.
Now it is up to Nikki Bryant and her friends to uncover the secret that Jodi Gibbons has been protecting—a secret someone believes it is worth killing to keep from being revealed.
Buy the Book: Audible ~ Amazon BookBub add to goodreads
Book Details:
Book Title: Killer Deadline(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) Narrated by Anita Alger Length: 6 hours, 34 minutes Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2020 Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020 Format available for review: audiobook (audible download), ebook (mobi, epub, PDF) Tour dates: Oct 3 to Oct 28, 2022 Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!
Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become a social media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.
This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a “cozy murder mystery.” I promise, it’ll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this series. – review by Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Book Description:
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.
When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?
With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.
Lauren’s best-selling standalone novel (released in 2017) contains the main characters from her three successful series: Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose mysteries.
Book Details:
Book Title: Twofer Murder by Lauren Carr Category: Adult fiction (18+) Narrated by Mike Alger, Anita Alger Length: 13 hours, 20 minutes Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: November 17, 2017 Available for review in: audiobook (audible download code), ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF) Tour dates: Oct 3 to Oct 28, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13: While there are murders committed in this murder mystery, there is profanity (a hell or a damn few and very far between). No F-bombs. No explicit sex or graphic violence.
The book is intense, compelling, as readers follow the story lines for two different books. Yet the humor, family interactions, and loving relationships in Carr’s books keeps reading both entertaining and fun… Carr gets better and better in her humorous scenes, as well as snappy dialogue that comes only from within close-knit friends and family… If you aren’t reading this author, you are missing much more than an average mystery writer.– review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
Book Description:
Twofer murder? What’s a twofer murder?
Twofer Murder is a treat for fans of best-selling author Lauren Carr’s fast-paced mysteries! Lauren’s latest novel contains the main characters from her three successful series: Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose mysteries.
The guys go away for a fishing weekend only to get caught up in the murder of a journalist investigating fraud at a timber company.
Meanwhile, the ladies are spending the weekend in the presidential suite at a posh resort where Jessica Faraday is to accept a lifetime achievement award for her late grandmother at a murder mystery writers conference. But before they have time to get their facials, they get wrapped up in their own real mystery when an up and coming author ends up dead!
Lauren Carr’s Twofer Murder is a 2-for-1—making it a must-read for any mystery fan!
Narrator: A relative newcomer to audiobook narration, Anita Alger is a producer and composer of dozens of musical themes for audiobooks. Working with veteran narrator (and husband) Mike Alger, they’ve teamed up to produce over 30 full length audiobooks. While her musical skills are usually at the forefront, she has also narrated three audiobooks herself, including the new Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery Series written by Lauren Carr.
Producer:
A broadcast veteran of over 35 years, Mike Alger is best known as the award-winning Chief Meteorologist for KTVN-TV in Reno, NV. Narrator and producer of over 30 audiobook novels, he is also a successful author, having penned the Mystery-Thriller novel Snow Storm, and is the narrator of the audiobook of the same name. He collaborates with his wife of 40 years, Anita Alger, who writes and produces the musical themes for his productions.
Meet the Author: Selling over half a million books worldwide, Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services and iRead Book Tours, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Join us for this tour from July 5 to July 29, 2022!
This tour is a Spotlight Tour to let you know about two cozy Mysteries by Lauren Carr
Book one – Killer Deadline
Book Two – The Wrong Side of Murder
Book Details:
Book Series: The Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries Category: Adult fiction, 496 pages Genre: Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2020 Tour dates: July 5 to July 29, 2022 Content Rating: This cozy mystery book series is rated G. Suitable for everyone.
Join us for this tour from August 1 to August 26, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: The Wrong Side of Murder(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 274 pages Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 21, 2022 Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for everyone!
The Wrong Side of Murder is another wonderful cozy mystery by author Lauren Carr. It has all the elements that draw me in – an intelligent female lead, an equally smart boyfriend who partners to help her, a complicated plot where clues are slowly revealed, people who aren’t what they seem to be, comedic moments to balance the darker ones, and several quirky pets full of personality.
It’s a wonderful book to escape into at the end of the day. And get ready to read into the wee hours as, if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading until the mystery is revealed. – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Nikki’s an intense individual who makes the perfect investigative journalist. She wants answers yesterday and she is willing
to dig in to get them. She might get it wrong at the beginning but with the help of her family and close friends, she’ll get the answers she wants and needs.– review by Blooming with Books
Book Description:
Nikki Bryant’s Next Case Takes Her to the Wrong Side of Murder
One spring morning, Jodi Gibbons got up and went to school as she did every day. Her young life went sideways though when the police found that her mother had been brutally killed during the night.
Twenty years later, many in Pine Grove believe Jodi got away with murder. After all, how could she have possibly slept through her
mother’s violent death in the very next room?
After decades of silence, Jodi accepts investigative journalist Nikki
Bryant’s invitation to tell her side of the story. However, before the interview can take place, someone silences Jodi permanently.
Now it is up to Nikki Bryant and her friends to uncover the secret that Jodi Gibbons has been protecting—a secret someone believes it is worth killing to keep from being revealed.
Who really killed Jodi’s mom? Jodi took the blame, but was she covering up for someone? But who could it be?
I was so excited to read Lauren Carr’s second book in the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery Series, The Wrong Side of Murder. I couldn’t put this book down for long at a time because I had to find out who the murderer was. There are so many twists and turns in this cozy mystery, just when you think you have the murder solved, Ms. Carr throws another hatchet to the fire and its back to square one for me. But who could Jodi be covering for? And why? Pepper and Andera is the only two people who have stood by Jodi all these years, and now Nikki finds Andrea is living with Jodi, but why? It’s all in the mystery of who killed Jodi’s mom, and you need to read the book to find all the answers.
I love Lauren Carr’s books and The Wrong Side of Murder is one of my favorites. My emotions were all over the place reading this book. It was impossible to figure out who did what so you need to just keep reading. I’d you haven’t read a Lauren Carr book, this is an excellent one for you to start with. I’d you love a good cozy mystery, this is one you don’t want to miss! I highly recommend The Wrong Side of Murder for you to be your next read.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Be Sure to Check Out the First Installment in the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries:
Book Details:
Book Title: Killer Deadline(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 232 pages Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2020 Content Rating: This cozy mystery is rated G for Everyone!
I love this cozy mystery! It is full of suspense, action packed, fast pace with that small town feeling. I love the characters, I have to admit, I fell in love with Elmo on the spot! I loved Nikki’s spunk and determination. She keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book! I highly recommend this book to those who loves a good cozy mystery!!– 5-Star Review at Splashes of Joy
Book Description:
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.
When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?
With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.
Join us for this tour from Mar 28 to June 24, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 14) Category: Adult fiction, 496 pages Genre: Murder Mystery / Police Procedural / Crime Fiction Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: Mar 30, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13.
Lauren Carr’s mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No
F-Bombs!
“Five Stars for Lauren Carr’s 14th book of the Mac Faraday Murder Mysteries,Shadow of Murder!
In this new release, she has recaptured the fun of cute “creatures” with the fast-moving, suspenseful, and captivating mystery, along with her usual touch of romance.” – review by Lu Ann Worley, Rockin’ Book Reviews
“This newest title in the author’s Mac Faraday cozy murder mystery series offers Lauren Carr’s most intricate plot to date – full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers up until the wee hours. While still full of the humor, fun critters and touch of romance that are her trademark, the author has also woven in a dark supernatural element that
whispers through to the startling ending.”– review by Marilyn R. Wilson, bestselling author, freelance writer, editor, and speaker at Olio by Marilyn.
Book Description:
You can’t move to the next chapter of your life, without tying up loose ends in the previous.
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.
Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.
With Police Chief David O’Callaghan away on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.
Mac isn’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.
Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
<span;>Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr is another book in the Mac Faraday Series. It is Book Number Fourteen in fact. Once you read one if Lauren’s cozy stories you gotta come back for more. As with all of the Faraday series, Shadow of Murder is filled with entertaining yet somewhat strange characters at times. And always my favorite is Gnarly, the interesting and smart K-9 belonging to Mac Faraday. I enjoyed yet another investigation with these guys and Gnarly, and look forward for more. If you love a good cozy mystery, try Shadow of Murder, you might love it as others do.
<span;>I so much enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book, though I’ll give a shout out for it’s unbelievable 17 hours long. But it’s a fun book full of so many twists and turns you head will be spinning as you try to figure out where the author is going with this new twist.
<span;>Mike Alger does another wonderful job with the narration. His voice is pleasant and I didn’t get tired of listening to him at all. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this audiobook and listen for yourself. Not use to listening to books? I wasn’t either but the more I listen to them the more I like it. Give this one a try. I think you will enjoy it.
<span;>A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
“Lauren’s dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever…It’s Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr’s Mac Faraday mysteries.”– review by Connie Gregory, Connie’s Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: It’s Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 23, 2010
Book Description:
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous
mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide
detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s killer.
“As in any good who-done-it, there are red herrings and plot complications in Old Loves Die Hard and fans of mysteries and police procedurals will get a kick out of Lauren Carr’s books.”– review by David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
Book Details:
Book Title: Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 2) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2011
Book Description:
In Old Loves Die Hard, Carr picks up where she left off in It’s Murder, My Son.
Mac Faraday is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up—and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac’s private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.
The investigation leads to the discovery of cases files for some of Mac’s murder cases in the room of the man responsible for destroying his marriage. Why would his ex-wife’s lover come to Spencer to dig into Mac’s old cases?
With the help of his new friends on Deep Creek Lake, Mac must use all of his detective skills to clear his name and the Spencer Inn’s reputation, before its five-stars—and more bodies—start dropping.
“Shades of Murder is a fascinating, intricately woven mystery that has a number of engaging characters looking into two cases that would seem to have
nothing in common. …This is a most entertaining entry in this series, made all the more so by the wonderful inclusion of Gnarly and Irving, Mac’s dog and Gates’s black and white cat, who meet during the course of
the story.”– review by Mysterious Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: Shades of Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 3) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 232 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: May 7, 2012
Book Description:
In Shades of Murder,
Mac Faraday is once again the heir to an unbelievable fortune. This time the benefactor is a stolen art collector. But this isn’t just any stolen work-of-art–it’s a masterpiece with a murder attached to it.
Ilysa Ramsay was in the midst of taking the art world by storm with her artistic genius. Hours after unveiling her latest masterpiece–she is found dead in her Deep Creek Lake studio–and her painting is nowhere to be found. Almost a decade later, the long-lost Ilysa Ramsay masterpiece has found its way into Mac Faraday’s hands and he can’t resist the urge to delve into the case.
A world away, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; former JAG lawyer Joshua Thornton agrees to do a favor for the last person he would ever expect to do a favor–a convicted serial killer.
The Favor: Solve the one murder wrongly attributed to him.
Joshua finds an unexpected ally in Cameron Gates, a spunky detective who has reason to believe the young woman known to the media only as Jane Doe, Victim Number Four, was the victim of a copycat. Together, Joshua and Cameron (*) set out to light a flame under the cold case only to find that someone behind the scenes wants the case to remain cold, and is willing to kill to keep it that way.
Little do these detectives know that the paths of their respective cases are on a collision course when they follow the clues to bring them together in a showdown with a killer who’s got a talent for
murder!
“I must
say, I truly enjoyed reading this book! I found myself waking up
slightly early for work just to finish a couple chapters! Not only was
this book captivating, I found myself laughing at Gnarly, the ever so
lovable and rambunctious German Shepherd! I look forward to reading the
next book by Lauren Carr!”– Review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
Book Details:
Book Title: Blast from the Past by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 4) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 301 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 2, 2013
Book Description:
A woman is killed when she
falls down the stairs. Men die writhing, in a little coffee shop. Death
may not be that unusual these days in Deep Creek Lake, but then someone
tries to kill Archie, the woman Mac Faraday loves.
When she tells Mac the reason behind it and her secret is
exposed, Mac and the entire police department will go to extremes to
keep Archie safe.
That raises rather a lot of questions:
Who exactly are they protecting her from?
Could it be warring crime lords? Hit men?
Why does one particular couple keep showing up around town?
Just how many killers are there, anyway?
Is anyone who they say they are?
“So much fun to read! The
castle seemed foreboding. The rumors of the ghost dog, werewolves, and
more made more plausible in light of the murders. Is it enough to make
even detectives reconsider? Is it all about the missing book or is the
real motive money?”– review byMystery Suspense Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 5) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 281 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 18, 2013 Content Rating:
PG-13 – Lauren Carr’s mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the
murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit
sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far
between) No F-Bombs!
Book Description:
Never tell Mac Faraday not to go someplace.
Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson
the hard way when he orders Mac to not go to the south end of Spencer’s
mountaintop —even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for
Mac to find out what lies on the other side of a stone wall
and locked gate with a warning for visitors to keep out.
Topping the list of the ten top haunted places in America,
Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious
disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century
ago—and Mac Faraday owns it!
In spite of David’s warning to keep out, Mac can’t resist
unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a
living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the
double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous
master of horror novels.
What was supposed to be a quick tour of a dusty old castle
turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the
scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his
investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the
strangest characters he has run into yet—including a wolfman. No, we’re
not talking about Gnarly.
“I recommend this book to all mystery lovers! The Lady Who Cried Murder was another heart-stopping thriller! While the mystery and the road to
it’s solution was amazing, I truly enjoyed the cast and characters (they feel like family)! Another great hit and I look forward to reading the next installment of Mac Faraday and his gang and what kind of drama they
end up in!” – review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
Book Details:
Book Title: The Lady Who Cried Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 6) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 286 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 2, 2014
Book Description:
Determined to get her pretty
face in front of the cameras, Khloe Everest fakes an abduction only to make a grand entrance in the midst of a press conference held by Spencer’s Police Chief David O’Callaghan.
Three years later, after failing to catapult her notoriety into a long-lasting celebrity, Khloe Everest returns to Spencer upon her mother’s sudden death and seemingly finds another weapon to propel her into the spotlight. Unfortunately, someone kills her before she can make this entrance.
In Lauren Carr’s sixth mystery, Mac Faraday and his friends come up against reality stars, politicians, has-beens, and wannabes. Mac also finds himself face-to-face with an old foe from his past who had managed to escape arrest during their last encounter. Now, Mac sees that his adversary has only become more powerful, and dangerous, with the
passage of time.
Intent to not let this killer escape again, Mac and his friends need to put all of their talents together to put a stop to a cold-blooded lady killer.
“Twelve To Murder is a clever blend of comedy,
mystery, and sappy love story. Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the
quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And
you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until
the end.”– Review by Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
Book Details:
Book Title: Twelve to Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 7) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 266 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: February 9, 2014
Book Description:
Mac Faraday’s plan to spend a quiet weekend home alone with his lady love, Archie Monday, is shattered by murder.
A middle-aged couple are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. To any other detective, the case would be considered open and shut when it appears as if one of the victims has written her killer’s name in her blood—not so for Mac Faraday, who believes there is more to this case than meets the eye.
In Lauren Carr’s latest Mac Faraday Mystery former child-star and teen-idol Lenny Frost steps into a pub in Deep Creek Lake to see his face on the television over the bar with the announcement that he’s wanted for the murder of his agent and her husband!
How does Lenny Frost react to this sudden comeback into the headlines? He takes everyone hostage and gives Mac Faraday twelve hours to find the real killer or he’s going to kill everyone in the bar.
“There is actually a mystery
within a mystery in Carr’s new book. It’s a tangled, twisting adventure
that adds more dead bodies along the way. Carr’s characters are lively,
her plots complex, there is always just enough humor to set a lighter
tone.” – Review by Allene Reynolds, Mystery and Me
Book Details:
Book Title: A Wedding and a Killing by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 8) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 275 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: September 13, 2014
Book Description:
Not wanting to wait until
their big day to start their life of wedded bliss, Mac Faraday and his
lady love, Archie Monday, decide to elope to the little church where his
ancestors had all married—along the tranquil shore of Deep Creek Lake.
However, before they can say, “I do,” the sanctuary erupts into chaos
when Gnarly finds a body in the church office.
In A Wedding and a Killing, Mac
and his team discover more questions than answers. What kind of person
walks into a church and shoots a man for no apparent reason? How do you
solve the murder of a man who has no enemies in the world? Which of the
seemingly kind-hearted church members is really a cold-blooded killer?
Then, there is the all-important question, how long do Mac Faraday and his lady love have to wait to get married?
“I am, bottom line, amazed at the giant step that places Carr
comparable to significant authors whose name slips off our tongues like,
for instance, Nora Roberts. Watch this author–she’s moving quickly to
where her goals are headed… Three Days to Forever has to be, in my opinion, the best of her best! Get it!”– review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
Book Details:
Book Title: Three Days to Forever by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 9) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 366 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 19, 2015
Book Description:
In one of the most critically-acclaimed Mac
Faraday Mysteries from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers
embark on a roller-coaster adventure with old friends (including
the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide
Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s
daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join
the team in the race to get the lovebirds to the altar!*
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping
with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn
for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is
being touted as the social event of the year.
But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least
of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits
Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and
Gnarly running for their lives.
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s
small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not
only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined
to stop everything … FOREVER!
“There’s lots of drama, crimes, murder, and laughter that surrounds
the Diablo Ball. As usual, Gnarly is in the middle of everything. Hated
to have to keep putting this down. I loved reading Open Season for Murder.”– review by Rhonda Laney, readalot
Book Details:
Book Title: Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 10) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 1, 2015
Book Description:
“Robin, it’s me, Ashton.”
Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer,
Maryland.
This year, the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday’s five-star resort, has the added duty of preparing for the Diablo Ball, an annual benefit event that used to kick off Deep Creek Lake’s summer season. The exclusive gala has drawn in A-listers from across the country—including suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who
had disappeared while skinny dipping in Deep Creek Lake five years earlier—days after the last Diablo Ball.
Intrigued by a mysterious phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can’t resist diving head first into the cold case. But he’s not the only one. Someone behind the scenes has gone to a lot of trouble to bring Ashton Piedmont’s friends and enemies to the Diablo Ball—which promises to be a gala event to die for!
“The story moves at a rapid pace
and has a bit of everything – romance, humor, and suspense with several
other murders after the body is discovered. A few surprises along with
the tension both at home and in New York. Carr does an excellent job of
developing her characters and providing backstory while maintaining a
quick pace. Well worth the sleep I gave up to get to the end.”– review by Christa Nardi, Christa Reads and Writes.
Book Details:
Book Title: Cancelled Vows by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 11) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 320 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 28, 2016
Book Description:
Police Chief David O’Callaghan and Chelsea Adams’ wedding day
is fast approaching. Unfortunately, at the last minute, David discovers
that there is one small problem to be taken care of before he can walk
down the aisle—divorce his first wife!
Lauren Carr takes fans of the Mac Faraday mysteries to the Big Apple in this nail-biting adventure. In Cancelled Vows,
David, Mac, and Gnarly, too, rush to New York City to dissolve David’s
marriage to an old girlfriend—and he’s got five days to get it done.
When murder throws up a roadblock, it is up to David’s best man, Mac
Faraday, and Gnarly, K9-in-waiting, to sort through the clues to get
David to the church in time!
“OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy “10” with her latest, Candidate for Murder!…Don’t
just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren
Carr! I’m telling you right now it’s a must-read for daring, adventure,
crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination.” – reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
Book Details:
Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 410 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 16, 2016
Book Description:
It’s election time in
Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent
years, the small resort town has become divided between the local
year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the
city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council,
and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate
community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed
limits to clotheslines.
When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral
nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides
to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd,
to run as mayor of Spencer!
What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight
Gnarly becomes the front-runner—at which point his political enemies
take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re
behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front-runner, of course.
Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply
embarrassing the front-runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge
from the United States Army but to throw in a murder for good measure.
With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including
old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a
killer, and save Spencer!
“With her usual panache, Lauren Carr blends the grittiness of
murder(s) with a good deal of humor, the latter revolving largely around Gnarly and David’s Belgian shepherd, Storm, who would much rather be couch potato-ing than anything involving exertion.” – review by Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books
Book Details:
Book Title: Crimes Past by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 245 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: October 16, 2018
Book Description:
It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his
former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to
attend the wedding of a late colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter
reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double
homicide.
The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious
to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion
from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former
friends is the killer.
When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open
the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his
friends is a cold-blooded murderer.
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday,
Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and
Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five
fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly
crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police
procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager,
consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
March 28 – Mystery Review Crew – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 28 – Cover Lover Book Review – book series spotlight / giveaway
March 29 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
March 29 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
March 30 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER / author interview / giveaway
March 31 – My Reading Journeys – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 1 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER
April 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of IT’S MURDER, MY SON April 4 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 5 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 6 – Leels Loves Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 7 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of OLD LOVES DIE HARD, SHADES OF MURDER, BLAST FROM THE PAST April 7 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 8 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 11 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE, THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER, TWELVE TO MURDER
April 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway April 13 –Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 14 – My Reading Journeys – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway April 15 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 15 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of A WEDDING AND A KILLING, OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER April 19 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of BLAST FROM THE PASST / giveaway
April 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 21 – My Reading Journeys – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway April 21 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 22 –Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
April 26 –Literary Flits – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway April 27 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
April 29 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 3 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER
May 4 – Literary Flits – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 5 –Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANCELLED VOWS
May 6 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER and CRIMES PAST
May 9 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
May 11 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway May 12 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 17 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 18 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
May 19 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 19 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 20 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of BLAST FROM THE PAST / giveaway May 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 24 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
May 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 26 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
May 27 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 31 –Jazzy Book Reviews – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 1 – fundinmental – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 2 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest posts / giveaway
June 3 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 6 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
June 7 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
June 8 – The Page Ladies – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
June 10 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway June 13 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 14 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 15 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 16 –Literary Flits – book review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
June 20 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CRIMES PAST / giveaway
Book Title: Shades of Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 3) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 232 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: May 7, 2012 Format available for review: Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF) Tour dates: March 28 to June 24, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 – Lauren Carr’s mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No F-Bombs!
MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.With Police Chief David O’Callaghan on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.The police chief and Mac aren’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I have only read a few of the Mac Faraday books by Lauren Carr, and I love each one!! Shades of Murder is an awesome addition to this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There was chaos everywhere when Mac Faraday finds he is Heir to yet another fortune, but this time it is a stolen art collection. This fortune was a bit different and weird, as it has a murder attached to it, and Mac is right in the middle of the investigation, along with his adorable canine Gnarly. I love these two together and they give readers more enjoyable fun in this book. I like the line of faith running through this book as well.
It’s easy to see why Lauren Carr is an International best seller and if you read even one of her books you know why. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery, you are missing out if you haven’t read a Lauren Carr read. Check out her books today and fine one you would like to read. I’m sure you will come back for more.
I was given an audio copy of Shades of Murder to listen to for my review. I enjoyed narrator Mike Alger and I think he does an amazing job narrating this novel. I look forward to enjoying more audio books where Lewis does the narrating.
“Being favored by the rich and powerful often has its own drawbacks. Shades of Murder is another Mac Faraday mystery from Lauren Carr as she follows Mac as he finds himself once again the benefactor of yet another inheritance. A riveting mystery with plenty of twists and turnsShades of Murder is very much recommended reading, not to be missed.” – review by William Buhle, Midwest
“Shades of Murder is a fascinating, intricately woven mystery that has a number of engaging characters looking into two cases that would seem to have nothing in common. …This is a most entertaining entry in this series, made all the more so by the wonderful inclusion of Gnarly and Irving, Mac’s dog and Gates’s black and white cat, who meet during the course of the story.”– review by Mysterious Reviews
More Mac Faraday mysteries by Lauren Carr
MEET THE AUTHOR
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
My review today is for Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr!
There are many books listed in this post and they are all by Lauren Carr. I encourage you to check all of these books out. Lauren’s books are amazing. Be sure to read my review of the audio version for Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr!
Book Details:
Book Title: Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 2) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2011
Book Description:
In Old Loves Die Hard, Carr picks up where she left off in It’s Murder, My Son.
Mac Faraday is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up—and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac’s private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.The investigation leads to the discovery of cases files for some of Mac’s murder cases in the room of the man responsible for destroying his marriage. Why would his ex-wife’s lover come to Spencer to dig into Mac’s old cases?
With the help of his new friends on Deep Creek Lake, Mac must use all of his detective skills to clear his name and the Spencer Inn’s reputation, before its five-stars—and more bodies—start dropping.
I have read a few of Lauren Carr’s book and I love them! Eventually I will review them all! Old Love’s Die Hard is book two in this series, and another awesome book from Carr, and I enjoyed seeing Mac Faraday in a twisted case to take on. But this time it involves Faraday himself, when his wife shows up and she and her lover are found murdered in his personal Suite. Now that’s one for the books. How will Faraday get out of this one?
I loved following this story, with its many ups and downs and the many twists and turns as the story unfolds. Carr creates the best characters that really grow on you as you keep reading. I love that this is a series, because I get to read about some of the same characters in several books! But I have to say my favorite character is Gnarly, Mac’s Dog. I love this K-9 and love following his journey as he stays right with his owner. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll stop here. And I’ll tell you, if you love a good cozy murder mystery, this is an awesome choice for you.
I review the audio version of Old Loves Die Hard and enjoyed it so much. Jim C. Lewis does such a fantastic job reading this book. His voice is smooth and just the voice you want to listen to for the hours it takes to read a book. If you enjoy listening to books instead of reading them, this is the one you want to listen to.
I do want to say, you might want to check out the first book in A Mac Faraday Mystery, It’s Murder My Son. But either way, these books can be read as a stand alone too!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
REVIEWS
“As in any good who-done-it, there are red herrings and plot complications in Old Loves Die Hard and fans of mysteries and police procedurals will get a kick out of Lauren Carr’s books.”– review by David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
Join us for this tour from Mar 28 to June 24, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: Shadow of Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 14) Category: Adult fiction, 496 pages Genre: Murder Mystery / Police Procedural / Crime Fiction Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: Mar 30, 2022 Content Rating: PG-13.
Lauren Carr’s mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far between) No
F-Bombs!
“Five Stars for Lauren Carr’s 14th book of the Mac Faraday Murder Mysteries,Shadow of Murder!
In this new release, she has recaptured the fun of cute “creatures” with the fast-moving, suspenseful, and captivating mystery, along with her usual touch of romance.” – review by Lu Ann Worley, Rockin’ Book Reviews
“This newest title in the author’s Mac Faraday cozy murder mystery series offers Lauren Carr’s most intricate plot to date – full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers up until the wee hours. While still full of the humor, fun critters and touch of romance that are her trademark, the author has also woven in a dark supernatural element that
whispers through to the startling ending.”– review by Marilyn R. Wilson, bestselling author, freelance writer, editor, and speaker at Olio by Marilyn.
Book Description:
You can’t move to the next chapter of your life, without tying up loose ends in the previous.
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.
Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.
With Police Chief David O’Callaghan away on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.
Mac isn’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.
Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.
“Lauren’s dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever…It’s Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr’s Mac Faraday mysteries.”– review by Connie Gregory, Connie’s Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: It’s Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 23, 2010
Book Description:
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous
mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide
detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s killer.
“As in any good who-done-it, there are red herrings and plot complications in Old Loves Die Hard and fans of mysteries and police procedurals will get a kick out of Lauren Carr’s books.”– review by David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
Book Details:
Book Title: Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 2) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2011
Book Description:
In Old Loves Die Hard, Carr picks up where she left off in It’s Murder, My Son.
Mac Faraday is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up—and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac’s private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.
The investigation leads to the discovery of cases files for some of Mac’s murder cases in the room of the man responsible for destroying his marriage. Why would his ex-wife’s lover come to Spencer to dig into Mac’s old cases?
With the help of his new friends on Deep Creek Lake, Mac must use all of his detective skills to clear his name and the Spencer Inn’s reputation, before its five-stars—and more bodies—start dropping.
“Shades of Murder is a fascinating, intricately woven mystery that has a number of engaging characters looking into two cases that would seem to have
nothing in common. …This is a most entertaining entry in this series, made all the more so by the wonderful inclusion of Gnarly and Irving, Mac’s dog and Gates’s black and white cat, who meet during the course of
the story.”– review by Mysterious Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: Shades of Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 3) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 232 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: May 7, 2012
Book Description:
In Shades of Murder,
Mac Faraday is once again the heir to an unbelievable fortune. This time the benefactor is a stolen art collector. But this isn’t just any stolen work-of-art–it’s a masterpiece with a murder attached to it.
Ilysa Ramsay was in the midst of taking the art world by storm with her artistic genius. Hours after unveiling her latest masterpiece–she is found dead in her Deep Creek Lake studio–and her painting is nowhere to be found. Almost a decade later, the long-lost Ilysa Ramsay masterpiece has found its way into Mac Faraday’s hands and he can’t resist the urge to delve into the case.
A world away, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; former JAG lawyer Joshua Thornton agrees to do a favor for the last person he would ever expect to do a favor–a convicted serial killer.
The Favor: Solve the one murder wrongly attributed to him.
Joshua finds an unexpected ally in Cameron Gates, a spunky detective who has reason to believe the young woman known to the media only as Jane Doe, Victim Number Four, was the victim of a copycat. Together, Joshua and Cameron (*) set out to light a flame under the cold case only to find that someone behind the scenes wants the case to remain cold, and is willing to kill to keep it that way.
Little do these detectives know that the paths of their respective cases are on a collision course when they follow the clues to bring them together in a showdown with a killer who’s got a talent for
murder!
“I must
say, I truly enjoyed reading this book! I found myself waking up
slightly early for work just to finish a couple chapters! Not only was
this book captivating, I found myself laughing at Gnarly, the ever so
lovable and rambunctious German Shepherd! I look forward to reading the
next book by Lauren Carr!”– Review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
Book Details:
Book Title: Blast from the Past by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 4) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 301 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 2, 2013
Book Description:
A woman is killed when she
falls down the stairs. Men die writhing, in a little coffee shop. Death
may not be that unusual these days in Deep Creek Lake, but then someone
tries to kill Archie, the woman Mac Faraday loves.
When she tells Mac the reason behind it and her secret is
exposed, Mac and the entire police department will go to extremes to
keep Archie safe.
That raises rather a lot of questions:
Who exactly are they protecting her from?
Could it be warring crime lords? Hit men?
Why does one particular couple keep showing up around town?
Just how many killers are there, anyway?
Is anyone who they say they are?
“So much fun to read! The
castle seemed foreboding. The rumors of the ghost dog, werewolves, and
more made more plausible in light of the murders. Is it enough to make
even detectives reconsider? Is it all about the missing book or is the
real motive money?”– review byMystery Suspense Reviews
Book Details:
Book Title: The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 5) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 281 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: July 18, 2013 Content Rating:
PG-13 – Lauren Carr’s mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the
murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit
sex.There is some very mild language (hell or damn, very few and far
between) No F-Bombs!
Book Description:
Never tell Mac Faraday not to go someplace.
Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson
the hard way when he orders Mac to not go to the south end of Spencer’s
mountaintop —even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for
Mac to find out what lies on the other side of a stone wall
and locked gate with a warning for visitors to keep out.
Topping the list of the ten top haunted places in America,
Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious
disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century
ago—and Mac Faraday owns it!
In spite of David’s warning to keep out, Mac can’t resist
unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a
living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the
double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous
master of horror novels.
What was supposed to be a quick tour of a dusty old castle
turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the
scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his
investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the
strangest characters he has run into yet—including a wolfman. No, we’re
not talking about Gnarly.
“I recommend this book to all mystery lovers! The Lady Who Cried Murder was another heart-stopping thriller! While the mystery and the road to
it’s solution was amazing, I truly enjoyed the cast and characters (they feel like family)! Another great hit and I look forward to reading the next installment of Mac Faraday and his gang and what kind of drama they
end up in!” – review by Debbie Hill, Miss Book Lovers
Book Details:
Book Title: The Lady Who Cried Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 6) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 286 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 2, 2014
Book Description:
Determined to get her pretty
face in front of the cameras, Khloe Everest fakes an abduction only to make a grand entrance in the midst of a press conference held by Spencer’s Police Chief David O’Callaghan.
Three years later, after failing to catapult her notoriety into a long-lasting celebrity, Khloe Everest returns to Spencer upon her mother’s sudden death and seemingly finds another weapon to propel her into the spotlight. Unfortunately, someone kills her before she can make this entrance.
In Lauren Carr’s sixth mystery, Mac Faraday and his friends come up against reality stars, politicians, has-beens, and wannabes. Mac also finds himself face-to-face with an old foe from his past who had managed to escape arrest during their last encounter. Now, Mac sees that his adversary has only become more powerful, and dangerous, with the
passage of time.
Intent to not let this killer escape again, Mac and his friends need to put all of their talents together to put a stop to a cold-blooded lady killer.
“Twelve To Murder is a clever blend of comedy,
mystery, and sappy love story. Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the
quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And
you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until
the end.”– Review by Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
Book Details:
Book Title: Twelve to Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 7) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 266 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: February 9, 2014
Book Description:
Mac Faraday’s plan to spend a quiet weekend home alone with his lady love, Archie Monday, is shattered by murder.
A middle-aged couple are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. To any other detective, the case would be considered open and shut when it appears as if one of the victims has written her killer’s name in her blood—not so for Mac Faraday, who believes there is more to this case than meets the eye.
In Lauren Carr’s latest Mac Faraday Mystery former child-star and teen-idol Lenny Frost steps into a pub in Deep Creek Lake to see his face on the television over the bar with the announcement that he’s wanted for the murder of his agent and her husband!
How does Lenny Frost react to this sudden comeback into the headlines? He takes everyone hostage and gives Mac Faraday twelve hours to find the real killer or he’s going to kill everyone in the bar.
“There is actually a mystery
within a mystery in Carr’s new book. It’s a tangled, twisting adventure
that adds more dead bodies along the way. Carr’s characters are lively,
her plots complex, there is always just enough humor to set a lighter
tone.” – Review by Allene Reynolds, Mystery and Me
Book Details:
Book Title: A Wedding and a Killing by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 8) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 275 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: September 13, 2014
Book Description:
Not wanting to wait until
their big day to start their life of wedded bliss, Mac Faraday and his
lady love, Archie Monday, decide to elope to the little church where his
ancestors had all married—along the tranquil shore of Deep Creek Lake.
However, before they can say, “I do,” the sanctuary erupts into chaos
when Gnarly finds a body in the church office.
In A Wedding and a Killing, Mac
and his team discover more questions than answers. What kind of person
walks into a church and shoots a man for no apparent reason? How do you
solve the murder of a man who has no enemies in the world? Which of the
seemingly kind-hearted church members is really a cold-blooded killer?
Then, there is the all-important question, how long do Mac Faraday and his lady love have to wait to get married?
“I am, bottom line, amazed at the giant step that places Carr
comparable to significant authors whose name slips off our tongues like,
for instance, Nora Roberts. Watch this author–she’s moving quickly to
where her goals are headed… Three Days to Forever has to be, in my opinion, the best of her best! Get it!”– review by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
Book Details:
Book Title: Three Days to Forever by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 9) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 366 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 19, 2015
Book Description:
In one of the most critically-acclaimed Mac
Faraday Mysteries from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers
embark on a roller-coaster adventure with old friends (including
the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide
Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s
daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join
the team in the race to get the lovebirds to the altar!*
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping
with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn
for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is
being touted as the social event of the year.
But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least
of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits
Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and
Gnarly running for their lives.
With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s
small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not
only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined
to stop everything … FOREVER!
“There’s lots of drama, crimes, murder, and laughter that surrounds
the Diablo Ball. As usual, Gnarly is in the middle of everything. Hated
to have to keep putting this down. I loved reading Open Season for Murder.”– review by Rhonda Laney, readalot
Book Details:
Book Title: Open Season for Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 10) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 318 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 1, 2015
Book Description:
“Robin, it’s me, Ashton.”
Spring is in the air. In Deep Creek Lake, the burst of blossoms on the trees has the effect of a starting pistol in the race to get the resort area ready in time for the seasonal residents return to Spencer,
Maryland.
This year, the Spencer Inn, Mac Faraday’s five-star resort, has the added duty of preparing for the Diablo Ball, an annual benefit event that used to kick off Deep Creek Lake’s summer season. The exclusive gala has drawn in A-listers from across the country—including suspects and witnesses connected to Ashton Piedmont, a young woman who
had disappeared while skinny dipping in Deep Creek Lake five years earlier—days after the last Diablo Ball.
Intrigued by a mysterious phone call from a young woman claiming to be Ashton, retired homicide detective Mac Faraday can’t resist diving head first into the cold case. But he’s not the only one. Someone behind the scenes has gone to a lot of trouble to bring Ashton Piedmont’s friends and enemies to the Diablo Ball—which promises to be a gala event to die for!
“The story moves at a rapid pace
and has a bit of everything – romance, humor, and suspense with several
other murders after the body is discovered. A few surprises along with
the tension both at home and in New York. Carr does an excellent job of
developing her characters and providing backstory while maintaining a
quick pace. Well worth the sleep I gave up to get to the end.”– review by Christa Nardi, Christa Reads and Writes.
Book Details:
Book Title: Cancelled Vows by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 11) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 320 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 28, 2016
Book Description:
Police Chief David O’Callaghan and Chelsea Adams’ wedding day
is fast approaching. Unfortunately, at the last minute, David discovers
that there is one small problem to be taken care of before he can walk
down the aisle—divorce his first wife!
Lauren Carr takes fans of the Mac Faraday mysteries to the Big Apple in this nail-biting adventure. In Cancelled Vows,
David, Mac, and Gnarly, too, rush to New York City to dissolve David’s
marriage to an old girlfriend—and he’s got five days to get it done.
When murder throws up a roadblock, it is up to David’s best man, Mac
Faraday, and Gnarly, K9-in-waiting, to sort through the clues to get
David to the church in time!
“OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy “10” with her latest, Candidate for Murder!…Don’t
just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren
Carr! I’m telling you right now it’s a must-read for daring, adventure,
crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination.” – reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven
Book Details:
Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 410 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 16, 2016
Book Description:
It’s election time in
Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent
years, the small resort town has become divided between the local
year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the
city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council,
and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate
community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed
limits to clotheslines.
When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral
nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides
to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd,
to run as mayor of Spencer!
What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight
Gnarly becomes the front-runner—at which point his political enemies
take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re
behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front-runner, of course.
Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply
embarrassing the front-runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge
from the United States Army but to throw in a murder for good measure.
With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including
old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a
killer, and save Spencer!
“With her usual panache, Lauren Carr blends the grittiness of
murder(s) with a good deal of humor, the latter revolving largely around Gnarly and David’s Belgian shepherd, Storm, who would much rather be couch potato-ing than anything involving exertion.” – review by Lelia Taylor, Buried Under Books
Book Details:
Book Title: Crimes Past by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 245 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: October 16, 2018
Book Description:
It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his
former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to
attend the wedding of a late colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter
reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double
homicide.
The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious
to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion
from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former
friends is the killer.
When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open
the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his
friends is a cold-blooded murderer.
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday,
Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and
Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across five
fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly
crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police
procedurals, romance, and humor.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager,
consultant, and virtual book tour coordinator for independent authors.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.
She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
March 28 – Mystery Review Crew – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 28 – Cover Lover Book Review – book series spotlight / giveaway
March 29 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
March 29 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
March 30 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER / author interview / giveaway
March 31 – My Reading Journeys – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 1 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER
April 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of IT’S MURDER, MY SON April 4 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 5 – Literary Flits – book review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 6 – Leels Loves Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 7 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of OLD LOVES DIE HARD, SHADES OF MURDER, BLAST FROM THE PAST April 7 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 8 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 11 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE, THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER, TWELVE TO MURDER
April 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway April 13 –Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 14 – My Reading Journeys – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway April 15 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 15 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of A WEDDING AND A KILLING, OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER April 19 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of BLAST FROM THE PASST / giveaway
April 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 21 – My Reading Journeys – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway April 21 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 22 –Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
April 26 –Literary Flits – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway April 27 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
April 29 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 3 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER
May 4 – Literary Flits – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 5 –Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANCELLED VOWS
May 6 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER and CRIMES PAST
May 9 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
May 11 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway May 12 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 17 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 18 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
May 19 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 19 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 20 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of BLAST FROM THE PAST / giveaway May 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 24 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
May 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 26 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
May 27 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 31 –Jazzy Book Reviews – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 1 – fundinmental – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 2 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest posts / giveaway
June 3 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 6 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
June 7 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
June 8 – The Page Ladies – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
June 10 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway June 13 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 14 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 15 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 16 –Literary Flits – book review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
June 20 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CRIMES PAST / giveaway
I hope you will scroll down and read a very interesting Guest Post – A Day In The Life Of A Mystery Writer by this wonderful author, Lauren Carr!
Book Details:
Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12) Category: Adult fiction, 464 pages Genre: Murder Mystery / Political Satire Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 9, 2016 Format available for review: Print (USA only). Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF) Tour dates: Aug 31to Oct 9, 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 – (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs! “It is an amusing look at politics and media today. Appropriate to see how the Deep Creek mayoral election relates to current events. Dissatisfaction with politicians on many levels often leave us looking for extreme change. It may leave you thoughtful. It may leave you writing Gnarly’s name in as your preferred candidate in the next election.”Reviewer: Merry Citarella, Jaquo.com
“Hilarious, mysterious and full of adventure, Gnarly and his human friends will have you on the edge of your seat unable to put your book down. Candidate for Murder is well written, played out and a story that you have just never heard before. I enjoyed every moment reading this book!” Reviewer: Working Mommy Journal https://www.youtube.com/embed/OvCB5VnQlmUBook Description:
It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the year-round residents who enjoy their rural way of life and the city dwellers who are moving into mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed-gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines. When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees to the town’s residents, David O’Callaghan, the chief of police, decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run for mayor of Spencer! What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight, Gnarly becomes the front-runner, and his political opponents proceed to dig into the canine’s past. When one of the mayoral candidates ends up dead, it becomes apparent that slinging mud is not enough for someone with a stake in this election. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer! Buy the Book: Audible ~ Amazon B&N ~ BAM ~BookBub Add to Goodreads
Guest Post
A Day in the Life of a Mystery Writer
By Lauren Carr
For some reason, the general population is curious about the daily life of a writer.
What goes on in our lives from sun rise to sunset? Do we simply sit in front of the computer transmitting literary greatness from our brains, down our arms, and out through our fingertips to the keyboard?
Or is our life more like a Neil Simon play (most of his protagonists were writers based on himself) with quirky characters coming in and out throughout the day to annoy and inspire us? Have you ever noticed how little time Neil’s protagonists actually spent writing?
Or maybe we live like John-Boy Walton from The Waltons, where every day is filled with a wondrous insight into this thing called life?
As a young girl aspiring to one day be a mystery writer, I had fantasized that my life would be like that of Jessica Fletcher in It’s Murder, She Wrote, or Ellery Queen. Not a week would go by without a dead body and mystery popping up for me to solve.
After penning almost thirty mysteries across four series (Mac Faraday Mysteries, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries) I have given up all hope of tripping over a dead body on the way to the coffeemaker in the morning. Frankly, there’s not enough time in my schedule to nab real killers.
So, you may ask, what is the day in the life of a mystery writer really like? Well, I have found that it takes a daily routine and a commitment to sticking to it in order to write books.
Here’s how I do it:
6:00 am: Each day starts with a vigorous run at the crack of dawn. To reveille performed by my security team [Sterling (German Shepherd/Chief of Security) and Storm (German Shepherd/Deputy Chief of Security)], I jump out of bed and run for the door to let them outside, where they immediately secure the perimeter from any invading squirrels, deer, or low-flying birds.
Hit the button to start the coffee brewing on the way to the door.
6:15-6:30 am: Prepare mess (breakfast for the security team).
6:30-7:00 am: Wake-up to coffee while reviewing e-mails and checking books sales. Read the important stuff. Example of important: Recipe from a friend for Oreos Truffles.
7:00 am: Security announces that the perimeter is secure, and they are now ready for breakfast. The Chief of Security (Sterling) remains outside to direct deer traffic taking the expressway on the south end of the property. (Every now and then, a couple will have a collision while trying to text and drive from Route 115 to the river. Will they ever learn?)
Grab another cup of coffee and move from emails into social media.
Book promotion. Writers are expected to spend some time every day promoting their books. The best way to expand readership is to keep up on what other authors are doing through social media and blogging. But writers need to be careful not to get so sucked into social media and end up not having any time to write.
The social media and blogging are also great research tools. Friends and followers on social media are always sending me links to great blogs and videos with information that I can put in my books. Like this one I got just today:
Of course, this video will demand in-depth research before I can put it in a book (in other words, numerous viewings.)
7:30 am: Husband wakes up to discover that the coffee pot is empty and that I have once again set up camp in the corner of the living room instead of working in my writer’s studio.
After making another pot of coffee, I send the Chief of Security (Sterling) outside to once again check the perimeters. The Deputy Chief has gone back to bed, which annoys the chief to no end. Sterling is anal about security. After all, his master is a mystery writer with a following. There could be an obsessed fan out there in a squirrel suit. Meanwhile, Storm takes her morning nap. She needs her beauty sleep.
Back to writing guest blog posts and getting the word out to my followers on social media about Gnarly pulling ahead in the polls in Spencer’s mayoral election. What a cute picture of a husky pup! I need to retweet that! … A nun killed a priest in Texas? Need to read that news article—research potential!
10:00 am: Husband wants breakfast and another cup of coffee—stares at me until I pick up the message telepathically. Sterling announces that the feral cat next door is threatening an advance from the Northeast ridge. He needs back up. Imperative that I take a break from writing to go take care of my family before they completely fall apart. Hey, got a new follower on Instagram! She’s a mystery writer. Let me check out her books!
11:00 am: Discover that I am now five hours into my day and I am still in my bathrobe and slippers. You can’t expect to go far in your writing career if you don’t treat it seriously. You need to dress for it. Shower, dress, and get ready to work on my latest work in progress.
12 Noon: Husband asks what’s for lunch. Discover that I was so busy that I have not had breakfast. It is a busy life for a mystery writer!
1:00 pm: After cooking and eating lunch, I sit down to my laptop to work on my book. Email pops in from friend with link to article about an old man who kills wife of sixty years because he got sick of listening to her yap. That’s research potential!
2:15 pm: Sterling announces that it is time to play catch. As Chief of Security, it is important that he stay at the top of his game by keeping his reflexes in tip-top shape with exercise. Go outside to play catch.
3:00 pm: Now it is time to get to work on my book.
4:00 pm: Husband asks, “What’s for dinner?” Unable to answer, I open the freezer door and stare into the interior until something jumps out at me. Husband rejects that. Back to staring into the freezer. Next thing that moves gets thawed.
5:00 pm: Move from freezer to the computer screen–Staring at the computer screen until drops of blood form on my forehead from thinking so hard.
5:35 pm: Inspiration breaks through and greatness pours from my fingertips onto the keyboard.
5:45 pm: Sterling sits in front of my chair and stares up at me. Telepathically he communicates. Feed me.
6:00 pm: Feed dogs and cook dinner.
8:00 pm: After Dinner. The quiet of the evening is a great time to get those creative juices flowing. Now is the time to let my characters come to life and write late into the evening.
8:30 pm: Security team announces that it is time to secure the perimeter for the night. On the way through the kitchen, a carton of ice cream calls to me from the freezer. A hot fudge sundae would surely give me strength to write late into the night.
9:00 pm: Security declares the boundaries safe for the night and come to call it a night. The Chief (Sterling) critiques the team on their day’s performance. The Deputy Chief (Storm) disagrees with the Chief’s evaluation. She is not lazy! She just has a different style than he does. An argument results. Sterling feels Storm over reacted. I’m called in to negotiate. Everyone retreats to their beds in disgust.
With the sundae devoured, I return to the laptop with the full intention to write late into the night … or until the pillow starts calling out that it’s my bedtime (around 12 Midnight).
How did Jessica Fletcher write so many books in It’s Murder, She Wrote with mysteries to solve every week?
I was so excited to be reading and reviewing another Mac Faraday mystery by Lauren Carr, and especially because I get a visit with Gnarly, Mac’s German Shepherd. I love this quirky canine and he is by far my favorite character in this series.
It’s election time in the town of Spencer and guess who is on the ballot? Yep, You got it, Gnarly! It started out as fun, but boy did it get nasty fast! Taking readers down a road of a fast paced, action packed suspense thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is so much going on here, so many wonderful characters to get to know, but it is also so much interesting fun to follow these characters in their quest to find a new mayor. I so much enjoyed the twist with the election, and I loved getting to dig deeper into Gnarly’s life. And we find some interesting things about the loveable and adorable German shepherd! Author Lauren Carr does a fabulous job writing this book, and weaving it all together for a great ending. These Mac Faraday stories with the wonderful Gnarly are growing on me fast. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
I have read several books by Lauren Carr now and and I know I will enjoy every page of the book. I love her writing style. Her characters are always interesting, fun, realistic, and you can always expect to find a read that will stay with you for a good long while and have you coming back for more. If you love a good clean, fun, suspense story this is a great one to check out. Candidate for Murder is a very deserving 5 plus stars for me.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Also Available for Review: Go Back to the Beginning to When Mac Met Gnarly. “Lauren’s dialogue is brisk, her setting beautiful and the addition of Gnarly is very clever…It’s Murder, My Son is a delightful read and I look forward to more of Carr’s Mac Faraday mysteries.” –Connie Gregory, Connie’s Reviews
“I couldn’t put this book down! Lauren Carr develops the characters and weaves the details of the murder investigation into a complex storyline that keeps the reader relentlessly turning pages. She is skilled at teasing you into reading more. I finished the last page still wanting to read more!” — Kelly Carpenter, Kelly’s Lucky You
“No disrespect to Mac Faraday, Archie Monday, David O’Callaghan, Travis Turner or any of the multitude of good, bad and ugly characters populating Lauren Carr’s It’s Murder, My Son; but to me the most interesting character in the book is a lovable, mischievous, sneaky German shepherd named Gnarly.” – David M. Kinchen, Huntington News
Book Details:
Book Title: It’s Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 23, 2010 Format available for review: Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF) Tour dates: Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 – (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs! Book Description:
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s executor. Buy the Book: Audible ~ Amazon B&N ~ BookBub Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Book Title: It’s Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 1) Category: Adult fiction (18+), 288 pages Genre: Murder Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: June 23, 2010 Format available for review: Audible download, ebook (mobi, epub, PDF) Tour dates: Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 – (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
BookDescription:
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday’s life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret. This confidence would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes, and lead him to the birthplace of America’s Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother’s home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother’s journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina’s executor. Buy the Book: Audible ~ Amazon B&N ~ BookBub Add to Goodreads
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
In this book, It’s Murder, My Son, author Lauren Carr introduces readers to the Mac Faraday Mysteries. Mac comes to the town of Spencer to claim the inheritance left to him by his mother. Immediately he finds out about the tragic murder of one of the town of Spencer’s wealthiest Katrina Singleton and of course being an investigator, he can’t stand by and not get involved in solving this murder.
I love suspense stories so I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Mac is an interesting man, full of surprises and I enjoyed following his investigation throughout the book. There are many other characters, expertly crafted by Ms. Carr, and I enjoyed watching them develop throughout the story as well. Of course there are always the characters you don’t like, but the story wouldn’t be the same without them, right? My favorite character by far has to be the furry friend, the adorable and very smart Gnarly. Watching this famous dog act out his character was so fun and entertaining and I can’t wait to read more books with this special furry friend.
Over all this is a very good read. There are many twists and turns that kept me biting my nails as I read, because I couldn’t figure out whodunnit! And author Lauren Carr does and fantastic job of weaving it all together to come up with a very nice and surprising ending. This one is a five star for me!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Meet the Author:
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Book Title: Killer Deadline(A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 232 pages Genre: Mystery/Cozy Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: April 23, 2020
Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020 Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!
“Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full
of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique
cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that
cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her
step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a
super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become a social media
star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious
employees; and more.
“This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It
truly is a “cozy murder mystery.” I promise, it’ll draw you in right
from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very
last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this series.” – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn
Book Description:
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes,
trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has
made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.
When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with
their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights
of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face
the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had
left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead
body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could
Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had
teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do
with the murder of Nikki’s father?
With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to
chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter
what it takes.
My THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I love this cozy mystery by Lauren Carr! Nicki is returning home and determined to find her father’s murderer, even though it has been years. And she realizes it is not going to be easy! Then when another murder happens, she wonders if it is all connected.
This is a mystery that kept me listening until the book was finished. The story is full of interesting characters that grip your heart. Nicki is strong willed and determined to go after what she believes in, but I have to say Elmo is my favorite. I loved that boxer and his part in the story. This is a true Cosy Mystery and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
This is my first audiobook I have listened to and I must say I am impressed. It took me a while to get use to the narrator, Anita Alger’s voice but after a while it was great. And Ms. Alger does an excellent job with changing her voice with each character. Her expressions throughout the story made the book interesting and easy to listen to. And the audio quality was very clear, no distractions that I heard. I was surprised at how fast the book goes while I am doing other things while listening. I will sure be listening to more book in the near future!
Thanks to the author for a copy of the audio book to listen to in order to write this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions here are mine alone!
Lauren Carr is the international
best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson
Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across
three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.
Book reviewers and readers alike
rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include
mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and
humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also
the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead
Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German
Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
“Wow – this is one INCREDIBLE novel that I could not put down. It had me on the edge oseat and I can honestly say that I never saw the end coming. It was full of suspense, action but also humour (done in a way that only Lauren can accomplish).” – 5-Star Review ofTHE NUTCRACKER CONSPIRACY by Working Mommy Journal
Join Us for This Audiobook Tour from June 8 to June 26, 2020! Book Details:Book Title: The Nutcracker Conspiracy(A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 388 pages Genre: Mystery Publisher: Acorn Book Services Release date: January 30, 2020 Format available for review: audible (download code), mobi, epub, PDF Tour dates: June 8 to Jun 26, 2020 Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!
Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin. Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.
Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.
“She was number twelve,” Dean says.
“Twelve?” Murphy asks.
“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”
Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:
Interview with Lauren Carr, author of The Thorny Rose Mystery Series
1. Lauren, you really have kicked things up a notch with The Nutcracker Conspiracy, which is full of conspiracies, spies, and cover ups. Your other best-selling mystery series (Mac Faraday Mysteries, Lovers in Crime Mysteries, the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and now the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries) take place in more “sedate” settings of rural or small towns. What made you shift gears to set The Thorny Rose Mysteries in Washington, DC?
LC: Because that is where Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday live.
When creating the Thorny Rose Mystery series, I flipped my creative process somewhat. I choose the series to fit the mystery. Lovers in Crime is a small town setting. I grew up in Chester, West Virginia. Mac Faraday lives on Deep Creek Lake, a resort area where my family vacations. The Chris Matheson Mysteries are set in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which is still considered the Washington DC metropolitan area, but it’s still quite a bit away.
However, in the case of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the characters came first. Murphy Thornton appeared in my very first book—A Small Case of Murder. Then, he was only seventeen years old and aspired to attend the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Jessica Faraday, Mac Faraday’s daughter, has been mentioned in the Mac Faraday mysteries. Originally from Washington, DC, she was attending William and Mary University in Williamsburg and is planning to go to medical school.
Since Murphy is a navy lieutenant, it is natural for him to be assigned to the Pentagon. Therefore, Ihad little choice in the setting.
2. Did setting the Thorny Rose Mysteries in the Nation’s Capital present any challenges that you didn’t encounter with your other series?
LC: Every book presents its own challenges. As a writer, I embrace them. That’s why I love writing.
The setting sets the tone of the book. I had lived in Northern Virginia and worked for the federal government as an editor and layout designer for over ten years. So I was already intimate with the fast pace and diverse characters that would be a part of Jessica and Murphy’s lives—not all of them positive.
For example, one character reveals in the first book, Kill and Run, that the first rule he was taught when going to work for the government was to “watch your back and cover your butt.” In other words, it is basically every man for himself. The characters in my other series are not so self-centered. Such rules make it difficult to know who to trust when members of your team put their own professional advancement first, which is something Murphy discovered first hand in Kill and Run. That rule has continued to run throughout the other installments because, unfortunately, it is a theme that has contaminated Washington DC area.
3. If you could cast a movie of The Nutcracker Conspiracy, who would you put into the roles of Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton?
I am frequently asked this question and I always stumble over it because I don’t base any of my characters on famous actors. I develop them from the inside out, and sometimes they can even change.
Murphy Thornton was in my very first book. He was sixteen years old then. Now he’s in his mid-twenties. Chris Pratt is too old and his eyes aren’t blue, but he can perfectly reflect Murphy’s fun loving nature.
As far as appearance, I was envisioning Elizabeth Taylor when she was in her twenties when I created Jessica Faraday. Notice the reference to her violet eyes, dark hair, and abundant bosom. Jessica Faraday is a stunningly beautiful woman, but she’s smart, too. I’m going strictly by appearance, because I have not seen any movies she has appeared in, but Megan Fox is a good fit for Jessica—looks wise.
4. You always have such interesting characters in your series—especially furry four-legged ones. There’s Gnarly in the Mac Faraday Mysteries, Irving and Admiral in the Lovers in Crime Mysteries. What four-legged sidekicks do you have in the Thorny Rose Mysteries?
LC: As with every new marriage, there is a merging of households. Readers met Spencer, Jessica’s Shetland sheepdog in Three Days to Forever, the book in which I introduced readers to the Thorny Rose detectives. Murphy calls her Candi, after an old girlfriend who used to kiss everybody. Spencer is a blue merle. Her long fur has a bluish cast to it and she has blue eyes.
Newman is a forty-five pound couch potato. One reviewer has already called Newman “The Man.” Unlike Gnarly, who actively participates in Mac Faraday’s cases, Newman does nothing. He watches television from his recliner and doesn’t do anything—unless you try to come between him and the remote.
One last furry character is Monique. She is an eight inch long tarantula, owned by Tristan, Jessica’s brother. Being a tarantula, she is quite limited in solving crimes.
5. What about Gnarly? He’s made a guest appearance in The Nutcracker Conspiracy.
LC: By popular demand! Gnarly and Mac Faraday are back this September! Look for A Murder for Christmas!
There’s nothing Mac Faraday loves more than a new mystery to tackle. But the last thing he expected was a murder mystery in his stocking when the host of a swanky Christmas party ends up dead.
Guess post by Author Lauren Carr
Put a Little Love in Your Murder and Mayhem
By Lauren Carr
How is it that love and murder seem to go hand in hand when it comes to murder mysteries?
Think about it. We pick up a mystery because we want to read about murder and mayhem. Yet, somewhere, someplace, whether it be in the forefront of the plot or in the background, there’s an interweaving of romance.
Nancy Drew had Ned hanging around.
Perry Mason had Della Street at his beck and call—at least I think so. You could never really tell. That was one of the things that kept readers coming back. Are they or aren’t they?
Mystery fans fell in love with Elizabeth George’s Inspector Thomas Lynley and his late wife Helen. When George killed Helen off, I was as mad at Elizabeth George as if she pulled the trigger. (Actually, as the writer, didn’t she pull the trigger?)
Romance is not only found in murder mysteries. On the other side of the bookshelf, in the romance genre, mystery often plays a big role in romance novels. I remember not being able to put down Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, one of literature’s greatest romance novels, which is filled with mystery surrounding the death of Rebecca, the first Mrs. DeWinter.
Even mysteries with unattached detectives, some who want nothing to do with love, or who are never successful at it, usually seem to have a couple of characters who have been struck with cupid’s arrow somewhere in the plot. It is not uncommon for the protagonist to be dragged into the mystery to save the couple’s union. Does anybody know how often the hard-boiled detective has been hired by the wife of a murder suspect to clear her husband or boyfriend’s name?
“Love is for suckers and fools,” the detective will grumble before going off to solve the case, only because he wants to bring a smile to the poor lady’s pretty face.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. I’m all for love and romance, especially when it means a big box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day.
Love has a big part in murder mysteries. Mystery writers, including myself, seem to always write it in and readers love to scoop it up. From the first installment of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, readers were anxious for Mac and his lady love Archie to get together.
Readers and reviewers were thrilled when I matched Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica up with Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy for the Thorny Rose mysteries.
Why does love play such a big role in murder mysteries?
Well, the answer can be found in the definition of the two emotions.
Love: The definition of Love as defined by Google is “an intense feeling of deep affection.”
Murder: Also according to Google: “The unlawful, premeditated killing of another human being.” While Google doesn’t go on to say it, it can go without saying that this act is brought about by an intense feeling, but not of affection, the feeling that is opposite of love: hatred.
In my opinion the mixture of these two emotions, so extreme from each other, is akin to a literary sweet and sour mix. In one chapter, we have the plot surrounding the intense act of murder, only be complemented by the sweet love scenes.
When planning the storyline for the fourth Thorny Rose Mystery, The Nutcracker Conspiracy, I could not resist adding a little spice to an otherwise average marital discussion:
Murphy’s personal phone buzzed on his desk. Jessica’s picture flashed across the screen. “I gotta go. My better half is calling.”
Afraid Jessica would disconnect the call if he didn’t answer fast enough, Murphy grabbed the phone and swiped his thumb across the screen. “Hello, Beautiful!”
“Hey, Handsome,” Jessica said in a less enthusiastic tone. “What are you doing later?”
“I was planning for some late afternoon delight before dinner.”
“Hmmm, that’s right.”
“What’s going on?”
Jessica paused. “Amy met with her lawyer to see if there’s any way to get Dean out of the house.”
“It’s her house,” Murphy said. “She’s paying the mortgage.”
“Doesn’t matter that she’s paying the mortgage,” Jessica said. “It’s in both of their names. Just like I bought our house out of my inheritance. The deed has both of our names on it.”
“But if we got divorced, I’d be man enough to do the right thing and leave,” Murphy said.
“You’re not Dean.” She took in a deep breath. “I’ve called Willingham. He’s coming over to our house this evening. Amy is going to meet him there. We don’t want Dean to know that she’s planning to divorce him. He won’t think anything is up if she comes over to see me.”
“Gotcha.” Murphy cleared his throat. “What time is your dad’s lawyer coming over?”
“About six-thirty.”
“So if we can get home by five-thirty, then we can have a roll in the hay before he gets there.”
“Then we’ll be all sweaty.
“We’ll take a quick shower afterwards—together.”
“You know what happens when we take a shower together,” she said with a giggle. “It’s never just a quick shower.”
In a husky voice, he said, “I’ll do that thing you like.”
She caught her breath. “You know what that does to me.”
“Five-thirty?”
“Make it five.”
Murphy heard a throat clear behind him. He jumped up in his chair and spun around to find Perry standing in the doorway. “I’ve got to go.”
“Okay. If I’m late, don’t start without me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Murphy disconnected the call. “What can I do for you, Perry?”
“They found Koch’s car out at the mall in Springfield. I’m going to look it over before they tow it to our garage.”
“Can someone bring Gnarly back here, or should I go out there to pick him up?”
“He’s on his way to Walter Reed hospital with the medical examiner?”
Murphy’s mouth dropped open. He had so many questions that he didn’t know which to ask first. First, his personal curiosity made him wonder what Gnarly was doing with the medical examiner. Professional curiosity made him want to know about the military’s medical examiner’s involvement in the case. “The body in Woodbridge was Koch.”
Perry nodded his head. “She’d been in the water at least two days. Archer and Hamilton identified her by her tattoos.”
“Any obvious clues about cause of death?”
Perry shook his head. “Her feet and hands were bound with duct tape. She also had rocks stuffed inside her clothes. Obviously, the killer wanted her body to be weighed down at the bottom of the river. She still managed to float back up to shore. Dr. Reed thinks it was the river’s current—something about the rain last week.”
“Why is Dr. Reed taking Gnarly back to Bethesda with him?”
“Gnarly jumped in the van.” Perry lifted a shoulder. “Archer says he and Gnarly hit it off.”
“Who’s going to Bethesda to pick him up?”
“He’s your dog.” Perry walked away.
“No, he’s not my dog,” Murphy called after him. “My dog is home in his recliner watching the business report—like all good dogs.”
The taste of a good romance in a mystery can take the edge off the gruesomeness of a killer plot, which is a good thing. I have found that books with no romance or tender emotion between characters to be depressing and leave a feeling of hopelessness—which is another genre.
Personally, I prefer a little love mixed in with my murder and mayhem.
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, the Thorny Rose, and now the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—almost thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Bedtime with Mom listening to her read Perry Mason to me. That was when I fell in love with mysteries. Later on, I would climb into bed with her at night and we would read together: She would read Perry Mason while I read Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. Ah, such wonderful memories.
Please describe a perfect meal – including menu and those present?
A nicely grilled salmon, baked potato, Caesar salad, raspberry iced tea. For dessert, a huge slice of chocolate cheesecake. For those present, my husband and son.
What are some of your favorite ways to relax?
Fire in the fireplace on a snowy afternoon with my laptop and a free afternoon to write away with no one to disturb me.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Right where I am. I live on a mountain in West Virginia and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I confess that there have been times in my life where I yearned to be elsewhere. That’s a human condition. In my life, I have been blessed to see the way others live to give me an appreciation for this place that I call home. Though, I have to admit that I sometimes yearn for the “other side” and a visit to the beach: but only to visit.
Share with us a few of your dreams. Also whether they have been fulfilled or are still a work in progress.
I’ve dreamed of success, best-selling author, fame, penthouse, etc. I have realized my dream of being an international best-selling author. My books have made Amazon’s best-selling mysteries list both domestically and in their overseas market. So this dream has been fulfilled in the best way.
I am a writer, and I get to write my books, plus, I have the added blessing of a fabulous family (perfect husband and brilliant son, and two spoiled-rotten dogs) and beautiful home. Yet, I don’t have to endure the curse of fame and all that comes with it in today’s society and living in a huge metropolitan area.
If I wouldn’t trade anything in my life (home, family, spoiled-rotten German shepherds) for a spot on the NY Time best seller list and a movie deal in Hollywood, I’d turn them down.
If you could leave the world with one piece of advice, what would it be?
The Rolling Stone’s song: You don’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need.
What are some of your guilty pleasures?
Two bags of milk chocolate truffles that I hide in my underwear drawer under my panties.
Thanks so much, Lauren! Have a wonderful day!
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
I love a good cozy mystery so I was excited to read this one. This is the first book I have read from Lauren Carr, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly delighted to read and review Killer Deadline. Ms. Carr has written and exceptionally great cozy mystery read.
When Nikki and her Boxer friend Elmo move back to her small hometown of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, she had her work cut out for her. Her fathers murder is her priority, even though she has to take over her moms job at their TV station. But when her co-worker ends up murdered as well, this is just too suspicious. Who will be next? Nikki? Her mom? And does this have anything to do with he dad’s death, even though his murder was years before?
I love this cozy mystery! It is full of suspense, action packed, fast pace with that small town feeling. I love the characters, I have to admit, I fell in love with Elmo on the spot! I loved Nikki’s spunk and determination. She keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book! And I usually try to pick up all if the clues and figure out whodunnit but this story kept taking twist and turns that I was surprised. This is just the cozy mysteries I love to read. And I see this is the first book in Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery Series and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I know Nikki Bryant will have more investigations up her sleeve that will keep us guessing! I highly recommend this book to those who loves a good cozy mystery!! Oh and I forgot to mention how much I love the book cover. It has that mysterious look to it, it is pink, and is very inviting to readers. This will be the first cozy mystery that is snatched off the shelf!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Meet the Author:
Lauren Carr is the international
best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson
Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across
three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.
Book reviewers and readers alike
rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include
mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and
humor.
A popular speaker, Lauren is also
the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead
Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German
splashesofjoy 