NEW RELEASE: Peter Berman’s ‘Hidden Agenda’ – Crime Fiction

    “A very intriguing read, Peter Berman pulls you in…”

      Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, is a young widower whose grief counselor sends him to a charity party to jump-start his social life. At the party, he meets Claire, a young married woman with two small children who is trapped in a loveless marriage to Peter, a very wealthy and abusive man. When a courtship develops between Jeremy and Claire, Claire’s violent husband Peter discovers the affair. After a brutal beating, Claire confides to Jeremy that she believes that Peter is planning on taking her life.
     When Claire’s husband is found shot to death in the driveway of his home, detective Ulysses S. Gibson and his partner Jennifer Donahue are called to investigate the murder. For the prosecutor, the crime is an easy conviction when all the leads of the investigation point to Jeremy.
     For detectives Gibson and Donahue, nothing is so obvious. How are these individuals connected? And what of the death of Jeremy’s wife, Elizabeth, years go? Gibson and Donahue keep the scales of justice in balance as they discover everyone’s ‘Hidden Agenda.’

     A very intriguing read, Peter Berman pulls you in from the word “go.” And, yet he never truly reveals everything all at once – he instead chooses to hint at how everything will play out until the last several chapters of the book, when the questions of how everything intersects is finally answered.  Even then, not all of the questions the reader has will be answered . . . .

     I was pulled in immediately and did my best not to ‘see the trees for the woods’ – I tried instead to read between the lines, however the twists and turns this story took kept interrupting my line of thought, which then caused me to re-think where I was going with it. I was so intrigued by the book that I could not put it down – I just had to know how it was going to play out. . . . I highly suggest setting aside a large block of time to read Hidden Agenda.  You will need it.

                                         – Lara Girdler, NC Reader Girl Book Reviews

 

AVAILABLE AS AN E-BOOK FROM AMAZON, NOOK, KOBO, GOOGLE,
SONY, and iTUNES!

 

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BOOK REVIEW: “Charades” by Ann Logan

 

Mercedes Fuentes, or Mousy Mercy as she often refers to herself, has buried herself in academia in order to avoid those frightening creatures that make up the other half of the human population: MEN! When an opportunity to pay off the majority of her student debt is offered to her by a family friend, Mercy has her doubts. But how can she refuse a weeklong date with a handsome man, at the end of which she will be nearly free of all debt? Enter the seemingly innocuous, over-worked oil tycoon Wulf Rheinhart, a man in need of a fake fiancée for a week in order to close a business deal with a family-oriented Texan. One charade leads to another in this fast paced car chase of a romance where no one is who they seem to be.

High Octane Powered Tale of Love and Deception

 

Charades, by Ann Logan, is a thrilling tale of love and deception, where no one is who or what they seem. Caught in the centre is an innocent young woman, Mercedes Fuentes. Mercy not only has to face ghosts from her past she did not know existed, but she also has to cope with a man to whom she has given her heart but who betrays her trust.

As soon as Wulf and Mercy meet there is a mutual attraction. . . Sinister forces are at play in this suspenseful tale that is full of humour, danger, adventure and plenty of romance. . .

Wulf, the hero, stole the show . . . he is such a lovable character.
. . I loved the growing relationship between the couple, which was beautifully orchestrated. I felt that their courtship was very realistic and the lovemaking scenes sweet, Wulf being a masterful lover who soon overcomes Mercy’s fears and inhibitions. You could really tell that they were destined to be together, despite the difficulties the plot threw at them. . .

I liked the author’s writing style, which I feel gave a good balance of romance, suspense and plot twists which kept me entertained throughout. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy romantic suspense or contemporary romance, where there are strong elements of intrigue, danger and adventure!

– Tina Williams, A Reader’s Review

 

 AVAILABLE WHERE E-BOOKS ARE SOLD!

Thomas M. Lister’s “Man’s Greatest Fear” Winner of the 2013 Beverly Hills Book Awards!

Author Thomas M. Lister Ed.D.’s Man’s Greatest Fear: The Final Phase of Human Evolution has won the 2013 Beverly Hills Book Awards in both the ‘Environmental/Political Change’ and ‘Social Change’ categories!

Lister’s Man’s Greatest Fear has also won the ‘Best New eBook’ in the non-fiction category of the 2012 International Book Awards and was a finalist in the psychology category of Dan Poynter’s Global eBook Awards. Politically, socially, and environmentally timely, Lister’s work is a must read for anyone who cares about the survival of humankind on our planet.

In explaining the primordial motivation of man that continually stirs the cauldron of conflict throughout the world, Lister uses the war in the Middle East as a case study to exemplify man’s addiction to war, his relentless destruction of the environment, and his universal domination of woman.

Through careful historical research, Lister examines humanity’s history of violence in relation to current events to explain subconscious motives beneath man’s endless quest for power. By turning Freudian psychoanalysis inside out, Dr. Lister argues achievable solutions through the inclusion of women and male environmentalists in leadership roles. He hopes to educate and stir the public into action with his powerful explanation as to what, exactly, man’s greatest fear is and why it must be made a reality in order for humankind to escape extinction.

Here’s what others have said. . .

“Fantastic read. Overall, I feel this was a very insightful and interesting read. Each point made was concise, backed up by evidence and research, and very well expressed. I would recommend this book to anyone who is either interested in gender roles, male thought patterns and actions, or the human condition. . . I enjoyed it immensely.”

“I have never read a book as thought-provoking as ‘Man’s Greatest Fear.’ Dr. Lister carefully analyzes man’s behavior both in current events and historical examples…Anyone interested in psychology, politics, women’s rights, or what’s going on in the world today needs to read ‘Man’s Greatest Fear’ . . . Strongly recommended!”

“Dr. Lister proposes an idea that flips American politics and religions of the world on it’s head . . . With tons of interesting quotes and facts from world leaders, religious leaders, and philosophers, Dr. Lister explores what the world might look like if his own gender took a step back.”

“Written with thought and skill. Easy to read, to understand and to enjoy.”

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AVAILABLE AT AMAZON, KOBO, NOOK, SONY, GOOGLE BOOKS, and iTUNES!

NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: “Charades” by Ann Logan

Mercedes Fuentes, or Mousy Mercy as she often refers to herself, has buried herself in academia in order to avoid those frightening creatures that make up the other half of the human population: MEN! When an opportunity to pay off the majority of her student debt is offered to her by a family friend, Mercy has her doubts. But how can she refuse a weeklong date with a handsome man, at the end of which she will be nearly free of all debt?

Enter the seemingly innocuous, over-worked oil tycoon Wulf Rheinhart, a man in need of a fake fiancée for a week in order to close a business deal with a family-oriented Texan. One charade leads to another in this fast paced car chase of a romance where no one is who they seem to be.

Blue Star Books’ newest release, “Charades” by Ann Logan,
is an exciting, dangerous romance.

See what others are saying:

Exciting adventures, escapes, twists and turns kept me glued to the pages.
-Tanya Klarer

A fast paced global jaunt filled with danger, romance, and a hero to die for. Five stars!
– Nan Doporto, A Romance Review

I felt drawn to Mercy and just couldn’t wait until the real woman in her was exposed.
– Donna Simpson

‘Charades’ is a good book that reminds me of a weekend thriller movie. The reader should grab a soda, sit back, hang on and enjoy the ride.
– Jan Crow, The World on Romance

Available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Nook, and Kobo.
Coming soon to Sony, iTunes, Google Books, and Gardners Books!

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Fat Girl Fairy Boy’ by Debut Author Carol McConkie

Fat Girl Fairy Boy tells the story of Frieda Kunkelheimer, an aging Hollywood actress and her make-up artist/closest friend, Robin Morris. Carol McConkie’s skilful biographical narration takes us individually through the lives of each protagonist, from birth, to the start of their endearing friendship and later on a trip destined for South America; a journey which will change their lives forever.

Frieda was always pretty, despite being labelled as ‘ugly’ by Ursula, the stern German grandmother by whom she was raised. A social recluse, Frieda is more content with the company of her animal friends, who return her affection and do not call her nasty names like the bullies at school. But her negligent childhood and further traumatic experiences cause psychological damage, a theme handled excellently by McConkie; Frieda bottles up her feelings leading to emotional detachment, she develops a hatred for mirrors and discovers that the only way to deal with these problems is to run…

Robin finds his love for fashion when dressing up with the leftover materials from his mother’s job. He is mollycoddled by his mother and this pampering leads to a fear of flying, driving and most importantly of illness, with which he is plagued from an early age. Robin’s homosexuality and lower social standing make him feel inferior in the world, until some bittersweet good fortune emerges from a heartbreak, which helps him to achieve his dreams: to become a make-up artist.

McConkie, with her expert characterisation, helps to maintain our closeness with Frieda and Robin throughout their personal journeys and struggles, as if we were part of the story; you will find yourself hoping for happy outcomes to two lives riddled with pain, shedding tears of sadness, joy and laughter along the way.

The author’s versatility as a writer is made evident as she increases the pace, injecting adventure and excitement into the second half of the novel, where a planned plane journey to Brazil goes horribly wrong.

Although this section of the novel contains the darkest parts of Fat Girl Fairy Boy, it is in this disaster that the two friends forget the superficial world of showbiz and consequently find the answer to their problems in the most unlikely place: an El Salvadoran jungle. Frieda finally fills the hole left in her heart by a neglected childhood and Robin discovers strength and boldness from a past-life.

My only complaint about the novel is that I wish it was longer! I wanted to continue reading on and on. Nonetheless, Carol McConkie achieves so much, educating us on decades of US history, through the Great Depression, WWII, 60s counter-culture and Americo-Latin American political relations. In Fat Girl Fairy Boy she has produced an absolute gem – an emotional, well-written novel of friendship and self-discovery – and I look forward to reading more from her!

  ****

– Nathan Sherratt, Twenty-First Century Classics Book Reviews  

Available at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, iTunes,
Google Books, and coming soon to SONY!