Review of Piece By Piece

Piece By Piece
Laura Bradford
5+ Stars

Synopsis:

A grieving mother learns to heal in Amish country, in this heartfelt, beautifully told novel from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

Danielle Parker is a gold-medal mom–the kind who volunteers in her children’s classrooms, shuttles them between activities, throws legendary birthday parties, and has a remedy on hand for any emergency. Whatever her husband, Jeff, and their children need, Dani is there, always.
Except for one day.

On that day–the day that Dani reluctantly takes some “me time” while her mom and Jeff drive the children to the park–the unthinkable happens. The car crash leaves no survivors. Somehow, Dani gets through the funerals and visits, accepting neighbors’ sympathy and dropped-off meals. All the while, guilt and grief make her wish the accident had claimed her life too. Then a call comes from Lydia Schlabach, an Amish woman Dani befriended in childhood. In addition to condolences, Lydia offers Dani something more: a place to escape to.

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Dani’s days take on a new rhythm, marked by the clip-clop of buggies and the bustle of chores. Lydia gives Dani space to mourn, to think, and to realize how long it’s been since she felt like a person in her own right. And with the help of friendships old and new, Dani learns about the ways life continues to surprise us–even after the deepest loss–with joy, love, and second chances. . . .

Praise for Portrait of a Sister

“Laura Bradford is a master storyteller; this book will stay with you for a long, long time.” –New York Times bestselling author Tasha Alexander

“A charming, well-told story of love and devotion between sisters.”
–New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck (Goodreads)


Review:

This book is about loss, heartbreak, second chances and getting your life back, even if it is not the one you had before. It is a book about anger and grief, but also about healing.

The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. I cannot even begin to fathom a loss like Dani suffered. But she finds some solace going to Amish country and a simpler life. And she finds out what a true friend she has in Lydia. Dani will never forget her family but she will learn to go on and move forward.

I really liked Lydia’s family, especially her young daughter. Dani can learn from them, and she does. The simple way of the Amish can teach us all something about life. When Dani began to question her mothering and see things that she did that were not right, Lydia and her family helped Dani realize that she did the best she could and her family loved her for who she was.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a very well written Women’s Amish novel. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read this book. The author is a very talented and gifted writer and I want to thank her for writing this.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

 

New Releases For The Week Of August 23rd, 2020–Part 3

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of August 23rd, 2020. I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for the week. Today is the third day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

Iris finally landed her dream job as campaign manager for Aiden Duggin’s run for governor. Too bad it coincides with her once-in-a-lifetime wedding.

How will she balance political rallies and press conferences with picking out the perfect dress and the most delicious wedding cake?

Luckily, her two sisters will help. They all coordinated their weddings to be on the same day. One is marrying the creator of the Dream Droids franchise, and the other, a Dream Droid. Iris isn’t sure how she feels about her sister marrying a robot.

More than that, Aiden’s campaign seems to come down to one key issue: humanoid rights.

Can Iris put her personal beliefs aside and support both Aiden’s campaign and her sister’s wedding?
Can she do all this while keeping her own fiancé happy?

And what about when someone begins to slander Aiden’s name and sabotage the campaign? Can Iris add solving a conspiracy to her already busy plate?

Cast your ballot in support of the last installment of the Dream Droids series. It’s an election (and a triplet wedding) you won’t want to miss!

Note: This cozy mystery can be enjoyed any time of the year!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amid glistening icebergs and chill winds, the Aurelia sails from Newfoundland to Iceland. It’s a beautiful setting …

… for revenge.

Patricia and friends are back on the ship with a few new faces alongside the old. It ought to be cause for celebration but the Aurelia is suffering a series of mishaps and the captain, devilishly handsome Alistair Huntley, suspects sabotage is to blame.

But who is the saboteur? What would motivate a person to damage a ship in frigid waters and what might that person do next? It’s no surprise when Patricia decides to look into it, but taking to the Aurelia just to escape the Godmother and her crazed assassins, could it be that she is already here waiting for her?

The truth will shock you to your core.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a spooky celebration in Arborville, New Jersey conjures real scares, can Pamela and the Knit and Nibble Club sink their teeth into a bone-chilling mystery that just won’t rest in peace?
 
Among the countless revelers at the town’s much-anticipated Halloween parade, a woman dressed as Little Bo Peep is the only one making people scream bloody murder. In a scene straight out of a horror movie, the Knit and Nibblers find the nursery rhyme character dead with thick strands of yarn looped around her neck. Pamela and her best friend, Bettina, are set on pinning down who wanted the woman gone forever, but it’ll take every trick they can muster to catch the culprit without becoming the next poor souls to join Little Bo Peep’s dark, endless sleep . . .
 
Knitting tips and delicious recipes included!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retired high school teacher Gwen Franklin has a new pet valet business with her BFF, and a whole new leash on life. But a killer is about to come sniffing around . . .
 
Gwen Franklin is looking forward to spending her retirement drinking her favorite coffee and reading mystery novels. Those peaceful plans are brought to heel by her best friend, Nora. Sporting stiletto heels, leggings, and a “more is better” makeup routine, fifty-something Nora Goldstein has a penchant for marrying—and divorcing—rich men. Now that Gwen’s got free time, Nora figures they should start a dog-walking and pet-sitting service together.
 
But it’s far from a walk in the park when the corpse of Linda Fletcher is found in Nora’s kitchen. Linda was Nora’s nemesis, and the large knife protruding from her chest points to murder. With no doubt that her bestie’s being framed, Gwen puts her sleuthing skills—acquired from reading every Agatha Christie mystery—to the test as she digs through suspects, including four disgruntled ex-husbands, ten greedy ex-stepchildren, not to mention all her exes’ exes. But with death threats and another body surfacing, can Gwen curb a killer before her own (dog) days come to an end?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is humming along nicely for Georgie Shaw and Detective Jack Wheeler until Georgie’s discovery of a dead singer strikes a discordant note. They have a killer to find if they want to stop “Mad” Max Marley’s caterwauling and restore harmony.

Kay Garland, a renowned jazz singer is staging a comeback in Max Marley Studios’ animated feature film JAZZ! Georgie Shaw’s boss, Max, regards the party he’s throwing for Kay as “the social event of the season.” Kay’s a hit, but the party in the Venice Historic Canal District is barely over when Georgie finds a woman’s body in the canal.

The identity of the victim and the fact that she was brutally murdered soon have Max singing the same old tune. Whenever there’s big trouble, he insists that Georgie and her husband Jack investigate. In a Canary in the Canal, it’s Georgie and Jack to the rescue once again—with a little help from their Siamese cats!

Grab your copy of this delightful new mystery in the award-winning, best-selling cozy mystery series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke.

Scrumptious recipes included.

Free to read with Kindle Unlimited.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A determined actress.
Her old flame…
A spooky theater.
And a deadly secret.
The Tuesday Ladies and their friends return in the fifth book in Colleen Gleason’s bestselling Wicks Hollow series with ghosts, murder and sexy romance.

Vivien Leigh Savage is determined to bring live theater back to her hometown of Wicks Hollow. With her background as a childhood actor, her contacts, and her experience in marketing and publicity, she plans to reopen the Wicks Hollow Stage—a theater that’s been closed for decades.

But no sooner does she begin the renovations of the Stage than she’s warned away: GO OR DIE. And then strange things begin to happen—events that make the hair on the back of her neck stand up and prickles down her spine.

Someone—or something doesn’t want the Stage to open again.

And then there’s the fact that Jake DeRiccio, who broke her heart fifteen years ago, has shown up on the scene…and he’s more than interested in renewing their acquaintance.

When it becomes clear that either a ghost or mortal is not going to allow Vivien to succeed in her plans, she’ll need all the help she can get to clear the Stage…or she’ll be the next phantom of the theater.

The Wicks Hollow series doesn’t have to be read in order.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this mesmerizing new novel from bestselling author Lisa Black, the discovery of a young man’s corpse leads forensics expert Maggie Gardiner and Cleveland detective Jack Renner into a dark and dangerous web of lies . . .
 
Life and death have brought Maggie Gardiner full circle, back to the Erie Street Cemetery where she first entered Jack Renner’s orbit. Eight months ago, she learned what Jack would do in the name of justice. More unsettling still, she discovered how far she would go to cover his tracks. Now a young man sprawls atop a snowy grave, his heart shredded by a single wound. A key card in the victim’s wallet leads to the local university’s student housing—and to a grieving girlfriend with an unsettling agenda.
 
Maggie’s struggle to appease her conscience is complicated by her ex-husband, Rick, who’s convinced that Jack is connected to a series of vigilante killings. Also a homicide detective, Rick investigates what seems like a routine overdose on Cleveland’s West Side; but here, too, the appearance belies a deeper truth.
 
Rick’s case and Jack’s merge onto the trail of a shadowy, pill-pushing physician who is everywhere and nowhere at once, while Maggie and Jack uncover a massive financial shakedown hiding in plain sight. And when Rick’s bloody fingerprint is found at another murder scene, Maggie’s world comes undone in a violent, irreversible torrent of events . . .   (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a romantic rival opens a competing restaurant in small-town Wheaton, Alabama, Sarah Blair discovers murder is the specialty of the house . . . 
 
For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant. Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently. But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, an attention-stealing new establishment—run by none other than Sarah’s late ex-husband’s mistress, Jane—is having its grand opening across the street. 
 
Jane’s new sous chef, Riley Miller, is the talk of Wheaton with her delicious vegan specialties. When Riley is found dead outside the restaurant with Sarah’s friend, Jacob, kneeling over her, the former line cook—whose infatuation with Riley was no secret—becomes the prime suspect. Now Sarah must turn up the heat on the real culprit, who has no reservations about committing cold-blooded murder . . .
 
 Includes quick and easy recipes!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle. Paperback, Audibook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . .
 
On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport’s first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course.
 
That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired “cottage,” Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella’s son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family’s butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip’s motorcar, close to death.
 
At first, the tragic tableau appears to be a reckless accident—one which could ruin Philip’s reputation. But when Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she begins to suspect the scene may have been staged and steers the police toward a murder investigation. But while Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large—with unfinished business to attend to . . .  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle. Hardcover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . .
 
As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . .
 
Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . .
 
Praise for the Witch City Mysteries
 
“Perfectly relaxing and readable.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.”
—Library Journal
 
“An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.”
 —RT Book Reviews  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s murder when family come to visit.

Great Aunt Sophia’s in town to teach Lina all of her witchy ways.

No great surprise, her eccentric great aunt’s teaching methods are just as unorthodox as the lady herself. Certainly not approved by the International Criminal Witch Police.

Which is a problem, since Lina’s neck deep in another murder investigation.

Lina has to juggle her great aunt’s idea of witch training as she helps the ICWP solve a rather unusual murder…one that’s been linked to Lina’s magic.

Can she balance her witch training while trying to catch a killer? Oh, and also keep her great aunt out of the clink.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A magic library that records memories… Every secret. Every lie. Every crime.

Allison Rye’s small-town life is getting complicated. She’s juggling a new job at her husband’s care facility and a foster dog determined to keep her awake at night, not to mention the magical library of memories she’s sworn to guard.

If that weren’t enough, she has a page thief to worry about, too. They stole twenty-five years of her husband’s memories, and now they’re trying to steal her family. Allison has one week to find a mysterious object hidden among her family heirlooms or risk losing everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

But her search for the secret stash is stymied when a local child goes missing. The memory books in the library may hold the only clues to his disappearance. As Allison delves into the sinister, true-life stories to find the boy, she uncovers secrets darker than she had ever imagined.

And only one of them is murder.

If you like small-town magic, love stories that transcend memory, and twisty murder mysteries, you’ll love Pages & Pyrenees, the second book in the Magic Library mystery series.

 

This series is best enjoyed in order:

Tomes & Terriers (Book 1)

Pages & Pyrenees (Book 2)

Libraries & Labradors (Book 3)  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween in the small town of Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, is the perfect season for Deputy Donut owner Emily Westhill to unmask a killer.
 
October 31 is just around the corner and Emily Westhill’s Boston cream donuts, carved with a scream, have made an indelible impression on local eccentric Rich Royalson. So much so that he’s ordered three dozen, with no screaming faces and twice the fudge frosting, for his seventieth birthday—a special event in more ways than one. It’s to be held on fog-shrouded Lake Fleekom where, twenty years ago, his wife mysteriously drowned.
 
But the next day, when Emily arrives with her Boston cream donuts, she stumbles upon Rich’s corpse. The poor guy wanted a unique birthday bash—just not one to the side of his skull. With a guest list of possible perpetrators left at the scene, Emily soon discovers that the Royalson closet is rattling with skeletons. As the fog thickens, motives mount, and the tricks outnumber the treats, Emily fears that Rich may not be the last one in Fallingbrook to go out screaming.
 
Praise for Jealousy Filled Donuts
 
“Charming . . . Yummy donut recipes round out a whodunit (or is it a whodonut?) sure to please cozy fans.”
—Publishers Weekly  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A highly inaccurate vision. A grumpy writer. And a corpse. Welcome to Starry Falls. Running from the mob can be murder.

Each book in the series can be read individually so dive on in!

Confession. I’m no psychic. But I can sort of see the future—albeit not accurately. And you better believe, I’ve never let that little detail stop me from prognosticating my way into a pickle. So when I ticked off the mob, the feds, and my wily ex, I decided to take my Uncle Vinnie’s advice and start over with a new name and new hair color while relying on my old shtick—getting my visionary wires crossed and putting myself in danger.

It’s Christmastime in Starry Falls, the annual tree lighting ceremony is underway and the entire town has gathered on Main Street to witness the illuminated spectacle. But when I spot a body tangled in lights, the night takes an unexpected homicidal turn. Not only did my visions let me down in that department, but I didn’t see two wise guys coming our way either. Things with the mob are starting to get a little too close for comfort, and a part of me wonders if I’ll be able to stick around in this cute little town to see the new year. The snow is falling, the Italian cookies are baking, and it’s beginning to look a lot like murder.
It’s beginning to look a lot like murder. The snow is falling and so are the accusations. The mob is growing far more brazen, the people from my past refuse to stay there, and Shep is on the verge of learning every last bit about me. My life—and all of Starry Falls may never be the same.

Living in Starry Falls is proving to be deadly.

A laugh out loud cozy mystery by New York Times Bestseller Addison Moore and her partner in cozy crime, USA TODAY Bestseller Bellamy Bloom.
Cosmopolitan Magazinecalls Addison’s books, “…easy, frothy fun!”  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.

After suffering a personal tragedy Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn’t seem to convince to leave, and a new family she’d never be able to live without.

In book 11 in the series, there is a new murder to investigate when a friend of Nikki’s turns up dead. It seems that the death might be tied in with ghostly happenings at a new art gallery in town but there are problems with that theory as well.

Meanwhile, a whole new group of guests check in including a man in town to investigate a century old murder and a woman seeking answers to her past.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback