Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Book Blitz: Fracture by Basar Gorur

Fracture
Basar Gorur
(Shadow Sovereign Series, #1)
Publication date: April 17th 2026
Genres: Adult, Techno Thriller

A murdered diplomat. A dying man’s cryptic message. A conspiracy that could shatter NATO.

When U.S. geopolitical strategist Roger ‘Simms’ Osbourne receives word that his colleague and friend Aslı Green has been killed, he inherits more than grief. He inherits her secret: evidence of a sophisticated Russian operation that sank a Ukrainian tanker and made it look like an accident.

Sent to London to sell a critical NATO surveillance system, Simms quickly discovers his official mission is compromised. A powerful British political faction, backed by shadowy money and royal connections, is determined to see him fail. The deeper he digs into Aslı’s murder, the more he realizes the two threats are connected.

Forced to abandon the rulebook, Simms assembles an unlikely alliance: his embattled team, a mysterious operative named Katya who knows too much, and assets on both sides of the law. Together, they uncover a sprawling network funneling Russian profits through international shell companies to fuel a political war against the West.

But Russian Admiral Sidorov isn’t waiting for the dust to settle. His devastating military demonstration exposes NATO’s vulnerabilities and humiliates the alliance on the world stage. And lurking beneath it all is an even darker secret: Chinese technology at the heart of Russia’s most advanced weapons.

Now Simms must wage war on three fronts: political, financial, and military. Because if he fails, his friend died for nothing. And the next strike won’t be disguised as an accident.

For fans of Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney, and Brad Thor.


Goodreads / Amazon


Ankara. Surveillance van outside Mikhail’s apartment. Evening.

Jack adjusted the lens for the hundredth time. Jones was sorting sunflower seeds by some private system known only to God and possibly his therapist.

“Stilettos,” Jones said.

“We’re not doing this.”

“We’re absolutely doing this. We’ve been here four hours. I’ve counted the bricks on that building. There are 2,847. I’ve earned a conversation.”

“You counted wrong. There are 2,846.”

“You counted them too?”

“Shut up.” Jack refused to look at him. “What about stilettos?”

“Women wear them voluntarily. On purpose. They pay extra for the privilege of balancing on pencil erasers.”

“Groundbreaking analysis. Call the sociology department.”

“I’m serious. Men’s fashion evolution went: uncomfortable, less uncomfortable, sweatpants. Enlightenment achieved. Women’s fashion went: uncomfortable, more uncomfortable, here’s a torture device from the Spanish Inquisition, but we made it beige.”

Jack checked the window. Nothing.

“Maybe they like being tall.”

“Platform sneakers exist. Wedges exist. Sensible block heels exist. Those chunky things that look like orthopedic equipment for fashionable astronauts.” Jones cracked a seed with surgical precision. “The stiletto isn’t about height. It’s about violence.”

“Violence.”

“Think about it. Historically, women couldn’t carry weapons. Swords, daggers, frowned upon. Very unlady-like. But shoes?” Jones gestured broadly, scattering shells. “Nobody regulates footwear. So some genius says, what if we put a three-inch steel spike on a pump and call it couture?”

“That’s actually not terrible.”

“I’m occasionally not terrible. Mark the calendar.”

The radio crackled. Static. The universe’s way of saying nothing was happening, and nothing would happen.

“You know they were daggers first,” Jones said. “Fifteenth century. Little needle-point shivs for punching through armor gaps.”

Jack checked the monitor. Still dark. “We are not talking about fashion history.”

“It’s tactical history. ‘Stiletto’ comes from stilus. The little metal spike Romans used for writing.” Jones pointed a shell at Jack. “It literally means ‘angry pen.’ The shoe is just a knife you can walk in.”

“You made that up.”

“Look it up. CIA even tried to weaponize them in the fifties. Program called Stiletto Rose. Pop-out blades in the heel.”

“Bullshit.”

“Swear to God. Total failure. Mechanics didn’t work. But someone tried.” Jones grinned. “Boredom is the mother of weapons development.”

Jack massaged his temples.

“Your ex-wife had stilettos, didn’t she?”

“Louboutins. Red soles. Cost more than my first car.” Jones found a seed worthy of consumption. “She never wore them. Kept them in the box. I asked why. She said they weren’t for wearing, they were for knowing she could wear them.”

“That explains the divorce.”

“Many things explain the divorce. Most of them are my fault. Some of them footwear-adjacent.”

The window remained dark. Jack was developing a personal vendetta against it.

The radio crackled.

“All teams, target vehicle approaching.”

Jack grabbed the camera. Jones swept the sunflower seeds aside.

“Finally,” Jones said. “I had a whole bit about platform shoes being siege equipment.”

“Save it.”

“Battering rams for the fashion-forward.”

“I will leave you here.”



Başar Görür;

Writes geopolitical techno-thrillers grounded in institutions, leverage, and the real mechanics behind modern power. He has a BA degree in International Relations.

During his military service, he served on the personal staff of the Commander of the War Academies, working directly for a four-star air force general as an aide and translator. That experience informs how he writes briefings, decision cycles, and pressure under uncertainty.

He later held senior executive roles at PwC and at 3M Corporation headquarters, operating in multinational environments where cross-border incentives and capital flows shape outcomes. He now leads a private asset-management business.

Outside of work, he is a licensed captain and avid scuba diver who spends several months each year at sea and has traveled extensively. These experiences shape the Shadow Sovereign series.


Amazon / Instagram



Fracture Blitz


Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Release Blitz: Sweeet Poison by Rachel Van Dyken


Rachel Van Dyken
Release Date: February 11
AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦.
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳.
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭…
His breath hit my neck, lips brushing skin.
"𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘵?”
All it took was one phrase—“𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦?”—and I was already losing.
To the enemy.
To a Tinder date gone violently wrong.
To the Syndicate’s most dangerous heir.
It was supposed to be my last middle finger to the establishment before they sacrificed me on the family altar of arranged marriage. So I took control. I made the rules. I chose the husband.
Louis De Lange.
The twin who should’ve died.
The traitor.
The man who lost my sister—his so-called true love.
He said he had nothing left. So I made him my weapon.
But the problem with controlling a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
You never see the fangs until they’re already at your throat.
The plan was simple. The timeline set. Sixty days to infiltrate, manipulate, and survive.
But I wasn’t banking on Louis being more than broken—I wasn’t ready for how dangerous he could be when he finally decides he’s done bleeding for everyone else but himself.
I was playing to win.
He was playing to lose.
And we were both about to learn…
The sweeter the poison the more bitter the fight.
To the end. Love. Hell. Or destruction. Let the games begin.
The synopsis immediately sold me on this one, and even though it’s part of an interconnected series, it can be read as a standalone—I read it that way myself. I will say the first few chapters were a bit confusing, and it took me some time to get my bearings and understand what was happening. Once everything clicked, though, I was completely hooked. It’s a novella-length read, so the pace picks up quickly, and from that point on I couldn’t put it down.

What stood out most to me was how both main characters, Louis and Tempest, start out as pawns in a larger game, yet the trials they face ultimately make them stronger. Having lost all of his family, Louis is driven by vengeance and nothing else. Ironically, the mission meant to destroy a rival family instead leads to him being slowly folded into their world. Tempest, on the other hand, has always wanted a place and a voice in a world that dismissed her, and I really appreciated how Louis made sure she was seen and heard.

Overall, this was a fast, engaging read with compelling character growth and a story that kept me turning the pages.


OMG! This one takes you on a gut-wrenching, emotional rollercoaster of a ride. By the second chapter, I was in tears. You will yell, cry, and sigh, with all the others things in between.

You have a MMC who has never been "worthy" of love. He was the outcast. He was not wanted. He was the black sheep. And then you have MFC with her own personal baggage. Bring these two together and you have a dark, twisted, but mentally and emotionally satisfying romance. The depth of character development, the detail written into each scene, character flaw, emotional, and thought created a beautiful story you absolutely MUST read.

Ms. Van Dyken is on my list of favorite authors to read and this is one of those stories that proves why.

Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she's been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs.

Keep up with Rachel Van Dyken and subscribe to her newsletter: https://rachelvandykenauthor.com/newsletter

To learn more about Rachel & her books, visit here!

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Release Tour: Skin Game by Elle Keaton

RELEASE TOUR - Skin Game by Elle Keaton
Length: 68,000 words
Series: Subtle Deceptions, #3
Prior Reading: required (previous books available)
Genre: small-town, mystery, romance
Tropes: opposites attract, amateur sleuth, small town, ace and bisexual, older MC, found family
Trigger/Content Warnings: n/a
Designer: Kanaxa
Gabriel Karne is cautiously optimistic. Life seems to be settling down, but in the past this has meant something unpleasant is about to hit the fan.

It’s a new year. The former con artist has a permanent-for-now address, even Keith-the-cat seems to like it there. No more rickety sailboats and living out of go-bags for Gabriel Karne. No surprises. No dead bodies.

Romance-wise, he and Ranger Man are easing into being a couple. A lifetime of habits is hard to break—for both of them.

Gabe has a job. Will he regret agreeing to it? The eight ball says, maybe.

Another damn letter--this time from a stranger--shows up, the author claims they have some of his late mother’s belongings. Great.

Additionally, a strange young woman appears on his new doorstep. She claims to be his long-lost daughter, and has completely sketchy documentation to prove it. It’s not impossible, and yet… Gabe wasn’t born yesterday, and Heidi Karne was his mother, after all.

The next time Gabe sees the young woman, she’s dead.

It will be fine. Everything will be fine.
Shivering slightly in the too-thin jacket he’d decided to wear that morning, Gabe peered out the Honda’s mist-coated windshield. He’d already cracked the driver’s side window an inch or so to try and keep the glass from fogging while he waited, but the heavy mist surrounding the town of Westfort and this particular hill was cold, cloying, and persistent.

Gabe was fucking freezing. But a favor was a favor, and Gabe was particularly suited to this one.

The address he was focused on sat across the street and to his right, at about one o’clock, maybe one fifteen, and Gabe was just a guy, sitting in his car, watching a house. As one does. Doing his best to appear unremarkable and commonplace. Not casing the joint. Not waiting for the creep inside to leave.

“Come on already. You’re going to be late for work, dude.”

Maybe Gabe’s idea of being on time and this guy’s were wildly different. Possibly it was fine for Randy to show up whenever he dragged his ass in. Gabe’s own job history was not the nine-to-five version, and he suspected that he also might not have excelled on a set schedule, but one thing Heidi had impressed upon him was being on time. A few more cold minutes passed before the front door opened with a loud scrape and rattle, as if it didn’t fit the frame properly.

“Finally,” he whispered.

A youngish man Gabe recognized from a selfie that Althea Mortine had shared with him emerged. Gabe lifted his cell phone to his ear, pretending he’d pulled over to answer a call. Randy Witherspoon didn’t appear to notice that he was being watched from the Honda.

In his early thirties, Witherspoon was of average height and carried a not-quite-to-term paunch that bulged under his blue Mariners hoodie. This was the springtime uniform for many of the less fashion-forward in the Pacific Northwest. The only things missing were sandals and black socks. Instead, he wore a pair of battered leather sneakers and socks that were possibly gray.

Gabe hoped he wore socks because wearing sneakers with no socks was truly disgusting and having that color of ankles was even more so.

Who did Gabe think he was kidding? That guy probably never wore socks. Gabe shuddered.
Broken, broody, mysterious, swoony, inclusive; these are my tropes.

It’s my grandmother’s fault! She bribed me to read with a Nancy Drew box set—and changed my life forever.

It was love at first binge read.

Is there anything better than a character who by the end of the story manages to redeem/heal themselves enough to fall in love? No, there isn’t.

What else? I love both cats and dogs. Star Wars and Star Trek. Pineapple on pizza, and have a cribbage habit my husband encourages. We live in a log cabin near Hood Canal in Washington State, if the sky is clear at night the milky way is visible. But most often I’m inside plotting yet another mystery/romance.
#GayRomanceReviews #GRR #GRRTours #ReleaseTour #ElleKeaton #SkinGame #SmalltownRomance #OppositesAttract #FoundFamily #MLM #RainbowReads #LoveIsLove # DirtyDogPressLLC #TBR #NewRelease @gay.romance.reviews @gayromancereviews.bsky.social

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Release Blitz: The Boutique Hotel by Melissa D. MacKinnon

The Boutique Hotel
Melissa D. MacKinnon
Publication date: July 29th 2025
Genres: Adult, Mystery

“The Boutique Hotel is a richly absorbing novel. From the opening pages, MacKinnon weaves multiple narrative threads…with nuance, compelling the reader ever forward through its layered and engaging plot.”
—The Seaboard Review of Books

What happened in the days leading to murder at a glamorous destination wedding?

The story is set against the sophisticated backdrop of Nice, France. Evie Hansen, a travel agent determined to prove her worth, attends a destination wedding at the luxurious Negresco Hotel while staying at The Boutique Hotel au Coeur de Nice. She has sworn off dating, having suddenly been dropped by her boyfriend. Enter lawyer Jacob Liszt who is recovering from a stormy relationship and reluctant to start a new one.

Evie’s professional goals are upended by her discovery of a body on the hotel’s terrace. The search for answers leads her to partner with Jacob. Their investigation into the murder reveals disturbing truths about The Boutique Hotel, drawing them into a dangerous web of secrets and lies. They dig deeper, facing mounting peril, while navigating their growing feelings for each other.

Evie is forced to confront not only the dark realities of the case but her own life choices and aspirations.

The book delivers a series of fast-paced twists, culminating in a dramatic resolution.

With its vivid setting, complex characters, and timely themes, the book offers a compelling exploration of justice, self-discovery, and the pursuit of truth in the face of adversity.

 

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books / Kobo



As I’m taking photos of the art on the walls of the huge Reception Room, as per Pinkie’s request, vases of exquisite flowers on pedestals draw my attention. The arrangements of lilies, hydrangeas, white roses and other blossoms beckon. I take in the fresh, sweet, bouquet, redolent of spring days under our magnolia tree. If only I could have taken that tree with me when I sold the house.

Jacob walks toward me. When our eyes meet, he curls his lip in that irresistible way of his. I smile back.

“You’re so lovely. A flower in full bloom. Can I take your picture?” “Yes, please,” I say. I position myself in front of the arrangements.
“I’ll send it to you.”
An older man nearby stops. “I’ll take your picture, if you like.”


Melissa loves reading, writing and travelling. She holds bachelor’s degrees in English and Education. Her first book, The Remarkable Meadow Andrews, was published in 2024. Melissa lives with her husband in Ontario, Canada.



Monday, September 15, 2025

Cover Reveal: Open to Death by Sophie Mattis

Open to Death
Sophie Mattis
(A DI Rena Hunt Mystery, #1)
Publication date: September 16th 2025
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance

In the picturesque town of Rucklesby, peace is shattered when a young woman is found brutally murdered in her home. Detective Inspector Serena “Rena” Hunt is called to the scene, still haunted by her last case and questioning her instincts.

The victim, Sicily Avery—a wife and mother—has been stabbed through the heart with chilling precision. When another woman is killed in the same way, Rena realises a calculated murderer is on the loose, leaving cryptic notes on the victims as part of a twisted agenda.

With the body count rising, Rena and her team race to stop the killer before they strike again. Tensions mount with the arrival of new forensic pathologist Dr. Lucas Mann—bringing both friction and unexpected chemistry—as they work together to outwit a murderer who always seems one step ahead.

Open to Death intricately combines themes of murder, betrayal, and the unyielding quest for justice, all while subtly developing a slow-burn romance.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Sophie Mattis is a British mystery author known for her suspenseful, character-driven stories that keep readers turning pages. Born and raised in the UK, she writes contemporary mysteries featuring complex investigators, layered intrigue, touches of romance, and flashes of humour. When she’s not plotting her next twist, Sophie enjoys travelling, cycling, and curling up with a good crime drama.

Follow her on her socials at: @sophiemattisbooks

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Facebook / Instagram