To Hell in a Handbasket – Beth Groundwater, Author

To Hell in a Handbasket – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
What will a wife do to protect her husband? In A Real Basket Case Claire sets out to prove that she didn’t sleep with her physical trainer and her husband didn’t kill him when he found him straddling her in bed. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to prove her and his innocence.
What will a mother do to protect her only daughter? In To Hell in a Handbasket Claire again refuses to let anything nor anyone stand in her way to prevent her daughter Judy from being , or worse… murdered.
Claire, Rodger and Judy Hanover are on a much needed ski vacation in Breckenridge, CO. Judy’s boyfriend, Nick Contino, his mother, father and sister Stephanie have joined them. What was supposed to be a relaxing couple of weeks went sour quickly when Stephanie has a skiing accident that takes her life. Was it really an accident? Claire believes not. And to prove her theory she tracks down the only person that actually saw what really happened. The information given to her by this young man not only puts herself into danger, it also makes Judy the killer’s next target.
I stayed on the edge of my seat as I followed Claire and Detective Owen Silverstone as they uncover the mystery of Stephanie’s death. As they uncover what really goes on behind closed doors in the Contino’s study. As they fit the puzzle pieces together after finding that the Russian mob is heavily involved with everything that has taken place, which includes a plan to kidnap Judy.
I loved Beth Groundwater’s style of writing when I read A Real Basket Case. After reading To Hell in a Handbasket I can have to say that “what I thought couldn’t get better did.” For a real mystery teaser, I recommend both books, in the order they were written… A Real Basket Case and To Hell in a Handbasket.
Dispel the Mist – Marilyn Meredith, Author

Dispel The Mist – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
‘Her next dream was a nightmare. Tempe knew she was on the reservation, but it was different looking as familiar places often are in dreams. The buildings all seemed dilapidated and badly in need of repair through she couldn’t see them clearly because of a swirling grayish-yellow mist surrounded everything. Jagged black mountain peaks poked through the clouds. Though she was alone a feeling of menace was so prevalent, she could almost smell it.
Without warning, a large man who resembled Cruz Murphy stepped out of the fog. He held up a hand, palm out. “Stop. Danger ahead.”‘
Lilia Quintera is a Tulare County Supervisor who won her election due to her being a descendant of both Mexican and Native American. She was a big help in bringing a casino to the reservation, allowing jobs and a better life for those living on the reservation as well as the city. But when she is put into a position to support the proposal of a new hotel with a golf course and all the amenities that go with it, she refuses to conform to their plans without more research on it’s effect on the community. So when Lilia Quintera dies from what seems to be natural causes, Tempe Crabtree is brought in to help gather clues and evidence pending the autopsy.
Who would want Lilia dead? Her husband Wade, who is several years younger as well as a ladies man and may gain from her death through inheritance is a suspect. Her sister Connie, who’s daughter Suzy at the advice of Lilia, will be moving to a residential facility called Shadow Hills, Shadow Hills will house young ladies who are mentally challenged. Plus, feelings of jealousy for all of the decisions as to the welfare of Suzy might make Connie want to see Lilia dead, making her a suspect. There is Duane Whitney who lives in the neighborhood where Shadow Hill will open. He feels it will bring down the value of his property, so with Lilia publicly supporting the facility may make him want her dead, making him another suspect. And then there are the Native Americans who feel that Lilia should support the building of the Hotel, feeling it will bring more opportunities for the reservation. Many of them can be considered suspects.
Follow Tempe as she sorts through the facts and gossip, as she encounters the hostility of those on her on her list of suspects, as she sorts through the clues hidden in her own dreams and as she tries to understand the role that Hairy Man plays into it all . Is he real or just a fable?
I’ve enjoyed this book so much, with it’s mystery as well as history, that I find myself wanting to learn even more about the myths and fables of the American Indians.
A Corpse for Yew – Joyce and Jim Lavene, Authors

A Corpse for Yew – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
As you read the excerpt below, picture a group of elderly ladies, all members of the Shamrock Historical Society due to their ancestors and proud of it. Picture these ladies standing in the middle of a cow pasture as they search for a grave that has been long forgotten. And now listen as they reminisce about another outing that took them in search of a grave from the past.
“It doesn’t really matter,” Geneva said. We’re within our legal rights to visit the grave since Mrs.. Waynewright is a direct descendant. MCWhirter can’t keep us away.”
Dorothy grimaced. “Remember that time we had to sneak into that abandoned cemetery out by Salisbury? Those terrible dogs! I’m not sure what w would’ve done if Mr. Hawkins hadn’t been with us. He took that bite like a man.”
“After that, the dogs seemed fine with us being there.” Annabelle shrugged.
“But poor Mr. Hawkins had to have rabies shots. He was such a gentleman about it.”
Peggy is the owner of a garden shop called the Potting Shed located in Center City, Charlotte. She’s also a part-time forensic botanist for the Charlotte Police Department. When her mother, Lilla, talks her into joining the Shamrock Historical Society and their quest to rescue bones that have been buried under Lake Whitley for years, she didn’t expect to discover the body of one of the Society’s own members, Lois Mullis, who also turns out to be the Aunt of the Police Chief. Was it accidental or murder? The Chief believes it was an accident. The members of the Shamrock Historical Society believe it was murder and they put their faith in Peggy to prove them right and to find the killer.
A Corpse for Yew is a book of humor and mystery, as well as a book that spiked my interest in plants. Joyce and Jim Lavene provide a description of the plants as they are introduced into each chapter, giving you a little history of the plant’s origin and it’s uses. As they introduced each member of the Shamrock Historical Society, I found myself picturing each lady perfectly. When I put the mental pictures of these ladies together to form the full group, I could see their every move as they persuaded Peggy to help them find the killer of their friend. And with my living in Charlotte, NC, I knew almost every location visited by Peggy and her group of ladies.
A Corpse for You is one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in some time. It became a real mystery as I tried to decide who would want to harm the late Mrs. Mullis. But with it’s humor, it was a very relaxing book to read.
J.W. Thompson Releases His Thriller, Hidden Evil
A serial killer suffers from Antisocial Personality Disorder and appears normal or charming, sometimes referred to as the “Mask of Sanity.” Sometimes there is a sexual element to the murders and they may have a commonality such as gender, occupation, appearances, race, etc. The term serial killer was coined in the 1970s because of cases such as Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz. According to an FBI Behavioral Unit study, 85% of the world’s serial killers are in America. At any given time, 20 – 50 unidentified active serial killers are at work, continuously changing their targets and methods. “Hidden Evil” is a fictional story of one of them.
Posted September 28, 2009, 8:15 PM EST: Couldn’t wait to read this book! Once I got it I couldn’t put it down! The “monster” could be your neighbor or co-worker! I really admired Sam the detective, the way he followed the clues like a bloodhound! The plot was spine-chilling and kept you on the edge of your seat to see what would happen next! Great Book….this new author has really got it together! Can’t wait to see what he writes next! Wonderful book…read it today!
Posted September 28, 2009, 1:25 PM EST: Hidden Evil is a unique look into the life of a serial killer and how they use what is commonly seen on TV or in novels to foil being captured. The author even manages to bring in a bit of romance into the book.
Bio
J.W. Thompson
Served in the Marine Corps and is a Certified Scuba Diver, and does volunteer work in his spare time. J.W. is also a member of the Florida Writers Assoc. and has another published novel “Mysterious Lady.” He is a former resident of North Carolina, but now resides in Florida. All comments should be sent to his Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/J-W-Thompson/136105451065 or visit his web site at http://www.freewebs.com/jwthmpsn/
Right Hand Up To God by M J Croan Being Released in November 2009
Synopsis: Lori is only ten years old when she and her heavily pregnant mother flee an abusive husband and father. Alone in the Everglades, Lori promises her dying mother she will care for her newborn brother, Michael. Over the months and years that follow she will strive to keep her promise. Not even being unwittingly caught up in a drug smuggling ring between Cuba and London, or the love of two men at the same time, will distract her from the promise she gave to her mother alongside a steaming Fakahatchee swamp. Born into the violence and chaos of Northern Ireland, and after the fatal shooting of his sister Kelly by a British paratrooper, a teenaged Shaun O’Brien is recruited by the Irish Republican Army. Under the expert tutelage of Hugh Devlin, a veteran terrorist, Shaun will excel in his ability to spread death and destruction. Returning from intense insurgency training in the middle east, his talent for organization will bring together rogue governments and terrorist groups from all over the northern hemisphere. While proliferating his destructive creed, Shaun will cross paths with both Lori and Michael, but neither will be aware of their true kinship. Pursued by The Royal Ulster Constabulary in the form of Inspector Pete Doyle, the two men will eventually come face to face in a confrontation that only one can survive. After leaving Lori in Queensland, Australia, Michael, searching for a cause to champion, travels to Santiago, Chile, where he meets, and falls deeply in love with, Rosa, a fourteen-year-old shanty dweller. The two teenagers, after pledging themselves to each other before the Madonna on San Cristobal Hill, are caught up in an anti government rally. Unable to save Rosa’s life, Michael returns to Florida, grief stricken and consumed by guilt. He takes solace in his faith, and after ordination as a Roman Catholic priest, his first posting is to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Charged with membership of the I.R.A., Michael is incarcerated in the notorious Maze prison alongside Ireland’s most desperate terrorists. After the widely publicized, martyred death of Bobby Sands, Michael becomes a willing participant in the hunger strikes. For the love of her brother, and to keep faith with the promise she made to their mother, Lori solicits the help of the I.R.A. to free Michael. The one man that can help her is Shaun O’Brien, but the price of his help is to kidnap a prominent Protestant church leader and hold the British Government to ransom. Michael is dying! Will the plan work, and will it work in time to save Michaels life? The story culminates in Geneva Switzerland, but will Lori, Michael, and Shaun ever find out that they are, in fact, siblings?
Newfoundland .CA
Malcolm J. Croan
St Joseph’s College, Dumfriese, Scotland. Boarding school, absconded when I was twelve.
Born: Edinburgh Scotland. Son of a wholesale fish merchant and kipper curer. Hell of a job getting my first girlfriend?
” Gun Law By Hotel Chief ” This was the headline in a national newspaper in Scotland when as a victim of car vandalism I took an empty rifle and perused six drunken young men who were destroying my car. I did not physically harm anyone, only threatened. As a hotelier and local businessman, the court said I should have known better. I was finned one hundred pounds sterling, and none of them were even charged. ‘No I do not suffer fools gladly.’
Dream Catcher, Failure Was Never An Option and Brilliant Insanity are Both on Amazon Kindle’s Best Seller List
Editorial Reviews Product Description Marion Lewis Reinhart, an androgynous serial killer, has five days to live before he is put to death by lethal injection. Due to the severity and mysterious nature of his crimes, he has been given permission to tell the world his side of the story. Not the story told in court, the real story. Reinhart has his own agenda. He believes he was justified in his quest for terrible retribution and he wants to share his truth. His web of lies, twisted facts, and narcissistic story telling hides a truth more shocking than any of his murders. ——————————————————————————– Product Details Format: Kindle Edition File Size: 201 KB Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited Publisher: Kerlak Publishing; 1st,Unabridged edition edition (October 1, 2008) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services Language: English ASIN: B00267SWG4 Average Customer Review: 5 Reviews 5 star: (5) 4 star: (0) 3 star: (0) 2 star: (0) 1 star: (0) › See all 5 customer reviews… 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,672 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store) Popular in this category: (What’s this?)
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Product Details
- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 1113 KB
- Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
- Publisher: Lulu; First edition (June 5, 2009)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B002GU6GK0
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- Amazon.com Sales Rank: #177,001 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)
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#4 in Kindle Store > Kindle Books > Nonfiction > Children’s Nonfiction > People & Places > Family Life > Siblings
Identity Crisis by Author Debbi Mack
IDENTITY CRISIS introduces attorney Stephanie Ann “Sam” McRae. A simple domestic abuse case turns deadly when the alleged abuser is killed and Sam’s client disappears. When a friend asks Sam to find Melanie Hayes, the Maryland attorney is drawn into a complex case of murder and identity theft that has her running from the Mob, breaking into a strip club and forming a shaky alliance with an offbeat private investigator to discover the truth about Melanie and her ex-boyfriend.
With her career and life on the line, Sam’s search takes her from the blue-collar Baltimore suburbs to the mansions of Gibson Island. Along the way, she learns that false identities can hide dark secrets, and those secrets can destroy lives.
Bio:
Debbi Mack has worked as an attorney, a news wire reporter for Dow Jones and a reference librarian with the Federal Trade Commission. IDENTITY CRISIS is her first novel. Her short stories have appeared in the CHESAPEAKE CRIMES mystery anthology and in The Back Alley, an online publication at http://BackAlleyWebzine.com. She will also have a short story featured in CHESAPEAKE CRIMES 4, to be published by Wildside Press in March 2010. Along with writing crime fiction, Debbi works as a freelance writer/researcher and a volunteer awareness advocate for dystonia, a rare movement disorder. A native of Queens , New York , Debbi and her husband live in Columbia , Maryland with their three cats.
Reviews:
From MidWest Book Review, January 2006.
“In this quick moving novel we meet Sam McRae, an attorney who is about to have her life shifted in ways she never imagined when her domestic case turns into a murder investigation and somehow she is smack in the middle of it. Attorney turns investigator in this swift moving adventurous read with curving twists and winding mystery that literally leave you scratching your head and wondering just who is the villain.
“Author, Debbi Mack, does a great job drawing you into the lives of her characters with vivid description of their physical appearance, their emotional conflicts and yet keeps you in the shadows trying to figure out what part they play in the murder and mystery set before you.
“A very good read awaits you in this work and perhaps the thought that you too could have your identity stolen and the ramifications could be deadly. This was a smart move on the author to use a problem that we all can identify with and work it so well into a top-notch mystery read. Great book, recommended.”
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review
From New Mystery Reader, September 2005.
“Samantha McRae is a young public defender whose normal cases are DUIs, petty theft or internal family discord. However, one such client takes her on a car chase, a run-in with the mob, and encounters with several branches of federal law enforcement as well as the local police.
“An ordinary seeming girl who works in a bank disappears when her ex-boyfriend is found dead. The police and feds are looking for her and after a thorough questioning by them, Sam is also on the hunt for her client.
Sam checks all the places the girl is likely to be and doesn’t find her so after a call that alerts her the girl is heading west, she sets off to follow the bus she’s on. Unfortunately, the mob and a private detective are following Sam.
“This is a story with plenty of action, a well-drawn plot and a set of interesting characters. Talented Debbi Mack lets the reader step into the shoes of an ordinary public defender and experience the excitement and danger of a case that is far from ordinary. Recommended as a fun read.
“Enjoy.”
Anne K. Edwards
Reviewer
From Mystery Lover’s Corner, February 2006.
“Sam McRae takes on a simple domestic abuse case. But it turns out to be anything but simple.
“A friend asks Sam to find Melanie Hayes. This pulls Sam into a case with identity theft and murder. She even finds herself running from the mob. She makes an alliance with an offbeat PI in her attempt at getting the truth about Melanie and her boyfriend.
“When she finds Melanie, Sam has to convince her to trust Sam. Then Sam has to find a way to keep Melanie safe until everything can be cleared up. This isn’t always easy.
“The story is set in and around Baltimore. There are many twists and turns in the plot that will keep you guessing right up to the end. I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put it down.
“I highly recommend you read this book. I can’t wait for the next Sam McRae mystery.”
Dawn Dowdle
Reviewer
From Roundtable Reviews, September 2005.
“Identity Crisis grips you from the first page. Sam is a likeable heroine–smart, feisty and determined.”
Author reviews:
“When I think identity theft, I groan. I think paperwork, phone calls to banks, boring people looking up information. Absolutely NOT the case with Debbi Mack’s Identity Crisis.
“Identity Crisis is not just about identity theft- it’s also a murder mystery and mob story, a trifecta of entertainment. The novel follows Sam McRae, a struggling private attorney handling what should be a simple domestic abuse case. When her client, the domestic violence victim, is suspected of murdering the abuser, Sam is determined to clear her name. Not such an easy thing, with a long list of suspects.
“Sam is an engaging character, flawed but with a good heart. I would have liked to have learned even more about her, and am glad to hear there are more books in the series to come.
“Just as engaging as the characters, Debbi Mack uses her settings like another character in her book. I have never been to Baltimore, but I could see the neighborhoods, the city, and even the diners as if I was there.
“With an intriguing plot that seems to be one thing and ends up being another, the book is like a treasure hunt, with clues left like bread crumbs until the surprise whodunnit is revealed. This is a good read, one to keep on your shelf to read again so you can realize what you missed the first time around.”
– Holli Castillo
Author of Gumbo Justice
“If you enjoy realistic legal thrillers—and dread the thought of ‘identity theft’ striking home—Identity Crisis will be a genuine treat. Debbi Mack has used her own experience as an attorney to craft a twisty yet completely credible plot. And her protagonist, Stephanie Ann ‘Sam’ McRae, is a perfect example of what every client should hope for in an advocate: a professional who’s willing to take risks both inside AND outside the courtroom.”
– Jeremiah Healy
Author of Rescue, Turnabout and The Only Good Lawyer
“Identity Crisis is a well-written and well-plotted mystery which introduces lawyer-sleuth Sam McRae. She’s an exciting new protagonist mystery readers will want to get to know.”
– Louise Titchener
Author of Malpractice, Burned in Baltimore and Buried in Baltimore
Availability:
Identity Crisis is available for sale online, in print and as an e-book, from Lulu.com at http://www.lulu.com/content/3923913. Lulu often runs 10% off specials, for customers who use the proper discount code at checkout, so check Debbi’s blog at http://midlistlife.wordpress.com/ for the latest news on these specials and that month’s promotional code.
Her Web site is http://www.debbimack.com and her blog is http://midlistlife.wordpress.com.
Crucifying Angel. When P.I. Barrington asked me to read her newest thriller I had no idea what I was getting into. Crucifying Angel is not your run of the mill serial killer. This book takes the reader into the future as in 2032. The criminals are still the same. They still kill, maim and generally make life miserable for the rest of the world. The method of solving those crimes is quite different. Ms. Barrington blends the future with the present and makes a spellbinding read. She gives many layers to her main characters, Payce the female American Detective and her British Counterpart Gavin. These two characters play off of each other and create a dialogue that keeps the reader turning the page not just to see “who done it” but to also see if these two conflicted people can find a middle ground for the passion they find themselves feeling for each other. Ms. Barrington plays the reader like a finely tuned piano with the twists and turns and the undercurrent of electricity of Det. Payce and Det Gavin. She then adds the timpani of the serial killer and his misguided reasons for what he does. Crucifying Angel is absolutely a must read, but beware, you will have to get the next installment. The best is yet to come. Defiantly a five star read.
KILLER COUSINS






