Maggie Dove's Detective Agency



“Maggie Dove’s Detective Agency is a delightful mix of mystery, heart-felt drama, and crazy antics. Maggie uses her skills as both a Sunday School teacher and PI to solve the case - a quirky combination from author Breen that works perfectly!”
–Marty Wingate, USA Today Bestselling Author

As Susan Breen’s compelling cozy mystery series continues, Maggie Dove’s budding detective agency has given her a new lease on life. Only one thing stands in the way of success: her clients—or lack of them.

After catching the killer who shook her small Hudson River town, former Sunday School teacher Maggie Dove stumbled onto an exciting new career and found a way to take her mind off her own tragic past. Now, despite her best efforts to promote the agency, Maggie can’t seem to land any new cases—until Racine Stern, one of the village’s wealthiest residents, offers her a thousand dollars to convince her “evil” sister, Domino, to stay out of town.

While Maggie’s business partner thinks she’s crazy for turning down a potential client, she doesn’t want her agency to get a reputation for accommodating bizarre requests. However, Maggie is soon caught up in the family drama anyway. Racine may fear for her life—and her inheritance—but it’s Domino who takes the fall when she plunges to her death from a tower at Stern Manor. Was it an accident or something more sinister? Maggie’s investigation will test her faith—and her ability to survive.

Available on  Amazon  Amazon UK
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The Chair Man by Alex Pearl

The Chair ManThe Chair Man by Alex Pearl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gripping thriller from start to finish...

Thriller is a genre that uses suspense, tension, and excitement as its main elements. They stimulate the reader by giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, anxiety and terror. A thriller usually has highs and lows in the story keeping readers on the edge of their seat, wondering what will happen next or how the hero/heroine will overcome the antagonist's latest evil doings. The plots are scary, the characters are at great risk and they make the reader really want to turn the pages.

The Chair Man by Alex Pearl is a thriller that does all of the above… and more. It’s a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this thriller and suspense that it guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London, this thriller had me turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Michael Hollinghurst is a successful corporate lawyer living a comfortable, suburban life in leafy North West London. But on 7 July 2005, his life is transformed when he steps on a London underground train targeted by Islamist suicide bombers. While most passengers in his carriage are killed, Michael survives the explosion but is confined to a wheelchair as a result… Coming to terms with his predicament and controlling his own feelings of guilt as a survivor conspire to push him in a direction that is out of character and a tad reckless. In a quest to seek retribution, he resorts to embracing the internet and posing as a radical Islamist in order to snare potential perpetrators… Much to his surprise, his shambolic scheme yields results and is brought to the attention of both GCHQ and a terrorist cell. But before long, dark forces begin to gather and close in on him. There is seemingly no way out for Michael Hollinghurst. He has become, quite literally, a sitting target.’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of thriller and suspense will want it. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommended it. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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Solar Warden: Book Two – Requiem

Solar Warden: Book Two - RequiemSolar Warden: Book Two - Requiem by Peter Fuller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An action-packed gripping sci-fi series!

Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

Author Peter Fuller worked in the Military History Department of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for eight years. He has studied military history for decades. He has also written numerous articles and lectured at major museums and universities on the subject of military history. He is a regular panelist at NORWESCON - the Pacific Northwest’s Premier Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. He's a student of the UFO phenomenon since grade school, a member of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), and legend has it, he's had a few “close encounters” of his own! Having recently interviewed the son of a US military officer about his late father’s work on several special access projects for the secret space program, it’s no wonder this book series had to be written!

Requiem by Peter Fuller is the second instalment in the Solar Warden series. It’s a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn settings and characters. The author weaves a well-crafted Military Science Fiction that will captivate the reader’s attention from the start. Skillfully constructed, this exciting and suspenseful sci-fi will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. There’s plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Earth is in peril. The reptilians and grays, led by their Blue Nordic overlords, have suffered a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the humans–a species they deem inferior. Retaliation is inevitable… Expecting a divide-and-conquer strategy by the aliens, Solar Warden begins reinforcing its Mars Base–the enemy's expected target. And the final steppingstone to earth… In the midst of the impending invasion, Steve "Scarecrow" Richardson and his new love, Major Sandy Cooper, are marked for death by both human and alien threats… Book Two of the Solar Warden series finds the humans faced with an overwhelming force that will not stop until they've eliminated the human race. All that stands in their way is the determination and fierce will of the Earth Defense Force combatants who are willing to lay down their lives to save humanity.’

This for me was another phenomenal read. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and the people were stunning. The author’s use of genuine dialogue further added to the overall atmosphere of authenticity. The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Fuller pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a genuine and realistic contemporary sci-fi novel.

For science fiction fans looking for an interesting, three-dimensional, and stimulating read, this would be a great find. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Shattering the Crystal Face of God by Meade Fischer

Shattering the Crystal Face of GodShattering the Crystal Face of God by Meade Fischer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Living in the moment...

Perhaps you don't think you have a philosophy of life and that life just happens. In this book the author shows you how your life is influenced by attitudes, images, beliefs and opinions even if you don't realize it. Our path to personal growth requires that we become aware of these influences that have been planted in our consciousness and get rid of the ones that don't serve us. We build our beliefs from our experiences with teachers, at school, and in the educational processes as well as what we read. Most of our beliefs are unconscious though, and it's not until we begin to question our 'reality' that we discover them.

Shattering the Crystal Face of God: Adventures in an emerging world by Meade Fischer is a ‘West Coast adventure book, a secular philosophical romp, a tribute to environmentalism and a celebration of the natural world.’

A key focus of Meade Fischer’s work seems to be appreciating the moment guiding people to find greater meaning and purpose in their lives. If you feel something is missing or you have untapped potential or are just curious about what else life might hold for you, check out this authors work. His connection to - and celebration of - the natural world is very inspiring. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Primed for Vengeance by Gill D Anderson

Primed For VengeancePrimed For Vengeance by Gill D. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-written dark crime thriller...

Primed for Vengeance by Gill D Anderson is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this crime thriller that it guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of Adelaide, Australia, this suspenseful revenge narrative will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

There’s no doubt that Primed for Vengeance is an exceptionally well-written book. However, it must be said that this novel contains graphic themes including erotica, violence, sexual assault and deviant behavior. The author’s script at times is razor-sharp and will penetrate deep into the emotions of its reader. The language may also not be suitable for the linguistically sensitive. Nevertheless, the themes and outcome are just as affecting in the arresting contemporary landscape.

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey.

The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Anderson pays as much attention to her sentences as she does to her plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. Her writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create a suspenseful atmosphere throughout.

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It's a solid read that benefits substantially from a raft of better-than-average elements with a surprise ending. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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