MAVERY ELLSCOTT'S
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
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MAVERY'S PROMO PICKS
THE INSTRUCTOR
by JT Porter
Unconventional, gritty, and emotionally charged–a military thriller with heart.
Even if you’re not a military thriller fan, I’m certain you’ll enjoy The Instructor by JT Porter. While this is his prequel novella introducing James Ryder, the protagonist of his James Ryder Thriller assassin series, the story centers on Ryder’s elite Army Delta Force leader, Sergeant Dominic Caruso. Their mission to track down sniper Vasily Petrov in the rugged landscape of Afghanistan turns into Caruso’s personal vendetta to honor his fallen comrades. Porter places unforgettable characters into unexpected, explosive situations. I love the unconventional way Porter introduces us to the hero of his James Ryder thriller series and shows us a defining moment in Ryder’s life, integral to the series.
BETRAYED
by Andrew Warren
Meet the CIA's Deadliest Killer
PAGE HANSON TRILOGY
by SM Thomas
Her husband has kept
secrets from her.
I’m an Andrew Warren fan. His books are well written, the plots are tight, and the action is non-stop. Betrayed is the prequel novella to his Thomas Caine series that reveals Caine’s backstory. He includes the first two chapters of Tokyo Black, the first book in the Thomas Caine Thriller Series, so you get a taste of what’s in store. Betrayed is a short read, but it’s long on intrigue and definitely a page-turner. When you sign up for Warren's newsletter, he'll send you the e-book. FREE BOOK
The trilogy is set in the future on Earth Two, a dystopian society. When Dr. Paige Hanson awakens after a car accident she and her small child have survived, she is told her husband is missing. Only able to remember disjointed fragments of what happened and hounded by government agents, Paige believes she’s caught up in something dangerous. Told in the first person, this well-written series kept me engaged, and the twists kept me guessing. Paige’s introspection in the second and third books became a bit repetitive, but I found that didn’t detract from the story. It’s a great read. You can find the trilogy on Amazon.
THE SENATE DECEPTION
by Michael Fedor
Senator Jackson Piper
has a secret.
BONE LIGHT
by Annelie Wendeberg
Dr Liz Arlington must decide which oath matters more — the one to her profession
or the one to a dying girl.
The Senate Deception, Michael Fedor’s award-winning prequel to his Bull Moose series, is a political thriller you don’t want to miss. An intricate web of deception, intriguing characters, and a realistic high-stakes plot will keep you turning the page. Meticulous research and Michael's real-life experiences in the political trenches help him craft a thriller that is shockingly plausible. You’ll receive The Senate Deception free when you sign up for his newsletter. FREE BOOK
Bone Light by Annelie Wendeberg is not the typical action thriller I review, but I couldn’t put down this short novella until I reached the last page. The Victorian dark thriller set in Boston will have you asking yourself what you would do if you found yourself in the same position as Dr. Arlington. The story is a great introduction to Wendeberg’s heroine of her Arlington & McCurley Mysteries and the award-winning Kronberg & Holmes Mysteries. Bone Light is a haunting must-read. Bone Light is free for her newsletter subscribers. FREE BOOK
LOST AND FOUND
by Amy Shojai
Can she team up with a service dog to save a missing child
and catch a murderer?
WALT'S FAULT
by Andrew Allan
For Walt Asher,
payback isn’t a bitch;
it’s a revenge-mad biker.
Lost and Found caught me by surprise. When I got half-way through Chapter 3, I had to stop and research the author. Amy Shojai is a nationally known authority on pet care and behavior with over 35 nonfiction books. Lost and Found is her first fiction book. That explained the chapters written from puppy Shadow’s point of view. Shojai’s animal expertise comes through in these chapters. September Day, the heroine of the story, is flung into a between the devil and the deep blue sea situation. I kept asking myself each time she faced a new challenge what I would do when there is no perfect solution. The story is interesting and the plot fast-paced, although I found the chapters from Shadow’s point of view slow at times. It was an enjoyable read. You can find Lost and Found on Amazon.
I love Andrew Allan’s Walt Asher series. TV infomercial writer and born pitchman Walt Asher is at it again. The “can sell anything” salesman wants no part of selling illegal Honduran guns. But how can you say no to the ruthless outlaw biker who once saved his life? This is one of Allan’s short thrillers, but it’s definitely not short on action, twists, and mayhem. This is one book you don’t want to miss!!! You can get it on Amazon.
SHADOW OF TEMPTATION
by Nora Kane
A dead body hidden in a storage unit…unlikely witnesses stumbling on the dead body…
DIE BY THE SWORD
by Rachel Ford
I think they're going to kill me...
This is the prequel backstory to Kane’s Margot Harris series. We’re introduced to Margot, a patrol officer aiming for detective with the local police force. The novella is a short mystery (40 pages) worth reading. Don’t expect a lot of character development and a twisty plot–40 pages isn’t long enough to accomplish that. But the novella will introduce you to Kane’s writing style and what to expect in the series. It’s free on her website when you join her mailing list. FREE BOOK
Die by the Sword by award-winning author Rachel Ford is a good solid read that had me second-guessing. Owen Day, former Army intelligence analyst, receives a cryptic telephone call from an army buddy. He drops everything and heads to the remote Montana wilderness to help his friend Caleb, only to find Caleb has disappeared. Owen becomes entangled in a web of lies as he investigates Caleb’s disappearance. With a brutal winter storm on the horizon, Owen needs to find Caleb fast, but one wrong step and Owen may disappear, too. You can find Ford’s novel on Amazon.
AVENGER OF BLOOD
by S.M. Reeve
How do you go from poster child of All-American-Girl-Next-Door to Calculating-Killer-on-a-Murderous-Rampage?
Try discovering a houseful of your family's bloody corpses.
WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU
by Donna Huston Murray
Deprived of her resources and framed for murder, ex-cop Lauren Beck is in for the fight of her life.
While I’m not a fan of the title, I’m definitely a fan of this book! S.M. Reeve’s novel, Avenger of Blood, is a great read. Anna Croix’s life is a checklist of perfects. Until she returns home for a visit and is greeted with her family’s bloody corpses instead of the scent of freshly baked apple pie. She’s lost and left with a gaping hole that turns into a burning drive for revenge, Anna style. She sets out to find out who killed her family and why. And when she does… Warning: Lots of violence. You’ll find Avenger of Blood on Amazon.
Donna Huston Murray’s novel, What Doesn’t Kill You, is Book 1 in the Lauren Beck Crime trilogy. As Lauren Beck mourns the loss of her friend Corinne, the last thing she expects is Corinne’s daughter to accuse her of murdering her mother. The former police officer quickly becomes the prime suspect. Lauren has plenty of people out to get her and no tangible proof to put one of them behind bars. But the killer has planted plenty of false evidence to land her in jail for the rest of her life. What Doesn’t Kill You is available on Amazon.
BAXTER K9-HERO
by Jodi Burnett
Crime and murder face off with the Mile High City’s
elite FBI K9 team.
FORGED
by Jodi Burnett
Deputy U.S. Marshal Dirk Sterling has more than his own demons to fight.
Jodi Burnett’s prequel to her FBI K-9 team series was an easy read. And there’s a dog. (You know me. Dog lover.) I enjoyed the look into the FBI K9 program. Special Agent Kendra Dean, the heroine in Baxter K9-Hero (the prequel to her FBI K9 Thriller series) felt a little flat when compared to Dirk Sterling in her novel Forged (see next review). Don’t expect a complicated plot. The page length isn’t enough to develop twists and turns. You receive Baxter K9-Hero, as well as the audiobook version of Baxter K-9 Hero when you join Burnett’s email list. FREE BOOK and FREE AUDIOBOOK
Jodi Burnett’s prequel novellas for Marshals series introduces you to Deputy U.S. Marshal Dirk Sterling. I enjoy flawed characters and Sterling has his demons to fight. He’s a great character. I’m sure you’ll love Chapter 3 as much as I did. The novella is predictable in spots, but you can’t get the twists and turns in a short book. Forged is an easy and enjoyable read. When you sign up for Jodi Burnett’s newsletter, she’ll also send you Forged as well as Baxter K-9 Hero (e-book and audiobook). FREE BOOK
THE EXTRACTOR
by Ethan Jones
What if you had nothing to live for and nothing to lose…
AT BAY
by John W Mefford
The crash was her first sign.
Then came the dead bodies.
What can I say? The book begins with an action scene… exactly how I like them. I was excited when I saw Ethan Jones’s book in this week’s free promos. I met Ethan many years ago when he was just starting out. He spoke to a group of writers at our local library about his self-publishing experience. I was impressed with his passion and work ethic. I’ve been following him ever since. And yes, at one point he lived in my neck of the woods. His books run approximately 240 pages and he has several series to choose from. He writes clean thrillers. You can The Extractor on Amazon.
I enjoyed reading At Bay by John W Mefford. This is Book 1 in the Alex Troutt Thriller series. There are a couple of blips that took me out of the story, but they didn’t stop me from reading the book. The second chapter brings us into FBI Alex Troutt’s world. She wakes up in the hospital, suffering amnesia. The beginning mirrors the start of the first chapter which I found a bit confusing at first. But keep reading… the rest of the story moves smoothly as she tracks a serial killer while trying to piece together her past. At Bay is available on Amazon.
KILLERS, BIKERS,
& FREAKS
by Andrew Allan
What if you had nothing to live for and nothing to lose…
THE UNPOPULAR SHERIFF
by Andrew Allan
Danger has come to Kansas.
I’m officially an Andrew Allan fan. Killers, Bikers, & Freaks is the second Andrew Allan book I’ve read. I’m in love with his action-packed plots, characters, and flawless writing. TV infomercial writer and born pitchman Walt Asher is a normal guy caught in a far from normal situation. Fortunately, he can pitch anything. A great skill to have when you’re running for your life. You have to read this book! You can find Killers, Bikers, & Freaks on Amazon.
If you’re like me and enjoy an underdog protagonist, you’re going to love the Unpopular Sheriff. Step into fast-paced action. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse… it does. The title says it all. Who else would you expect to be the only one stubborn enough to save the town? A must-read!!! You can grab Allan’s book on Amazon.
A PINT OF PROBLEMS
by Chris Lowry
He should run away. Fast.
TWIN MOTIVES
by L. Ticu Peno
The hours pass without a word from the abductors.
This is Book 1 in Chris Lowry’s Jake Burbank Mystery series. If you like stories where the main character is the underdog, you’re going to love Jake Burbank, a has-been alcoholic lawyer who takes things in stride, one drink at a time. The books in this series are novella length, so don’t expect an intricate plot. The page count isn’t there for that. But expect a solid story and a character who, despite all his flaws, is downright likeable. You can find A Pint of Problems on Amazon.
Tincu Peno’s novel is a solid police procedural. When a school bus disappears during its morning route, former Marine and newbie Detective Paige McDonald get her first stab at a high-stakes case. What on the surface appears to be a kidnapping is an intricate plot with twelve elementary school children’s lives at stake. The dynamics between Paige and the experienced detective who gets stuck with her adds to the story’s tension. While I found Paige’s reactions at points too inexperienced for a former Marine, the plot moved quickly enough to keep me turning the pages. Twin Motives is on Amazon.
MIDNIGHT DRIVE
by Tom Fowler
Tyler’s boss told him the job would be easy. Then the client disappeared.
SURVIVING THE BRINGER OF DEATH
by Kira Black
A serial killer's lair.
My living nightmare.
My desperate bid for freedom.
This is the prequel novella in Tom Fowler’s John Tyler series. As you know, I love a good underdog story, especially if the underdog can kick butt. Tyler most definitely does. This is a solid enjoyable that introduces Tyler, a fifty-year-old former Green Beret who works for Patriot Security. When a simple routine job takes an unexpected turn, Tyler has to deal with his jerk of a boss, his worried teenage daughter, and a house full of ruthless drug dealers who want him dead. You can get Midnight Drive when you sign up to Tim Fowler’s newsletter, plus Hong Kong Dangerous, the prequel to his C.T. Ferguson mysteries. FREE BOOK
This is Black’s first book in her A well-written story with unrelenting suspense. This book contains many violent scenes and I tend to shy away from books with this level of violence. Please take note of the trigger warning at the beginning of the book. Despite the level of violence, I found the book to be an excellent read. This book is novella length. You can find Black’s book on Amazon.
