Review: Inn at Last Chance (Last Chance #7) by Hope Ramsay

Format: Kindle Edition

Print Length: 368 pages

Publisher: Forever (April 29 2014)

Sold by: Hachette Book Group Digital, Inc.

Language: English

ASIN: B00ECEA30M

Book Description

"Last Chance captures the essence of Southern charm and quirkiness. I'm totally captivated!" --- Sherryl Woods, New York Times bestselling author
Jenny Carpenter is the unrivaled pie-baking champion of Last Chance, South Carolina's annual Watermelon Festival and the town's unofficial spinster. With her dream of marriage and children on hold, she focuses on another dream, turning the local haunted house into a charming bed-and-breakfast. But her plans go off course when the home's former owner shows up on her doorstep on a dark and stormy night . . .

Mega-bestselling horror writer Gabriel Raintree is as mysterious and tortured as his heroes. His family's long-deserted mansion is just the inspiration he needs to finish his latest twisted tale, or so he thinks until he learns it's been sold. The new innkeeper proves to be as determined as she is kind, and soon Gabriel finds himself a paying guest in his own home. As Jenny and Gabe bring new passion to the old house, can she convince him to leave the ghosts of his past behind-and make Last Chance their first choice for a future together?

About the Author

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.

You can learn more at:
HopeRamsay.com
Facebook.com/Hope.Ramsay
Twitter, @HopeRamsay.

My Review

The small South Carolina town of Last Chance definitely needed an inn but perhaps Jenny Carpenter did not pick the ideal location...a deserted old family hunting lodge in the swamp that seems to be haunted. At the inn, renamed The Jonquil House, things seem  a trifle off but heat up once the old owner's grandson Gabriel Raintree shows up and demands a room in the not yet opened inn...or he offers to buy it back. Jenny however is determined to open the inn herself on her terms.

Gabriel had not been back to town since a tragedy took his brother's life 25 years ago. The family handyman, Zeph, has long been blamed for this. We've met Zeph before in earlier novels. He has a relationship with a ghost who insists on matching up people with lost and battered animals. While all of the Last Chance books have soon type of ghost or haunt, they do not make the story scary in any way. This novel provides an explanation for the ghost that haunted Zeph as well as provides answers to the death of a young man 25 years ago.

This is most of all a love story, the story of Jenny and Gabriel.  Hope Ramsay always does a good job at writing romance. I have read this entire series, which is a light romantic series. Each novel can stand alone but it is better to have read the earlier stories. If you like romances set in small Southern towns then you will like this series.

Great writer, good stories, great series. Be sure to pick up your copy on April 29th.

Review: All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Canada (April 15 2014)
• Sold by: Random House Canada, Incorp.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00GL3OJ4I

Book Description

Miriam Toews is beloved for her irresistible voice, for mingling laughter and heartwrenching poignancy like no other writer. In her most passionate novel yet, she brings us the riveting story of two sisters, and a love that illuminates life.

You won’t forget Elf and Yoli, two smart and loving sisters. Elfrieda, a world-renowned pianist, glamorous, wealthy, happily married: she wants to die. Yolandi, divorced, broke, sleeping with the wrong men as she tries to find true love: she desperately wants to keep her older sister alive. Yoli is a beguiling mess, wickedly funny even as she stumbles through life struggling to keep her teenage kids and mother happy, her exes from hating her, her sister from killing herself and her own heart from breaking.

But Elf’s latest suicide attempt is a shock: she is three weeks away from the opening of her highly anticipated international tour. Her long-time agent has been calling and neither Yoli nor Elf’s loving husband knows what to tell him. Can she be nursed back to “health” in time? Does it matter? As the situation becomes ever more complicated, Yoli faces the most terrifying decision of her life.

All My Puny Sorrows, at once tender and unquiet, offers a profound reflection on the limits of love, and the sometimes unimaginable challenges we experience when childhood becomes a new country of adult commitments and responsibilities. In her beautifully rendered new novel, Miriam Toews gives us a startling demonstration of how to carry on with hope and love and the business of living even when grief loads the heart.

About the Author

 Miriam Toews (pronounced taves) was born in 1964 in the small Mennonite town of Steinbach, Manitoba. She has published four novels and a memoir of her father, and is the recipient of numerous literary awards including the Governor General's Award, the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award (twice), and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. In 2007 she made her screen debut in the film Luz silenciosa. She was nominated for Best Actress at Mexico's Ariel Awards for her performance.

My Review

 I really enjoyed Miriam Toews' (pronounced toes in Plattdeutsch thank you very much - see above in About the Author from Amazon) debut novel A Complicated Silence, I really did not enjoy this novel very much. While it is very well written I found the story to be rather repetitive and depressing. Can later generations still be affected by the massacres their ancestors lived through in Russia one hundred years ago? Does an ethnic group have a monopoly on being sorrow filled? Most Mennonites that I know did not bring their sorrows with them...they brought a drive to be successful all while playing down their successes to others. I see a will to live not a desire to wallow in sorrows. It is obvious that Ms. Toews clings to the negative results of growing up in a Mennonite family in a Mennonite community instead of embracing what is good....the joy found in music and worship. 

Time to read something light where people have quirks that are endearing instead of annoying. I think I'll pass on Miriam Toews going forward.

 

Cookbook Review: Fine Cooking Cakes & Cupcakes: 100 Best Ever Recipes by Fine Cooking

• Series: Fine Cooking
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Taunton Press (February 4, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1627103899
• ISBN-13: 978-1627103893

Book Description

Never buy another boxed cake mix again! Fine Cooking Cakes & Cupcakes features the best from-scratch cake recipes Fine Cooking has published, from gorgeous layer cakes, simple bundt cakes, and icebox favorites to decorated cupcakes, snacking cakes, and crumb cakes—frostings and fillings, too! Tips and techniques, coupled with the triple-tested recipes, ensure delicious results every time.


My Review

I love the layout of this cookbook! It has beautiful photos that illustrate what the finished product should look like. Some have the recipes have illustrated steps as well.

The cookbook is divided into these sections:

• snacking cakes
• layer cakes, cupcakes & other party cakes
• cool & creamy cakes
• fruit cakes
• showstoppers & special-occasion cakes

 I had been looking for some good from scratch cake recipes and I have found them here. There are illustrated instructions on how to frost a cake. The recipe for Southern Devil's Food Cake looks divine...I cannot wait to try it. And I'm all over the four-layer cake with raspberry whipped cream and mixed berries. And the chocolate mousse layer cake has some excellent decorating ideas.

Let's face it, I'm a cookbook junkie and this cookbook is an excellent addition to my collection and more than fulfills my fix! I'm sold! Be sure to pick up a copy of this cookbook!

Review: It's A God Thing: When Miracles Happen to Everyday People by Don Jacobson

• File Size: 1685 KB
• Print Length: 231 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0849921996
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 7, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00DNBECDO

Book Description

Some things in life have no earthly explanation.

Miracles are not reserved for the characters in the Old and New Testaments; they happen to everyday people.

Series creators Don Jacobson and K-LOVE Radio have joined together to produce one of the most remarkable collections of modern-day miracles ever compiled. From angel appearances in hospital rooms to a mother saved from a would-be assailant in Hyde Park, from a young autistic girl becoming a beautiful ballerina overnight to a young backpacker who walked away from a terrorist attack, It’s a God Thing presents some of the most amazing stories of God’s hand on our lives.

Be motivated as never before to look for and witness the incredible ways that God is interacting in your life and the lives of those around you.

“With their new book, It’s a God Thing, I believe K-LOVE and my friend Don Jacobson will call friends of Jesus everywhere to look for His capers around the world! Do you know why God involves Himself in our lives? Because God is love and love does!” —Bob Goff, author of the New York Times bestseller Love Does

“Every day we all are faced with stress, situations we can’t control and often the fear that we really are all alone. . . . These stories give us courage in times of peril and strengthen us when we feel helpless.”—TobyMac, top Christian artist and Grammy Award winner

“In It’s a God Thing true servants of God share how their lives were transformed when their understanding became the Father’s. What a blessing to be a child of the King!” —Missy Robertson, star of Duck Dynasty

“There is so much going on around us that we never see. Life is all about perspective, and when that lines up with the hand of God, it is remarkable to witness. This book and collection of stories from my friends at K-LOVE will inspire and encourage you greatly!” —Andy Andrews, New York Times best-selling author, The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift

“Sometimes I’m guilty of looking so hard for God that I miss Him right in front of me. May we all be reminded through It’s a God Thing that some of the simplest moments in life can quite possibly be some of God’s greatest miracles.”—Bart Millard, lead singer of MercyMe

“Nothing astonished people in the New Testament more than watching Jesus perform a miracle right before their eyes—and nothing inspires us today more than hearing He did it again! My good friend Don Jacobson, publisher of The Prayer of Jabez, has once again launched the perfect message for today—don’t miss it!”—Bruce Wilkinson, author, The Prayer of Jabez

“There is nothing better than hearing others talk about the ways that God has intervened in their lives. Miracles happen every day all around the world. These stories are incredible.”—Robert D. Smith, author, 20,000 Days and Counting

“God doesn’t need for us to be aware of the miracles He’s performing, but they’re happening every day! It’s a God Thing, a new book from K-LOVE, is a powerful vehicle to tell the story of a number of those miracles.”—Brandon Heath, 2008 New Artist of the Year Dove Award winner

About the Author

 Don Jacobson has enjoyed working in the publishing industry for more than thirty years. After selling Multnomah Publishers to Random House in 2006, Don founded D. C. Jacobson & Associates (DCJA), an author management company, where he continues to work closely with authors — together dreaming about books that change the world by helping the church realize its true calling.

My Review

 It's a God Thing is a collection of 46 stories that will inspire and delight the reader.  I like to have books like this on my beside table for when I want a quick inspiring read that will help confirm and strengthen my faith. This book was compiled by Don Jacobson who has been in the Christian publishing business for over 30 years and K-Love which is a radio station that is supported by its listeners.

One thing that I have learned over the years is to be grateful to God for unanswered prayers because of course we often pray for things to happen which in the end are not in our best interest. Story 24 - Thanking God for unanswered prayer confirmed this belief.  In this story, Ray Whipps recounts his time in Europe during World War II. Events keep happening to this young soldier, repeated situations where his prayers were unanswered or answered with a No. He keeps asking "Why?" to himself. He ended up in a hospital in Cherbourg during the war due to injuries where he met his future wife Betty. Near the end of the war Ray was in a prisoner-of-war camp, close to death when his camp was liberated by the Allied troops. Behind the scenes the Lord was working to ensure that Betty and Ray found each other and both made it home to marry and have a family.  They did not lose their faith in God. The Lord works in mysterious ways to move our lives in directions we never imagined.

Great book to inspire and remind us of that life is a God thing!

Review: Silver Totem of Shame: A Meg Harris Mystery by R.J. Harlick

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Dundurn (April 26 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1459721691
• ISBN-13: 978-1459721692

Book Description

While visiting Vancouver, Meg Harris comes across the crime scene of a murdered Haida carver. The young man proves to be the adopted nephew of the estranged sister of Meg's husband, Eric Odjik. The unexpected encounter with his sister forces Eric to confront his painful past and eventually sends Meg and Eric up the coast to Haida Gwaii in search of the boy's family and his killer. As the search progresses, a totem pole carver sets out to carve the ancient story of a long ago chief's treasure and how it incited betrayal and shame. It reaches its nasty tentacles into the present and embroils Meg and Eric in a modern-day story of clan rivalry and betrayal.

About the Author

 R.J. Harlick's love for Canada's untamed wilds is the inspiration for the six-book Meg Harris series. The fourth in the series, Arctic Blue Death, was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award for best crime novel. She lives in Ottawa.

My Review

Silver Totem of Shame is initially set in Vancouver, which is where I live, so of course my interest was immediately grabbed. Then R.J. Harlick's wonderful writing style and story kept me glued to the book. This is the sixth in the series but the first I have read. The books in the series are all priced very low for the Kindle on Amazon right now so I bought more already. It is not necessary to read the earlier volumes to be able to follow Silver Totem of Shame; it could easily stand alone.

Meg Harris and her husband, Eric Odjik, are visiting Vancouver for a First Nations meeting. A young Haida carver is murdered. Events start to get really interesting once it is discovered that the murder victim is Eric's adopted sister's adopted son. Both Eric and Alistair the murder victim are of First Nations heritage. The action soon moves from Vancouver to the isolated and rugged Queen Charlotte Islands which are known today by their Haida name: Haida Gwaii.

Things heat up once everyone is in Haida Gwaii. The new chief is holding a totem raising and potlatch which is expected of a new chief. Not everyone is happy with the person is the new chief. Old hurts, old shames fester beneath the surface and erupt as the story progresses.

This is an outstanding mystery that fittingly portrays the current realities of First Nations people in British Columbia. R.J. Harlick has brought Vancouver, the Haida people, and Haida Gwaii to life. The islands are beautiful but desolate and the cold there is such a wet cold that deeply penetrates your bones. I could feel for Meg as the waves were crashing over the boat. 

I really enjoyed the Silver Totem of Shame. R.J. Harlick is a wonderful storyteller and able to provide the reader with an authentic sense of place. Be sure to pick up a copy when it is released in April.

Review: Down by the River by Lin Stepp

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Books (May 27 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00GYLVSK0

Book Description

"A charming portrait of the Smokies, their people, and a wonderful way of life." --Deborah Smith, New York Times bestselling author


Set against the backdrop of Tennessee's breathtaking Smoky Mountains, Lin Stepp's Down By the River is a warm-hearted novel that proves it's never too late--or too early--for a fresh start. . .

While on a visit to the Smokies, Grace Conley makes a stunning decision: she's going to walk away from her busy life in Nashville to move to tiny Townsend and open a bed and breakfast. There's a beautiful old inn for sale along the Little River that will do perfectly. Of course, Grace's family is scandalized. After all, she's a middle-aged widow! And as a career homemaker, she's always been available for babysitting, chauffeuring, and generally being the peacemaker among her grown children. Has Grace lost her mind? She begins to wonder the same thing once she finds herself attracted to the local ladies' man. But the surprises don't stop there. . .

To further complicate her move, Grace's daughter, Margaret, has grudgingly come to live with her. Having just graduated from college, remote Townsend is not where she envisions her future. Yet the handsome young minister next door is convinced he and Margaret are meant for each other. As life choices abound, soon both women will discover that the biggest decisions require confidence, a sense of humor--and a deep, abiding faith.

Praise for Lin Stepp and her Smoky Mountain Novels
 
"I've finally come across someone that believes in all the things that I do. . .love, family, faith, intrigue, mystery, loyalty, romance, and a great love for our beloved Smoky Mountains." –Dolly Parton

"A wonderful, new Southern voice." --Joan Medlicott, author of the bestselling The Ladies of Covington series

About the Author

 Dr. Lin Stepp is a native Tennessean, a businesswoman, and an educator. She is on faculty at Tusculum College where she teaches psychology and writing. Her business background includes over 20 years in marketing, sales, production art, and regional publishing. But closest to her heart is her beloved series of contemporary novels set in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

My Review

I really enjoyed this book by Lin Stepp. First, it is set in the beautiful East Tennessee Smoky Mountains in a small town near Gatlinburg. Second, it is about a middle aged woman whose family is grown, her husband has been deceased for three years and she is ready for a new start in life. So she buys an inn against the wishes of her children and her formidable mother-in-law. She had always been treated like a beautiful trophy wife who was "just" a housewife and mother. It is wonderful watching her character evolve with this new venture. I really enjoyed the character of Grace because she is a similar age to me and facing some similar situations. I was impressed that her character was able to see her worth in the amazing crafts that she created despite her family having trivialized her crafting in the past. And that her homemaking and event planning skills were put to use in her new business endeavor.

It is not always easy for Grace Conley. Though she was the perfect wife and mother for thirty years, she neglected her own ambitions and neglected her family. She did what a lot of people do - she didn't always think about how her actions were affecting others. Luckily she has a mother to set her straight! Many of the characters in this story grow in their Christian walk which is very inspiring.

This is a romance, a mystery and a Christian novel. Lin Stepp, the author, has provided a study guide at the end of the novel if you are reading this in a small group or book club. This is the first book of Lin Stepp's that I have read and definitely will not be the last. Thanks for taking me back to the glorious Smoky Mountains through your words!

Review: Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers: Finding Freedom from Hurt and Hate by Dr. Leslie Leyland Fields

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 753 KB
• Print Length: 212 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0849964725
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (Jan. 21 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00DNBE996

Book Description

“If our families are to flourish, we will need to learn and practice ways of forgiving those who have had the greatest impact upon us: our mothers and fathers.”

Many of us struggle with the deep pain of a broken relationship with a parent. In a unique style that seamlessly moves between analysis, biblical interpretation, and memoir, Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers offers portraits of authentic forgiveness that model ways to repair those relationships.

The authors share their own experiences with forgiveness, providing comfort and hope to those wrestling with questions like these:

What does the Bible say about forgiveness? Why must we forgive at all?How do we honor those who act dishonorably toward us, especially when they are as influential as our parents? Can we ever break free from the “sins of our fathers”?What does forgiveness look like in real life? Do I have to let an estranged parent back into my life? How do I forgive a parent who has passed away?
Fields connects true stories with scriptural support for encouragement, while Hubbard’s chapter-ending commentaries add a clinical perspective. Their hope is that we gain a greater understanding of ourselves, our parents, and our God, arriving at “a place of freedom that we cannot even imagine now, a freedom that promises to begin to heal the brokenness of the world itself.”

About the Author

Leslie Leyland Fieldsis an award-winning author of eight books, a contributing editor for Christianity Today,a national speaker, a popular radio guest, and a sometimes commercial fisherwoman, working with her husband and 6 children in commercial fishing on Kodiak Island, Alaska where she has lived for 36 years.


Dr. Jill Hubbard is a clinical psychologist and regular co-host on Christian radio's nationally-syndicated New Life Live program. Dr. Jill has gained a reputation for her gentle and insightful style of connecting with radio callers. She is also in private practice where she sees clients who struggle with depression, addictions, eating disorders, and relational and personal growth issues. Dr. Jill lives with her family in southern California.


My Review

 I choose to read this book, "Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers: Finding Freedom from Hurt and Hate", because like my other adults I have continuing issues with my feelings toward one of my parents. My father has been gone for fifteen years but the hurts remain. They were never resolved. And in his death, he found ways to hurt us even more. So forgive...how do you forgive.

Of course, I know as a Christian how important it is to forgive. But it is advantageous to have it all laid out for you....laid bare by someone else who has been there. This book uses the author's own stories to tell the struggle of parental forgiveness. And more importantly, it points the reader in the right direction to scripture to find the answers of how to forgive.

If you are struggling with forgiving one or more of your parents, this book will provide tremendous assistance to you.

Women in Mystery Month

Every month should be devoted to celebrating kick-ass women crime writers—but because it’s Women’s History Month, we have extra reason to praise these genre-pioneering women.

From Dorothy B. Hughes, the queen of hard-boiled domestic suspense and Edgar Grand Master, to Dorothy L. Sayers, who argued for women’s rights and created the beloved Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, these women writers have not only worked to achieve greater gender equality in the mystery genre, but in the world.

To honor these women and their work, Open Road Media has created this video, featuring several authors speaking about breaking into the male-dominated mystery genre and defying the status quo. Hear from Ruth Rendell, Susan Isaacs, Laura Lippman, and Susan Dunlap, a cofounder of Sisters in Crime.

Better yet, several of these mysteries and thrillers will be on sale from $1.99 through the end of the month. To learn more, visit their Womenin Mystery page, or their dedicated Amazon page.

Giveaway: Cats, Books, and...More Cats!: Our guest today: Lucy Burdette!

Cats, Books, and...More Cats!: Our guest today: Lucy Burdette!: Meow! My guest today is author Lucy Burdette!   Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 12 mysteries, including th...

Review: Before We Kiss (Fool's Gold #14) by Susan Mallery

• Format: Kindle Edition
• Print Length: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (May 27 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00HAZ6BHO

Book Description

New York Times bestselling sensation Susan Mallery returns to Fool's Gold, California, where it's true that sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs…

Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool's Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life.

Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend's bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her "wild youth" to raise her sisters. She doesn't want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would've been nice.

His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event. As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam's luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?


About the Author

 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women. Publishers Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. Visit her at www.SusanMallery.com.

My Review

I think this is the steamiest Fool's Gold book yet by Susan Mallery. I'm blushing just thinking about it!

The main character in Before We Kiss, Dellina, is an event planner which I found particularly interesting as it is one of the jobs that I most enjoy.  And she is an excellent event planner, on top of everything.  Dellina is working with former pro-football player Sam Ridge to plan an event for his company and the sparks do fly and they sizzle! 

The secondary stories are quite interesting. I'm finding Mayor Marsha fascinating all of a sudden. And like I said, this is one steamy romance novel.

Always enjoy visiting Fool's Gold. It's better than comfort food. If you are a fan of this series then you are going to be thrilled with Before We Kiss.
 

Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour Review: Southern Heat by David Burnsworth

Southern Heat Tour Page

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2014/02/18/pump-up-your-book-presents-southern-heat-virtual-book-publicity-tour/

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 500 KB
• Print Length: 304 pages
• Publisher: Five Star Publishing (Feb. 19 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00IF9FAKS

Book Description

Gunshots echo down an antebellum Charleston alley. Brack Pelton, an ex-racecar driver and Afghanistan War veteran, witnesses the murder of his uncle, Reggie Sails. Darcy Wells, the pretty Palmetto Pulse reporter, investigates Reggie's murder and targets Brack.

The sole heir of his uncle's estate, Brack receives a rundown bar called the Pirate's Cove, a rotting beach house, and one hundred acres of preserved and valuable wetland along the Ashley River. A member of Charleston's wealthiest and oldest families offers Brack four million dollars for the land. All Brack wants is his uncle's killer.

From the sandy beaches of Isle of Palms, through the nineteenth-century mansions lining the historic Battery, to the marshlands surrounding the county, Southern Heat is drenched in the humidity of the lowcountry.


About the Author

 David Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. Southern Heat is his first mystery. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife along with their dog call.

My Review

Just visited Charleston and the surrounding area in October so was very much looking forward to reading this book! Southern Heat hooked my interest right from the first pages. Brack Pelton stumbles across his uncle's dying body in a Charleston alley while on his way to meet him for dinner. The police initially suspect that Brack is behind the killing but Brack works with an interesting assortment of characters to solve the crime.

New author David Burnsworth has created quite the cast of characters in Southern Heat. The setting is represented beautifully and the story is well written. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the readers interest. It is a great mystery!

I really enjoyed Southern Heat and I'm sure you will too. I'm looking forward to more novels from David Burnsworth.