Blog Tour: The Last Time I Saw You by Eleanor Moran

Today we welcome author Eleanor Moran who is promoting her book The Last Time I Saw You.  Enjoy her interview after my thoughts on the book.

Publisher: Quercus
Date of publication: February 2013

When Olivia Berrington gets the call to tell her that her best friend from college has been killed in a car crash in New York, her life is turned upside down. Her relationship with Sally was an exhilarating roller coaster, until a shocking betrayal drove them apart. But if Sally really had turned her back, why is her little girl named after Olivia?

As questions mount about the fatal accident, Olivia is forced to go back and unravel their tangled history. But as Sally’s secrets start to spill out, Olivia’s left asking herself if the past is best kept buried.

The Last Time I Saw You is a well written and compelling story about toxic friendship.  I have to admit, this book was a little hard to get into at first.  I struggled a bit with the writing as a lot of the terms and slang were very British and I didn't know what some of the phrases meant.  But, overall, I ended  up liking the story.  At its heart, the book is about toxic friendship and how long it can affect our lives. 

As the story waffles between the past and the aftermath of Sally's death, we see how awful Sally treated Livvy during their friendship in college and how it affected Livvy's life.   Clearly there was something wrong with Sally as she was manipulative and would pick up and drop friends on a whim.  Honestly, I disliked Sally throughout the book and never had any sympathy for her even in the end. I thought that everyone who knew her was better off without her. 

 I felt bad for Livvy and was really rooting for her to make something else out of her life.  I think that Sally's friendship really did a number on her and its aftermath did a number on Livvy.  Even though it was very recent after Sally's death, I was OK with the relationship that developed between Livvy and William.  For me, it made sense as they both needed to find comfort after Sally's death.  I liked the end and thought the solution to the "mystery" was satisfying if not unexpected.  I do recommend giving this one a try.

Kari & Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?
     

Eleanor: I’ve always loved reading, and studied English Literature at college. I’ve had a long career in TV drama, working on other people’s scripts, and I guess I wanted to have a go! I was also going through a personal dilemma at the time. I was meant to be getting married, and I knew in my heart it wasn’t right, even though it ticked so many boxes and I was exactly the age you’re ‘supposed’ to get married. My first novel, Stick or Twist, came out of that. Leaving the relationship behind felt like a gamble. A painful gamble!

Kari & Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books? 

Eleanor: They tend to be rooted in my real life experience, but then I heavily fictionalise to make them less personal and more interesting! The Last Time I Saw You came out of an experience I had around the savage ending of one of my college friendships. I think many women have a ‘toxic friendship’ that may haunt them for years. When we lose a lover, we know what the rules are. We grieve, our friends neatly separate out, we eventually meet someone else. When friendship goes wrong - and bear in mind, we’ve probably shared our deepest, most shaming secrets - we don’t have a rule book. We don’t replace friends in the way we perhaps replace romantic partners. Instead we’re left with a hole, wondering where it all went wrong.

I also wanted to write about how it is to date in your 30s, 40s and beyond. By this time you both have significant baggage, other long term partners that have gone before. How do you avoid being haunted by the ghosts of relationships past? For Livvy this is particularly acute, because William’s ex is her one time best friend. She soon starts to wonder if she still knew Sally best, even after their long estrangement, and finds herself compelled to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her fatal car crash.

Kari & Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Eleanor: I’ve just completed my new novel, another psychological thriller, this time about how we’re affected by the father/daughter relationship.

I have a parallel career as a TV drama executive, and I’m waiting to hear if a legal pilot I made for Sky last year is going to be picked up to series.

Kari & Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why? 

Eleanor: I love Jane, the heroine of Melissa Bank’s The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing. She is so flawed and funny and utterly human. I identify with a lot of her dilemmas, and I love how Bank manages to be light and profound all at the same time. When I’m stuck, I often go back to her books.

Kari & Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I’d be a leopard. I love leopard print. It would save me a lot of money in J.Crew if I was simply swaddled in leopard fur! 

About the author:

Eleanor Moran is the author of three previous novels: Stick or Twist, Mr Almost Right and Breakfast in

Bed, which is currently being developed for television. Eleanor also works as a television drama executive and her TV credits include Rome, I5, Spooks, Being Human and a biopic of Enid Blyton, Enid, starring Helena Bonham Carter. Eleanor grew up in North London, where she still lives.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @EleanorKMoran

Eleanor Moran’s Website: http://www.eleanormoran.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EleanorMoranBooks

Excerpt Reveal: Falling for Owen by Jennifer Ryan

To celebrate the release of  FALLING FOR OWEN - Book 2: The McBrides Series, we are taking part in an exciting excerpt reveal tour  that will take everyone up to on sale day - April 15th. - You can read the first excerpt here.  Also make sure to enter the giveaway below!

Author: Jennifer Ryan
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: April 2014

The McBrides of Fallbrook return with reformed bad boy Owen. He'll do whatever he must to protect the woman who's captured his heart. Attorney by day, rancher by night Owen McBride conquered his dark past and made it his mission to help the innocent—even at the expense of a personal life. But when a client's abusive ex-husband targets Owen and his gorgeous neighbor Claire gets caught in the crossfire, his feelings turn anything but professional. The mysterious beauty awakens something in him, and he'll move heaven and earth to keep her safe. Coffee shop owner Claire Walsh learned the hard way that handsome men aren't to be trusted. Owen may be sexy as hell and determined to take care of her, but she's reluctant to put her heart on the line. His presence in her life puts a target on her back, yet the more time she spends with him, the more she finds she can't help falling for Owen. 

Chapter Two

Claire woke out of a sound sleep with a gasp and held her breath, trying to figure out what startled her. She listened to the quiet night. Nothing but crickets and the breeze rustling the trees outside. A twig snapped on the ground below her window. Her heart hammered faster and she sucked in a breath, trying not to panic. Living in the country lent itself to overactive imaginings about things that go bump in the dark night. The noise could be anything from a stray dog or cat to a raccoon on a midnight raid of her garbage cans—even an opossum looking for a little action.

Settled back into her pillow and the thick blankets, she closed her eyes, but opened them wide when something big brushed against the side of the house. Freaked out, she slipped out of bed and went to the window. She pulled the curtain back with one finger and peeked through the crack, scanning the moonlit yard below for wayward critters. Not so easy to see with the quarter moon, but she watched the shadows for anything suspicious. Nothing moved.

Not satisfied, and certainly not able to sleep without a more thorough investigation, she padded down the scarred wood stairs to the living room. She skirted packing boxes and the sofa and went to the window overlooking the front yard. Nothing moved. Still not satisfied, she walked to the dining room, opened the blinds, and stared out into the cold night. Something banged one flower pot into another on the back patio, drawing her away from the dining room, through the kitchen, and to the counter. She grabbed the phone off the charger, went around the island, and skimmed along the breakfast bar to the sliding glass door. She peeked out, hiding most of her body by the wall and ducking her head out to see if someone was trying to break into her house. Like she thought, the small pot filled with marigolds had been knocked over and broken against the pot of geraniums beside it. Upset her pretty pots and flowers were ruined, she stepped out from the wall and stood in the center of the glass door to get a better look.

The next installment will continue tomorrow at My Book Addiction—http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com  Enjoy!

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About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted Series. Jennifer writes romantic suspense and contemporary small-town romances. 

Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often  revealed in the state of her home and how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway Vampire's Hunger by Cynthia Garner

Giveaway details: Want to win an e-copy of Vampire's Hunger?  Just fill out the rafflecopter below to enter! Also make sure to check out the publisher's tour giveaway.  They are giving away a big prize! (See below)

Author: Cynthia Garnier

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Date of publication: April 2014

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, civilization no longer exists, and only the strongest survive. The few remaining humans must band together with supernatural beings to battle unspeakable evil-or all hope will be lost.

Kimber Treat is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary gift: she can raise the dead. As a necromancer who works with the police, she communicates with murder victims to bring their killers to justice. But after a normal session goes horribly wrong, Kimber realizes she's summoned something dark and sinister. She's unwittingly unleashed the apocalypse, and everyone blames her…except Duncan MacDonnough, the devastatingly handsome vampire she can't stop fantasizing about.

As society shuts down and flesh-eating hordes close in, Duncan vows to protect Kimber. He can keep her safe from others-but not from the insatiable carnal hunger he feels for her. Now racing to reverse the chaos she's unleashed, Kimber can't afford any distractions. But even as she succumbs to Duncan's seduction, she fears that he has a hidden agenda. And with the line between life and death starting to blur, his secrets might kill her-or worse…

My thoughts:

Vampires, zombies and necromancers seem like a great combination for a story, right?  Well, this one is packed with all three. Vampire's Hunger is a unique take on the zombie genre.  A necromancer, Kimber Treat, mistakenly summons a dark force during a routine job in the morgue.  The result is a zombie apocalypse that devastates the world. Vampires and humans are both susceptible to the zombie's bite.

I enjoyed this book.  I liked that the zombie's weren't initially made by a virus.  I also liked that the vampires could die from the bite as well.  It made them just as vulnerable as the humans.  The characters were interesting and there was enough action to keep the story moving.  I was sucked right in and read it very quickly.  Of course, the chemistry between Duncan and Kimber was intense. I loved them together!  The book left off in somewhat of a cliffhanger, so I look forward to reading the next book, Vampire's Thirst (May 2014) to see what happens!

Enjoy this excerpt!

Two nights later Duncan answered the knock on Kimber’s door. Murray stood there, just as fragile looking as ever. “What now?” Duncan asked.

The other vampire lifted his chin, motioning toward the inside of the apartment. “Maddalene wants to see your little necromancer again.” His face was expressionless but Duncan caught the smirk in his voice.

He clenched his jaw. No way in hell was Kimber going back there until he and Maddalene came to an understanding. The fact that Maddalene had overridden him and allowed hungry vampires into his living quarters, to threaten Kimber and her friends, had driven home the point that the sense of loyalty he felt toward Maddalene was a one-way street.

“Tell Maddalene to forget it,” he told Murray.

“I’m not your messenger boy, MacDonnough.” The skinny excuse for a vampire gave a grunt and pointed to his head. “Still attached, the way I like it. You got something to say to Maddalene, you say it yourself.” He gave a sardonic salute with two fingers and sauntered off.

Damn it.

Duncan closed the door and turned to face the other inhabitants of the apartment. Natalie stood in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter, her hands braced on either side. Aodhán was kicked back in the recliner, his gaze steady and calm. Kimber, his lovely Kimber, stood beside the sofa, arms crossed and one foot tapping on the floor.

“I am not going back there,” she said.

“No, you’re not.”

“I mean it, Duncan. Maddalene wants the impossible, and I won’t do it.”

“I agree.”

“No matter what you…” A frown dipped between her brows. “Wait. What?”

He couldn’t stop the small grin that quirked his lips. She was adorable when she was confused. It wasn’t a look he got to see very often because she had such a sharp mind. “I said I agree. You’re not going to see Maddalene.”

“Oh.” Her hands dropped to her sides. “Um, why not?”

Ignoring the interested gazes of Aodhán and Natalie, he walked over to Kimber and took her face in his palms. “Because I don’t trust her right now, and I mean to keep you safe.”

Her lips parted and he couldn’t stop himself from dipping his head to press a soft kiss against her mouth. When he drew away, her lashes fluttered and swept up to show slightly dazed eyes. That was a good sign, anyway. He knew she wasn’t indifferent to him. If he could prove to her that he wouldn’t lose control and drain her, maybe one day she’d trust him enough to let him close again. To let him love her.

He took a step back. Where the hell had that come from? He didn’t love Kimber. He couldn’t love her. She was mortal. He was not. He didn’t deny he wanted her—his lust for her was nearly a living entity on its own. But love?

No.

He didn’t have the time for love. He didn’t have the luxury for love.

He didn’t have the right. He’d done things he wasn’t proud of. Kimber deserved better than him. She certainly didn’t deserve the danger he’d be putting her in if Maddalene found out he had a soft spot for Kimber. And he deserved…

He firmed his jaw. He deserved only what she gave him. But that didn’t negate the fact that she had something he wanted—well, actually, two things he wanted: the ability to contact the Unseen and a body he wanted to lose himself in. Both might be within his reach if he could just get Maddalene to back the hell off.

Yeah, Duncan. Just keep telling yourself all you’re interested in is her body. You might really believe it someday.

He turned away from Kimber. Grabbing up the tire iron from where he’d placed it underneath the coffee table, he headed toward the front door. “I’m going to talk to Maddalene.”

“Wait.” Kimber’s soft voice stopped him. When he looked over his shoulder at her, she said, “Be careful.”

He gave a nod and pulled open the door. As he closed it behind him, he heard Aodhán say, “He’s strong and he’s fast. On his own, he’ll be able to get around any zombies out there. He’ll be fine.”

Fine against zombies, yes. Against his own heart? He wasn’t so sure.

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About the author:

Cynthia Garner discovered her love for writing when her sixth grade teacher told the class to write a story that began "It was a dark and stormy night..." With that Cynthia's love for all things paranormal was born.  When she's not working her day job as a mostly mild-mannered Human Resources Manager, she's on her laptop writing or playing way too much Solitaire. Originally from Northeast Ohio, Cynthia now lives in the desert Southwest.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

That Old Black Magic by Mary Jane Clark

Author: Mary Jane Clark
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: January 2014

Aspiring actress and wedding-cake decorator Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at the renowned French Quarter bakery, Boulangerie Bertrand, when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city. Intrigued by the case, Piper can't help but look for the "Hoodoo Killer" among the faces around her. Could it be the handsome guide eager to give her special private tours? Or the inscrutable jazz musician who plays on historic Royal Street? What about the ratings-starved radio talk-show host? Or even the amiable owner of the local Gris-Gris Bar?

Cake decorator/ aspiring actress Piper Donavan is back in That Old Black Magic.  This time around, she has traveled to New Orleans to work with a world famous baker and bake a cake for a wedding.  Of course, someone is murdered and Piper can't help but stumble into the mystery.  I did like this mystery and the killer took me by surprise.  I liked how Piper put it together this time.    As in her other books, the list of suspects is long and filled with many who could definitely have done it!  

I have to admit to not really loving this series in the beginning.  It has definitely gotten better over the 4 books in the series. I have enjoyed seeing Piper grow as both a person and a detective.  She still has some TSTL moments, but they make the story that much more entertaining.  One of the things that I loved about this book was how Piper is still feeling the after effects of the previous case.  Particularly in the claustrophobia and insomnia.  For me it made Piper more realistic since I think a lot of people would have some PTSD after being poisoned and almost dying. I feel like in a lot of mystery series, once the case is solved the main character moves on and it's almost like the danger in the book before never happened.

My only two complaints were the pop culture references.  Those drive me crazy! Having real actor names thrown into a fiction book really throw me off.  The part about Piper acting in a movie with Channing Tatum had me rolling my eyes.  Not a big deal, just a personal preference.  I also want more Jack!  This relationship needs to move forward.  I look forward to the next book, hopefully with more Jack and Piper together!

Blog Tour: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Today, I have the second novella  in the from the Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series.  It is a series of 6 clean novellas by 6 different authors. 

“Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.”

Author: Kaylee Baldwin
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: March 2014

Drew Westfall wants nothing more than to forget what he had to do in the name of "smart" business. Cutting off all ties with his parents—including handing over the entire contents of his trust fund to a charity—he takes off for Bridger, Colorado where his best friend has an extra room for him. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his business degree won’t do him much good in a town as small as Bridger, but he's broke and has nowhere else to go.

Eden Torresi has every reason to wallow. Not only did she have to sell her house to pay for her mother’s medical expenses, but she also had to drop out of school and is in a relationship with a guy unwilling to commit. But Eden isn't the wallowing type. Instead, she chooses to spend most of her time taking care of the seniors at Silver Linings Assisted Living. When she learns that her boyfriend's new roommate is down on his luck, her caring nature makes her want to reach out to him and offer what help she can. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated things get, especially when the seniors of Silver Linings decide to play matchmaker.

Silver Linings is the second in this clean romance novella series.  Drew showed up briefly at the end of Home Matters (my review).  Disillusioned by his parents wealth and power, he has donated his entire trust fund which numbers in the millions to Olivia and Pete's charity.  He has left everything behind and traveled to crash with his friend Jace.  An accident causes him to stumble into a nursing home where he meets Eden and a whole cast of fun characters who live at Silver Linings. I really felt like the meddling matchmakers at the nursing home were the highlight of the story.

I thought this one was such a sweet romance.  I liked it because it was fun to watch Eden and Drew fall in love.  Even though they both know it is wrong.  The problem is that Eden has a boyfriend.  Normally, I wouldn't be into a story where one person in the pair already has a boy/girlfriend but honestly, Jace and Eden really had no relationship.  Other than an emotional connection, I was happy to see that Drew and Eden did not cross a line that shouldn't be crossed.

This story has a lot packed into it. I think I ran the gamut of emotions while reading it. Both Eden and Drew are searching for peace and home.  I loved the bond that Eden had with her mother.  I also really felt for Eden in her struggle to take care of her dying mother.  It was sad, yet very touching.  The sacrifices that Drew makes because of his love for Eden were amazing.  I highly recommend this one!  I can't wait to read Jace's story in Righting a Wrong!  

About the author:

When Kaylee Baldwin isn’t writing, she’s usually chasing after her four children, checking her email, trying to

get motivated to train for that race she shouldn’t have signed up for, hanging out with her pretty awesome husband, and reading whatever good book she can find. She graduated from Arizona State with degree in English Lit. Her published books are Meg’s Melody, Six Days of Christmas (part of the All I Want collection) and Silver Linings.

Connect: Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads
Buy Links:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo
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After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman

Author: Laura Lippman
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: January 2014

When Felix Brewer meets nineteen-year-old Bernadette "Bambi" Gottschalk at a Valentine's Dance in 1959, he charms her with wild promises, some of which he actually keeps. Thanks to his lucrative-if not all legal-businesses, she and their three little girls live in luxury. But on the Fourth of July, 1976, Bambi's comfortable world implodes when Felix, newly convicted and facing prison, mysteriously vanishes.

Though Bambi has no idea where her husband-or all of his money-might be, she suspects one woman does: his devoted young mistress, Julie. When Julie disappears ten years to the day that Felix went on the lam, everyone assumes she's left to join her old lover-until her remains are eventually found in a secluded wooded park.

Now, twenty-six years after Julie went missing, Roberto "Sandy" Sanchez, a retired Baltimore detective working cold cases for some extra cash, is investigating her murder.  Somewhere between the secrets and lies connecting past and present, Sandy will find the truth. And when he does, no one will ever be the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed After I'm Gone.  It's the second book I have read by this author and I feel like it is the better of the two I read.  I was engaged throughout the entire story.  I liked how the details of Julie's murder and Felix's vanishing were laid out for the reader.    The pacing for the story was perfect.  The story waffles between events in the past ,told  through the eyes of Bambi,  her family, and Julie, and the present as Sandy tries to solve the cold case of Julie's murder.

After I'm Gone is going to be a hard book to review because I don't want to give away anything important.  The book has quite a few surprises and twists and it kept me guessing right up until the end.  I liked the solution and thought it was perfect for the book.  The ending was a bit bittersweet. 

 I loved the characters.  It was interesting to see how Bambi and each of her children were affected by the disappearance of Felix and Julie's murder.  Because the book shows their lives over a span of 50+ years,  you can really see the changes, and in some cases no changes, in all of them.  Out of everyone, I liked Sandy the best.  He was a very likable detective and I would love to see him in future books.    This is an intriguing mystery and I highly recommend it!

Throwback Thursday: Whistle for the Crows by Dorothy Eden

Author: Dorothy Eden
First publisher in 1962.  
Re-issued by Open Road Media July 2013

For Cathleen Lamb, traveling to Dublin to record the history of the mystery-shrouded O’Riordan family is the answer to a prayer. Still grieving over the accident that killed her husband and baby daughter, she hopes to lose herself in other people’s lives.

But something sinister is going on at the ancient castle at the edge of the moors . . . something beyond the scandalous skeletons rattling around the O’Riordans’ closets. The former heir was killed three years earlier in a suspicious fall. The same night, the family matriarch suffered a stroke that left her mute.

Despite the malice that surrounds her, Cathleen is drawn to the brooding, darkly passionate man who is plotting to control the family. But even he may not be able to protect her when the crimes of the past reach into the present to terrorize the living.

I've had a few Throwback Thursday reads in the past couple of weeks that just haven't been able to keep my interest.  Sadly, Whistle for the Crows is another one. This one was the Retro Read pick for March.  I was looking forward to reading this one.  I mean who wouldn't love a Gothic romance/mystery.  I think the problem with this one was that it was really dated.  It was originally published in 1962.  For me, it didn't carry over well.   I found the characters uninteresting and the story kind of dull.  I got about a third of the way in and found I didn't want to finish.  It has gotten some good feedback, so if the Gothic genre is your thing, then give it a shot.

Joint Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Author:Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Date of publication: February 2014

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Honestly, I thought this one was the best out of the series.  I found it to be very fast paced and the story flew by for me.  All of the characters are present in the story, so it was nice that it didn't just focus on all one couple.  I loved the new couple.  Cress reminded me of Rapunzel in the movie Tangled.  She was so naive, bubbly and enthusiastic about everything. You can't help but like her.  I thought she was a great match for Thorne. The twist in how their partnership worked was cool.  

As for the other characters, I found myself liking Cinder a lot more.  I felt bad for her and the position she has been thrust into.  I hope she and Kai have a HEA in the next book. Their reunion was really cute. We get a glimpse of Luna and Winter who is the character in the last book.  Is she really crazy or is she just playing at crazy?  I look forward to finding out.

I enjoyed this book as well.  I think this has been a very well thought out series.  I like how each book focuses on a different character, yet continues the story.  This approach keeps each book fresh and doesn't necessarily make me feel like it's just one long story stretched into 3 book, just for the sake of a trilogy, or in this case a quadrilogy.  Is that the word?  

The characters and their stories were starting to tie together very well in this book.  I was really intrigued by the introduction of  Princess Winter and finding out who she is for real.  I found the description of Luna to sound like a cross between The Capitol from The Hunger Games and The Queen's Palace from Alice in Wonderland.  Book 4, currently titled Winter, is scheduled for publication in 2015.  I'm sure we'll be doing another joint review then!   

The Execution by Dick Wolf

by:  Dick Wolf
published by:  William Morrow and Company
publish date:  January 7, 2014

NYPD Detective Jeremy Fisk must make an uneasy ally - the disturbingly beautiful and assertive Mexican Intelligence Agency Detective Cecilia Garza. She recognizes the signature of assassin Chuparosa - a hummingbird carved on a corpse. After years of pursuit, she knows only that he is heading to Manhattan - with the rest of the world for UN Week.   Ten days after the Mexican presidential election, 23 bodies were found beheaded on the US border, each carved by Chuparosa. Near New York, Rockaway has a mass murder. There is more to this threat than meets the eye — and justice is not always blind.

This is the second book by Dick Wolf featuring Jeremy Fisk.  While his services are in high demand after saving the president, Fisk is laying low nursing his wound from the ordeal.  He's still hurt from the loss of his girlfriend and still bitter that her killer, while behind bars, is alive.  Even though, he's gotten better offers, he keeps his job in the NYPD.   Just as he's getting ready for UN Week, 23 bodies show up and they indicate Mexican cartel activity.  He has to team up with Detective Garza to solve the crime before the assassin takes down the Mexican president in the middle of UN Week.  

I've liked both books featuring Jeremy Fisk.  They're both solid political thrillers.   The Fisk novels have been well paced, action-packed and both have been diverse and applicable to modern threats.   Sadly, this genre lost Vince Flynn last year so if you're looking for a new writer to fill that void, Dick Wolf might be what you're looking for.