#fictional romantic thrillers

[thecatsreaderslibrary]

The John Callahan Series - Sales Book Blitz and Giveaway For Author Elizabeth Upton. . .

Father Callahan is forced back into dangerous filth, corruption, and crime. Can he remain a celibate priest, or will he abandon the life of faith for more sensual pleasures? Will he stay a good man or return to the dark criminal life he once knew so well?”  At Home Among SinnersThe John Callahan Series Book 1by Elizabeth UptonGenre: Romantic Mystery Thriller  ​John Callahan is a good man with a…

[writing-to-survive]

#196

Feeling butterflies in your stomach is a deadly disease, which only occurs when feeling mass amounts of affection and love towards someone. The more love, the quicker and and bigger the butterflies grow. They'll fill your stomach, killing you, then flutter out by any means necessary. The only way found to survive this disease is to stop feeling that love.

[nejjcollectsbooks]

The Appeal by Janice Hallett. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett.

You've no idea the shock I had when I was sifting through the books in whatever second-hand shop I was in and came across the eye-catching and rather aesthetic cover of The Appeal. I remember reading the summary and finding it interesting, taking note of how thick the book was, a promising long read. Then I began flicking through the pages and to my confusion and delight the whole thing was strictly written in emails, letters and texts.

Janice Hallett's mystery thrillers are unorthodox in that they are written in emails, letters and texts, where the reader follows the solving of the mystery through these kinds of exchanges.

[spookieloop]

NEW STORY | The Lighthouse at Summer's Edge

The Lighthouse at Summer’s Edge is a relatively short coastal thriller with eldritch horror influences focusing on Danae, a woman who struggles with amnesia after being fished out of the ocean. Over the course of roughly a month, Danae adjusts to life in the small peninsula town of Summer’s Edge as she tries to piece together the secrets of her past, all the while forming new relationships with the people of the town.

Between painful familiarity she doesn’t understand and romantic entanglements, the more Danae discovers about the woman she was, the more estranged she feels from her former self.

All of my books are available through my Linktree.

🌊DETAILS🌊 • Single, First Person POV • Thriller with Romantic elements • Spice in the form of one fully detailed sex scene • Openly bisexual protagonist • Eldritch horror elements • 8.5k Words

⚠️WARNINGS⚠️ 🔺Manipulation 🔺Cult 🔺Villain is in the LGBT community (But so is the protagonist. Putting this here because I know it's a deal breaker for some people, and I'd rather be up front) 🔺Mild Violence 🔺Near Drowning

[all-the-prompts]

Thriller/romance/science fiction prompt:

A detective gets involved in a deadly game of wits with a time traveling serial killer who happens to be obsessed with them.

[imaginationofomi]

Suite Surrender

Matchmaker by day, sex worker by night, Raelynn Marquette liked to think she ruled the world around her. Some would say she was too confident, almost to the point of arrogance. And too blunt. She found no purpose in beating around the bush, but she didn't mind telling a white lie.

With the world at her feet, she marched to the beat of her own drum, trouble following her every step of the way.

Get Into It

Act One: Part One

Act One: Part Two

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradly

Author: Kaliane BradlyPublisher: Avid Reader Press/Simon & SchusterReleased: May 7, 2024Received: Own (BOTM)Find it on Goodreads | BOTM | More Sci-Fi Book Summary: Would you take a top-secret job without knowing the details first? Frequently, that’s how life goes – you only learn the details of a top-secret job once you’ve signed all the paperwork. Thus, before she knew it, our leading lady…

[newbookcats]

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation or Olympic Games

Originally posted on my blog: https://newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com/2024/08/ten-noteworthy-and-unforgettable.html

Unless you live in the sun-blazing heat and humidity of Houston or anywhere close to the Earth's equator, Summer rolls around only once a year. Nonetheless, summer in the United States is a time of change: the weather itself turns warmer as the sun works overtime, tropical storms and hurricanes become more occurrent as beach attendance rises, another academic year ends and readies for the subsequent classes to come later, and the awaited summer vacation and family traveling. 

Whether I went to my local park or partook in a family road trip to Florida, each vacation was the most anticipated part of my summer. Moreover, partaking in exciting adventures only gave me more brownie points when I inevitably returned to school and expressed all the amusement to my classmates and friends. Nonetheless, I still left energy to read imaginary stories as well as listen to my classmates' summer stories. 

Meanwhile, to distract myself from the never-ending wait to reach a destination (seriously, how many times is too much to ask a parent "Are we there yet?"?) to the inevitable downtime needed for my family to recharge after too many waves on the lazy rivers, my requirement for serious entertainment was delivered in the form of binging episodes of true-crime from Forensic Files or a murder mystery novel...and from the title of my blog, I do not have a doubt which of the two choices I or you chose on our previous vacations. 

Thus, here are ten noteworthy stories to stash in your next vacation's travel luggage! In between glimpses of dragons and historical romances, do not forget to look up from the imaginary universe in your hands to explore reality outdoors! 

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation

 1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Need a break from home? If yes, then may I suggest traveling with Monty along with his younger sister Felicity and his best friend/crush Percy on their Grand Tour of Europe set in the 19th century?! Not only is Monty perfectly sassy and desired by the likes of many women and men, but his desires for trouble and flirts with danger only lead this trio to life-threatening adventures only heard in tall tales. Watch out for this impeccable novel that tackles both pirates and social issues in the midst of a historical comedy and romance!

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.[Goodreads]

2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

From the book that inspired the hit Amazon Prime series, it's only fitting to read the book before summer ends and compare the book to its television adaptation. Then, we may all decide whether the book is better than the series?

In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. [Goodreads]

3. The War Outside by Monica Hesse

It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan. Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day, and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis. With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other? [Goodreads]

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...[Goodreads]

5. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Although this is my current read, Maniscalco has me completely trapped in impulsively purchasing a one-way ticket to Italy and engulfing plates of pasta while reading. Be sure to bring this book and a bookmark with you wherever you go to vacation because it will keep you hooked!

 Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...[Goodreads]

6. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.[Goodreads]

7. Angelfall by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.[Goodreads]

8. Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

If you are still mourning the last book of Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, I highly recommend Miller's Mask of Shadows. The story follows Sallot who is training to be a royal assassin...but only if someone does not kill them first!

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.[Goodreads]

9. Any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys Mystery

If your ideal read on a vacation is short but still encapsulates all the features of well-thought stories, then I highly recommend choosing a novel from either the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series. I might also recommend bringing several of these novels, particularly if you plan to travel for several days, as they might just leave you wanting more adventure after your first look.

10. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series, this novel is for those who have read all the Nancy Drews and are looking for more history, action, and adventure!

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations. After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world![Goodreads]

Love,

newbookcats

What stories that you read on vacation were so noteworthy that it surpassed your trip experiences? Were any of the novels so good you felt forced to shout its praises from clifftops, or were any so bad that you hid the evidence of your bookish guilt in a dark cave for only Wilson volleyballs to find? Which of my above picks would receive Gold at the Olympics? Correspond with me in the comments below or via my social medias. Talk to you soon!

 Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr

[schlock-luster-video]

On June 25, 2021, Making Mr. Right and Lunatics: A Love Story were screened as a double-feature on TCM Underground.

[jessread-s]

✩🫀🔎Review:

Maniscalco’s young adult debut is a gripping murder mystery with a heartwarming romance.

I appreciated reading from the perspective of Audrey Rose, a strong and progressive female lead. Throughout the story, Audrey Rose fights against conforming to traditional gender roles that confine women to the domestic sphere. What makes Audrey Rose’s character so powerful is her determination to pursue her passion regardless of whether or not that passion align with society’s expectations of her. Yet, even Audrey Rose could not have anticipated working on one of the most notorious murder cases of all time—the Jack the Ripper case. Still, she rolls with the punches and proves that women make great detectives. 

The plotline of “Stalking Jack the Ripper” itself is very reminiscent of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about Sherlock Holmes, which I enjoyed as a fan of murder mysteries. The shocking reveal of the killer’s true identity paired with Maniscalco’s subtle clues leading up to the novel’s end made for a thrilling read! I especially loved Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell’s relationship dynamic, which mirrored that of Sherlock and Watson’s. Their playful banter made me laugh out loud and their building romantic attraction made my heart race.

Though “Stalking Jack the Ripper” takes place during a real time in history, Maniscalco goes to great lengths to build an immersive world to avoid the drabness associated with textbooks. Much of the novel takes place in London, specifically the Whitechapel district, when Jack the Ripper was an active serial killer. Maniscalco does a fantastic job engaging the reader with her detailed descriptions of the region’s dreary atmosphere and the medical instruments used by scientists in the late 1800s. She also provides real photographs from the time period in relation to the content of some of her chapters and weaves facts of the Jack the Ripper case into her fictional narrative as a means of further exploring the past. While the real Jack the Ripper remains unidentified, I loved unmasking one of Maniscalco’s characters as the culprit and receiving a sense of closure as a result. 

➤ 4.25 stars

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[vynpop]

Verity

By Colleen Hoover

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

"Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night her family was forever altered.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her."

Review

Let me begin this review with a piece of my day...I have reheated my coffee in the microwave over 5 times. The end.

Now for the book! This is the same author who wrote It Ends With Us, and I could not fathom the amount of darkness this woman could depict. It had my blood boiling and my bones chilled. I could not put this book down and finished it at 2 in the damn morning!

Verity Crawford is a monster. A vile character who should've never been allowed to exist on paper. I found myself full of anxiety with every confession she made.

I know that Colleen Hoover is not the author to promote or stand by with the controversy surrounding her, but this book was good. I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I still have two more of her books on my bookshelf back when she was the hype of the book world. So with that being said I will be reading those and not purchasing more of her work. So please do not come for me. I am just a reader sharing her thoughts and book journey with you.

MY COFFEE IS COLD AGAIN!!!!

[rd-lancaster]

My OC’s!! (Art by Kristy P on Instagram. Her username is thirdattempt. Fantastic to work with and so talented. Please check her out!)

Title: Heartbeats in the Crossfire

Introductions (left to right)

Name: Silas Griffin

Codename: Apollo

Gender: Male (he/him)

Age: 28-29 (duration of the story)

Occupation: American Special Ops Soldier

Name: Grace Abbott

Alias: Ivy Hudgens

Gender: Female (she/her/hers)

Age: 25-26 (duration of the story)

Occupation: CIA Field Agent

MORE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND DESCRIPTIONS TO COME

[thedeadgameblog]

(via ALONE IN THE DARK)

Who sits and waits in the darkness?

There is no movement in the blackness.

As still as a fox waiting to pounce,

She waits without a ruffle or flounce.

A hissing sigh floats through the air.

Are those snakes slithering in her hair?

The ghostly form stands to meet us.

Is she the hostess sent to greet us?

We stand alone in this bleak hall.

There won’t be dancing at this ball.

Time to leave this creepy place

And quicken this story’s pace.

But since this is a horror story,

We won’t be leaving with much glory.

THE DEAD GAME

[susanneleist]

IF YOU DARE

A town laden with mystery and cursed by dark history appears peaceful by day until the cursed ones play with the inhabitants’ lives like bears attacking bee hives. MEET ME IN MAINE http://amzn.to/3YKZKqN http://bit.ly/3gj85hz

[imaginationofomi]

Masterlist

Come Together (18+ MDNI)

Suite Surrender (18+ MDNI) 🏳️‍🌈

Something Wicked This Way Comes (18+ MDNI) 🏳️‍🌈

[thewritingsofevbrowne]

Allison Halloway is a crime novelist going through a rough patch in her marriage. She is struggling with her addiction of alcoholism. Alice has thrown herself into her work after a miscarriage. After a heated fight with her husband and with him threatening divorce, she flees to a local hotel. One night at the hotel, she meets a stranger. She shares a few drinks with this stranger, named Henry, a man dealing with the aftermath of a nasty divorce. One thing leads to another. Filled with guilt, Alice is determined to forget her mistakes only to discover Henry is no stranger. Alice finds out that Henry is a man from her past, driven to make her life a living hell. Blackmailing her and threatening to ruin her career.