Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.

Monday, June 28, 2021

Out From Silence by C.L. Tolbert (Book Review)

 




Out From Silence by C.L. Tolbert
Book 1: A Thornton Mystery Series
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: December 15, 2019
Format: Paperback - 284 pages
               Kindle - 886 KB
ISBN: 978-1947915428
ASIN: B082TQT1YN
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Crime Thriller / Legal Thriller


Buy The Book:

Buy The Series: A Thornton Mystery Series
Book 1: Out From Silence
Book 2: The Redemption



Book Description:

Emma Thornton, law student and clerk for a local attorney, is asked to help defend Adam, a young deaf man accused of killing his girlfriend. The investigation sets her on a dangerous path which nearly costs her her life, and forces Adam out of his world of silence.


My Book Review:


In Out From Silence, book one of the Thornton Mystery Series, author C.L. Tolbert transports the reader to Jonesburg, Georgia for an intriguing mystery / suspense / crime and legal thriller / story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

After eighteen year old Jennifer Patrick was found murdered in her bedroom, her nineteen year old deaf boyfriend Adam Gannon is arrested and charged with her murder. Emma Thornton, is a third year law student, and works as a part-time law clerk for defense attorney Silas Steele III, who has agreed to represent him.

As Emma investigates the murder case, she gets too close to the truth about Adam's long buried family secrets, and danger is around every corner as there is someone who is determined to stop her from learning the truth at any cost, including threatening her family. Can Emma help save the wrongly accused teen, or will the truth behind the long buried family secrets and the reason for the young woman's murder remain silenced?

Author C. L. Tolbert weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful thriller written in the third person narrative that follows Emma as she tries to get justice for accused murderer nineteen year old Adam Gannon, who was born profoundly deaf. I loved reading this action-packed story. The reader will be easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, betrayals, deceit, motives, revenge, and clues are uncovered, while unexpected twists and turns, and a surprising conclusion will leave the reader simply stunned. I especially loved how the author used her prior experience as a defense attorney to weave an intense account of the legal investigation that Emma engaged in her pursuit to vindicate Adam, and bring the true murderer to justice. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the author's debut novel, it had a rich description of the legal process that draws the reader into the investigation and preparation of the murder case. You can't help but get caught up in the progress of Adam's case, and how determined Emma was to vindicate him for the murder of his girlfriend Jennifer, while putting the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the murder mystery and find the real murderer.  

Out From Silence has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, a touch of romance, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.


RATING: 5 STARS  







About The Author



In 2010, Cynthia Tolbert won the Georgia Bar Journal’s fiction contest for the short story version of Out From Silence. Cynthia developed that story into the first full-length novel of the Thornton Mystery Series by the same name, which was published by Level Best Books in December of 2019. Her second book in this same series, entitled The Redemption, was released in February of 2021.

Cynthia has a Master’s in Special Education and taught children with learning disabilities for ten years before moving on to law school. She spent most of her legal career working as defense counsel to large corporations and traveled throughout the country as regional and national counsel. She also had the unique opportunity of teaching third-year law students in a clinical program at a law school in New Orleans where she ran the Homeless Law Clinic and learned, first hand, about poverty in that city. She retired after more than thirty years of practicing law. The experiences and impressions she has collected from the past forty years contribute to the stories she writes today. Cynthia has four children, and three grandchildren, and lives in Atlanta with her husband and schnauzer.







Saturday, June 26, 2021

The Redemption by C.L. Tolbert (VBT: Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for The Redemption by author C.L. Tolbert!






Book Review



The Redemption by C.L. Tolbert
Book 2: A Thorton Mystery Series
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: February 2, 2021 (PB) / February 9, 2021 (eBook)
Format: Paperback - 296 pages
               Kindle - 1824 KB / 343 pages
               Nook - 2 Mb - 294 pages
ISBN: 978-1947915435
ASIN: B08SFZMFVH
BNID: 978-1953789389
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Crime Thriller / Legal Thriller


Buy The Book:


Buy The Series: A Thornton Mystery Series
Book 1: Out From Silence
Book 2: The Redemption


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.


Book Description:

Emma Thornton is back in The Redemption, C.L. Tolbert’s second novel in the Thornton Mystery Series.

When two men are murdered one muggy September night in a New Orleans housing project, an eye witness identifies only one suspect – Louis Bishop- a homeless sixteen-year old. Louis is arrested the next day and thrown into Orleans Parish Prison. Emma Thornton, a law professor and director of the Homeless Law Clinic at St. Stanislaus Law School in the city agrees to represent him.

When they take on the case, Emma and her students discover a tangle of corruption, intrigue, and more violence than they would have thought possible, even in New Orleans. They uncover secrets about the night of the murders, and illegal dealings in the city, and within Louis’s family. As the case progresses, Emma and her family are thrown into a series of life-threating situations. But in the end, Emma gains Louis’s trust, which allows him to reveal his last, and most vital secret.


Book Praise:

“With The Redemption, Cynthia Tolbert delivers another beautifully written and compelling read in her Thornton Mystery series, as law professor Emma Thornton’s fight to save a teen wrongly accused of murder endangers her own life in this gripping tale of corruption and crime in the 1990s Big Easy.”
Ellen Byron, Agatha Award Winning Author of the Cajun Country Mysteries


Book Excerpt:


CHAPTER ONE

September 9, 1994


8:05 p.m.

Just before dark on the night of his death, Brother Reginald Antoine stepped out of the cottage where he lived. He slammed the door shut to prevent the soggy heat of the late summer evening from invading the front room. Except for occasional river breezes, the New Orleans climate was swamp-like until late October. His exits had become swift and cat-like to avoid escalating power bills and a strain on the house’s only window-unit air conditioner.

He stood on the front porch for a moment, staring at the entrance to the Redemption housing project. All was quiet. No one was in sight.

He was looking forward to the evening. He’d promised to help Alicia Bishop complete forms for a scholarship to Our Lady of Fatima, the top girls’ school in the city. He found himself singing under his breath as he locked the front door.

Most of the kids Brother Antoine worked with never finished school, and he was painfully aware that he’d failed far more than he’d helped. But Alicia’s story would be different. Her graduation would be her family’s first. Clear-headed and determined, much like her Aunt Juanita, the woman who had raised her, she was destined to earn far more than a high school diploma. He believed she was destined for great things.

Brother Antoine surveyed the street familiar to him from childhood. Alicia and her Aunt Juanita lived in an apartment was only a few blocks over, but well within the Redemption housing project. Driving such a short distance would be silly, plus he felt like a little exercise. It was a good evening for a walk, even though no one felt completely safe walking around any neighborhood in the city at night. At least one person had been killed in New Orleans every day that year, so far. Sometimes more. Too many drugs were on the streets. But he didn’t worry about any of that.

He tucked the bundle of papers he’d pulled for the meeting under his arm and headed out. When he was a kid he’d found the Redemption overwhelming - so vast it couldn’t be taken in, visually, from his porch or from any single location. A crowded jumble of russet brick, broken down porches, and peeling army-drab paint, it stretched across the lower garden district from Magazine Street to the Mississippi River. When he was about six he tried to count the buildings, but gave up when he got lost. Everything looked the same to him back then. When he returned to live at the mission house he realized he’d been wrong. Each place was unique. Every apartment, every stoop, every front door was distinct, because everything inside was different. Every place had its own family, its own problems, its own joys. Every place had its own family, its own problems, and joys. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed it until his return.

He passed the community garden planted around the corner from the mission house with its patches of brave sprouts pushing out of the ground. He was proud of that little spot, and equally excited for the people who were involved, especially those few who returned week after week to dig, and prod, and encourage the seedlings to grow. Some of the plants even promised to bear fruit, which was reason enough to celebrate.

As he walked he could smell urine from the street gutters where drunken men or stoned boys had relieved themselves. A recent rain only added a steamy intensity to the mix, creating a cauldron of odors which would vanish only when the next day’s sunlight parched the streets.

The Redemption was teeming with human spirit, poverty, and crime. It was home to many, but with rare exception, no one chose to live there. And everyone who did, even the very young, understood how fragile life could be.

He walked up the steps to Juanita Bishop’s apartment and rapped on the front door.

***

9:00 p.m.

Sam Maureau pulled his car into the Redemption and parked at a curb at the end of Felicity Street. He was alone. Jackson, his partner, couldn’t come. But Sam wasn’t worried. He checked his watch. He was right on time. Things were under control.

He turned off his lights and, except for the murky glow of the half-obscured moon, was surrounded by a blanket of darkness. It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust, but even after he waited, he still strained to see. Most of the streetlights on that block had been shot out, and several apartment windows had been boarded over. He peered in between the last two buildings on the corner for any sign of movement.

Sam kicked aside a beer can as he stepped out of his car. He didn’t expect any trouble that night. Marcus, a dealer who ran the Gangsta B’s, the largest gang in the city, had asked for a meeting to discuss ‘some business’, but they’d never had problems before. Their businesses had always co-existed, side-by-side. Sam had begun selling crack in small quantities ten years earlier, when he was twenty-five, and had remained one of the smaller distributers in the city. He figured that Marcus, who was younger by at least ten years, either wanted to bring him and his territory into the Gangsta B’s, or he wanted to buy him out. He didn’t see the need to change anything right now, unless the price was right. He was making pretty good money. His clients were happy with him. But he didn’t mind talking with Marcus.

Sam patted his jacket pocket. The gun was still there. It never hurt to be careful. He locked his car, checking to make certain nothing was in the back seat. Marcus had asked him to meet around the corner.

Sam made his way across the grassy common area, dodging the few mud puddles he could see reflected in the wan moonlight, to an old iron bench across from Marcus’s grandmother’s apartment where they had met once before. He sat down to wait. The bench hadn’t quite cooled from the daytime heat. The faint breeze from the river ruffled what scant remnants remained of his once luxurious surfer-boy hair and sent greasy paper bags, discarded whiskey bottles, and random debris scurrying across the sidewalk. He absent-mindedly patted his bald spot to make certain it was covered.

He couldn’t see them, but their chatter floated over to his bench. Even though the words were indecipherable, Sam heard three distinct voices. Then he heard Marcus speak.

“Go get Louis.”

Out of habit, Sam felt his jacket pocket again, reassuring himself that his piece was still there. Marcus and one other young man came into view. Sam nodded as they approached.

Marcus was a commanding presence. Tall, and athletic, intricate tattoos of black ink woe across his dark skin, tracing his biceps, and emphasizing his ropy, muscular arms and powerful shoulders. His long hair, pulled back into a pony-tail, flowed down his back. No one questioned his authority.

“We’re gonna wait a minute for Louis,” Marcus pulled out a cigarette from his back pocket and lit it, blowing billowy clouds into the night air.

“Yeah, sure. But what’s this all about?” Marcus ignored Sam’s question and pulled hungrily on his cigarette, blowing smoke rings, refusing to make eye contact with Sam.

Several minutes later a tall young man and a boy who couldn’t have been over sixteen joined them.

“You and your people gotta go. You’re right in the middle of my territory. I’m claiming it, and I’m taking it – now. Ain’t nothing you can do about it.” Marcus threw down his cigarette and stomped it into the grass.

Sam stood up to face Marcus. “Fuck you, Marcus. You don’t need my three blocks. I’ve had it for years, and its outside your territory anyway. You can’t just take it.” Sam clenched the fist of his left hand and shoved his right hand in his jacket pocket where the gun was hidden.

“That’s where you’re wrong, mother fucker.” Marcus grabbed another cigarette and rammed it three times against the pack. “I got business coming to me from uptown all the time now. It’s time for you to give it up.” Marcus nodded to the three boys, who formed a circle around Sam and Marcus.

“No way, bro’!” Sam’s hand instinctively tightened around the gun.

Surrounded by the group of young men, Sam saw an opening, turned, and simultaneously pulled the gun from his jacket. As he stepped toward his escape, he saw something moving along the sidewalk next to the street. It appeared to be a man dressed in dark clothes, but it was impossible to be certain. Sam heard one shot, and felt it whizz by him. The distant figure dropped. Sam twisted around, and aimed his weapon toward the sound of the gun fire. Then he heard another shot.

Feeling something hot in his chest, he crumbled to the ground. The last thing he saw was the young kid, the one they called Louis, running toward the river.

***

Brother Antoine said good night to Alicia on the front porch of her aunt’s apartment and started his walk back home. He was feeling good, lighthearted. He and Alicia had completed her application and she had nearly finished her essay. He was certain she was a shoo-in for the scholarship. He’d only traveled a few feet down the sidewalk when he saw a group of men and a few boys gathered together in the grassy area next to one of the buildings. The cloud-covered moon offered enough reflection to allow him to make out the scant silhouette of the tallest member of the group. There was no doubt. His swagger and perpetual cigarette were unmistakable. Marcus Bishop. They had to be up to no good.

Brother Antoine followed the curve of the sidewalk, which brought him a little closer to the group. He noticed there was movement, perhaps a scuffle. He heard a shot, then felt a searing pain in his chest. He placed his hand on his shirt where he felt dampness, and, struggling to breathe, fell to the ground. He grabbed the scapular around his neck, praying, as he lay there, someone would come administer the last rites.

***

Excerpt from The Redemption by Cynthia Tolbert. Copyright 2021 by Cynthia Tolbert. Reproduced with permission from Cynthia Tolbert. All rights reserved.




My Book Review:

In The Redemption, book two of the Thornton Mystery Series, author C.L. Tolbert transports the reader to New Orleans for an intriguing mystery / suspense / crime and legal thriller / story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

After two men are murdered on the grounds of the Redemption housing projects, sixteen year old Louis Bishop is arrested and charged as an adult with two counts of murder in the first degree, a capital case that could involve the death penalty. Emma Thornton, a law professor and director of the Homeless Law Clinic at St. Stanislaus Law School in the city agrees to represent him.

Emma's investigation into the murder case takes her into the dark and seedy part of New Orleans, where drug dealers and corrupt police run the show with their illegal dealings, and the residents of the Redemption housing projects are too scared to talk to her about that fatal night. As Emma digs deeper into the murder investigation, she gets too close to the truth about Louis' family secrets and seedy illegal dealings, and some innocent victims are murdered after talking to her. There are some dangerous people who will stop her from learning the truth at any cost, including threatening her family. Can Emma help save the wrongly accused teen, or will the corrupt individuals destroy everyone and everything that gets in their way?

Author C. L. Tolbert weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful thriller written in the third person narrative that follows Emma as she tries to get justice for wrongfully accused sixteen year old Louis Bishop. I loved reading this action-packed story. The reader will be easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, betrayals, deceit, motives, revenge, and clues are uncovered, while unexpected twists and turns, and a surprising conclusion will leave the reader simply stunned. I especially loved how the author used her prior experience as a defense attorney to weave an intense account of the legal investigation that Emma engaged in her pursuit to vindicate Louis, and bring the true murderers to justice. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the rich description of New Orleans. You can't help but want to visit the Big Easy, the author does an amazing job of describing the famous French Quarter landmark, and the various local streets that she called home for many years. 

The Redemption has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, a touch of romance, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.


RATING: 5 STARS  







About The Author



In 2010, Cynthia Tolbert won the Georgia Bar Journal’s fiction contest for the short story version of Out From Silence. Cynthia developed that story into the first full-length novel of the Thornton Mystery Series by the same name, which was published by Level Best Books in December of 2019. Her second book in this same series, entitled The Redemption, was released in February of 2021.

Cynthia has a Master’s in Special Education and taught children with learning disabilities for ten years before moving on to law school. She spent most of her legal career working as defense counsel to large corporations and traveled throughout the country as regional and national counsel. She also had the unique opportunity of teaching third-year law students in a clinical program at a law school in New Orleans where she ran the Homeless Law Clinic and learned, first hand, about poverty in that city. She retired after more than thirty years of practicing law. The experiences and impressions she has collected from the past forty years contribute to the stories she writes today. Cynthia has four children, and three grandchildren, and lives in Atlanta with her husband and schnauzer.





Contest Giveaway

Win A $20 Amazon Gift Card



This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for C.L. Tolbert. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card (U.S. ONLY). The giveaway runs from June 1, 2021 through July 4, 2021. Void where prohibited.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Virtual Book Tour



Tour Participants:

06/01 Guest post @ Author Elena Taylors Blog

06/01 Guest Post @ The Book Divas Reads

06/02 Showcase @ saphsbooks

06/02 Showcase @ Silver’s Reviews

06/03 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea

06/04 Guest post @ Novels Alive

06/07 Interview @ BooksChatter

06/08 Showcase @ nanasbookreviews

06/10 Showcase @ Im All About Books

06/13 Showcase @ I Read What You Write

06/14 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

06/15 Interview @ A Blue Million Books

06/16 Interview/showcase @ CMash Reads

06/21 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews

06/25 Review @ Quiet Fury Books

06/26 Review @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews

06/27 Review @ Margaret Yelton

06/28 Review @ A Room Without Books is Empty

06/28 Review @ Bound 4 Escape

06/29 Review @ Novels Alive

06/29 Review @ sunny island breezes

06/30 Review @ @ jay. rae. reads

06/30 Review @ Pat Fayo Reviews

09/01 Interview @ Podcast

09/01 Review @ Just Reviews







 

Monday, June 7, 2021

Call It Kismet by Heather Hummel Gallagher (Book Review)

 




Call It Kismet by Heather Hummel Gallagher
Publisher: Independent Self Publisher
Publication Date: May 17, 2021
Format: Paperback - 240 pages
               Kindle - 2793 KB
ISBN: 979-8708435903
ASIN: B08WCM5P47
Genre: Women's Fiction


Buy The Book:
Amazon - Free On Kindle Unlimited


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Book Description:

A quarter-million dollars. Two possible futures. One woman looking for direction…

Ithaca, New York. Lucy Brown feels most alive behind the lens of a camera. Orphaned just before college graduation, she yearns to ease her lonely soul through making art. So when she wins a substantial sum in a copyright-infringement suit, she finds herself on the horns of a difficult dilemma – go to law school to defend other photographers, or travel the highways photographing America.

Pulled in two directions, her only clear choice is leaving Ithaca. But when she’s attracted to a handsome contractor and falls in love with a puppy, she’s not sure if she’s met her destiny… or just a bump in the road.

Will Lucy choose the journey that reveals her true self?

Call it Kismet is a powerhouse of speculative women’s literature. If you like complex characters, a touch of magical realism, and considering what could have been, then you’ll adore Heather Hummel Gallagher’s swerving story.



Book Excerpt:    https://a.co/fuh5dTP



My Book Review:

What would you do if you were awarded a quarter-million dollars? Well then come along for the ride as a young woman considers two choices of directions in life to follow after being awarded a life-changing civil court lawsuit settlement.

In Call It Kismet, author Heather Hummel Gallagher weaves a wonderful women's fiction story that follows Lucy Brown's inspirational journey of self-discovery, as she considers two choices of directions in life to follow, and the landscapes and people she would meet along the way that would help change her life forever. 

In a span of one year (Spring 1994 - Spring 1995), Lucy Brown's two choices of life directions will lead her on a journey of self-discovery that will guide her to finding her career passion, love, and happiness. 

Set in Ithaca, New York with stops around the US (New York City; Erie, Pennsylvania; Harbor View, Ohio; Charlotteville, Virginia; Racine, Wisconsin; the Badlands, South Dakota; and the Outer Banks, North Carolina), and told in the third person alternating narrative, the author weaves a fascinating tale that easily engages the reader to follow Lucy's journey as she considers two different directions to take in her life: travel the US highways for a year following her passion for photographing America's landscapes; or attend the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, with a focus on the area of Intellectual Property Law (Copywrite Law). 

As Lucy's journey takes her around the country, her life is touched by the different locales and landscapes and people that she meets along the way. Lucy's journey to choose which direction in life to follow is told in alternating chapters within the one year span of 1994-1995, and is broken down into snippets of the locales she visits, and a reflection of which direction would ultimately fulfill her passion and provide the happiness she seeks in life. 

The author does a wonderful job of describing Lucy's journey of self-discovery, while also providing the reader with an amazing description of the various locales and landscapes in the US that would rival any popular travel guide. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I loved reading about Lucy's past, and how finding nickles everywhere was a heavenly loving sign from her parents, it gave me goosebumps as I also find coins left by my parents in heaven when I least expect it. 

Call It Kismet is a heartwarming and thoroughly enjoyable story. You can't help but root for Lucy as she considers both choices in directions, knowing that either one would be an amazing life to live. And if that isn't enough, the discovery of new friendships, family, sense of belonging, finding love, following one's passion, and one cute black Labrador Retriever named Ringo will simply melt your heart. 

Call It Kismet is an inspirational and feel good women's fiction story that will pull at your heartstrings, touch your soul, and leave a smile on your face.


RATING: 5 STARS 





About The Author



Heather Hummel Gallagher is a New York Book Festival award-winning novelist of the Journals from the Heart Series.

A former high school English teacher turned novelist and ghostwriter, Heather followed her grandmother’s footsteps with the written word.

Born in Greenwich, CT, Heather soon left New England and spent her twenties and thirties traveling and living in every corner of the US. Eventually, she settled down and married for the first time in her early-fifties. She and her husband, Stephen, have two black labs, Sox and Lucy. They travel the country in their RV, where Heather satisfies her innate need for exploration.

As a ghostwriter, Heather has penned over a dozen books and counting. Her clients include corporations, politicians, philanthropists, dating coaches, real estate agents, public figures, and business leaders. With experience in both traditional and independent publishing, Heather's diverse background and knowledge of the industry appeals to many authors seeking a qualified ghostwriter.

By personal request from Arianna Huffington, Heather is a featured blogger in the Arts & Culture section of the Huffington Post. Her article titled "Why Agents Reject 96% of Author Submissions" gained remarkable attention in the industry, including ReTweets from Publishers Weekly and many quality literary agents.

Television, print, and radio coverage for her clients’ books include: The Today Show and other regional shows; Publishers Weekly, USA Today and the Washington Post; and in magazines that include: Health, Body & Soul, First, and Spry Living, a combined circulation of nearly 20 million in print alone. A contributing author in Successful eBook Publishing: The Complete How-to Guide for Creating and Launching Your Amazon Kindle eBook by David Wogahn, Heather shares her wisdom in a chapter on ghostwriting.

Heather's second career is as a land and seascape photographer. Her work is represented by Agora Gallery in the Chelsea District of New York City. A graduate with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, Heather holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree with concentrations in English and Secondary Education.

Awards
2009 Mature Media Awards, Merit Award: Gracefully
2009 New York Book Festival, Women's Literature: Whispers from the Heart
Noted as a top "Books for Grownups" by Publishers Weekly: Gracefully
Essays: Messages of Hope and Healing (Sunpiper Media, 2006) Blue Ridge Anthology (Cedar Creek, 2007)







Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Aftermath by Terri Blackstock (VBT: Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Aftermath by author Terri Blackstock!






Book Review




Aftermath by Terri Blackstock
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: May 11, 2021
Format: Hardcover - 336 pages
               Paperback - 336 pages
               Audiobook - 7 Hours 53 Minutes
               Kindle - 4726 KB / 332 pages
               Nook - 4 MB / 336 pages
ISBN (HC): 978-0310348580
ISBN (PB): 978-0310348580
ASIN (Audiobook): B08CVS1LZK
ASIN (Kindle): B08BZ14BV7
BNID: 978-0310348566
Genre: Romantic Suspense / Thriller



Buy The Book:


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.



Book Description:

This gripping new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock will leave you on the edge of your seat.

A devastating explosion.

Three best friends are at the venue just to hear their favorite band . . . but only one of them makes it out alive.

A trunk full of planted evidence.

When police stop Dustin with a warrant to search his trunk, he knows it’s just a mistake. He’s former military and owns a security firm. But he’s horrified when they find explosives, and he can’t fathom how they got there.

An attorney who will risk it all for a friend.

Criminal attorney Jamie Powell was Dustin’s best friend growing up. They haven’t spoken since he left for basic training, but she’s the first one he thinks of when he’s arrested. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence . . . but why?


Praise For Aftermath:

“In Aftermath, Terri Blackstock plumbs the depth of human emotion in the face of devastating tragedy, grief, and loss. Yet, she still manages to give readers her trademark suspenseful story, sweet romance, and hope for the future. From gut wrenching scenes in a cancer patient’s hospital room to seeing the world through the eyes of a young woman with a debilitating mental health disorder, Blackstock pulls no punches about human frailties. Does the end justify the means? Romantic suspense lovers won’t want to miss Aftermath.”
—Kelly Irvin, bestselling author

“Justice may be blind but that doesn’t keep it from facing mortal danger. In Aftermath, expert storyteller Terri Blackstock ratchets up the suspense in a novel that delivers on every level. Conflicts rage and loyalties are tested to the ultimate limit. Set aside plenty of time when you pick up this book—you’ll not to want to take a break.”
—Robert Whitlow, bestselling author


Book Excerpt:


Aftermath

Chapter One

Taylor Reid’s phone flashed as she snapped the selfie with her two friends, their heads touching and their backs to the stage. The shot from the third row, with the lead singer in the background and the three of them in the foreground, was perfect. No one would believe their seats were so close.

They turned around to face the band, dancing to the beat of the song they’d been listening to in the car on the way to Trudeau Hall.

Taylor quickly posted the pic, typing, “Ed Loran targets nonpoliticals for his rally with band Blue Fire. Worked on us!”

She put her phone on videotape and zoomed onto the stage.

“I don’t want it to end!” Desiree said in her ear.

“Me either!” Taylor yelled over the music.

“Maybe they’ll play again after his speech,” Mara shouted.

The song came to an end, and the crowd went crazy, begging for one more song before the band left the stage.

But an amplified voice filled the auditorium, cutting off the adulation. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the next president of the United States, Ed Loran!”

The crowd sounded less enthusiastic as the band left the stage and Ed Loran, the Libertarian celebrity magnet, made his entrance. Taylor kept cheering and clapping, letting her enthusiasm for the band segue to him.

It happened just as the candidate took the stage. The deafening sound, like some confusing combination of gunshot and lightning bolt, a blast that blacked out the lights and knocked her to the ground. Smoke mushroomed. Screams crescendoed—shrieks of terror, wailing pain, shocking anguish . . . then sudden, gentle silence, as if she were underwater. A loud ringing in her ears filled the void.

She peered under the seats, choking for breath as dimmer lights flickered through the smoke. Even from here, she could see the fallout of whatever had happened. Blood pooling on the ground, people hunkering down as she was, feet running . . . What was happening? An explosion? A crash? She looked around and couldn’t see her friends.

She clawed her way up and looked over the seat. Smoke and fire billowed from the stage into the crowd, and heat wafted over her like some living force invading the room. Muffled, muted sounds competed with the ringing.

Get out! Now! She dropped back down and crawled under two rows of seats until she came to someone limp on the floor. She felt herself scream but couldn’t hear her own voice. Scrambling to her feet, she went to her left to get to the aisle, but her foot slipped on something wet. She grabbed the seat next to her to steady herself, then launched into the frantic crowd in the aisle. The room seemed to spin, people whizzing by, people under her, people above her, people broken and ripped and still . . . She stepped and fell, crawled and ran, tripped and kicked her way to the bottlenecked doorway, then fought her way through it.

The ringing in her ears faded as she tumbled downstairs, almost falling into the lobby below. The sound of crying, coughing, wretching, and the roaring sound of pounding feet turned up as if some divine finger had fiddled with the volume.

She set her sights on the glass doors to the outside and pushed forward, moving through people and past the security stations they’d stopped at on the way in. She made it to the door and burst out into the sunlight.

Fresh, cool air hit her like freedom, but at first her lungs rejected it like some poison meant to stop her. At the bottom of the steps, on the sidewalk, she bent over and coughed until she could breathe.

After a moment, the crowd pushed her along toward the parking garage until she remembered that her car wasn’t there. She had parked on the street, blocks away. She forced her way out of the flow of people and ran a block south. Where was it?

She turned the corner. Her car was here, on this block. Near the Atlanta Trust Bank. Wasn’t it? Or was it the next block?

Sweat slicked her skin until she found her silver Accord. There!

She ran to it and pulled her keys out of her pocket, wishing she hadn’t lost the key fob. Her hands trembled as she stuck the key into the passenger side lock and got the door open. She slipped inside on the driver’s side, locked it behind her. Instinctively, she slid down, her head hidden as if someone were coming after her.

What just happened?

One minute they’d been taking selfies and videotaping the band, and the next they were on the floor . . .

Where were Mara and Desiree? She hadn’t even looked for them! Should she go back for them?

No, that would be insane. She could smell the smoke and fire from here. They would know to come to the car when they got out.

Call the police!

She tried to steady her hands as she swiped her phone on.

“911, what is your—”

“An explosion!” she cut in, her voice hoarse. “At the Ed Loran rally at Trudeau Hall!”

“Where are you now?” the woman asked in a voice that was robotically calm.

“I got out. There’s fire . . . People are still in there. Please send ambulances!”

“Ma’am, did you see what exploded?”

“No . . . the stage area, I think. I don’t know where my friends are. Please . . . hurry!”

“We’ve already dispatched the fire department and police, ma’am.”

She heard sirens from a few blocks away and cut off the call. She raised up, looking over the dashboard for the flashing lights. She couldn’t see any, but the sirens grew louder.

She knelt on the floorboard, her knees on her floormat and her elbows on her seat, and texted Desiree.

I’m at the car. Where are you?

No answer. She switched to a recent thread with Mara and texted again.

Got out. At car waiting. Where are you?

Nothing.

She dictated a group text to both of them.

Are you all right?

They were probably running or deaf, fighting their way out like she had. She tried calling them, but Mara’s phone rang to voicemail. When Desiree’s phone did the same, she yelled, “Call me! I’m waiting at the car and I’m scared. Where are you?” She was sobbing when she ended the call.

***

Excerpt from Aftermath by Terri Blackstock. Copyright 2021 by Terri Blackstock. Reproduced with permission from Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.




My Book Review:

In Aftermath, author Terri Blackstock transports the reader to Atlanta, Georgia for an intriguing Romantic Suspense story that follows four people who are interconnected by the traumatic after-effect of an unexpected terrorist bombing at a political rally. 

Taylor Reed and best friends Desiree and Mara attend the political rally for US Presidential Candidate - Libertarian Ed Loran featuring a concert by the band Blue Fire. As the concert ends and Candidate Loran enters the stage, an explosion goes off from the stage. Taylor is the sole survivor of the three friends, and the bomb explosion killed a total of twenty-six people, including the presidential candidate. 

Dustin Webb is a veteran of the Army Ordnance Corps and co-owns GreyWebb Securities, a designer and installer of commercial security systems with Travis Grey, his best friend from the Army. An anonymous tip targets Dustin as carrying boxes of explosives in his trunk tied to a recent theft at ChemEx, an ammunition plant inwhich GreyWebb had installed a company security system. Dustin is arrested under suspicion of the theft and involvement in the political rally bombing.

Jamie Powell is a criminal defense attorney and Dustin's childhood friend. Dustin calls Jamie and asks her to represent him on the charges of felony possession of explosives and terrorism. Dustin claims that he is innocent and being set up, Jamie is determined to prove Dustin's innocence, and find the person responsible for the bombing. 

Travis Grey is Dustin's best friend and business partner in WebbGrey Securities. They served together in the Army Ordnance Corps. Travis has been at his wife Crystal's bedside at the hospital as she battles terminal cancer, and has been hoping that the new Leukemia treatment will help her recover. 

Aftermath follows the unexpected and traumatic inter-connection between Taylor, Dustin, Jamie and Travis, and how each of them deals with the aftermath from the terrrorist bombing at the political rally. A survivor, a wrongfully charged man, a childhood friend and defense attorney, and a business partner dealing with a family medical issue ... each struggles with the trauma and determination to find the person responsible for the bombing and getting justice. 

Author Terri Blackstock weaves a multi-layered and suspenseful tale written in the third person alternating narrative that easily draws the reader into this well written story. The richly descriptive plot will keep the reader guessing as survivor guilt, secrets, deceit, betrayal, unwavering friendship, and heartbreaking family drama, and unexpected twists and turns are uncovered. I loved the intertwining of the four characters' individual perspectives, and how their struggles leads them to search for justice after the traumatic devastation felt throughout Atlanta. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the backstory of Dustin and Jamie's childhood friendship, and the touch of Christian faith that is interspersed throughout the story. 

Aftermath is a fast-paced and riveting suspense story that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.


RATING: 5 STARS  






About The Author






Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She’s the author of If I Run, If I’m Found, and If I Live, as well as such series as Cape RefugeNewpointe 911the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.


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Contest Giveaway

Win A Copy Of Aftermath


This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Terri Blackstock & Thomas Nelson. There will be ONE (1) winner of one (1) physical copy of Aftermath (US Addresses only). The giveaway begins on May 10, 2021 and ends on June 5, 2021. Void where prohibited. 






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