"Three Graves Full" by Jamie Mason

Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book Description on Amazon:

Release date: August 20, 2013

For fans of the Coen brothers’ films or for those who just love their thrillers with a dash of sharp humor—an engaging and offbeat story about a man driven to murder, who then buries the body in his backyard only to discover that there are two other shallow graves on his property.

“There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard.”
With this memorable first line, we meet Jason Getty, a regular guy in every mild sense of the word. But extraordinary circumstances push this ordinary man to do something he can’t undo...and now he must live with the undeniable reality of his actions. And just as Jason does finally learn to live with it, a landscaper discovers a body on his property—only it’s not the body Jason buried.
As Jason’s fragile peace begins to unravel, his life is hitched to the fortunes of several strangers: Leah, an abandoned woman looking for answers to her heartbreak; Tim, a small-town detective just doing his job; and Boyd, a fringe-dweller whose past is about to catch up to him—all of them in the wake and shadow of a dead man who had it coming.
With the tense pacing of a thriller and the language and beauty of a fine literary novel, Three Graves Full heralds the arrival of a stunning new voice in fiction.


MY REVIEW:

Don't Bury Your Secrets In Your Own Back Yard

Three Graves Full is one of the best new psychological thrillers. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel for the author is quite comfortable in their writing. The story flows smoothly, and it twists around a path to a final destination that you wouldn't expect. I saw it going one way, but I was surprised. The inner workings of Jason's mind are fascinating. His feelings were portrayed so well I could almost excuse his murdering Harris and putting him in the back yard. He was such a sorry little fellow. I am sure that he never considered there could be other bodies buried there that may lead to trouble when he buried one. I mean, who does that, besides him? Watching as he tried to work his way out of his predicament is darkly entertaining. When the landscapers find two other bodies, you assume the third will also be found and Jason's jig will be up. The author spins around that little hitch. When Jason decides to dig up the body he buried and get rid of it before it is found, you also assume that will be his demise. Some how the author makes it work and weaves his fate in a different colored cloth. Jason turns out more like the man he murdered, the characteristics he looked up to anyway.
I highly recommend you read this satisfying murder mystery. It is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "Just One Night Part 1: The Stranger" by Kyra Davis

The Stranger by Kyra Davis

DESCRIPTION ON AMAZON:


Kasie knows who she’s supposed to be. But one passionate night with a mysterious stranger will teach her who she wants to be.
You should sleep with a stranger, her best friend whispers in her ear as they take to Vegas for one last pre-wedding fling. Despite her best intentions, when Kasie Fitzgerald enters the casino and sees him, a man whose tailored clothes belied a powerful, even dangerous, presence, she loses herself to the moment. Maybe it’s the dress, much shorter than she’d ever normally wear, or the Scotch, but something makes her give herself over to him more completely than she's ever done with a man before. It was supposed to be just one night. But right as she’s thinking she wants more, he shows up in her office with an agenda. As the billionaire CEO of a company that’s engaged her PR firm, his demands just became her reality...and he desires so much more than just some attention in the boardroom.

MY REVIEW:

  Kasie, Kasie, Kasie. Sleeping with a stranger? Really? Your best friend may be trying to force you to take a good hard look at the long term relationship you are in, but is cheating on your almost fiance the path to self awareness? Or is it just the coward's choice?
I found the cheating aspect difficult to accept in the beginning. Kasie is supposed to be strong and smart. However, there were things outlined about her past that could cause her to wobble in her decision making. She had been trying to live up to the standard of all that was good and true in the world to please her parents, who were already let down by her sister. She didn't want to disappoint her boyfriend of six years because he had helped her get where she wanted to be in her career. No, she shouldn't have cheated on Dave at all. The high road would have been to tell him how she truly felt and dealt with that relationship before diving into another one. But, she is a human being, they are weak sometimes, and they make horrible mistakes. Now, I felt bad for the guy, for the most part. But there was always this little niggling feeling that Dave wasn't all he was cracked up to be, devoted and loving, the perfect fiance. A couple of places made me stop and think, Watch out, this guy seems like a push over right now but something is brewing there. When the end came and he called Kasie off that boat where she was meeting Robert, it was a relief. The true feelings of Dave were out there and he was no pushover. He threatened and bullied her. Unfortunately, she hides from her problems again and runs back to Dave, apologizing for what she had done, but I don't think she truly regretted it. So, you wait for the next book to read what happens from there. I am hoping that she finally leaves Dave and starts making her own decisions, not just doing what everyone expects of her. I look forward to seeing just what happens now that Dave has threatened and bullied her to get her to fall back in line with what he wants and revealed a not so perfect side of his personality.
Overall I enjoyed this book, it was extremely well written, but have a feeling the story will get better as the series progresses.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "The Reluctant Countess" by Wendy Vella

The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:
From rising romance star Wendy Vella comes a Cinderella story of whirlwind passion between a dashing earl and a beautiful countess—and the secret that threatens to tear them apart.
Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn’t add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.

Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.

MY REVIEW:

Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is referred to as an ice princess because of her seemingly cold demeanor. She uses her frigid attitude to keep her past a secret and protect the ones she loves. She comes into the society scene with her sister in law, who became her sister in law by way of a sketchy death bed marriage. Patrick, Earl of Coulter, suspects that Sophie is a charlatan, and he vows to uncover her secrets. He sees beyond the mask she keeps in place for the noble people she circulates with and the ice princess begins to thaw. The two share quite an attraction, and while Patrick learns her secrets, he also falls in love with her. Her secrets become his to protect and he wants to make Sophie his forever.
The story was good, the romance spicy, and there was an added splash of adventure as Sophie fought for her life more than once. Patrick wanted to protect and save her, but Sophie was quite able to take care of herself. She helped rescue a family member, and even fought and escaped a band of kidnappers. There was also a romantic storm brewing between Sophie's best friend and Patrick's best friend that was entertaining as well. I enjoyed this novel.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "Meghan's Christmas Wish" by Amy Gamet

Meghan's Christmas Wish: A Novella by Amy Gamet

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:
Meghan O'Connor is back in Largo, fifteen years after leaving town with Liam Wheaton. She'd been pregnant with their child. He'd been running from the law.

The son of the town drunk, Liam was accused of setting fire to the old mill. Meghan believed he was innocent, her love blinding her to any other possibility. But when life showed her another version of the truth, Meghan ran away again--this time taking the couple's eight year-old daughter with her.

Now that daughter needs a bone marrow transplant, and Meghan must return home to face the family she left behind as a frightened teenager. She never expects to find Liam living in Largo, looking sexier than ever and mad as all hell.

In the days before Christmas, the truth about the fire will be revealed, two families will be reunited and a passionate love rekindled, in this story about the lengths we go to for love and the power of forgiveness.

MY REVIEW:

Meghan and Fiona have been separated from their family for a very long time and are only reunited because Fiona is sick and needs a bone marrow transplant. Meghan left her family behind for Fiona's father, Liam, a boy who came from a family that the town snubbed and looked down upon, and were also accusing of arson. Later she takes Fiona and leaves her husband behind because some alleged “proof” is given to her that Liam is indeed guilty of the crime, and others. Her fear of facing her family, and that Liam will find her force her to stay away from her home town until she has to contact family members to be tested for a bone marrow match. To her surprise, she finds Liam living there, and prospering, even after he served time in jail for the crimes he may or may not have committed. Justice is served and a happy ending prevails when the truth comes out about the arson, and Meghan and Liam reunite and Fiona becomes well.
Sometimes when I read a book, I am aware of how the author probably wants me to feel, but just don't feel it deeply from the heart. I have to tell you this is not the case with Ms. Gamet's writing. This is the second book I have read by her. I enjoyed them both. This particular story evoked raw and true emotions that felt as if the happenings were going on in real life, and not just in a story. I thought it held enough promise to be a full length novel. It was a great story, and had enough background that it could surely have lasted. I prefer full length novels, but this author's work has been worth reading at any length.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "When The Siren Calls" by Tom Barry

When the Siren Calls by Tom Barry

DESCRIPTION ON AMAZON:
A story of seduction, deception and betrayal... When restless and neglected Isobel is invited to an idyllic Tuscan retreat, owned by the enigmatic Jay, she imagines a life of excitement outside her stagnant marriage. Despite fear and guilt, she abandons herself in a passionate love affair, but is soon trapped in a web of feminine manipulation, business intrigue, and ruthless ambition, while controlling Jay encourages conservative Isobel to push beyond her sexual boundaries. But all is not as it seems in the hilltop paradise and as her lover battles for survival, she finds herself a player in a dangerous love triangle. Unable to know who she can trust, she must fight to control both her own cravings and to save what little of herself is left. As her life falls apart, she is torn between the consequences of infidelity, her love for Jay, and fear that he will be her nemesis. For both Isobel and Jay, the excesses and confusions of an uncertain and largely amoral age are about to be brought home to roost, right in the heart of their lives. Witty and smattered with the best sort of irony, with twists and turns that keep you guessing, When the Siren Calls is a sensual and moving emotional drama that titillates the senses while racing along like a Grisham thriller. The novel will appeal to adult readers of romantic suspense and to fans of Fifty Shades of Grey.

MY REVIEW:

*My Review Gives Details of The Story That may Spoil The Ending*
Well Written But Couldn't Commit to Liking It
I was taken in by the description of this novel. When I began reading it, I didn't feel I was getting what was advertised. It was still well written though, and it seemed it could be a good book. There were parts of the story I found entertaining, but they were more about Lucy than Jay and Isobel. I found it quite comical when she showed up at Jay and Rusty's kids' school.
I did not like Jay, who was cheating on his wife with Lucy, and eventually Isobel, and anyone else he could snag by the looks of it. He was immoral in his business dealings as much as his personal life, and the book focused on the business much more than I thought it would. It took forever to get to the point where Isobel and Jay got together, and then the relationship seemed of no real consequence. Jay didn't change his ways. Isobel was cheating on her husband, Peter, and he didn't seem to notice.
Peter was a non factor until the end of the book when I thought, perhaps, he was going to take down Jay for his unscrupulous business and regain the attention and affection of his wife, which I would have loved to have read. Disappointingly, that did not happen.
Isobel found out Jay was trying to cheat her and her husband financially, and she continued to sleep with him. She even saw how ruthlessly Jay treated Lucy by getting her drunk and abandoning her emotionally and physically to be taken advantage of by Eamon in order to have an excuse to end their affair. Still, she slept with him? Wake up Isobel. But then, perhaps that was the goal and end result of this book, since her final decision was to end her marriage and her affair. It didn't seem like it had closure though. To get that you will will probably have to read the entire set of books.
I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "The Secret Keeper" By Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:

From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, and The House at Riverton, a spellbinding new novel filled with mystery, thievery, murder, and enduring love. During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother. Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past. Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.


MY REVIEW:

 

5 Stars are not enough for this incredible read. This has to be one of the best books I have read in quite some time. A story of love and loss, regrets and second chances. The horrors of war, the drama of family and siblings, a murder mystery, a deep and life lasting love story. This book has it all. The author leads you through the story by moving back and forth from the past to the present while Laurel seeks to unravel the truth of a violent incident she witnesses in her teenage years. What a compelling novel! It has interesting characters you can sympathize with and yet still think, “I can't believe they did that!”. The plot keeps the pages turning and a twist at the end left me speechless. All I could say was, “Wow!”. Then I couldn't wait to share with friends, family members, anybody, what I had just read. A book that inspires that kind of excitement is definitely a MUST READ. I highly recommend it.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Marie Reviews "The CallSign" By Brad Taylor

The Callsign by Brad Taylor

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:

In the first ever short story by Retired Delta Force officer Brad Taylor, the stakes couldn’t be higher as operator Pike Logan goes after the first Taskforce target leading a team he can’t fully trust.

Includes an exclusive preview of Brad Taylor’s hotly anticipated third Pike Logan novel, Enemy of Mine, coming January 15, 2013.

Commissioned at the highest level of the U.S. government, and designed to operate outside the bounds of U.S. law, a new counter-terrorist unit known as the Taskforce has just been formed, but not fully tested. Until now. Pike Logan has been given a team of operators drawn from the CIA’s National Clandestine Service and the military’s Special Operations Forces without any say in selecting the men on which he must depend. While executing a full mission profile exercise on U.S. soil, a target of opportunity appears before the Taskforce is deemed mission capable. Forced to execute, Pike and his team are sent to Yemen to track their first real target. The future of the Taskforce depends on their success, but when Pike is challenged by one of his own, their clear-cut mission teeters on the brink of disaster. The price of failure will reverberate much deeper than the loss of the target – straight into the presidency itself.

Propulsive, compelling, and told with unparalleled realism, The Callsign brings readers new insight into the origins of the Taskforce as they execute the first Omega operation in a relentless and action-packed short story.

MY REVIEW:

This short story was meant to give readers a look at how the task force was formed for a series of Pike Logan novels. It was an unusually quick read. I finished it in about an hour. The premise was good, but it seemed rushed and confusing to me. The beginning was drawn out, I didn't understand a lot of the military jargon, and the end seemed to come too quickly when the action started and excitement was building. Some of it seemed highly unbelievable, but I suppose no different than things you may see in a movie and say, “No way that would ever happen.”. I have not read any of the full length novels, so perhaps, if I had, the story would have been better. In fairness, I prefer full length books and I didn't realize this was only a short story. There were some good action scenes. My favorite bit of comedic misunderstanding did give me a bit of a chuckle, him talking to one of his men who divorced young because of his wife's occupation.
I was given a copy of this story for free in exchange for an honest review.

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