Appointment With ISIL-Book Review and Giveaway

About the book (provided by Italy Book tours)

This time, Anthony's libido threatens his life. He flirts with Russian mob boss, Gorgon Malakhov's mistress. The Russian deals in death. ISIL, the Islamic State in the Levant, wants the product. Russian Intelligence supplies the means, and an art theft funds the scheme. ISIL's targets are chilling. The chase across the Mediterranean is on. Can Anthony thwart ISIL? Will he survive?  

Book details

Book Title:  Appointment with ISIL: An Anthony Provati Thriller
Authors: Joe Giordano
Category:  Adult Fiction,   299 pages
Genre: Literary Thriller
Publisher:   Harvard Square Editions
Release date:  June 2017
Format available for review:  ebook (mobi, PDF and ePub)
Tour dates: June 19 to 30, 2017
Content Rating: PG (No f-words but there's mild profanity, and mild religious expletives such as "damn", "hell" and "Oh God!", some depictions of violence or brief sexual content (kissing). No drug use or underage drinking.)

And I thought

I was intrigued after only a few pages. 

And then...

For awhile I was confused.  There are alot of characters making up this storyline.  

There is the Russian mob and a few members with their individual backgrounds described to set the pace of their 

parts in the plot.  

There is the Italian mafia.  

There are quite a few characters in the middle east that take part in the plot.  

And, the police, the FBI, Anthony and his close friends.  

All mix together to form a group all with their own agenda's. 

Once I got further into the story and the plots came together 

it was a faster read for me.  

I read this book on my phone which is my least favorite way to read. 

Give me a good 'ole print copy and I am much more satisfied.

It's just easier for me to read and I am much more satisfied.

If your a lover of thrillers this is a good read.  

I received a complimentary copy from Italy Book Tours

Available

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

To read more reviews visit the tour

Click here

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight-Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna

 

 About the Book:

Neena Arya, a Delhi-born goes abroad for further studies and decides to settle down there. Determined to be a 'somebody' from a 'nobody' she blends with the Americans via the accent and their mannerisms while having a live-in relationship with her European boyfriend, Adan Somoza.

When illness hits home, Neena rushes to meet her ailing dad. Tragedy strikes and amidst the mingling with relatives and friends, she finds herself suffocated with the two different cultures that she has been breathing since she moved to the United States. How will she strike a balance between both the cultures as she continues to support her widowed mother? Will she be able to do justice to her personal and professional life after the loss?

Amidst the adjusting she bonds with an ally and learns about ties beyond blood. On what grounds will she be able to form an invisible thread that she has longed for since childhood?

Breathing Two Worlds ventures into cultures and ethnicity allowing Neena to ponder upon her foundation and priorities.

Available on Amazon

Read an excerpt

Excerpt

"Oh!" the Mom answered, but could not contain her curiosity with one hand holding the hyper toddler and the other on her hip she could not resist, "You two don't look like brother-sister, hmmm. So, what is your relationship?" she inquired with a slight smile in a soft voice but without any inhibition. A handful of seniors sitting in the same room observed all the drama and nodded to each other while their fingers were moving on the Tulsi neck beads.

Neena rolled her eyes and thought to herself, "Jeez! We Indians are always darn inquisitive."

Nikhil immediately got up and started walking towards the dining area. This was happening to them for the umpteenth time, and he was now tired of clarifying things. He had lived in this country for half a decade now and still he could never understand the fascination Indians had for marriage and children. 

Neena was confused at first because it was unlike Nikhil to be so rude. On the contrary, sometimes Neena referred to him on lessons in patience but today it was different. But then she didn’t have a choice; she felt it was rude to walk away from the young mother leaving the conversation unanswered. Moreover given Indian mentality in all possibility, she might even follow them till she had a convincing answer to her question. 

 

About the Author:

Ruchira Khanna, a biochemist turned writer, left her homeland of India to study in America, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Biochemistry from SJSU and a degree in Technical Writing from UC Berkeley.

After finishing her studies, Ruchira worked as a biochemist at a Silicon Valley startup for five years. After the birth of her son, Ruchira took a job as a technical writer, so that she could work from home. Soon, she began doing freelance writing work as well.

Her love of writing grew and she started working on her own books. After four years of freelancing, Ruchira published her first book, a fiction novel for adults called Choices.

Then came the children’s book The Adventures of Alex and Angelo: The Mystery of the Missing Iguana. She got a thumb’s up review from Kirkus Reviews.

In January 2016, she has published her second fictional novel Voyagers into the Unknown. It talks about the quest for happiness as the heavy hearted tourists travel miles from different parts of the world to Raj Touristry in Agra, India. Return to their respective home with a healed heart. This book talks about their journey!

In Breathing Two Worlds, Ruchira talks about ethnicity and cultures, and helps to strike a balance via a fiction-drama novel as her characters breathe two worlds.

In addition to writing books, she is a holistic healer associated with Stanford Healing Partners and also maintains a blog of daily mantras on Blogspot, called Abracabadra. Ruchira currently resides in California with her family.

Find her on: Website Blog

Visit The Tour

Tour Link Up

Book Review-Marriage Monsters-in-Law And Murder-by Sara Rosett

About the book

Ellie Avery is a professional organizer, not a diplomat. But by agreeing to help organize a family wedding, she's basically signed on to prevent two mothers-in-law from killing each other. It comes as a complete surprise, then, when another member of the wedding party is the one who's actually murdered . . .

Ellie's sister-in-law, Summer, has planned a four-day destination wedding at a posh private resort on one of Georgia's beautiful barrier islands, but it won't be a vacation for Ellie. Summer has asked her to assist with the last-minute details, which includes keeping the peace between the groom's mother and stepmother. 

The ladies are a handful, but the real problems are the ones Ellie and Summer haven't anticipated--like mysterious pranks directed toward the bride. When the best man shows up with the groom's gorgeous if unstable ex-girlfriend, she seems like an obvious suspect for the practical jokes. 

But when a suspicious death occurs, Ellie realizes there's more going on than mean-spirited pranks. Is Summer the killer's real target? And what could possibly be driving someone to murder? Ellie vows to get to the truth so the blushing bride can walk down the aisle without fearing she'll never reach the altar . . .

And I thought

I have not read any other books from the series.  I am going in with no background or pre conceived notions.  Except that I have read 

a couple of the Murder on Location series and a couple of the 

On The Run series.  

I was delighted with the opportunity to get into the Ellie Avery series even though I was beginning with book 9.  

MM&M (forgive the abbreviation) is fast paced and kept me interested from page one.  

I had no problem entering into the series with book 9.  I enjoyed it so much that I look forward to the previous 8 books.

As a newbie to the series I was anxious to get into the story and figure out what the deal was with the skeleton on the golf cart.  

I don't intend to give the story away but I will let you know the bride makes it to the wedding and there is a happily ever after.  

So you should be wondering who is the victim.  You won't wonder for long.  

What you will wonder about is 'Who Did It' and 'Why?'

The reader follows along as Ellie valiantly tries to keep the wedding running smoothly and figure out who's behind the pranks and the accident.  Or was it an accident?

MM&M is full of twists and turns that will keep you captivated to the end.  

The characters are fun and interesting making for a fun read.

The story is revolved around Ellie's sister law Summer's wedding so the whole family is involved.  Along with a large group of 

characters that arrive for the wedding celebration.  

Ellie and the police are put to the test figuring out who is responsible for the pranks and crimes from the 

grooms Step Mother who has an odd relationship with the 

photographer.  To the ex-girl friend/stalker of the groom who arrives with the best man.  

So who dun it?  You might be surprised who accidentally uncovers the 'Big' clue.

I enjoyed Marriage Monsters-in-Law And Murder.  I look forward to the next book in the series and back tracking through 

the earlier installments.   

I received a complimentary copy from the author.  
This review will appear on Amazon, Good Reads and 
My Journey Back.

Coffee with a character... The character that I want to chat with

from MM&m I think would rather have a soda than coffee is 

Ellie's daughter Livvy.  I was enchanted with her.  She is a 

'reader'.  She loves books and seems to almost miss what is 

going on around her while she is involved in what she is reading.

I would love to hear Livvy's favorite part of the weekend.  

The Series 

Moving is Murder
Staying Home is a Killer
Getting Away is Deadly
Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder
Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder
Mimosas, Mischief, and Murder
Mistletoe, Merriment and Murder
Milkshakes, Mermaids, and Murder
Marriage, Monsters-in-law, and Murder 
Mother’s Day, Muffins, and Murder

Available 

Amazon

Mailbox Monday

My mail has been full lately. 

 I've gotten quite a few print copies. . .

Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl reviewing for Baker Publishing
Detecting Duchess by Kate Parker  on the Great Escapes Tour
My Daughters Legacy by Mindy Starks and Leslie Gould on the 
Litfuse tour
and Iced by Avery Daniels on the Great Escapes Tour.  I've already finished Iced it's got my 5 star rating! 

And one more . . . 

Another Litfuse tour.  

I have a busy summer planned.  Even more on my Kindle!  

Linking with Mailbox Monday 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them … Your Hosts for  ‘Mailbox Monday’

Leslie of ‘Under My Apple Tree’

Serena of ‘Savvy Verse & Wit’

Martha of ‘Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf’

This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… You never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

…

 Also linking at 
Create With Joy The Art of Homemaking and 
Share Your Cup

Book Review-Primrose Lane by Debbie Mason

About the book 

Love is the best medicine.

Olivia Davenport has finally gotten her life back together. She’s left her painful past behind, started over in a new town, and become Harmony Harbor’s most sought-after event planner. But her past catches up to her when Olivia learns that she’s now guardian of her ex’s young daughter. With her world spinning, Olivia must reconcile her old life with her new one. And she doesn’t have time for her new next door neighbor, no matter how handsome he is.

Olivia may act like she’s got everything under control, but Dr. Finn Gallagher knows a person in over her head when he sees one. He’d really like to be the shoulder she leans on, but Olivia makes it clear she doesn’t want his help. Since he’s returned to town, his waiting room has been full of single women feigning illness. Yet the one woman he’s interested in is avoiding him. But with a little help from some matchmaking widows and a precocious little girl, Finn might just win Olivia over.

And I thought
What a lovely and delightful love story!  I totally enjoyed getting to know the Gallagher clan and the townsfolk of Harmony Harbor!

Harmony Harbor seems like a wonderful place to live or visit.  The B&B the Gallagher family owns would be a must for a holiday. 

Wouldn't be great if places like were real?  And well for a few hours they are.  Debbie does a wonderful job of weaving a story/plot,the characters and locale into a place you want to spend your afternoon.

I thought this wasn't a typical contemporary romance.  There was a little mystery involved and some villainy to make this romance  a little more interesting and spellbinding.  

The love story is sweet and just what a reader would want.  This was a clean book.  No bedroom scenes.  

The characters were fun and goofy and love able.  Finn and Olivia are delightful.  They seem to get off on the wrong foot when Finn suspects Olivia is using drugs.  Once Olivia 'opens' up and tells Finn was is really going on with her they can't help become friends and later fall in love.  

The story revolves around Olivia's past with her husband and his mistakes just before his death. When Olivia receives word from his lawyer that he had a daughter and Olivia is named guardian.  

Olivia's world is torn apart until Finn helps her accept the child that is dumped into her lap.  

Georgina who goes by 'George' arrives as a bit of a 'terror' but it dosen't take long for every to fall in love with the sweet little girl.  Even the grandparents who decide to fight Olivia for custody.  

Primrose Lane is book 4 in the Harmony Harbor series featuring the Gallagher family.  Because I read the book on my phone and I didn't really read the description before I read the book I didn't know it was book 4. 

I was interested in the rest of the family and wondered if there were other installments.  I don't think reader needs to read the books in order.  But it would be fun!  

I loved Primrose Lane and look forward to reading the remainder of the series.  For information on the series and other books visit the authors website.  Click here

Available 

AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

  
Coffee with a character
Sometimes there are characters that just jump off the pages and beg to sit down for a cup of coffee! 
There were a few on Primrose Lane that I would have loved to share a cup of coffee with.  
But the character today I most want to chat with if I could would just be happy I am sure to lay at my feet and chew on a bone!
Maybe it's because I don't have a dog currently.  
Finn's dog Miller was just a hoot!  He was one of those dogs that just acts almost human.  Finn and Miller were a team.  The had a connection.  He was a cool and fun dog and very smart!  
I think when I get another dog I'll train him to 'play dead' when 
I point a finger at him!  You gotta read Primrose Lane and meet
Miller!

Visit the tour

Click here to visit the tour and read more reviews

Giveaway

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Beach At Painters Cover-Spotlight

About the book (provided by TLC Book Tours)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Beach comes another heartwarming story of four generations of women who reunite in their crumbling family mansion by the sea for a dramatic summer filled with love, family, secrets and sisterhood.

The Whitaker family’s Connecticut mansion, Muses by the Sea, has always been a haven for artists, a hotbed of creativity, extravagances, and the occasional scandal. Art patrons for generations, the Whitakers supported strangers but drained the life out of each other. Now, after being estranged for years, four generations of Whitaker women find themselves once again at The Muses.

Leo, the Whitaker matriarch, lives in the rambling mansion crammed with artwork and junk. She plans to stay there until she joins her husband Wes on the knoll overlooking the cove and meadow where they first met. Her sister-in-law Fae, the town eccentric, is desperate to keep a secret she has been hiding for years.

Jillian, is a jet setting actress, down on her luck, and has run out of men to support her. She thinks selling The Muses will make life easier for her mother, Leo, and Fae by moving them into assisted living. The sale will also bring her the funds to get herself back on top.

Issy, Jillian’s daughter, has a successful life as a museum exhibit designer that takes her around the world. But the Muses and her grandmother are the only family she’s known and when her sister leaves her own children with Leo, Issy knows she has to step in to help.

Steph, is only twelve-years-old and desperately needs someone to fire her imagination and bring her out of her shell. What she begins to discover at the Muses could change the course of her future.

As Issy martials the family together to restore the mansion and catalogue the massive art collection, a surprising thing happens. Despite storms and moonlight dancing, diva attacks and cat fights, trips to the beach and flights of fancy, these four generations of erratic, dramatic women may just find a way to save the Muses and reunite their family.

And I thought 

A great summer read!  

Available

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Death On West End Road-Book Review-Author Interview with Giveaway

Giveaway Below

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)

Like a basket of warm cinnamon buns, an unsolved crime is something that Hamptons innkeeper and sleuth Antonia Bingham just can’t resist. Despite a busy high-season schedule and an inn booked to capacity, Antonia has agreed to investigate a cold case in her beloved adopted hometown, East Hampton, NY: the killing of Susie Whitaker, whose brutal 1990 slaying on a tennis court in the poshest part of town was never solved. And the person who has hired Antonia? Prime suspect Pauline Framingham, a manipulative pharmaceutical heiress from a powerful family. The crime scene is compromised, the circumstances are complicated, and former witnesses are cagey, haunted and very reluctant to revisit what happened on that sun-splashed afternoon decades earlier. As Antonia attempts to unravel the mysteries of the past she unearths even darker secrets and ultimately wonders if it would have been best to let sleeping dogs lie. To make matters worse, past acquaintances and love interests reappear in the Hamptons, disrupting Antonia’s world and causing her to scurry to the fridge for comfort.

Death on West End Road is the third book in the Hamptons Murder Mystery Series. Along with a colorful cast of supporting characters, the beating heart of the book is Antonia Bingham, restaurateur, gourmand, and nosy carb-lover.

And I thought
Well the first line in the description got me ...'like a basket of 
warm cinnamon buns'.
It does appear that murder and mystery seems to follow Antonia
Bingham!  
In this case a fellow resident of East Hampton asks Antonia to investigate an age old cold case.   The reader along with Antonio and her friends in sleuthing are left wondering why would 
a suspect be requesting Antonio to dig into the old case?

It doesn't take long for Antonio to begin to wonder just who did it.  
Along with the crime sleuthing Antonio has a penchant for 
match making.  When Giorgio Leguzzi of Milano registers at the hotel in hopes of finding a vanishing love interest (a women he met briefly in the Hamptons the previous year)  Antonio can't help but get involved and call in a few favors from friends to find the elusive woman.  

If your a lover of mysteries and maybe a little romance you'll enjoy reading Death on West End Road.  

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escape Tours
This review will appear on retail sites where available.
This review will appear on Good Reads.

Available

Amazon B&N Kobo IndieBound 

Author interview

Hello Carrie I am delighted to chat with you today!  

Thank you I am so excited to chat with you as well.

I visited your website today.  What a delight it was!  

You are one talented and busy girl!

Thank you so much. I am a much happier person when I am busy!

When I visited your blog I noticed you write in a variety of different genre’s.

Do you have a favorite/ 

I'm enjoying writing mysteries. I am a big jigsaw and crossword puzzle fan and I think of mysteries as creating my own puzzle that I have to solve. The tricky part is to lay down some clues, but not too many that your reader guesses early on who did it. So you have to challenge yourself to conceal, disguise, misguide and yet ultimately discover.

This might be a hard question (it would be for me) but where is your favorite place to eat?  

Well, I love to eat. I am a giant foodie! As you can see from my books, I also like to write about food. My number one favorite restaurant in the world is Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California, where I lived for five years. I haven't been there in over two years, but I love it. I have always gotten the same main course over the fifteen years I have been there on and off, and weirdly it is always a 'special.' That is homemade fettucini with white shitakie mushroom sauce. It's divine. And the people watching is insane! I always tell my friends who go to California that if they want to see a celebrity they should go there.

There is a restaurant in the Hamptons called Beacon that is in Sag Harbor and that is definitely the best food out there. They have wonderful fresh fish dishes and delicious eats like lobster mac and cheese and bouillabaisse and great appetizers like roasted mushrooms with smoked mozzarella and caper sauce. There is a beautiful view of the water. The only problem is that it is small so they bum-rush you out. The second you put down your credit card they clear your water glasses (practically grabbing it out of your hand) and push you out the door. I would never go there if not that the food is so darn good.

In addition, I also really like cooking and eating at my house in East Hampton. I designed the kitchen with my friend who is an architect and so it is totally customized for me. I love it.

As an author do you find yourself randomly thinking about stories and plots when you’re at a great restaurant?

Definitely. In fact, there are three cozy restaurants situated in inns in East Hampton that helped inspire the Windmill Inn and Restaurant in my series, The Hamptons Murder Mystery Series. I think there is something intriguing about everyone dining together then sleeping under the same roof yet no one talking to each other. It's very mysterious. One time my husband and I went to Bath, England and stayed in a strange Bed and Breakfast and there were some odd people there so that really got me thinking about murder! I locked my door that night.

What/where is the most random place that intrigued you to a storyline and what  was the story? 

There is a small graveyard in East Hampton that many people don't know about. It is tucked between two multi-million dollar houses in the estate section, and protected by a small white split-level fence. It is the graves of many of the founding family members. Actually a lot of the streets in East Hampton are named after the deceased who are buried there. I know this cemetery will appear in my series somehow, I'm still working out the details. Actually I filmed it for a teaser on DEATH ON WEST END ROAD, and you can see it on my Instagram page @carriedoylek

There’s a question I always like to ask. (I already know the answer)…I bet you have a dog that keeps you company while you write. Can you tell us about him/her?

Is ___________ the inspiration for a pet character?

I actually have two dogs! Scruff and Boo (you can tell my sons named them.) They are white and fluffy Coton de Tulears. Scruff is Boo's uncle and he is six and Boo is three. Scruff was always a very mellow dog, and friendly. I was so proud about how if my friends came over with their dog he didn't bark and was not territorial. He was almost human that way. Then I was talking with our breeder and she said she had a dog that she had planned on showing as he was a perfect specimen of the breed, but unfortunately he was very nervous and she couldn't keep him. So we got Boo when he was six months old. He is very beautiful and sweet but very nervous and now he and Scruff bark at everyone! It's embarrassing. Whenever my sons or husband go out and walk them, we always return and say, "Boo embarrassed the family again." One interesting fact is that three years ago The Westminster Dog Show decided to allow Coton de Tulears to compete and every year Boo's sister has won! I imagine if Boo were better behaved he would win. I think I would like to add a dog to my series, but it's tricky as Antonia owns an inn. But perhaps Joseph will need to get a therapy dog!

And now The Hampton’s what a lovely place!  Can you tell us why you chose this location for the series?  

East Hampton is my favorite place in the world and I know it well. I think a location that is robust with a variety of people from polarizing socio-economic backgrounds makes it ripe for drama. You have billionaires, millionaires, upper class, middle class, working class and very poor in a tiny village so there is bound to be intrigue. But the backdrop is this beautiful and historic town, with breathtaking beaches, spectacular farm lands, glorious oceans and woods and bays... It's like that line from the film American Beauty: "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, like my heart is just going to cave in." I think that can sum up what happens to the killers in my book!

I’m looking forward to reading book 3 Death On West End Road. 

 I’m curious; will I be missing a lot by jumping in at book 3?

I've tried to make every book stand alone so that readers don't have to read the previous books in order to enjoy the latest. Sue Grafton who writes the Alphabet series does that as well--we both provide a brief introduction to who is who in the first few chapters so you feel right at home.

Other than Antonio do you have a favorite character in the series?

Larry Lipper is the most fun to write because he says anything he wants, is totally offensive and is also mischievous. You always want to roll your eyes at Larry and yet you know that no matter how obnoxious he is, at the end of the day he will have your back. Even if he can barely reach it.

I know once I read Death On West End Road (closer to tour) I’ll think of many more

Questions.  I hope you’ll come back for another chat!

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me!  I hope you enjoy the book!

Thanks for visiting! Best wishes for the tour. 

 Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review-Fatal Facade by Wendy Tyson-Character Interview and Giveaway

A Giveaway follows

About the book

Allison Campbell accepted a dream assignment: a visit to the Italian Dolomites to help Hollywood socialite Elle Rose reinvent herself. A guest cottage on the grounds of Elle’s historic castle promises to be a much-needed respite from Allison’s harried life on the Philadelphia Main Line, and the picturesque region, with its sharp peaks, rolling pastures, and medieval churches, is the perfect spot from which to plan her upcoming wedding.

Only this idyllic retreat is anything but peaceful. There are the other visitors—an entourage of back-biting expats and Hollywood VIPs. There’s Elle’s famous rock star father, now a shadowy recluse hovering behind the castle’s closed doors. And then there’s Elle’s erratic behavior. Nothing is as it seems. After a guest plummets to her death from a cliff on the castle grounds, Allison’s trip of a lifetime turns nightmarish—but before she can journey home, Allison must catch a killer.

And I thought

Only a few chapters in I was wishing I read the 3 preceding books.

Not because it was necessary.  But because I was so enthralled with all the characters that I wanted to.  

But the good news is I got the opportunity to chat with 'Vaughn'

Allison's business manager and her gave me a little background info.  and even told me which book in the series is his favorite!

Fatal Facade was a fun fast paced suspenseful thriller.  That will keep the reader on the edge of the seat.  

The story begins with a flashback when Damian the heir/owner of the fabulous castle falls off a cliff to his death which is classified as an accident.  But was it really?

Allison and fiance Jason and niece Grace arrive to join a large group of visitors.  Each with their own baggage and motives. 

And then another 'accident' happens.  And everyone becomes 

a suspect.  

The reader is swept into a twisty turvey fast paced ride along with 

Allison as she rushes to find out what is going on and why.  

All the while trying to keeping her loved ones safe.   

And when one suspect disappears and then is found buried on the grounds the tension rises and it's a race to find out who dun it.

Fatal Facade was a great suspenseful thriller.  I am looking forward to backtracking and reading the beginning of the series. 

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes.

This review will appear on retail sites where available.

This review will appear on Net Galley and Good Reads. 
This review will appear on My Journey Back

Available...

Amazon  B&N  kobo

Coffee with a character 

Hello and welcome to the blog.  I am excited to talk about Fatal Façade and maybe a little bit about your other adventures with Allison.

So before we get into our chat.  Should I call you Christopher or just 'Vaughn'?  Is 'Vaughn' reserved for close friends?   How did 'just Vaughn' come about?

Hi. Thanks for having me here today, Sherry. Please, call me Vaughn.

As a kid, I got in trouble a lot. I always knew I was in for it when my father would say “Mr. Vaughn” with a growl in his voice. My brother—he’s actually my twin—thought that was pretty funny, me being in trouble and all, so he started just calling me Vaughn. It stuck. Only my mother still called me Christopher, and now one of Jamie’s nurses does as well, a woman who has been a mother figure to us both since we lost our mom. 

Let’s just jump right in.  How did you first meet/ become acquainted with Allison?  

I first met Allison through First Impressions. She’d recently purchased the business from the woman who was her mother-in-law at the time, Mia Campbell. Mia had been Allison’s mentor in the image consulting world, throwing Allison a life line when she was desperate for something to root her.

Anyway, Allison needed some odd jobs done, mostly investigative work on behalf of clients—checking into cheating spouses and the like. I’d some similar work for Mia, so Allison used me. We hit it off, she saw how hard I worked when it came to my clients’ interests, and she offered me a full-time job at the office. My role grew as the business blossomed and as our friendship developed. 

Friend and business manager huh? What are your duties?

Anything pertaining to the business, really. I manage the financial end of things, handle appointments, negotiate contracts, deal with clients and the press.  Allison and I work as a team. The only thing I don’t do is consult with clients.

I’m curious—do you think mystery and suspense just kind of follow Allison Around?

Interesting question. No, I don’t. But Allison has a unique perspective. She viewed herself as an outsider for a long time. I think she still does. Despite working and living on the upscale Main Line of Philadelphia, despite all of her wealthy clients and fancy functions, she’s still the young girl who grew up poor under the rule of an abusive father. She’s never been able to outrun her past. I think that perspective, that ability to be on the outside looking in, allows her to see things others miss. Like true motives, and the goodness in people, and BS. Plus, she has a soft heart. She can’t pass up a chance to help out someone in trouble, so she often finds herself in the midst of it.

In Fatal Façade you spent a little time in Italy.   Have you traveled abroad in any of your earlier adventures?  

Previous adventures have taken us to Scranton, Pennsylvania and the Finger Lakes in New York, but this was my first trip abroad as part of First Impressions.

Besides your twin brother Jamie is there anyone else in the cast that you’re close to?  

Mia. Or I was close to Mia, anyway. That’s a story for another day. And Jason, Allison’s fiancé (and former husband)—we’ve been friends for years.

I jumped into the series with Fatal Façade. And now I am looking for my next
adventure.   If you had to choose/suggest which of your adventures is your favorite?

I’d like to say I enjoyed them all, but the truth is DEADLY ASSETS was pretty harrowing because two clients were missing and my freedom was on the line. DYING BRAND was scary, too, because of the impact on Allison. I don’t think she realizes just how close she came to being a victim.

Of course, it all began with KILLER IMAGE. You don’t have to start at the beginning of our story—each adventure stands on its own—but sometimes it helps if you want the background. KILLER IMAGE was perhaps our darkest hour.

Thanks for the suggestion and thank you for the chat.

This was great. I appreciate your time.

Visit the tour

Click here to visit to read more reviews and interviews 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway