#SarahBennettMysteries #SarahBennett #HFVBTBlogTours

The Spirit of Grace
by Terry Lynn Thomas

Publication Date: November 26, 2017
HQ Digital

Series: Sarah Bennett Mysteries, Book One
Genre: Historical Mystery

Sarah Bennett doesn’t remember the night her mother tumbled down the stairs at Bennett House, despite allegedly witnessing the fatal fall. There was talk of foul play, dark whispers, and sidelong glances, all aimed at Sarah, prompting her family to send her to The Laurels, an exclusive asylum in San Francisco, under a cloud of suspicion. Now, on the one-year anniversary of her mother’s murder, Sarah has been summoned home. Convinced of her innocence, she returns to Bennett House, hoping to put the broken pieces of her life back together. But when another murder occurs shortly after her arrival, Sarah once again finds herself a suspect, as she is drawn into a web of suspicion and lies. In order to clear her name, Sarah must remember what happened the fateful night her mother died. But as she works to regain her memory, the real murderer watches, ready to kill again to protect a dark family secret.

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The House of Secrets
by Terry Lynn Thomas

Publication Date: April 11, 2019
HQ Digital

Series: Sarah Bennett Mysteries, Book Two
Genre: Historical Mystery

Sarah Bennett has two secrets: she sees ghosts, and she is in love with a spy.

When Sarah takes a job with occult expert Dr Matthew Geisler, he promises to help her understand the sorrowful spirit that seems to have attached itself to her.

As Sarah struggles to cope with the ghostly presence, she runs into Zeke, the man who left her six months earlier and is recovering from injuries suffered in an alleged accident. But Zeke has secrets of his own, and when an attempt is made on Geisler’s life, Sarah finds herself caught in a struggle between the living and the dead.

Unsure who she can trust, Sarah must solve the mystery of the soul determined to haunt her, and save Dr. Geisler and herself from an unknown threat.

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This book was received as an ARC from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the Author,

Sarah Jane, is returning to her hometown Bennett Cove, a small town nestled just north of San Francisco. She has been summoned home by her father, after residing at The Laurels, a mental institution. Even after a year away she still has no recollection of what transpired the night of her tragic Mother’s death. How did Sarah end up over her Mother’s dead bod? Did she just fall down the stairs, or was she pushed? Sarah needs to find the answers, and clear her name. Many of the folks who knew her in Bennett Cove don’t believe she did it, but who did?

This wonderful murder mystery set in 1942, we get to experience the war and turmoil through Sarah Jane eyes. Tension is in the air as the people of San Francisco awaitan invasion from Japan. Gothic mystery mired in suspicion, lies and deception. The storyline combines historical events, with supernatural occurrences, suspense and a love story. What a page turner of a book, a creative who-done-it. The author has written a fantastic, tension-filled, perfectly paced novel with spies and intrigue.

Spine tingling book with lots of twist creative, enjoyable storyline that was one that I found myself totally drawn into and held my attention to the very end.

Highly recommend, I can’t wait to start the next book in this series

The Drowned Woman
by Terry Lynn Thomas

Publication Date: April 16, 2019
HQ Digital

Series: Sarah Bennett Mysteries, Book Three
Genre: Historical Mystery

Family secrets won’t always stay buried…

December 1937.

When Zeke’s sister-in-law Rachel Caen was found dead on Christmas Eve, her family assumed that she had taken her own life.

Now five years later, one of the emeralds that Rachel was wearing at the time of her death is discovered at a stonecutter’s house in Portland, Oregon.

With his brother Simon under suspicion for Rachel’s murder and stealing the emeralds, Zeke and detective Sarah are under pressure to clear his name.

But with troubles of their own and in need of a place to hide, the duo return to Zeke’s hometown where a spiritual force helps Sarah find another emerald…

All the fingers are pointing to Zeke’s family; how far will they go to protect their secrets? And will Sarah uncover the killer before it’s too late?

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TERRY LYNN THOMAS grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which explains her love of foggy beaches and Gothic mysteries. When her husband promised to buy Terry a horse and the time to write if she moved to Mississippi with him, she jumped at the chance. Although she had written several novels and screenplays prior to 2006, after she relocated to the South she set out to write in earnest and has never looked back.

Terry Lynn writes the Sarah Bennett Mysteries, set on the California coast during the 1940s, which feature a misunderstood medium in love with a spy. The Drowned Woman is a recipient of the IndieBRAG Medallion. She also writes the Cat Carlisle Mysteries, set in Britain during World War II. The first book in this series, The Silent Woman, came out in April 2018 and has since become a USA TODAY bestseller. The Family Secret is slated for release in March 2019. When she’s not writing, you can find Terry Lynn riding her horse, walking in the woods with her dogs, or visiting old cemeteries in search of story ideas.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 9
Guest Post at What Is That Book About

Tuesday, September 10
Excerpt at Bookish Rantings

Thursday, September 12
Review at Just One More Chapter (Book #1)

Friday, September 13
Review at Coffee and Ink (Book #1)

Monday, September 16
Feature at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, September 17
Review at WTF Are You Reading? (all three)

Thursday, September 19
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, September 20
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books (Book #1)

Monday, September 23
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective (Book #1)

Tuesday, September 24
Feature at Gwendalyn’s Books (Book #2)

In The Shadow Of The Hanging Tree

Today I have something a little different for you! This blog tour is for two amazing novels by author, Michael McLellan. I will be sharing my review of ~~“insert book title here”~~, in addition to excerpts from both books and a giveaway to enter!

In the Shadow of the Hanging Tree

Publication Date: April 26th, 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

In 1865 a shadow hovers over the nation: the shadow lingers still…

Born into slavery, Henry’s young life is spent working in tobacco drying sheds on Missouri plantations. Freed at the onset of the Civil War, he’s alone, starving, and on the run from Confederate militiamen.

Five years later, Clara Hanfield, the daughter of a powerful New York shipping magnate, escapes her tyrannical father and travels west in pursuit of John Elliot, the man she loves. John, a U.S. Army lieutenant, was sent to the Dakota Territory where he discovers a government conspiracy to incite an all-out war with the Indians; a war meant to finally eliminate them as an obstacle to the westward expansion.

Henry finds himself caught in the middle.

Aided by Clara, John, and his native ally, Standing Elk, Henry must battle hatred, greed, and the ghosts of his past during this turbulent and troubling time in American history

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Excerpt

Emmet Dawson pulled the crumpled sheets of Henry and Eliza’s free papers from his coat and held them close to his face, squinting. “…Samuel Cromwell.” He held the papers out. “Can you read these?”

Henry averted his eyes. “No, sir,” he lied.

“No, of course you can’t. It’s not only near to impossible to teach a nigger to read but it’s also against the law—God’s and man’s.” He lowered the papers to his side. “These jayhawkers are burning and pillaging their way across our great state. They’re murdering innocent Missouri families in their sleep, then setting niggers loose on the land like a pestilence. That boy’s an orphan. His father, his mother, and his little baby sister were inside the house when it was set fire. They were unable to escape. We found their niggers a few miles away, riding their horses and leading their pigs just like they had the right to. We are at war, Henry. We are at war to save our families and our way of life.”

Emmet turned and looked at Bob. “Hang him with the others.”

Eliza let out an anguished wail and dropped to her knees where she began screaming hysterically. Henry tried to kneel down with her but Bob yanked the rope tight and wrapped it on his saddle horn. This left Henry standing at an awkward lean as he tried not to drag Eliza.

“What about the woman?” Bob asked.

Emmet Dawson looked down at Eliza appraisingly. “Shut her up and tie her to my wagon…and here,” he handed Bob the free papers. “Pin these to his shirt. There aren’t any free niggers in Missouri.” He gave Henry a final stony look then walked into the camp.

Available on Amazon

This book was received from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

This McLellan’s third novel in a dramatic tale of the 1860s

A story of love, friendship, hatred, conspiracies, and murder.

An American historical fiction that that is blunt and unnerving in its realistic portrayal of the times right after the Civil War ended. The author has written a historical drama not for the faint of heart. It will definitely keep your attention with realistic dialogue and strong characterization.

A time when our government was expanding and wanting to put turbulent civil war behind. Our nation then turned its eyes to eliminating the American Native as an obstacle. A violent and heartbreaking portion of our history as a nation is written about amongst the pages of McLellan book.

The author paints a detailed observation into violent and tragic way in which our nation as a whole unethical treatment of non caucasian residents.

Strong well developed characters surviving under gut wrenching circumstances.

You will be instantly drawn in this compelling atmospheric historical fiction.

Gwendalyn

American Flowers

Publication Date: July 7th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Drama

*Triggers: Addiction, Abuse, Sexual Assault

Nineteen-year-old Chris Shafer and seventeen-year-old Allie Laughton came from similar backgrounds of neglect and indifference. Chris spent his childhood desperately trying to gain his alcoholic parents’ love. Allie was dragged through an ugly divorce before narrowly escaping being molested by her mother’s new boyfriend.

A chance meeting draws the two together and Allie is quickly caught up in Chris’ new-found lifestyle. Plagued by poor choices, Chris sets into motion a chain of events that drags them deeper into the murky world of meth. Ultimately pursued by both the police and Chris’ volatile tempered drug dealer, Chris and Allie are forced to confront their only real enemy: themselves.

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Excerpt

“You’re poison to that girl. You do see that?”

“We love each other and don’t want to be apart.”

“What do you know about love?” Jan suddenly spat, leaning forward in the easy chair and staring angrily at Chris.

“You listen to me. The only truly unbreakable love is that of a parent for their child. All the other kinds of love, like the kind you and that beautiful young girl in there think you have is fragile and weak, and saddest of all, fleeting. That kind of love can be broken in an instant”—she snapped her arthritis twisted fingers for emphasis, making more of a dry papery sound than a snap. “It can be broken by the smallest of indiscretions, or nothing more than a few poorly chosen words. Mostly it’s just worn away over time like the banks of that creek out there. And it’ll happen so slowly that you never even feel more than a faint tickle at the back of your mind. Oh, it can burn as hot as blue blazes for a moment, but eventually it burns out and leaves something entirely different behind…like the bed of ashes in the bottom of a woodstove after the fire’s gone out. Some folks still insist on calling it love, but it isn’t, not really. It’s obligation, it’s responsibility, it’s apathy. Often it just becomes who you are…what you’re accustomed to. Sometimes it even becomes hate.

Available on Amazon!

Click HERE for a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

About the Author

Michael’s love of books began with Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle when he was seven-years-old. Later influenced by the works of John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Stephen King, James Baldwin, and Cormac McCarthy, Michael developed his style of storytelling. A self-proclaimed blue-collar writer, he draws on his experiences and observations to bring relevant and compelling topics to life.

Michael lives in Northern California and when he’s not writing, he can usually be found wandering around the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.

His body of work includes the 2014 novel After and Again, the 2015 novel American Flowers, and the 2017 novel, In the Shadow of the Hanging Tree, as well as various shorts and essays.

Michael McLellan | Goodreads| Twitter