Friday, February 12, 2016

Motion for Madness, A Jamie Winters Mystery by Kelly Rey, New This Week from Gemma Halliday

Gemma Halliday Publishing is a boutique publisher of light-hearted mystery, romantic suspense and romantic comedy novels, perfect for popping into your beach bag for a weekend away or cozying up beside a warm fire for a quiet night in.

We've selected one of their recently published titles to feature here today …

Motion for Madness by Kelly Rey

Motion for Madness by Kelly Rey

A Jamie Winters Mystery (3rd in series)

Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing

Price: $3.99 (as of 02/12/2016 at 12:30 PM ET).

Motion for Madness by Kelly Rey, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Motion for Madness.

Just when legal secretary and reluctant sleuth Jamie Winters thinks life has settled down and her prospects are looking up … murder catches up to her again!

Kay Culverson, a low-budget cable talk show host and diva extraordinaire, is found dead in her office after alienating not only Jamie's boss, Howard Dennis, but also her own agent and every employee in the studio. When Howard falls under suspicion, his wife asks Jamie to investigate. While she's not exactly excited at the prospect of solving another murder, Jamie isn't thrilled with the idea of losing her job either. So with the help of her hot landlord Curt and Curt's feisty teen niece Maizy, Jamie's on the case! But she soon finds herself dealing with a whole cast of suspects, including a shady agent, a group of anti-government geeks, a light-fingered ex-con, and a mysterious hitman for hire named Z. It couldn't possibly get any worse … until it does. And suddenly Jamie wonders if this next case may be her last!

Motion for Madness by Kelly Rey

See all three mysteries in the Jamie Winters Series for $3.99 or less each on Kindle.

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

A Conversation with Thriller Writer Martin Roy Hill

Omnimystery News: Author Interview with Martin Roy Hill

We are delighted to welcome author Martin Roy Hill to Omnimystery News today.

Martin's second thriller to feature journalist Peter Brandt, The Last Refuge (February 2016 trade paperback and ebook formats), is published later this month and we recently had a chance to catch up with him to talk more about his books.

— ♦ —

Omnimystery News: Introduce us to Peter Brandt. What is it about him that appeals to you as a writer?

Martin Roy Hill
Photo provided courtesy of
Martin Roy Hill

Martin Roy Hill: The protagonist of The Last Refuge is Peter Brandt, a battle-scarred former war correspondent first seen in my novel Empty Places. They say a writer should write the kind of story he enjoys reading, and I've always enjoyed the type of sardonic first-person narratives of writers like Raymond Chandler and Alistair MacLean. I had that in mind when I created Peter for Empty Places — a sarcastic, world-weary anti-hero who rises to the occasion despite his own wishes. In that respect, both Empty Places and The Last Refuge have a noir quality to them.

OMN: How has Peter changed between the time-frames of the two books?

MRH: It's interesting that you ask that question. I recently wrote a piece for my website's blog called "Violence 101: A Primer for Writers" in which I describe mechanisms of injury and how they have lasting effects on their victims. I wrote it in response to what I call "The Mission: Impossible Syndrome", after the movie series in which main character gets blown up all the time with no lasting injuries. I think you fail in character development if your character has no human response to the terrible things he or she has witnessed or endured over time. I shared the blog with my colleagues in Mystery Writers of America and got a very enthusiastic response.

Empty Places takes place in the late 1980s and Peter has just returned from covering the Reagan administration's proxy wars in Central America where he suffered a severe head injury. Peter suffers from terrible blinding headaches due to the injury as well nightmares and guilt over how the injury occurred. The Last Refuge takes place in 1993, not long after Operation Desert Storm, which Peter also covered as a news service correspondent. His headaches have improved with treatment, but he still has horrible nightmares about the horrors he's witnessed in Central America and Desert Storm, as well as the violence he survives in Empty Places. He's trying hard to make improvements in his life, but it's difficult when he's tortured by bad dreams and guilt.

OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?

MRH: Peter Brandt probably has a little more of me in him than any of my other characters. I spent 20 years as a journalist before switching careers and becoming a U.S. Navy analyst in combat casualty care. Like Peter, I started my reporting career as a police reporter for the daily newspaper in Palm Springs, CA, and many of the ghosts he talks about in Empty Places are, in fact, my ghosts — images of the dead and dying that I've seen over the years. Some of the historic events he talks about in both books are events I covered as an investigative journalist. Also, I tend to be a somewhat world-weary, sardonic sort, too.

OMN: How did the books come to be titled?

MRH: All of my book titles are intricately connected to the theme of the book. My book, Duty, is a collection of short stories with the common theme of military service. My military mystery thriller, The Killing Depths, takes place aboard an American submarine and the title refers to both the crushing depths of the ocean and to the dual plot of the book dealing with a submarine chase and a serial killer onboard the submarine itself. My sci-fi novella, Eden, takes place during Operation Iraqi Freedom in an area of Iraq that many researchers believe is the location of the Biblical Garden of Eden.

The theme of Empty Places was how people try to cope with the emptiness in their lives by seeking power of one sort or another, or by seeking oblivion one way or another. The Last Refuge was inspired by the defense industry scandals of the 1980s and early 1990s. The title comes from Samuel Johnson's rebuke of his fellow politicians who hid their greed and corruption behind a veil of patriotic fervor: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."

OMN: Tell us a little more about your writing process.

MRH: I am definitely a plotter. I want to be certain I have a story before I write it. I learned to plot using 3x5 inch index cards, writing down plot points and scenes, then shuffling the cards around to organize them into a coherent plot. Today, I use Scrivener's cork board app to do the same thing. I also always do basic character sketches.

However, I like to compare plotting a novel to planning a road trip. You study a map, and decide where you're going to and how you'll get there. But once you start driving, you find yourself making detours to see this sight or that sight. And, yes, I find my characters have minds of their own. In a sequel to The Killing Depths that I'm currently writing, one of the characters was supposed to die one way, but he refused to do so. He ended up dying in a totally different way, and I think it made the book better.

OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories? Have there been any particularly difficult topics?

MRH: Having been an investigative journalist for many years, research is something that comes naturally to me. The Internet has made it much simpler, particularly since with Google Earth and Maps you can visit a location thousands of miles away without leaving your desk. I've also been fortunate to have a rather eclectic career, including service in three branches of the military reserves, plus service as a law enforcement reservist and a member of a federal disaster response team. I bring those experiences to my books.

Of all my books, The Killing Depths was probably the most difficult book to research. I had to read numerous books about submarine operations and warfare. I talked to former submariners and had a retired submariner read the first draft of the book. I even was able to get the Navy to give me a tour of a Los Angeles-class killer submarine.

OMN: What are some of your outside interests?

MRH: I really don't have any real hobbies as you think of hobbies. I have a strong background in search and rescue operations, having served 13 years active and reserve duty in the U.S. Coast Guard and about six years on a wilderness SAR team. And as I said earlier, I spent six or so years on a federal disaster response team. Today, I am the executive officer of a state military police battalion in a component of the California National Guard. All of that part-time or reserve service, plus my day job with the Navy as well as family commitments don't leave a lot of free time for hobbies. Any free time I get, I spend on my writing.

Yet all that experience definitely seeps into my writing. In the Coast Guard, I was involved in maritime law enforcement, including counter-narcotics smuggling operations along the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary. I received additional law enforcement training when I was on the local Sheriff's SAR team, and later in the National Guard. All that experience is useful to draw on when writing my mysteries.

OMN: What's next for you?

MRH: I'm working on two new novels. One is a sequel to The Killing Depths featuring NCIS special agent Linus Schag. I'm into the first rewrite of the manuscript on that one. I'm also in the plotting stages of another novel that is a sort of military sci-fi story involving a special unit of the U.S. Coast Guard. As I said, I'm a Coast Guard veteran and have always wanted to write a book centered on the service.

— ♦ —

Martin Roy Hill spent more than 20 years as a staff reporter and editor for newspapers and magazines, before becoming a military analyst specializing in battlefield medical operations for the Navy. A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Reserves, and the California National Guard, Martin has also served on a sheriff's wilderness search and rescue team, and on two disaster response teams. He lives in La Jolla, CA.

For more information about the author, please visit his website at MartinRoyHill.com and his author page on Goodreads, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

— ♦ —

The Last Refuge by Martin Roy Hill

The Last Refuge by Martin Roy Hill

A Peter Brandt Thriller

Publisher: Martin Roy Hill

Amazon.com Print/Kindle Format(s)

Iraq, 1991: Operation Desert Storm. In a terrible friendly fire incident, a U.S. helicopter massacres a small convoy of American MPs. Among the dead: a mysterious American civilian engineer discovered by the soldiers behind enemy lines.

San Diego, CA, 1993: A freelance journalist is hired to write a story about a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the dead engineer's widow against the government and the defense contractor he worked for. The problem: the government insists the lawsuit does not exist, and the contractor claims the engineer did not work for them. Worse, someone is willing to kill to keep it that way.

Peter Brandt, the war-scarred journalist hero of Empty Places, returns in this story of greed, betrayal, and government secrets. Can Peter expose the truth without becoming another victim of the wartime tragedy?

The Last Refuge by Martin Roy Hill

Today's Selection of Daily Deals for Friday, February 12, 2016

Omnimystery News is pleased to feature a selection of today's Daily Deals found on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 7:30 AM ET …

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

Ten books in the Brother Cadfael Series by Elllis Peters for $1.99 each is a Kindle Daily Deal. We're featuring the first in the series in this post.

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

A Brother Cadfael Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Open Road

Kindle Daily Deal Price: $1.99

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside A Morbid Taste for Bones.

On an expedition to acquire a saint's remains, Brother Cadfael instead finds intrigue and murder …

It is 1137, and the ambitious head of Shrewsbury Abbey wishes to acquire the remains of Saint Winifred for the glory of his Benedictine order. Brother Cadfael is part of the expedition sent to the saint's final resting place in Wales, where he finds the villagers divided over the Benedictines' quest.

When the leading opponent to moving the grave is shot dead with a mysterious arrow, some believe Winifred herself delivered the blow. Brother Cadfael knows that an earthly hand did the killing. But he doesn't know that his plan to root out a murderer may dig up a case of love and justice, where the waves of sin may be scandal — or his own ruin.

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

The Sensory Deception by Ransom Stephens

The Sensory Deception by Ransom Stephens

A Novel of Suspense

Publisher: 47North

Kindle Daily Deal Price: $1.99

The Sensory Deception by Ransom Stephens, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside The Sensory Deception.

Moments after venture capitalist Gloria Baradaran experiences what it's like to be a polar bear — really be a polar bear — she knows she's found something revolutionary. Farley Rutherford and his team — migraine-tortured neurologist "Chopper" Vittori and über-geek engineer Ringo Hayes — have created sensory saturation, a virtual reality system that drops users into the psyches of endangered animals as they fight for survival, and they believe the profound experience could turn the indifferent masses into avid environmentalists.

Ringo's hardware is ready to go, but the pressures to get the system off the ground are immense. The money-men want more bang for their buck, and that includes bigger, more dangerous animals, and — more than anything — the ability to turn the machines into profitable games. But to Farely and his team, this is anything but a game. To some, in fact, this is a cause they'd kill for …

The Sensory Deception by Ransom Stephens

Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton

Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton

A Hamish Macbeth Mystery (25th in series)

Publisher: Grand Central

Nook Daily Find Price: $1.99

Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton, Nook format

Click here to take a Look Inside Death of a Valentine.

Amazing news has spread across the Scottish countryside. The most famous of highland bachelors, police sergeant Hamish Macbeth, will be married at last. Everyone in the village of Lochdubh adores Josie McSween, Macbeth's newest constable and blushing bride-to-be.

While locals think Josie is quite a catch, Hamish has a case of prenuptial jitters. After all, if it weren't for the recent murder of a beautiful woman in a neighbouring village, there wouldn't be a wedding at all. For it was a mysterious Valentine's Day package — delivered to the victim before her death — that initially drew Hamish and Josie together on the investigation. As they work side by side, Hamish and Josie soon discover that the woman's list of admirers was endless, confirming Hamish's suspicion that love can be blind, deaf … and deadly.

Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton

For more deals that may have been found after this post was created, see our Daily Deals page on Omnimystery News for an updated list.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of the purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Today's Selection of Free MystereBooks for Friday, February 12, 2016

Omnimystery News is pleased to feature a selection of Free MystereBooks found on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 7:00 AM ET …

Fallen Mangrove by Wayne Stinnett

Fallen Mangrove by Wayne Stinnett

A Jesse McDermitt, Caribbean Adventure

Publisher: Down Island Press

Price: FREE!

Fallen Mangrove by Wayne Stinnett, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Fallen Mangrove.

Lost in the Bayou by Cornell DeVille

Lost in the Bayou by Cornell DeVille

A Novel of Suspense

Publisher: Wildheart Books

Price: FREE!

Lost in the Bayou by Cornell DeVille, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Lost in the Bayou.

Brooding City by Tom Shutt

Brooding City by Tom Shutt

The Brooding City Series

Publisher: Tom Shutt

Price: FREE!

Brooding City by Tom Shutt, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Brooding City.

The Society of Orion by Gerald J. Kubicki and Kristopher Kubicki

The Society of Orion by Gerald J. Kubicki and Kristopher Kubicki

A Colton Banyon Mystery

Publisher: Gerarld J. Kubicki

Price: FREE!

The Society of Orion by Gerald J. Kubicki and Kristopher Kubicki, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside The Society of Orion.

Uneasy Rider by John Scherber

Uneasy Rider by John Scherber

A Murder in Mexico Mystery

Publisher: San Miguel Allende Books

Price: FREE!

Uneasy Rider by John Scherber, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Uneasy Rider.

Clean Exit by J. Kent Holloway

Clean Exit by J. Kent Holloway

An Ajax Clean Thriller

Publisher: J. Kent Holloway

Price: FREE!

Clean Exit by J. Kent Holloway, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Clean Exit.

Biloxi Lights by Tom Ellis

Biloxi Lights by Tom Ellis

A Novel of Suspense

Publisher: Loose Cannon Entertainment

Price: FREE!

Biloxi Lights by Tom Ellis, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Biloxi Lights.

The Somali Pirate Project by J. C. Carlson and Robert C. Hinz

The Somali Pirate Project by J. C. Carlson and Robert C. Hinz

A Suspense Thriller

Publisher: Carole Carlsdotter Publishing

Price: FREE!

The Somali Pirate Project by J. C. Carlson and Robert C. Hinz, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside The Somali Pirate Project.

To Love, Honor, and Kill by Jenna Harte

To Love, Honor, and Kill by Jenna Harte

A Valentine Mystery

Publisher: Moxie Vie Media

Price: FREE!

To Love, Honor, and Kill by Jenna Harte, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside To Love, Honor, and Kill.

Autumn Blaze by Kelly Hodge

Autumn Blaze by Kelly Hodge

A Billy Beckett Mystery

Publisher: Kelly Hodge

Price: FREE!

Autumn Blaze by Kelly Hodge, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Autumn Blaze.

Cold Cut Murder by Patti Benning

Cold Cut Murder by Patti Benning

The Darling Deli Series

Publisher: Summer Prescott Books

Price: FREE!

Cold Cut Murder by Patti Benning, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Cold Cut Murder.

Circle of Death by Thais Lopes

Circle of Death by Thais Lopes

A Death's Sanctuary Novel

Publisher: Thais Lopes

Price: FREE!

Circle of Death by Thais Lopes, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Circle of Death.

Dial QR For Murder by A. E. H. Veenman

Dial QR For Murder by A. E. H. Veenman

A Margorie Gardens Mystery

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Price: FREE!

Dial QR For Murder by A. E. H. Veenman, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Dial QR For Murder.

Voice of the Spirit by Charlotte Raine

Voice of the Spirit by Charlotte Raine

A Trinity of Death Novel of Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Arrabella Publishing

Price: FREE!

Voice of the Spirit by Charlotte Raine, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Voice of the Spirit.

For a summary of all of today's titles, plus any that may have been added since this post was created, visit our Free MystereBooks page. This page is updated daily, typically by 8 AM ET.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. The price displayed on the vendor website at the time of the purchase will be the price paid for the book. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Every Step She Takes, The Who's Watching Now Series by Jannine Gallant, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Lyrical Press …

Every Step She Takes by Jannine Gallant

Every Step She Takes by Jannine Gallant

The Who's Watching Now Series (2nd in series)

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Price: 99¢ (as of 02/11/2016 at 8:00 PM ET).

Every Step She Takes by Jannine Gallant, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Every Step She Takes.

You can run from the past, but you can't hide …

Tough as nails, no nonsense San Francisco reporter Grace Hanover will do anything to cover the story of the decade — and her career. Having survived a painful past, she's learned never to let anything stand in her way. Even if it means following a key witness into the Alaskan wilderness, and partnering with Travis Barnett, a former Navy SEAL turned PI who's working for the Feds, and who would love to bring in Grace's witness before she can get her story. But together in the wilderness, they'll each have to put aside their differences and trust one another if they want to survive.

Because someone from Grace's past is watching, waiting for just the right moment. Every step Grace takes draws her deeper into the line of fire, and into the hands of a killer …

Every Step She Takes by Jannine Gallant

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

Review: Cop Job by Chris Knopf

Mysterious Reviews: Reviews of New Mysteries, Novels of Suspense, and Thrillers

A Mysterious Review of Cop Job by Chris Knopf. A Sam Acquillo Mystery.

Review summary: This novel is superb as a mystery, with an intricately devised and well-thought out plot. The author has a literary, almost lyrical, way of constructing narrative and is a pleasure to read. A superfluous, if also at times touching, subplot, with a rather flimsy explanation for its inclusion, is possibly its only flaw. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cop Job Chris Knopf

Cop Job
Chris Knopf
A Sam Acquillo Mystery
The Permanent Press (May 2009)

Available from Amazon.comAvailable from Barnes & Noble

Publisher synopsis: It's bad enough when someone you know is brutally murdered, it's worse when the guy was a paranoid schizophrenic helplessly bound to a wheelchair. Sam Acquillo and Jackie Swaitkowski tried to look after Alfie Aldergreen, as had others around the Village of Southampton, but now they were forced to wonder, what else could they have done?

One thing is for certain, Alfie's killers are about to know what it means to murder a friend of Sam, former corporate troubleshooter, former professional boxer and all-around ornery bull dog, and Jackie, a defense lawyer often described as an avenging angel.

Stillwater, A Jack McBride Mystery by Melissa Lenhardt, Now Available at a Special Price

Omnimystery News is always searching for newly discounted mystery, suspense, thriller and crime novels for our readers to enjoy.

Today, we're pleased to present the following title, now available at a special price courtesy of the publisher, Skyhorse Publishing …

Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt

Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt

A Jack McBride Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing

Price: $1.99 (as of 02/11/2016 at 7:00 PM ET).

Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside Stillwater.

Big secrets run deep …

Former FBI agent Jack McBride took the job as Chief of Police for Stillwater, Texas, to start a new life with his teenage son, Ethan, away from the suspicions that surrounded his wife's disappearance a year earlier.

With a low crime rate and a five-man police force, he expected it to be a nice, easy gig; hot checks, traffic violations, some drugs, occasional domestic disturbances, and petty theft. Instead, within a week he is investigating a staged murder-suicide, uncovering a decades' old skeleton buried in the woods, and managing the first crime wave in thirty years.

For help navigating his unfamiliar, small-town surroundings, Jack turns to Ellie Martin, one of the most respected women in town — her scandal-filled past notwithstanding. Despite Jack's murky marriage status and the disapproval of Ethan and the town, they are immediately drawn to each other.

As Jack and Ellie struggle with their budding relationship, they unearth shattering secrets long buried and discover the two cases Jack is working, though fifty years apart, share a surprising connection that will rattle the town to its core.

Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt

A complete list of today's featured titles can be found on the Discounted MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

New This Week: A Necessary Kill, An Adrian Hell Thriller by James P. Sumner

Omnimystery News is pleased to present a mystery, suspense, or thriller ebook that we recently found by sleuthing (as it were) through new or recently reissued titles from independent publishers during February 2016 and priced $4.99 or less …

A Necessary Kill by James P. Sumner

A Necessary Kill by James P. Sumner

An Adrian Hell Thriller (5th in series)

Publisher: Kindle Press

Price: $3.49 (as of 02/11/2016 at 6:30 PM ET).

A Necessary Kill by James P. Sumner, Amazon Kindle format

Click here to take a Look Inside A Necessary Kill.

The world has just experienced the most devastating nuclear terrorist attack in history. Having discovered proof of the U.S. president's involvement, legendary assassin Adrian Hell finds himself facing an enemy too powerful to overcome alone.

With no friends by his side and his loved ones in danger, Adrian must find new allies to combat the unprecedented threat, and he gathers the few he can — an over-the-hill small-time mob hitman, a female assassin who's so crazy that Adrian has to break her out of an insane asylum, and an illegal arms dealer who's not used to working in the field.

While they start out taking the job for the money, they soon come to realize that their actions have much farther reaching impacts. But the nuclear attack was only the beginning. The horrifying conspiracy runs deeper than even Adrian knows, and time is running out to save the world from a war no one knows is coming.

A Necessary Kill by James P. Sumner

See all five titles in the Adrian Hell Thriller Series for $3.99 or less each on Kindle. The 1st book in the series, True Conviction, is currently FREE!

Visit our New Indie MystereBooks page on Omnimystery News for a complete list of titles featured today.

Important Note: Price(s) verified as of the date and time shown. Price(s) are subject to change at any time. Please confirm the price of the book before purchasing it.

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