Review: Journey to Death by Leigh Russell

A Mysterious Review of Journey to Death by Leigh Russell. A Lucy Hall Mystery.

Review summary: The characters are well-cast, the setting idyllic, and the storyline rather chilling at times, but these elements don't always work harmoniously together. It's a bit of a shaky start for this first in a series, but on balance it is an interesting mystery with some startling twists and turns. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Journey to Death
Leigh Russell
A Lucy Hall Mystery
Thomas & Mercer (February 2016)

Publisher synopsis: Lucy Hall arrives in the Seychelles determined to leave her worries behind. The tropical paradise looks sun-soaked and picture-perfect — but as Lucy soon discovers, appearances can be very deceptive.

As black clouds begin to gather over what promised to be a relaxing family break, Lucy realizes that her father stands in the eye of the coming storm. A shadow from his past is threatening to destroy all that he holds dear — including the lives of his loved ones.

A dark truth is about to explode into their lives, and that truth is going to hit them right between the eyes.

Morgan's Hunter, The Bodyguards of L.A. County Series by Cate Beauman, 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 author …

Morgan's Hunter by Cate Beauman

The Bodyguards of L.A. County Series (1st in series)

Publisher: Cate Beauman

Price: 99¢ (as of 04/20/2016 at 7:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Morgan's Hunter.

Morgan Taylor, D.C. socialite and wildlife biologist, leads a charmed life until everything changes with a phone call. Her research team has been found dead — slaughtered — in backcountry Montana.

As the case grows cold, Morgan is determined to unravel the mystery behind her friends' gruesome deaths. Despite the dangers of a murderer still free, nothing will stand in her way, not even the bodyguard her father hires, L.A.'s top close protection agent, Hunter Phillips.

Sparks fly from the start when no-nonsense Hunter clashes with Morgan's strong-willed independence. Their endless search for answers proves hopeless — until Hunter discovers the truth.

On the run and at the mercy of a madman, Morgan and Hunter must outsmart a killer to save their own lives.

— Morgan's Hunter by Cate Beauman

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

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New This Week: Murder, She Tweets, An Eliza Gordon Mystery by Amy Beth Arkawy

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 April 2016 and priced $4.99 or less …

Murder, She Tweets by Amy Beth Arkawy

An Eliza Gordon Mystery (3rd in series)

Publisher: Cozy Cat Press

Price: $2.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 6:30 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Murder, She Tweets.

College admissions can be murder!

A high-profile Admissions honcho from local Quimby College meets a deadly fate. And when Eliza's pal and sleuthing partner radio DJ Midge Sumner and her brother-in-law Jonas Gordon land on the suspect list, the former actress turned Soup Opera proprietor and amateur detective, is once again embroiled in a complicated and intriguing mystery.

This time she enlists aid from her reluctant sweetheart Goodship police Chief Tom Santini and her eager assistant Dee Dee Danziger. But the murder is not the only mystery buzzing through bucolic Goodship, New York. A woman from Tom's past arrives in town with secrets of her own and nary a departure date. And Eliza is held hostage by social media as a "fan" from her soap opera days tweets increasingly threatening messages.

With pluck and humor Eliza and her cohorts wind their way through each mystery, making surprising connections and uncovering shocking revelations.

— Murder, She Tweets by Amy Beth Arkawy

See all three books in the Eliza Gordon Mystery Series for $2.99 each on Kindle.

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The Doorkeepers, A Novel of Supernatural Suspense by Graham Masterton, 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, Bloomsbury …

The Doorkeepers by Graham Masterton

A Novel of Supernatural Suspense

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Price: $1.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 6:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside The Doorkeepers.

Julia Winward, a young American woman, has been missing in England for nearly a year. When her mutilated body is discovered in the Thames, her brother Josh is determined to find out what happened to her during that lost time. But nothing Josh discovers makes any sense and he soon unearths a terrible secret.

Julia had been working for a company that shut down 60 years ago, and living at an address that hadn't existed since World War II …

— The Doorkeepers by Graham Masterton

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New This Week: Executed in Paradise, A Florida Keys Mystery by Deborah Brown

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 April 2016 and priced $4.99 or less …

Executed in Paradise by Deborah Brown

A Florida Keys Mystery (9th in series)

Publisher: Paradise Books

Price: $3.97 (as of 04/20/2016 at 5:30 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Executed in Paradise.

When a body turns up at the Cottages, Madison and Fab, the sexy sleuths are on the case. But when the killer makes a habit of discarding bodies on Madison's property … it's personal.

While on the hunt for the killer, the duo track down a double-crossing bail jumper, repossess a Lamborghini, and Madison lands her first case.

As more bodies pop up, the cops are eager to name a suspect. When a close friend is arrested as the prime suspect, Madison and Fab will stop at nothing to prove her innocence, but will they be too late?

— Executed in Paradise by Deborah Brown

See all nine books in the popular Florida Keys Mystery Series for $3.97 or less each on Kindle.

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Text Message, A Novel of Suspense by William Malmborg, 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, Darker Dreams Media …

Text Message by William Malmborg

A Novel of Suspense

Publisher: Darker Dreams Media

Price: $2.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 5:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Text Message.

"I have your sister. Do exactly as I say or I'll kill her!"

Mallory thought it would be a quick trip to the mall, one where she could get a last minute Christmas gift for her boyfriend. Little did she know a momentary slip in judgment would result in her little sister's abduction. Unable to call the police for fear her sister will be killed, Mallory has no choice but to play the awful game the sadistic kidnapper has designed for her, one that begins during the crowded midday hours, but won't end until long after the mall shuts down for the evening.

Mr. Campbell has been waiting a long time for the perfect game, one that is obviously stacked in his favor given that failure would result in his imprisonment. Such stacking doesn't really concern him, however, not when it is the fun of the hunt, and the ever-changing scenario, that gets his blood pumping. And Mallory seems to be the perfect girl for this, her sudden lack of compliance after the first few tasks he instructs her to perform in order to keep her sister alive quite different than what he is used to when dealing with his female victims. In fact, in all his years of playing such games, he has never before encountered a girl who will allow such horror to unfold upon the captured loved one simply so she can preserve her own dignity. It is quite refreshing.

Dan knew his security shift at the mall would be hectic, what with it being one of the last shopping days before Christmas and a blizzard predicted to hit the area during the afternoon hours. What he wasn't expecting was to be caught up in a horrific game of cat and mouse between a college girl named Mallory and an unknown serial killer that kidnapped and is torturing her little sister. Not that he actually realizes this is what is unfolding, his self-imposed quest to figure out what is causing the similarly aged college student to act so bizarre his only real concern. Well, that and staying under the radar of his boss Jerry who seems to have it out for him. Will he be able to help Mallory survive her ordeal once the reality of the situation becomes known to him, or will he fall victim to a serial killer that never intended for him to be a part of the game?

— Text Message by William Malmborg

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New This Week: Ain't Misbehavin', The Vancouver Blues Suspense Series by Jo-Ann Carson

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 April 2016 and priced $4.99 or less …

Ain't Misbehavin' by Jo-Ann Carson

The Vancouver Blues Suspense Series (2nd in series)

Publisher: JRP Publications

Price: $2.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 4:30 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Ain't Misbehavin'.

A naked alderman, a haunted trattoria and a love that can not be denied …

When the manager of the Black Cat Blues Bar, singer Maggy Malone, witnesses a murder in her favorite trattoria, her life is upended. Known as the Naked Alderman, the victim is a controversial politician who wants Vancouver to be known as the greenest city in the world. He's also the lover of Maggy's best friend. Despite his noble ideals, his head ends up in the pasta.

The last thing Maggy wants to do is chase another murderer. She's worked hard to keep the Black Cat afloat and sort out her life, which is complicated by two, hot men, and acts of sabotage at her dock community on Granville Island.

But when the body count rises, Maggy decides to catch the killer.

— Ain't Misbehavin' by Jo-Ann Carson

See also the first book in this series, Black Cat Blues, for $2.99 on Kindle.

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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.

Corpses in Enderby, An Inspector Littlejohn Mystery by George Bellairs, 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, Ipso Books …

Corpses in Enderby by George Bellairs

An Inspector Littlejohn Mystery

Publisher: Ipso Books

Price: $3.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 4:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Corpses in Enderby.

Ned Bunn wasn't a popular member of the community of Enderby, and there were people who had wished him dead. But when he was murdered on the doorstep of his own shop there was a terrible outcry.

When Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard investigates the case, there are some startling revelations of Bunn and his family, before the final tracking down of the murderer.

— Corpses in Enderby by George Bellairs

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.

Tainted Tokay by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, New on the Mystery Bookshelf during April 2016

New on the Mystery Bookshelf during April 2016 …

Tainted Tokay by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, A Benjamin Cooker, Winemaker Detective Mystery (11th in series)

Publisher: Le French Book

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Tainted Tokay.

In between enjoying sumptuous food and wine, the Winemaker Detective grapples with deceit and deception in Old World Europe …

France's top wine expert Benjamin Cooker sets off to enjoy the delights of Vienna, a romantic ride down the Danube, a gourmand's visit to Budapest, and a luxury train through the enchanting Hungarian countryside. All too soon, stolen wallets, disappearing passports, guides who are a bit too obliging, and murder mar the trip.

Meanwhile, in Bordeaux, Cooker's assistant handsome Virgile faces an annoying rival and a mildew crisis in the vineyards just as Cooker's lab technician is the victim of a mugging.

— Tainted Tokay by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen

To see more new paperback titles scheduled to be published this month, visit The Mystery Bookshelf for April 2016. For new hardcover titles, visit New Mysteries where for a list of April 2016 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers is provided.

Waking the Dead, A Cafferty and Quinn Mystery by Heather Graham, 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, Harlequin MIRA …

Waking the Dead by Heather Graham

A Cafferty and Quinn Mystery (2nd in series)

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Price: 99¢ (as of 04/20/2016 at 3:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Waking the Dead.

They say a painting can have a life of its own …

In the case of Ghosts in the Mind painted by Henry Sebastian Hubert, that's more than just an expression. The characters are reputed to come to life — and to kill. The artist was a friend of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, joining them in Switzerland in 1816, and now, almost two hundred years later, the painting appears in New Orleans. Wherever it goes, death seems to follow.

Danielle Cafferty and Michael Quinn, occasional partners in solving crime, are drawn into the case. They begin to make connections between that summer in Switzerland and this spring in Louisiana. Danni, the owner of an eccentric antique shop, and Quinn, a private detective, have discovered that they have separate but complementary talents when it comes to investigating unusual situations.

Blending their personal relationship with the professional lives they've stumbled into, they confront this work of art … and evil. They have to discover what brings it to life. And they have to destroy it — before it destroys them.

— Waking the Dead by Heather Graham

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.

Design for Dying by Renee Patrick, New in Bookstores during April 2016

Today's featured new hardcover mystery, suspense, or thriller title scheduled to be published during April 2016 is …

Design for Dying by Renee Patrick, a Lillian Frost and Edith Head Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Forge Books

Click here to take a Look Inside Design for Dying.

 

Los Angeles, 1937. Lillian Frost has traded dreams of stardom for security as a department store salesgirl … until she discovers she's a suspect in the murder of her former roommate, Ruby Carroll. Party girl Ruby died wearing a gown she stole from the wardrobe department at Paramount Pictures, domain of Edith Head.

Edith has yet to win the first of her eight Academy Awards; right now she's barely hanging on to her job, and a scandal is the last thing she needs. To clear Lillian's name and save Edith's career, the two women join forces.

Unraveling the mystery pits them against a Hungarian princess on the lam, a hotshot director on the make, and a private investigator who's not on the level. All they have going for them are dogged determination, assists from the likes of Bob Hope and Barbara Stanwyck, and a killer sense of style. In show business, that just might be enough.

— Design for Dying by Renee Patrick

For a list of more new hardcover titles to be published this month, visit our New Mysteries page for April 2016. For new paperback titles, visit The Mystery Bookshelf where a selection of April 2016 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers are shelved.

Cinemystery: Teaser Trailer for The Girl on the Train, Adapted from the Novel by Paula Hawkins

Universal Pictures has released the first teaser trailer (below) for the film adaptation of Paula Hawkins' suspense novel The Girl on the Train.

Emily Blunt stars as Rachel Watson, a recent divorcée. Every day, she takes the train in to work in London, and every day the train passes by her old house. The house she lived in with her husband, who still lives there, with his new wife and child. As she attempts to not focus on her pain, she starts watching a couple a few houses down — Megan and Scott Hipwell. She creates a wonderful dream life for them in her head, about how they are a perfect happy family. And then one day, as the train passes, she sees something shocking, filling her with rage. The next day, she wakes up with a horrible hangover, various wounds and bruises, and no memory of the night before. She has only a feeling: something bad happened. Then come the TV reports: Megan Hipwell is missing.

Directed by Tate Taylor from a screenplay adapted by Erin Cressida Wilson, The Girl on the Train opens in theaters on October 7th, 2016.

When Shadows Come by Vincent Zandri, New on the Mystery Bookshelf during April 2016

New on the Mystery Bookshelf during April 2016 …

When Shadows Come by Vincent Zandri, Non-Series

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

  

Click here to take a Look Inside When Shadows Come.

As a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, Nick Angel has seen a lot. But now he sees almost nothing after being struck with PTSD-related blindness resulting from the trauma of his last tour. In an attempt to put the past behind him, he travels to Venice, Italy, with his fiancée, Grace, to recover, reconnect, and rekindle their love.

Despite his physical and emotional setbacks, Nick senses something dangerously amiss in Venice, and his hunch proves right when Grace is abducted right in front of him. Because all he can see are horrific visions in his mind's eye of the village casualties from his last mission, Nick will have to rely on his other heightened senses to discover what happened to his fiancée. To find the truth, he must be willing to open his eyes to the tragedies of his past and the ghosts that haunt him.

— When Shadows Come by Vincent Zandri

To see more new paperback titles scheduled to be published this month, visit The Mystery Bookshelf for April 2016. For new hardcover titles, visit New Mysteries where for a list of April 2016 mysteries, novels of suspense, and thrillers is provided.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras, A Pot Thief Mystery by J. Michael Orenduff, 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, Open Road …

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras by J. Michael Orenduff

A Pot Thief Mystery (1st in series)

Publisher: Open Road

Price: $1.99 (as of 04/20/2016 at 1:00 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras.

Hubie Schuze must solve the case of a $25,000 pot theft — or he could be in deep trouble …

A dealer of ancient Native American pottery, Hubert Schuze has spent years combing the public lands of New Mexico, digging for artwork that would otherwise remain buried. According to the US government, Hubie is a thief — but no act of Congress could stop him from doing what he loves. For decades, Hubie has worn the title of pot thief proudly. Outright burglary, though, is another story.

But an offer of $25,000 to lift a rare pot from a local museum proves too tempting for Hubie to refuse. When he sees how tightly the relic is guarded, he changes his mind, but the pot goes missing anyway. Soon a federal agent suspects that Hubie is the culprit. After things take a turn for the serious, Hubie knows he must find the real thief quickly, or risk cracking something more fragile than any pot — his skull.

— The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras by J. Michael Orenduff

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Didn't I Warn You, A Bad For You Novel by Amber Bardan, New This Week from Carina Press

Carina Press is a digital-first imprint from Harlequin, publishing books in an interesting and diverse selection of genres including contemporary romance, steampunk, gay/lesbian fiction, science-fiction, fantasy, and — but of course — mystery and suspense.

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

Didn't I Warn You by Amber Bardan

A Bad For You Novel (1st in series)

Publisher: Carina Press

Price: $3.49 (as of 04/20/2016 at 12:30 PM ET).

  

Click here to take a Look Inside Didn't I Warn You.

Not everything dangerous is bad …

From the moment Angelina laid eyes on him, she fell into a fantasy. Mysterious, foreign, gorgeous, Haithem offered her what she needed most — a chance to feel again.

But Haithem is much more than he appears to be. He lives in a world of danger where everything comes at a price.

For Angelina, that price is her future.

He's ensured the life she's left behind is in tatters. Made her family believe she's dead. He talks about protecting her, about keeping her safe, but she can't distinguish his truth from his lies. She can't separate her pleasure from his betrayal.

Haithem warned her. He told her he'd make her heart race, her body come alive, and her most primal needs rush to the surface. His for the taking.

He didn't say she'd come to love the devil who's destroying her, even as he keeps her prisoner.

— Didn't I Warn You by Amber Bardan

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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.