Review Tour: Sinners' Opera by Linda Nightingale

Good morning! Please welcome author Linda Nightingale to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to tell us about her new release, Sinners' Opera, which features one of the sexiest vampires you'll ever want to meet, Morgan D'Arcy. Linda will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post, as well as my review of Sinners' Opera!

SINNERS' OPERA

by Linda Nightingale

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance

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BLURB:

Morgan D'Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he's steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D'Arcy.

Many forces oppose Morgan's daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.

Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist. Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel's secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn't human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau's life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking

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EXCERPT:

“Isabeau!” Morgan’s voice would forever strike a chord deep inside.

He leaned over the mahogany railing, his eyes alight, his smile breathtaking.

“Morgan,” she breathed, her heart thudding.

Tonight, she’d caught him in his robe.  Riding mid-thigh, the green brocade smoking jacket showed fine, long legs.  Hair mussed, eyes sleep-misted, Morgan looked like a boy who’d just woken up.  The slender, muscled physique was all man. The handsome devil must have had one hell of a late night and slept all day.  The brunette’s face popped into Isabeau’s head.  Jealousy even tasted green.  What if the woman was still here!

Avery caught her hand, claiming her attention.  “Madam, do you like Beef Wellington?”

A languorous stretch elongated Morgan’s perfect body.  “Yes, she does.”

Isabeau frowned, opened her mouth to ask how he knew.  A flash in the corner of her eye, and Morgan stood at her elbow, his smile and his eyes sheer mischief.

“Sorry.  I shouldn’t have spoken for you.”  He took her hands, his touch sizzling over her.  “I can’t believe you’re actually here.  I’m delighted to see you.”

“Even unannounced?”  She squeezed his hands.  “I’m sorry about the other night.”

He shook his head, his gaze hot and intense.  “Think no more of it,” and her embarrassment evaporated.  “Please join me for dinner.  Avery has been eager to flaunt his culinary skills.  If you refuse, he’ll never forgive you, will you, Avery?”

“No, madam, I shan’t ever forgive you.”  The old gent gave her a mock stern look.

“How can I tempt you?”  Morgan bit the lower lip of a smile.

She laughed.  “Oh, I don’t know.  Do you have a piano by chance?”

He snapped his fingers.  “Avery, isn’t there a piano in the music room?”

The old man frowned, shaking his head.  “Sir, I believe there’s a piano in the music room but then we’d require someone to play it.”

“I can play chopsticks.”  Morgan touched her shoulder, zapping her knees weak.

“I can prepare a delectable Beef Wellington.”  Avery nodded emphatically.

Morgan’s Gabriel eyes caressed her.  “Sorry you caught me looking like this.”

You look good enough to eat.  She hadn’t spoken aloud, but Morgan arched a brow

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

.

She enjoys dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties!

After 14 years in Texas, Linda just returned home to her roots. She has seven published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses on their farm in Five Forks. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Our local author has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt.  She retired from a career as a legal assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center to write full time.

She has 2 wonderful sons—one in Texas; one in England—and 4 equally marvelous grandchildren.

She loves horses, sports cars, music, and piano.

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LNightingale

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaNightingaleAuthor

Web Site:  http://www.lindanightingale.com

Blog:  https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Nightingale/e/B005OSOJ0U

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Sinners’ Opera (Obsession)

Author: Linda Nightingale

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

American release date: October 7, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: Kindle/Paranormal Vampire Romance/460 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

When you have all the time in the world, you can learn to do many things. And if you make the right investments over the course of many years, you can live like royalty. Although Morgan D’Arcy really is royalty, being a peer of the realm, a British lord. But he’s also a world-renowned accomplished pianist. At least in this “lifetime”, he is. Morgan is also a vampire, which means that because of his longevity—read immortality—he has to reinvent himself every so often. People get suspicious of someone who never ages, even the good-looking ones. And Morgan is undeniably good-looking. Just ask his good friend and mentor, Lucien.

But there is something Morgan wants more than anything else, something he has been unable to attain. Or should I say who, for Morgan’s obsession is with a woman named Isabeau. A woman he’s been watching and guiding since before she was born. She knows him, but not as Morgan. To her, he is Gabriel, the man who visits her in dreams. Who watches out for her and cares for her. With his help, Isabeau has become one of the foremost leading geneticists in the country, if not the world. With her help, Morgan hopes she can cure the genetic defect which keeps him from siring an actual child, and together they can have a baby. But how to explain all that to her, as well as the truth about what he is?

Isabeau has been quietly in lust with her Gabriel for a while now, but it’s hard to have a relationship with someone who comes and goes at his own whim, and who leaves no real evidence that he’s ever been there. She has her job, of course, and her friends. And a boyfriend she plans to marry. But Gabriel… he’s so much more. If only she knew if he were real or just a figment of her lusty imagination.

Morgan has very strict rules under which he lives, enforced by a council of vampires which includes Lucien. He’s spent his various lives doing pretty much as he pleases, within the parameter of those rules—it’s easy to live dangerously when you know you can’t die. From fast horses to fast cars, as technology progresses over the years. Women of all sorts, his for the taking. But something has changed. Now he has so much more to live for… and he’s willing to break the rules in order to have that.

This can either be a love affair made in the heavens or one with origins a little bit south of that….

I have to say that I fell in love with this book from the beginning, particularly with Morgan D’Arcy. He is sexy as hell, so charming it should be illegal, and yet possessed of a certain vulnerability that makes you want to hug him close (before turning to other activities, of course). I love the world this author has created with its own vampires and their own unique qualities. There are many vampire stories out there, but this one stands out to me. Linda Nightingale knows how to make us see and feel what she’s writing about, very vividly, on a very visceral level. I felt as though this book ended far too quickly, I just wanted it to go on forever. At the same time, it’s dramatic, romantic, intense, and heartbreaking.

If you enjoy romances, if you love vampires, if you love drama and excitement and characters who both attract and repel, I highly recommend this book. Morgan D’Arcy is like a drug, one I cannot get enough of. I hope there’ll be many more books featuring this enchanting man!

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Review Tour: The American Crusade by Mark Spivak

Good morning!  Please welcome author Mark Spivak to Full Moon Dreaming. He is here to tell us about his newest release, The American Crusade. Mark will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! To find the other stops on Mark's tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post, as well as my review of The American Crusade!

The American Crusade

by Mark Spivak

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GENRE:   Political Thriller

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BLURB:

A power-hungry vice president, a bad batch of shady intelligence, and a sinister plot to destroy Western civilization.

Just another day in America.

On May 1, 2001, a group of radical Islamic terrorists crash a Boeing 737 jet airliner into the Mall of America—and Vice President Robert Hornsby knows his moment is coming. 

The attack kills three thousand American citizens and throws an entire nation into a panic, but all Hornsby sees is an opportunity, a chance to imprint his fanatical values on the soul of the country he loves and become the most powerful vice president in American history. 

With the aid of his affable but ineffectual president; the reluctant, conscience-stricken secretary of defense; and a preening, foppish faith leader with more than a few skeletons in his closet; Hornsby declares war on terror—and anyone who stands in his way. But as media scrutiny of the administration’s actions overseas intensifies, Hornby’s one-man campaign against evil begins to unravel—with striking parallels to the thirteenth century’s doomed Fourth Crusade—and sends the nation spiraling toward another deadly tragedy. 

The American Crusade paints a grim and often cynical picture of America’s recent past, reflecting the attitudes, politics, and fears that shaped our nation in the new millennium. By sampling the contemporaneous French text on the Fourth Crusade, On the Conquest of Constantinople, author Mark Spivak reminds us of that ever-vital adage: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

Fans of The Castle by Jack Pinter, The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, House of Cards by Michael Dobbs, The Whistler by John Grisham, and the Aaron Sorkin–penned TV drama The West Wing will love this book.

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EXCERPT:

                                                                                                   

The lights from the lanterns flickered against the walls of the cave. It was nearing midnight on May 1 in the tribal areas of Kabulistan, the mountainous and impenetrable regions high up near the Persepostan border. Salman Al-Akbar sat on a cushion, surrounded by his inner circle. Fazil Ahmadi, his director of operations, had just finished briefing him on the aftermath of the Mall of America attack and the subsequent suicide missions around the United States.

“Allah be praised!” Al-Akbar’s normally sad eyes were bright and jubilant. “We have succeeded beyond our wildest expectations, beyond the reach of our dreams. Allah is most with us.”

“This is so,” said Fazil Ahmadi. “Had we dreamed it, it could not have gone better.”

“What time is it now in Washington?”

“Four-thirty in the afternoon, sir.”

“And where is the young American President now?”

“We have no knowledge of his whereabouts, sir. He is in hiding.”

“Hiding?” Al-Akbar’s eyebrows arched toward the ceiling of the cave, and his normally expressionless face was close to registering hilarity. “From whom is he hiding? Robert Hornsby?”

“He has been removed from sight, sir. We suspect they took him to one of their nuclear installations.”

“Do they actually think we are in possession of nuclear weapons?”

“We believe it is a precaution on their part, sir.”

“Allah be praised!” Al-Akbar clapped his hands in glee. “This is beyond our imagining. Everything has gone off perfectly, with synchronized precision.”

“They will most certainly retaliate, sir.”

“Against whom?” asked Al-Akbar with contempt. “Our forces are safe. The loyalty of the warlords is secure, and they will not betray us.”                                                                                           

           

“We believe their most likely target will be the Dua Khamail. They will wage war against them and will surely defeat them. Then, they will restore Selim Hanjuk to power.”

“Let them have the Dua Khamail.” Al-Akbar shrugged. “To us, it matters not who is the ruler of Kabulistan. Any war they wage against the innocent population can only help us. It will bring more recruits to our side.”

“This is true.”

“One thing I will guarantee you. They may topple the government of Kabulistan, or all of the governments of the earth, but they will never be at peace again. As they fall off to sleep, they will see us in their nightmares.”

“Yes, sir. Our position is strong, and the Americans can only immerse themselves in quicksand by invading Kabulistan. They will never find us, much less defeat us.”

“Their memories are short,” mused Al-Akbar. “They forget that the Russians tried and failed. It was their Vietnam. And the Americans are far weaker than the Russians. They do not have the will for a prolonged conflict.”

“Let us not underestimate their military strength, sir.”

“These infidels are like the Crusaders of old.” Al-Akbar’s fingers worked prayer beads in the darkness of the cave. “They have many troops, they have excellent weapons, and they have knowledge of warfare. But they lack the fire of belief, as well as the support of their people. And they do not have Allah on their side.” He smiled approvingly at his lieutenant. “You have done well today. And soon we will do better still. Today is the beginning of the great Jihad. Nearly eight hundred years ago, the East was ruled by Saladin and the true believers were victorious. That day will come again.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

In the realm of non-fiction, award-winning author Mark Spivak focuses on wine, spirits, food, restaurants and culinary travel. His first book, Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History, was published by Lyons Press in 2012. He followed this with Moonshine Nation (Lyons Press, 2014), hailed as the definitive book on illegal corn whiskey in America. From 1994-1999 he was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post, and was honored for excellence in wine criticism “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine & Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, and contributes to a number of national magazines. He is also the holder of the Certificate and Advanced Diplomas from the Court of Master Sommeliers.


Mark’s first novel, Friend of the Devil, was published by Black Opal Books in May 2016. Set in Palm Beach in 1990, it tells the story of America’s most famous chef, who has sold his soul to the Devil for fame and fortune. 


Mark also has an endless fascination with the American political system and is an avid follower of Washington politics. His second novel, The American Crusade (a gripping political thriller set during the invasion of Iraq, which dips into the shadowy world of government conspiracy and political sabotage), will be released by TCK Publishing on April 4. He is currently at work on Impeachment, the sequel to The American Crusade.

Pre-order The American Crusade on Amazon:

https://geni.us/americancrusade



Visit Mark's website at www.markspivakbooks.com, and sign up for his free newsletter and political blog:

www.markspivakbooks.com/free

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/American-Crusade-Political-Thriller/dp/1631610708/

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 Topic: How would the Founding Fathers view the current political situation?

While most people would probably say they’d be horrified, the real question is why:

In 1776, there was no professional political class. The Founding Fathers were men who were successfully engaged in a range of real-life occupations. George Washington started his career as a surveyor, and later became a wealthy landowner; Benjamin Franklin was a printer, among other things, and Paul Revere was a silversmith.

When the need for a revolution occurred, it required a sacrifice on their part: They were forced to abandon their families and businesses to fight a war and found a nation. These men were patriots, citizens who served their country out of duty. They never dreamed of a situation where office holders would become the equivalent of highly-paid welfare recipients.

Because they lived in the real world, the Founding Fathers operated with common sense. They devised the system of checks and balances so that all three branches of government would be equal, and to avoid having one dominate the other. In doing so, of course, they were mindful of the monarchy they had just fought to overthrow, and they wanted to make certain that the government could not be ruled by a tyrant.

Thus, the next thing they never dreamed of was that their system of checks and balances would become a recipe for gridlock. They were aiming for fairness, for parity, for a sense of balance. They couldn’t have imagined a situation where the Executive and Legislative branches would fight to the death to prevent the other side from accomplishing anything, and where the loser would take their grievance to the courts.

Because they were citizens temporarily serving their nation, the Founding Fathers could also never anticipate that nearly 10% of the population would be working for the government (either state or federal), or that there would be twice as many government workers as manufacturing employees. They’d probably stunned by the bloated, inefficient Cabinet departments in Washington, D.C.

They would be quite startled by the fact that women are allowed to vote, along with non-members of the economic elite. In the early days of the republic, the right to vote was limited to landholders and wealthy individuals. When they look back at history, activists who complain about voter suppression should realize that the Founding Fathers invented the practice (and were much better at it than anyone in the present day).

On the positive side, regardless of any and all glitches in our current system, there’s little doubt the Founding Fathers would be proud of us. They’d likely be amazed that their experiment in democracy had lasted more than 200 years, and that—despite its problems—had mutated into one of the most egalitarian countries on the face of the earth.

The American Crusade

Author: Mark Spivak

Publisher: TCK Publishing

American release date: April 1, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Political Thriller/259 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★

The United States of America has suffered the unspeakable—a major terrorist assault on American shores, at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, which has left some three thousand citizens dead, including the brave souls on an airliner who wrestled the terrorists for control of the plane but who still died tragically. Robert Hornsby is the vice-president to George Cane, the aw shucks president whose uncle previously held the office. Cane was away from the White House when the attack occurred. A quick-thinking Hornsby had him flown to safety and then took control of the situation, although he claimed that President Cane was directing operations from his command post in Cheyenne Mountain. The blame for this outrageous act is placed on an radical Muslim group called Husam al-Din. What the public doesn’t know is that the administration, including Hornsby, had had advance notice of the attacks.

The head of Husam al-Din is a terrorist named Salman al-Akbar. His current location is unknown, but he is believed to be hiding in a cave in the mountains of Kabulistan. Kabulistan is ruled by the Dua Khamail, although the extent of their allegiance to Husam al-Din is not known.

Hornsby’s aide, Scott Leventhal, approaches the vice-president with an explosive revelation—the administrative assistant to a congressman from Michigan, David Burnham, appears to be gay. And closeted. Which makes him vulnerable to blackmail. This is interesting information to have indeed.  At the moment, they don’t see the US as being in a position to move against Husam al-Din strongholds in Kabulistan until the Dua Khamail are toppled and the former rulesr, Selim Hanjuk, is back in power. Meanwhile, intelligence indicates that the neighboring country of Sumeristan is stockpiling dangerous weapons, including chemical weapons and poisons. Military forces are diverted to deliver the people of Sumeristan from its brutal dictator and uphold the people’s right to a democracy.

But is this even the truth, or a ploy to invade Sumeristan?

People outside the inner circle are beginning to put things together, but will they be able to do anything with the knowledge? Who can be trusted in this all-too-familiar game of politics? Which side is the President on, or is he as much of a dupe as anyone else?

It’s not hard to see from the outset that The American Crusade is a thinly veiled retelling and imagining of 9/11, disguised as the May Day attack on the Mall of the Americas. George Cane is George Bush Jr and Hornsby is Dick Cheney. The former president, Bill Hampton, whose wife Bethany is the senator from New York isn’t hard to figure out either. Hornsby and his cronies ride roughshod over ethics and morals, doing what they perceive to be in the best interests of the country… or is it their own?  Perhaps this is a testament to the corollary that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The terrorist in hiding is obviously the Ayatollah Khomeini, while the dictator Hornsby wishes to overthrow is Saddam Hussein, with the claim that he possesses weapons of mass destruction.

Although the story is based on history, this is an interesting take, and Hornsby is an interesting choice for the main focus of the book. He is ruthless to the nth degree and determined to get what he wants, no matter the price. Is this what really happened? I have no idea, but it’s as good a theory as any. Did the government possess foreknowledge of 9/11, much as they did the attack on Pearl Harbor years earlier?

Conservatives may not care for this tale, as their side does not come off particularly well. But the story is compelling, and I found myself very curious to see what would happen next. I would recommend it if you’re into political intrigue and seeing bad guys get their comeuppance.

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Book Review Tour: Derrick by Russell

Please welcome author Russell to Full Moon Dreaming. He's here to tell us about his book, Derrick, the second book in his Gavin Nolan trilogy. Russell will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on Russell's tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post, as well as my review of Derrick.

Derrick

by Russell

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GENRE: Horror, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, LGBT

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BLURB:

In Hyde Park, a movie theater erupts in flames on a bitterly cold November evening.

It seems like a job for the fire department, but under Captain Creighton’s direct orders, Detective Gavin Nolan and his partner, Derrick Williamson, must investigate. Arriving on the chaotic scene, they find multiple fatalities —but one of the victims is most peculiar…

Gavin soon discovers that this fire wasn’t the first of its kind. The arsonist has set ablaze other buildings around Chicago, and more female victims left in the same gruesome state have been discovered.

Gavin and Derrick determine that the arsonist is not an arsonist at all—but a sinister serial killer with an agenda.

Juggling the unexpected events in his personal life, Gavin digs into the locations of the explosions. At the same time, Derrick probes into the victims’ lives, searching for any possible connection. 

However, when the next explosion occurs, the killer leaves behind a significant object, and Derrick becomes noticeably reserved. Gavin soon uncovers an enigmatic link, one that points to Derrick’s military past. A time that his partner had wished to forget. Yet, to catch the vicious maniac, Derrick must tell Gavin everything.

In a suspenseful, gripping ride to the end, it is up to Gavin to rescue his partner from the clutches of a  killer. But will he make it in time?

WARNING: This book contains graphic scenes, explicit language, and violent sexual situations.

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EXCERPT:

“Look at that.” Derrick pointed over to the front rows.

At the fifth and fourth rows in the dead center, several more CSI members were photographing two burnt corpses. The explosion blew back the bodies into a crumpled position on the chairs.

Hopefully they had a quick death. Gavin stayed silent.

Moving on, they reached the exit door near the front of the theater. Another warning from Delanie informed them of the rubble and potential structural damage in the next section. Briefly looking back, Gavin heard the crackling of radios, like eerie ghostly crickets fluttering in the distance. In the opposite direction, three firemen were still containing some smoldering chairs.

“Shit,” Derrick muttered, tapping Gavin’s shoulder. He nodded up.

The once ornate ceiling now had entire sections missing. Squinting slightly, Gavin could see the dark night sky.

Once they passed the doorway, a series of portable lights cascaded over the area. Gavin was unable to decipher the debris, the contents of which were haphazardly pushed away from the clear epicenter near the opposite end of the room. Up above, about a third of the ceiling had disintegrated, leaving a huge hole. The cold wind invaded the space, dissipating the soot scent slightly. More CSI team members shifted diligently, gathering debris in clear evidence bags and marking each spot with photographs and red markers. Near the apparent epicenter of the blast, several firemen were discussing the area, pointing at spots.

“Have to get back to my captain,” the young fireman said. “Need anything else, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” Gavin replied.

“Where the fuck do we begin?” Derrick grumbled.

“You can begin by bringing back that hottie,” Susan said behind them.

Gavin turned to find the doctor kneeling near a shriveled, burnt corpse. Her scalpel gingerly poked and prodded the body’s seared skull.

“Isn’t he too young for you?” Derrick returned with a snarky grin.

Gavin stated, “I didn’t see your van.”

“Came through the back.” She looked up at him and then at Derrick. She added, “As long he’s eighteen-plus, no laws broken, baby.”

Shaking his head, Derrick snickered. One of the CSI team, an annoyed-looking woman whose gray hair probably came directly from her stressful job, shot him a glance.

Standing up and ripping off her plastic gloves, Susan said, “No offense, love you guys, but what the hell are you doing here?”

“Creighton’s orders,” Derrick answered first. His midnight eyes darted over the scene.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Russell has been writing for the majority of his life. Slipping into alternative universes allows him to enjoy the process of creativity from the novel’s conception to its final draft. Currently, he lives in South Texas with his wife, two kids and several cats.

DERRICK is a 2018 Winner in the New Apple Literary Awards, receiving Official Selection in Psychological Suspense.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Russell.The.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Russell_Writer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Russell_Writer/

https://www.amazon.com/Derrick-Second-Installment-Gavin-Biography-ebook/dp/B07KXG3KH4

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 Full Moon Dreaming Interview

DERRICK by Russell

I must share some exciting news with all of you!

My new book, DERRICK, just won in 2018 New Apple Literary Awards Contest as Official Selection in Psychological Suspense. I am completely surprised, flattered and humbled by the honor!

Also to add, GAVIN (Part 1 of The Gavin Nolan Trilogy) won 2017 New Apple Literary Summer E-book Awards as Official Selection in Horror.

What's the hardest part of combining genres in one book?

            I have to discuss the Gavin Nolan Trilogy as a whole, and my unique writing process.  When I began writing, I truly did not know what to expect as the story begins to take hold. As I pen a new story, a beginning usually appears in my head and I start writing. In essence, I write without character descriptions, no outlines nor any research. I just let my fingers (and quite active imagination) command the ship. Because of this, the story builds momentum, meaning that I do not necessarily know what happens at the end until midway through. So if I’m surprised, my reader will feel that rush as well.

             For the series, I was inspired by other authors who create dark, gritty thrillers, which borderline on horror genre. Similar to Harris’s The Silence of the Lamb and Flynn’s Gone Girl, my series heightens the intensity of the scenes, and puts the characters in perilous conditions. Echoing the likes of Clive Barker, Peter Straub and even John Connolly, I create some visceral, graphic content which some of my readers found rather disgusting still they could not help but to keep reading. Finally, I truly love interwoven plots. Perhaps, my inspiration comes from daytime soap opera that my mother used to watch in the 80s. As you will see in the Gavin Nolan Trilogy, my books are not for the light reader. I create multi-layered plots involving my man character and trickle into the secondary characters. On the surface, my series could be easily described as homicide detective novel. However, as you read my books, so much more occurs.

            Needless to say, I wrote GAVIN (Part 1) with a clear intention as a stand-alone piece. However, Gavin Nolan, the protagonist, became a formidable, strong character with a several skeletons in his closet. Being stated, the secondary characters also had strong personalities which develop and push the story forward. Despite the climatic, intense ending, I realized that Gavin’s partner on the force, Derrick Williamson, had much more to say. When I completed the first draft, and began editing GAVIN, I quickly began to write DERRICK (PART 2). In a way, the story starts six months after the events of GAVIN, and the reader discover Gavin in a different point in his life. Yet, the strong friendship between Gavin and Derrick is tested by the hands of deadly madman’s agenda--something connected to Derrick’s military past. As a side note, DERRICK subtly alludes to the final book, QUINN (Part 3). Currently, I’m editing it and hopefully have it out by Spring 2020.  In fact I have a preview of QUINN at the very end of DERRICK.

            Finally, GAVIN and DERRICK is for a mature audience and not for anyone under 18. I have graphic depicted violence, explore and develop strong sexual situations and include rather explicative language. If you are not dissuaded from my disclaimer, then you will absolutely love my books!

            Thanks for having me today! Please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Russell_Writer. Also, check out my website: www.RusselltheAuthor.com.

            Read to Escape!

            Russell

Derrick (Gavin Nolan Biography Book 2)

Author: Russell

Publisher: CreateSpace

American release date: November 27, 2018

Format/Genre/Length: eBook/GLBT/Mystery/493 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★

Someone in the Chicago area is killing women in a horrific manner. In an attempt to obfuscate what has been done, the bodies become part of an arson scene, probably to throw the police off the track. Detective Gavin Nolan has only recently come to terms with his sexuality, and isn’t open with his friends, family, and co-workers yet. On the other hand, his partner, Chad, has introduced him to friends and family, who have accepted Gavin with open arms. While on a date with Chad, Gavin receives a call from his partner, Derrick, to come to the Opus Theater, where a fire has occurred. When Gavin protests that they don’t do fires, Derrick snorts and tells him these are their boss, Quinn Creighton’s, orders, so they have no choice. Arriving on the scene, they try to figure out why they are there. Looking around among the victims of the fire they come across the body of a woman. Something seems different about this one.  The medical examiner thinks there is residual evidence of rope on the wrists, which has bonded with her flesh. And she appears to be nude.

The detectives don’t realize it, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Working this case will involve digging into the past, as well as taking a good hard look at who they are, and how they got where they are now.

Derrick is the second book in a trilogy, which I didn’t realize when I agreed to review it. I was able to read this book despite that, although there were probably nuances I would have understood better had I read the first book. If you’re interested in reading this, I would suggest starting from the beginning, with Gavin.

This book is very long and complex, especially for a mystery. There are a lot of different characters, some of whom I suspect were introduced in the first book, especially Gavin’s superior, Quinn Creighton, with whom he has some kind of past history. I am guessing we meet Chad in the first book, and that their relationship was more front and center, while in this book, it’s relegated more to the sidelines. Gavin’s relationship with his partner, Derrick, is more central.  The two end up on the murder case at the theater, and are working with a female detective named Evelyn, who is actually under another jurisdiction but whose presence has been requested. Apparently her partner hasn’t bothered to train her very well, and her superior is a dick.

The author, who uses the single name Russell, is not without talent, and he creates memorable characters. The plot is interesting, even if the resolution is somewhat simplistic. What the book suffers from is a lack of good editing, however, including everything from simple word errors to stilted dialogue, which detracts from the enjoyment of the book. These are not major problems, and they could have been easily handled in the editing phase, but they weren’t. This book was obviously self-published, which doesn’t automatically mean it’s bad, but self-published authors are often notorious for either not having editing or having poor editing.

Another problem, at least for me, was when the story changed from being Gavin’s story, completely told in third person narrative, to his partner Derrick’s story, which is done in a first person POV, and goes on for some chapters. And pretty well sets up the ending, including the who-done-it. The only question is how will this play out and who will survive?

It’s an enjoyable story, and if things like the ones I mentioned don’t bother you, then go for it. There is another book left in the series, but I’m afraid it will probably suffer from the same poor editing. I don’t think I’ll be reviewing that one.

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