FROM THE DESK OF
DONA PENZA TATTLE, ESQ.
AND
ASSOCIATE WRYE
BALDERDASH
Greetings,
“What arrrre you doing?”
Tattle pats the
assortment of flowers she just arranged in her hair. “To quote Susan Polis
Schultz, ‘Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...’”
“Ok, it is official, you
have spent too much time in the summer sun!”
“Wellllll, maybe, so
let’s go in the shade for our Love of Literature Leap review.”
“COURAGEOUS CAIN
by D.J. Davis?”
“You betcha.”
The two leap into the
pages of the thriller.
“The year was 1986 and Josie Spephard, a loner except
for her charming champion, lovable Border Collie, Fletcher, finds herself
squarely in front of the fan when the crapola
hits.”
Tattle gives Wrye a sideways glance. “Dog do-do aside,
Josie has her reasons to be a loner, and finding a dead women staring back at
her with open, dirt-filled eyes can turn anyone into a hard-shell duck-and-tuck
turtle.”
“Or into a runner, and, our wild-haired, little athlete
likes to run. Not talking just about putting on the sneakers and dashing down
the trail.” Pumping his arms and moving his feet, Wrye does an imitation of a
jogger. “She is a hard body cross-country runner with a shelf of trophies,
metals and ribbons to show for it.”
“Yup, yup and triple yup, but she also runs from the
world. Her dog plants a muddy paw on a map and that’s where they go, the moment
life takes a twisty-turn that she doesn’t like.”
Wrye frowns, “That sounds harsh. I like Josie. She is
self-reliant, independent and after a childhood of being raised by a
grandmother who teaches her that love is a trap, the young lady has reasons to
run, especially when her boyfriend Bradley Swanson, dumps her when she won’t
marry him. She has no ties since her grandparents died, why should she stay
put.”
Tattle holds up both hands defensively, “Hey, I’m on
your side. I like Josie, too. The only love she really ever had was from her
stroke handicapped grandfather who could barely talk and the current dog in her
life. I feel her, and…” Peeks ahead in the book. “…find her brave and
resilient. And, she needs all the bravery she can get when a serial killer has
her in his sights for his personal affection and attention.”
“Thank doggone goodness she also gets the attention and
affection of Deputy Gordon Wolfe, shy, scarred, and an amazing gentle giant.”
He wiggles fluffy brows. “And what about their last names… Wolfe…Shepard…
Coincidence? I think not! She soon finds herself not being able to run from the
emotions he elicits so easily.”
“Ah, but there is another that claims her attention,”
Pointing at a name in the story, Tattle offers a triumphant smile. “Cain! No
one seems able to handle the massive dog but its evasive owner. Only Josie has
a special connection to dogs, and she can see the abuse he suffered and the
good dog behind what others see as a beast. Soon Cain connects with her
receiving the only love he has ever known.”
“Then more bodies appear. The killer steals Josie’s
undergarments and they show up in pictures of tortured women. She wants to run,
but then there is Gordon, Cain, as well as a new friend, Darby, who ends up
also abducted.”
Tattle shoots back. “Cain is being used as the killer.”
“Can she help find her friend? Can she allow herself to
love Gordon? Can she resist the urge to run?”
“That last option
is taken away when Josie finds herself trapped by the killer and Cain. Can her
connection to the dog save her and Darby?” Tattle offers a worried sigh then
brightens as she puts the book away and reflects. “This story is a heart-wrenching
experience tumbled with biting-your-nails suspense and dramatic intensity. The
depth of characterization creates real people. They aren’t the typical
formulized type found in fiction but unique and flawed. But it is those
imperfections that makes them perfectly human while their personal growth
within the story is well-paced and believable. D. J. Davis’ descriptive prose
puts you fully in the time and place. Today’s world is gone. Whatever is around
you is gone. You are part of the COURAGEOUS CAIN universe. The small town and
its community comes to life, while the villain stays well-hidden yet so
obviously there. His first person narrative that appears in short bursts is
down-right chilling. This book hooked me from beginning to end.”
Wrye takes over. “Being a dog enthusiast, I couldn’t
help but warm to the animals within the story but especially to Cain. Even when
he first appeared as a vicious brute, I felt the heart within. D. J. did a
brilliant job of making him genuine and a creature you couldn’t help loving.
The storyline is amazing, with hold your breath scenes and tissues at hands
moments. I can’t offer enough praise for the storyline’s consistent momentum
and the intricate character interaction. I highly recommend this book, and
can’t wait to get my hands on the next!”
“UNEARTHED, Duty
Bound II by J. S. Marlo, is a contemporary woman’s suspenseful romance and
the heroine put the A in adorable!”
Ohhh,
Rowan “Ro” O’Reilly, is a spit fire and has the rebellious red hair to prove
it. I like her!” announces Wrye.
“Did
you know she is daughter of…wait for it… Riley Kendrick and
step-daughter of Blythe Huxley from UNSCRIPTED, Duty
Bound I?”
“Yup…yup…the one that went to
Iceland for school, and the very one who returned from said country,
heart-broken, coerced into giving up, Bjorn, the man who had stolen her heart.”
Wrye shakes his head at the injustice of it all. “At the same time, she
inherits, from her Aunt Mattie, the Buccaneer Bed & Breakfast, on Prince
Edward Island. According to her good natured cook and housekeeper, every summer
it sported a no vacancy sign. This year her establishment has few guests. It is
due to a couple of bad reviews, that made little sense, since the B&B
offers fabulous food and a clean, though, dated backdrop.”
“She
does have one consistent guest, the hunky,” Tattle hits the air with a finger
and makes a sizzle sound, “hot-beyond-hot, mysterious Avery Stone. He is a
moody guest with a haunted expression who is nursing a limp. Meanwhile, another
hottie with charm and a bed-side manner, yes, a young doctor and friend of her
deceased aunt gives her a loan to help fix up the B&B. Only, that makes Rowan
feel obligated to at least give the man his endless attention a chance. Yet,
her heart still grieves for her old love and she is also continuously drawn to
Avery.”
“Then
there is the mysterious groundskeeper, the certainty her aunt’s death wasn’t an
accident but can’t prove it, the bats in the closet that lead to old letters
and family secrets annnnnd finding bones upon bones upon bones buried under the
gazebo. It all keeps Rowan searching for the truth.” Wrye does the brow wiggle.
“Da…da…da…daaaaa.”
“Only,
all that digging about puts her in lethal danger!”
“And
then?” urges Wrye.
“And
then the reader has to read the book! And it is a book that will keep your nose
buried in the e-pages and your heart clenched. Sometimes due to suspense, and
other times to the heart wrenching trauma of her broken heart, trying to mend
itself. Once again, J. S. Marlo has delivered a tale that combines genres
with delightful and seamless perfection. Her writing style has become tighter
and clearer. She, also, has this amazing skill at dangling just enough bait to
make you want to read the next book in the series. And, I can’t wait.” Tattle
offers a thumbs up.
“The characters, as in her previous book, were
dimensional and interesting. There was also enough suspects to keep you
continuously guessing until the very end, and the end has you wondering who
will truly survive the villain’s unscrupulous, deadly intentions. I fully
enjoyed reading this story. J. S. Marlo has delivered another winner!”
We have another Love of Literature Leap behind us and are
looking forward to the next! Until then, keep reading.
Dona
Penza Rutabaga Tattle, Esq. and Associate Wrye Balderdash
of
Blather City, Wannachat
Created and written by: Angelica Hart and Zi
Books by:
Angelica Hart and Zi
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