#1WeekSale “Love Me Tender (Book Five, DI Sterling Series)” by Lorraine Mace

~ Blogger Favorite ~

Mace Books

Amazon.com has included Love Me Tender – book 5 in the DI Sterling Thriller Series – in this month’s US price promotions. Love Me Tender will be on sale for this week ONLY at 99c (reg $3.50). This offer is available to any reader who uses Amazon.com to purchase their kindle titles.

Mace Reviews

If he wants you… there’s no escape.

A brutal murder . . .
Responding to a tip-off, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her.

An abduction in plain sight . . .
Then the victim’s friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up.

At the same time, Sterling’s team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip.

A detective on the edge . . .
With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?

Don’t miss out on the latest Paolo Sterling thriller!

Amazon

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book cover

~ Felicia’s Review ~

July 26, 2021

Always a pleasure to sit down with my guy, Paolo Sterling, even when he’s off his game.

The former DI is now Detective Chief Inspector, but doesn’t feel any of the pride and sense of accomplishment such promotions usually bring. It’s been six months since his protegee and good friend, DS Dave Johnson, was murdered, and Paolo’s grief is as painful as the day it happened. And it doesn’t help that the man he holds most responsible for bullying and goading Dave, DC Jack Cummings, has a target on Paolo’s back.

However, what I love most about the DCI is he trudges on.

The drug overdose of one young woman and the murder of another who believed she was being stalked appear unconnected. But when another woman goes missing, Sterling and his team find links to all three women, a local nightclub, a popular gym… and far too many shady, drug-dealing characters who could all be killers.

When Jack is brutally attacked while on a voluntary stakeout of the nightclub, Paolo’s stress and guilt are only deepened. He detested the man, but he didn’t wish that kind of harm on him.

The assault on Jack—and the misguided rantings of his boss—are gut punches to the DCI that spur him on to resolve the investigations… and find the missing woman alive.

Lorraine Mace does a superb job of taking us inside the mind of a sociopath twisted by his upbringing. Raised by his abusive grandfather and submissive grandmother, he never stood a chance. He’s almost a sympathetic character, except for the kidnapping and killing part.

CC—DS Cathy Connors—is a standout as Paolo’s new “partner.” She knows Dave’s death is with her boss daily, and she knows when to push and when to give him space while still being a stellar investigator.

Lydia, the ex-wife, is still around. Grrr. She was a coworker of the murdered woman and the reason Paolo got involved even before they knew she’d been killed. The murder heightens their concern for their daughter, Katy, off volunteering in remote villages in Africa and out of touch for weeks at a time. However, even without all the arguing and blame-placing, I’m still not a Lydia-fan. Meh.

Rebounding from his assault, Jack’s continued lies and machinations only serve to tighten the noose around Sterling’s neck and threaten his job. But the pragmatic detective has grown weary of being the whipping boy and does what he does best… solve cases. As I said, he trudges on, but with a lighter step and his confidence back in place.

This is another great installment in the Sterling series that delivers!

Enjoy!

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#BookReview “Love Me Tender” by Lorraine Mace

 

Love Me Tender Cover

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5/5 Stars!

Always a pleasure to sit down with my guy, Paolo Sterling, even when he’s off his game.

The former DI is now Detective Chief Inspector but doesn’t feel any of the pride and sense of accomplishment such promotions usually bring. It’s been six months since his protegee and good friend, DS Dave Johnson was murdered, and Paolo’s grief is as painful as the day it happened. And it doesn’t help that the man he holds most responsible for bullying and goading Dave, DC Jack Cummings, has a target on Paolo’s back.

However, what I love most about the DCI is he trudges on.

The drug overdose of one young woman and the murder of another who believed she was being stalked appear unconnected. But when another woman goes missing, Sterling and his team find links to all three women, a local nightclub, a popular gym… and far too many shady, drug-dealing characters who could all be killers.

When Jack is brutally attacked while on a voluntary stakeout of the nightclub, Paolo’s stress and guilt are only deepened. He detested the man but he didn’t wish that kind of harm on him.

The assault on Jack—and the misguided rantings of his boss—are gut punches to the DCI that serve to spur him on to resolve the investigations… and find the missing woman alive.

Lorraine Mace does a superb job of taking us inside the mind of a sociopath twisted by his upbringing.  Raised by his equally psychotic and abusive grandfather whom he hates and the submissive grandmother he adores, this murderer never stood a chance. He’s almost a sympathetic character, except for the kidnapping and killing part.

CC—DS Cathy Connors—is a standout as Paolo’s new “partner.” She knows Dave’s death is with her boss daily, and she knows when to push and when to give him space while still being a stellar investigator.

Lydia, the ex-wife is still around. Grrr.  She was a coworker of the murdered woman and the reason Paolo got involved even before they knew she’d been killed. The murder heightens their concern for their daughter, Katy, off volunteering in remote villages in Africa and out of touch for weeks at a time. However, even without all the arguing and blame-placing, I’m still not a Lydia-fan. Meh.

Rebounding from his assault, Jack’s continued lies and machinations only serve to tighten the noose around Sterling’s neck and threaten his job. But the pragmatic detective has grown weary of being the whipping boy and does what he does best… solve cases. As I said, he trudges on, but with a lighter step and his confidence back in place.

This is another great installment in the Sterling series that delivers!

Enjoy!

~~~

IF HE WANTS YOU . . . THERE’S NO ESCAPE.

A brutal murder . . .

Responding to a tip-off, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her.

An abduction in plain sight . . .
Then the victim’s friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up.

At the same time, Sterling’s team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip.

A detective on the edge . . .
With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vHyDxT

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/36WOjDg

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#BlogTour “Love Me Tender” by Lorraine Mace

Love Me Tender

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Love Me Tender Cover

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IF HE WANTS YOU . . . THERE’S NO ESCAPE.

A brutal murder . . .

Responding to a tip-off, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her.

An abduction in plain sight . . .
Then the victim’s friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up.

At the same time, Sterling’s team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip.

A detective on the edge . . .
With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vHyDxT

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/36WOjDg

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Author Bio

Love Lorraine Mace

Born and raised in South East London, Lorraine lived and worked in South Africa, on the Island of Gozo and in France before settling on the Costa del Sol in Spain. She lives with her partner in a traditional Spanish village inland from the coast and enjoys sampling the regional dishes and ever-changing tapas in the local bars. Her knowledge of Spanish is expanding. To stop her waistline from doing the same, she runs five times a week.

Author of the D.I. Sterling series of novels, Lorraine has been engaged in many writing-related activities. A columnist for Writing Magazine, she has recently stepped down from writing two columns for Writers’ Forum and also her role as head judge of the magazine’s monthly fiction competitions in order to concentrate on her own writing. She is currently writing two standalone psychological thrillers for Headline Accent.

She also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service.

Social Media Links

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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#NewRelease “Love Me Tender: An unflinching, twisty and jaw-dropping thriller (Book Five, DI Sterling Series)” by Lorraine Mace

cover

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IF HE WANTS YOU . . . THERE”S NO ESCAPE.

A brutal murder . . .

Responding to a tip-off, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her.

An abduction in plain sight . . .
Then the victim”s friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up.

At the same time, Sterling”s team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip.

A detective on the edge . . .
With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it”s too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?

Lorraine Mace returns with the fifth instalment in her dark, gritty and unflinching DI Sterling series. Perfect for fans of Jane Casey, Karin Slaughter and M. J. Arlidge.

Readers LOVE the D.I. Sterling thrillers:

”I. Am. Not. Okay. That ending – mind blown!!!! Rage and Retribution deserves ALL the stars! It is AMAZING!” *****

Wow, just wow is all I can say. The whole series is just too good to miss.” *****

”Keeps you guessing and hooked with plenty of twists too. As for that ending – well!!!” *****

”I am an absolutely massive fan of this series . . . the books are just getting better and better” *****

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

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#PreOrder “Love Me Tender: An unflinching, twisty and jaw-dropping thriller (Book Five, DI Sterling Series)” by Lorraine Mace

It’s Coming!

Love Me Tender cover

IF HE WANTS YOU . . . THERE’S NO ESCAPE.

A brutal murder . . .

Responding to a tip-off, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Paolo Sterling arrives at an apartment block to find the dismembered body of a young woman. And with no indication of a break-in, all signs suggest the killer was known to her.

An abduction in plain sight . . .
Then the victim’s friend is snatched with no witnesses and the unanswered questions mount up.

At the same time, Sterling’s team are leading the surveillance of a local club, thought to be involved in a drug operation. But when one of his colleagues ends up in hospital close to death, Paolo begins to lose his grip.

A detective on the edge . . .
With the odds stacked against him, and time running out, can DCI Sterling uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will this case finally tip him over the edge?

Lorraine Mace returns with the fifth installment in her dark, gritty and unflinching DI Sterling series. Perfect for fans of Jane Casey, Karin Slaughter and M. J. Arlidge.

Readers LOVE the D.I. Sterling thrillers:

‘I. Am. Not. Okay. That ending – mind blown!!!! Rage and Retribution deserves ALL the stars! It is AMAZING!‘ *****

Wow, just wow is all I can say. The whole series is just too good to miss.’ *****

‘Keeps you guessing and hooked with plenty of twists too. As for that ending – well!!!‘ *****

‘I am an absolutely massive fan of this series . . . the books are just getting better and better’ *****

‘I am blown away by this story and LOVE everything about it. I cannot wait for the next installment.’ *****

‘OMG! That opening scene’ *****

Oh my goodness! What an opening chapter.‘ *****

Absolutely fantastic. Wow. Looking forward to the next book. 5*.‘ *****

I could not put my kindle down while reading this!’ *****

Wow!!! What a book!!!‘ *****

Dark, disturbing yet utterly gripping!‘ *****

‘This series is now a firm favourite of mine and I’m looking forward to the next one’ *****

‘Every book I’ve read in the series has been fantastic‘ *****

Amazon US


#Review “Rage and Retribution (A DI Sterling Thriller)” by Lorraine Mace

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5/5 Stars!

Book 4 in the DI Sterling Series is another tightly woven page-turner that leaves you ducking to avoid injury from all the rocket-fire plot twists! The blurb asked can two wrongs make a right, but there’s a lot more than two wrongs here, trust me!

Investigations into a plaque defacement with an accusatory message at the new youth center, and the unreported sexual assaults of men have no connection until a death occurs, and Sterling has to take a closer look at a secretive, upscale businessmen’s club.

Nothing is clear-cut in this read.  No easy answers or fixes. The body count rises, names are dropped from everyone’s lips as aspersions are cast… but leads go nowhere.

Paolo’s frustrations are exacerbated by the three women in his life: daughter, Katy, girlfriend, Jessica, and ex-wife, Lydia. These relationships will weigh on his heart as he’s forced to make decisions that will change his life. (And no, I still do not like Lydia.)

But Paolo is a good guy who doesn’t like bad guys. He and his stellar team rise to the occasion despite the seeds of dissension being sown by a jealous DS in his department.

My emotions were all over the place—glad a serial killer was dealt with, sad for the victims at the very heart of the story, and mad at who’s still standing in the end… and who isn’t.

Rage and Retribution deals with possible triggering issues in graphic detail but I believe great writing delivers the suspenseful impact to hold the reader’s interest without the sting. Book 4 can be read as a standalone, but the history and building of the bond Paolo has with his team would be missed. Don’t do it.

This read is a mystery, a crime thriller, a character study, hardboiled, and a must-read.

Enjoy!

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Can two wrongs ever make a right?

A man is found by the side of a canal, comatose and brutally attacked.

It quickly becomes clear that someone is abducting men and subjecting them to horrific acts of torture. After three days they’re released, fighting for their lives and refusing to speak.

A councillor is accused of fraud.

Montague Mason is an upstanding member of the community. That is until he’s publicly accused of stealing the youth centre’s funds – an accusation that threatens to rip through the very heart of the community and expose his best-kept secret. But how far would he go to protect himself?

Two cases. One deadly answer.

As the two cases collide, D.I. Paolo Sterling finds he has more questions than answers. And, when torture escalates to murder, he suddenly finds himself in a race against time to find the killer and put an end to the depravity – once and for all.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

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#BlogTour “Rage and Retribution (A DI Sterling Thriller)” by Lorraine Mace

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cover

 

Can two wrongs ever make a right?

A man is found by the side of a canal, comatose and brutally attacked.

It quickly becomes clear that someone is abducting men and subjecting them to horrific acts of torture. After three days they’re released, fighting for their lives and refusing to speak.

A councillor is accused of fraud.

Montague Mason is an upstanding member of the community. That is until he’s publicly accused of stealing the youth centre’s funds – an accusation that threatens to rip through the very heart of the community and expose his best-kept secret. But how far would he go to protect himself?

Two cases. One deadly answer.

As the two cases collide, D.I. Paolo Sterling finds he has more questions than answers. And, when torture escalates to murder, he suddenly finds himself in a race against time to find the killer and put an end to the depravity – once and for all.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

~~~

Lorraine MaceAuthor Bio  

When not working on her D.I. Sterling Series, Lorraine Mace is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum and is head judge for Writers’ Forum monthly fiction competitions. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service. She is co-author, with Maureen Vincent-Northam, of THE WRITER’S ABC CHECKLIST (Accent Press). Other books include children’s novel VLAD THE INHALER – HERO IN THE MAKING, and NOTES FROM THE MARGIN, a compilation of her Writing Magazine humour column.

Social Media Links  

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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#BlogTour “Injections of Insanity (DI Sterling Book 3)” by Lorraine Mace

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The third gripping installment in the DI Paolo Sterling crime series.

Detective Inspector Paolo Sterling has just six weeks to solve a series of murders by insulin injection, with nothing to connect the victims except the manner of death and a note left at each crime scene.

The murderer, determined to avenge a wrong from many years earlier, gets close to his prey by assuming various identities.

Can Paolo win in his race against the pretender?

 

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

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Lorraine MaceAuthor Bio  

When not working on her D.I. Sterling Series, Lorraine Mace is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum and is head judge for Writers’ Forum monthly fiction competitions. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service. She is co-author, with Maureen Vincent-Northam, of THE WRITER’S ABC CHECKLIST (Accent Press). Other books include children’s novel VLAD THE INHALER – HERO IN THE MAKING, and NOTES FROM THE MARGIN, a compilation of her Writing Magazine humour column.

Social Media Links  

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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full tour

#Review “Children in Chains (DI Sterling Book 2)” by Lorraine Mace

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5/5 Stars!

In Retriever of Souls, book 1 of the DI Sterling Series, Paolo Sterling and his team were hunting for a serial killer targeting prostitutes. This led them to question the women working the street trade for information as they tried to identify the monster taking lives. It wasn’t lost on Paolo many of the females he encountered were barely into their teens.

Connections made during that investigation are front and center in Children in Chains as Paolo searches for the person responsible for trafficking females for sex. But, it’s even worse than any of them believed. Teenage girls are forced to work the streets only after they are abused, violated, and addicted to drugs at an even younger age.

The DI is overwhelmed at times by everything around him—the dead ends his case keeps hitting because people are too terrified of the consequences of talking to the police; the cracks his team is showing; his fortieth birthday and the state of his personal life, and the physical recovery of his sixteen-year-old daughter, Katy, from the near-fatal attack she suffered in book 1. But don’t count the gutsy teen out yet. While she may still have a lot to come to terms with mentally and emotionally, she’s not one sit around and veg out. Love her spirit and wouldn’t be at all surprised if she followed in her dad’s footsteps.

Of course, with Katy, comes Paolo’s ex-wife, Lydia, who’s still an insufferable cow, placing blame for all wrong in her life on his shoulders.

Despite all that, Sterling is no less focused on the case, his frustration and anger always rumbling just below the surface.

He perks up after interviewing an aging rocker he suspects is connected with the trafficking, but is thrown for a loop and blindsided by betrayal from a member of his team. But Paolo also soon discovers the ringleader he’s searching for could have been in front of him all along.

Children in Chains in not an easy read. Stephen King said, “Fiction is the truth inside the lie,” and this author has done an extraordinary job of weaving just enough of the truth through the story to not only create an engrossing, suspenseful read but also incite heartache and sympathy for the victimized children as well as rage for their tormentors.

And just when I thought dealings with Lydia—remember her?—were relegated to the back burner, she’s had an epiphany, God, help us, and I was right there, cringing with Paolo.

Can Children in Chains be read as a standalone? Yes, but I don’t recommend it. While all the elements needed for the story are in this story, this series centers on Paolo Sterling, and while his character is evolving, he’s not dramatically changing overnight. The changes are subtle and readers should know where he’s been to understand where he’s headed. Grab books 1 and 2!

Enjoy!

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The second chapter in a new dark and gritty crime series.

Detective Inspector Paolo Sterling is determined to shut down the syndicate flooding Bradchester’s streets with young prostitutes.

When a child is murdered, Paolo becomes aware of a sinister network of abusers spread across Europe, and spanning all levels of society. But Joey, the shadowy leader of the gang, always seems to be one step ahead in the chase.

Has Paolo come up against a criminal he cannot defeat?

Purchase Links

Price Drop Alert! 

Children In Chains is on offer at 99p/99c across all Amazon stores until June 15!

Amazon UK  

Amazon US  

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#5DayMiniBlogBlitz “Children in Chains (DI Sterling Book 2)” by Lorraine Mace

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cover

The second chapter in a new dark and gritty crime series.

Detective Inspector Paolo Sterling is determined to shut down the syndicate flooding Bradchester’s streets with young prostitutes.

When a child is murdered, Paolo becomes aware of a sinister network of abusers spread across Europe, and spanning all levels of society. But Joey, the shadowy leader of the gang, always seems to be one step ahead in the chase.

Has Paolo come up against a criminal he cannot defeat?

Purchase Links

Price Drop Alert! 

 Children In Chains is on offer at 99p/99c across all Amazon stores until June 15!

Amazon UK  

Amazon US  

~~~

Lorraine MaceAuthor Bio  

When not working on her D.I. Sterling Series, Lorraine Mace is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum and is head judge for Writers’ Forum monthly fiction competitions. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service. She is co-author, with Maureen Vincent-Northam, of THE WRITER’S ABC CHECKLIST (Accent Press). Other books include children’s novel VLAD THE INHALER – HERO IN THE MAKING, and NOTES FROM THE MARGIN, a compilation of her Writing Magazine humour column.

Social Media Links  

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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