Murder

#BookReview “A Stranger’s Revenge” by K.J. McGillick

~ Felicia Denise ~ 1 Comment

A Stranger's Revenge book cover

Title: A Stranger’s Revenge

Author: K.J. McGillick

Release: January 4, 2022

Genre: Murder Thriller

Goodreads

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5/5 Stars!

Author K.J. McGillick has one speed… fast! And that’s how this reads begins when a gun-running deal goes awry and a two-year-old girl is shot and left for dead.

Fast-forward thirty years and that little girl is now Abigail Cooke, arts law attorney. Though a good family adopted Abby, she’s still always been at odds with her past, wondering why her family left her to die and why they never looked for her.

When a young woman is found murdered in South Boston, government records identify her as Abby. However, when Abby is found alive, further investigating by the FBI proves the dead woman to be Abby’s biological twin, Aisling Dolan.

This information leads Abby on an international journey to find her family and find out why she was abandoned. What she finds is a family enmeshed in international art forgeries/thefts, human trafficking, and murder.

As each person Abby seeks out ends up murdered, she’s suddenly a person of interest, and she doesn’t know why. She wrongly believes if she finds the paintings and returns them to the rightful owner, he’ll be satisfied and she can continue to sort out her tragic past and find a living connection between her and Aisling. But Abby is wrong. He wants the paintings, and he wants her dead.

A strong, solid plot and a likable protagonist made this an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages. Abby Clarke is equal parts a business professional, a take-no-prisoners heroine, and a broken little girl. While she is a successful professional, it’s the broken little girl which keeps her from enjoying a full life.

Fortunately, Abby has the ultimate support network in Maura, a psychiatrist and her lifelong best friend, Edna, her personal assistant, and her grandma Stasha—all three equally strong women who didn’t back down from anything. I have no problem imagining Edna and Stasha opening a detective agency! Those two! HA!

Trying to keep straight the good guys from the bad guys kept me confused right up to the end… and what an ending! This appears to be a standalone read, but I wouldn’t mind reading more about Abby and her crew… and what happens between her and Alessandro.

Enjoy!

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Blurb:

When art law attorney Abigail Clarke is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed, will she be able to outwit a man determined to kill every member of her treacherous family.

Thirty years ago, during a thunderstorm, on an isolated street in South Boston, an unidentified two-year-old girl was discovered, abandoned, shot, barely clinging to life. After a thorough investigation, the case was eventually designated to the cold case files until Abigail Clarke, now an astraphobic art law attorney, is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed.

What the FBI Art Crime Division cannot determine is if Abigail is an innocent bystander or a co-conspirator in her sister’s art fraud crimes.

Compelled to uncover all her family’s secrets, nothing prepares Abigail for the disastrous meeting with her murderous brother and crime boss father. Her life is irreversibly changed the more she becomes mired in her family’s treachery. She soon finds herself drawn into a game of cat and mouse by the vengeful killer who methodically plans to execute every member of her family, holding each one of them ultimately responsible for the murder of his own family thirty years ago.

 

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Kf74nP

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3I8913r

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3A32Drl

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3fsB41u

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Hosted by Enticing Journey Book Promotions

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#BookTour “A Stranger’s Revenge” by K.J. McGillick

~ Felicia Denise ~ 1 Comment

A Stranger's Revenge book cover

Title: A Stranger’s Revenge

Author: K.J. McGillick

Release: January 4, 2022

Genre: Murder Thriller

Goodreads

Blurb:

When art law attorney Abigail Clarke is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed, will she be able to outwit a man determined to kill every member of her treacherous family.

Thirty years ago, during a thunderstorm, on an isolated street in South Boston, an unidentified two-year-old girl was discovered, abandoned, shot, barely clinging to life. After a thorough investigation, the case was eventually designated to the cold case files until Abigail Clarke, now an astraphobic art law attorney, is mistaken for the murdered twin sister she never knew existed.

What the FBI Art Crime Division cannot determine is if Abigail is an innocent bystander or a co-conspirator in her sister’s art fraud crimes.

Compelled to uncover all her family’s secrets, nothing prepares Abigail for the disastrous meeting with her murderous brother and crime boss father. Her life is irreversibly changed the more she becomes mired in her family’s treachery. She soon finds herself drawn into a game of cat and mouse by the vengeful killer who methodically plans to execute every member of her family, holding each one of them ultimately responsible for the murder of his own family thirty years ago.

 

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Kf74nP

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3I8913r

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3A32Drl

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3fsB41u

~~~

Author Bio: 

Kathleen McGillick is an author of fast paced mystery, suspense and thriller novels. Her fascination with the genre reaches back to her childhood when she read every Nancy Drew book she could find. This, one could say, laid the foundation for her future love of all things mystery and who dun it’s.

Although she has lived in Georgia for over thirty-five years and is practicing attorney in the Metro Atlanta, she will always call New York her home.

When writing her novels she draws from her extensive experience in the medical and legal field to weave her twisted plot lines. Kathleen counts herself an ardent student of art history which allows her to add a dash of art to her novels adding to the mystery of the story.

As a young person her dream was to become an English literature teacher. Although life took her on a different path, one might say she found her way back to her early love of books by spending her time now writing them.

 

Social Media Links: 

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

Website: http://www.kjmcgillick.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KJMcGillickAuth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17359169.K_J_McGillick

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Hosted by Enticing Journey Book Promotions

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#FREE “Fatal Lies (“Lies” Mystery Thriller Series Book 2)” by Andrew Cunningham

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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She was murdered … twice!

Daisy Leduc was forgotten and alone. That was just how she wanted it. But when she is discovered stabbed to death in a dusty little Texas town, it plunges Del Honeycutt and bestselling mystery author Sabrina Spencer into a 30-year-old mystery involving murder, hidden identities, dangerous family secrets, political intrigue, and a long-forgotten serial killer.

When they discover that Daisy, under a different name, supposedly died 30 years earlier, they find themselves squarely in the crosshairs of killers whose deadly secrets lie in Daisy’s mysterious past.

FREE at time of posting!

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

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#FREE “Snatched (Vanished Book 1)” by Michael Arches

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Snatched cover

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Check out this hot new kidnapping-thriller series that readers love!

Federal prosecutor Athena Kazan adores her job—until someone puts a bullet in her head. Miraculously, she survives the shooting, but her troubles have just begun. A drug cartel wants her dead, and it will pay a big bounty to make that happen.

For two years, Athena lives in Durango, Colorado as part of the witness protection program. Then, in a chance encounter, she meets a pregnant woman at a local gas station. The woman unobtrusively slips a note into Athena’s hand. The message reads: Over forty women and girls—mostly pregnant—held prisoner! Five dead already. We’re an hour east of Durango. Call the FBI. Sheriff’s office corrupt. PLEASE HELP US!

Before Athena can react, a huge armed thug forces the pregnant woman into an SUV. Athena can’t stop him, but she memorizes the SUV’s license number. Then, panic rises in her throat. What if the plate is fake? She follows the SUV at a distance while she calls the FBI and begs for help.

The Feeb turns her down. He’s too busy, he says. Fighting the terror that Athena had hoped she’d never have to experience again, she stays behind the SUV as it drives east of Durango. Her instincts tell her to forget this whole horrible situation. It’s probably just a prank, and if it isn’t, she’ll most likely get shot again.

But Athena knows that if she turns away and tries to forget the pregnant women, she won’t be able to live with herself. After all, a Good Samaritan had helped her once when she was desperate. It’s time to pay it forward.

FREE for a limited time!

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

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#BookSale “Cuckoo Unleashed (Cuckoo Series Book 2)” by Julia Derek

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD?

Seventeen-year-old Gabe Landis has issues. Anger issues, due to severe trauma. If he doesn’t address his ever-present anger, he’ll explode. No orthodox methods help him. The only way he gets true peace is when he takes a life. Temporary peace, that is.

Yvonne Landis, his mother, has issues too. Not only does she suffer from schizophrenia, but she’s also a fugitive. She was held at a mental institution to stand trial for her husband’s murder.

Gabe killed his father, not Yvonne. But she feels so responsible for what he has become that she can’t turn him in despite having unearthed proof he’s the real killer. Instead, she devotes her life to help him deal with his issues. That means she must find someone for him to kill.
But can she go through with it?

NOTE: This is the second book in The Cuckoo Series. The first book is FREE.

99c for a limited time!

Amazon

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#BookReview “Sweet Paradise” by Gene Desrochers

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

book cover

April 5 – May 7, 2021 Tour

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5/5 Stars!

Boise Montague is a bona fide private investigator. He has an office with his name outside above the cantaloupe-colored door.

Now he just needs some clients.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), he’s hired when Francine Bacon, the matriarch of the island’s leading wealthy, goes missing.  Boise will navigate dark family secrets, a decades-old grudge, and brushes with death before the case ends.

As if that weren’t enough, Boise will have to face the truth about himself. The peace he’s longed for since losing his wife eludes him, and numbing his inner pain with alcohol isn’t working.

It was good to spend time in Boise’s world again. He may not be Bond or Magnum, PI… or even Barnaby Jones, but he does have skills and gut instinct to see him through. Now all he needs to do is stop drinking.

The balmy climes of St. Thomas provide the perfect imagery and color for Sweet Paradise.

Enjoy!

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Synopsis:

Sweet Paradise by Gene Desrochers

Kudos:

“Boise Montague, intrepid St. Thomas, V.I. private investigator, returns in SWEET PARADISE. Talented author Gene Desrochers delivers a suspense-filled tale overflowing with duplicitous characters and greed-driven agendas in lushly authentic Caribbean environs. A mature generation is determined to hold tight to the empire that provides them with every luxury, while the next generation attempts to fulfill its dreams … Others will compromise all that is decent. And Boise Montague will do what he does best as he separates the winners from the losers and the innocent from the guilty. A 5-star read.”
–Laura Taylor – 6-Time Romantic Times Award Winner

“Boise is back! Gene Desrochers returns his readers to the island paradise of St. Thomas. You’ll feel the warm tropical breeze as Private Investigator Boise Montague must discover [what happened to] the matriarch of a wealthy island rum producer. The deeper he digs, the closer he gets to his own mortality. Wandering and sometimes stumbling through his investigation, Boise learns about family secrets—and they could kill him. Outstanding writing and the vivid setting will keep you transfixed.”
–R. D. Kardon, award-winning author of Flygirl and Angel Flight

Book Details:

Genre: Murder Mystery

Published by: Acorn Publishing

Publication Date: April 6th 2021

Number of Pages: 299

ISBN: 9781952112379

Series: Boise Montague, #2 (Each book in the series is a stand alone mystery)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

~~~

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

~~~

Enter To Win!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Gene Desrochers. There will be two (2) winners. Each winner will receive an Amazon.com gift card. The giveaway begins on April 5, 2021 and runs through May 9, 2021. Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

~~~

#BookTour “Sweet Paradise” by Gene Desrochers

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Sweet Paradise BannerApril 5 – May 7, 2021 Tour

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Synopsis:

Sweet Paradise by Gene Desrochers

In this harrowing Caribbean noir murder mystery, we meet Private Investigator Boise Montague, a man on the brink who is trying to get his life together after his wife died. He has returned to his childhood home and he’s started a private investigator firm of one. Since returning, his drinking has accelerated and he needs clients desperately before the life insurance money dries up.

Enter Junior Bacon, grandson of Francine Bacon of the Bacon sugar and rum empire. Granny’s gone missing and Junior wants Boise to figure out what happened.

As Boise delves into the mystery of the missing matriarch, a reporter associated with her winds up dead in his new office, dramatically raising the stakes. Now Boise must contend with questions from the police, the newspaper president, and the reporter’s widow.

As Boise investigates he uncovers surprising truths about a woman seeking redemption, a family on the brink, and why no matter how hard we try, the past can sometimes never be fixed.

In the end, Boise must not only confront a killer, but the island’s dark history and his own inner demons.

Kudos:

“Boise Montague, intrepid St. Thomas, V.I. private investigator, returns in SWEET PARADISE. Talented author Gene Desrochers delivers a suspense-filled tale overflowing with duplicitous characters and greed-driven agendas in lushly authentic Caribbean environs. A mature generation is determined to hold tight to the empire that provides them with every luxury, while the next generation attempts to fulfill its dreams … Others will compromise all that is decent. And Boise Montague will do what he does best as he separates the winners from the losers and the innocent from the guilty. A 5-star read.”
–Laura Taylor – 6-Time Romantic Times Award Winner

“Boise is back! Gene Desrochers returns his readers to the island paradise of St. Thomas. You’ll feel the warm tropical breeze as Private Investigator Boise Montague must discover [what happened to] the matriarch of a wealthy island rum producer. The deeper he digs, the closer he gets to his own mortality. Wandering and sometimes stumbling through his investigation, Boise learns about family secrets—and they could kill him. Outstanding writing and the vivid setting will keep you transfixed.”
–R. D. Kardon, award-winning author of Flygirl and Angel Flight

Book Details:

Genre: Murder Mystery

Published by: Acorn Publishing

Publication Date: April 6th 2021

Number of Pages: 299

ISBN: 9781952112379

Series: Boise Montague, #2 (Each book in the series is a stand alone mystery)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

~~~

Read an excerpt:

The first coat was drying. More droplets of sweat rivered between my shoulder blades as I slugged water and Guinness alternately. Two in the afternoon was no time to be painting in the October heat, but I didn’t know what else to do and sitting around worrying about my looming penury seemed pointless.

The used old-timey clock radio I’d picked up at Bob’s Store babbled on about hurricane warnings as reception fizzled in and out. It was the latter part of hurricane season and we’d seen minimal storm damage in the region. We might dodge hurricanes for one or two years running, but it was never long enough to truly get complacent about them the way places like New Orleans had.

The overhead fan whirred. Outside my door sunlight filtered thinly through a cloud, illuminating the traffic circle a faint ocher. As I considered the faded lines denoting parking spaces and the cracked pavement, a young man bobbed into my line of sight. He was one of those people who walked on his toes at all times, like the tendons in his calves were so tight his heels couldn’t touch the ground for more than an instant before popping up again. He squinted at the building, turning his head back and forth, then perusing a sheet of paper clutched in both hands. A green Osprey backpack hung loosely off his shoulders. People in California used them for hiking. He tugged at the built-in sippy straw and sucked. The bubbly slurping of the last drops of water in his pouch filtered up to me. Disappointment clouded his face.

His attention snagged on my door. I grinned and gave myself a mental pat on the back. He shifted one hand to his hip and gave a slight lean. I wasn’t sure whether I should let him see me in my ratty painting outfit, but figured that could be explained by the wet door. A spooge of cantaloupe paint dominated the center of my gray t-shirt. I eased the door open a couple more feet.

“Help you?” I asked. “You look lost.”

“Nice door.” He pointed at his forehead and swirled his finger around. “You got some.”

He was college-aged and his face was sunburned, as were his arms. He wore a Hawaiian shirt and khaki pants, a classic tourist outfit.

He continued to stand in the same spot, squinting and considering the sheet of paper. I returned to my inner office, needing another sip of water and the breeze from the fan. Out my open doorway, I could barely make out the top of his Caesar-style haircut.

“You should get a hat!” I hollered out.

His head rose up from the paper and he pushed up on tip-toes so I could see his eyes. “The sun’s doing a number on you,” I said. “Want a drink of water?”

He stared at me a while with a strange stillness, like he was in no hurry as he weighed every option. This boy was a local and he would pull me into events that would rock one of the largest industries in the Virgin Islands.

“Do you have Perrier?”

***

Excerpt from Sweet Paradise by Gene Desrochers. Copyright 2021 by Gene Desrochers. Reproduced with permission from Gene Desrochers. All rights reserved.

 

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Author Bio:

Gene Desrochers

Gene Desrochers hails from a dot in the Caribbean Sea called St. Thomas. He grew up with minimal supervision and free-roaming animals in a guesthouse that also served as a hospital during wartime. If you ask, he will regale you with his Caribbean accent and tennis prowess.

After a lifetime of writing and telling short stories, he ventured into the deep end, publishing his first novel, Dark Paradise in 2018. Sweet Paradise is Gene’s second published novel in the Boise Montague Series.

He lives in Southern California with his wife, step-daughter, and two cats.

Catch Up With Gene Desrochers:
GeneDesrochers.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @problemsolvergene
Instagram – @authorgenedesrochers
Twitter – @problemsolverge
Facebook – @ggdesrochers

~~~

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

~~~

Enter To Win!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Gene Desrochers. There will be two (2) winners. Each winner will receive an Amazon.com gift card. The giveaway begins on April 5, 2021 and runs through May 9, 2021. Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

~~~

#NewRelease “Beyond The Limits (Based On True Crime Book 7)” by Garry Rodgers

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

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What really happened to Kita Southern? A vibrant entrepreneur with high ambitions suddenly disappears from a small Vancouver Island city. She seems to have it all. Beauty. Charm. And a passion for channeling the metaphysical. But Kita has a lifestyle most don’t know of, and you never know what goes on in people’s minds. The truth in Kita Southern’s case is beyond the limits of imagination—an incomprehensible tragedy.

Beyond The Limits is Book 7 in the 12-part Based-On-True-Crime Series by retired homicide detective and coroner, Garry Rodgers. This story comes with a warning: Explicit descriptions of the crime scenes, factual dialogue, real forensic procedures, and actual police investigation, interview and interrogation techniques are portrayed. If you crave graphic realism in crime writing, Beyond The Limits is your book.

The series includes In The Attic, Under The Ground, From The Shadows, Beside The Road, On The Floor, and Between The Bikers. This new release, Beyond The limits, continues with unforgettable characters and plot twists you won’t see coming. Go ahead and Look Inside Beyond The Limits.

Here’s what reviewers say of the Based-On-True-Crime Series by Garry Rodgers:

~ I could not put these books down—could NOT put them down!
~ Like watching a movie in my head and hearing it, too. Outstanding.
~ It was like I was right there with the Serious Crimes investigation team.
~ I was blown away by the first books in the series. The latest is even better.
~ I think Garry Rodgers is destined to be one of Canada’s greatest crime writers.

Purchase Links

Amazon US

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Kobo

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#Excerpt “Malice and Forethought” by Felicia Denise

~ Felicia Denise ~ Leave a comment

Malice and Forethought cover

Malice and Forethought:

Short Stories of Malice and Murder

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EXCERPT – A Hint of Malice

She caught her blurred reflection in the antiquated steel doors of the basement elevator.

Black turtleneck. Black Jeans. Black boots. Jacket and gloves, also black.

If she were in a nightclub, she would be called hot.

But she wasn’t some voluptuous bad-ass fashionista making a statement or setting a trend. She wore black for one reason. It hid blood splatter.

“Give me your knife, Jess.”

She’d forgotten it was still gripped in her fisted hand, blood dripping from its blade to the tarp on which she stood.

They extended their gloved hands, and he took the knife, dipping it into a small container of clear solution.

The blood disappeared.

He tossed the knife onto the tarp with the body and began rolling it up.

Jess stepped off her end and bent to help.

“No. I got this. You look a little shaken up. Scour the area and make sure we leave nothing behind.”

Jess walked around the small area of the underground parking garage but glanced over her shoulder to see Ren complete his task with ease and no emotion.

Was she shaken up?

Jess took one last look into the unseeing eyes of Neil Garner AKA William McNaughton before he disappeared into the folds of the tarp. She couldn’t muster up one ounce of guilt or remorse. She’d sent him to hell and knew she’d join him one day.

Jess grabbed Ren’s ‘tool bag’ and tossed it into the back of the Mercedes. She heard a dull thud and turned to see Ren walking away from the abandoned dumpster.

They climbed into the vehicle and began their return trip.

Thoughts of her aunt, Carmella Gordon, flooded her mind.

Her amazing aunt who’d always been a major part of Jess’ life, was gone, dead from her own hand.

Because of Neil Garner.

Malice – noun; mal·ice | ˈma-ləs

1 : desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
//
2 : intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
//ruined her reputation and did it with malice

Everyone is capable of malice and no one is immune to its outcome.

A Hint of Malice – When her last living relative commits suicide after having her identity and assets stolen, a grieving niece longs for justice.

Burned – When the masterminds behind a major drug operation get off with a slap on the wrists, a frustrated police detective warns them their wealth cannot shield them from everything.

The Marshall Sisters – After seeing her sister mistreated by far too many men, Leslie Marshall is proud of Paula for standing up for herself and accompanies her on a cold winter’s night to confront her boyfriend, but even Leslie isn’t ready for the new, assertive Paula.

The Watcher – Shamed into exile by his family because of his sexual fetish and hanging on to the shreds of his sanity, a man plots the ultimate date night with his new neighbor.

What’s done in the dark always comes to the light.

99c / 99p

KINDLE UNLIMITED

https://geni.us/Malice

Goodreads

Malice 3D mockup

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#Featured “Malice and Forethought: Short Stories of Malice and Murder” by Felicia Denise

~ Felicia Denise ~ 2 Comments

Malice and Forethought cover

Malice – noun; mal·ice | ˈma-ləs

1 : desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
//
2 : intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
//ruined her reputation and did it with malice

Everyone is capable of malice and no one is immune to its outcome.

A Hint of Malice – When her last living relative commits suicide after having her identity and assets stolen, a grieving niece longs for justice.

Burned – When the masterminds behind a major drug operation get off with a slap on the wrists, a frustrated police detective warns them their wealth cannot shield them from everything.

The Marshall Sisters – After seeing her sister mistreated by far too many men, Leslie Marshall is proud of Paula for standing up for herself and accompanies her on a cold winter’s night to confront her boyfriend, but even Leslie isn’t ready for the new, assertive Paula.

The Watcher – Shamed into exile by his family because of his sexual fetish and hanging on to the shreds of his sanity, a man plots the ultimate date night with his new neighbor.

What’s done in the dark always comes to the light.

99c / 99p

KINDLE UNLIMITED

https://geni.us/Malice

Malice 3D mockup

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

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