#BookReview ~ Dungeons & Dimwits by James Mascia ~ @rararesources #D&D #GraphicNovel

Dungeons & Dimwits

Dungeons & Dragons meets Jumanji in a hilarious fantasy adventure where the players are trapped inside the chaotic world they created. Now every bad roll, terrible plan, and overpowered enemy is dangerously real.

When a group of tabletop role-playing gamers suddenly find themselves pulled into their own fantasy campaign, the adventure stops being imaginary and starts being a matter of survival. Thrown into a world filled with monsters, magic, absurd dangers, and enemies far beyond their level, these unlikely adventurers must figure out how to stay alive long enough to find a way home.

But this is not the polished fantasy epic they imagined. This is their game world―complete with ridiculous choices, bizarre characters, unpredictable rules, and all the chaos that comes from years of questionable decisions around the gaming table. As the party stumbles from one disaster to the next, they must rely on teamwork, quick thinking, and a little bit of luck to survive the fantasy world they helped create.

Funny, fast-paced, and packed with tabletop gaming humor, Dungeons & Dimwits is a wild fantasy comedy for longtime RPG players, fantasy fans, comic readers, and anyone who has ever wondered what would happen if the game suddenly became real.

My Review:

Dungeons & Dimwits is a fun twist on roll-playing games. A group of friends casually gathered together suddenly find themselves transported into the middle of their game. Danger abounds. Chaos unfolds. Teamwork is a must.

I loved Dungeons & Dimwits. The vibrant and visually appealing illustrations, fun and adventurous plot, and interesting characters make this unputdownable. I read it in one sitting. The story captured my attention and kept me engaged with the antics before and after the group of friends were pulled into their campaign.

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

About the Series:

Dungeons & Dimwits is a fantasy comedy series about a group of gamers trapped inside their own tabletop role-playing campaign. This first volume begins their journey as they discover that their imaginary world is now very real―and very dangerous. The series follows the party as they face monsters, magic, rival adventurers, impossible quests, and the consequences of their own chaotic storytelling. Readers should begin with Volume 1, which introduces the characters, the world, and the hilarious disaster that launches the adventure.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Meet the Author:

James Mascia is the founder and publisher of Dren Productions, where he creates sci-fi, horror, and fantasy comics and novels packed with imagination, humor, and thrills. He is the author of titles including Flesh-Eating Cheerleaders, Dungeons & Dimwits, The Poe Murders, and High School Heroes. When he’s not writing strange and exciting stories, James works as a high school English teacher in Maryland. A lifelong fan of Comic Cons, cheesy sci-fi and horror movies, and Dungeons & Dragons, he brings his love of genre storytelling into everything he writes.

Social Media Links – Facebook/Instagram - @DrenProductions

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Thinking Critically in College by Louis Newman ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #ThinkingCriticallyinCollege #LouisNewman #Nonfiction

Thinking Critically in College by Louis Newman

The Essential Handbook for Student Success

Nonfiction, College Guide

Date Published: April 1, 2026

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group

The Definitive Guide for Success in College and Beyond

Finally, a book that actually prepares you for college! Nearly every first-year college student discovers that college courses are more academically challenging than high school. Professors expect you not just to absorb material but to analyze and synthesize it, to consider multiple perspectives, to evaluate conflicting evidence, and then to apply what you've learned in new contexts.

Drawing on a lifetime of experience teaching and advising students, former dean of Academic Advising and associate vice provost at Stanford University Louis E. Newman explains how to do all this, and more. Whatever your background or academic interest, this book will prepare you for college-level learning. Thinking Critically in College is the definitive guide, not only for those in college, but for everyone who needs a refresher on thinking clearly.

"Thinking Critically in College details and exemplifies the differences between high school and college. Students who read this book before coming to college will have an advantage over those who don't." -LEE CUBA, professor emeritus of sociology, Wellesley College, and author of Practice for Life: Making Decisions in College

"Even students who have taken college-prep and AP courses are unprepared for the type of learning that will take place in college. Thinking Critically in College is poised to help all students at all types of institutions develop the dispositions and skills necessary for success in college." -LYNN PASQUERELLA, president of Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)

 

About the Author:

Contact Links:

Website

LinkedIn

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

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No Straight Lines to the Stars by Ken Kisco ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #NoStraightLinestotheStars #KenKisco #Nonfiction

No Straight Lines to the Stars by Ken Kisco

An Unlikely Journey from Lifeguard Tower to Launchpad

 

Narrative Nonfiction/Inspirational

Date Published: August 4th, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

No Straight Lines to the Stars is the inspiring true story of a young lifeguard who dared to believe his life could reach far beyond the horizon.

On the beaches of Southern California, Ken Kisco learned that preparation saves lives. From rip-current rescues to split-second emergencies, he discovered that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it. Those early lessons in resilience and composure pushed Ken to believe he could accomplish anything . . . including his lifelong dream of reaching the stars.

Through relentless perseverance and unwavering faith, Ken rose into the heart of America’s most advanced space and defense programs, contributing to human spaceflight initiatives and supporting groundbreaking technologies. His unusual start as a lifeguard helped advance his career, distinguishing him from his Air Force and Navy peers. Yet, his toughest challenges were personal—he faced deep disappointment when a space mission was canceled and learned lessons about trust and integrity from a romance-turned-ruse.

Ken’s journey reveals that success is rarely linear. Setbacks became launchpads, adversity became refinement, and purpose became a compass. Part memoir, part inspiration, and part behind-the-scenes look at America’s quest for the stars, this is the unforgettable story of a man who proves that bold dreams, combined with grit and heart, can launch an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.

 

About the Author:

At ten years old, Ken Kisco dreamed of becoming a rocket scientist, a goal that shaped his life. He earned multiple degrees, including master's degrees from the University of Southern California in systems management and from San Jose State University in industrial psychology.

As an aerospace systems engineer for NASA, Rockwell International, and Boeing, he developed new technologies and earned recognition as an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow.

Ken now shares his passion by mentoring USC engineering students, inspiring them to dream boldly. When not traveling, he and his wife enjoy San Diego's beaches, where they live.

Contact Links:

Website

Instagram: @Kennasaman

Purchase Link:

Amazon

 

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The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries) by Lila Blake ~ #CozyMystery

The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries) by Lila Blake

About The Filbert Steps:

 

The Filbert Steps (The Telegraph Hill Mysteries)

Cozy Mystery

1st in Series

Setting - California

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sutro House Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 31, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages Digital

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8951746016

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H52YDTRG

A body on the steps. A neighborhood that saw nothing.

Vivian Salvatore came back to Telegraph Hill with a cat, a divorce settlement, and a book she cannot seem to write.

At fifty-two, newly single and trying to rebuild her life, she has settled into the rhythms of San Francisco’s most beautiful staircase: coffee at the corner café, morning walks on the Filbert Steps, old neighbors on three corners, and the comforting illusion that everyone knows everyone.

Then, on a bright October morning, Vivian finds one of the city’s most ambitious developers dead on the third landing.

The police are ready to call it a fall. But Vivian spent twenty-seven years reading teenagers’ faces for a living, and she knows when a story does not fit. A coat buttoned wrong. A cigarette ground out where it should not be. Storefronts quietly sold to a post-office box in Delaware. And a neighborhood full of people who had reason to want one man gone.

As Vivian begins asking questions, she discovers that Telegraph Hill has been keeping secrets for years — about money, loyalty, grief, and who really gets to call a place home.

The Filbert Steps introduces Vivian Salvatore, a sharp-eyed, warm-hearted sleuth who notices everything and forgives almost as much.

Perfect for readers who love older women sleuths, atmospheric San Francisco mysteries, neighborhood secrets, found community, and fair-play cozy mysteries with literary depth.

About Lila Blake:

Lila Blake writes San Francisco neighborhood mysteries about foggy stairways, old houses, found family, and the secrets people keep when a place begins to change. Her Telegraph Hill Mysteries begin with The Filbert Steps, a literary cozy mystery featuring Vivian Salvatore, a fifty-two-year-old former teacher rebuilding her life after divorce. Lila is published by Sutro House Press, an independent fiction imprint based in San Francisco.

Links: 

Website: lilablake.com 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71129242.Lila_Blake

Purchase Link: Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

August 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

August 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

August 24 – Books1987 - SPOTLIGHT

August 25 – Christy's Cozy Corners – RECIPE

August 25 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW

August 25 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

August 26 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 26 – Sarandipity's – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 27 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

August 27 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 28 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

August 28 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

August 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

August 29 – Ruff Drafts – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 30 – Book Hookup – REVIEW

August 31 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

August 31 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

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The Secret in the Sampler: A Plain Truth Mystery by Abigail B. Hartwell ~ #CozyMystery

The Secret in the Sampler: A Plain Truth Mystery by Abigail B. Hartwell

About The Secret in the Sampler:

The Secret in the Sampler: A Plain Truth Mystery

Amish Adjacent Cozy Mystery with Slow-Burn Romance

1st in Series

Setting - Ohio

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Plain Truth Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 31, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 358 pages

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GX372D82

 

What would you do if the family heirloom hidden in your aunt’s estate could expose a stolen inheritance—and make you the next person someone needs silenced? Two years after losing her husband, Nora Bell returns to the quiet Ohio Amish-country town of Briar Creek to settle her late aunt’s estate. She expects dusty type drawers, unpaid bills, and enough sympathy casseroles to survive a minor siege. Reopening The Bell & Quill, Aunt Lenora’s old letterpress and stationery shop, is supposed to be a temporary project—not the beginning of an entirely new life. Then Nora discovers an antique hand-stitched sampler concealed inside a cedar trunk. Its mismatched initials, reversed border, and nearly invisible name suggest that the sampler is more than a family keepsake. It may be the only surviving record of a child erased from Briar Creek’s history—and an inheritance quietly stolen decades ago. Before Nora can uncover what her aunt knew, a local estate appraiser is found dead. He had been asking questions about the sampler, searching for a missing auction ledger, and meeting privately with someone determined to keep an old land transfer from being examined too closely. Now Nora is following a trail of altered records, old letters, disputed property, and carefully guarded family secrets. Her unexpected ally is Eli Yoder, a reserved Amish widower and auction clerk who knows Briar Creek’s family histories almost as well as he knows when people are refusing to tell the truth. Eli’s dry humor and steady presence make him useful. The grief he recognizes in Nora makes him dangerous in an entirely different way. As suspicion spreads through the Amish farms, antique shops, auction houses, and polished tourist businesses surrounding Briar Creek, Nora realizes the sampler does not simply reveal what happened in the past. It threatens someone’s money, reputation, and future. And the person who killed to keep its secret hidden may already know Nora has begun to unravel the pattern. Readers will discover:

• A clever, emotionally grounded amateur sleuthwhose knowledge of printing, paper, handwriting, and design helps her notice what others overlook.
• An atmospheric Amish-country settingfilled with rural roads, estate auctions, quilt work, family businesses, and small-town secrets.
• A layered, low-gore cozy mystery involving an antique sampler, a hidden heir, altered records, and a disputed inheritance.
• A clean, chaste slow-burn romance between two widowed people rebuilding their lives through trust rather than instant attraction.
• Warm community characters and lightly witty dialogue without turning the mystery into slapstick.
• A satisfying standalone investigation that opens the door to more secrets from The Bell & Quill.

The Secret in the Sampler is the first novel in The Plain Truth Mysteries, a gentle Amish-adjacent cozy mystery series about old objects, hidden histories, rural grudges, and the truths people leave behind on paper and cloth. Perfect for fans of Amanda Flower’s Assaulted Caramel, Laura Bradford’s Hearse and Buggy, and Vannetta Chapman’s Falling to Pieces.

About Abigail B. Hartwell:

Abigail B. Hartwell writes gentle Amish-adjacent cozy mysteries rooted in the small towns and wooded backroads of east-central Ohio. Though she is not Amish, she lives near Amish communities and draws inspiration from the region’s quiet rhythms, close-knit families, old stories, and rural traditions. She shares a modest home on five wooded acres with her long-haul truck driver husband. They have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. When she is not writing, Abigail enjoys church activities, family time, and the peaceful beauty of the Ohio countryside.

Social Media Links:

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

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

Website https://abigailbhartwell.wixsite.com/amish-cozy-mysteries

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/Abigail-B.-Hartwell/author/B0H71WD53Y

Purchase Links – Amazon Book Amazon Series

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

August 18 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea - SPOTLIGHT

August 18 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

August 19 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

August 19 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 20 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

August 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 21 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

August 23 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

August 23 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 26 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 27 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 28 – Sarandipity's – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 28 – Book HookUp – REVIEW

August 29 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

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Burned Out by Iris Waichler ~ @IrisWaichler @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #BurnedOut #IrisWaichler #Nonfiction #selfhelp

Burned Out by Iris Waichler

Non-Fiction, Self-Help

Date Published: May 29, 2026

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group 

       

About the Book:

Burned Out evolved from conversations I had with a friend who had been a firefighter for 30 years. He shared stories about traumas he and his fellow firefighters experienced while on the job. We discussed universal challenges that first responders face in terms of not knowing what to do with this trauma, recognizing its symptoms,  and the impact it had on family members and loved ones. I interviewed male and female paramedics, firefighters, and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT's) around the country to get their candid personal stories and experiences.  I also interviewed family members. We all shared the goal of wanting to. help fellow first responders and family members understand the dynamics of trauma, its impact, and how they can get support to cope with its consequences with renewed understanding and resilience.

 

Key themes of book:

  1. What types of trauma do first responders experience on the job?

  2. How does it impact them physically and emotionally?

  3. How does it affect their relationships with family members and loved ones?

  4. How can first responders and family members understand and  cope with these traumas?

  5. What ways can they effectively communicate and understand the ramifications of trauma?

  6. Where can they go for help to deal with the trauma and learn to heal from it?

 

Message for readers: My hope for those who read this book is that you will have a greater understanding and appreciation for the sacrifices our first responders and their families make in the service of others. I believe reading these personal accounts in combination with the information, support, and resources provided will be invaluable to all who take the time to read Burned Out. I hope you will share it with others you believe might find it beneficial.

About the Author:

Iris Waichler has been a well known patient advocate and licensed clinical social worker for the last 40 years. She began her career working with geriatric patients who experienced catastrophic illness and counseled them and their families about adapting to these medical problems. She helped them understand their medical condition helping them to cope with the disease and its impact on their lives.

She is an award winning author. In addition she is a prominent speaker presenting on topics related to infertility and caregiving. She has been featured in Redbook, Parade, MindBodygreen.com., Forbes Magazine and Next Avenue Magazine. She also has done many radio shows and podcasts.

Iris has taught and supervised social work students, medical students, interns, residents, and nurses about patient rights, ethics.

Ms. Waichler found herself in the role of a patient when she battled infertility for many years. The feelings of loss and helplessness she personally experienced were profound. She promised herself if she was successful in having a child she would do everything she could to help other people fighting infertility.

She authored a second award winning book, RIDING THE INFERTILITY ROLLER COASTER, A GUIDE TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE. This book won 4 awards including 2 best book of the year awards. The response was so great she began doing individual and group counseling with people who had infertility. She volunteered for RESOLVE, a national infertility group, and went on to do a series of radio interviews, magazine articles, workshops, and speeches on infertility topics.

Her book, ROLE REVERSAL, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR AGING PARENTS, has won 8 major book awards. Her experience in caring for her beloved father, who died at age 97, triggered her passion in reaching out to others who suddenly find themselves in a caregiver role and are uncertain about what to do or where to go for help. In this book she shares her father’s inspiring story and her personal and professional experience in assuming the challenges that come with being a caregiver for an aging loved one.

Iris has been doing freelance writing for the last 18 years. The focus of her work has been on health related topics. She also does workshops and speeches offering caregiving tips for caregiver family members and educating healthcare professionals.

Ms. Waichler lives in Chicago with her husband, Steve, and her daughter, Grace and her mini golden doodle Brandi. She loves to travel whenever she can and to spend time with friends and family.

Contact Links:

Website

Facebook

Author Facebook

 LinkedIn

"X"

Purchase Links:

Amazon

B&N

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MalaBrava by Carol James Marshall ~ Horror, Dark Comedy

MalaBrava 

Carol James Marshall 

Genre: Horror, Dark Comedy

Date of Publication: August 1, 2026

ASIN: B0H12RB68Z

Number of pages: 241

Word Count: 58,477

About the Book:

Welcome to Malabrava a town where the squirrels carry knives, the vampires have HOA problems, and the local mad scientist is still workshopping the perfect dick.

When Grizzy Del Monstruo isn’t decapitating problems or resurrecting boyfriends in her basement lab, she’s navigating family dinners, supernatural bureaucracy, and the inconvenience of having a moral compass. Around her, monsters bicker, humans wander in by accident, and nobody seems particularly concerned about the body count as long as it stays within city limits.

Malabrava is a brutally funny, deeply inappropriate adult dark comedy packed with gore, sex, monsters, and unhinged domesticity.

If you like your horror ridiculous, your comedy filthy, and your towns aggressively cursed, you’ve just found your new favorite place to never visit.

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

Griselda grew up in Malabrava. Her family founded the town. The streets, the smells, the houses, the people, and even the squirrels with knives run through her veins. She loves Malabrava and all its quirks.

Grizzy is a Del Monstruo. Not the youngest, not the oldest. She’s the middle-aged one. The Auntie. The one who never married, never wanted to. Grizzy’s the one people call when something needs to be handled. Because that’s what Grizzy does. Grizzy handles things.

Nobody asks how. It’s understood. Grizzy is what some might call sketchy with a heart of gold. She’ll go to war for the people she loves, and she has a clean, no-fuss method of decapitation for the ones she doesn’t.

She lives in the family home, dead center in the town of Malabrava. Her parents retired to a smaller place on the outskirts, saying they needed more land for at-home burials. Her sister Gracie prefers her condo near their parents. Gracie said that the convenient burial space is a plus. Makes cleanup easier.

They left Grizzy the house. You’d expect a gothic mansion, right? This is Malabrava, where things creep in broad daylight. A home for someone called Del Monstruo should come with bats, cobwebs, a gong, a butler who only groans, and a maid with wild frizzy red hair and access to the gong.

But no.

Grizzy’s grandfather was a modernist. Way ahead of his time. He wanted to be a supervillain, and in his mind, supervillains needed sleek, sprawling homes with underground bunkers, hidden rooms, and plans for a moat.

He never made it to “super.” He was a decent villain. He refused to recycle and regularly flipped off children, but he lacked the follow-through. He couldn’t commit to one evil scheme long enough to earn the title.

Grizzy’s grandmother was the true force. A science-minded woman with dangerous ideas. She adored the modern mansion. It gave her room for her lab.

That lab became Grizzy’s favorite place in the world.

Grizzy the fixer, the inventor, the one always tinkering away in her lab is deeply loved by her family. But her mother, a devout occultist with a dramatic streak, had other hopes. She wanted Griselda to be witchy. Ideally, a Voodoo Priestess. She always said Griselda looked striking in white. Though, in the end, she would’ve settled for a kitchen witch with a solid essential oil game.

Her father, a known vampire, had his hopes too. Gracie inherited the thirst. Gracie was the one born with a taste for blood.

But not Grizzy.

Instead, she snuck into her grandmother’s lab as a child. Touched everything labeled “Do Not Touch.” Sniffed everything marked “Hazard.” Dreamed of beakers and blueprints. She ignored every warning.

At twelve, she came out to the family as a Mad Scientist.

Her parents told her they loved her. Accepted her, a little reluctantly. Gracie grinned. She had another reason to be the favorite now.

They threw a family barbecue for her official announcement. The cousins came. The uncles, the aunts, the vaguely-related lurkers. Grizzy cut a cake shaped like a beaker and declared, “I’m a Mad Scientist, like Granny.”

There was a pause.

Some awkward glances.

Then applause.

The Del Monstruos were known for monsters...being them, birthing them, bargaining with them. But Grizzy wasn’t rattled by the hesitation. She knew the truth.

What was better than being a monster?

Inventing them.

About the Author:

Carol James Marshall is a storyteller who loves serving up scary stories with and sometimes adds some laughs. 

Carol writes genre-bending horror packed with comedy, paranormal twists, sci-fi, and suspense. As a bilingual, low-vision author, she uses adaptive tech and bold fonts to bring her stories to life, crafting her books in English, Spanish, or sometimes both. 

When she isn't weaving nightmares or getting lost in an audiobook, Carol works as a medical coder and biller. Her journey spans from the sunny streets of Los Angeles, California, to the vibrant culture of Mexicali, Mexico, and she now happily calls Georgia home.

Link Tree: https://lnk.bio/CJMauthor

Newsletter Signup: https://mailchi.mp/ce3ca8b02d56/cjm

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

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Carol-James-Marshall/author/B01KOFSSDQ

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15652313.Carol_James_Marshall 

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Fire at the Track: A Harness Racing Mystery by M.J. Evans ~ Cozy Mystery

 

Fire at the Track: A Harness Racing Mystery by M.J. Evans

About Fire at the Track:

 

Fire at the Track: A Harness Racing Mystery

Cozy Mystery

1st in Series

Setting - Pennsylvania

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dancing Horse Press

Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 21, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 285 pages

Paperback ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8993879406

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GPKL86Z1

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GMDMX3HY

Twenty-eight horses. One deadly fire. A racetrack hiding secrets.

When a late night blaze destroys Barn 7 at Liberty Racetrack, killing twenty eight prized Standardbred horses, authorities rule it arson. Insurance investigator Callie Oaks knows the fire wasn't random. Raised in the harness racing world, Callie goes undercover at the track, posing as an exercise driver to investigate suspicious insurance claims. As she digs into the tight knit backstretch community, she uncovers secrets worth killing for. From the author of "Silver Charm," "The Sand Pounder," "Pinto," and "The Stallion and His Peculiar Boy."

Someone set the fire. Someone profited. And when Callie gets too close to the truth, she becomes the next target.

Perfect for readers who love:

Horse racing mysteries

Arson investigations

Small-town crime fiction

Female amateur sleuth / insurance investigator thrillers

Suspense with authentic equestrian detail

Fire at the Track is a fast-paced mystery thriller packed with insider racing drama, financial deception, and high-stakes suspense.

At Liberty Racetrack, everyone has a secret. And one of them is a killer.

About M.J. Evans:

M.J. Evans is the award-winning author of twenty six published works spanning middle-grade, young adult, and adult fiction, as well as a selection of picture books. Her writing often explores themes centered around horses and equine fantasy, reflecting a lifelong passion for these remarkable animals. A graduate of Oregon State University and a former educator with experience teaching both middle and high school students, Ms. Evans brings both educational insight and storytelling flair to her work. She resides in beautiful Colorado with her husband, Tom, where they enjoy the company of their horses and Standard Poodle. She is the proud mother of five and grandmother of thirteen.

M.J. Evans was the recipient of the 2024 Colorado Authors League Lifetime Achievement Award.

Literary awards include: Chanticleer International Book Awards Readers’ Favorite International Awards Eric Hoffer Awards Nautilus Awards Literary Classics awards Literary Global Book Awards Feathered Quill Book Awards Purple Dragonfly Awards Royal Dragonfly Awards Page Turner Award Next Generation Award Global Book Awards CIPA Evvy Book Awards Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards Incipere Book Awards International Impact Book Awards Maincrest Media Book Awards Book Excellence Awards Mom’s Choice Awards

Author Links:

Website:www.dancinghorsepress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4496514.M J Evans

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-evans

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M.-J.-Evans/e/B004GMS014 Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/margi.evans.98

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

Purchase links: Amazon Barnes and Noble

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

August 10 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

August 10 – Bea's Book Nook – REVIEW

August 11 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 13 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

August 14 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 16 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

August 17 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

August 18 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 19 – Sarandipity's – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 19 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 20 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

August 21 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

August 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Mummy's Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries) by Nan S. Russell ~ Cozy Mystery

 

Mummy's Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries) by Nan S. Russell

About Mummy's Locket:

 

Mummy's Locket (Mallory Grayson Mysteries)

Cozy Mystery

1st in Series

Setting - New York State

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Next Chapter

Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 25, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages

Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 482417029X

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-4824170293

Paperback Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2026

Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8195110321

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GZ8JW9P4

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GZ6XLDDB

The truth doesn’t stay buried forever. After losing everything, Mallory Grayson retreats to a quiet town, hoping a vintage shop and a fresh start will help her rebuild her life. But when the mummified body of her long-missing great-grandmother is discovered, Mallory is pulled into a mystery. Clues hidden in heirlooms, a secret room, and a past lover’s return offer answers … if she’s willing to risk everything to uncover them. In a story steeped in secrets and history, her courage may be the only thing that can break the curse. The past and present collide in MUMMY'S LOCKET, the first book in the Mallory Grayson Mysteries series by Nan S. Russell.

About Nan S. Russell:

With both a bachelor’s and master’s in psychology, Nan S. Russell was fired from her first professional job. Taking a minimum wage position to pay the rent, sixteen promotions later, she decided to end a successful corporate career as a Vice President of a multibillion-dollar East Coast company, to pursue a life dream to live and write from the Rocky Mountains, first in northwestern Montana and now along the Front Range of Colorado. With a desire to help others live their dreams, too, she turned her real-world experience into writing award winning non-fiction career and business books and articles, and became a speaker and consultant on leadership, trust, and culture development. But she always knew she wanted to write fiction, too. That point arrived during the pandemic pause which provided the catalyst for rethinking her writing and its purpose, sparking the decision to move towards fiction with more time to study the craft, take online classes, hone skills and work on her first novel. Now, she is living her second dream: Writing mysteries. Mummy’s Locket is her debut novel and the first in her Mallory Grayson series. More at www.nanrussell.com.

Author Links

• Website: https://www.nanrussell.com
• Blog: https://www.nanrussell.com/blog
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nansrussell
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/nan_russell
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@nan.s.russell/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.s.russell/
• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/nanrussell.bsky.social
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nan-s-russell-7868417/
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nansrussell/
• Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TwinklingStarVintage
• GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/940006.Nan_S_Russell

Purchase Links: 

Universal Link to 8 book sellers: Mummy's Locket | Universal Book Links Help You Find Books at Your Favorite Store! Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Books

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

August 17 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

August 17 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 18 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

August 18 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

August 19 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 20 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 20 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 21 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

August 21 – Sarandipity's – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 24 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

August 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 26 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

August 26 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT

August 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 28 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

August 29 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 29 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

August 30 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW

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Thank you for supporting Sapphyria’s Books.