Genre: Suspense

Blog Book Tour | “Turning to Stone” by Gabriel Valjan

Posted Saturday, 24 October, 2015 by jorielov Gabriel Valjan, Roma series, Turning to Stone, Winter Goose Publishing 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Turning to Stone” hosted by Italy Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Winter Goose Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Originally intended to read the series:

Although my first preference is to read series in the sequence they are intended to be read, there are on occasion a few hiccups towards that goal. For me, with the Roma series it was a combination of time delays to ILL the series through my local library and the circumstances of Summer where the lightning storms wrecked a lot of chaos into my reading life. Despite knowing I might have to read a series out of sequence didn’t deter me from being on the blog tour, because this has happened a few times before (such as with the Maisie Dobbs series and Bess Crawford series) and I was able to pick up the threads of the stories despite my late entry.

A word about the publisher Winter Goose Publishing:

I enjoy doing a bit of groundwork to learn about new publishers I haven’t yet come across in my literary wanderings, and finding Winter Goose Publishing was a bit of a treat, as I appreciated reading their story! (see their About page) I appreciate finding publishers (Small Trade, Major Trade and Indies) focusing on authors and their stories rather than the bottom-line. It is one thing to turn a profit but to sacrifice a story simply based on market trends in literature I never felt was a good way to go. I applaud Indie publishers who are trusting their instincts on stories and celebrating the writers who are writing stories that do not become set against ‘trends’ but rather the stories they are motivate to create.

The fact they are choosing a printer for the books who has green printing practices and certification’s to perfect where the paper is being sourced is another bonus.

Turning to Stone

Alabaster Black aka Bianca Nerini returns as an investigation into a public official’s assassination pits Bianca and her friends against a backdrop of financial speculation, female assassins on motorcycles, and the Camorra—the most ruthless of Italian organized crime gangs—in Gabriel Valjan’s TURNING TO STONE, the fourth book of the highly praised Roma series.

En route to a secret meeting, Aldo Giurlani—the regional commissioner of Lombardy in northern Italy and a specialist on organized crime—is assassinated in the middle of a public square.

More mysterious is the package sent to Giurlani’s hand-picked team of five top investigators within the Guardia di Finanza (GdF), the Italian law enforcement agency that investigates illegal financial transactions, from money laundering to drug trafficking. Within the package are five copies of a book entitled Man of Smoke written by Aldo Palazzeschi.

Then there is Bianca’s tenuous online contact with a mysterious online contact known as Loki, who delivers a cryptic message to her, takes on a new twist with the appearance of a brilliant young obsessive-compulsive man who joins her team.

Complicating matters even further, old enemies and, more problematically, Alabaster’s former employer—Rendition, a murky covert U.S. government agency that does more than just investigate financial crimes—still have grudges to bear against her.

As new mysteries unfold, Bianca’s group quickly discovers that Naples might just be the most dangerous city in Italy.

Readers looking for a suspenseful thriller with mysterious twists and turns abounding will love Gabriel Valjan’s TURNING TO STONE.

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781941058237

on 15th June 2015

Available Formats: Paperback and E-book

This is book four of the Roma Series:

Book 1 Synopsis | Book 2 Synopsis | Book 3 Synopsis

Converse via: #RomaSeries

About Gabriel Valjan

Gabriel Valjan lives in New England, but has traveled extensively, receiving his undergraduate education in California and completing graduate school in England. Ronan Bennett short-listed him for the 2010 Fish Short Story Prize for his Boston noir, Back in the Day. His short stories and poetry have appeared in literary journals and online magazines.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Posted Saturday, 24 October, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Content Note, Crime Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Italy, Italy Book Tours, Suspense, Vulgarity in Literature

Blog Book Tour | “Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy” an #anthology of #Fantasy stories by R.J. Sullivan!

Posted Saturday, 3 October, 2015 by jorielov Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy, R.J. Sullivan, Seventh Star Press 0 Comments

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a stop on the “Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy” blog tour from Seventh Star Press. The tour is hosted by Tomorrow Comes Media who does the publicity and blog tours for Seventh Star Press and other Indie and/or Self Published authors. I am a regular blog tour host with Tomorrow Comes Media, however, when I reviewed “Virtual Blue” my path originally crossed with Mr Sullivan’s. We’ve kept in touch and he asked if I would be keen on being involved in his blog tour for “Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy” to which I was happy to respond positively with a ‘yes’! As I have been wanting to expand my readings of his collective works past ‘Virtual Blue’.

I received a complimentary copy of “Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy” direct from the publisher Seventh Star Press in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I wanted to read …Chance of Whimsy:

Part of me half-smirked when I realised how similar in name this title was to “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” as although not the demographic who would normally find herself inclined to see the film (as it’s that brand of anime that tends to grate on my last nerve rather than humours me) – I must contend, the airing I caught on cable left me pensive and laughing. It had more heart than I shrugged off being possible and it had a nice heaping of cheeky humour to keep me entertained.

Titling aside, I’ve been keeping an eye on Mr Sullivan’s writings for awhile now, as I previously explored his darker side of knitting inside an Urban Fantasy quite the dark fate circling around a character within the pages of Virtual Blue! One of his characters I enjoyed getting to meet through that novel was Rebecca Burton, of whom is featured in two of the shorts within this collection: Inner Strength & Backstage Pass.

I positively adore reading anthologies for Science Fiction & Fantasy, in fact, I tend to get quite giddy about finding them! I’ve been focusing on the Indie Press side of the ledger for the past two years, as I’ve happily devoured titles by Seventh Star Press (by which this title is published!), World Weaver Press and Xchyler Publishing. I have an exciting anthology I am going to be reading for this years upcoming Sci Fi November + the Sci-Fi Experience (December-January) where I will be exploring Space Opera; a section of SF I haven’t been reading nearly as much as I should in the recent past! (mentioned on No.7!)

What appealed to me about Sullivan’s current anthology is how it’s a curated collection spanning a decade of characters, life experiences (as you know those are always at the back of a writer’s mind as they write their stories!), and stories evolving out of where Sullivan was in his writerly pursuits per each story included inside. My curiosity for continuing to read his stories hasn’t faltered, as I was waiting for a moment where his stories would re-tempt me to read his new works (or his past works; truly nothing is ever truly ‘old’ if it’s new to the reader!) as I knew the basis of Virtual Blue was going to be a bit trickier to follow as it’s such a soul-gutting story-line for me to consume.

The fact he put ‘whimsy’ and ‘darkness’ together in a title won me over but it’s his dedication to share his journey with his readers which endeared me the most.

Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy
Subtitle: Ten Years, Ten Stories
by R.J. Sullivan

Collected for the first time since their initial publications, Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy presents ten tales from the imagination of R.J. Sullivan. Thrills and chills await you, but you may also get blindsided by the absurd. This volume includes a pair of stories featuring Rebecca Burton, the mysterious investigator of R.J.’s acclaimed paranormal thriller series. Among the ten stories, you’ll find:

“The Assurance Salesman” shows five strangers more about themselves than they ever guessed.

You don’t want to venture into Daddy’s basement in “Fade.”

Rebecca Burton tries to talk someone out of a bad idea in “Backstage Pass.”

A bullied police detective finally defeats his rival in “Able-Bodied.”

A desperate father finds the “Inner Strength” to save his young daughter, “Becky” Burton.

A child seeds his aquarium with a most unusual “Starter Kit.”

A brilliant robotics engineer creates a “Robot Vampire.”

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Also by this author: Virtual Blue, Commanding the Red Lotus, Gifts of the Magi

on 16th of June 2015

Pages: 200

Published By: Seventh Star Press (@7thStarPress)
Available Formats: Softcover, E-book

Converse via: #DarknessWithAChanceOfWhimsy & #7thStar

About R.J. Sullivan

R.J. Sullivan’s novel Haunting Blue is an edgy paranormal thriller and the first book of the adventures of punk girl Fiona “Blue” Shaefer and her boyfriend Chip Farren. Seventh Star Press also released Haunting Obsession, a Rebecca Burton Novella, and Virtual Blue, the second part of Fiona’s tale. The short stories in this collection have been featured in such acclaimed anthologies as Dark Faith Invocations by Apex Books and Vampires Don’t Sparkle. His next book due out very soon will be Commanding the Red Lotus, which collects the series of science fiction novelettes in the tradition of Andre Norton and Gene Roddenberry.

R.J. resides with his family in Heartland Crossing, Indiana. He drinks regularly from a Little Mermaid coffee mug and is man enough to admit it.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Posted Saturday, 3 October, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Coming-Of Age, Cosy Horror, Crime Fiction, Earthen Magic, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Parapsychological Gifts, Tomorrow Comes Media, Urban Fantasy, Vulgarity in Literature

Blog Book Tour | “Inspector of the Dead” (Book Two: Thomas De Quincey series) by David Morrell Included is a proper introductionary view into ‘Murder As A Fine Art’ the first in the dramatic series you simply cannot hesitate to read because of how it’s writ by Morrell to capture your curiosity!

Posted Wednesday, 15 April, 2015 by jorielov David Morrell, Hachette Book Group Inc., Inspector of the Dead, Lady Darby Mysteries, Little Brown and Company, Mulholland Books, Murder as a Fine Art, The Thomas De Quincey Mysteries 3 Comments

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Inspector of the Dead” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of “Inspector of the Dead” direct from the publisher Mulholland Books (an imprint of Little, Brown and Company via Hachette Book Group, Inc.), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Whilst I was requesting to be placed on this blog tour, I requested a copy of the first book in the series “Murder as a Fine Art” as I have never read a story by David Morrell; blessedly I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Mulholland Books (an imprint of Little, Brown and Company via Hachette Book Group, Inc.) without being obligated to post a review, as my ruminations on behalf of this novel are for my own edification only.

Intrigued to Read:

I have been quite open about my passion for Cosy Mysteries, Cosy Historical Mysteries, Historical Suspense & Thrillers, inasmuch as a new directional curve to acquire a taste for what I refer to directly as ‘Cosy Horror‘ – an augmented slice of Horror’s original declarative section Psychological Suspense! How keen then, to discover within the opening pages of Murder As A Fine Art the mentioning of how this particular kind of suspense thriller was first spilt onto the page by Wilkie Collins (of whom I have earmarked to read during Horror October and of whom is listed on my tCC List!) You can further view my Story Vault’s classification system for genre-specific stories of which alight within my reading hours giving me the most joy a contented reader can ever hope to discover!

As a 2nd Year Book Blogger, it is quite interesting to realise I’ve started a new conversation about what constitutes ‘Cosy Horror’ and ‘Cosy Historical Mysteries’ as the terms were either under appreciated or not yet in use until I came onto the scene! I would love to claim both of them equally, but only ‘Cosy Horror’ could be linked to my creation as there was quite a heap of controversy surrounding ‘Cosy Historical Mysteries’ until I spent a considerable amount of time referencing what I believe it refers too and what it most decidedly doesn’t include as well.

Crime Fiction is a ready-at-hand section in Literature which whets a healthy thirst of interest because I love being able to step alongside the inspectors, detectives, as much as other curious sorts who dig through crime scenes and evidence to root out the truth of a crime which intellectually gives the reader a heap of sleuthing joy to read. I am not limited to appreciating reading about murder, suspense, and intrigue as I quite happily have become deeply attached to wicked sophisticated serials such as: Foyle’s War, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Sherlock, Rosemary & Thyme, Hetty Wainthroppe Investigates, NCIS, The Mentalist, Castle, Numbers, Murdoch Mysteries, The Pinkertons, Crossing Jordan, Inspector Morse & Lewis (*eager to meet Endeavour), Monk, Hart to Hart, Perry Mason, Columbo, Murder, She Wrote, Ironside, Quincy M.E., McMillan & Wife, Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone and the Thin Man movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy to name a few.

What a treat for me, to realise the harkening reality of where and when the changes in literature occurred to give us such an enriched history of Crime Fiction, Drama, and Suspense! I had a sense Gothic Literature would not be too far behind, and Morrell did not disappoint me, as the writers he was speaking about took their cues from the Gothic stylings of the past eras before them to curate a new level of suspense – sensationalism. The Victorian Era has held my eye of attention for many a moon throughout my reading life (originating in childhood), and it did not surprise me one whit the Victorians took credence of stock of ‘what’ would draw their blood to coil most would be the haunting reality of psychosis over paranormal attributes of the unknown. Most of the topics discussed would fit well within the dialogue and story-lines of Law & Order: SVU and this goes to prove the point, we have not progressed but regressed.

I am not normally one to find myself attached to the grittier tomes of Suspense, much less a story which is parallel to Jack the Ripper as far as character motivations go, yet I found myself drawn to Morrell’s stories all the same. Sometimes it’s the unexpected stories set within a ‘theme of interest’ that tempt us to explore outside our own literary wanderings that will find us either grateful for the experience or merely proving to be a test of our will before jumping back into the familiar territories we knowingly love. We could also find a curious balance where stepping outside our zones of comfort can lend a curious window into an ‘otherworld’ of psychological suspense! Noting to myself, I did get caught up inside a story about Jack the Ripper, and thus, this is my second ‘step’ outside the norm of where my wanderings lead me in Crime.

Curiosity is a bird of it’s own feather which leaves a reader a bit wanton for understanding what causes the curiosity in the first place! Some doors should not be opened nor explored, for what they give to the eyes and mind might be a bit much for the sensitive heart to endeavour to understand. Ah, such pickles we bookish souls entangle ourselves into at times, eh!? The artwork is a work of beauty, how the fog is a character of it’s own kind, and present on both book covers for this series of thrillers.

The history behind how (the real) Thomas De Quincey had the forethought and insight to become Freud’s own ally in the field of psychology is impressive enough, but it’s the level of which he took his journey to understand the under-notes of insanity and subconscious I must agree with Morrell (as viewed in his author’s commentary on behalf of De Quincey at the bottom of this review) he isn’t quite the moral figure to empathsis in most circles, but credit is due to him for understanding the darker side of humanity.

Inspector of the Dead

Book Synopsis of Inspector of the Dead:

David Morrell’s MURDER AS A FINE ART was a publishing event. Acclaimed by critics, it made readers feel that they were actually on the fogbound streets of Victorian London. Now the harrowing journey continues in INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his Confessions of an Opium-Eater,confronts London’s harrowing streets to thwart the assassination of Queen Victoria.
The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters.

Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself. As De Quincey and Emily race to protect the queen, they uncover long-buried secrets and the heartbreaking past of a man whose lust for revenge has destroyed his soul.

Brilliantly merging historical fact with fiction, Inspector of the Dead is based on actual attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria.

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Series: The Thomas De Quincey Mysteries, No. 2

Also in this series: Invincible

on 24th March, 2015

Pages: 342

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Posted Wednesday, 15 April, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Addictions and Afflictions, Audiobook, Audiobook Excerpt, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Detective Fiction, Diary Accountment of Life, England, Epistolary Novel | Non-Fiction, Excessive Violence in Literature, Father-Daughter Relationships, Geographically Specific, Good vs. Evil, Hard-Boiled Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Perspectives, Historical Thriller Suspense, Horror, Interviews Related to Content of Novel, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Medical Fiction, Passionate Researcher, Psychological Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Sociological Behavior, Specialised Crime Investigator, the Victorian era, Thomas De Quincey, True Crime, Vulgarity in Literature, Writing Style & Voice

Book Review | “The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton” an anthology collection of ghost stories writ with a Victorian era curiosity on specters and parapsychological stories #OTBHorrorOctober

Posted Tuesday, 28 October, 2014 by jorielov Charles Scribner's Sons, Edith Wharton, The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton 2 Comments

The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton

Borrowed Book By:

After I compiled my reading list for Horror October (of which I blogged about on my post about being a Cosy Horror Girl), I knew that I wanted to borrow this particular collection from my local library. The best resource I have always enjoyed in my life are local libraries, as they have a beautiful outreach for materials outside their collection through the ILL services they provide with other libraries. (I shorten “inter-library loan” to ILL) In my particular case, my local library is part of a consortium of libraries from a portion of the libraries within my state. This means that I can draw books out of collections from larger cities as well as from University libraries. I borrowed “The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton” and elected to blog my ruminations without any obligation to do so. The hardback edition arrived to me via a Community College library within the consortium via ILL.

Encouraged to Read By:

This was one of the novels that was compiled on the List I asked (Mr.) Gregory Fisher @ Riffle Horror to curate for me as a way for me to seek out the cosier side of the Horror genre. I have always had a pure fascination for ghost stories, as there is always such a curious route the individual writer can take as they yield to the supernatural and the presence of each ghost they bring to life on the written page. I personally have a preference for spunky & cheeky ghosts as much as spirits of the recently deceased who are in seek of help from living persons who can either aide them towards finding peace, redemption, and/or justice as a way to transition forward in peace. (I spoke more about this on my review of Lost in Thought)

I have been wanting to read more Classics since 2014 began, as I had all these wicked happy ideas of where I could soak inside the works of the writers’ who not only championed the cause for well-written fiction but who were dedicated to the craft of writing in such a way as to illicit immediate respect and admiration. When I was finally able to join tCC (the Classics Club : my List), I thought for sure each month I’d be reading at least two classic novels! Clearly my year did not pan out as I had forethought it would but that doesn’t discount the fact I knew during Horror October I could finally introduce myself to the writing style of Edith Wharton! As Wharton is already listed on my Classics TBR List due to my interactions with an after canon author during a 2013 blog tour!

The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton
by Edith Wharton
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Laszlo Kubinyi
Source: Borrowed from local library

The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton are a collection of Gothic Literature Shorts set around the parapsychological phenomenon of hauntings by way of ghosts & spirits who are attached to either physical properties, (i.e. houses) or living persons of whom the ghostly spirit has found an attachment. Each of the short stories transcends what is popularly disbelieved and unwilling to become accepted as bonefide fact that there are experiences past our vision of acceptance where the supernatural lies just outside the stretch of the living soul's observational mirror.

The setting of choice for Wharton to place these stories was inside three distinctly different locales: England, Normandy, & America. Her preference was for the inclusion of a family estate to be the central focus of where her characters not only interacted with the ghosts but where the action of the story itself takes place.

Illustrative plates are included per short story to help the reader fuse directly into the heart of where Wharton hoped to take her readers with the vision of the supernatural she wished to convey.

The following short stories are included in this collection:

The Lady's Maid Bell

The Eyes

Afterward

Kerfol

The Triumph of the Night

Miss Mary Pash

Bewitched

Mr. Jones

Pomegrante Seed

The Looking Glass

All Souls'

Other Works by Wharton listed inside the collection are:

The Moose Marathon

The Mudslipper (Children's Lit)

Mistress & Other Creative Takeoffs (Short Stories)
with Desmond Sim & Kwan Loh

This summary of a synopsis was written & composed by Jorie @ Jorie Loves A Story.

Genres: Anthology Collection of Short Stories and/or Essays, Ghost Story, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Suspense

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Charles Scribner's Sons

on 1973

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 276

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Horror October Bingo
tCC | the Classics Club 2018/23

Posted Tuesday, 28 October, 2014 by jorielov in #HorrorOctober, 19th Century, Anthology Collection of Stories, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Discussions, British Literature, Classic Mystery, Classical Literature, Clever Turns of Phrase, Cliffhanger Ending, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, England, Ghost Story, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Library Find, Literary Fiction, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Mental Health, Motion Picture Adaptation, Parapsychological Suspense, Philosophical Intuitiveness, Reading Challenges, Short Stories or Essays, Speculative Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, tCC The Classics Club, the Victorian era, Writing Style & Voice

Top Ten Tuesday No.4 | Series I Want to Start (within my focus of Horror October!) #OTBHorrorOctober

Posted Tuesday, 21 October, 2014 by jorielov Abby Cooper (Psychic Eye) mysteries, Alice Kimberly, An Inquiry Into Love and Death, Aunt Dimity series, Beaufort & Company mysteries, Bruce Coville, Carol K. Carr, Charles du Luc historical mystery series, Deanna Raybourn, Defending Angels, Ghost Hunter series, Haunted Bookshop series, India Black and the Rajah's Ruby, India Black series, Jonathan Stroud, Judith Rock, Juliet Blackwell, Lady Julia Grey series, Lockwood & Co series, Mary Stanton, Nancy Atherton, Nina Tanleven series, Secondhand Spirits, Silence for the Dead, Silent in the Grave, Simone St. James, The Ghost and Mrs. McClure, The Ghost in the Third Row, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, The Other Side of Midnight, The Rhetoric of Death, The Screaming Staircase, Victoria Laurie, What's A Ghoul to Do?, Witchcraft mysteries 3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I Want to Start (within my focus of Horror October!)

[Official Blurb] Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature / weekly meme created by The Broke & the Bookish. The meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke & the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your Top 10 Lists!

[Topic of 21 October 2014: Top Ten Series I Want to Start (sub-focus Horror October)]

( all the links in the list itself re-direct to author websites and/or fantastic fiction for series info )

One: (Ghost Story) – the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton (about the series)|Although I discovered this series at my local library and via a good friend of mine out in California (the very same friend who recommended I watch “Gaslight” as mentioned on my Top Favourite Classic Horror Films List) — I must confess that my progression through the series has become bogged down due to life & time escaping through the hourglass at such a fast clip as to not allow me the grace to devour the installments! I finally secured a copy of the first novel Aunt Dimity’s Death from a library book sale which gave me more motivation to read the series in full! Being that my attempts have been start/stop, I felt it warranted inclusion! I will be expanding my thoughts on this series during the fortnight but for now, I simply wanted to say as far as ‘ghost stories’ go, this is the best series I have found!

Two: (Ghost Story) – the Haunted Bookshop series by Alice Kimberly (about the series) |I am not sure about you, but I positively grew up wandering around Indie bookshoppes; IF I wasn’t in a library, that is! Laughs. The idea that a bookshoppe could become haunted simply appeals to me due to the fact I think there are a lot of clever things a writer can do to fuse the idea with the reality of the situation within the story’s arc! This series is written by the team behind my beloved Coffeehouse mysteries (Cleo Coyle is their pen name), and I have a feeling I’m going to love how they spin these together as well! They tend to write cosies this side of hard-boiled, but ohh! You just do not want to put their books down!

Three: (Cosy Mystery leant into a Hard-Boiled Suspense) – the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn (about the series) |I stumbled across Ms. Raybourn’s blog online several years ago, where she wrote about the Lady Julia Grey series, her style of writing, and her research behind the stories she enjoys writing. I cannot remember the specifics, but something in my readings of her site, drew an air of mysterious curiosity to read the Grey novels! I simply never had the proper chance to fetch them out of my local library to where time would allow me the pleasure of soaking into them! I have checked out the first novel a handful of times; boomeranging it back unread. The worst moment for a reader who wants to dig into a series is losing time with a borrowed book! I know my time is nearing to where I can put heart and mind into focus on Lady Julia Grey!

Four: (Thriller – Espionage) – the India Black series by Carol K. Carr (about the series) | Historical settings are always going to be a true interest of mine, but when you combine a spy novel within the historical context of intrigue, I cannot foresee what I wouldn’t appreciate reading! I stumbled across this series through my local library one day whilst seeking out mystery series to read. The reason I wanted to include it on this particular list is for the main reason that these mysteries are classified as ‘thrillers’ moreso than they fall under the ‘cosy’ side of the genre I love so much to consume! I love a bit of adventure and when adventure can be turnt deadly with implications where other people’s lives are at stake where a singular person can have the power or the influence to affect their lives directly,… wells, let me just say the premise will perk an interest!

Five: (Ghost Story) – the Nina Tanleven series by Bruce Coville (about the series) |Whilst participating in Horror October, I decided to see if I could expand past the series I knew of before the event, and quite happy stumbled across this one! I love the fact it is a Middle Grade novel series, as I am always most keen on reading Children’s Lit! Middle Grade is what I generally refer to as Juvenile Fiction, but apparently it has a new way of being defined! Either way, this series looks too adorable for words!

Six: (Supernatural Suspense) – Lockwood & Co series by Jonathan Stroud (about the series) | I honestly never heard of this series until I read the book review by Rinn @ Rinn Reads for Horror October! I know absolutely nothing more than what Rinn shared of the series on her blog, and I must say she gave such a compelling argument for reading it, she convinced me! I love how it is a YA series, as I personally would love to explore more YA & MG titles for this particular extension of the genres! THANK YOU, Rinn! :)

Seven: (Historical Thriller Suspense) – the Charles du Luc historical mystery series by Judith Rock (about the series) |For the life of me, I cannot remember how I came to realise this series existed; consider it an unexpected discovery, as I am always browsing for books! I love uncovering bookish sites online as much as I browse bookshoppes IRL! I am always on the scout at my local library as much as I’m deep in the virtual stacks online, sorting through the card catalogue locally & for ILL’ing (inter-library loaning). This series has a chilling aspect to them, which is why I consider them equally ‘thriller suspense’ and I think after reading them I’ll find them quite a bit haunting as well; as far as the overall feeling I’ll find myself having by the conclusions!

Eight: (Ghost Story) – the Ghost Hunter series by Victoria Laurie (about the series) |A good friend of mine out in California brought this series & the Abby Cooper series to my attention! We love writing about the books we are reading by postal mail, and are known to exchange lists with each other of the writers who have our full attention at any moment in time! We share a beloved passion for Aunt Dimity (of which I mentioned a moment ago!), and unfortunately, my letters full of Dimity recollections have been halted by my inability to consume Dimity as quickly as my friend! One day I will surprise her mailbox! Until then, I intend to sort out a way to ILL both of these series by Ms. Laurie as they intrigue me to say the least!

Nine: (Parapsychological Suspense) – the Witchcraft mysteries by Juliet Blackwell (about the series) |This is another series my Cali friend recommended to me, and what I like about her recommendations, is that she understands who I am as a reader to the level of what I can handle (intensity wise) and what I would enjoy reading overall! I loved the fun spiritedness of the character in this series (from what I gathered online) and am quite eager to read her adventures!

Ten: (Parapsychological Suspense) – Beaufort & Company mysteries by Mary Stanton (about the series) |Whilst visiting a library out of my local area, I came across this interesting premise of a suspense series that takes on parapsychological elements. I am still on the fence as far as knowing which direction the series will head in overall, as I’m always worried that a series like this might lean more dark than light, but I’m always game to try a series, and this one at least captured my eye for ingenuity!

Extras:

(Haunting & Ethereal) – the novels of Simone St. James (about the books) |As soon as I found the novel The Haunting of Maddy Clare I promptly turnt in a purchase request at my local library! I simply had to consume this novel! Then, of course as the fates would have it, the novel was not acquired as there was a hiccup in the plans for my library to acquire it. This can happen time to time (as it happened with Mao’s Last Dancer and several other titles over the years) but it’s always a bit frustrating! Meanwhile, I’ve visited the author’s website, follow her on Twitter, and quite happily can announce that the novel came in via ILL just the other day! I was worried it wouldn’t get here in time for Horror October — so I can happily mention now that I will at least be able to start reading this before the fortnight has concluded!

(Paranormal Intrigue) Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mysteries by Victoria Laurie (about the series) |Please read my comment for the Ghost Hunter series!

This Top Ten Tuesday is part of my participation of:

Reader Interactive Question:

I am simply dying with bated breath: what are your favourite psychological suspense, cosy horror, cosy horror suspense, OR parapyschological series that are not overly violent, gory, or explicit in nature? Do you have any recommendations for Children’s Lit selections? And, are any of the writer’s I’ve mentioned today ones you’ve stumbled across yourself!?

{SOURCES: Jorie Loves A Story badge created by Ravven with edits by Jorie in Fotoflexer. Horror October banner provided by Oh! The Books for participants to promote the event on their book blogs; used with permission. #OTBHorrorOctober badge for Jorie created by Jorie in Canva. Lists on Riffle are embedded due to codes provided by Riffle. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

Posted Tuesday, 21 October, 2014 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Top Ten Tuesday

Genre: Suspense

About Gabriel Valjan

About R.J. Sullivan

Book Synopsis of Inspector of the Dead: