BLURB:
A modern-day
Ranger, Jack Harden, and a young, Mexican-American reporter, Elise Rodriguez,
team up to find a serial killer, and they get more than they bargained for in a
desperate chase across Texas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
His knock had
become familiar. She slipped on a light robe and opened the door. “Well, I see
he loaned you a car. I never thought he would. Did you come to show it off to
me?”
“Actually I came
to bring you something,” he replied. He took the pistol from his pocket and
held it out.
“What’s this
about? Come inside before someone sees you and thinks I’m in the gun business.”
She closed the door behind him, and he laid the pistol on her nightstand.
“Moses told me
the investigators have been looking for this. I thought it would be better if
they got it from you since, well, you shot the guy with it.”
“Okay, I guess I
could go down there in the morning. Why don’t you go with me? You could say
hello to your friends.”
Harden recoiled
sharply. “I don’t need to see those guys. I’m doing fine without them.”
“What is it with you, Jack? How long are you
going to torture yourself over something you can’t change? How long will you
shut your friends out, everyone out? I’d just like to know.”
“Maybe you don’t
need to know. Maybe you should mind your own life and butt out of mine.”
Her heart hadn’t
felt such pain since her father’s death. She turned away and forced out a
tearful answer. “Maybe I should.”
Then he spun her
around and pulled her hard against his chest, nearly lifting her off the floor,
and said, “Maybe not.” He kissed her full and deep on the lips. She wrapped her
arms around him and kissed him back with parted lips and felt the heat of his
pain and loneliness pouring through her. They burned with raw emotion,
unleashed without a thought to where it would take them. They pulled at each
other’s clothes until they lay flesh on flesh, wrapped around each other with
just their passion to cover them. Only they knew exactly what happened that
night, but it was deep and genuine, and neither of them regretted it.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Let me say right from the beginning that this is full of action and twists and turns that will definitely keep the readers on the edge of their site. The violence in the book is raw and well-written. The book reads very easily, and just when you think you have come to the end, there are at least fifty pages left! Pretty exciting, to be sure.
There is some mild profanity, and there is one mild sex scene. Both of these issues didn't really bother me. I can't even complain about the ending. My issues lie with the graphic violence, and this is only a personal preference. I like a good murder mystery as well as the next person. But when a psychotic killer continues to murder people (and some of the murders are pretty graphic), I get awfully tired of it. I prefer hearing about murders like this from the person who did not do it. I also would have preferred not knowing the identity of the killer so early on the book--from the first page, as a matter of fact. This is not meant to be a harsh criticism--it is just a personal preference.
The characters were pretty "normal" as far as a murder mystery goes. Unfortunately, this means that that there are times I would have liked a little more development of the characters. I especially would have liked to have had more detail where the romance is concerned. But I suppose that is just the woman in me.
If you are looking for an action-packed murder mystery, this book is definitely for you!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
There is some mild profanity, and there is one mild sex scene. Both of these issues didn't really bother me. I can't even complain about the ending. My issues lie with the graphic violence, and this is only a personal preference. I like a good murder mystery as well as the next person. But when a psychotic killer continues to murder people (and some of the murders are pretty graphic), I get awfully tired of it. I prefer hearing about murders like this from the person who did not do it. I also would have preferred not knowing the identity of the killer so early on the book--from the first page, as a matter of fact. This is not meant to be a harsh criticism--it is just a personal preference.
The characters were pretty "normal" as far as a murder mystery goes. Unfortunately, this means that that there are times I would have liked a little more development of the characters. I especially would have liked to have had more detail where the romance is concerned. But I suppose that is just the woman in me.
If you are looking for an action-packed murder mystery, this book is definitely for you!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Educated in Dallas, North Carolina, David Huffstetler holds
degrees in Engineering and Business Administration. He has worked in the area
of human relations and spent fourteen years weaving through the maze of
politics, including participating in a Federal Law suit with a sitting governor
over issues of separation of powers. David has served on Boards of Directors
for numerous professional organizations including. He has advised governors and legislators on
matters of public policy and legislation.
His wealth of experience is broad and brings deep insight to his
writing.
David’s work as a senior manager with a major industrial concern
took him to international venues and exposures that helped feed his urge to
write Disposable People, a dramatic
expose of the working conditions and politics that engulf undocumented workers.
Disposable People is a top-ten “Suggested Book” at Tufts University in Boston,
MA
He turned the frustrations and rejection that plagues thousands of
yet-to-be-published authors into the heralded mystery/thriller Blood on the Pen, with a serial killer
disposing of literary agents. David, an
avid history buff, led him to write Dead
in Utah, the story of Joe Hill, the controversial musician and union
organizer accused of a double murder in 1914.
As an editor, public speaker, and seasoned professional, David has
appeared on television and radio, and has lectured on the East Coast,
California, Canada and Mexico.
David currently lives in Lexington, South Carolina with his wife,
Trudy.
http://www.davidhuffstetler.com
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BloodOnThePen
David and Wild Child Publishing will be awarding a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So I encourage you to follow the entire tour for even more chances to win!
David and Wild Child Publishing will be awarding a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So I encourage you to follow the entire tour for even more chances to win!
Thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteA great excerpt
ReplyDelete