HAUNTINGLY Grand

Ghost Killer Series, Margaret Millmore

The dual novels of the “Ghost Killer,” series could not be more packed with excitement. The initial installment, “What Haunts Me,” introduces the reader to a world of paranormal fears, possibility, and conflicts. George begins to learn the constraints and limits of a power he never thought possible, but will it sap his sanity as the undead creatures begin to claw away at his soul? Besides the horde of ghoulish enemies, George finds himself in the presence of a cast of delightful misfits that add to the general enjoyment of this wonderful book.

To continue the narrative in the second novel, “The Edge of the Cemetery,” the author (Margaret Millmore), introduces a swathe of additional possibilities and revitalises the horrors of her earlier work. This book is not a frightening read, but the blend of death and combat brings a macabre action to the “Ghost Killer,” series.

AND luckily for us, there’s a third novel in the series being released quite soon called, “What Hunts Me.” Here’s a sneaky look at the blurb:

Secreted away in the attic of the large Edwardian house in San Francisco owned by the Watchers, a box is discovered, containing various documents from ghost killers dating back more than ninety years. Among those missives are letters, some photographs, and a diary dated in 1915, belonging to George Sinclair of Houtzdale, Pennsylvania. The letters chronicle an epic journey from Pennsylvania to San Francisco along the route of the newly opened Lincoln Highway. However, the diary also indicates something more sinister might have transpired. It contains strange drawings and nonsensical writings, but the final entry is loud and clear; George is a ghost killer and he is being hunted. Modern-day George Sinclair knows there is nothing coincidental in his world, and this discovery could be the key to his unknown paternal heritage—1915 George was probably his great-grandfather.

George and Phil James travel to Houtzdale to investigate, and the more they learn, the more they realize something horrible happened in 1915 and it directly involved George’s great-grandfather. More importantly, they discover a monstrous creature, who 1915 George thought he killed, has risen from its grave and is now on a murderous rampage in search of something. The only clues are in the letters, diary, and photographs. George and Phil follow the path indicated in the letters in pursuit of the creature, with Billy eventually joining in.

They find themselves embroiled in a hundred year old mystery, which grows beyond a reanimated monstrous creature. Mysterious supernatural forces are in play, and the discovery of very dangerous stones and an even more dangerous artifact propel the ghost killers into a fight for their lives.

Sounds great!

Highlights:

Setting: the description and depth of San Francisco is a delight.

Characters: From the devils to the heroes, each character is emotive and inspiring.

Compilation: as the series progresses, new terrors and trials are introduced as the conflicts pile up on one another.

Get book 1, "What Haunts Me," here:  What Haunts Me

Murder, sex, betrayal, and the antichrist - what more do you want?

Newgrange, D.J. Doyle

An international smack of magic, fear, and action. This narrative is propelled by young people making quick decisions and, of course, this leads to tense conflict.

Newgrange provides a great peek into the fictional workings of druids that will leave you as curious as you are tentative; a suspenseful combination. Heap all of this together with believable characters and a little more time-traveling, and you’ve got a very enjoyable read.

A dark and disturbing tale of sacrifice, prophecy, ancient gods, and the antichrist.

Highlights!

Time-travel: It’s not really “travel,” but Doyle manages to weave the ancient memories of additional heroes into the tale in a way that compliments the modern setting.

Range of Characters: In addition to the standard set of adventure seekers, there are a few more memorable participants creeping across the pages.

Mystery: The mystery here is supported by the believable practices of the druids, even if these practices are exaggerated (I hope!).

Get it here: Newgrange

The Vault

Why would a multibillionaire create a customized vault that is controlled by watch mechanics inside and have a self-destruct mechanism inside to destroy the billion dollars worth of artifacts inside?

Simple, because he can.

On paper, Sam Montgomery is your typical eccentric philanthropic pharmaceutical billionaire whom has literally mailed five dollars to everyone in the US so they can “pay it forward.” But what people didn’t know when made a rare public appearance was that he was announcing he had leukemia. And more shocking was that when he said, “I’d rather die than give my sister the opportunity to save my life,” no one even knew he had a sister.

Elena Diamante nailed the sit down interview – at his small home on the tiny island of Antikythera in Greece. She was only planning on getting the scoop about Sam and his apparently estranged sister but she was also going to be the first journalist to see inside Sam’s custom made vault. It was built using watch mechanics, so it was completely self-sustained, and only opened once a year. It was even rumored that if it were ever tampered with, everything inside would be destroyed in a custom acid.

Come to find out for Elena, there would be one item inside Sam’s vault that could save his life, or end it even quicker, it was just a matter of whether or not the vault would open in time.

The vault explores Sam’s family dynamics and how they inspired him to become the successful man he is. The story is also told using Sam’s own family photos growing up, as well as text messages and Facebook/Twitter. There are even hyperlinks within the novel as “Easter Eggs” for those readers that want to explore even more of Sam’s personal life, further blurring the lines of fact/fiction.

Get it here: VAULT

13 Criminals, One Child, All Missing

 The Imposter, Daniel Norrish

Thirteen criminals snatched from their deviant vocations to be bound, gagged, and forced to surrender terrifying information with thick bundles of cash. The best bit: their final moments of freedom, along with their confessions, are recorded in, “The Imposter.”

This novel is divided into over a dozen sections, each presenting separate pieces of evidence and clues learned by the only people to meet The Imposter, his victims. But who is he? And how can he slip into the spreading cracks of Julian Lime’s crime syndicate without being detected?

He must be a traitor, and he must be joining the desperate meetings and terrified conversations as the survivors try to figure out who is dead or simply missing.

“The Imposter,” proposes theological crime questions, and illuminates the peculiar practices of criminals. Why would thieves damage credit card machines, why do money launderers send cash offshore to be scrubbed clean, and is it possible to move contraband over a border without a single pair of hands needing to touch it?

There is not one single “good” character in this book, and you might find yourself hoping for the demise of every single deviant protagonist. You might find yourself pleading with The Imposter to surrender and end his electrifying rampage. Whatever your morals encourage, you’ll be asking yourself one final question: IS HE ALREADY INSIDE?

“No one remembers their birth, but you won’t forget the day you die. Trust me; I was murdered on October the sixteenth, twenty-seventeen when I was shot in the face.”

-Mary Lime, the original victim.

Get it here: THE IMPOSTER 

Witch's With Aspirations

A Witch's Ambition by Kayla Krantz

More than a young adult classic, this novel is absolutely wonderful for all ages. The characters are vibrant, the fictional world is immensely well developed, and the stakes are high; everything could be lost if Lilith fails. Somehow, this awesome title manages to weave palpable violence and juvenile misery into an adventure story so that the narrative remains positive throughout. Every character is drowning in turmoil, but it’s all very pleasurable to inspect through your reading glasses.

As a final bonus, the ending leaves you both satisfied and craving more; I’ll definitely be reading the second installment as soon as it’s released in August. A Witch’s Ambition is also available as an audiobook.

Highlights!

Fictional world: Five factions of witches, a system of government that forces citizens into conflict, a culture based on lies. Perfect.

Protagonist: Lilith is extremely irritating in parts, then spectacularly relatable in others, which adds to the depth of her personality.

Series: You’re sure to be stoked that there’s a sequel.

Get it here: A Witch's Ambition

When the truth is accidentally exposed.

Where is Andy?

Accidental Exposure, by Daniel Norrish.

Brian and Annette are plunged into crippling terror as they peel their battered bodies away from a devastating car accident only to realise their son is missing. Andy wasn’t wearing his seatbelt, and the police can’t find him amidst the cacophony of sirens and the washing of red and blue emergency lights.

In the aftermath, the family must learn to cope with the lasting physical and psychological effects of the crippling smash. In the days, weeks and months following the initial incident, Brian and Annette will be forced to struggle against the violent changes all around them, but do they really know anything about the strangers they’re inviting into their lives?

Watch as every personality in this twisted tale becomes someone entirely unique before the final gunshots. Can the characters adapt quickly enough to save Andy’s life?

To add a little extra enjoyment to the story, this publication contains two versions of the same narrative, each written from a different perspective. Choose to follow Brian as he sinks into the dark world of Sydney’s underground or chase Annette as she battles to locate her stolen child.

What will happen when the truth is accidentally exposed?

Only $0.99! Find it here: ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE

Guest Post! CONFLUX

With the daily discord taking place worldwide, I wonder if the United Nations is up to the task of calming the numerous threats and wars that are occurring. From my vantage point, I’m skeptical that the U.N. members can maintain peace. Due to the numerous agendas maintained by the membership, I believe that their self-interests have created an atmosphere of apathy concerning issues that conflict or fall outside of their own agendas.

In contrast, any actions the members do take, often serve to enflame the existing conflicts without resolving the underlying issues that exist.

In addition, I believe the cost to the United States in membership dues is prohibitive. When you understand that the U.S. pays for 22% of the annual U.N. budget as compared to the nearly 8% provided by both the Republic of China and the Russian Federation combined, I become angry while realizing that our country is once again being taken advantage of. Understanding that the United States is considered a pariah nation by many of the U.N. members, I wonder why we continue to maintain our membership in such an ineffective and biased organization.

In my novel, “Conflux Threat from the Troika” the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and her staff are discriminated against by members of many foreign governments. As a result of the overbearing discrimination and disrespect displayed toward the U.S. delegation to the U.N., the United States ultimately withdraws from the United Nations, producing panic and shock among the remaining members.

The actions taken next by the U.S. are completely unexpected and result in utter chaos worldwide.

What steps do you think our country should take in the future with regard to our membership in the U.N.?

Find out more about Bill Brazzel at http://www.scifiauthorbrazzel.com/

You can find his new book Conflux Threat from the Troika on Amazon.

Guest Post! SILENTLY IN THE NIGHT

 A collection of tantalizing tales with more twists than braided hair:

Here you will find mystery, murder and mayhem – plus a moment of romance. All the stories will make you stop and think, even question your role in the world and the universe. Just what are we doing here, and where are we going? Easy questions with problematic answers.

This anthology of sixteen short and thrilling tales of unusual, extraterrestrial and conspiratorial stories is the latest compilation from Clayton Graham, the author of science fiction novels Milijun and the soon to come Saving Paludis. The characters in this eclectic collection are mostly ordinary people whose reactions to their fears and to unexpected events will have you guessing at every turn of the page.

This collection is intriguing reading which, among many other things, encourages the reader to:
Sympathize with a doomed husband and connect with an altruistic robot. Explore an isolated Scottish isle and touch down on a far-flung asteroid.
From the light-hearted to the darkest depths of the human psyche you would be hard pressed not to find something to like about Silently in the Night.
Many different visions of the future are within these pages. And as a bonus, there is an excerpt from the soon to be published Saving Paludis, which introduces the reader to two of the principal protagonists in this tale from the edge of mankind’s known universe in the year 3898AD.
If you love mystery with a hint of the paranormal, and the interplay of human foibles, grab this smorgasbord of short stories then get yourself a copy of Milijun, the mind-bending sci-fi novel by Clayton Graham.  

Get your copy here: Silently in the Night