Books with Bircky

Wrong Exit by N.L. Hinkens My rating: 5 of 5 stars In her newest thriller, NL Hinkens really drives the plot and action forward. A cross-country road trip, a million dollar inheritance, and time with your bestie... what could go wrong? When our protagonist finds a stowaway in the backseat of the car, we find just how much can go wrong. As with all her other works, this book is a good blend of narrative, thrills, and dialogue. The characters and actions really draw you in and cause you to want to hit the gas pedal to get to the next chapter. By my estimation, the only Wrong Exit in this book is that it ends at all. ARC from author. All opinions my own. View all my reviews

Freeze Before Burning by Nikki Stern December 13-31, 2021 Virtual Book Tour Synopsis: True Crime Fans Iced by Cold-blooded Killer What do a bartender, a priest, and a librarian have in common? They all work in New York City. They’re all true crime fans. And they’re all dead, courtesy of a predator with a chilling approach to murder. Talbot County, Maryland Lieutenant Sam Tate is in the Big Apple to find answers about her own tragic past when she is pulled onto the case of the Dry Ice Killer by an old friend with the NYPD. Drawn to a new colleague, she questions her long-time relationship with her FBI boyfriend. Meanwhile, she’s caught between the demands of an impatient bureaucracy and an especially sadistic sociopath. This may be Sam’s most dangerous case yet—if she survives. My Review:  Another thrilling entry into the Sam Tate series, which has been shown to have thrills and action in spades. In this one, Sam is just trying to cool off with a relaxing vacation, but a da...

The Counsel of the Cunning by Steven C. Harms November 8 - December 3, 2021 Virtual Book Tour Synopsis: Roger Viceroy faces a return to the FBI and a life he vacated long ago, until a knock on his front door announces the presence of billionaire and former U.S. Senator, Jürgen Sandt. The past has come back to rear its ugly head. Sandt stands on his threshold for a reason: a decade prior the senator’s only son disappeared into the jungles of Guatemala, and Sandt has come to convince Viceroy that further investigation is now necessary. A package left mysteriously outside the family estate, opens the door to the possibility that his son is still very much alive. Viceroy and his team agree to take on the hunt. Their search steers them from the back streets of Milwaukee to the stealthy corridors of Washington, D.C.—an eerie trek that will ultimately lead to an ancient site that supposedly doesn’t exist. As Viceroy closes in on the truth, a parallel plot emerges. Not onl...

Right Behind You by N.L. Hinkens My rating: 4 of 5 stars NL Hinkens has been one of my favorite domestic suspense authors since I discovered her last year. She has such a way of hooking you in and not letting you go until the very end. This book was no different. I admittedly fell for a lot of her red herrings, which is a credit to her impeccable writing. I couldn't put it down and wanted to see what would happen next. As usual, it was a fast-paced read that blends action, dialogue, and thrills. My only slight criticism was the "culprit." I felt like it came too much out of left field and wasn't set up as well as some of her other endings. However, it wasn't enough for me to dislike the book and I would still recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers. Needless to say, I'll be back for more. Until then, I'll be right behind you. ARC given to me by author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. ...

Mercy Creek by M.E. Browning October 11 - November 5, 2021 Tour Synopsis: In an idyllic Colorado town, a young girl goes missing—and the trail leads into the heart and mind of a remorseless killer. The late summer heat in Echo Valley, Colorado turns lush greenery into a tinder dry landscape. When a young girl mysteriously disappears, long buried grudges rekindle. Of the two Flores girls, Marisa was the one people pegged for trouble. Her younger sister, Lena, was the quiet daughter, dutiful and diligent—right until the moment she vanished. Detective Jo Wyatt is convinced the eleven-year-old girl didn’t run away and that a more sinister reason lurks behind her disappearance. For Jo, the case is personal, reaching far back into her past. But as she mines Lena’s fractured family life, she unearths a cache of secrets and half-lies that paints a darker picture. As the evidence mounts, so do the suspects, and when a witness steps forward with a shocking new revelation, Jo...

Beneath the Marigolds by Emily C. Whitson October 1-31, 2021 Virtual Book Tour Synopsis: Playing on our universal fascination with reality TV, Emily C. Whitson’s Beneath the Marigolds is The Bachelor(ette) gone terribly wrong. When her best friend, Reese Marigold, goes missing after attending Last Chance, an exclusive singles' retreat on a remote island off the coast of Hawaii, no-nonsense lawyer Ann Stone infiltrates the retreat. Ann quickly realizes there's more to Last Chance than meets the eye. The extravagant clothes, never-ending interviews, and bizarre dates hint that the retreat is a front for a reality dating show. Could Reese be safe, keeping a low profile until the premier, or did something sinister occur after all? Torn between the need to uncover the truth and her desperate desire to get off the island, Ann partakes in the unusual routines of the "journey to true love" and investigates the other attendees who all have something to hi...