Guatemala Paula Loves to Read

Friday, August 07, 2026

**Teaser Tour - Turtle Lake: The Wildcard Syndrome by Robert Milne**

Turtle Lake:

The Wildcard Syndrome

Robert Milne

Crime Thriller / Suspense

Publisher: Mission Point Press

Publication Date: September 7, 2026

Page count: 172 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Turtle Lake is a gripping tale of revenge, survival, and the intricate interplay between human nature and the natural world. The story follows Jim Peters, the comptroller at Ramsey Motors, who uncovers a corrupt scheme by the company and its insurer, U.S. Underwriters, to defraud employees of their retirement and insurance benefits before moving operations overseas. Infuriated, he devises an elaborate extortion plan to expose their corruption and protect the employees through a spectacular plot that ends up achieving national headlines. To accomplish his plan, Peters uses simple, everyday methods and lessons learned from alpha predators in the natural world.

CLICK TO PRE-ORDER OR PURCHASE!

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Life is a dangerous place to be. The woods, skies, lakes, and oceans are filled with creatures bent on killing and eating each other. Nothing in nature dies of old age, as the adage goes.

Prey animals are taken down by predators. It’s as if prey animals are made to be food.

Carnivore predators possess razor-sharp canine-like teeth. Carnivores are the watchers from the shadows. All of them, such as lions, tigers, bobcats, and wolves, are wired the same way. They don’t eat lettuce for lunch. To a carnivore, you simply look like another rabbit in the grass.

There’s another carnivore that is often overlooked – humans. Humans have canine teeth. They are born wired with the same instincts as the alpha predators.

We’re taught to control it. Supposedly.

Birds will tell you when the sun is going to come up. At the faintest glimmer of dawn's early light, they begin to converse with each other, presumably to find out where the bugs are that day. Usually, we don't hear them in their earliness. Our day starts later. Usually.

Frogs and insects do the same during the pre-dawn moments, buzzing and croaking in the woods, fields, and swamps. Presumably they do this to find out where the predators are. It's been said that frogs might be telling each other where the rattlesnakes and blue herons are at any given time. We don't usually hear them croaking away in the early hours of the day. Usually.

Today, however, as the woods came to life with this early morning serenade, Jim Peters could hear them very clearly. It was August of 1990. He was in his cabin in mid-Michigan, situated on the edge of a quiet, deep-woods nature refuge known as Turtle Lake. Peters was lyingin bed backwards, that is, with his feet at the head of the bed and his head at the foot of the bed, chin resting on his wrists as he looked at a model train set.

The train set, an ancient Lionel from the 1940s, included buildings, roads, bridges, cars, trucks, a shopping center, and a train running through it. The set looked ordinary enough to the casual passerby or rare visitor to the cabin. But in fact, it was window dressing, a model of the crime scene that was to come. The train had nothing to do with it.

In a short while, when the birds, frogs, and bugs had quieted down, Peters would push a button and Mozart's opera The Magic Flute would float from the speakers connected to his compact disc machine. Peters liked Mozart. The music was pure and uncluttered. It flowed from one section into another so smoothly that it was hard to tell a transition had taken place. The complexities of its composition flowed as smoothly as pouring oil.

As smoothly as the diabolical scam he was planning.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bob Milne has been hailed throughout his 60-year career as one of the best ragtime/boogie-woogie piano players of all time. A solo concert performer, he traveled all over the world playing for dignitaries and celebrities as well as small town audiences. He was given the title of National Treasure by the Library of Congress and deemed an Ambassador of Music by the U.S. Department of State.

Bob’s extraordinary musical abilities were the subject of numerous brain studies, which have inspired a popular RadioLab podcast.

Little did they know that Bob was also a talented writer.

For years he wrote articles about his saloon-playing days for music publications. Many of these stories were compiled into a book called The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining. Bob has written reams of poetry, some of which became lyrics to songs that he composed. The longest piece of poetry he ever wrote was the lyric book for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a grand opera he composed and orchestrated.

Mr. Milne has been fascinated by nature his entire life. At a young age he realized that instincts are present in all species of birds, mammals (including humans), and literally every living thing in nature. He has used this information countless times over his lifetime to predict what the human species will do in future situations.

Bob is now retired from the long piano tours and is enjoying his woodland home. Today he spends his time studying nature in the woods. Signed copies of his book may be purchased through his website.

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Thursday, August 06, 2026

**Book Tour: Storms of Crick Road Bridge by David G. Kerr**

Storms of Crick Road Bridge

David G. Kerr

Crime Thriller

Publisher: MindStir Media

Publication Date: April 8, 2026

Page count: 251 pages

Eden Valley is a quiet town in northwestern Pennsylvania still healing from a dark chapter in its history. Two years ago, the community was shaken by a kidnapping and a series of murders. Tom Stallings, the celebrated town hero, solved the crimes and identified the evil demon responsible. In an effort to revitalize the town, Tom's son, Josh, has purchased the town's orchard, naming it The Stallings Orchard at Crick Road Bridge.

However, Tom is soon informed by the local sheriff that he and his family are the targets of a threatening letter, mysteriously signed "The Avenger." The unknown author accuses Tom and Josh of being land-grabbers with blood on their hands and vows to seek revenge.

Against this tense backdrop, three individuals-each driven by their own pain and misguided sense of justice-embark on separate journeys of revenge. While the first merely seeks to resolve personal grievances and jealousy through minor acts of vandalism, the other two harbor far more sinister intentions, representing both physical and metaphorical storms on a path of chaos and destruction.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Kerr grew up in the small, rural community of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, in the '50s and '60s where the main source of employment was farming or working in the steel mill industry. Surrounded by families who struggled to maintain their middle- class lifestyle and hold tightly to the American values of God, family, and country, little did he realize that these people and places would become the inspiration for his novels.

A graduate of Georgia Southern University, Kerr served as an English teacher and school administrator for forty-four years. Following his retirement, he wrote and published two mystery novels, Secrets of Crick Road Bridge and Storms of Crick Road Bridge.

Today, he and his wife, Lois, live in Woodstock, Georgia, where they enjoy being close to their daughter Paige, son-in-law, Chris, and grandsons, Banks and Ford.

**Review Tour & Giveaway - The Tundra Passage: After the Dark (The After Collection, #4) by K.A. Jarvis**

THE TUNDRA PASSAGE

K.A. Jarvis

Post-Apocalyptic
Publisher: SweFlo Publishing LLC
Publication Date: July 7, 2026
Page count: 311 pages

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

A birth certificate hidden in a dead woman's closet. A father Grace Campbell was never supposed to find.

Grace is a veterinarian and a survivor of a Florida trailer park childhood. She has made self-reliance her religion. When a shoebox reveals the father she was told never existed, a climatologist in the Alaskan wilderness, she boards a bush plane to find the truth.

The journey doesn't just change her life. It nearly ends it.

As coordinated cyberattacks bring the nation to its knees, Grace's plane is shot from the sky over the Alaskan tundra. Suddenly, she is a thousand miles from home and responsible for the survivors: an eleven-year-old girl with a fierce heart, a researcher with dangerous secrets, a hiker whose smile feels like a warning, and a wolfdog who has lost everything.

A hundred miles of Arctic wilderness stand between them and safety. Between glacial river Surges, a stalking grizzly, and starvation, Grace realizes the greatest threat isn't the environment.

It is the person standing next to her, someone whose mission has nothing to do with survival and everything to do with the crisis tearing the country apart.

To protect the people she never expected to love, Grace will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust someone enough to let them stay.

Perfect for fans of: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Where the River Ends by Charles Martin.

__________________

A standalone novel in The After Collection: A series of survival thrillers about resilience, hope, and found family in the aftermath of catastrophe.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

The food was gone.

Grace split the last ration bar five ways at dawn. Four slivers for the humans, one crumbled into water for Siku, and watched each piece disappear in a single bite. From here on, they ate only what the land gave them.

These skills were no longer supplemental. They were now the difference between functioning and collapsing. The Labrador tea, the fireweed shoots, the Eskimo potato roots. The same plants Grace had been foraging for days to stretch their rations were now the entire menu, and the math was brutal. She could keep them hydrated and fill their stomachs enough to blunt the worst of the hunger pangs. But she couldn't keep them fueled. Foraged plants provided bulk and micronutrients, not the caloric density that five bodies needed to sustain a forced march across rough terrain.

She taught Addy to forage now. Real responsibility, not supervised lessons. She sent the girl ahead with a cloth bag to harvest fireweed shoots while Grace dug Eskimo potato roots from the boggy creek margins, doubling their collection rate.

"How many do you need?" Addy called back, her bag already half full.

"All of them," Grace said. "Every one you can find."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

When the world falls apart, the characters hold on. To each other, to hope, and usually to a very good dog.

K.A. Jarvis writes survival stories with women at the center. Flawed, ordinary women who don't have all the answers but figure it out anyway. These books blend edge-of-your-seat tension with warmth, found family bonds, and the quiet stubborn refusal to give up.

If you like your survival fiction with heart, where the relationships matter as much as the danger, pull up a chair.

REVIEW:

5 stars!

Exciting, suspenseful story of survival and political intrigue above the Arctic Circle.

The Tundra Passage: After the Dark is the fourth book in author K.A. Jarvis’s riveting After Collection, a series of standalone survival thrillers with the common threads of personal resilience, hope, and found family in the face of catastrophic disasters and societal collapse. In this latest tale, newly graduated Floridian veterinarian Grace Campbell heads to the Alaskan tundra in search of the father she’d never known about until after her mother’s death. But just as she begins her journey, the electrical grid mysteriously starts glitching and eventually fails completely, leaving the lower 48 states in darkness and danger. When the bush plane she’s in is forced to crash-land in the back of beyond, killing the local pilot, it falls to Grace and the pilot’s loyal wolf-dog hybrid to guide the other passengers, including an eleven-year-old girl, to the nearest point of civilization: the research station where Grace’s father may be working. However, one of the other survivors isn’t who they claim to be and may be working against the group’s best interests.

Grace Campbell is a wonderful main character, a good woman who had a very difficult childhood, having to pull herself up by her own bootstraps from a way too early age, and learning that she is the only person she can truly rely on when things need doing. The first quarter of the book is devoted to building Grace’s backstory, and understanding where she came from is critical to the development of the character and how she can handle the later events: such a good story. She has the natural self-doubts one would expect from a lifelong Floridian stranded in the wilderness of northwest Alaska, and she must overcome a big learning curve quickly to keep everyone safe. I loved her relationship with the malamute-wolf crossbreed, Sika, and some of the scenes with the dog were exciting and emotional as he protects his newfound family from the dangers they encounter.

Besides the struggles of surviving the long trek to safety, the story also includes a sweet romance that slowly forms over the days of travel. Two single, self-reliant people learn about themselves and each other, building trust and a strong partnership as they overcome the many obstacles on their way to safety.

The author’s writing style is compelling and immersive, and I was immediately drawn into Grace’s life, her questions about her father’s identity, and her mother’s inexplicable decision to withhold that information from her. Later, the survivors’ journey across the tundra to the remote permafrost research station was so riveting, I felt I was along for the trek; I was exhausted by the time the book came to a close. I didn’t want to put this book down the entire time I was reading it.

I recommend THE TUNDRA PASSAGE to readers of thrillers, suspense, and survival stories, especially those set in Alaska or with post-apocalyptic elements.

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K.A. Jarvis will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

**Book Blitz: Freedom's End by S.E. Estes**

Freedom's End

S.E. Estes

Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Page count: 301 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Freedom’s End is a mythic sci‑fi/fantasy saga about a reincarnating rebel fighting to break cycles of oppression across lifetimes. Born a slave in the mines of Septra, Paintr rises again and again—across bodies, eras, and worlds—to confront a necromancer who seeks to enslave every sentient mind. Blending science fiction, dark fantasy, and supernatural western elements, the story explores identity, liberation, trauma, and the cost of reclaiming one’s soul.

With its emotional depth, genre fusion, and expansive worldbuilding, Freedom’s End speaks to readers who love character‑driven epics, mythic resonance, and stories about resilience in the face of impossible odds.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SE Estes is a sci‑fi and fantasy author whose work blends mythic symbolism, emotional depth, and genre fusion. A multicultural military‑brat upbringing and early career in computing shaped SE’s fascination with identity, technology, and transformation. Now based in Indianapolis, SE writes expansive, character‑driven universes—including Freedom’s End, the first book in a multi‑volume saga about liberation and the soul’s long journey across lifetimes.

Wednesday, August 05, 2026

**Book Blitz: Obscura Nights by Warren Wynn**

Obscura Nights
Warren Wynn
(Obscura Nights, #1)
Publication date: August 4, 2026
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Farris Aldan didn’t join the Sentinels to save the world.

He joined to escape insanity.

In Obscura City, contracting the whisperis means shedding your skin and becoming a monster. As a newly trained Sentinel, Farris hunts the infected, hoping vengeance will silence the guilt over his best friend Calla’s death.

Then he’s assigned his first solo mission. Track down Rena, a whisperis-infected punk rocker evading quarantine. From her black hair and beet-red eyes, she’s the spitting image of Calla. Farris can’t bring himself to arrest her. Not with that face, not with that voice.

Choosing Rena brands him a traitor. Now hunted by the Sentinels he idolized, including his adoptive father, Farris learns Rena’s connection to the whisperis runs deeper than anyone imagined. Visions of a cure guide her toward the Hollow, a hidden valley of darkness beyond the city. Only an ancient vantashade named Krieger knows the truth, but it offers a global cure for a terrible price: her life. To save Rena, Farris must risk everything–his future, his family, even the cure itself. And it still might not be enough.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Little by little, we awkwardly stumbled and sashayed toward the cluster of monsters. A littler further and we slipped into their group. Mere feet separated us from the graceful corpses.

A stench of boiled tar and kerosene swam over us. The air curdled with heat. We watched the burdeneds’ faces as we moved. No longer paying attention to us. Their shoulders, arms and chests were relaxed. Caring and glossy white eyes stared back at their deceased partners.

A small pressure pushed against my chest. Rena leaned her head against it, and I realized that she’d been shivering.

“God. I wonder when they died.” She mumbled so softly I barely heard her. “Wonder if they knew they were dyin’. What they felt when they turned into monsters.”

I shook my head since it was too risky to speak. Little by little, I moved us to the back of the room. Need to go slow so we don’t alert the burdened.

Rena looked up at me, her face mere inches from my own. “All their feelings…what happened to them when they died?” Her skin was so bruised and cut up. The dark circles beneath her eyes contrasted her increasingly pale complexion. “Their names? Their memories? Where did they go?”

My whole body ached. I swallowed. When I tried to comfort her, my mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Her hand squeezed my shoulder without a lick of strength. “I don’t wanna become like that, Farris. God almighty, I don’t wanna end up being just a memory.”

I tried to speak but again failed. Realizing my limitations, I instead pulled her even closer. Her breath felt hot against my neck. Her tears chilled my skin.

Rena gritted her teeth. Her chest shook from deep, silent sobs. “I don’t wanna die, Farris. I don’t…”

My back stung, muscles ached. Ribs throbbed and head pounded. I looked at the bandages over her eye. Around her ankle. The stains of blood on her cargos, her vest.

Nameless music played behind us. Forgotten dead danced around us. Filthy ground creaked below us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Warren Wynn is an American author writing young adult science fiction about parallel worlds, bizarre creatures, and mind-blowing twists. His passions in a previous life doing graphic and video game design heavily inspire his stories and characters. His previous novel, Break the Moon, was published by Lost Boys Press on March 28th, 2024.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from West Virginia University, he left behind the mountains for the beaches of Palm Coast, Florida. If he isn’t kayaking or hiking, he’s earning grey hairs writing through the moonlight hours.

TikTok / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!

Obscura Nights Blitz

Tuesday, August 04, 2026

**Release Blitz & Giveaway: No Straight Lines to the Stars by Ken Kisco**

No Straight Lines to the Stars:

An Unlikely Journey from Lifeguard Tower to Launchpad

Ken Kisco

Narrative Nonfiction / Inspirational

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Publication Date: August 4, 2026

Page count: 115 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

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.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

| Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble |

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.

| Website | Instagram |

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Monday, August 03, 2026

**Release Blitz & Giveaway: Only Angels Have Blue Eyes by J. Todd Kingrea**

Only Angels Have Blue Eyes

J. Todd Kingrea

Horror / Suspense

Publication Date: August 3, 2026

Page count: 287 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

Things are looking up for Maylin Cole and her 4-year-old daughter, Margo. Fleeing an abusive relationship, the private clinic Heaven’s Hope offers shelter and the promise of a new life. Led by the charismatic and beguiling Seraph Nakir, they learn a surprising truth: they’re actually angels who have lost their way.

Everyone has an angel name and is being prepared to ‘ascend’ when the time is right. Their angelic identities will play a significant role in aiding humanity when the world ends.

As the weeks pass, Maylin becomes accustomed to the peculiar confrontational therapy. The black curtains and bars on the windows no longer trouble her. The lack of privacy, mystifying theology, and strange rules become commonplace. She sees Margo less frequently since the children are kept in the basement.

The death of another patient awakens Maylin to dark secrets within the walls, and soon the horrifying truth about Nakir and Heaven’s Hope is revealed. Maylin must confront her insecurities, rediscover her individuality, and use her wits and resources if she hopes to save Margo and the other children.

Inspired by a true crime case, this slow-burn thriller roars to a pulse-pounding climax, reminding the reader to think independently, ask questions, and be careful who you trust.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Todd Kingrea is the author of With A Blighted Touch and The Deiparian Saga (The Witchfinder, The Crimson Fathers, and Bane of the Witch). He has also authored two non-fiction books, two short stories, and role-playing game scenarios. When not writing, he enjoys collecting and watching movies, reading, and prowling through dusty old bookstores. He and his wife live in Galax, Virginia.

Stay in touch at jtoddkingrea@yahoo.com.

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| instagram | TikTok | X (Twitter) |

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Sunday, August 02, 2026

**Book Review: Murder on the Steel Pier (Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery, #1) by Rosie Genova**

Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun and fascinating debut for this Imaginative and unique new mystery series!

Murder on the Steel Pier is the debut novel in author Rose Genova's imaginative, fantastically unique, and definitely nostalgic new Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery series. After a night out on the town of Atlantic City celebrating her 35th birthday, a female reporter awakes the next morning in someone else's bed with no memory of how she got there. But this formula for a cliched Walk of Shame takes an immediate left turn: the bed is in her Great-Great-Aunt Netta's boardinghouse, everyone there thinks she's her long-deceased Great Aunt Theresa, and it's 1955 instead of 2025!

Teresa "Tess" Mancini has lived in Atlantic City her whole life, surrounded by family. Still, nothing prepares her for what she goes through with her distant relations and the hidden family secrets she uncovers. Life for the 30-year-old Theresa Mancini, a reporter like Tess, is much more restricted and sedate than what Tess is accustomed to in the present. However, Theresa is one smart cookie (don't let Zia Netta hear you say that) as she helps her great-niece navigate 1950s standards of decorum. I really liked that Theresa's thoughts would occasionally slip into Tess's mind while Tess unconsciously retained much of Theresa's knowledge of the times when she took her place in their shared body. Like Theresa, though, there are no flies on Tess either, and she's able to fake her way through her new life, look into the murder of one of the boarding house guests, and help Theresa's brother Val (the man who would be Tess's grandfather) from taking the rap. Val had publicly threatened the man the day before he was shot and left to die at The Steel Pier on the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk.

The plot is one big twist, with Tess trying to avert disaster for herself and her family in the future by changing something in the past. (She's seen the movies, too!) Suspicious boarders, shady characters, and secrets abound and steadily build the suspense in the past as Tess reaches out to one of the greatest minds of the 20th century to help her return to her rightful place in time. Wrap all this up with Val's looming death sentence, and the story kept me on the edge of my seat until the very final resolution.

With its great plot, surprising twists and turns, and engaging characters, I recommend MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER to historical cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy a time-travel element in their stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Saturday, August 01, 2026

**Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Guilty By Association (Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries, #2) by T.G. Wolff**

GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION

by TG Wolff

July 13 - August 7, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

The Rizk Brothers Legal Mystery Series

Family values are great for campaigns. Family baggage isn't.

His twin is the last person Miami Detective Seth Rizk expects to defend him at an internal affairs hearing that could end his career. As the interim attorney general for Indiana, Jakob has to keep his reputation clean as he campaigns for the permanent seat.

While waiting for the ruling, Seth returns to Indiana to repay a debt posthumously. The retired cop who once helped solve the Rizk family’s greatest tragedy was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The trail leads straight into a luxury rehab facility where, posing undercover, Seth discovers fraud, theft, ambition—and a motive worth killing to protect.

But Seth’s sins in Miami follow him north, and Jakob is caught in the storm. His campaign team issues an ultimatum: cut ties with your brother or lose the election. With enemies closing in, the twins must decide which bond is stronger: family, justice, or survival.

Perfect for readers of smart mysteries, legal intrigue, and brotherly chemistry.

Praise for Guilty by Association:

"I was pulled into this story and felt like I was right there with all the characters and I love the way the twins interact with each other."
~ Bookbub Reviewer

"There is so much drama and intrigue, making for an entertaining and enjoyable story. The characters are wonderful and so genuine. I find the interactions between the twins, their dad, Jakob’s wife and his staff to be fun to read. The book ended on a zinger and I can’t wait for book 3. I highly recommend reading it and give it 5 stars."
~ Bookbub Reviewer

"If you enjoy engaging sound plots with relatable characters who are involved in complex investigations, then Guilty by Association is the book for you. Because of the cliffhanger ending I can hardly wait for book three."
~ Bookbub 5⭐ review

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery; Legal Mystery, Whodunnit
Published by: Tule Publishing
Publication Date: April 22, 2026
Number of Pages: 324
ISBN: 9781972451007 (ISBN10: 1972451006)
Series: The Rizk Brothers Legal Mystery Series, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | BookBub | Tule Publishing

The Rizk Brothers Legal Mystery Series

Read an excerpt:

Seth

Wednesday. Late afternoon.

Sitting on the rooftop of Wallace Investigations in the shade of a canopy, Seth reflected on his afternoon. He’d seen everything the South Bend PD had on the Jameson case. It was both what he expected and disappointing. But, he realized, if there had been the proverbial smoking gun, he wouldn’t be here now.

Or maybe that voicemail to Butch was the smoking gun. Without it, Declan Jameson’s death would have been ruled accidental, and life would have moved on.

While Stanton had welcomed him on the team, Seth had to run his own investigation, separate and unofficial. Top of Seth’s list were Jameson’s children, Danielle and Sean. If he were lucky, Jameson talked to one of them about what he thought stunk.

He dialed the number for Danielle in the police report. After five rings, it rolled to voicemail. Not a surprise. In the day and age of spam calls, he was one of the many who only answered numbers he knew. Well, his phone knew. Seth long ago stopped knowing phone numbers beyond his and the one that rang in the house where his father still lived.

He left a message for Mrs. Tolbert and then dialed the woman who had reported Jameson missing.

She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?” The female voice was soft, almost melodic.

“Mrs. O’Connell? My name is Seth Rizk. I am conducting a secondary investigation into Declan Jameson’s death. How are you today, ma’am?” He asked the question to give the woman time to digest the mouthful he’d just given her.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking.”

“I would like to meet with you to talk about Captain Jameson.”

“Who is it?” a nosy voice asked grumpily in the background.

“My nephew,” Mrs. O’Connell said away from the phone, then came back to the speaker. “I would love if you visited. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

“Ma’am? Did you hear what I said?”

“Of course. Tomorrow afternoon? That would be fine. You’re welcome to join us for lunch, if you don’t mind eating with a crowd of sophisticated, older ladies.”

“I would love to join you for lunch. I’ll be there at noon, Mrs. O’Connell. Or should I call you Aunt Morrighan?”

“Yes, that would be best,” she said. “Oh, it’s been such a long time since I’ve had someone to, er, talk to. You know, family. Do you have any news?”

“About Captain Jameson’s death? More questions than answers, but there are a few things I can share.”

She laughed, the sound forced and brittle. “Oh, that brother of yours. He always was a troublemaker.”

No, Jakob was the good brother. Not that she knew.

“I really can’t wait to hear what kind of trouble you’ve been making,” she said, her voice cracking.

Seth heard the real stress behind the faked banter. “I can come now. I’m in the city and can be there in twenty minutes.”

“No, no. Things are the same around here. It will be nice to have a break in routine …”

“Seth, Aunt Morrighan. I’ll see you at noon. You have my number—don’t be shy about using it.”

“Wonderful, see you tomorrow, Seth.” She ended the call.

“Color me intrigued,” Seth said to the pigeon walking around the roof. “The woman was intimidated by someone. Maybe the same someone who shot Jameson up with heart meds. This ought to be an interesting visit. Hold that thought,” he said as his screen showed the daughter’s name. “Seth Rizk.”

“Hello, this is Danielle Tolbert. I’m returning your call?” The question held more than a little distress.

“Thank you for calling, Mrs. Tolbert. My condolences on your loss. I met your father a long time ago. I’m one of the many who respected him.”

Not Jakob. Whatever his problem was.

“Thank you.” Her voice broke.

“I want to speak with both you and your brother, tomorrow if possible.”

She sniffled. “Why do you want to talk to Sean? He lives in Nashville, Tennessee and just came back home when Dad went missing. He doesn’t know anything.”

“With investigations, you just never know when the smallest, off-hand comment holds the key to the entire puzzle. I know this is hard.”

“Why isn’t the South Bend PD handling my father’s case? He worked for them for more than thirty years. He trusted them and wouldn’t like it if they were pushed aside.” Even in her grief, Danielle wasn’t rolling over for him.

“No one has pushed anyone aside. I spent the morning with Detective Stanton. If you prefer, I can see if he’s available to join us.”

A pregnant pause followed.

“No. It’s all right.” She didn’t sound as if it was. “As long as he knows you’re meeting with us, it’s okay. Sean is staying with us. Could you come by the house in the morning? Maybe nine thirty?” When Seth agreed, she ended the call with little courtesy or fanfare.

Seth sat with his elbows on his knees. He would have his hands full tomorrow. He would have to be strategic interviewing the grieving family. In his experience, the doors of cooperation could slam shut quickly. For an instant, he contemplated tagging Stanton. She obviously trusted him. But Seth wanted to get his own impressions. Stanton would be his backup plan, in case he did end up shut out.

The trip to Seven Families, to see Morrighan O’Connell, had to be solo. Walking in with a known cop could shut mouths he needed open.

Briefing the detective after would be good enough for now.

“Well,” he said to the pigeon, “since I’m not going anywhere soon …” He opened the cooler, pulled out a Bud, and leaned back in his chair.

***

Author Bio:

TG Wolff has never been able resist a good puzzle. With an engineer’s mind for logic and a lifelong love of mysteries, she crafts whodunnit stories that challenge readers to outsmart her detective. Her books are filled with quirky characters, red herrings, and—because she firmly believes solving (fictional) murders should be fun—a healthy dose of humor.

TG earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in civil engineering, learning early to see every problem as a mystery and each solution as the answer the result of asking the right questions. That same curiosity drives her fiction, where nothing is ever accidental and every detail counts.

When she’s not plotting fictional crimes, TG is a mystery reader and reviewer, and the co-creator / co-host of the whodunnit mystery podcast Mysteries to Die For. A Cleveland, Ohio native, she now lives in northeast Indiana with her husband and two sons, where dogs and mysteries are always welcome.

Catch Up With TG Wolff:

TGWolff.com
Mysteries to Die For Podcast
The Tule Group
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @TG_Wolff
Instagram - @TG_Wolff
LinkedIn
Facebook

Review:

5 stars!

The brothers join forces once again to solve a murder at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat.

Guilty by Association is the second exciting book in author TG Wolff’s action-packed, full-of-heart Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries, and it is a riveting tale of intrigue, betrayal, and danger, with a doozy of a cliffhanger finish. When the retired police detective who investigated their mother’s murder dies under suspicious circumstances, the Rizk brothers join forces to dig deeper and discover the truth.

Only weeks have passed since the brothers reunited in book one, and Seth has returned home to Miami to face an internal affairs board regarding his assault on a crooked coworker. He’s surprised when Jakob, who is the interim Indiana Attorney General, appears at the hearing as his advocate. But even after Jakob’s masterful performance, they’ll have to wait almost two weeks before the board makes their recommendations to find out if Seth still has a career with the Miami Police Department. With time on his hands, Seth agrees to accompany Jakob back to Indianapolis and work for him as a special investigator and look into retired Captain Declan Jameson’s death at the exclusive rehabilitation facility where he’d gone to recover from a car accident.

The story is fast-paced and complex, with a lot going on under the surface at the rehab facility besides their old friend’s death. Complicating Seth’s inquiries is the shocking arrival in the area of the disgruntled and very angry vice detective he’d pounded on back in Miami, as well as the pressure of Jakob’s struggling campaign for the permanent Attorney General seat. Jakob’s initial success and popularity are being challenged by his former boss and her state senator backer, who are pulling out all the dirty tactics they can to beat him, including using Seth’s troubles to damage his reputation.

I enjoyed Seth’s undercover story of being the nephew of one of the rehab facility’s permanent residents, who happened to be in a developing relationship with Declan Jameson. His hiring by the facility director to teach yoga classes led to a lot of fun scenes. Seth’s investigation yields positive results, and there are some good red herrings to rule out before the reveal of the actual murderer. Their showdown has a great twist, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the didn’t-see-that-coming cliffhanger ending.

I recommend GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION to readers of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers.

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**Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: The Mysterious Case of the Missing House (The Redemption Detective Agency, #4) by Michele Pariza Wacek**

The Mysterious Case of the Missing House

The Redemption Detective Agency

Michele Pariza Wacek

About The Mysterious Case of the Missing House

The Mysterious Case of the Missing House (The Redemption Detective Agency)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting - Redemption, Wisconsin, in the 1990s
Publisher: Love-Based Publishing
Publication date: July 15, 2026
Number of Pages: 177
ASIN: B0FMT7ST5F

Emily has a big decision in front of her. But before she can make it, Amelia Clark, one of Aunt Tilde's friends call The Redemption Detective Agency with an emergency. Apparently, Amelia can't get a hold of her niece, who's been house sitting, and she's worried that her niece forgot to water her rose bushes. Should be fairly straight forward, right? Drive to the house, see if the niece is there, and make sure the roses aren't dead as well. Except...the house is no longer there. It's now a fancy health club. Nor is the niece. Needless to say, Emily has no choice but to figure out what happened to Amelia's house and her niece before she makes any decisions about her career. Or her love life. A spin-off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! The Redemption Detective Agency is a funny, twisty, romcom cozy mystery series set in the 1990s featuring silver sleuths solving cold cases, cats, dogs and an opposites attract love triangle. Great for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.

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About Michele Pariza Wacek

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes, and more, at MPWNovels.com. Michele grew up in Wisconsin (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona, with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie. When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she’s an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she’s not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)

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