Friday, November 18, 2022

Blog Tour: Never Play Fair (Sydney Evans Mystery Series, #2) by Leah Cupps

Never Play Fair
Leah Cupps

(Sydney Evans Mystery Series, #2)
Publication date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Can Sydney find her FBI boyfriend in time, or will this gamble be here last?

Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans has seen and lived her share of photo-worthy experiences, but now, she’s found herself entangled in a situation she never saw coming.

After her FBI agent boyfriend, Alex, disappears while working a case involving a notorious Latin gangster, Vincent Estavez, the Department of Defense is forced to change tactics. Determined to bring down Estavez and the illegal online casino crime ring he’s been running by any means necessary, the FBI orchestrates an operation to infiltrate the gangster’s stronghold.

But Sydney only has one motivation for her own investigation: find Alex before he becomes collateral damage.

Desperate to locate her boyfriend in time, she flies to Costa Rica and is forced to seek help from an unlikely ally: her criminal ex-husband, Jack. He may be the last person she wants to see, but she’ll do whatever it takes to find Alex alive.

But Sydney isn’t the only one with a motivation against Vincent Estavez.

Never Play Fair is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative cozy mystery.

NEVER PLAY FAIR is the second book in the Sydney Evans Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads / Amazon


My Review

4 stars!

A truly explosive follow-up to WHAT LIES IN PARADISE! 

Never Play Fair, the second book in the Sydney Evans series is the explosive follow-up to the exciting series debut, What Lies in Paradise. Though this entry can be read as a standalone, reading the previous book first is recommended. Sydney is emotionally-spent after caring for her grandmother during her final months of life, but truth be told, her PTSD from a wedding fiasco in Jamaica had already worn her down. She and Alex have a romance that has quickly gotten serious; however, Sydney is second-guessing her feelings and ability to commit to a relationship again after what she'd gone through with Jack. 

Jack is back, and so is his brother, Ethan. The story unfolds not only from Sydney's point of view but that of the two brothers as well, and readers are privy to the guys' more honest thoughts and feelings. I loved this triple view of the events occurring in the story. 

The action got going quickly, and the story flew by without slowing down. The prologue is an absolute attention-grabber! There are also some very tantalizing glimpses of Costa Rica's west coast that give the action a sultry, noir feel at times. 

With a fascinating triumvirate of characters providing the narrative and a plot that takes off like a speed boat, I recommend NEVER PLAY FAIR to mystery readers who enjoyed the first book in the series and those who like fast action, good guys that aren't so good, and stories featuring online gambling.


Author Bio:

Leah Cupps is an entrepreneur and author. She writes Middle Grade Mystery Adventure Books as well as Thriller, Mystery, Suspense for Adults.

Leah’s novels are fast-paced mysteries that will keep you up at night as you can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband, three young children and three dogs. When she isn’t losing sleep writing her next novel or scaling her next business, she enjoys reading, golfing working out and spending time with her family.

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1 comment:

Giselle said...

Thanks for hosting today, Karen! So happy you liked it! :)