Review of, The Keeping Place, by Mae Clair

My gosh it’s Wednesday already! Feels like I’ve just stepped out of Monday a moment ago. Next Monday the much anticipated solar eclipse will turn this area from mid-afternoon to midnight for approximately two minutes and twenty five seconds. The event will draw thousands to our little corner, so I’m just going to stay home and watch it from my backyard. Speaking of time and small towns, today’s read deals with both of these elements.  

In the town of Hornwood, the past is always present . . .

Nicole Seabrooke has been wracked with guilt since the night of her younger sister’s disappearance ten years ago. Her mother, Glory, tasked her with watching over Janie. Instead, Nicole dragged her to a high school party, then failed to keep an eye on her. Police believed she drowned, but her body was never found.

A decade later, her remains are discovered.

Nicole returns to Hornwood when new evidence indicates Janie’s death may have been a homicide. With the help of Detective Vin McCain, her high school boyfriend, Nicole begins to piece together what took place the night her sister disappeared—a task that further complicates her relationship with Glory and places Nicole in the crosshairs of a killer. One who will do whatever it takes to keep the truth about Janie’s death from being revealed.

Even if it means killing again.

Just My Thoughts:

I found this to be an engaging story about loss and reconciliation. Nicole Seabrooke returns to Hornwood a decade after the tragic loss of her sister, Janie, and must contend with the ghosts of the past, both figuratively and literally. 

Dual timelines are challenging to write, but the transitions throughout this book are seamless. Mae Clair’s proficient use of imagery in aptly measured doses makes this a delightful read. I highly recommend this one to those who relish a clever whodunit with a hometown feel.  

Meet Mae Clair:

A member of the International Thriller Writers, Mae Clair is also a founding member and contributor to the award-winning writing blog, Story Empire. She has achieved bestseller status on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with several of her novels chosen as book club selections.

Mae writes primarily in the mystery/suspense genre, flavoring her plots with elements of urban legend and folklore. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail, and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at MaeClair.com

Wacky Word Quiz

Last week I found, Marshmallow, our Leghorn hen, sitting in the middle of the chicken run being pecked by her less than empathetic roomies (injury to her foot). For an injured chicken, that can be a death sentence. It sounds cruel, but it’s a way for the rest to keep from getting ill.

Fortunately, we have an infirmary. Well, the original coup. It’s a tad smaller, but it’s the perfect retreat for Marshmallow to heal. I’m pleased to say that she’s healing nicely and harassment free. Onwards!

Today, I bring you an old favorite. If you’d like to join in, just write your guesses in the comments. All shall be revealed in the next post. Ta-Da!

Accismus:

A) Pretending to be uninterested in something that you actually want

B) The serrated blade on an ice axe used for mountain climbing

C) A truce intended to end property disputes between neighboring farmers

D) A gentle rise in elevation at the base of a foothill

Apricate:

A) The act of spritzing a low dose of perfume, or cologne, on the back of one’s neck

B) To deviate from your usual routine

C) To bask in the sunshine

D) Rebranding your persona to conform with public sentiment

Cordwainer:

A) A footman tasked with removing muck from carriage wheels, body, and chassis

B) A cap that secures the metal comb of a modern loom

C) The netting which held the strips of hair (weft) in place on eighteenth century wigs

D) Someone who makes shoes

Taradiddle:

A) Someone or something full of nonsense or lies.

B) Fritter away your time

C) Casting tea leaves to the wind to determine an outcome, or course of action (antiquated saying)

D) Fictitious unit of measurement

Review of Grim Secrets, by Nannette Kreitzman

Happy Sunday! We’ve recently added a new member to our family! His name is Ace, and even though he’s only two and a half months old, he’s one of the most chill pups I’ve ever met.

“Hi! I’m Ace! You wanna’ hang out?”

Okay Ace, maybe your new pals will take you out for a walk later; or, how about you let me do this review and then we can see if the birds will let you hang around the feeder with them. Sound good? Alright, see you later.

Before we begin, let’s see what the book cover says:

A collection of the following stories:___
“Discovering Me” I woke up in the hospital not knowing who I am or how I got here, but I think I know the missing girl on the news! What happened to me? To her? And what price will I pay for discovering me?___
“Willow’s Secret” A sequel to Willow’s Tale. Willow has been keeping a secret since escaping slavery. She has a chance for a normal life, but will her haunting nightmares kill the dream?___
“When a Good Man Dies” What would you do if your worst fear came true? This is a story of raw grief and perseverance in the wake of the unthinkable.___
“Fire and Ice” Theona is attracted to dominant men. She likes when a man knows what he wants and takes it. Will wants Theona and will do what is necessary to have her. But is it love, or manipulation? ___
“When the Third Sun Rises” She has been called goddess. She has been called witch. She calls herself healer. If only she had the power to heal worlds. ___
Search “Nannette Kreitzman” for more works by this author.

Just My Thoughts:

A seriously injured woman wakes up in hospital with amnesia and eventually discovers a dark secret. The survivors of a horrific pandemic seek to build a new life after suffering at the hands of evil men. The wife of a fallen police officer tries to piece her life back together. A young woman finds out the love of her life is not who she thought. An injured soldier is nursed back to health, only to learn the appalling truth. What do these all have in common? They’re part of an adroitly written collection of short stories that are creatively interwoven with the overall theme: grim secrets.

An alluring mixture of mystery, romance, tragedy, and cautionary tale, Nanette’s words had me engaged long after the rest of the house had shuffled off to bed. The writing style is easy on the eyes, with a measured and effective use of description that makes imagery effortless. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading other works by this author.

Meet Nannette:   

I’m a retired stay at home mom and happy empty nester. I spend my morning walks dreaming up short story ideas, but despite my carefully laid plans, my characters always manage to change things up! I’ve learned to pay attention to them though, they’re usually right.

You can find me on Instagram @netts_shorts

A Reference Guide for my stories can found at https://nannettekreitzman.blogspot.com/

Six Word Story

Happy Saturday to all! Another weekend has rolled around, and the clacking of these keys is accompanied by the light snores of Sage, our Calico, as she takes a much “needed” thirdsy nap from her secondsy.  Or is it fifteensy? Ah, whatever it is, she’s up there, nestled into her fav spot on the hutch dreaming of the next bug hunt.

Meanwhile, in the great outback, Stella, the vociferous robin with serious anger issues, chirps repeatedly at whatever poor thing(s), flora or fauna, it matters not, close enough to berate. Please Stella! What has that acorn done to earn your wrath?

But this post isn’t about lazy cats or mouthy robins. It’s supposed to be just six words! Six words, Bierman! Can you not count? Well, I could, if it weren’t for the two aforementioned distractions.

Alright, just wanted to say that these last few weeks, with my youngest’s fourteenth birthday and her graduation from Grade Eight has nailed home an inevitable and upcoming reality. Sniff. 😦

#BookBlast for Natural Selection–Join me!

The next few weeks, my wonderful efriends are helping me launch my latest prehistoric fiction, Natural Selection. Early reviews…

“Once again, Ms. Murray has woven prehistory into a lovely, understandable story.” –Sandra Cox, author of Geller’s Find and other time travel Westerns

“Murray excels at bringing prehistoric tribes and animals to life—all of them are impressively dimensional characters.” –Carrie Rubin, author of Fatal Rounds and other medical thrillers

“Your best ever”–husby (you say he said the same thing last time? I don’t remember)

I’ll be visiting writer friend blogs October 24th-November 6th, and then continue with the occasional “I’m Traveling” visits through May 2023. We’ll chat about Natural Selection and writing in general. Here are articles you can read in alphabetic order. The first fifteen are about Lucy’s prehistoric world and the last six are about writing in general. In the calendar, you’ll find links to the…

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