BKFUNNEL/Beside the Hollow Oak- A SAVANNAH SLEUTH MYSTERY #5 BY VERONICA MIXON

    amazon

 A missing baby. A buried secret. And an FBI cold case—definitely not what the Savannah Sleuths expected in retirement.  

Thank you for reading and reviewing this fifth book in the Savannah Sleuths Series. Your support means the world to me and I couldn't do this without you by my side! 

When a hurricane topples an oak in Savannah’s Forsyth Park, Emma Lynn Whitmore and her lifelong friend, Graham Boone, uncover a weather-beaten diaper bag tangled in the roots. Inside are baby clothes, a stuffed rabbit, and a mystery that has haunted the city for three years—the unsolved Prescott kidnapping.   Emma Lynn has no desire to clash with federal agents, but Savannah has a way of pulling her into puzzles she can’t ignore. With Margaret’s bossy determination, Graham’s quirky charm, and Wren—Graham’s brilliant niece, whose tech skills uncover digital trails no one else can see—the Sleuths are drawn into a web of family secrets, Savannah scandals, and lies weathered but not washed away.   Can three retirees and one sharp-eyed teenager solve the case the FBI left behind—or will the past reach forward to claim them too? Beside the Hollow Oak is a witty and heartwarming Southern cozy mystery filled with friendship, small-town intrigue, and just enough danger to keep you turning the pages. Perfect for fans of Ellery Adams, Vicki Delany, and Ann Ross.

 

MY 5 STAR REVIEW TITLED:  The Team does it again with a touch of romance 

Emma Lynn is a widow of a man named Henry.  She misses him and her grandmother who bequeathed her the cottage she lives in now. She's made updates to the place with the help of her friends. Graham has been in love with her for some time. Will he get a chance finally to make his move?  

Emma has ghost written for others for many years and now it looks like a mystery is chasing her and not letting go. Although others think maybe she should. But it's grabbed here by the heart and she just can't let go.  Especially when the grieving mother of the boy who was kidnapped visits and begs for their help. The mom is positive that her son Walker is still alive and it's not long before Emma is wondering too !

I loved the humor, emotions and connectives of this "family".  And Graham and Wren are a hoot ! Even stern Margaret has her own charm. 

 Great twists, and turns . And even  dead ends until the final great ending !

bkfunnel/ Kilts, Kisses & Chaos by Beatrice Bradshaw

   For any other questions, please contact:
Beatrice Bradshaw <author@beatricebradshaw.com>

Finding a home in the Highlands and love with her grumpy neighbour, Niall, seems like a fairy tale ending for Marla – even in modern times. But not all is perfect...

 

With this download, you're subscribing to Beatrice Bradshaw's newsletter – you'll receive special offers, new release details, this novella, ARC opportunities, and lots of bonus material delivered right to your inbox. All the goodies, straight from Scotland!

 

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THE STORY:  

Marla inherited Lady Hamilton's old castle – Hazelbrae House – in the small rural town of Kilcranach in the Scottish Highlands. After restoring and turning Hazelbrae into an official NHS retreat and local bed-and-breakfast, she is finally ready for the grand opening event. 

At least that's what she thought. Until one fiasco after another descends upon the celebration – attacking seagulls are just the beginning in a series of catastrophes. 

Amid the chaos, Marla’s and Niall’s old wounds, fears, and doubts make an unwelcome reappearance, threatening to unravel their relationship. And when Niall’s estranged mother suddenly shows up, tensions escalate. 

Will Marla and Niall’s bond withstand this Scottish comedy of errors – or will their hard earned happily ever after go up in peat smoke? 

(This story contains a bit of steam as well as some cursing. And maybe even a curse…)

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 My 4 Star Review TITLED: Surprising Grand Opening

I liked both Marla and Niall. They worked so hard together to make this a good, new castle to help others relax.  They also both had some serious issues when it comes to their self worth and fear of being left behind !

he Grand opening of the castle was hilarious in the disasters that happened but also some really funny moments too ! 

Jun2,2026-Readnow Netgelley/ Man of My Dreams A Novel by Olivia Worley

 

  Netgalley   

General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date Jun 02 2026 | Archive Date Jun 16 2026   

St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books

 A romance author is shocked when one of her characters-in-progress seemingly comes to life… but is he too good to be true, in this dramatic and twisty thriller perfect for fans of Ashley Winstead and Kate Alice Marshall, where the truth really is stranger than fiction.

Read this if you like:

*Meet cutes gone wrong (like, really, really wrong).

*Your boyfriends as unreliable as your narrators.

*Bringing him to meet your family, Murder Edition.

Bestselling romance author Ivy Harcourt has been as unlucky in love as she’s been successful in writing—as her sad relationship track attests, there are no good dating options left in New York . . . Until she rescues an escaped dog in the park, and runs into Liam. Charming, British, hot architect Liam. The exact description of the love interest in her next book.

When an instant connection leads to a whirlwind relationship, Ivy is convinced she’s found the dream man. Except he may be too perfect. He may be hiding something.

And Ivy may have secrets of her own..

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9781250372338
PRICE	$29.00 (USD)
PAGES	320

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------------------ My 5 Star review TITLED: Wild !

When I first started reading this book, it became clear that Xander was her ex-boyfriend. And Liam is her new great looking and wonderfully kind new boyfriend.  Then things began to make me feel like I fell through a rabbit hole. Something like Alice in Wonderland.   I was a bit confused at first but I just couldn't let go of this story.   I just had to know what was going on ! As time went on things just kept getting weirder.   

But the depth of this story, and the lies and cruelty that was involved made me gasp.  

The end I never saw coming but the twist was so stunning that I'm glad I read it to the end.   

 I read this story through Netgalley and I'm so glad that I did !

May 29/Bksprt/ STROKES OF TREASON by John Jess

   Bksprout

 Book 6 of A- MAX McCALLUM THRILLER

 

My job was simple: protect Ebony Turner.      She sees hidden lies in brushstrokes like others read a newspaper. She is brilliant, talented, and relentless. 

The painting she found isn’t art; it’s a key to a corruption network of donors, dealers, judges, and cops.

I vowed to keep her safe, but she defied expectations and the system that shaped her.

She trained to move through rooms of power, accept protection, and stay silent. Instead, she refused.

Her defiance has made us both targets; we are being hunted.

We move beneath the city's glamorous façade, where money buries the truth.

This city runs on secrets. At its core is Jeffrey Mercer, a titan of greed. He controls half of New York and aims to bury the truth, and anyone who has seen it.

I made Ebony a promise. I didn’t know the whole city would try to stop me from keeping it.

Mature

302 pages

English

Crime Fiction Psychological Thrillers Thrillers

Hosted by John Jess Team

Note from the Author

I'm sure you'll really enjoy this book. It's an intellectually engaging and satisfying thriller. Happy reading.

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--------------My 5 Star Review:TITLED:  The Games have already begun !

There is quite the mysterious beginning. Right off the bat I wondered who is Marianne Hartwell?   How does she figure in ? What's her game? 

It seemed like there were plenty of shadowy,  questionable other "players" in the game ! From the very beginning the story kept me guessing  

I liked both Max and Ebony.  They were sharp in their own ways and skills.  They were precise and watching for all the angles. Sometimes they got it right and sometimes they didn't.  There is no romance in the story but there is respect and attention to details and each other. But the story had great depth to it. All though, I have to admit that even though I enjoyed the story there were times that I didn't understand some of the details . The details that mainly Ebony was uncovering. But the ending?  Really good. 

 

 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

 I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.