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A Deadly Blessing (LAPD Detective Maddie Devine – 1) by Kathy Bennett

Politics is a dirty business…

When LAPD Detective Maddie Divine is called to a private meeting with the mayor and the governor, her instincts kick into high alert. Young women are disappearing, but why all the political secrecy? And why are the kidnappers targeting girls close to the governor? Maddie throws herself into finding the answers—a good distraction from she and her husband working on their crumbling marriage. But things are about to get worse—in more ways than one.

But death is dirty, too.

When one girl is found dead and no one claims the grisly deed, the clock continues to tick, and Maddie is running out of time. If her suspicions are right, death isn’t the only thing the kidnapped girls have to fear—clues point to the involvement of a notorious sex-trafficker. As the clues are revealed, Maddie and her partner set a trap. But with covert forces working against them, Maddie is ambushed, targeted before she uncovers the truth. Will anyone find her before it’s too late? Or will Maddie become the next victim?

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About the Author

Kathy Bennett is no stranger to murder and mayhem. After twenty-one years as a Los Angeles police officer, this retired cop’s authentic crime experience result in arresting stories.

As a police officer, most of Kathy’s career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, Kathy was assigned as a Senior Lead Officer. Kathy also served as a Firearms Instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the ‘War Room’, a Field Training Officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. She was named Officer of the Quarter twice, and Officer of the Year once.

In 2011, Kathy her debut novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses was released. The e-book climbed the charts becoming a bestseller at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

In 2012, Kathy’s second full-length suspense novel, A Deadly Blessing was released. That book is the first in the series featuring LAPD Detective Maddie Divine. A Deadly Blessing also became a bestseller at Amazon and Barnes and Noble who chose the book as a Best Nook Book for 2012.

Kathy’s third book, A Deadly Justice released in the fall of 2013 and is climbing the charts. She is currently working on her next book.

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My Review

4 stars

Maddie Divine and her husband Travis are having a hard time. Thankfully she is called in to find a missing person to help distract from marital troubles. Governor Preston Truesdale’s daughter, Tiffany suffers from aplastic anemia and they have found only one donor, Heather McCall. It seems that Heather has disappeared. But then Tiffany makes a bad decision and disappears too. And just when Maddie thinks she is getting close she disappears too.

I really enjoyed this story. Maddie and Travis have a mess at home and they need a lot of work. But what better way to deal with it than to drown yourself in a missing person’s case? You know that this case is going to be a mess just by learning that the Governor and the Mayor are dating. Then the missing donor is found dead and it becomes a race to try to find Tiffany then Maddie.

This is a great mystery that had me guessing from the start. I didn’t really know where it was going and when I thought I did the story went off into left field. But the missing girls are not the only thing going on. There is dirty politics and so much more.

This is the start to the LAPD Detective Maddie Devine series. It drew me in and kept me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to read more about Maddie.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Ari at Candid Book Reviews for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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Return to Hiroshima by Bob Van Laerhoven

1995, Japan struggles with a severe economic crisis. Fate brings a number of people together in Hiroshima in a confrontation with dramatic consequences. Xavier Douterloigne, the son of a Belgian diplomat, returns to the city, where he spent his youth, to come to terms with the death of his sister. Inspector Takeda finds a deformed baby lying dead at the foot of the Peace Monument, a reminder of Hiroshima’s war history. A Yakuza-lord, rumored to be the incarnation of the Japanese demon Rokurobei, mercilessly defends his criminal empire against his daughter Mitsuko, whom he considers insane. And the punk author Reizo, obsessed by the ultra-nationalistic ideals of his literary idol Mishima, recoils at nothing to write the novel that will “overturn Japan’s foundations”….

Hiroshima’s indelible war-past simmers in the background of this ultra-noir novel. Clandestine experiments conducted by Japanese Secret Service Unit 731 during WWII become unveiled and leave a sinister stain on the reputation of the imperial family and the Japanese society as a whole.

Amazon US Kindle     Amazon US Paperback     Amazon UK Kindle     Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon CA Kindle     Amazon CA Paperback     Amazon FR Kindle     Amazon FR Paperback

Amazon ES Kindle     Amazon ES Paperback     BN     Goodreads

About the Author

A fulltime Belgian/Flemish author, Laerhoven published more than 35 books in Holland and Belgium. Some of his literary work is published in French, English, German, Slovenian, Italian, Polish, and Russian. Three time finalist of the Hercule Poirot Prize for Best Mystery Novel of the Year with the novels “Djinn”, “The Finger of God,” and “Return to Hiroshima”; Winner of the Hercule Poirot Prize for “Baudelaire’s Revenge,” which also won the USA Best Book Award 2014 in the category “mystery/suspense”.

His collection of short stories “Dangerous Obsessions,” first published by The Anaphora Literary Press in the USA in 2015, was hailed as “best short story collection of 2015” by the San Diego Book Review. The collection is translated in Italian, (Brazilian) Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.  “Retour à Hiroshima”, the French translation of “Return to Hiroshima,” is recently finished. In 2018, The Anaphora Literary Press published “Heart Fever”, a second collection of short stories. Heart Fever, written in English by the author, is a finalist in the Silver Falchion 2018 Award in the category “short stories collections”. Laerhoven is the only non-American finalist of the Awards.

Website (NL/FR/EN)     Website (Russian website for Месть Бодлера, the Russian edition of Baudelaire’s Revenge)

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My Review

5 Stars

This story is about Mitsuko, the daughter of Rokurobei. Rokurobei is considered the reincarnation of a Japanese demon runs the Yakuza. He feels his daughter is insane and has to protect his empire from her. Mitsuko can handle the abuse no longer and leaves and finds herself staying with Reizo, an author that is writing a novel that will change everything.

We also have Xavier Douterloigne that is trying to come to terms with the death of his sister while visiting the country he spent most of his youth in. And Inspector Takada who finds the twisted body of an infant at the Peace Monument and strange assaults on tourists.

This is an amazing story with so much happening. Each player has their role to play and at first it doesn’t seem to connect between each person and the time periods. But the more you read the story starts to circle around and around and mesh everyone together. I admit that I didn’t see how things were connected but the more you read the more you are drawn into the web.

If the people were not enough, we also go through time with Unit 731 and the experiments that were done during World War II. Something that I had an idea of what was done but is over shadowed by the atrocities from the Nazi’s. This plays a huge role along with the dropping of the atomic bombs too.

I am not that big into history normally but I really enjoy a good story that blends history like Return to Hiroshima. It has so many layers from simple family connection and our interactions with people. But then you add in the history, the events that took place, and how it has effected the world them and today which adds another dimension.

I loved this brutal story and recommend everyone check it out. I am really curious to read Bob Van Laerhaven’s other works.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

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I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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