Deadly Ties

She went to jail for the right reason but the wrong murder.

With her mom in a coma, Kyara is determined to discover who is behind the brutal attack. Does her grandmother’s recent release from jail have anything to do with it? The police believe that some meth-addicted youth are responsible but what Kyara uncovers is shocking. Is anyone telling the truth? Even Ryan who she thought might be able to help her is harnessing his own dark secret. Is he truly trying to help her or does he have his own agenda?

The golf course wasn’t built because the sport was gaining in popularity but to hide a deadly secret. Those responsible are determined to keep it buried and those who know anything are being silenced. Kyara finds herself trying to catch an old woman, stay ahead of those trying to kill her and unveil the truth. But can she do it before a town pays the ultimate price?

Deadly Ties (Suspense/Mystery/Thriller)

By Maggie Thom

Quadessence Solutions

ISBN #978-0991727230

Price $2.99 (Kindle)

313 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“A Deep Mystery With Hidden Treachery And Suspense.”

After nearly two decades in prison for a murder she didn’t commit, Getty is now out and wants revenge. She doesn’t pretend her confinement wasn’t deserved. She was just convicted for the wrong murder. And those who framed her were going to pay. With her daughter assaulted and in the hospital, she can only count on her granddaughter, Kyara. And Kyara isn’t sure whom she can trust, as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding the golf course in Jaspertown. There are hidden secrets, and covered up crimes that someone wants buried for good, even if it means more deaths.

I’ve been a fan of this author from her debut suspense novel, and have eagerly followed her writing as each new book was released. She is a masterful storyteller, who weaves an intricate plot with many twists, and even the reader is never sure what is truly going on, and who did it until the story comes to a climatic end. I don’t know if I imagined it, or if the language was more mature in this new novel. But don’t get me wrong the profanity isn’t thick, but rather sprinkled lightly. The suspense does overflow on every page, however, and that makes for good reading. In fact, Maggie Thom is one of the best suspense writers in today’s fiction. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of CARNIVAL OF DEATH

Deceitful Truths

He created a legacy that no one could imagine...

Tarin has lost a week of her life. She doesn't know what happened but not long after she returns to work she is suspended from her job. Confused and pregnant, she quits and agrees to marry Stephen, only to be thrown into a whole new nightmare. Desperate, she grabs her son and moves across the country to get away from her abusive husband and to avoid her unforgiving father. Thrilled at getting the job at Knights Associates, where she'll help them solve cyber crimes but also be able to use their connections and resources to find her own answers. Who stole a week of her life? And will they return to steal the secret she is now protecting?

Graham and his partner Guy, can't keep up with the demand. They are being flooded with requests at Knights Associates, where they offer a combined service of private investigator and that of solving cyber crimes. It appears that someone wants to get their attention as not only have they been hacked but Guy's family business, Caspian Winery, seems to be under attack as well. Hiring an assistant seems to be the answer but when Graham discovers she's been accessing their high-security accounts, he realizes the cause of their predicament might be closer then he thought. Is their new assistant behind the problems they're having? If she's so innocent why does someone want to abduct her?

Tarin and Graham discover that although they don't trust each other, they are forced to work together to solve several seemingly unrelated crimes that may lead to one disastrous conclusion. Can they figure it all out before Tarin's nightmare plays out? An eighty-year-old woman pays with her life? Or before Tarin learns a truth that may seal her fate and be the one secret that will keep her and Graham apart as neither one of them may be able to forgive or forget...

Deceitful Truths (Mystery Thriller)

Caspian Wine Book Series #2

By Maggie Thom

Quadessence Solutions

BOOISY1JS2

Price $4.99

246 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Mystery And Suspense Brings The Story To A Boiling Climax.”

After Tarin Madsen Roth escapes from her abusive husband she applies for employment at Knights Associates, hoping to uncover her own mysterious past. Accessing their high-profile accounts throws suspicion on her, however. Someone is out to destroy Caspian Winery, and they are targeting Knights Associates to stop their investigation. Tarin is suspected of being involved.

Stuck with an abusive husband, and a son born out of a missing week in her life, there are questions in her past that she wants answered. These are all made clear from the beginning. Her mother is also estranged, and her father lies about her mother’s death. Nor does she know her grandfather. So many parts of her life are missing, and someone wants something from her. Is it her son? Why was she abducted, and who is the father of her child? And what has the mystery to do with the Caspian Winery? The first half of the book is a merry-go-round of twist and turns, keeping the reader in suspense. The characters keep the reader involved, and all the players start materializing by the halfway mark. The action picks up even more speed once Tarin becomes connected with Knights Associates, a computer investigative firm run by Guy Turner and Graham.

This second entry in the Caspian Wine Series contains mystery and suspense that brings the story to a boiling climax. But there’s a lot left untold in the series, and I can guarantee there will be more stories set in the Caspian Wine saga. What is Bill’s background? Who is Tarin’s mother? Who is Carol? What else will we learn about LJ? Stay tuned folks, there’s more to come. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

Excerpt:

She was so riveted by his demented plan, she couldn't move. With more force than she'd have expected from someone his age, he grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. She stumbled over her shoes, falling to her knees. When she realized it had pulled him off balance. She dropped flat onto the floor and rolled away from him. Having no idea where he was, only knowing that she was free, she raced to the door. Her fingers scraped over the doorknob as there was a loud bang and something whizzed by her ear. She dropped to the ground.

"Damn you. You'll pay for that. Where's my son?"

Captured Lies

Captured Lies

Book #1 The Caspian Wine Series

   

She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it...

Her life was a lie!

Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At 29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie. Using the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of a family claiming she is theirs.

Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or is he part of the problem? To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.

But can she do it in time...

Captured Lies (Mystery)

By Maggie Thom

ASIN #BOO9RPTFIC

Quadessence Solutions

295 Pages

Price $3.99

Rating 5-Stars

“Thrills And Suspense Keeps The Reader Turning The Pages.”

Bailey Saunders’ world suddenly comes to a jarring stop. The mother she’s known all her 29 years dies, and a stranger shows up telling her she’s not who she thinks she is. If that wasn’t enough, it appears someone is trying to kill her, and the stranger keeps showing up wanting to explain things.  But Bailey has always made her own decisions, and doesn’t trust anyone. She’s determined to find out what’s going on, if it kills her – and it just might, if she doesn’t stop to think things through. But that’s not her style, and we are led on a merry-go-round chase of danger and intrigue as she runs for her life

Maggie Thom keeps the suspense thick and heavy, as we follow Bailey’s plight. It all started 29 years ago, when baby Cassidy LeFevre was kidnapped from the hospital, then disappeared. The baby’s grandmother had seen a newspaper report of a girl bearing the likeness of Cassidy’s mother, and hires Guy Turner of Knights Associates to investigate the girl’s background, in case she’s her missing granddaughter. But someone else thinks that baby Cassidy has surfaced again after 29 years, and wants her dead.

Many secrets start to unfold, and Knights Associates can’t believe how deep they tie into the baby’s family, but could there be a hidden killer in the family closet, or does it involve Bailey’s mother, and how deep? And will Bailey live to see those answers revealed?

As a mystery lover, I couldn’t put the book down. The author captured me with her writing style, and the characters carried me away. Every time Bailey took off alone, I was on the edge of the chair. Didn’t she know someone was hiding in the dark? Would she live to the next chapter? Yes, it’s one of those kinds of stories. The kind of mystery that makes me want to read more.  I’m already looking forward to Maggie Thom’s next thriller. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

Excerpt

Bailey wasn’t sure what had hit her harder—her mom being dead, or her mom having health problems and not sharing that with her.

Straightening, she squared her shoulders. “Just tell me who put out the money to pay for my mom’s funeral. Who organized it? It doesn’t make any sense.” The problem was that her mom had no friends, just Bailey.

Mr. Sommervold pushed up his round wire-rimmed glasses. She’d already noticed that they had a tendency to slide down his nose.

“I’m not leaving without answers.”

The door opened, his assistant, a stunning auburn-haired woman, poked her head in. “Mr. Sommervold, the Greenings are here. They have a few things they’d like to discuss with you before the funeral this afternoon.”

Solemn-faced, he nodded then turned to face Bailey. “I don’t know who paid for it. Mr. Lund sent me a letter requesting all that she wanted for a funeral. He also provided a second letter.” He opened the folder in front of him, pulled out an envelope, closed the file and dropped it into the bottom drawer of his desk. After a short hesitation, he slid the envelope across to Bailey.

She stared at him for a full minute before reaching out and picking it up. Her name was scrawled across it in her mother’s handwriting. She pressed it between her palms.

“I’m sure this will answer some of your questions. For any others you have, you’ll need to talk to Mr. Lund. Here’s his business card.”

Bailey stared at the envelope. Would it give her the answers she needed?

“Now if you’ll excuse me. I have other clients I need to see.”

She jerked up her head. Mr. Sommervold was standing in the open doorway, obviously waiting for her to leave. A bit dazed, she stood and walked past him to the main foyer, where she stopped.

Everything seemed surreal. Even the rich, immaculate oak entranceway was too perfect, too daunting. Soft hymn music drifted through the building. Quiet voices, whispered, reverent tones heard only at solemn times, drifted to her. They made everything more unreal.

She felt like a character in dream. A bad one. An unexpected shiver shook her out of her reverie.

Tainted Waters

Tainted Waters

He didn’t commit suicide but who’s going to believe her...

Frustrated at being fired from her latest job and overwhelmed by her consolatory family, Sam decides to move to the family’s cabin at the lake. A place she hasn’t been since her dad committed suicide there, twenty years before. Or did he? Snooping is something she’s good at but someone seems to be taking offense to her looking too closely at what has been happening at the lake. What she discovers is shocking. Now she must uncover what’s real and what’s not. All that she learned growing up, may be false.

Keegan, who has recently moved to the area to finish his latest book, is also trying to find out if his grandfather, who’d passed away ten years before, died of natural causes or was murdered? The descendants of the four families, who own the land around the lagoon, are dying off.

Since Sam and Keegan are the only ones questioning the deaths, they find themselves working together to seek the truth. Are people being murdered? Who would benefit from their deaths? Why would there be barricades and armed guards at the north end of the lake? To stay alive, Sam and Keegan must find the answers and convince others, before more people are killed... including them.

Tainted Waters (Mystery/Thriller)

By Maggie Thom

Quadessence Solutions

ASIN #BOOCJGTSME

$3.83

203 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“A Thriller With A Bang.”

Samantha Overton, a reporter for the Tennison Post, finds out that someone doesn’t want her writing about GOOM Lake. The lake is located in a peaceful valley, and named after the original owners’ initials, but most families, Sam’s included, have long since moved away. However, cabins still remain, and Sam sometimes takes her handicapped niece there to swim and play. Mystery surrounds the lake, and people have died there under suspicious circumstances, but the verdicts tend to be suicide or heart attack.  Sam’s father disappeared twenty years previously, and she was told he committed suicide, but now she’s starting to remember things, and suspects he may have been murdered. After she’s fired from the newspaper someone wants her dead, then Sam stumbles upon a stranger at the lake, who keeps bumping into her in mysterious circumstances. She doesn’t know whom to trust, and has a tendency to look for clues on her own.

For a thriller, it was often a humorous romp with Sam plunging into her own trouble. One minute you want to cackle out laughing, and the next yell for her to run for her life. It was literally a thrill a minute as she takes chances without thinking them through first. There is a lot going on at the lake, and the police don’t seem to be interested, but killers seem to be everywhere, and there is a portion blocked off with no trespassing signs. Well, if the authorities won’t take a look, maybe Sam should. What she finds is so dangerous many have already been killed for its secrets.

The author weaves a twisting plot that leaves the reader breathless, and we’re left wondering who is behind the shenanigans at the lake. In fact, I had picked the wrong person behind the plot. I figured it’s either him or a complete unknown who has not been introduced to the story. Then I’m shocked to find the killer has always been around, I just didn’t notice. Maggie Thom fooled me completely. The novel is a real treat, and highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

Excerpt

            “Don’t do it. Please don’t do it,” she begged him.

            “I have to. Do you really think I like this anymore than you do? I hate it but I want her to have a life. A good life. I want her to live.” He punched the wall grunting in pain. Cradling his hand, he turned to face her.

            “But we don’t know for sure that she needs this. Just wait.” She could barely contain the soft sobs.

            “Wait until what? The Doctor says oops we can put her on a waiting list but it could be years. You can check your family but oh yeah, we really can’t. We don’t have any options. I know it’s not the conventional route–”

            She snorted. “Oh, my god. Please tell me you know how dangerous this is?”

            He reached for her hand, squeezing it. “I do. I know... it’s not safe. But I have to do this. I love her as much as you do. She’s mine in every way that counts. If we follow the rules, we may lose her. You know that she’ll be put way down on the list for a transplant. If they’ll even put her on it. She’s not considered a good candidate. She’s disabled so why would they even care.”

            “It’s not fair.”

             “I know. I have to do what I think is right. I don’t want to lose her.”

            Sobbing, she turned and ran from the room, her body convulsing with the depth of her pain. He hated that he had to hurt her but it just strengthened his resolve that if he didn’t do something soon, it might be too late. Picking up his cell, he checked for the number he’d recorded in his contacts. The reality of what he was doing was overwhelming. It took him a minute to calm his nerves before he could hit call. The phone rang four times before he was given a voice mail message.

            “Leave your name and number. I’ll call you.”

            Even though it was one of those recorded standard phone company recordings, a chill descended through his body sending out tentacles that wrapped themselves so deep, they felt like they’d settled into the marrow of his bones. Knowing he was dealing with the black market which meant some unsavory people, he hesitated only a second before leaving the required information. Clicking off his cell, he went to set it down, only to find his hands were shaking so bad that it slipped out of his fingers, clanking onto the counter. His first thought was that he’d destroyed it and would never have to use it again. It wasn’t his everyday phone it was one that was pay as you go. He’d bought it specifically for this purpose. Maybe he’d watched too much TV but the less information that he had to give them, the more he felt in control. Tentatively picking it up, he flipped it open. The screen lit up immediately. It still worked.

            “You’re in this now,” he whispered softly.