STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL(Benoit and Dayne Mystery) by Winter Austin

STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL (Benoit and Dayne Mystery 3) by Winter Austin -a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 26, 2023

Déjà vu brings a chill in the case that will make or break more than just her career.

Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit’s worst nightmare returns when her deputies discover a young woman killed in the same circumstances as a death from 25 years earlier. That previous victim was Elizabeth’s best friend and Deputy Kyle Lundquist’s older sister. Elizabeth has spent a quarter of a century trying to nail the crooked ex-sheriff she knows is involved up to his elbows in this unresolved crime. She has a thick file of clues, but it’s going to take irrefutable proof to put both cases to bed.

Deputy Detective Lila Dayne draws on all her investigative skills, but still she can’t pin down their main suspect. Then prominent members of the community begin to disappear—clearly, there’s a bigger vendetta at play. Despite the legal consequences of being too close to the case, Elizabeth can’t keep away now.

When Elizabeth’s sister goes missing, it’s a no-holds-barred race against time in the showdown that’s been brewing in Eckardt County for decades.

•••••

REVIEW: STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL is the third instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DAYNE murder, suspense thriller series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer turned deputy Lila Dayne. STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from third person perspectives (Lila and Elizabeth) STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL focuses on the twenty-five year old, Eckardt County unsolved murder of Deputy Kyle Lundquist’s sister and Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit’s best friend Brendette Lundquist. With the approach of Halloween and the anniversary of the death, Deputy Detective Lila Dayne, Kyle’s co-worker and girlfriend, makes it her mission to uncover the truth. While Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit is in recovery from a recent appendectomy, Lila, without permission, opens up the cold case files but a ghost from the past pulls Lila into a current and familiar murder scene eerily reminiscent of what happened years before. Three girls: one dead, one missing, and another fearing for her life refuse to tell what happened or why until Sheriff Benoit is pulled into the investigation with more murder suspects, secrets and lies than the Sheriff’s office is capable of handling. As the body count grows, a strange cult-like aura emerges but are the clues pointing to a cult, or something more sinister involving one of their own. Battling in her recovery, Sheriff Ellie Benoit, along with her boyfriend Deputy Rafe Fontaine struggle with the direction of the investigation, a direction with many familiar faces that hits too close to home.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters, many of whom we have met the previous story lines including: Elizabeth’s sister Marnie; Deputy Kyle Lundquist; Deputy Rafe Fontaine; Deputy Ben Fitzgerald, Deputy Brent Meyer, Deputy Corey Young; ME Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe and her husband Dr. Dominic Thorpe, dispatcher Georgia Schmidt, and former Eckardt County Sheriff Kelley Sheehan; Elizabeth’s childhood friend Seraphina Russell and her mother Caroline; the local riff-raff, victims, and survivors. The requisite evil has many faces.

STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL is another detailed, complex and fascinating journey into murder and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, mystery and obsession. The premise is dramatic,intriguing, and intense; the characters are numerous, determined, and charismatic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Killer in Me
Hush, My Darling

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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A lifelong Mid-West gal, Winter rediscovered her love of her beloved Iowa with its hot summers and snowy winters. She grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around the table or a campfire. Since becoming a published author, she learned a mindset of a glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller author. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic thrillers. Combining her love of all things rural, agricultural, and military, she’s turned her small town life upside down.

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Hush, My Darling by Winter Austin-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Hush, My Darling (Benoit and Dayne Mystery 2) by Winter Austin-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 27, 2022

Sometimes, the past starts to bleed into the future…

Dark memories haunt Eckardt County Deputy Lila Dayne. Two years ago, she survived a serial killer’s attempt to add her to his growing list of victims in Chicagoland, but the fight cost her more than just time lost to surgeries and rehab. Now she’s finally beginning to connect with the people in this small section of southeast Iowa, even if she can still sense him watching her.

Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit has her sights on bringing down Eckardt County’s corruption when two bodies surface, both bearing striking similarities to the serial killer victims discovered along I-80—and one delivers a personal message for her department. Lila spirals out of control under the pressure, pushing everyone out of her life.

As Elizabeth and her deputies try to bring Lila back into the fold, the killer closes in, marking his next victim. Lila must shake free of her fears and trust those who have supported her—or the killer will finish what he started.

•••••••

REVIEW:HUSH, MY DARLING is the second instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DAYNE murder, suspense thriller series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer turned deputy Lila Dayne. HUSH, MY DARLING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from third person perspectives (Lila and Elizabeth) HUSH, MY DARLING follows in the wake of a possible serial killer in Eckardt County. Former Chicago police officer Lila Dayne is the newest recruit/hiree on the Eckardt County police force but Lila’s past is a mystery to Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit, a mystery that is about to upend the town, sending Lila into a spiral from which she may never return. With half the town submerged under water in the wake of a seasonal storm, an unsolved serial case and a badly decomposed body has followed Lila Dayne to Eckardt County, and with it, a message that the killer has come to finish the job. As the only known surviving victim of the I-80 killer, Lila knew it was only a matter of time before her past comes full circle, and threatens the people with whom she works, loves and plays.

The large ensemble cast is spirited, dynamic and impassioned. Most of the previous story line characters return including Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit, Deputy Lila Dayne, Deputy Rafe Fontaine, Deputy Ben Fitzgerald, Deputy Brent Meyer, and Deputy Kyle Lundquist; ME Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe and her husband Dr. Dominic Thorpe, dispatcher Georgia Schmidt, and former Eckardt County Sheriff Kelley Sheehan. We are introduced to former CPD detective Cecil Waterford, and Agent Tate McCall with the Illinois State Police. The relationship between the Drs Thorpe is turning messy and concerning.

HUSH, MY DARLING is an intriguing, haunting and gritty story of power and vengeance, murder and mayhem, obsession and control.The premise is tragic and edgy; the characters are broken, intense and determined.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE KILLER IN ME

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Danger in Rural Iowa

Did you know that in the state of Iowa, we have one of the most disturbing and long running cold case? The Villisca Ax Murders happened in June of 1912. An unknown assailant entered the home and using the owner’s ax, slaughtered the whole family and two others, then disappeared into the night. To this day it remains a mystery of who did it. As a little added fun, the house is apparently haunted. The current owner rents it out per night for those willing to deal with the paranormal.

That’s not to say, there aren’t more cold cases and murders in our Hawkeye state, we’re not immune to violence in all forms. Yes, Iowa’s bigger cities and towns typically carry the brunt of the statistics for violence one would associate with places with large populations, such as gang violence, homicides, riots, and assaults. But what some people don’t expect is that same kind of danger to occur in rural towns. Yet, it happens. Even in the far-flung corners of the state, and I live in one of those corners. When it involves humans, one can’t get far from the evil that lurks beneath.

Setting my latest series in a rural area, and then writing about the dangers that can come knocking has been fun, and an eye-opener for me. Why? Because I took that old adage “write what you know” to heart and did it. I know rural life and all its little nuances. I know of the dangers that lurk in the shadows and come to head when tragedy strikes. This is what gives my stories depth and layers. A real feast for the senses. And a reality check, because leaving your doors unlocked when you live in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles of crop fields isn’t always a good thing.

Programs like Murder in the Heartland on the ID network and other shows dealing with small town deaths are fairly popular with the true crime crowd—I being one of those crime junkies. Shows and podcasts such as those are good idea gleaners for me. Man, I cut my teeth on watching shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Murder, She Wrote, guess it was only a matter of time before I was pulled into writing in the mystery/crime fiction genre.

So, what’s the claim to fame murder/cold case from your state? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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A lifelong Mid-West gal, Winter rediscovered her love of her beloved Iowa with its hot summers and snowy winters. She grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around the table or a campfire. Since becoming a published author, she learned a mindset of a glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller author. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic thrillers. Combining her love of all things rural, agricultural, and military, she’s turned her small town life upside down.

Winter Austin is graciously offering a paper copy  (USA only) of HUSH, MY DARLING or ebook copy (International) to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

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9. Giveaway open to USA only (paper) or international (ebook)

10. Giveaway runs from February 7-11, 2022)

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The Killer in Me by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

The Killer in Me (Benoit and Dayne Mystery 1) by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 14, 2021.

What price is too great to stop a killing spree?

Elizabeth Benoit ran for sheriff to wipe out the corruption in the good old boys network of Eckardt County, but she has yet to break in her shoes when a stranger’s body is found in a ravine. With her ex back in town, a new deputy detective on the edge of losing control, and a crooked ex-sheriff out for revenge, Elizabeth’s resources are stretched thin. And then the second body drops.

Fearing a serial killer on the loose, Elizabeth launches an investigation that lays bare more than one family secret: The Kauffmann matriarch is full of advice, but her progeny have a mean streak that leaves a path of destruction in their wake. The Meyer patriarch has his own agenda, and the Kauffmanns have been a thorn in his ambition for too long.

Elizabeth and her deputies are about to face off against odds that are not in their favor. Only one source can tip the scales, but will she sell her soul for his help?

••••••

REVIEW: THE KILLER IN ME is the first instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DAYNE MYSTERY murder, suspense series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer Lila Dayne.

Told from third person perspective THE KILLER IN ME focuses on a series of murders in the small town of Eckardt County, murders in the wake of the ousting of a corrupt police department. Elizabeth Benoit’s return to Eckardt County comes with the new position of sheriff, a position in which she is hoping to dismantle years of corruption at the hands of the former people in charge but when several bodies begin surfacing in and around Elizabeth’s jurisdiction, Elizabeth needs all hands on deck in an effort to take down a potential serial killer, taking aim at the people she has sworn to protect.

Meanwhile, former Chicago PD police officer Lila Dayne, arrives in town just in time to jump head first into the first of four murder investigations but informing the families pushes Lila over the edge, bringing with it memories she won’t soon forget. Struggling to move on from a past without any closure, hoping for a much slower pace than her previous assignment, Lila’s ongoing pain and physical reminders, are too often at the forefront on her current investigation.

THE KILLER IN ME introduces the players in Winter Austin’s Benoit and Dayne Mystery series: Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit, Deputy Lila Dayne, Deputy Rafe Fontaine, Deputy Ben Fitzgerald, Deputy Brent Meyer, and Deputy Kyle Lundquist, as well as Elizabeth’s ex-husband, Delta force specialist Joel Fontaine, ME Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe, and former Eckardt County Sheriff Kelley Sheehan. The requisite evil has many faces.

Winter Austin pulls the reader into a complex story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, murder, mayhem, greed and extreme dysfunctional family dynamics. The premise is intriguing, haunting, twisted and tragic; the characters are impassioned and determined. We learn some of the history between Elizabeth, her ex-husband Joel, and his brother Rafe, as well as a little bit about the past events that forced Lila from Chicago to Eckardt County, a past that is likely to follow Lila wherever she goes.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:  Hi Winter and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

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Winter:  I’m a long time Midwestern gal with a penchant for the macabre. Always nose-deep in a mystery/suspense or a comic book when I was growing up. I was that girl classmates looked at cross-eyed because I was weird for my small rural town upbringing. If I wasn’t reading, I was writing or dreaming of writing. I have a thing for action movies, especially if the heroine is the kick-butt one holding her own and saving the dude’s life.

 Today, I’ve raised 4 weirdos just like me, and been married over twenty years to a veteran who is now teaching. And my writing has gone from romantic suspense to full on mystery/suspense with female leads.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Winter: The deciding factor in my decision to become an author came about in the fourth grade when I earned a spot to go to a young writer’s conference with a story, that ironically, was a mystery. I was horse crazy kid who found and fell in love with Walter Farley’s THE BLACK STALLION, and upon learning that he’d written that book while in college and became an author at an early age cemented it for me. Fast forward to high school, I returned to that same young writer’s conference, and on the suggestion of an English teacher, I began to pursue that dream. It wasn’t until my twin sons were born and with nothing better to do, I began writing—a mystery. (See a theme here?)

 Over time, lots of self-learning, years of dogged determination, and few writer’s conferences more I made it. I’ve had people tell me, without having ever read a word I wrote, that I couldn’t be a writer/author because it wasn’t a legit job and I wouldn’t earn a living at it. I wasn’t out for the $$, I did it because if I didn’t it would consume me. It was also a great learning tool for my kids, as they watched me struggle through and finally succeed. It taught them to never give up, and never let anyone tell you who or what you could be.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Winter: Publishing the book was never an issue. When Tule’s editorial team saw the tidbits I had, they wanted it and the series.

Writing the story, however, was a challenge, because I hadn’t done a lot of developing on the story line and the characters, which is something I need in order to write, and that takes time. Sometimes a story needs to stew in my head for a bit before I get all the pieces together. Also, I had just decided to get my long overdue college degree right before I signed with Tule, and that meant juggling college courses along with a day job and family obligations. Then Covid hit. But that gave me more time at home to write when I wasn’t working. Eventually the book came together and here it is today.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: The premise of THE KILLER IN ME is about family dynamics, long-standing feuds, and the lines one is willing to cross. It’s the dark, dirty secrets of a rural small town come to life.

TRC:What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is my tenth novel that dealt with police procedure. Most of my research was done long before, but I still consult with law enforcement and forensics personnel all the time as I write. The plot, however, took me way longer than any book has before. Tule contracted the series based on a few pages and an idea of how the series might go. I usually have the ending and the antagonist in mind before I start writing, I had none of that. As I wrote it things began to fall into place for me and eventually, I figured out what I needed. Though there were a few hours lost when I was trying to find out if an ME could figure out if and how long a body had been cold, not frozen, just cold, and how it would mess with the timeline of death.

TRC: Is any of the premise based in reality or fact?

Winter: To be frank, yes it’s both in fact. You see a lot of ID network shows on small town murders and it always stems back to 3 things; Money, Love, and Hate/Envy. I chuckle every time I see some comment online about that isn’t how small towns are, most of this coming from people who have lived in cities all their lives and believe that romance novels and other venues depict how small-town life is like.

Misogynistic/Patriarchal behavior, the likes of which Elizabeth and Lila must deal with in the book, are still on full display even today. And family feuds that date back decades can be found. Murder happens. And so does corruption. We might not be in the deep south or the mountains of the east, but we have our own crime escapades here in the Midwest.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? Will Elizabeth Benoit be the lead heroine in each of the stories?

Winter: Right now, I’m trying to finish book 2 and book 3 is contracted. I don’t know how many books this series will go, I hope a lot, but that depends all on the readers. ?

Elizabeth and Lila Dayne are the main female leads, and they will be leads in all of the books. Book 2 has a surprise new lead, female as well, but I don’t want to give it away who it is.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories of mystery and suspense. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

Winter: I try to keep it as real as I can. But I also take fictional licence where I want, because I can. Reading is an escape, and just like watching a movie, I want the reader to suspend disbelief and just flow with it. I read a lot in the genres I write in, but I’m really into action thrillers where the lead characters do things that feel and seem impossible, but it works because of who that character is. Oddly enough, that old line, “truth is stranger than fiction” is true. Weird things can happen in real life, but if you were to write it in a book no one would believe you. So, take licence where you can and have fun with it. If I get too bogged down in the minute details of making it all factual, I lose the love of writing what I’m writing. I’m not doing this to teach someone something, leave that for the textbooks. Enjoy! Have fun! And pretend that just for once, a woman can be more than what the world has told her to be.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Winter: Personally, for me, I love a good cover, especially for my own books. But in the end does it drive me toward a book? No. Let the meat of the story be your deciding factor. Does the back cover blurb convey exactly what I want to read? That’s where I think a lot of readers go.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Winter: It’s all character. All. The. Time. If I step in and control the story it blows up and dies. Which is exactly what has happened to me in the middle of writing book 2. I got in the way and now I’m having to unravel the mess I made. As much as I love to say my books are mystery and suspense driven, the reality is everything I write is all character driven. They dictate what I do with them.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavour?

Winter: This is where Voice comes into play. If a writer hasn’t finetuned this part of their writing process it will make the characters fall flat and the reader won’t find a way to connect with them. As a writer, you need to draw on your own life experiences, what were you feeling at this moment, have you ever been in a situation that you’re putting your characters and how did you feel at that moment.

When I’m writing, if I don’t feel the character’s emotions, then I know the reader won’t. Writing action scenes or fight scenes I’m practically buzzing along with the character as they are in a tense situation. I’ve bawled my eyes out during certain scenes in past books and I later learned so did my readers.

As my editor always says, when she gets a draft from me, or opens a Winter Austin book, she expects to be swept right into a Winter Austin experience.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Winter: Most of the time I do, and it really depends on what’s going on in that particular scene. I have an eclectic taste in music ranging from instrumental soundtracks from TV shows and movies right up to heavy metal. But there are times I just need silence, those are rare, but they happen.

While writing THE KILLER IN ME I listened to tracts by Tommee Proffit and The Sweeplings. During the editing process I was listening to the soundtracks from Yellowstone seasons 1-3. This is a trend for me, music with singing okay while writing. Instrumental music only during editing. YouTube Music has become my best friend.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Winter: That writing is easy. That we just sit around and the words flow right onto the page. We have all the time in the world to just daydream and write. I wish!

Writing is not easy, it’s ugly and stressful. And there are times when you put your heart and soul, blood and tears, life and death into those books, then the check comes, and you just die. Or worse, you find out people are stealing your work in some fashion or another and you just want to scream.

We are not just authors, as in my case, I’m my own agent, publicist, promoter, financer, and secretary. When I’m not working my day job or tending to family obligations, and I’m not writing, I’m promoting that next book. I’m lining up reviews. Working with the publishing team to get places. Then reaching out to potential new readers and enticing them with my books. And somehow in all of that, I need to read my writing partner’s books, and other authors’ books to keep my imagination fuelled.

This is a job. And it needs to be treated as such.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Winter: More people are beginning to see it. I play on this card a lot because it drives interest toward my books. My daughter shows cattle. We have long been a 4-H/FFA family and her career is falling into showing and raising cattle. She works on the family farm and is building up a small herd of her own.

We travel all over the state of Iowa to show—as a unit, she, me, and my husband—and soon we’ll be traveling out of state to show. The end goal for her is to show at the Grandaddy of them All in Denver, the National Western Stock Show.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Winter: I’m writing book 2 for this series, called Hush, My Darling. And working on edits for a second book in another series for another house that is a military romantic thriller.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is available now at all retailers for purchase. You can hang out with me at many of the social media platforms.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pesto, I would eat this on everything if I could.

Favorite Dessert: Peanut Butter Thumbprint cookies—you will be stabbed if you steal one from me.

Favorite TV Show: Yellowstone & Blue Bloods

Last Movie You Saw: Black Widow & Gunpowder Milkshake

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark all the way, baby.

Secret Celebrity Crush: Phillip Winchester & Sullivan Stapleton—have to pair them up. ?

Last Vacation Destination: My last official vacation for myself that didn’t include a trip to the Iowa State Fair was Boulder and Denver, CO with my bestie and writing partner.

Do you have any pets? Oh, yes. 2 dogs, 1 inside kitty and a handful of farm cats. Chickens—but they’re not really pets just livestock. And rabbits.

Last book you read: The Lost Ones, by Ace Atkins

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME. We wish you all the best.

 

 

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Sins of the Father / Liar, Liar (McIntire County 3 & 4) by Winter Austin-Reviews and Excerpts

Sins of the Father / Liar, Liar (McIntire County #3 & 4) by Winter Austin-Reviews and Excerpts

McIntire County 3 & 4

5 out of 5 for this reader folks .. for both books!

This is a double review for the next two books in Winter Austin’s “McIntire County” series. As expected by the experience I had with the first two books, I was very pleased that once again another slam dunk was written. You will find a contemporary story line with serious suspense, intrigue, romance, incredible detail and mystery. So yup, just about everything but the kitchen sink. I was completely captivated from the beginning, and that carried throughout the entire story. Very addicted read.

Let’s move on to the reviews!:)

Liar, LiarLIAR, LIAR
McIntire County #4
by Winter Austin
Release Date: October 30, 2017
Genre:adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 30, 2017

A cowboy sheriff and a by-the-book FBI agent team up to to solve a string of murders and arson in this satisfying, slow-burning McIntire County series finale.

Returning to Eider, Iowa, wasn’t in FBI agent Liza Bartholomew’s game plan, but when word reaches her that an elusive scam artist she’s been tracking for years was spotted there, she heads south. Vengeance for his victims and her career are on the line, and she won’t rest until justice is served.

However, Eider’s sheriff makes for one big roadblock. Between the fallout over his recent close re-election, two gruesome homicides, a rash of arsons, and personal grief weighing on his soul, the last thing Shane Hamilton has time for is a determined FBI agent in his county.

But when it becomes evident that the crime wave and her case are intertwined, Shane makes a bold move that flies in the face of his longstanding vow: He gets close to Liza to share professional and personal secrets.

As the body count mounts, Liza and Shane find themselves and everyone they love in the immediate crosshairs. What will they sacrifice to stop the cold-blooded killer in time?

••••••••••

REVIEW:Liza Bartholomew is our main lady character of this book and she was absolutely incredible. She is a federal agent, determined to solve a case, beautiful and not quite emotionally available. She has returned to town to close a chapter of her life and start a new one that focuses on her family. This case however keeps digging its claws into Liza and pulling her deep into an abyss she is not sure she can come back from.

Shane Hamilton has had enough of you know what hitting the fan with regards to his town. So much has happened over the past few years and Shane is the not so lucky sheriff to have to investigate and relive all these crimes. He also has a heavy heart and is trying to heal from a loss when that troublemaker of an FBI agent decides to cross his path. There is no doubting the attraction he feels towards her, but truth be told, he just wants to give her the best helping hand possible and move on. Working such hard crimes together, it is not long before Liza and Shane start to realize that they are each others rock and soon to be lover. So much danger surrounds them however, and so much is complicated, it is doubtful they can come out of it undamaged .. let alone in love.

So not giving away much of the story beyond that, but I will tell you if you like a good mystery and a serious side of romance then this is a great series for you. Many twists and turns, heart pounding moments, lust, angst, love and undiscovered truths will be experienced here. I strongly recommend that you read ALL the books in order as many characters return and we get glimpses of their pasts and why they are the way they are. Winter does do a great job however, of making sure a synopsis is given in each novel of the the story previously laid out .. so I suppose you could read it as a stand alone … but NAH! LOL

Fantastic series Winter Austin and I eagerly anticipate your next one.

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Atonement
Born to Die
Sins of the Father
Liar Liar

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Rachel T.

Excerpt beige

Sober Saturday night number 836.
Sixteen years dry.
Enough time to move on, to forget what happened that night sixteen years ago. Yet the anniversary would roll around and he couldn’t stop the binge. Sipping on those memories, downing them one after another, drowning in them until he was drunk. Letting her take him to a dark place in his soul he could never purge. By dawn’s light, he was left wasted and broken, a shell of a man, lying on the floor. Another piece of his soul lost, buried with her in that cold, dark hole.
Shane Hamilton had lived in this hell for so long, it became a ritual. Every April he prepared for it, taking off the day of and the day after. Even during those bleak six years where he was dodging bullets and bombs, he was swirling in a black abyss. This year, the anniversary fell on Saturday.
Hands braced on the tile walls, he watched the water snake along his body and pool at his bare feet. No matter what effort he put in to cleansing his body, or mind and soul, the water never baptized him from his sins.
Twinkling under the harsh electric light, the slim, gold circle danced and twirled at the end of the silver chain. She had danced and twirled under the smoky haze of neon lights, laughing and flirting, making promises that were to never come true.
Shane gripped the diamond ring, ceasing its merry spin, and flattened it to his chest. The emergency room doctor had removed it from her finger and given it to Shane, pity gleaming in the man’s eyes. The doctor’s fingers were heavy as they pressed the ring into his palm; the memory of the band’s slick feel from the blood was branded into his palm. From then on, the ring dangled from a chain around his neck, settling in a place near his heart. A reminder of what he lost in a moment of stupidity.
The jangle of his phone drifted into the bathroom. In the last half hour, he’d heard it go off five times. Lifting his face to the spray of the shower, he commenced with continuing to ignore the persistent caller.
A thrumming ache wove through his muscles and seeped into his bones. Too many years on the rodeo circuit riding some of the rankest broncs and his multiple tours in the Sandbox had left behind a different kind of pain he easily remedied with a few aspirin. Though it was getting difficult to ease the hurt, especially after a night spent on a hardwood floor. Shane turned fifty next month, but felt all of seventy.
Finishing his poor man’s shower, he shut off the faucet and then stepped out of the stall. Once more the old-fashioned telephone ring of his cell phone reached him. Toweling off, he turned his back to the open door.
Sunday morning rays peeked through the gaping brown, plaid curtains. Before passing away, his mother had decorated her little haven with homey touches only a cowboy like himself would enjoy. She had done it because she missed her husband—who passed two years before she did—and for Shane, who was to inherit the family farm. His mother must have believed in her heart that he’d leave this world as a bachelor, never daring to step into that minefield of love again. In reverence to his saintly mother, Shane hadn’t changed a thing.
He wrapped the towel around his waist, and then staggered into his bedroom to dress.
Avoiding the bed with its twisted sheets, he pulled on a pair of jeans and skipped his duty shirt. Today was a dark blue, plaid shirt kind of day. Finger combing his tightly coiled hair, he stepped into his boots and carefully picked a path down the hall. Each step sent flares of pain up his spine. It might be time to consider taking up Doc Drummond on his offer to make an appointment with an arthritis specialist in Iowa City.
Shane removed the half-full coffee pot from the warmer and slowly poured a cup. Lifting the stout mug to his lips, he inhaled the aroma of dark roast and then sipped the strong brew. During his travels all over the world, Shane had fallen in love with Community coffee in Louisiana. He sniffed, reality punching him in the gut. Louisiana had been his little trick rider’s home state; Community had been her favorite coffee. And what she’d loved, he loved, too.
Today was going to be rough. He had to find a way to get past this.
Rummaging through the cabinets, he upended a box of Pop-Tarts and snatched a package. Tearing into the foil with his teeth, he grunted as he bit through both pastries. Almost fifty and still eating like a kid. If she could see him now, she’d probably laugh.
His phone went off like a banshee. Damn it to hell and back! He made a crooked path to the table where the infernal machine continued to squeal. Seven missed calls and eighteen text messages glared at him.
“Shit.” He stabbed a blunt finger at the speakerphone icon. “Murdoch, this better be damn important to interrupt me on my sabbatical.”
“How damn important is it to you that there’s a body in the river, boss?”


 

 

___________________

Sins of the FatherSINS OF THE FATHER
McIntire County #3
by Winter Austin
Release Date: December 2016
Genre:adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 2016

Newly pinned deputy Jolie Murdoch’s first big job as a McIntire County deputy is to locate a missing girl. What Jolie doesn’t expect is to stumble upon a corpse–the girl’s father–with a prime suspect still hanging around. But why would local bartender Xavier Hartmann go off the deep end and bludgeon a man to death?

A former marine, Xavier is barely coping with a traumatic brain injury, and he has no memory of what happened at the crime scene. He came to Eider to confront his past, not get embroiled in a murder as the number one suspect. To make matters worse, as the mystery deepens, Xavier finds himself drawn to the reluctant deputy.

As Jolie fights against mounting pressure to get to the truth, she realizes there’s more to Xavier than meets the eye. But someone is lingering on the fringes, determined to put a stop to her investigation and Xavier’s freedom. Will Jolie do her sworn duty or buck the status quo to give her and Xavier’s newfound passion a chance?

••••••••••

REVIEW: Jolie Murdoch is our leading lady. She has just become a deputy and is eager to start the job on the right foot. She is green enough to follow the rules set out for her, but not to the detriment of an innocent man. She is smart, a little timid and completely dedicated to solving a case of missing girl. She has great gut instinct. When it starts to tell her something is wrong here, and the man suspected of a gruesome crime is actually innocent, she faces many road blocks in her quest to prove his innocence. One of the biggest roadblocks is the man suspected of these crimes … Xavier.

Xavier Hartmann is one hot mess. He is a former marine, reclusive, eager to right a wrong despite his severe memory loss, strong and very handsome. He is also guarding a serious secret. One he cannot jeopardize no matter what happens. Attraction is strong between Jolie and Xavier as is their difficulty to trust. So much is against these two it’s a wonder if they would make it at all.

 

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Rachel T

 

Excerpt

What had happened? Why was Xavier covered in blood and looming over a dead man? Why was Clint Kruger dead? Where was Clint’s daughter, Sarah? And was that a prosthetic in Xavier’s lap?
The unholy smell of decay hanging in the hot June air, making Jolie want to hurl her lunch, wasn’t helping her predicament.
Wait! He was missing a limb? Her stomach twisted in knots, sending a sour taste into her mouth. Oh, this was so wrong, on so many levels.
“Deputy, this … ” His raised, tattooed arms flopped down. “This looks exactly like you think it does.”
“What in God’s name happened?” she demanded.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Clint Kruger is dead.”
“That’s who this is?” Xavier groaned, shaking his head back and forth, muttering, “No, no, no, no.”
Eyelids fluttering in rapid succession, and like a fish, her mouth open and closed. Had he seriously …? How could he not know who Clint Kruger was? Wasn’t Xavier one of many who knew that Sarah was missing and possibly with her estranged father? The news had been all over town for the last twenty-four hours, pictures of the two strung everywhere Sarah’s mother could post them.
“Xavier … ” Jolie approached him cautiously, that nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to draw her weapon, but she ushered the thought away. “If it was self-defense, I’ll understand, but how do you not know what happened?”
Tortured green-gray eyes stared back at her. “I can’t explain it.” The accent he’d done so well hiding leached into his voice in that statement.
She broke out in a sweat. Whoa, baby, she was in it deep. What was she going to do? This was like Ian all over again. She couldn’t screw this up, not like last time. She was a full-fledged deputy now; all eyes were on her, expecting her to botch another case, smearing the good name of Murdoch through the proverbial crap even more than Ian had.
Her radio squawked. “Murdoch, status?” It was Jennings, the currently acting dispatcher.
Xavier’s gaze bore into her as they stared at each other. Could she claim he was a killer, when, in fact, she hadn’t seen him actually kill Clint Kruger? But the evidence before her was damning, and the blood that splattered Xavier’s clothing certainly made him look suspicious.
Don’t do something stupid, Jolie.
“Murdoch, report.”
What should she do?
Sighing, Xavier positioned the prosthetic under his stump and put it on. “You do what you have to do, Deputy,” he said. Then, with an ease that surprised her, he hauled himself upright.
“You could leave. I could pretend I never saw you.” And that right there was how you screwed it all up.


 

About The author

Facebook / Website /Twitter / Goodreads

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope.” Living in the middle of Nowheresville, Iowa, with her husband, four teenagers, and two crazy dogs, Winter is trying to juggle a job while writing deadly romantic thrillers.

 

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Atonement / Born To Die (McIntire County 1 & 2) by Winter Austin-reviews

Atonement / Born to Die (McIntire County 1 & 2) by Winter Austin-reviews

McIntire County series

4.5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

It’s double review time. I love being able to review the same series on one review. Everything is so fresh in your mind, and the subtle hints that you can find in a first book are more recognizable when you start the second. I like catching the little “I see what you did there” moments.

This review consists of the first two books in the “McIntire County” series by Winter Austin. I am really beginning to discover I like romantic suspense, and have to say that Winter really writes it well. These books also touch on what I consider near and dear to my heart .. PTSD. I really want to give high fives to Winter for researching this topic thoroughly, and giving it the proper respect it deserves. I personally found that this complimented her characters wisely, and while PTSD has been debilitating in many ways, she has shown that her characters can fight through it with the right kind of acceptance, love and support. LOVE THAT Winter Austin .. SERIOUSLY! 🙂

Let’s get on with it shall we?

____________________

9781440591136cvr.inddBOOK 1 – Atonement
McIntire County #1
by Winter Austin
Genre: romantic, suspense
Release Date:May 18, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

Description

Atone for your sins…
A rash of unexplained suicides in the sleepy town of Eider, Iowa, draws McIntire County deputy Nicolette Rivers into a devious killer’s twisted plot. A former marine sniper suffering from PTSD, Nic hides her own deadly secrets, and The Priest will do anything to expose it and her.

For redemption is at hand…
Eider police detective Con O’Hanlon is assigned to help Nic uncover the truth behind the suicides. She rebuffs his help at every turn, but the stubborn Irishman holds on. When tragedy strikes, Con helps cover up the fallout, but is he too late to prevent Nic’s dark, downward spiral? Or is Con the one man stronger than her demons?

•••••••••••

Review

Oh Boy .. this girl has some serious daddy issues. LOL

The story introduces Nicolette Rivers (Nic) as a McIntire County deputy and a former marine sniper. She has seen some pretty crazy stuff out there and it has left her with many internal scars .. the biggest being PTSD. When she is placed in a situation that makes her PTSD come to the forefront, Nic must do all she can to deal with her issues. She is also estranged from her General father and the remainder of her family. She just wants to be left alone.

Con O’Hanlon is a police detective that has been assigned to work with Nic when a string of apparent suicides begin to occur. Once the suicides are established as murder, the killer begins to play with Nic a little, bringing more of her issue to surface. Nic is a hot mess trying to keep it together, and Con’s support and ultimately love may be the one life line she has to cling to .. regardless if she doesn’t know how to do it. On top of it all, here sister Cassy makes an appearance, and it turns out she has General daddy issues as well.

Ya .. so much more, but you have to dive right in to get to full effect. It’s an incredible story, and if I had to make any negative comment it would be that I thought it was a little too long. That being said, the story was extremely engaging and thought provoking.

____________________

Born to DieBOOK 2 – Born To Die
By Winter Austin
McIntire County #2
Release Date: March 28, 2016
Genre: romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

Description

Trouble’s on the run in rural Eider, Iowa, and Deputy Cassy Rivers’s heart is in the line of fire. Two years ago, she barely escaped a harrowing experience at the hands of a maniac—and not without scars. Now a series of random robberies leads to the brutal death of a fellow officer, and she must put her trust in the one man who broke her heart.

FBI agent Boyce Hunt knows commitment isn’t for men with pasts like his. He left Cassy once to protect her from the blackmail and manipulation he faces from his mother’s criminal enterprise. But when they reluctantly partner up to capture the modern Bonnie and Clyde terrorizing McIntire County, their attraction flames to life once more, pulling Boyce between two loyalties.

Will they risk their hearts again, even if it means losing everything?

••••••••••••

Review

We got to meet both characters here, highlighted in this book Atonement. So glad that Winter has written this and that I got to read this book right after her first one. I was still raw from the story and wanted more.

Cassy Rivers is Nic’s sister and a also a deputy. She helps her sis in the first book solve a case but this came at a heavy price. It didn’t help that the hot FBI agent that came to play is a complete jerkface, and her attraction to him has not diminished. She figures this out when he is back to help solve and track a couple of robbers.

Boyce Hunt is a jerkface. Straight up! He doesn’t get close to anyone, is all in for good time without labels, and comes from his own set of “Oh that’s why you are a jerkface!” He also totally got under my skin. When Boyce returns to McIntire Country, he is paired up with the smexy Cassy. He is all about reconnecting, but this time his past is an issue and things are getting awfully real with Cassy in romance department.

I LOVED this pairing. We got to understand Cassy a bit in the previous book, but Boyce has his own story that really set root in this novel. We did get to revisit Nic and Con and see what their future looks like, an I love that many characters has bigger roles in this book than they did in the first. I found myself needing the story to pick up the pace a little as there some slow parts, but when the speed pics up it’s well worth it!

Overall, I will absolutely read more by Winter Austin and I will also visit more authors that write romantic suspence. So if you are looking for a couple of awesome reads for the summer, that involves romance with a thrilling mystery, well developed storyline and characters, I would recommend these two in a heartbeat!!

HAPPY READING!

Copies supplied by the author

Reviewed by Rachel T.

Excerpt

She had avoided any chance of entering the timbered areas of McIntire County, where the stuff of nightmares dwelt.
But not tonight.
Tonight nothing that mattered to her—not her family, her past, or her pride—was as important as doing her job. And damn it, Deputy Cassandra Rivers always did her job, even when it was obvious the orders might get her killed.
She and her squad-car partner, Deputy Deacon Nash, had been sent to this side of the county—the heavily wooded side—to patrol for the culprits who’d dared to rob a bank yesterday. With every mile she traveled through the darkened timbers, sweat seeped from her pores, saturating the first layer of clothing.
“Calling all units. Robbery in progress at the Speedy Mart, 1653 Elm St., Two unidentified suspects, wearing dark clothing and black sneakers. Suspects are armed. No sirens or lights.”
“10-4, dispatch. Rivers and Nash responding. Approximately nine minutes out, over.”
Thank God for small miracles. She yanked that car around, and as fast as the slick road conditions would allow, she sped back toward town.
“Easy, Rivers. We’re one of several units responding,” Nash warned.
Damn this crappy weather. No doubt the gas station attendant wasn’t in a situation to wait for whoever was less convenient to arrive at the rescue.
A few miles from the edge of town, the glare of headlights seemed to come out of nowhere. It took Cassy’s brain a few seconds to realize that the oncoming vehicle was veering back and forth between her lane and the other, and those lights were a lot closer than they first appeared.
“Shit!” She reacted without thinking, hitting the brakes and throwing the car into neutral, and braced for impact, hoping the cow kicker covering the grill did its job to protect them. “Hang on!”
The front wheels hit a slick patch, and suddenly the steering wheel jerked right and the car skidded off the road into the ditch. The nose dove into a snowbank, spraying the windshield with a powdery shower and bringing the vehicle to a rapid stop. Cassy jerked in her seat, the belt locking her tightly in its grip. Glaring at the whooshing wipers as they cleared the moisture from the glass, she unclenched her fingers from around the steering wheel.
“Rivers, you okay?” Nash asked.
“Fine, but pissed off.” Shifting the car into park, she left the engine going and removed her belt. “Those assholes are going to be in for a surprise.” She hit the lights, and as she tried to push her door open, it stuck in the snow.
Nash grabbed the mic and radioed dispatch. “Dispatch, be advised, responding unit has been in an accident and is in need of assistance, over.”
Cassy twisted in her seat to brace her feet against the door and forced it open wide enough for her to squeeze out.
“Copy that,” she heard the dispatcher reply as she fumbled through the drift. Nash would give their location.
Flashlight in hand, she scanned the area, making sure not to peer into the stand of trees at her back. Oh, how nice. The asshole who’d ran them off the road hadn’t bothered to stop and was now a faint red glow in the distance. The mound they’d plowed into was mid-calf deep, and by the looks of the tires, the car was stuck good. They’d need a wrecker. Upon making another pass toward the road, the flashlight beam glinted off metal. Cassy paused, her heart hurtling into her throat as the light revealed the secret in the dark.

About The author

Winter AustinFollow: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope.” Having returned to her hometown, Winter has stepped into the chaotic world of a full-time wife, mom, author, and employee.

A lifelong Mid-West gal, Winter rediscovered her love of her beloved Iowa with its hot summers and snowy winters. She grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around the table or a campfire. Since becoming a published author, she learned a mindset of a glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller author. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic thrillers. Combining her love of all things rural, agricultural, and military, she’s turned her small town life upside down.

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