Saturday, June 26, 2021

A Reader's Favorite - A Five Star Series!

A Passion for Murder

Book 6 of the Detective Quaid Mystery Series

By Yolanda Stout

 


BOOK REVIEW


Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

 Steven Quaid and his colleagues in the Anchorage Police Department’s investigative unit are dealing with another serial killer. The media has called him Killer Clean, due to his routine of vicious rapes and murders, followed by using bleach to erase all traces of himself. A new FBI director has been assigned to the area, and he asked a psychologist/author named Alice Foxx to be a consultant on the case. At the same time, Steven was dealing with PTSD, as a result of a previous case. Frightening nightmares and assaults were negatively affecting his marriage to Sarah who also needed to care for their baby Tiama. A Passion for Murder: A Detective Quaid Mystery Book 6, penned by Yolanda Renee, is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read.

One of the most unique aspects of this story is the information about the effects on rape victims, as well as specific facts about the incidence of rape in Alaska. Likewise, the psychological effects of earlier traumas on present traumatic events are portrayed well; how these affect love relationships is also interesting. How these facts are interwoven into the plot is inventive and flows smoothly. Like all good mysteries, vague clues are interspersed throughout the chapters; a mystery lover may have to speculate who the serial killer could be. Character development is well-formed, and every reader will be able to easily imagine the personality of each character. Author Yolanda Renee has ended this series of mystery books with a well-crafted story in A Passion for Murder. A captivating read from the first page to the last!

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/a-passion-for-murder

Review Rating:

5 Stars 

~~***~~

Murder, Just Because

Book 5 of the Detective Quaid Mystery Series

By Yolanda Renee


BOOK REVIEW

Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

Murder, Just Because is a work of mystery fiction in the detective/sleuth subgenre and was penned by author Yolanda Renée. The work is written for adult readers due to the usage of explicit language and some graphic scenes of violence and sexual situations. Subtitled ‘A Detective Quaid Mystery: The Return of The Snowman,” in this story we find ourselves once again with Steven Quaid after his successful capture of Stowy Jenkins, AKA the Snowman. Ten years later, Jenkins has escaped from prison and is hell-bent on punishing Quaid by picking off the people he cares about, one by one. As time ticks on and Jenkins gets closer to Quaid’s wife, Sarah, the detective must risk everything to put the Snowman to rest once and for all.

After several daring adventures in the world of serial killers and psychopaths, author Yolanda Renée manages to ramp up the stakes even higher in this non-stop thrill ride of terrifying situations and masterful deductions. Steven Quaid makes for a superb central figure with his sharp wits and well-honed instincts, but it was actually Sarah that impressed me most in terms of character development and her role in the plot. It’s wonderful to see an inclusive detective tale where other characters get to be resourceful and useful in their own right, and the effect gives an even more realistic and thrilling tone to the plot. Overall, I would highly recommend Murder, Just Because to readers seeking a thrilling cat and mouse action novel that bears all the hallmarks of a suspenseful and well-penned mystery too.

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/murder-just-because

Review Rating:

5 Stars 

~~***~~

The Snowman

Prequel to the Detective Quaid Mystery Series Book 4


By Yolanda Renee

BOOK REVIEW

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

 The Snowman by Yolanda Renee is a prequel to the Detective Quaid Mysteries. Stowy Jenkins goes by another name. The Alaskans call him the Snowman and he is an artist. His medium of choice? Blood. A medium he is obsessed with, an obsession that leads to multiple murders. Detective Steven Quaid is a rookie and he draws the short straw to go after the Snowman. The two are drawn together is some twisted way, a relationship that proves deadly, and it is anyone’s guess who will come out of it intact. What starts out as a murder investigation turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse and Detective Quaid works to stop any more bloody and gruesome murders. The Snowman doesn’t want to stop and taunts Quaid into a deadly finale.

The Snowman: The Prequel to the Detective Quaid Mysteries by Yolanda Renee answered many questions. I have read all of the Quaid mystery stories and this one filled in a lot of the gaps about his early years. However, it can be read on its own, although I would highly recommend reading it as part of the series. Excellent story, really well-written and truly gripping. Ms. Renee certainly knows how to describe a scene to the extent that you believe it to be real. Compared to the rest of the series, this is a very dark book, somewhat gruesome, but a fantastic read. The development of the plot and the characters were second to none, and I would recommend this to anyone who likes a macabre, bloody thriller – this one meets all the criteria!

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/the-snowman

~~***~~

Murder & Obsession

Book 3 of the Detective Quaid Mystery Series

By Yolanda Renee


BOOK REVIEW

Reviewed By Deborah Lloyd for Readers’ Favorite

The wilderness of Alaska is the setting for the third mystery novel in the Detective Quaid Mysteries, Murder & Obsession by Yolanda Renée. An Anchorage detective, Steven Quaid, renovates his wilderness cabin into a honeymoon retreat, preparing to bring his new bride, Sarah, there for a quiet honeymoon. After his work was complete, he set off on a hunting expedition. Upon his return, it appeared a murder had occurred in the cabin, and Sarah was missing. Being the primary suspect, Steven flees and the adventure begins. Not only does Steven have to fight the weather, wild bears, injuries, hunger and thirst, he is on a quest to find his beloved. Steven finds aid through the support of his uncle, and eventually his friends on the police force.

Murder & Obsession by Yolanda Renée offers many thrilling and suspense-filled moments. The reader becomes part of the breathtaking adventure, never quite sure which characters are on the side of honesty and justice, and which ones are corrupt and vicious. Ms. Renée presents a cast of many characters, some with dubious motivations and others with unwavering integrity. But, it is not always clear in which category some of these characters belong – making for an intriguing story. The romance of Steven and Sarah has not been a smooth road, and there are references to earlier times. It seems that reading the books in this series in order may be advisable, so that the history of their relationship is known. The many twists and turns in this novel create an enjoyable and entertaining read.


https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/murder-obsession


Review Rating:

4 Stars 


~~***~~

Memories of Murder

Book 2 of the Detective Quaid Mystery Series

By Yolanda Renee


BOOK REVIEW

Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite

Memories of Murder by Yolanda Renée is book 2 of the Detective Quaid Mysteries. Sarah is still having nightmares, only this time they are more real. Steven needs it to stop before it takes Sarah down. Caught up on another case, this time trying to prove himself, he shuts Sarah out but doesn’t like it when she takes up an offer to go on an art tour. Sarah is receiving roses but thinks they come from Steven – he knows better. Lucifer is out there, looking for his Lilith, but she is safe for now so he turns his attention to Sarah. She paints her nightmares, foretelling what it is to come, but will anyone believe her or will they continue to treat her as a disturbed and fragile woman? While the bodies continue to mount up, Lucifer is closing in on his real target – who will stop him, Steven or Sarah?


Memories of Murder (Detective Quaid Mysteries Book 2) is another example of how fine a writer Yolanda Renée is. I thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and could only hope that the second was as good – I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The mystery from book 1 continued in a similar vein with plenty going on to keep a reader’s attention. The old characters were developed a lot more and new ones introduced which kept the storyline fresh. I must say this was a deep plot this time, a little terrifying if I am honest, and it must have taken some time to weave all the threads of the different stories together. I hope that there will be a book three in the series although I’m not sure where it could go this time – maybe a different story altogether.


https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/memories-of-murder

 

Review Rating:

5 Stars 


~~***~~


Murder, Madness & Love

Book 1 of the Detective Quaid Mystery Series

By Yolanda Renee


BOOK REVIEW

 

Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite

Murder, Madness & Love (Detective Quaid Mysteries #1) by Yolanda Renée is a tale of murder, mystery and suspense. There’s a killer on the loose. A clever one. Sarah Palmer has earned herself the name of 'the black widow' after her husband died in a car accident. She flees to Anchorage in the hopes of making a new life for herself, but people are dying. Women who look like Sarah. Each one dies on the 14th of the month, a date that is well known to Sarah. Detective Quaid is in charge of the investigation and he has already made up his mind that Sarah is guilty. But he has to do his job and, together with a security firm, he does his best to protect Sarah while trying to find the culprit. He can’t work out if Sarah is genuinely innocent or if she is a mastermind at manipulation, but the bodies are piling up and Sarah’s nightmares are getting worse. Steven Quaid can’t take the chance that he has the guilty party – in case he doesn’t.

 

Murder, Madness & Love (Detective Quaid Mysteries #1) by Yolanda Renée is pure genius. I fell into this story right from the very first page and I genuinely could not put the book down until it was done. Yolanda Renée has woven a tale of sheer suspense, a story that is wound tight and runs like clockwork. The characters are extremely well developed and the details of their lives and their backgrounds seep out throughout the story. By the end of the book, you know those characters as if they were people you met with on a daily basis. The plot is ingenious. I thought I'd guessed who it was but, no, the story went off in a completely different direction and I don’t believe anyone will be able to guess the ending of this one. Excellent story, I'm really looking forward to the next one.


https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/murder-madness-love 


Review Rating:

5 Stars 

~~***~~


     





Friday, June 18, 2021

A Passion for Murder

 

The Alaskan Series 

book #6




"Her golden hair, career choice, and availability hit all tens on his list of go points.
A perfect thirty meant she had to die today!"


Another heinous crime occurs in Alaska, and with no time to heal from the last brutal case of The Snowman, and Stowy Jenkins, Detective Quaid returns to his job. PTSD, a former lover, and an odious villain test his mettle and his sanity.

Excerpt:

After she had her son taken care of, she tried to wake her husband. Sarah shook him gently. "Steven. Come to bed with me. You'll be more comfortable. I promise."

Startled, Steven jerked awake, grabbed her by the throat, his chair slamming shut with a loud thud as he stood. Forcing Sarah backward, he banged her head against the wall. The harsh growl from his throat sounded animalistic. His face contorted with the resolve to destroy his enemy.

Frightened and caught off guard Sarah tried to scream. Instead, she could barely croak his name. "Steven." Failing, she made a fist and struck him. "Get off me." She tried to yell.

Her wallop caught his attention. He loosened his grip as it took him a second to realize what he was doing. The newly hired Nanny rushed into the room. She stopped cold, unsure of what was happening.


*****

 AVAILABLE 
IN PAPERBACK TOO!



CONTEST!

The first person to comment with the answer to all 5 questions correctly, will win an Ebook copy of A Passion for Murder! All answers can be found in the first 5 books of the series.

1.     What name was given to Sarah's Washington State home?

2.     Steven proposed to Sarah three times, name one location.

3.     Who killed the sniper that was determined to take Sarah out?

4.     What was Stowy Jenkins 'normal' profession?

5.     What name was given to the Quaid's son?

Goodluck!

And Don't Forget 










COMING SOON








Wednesday, June 16, 2021

WEP - Great Wave


Great Loss

         

The sand held hints of the lives lost, strands of wire, coins, and jewels buried deep. Treasure hunters with metal detectors crisscrossed the beach. Devoid of its former glory. Only the palms stood tall. The resort was gone, and its entire population too.        

A breezy summer morning determined to be a blistering sweltering day had turned apocalyptic. A rogue wave forty stories high hit the coast. And, in the blink of an eye, everything disappeared. Mom and Dad had planned their retirement for years but barely had the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor before nature heartlessly rebelled.

   Photo by Darice de Cuba on Unsplash


100 words

Yolanda Renée © 2021

***********

Thank you for reading my short flash submission for WEP's Great Wave Challenge. 

I hope you'll follow the links below to read more entries from a group of talented artists who've interpreted this monumental work of art in more magical and brilliant ways.