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Title: Scandal in the Secret City

Subtitle: A Libby Clark Mystery

Author: Diane Fanning

Narrator: Paula Faye Leinweber

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-26-17

Publisher: Diane Fanning

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

From the author of the Lucinda Pierce series comes a thrilling new mystery set during the Second World War.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, otherwise known as the Secret City, rose seemingly overnight in 1942, built by the US government. No one was quite sure what its purpose was or where it came from, but there was certainly something going on.

Libby Clark, a gutsy Bryn Mawr graduate, is determined to find her place as a scientist in a world where women are thought better suited to housework and marriage. As the only female scientist in the top secret facility, Libby is excited to begin what she believes is important government research.

She soon begins to suspect, however, that not all is as it seems. And to make matters worse, one frosty night she discovers the dead body of her roommate's sister sprawled behind the bleachers. No one else seems to think finding the killer is important and it's up to Libby to make sense of the situation. Aided by a band of like-minded scientists, Libby follows every possible lead until she comes to a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

Members Reviews:

If you enjoyed the nonfictional The Girls of Atomic City

If you enjoyed the nonfictional The Girls of Atomic City, youâll enjoy this fictional account of a murder at Oak Ridge, a story that will reveal much of what life was like there. The author obviously did a lot of research, and while the incident and her characters are fictional, she has gone to great length to present an accurate account of how people lived and worked. Place names, such as security gates, streets, roads, and a hotel in Knoxville, are all of real places. She describes life at Atomic City, including the widespread mud, dormitories, individual houses, homes for black families, and shopping with ration books and long lines at stores. She explains in considerable detail what the workers did in the secret plants. Along the way, she manages to insert discussions about important issues, such as treatment of black workers, attitudes toward women seeking careers instead of families, area families who lost their farms when the government appropriated them for the new city, and the moral issues surrounding the use of the atomic bomb. The overriding concern for security is made evident in the way that the police in Oak Ridge went to great lengths to make citizens think they were safe there and to prevent anyone from âoutsideâ from learning about the secret work through reporting of the fictional crime.

This is not great literature, however. The murder âmysteryâ is rather basic and lurches along primarily as a vehicle to carry the story of life at Atomic City. The story is told in first-person, which means that a lot of the issues are presented in rather stilted dialogue. There are no great surprises along the way, and the outcome is predictable. Still, Iâm glad I read it, and the combination of the two books and a visit to Oak Ridge gave me a greater appreciation for the work that was done there and for the conditions that residents had to endure.

The author did a great job weaving the history of Oak Ridge

Very interesting book...

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Title: The First Shall Be Last

Author: Joe Charles Ellis

Narrator: John Chester

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-02-17

Publisher: Upper Ohio Valley Books

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The First Shall Be Last is both a poignant love story and a realistic portrayal of the brutality of war.

Two young lovers separated by war cling to hope and sanity by exchanging passionate letters. As Howard heads to his first battle on the Pacific island of Peleliu, Helen fulfills her call to duty by working at a local factory. They soon discover they have more to worry about than the elite Japanese forces deeply entrenched on the island. One of Howard's platoon members, Judd Stone, seeks revenge against a black stretcher bearer by the name of Josiah Jackson. Howard fears Stone may go to any length to get what he wants, even murder.

Sixty years later, Reverend Byron Butler enters the hospital room of an old Marine who wants to confess a dark secret. But Butler can't discover the whole truth until he investigates other leads - Helen and Howard's letters, Josiah Jackson's son, and a mysterious footlocker. Known as the "forgotten battle," Peleliu marked the first time segregated black troops mixed with white Marines on the front lines. The integration wasn't mandated. It was attributed to the ferocity of the battle as black soldiers aided the wounded.

The novel is based on the memoirs of James E. Ellis, the author's father.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

great Book

I loved this story

I am not a mystery buff but this kept me reading and guessing to the end. I found it on Smashwords so it doesn't show verified. If you are a WW2 buff, this is for you. It is also for those who want to enrich their Faith in God and People. There is romance for the romantics as well. The story is realistic except for too many coincidences but it pulls the story together and rolls on with plenty of twists and surprises.

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Title: The Phantom Bandit

Author: Frank Bonham

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-17

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A collection of the finest Western stories, with escaped convicts, disputed partnerships, wild mustangs and outlaw gangs all part of the action.

Members Reviews:

Four Stars

this was a gift and was well received

Great Western Action from a Master!

Frank Bonham is one of THE classic writers of western fiction. This is the fourth collection of Bonham short stories from Leisure Books. Like its predecessors, it shows a master writer at the peak of his form.

Bonham did not write your standard western oater but excelled in creating unique characters in non-typical situations and locations. Among this volume's eight stories, originally published in the mid-1940s to early '50s, can be found tales about the divided loyalties of a Ohio River paddlewheeler crew on the eve of the Civil War, the postwar search of a disgraced Army officer for the man who framed him, a fictionalized account on legendary stagecoach robber 'Black Bart' in 1870s California and a modern tale of a California rancher torn between tradition and easy money.

The best of the lot is "Hurry Call for Hangin' Gus" about an overweight U.S. Marshal - picture TV's Frank Cannon in a cowboy outfit! - trying to unravel a murder case that isn't as cut-and-dried as it seems. The unveiling of the villain at story's end caught me totally by surprise; I didn't see it coming!

Intriguing characters, unique storylines, authenticity and realism - Bonham supplied it all. Lovers of the old West will want to pick up this book; it's top-notch storytelling!

Western writing at it's best.

Intriguing characters, exciting stories make this a great read. A ridiculous low price make it a great value as well !

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Title: The Wages of Sin

Author: Kaite Welsh

Narrator: Emily Pennant-Rea

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-17

Publisher: Tinder Press

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An irresistible mystery set in 1890s Edinburgh, Kaite Welsh's The Wages of Sin features a female medical student turned detective and will thrill fans of Sarah Waters and Antonia Hodgson.

Sarah Gilchrist has fled from London to Edinburgh in disgrace and is determined to become a doctor, despite the misgivings of her family and society. As part of the University of Edinburgh's first intake of female medical students, Sarah comes up against resistance from lecturers, her male contemporaries, and - perhaps worst of all - her fellow women, who will do anything to avoid being associated with a fallen woman....

When one of Sarah's patients turns up in the university dissecting room as a battered corpse, Sarah finds herself drawn into Edinburgh's dangerous underworld of bribery, brothels and body snatchers - and a confrontation with her own past.

Members Reviews:

An Unlikable Protagonist Weakens An Interesting Mystery

Welsh has created a potentially interesting character in Sarah Gilchrist a young woman in the late 1800s who is among the first females in Scotland who are allowed to study to become doctors. Flinty by nature, and made even more so by being deflowered by a cad and blamed for it by her parents--Sarah also volunteers in her spare time at a clinic where many of the patients are young prostitutes. She becomes involved with the death of Lucy one of those patients who suddenly ends up on the university's dissecting table. What follows is a decent whodunit tale that leads the reader into the tragic world of young women of the streets at that time--and the many people who used and abused them. Unfortunately, Sarah never becomes a likable or engaging main character for the reader. And by the end of the story and the solving of the mystery I was happy to be done with her,

Thoroughly enjoyable!

If you're looking for a good mystery, you'll find it here. Watch out for the name dropping at the end though.

A good read

This book is intelligent, well-written, and timely in today's society (despite being historical fiction).

Five Stars

gREAT NEW STORY!!!

Historical mystery with complex characters & rich sense of place

The Wages of Sin is at once murder mystery, historical fiction, and a rich account of the life and struggles of its protagonist, first year medical student Sarah Gilchrist, as she tries to make a place for herself in a number of different worlds that don't want her; it's sure to resonate with readers who look for strong character development, a wide range of female characters working in different ways to challenge a world that doesn't see their worth, rich sensory and sociohistorical detail, and of course, a good whodunit.

While it's been marketed as a mystery, and certainly has many of the trappings thereof -- dead bodies, forensic medicine, tracking down and questioning potential subjects, encounters with the constabulary, some really convincing red herrings and a seriously thrilling climactic sequence -- it would be a mistake to come to the novel expecting the snappy pace of a contemporary crime procedural. This only seems fair, since our amateur detective Sarah is pretty busy trying to figure out how to find time to sleuth between studying for her med school classes, volunteering at a clinic for some of Edinburgh's least fortunate, and politely evading her relatives' attempts at matchmaking.

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Title: Hunting the Hangman

Author: Howard Linskey

Narrator: Damian Lynch

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-25-17

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Two men.... One mission.... To kill the man with the iron heart.

Best-selling author Howard Linskey's 15-year fascination with the assassination attempt on Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the holocaust, has produced a meticulously researched, historically accurate thriller with a plot that echoes The Day of the Jackal and The Eagle has Landed.

2017 marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on a man so evil even fellow SS officers referred to him as the 'Blond Beast'. In Prague he was known as the Hangman. Hitler, who called him 'The Man with the Iron Heart', considered Heydrich to be his heir, and entrusted him with the implementation of the 'Final Solution' to the Jewish question: the systematic murder of 11 million people.

In 1942 two men were trained by the British SOE to parachute back into their native Czech territory to kill the man ruling their homeland. Jan Kubis and Josef Gabcik risked everything for their country. Their attempt on Reinhard Heydrich's life was one of the single most dramatic events of the Second World War, with horrific consequences for thousands of innocent people.

Hunting the Hangman is a tale of courage, resilience and betrayal with a devastating finale. Based on true events, the story sounds like a classic World War Two thriller and is the subject of two big-budget Hollywood films that coincide with the anniversary of Operation Anthropoid.

Members Reviews:

We Don't Ask For Their Love; Only For Their Fear

This is a genuinely hard piece of fiction to read. The fact that it is based on true events researched in great depth makes it more difficult than any modern day thriller. The sheer inhumanity of the Nazi hierarchy and the desperately brave measures their victims were forced to go through under the jackboot are a screaming sore across our history. The quotes from the likes of Himmler and others that adorn this book are an absolute indictment of the sheer cruelty and lack of any kind of emotional empathy that these men displayed through thought and deed. To me one of the most chilling scenes among many very cold ones was one of Heydrich's family life where he is surveying figures of his team's performance in the act of genocide while playing with his baby daughter. The fact that these men were of the same species and had families that loved them is an amazing thought. They represented no-one and no country, just themselves.

So I'd recommend this book with hesitation, only if you're open to such an experience. As an audiobook though I feel the narration doesn't quite do it full justice. It's not that Damian Lynch is a bad narrator, far from it, but his lack of command of accents is exposed here and to me he lacked the authority and quality to bring these huge historical evils fully to life. His matter of fact delivery does not convey the gravity of the story.

So this is a grim tale, full of bravery and of the most inhuman cruelty and nothing could sum it up better than a quote from Himmler "The best political weapon is the weapon of terror. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don't ask for their love; only for their fear."

We can just be thankful for those, including the ones remembered in the this book, that were brave enough to stand against it.

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Title: Reunion at Cottonwood Station

Author: T.T. Flynn

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-17

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The title story is the tale of a group of stagecoach passengers who are forced into a siege with Apaches at an isolated desert station. A man on the trail of his missing brother and a newly released prisoner also feature in the other stories.

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Title: See What I Have Done

Author: Sarah Schmidt

Narrator: Jennifer Woodward, Erin Hunter, Garrick Hagon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-02-17

Publisher: Tinder Press

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Haunting, gripping and gorgeously written, See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt is a reimagining of the unsolved American true crime case of the Lizzie Borden murders, for fans of Burial Rites and Making a Murderer.

When her father and stepmother are found brutally murdered on a summer morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden - thirty-two years old and still living at home - immediately becomes a suspect. But after a notorious trial, she is found innocent, and no one is ever convicted of the crime. Meanwhile, others in the claustrophobic Borden household have their own motives and their own stories to tell: Lizzie's unmarried older sister, a put-upon Irish housemaid, and a boy hired by Lizzie's uncle to take care of a problem.

This unforgettable debut makes you question the truth behind one of the great unsolved mysteries as well as exploring power, violence and the harsh realities of being a woman in late 19th-century America.

Members Reviews:

A story about a spoilt sociopath

I have to say I found Lizzie Borden's character detestable even though there were instances where her father's harsh behaviour showed. She is manipulative and spoilt, a classic sociopath and while the murderer is never openly stated, it seems very likely she had a hand in it. I felt extremely sorry for her elder sister Emma, who seems to have to put up with her behaviour. Either way, I don't feel this novel added much to this infamous tale.

Something rotten in the Borden household

You might have thought that enough has been written about the 1892 murder of Andrew and Abby Borden, brutally axed in their home in Falls River, Massachusetts, and the trial of Mr Bordens youngest daughter Lizzie. Sarah Schmidts visceral first novel is now added to the pile and adds another dimension to the unsolved case but, like all the rest, she can only conjecture more than 100 years after Lizzie was acquitted of murder who really did commit it. But she does that very well.

The pleasure is in the picture Schmidt creates of the stifling, unhealthy Borden household. Emma and her younger sister Lizzie Borden are in their early thirties living with their overbearing and harsh father Andrew (Emma calls him a vile man), their much unloved step-mother Abby, and the homesick Irish maid Bridget. They share this home seething with ill feeling, resentment, anger, casual cruelty, frustrations and jealousy, as well as foul stenches (you need a strong stomach for many of them) and poisonous sulphurous atmosphere (both literal and metaphorical) trapped in the fetid heat. The relationship between Lizzie and Emma is bound by inter-dependence, fierce love, mutual loathing and distrust and is powerfully portrayed leaving us with the strong suspicion that Lizzie could indeed have been the murderer. But nothing is that simple

Apart from Lizzie and Emma, there were other severely disgruntled members of the larger family an uncle, Mr Bordens abandoned illegitimate son with their jealous eyes on the Borden property, and Schmidt makes their testimony part of this chilling re-telling.

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Title: Snake Dance

Author: Dane Coolidge

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-17

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When Lady Grace is kidnapped by the Hopis at the annual snake dance, it is down to Silver Hat, with the help of a Navajo medicine man, to find her.

Members Reviews:

NAVAJO VERSUS HOPI

This February, 2007, selection of the Western Book Club from Leisure books is a real treasure of a read. For a parallel think similar to "The Last of The Mohicans" taking place out west.

Several white women have been kidnapped and killed by the Hopi (Peace People), who claim only to be peaceful to the whites, and it is left to a certain Navajo scout, Silver Hat, to set things right. The Hopi of Kahwestimah maintain it to be Navajo treachery, while Silver Hat points his accusing finger at both the Hopi Territory and the Snake Dance men. Who is the true villain? Well, both Lady Grace and the reader will soon find out.

Dane Coolidge wrote this book back in 1930s with refreshing prose coming from a long, past era. It is well written holding the reader's interest throughout. Its original title back then was "Lady Grace's Crossing" but I find the present title "Snake Dance" (Dane Coolidge's alternate title) more interesting. Dane Coolidge shows evidence in this book of both his deep knowledge and experience with the Navajo and Hopi peoples while at the same time giving us a very enjoyable novel.

I'm very glad the book club mailed this book to me, and should you spend a couple night's reading it, I'm certain reader's of westerns or historical novels will find the same delight. A rousing read from the 1930s.

Semper Fi.

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Title: The Third Knife

Subtitle: Catalina & Bonhomme Spy Series, Book 1

Author: Pamela Boles Eglinski

Narrator: Alexander R Adams

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-17

Publisher: Pamela Boles Eglinski

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Thrust into the world of sabotage and guerrilla warfare in World War II France, young patriots challenge Nazi Germany, the most savage war machine of the 20th century. Brave members of the French Resistance risk everything rather than live under the brutal rule of Hitler's Reich.

Catalina and Edouard lead the Falicon Maquis, a small band of resistance fighters, from a hideout in the mountains above Nice. Under constant threat of capture and Gestapo torture, they fight back - often only steps ahead of Nazi pursuers.

Critic Reviews:

"Eglinski spins a riveting story of passion and vengeance. Dynamic characters and a richly layered plot encircle you at the start and refuse to let you go. For those who love historical fiction, this is an absolute must read." (Bob Mayer,

New York Times best-selling author)

Members Reviews:

Three Stories in One

Catalinaâs parents send her away from their vineyard farmhouse into the night with a guide to escape the advance of the Germans into Italy. She is sent to find her motherâs relatives in France who can help hide the familyâs fortune, a blue diamond necklace thatâs been in the family since the French Revolution. Germans are on the trails, however, and the journey doesnât go as planned. Catalina ends up as a young maquis, a French Resistance fighter.

This World War II tale is three narratives in one. First, itâs the story of a young Italian signorina who escapes from the Germans to France with her familyâs fortune around her waist and finds her first love in the process. Next is a passionate story about a group of young French resistance members, the maquis, and their dangerous campaigns against the Nazis. Finally, thereâs a tale of French and Italian wines and the vintners who produce the grapes.

We are educated about the period, the land, and the war even as the story pulls at our heartstrings, horrifies us, pulls us into the plot, and leaves us with a lasting impression of characters we learn to love and admire. There are maps and explanations at the end of the book and an introduction to the book, Return of the French Blue, to which The Third Knife is the prequel.

Intriguing story set during World War ll

The Third Knife is a suspenseful story set in southern France during World War ll. The characters are members of the French Resistance, the Maquis, and The Third Knife shows their struggles to defeat the Germans. It held my interest and I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. The author is very knowledgeable about the Resistance and the south of France, and that knowledge added an extra layer of authenticity to the story. If you're looking for a thriller filled with lots of history and memorable characters, read The Third Knife. You won't be disappointed.

A Learning Experience?

This is an exciting and action filled set of experiences in escaping from and resisting the Nazis. Romance, humor and emotions serve to break

up the tension, violence, and suspense. Geographic, fascinating locations are vividly described so that one almost feels like being there. Yet the

book contains the most disgusting torture that I've read in years. This might reflect on some recent methods. The reader can decide if they are

needed to obtain information. It is a well written book, factual, but not easy reading.

All her books are a great read.

Really good writer.

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Title: Wild Riders

Author: Lee Hoffman

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-03-17

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Brade Bradenton rides with the rebel raiders fighting Yankee rule in Missouri.

Then a man named Logan tells Bradenton a plan that will make the wild riders a living legend.

Members Reviews:

Fantastic Book

I highly recommend this book and Lee Hoffman's The Valdez Horses, which is one of my all time favorite books.