Iron Canuck Reviews & More: crime

Showing posts with label crime. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Blitz: Storms of Crick Road Bridge by David G. Kerr

Storms of Crick Road Bridge

by David G. Kerr

Crime Thriller

Date Published: April 8, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

Eden Valley is a quiet town in northwestern Pennsylvania still healing from a dark chapter in its history. Two years ago, the community was shaken by a kidnapping and a series of murders. Tom Stallings, the celebrated town hero, solved the crimes and identified the evil demon responsible. In an effort to revitalize the town, Tom's son, Josh, has purchased the town's orchard, naming it The Stallings Orchard at Crick Road Bridge.

However, Tom is soon informed by the local sheriff that he and his family are the targets of a threatening letter, mysteriously signed "The Avenger." The unknown author accuses Tom and Josh of being land-grabbers with blood on their hands and vows to seek revenge.

Against this tense backdrop, three individuals-each driven by their own pain and misguided sense of justice-embark on separate journeys of revenge. While the first merely seeks to resolve personal grievances and jealousy through minor acts of vandalism, the other two harbor far more sinister intentions, representing both physical and metaphorical storms on a path of chaos and destruction.

About the Author

David Kerr grew up in the small, rural community of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, in the '50s and '60s where the main source of employment was farming or working in the steel mill industry. Surrounded by families who struggled to maintain their middle- class lifestyle and hold tightly to the American values of God, family, and country, little did he realize that these people and places would become the inspiration for his novels.

A graduate of Georgia Southern University, Kerr served as an English teacher and school administrator for forty-four years. Following his retirement, he wrote and published two mystery novels, Secrets of Crick Road Bridge and Storms of Crick Road Bridge.

Today, he and his wife, Lois, live in Woodstock, Georgia, where they enjoy being close to their daughter Paige, son-in-law, Chris, and grandsons, Banks and Ford

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Books I Plan on Reading February 15-21

All were completed this week. Results:

Ebooks:

Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan (Contemporary Romance) - 4 stars

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekeras (Crime/mystery) - 4 stars

Mistress of Wyndview by Jane Charles (Historical Romance) - 5 stars

Audiobook:

Mr. Heartbreaker by Piper Rayne (Hockey Romance) - 4 stars

Ebooks planned for this week:

Audiobook:

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Ebook Review: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera

Blurb:

When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Siriwathi Perera doesn’t quite know where she’s going in life. She never expected to be a taxicab driver in New York City, struggling to make ends meet and still living with her parents at twenty-eight. The true-crime podcasts that keep Siri company as she drives don’t do much to make up for the legal career she imagined for herself, or the brother she’s grieving.

When public defender Amaya Fernando gets into her cab, they make a quick connection through their shared Sri Lankan roots. Siri, whose social circle is limited to her grade-school best friend, Alex, thinks things might finally be looking up with this new potential friendship. But she’s suddenly dropped into her own true crime when she discovers her next passenger murdered in the backseat, and she has to call Amaya sooner than she’d expected.

Pinned as the obvious and only suspect, and desperate to clear her name, Siri chases down leads across the boroughs of New York City with Amaya’s help. But with her court date looming, they have just five days to find out who really killed the midnight passenger—or Siri’s life will be over before she can even truly live it.

Amazon: The Midnight Taxi - Kindle edition by Gunasekera, Yosha. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: The Midnight Taxi eBook by Yosha Gunasekera - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera - BookBub

Goodreads: The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera | Goodreads

My Review - 4 of 5 stars -

I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story. This was like a locked-door mystery, a dead body in a locked taxicab. Siriwathi had a fascination with true crime and now found herself in the middle of one. She learned quickly how the real world works. Her fortuitous encounter with Amaya who came to her rescue helped bring new people and friends into her life. There were several twists, one that I was a bit discouraged with, but overall this was a good story.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Saturday, January 31, 2026

Ebook Review: Accused Again (The Michael Fletcher #2) by Michael J. Kundu

Blurb:

The Michael Fletcher Series: A Riveting Legal Thriller Saga

Book 2: Accused Again – Freedom Was Just the Beginning

Michael Fletcher thought his nightmare was over. After spending decades behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, he was finally free. But just as he begins to rebuild his life, the unthinkable happens—he’s accused of murder again.

With the justice system poised to condemn him once more, Michael finds himself at the center of a gripping courtroom battle. As he fights to clear his name, an unexpected ally from his past emerges, offering to help him untangle a sinister web of lies and corruption. This time, the stakes are higher than ever—will Michael prove his innocence, or will he be lost to the system once again?

From award-winning author Michael J. Kundu, The Michael Fletcher Series is a gripping psychological and legal thriller saga exploring the unyielding quest for truth, justice, and redemption.

Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Scott Turow, and Michael Connelly.

High-stakes legal drama
Powerful themes of injustice, resilience, and redemption
A thought-provoking journey through the flaws of the justice system

Start the series today and join Michael Fletcher in his fight for truth!

Amazon: Accused Again (The Michael Fletcher Series Book 2) - Kindle edition by Kundu, Michael J.. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Accused Again by Michael J. Kundu | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Accused Again eBook by Michael J Kundu - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Bookbub: Accused Again (The Michael Fletcher Series, #2) by Michael J. Kundu - BookBub

Goodreads: Accused Again by Michael J. Kundu | Goodreads

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars -

4 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this thriller, second in the series. It started a bit mysterious, dragged a bit in the middle, and then the height of the trial held its surprises and had me staying up past my bedtime. Michael Fletcher had such bad luck and found himself in trouble again. This time, he had more people in his corner. The writing throughout the trial had me feeling his emotions, fear, and more, making it more real. My heart plummeted until the twist was revealed. I recommend reading The Lonely Prisoner first to experience the beginning of Michael's problems.

I received a copy through RABT Book Tours, and this is my unsolicited review.

Monday, August 25, 2025

Audiobook Preorder: Rolling 75 (Noire Brothers #1) by Brandy Hynes, narrators Andi Eloise and Brandon Francis

Rolling 75 by Brandy Hynes is now available for pre-order in audio!

Narrated by: Andi Eloise & Brandon Francis

Releasing: September 12, 2025

La Lune Noire has a pulse. It rules apart from its owners.
Backroom deals and electro swing. Extravagant parties and bootlegger tunnels.
The walls have secrets. The doors have codes.
Ashes and lies. White oak and screams. Champagne and delusions.
Hope is the gateway to hell.

Ryker
The house always wins.
Unless it’s concerning Mercy Phillips.
My brothers and I own La Lune Noire, a resort and casino that caters to the criminal underworld.
To them, we’re kings.
To her, I’m the friend she left behind.
Some say absence makes the heart grow fonder. For me, it bred obsession.
Three years searching.
One offer she can’t refuse.
Countless rolls of possibilities.
Cognac. Contracts. Coming home.
And someone lurking in the shadows, playing us all.
But the house will win again. She’s always been mine.

Mercy
That’s not even my name anymore. Much less who I am.
Other than my precious baby boy, only shards remain of that girl.
Scars from a monster.
Until Ryker Noire—my best friend and a reminder of the worst night of my life—breezes into town with a tempting proposition.
Three years running.
One haunting phone call.
Countless reasons to stay away.
But the choice isn’t mine. What a Noire wants, a Noire gets.
No matter the battle, hope is the last thing to die.

Pre-order today!

Audible: http://bit.ly/47hDYCl

Amazon: http://bit.ly/4mA0kUm

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/46EN3EF

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Blitz: Lethal Impulse by Steve Rush with an excerpt and a giveaway

LETHAL IMPULSE

by Steve Rush

GENRE: Crime Thriller/Romantic Suspense

BLURB:

He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo.

The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder.

Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him or destroy him.

As Neil delves into the heart of the town's secrets, will truth deliver solace? Or will Tess prevail?

EXCERPT:

Tess set the camera on the rear seat. She pictured the murder scene planned at the barn. “You can thank me when it’s over. I need your help with this next part because the doctor told me I’m not to lift anything over twenty pounds. This leukemia drains me.” She popped open the trunk.

“I heard about your diagnosis.” Vanessa embraced Tess. “I thought about going into oncology once I complete medical school. If I get accepted. That is a long way off. What has the doctor said about your prognosis?”

“We view my future differently. I’m hoping for remission.” Tess gestured to the trunk. “Climb in.”

Vanessa glanced inside the trunk. She retreated two strides. “Do I have to get in there? It looks grimy. Why did you not bring your car?”

“We’re documenting an abduction and murder, Vanessa. We can’t let anybody see my car or you with me. It will ruin the surprise. It’s only until we get to the barn.”

Vanessa clambered into the trunk. Tess swathed towels around Vanessa’s wrists and ankles before she bound them with paracord. Vanessa thanked Tess for the use of towels to prevent ligature marks on her skin.

Tess grinned. “A killer must focus on details, Vanessa.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Steve Rush is an award-winning author whose experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm. He worked with the late Joseph L. Burton, M.D, under whom he mastered his skills, and investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame. His specialties include crime scene reconstruction, injury causation, blood spatter analysis, occupant kinematics, and recovery of human skeletal remains.

Steve’s book Kill Your Characters; Crime Scene Tips for Writers was named finalist in the 2023 Silver Falchion Award for Best Nonfiction and Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Awards. Lethal Impulse won the 2022 Public Safety Writing Association’s Writing Competition for an unpublished novel, longlisted in the 2022 Page Turner Awards and joint first prize in the 2020 Chillzee KiMo T-E-N Contest.

Publishing credits:

Kill Your Characters; Crime Scene Tips for Writers, Genius Books, June 2022

Blood Red Deceit, Wings ePress, (thriller) September 2023

After Her Deceit, Wings ePress, (thriller) October 2024

Lethal Impulse, The Wild Rose Press, (romantic suspense/crime thriller) October 2024

Upcoming 2025 releases:

The Shocking Truth (crime thriller) presale 02/15/25, and Deadline 4:59 (crime thriller), Wings ePress

Purchase links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCC8KC8Y/ref=sr_1_1

https://wildrosepress.com/product/lethal-impulse/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Lethal%20Impulse-

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509258130

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509258123

Website and social media links:

https://www.steverush.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-rush-a20302149/

https://steverush.substack.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5217876

https://www.amazon.com/author/steve_rush

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Steve Rush will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f5068/

Check out these other blogs on this tour:

January 6

1. The Key of Love
2. tory richards
3. Cassidy's Bookshelves
4. Edgar's Books
5. Dawn's Reading Nook
6. Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
7. Long and Short Reviews

January 7

1. Westveil Publishing
2. Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
3. It's Raining Books
4. Romance Novel Giveaways
5. Wendi Zwaduk - Romance to Make Your Heart Race
6. Tina Donahue Books - Heat with Heart
7. Frugal Freelancer

January 8

1. A Wonderful World of Words
2. FUONLYKNEW
3. Fabulous and Brunette
4. Straight from the Library
5. Deal Sharing Aunt
6. Our Town Book Reviews
7. Girl with Pen

January 9

1. So Many Books
2. Welcome to My World of Dreams
3. Sandra's Book Club review
4. Iron Canuck Reviews & More
5. Punya Reviews...
6. Author C.A.Milson
7. Christine Young

January 10

1. Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
2. Beyond Romance
3. The Faerie Review
4. Author Deborah A. Bailey Blog
5. The Pen and Muse Book Reviews
6. Wine Cellar Library
7. Joanne Guidoccio

Monday, August 19, 2024

Blitz: The Lonely Australian of the Asian Night by Gregory Pakis with an excerpt and a giveaway

THE LONELY AUSTRALIAN OF THE ASIAN NIGHT

by Gregory Pakis

GENRE: Travel/Crime

BLURB:

Hookers and hawkers.

Mosques and mosquitos.

Paul has had enough of Southeast Asia.

He's only here ‘cos it's cheap.

He's on the run from police after leaving Australia.

No, that place wasn't much better either.

Well, it was when he was young.

When his life was full of promise. An up-and-coming boxer. And he had friends. And fun.

Then a bit of bad luck later and he found himself on the run in outback Australia. Paranoid. Hiding from shadows. The heat. The dust. The sweat.

Next stop, Southeast Asia.

EXCERPT:

As a teenager he was always cool headed. When doing all the typical stuff like shoplifting, it was all automatic; Paul never even thought about getting caught and he didn’t. But he wasn’t always on the wrong side of the tracks. For a while there, he straightened up, boxing at a local gym, even challenging for a state title, but after that things seemed to fall apart. It started when his coach passed away. For some reason, the gym closed its doors and most of the fighters relocated to another stable. Many went their own way or just quit all boxing altogether. None of the coaches from other gyms approached Paul, so he went his own way too.

His coach was special. Though he was a tall, intimidating presence, he held the boys together, commanding them with something in his voice. He also applauded them, laughed with them, and when the time was right, exposed them. “Youse bullshitters, youse,” Paul remembered him saying to a bunch of them when they were sitting around trying to impress each other. Those were the days when Paul was forging a new body; when he felt it begin to tighten and move with purpose and poise. He could barely remember how his teenage body felt before that. He now still carried some of that poise in his body but it wasn’t as wiry and fit as it used to be. He hadn’t trained in three years. The beer had added as well.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gregory Pakis is an Australian author, film-maker, actor and wacky vlogger.

He has written the short story, The Lonely Australian of the Asian Night; the soon to be released horror-suspense novellas, The Regressor and He., and Memoir of a Suburban Hoe-Bo, which is partly an account of when he lived out of a van for ten years in Melbourne.

Gregory Pakis is also the writer / director of the feature films, The Garth Method (2005) and The Joe Manifesto (2013), which have won national and international awards and been distributed through Accent Entertainment, Label, Vanguard Cinema.

Gregory's more informal video projects are the feature documentaries, Garth Goes Hitch-Hiking (2007) and Garth Lives in a Van (2011) which have screened at film festivals in Australia.

More recently, he has created the comedy series, suBURPieS and his Wacky Vlog which can found on his socials.

Gregory has been featured in articles in newspapers, The Age, The Herald Sun, Beat Magazine, Inpress, FILMINK, and the Neos Kosmos. He has been interviewed on radio by the ABC, 3RRR, SYN FM, 3CR.

THE LONELY AUSTRALIAN OF THE ASIAN NIGHT - LINKS

AMAZON - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N36UWYK

BOOK TRAILER - https://youtu.be/ZE0JH1EdGfc?si=-zroVl6rV8Sd3OyH

AUTHOR CHAT TO CAMERA VIDEO - https://youtu.be/uTd0-Y_FT7Y?si=dz0NzUnpoYUYoNmw

WEB PAGE (WITH MEDIA KIT) - https://www.gpak.org/books/thelonelyaustralianoftheasiannight

CONTACT GREGORY PAKIS

info@gpak.org

SITES

BOOKS https://www.gpak.org/

FILMS https://guerillafilmnite.com/

SOCIALS

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gregorypakis/