Kelly reviews Alone by Kendra Elliot

TITLE: Alone
SERIES #: Bone Secret #4
CHARACTERS: Seth Rutledge & Victoria Peres
AUTHOR: Kendra Elliot
PUBLICATION DATE: Jan 7, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
One rainy night in the woods outside of Portland, Dr. Victoria Peres is called to the site of a haunting crime scene. Six beautiful young girls—all in white dresses and arranged in a perfect circle—have been left for dead. Only one girl, fighting for her life at a nearby hospital, has survived the carnage. Things get stranger still when Victoria and the police discover that the disturbing arrangement of the bodies—as meticulous as it is mysterious—is straight from the pages of a decades-old cold case. Victoria is called on to do what she does best, read the bones of the dead for clues…while dealing with the surprise return of her first love, medical examiner Seth Rutledge. Only this time she must figure out how the two cases, fifty years apart, are connected.

REVIEW:
The death of five girls in a remote part of the Portland wilderness leaves the police & the forensic teams scratching there heads. There is no signs of trauma, no signs of them being forced, but there has to be fail play involved. How do six girls all dressed in white end up out in the woods dead or near death. As investigators converge on the sight one realized something very disturbing. He has seen this before, along time ago a very similar crime happened. And three of those deaths never were solved. Are these two crimes related? Is it the same killer? Is it a copycat? And will trying to find the link be too little too late to save the killer’s late

Is there anything scarier than the mind of a suspense author? I think not. Kendra Elliot’s Alone is a twisted mess of past, present and a possible uncertain future. While reading Alone you have a good idea of who the killer might be but Kendra throws some twists and turns in there to make you question whether you are right or wrong. I did enjoy this book, but I would liked the confrontation to be a little more involved. It was over a little too quick for me. But other than that I enjoyed this book. And I am looking forward to what Kendra has for us next.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

November 30, 2013November 24, 2013

Kendra Elliott’s Bone Secrets Series

Hidden

Bone Secrets #1

Eleven years ago, the Co-Ed Slayer murdered nine female college students on the Oregon State University campus. Lacey Campbell barely survived his attack, but he killed her best friend, Suzanne, whose body was never found. Now a forensic odontologist analyzing teeth and bones for the state medical examiner, Lacey is devastated when she identifies Suzanne’s remains at a crime scene. She finds comfort in the arms of ex-cop Jack Harper, and sparks fly between them even as a new reign of terror begins. Someone is killing the witnesses who sent the Co-ed Slayer to prison a decade ago. All the evidence points to the Co-ed Slayer as the culprit, only he’s long since dead. So who’s the new killer? And is Lacey next in line to die? Golden Heart finalist Kendra Elliot unites in-depth forensic knowledge with a passion for thrillers. Set amid the snowy backdrop of Oregon, Hidden creates spine-tingling chills.

*****

Chilled

Bone Secrets #2

As a forensic nurse on a search and rescue team, Brynn Nealey braves a dangerous blizzard to find the survivors of a plane crash in the Cascade Mountains. Joining her is Alex Kinton, a former US marshal with self-destructive tendencies. Alex lies his way onto Brynn’s team to find the man who killed his brother—and then return the favor. But once the team members reach the plane’s wreckage, they discover everyone aboard has perished…except for the man Alex is hunting. Alex will do whatever it takes to track his target through the vast, snowy wilderness.

As the temperatures drop, however, so do Alex’s defenses. His contact with the sharp, kindhearted Brynn makes his lust for vengeance difficult to reconcile with his growing feelings for a woman who risks her life to help others. What will happen to Alex’s savage instincts when he finally has the opportunity to confront his brother’s killer?

In Chilled, the next thrilling tale in the Bone Secrets saga, Golden Heart finalist Kendra Elliot weaves an icy tale of cold nights, cold hearts, and cold-blooded killers.

*****

Buried

Bone Secrets #3

Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.

Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.

In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future

*****

Alone

Bone Secrets #4

One rainy night in the woods outside of Portland, Dr. Victoria Peres is called to the site of a haunting crime scene. Six beautiful young girls—all in white dresses and arranged in a perfect circle—have been left for dead. Only one girl, fighting for her life at a nearby hospital, has survived the carnage. Things get stranger still when Victoria and the police discover that the disturbing arrangement of the bodies—as meticulous as it is mysterious—is straight from the pages of a decades-old cold case. Victoria is called on to do what she does best, read the bones of the dead for clues…while dealing with the surprise return of her first love, medical examiner Seth Rutledge. Only this time she must figure out how the two cases, fifty years apart, are connected.

March 29, 2013March 27, 2013

Interview & giveaway with Kendra Elliot

Books-n-Kisses is SUPER excited to have our pal Kendra Elliot on the blog again to help celebrate her 3rd book BURIED!!!!

Kendra, can you please share with us a little about yourself.

Thanks for having me, Kelly! Last spring, I became a full time author, leaving behind the dental industry and late night writing sessions. My debut romantic suspense, HIDDEN, was published last summer along with my second book, CHILLED. I have three daughters, 11, 13, 15, and an insufficient hot water tank. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and the state’s cutest Pomeranian.

Can you please tell us about your newest book?

BURIED is Michael Brody’s story. Michael had a large role in HIDDEN. Now I’ve found a woman who can put up with his level of cockiness and confidence. Michael’s younger brother vanished with a group of children twenty years ago and today a group of children’s remains have been found. But why isn’t Michael’s brother with them?

Open your book to a random page and read us a few lines.

Jamie’s stress level floated somewhere close to the ceiling. A night alone in a room with Michael Brody. Hormones had bounced between them since they met, and now they were going to be trapped in a small space with a bed?

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

I just turned in the fourth book in the Bone Secrets series. It’s Victoria Peres’s story. While editing BURIED, my editor, Charlotte, said this was the character I had to write about next, because she made her curious. I said, “No. She scares me.” And I already had a loose plan for the next book. Turns out I couldn’t get my editor’s words out of my head. Three chapters in, Victoria took over the book.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I’ve never been to the UK. I want to go with a small group of people who already know all the awesomest places to go.

What would you do if I gave you a box that had marshmallow cream, duct tape and binder clips?

Slip the binder clips in my pocket…I love all office supplies and then trade you the duct tape for a spoon.

What do you say we do a little Fact or Crap our home state?

Oh, crap. I’m fourth generation Oregonian. I’ll be embarrassed if I bomb.

A little Oregon Fact or Crap Time:

#1 Oregon is one of only 3 states without self-serve gas stations

I’ll say crap. I think it’s two states? Or am I thinking of states with no sales tax?

#2 Oregon’s state colors are baby blue and yellow

Crap. I think it’s dark blue and yellow.

#3 The Chinook salmon is the state fish

Fact.

#4 Oregon’s birthday is February 14^th

Fact.

#5 Oregon’s Mt Hood is over 13,000 feet tall

Crap. It’s closer to 11K, I believe.

#6 Eugene Oregon was the first city to have a one-way street

Hmmm. Nothing about Eugene surprises me. I’ll guess Fact.

#7 The Oregon State Flag only has a beaver on it

Crap…I think there are gold stars, too?

#8 The Oregon Sea lion caves are the largest in the world

No idea. Fact.

#9 Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state

No idea. Crap.

#10 Crater Lake is not the deepest lake in Oregon

Crap. Isn’t it one of the deepest in the world?

What to know how well Kendra did?

Here are the answers:

#1 Crap-It only Two. Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.

#2 Crap- Navy blue and gold are Oregon’s official state colors.

#3 Fact- The Chinook salmon is Oregon’s official state fish.

#4 Fact- Oregon’s state birthday is on February 14, Valentine’s Day.

#5 Crap- At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.

#6 Fact- Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.

#7 Crap-Oregon’s state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.

#8 Fact- In 1880 a sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.

#9 Fact- Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.

#10 Crap – Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States It was formed more than 6,500 years ago. Its crystal-blue waters are world renowned.

*****

Buried

A Bone Secrets Novel #3

Release Date: 3/26/2013

Order here: Amazon | B&N | Powell’s

Twenty years ago, a small private-school bus of children and their driver completely vanished on the way home from touring the state capital building of Oregon. No clues were ever found. Two years later, a boy near death, Chris Jacobs, walked out of the Cascade Forest as the sole survivor. Brain and physical trauma left him unable to help police find the other children and the investigation went cold. Today, multiple gravesites of children have been uncovered at an abandoned dairy farm and investigators determine they are the remains of the vanished children from the bus.

Investigative reporter Michael Brody anxiously awaits news of his missing brother’s body. All the lost children’s remains, except for Michael’s brother’s, are recovered. Desperate for answers, Michael reaches out to Chris Jacobs to see if Chris has recovered any memory to create leads for the investigation. Unable to locate Chris, Michael goes to Chris’s only relative, his younger sister Jamie. Attraction is instantaneous between Michael and Jamie. But so is utter frustration with each other’s attitude and opposing positions on Chris’s whereabouts and his inability to help the police. Michael and Jamie hunt for Chris, racing against a tattooed stranger who wants to find Chris and silence him permanently this time.

Learn more about the Bone Secret Series HERE

A little about Kendra:

As a kid, I read and read and read. Laura Ingalls, Nancy Drew, and Trixie Belden were my close companions, and I was never without a book in hand. Today, mysteries are my primary reading genre. I enjoy Lee Child, Karen Rose, Robert Crais, and Tami Hoag. But I also love a sweeping historical novel by Diana Gabaldon or a contemporary romance by Rachel Gibson.

I decided to try my hand at novel writing after I read a newspaper article about NaNoWriMo. Heck, I can do that. I sat down and wrote a contemporary romance but kept tripping over dead bodies in each chapter. I got the hint and my stories evolved into romantic suspense.

I joined my local Romance Writers of America chapter, the Rose City Romance Writers, and found a fabulous community dedicated to educating its members about writing and publishing. Book purchases are tax deductable?? I also belong to International Thriller Writers and the Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA.

In 2010, my manuscript, Stronger Than Bone, was a finalist in RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® contest. This same manuscript caught the attention of Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Literary Agency and she became my agent. The book is now published as HIDDEN.

I grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still live there with my husband, three daughters, two cats, and a Pomeranian. In the real world, I’m a dental hygienist who is fascinated with forensics, refuses to eat anything green, and loves a good Mai Tai on the beach on Kauai.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GRAND PRIZE:

Kendra is offering up a $40.00 Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 26, 2013March 23, 2013

Spotlight Feature of BURIED by Kendra Elliot (plus a giveaway)

Buried

A Bone Secrets Novel #3

Release Date: 3/26/2013

Order here: Amazon | B&N | Powell’s

Excerpt: Present Day

“No press.” Suspicious cop eyes squinted at Michael.

The Oregon farm smelled strongly of manure, but there wasn’t a cow in sight. His research had told him the old dairy farm had been out of operation for over twenty years. Wood and wire fencing traced the edges of the fields in crooked, drunken lines. A hundred yards away stood a barn that Michael wouldn’t step foot into for a million dollars. He didn’t mind taking risks, but this building looked like it’d collapse if a bird landed on the sagging roofline. “I’m not here as press. I’m meeting up with Dr. Campbell,” Michael lied.

“The Medical Examiner left an hour ago.” The cop tilted up the brim of his hat, doubt in his gaze, knowing Michael was namedropping to get into the recovery site. How many reporters had he chased off today? The discovery of multiple hidden remains tended to draw out the vultures. One brow rose and challenged him to create a more original ruse.

Luckily Michael had one. “Not that Dr. Campbell. His daughter. Dr. Lacey Campbell.”

The cop ran a hand across his sweating forehead and checked his clipboard. His instant lascivious grin made Michael’s jaw clench.

“Oh, her. Yeah, she’s still here.”

Jackass.

“Can you let her know—”

“What’s your business with her? She’s in the middle of an excavation and a murder investigation. I don’t think she’ll appreciate me bugging her ‘cause some stalker is looking for her.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” Michael took half a step forward and lowered his voice. “Pick up your radio and get someone back there to tell Dr. Campbell that Brody’s finally here. She’ll want to talk to me.” He glanced at the fleet of police cars and obvious unmarked American sedans. “Callahan here yet?”

The cop’s eyes narrowed at the detective’s name and his hand moved to his radio. “Not yet.” He deliberately turned his back and spoke into his radio.

About time. Michael rubbed at the skin of his baking neck and wished for an icy bottle of water. Or beer. Would Lacey drag herself away to talk to him? When she was deep in a case she had a tendency to forget about the outside world. Her cell was turned off; he’d tried to call a dozen times.

The cop half turned his head and watched Michael from the corner of his eye as he spoke quietly into his radio. Michael ignored him, studying the recovery scene in the ninety degree heat. It was hot, dry, and dusty. Every time he inhaled, his lungs were coated with fine dirt.

Cops in navy blue uniforms dotted the brown fields. God, they had to be dying in this summer heat. Small white tents hid private procedures from prying eyes and the news helicopters’ cameras. Too many tents. More tents meant more bodies. A tall figure in a Tyvek protective suit strode from tent to tent.

Aw, shit.

Victoria Peres. Identifiable at any range. The rangy forensic anthropologist probably wouldn’t let him on the site even if Lacey held his hand. Michael blew out a hot breath and felt sweat trickle down the center of his back. He slipped his sunglasses back on and turned away. Might as well start making some more calls instead of wasting his time trying to get into Fort Knox. He needed to know what they’d found buried beneath the dirt; he wasn’t here for a story. This was personal.

“Hey!”

At the cop’s bark, Michael looked over his shoulder. He’d finished with his radio and had crossed his arms over his chest, biceps bulging below the short sleeves of his summer uniform. His name badge read “Ruxton.”

“You’re the damned newspaper reporter who raised a stink about our overtime pay,” Ruxton sneered. “Had every suit on the city council pissed off about the overtime we get paid.”

Not again. Michael briefly closed his eyes.

Ruxton wasn’t nearly done. “If the city would loosen its ass to gives us some cash to hire more police, then we wouldn’t have to work overtime.”

“I didn’t—”

“You reporters just write headlines when someone decides to sue us because they dinged their head while running away during an arrest. Or because they broke a rib fighting against being cuffed. You don’t know—”

With two rapid steps, Michael closed the distance between them, eyes hot. “I’m also the reporter who helped hunt down that sick son-of-a-bitch cop killer last winter.”

The cop’s mouth slammed shut.

A little about Kendra: