Friday, December 1, 2017

Power Struggle by Carolyn Arnold - #review #giveaway


Power Struggle (Detective Madison Knight) Mystery/Crime Fiction
8th in Series Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (November 28, 2017)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353661
Paperback: 460 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1988353647
E-BOOK ASIN: B07588XD65
One hit man who’s back for revenge. 
One detective who’s not going down without a fight.  
It’s been ten months since Detective Madison Knight almost died at the hands of Russian Mafia hit man Constantine Romanov. She hasn’t seen hide nor hair of him since he escaped police custody and fled to Russia soon after his arrest, except now her latest murder investigation gives her reason to believe he’s back in town. Seeing as the victim is the man who killed her grandfather, her perspective may be a little skewed, but with the MO smacking of Constantine and the victim’s connections to the mob, she finds it hard to be objective. Still, she’s doing her best to consider all the evidence.
When she receives a threatening letter from Constantine, however, her suspicions are confirmed. And he’s made it abundantly clear that not only does he plan to finish what he started but he has her family and loved ones in the crosshairs, too. Madison vows to do whatever it takes to save them, but as the hours race by, the body count rises. And the stakes only get higher when Madison’s sister, Chelsea, goes missing.
Now, Madison’s only play is to take Chelsea’s disappearance for what it really means: Constantine is calling Madison out for one final showdown. And they won’t both survive…

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MY REVIEW

I have been fortunate to review several titles from several series written by Carolyn Arnold.  First there was Skiing is Murder (McKinley Mysteries) in January 2016, followed by City of Gold (A Matthew Connor Adventure) in February of 2016 (Note: this one also features an interview with the author so is well worth a read), and Halloween is Murder (McKinley Mysteries) in October of this year.  So if you haven't guessed already, I'll tell you; Ms. Arnold is one of my favorite writers!

The plots are intricate but the writing makes following the story uncomplicated.  Another impressive thing to me is that Madison lives in the real world.  The real world in general is rather gritty sometimes, and police work? Don't get me started.  She's not rich or famous ... and she has problems that most of us can relate to, which can't be solved by retail therapy, a visit to a day spa, or a couple of weeks in Bali to unwind.  I guess what I'm saying is she is not perfect, and who is really?

The one thing guaranteed to send me round the bend is someone messing with my family.  So I can imagine what Detective Madison Knight is going through.  The hit man Constantine, who nearly raped and torture-killed her 10 months previously is back and targeting her family and loved ones (because he knows it's a way to get to her).  And not a single person 'in the know' expects a happy reunion.

I'd probably also have her reaction when it came to removing myself from the case. I'd say, "The h-e-double-toothpicks you will!"  Madison?  She'd probably use the real word.  She does have one thing right, though.  It would not have mattered to Constantine if she were on the case or off.  He was out for revenge.

As if that weren't enough, the Russian Mafia is involved.  The local mafia boss is accepting the hospitality of the state (and probably the feds) at the nearby maximum security facility for the really bad-bad guys.  But he seems to have no trouble running his business from the inside.  And what the police are having trouble figuring out is whether or not Constantine is working for the mafia this time, or has he gone rogue in his lust for revenge?

The further into the book I ventured, the more those eerie shivers crawled up and down my spine.  I'm almost certain by the time Chelsea (Madison's sister) 'disappeared', my heart was lodged somewhere in the area of my throat.

If you like reading police procedurals, mysteries, thrillers or books in similar genres, Power Struggle, ok, the whole Madison Knight Series should be on your radar, if not your TBR list, or better yet, your bookshelf!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

 


CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:

Sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

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GIVEAWAY!!!


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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 28 – Bea's Book Nook – REVIEW, EXCERPT
November 28 – Deal Sharing AuntSPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
November 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
November 30 – Books,Dreams,Life - SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
December 1 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
December 1 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
December 2 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
December 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
December 3 – Varietats – REVIEW
December 4 – A Holland Reads - SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
December 5 – Celticlady's ReviewsSPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

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(Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.)

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for reading and reviewing POWER STRUGGLE. If you haven’t already, can you post your review to your favorite retailers. Again, thank you for your support.

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