Joanne PenceRecensioni

I really enjoyed this book, it held my interest. At times, I couldn't put it down. I got emotionally involved with the characters. Yes, it was predictable but it wasn't a bad thing.

If you enjoy Clive Cussler, you're going to love this! It's a heart-pounding adventure that will send chills down your spine. I got so immersed in the story that I completely lost track of time while reading it. I absolutely loved Michael, he had great depth, and you couldn't help but root for him. It's clear Pence has done some research to help bring this story to life, and the realistic settings are brilliant. Highly recommend!

Inspector Rebecca Mayfield, a homicide detective with the San Francisco Police Department, is a strictly by-the-book cop. Outside of work, she lives quietly in a small, not quite legal in-law apartment, with her dog, Spike, who is a hairless Chinese Crested-Chihuahua mix.

And then one fine Saturday night, she gets called to Big Caesar's, a popular, fancy club where there has just been a shooting. There's one dead woman, and one suspect, caught standing over the body with the gun in his hand. He has a crazy story about being innocent, and seeing the actual killer leave via the window.

This suspect is Richie Amalfi, a charming, handsome businessman whose business and actual source of income isn't entirely clear. Richie, though, is "practically family" at Mayfield's home police station, with his niece engaged to marry another Inspector there. And however skeptical Mayfield and others are about his source of income, he has absolutely no record of violence. Yet, he's been caught red-handed, right?

Mayfield questions the witnesses, while her partner takes Amalfi in for booking. Or, rather, he tries to. Amalfi quickly gives him the slip. Mayfield finds this out when she finally gets home--and finds Richie Amalfi waiting for her, and getting an unusually warm welcome from Spike, who usually is cool and standoffish with strangers (a typical Chinese Crested trait, by the way.)

Richie Amalfi wants her help proving he's innocent. Somehow, he convinces her, not exactly that it's a good idea, but to go along with it, nevertheless. Just for a day. Really.

Soon they're chasing all over San Francisco, looking for the missing bookkeeper, or rather, as it turns out, the bookie, who works at Big Caesar's, his mistress, his wife, a friend of the dead woman, and a newspaper reporter whose career isn't going anywhere, and who, it turns out, had agreed to ghostwrite a book for Danny the bookie, whose clients would not be happy to find out about Danny's book.

The local criminal gangs get interested, too. It's soon not at all clear that either Richie or Rebecca will survive.

However! I can assure you that, as in all well-organized novels, the dog does survive, without a scratch.

It's an enjoyable mystery, if a little bit stereotypical in parts.

I bought this book.

Rebecca Mayfield has been a by-the-book cop until Richie Amalfi enters her life. He's accused of murder and runs to Rebecca to help him prove his innocence. The more she learns about the case, the more convinced she becomes that he's not guilty. He's more than a little shady, but as dangers lurk and more deaths happen, Rebecca discovers there's a lot more to Richie than she thought, and a lot more to like than she imagined. Soon, she fears not only for her life, but also her heart.

My very first thought when listening to this was how impressed I was with the attention to detail about the historical facts and the way that the author was able to seamlessly blend this information with her work to create a sound book. Even though historical fiction isn’t a real favorite of mine, I was immersed in this book when the elements of Alchemy came up.

Joanne definitely knows how to build a world and how to run the people inside it. There was hardly any “tell” because the way that the characters were written told everything we needed to know. Even when it wasn’t quite clear, as a reader, I could draw my own conclusions and that was pretty neat too.

Though the buildup of suspense is a little slow in the beginning, it starts to pick up rapidly about a fourth of the way through. The narration kept in pace with this, having a strong cadence and voice that was able to swing through the highs and lows of the story with ease.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Three O'Clock Séance
The Rebecca Mayfield Mysteries, Book 3
By: Joanne Pence
Narrated by: Kristi Burns
This is an audible book I won and the review is voluntary. I am so glad I won because this book was fantastic! There were many layers to this mystery. There is a psychic in the story and the whole time it's hard to decide to decide if he is a fraud. Just when I am convinced one way then something happens then I change my mind! Ugh! Then there are so many other things going on I don't want to say anything, I don't want to give away any spoilers. I totally enjoyed it! Great characters, unpredictable situations and plot, good clues (after I look back), and wonderful world building!
The narration was great too. This was a great prize to win!

The Ancient Illusions tale begins with a passage about nightmares and Michael Rempart looking out over the Atlantic where the dark sky indicates a storm is rolling in.

Soon after, Michael returns home and finds records of past familial events chronicled in a dairy located in the same massive, unsettling house that has a library which holds ancient alchemy books with strange titles. Created in an old script, with faded ink, is a page that touts everlasting youth.

Michael believes that ghosts or something worse walks the halls of the house and if I’m completely honest, I will tell you this eerie atmosphere grabbed my attention.

Throughout the book, we learn each character has their own secrets and a shared burden of lives observed and rendered in a realm where consciousness determines what plane of existence one is aware of.

Combining a sprawling cast of engaging characters, with the ensuing love, lust, deception, ghosts, premonitions, murder, demon possession, and a quest for an elixir makes this a page-turning tale.

In closing, I devoured this archaeological thriller and appreciate that it molds medieval folklore, psychological phenomenon, and a magical stone while mentioning the work of well-known authors, explorers, and a likable horror legend who wore a bulky costume and platform boots.

The advanced copy of Ancient Illusions was provided by the generosity of the author for an honest review.

Glad that I picked up this inexpensive and fun book to read while I finished up some last minute knitting projects! Riding along with homicide Inspector Mayfield and the shady dude in his Porche all over San Francisco as they try to catch up with a dozen geriatric Santas who may or may not know something about the dead Santa she was called in on earlier in the day is a real hoot. No spoilers, just enjoy!
Kristi Burns does a great audio interpretation!

Short Christmas stories. Usually I don't like all the stories in a book of shorts But Everyone of these were Great

law-enforcement, murder-investigation

Quick and somewhat unusual for a whodunit. I liked it, but I'm not suitably motivated to read more of the series.

**I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.**

Exciting, interesting, complex, tension, death, mystery, murder just a few of the adjectives that describe this book. A great read with great characters.

This is an entertaining, fairly twisty murder mystery, with sparks between the two main characters. In that, it's similar to Jennifer Cruisie's books, which is a high standard for me!

While this is the first in the series, there is apparently a previous novella, and this book references it enough that, if you like it, you will probably want to read the prequel.

Rebecca is a by-the-book homicide detective. Richie is a rogue, with odd friends and an "interesting" past. When it looks like Richie had committed murder, he runs- and Rebecca is pulled well outside her comfort zone working with him to solve the murder(s).

Both Rebecca and Richie are very well-developed characters, and the secondary ones are complex as well- not merely plot devices, but actual people with their own agendas. This is a lot of what makes a book enjoyable for me- when the plot develops from character, instead of the characters serving only to progress the plot!

I am curious about how Rebecca's and Richie's relationship, such as it is, proceeds! There are certainly a LOT of obstacles in its way, both external and internal!

Very recommended, if you like a complex mystery that is nonetheless more focused on character development, and with a bit of romance.

My copy has a different cover

Richie Amalfi is accused of killing his date at Big Caeser's Casino. Rebecca Mayfield is the detective on the case. When Richie escapes and finds his way to Rebecca's, he has to convince her that they need to work together to find the killer since it was not him.

I like these characters. Humor lurks behind the scenes as Richie is trying to find the killers and Rebecca is trying to decide what is the right thing to do because he gets more attractive the longer he is around her. I like Vito and Shay. They are resourceful in a way the police cannot be. I have my doubts about her partner. Something is not quite right there. The story was a good murder mystery. I was guessing to the end.

I look forward to Rebecca's next adventure.

This book was a really heartwarming, down-to-earth, beautiful romance! I really enjoyed reading this book, Lisa and Tony's story was so realistic and lovely.
Lee (Lisa) and Tony were in love as teenagers, but circumstances and life kept them from being together. As adults they have both striven to achieve different dreams and goals, but meet again when Lee must return to her home town to see to her family home.
The main characters were both believable and likable. Lee is a very independent, intelligent, and career-minded woman. She is an extremely successful news anchor, with the perfect fiance, and seemingly perfect life. Tony is just wonderful. He used to be a major league baseball player, but quit playing to spend more time with his son (how sweet). He bought the ranch where he grew up and is content with his life. When they meet again, there are a lot of things from the past that need laid to rest, but boy do sparks fly! You can tell from that first moment that they have unresolved feelings for each other.
The author did a wonderful job of making you feel what Lisa & Tony feel, and her characters were really well developed. I loved that she took her time to really hash out the characters, without making it feel like the story was progressing too slowly. Overall it was a great read, and I really liked it!

***Review copy provided by author***

Culinary expert Angie Amalfi has persuaded her boyfriend, San Francisco homicide cop Paavo Smith, to join her on a cruise to Acapulco – but only by booking passage on a freighter rather than on a cruise ship. Working freighters like the Valhalla carry a maximum of a dozen passengers. Before the end of the first day, Angie notices that everyone on the ship is acting strangely. Including Paavo, who doesn't seem like himself at all. Angie has somehow become mixed up in international intrigue. Is Mexico the final destination for Angie and Paavo?

This turned out to be a funny adventure and perfect escape reading for a holiday weekend. The action and adventure make it more like Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series than like a typical cozy mystery series. This is the first book I've read in this series so I don't know if this is characteristic of the series as a whole. I didn't have to make a mental effort to notice and remember clues. I just relaxed and enjoyed the armchair adventure.

The detective and suspect are both interesting, likable, characters reacting to circumstance that are definitely outside their comfort zones. Th book is part of a series but stands alone nicely. Recommended.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved the book, the interplay between characters. Seeing their flaws and real life stuff happening around them. The characters are off the chart and so is the mystery. This is as a mystery should be, an onion with many layers until you get to the heart and find out it aint what you thought it was. Enjoyable, fun, exciting and worth the read. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

3.75 Stars
A well-researched historical romance. 4.25 stars on the history, 3.5 stars on the romance. The story is set in San Francisco (mostly in Chinatown) just after the turn of the century, specifically before, during, and after the 1906 earthquake. The atmosphere seems spot on (especially the cultural differences and the racism at the time). The romance is a slow burn, but it doesn't take away from the story. For historical fiction/romance fans.

LT Member Giveaway

There are four novellas in this book, of which I read three. I bought it for the Katherine Hall Page story, The Two Marys, which was excellent -- her series heroine Faith Fairchild is on Sanpere Island off the coast of Maine at Christmas and an acquaintance finds a baby in her goat barn! Page resisted the temptation to make this too sugary-sweet and it was a very satisfying seasonal read. Joanne Pence also has a series, set in San Francisco, and I was surprised on reading the booklist at the end to realize that the story in this book has as its protagonist one of the secondary characters in the series. It's a charming and funny tale of a mobster and a cop "meeting cute" at Christmas, called The Thirteenth Santa. Nice San Francisco setting. Judi McCoy's offering was more of a fantasy than a mystery. The Twelve Frogs of Christmas involves a lonely jewelry designer, her handsome neighbor, her very unusual great-aunt from New Orleans, and a lot of frogs. It was a quite fun little romance. The fourth story, Christie Ridgway's Out on a Limb, I just couldn't get into. It places a kindergarten teacher on a boat with some dangerous people and a corpse, but I felt I knew how it would probably turn out.

This book is a powerhouse "first in a series". Angie is a young woman, wealthy and trying to find her way in life. While she is working it out she is writing a history of San Francisco while also writing occasional magazine articles and submitting some recipes to a local shopper.

Then, one day her source of humorous recipes is killed and someone is trying to kill her. Enter Paavo Smith, homicide inspector who is trying to solve the murder of Sammy Blade which is eventually tied into the strange events surrounding Angie.

There is sexual tension, suppressed emotions and lots of twists and turns in this book while it keeps you guessing and trying to figure out the who and the why of the crimes.

Highly recommended, and there are a lot of books in the series so I'll be doing some catching up!

I enjoyed this novel very much. I thought the characters were very well rounded and I grew to like each of them. The passion Gabe showed for her family is not uncommon for anyone; we all want revenge somehow for the wrongs done to us or our loved ones. The surprise ending was not anything I would have guessed, but it all made sense when revealed. I loved Jess, and how he tried to protect Gabe from herself and the outside world, while still letting her be herself. He never tried to change her, not even when he threatened to leave. Would love to read more from this author.

In this cross between a cozy mystery and a spy thriller, Angie Amalfi and her boyfriend, who is a police detective, take a cruise on a freighter. from their home in San Francisco with an intended destination of Acapulco. From the moment they set foot on the ship, things don't seem right when a cook attempts to throw himself overboard. Soon she meets other passengers and crew members who are a bit strange. Then to top things off, her boyfriend is not acting like his normal self. She feels someone has been searching their room, but she cannot imagine what she would have that anyone would want. This one was slow to start, but when the action picked up, it held my attention in spite of a tragedy in my church family that was distracting me.½

Light mystery with great atmosphere. I visited Italy last year and enjoyed revisiting some of the places and foods.

Angie Amalfi is the child of wealthy parents who is a chef, much to her mother's dismay. She is also recently engaged to homicide detective Paavo Smith, to her father’s dismay. Angie leaps at the chance to spend some time alone and away with Paavo in sun-drenched Arizona, where he spent part of his childhood. Paavo is going back to help an old friend investigate the murder of a wealthy local. Angie innocently manages to offend some of the admittedly eccentric locals. When a second murder is committed she ends up in the middle of a murderous mystery.½