Don't Tell a Soul by M. William Phelps

Cherry Walker was a devoted, trusting, uncommonly innocent young woman who loved caring for a neighbor s little boy. But when she was asked to testify in court against his abusive mother, Cherry never got the chance. She couldn't lie if her life depended on it and it did. Cherry s body was found on the side of a Texas road, after being doused with lighter fluid and set aflame.
Attractive, manipulative, and violent, mother of four Kim Cargill had a wealth of dirty secrets she'd do anything to keep hidden. This in-depth account by bestselling investigative journalist M. William Phelps takes you inside Cargill s shocking trial and into the mind of one of the most conniving female psychopaths in recent history and on death row.
Anything by Phelps is an eye-opening experience. "Suspense Magazine"
Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer. "TV Rage"
Phelps is the king of true crime. --Lynda Hirsch, Creators Syndicate columnist
One of our most engaging crime journalists. Dr. Katherine Ramsland INCLUDES 16 PAGES OF DRAMATIC PHOTOS


This is a factual account of the cold blooded murder of Cherry Walker, and the trial and conviction of Kim Cargill for that murder. Cherry was mentally handicapped and although she was in her late 30s, she had only recently begun to live on her own with the help of an aid who would check in on her and help her with her daily living skills. Cherry was so proud of her little apartment, and everyone who knew her loved her, and was proud of her accomplishments. Everyone but Kim Cargill that is, who saw her as an easy target to be used and manipulated. Kim had 4 children by 4 failed relationships, often telling her various men that she could not get pregnant and then "surprising" them with a pregnancy in order to manipulate them further. She did not seem to want any of her children or get any joy from motherhood. Her children were an outlet for her anger, something to bully and beat on and take out her rage. But after already having lost custody of one child she was willing to kill to keep from losing custody of another. Not because she wanted him, or cared about him, or loved the child, but mainly because she did not want to have to pay child support. I am not a violent person but honestly this book made me want to throttle Kim Cargill myself. It was satisfying to learn how her lies caught up with her and ultimately landed her on death row. I would have liked to see pictures of her trial but the version I received did not contain any.

I received an advance copy for review

Dead by Morning (Rituals Of The Night #1) by Kayla Krantz

Description
Obsession is deadly. No one learns that better than Luna Ketz, a pessimistic high school senior. She wishes more than anything to graduate but things don’t always go as planned. Luna quickly finds herself trapped in a web of lies and murders, spun by the least suspected person in her hometown. It’s not long before she realizes she’s being targeted by the person she despises most in the world. When Luna figures out who is behind the killings, things make a turn for the bizarre when she is contacted by a friend she has not heard from in years. It is then Luna realizes she is very much in danger, but although she can avoid the killer in reality, she cannot avoid him in her dreams.

In this first installment of the trilogy Luna is what appears to be your average high school student, not a part of the in crowd but that's ok with her, she doesn't like them anyway, and she has her best friend Violet to hang out with. Chance is the most handsome and popular boy in school. Popular with everyone but Luna that is. She can't stand him, yet he stalks her on a daily basis. Other girls would love to have his attention but he is only interested in Luna and will not take no for an answer.
I thought this was gearing up to be your typical stalker thriller, but there is more to it than that. Chance has the ability not just to mess with Luna in this world but can even invade and control her dreams. There is a reason Luna is the only one who sees through Chance's false charm. There is a reason Luna is afraid to tell what she knows, and maybe nobody would believe her anyway. This story has a lot of elements going on at once. I hate to say maybe it was too many, but in a way for me it seemed to muddy up the story line a bit. There is a lot of action and suspense in this young adult thriller, and while it left me anxious to find out where it was heading and what would happen next there were some things that bothered me. Luna's home life left a bit to be desired. Her mother is only described as a strict business woman, other than that she is not really in the picture. This leaves Luna alone with her father David whose actions felt very unrealistic to me. (For example "punishing" Luna by forcing her to go to dinner and a dance.) On the one hand Luna is afraid for her life and the lives her friends (with good reason I might add!) yet on the other hand she is also easily manipulated with just a threat of being grounded. I did enjoy parts of this very creative tale.
3 out of 5 stars from me.
I received a complimentary copy for review

Bay's End by Edward Lorn

Description
When twelve-year-old Trey and his best friend Eddy play a prank on Officer Mack, the resulting chain of events rocks the small town of Bay’s End.

Today, Trey Franklin is a man haunted by his past. Tormented by that one tragic, fateful summer, Trey searches for catharsis the only way he knows how - by writing.

A tale of love, loss, and the depths of human evil.

Welcome to Bay's End.

For Trey, that summer of 1992 in Bay's End was made of memories that will last his lifetime, but not everyone survived that year.
The day was hot and dry when he first heard the sound of that rusted out rattle trap Ford turning onto his street. That was the first time he got a look at Eddy, the new kid moving in across the street. The two quickly become the best of buddies, in that way that only kids can. But it's not all baseball games and good times in Bay's End. Summers don't last forever in this coming of age tale of best friends and first love. Sometimes monsters get in the way. Not the supernatural/occult kind that go bump in the night, but the real ones, the monsters that are sometimes merely people who harbor an abominable evil where their souls should be.
5 stars from me.

The Weight of Him by Ethel Rohan

Description

At four hundred pounds, Billy Brennan can always count on food. From his earliest memories, he has loved food’s colors, textures and tastes. The way flavors go off in his mouth. How food keeps his mind still and his bad feelings quiet. Food has always made everything better, until the day Billy’s beloved son Michael takes his own life.
Billy determines to make a difference in Michael’s memory and undertakes a public weight-loss campaign, to raise money for suicide prevention—his first step in an ambitious plan to save himself, and to save others. However, Billy’s dramatic crusade appalls his family, who want to simply try to go on.
Despite his crushing detractors, Billy gains welcome allies: his community-at-large; a co-worker who lost his father to suicide; a filmmaker with his own dubious agenda; and a secret, miniature kingdom that Billy populates with the sub-quality dolls and soldiers he rescues from disposal at the local toy factory where he works. But it is only if Billy can confront the truth of his pain, suffering, and the brokenness around him, that he and others will be able to realize the full rescue and change they need.
Set in rural, contemporary Ireland, Ethel Rohan's The Weight of Him is an unforgettable, big-hearted novel about loss and reliance that moves from tragedy to recrimination to what can be achieved when we take the stand of our lives.

Big Billy Brennan and his wife Tricia are devastated by the loss of their 17 year old son Michael who one night with no warning, cut down their clothesline and used it to end his life. They have spoken to his friends, heard the crazy rumors, but never found a reason that may have led Michael to suicide.
As Billy tries to come to terms with what has happened, to find a way to make Michael's life and death count for something, his family becomes more angry and embarrassed by it all, and by Billy himself and his crusade to lose weight to raise money for suicide awareness and prevention. This was an emotional read. Though at times the pace was a bit slow, I could not help but admire Billy, and his courage and determination to never give up even when his own family did not support his efforts.
4 out of 5 stars from me.
I received an advance copy for review.