Book Review: Weeping Women Springs by Tamara Eaton

When you hide your light under a bushel basket, your light doesn’t shine. That truism has been handed down for untold generations, but the people who live near a secret spring don’t pay it any heed.

The story opens with a fully peopled, quaint small town. WWII arrives, and the men and boys of the town enlist. As tragedy befalls them, the women close ranks to survive. In doing so, their grief pollutes the restorative effect of the magical spring hidden in the town. Some of the women leave town too.

With each loss, the remnants grow more isolated, struggle harder to survive. This book is the story of Liv, Maxine, Ruth, Susie, and Anna. You’ll never think the same way about death again.

Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews

Book Review: Deadly Places by Terry Odell

I was so pleased that Detective Ed Solomon got a story of his own. He’s been in the other Odell stories about Mapleton, Colorado, but finally he’s out from under Sheriff Gordon Hepler’s shadow.

With the sheriff on leave, Acting Chief Ed Solomon is running the show in Mapleton. Though the longer hours and increased responsibilities take their toll, Ed is increasingly drawn to case he’s been working on for a long time, the Deadbeat Dad Case. Another deadbeat dad is found dead nearby, and Ed believes the death is linked a popular social media outlet.

All too soon, the message becomes clear to Ed. If he’s going to catch this wily serial killer, he has to be all in.

Deadly Places is a solid police procedural in novella length written by a skilled author. I very much enjoyed returning to Mapleton. It felt like Old Home Week.

I received an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews

Book Review: Tough Choices by Terry Ambrose

A novella with new characters set in Terry Ambrose’s Hawaii is a delightful way to pass an afternoon.

Marty Fitch hits Honolulu hoping to start over after his ex takes him to the cleaners. With his inventions career on hiatus, he launches a new “tell-all” video blog. Only, the Honolulu PD is angry when his live blog feed spoils a drug bust they’re working. Off Marty goes to jail, but his cousin gets him out.

Jail time was just the thing to ignite Marty’s imagination. He found a new story to follow, a new tale to spin for his blog listeners.

Marty is an everyman protagonist. He wants a second chance, and I found myself rooting for him to get it right as his story unfolded.

A fun ride in a great escapist setting will help you get your island time vibe going.

I reviewed a free advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews

Book Review: Defects by Sarah Noffke

In the dystopian world of Reverians, the Middlings serve the Dream Travelers. Teenaged Em’s Dream Traveler talent hasn’t manifested as it should. At her father’s urging, she takes injections to augment her special gift. As months go by and she isn’t “cured,” Em feels like a broken, unproductive member of society. The tension and disapproval are even strong within her family.

Life is only tolerable for Em because of her friends.

But things aren’t as they seem for the Reverians. Em takes chances to learn the truth, and as each layer of societal lie is peeled away, terrible truths are revealed about people she’s known, loved, and trusted her entire life.

How far will a society go to rid itself of Defects?

I’m a Sarah Noffke fan. Her YA books grab me and won’t let go. I’ve now read works in her Reverian and Luccidite series and highly recommend them both.

Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews

Killer Nashville, shiny and bright

I always have to catch my breath after a conference, and this one is no exception. As a card-carrying introvert, being social for extended lengths of time totally zaps me. It's like I end up drawing energy from the days ahead while I'm there because I want to see and do so much.

From the moment I arrived at Killer Nashville 2015, I felt like I'd come home again. The group at registration are so sweet to let me hang out with them on Friday morning. They do all the hard work of fielding questions and being there for the entire conference. And they're all volunteers!

The hostess with the mostest: Jaden (Beth) Terrell

Conference manager Jaden  (Beth) Terrell has her fingers on the pulse of the conference at all times. Just about anytime on the conference Friday, there's a line of people waiting to talk to her about something important.

View on Amazon

The Killer Nashville Anthology got a lot of buzz at the conference. I am proud to have had a story in the collection. The book hit the Top 100 list on Kindle for Anthologies on the second day of it's release. Proceeds from this book benefit new and/or struggling writers. "High Noon at Dollar Central," the prelude to my ongoing Dreamwalker series, is in Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded. Check out the anthology at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I barely had time to say hello to my pals Paula Benson and Debra Goldstein, but someone did snap a pic or two of us with the anthology. I had some face time with C Hope Clark, another SEMWA board member, which was nice.

This year I found myself on three panels, two for the conference and one for the new BookCon. We had good attendance at all the panels and lots of questions about our topics of mysteries and genres.

Booklover's Bench founder, Terry Odell, posed for a quick pic with me

Thursday evening, Terry Odell and I hit "movie night" at the conference, with a short from John Gilstrap's high school days. The clip was funny, but the best part was running into friends there, both new and old. So nice to see Clay Stafford and Jacquie, Stacy and Ron Allen, and to meet some of the Atlanta SINC crew.

From left, Rae James, Terry Odell, Maggie, and Jenna Bennett

Friday, I was in session 4, "What's Your Genre?" ably moderated by Rae James, with co-panelists Jenna Bennett and Terry Odell.

Deni Dietz of Five Star and Maggie take a selfie

After a SEMWA board meeting at lunch, I filled in the afternoon giving critiques, and then capped off the day with editor Deni Dietz. A good time was had by all!

From left, Diane Kelly, Maggie, Jenna Bennett

Saturday, my first panel was session 35, "Secrets to Successful Series," led by Diane Kelly and with co-panelist Jenna Bennett.

Right after that, I headed over to the BookCon, where Jaden Terrell posed questions to  Jenna Bennett, Phyllis Goebell, and me on the topic of "Cozy Mysteries and Writing Across Genres."

Saturday afternoon I facilitated for Clay Stafford's interview of John Gilstrap.

The Southeast Mystery Writers of America reception preceded the banquet, and we had a great turnout for the SEMWA reception. The banquet was amazing, as always, with great food and live music. Next came speakers and award announcements. This year I was honored to announce the Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery, which I won last year. And the winner was: Hunting Shadows, Charles Todd.

The conference continued for another day, but I was homeward bound. Lots of hugs and see you next year's came as I was leaving. I totally love coming to this conference and seeing my mystery writing friends.

Oddly, people kept approaching me to meet me, as if I was a big celebrity or something. I didn't know what to make of that and felt like Candid Camera might pop out from behind a column to reveal the prank. Whatever. I can pull off being a celebrity for a few days, if that's what's needed. But man oh man, am I glad to be home and comfy cozy.

View on Amazon

And in a marketing aside, Kindle Press has my mystery set in the future on sale for the entire month of November. If you like my writing but weren't too sure about the whole science fiction thing, I guarantee you, all the bad guys in G-1 are people! Check it out: G-1 on Kindle

Maggie Toussaint
aka Rigel Carson

My Series
Mossy Bog Series (romantic suspense)
Cleopatra Jones series (cozy mystery)
Dreamwalker series (paranormal mystery)
Guardian of Earth series (dystopian thriller)

Book Review: Crab Bait by Carrie Enge

Coming from an East coast fishing and crabbing community, I had to know how the same vocation played out on the other side of the U.S. I was pleased to see that crabbers and fishers are somewhat universal in their independent natures and love of their work.

Kindle Scout author Carrie Enge shines a fine light on small towns, on how the populace may seem fickle, on how the cops aren’t always on speaking terms with each other, and on how cases get solved. Her protagonist Dan Fields is far from the "up and coming" list on his force. Rather, he’s in the dog house, and when he gets assigned the case of the dead crabber, he gets way more oversight than he ever wanted.

In a nice twist, Dan, recently widowed, works to save his first serious girlfriend from a life in prison, when all of the town and his bosses think she’s the one who killed her brother the crabber. Though the crabber wasn’t a nice guy, Dan believes in justice for all and puts that need above his future as a law enforcement officer. Because of his passion for the truth, the case gets solved.

Another small town dynamic Enge got right was outsiders coming in and trying to make your place just like the one they left. Us small town folks like the way our towns are. Leave us to heck alone! Enge’s love for her adopted home state shines through her writing, a bright beacon of hope and respect.

Maggie Toussaint and Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews

Hot new anthology: Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded

Something fantastic this way comes.

A new mystery anthology hit the shelves yesterday and this is one you're not going to want to miss. Headliners Jeffrey Deaver and Anne Perry have offerings, as do Robert Dugoni, Jefferson Bass, Clay Stafford, Jaden Terrell, Mary Burton, Jonathan Stone, Paula Gail Benson, Dana Chamblee Carpenter, Stephen James, Donald Bain, Heywood Gould, and Maggie Toussaint. (and I hope I didn't leave anyone out!)

That's right! I was invited to participate in this anthology. My short story, "High Noon at Dollar Central" is the prelude to my popular Dreamwalker Mystery Series featuring amateur sleuth Baxley Powell.

Published titles in my Dreamwalker series include Gone and Done It and Bubba Done It. Doggone It is slated for June 2016, and Dadgummit will hopefully get picked up for 2017. I'm writing book 5 in this series now.

Here's the opener to High Noon at Dollar Central:

Whodunit? The question buzzed around the grocery store like a drunken hornet. I’d heard about last night’s burglary while at the hardware store and at the bank. Locals credited this string of robberies to sea monsters or aliens, neither of which had ever been sighted in Marion, Georgia.

Want more? Of course you do! Click on over to your fav bookstore and grab a copy of this anthology. Don't delay. These puppies are flying off the shelves.

Buy paperback at Amazon
Buy Kindle at Amazon
Buy paperback at B&N
Buy Nook at B&N

And while you're clicking on links, I hope you'll check my website bookshelf for all my titles. I write romantic suspense, cozy mystery, paranormal mystery, and dystopian thrillers. Something for every reading taste!

Happy Reading,

Maggie Toussaint
writing dystopian fiction as Rigel Carson