A. W. Hartoin

A Good Man Gone is the first in the long-running, fantastic, wildly entertaining Mercy Watts mystery series. When I first acquired this book I was just expecting your typical rom-com. Boy, was I surprised! Mercy was so charmingly unlike most characters and the book was so engaging I was immediately hooked. And thus began my ongoing love of all things Mercy and my desire to read anything by author A. W. Hartoin.

Mercy is very likable – and she can get into trouble just by getting out of bed show more in the morning. Her behavior is a little immature at times and she doesn’t always make the best decisions, and she has the typical conflict with her parents. But she never comes across as spoiled or mean-spirited or stupid, which seems to happen far too often in mysteries these days. She is a grown woman with a career, can take care of herself (most of the time!) and family is important to her. And – she looks exactly like Marilyn Monroe. Definitely more a curse than a blessing. The references to her figure were a little goofy but did not detract from my enjoyment of the story, nor did the humor. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud several times, and as already noted, couldn’t put this down until I finished it.

The characters were quirky enough to be interesting but not so over-the-top that I didn’t want to see them again or learn more about them. The plot was solid, moved along quickly and kept me guessing. Highly recommend this book and the rest in the thoroughly enjoyable series, as well as everything else this talented author has written.

I am voluntarily leaving this review; all opinions are my own. show less

I almost can’t believe that Survive and Thrive is the ninth book in author A. W. Hartoin’s Stella Bled series, but then I remember just how much Stella, and her husband Nicky, have endured since their honeymoon in 1938, when they were young and carefree and war was just breaking out in Europe. Dangerous, tragic, often unbelievable – those are the words to describe Stella’s life since she was recruited and agreed to do whatever was asked of her to try and stop the Nazis and end this show more horrible war, whatever the personal cost.

And the cost has been high, very high: separated from her new husband and only seeing him a handful of times since then, never knowing if as a pilot flying dangerous missions he has been shot down, captured, or killed. Stuck in Europe, not able to return to her home in the United States, with scant information to or about her family. Hunted by assassins, living undercover, taking on a variety of roles in disguise, infiltrating the enemy. Injury, illness, frostbite, watching those she cares about disappear – or worse – being killed right in front of her eyes.

And the last, worst, cost of all? At the end of her last mission, embarking on a new mission she’s been told only she can successfully complete, Stella watches her infant son Torsten sail away in the care of another woman, the only way she can keep him safe. Or hope to keep him safe, because she doesn’t even know if they will make it to their destination. She’s determined to return to him and Nicky, but nothing is certain in these dark days.

And this new mission? One with a partner, Mr. Bast, who has been an on-and-off, significant presence since Stella embarked on this path. They are to be embedded in Czechoslovakia, posting as a German businessman with his young, German, frivolous, not-too-bright wife. This role will certainly tax Stella’s acting ability, won’t it?

All missions are dangerous, but this may be the most dangerous of all. Tasked with stopping an assassination, Stella soon learns that her handler didn’t give her all the information she needed and in fact lied to her. The mission is much worse than she thought and when their contacts are dead and there is nowhere to get information Stella and Mr. Bast wonder if they, like their contacts, will soon be dead.

Survive and Thrive is fast-paced, tense, thrilling. Stella and Mr. Bast work well together, but circumstances are changing so quickly they must improvise quickly and are always on the edge of discovery, and possibly even worse, Stella is for the first time in the depths of despair. Feeling betrayed by the lies and false pretenses she was given at the start of the mission, she is more and more hopeless about being able to successfully continue to play their parts, do what is now required and escape unharmed – or at least alive. She and Mr. Bast become separated and he is not at the rendezvous point. Was this all for nothing: failing the mission, losing her partner, and never seeing her husband and son again?

As always author Hartoin has done an extraordinary job telling this story. So full of detail and historical facts, suspense and danger that feel real, it is as if the war is happening right now and not a fictional or historical event. Fact and fiction are seamlessly woven together, the pace perfect and the words exquisite. Stella’s past missions and the people she encountered play a part. And the emotions? I could hardly stand it. I have been with Stella from the start, and at a point in each book I become so immersed that I start to wish she could have just had that honeymoon and her expected life, as if she's not a fictional character but a young relative of mine or something. It’s a gift Hartoin has, to draw you into the story, keep you on the edge of your seat and provide such an abundance of history. I recommend you read Survive and Thrive, all the previous Stella Bled books and also Hartoin’s other series: the Mercy Watts series and the Jess and Libby Paranormal Cozy Mystery series. They not only reference Stella and provide a wonderful crisscross web of family and events, but they are also as riveting and satisfying as the Stella Bled series. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

At the very beginning of the story we got a little peek into Mercy returning to real life as a nurse – her “normal” life if there is such a thing, and it was hilarious. I had no idea what the problems with her patients were but I was already laughing out loud, which is often the case in a Mercy Watts story. But something sinister is always happening and Mercy the Nurse or Mercy the Detective investigating straightforward cases for her father isn’t around much. Instead she’s always show more in danger: kidnapped, attacked, chased by the Klinefeld Group. Often with her partner Aaron in tow or fiancé Chuck by her side.

It sounds trite or cliché to always say the latest book is better than the previous one, the best yet. But it’s true, whichever of author A. W. Hartoin’s series you’re talking about – Mercy Watts, Stella Bled or Jess and Libby. All three series are connected and all three series are amazing and fascinating.

Origin Story is the sixteenth book in the Mercy Watts series, the one that started it all. There have been references from the beginning that Mercy may be part of the Bled Family, actually related to “godmothers” Myrtle and Millicent and the infamous, secret heroine of World War II Stella Bled. As the series has progressed, more and more has been revealed: Stella brought something back with her and hid it somewhere. No one knows exactly what it is or where it’s hidden, but something called The Klinefeld Group is after it and they’ll do anything to get it, including the aforementioned kidnapping, attacks – and murder.

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: author Hartoin’s superpower is taking all these details and scenarios and historical events and somehow expertly mixing them together to craft a superbly plotted tale of mystery and suspense full of clues and red herrings and lots and lots of fall-down-laugh-out-loud humor and just the right amount of romance.

Hartoin doesn’t tell us everything in Origin Story, because how could there be another book if she did, but we learn a lot. Connections, relationships, mysterious happenings become clearer. If you’ve read Hartoin’s other series, especially Stella Bled (and if you haven’t why not?) then Origin Story feels like a trip down a familiar path with familiar faces and events but in a different context. Step by step by step closer to all the answers, to what happened, who did it, and why.

Not only is Origin Story a riveting page-turner making you fear what’s around every corner, it’s also old home week for all your favorite characters, and some that are real stinkers. Trekking across Europe with the godmothers, chasing clues, being chased, non-stop danger. Narrow escapes, disguises, bodyguards, ‘the little weirdo’ Aaron cooking and saving the day. And best of all lots and lots of Chuck. From the exercise-obsessed pain in the rear in earlier books he’s now Mercy’s sexy, sweet, protective fiancé, all-in on an adventure when it’s important to her and always all-in to do whatever it takes to make her safe. Not that she can’t take care of herself – usually.

This series really does get better with every book. Origin Story is delightful, satisfying and keeps your brain working to keep up. I received an advance copy from the author as part of her review team. I welcome it as an addition to my Hartoin Library. I can’t wait to see what’s next up in whichever series is next in the queue. I recommend you read this book, all of Hartoin’s books and join the fun. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

Stella Bled is back. Each book in the series has been better than the last, but author A. W. Hartoin has truly outdone herself with Operation Knickknack, the eighth book in her Stella Bled Thriller series. To call it a thriller doesn’t do it justice; if I were to give this book a subtitle, it would be “The Book of Non-stop Dread.”

Stella’s been in danger before. She’s been interrogated, injured, betrayed, had to travel long distances to escape, had to wear disguises for long show more periods, always praying they’re good enough, had to think and react in the heat of the moment, made more narrow escapes than you can count. She’s been lonely and afraid and discouraged. She’s rarely spent time with her husband Nicky, she hasn’t been back home to the United States in years, and it’s only been by chance that she’s seen one or two members of her family in Europe. All in the span of a few short years, starting with a beautiful, rich, spoiled young bride and her handsome, dashing, adoring, equally rich and spoiled young groom on their honeymoon in Vienna. On the eve of Kristallnacht . . . .

When this mission is thrust upon her Stella is tired – exhausted would be more accurate – and desperately needing a break. Nicky is a pilot and in constant danger himself; she doesn’t even know if he’s dead or alive. They’ve had just one wonderful night together in who knows how long. She tries to refuse, but Stella is good at her job, one-in-a-million, and this mission is of such importantance that it must be her. So she agrees. The mission is critically important, but it should also be fairly simple, get in, get what you need, get out; she’ll be accompanied by Cyril Welk, everything is set. What could go wrong?

“What could go wrong?” is the question of the century. And the answer to that question is: everything. To begin with, her mission isn’t what it seemed. In fact, it seems like her cover never would have worked. Then Cyril is called away for a time. She’s left alone in Nuremburg, waiting to be extracted, but her local contacts just don’t feel right, and she’s surrounded in her hotel by Nazis. When circumstances cause her to take quick action and flee, she becomes even more embedded in this hostile, dangerous place. With a German family. With men forcing their attention on her at every turn. On the eve of Pearl Harbor.

If this string of “misfortunes” were part of a comedy it would be hilarious, but absolutely none of this is funny. It will take all of Stell’s wit and cunning, all her ability to act, to become the character she’s portraying, to never slip for even a second so she’s not found out.

One thing after another after another goes wrong until you are shaking your head at the sheer magnitude of it. Stella sees and experiences first-hand the life of a normal German family, with people suspicious of their own family, friends and neighbors, afraid to speak of or even hint at displeasure with or complaints about life, because that is considered treason against the Fuhrer. She sees how the children are brainwashed through their schooling and programs and uniforms and rituals, so much so that they even believe you should by joyful rather than sad at the loss of a loved one because it’s in the name of serving the Fuhrer.

If you’ve read the rest of this series you know what Stella’s been through: Abel, Vienna, Little Anna in the crib. But what she must endure in Operation Knickknack is beyond surprising or shocking; it’s stunning, unbelievable, tears your heart out.

Operation Knickknack is exciting, thrilling, fast-paced, full of the usual facts blended into this riveting story. Hartoin has the magical ability to provide the worldview of this time in history, the big battles and strategies, the picture of Hitler smoothly rolling along in his path of destruction and then swoop down and place you (and Stella) in the middle of everyday life, and what was going on under the surface: the purging of the Jews, the rivalries and plots, the art theft, the nightclubs, the party scene. With each book you learn more, think of things in a way you never did before, while hoping fervently that Stella can just get out of there once and for all. And then there is Hartoin’s amazing talent for putting clues and references to Stella and Nicky’s lives into her other series. I have read Hartoin’s Stella Bled series, Mercy Watts series and the Jess and Libby Paranormal Cozy Mystery series and I believe by now that her entire house must be wall-to-wall sticky notes and timelines. How else could she keep track of all those details and give us such wonderfully satisfying books? I thoroughly enjoyed Operation Knickknack and recommend it without hesitation. I have no idea what will happen to Stella next and can’t wait to find out. In the meantime, I’ll be reading Hartoin’s other series and suggest you do, too. I was given an advance copy of this book by the author. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less