Winter Austin

This is an intensely chilling thriller. Lila Dayne is a survivor of a serial killer attack. She is a deputy now with the local law enforcement office. Some sick monster places the worlds “Hush my darling” on a dead body. Now she is freaked out and Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit is determined to find out what the heck is going on. So well-written that I had chills. The story descriptions were so very detailed and just made you feel like you were there. The reliving of her whole experience gave show more me nightmares. The characters are very well developed. They feel twisted. Some of them feel like they could be your neighbors. Some feel creepy. I loved every minute of it. This was a new author for me. I plan to add this author to my favorites list and I look forward to reading more. I was pulled into the story from the beginning just by the way she described the storm scene. You should run to get this story. show less

Intrigue and menace abound in the foothills of the Payette National Forest.

Ride a Dark Trail is the first book in author Winter Austin’s thrilling new series, Bounty of Shadows, and features an emotionally scarred former Army helicopter pilot recuperating from injuries sustained in a crash. Dorothy "Dot" Ybarra returned home to her mother’s Idaho ranch after her service in Afghanistan to fly for the forest service, but an accident during a forest fire crashed her helicopter and put her show more in the hospital for several weeks. Still not cleared to fly and return to work, Dot keeps busy helping her mother run the hunting and guiding business she operates out of her former sheep farm. Her days were pretty much the same until a young woman, bruised and bleeding, stumbles out of the forest and onto the ranch, claiming her ex had taken their six-year-old daughter as a hostage and was on the run, not only from law enforcement, but from some truly dangerous people also on his trail.

I loved Dot Ybarra! She’s a strong woman carrying a load of baggage and bad luck, but no matter what gets thrown her way, she always pushes forward. She’s a female accustomed to commanding in male-dominated fields and maintains her status and control without coming across as unnaturally macho, unlike many other characters with similar backstories who are often portrayed as such. She acts authentically and sounds genuine.

T.J. Roman is a capable and talented bounty hunter whose past with Dot means more to him than he lets himself believe. I loved watching them reconnect. Coincidentally, Sloane Cross, T.J.’s business partner, is Dot’s best friend from high school, and these relationships create the perfect opportunity for the three to join forces to find out who is after Ashley Cooper and her young daughter.

The plot is well-paced, suspenseful, and fraught with mystery, as several key pieces of the puzzle remain hidden until much later in the story. Sloane and T.J. also have other cases they’re working on that slowly begin to crossover into what’s going on with the Coopers. Keeping things real is Dot’s mother, Angela, who is naturally anxious for her daughter’s safety, both physical and emotional.

The Idaho setting is rural and wild, with the action extending into the Payette National Forest. The author also incorporates local Basque culture and language, through Dot’s family, into the story, adding an informative and unique touch.

I highly recommend RIDE A DARK TRAIL to readers of thrillers, action and adventure stories, mysteries, and romantic suspense.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. show less

A simple job to corral a "Failure To Appear" turns complex and deadly.

Bait the Devil is the second book in author Winter Austin's outstanding Bounty of Shadows mystery series, and it absolutely hits the ground running and never lets up as Dot Ybarra and her partner, T.J. Roman, track down a defendant as a favor for attorney and Dot's cousin, Vivian Montgomery. However, the marine veteran they're after doesn't want to be 'retrieved,' and he's got the special skills needed to avoid collection. show more But as the body count in his wake increases, so does Dot, T.J., and Vivian's determination to find him, and they don't give up.

What a great new adventure for Dot and company! This time around, the action moves from Dot's home territory in the Idaho mountains to Boise, where she's living and working to become a certified bounty hunter, and beyond, as they track a fellow veteran who's on his own personal mission. I loved seeing that Dot is in a better headspace since recuperating from the events of the debut novel; the truths she learned then and her successes have started to pay off. She seems even more confident and settled than ever. I enjoyed seeing her get to use some of her own special skills as a helicopter pilot, marksman, and horsewoman to exciting effect. While Dot is carefully working through her past experiences, the same cannot be said of T.J., who is struggling with PTSD associated with his Army service.

With the case they're working on marked "Confidential" and rife with redacted government reports, TJ, Dot, and Vivian operate in the dark for much of the book's beginning, but bit by bit, the secrets come out. A good twist later on, and this book became impossible to set down. Besides the engaging main characters and the mysterious, compelling plot, the author's writing style draws readers in and makes them forget there's anything else outside their story.

I recommend BAIT THE DEVIL to readers of crime fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and suspense.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. show less

Mockingbird’s Cry by Winter Austin
Hera Force Series #1

Excellent introduction to three strong women that were the core of a black ops military team. They fascinated me. Sure, there was a bit of the feel of Charlie’s Angels in that there were three women working together to get difficult jobs done using many skills BUT these women were tougher, more determined, and more intriguing than the fluffier Angels.

What I liked:
* The first chapter grabbing me immediately
* The intensity and pace of show more the story/writing
* Josephine “mockingbird” Caruso: brilliant, analytical, leader, planner, strategist, team player, capable of great love, demanding, has trust issues, wants justice, good partner to Lincoln…once they work through things.
* Lincoln Sullivan: soldier, cop, team leader, spontaneous, capable of loving long term, has secrets, good partner to Jo once they work through their issues.
* Jade “Dragon” Delacour: dog handler and trainer, sniper, lethal snarky, can scent liars, MMA fighter, want to know more about her.
* Nadia “Phoenix” Roth: CIA Agent, assassin, chameleon, lethal, bubbly, TBI injury to deal with, mediator between team members, intriguing and I want to know more about her.
* Thor: Malinois service trained canine and Jade’s partner – also there for the team
* David Beckhorn: dislikable but grew on me and interested in seeing how he and Nadia get along in the next book.
* General Nathaniel Thornblade: string puller, seeking to put The Chessmaster out of business, strategist that doesn’t always get it right. I wonder what part he will play in the future…is he Charlie but seen or more of a Bosley or perhaps someone else entirely?
* The idea of Hera Force being composed of predominately highly skilled females who accomplished jobs male soldiers were unable to do. That may change in the future or not…it will be interesting to find out.
* Wondering if The Chessmaster will be dealt with eventually
* The twist…there was a big one.

What I didn’t like:
* The way the bad guy was eager to kill rather indiscriminately
* Having to wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to the author and Tirgearr Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars show less