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Murder on Moonshine Hill Book Review and Giveaway

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I read and reviewed The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis last year--and loved it.  e-Murderer, the first book in the Jenna Scali series, has been on my reading list since it was released--but, hasn't made it's way to the top.  When I learned that Murder on Moonshine Hill was set to be released--and that it was a standalone mystery--I knew that I had to make some time to read and review it!  What did I think of Murder on Moonshine Hill by Joan C. Curtis?

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook for use in my review.  All opinions are my own.  We are also excited to share the book tour giveaway where readers may enter to win a signed copy of The Clock Strikes Midnight at the end of this post.  

Quick Summary of Murder on Moonshine Hill.  When Jenna decides to go to this wedding, she expects to dredge up old secrets and old hurts and she expects to see people from her past, but she doesn’t expect to stumble on a dead body. Jenna’s friend is arrested. The wedding is cancelled. And Jenna’s tendency to stick her nose where it shouldn’t be leads her into the path of the killer. Set in the serene mountains of North Carolina Murder on Moonshine Hill is filled with suspense, humor, and a quirky cast of supporting characters.

Joan C. Curtis creates entertaining, character based mysteries.   While the pages of Murder on Moonshine Hill move at a fast pace; the scenes are loaded with character development and human interaction rather than unrealistic action and adventure.  Curtis' characters have problems, quirks, secrets and flaws--and she builds her mystery on discovering resolution from the many pieces and parts introduced through her characters.

The characters and the setting of Murder on Moonshine Hill engage readers to the end.   There's a relaxing vibe created by the author's slower-paced, Southern setting.  She does a nice job pulling in the many details of her characters' pasts and roles in the unfolding mystery.  Readers will be drawn to the scenes and invested in the characters through to the end.


Murder on Moonshine Hill is a stand alone novel--but... This mystery stands well on its own--but, I think I would have understood some of the references and the context a little more clearly had I read Jenna's first mystery before reading this one.

Would I recommend Murder on Moonshine Hill?  I love the author's mystery writing style.  She maintains suspense as she develops her storyline--but, relies more on character development and interactions than heart stopping, action scenes to tell her story.   I would recommend reading the first book in the series to develop a stronger connection to the returning characters and their back-stories--although it isn't really necessary to following the plot of this book.  I am planning to read the first book (which you can learn more about below)--but, I am already looking forward to more mysteries from this author!

Buy on Amazon / Nook

Check out e-Murderer..   
Quick summary of e-Murderer.  On this anything but typical Monday morning Jenna Scali, who works part-time for a shrink, opens an email that depicts the brutal death of a young girl. On that same day the police uncover a dead coed two blocks from Jenna’s house. The e-murderer’s description creepily echos the death described in the newspapers. When Jenna receives other emails, she takes what she knows to the police and thus begins her journey in the path of the e-murderer. Her curious nature impels her from e-messages to dead coeds to a ring of prostitutes. With the help of her quirky friends, Jenna learns that she’s more than a conduit for the killer. She’s his target. New secrets unfold, and finally her love life takes a tumble when the true killer emerges. THE E-MURDERER is a race to find a psychotic killer before he kills again. This new mystery series with a young female sleuth promises to keep you glued to your seat until the last page.
Buy on Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo Books / MuseItUp Publishing
Watch the Book Trailer for e-Murderer
 



Meet the Author

 Joan is an award-winning writer who has published 6 books and numerous stories. Readers compare her to the great Southern writer, Fanny Flagg. “She writes characters and a story that will stay with you.” Her debut mystery/suspense novel, The Clock Strikes Midnight, won the silver medal for fiction/suspense in the Global eBook Awards for 2015 and is a finalist for the Royal Palm Literary Award.

The e-Murderer won first place in the Malice Domestic Grants competition for new writers. Joan has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember. She reads all kinds of books, including women’s fiction, mysteries, biography, and nonfiction. Mystery/suspense with a psychological twist is exactly the kind of book Joan loves to read.


"I write about characters who remind me of myself at times and my sister at times, but never fully so. My stories are told from a woman's point of view with a destiny. Characters drive my writing and my reading." Having grown up in the South with a mother from Westchester County New York, Joan has a unique take on blending the Southern traditions with the eye of a Northerner. She spent most of her childhood in North Carolina and now resides in Athens, Georgia.

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1 Comments

  1. Hi Angela, Thank you for this very nice thorough review. I'm delighted you got a chance to read this one even though you missed the last one. It's good to hear how they stand alone. Thank you for hosting my book today on the tour. If anyone has comments or questions, I will gladly respond.

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