Never Play Fair
by Leah Cupps
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GENRE: Mystery Thriller
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BLURB:
Can Sydney find her boyfriend in time, or will they both sink to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea?
Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans finds herself entangled in a criminal operation, orchestrated by the Department of Defense in order to bring down an online casino crime ring.
But she only has one motivation: find her FBI boyfriend Alex before he becomes collateral damage.
Sydney must navigate her way through an exclusive Casino yacht party in the middle of the Caribbean sea put on by none other than the notorious Costa Rican gangster, Vincente Estavez.
Never Play Fair is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative cozy mystery.
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NOTE: The book is on sale for only $0.99.
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Excerpt One:
Just two boats were left now, one already sidled up to the side of the ship, guests boarding one by one. Another waited about fifty feet away, giving the ship wide berth.
A woman with long blonde hair and a tight-fitting black cocktail waited anxiously with the others.
A few moments ago, she had noticed a drop in temperature, a few darker clouds and a rumbling in the distance.
There was a storm coming.
She moved closer to the man who was standing beside her. His cell phone had been taken from him at some point, as had hers. So, they both had little to do but stand and wait. Talking about what had just happened might give them away. And they were so close.
The last passenger boarded the boat in front of them. She was an older woman with white hair that was slicked back against her skull. The last lights from the yacht reflected on her sequined gown, the sparkles glimmering in the dark. Sydney watched her as if hypnotized.
After she had landed clumsily in her seat, the boat pulled away, and the last idling boat took its place. Sydney gripped the hand of the broad shouldered man next to her. Despite his size, his grip was weak.
They exchanged a quick look. His eyes were clouded, but she could see the relief softening his features.
Almost there.
As they moved forward to board, she noticed the sudden silence in the air. The fire alarm had stopped. A jolt of fear ripped through her stomach.
They must have put out the fire down below. Sydney looked around wildly.
Will the evacuation stop?
She pulled his hand towards the idling boat. They would be the first to board. The crew member on the boat gave her companion an odd look when he noticed his bloodied, swollen face.
“He fell on the steps,” she said, trying to assuage his alarm. The man simply nodded and gestured for him to move forward. The waves had gained strength in the last few minutes and the ropes from the boat stretched to their full length. The crew struggled to keep the smaller boat under control.
Another rope was tethered to the cleat alongside the massive yacht. A crew member reached for Sydney’s hand.
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Review: Sydney Evans was just looking for a little peace and quiet, especially after what she went through last year. The last thing she wanted was another visit from the FBI with the news that her boyfriend, an agent for them, was missing in Costa Rica.
The narrative was rather engaging; however, it draws too much attention into the setting and the emotional state, which can dull the anticipating and impede the progression. Although it had an interesting premise, at times, the plot can be hard to follow because there’s so much strenuous detail that doesn’t really fulfill the story.
Overall, story was not as exciting as I expected, but it was a good, solid effort by the author in adult suspense, although, to be perfectly honest, she should really stick to middle grade adventure.
A fairly nice read.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Leah Cupps is an entrepreneur and author. She writes Middle Grade Mystery Adventure Books as well as Thriller, Mystery, Suspense for Adults.
Leah’s novels are fast-paced mysteries that will keep you up at night as you can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.
Leah lives in Indiana with her husband, three young children and three dogs. When she isn’t losing sleep writing her next novel or scaling her next business, she enjoys reading, golfing working out and spending time with her family.
Connect with Leah Online:
http://www.facebook.com/leahcuppsauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17178076.Leah_Cupps
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GIVEAWAY
Leah Cupps will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a book that I would enjoy
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your honest review of Never Play Fair, I will take your thoughts into consideration while I am reading this story
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt, Never Play Fair sounds like the kind of thrilling, bite my nails suspense that I really enjoy and I like the cover! Thanks for sharing it with me!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra, for sharing your review!
Have a wonderful day!