Dead By Proxy by Manning Wolfe (Blog Tour and Review)

Dead By Proxy

by Manning Wolfe

September 18 - October 13, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

In this lawyer on the run action suspense, attorney Quinton Bell loses the trial of his career, and possibly his life.

Dead By Proxy takes you on a heart-pounding journey through the life of a criminal defense attorney, whose world is wiped out. When Quinton loses a career-defining case, he finds himself being hunted by the very client he tried to save.

As Quinton navigates the treacherous path of survival, he is running from a powerful and relentless adversary who will stop at nothing to see him silenced. Finally landing in Houston, he hides in plain sight while re-inventing his new life as a trial lawyer.

When he’s forced to take on a high-profile murder case, he exposes himself and those he loves to danger. With each passing moment, the noose tightens, and he must draw on every ounce of wit to outsmart those who still want him dead.

Will Quinton Bell find a way out, or will he forever be a target in a deadly game of cat and mouse?

Dead By Proxy is the first book in the edgy Proxy Legal Thriller Series. If you like memorable characters, smart gritty action, and jaw-dropping twists, then you’ll love Manning Wolfe’s fast-paced page-turner.

Praise for Dead By Proxy:

"A riveting read that expertly teams courtroom drama and legal maneuvering with imminent danger, spine-tingling suspense, a touch of romance, and non-stop action. Talk about an adrenaline rush!"
~ Reedsy

"Manning Wolfe just put herself on my list of must-read authors!"
~ John Ellsworth

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Starpath Books, LLC
Publication Date: September 2023
Number of Pages: 275
Series: The Proxy Legal Thriller Series, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Byron was not jaded or trapped into being an attorney as many he knew were and he was not in it for the money, although that part was nice. And, he was not naive, as he was aware of severe injustices in the criminal justice system and felt improvement was needed. Byron continued to be on the playing field because he was one of the last true believers. The system was the best available right now and he actually trusted the outcome, most of the time.

Having deceased parents, one semi-estranged sibling in California, and no current plans to marry, Byron embraced the law as his mistress and his life. He simply loved it all. As most careers went, loving it meant he was devoted to it and good at it. He never glossed over a precedent or twisted a legal argument beyond its parameters. He was thrilled every time he set foot in a courtroom to do battle for his client, guilty or innocent.

Across the aisle, the prosecutor, Sebastian Roberts, relished this chance to incarcerate another criminal. Roberts moved his short spark-plug-of-a-body, decorated with a vest and bright paisley bow tie, around the courtroom as he laid out the federal government’s view of the case. He looked at Byron and his client, then back to the twelve chosen members of the jury.

Byron organized his thoughts, felt excitement tingle through his fingers and toes, and stood up at the defense table. In defending Killian Tyrone, Byron’s opening argument went something like this: “Your Honor and members of the jury. Today, I’d like to introduce you to my client, Killian Tyrone, the accused in this case. Now, I know what the prosecutor said about what he did, and that is probably swirling around in your brain right now, but I’d like for you to take a step back and listen to both sides of the story before you make a decision about my client’s behavior, guilt, or innocence. You also heard his inference about defense attorneys, that would be me.” He smiled and the jury laughed. “I’ll leave it to you to decide, but I have no intention of tricking you or trying to hide the ball.”

Byron pointed at his co-counsel, Michael, a shorter, younger version of himself, but with brown eyes. “My colleague, Michael Everett, and I will present Mr. Tyrone’s side of the case and, when we’re finished, I’m certain that you will find him not guilty.”

Byron smiled at the jury and took pride in the fact that when he won, he won fair and square, and he instilled these principles in his protégé, Michael. Byron encouraged Michael not to be blinded by the legal system, nor be immune to the tricks of the trade. Byron used the tools expertly, but he wanted to win with an equal playing field, or not at all, and the law allowed for plenty of ways to win. To Byron, what was the point if cheating was involved? That only proved he was the best cheater, not the best lawyer.

***

Excerpt from Dead By Proxy by Manning Wolfe. Copyright 2023 by Manning Wolfe. Reproduced with permission from Manning Wolfe. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

MANNING WOLFE, an award-winning author and attorney, writes cinematic-style, smart, fast-paced thrillers and crime fiction. Manning was recently featured on Oxygen TV’s: Accident, Suicide, or Murder, and has spoken at major book festivals around the world.

* Manning’s legal thriller series features Austin attorney Merit Bridges, including Dollar Signs, Music Notes, Green Fees, and Chinese Wall.

* Manning’s new Proxy Legal Thrillers Series features Houston attorney Quinton Bell, including Dead By Proxy, Hunted By Proxy, and Alive By Proxy.

* Manning is co-author of Killer Set: Drop the Mic, and twelve additional Bullet Books Speed Reads.

As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law, Manning’s experience has given her a voyeur’s peek into some shady characters’ lives and a front-row seat to watch the good people who stand against them.

Catch Up With Manning Wolfe:
www.ManningWolfe.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @manning-wolfe
Instagram - @manningwolfe
Twitter - @manningwolfe
Facebook - @manning.wolfe
Learn more about Manning Wolfe on Amazon!

 

MY REVIEW:

This was a very fun and exciting read. The writing was excellent, the plot and the pacing were wonderful, and the characters were vivid and real. I thoroughly enjoyed the very delightful balance of courtroom drama and edge-of-your seat thrills. I truly devoured this book in one sitting that's how fun it was! 

If you are a fan of legal thrillers then this is the read for you! I highly recommend! 

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Murder At Midnight by Katharine Schellman (Blog Tour and Guest Post)

Murder at Midnight

by Katharine Schellman

September 18 - October 13, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Ashley Weaver, when a body is found shot to death after an unexpected snowstorm, Lily Adler quickly realizes that some people will stop at nothing to bury their secrets.

Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to a quiet Christmastide away from the schemes and secrets she witnessed daily in London. Not only will she be visiting the family of her late husband; she will be reunited with Captain Jack Hartley, her friend and confidante, finally returned after a long voyage at sea.

But secrets aren't only found in London. Jack's younger sister, Amelia, is the center of neighborhood scandal and gossip. She refuses to tell anyone what really happened, even when an unexpected snowstorm strands the neighborhood families together after a Christmas ball. Stuck until the snow stops, the Adlers, Hartleys, and their neighbors settle in for the night, only to be awakened in the morning by the scream of a maid who has just discovered a dead body.

The victim was the well-to-do son of a local gentleman--the same man whose name has become so scandalously linked to Amelia's.

With the snow still falling and no way to come or go, it's clear that someone in the house was responsible for the young man's death. When suspicion instantly falls on Jack's sister, he and Lily must unmask the true culprit before Amelia is convicted of a crime she didn't commit.

Praise for Murder at Midnight:

"Delightful . . . Historical mystery fans will devour this holiday treat."
~ Publishers Weekly

"A plummy period whodunit with a colorful collection of suspects."
~ Kirkus Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: Historical mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: September 2023
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781639104321 (ISBN10: 1639104321)
Series: A Lily Adler Mystery, 4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Penguin Random House

Read an excerpt:

Lily sat bolt upright. Where had the sound come from? It hadn’t been loud . . . another part of the house? For a moment, in the pressing silence, she wondered if she had drifted back to sleep without realizing it and imagined the whole thing.

But a moment later, the sounds of a commotion rose just outside her window. Lily dashed to the window, throwing it open with some effort and peering out into the swirl of snow and early- morning light.

The guest room she had been given was one of the smaller ones—the better to quickly heat rooms that hadn’t been prepared in advance—and as was typical for such rooms, it lacked a pretty view. Hers looked over what she realized after a moment must be the poultry yard. Darkly clad figures who she could guess were servants stumbled through the thick layer of snow that had fallen, trying to reach the two people in the middle of the yard.

One Lily could see from her vantage only as a still, upright figure, hand outstretched and pointing toward the second person, who lay sprawled on the ground. The one on the ground was half covered by the ice and snow, unmoving.

Lily grabbed the dressing gown from the chair, pulled on her shoes, and ran from the room. In the hallway, a few guests were poking their heads out of their doors, hair tousled and faces creased with sleep, inquiring grumpily if anyone had heard an odd noise.

Lily didn’t stop to consider propriety or worry about what anyone else might think before she yelled “Jack!” as loudly as she could. She didn’t know which room he had been given, but a moment later, a door past the stairs was flung open and the navy captain’s head appeared.

“What is it?” he demanded. He was already dressed and wearing his driving coat over his clothing. That was odd at such an early hour, but Lily didn’t have time to be surprised.

“Downstairs.” In spite of the months they had spent apart, Lily knew she could depend on him to understand and act quickly. “Something happened. We have to help.”

And in spite of those months apart, he didn’t stop to ask questions. More guests were emerging, summoned by Lily’s shout, and questions were beginning to fly back and forth as she dashed down the stairs, Jack on her heels.

They didn’t need to wonder where to go; on the floor below, Mrs. Grantham was following a stately-looking woman who might have been the housekeeper or another upper servant. Their pace was just barely too dignified to be a run, but they couldn’t hide their worry as they disappeared down the steps to the kitchen. Lily and Jack hurried after them.

The servants’ staircase was narrow and cold. At the bottom, servants clustered in the kitchen, talking in shrill, anxious voices as the cook tried to keep some order. The underservants glanced uneasily at Lily and Jack as they came into the kitchen, but no one seemed to know what to do or say. The door to the yard had been left wide open, and the wind blew in gusts of snow and icy morning light. Outside, more servants were gathered, though they parted like a wave as the housekeeper led Mrs. Grantham out to see what had happened.

As Lily and Jack tried to follow, they were stopped by the frail but determined body of the butler, who interposed himself between them and the open door. “Madam, sir, perhaps you would care to return to your rooms? Breakfast will be ready shortly.”

Jack drew himself up, clearly prepared to use his rank to push his way past the aging servant. Before he could say anything, though, and before Lily could think how to reply, Mrs. Grantham turned sharply.

“What is . . .” She trailed off, eyeing Lily and Jack with trepidation. She looked ready to send them on their way with some commonplace assurance. But half a dozen emotions chased their way across her face in that moment, and she instead asked, “Mrs. Adler, how many of the rumors about you are true?”

“That depends on the rumors,” Lily replied calmly, though her heart was pounding. Behind Mrs. Grantham, she could see the limbs of the eerie, still figure sticking out of the snowbank. “Though if you refer only to the ones that are most relevant at this moment . . .” She turned her gaze pointedly toward the body in the snow. “There is indeed some truth to them.”

Mrs. Grantham hesitated, then seemed to make up her mind in a rush. She stepped aside, pulling the confused housekeeper with her. There were boots for the servants lined up next to the door, crusted with mud from repeated use. Lily pulled off her delicate evening slippers, slid her bare feet into the pair that looked closest to her size, and followed as she and Jack were ushered into the yard, their eyes fixed on what awaited them there.

A man dressed in borrowed clothes, his skin white with cold, his hair thick with clumps of ice and snow. He could have fallen, hit his head, been caught in the storm and frozen. He could still be alive, in need of help. He could have had an innocent reason for being out in the storm.

He could have. But this close, Lily could see the snow that had been kicked aside and trampled by half a dozen feet in the servants’ frantic attempts to clear it away. The icy powder was too thick on the ground for her to see the mud of the yard. But it was still stained with red and brown from where the man’s life had leaked away in the night.

The once-snowy linen of his shirt was stained the same color, jagged and torn from the bullet that had ended his life. The gun that had fired it had been unearthed beside him, as snow-logged as his own body. The man’s frozen eyes and mouth were wide open, as though he had not believed until the last moment that whoever had faced him in that yard could be capable of the shot that had ended his life.

***

Excerpt from Murder at Midnight by Katharine Schellman. Copyright 2023 by Katharine Schellman. Reproduced with permission from Katharine Schellman. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Katharine Schellman is a former actor and one-time political consultant. These days, she writes the Lily Adler Mysteries and the Nightingale Mysteries. Her books, which reviewers have praised as “worthy of Agatha Christie or Rex Stout” (Library Journal, starred review), have received multiple accolades, including being named a Library Journal Best Crime Fiction of 2022, a Suspense Magazine Best Book of 2020, and a New York Times editor’s pick in June 2022. Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.

Catch Up With Katharine Schellman:
www.KatharineSchellman.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @KatharineSchellman
Instagram - @katharinewrites
Facebook - @katharineschellman

 

Guest Post: Before I Was a Writer
by Katharine Schellman

If you take a peek at my official author bio, you might notice that writing wasn’t my first career. I’ve had a whole bunch of different jobs since my parents stopped giving me an allowance: babysitter, restaurant hostess, dance teacher, French tutor, lingerie fitter, office manager, standardized patient, political consultant, wedding makeup artist, and more. But my first real career was as an actor and dancer.

I informed my parents when I was about six years old that I wanted to write books when I grew up. They told me that was a great idea, and from then on, I was the kid who was always writing down stories. But when I was ten, I also fell in love with acting. I decided that I’d pursue a career as a performer. And I figured that one day, eventually, I’d also write books.

After getting a theatre degree in college, I began acting and dancing professionally. (I was also, as you might imagine, doing several of those jobs listed up there to pay my rent.) I loved acting. I loved being onstage. But every career also creates a lifestyle. Over time, I discovered that the life of a performer didn’t suit me as much as I expected it to. But I didn’t want to give it up.

Then I had one of those conversations that changes your life: the kind where a near-stranger pinpoints a truth you hadn’t been able to see yourself.

“What do you want to be doing in ten years?” a friend of a friend (who I have never seen again) asked me at a New Year’s Eve party.

“I want to be writing and publishing books,” I told him.

“Well, then you probably should be working on that now,” he said. “Even if it means you need to stop acting.” He knew what he was talking about: he’d recently given up working as a full-time musician to pursue managing and supporting other artists, something he’d discovered he loved even more.

I had been writing casually for years. I had two and a half novels on my hard drive that no one would ever read. But I knew, after that conversation, that I wanted to give writing my focus. I wanted to do the work it would take to make it a career. I made the hard decision to stop acting, gave myself some time to think about what I wanted to write, and got to work on a new book.

That book eventually became the first Lily Adler mystery. And now, eight years after the conversation that changed my life, I’m so excited to share the fourth Lily Adler mystery with you, Murder at Midnight.

Happy reading, friends. And here’s to random conversations, big life changes, and finding what you’re meant to be doing. 

 

Tour Participants:

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Reading Plans for the Week: The Very Responsible and Dependable Version

 

Yeah, yeah so the daily reading thingy didn't quite go to plan did it? I know I am just super reliable and responsible but I have to tell you I have ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE..except for laziness? Is that a good one? I dunno, anyways, I have some good news! I think I'm finally adjusted to my new work schedule! It has only taken what? A few weeks to get into the groove? 

So I think now I have that under my belt and have gotten my brain/body sorted out things are going to be settling down some. 

This week I have a couple of review books that need attending to! 

These are both part of blog tours, so look out  for those posts coming up in early October! Ahhhh Spoopy Month is about to START!

Also I have a couple of side reads that I want to get into, won't commit to fully reading them this week but I do want to dive in:

So as long as I don't let the couch eat me alive as it has been the last couple of weeks, I will be a reading machine this week! Tell me all about your reading choices for this week! 

Daily Reading-Tuesday Edition

 

Today I have plenty of spare time to read, I am sure I've mentioned it before but I've switched to mainly nights at work so my sleeping schedule and my brain have all been wonky lately. So when I have free time I've been doing a lot of sleeping. Well today it one of my "normal" days so not as much work and some free time. Yay! 

So here goes: 

So I'm still reading:

I'm still plugging away today on this one! I am really liking it a lot! Starting on 52% and hope to get much much more read in this book today!

I'm also going to be reading from the selection for the If It Bleeds read-a-long "The Life of Chuck" 

Will be reading some of this story for my read-a-long. 

Daily Notes: 

Daily Reads (New Thing)

 Because my brain has been so fickle lately, I've decided to give this a go. Instead of a weekly TBR stack I'm going to post daily what I've read, why I read it, and what I felt about it. Not sure how this will work but whatever, I'm gonna give it a go. 

So I'm still reading:

I'm really liking this new, intriguing take on the zombie genre. So far the book is great, just my ADD kicks in and I start going other things. I'm reading this one on my Kindle so I'm as of now 42% into it. 

Daily Notes: I got a nice chunk read in this one. Am still very much into this read. The zombies are definitely a different take than I'm used to and I'm really curious to see where this goes. I like the varying POV's from the characters as they go through this "rising." 

I'm also going to be reading from the selection for the If It Bleeds read-a-long "The Life of Chuck" 

I really enjoyed the first novella in this book. So I'm very much looking forward to this one. I haven't yet started on this, but I do think I'll get some read. 

Daily Notes: I did not get anything read in this one. 

So I will try this out for a few days and see how this goes. I have more books on my table if I get the urge to bounce around but so far these are the two that are getting my attention. 

So what are you reading today? 

Weekend Plans

 It is rainy and gross outside so what better way to spend the weekend than to curl up at every given moment and read? I do have work but I have plenty of down time to pick up a book or two! So I'm planning on squeezing in as much reading time as I can! 

Here's my stack: 

I will be reading "The Life of Chuck" from If It Bleeds

I do have a few others that I might graze from but I'm hoping to finish at least one of these this weekend.  

McMinnville by Derrick McCartney (Book Blitz)

Science Fiction

Date Published: March 24, 2022

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

Two photographs taken on a spring evening in 1950 that seem to show the impossible-we are not alone. A thirteen-year-old girl disappears the same evening, but returns thirty years later without aging a day. A dying detective on the hunt for the answers to one mystery falls afoul of a more profound mystery that calls into question all of human history and the science on which the universe is based. McMinnville is the story of one man's coming to terms with his mortality and the inconceivable, while falling in love for a second time, something he thought was impossible.

Ray Baker is a retired NYPD detective, dying of cancer and dealing with the crushing loneliness after the death of his wife. He wants to make the last few months of his life count by traveling cross country to the places where he grew up. Along the way, he stumbles upon a cold case that took place on May 11, 1950, a few hundred yards from his childhood farm outside of McMinnville, Oregon. At a little past seven in the evening on that day, Evelyn Forsyth was feeding her rabbits when she looked up to see a craft floating soundlessly toward her. She called for her husband, Glenn, to come with his camera. Over a span of a few seconds, he took two photographs before the craft tipped up on edge and sped away. That was the story that appeared in the Telephone Register, McMinnville's local paper under the heading "At Long Last-Authentic Photographs Of Flying Saucer[?]" A month later, the photographs were featured in the June edition of Life Magazine. Were they real or a clever hoax? Ray takes it upon himself to answer this question, applying his considerable detective skills. But in doing so, he steps through the looking glass into a world that makes him question everything. If that was not enough, he also discovers that there is a clock and it is ticking down.

 

McMinnville is the first book in a trilogy that follows Ray Baker's pursuit of life, love, and the truth, which is most definitely out there.

About the Author

Derrick McCartney was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Tennessee before moving to the Washington, DC area. Despite a degree in Soviet and East European studies, he made a name for himself as an expert on North Korea. After a stint in the US Government, he has spent most of his career in defense think tanks. He has published several books and articles on international security affairs under his real name. This is his first work of fiction.

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