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The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

The Spy Coast is the first book in a new series, The Martini Club, by Tess Gerritsen. The Martini Club is a group of retired spies (CIA) who live in the same small town in Maine.  The agents have been friends since they first went were introduced.  Over the years their lives intersected at different times, but mostly they were alone in their work.

Maggie Bird is raising chickens and living her life when she finds someone in her house, asking questions from the past.  Then there is a dead body in the yard.  Maggie goes to her friends - The Martini Club - to get help.  They drop into their gaining information and pull together various clues into what might be happening.  

The book is told in two voices.  From the present as Maggie and her friends try to work out what is happening.  From the past as Maggie described a time in her life when she was working on her last case. It was also when she was with Danny, the love of her life.  Along with her friends, the readers were introduced to Jo Thibideau, the Chief of Police in their small town.  She is determined to figure out what is going on, even when she is blocked at every clue.  

I enjoyed the novel and am going to read the second novel in the series.  I look forward to hearing what Maggie and her pals are going to be doing next.  The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen was a great read with lots of twists and turns and unexpected happenings!

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New Blog: Calling Dad

I had planned a lovely blog about a new author I discovered and reintroducing an author I enjoy with her new series.  But then today happened…. And for the first time in years, I wanted to call my dad.  I think of him often and realize how wonderful he was.  

My dad was a sports enthusiast.  He went to every game that my siblings were in.  He was an athlete himself when he was younger as were many of my cousins on his side.  Dad loved watching all sports. He often watched what he could at night, especially the Red Sox and the Celtics.  For one Christmas, Anne and I figured out (with lots of help) how to buy him a couple of shares in the Celtics. That was special for him.  

Dad loved the Red Sox and he passed that onto me.  I love the Sox to the point where I actually pay for the MLB channel along with NESN (New England Sports Network), ESPN (both) and Fox Sports.  I watch a baseball game almost everyday during the season.  I live and breathe Sox baseball.  I follow/read as much as I can about the Sox. I recently noticed that one player (Bregman) wears his hat like Dad did.  

It has been years since my dad died.  For the first few years, when something big happened, I wanted to share the information with him.  Granted it was mostly about big events and often about the Red Sox.  Well today, many years after his death, I wanted to call him.  The Red Sox traded Raffy Devers, a major piece of their team.  The point isn’t so much they traded him (although I am in shock) but I wanted to talk to Dad about it and get his reaction.   Even after all these years, I wanted to hear his thoughts.  

So next week, I will write the blog I meant to write this week.  This week I will remember Dad.

Elise sent in an interview with Joey Jones and a book review of the newest Tom Clancy, Line of Demarcation. Check out all the new material! 

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Guest Interview of Joey Jones

Behind The Badge

Johnny Joey Jones

Harper Collins

June 17th, 2025

Behind The Badge by Johnny Joey Jones is a look at first responders.  It is a collection of the different professions of first responders showing readers in their own words the triumph, tragedy, success, and failures of what they must endure each day.

Jones provides military analysis across all Fox News media platforms, including Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. A Marine Corps veteran who reached the rank of staff sergeant, Jones suffered a life-changing injury in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of both of his legs above the knee. Since his recovery, he has dedicated himself to improving the lives of all veterans and their families but that has been extended to wanting to improve the lives of the first responders.

The book has memorable stories of dramatic rescues, heartbreaking losses and incredible acts of courage. These men and women are heroes on the home front. He delves deep into what drives these brave men and women, offering an intimate look at their personal and professional lives. Below is the interview with Jones.

Behind the Badge will leave readers transfixed and inspired. They will realize that these first responders are true heroes who will keep them safe. 

Elise Cooper: Were you influenced by Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy?

Joey Jones: I read it in college. I cannot say I was influenced by thinking about it when I wrote this book.  With that said, there are always experiences in our lives we don’t realize. The book before this, titled Unbroken Bonds of Battle, is in a similar style. I thought about the ten people I knew and wrote about them, nine service members and one Gold Star wife.  After that I thought about writing a great book for first responders. The inspiration of this book are the people in my life.  I wanted to choose these people that are in towns all over the country, not just in New York. 

EC: How did you choose these people?

JJ: I knew them personally, they have amazing stories, and they are not from some big city.

EC: How would you define a first responder?

JJ: For this book, we did not constrict it to the definition.  The point of the book is to give the reverence people have for the military to those who keep us safe, including police officers, fire fighters, game wardens, border patrol, plus search and rescue. We wanted to extend the first responder title to include all who keep people safe on the home front.

EC: What do you want to say about game wardens?

JJ: They do park service.  They save those who get lost, attacked by bears, and attacked by bad people. In Texas a young lady was killed on a jet ski, and it will be a game warden who leads the investigation on the water.

EC: I want to ask about a few examples of the book.  What about Tundra the dog?

JJ: Jeremy, the dog handler, makes it out that Tundra was the star of the show.  She helped him get over his trauma, giving him positivity in a dark place. At the time he got her, Jeremy was a diver, who never found anyone alive. Tundra brought it out of him to find people alive, becoming a search and rescue team. 

EC: There is a quote in the book that one of the largest killers of public safety jobs is suicide.  Please explain.

JJ: They have depression, anxiety, and all the different stresses that happens when someone is in a traumatic experience. With suicide we need to understand that someone taking their life comes from emotional and psychological despair.  The emotional trauma these first responders go through will push anyone to the brink of insanity. They do it every single day. The point in bringing it up in the book, for twenty plus years there has been national conversation about the mental health of our military veterans. There are national organizations. A Veteran’s Affairs agency, free meals offered at restaurants, and a conversation that we need to do more for our veterans. 

But with first responders they are at war, of freak accidents and evil acts, every single day where their hometown is their battlefield. They are at war with keeping people alive.  After they take their uniform off and go home, they will drive past the incident, their battlefield.  The psychological effect of their job has no support.  There is not a major non-profit nor is there a federal department in charge of their health care. The first responders have a grass roots mental health journey and try to keep each other going. 

EC: One story that was gripping was the Baltimore County SWAT story of the kidnapping by the police officer.  Please explain.

JJ: There are three stories in this book where the police officer is the bad guy. This could be an episode of a crime series. There was Katelyn Kotfila, whose story is about her best friend, a police officer murdered by her boyfriend, who was also a police officer.  Jeremy Judd was the only game warden in Maine who had to use his gun in the line of duty against a police officer who pointed a weapon at him.  This and the Baltimore County Swat story of Tommy Wehrle had suicide by cop.  The reason I put the stories in the book is that there are bad apples, people who do bad things in these jobs, yet tens of thousands of men and women in these jobs are heroes.  It is a great way to show that being a first responder and a good person puts them above the rest. I put in this quote, “sometimes you need to take a life to save another.” This is from my time in the military where we go out not to kill our enemy but to stay alive and keep our friends alive.  If it means to kill our enemy, then it is what we must do. These book stories shows that there was opportunity after opportunity to use deadly force, but they only did use that force when they absolutely must. These first responders have a responsibility burden, not a power trip. 

EC: What about the chapter of Border Patrol?

JJ: A large part of the border patrol force is Hispanic. It is laughable that they are called racist. They do not know who is coming across the border since there are so many ethnicities. Vincent Vargas, a border patrol agent in the book, does not even speak Spanish and was raised in Southern California, the son of two Hispanic people who migrated to America. He saw the people he was rescuing as human beings but not Americans.  His job was to keep Americans safe. The point is that those in Border Patrol can have an allegiance to a country and its borders without having hate towards those they are defending against. People coming into our country illegally are hurting it one way or another. Vincent deals with the struggle of his responsibility to protect this country, not allowing people to come in illegally, but as a human being to help people in need.  Humanity is not jeopardized or called into question. 

EC:  Can you explain bravery versus courage?

JJ: I use this terminology a lot.  The best way to explain it is with this anecdote: a house is on fire, and you are a bystander when someone says there is a child inside. A brave person may run into the house to save the child. A courageous person knows what that fire can do, all the dangers, and says “I will still go do it.”  Courage comes with enlightenment, knowing the danger and choosing to do it again and again. Heroes know what is going to happen to them. They run towards danger, not away from it every single time.

EC: What do all the first responders have in common?

JJ: An inherent skill set for the job is decision making in times of stress. What is common among them is the willingness to sacrifice their own peace to provide and protect those around us.  Each one of those in the book made the decision that their responsibility was more important than their peace of mind. They decided all the negatives inflicted upon them, mostly emotionally, are worth it, because the mission of keeping people safe is worth it. 

EC: Do you want to address that some Americans consider them the enemy?

JJ: I address this in the opening chapter of the book when talking about Colin Kaepernick. The rioters in the streets were yelling ‘all cops are bad,’ while the politicians in Congress and City Hall were yelling ‘defund the police.’  I think we are on the back end of this. 

EC: What do you want readers to get out of the book?

JJ: People live with a sense of entitlement that they will be safe. They do not think twice that someone in a uniform behind a badge will be there to save them. People live with bad decisions because they have such strong faith that someone will be there to save them.  It is incredibly stressful that first responders who live with the full responsibility not to keep their family safe but to keep everyone safe around them. We should all appreciate them. To think about what the first responders go through, think about watching a gory movie and having to turn your head. There are people out there where that is their job, not only to see it but to clean it up and do it with dignity and respect.

THANK YOU!!

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Guest Review: Tom Clancy Line Of Demarcation by M. P. Woodward

Book 13 Jack Ryan Jr. Book

G. P. Putnam’s Sons

May 20th, 2025

Tom Clancy Line of Demarcation by M. P. Woodward brings back Jack Ryan Jr. There is not just one plot, but three subplots that come together making for a riveting storyline.

“In looking around the world at global flash points Russia uses energy as a source to yield power, leverage, and geopolitical tensions. I also saw that there is a real-world territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana with a region very rich in oil. I then thought of a plot line where the Russians and Venezuelans team up to snatch this area away much like the Russians did in Ukraine.”

The book opens with the destruction of a US Coast Guard cutter and the loss of her 22-member crew. The USCG Claiborne was on an innocuous mission to open a sea lane between an oil field off the coast of South America and the refineries of southern Louisiana. The question is who was responsible for the killings?

Meanwhile, Jack Ryan Jr. is in Guyana trying to get his export license for his oil company Hendley Associates, working undercover as the CEO of Athena Global Shipping Lines. That area of the world is already plagued with corruption and deceit, which proves to increase the burden on those conducting above board business. Jack is lunching with Guyana’s minister of the interior and attorney general when he’s caught in a sudden crossfire. He escapes, but the two officials are killed. The other plotlines are triggered after the attack where separate teams of the Campus, a covert government organization, is now tasked with fighting a Russia-backed Guyanese coup and rescuing Campus operator Domingo “Ding” Chavez, who’s deep undercover with a drug gang.

“Hydrocarbon reserves are what the Russians wanted and what makes Guyan strategically important. The Zircon missile is the Russian hypersonic missile. The SUDS Machine is based on service drones. There are initiatives out there for hydrogen service drones. In this book I had them as a hybrid with actual warriors on them, but they can also be remote control like a loyal dog and return to where they are supposed to be. They are a lot like a jet ski.” 

Per usual, in a Clancy novel, the action and ending are explosive. A bonus is that in the beginning of the book there was a list of characters broken up by American, Russian, Guyanese and Venezuelan along with a 1-to-2-line description.

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Sweet Surprise by Chris Keniston

Sweet Surprise is the second book in a new series (Honeysuckle, Texas) by Chris Keniston. The book rotates around the Sweet family and their ranch in Texas. The siblings are called home by their mother, only to find out that the foreman and most of the ranch hands have been stealing the cattle as well as building supplies and machinery. Huge amounts of money are needed immediately to save the ranch.  There is a trust that will give money to each of the siblings after they have married (and stayed married for a year). That will be a huge help. But none of them are married yet…

Carson runs into an old girlfriend in Honeysuckle when she surprises him with a child, a nine year old boy.  Little did he know or expect Colton.  Jess is desperate to find a way to afford to take care of Colton.  She is behind in her rent and lost her job.  Maybe Carson and his family can help her start again.  A city girl in the country, it could be a hard sell.  

I enjoyed the second novel, which can be read as a standalone novel.  The youngster, Colton, was my favorite character with his excitement with everything at the ranch.  The mystery of the missing supplies and cows deepened with some machinery that was found and then lost again.  Jess’s reluctance with the large animals was also fun.  

Sweet Surprise by Chris Keniston was a sweet read! 

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Sweet Beginnings by Chris Keniston

Sweet Beginnings is the first book in a new series (Honeysuckle, Texas) by Chris Keniston. The book rotates around the Sweet family and their ranch in Texas. The siblings are called home by their mother, only to find out that the foreman and most of the ranch hands have been stealing the cattle as well as building supplies and machinery. Huge amounts of money are needed immediately to save the ranch.  There is a trust that will give money to each of the siblings after they have married (and stayed married for a year). That will be a huge help. But none of them are married yet…

Preston and his siblings realize the only way to get the money is for them to marry.   One of the neighbors, Sarah Sue, offered to help out by marrying Preston in a marriage of convenience.  After her mother died, the Sweet family did a lot for her after her mother died.  A marriage of convenience - just until the bank releases the funds needed to Preston. Meanwhile there is a small payment to help them limp along.  Is it really only going to be a marriage of convenience or two people who are really fated for each other?

I am excited for a new series from Chris Keniston.  I love her sweet books with strong family bonds.  I enjoyed the setting and the family. Unfortunately, I can imagine the plot line with a widow not realizing she couldn’t trust long term employees while dealing with her grief. 

Sweet Beginnings by Chris Keniston is a great start to a new series!

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The Ripple Effect by Maggie North

The Ripple Effect by Maggie North is a current romantic novel with some twists and turns.  This is a second book following Rules for Second Chances, but can be read without the knowledge of the prior novel. The novel introduces us to Lyle ‘McHuge’ McHugh and Stellar J Byrd, two opposites.  

Lyle ‘McHuge’ McHugh is the part owner of a new venture called The Love Boat.  The venture is a cross between relationship therapy and White water canoeing.  The “campers” spend time in the morning setting goals, then time on the river with kayaks and then dinner and more time together.  Lyle has poured his heart into this.  The camp desperately needs a Doctor onboard.  They hire ER Physician (who is burnt out) Stellar J Byrd.  She of course thinks she can avoid Lyle while working there (LOL) since there was a moment between them.  

Meanwhile, someone is working behind the scenes giving out information to others who keep “showing up” and ruining the day.  Lyle and Stellar end up pretending to be fiances, but they are not, which adds an awkward twist to their relationship.  Information is sparingly given out which begins to make the reader curious about what is really going on.  There are many twists and turns, even an attempt at dog kidnapping.

The novel is a quick read with interesting situations and fun characters.  The Ripple Effect by Maggie North is a good read.  

This book comes out on the 17th of June. 

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To Catch A Lord by Emma Orchid

To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchid is the second book that features the Wyverne Family.  However, the book can be read as a stand alone without any issues.  The characters are clearly drawn with one nasty character named Lavinia.  

Lady Amelia Wyverne is tired of her family’s reputation.  It certainly means the only men that ask her to dance are creeps.  She has stepped on toes and poked several with pins to get them to unhand her.  She knows there must be a way to change her circumstances.  Her sister-in-law believes that if she finds a “hero” and pretends to get engaged, the quality of her suitors will change.

Together they determine Lord Marcus Thornfalcon is the best candidate and Amelia approaches him with their idea.  For Marcus, this will stop the constant harassment about marrying his brother’s widowed wife.  Something that is not going to happen, no matter what Lavinia does.   Marcus agrees to the fake engagement.   However fake soon enough turns real, although neither is willing to admit it to the other until…  

I enjoyed reading the novel despite or in spite of Lavinia and her mechanisms.  There is something about an evil character pushing people together.  What I didn’t like was the stilted speech patterns in the beginning of the book.  I am not sure if the pattern changed or I just became accustomed  to it as the book progressed.  To Catch a Lord by Emma Orchid  was a good read. 

The book comes out on June 21, 2025

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