Third Eye by Rick R. Reed Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Third Eye

Author: Rick R. Reed

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: April 20, 2020

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 93300

Genre: Horror/Thriller, NineStar Press, LGBTQIA+, crime, suspense, dark, men with children, reporter, hurt/comfort, psychic ability

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and a lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head. When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl.

When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.”

Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between them. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them.

Excerpt

Third Eye
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Prologue

She was only thirteen. It wasn’t fair she now lay, bound, waiting for death. Before, there had been struggling: clawing and fighting, scratching their faces, pulling at their hair, batting at whatever part she could reach. Her breath had come in choking spasms, adrenaline pumping, burning, anteing up the hysteria so much she thought her air would be blocked. Then had come the dread that made her lose most of her fight, when her terror-addled brain had begun to accept her fate was to die here, in this tiny, hot room, with the only witness to her demise the sparkling eyes of her killers and the maddening, crooked whirl of a ceiling fan long past its prime and wobbling, doing nothing more than blowing the overheated, moist air around the room. The dread had risen up, a nausea twisting her gut and making her afraid she would vomit. And then had come the numbness, a dull tingling throughout her body that precluded movement, stripping her of coherent thought.

They stood above her. Faces she had trusted, faces she had seen before, around her neighborhood. The man she and her friends had had a crush on. He used to drive by her little house on Ohio Street in his old red Mustang, looking the picture of youth, confidence, masculinity. His hair was dark, cut bristle-brush short, and his face always clean-shaven. Thin lips bordered rows of perfect white teeth, and when he had smiled at her, only hours ago, she had lit up. A tingling had started in her toes and had worked its way up until the color rose to her cheeks. At her young age, the interest of a man in his twenties was inconceivable, although it had been something she had hoped for since the first day she had seen him, back at the onset of summer, when the sun had turned white-hot, burning up the grass and making illusory waves rise from the hot, cracked sidewalks.

He had pulled to the curb and sat there, car idling. She sat in the front yard, sorting through Barbie clothes: ball gowns and swimming suits, miniskirts and stretch pants. He didn’t say anything, not right away. She had looked at him once, then looked away, certain his interest could never be in her. Suddenly she felt ridiculous with her metal trunk, her Barbie dolls, and all the outfits she had once been so proud to collect. Swiftly, she returned the clothes to their case and slammed it shut.

She leaned back, resting on her palms, and lifted her face to the sun. Its heat beat down relentlessly, making the skin on her face feel tight.

She felt his eyes on her still. She opened her own eyes a crack and regarded him peripherally. He really was looking at her! The adorable little smile that caused a dimple to rise in his right cheek deepened in the sun’s play of shadow and light. She leaned back more, left hand reaching out to surreptitiously move the Barbie trunk farther away. In this posture, here on the withered and brown grass, she felt that her breasts, little more than two tiny bumps an unkind boy at school had once referred to as her anthills, looked larger. She could be eighteen, couldn’t she? With the right makeup and her hair pulled up….

But now her long blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, clipped with a pink plastic barrette. She wore a pair of cutoff shorts and an oversized South Park T-shirt belonging to her older brother. He would have killed her had he known she was wearing it. But he was away at the Y’s summer camp and would never know the difference.

The idling of the car was like an animal purring.

And then the sun disappeared, and she sat in darkness. Beneath her closed lids, she sensed someone standing over her.

Why hadn’t she heard the slam of the car door? Her eyelids fluttered, but she did not open them. It would be just like her mother to come outside now and stand above her, hands on hips, and ask her what she thought she was doing.

“Lucy?”

Finally, she opened her eyes and blinked at the brightness of the August day. He was smiling. So unlike the other guys in Fawcettville, he was dressed in pressed black slacks and a collarless white shirt, buttoned to his neck.

“How did you know my name?”

“Oh, I make it my business to know the names of all the pretty young ladies around here.”

Lucy felt the heat rise to her face once more. She grinned and could not think of a single word to say.

“Playing Barbie?”

She shoved the case farther away, until it was completely out of her grasp. The case lay in the white heat, glinting, looking, she hoped, as if it had nothing to do with her.

“What? Oh…no, no. These are my little sister’s. She always makes such a mess of things, and I was just organizing for her.”

“What a good sister.”

“Yeah, well…”

The two said nothing for a while, and Lucy began to grow uncomfortable under his gaze. She shifted her long, tanned legs in front of her, crossing them at the ankle.

“I was driving by and saw you sitting there, and I had to tell you”—he hunkered down beside her—“what a lovely sight you are. It made me stop just to have a better look.”

She laughed and thought she sounded way too much like the thirteen-year-old she was. “Thank you,” she whispered, wondering where her voice had gone.

“No, thank you, for being here, for making the heat of this day a little more pleasant.”

Oh, stop! she wanted to cry out but whispered again, “Thank you.”

He leaned closer, enough for her to feel his breath near her ear. In spite of the day’s heat, his nearness caused gooseflesh to rise on her arms, her spine to tingle.

“Listen.” He glanced around the empty street with eyes like none she had ever seen: green, ringed with thick black lashes. And in his gaze was a conspiracy that included only the two of them. “My car has air-conditioning. I know this is out of the blue and all, but I wondered if you’d like to go for a ride with me.”

Lucy glanced back at her house. She wished suddenly she lived in a bigger house, in a better neighborhood. Here on this modest residential street close to the river, her small white clapboard house was surrounded by other houses very much like it, some of them covered in rusting aluminum siding. She pictured her mother inside, on a vinyl-covered kitchen chair, watching All My Children on a thirteen-inch portable TV on the Formica-topped kitchen table. Her mother, she knew, would never approve of what was transpiring here, right in her front yard.

He stood suddenly. “Okay, okay. I get the message.”

“Wait.” She sat up straighter. A pickup rumbled by and left in its wake a smell of exhaust and a rush of hot air.

He turned. “What? Need to get your mom’s permission?”

“Of course not!” Her voice came out higher than she would have liked, the whiny protest of a child. She stood. “I’d like to come with you. But I can’t stay out too long.” She was about to say “My mom will be worried” but realized how immature that would sound. “I’ve got some people I have to meet in a little while.”

He smiled. And the smile erased any nervousness she had about going with him. After all, she had seen him around the neighborhood dozens of times. He wasn’t exactly a stranger, not really.

“That’s fine, Lucy. I’ll have you back within an hour. I promise. I certainly wouldn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with you.” He winked, and she followed him to the waiting car.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Button 2

The Door Keeper by Hurri Cosmo Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Hurri Cosmo - The Door Keeper  Banner

Hiya peeps, we have Hurri Cosmo visiting now with her newest release The Door Keeper, we have a tasty excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link

Hurri Cosmo - The Door Keeper  Cover

The Door Keeper

by

Hurri Cosmo

Although they’ve been labeled as a group of misfits, Minneapolis’ 77th police precinct has plenty of talent.  The problem is, it’s paranormal talent and no one’s supposed to know about it.

Nick keeps his officers busy chasing after all the creepy crawly things that tend to go “bump” in the night, thus insuring the twin cities are safe and totally unaware that other realms even exist. Nick is the Door Keeper and his job as the precinct’s captain is to maintain order in what would otherwise be chaos.

 When said chaos rears its ugly head in the form of a ferocious and brutal vampire, the last thing Nick needs is to deal with a new partner, even if that new partner is as sexy as Arrain.

Continue reading “The Door Keeper by Hurri Cosmo Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!”

Third Eye by Rick R. Reed ~ Audiobook

61qJV0i7sFL._SL300_Title: Third Eye
Series: N/A
Author: Rick R Reed
Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Narrator: Chad Tindale
Length: 8 hours and 57 minutes
Publisher: DSP Publications (03-30-15)
Heat Level: Mild
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
Blurb: Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and his lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head.

When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl.

When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.”

Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between the two. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them.

Product Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Third-Eye-Audiobook/B00VAZZC9I

Reviewer: Tams

Review: Cayce D’Amico is a struggling single father, working at the local diner just to make ends meet, his life revolves around his son. When Luke wanders off one day during a storm, Cayce gets hurt when he goes looking for him and winds up in the hospital. In the aftermath, Cayce starts to notice strange things he is able to do. He can hear other people’s thoughts, and he’s having visions of missing girls.

Dave Newton is an aging reporter, a borderline alcoholic that has pretty much given up on love and life. His heart was broken years ago when he followed his lover back to America only to be dumped just a few short years later. Now he’s a reporter and very intrigued by the single dad that seems to know a lot more about the missing teenage girls than an innocent man should.

When Cayce shares his secret with Dave, he expects the man to brush him off, but he has to tell someone. Shockingly, Dave believes him. And then Luke goes missing again, but this time, Luke is in real danger.

I was drawn into this story within the first five minutes, and my attention never waned. The story itself is riveting. Small town suburbia, young girls going missing, a good-looking, smooth talking man that preys on vulnerable girls, he is just evil personified.

The way the story played out was intense and emotional, jumping from the missing girls POV to the killer’s captive girlfriend and the mind of the man who knows everything, Cayce. It was very interesting to listen as he figured out exactly what it was he was seeing, and how he could use his gift to find the girls.

If you are looking for romance, you won’t find much of that here. There is the budding relationship between Cayce and Dave, but it’s minimalistic in the story. The focus is on the missing girls, the killer and his machinations and how Cayce plays into that madness. The suspense was dangerous. I was on the edge of my seat pretty much through the entire book. Very well written and woven together as the secrets and lies unfold and everything is left open and festering.

Narrated by Chad Tindale and I loved the voice he gave Cayce especially in the story. Like I said, he is a struggling single father, his kid is his life. As the story progresses and becomes more intense and dark, Cayce’s voice mirrors the emotions of the story. And that really makes sense since this gift he has since the accident is equal parts psychic and empath.

Then when Tindale was voicing the killer you could hear the honey dripping off the man, until he lost his cool, then you could totally tell he was fixing to lose it. Great narration from beginning to end, perfect tones and nuances for all the characters.

There was almost a Charles Manson feel to this book. The killer is deceptively attractive and plays that to his advantage. There is mystery, suspense, graphic violence, a lot of paranormal, a skoch of attraction and the undeniable love that a father has for his son. What lengths he won’t go to, to keep that kid safe.

Such a well written novel, I highly recommend to anyone that likes murder, mystery and suspense stories.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Third Eye by Rick R. Reed Book Blast, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!

Rick R. Reed - Third Eye 600x600Banner
Hi guys, today we have the incredible Rick R. Reed stopping by to introduce you all to his new release, the thriller, Third Eye, he lets us have a peek at a very spine tingling excerpt, he has a fabulous giveaway and we the the lovely Portia’s review for you to enjoy, so I will leave you guys to it and remember to click that Rafflecopter link (and buy this book… it’s bloody fantastic!) <3 ~Pixie~
Rick R. Reed - Third Eye Third_Eye_Final_Flat

Third Eye

by

Rick R. Reed

Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and his lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head. When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl. 

When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.” 
  
Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between the two. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them. 

Categories: Crime Fiction, Gay Fiction, Horror, M/M Romance, Mystery, Thriller

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Eye-Rick-R-Reed-ebook/dp/B00OWMY0CG/

Continue reading “Third Eye by Rick R. Reed Book Blast, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!”

The Beast Without by Christian Baines

17702579Title: The Beast Without     

Author: Christian Baines                 

Genre: Paranormal, Thriller     

Length: Novel (234pgs)    

Publisher: Glass House Books/ Interaction Publications (23rd May 2013)     

Heat Level: Low     

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts   

Reviewer: Pixie     

Blurb: Reylan is everything a Sydney vampire aspires to be: wealthy, handsome and independent, carefully feeding off companions plucked from the gay bars of Oxford Street.

When one of those companions is killed by Jorgas, a hotheaded young werewolf prowling his streets, Reylan reluctantly puts his cherished lifestyle of blood and boys on hold to help a mysterious alliance of supernatural beings track down the beast. It can’t be that hard … not when Jorgas keeps coming after him.

But there’s more to this werewolf than a body count and a bad attitude. As their relationship grows deeper and more twisted, Reylan tastes Jorgas’ blood, reawakening desires the vampire had thought long dead. And what evolves between them may be far more dangerous than some rival predator in the dark…    

Purchase Link: US: http://www.amazon.com/The-Beast-Without-ebook/dp/B00CYXWFCM 

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Beast-Without-ebook/dp/B00CYXWFCM    

Review: Reylan is a Blood Shade, he is not a vampire and is likely to rip out the throat of the person who calls him one, and he lives his life in the shadows visiting nightclubs to pluck his meals. Reylan is picky about those he chooses and when one is attacked by an uncontrollable werewolf, Jorgas, Reylan decides to do what he must to get the werewolf off his tail. But Reylan discovers that Jorgas’ blood reawakens something he thought long-lost and he finds it difficult to do what he must. With the Arcadia Trust, wanting the werewolf Reylan comes to an agreement with them, but he still doesn’t trust them. With his relationship with Jorgas becoming more complicated with every meeting, Reylan has hard choices to make. 

This is a nicely dark and puzzling paranormal, that’s refreshing with its beastly werewolves and unapologetic Blood Shades (vampires). Reylan comes across as quite a vain man, he is very picky about the blood he consumes and is easily offended. Jorgas is a young man who is struggling with a monster inside him, the vampi…. er Blood Shade might be the only one who can help him, but losing control constantly doesn’t help his case. With Reylan’s friends trying to persuade him to help the Arcadia Trust and Reylan’s own reservations, Reylan doesn’t know what to do. But he discovers many hidden connections that seem to have the Trust’s fingerprints on them.

I found this to be a very interesting read; I thought there were many connections that could lead to further books because of the questions left unanswered. While I found it to be brutal in places, it also seemed to have a slight thread of humor to it that lightened it in places. The descriptions of the werewolves and Blood Shades was great, there was no magical shifts but brutal painful changing, there was no incredible speed and sparkles for the vampire and he certainly isn’t that charming. The storyline is very interesting and you get pulled in as you try to understand how things are connected, the Arcadia Trust, the church, and the strange experience Reylan has with the book. The storyline surrounding Jorgas is vague except his strange attraction to Reylan but it becomes very clear in the last few pages. 

I recommend this to those who love the good old-fashioned brutal werewolves, vampires without a care in the world, a very interesting storyline with many threads and a thoroughly enjoyable read.