A Down And Dirty Look At Big OilGwynn Reznick's life is shattered when her best friend and co-worker at Wilton Oil & Gas Company dies in a car crash. She doubts it was an accident. Her suspicion is confirmed when a private investigator, Ruben Dordi, shows up at her door. His team has discovered a trail of unusual deaths and disappearances among Wilton employees.
˃˃˃ Going To Work Becomes Very DangerousTo make matters worse, Gwynn is under constant surveillance by those responsible for her friend's death. But that doesn't deter her from getting involved in the investigation. Danger lurks in every corner of the Wilton Tower. One false move could turn a risky situation into a death trap.
˃˃˃ A Hard To Put Down ThrillerAs the investigation team digs deeper, they begin to unravel a sinister plot that threatens a catastrophic pipeline disaster. The story follows Gwynn as she delves deeper into the macabre machinations of people who are willing to kill for dollars, and in the process she learns things about herself that she’d never known.
Will they solve the crime before it is too late?

​Jasper

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Mystery/Thriller!
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2021Verified Purchase
This book opens dramatically with a man being attacked and then thrown to his death from a oil platform. The scene then switches to Julie, an employee of Wilton Gas & Oil, who decides to do a little spying to find out if the company, as she suspects, is planning a merger. She plants bugs in the conference room prior to an important meeting and, later, when she goes to retrieve them, is confronted by a brawny, muscular man who discovered what she was up to. The next day, her best friend and fellow employee, Gwynn Resnick, is shocked to learn that Julie died the night before in an unlikely automobile accident. Gwynn suspects foul play. But who would want to kill Julie?

Thus, begins Gwynn’s journey into a dark world fueled by corporate greed and intrigue. Accompanying her on this voyage, is Ruben, a private investigator of sorts hired by the dead girl’s grandmother. Together, Gwynn and Ruben, along with an assortment of Mission Impossible-style investigators, try sort out what really happened to Julie and, more importantly, why.

The Cost of Crude is a fast-paced thriller that has numerous twists and turns as the reader makes his/her way to the final shocking conclusion. The characters are cleverly drawn and the plot is complex. A real page-turner, this is the exciting start to a new series featuring the aforementioned Gwynn Resnick.

Highly recommended for lovers of corporate intrigue and mystery/thrillers.

​THE COST OF CRUDE – A GWENN RESNICK MYSTERY – BOOK 1 BY INGE-LISE GOSS, did something most books don’t do, it kept me reading till my eyes could not keep open, till my mind begged for sleep, but oh how I wanted to read on.
Right from the first pages, you are caught! As I read on, I became more and more enthralled with the characters and story. Mind you, I am not usually interested in the Oil and Gas industry, but even the descriptions included of pipelines, etc., managed to hold my interest, as they were important in the discovery of who were the bad guys.
I fell completely in love with the beautifully written, and well-defined characters as they entered stage left or just fell into your lap as the saying goes.
It is no wonder that Ms. Goss has been on both the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author list, she deserves every award and accolade if all her books are as great.
I can hardly wait to open book 2, The Cisco Bandits.

5 Stars - The suspense was unbelievable
Elaine Chauvier ran a bed and breakfast from her Antebellum home.
Archbishop Andre Figurant had just finished Mass and was seeing his parishioners out.
Bastian Figurant is the identical twin of the Archbishop.
Ofelia was Elaine's half-sister and was the child of her father's second wife.
Rudy was both Ofelia and Elaine's cousin and he was coming to visit.
Elaine thought she had gotten rid of the family but Ofelia was here and Rudy was coming in a week or so. She did not want to share Shadow's Way and she wouldn't.
Lanita worked for the Archbishop for six years as his housekeeper
A mystery set in the south just before a big hurricane comes to land. I enjoyed it and it was complicated with surprises, twists, and turns. It was well writen and moved smoothly. The characters were well developed and interesting. The author did an excellent job keeping all the things together. It was coherent, laid out intelligently and kept your attention till the end. I don't usually read Mystery but this was a good one and I was glad I got the chance.
Candy b

An action-packed children's book written especially for ages 8 through 14. Children will enjoy this exciting read while also improving their reading skills. Twenty-nine chapters filled with twists and turns keep kids reading to discover the outcome.
Lottie, a lively ten-year old Hispanic girl, longs for something new and different in her life. Her summers up to this point have all been, more or less, the same.
Then the arrival of a magical letter and a TV newscast transforms her vacation time in a high adventure.
Her great adventure includes trying to relate to a cold, estranged, and rich grandmother, freeing a kidnapped ten-year-old African American boy from

a locked room, hiding him in a safe place, and then fleeing with him from a kidnapper who is always just a step or two behind.
Lottie’s Adventure: Facing the Monster has a new cover but it’s still the same great story described in the wonderful reviews on the Reviews page and still only $12.95 plus shipping.

​I loved this book! An adventurous and loveable young girl named Lottie creates chapter after chapter of exciting scenarios with a cast of characters so real they literally leap off the page. For readers, young and old alike, the masterful writing of Barbara Frances will warm your heart, delight your senses and energize your soul.


Catherine Ruivivar, Par.BP, CBP, RMT

An action-packed children's book written especially for ages 8 through 14. Children will enjoy this exciting read while also improving their reading skills. Twenty-nine chapters filled with twists and turns keep kids reading to discover the outcome.
 
Lottie, a lively ten-year old Hispanic girl, longs for something new and different in her life. Her summers up to this point have all been, more or less, the same.
Then the arrival of a magical letter and a TV newscast transforms her vacation time in a high adventure.


Her great adventure includes trying to relate to a cold, estranged, and rich grandmother, freeing a kidnapped ten-year-old African American boy from
a locked room, hiding him in a safe place, and then fleeing with him from a kidnapper who is always just a step or two behind.

A New Hero Is Born
Lottie is my kind of people. A real person. Caring, smart, savvy. She may be only a kid, but she's a great role model for anybody. And she has the most interesting, sometimes kind of scary, adventures. And she meets weird people, funny people, wacky people, serious people. Sometimes she gets herself in a pickle, but she always rises to the occasion and figures out how to get out of it. She doesn't reject the kindness of strangers either.
More than anything, Lottie is saturated with decency. She's doesn't have to be in control all the time. She can be vulnerable. She can be hurt. But she likes herself no matter what. And she likes people. All people.
If you liked A Wrinkle in Time, you'll like Lottie's Adventures as well.
​DAW, Austin, Texas

An action-packed children's book written especially for ages 8 through 14. Children will enjoy this exciting read while also improving their reading skills. Twenty-nine chapters filled with twists and turns keep kids reading to discover the outcome.

Lottie, a lively ten-year old Hispanic girl, longs for something new and different in her life. Her summers up to this point have all been, more or less, the same.


Then the arrival of a magical letter and a TV newscast transforms her vacation time in a high adventure.


Her great adventure includes trying to relate to a cold, estranged, and rich grandmother, freeing a kidnapped ten-year-old African American boy from a locked room, hiding him in a safe place, and then fleeing with him from a kidnapper who is always just a step or two behind.
​

Lottie’s Adventure: Facing the Monster has a new cover but it’s still the same great story described in the wonderful reviews on the Reviews page and still only $12.95 plus shipping.

I finished your book last night. I couldn't put it down. Because I wanted to know what would happen next! It's a charming story and I like your writing. Lottie is a very likable character, as are all the characters except those that aren't meant to be. I enjoyed grandmother's melting ambivalence. And there are certainly enough points of tension and surprising turns to keep one reading on. I particularly liked your descriptions of Hispanic family and culture. Well done!! I wish you and Lottie success.

Patricia Orlosky

J. C. Powelson
5.0 out of 5 stars "Wee Three" is Chock Full of Charm!"Wee Three" is a wonderful collection of poems that will inspire children's imaginations. These poems are written in rhyming verse and will delight readers of any age.

As a child, I grew up roaming the farm and spent much time playing and working outside, so I especially enjoyed the poems about plants and animals. These poems do a splendid job of evoking childhood memories, and today's children can certainly benefit from simple, old fashioned fun.

I loved the poem about chicken pox and realized that my own young daughters will never catch this once common childhood disease. It is these little things in life that can be the most important, and I believe that Ms. Bishop has captured the essence of childhood with this sweet collection. The poems are catchy and make reading them an excellent exercise for early readers. Most of the poems are relatively short, so even the most fidgety children can sit still to read or listen to one of these entertaining poems. Though short in length, these poems are long on content and are a great read for all children, or even adults who once were children. Check out "Wee Three", and you won't be disappointed!

​Martha A. Cheves
 
VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 stars How many lives do we have
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2011
`Shortly before 2:30 AM, Daphne awoke from a vivid dream. She dreamt she was in Scotland and had just been widowed. Her husband had been murdered. It was some distant time in the past, and she was dressed in a long black gown with a stiff white headdress She could feel the tightness of her corset contrast the softness of her gown's material on her skin. Richard was there, but other people in the dream were saying he was responsible for her late husband's murder. She was confused and didn't know what to believe. She had thought she could trust Richard, but a voice in the dream announced, "During the Protestant Reformation, these sides were divided." As she wondered what that meant, Richard captured her and took her against her will to a castle, where he raped her. Then, when he left her alone with a woman companion to look after her, the two women escaped. They disguised themselves as men and used bed linens to climb through a window and down the castle wall. She was terrified. She and her companion rode across the nearby border to England, where they thought they would be safe. At first, when they told their story of what had happened, they were given sanctuary by kind people. But after about a week or so, word came to the household from the authorities that she was to be held as a prisoner again. She did not understand why. Then she was told that Richard had also fled Scotland and was also imprisoned, but in another country.'

Daphne Robin and her sister Deandra were both accustomed to strange dreams. Deandra has dreamed, since childhood, that she was a soldier with lots of brothers. In her dream she was a man and someone was beating her face in. Daphne's dream about Scotland came shortly after her marriage to Richard Gatorman, owner of a construction company as well as Daphne's boss. Scotland was a place Daphne had always wanted to go to so when the dream coincided with Richard announcing that they would be honeymooning in Scotland, she let her excitement override the possibility of a warning. But, Richard had always been the perfect mate. He was loving, caring and offered her everything she could ever want...so she thought. The honeymoon would turn out to be the beginning of her seeing the true Richard she had married. A marriage that she soon realized had been a big mistake. The only out for Daphne becomes sleep in which her dreams have her flying the skies with a handsome man. If it weren't for her dream time she would probably give up on life itself.

Deandra, being an officer in the Army, enlists the help of her friend Major Ursa-Barrios to help Daphne escape the abuse being inflicted by Richard. Major, as he likes to be called, has had his own dreams over the years. In his dreams he would help a young lady and falls in love with her. Could Daphne possibly be the woman in his dream? Could Major possibly be the man in Daphne's dreams?

As Deandra, Daphne and Major come together, they start searching for the answers to their dreams. Deandra wanting to know who the person getting their face bashed in is and who are the brothers. Daphne wants to know who the woman in Scotland could be as well as who she soars the skies with. And Major wants to meet the lady from his dreams.

Franki deMerle has done it again with a book of mystery, love and a certain air of suspense. The more I read, the more I wanted answers to the character's dreams but I wasn't really expecting what the dreams actually turned out to be.

​M. M. Bishop Award-winning author and poet

5.0 out of 5 stars POSSIBILITIES

​Verified Purchase
As a woman who is curious about nearly everything, I picked up Dragonfly Dreams looking for a sense of possibilities. I found that and more. Franki deMerle is a masterful story teller, combining the dream state with possible reality.

What is reality and what is truth. Have we lived before? Do we dream our way into a better future? Are all these possibilities just a magnificent story?

I loved this book. Ms. deMerle wrote characters that were captivating and three dimensional, whether they were reliving a past life or living in the present. Definitely a book to be read and enjoyed, and it left me with more than a good read. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in reincarnation or just a great story.

Highly recommended.

Can the rebels stop the androids’ reign of terror or is the human race doomed?
​After escaping the grip of Pellegrin, a powerful android, and joining the rebels, Paislee Hobson is far from safe. Disguised as a recently-recruited employee of the courthouse, she goes undercover at Portland’s courthouse to dig up vital information.
But she soon discovers things aren’t that simple. With Pellegrin promoted to overseeing the entire west coast Institutes, Paislee must use all of her wits to avoid detection—only to find the android is one step ahead of her.
Back in L.A., Paislee is faced with her toughest challenge yet—to gain Pellegrin’s trust in order to infiltrate his high-security office and complete her mission.
As more humans fall victim to the androids and her cover begins to slip, Paislee knows that her time is running out…

Darlene M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very heartfelt !
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
I loved every thing about this book . It is very encouraging to anyone going thru a similar situation. The humor is an extra added bonus . When one goes thru bad times , humor always helps . Without faith , humor and sharing with friends , hard times seem much darker . This is a great book to give to anyone that has
been given the responsibility of caregiving .

​M. M. Bishop Award-winning author and poet

5.0 out of 5 stars A HEARTWARMING, COMPASIONATE LOOK AT LIFE AS A CARETAKER
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2021
I just finished reading the most heartwarming, compassionate memoir by Jill Zapata ‘A Walk With Virginia.’ In it, Ms. Zapata recounts her time spent as a caretaker for her future mother-in-law Virginia.
Having spent time as a caretaker for my mother, I can attest that there are both the funny, as well as those that were heartbreaking, confusing, and yet as Ms. Zapata puts it a ‘fellow feeling’ happens that can only be, between those who you have spent the time as their caretaker.
For as they lose their mobility, ability to do things they once could, and sometimes even their ability to communicate, or hold onto a thought, or activity for long, they become not only your friend, but your child, and no relationship can you ever be quite as close to another, as you do when you become a caretaker.
Yes, it is at times challenging, emotional, frustrating, and difficult, but the joys, and laughter lives on in us so much longer than those harder memories.
I loved this book and shall be one I reread over the years.