No Sanctury, #5 in the RBPD series


Until December 30th, No Sanctuary is available on Kindle for only .99 cents.


http://tinyurl.com/cjy5a9b




By this time I’d written No Sanctuary, I’d lost two publishers for the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. Fortunately, I’d made friends with Billie Johnson, the owner and publisher of Oak Tree Books. I’d signed a contract soon after that.

No Sanctuary Blurb:  Two churches, two ministers, two murders, one murder.

Reviews:

A car accident or a murder? That is the question Officer Stacey Wilbur faces when she finds a car smashed into a tree while working the night shift for the Rocky Bluffs Police Department. Stacey immediately phones Detective Doug Milligan who responds to the scene. It doesn’t take long to figure out that the victim had been shot in the head.

The victim is identified as Mallory Cookmeyer, wife of a prominent local minister. Rev. Paul Cookmeyer is shocked to hear of his wife’s death but can offer no suggestions as to who might want her dead. As Doug and Stacey and the other detectives work the case they find that there are a number of suspects including Paul Cookmeyer, his secretary, Ms Danfelt, the choir director, a minister of another church as well as that minister’s wife. When it is revealed that Mallory was pregnant, the case becomes even more complicated.

Stacey and Doug work together but are also romantically involved. Their relationship has not progressed rapidly since Stacey has a young son to rush home too and since they both work different shifts, their hours make dating difficult.

No Sanctuary is a good mystery with a bit of a surprise ending. Peeks into the lives of some of the other officers in the department make for interesting reading. Stacey leaves the investigation for a brief stint as an undercover officer, which adds another dimension to the story.

REVIEWED BY PATRICIA REID, Best Sellers World

 * * *
Riveting, fast-paced, and filled with twists and turns, No Sanctuary by F.M. Meredith is a crime fiction reader's dream.

Officer Stacey Wilbur is the first on the scene of a one-car accident. A green Toyota has smashed into an oak tree and the female driver is dead. But it soon becomes obvious that the accident is a cover up for murder.

The victim is the wife of a popular local minister, and her preacher husband soon becomes the most likely suspect. Gossip in town tells of trouble in their marriage, but as Stacey and Doug start putting pieces together, they find several other likely suspects who could have wanted Mallory Cookmeyer dead.

Called away from the case to work on a special assignment, Stacey is faced with decisions that will impact her career and her budding romance with Doug Milligan, and most likely, put her in harm’s way.

When we last heard from Stacey Wilbur in Smell of Death, she had broken her long-standing rule of never dating anyone she works with and entered into a relationship with Doug. This gives an already strong character even more depth. A widow, she has been caring for her son Davey with the help of her parents, while trying to juggle a challenging and dangerous career. Having lost her husband in the line of duty, a relationship with Doug offers similar dangers, but it's really their difficult work schedules that make nurturing their relationship tough on Doug and Stacey.

One of the things that Meredith does best with the Rocky Bluff P.D. series is show not only the official side to her characters, but also how working in law enforcement impacts these people's lives--not just the members of the police force, but also their families. I could easily see these books being turned into a television crime series.

Meredith is also wise in making each one truly a stand-alone book. These stories focus on different members of the Rocky Bluff P.D. These aren't just Stacey's stories; they are Doug's, Gordon Butler's, Abel Navarro's, Rick Strickland's, and others who are or were part of the Rocky Bluff P.D.

There are many twists and turns in No Sanctuary, as the reader is led to believe it might be the husband, but then it might be someone on his staff or someone from the church. And this mystery propels the story forward to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

* * *
As with Smell of Death--which we reviewed here--Meredith breaks up all the seriousness with a bit of humor. This time it is mostly brought on by Officer Gordon Butler who rents a room from Doug and who happens to walk in on Doug and Stacey at the worst times. In addition, the banter between Doug and Stacey about the outfit she chooses for her special assignment lightens things up and makes the reader want to see more of these two together in the future.

A fast and suspense-filled read for crime lovers. Pick up a copy of No Sanctuary today!–Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection

* * *

"F.M. Meredith’s novel reads like a “who done it” Agatha Christie novel with murder, mystery, intrigue and plenty of suspects. The small town of Rocky Bluff has a hard time coming to grips with the murder of the local pastor’s wife. It registers a shock for all townspeople and even more baffling for the Rocky Bluff Police Department who can’t seem to come up with any leads even though there are a lot of suspects. Secondary to the main story is a second crime taking place that the main character Officer Stacy Wilbur must handle delicately for all those involved. As a police officer, she often has to make quick decisions—usually they are the right ones, but sometimes she finds herself in a situation that will take all of her abilities to figure out an escape route.

As Officer Stacy Wilbur does her best to balance life between her son and work she has a hard time dealing with her apparent interest in Detective Doug Milligan, of which she vowed she would not let happen. In the end she makes a decision that is better for the benefit of her son and herself.

Apart from the fact that No Sanctuary involves a murder, a suicide and cheating spouses it deserves a PG 13 rating. It’s refreshing to read a book that can illustrate police work without gruesome violence, annoying car chases and snappy, clichéd comments. " Rebecca Camarena, The Real Hollywood.

* * *
“What grabbed me most about this book and makes me want to go back and read the other Rocky Bluff tales is the fabulous cast of characters that Meredith has developed for the reader to get to know. As a writer she has a way of putting the reader in the character's shoes so that they feel like they are part of the very intriguing storyline that plays out.

I know just when I thought I had figured it out I was surprised to find I was wrong and cheering for the lead character Stacey as she came to the dramatic conclusions.
If you are a mystery buff this is a must read series to look for.” –Review by The Library at the End of the Universe
 * * *
Three ½ Paws

F. M. Meredith’s Rocky Bluff series set in California falls somewhere between police procedural and the character importance and lighter reading more typical of the cozy. Police officer Stacey Wilbur has a five year old son and lives with her parents. Her love interest is homicide detective Doug, who shares a house with another cop Gordon. Gordon’s enthusiasm for the job leads him to funny encounters and provides comic relief. Sgt. Abel Navarro deals with his own home situation. The varied family life of each officer adds a lot of interest to the story.

Stacey finds a car that has hit a tree. Inside, a woman's body that is eventually recognized as the wife of a local clergyman. She has been shot. Investigation turns to a second minister and wife. Are these couples swingers or is something else involved here?

Other crimes are being investigated as well, and as a result of her work on a special investigation, Stacey is offered a promotion. Meredith offers an interesting look at police work from the viewpoint of the individuals involved.   Shirley - RAM at Books Bytes


Hail, fellow readers!

Before you pick up a book by F.M. Meredith, do yourself a favor—reserve time for an uninterrupted read. Once you start reading, you won’t want to stop.  No matter the topic, this author has an undeniable gift for hooking readers from page one and not letting go until its conclusion.  No Sanctuary delivers well-developed characters and an intriguing plot with a surprising twist at the end. Congratulations, F.M. Meredith, on another winner.  No Sanctuary qualifies as a fast and satisfying read.  Loved it! -- Karen Kavanagh, former Co-president of Sisters in Crime-CCC


Subject: SMELL OF DEATH by F. M. (Marilyn) Meredith

WOW, what a fabulous book! In the very beginning I wondered if I was going to enjoy this book as much as I have Marilyn's other novels, but before long I was absolutely gripped by the unique plot and didn't want to put it down to work, eat, or sleep. Truly.

The main character is Officer Stacey Wilbur. But other officers in the department are along for the ride and a thrilling ride it is. The books slips easily from one to another of the men working in the RBPD, letting each tell his story (Stacey seems to be the only female officer) and bringing family members and situations into the plot. Point of view moves smoothly from life to life as we learn the problems and joys--at home and at work--that the several officers face. They are working on several cases, and we go back and forth from one to another, making progress, experiencing frustrations, and always digging and digging for clues and answers. It’s like the world's best ride-along!

I became involved with each of the men and their families--not to mention Stacey and her growing relationship with Detective Doug Milligan--and felt I understood very well much of what a law enforcement career involves. It goes right along with and helps verify all I have learned from my law officer friends and my own research into the life of Henry King, (from the "To Die For" series) now retired from the Kansas City Police Department. My next series novel is set partly in two police departments, Van Buren, AR (small town) and Kansas City (very large department) so this was a wonderful return to all that I enjoyed discovering while writing that story.

Anyone who has the slightest interest in anything to do with police work will love SMELL OF DEATH by F. M. Meredith. As you can tell, I sure did.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. Give it a few pages and you'll be hooked like I was.

–Radine Trees Nehring http://www.RadinesBooks.com

To buy No Sanctuary:

http://www.amazon.com/No-Sanctuary-Dark-Oak-Mystery/dp/189234355X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355333441&sr=1-1&keywords=No+Sanctuary+by+F.+M.+Meredith
Available in paper or on Kindle.

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