This is one of the most colourful and vibrant book covers I’ve ever seen. Hard to pass it! I love it. The fact that I can’t tell the genre just by the cover doesn’t matter because I’m intrigued enough to take a closer look. Judging by the title, I’m sure there’s some kind of magic at play. What kind of magic?
Continue readingSerendipitous by Jay Essen is the book cover that stood out for me this week. If you know me at all, you’ll know how much I enjoy a good murder mystery. Black and white gives mysterious vibes. I like the eye; it has me curious.
The title, Serendipitous, is also intriguing. It gives me a good idea of what to expect. (Not every title does that) A chance encounter leads to a murder, or perhaps the solving of one. Either way, the cover along with the title entices me to look closer.
The Blurb
The murder of Mercy’s father began a series of deaths that, on the surface, appeared unrelated. For the victims a gruesome end, but for someone a serendipitous occurrence of untold benefit.
Who is pulling the strings from the shadows, directing, and manipulating a soul bound to them in fealty? Conniving and cunning, the puppeteer unleashes their ward to eliminate those in their way. Mercy is inextricably connected to the killer, convinced that they murdered her father. While DC Jane Donovan rushes to solve the murders and apprehend the killer, in the hope of revealing the criminal mastermind.
I really like the sound of this book. I like when there’s more than one murder, and of course, they all have to be linked. This blurb sells it for me but it’s the cover that made me check it out in the first place.
This is what some readers think about Serendipitous.
Darren John Lebeau ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I really did enjoy reading this murder mystery. The characters are perfectly defined and keeps you guessing all way through to who carried out these murders. Excellent writing and no stone left unturned when it comes to the subject matter. I can see this book doing very well as a screenplay to be made into a Netflix drama series. I would highly recommend this book.
S. Donovan⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must read
A dark thriller, with unexpected twists and turns. The book is very well written, quite fast paced and had me gripped from the first chapter.
I would definitely recommend reading Serendipitous and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.Mario Wageman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Gripping Thriller You Won’t Be Able to Put Down!
Wow, Serendipitous was such a surprise! From the first chapter, I was hooked—Jay Essen knows how to pull you right into the story. The characters felt real, and the twists kept coming, just when I thought I had it all figured out. Set against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic, it was easy to relate to the setting, and that added a whole new level of tension. This book has everything a thriller fan could want: suspense, mystery, and moments that leave you catching your breath. I’d highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what Essen writes next!
So if you enjoy a good murder mystery like I do, you’ll check out Serendipitous by Jay Essen. It’s in my Kindle and I’m looking forward to reading it!
Thank you for reading. See you soon with more from Judge a Book by its Cover!
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Every time I am asked this question, I give the same answer; social media.
It’s not as if I spend an odious (now there’s a word I haven’t used in years) amount of time scrolling on social media, but I still find it draining and distracting. I’d rather spend my precious time writing than spend it on SM.
However, as a writer who has stories to promote, I need to be active on social media. I just wish I could get the balance right. At the moment, I’m hardly on it at all – the short break I took from it has turned into a very long break!
Maybe that’s what I need a break from… my social media break!
All advice welcome!
Is it still okay to wish you all a Happy New Year? It’s almost February and this is my first blog post of the year. This happens to me every year and the reason why is because I usually start the year with huge intentions and working on my novel always takes priority. Then I get so engrossed in it, that everything else falls way down the list.
I don’t beat myself up about it because occasional breaks from blogging and social media are good for me.
My first post for 2025 is a ‘Judge a Book by its Cover’ post. If you’re new to my blog, you can read the inspiration behind this regular digest HERE.
I went to my collection of book covers this morning and the first one to catch my eye was this little beauty.
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Gloria McBreen 