The Nutcracker Conspiracy by Lauren Carr Review + GIVEAWAY

Book Details

The Nutcracker Conspiracy
A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr

Category: Adult Fiction (18 +) 388 pages

Genre; Mystery

Publisher: Acorn Book Services

Release date: January 30, 2020

Content Rating: PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries,

 so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on

stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs

Book Description

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the

United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two

dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin. Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise,conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was taking orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital. 

Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander

Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up

at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to  bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean's latest work-in-project-completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who'd disappeared months earlier.



“She was number twelve,” Dean says.



“Twelve?” Murphy asks.



“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide."


Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:

My thoughts:

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Carr and I kept thinking, how is this possible that I am so late to the party?  The Nutcracker Conspiracy has it all, intrigue, suspense, mystery and incredible characters including some quirky canines.  I absolutely adored  Newman the basset hound who is addicted to TV and doesn't take kindly to anyone taking the remote control away from him. I actually loved all of the dogs but we had a basset and I know how silly and adorable the can be.

The humans in this novel are equally as interesting and entertaining as their four legged friends.  There are twists and turns in this book that kept me reading as fast as I could to try to get to the bottom of the mystery., this how caught up I became in the lives of the characters lives. I loved the personalities the author gave her characters, they are intelligent, interesting and at times they made me smile.

Overall, I thought this was one of the most engaging mystery novels that I have read in quite some time.  I loved the descriptive storytelling, the pace of the storyline and I was so happy to enjoy every turn, didn't become bored but most of all I'm glad to have found a new to me author who pens terrific novels.

My thanks IRead Book Tours for the complimentary copy of this book.

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Meet the Author

Lauren Carr is the international

best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson

Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mysteries filled with twists and turns.


Book reviewers and readers alike

rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.


A popular speaker, Lauren is also  the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls, iRead Book Tours,  She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV


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Check Out These Other Thorny Rose Mysteries:

“The plot was original, fresh and fast paced in spite of the “traditional elements” employed which can normally be found in any other thriller of this genre. The USP of this story would be its unpredictability. When you think you have it all guessed up, the plot would change its course keeping you hooked. There were a lot of suspense twists and turns that kept the momentum up. Needless to say, the writing was simply perfect. One thing that writer needs to be lauded for is the humor she inculcated in the book. Minus those humorous parts, the book would have been one serious read.” – Reviewer: Book and Ink

Book Description:

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to shift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

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“Mysteries, murder, danger, and memories that threatens their lives keeps the action and suspense at a high level and even when the answers are found, it left me wanting more.” – Review by Sherry Fundin of Fundinmental

Book Description:

After ten months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in the darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family while visiting family at the winery near-by, and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

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Enter the Giveaway

Prizes: ​ $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr, author of THE NUTCRACKER CONSPIRACY (ends March 6)

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