Today we have the blog tour for Alexa Padgett’s A PILGRIMAGE TO DEATH! We’re super excited to share this upcoming thriller with you! Check it out and be sure to preorder today!
Title: A Pilgrimage to Death
Author: Alexa Padgett
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: August 14th
Advanced Praise:
"Vivid, alluring, and heart-wrenching, Alexa Padgett's A Pilgrimage to Death
is every reason I love mystery. A breathtaking tale."
--Darynda Jones, NY Times Bestselling Author
A reverend in New Mexico tries her hand at sleuthing when a recent homicide shares similarities with her twin sister’s unsolved murder in this mystery.
Cecilia “Cici” Gurule’s weekly hike with her detective friend Sam Chastain is cut short by a missing hiker report. Sadly, the two find lawyer Donald Johnson, who’s unmistakably dead from stab wounds. But it’s one particular laceration that most unnerves Cici: through the kidney, just like the stabbing death of her twin, Anna Carmen, over a year ago. This is followed by Cici’s vision of her sister, who tells the reverend to help Sam identify her killer. Cici, who quit as associate reverend in Boston to return to her Santa Fe hometown after her sister’s murder, now heads a local church. She gathers information, initially from her parishioners, but doesn’t like where it’s leading her. That’s because linking the two murders naturally connects Anna Carmen to Donald’s alleged exploits, from an affair to drug trafficking. It’s soon apparent, however, that the killer is watching Cici, as she receives threatening messages and eludes a menacing truck in pursuit. But this doesn’t deter the reverend, who, with Sam’s assistance, plans to see her personal investigation to the end. Padgett’s (A Moonlit Serenade, 2018, etc.) series opener, like any good detective story, gives readers a laudable sleuth. Cici is a chic woman of God: She swears and rides a vintage Harley. But her profession makes her an exceptional detective as well. Characters, for example, often seem reluctant to talk to Sam and more easily respond to the reverend. Likewise, Cici’s empathy is genuine; she speaks a line like “I need you to tell us what happened” with unequivocal concern. Despite her occasional colorful language, there are few curses and mostly implied violence. Padgett’s simple prose and short paragraphs help maintain the story’s unwavering pace. Add to that a handful of dubious characters, and the result is a rock-solid mystery with a smashing reveal near the end and even a subtle twist in the final pages.
A wholly absorbing gumshoe tale elevated by an extraordinary detective.
-Kirkus Starred Review
About A Pilgrimage to Death
They murdered her sister. They threatened her church. Their day of reckoning is at hand.Cici Gurule is a freewheeling, progressive reverend who’ll stop at nothing to protect her flock. When she finds the dead body of a parishioner in the nearby Santa Fe National Forest, she’s horrified to realize the victim bears the same stab wounds that ended her twin sister’s life one year earlier.
Together with her detective friend and loyal pair of Great Pyrenees, she vows to hunt down the killer before she’s forced to officiate another funeral. Soon, however, Cici discovers her sister was on the trail of a deep-rooted criminal operation… and her death was no random act of violence.
Now that the criminals are out for Cici’s blood, the pastor must catch the wolf by the tail before it goes in for the kill.
A Pilgrimage to Death is a high-octane mystery thriller. If you like motorcycling sleuths, fast-paced action, and a dash of humor, then you’ll love Alexa Padgett’s edge-of-your-seat novel.
Pre-order Your Copy Today!
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This is my first Alexa Padgett. I haven’t even researched
the author to find out if this is her first novel or not. I’m a big fan of
going into stories blind. I love not knowing what the plan is. I’m so pleased I
didn’t look into anything because this story was fantastic! There was so much
hype following it… I’ve been hearing about it for weeks if not months now. Ms.
Padgett did not disappoint me! In fact, I WILL look her up now because if she
has more thrillers… I need to read them! I enjoyed so much how the author
developed this story. She really focused on the plot/storyline and developed it
bit by bit.
I’m dying to know more about the characters, which I loved. The
characters were fascinating and really dimensional. Cici returns home, she’s a Reverend,
which is a fascinating thing for a woman and I liked the strong feel it gave
her. Anyway, Cici’s TWIN sister was murdered and she’s close to being obsessed
with it. I mean, everyone always says that twins have this connection unlike
any other connection. This was more fascinating than I expected with the
supernatural type of feel mixed with a religious main character. Cici meets up
with Sam, a detective. Cici and Sam team up to tackle the case together. It isn’t
like there isn’t clues or even more murders… there is… and they start to piece
things together.
I really enjoyed how this book offered a mix of romance,
paranormal, crime and thriller story. It was an interesting balance. I’m pretty
giddy that this will be a series! It’s packed with a good mystery and the cat
and mouse makes it hard to put down. Ms. Padgett ends it with a grand slam
surprise ending! I feel like I hurried through this book too quickly and now I’m
crazy for the next book.
I received an ARC of this book with the hope
that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review,
positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.
“Why didn’t you take that
position in Scottsdale? Weren’t you set to go in two weeks?”
Evan stood, rebuttoning his
coat. “My first morning appointment is here.” He dipped his head toward the
voices in the hallway. “If you want to catch up further, why don’t you make an
appointment with my secretary.”
Cici stood, her heart
hammering. “Fine. Anna Carmen told me about the engagement, you know.”
Evan stopped, his shoulders
stiffened.
“Your sister and I
were nothingby the time she died. She made sure of that.”
He stared down at her, this
the face of the man who’d called her sister vile names.
“What happened to you,
Evan?” Cici asked, her voice choked with emotion.
She assumed he wouldn’t
answer, so she began to walk toward the door.
As she passed him, he reached
out and slammed his palm on the door jamb opposite her, caging her with his
body.
“I got schooled in what
betrayal means, Cee. You’d be smart to remember who taught me the
lesson.”
About Alexa Padgett:
With a degree in international marketing and a varied career path that includes content management for a web firm, marketing direction for a high-profile sports agency, and a two-year stint with a renowned literary agency, award-winning author Alexa Padgett has returned to her first love: writing fiction.
Alexa spent a good part of her youth traveling. From Budapest to Belize, Calgary to Coober Pedy, she soaked in the myriad smells, sounds, and feels of these gorgeous places, wishing she could live in them all—at least for a while. And she does in her books.
She lives in New Mexico with her husband, children, and Great Pyrenees pup, Ash. When not writing, schlepping, or volunteering, she can be found in her tiny kitchen, channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa.
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