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Wednesday, February 11, 2026

My Thoughts THE FATAL SAVING GRACE by Jim Nesbitt

 

MAYHEM WITH A BADGE

After wandering the peephole wilderness of a private detective for two decades, defrocked Dallas homicide detective Ed Earl Burch is finally an official manhunter again, wearing the badge of a district attorney's investigator working in the harsh desert mountains of West Texas.

Big D, it ain't. And life as a resurrected lawman isn't everything he hoped it would be. Too many rules. Not enough satisfaction. And a boss who hates him for saving his life.

But Burch is back, playing the same deadly game he mastered as a murder cop, tracking a serial killer who tortured and murdered his ex-lover with a straight razor—an Aryan Brotherhood gang leader Burch thought he killed in a desert shootout.

He's also trying to protect the fugitive granddaughter of an old friend and her four-year-old son—from this remorseless killer and cartel gunsels hired by her incestuous Dixie Mafia daddy.

Throats get slashed. Bullets smack flesh. Bodies drop. And Ed Earl Burch and his partner, Bobby Quintero, are in reckless pursuit, dodging death, closing in on their prey.

No place Burch would rather be. Unless he gets killed.

Book Details:

Genre: Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction, Western
Published by: Spotted Mule Press
Publication Date: December 15, 2025 
Number of Pages: 301
ISBN: 9780998329482 (ISBN10: 0998329487)
Series: Ed Earl Burch Hard-Boiled Texas Crime Thriller, Book 5 | Each is a Stand-Alone Thriller

Website https://pictbooks.tours/k2WY4Bx3

Substack https://pictbooks.tours/xdcft3NH @edearl56

Jim's Blog https://pictbooks.tours/KlF8D47z

Amazon Author https://pictbooks.tours/nK8mwOmx

Goodreads https://pictbooks.tours/ulbgtgY4

BookBub https://pictbooks.tours/MBv3Rvut @edearl56

Instagram https://pictbooks.tours/GiUIV47u @edearl74

Threads https://pictbooks.tours/U4QzKFa5 @edearl74

Facebook https://pictbooks.tours/3rVDHktJ @edearlburchbooks

Book Links: The Fatal Saving Grace: An Ed Earl Burch Novel

Amazon - https://pictbooks.tours/go6MxLqW

Kindle - https://pictbooks.tours/Q5DCTaiI

BN - https://pictbooks.tours/XCBTL0Pb

BookShop.org - https://pictbooks.tours/wsBBH3Pi

Goodreads - https://pictbooks.tours/TLFDMygh

BookBub - https://pictbooks.tours/jCPxXDwH

Series Links: Ed Earl Burch Hard-Boiled Texas Crime Thriller

Series - Amazon https://pictbooks.tours/1RJ3T228

Tour Links

PICT Tour Page https://pictbooks.tours/MolFriJk

PICT Tour Giveaway https://pictbooks.tours/uWAsgKfv

Book Links: Book 1 The Last Second Chance: An Ed Earl Burch Novel

Amazon - https://pictbooks.tours/V0aozPYq

BN - https://pictbooks.tours/GhbAeEix

BookShop.org - https://pictbooks.tours/yen8UFzq

Goodreads - https://pictbooks.tours/asLz7rIW

BookBub - https://pictbooks.tours/JHZ795g7

Book Links: Book 2 The Right Wrong Number: An Ed Earl Burch Novel

Amazon - https://pictbooks.tours/zlxKgItX

BN - https://pictbooks.tours/QSxqIboD

BookShop.org - https://pictbooks.tours/I9TXplZH

Goodreads - https://pictbooks.tours/BV9Sodma

BookBub - https://pictbooks.tours/i2gdIfxo

Book Links: Book 3 The Best Lousy Choice: An Ed Earl Burch Novel

Amazon - https://pictbooks.tours/qBiHqHpC

BN - https://pictbooks.tours/tytPVZDr

BookShop.org - https://pictbooks.tours/lNn3Z7bz

Goodreads - https://pictbooks.tours/re0jKm0J

BookBub - https://pictbooks.tours/n6QEADUD

Book Links: Book 4 The Dead Certain Doubt: An Ed Earl Burch Novel

Amazon - https://pictbooks.tours/Pvb5fxns

BN - https://pictbooks.tours/bJ3K7XrR

BookShop.org - https://pictbooks.tours/NpQEtxR3

Goodreads - https://pictbooks.tours/huPWxR1r

BookBub - https://pictbooks.tours/iSjmiDLK

Author Bio:

Jim Nesbitt

Jim Nesbitt has the perfect radio face, bionic knees that can grind coffee beans and tell time and a cat who poaches his cigars and uses his cellphone to place bets on British soccer. He is also a recovering journalist who once chased politicians, neo-Nazis, hurricanes, rodeo cowboys, plane wrecks and the everyday people swept up in a news event who gave his stories depth, authenticity and a distinct voice.

A lapsed horseman, pilot, journalist and saloon sport with a keen appreciation of old guns, vintage cars, red meat, good cigars, aged whisky without an 'e' and a well-told story, Nesbitt is also the award-winning author of five hard-boiled Texas crime thrillers that feature battered but relentless Dallas PI Ed Earl Burch -- THE LAST SECOND CHANCE, THE RIGHT WRONG NUMBER, THE BEST LOUSY CHOICE, THE DEAD CERTAIN DOUBT and THE FATAL SAVING GRACE.

A diehard Tennessee Vols fan, he now lives in enemy territory -- Athens, Alabama -- with his wife, Pam, and is working on his sixth Ed Earl Burch novel, THE PERFECT TRAIN WRECK. When he's off his meds, he's been known to call himself Reverend Jim and preach the Gospel of Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction.

Catch Up With Jim Nesbitt:

www.JimNesbittBooks.com
Jim's Substack - @edearl56
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @edearl56
Instagram - @edearl74
Threads - @edearl74
Facebook - @edearlburchbooks


 My Thoughts


THE FATAL SAVING GRACE is written by Jim Nesbitt. This is book five in the Ed Earl Burch series. Each book can be read as a stand alone. This book is packed full of action and suspense. It will keep you up reading late into the night. 


 Ed Earl Burch finds himself back on the hunt again. This time wearing the badge of being a DA investigator. He’s back and tracking a serial killer who is seeking revenge. 


The backdrop of this story is the badlands of West Texas. Where there are drug runners, drug mules and even the white supremiscist groups. Ed Earl navigates and quickly goes from being hunted to the hunter. 


I’m  definitely feeling like I’ve missed out the last several books. The author has well developed characters. The story line is full of action and suspense. 


Thank you to the author, publisher and Partner in Crime Book Tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own. 


Giveaway:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jim Nesbitt. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.


The giveaway is for:    2 $25 Amazon.com Gift Cards


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Monday, February 9, 2026

MY THOUGHTS - THE SERPENT SERIES -- SZ ESTAVILLO


banner - the serpent series - s.z. estavillo

 

Every crime tells a story…

But not every killer is the villain.

 

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The Serpent’s Order

The Serpent Series Book 4

by S.Z. Estavillo

Genre: Thriller, Romantic Suspense

 

theserpentseries - about the book

 

An assassin bound by obedience. A detective marked for death. A cartel war with no survivors.

Von Schlange thought she’d escaped her past. Now Black Nova owns her—an elite, off-the-books task force where obedience is survival and failure means death. As their newest assassin, she’s unleashed on targets tied to Jaxon Ryker, a drug lord buried deep in the Alaskan wilds.

Her partner, Xander Holt, a former Navy SEAL with ice in his veins, lives by the same brutal code: no attachments, no lines crossed. But as missions turn bloody, the fragile boundary between partner and lover begins to blur—and desire becomes its own kind of danger.

Across the country, Detective Anaya Nazario faces a nightmare of her own. A synthetic “zombie drug,” deadlier than fentanyl and immune to Narcan, is ripping through Los Angeles. Her investigation exposes a network of dirty cops shielding Ryker’s empire—and puts a target squarely on her back.

Two women on opposite fronts. One war against corruption and cartel power. And a single truth—every betrayal leaves a body behind.

Explosive, unrelenting, and razor-sharp, The Serpent’s Order propels the Serpent Series into its most dangerous chapter yet—where justice is a myth, and survival comes at a price paid in blood.

 

 

**NEW RELEASE on Feb 10, 2026! PreOrder Now!**

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4 - the serpents order teaser 1- s.z. estavillo
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3 - twilight of the serpent ebook- s.z. estavillo
Twilight of the Serpent

The Serpent Series Book 3

 

theserpentseries - about the book

 

Some predators hide in plain sight. Others hunt from the shadows.

Merrick Winslow is a decorated Army officer, a man of discipline and honor—or so he claims. When he reports that his ex-wife, Cheonsa Soo-Min, has been stalking him, no one questions his story. He paints her as unstable, vengeful, and dangerous, a woman consumed by obsession. But when two officers are gunned down with her own weapon, the truth becomes harder to see. With the law closing in, Cheonsa vanishes, fleeing to Rio de Janeiro, where she is taken in by Von Schlange, the vigilante thought to have disappeared for good.

Von has retired her vengeful ways, leaving behind a life of bloodshed to run a quiet veterinary clinic. But when Cheonsa’s past collides with Winslow’s lies, the two women begin to unravel a deadly deception—one that turns predator into prey. By the time Von uncovers the truth, an innocent life has already been taken.

Now, there’s only one thing left to do: find the real monster and make him pay.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Detective Anaya Nazario and Supervising Special Agent Blake Huxley are adjusting to life as new parents. But after only four months of maternity leave, Nazario is pulled back into the field to investigate the murder of two officers. What should be a straightforward case quickly spirals into something far more sinister—secrets buried beneath the badge, a killer hiding behind a uniform, and a web of corruption stretching further than anyone expected.

As Nazario and Huxley chase down leads, their investigation intersects with a vigilante they once thought was dead. And this time, Von Schlange isn’t just seeking justice—she’s delivering retribution.

For fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn, and Taylor Adams, Twilight of the Serpent delivers a high-stakes vigilante thriller packed with morally gray justice, relentless suspense, and a tangled web of deception. Perfect for readers who love strong female leads, intense cat-and-mouse chases, and dark psychological twists.

 

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

 

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The Serpent Woman

The Serpent Series Book 2

 

theserpentseries - about the book

 

The exciting sequel to The Serpent’s Bridge…

A serial killer is on the loose. With her insidious tattoo and venomous killer strike, they’re calling her the serpent woman.

Two of the best in their field, LAPD Detective Anaya Nazario and FBI Supervising Special Agent Blake Huxley are forced to work together yet again, despite their strained romantic history and a baby on the way. Together on a nationwide hunt, they must find this serpent woman before she strikes again.

But, as the cat-and-mouse chase evolves, Nazario and Huxley begin to realize that their killer is on a mission of vigilante justice and they must struggle with the question of who really deserves their justice: The killer, or her victims?

This dark thriller delves into the sensitive topics of sex trafficking, child abuse, animal death, sexual assault, graphic violence, and dead bodies. Reader discretion is advised.

 

 

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2 - the serpent woman teaser 1- s.z. estavillo
2 - the serpent woman teaser 2- s.z. estavillo
1 - the serpents bridge ebook- s.z. estavillo
The Serpent’s Bridge

The Serpent Series Book 1

 

theserpentseries - about the book

 

Compelling dialogue, rich, gritty prose, and characters you won’t forget — if you loved The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson, or Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger, you’ll love The Serpent’s Bridge.

Recovering alcoholic Detective Anaya Nazario remains haunted by her father’s murder. Lucas Nazario was the highest-ranking Puerto Rican LAPD detective, and his case has gone unsolved for twenty-four years since his murder. When Mexican immigrants are targeted by a serial killer, Nazario senses a connection and fights to keep the leadless case open. The homicide investigation centers on Sanctuary Baptist, a church composed of immigrants led by Pastor Stan and his wife. Nazario’s personal and professional worlds collide when she is compelled to collaborate with her former lover, Special Agent Blake Huxley. As their lives merge once more, the FBI and Detective Nazario stop at nothing to find a killer.

Is this the same monster who killed her father and left him for dead under a bridge?

Can she put a stop to the murders before more families lose loved ones?

 

 

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1 - the serpents bridge teaser 1- s.z. estavillo
1 - the serpents bridge teaser 2- s.z. estavillo
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Get the Box set duo for Only $2.99 for a limited time!

Get it on Amazon!

 

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theserpentseries - about the author
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As a BIPOC thriller author, she previously parted amicably with her agent and, three months later, secured an eight-book deal with Oliver-Heber Books—now boasting 24,000 downloads in its first year and a BookRaid bestseller ranking in the thriller category. The Serpent Woman (Book 2) reached #1 on Amazon and topped all three of its categories. Her background spans literary agencies and TV studios, where she contributed to greenlit screenplays that became Lifetime movies. She holds a Master’s in Television, Radio, and Film, has taught author branding workshops (L.A. Writer’s Conference, North Texas RWA), and maintains a 100K+ social media following.

 

 

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


My Thoughts 


Book One 

The Serpent’s Bridge 


This is a new to me author, so I was absolutely thrilled to be able to review the whole series. This is a very gritty character driven thriller that is set in Los Angeles. We get to meet Detective Anaya  Nazario. She is a recovering alcoholic and is haunted by her past and her father‘s unsolved murder. Her father also was the highest ranking Puerto Rican LAPD detective and his death was under mysterious circumstances.


A serial killer starts to target undocumented immigrants, leaving their bodies and sacrilegious ways. Anaya  is drawn to the case and is seeing parallels to her own father‘s death. She is assigned to the investigation and she gets to work with FBI special agent Blake Huxley. There is definitely tension since this is her former lover.


I think one of my favorite thing about this story besides, the action in the suspense is that the characters are complex. This is also told as a multiple point of view. The author has woven everything together seamlessly.


Book Two 


In book 2, the action picks up right where it left off. A serial killer has now been dubbed, the serpent woman. The serial killer is accused of murdering predators who have escaped justice.


We’re back with detective Anya, Nazario, and FBI agent Blake Huxley. They start to dig deeper into the case and they realize that this killer is not acting at random. I love the cat and mouse pursuit along with the multi layers that the author is well known for.


I am super excited to tell you about book 3 next


Book 3 is entitled twilight of the serpent. This might have been my favorite book within the series. There was a lot going on, but it was easy to follow.


There are two police officers that are found murdered. Anya and FBI special agent Blake are on the case to investigate the killing of the two officers. The two dig in and they are quickly finding corruption and shadows behind the badge. This book is definitely a very tense and dark thriller, and I enjoyed every minute of it.


And that is gonna bring us to book 4 in the series the serpent order. I want to say Bravo to the author. This series kept me on the edge of my seat, and I devoured it all within a weekend. I really hope to read more from her in the future, and I am so excited that I was able to be part of this tour.


That being said book 4, we are seeing a war against corruption and cartel power. Some of my most favorite types of thrillers.


This book is also told by multiple points of views and one of the things I love about this author is the fact that she weaves them together so seamlessly that you don’t feel like you’re lost. I absolutely love, strong female characters.


Thank you so much to the author, publisher and silver dagger book tours for allow allowing me to take part in this tour. All thoughts on my own.


GIVEAWAY 


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!