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Zack Bolder #1
Bolder Blindsided
An Australian alpine ghost town. A priest turned supernatural detective. A missing persons cold case. Will bolder track down the voracious demon?
When Detective Wellock hushers in Zack Bolder to investigate a missing person case in the Australian ghost town of Walhalla, they form a formidable tag team of supernatural investigators, working for the police branch for unexplained crimes. Perched amongst the alpine area, this tourist backed ghost town is renowned for its gold mining past and stories of hardship, deprivation, and death. It becomes a perfect setting for an unexplained missing person's cold case.
When Bolder realizes every demon has a weakness—it’s blindside, he confronts the demonic presence, head on for an ultimate encounter to save the town. As this evil entity is sly as a fox with more turns that a two-mile racetrack, Bolder must be at his best to overcome the devil that has cursed the town since 1876.
Can Bolder uncover the curse that strangleholds the town and thrust out the evil entity before more innocent people go missing and suffer an imminent fate?
Bolder Blindsided is the first book of the Zack Bolder Supernatural Suspense Thriller Series. If you like a fast-moving, energetic, and nail-biting supernatural suspense thriller guaranteed to raise your heartbeat, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.
Pick up your copy today and meet Zack Bolder!
When Detective Wellock hushers in Zack Bolder to investigate a missing person case in the Australian ghost town of Walhalla, they form a formidable tag team of supernatural investigators, working for the police branch for unexplained crimes. Perched amongst the alpine area, this tourist backed ghost town is renowned for its gold mining past and stories of hardship, deprivation, and death. It becomes a perfect setting for an unexplained missing person's cold case.
When Bolder realizes every demon has a weakness—it’s blindside, he confronts the demonic presence, head on for an ultimate encounter to save the town. As this evil entity is sly as a fox with more turns that a two-mile racetrack, Bolder must be at his best to overcome the devil that has cursed the town since 1876.
Can Bolder uncover the curse that strangleholds the town and thrust out the evil entity before more innocent people go missing and suffer an imminent fate?
Bolder Blindsided is the first book of the Zack Bolder Supernatural Suspense Thriller Series. If you like a fast-moving, energetic, and nail-biting supernatural suspense thriller guaranteed to raise your heartbeat, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.
Pick up your copy today and meet Zack Bolder!
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2021
46 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Janice Tremayne
20 books244 followersJanice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning independent supernatural horror writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards. She recently was awarded the silver medal at the IPPY Awards 2021 Australia/New Zealand/Pacific Rim – Best Regional Fiction. In 2023 she was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Book Award as a mark of distinction, recognizing excellence in writing that is both innovative and impactful.
She is an Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her publication, Haunting in Hartley, reached number one in the Amazon Kindle ranking for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts, and Haunted Houses categories hot new releases/bestsellers.
Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing supernatural horror novels for adult readers.
Writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago, and she has never looked back since. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale.
Find out more about Janice at www.janicetremayne.com.
She is an Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her publication, Haunting in Hartley, reached number one in the Amazon Kindle ranking for Occult Supernatural, Ghosts, and Haunted Houses categories hot new releases/bestsellers.
Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing supernatural horror novels for adult readers.
Writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago, and she has never looked back since. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale.
Find out more about Janice at www.janicetremayne.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
July 23, 2022
Problems are mounting in an Australian ghost town. Tourists flock to Walhalla to see the old gold mine. The dark, often dangerous, mining tunnels and the old buildings in town are a big draw, especially because almost every building in Walhalla is reportedly haunted. But, something else....something much more sinister lurks in the old mine. When two tourists disappear and a strange symbol is found, Detective Wellock calls in a friend -- Zack Bolder. Bolder is a priest who tackles cases involving supernatural forces. If anyone can get to the bottom of what's going on in Walhalla, it's Zack Bolder.....
What a creepy story! I enjoyed every word of it! I was in the mood for a supernatural horror story, and this book scratched that itch perfectly! Ghosts, demons, and murder....all in an old Australian mining town. It made the story even more interesting when I discovered that Walhalla and the Long Tunnel Mine are real places! Demon free, I hope!
A quick, very entertaining, creepy read! There are three books in the Zack Bolder series, with a fourth coming out soon! I have all three ebooks....so binge reading this series before the new book comes out! This is the first book by Janice Tremayne that I've read, and I'm definitely reading more of her writing! I've had a couple of her books and a short story on my ebook TBR for months....glad I finally started actually reading them!!
I love the cover art for this series! Definitely eye catching!
On to book 2 - Bolder Cursed!
What a creepy story! I enjoyed every word of it! I was in the mood for a supernatural horror story, and this book scratched that itch perfectly! Ghosts, demons, and murder....all in an old Australian mining town. It made the story even more interesting when I discovered that Walhalla and the Long Tunnel Mine are real places! Demon free, I hope!
A quick, very entertaining, creepy read! There are three books in the Zack Bolder series, with a fourth coming out soon! I have all three ebooks....so binge reading this series before the new book comes out! This is the first book by Janice Tremayne that I've read, and I'm definitely reading more of her writing! I've had a couple of her books and a short story on my ebook TBR for months....glad I finally started actually reading them!!
I love the cover art for this series! Definitely eye catching!
On to book 2 - Bolder Cursed!
December 3, 2023
Even though this edition is listed as a paperback, this is the book cover of the Kindle book I read.
March 21, 2021
I received a copy of this book via Reedsy Discovery, with thanks to both them and the author. This has not impacted upon my review.
Reedsy Link: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/bol...
I am OBSESSED with paranormal books, especially those that will leave you feeling shaken after reading them and reading the synopsis, this book sounded exactly like that. When the book opens, we are following Jamie and "Gazza" Johnstone on their trip back through Walhalla, a mining town that has long been abandoned and now only attracts those looking for a bit of dark tourism. This small, rural Australian town has a dark past and attracts demon hunters and the paranormal obsessed alike. When Jamie decides to try and take a shortcut through one of the shafts to the hotel, he and Gazza never see the light of day again. The local police know this is something that goes beyond their knowledge as the town is known for missing people. These people could have simply slipped into the mines but Detective Wellock knows better and that's why he called in Jack. Jack Bolder. Father Jack Bolder should I say. Yes, a priest. It's not every day you get to meet a main character from the clergy. But Bolder isn't a normal priest, no, he's part of a secret section of the Catholic church that deals with the paranormal and this case is certainly paranormal. Bolder and Wellock begin to uncover this town and its deep and dark past of spirits, devil-worshipping and a demon in the mineshafts.
This premise was so widely unique that I couldn't see why I wouldn't love it but the issue with being a fan of paranormal thriller books is that my standards are very high and this book gave me more Nancy Drew than Dean Winchester vibes. While I think this book was enjoyable, with an interesting premise and a clear direction, it lacked the finesse I wanted to see. The writing is often a little bit too blunt at times, simply stating people to be dead or stating things as a fact. It tells instead of shows in the majority of cases and I love to see this book bulked out a little with more description. I would've loved to have met more of those who stayed in Walhalla, their thoughts and feelings and when Bolder and Wellock were told near the beginning of the book about a quite obvious lead, why they didn't follow up on that.
I am also a person who thrives on likeable main characters and I didn't like Bolder that much. He wasn't a bad character but he was a little to two-dimensional for me at times, not showing a lot of emotion or telling the reader a lot about himself. I would have enjoyed a little more depth to his character but potentially that is something we will see more of as the series progresses. I would read more of this series as I think it has room to improve but is overall an enjoyable and quick read.
Reedsy Link: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/bol...
I am OBSESSED with paranormal books, especially those that will leave you feeling shaken after reading them and reading the synopsis, this book sounded exactly like that. When the book opens, we are following Jamie and "Gazza" Johnstone on their trip back through Walhalla, a mining town that has long been abandoned and now only attracts those looking for a bit of dark tourism. This small, rural Australian town has a dark past and attracts demon hunters and the paranormal obsessed alike. When Jamie decides to try and take a shortcut through one of the shafts to the hotel, he and Gazza never see the light of day again. The local police know this is something that goes beyond their knowledge as the town is known for missing people. These people could have simply slipped into the mines but Detective Wellock knows better and that's why he called in Jack. Jack Bolder. Father Jack Bolder should I say. Yes, a priest. It's not every day you get to meet a main character from the clergy. But Bolder isn't a normal priest, no, he's part of a secret section of the Catholic church that deals with the paranormal and this case is certainly paranormal. Bolder and Wellock begin to uncover this town and its deep and dark past of spirits, devil-worshipping and a demon in the mineshafts.
This premise was so widely unique that I couldn't see why I wouldn't love it but the issue with being a fan of paranormal thriller books is that my standards are very high and this book gave me more Nancy Drew than Dean Winchester vibes. While I think this book was enjoyable, with an interesting premise and a clear direction, it lacked the finesse I wanted to see. The writing is often a little bit too blunt at times, simply stating people to be dead or stating things as a fact. It tells instead of shows in the majority of cases and I love to see this book bulked out a little with more description. I would've loved to have met more of those who stayed in Walhalla, their thoughts and feelings and when Bolder and Wellock were told near the beginning of the book about a quite obvious lead, why they didn't follow up on that.
I am also a person who thrives on likeable main characters and I didn't like Bolder that much. He wasn't a bad character but he was a little to two-dimensional for me at times, not showing a lot of emotion or telling the reader a lot about himself. I would have enjoyed a little more depth to his character but potentially that is something we will see more of as the series progresses. I would read more of this series as I think it has room to improve but is overall an enjoyable and quick read.
January 3, 2021
I had read the Haunting Clarisse series which was riveting. This book, too, is one of the best books in the paranormal genre. The police are flummoxed by the increasing number of missing people in their small mining town. The outcome looks bleak so Detective Wellock enlists the help of Fr Bolder who is famed for his paranormal abilities. Is the town infested with evil spirits? Will Bolder and Wellock be able to stem the menace? This book had me hooked right from the start. My thanks to the author for the ARC of this book which was well thought out and is very enjoyable.
February 19, 2021
Detective Wellock looks for help with a missing person case in the ghost town of Walhalla. The town has a history of hardship and death. Weller engages parapsychologist and priest Zack Bolder to help resolve the evil in this town.
This story is suspenseful and exciting with just enough humour. The environment is perfect for the story and the descriptions put you right into the action. The characters are all interesting with intriguing back stories. But the best part is the relationship between Wellock and Bolder. I’m looking forward to the next book.
This story is suspenseful and exciting with just enough humour. The environment is perfect for the story and the descriptions put you right into the action. The characters are all interesting with intriguing back stories. But the best part is the relationship between Wellock and Bolder. I’m looking forward to the next book.
August 31, 2022
A great intro to the author and the Bolder series. I look forward to the next chapter.
November 20, 2020
An Australian ghost town, a supernatural priest, a detective, and a slew of missing people…. what is not to love. Detective Wellock has requested Father Bolder’s expertise in hunting the evil spirits who are responsible for the missing tourists in the town of Walhalla. I loved the suspense as Wellock and Bolder search for the victims in a town that has been cursed since the late 1800’s. As Zack Bolder will discover, this small town has a major problem. It has a demon, one that is keeping a stranglehold on the town. The descriptions, the characters, and the storyline are all quite interesting and kept me turning the page in this horror novel. This was my first book by author Janice Tremayne and I do look forward to reading the next one in the series. I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
November 6, 2020
Loved the humor in this book! Despite it being about a gruesome case involving a demon and ghost hauntings, Bolder, Detective Wellock, and especially the chief had a chemistry that left you grinning and laughing.
Tremayne brings us back to Australia's Outback and its ghost towns, but this time it's a lot of detective work. There is a lot of suspense in the book when we see what leads up to the victims' disappearances that give a real spook factor, chilling.
I can't wait to learn more about Bolder. His backstory already is intriguing.
Tremayne brings us back to Australia's Outback and its ghost towns, but this time it's a lot of detective work. There is a lot of suspense in the book when we see what leads up to the victims' disappearances that give a real spook factor, chilling.
I can't wait to learn more about Bolder. His backstory already is intriguing.
December 11, 2020
Unusual priest and trained parapsychological investigator Zach Bolder is assigned to a missing persons investigation in the tiny, nearly abandoned community of Walhalla, Australia, once a thriving Gold Rush site. Bolder quickly discovers this is not simply a matter of tourists falling into unused mine shafts, but a demonic infestation. Turns out the town has a seriously nefarious history, and this priest must rely solely on his staunch faith, because he doesn't know which humans he can trust.
November 22, 2020
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
November 23, 2020
This is a thrilling paranormal mystery with a strong cast of characters. The author does a great job building the story and pulled me in with the suspense as she weaves this intriguing story. She paints her scenes vividly and moves the story fluidly. I was glued to the pages from start to finish.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
November 26, 2020
Thank you StoryOrigin and Janice Tremayne for the opportunity to read the eARC of Bolder Blindsided!
Bolder Blindsided is book 1 in a new Supernatural Thriller Zack Bolder series. This book was very entertaining and lots of action! After 2 young men go missing in the Australian Alpine ghost town of Walhalla, Detective Wellock is convinced something sinister is going on in the old mining town. So he calls in priest Zack Bolder for help, Bolder is trained in parapsychology and is sent out from the church to help with Supernatural cases. Once the pair discover that a demon is running the show around town, it is race against time to solve the case before more innocent people go missing.
I think the interaction between Dec. Wellock and Bolder are top notch! This book offers alot of atmosphere and suspense and I couldn't put it down! The entire town was very interesting to explore with all of the history and you never knew if the townsfolk were truly being honest about Walhalla's past! I look forward to reading more in this series! One book is not enough, I'm hooked! I highly recommend!
Bolder Blindsided is book 1 in a new Supernatural Thriller Zack Bolder series. This book was very entertaining and lots of action! After 2 young men go missing in the Australian Alpine ghost town of Walhalla, Detective Wellock is convinced something sinister is going on in the old mining town. So he calls in priest Zack Bolder for help, Bolder is trained in parapsychology and is sent out from the church to help with Supernatural cases. Once the pair discover that a demon is running the show around town, it is race against time to solve the case before more innocent people go missing.
I think the interaction between Dec. Wellock and Bolder are top notch! This book offers alot of atmosphere and suspense and I couldn't put it down! The entire town was very interesting to explore with all of the history and you never knew if the townsfolk were truly being honest about Walhalla's past! I look forward to reading more in this series! One book is not enough, I'm hooked! I highly recommend!
November 13, 2020
I received a copy from the author to read and leave a review. I have not previously read anything from Janice Tremayne but will look for other titles as I did enjoy this book. I was excited to read this as I love reading police books and paranormal books.
She made it seem as you are really sitting in an almost abandoned ghost town in Australia. The story was well written with good character development. If you believe in the paranormal, the story could seem plausible to happen and not so far fetched that you’re left sitting there thinking, what did I just read.
I’m not going to get into the plot as to not accidentally give any spoilers. I do recommend giving this book a go. I’ll be looking forward to the next in the series.
Happy reading, Jennifer.
She made it seem as you are really sitting in an almost abandoned ghost town in Australia. The story was well written with good character development. If you believe in the paranormal, the story could seem plausible to happen and not so far fetched that you’re left sitting there thinking, what did I just read.
I’m not going to get into the plot as to not accidentally give any spoilers. I do recommend giving this book a go. I’ll be looking forward to the next in the series.
Happy reading, Jennifer.
December 25, 2020
Bolder is a parapsychologist. He is also a priest fighting demons and evil entities. People are missing in a town. So the police call him in to help because a satanic symbol is imbedded in a tree and the police know that this means something evil is going on in the town. Bolder discovers the bodies of a couple of the missing people. He also encounters a prince of hell. Which tries to kill him. He fights back and wins a couple of times. They finally discover a satanic sect operating in the town for many years. Do they overcome the demons and Satanist? You must take time to read this terrifying book. A wonderful scary and barbaric read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 18, 2021
Interesting story that was quite similar to the Haunting Clarice series. Demons, ghosts, hauntings and more. I would like a bit more history on Bolder such as how he ended up demon fighting, a little more on his relationship with the detective but a spooky story nonetheless. I have been to a near abandoned small town that was similar to the story environment... you can feel the history walking down the main streets. I think that is the kind of mindset/visualization you need to have in order to really get into the spirit of this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 1, 2021
This story had its spooky moments. I loved following the clues along with Bolder and Detective Wellock toward a good resolution and the atmosphere in Walhalla, Australia. The acceptance all around with regards to the paranormal aspect of the story added to the enjoyment. Despite there being a little too much repetition of descriptions regarding pasts, positive within the church and police force, etc., I enjoyed the story a lot and look forward to the next book.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
January 3, 2021
I loved this introduction to Zack Bolder, a priest and a parapsychologist. Zack is called in when crimes occur that are not committed by humans. When people go missing in a town called Walhalla in Australia, the police chief calls in Zack. This story grabs you from the start and takes you on a ride you won't soon forget. If you enjoy paranormal stories, Bolder Blindsided is the book for you. I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest review.
February 13, 2021
In this book we see the police and church work together to figure out what is happening in a small ghost town. People are going missing and there are whispers of demonic worship and strange symbols keel popping up so the sheriff calls in bolder, a priest who specializes in demons and hunting them. Twists and turns with a who done it thriller all wrapped up in the after life. Great story plot and characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 18, 2021
Wow! Man, what a way to start a series! A heart pounding scary ride!
This author knows how to write! Vivid scenes with non-stop action.
Suspense! Drama! Thrills! Humor! Laughter!
Entertaining! I wanted more!
If you love to be scared or spooked I recommend this meserising, edge of your seat, chilling, well written, fast paced, paranormal adventure!
Read and enjoy!
I received an ARC free from BookSirens and this is my voluntary honest review.
This author knows how to write! Vivid scenes with non-stop action.
Suspense! Drama! Thrills! Humor! Laughter!
Entertaining! I wanted more!
If you love to be scared or spooked I recommend this meserising, edge of your seat, chilling, well written, fast paced, paranormal adventure!
Read and enjoy!
I received an ARC free from BookSirens and this is my voluntary honest review.
November 23, 2020
Wow! This book has suspense and a lot of me looking over my shoulder! I usually don't go for books like this because I'm a huge baby but I figured I'd give it a shot and I'm so happy I did! The characters and story line pull you in and keep you turning the page and wanting to know what happens next.
I received this ARC for an honest review from StoryOrigin
I received this ARC for an honest review from StoryOrigin
November 23, 2020
Like everything else that Janice Tremayne has written, this was a masterpiece as well. Humor, murder, the supernatural, and the unique twist of a paranormal priest made this one interesting story that makes you ready to read the next when you finish it. It will not disappoint you.
November 23, 2020
A strange ghost town. Old mines with secrets of the past. Can a priest trained in the supernatural release the town from its evil inhabitant? The suspense is real and will make you rethink your beliefs. If you enjoy a good mystery with evil ghosts and demons, you will love this book.
November 24, 2020
this was creepy suspenseful and fun to read.. interesting and action packed... wonderfully written and just a scary read at times.. i liked it a lot
December 3, 2020
Such a wonderful book. It is filled with intrigue and suspense..Kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend reading this awesome book...
January 1, 2021
3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded to 4 for Goodreads.
This review has been written for the blog tour for this title organized by Goddess Fish Promotions and can be found on the Westveil Publishing blog at https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...
Thank you to the author Janice Tremayne, to Goddess Fish Promotions, and to the team at Book Sirens for the opportunity to review this book. Complimentary access to the ebook has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Bolder Blindsided is a paranormal mystery set in the very small town of Walhalla, Australia, where tourism thrives due to the town's haunted status and old mining history. Tourists start going missing in paranormal ways, so local law enforcement calls in Father Zack Bolder, a priest trained in paranormal crimes and mysteries. What he discovers will change the town forever, perhaps for the better once he's done with it, but in a way that will leave the town unable to go back to life as it was before the recent string of missing and murdered tourists.
This book was quite entertaining, and as you can tell from the numerous 4 and 5 star reviews it already has on Goodreads, people are loving it! I was definitely drawn in as well, and the need to know how everything would play out kept me turning pages at a very rapid pace. I loved the quaint setting and getting to know Zack Bolder and the various faces who kept cropping up as he and the lead local investigator worked through this mystery. Bolder himself is a compelling protagonist, and a great choice to carry what will be a series of similar paranormal mysteries.
Now, while I'm not Australian myself, I've follow enough Aussie content creators online for long enough to understand that names like Gazza and Macca (both come up in this book, with Gazza being one of the first tourist victims) are nicknames, not legal names. While I can accept the locals using these names, I found it distracting that law enforcement never once used legal names for any missing character with a nickname like Gazza. It's written down somewhere in a case file, surely. Nobody working this case read the file before talking to the locals and used the legal name?
Point of view jumps around in this book, essentially taking the reader into the mind of whoever's where the plot is currently happening but while avoiding too many revealing glances into the minds of those responsible for what's going on. We get a lot of Bolder, obviously, but we also get each victim as they meet their end, local investigator Detective Wellock, and a few other characters along the way. The only indication that a POV shift is taking place is a visual gap break in the formatting of the text. It becomes clear whose head we're in within the first sentence or two, but POV shifts didn't feel predictable to me. I've read many books with multiple POVs where you knew when a shift was due. Shifts in this book were always a surprise. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and it didn't disrupt reading too much for me, but I know it can be a turn-off for some readers so I've decided to mention it. What I didn't like about the ever-changing POVs is that the level of omniscience the narrative voice has is inconsistent. Sometimes we get throwaway lines that delve into another character's mind when they aren't the POV character and other times we don't. It started to become obvious to me which characters were going to end up being involved because the narrator wasn't so loose with those sort of random insights for those characters.
The way this book is presented to potential readers gives the impression that we're about to embark on a paranormal investigator version of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, but I don't get the sense that Bolder has a Watson for this series. Wellock could be considered Watson for this mystery, but presumably Bolder will be in a different town with a different law enforcement team in each book. That may hurt the Holmes association as Bolder won't become close and trusting with his Watson, and that changes how he works with people. For example, early on in this book a minor character gives Bolder a tip about a character he's already been in contact with and who comes up a lot. Bolder takes the tip at face value and it definitely makes us, the reader, suspect this character. It's clear why Bolder doesn't share this tip with the police chief, who doesn't believe in too much paranormal stuff and wouldn't believe the old lady who said it, but by this point in the book, we already trust Wellock to believe such things. Why doesn't Bolder relay the tip to Wellock? He simply tells Wellock "there's something up with" the suspect. This sort of lack of trust ommission is going to keep cropping up if he only ever has temporary Watsons.
I would like to make a minor note in case someone in charge of file formatting for future editions is reading: the mobi file I was given through BookSirens had sections that overrode my reading colour and font settings in the Kindle app and presented black default font text on strips of white background. This is a potential accessibility issue for readers who are making adjustments to compensate for eyesight or comprehension disabilities, rather than just picking what's comfortable like I was doing.
Overall this is a good book with a great paranormal mystery to be solved and a very compelling protagonist. I would recommend this book to readers of mystery and suspense/thriller genres, regardless of whether or not they normally read paranormal, but especially if they like paranormal. This is also a great option for fans of Australian fiction. If, however, you're simply looking for a strong Holmes-derivative mystery, this might not be it. I'm looking forward to seeing what Zack Bolder gets into in future books!
This review has been written for the blog tour for this title organized by Goddess Fish Promotions and can be found on the Westveil Publishing blog at https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...
Thank you to the author Janice Tremayne, to Goddess Fish Promotions, and to the team at Book Sirens for the opportunity to review this book. Complimentary access to the ebook has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Bolder Blindsided is a paranormal mystery set in the very small town of Walhalla, Australia, where tourism thrives due to the town's haunted status and old mining history. Tourists start going missing in paranormal ways, so local law enforcement calls in Father Zack Bolder, a priest trained in paranormal crimes and mysteries. What he discovers will change the town forever, perhaps for the better once he's done with it, but in a way that will leave the town unable to go back to life as it was before the recent string of missing and murdered tourists.
This book was quite entertaining, and as you can tell from the numerous 4 and 5 star reviews it already has on Goodreads, people are loving it! I was definitely drawn in as well, and the need to know how everything would play out kept me turning pages at a very rapid pace. I loved the quaint setting and getting to know Zack Bolder and the various faces who kept cropping up as he and the lead local investigator worked through this mystery. Bolder himself is a compelling protagonist, and a great choice to carry what will be a series of similar paranormal mysteries.
Now, while I'm not Australian myself, I've follow enough Aussie content creators online for long enough to understand that names like Gazza and Macca (both come up in this book, with Gazza being one of the first tourist victims) are nicknames, not legal names. While I can accept the locals using these names, I found it distracting that law enforcement never once used legal names for any missing character with a nickname like Gazza. It's written down somewhere in a case file, surely. Nobody working this case read the file before talking to the locals and used the legal name?
Point of view jumps around in this book, essentially taking the reader into the mind of whoever's where the plot is currently happening but while avoiding too many revealing glances into the minds of those responsible for what's going on. We get a lot of Bolder, obviously, but we also get each victim as they meet their end, local investigator Detective Wellock, and a few other characters along the way. The only indication that a POV shift is taking place is a visual gap break in the formatting of the text. It becomes clear whose head we're in within the first sentence or two, but POV shifts didn't feel predictable to me. I've read many books with multiple POVs where you knew when a shift was due. Shifts in this book were always a surprise. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and it didn't disrupt reading too much for me, but I know it can be a turn-off for some readers so I've decided to mention it. What I didn't like about the ever-changing POVs is that the level of omniscience the narrative voice has is inconsistent. Sometimes we get throwaway lines that delve into another character's mind when they aren't the POV character and other times we don't. It started to become obvious to me which characters were going to end up being involved because the narrator wasn't so loose with those sort of random insights for those characters.
The way this book is presented to potential readers gives the impression that we're about to embark on a paranormal investigator version of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, but I don't get the sense that Bolder has a Watson for this series. Wellock could be considered Watson for this mystery, but presumably Bolder will be in a different town with a different law enforcement team in each book. That may hurt the Holmes association as Bolder won't become close and trusting with his Watson, and that changes how he works with people. For example, early on in this book a minor character gives Bolder a tip about a character he's already been in contact with and who comes up a lot. Bolder takes the tip at face value and it definitely makes us, the reader, suspect this character. It's clear why Bolder doesn't share this tip with the police chief, who doesn't believe in too much paranormal stuff and wouldn't believe the old lady who said it, but by this point in the book, we already trust Wellock to believe such things. Why doesn't Bolder relay the tip to Wellock? He simply tells Wellock "there's something up with" the suspect. This sort of lack of trust ommission is going to keep cropping up if he only ever has temporary Watsons.
I would like to make a minor note in case someone in charge of file formatting for future editions is reading: the mobi file I was given through BookSirens had sections that overrode my reading colour and font settings in the Kindle app and presented black default font text on strips of white background. This is a potential accessibility issue for readers who are making adjustments to compensate for eyesight or comprehension disabilities, rather than just picking what's comfortable like I was doing.
Overall this is a good book with a great paranormal mystery to be solved and a very compelling protagonist. I would recommend this book to readers of mystery and suspense/thriller genres, regardless of whether or not they normally read paranormal, but especially if they like paranormal. This is also a great option for fans of Australian fiction. If, however, you're simply looking for a strong Holmes-derivative mystery, this might not be it. I'm looking forward to seeing what Zack Bolder gets into in future books!
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March 30, 2021This is a very good paranormal thriller. Well written with good unusual characters. For lovers of the paranormal, I would definitely recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 20, 2021
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
A great read!
Zach Bolder is a priest and supernatural detective who is called to investigate, when people go missing in the ghost town of Walhalla. A demon, devil worshipping cult, hauntings and a mystery, this book has all the elements that make a great paranormal story.
The characters are well written with sufficient background stories. I liked the idea of a supernatural detective, it's a new concept for me. The supporting characters did a good job helping the story move forward, instead of merely around for show, like we see in a lot of books.
The author has done an amazing job in creating the town, its surroundings and history. The writing is detailed and the amount of research done is evident when it comes to religious aspects, demons and rituals.
It's descriptive to the point that I felt like I was watching a movie. I could picture everything in my mind and enjoyed every bit of it.
I also liked reading about the investigation and the gadgets used. It was simple and easy to understand.
The story was fast paced and kept things interesting throughout.
My only disappointment was that the culprit was very obvious right from the start. Since it's a mystery, I expected it to be a shock when the person was revealed, but that didn't happen.
Despite that, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from the author. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys the paranormal genre, but if you're scared easily, do not read it at night.
A great read!
Zach Bolder is a priest and supernatural detective who is called to investigate, when people go missing in the ghost town of Walhalla. A demon, devil worshipping cult, hauntings and a mystery, this book has all the elements that make a great paranormal story.
The characters are well written with sufficient background stories. I liked the idea of a supernatural detective, it's a new concept for me. The supporting characters did a good job helping the story move forward, instead of merely around for show, like we see in a lot of books.
The author has done an amazing job in creating the town, its surroundings and history. The writing is detailed and the amount of research done is evident when it comes to religious aspects, demons and rituals.
It's descriptive to the point that I felt like I was watching a movie. I could picture everything in my mind and enjoyed every bit of it.
I also liked reading about the investigation and the gadgets used. It was simple and easy to understand.
The story was fast paced and kept things interesting throughout.
My only disappointment was that the culprit was very obvious right from the start. Since it's a mystery, I expected it to be a shock when the person was revealed, but that didn't happen.
Despite that, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from the author. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys the paranormal genre, but if you're scared easily, do not read it at night.
November 1, 2021
Meet Zack Bolder a trained parapsychologist, a priest trained in the paranormal who represents the Catholic Church in cases where the supernatural or occult is suspected.
In Bolder Blindsided we meet up with Bolder in the town of Walhalla where two young men have gone missing. Detective Wellock is on the case and seeing as the town is mostly known for its supernatural activity, it is an old mining town that is mostly deserted with a few residents who try to make a living off of the tourist trade. Mostly there are Ghost Tours and guaranteed paranormal activity in most of the bed and breakfasts in town. Bolder is called in and together with some of the townsfolk they follow a trail of disappearing tourists, encounter their fair share of spirits and a devil worshipper, Bolder is in tune with the spirit world and knows how to read the clues they leave for him. He and detective Wellock make an effective team in solving the case in Walhalla.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The one thing that I appreciate most about the book is that the author manages to bring faith into the story but with the respect that it is due. There is no profanity or misuse of the Lord's Name. I have read many paranormal books and this is one thing that always gets me upset. Bolder is an example that you can have strong characters and characters with faith in a paranormal book without having to resort to vulgarity. The characters are relatable and sincere. I cannot wait to finish the next book Bolder Cursed.
In Bolder Blindsided we meet up with Bolder in the town of Walhalla where two young men have gone missing. Detective Wellock is on the case and seeing as the town is mostly known for its supernatural activity, it is an old mining town that is mostly deserted with a few residents who try to make a living off of the tourist trade. Mostly there are Ghost Tours and guaranteed paranormal activity in most of the bed and breakfasts in town. Bolder is called in and together with some of the townsfolk they follow a trail of disappearing tourists, encounter their fair share of spirits and a devil worshipper, Bolder is in tune with the spirit world and knows how to read the clues they leave for him. He and detective Wellock make an effective team in solving the case in Walhalla.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The one thing that I appreciate most about the book is that the author manages to bring faith into the story but with the respect that it is due. There is no profanity or misuse of the Lord's Name. I have read many paranormal books and this is one thing that always gets me upset. Bolder is an example that you can have strong characters and characters with faith in a paranormal book without having to resort to vulgarity. The characters are relatable and sincere. I cannot wait to finish the next book Bolder Cursed.
January 2, 2021
When two guys go missing Detective Wellock calls in Zack Bolder, a priest who now investigates the supernatural to help him find the missing guys in the ghost town of Walhalla, Australian. Walhalla is famous for its past history of ghosts and demons in the old mining town. These two guys Jamie and Gazza are not the first people to go missing in Walhalla. Detective Wellock has a whole list of cold cases of missing persons.
It is believed that a demon has taken Jamie and Gazza. The demon has to be stopped before it kills its next victim. Detective Wellock and Zack must find this demon and stop it from doing any more harm to the town of Walhalla. Can Bolder and Wellock find this demon and kill it before it does any more damage?
Bolder Blindsided has a little bit of everything to offer. It has ghosts, ghost stories, demons, murders, supernatural, mystery, and suspense that will keep the pages turning. The characters are wonderful people. I can’t wait to see where Zack Bolder’s next case leads in future books. I can’t wait to learn more about Zack’s world and who he is and about his being a priest and then a supernatural investigator.
I definitely recommend Bolder Blindsided to all mystery and suspense fans. One-click your copy of this suspenseful story, Bolder’s Blindsided today and step into a world of the supernatural!
It is believed that a demon has taken Jamie and Gazza. The demon has to be stopped before it kills its next victim. Detective Wellock and Zack must find this demon and stop it from doing any more harm to the town of Walhalla. Can Bolder and Wellock find this demon and kill it before it does any more damage?
Bolder Blindsided has a little bit of everything to offer. It has ghosts, ghost stories, demons, murders, supernatural, mystery, and suspense that will keep the pages turning. The characters are wonderful people. I can’t wait to see where Zack Bolder’s next case leads in future books. I can’t wait to learn more about Zack’s world and who he is and about his being a priest and then a supernatural investigator.
I definitely recommend Bolder Blindsided to all mystery and suspense fans. One-click your copy of this suspenseful story, Bolder’s Blindsided today and step into a world of the supernatural!
January 18, 2021
This book is a very entertaining and scary supernatural thriller. I loved being scared from the very first chapter to the very last chapter. The story is centered on mysterious activity happening in the town of Walhalla, which has become a tourist attraction for visitors interested in the supernatural and looking for ghosts. A priest, Bolder, who is also known as a Spirit Hunter, is called to the town to help law enforcement investigate a recent case of missing persons to determine if their disappearance is due to natural or supernatural causes. I enjoyed reading about all the rumored ghost stories and haunted places in Walhalla as Bolder and law enforcement were conducting their investigation. It was quite interesting to read about the backstories for the different spirits that were rumored to be haunting various locations in the Walhalla. I liked how the author builds up the suspense in the investigation and increases the intensity of the battles between Bolder and the evil that is trying to take over the town. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading the next book in this series as I would love to find out more of Bolder’s backstory. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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