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Sydney Rye Mysteries #4-6
Sydney Rye Mysteries Books 4-6 Box Set
Books 4-6 in the Sydney Rye Mysteries: Strings of Glass, The Devil’s Breath, and Inviting Fire.
In Goa, India, Mother Nature rules.
The road crumbled under my feet as I ran up the incline. There is no road surface strong enough to resist the return to dirt in this climate.
Blue touched my thigh with his nose, a gentle tap to remind me he was there. Thick jungle lined our path. This hill had the fewest homes on our route. No neighbors to wave a hello to or children to smile at as they raced by on bikes either too large or too small for them. There was just me, Blue, the burst of vegetation, and this road of rocks. I reached the top of the hill, my thighs and calves burned. Panting, I struggled to keep my pace.
A low growl narrowed my attention onto a black and white street dog in the brush. Ears flat to her head, she curled her lips and showed teeth. Noting the swollen teats hanging low and exposed, I kept moving. "I'm not going to bother you, mama," I said in a steady voice. "We are just passing by."
Blue slowed, and when I patted my thigh for him to catch up he stopped. I turned to look back at him, my senses on high alert. Blue was a mutt the height of a Great Dane with the coat of a wolf and the long snout of a Collie, with one blue eye and one brown. Blue has saved my life more than once so when he stopped, so did I.
I recognized a twitch on his lip and saw the hackles raise off his shoulders and back making him appear even larger. A deep and rumbling growl left his chest. It was answered behind me. There were suddenly three dogs in our path. None as big or strong as Blue but together they looked dangerous.
I'd been warned about this pack. Growing larger by the day, it was led by an aggressive alpha male the color of dirty water. This must be him, I thought, as the largest of the three, his head wide, fur the silt brown of an engorged river, growled at Blue. The compactness of his body spoke of strength and survival. When he barked, the saliva that shot from his mouth caught a ray of sunlight streaming through the thick foliage around us.
The alpha stepped forward, revving his growl like a teenager on a motorbike. The bitch in the brush flanked our left side and when I turned right, two young dogs, their ears still soft from puppyhood, glowered at me.
The owner of the guest house where I lived warned me to take a stick if I planned on running. "Just in case," she'd said with a dip of her head and a flip of her hand. Because of her advice I carried a light but solid piece of bamboo about twice the thickness of my thumb. I tapped it on the ground in front of me as I backed toward Blue, keeping my eyes forward, focused on the alpha but paying close attention to my peripheral vision, watching the dogs to my sides.
When I reached Blue he moved backwards with me, slowly and deliberately. But the dogs followed. We stopped, and raising the stick over my head, I brought it down hard onto a rock. The loud sound and sudden movement spooked the pups to my right, but the alpha male just growled louder.
The two dogs flanking him went crazy barking, the force of their calls lifting their front paws off the ground. The mother and the young ones joined in raising a ruckus that certainly beat mine. Blue, his front paws planted on the road, exposed his teeth and growled, his pitch wavering up and down. He wanted me to tell him it was okay to attack. I could feel his energy bundling up inside him, roiling around.
Soon I'd have no control.
P.S. The dog does not die.
**Beware: If you can’t handle a few f-bombs, you can’t handle this series.**
In Goa, India, Mother Nature rules.
The road crumbled under my feet as I ran up the incline. There is no road surface strong enough to resist the return to dirt in this climate.
Blue touched my thigh with his nose, a gentle tap to remind me he was there. Thick jungle lined our path. This hill had the fewest homes on our route. No neighbors to wave a hello to or children to smile at as they raced by on bikes either too large or too small for them. There was just me, Blue, the burst of vegetation, and this road of rocks. I reached the top of the hill, my thighs and calves burned. Panting, I struggled to keep my pace.
A low growl narrowed my attention onto a black and white street dog in the brush. Ears flat to her head, she curled her lips and showed teeth. Noting the swollen teats hanging low and exposed, I kept moving. "I'm not going to bother you, mama," I said in a steady voice. "We are just passing by."
Blue slowed, and when I patted my thigh for him to catch up he stopped. I turned to look back at him, my senses on high alert. Blue was a mutt the height of a Great Dane with the coat of a wolf and the long snout of a Collie, with one blue eye and one brown. Blue has saved my life more than once so when he stopped, so did I.
I recognized a twitch on his lip and saw the hackles raise off his shoulders and back making him appear even larger. A deep and rumbling growl left his chest. It was answered behind me. There were suddenly three dogs in our path. None as big or strong as Blue but together they looked dangerous.
I'd been warned about this pack. Growing larger by the day, it was led by an aggressive alpha male the color of dirty water. This must be him, I thought, as the largest of the three, his head wide, fur the silt brown of an engorged river, growled at Blue. The compactness of his body spoke of strength and survival. When he barked, the saliva that shot from his mouth caught a ray of sunlight streaming through the thick foliage around us.
The alpha stepped forward, revving his growl like a teenager on a motorbike. The bitch in the brush flanked our left side and when I turned right, two young dogs, their ears still soft from puppyhood, glowered at me.
The owner of the guest house where I lived warned me to take a stick if I planned on running. "Just in case," she'd said with a dip of her head and a flip of her hand. Because of her advice I carried a light but solid piece of bamboo about twice the thickness of my thumb. I tapped it on the ground in front of me as I backed toward Blue, keeping my eyes forward, focused on the alpha but paying close attention to my peripheral vision, watching the dogs to my sides.
When I reached Blue he moved backwards with me, slowly and deliberately. But the dogs followed. We stopped, and raising the stick over my head, I brought it down hard onto a rock. The loud sound and sudden movement spooked the pups to my right, but the alpha male just growled louder.
The two dogs flanking him went crazy barking, the force of their calls lifting their front paws off the ground. The mother and the young ones joined in raising a ruckus that certainly beat mine. Blue, his front paws planted on the road, exposed his teeth and growled, his pitch wavering up and down. He wanted me to tell him it was okay to attack. I could feel his energy bundling up inside him, roiling around.
Soon I'd have no control.
P.S. The dog does not die.
**Beware: If you can’t handle a few f-bombs, you can’t handle this series.**
Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2015
746 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Emily Kimelman
41 books903 followersI write because I love to read, but I have specific tastes...
If I was offered a job as a professional reader with no strings attached, I would take it. Getting paid to sit around and read while drinking tea all day—I'm there. Since that’s not possible, I became an author.
I write the books I want to read—stories that give me the immersive reading experiences I crave. When a series grabs me, and it's all I can think about, I'm SO happy. When my inner dialogue starts sounding like the protagonist of my current read, I think, Oh yeah, this is IT. This is what I love.
When I finish a book, and I NEED to immediately grab the next one in the series, that’s the intensity I crave. When I binge read an entire series, I want to feel like my own reality changed—as if the stories I read affected the real world just a little. After a great series I'm a little wiser, a little more grateful for my everyday existence, and a little more aware that my personal perspective is not everyone's.
Personally, I like to spend time in fictional worlds where justice is exacted with a vengeance, even though good and bad are not always black and white. Give me raw stories with a main character who occasionally makes me laugh, is flawed like we all are, and feels like a friend by the end of the first few chapters. They don’t have to be a friend I always LIKE, per se, but a part of me has to root for them.
For me, the sentence structure is important. Too much passive voice, and I'm out. I do not mind four-letter words at all though. Sex in books can go either way—fade to black or show me the details, but either way there has to be a reason it’s in the story. I'm also into heroic pets, plots that seem totally unhinged but all come together in the end with a BANG, and long series so I always have more to look forward to.
Those are the types of stories I love reading, so that’s how I write. If you’re into some or all of the above then I think we are going to get along fantastically.
If I was offered a job as a professional reader with no strings attached, I would take it. Getting paid to sit around and read while drinking tea all day—I'm there. Since that’s not possible, I became an author.
I write the books I want to read—stories that give me the immersive reading experiences I crave. When a series grabs me, and it's all I can think about, I'm SO happy. When my inner dialogue starts sounding like the protagonist of my current read, I think, Oh yeah, this is IT. This is what I love.
When I finish a book, and I NEED to immediately grab the next one in the series, that’s the intensity I crave. When I binge read an entire series, I want to feel like my own reality changed—as if the stories I read affected the real world just a little. After a great series I'm a little wiser, a little more grateful for my everyday existence, and a little more aware that my personal perspective is not everyone's.
Personally, I like to spend time in fictional worlds where justice is exacted with a vengeance, even though good and bad are not always black and white. Give me raw stories with a main character who occasionally makes me laugh, is flawed like we all are, and feels like a friend by the end of the first few chapters. They don’t have to be a friend I always LIKE, per se, but a part of me has to root for them.
For me, the sentence structure is important. Too much passive voice, and I'm out. I do not mind four-letter words at all though. Sex in books can go either way—fade to black or show me the details, but either way there has to be a reason it’s in the story. I'm also into heroic pets, plots that seem totally unhinged but all come together in the end with a BANG, and long series so I always have more to look forward to.
Those are the types of stories I love reading, so that’s how I write. If you’re into some or all of the above then I think we are going to get along fantastically.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 6, 2025
TheFussyLibrarian
November 7, 2018
STRING. OF GLASS
Sydney with Blue is in Goa, along with Dan her boyfriend. Checking on the internet, she notices that he had been looking into Joy. her birth name. Not responding to emails he sent Mulberry shows up. Telling her this is not her, she lives for justice and adventure. A kiss as he was leaving, She had never felt that electricity before. As she is sitting to quiet her thoughts a woman screams is heard. Sydney rescues her, and taking her back to the apartment, She was a reporter, and following a lead of children being abused and another shipment coming in. Sydney knows what she needs to do and with the information Lulu gave her. Good characters you feel your are part of the adventure
THE DEVIL’S BREATH
With Mulberry, Sydney is flying into Miami.Her dear friend Hugh is accused of murder, she doesn’t believe it of him and has come to find the killer. Shock first awaits for Hugh, thinking that she had been killed, but with Blue he would know it wasn’t true. A set up to get her out of hiding. Maxim, is someone she doesn’t trust, yet he comes, and wants her help to prove the murders are connected, with that of her brother, Her past friends, are challenging her, and things will never be the same. Great twist plot.
INVITING FIRE
Keeping her distance from the comrades at Joyful Justice, thinking that will keep them safe.Also it is hard for Sydney in following rules, it is not part of her. This picks up with her having effects from the poisoning in the last book, with having haunting nightmares and flashbacks. Some of the violence was a little to much. The three guys wanting her, was more than in the other two books before, didn’t add to the story. A mission didn’t go as planned with a commerce being killed. The plots are good. Sydney is a strong, take charge person with Blue added to the character of her.
Sydney with Blue is in Goa, along with Dan her boyfriend. Checking on the internet, she notices that he had been looking into Joy. her birth name. Not responding to emails he sent Mulberry shows up. Telling her this is not her, she lives for justice and adventure. A kiss as he was leaving, She had never felt that electricity before. As she is sitting to quiet her thoughts a woman screams is heard. Sydney rescues her, and taking her back to the apartment, She was a reporter, and following a lead of children being abused and another shipment coming in. Sydney knows what she needs to do and with the information Lulu gave her. Good characters you feel your are part of the adventure
THE DEVIL’S BREATH
With Mulberry, Sydney is flying into Miami.Her dear friend Hugh is accused of murder, she doesn’t believe it of him and has come to find the killer. Shock first awaits for Hugh, thinking that she had been killed, but with Blue he would know it wasn’t true. A set up to get her out of hiding. Maxim, is someone she doesn’t trust, yet he comes, and wants her help to prove the murders are connected, with that of her brother, Her past friends, are challenging her, and things will never be the same. Great twist plot.
INVITING FIRE
Keeping her distance from the comrades at Joyful Justice, thinking that will keep them safe.Also it is hard for Sydney in following rules, it is not part of her. This picks up with her having effects from the poisoning in the last book, with having haunting nightmares and flashbacks. Some of the violence was a little to much. The three guys wanting her, was more than in the other two books before, didn’t add to the story. A mission didn’t go as planned with a commerce being killed. The plots are good. Sydney is a strong, take charge person with Blue added to the character of her.
June 4, 2023
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title (Audible)
Strings of Glass
Another case where innocents need to see justice but whether the backdrop of an Indian harvest festival is the correct venue is had to tell.
It seems our girl Sydney is a magnet for the scenario of a victim needing saving, and the monster wrecking havoc on innocent people being brought to justice, but ends up dead, before ever seeing the inside of a court room.
Great drama, no matter what country it is being played out in.
Devil's Breath
Hugh, Sydney's dead brother's fiancee, was accused of murder in Miami. Of course, Sydney had to be there for him, although Robert, the guy that had robbed her of her original revenge killing, was the guy that appeared to be helping with finding information to free Hugh, whom she considered an innocent man.
The investigation reveals a drug called Devil's Breath, and its uses could be diabolical.
Inviting Fire
Another action-packed episode, but it is often unclear who is friend and who is foe.
From scaĺing the side of a three storey yacht, to trekking through the depths of a tropical jungle, Sydney and Blue work together against all odds.
Strings of Glass
Another case where innocents need to see justice but whether the backdrop of an Indian harvest festival is the correct venue is had to tell.
It seems our girl Sydney is a magnet for the scenario of a victim needing saving, and the monster wrecking havoc on innocent people being brought to justice, but ends up dead, before ever seeing the inside of a court room.
Great drama, no matter what country it is being played out in.
Devil's Breath
Hugh, Sydney's dead brother's fiancee, was accused of murder in Miami. Of course, Sydney had to be there for him, although Robert, the guy that had robbed her of her original revenge killing, was the guy that appeared to be helping with finding information to free Hugh, whom she considered an innocent man.
The investigation reveals a drug called Devil's Breath, and its uses could be diabolical.
Inviting Fire
Another action-packed episode, but it is often unclear who is friend and who is foe.
From scaĺing the side of a three storey yacht, to trekking through the depths of a tropical jungle, Sydney and Blue work together against all odds.
September 21, 2017
Book4
I don't really know how authors write. This book goes deep into a story and culture that I could ever imagine. The story is great. I'm really hoping Sydney will eventually find some peace. I think she is a fighter and should never lose that. I just hope there will be people that will be trusted in the end.
Book5
I can't believe the way this story went. I loved the twist at the end. I have so many different feelings going on for the main man squeeze. The danger in this book well, I was afraid Sydney had met her match a few times. The end, I can't believe that was the end. Book hang over then ready for the next juicy story.
Book6
I liked this book just as much as the last. I wish someone would get through to her. I feel this story will be readdressed later. The Story is fast passed and moved right along. I recommend the whole series.
April 18, 2025
Book 4-Strings of Glass 5 stars
The Sydney Rye mysteries are always a great read and this one is no exception. I appreciate it when a book has good grammar, spelling, and punctuation; too many do not. There was lots of action, great chemistry between the characters, and a believable plot.
Book 5-Devil's Breath 4 stars
I love the Sydney Rye mysteries. She is a brave woman who has flaws and doubts, but never-the-less does what she feels is right. Ms. Kimelman's writing is excellent, suspenseful, and well plotted. Her characters are well done and believable.
Book 6-Inviting Fire-4 stars
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others, Sydney's symptoms from the previous book continue to plague her, there is too much going on. In addition, I get tired of stories where two men desperately want the heroine, throwing a third into the mix is even more irritating.
The Sydney Rye mysteries are always a great read and this one is no exception. I appreciate it when a book has good grammar, spelling, and punctuation; too many do not. There was lots of action, great chemistry between the characters, and a believable plot.
Book 5-Devil's Breath 4 stars
I love the Sydney Rye mysteries. She is a brave woman who has flaws and doubts, but never-the-less does what she feels is right. Ms. Kimelman's writing is excellent, suspenseful, and well plotted. Her characters are well done and believable.
Book 6-Inviting Fire-4 stars
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the others, Sydney's symptoms from the previous book continue to plague her, there is too much going on. In addition, I get tired of stories where two men desperately want the heroine, throwing a third into the mix is even more irritating.
October 4, 2017
One would never know feisty Joy Humbolt would ever be capable of the dangerous life she leads. Good thing too because her alter ego Sydney Rye is a badass. Plain and simple. She has an itch for a fight a need to right a wrong. But she also has that charisma that just makes people admire her and follow her lead. Working for the greater good by seeking justice where the system has failed makes enemies but fear doesn't stop her. If anything, it pushes her forward. Sydney seeks to save as many as she can even if it means leaving a few bodies behind.
#Towanda ✊🏼 #AndTequila 🥃
#Towanda ✊🏼 #AndTequila 🥃
June 2, 2019
Sydney Rye Box Set 4-6
As usual I was engrossed in Sydney's adventures and her fraught relationships with Joyful Justice, Mulberry and Robert but also Declan. I love her dog Blue...what a wonderful union between the two of them.
Sydney is an interesting mixture of compassion and ruthlessness.
I can not stop reading this series and this is the second time I have read books 4-6 and they were just as enthralling the second time.
As usual I was engrossed in Sydney's adventures and her fraught relationships with Joyful Justice, Mulberry and Robert but also Declan. I love her dog Blue...what a wonderful union between the two of them.
Sydney is an interesting mixture of compassion and ruthlessness.
I can not stop reading this series and this is the second time I have read books 4-6 and they were just as enthralling the second time.
April 4, 2021
You have so much action and adventure. Believable and interesting characters and the storyline carries the theme. You have death., bloodshed and talk of sex, but it is needed ti carry the story. This is an amazing book and although different than what I have been reading it is worth reading. i actually enjoyed the fast paced storyline and recommend this series. There is a lot of foul language in thisvbook but itbis needed for the type of book.
April 7, 2024
Great series
I love the action that Blue and Sidney have. What an amazing gorgeous and loyal dog. I downloaded the kindle version free books 4, 5 and 6. I liked how the story went smoothly from one book to another. I enjoyed the first three books. Not so descriptive or boring I tried to miss a few pages though. I love stories of truth and justice. But nowadays everywhere is too much red tape, the law doesn't hold true or the lawyers manipulate law to advancement in finance.
I love the action that Blue and Sidney have. What an amazing gorgeous and loyal dog. I downloaded the kindle version free books 4, 5 and 6. I liked how the story went smoothly from one book to another. I enjoyed the first three books. Not so descriptive or boring I tried to miss a few pages though. I love stories of truth and justice. But nowadays everywhere is too much red tape, the law doesn't hold true or the lawyers manipulate law to advancement in finance.
February 26, 2018
Too much
I did something I almost do, stopped partway through a book and said "enou". Joyful Justice is neither joyful not just. There are system in place or anyone could decide that another's action is wrong. And Sydney's increasing ability to kill without regret is over the top as is her a sewing someone new in each book. Enough.
I did something I almost do, stopped partway through a book and said "enou". Joyful Justice is neither joyful not just. There are system in place or anyone could decide that another's action is wrong. And Sydney's increasing ability to kill without regret is over the top as is her a sewing someone new in each book. Enough.
May 4, 2019
Another great group of stories
Kept this series for vacation reading. The main character keeps me interested throughout. She is not just a badass, but also struggles with her choices throughout. Shenseems to want to know who she is and doesn't make choices lightly. Looking forward to more adventures with Sydney and Blue. Warning, people do.get killed.
Kept this series for vacation reading. The main character keeps me interested throughout. She is not just a badass, but also struggles with her choices throughout. Shenseems to want to know who she is and doesn't make choices lightly. Looking forward to more adventures with Sydney and Blue. Warning, people do.get killed.
May 7, 2019
Pacy and readable
I found these books were page turner's and relatively novels in their plotting given a female heroin. I found the heroin was a bit too promiscuous for my taste (as I would have found if it had been a male hero,but at least it did not dwell on "every stroke,so to speak)
I found these books were page turner's and relatively novels in their plotting given a female heroin. I found the heroin was a bit too promiscuous for my taste (as I would have found if it had been a male hero,but at least it did not dwell on "every stroke,so to speak)
October 11, 2019
I had been hoarding a bunch of the Sidney Rye novels and I decided that was foolish. I am binge reading the rest of the series and loving them. A strong female lead, fighting for right as she navigates her own life. Much stays the same, but much also changes and evolves, keeping these stories interesting instead of repetitive. I don't put them down until done, unless my eyes cease to focus.
January 18, 2018
Interesting series
Finished book 6, and I must say I am enjoying it somewhat. It he some very unbelievable moments, that I had hard title swallowing, but the story keeps me entertained. Predictable twists and turns, but good character building by the author.
Finished book 6, and I must say I am enjoying it somewhat. It he some very unbelievable moments, that I had hard title swallowing, but the story keeps me entertained. Predictable twists and turns, but good character building by the author.
June 6, 2019
Gripping
Edge of the seat exciting. From the first book to these I could not put them down - I absorbed every situation - characters are so well developed - please keep on writing
Edge of the seat exciting. From the first book to these I could not put them down - I absorbed every situation - characters are so well developed - please keep on writing
February 14, 2022
So many twists & turns
I'm 6 books in & still misreading the "plot twists" theater Ms Kimelman has hidden up her sleeve. Just when I think we've hit a good conclusion for another book she says... wait, wait, there's MORE!!! So I dive in to see what lays ahead!!!
I'm 6 books in & still misreading the "plot twists" theater Ms Kimelman has hidden up her sleeve. Just when I think we've hit a good conclusion for another book she says... wait, wait, there's MORE!!! So I dive in to see what lays ahead!!!
August 16, 2022
Sydney Rye (4-6)
Wonderful, wonderful reading. I sometimes felt as if I was right beside Sydney. These stories are completely realistic and somewhat surprisingly super scary. I love reading her stories. Can't wait to start the next one!
Wonderful, wonderful reading. I sometimes felt as if I was right beside Sydney. These stories are completely realistic and somewhat surprisingly super scary. I love reading her stories. Can't wait to start the next one!
July 29, 2023
(Audio) A bit repetitive, and I don't like the protagonist as much as I like some of the other characters. Also, the kind of "Mission: Impossible" trope where anything is possible when you have unlimited resources.
December 5, 2017
Books 4-6 in the Sydney Rye series are just as amazingly thrilling as the first 3 books.
August 10, 2018
Great reading
Lots of intrigue great reading Sydney rye is an impressive woman character and can't wait to see what's next in coming books
Lots of intrigue great reading Sydney rye is an impressive woman character and can't wait to see what's next in coming books
December 15, 2018
Not for me
These books didn't interest me at all, didn't enjoy them at all. Just not for me. On!y read them as they were on kindle unlimited.
These books didn't interest me at all, didn't enjoy them at all. Just not for me. On!y read them as they were on kindle unlimited.
April 28, 2019
Excellent!
Books 1-6 will keep your interest and have you wanting more. They are filled with action and twists that you don't expect. The series is a must read.
Books 1-6 will keep your interest and have you wanting more. They are filled with action and twists that you don't expect. The series is a must read.
May 9, 2019
Breathtaking action
Fast- moving thriller, fantastic plot, characters are real-life in looks, actions and conversation. Begins with a bang, ends with a bang, great job!
Fast- moving thriller, fantastic plot, characters are real-life in looks, actions and conversation. Begins with a bang, ends with a bang, great job!
May 26, 2019
Intriguing characters and story line.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2019
Excellent as usual, but not sure were it is going.
August 29, 2019
Exciting
This set of books keeps your attention but would be better without foul language and immoral lifestyles of the people in the stories.
This set of books keeps your attention but would be better without foul language and immoral lifestyles of the people in the stories.
September 16, 2019
Very good reads as are all of Ms. Kimelman's stories. I enjoy the situations she gets into with her trusty dog and her now new companions as they hunt for justice.
November 19, 2019
getting bored with Sydney and her relationships. Perhaps the who-can-you-trust theme works for a book or two but time to move on.
February 7, 2020
Excellent read
This series is very well done! Each book gripped my imagination from virtual cover to cover. As long as nothing seriously bad happens to Blue, I'm a fan.
This series is very well done! Each book gripped my imagination from virtual cover to cover. As long as nothing seriously bad happens to Blue, I'm a fan.
September 20, 2020
Don't read 3 in a row
Reading three of these stories in a row leaves me with a slight sense of boredom by the third book. They're better taken a little at a time.
Reading three of these stories in a row leaves me with a slight sense of boredom by the third book. They're better taken a little at a time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews