Item: Never Play Fair
Author: Gina

Never Play Fair by Leah Cupps (Sydney Evans Mystery Thriller Series Book 2) | Excerpt & Gift Card Giveaway

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Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Book Details

Never Play Fair by Leah Cupps
Series: Sydney Evans Mystery Thriller Series Book #2
Published by Vision Forty Press on September 1, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 234

Can Sydney find her FBI boyfriend in time, or will this gamble be here last?

Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans has seen and lived her share of photo-worthy experiences, but now, she’s found herself entangled in a situation she never saw coming.

After her FBI agent boyfriend, Alex, disappears while working a case involving a notorious Latin gangster, Vincent Estavez, the Department of Defense is forced to change tactics. Determined to bring down Estavez and the illegal online casino crime ring he’s been running by any means necessary, the FBI orchestrates an operation to infiltrate the gangster’s stronghold.

But Sydney only has one motivation for her own investigation: find Alex before he becomes collateral damage.

Desperate to locate her boyfriend in time, she flies to Costa Rica and is forced to seek help from an unlikely ally: her criminal ex-husband, Jack. He may be the last person she wants to see, but she’ll do whatever it takes to find Alex alive.

But Sydney isn’t the only one with motivation against Vincent Estavez.

Never Play Fair is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative cozy mystery.

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Excerpt from Never Play Fair

Just two boats were left now, one already sidled up to the side of the ship, guests boarding one by one. Another waited about fifty feet away, giving the ship wide berth.

A woman with long blonde hair and a tight-fitting black cocktail waited anxiously with the others.

A few moments ago, she had noticed a drop in temperature, a few darker clouds and a rumbling in the distance.

There was a storm coming.

She moved closer to the man who was standing beside her. His cell phone had been taken from him at some point, as had hers. So, they both had little to do but stand and wait. Talking about what had just happened might give them away. And they were so close.

The last passenger boarded the boat in front of them. She was an older woman with white hair that was slicked back against her skull. The last lights from the yacht reflected on her sequined gown, the sparkles glimmering in the dark. Sydney watched her as if hypnotized.

After she had landed clumsily in her seat, the boat pulled away, and the last idling boat took its place. Sydney gripped the hand of the broad-shouldered man next to her. Despite his size, his grip was weak.

They exchanged a quick look. His eyes were clouded, but she could see the relief softening his features.

Almost there.

As they moved forward to board, she noticed the sudden silence in the air. The fire alarm had stopped. A jolt of fear ripped through her stomach.

They must have put out the fire down below. Sydney looked around wildly.

Will the evacuation stop?

She pulled his hand towards the idling boat. They would be the first to board. The crew member on the boat gave her companion an odd look when he noticed his bloodied, swollen face.

“He fell on the steps,” she said, trying to assuage his alarm. The man simply nodded and gestured for him to move forward. The waves had gained strength in the last few minutes, and the ropes from the boat stretched to their full length. The crew struggled to keep the smaller boat under control.

Another rope was tethered to the cleat alongside the massive yacht. A crew member reached for Sydney’s hand.

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

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Purchase Links for Never Play Fair

Amazon – OneLink for every country

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About Leah Cupps

Leah Cupps is an author, designer and entrepreneur. She came up with the idea for Harley James with her oldest daughter Savannah. Savannah had taken an interest in Mayan history and so the two of them worked together to come up with the idea for the first Harley James book; the Mystery of the Mayan Kings.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband and three children. She is also the co-founder of Vision Forty Press, a small family-owned publishing company.

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