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Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN10: 1482741512 / ISBN13: 9781482741513.

Getting pregnant as a teenager and being coerced into giving her baby up for adoption left a festering scar on Jaymee Ballard’s life. Trapped by poverty and without many allies, Jaymee nearly gives up hope of getting her daughter back after her best friend is murdered. Now, four years later, a wealthy woman with legal connections hires her as a housekeeper, and Jaymee gathers the courage to seek her help. But Jaymee’s last chance ends up in a puddle of blood in one of the historic antebellum mansions in Roselea, Mississippi.

I just murdered your wife...again.

An unsigned letter consisting of six horrifying words turns Nick Samuels stagnant life upside down. Stuck in emotional purgatory since his wife’s unsolved murder four years ago, Nick is about to self-destruct. The arrival of the letter claiming credit for his wife’s murder and boasting of a new kill sends Nick to Roselea, where he and Jaymee’s worlds collide.

Jaymee and Nick realize exposing the truth about her daughter’s adoption is the only way to solve the murders. Up against years of deception, they rush to identify the killer before the evidence–and Jaymee’s daughter–are lost.

But the truth doesn’t always set the guilt-ridden free. Sometimes, it destroys them.

402 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2013

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About the author

Stacy Green

41 books856 followers
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards.

Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.

She is currently working on a new crime fiction series and is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo, Helin and Fountain Literary Management for literary and dramatic rights.

Website: stacygreenauthor.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor
Twitter: @StacyGreen26

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 573 reviews
Profile Image for Jonetta.
2,181 reviews890 followers
April 30, 2015
The set up
Jaymee Ballard has had a pretty tough life already to be only 25 years old. Yet she's resolved to find her daughter who she was forced to give up seven years ago in what she now knows was an illegal adoption. Her luck seems to continue south when she discovers her friend and employer, Rebecca Newton, murdered in her home. It's even more troubling as friend, Lana, was murdered in a similar way four years ago...and both women looked so much alike it was remarkable. Nick Samuels, Lana's husband, doesn't think it's a coincidence, either.

The mystery
First Lana is murdered, then Rebecca and the only common link aside from their similar appearance is Jaymee. Nick is convinced that the secrets Jaymee refuses to share with him are critical to solving the murders and she's too frightened of the repercussions to say much more. It's clear that her baby's adoption is key but can't be the only thing driving the killer. Lana and Rebecca's connection to Jaymee doesn't explain their murders...and those that follow.

The suspects
There are enough lowlifes in this story to keep you brain zinging as well as a ton of secrets to knock you off balance. There's Jaymee's cruel and hypocritical father, Rebecca's aloof husband, and a smarmy pastor just to name a few.

What works
Everything about this story works like a beautifully composed symphony, with the crescendos in the right place and in perfect tempo. The hot, humid Mississippi setting made it even more intriguing. This mystery meanders around the town and it's characters who live duplicitous lives, twisting and turning through the truths, lies and secrets, which reveal themselves at just the right moments. Underlying the mystery is the slowly developed relationship between Jaymee and Nick that sneaks up on you just like it did them, in tandem with the pace of the story. Clues unfold naturally, leading to the tension-filled climax.

Bottom line
This story is masterfully written with the right attention paid to the elements that create a good mystery. The characters are well developed with motivations and behaviors carefully woven in the fabric of the plot. The romance was not too much nor too little, just enough to add another level of interest. There are more than a few surprises and twists but you were set up to receive them given the players. I loved this story that kept me more than a little off balance and unwilling to put it down.

(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review)
Profile Image for Brenda.
725 reviews150 followers
March 28, 2015
I almost gave up on this book at about the halfway point because I got bored. I had trouble relating to Jaymee. I felt she was wishy-washy and not a strong character. Really, I felt a lot of the characters were unlikeable. I suppose with a weak mother, a hateful father, and a righteous preacher how could Jaymee be anything but what she was. Then things changed and the action started kicking in. Still, I did a good job of speed reading to the end. This was not a bad book, and I'll probably read the next. I see it centers more on Cage, the deputy sheriff. I think I'd like to know more about him after this book.
Profile Image for Margitte.
1,146 reviews500 followers
April 30, 2015
Hot and steamy. No, not the book, the small town Roselea in Mississippi !

"Jaymee was fire and ice, stubborn strength wrapped in southern demureness. She had a quick wit and sharp tongue. Her life had made her edges hard, but inside she was gentle, caring, loyal."

Jaymee Ballard fell pregnant at the age of seventeen and was sent to a home for teen mothers where she is forced to give her child up for adoption.

The shame and humiliation on her conservative, religious family's name promised to be too overwhelming. They shunned her when she needed them the most. "Embattled mother , father, bastard, and brother, all poised in various states of defense and attack."

She was forced to leave the family home and fend for herself in a trailer park. " She glared at the miserable place she called home as her shoes began to fill with gritty dirt. Ravenna Court was about as beautiful as a rattlesnake bite. "

But after seven years, she discovered that the adoption was illegal. She shared her discovery with her friends and wanted to seek their help in getting her baby back. Big mistake. There were forces behind the secret adoption who did not agree with her meddling in their affairs. People she loved would die, and people she loathed would ensure that she remained the loser that she was made to believe she was.

"You think Sarah would be happy here with you? Living in this piece of shit trailer that could be demolished by the next storm? Wearing hand-me-downs from Goodwill and being left alone while her Mom slings slop at the diner?”

However, Jaymee had friends who cared and soon would be able to address more than her guilt and fears. They enabled her to stand up and finally confront everything that made her what she was, but the entire truth behind the dark events would hurt more than she ever bargained for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological murder mystery with a slight touch of romance. For the entertainment value alone I rate it five stars. It is compelling, fast moving, descriptive, and excellently plotted. I wasn't that impressed with the protagonist, initially, but enjoyed the intrigue and suspense in the plot enough to stick her faints and foibles out. In the end she was a convincing heroine. The title of the book is very well chosen. "Tin God" is more than just a entertaining whodunit. There are many social issues addressed, such as lucrative illegal adoption and the dark side of religion. For instance, what can happen if a preacher is treated as a God by his congregation and the effect it can have on innocent lives. The book also has a free-standing ending, which confirms the five star rating. I enjoyed the author's eloquent writing style. A delightful experiences on all levels. No senseless dumb of words to fill more pages. It is a straightforward down to business, to the point, read.

TIN GOD was runner-up for 2013 Mystery Thriller at The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Book Awards.

It is the first book in the Delta Crossroads mystery series and I am looking forward to the second one, "Skeleton Key" .

Third book: "Ashes and Bone"
Profile Image for Christine .
582 reviews1,102 followers
March 29, 2015
This is my third Stacy Green book. I believe it is the 2nd novel she wrote. Though I like her later writings All Good Deeds and See Them Run better, I also enjoyed this one.

The story takes place in sultry Mississippi. The protagonist is Jaymee Ballard, a young woman who was forced to give up her newborn daughter 7 years previous. I liked Jaymee and understood where she was coming from. There are 3 murders to solve and a baby blackmarket to expose in this deep southern tale. There are several other main cast members, some very likeable, including investigative report Nick Samuels who happened to be the widower of the first murder victim, and Cage Foster, a local police officer. There are also several despicable people who play major roles in the story. Character development of the leading characters, especially Jaymee and Nick, was for the most part excellent.

I loved the “wet blanket” southern setting (think “Body Heat”) in this novel. Ms. Green captured it well. The sounds of the cicadias blasting through the blazing hot steamy tropical air reminded me so much of my childhood home in east Tennessee. I think Ms. Green also nailed the flavor of the “way things are” in small town deep south USA.

I was engaged right off the bat in chapter one and the story held my interest throughout. I was blown away by a big ole twist about ¾ through the book and did not see the ending coming either.

I do have to knock off a star for the reveal that I thought was far-fetched in a couple of places, but overall I found the book very entertaining. Again, this novel represents the early work of the author. From reading some of her more recent efforts, I can say that Ms. Green has honed her skills well. If you liked Tin God at all, I would highly suggest you pick up All Good Deeds for starters. Ms. Green has also continued the story of Cage Foster in the Delta Crossroads trilogy (of which Tin God was the first entry), and also in the four part 2015 Delta Detective series where Cage is the protagonist. I recommend Tin God to all lovers of a good mystery. I look forward to the 2nd in the Delta Crossroads series, Skeleton’s Key.
Profile Image for Sean Peters.
653 reviews122 followers
April 3, 2015
The truth can be as deadly as any weapon.

Jaymee Ballard trusted only one person in Roselea,Mississippi with the secret of her lost daughter. When that person is brutally murdered, it leaves her with heartbreak and a slew of unanswered questions. The eerie similarity to a murder of one of Jaymee's close friends years ago causes her to realize her past has come back to haunt her and may cost her own life.

Years of deception and abuse leave Jaymee with few options and fewer allies. She turns to the widower of her friend--a man struggling with his own demons--to help her find her daughter and identify the killer before he strikes again.

Before all evidence, the truth--and Jaymee's daughter--are lost.

Tin God is a touching story laced with pain, betrayal, murder, and a whole lot of suspense-packed mystery, great strong characters, the well explained heat, atmosphere and tension between strong personalities of the two leading male roles, the depth and feeling of the writing was successful in keeping my attention totally focused on the story while also keeping me guessing and stunned throughout as I complete wrong a few times on my theories.

My first book by this author, and look forward to her Q & A with my group on Easter Monday,(A Good Thriller), in fact have bought the second book in the series.

A great read and a strong author for detail on the conditions, settings and characters, recommended.

An easy 4 stars for me.
Profile Image for Jean.
715 reviews20 followers
April 16, 2015
Having loved Stacy Green’s two Lucy Kendall books, All Good Deeds and See Them Run, I was eager to begin her Delta Crossroads series. I had been told that the first book, Tin God, was good, but not quite on par with the Lucy novels. As I began to read, what I discovered was a very different story in a very different setting – different from the Kendall stories, yes, but equally compelling and well written.

Jaymee Ballard is a young woman in Roselea, Mississippi who got pregnant as a teenager. She reluctantly gave up her infant daughter and has regretted it ever since. Her best friend Lana, a social worker, was helping her trace the child when she was brutally murdered. Poor and much maligned, Jaymee has little hope and even less self-esteem. What she does have is tenacity.

Nick Samuels is a “hotshot” newspaper reporter in Jackson, Mississippi. Lana was his wife. He has plenty to feel guilty about, because when Lana was alive, his job was more important than his marriage. How he wishes he could change all that! Four years later, Lana’s murder is unsolved, and Nick is a nervous wreck and on the verge of being fired. One day he gets an anonymous, typewritten letter: “I just murdered your wife…again.” Now he knows how to spend his required leave-of-absence.

In Roselea, things get even steamier when Jaymee discovers the murdered body of her friend, the co-owner of a restored antebellum mansion when she shows up for her cleaning job. To the police, including Nick’s former brother-in-law, the murder appears to have similarities to that of Lana’s four years earlier.

As Nick includes Jaymee in his investigation, he learns that a popular minister was involved in the illegal adoption of her baby. He and the cops figure that if they can get proof of the adoption scheme, they can tie him and his cronies to the murders as well. As they dig deeper, Nick and Jaymee become close in other ways. The mosquitoes are thick, and so is the gossip. There is plenty of finger pointing to go around, and there is a multitude of sins and felonies in this saga where seemingly no one is blameless.

There are some stereotypes, to be sure. The tin god – the self-important, holier-than-thou preacher; the abusive misogynistic father; the submissive mother; the gossipy town folks…Despite the lack of dimension of some of the characters, particularly the bad guys, I liked this book a lot. Nick, his brother-in-law Cage, and Jaymee are not perfect people, but I found myself rooting for them all.

I also got quite wrapped up in the plot, and I absolutely did not see the two big twists that came near the end. They weren’t sneaky, underhanded revelations, because they explained a lot about why these individuals kept doing the things they did. Kudos to Ms. Green for what I though were very clever surprises. I highly recommend Tin God, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

5 stars












Profile Image for ☕️Kimberly  (Caffeinated Reviewer).
2,995 reviews635 followers
July 25, 2013
4.5 You know that thrill you get when you open a new book and realize within the first few pages that you are going to enjoy the ride ahead? The one where you know the laundry isn’t going to get done as the world melts away and the story surrounds you? That is exactly what happen when I opened up Tin God and began this suspense. Filled with secrets, murder and clues with a side dish of romance I quickly found myself immersed in Green’s book and the small town nestled against the banks of the Mississippi. Three word review: suspenseful, tightly-woven, thriller

The tale begins when we meet Jaymee Ballard a struggling waitress whose back history is enough to make you shudder. At seventeen she was forced to give up her newborn and with the help of a friend she had hopes of finding her daughter. It’s been four years since her friend’s murder and the noose of poverty is making it harder to fulfill her deepest desire. All of that changes when the wealthy woman she cleans house for is discovered murdered and her best friend’s husband returns bearing a note that says, “I just murdered your wife…again.” Nick Samuels failed his wife years ago and is determined to solve this case. A discovery that Jaymee’s daughter is somehow connected leads the two to work together and the tale that unfolds is riveting, filled with twists and turns that kept me on edge.

The characters in Green’s novel are fleshed-out, tormented and genuine. From the sinister to the sweet, Green fleshed them out bringing this town and its secrets to light. Jaymee is angry, frustrated and so courageous. She is also stubborn, independent and proud. I loved watching this emotional, head-strong woman makes steps to trust, and confront her past. Nick is a well-known investigative newspaper reporter but since his wife’s death he has just been stuck in a rut as he obsesses over everything he did and didn’t do in his marriage. The fact that her killer still roams free torments him. I liked the interaction between Nick and Jaymee, without trying to they help each other confront the past and deal with their own emotional baggage as they hunt down answers. A romance develops slowly and felt genuine as it held the promise of healing, hope and love. The suspects in the case, all affluent members of this society’s small-town gave us a glimpse into its dark secrets. There are giant pink elephants wandering the streets but townsfolk ignore them. We often see this dynamic in small town politics and Green captured it beautifully.

Stacy Green weaved a fantastic suspense thriller that felt plausible and made me shiver. Her descriptions from the homes to the oppressive heat in the small town of Roselea were captivating and so fleshed out that I could taste the humidity and smell the river. From the beginning she gave us a strong sense of the town’s mentality and deeply religious convictions. The more we learn about Jaymee and her baby the darker the tale becomes. Green wove all of the murders together with a common thread and I found it riveting as Nick and Jaymee unraveled clues and got closer to the truth. The tale gradually picked up intensity as the pieces clicked together. The facts and events had an air of believability about them and could have been ripped from today’s headlines. Green added some twists that even I didn’t see coming, and anymore that is hard to do. The tale wrapped up nicely and I was delighted to hear there is a second book that deals with one of the secondary characters.

Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer


Profile Image for Wendy.
1,612 reviews555 followers
April 27, 2013
"Tin God" was my first book by Stacy Green and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It contains a mix of my favorite genres with a thrilling mystery and romantic suspense.
A fast-paced storyline with many twists and turns involving small town secrets, betrayal, volatile family relationships and murder.
Ms. Green builds her characters into real and likable people (some extremely unlikable) and totally surprises us when the killer is revealed.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next in the "Delta Crossroad" series.
Profile Image for Julie .
3,997 reviews58.9k followers
July 31, 2013
Tin God by Stacy Green is an April 2013 publication. This is the first in the Delta Crossroads mystery series.

Set in hot, sultry, Mississippi in the small town of Roselea, Jaymee Ballard finds her boss Rebecca, murdered.

Nick lives in Jackson. When he reads about Rebecca's murder he sees an stunning resemblance to his wife, Lana. Lana was murdered four years ago. A note to Nick suggesting the two murders are connected sends Nick back to Roselea.

With information Jaymee may have about Rebecca's murder, Nick and Jaymee begin connecting the dots that lead to Jaymee's all consuming search for her daughter, Sarah.

When Jaymee was a teenager, she was seduced, then when she got pregnant, she was manipulated into giving the child up for adoption. Jaymee had begun to believe the adoption was illegal. When Jaymee had confided this to Lana, Lana being a social worker started looking into the adoption. What she found out may have gotten her murdered.

When Nick learns of the connection between Rebecca, Jaymee, and Lana, he begins to unravel a black market baby ring, more victims of illegal adoptions, old family secrets, and a cover up that involves some of the town's most respected citizens.

Jaymee is a girl trying to better herself, but before she can think of her own future, she needs to find her daughter. Nick is still dealing with the guilt of Lana's murder. His own ambitions left Lana alone and if he had been around when he should have, she might still be alive.

When the two of them team up to get to the bottom of the murders and the illegal adoptions, they find they might have a chance for love and redemption.

This was a very absorbing mystery. The author did an excellent job of putting you right there with the characters, as though you were living events right along with them.
You can feel the humidity of the Delta. You can envision the small town politics and good ole boy mentality that still held true. There are shocking revelations, and twist you won't see coming. There was a feeling of closure for Nick and Jaymee, but it was also bittersweet. We hope their future will be better than their past, and I think it will be. Overall a solid A.
Profile Image for Jo Ann Reinhold.
413 reviews44 followers
November 17, 2014
Take a small southern town, add in the pompous superiority of a self serving evangelical preacher and a hypocritical abusive father and husband whose public image is his top priority and pride, a daughter shunned and three murders to keep the dark secrets buried and you get a hot steamy story in a voice only Stacy Green can deliver
Stacy has a way with words so that you can actually feel the heat and humidity, the sounds, smells and the sights of the south. These characters feel real and as the story unfolds you feel like you are looking behind closed doors into the evil that exists there.
Top notch writing sucks you and and holds you there all the way through!
I can't wait to read other titles by Stacy Green!
Profile Image for Les Romantiques.
566 reviews17 followers
March 21, 2013
Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review Copy from the Publisher

Stacy Green is a self-published american author I’ve discovered when she asked on Goodreads for reviewers for her last book. Tin God is her second romantic suspense, and the first in her new series, Delta Crossroads.

The plot is based on an idea already employed in fiction, that the mainstays of a community are not necessarily as flawless as they seem. But Stacy Green transforms it in an original book that makes sense. There’s a good suspense, and even though I suspected that one of the secondary characters was hiding something, I completely missed out on what it was.

Here, we follow Jaymee, a young woman wounded by a tough childhood with a contemptuous and violent father, who is looking for the child she had to abandon at birth when she was 17. She has a strong and unbending personality, at times a little too much stubborn and on the defensive, but as the story gradually unfolds we understand she has good reasons to be as she is. The murder of one of her employers (and friend) will make her come across Nick, a journalist distressed since the non-solved death of his wife, and who has received on the day following the said murder a disconcerting letter saying “I just murdered your wife… again”.

Nick is a tortured man, who blames himself for having too often neglected his wife for the stories he chased. And especially the night she disappeared, when he did not appear at the restaurant where they had a date (the cad!). At first, helping Jaymee just seems to him a means to find the murderer, but all too soon they are fighting a mutual attraction which seems uncalled-for. This attraction causes additional tension which is well integrated to the story, but without taking too much space as Romance is not the main purpose in Tin God.

The feeling of stifling heat of the banks of the Mississippi is so well described that I was sweating almost as much as the characters (lol), and the “small town” atmosphere where news travel fast and everybody knows (and judges) everyone is clearly present (even if this acquaintance often stops at the appearances). However the secondary characters are not caricatures, and some are endearing (as Cage, Jaymee’s rejected lover, who will be next book’s hero).

Despite the story’s quality, I know that at one point, toward the end, I raised my eyebrows and said “All that? Come on!”, even though I must confess we can regularly see articles or news items with as much or more accumulations. And one of the secondary characters did something that seemed surprising and downright out of character. On the other hand I was totally surprised by the culprit, which is always a good point IMO.

So yes, the story unfolds over only a few days and it is too early at the end to know whether the couple has a real future. The author avoids this trap by not letting them do great declarations, but by ending on a hopeful note. But above all this book, through the plot and characters quality, kept me in tenterhooks much more than one by an experienced author that I have read and reviewed not long ago. Therefore it is a success that I can only recommend, and an author to follow.
Profile Image for Jagged.
732 reviews31 followers
March 17, 2015
It wasn't a bad story, really. But I didn't like it because most of it was set around one of the most disgusting romances I have ever read.

Jaymee is a piece of shit. I didn't care about her, I didn't feel sorry for her, and I think she got off way too easily. I didn't support her.
Jaymee's best friend died helping her. How does this selfish wench repay her? By making her self at home with the deceased friend's husband, but not before she drags her fucking brother through the mud. Cool girl.

Nick was just as awful. Yuck. Total scum bag.
He didn't bother with his wife before her demise. For some reason he is still trying to track her killer, it's almost as if he cares. But he doesn't. He can't even look at photos of her, but he's fine with fucking her best friend, who she died for in the first place! But, to make things even better, he knows that his brother-in-law is in love with Jaymee, but he thinks it's fine to rub this disgusting relationship in his face. What a catch. I was supposed to like and sympathize with this character. I don't think so.

If that's not disturbing enough for you, how about these two getting it on in amongst all of Lana's belongings. There's no remorse for this shit. Jaymee was right when she thought that it should be off limits.

I really couldn't see them together anyway. Because if Nick really had cared about his wife, the last person he would want to be with is the person responsible for her death.

As for Cage: I liked him until he bowed down and took it like a bitch. He had every reason to cut ties with Jaymee, and would have been the bigger man if he had. She had no respect for his sister, for him, or for his family. She is toxic, people like her are the people you discard from your life.

I knew exactly who the killer was well before the halfway mark of the book. So this book bored the hell out of me until the ending.

Yeah, this book is just gross. It had a decent plot for the most part. But because the majority of the focus was on Jaymee and Nick's disgusting relationship, the book means nothing to me.

I won't bother with this author again either. I just don't respect this type of tasteless romance.
Profile Image for Carrie.
362 reviews5 followers
April 24, 2013
Tin God is a twisty, suspenseful mystery that leaves you guessing. The heroine, Jaymee, is determined to locate the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption as a teenager. Her search for the truth results in murder as the people who convinced her to give up her child try to cover their tracks.

Jaymee has had a difficult life with a father who loathes her and a mother who can’t protect her. Her brother, Darren tries but even he has trouble living up to their father’s expectations. She ends up pregnant as a teen and then tossed out to live on her own. Jaymee decides to work and save so she can hire a lawyer to help her find her child.

This seemingly simple goal is threatened by the society she lives in. Religion is paramount and reputation is key. Jaymee’s father will do anything to ruin Jaymee’s standing in the town and to stand in the way of her achieving her goal. His use of threats constantly defeats her.

The death of Jaymee’s employer in a similar way as her best friend, Lana four years ago begins an investigation into things much darker than Jaymee ever imagined. Black market adoptions, blackmail and murder. Jaymee teams up with Nick, her best friend’s widower and Clay, Lana’s brother to investigate exactly why Lana and then Rebecca were murdered.

This was a fabulous thriller, full of twists and turns and tense moments. You never really knew who the murder was until Jaymee herself discovers it. The characters are so well crafted you can’t help but love them or loathe them. I was sucked into the mystery and had trouble putting the book down. Stacy Green has a deft hand at crafting exciting plots.

I loved this book. I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.

4.5 stars!

I received a copy of this novel for an honest review
Profile Image for Heather.
243 reviews
May 6, 2013
Sometimes a small town can hide big secrets, and taking on one of their "golden boys" can be a dangerous move. Jaymee, however, is willing to do whatever it takes to find her stolen daughter and Nick is willing to do the same to avenge his wife's murder. When more people start dying and more children are missing, it's up to Jaymee and Nick to solve the mystery or to die trying ...

This book was incredible from start to finish. The characters really blew me away with their depth and vulnerabilities and strengths. The chemistry, the heartache, the mystery, the suspense, and the surprises made this book impossible to put down.

Jaymee Ballard is a young waitress in a small town. Estranged from her family and abusive father, she works hard in the hopes of saving up enough to right some of the past mistakes in her life- including losing her daughter. Her plans fall apart when people she knows start dying and the secrets of her past can no longer be ignored.

Nick Samuels is a reporter that has buried himself in work over the past few years since his wife's death. Overcome with grief and guilt he hasn't been able to move on. When he receives a cryptic note in the mail reading "I just murdered your wife...again" he packs up and heads to Roselea, Mississippi to see what information he can find on the murderer. What he uncovers is a tangle of corruption and lies that goes much deeper than he could have imagined.

Riveting, exciting, with surprising twists, this is a book that will stick with the reader long after the final chapter. Excellently written and engaging, this book deserves even more than 5 stars!!
Profile Image for Glenda.
790 reviews70 followers
July 2, 2013
Jaymee Ballard grew up with an abusive father and a mother too scared to stand up for her. When she was sixteen, she became pregnant and was forced by her parents to give the baby girl Sarah up for adoption. Now Jaymee is on her own, struggling financially but trying to track down her daughter. She enlists the help of her friend Lana and they start investigating a seemingly illegal adoption ring when Lana is brutally murdered. Four years later another woman with knowledge of the search for Jaymee's daughter is killed in a similar fashion. Lana's husband Nick and Jaymee team up to solve the mystery when they realize the killings are connected.

This was a suspenseful read filled with interesting characters that were well developed. I felt sympathy for Jaymee due to all she went through and the cruel way her family treated her. I totally understood her feelings for wanting to find her daughter. The killer's identity was surprising to me. I thought I had it figured out, but I was wrong and shocked to find out who it really was. At first I really didn't care for the cover and wondered what Tin God had to do with the story, but it is eventually explained and makes perfect sense. So the title is very fitting for the story and the character it represents. A little romance, a little mystery, and a few evil characters make for a quick and satisfying read. I would actually give this book 3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Wendy Hines.
1,322 reviews257 followers
January 21, 2014
I love romantic suspense novels but after a time they get predictable; cookie cutter scenarios. But Tin God is a breath of fresh air. The first in a new series, Green grasps the reader's attention from the very first page and takes you on a whirlwind journey filled with twists, turns and many surprises.

Jaymee was forced to give up her daughter when she was just sixteen. But, the guilt has eaten at her for years so she starts to look for her. She enlisted the help of her friend Lana but Lana was murdered soon after. Jaymee isn't to be swayed though, and continues to seek out her child.

However, the closer she gets, someone else dies. Lana's husband, Nick, has always wanted justice for his wife and has never received it. Receiving a letter from the murderer is another clue and one that Nick takes full advantage of. He soon starts working with Jaymee on what someone is trying to keep covered up, find her daughter, stay alive and stop the killer!

Small town dynamics, likable and compelling characters that are very well developed, a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat and snazzy writing mesh together into a keen, satisfying read. In fast, I can't wait to delve into the next in the series, Skeleton's Key.

Profile Image for C.P. Cabaniss.
Author 4 books95 followers
July 28, 2015
This was fast paced and exciting with mostly likable characters. It wasn't brilliant, but I really enjoyed it. The mystery kept me interested throughout, trying to figure out what would happen next. It was a twisted path to resolution.

I really enjoyed the characters, but Jaymee did kind of bother me at times. I understood where her pain came from and why she wanted what she did, but I had a hard time connecting to her in many cases. She didn't seem mature enough a lot of the time.

Cage and Nick were both well written and developed. They were both dealing with a lot of heartache, but I enjoyed them and their struggles.

The romance in here was a bit rushed for me. While I liked the characters and even enjoyed them together I often felt that it was happening too quickly, particularly given their situation. It just didn't seem as realistic as I would have liked.

I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of this series and seeing where all of these characters are headed in the future.
Profile Image for Gina's Library.
475 reviews10 followers
April 18, 2013
I received this book from Promotional Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was amazing. It was very fast paced and I felt very invested in the characters. There were twists and turns through out the book. This book is the type of book that stays with you when reading it. I wanted to do nothing but read to find out what happens.

My heart went out to Jaymee. As a parent I can't imagine being in her situation. She was young and vulnerable. Instead of finding help and comfort, she was munipulated and abused over and over again.

I loved how the book ended. All of my questions and wondering how things worked out were answered. Nothing was left unanswered.

I highly recommend this novel.
Profile Image for Pamela.
291 reviews
May 27, 2013
What a great book!! This fast-paced book kept me intrigued right up until the last page. The author did a good job in integrating the characters with each other and the story. She kept me guessing as to who was involved with the murders right from the beginning. My guess would be going in one direction, then nope, I would find out my guess would be wrong - maybe. A well-written mystery that I would highly recommend.
Profile Image for Tulay.
1,202 reviews2 followers
April 25, 2015
Somewhat interesting book.

Keeping secrets, murders, adoption and making money. Many evil characters, searching for the truth. Jamie isn't "poor Jaime" any more.
Profile Image for Brenda.
4,023 reviews2,623 followers
April 8, 2013
Jaymee Ballard felt like her life had hit rock bottom. The loser boyfriend who had just taken off with her rent money, leaving her with no cash. The angry landlord who was prepared to kick her out in three days…her home wasn’t much; a caravan in a run-down park, but it was a roof over her head where she lived in Roselea, Mississippi and had done all her life. She was estranged from her family, her father, Paul Ballard was a cruel, vindictive man, who had hated Jaymee all her life, and beaten her mother Sonia into a timid downtrodden woman. Her brother Darren, was the only one she had anything to do with, and his wife Mary and son Eli loved Jaymee too.

Jaymee had been forced to give up little Sarah, born seven years previously, immediately after her birth, and she was desperate to find her, and bring her home. After her best friend Lana had been murdered four years ago, Jaymee felt she would never find Sarah….Lana was helping her, and was on the trail of the seemingly illegal adoption when she was murdered…

When Rebecca, owner of a beautiful old home her and her husband had renovated, hired Jaymee as housekeeper, she felt she had a friend at last. Rebecca was a person she could talk to, and she found herself letting some of her troubles slip into their conversations. But the morning she arrived for her normal shift, the growing unease when she couldn’t find Rebecca and finally the horror on finding Rebecca’s mutilated body in her bedroom set a chain of events that would ultimately change her life!

When Nick Samuels received an envelope in the mail, with a sheet of paper and only the words “I just murdered your wife...again” on it, he was devastated. But as an investigative reporter alarm bells were set off immediately. He set off for Roselea to see his brother-in-law Cage, who was a police officer in the area...Nick wanted some answers! He was still grieving his wife’s death, the unsolved murder of four years ago, and had a massive amount of guilt which he carried around. Could he solve his wife’s murder? And was Rebecca’s murder connected to Lana’s murder, even though they were four years apart?

Jaymee and Nick were joined together in their combined grief and were both desperate for answers. But when Jaymee admitted to Nick the details of Sarah’s birth and adoption, they both realized the truth needed to be told if they wanted to solve the murders. Suddenly another friend of Jaymee’s turned up dead….Nick and Cage realized the immense danger she was in, and with the clock ticking, past and present were set to collide with devastating consequences.

The stunning twist at the end of this book shocked and thrilled me…the plot was fantastic, very fast moving and well thought out. I thoroughly enjoyed Stacy Green’s book, the first in a series, and I will definitely be reading more of her work.

Many thanks to the author for my ARC copy to read and review.
Profile Image for Marilou George.
186 reviews53 followers
April 6, 2013
Stacy Green has written an emotionally charged, thought-provoking and stunning mystery/suspense that will capture and hold you hostage until the last page is read. Set in the small tourist town of Roselea, Mississippi, the decisions and consequences of the past emerge and threaten to immerse this community in murder and uncertainty.

Jaymee, the main character, grew up with a father that abused her mother and herself relentlessly. When she was sixteen years old she became pregnant by a trusted family friend and was forced to give up her child for adoption. Believing the adoption to be illegal she enlists the help of Lana a childhood friend and social worker to assist in finding the whereabouts of her daughter. When Lana is brutally murdered Jaymee finds herself alone with her secret. When she shares her secret with a woman she works for and ultimately befriends her world comes crashing down yet again when she discovers her friends body who is also murdered.

Nick is an investigative reporter and Lana’s widow. He comes to town after receiving a suspicious letter about his wife’s murder to help with the investigation and do whatever he can to obtain justice for his wife. As a result Jaymee and Nick find themselves working together in search for the daughter she gave up for adoption and the murderer of Nick’s wife Lana.

The depth and feeling of the writing was successful in keeping my attention totally focused on the story while also keeping me guessing and stunned throughout. The story was brought to life in a way that captured my emotions with a storyline that delivered on all levels. Brought to the forefront of the story is the practice of illegal adoption and the despicable practices of those involved.

The character of Jaymee is one that I immediately became attached to and felt great empathy for. She is so well developed that I felt as if I was reading about a real person who I desperately wanted to help.

Nick is a character that comes into the story and brings a great sense of desperation, strenght and compassion. His determination and focus on finding the murder of his wife while at the same time protecting Jaymee lends a great feeling to this story. The tension and chemistry between Jaymee and Nick that is always breaking the surface adds another dimension to the story.

All the characters in the story are so well developed and their interactions so intricate and believable that they and lend to the realism and intense drama of the story.

I found this book to be very gripping and intriguing with just the right mixture of drama. It is fast paced, written with great attention to detail and kept me totally engaged and invested in the story. I highly recommend this book to all readers, this is a book that you do not want to miss!
Profile Image for Crystal Otto.
106 reviews15 followers
April 8, 2013
Tin God begins with Jayme’s secret, but there are others with even darker secrets needing to be brought to light. It wasn’t going to be easy for Jayme and Nick to prove their case, especially since their prime target was the beloved minister who seemed to have more secrets than any one of the sheep of his congregation. Was he truly the man the community loved, or was he the devil Nick and Jayme believed him to be? Would they go too far to solve the mystery?
It’s hard to fit Tin God into a single reading category. Stacy Green does a fabulous job with this story and it could be labeled: murder mystery, suspense, romance, and family drama. Discovering the dead body of her employer is just the beginning for young Jayme Ballard. As her tale unfolds she is forced to face her past which allows Jayme to finally move forward. She learns who can and cannot be trusted and finds out that her judgment may not have always been what it should be.

Nick Samuels made his fair share of mistakes as a husband and promised he would find his wife’s killer no matter what the cost. It’s been four years since his wife, Lana was murdered and Nick doesn’t believe the murder in Roselea, Mississippi to a woman who looks just like his wife could be a simple coincidence. Armed with years of angst, a steady diet of coffee, and very little sleep, Nick heads for the neighboring town, the crime scene, and his wife’s family. He finds Jayme Ballard, Lana’s best friend, and also the one who found the recent dead body. It’s time for Jayme to tell Nick about her secret; he needs some answers if he’s going to solve these murders.

Green’s descriptions are as vivid as the gorgeous cover of Tin God as she brings to life the historic mansions, the deep characters, and the colorful landscape. Even the description of the trailer court is so well described that a picture will immediately form as you read Green’s eloquent words: “Ravenna Court was about as beautiful as a rattlesnake bite…Instead of cultivating colorful flowers, residents battled kudzu and stubborn cogon grass…”

As I finished reading Tin God I was hoping Stacy Green was writing another story. She brought out the characters so well I wanted more. This story kept me guessing and second guessing about motive, friendship, and who was involved in the murders. Fabulous book I would, without a doubt, recommend to others!

For those who enjoyed Tin God as much as I did, you’ll want to add to your reading list: book two in the Delta Crossroads Series Skeleton’s Key. This second book features Cage who had lusted over the unavailable Jayme. Cage is trying to move on, but discovers something in the cellar of an abandoned plantation that sends him on a collision course of secrets, lies, and love.
Profile Image for Andrea Corley.
496 reviews93 followers
October 9, 2015
I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I thought that this was such an amazing read. For this only being the author's second book, I felt that she did a phenomenal job writing this story. I personally can't wait to read more from this author. I am thrilled that this was book one to series and can't wait to see what she comes up with next for book #2.

From the moment I started this book, I just couldn't get enough of it. I found the story to be engaging and interesting. It tells a story of a small town, and depicts accurate descriptions on how things in a small town are really like, which I really appreciated. At first, I thought I knew what the outcome was going to be from early on, but the story was just so good, it actually didn't bother me to think that I knew what may happen, or not necessarily what was going to happen, but who was going to be the base for all the troubles. Boy was I mistaken when I thought I had it figured out because the ending was totally different than what I thought it would have been, which was awesome. It moves at a great pace and flows very smoothly. I also really liked to see how the title came into play into the story. Stacy Green very clearly answers that.

Green's characters are very in depth and easy to get lost in their stories. Some are extremely likable and others are extremely hate-able. Either way, they are diverse and unique. I found myself feeling invested in their lives and the future of their lives. As I said, I can't wait to read book #2 to see where their lives go from here.

I am so thrilled to have been asked to read this book because it is probably one of the best books that I've read this year. It was a very refreshing read. It had intricate mystery and just the right touch of romance making it a perfect combination! I'm so thrilled to have a new great author to add to my favorites list and will be watching for more from her!

Profile Image for Christy.
55 reviews13 followers
April 11, 2013
New author, Stacy Green, has hit the jackpot!! Her latest novel, Tin God, is a riveting page turner that will keep you up well past your bedtime.

Jaymee's life is falling deeper and deeper into the abyss. She's about to be evicted from her run down trailer on the wrong side of town; she is forced to tolerate, albeit minimally, her tyrant jerk of a father and her non-involved mother, and now, just 4 years after her best friend is found murdered, Jaymee is struck yet again in the grips of tragedy as she is the unfortunate soul that finds another friend, and employer, dead.

As Jaymee struggles to make heads or tails of this most recent death, she is reunited with Nick, the husband of her murdered best friend. As they begin to put the pieces together of the similarities of the murders, Jaymee reveals that she gave birth to a daughter several years ago and wants to get her back. When it is learned that the circumstances around the adoption appear to get more and more questionable, Jaymee realizes that not only is she falling in love with Nick, but that SHE may be the reason her friends are turning up dead. They simply must find out what's going on before she herself, falls victim.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from Stacy, THANK YOU, and thank you even more for introducing me to such a fantastic new series. I don't often read series books, however, I was so taken with this story, I can't wait to read more. Being a huge fan of mysteries, I find that as characters evolve sometimes the stories are sidelined with too much gore and violence. We have enough of that in the news, so I very much appreciated Stacy's focus on the story itself.
I recommend this to anyone who loves a good story, full of many twists and turns and a bang up ending!! Just be ready to forgo anything until you finish it!

Great work Ms. Green, my only advice......WRITE FASTER!!! LOVED IT!!!

See more of my review at www.knitlitkitchenwitch.blogspot.com
Profile Image for OpenBookSociety.com .
3,816 reviews116 followers
March 29, 2013
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Brought to you by OBS reviewer Sammy

This is the second book by this author I have read, she just keeps getting better! I loved the mystery and suspense in this story, there is lots of action, the romance was done at a nice slow pace. The characters were well developed and her style of writing is fabulous.

It took me a while to warm up to Nick, I felt he was kind of weak, but he was just a flawed man that realized he wasn’t there for his wife, but it changed him and made him a better man later in the story. Jaymee was interesting and a first glance you might think she was immature but under that she was made of steel. Once you get to know her better you can understand why she came across that way. The characters were multi-dimensional, and developed in a way that was believable. I really liked how Nick and Jaymee were both self aware and questioned their actions and if they were interested in each other because of circumstances or if there was a real connection.

There was also a lot of suspense, mystery and action in this story all of it flowed well and fit together to make a multi-faceted puzzle, that I had no idea what the final outcome would be. Wow, I didn’t see who the villain was, NOT a clue. Awesome job! Once again the way this author describes things makes it so you can feel the heat of the day, smell the rain storm, and the emotions of the characters. Well done!

Stacy Green is an up and coming author to watch and I believe will go far in this genre (actually any genre with her writing skills) She writes some of the best villains out there, while at the same time keeping them well hidden. I highly recommend this book for adults who love suspenseful mystery with a dose of romance and a surprise that you don’t see coming. I will definitely be reading more of her stories.
Profile Image for Catie Rhodes.
Author 25 books247 followers
May 8, 2013
Because I work with Stacy, I know she does not write to a set theme. Even so, this is a fiction element at which she excels. The theme in Tin God–in Catie terms–is “you can never go back again.”

Tin God stars a young woman named Jaymee Ballard who made a decision she regrets. As an unwed, pregnant teenager, Jaymee gave her child up for adoption.

From that moment forward, Jaymee lives under a cloud of “if only.” If only she hadn’t let the wrong man seduce her. If only she hadn’t been so weak-willed. If only she hadn’t been so naive. If only…

Over the course of this novel, Jaymee learns that one can never return to a moment in time. Though she can make different decisions and move forward with her life in a more positive manner, she can never return to, or fix, the decision she regrets.

We also meet Nick Samuels in Tin God. Nick punishes himself daily for his wife’s unsolved murder. On the night his wife was murdered, Nick stood her up for a dinner date…and never saw her alive again. Can you imagine the guilt?

Nick functions in his own world of “if only.” If only he’d been a more attentive husband. If only he had not been married to his job. If only he hadn’t stood her up for dinner that night. Nick’s self-flagellation turns him into a harried zombie, bent on “fixing” his wife’s murder.

Nick learns much the same lesson as Jaymee, only in different terms. He learns that solving his wife’s murder won’t bring her back, that all he can do is forgive himself, learn from his mistakes, and move forward.

Moving forward is all any of us can do, and that’s what makes this such a universal theme. Robert Frost even wrote about this concept in “The Road Not Taken,” though he seems a great deal happier than most of us are with our decisions.
Profile Image for Bia.
328 reviews19 followers
March 23, 2013
I really liked this book!!! I'll write a review soon!

*** EDITED ***

I received an ARC from the author and I'm really glad that I could read it before it was published.

I really liked the pace in this book and the way you try to discover a crime is amazing. I couldn't put it down for a bit because I wanted to know who was the killer and what was the motive.

Let's meet Jaymee, she is our heroine and the most strong person I ever read about. She has one goal in life: recover her daughter and move on with her life. She had a father that wasn't much of a father and life was really difficult for her. But she didn't give up and that was one of the thing that had me rooting for her.

We started this book with a crime and who is the person that found the body?? Yeah, poor Jaymee! After that, Nick (a reporter that couldn't let go of the murder of his wife some years ago) goes back to the city where Jaymee is stuck.

They have to uncover a crime, find a way to Jaymee get her daughter back aaaand so many more things.

When I thought I had identified the killer, Stacy went and through in a curve ball that I hadn't predicted! Therefore, I was always on my toes expecting the unpredictable.

If you're a fan of a murder mystery, you should read this book!

I'm becoming a fan, Stacy! Keep them coming!
Profile Image for April.
267 reviews14 followers
March 5, 2013
I had the wonderful opportunity to receive an ARC of this book. It was the first one I've ever received and I was excited to see if the book lived up to the interest that the synopsis gave me. I am happy to say that Stacy Green did not disappoint.

Tin God is the story of Jaymee Ballard, a girl growing up in a town where her father hates her and her mother is too much of a coward to stick up for her. At the age of sixteen Jaymee had a baby and was forced to give her up. Jaymee wants her back and her friend Lana was doing whatever she could to help her find her daughter, until Lana was murdered, now several years later another woman was murdered in the same fashion. This brings Nick Samuels Lana’s husband to town after receiving a note about his wife’s murder. Nick and Jaymee team up to not only track down her daughter, but to find his wife’s killer, sensing there is a connection to both.

This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat as we watched the verbal abuse Jaymee received from her father and his minions, the relationship she had with Lana’s brother Cage and the closeness she shares with Nick. I will say that when the killer is revealed it took me by surprise because it was someone that I never would have guessed.

This book is definitely worth a read.
Profile Image for Joanne.
104 reviews1 follower
March 23, 2013
I received this book from the author for an honest review. I had read another book, Into The Dark, witten by Stacy Green and enjoyed it. She has a great way of weaving interesting characters into detailed settings and then adding a great storyline. I loved this book. It's many twists and turns kept me intrigued to the very last page, with an unexpected twist at the end. Ms Green's writing is so vivid I could feel the humidity in the air as she described it. For lovers of psychological thrillers, you can't go wrong by purchasing Tin God. I look forward to reading other books written by Stacy Green.
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