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Queen of Hearts Available at Barnes & Noble for the NOOK Queen of Hearts Available at Sony for the Sony Reader Daphne believed herself to still be in love with her ex-fiancée, Kenneth, until she spends several days locked away in the asylum with Vito, the mob boss' son. Can she put the terrifying events that occurred there behind her and allow herself to pursue a relationship with Vito? Or, will she return to Kenneth who has turned his back on his country by becoming a draft dodger and a black market racketeer? One thing's for sure, it won't matter if she can't escape the mental institution alive. EXCERPT Daphne opened her eyes and then closed them quickly as her head pounded and a wave of nausea threatened to consume her. She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. Once she felt stronger, she attempted to pull herself up to a seating position, but was unable to move her arms. Stay calm, she told herself. Daphne peered through the slits in her eyes and then squeezed them shut when the dim overhead light increased the blurred vision and the pounding in her head. She tried again, keeping her eyes open long enough to realize that she was in an unfamiliar place. She shivered in the frigid air. Daphne tugged on the restraints, exhausted. The band on her left arm gave slightly. She worked her arm back and forth, her heart pounding wildly as she took deep, even breaths in an attempt to decrease the terror racing through her. What kind of sick person would strap her down to a table? And, where was Vito? He knew how much she hated the place, how terrified she was of being alone. Why would he leave her? The thought that maybe he had done this to her sickened her. Vito had said he loved her. Was this how he treated someone he loved? Maybe Vito was a sick man. Maybe he needed psychiatric help. Her left hand broke free with a snap that rocked the stillness like a shotgun blast. She tugged on the other restraint with her free hand and once she was free, Daphne rose to a sitting position, raising her hands to cover her eyes as a wave of dizziness overcame her. The realization that she was alone brought a mixture of relief and fear. After several minutes her legs were free, but she didn't dare move because movement brought on a fresh wave of sickness. Nausea washed over her once again and she leaned over and vomited. It was coming back to her. She'd been drugged. Daphne glanced over her shoulder. The eight steel drawers behind her mocked her, enticing her to enter the black depths that had undoubtedly held numerous corpses in the past. An icy shiver traced its way up her spine as realization exploded in her brain. The basement was terrifying enough, but the morgue almost sent her over the edge into the slim line that seemed to separate her from sanity and madness. She stood on rubbery legs and then collapsed, crawling to an old chair in the corner. It was an antique wheelchair, dusty and abandoned long ago. She slumped onto it, removing her feet from the frigid floor, wondering how long it would support her weight. To her horror, Daphne realized that she had been strapped to the embalming table. Rust stains splashed across the basin gave the appearance of dried blood. She gritted her teeth to hold back the scream that hung in her throat. Shawna Williams, Author of No Other Rating = 5 Stars "Queen of Hearts by K. Dawn Byrd kept me turning pages so quickly, I rested my finger on the page-turning button the whole time!... The message of faith underlying the story gently reminds readers that faith and prayer are the guiding forces to survival in any and all circumstances. Watch out, suspense writers. K. Dawn has burst on the scene and I believe she is here to stay and to rise as a bright and talented star in the realm of Christian fiction writers!" Freddie - Reader Review -- Amazon Kindle Store Rating = 5 Stars "This was a great book full of many twists, turns and lots of intrigue. Just when you think you have it all figured out... you don't! Aside from the general plot twists, I also enjoyed the setting of the old asylum. I could see the sharp contrasts in the old building with its beautiful decor and its dark hallways and creepy basement... I highly recommend this book and look forward to more books to come from K. Dawn Byrd." Christie Sexton - Reader - Posted at Amazon Rating = 5 Stars "Queen of Hearts is a blend of so many things that it really held my interest. It had elements of Dick Tracy, Psycho, The Godfather, and more recently, Shutter Island. If you enjoy suspenseful stories set during WWII (stateside) that have moments where you'll feel like you're as scared as the heroine is, then you'll love this story. I personally prefer romantic elements in romantic suspense, and this story had a lot of that, too. It was tasty enough to keep me reading...I highly recommend this story. It's a terrific debut" Michelle Sutton Author of Danger at the Door and In Plain Sight Rating = 5 Stars "If you love "film noir", as in those classic black and white films of the forties, then you will love "Queen of Hearts" by K. Dawn Byrd..." V. Campbell - Amazon Review Rating = 3 Stars Visit K. Dawn Byrd's Author Page Try these related products: E-mail a friend about this item. Join the Desert Breeze Publishing EXCLUSIVE BOOK CLUB!
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