Swan Loch

Jake Stanton Adventures #2

by Randy Mixter

ASIN moved from less recent edition

She arrived on the wind.
It’s August 8th, 2012, more than four months after his wife’s murder. Sheriff Chris Hayward has made it his life’s quest to find her killer, but every lead has come to a dead end…until now.
A young girl has wandered into the town of Swan Loch, Maine. She seeks out one person, Emma Carson, a teacher at the local school. She claims the wind brought her there, and she has a message for Sheriff Hayward. Your wife is alive and I know where to find her.
Chris, Emma, and the girl with no name will now journey to a place where all mysteries will be solved, where one believed lost forever may again be found, and where evil has discovered the perfect hiding place. But they must hurry, because in less than 12 hours the killer will strike again.


Swan Loch is a mystery, a thriller, and a suspense novel. But mostly, Swan Loch is a story of love and hope, and how a brilliant light may sometimes pierce the darkest of nights.
As with my other fictional novel, Sarah Of The Moon, I like to think that love has the power to conquer all obstacles placed before it, no matter how impenetrable they may seem. Swan Loch is for readers who feel the same way.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Ebooks, Suspense, Amazon, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 14, 2012

About the author

Author Randy Mixter lives in Pasadena, Maryland, with his wife Veronica and their five cats. He writes in a variety of genres including Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Mysteries, and Suspense Thrillers. He currently has several novels and short stories available, with more on the way.

Find out about new releases, special discounts, and free book promotions at https://sites.google.com/site/randymi...

Check out his Facebook author's page at: https://www.facebook.com/RandyMixters...

Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Northwooder1
Read his blog at: http://randy-mixter.blogspot.com/

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After falling in love with Sarah of the Moon, I was so excited to get my hands on Swan Loch. As I've come to expect from Randy Mixter's writing, I was transported to another time and place with wonderful descriptive detail. I could absolutely picture this Idyllic small town and all the characters within.
Swan Loch has a little something for everyone. There is mystery...heart melting romance...fantasy...magic...
I was drawn in immediately with this sense of foreboding, but also promise. The love shared by our main characters is the kind of rare love that so few find, and I was terrified to see what could happen to destroy that bond. Instead, what I saw is that true love transcends all with a little faith in the unknown and unseen. True love knows no boundaries.
I honestly could not put this book down - thank you for another escape! I can't wait to see what you come out with next!

[Karen Remington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. Was it a suspense thriller? A mystery? Or a love story? I soon found out it was a bit of each with the love story elements assuming center stage. This novel had me from the first page to the last. I laughed. I cried, and once again, much like the author's other great novel Sarah Of The Moon, I fell in love with all the characters on the pages. So well written. Such a page turner.
I must say this book affected me like few have, and I read a lot. I will read it again before the summer is through and probably once more during the cold dark days of winter. Read this book and you will believe in the power of love, fierce and stronger than the mightiest foe.

[Wendy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just read this author's other book, Sarah Of The Moon, I picked up this, his latest, and dug in. I have to say I loved this book also.
Swan Loch is different than Sarah Of The Moon in the respect that this is more of a mystery thriller with some paranormal elements included. Much like Sarah, there is a great love story between the pages of this book also.
Without giving the plot away I'll say that as you read Swan Loch you will discover how love, if it is strong enough, can survive the worst possible tragedy. Suspense, mystery, humor, sadness, Swan Loch has it all. I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and cannot wait for more from this author.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually enjoy mysteries, but this one hooked me almost immediately. Randy Mixter has found a formula that works....mix equal parts mystery, love story, paranormal events and suspense, but without the blood and gore that characterize many suspense novels. I couldn't put it down.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a 5 star most excellent read for me...:)
I loved this book. It is a sweet & easy love story about friendship and the lengths people will go and stretch their hearts and imaginations for the ones that they love.
This story starts us out with Sheriff Chris Hayward’s good friend Emma introducing him to the new girl in town Molly and it isn't long before they realize that they were meant to meet and be together… forever, Much like the Swans that used to live and flourish on Swan lake.
We are also introduced to a mysterious serial killer closing in on the beautiful town of Swan Loch seemingly brought in by the wind and with murderous intentions known only as…The Whistler.
Jake Stanton from the FBI is interested in this black eyed serial killer and enlists the help of Chris and his police department to try and track down this evil man who seems to be able to disappear leaving no bodies behind, just blood & drag marks that just stop in the middle of fields, with no eyewitness’s, tire marks or footprints of any kind.
As Chris and Molly’s wedding day draws nearer Chris starts having peculiar dreams and nightmares about this evil man who gets closer to the ones he loves and to his beloved hometown of Swan Loch.
Sadly, very soon after Chris and Molly are married the killer guns down Molly leaving Chris and the town devastated with her loss and it isn’t until months later when a mysterious little girl named Rose comes to town with a very important message for Chris and Emma to come with her right now and try to save Molly that hope seems to come back to Chris, can this really be? His Molly still alive out there somewhere?
Chris and Emma trust in their hearts and in love and would follow this little girl, Rose anywhere the wind might blow...
I read this book straight through and I very much enjoyed the easy, sweet style and message of this book and thought how lucky Randy’s wife and their cats must be to have such a thoughtful and sensitive man around...:)

I won this on goodreads for a fair and honest review

[Kenneth Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read books that are self-published because I am afraid of finding typos and grammatical errors which would ruin the book for me. I took a chance and grabbed Swan Loch when it ran for free on the Kindle a few days ago. I'm glad I did. This was a well-written book and well-edited to boot. On top of that the story was excellent. Swan Loch held my interest from the first page to the last. I found the book hard to put down and literally read the last 100 pages in one sitting.
The book had everything I look for in a novel, good pacing, mystery, suspense, and a very satisfying love story.
This book is a keeper and one of the best I've read this year.

[Beth Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

You wouldn't be wrong to call this book a suspense thriller, but at it's heart the book is an powerful love story. There is suspense,tragedy, and heartbreak. But mostly there is hope in the awesome strength of love. This author knows that nothing can defeat true love. Swan Loch is a book I will surely read again and again. No matter what obstacles one faces, in the end the bold and relentless power of love will win.

[Anthony Campani · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is Fantastic. Swan Loch was cover to cover great. A compelling well written page turner with a great emotional ending. I loved everything about this book and am recommending the novel to all my friends.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The folklore of a beautiful lake and the swans that once graced its waters, the magic of real love and the belief in trusting one's heart to find justice...

Magical, lyrical and sweet with a touch of danger and mystery best describes Randy Mixter’s SWAN LOCH. When Chris met Molly, he just knew she was the one that completed him, but soon after their marriage, her life was stolen by a twisted serial killer, a killer who was untouchable. Only the belief in the unbelievable will help Chris bring the killer to justice. Will he take a chance on the impossible on the word of a little girl with no name?

What a beautiful mix of romantic love, deep friendships and trust in others! Randy Mixter has written a gentle love story and an equally brittle suspense wrapped in a supernatural shell that will test the limits of the bonds between the characters of this tale.

A wonderfully entertaining read that gives us time to savor each page without the frantic pace or the conversely long, drawn out scenes that drag a book down. Randy Mixter has captured romance, love and going the distance for the ones we care about. I say give this one a try, it is different and readers will be drawn in like moths to a flame.

Publication Date: June 14, 2012
Publisher: Randy Mixter
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 256 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Joan Drury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Randy Mixter, who's quickly becoming my favorite author. This book differs from Sarah Of The Moon in that the story has suspense and mystery. But most of all Swan Loch is about a love that refuses to die no matter what mighty obstacles are put in its way. Randy Mixter's writing, as before, drew me into the characters and the story. A simply magnificent novel by this up and coming author.

[A.B. Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars - you can read my review here:

http://abshepherdsreinventedreader.bl...#

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swan Loch caught my attention immediately and pulled me right in to it's everyday simplicity and small town charm. It is well-written, extremely well-edited and flows deliciously from page to page. I enjoyed the background story on all of the characters and felt that there was sufficient character development and that the author restrained himself from going overboard.

SPOILER:
I would have taken off a 1/2 star for the lack of any kind of explanation for the formation of a wind vortex between the two levels of reality. Also, the choice of two levels seems arbitrary. Why does Rose live in one level and not in another? Why does Chris's dad live in one and not the other?

Those discrepancies don't upset the flow of the story and I thoroughly enjoyed giving my time over to this Good Read.

[Santa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads and really liked it. I usually don't read supernatural books, but this really wasn't bad or hard to follow. I don't know if I consider it supernatural because it had romance, mystery... I haven't cried reading a book in a long time. Read it in 2 days because I was really into it. Will probably read other books from Randy Mixter.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I thoroughly enjoyed Mixter's first novel, Sarah of the Moon, and was so touched by it, I was eager to see how Swan Loch would compare. However, it is such a different kind of book that comparison is impossible. Swan Loch has a sweet, conventional love affair in it between small town young people, and it firmly establishes the deep bond of loyalty that grows in the midst of a group of close friends. Mixter is good at painting characters who are interesting and not wooden or one-dimensional. In fact, heh-heh, this book is certainly not one-dimensional.

Twisted into the love story of Molly and Chris is a very creepy, unknown form of evil that begins to encroach on their lives and happiness. The book scared me. Which is saying something, because I read forensics and criminal profiling all the time and I don't get scared, but the mystery created for this book was so far out of my realm of understanding that I found myself truly frightened.

I recommend it to all.

[Victoria Rapaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Randy Mister brings amazing tale of mystery and fantasy into one novel that will have you reading it in one seating. The author brings you into Sheriff Chris Hayward's life as he tries to uncover what mysterious happening that are about to unfold in his quiet town of Loch,Maine. Can he uncover what is going to happen before any more people disappear or any more deaths? Can he over come personal heart ache to find the person involved? Will he ever be the same when he finds out there is another world? As a mysterious girl comes to the town saying she can help can they believe her?


This is a must read if you haven't pick up your copy today you need to. Randy has delivered an exceptional book that will have you on emotional roller coaster. At every twist,turn you will never know how it will end. Get your copy today.

[Rosemary Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Randy combines romance and love, suspense, happiness, mystery and a bit of supernatural !!! This book makes you wonder if this could really happen, and keeps you on the edge and wanting to keep reading.

When the Sheriff’s wife is murdered, missing her is all he can think about. They were so in love, a love that some can only dream about. A young girl is found in Swan Loch and she tells the Sheriff he must follow her back to where Molly is alive and well. There have been lots of unsolved murders in this small New England town and she may hold the key to solving them. Jake Stanton is assigned to help solve the murders and he is a commanding character….one that you won’t be able to forget and will enjoy getting to know.

The supernatural part of the story will have you wondering, could it really happen ??? A must read, fast paced with a great ending !!!!

[Penny Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have had this book nearly a year and finally read it. It is definitely not my style of book. A bit of the super natural, but not enough to be scary. Murder, but again not enough to be scary. The truth is the book was comfortable and may cause you to question whether there is a parallel universe to ours. In order not to give away the end, I will leave it there. Pleasant thoughts entered my mind at the end of the book. If you have ever loved and lost someone you will either be comforted or disbelieving depending on you.
A slow, but steady read for me but made me smile many times.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this book it took me a little while to gather my thoughts enough to write a review, this story elicited so many emotions. It’s a thriller, with suspense and a sweet and compelling love story threaded through, and blended with fantasy, the supernatural and a very dark evil. The concept of a parallel universe where everything is the same and yet not completely is a fascinating one. As is the ‘doorway’ between the two…as the quote (roughly) goes ‘There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of.’ And I love the significance of the swans.

Bodies have been disappearing without trace over several years and judging by the pattern a serial killer is heading towards Swan Loch, a beautiful small town. Chris Hayward and Jake Stanton must work together and try to stop the impending disaster.

Chris begins to have vivid dreams as the evasive killer draws ever nearer, causing increasing feelings of dread and forewarning and giving rise to the question, who can predict or explain the power of the subconscious mind?

Randy Mixter has a singular and sensitive style of writing shown by the way the delightful relationships and friendships are brought into play. The characters are engaging, well-developed and real, the emotions created, happiness, pain, despair and love are all clearly apparent. Love begins and thrives, is lost and found again in the most curious and extraordinary circumstances which gives this story its strong appeal. It’s heart breaking, moving and uplifting in equal measure. Can love overcome any obstacle, no matter how seemingly final? The answer may surprise you.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Jeffrey Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine two parallel universes where people from one universe can cross into the other one with only one hitch: you and your other self cannot exist in the same universe simultaneously.

That is the basic premise behind Randy Mixter's debut novel, Swan Loch. It's a brilliant idea that would make the master of the macabre, Stephen King, happy himself. My only fault with the idea and the way it is presented in the story was that there was not enough set up to suspend our disbelief and make it more believable. By the time the author gets around to explaining everything, I was reminded a little of a Greek play and deus ex machina.

Although the story has a few hiccups in it along the way, there's still plenty of good reading here. Although I didn't find it as engaging as the other Mixter books I have read, such as Letters From Long Binh, I did appreciate the effort on the author's part to tell such a complicated and intriguing tale. I think the story would have worked much better had Mixter provided more background information in the beginning. Of course, he probably didn't want to give too much of this information and that's why the story seems a little forced to make it work. Still, for a debut novel, it's a good read and worth checking out.

[Bodicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tale of mystery, murder and of hope. An alternative where things are the same but not quite. Where people exist or existed. I rather liked it.

Chris Hayward is a sheriff in the small town his father was before him. Practical yet emotive, he likes logic, he likes facts. When he receives a list of people who disappeared within a few days of each other, in towns which seem to be getting closer and closer by the mile and by the year, he is forced to admit there may be more to it and is horrified to see his town is next. With the date getting nearer, the FBI pour into the area but it doesn't stop citizens acting out of character. Those who know wait but the wind carries on blowing...

[Linda Hamonou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a thriller type of crime story and it really annoyed me when up to more than 30% is read like a romance story with only really little about the crime problem.
Even as the serial killer is introduce, the romance/normal life part was going on and on and on and I really wondered where it was leading until...
Sorry folks I'm not telling you this that would break my non-spoiler policy.
All I have to say is that this book really took me by surprise in a good way. It was really deeper than it seemed at first and the ending was really incredible, you know that moment in a book when everything finally makes sense. That's what you'll find here when you're done reading it.
Have fun!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paranormal - with romance and mystery and sorrow. Small town Sheriff finds love, and marriage. Murderous maniac leaves bodies up and down the Eastern seaboard. The FBI steps in to try to find the killer and the Sheriff works with them.

There is a bit of mystery over the swans that used to fill the lake...but they've been gone for years. Strange that it looks like they might be in a picture taken recently...there is something going on, for sure.

When murder strikes their small town, it seems to take the heart right out of the Sheriff. Until a little girl comes to talk to him. She leads him to the Wind...and the murderer.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an enchanting story about a small town sheriff who grew up in Swan Loch. His father, also a sheriff was killed saving the Mayors son when Chris was a boy.

Molly moves to Swan Loch to take a teaching job. It's almost love at first sight for she and Chris. Shortly after their marriage, she is killed. In a dream she tells Chris to find her.

I loved the fairytale feel to the book. I would say it's a mystery/paranormal romance.

[Marc Leroux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the Goodreads givaway program. Many thanks
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I'm a big fan of mystery's, not so much for romantic books, but this one surprised me. The writing was great, the mystery enough of a page turner, and the romance Was sweet, without being saccharin.
Highly recommended.

[Paula Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in a free promotion. What a pleasant surprise. This book had a little of everything, mystery, suspense, romance, and the paranormal. I held my interest from the first page to the incredibly suspenseful ending. I have lots of books on my reader but this one goes right to the top of the list.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb threw me off. It's actually the last 3rd of the book. The story kinda started slow and then the last third was like BAM! Books or movies about different dimensions and time travel are the 2 genres that can confuse the living day light out of me... unless it's Victoria Danann's Knights of Black Swan Series. I still enjoyed it but took me forever to read.

[Susan Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swan Loch is a mystery, a thriller, and a suspense novel. But mostly, Swan Loch is a story of love and hope, and how a brilliant light may sometimes pierce the darkest of nights. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like quirky surprise endings.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seemed to cross many genres. There's murder mystery, romance, and paranormal influences, as well as some religious aspects. It was a good read, and kept me engaged throughout. It is set in a small town in Maine, filled with people you come to care about.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read and surprisingly good given that it got a little far fetched for me .

[Tanya Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mystery thriller with a great ending.