Once upon A Crime by Alan Brenham

 This crime thriller started out well and then it shifted into a frustrating and disappointing conclusion. 

Detective Madison Chase is on the hunt for a serial killer who is targeting sex offenders. The unknown suspect sends poems to the police giving hints about the next murder and signs them P.G. A witness can only say that the killer is a woman. It also seems that this villain is focused on Madison and her daughter, Emily. 

The chapters are short and there are a lot of different characters with various points of view in the narrative. Madison and her ex-husband are engaged in a custody issue with their daughter and that takes up way too much of the book and the voice of Emily in the story was far too ridiculous for her age and I really got annoyed with that. The twist was out of nowhere and completely unbelievable considering that the reader has been in that person's mind. 

Anyway, the book was good until the last half when it veered off and never recovered for me. This was an ARC. 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - crime thriller, sexual predators, serial killer

The Maid (Molly the Maid #1) by Nita Prose

 Utterly charming contemporary mystery.

Molly Gray, AKA Molly the Maid, works at the Regency Grand Hotel "restoring guest rooms to a state of perfection." Every day the same. Cleaning is her passion. All is routine until the afternoon when she finds wealthy Mr. Charles Black dead in his bed in his luxury suite. Although she is most assuredly not guilty, Molly finds herself a murder suspect. The cause for that suspicion is likely due to the fact that Molly is different -- she is quite literal, probably on the spectrum, and is socially awkward completely misunderstanding social cues. One thing leads to another and soon Molly is arrested and has to prove her innocence. 

Molly is a true delight as a character. (If you're of an age to have read the Amelia Bedelia book series popular back in the 1980s or before, you will remember that she was also a maid and had a penchant for interpreting everything in a similar literal manner.) Molly doesn't see or interpret things the same as most others, and she is maligned, misunderstood, and deemed weird. For the most part ignored, she makes an easy target and patsy for what her dearly departed Gran termed "bad eggs." And there are many who take advantage of Molly. I loved this heartwarming story of triumph and self-discovery as Molly eventually finds true friends who help her navigate the world and expose the real killer. 

The narrator on the audiobook was excellent and I loved following along in the book while listening. I so enjoy that dual experience and highly recommend it for the ultimate reading experience. The story was sweet and unexpected for being a mystery, so unlike most of those in this genre that I typically enjoy. I can see why it was such a remarkable debut and I'm very much looking forward to reviewing the next book featuring Molly the Maid. 

This was a debut and the start of a new series. Read in order.

Genre - contemporary mystery 

The Intern by Michele Campbell

 Fast-paced legal thriller.

When Harvard law student, Madson Rivera, lands an internship with Judge Kathryn Conroy, she is over the moon thinking that her future career plans are secured. It's not too long, however, before she realizes that she is in over her head -- caught between her own brother's legal troubles and information that the Judge might be a criminal. 

This was entertaining and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook while following along in the e-book. The narrator did a nice job voicing all the characters. Although the plot and outcome were predictable, I was more dismayed by how annoying that whole brother situation was. I thought Madison's mother was beyond annoying with her demands on Madison actually leading to her becoming more embroiled in all the bad stuff. Kathryn's back story and her perspective was far more interesting, and I wish more of the book had been spent on her.  The bad guys were stereotypical and some of the details about the conspiracies and prosecutorial conduct, along with the involvement of the FBI, were a little farfetched. And the relationship between Madison and Kathryn sure got real close real fast. Regardless, there was a lot of action and some twists enough to make this hard to put down. 

I like legal thrillers but would prefer they be more courtroom drama vs mobster and corruption themes.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - legal thriller, crime, murder, corruption

The Final Hunt (#1) by Audrey J. Cole

 Betrayal and murder are central to this mystery thriller set in Alaska.

Cameron is grieving the death of her beloved husband when she discovers that he was most likely the Teacher Killer. When she turns in the evidence she found in John's hunting cabin, the notoriety of her proximity to her serial killer husband makes her a suspect, some believe an accomplice. In addition, she loses her dental practice and is about to lose her home due to her husband's secret second mortgage and cashout of his life insurance. The question arises -- is John really dead? His best friend says that John was attacked and killed by a bear. Cameron has to find out and sets out on an off the grid wilderness trek for the truth. 

This was a quick read though the plot totally strained credibility. Yes, Cameron's exploits in Alaska were unbelievable. In between her pilot abilities, her survival skills, and her knowledge of the terrain, snowmobiles, animals, and tracking -- well, she was quite the avenging warrior woman. The narrative was quite predictable and no surprises. I both read and listened to this book and that combination made the story more entertaining, but I was left really miffed by the conclusion. I can't say why because it would be a big spoiler. I have the second in this series to review as well but won't be rushing to read it. 

Thank you to the author for the ARC and I obtained the audiobook from my local library. 

This is the first of what is now 2 books in this series. I have the other to read as well.

Genre - mystery thriller, vigilante justice

Three Drowned Girls (Freya Sinclair #1) by Emily Shiner

 Something bad was happening in Fawn Lake.

Freya Sinclair, a Captain in the local police department, has just returned to the town where she grew up. She'd had to leave for a time after discovering that her parents were serial killers and getting them put in prison. On her first day of work, she is called to the scene where the body of a young girl has been discovered alongside the river. As the investigation heats up to determine that this was foul play, more young girls go missing. 

This was a fast and entertaining crime thriller and the first in a new series featuring Captain Freya Sinclair and her team in this small North Carolina town. I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook at the same time enjoying the excellent narration -- especially the accents. I liked the characters and the backstory that revealed some of Freya's history. The plot was interesting and though there were a lot of characters to keep straight, the police investigation and their discoveries were really dark and wild. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series and will be looking for the audiobook before I dive in. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copies. 

This is the first book in a new series to be read in order.

Genre - crime thriller

The Lat Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

 Absolutely unputdownable domestic thriller!

When Amber Patterson sets her mind to something, nothing gets in her way. She, a nobody from Nebraska, has plans. When she finds and stalks the beautiful and uber wealthy Daphne Parrish, Amber is determined to become part of her world. Daphne has the perfect life -- super gorgeous rich husband, Jackson, and two lovely daughters. They live in a mansion in Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, and they are the ultimate power couple. Amber's envy and ambition are undaunted, and she will do anything to get what she deserves. 

This was so deliciously good that I could not stop reading and listening to the audiobook at the same time. The pacing was perfect as the plot unfolded. The twists were surprising as the revelations came fast and flawlessly timed. I fell right into it and enjoyed every minute. Very well drawn multidimensional characters and their behavior evoked all the reactions. The narration was well done and a pleasant listening experience.  I highly recommend this in either the audio and/or e-book formats. 

Best of all, a sequel is in the works and I can't wait!

This is the first book and there will be a second in the series. Read in order!

Genre - domestic thriller, psychological drama, suspenseful

The Memory Box by Eva Lesko Natiello

 This is a total trainwreck of a book that I should have marked DNF instead of forcing myself through it.

The story is relentless in being completely annoying and scoff out loud ridiculous. The main character, Caroline, is bonkers for fake and for real. I listened to the audio (which was done well despite the material the narrator was working with) and followed along in the e-book. 

Yes, the definition of unreliable narrator is true here, but the way in which Caroline tells what happens to her after she googles herself is so frenetic and bizarre that the wide umbrella of mental health disorder doesn't begin to cover her personality and behavior. 

I can't imagine how anyone found this enthralling unless it is that feeling when something is so bad that you just can't look away. The ending, well, it had a twist of course, but not one that could salvage the story. 

This was an old ARC that I picked up off the shelf when I got the audiobook from the library. I'm definitely not the intended audience for this novel. Not recommended. 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre: psychological thriller. Uses the amnesia device.