Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

 Fast paced international conspiracy thriller.

Grief, betrayal, and a high stakes conspiracy entangle a disgraced former Army surgeon, Maggie McCabe, in a complicated plot involving the wealthy elite. Maggie is barely holding herself together after losing her medical license and her husband. Drowning in debt and facing an uncertain future, her former mentor gets her a super secret job as a concierge surgeon to a Russian oligarch. When she arrives at the highly secure location, she’s told that she is to perform two surgeries, take her money, and leave. Absolute non disclosure. 

I could go on with the synopsis since what I’ve read on product pages is wildly inaccurate or misleading, so I’ll let the reader find out the rest. No spoilers but there’s definitely a large cast of characters and a lot going on.

I liked the collaboration between these two authors as I have lately gotten bored with Harlan Coben who seems to write mostly the same formulaic standalones. I would love to know the extent of Witherspoon’s contribution, but, regardless, it seems to work with the two of them. I found it interesting that the main character in this was female as that is not typically the case for Coben. 

I would say this novel reads like an action film. The Maggie character is nothing short of amazing along with being beautiful and resourceful with her daring escapades. Maybe a bit too much so? The Porkchop character was almost a cliche and made for a very convenient wingman. There wasn’t much dimension to any of them, but since the main focus was twists and revelations, one can ignore that and of course logic goes out the window. So most of it was implausible, but that often happens with conspiracy stories. Emotional depth was attempted with the exploration of Maggie’s grief and her interaction with the grief bot was interesting as an aside. 

So we have a wounded heroine who, against all odds, gets the answers she needs and the closure she craved.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book. The narrators are a full cast recording and they all did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life and creating a really immersive experience. Reese Witherspoon voices the protagonist, Maggie McCabe and her performance was nothing short of amazing. Chris Pine, Saskia Maarleveld, Peter Ganim, Suehyla El-Attar Young, Kiff VandenHeuvel, and James Fouhey voice the remaining characters (some doing multiple roles) with appropriate tone, accents, and dramatic flair. Don’t miss out! 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series. Yet. Bet they adapt it to a film or limited series.

Genre and tags: surgery, international intrigue, rich people. Conspiracy, friends, death

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

 A psychological study of grief and loss.

When Laurel Mack loses her favorite daughter, Ellie, a gifted 15-year-old who was the light of her life,  she drowns in grief that destroys the family that includes two older children, Hanna and Jake. Some believe she ran away but no sightings or trace of Ellie were ever found. Although the police investigated and countless appeals were made, the case went cold. 

Now, it’s 10 years gone and not much has changed as Laurel has never moved on. Then she meets a man, Floyd, and tentatively begins a relationship. It’s a shock, however, when Laurel first meets his nine-year-old daughter, Poppy, who looks a lot like Ellie. (I think you can guess where this might be going). Laurel gets close to Poppy and Floyd with some disturbing questions that bring her back again to what happened to Ellie. 

Told in a then and now format with alternating viewpoints, this is not a typical twist heavy psychological thriller as it is more a slow burn study of a mother’s trauma and grief. I can’t say as that I liked Laurel very much because her obsession with Ellie also estranged her other two children because of the favoritism. Part of the uniqueness of the plot is due to the structure when the central mystery of Ellie’s fate is revealed about halfway through. This shifts the focus from “what happened” to the more sinister “how and why” and was far more disturbing. Some extremely fractured and damaged other characters, Laurel’s new focus on Poppy as perhaps a substitute daughter, sociopathic delusion and the desperate obsession of those seeking love all combine to create a chilling, if a bit melodramatic, picture of broken lives. I found the conclusion to be overwhelmingly sad on many levels. Haunting is a good word to describe the tone of this book. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Helen Duff and Gabrielle Glaister, did a decent job of bringing most of the characters to life but were sadly lacking with the male voices. At times there seemed a bit of a miss with the accents as well. Overall, however, the production did enhance my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags - psychological fiction, mystery, missing teen, family drama, sociopathy and obsession

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill

 A clever homage to classic locked-room mysteries.

Fraternal twins Joe (a fiction writer) and Meredith (a lawyer) board the infamous Orient Express after he's finally cleared by his medical team after treatment for cancer. Almost immediately, things go awry and a bloody, body-less crime scene appears in the cabin next door. An interesting group of passengers form an alliance to search for the missing person who is presumed dead. The cohort just happens to included former police, detectives, spies and other investigators that make the effort seem more like an ensemble event taking place in the bar car. 

There are lots of red herrings and so many characters to keep track of that make the pacing a bit convoluted. It was an entertaining and cozy type read despite the number of dead bodies (five) and the twists did require suspension of disbelief. I had to read the ending a couple of times to make sure I actually understood what had happened. 

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because the audio book was just that good. I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Katherine Littrell and Eden Gabay, did an amazing job voicing the characters with great dramatic effect and all the right accents. Their performance definitely enhanced the book and provided a fun immersive reading experience.

This is a standalone that might actually make a good series if further developed.

Tags and genre - cozy crime thriller, mystery, setting is Orient Express, murder, con man 

The Widow by John Grisham

 Satisfying legal suspense that is also a captivating slow burn mystery.

Small-town lawyer Simon Latch is barely keeping his Main Street office open dealing with bankruptcies, divorces, and simple wills. When elderly Eleanor Barnett hires him to draft a new will, claiming that she and her late husband had accumulated a multimillion dollar fortune that she controls, Simon gets dollar signs in his eyes. He’s already financially desperate and between his gambling and his own impending divorce, sees a way to take on his richest client ever to make bank. Then Eleanor gets injured in a car crash she caused and ends up hospitalized. Simon scrambles to maintain control of the vast estate with power of attorney and other legal instruments that he executes when the worst happens. Now Simon is fighting in the courts to clear his name and save himself from a miscarriage of justice.

A very satisfying and dramatic drama that is more whodunit than high octane corporate courtroom thriller. It’s more centered on a small town attorney’s moral decay and questionable ethics so is more character driven than usual for this author. As Simon tries desperately to track down the real killer, he comes into contact with some interesting people. He makes a wonderfully ambivalent protagonist as he comes off as a greedy and desperate shyster while also retaining enough humanity to garner empathy despite his poor choices. I always enjoy the courtroom scenes and the behind the scenes trial preparation and legal maneuverings. The book points out how corruptible the legal system can be and also the high temptation to sacrifice the high road for ambition and money. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. The narrator, Michael Beck, did an excellent job using a Southern drawl to lend authenticity to the locale and the different characters. The only thing that would have made it better would be to use a female voice for those roles. The production provided an immersive experience that enhanced the story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

Tags and genre - legal thriller, crime thriller, mystery, murder, serial killer, poison

Final Descent by Audrey J. Cole

 Divorced pilot Claire Winslow, battling a mental health crisis with a diversion, faces a chilling nightmare when her blind date turns into a stalker. She goes to the police, but reporting him fails. Then, the ultimate shock —  he boards her flight as a pilot in the jump seat. 

This is like high altitude fatal attraction as this thriller straps you into the cockpit watching Claire unravel as nothing makes sense and she feels powerless. Along with her best friend doubting her and the copilot experiencing a health emergency, Claire sees no way out. The frustration of not being believed and her sanity doubted, Claire has to pull herself together like never before and get the plane back onto the ground. 

I typically don’t read novellas or short stories, but this was so fast paced I barely got into it before it was over. Not a lot of character development with the old sanity gaslighting trope, but it was entertaining even if predictable. I’m a sucker for an airplane story and I did race through it in a matter of minutes.

It was made even more fun by listening to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Zura Johnson, did a great job voicing the characters and the production created a dramatic and immersive reading experience. The pacing was good and I enjoyed it. 

This is a standalone novella of 90 pages. Not part of any series.

Genre and tags : thriller, pilot, stalker, custody, gaslighting 

Poison Wood (#2) by Jennifer Moorhead

 Atmospheric mystery thriller and family drama.

Ambitious and successful crime reporter, Rita Meade, goes home when a skull is found in the Louisiana forest on the grounds of the now-shuttered Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for girls, where she was once a student. That discovery coincides with Rita flaming out in her job because she didn’t disclose her association with a woman who had contacted her for an interview related to the school and was subsequently found deceased on the beach in Florida. In addition, as secrets about Poison Wood and its troubled former students and staff are revealed, the corrosive nature of lies is revealed. 

Rita Meade is a strong protagonist and her personal connections to the murder and likely killer increase the tension and suspense as she relentlessly pursues answers while no longer allowed to be a reporter on the story. There are lots of little mysteries that need to be addressed and I liked the detail and hints provided in the diary entries of journals found on the grounds. There are lots of characters and many suggestions of impropriety in the school and in what looks like a coverup and false imprisonment because of entitlement, privilege, and wealth. Definitely kept me guessing until a satisfying conclusion. This is the second book featuring this character but it can be read as a standalone without any difficulty. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Sophie Amoss, did an excellent job of maintaining a good pace and enhancing the atmosphere of the psychological thriller. She gave distinctive voices to all the characters including appropriate accents. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story and created an immersive experience. 

This is the second in a series featuring Rita Meade. It can be read as a standalone without any issue. I may go back and find Broken Bayou. More a companion book. 

Genre and tags: mystery thriller and family drama, murder, girls’ school

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

 Two women try to work together to discover what happened to their sisters who disappeared years ago, several weeks apart, along a stretch of deserted road.

This book was a huge disappointment solely due to its appalling characters, their acations, and the utterly horrible ending. I was engaged and guessing my way through this mystery and, even though I really didn’t like Nic and felt sorry for Jenna, I was stunned at the conclusion. You’ve got to be kidding me! Upon reflection, the whole narrative now appears contrived and senseless. The relationships and the information that the two found out about their sisters became meaningless and moot. I don’t mind a crazy twist now and again, but this one destroyed my emotional investment in the plot

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Saskia Maaleveld who voiced the main characters, and the author herself did some special sections, did a decent job of dramatizing the story. Unfortunately, their performance was unable to save the book and give me a reason to recommend it.

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

Tags and genre - mystery, missing sisters, sexual assault, murder, alcoholism, drama

The Devil’s Advocate (Eddie Flynn #6) by Steve Cavanagh

 An adrenaline shot of social commentary makes this legal thriller sizzle.

The author delivers a searing and unflinching look at the danger that is white supremacist terrorist groups — which the FBI and Homeland Security deem the biggest national security threat in the USA. In this 6th book of the series, Eddie Flynn and his team are sent into a small Alabama town in an attempt to stop the execution of a young black man who has been railroaded into a confession of murder. 

The action was nonstop and the legal maneuvers almost gave me whiplash as Eddie tries to figure out how to save Andy Dubois from a prosecuting attorney known as the king of death row because he always gets a guilty verdict and a death penalty sentence. Sunville Country, Alabama, is a cesspool of corruption with a clear and present evil that threatens to consume Eddie and his client. Andy’s sentence is a foregone conclusion and nobody is safe from those determined to convict him no matter the cost. Bodies drop because those in power won’t take no for an answer. Eddie, Kate, Henry and Bloch are trying to find one good man strong enough to stand up against shadowy group controlling the fate of the people in the town. When you can’t trust the cops or the lawyers or the judge, things look hopeless. 

The characters are great, the writing is excellent and I did not want to put this book down so finished it in a couple of hours. I felt a slot burn building as the lies and manipulations brought Andy’s situation so close to injustice. It reminds everyone that if something that is happening is not right nor fair nor just, and you see it, you must speak up. Hard to do when faced with threats to life or liberty and that’s why evil prevailed in that small town for so long and one man got away with his bloodlust and systemic racism to persecute Black defendants. 

I was fortunate to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. The narrator, Adam Sims, did an excellent job of bringing this to life with a measured dramatic flair that really enhanced the story. His range and ability made the characters sound distinct and believable. I love the immersive experience of simultaneous listening and reading.

Thoroughly recommend. I’ve read most all of the Eddie Flynn books and though this one works as a standalone, I think you’ll enjoy more if you start from the beginning.

This is the 6th in a series.

Genre - legal thriller, white supremacists, racism, injustice, courtroom drama, action

You’ll Never Find Me (Angelhart Investigations #1) by Allison Brennan

 First in the Angelhart Investigations series is an intriguing crime thriller that was hard to put down.

Margo Angelhart is a private investigator working solo after a falling out with her family’s similar company when they disagreed about an issue with her father. She’s concentrating on two cases — one involving a possible cheating spouse and the other is helping a female victim of domestic violence escape her abusive husband. Even though they are estranged, Margo is forced to work with her family’s company when her infidelity case intersects with a corporate espionage investigation that her brother and sister are looking into. 

This was fast paced and I really enjoyed the writing style and the family interaction. I liked the Angelhart family members and even Margo who is headstrong, stubborn, impetuous, and who doesn’t mind bending or breaking the rules. The disparate plots that wove together were interesting as were the family’s methods of tracking, tracking, and figuring things out. I’ll definitely want to check out future installments in this series as there were a lot of unresolved family problems that will need to be dealt with. Also look forward to more character development and I did like the setting of Phoenix, Arizona. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Hillary Huber, did an excellent job of voicing all the characters though a male voice would have made it even better. The pacing was good and her performance definitely enhanced my appreciation of the book.

This is the first in a series.

Genre - crime thriller, family, abuse, murder, embezzlement, infidelity, private investigators