The Dare (DI Natalie Ward #3) by Carol E. Wyer

 Three young teenaged girls go missing and are soon found dead near rubbish heaps. DI Natalie Ward and her team are sorting leads and interviewing witnesses. A tip leads them to the notion that the girls were attempting to take part in an online dare that they found on a website called DISAPPEAR. As Natalie, DS Lucy Carmichael, DS Murray Anderson and PC Ian Jarvis, along with the Samford Police bring in potential suspects and examine all the clues, they can't seem to pin down the "Warfield Monster". Will the killer of Savannah Hopkins, Harriet Long and Katy Bywater get away with murder? And then the worst possible thing happens: Natalie's own daughter, 14-year-old Leigh, skips out of school and doesn't come home. NO SPOILERS.

Although a police procedural and solid detective mystery, this is also a character driven series with the reader learning more about the main players with each book. I like the protagonist, Natalie Ward, as she seems to be strong and mostly together without the "hot mess" back story so common in this genre. She has personal problems with her family, but good working relationships at the cop shop. The secondary characters are becoming more well known and fleshed out as well with each subsequent book. The writing is engaging and the pace is fast. Plenty of red herrings that allow the reader to experience the frustration of the police as they keep searching and finding no answers. I like the series and plan to continue reading.

The topic of social media is quite commonly tackled across all genres of reading material these days. Rightfully so as the dangers to the young and immature can't be overemphasized. As parents or as responsible adults, we need to keep a close eye on and monitor the internet activity of those for whom we care. Just as the adolescent naturally tries to gain privacy and draw away from guardians is the main time we need to increase our vigilance. Trust, but verify!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I'd urge you to read the series in order.

This is #3 in a series. Please read in order.
Genre -- detective and police procedurals

The Family Lie by Jake Cross

Anna Carter wakes in the middle of the night to find that her daughter, 5-year-old Josie, and her husband, Nick are missing from the house. Though Nick later returns home, it appears that Josie has been kidnapped and a ransom demanded. Who has taken her and why? NO SPOILERS.

This was pretty typical domestic drama with characters I found annoying and dialogue that I found pretty lame. Who calls their child "little lady" and which police officers use the word, "dear" when addressing victim families? Constantly. I didn't care for either Anna or Nick and there were no big twists or surprises that make this stand out from all the rest of the stories that have a missing or kidnapped child. The premise for the plot was quite thin and I didn't much care for the conclusion.

So, this was not a favorite but I might be willing to try another book by this author as long as it wasn't more of the same style and topic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- meant to be psychological thriller but I would say domestic drama

Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito

"Interpretations are not so simple if you want them to correspond with the truth."

Sebastian Fagerman and Maja Norberg are the exclusive Djorsholm school's hottest couple. He's the son of one of the richest men in Sweden but money can't buy everything. One morning, shots ring out in a classroom at Djorsholm Upper Secondary School in classroom 412. As the result of the massacre, Maja is incarcerated awaiting trial. This novel attempts to explain what happened on that fateful day as well as to examine the nature of relationships, of love and the concept of justice. NO SPOILERS.

This was a fast-paced and well-written story that takes the reader into Maja's heart and mind. While waiting for her trial and preparing for her testimony, Maja describes her thoughts and feelings about Sebastian and about her classmates and friends. She delves into the class differences between rich and poor as well as the dynamics of the family unit and her friendship with Amanda. The characters come to life on the pages and the empathy meter rises. The ultimate question of "why" the event happened can only be assumed through the filter that Maja uses to both feel the pain as well as to protect herself.

I can't wait to see the movie adaptation and I enjoyed this book very much though it's a very tough subject to tackle. It would be a great one for a book club discussion and I'm looking forward to hearing what others think of it. As this horrible tragedy seems to occur with frightful regularity, the examinations must continue in order for anyone to begin to understand that emotional instability and mental health issues must surely be at the root of it all.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.
Genre - courtroom drama/trial

Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine (Stillhouse Lake #3)

Though Gwen Proctor, originally Gina Royal, the wife of notorious and recently dead Melvin Royal, thinks that she and her kids can finally settle in at Stillhouse Lake with her new boyfriend, Sam Cade. Recently, however, social media and the press have resumed attacks on her character, accusing her of being complicit in the serial killings her husband was responsible for and convicted of.

Since Melvin Royal is gone and can't torture them any longer, Gwen and her little family are trying to restart their lives, making friends and just living normally. Unfortunately her notoriety hasn't waned and she's contacted by a woman who says there is trouble in a small town in Tennessee known as Wolfhunter. Despite it probably not being in her own best interests, Gwen, Sammy, Connor and Lanny head that way. And, they get involved in much more than they could have ever anticipated. NO SPOILERS.

This is definitely bloody and action-packed with Gwen, Sam and the kids helping to save the day in Wolfhunter. The threat of Melvin is gone, but there is still evil out there. Now it seems that the series may continue with Gwen going in a new direction though it's probable that there will still be more of the fallout from her being the wife of a mass murderer and her still trying to escape her past. Gwen does a lot of internal angsting that seems to go on and on and gets old but I am curious to see what she makes with her new relationship and for her family. She's definitely no wallflower.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the 3rd book in series. I believe they need to be read in order to appreciate.
Genre - thriller

The Girl in the Painting by Renita D'Silva

..."true mettle is doing what is right despite the circumstances...It is being true to oneself, one's principles."

Emma, betrayed by her partner (David) takes their daughter, Chloe, to India at the behest of her dying grandmother. Emma has been tasked with a mission, to find a woman named Archana, and to give her a painting along with a request for forgiveness. Emma knows very little about her grandmother's former life in India as a young English bride married to an Indian lawyer -- only that something had happened and that her grandmother, Margaret, returned home to England alone.

Margaret Thronber was born and raised in England and in 1913 her world came crashing down with the war. She finds a way to nurture her artistic talent at University where she meets and falls for the enigmatic and mysterious Suraj. Her experiences with him allow her to feel known and give her a sense of belonging she has lost. Can she do the unthinkable and marry him, go to India and create a life for herself after all?

Told in alternating points of view and flipping back and forth in time, this beautiful story examines the emotions of guilt, anger ambition, grief and unbelonging. It challenges our personal beliefs in notions such as the bonds of duty and obedience to our family and our culture. As Emma, Margaret and Archana reveal their heartaches, we also must see them tackle the biggest hurdle of all -- forgiveness.

I really enjoyed this novel and could almost picture myself in every scene as the characters come to life on the pages. Beautifully written it will tug at the heart and give much for thought. I really do love the setting of India and learning about the country and culture. The concept of sati was hard to swallow, being the feminist I am. I think it would make a great book club selection as there is so much to discuss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- historical fiction early 1900s through present day, India, England

Final Betrayal (Detective Lottie Parker #6) by Patricia Gibney

Two young women are murdered after a night out. It so happens that someone they both knew had just been released from prison -- Conor Dowling -- and they were the ones who'd identified him and secured his conviction for assault and robbery ten years ago. Is this revenge? Then two other young women are found dead.

Meanwhile, Detective Lottie Parker of the Ragmullin guard and her team are pulled this way and that by other events and complicated situations. Not only with her job, but Lottie is also having some series issues in her personal life -- and then her two daughters go missing. NO SPOILERS.

This is the 6th book in the series and I've read all but one. I think it's getting a bit stale as this wasn't as good as the previous. Lottie's family is totally messed up and she has a lot of issues, not the least of which is her total focus on work and her haphazard mothering and family life. Don't even get me started on her current romance. This plot wasn't very exciting or thrilling and if there was any twist, I missed it as nothing about it surprised me much. I had to force myself to finish, which is unusual as I typically like long-running detective series so maybe I'm just tired of the same old, same old. I'm not sure if I'll keep on with Lottie or not at this point.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is #6 in a series and books should be read in order.
Genre -- police procedural, detectives, murder

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson

"People are defined by their actions. What they do is who they are."

Hen (Henrietta) Mazur and Lloyd Harding have just moved into a new home in West Dartford and are settling in when they're invited to a neighborhood block party. That's when they meet the couple next door -- Matthew and Mira Dolamore -- and soon after meet for dinner at the Dolamores' house. While on a casual home tour during an otherwise fairly boring evening, they end up in Matthew's office and that's when Hen spies a fencing trophy on the fireplace mantel. She recognizes it immediately and suddenly knows the truth about their new neighbor. But, Hen has had some mental health issues in her past and is now being treated successfully for her bipolar disorder. When she goes to the police about her concerns, they don't believe her. Soon Hen and Matthew are in a delicate game of cat and mouse. Is she in danger? NO SPOILERS.

This is another great tale of domestic suspense told in alternating voices by one of my favorite authors. Because of Hen's past, there are issues that make her a bit unreliable as she gets more deeply involved with Matthew. Soon her marriage is in jeopardy and she isn't sure how she is going to extricate herself from a very dangerous situation. Although she does some pretty crazy things and takes extraordinary risks, I could relate to her. Matthew is very unique as a character and the reader gets drawn in very quickly trying to understand what is really going on between the two. This is more of a slow burner of a novel that builds through the different narrators to create tension and suspense until the showdown. I sort of figured where it was going, but that's probably because I've read so many thrillers that it's difficult to be surprised. I enjoyed it!

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.
Genre - domestic suspense, serial killer

Catch Your Death (Special Agent Jessica Bishop #3) by Kierney Scott

Special Agent Jessica Bishop..."couldn't make people feel better, but she could give people answers. That was her skill, the one thing she had to offer. She could investigate and give people truth."

When asked to check on the nephew of her boss, Jeanie Gilbert, Jessica doesn't hesitate to go directly to the posh Gracemount Academy to see why Levi Smith had called his aunt who happens to be out of town. Unfortunately, he's dead -- an apparent suicide -- when Jessica arrives. When evidence starts to disappear and questions aren't getting answered, Jessica discovers that there were 4 other boys who had also committed suicide during the course of the school year. Obviously something is very wrong at this exclusive boarding school and Jessica heads up the investigation only to uncover something far more sinister with far-reaching implications and decades of buried secrets. NO SPOILERS.

Typical boarding school cabal secret society stuff with the very damaged Jessica and her team trying to figure out who's involved but getting hindered or blocked every step of the way. Jessica goes rogue as always, turns into some sort of superwoman as she executes a crazy scheme, gets injured (again) and manages to save the day even though the press outs her and has a field day with her exposure as the daughter of a serial killer with certain weird proclivities in her personal life. This is the second book I've read that features Jessica, and honestly, she's just way too much of a hot mess for me. The situation and the resolution were so unrealistic and she's not getting any better which is worrisome since she just got promoted despite breaking about a hundred laws in the process. All's fair when solving a case in the FBI?

The book is short, fast-paced and entertaining if you think of it as a superhero novel but there's no depth here in the characters or any novelty in the plot. Those who've read the first 2 in the series will probably want to get this installment to see what happens within after how things ended in book 2.
I'm not sure I'll catch up with Jessica again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the third book in a series that should definitely be read in order.
Genre - police and detective stories, secret society at posh school

Saving Meghan by D.J. (Daniel) Palmer

I was "all in" with this fast-paced story until the 70% mark. That's when it all fell apart and the complete and utter nonsense that turned into an unbelievable climax and ending occurred.
"NO WAY!" I screamed as everything I believed and felt was twisted into this bizarre and unrealistic conclusion with over-the-top motives and explanations that defy any kind of relationship to medicine or psychiatry. Nothing like what happened within these pages could or would happen in real life. So this is way beyond fantasy fiction.

I've been a nurse for over 40 years, have lots of experience with kids and psych issues and yes, with Manchausen's with and without the "proxy". This whole scenario was ridiculous and I really did not like this book. All the characters are horrible, the mother is a whack job, and though I can usually put that severe dislike aside for a good story, it sure didn't work here because of how it all played out. I can't get past it, over it, nor can I suggest that anyone with a functioning brain actually read it.
Should I tell you how I really feel? If I didn't want to avoid giving spoilers, I'd say even more.

I only finished it because I wanted to see just how far off crazy the author could make that ending.
I do thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting access to this title. I have read Daniel Palmer and Michael Palmer before -- yes, they've written good medical thrillers. But never before has one seemed so far off the mark of realism and accuracy that is essential to the science. As always, this is my honest opinion about what I've just read.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.
Genre -- family drama, meant to be medical thriller, psychological drama

Girl Most Likely by Max Allan Collins

Who loves a high school class reunion? It would probably be a lot more fun if murder wasn't on the agenda!

Chief of Police, 28-year-old, Krista Larson plans to attend the festivities for the Galena, Illinois, Class of 2009 reunion at Lake View Lodge, a little resort managed by one of the classmates. The event is well-attended with the highlight being the triumphant return of the "girl most likely", Astrid Lund. She's done very well for herself, as predicted, and people swarm to her all night long. Unfortunately, the next day, Astrid is found dead in her home. Combined with another murder of a classmate in Florida, Krista believes that there is someone targeting women in their class and enlists the help of her father, retired police detective Keith Larson, to help with the investigation. As they sort through alibis and history, there are many red herrings and possible suspects -- and then yet another woman is killed! The stakes are high and the pressure is on for Krista to find out exactly what is going on and take down a remorseless killer.

This was fast paced and fun though full of inane descriptions about everything from menu items to attire! Indeed, everything is detailed and you almost feel as if you're seeing it all yourself. Although the characters aren't too well-developed, you do get a sense of the father-daughter bond and the painstaking nature of a police procedural. I enjoyed it. Definitely kept my interest as I, too, couldn't wait for the revelation of the identity of the person committing these crimes though the end came fast and I'm not sure I fully understood the motives of the killer. I wonder if we will hear more about this duo in a future book?

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of a series. Yet.
Genre - police procedural, crime thriller

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

"It's all about support. Whether you want to give it or not...actually it's about whether to give money or not. And that's not the same thing."

Most of us have or ARE a mother-in-law. Depending on who you are and who she is, the relationship can be fraught with issues, it can be smooth and mutually beneficial, or it can be one of benign neglect. Of course you don't get to choose your mother-in-law, but it's often been said that you don't just marry the man (or woman) -- you also marry the family.

Lucy has a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana. When Lucy married Ollie, she really wanted to be close to Diana because Lucy's own mother had died when she was only 13. But Diana is aloof and opinionated and strong and doesn't seem to have much regard for Lucy -- or at least not in the way that Lucy would prefer. It's not just Lucy who perceives Diana as difficult -- Ollie's sister, Nettie and her husband, Patrick, also have their share of issues with Diana. Only Tom, Diana's husband, exudes the warmth and generosity that everyone really craves. Why won't Diana help them all out financially, it's not like she and Tom don't have plenty of money. It causes a lot of friction between them all and it seems pointless since they all know they'll inherit someday.

Well, apparently someone could not wait patiently for their share of the money. Diana is found dead, at first suicide is suspected, but then the autopsy has some startling revelations for them and the police have been calling them down to the station for interviews and questions. Did one of the family actually kill Diana? NO SPOILERS.

The narrative flips back and forth in time and is primarily written from the points of view of Lucy and Diana. The reader learns some interesting truths about each of the two women as their vulnerabilities are revealed. I particularly enjoyed this device in this story because it tantalized me and I felt that I really got to know each woman quite a bit better and so could relate to them more easily. I wasn't sure who had 'done it' and I liked how the author reached the climax and how it yielded a very sad, but satisfying conclusion. Nicely done! This was most of all family drama with a bit of murder mystery, but I'd say a relationship novel most of all. I loved the end quote: "I worked hard for everything I ever cared about. And nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- family drama, relationships, women's fiction

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

"Tragedies don't inoculate you against further tragedies, and misfortune doesn't get sprinkled out in fair proportions; bad things get hurled at you in clumps and batches, unmanageable and messy."

As I close my Kindle after reading the last few pages, I'm absolutely and totally satisfied with the beautiful and moving story I just finished. This type of book is a bit outside my usual genre, but I picked it up because it had several key elements that made it sound appealing: medical stuff (hyperbaric oxygen therapy), autistic children, death (accident, murder, arson?) courtroom drama and family saga. It's a complicated and heartbreaking novel with beautiful writing and well-drawn characters that I could completely relate to and empathize with. There are so many great quotes I could share from the novel, but I'll leave this here: "We all have thoughts that shame us. Hubris. The worst sin."

On a hot summer night, the Miracle Creek Submarine hyperbaric oxygen treatment center is up and running its last dive of the day. Inside are 3 disabled kids and 3 adults -- hooked up with astronaut-like helmets to tubing that connects to the tanks outside. A fire. An explosion. Death and disability. Who is to blame - was it an accident or something worse?

The owners are Korean immigrants trying to give their teenaged daughter a better life in America by setting up this therapy. The mothers who were there were just trying to help their children. The protesters were angry that the mothers wouldn't accept that HBOT was dangerous and experimental. An infertile couple desperate to try anything to conceive. "That was both the best and worst part, that all that happened was the unintended consequence of a good person's mistakes." NO SPOILERS.

Just read this. It would make a great book club selection as there are so many universal truths within to debate and discuss. I can even see this as a fantastic movie. Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Crichton Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - literary fiction with elements as described in review.