Water's Edge (Detective Megan Carpenter #2) by Gregg Olsen

Someone is kidnapping, torturing and killing young women who've been pregnant. It's up to Detective Megan Carpenter out of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and trainee Reserve Deputy Ronnie Marsh to track down this monster while liaising with other jurisdictions along the western Washington State coast. There's no shortage of suspects, and their work is cut out for them when they discover that the linked murdered victims' cases weren't ever thoroughly investigated. Can they unravel this very complicated trail and find the serial killer? NO SPOILERS.

I really enjoy this series and the author's writing style. Megan is an interesting character with a tragic past since she's the daughter of a serial killer herself. She's still messed up and spends most of her evenings listening to old tapes she made with her therapist while drinking scotch or wine. I like that we are finding out more about her backstory and that she is beginning to be able to develop personal relationships. I liked the interplay between Megan and Ronnie -- oh I do hope that they will somehow continue to partner on any future books in this series. I definitely like where this is going and am quite interested to see what happens in the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

This is the second in the series and they should be read in order.
Genre -- Police procedural, crime thriller

Buried Angels (DI Lottie Parker #8) by Patricia Gibney

Detective Inspector Lottie Parker of the Ragmullin Garda is back in this 8th book in the long-running series that I've read from the beginning. She and her colleagues are faced with a very complicated case involving dismembered body parts found around town. A torso on the railway tracks, a skull hidden inside the wall of a house, a partial leg in the canal -- and a long list of possible suspects who are incredibly hard to track down to question. Can Lottie get to the bottom of events that started over 20 years ago?

I've always enjoyed this series but this one seemed overly long and complex with the payoff being a bit of a let down after all that. Way too many characters with relationships to each other that are quite bizarre and stretch credulity a bit. Lottie is the same as always and never seems to make much progress toward getting her home and personal life situated -- there's always something. Does anyone else get irritated by the fact that she can't seem to follow any sort of established procedure or protocol with her police activities and really she should be suspended! Anyway, I'll keep reading this series to see what mayhem is happening next in Ragmullin.

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

This is the 8th in a series that should be read in order. Not sure what the title has to do with th estory.
Genre - police procedural, crime thriller

Fair Warning (Jack McEvoy #3) by Michael Connelly

Here's a question -- have you done one of those DNA/Ancestry tracing kits? This thriller explores the dangers that lurk underneath their promise of anonymity. Is your personal information safe? What if someone was able to trace you through your gene sample -- someone who was looking for specific characteristics -- specifically the DRD4 gene. This is a gene that might identify people who exhibit high-risk behaviors and addictions.

Journalist Jack McEvoy works for an Internet news site called "FairWarning" and usually investigates situations that affect consumers. When he's questioned by the LAPD about the homicide of a woman he had a one-night-stand with, he becomes interested due to the way she was killed. He senses there might be a story and finds that the victim also had told a friend that she had been a victim of cyberstalking. Jack sets out to learn all he can about Tina Portero and soon finds himself down the rabbit hole. Soon he has information about four similar deaths and all of the women had turned their DNA over to a company known as GT23. All of them seem to be the work of one person -- The Shrike.

This was great writing and lots of action with details galore. Although two other books by this author feature Jack McEvoy, this worked fine as a standalone. (I'm pretty sure I read THE POET and also THE SCARECROW but so long ago I can't really remember.) The reader is immediately drawn into the story and the well-drawn characters are believable as the narrative continues relentlessly to the climax. Who is the elusive Shrike and where will he strike next? The really scary stuff within actually has to do with the concern about the DNA that so many willingly put in an envelope and mail to these companies. For, you see, government oversight of the DNA analytics industry is a bit lax.

Another interesting aspect of this novel is that, even though this book is a work of fiction, the news site "FairWarning" actually exists and does watchdog reporting as described. The science is real. The dangers are real.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I'm eager to revisit books by this author and look forward to future work.

This is the third book that features Jack McEvoy and is part of the Harry Bosch world.
Genre -- suspense, crime thriller, journalists

This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

There are many secrets and even more lies in this little town in Iowa.

Detective Maggie Kennedy-O'Keefe works for the Grotto Police Department. Since she's 8 months pregnant, her boss asks her to look into a cold case when new evidence comes to light. That case, however, is one that Maggie knows very well. It was 25 years ago when she and the victim's younger sister, Nola, found the brutalized body of 15-year-old Eve Knox inside a cave. Eve was Maggie's best friend and the murder has haunted her ever since. Even though the chief investigator was Maggie's own father and there were several possible suspects, no one was ever charged. Can Maggie find the truth and get justice for her friend after all these years?

Well, wow. First thing -- you must be able to suspend disbelief in order for this all to work. Then, you must be able to get past the actions of the characters. One of them is definitely destined for the psych ward, and another has quite the ability to compartmentalize. Then there's the sexual predator and also the abusive boyfriend. I don't want to forget to mention that this story includes a father with dementia and some other fairly clueless people. Quite the unsavory collection of possible killers, but the narrative takes a turn about half-way through that may take you by surprise.

I would have rated this higher if the climax and conclusion had been more realistic. And I definitely had to shake my head at the preposterous situation that occurs in the cave. I would expound but NO SPOILERS. It definitely held my interest and I read it all in a single sitting this evening. I've read quite a few books by this author, and I'll continue to do so. I'm looking forward to seeing other reviews and comments about this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- Mystery, detective, suspense

The Sunday Girl by Pip Drysdale

"You should let them go; you cannot blame the wind for leaving, for that is what wind does."

But, Taylor Bishop cannot just let him go. Long after a beautiful love affair has turned into a controlling and abusive relationship, Taylor realizes that she can't just walk away. She needs to exact revenge for all that Angus Hollingsworth has done to change her into the vengeful whirlwind she became. It wasn't just the physical torment, or the shame she experienced when he uploaded a private video to the internet, nor was it the way that he isolated her from her support system as he slowly started destroying her life. It wasn't the cheating, or the prostitutes or even the drugs and alcohol he was abusing. It was how he always seemed to be just one step ahead of her, preventing her escape, and how he could always talk his way back into her life. So, Taylor does what any nice, heartbroken ex will do - -she consults a guidebook -- Master Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." NO SPOILERS

This was a fast-paced novel of psychological and domestic suspense. Although I didn't especially like Taylor and some of the others, I went along for the ride. I love a good revenge plot and want to root for the person who was wronged. Does Taylor take things a bit too far, or did she do what needed to be done? The conclusion may surprise you though I thought it was fitting. I enjoyed the narrative style and the writing though some of the content paints a pretty sordid picture and there's much bad behavior by many of the characters. There's no question that a life can be ruined by falling for the wrong person and the insidious nature of most domestic abuse makes it hard to spot and makes it equally hard to escape. This is the first novel by this author and I definitely plan to read more of her work.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - psychological and domestic suspense -- abuse, sex, drugs revenge

Winter Rising (Winter #2) by Alex Callister

"If you care, your enemies have all the leverage they need."

If you are looking  for an action-packed suspense thriller with a kick-ass heroine government agent, then this is the book for you. Following the fast-paced WINTER DARK, this second installment still has it all.

The series focuses on organized crime and its boss, Alek Konstantin, who also happens to be intimately involved with Winter to the extent that he's embedded a tracker in her wrist. Previously unknown and in hiding, Winter found him and his identity has been exposed to the world and he is being hunted. Winter both wants and doesn't want to see him again.

There's danger in technology, and the new popular internet application is known as Firestorm. If you want someone dead, the Guardsman will do the hit. Anyone can have anybody killed for the right price. The world is in chaos and Winter decides to go after the Guardsman even as they are targeting her. Then word comes down that the Guardsman intend to wreak havoc at the summit of the world's top leaders scheduled in London and they have a very powerful weapon. Winter needs to figure it out and stop the planned assault in order to save humanity. NO SPOILERS.

Complicated and rife with red herrings and all manner of suspicious players, Winter doesn't know who to trust. There are lots of characters, some from the previous book, and some new ones who all might have ulterior motives in being close to her. Winter is a bit unbelievable as invincible superhero and her relationship with Alek is very twisted, so she's a bit hard to like even if you root for her success in the mission. There's lots of bloody death and carnage. Violence and fight scenes are frequently described in great detail. The sex doesn't resemble lovemaking. But it all works keeping true to the characterization. Yes, definitely I'll want to read the next book despite the aspects I didn't like because it is really just hard to put this aside as you feel the urge to know who is behind the Guardsman. Sure, I could do without the sick romance, but I think that partnership is permanent!

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

This is the second book in the series and you should read #1 first.
Genre -- suspense thriller, Mystery, action

Taken from Home (Detective Casey White #1) by B.R. Spangler

This first in a new series featuring Detective Casey White has it all -- kidnapping, trafficking, sex crimes, rape, abuse, and romance! I believe there is a new title: WHERE LOST GIRLS GO.

Casey leaves her apartment and job in Philadelphia after she made a mistake at work to take some time off. She travels to North Carolina and the Outer Banks, but it's not really for a vacation. Casey is searching for her missing daughter, Hannah, who had been kidnapped in front of the family home over 14 years ago. Almost immediately upon arrival, she's catapulted into a very complicated series of cases involving young women. Their bodies have been found in different places under unusual circumstances. As she helps the local police along with Jericho Flynn of the Marine Patrol, the events reveal a staggering amount of all types of criminal activity. NO SPOILERS.

I read this in a single sitting and it was quite action-packed and so much going on in the narrative.  As always, at the beginning of a new series, it takes time to warm to the characters. I haven't quite decided what I think about them yet. I vacillated in giving a rating because, although the plot was good, I had some issues with quite a bit of all that happened, the coincidences, and of course, the fact that I had a solid idea of what was going on long before the revelations at the climax and conclusion. I definitely plan to read the next installment, however, to see what comes next in that hotbed of illegal and unlawful behaviors in a popular tourist area. Also, I know it's just me, but I didn't like the instant romance aspect and some of the dumb things Casey chose to do. But, let's face it, that's typical in this genre especially with female detectives!

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

This is the first in a new series.
Genre -- crime thriller, police procedural, female detective

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

"...everything that is wrong with me is wrong with you too. We are one and the same."

This is a mother-daughter story like none other. Wowza -- I was completely glued to the pages as I sat down to read this and didn't move until the final words. I've read a lot of dysfunctional family relationships before, but this one surpassed my expectations completely. The twists and turns never let up and as I vacillated between mother and daughter, I wasn't sure what story was true and what was a fabrication of their crazy minds. I'd say much more but I don't want to give any spoilers to this fantastic novel by one of my favorite authors.

The characters -- mom is Maggie and daughter is Nina. We hear from them in past and present terms and both have decidedly different viewpoints on what has happened to them and the decisions they made. Why? That's the biggest question and it comes down to this -- love? What kind of daughter chains her mom up in a second story bedroom? What mother doesn't do what she thinks is best for her daughter?  The narrative will leave you reeling. I was torn and undone by the revelations! Who to believe? What was going on? Yes, so many questions and I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. I am quite sure that this is going to give me nightmares as I think about it! Well done.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- whoa -- it's hard to describe, domestic suspense, psychological fiction

Killing Mind (DI Kim Stone #12) by Angela Marsons

If you haven't entered the world of DI Kim Stone, you're definitely missing one of the best detective series around. The stories keep getting better as the installments continue and this one is immensely satisfying when Kim and her team tackle an unusual situation.

The body of a young woman is found in her bare, impersonal apartment, throat slit, and initially ruled an apparent suicide. When Kim looks closer at the crime scene photos, the manner is changed to murder. Then, another body is found with similar wounds and the victims both found to have a link to a commune known as Unity Farm in nearby Wolverley. It's established that the place is really some sort of cult and Kim sends in a young PC named Tiffany Moore to find out what's going on in the highly secretive place that is now home to over 100 people. NO SPOILERS.

I started this later on today and couldn't put it down. The regular team is all back and I really like all of them so it feels more like a family reunion to catch up with everyone. Kim is a unique character, yes she has her personal demons and a great backstory, and I really like her no-nonsense personality. She treats her colleagues well and they respect her. As they all work toward figuring out what happened to the victims, there is also another issue that Bryant is dealing with. I do love good moral ambiguity! All of the research done by the author on the topic of cults was quite illuminating and very interesting. I thrououghly enjoy this episode and can't wait for the next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. If you want to read this one, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning.

This is the 12th book in a series that should be read, from the beginning, in order.
Genre - female detective, police procedural, crime thriller, CULTS

Her Last Mistake (DI Gina Harte #6) by Carla Kovach

Someone is killing the bridesmaids! It all starts with the murder of 25-year-old Holly Long -- found dead in her room after the wedding reception at Cleevesford Manor.

This is the 6th in a long-running series featuring DI Gina Harte. The police have many suspects to chase down and they are kept very busy during this investigation. Lots of red herrings and quite a few characters to keep straight. Gina barely has time to deal with any of her personal issues, as always, and even Hannah, her daughter, finds her mother again unavailable. Will Harte and her team find the villain in time to prevent more deaths? NO SPOILERS

Fast paced and easy to read in a single sitting; I anticipated most of the twists but found a few surprises along the way. It's important to have read the previous installments as I feel you'd be a bit lost without knowing Gina's backstory. She's the typical female detective in this genre -- a messed up personal life but a good cop. I plan to continue with the series.

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

This is the 6th in a series that should be read from the beginning.
Genre - crime thriller, police procedural

The Goodbye Man (Colter Shaw #2) by Jeffery Deaver

"Never underestimate the power, for good and bad, of religion."

Colter Shaw, a reward seeker, abandons his personal mission to find his father's secret and goes undercover to Washington State. His mission: to find out why two neo-Nazi fugitives escaped to the Osiris Foundation Camp and its charismatic leader, Master Eli. Shaw finds more than he could have imagined in a place full of terrible lies and secrets. NO SPOILERS.

This second in the Colter Shaw series is just as good as the first. Full of action and well-plotted, it moves very fast and is hard to put down. There's a lot going on and the narrative is full of surprises. I like the main character and find the details of his background quite interesting. I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

This is the second in series and should be read after the first.
Genre - suspense thriller; cults

The Never Game (Colter Shaw #1) by Jeffery Deaver

"A shrine to the chivalrous who protect the weak."

Colter Shaw is a survivalist and a rewardist -- he assists in locating the missing -- and travels around the country in his RV to track them and collect the money when he succeeds. Those missing could include the kidnapped, fugitives, suspects or just about anyone of interest to the paying party. In this particular case, Shaw is first asked by her father to find Sophie Mulliner, a 19-year-old student who has vanished in Silcon Valley. But it doesn't stop there and there is so much more going on in this action-packed and extremely well-written book by one of my favorite authors. Shaw discovers that Sophie's disappearance, and others, are connected to a video game called THE WHISPERING MAN. The online multiplayer game sets up specific scenarios where an individual is abducted then abandoned at a particular place, left with 5 objects, and the instructions to escape by using those tools or "die with dignity."  But there's much more than a game turned into murderous reality going on here. NO SPOILERS.

What a great premise and it's so deftly handled by the author. Plenty of misdirection, red herrings, and masterful juggling of details and characters. I enjoyed the tension and the suspense and could barely put the book down as the narrative raced to the climax and conclusion. I really liked the protagonist; Shaw has quite the background and I can't wait to learn more about his past and check out the future jobs he will take. Lucky me, I have the second in this new series to begin immediately! Don't miss this one if you're looking for a good thriller. There's a lot of interesting information about the video game world along with a believable story line.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. It came out last year and had languished on my TBR shelf and I'm quite sorry I waited so long to read it.

This is the first in a new series featuring Colter Shaw.
Genre -- suspense thriller

One Mistake by Rona Halsall

This is a domestic drama full of completely unlikeable characters who do really stupid things, make bad decisions, and can't communicate. So many secrets, lies and misunderstandings complicated by a plot that hinged on the characters never acting sensibly or honestly.

I couldn't bring myself to mark this as a DNF, so I did manage to get through the whole of it -- all the while worrying about how to write this review. I find it very difficult to express my true opinions without coming off too harshly. I'm just not the right audience for this type of book and I apologize to any die-hard fans for not finding this twisty, exciting, suspenseful or thrilling. The characters annoyed me with their behavior and I am glad I don't know any people like that. They sure all liked to control things in different ways. Sara did not elicit any sympathy from me despite all her excuses, Matt was all of a sudden a jerk, well -- I'll just leave that here. I am sure that I'm the exception but this was not the book for me.

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

This was a standalone and not part of any series. The original title was I OWE YOU.
Genre - domestic drama

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

A twisty tale of domestic suspense filled with every type of drama from secrets, lies, blackmail, sex parties to murder.

Behind the doors of the lovely brownstone homes in the wealthy section of Park Slope are married couples and families. Some of them are happy, but many have problems that they've hidden from the world and also from themselves. "But sometimes it's easier to stay married if you pretend. Willful blindness."

The peaceful enclave is shattered when one of the wives in that exclusive group is found dead at the foot of the stairs in her home after a party in the neighborhood. Amanda was married to Zach Grayson and he is soon arrested and held over without bail at Riker's. An old law school friend, Lizzie Kitsakis, is engaged to handle his case. Lots of intrigue in this complicated plot where nothing is as it seems and everyone is desperate to protect their lives, marriages and children. NO SPOILERS.

I've become accustomed to reading about people I don't like, and this was no exception. I never grew attached to any of the characters, but the story was quite entertaining and this was a fast-paced read that I found hard to put down. I enjoyed the speculation while I kept changing my mind about who killed Amanda and why. It's always fun to see if you can figure it out before the big reveal! For the most part, I found the plot believable, but there's a bit or two within that required some suspension of disbelief. I've read both other adult novels by this author and I'll continue to put her on my TBR list. I liked the narrative style and it kept me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

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

The Body Under the Bridge (DCI Craig Gillard #5) by Nick Louth

This 5th installment in the DCI Craig Gillard crime thriller series is the best yet -- and I've read them all. There is so much going on in the Surrey Police with a complicated case that starts slowly and then builds to an incredible climax with lots of suspense and tension until the chilling conclusion.

The story begins with a missing woman -- a 25-year-old German-born student at London's Royal College of Music goes missing and doesn't show up for a scheduled performance. Gillard is a bit irritated as the woman hadn't even been missing for 24 hours. He then discovers that she's the daughter of Germany's Minister of Justice and suddenly the case is high profile and they throw all available resources into the search. But, there are problems tracing Beatrice Ulbricht's last known locations and even such a large team can't figure out what happened. But the investigation really turns bizarre when the body of a 15-year-old girl turns up in a car found floating in a flooded river -- the shocker is that it turns out to be someone who had been missing for 37 years! How can this even be possible? The crazy stuff just keeps happening and everyone is working on trying to figure out what is going on. There's so much more that I can't say because -- NO SPOILERS.

You'll just have to read this one! Such a complicated police procedural that requires so much work and involves so many different experts in various criminology fields. I really enjoyed the methodical approach and the details needed for the Surrey Police et al to solve this. The characters are well known to me from reading the previous books and they have grown on me over time. Gillard is the protagonist but others on the team have significant roles as well. The writing is excellent and this was a hard one to put down. I'm looking forward to the next installment due out later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I am sure you would be OK to read this as a standalone, but I feel that you'd appreciate it more if you had all the background from the previous books.

This is the 5th book in the series and I recommend reading them all from the beginning, in order.
Genre -- police procedural/crime thriller

The Body in the Snow (DCI Craig Gillard #4) by Nick Louth

DCI Craig Gillard with the Surrey Police investigates the bludgeoning death of Tanvi Roy, a notable businesswoman and chief executive of Empire of Spice. Of course the main suspects are initially family members and the case is complicated by financial irregularities. There are many issues within this extremely wealthy Hindu family that includes heir apparent Harshil (Harry) Roy and two daughters, Prisha and Kiara. In addition, the list of possible killers extends to board members of the company, ex partners, personal assistants and others who are connected to the Roys. Gillard and his team begin their meticulous research into all aspects in this police procedural. Who killed Mrs. Roy and why? NO SPOILERS.

Despite the red herrings, the many possible motives, and the extensive list of possible villains, I was able to follow along with the case and enjoy the method and exhaustive effort spent tracking down the murderer. I have read all previous books in this series and don't feel that this works without knowing the history of DCI Gillard, his wife, Sam, and other characters. Since the author is an award-winning financial journalist and a graduate of the London School of Economics, you need to be prepared to read a lot about money matters. I enjoyed this well enough but I don't really feel invested in the characters. Most of the focus is on solving the case with only a supportive role by the other team members. Personal information and relationships are not the focus as most of the narrative deals with Gillard going from place to place and person to person tracking down evidence, etc. I plan to read future installments. The writing is good and the overall story was interesting -- especially the description of how shareholdings for women in Indian businesses are typically set up. And, I do love a comprehensive Epilogue!

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

This is the 4th in the series which should be read in order.
Genre - police procedural, crime thriller

A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

I was a devoted fan of Ann Rule and have missed her true crime books immensely so I was thrilled to obtain a copy of this book written by her daughter. Obviously, Leslie Rule had an excellent teacher and mentor with lots of experience alongside her mother and this was excellent. The story is a sordid one and also very scary as it deals with the way the murderess used technology to terrorize and taunt the family and acquaintances of the woman she killed. What a "tangled web" indeed.

So many people were taken in by and fooled by this mistress of mayhem. Shanna (Liz) Golyar destroyed so many innocent lives through her deception and behavior over a 3 year period. Her obsession and madness was way beyond anything I can even comprehend and she takes stalking to a whole new level. The author captures and explains the entire case with interesting background information. I really enjoyed the way the roles of all of the victims as well as those responsible for her capture were detailed. What is truly mystifying is that she got away with murder for so long! Shanna definitely thought she was smarter than everyone and she indeed had some skills with computer technology that kept it all hidden for that length of time. One of my favorite parts of a true crime book is when I see the pictures of the people involved. You'd think you'd be able to see evil there, but you simply can't!

Highly recommended to anyone who loves this genre and I can't wait for Leslie Rule's next book -- she has a new fan here! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. The description of the book provided by the publisher gives the overview of the crime and names the characters and is well worth reading.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
True Crime -- NON fiction