Stillwater Island (Detective Megan Carpenter #4) by Gregg Olsen

 This is the 4th in the crime thriller series featuring Detective Megan Carpenter and I would definitely advise the reader to check out the previous installments as those contain vital backstory information about the main character.

Washington State:  A mother and son are missing and, naturally, the husband is the main suspect in this current case confronting Megan and her partner, Detective Ronnie Marsh. This is typical police procedural with the detectives honing in on the bad guy but the reader knows there is probably going to be a surprise in the mix.

I like Megan and really enjoyed the interaction between the two women detectives. Megan has quite the history and is the typical hot mess as the result of her past, but she is funny and quirky about it. The narrative moves along, but I never felt any tension or suspense -- nor was I too concerned with the Parker family.

It's a solid addition to the series but just wasn't as exciting or thrilling as expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. Looks like this is my last book for 2021 and it was nice to close out on a good note.

This is the 4th book in a series that definitely should be read from the beginning, in order.

Genre - police procedural, crime thriller, female detectives, set in USA

True Crime Story (A Novel) by Joseph Knox

 Although this book is structured and reads like true crime, this novel is a blend of mystery and thriller that focuses on the case of a missing teenager, 19-year-old Zoe Noland, who seemingly vanished from the rooftop of her Manchester University residence tower on the night of a student Christmas party.

The narrative includes excerpts of "interviews" conducted by a woman who is intent on publishing a book about Zoe's disappearance. This wanna be author, Evelyn Mitchell, starts corresponding with Joseph Knox (clever little bit of realism inserting himself) in a series of emails asking him to read her manuscript and provide a mentorship of sorts. Since these snippets jump around between all the people who were close to Zoe at the time of the event, the story sometimes seems a bit disjointed. Add in the fact that many of these interviewees are lying, exaggerating, or omitting important details and you have a large volume of information to process. Mix in the twists, the surprising revelations, and the bad behavior of some of the characters and you have a tale that is so bizarre and crazy that it's hard to put down. In all, a very unique way to tell a story though the wild denouement had me shaking my head -- what???

I found it all very entertaining, but a bit frustrating with the lack of linear structure. The main body of characters were quite unlikable and not nice people with redeeming qualities. I was drawn into the case and really wanted to know what happened to Zoe which makes the lack of a definitive answer all the more frustrating after the time invested in reading! Just like real life, sometimes you don't get the resolution you need or want.

Definitely should appeal to anyone who likes amateur sleuths or true crime podcasts/documentaries though the style might be off-putting.

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 - fiction that reads like true crime, mystery, thriller

Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall #3) by Robert Bryndza

 The third book in this crime thriller series finds Kate Marshall and her partner, Tristan Harper, chasing the cold case of a journalist, Joanna Duncan, who disappeared 12 years ago. Hired by the missing woman's mother, the two private detectives root through the old files, re-interview the same people, but discover that Joanna's case might also be related to the disappearance of two young gay men. It seems there might be a serial killer on the prowl.

The narrative alternates in point of view as we see a glimpse into the killer's activities. There are quite a few characters and lots of red herrings with the big reveal a bit of a surprise even if it it left me slightly incredulous. The reader learns more about Kate and Tristan and Bryndza provides some back story but it is probably best if you have read the previous two installments. At times I found the procedural details a bit slow moving, but overall entertaining.

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

This is the third in a series and should be read in order.

Genre - crime thriller

Autopsy (Kay Scarpetta #25) by Patricia Cornwell

 This thriller reminds me of the Kay Scarpetta I "met" back in 1990 when I was introduced to this character in "Postmortem." After reading that, I fell in love with this genre and continue with my love affair to this day.

It's difficult to review, with any fresh insights, the 25th book in a series. I've read most of them but fell out of love when the whole concept seemed to veer off the rails. There are characters that I like and others I am just done hearing about (*Lucy), so it was quite nice to see everyone behaving quite normally for a change. I enjoyed the fact that the author includes Covid pandemic references as well as the political and social unrest in the narrative.

Of course there's a murder. A woman has been killed and posed at the side of railroad tracks. It seems she has some connection to a top secret space experiment and Kay is brought into the loop as part of her appointment to the classified Doomsday Commission.

As per the typical crime thriller, the author includes the forensic details that I love as well as a mystery to solve. The only strange part about this book, however, was that it comes to a rather abrupt ending with all the big reveals coming in a short epilogue.

Regardless, though I like Kay and have mostly enjoyed this series, I am wondering if perhaps after all this time if she might be ready to retire. I enjoy the author's writing style and would love to read a new series with a fresh cast taking over Scarpetta's rein.

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

This is the 25th book in a long running series that would not work as a standalone.

Genre - crime thriller, forensics

 

Death on a Winter's Day ):ady Eleanor Swift #8) by Verity Bright

 In this 8th book of a delightful cozy mystery series, Lady Swift and her household staff travel to Scotland for Christmas. Hoping for a fairy tale yuletide with Baron and Baroness Ashley and their guests, things take a dark turn almost immediately. During Christmas Eve dinner, Eugene Randall, a wealthy businessman from America, is murdered. Since Castle Ranburgh is isolated and reachable only by crossing the loch, Eleanor is faced with the fact that someone on the island is responsible.

I've followed Eleanor Swift since the beginning and it is best if you read the books in order to fully appreciate all the relationships, but I enjoy the period details of the 1920s era. Sometimes I laugh out loud at the interaction between Lady Swift and her butler and right hand man, Clifford. Although I had already pegged the killer in this locked-room type mystery, the setting and the narrative kept me interested. The bit of supernatural or mythological selkie stuff didn't appeal and was a bit unusual for this series, but the book did seem quite right for the season. Eleanor certainly has some mad skills in many areas, but she is a fun character.

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

This is the 8th book in a series best read in order.

Genre - cozy mystery, 1920s, Scotland

The Collective by Alison Gaylin

A social thriller with a contemporary focus on maternal anguish and rage.

Camille Gardner has lost just about everything. When her daughter died because of a wealthy frat boy, she spiraled into grief and depression. Camille and her husband divorced so now she lives alone in the house that once held her happy family. She's obsessed with the boy and his family and seeks some sort of retribution and punishment for him. That's when she's introduced to an online group on the dark web  -- they call themselves "the collective."  In this secret chat thread, the women share stories of the loved ones they lost at the hands of those perpetrators who were never held accountable, subjected to a penalty, or brought to justice. This group, however, does more than talk about their pain. The collective has a means to plan and enact revenge as each woman does her part. Camille soon finds that this group is definitely crossing the line as she becomes an active member.

This was a great premise but somehow it just fell a little short from being the exciting, fast-paced thriller I was hoping to read. I found it difficult to relate to Camille despite my empathy for her situation and had to suspend a lot of disbelief over some of the coincidences and activities. In the end, it was a story that focused on the question of morality and the concept of "an eye for an eye" with the women serving as judge, jury, and executioner. I anticipated the ending so I was a bit surprised at the twist.

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

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

Genre - social commentary, contemporary, mystery, soft thriller

The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore

 How quickly a life can change -- in only a moment, Mirielle West's pampered world becomes a distant and painful memory. It happens when she learns she has leprosy and is quickly shuttled off, under a fake name, to Louisiana's Carville leper colony. Far from her silent film star husband, Charlie, and her two young daughters, Mirielle is quarantined and locked away from her family never knowing when or if she will see them again. As Pauline Martin, Mirielle is completely out of her element, burning with the shame and embarrassment this diagnosis brings. She has no desire to become part of this community of fellow lepers nor does she have any hope that a cure will release her back to California and all those she holds dear. It's the 1920s and the ignorance about the disease itself, its mode of transmission, and the stigma of being diagnosed all threaten to overwhelm her as she struggles to not only survive, but somehow thrive.

Reminiscent of the novel, "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert, this poignant, fictional account of a real part of American History won't leave my mind. I had no idea about Carville and what happened there. The story is very sad, but I often find that books like this somehow reach my soul and make me want to be a better person. I can't imagine what it would be like to be remanded to a place such as that and, even more so, it scares me to think of how I would react. It's easy to say from this point in 2021 that the treatment of those with leprosy was horrible, but we have the advantage of years of medical knowledge and technology so we can't judge the ones charged with the care of these patients. Modern medicine brought an effective medicine and a cure to those with Hansen's Disease and for that I am incredibly thankful. It does still occur even these days, but the isolation and horror no longer has to happen to those who contract it.

The author, a nurse, writes with authority and the medical details about the historical efforts to combat the disease are authentic. I enjoyed this glimpse into a past American health care crisis and definitely appreciate that it was not the last time that humans were confronted with a very troubling medical issue.

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

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

Genre - historical fiction 1920s, leper colony America

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

 An interesting blend of folk tale, gothic horror, supernatural elements, witchcraft, magic, time travel and a menacing setting.

Olivia (Liv) Stay arrives on the Scottish island of Lon Haven with her 3 young daughters in 1998. She's meant to paint a mural on the walls of an old lighthouse. The inhabitants live in a sort of time capsule with the entire place steeped in folklore and a dark history. Liv learns about the prison beneath the lighthouse, once used to house women accused of witchcraft and about the wildlings that were part of their curse on the islanders. Then two of her daughters vanish.

Fast forward to 2021: one of the Stay daughters, Luna, has been searching all these years for her missing family. She gets a call that her youngest sister, Clover, has been found. Luna rushes to the hospital eager to be reunited, except when she sees Clover she is shocked to find that Clover is still 7 years old -- the same age she was when she went missing. In an effort to make sense of everything and come to terms with her past, Luna and Clover travel to Lon Haven. No spoilers.

This is a great story for anyone in the mood for something a bit spooky. Although I don't tend to read a lot of gothic horror, I found this enjoyable. The narrative shifts in point of view and in time as the story evolves. The characters were well drawn and each voice gave another dimension to what happen on Lon Haven. It is a bit "out there" as far as believably, but an entertaining tale.

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

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

Dead Mercy (DC Maggie Jamieson #5) by Noelle Holten

Fast-paced crime thriller featuring DC Maggie Jamieson of the Stafford Police.

A serial killer who seems bent on some sort of twisted revenge is targeting seemingly random local people. The MO for all is the same and the signature a bit freaky as the villain not only burns them while still alive, they also pull some teeth. After some digging, Maggie and her team feel that this case might be connected to historical child abuse of boys in care homes that was never addressed and the perpetrators never brought to justice. No spoilers.

This is the 5th in a series that keeps getting better. I've read 3 of the other books (missed #4), and didn't feel lost so it could work as a standalone but better to know the backstory as usual. I enjoy the characters and the team interaction as they work night and day to investigate. This is standard police procedural with red herrings and running down clues with an interesting premise. Maggie has compassion and usually acts sensibly though, like all fiction detectives, has incredible gut instincts (spidey sense) and often goes off book to get the job done.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

This is the 5th in a series that should be read in order.

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural, UK

The Power Couple by Alex Berenson

 This was a fun, twisty, and fast-paced mystery thriller with lots of domestic drama.

Rebecca and Brian Unsworth have been married for 20 years when they decide to splurge a bit and take the family on a trip to Europe to celebrate their anniversary. Rebecca has been a workaholic and given little attention to the kids or her husband because she is an FBI Agent. Intense and passionate about her job in counterterrorism, she has drifted from the strong connection she had with Brian when they first got together. Brian has drifted into one job after another, mostly functioning as house husband, but finally lands a plumb position as a coder for the NSA. Things are finally looking up and their money worries have eased.

Things are going well on the trip until the night that their 17-year-old daughter, Kira, goes out to a club in Barcelona and doesn't return. As soon as Rebecca and Brian find out that she has been kidnapped, everything kicks into high gear as Rebecca uses her connections to try and locate their daughter. No spoilers.

The narrative takes off quickly and shifts in point of view and time as the reader gets an indepth look at the characters and their history. Although Rebecca and Brian are very hard to like, it becomes increasingly clear that some serious shenanigans have disrupted the course of their lives and a huge shift in power dynamics is coming. I enjoyed the twists and turns throughout this discovery, and could not put the book down as I had to know what was going to happen. I liked the writing style and the espionage detail about the different agencies involved. I'm sure that I will be one of the few readers that liked the parts about Kira and her situation the least. Overall, however, I definitely would recommend -- this would make a great movie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - mystery thriller, domestic drama, espionage

Stolen Ones (Kim Stone #15) by Angela Marsons

The fifteenth book in a crime thriller series featuring Detective Kim Stone from Halesowen police continues in the same vein as she and her team tackle an unusual case. A man walks into the police station and states that he has information about a girl who has been missing for 25 years. Things take a turn when another girl disappears from a childcare center and everything kicks into high gear. No spoilers.

I've been with Kim Stone and her cohort since the beginning, and I think the time has come to say goodbye. Throughout our relationship, Kim has not changed a bit and I keep trying to like her but I can't keep up the work to continue our association. I am tired of Alex Thorne and her machinations and of Kim's backstory with her twin brother and all that family dysfunction. I would be eager to see Angela Marsons develop a new character as I like her writing style. I know fans won't agree and I'm sorry to say that I'm done with this series. I read this over a couple of hours and, although it is a sound police procedural with characters I have known for years, I didn't find this as satisfying as I used to. It's not you, it's me...and all that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. 

This is the 15th book in a series that should be read in order.

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural

The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin

 This medical drama is both funny and poignant with memorable characters and a laser focus on a current hot button in health care.

Dr. Georgia Brown, a urologist, and Dr. Jonah Tsukada, a specialist in family medicine, are best friends who promised to be family to each other. Currently single, Georgia stays busy and hangs out with Jonah, a gay man who appreciates the stereotype of having a woman as his best bud. They work together at a private hospital and clinic on the outskirts of Charleston, South Carolina.

Everything is going well for both when Georgia heads off to Amsterdam for a medical conference. While there, she gets a call from Jonah who is in terrible distress. It seems that their place of employment has "fired" all of Jonah's gay and transgender patients and his job is also on the line. The hospital says they have the right to refuse care to any patient who doesn't conform to their religious and moral beliefs and Jonah's lifestyle is also under scrutiny for violation of the morals clause in his contract. Georgia rushes to support her friend but they have underestimated the tide of popular opinion and soon find themselves in the battle of their lives. No spoilers.

I met these characters in the two other books I recently read by this author, but since I read the books out of publication order, I was happy to get more of the backstory. I just love the way this author writes. She's witty, obviously very intelligent, and she knows how to distill the complex medical jargon into understandable detail. I've loved everything about the 3 books I read back to back in the past 3 days, and am sure that any fans of women's fiction will appreciate the way Martin does friendship stories with memorable characters, interesting careers, and a bit of romance. I can't wait until I can get my hands on whatever book she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this e-book ARC to read and review. I highly recommend the series, but do start at the beginning!

The Queen of Hearts
The Antidote For Everything
Doctors and Friends

Genre - women's fiction, medical drama, LGBTQ discrimination

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin

A debut women's fiction novel that features two friends who are practicing physicians. Trying to juggle their careers, motherhood, marriage, and other relationships in Charlotte, North Carolina, Zadie Anson and Emma Colley are living their dreams.

Through difficult days with patients, the friends stay in close contact and support each other with humor, empathy, and love. Then, a blast from the past -- Dr. Nick Xenokostas, their former chief resident back in their medical school days -- comes to work with Emma's group. The memories and pain at his reappearance force them both to face each other to finally talk about everything that happened during that particularly terrible third year. No spoilers.

Although rich with the medical details I so love, the focus of this novel was more on women's relationships and romantic alliances. Since I had just finished DOCTORS AND FRIENDS, I was intrigued by Zadie and Emma's backstory, and was happy to get to know them better since they were mainly peripheral in that book. I'm so pleased to have found this author and will continue to read her.

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

This is part of a set of books featuring the same group of women physicians, in fact, the debut. I read the third book first and it was nice to get more backstory.  It is probably best to read them in order of publication, however.

Genre - women's fiction, contemporary, medical drama

Doctors and Friends by Kimmery Martin

 This medical drama was intense and compelling -- love, loss, hope, and resilience when a viral pandemic wreaks havoc on the work and personal lives of a group of women physicians who have been best friends since medical school.

I absolutely could not put this book down and read it over a couple of hours yesterday. When I finished, I was completely wrung out and totally satisfied. I am sorry to report that everyone I know will be inundated with my continual recommendation to get this book and to read it.

The characters were so well-drawn and I loved them all. Their personalities leapt off the pages and their different voices gave such depth to their experiences during the pandemic described. All of the women are physicians with varying medical specialties and each has her own story to tell so the point of view shifts. I really liked that the author lists their names, where they live, and each woman's type of practice at the beginning of the book so you can refer to it if it is hard to keep them straight.

Yes, this novel contains a lot of medical jargon and detail. I'm an RN and come from a family with many who work in the health care field, but I think Kimmery Martin, herself a physician, did an excellent job of making everything understandable so that all the science was easy to comprehend. The virus causing the pandemic in this book is not Covid-19, and the author wrote this before the real one struck our world, but there are some eerie similarities that parallel what has happened to us all over the last year and a half. Perhaps you are not quite ready to go back to the beginning or to re-experience the uncertainty, pain, and panic of Covid, however the artiovirus in this story is just a bit worse.

This author was new to me, but I note that she has written 2 other books that feature some of the same characters in this one so I plan to get those shortly. I think this would make an excellent choice for a book club, especially to help us all understand everything that we have been through and also to remind us that there have been many heroes during our own trials, particularly the health care workers and scientists who did so much with so little.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Company for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend. I rarely give fiction 5 stars, but this might just be my favorite book this year.

This is a standalone, however it has characters that were featured in two other books by this author.

Genre - medical drama, pandemic

I Know You by Claire McGowan

Is anyone ever free from their past? In this mystery thriller, Casey/Rachel finds out that she can run but cannot escape.

Casey was in prison in the USA on death row for a family destruction -- there was one survivor, a baby boy -- but she was later exonerated and so she returned to the UK and hid in the Lake District. She changed her name to Rachel to avoid being discovered, but everything comes back to haunt her when the estranged wife of a man she was seeing is found dead in the woods close to Rachel's home. When her history is exposed, she is the main suspect and Rachel fears she will end up behind bars again, this time permanently. No spoilers.

Although this started out well and I had high hopes, it was very predictable and didn't hold my interest for the duration though I finished it quickly. The narrative is told in two time periods -- when Casey was in LA working as a nanny for the Safran family and flash forward 20 years to her time as Rachel in Cumbria. The author attempts some twists, but my suspension of disbelief was not enough. This was the first book I've read by this author and not sure I will try another. A lot of repetition and I never got to the point where I liked Casey/Rachel or felt much for her.

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

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

Genre - mystery thriller

1414° by Paul Bradley Carr

Complex plot makes this an exciting mystery thriller relevant to current events.

Lou McCarthy is a reporter for the Bay Area Herald and has spent many thankless  years covering Silicon Valley -- mostly to expose the sleazy executives at the top. Those "brociopaths", however, keep on doing their nasty things and nobody ever pays. Until two of those hideous men commit very public suicides on the night of a big announcement for the huge new conglomerate, Raum -- one of the hottest technology companies on the verge of a massive IPO. When she is accused of driving the men to their deaths and is doxed by a vengeful group of #MLM trolls intent on tracking her down, she finds that someone else is intervening and might be responsible for taking those rich and powerful men and their companies down. When Lou meets "Fate", she is drawn into a very complicated game involving the sick predators and their entitled methods. No spoilers.  

Fast pace, interesting characters, and a timely plot combine to make an interesting cautionary tale about the dark side of technology and the damage inflicted by those at the top in Silicon Valley. He's definitely aware of the misogyny and exclusionary practices in the industry. In a season when many books have been published about the #metoo scandals and the headlines continue to reveal a lot of bad boy behavior at the top levels of society, this book will definitely leave readers with a lot to think about.

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

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

Genre - tech mystery thriller

Silent Island (Detective Abby Pearce #2) by Dana Perry

 Complex and fast-paced crime thriller set on tony Martha's Vineyard.

Detective Abby Pearce with Cedar Cliffs Police Department is stunned when she is summoned to the Beach House holiday resort to discover that an entire family has been stabbed to death. Parents and children lie in pools of blood behind the entry door. But wait -- there is a survivor among the carnage -- the Lavelle's oldest daughter, 15-year-old Karin, is nearly catatonic and mute. She is hustled off to the hospital and when her maternal grandparents arrive, everyone is shocked to discover that this girl is not Karin. So where is Karin and who is this substitute daughter left alive?

Abby and her partner, Teena Morelli, the only other detective on the small force, are immediately caught up in an investigation that makes less sense as the days wear on. As they follow one tenuous lead after another, it seems that all clues point to New York City and Abby's former job at the NYPD. No spoilers.

This was the first book I read featuring Abby Pearce, and even though it is the second in series, there were enough details of the backstory that I had no problem enjoying this one. I'd definitely like to continue reading future installments. I liked the character of Abby, struggling with solitude and alcoholism, past regrets, and returning home to the island where she grew up. The complicated and twisty murder mystery was engaging and it took me awhile to guess the outcome with all the red herrings.

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

This is the second in series, but could be read without having reviewed the first one.

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural, female detective, family murder

Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger

 Fast-paced mystery thriller with many layers and an intriguing plot.

When Wren Greenwood takes the advice of her friend, Jax, and sets up an online dating profile on Torch, she never expects much to come of it. Next, she matches with Adam Harper. They have an instant connection, see each other everyday, and Wren is falling hard. Then he stands her up for a dinner date...she’s been ghosted. His last message sounds like something has happened, and she can’t imagine what chasing him down is going to involve, but she can’t leave it alone. No spoilers.

The narrative, told from different points of view in a then and now format, reveals that there have been other girls who were involved with the man Wren knows as Adam — and now they are missing. All have some sort of tragic past that apparently made them vulnerable to this guy. Is he one of those lonely hearts con men, or is there something much deeper involved?

I enjoyed this novel even though I’m not a huge fan of long backstory and flip flopping story lines. If half stars were available, I would rate this 3.5 so rounded it up. I like this author’s writing and, though it seemed there was a lot of repetition of certain points, I was able to read in one sitting as it kept me interested. Lots of characters and the intertwining of current events (the virus, the economy, the internet) made the story more realistic and believable. I’ve never personally done any online dating and I must admit I would not be inclined as I have a very skeptical approach to social media and a love-hate relationship with it. Also extremely wary of “stranger danger” quite probably due to reading books like this! Anyway, this was not your typical revenge story and I think most of Lisa Unger’s fans will appreciate this book.

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

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

Genre - mystery thriller

Femlandia by Christina Dalcher

 Despite the premise, this dystopian fiction was devoid of excitement and entirely predictable.

Middle-aged Miranda and her daughter, Emma (16), are left homeless after a social and government meltdown (never really explained what happened). With no where else to go and absolutely no one to take them in for shelter, they begin a long, hot walk to Femlandia — a womyn only community in nearby Virginia hidden deep in the woods. It just so happens that Miranda’s mother and former best friend are the founders of this sect and, though Miranda and her mother have not spoken in years, Miranda feels that this is their only choice for protection and survival. It becomes clear, once they arrive, that Femlandia isn’t the safe haven they were hoping to find. No spoilers.

So disappointing, really. The characters were so one-dimensional and unlikeable. I wasn’t impressed with the writing style and much of the narrative was a slog to get through. I’ve read 2 other books by this author but since all 3 now seemed basically the same plot line and outcome, I’m over it. I could go on, but I won’t ruin this book for any fans who really love it. I didn’t.

This is a standalone and not part of any series — however all of this author’s books seem the same.

Thank you. To NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing an e-book ARC to read and review. 

Genre - dystopian and futuristic, fiction, feminism

Murder at the Wedding by Helena Dixon

 Kitty Underhay #7

Another winner in this delightful cozy mystery series.

Kitty Underhay is off to Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy’s wedding to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Her beau, Matthew Bryant, also plans to stay at the castle along with other friends and family for the duration of the festivities. The revelry is interrupted by the sudden death of a guest and the local constabulary seems inept with their investigation. Kitty and Matt probe into the situation on their own as it seems that someone is intent on murder. 

As always, I enjoy the period details and the setting of these novels. It’s fun to read about the customs, dress, food, and habits of society in 1934. I love the partnership between Kitty and Matt and look forward to the developments in their romance. Can’t wait for the next installment.

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

This is part of a series that should be read in order.

Genre - cozy mystery, romance, 1934

Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 Slow moving domestic drama...

Lily Atwood is famous as a television reporter but her personal life is kept secret from her coworkers and fans. Many think she has the perfect life, but little do they know about her long lost sister and the affair with a married man that resulted in the birth of her precious daughter, Rowen. Perfect Lily is about to get some life changing news and someone is waiting in the wings to make sure that things won't be quite so lovely anymore. No spoilers.

This was a bit of a slog and I found the characters to be banal and insipid. The story was lame and the narrative shifted back and forth between the characters taking away from any tension building and honestly, a lot of boring. I've read other books by this author, so perhaps this was just one I should have skipped, but I didn't really rate it as a thrilling mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books for granting access to this e-book ARC for me to read and review.

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

Genre - domestic drama, mystery

The Chateau by Catherine Cooper

 Domestic suspense about a couple who flees England to set up a bed and breakfast sort of place in southern France. Things don't go quite the way they'd imagined.

Aura and Nick Dorian are renovating the dilapidated Chateau Ricane while the Happy Helper they've engaged takes care of their children, Sorrel and Bay. A film crew representing "French Fancy" is staying at the chateau to record all of the activities while the expats settle and do the renovations. They've met some of the locals and are getting along fairly well after everything that had gone on in London. Then, while at a neighbor's Halloween party, one of their new friends is found murdered. Although sad and rattled by the death, things deteriorate quickly and it's clearAura and Nick can't escape the things they did and the decisions they made. No spoilers.

Told in alternating viewpoints and with some time shifting, the narrative involves quite a few of the main characters. I couldn't imagine a more unlikable set of people, none who seemed to have any redeeming values. In fact, several times, I was tempted to quit reading because of how they are portrayed (and I hate reading about hideous people). There was a twist, and while not completely unexpected, the story was brought to a somewhat satisfying conclusion. The main issue I had was that far too much time was spent with the teenagers and that whole part could have been reduced to a couple of paragraphs not needing several chapters here and there.

I enjoyed the previous book, "the Chalet", more than this one but it was a quick read. I'll look for another by this author in the future.

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

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

Genre - domestic suspense, thriller, expat in France

The Family Plot by Megan Collins

 ..."the only way out is to never come back."

Blackburn Island -- the Lighthouse family has called this place home for many years. The four siblings left and had not been back to visit for a decade. But they've returned now to bury their father and try to comfort their bereaved mother. Dahlia is hopeful, perhaps her missing twin, Andy, will finally come back so they can all be united. The two older ones, Charlie and Tate, are grim and determined not to sink back into the roles they played in their unusual upbringing -- home schooled in true crime and isolated in their mansion. With a serial killer on the loose on the island throughout their childhood, the family is a bit obsessed with murder. As they tiptoe around each other and no Andy in sight, a gruesome discovery is made -- bones are found in the plot set aside for their father. To Dahlia's shock, the remains are identified as Andy's. What happened to her twin? The secrets are going to be revealed and the lies are coming out. No spoilers.

This was absorbing and the author dangled plenty of red herrings, but it wasn't too long before I had it figured out. I can't say I cared for any of the characters -- to say they are "unnatural" is even a bit of stretch. Just totally freaky weird and understandably, quite messed up psychologically. I enjoyed all the true crime references and can see how someone could go a bit overboard with it, especially if they have a bit of a connection (that twist). It was a quick and entertaining read.

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

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

Genre - domestic drama, psychological thriller. Clever title.

Nice Girls by Catherine Dang

 A dark psychological thriller that delves into the long-lasting effects of a tortured adolescence.

Mary was meant to finally escape her past and Liberty Lake, Minnesota, when she worked hard to get a scholarship to Cornell University. She thrives at college and is ready for her senior year and graduation when she does something that gets her expelled from school and sent home in disgrace.
Back in Liberty Lake, Mary finds that she can't escape who she really is at her core: angry. She takes a low level job at the local grocery store to start paying off the outstanding student loans, but she and her widowed father stumble through the days and "Ivy League Mary" now fully understands that she is not going anywhere.

Then, an old childhood friend, Olivia Willand, disappears and the town goes bonkers to try to find her. Olivia was everything Mary was not -- rich, beautiful, popular, and a rising social media personality. The discovery of a dismembered arm near the lake sends the community into a frenzy, but the remains are not Olivia but belong to another teenager, DeMaria Jackson. Are these two girls linked somehow? Is there a serial killer in this sleepy town? Mary feels bad about her estrangement from Olivia all these years but old resentments only fuel her guilt so she decides to do a bit of investigating. Mostly Mary only makes matters worse for herself and others, but she does not quit. No spoilers.

The premise was intriguing and the first person narrative by Mary really puts the reader in her head. Sorry to say, but Mary is really quite a mess. I felt sorry for her and also aggravated at other times. She's a hard character to like. This was a decent debut, but the story really never developed the tension or veracity to get to the point of all the angst. I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be social commentary or a murder mystery, and the conclusion was a bit limp after everything that happens. As I always say when exposed to characters like Mary -- she really needs some good therapy! I liked it well enough and will look for this author's next book.

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

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

Genre - psychological fiction, maybe more suitable for YA audience

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

 Twisty and clever, this was such fun to read -- mayhem and murder at Belmont Academy, home of some of the most entitled prep school teenagers and parents that you'd ever want to hang out with.

Rich, spoiled teens need an excellent education and counsel, don't they? Well, Teacher of the Year, Teddy Crutcher, is just the man who knows how to step right up and help mentor those darlings "for their own good." Sure, he may be a bit unhinged and misguided -- don't those cuticles of his look a sight -- but he only wants them to get what they deserve. He isn't too fond of his colleagues at the academy, and the parents just need to butt out of his business. Bribing for grades? Other teachers telling him how to run his classroom? Not going to happen on his watch.

Teddy has some issues, though. His personal life is in shambles, and by the way, where is his wife anyway? When Teddy sees an opportunity to push his way into more respect and attention, what is a little poison going to hurt? When people start dying at #murderhigh, suspicion falls on the most unlikely; which members of this community need to wake up?  No spoilers.

What a cast of characters! Told from different points of view, the narrative was so lively and fast that I read this book in one sitting as I just could not put it down without knowing how it was all going to turn out. Having been educated and also worked in the private school system (albeit not this particular type of elite academy), I had to laugh at some of the interactions between administration, faculty, parents, and students. The author has an excellent style that brought these people to life on the pages, made me shiver, and made me whoop in recognition. I almost had to hold my breath as the story ratcheted to a very satisfying conclusion. Fans will definitely not want to miss this one!

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

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

Genre - twisty thriller

The Night She Disappeared by Kevin O'Brien

 Fun and suspenseful mystery thriller that I just couldn't put down!

After an evening out to a fancy dinner with Dr. Russ Knoll (her lover) and his author wife, Courtney, Seattle TV reporter Anna Malone wakes with a horrible hangover. She remembers little about the previous evening but does feel certain that Russ's wife knows about his infidelities.  That becomes more significant, however, when Anna hears that Courtney has gone missing. Russ reports that Courtney apparently packed a bag and vanished at some point that night -- possibly when he had walked drunken Anna home to her floating house on Lake Union just a short distance from the Knoll's residence. Anna and her sordid personal life suddenly become of great interest to the media, particularly to Sally Justice and her News Network show. The problem is this: Anna can't remember anything that happened after the trio left the restaurant. No spoilers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way that this story unraveled and the large cast of flawed characters. Although I was searching for clues and guessing wildly as I rapidly turned the pages, I wasn't able to come up with the answer until the twisted tale came close to conclusion. I liked the fast pace, the writing, and the way the author dangled the red herrings. I definitely plan to seek out more of O'Brien's novels.

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

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

Genre - domestic suspense, mystery thriller

Little Bones (DI Lottie Parker #10) by Patricia Gibney

Another gripping installment, the tenth, in the Detective Lottie Parker series.

A mother finds her daughter dead on the floor in front of her infant granddaughter's cot. Isabel Gallagher has been stabbed and clutches an old-style razor blade in her hand. The very same evening, Joyce Breslin, another young mother, hasn't returned to pick her child up from daycare. Then the child, 4-year-old Evan, is kidnapped from the creche. When police search Joyce's home, another razor blade is found. Lottie is sure that these cases are connected, but this is just the beginning of a very complicated investigation with a long list of suspects. No spoilers.

This was quite the story with a large cast of characters to keep straight, and a very convoluted motive that took ages for the police to analyze and solve. I do like Lottie, she's a mature woman, widowed, with older children, who is trying to keep her personal life afloat in the midst of the chaos of an intense job at the Ragmullin garda station. Her romance with Boyd takes a backseat with all that is going on but is Lottie ever going to find a little bit of happiness and peace? Lots of drama at the police station between the detectives as well. I've read all the previous books in this series and suggest any new reader do the same as the backstory is quite interesting.

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

This is the 10th book in a series that should be read, from the beginning, in order.

Genre - Irish crime thriller, police procedural

Where No One Should Live by Sandra Cavallo Miller

 I have to admit, I am a total addict for books by this author. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one and urge you, if you like a medical thriller, to get started on these.

This outing introduces a new character, Dr. Maya Summer, who works at Arizona Public Health, and has a side gig at a local family medicine clinic so she can keep up her clinical skills. She's concerned with all matters affecting the local citizenry, including helmet laws, mosquitos, swimming pool contamination, and other infections issues that might bring loss of life or limb. Although she's currently involved with a cardiologist, she's drawn to one of the physicians at the clinic, Dr. Alex Reddish. So a little mix of medicine and romance never hurt anyone!

I love her character -- she's physically damaged from a long ago accident, but is smart and empathetic to both people and animals. There's a bit of a mystery in this one involving tainted consumables that are making the clinic staff ill -- who is doing it, and why? The gist of the novel, however, is the day-to-day practice of medicine. I enjoyed the patient interactions, the health problems, the public safety issues, the asides about obscure disease, and the interplay between the health care practitioners.

If you enjoy stories about medicine along with interesting characters, a bit of romance, and the lovely, HOT, Arizona setting, you will love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nevada Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I can't wait for another featuring this character.

This is a standalone but I hope it is the first of a new series.

Genre - medical thriller/mystery

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

 Tense and suspenseful, this thriller hits all the high points for a thoroughly satisfying read.

It's finally summer and Tallulah Murray and her live-in boyfriend, Zach, are out at the local pub for an evening of celebrating after a long school year for Tallulah and to relax after the daily grind of caring for their new baby. Tallulah's mom, Kim, is watching baby Noah and knows that Zach has something planned to top off the night. She waits for them to return but they never come home.

Sophie Beck and her boyfriend have just moved to Maypole House in Surrey Hills as he is taking the job of head teacher there. She's a novelist, writes cozy mysteries, and hopes this change of scenery won't be so bad though she misses London already. Soon after their arrival, she finds a strange sign on the back gate fence and follows the instruction to dig where she discovers a ring box. Of course, the nosy writer has to find out why she got the message and what it all means.

What happened to Tallulah and Zach that night? No spoilers.

I was glued to the pages trying to guess what was going to happen next and to find the answers to the mystery. The writing is excellent and the multiple points of view reels you in and keeps you hooked to the story. Even though I was able to predict with some accuracy what had happened, the big reveal and the conclusion were both worth waiting for. Although not really a main character, I felt drawn to the pain that Kim was experiencing and liked her best. Enjoy!

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

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

Genre - suspense thriller 

A Lesson in Murder (Lady Eleanor Swift #7) by Verity Bright

 Light-hearted cozy English mystery series set in the 1920s never disappoints.

Lady Eleanor Swift is off to be the guest speaker at her old boarding school in this 7th installment. St. Mary's doesn't hold a lot of good memories for her as she attended soon after the disappearance of her parents when she was 9 years old. Unfortunately, the speech day is interrupted by an untimely death of one of Eleanor's favorite teachers. Could it be murder? She is surprised when Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon attends the scene and even more taken aback when she and Clifford are asked to stay on to do some investigating. No sooner do they start making discreet inquiries when yet another suspicious death occurs. Someone is killing teachers, but who, and what could possibly be the motive? No spoilers.

Another enjoyable quick read with some of my favorite characters. I love the banter and interaction between Clifford and Eleanor -- everyone should have such a butler. And will Eleanor and Hugh finally, ever, take their relationship to the next level? Can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. And, incidentally, it is best to read this series from the beginning to fully appreciate it.

This is the 7th in a series that should be read, from the beginning, in order.

Genre - cozy mystery

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

A truly absorbing piece of domestic fiction that examines family, marriage, and sibling relationships.

Stan and Joy Delaney seem to have it all -- fifty years of wedded bliss, a successful tennis academy that they've recently sold, and 4 grown, reasonably adjusted children. Unfortunately, retirement isn't exactly proving to be as exciting as they'd hoped and tensions build as they each reflect on their shared history and their individual disappointments. After a disastrous encounter with a young woman, Savannah, who shows up on their doorstep one night, things come to a boil and the family is having some serious issues. When Joy later goes missing, Stan is the main suspect. The children seem to take sides and no one wants to believe that Stan could be responsible. As the days drag on, each of them takes a closer look at each other and their memories. No spoilers.

I really enjoyed this one though it took awhile for the story to really get going. Told in alternating points of view with time jumps, each of the characters comes slowly into perfect focus and the reader is left feeling that they know these people quite well. The author is an excellent writer and is really able to give these characters the depth and range to elicit our sympathy and frustrations. Set in Australia, the story comes alive on the pages and the mystery of Joy's disappearance begs to be solved. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

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

Genre - contemporary domestic fiction

Mastermind (Theo Cray and Jessica Blackwood #1) by Andrew Mayne

After a blackout hits Manhattan, FBI Special Agent Jessica Blackwood is tasked with finding and rescuing Dr. Theo Cray. She locates and retrieves him from a prison in Myanmar and gets him out using some forged documents and a bit of plane stealing. They join forces in order to figure out what dastardly plan the mastermind Michael Haywood has set in motion this time. Dealing with government interagency squabbles and territoriality, Jessica and Theo, a computational biologist, must use every type of intelligence trick in the book to outmaneuver The Warlock. NO SPOILERS.

This reads like a made-for-TV movie or James Bond pilot. Both of these characters have been featured in other series, but this is my first exposure to either of them so had to hit the ground running without any backstory. The narrative fills in the important gaps and I don't feel that I need to go catch up to appreciate this first installment. Jessica is described in the stereotypical female FBI Agent manner, but Theo was definitely a different breed with his analytic mind and moral compass. The pair works so well together, but oh no, save us from a romance between them!

The plot is a typical "save the world" trope with the heroes managing to avert world disaster with some outlandish tricks and other mind games. I enjoyed Theo's non sequiturs and the humorous bantering between the dynamic duo. The science was interesting, if a bit unbelievable, and the whole story was entertaining. I will look forward to another book in this series.

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

This is the first in a new series though each character has been featured in their own stories previously.

Genre - technothriller

Bring her Home (Boyle & Keneally #1) by S.A. Dunphy

 This new crime thriller series has an original bent with its inclusion of Celtic history and mythology. Set in Ireland, the partnership of criminal behavioral specialist Jessie Boyle and Detective Seamus Keneally of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, brings that lore to life as they search for a missing woman.

Penelope O'Dwyer is the daughter of a former Taoiseach (prime minister of the Irish Republic) and worked in finance -- perhaps some of her work was bordering on criminal -- so one of the local gang factions might have kidnapped her. Then Jessie gets a message saying that Penny has only until Samhain until she will be killed. Joined by Terri Kehoe, a genealogist and expert in Irish history and folklore as well as being a tech wizard, the trio learns that a serial killer has been operating in the Sligo/Leitrim area for years and that the murders might be related to the myth of Balor - the fire demon or the Celtic equivalent of Satan. What have they all got themselves into with this case? NO SPOILERS.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel with its setting, rich historical references, and very likeable characters. Though Jessie has experienced a recent tragedy, she focuses her attention and energy on the case and develops a great relationship with her two new partners. The writing was good and the story was clever. I am looking forward to reading the next installment.

Note - original title was Dancing with the Dead.

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

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - crime thriller

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

 "...we all have our monstrous moments..."

A young man, Daniel Sutherland, is found dead on his derelict houseboat. The mystery in this slow burner of a crime thriller focuses on those who may have had a reason to kill him. Although populated by some really nasty and unlikable characters, the novel dangles the suspects with plenty of reasons to want to murder him.

Written in various points of view, there is a story from each of them. Bitter, resentful, angry, damaged, and vengeful, the narrative sometimes feels like it skipping all over the place as their motivations become more clear. Who stabbed Daniel?

I ended up liking this one well enough as it is basically saved by the conclusion but I can't say it is an exciting or engrossing read. Unreliable narrators have become a common trope, and I personally prefer a straightforward story with at least one character I can relate to. This took me longer than usual to finish and though I had really anticipated the read, I was left feeling a bit of let down.

I've read this author's two previous novels and was hoping for the thrill I experienced when I first read THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, but it didn't get to that level. Thank you to Riverhead Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - mystery thriller

You Can Run by Karen Cleveland

"Losing everything changes you."

Jill Bailey, married to Drew, mother of two young children, is a CIA analyst who is responsible for vetting new intel sources. The new recruit, Falcon, is set to become a prize catch for the agency as he has information about Syria's plan to use anthrax as a bio weapon. Before she can do her due diligence and pass him up the chain, she gets a phone call at work. Someone has kidnapped her son and they are asking her to betray her country by doing just this one "small" thing. She's desperate and she does it.

Alex Charles is a reporter for the Washington Post and gets an anonymous tip that she can use to catapult her career with a Pulitzer if she can run it down. Her search leads her to Jill and they begin to investigate the claims and find the truth. NO SPOILERS.

This was another fast-paced espionage thriller from an author whose previous books thoroughly hooked me. Karen Cleveland writes about what she knows as she spent 8 years working for the CIA and it shows. Told in alternating points of view between Jill and Alex, the characters come alive and this becomes more than a spy story. Two determined women who have a lot to lose but who love their country and feel a deep responsibility to find those responsible for this conspiracy. Another great conclusion leaves the door open for another book, perhaps a sequel. This, however, is a standalone and you don't need to have read the other two books.

All three of these novels beg to be adapted into miniseries and I am still waiting for Need to Know to go into production. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. 

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

Genre - espionage thriller, family, CIA

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens

 Based on real events that occurred on the Highway of Tears in Northern British Columbia, this thriller focuses on teen-aged girls who have disappeared from the fictional town of Cold Creek. Some of the bodies were found but most of the cases have never been solved and no one held accountable.

Hailey McBride lives in Cold Creek. An orphan, she now stays with her aunt who is married to a local police sergeant. Although she's 17, she's kept on a very tight leash under the tight control of these relatives. Chaffing under the bullying, she runs away to the mountains and a cabin hidden deep in the woods comfortable knowing that she was trained by her father in survival and resourcefulness in the wilderness. Everything thinks she was a victim of the notorious highway killer who had already murdered another young woman, Amber Chevalier, earlier that  year. Months pass and Amber's sister, Beth, arrives in Cold Creek searching for answers and ends up herself in harm's way. NO SPOILERS.

This started out well, but eventually I just had to ask how these two girls could survive so much constant injury and peril. The story didn't focus on bringing the killer to justice as much as it meandered around taking forever to get to the big reveal. Out of nowhere. There's even time for romance, drinking, drugs, camping in the woods, living in the car, and motocross in between all the harrowing situations that Hailey and Beth get themselves caught up in. I was disappointed with the way things wrapped up and don't feel that I got the answers in a payoff that made the read worthwhile.  The Epilogue sort of made me shake my head and sort of sealed the 3 stars rating. Nope.

I've read all but one of this author's previous books, and nothing has matched my appreciation for her first book, "Still Missing" but you may find this more appealing than I did. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

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

Genre - crime thriller

The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong

A lovely, sentimental and poignant historical fiction about a nurse who gives up everything for the sake of a premature infant.

Told in alternating points of view between Nurse Althea Anderson in New York City, 1926, and Stella Wright, a young married teacher in Poughkeepsie, 1950. The story starts as Althea makes the decision to take a preemie to Luna Park, Coney Island, to be treated by a doctor and his staff who are using incubators and controversial treatments to save lives. In reality, Althea has kidnapped the baby girl whose parents think that she died shortly after birth. That choice changes the entire course of Althea's life.

Stella, whose mother recently died, is newly married to Jack and working as a teacher of children with special needs in an era when they are forced into a damp basement and given only rudimentary materials and minimal effort to educate. When Stella is forced to quit her job, she knows she needs to face the loss of her mother and returns to her childhood home to go through her mother's belongings. Then she finds some odd material in her mother's special memory box. The questions come and Stella must confront everything she thought she knew about herself and her mother.  NO SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this debut and could relate to both of the characters as they try to navigate a world where women have no voice and have to claw their way out of subjugation in all the big and small ways. The choices Althea made were by no means the right ones even though she felt like she had to do what she did. Sure, the ends may or may not justify the means in utopia, but legally and morally there are some challenges. I found the history of the Coney Island incubators very interesting as I had never heard about that before. I like to think that education, medicine, and nursing have advanced in the treatment of exceptional children, but I know that many who work in health care and special needs education still have to grapple with negative perceptions about the work they do.

Definitely this was a story about sacrifice and motherhood and Althea represents the extreme of that love in action. Would any of you make those same commitments -- give up everything for a child that was not even biologically yours?  

This would make a great choice for a book club and I'd like to thank NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

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

Genre - historical fiction dual timeline 1926 and 1950

 

Reclaimed by Madeleine Roux

 Futuristic dystopian science fiction starts off with an excellent premise but unlikable characters, predictable outcomes, and the usual tropes made it a disappointment after all.

Want to get rid of some nasty memories? If you're lucky, you might be selected for an experimental memory erasing technology on Ganymede. The three who arrive to get the special treatment have trauma they want to forget. Senna, Zurri, and Han meet the brilliant founder and developer when they journey to the isolated, icy outpost to begin their sessions. Paxton Dunn talks a good game and his staff attempts to meet expectations while everything starts to fall apart almost immediately.

The first half of the book, told in alternating points of view, was decent world building but then the narrative falls into the typical realization and rebellion pattern familiar to readers. The Sci-Fi elements regarding black holes, etc. were a bit out there and I found the scenario way too difficult to buy into even when trying to suspend disbelief. Since I didn't like any of the characters, I really didn't care much or worry that all wasn't going to turn out OK. I love good science fiction that contains references to colonization of other planets and cutting edge tech, but this fell flat way too soon. The bad guy is a total stereotype and the rest of the characters one dimensional. Oh well. Honestly, it read more like YA/teen fiction than adult fare.

Thank you to NetGalley and  Berkley Publishing Group, Ace for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - futuristic, dystopian science fiction/fantasy -- reads like YA

The Elimination Threat (The Extinction Agenda #3) by Michael Laurence

 Wow, another terrific installment in this techno thriller series featuring an unusual team of FBI agents and their friends going after the worst villains humanity has on tap — those intent on the destruction of the world and the annihilation of order. All for money and power. The Thirteen are jockeying for position...

Do you like a fast paced novel with lots of action, shadowy conspiracies focusing on everything from drug cartels to the Federal Reserve Bank and the extremely powerful businessmen owning access to natural gas and oil reserves? Included are lots of gory and grisly murders, new and dangerous weapons, and a cult focused on world dominion. If so -- stop now -- because you must start at the beginning of this story for this one to have the best impact.

The characters are the same from book one: FBI Special Agents James Mason and Jessica Layne, a computer hacker with international connections, Gunnar Backstrom, and and old buddy, Ramses Donovan, who is extremely wealthy and has a way to provide what is needed at just the right time. Yes, this crew manages *gasp* to save the world each and every time, but the ride is a lot of fun so just suspend your disbelief and enjoy. There's definitely more to come...

Just a side note here: lots of detail about financial systems and the making of different types of nuclear material for weapons and power so, if that technical stuff doesn't interest you, skip on ahead to the team racing around the USA to track their current nemesis, the Dragon.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I can't wait for the next installment -- what a great miniseries this would make -- Netflix?

This is the third in a series and it definitely needs to be read, from the beginning, in order.

Genre - technothriller, shadowy conspiracies, world dominion

The Witness by John Ryder

 The nonstop action sequences  and fast pace of the narrative aren't enough to overcome the distaste I felt for the main characters in this standalone crime thriller.

A wealthy mother hires Kyle Roche to track and protect her daughter who's been secreted away under the Witness Protection program. Apparently there is a hit team on the way to kill Savannah and mom tells him that he has less than 24 hours to locate and make her safe. Because he's a fixer and has lots of legal and illegal contacts, Kyle is able to find the girl and puts plans in motion to nullify the threat. Soon he finds, however, that there are things about Savannah that aren't making sense. His mission leads to a leak in the Witness Protection program, but more is going on here than he understands. NO SPOILERS.

I'm not sure exactly where this all started going south for me as it started out well and had a good premise. I think part of the problem was the picture of Savannah that starts to emerge and caused me to feel intense dislike. Made me question Kyle's motives in keeping her around and involving her in so many of his activities when he started to be suspicious of her. Some fixer. Between her entitled and whiny attitude while spouting her woke rhetoric and her complete disregard of Kyle's directions to ensure her safety, I just wanted to leave her behind somewhere. Since the ending is a bit of a dangle, I can only hope that things ended for her the way they should. The "fight" scenes went on forever and there's only so much inflicted damage I can handle reading about at a time so those need to be clipped.

I know this author has written a previous series that I haven't read, but I don't imagine I'll be reading a second book to feature Kyle Roche. At least there was no romance.

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

This is ostensibly a standalone, but I would not be surprised if it turns into a series.

Genre - crime thriller, witness protection, revenge

Rabbit Hole by Mark Billingham

 I was disappointed in this standalone novel from a crime thriller writer whose Tom Thorne books I've devoured and loved.

Perhaps I just couldn't handle the story line about a woman, Alice Armitage, who is sectioned after suffering PTSD, overdoing it with drugs and drink, and just generally having a psychotic breakdown. Because she is an unreliable narrator, I had trouble believing anything that happened in the story and certainly wondered if she really was a police officer. The whole murder on the locked ward mystery thing really wasn't very thrilling or suspenseful, and I found that I couldn't care less about any of the characters or the investigation that Alice is carrying out on her own since the detectives who come don't seem to interested in what she has to say. It was a slog and slow and boring so I was relieved when I finally got the the end -- the only part of the book that was interesting: the Epilogue.

Also, another turnoff for me, sorry to say, is the British jargon and vocabulary. The pop culture references were unfamiliar, and -- have I already mentioned that none of the characters were in the least appealing or relatable? I don't like living in a world of PTSD, delusions and fragmented thoughts though I can see where this might be another reader's cup of tea. I get it, it's set on a mental health lockdown unit (I've worked there as an RN in places where there is some real behavior that would be called "crazy") but it is definitely not my preferred setting for a good suspense thriller.

So, be wary if you're looking for a typical Mark Billingham crime thriller cause this isn't it.

Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller, psych ward, murder, PTSD

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

What a wild ride --

Emily Donovan and Kristen Czarnecki have been best friends forever. They love to travel together, especially since Kristen moved to Australia and left Emily behind in Milwaukee. Let's just say their trips have been memorable, but in a way that isn't so favorable. There was that time Phnom Penh that didn't end quite like they'd hoped...but now they've met up in Chile and things have been going really well. They've enjoyed their time catching up and everything has been great between them up until the very last night. What is it with these two and the handsome backpackers they meet on their journeys?

Emily returns home, shaken up by what has happened, and is trying to get into her new relationship with Aaron Meuleman. Then, suddenly, Kristen shows up on Emily's doorstep as if conjured there by Emily's obsessive worries about whether or not Kristen will keep their secrets. Kristen will not let up and Emily feels herself being drawn even further into the lies that threaten to ruin everything and destroy any future she may have planned. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative, told from Emily's point of view examines the themes of gaslighting, manipulation, emotional blackmail, and friendship. I found the book hard to put down, wondering how this was all going to end, but must say I wasn't really thrilled with the conclusion as it had me second guessing several of my assessments about the two women. I think this story would be a great one for discussion with a book club, especially with how it challenges you to imagine what is going to happen next with the last sentence.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. This was my first book by this author, but I will make a note to look for new titles in the future.
 

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

Genre - psychological fiction, friendship drama, suspense

Gone for Good (Detective Annalisa Vega #1) by Joanna Schaffhausen

 "If you expected the devil to show his horns, you would never notice him falling into step beside you."

Detective Annalisa Vega with Chicago PD Homicide is called to the scene of a recent murder. Though hard to believe, it seems that the Lovelorn Killer has claimed this latest victim, Grace Harper, after a 20 year gap in activity. Annalisa's father, also a cop, had worked on the LK case years ago when the final victim in a spree of 7 deaths was their neighbor and the mother of Annalisa's boyfriend at the time. So many years had gone by without the Lovelorn Killer being caught, so why has he resurfaced now? Apparently an amateur sleuthing group known as the "Grave Diggers" has been trying to solve the cold case and Grace Harper was a very determined member. Had she come close to figuring out LK's identity? Annalisa, and her ex-husband, Nick Carelli, partner up to investigate. Meanwhile, more bodies drop and Annalisa's first love, Colin Duffy, comes back to Chicago after leaving when his mother was murdered.  There's a lot going on in this police procedural crime thriller. NO SPOILERS.

Although this is the first in a new series, I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them immensely. I had a few issues with this one -- most notably that I just couldn't really relate to Annalisa and all the drama surrounding her and her family -- not to mention the hard to believe aspects where her ex is her partner on a case and her old boyfriend comes back to town. Took issue with the way that Annalisa goes off alone to confront the killer (I'm sorry, it seems that all the female detectives deliberately end up near victims) and the conclusion was a bit of a stretch that sort of didn't even make sense considering all the revelations at the end. Anyway, it seemed to drag a bit here and there, but I might give the second in a series a shot as I like this genre.

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

This is the first in a new series that is best read in order.

Genre - police procedural, mystery, crime thriller

The Therapist by B.A. Paris

 Domestic drama that features an obsessed woman, Alice, trying to find out who murdered the woman who used to live in the house that Alice and Leo now occupy. Everyone in the gated community, known as The Circle, comes under her scrutiny and suspicion. The story goes that Oliver killed his wife, Nina, because of an affair. The neighbors all believe it but Alice is convinced that things aren't adding up especially when she finds that Oliver committed suicide. When she's contacted by a private investigator hired by Oliver's ailing sister, she steps up her amateur sleuthing (snooping) and finds she can trust no one in the neighborhood.

Oh wow, what a total disappointment this was as it bordered mostly on the completely ridiculous. Alice was unlikable as the protagonist and much of the narrative drones on about her banal interactions with all those people she knows. The plot seemed to go nowhere for the majority of the book and didn't really pick up until near the end when a massive twist is meant to bring the tale to a satisfying conclusion. As predictable as this was, in retrospect, the whole novel was a struggle to get through because of my feelings about Alice's emotions and activities. At several points while reading, I had to scoff out loud at how ludicrous Alice acted about Leo's transgressions when she was such a secretive liar herself. I forced myself to finish but I certainly wouldn't recommend this to my friends.

I am not sure why I picked this up because, after I looked over my previous reviews of books by this author, I have found them pretty unspectacular after "Behind Closed Doors". I think I'm done.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting access to this title for review.

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

Genre - domestic drama

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

 What a gloriously fast and fun read! Full of the nastiest characters, this one kept me guessing until the very last few pages when all was finally revealed. I read it over a couple of hours this afternoon and truly could not put it down as I just HAD to know the truth.

Secrets and lies, the basic formula for domestic suspense, abound between the pages of this book. Someone has murdered the very wealthy Fred and Sheila Merton of Brecken Hill, NY. Their three adult children -- Catherine, Dan, and Jenna -- are devastated. They'd all just seen their parents for Easter dinner. So what if things took a nasty turn that evening. Surely none of them were that desperate for their inheritance -- or were they?

There's no shortage of suspects in the murder case and the two detectives assigned to the investigation doggedly pursue all of those connected to the family. Each of the siblings has his or her own reason for the way in which they respond to the questions. What a quandary to sort. So many reasons for murder, but did one of them really do it?

This really hit the spot for me today and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had so many guesses because, honestly, any one of the many despicable people within the story could have done it. Usually, I find someone I can relate to in a drama such as this, but these people! Hope you like it as much as I did if you're looking for pure entertainment in a mystery thriller.

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

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

Genre - domestic suspense, thriller, murder, family secrets and lies

The Hive by Gregg Olsen

 3.5 stars rounded up

This suspense thriller reads like true crime with a large cast of characters, a couple of murders, and a huge mystery -- who is Marnie Spellman?

Set in the Pacific Northwest and alternating between present day and 20 years ago time shifts, the novel is narrated by most of the main characters at one time or another. The detective, Lindsay Jackman, is drawn into a murder case that has ties to Marnie Spellman and her cosmetic empire. The story behind Marnie's rise to fame and fortune is based on a story she tells about a swarm of bees that showed her the way to spiritual enlightenment and her business philosophy, "from the outside in." As Marnie becomes legendary for her special beauty products and bestselling books and CDs, she surrounds herself with helper bees, the 5 women of the inner circle, known as The Hive. Each of these women has a reason to protect Marnie as all have secrets that can't be told. Something happened at Spellman Farms and Lindsay Jackman is determined to get the truth. NO SPOILERS.

I enjoyed this quite a bit as I really like the author's writing style and how he keeps the revelations close until just the right moment for the reader to have their guesses and suspicions confirmed. I had expected more of a "cult" story with this one but it was actually not so much that as a group of women stuck together due to misguided loyalty and the need for a coverup. The very different members of The Hive had interesting backstories who fell in with Marnie and dedicated themselves to her vision -- until they didn't. The narrative was quite complex and seemed a bit convoluted getting to the crux of the matters at hand, but it all tied up neatly at the end with some of the characters getting what they deserved. Not sure that true justice could be achieved with this mess!

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

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

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural, cult, bees

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

 A fun and drama-filled "friendship story" that will keep you turning the pages just to see what will happen next!

What could be more fun than a destination wedding with friends! Rachel and her husband, Jack, along with her long-time best friend, Noah and his wife, Paige, are flying with Ali, the bride-to-be, to Nazare, Portugal for the nuptials. Ali is not the woman that any would have picked for Jack's brother, Will, but they all put on their game faces and are determined to make the most of the weekend. Their seaside villa is gorgeous, but things start going wrong almost from arrival. Under the facade of these seemingly happy, stable relationships is the seed of suspicion that keeps growing until the truth is revealed.  NO SPOILERS.

I found this an entertaining and quick read that is perfect for a pool or beach day. The gradual revelations and the typical secrets and lies scenario combine to hold interest even as the reader is probably shaking their head because it takes so long to GET IT ALL OUT.  Not sure where it was all going at first, I thought I had things figured out by the halfway point only to find out that I was wrong by the end. None of the characters was particularly likeable, and I'd say who was my favorite, but that might be a spoiler. Sometimes when surprised by a character, I'll look back to see if the foundation was laid for their later behavior or motivations -- and in this particular book, I will say I wasn't prepared. I guess people like that wear masks and are good at putting on acts. But, you know how it is -- why don't people just come out with it instead of dancing around the issues!

Have fun with this soap opera! Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - drama, domestic, relationship, friendship, infidelity

False Witness by Karin Slaughter

 This standalone crime thriller is set in Atlanta, Georgia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author attempts to weave an incredible amount of social consciousness into the narrative and thus, at times, it reads a bit like an opinion piece. Longer than most popular fiction titles at 512 pages, this book took me a lot longer than I wanted in order to finish.

Leigh Collier is railroaded into taking a case that involves defending a wealthy man accused of rape. When she finds out who he really is, she understands exactly why she has been asked to represent him. He is no stranger. Twenty years prior, Leigh and her sister, Callie, did something that they managed to cover up but now the past has come to collect. NO SPOILERS.

Although quite predictable, this novel was dark, grisly, and full of the details that might make a delicate person a bit queasy. Neither Leigh nor Callie are likeable people and readers spend far too much time in their heads as they go over, endlessly, the same old mantras. Despite the repetition and wordiness, the events in the story move along quickly until the expected conclusion. I really didn't feel the suspense or tension and no twists delivered a gotcha moment. As stated previously, the book covers a lot of topics that permeate our current state of affairs, including heroin addiction, pedophilia, and violence against women.

In her author's note, Slaughter expresses that she relates these many issues in her book in order to elicit empathy and "a deeper understanding." She ends with a quote from Katherine Anne Porter that speaks volumes about how many of us feel as we enter yet another new stage dealing with the coronavirus, hoping that the light is there at the end of the tunnel, "Now there would be time for everything."

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

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

Genre - dark thriller, themes of pedophilia, drug addiction, misogyny, violence

The Bone Code (Temperance Brennan #20) by Kathy Reichs

 Another extremely interesting installment in a long running book series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. 

If you enjoy extremely detailed medical and scientific thrillers featuring a strong, intelligent female protagonist, this is the series for you. The synopsis describes the pertinent details of the case and involves Tempe investigating a current case in Charleston and reopening an old case in Canada. Because of the dual nature of her job, she spends time in both geographic locations. Aided by her longtime partner, Andrew Ryan (former homicide cop for the SQ in Quebec), the duo share details about their activities and work together in unique ways to find the answers they need. Although the genetics and other technical descriptions are really very complex, the writing is such that the lay person can understand the crux of the situation. At first I wondered how it would all come together, but it did in a most satisfying way.

Although I’ve read several other books in this series, I’ve not been overwhelmed or felt like I missed something important by skipping some because the relevant information is presented in the narrative. I love the writing style and really want to get back to earlier books in the series as I love a good and realistic medical thriller. Coming on the heels of COVID pandemic with a vaccine now available and being widely administered, this was really timely and super scary though I hope it doesn’t fuel the conspiracy theorists any further :) 

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

This is #20 in a series but I have not read all the previous titles and still found it easy to follow.

Genre - medical thriller, forensics, science, gene manipulation, vaccines

The Lords of Time (#3 White City Trilogy) by Eva Garcia Saenz

 An excellent conclusion to a wonderful crime thriller series!

In this last book of the White City Trilogy, the characters known and loved from the previous stories reunite to solve a complicated case that has roots in an alternate timeline. The writing is excellent and the settings in both present day and in 1192 are vividly described. 

Unusual murders in Vitoria seem to mimic deaths in a novel that is being widely read in the city. The author’s identity is unknown, and Kraken begins his hunt for the killer who is using ancient methods to commit them. The investigation takes him on a journey that reveals truths about his family tree. 

Although not as gripping or as interesting as the previous two installments, I did enjoy the book. I really like the main characters and their relationships. Definitely sorry to see the series come to an end, but will look for another by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage Crime/Black Lizard for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

This is the third book in a series that needs to be read in order.

Genre - crime thriller, set in Spain

Falling by TJ Newman

 Pure escapist entertainment perfect for a summer beach read! 

A plane is enroute to JKF but there is more going on than an everyday flight. The pilot’s family has been taken hostage and Captain Bill Hoffman is given the choice of whether his family dies, or he crashes the plane. The 3 flight attendants rally to the cause of protecting the 149 souls on board. The threat is real and the hijackers have not yet made their last stand.

I’ve read two other airline disaster books recently and this was definitely the best of the lot. It was a  fast and fun and, though the ending was not unexpected, I enjoyed the ride. The author is a former airline flight attendant and does write with an insider’s viewpoint which made the story a bit more believable. The characters are really well drawn and I enjoyed how even the more minor ones really got fair play in the narrative. What I did not particularly enjoy, however, is the political message in the subtext, but I decided to raise this rating despite that and wonder why authors keep doing this.

Predictable but highly engaging, I think readers will enjoy reading this book though may have a few qualms about any next flights they have lined up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the e-book ARC to read and review. 

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

Genre - action packed suspense thriller

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

 "Be smart. Be brave. Be careful."

Charlie Jordan, a college student at Olyphant University, was none of these things the night she accepted a ride share with a total stranger on November 19, 1981. Charlie, a distraught wreck after the murder of her roommate, Maddy, was desperate to get home to her beloved grandmother in Youngstown, Ohio. The handsome young man standing at the ride board as she put up her flyer seemed the answer. Although she doesn't know Josh Baxter, Charlie packs up her dorm room, says goodbye to her boyfriend, Robbie, and hops in the car. Soon, her suspicions and paranoia creep in and Charlie -- movie obsessed with a vivid imagination -- wonders if he could be the Campus Killer. No spoilers.

This was a very quick read but I had some issues with it right from the start. As the narrative continued, I was often confused as to what was really happening, what was the movie, and what was Charlie's fugue states. Sager tries a few of the usual twisty tricks, but the rising action and the denouement were quite a stretch for my believability scale. Perhaps you will have better luck relating to this protagonist and find it less predictable than I did. I've read all of Sager's previous books, but did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped.

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

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

Genre - suspense thriller

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

 No spoilers...

This novel focuses mainly on the experiences and thoughts of one particular woman, Diana O'Toole, during the surreal period of time surrounding the initial changes in the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although the narrative didn't go anywhere that I had expected given the synopsis, I am sure that it will create an intense dialogue and would make an excellent choice for a book club. Finding myself unable to really give an analysis of the story because of possible spoilers, I do think that there were several truths that were articulated quite well by the author even though I'll admit that I really hated the ending. Isolation, quarantine, multiple losses, and the realization that most everything is not really under our control were universal experiences during the lockdowns. Changes happened. Are any of us the same person we were before this virus exploded?

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

More to come after publication.

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

Genre - realistic fiction, Covid story

The Evidence by K.L. Slater

 Domestic melodrama with a histrionic protagonist.

There's a lot going on in this novel. Part of it deals with Esme Fox and her podcast featuring Simone Fischer -- a woman who murdered her husband and has been convicted. Simone has agreed to talk to Esme about her situation and the transcripts of those interviews are the best part of this novel.

But, Esme has a handicapped son (hurt in a hit and run), is dealing with a missing sister (found beaten nearly to death and in the ICU), an estranged husband, Owen, who gets arrested -- and all other sorts of goings on that really detracted from what could have been a very interesting story.

I really tried to like this but I just couldn't stand Esme after all. I never found any empathy for her and she irritated the heck out of me. I am not a fan of lots of angsting, and Esme is a star at it. The other characters were paper thin and it was fairly clear early on which ones were the bad guys.

So -- solve the Simone Fischer situation, deal with the hit and run doer, face her marriage, get rid of her inlaws, accept her betrayals in her business -- it was just way too much. And, all I wanted to do was hear the podcasts of the Simone story.

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 - domestic drama

Safe and Sound by Philippa East

 If you died -- would people notice? Can you imagine a scenario where your body would have lain in your apartment, undiscovered, for over 10 months?  That's the situation that confronts estate agent Jennifer Arden when she's tasked with evicting the resident for nonpayment of rent. Sarah Jones is found on the couch, the radio playing, and the tiny table set for dinner.  Jenn, who suffers from anxiety disorders, can't let this go. Who was Sarah and why didn't anyone realize she was dead?

I enjoyed this but it was not a suspense thriller nor was it full of tension, action, or twists. It was a slow burner, a psychological profile of Jenn and also tantalizing glimpses into a "before" narrative that gives some explanation for Sarah. I didn't expect to like Jenn, but I did, despite the fact that she's pretty messed up. The writing was good and the story was compelling enough to keep me reading the entire book in one sitting.

Thank you to Harper 360 HQ for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - mystery, psychological drama

Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams

  This is a fast-paced, if somewhat disjointed, thriller full of action and grisly details.

Lena is determined to head to Montana and find out the truth of what happened to her twin on Hairpin Bridge. Lena doesn't believe the cop, Corporal Raymond Raycevic, as she can't imagine that Cambry would commit suicide.

I found much of this narrative to be hard to swallow and it tested my ability to suspend disbelief as Lena spends hours on the bridge talking to Ray. There are shifts in time and voice as the harrowing tale comes to light. There were a couple of twists but the outcome and conclusion were not unexpected. I found Lena very difficult to relate to and, sorry here, but I was sort of wishing for a different ending. It entertained me for a couple of hours but this story didn't wow me.

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

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

Genre - thriller, suspense

Murder at the Fair (Lady Eleanor Swift #6) by Verity Bright

 Another fun installment in this historical mystery series. Even though it's hot outside right now, everyone can still use a little cozy charm.

It's summertime, 1921, and the whole village of Little Buckford has turned out for the May Day celebrations. Lady Eleanor is the guest of honor and presides over the festivities. Little did she imagine that she would discover a dead man at the end of the raft race. Solemn Jon was the local undertaker and, though everyone thought well of him, an obituary in the next day's newspaper suggested that he was murdered. Soon, Lady Eleanor and Clifford, her butler in her amateur sleuthing adventures, are involved in an investigation. And her erstwhile beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, is none to happy about it.

I enjoy this series and have read all of them, in order, from the beginning. I always look forward to seeing what Lady Eleanor and the staff at Henley Hall get involved in next. The details about place, time, customs, etc. are so interesting as I love this era.

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

This is the 6th in a series that should be read in order.

Genre - cozy historical mystery

The Secrets of Us by Lucinda Berry

 After a compelling start, this psychological thriller quickly fell into a "roll my eyes, shake my head but power through it" narrative of melodrama.

Two women who were foster sisters lived through some bad experiences as teenagers. After they escaped, one became a family court attorney and the other married the man of her dreams. So what compelled Nichole to set her house on fire and trap her husband behind a desk in their bedroom? Krystal tries to unravel the night in question and finds that Nichole is more than seriously disturbed.

This story is told in a "then" and "now" format with Krystal taking the voice on the current situation and Nichole relating the past portions. I immediately did not care for either of the sisters and I guess I just don't deal well with the explanations and excuses for who they are as adults. I couldn't buy into the whole premise nor muster up much sympathy or concern for the pair. There's not much to be said about other characters in the book who are completely flat stereotypes.

The whole event surrounding the fire and the explanations of Nichole's descent into drug-induced madness really disappointed me because I understand this author is a psychologist. All the voices in the head stuff just pushed me beyond my ability to suspend disbelief that her psychosis hadn't rendered her institutionalized long ago. There's no suspense, there's no big twisty anything that brings this to a recommendation level. I was happy when it was over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've read a couple of this author's other books that I liked much better so I may give her next one another shot but this is one I should have missed.

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

Genre - psychological melodrama, psychotic behavior, foster sisters