Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin

"Stories...are our Achilles' heel. Our desperation for them leads us to live in a perpetual state of delusion...Stories lead us to the truth and they lead us astray, and how are we to  know the difference?"

Claire Thomas is a young adult living in New York City when an unexpected meeting finally gives her a chance to find out what happened to her older sister, Alison, who died when their family was on a vacation to Saint X in the Caribbean when Claire was 7 years old. There had always been more questions than answers and the unsolved mystery of Alison's death had stunted Claire's life. How did Alison die? Was she murdered? Two initial suspects were cleared and it was eventually ruled a tragic accident though the Thomas family believed the police investigation was completely inadequate and hampered by the fear of bad publicity for the island that relied on tourism. Will the stories she hears be the truth and what will happen if she finally knows. NO SPOILERS.

I loved the way this novel unfolded with the multiple points of view and the time shifts. Recognizing that this style might put others off, I feel that it allowed the narrative to offer the revelations in just the most tantalizing way. The descriptions and details brought the places to vivid life and kept me fully engaged. I read this more slowly than I usually do in order to completely appreciate the way that time affected the storytelling. This is not a fast-paced, action-packed thriller, but a slow burner of a drama that reflects the nature of coming of age and full of poignant emotion. The characterization was well done and I personally didn't see this as a study of race or privilege, but more the analysis of after effects of a shared tragedy. Claire wanted to know what happened to her sister so she could live in a different aftermath -- "no longer the aftermath of Alison's death."

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

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

Genre - mystery, coming of age, tragedy

The Vines by Shelley Nolden

 "It is in the power of man to make parasitic maladies disappear from the globe."

There's a 22-acre island in the East River known as North Brother Island. Uniquely situated to the
South Bronx and nearby Riker's Island, this place now contains decaying buildings and is overgrown with ivy and kudzu. From the late 1880s and until about 1963, those structures were used to house quarantine patients, GIs and their families after the world wars, and lastly, teenage heroin addicts. Closed permanently in 1963, visitors are prohibited and it has been designated as a bird sanctuary.  In this unique blend of history and fiction, one person has been on the island since she was brought to Riverside Hospital on North Brother in 1902 at the age of 18 due to a measles outbreak.

This is the story of a very unique young woman, Coraline McSorley, doomed to spend forever in isolation due to her unusual physical characteristics. Forced to submit to continuous tests and experiments performed in the name of the greater good, Cora has dealt with several generations of the same family of doctors who seek to use her to find a cure for the viruses and diseases that plague mankind. Isolated and abused, Cora's tale of betrayal and resilience is deeply affecting. NO SPOILERS.

An incredibly poignant story that reminds me a bit of the wonderful MOLOKA'I by Alan Brennert, I experienced so many different feelings as I read this today. Stunned when I got to the end and saw there was to be a sequel, I almost had to knock of a star because I like conclusions, but couldn't because I really enjoyed this. Of course I will now have to read the sequel. I spent time on google reading more about the history of this island and enjoyed several videos of the island as it looks today and illustrations of the way it was set up in the past. What a place! Home to "Typhoid Mary" for many years, this island holds so many secrets and tears, and it seemed like a really timely read considering the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently experiencing. I hope you like it as much as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and  Freiling Publishing Independent Book Publishers Association for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

Although I thought this was a standalone, it is clearly going to have a sequel. Cliffhanger ending.

Genre - historical fiction, mystery, medical

The Other Emily by Dean Koontz

 OK -- I've been a fan of Koontz since I read his first book as a teenager. Nobody matches him for verbosity, but his prose always captures me and keeps me hooked on whatever crazy story he is telling. To be sure, you need the ability to suspend disbelief as you enter his world, but it is always a fun ride and this was no exception. Enjoy!

David Thorne, an author of some renown, hasn't really gotten over his first love, Emily Carlino, since she vanished from a dark, deserted California highway over 10 years ago. Thought to be one of the victims of a serial killer, Thorne visits the prisoner at Folsom to find out if that is true. His repeated treks to the penitentiary provide no answers and there's no body for Thorne to bury. Then, he's minding his own business at his favorite restaurant at Newport Beach when he sees her. Only her name is Maddison Sutton. She looks and acts just like his Emily and Thorne falls down the rabbit hole. NO SPOILERS.

This was fast and entertaining and I read it over a couple of hours today. Koontz never lets me down even though his tales are incredibly fantastical and defy any sort of groundwork in reality as I know it. Who doesn't need a little escapism about now?

Borrowed this from a friend and happy to recommend. 

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

Genre - suspense, supernatural futuristic, thriller

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

 "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn't exist."

Reverend Jack Brooks, single mum to 15-year-old Flo, is asked to serve as an interim vicar in Chapel Croft after an event at her Nottingham church leaves her reputation in doubt. Jack (really?? why??) and Flo arrive in the small village and move into the worn cottage next to the old church. The church has a history of being the site where 5 Protestant martyrs were burned during Queen Mary's purge  in 1538. Two of those victims were young girls. Known as the Sussex Martyrs, the town is proud of this heritage and host a ceremony every year to commemorate the "Burning Girls" as twig dolls are tossed into a fire. As creepy as that is, there is also another strange story because 2 teenage girls disappeared over 30 years ago and were never heard from again. In addition, Jack's appointment to this post is the result of the previous vicar committing suicide in the church. So, Jack and Flo have a very awkward introduction to the village but they start meeting the townspeople and begin to settle in. Almost immediately weird things start happening and the secrets and lies are eventually revealed. NO SPOILERS.

I read this in a couple of hours today and I thought, from reading other reviews, that I would like it much more than I did. I had a very hard time relating to any of the characters and the whole plot eventually seemed a bit over the top. I kept waiting for tension and suspense, a gothic menace, some sort of supernatural event, an exorcism -- something to take this to the next level. But, I was disappointed and the themes I was expecting didn't play out. I've read a couple of other titles by this author and I usually like her writing style, so I will give another chance to a future book.

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

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

Genre - mystery, thriller

The Water Rituals (White City #2) by Eva Garcia Saenz

 "This is where your hunt ends and mine begins."

Unai “Kraken” Lopez de Ayala barely survived his encounter with a serial killer in the first book of this trilogy. As this second installment opens, Unai is on leave from his job as a profiler in the Criminal Investigation Unit of Vitoria's police department. As he recovers from Broca's aphasia after the bullet to his head (he can't speak) he is stunned when his boss and lover, Deputy Superintendent Alba Díaz de Salvatierra, tells him that she is pregnant. Their discussion is interrupted when Unai gets a message from his partner, Inpector Estibaliz Gauna. A body has been found that shows signs of a ritual murder and is identified as being a woman Unai was involved with during a summer camp when he was 16 years old. He's drawn into the investigation as yet another victim is found who is killed in a similar way. Unai knows that these deaths are related to what happened at the summer camp and he and Esti need to find this villain before it happens again. He's especially worried because the victims were expectant parents and, if he is the father of Alba's baby, he may well the killer's next target. NO SPOILERS.

Oh wow - there is so much going on in this book and it's 480 pages of nonstop guessing as the narrative flips back and forth in time and the story plays out. I loved the first book (and the Netflix series) so much that I took my time and savored it. I love the setting, the descriptions, the characters, and the intricate plotting that kept me glued to the pages and immersed in the White City world. The historical and archeological details are a huge part of this thriller and provide such and interesting background to the events that transpire. The relationships between the characters are explored and thus they are multidimensional and compelling. I am so looking forward to the third and final book in this trilogy and hope to be reading it soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage/Black Lizard for this e-book ARC to read and review. Very highly recommended for all crime thriller fans. 

This is the second book in the trilogy so READ #1 FIRST.

Genre - crime thriller, Spain

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

 I've read every book written by this author and he's usually got a surprise or two tucked within the pages of his mystery/thrillers. This was no exception, but it will require a huge suspension of disbelief at the unbelievable twisted turn the novel takes after a very slow build in the first half.

Abigail Baskin's wedding to the very wealthy Bruce Lamb is in three weeks, and she heads off to her bachelorette weekend with friends to a lovely winery that her fiance has paid for. While there, she gets drunk (!), flirts with a stranger she meets on the patio, and ends up sleeping with him. As she hads back to begin her life of luxury with Bruce, she puts the one-night stand out of her mind, rationalizing it, and determined never to let Bruce know that she was having a bit of cold feet about the upcoming marriage. After a lovely wedding, the bride and groom head off to the honeymoon that Bruce has carefully planned -- the remote and secluded Heart Pond Island, accessible by plane and off the coast of Maine. The honeymoon starts off well, but then Abigail notices that Bruce is just a little too familiar with the place and that she is one of only a handful of women there with the rest of the guests and staff being male. Then, suddenly, that one-night-stand appears on the island begging to speak with her, insisting that they share a connection, and threatening to tell Bruce about what happened at the California winery. Abigail is freaked out and very worried. NO SPOILERS.

I probably would have liked this better if I'd found one shred of sympathy and care for Abigail. She was a complete twit and that made it very difficult to buy into the antics she gets up to later in the story. In short, there was no one to root for and my jaw dropped when I saw where the plot was going. So, a disappointing read but probably more-so since I had such high expectations going in and had save this for a long time to read closer to publication date.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've not given up on Peter Swanson, and hope this was just the wrong one for me at this time. 

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

Genre - mystery/thriller

Beneath Blackwater River (Kay Sharp #2) by Leslie Wolfe

 What a fast and fun crime thriller, the second in a series, an excellent followup to the first installment.

Dr. Kay Sharp, formerly of the San Francisco FBI field office, now resides in her hometown of Mount Chester and is working for the Franklin County Sheriff's Department as a detective. She and her new partner, Deputy Elliot Young, are called to attend the discovery of a body behind the falls at Blackwater River. The 17-year-old has been left with her throat cut and wears an unusual locket on her neck. DNA identifies the murdered victim as Rose Harrelson -- the interesting bit being that she had been reported as kidnapped 14 years ago. Of course this sends up red flags to the detectives and soon there is more drama when the press publishes the story only to find out that they have misidentified the dead girl and everyone knows her as Alyssa Caldwell, the only daughter of a rich local family and heir to the Caldwell Farms fortune. Of course Kay is not satisfied that the scientific analysis was an error and she beings to investigate the kidnapping case that was never solved. Meanwhile, a runaway has found her way to Mount Chester by various means and is held captive in an old house by a vicious psychopath. There's a lot going on in this book and it has quite a few twists and turns that made it a very compelling read.

I must say that I liked this much more than the first book and I sat, glued to the pages, until I reached the dramatic conclusion. The revelations weren't entirely unexpected as I am a very good guesser having read so many books of this type, but I really enjoyed the writing and the way that the author dangled the red herrings and the details giving me the clues I needed. The narrative is full of action and drama and it was very hard to put down until the end. I was gratified that the story didn't contain a lot of romance though it is definitely imminent. I like both Kay and Elliot as characters and even more since I'm getting to "know" them. I look forward to the next book in this series and am only sorry that it will likely be a long wait having been spoiled by reading the first and second consecutively.

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

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

Genre - crime thriller

The Girl from Silent Lake (Kay Sharp #1) by Leslie Wolfe

 Dr. Kay Sharp, a profiler with the FBI for 8 years in the San Francisco regional office, is called home to Mount Chester when her younger brother, Jacob, is put in prison for assaulting a man in a bar. Kay hasn't been home for more than 10 years, but she needs to look after the family home and see what she can do about getting Jacob released. Although Kay's childhood was traumatic in some ways, she's very attached to her brother and feels responsible for him.  Once back in the small town where she grew up, Kay is immediately invited into a current case involving several dead and missing women and children. Her liaison is Detective Elliot Young with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and she joins him as they begin the investigation into the cases of Silent Lake. When buried bodies are found demonstrating interesting ritualistic components, they know they are hunting a serial killer. The villain is very clever and is always one step ahead. Can Kay and Elliot find the latest victim in time and will they stop this psychopath's twisted plans? NO SPOILERS.

This is the first in a new series by this author and it has all the typical elements of the crime thriller genre, including my least favorite trope -- the killer sets his sights on the female protagonist as the ultimate prey and they have the inevitable confrontation where she is in his clutches. The plot was predictable and though well-written, I didn't find the twists and turns or suspense that was advertised. There's a bit of detailed description about the abuse the captured women suffer but it's not too graphic. Of course the female protagonist has issues from her past and secrets to keep but I sense a romantic element coming in future installments. I'll find out shortly as I am intrigued enough to read the second book right away.

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

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - crime thriller, FBI agent profiler, serial killer

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

 An entertaining historical fiction debut that is told by narrators in two different time periods.

At the center of this story is a hidden apothecary shop. Secreted behind a false wall and accessible only through a dark alley, this special place served the women of London -- women who had been ill-used or betrayed by men. For the owner would not sell any tinctures, potions, or concoctions to someone who intended to harm another woman. Each transaction was recorded in the apothecary's register to serve as an acknowledgment. The shop had operated out of this back alley for years until one day when it suddenly closed and everything was left behind, untouched, for over 200 years.

1791 London, the current shop proprietress, Nella, has mixed a special poison ordered by a patron who left a letter in the secret barrel outside of the hidden room. At the appropriate hour, someone arrives to collect it but Nella is surprised to find a 12-year-old girl, Eliza Fanning, picking it up for the woman who has requested to be rid of her husband. Eliza and Nella form an unusual relationship and spend some time together. Unwittingly, Eliza makes a mistake that jeopardizes Nella's entire operation.

In the alternate time period, it is current day when Caroline Parcewell comes to London for what was meant to be a 10-year-anniversary celebration. She is alone because she had just discovered that her husband was having an affair and left him behind at home. While out mudlarking on her first day there, she finds an ancient apothecary vial on the banks of the river Thames at low tide.  Since she always was interested in artifacts and history, she decides to do some historical research and stumbles upon an old newspaper article that mentions the "apothecary murders" that had occurred in the 1700s.

Although the premise really enticed me, the actual story and the way it was told sort of disappointed. I was much more invested in the 1791 time period and the adventures of Nella and Eliza than I was in the Caroline portion of the novel. I wanted to know more about the actual apothecary and its customers while Caroline's amateur historical searching and the drama surrounding her crumbling marriage wasn't that appealing. The serendipity and coincidence of most of Caroline's discoveries did require a bit of suspension of disbelief. The conclusion left me a bit confused with unanswered questions though the author attempted a tidy wrap up.

Overall it was a quick and enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - historical fiction

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald

 After enduring a series of childhood traumas, Dr. Emma Sweeney now works as a family physician at a local clinic and is married to Detective Nate Sweeney, a detective in Skamania, a small town outside of Seattle, Washington. Their marriage is a happy one and they have a beautiful 5-year-old son named Josh. And then it all falls apart when Josh is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and needs a very special experimental treatment that Emma and Nate can't afford. While Nate is investigating several drug overdose deaths, Emma decides that she is going to get the money the only way she knows how. She will write prescriptions for opioids and sell them to dealers. Once Emma steps onto this slippery slope, she slides down at an accelerating pace that will involve her in secrets, lies, and murder. But she is doing it all for the sake of saving Josh. NO SPOILERS.

Alas, what a disappointment. In order to suspend disbelief enough to buy into this thriller, one has to like the characters. I couldn't get there despite being told constantly what a good person Emma was and how desperately she loved her son. Do the ends justify the means when involving trafficking in deadly drugs? I found myself increasingly frustrated with Emma and her associations and activities. I also didn't really want to finish but did read to the unsatisfying conclusion anyway. Yes, there is a horrible problem with opioids. Yes, people still need them for intractable pain despite how highly addictive they are. I don't know what the answer is, but Emma didn't solve the problem, she became part of it. Rationalizing that she loved her son so much as the reason for her behavior didn't work for me nor did hearing about that every second sentence (all parents would be desperate in a situation like this - -we know). Anyway, that's how I felt while reading -- just too many irritations about the characters that prevented me from accepting the storyline.

I usually like books with any sort of medical aspect. As an RN and legal nurse consultant, I'm quite aware of the crisis and epidemic related to Oxycontin and fentanyl and I'm not sure that the steps being taken to combat the intense danger are going to ameliorate the many issues. Becoming part of criminal and illegal activity to further your own interests, however, is not the answer. And don't many dealers become their own customers? Definitely people are driven to extremes when they want to save their child and can't afford the expensive or experimental treatments that mean the difference between life and death, but I still can't accept how things worked out for Emma in the end.

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

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

Genre - crime thriller, domestic drama

False Light by Eric Dezenhall

"False light is a [type of] privacy tort that protects people from offensive and false facts stated about them to the public." It's a way for a person to stop character assassination and help restore reputation after particularly inflammatory and inaccurate statements have been made public. Although similar to the charge of defamation, there are some legal differences that make journalistic integrity of paramount importance when breaking a story. This law is extremely important to all of us in this day and age as social media has wreaked havoc and ruined lives through innuendo, speculation, and outright lies. The media is corrupt -- we all know it -- and we suffer each day not knowing how to separate truth from fabrication.

This novel is an amazing social commentary that focuses on a particular and unusual protagonist who is called upon to set a wrong, right. Sanford (Fuse) Petty is a middle-aged journalist who has been working for "Capitol Incursion" for years until he's suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation brought about by a colleague making some baseless accusations about him because of a story he was digging into. He's an anachronism, anti-technology, and definitely a Don Quixote type who has been married forever to a woman he met in junior high and they have a teen-aged daughter.  When his best friend, Kurt Rossiter, calls him for help after his young adult daughter, Samantha, says she was sexually assaulted by a famous man for whom she interned last summer, Fuse kicks into action using all the tools and sources he can find to extract vengeance. The target is Pacho Craig, the star and owner of MyStream - a virtual news network that engages in confrontational blast journalism popular with millennials. "Just understand one thing: perfect vengeance is when the target has no idea who did it to him." What a devious scheme set in motion. NO SPOILERS.

This book was completely unputdownable and I read it over a couple of hours today. To say it is timely is an understatement as it deals with so many current issues including the #metoo movement and an increasing distrust of the news media. The main character is so complex -- he has a way with words, he's witty, sardonic, and so clever. And funny. The interactions Fuse has with the other characters in the narrative show that yes, he's flawed, but he's definitely someone worthy of respect and admiration. The depth of characterization within the pages makes this work stand out as so many issues and situations arise that allow the reader to measure the inherent truth of each person's mettle and motivations. It's alarming to know that the "US has no real laws that prohibit biased and inaccurate reporting."

Just read it. Come away with a new understanding of how to look at what you see and hear from the media. Open your eyes and realize that there is bias and that no one is held accountable. This is definitely a 4.5 star read and worthy of a film adaptation. The author is one I plan to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend.

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

Genre - thriller, literary, fiction

Mystery by the Sea (Lady Eleanor Swift #5) by Verity Bright

Lady Eleanor Swift, her butler and partner in crime-solving, Clifford, and the Henley Hall staff are headed to Brighton to enjoy her 30th birthday celebration along with a much deserved holiday. Upon arrival at the Grand Hotel where Eleanor is meant to stay, they find the police carrying out a dead body on a stretcher. When the coverlet falls away, Lady Eleanor is shocked to see the face of her dead husband! The first incongruity is that Hilary Montgomery Eden died 6 years ago after abandoning Ellie shortly after their whirlwind courtship and wedding. The second mystery is to find out who murdered him. With the Grand almost deserted in the off season, Eleanor and Clifford know that the killer must be among the staff and guests of the beautiful seaside hotel. While the ladies on staff enjoy their vacation entertainment, Eleanor and Clifford start their investigation. Eleanor has unresolved issues surrounding her relationship with Hilary and she wants to find those answers along with the homicide. NO SPOILERS.

How I love these characters and am always happy to return to their stories having read this series from the beginning. I love the interaction that Eleanor has with Clifford and her staff as well as her personality and determination. The setting is Brighton, 1921, and I really enjoy all the historical detail and description the author provides as a backdrop to the plot and story line. The narrative provides plenty of red herrings for suspects and the revelations were quite surprising at the end.  This kept me guessing and was great entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I can't wait for the next installment. 

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

Genre - cozy mystery, historical

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

 What a fun debut that took me by surprise after a sort of slow start that built to a wild climax and a fitting conclusion.

Florence Darrow, an editorial assistant at Forrester Books, isn't living the life she imagined. She'd always thought of herself as eventually becoming a famous author, but her job in New York hasn't opened up the opportunities she'd expected. When she makes a series of stupid decisions that result in her termination at Forrester Books, she's thrilled when offered a position with the famous Maud Dixon. Maud Dixon is a pseudonym for the author of the bestseller, MISSISSIPPI FOXTROT, and Florence is hired to be her assistant as she writes her second book. Florence, under a strict confidentiality agreement, travels to meet Helen Wilcox and take up the position at Helen's secluded home in Cairo in upstate New York. The only other person who  knows Maud Dixon's real identity is her editor, Greta Frost, and Florence will be taking over the correspondence with her and helping Helen with research. The two women get along well and Florence sees Helen as a mentor and guide, hoping that she will be inspired and actually start work on her own novel. Helen soon proposes a trip to Morocco for research and Florence is excited as she experiences the novelty of foreign travel.

But then, suddenly, everything comes to an end when Florence wakes up in a Semat hopsital after an apparent car crash. Somehow the police think she is Helen Wilcox and no one has said anything about another victim. Is Helen dead? And, if so, is it possible that Florence could step up and take over the Maud Dixon name? NO SPOILERS.

The first half of the book is full of details setting the stage and to introduce the reader to the character of Florence Darrow. At 26-years-old, she is naive and directionless even while thinking she's got this tremendous potential despite having an unremarkable life trajectory to this point. Things pick up when Florence travels to Cairo, meets Helen, and starts to get to know the woman behind the famous name. Morocco is where the main action occurs and I enjoyed the descriptions of the country and this is when the pace of the narrative picks up making the book impossible to put down as the twists and turns keep coming. Although I never really felt an affinity for either Florence or Helen, I had to applaud the ending. Once I figured out what was really going on, I couldn't help but admire the deft plotting and the excellent storytelling skill. I look forward to reading other reviews of this title as I enjoyed it very much.

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

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

Genre - mystery/thriller

Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell

 There's one quote that stands out from the many others in this marvelous book about the first women doctors. "A woman must have uncommon sweetness of disposition and manners to be forgiven for possessing superior talents and acquirements" (Elizabeth Smith).  Indeed, a familiar refrain echoes that well-behaved women seldom make history but readers are really probably looking for ladies who likely adhere to societal norms of femininity rather than the opposite.

Three women emerge during the Victorian Era in the early 1800s to forge a path to give women the opportunity to become doctors in the completely male dominated practice of medicine. Driven by ambition and a desire to achieve dreams for career and independence beyond was was available for women at the time, Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Sophia Jex-Blake pursue  extremely difficult challenges in their quest.

I've always been interested in health, disease, and medicine. I grew up in a large household with my father, a family physician, and my mother, a registered nurse, very open and knowledgeable about those subjects. One of the first books I read as a child was The First Woman Doctor: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D. (Scholastic Biography) by Rachel Baker published in 1972. Although highly motivated, I did not become a doctor after all, but spent 42 years as a registered nurse and watched women become more prominent in medicine and surgery. Reading this book  gave me fits as I realized all of the obstacles that those first women doctors had to go through to get their education and to receive their MD registry. It's laughable and maddening how hard the male students, other physicians, and professors worked to keep women out of the universities and prevent them from receiving the training. How scared the men must have been to think that their whole superiority was based on nothing but the delusions of their own minds. The fact that these pioneers kept going in the face of it all is truly worth admiration and we who now benefit by having so many wonder female doctors need to be reminded of these trailblazers.

The writing was extremely detailed and the author does jump around a bit in time and place, but it was a very interesting read in the Biographies & Memoirs | History genre. I chose this to celebrate Women's History Month as I wanted to appreciate the accomplishments of these women who truly have made a difference in health care.

I'll end with these quotes to give you more to think about: "Recent research shows women may actually be better doctors. They are more likely to follow clinical guidelines and provide preventive care than their male counterparts." It's interesting that in 2017, in the US for the first time ever, there were more medical students that were female than male. "What a glorious rebuke to all those nasty Victorian nay-sayers who claimed women were entirely unfit to practice medicine."

Thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) Park Row for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

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

Genre - Biography - memoir - historical 

An Unexpected Peril (#6 Veronica Speedwell) by Deanna Raybourn

 This is one of my favorite historical fiction mystery series and I do love the main characters whom I've followed from the beginning. Veronica Speedwell, intrepid lepidopterist, and her lover colleague, the natural historian, Revelstoke (Stoker) Templeton-Vane, are always situated to be involved in the affairs of the day, helping out where needed, solving crimes, and involving themselves in serious matters. In this particular book, the pair are swept away by the desire to investigate the death of a pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene. Despite the deterrence offered by the small country of Alpenwald and its figurehead, Princess Gisela, they are determined to prove that Alice's death was not an accident. Not long into their attempts, however, Princess Gisela disappears and Veronica is pressed into service impersonating the Princess for sake of an important peace treaty. NO SPOILERS.

I love the historical details of time, 1889, and place with all the lush descriptions of food, customs, clothing and ceremony. The interaction between Veronica and Stoker is often humorous and I enjoy their relationship. The narrative moves at a fast pace and the plot is always interesting as Veronica is definitely a liberated woman and often on the outs with those who simply don't understand her spirit of adventure and her sense of self. I'm always eager to begin the next installment, and look forward to further development in the lives and times of Veronica and Stoker.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Be sure to start with the first book!

 

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

Genre - historical fiction, mystery

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

 This was an amazing thriller that opens with a great tease and twists its way to a conclusion that, while perhaps not so surprising, brings the well-written narrative to a satisfying closure.

Told in snippets of before and after through alternating points of view, this book has an unusual style that keeps you hooked to the pages making it almost impossible to put down. The premise -- four members of the family that has protested the murder conviction of their oldest son, Danny Pine, end up dead in Tulum, Mexico. Since Danny is in Fishkill Correctional, the news of their deaths is taken to the only other survivor, NYU student Matt Pine, by FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller. It turns out that, after all, the deaths were no accident and all the hubbub with the media starts again. Why was the Pine family killed in Mexico and what possible secret were they about to uncover? Why is the FBI involved? The Pine family has spent so much time trying to uncover the truth of the murder that put their Danny in prison and a true crime documentary points to the possibility that someone else was behind the crime. Matt needs to finish this crusade.

There is so much going on in this novel and I don't want to spoil it for any future reader, so I'll just urge you to pick this up and enjoy the incredible story. There were so many great characters to love or hate! A debut written under a pseudonym, this work is quite well-written and there is so much going on in a very complicated plot. I think it would make a fantastic miniseries adaptation and would love to see it brought to life.  

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

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

Genre - mystery, thriller, psychological

The Broken Ones (DI Gina Harte #8) by Carla Kovach

 This is the 8th book in the DI Gina Harte crime thriller series so don't tackle this until you've read the others. Gina is with the Cleevesford Police and this installment continues with the team that includes her sometime lover, DCI Chris Briggs. Gina has a complicated backstory that he is privy to but they can't seem to establish a real relationship for the usual reasons that include jumping to erroneous conclusions and miscommunication.

This installment starts with the discovery of a murdered girl, Amber Slater, in a park lake. Amber's neighbor in the apartment complex where they live, Lauren Sandiford, had reported her missing when she hadn't returned from a dinner meeting she had set up on a dating site called AppyDater. As they begin the investigation, question witnesses, haul in suspects, and examine scant evidence, another girl who looks very similar to Amber is attacked in the car park at a local hospital. Although Madison escapes the attempted abduction, the police are concerned about the connection between the two women and feel they are hunting for a man who has a type of woman he wants. When one of their own team disappears without a trace, Gina and her team step up the pace knowing that they must find her before it's too late. NO SPOILERS.

OK. Well, another crime thriller that evokes all the familiar tropes in this genre. There are certainly a lot of serial killers and crazy people in this area and the author dangles plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. I did think the motive for this killer was a bit thin and I found the story less than compelling. All the details involved in a police procedural described each step of the investigation although it seems that this far into the series there should be murders that don't involve dead women and serial killers. I think after awhile even the best characters wear out and it's time to move on. Maybe it's just me, tired of female detective series that all seem interchangeable with only the setting being different. Yes, I've grown with these team members, but I didn't find the same suspense or a fresh, unique case in this one. I haven't decided if I'm done with Gina Harte, but I never found the level of tension and surprise with the reveal of the perpetrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. Fans of Gina Harte will want to read this one and keep up with the series.

This is the 8th book in a series that should be read in order.

Genre - police procedural, crime thriller, female detective