Twisted Lies (DI Kim Stone #14) by Angela Marsons

 It's hard to keep a long-running series fresh and interesting, but Angela Marsons is still going strong with this 14th book featuring DI Kim Stone.

Kim Stone is quite the complicated character with all sorts of heavy backstory and an abrasive personality that has no warm and fuzzy mode. The current members of her team stationed at Halesowen CID include long-time "friends" that the reader has come to know and love through the many installments. It's always fun to catch up with them and watch their personal and professional growth as they investigate some truly awful crimes. That's why I think it would be a mistake not to read them all, in order from the beginning, before reaching for this one.

Multiple victims tortured and murdered in heinous ways with all the methods different. What do they have in common? Turns out they were all part of the witness protection scheme. Who is killing them and why?

In another parallel story, reporter Tracy Frost is digging into the past of Trisha Morley, a woman who was thought to be murdered by her husband a year ago but he has never been brought to justice. Can Tracy find information that will lead to his conviction?

The narrative features all the detail of a police procedural that we want to know including descriptions of the grisly torture. It's a solid crime thriller that won't disappoint fans.

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

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

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural

The Perfect Daghter by D.J. Palmer

 Penny Isabella Francone, 16-years-old, languishes at Edgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane while awaiting trial for the murder of her birth mother, Rachel Boyd. Believing that her adopted daughter has Dissociative Identity Disorder, Grace and her attorney, Greg Navarro, are frantically trying to get Penny acquitted by reason of insanity. They are fortunate in that a new psychiatrist at the facility, Dr. Mitchell McHugh, has willing to examine and treat Penny in hopes of finding information that will prove that Penny dd not commit the heinous crime. NO SPOILERS.

I see that I am in the minority with my rating of this novel. I had so many issues with the whole premise from the outset -- the most difficult hurdle being the fact that DID is such a rare condition and is so often misrepresented in literature and film. Though it is true that females are more likely to have the condition, I just didn't buy into the whole story as I should have. I couldn't stand Grace and honestly do not believe that she could possibly have been as involved in the whole situation as she was considering the crime and the incarceration. The book was far too long and extremely repetitive with way too much inane detail that didn't add a thing to the narrative. I guess all I can say is that it didn't work for me and I didn't enjoy it. Sorry! And that ending -- oh come on. I like a good twist now and then, but this came out of nowhere and it was totally unbelievable considering all that had gone on.

I do appreciate and thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

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

Genre - crime/psychological thriller, mental illness

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams...Live the life you've imagined."

What if you had the chance for a life do-over? Or the opportunity to make different choices or decisions that would alter the trajectory of the years. The ability to change those regrets we all have into things to do or not do. When Nora Seed attempts suicide, she goes to her own "between life and death" place -- a library -- where the books on the shelves offer that very thing. As Nora experiences the different paths not taken, she learns a most important lesson. NO SPOILERS.

This was definitely a book that I might never have read if it hadn't been chosen for my book group. I'm not really into existentialism or prone to long philosophical debates about the meaning of life or parallel universes. Much of the book felt like an extended TED talk full of inspirational quotes with the ultimate goal of helping the reader learn to be content and satisfied with themselves. Although the different "experiences" that Nora tried in order to undo her listless and boring existence and make something more of it were interesting, the conclusion was predictable. It was a sentimental and somewhat depressing story with a very self-absorbed Nora held up as an example of discontent who could be fixed with a change in perspective. I'm sure the narrative will provide much for discussion by a book club keen on introspection and self-examination.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - inspirational, fiction, philosophy

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

 "Remembrance: mine and theirs..."You remember them and now so do I."

In November, 2025, an extremely lethal virus appears in Scotland. The disease affects only those with the XY chromosomes (men) and has a 90% fatality rate. The virus spreads globally very quickly and there is no treatment.

What does a world without men look like? The narrative consists of first person stories from the women left behind to make sense of the new world. The doctors, social historians, virologists frantically trying to create a vaccine, and others whose lives have been destroyed leaving a void that can never be filled. The losses of fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and relatives change the entire meaning of life for all who survived. Of course there are shifts in politics, work, education, and the meaning of home and family. NO SPOILERS.

I was blown away by the overwhelming emotion in these pages and found it so compelling that I could not put it down. How prescient a novel, written before the current COVID-19 pandemic, to be right on target with the many ways in which humans react to this devastating disease. We are a social people, and the isolation and grief are universal reactions to an event of this magnitude (though thankfully our current pandemic is nowhere near as destructive nor is it gender specific). The stories give a glimpse of how enormous the impact would be if the world suddenly lost almost all the men. Of course there could have been many more "stories" but just thinking of the cataclysmic effects is very scary. Because of all the unanswered questions, I believe this would be a fantastic novel for a book club with so many aspects to discuss. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

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

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

Genre - futuristic, dystopian, disease, fiction

Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke

"He loses his power when we know his face."

Former social worker, Elle Castillo, now hosts a successful podcast, JUSTICE DELAYED. Her true crime investigations are popular and she has managed to solve a couple of cases. Now, her current focus is on an old, unsolved case -- The Countdown Killer (TCK) -- who murdered girls using a numerical pattern, the significance of it has never been answered. The mystery of why TCK suddenly stopped killing begs to be solved and Elle is just the person do delve into those historical crimes and bring the villain to light. NO SPOILERS.

Believe it or not, this began as a solid 4 stars for me and by the last half was barely earning the "it's OK" rating. I was so disappointed at how fast it went from good to meh. I loved the style of the podcast transcripts interspersed with the narrative as those were the most interesting aspects of the story. Unfortunately, I really didn't like Elle (why are women so often depicted as hot messes in this genre), and the plot was so predictable that I had everything figured out long before the protagonist and the police. I liked the Minnesota setting, but had to laugh at the idea of law enforcement calling Elle to be a consultant on an active police matter and involved in ongoing investigations. I know this was a debut, and I might be willing to try another book by this author, but this one just never hit the mark as a thriller and all the intended twists, turns, and surprises were signaled well in advance. Ultimately, a good premise with disappointing execution and a conclusion that was a let down. It was a quick, easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - crime thriller

The Blessed Bones (Detective Clara Jefferies #3) by Kathryn Casey

 This is the third book in a series featuring Detective Clara Jefferies. Set in Alber, Utah, this crime thriller set is unique in that Clara is a former member of the polygamous community that resides there. Elijah's People is a fundamentalist Mormon sect that rules its members and one that had ousted Clara when she ran away from her ancient husband when she was 24. She returned about 9 months earlier and is now Chief of Police. Her former family -- several sister wives, her Mothers, and many of her siblings remain ensconced in the town and have severed ties with Clara. So, in addition to her duties with the police, Clara is trying to find a way to be accepted back into her family, and also juggling a new romance.

In this story, bones have been found on a nearby mountain and are the remains of a young girl and a baby. As Clara examines old cold case records, she finds that pregnant girls have gone missing from town for years. But, the members of Elijah's People keep their secrets and no one seems to care about their missing daughters. NO SPOILERS.

I've read the previous installments and wanted to see if things were changing for Clara and they are, but at a snail's pace. As an outsider, Clara has found it difficult to do her job and has yet to fully commit to staying in Alber. She's the typical female detective protagonist and, as such, her character is stereotypical of all in this genre. The romance aspect is convenient and Clara is struggling with the developing relationship due to her past. She has a lot to work through and sometimes that is tedious. Of course she puts herself in harm's way. I haven't really bonded with her nor have I decided whether to continue the series. The details about the religion and lifestyle practiced by this sect - the polygamy, etc. - are interesting. Even so, the actual plot was quite predictable.

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

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

Genre - crime thriller, female detective, Mormon polygamous sect, Alber, Utah,

A Deadly Influence (Abby Mullen #1) by Mike Omer

 Abby Mullen, divorced mother of two, has been through a lot in her 39 years. As a child, she lived with her parents in a cult when a standoff turned deadly. As one of only 3 survivors, she had a lot to work through but turned that experience into a new talent for dealing with worst case scenarios. Then she hears from Eden Fletcher, the other girl who lived through the events surrounding the fire at the Wilcox Family compound. Eden's 8-year-old son, Nathan, has been kidnapped! The culprits are demanding 5 million dollars in ransom which Eden, as a single mother herself cannot possibly pull together. Fortunately, Eden's daughter, Gabrielle, is a popular Instagram influencer so she starts crowd sourcing the money. But wait, someone has eyes on Gabrielle -- was this all done for her? NO SPOILERS.

This is the first in a new series featuring hostage negotiator Lieutenant Abby Mullen of the NYPD. I enjoyed getting to know Abby and her family as well as some of her colleagues on the NYPD. The backstory of Abby's involvement in the cult was interesting as well as were the details of the current focus on another such group, those on the Tillman Farm. There are connections everywhere and a burgeoning romance for Abby. I'm curious enough to see where this series goes next as this ended with a bit of a cliffhanger.

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

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - crime thriller, cults, hostage negotiator

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

 "The water gives and the water takes."

The water is black and has a strange, earthy odor. The spring fed pool on the estate has a dark history and there are many rumors about its power to cure and to grant wishes. When Jackie (Jax) returns to Sparrow Crest after the drowning death of her sister, Lexie, in that very pool on her grandmother's property, she finds that the secrets are finally ready to be revealed. NO SPOILERS.

This is spooky and supernatural and quite entertaining with its dual timeline. I'm not typically a huge fan of this genre, but I enjoyed the story. The characters were interesting, if not totally likeable, and I definitely had to suspend my reality based tendencies and just go with the flow. I'm quite certain it will appeal to a certain kind of reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - gothic, mystery, thriller, supernatural

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

 In a nutshell -- this was some crazy stuff here!

I'm a sucker for mysterious disappearances and unexplained abandonment so this book offered up a premise that drew me in. A documentary filmmaker embarks on a project that she's been obsessed with for most of her life. Alice Lindstedt's maternal grandmother's entire family vanished from an old mining town over 60 years ago. The little village of Silvertjarn in Norrland had stood empty and untouched since 1959 when "all 900 residents disappeared under mysterious circumstances." Alice and 4 colleagues trek there with enough supplies to last them 6 days while they explore the area, take film, and photographs, and figure out what secrets may be revealed for their documentary. They have no idea what is about to happen to them in that place as they are the only ones to explore the area after two policeman found the only two people who were left behind on that August day in 1959-- a woman who was stoned to death and a newborn baby girl. NO SPOILERS.

Told in a Then and Now style, the narrative is engaging and immediately absorbing as the point of view shifts between Alice and her great-grandmother, Elsa. The details about what was happening in the village are revealed as Alice and her friends examine the remnants of a once thriving town left to the ravages of time and the encroachment of the surrounding forest. The atmosphere is tense and the mood is foreboding giving it all a Gothic feel without the supernatural. I read this in one sitting this afternoon and definitely enjoyed it.

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 - mystery thriller with a Gothic feel, not supernatural, not horror

By Way of Sorrow (Erin McCabe #1) by Robyn Gigl

 And, fellow readers, this is why I will always be a book addict. This legal thriller took me places that I never knew I wanted to go.

Criminal defense attorney, Erin McCabe and her law partner, Duane Swisher, are assigned an unusual case. A transgender prostitute, Sharise Barnes, has been accused of killing the son of a prominent, wealthy local man with huge political aspirations. Sharise claims self defense, but the prosecutors are intent on proving murder. The case has serious implications for Erin because she, too, is a transgender woman and she knows that this is going to be a big issue as she handles the defense. Little does she know what a hornet's nets she will provoke. NO SPOILERS.

Fact: I know nothing about transgender persons nor do I know any. This book was an eye-opener with revelations and overtones that give a completely different aspect to the basic stories in this genre. I fell in love with the character of Erin McCabe and am delighted that this is the first in a new series that will feature her. The whole legal maneuvering and the case itself is one large part of this narrative, but also the novel deals with the emotional and physical aspects of being transgender. As the two different aspects merge, the plot and forward movement of the case becomes even more compelling. I read this in a matter of hours because I could not put this down. The book forced me to examine my own personal attitudes about gender identity and the treatment of those who decide to live their lives in the manner they feel compelled to do rather than in the lines circumscribed by anatomy at birth.

This is a debut and I totally enjoyed the writing and the structure with its blend of humor and perception that makes this so much more than the run-of-the-mill legal thriller. If the idea of transgender persons makes you uncomfortable, perhaps that is the most overriding reason to read it. Keep an open mind and perhaps you will find some insight.

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

This is apparently the first in a new series.

Genre - legal thriller -- transgender

Allegation by R.G. Adams

 A young social worker, Kit Goddard, is assigned a high profile investigation into the family of a well-connected and respected man in Sandbeach, South Wales. The case involves historical sexual allegations against Matt Cooper -- in fact the incidents were said to have happened over 17 years ago. Now, Matt is married to Annie and they have 3 children -- one of whom is a several disabled daughter.  Kit is meant to decide if the children need protection or further action should it be found that evidence will take Matt to trial. Matt has been removed from the home as the interested parties perform due diligence but Kit is convinced that more is going on than the current accusations. Is Matt guilty or has an innocent man been unfairly targeted? NO SPOILERS.

The narrative was interesting and the protagonist engaging, but this story seemed to move way too slowly so it took me a long time to read. The other issue was that the plot was complicated by Kit's baggage and events that happened to her family many years prior. Having a social worker as a main character was a different tack and definitely readers will have an opinion about their role and whether the power they have to disrupt a family can be seen as overstepping or if they often don't do enough to provide the necessary protection. We all read the news so know that mistakes can be made and are often blamed on budgets and staffing and the sheer volume of incidents that require some sort of intervention. So, in the end, this novel was not about Matt Cooper per se, but was more a vignette of how a social worker interacts and works with a particular situation and carries the day through her persistence.

Some reviewers have indicated that this will be a series and I don't know if I'll continue or not. Also, am curious to find out if this author's name is a pseudonym. Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books riverrun for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This may be the first in a new series.

Genre - domestic drama, sexual abuse, social worker

Fatal Intent by Tammy Euliano

This medical thriller focuses on end-of-life issues and will likely polarize those who read it.

Dr. Kate Downey, an anesthesiologist, discovers that incapacitated patients seem to be dying at home just a few days after a minor surgical procedure. Her suspicions lead her to become involved in an amateur investigation that affects her family, friends, colleagues, and her job. NO SPOILERS.

Because the theme of this novel is so controversial, it would likely make a great choice for a book club discussion. If life is no longer worth living, if a particular loved one is a drain on resources, if there's no hope for anything other than a slow, lingering death -- who should decide when that life should end and how should it be done? It's a question that many readers may need to answer in their own personal lives, and it's a good one. The way the topic is handled, and the plot and action of this particular book, however, really left me reeling a bit. I had a very difficult time with the main character, her behavior, and the constant, convenient coincidences that allowed her to pursue the chase to solve these crimes. The romance aspect also really left me rolling my eyes. I usually love any type of novel that has a medical aspect due to my own background, but i just couldn't pull off the necessary suspension of disbelief as events spiraled to the predictable conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review.  The author certainly holds the credentials and has the experience to write a more realistic medical thriller so I'll keep an eye out for any upcoming fiction title in the genre.

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

Genre - medical thriller

Goodnight, Beautiful by Aimee Molloy

 This was a fabulously fast and fun thriller that I picked up late this afternoon and found impossible to put down. It's best if you don't read too much beforehand and just go in without any preconceived notions as to what this is really about.

Dr. Sam Statler, a psychologist, is newly married to Annie Potter when they leave New York City to move to Chestnut Hill where Sam grew up. His mother is in a nursing home and they want to be close to her as her dementia has worsened. Sam creates a lovely office in the downstairs area of the mansion and soon starts treating patients. He does not know, however, that there is a vent that transmits his patient sessions to a room upstairs where every word can be heard. Of course it's impossible not to listen in to all the juicy details.  Everything is going along great until the day that Sam goes missing. NO SPOILERS.

I really loved the twists and turns this novel took and the narrative style. It's unusual for books like this to surprise me, so imagine my delight when it did. This is excellent psychological drama and domestic suspense and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characterization was well done and the deft plotting kept me guessing as I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see how everything turned out. Great writing and this is an author whose work I look forward to reading again.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. 

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

Genre - psychological suspense, domestic thriller

The Passenger by Daniel Hurst

Looking for an easy score, two criminals pick the wrong woman.

I should have paid attention to my initial instincts but I forced myself to finish what was a predictable story with truly hideous characters. It's typical fare -- a single mom with a teenage daughter who gets in trouble but uses her wits to come out on top.

I wish I could report that this was thrilling and full of suspense, but I'd be lying. I did read it all hoping that there would be a surprise ending but, alas.  Good characters would have helped but I couldn't stand any of them so it's hard to enjoy a book when you don't care and find most of it completely unbelievable. This was not for me.

I appreciate the e-book ARC to read and review from NetGalley and Inkubator Books.

This was a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery, general fiction, meant to be thriller

Six Weeks to Live by Catherine McKenzie

 Oh my goodness! This is the kind of domestic drama that grabs your attention like a train wreck and you can't put it down until you get to the end, guessing all the way.

Jennifer Barnes is told that she has a grade 4 cancer, a primary glioblastoma (brain tumor) and has only 6 weeks to live. OK -- so you need to get past the fact that nobody in medicine gives those kinds of predictions these days and just go with the flow, suspending your disbelief and getting to the main theme of this story. Family. Children. Secrets. Lies. Jennifer is mom to 3 adult children, triplets in truth, but actually twins with a separate zygote. She has a distant relationship to them because of things that have happened in the past, most notably the fact that her husband has left her for a  younger woman and wants a divorce that Jennifer won't grant. Jennifer is convinced that her cancer is due to poisoning and she immediately suspects her estranged husband, Jake. Her daughters, Emily, Aline and Miranda, are meant to be helping her through this horrible time but they each have their own issues going on as well. As Jennifer goes through these final weeks, the past comes to the surface and all the truths are revealed. NO SPOILERS.

First, you must get past the death date business. Then, you need to get over the fact that this is a collection of really icky people. Honestly, it was hard to be empathetic with all the revelations and the difficult relationships in this family. Other than that, it was fast and fun and what a crazy story. I enjoyed it as pure entertainment and though it was hard to see the messed up family dynamics, it played out pretty much how I expected. By the end, I did recognize that Jennifer was a mess but I still felt some pity for her and her surviving daughters.

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, mystery