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