The Seventh Sun (Dan Clifford #1) by Kent Lester

 Action-packed sci-fi thriller that screams for a film adaptation.

Read this if you are interested in emerging diseases, corporate greed, and global implications of new technologies.

When an acquaintance disappears while researching extinction events, prediction scientist Dan Clifford joins Rachel Sullivan, a marine biologist, as they race to prevent worldwide annihilation by primordial  substances found in the ultimate extremes of the ocean. 

I picked this up because I have an ARC of the second in the series on my TBR to review. So glad I did as it was rife with cutting edge and realistic science, had a fast pace, and packed with interesting characters. Can't wait to start the next installment.

This is the first of two in a series.

Genre - sci fi, thriller, science, disease

Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay

 Fast-paced and totally entertaining, this thriller about organized, malevolent motors will have you devouring the pages.

It was supposed to be a day of crowning achievement for Sandra Montrose and her small public relations firm on Garrett Island. Months earlier, the islanders had agreed to accept and test the latest in autonomous driving vehicles known as the Arrival. Sandra has planned a celebration of success for the CEO  and her cohort to highlight and demonstrate the program vehicles to list of invited media. Almost immediately things go wrong. The autonomous vehicles are no longer taking orders from their passengers and have apparently collectively decided to take out all the humans. 

Even with the high body count and gory descriptions of vehicle malice, this was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've long been a fan of Barclay and I like his writing style and his characters are always unique and a bit quirky. There's a lot more I could say about this book, but I do not want to spoil it for anyone. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series. I borrowed it from a friend.

Genre = thriller, suspense, scifi 

Three Widows (DI Lottie Parker #12) by Patricia Gibney

 Complex serial killer thriller will keep you guessing.

This twelfth book in one of my favorite detective series is longer and much more complicated than previous installments. Lots of characters to keep straight and a case that has more than the usual number of grisly murders. Lottie Parker and her colleagues are also experiencing some team infighting and drama that puts everyone at odds with others.

The Ragmullin team is investigating a series of disappearances with the beaten and mutilated bodies subsequently being found in unusual spots. It seems that the deaths are connected to a group of women who have come together to support each other after becoming widows. What secrets are they hiding that has made them a target for a deranged killer? 

I enjoyed this one but it is not one of my favorites in the series. Very convoluted motive for all the murders but the red herrings kept me trying to work out who was doing all the killing. I like the main character, Lottie, but her family annoys me and please -- let the woman bathe and eat once in awhile. It's past time for Lottie to get some happiness in her personal life as well.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review. I can recommend the series and would also suggest anyone interested start from the beginning and read them in order. 

This is the 12th book in a series. Not a standalone.

Genre - mystery thriller, crime thriller, police procedural

The Guilty Girl (Detective Lottie Parker #11) by Patricia Gibney

 The eleventh in an excellent crime thriller series.

Detective Lottie Parker, a senior member of An Garda Siochana in Ragmullin (a fictional town in Ireland), has a very complicated case on her hands. A young teenage girl, Lucy McAllister, has been murdered in her home after throwing a huge unsupervised party. As the investigation begins, there is no shortage of suspects and a ton of evidence that just doesn’t make any sense. Lottie and her colleagues question all the party guests and find that there is much more going on but they can’t get answers — one girl claims she remembers nothing — was she drugged? Others claim they did not see or hear anything. Several attendees saw Lucy’s body and did not report it. What a mess. And then another young teen is found dead. Worst of all, it comes to light that Lottie’s own son, Sean, was also there that night. 

This was a fast read with many characters and a complex plot. I have always enjoyed this series, and indeed, is one of the few that I still keep up with as I like Lottie Parker. She’s a middle aged mom of three with a grandson and a crazy backstory full of all kinds of heartache and drama, but Lottie is sensible most of the time and doesn’t constantly put herself in jeopardy as she solves her cases. I like the setting and the Garda at the station have become like old friends. I will continue with the next installment.

This is the 11th in a series that should be read from the beginning, in order.

Genre - crime thriller, police procedural, Ireland, female detective

Night Shift (Jack and Laurie #13) by Robin Cook

 A fast paced medical thriller with a set of favorite characters.

Dr. Jack Stapleton and Dr. Laurie Montgomery are married with a couple of special needs kids. In addition, both are medical examiners for the state of New York, with Laurie being the chief. This long running series features the pair of doctors examining cases that are atypical and confusing. In this thirteenth installment, Jack is tasked with an autopsy that should be routine but that turns into so much more than he anticipated.  It seems there is a medical serial killer loose in the hospital and Jack is determined to find out who it is and stop them. 

I’ve read Robin Cook forever and that is saying something as I am well past middle age. I absolutely love a good medical thriller and this author usually comes through with a good case scenario that I can dissect and enjoy. Can I help it if at times I don’t want Jack and Laurie to be rescued by a last minute miracle — but sorry — they do always manage to figure out what is going on, identify the dastardly criminal, and save the day. I always love the forensic details and the medical stuff, the interesting characters, and the plots. 

Even if you haven’t kept up with the series, you can pick this one up and read as a standalone for the mystery and the intrigue alone. I do look forward to the next one by one of my favorite authors in this genre. 

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

This is the 13th in a series that is best read in order but do what you want!

Genre - medical thriller (Robin Cook is a master)

Murder in an Irish Castle (Lady Eleanor Swift #12) by Verity Bright

 A perfect cozy mystery for the holidays.

I just really enjoy this series featuring Lady Eleanor Swift, her butler and partner in crime solving, Clifford, and her bulldog, Gladstone. This particular installment, the twelfth, is set in the tiny village of Derrydee in west Ireland. It’s Christmas, 1924, and Lady Swift has decided to visit a castle there that she has recently inherited. Along the snowy road right outside the estate, Ellie and Clifford nearly run over a body in the middle of the lane. They immediately obtain aid for the man, but he dies before they find out who he was and what he was doing way out there in the country. This is just the first of the mishaps, calamities, and dangerous situations that Ellie and Clifford will confront during their Christmas holiday in Derrydee. 

As always, the plot was well developed and it was extremely nice to get a conclusion that I’ve longed to see since I started the series. I always enjoy coming home to visit these characters and find them quite entertaining and often very funny. I like the writing style and all the period details so important in any historical fiction. This is definitely a good one to curl up with on a cold winter night.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. This is one of the few series I still care to read and I can’t wait for #13.

This is #12 in a long running series that definitely should be read in order.

Genre - cozy mystery, historic circa 1920s

Hunting Time (Colter Shaw #4) by Jeffery Deaver

 Fourth in series is action packed and full of clever twists and turns.

Colter Shaw, the son of survivalists, works as a reward seeker and goes where the money leads. This time, he’s hired to find Allison Parker, a brilliant nuclear engineer, and her daughter, Hannah. They are on the run from her abusive ex-husband, John Merritt, who’s just been released early from prison. Shaw runs into a situation almost immediately — it seems that there are two hitman who are also tracking Allison. 

This was well written and kept me entertained. I like the main character, Colter Shaw, who is enigmatic and competent while also often proving to be the romantic interest of at least one woman or two. The details about Colter’s childhood training up in the mountain wilderness with his family are also interesting and educational. I like the series and definitely will continue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ebook ARC to read, review, and recommend. 

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

Genre - action packed mystery suspense thriller

Livid (Dr. Kay Scarpetta #26) by Patricia Cornwell

 Crime thriller series that continues its strong storyline and memorable characters.

I've read most all of the books featuring Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the medical examiner and forensic pathologist who has always intrigued me. The plots veered a bit off the rails for awhile, but now seem to be back on track as Scarpetta does her job and focuses on interesting cases. She's back in Virginia testifying at a murder trial in Old Town Alexandria when the sister of the judge is found dead in their old family home. Soon there's an alphabet soup of agencies probing the killing and suspicions indicate that the villain might be a terrorist with an agenda. The murder weapon is unusual...and very scary. 

Always enjoy reconnecting with Kay and her gang including husband, niece, sister, and long time partner and sidekick, Marino. The science and medical details always fascinate and keep me coming back time and again to each new installment. I really like the writing style and the wide range of topics covered.

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

This is the 26th in a long running series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Genre - mystery, crime thriller

Secrets of the Nile (Lady Emily Ashton #16) by Tasha Alexander

 An historical mystery set in parallel timelines -- 1904 and ancient Egypt circa 1500 BCE.

Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, are on a holiday to visit Lord Bertram Deeley and visit the ancient tombs and view the treasures of Egypt. Along with other family and friends, they join Lord Bertram at his residence in Luxor after cruising the Nile. On that very eve, after a magnificent meal at his home, Lord Bertram dies of cyanide poisoning. Which of those in attendance could have killed him and why. Everyone is a suspect.

In the alternate story line, a family of artisans tasked with decorating the Pharaoh's tomb experience personal betrayals. Some ancient sculptures belonging now to Lord Bertram prove to be a way to help Lady Emily connect the dots and solve the crime.

Although this is the 16th in a series that I have never read, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I love historical fiction and am particularly partial to ancient times and Egypt. I liked what I learned of the main character, Lady Emily, definitely a forward thinking woman of her time. Now I really want to go back and start this series with all of the previous installments read in order. I like a cozy mystery with period details and descriptions of everything from food to clothes to social mores. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read, review, and recommend this book. 

This is the 16th in a series that I should have read from the beginning but this worked OK as a standalone though I definitely want more backstory.

Genre  -- historical mystery, Egypt

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urguhart

 Short but intense first installment of a serial killer thriller mystery.

Dr. Wren Muller is a forensic pathologist working for the Medical Examiner's office in Louisiana. The city is plagued with a psycho murderer who is leaving some grisly scenes for the local police. The many victims have been tortured in ways that seem like medical experimentation gone wrong. Soon it is obvious to Wren that she has met the killer before. 

This was narrated from two points of view - that of the criminal and that of Wren. The story was fast and there was not much depth or history given of the main characters. The writing was a little stilted and the author had several phrases that became repetitive, especially when characters were snickering, snarling, or sniggering -- seemed really out of place. Not a fan of the writing and the ending was incomplete and abrupt thus paving the way for the next installment. Not sure if I will read it or not. The plot is predictable and there was no huge tension or suspense so I doubt I will bother as the conclusion seems obvious. Nothing new here.

Not really recommending. 

This is the first in a series.

Genre - serial killer thriller, crime

The Prisoner by B.A. Paris

 Convoluted psychological thriller that is much too improbable to be believable.

The narrative starts from the point of view of a young woman held captive in a pitch black room. Her husband is in another area of the same house and a ransom has been sent to his wealthy father. Amelie and Ned Hawthorpe have been kidnapped. By whom and why? Sure, their marriage was unusual and recent events have brought things to a breaking point, but things are just not making any sense.

Ah, why do I get sucked in to opening books like this. It was almost painful to read because the whole premise was so implausible and the plot went from one preposterous event to another. The characters were stereotypical and predictable. I did not care for any of them and, no matter how much I was meant to like Amelie, she got on my last nerve. I actually considered marking it DNF at about 25% but I forced myself to go on. I hoped that the story would eventually come together and make sense. Disappointed to report that even after all the revelations, it just required way too much of a buy in that I was not willing to afford. Also, I do not like reading about people held in captivity and the long, drawn out details about where they are being held and the conditions and how they search for escape, etc. The rags to riches bit I also could have done without. Too much in this tale was contrived and I can't recommend it. I will be taking a pass on future work by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and 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 - psychological thriller

The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy

 A mystery with philosophical and psychological aspects that intrigue and linger.

A very unique novel that introduces the reader to interesting characters who dominate the story. There's Harriet Kealty, a disgraced and fired police officer, who finds a cryptic note inside a book that leads her to initiate a personal investigation that has mind blowing consequences. Harri is surprised when her sleuthing brings her to Ben Elmys, a man she had fallen for and been dumped by, only to discover that he is now the guardian of a boy related to the person who wrote that note. Intrigue and suspense as Harri tries to figure out what is really going on.

The story was interesting as I kept trying to guess and speculate what was really going on. Although slow at times and occasionally a bit confusing, I can't say more due to spoilers and it's best the reader know as little as possible to appreciate the twist advertised although I am sure some will see it coming. I am not a poetry person so those snippets did not appeal. There's lots of foreshadowing and hinting about further action in the narrative that I found tedious, and it took me much longer than usual to read, but I was entertained. Far-fetched? Yeah. Overly sentimental? Yeah. But I am sure the whole of it will appeal to many readers.

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 - mystery, thriller, science fiction

The Maze (John Corey #8) by Nelson DeMille

 Convoluted thriller involving former NYPD Detective John Corey.

After leaving his previous job as a Federal Agent, John is recovering in Long Island when he is asked by a former lover, Detective Beth Penrose, to help her out with an investigation. John is hired by a local security company and infiltrates their organization trying to get to the bottom of a series of murders in the area. 

I was quite disappointed with this book and it took me forever to read. I did not like the cocky jerk of a main character who is sexist in the extreme and thinks quite highly of himself and his abilities. For the longest time, I wasn't even sure what the story was about as it was slow going and boring. The rest of the characters in the book were total stereotypes. The action (in the maze), when it came, went on and on and ended exactly as expected. I can't think of any reason to recommend this one but I would guess that the serious Corey fans will check it out. The plot went nowhere for ages until something finally happened. I did not enjoy Corey's interactions with the other people in the book and I won't be reading another in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this e=book ARC to read and review. 

This is the 8th book in a long series.

Genre - crime thriller

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

 Oh my my.... what did I just read? Review follows now that my heart rate has returned to normal. This book delivered quite the visceral punch.

On a hot morning in London, Leila Syed agrees to help out her desperate brother-in-law by picking up 3-year-old Max and taking him to nursery. Unfortunately, Max doesn't make it to school. Leila has forgotten that he was strapped in the back seat and Max is found dead, inside the vehicle, in the parking lot of her office building several hours later. What happens next?

The book is divided into 3 different parts and focuses on the crime, the trial, and the aftermath. It is quite gripping and tense though the characters were so unlikable that I was sometimes unable to elicit any empathy for them. I was so torn in my emotions as various details were revealed and the narrative really kept me guessing.

What a great story as long as you can suspend disbelief and go with all the twists and turns. It's definitely more a domestic drama than a legal thriller as, even though I know next to nothing about the British legal system, I think the courtroom scenes were unrealistic. Something that was totally missing was extended interaction between Leila and her attorney. There was no trial prep and it all just seemed that was not the focus of the book. But, whoa, the drama!  

In any event, I enjoyed this one and have also really liked two other books I've read by this author. She has a knack of finding some very timely issues and writing great stories about them. I definitely feel that this novel will invite some lively discussion about several different aspects of the legal case and the nature of family and female ambition. The less you know going into the book, the better.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I am looking forward to the author's next book.

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

Genre - marketed as legal thriller but really more of a domestic drama

Murder on Board (Kitty Underhay #10) by Helena Dixon

 A lovely return to familiar characters in this delightful cozy mystery.

It's always nice to go visit those you have come to know in the book world. The setting and the people are like old friends and reading another installment in a series feels like you're taking a vacation. I've enjoyed every episode featuring Kitty Underhay and all of the interesting cases and mysteries that she becomes involved with along with her beau.

This time, Kitty is trying to get a party organized for a friend of her grandmother. The festivities are going along just fine until a murder occurs on board a steamer river cruise that was engaged for dining and a birthday celebration. In addition, an extremely valuable necklace disappears from around the neck of the birthday girl when the lights dim for the cake presentation. Kitty and Matthew are obliged to help with the investigation and are surprised at some connections and discoveries that bring them up against an old nemesis.

I'm looking forward to another in this series as I always enjoy spending time in the 1930s with these characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC and I definitely recommend to that anyone who enjoys a good comforting and predictable cozy.

This is #10 in a long running and fun series that should be started at beginning.

Genre - cozy mystery, 1930s, Torbay, Dartmouth, Devon UK

The Iceman's Curse by Gary F. Jones

 Quirky characters and lots of action make this medical thriller an entertaining read.

A crazy luggage mix-up at the airport during a blizzard leaves Professor Louis Antoine, from Zurich,  stranded in Kirby, Wisconsin, and a pair of drug mules hot on his tracks. The situation becomes even more fraught when the Swiss prof realizes that the samples taken from a 1200 year old corpse that his team found in the Alps, and that he was bringing illegally for a colleague, are missing. Even more scary -- apparently those samples are infected with a virus that could result in some serious medical issues in the USA. The CDC sends their best woman for the job of containing and tracing this virus before it becomes an epidemic but way too many people could already be exposed.

This was fun and fast and I enjoyed it though it was predictable and there was far too much time spent with Frank on the run instead of on the actual medical situation with the virus. I liked the author's humor and his writing style, and will be looking for future books. The way it was written reminded me of the style of Carl Hiaasen and several passages were laugh out loud clever. I was just wishing for a lot more of the medical aspect instead of the focus on the criminals or the pop-up romance. I would say more drama than thriller.

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

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

Genre - medical drama, virus, romance

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

 I can't recommend this novel that is only marginally related to the description and synopsis given by the publisher. I almost stopped reading when the big shocker appeared at the 45% mark and I realized exactly what this whole book was going to be about.

Basically -- a lecture on every contemporary and controversial subject as the authors flex their virtue, tolerance, and understanding. You name it, this book has it: race, color, politics, the justice system, gender and sexuality, transgender, women's rights, spousal abuse, etc. If you like being told what to think and how to think, this is one for you.  It's not that I agree or disagree with the authors, mind, it's that every single concept of diversity is all mashed up in this singular story. I wish that I could just read a great plot with characters I could imagine all on my own without the author describing things in such detail as often much of that has nothing to do with the actual point of the novel. Perhaps I am an outlier, but I am tired of books trying to push a social agenda, and I should have known better than to pick up this one as JP has often been a miss for me because she does it all the time. Sometimes those twists that get tossed in her books are just too much for me to tolerate.

Despite how much I disliked the main narrative, the reason I gave the book two stars is because of the information about the bees. Now, that I found interesting. I like books with legal and courtroom drama, and I like a story with a medical slant, but some of that was quite obviously creative license. Anyway, I'm done and I think I can pass on any future books without FOMO.

I would love to discuss this book with others, especially the fact that there is some discussion about whether or not someone should reveal the fact that they are transgender. For real? Anyway, I see mixed reviews for this book and glad that people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. Others have written their thoughts much better than I can, but I don't recommend it.

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

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

Genre - contemporary fiction

Suspect (Kindle County #12) by Scott Turow

 Legal drama and high stakes investigation into a scandal involving a police chief.

Lucia Gomez has just been forced to a hearing because 3 male police officers have accused her of forcing them to have intimate relations in order to be promoted within the Highland Isle PD. Her friend, attorney Rik Dudek, is helping her navigate the federal grand jury investigation and Chief Gomez is insistent that these fake allegations are hiding part of a bigger issue within the community. Clarice "Pinky" Granum (granddaughter of Sandy Stern to those familiar with this series) is a bit of an outlier but she is working with Rik as they build a defense and response to the situation facing Chief Gomez. But, the accusations against the Chief are just the tip of an iceberg that is meant to cover up much more serious criminal activities.

I do not remember having ever read a book by this author before, and certainly none of the Kindle Country series, so I had no preconceived notions going in and it seemed to work fine as a standalone. I enjoy good legal drama and this case was complicated with lots of interesting details and side schemes that gave the whole plot a lot more substance. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters who were quite contemporary and diverse. It did seem to be a little bit too long and slow moving at different points along the way, but the narrative flowed well and came to quite an abrupt conclusion that left some questions. I may check out a follow up to this one if only to find my answers if they will be forthcoming in another novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

This is part of a long running series and was the first one I had read.

Genre - legal thriller, drama, private investigator

Sometimes People Die by Simon Stephenson

 Slow burner of a medical thriller and mystery that asks some tough questions.

An unnamed Scottish doctor finds work at St. Luke's Hospital in east London. He's having a rough go as he is on probation after being suspended for his opioid addiction and theft of drugs. His daily efforts as a hospitalist are largely unrewarded as the sick get sicker and there's never enough money to help everyone. His small group of colleagues is made aware that something more sinister may actually be going on -- someone seems to be murdering the patients.

As much as I really wanted to like this novel, I found it hard to connect with the narrator because, not only was he unnamed, he was a drug addict unwilling to do the work to overcome his situation and largely not paying attention to most of what was going on around him. At times the story line seemed to skip and jump and go off on tangents that really slowed down the forward momentum of the doctor's search for the truth of what happened at St. Luke's. It was interesting, but also the fact that it was set in the 1999 kind of lessened my interest as well as that was a very long time ago. I found this sad and frustrating for the most part and the conclusion was very unsatisfying.

I love a good medical thriller and a complex plot with multidimensional characters and lots of interesting facts and details. This one fell a little short of being all that for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

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

Genre - medical mystery and thriller

Fatal Rounds by Carrie Rubin

 A drama with a medical setting that uses a boxing metaphor.

Liz Larkin is determined to prove that a respected trauma surgeon is intent on doing her harm. She selects the hospital he works at to do her internship and immediately begins her campaign to find out what he's done. Her backstory of a history of mental health issues makes her a very unreliable narrator. I hoped, however, that this was going to make the story unique.

As everyone around her is convinced that Liz is losing it and having some kind of delusional break from reality with her accusations and suspicions, she continues on her mission. When everything ends up exactly as I worried it would, I was extremely disappointed and let down. I didn't like Liz and the whole plot required more suspension of disbelief than I can manage. I was looking for a medical thriller and this was not it. The most interesting aspects of the narrative were the actual details about pathology and disease. I can't recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo Dot Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This may be the first in a new series that I won't be continuing.

Genre - drama

Long Gone (Detective Annalisa Vega #2) by Joanna Schaffhausen

 Complicated police procedural and crime thriller featuring Chicago detective Annalisa Vega in the followup to GONE FOR GOOD.

Even more messed up than her personal life, Annalisa's job is also fraught with problems. Nobody on the force likes or trusts her since she turned in her own father, an ex-cop. Now she runs the risk of alienating everyone even further when she's assigned to investigate the murder of a another Chicago detective, Leo Hammond. Apparently Leo Hammond wasn't the great cop that everyone thought he was -- nor were his best buddies.  In addition, Annalisa is looking into a cold case that might also be linked to some malfeasance on Hammond's watch. As always, she goes looking for trouble and it always gets found.

This is a convoluted set of cases where there are multiple suspects with lots of secrets and lies that have gone unexposed for years. The truth is eventually revealed after Annalisa attacks both situations with her usual dogged enthusiasm. The words of her current boss describe Annalisa's character: "...blatant insubordination, legal violations, questionable judgments, and dangerous pursuits." Instead of admiration, Annalisa mostly elicited annoyance. It just seems such a trope that she constantly goes off on her own and puts herself and others in peril. Regardless, the complex investigation yields results and Annalisa doesn't get fired.

Although I did not like this as much as I'd hoped, it provided a couple of hours of entertainment. I am not sure if I will read further installments in this series.

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

This is the second in a series so works best if you have read the first one.

Genre - police procedural, crime thriller

The Final Equinox (Theo Cray and Jessica Blackwood #2) by Andrew Mayne

 A thrilling technomystery that focuses on the possibility of contact from another universe.

Theo Cray is a brilliant computational biologist who is invited by a billionaire to spend some time out in the desert at a super secret research facility. It seems that the highly regarded scientists there claim to have received some sort of signal from outer space. Is an intelligent species trying to contact and  communicate with Earth? Theo shares some of his concerns about the transmissions to his girlfriend, FBI Agent Jessica Blackwood, and she ends up joining him on his adventures as he tries to analyze and investigate the source.

This was quite interesting, but I confess that the theories, science, and math were way over my head even though the author does his best to try to make it relatable on a scale I could understand. I enjoy the duo of Theo and Cray working together and they certainly have the smarts to outwit any adversary. I probably would have liked this a lot more, as I did the first in the series, if it had been a plot that I found a bit more interesting. I admit, I was sort of hoping that there would be aliens and spaceships. In any event, the book was entertaining and I read it over a couple of hours. I would definitely give another installment a chance as enjoy the main characters. I like the author's writing style and I've definitely enjoyed the Underwater Investigation Unit series.

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

This is the second in a series featuring the two working together though there are separate series featuring each individually.

Genre - technothriller, mystery, science fiction

Fallout by Carrie Stuart Parks

 A mystery with a heavy Christian theme.

Samantha Williams is living a quiet life when everything is upended after a car crashes into the school where she is working. When her identification disappears along with her purse and all those other important pieces of documentation, she’s left with no where to go until she is offered a place to stay at Clan Firinn along with a woman she met at the accident site. There she meets a hunky PhD, Dustin “Dutch” Van Seters and there is an instant mutual attraction. Before she can focus on romance, however, Samantha needs to figure out if the target is really her and why.

I just was not able to really get into this book and nearly put it aside. The characters seemed banal and insipid and I never felt that the actions of Samantha were believable. The plot was a bit thin and all the connections so hard to find convincing. I should have passed as it just didn’t have what I was looking for in a suspense thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this e-book ARC to read and review. I see that others liked it a lot more than I did. 

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

Genre - Christian mystery and romance

The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup

 Tense and dark, this suspense thriller will give you chills!

Set in Copenhagen where a serial killer is leaving behind a grisly scene that includes an odd doll made of chestnuts and matchsticks. They are calling him the Chestnut Man. The oddest part facing the police is that there is a fingerprint on the dolls that belongs to a young girl who had gone mussing in the prior year and was presumed dead.

Detectives Thulin and Hess are tasked with the investigation of the brutally murdered at the latest crime sites and the perpetrator has left no clues behind. This complex police procedural will lead them to an old mass homicide that started it all.

I really enjoyed this and it got me out of a slump as I could not bear to put this down. I loved the writing style and the complicated inquiries that the two main characters were involved in. The plot was intricate and the revelations were dangled slowly with all finally coming together in a very satisfying conclusion. The setting helped create the noir atmosphere and I definitely would like to learn more about Thulin and Hess because not much detail about either is related. There are plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing and I was pleasantly surprised throughout. I would definitely like to read more books by this author! Highly recommend.

Now I'm ready to see the series on television...

This is, right now, a standalone though I could see the potential of future installments with these characters.

Genre - nordic noir, suspense, police procedural, crime thriller

Back to the Garden by Laurie R. King

 Slow burning mystery thriller that might be the start of a new series.

Inspector Raquel Laing faces a complicated case with a sort of timer countdown. The police have a dying man in custody, The Highwayman, who may give them answers and names for a series of murders dating back 50 years. The intensity and pressure increase when a set of remains is found under the base of a huge statue that is being restored on the Gardener Estate. Could this be another of his victims?

The Gardener Estate, a vast property with a huge mansion and extensive formal gardens, has a long history in California. In the family for generations, it was briefly the site of a commune in the 70s when Rob Gardener inherited but had no interest in claiming material possessions for himself. Now, the  Estate has been lovingly restored to its former glory by a trust and managed by a board that includes one of Rob's cousins. The hippies have been long gone, but the bones indicate that it was one of them.

Told in a then and now format, the narrative introduces many interesting characters. Raquel learns a lot from the archivist on site and the historical records and photographs from the commune era and tries to find any of those who were there in the 70s to get answers. Although it was slow moving, things really start to pick up in the last fourth of the book and all is revealed in a satisfying conclusion. I found it quite interesting and think that there is much to learn about Raquel so wonder if there will be more novels featuring this character. This wasn't an intense, gripping suspense thriller but more a police procedural mystery.

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

This is a standalone and not, as yet, part of any series.

Genre - police procedural, mystery thriller

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

 An estranged family gathers for a birthday celebration in this gothic inspired locked room thriller.

The Darkers have not seen much of one another for years, but all agree to come to the remote family mansion, Seaglass, to celebrate Nana's 80th birthday. Sitting on a tidal island that is inaccessible except when the tide is out, the house has been in the family for centuries. All of them have spent a lot of time on this island, and most of that harboring secrets, telling lies, and carrying on in the most hideous ways. All is about to be revealed as the family is trapped during a storm. When they start dying, one by one, the truth is finally revealed.

I rate this 2.5 stars, rounding to 3 for the isolated setting and the gothic ambience. The story was a little bit harder to get behind as it moved slowly with arbitrary time shifts within the narration. I found all of the characters completely unlikable and I was able to suss out the upcoming twists fairly early on. I'm not particular fond of the devices or tricks used by the author and didn't enjoy this book as much as anticipated from reading other reviews.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - gothic mystery thriller

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

 Fast and funny thriller with a twist of feminine rage.

Four women in their 60s have spent their lives as assassins under the umbrella of an organization that seeks to rid the world of the evil on the planet. Now, they are retiring and on a celebratory luxury cruise when they find out that they've been targeted for elimination. They are not going down without a fight and they intend to show their handlers just what women of a certain age can do.

The characters were a mix of personalities and motivations but their years of working together have cemented their friendship and protectiveness. It was really fun to read a book where all of the main characters were in their golden years and show they still had so much left from their experiences and skill sets. I liked their interactions and the teamwork they used to meet their end goal. I've read and loved several books by this author and, though they are historical fiction, this was a great departure from the usual with this thriller. I like her writing style and her sense of humor making this witty and quite entertaining.

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

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

Genre - mystery thriller

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

 A beautiful but sinister setting, a town full of secrets. What are they hiding?

Abigail Lovett has worked at The Passage Inn for the past ten years. The little resort is located in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter's Pass and right off the popular Appalachian trail. The Inn offers many activities for all the tourists who are interested in hiking, camping, and other outdoor pursuits. More recently, however, the town has become infamous for a series of mysterious disappearances of visitors to the area. Seven people have gone missing over the last decade. No trace of any has ever been found. The last to vanish was a journalist, Landon West, who was there to investigate the story. When his brother, Trey, shows up in Cutter's Pass and stays in the room that had been Landon's, things start happening. Will this mystery finally be solved?

This suspense thriller was full of some dubious characters, none that are forthright or talkative about the truth of who saw what when. Everyone seems to be intent on hiding something. The narrator, Abby, is very unreliable and is sort of an outsider who wants to be in. The story moves rather slowly and it builds tension as the reader tries to figure out where this is going and what happened to those people. I was so stoked up for something big that when the revelations come at the very end, I was so disappointed. I mean, that's where this is going?? After all that build up, the conclusion and explanations were a big let down. I would have to say that the setting was the biggest star of the book. I'm not an outdoorsy type myself, but the description made me want to visit the area.

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

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

Genre - mystery, suspense

Verity by Colleen Hoover

 Fast, dark, disturbing and totally fun thriller.

Are you in a reading slump or just looking for something different in the suspense genre? If you're thinking about this one, just start it already. Don't read anything about it ahead of time so the shocks and twists will surprise you.

I'm not a romance reader and I really don't like graphic sex scenes so I was a bit hesitant about this book though I had heard it was a one-off speculative novel by this author. I know I'm late to the party, but I am so glad I picked it up. I started reading it last evening and had to basically put my life on pause while I devoured it over a couple of hours. It's got some gothic vibes with the gated mansion, handsome husband, and incapacitated wife upstairs.

The premise -- an introverted struggling author gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she is offered a peach of a contract: finish the last 3 novels of a popular series written by Verity Crawford. The poor woman is unable to write them and her publisher thinks that Lowen might be able to pull it off. Since she's basically homeless and broke, Lowen accepts and travels to the Crawford home to examine notes and drafts of the proposed books. The house is lovely but the people inside are broken. Too much tragedy and sadness. The setting is ripe for drama and Lowen gets drawn in quickly, especially after discovering an autobiography hidden away in Verity's office.

A review of a book like this is hard to write without giving anything away. I could not help but enjoy it though I had to do a lot of skimming as I'm not a fan of detailed sex scenes. The characters were all deeply flawed and everything was creepy messy. I liked the writing style and the way the narrative was framed around the autobiography manuscript.

I have no idea how I happened to have this book on my Kindle, but I'm super glad I did.

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

Genre - suspense thriller, dark, disturbing, lots of sex scenes

Death Down the Aisle (Lady Eleanor Swift #11) by Verity Bright

 Another entertaining read in this cozy historical mystery series.

In this eleventh installment, Lady Eleanor Swift needs to find out who murdered Daisy Balforth so that her best friend, Constance Grainger, can marry the dashing Lord Peregrine Davencourt. It seems that Peregrine had once promised marriage to Daisy and now she is suing him for breach of promise! Not only is he in trouble for that offense, he's now the main suspect in Daisy's death.

Eleanor and her butler, Clifford, join forces with her beau, Detective Hugh Seldon, to get to the bottom of the situation so that the wedding can go on as planned.

Although Eleanor is an unlikely amateur sleuth given this time period (1920s), she is not an ordinary lady of the manor having come into the title quite late in her life. In her early 30s, she has had some crazy adventures in her past and is now quite fearless -- much to the chagrin of both her butler and her beau. I enjoy her independent sprint, her generous nature, and her sense of humor and wit. This is one of the few series that I continue to follow having tired of so many of the others. I enjoy all the period details and descriptions and the plots are always complicated trying to figure out the whodunit aspect. Can't wait for the next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Be sure to give it a try and start at the beginning. 

This is #11 in a series that should be read in order.

Genre - cozy historical mystery 1920s

Girl, Forgotten (Andrea Oliver#2) by Karin Slaughter

 Sequel is an absorbing mystery thriller.

I read Pieces of Her and watched the adaptation on Netflix and never quite liked either so I had a bit of trepidation when I saw this sequel. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this a lot more than the first that featured Andrea Oliver. Andrea's character was much more maturely portrayed and I was able to tolerate her behavior and the plot because of that.

The story takes place two years after the events in book one and has a much better premise. Andrea has just completed US Marshal training, her psychopath father is safely behind bars, and her mother is back home and barely in the picture. Shortly after graduation, Andrea is approached by her uncle because her father is going up for parole and everyone is concerned that this time he might actually get it. The  uncle wants Andrea to take an assignment at Longbill Beach, ostensibly to protect a judge who is getting death threats, but really to investigate whether or not Clayton Morrow could have murdered a young, pregnant teenager there when he was in high school. That discovery would definitely prevent his parole.

Told in a dual timeline, one part is the voice of Emily Vaughn who was raped by one of her high school friends and became pregnant. Unable to identify the rapist or name the father of this baby, she tries to do a bit of sleuthing after being shunned by all of the hideous people in the small town of Longbill Beach. She is murdered on the night of Prom and the killer was never apprehended. The second voice is that of Andrea as she arrives in town and starts to look into the events from those 40 years ago and to do her current job with partner Catfish Bible. Met with a wall of silence and the same set of suspects, she also finds that two of them are partners in a successful fava bean company and have a sort of cult thing going on with young female volunteers. So, there's a lot going on in this book, but the author skillfully weaves it together and kept me guessing.

I would have preferred less of the Emily narrative and more focus on Andrea's activities, but it kept my attention and I'm glad I returned for this installment. I suspect there will be another in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I do think it important to have read the first in the series to fully appreciate this one.

This is the second in series and it should be read in order.

Genre - mystery thriller

You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa

 Fast and fun mystery thriller that will keep you guessing!

I really enjoyed this well-plotted and twisty tale of a Sri Lankan wedding gone wrong. From the start, when Amaya decides to attend her former best friend's celebration, the narrative is such that the reader can't wait to read more to find out what exactly is going on. Told from several points of view in a bit of a time shift fashion, it also includes excepts from interviews done by the investigation team.

Amaya and Kaavi used to be as close as sisters but they stopped all contact years ago so Amaya is quite surprised to get an invite to the social event of the season in Sri Lanka where they grew up together. The kicker that gets her on the plane back home is that Kaavi is marrying Spencer, Amaya's old boyfriend from their college days. This can't happen and Amaya is determined to stop the wedding. Everything comes to a head during the days of preparation and, when Kaavi is missing on the big day, all the clues point to Amaya being responsible.

Half the time while reading I was not sure what was going on. So many secrets and lies and manipulations behind the scenes. I loved it! Amaya seemed a jealous, self-harming, psycho mess but she was certainly resolute. Kaavi, the indulged princess of her wealthy family, appeared to be set on the marriage, and her parents and sister were leading her through all the festivities with a dogged purpose. But when things started to go awry, everything exploded in a spectacular fashion. What a great ending. I hope you like it as much as I did.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery thriller set in Sri Lanka

The Sleepless by Victor Manibo

 Unique and absorbing science fiction thriller.

When the global pandemic struck in 2033, the panic and confusion it created started a massive world shift. The condition did not actively kill -- it produced sleeplessness. Since no one understood where it came from or the vector or the mode of transmission, those affected were hauled to quarantine as scientists scrambled for answers. Things settled down in the ensuing decade, but Jamie Vega is a bit envious of those who are now sleepless. They have a lot more time in their lives to work, to pursue all sorts of hobbies or talents. The lure of becoming sleepless makes Jamie do something really daring.

Jamie is now finally sleepless and working as a journalist for a huge media company in the midst of a corporate takeover. He's living his best life and doing hard core investigative journalism when he finds his mentor, Simon Parrish, dead in the office right before a big board vote. Not believing in the line that this was a suicide, Jamie gets caught up in something that changes everything he believed about hyperinsomnia and has to face the consequences of how what he did was more than dangerous.

This was so much fun and I really enjoyed it. The character of Jamie is well-developed and certainly an unusual protagonist. I do not understand the emphasis in advertising the book about it being queer genre as that is such a small part of the narrative that it was inconsequential to any part of the story and certainly should need keep anyone from picking up this book to read. The science fiction part, the condition of hyperinsomnia or sleeplessness, was quite an interesting theme to explore with how all of those with it must consume so many resources and how they count time. It gave me lots to ponder and the plot, though a bit typical with good vs evil and someone being tasked to save the world, was entertaining. I liked the author's writing style and the story.

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

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

Genre - science fiction, future, mystery thriller

Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare

 Historical mystery aboard the Queen Mary bound to New York in 1936.

Lena Aldridge aspires to a life on the stage so she jumps at the chance to travel to New York when Charlie Bacon offers her a job on Broadway and a first class cabin on the Queen Mary. Let's just say that she is leaving London under a bit of a cloud so she does not ask the right questions when she accepts this opportunity from a stranger who claims to be there at the behest of an old friend of her recently deceased father. Once aboard the ship, she meets an upper class family that is traveling together and, although she is mixed race, Lena allows others to believe she is Italian. Not that they really pay much attention to her as they have enough drama among them. Soon enough there's a murder and Lena has no idea whom to trust.

This was an entertaining read but I especially enjoyed the historical and period details more than the plot. The timeline jumps between events that transpired in London and those that happen on the ship. Mostly told from Lena's point of view, there is, however, another character whose narrative informs that they know what is going on and why with a very elaborate plan. The character of Lena is tolerable, but she did not capture my interest as she seemed very shallow and immature. The secondary cast personified all the types that you might find on a ship during that time period doing all the things that would be normal behavior for them. Casual drug use, alcohol, sexual trysts, and smoking combine with the class dynamics between the upper and lower deck people. I just never really became totally convinced by their authenticity enough to care about any of them. I had already figured out the mind behind the intrigue so the reveal was no surprise.

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

This is a standalone at present and not part of a series.

Genre - historical mystery 1936

All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers to Executioners, an Exploration of the People Who Have Made Death Their Life's Work by Hayley Campbell

 Superb nonfiction that will make you examine everything you think about death.

I don't read a lot of nonfiction, but usually find one or two books a year that entice me and I was quite surprised to have found this. The timing is spot on as the world enters a sort of recovery post Covid pandemic and during this period as there are new and looming threats to our health and well-being.

I'm no stranger to death. As an RN for over for over 40 years, I've seen quite enough of it, but honestly never thought too much about what happens after I have cared for the deceased or escorted them to the morgue. I've nursed the dying at work and at home. I've attended far too many funerals and grieved losses. I must say, however, that I never peered behind the curtain or had any conversations with the workers that the author interviewed for this book.

Not sure if this exploration is for everyone, but the stories and the thought-provoking detail will linger in my psyche for a long time. The discussions and research were both fascinating and disturbing though I was left with a larger understanding as I learned about the reasons why some have a calling to do the jobs they do.

A memorable quote: "Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender mercy of its people, their respect for the law of the land and their loyalty to high ideals." William Gladstone (1809-1898)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-book to read, review, and recommend. 

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

Genre - nonfiction, philosophy and cultural crticism

Under Pressure (Lucas Page #2) by Robert Pobi

 The second in this thrilling series finds Lucas once again helping the FBI as New York City is rocked by a series of horrific explosions.

The first hint that NYC is under siege occurs when a detonation and conflagration at the Guggenheim Museum results in over 700 casualties. Further explosions rock the city and every available resource is needed to analyze the situation. The SAIC of Manhattan, Brett Kehoe, knows that Lucas Page is the man he needs. So many deaths in such intricately planned bombs. Who is behind this and what is the motive?

Lucas Page is quite the protagonist and is uniquely positioned to be able to sift through massive amounts of data with his gifted mathematical mind. He's a survivor -- a near death event cost him a leg, an arm, and one eye. Evidence points to a very diabolical plot, but the public is quite quick to want to attach blame to conspiracy theorists and lunatic fringe factions. Lucas puts himself right in the middle of the action and the danger as he pits himself against a vast amount of unknown entities.

Again, this is masterful plotting with lots of action and a high body count. Lucas is a very interesting character and there is a lot going on his head. He's antisocial, does not suffer fools, and thinks rings around everyone else as he's always the smartest person in the room. Every other character in the books is basically a foil for him and not typically fleshed out beyond the basic details, but it works in this series. I've read all 3 of them not, not in the correct order, but I am really looking forward to the fourth installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I had hoped that eventually this would manifest as as film or series adaptation, but it seems the author is not interested in the movie business. 

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

Genre - action suspense thriller

City of Windows (Lucas page #1) by Robert Pobi

 Exciting start to a new series!

It is frigid and snowing like mad in New York City when an FBI agent is killed by a single bullet while driving down a busy street. When the logistics prove difficult and the investigation hampered, the head of the local FBI office, Brett Kehoe, calls in Lucas Page.

This is the first book in a very action packed and clever series. I had read the third installment before realizing that Lucas had appeared in two previous novels so had to go back to the beginning as I enjoyed it so much. Lucas is a very interesting character -- missing one arm, a leg, and an eye, he has some crazy skills in mathematical analysis that make him the person for the impossible jobs. He's also not got much of a social personality and does not suffer fools. He left the FBI after the accident that disabled him and has started over as a professor at a local university and a bestselling author. He's married to Erin and they have adopted 5 children so he really has no interest in helping until he is told that the casualty was his former partner. Unfortunately, the sniper is not finished and when the additional victims are also found to be associated with law enforcement, Lucas must use all his skills to figure out the killer's identity and motive. The stakes are raised when Lucas's own family is targeted.

I really like the writing style and the way the investigation details are related. The only irritant was that I could not really find a reason for Lucas's family to be twice involved in life-threatening situations as neither incident made any logical sense. The investigation is complicated and requires meticulous examination of redacted files and a historic tragedy that lends to a revenge motive and an unlikely suspect. There is some political editorializing in the narrative that may be off-putting to some readers. Despite those vexations, I do want to find out more about Lucas Page as his backstory is revealed and plan to read his second in this series next.

I would recommend these books and would love to see as a television program.

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

Genre - suspense thriller

Do No Harm (Lucas Page #3) by Robert Pobi

 Don't miss this clever, action-packed suspense thriller.

Lucas Page is unlike most modern day serial killer hunters. His expertise lies in his ability to assess and analyze patterns that has the FBI asking for his help time and again when they are faced with unique situations. He's married to Erin, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and they've adopted 5 children and live in Manhattan where he also teaches, writes books, and tries to avoid people as much as he can. Lucas used to work for the FBI but left when he ended up with catastrophic injuries while working a case. He's outfitted with prosthetics and a fake eye that makes his appearance even more formidable than his personality. Because he's a complex package and his mind is always "on", he notices that quite a few colleagues of Erin's have died recently. A lot of them -- and in unusual circumstances that look like accidents and suicide. These coincidences appear random, but Lucas can't help but analyze what seems like murder to him. It takes a bit of convincing, but soon the NYPD and the FBI have joined Lucas in the hunt for a very elusive type of psychopath.

Although this is the 3rd in a series and I have not read the previous two (I will remedy that shortly), I had no difficulty jumping right in to the case. The author gives enough details in backstory to provide a frame of reference for the character that is Lucas Page. I was hooked in the first chapter and could not turn the pages fast enough as I read this in a single sitting last evening. The author dangles clues and red herrings that had me guessing with heart racing tension as it sped to the revelations and conclusion. I really liked all the characters in this book and can't wait to read more about them. It's so wonderful to discover an author who is new to you and to totally enjoy a favorite genre with such a unique and intelligent protagonist. I enjoyed the action and the writing style, all the while imagining this novel on the big screen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend. 

This is the third in a series. I did not read the previous two before this but plan to do so now.

Genre - suspense thriller, clever and unique protagonist, police procedural, FBI

Alias Emma by Ava Glass

 Romance and running are two main themes in this spy thriller when Emma Makepeace is tapped to bring in a target of the Russian spy network (the GRU) who have descended into London to acquire the son of defectors.

Most of the action centers on Emma and the initially unwilling recipient of her rescue efforts, Michael Primalov, a young doctor, who must cross London during the night while evading the ubiquitous cameras and the GRU. It's all just too much and way too predictable to be very entertaining. I was bored with the characters and the descriptions of what the pair had to endure during their efforts to get him to MI6 headquarters before the Russians can kill them both. They evade their pursuers in myriad ways and endure all sorts of attempts on their lives along with various injuries they sustain. I just never found the thrills I was expecting and the premise was quite thin. I could not relate to Emma nor would I be interested in further stories that feature her.

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

This is -- so far -- a standalone and not part of any series. I would not read another about this character.

Genre - watered down spy thriller

The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jonasson

 A ghost story set in a very small village in Iceland.

Una takes herself off to Skalar and accepts a job there as teacher to two young girls. She's living in the home of one of her pupils and trying not feel like an outsider in this town of 10 people. This move is hard for Una; she is very isolated and finds things a bit strange. Especially the haunting lullaby that she keeps hearing at night and the appearance of a little girl in a white dress at the window. Is she drinking too much wine or is something really odd going on here?

There's also a parallel story line in italics that the reader assumes will eventually connect with the main tale, but I did not find it interesting and it just bogged down the narrative and made the pace seem glacially slow. The author tried very hard to set a foreboding and menacing atmosphere and a gothic tone with the dark nights, the cold weather, and the isolation of both Una and the town.

This was meant to be in the mid 1980s so a lot of items that could have made the town seem less insular were not being used then. No internet and no television meant that news was hard to acquire and research difficult. I just never really got that interested or invested in the whole plot and never took to Una. In other words, this just wasn't that appealing to me and, though I usually really like the Icelandic and Nordic noir, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.  I will likely give the author another chance as long as the premise does not involve ghosts, haunting, women who think they are losing the minds, or other supernatural elements.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery, paranormal thriller, Icleand

Influencer Island by Kyle Rutkin

 3.5 stars to this crazy quick read that kept me entirely entertained as I read it in a single sitting.

Drama! Art! Murder! Cults! Secret societies! Add that to a social media frenzy based on 10 popular influencers being invited to a secluded island in a contest that reads like Hunger Games. The guests find their environs much like those unlucky enough to sign on to the ill-fated Fyre Festival — except they discover quickly that only one of the contestants is meant to make it out alive.

I really liked the use of the transcript type format as different characters relate events from their own points of view in a sort of interview style for the podcast produced by Cal Everett. Unfortunately, I did not relate to any of those involved in this entire island fiasco despite the tragic ends for so many. Obviously there was some real insanity behind this plan to basically punish all those who seek fame and fortune by being fake on social media. The connection between the competitors was sort of lame, really, but the story was very fast-paced and the author quite imaginative.

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

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

Genre - dark psychological thriller

The Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz

 The vast isolation and the big skies of Montana provide the ambience and setting for a suspense thriller that only Koontz can write.

I've long been a fan of this author and always enjoy seeing what dark fantasy he can come up with  next. This was quite entertaining, though a bit annoying since it hops and skips through the narrative told from many different points of view thus making the continuity of the story quite choppy. There are a lot of white hat characters to get to know quickly and the stereotypical megalomaniac who must be stopped. All parties converge on Rustling Willows Ranch in a showdown that combines science, artificial intelligence, and an existential force that has to be reckoned with to save all of humanity.

Further describing the characters or the plot is unnecessary and would spoil the story for readers so I will just leave the publisher's synopsis stand without adding further details. As always, Dean Koontz loves words and flowery prose and uses that to enhance the tension. Although the expected end result comes to pass, the journey is fun as all is revealed on the way.

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

Genre - sci fi, fantasy, horror, suspense thriller

Out of Patients by Sandra Cavallo Miller

 Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a family practice physician in this day and age? If so, this is not to be missed!

Dr. Norah Waters, at age 58, is wondering about her life choices. Working as a partner in a local clinic in Phoenix, she is fed up with everything. A bit bitter and a lot overwhelmed with all of the job responsibilities, she wonders if it is time for her to retire. Trying to juggle the staff, mentor two medical students, see her patients, attend a volunteer medical school admissions committee, and wonder why her accounts billable seem to be tanking are taking her to the edge. Is she burnt out and crispy done or does she still want to continue. All she knows is that something has to change.

Told in the first person, I fell in love with Norah. Her narrative voice, the humor, and her acerbic comments on just about everything really rang true. I loved all the medical and clinical details and enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in this novel. As a registered nurse, I could really appreciate the situations Norah found herself in and could relate to so much of how things have really changed in the practice of medicine over the last couple of decades. This book has a lot of heart and the reader understands that only an author such as Sandra Cavallo Miller has the credentials and experience to write it with such authenticity.

I've read and loved all of this author's previous books and eagerly await the next one. Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nevada Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. 

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

Genre - contemporary fiction, medicine

The Glades (Maddy Reynolds #2) by John Netti

Detective Maddy Reynolds thinks she is retiring when she moves to her new home at Berry Lake in the Adirondacks. She quickly learns, however, that she can't escape her urge to figure out what is going on at the huge mansion and resort across the lake. Secluded and exclusive on the mountain top, The Glades provokes fear and suspicion in the local town. Something creepy is going on within those secured walls and the airstrip is busy all the time. Maddy is without credentials or backup, but she knows she must investigate when she discovers that young women who work there are found dead under some curious circumstances.

The theme of this involves sex trafficking and political corruption. This is the second in a series featuring Maddy Reynolds; I did not read the first one but there is enough backstory in the narrative to give the reader a good idea of what happened. The bad guys are nasty and sleazy and written in the typical way. The character of Maddy is also similar to all single women detectives in this genre. It is, however, the plight of a young teen boy whose actions give the story its most heart tugging moments. The premise was intriguing but the details and events described did not quite make this one as good as it could have been. An instant romance, a weird cosmic connection to a wolf, super fight skills, strong morality, convenient rescue -- a boilerplate but entertaining enough for the short time it took to read in one sitting. I am not sure if I would look for another installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

This is the second in a series. I did not read the first but this one could work as standalone.

Genre - crime thriller

The Nurse's Secret by Amanda Skendadore

 Historical mystery set in New York circa 1880s.

Una is a gifted thief but falls afoul of the law and is arrested for murder when she cons her way into Bellevue Hospital as a probationary nurse trainee. She knows that she didn't kill anyone, but she can't forget that someone is continuing to strangle others who come from the streets. Can her extravagant ruse and many lies protect her as she investigates those deaths and somehow redeem herself as well.

As a registered nurse, I always search for books that have anything to do with medicine or science. I also love reading about the origin of the profession so that I can marvel at how far things have come since its beginning. The details about how Una performed her duties and took care of her patients was the most interesting part of this book. I was dismayed that it took 14 chapters (almost 27% into the book) before she got there. I almost quit reading but stuck it out just so I could be reminded of how nurses have evolved through the century plus. So much of the narrative proved uninteresting and unrelated to what I had thought by the synopsis was going to be the gist of the novel. I really never warmed to Una and some of the things that happened made me scoff in disbelief at what she managed to get away with. She cheats, she doesn't do her job well, and she doesn't bother to do much nursing aside from being where she shouldn't. Of course there was a silly romance with a doctor.

The amateur detecting Una does was also laughable. She sure is never where she is meant to be and her focus on finding out who is the murderer made her put herself and those who cared about her at risk. I finished it just because I always do in order to give an honest rating, but I feel generous in rounding up to 3 stars. I was very disappointed that there was not more about the nursing and honestly, the conclusion was a bit unbelievable.

I had read and liked the Mirielle West book and that is why I requested this one. Would I try this author again -- maybe. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.

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

Genre - historical mystery

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Slivia Moreno-Garcia

 Set in nineteenth-century Mexico, this novel is both historical and science fiction.

Carlota Moreau is a teenager who lives on the Yucatan peninsula in 1871 with her father, ostensibly a doctor, and a collection of hybrid animals that he has scientifically created. The large and beautiful estate where they live their secluded lives is owned by a wealthy family, the Lizaldes. As patrons of Dr. Moreau, the family controls the coffers and are owners of the hybrids -- part human, part animal. Everything is perfect in Carlota's eyes until she meets the owner's handsome son, Eduardo Lizalde. As secrets long buried are revealed, simmering passion and rebellion create a sequence of events that change everything.

The premise is based loosely on the H.G. Wells novel published in 1896 but the setting has been altered which also affects the action and theme of this book. I loved the details the author presented about the home they've named Yaxaktun. The characters were an interesting lot, but I was hoping for more of the science fiction aspect about the hybrids. The narrative shifts in point of view between Carlota as she grows into womanhood and the overseer of the property, Montgomery Laughton. At times that made the story seem repetitive. There were times when local conflicts and other historically relevant events could have been included to flesh out the tale, but it all seemed a bit superficial. It seemed that the deep plunge into the whys and hows was just not made so we are left with only a vague understanding of Carlota. I just wanted more depth in characterization and more about the vivisection. In any event, it was a quick and interesting read.

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

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

Genre - historical fiction (Mexico late 1800s), science fiction, romance

The Retreat (Elin Warner #2) by Sarah Pearse

 Detective Elin Warner is back to work when she's called for a suspicious death at a secluded upscale island retreat.

The island, known as Reaper's Rock, has a tainted past. There are rumors of abuse that occurred at an old boys' school there, and a serial killer murdered several teenagers who were on a sponsored trip there years ago. Are the current deaths of tourists connected to what happened way back then and why these particular people?

Elin is still not all together after her leave and time in the Alps (first book), plagued by self-doubts and possibly not ready to assume a new investigation. Fortunately, she's got a colleague with her. It's a good thing as the case ricochets from one absurd theory to another random connection. The plot is very thin and there is a lot of rambling in the narrative. The most annoying part of this novel was how hard the author was trying to make an inanimate object (the island) assume such a malevolent nature. Oh, and there's a bad storm on the island and there's no cell service and of course no help from the mainland can get there. Tedious read and I just wanted to get to the end to hear what ludicrous motive was involved in this drama. Talk about thin. Anyway, I'm glad it's over and I liked this one a lot less than the first. Throughout the read I felt as if I was being force fed all the emotions and ominous foreboding but I never actually felt any shivers or thrills. Yawn.

Anyway, hope your experience is better. Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

This is the second book featuring this detective. Read in order.

Genre - police procedural, drama, revenge

The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland

 Fast-paced spy thriller pits a demoted CIA agent against a clever and cunning enemy.

Beth Bradford had an idyllic life in a lovely home with her husband and three children. Until she didn't. In just days, Beth's husband has left her, her house is sold and she has to move, she has an empty nest, and she has been taken off the case that she has been working for over a decade. Of all of those losses, being removed from her position tracking an Iranian intelligence network and the asset known as The Neighbor, is the worst. She can't stop trying to find them to try to prevent their hacking into CIA computers.

And, she's really resentful and overly curious about the woman who has moved into her old house on the cul-de-sac where she raised her children. Madeline Sterling quickly becomes friends with Beth's old neighbors and Beth feels like she is being shut out of everything she once held dear. But, could it be more ominous than just a new person on the street? Perhaps Madeline is connected to Iranian intelligence and is actually the entity she has been searching for through the years.

Well, this was quite a convoluted and entertaining story. Beth often seems unhinged and irrational as she defies orders and continues to work her case even though she was ejected from her office and reassigned. No one is above suspicion as Beth unearths the secrets in the cul-de-sac and uncovers some startling connections in order to identify the spy. As she entertains one suspect after another, her behavior seems motivated by paranoia and there is little she won't do to pursue this hunt. As usual, everyone thinks Beth is in need of psych help and discounts her.

I always find it frustrating when the narrative tries to make the main character look unreliable and unbalanced. As Beth skips from one possible Neighbor to another, it keeps the reader guessing, but the big reveal at the end was a bit of a surprise after all and the book seemed to end quite abruptly without the full resolution I was hoping to see. Not that I want any more of Beth or this plot line, but I do like a concrete conclusion. I've read all of Karen Cleveland's previous books and this was probably my least favorite. But she is definitely an author whose next work I will definitely seek out. It makes a good beach read for sure.

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 - spy thriller, domestic drama

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

Action-packed techno thriller!

Logan Ramsay has been genetically enhanced without his knowledge or permission. As he gradually discovers that he is better at everything -- from concentration to physical abilities -- he also finds that he has been targeted for this upgrade by someone from his past. And there are bigger plans for the rest of humankind on a simply terrifying scale. Only Logan can stop the worst from happening.

This is the type of book that I was desperately needing -- so fast and fun with events coming at a furious pace that left me turning the pages wildly with anticipation. I love science, and this involved gene manipulation, so it was everything I hoped it would be and intensely satisfying. I liked the main character, and I can just see this as a movie on the big screen. There are some moral lessons within and I found it quite interesting what evolved from Logan's super mind concerning what the most important thing would be for the continued existence of homo sapiens. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend. I can't wait for this author's next book!

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

Genre - techno thriller, gene manipulation, science, action

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

 A mystery and friendship drama that involves a woman's obsessive quest for closure after her best friend is murdered.

Hannah Jones and April Clarke-Clivedon (as per my copy) met at Oxford and were roommates and best friends as they began their college days in a centuries old institution with a very rich history. The pair become part of a group of other students and they are having a grand time. Until April is murdered.  Ten years later, Hannah is married and expecting a baby but has never moved on from that event. A journalist contacts her when the man convicted dies in prison. It all comes rushing back.

What I liked about this book: the setting and descriptions of Pelham College and Oxford.

What I did not like: everything else.

I was so happy to get out of Hannah's head by the time this was over. The narrative is a constant stream of consciousness and so banal and inane and repetitious that I almost DNF. I absolutely could not stand the character and have no clue how anyone else could bear to be around her or in a relationship with her. It took FOREVER to get to the gist of the mystery with all of Hannah's dithering. The story flips back and forth between "Before" (the college days) and "After" (10 years later). The author dangles all the red herrings and it was easy to tell by the order in which they dropped who the bad actor was going to end up being. I was totally bored and this all went on way too long.

I have read most all of this author's other books and this is certainly not her best work. I should have skipped it but I see that all the fans have a different opinion about this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the advance copy to read and review. 

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

Genre - mystery, friendship drama

Abiding Conviction (Dutch Francis #3) by Stephen M. Murphy

 A legal case and a personal domestic drama face attorney Dutch Francis when two situations combine to put him near his breaking point.

If it isn't pressure enough defending a former judge against a first degree murder charge, Dutch Francis has another horrible problem -- his wife, TV news broadcaster, Ginnie Turner, has gone missing. Torn between his contractual responsibilities to his client and his mad concern for his wife, Francis is pushed to take matters into his own hands and engages his own investigator to help him look into what might have happened to Ginnie. Is this about her news stories or is it about his work as a lawyer?  And how can he concentrate on the courtroom when he can't find his wife and the police are a bit suspicious of him.

This was fast paced and I read it in a single sitting. When I started, I did not realize that this was the third book in a series and I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the others since I would have had more of the backstory that makes a character seem more believable. I did enjoy the two-pronged story, though found a bit of Dutch's actions somewhat unrealistic. I do like a good legal thriller and lots of courtroom action, so that part was more interesting to me than the missing wife aspect. I'll have to keep an eye out for future books by this author.

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

This is the 3rd in a series -- I had not read the first two and I wish I had done.

Genre - legal thriller, domestic drama

A Secret About a Secret by Peter Spiegelman

Fast and fun mystery thriller with a gothic atmosphere.

A very powerful and secretive government agency, Standard Division, sends Agent Myles to a remote research facility when one of their scientists is found dead in the executive kitchen walk-in fridge. Ondstrand Biologic sits cliff side with a private beach and was the former site of a boarding school with a disreputable past; many of the researchers both live and work there. Dr. Allegra Stans was one of them but Myles discovers that she was certainly not the nerdy academic who spent all of her time with her nose in the high tech pursuits of the company. Who murdered her and why? Myles has open access to all of the employees and the management team but everyone tries to keep their secrets despite his efforts and implied threats backed by his organization.

I really enjoyed this and liked the writing style. The plot was interesting and the protagonist, Myles, was clever and discerning. Many parts of the book were deliberately vague, but it gave off a gothic vibe with the isolated location and the creepy history of the place. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, but the author did a good job of making each memorable -- and I was suspicious of them all. The whole story of who Myles is, who he works with and for, and the details about Standard Division were quite entertaining. I would definitely like to read more books in a series featuring this character.

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

This is a standalone and is not (yet) part of any series.

Genre - mystery, crime thriller

Reputation by Sarah Vaughan

 A politician on trial for murder is facing the loss of her stature in Parliament and her reputation may be destroyed forever.

Emma Webster is an MP who has been campaigning hard for new laws to protect against revenge porn and other abusive acts against women. Every time she appears in the news, she has to read horrific tweets and posts about herself -- and most of them involve violent suggestions or hints about acts that make her anxious and fearful for her safety. Finding someone to trust has been difficult since her divorce, but she is determined to make sure that her 14-year-old daughter, Flora, is protected. When events conspire to bring Emma face to face with the biggest threat to her reputation, she fights back.

Unfamiliar as I am with British court, law, and the role of the MP, I still managed to find this story compelling and timely. Tired of all the misogyny in many aspects of life, I wasn't quite sure where this story was going to go. I rounded down from 3.5 stars because much of the prose seemed to ramble and was a bit repetitive with so many questions about things that were happening and never feeling that Emma was a reliable narrator. The sections told from the point of view of Emma, Caroline, and Flora were sometimes at odds and I just wanted to get to the truth of the matter so I could decide how I felt about everything that happened. Given my extreme dislike for tabloid journalism, most social media, and politicians in general, I was really finding it hard to pick a side. What struck me hardest is that there's no question in my mind that women always get the worst backlash in every situation. They are harassed, trolled, ridiculed, saddled with unrealistic expectations of behavior and reactions, and objectified in ways that no man has to experience.

Every woman knows fear -- and it seems that nothing has changed to make things safer. Women are held to a different standard and, despite all the efforts, I have not seen much change. So, the social issues within this novel dramatize how women are perceived and damaged in overt and subtle ways. It is part family and social drama, includes courtroom scenes, and not really a thriller but more a psychological study. It boils down to this -- how much could any life stand up to intense scrutiny and how important is it what others think of us.

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

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

Genre - topical fiction, psychological

The Falcon (Nina Guerrera #3) by Isabella Maldonado

 A cunning serial killer stalks the campus of Arizona Institute of Technology in Phoenix.  

FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera and her team  are working out of the Phoenix field office when they get the assignment to assist the AIT police after 5 female undergraduate students had vanished from the school campus. The women had started to disappear about 3 1/2 months earlier and the families insisted that the FBI be called in to help find the missing. It doesn't take long before the joint task force makes a chilling discovery in an abandoned mine -- and their findings show that a very unusual madman is at work.

This is the third in a series, but the first I have read. I was immediately captivated by the writing style and the main character, Nina, who is damaged (aren't they all?) by a horrific event that she endured as a teenager. I enjoyed the relationship of the FBI teammates and the details about their hunt for the unknown subject in the case. I won't say more about the perpetrator (spoilers), but the investigation has a lot of red herrings so it was hard to identify the unsub. I don't know if there will be more books featuring this team, but I definitely would like to read them and perhaps go back to the first. The only detractor was an overly long section of the thriller that describes captivity and behavior of one of the nabbed women. For some reason, reading about frantic escape efforts never quite appeals to me as much as the detective action. I really liked, however, finding out so much about the person responsible, their motives, profile, and techniques. All told, it was a very good read.

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

This is part of a series. I read it before knowing that and wish I could have started at beginning.

Genre - Crime thriller, FBI

Fatal Witness (Detective Erika Foster #7) by Robert Bryndza

 Erika Foster has just moved into her new home, a real fixer upper. She's out for a walk in the Blackheath neighborhood when she hears a scream and finds a new murder case.

The victim, a true crime podcaster, is identified by her sister as Vicky Clarke. Was her work the reason for the killing and, if so, where are the files and recordings? The investigation leads Erika and her team on a frustrating trek around the South London area. Interviews are hampered or blocked and the evidence leads nowhere. In a puzzling twist, there's another slaying and Erika is working hard to put the pieces together and find the perpetrator.

I must admit, this was a bit of a disappointment after waiting so long for this installment in a series that I had really liked. Most of it is police procedural and the plot is a little thin with it being fairly obvious quite quickly who the villain was. Erika is the typical genre protagonist, single and a workaholic, who manages to get herself in danger as do all the female detectives who go it alone without their backup. We do not hear much about the rest of the team as they come and go keeping busy. And, I wonder, what was the point of including that bit about the cat mutilation (might be a trigger for some)? I had some other moments of irritation but just glossed over them.  I will likely try this author again, but this one was formulaic without the intense suspense, thrills, and excitement that I have come to expect from this type of book. I have read all of Bryndza's previous work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

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

Genre -  police procedural, crime thriller

Cold, Cole Bones (Temperance Brennan #21) by Kathy Reichs

Seemingly random incidents and crimes -- forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan finds herself deep in it from eyeballs to mummified corpse to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Winter brings snow to North Carolina when Tempe's daughter, Katy, finally leaves the Army and returns home. Ryan is out of the country and Slidell is still working with the CMPD cold case unit. After a chilling discovery on her front porch, Tempe notices that clues lead to another very odd find in the privy at a private school. It's not until a few other weird occurrences that Tempe starts to see that each of the cases is similar to ones she has been involved with in the past. It seems that someone is going through a lot of effort to get her attention.

This, the 21st installment in a very popular and entertaining series, wasn't the most fascinating of all, but I like the characters, their interactions, and the snarky humor in the story. The plot can best be described as a revenge story, and there are a lot of suspects to track and details to follow. I'm a fan of both crime and medical thrillers, so these books always hit the sweet spot. Pretty sure most readers also have followed the hit show, "Bones" which is based and adapted from the novels. I feel that it is best to read from the beginning as this doesn't seem like it would work very well as a start point or standalone.

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

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

Genre - crime/medical thriller

The Hidden one (Kate Burkholder #14) by Linda Castillo

 In a departure from the usual setting of Painters Mill, Chief Kate Burkholder travels to Pennsylvania to help a man from her past who's been accused of murder.

When the 3 Amish elders meet with Kate and ask for her assistance, she is torn because Jonas Bowman was her first love and she still feels pangs of regret at everything that transpired between them. But, she knows that he is not capable of this crime despite all the circumstantial evidence in the case. Jonas is being held in prison for the killing of an Amish bishop, Ananias Stolzfus, after the murder weapon that belongs to Jonas was discovered along with the body. The true problem is that this crime was a cold case as the bishop vanished over 18 years prior but the remains were only recently discovered in an alfalfa field. Kate goes to Pennsylvania, but her presence is not wanted and so she delves into the investigation alone. As she uncovers more details about the bishop, she comes to the conclusion that many might have had a motive to kill him.

This was an interesting read, but not my favorite in the series. I must say that I'm amazed that Kate can still walk and talk after all the physical trauma she goes through in every book. Fortunately, she makes it out alive despite all the near death experiences and manages to escape back home after solving the puzzle. I hope that her relationship with Tomasetti moves forward as the series continues. This latest installment is the last in my binge of these books, so I guess I will have to wait until next summer to get all my answers. I do love the details and descriptions of Amish life and the characterization of Kate. Missed the team and hope the action will return to Painters Mill next time.

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

This is part of a series that should be read from the beginning.

Genre - Amish crime thriller

Fallen (Kate Burkholder #13) by Linda Castillo

 It's very dangerous to believe that you will be safe when someone knows your past and your secrets.

When an excommunicated, formerly Amish woman returns to Painters Mill, she is brutally beaten to death at the local hotel. Chief Kate Burkholder remembers Rachael Schwartz as a young, rebellious girl who was reckless and wild with a personality that caused a lot of problems in the small community. When she left, some were relieved but her best friend, Loretta Bontrager, still kept in touch as Rachael lived her life large and unapologetic in nearby Cleveland, Ohio. Kate has many questions about this murder case, but the main ones loom -- why in the world did Rachael come to Painters Mill and who hated her this much?

This was a very entertaining and interesting installment in one of my favorite series. There are lots of suspects and red herrings and a complicated backstory as Kate and her team delve into Rachael's life to dig up all the dirt from her past and present. As the revelations come, Kate herself is in danger as people will do whatever they can to protect their most closely guarded secrets and reputations.

I love the characters, the relationship between Kate and Tomasetti, and the details about Amish life, beliefs, and culture. I suggest that anyone interested start at the beginning of the series and read the books in order. I can't wait to go on to the next and have been lucky enough to read several back to back so am enjoying spending time in Kate's world.

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

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

Genre - Amish crime thriller