A Taste for Poison by Neil Bradbury

 Eleven deadly molecules and the killers who used them.

What a fascinating treatise on the topic of poisons — how they work, how they are used, and case studies of when someone was looking for a way to kill.

“Chemicals themselves are not intrinsically good or bad. It is only in the uses to which they are put that makes them beneficial or deadly.”

Keep in mind that typically the deleterious use of chemicals is premeditated. The poisoner needs to know their victim in order to decide which to use, how to deliver it to them, and how rapidly it will work. Of course most want to be well away by the time the victim succumbs. This book describes 11 different chemicals that have been used to harm another person, deliberately, with malice. It also elucidates the way each works normally in beneficial ways and then details how it is wielded as a poison to cause toxic results and death. 

As well as being interesting to anyone who enjoys true crime, the scientific information presented is deep enough but made very clear and easy to understand by the author. I found it all extremely fascinating to review the physiology. The examples and case studies were interesting as the reader can see that chemicals have been intentionally misused historically and we know they continue to be in current day as well.

The book really gets into the way that these chemicals affect the body and cause death at the molecular, cellular, and physiological level. All kill in their own unique way. Sometimes the symptoms experienced by the person poisoned give important clues as to what has been administered — via injection, inhalation, topical, or ingestion. Some have no antidotes and several cause death with only a tiny amount. Actually scary if you think about it!

I love books where I can learn something new and this fit the bill. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

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

Genre - true crime, science

The Doomsday Mother: Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and the End of an American Family by John Glatt

 Extremely well-written and meticulously researched true crime about the Vallow-Daybell case.

Most have heard about the lengthy investigation as it has featured on the news during the last two years. Many podcasts and documentaries have also focused on this couple who are accused of conspiracy to commit multiple murders in order to fulfill their psychotic belief that they are gods killing the zombies as the end of the world looms. Unfortunately, the trials of each has been postponed due to various complications such as the pandemic restrictions as well as Lori apparently deemed incompetent and having to undergo psychiatric evaluation that obviously needs to result in some serious treatment. So, though the author has presented a detailed timeline and brought together all of the pertinent information, there is not a conclusion at this point.

Throughout the entire book I was struck by the looming specter of evil. These two psychopathic narcissists need a judgment day of their own. I cannot believe that it took so much effort to bring the pair to the point of finally being arrested and held accountable or that the children were missing that long before action was taken to find them. I am looking forward to both trials and continue to follow the situation avidly. Too many deaths for their to be true justice for any of their victims and of course the ongoing drama with family revelations and protestations of support makes me shake my head in disgust. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell have capital punishment on the table and I think many are ready for them to have this resolved as their attorneys mess around and the endless delays in the proceedings.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend to any other fans of true crime.

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

Genre - true crime

The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton

 Domestic thriller set in exotic locations — “we all want what we think we want until we get it, but — sooner or later — it loses its shine.”

Charlotte is swept off her feet by the charming Sam and soon she finds herself a willing participant in conning rich people they meet on the cruise ships. Money, jewelry, identity — no limits to how far they will take their scam always justifying that they deserve the high life. All of the excitement starts to fade when Sam takes things a bit too far and leaves Charlotte holding the bag. He disappears but soon Charlotte hears that he has really gone missing and feared dead. Trying to get her life back on the straight and narrow is tough, but Charlotte is determined until she gets the first message. Someone from her past is looking for blood money, retributive justice. Charlotte takes a job as a personal assistant on a luxury yacht to escape and figure things out. Little does she know that she can’t run and hide from someone’s intent to get revenge.  NO SPOILERS.

This was an entertaining domestic thriller with lots of fun details about ship and cruise life with the rich. The exotic destinations and all the trappings of wealth sure had a hold on the main character. Charlotte was difficult to like, but I feel that she was more young and stupid than inherently bad. The pacing was good and though I guessed the identity of the bad guy, I enjoyed the past and present format as things came to a climax. A fun read.

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

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

Genre - domestic thriller

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

 This debut novel is a unique murder mystery that I found highly entertaining.

Written as a series of documents, emails, and text messages, this epistolary tells the story of a community theater group and a local alpha family and their efforts to help a young child get the experimental drug therapy she needs to combat a brain tumor. The group goes full on with fundraising for the Haywards but soon suspicions arise about where the money is going and if the little girl can be saved. Not everyone in the close-knit drama group is convinced and it seems that the flurry of emails back and forth between the members contains lies and manipulation. When one member of the group ends up dead, everyone is a suspect.

This was a very clever book and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Once you get all the characters straight, you have to read very carefully between the lines as you act somewhat as a detective yourself finding inconsistencies in stories and developing your own theories. The revelations were subtly inserted into the various pieces of information and I loved that I was unable to identify the killer despite all the clues. The tension was palpable and the relationships between the characters quite complicated. I really liked the style of the novel and the way everything played out.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series. A debut by this author.

Genre - murder mystery and drama 

Black Coral (Underwater Investigation Unit #2) by Andrew Mayne

 3.5 stars rounded up for this unique crime thriller.

In this second of the series, Detective Sloan McPherson, a police diver with the newly formed Underwater Investigation Unit in Florida, finds a van buried in the muck at the bottom of an alligator-infested pond. Inside are the bodies of 4 teenagers who went missing over 30 years ago. As she and her small team examine the forensics, a frightening picture starts to emerge. This was no tragic accident and it appears that they are looking for a serial killer who has been working the area for years. NO SPOILERS.

I came into this without having read the first installment, but it worked fine as a standalone with some background details given so that I was not lost. I liked the main character, enjoyed the details about the Florida Everglades, and the facts about the wildlife and predators found in that area. The plot was realistic and the methodology of the team and their interaction with the Florida Law Enforcement Division rang true. It was fun to read about the underwater diving and that unique activity made the usual detective mystery seem more interesting. I look forward to reading the third in the series and will likely go back and pick up the first as well.

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

This is the second in a series and it would be best if read in order.

Genre - police procedural, mystery, crime thriller

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

A suspenseful thriller.

What could possibly go wrong when Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired by BFFs Amma and Brittany to sail from Hawaii to Meroe Island in the South Pacific. Well, for starters, the island is remote and has several gruesome rumors attached to it no matter that it looks like a paradise. Then, the foursome finds that another boat is already anchored right off the beautiful sandy beach at the island. Initially the group is all happy new friends, but soon enough the atmosphere darkens, and the arrival of a lone sailor to their little retreat is definitely not welcome. NO SPOILERS.

Hard as it was for me to get into the story of young people making really bad decisions, the fact that I couldn't like or relate to any of them was really the issue. The pacing was a bit slow and the time jump interjections a little jarring. When things picked up toward the end, it became a bit more suspenseful until the crazy last few chapters when everything spun way off my credulity scale.
Regardless, it was entertaining and the author was able to ratchet up the tension enough to give me the creepy feeling that something was coming that I was not going to like!

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 - suspense thriller

The Darkness in the Light by Daniel Kalla

 Another superb medical thriller by one of my favorite authors.

Set in remote Utqiagvik, Alaska, this unique story focuses on depression, suicide, and the practice of psychiatry. Although Dr. David Spears lives in Anchorage, he sees patients virtually and visits the isolated northernmost points in Alaska routinely to check in on them. He's particularly worried when one of his young female patients commits suicide. Then her best friend disappears. Concerned about the possible deleterious effects of a new antidepressant that he had prescribed to both, he flies to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow). There is a lot going wrong in this small community and David is not prepared for all that happens after he arrives.

The writing is excellent and the clinical detail always very interesting and informative. Characters are well-developed and the twists and turns are intricate and welcome. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the locale and could visualize and feel as if I were there, experiencing everything.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss for this much anticipated e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend well ahead of the publication date in May, 2022.  

My most immediate regret is knowing that I have a very long time to wait before Daniel Kalla's next book.

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

Genre - medical thriller, psychiatry, suicide, Alaska

Lost Immunity by Daniel Kalla

 4.5 stars for this excellent medical thriller!

My favorite genre, this exciting story deals with a serious meningococcal meningitis epidemic in Seattle. Young children and teens are dying within hours after contracting the deadly disease and not even antibiotic prophylaxis seems to be helping achieve any kind of prevention as it starts spreading into the larger community. Help appears in the form of a new vaccine, Neissovax, but it has barely cleared phase 3 clinical trials and is not ready for roll out. Under serious pressure, Dr. Lisa Dyer, the chief public health officer for Seattle, convinces the drug company executives at Delaware Pharmaceuticals to release the untested vaccine for immediate use. Shortly after the huge vaccination efforts begin, a previously unseen and potentially deadly side effect appears in some of the inoculated children. The antivaxxers (or vaccine hesitaters) are out in full force even as cases rise.  What will happen as the medical community tries to save the children.

Excellent writing, great story line, well-developed characters, tension, and suspense all merge to create a fabulous book. Enjoy!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend. Can’t wait for this author’s next book. 

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

Genre - medical thriller, vaccine

Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea

 Fast and fun suspense thriller that provided a complicated plot, fascinating characters, and a nice surprise ending!

My first book of the year did not disappoint. The story focuses on Avery Mason (AKA Claire Montgomery), the host of a wildly popular television news program. She finds just the hook for her next season when she hears that a victim from 9/11 has been identified after 20 years. There’s an added bonus to doing a feature on Victoria Ford — it seems that right before the North Tower fell she was visiting a lawyer to engage him in defending her against a sensational murder charge. The case was never prosecuted since the main suspect was presumed dead but Victoria’s sister is convinced that her sister needs to be exonerated. Avery is researching all the background while also dealing with a personal drama that involves her father. It’s a very clever web the author weaves bringing all to a twisty end that actually caught me out. Enjoy!

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

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

Genre - suspense thriller, 9/11, mystery