Dissection by Cristina LePort

 Despite high praise from authors whose books I have enjoyed, this medical thriller was quite disappointing. I have taken note of those who wrote those blurbs...

The premise - a new invention is capable of transmitting sound waves via programmed chips that induce heart attack, stroke, and aortic dissection. The science (?) has come under control of bad actors from Iran and many people in high positions of government receive notes that warn them of an immediate health crisis. When they experience the deadly emergency and mostly die, there are only a handful of people who know what is happening and how to save the world from impending doom. 

OK, this was just not believable in any way even though it was written by a doctor. It veers between the medical and the political and both angles don't ring true. The characters were stereotypes, and the insipid romance aspect was another predictable but absurd component of the story. It went on far too long and the writing was such that it was obvious this was a debut. 

I am a medical thriller addict and did not find the science or suspense that I anticipated. I was not able to get an ARC, so ordered it from the local library. 

Not recommended. 

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

Genre - medical and political thriller

Manner of Death (Jack and Laurie #14) by Robin Cook

 Another hit in this medical mystery thriller series!

This is the 14th book featuring the husband-and-wife team of Dr. Jack Stapleton and Dr. Laurie Montgomery. Both work at the OCME in NYC where Laurie is the chief medical examiner. When Laurie tries to motivate a pathology resident by agreeing to let him do some research into several recent suspicious suicide deaths, she unknowingly spurs him to uncover a plot to cover up the nefarious activities of a medical practice that performs cancer testing. 

It's hard to keep a long-running series fresh and entertaining but Cook always manages to do so. I like his writing style and have really developed a relationship with his main characters after all these years having read all the installments. I feel as if I know them. The plots are always interesting, and I enjoy the medical detail. Always look forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. Definitely start at the beginning. 

This is the 14th in a series that should be read from the beginning in order.

Genre - medical thriller

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

 Incredibly twisted psychological thriller that kept me glued to the pages until I finished. 

You never know at first when you meet someone that they will become the epitome of toxic and wreak havoc in your life. Podcaster Alix Summer has no idea when she meets Josie Fair on the night of their 45th birthday (they are birthday twins) that her world is about to take a horrible turn. When Alix starts working on a podcast with Josie, they are hoping that using Josie's interesting life as the subject will help Josie make the changes she needs to make. It doesn't work out that way. 

This was a fabulous, fun read with great main characters. The style of the narrative worked great with the plot and kept me on my toes guessing about the reliability of the story being told. All the while there is a buzz of trepidation as you anticipate that things are going to go bad quickly. This was a clever bit of writing and I love how the secrets and lies are tantalizingly revealed. 

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - psychological thriller

A Twisted Love Story by Smantha Downing

 Lots of drama in this psychological thriller.

Wes and Ivy have a crazy relationship that surely cannot be mistaken for real love. But they are definitely the pair that can’t live together and can’t be apart. For 10 years they have had their ups and downs, breaking up and getting back together way too many times to count. No one they know is a fan of them being a couple. But now a detective has them on her radar and it seems that there is major trouble coming their way.

I would have probably liked this roller coaster ride of a story better if I could have dredged up one iota of liking for any of the main characters. There wasn’t one redeemable soul found, and in my opinion, that made it impossible for me to care one way or the other about all that was going down. I didn’t relate to or understand anything of the decisions each made or the behaviors exhibited by anyone. Lots of lying and manipulation going on, with everyone having some sort of personal agenda. The writing is first rate to be sure, but the narrative and plot — along with the dodgy characters — just never put this story into the compelling read category. I was a little surprised by the ending, and how much I appreciated the direction taken. I’ve no doubt that this will hit the mark for many readers, but it just wasn’t all that for me.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - psychological thriller, domestic drama

Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena

 Thrilling domestic drama will keep you guessing.

What happened to 9-year-old Avery Wooler on the day she disobeyed and came home alone from school? Her father, a respected local doctor arrives to find her there, and things don't go too well because Avery is a challenging, difficult child who doesn't realize what a horrible day he has had. When she's reported missing a few hours later, the Wooler family and the entire neighborhood are under suspicion. Who saw what? Secrets and lies create a very tense situation.

This was a fast and fun read and I really enjoyed it. The characters, none of whom I especially liked, were well-drawn and so very believable as the dramatic events unfolded. The family dynamics and relationships as well as the way that everyone was drawn into the investigation really makes for a cleverly written plot. The narrative flips between points of view so the reader can see how everyone is upended by what has happened. The twists were quite ingenious as the detectives focus on first one suspect and then another. 

I like psychological thrillers because they usually have less on-page violence and no plucky heroines fighting their way out of nearly impossible scenarios. I'm tired of grisly gore, serial killers, and other tropes of that nature so this was a really refreshing read that I needed. My only complaint about this book was the ending and of course I wanted more details on what happened afterwards. No spoilers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. This is one author that I definitely will be following.

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

Genre - psychological thriller, domestic drama

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

 This fast-paced psychological thriller was so much fun that I couldn't put it down and read it all last night in one sitting.

Mean girls, bullying, workplace competition, manipulative behavior, secrets, and lies. This will keep you guessing as you rip through the pages wondering what in the heck will happen next. The two main characters, Natalie and Dawn, are so well-drawn that your opinions of them will shift and flip several times through the narrative as each point of view is shared. No spoilers. 

You never know who you are working with and an office can be a hotbed of gossip and game-playing. Your coworkers might be quite different outside of the job to the way they act around their colleagues and the boss. If one of them suddenly did something completely unusual you likely would never dream that it might have something to do with you. 

Just go in without reading too much about the plot ahead of time and enjoy good storytelling and some crazy twists that you might not guess were coming. I certainly did. I was also so happy this was not part of a series but a standalone. 

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

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

Genre - psychological thriller

The Girl in the Eagle's Talons (Lisbeth Salander) Millennium series #7 by Karin Smirnoff

 Corruption and greed in Norrland.

Adverse weather compounds the difficult rescue of Lisbeth's niece's mother in northern Sweden. In addition, the criminals have their sights on the grandson of Mikael Blomkvist as they try to manipulate the boy's stepfather, Henry Salo. The plot focuses on the control of wind power and mining rights in Gasskas. 

This 7th in the Millennium series has been taken over by a new author, the first female to tackle the complex character that is Lisbeth Salander. I enjoyed reuniting with the old, familiar characters and meeting new ones, especially the niece, Svala. I thought the narrative moved forward at a good pace and enough backstory was included to remind the reader of people and places that might have been forgotten.

Lots of action and great descriptions of the setting made this an excellent continuation of a series that I've always enjoyed. I look forward to more installments as changes come for both Lisbeth and Mikael. 

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

This is the 7th book in a series that needs to be read from the beginning, in order. 

Genre - crime, mystery, thriller, corruption

Murder by Invitation (Lady Eleanor Swift #15) by Verity Bright

 What can a reader say about a series that has delighted from the beginning? The Lady Eleanor’s Swift cozy mysteries are such comforting fun.

Like returning to your hometown after a long absence, it’s always a great time to reconnect with friends and enjoy the familiarity of your special place. This 15th installment by husband and wife writing team with the pseudonym Verity Bright, hit the spot as always. The refreshing wholesomeness of good people in an earlier time period never fails to cheer me up. I love the interaction between Lady Swift and her butler and staff at Henley Hall in Little Buckford. 

While preparing for a village wide celebration of King George V birthday, Lady Swift and friends get caught up in a murder investigation. Joined by her new fiancé, Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, Eleanor is in her element assisting with the case. 

It was fun to see more of Hugh and hear more details about their relationship and engagement. Interested to see how everything progresses after they marry and hope they return to Henley Hall to do more sleuthing and crime fighting.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review. I no longer read a lot of series books, but this is one I can wholeheartedly recommend. 

This is the 15th book in a series that should be read from the beginning.

Genre - cozy historical mystery.