Don't Let Her Go (Billie Ann Wilde #1) by Willow Rose

 I do not like to write negative reviews, but overall-- this is one of the worst books I've had the misfortune to read. I can only say that I barely held myself back from it being a DNF but only because I had to see just how much worse it could get. 

To sum it up, a preposterous kidnapping and serial killer crime thriller. The characters are beyond unbelievable and completely unlikeable. The narrative flips between characters in a before and after format and is a constant stream of melodramatic exhortations and angst with repetitive phrases and responses to every situation. Could someone please count how many times "tears streamed down" and "smirked" and "piercing blue eyes" appear in this book? The plot just got more ridiculous as it went on and just when you think it can't possibly get more unrealistic, it surely does. It is a constant tell rather than show and so drawn out making the simple situation overly long. Lots of cliches. Totally predictable. 

This is supposed to be the first in a new series featuring the character of Cocoa Beach homicide cop Billie Ann Wilde and from how she acted there is no way she could be a police detective. So unprofessional and her life is a train wreck. It's not that she's just decided to come out as a lesbian, it's her overly emotional carrying on over every single thing. In any event, I won't be reading any further installments or any other books by this author as this was the second I have tried. 

This was an audio version of the book and I can't say that the narration was well done. The accents and voices sometimes didn't change when they should have and the voice of Kitty was particularly off. And the male voices, oh my. 

I was shocked to see other reviews and decided it must just be me. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this author's work. I'm not recommending. 

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - mystery thriller

Sexual abuse of a minor, kidnapping, murder, serial killer

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

 Unique mystery thriller.

This is an absolutely different type of crime or mystery thriller because of the way it is written and how the narrative evolves through different writing styles. Using the various communication formats of emails, texts, WhatsApp messaging, etc., the complicated story evolves via random snippets. The reader is not sure what is true which heightens the skepticism about the story line.

The Alperton Angels case is infamous. Apparently some crazed fools decided they were angels and that they were meant to destroy the Antichrist in the form of a newborn baby. Or was that really what they were doing? Amanda Bailey, a journalist, has been asked to write a book about the old crime. She tries to track down old witnesses and police who were involved in the investigation. Meanwhile, an old colleague turned nemesis, Oliver Menzies, is also tasked with writing about the Alperton madness. As they both try to figure out what happened way back when, people start dying before they can interview them. Very convenient. The cover up is real and somebody doesn’t want them to know what really happened in the warehouse that night. 

This was quite an interesting story and I enjoyed it as I tried to discern what was going on so it kept me on my toes. I really like when an author takes a different storytelling approach and does it in such a fascinating way. Some might not like that this is not a linear narrative but I certainly did.

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

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

Genre - mystery, crime thriller, journalists

One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 Twisty psychological thriller that keeps you guessing!

Arden Ward is at the top of her crisis management game when her boss suddenly terminates her. Apparently, the wife of a prominent client thinks that Arden is having an affair with her husband. Before she can leave with a glowing recommendation for her work, the boss has one last client whose life needs to be restored after an acquittal for vehicular homicide. Cordelia Bannister hires Arden for her husband, Ned, because his reputation is tarnished, and Cordelia has been ousted from her friend group due to his legal woes. Even their two young children are shunned. Arden knows PR and she sees this last rehab as her only chance to leave without suffering her own personal embarrassment. But, this family has some secrets and new information is revealed about the car accident. When his defense attorney is hospitalized after a hit and run, Ned comes under close scrutiny again and Arden becomes increasingly concerned that she is helping a killer. 

This was such a fun and fast-paced read that I had to keep listening to it and finished it in a day. The narrative is told from several different points of view and the voice actor did a great job with making them sound unique, including the accents. The plot was convoluted and kept me on my toes trying to guess who, what, where, and when. The short chapters always ended on a note that forced me to go on to satisfy my curiosity. The characters were interesting and well developed. I have read other books by this author, but this is my favorite so far. I enjoyed it and will be on the lookout for new releases. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy to listen to and recommend. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller, domestic drama, legal

Till Death Do Us Part (Eva Rae Thomas #14) by Willow Rose

 Mystery and domestic drama misses the mark.

A wife and mother of three, Rachel Baker, disappears on her way to work one morning. As is typical, her husband is the primary suspect especially once the police find that he was having an affair and that Rachel had purchased some plane tickets to make an escape. 

FBI Agent Eva Rae Thomas and her boyfriend, Detective Matt Miller, investigate and interview everyone connected to Rachel and her husband, John. Rachel's mother and sister are wild with worry and are convinced that John has killed Rachel. John hides the children from his mother-in-law and everything gets really ugly -- then Rachel's body is found.

Told in a past and present narrative with the murder case being foremost, the secondary story line is the voice of a little girl who, along with her sisters, is being horribly abused by a psycho mother.

I don't imagine anyone will be surprised by the connection. In fact, the entirety of this plot is predictable and overwrought. The dialog is repetitive and full of melodrama and angst as everyone is so overcome all the time with emotion. The detective work seems superficial, and Eva Rae and Matt do a lot of running around accomplishing little, and also being just a beat too late. 

I did not realize that this was the 14th in a series when I requested the audiobook from NetGalley. Jumping into this at this point proved merely a minor irritant as I failed to appreciate the one-dimensional characters regardless of what could have been the backstory. The rapid wrap up at the end and the set up for the next book left me feeling underwhelmed.

Thank you for granting access to the ARC but I doubt I will read any other books in this series. 

This is the 14th in a series.

Genre - mystery, thriller, crime drama

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

 Domestic thriller full of unsavory characters and lots of drama.

It’s time. Camden and his wife, Jules, must return to Ashby House and face his estranged and dysfunctional family — the wealthy McTavish clan of North Carolina. Although he had left them and his inheritance behind for a happy life with Jules in Colorado, he must go take care of the estate affairs after his uncle died. The survivors want all the money and the beautiful house up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But the matriarch left Camden everything. Unfortunately, he was adopted by Ruby and the rest don’t think he deserves to inherit. What lengths will they go through to wrest it all from him?  It seems, however, that Ruby had a few ideas about how to prevent that.

Lots of family secrets and lies as usual with a climax that was probably meant to be a surprising twist that missed the mark with me. Although predictable, the narrative was fast and easy to read though I can’t say I liked any of the characters. Somewhat convoluted, it all does eventually come together as rumor, speculation, and innuendo are answered. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. I enjoyed it.

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

Genre - domestic drama, mystery, thriller 

The Kind Worth Saving (Henry Kimball and Lily Kintner #2) by Peter Swanson

 The blurb called this thriller "spectacularly devious", and I would have to agree!

I had read the first book featuring these two characters a long time ago and had forgotten most everything about it but noticed that I had liked it a lot. So, came upon this title when requesting the upcoming third installment and knew I had to read it immediately.

Henry Kimball, now a licensed private investigator, is hired to confirm Joan Whalen's suspicions that her husband is cheating on her. He remembers Joan from back when he was a first-year English teacher at Dartford-Middleham High School. Not a good memory either -- they were both in the classroom when a student had shot another and then committed suicide. That helped Henry realize he wasn't meant to be a teacher. He'd gone on to become a police officer in Boston but, unfortunately, that had not worked out too well either. So, here is now, trailing adulterous husbands. 

This case does not turn out to be anything that he expected. The twists and turns, the discoveries Henry makes during his investigation, keep pulling him back and have him looking much closer at Joan. It also brings Lily Kintner back into his life. A secret relationship. A trail of secrets and death. Henry just has to put all the pieces together.

Great fun and I really enjoyed it. I also like the author's writing style and his plots even if the characters are a bit too morally ambiguous for me. I listened to the audio version of this and felt it was well done with multiple characters taking each point of view. Definitely recommend but be sure you have read THE KIND WORTH KILLING first. 

This is the second in a series that should be read in order. A third book is coming shortly: A TALENT FOR MURDER.

Genre - thriller, private investigator, murder, psychological

The Watchmaker’s Hand (Lincoln Rhyme #16) by Jeffery Deaver

 Another hit in this crime thriller series.

Lincoln Rhyme and his wife, Amelia Sacha, along with their cohort are tasked with finding and stopping a domestic terrorist who is holding New York City hostage. One by one the big construction cranes are sabotaged and come crashing down. Though a group that claims it wants the city to provide more affordable housing takes responsibility for the disasters, Rhyme knows that there is much more going on. He soon finds that he is once again facing his old nemesis, The Watchmaker, and that his enemy is there to kill him. 

Intricate plotting and lots of scientific information fill the pages of this fast moving installment, the 16th in a long running series. The characters are all quite interesting, even the bad guys, and the shifting situations keep the reader on point to keep track of what is happening. The writing is excellent and the twists and complicated narrative kept me thinking and guessing. I definitely don’t think this works as a standalone as the backstory of the characters and how they all come to be working together is fascinating and shouldn’t be missed. I love all the details and descriptions of the forensics, chemistry, watchmaking — there is always a lot to learn in a Deaver book. 

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

This is the 16th book in a series that should be read from the beginning, in order.

Genre - crime thriller, forensics, series

The Resort by Sara Ochs

 Mystery thriller set in Thailand fails to deliver.

A group of permanent residents on the island of Koh Sang, nestled in the Gulf of Thailand, have become like family over the years. Although they have all run from something in their pasts, they now work and live in this resort community and take care of each other. The recent death of a guest has upset the group dynamics, but the permanents have not seen the worst of it yet. A minor influencer, Brooke, arrives on the island ostensibly to promote tourism to this idyllic but relatively unknown SCUBA paradise, but soon it becomes obvious to all that she has an agenda. 

This started out well but quickly deteriorated into lots of melodrama and took forever to get to the point. The motives behind the behaviors of all the characters seemed to ring false and the extent of their reactions was quite overdone. I didn't like any of the characters with all their secrets and lies. Their personal traumas and the reasons for each coming to Koh Sang were revealed much too late. It drug on and the detail I wanted to know was so slowly revealed that I was over it all by the time I got the answers. A last-ditch attempt at a final, crazy twist pushed the conclusion into the incredible. 

I both read the e-book ARC and listened to the audio recording of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I am not recommending. 

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

Genre - mystery, thriller, suspense, Thailand

The Truth You Told (Raisa Susanto #2) by Briana Labuskes

 Tightly plotted thriller that kept me guessing.

This is the second in a series featuring FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto and her sometimes work partner, psychologist Callum Kilkenny. I really like this duo!

The Alphabet Man, Nathaniel Conrad, is scheduled for execution after being convicted of torture and murder of many victims over a long period of time. Suddenly, the press is abuzz with the information that he had a disciple, or that someone else had been involved in some of the kills. The focus is on Shay — the wife of Callum, long believed to be a victim of Conrad. Now they say that Conrad did not kidnap and murder her.  Raisa’s sister, the convict Isabel, reveals that Nathaniel was not involved. So now they are on the hunt for the elusive cipher partner who had a different agenda.         

I really enjoyed both of the books in this series that definitely should be read from the beginning. I love the author’s writing style and her ability with words. I’ve grown fond of Raisa and Callum who don’t have a romance but have a work relationship. The other characters are also very vividly drawn and are quite interesting. The field of linguistics has proved to be integral in the two cases and I am fascinated by the analysis of writing and idiolect. 

Be sure to read the first in the series before tackling this one. Thank you to the publisher for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.             

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

Genre - crime thriller, psychological, linguistics, FBI, murder

The Lies You Wrote (Raisa Susanto #1) by Brianna Labuskes

 Absorbing and suspenseful crime thriller.

This is the first in a new series featuring FBI Linguist Raisa Susanto and it grabbed me from the beginning. She and her partner, forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, are investigating what looks like a copy cat crime from a situation 25 years ago when a son murdered his parents and then committed suicide.  In this present day case, a couple who was friends with the previously murdered are killed in a similar fashion. Since the perpetrator of the former is dead and posthumously convicted of the crime, who is carrying the torch now and why.  Could the FBI have made a mistake thinking that Alex Parker killed his parents? 

Raisa examines the language and idiolect of all involved in both cases to try and determine if previous confessions and current messages can help her and Callum find the truth. Meanwhile, the killings don’t stop. Who is next on the murderer’s list?

I confess that I had no real understanding of the term, idiolect, and the role of a linguist in crime investigation. It was very interesting to hear how Raisa worked and identified the tells that clearly indicated the author of the writing samples. The plot was also quite interesting with some really great twists along the way — some predictable and others not so much. I enjoyed being surprised and shocked. I really like the way this author writes and her use of language to express a thing or a thought. There are quite a few memorable lines and quotes along the way. 

I liked this so much that I immediately found the second in the series and have already started reading it. Highly recommend.

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

Genre - suspense, crime fiction, thriller, psychology, family drama

Random in Death (Eve Dallas #58) by J.D. Robb

 The books in this futuristic suspense series never disappoint.

How can the 59th book in a long running series still be this good? Well, Eve Dallas and Roarke still have that incredible staying power as the main characters who stand for the dead and try to achieve some sort of justice for victims of crimes. In this case, young girls are getting stabbed by contaminated needles and are dying before any help can arrive. The substance inside the syringes is a sophisticated concoction that only a truly devious mind could design. How are these victims chosen and what message is the killer sending? Only Eve and her colleagues can find the answers. 

I had read quite a few installments many years ago, but became sidetracked by other books and never got back to where I had left off. Picking this one up, completely out of order, was easy and I didn’t feel that I had missed anything so significant that affected my enjoyment of this particular plot and story. I love the details about life in this near future New York City, especially the way that Eve and Roarke live it. I like all the characters and their individual histories, partnerships, and interaction. I both listened and read this and had a great time reuniting with this world and these fictional people. Makes me want to go find another soon and catch up. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-book and audiobook to review and recommend. If you like police procedurals and crime thrillers, this series is not to be missed. 

this is the 58th book in a series that you should start at beginning but I have read out of order. 

Genre - futuristic suspense, police procedural, crime thriller 

Faulty Bloodline (AJ Docker #2) by Gary Gerlacher

 Fast-paced with lots of action, this is more a crime thriller than a medical drama even though the main character is a traveling ER physician. 

AJ Docker (Doc) and his incredible service dog, Banshee, move to Montana for a change of pace in a quiet mountain town. He gets a job at the local community hospital and settles in. Before long, Doc finds that this seemingly idyllic setting is hiding some pretty nasty secrets and, of course, he is going to be in the middle of it. 

So, there is still some emergency drama for Doc, but the main focus of this second installment is on the activities at a huge local ranch and a series of bodies discovered in the woods. Instead of saving patients in the ER, Doc is sneaking around at night peeking into warehouses, following suspicious trucks, and generally sticking his nose into a really nasty side business. He also has a romantic interest that, for a moment, was suggesting that Doc was maturing and more ready to settle down. 

I enjoyed this, but not nearly as much as the first one. I did not care for the plot and wished that this had focused more on medical intrigue. I like Doc and he sure has some luck with so many narrow escapes. Without giving spoilers, I can't mention here the incident that I really hated in the book. Also, that whole town was full of people whose main facial expression was a smirk. 

Doc is moving on to Las Vegas next, and I may have to follow him hoping that this series will get back to the medical and leave the crime solving to the detectives and police. 

Thank you to the publisher for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

This is the second in a series that I have read in order.

Genre - crime thriller, medical

Last Patient of the Night (AJ Docker #1) by Gary Gerlacher

 Fast, fun medical thriller -- the first in a new series.

As a nurse, I really have always appreciated well-written medical thrillers and follow certain authors who never disappoint. Happy to add a new name to my list as I enjoyed this action-packed story about an emergency room physician who gets involved with some very bad dudes.

Dr. AJ Docker (Doc) is on duty when a young woman comes in with a broken wrist. He senses that there is more going on with her than she is willing to tell but has to let her leave the ER after treatment. He is stunned when that same patient is returned to the ambulance bay and dumped from a car -- DOA. She's been beaten and mutilated and the name she had given is fake. Doc and his friend, a canine cop with his dog, Banshee, want justice and start snooping around to find out who the woman was and why she died. 

This book had some great characters and some crazy over-the-top scenarios, but it was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed the medical interspersed with the amateur crime fighting. Sure, parts of it were totally unrealistic and hard to believe, but I just could not put it down so finished it in one sitting. There was humor that made me laugh out loud and tense moments that kept me rapt. Definitely want to see more of Doc and can't wait for his next book.

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

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - medical thriller, crime

If I Go Missing by Leslie Wolfe

 A twisty and engrossing psychological thriller that will keep you guessing.

Two friends from high school come back together after a decade apart in a not-so-pleasant reunion. 

Alana (married to Daniel) and Chloe (married to Ray) end up being neighbors when Chloe and Ray move into the house next door. This isn't good for Alana -- she used to be in love with Ray and then Chloe stole him away. Alana and Daniel already have some issues going on -- he wants a baby and she is not on board. That's because she has some big secrets and has told him a lot of lies. Will these new neighbors upend everything? 

Alana is a 4th grade teacher at a local school and is a champion of the "If I Go Missing" binders -- they are made in order to help police in those critical hours after a disappearance and contain all sorts of pertinent information including passwords to phones and social media. After she's featured in an interview, one of her students goes missing. And then, so does Chloe. Alana is asked to help in the search for the binder that Chloe has made. When Alana finds it, takes photos of the pages, and also steals Chloe's hidden personal diary, she knows she has to find Chloe before the police do.  It seems Chloe has some secrets she wants to reveal that will destroy Alana's life. 

Drama? Yes. Some crazy off-the-wall twists? Yes. This was hard to put down as it veered wildly off the rails several times. I really didn't care for any of the characters and Alana kept getting on my last nerve. Some of the narrative could have been tightened as it seemed there was a lot of running around angsting on Alana's part. Some convenient coincidences and lucky amateur sleuthing helped develop the plot. I kept reading just wanting to see how this mess turned out. If you like a lot of surprises in a story line, you will probably really enjoy this standalone. Sometimes, though, it seems like authors take a twist too far but perhaps that's just my viewpoint. 

Thank you to the author for the e-book to read, review, and recommend.

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

Genre - pyschological thriller, domestic drama

The Vacation by John Marrs

 “Sun. Sea. Sex. Murder…”

Strangers find themselves staying at the Venice Beach International Hostel in California. It’s run down and basically a dump, but each visitor has a reason for finding themselves there. All have secrets and are running or hiding — from themselves or from others. 

This is a character driven novel that goes off on tangents as the situations each is in develops further. Information about who they are, why they are traveling, and their drama or trauma is revealed slowly with some surprising twists and turns. And, gotta say it, some really unbelievable coincidences. I can’t say that I related to any of the main eight people nor did I grow really attached to any of them. Their stories were quite bizarre in some instances and quite tragic in others. It was all a bit too contrived for some of the side plots to be believable. I was not surprised to see that this is a re-release of a previously published early work from this author whose other books show a bit more sophistication. I liked it well enough, but it is definitely not my favorite of his novels. 

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

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

Genre - suspense, thriller, drama

Have You Seen Her by Catherine McKenzie

 Intrigue and danger in a national park.

This thriller takes off quickly and the fast pace keeps the reader hooked with some interesting characters and lots of secrets. 

Cassie Peters returns to a familiar place after escaping an abusive marriage and starts a summer job with search and rescue at Yosemite. Petal, traveling with her partner, an older woman, is looking for something to write about and is usually observing and scribbling in her notebook. Jada is on an adventure with her boyfriend, Jim, and posting all the details on social media. The women meet at the park but really have nothing in common. Cassie’s days are consumed with work and she can’t really allow herself to feel safe as she remembers the last time she was in this area. Then, Jada and Jim go missing and a massive manhunt proves unsuccessful in finding the couple. Next, Petal vanishes. Are these disappearances connected and where are these people?  

The narrative is told mainly from Cassie’s point of view and shifts back and forth in time from then and now. It’s all pretty dramatic and twisty at the end. It kept me interested and was an easy, entertaining read. 

Rated 3.5 stars and rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. I also borrowed the audiobook from my local library and shifted between them.

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

Genre - thriller, suspense, domestic abuse, national parks