Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

 Predictable novel about the relationship between a sentient female robot and her human owner.

Doug owns his cuddle robot, Annie. She’s meant to satisfy his every need as a companion, a housekeeper, and a girlfriend. He trains her to be what he wants and to respond to his moods. Meanwhile, Annie’s AI is developing and changing as her mind expands and grows as she adjusts to life with him and the world she’s allowed to explore. 

I enjoyed this well enough until the last part when it went in exactly the direction I was hoping it would not go. So ended up feeling let down despite initial promise that this would be original and unique compared to all the other human and robot books. 

The narration was good but the ultimate conclusion disappointed. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook to listen to and review. 

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

Genre - sci fi, human plus robot relationship

Murder by Lamplight (Dr. Julia Lewis #1) by Patric McDonough

 Excellent historical murder mystery.

Dr. Julia Lewis is a rarity in Victorian London — a lady physician. It is 1866 and the city is in the midst of a terrible cholera epidemic. Meanwhile, a killer is targeting his victims in a seamy part of town. Inspector Richard Tennant of Scotland Yard finds himself needing Julia’s medical services as he attends the crime scenes. 

I found this to be extremely well researched and very interesting with all of the historical details of that time period. I love mysteries with a medical bent and with a strong female protagonist. I really liked the characters of Dr. Julia and Inspector Tennant and hope to see more of their exploits working together in the next installment of this series. The plot was clever and kept me guessing. 

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator had a strong British accent as expected which was quite appropriate for this novel. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the audio download to listen to, review, and recommend. 

This is the first in a new series featuring Dr. Julia Lewis.

Genre - historical murder mystery, Victorian, lady doctors

Baby X: A Thriller by Kira Peikoff

 Speculative sci-fi thriller that examines the implications of designer babies in a future society. 

What if you and your partner decide that you’re ready to be parents? Instead of conventional conception methods, baby will be created in a lab from pieces of your DNA. You will be able to select — or select OUT — characteristics, traits, intelligence, etc. to ensure you have exactly the baby you want. Babies will be healthy because those hereditary conditions won’t be part of the equation. It should all be perfect for everyone, right?

Not so fast. Some of these selected kids have existential issues about how they are programmed to behave and what they are meant to achieve based on those chosen for them by the parents. Eventually the process is corrupted when scientists figure out that some people will pay big money to have babies with the superstars. But they have to steal it. What a moral and ethical quandary.

Three women are dealing with their own situations surrounding this evolution in the whole process of having children. Although it is initially difficult to see how the lives of Quinn, Lily, and Ember will converge, their individual story lines eventually do. 

The premise of this was so intriguing but something got lost with the way the characters were developed and presented. Told in 3 different points of view, none of the women were especially likable and the climax seemed quite over the top verging on a bit ridiculous. It was interesting medical science and that part was all too believable, and I always enjoy those details. 

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

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

Genre - speculative thriller, future, medical 

3.5 stars

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

 A fast, fun mystery thriller that was nearly impossible to put down. 

This was a twisty and darkly humorous story that uses the framework of a true crime podcast and its host, Ben Owens, to solve a murder.  Five years ago, Lucy Chase was found covered in blood -- the blood of her best friend, Savvy, who was dead in the woods. It's widely believed by everyone in their hometown that Lucy killed Savvy. No murder weapon or other evidence was found, and Lucy had a traumatic brain injury from her own head wound that caused amnesia about the events of that night. Ben is using his podcast to investigate the case and Lucy decides to help him to finally find out if she really did it. 

I really enjoyed this one. The characters were very well drawn, and Lucy was the sort of protagonist that you are skeptical of but root for nevertheless. She's very witty, sarcastic, and snarky -- and admits she makes very bad decisions. Her grandma is a hoot. There are frenemies and nasty small-town minds all weighing in during Ben's interviews with their perceptions of Lucy and the night in question. 

I loved the way the narrative shifted between episodes of the podcast and the voice of Lucy. The narrators of this audiobook were fabulous and the production was excellent. 

If you are looking for a topnotch whodunit with small town gossip, secrets, and lies -- this is it. I believe this is the author's adult fiction debut. Don't miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC to listen to, review, and highly recommend. 

This was a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery thriller

Murder at the Island Hotel (#15 Kitty Underhay) by Helena Dixon

 Lovely episode in one of my favorite cozy mystery series.

In the spring of 1936, Kitty and her best friend, Alice, are off to Bird Island to assess a new hotel. The owner, Sir Norman, wants to join the local hoteliers association and Kitty is meant to give her blessing. When they arrive, they find that the future bride to Sir Norman has invited a few guests as well. Shortly after the parties arrive, Sir Norman is found dead in his office. Nothing to be done except to call the police — Matt and the local inspectors arrive on the next boat. 

This was fast and fun and though I had figured out the murder, there were some surprises along the way. I enjoy the interplay between Kitty, Alice, and Matt, who have become like old friends. I love the detail and descriptions of that time period and everything from the decor to the food service. I hope to see more about the personal lives of Matt and Kitty in future installments. The focus is typically on other characters and the crime being solved, and they seem like an old married couple rather than basically almost newlyweds. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I recommend the entire series and definitely it’s one that should be started at the beginning and read in order.

Genre - cozy mystery, historical

The 23rd Midnight (New Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro #23

 A fast-paced crime thriller.

A monster is re-creating murders committed by a convicted serial killer. Evan Burke is behind bars but is still a mentor and influence on an obsessed fanboy.  Can the women find and stop him before he targets the members of the club. 

It's been at least a decade since I've read any of the Murder Club series. I saw this in my local library's catalog of audiobooks and thought it was time to revisit the old gang. I was not disappointed!

I love the sharp and focused narrative and the dynamics of the friend group. I caught back up to them quite quickly and asked myself why I had stopped reading the series. The plot was interesting and the action and dialog kept me glued to my ear buds. 

The narrator was excellent and the voices of the characters quite distinct. 

This is the 23rd in a series but can be read as a standalone or a starting point.

Genre - crime thriller

The Clinic by Cate Quinn

 Gothic thriller fails to deliver.

Meg’s sister dies at an expensive and exclusive rehab center. She knows her sister did not commit suicide and so she decides to admit herself to find out what really happened. 

I was looking for an atmospheric read after looking at the blurb for this book. The isolated place in the PNW surrounded by fog — and the hook for me was the medical aspect. A rehabilitation center for the rich and famous. Unfortunately, having some actual knowledge about addiction and treatment/therapy meant that I was going to nit pick everything. Yeah, no. 

The characters were all such a turn off and the plot just limped along with one completely unrealistic thing happening after another. The twists? Took all my ability to suspend disbelief. I can see by other reviews that many really enjoyed this but it definitely was not appealing to me. It was very slow paced with even the short chapters not making it move along. 

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

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

Genre - psychological thriller, drug addiction, substance abuse, addiction and treatment, Gothic

The Therapy Room (Susan Parker #1) by Sam Baron

 Debut crime thriller has potential.

A psychiatrist is found, viciously stabbed to death, in the kitchen of an isolated farmhouse in Santa Carina, California. In the basement, 12 individual cells hold 11 victims. All still alive but refusing to speak. FBI agent Susan Parker is called to the scene when a local cop finds a post it note with her name on it attached to the basement door. Convinced that the dead man is the serial killer, Splinter, she's been hunting, Susan is desperate to debrief the victims but is denied access to them having to instead go through a therapist that the prisoners had requested. Working with the local cop and her team, Susan attempts to figure out what was going on out at the farmhouse and why these people were kept in the basement. And the 12th person? Does he have the answers she seeks. Meanwhile, Susan is still grieving the death of her husband. 

This was an audiobook and kept me interested. The narrator had a decent voice and performed the different character voices adequately although the varying accents were sometimes exaggerated. Certainly, the novel had a wide variety of nationalities with Susan and her family being Indian and there were other representations as well. I have to say that what got on my nerves the most was the constant focus on Natalie, Susan's deaf daughter. Way too much about the child which added nothing to the aspect of this book meant to be a suspense thriller. The character of Susan seemed rather dense for her being an SAC in the FBI. I had figured out most all of the story way early and was annoyed by how long it took her and the team to catch up. 

This is the first in a new series featuring SAC Susan Parker of the FBI. It ends without tying up all the loose ends, which is always a drawback for me and leaves that feeling of something unfinished that I do not like. The second installment is due out soon, so perhaps answers will come. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this audiobook to read, review, and provisionally recommend. I will reserve full judgment once I have read the second in series. 

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

Genre - crime thriller

Death Angel (Alexandra Cooper #15) by Linda Fairstein

 I haven’t read a book in this series for some time and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed revisiting the characters of Assistant DA Alexandra Cooper and Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace of the NYPD. 

Ostensibly a crime thriller, this narrative also features many historic details about New York City. I really liked all the information about Central Park and the Dakota. I’m one who likes that level of description and can’t get enough of all the facts. I’m always inspired to go off on my own and read more about those famous places that I’ve only actually ever seen once in real life. 

This particular case starts with the discovery of a body in the water by the Bethesda Angel. The girl appears homeless and has no identification. In their efforts to figure out who killed her, the team explores the park and surrounding areas, stumbling onto a connection to a wealthy family who has lived at the Dakota for generations. A little girl disappeared from the top floor apartments of the Dalton family and was never found. Is that case related to this current homicide? 

There are other side plots going on as well in this novel as Mike Chapman has made a serious error in judgment leading to a scandal that also threatens Alex’s reputation. Mental health issues, the plight of the homeless, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the safety in Central Park called into question, rapists on the loose, well, you get the picture. Very busy book. The last part when Alex finds herself in personal danger (don’t they always go off on their own and get into trouble) was the least appealing part of this novel. I also get the impression, though I have skipped around the series and not kept up with it, that this current romantic situation she finds herself exploring is really out of character. 

Regardless, I did enjoy this and also liked the narrator who did justice to the characters and gave voice to their quirky personalities and accents. I listened to the audio version and also read a bit of the e-book that I received as an ARC from NetGalley a quite some time ago.  

Definitely want to search out other installments going forward. Recommended.  

This is the 15th book in the series. I believe it works fine as a standalone though I have read others previously in the series.

Genre - crime thriller, legal, 

The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes

 This book is a lot of things -- it's got action, super spy stuff, suspense, a scary apocalyptic future, some cool high-tech gear, and a really evil bad guy. Even though it comes in at nearly 800 pages, it is really hard to put it down.

"We're riders on the storm, that's all we are and can ever hope to be..."

Ridley Walker, AKA Kane, is a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA. He goes into hostile places and does whatever needs done and gets back out again. Hopefully. When the US government gets intelligence that the New Islamic Army of the Pure is about to create a spectacular, Kane is sent to the middle east to prevent a global terrorist event focused on America. The borderlands of Afghanistan, Iran, or Pakistan might be harboring a man who could be the leader of this group. He is known as the Locust. Kane's mission is to prevent this devastating attack. 

The book is divided into 4 parts, each focusing on aspects of Kane's objective and spycraft. The last part takes an unexpected turn that was so fantastical that I was caught completely off guard. I could not put the book down. No spoilers.

I had been waiting for another book by this author since loving his first when I reviewed it back in 2013 and stalked everyone I knew until they read it. This is also good, but in a different way. There are some really great, fully developed characters that elicit all kind of reactions in the reader. The descriptions of the settings and the detail provided about all of the equipment and machinery is amazingly well done. I don't know how much of this is actually real and what is make-believe (well, except for one thing that I will not mention here) but it seems that Mr. Hayes did a ton of research. So, don't wait, grab a copy and dive in. It's quite a story.

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.

Genre -- see above  Spy thriller

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

 A weekend hen party goes awry in this suspenseful psychological thriller.

Leonora, a somewhat reclusive writer, accepts an invitation to attend a weekend house party given for an old school friend and bride-to-be, Claire, whom she hasn't seen for about 10 years. The big house, nestled out in the dark woods, is perfectly suited for entertaining and all starts off well. The hostess, Flo, is Claire's new BFF and has organized all the events, weird as some of them may be. The six guests try to make the best of it for Claire's sake. 

Leonora wakes in the hospital unable to remember details about what has happened. All she knows is that someone has died. And the police are questioning here under caution. 

This is Ware's debut novel and I enjoyed it for the most part even though I heartily dislike the unreliable narrator trope and the convenient memory loss device. The plot is fairly predictable, and most readers will guess where this is going as the clues are dangled and slowly fall with the revelations. Can't say that any of the characters were appealing or likeable and Leonora especially seemed really slow on the uptake. 

I'd previously read several of Ruth Ware's other books, but this was actually better than some of the later ones -- at least I think so. I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator was decent although some of the character voices made me cringe. I also had the e-book handy which helps me when I listen because I can go back and look up something or double check I "got it" as sometimes my attention wanders while listening!

Anyway, solid mystery thriller that entertained for several hours. I got the audiobook from my local library and the ARC way back when from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books. 

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

Genre - Psychological suspense, thriller

The Wife’s Mistake by Lorna Dounaeva

 Twisty psychological thriller and domestic drama.

Hayden and Natalie are doing OK but things take a crazy turn when they win the lottery. Will their newfound millions change their lives? Of course, but definitely not in the way they dreamed.

Told in alternating points of view between Hayden and Natalie, things start to go awry even before they claim their money. Secrets from the past come back to haunt Natalie and Hayden gets in way over his head as he adjusts to driving his new cars and moving them to their beautiful new house. It’s true that money can’t buy happiness, but every person they know seems to want a part of their winnings. 

This was entertaining but the characters were all so unlikeable and each made the most stupid decision possible in every single situation they confronted. I wanted to shake each and every one of them to help them come to their senses. It became obvious quickly that there was not going to be a happy ending here for Natalie and Hayden. No spoilers. 

I was given an advanced copy of the audiobook by the publisher. I know that this narrator is popular, but I cannot stand her voice. Her attempts to change her style and tone to match different characters borders on the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to me. It’s not just the accent or the way certain words are pronounced, it’s that she can’t do male voices at all and the female voices are grating or strident or shrill. But, I am sure, again, that is my personal opinion and obviously she does a lot of these audiobooks. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller, domestic drama

The Patient by Teri Terry

 Predictable, melodramatic psychological thriller and family drama.

Saphy had a congenital heart defect made worse by a Covid infection. She’s given a second chance at life when her name came to the top of the transplant list — there was a match. The donor is a young woman who is was attacked and left in a coma until tests revealed she was brain dead. While the police try to work out who killed Flora, her organs are harvested and transplanted into several recipients. 

Saphy is recovering from her surgery but feels compelled to find out whose heart she received. She becomes obsessed once she knows it is indeed from Flora, a very beautiful and popular young woman. She meets Flora’s family and Flora’s older sister, a doctor named Fern. Soon, Saphy is channeling Flora, wearing her clothes, getting her hair cut and colored, meeting Flora’s friends and wanting to be her. Flora’s family welcome her with open arms and support. 

Told in alternating points of view between Saphy and Fern, the narrative shifts from the believable into the fantastic. Slow moving and banal, it takes forever for the suspense to build to the climax. Once the big reveals occur, the reader will not be surprised. The conclusion quickly ties up all the loose ends in typical fashion. I was disappointed. 

I did not care for the main character, Saphy, at all and soon any positive feelings I had about anyone else in the story also vanished. The whole aspect of Saphy getting messages and feelings from Flora really got on my nerves. The narrator of the audio — well, the voice of Saphy was fine, however every single other character’s voice sounded so similar, if female, that often I could not be sure who was speaking. The attempts at the male voices were horrible. Surely it’s not that much trouble to have at least one female and one male narrator in production to try to fix this for listeners? 

This was the first book I have read by this author and I doubt I will listen to another. I do thank NetGalley and Bookouture for granting access to the audiobook for me to review. 

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

Genre - psychological, family drama, medical, thriller

Winter’s Mourn (Winter Black #1) by Mary Stone

 Formulaic mystery thriller, first in a long running series, featuring FBI Agent Winter Black.

Of course Winter Black has a back story and this has formed her adult personality. When she was a teenager, she came home to find her parents murdered and her little brother missing. The perpetrator was still in the house and knocked her out leaving her for dead. After a long coma, she awoke to find that she had some unusual psychic abilities. She will never give up trying to find her brother or to hunt down the serial killer known as The Preacher.

Fast forward and Winter is now a rookie FBI agent and she is assigned to investigate some old bones dug up by a hunter in her hometown. That unmarked body dump is just the first found in this hidden burial ground. She and her partner Noah stumble upon clues that lead to an old cult and a fertility drug that has severe side effects. 

My problem with this book started almost immediately with the description of Winter and her beauty, fragility, blah blah. Her powers —OK had I known there was this element I would have definitely passed as I dislike any sort of supernatural elements in my detective fiction. Of course she constantly needed rescuing and protection, she cries a lot, is way overly emotional, and Noah is falling in lust or love. The characters were so stereotypical and it sure took them a long time to figure out the mystery. I will not be reading any further books.

Also, wanted to say that I listened to this on audio so did not make my usual notes. The absolute worst thing, however, was the narrator trying to do voices of other characters. The male voices were horribly done and it was difficult to even tell who was speaking half the time because everyone sounded the same. No effort to differentiate the different characters. 

This is the first of 22 in a series.

Genre - mystery thriller, crime, FBI

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect (#2 Ernest Cunningham) by Benjamin Stevenson

 Second in this mystery murder series is better than the first!

This book is filled with wry humor, cryptic clues, sardonic asides; it's quite witty and clever. At times I laughed out loud as the author in the story writes his first-person account of a trip he takes on a train. This isn't just any old train, it's the luxury Ghan, and on board are writers, publishers, agents, reviewers, and fans who are attending the Australian Mystery Writers' Festival. 

The fictional author is none other than Ernest Cunninham who had made his true crime debut writing about the murders that took place during his family reunion. His book sold well, but his agent wants him to take a stab at writing fiction. He's on this train with his girlfriend, Juliette, whom he met at the resort where the family reunion was held. They plan to attend all the of the panels, workshops, and discussions while Ernest works through a bit of writer's block. Lo and behold, one of the more famous authors is murdered and finally, Ernest has the inspiration he needs for a book. 

You will remember, having read the first book, that Ernest is very direct and speaks to the reader about the rules of writing detective novels and he's a stickler to following them. He points out the obvious and also throws in some tantalizing hints of what the reader should be figuring out.  It's all great fun and he invites the reader along on his mission to out the killer and solve the case. 

I enjoyed this one so much more than the first. May be because I do love trains and the Ghan is unique. I'll definitely look for more titles by Benjamin Stevenson in the future as I love the style of the writing and the way he tells a story in this unique way. 

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

This is the second book featuring Ernest Cunninghman. After Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

Genre: murder mystery in the style of the locked room

The Women: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

 Unforgettable.

Although this novel tells one woman's fictional coming of age story, this is really a testimonial to all the women who served in Vietnam and whose service was neither appreciated nor recognized by their country or their fellow citizens. 

Frances "Frankie" McGrath is 21 when she impetuously joins the Army Nurse Corps. Arriving in country without any notion of the horrors of war, she is completely unprepared for daily life in these makeshift hospital and surgical wards near the shifting conflicts in the jungle and in the air. The devastation she witnesses, and the sheer multitude of injury and death is almost more than any soul can bear. She forms a strong friendship with her two hooch mates and that bond is the only relationship that keeps her sane as she develops her nursing skills to save as many of the wounded as she can. Despite the terrible conditions, she feels that Vietnam is where she can be of most use and she really wants to be a hero. Ultimately, she wants her parents to be proud of her as they were of her beloved brother. And, after a second tour, she finally returns home only to find that the world as she knew it has changed. She's an embarrassment and is reviled and soon becomes broken and lost. She wants to move forward but there is another fierce battle for herself at home. 

I was in middle and high school during the last years of the Vietnam War. I was vaguely aware of the draft but I do not remember anyone I knew going there. When I graduated, I went off to college, to nursing school, and the #1 show was MASH. I wanted to be Loretta Swit and I really intended to join the military as soon as I got my degree. Life had other plans for me and that dream was set aside as I became a wife and mother. I always regretted not serving. Now, after reading what life was like in a war zone operating room, I know for sure that I would never have had the strength or endurance to do that job. While the TV show did give a glimpse, I now understand that the true picture of what it was like was hidden from all of us as no one ever asked those nurses or the other women that were in Vietnam for their stories. What must have it been like for them to hear that there "were no women in Vietnam." To be denied help at Veterans hospitals and clinics. 

I believe this novel will really appeal to a certain reader and affect them differently depending on what they think or know of the war years and if they had personal experiences with it. My heart was breaking for the main character who I am sure represented a good many of those who went through the atrocities and chaos. 

Rarely do I rate a fiction book 5 stars but I can't stop thinking about this. The narration was excellent, and the writing was so evocative and powerful. The story resonated with me in a way that I have not felt in a long while. This review does not do the book justice. It's possible that the descriptions of the gory nature of war will be a turnoff to some. The main character goes through a lot during the course of the story but every word demonstrates the absolute toll that serving one's country takes on a person. It explains why so many came home so damaged. 

Thank you for the audio and the e-book advance copies to read, review, and highly recommend. 

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

Genre - historical fiction, Vietnam War, Army Nurse Corps

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Somone by Benjamin Stevenson

 Clever and snarky, this uniquely written murder mystery introduces a family of killers who are having a reunion at a mountain top ski resort. The protagonist is the reliable narrator, Ernest (Ern) Cunningham, who will use Ronald Knox's "10 Commandments of Detective Fiction" to address a perplexing and longstanding historical issue within the family. The drama starts when the body of a stranger is found in the snow outside the guest house. Secrets are revealed as a storm isolates the family and chills abound when they realize there are more murders to come. 

I picked this up when I realized that I had the second in the series set to be read and reviewed for the publisher. I like to start at the beginning with the first installment. I really liked the writing style though it took me a moment to get into it and meet all the characters.  I did enjoy the interjection of dark humor and the way that Ern talks to the reader throughout. I can't say that I related to or liked any of the family members, but they are definitely all interesting as you get deeper into the book. I probably would have liked this a lot more had I really enjoyed the plot and the complexity of the story. It just didn't interest me that much as it was all about something that had occurred in the far past. I am, however, a fan of original ways to tell a tale so I am looking forward to reading the next book to see how the style is employed in a different setting.

This is the first in a new series.

Genre - murder mystery

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

 Just a twist too far...

Brooke Sullivan gets a job as a nurse practitioner at a prison where her old high school boyfriend is incarcerated. Shane Nelson is there because Brooke testified against him at his murder trial. He had, she swore, attempted to strangle her as well as commit the other crimes. All of this occurred 10 years ago. Brooke comes face to face with Shane again and starts to question whether or not he was actually the killer. 

Told in a back then (the night at the farmhouse when the murders happened) and present-day narrative with Brooke working and trying to raise her 10-year-old son while a single mother. Could it be that Brooke got it all wrong about what really happened that night?

This started off well and then rapidly veered off into wild and crazy nonsense that just kept coming. There is no way that Brooke could be as dumb as she acted. Her lack of judgement and common sense are so blatantly obvious that the reader wants to shake her out of it. And scoff that anyone wants to be in any sort of relationship with her. And the hits keep on coming with one insane twist after another until a story that seemed totally predictable turns with a climax that changes everything. Oh, guess away, but until that moment with the big reveal, I thought I had figured it all out. In any event, Brooke was a complete twit and I begrudge her a happy ending. And just when you think, ok, so that's that -- there's the epilogue. Nope. No. 

I can't really recommend this. The writing is more tell than show and lots of repetition with fickle Brooke having no clue about the motives of those around her. I had both the audio version and the book to flip between. The narrator was OK and didn't get on my last nerve as she performed the various voices. It was a quick listen/read. I've read other books by this author that I have enjoyed a lot more so I will read future titles. 

Thank you to the publisher for the advance editions. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller