Taken in the Cold (#7 Tori Hunter) by Roger Stelljes

 Action packed crime thriller!

Even though this is the 7th book in the series and only the second installment I’ve read (just #1), I can say that this is definitely one of the better ones out there. I enjoyed the plot and how the investigation came together with all of its twists and turns. I like the characters, especially Tori Hunter and Chief Detective Braddock. Despite the gap between 1 and 7, I never felt lost as there was plenty of backstory and I was able to catch up quickly.

Though this involves domestic terrorism and also a few other issues like embezzlement and kidnapping, it all flows well and moves quickly. I like the writing style and also the vivid descriptions of the Minnesota weather and the lakes areas. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC (both provided by the publishers) and I highly recommend you do that if you can. The narrator did a great job voicing all the characters and adding an appropriate amount of dramatic flair to the story. Listening while reading definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

Can’t wait for the next in series. Only sorry that I missed 2 through 6!  I’ve given up on many series lately but I’m making an exception with this one. 

This is the 7th in a series that would be best read in order from the beginning.

Genre - crime thriller, detectives, domestic terrorism, money

Local Gone Missing (DI Elise King #1) by Fiona Barton

 Deftly plotted crime thriller kept me entertained.

This is one of those books where you feel like you need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the characters so you can cross reference as you read. There are so many of them but eventually the loose ends all tie together and the conclusion is satisfying when you reach the denouement.

Told in multiple points of view and in a shifting timeline, the plot revolves around a missing local man who is revealed as a con artist who has destroyed many of the residents' lives in the seaside town of Ebbing. He's caught them up in financial schemes but now they want him to pay. There are a lot of suspects with plenty of motive, means, and opportunity to put the fix on Charles Perry. But who took care of him?

This is the first in a new series featuring Elise King -- a former DI who has been off on sick leave after having treatment for breast cancer. While recuperating, she and her neighbor do some snooping on the side, but then Elise goes back to her job and officially investigates the case. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The production was very well done using multiple female and male voices to give distinct personalities to all the many characters. The performances definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre- crime thriller, mystery

You Can Kill (Laurel Snow #4) by Rebecca Zanetti

 Absorbing and suspenseful crime thriller.

First off, this is the first book and only one I’ve read in the Laurel Snow series so I believe that left me a bit overwhelmed as I tried to get a feel for all the characters that surely were much more familiar to those fans who have read the previous installments from the beginning. That said, I still enjoyed the story and managed to figure out the good guys from the bad pretty quickly. 

I liked the writing style and the pace though I could happily have not had to read the on page sex scenes. I don’t like them in any of my books, so generally I just skip right on past. The action and the plot moved right along with few surprises along the way though I was eager for justice to be served and the bad guys to pay. If you like this type of mystery with a strong and unusual female main character then you will probably want to check out this series. It’s not likely that I will go back and read from the beginning, but I’ll definitely be tempted to read the fifth installment to see how Laurel and Huck pick up the pieces after the events at the conclusion. Can’t see how much more mileage they can get out of the sister, Abigail, so I guess will wait and see.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. I liked the narrator’s voice for the female characters with her tone and accents, but honestly, having a male voice for the many different men in the story would have definitely improved the sound recording and enhanced the production. The men’s voices all sounded the same and not very masculine. 

I’d give this a solid 3.5 stars that I rounded up to 4 because I do think I would have liked it even more had I read the first three books. 

This is the fourth book in a series that should have been read from the beginning, in order, but this is the only one of them I have read.

Genre -tags, suspense, crime thriller, mystery, romance 

Silenced Girls (Agent Tori Hunter #1) by Roger Stelljes

 Riveting crime thriller.

First in a series, this introduces Agent Tori Hunter of the FBI returning to Minnesota where she grew up. Lured by a newspaper clipping sent to her via mail, Tori goes back home in hopes of finding out what happened to her identical twin sister 20 years ago. Although not on the job, she partners with a local detective, Will Braddock, as he investigates a missing person case involving a local woman who disappeared off a lonely backroad. 

This was super good and I could barely put it down. Although quite a bit lengthier than is typical, I was intrigued and quickly invested in the characters and the plot. I liked Tori and many of the others in that small town. The red herrings tantalized and kept me guessing as I tried to figure out who the bad guy was. I'm excited because I really would like to read more books featuring Tori Hunter and I see many are available. I typically avoid series and prefer standalones, but I think I may need to make an exception with these. A solid and suspenseful mystery. 

I was lucky and got to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I liked the narrator who did a great job voicing the characters with the appropriate amount of dramatic flair. The experience definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the first in a series featuring Tori Hunter.

Genre - crime thriller, mystery, suspense

Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer

 A very long road trip apparently traumatizes this family.

Meant to be some sort of horror mixed with humor story, this was very underwhelming. I did chuckle a few times at a clever turn of phrase, but there was not any kind of horror inside. Paranormal, yes, ghosts, yes, and tons of misery as the family winds its way to Florida. Most of the bad stuff involved things like bad fast food, vomit, flat tires, horrible motels, etc. 

Not a fan of paranormal, don’t believe in ghosts, and definitely don’t buy into people interacting with the phenomenon. That whole part of the story was far fetched and not even very exciting once we find out why it’s all supposedly happening to the family. The kids were horrible — doesn’t anyone know how to act on a car road trip anymore or is that a thing relegated to the past? All I heard the kids do was whine and go through the parents’ money and patience while in their comfy van on the way to their theme park vacation in Orlando. I don’t like reading about bratty kids and honestly, they were not grateful at all for the opportunity to visit the place they had begged to go to. (I’ve made a very similar road trip with kids in a van as well, probably even longer on some of the same roads.) By the time I finished, I wasn’t even sure what the point of the book was meant to be. Family bonding? It got all stupid sappy at the end. Very unrealistic characters and that whole part about the Vickerys was way out there. No suspense. No real mystery or tension. No bad stuff. Like someone said, a paranormal cozy. I felt sorry for the dad. 

So, this was not the book for me. I give it 3 stars because I kept reading it waiting to find out where it was going. I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator was OK though her voices for the kids didn’t work well. This would definitely have benefited from having a larger cast.

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

Genre - light paranormal cozy something

Layover by David Bell

 Fast paced but implausible mystery thriller.

This was definitely one of those where you need to be able to suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride. The unlikely scenario presented made me shake my head several times as Joshua seems to be the biggest patsy sop I’ve read lately. Come on, dude. You know the saying where people tell and show you who they are? Well, Morgan told you buddy. Joshua chases all over following her because he’s so bored with his life and so smitten with her. Even when the police get involved, he’s still uncertain and keeps trying to reconnect with her. Most of the characters were forgettable, the only decent and sensible person in the book seemed to be Joshua’s dad. Him, I liked. 

The only thing saving this from a lower rating was the ending. If it had concluded any other way I would have worried for the safety of my kindle. So, yeah, it was a quick read and kept my interest but I’m thinking 2.5 stars in a mercy rating. The plot was very thin and motivations banal. 

Another reason for the higher rating is that I listened to the audiobook while reading along in the e-book provided by the publishers. The narrator was great and did a good job of voicing all the characters including the southern accents. I’ve found that having a good reader will put a mediocre book a step up as it creates a bit more atmosphere and drama.

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

Genre - mystery, drama, thriller, murder

The Last Party (#1 DC Ffion Morgan) by Clare Mackintosh

 Absorbing crime thriller set in North Wales.

This book introduces DC Ffion Morgan of North Wales CID. When its wealthy developer dies at an extravagant New Year’s Eve party on The Shore property, she and DC Leo Brady of Cheshire Constabulary are called in and forced into a partnership to investigate. The five new luxury lakeside cottages in view of the village of Cwn Coed are stunning as they sit along Lyn Drych right under the Pen y Ddraig mountain. The locals are not happy with the English invasion and there are many who wanted Rhys Lloyd dead. 

I really enjoyed this book and all its characters. I had read the second book in the series earlier and felt the need to read the origin story so I went back and dug this out this one. I don’t often do that, but I am glad I did. I feel much differently about this series now and look forward to the third one. 

The narrative flips back and forth between characters and in time but it is a compelling mystery plot with some surprises along the way. I liked the way that Ffion and Leo’s relationship develops over the course of the story. I really savored all the details about the setting and the description made me want to put the locale on my bucket list. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book and it’s a fine thing I did because the pronunciations would have stymied me and I thoroughly appreciated hearing the appropriate accents.  The narrator did an excellent job of voicing the characters. Well done all around. The audio definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre-tags - crime thriller, mystery, North Wales

You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray

 Over the top horror thriller set in a town where nothing is as it seems.

Eddie wakes up in the street during a blizzard. The last thing he remembers is trying to help an old couple stow groceries in their car. Now he finds himself in serious danger with others who’ve also been brought to this fake town of Old Forge, New York. Kidnapped and locked in, Eddie joins forces with this ragtag band of less than upstanding citizens trying to figure a way out. Then they start dying one by one in very horrific ways.

If you like gruesome serial killer slasher thrillers, you will enjoy this one. A vague Christmas theme exists, but it’s not the heartwarming kind. Blood and gore and quite predictable as you see the characters fall but there is a little twist at the end that actually really disappointed me but did fit with the rest of the premise. Don’t read much going into this so you won’t feel cheated.

I liked it OK and it was certainly fast paced but it was just too much relentless horror for my taste. And at the revelations and conclusion I was like, no way,  as it caused me to shake my head in disbelief at the implausibility of it all.

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC as both were provided by the publisher for review. I didn’t care for her voice and I don’t think she did that great a job speaking both the male and female characters. They all sounded the same. This one would definitely have benefited from a larger cast on the audiobook.

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

Genre-tags: horror, Christmas, locked room, slasher thriller, serial killer, gory 

The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis

 Domestic drama and mystery aboard the Orient Express.

A unique premise -- a young woman has agreed to be the main character in a book written by a famous author. In addition to the monetary compensation, the author has rewarded Rory with a lavish train trip aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient Express. In addition, Ginevra Ex has surprisingly invited along Rory's brother, Max, her best friend, Caro, and her ex fiance, Nate. They all board the train and head to Positano with several stops along the Italian Coast. Why are these people along on this trip? It feels like some sort of game full of secrets, lies, and manipulation. 

Wow, a lot of characters and a very long, involved backstory about Rory and Max's father and Russian history. Parts of that seemed overly long and I wasn't very interested in most of it. Actually, I wanted more about the iconic train, but the characters spent little time aboard. There were some twists and turns, and some were predictable. Lots of emotional baggage to unpack. I didn't really care for any of the characters and was left unsatisfied by the climax and the conclusion. In short, I wish different things had happened to the characters than what I read! 

The narrative is told from alternating character points of view and there are timeline jumps. I cared more about the modern-day story than the deep dive into the past. The resolution of the mystery seemed rather anticlimactic. 

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The audiobook was quite unsatisfactory overall despite having 5 narrators. The reason being that the person who voiced the character of Caro sent me over the edge with her shrill voice. The other females were hard to keep straight but fortunately I was able to tell who was speaking due to the chapter titles in the e-book. Normally the experience of reading and listening enhances the experience for me but toward the end I had to turn off the audio as it was very irritating.

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

Genre.tags - mystery, drama, secrets and lies, Russia, Jews, train trip, Orient Express

Lies He Told Me by James Patterson

 Entirely predictable and completely unbelievable mob trope.

After a daring rescue, the video of the hero David Bowers goes viral and his whole life blows up. His wife is caught unawares and things go from bad to worse as the bad guys close in. Marcie can’t trust anyone except maybe (how continently) her old ex boyfriend who is now a cop. 

Others have already mentioned the unrealistic plot points and the stereotypical characterizations. You’ll have to suspend disbelief to enjoy this one to any extent. The behavior and actions of the characters is basically a total cliche and I spent most of my time shaking my head. The chapters are short and the author keeps certain information to himself long enough to get irritating. The story is told from various points of view and skips around between them a lot.  I did not relate to any of the characters nor like any of them. I generally like Patterson standalones, but this will be an exception. The whole ramp up, climax and conclusion were just way too outrageous to enjoy. 

I listened to the audiobook while also following along with the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. I much preferred the male narrator’s voice as the women’s overly dramatic reading was occasionally quite annoying. I always find that the experience of listening while reading helps improve a book I’m not really into. 

I see I’m again an outlier but this book was definitely not for me. 

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

Genre - mob, criminals, lawyers, money laundering, secrets and lies

I Need You to Read This by Jesse Maxwell

 An advice columnist solves the mystery of her predecessor’s death.

This was a very predictable amateur sleuth story that was slow and formulaic. I didn’t care for any of the characters, especially not Alex, the protagonist, and most of what happens to her was unlikely and highly improbable. The leaps to conclusions made me laugh, but I don’t think that was the intent. I could barely force myself to finish this once Alex starts trying to do some investigating and goes off totally half cocked. Her diner friendships were convenient, and the new boyfriend should have left her behind the minute she got so weirded out after he asked her a simple question. Alex’s backstory told in the form of the overly long and detailed Dear Constance letters was not a good use of that writing style/technique. In any case, I’d not recommend this. In truth, it was boring and banal. 

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the ebook ARC provided by the publisher. It did little to enhance the narrative and I was meh about the narrator’s voice and her attempts to give life to the characters. It wasn’t enough to save it.

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

Genre - mystery

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

 Meandering drama disguised and promoted as a thriller.

I should have marked this DNF but once I start something, I have to finish it. This story of a totally neurotic married woman (known as Clove) with two children basically turned me off from the start. Her mother is in prison because she confessed to killing Clove's father many years ago. Clove has not once contacted her mother so is sent into a downward spiral when she receives a letter begging for Clove's help to get released from prison now that domestic violence is better understood. 

I can't even begin to describe the angsty stream of consciousness narrative that follows as Clove attempts to deal with the stress of her mother's request/demand. There is not one decision or action she takes that I could relate to. I couldn't stand anything about Clove or Jane. The whole healthy living and clean food part drove me up the wall. Clove needs years of therapy. Any empathy I initially felt for her was gone after the first couple of chapters. It seemed like this went on forever and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. 

I tried listening to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book but did not like the narrator at all -- all the voices basically sounded the same. I recognize that I am an outlier in my thoughts, but I was definitely the wrong audience for this type of story.

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

Genre - emotional drama, spousal abuse, psychological

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

 Tantalizing family drama and murder mystery on Nantucket.

I love reading about a group of badly behaved rich people doing dumb things and winning stupid prizes. Even though there aren't really a lot of characters to root for in this contemporary and fast paced beach read, the story was very entertaining and easy to read in a couple of hours. 

The wealthy Winbury family is hosting the wedding of their son at their lovely oceanfront home on the island. The bride is the daughter of parents who've lived paycheck to paycheck and her mother is dying of cancer. The others who have been invited come to the estate ready for a fabulous event.  It promises to be an extravagant celebration -- but then, tragedy strikes.

Everyone is suddenly a suspect, and the local police need to interview the family and the guests. That's when all the secrets come to light. There is "no perfect couple" on the island, or anywhere. 

I was lucky enough to be able to read the e-book while listening to the audiobook. The narrator did a wonderful job of voicing all the characters and adding the appropriate amount of dramatic flair to the reading. It definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book, and I can't wait to see the adaptation on Netflix.  

This is the 3rd book in a series of 4 but it is not necessary to have read the others to enjoy this as a standalone.

Genre - contemporary beach read, family drama, mystery, murder

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

 Absorbing family drama and psychological suspense.

I've read a ton of mother and daughter stories, but not too many that focus on the relationship between a father and daughter. I found most of the plot to be entertaining as well as filled with some unexpected twists. 

Although Frank loves his daughter, Margaret (Maggie), very much, the pair is estranged because of things that happened in the past. When he's invited, out of the blue, to come to her wedding to the wealthy heir of a huge technology magnate, Frank jumps at the chance to reconnect. When he and his sister and her foster child arrive at the Gardner family compound in New Hampshire, Frank feels immediately out of his element. Not to mention that Maggie is distant and unavailable, and he can't manage to get much private face time with his future in-laws to get to know them properly. Frank is disturbed by things he sees and hears. he can't help feeling that if he doesn't figure it out, he's going to lose his daughter forever.    

I kept thinking I knew exactly where things were going but there were several surprises. Although annoyed by Frank's sister's behavior and reactions as well as being a bit freaked out by that crazy weird spider thing, I thought that Frank seemed like a basically decent guy trying hard to stay true to his values while trying desperately to demonstrate his love for his daughter. I was a bit perplexed by some of his choices and decisions but had to admire him for trying to find the answers. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator was excellent and gave all the characters distinct personalities, but he was absolutely phenomenal giving voice to the character of Frank. The audio performance added immensely to my enjoyment of this book. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller, family drama

Identity Unknown (Kay Scarpetta #28) by Patricia Cornwell

 Another great story in this long running mystery series.

Kay Scarpetta is in the middle of an autopsy on what she suspects is a murdered child when she gets a call from her niece Lucy. It seems that an old flame and friend, Sal Giordano, was kidnapped and violently killed. The strangest thing is that he seems to have been dropped from a great height out of something Lucy can only say was likely some sort of UAP — an unidentified anomalous phenomenon. Collecting her head of investigations, Pete Marino, they head off to the discovery location where everything is cloak and dagger classified. 

I love the way that the author describes everything and gives great detail about persons, places, and things. The writing style draws me in and makes me feel a part of the story as if I am right there. Over the past years after reading all the books in this series, I’ve come to like some characters more than others who get on my nerves. I always find the theme and plots interesting and unique. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the ebook ARC, both provided by the publishers. I loved the experience as the narrator did an excellent job voicing all the characters and bringing the appropriate amount of drama and tone to the book. As always, I look forward to the next installment. 

This is the 28th book in a long running series that definitely should be read, in order, from the beginning.

Genre - mystery thriller, forensic pathologist

The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

 Another wild ride with totally despicable characters in this domestic thriller.

Didn’t get enough of Amber, Jackson, and Daphne in the first book? Well, this should satisfy the most devoted fans who were clamoring for more of this hideous trio. And, yes, I include Daphne in this characterization. Although I’m sure she’s meant to be the best of the lot, and in many ways, definitely she’s less overtly evil than the other two, she just got on my last nerves with her stupid decisions and histrionics. I don’t have much tolerance for a Daphne type who thinks they can play the game against a narcissistic and abusive man with a vendetta and a plan. And all these helpful friends who have lots of money, well that was convenient. Let’s just say, she should never have returned to Bishops Harbor. All the twists and turns and double crosses gave me whiplash. Many of the resolutions were hugely coincidental and convenient. 

In any event, while hating on Amber and Jackson with a passion and hoping for them to get what’s coming to them, there was a lot of action and the pace was fast as events leapt from one location to another. The different characters narrated at various times giving the reader insight into their schemes. Anyone who enjoyed the previous book will want to find out if everyone in the story got what they deserved. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The cast of 4 did a great job voicing all the characters and added an appraise amount of dramatic flair to the performances. It definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is a follow-up to The Last Mrs. Parrish which should be read first.

Genre - domestic thriller, spousal abuse, murder