Dead Line (Arliss Cutter #7) by Marc Cameron

 Pulse pounding crime and wilderness thriller.

In this 7th book of the series (and the first I have read), Deputy U.S. Marshals Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki and their cohort are heading into the frigid Alaskan tundra on a manhunt for a contract killer as well as a dangerous group of assassins. The two cases are not connected, but they intersect in one of the coldest parts of the final frontier. 

One of the main “characters” in this book has to be the cold weather. Reading about temperatures going into double negatives below zero made me shiver. Everything was made more difficult because of this extreme cold as it affected not only all the people but also all of their equipment. I can’t even imagine the type of cold that the team was forced to endure in their quest to find the evil killers as well as their protected witness and his mother. All of the characters in this story were intriguing and I hate that this is the first of the stories I’ve read not knowing the backstory though the author definitely gives enough information to answer most questions. Since I want more detail, I plan to go back and pick up some of the previous titles while waiting for the next in a series that is bound to become one of my favorites.

I liked the action, the plot, and the suspense in this thriller. I was fully invested in the work done by this interagency group in this location. I have always been fascinated by Alaska and the type of people who live there. 

I love how the book has a cast of characters at the very beginning. I really appreciated being able to refer to this before I started as well as after I had finished. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, David Chandler, did a great job with his deep, smooth voice and ability to perform various accents necessary for distinguishing between the many characters. His work definitely enhanced my enjoyment of this book and created the perfect mood for a totally immersive experience.

This is the 7th book in a series that should be read from the beginning, in order. This, however, is the first one I have read and I will definitely go back and catch up.

Tags and genre - US Marshals, assassins, Polish mob, murder, weather, Alaska, manhunt

Burned Bridges (Irene Rivers #1) by John Gilstrap

 Exciting, suspenseful, action packed thriller is the first in a new series featuring former FBI Director, Irene Rivers. 

After she brought down the President and was ousted from her job at the FBI, Irene moves her family to West Virginia and settles in the house that her grandparents had owned. Kelly is a teenager and Wyatt, age 12, is the nephew she is raising. The small family is used to notoriety and looks forward to the quiet country life. That is not to be. Events escalate after Wyatt finds the body of a young male stuffed into a shallow cave opening on their large property. Soon Irene and the kids are caught up in local politics and find that a local and powerful family controls or is responsible for almost everything that goes on in town. As the corruption and coverup extends even to the state level, Irene needs to call for some favors from some skilled friends she’s managed to hold onto since leaving the FBI. 

The characters were well drawn and there was lots of action. Irene Rivers is no shrinking violet and has a calculating mind to match the physical skills. The suspense builds with great writing that actually created tension and a sense of menace. I mean these were some really evil people. I had a hard time putting it down and read it in a single sitting. There was a lot going on in this plot and I was guessing how this was all going to come together and hoping that the good guys prevailed. Definitely a high body count and some grisly details. All in all, exactly what I want in crime fiction. 

This was really good and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I haven’t read this author before, so I’m not familiar with other series or even the book where Irene exists in her FBI job. I’ll have to remedy that. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Natalia Payne, has a deep and husky voice that lends itself to both male and female characters. She did a good job of bringing the right tone and drama to the story and this enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I always love an immersive experience that’s provided by reading while listening.

This is the first in a new series featuring Irene Rivers.

Tags and genre - suspense, action, mystery, corruption, small town, murder

Cold Island (Tommy Kelly #1) by Peter Colt

 Atmospheric, dark crime thriller.

Massachusetts State Police detective Tommy Kelly is sent to Nantucket Island to work with Nantucket police after discovery of remains at a construction site. The bones and detritus are thought to be about 35 years old, so Tommy and Detective Jo Harris try to sift through old missing persons reports to see if they can find a match to their victim — apparently a male child. Strangely enough, they can’t find anything that helps them to identify this boy. As they probe deeper, secrets that this small community have kept for years come to light.

This was written a bit differently than I’m used to reading. Lots of minute details about the island, the  food eaten, and other tidbits that immediately made me wonder if all of that is being used as misdirection. Turns out, it was. Seems that there is a huge secret just waiting for a big reveal during the last part of the book that took me by surprise. But it did kind of seem like a gotcha and I was afraid that the story was going to go off the rails for a minute until it got back on track. Still not quite sure how I felt about that. But, the basics of this plot were good though I was caught off guard. As far as the characters, well, I need to think about them. Some of what happened was predictable and I guess I’ll need to read the second book in the series to see what happens next. And I did like this well enough to want to do that. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Chris Ciulla, is a Boston native so his accents were perfect in this book. He gave the appropriate dramatic flair to the personalities and characters. His performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story and provided an immersive experience.

This is the first in a series.

Tags and genre - child abduction and murder, crime thriller, mystery, Nantucket Island

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz

 Somewhat predictable LGBT destination thriller.

When her fiancée, Eszter Farkus, dies while visiting a quiet island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on a 3 week trip, Abby decides to travel to Isla Colel herself to retrace Eszter’s steps and meet the people she had spent time with before her death from anaphylactic shock. The island, decimated by a hurricane, has no real tourism and only a few expats live there forming a transient community. Abby meets them, trying to understand what happened, and finds that things aren’t adding up. Everyone is hiding something and keeping secrets. Abby starts to believe that she hasn’t been told the truth of what Eszter was doing on the island and how she died.

This was quite slow and nothing happened as Abby shuffles around chatting up the people who knew her girlfriend. I didn’t really like any of the characters and there really was no tension or suspense as they were talking, talking, talking. Abby doesn’t speak Spanish which makes it hard for her to question the locals, and she’s not certain that Rita, Pedro, Amari, and Brady are being truthful. How did Eszter come to find this place and was she planning to come back home to Abby and get married? It really wasn’t very compelling and the plot was quite thin. No surprises.  The conclusion was disappointing. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. There was a cast of narrators for this production including Dani Martineck, Imani Jade Powers and Natasha Soudek. But no male voice. I disliked whomever voiced the Eszter character but the others did alright considering the lack of real drama and uneven pacing. I usually enjoy the immersive experience of doing the formats simultaneously, but I did end up putting the audio aside and just read the last couple of chapters.

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

Tags and genre - destination thriller, expats, LGBT, island

The MYsterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jonasson

 Cliffhanger ending is unsettling and makes this Nordic noir mystery a bit unsatisfactory for me. 

A famous Icelandic author, Elin Jonsdottir, has gone missing. Detective Helgi Reykdal is assigned the case, probably due to his love of books but also because he has demonstrated some real ability with investigations. The novel is told in multiple timelines that bring in subplots about Helgi’s past relationship with a bad girlfriend, Elin’s personal history, and Helgi’s predecessor, Hulda, whose fate is unresolved since she has also vanished without a trace. 

The plot is complex and has a classic mystery style but the pacing was somewhat slow and there didn’t seem to be a lot of detecting or police work done to solve the case. So many different things going on and absolutely no progress made to answer several questions. And what about Anita? I hate cliffhanger endings and always feel cheated as it makes the novel seem incomplete. Definitely sets up for the next in this series (this is the 3rd book) but who likes waiting?

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavic, and Rufus Wright, did an excellent job of voicing the characters and bringing them to life. The special effects, ie the tape recorder, also enhanced the listening experience. I enjoyed the full cast performance that increased enjoyment of the book. 

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

Tags and genre - Nordic crime fiction, mystery, missing persons

The Surf House by Lucy Clarke

 Absorbing and suspenseful destination thriller.

Bea has had it with her structured role and work as a model. On a photo shoot in Marrakesh, Morocco, she rips off her couture dress, grabs her backpack and takes off for the souks and what she hopes will be an escape from her regimented life. After a crazy and dangerous encounter, she befriends a woman, Marnie, who takes Bea to a surfer's clifftop paradise guesthouse that she co-owns with her partner, Ped. It's a diverse community but all are there for the surf and for the nomadic lifestyle they call freedom. But some are hiding secrets and, in fact, wasn't there another girl there on her own a year ago who left one day and was never seen again? Savannah's brother, Seth, arrives at the house in search of her. 

Told in a past and present timeline and from multiple points of view, though primarily that of Bea and Savannah, the pace is fast and the tension builds as this perfect world starts to unravel. Although i didn't care for many of the characters, I did empathize with some. I liked the writing style and the way the author used the setting to create atmosphere that enhanced the suspense as well as the desperate nature of the situations. She captured the spirit of the young people yearning for something they can't really identify or name that makes them continue their wandering. 

There is a lot about surfing in this book, and I know nothing about that sport, so it was interesting and I could see how these young adults chase the waves for the sheer purpose of emptying their heads even as many have no ambition or other focus in mind. People and things can become an obsession. Bad decisions can have calamitous consequences. Hiding from the truth doesn't make you complete or turn things right. Betrayal is deadly. There are twists and turns, some predictable given the typical course of this genre, but I relished the process and the revelations. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Sarah Slimani, did an excellent job bringing the story to life and giving her characters individual accents and personalities. She gave a theatrical flourish to the production that really enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment of the setting and the story.

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

Tags and genre - travel, Morocco, surfing, young adult community, missing girl, mystery, atmosphere, thriller 

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman

 Entertaining cozy mystery.

Mrs. Blossom, in her late sixties and a widow, finds the winning lottery ticket in a parking lot. The money changes her life as she decides to take advantage of her new found wealth to find a reason to experience this period in a new way on her own. She books a river cruise in France and takes along her childhood friend. But, from the beginning of the trip, unusual things start happening and soon she’s involved in a mystery involving a stolen artifact and possibly murder. 

I loved this main character with her comfort in her body and in her own ability to change so that this period in her life will allow her to continue to be happy despite her losses. The way she interacts with people she meets, her generally positive attitude, and her self perception combine to make this introspective as well as poignant. There is some humor as well, and lots of cultural references as well as a nice description of her tour of France and its iconic sights.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Kimberly Farr, did an excellent job with the French word pronunciation and the accents. She brought a great deal of tenderness to the main character’s voice and appropriate dramatic flair when necessary. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Tags and genre - cozy mystery, cruise, France, Murder, stolen artifact,

All This Could Be Yours by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 Fun, fast paced suspense thriller.

Tessa Calloway has written a sensational debut novel about a woman who follows her dreams and achieves happiness and fame. She's riding on her wave of success, making all the bestseller lists, and is on a whirlwind book tour, visiting a new city each night. Although sad at leaving her husband, Henry, and her two children at home in a new house she's really not lived in yet, she's holding it together despite the early wake-ups to catch planes and the late nights after bookstore appearances and book signings. It becomes clear, soon enough, that Tessa -- used to adoring fans -- has a stalker who is not one of those. Tessa has a secret and this person wants it outed.

This was a slow burn as the situation got more tense and I was unable to put the book down as I frantically turned pages wanting to find out who and why. I loved the author in an author story premise and the details about what a book tour is actually like. The main character was believable and her responses to the situation seemed realistic and appropriate. As the tormentor got closer, the more Tessa realized she was not in control of the story and decided to use her the voice of her own book's character to take it back. The writing was good and the conclusion satisfying.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, did an excellent job of voicing all the characters. She provided a great sense of building tension and keeping me engaged. Her dramatic flair enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I loved the immersive experience of listening while reading. 

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

Tags and genre - suspense, mystery, author on tour, stalker, secrets in past 

The Billion Dollar Ransom by James Patterson

 Fast and suspenseful crime thriller.

Planned down to the second, simultaneous kidnappings occur in 3 different locations. A billionaire’s wife is taken outside a beauty salon. His two children are hauled off a private bus, and his oldest son and a starlet are surprised in their room at a luxury resort. The ransom demand is quick to follow. One billion dollars is demanded for their safe return. An ambitious FBI agent, Nicky Gordon, leads the hastily assembled task force that includes her sometime lover,  LAPD Detective Mike Hardy. As the police try to track down witnesses and mount a manhunt, the kidnappers stay a step ahead, leading the cops to believe that there’s a mole inside the investigation. 

This was action packed with lots of twists and turns. The kidnappers, known only by numbers, are committed to their jobs because they want their share of the money. There are lots of characters and with the short chapters and focus on the details of the kidnapping and hostages, they are not really fleshed out much and fall into somewhat of the cliche category. It was just a fun plot with plenty of bad guys and red herrings. It was an easy read that took me only a couple of hours and provided a nice escape.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Cynthia Farrell, did a great job voicing all the characters and providing appropriate dramatic flair. Her pacing was spot on and she did well with accents and both male and female voices. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This was a standalone and not part of any series.

Tags and genre - police procedural, crime thriller, suspense, mystery, kidnapping, ransom, hostages, murder

The Oligarch’s Daughter

 Riveting action packed spy thriller.

Paul Brightman, a successful hedge fund trader on Wall Street, is flying high when he meets and marries the daughter of a Russian oligarch. He subsequently ends up working for Arkady Galkin, Tatyana’s father, in his investment firm. Despite his misgivings, he is successful but ends up stumbling upon some evidence that Galkin is breaking the law, is corrupt, and coming crimes. The FBI approaches Paul who agrees to spy. Things go awry and Paul has to go into hiding. He steals an identity and moves to a small town and works in obscurity as a boat builder. Unfortunately, his past comes calling 5 years later and he has to run. 

There is a lot going in in this novel and as Paul tries to escape his pursuers, he has no idea whom to trust. Many different characters that may or may not be helpful to Paul and his life is in danger. He has a few contacts from his past and ends up in an unlikely reunion with his father. Although quite a complex plot with twists and turns, it is full of great espionage spy and counterspy details. Very hard to put down, I was turning the pages trying to figure how all the loose ends tied together and hoping Paul was going to find some helpful good guys. I could not put this down so read it all today in a matter of hours.

Excellent writing and the type of expertise on a subject that can only be done by someone who knows what they’re talking about. Finder does a great job with political intrigue and especially the Russian conflict and involvement in geopolitical activities. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Mark Bramhall, did an excellent job of voicing all the characters and adjusting his tone and pace to match the different parts of the story. His accents added to the ability to differentiate between the many Russian and American characters and he brought a nice dramatic flair. His performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Tags, genre - Russian spies, FBI, CIA, Wall Street, Investment firms, oligarchs, off the grid, murder

Forget Me Not by Stacey Willingham

 Suspend disbelief as you ease into this mystery thriller evoking the hot, humid, lazy days of summer.

Claire Campbell is called back home after her mother is injured. She had left South Carolina when her older sister went missing 22 years ago. The case was closed and the convicted killer in prison, but Claire is still haunted as they never did find Natalie’s body. Once back, Claire has nothing to say to her mother and is uncomfortable in the house where she’d grown up with Natalie. Trying to get some closure, Claire visits a vineyard where her sister had briefly worked as a teenager one summer. Adrift after quitting her job as a journalist, she decides to work at Galloway Farm where she will help pick the grapes and receive free room and board. Almost immediately, Claire finds a hidden diary in the ductwork of her cabin (she’s either a slow reader or it’s really thick) that chronicles how a young woman named Marcia came to live with the owner of the farm. Over the space of a couple of days, all the secrets are revealed. 

This was somewhat of a slow burner as it seemed to take ages to get to the action. There were so many coincidences that the whole set of events seemed contrived and stretched credulity. I didn’t care for Claire who definitely is easily led and is a poor judge of people not to mention jumping to some erroneous conclusions. Once the chips start to fall it really gets complicated and the revelations seem a bit over the top. The conclusion was a bit underwhelming after all.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker, did a good job of voicing the characters and giving the story a suitable dramatic flair. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Tags and genre - missing girls, cult, murder, secrets and lies, southern setting

With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

 This locked room mystery runs off the rails.

The  year is 1954 and Anna Matheson has invited six people on a luxury express train journey to Chicago. These are the people who destroyed Anna's family and ruined her life 12 years ago. She has collected her evidence and now wants vengeance; Anna has a plan. Her scheme goes awry shortly into the journey, and from then on, tables are turned and nothing goes according to her agenda. 

Although the premise sounded good, it was flawed from the beginning as there seemed no reason to host this train journey. But I love trains and so I picked this up expecting something quite different to how it all turned out. I totally understood Anna's reasons for wanting revenge, but the execution of exacting that just seemed like a waste of time, effort, and money. Since all went to heck quite quickly, it became obvious that her method of obtaining validation and causing the perpetrators of the events that brought down the Matheson family to suffer didn't come to fruition. 

All the characters with their history and misdeeds was repetitive. Her moments with each alone didn't really get Anna what she was wanting and sometimes it seemed like all she did was move up and down the train endlessly. I would have loved lot more info about the train and less about the people. The appearance of one unexpected character was first one thing and then abruptly quite another and it was a huge plot hole. All the attempts at making this twisty -- who was the killer -- also went on far too long. In short, the story bogged itself down and got mired in its own attempt to deliver shocks and surprises. When Anna steps out onto the roof of the speeding train in a snowstorm, I lost interest as it led to that ridiculous ending. I surely hope there are no sequels planned.

I have been hit and miss with Sager for awhile. He used to be an automatic want to read but now I need to be more judicious. I appreciated the effort in setting the book in a time period without technology so there was no magic hacker ah ha moments, etc. but overall, it just didn't work for me.


I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Erin Bennett, did a good job voicing the characters and her performance definitely enhanced the story and gave a bit of dramatic flair despite the drawbacks noted above.

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

Genre and tags - locked room mystery, luxury train, 1954, WWII, murder, revenge

The Spider to the Fly by J.H. Markert

 Definitely a dark and twisty thriller — beware if you’re afraid of spiders!

Ellie Isles runs a true crime network that is focused on discovering the identity of a serial killer known as the Spider. He kills his female victims using poisonous spiders. She begins an intense investigation when one of the victims is found to be her exact double. While doing a deep dive into the backgrounds of the victims, she begins o connect with memories of her past. In addition, several people in her current life now, including her therapist and her neighbor, may also have ties to what happened to her as a child.

There is a lot going on in this book and it can get confusing with all the twin sets and relationships. Definitely difficult to figure out who are the good people and who are the bad, and why. This gets pretty scary with the truths coming to light and the magnitude of all that happened to the children. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and quite a bit of unexplained events that leaves a lot of unanswered questions by the end. But, it’s still quite shocking and intense. The perspective of the killer and also the time jump to before times give some insight. The conclusion seemed a bit rushed and left me a little disappointed because I always want to know a lot more about the why of these disturbed minds.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Wayne Mitchell, Xe Sands, and Vanessa Moyen were a mixed bag for me. I don’t know who did which female voice, but I don’t care for a deep, gravelly female voice and it sounded wrong for Ellie. Sometimes the male voice doing a particular character was growly. I appreciate that there were both male and female cast members for the production. 

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

Genre - serial killer thriller, murder, spiders, twins, experiments, child abuse

Murder in Paris (Kitty Underhay #21) by Helena Dixon

 

The 21st installment in this cozy historical mystery series is a delight.

At the behest of her grandmother, Kitty and Matt are taking her to Paris for a visit with an old friend, Eliza DeTourner. A bit of sightseeing and some marvelous food are on the program, and to top it off, they've all been invited to a private fashion show at the House of Dido. It seems that Eliza's handsome son, Julian, is in love with one of the models, Simone, and he's eager for them all to meet his beloved. All is going perfectly until Simone is found dead in the dressing room immediately after the show. How can it be that everywhere Matt and Kitty go, a dead body turns up?  Of course they involve themselves in the murder investigation with plenty of suspects to question and even more secrets to unravel.

I really enjoy this series and reading another one is like taking a nice little break from current times. The characters are very well-developed and readers have been there for all the changes in them and in their personal lives through the previous mysteries. If you love the description and details about life in England and on the continent in the 1930s, you will really want to check out this series. I think it best to start from the beginning so that you can get the completely backstory to appreciate where the characters are at now in their relationships. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book to read, review, and recommend.
Blog Tour Stop 8-28-2025

This is the 21st book in a series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Tags - murder, mystery, cozy, historical fiction, jealousy, 1937, private investigators 

Framed in Death (Eve Dallas #61) by J.D. Robb

 Another excellent and absorbing book in this long running crime thriller series.

When an author reaches book #61 in a series that features the same characters I can imagine it’s hard to create something new and different, but JD Robb always manages to do just that. This series is as fresh and fun as it was since I began reading it many years ago. Though many of the same characters are still featured, they keep changing and growing to hold my interest in their welfare and their lives.

In this novel, Lt. Eve Dallas and her cohort are on the hunt for a serial killer who fancies himself a great artist. Unfortunately, he has no talent, but his ego is such that he is using murder to create a sort of immortality. He is determined to receive the accolades and fame he knows he deserves, and nothing will stop him. 

I enjoyed this immensely as always. The futuristic setting, the details of that life in New York City, the cool toys, and such make it fun. The snark between the characters provides humor as they interact and that whole dynamic is a huge part of the success of this series. The plots are always well developed and the writing is excellent. I could do without the descriptive passion scenes but oh well, I know some like that. Yeah, Eve and Roarke are still going hot and heavy. Always a good blend of mystery and their personal lives entwined as they investigate. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Susan Ericksen, always does a fantastic job of bringing all the characters to life with her dynamic performance. She captures different accents to help differentiate between the characters and brings the right amount of dramatic flair. A well done production on audio always enhances my enjoyment of a book. 

This is #61 in a series that is best read from the beginning in order.

Genre - crime fiction, police procedural, futuristic, murder, art

Runner 13 by Amy McCulloch

 Lots of action in this survivor thriller.

An elite runner, Adri, returns to do an ultra marathon in the Saharan Desert after years away from the sport. The race is 250 miles long under additional extreme circumstances and the goal is not only for her to finish, but to win. She knows most of the other elite runners on this course, but there's also a contingent of fun runners who won't be forced to endure the same rigid rules and conditions. It all starts out as expected, but then some of her friends are hurt or are being kicked out on some flimsy evidence and she wonders if there is more danger on the sand and weather or if it comes from someone else in the competition. 

The story is told from a dual point of view -- two female characters, one is Adri and the other is Stella. The premise, while initially intriguing, ultimately felt contrived and the depth was just not there to turn this from mediocre to great. I'm not a runner, in fact a lot of extreme physical activity scares me, so I couldn't relate to any of the reasons for someone to want to do this. So much so that I really can't even believe the things those runners did and endured. I never connected with or liked any of the characters. The whole mystery thing with the killer part seemed so artificially inserted with the motivation quite lame. There were so many clues for all that led up to what was supposedly the big twist at the end so I found the conclusion predictable and way too tidy a wrap. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. There were two female narrators for the parts of Adri and Stella, and I honestly didn't care for either voice. They just didn't sound right for their characters to me. Also for specific spots, ie the podcast, the two male voices did a fine job. Unfortunately the production wasn't enough to really enhance my appreciation of the book.

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

Genre and tags - ultra marathon running, killer, mystery, desert, sexual abuse, suicide, attempted murder 

Departure 37 by Scott Carson

 Captivating premise isn’t enough to make this Cold War mystery thriller a standout for me.

The calls come in the middle of the night, ostensibly from the moms of pilots meant to fly the next day. The message is clear and results in a callout that empties the skies. 

That’s a pretty exciting opening and honestly, that whole concept would have been enough to get me really going, but the whole Seeker Script plot line just fizzled. Then the dual timeline starts and we are alternating between a brilliant physicist, Dr. Martin Hazelton, doing experiments in 1962 and then to present day when two teenagers left alone in Ash Point, Maine, can’t escape their little peninsula when electricity and internet go off when the airline shutdown occurs. Just so happens they are close to a supposedly inactive airfield owned and maintained by the US Navy. And then a B-62 bomber appears out of the sky and lands. Charlie and Lawrence, both 16, learn about secrets and bizarre aviation events from the Cold War. 

I can suspend disbelief about lots of scientific things in a heartbeat, but what I just could not wrap my brain around was the inclusion of these two teenagers and them having such a huge impact on what happens in the story. Seriously? If I want my heroes and main characters to be that age, I’ll read young adult literature. It ruined the book for me honestly. I’m sure I’m an outlier, and that’s fine, because it would have made a better and more realistic climax and ending if it wasn’t for that “perceptive” teen girl and her tagalong. Maybe I’m not the right audience but I do like science fiction and the whole concept of being able to disappear a plane and then call it back was quite interesting. All of the characters felt incomplete and at times the flip between past and present was disorienting. There were other issues I might expand upon as well too explain why this book didn’t really work as well for me as I had anticipated, but that would be spoilers.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Mia Barron, Catherine Ho, and Johnny Heller, were a mixed bag. I liked the voices and performance of both women, but Johnny Heller consistently mispronounced the word, nuclear, and that got on my last nerve. I finally had to just skip over his part because I did not find his voice fitting for the part.

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

Tags and genre - science fiction, time travel, Cold War, pilots, dual timeline

Kiss Her Goodbye (Frankie Elkin #4) by Lisa Gardner

 The search for a missing woman turns deadly.

 

This is the 4th book in the Frankie Elkin series. This time, she makes her way to Tucson, Arizona, to find a missing Afghan woman.

Frankie, a missing persons expert, heads out with her meager belongings and finds temporary lodgings at a huge gated mansion in Tucson where she is hired to pet sit an iguana and some snakes. Also in residence, since the owner is absent, are a transgender cook and a big tough chauffeur with an obviously checkered past. The three team up to investigate the local Afghan refugee community while searching for the missing Sabera Ahmadi at the behest of her friend. The local police are uninterested and Frankie immediately ascertains that there is much more going on than a missing wife who left her 4-year-old daughter and husband behind. It seems that Sabera has some very unique skills and abilities that made her a target for those who want the information she hides.

I was looking for a classic escape into the typical but this was too sad, too emotional, and too real for the type of suspense thriller that I was expecting in this series. I just couldn't get into all the background of what happened (twice) in Kabul with the Taliban and the people of Afghanistan. Their terrible struggles to survive and their treatment in refugee camps both abroad and in USA were just not what I was anticipating in a beach read. Also the whole ghost thing isn't something I like to read in a novel in any case. It was just too realistic on one hand and too out there with the visions on the other. There were other aspects that detracted as well. And can we please stop with the main characters being able to find the passwords and get into computers and/or phones they happen to find lying about? For the most part, I just couldn't buy into the whole story arc and how it all played out.

Anyway, this was an OK read, but wasn't what I was looking for in a book in this series. It seems I'm an outlier in my review and reaction and I'm find with that. If there's another in the Frankie Elkin series, I'll likely check it out. This one can stand alone as everything you really need to know requires no backstory to be appreciated. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Hillary Huber, did a nice job with all the character voices, particularly with the accents. I always believe, however, that a production would be enhanced by having a male speaker as well. In any event, enjoying both simultaneously enhances my appreciation of any novel.

This is the 4th in series. You  may want to read them from the beginning but this worked for me as a standalone.

Genre - crime, murder, Afghanistan, Afghan refugees in USA, Kabul, missing persons 

The Tapes by Kerry Wilkinson

 

Blog stop for Bookouture - 3.5 stars

A murder mystery with an old school feel.

Eve Falconer is clearing out her recently deceased father’s house when she finds a box of old cassette tapes. When she listens to one marked with her name, she hears her mother’s voice reaching her over time and space for her mom disappeared out of the blue over 13 years prior. On the tape Angela talks about her life, with some exaggerations and what Eve knows are outright lies in some spots. But one thing she can’t wrap her head around is when her mom’s recording tells Eve that she’s probably been murdered. 

Eve can’t believe what she’s heard and even more worrisome is that she’s concerned that her mother was a victim of a serial killer that hunted in her town of Sedingham for many years and was never caught. Her mom left a clue that she knew who it was and Eve becomes obsessed. Unfortunately, the killer doesn’t want Eve to figure it out.

There was a lot going on in this thriller with plenty of red herrings and many characters that were suspicious. Eve has a history of behaving badly and is an alcoholic on the wagon so people she talks to don’t always take her seriously. They feel she might be unreliable. Anyway, she investigates on her own asking questions all over town. This moved a little slow with a bit too much repetition of the particular tape segments until we get to the climax and the big reveal that might surprise some. 

I was able to read this in a single setting and it kept my interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. Blog tour 8-14-2025

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

Tags - murder, cassette tapes, alcoholism, unreliable narrator

Bless Your Heart by Leigh Dunlap

 Fast and fun debut mystery thriller.

Don’t mess with the Buckhead Betties. These affluent Atlanta women aren’t afraid of anything or anyone. Except outsiders who have no idea how hard it is to maintain their images in this social cesspool. They know everything about each other’s marriages, children, and lives; any secrets they have will soon be outed. When Anderson Tupper, a single, handsome, and wealthy Little League coach, is found murdered right after their big charity bash, tongues wag and everyone in their tight circle is a suspect. 

This was so entertaining as these women get down and dirty while the accusations fly. There’s a lot going on behind the closed doors of those mansions. The investigation, led by Detective Shay Claypool and her partner, Sergeant Dub Rattigan, is stonewalled and the pair is met with snubs and plenty of reasons why many of those residents would want Tupper dead. Lots of rich people cliches and designer name drops pepper the narrative, but it’s all satirical while showing that even people with tons of money have problems. Slowly but surely the truth is revealed and the climax was quite surprising with the conclusion taking a great twist. 

The narrative is told in a before and after fashion with each of the main female characters taking a turn at point of view. Keeping them straight got easier after awhile with trying to remember who was married to whom and the names of the kids. I liked the writing style and the themes involving social status, race, and family. I’ll definitely look for future books by this author. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I loved the narrator, Hallie Ricardo, who did a fantastic job voicing the female characters giving them individuality with various accents, tone, and timbre. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book and I highly recommend it. 

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

Tags - south, Atlanta, wealthy, murder, society, family, female friendship

High Season by Katie Bishop

 Engrossing summer mystery thriller.

The beautiful Côte d’Azur is the setting for this nostalgic coming of age story that involves a murder. It’s got a dual timeline — 1999 to present day — so the back and forth allows multiple narrators and points of view to describe what happened on the fateful night in question.

Evelyn Drayton, a former “it” girl and her family have always summered here in the French Riviera. Her grandfather had designed and built the place where the entire family have spent years. Rarely interacting with any of the locals, the family has an air of magic attached to them. The 17 year old twins, Blake and Tamara, along with their little 5 year old sister, Nina, have the run of the place while their mother, Evelyn, tries to keep hold of her latest husband. When Tamara is found dead on the night of her mother’s birthday party, the entire town is in shock. It’s unbelievable to hear that one of their own, Josie Jackson, has been accused of killing Tamara. Motive speculated, but never known.

I loved the multifaceted characters in this story, especially Josie and Tamara. All of the things that were going on behind the curtain so to speak and led to Tamara’s death were never really exposed or explored. Nina’s testimony at trial when only 5 years old led to Josie going to prison for 10 years. It’s only twenty years later that a true crime blogger wants to delve deeper into the case and help to figure out what really happened that night. The author deftly weaves a web of connections that point to another as the perpetrator. Even tho I guessed the whodunit, I really enjoyed how the author got me there with all the revelations. 

I loved the writing and even though I don’t relish stories about teenagers and the ridiculous things they get up to, some of that was necessary to put the reader in the right headspace to understand all that led up to Tamara’s death.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Alix Dunmore, did a fabulous job of voicing all the characters in the story. Her dramatic flair and ability to adapt accents and tone really enhanced the production. The only voice that grated on my nerves was when she did the annoying podcaster’s voice. But that was fleeting thank heavens and probably quite an accurate portrayal. I’d highly recommend the audio book.

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

Tags. Coming of age, murder, mystery, teenagers, thriller, podcast

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

 Compelling psychological thriller about sisters with a unique connection. 

Georgia Cartwright is locked up in the psych ward after she’s accused of murdering her younger sister, Annabelle. Pretending to be in a disassociate state, she is desperate to prove her innocence and reaches out to Amanda — her twin. The shock of finding that she has a twin is almost too much for Amanda, owner of a bar, to process, but she tries to wade through all the secrets and lies of Georgia’s wealthy family to find out the truth. 

I enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters and the slow reveals about their relationship as well as what happened with Annabelle. Some of it was predictable, but definitely kept be interested and invested. The narrative is told in alternating points of view between Amanda and Georgia. Raised separately, their twinship is an awakening for them both. The other characters were rather one dimensional and it seemed like a few threads were left unanswered, like who were their birth parents, etc. and what about Patty? Anyway, I liked it well enough.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, January LaVoy, did a great job of giving two distinct voices to the twins and even included a fairly convincing southern accent. She always brings te characters in the book to life and her performance enhances my appreciation of the story.

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

Tags - twins, murder, psych ward, adoption, mystery, lies and secrets

The Woman in Suite 11 (Lo Blacklock #2) by Ruth Ware

 Entertaining mystery thriller that is as predictable as it is entertaining. 

First and foremost, before you open this book, you need to know that it features many of the characters from The Woman in Cabin 10 and it's probably a really good idea to read it first if you have not.

Secondly, you must suspend any and all disbelief as this entire story will seriously strain any credulity you have. 

It's been 10 years since Laura (Lo) Blacklock experienced all of the traumatic events on the Aurora. Since her lucky escape from death, she's gotten married, had two children, and written a bestseller about her experience on that ship. She has, however, not worked at all since and wants to get back to her old career as a travel writer. Out of the blue, she gets an invite to the opening of a grand hotel owned by Marcus Leidmann, a billionaire. Lo manages to leverage that name with an old contact who works for Financial Times publication who encourages Lo to go to Switzerland and try to get an interview with the man. Lo does go to Switzerland and finds herself quickly in way too deep in a new and crazy situation. And it gets even more wild when she reconnects with someone from her past.

As always, Ruth Ware hooks the reader quickly and you're in way too deep before you realize that Lo hasn't changed a bit and she's still not experienced as much personal growth as we would have hoped. There are lots of twists and turns and many red herrings though a savvy reader will be able to guess where it's all going. The fun is in seeing how the author gets you there. Was this sequel necessary? Nope, not at all, but it was a quick read and kept me dialed in and amused.

I was able to listen to the audio book while reading along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. I liked the narrator, Imogen Church, only when she was voicing the main character. The way she did other voices, especially the kids, was almost cringe sometimes. (Maybe there should be a prohibition in adult books with narrators trying to imitate children.) The accents and male voices didn't fare much better. In any event, I do enjoy the immersive experience of both at once.

This is a sequel to The Woman in Cabin 10 and it should be read before this one.

Tags - travel writer, murder, naive, Britain, mystery, suspense, thriller 

Coded Justice (Avery Keene #3) by Stacey Abrams

 Artificial intelligence — villain or savior?

This is a thriller that tackles many different aspects of AI, but specifically in this book it is working on delivering medical care to marginalized veterans. Avery Keene, now working in the private sector, is hired by Dr. Rafe Diaz, CEO and founder of Camasca, an AI enabled healthcare tech company after an incident that resulted in the death of one of the head programmers. Ruled an accident in a cursory police investigation, Diaz is concerned that there’s something going on that might impact the IPO he’s planning. Avery is meant to assemble a team as an internal investigative unit with attorney client privilege to see if there are any potential issues that might derail the big debut. So Avery gets her best friends and boyfriend on board and they get busy.

There’s a lot of technical jargon and detail about AI and a lot of other things in this novel. It’s almost exhausting to read through the info dumps, even though it’s all very interesting. And scary. Especially when it starts to look like the various components of this huge neural network might be going rogue. I really liked the medical application aspects and the mission of Camasca with its focus on veterans. But the bottom line is that giving over a huge part of anything to quantum computers with sophisticated learning models could prove more deleterious than it does good. 

I wasn’t sure who or what was going to answer the questions about the issues at the company so I had to finish the book in one sitting. Definitely mind boggling and will provide a lot to think about. At present, there’s no regulation or set of rules about how this type of technology is to be created, implemented and evaluated so I still feel that without some checks and balances it could all be a very dangerous tool in the wrong hands. And certainly I don’t want to see sentience. 

The author is obviously creative and brilliant and I’ve enjoyed the previous Avery Keene books as well. Who knows what’s next for her and friends, but I look forward to reading more.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Adenrale Ojo, did a great job of voicing the characters and giving the appropriate dramatic flair. The voices were distinct, but of course I always wish for a male to be doing the men. The production enhanced my enjoyment of the story. 

This is part of a series, the third book, and they should be read from the beginning in order.

Tags - legal thriller, suspense, AI, medical, veterans, murder, greed

The Hampton’s Lawyer (Jane Smith #3) by James Patterson and Mike Lupica

 Fast and entertaining legal thriller.

This is the third in the series featuring criminal defense lawyer, Jane (Effing) Smith, who is, at least in her own mind, the best of the best but definitely so in this part of Long Island. This is the only one I’ve read, but I’m definitely hooked and look forward to checking the others out.

In this book, Jane and her investigative partner, both ex NYPD cops, are defending a local real estate creep named Rob Jacobson. He’s been accused of murder, the triple homicide of a man, wife and teen daughter. The evidence against him is overwhelming, but Jane and Jimmy Cunniff have a plan. Unfortunately, the case has ties to a local bunch of bad guys who are into loan sharking, racketeering, and bookmaking. 

Meanwhile, Jane is dealing with a personal health crisis of her own that means she has to win this case if it is the last thing she does. 

Lots of action and bad guys doing what they do. The characters were interesting and I’d probably know them better if I had read the first two books. This was fine as a stand alone. The medical aspect was a bit, ok wildly, unbelievable but I just ignored that and went with it. This is the type of book you can just lose yourself in for a couple of hours and just have fun with it.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along with the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Eva Kaminsky, did a great job of voicing the characters and they were easy to differentiate. Her dramatic flair added a nice touch and made the immersive experience more pleasurable.

This is the third in a series and even though I didn’t, they probably should be read in order for best enjoyment.

Tags - murder, mob, loan shark, legal thriller, suspense

The Maid’s Secret (Molly the Maid #3) by Nita Prose

 Heartwarming cozy mystery series comes to a touching end.

It’s wedding bells for socially awkward Molly the Head Maid/Events Coordinator and her handsome chef fiancé, Juan Manuel. Both work at the Regency Grand, a five star hotel, and are looking forward to the big day. Plans are interrupted however, when Molly finds that a Faberge egg left to her by her grandmother is worth millions. With all the media attention and theft of the egg, Molly is overwhelmed but finds answers to many secrets hidden in her grandmother’s diary. 

This is part fairy tale with a riches to rags theme as well as an ill fated love story. I enjoyed the diary entries and Flora’s history which explains so much. In addition, we have the present day mystery of who stole the egg and why. The connections are a bit too convenient and hard to believe, and the conclusion is quite predictable. I think this was a bit more contrived than the other books in the series, but it wraps everything up and alls well that ends in a happy ever after, right? It might be a bit too much sappiness for some, but it seemed a fitting end to the series. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read and review. I did enjoy the series and would recommend it. I listened to the audiobook while reading and the narrator, Lauren Ambrose, does a fantastic job of voicing Molly. The other characters also have distinct voices which made the book come alive and created a more immersive experience.

This is the third in a series that should be read from the beginning in order. A novella, The Mistletoe Mystery, is also part of the story. 

Tags - cozy, mystery, neurodivergent main character, hotel, maid, family secrets, heirloom

Guess Again by Charlie Donlea

 Fast paced and convoluted psychological crime thriller.

3.5 stars rounded up

A teenage girl disappeared 10 years ago and detectives in Cherryview, Wisconsin found no clues so the case went cold. Ethan Hall, previously a detective, currently working as an ER physician, is called back into law enforcement by a former partner who is dying and can’t let it go. The situation is complicated because an inmate at the local prison (convicted and incarcerated for murdering Ethan’s father who was also a detective) seems to know something about Callie Jones and wants to make a deal. 

This was twisty but quite predictable despite the red herrings and diversions into other points of view and shifts in time. I love Donlea and will always want to read his new books despite the need to often suspend disbelief. How is it that everyone (but me) casually knows a fantastic hacker who can give them tons of information? I liked the main character ok, but honestly none of the cast was fully fleshed out and I never related to any of them. Multiple threads unwound for the big climax and reveal. The themes in the story are familiar ones of friendship, relationships, loyalty, revenge, and murder. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Vivienne Leheny, did an acceptable job of voicing the characters but the choice of a female for the voice seemed wrong as so much of the book was male point of view and the story would have been well served with a male narrator instead. I find that listening while reading allows for a more immersive and enjoyable experience with a book. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series though the ending leaves one to imagine that there might be a follow-up with this same main character, I would prefer not.

Genre and tags, mystery, crime thriller, serial killers, missing persons, teenagers

The List by Steve Berry

 Very entertaining novel of suspense and a departure from this author’s typical work.

Brent Walker has moved back to Concord, a small town in central Georgia, after being hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel. When he left it behind years ago, he also left a woman he loved and his parents. Now, since his father is no longer alive, he is going to help care for his mom who has recently been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. 

Not too long after beginning his new job and reuniting with an old friend, union leader Hank Reed, Brent faces a curious mystery when a list of names and numbers comes to his attention. Once the implications of that list becomes clear to Brent and Hank, they know that everything they believed about their town and its biggest employer was wrong. 

This was so well written and very fast paced. I found it hard to put down as things heated up quickly. So many characters, easily divided into the good guys vs the bad guys, but the premise was good and there was lots of action. It was a fun read and though the ending was anticipated to some degree, I enjoyed how it all played out.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided for review by the publishers. The audio format was narrated by the incomparable Scott Brick. I love his voice and his dramatic flair that always brings the novel to life and this production was no exception. This immersive experience definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book!

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery, thriller, suspense, action 

I Did Warn Her by Sian Gilbert

 A whodunit on the high seas.

A beautiful yacht, owned by a billionaire, and a full crew is crossing the Atlantic. The stunning stewardesses, Sasha, Jade, Imogen, Euphemia, and Lola. Lots of competition and gossip among them. The handsome deck hands taking care of the ship and the ladies don’t you know. The captain on his last cruise before retiring and the chief trying to keep the schedule. Everyone’s main purpose is to keep the two rich men and their female escort guests happy and satisfied. 

But the boat and its occupants are keeping lots of secrets and definitely there’s a hidden agenda for this trip. Then one of the stewardesses is murdered. Jewelry and other items going missing. Everyone is suspicious of the rest and they are all held hostage and isolated on this yacht in the middle of the ocean. Who is doing what and to whom.

This was a locked room style mystery complicated by a large cast of characters who are skulking about, lying, and doing things they should not. The story is told in shifting point of view as each stewardess reveals her thoughts, motivations, and activities. They were hard to keep straight at first, especially with the all the other names bandied about. Eventually it became easier but be sure to note who is speaking at the beginning of each chapter.

I felt this was definitely like a reality show with all the expected misbehavior below decks and the way that the clients acted during the voyage. There were red herrings and twists, but the denouement was a bit anticlimactic. Definitely a lot of irrelevant side plots but everything was wrapped up in a tidy conclusion. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The production had a large cast of all female narrators and I definitely preferred some of the voices over others. The disappointment in the audio, however, is because there was not a single male voice to do those character roles so the voices of the men were not ideal. It would have been so much better had that happened. At times I had to stop listening and just read when I became annoyed at the sound of a particular voice. I do enjoy, however, the immersive experience of both listening and reading.

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

Genre and tags - mystery, locked room, rich people doing bad things, yachts, below deck crew, murder, schemes

The Housemaid is Watching (#3 in series) by Freida McFadden

 "The third [book] in a series usually isn't that great."

That's a quote directly from this book and sums up my thoughts. 

In fact, this was such a let down and a horrible way to end the Millie and Enzo story but I'd never read another even if Freida McFadden tried to redeem the couple. Their move to Long Island and description of their lives in the new neighborhood 11 years into married life with two children was slow, boring, and deadly dull. Everything fun about Millie and Enzo is way gone.

Right when things start to be not OK in their marriage, with their kids, and because of the weird neighbors, they don't talk to each other? Come on Millie and Enzo. You two have been through everything and now they have problems and their interaction was terrible. No one for an instant thought Enzo was doing anything bad so how could Millie even entertain any ridiculous suspicions even though Enzo was acting like a total idiot. 

Then the big reveal and that's when this narrative went totally off the rails from semi interesting to ridiculous, over the top, and completely unbelievable. A sting of coincidences that strains credulity. Everything could have turned out differently if the people in the family would have talked to each other. The worst part of the book for me was when Ada took over the narrative point of view. I also quit reading and DNF but I guess I wanted to torture myself just a bit more. My advice: if you're thinking that you want more of the Millie exploits and are tempted to read this, just give it a hard pass and remember her how she was. 

I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. I had to wait a long time for the audio format to come up at the library so that's why I am reading so late after publication. The main narrator, Lauryn Allman, voices the character of Millie and she does a fantastic job with the accent. Her performance has always made that character come to life and seemed to embody the spirit of Millie. Ina Marie Smith is the second narrator.

This is the third book featuring Millie and Enzo and should not be read without having read the other 2 in the series. If you must.

Genre - mystery, abuse, sexual abuse, murder 

Last Night at Villa Lucia by Simon McCleave

 Psychological drama and mystery set on a Tuscan bed and breakfast.

Divorced Cerys owns Villa Lucia and is running it as a holiday rental while also living nearby in an annex on the property. Her daughter, Lowri is currently visiting. Harry and Zoe Collard arrive for a stay along with their son, Charlie. Things go awry fairly quickly and one of them ends up stabbed to death in the infinity swimming pool. 

Predictable despite the attempts at misdirection, the characters all have some damage from domestic trauma. Along with spousal abuse, other themes include alcoholism, sexual assault, toxic masculinity, divorce, casual drug use, and effects of parental issues on children growing up in their homes. I never managed to connect with any of the characters as they were all fairly one dimensional and their behavior seemed an unbelievable many times. The relationship between Lowri and Charlie was too convenient and the two men, Nick and Harry were just complete jerks. No nuance. Just all bad. The story drug on in places and the ending seemed to take forever to arrive. The plot was banal and I never felt any suspense or thrills. 

I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Clare Corbett, did an OK job of voicing the characters but they most all sounded the same. This production definitely would have benefited by having a larger cast, or at least one male voice.

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

Tags, genre — murder, abuse, alcoholism, sexual assault, infidelity

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

 Gothic thriller with supernatural elements.

I should have read the synopsis more closely. A grief stricken widow whose husband was killed in front of her (she had a premonition) inherits a huge Tuscan estate from a woman she's never heard of. Julia goes to Italy to check out the villa and vineyard, both worth millions. Once there, Julia, who was adopted as an infant, begins to suspect that the owner of this estate, Emilia Rossi, must be related to her. While ensconced in the villa and thinking about selling, Julia starts to experience visions, hallucinations, and crazy dreams. 

This was a psychological thriller that never quite created any suspense or uneasiness for me especially when the paranormal events escalated and Julia started to believe she had special gifts in connecting with the dead and being guided by them. Most of what Julia did and thought defied credulity and I got bored very quickly. I am not a fan of anything metaphysical, paranormal, otherworldy etc. I do enjoy historical fiction and would definitely have liked more of those details, especially from the Renaissance period. The meet cute and instant romance (her husband had only been dead 6 months) was really off putting and pushed me over the edge. The whole conspiracy set up and explanation also didn't really even make that much sense as being the reason for all the persecution. 

I have read most all of this author's legal procedurals and definitely prefer those to this kind of departure. I'm definitely not the intended audience for this type of mystery.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Maria Marquis, did a fine job of voicing the characters but her talent was not enough to overcome what I perceived as shortcomings with the plot and storyline.

This is a standalone and is a departure from this author's usual series. 

Genre - astrology, paranormal, supernatural, gothic, mystery, psychological thriller

Julie Tudor is not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

 Though the subject matter is not, this debut psychological thriller was a hoot because of the way the author uses dark humor to make the main character "almost" endearing.

Julie Tudor has had quite the life, constantly having to fight for her love interest du jour. Eliminating romantic rivals is a lot of work. She works in the financial world and is a whiz with spreadsheets, but her job isn't her main focus. Her colleague, 25-year-old, Sean, is the man of her dreams. Even though he's half her age, Julie is convinced her feelings are reciprocated despite the fact that Sean keeps hooking up with other women. What to do? She's tired of waiting for him. 

Told from Julie's delusional perspective, the book is definitely black comedy as she continues to spiral. She must be on the spectrum because she totally lacks any sort of ability to read a room or honestly analyze her situations. She gets a little fast and loose with those eliminations and her coworkers become increasingly aware that a real psycho is amongst them. 

I loved the tone and the writing in this novel. I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Clare Corbett, strikes just the right notes of self righteousness and defensiveness as she voices Julie. She does a good job with the rest of the characters as well. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre - dark humor, serial killer, thriller 

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day

 Overly complicated mystery thriller centered on three lifelong friends who have a tradition of spending summer vacation at their generational family lakeside homes in Vermont. 

When the 3 friends, their significant others, and their kids converge on the lake this time, old conflicts and dark secrets are exposed. All are having some issues in their personal lives — between marital problems, alcoholism, debt, and many lies. David has brought along a new girlfriend, Fiona, as well as a young nanny to care for his 5-year old twins. It seems the nanny has a hidden agenda. Julia and Christian are facing some serious money problems along with a betrayal that might undo them. Erika and Rick have harbored deceit for many years. It all comes to a head when Fiona goes missing. And this isn’t the first time a young woman has disappeared from Lake Timmeny.

I really got into this at first, intrigued by all the possibilities. The further along I read, however, the more the book became a bit over the top. There was way too much that stretched my credulity and the plot became so complex with a ton of characters and relationships that it got to the point of ridiculous. I especially didn’t like the revelations or the conclusions. Bummer. I also never cared for any of the characters with all the coincidences and unlikely behavior they exhibited. So, although a quick read, I ended up unsatisfied and disappointed.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Lisa Larsen and Phoebe Strole, did a great job of voicing the characters and did their best to provide dramatic flair to a story that just couldn’t match their talents despite their excellent performances. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - mystery, suspense, murder, missing women, lifelong friends, family drama

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

 Solid mystery thriller debut with a strong element of true crime and psychological suspense. 

A late night radio host in Portland, Oregon, Nola Strate, experienced a terrifying event as a child. Her babysitter was murdered in front of her by a notorious serial killer dubbed "the Hiding Man." He was never caught. Even though 20 years has passed, it all comes back when a woman calling in to Nola's show is actually killed while on air with her show. Is the killer active again after all these years? And most concerning to Nola -- has he returned to get her?

This was fast paced and I read it this evening in one sitting. The characters were an interesting mix and the plot was fairly predictable with some red herrings and additional threats. The detective and the investigation seemed rather inept as was the focus on a particular suspect (who was a loser but not a killer). I think the most disappointing part was the revelation of the identity of the killer -- what a stretch and a let down. I definitely would have enjoyed more elements that featured Nola working on her actual radio show and other callers. This really wasn't particularly scary and it was never really fully explained how the perpetrator managed to elude law enforcement all those years.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book was when the author talks about herself, her own true crime podcast, and her Aunt Carol. This was not included in the e-book ARC but only on the audio as an introduction. She also discusses ethics and the societal impact of crime and those who investigate it while also expressing true concern for the victims and their families. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators are the talented duo of Helen Laser and Will Collyer. They both brought great dramatic flair to the production and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series. I'd definitely be interested in a sequel.

Genre - psychological suspense, mystery thriller, true crime, murder, serial killer, radio talk show host 

We Are Watching by Alison Gaylin

 Entertaining and suspenseful.

If you're surrounded by conspiracy nuts or just kooks with crazy ideas, then this psychological thriller will hit in a different way. Sometimes people in this day and age get a little derailed by a seemingly normal event or person and that's what happens in this book. Misinformation and conspiracists attract these truthers who, unfortunately, carry things way too far when they decide to act.

The plot centers around a family who are targeted and pursued by violent online conspiracy theorists. The Russos -- Justin, Meg, and their daughter, Lily --  are threatened by some obsessed cult who latched onto the family because of their deluded notion that music lyrics (written by rock musician Nathan who is Meg's father) and a book (written by Meg as a teenager) contain proof of Satanism, a curse, and predictions of the end of the world which the group believes is coming in just a few days time. The true believers' behavior is escalating as the "end" approaches and everyone in the Russo family is in extreme danger. 

This was fast paced and a bit out there, and I liked it. Certainly some suspension of disbelief required, but the concept was well developed and the characters interesting. I always wonder, though, how people can get so drawn into an idea that is kind of bonkers. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers for review. The narrator, Jennifer Pickens, did a great job of voicing all the characters and bringing dramatic flair to the story. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the twisty and somewhat chilling novel.

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

Genre - suspense, thriller, conspiracy theorists, end of world scenario, family drama, psychological 

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

 This was a suspenseful psychological thriller.

Written in dual timelines, the novel kept me glued to the pages as I tried to keep up with all the characters and figure out what had gone on years ago and what was going to happen in the present. Tessa Nilsson is attending a bachelorette party along with her sister, Lena, for one of their oldest friends on a remote, basically deserted island known as Isle Blind. Coincidentally (or not) the place happens to be where four friends disappeared 1o years ago. It so happens that Tessa is a true crime podcaster (now disgraced and canceled) who is set on trying to revive her career by finding out what really happened to those women known as the Nacka Four. Shortly, Tessa finds herself in a very precarious position that might just end her and her friends. 

Without spoilers, the book deals with sisterhood, friendship, and the girl code as well as what happens when you don’t do the right thing by others. Although it didn’t end as I’d hoped, it kept me in suspense and guessing throughout the story. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC —both formats provided by the publishers. The narrator, Laura Jennings, did a great job of voicing all the characters and bringing great dramatic flair that made for an excellent production. At one point, toward the end, I just had to speed up ahead of the audio as things got really tense and exciting. The audio definitely enhanced my enjoyment.

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

Genre - mystery, psychological, thriller, revenge 

The Housemaid's Secret (Housemaid #2) by Freida McFadden

 Fast-paced fun!

This is the second book the Housemaid series and I realize I'm slow to the party with all the hype and reader awards this garnered. I enjoyed the first so thought I'd give this a try. Started it late in the evening and didn't put it down until 2 am as I had to finish before I could sleep.

This features the same character, Millie Calloway, who is lucky enough to get a position with the Garricks after getting fired by her previous employer whose baby kept calling Millie "mama". Mr. and Mrs. Garrick have a fantastic penthouse apartment and all Millie has to do is a bit of light cleaning, laundry, and cook. The money is good and Millie is excited. There is one thing though -- she has been warned by Douglass Garrick that she is not to bother his wife, Wendy, who is ill and stays mostly shut in her bedroom up on the second floor. Hmmm. Of course Millie is curious. After awhile she hears and sees things that make her suspicious that Wendy is actually hiding because she's being abused. Now this is Millie's area of expertise. Helping. What could go wrong?

Of course knowing this author's previous books well has the added benefit (?) of anticipating the crazy twists and turns that are hallmarks of her work. Some are crazy over the top, but I was fully prepared for whatever was coming. Even though predictable, I still enjoyed seeing it all play out. McFadden's books are hit and miss with me and I've even sworn a time or two that I wouldn't read any more, but sometimes you just can't avoid picking up. I'll be reading the third one too.

I really enjoyed listening to the audio book while also following along in the e-book. The narrator, Lauren Allman, does a fantastic job of voicing Millie with her accent and inflection. She fully brings the character to life and it really enhanced my enjoyment of the story. 

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

Genre - domestic drama, mystery, suspense, thriller 

Nightshade (#1 Detective Stilwell) by Michael Connelly

 The first in a new crime thriller series by this bestselling author!

Set on beautiful Catalina Island, this novel introduces a new character, Detective Sergeant Stilwell, who has been assigned to the sheriff’s substation there because of problems he had as a homicide cop in LA County, California. One of his cases is the investigation of the death of a young woman who was found wrapped in a sail bag and weighted with an anchor in the harbor. Assisted by his girlfriend, Tash Dano, assistant harbor master, and the other police officers also exiled there, he attempts to solve the murder as well as expose corruption and other crimes on this beautiful island.

I liked the action and the excellent writing that kept this moving a fast pace that I could easily devour in a single setting. The characters need to be a bit more fleshed out, including perhaps getting the first name of our main character Stilwell, but I am looking forward to a follow up installment. The details about the setting are interesting and the locale will doubtless prove that bad things happen even in idyllic places. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Will Damron, who always does a great job voicing strong male characters. His performance enhanced my enjoyment of the novel.

This is the first in a new series that I plan to follow.

Genre - police procedural, crime thriller, Catalina Island

Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams

 Entertaining psychological thriller and missing person mystery.

Rose Gibson is in the middle of finalizing a contentious divorce when her friend, Eve Castillo, a proximate cause of said marriage breakdown, goes missing. Rose and Eve haven’t spoken for months, but Eve’s sister is desperate to find her. Eve, a travel vlogger, apparently rented a lake cabin in North Carolina but is not now responding to her sister or any of her boyfriends. Despite Rose’s issues with Eve, she decides to go to Sage Hill to see if she can find out what happened. 

I enjoyed reading the NetGalley ARC e-book along with listening to the audio book provided by the publishers. The setting was interesting and the action fast paced. The mystery of the disappearance solved by an amateur sleuth facing off with bad small town cops and residents was fairly predictable. Eve’s journal entries provided the details while Rose floundered around questioning people. Rose is helped by fellow journalists and computer hackers who can get her information. In peril at the climax, the conclusion follows quickly. 

The narrators, Dominque Franceschi and Jasmin Walker, did a good job of voicing the characters and adding the dramatic flair that enhanced my appreciation of the book.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - friendship, psychological thriller, mystery, missing person

2 Sisters Murder Investigations (#2 in series) by James Patterson and Candice Fox

 The Bird sisters are back in this second installment of their detective agency series.

Rhonda and Barbara (Baby) Bird are half sisters who have taken over their deceased father's LA detective agency. There's a huge age gap between them as Baby is only 16. This time they seem to be at odds and each sister is sort of running an independent operation. Rhonda used to be an attorney so has a lot more experience and a methodical approach to her work. She is trying to help a man accused of harming his missing wife and just might also be a serial killer.  Baby is a teenager who never behaved in any believable way and using the name Baby for her was like nails on a chalkboard. Baby has decided to help an old man who's being forced out of his lifelong home by a big bad development corporation.

I'm typically a fan of this author and whomever he writes with, but this book just wasn't for me. I didn't like the characters, the plot was lame, and the actions of both women were often totally preposterous. Lots of times the sisters are in peril. Amazing escapes from attacks and terrible people. Convenient rescues. And then the ending rushed up from out of nowhere. 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-book ARC of this but I won't be continuing the series. I obtained the audio book from the library to listen while I read and wasn't impressed with the narrator so that didn't help me to enjoy the book more either.

This is the second book in a series featuring the sisters who run a detective agency. I did not read the first. It didn't make any difference. I didn't like this one enough to go back and catch up.

Genre - female detectives, crime, murder 

Death at a Paris Hotel (Lady Swift #22) by Verity Bright

 

Blog Tour for Bookouture

Follow Lady Swift and her new husband, Detective Hugh Seldon, as they enjoy a honeymoon in Paris. 

The newlyweds are living it up in the city of love and have taken Clifford and Gladstone along to ensure the best time. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, their dinner toast is interrupted by the body of a man falling through the glass roof onto their table. Though Eleanor tries her best, the poor guy can’t be saved and he dies pressing a brooch into her hands. Now instead of sight seeing and other delights, Eleanor, Hugh, and Clifford become involved in the investigation into what seems to be theft from a museum and murder.

Now everyone knows that in the cozy mystery genre there’s a dead person in every story. So Eleanor has been quite busy for 22 installments in her story. But that’s the thing about a cozy. Everyone knows that the mystery will be solved and the good guys will come out on top and all the grisly details that many of us enjoy at times are absent. And that’s why we read them — it gives us a break and provides a sense of rightness and comfort. Eleanor and her cohort are just overly wonderful people so you totally know what’s coming but there is a sense of solace that all can be made right in the world.

I enjoy the golden age details with regard to the clothes, food, social customs, and the upper class lifestyle during that period in history. I do wish Eleanor and Hugh would have more to attend to at Henley Hall and I sense a shift in the series as perhaps they will form some sort of detective agency with Clifford. Who knows, but I look forward to whatever comes next for the happy couple and their entourage. 

Thank you to Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. It’s a great series that should be read from the beginning for best experience.

This is part of a long series and I have read them all.

Genre- historical cozy mystery, 1920s, English Lady

Note: the wife in this husband and wife team unexpectedly died recently. Hopefully the series will continue. Of course it won’t be the same, but I hope to see more of Lady Swift. 

Hidden Daughters (DI Lottie Parker #15) by Patricia Gibney

 

Blog Tour Stop for Bookouture

Another exciting installment in this crime thriller series.

Detective Lottie Parker is off to a wedding in Connemara but soon becomes involved in a series of horrific murders there. She and Detective Sergeant Boyd are meant to attend his sister’s wedding, but it seems that Grace’s fiancé, Bryan, has a secret that might derail the nuptials. 

This episode details the horrors of the Magdalene laundries in one of the most disgusting and terrible periods in the Catholic Church in Ireland. Many young women and children were sent to convents. Some abandoned by families who couldn’t care for them or didn’t want them. Others were unwed and pregnant and sent there for their sins. Too many did not make it out alive. They were abused in every way possible and those nuns and priests were never held accountable for these crimes. It was evil and unimaginable — the stories told by the survivors are difficult to hear.  Imelda Conroy is in Connemara to product a radio documentary about those women who were basically locked away in a convent there in the 1970s and 80s. 

But someone doesn’t want Imelda to reveal those details. Women connected to the convent are being murdered, scalded and burned in fact. Even though Lottie is out of her home area, she immediately gets herself involved in the investigation along with local policeman, Detective Sergeant Matt Mooney. Lottie irritates everyone involved in this case. She enrages Grace and gets herself kicked out of their house, and Boyd is over it so their relationship hits the rocks. But, she continues her singleminded focus despite all.

I have to say that Lottie is definitely a person with whom it would be tough to be in a relationship with. I think Boyd’s words to her ring true and I hope she pulls herself together or gets some therapy so that she doesn’t ruin a good thing with him. If family is so important to her, she really needs to spend more time with her people.

I love the series and looks forward to the next installment. The plots are always complex and interesting. The author doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff. Thank you to Bookouture for the ARC to read, review, and recommend.

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

Genre - crime thriller, murder, Magdalene laundries, Ireland

Making a Killing (DI Adam Fawley #7) by Cara Hunter

 Entertaining crime thriller and police procedural. 

The first thing I should say is that this is the first of the series featuring DI Adam Fawley that I have read. So, coming in completely cold to the backstory and the characters. I didn't realize this was a followup to the first book. Regardless, I found it easy to follow even though the story twisted and turned.

The plot centers on the discovery that a child who had been considered dead, Daisy Mason, was possibly still alive and everything that the police had done prior was a mistake, including the conviction of Daisy's mother who had been in prison already for 8 hours. 

The narrative unfolds with transcripts of phone calls, interviews, emails, newspaper articles and other bits that make the procedural part of the investigation seem so much more real. There were a lot of characters that were hard to keep straight, but a helpful guide provided by the author was included at the start of the book. I thoroughly enjoy this mystery but am completely stymied by the lack of closure with that ending. If someone could help me, I'd appreciate it! yes, I like it all spelled out in a tidy conclusion. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I liked the multi-cast performance, but often times the narrator did not change their tone or voice, or use various accents, etc. to match the character. Some were fairly monotone actually. It is particularly hard when the male voice was reading through phone transcripts as both voices sounded exactly alike. Regardless, I do enjoy the listening while reading experience.

This is the 7th book in a series. I had not read any previous books.

Tags - police procedural, mystery,  

Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen

 Typical Hiaasen farce featuring satire, stereotypical wacko characters, and the absurd, exaggerated situations that make up his novels.

In this story, Twilly Spree, along with his love interest du jour, Viva Morales, take on right wing radicals who are dumber than rocks but bent on becoming famous since they missed out on previous insurrections. The two undermine sleazy politicians, inhibit corrupt developers, impede philanthropic billionaires who bankroll ludicrous projects to propel their true objectives behind the scenes, and protect those they perceive to be innocent. 

Except Twilly really isn't a nice guy, per se, and gets his hands really dirty while interfering in as much mayhem as he can. There are some funny moments, but sometimes the message got lost because of the many outlandish and over the top scenarios. It was predictable in the sense that the bad guys all got what Twilly thought they deserved but the people he liked made out OK. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Will Damron, did a good job of voicing the characters and using appropriate tone and inflection to provide the right note of comedy. The production enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Tags - satire, right wing radicals, sleazy politicians, politics,  

Jill is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda

 Dark domestic drama — like a train wreck.

Jack and Jill, oh my. I challenge you to find two more despicable unlikable characters. These two were definitely made for each other. Jill knows that, but Jack must be having some sort of life crisis cause he’s gone off the rails. A new woman in his life? Jill thinks not. After all, Jill knows that this is a marriage made in heaven, well maybe not there, but she sure isn’t going to let anything break them apart.

There is so much in this novel where you just shake your head at the thought of people behaving like this. I couldn’t stand either Jack or Jill as each had bad intentions. Thank heavens Jill had her special notebook to ensure Jack follows the rules. Her rules. I am guessing that many felt bad for Jack and thought Jill the worst of the pair. I disagree. He’s one of those that garners sympathy and such because people feel bad for him. The daughter, Maggie, well I do not like when any parent commandeers a child and involves them in their adult relationship no matter how old they are. Bad on Jack. For awhile I was worried (yeah I know I’m always on the bad side) that they were both going to end up in jail or kill each other. But they truly do deserve one another.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Marnye Young. She was OK, but honestly, it was a huge disappointment as her male and female voice for Jack and Jill were interchangeable. She never sounded like a man. This is one of those that definitely would have benefited from having a male narrator. Usually the audio enhances my enjoyment of a book but this production was not as good as I’d hoped for.

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

Genre tags - marriage, drama, murderous couple, secrets and lies, manipulation, emotional blackmail

Brain Damage by Freida McFadden

 This was a great listen while I was sick. It was funny in places and fast paced, and then heartwarming with the romance, and it just hit the spot. I liked Charlotte McKenna even when she was acting more stupidly than her brain damage should have allowed. In fact, she was pretty lame before she got shot! But, the bullet to her head was definitely the best thing that happened to her after all.

From acute injury to months in rehab, Charly finds that her memory and her disability are not easy to recover and overcome. 

I noted this was published in 2016 so the author hasn't gotten to the completely outlandish over the top thriller stage. 

This audio book was narrated by Megan Tusing who did a fantastic job of voicing all the characters and giving a sensational bit of dramatic flair to the production. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Tags - brain injury due to gun shot, rehab, romance 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson

 More domestic drama than murder mystery, this novel explores the history of a marriage.

Thom and Wendy have been married for over 25 years. He's a professor of English Literature and they have a grown son. Money is not an issue, they've plenty of that, and to casual observes, they seem like a close, loving couple. Except Wendy is done. She wants Thom gone. And the only way to make this happen is for her to murder him. 

The narrative is told in reverse, taking the reader backward though their lives and the different stages of their relationship. Everything hinged on something they did together back when they were in their early twenties and that secret has bound them together.  

So why does Wendy want to kill him now? 

I've long been a huge fan of this author and his twisty mystery thrillers so I expected a lot. For some reason this just didn't seem like the same writer as this story wasn't really very exciting or thrilling. I didn't care for either Thom or Wendy and honestly their lives seemed so boring as it seemed all Thom did was get drunk and act stupid. Neither had any direction or drive. Definitely both extremely self centered. I tried to get more invested, but ultimately I really didn't like it. Was there a bit of a surprise at the ending? Why, yes, there was, but it wasn't enough.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Steven Weber, is one of my favorites and he did an awesome job of finding just the right tone and voice for the characters. His dramatic flair made the characters some alive and definitely the production enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Tags - genre - domestic drama, mystery, murder