She Didn't See it Coming by Shari Lapena

 A closed circle psychological and domestic thriller showcasing the thin line between public personas and private rot.

Sam and Bryden Frost live in a luxury condominium with their 3-year-old daughter, Clara. Their outwardly perfect life explodes when Bryden vanishes from their home in the middle of a work day. When Sam receives the call that Bryden has failed to pick up Clara from daycare, it's the beginning of the end for them all. Nothing on security cameras throughout the building. Bryden's phone and purse are still there. No signs of an altercation. No evidence that this is anything other than a woman walking out of her own free will. But, yet.

Detective Jane Salter is the pragmatic, meticulous investigator who must weed through conflicting stories and sort out multiple suspects who are increasingly unhinged. There's no shortage of red herrings but the final twists and revelations are genuinely chilling. 

This was fast paced and kept me guessing and I couldn't put it down so read it all in one sitting. The short chapters and the alternating points of view kept me on my toes and fully invested. The addition of the metaplot involving a true crime Facebook group that Lizzie (Bryden's sister) is obsessed with  added another fun dimension showing how tragedy is often consumed as entertainment. I was convinced I knew what had happened. Alas. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator is the absolutely amazing January LaVoy. She provides a distinct vocal range for the various characters and makes them come alive creating a fully immersive production. Her dramatic flair is spot on. I'm always so impressed with her performance and talent which definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags - psychological and domestic thriller, murder, jealousy, obsession, infidelity, domestic abuse 

The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards

 You’re invited to a nightmare dinner party on Notting Hill. Don’t be late!

Mark Edwards masterfully reconstructs the locked room thriller within a high-security Notting Hill townhouse. Twenty-five years after a dot.com project ended abruptly, 6 former colleagues reunite to honor their late mentor, Sebastian Marlowe, at a dinner party given by two of the cohort who are now married and who’ve achieved great wealth and success. The team hasn’t had any contact for decades. What begins as an awkward trip down memory and quickly turns into a lethal psychological interrogation when the group is held at gunpoint by home invaders.

One of the group’s assignments while working for Marlowe happened to be a program called The Wasp Trap. It was an algorithm they designed and tested to identify psychopaths. The invaders are demanding that the guests reveal their secrets from that summer or face execution. The guests are fighting for their lives as the ghosts of the past are dredged up and served with a side of bloodshed.

This was intriguing and entertaining. I’ve read other books by this author and like this new direction. He writes well and the characters were believable and multidimensional. Definitely felt claustrophobic and threatening. There are several surprising twists along the way. Kept me fully engaged. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The two narrators, John Hopkins’s and Anna Burnett did an admirable job of voicing the characters and creating a menacing atmosphere that led to my enjoyment of he production. 

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

Genre and tags: psychological drama, old friends, murder, psychopaths, secrets and lies 

In Vitro by M.J. Kuhar

 This medical thriller follows Dr. Joyce Porter at the prestigious McArthur Fertility Institute, a place where couples grappling with the anguish of infertility seek a miracle. The highly ethical and hard working Joyce finds her professional world collapsing while her marriage is also suffering due to her husband's doctoral program requiring that he live in a different city. 

Joyce is facing two distinct threats: sexual harassment from the powerful Dr. Hicks who is her mentor as well as the director of the institute and a parallel discovery concerning the clinic's insemination procedures. All along, she must also counsel and provide care to those couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. 

The novel deals with the emotional issues surrounding infertility and the anguish of the couples as well as Joyce facing off with a sexual predator who happens to control her advancement and could sabotage her career if the secrets about the lab come out and blame is laid at her feet. The topic is timely and sometimes controversial always begging the question about whether or not we should do something even though we can. 

I really enjoy novels that deal with medical situations, ethics, and science. Although not a thriller in the true sense of chills and suspense, there's enough action and plenty of disturbing scenes that elevate it beyond standard women's fiction. Moral dilemmas, workplace issues, ethical and criminal elements, and the emotional toll of infertility all make this appealing. 

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series

Genre and tags: sexual harassment, donor sperm, in vitro fertilization, relationships 

Evil Bones (#24 Temperance Brennan) by Kathy Reichs

 This 24th installment in the Dr. Temperance Brennan series finds the forensic anthropologist in Charlotte, North Caroline where she works for the MCME due to her expertise in the human skeleton. She’s asked to consult when a grim series of animal mutilations is discovered. Alongside her old ally, semi-retired homicide detective Skinny Slidell, Tempe quickly finds that the perpetrator is escalating and possibly signaling a dangerous rehearsal for a human victim.

While there is some forensic detail, most of the story is focused on the discovery of the corpses that are missing a part, the letters PE etched onto the bodies, and with Tempe and Skinny talking to people who might be suspects. In addition, Reichs injects a dose of psychological discourse on the nature of evil and those who perpetrate it. Although there are lots of possible bad actors, the case seems to ricochet from one discovery of death and murder to another. The core mystery is meant to be about finding out who is killing these animals and humans and dressing up their bodies in a macabre collection of feathers and paint, but it digresses often to unrelated things such as Tempe’s boyfriend and the antics of a teenaged great niece staying with her daughter, Katy. 

The killer is bad and with no shortage of possible suspects — bam, out of nowhere, a crazy twist that is not normally found in the template for this kind of thriller. The payoff is undermined by a deeply unsatisfying resolution and ending. Yes, a nonsensical and ambiguous final chapter. Although I’ve read all the books in this series from the beginning, this one just didn’t meet my expectations. Hopefully the next book will be more like all the previous stories.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Linda Emond, did a great job of voicing all the characters giving them unique accents and vocal identity. She does great with shifts in register and emotion using excellent pacing and tonal nuance. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the 24th in a series that is best read in order.

Genre and tags: crime thriller, anthropology, BONES television series, murder, animal mutilation

Head Cases (#1) by John McMahon

 This is less a standard procedural and more a study of unique characters operating in a sort of shadow unit to solve a mystifying string of murders. 

The FBIs Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit is a task for of intellectual misfits or genius outcasts who are assigned unusual cases because of their unusual approach.  FBI Agent Gardner Camden, an analytical savant with an eidetic memory and a talent for puzzles and patterns, leads the team. He often has difficulty with human empathy, emotions and social graces. Other team members have their own skills and abilities. 

In this book, the unit, which is usually relegated to solving cold cases, is thrust tiny the field when a notorious serial killer, long presumed dead, is found murder in a particularly horrendous manner. It seems that there is a vigilante who is targeting other serial killers and who is leaving behind clues and riddles meant for Gardner and his team. 

I enjoyed the way that the author rose above the trope of damaged geniuses and introduces a PAR team that is authentic and quirky without just a bunch of eccentrically skilled law enforcement agents. Yes, Camden is clearly neurodivergent even though his analytical prowess is both a professional superpower and a personal disability. He does have emotional struggles as he deals with his beloved mother, his daughter and an exwife in prison. Two other characters, Casssie Pardo (a mathematician) and the weapons expert and sharpshooter, Joanne Harris, add intriguing depth to the team. 

Good, complicated plot and a somewhat slow pacing as the killer leads the team with increasing challenges. Then the adrenaline infused action sequences when the reader is reminded that the agents aren’t just cerebral. This is the start of a new series and perfect for fans of character driven crime thrillers who appreciate a complex hero. I look forward to the next book.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-ebook provided by the publisher. The narrator, Will Damron, excelled at portraying the main character as well as being able to give distinct voices to the other characters in the book. His timing and intonation do well to build the suspense and definitely creates an atmosphere that keeps the reader engaged. I really like his voice and this production enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the debut of a new series. Two books have been contracted. Read in order.

Genre - police procedural, crime thrillers, psychological, murder, serial killers, neurodivergent 

Murder on a Frosty Night (Lady Eleanor Swift #24) by Verity Bright

 

The client was dead before they even arrived!

This delightful cozy, set in England in 1925, finds Lady Eleanor Swift and husband Hugh Seldon ready to celebrate their first Christmas together at Henley Hall. When an unexpected telegram arrives on Christmas Eve with a curt and mysterious message asking them to travel to a remote hamlet by midnight to earn their fees, they decide that their fledgling detective agency needs some income, so they drive off with Gladstone in tow. Upon tardy arrival to the client's estate, they find an empty office and a recording that starts to give them a few details before being abruptly cut off. Hearing music from the local church, they pass a graveyard where a dead man rests across a tombstone. Alas, it's the body of Inigo Osmund Unwin, their client.

This immediately turns the investigation into a game of retroactive deduction, forcing the Byron Detective Agency to solve a case that they were technically too late for. The inhabitants of the village didn't know or care much for Unwin and they seem to have a lot of secrets. As the snow falls and temperatures drop, Eleanor, Hugh, and Clifford begin a heated interrogation of the locals. Christmas this year will be nothing like they expected. 

This was complex and fun with lots of wonderful historical details that the author is known for. I love the time period and the setting with the Christmas theme. The characters are what drives this series, however, and I always enjoy returning to catch their latest whodunit. From Lady Eleanor and Hugh to Clifford, their butler, who is a walking encyclopedia, to the "aprons" who cook and clean, everyone is part of the crew. Their camaraderie and witty repartee are part of each book's charm. Although there is always a mystery to solve, it's really the sense of team and family that carries this beyond the typical cozy. 

After 24 books, I still very much enjoy this series and recommend any interested readers start with the first installment for maximum enjoyment.

Book Blog Tour for Bookouture 12-9-25
ARC provided for review.

 

This is part of a series. 

Tags and Genre - cozy historical mystery, England, 1925, murder 

Forget You Saw Her (Ask for Andrea prequel) by Noelle Ihli

 A hauntingly emotional thriller that masterfully blends a desperate mother's search for her missing daughter with paranormal influences. 

This prequel to the brilliant "Ask for Andrea" introduces Sabina, who gave up the eponymous Andrea for adoption as an infant over 17 years ago. When a police inquiry states that Andrea is missing and believed to be a runaway, Sabina immediately heads to Ogden, Utah, where Andrea had lived with her adoptive parents. As she meets those who knew her daughter, she feels an inexplicable sense that Andrea s right there with her, guiding her, and helping to give her mother the answers that justice demands. 

Sabina is driven by a combination of guilt and fierce maternal love for the daughter she never knew. The plot is tense and fast-paced, but the supernatural element uniquely infuses the thriller with sorrow and an otherworldly quest for the truth to be revealed. The book offers a poignant tone emphasizing the mother-daughter bond that seems to have transcended even death. 

Although I typically avoid books with these preternatural ingredients, I was captivated by this novel and encourage any reader to choose to read this one first as I wish I could have. It sets the stage for the next story and pulls everything together. I hate leaving Andrea and, though I have no idea how much  more the author could make of the premise, I'd love to see another installment. I like the writing and how quickly I was drawn back into the world and how Ihli makes it all so believable. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along with the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Andi Arndt, Carlotta Brentan, and Brittany Pressley. The trio provided distinct and emotional portrayals of the main characters and captured the desperation and love as well as the eerie essence of those no longer alive. The voices definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book and created an immersive atmosphere that kept me gripped until the very end. 

Highly recommend.

This is the prequel to Ask for Andrea. Read first if you can.

Tags and genre - paranormal thriller, dead helping living, murder, sexual assault, rape 

The Luxury Orphanage by Grant Finnegan

 Set in London in 1990, this combination of horror and paranormal thriller centers on Ravenstone House for the Less Privileged, an early 1800s building with a dark past. Once a majestic home and then an orphanage until 1956, it was derelict for decades with a local reputation for being haunted. Its renovation into lavish, modern flats, attempts to bury its history but this rebirth disturbs more than just dust. As the new residents move in, unexplained phenomena -- cold drafts, whispers, shrieks, visions of ghosts, and inexplicable movement of furnishings, suggest the tortured souls of the children who perished there are not at peace. The spirits of the past, particularly two children, Finley and Heather, demand justice and the ability to move on to their rightful resting place. The narrative follows the residents as they unravel the house's dark secrets, leading to a series of chilling confrontations. 

This is not a typical ghost story because of the strong character-driven intensity and involvement in the quest for justice for the orphans. There are no jump scare tropes here as the author uses the personalities and stories of the tenants who come to the aid of the children with steely resolve and clear consciences. Next door flat mates Quentin (Q), his fiancee Mary, and husband wife David and Christine, join an upstairs forensic investigator, Yukiko, in securing the names of any living evil perpetrators from the past. Finnegan handles the extremely dark subject matter of child abuse and sexual exploitation with a careful yet unflinching eye, ensuring the horrors are rooted in human depravity rather than cheaper supernatural theatrics. The conclusion, along with a few surprises, was remarkably fulfilling. 

Definitely recommend this chilling story layered with social commentary on historical trauma and buried secrets. 

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

Tags and genre - child abuse, sexual abuse, orphans, gentrification, revenge, justice, secrets 

A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay

 Requested this because I thought it would be a medical thriller typical of the genre with a practicing doctor investigating the death of a colleague. I was wrong. 

I should have just deleted this from my e-reader after the first couple of chapters but I held on until the completely underwhelming conclusion. I am trying to come up with some positive thoughts about the book but it wasn't funny, the characters were all quite horrible people, and the mystery was very predictable. It was also heavily into gay relationships and a skewed presentation of bipolar mental illness. The outlandish things that the main character did ranged from horrendous to criminal.  I haven't read any other of this author's books and now I know I never will.

I tried to listen to the audio book but did not like the narrator's voice at all so I returned it to the library. 

Do not recommend this at all. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre and tags - meant to be witty but it's not. Heavy gay relationships. Mental illness. Not a medical thriller or even a mystery. Murder. Revenge.  

Murder at Midwinter Farm (Miss Underhay #22) by Helena Dixon

 

Delightfully traditional cozy crime novel that perfectly captures the atmosphere of a 1930s English winter. The frosty Devon setting provides a wonderful backdrop for a mystery layered with classic tropes. 

Kitty Underhay is helping her best friend Alice with drapery hanging at Alice’s recently purchased and renovated farm. Alice and her fiancé, Robert, bought the property at an estate auction, There’s a bit of superstition about the place because of a vanished previous tenant farmer who left the door open and dinner on the table and who has been missing for over 10 years. When the man’s body is discovered on the farm by a workman putting in telephone poles, Kitty and her husband Matthew, who are now private investigators, try to solve the murder mystery. Could it be that the murder is linked to a web of local burglaries at neighboring estates? 

Lots of suspects in the mix as usual, with Kitty and Matt joining their old, familiar police inspectors as they snoop around and question some of the bad actors who might have been involved with either the burglaries or the murder, or both. 

I like Kitty and Matt and now they are married in this 22nd book of the series. For being practically newlyweds, there’s about zero romance in the pages. Their relationship is so focused on their involvement in their probes and inquiries. As usual, the narrative is full of lots of details about their daily lives, food, tea, and their pets. Fairly predictable following the typical formula for this genre, it is still enjoyable to catch up with Matt and Kitty and the rest of the characters who populate the books. I’m sure I’ll keep reading the next installments though their lives need a little more personal spicing up and Matt needs some sort of therapy for his issues.

This is scheduled for my blog tour on publication for November 24, 2025. If you like historical cozy whodunits and mysteries set in the Devon area of England, this is a fun series that I recommend for its attention to detail and style. 

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

This is 22nd in a series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Genre and tags - cozy historical mystery series set in Devon, Murder, burglary, private investigators

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

 This starts out as a 4 and rapidly declined to a 2 and I should have DNF. Though market as an adult thriller, it totally reads like a YA novel.

The premise -- a young woman is dying after an attack damages her brain and an aneurysm is due to burst and bleed within the week. She decides, after a completely lackluster life where she accomplished nothing, to solve her own murder. With the help of her childhood friend, Billy, (who of course in this trope of tropes secretly loves her), Jet (oh what a name and somehow a nickname for Margaret) tries to find some clues that will help them discover the identity of the killer. 

The dialogue was sophomoric and the plot so very thin that within a few chapters you can guess correctly most all of the what, why, and who. The constant repetition of how much time Jet has left was annoying. The things Jet did in that week in her condition were quite preposterous and one needs to really suspend all disbelief as it really strains credulity. I can see by other reviews that I'm an outlier on this one. I'm sorry I wasted my time but I thought the unique perspective was going to be better executed. I appreciate receiving the ARC from the publisher. 

I also tried to listen to the audio book but the narrator's (Alex McKenna) voice just made me cringe and emphasized all the points I made about the writing and the dialogue. I stopped.

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

Tags and genre -- publisher markets as adult novel but reads like YA, trope filled mystery, boy next door, solve your own murder premise 

Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker

 Taut, atmospheric police procedural that weaves timely social commentary into a murder mystery.

A routine call to track and shoot a mountain lion that apparently killed Bennet Tarlow, a wealthy land developer in the hills of Orange County California, quickly unravels into a complex murder investigation. Detective Lew Gale, previously a Marine sniper and also a member of the local Acjacheme Indian community, and his new partner Daniela Mendez, discover that Tarlow was shot execution style before the lion got to him. Now the pair is tracking humans and that trail is leading to secrets, lies, and greed.

This was really complex in that there were so many details about the indigenous culture and history of the Spanish missions in the area and how that changed and displaced the communities. There is conflict between them and the powerful and rich who basically stole the land. Exploited the natives and destroyed their heritage. I liked the depth and dimension of the main characters, Lew and Daniela,  whose backstories are unusual and compelling. The writing is excellent as the author weaves all of the historical into present day issues. The pacing was good and could be described as a slow burn as the characters come to life. Definitely has a lot of depth and context. I could see this as a series, and if so, I will be reading more. 

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, John Pirhalla, did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life with his versatility and skill with accents. His voice is very smooth and compelling and helped create the right atmosphere for a totally immersive experience.

This is a standalone, at least right now, though I would love for it to go further.

Tags and genre - indigenous peoples, land development, greed, murder, police procedural

The Merge by Grace Walker

 Unsettling speculative dystopian fiction.

In near-future UK, society is straining under resource shortage and environmental collapse. The revolutionary Merge procedure is meant to allow two consciousnesses to blend into one body to conserve and pool the benefits. Amelia, the daughter of an activist, signs up to merge with her mother, Laurie, who is in the first stages of Alzheimer's. What could go wrong?

The premise grabbed me immediately -- Amelia's desperate move driven by love. What profound scientific achievement is this where a daughter wants to keep her mother's memories and connection and The Combine has found a way to do it by putting it all into one body. I couldn't wait to dive in to understand the methods and practical aspects of the procedure and this integration. And then it went so flat so fast. Why can't we ever get cool new things? That don't end up being so bad.

The first part just drags on forever as the pair prepares for their merge. They meet others that are also in the process which takes months. The whole section was mainly character development without the significant details about the actual procedure that I was looking for. Lots of nothing happens. Then the two are in recovery with a gap between their pre and post transition phases. The exposition goes on and on with Amelia unhappy until the rush to the completely unsatisfying conclusion with so many unresolved situations and no answers other than -- oops, no spoilers.

I wasn't a fan and the main reason was that this is basically just a big ethical question about identity, selfhood, and sacrifice. The result is a narrative that felt unfinished and inconsistent, focused on the mundane instead of realizing provocative its medical, scientific, and dystopian potential. 

So more frustrated than fascinated, and ultimately disappointing at the execution of what could have been a really good story.  I'm giving this 2.5 stars.

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, Tamaryn Payne and Pearl Hewitt, were adequate but sometimes it was very hard to differentiate their voices from other characters. This production would have benefited from a larger cast since all the characters blended together, especially in light of a plot where consciousness and inner voices are combined. 

This is a standalone debut and not part of any series. Nor would I want more of it.

Tags and genre - speculative dystopian fiction, medical procedures, mind melding, activism, ethics and morrals 

Nash Falls (Walter Nash #1) by David Baldacci

 How far will the Eagle Scout fall in his quest for vengeance, justice, and revenge?

Walter Nash sort of had it all as a well paid finance wizard at a top notch firm. He, his wife Judith, and daughter were living a good life until the FBI came calling after the death of Walter’s father. They recruit Walter as a mole and whistleblower to take down his employer because it happens that Sybaritic is a money laundering machine for an Asian criminal mastermind, Victoria Steers. When everything falls apart and Walter is framed for horrible crimes, he goes on the run and has to reinvent himself from mild mannered banker to killing machine. 

Walter is a complex character who is basically just a really decent and moral guy who has quite the transformation in this action packed thriller. The author’s deliberate pacing draws the reader in waiting to see what will happen next. The story is filled with all the usual types of good guys and bad guys. There’s the faithful friend who helps Walter become who he needs to be. The slimy super rich bosses who take whatever they want —except blame or responsibility. Conniving women. Lots of fighting and grisly descriptions of maiming and murder. I felt some sympathy for him except for how he, well I don’t want to spoil anything. I want him to succeed in his mission to take down this global criminal enterprise, I really do, and I understand we will see more about it in the sequel coming next year. 

Definitely a book that will keep you glued to the pages and you won’t even realize that it’s a bit longer than usual. I know what I hope will happen so will definitely be in line to find out if the author avoids the cliches in this character’s metamorphosis and personal growth. 

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 were a full cast with MacLeod Andrews as the main character and supporting voices from Christine Lakin, Larry Herron, Shiromi Arserio, and Will Collyer. The men did an excellent job of dramatizing the story with appropriate flair, tone, and giving each a unique and distinctive voice with consistent and authentic accents. There was a female voice that just was not good and was used for many of the women in the story. The voice sounded the same for all of them and didn’t seem to integrate smoothly into the scene nor was the emotion there. The female voice was flat and unengaged. I have no idea which of the two narrators this person was. The other female did better but not by much. I wish that roles would be identified with large cast recordings.  Overall, however, because of the strong male voices, the production enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the first book in a new series with sequel coming out next year. Read in order.

Genre and tags: Everyman becomes superhero to save family, transformation, spies, global criminal enterprise, murder, extortion, FBI, family drama

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf

 Utterly dramatic popcorn domestic thriller that is highly entertaining though completely preposterous. 

A spectacle of a gender reveal party involving a truck that is meant to explode with the appropriate color ends in tragedy when a guest winds up dead and many others wounded. The hosts, the extremely wealthy landowners, Madeline and Wes Drake, are in the crosshairs of the investigation when an ATF agent with former ties to the area comes to their ranch to get answers about what looks like something other than an accident. 

There is no shortage of suspects or motive along with the usual plethora of secrets, lies, and drama. It seems that in addition to the planned event, a second explosion was actually an IED that someone at the scene engineered. Who set it and why?

I just can’t with this one. There was so much going on and such terrible, hideous people doing all sorts of things that it was hard to narrow down who the really bad actors were. I think readers will enjoy this whole romp more if they can suspend disbelief and embrace the chaos and soap opera qualities. It was fast paced and easy to read in a single sitting. Definitely predictable and thus not really suspenseful but it will likely hold your attention for a couple of hours. 

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, Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands, were a bit of a pair as I didn’t really care for either of their voices nor can I identify who did which character making them basically indistinguishable. My main issue was some of the pacing and the deliberate pauses that were overly dramatic even for this plot. There was no male voice which was also a disappointment. I wish that the contents listed who voiced which characters.

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

Genre and tags, domestic drama, murder, secrets and lies, wealthy ranch owners, traumatic past

The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer #8) by Michael Connelly

 A legal thriller that is timely and explosive as it deals with the contemporary issues surrounding the development of artificial intelligence. 

In this 8th book in a long running series, Mickey Haller handles his first civil case after leaving criminal defense and his reputation as the Lincoln Lawyer behind. The trial is very high profile as it tackles the ethical and legal dangers of unregulated AI. Although the main premise centers on the allegation that a teenaged boy shot and killed his ex girlfriend at the behest of a chat bot companion, the parents of the teens sue the multibillion dollar company, Tidalwaiv, because their app lacked essential guardrails that should have protected the children. 

The story was so good and the issues so interesting that I could not put this down and read it in a single sitting. I love the author’s writing and I am a huge fan of legal and courtroom drama. I liked everything about the book from the characters (all the ones we know and love from previous Haller installments) and the new journalist character was a great addition. Most of the book centered on the legal maneuvering and the skirmishes between opposing attorneys and the judge. The whole concept and reality of the dangers of AI and the evolution of chatbots and how they are programmed and trained were so riveting. When so many people, especially young ones who are easily influenced, spend so much time interaction with devices and AI, it seems inevitable that many lawsuits will follow as damages become evident and the dangers exposed. 

This was not action packed and the criminals were not the usual types found in previous Lincoln Lawyer novels, but were actually more insidiously malignant. It was gripping and thought provoking and I think it serves as a wake up call and cautionary tale as well as legal fiction that could just as easily be true crime. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Peter Giles, did an amazing job of voicing the characters in this book. He has a great delivery style and has excellent pacing that fits whatever is happening in the story. He is not overly dramatic and sounds like the voice of authority making him a good match for strong male characters. I like his deep voice as it is pleasant to listen to and he can adapt to other characters’ voices though I always wish for a female cast member for these productions. Overall, the audio definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.

This is the 8th book in a long running series. Probably best to read in order. 

Tags and genre - legal thriller, contemporary issues, artificial intelligence, chatbots, civil law

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

 Enjoyable character-driven mystery.

Alice Lake finds an amnesiac man she decides to call "Frank" sitting on a beach near her house. Miles away, a newlywed's husband vanishes on his way home from work. Police reveal to the new wife that his passport is fake and the man she knows as Carol doesn't exist. 

Weaving present day mystery with a decades old seaside vacation that ended in tragedy, this novel slowly reveals the dark and unsettling connection that binds these disparate lives and answers the questions about their identities and the past. 

The atmosphere is enticing and the seaside setting with the multi timeline structure at first is a bit confusing, but it pulls in the reader. The build up and minute revelations make the book seem very slow moving and I put it down and didn't rush to pick it up again. The resolution, with all the coincidences, felt a bit too neat and almost a let down after all the information is finally exposed and the truth disclosed. I know we're meant to like the characters, especially Alice, but I'm just trying to imagine bringing a strange man who doesn't know who he is inside my home with my  kids. There was nothing twisty or surprising about the conclusions so I can't really call this a thriller. I like the author, but this one just fell a bit short for me. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. Yes, I'm late getting around to this one! I wasn't impressed with the narrator, Helen Duff. I wish a male voice had been utilized as well to give a more immersive experience. When the audio had to go back to the library unfinished, I just continued to the end of the book without it and no regrets.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre and tags: mystery, romance, amnesia, psychopath, murder, fake identity, missing persons 

Murder Most British (Secet Detective Agency #3) by Helena Dixon

 

This is the third installment in this cozy historical mystery series.

It’s 1941 and secret agent Jane Treen is back working with codebreaker and analyst Arthur Cilento. This time their partnership has them investigating the murder of a typist who had discovered that there were secret codes inserted into broadcast manuscripts. Jane ends up temping as accompanist to her mother, Elsa, while checking out everyone who is working at the agency. 

This one moved rather slowly and, though peppered with marginally dangerous situations for Jane, it never rose to any sort of intensity and had no real twists or surprises. It seems that Jane and Arthur are becoming close and perhaps, after about 10 more books, a romance may bloom though he’s quite sickly and I can’t see what the attraction might be. The characters spend a lot of time talking, eating, and drinking their coffee and tea without much really going on. I just couldn’t get too excited about the plot. 

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

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

Genre and tags - historical cozy, fiction, mystery, murder, 1941 war time London

Her One Regret by Donna Freitas

 3.5 stars rounded up.

To be, or not to be, a mother…

This book is sure to provide an excellent topic for any book club. The whole time I was reading it, I was thinking about how I’d frame questions and guide the discussion. Unfortunately, I think that those women who would appreciate and benefit from this book the most will be unlikely to find or ever read it. 

Lucy vanishes from the grocery store parking lot leaving behind her baby, Emma. Everyone has mixed reactions to this disappearance. First thought to be a kidnapping, the situation morphs into something else when her best friend, Michelle accidentally reveals that Lucy wanted out of her life.

Motherhood. It’s almost sacred to the point where any woman who doesn’t embrace it fully or who chooses not to participate in it at all is vilified. I know there are many women who do not like nor want children. That’s fine. And they shouldn’t be hassled about their choice. Being a mom (or a parent) is not easy and sometimes it’s a very rough adjustment. Having a child changes everything in life but more so the life of the mother (woman). Trying to explain that to those that don’t have children or to men is fraught. 

It’s a truth that is not universally known or accepted — a woman (mother) can love her children desperately but still long to go back to her life and to the person she was before.  Giving up a much loved job or career is hard. No longer having that private couple time is tough on the marriage. Lack of support with child care or begrudging help from the father is frustrating. Lots of things change when a baby is brought home from the hospital. And adjustment is not automatic as all sorts of emotions and physical issues can get in the way. 

In a way, all mothers are Lucy. When she goes missing and it’s thought to be a kidnapping, people are sympathetic. When it comes out that she might have left of her own accord due to regret and disenchantment with her life, then she’s lambasted and maligned. Expectations that a mother will never leave no matter what are engraved on the soul. In a society where women who don’t want babies are forced to have them, where birth control fails and accidents happen (or worse), then what is a woman to do when this baby comes after all. 

This is a very powerful book that I think most women will have strong opinions about and I’d love to hear them out. I realize that I am not coming from the same place as Lucy and some of the others mentioned in the novel, but I do appreciate that there are many women who feel like they did and they need to be heard and supported.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I honestly did not like the narrator, Victoria Villarreal. Her breathy voice, her speech patterns, and the choppy delivery were really irritating. She would pause between words in a sentence with her deliberate pausing distracting from the reading. Many times I had to stop the audio because I really disliked her performance. The men’s voices were terrible. So, instead of an audio enhancing a book for me, this production detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I would not recommend it. 

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

Genre and tags: book club fiction, women’s fiction, motherhood, regret, adjustment

False Witness by Phillip Margolin

 A complicated legal thriller with many subplots and a huge cast of characters.

Disbarred, imprisoned, and later vindicated defense attorney Karen Wyatt returns to her life with a lot of money won in a suit against those who framed her. As she seeks to find out the names of the corrupt officials who put her in prison, she carries on with her caseload. 

Her defendants aren’t always the best or smartest, so her work often involves meeting unsavory characters and, in one particularly nasty case, she also has to unravel a conspiracy that involves a truly vicious local gang. 

I liked the main character, who has risen above her persecution and is trying to do the right thing with her clients. She’s got some good people on her side, but always trying to find out who made her life the hell it was. There’s a lot of names and some really grisly torture scenes and the bad guys are really horrible. The chapters were short and the story moved along at a nice clip. There were several long incidences where the story goes off on a tangent, ie, the explanation of hypnotism for one and the whole alien abduction scenario for another. I really hate books that feature nasty gangs and hideous people. Mainly the plot revolved around money, laundering, and scams. 

I don’t think it’s unexpected to know that Karen gets her closure and it looks like life is going to be good for her again.

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, Therese Plummer, did an adequate job of voicing some of the characters but at times all the voices sounded too similar, especially the men. She had an appropriate amount of dramatic flair that helped create an immersive experience to enhance my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags - legal thriller, gangs, money, murder, torture, corruption 

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

 Fast paced international conspiracy thriller.

Grief, betrayal, and a high stakes conspiracy entangle a disgraced former Army surgeon, Maggie McCabe, in a complicated plot involving the wealthy elite. Maggie is barely holding herself together after losing her medical license and her husband. Drowning in debt and facing an uncertain future, her former mentor gets her a super secret job as a concierge surgeon to a Russian oligarch. When she arrives at the highly secure location, she’s told that she is to perform two surgeries, take her money, and leave. Absolute non disclosure. 

I could go on with the synopsis since what I’ve read on product pages is wildly inaccurate or misleading, so I’ll let the reader find out the rest. No spoilers but there’s definitely a large cast of characters and a lot going on.

I liked the collaboration between these two authors as I have lately gotten bored with Harlan Coben who seems to write mostly the same formulaic standalones. I would love to know the extent of Witherspoon’s contribution, but, regardless, it seems to work with the two of them. I found it interesting that the main character in this was female as that is not typically the case for Coben. 

I would say this novel reads like an action film. The Maggie character is nothing short of amazing along with being beautiful and resourceful with her daring escapades. Maybe a bit too much so? The Porkchop character was almost a cliche and made for a very convenient wingman. There wasn’t much dimension to any of them, but since the main focus was twists and revelations, one can ignore that and of course logic goes out the window. So most of it was implausible, but that often happens with conspiracy stories. Emotional depth was attempted with the exploration of Maggie’s grief and her interaction with the grief bot was interesting as an aside. 

So we have a wounded heroine who, against all odds, gets the answers she needs and the closure she craved.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book. The narrators are a full cast recording and they all did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life and creating a really immersive experience. Reese Witherspoon voices the protagonist, Maggie McCabe and her performance was nothing short of amazing. Chris Pine, Saskia Maarleveld, Peter Ganim, Suehyla El-Attar Young, Kiff VandenHeuvel, and James Fouhey voice the remaining characters (some doing multiple roles) with appropriate tone, accents, and dramatic flair. Don’t miss out! 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series. Yet. Bet they adapt it to a film or limited series.

Genre and tags: surgery, international intrigue, rich people. Conspiracy, friends, death

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

 A psychological study of grief and loss.

When Laurel Mack loses her favorite daughter, Ellie, a gifted 15-year-old who was the light of her life,  she drowns in grief that destroys the family that includes two older children, Hanna and Jake. Some believe she ran away but no sightings or trace of Ellie were ever found. Although the police investigated and countless appeals were made, the case went cold. 

Now, it’s 10 years gone and not much has changed as Laurel has never moved on. Then she meets a man, Floyd, and tentatively begins a relationship. It’s a shock, however, when Laurel first meets his nine-year-old daughter, Poppy, who looks a lot like Ellie. (I think you can guess where this might be going). Laurel gets close to Poppy and Floyd with some disturbing questions that bring her back again to what happened to Ellie. 

Told in a then and now format with alternating viewpoints, this is not a typical twist heavy psychological thriller as it is more a slow burn study of a mother’s trauma and grief. I can’t say as that I liked Laurel very much because her obsession with Ellie also estranged her other two children because of the favoritism. Part of the uniqueness of the plot is due to the structure when the central mystery of Ellie’s fate is revealed about halfway through. This shifts the focus from “what happened” to the more sinister “how and why” and was far more disturbing. Some extremely fractured and damaged other characters, Laurel’s new focus on Poppy as perhaps a substitute daughter, sociopathic delusion and the desperate obsession of those seeking love all combine to create a chilling, if a bit melodramatic, picture of broken lives. I found the conclusion to be overwhelmingly sad on many levels. Haunting is a good word to describe the tone of this book. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Helen Duff and Gabrielle Glaister, did a decent job of bringing most of the characters to life but were sadly lacking with the male voices. At times there seemed a bit of a miss with the accents as well. Overall, however, the production did enhance my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags - psychological fiction, mystery, missing teen, family drama, sociopathy and obsession

Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill

 A clever homage to classic locked-room mysteries.

Fraternal twins Joe (a fiction writer) and Meredith (a lawyer) board the infamous Orient Express after he's finally cleared by his medical team after treatment for cancer. Almost immediately, things go awry and a bloody, body-less crime scene appears in the cabin next door. An interesting group of passengers form an alliance to search for the missing person who is presumed dead. The cohort just happens to included former police, detectives, spies and other investigators that make the effort seem more like an ensemble event taking place in the bar car. 

There are lots of red herrings and so many characters to keep track of that make the pacing a bit convoluted. It was an entertaining and cozy type read despite the number of dead bodies (five) and the twists did require suspension of disbelief. I had to read the ending a couple of times to make sure I actually understood what had happened. 

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because the audio book was just that good. I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Katherine Littrell and Eden Gabay, did an amazing job voicing the characters with great dramatic effect and all the right accents. Their performance definitely enhanced the book and provided a fun immersive reading experience.

This is a standalone that might actually make a good series if further developed.

Tags and genre - cozy crime thriller, mystery, setting is Orient Express, murder, con man 

The Widow by John Grisham

 Satisfying legal suspense that is also a captivating slow burn mystery.

Small-town lawyer Simon Latch is barely keeping his Main Street office open dealing with bankruptcies, divorces, and simple wills. When elderly Eleanor Barnett hires him to draft a new will, claiming that she and her late husband had accumulated a multimillion dollar fortune that she controls, Simon gets dollar signs in his eyes. He’s already financially desperate and between his gambling and his own impending divorce, sees a way to take on his richest client ever to make bank. Then Eleanor gets injured in a car crash she caused and ends up hospitalized. Simon scrambles to maintain control of the vast estate with power of attorney and other legal instruments that he executes when the worst happens. Now Simon is fighting in the courts to clear his name and save himself from a miscarriage of justice.

A very satisfying and dramatic drama that is more whodunit than high octane corporate courtroom thriller. It’s more centered on a small town attorney’s moral decay and questionable ethics so is more character driven than usual for this author. As Simon tries desperately to track down the real killer, he comes into contact with some interesting people. He makes a wonderfully ambivalent protagonist as he comes off as a greedy and desperate shyster while also retaining enough humanity to garner empathy despite his poor choices. I always enjoy the courtroom scenes and the behind the scenes trial preparation and legal maneuverings. The book points out how corruptible the legal system can be and also the high temptation to sacrifice the high road for ambition and money. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. The narrator, Michael Beck, did an excellent job using a Southern drawl to lend authenticity to the locale and the different characters. The only thing that would have made it better would be to use a female voice for those roles. The production provided an immersive experience that enhanced the story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

Tags and genre - legal thriller, crime thriller, mystery, murder, serial killer, poison

Final Descent by Audrey J. Cole

 Divorced pilot Claire Winslow, battling a mental health crisis with a diversion, faces a chilling nightmare when her blind date turns into a stalker. She goes to the police, but reporting him fails. Then, the ultimate shock —  he boards her flight as a pilot in the jump seat. 

This is like high altitude fatal attraction as this thriller straps you into the cockpit watching Claire unravel as nothing makes sense and she feels powerless. Along with her best friend doubting her and the copilot experiencing a health emergency, Claire sees no way out. The frustration of not being believed and her sanity doubted, Claire has to pull herself together like never before and get the plane back onto the ground. 

I typically don’t read novellas or short stories, but this was so fast paced I barely got into it before it was over. Not a lot of character development with the old sanity gaslighting trope, but it was entertaining even if predictable. I’m a sucker for an airplane story and I did race through it in a matter of minutes.

It was made even more fun by listening to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Zura Johnson, did a great job voicing the characters and the production created a dramatic and immersive reading experience. The pacing was good and I enjoyed it. 

This is a standalone novella of 90 pages. Not part of any series.

Genre and tags : thriller, pilot, stalker, custody, gaslighting 

Poison Wood (#2) by Jennifer Moorhead

 Atmospheric mystery thriller and family drama.

Ambitious and successful crime reporter, Rita Meade, goes home when a skull is found in the Louisiana forest on the grounds of the now-shuttered Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for girls, where she was once a student. That discovery coincides with Rita flaming out in her job because she didn’t disclose her association with a woman who had contacted her for an interview related to the school and was subsequently found deceased on the beach in Florida. In addition, as secrets about Poison Wood and its troubled former students and staff are revealed, the corrosive nature of lies is revealed. 

Rita Meade is a strong protagonist and her personal connections to the murder and likely killer increase the tension and suspense as she relentlessly pursues answers while no longer allowed to be a reporter on the story. There are lots of little mysteries that need to be addressed and I liked the detail and hints provided in the diary entries of journals found on the grounds. There are lots of characters and many suggestions of impropriety in the school and in what looks like a coverup and false imprisonment because of entitlement, privilege, and wealth. Definitely kept me guessing until a satisfying conclusion. This is the second book featuring this character but it can be read as a standalone without any difficulty. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Sophie Amoss, did an excellent job of maintaining a good pace and enhancing the atmosphere of the psychological thriller. She gave distinctive voices to all the characters including appropriate accents. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story and created an immersive experience. 

This is the second in a series featuring Rita Meade. It can be read as a standalone without any issue. I may go back and find Broken Bayou. More a companion book. 

Genre and tags: mystery thriller and family drama, murder, girls’ school

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

 Two women try to work together to discover what happened to their sisters who disappeared years ago, several weeks apart, along a stretch of deserted road.

This book was a huge disappointment solely due to its appalling characters, their acations, and the utterly horrible ending. I was engaged and guessing my way through this mystery and, even though I really didn’t like Nic and felt sorry for Jenna, I was stunned at the conclusion. You’ve got to be kidding me! Upon reflection, the whole narrative now appears contrived and senseless. The relationships and the information that the two found out about their sisters became meaningless and moot. I don’t mind a crazy twist now and again, but this one destroyed my emotional investment in the plot

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Saskia Maaleveld who voiced the main characters, and the author herself did some special sections, did a decent job of dramatizing the story. Unfortunately, their performance was unable to save the book and give me a reason to recommend it.

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

Tags and genre - mystery, missing sisters, sexual assault, murder, alcoholism, drama

The Devil’s Advocate (Eddie Flynn #6) by Steve Cavanagh

 An adrenaline shot of social commentary makes this legal thriller sizzle.

The author delivers a searing and unflinching look at the danger that is white supremacist terrorist groups — which the FBI and Homeland Security deem the biggest national security threat in the USA. In this 6th book of the series, Eddie Flynn and his team are sent into a small Alabama town in an attempt to stop the execution of a young black man who has been railroaded into a confession of murder. 

The action was nonstop and the legal maneuvers almost gave me whiplash as Eddie tries to figure out how to save Andy Dubois from a prosecuting attorney known as the king of death row because he always gets a guilty verdict and a death penalty sentence. Sunville Country, Alabama, is a cesspool of corruption with a clear and present evil that threatens to consume Eddie and his client. Andy’s sentence is a foregone conclusion and nobody is safe from those determined to convict him no matter the cost. Bodies drop because those in power won’t take no for an answer. Eddie, Kate, Henry and Bloch are trying to find one good man strong enough to stand up against shadowy group controlling the fate of the people in the town. When you can’t trust the cops or the lawyers or the judge, things look hopeless. 

The characters are great, the writing is excellent and I did not want to put this book down so finished it in a couple of hours. I felt a slot burn building as the lies and manipulations brought Andy’s situation so close to injustice. It reminds everyone that if something that is happening is not right nor fair nor just, and you see it, you must speak up. Hard to do when faced with threats to life or liberty and that’s why evil prevailed in that small town for so long and one man got away with his bloodlust and systemic racism to persecute Black defendants. 

I was fortunate to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. The narrator, Adam Sims, did an excellent job of bringing this to life with a measured dramatic flair that really enhanced the story. His range and ability made the characters sound distinct and believable. I love the immersive experience of simultaneous listening and reading.

Thoroughly recommend. I’ve read most all of the Eddie Flynn books and though this one works as a standalone, I think you’ll enjoy more if you start from the beginning.

This is the 6th in a series.

Genre - legal thriller, white supremacists, racism, injustice, courtroom drama, action

You’ll Never Find Me (Angelhart Investigations #1) by Allison Brennan

 First in the Angelhart Investigations series is an intriguing crime thriller that was hard to put down.

Margo Angelhart is a private investigator working solo after a falling out with her family’s similar company when they disagreed about an issue with her father. She’s concentrating on two cases — one involving a possible cheating spouse and the other is helping a female victim of domestic violence escape her abusive husband. Even though they are estranged, Margo is forced to work with her family’s company when her infidelity case intersects with a corporate espionage investigation that her brother and sister are looking into. 

This was fast paced and I really enjoyed the writing style and the family interaction. I liked the Angelhart family members and even Margo who is headstrong, stubborn, impetuous, and who doesn’t mind bending or breaking the rules. The disparate plots that wove together were interesting as were the family’s methods of tracking, tracking, and figuring things out. I’ll definitely want to check out future installments in this series as there were a lot of unresolved family problems that will need to be dealt with. Also look forward to more character development and I did like the setting of Phoenix, Arizona. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Hillary Huber, did an excellent job of voicing all the characters though a male voice would have made it even better. The pacing was good and her performance definitely enhanced my appreciation of the book.

This is the first in a series.

Genre - crime thriller, family, abuse, murder, embezzlement, infidelity, private investigators 

The Tourists (Mac Dekker #2) by Christopher Reich

 Fast paced espionage thriller kept me engaged.

A romantic Paris getaway turns into an espionage nightmare when retired CIA agent Mac Dekker’s lover, Ava Attal, a former Mossad operative, vanishes mid proposal. Of course he is forced to plunge back into the spy world to find her and avert a massive terror plot hatched by a prince of Qatar. 

Lots of action and a frantic race through some of the most beloved landmarks in Paris as Mac tries to find Ava and thwart the disruption of a unique peace accord. These spies are quite clever and handy with weapons as they hack into computers and interrogate those who have information. I liked both Mac and Ava, but as always, some of the ancillary characters fall dead by the wayside the closer the good guys get to their objective. I liked the detail about the city and the luxury that the truly rich prince enjoyed. The love story between Mac and Ava is secondary to their high stakes pursuit to preclude a terrible disaster. Seems like the spy world is a cold hearted world and we may see another installment featuring these characters given the conclusion. The writing is excellent.

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, Paul Michael, had a fantastic voice and excellent command of French with the accent to match. His fluency, flow, and rhythm enhanced the story along with his.dramatic flair. Listening made the novel so much more of an immersive experience.

This is the second in the series but the first I have read. No issue.

Genre and tags - Paris, spy thriller, Qatar prince, nuclear bomb, Mossad, CIA 

The Compound by Aisling Rawle

 Survivor/reality show thriller falls flat.

In the near future, a group of 20 contestants is taken to a remote desert compound where they will compete to be the last person remaining there for a reality television show. To win, the young adults must outlast each other in a series of group and personal challenges. They have to do tasks or manipulative performances to get basic necessities such as water along with special luxury items. The relationships of the contestants is fraught as they jockey to avoid banishment. It's survival versus spectacle in the worst way. 

The main character is Lily, who is about the dumbest in the compound. I should have DNF but I kept going hoping that things would speed up but this was very slow moving and quite boring. The premise was good but the execution missed the mark and never brought the thrills. The rest of the characters were so over the top ridiculous at times and the emotional attachments so superficial but perhaps that's down to their ages as most were barely out of their teens. This was like bad YA as I didn't identify with or like any of the female or male competitors. The pacing was off and the things that went on in the compound between the contenders seemed overly cruel at times as well as exploitative. Once the majority of the players were eliminated, the way that the remaining participants carried on trying to win just left me shaking my head in disgust. It was astounding (and not in a good way) what these young people were willing to do and say to be the last one in the compound. Materialistic and immature, left to their own devices, they became quite unpleasant. The conclusion left no doubt that this was a book I should have left unread. 

I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. It was OK. I finally had to just stop and finish as I read much faster than the narrator. I wanted it to be over.

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

Tags and genre - young adult feel, reality show, romance, manipulation, sex, survivor thriller 

We Are All Guilty Here (North Falls #1) by Karin Slaughter

 Tense, exciting, and suspenseful southern gothic crime thriller. 

Two teenaged girls vanished during the North Falls Independence Day fireworks celebration. The small town in Georgia erupted and things eventually settled down when two men were convicted and put in prison. Twelve years later, another young girl disappears under similar circumstances just when the jailed man is released. Surely he’s not doing it again so that means that perhaps they put away the wrong man for the crimes. Deputy Sheriff Emmy Clifton is haunted by her missteps during the original investigation and now must work with a retired FBI consultant to unpack more than a decade of buried secrets and lies to solve the abduction and bring the latest missing girl home. 

This was so good, I couldn’t bear to step away from it. Other than annoying repetition of some statistics here and there, the writing was excellent and the fast pace kept me glued to the pages. The characters were also quite interesting and well-developed with depth and vulnerablitilies. The small town atmosphere where everyone knows each other and where there is a lot of history with the families, past crimes, and unresolved guilt makes it all a bit haunting. The evil in the bad guys is palpable. The innocence of the victims tainted by their desire to grow up too soon is heart wrenching. The blaming. Oh and did I mention the twists and surprises? It really is a well plotted story and I understand this is the first in a new series. I definitely will look for the next installment. 

There was a time when I swore I’d never read another one of this author’s books. I think many readers know why and which book. But, this one reminds me of why I liked the previous titles by Karin Slaughter. Fingers crossed she doesn’t cross my line again! 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Kathleen Early, did an excellent job of voicing all the characters and giving this novel the appropriate dramatic flair. The pacing was good and I enjoyed the immersive experience of this production. 

Don’t miss out on this new series.

This is the first in a new series.

Tags and genre - this book was a lot of things: crime thriller, southern gothic, secrets and lies, murder, rape, kidnapping, abduction, family drama, pedophilia 

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

 A suspenseful thriller that kept me on edge.

Don’t pick up strangers or help people if you’re on a road trip as no good deed goes unpunished. 

3.5 stars rounded up.

The year is 1976 when Alice Bell and her husband, Tom, take off in their new Winnebago for a road trip east across Canada. They are in recovery after a trauma and want to regain closeness and intimacy in their marriage. They’re nice people. And they are certainly not prepared for the terrible events that transpire when they meet a young hitching couple, Blue and Ocean, in an RV park and campground. He’s 21 and she’s 18 and pregnant. They don’t look dangerous, but looks can be deceiving and Alice and Tom find this out when Alice discovers that the couple, whose names are really Simon and Jenny, are murderers on the run. The killers take Alice and Tom hostage and force Alice to drive as Simon continues his brutal actions at every stop on this terrible journey. 

This was a real nail biter and I was sickened by the brutality and violence and despised the two young adults who were terrorizing Alice and Tom as well as others they encounter on this trip. The psychological drama exacerbates as the story is told in dual perspectives of Alice and Jenny as they both are trying to survive. The line between victim and villain blurs at times in a Stockholm Syndrome way as it becomes clear that Simon will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Definitely dark and tense as Alice and Tom are held captive facing increasingly dangerous situations. It was even more compelling set in this time before cell phones and the internet which made escape and getting help even more difficult especially along the isolated stretches of highway and small towns along the way. It was very frustrating at times for this reader who wanted Alice and Tom to get away even though every attempt was thwarted, not to mention Tom being so severely injured and incapable. Alice was very strong and I rooted for her to overcome. I know I am meant to feel sorry for Jenny but I probably didn’t get to that level of emotional empathy for her despite her backstory.

And yeah, people talk about the ending. I thought it was somewhat contrived, yes, but not unexpected. I was glad it concluded on that note. There was just a lot of violence and cruelty in the book that bothered me quite a bit and I wished the worst for Simon.  This was definitely an emotional read. 

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, Lindsey Dorcas (Alice) and Moniqua Plante (Jenny) did a fabulous job of voicing the characters. Their dramatic flair, tone, believability and speaking styles definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Tags and Genre - some triggers include rape, sexual assault, infant loss, lots of violence, murder, parental murder, cross country road trip, Canada, psychological, thriller 

Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason

 Locked room cozy mystery with a humorous edge.

At her work leaving party, Detective Midge McGowan is gifted what she thinks is a truly terrible retirement present: a weekend getaway with Haunting Holiday Excursions. Along with a small group of eccentric strangers, Midge is taken to an old, purportedly haunted mansion. Of course the weather worsens and the party is snowed in. The owner of the tour has taken their phones and when someone is found murdered, they are unable to call for help. The guests are also teased by the appearance of a ghost whose sighting is meant to indicate that a death will occur. Sheltering in the house with no outside support, Midge comes into her own as she uses her long unused detective skills to uncover the killer. 

The characters in this group of misfits were well drawn and indeed interesting. Along with Midge, there’s a paranormal investigator who is recording interviews for his podcast, a doctor and his wife, a pop star just out of rehab, and the bus driver, as well as the owner of the tour. Another character is Bridie who is Midge’s wife. Midge is in her mid fifties and has a bad knee. She was never an actual case investigator but spent her career in the property room. None of them were very likable and Midge is a very odd duck, quite antisocial and probably neurodivergent. She has a tragedy in her past that has also probably affected her personality. There’s some wit and humor with the interactions. Definitely some extreme coincidence going on here with the plot. The pace is rather slow and the ultimate reveal kind of came out of nowhere which I don’t appreciate. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by he publishers. The production was a full cast recording with different voices for all the main characters. This really brought the book to life and provided an entertaining and immersive experience that definitely enhanced my overall enjoyment of the book. Definitely recommend. 

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

Genre and tags: locked room mystery, murder, cozy, incidental LGBT

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle

 Slow burn mystery and psychological fiction.

Rayna Dumont, an American expat who fled to Amsterdam after a messy divorce, has a one-night stand with a Tinder date. When she wakes up the next morning, she finds Xander dead in the shower and hears that millions of dollars worth of diamonds were stolen from his safe. Soon Rayna finds herself stalked and followed as dangerous criminals think she knows more than she does. Her life becomes entangled with the Prins family who have huge generational wealth with their diamond house because Xander happens to have been their employee. The wife of Thomas Prins, Willow, befriends Rayna and soon the two of them are evading bad actors and trying to uncover the truth about the murder and the missing gems. 

Although the premise sounded promising, the story didn’t quite deliver the excitement, thrills, and suspense that I expected. I wasn’t really very attached to either of the two main characters who switch off point of view in the narrative. Both Rayna and Willow seemed suspect to me as both were unreliable, told lies, and kept secrets. Their decisions were questionable. Much of the action and events strained credulity and, after awhile, the whole convoluted mess of what happened with Xander and what was going on in the family and with the diamonds went on far too long. Perhaps if you’re really interested in the whole diamond industry you might find it more fascinating than I did.  I definitely appreciated the Amsterdam setting and enjoyed learning more about the city and the life of expats there. The conclusion was unsurprising.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both  provided by the publishers. There were two narrators, one of whom whose voice I much preferred over the other, but neither really were that great, especially when doing the accents — oh my. Jennifer Jill Anaya voices Willow and Marni Penning voices Rayna. There were other characters they did as well and there was not enough distinction for my satisfaction. The males fared the worst. Despite this annoyance, I like listening while reading as it enhances my appreciation for a book.

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

Genre and tags: mystery, psychological fiction, murder, diamond industry, family drama

Murder at the Royal Palace (Lady Eleanor Swift #23) by Verity Bright

 

Another hit in this long running historical cozy mystery series.

Come along with Lady Eleanor Swift and her new husband, Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon, as they travel to Buckingham Palace to see him knighted. As their usual luck would have it, a royal guard, Dilly Dalrymple, collapses and is carted off to the hospital where he later dies. 

If you read the previous book, you’ll remember that Hugh is resigning his position with Scotland Yard, and he, Eleanor, and Clifford are going to establish their own detective agency. Well, they get their first case when Dalrymple’s brother, Sir Leonard, head of the royal police, asks them to find out if Dilly was murdered. And they’re off with the whole household joining them in London as members of the new agency. As they all unofficially snoop around the Tower of London to find answers, they uncover palace gossip, adultery, secrets, and a hint of a long lost treasure. 

As always, the descriptions and history that surround the mystery are well researched and quite interesting. Learning about the Beefeaters was fascinating as were the facts about the Tower and its Hill by the Thames. I enjoy the characters and their interactions which are often quite witty and droll. I’m glad that Hugh and Eleanor are finally married and that their new agency seems to be taking off. The next books in the series should be quite entertaining.

Bookouture Blog Tour October 1, 2025

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

This is definitely a series that begs to be read in order from the beginning for full appreciation. 

Tags and Genre - cozy historical mystery, London, Tower of London, murder, detective agency

A Tour To Die For (The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, #2) by Michelle Chouinard

Entertaining cozy mystery thriller, the second in a series featuring San Francisco tour guide Capri Sanzio.

While Capri, a true crime podcaster and self proclaimed investigative journalist, is taking her guests on a city tour, one of them claims to see a woman attacked inside a building. Although the police don't find anyone there, the woman (Leeya Styles) who lived in the apartment and had a successful art studio in the garage there, is later found dead. Of course, Capri and her colleagues Heather and Ryan, decide to investigate. There's no shortage of suspects between Leeya's boyfriend, her sister, mother, the mother's fiance, and Leeya's ex bestie. In addition, there's a connection with Capri's former husband, Todd, who always seems to be in a financial quagmire. Capri manages to connect with the police and get lots of inside information via her new love interest, SF Homicide Inspector Dan Petito.

This was quite the complicated mystery as information about the San Francisco setting, its Gold Rush history, landmarks and all past true crime lore is almost a character. In addition, a unique piece of art provides some clues. So there's lots going on in the narrative and it will keep readers guessing. It's fast paced and hard to put down. Capri is a fun main character, especially given her age ("sidling up to fifty") and she's got a colorful family story and past. I did read the previous one in the series, but am struck again by how well this author writes. She has an incredible way of stringing words together and her dialogue is amazing. Lots of twists and red herrings but it all comes together.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, did well by giving clear and distinct voices to the characters and also because of the emotional tones she adds to her performance. With the huge list of characters in the book, this would definitely benefit from a larger cast, but she did an excellent job. The production enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags - cozy mystery thriller, murder, San Francisco history, Gold Rush, crime 

The Hostess by Cat Oyster

 Dark, disturbing and absorbing science fiction novelette that left me wanting more.

I did not realize this wasn’t a full length novel before I requested both the e-book and the audio book ARC from the publishers. I typically don’t read novelettes, novellas, short stories or whatever way they’re presented because I often end up disappointed that there isn’t enough depth to the story. That is true in this case for sure.

The premise is so intriguing — a young woman (the Host) lends out her body to a Guest through a virtual program run by a company known as the Leisure Life Club. They advertise that they can give the buyer or member the entire world from a chair in minutes. Of course the program is very popular and the Host has absolutely no control over who buys her body and her time. Some of the Guests play fast and loose with their purchase and Michaela and her friend, Susan, end up with unexplained bruises and other trauma, including rape. Of course this can’t be proved even though the girls request their activity logs — obviously altered to protect the Guest and the company. They are trapped even as they live well above the rest of the inhabitants of New York City in a dystopian future world that is all too believable.  

There’s some great contemporary social commentary within the narrative and I just wanted a deeper dive. Yes, lots of questions about the ending. Quite enjoyable. It is very thought provoking and scary which make for a good discussion for a book club. Definitely probes themes of body autonomy and exploitation as well as what the world of life and work might look like in a future with AI and other technology replacing what things are like today. 

Page count: approximately 58 pages. Quick read/listen but it will stay with you.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by NetGalley and the publishers. The narrator, Susan Spano, did a fabulous job of voicing the main characters and providing appropriate dramatic flair. The production definitely provided an immersive experience that enhanced my enjoyment of this novelette.

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

Genre - tags science fiction, future, dystopia, mind altering, abuse, rape, trauma, technology 

Sharp Force (Kay Scarpetta #29) by Patrica Cornwell

 It’s Christmas time in Virginia, but this killer isn’t leaving any presents.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta investigates a serial killer known as the Phantom Slasher. The psychopath uses advanced technology and hologram ghost apparitions to stalk the victims before viciously murdering them at night in their homes. The targets are savagely attacked with a knife and also sustain deep bite wounds. There are no clues until the latest death is discovered on Christmas Day with a twist — there’s a survivor. This woman, however, is connected to Kay’s family and to a psychiatric facility on Mercy Island. 

I really enjoyed this with both Kay and Benton involved in the investigation and work side by side looking at scenes and examining evidence. Of course the rest of the gang is also involved, Lucy, Tron, and Marino doing their thing. Kay’s sister Dorothy gets on my last nerve every single time. I love the forensic and medial details and descriptions, but all of the technology and AI is almost as interesting. I was surprised, however, with how the huge build up and collection of evidence, etc. let to an abrupt denouement and quick conclusion. All of a sudden it was over. Case closed. The side plots all connected in a fell swoop. I did appreciate that most of the focus in the story was on the case but, as always, too much digression into the family relationships which I could do without. I’ve read every book in this series and always eager for the next one. Glad Kay is back working as a medical examiner and in Virginia. 

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, January LaVoy, is brilliant with voices. She does a good job for both male and female characters and each has a distinctive accent and expression that sets them apart. The tone and emotion matches the story and creates an enjoyable immersive experience. This production definitely enhanced my appreciation of the book and I recommend a listen.  

This is book 29 in a series that should be read in order from the beginning. 

Genre - forensic pathologist, medical examiner, crime thriller, suspense fiction, murder, technology

Rage (Kate Burkholder #17) by Linda Castillo

 This Amish mystery series is still going strong.

In the middle of a summer heat wave, Painters Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal murders of two young Amish men. The case leads her into probing the dark secrets and dangers lurking beneath the surface in her normally quiet community. She is forced to confront a sinister operation that goes deeper than she imagined and, once again, puts her in the crosshairs of the criminals and her life in danger.

How Kate continues to survive all the accidents and assaults she endures never ceases to amaze me. She's definitely one tough cop, and sometimes it's a bit much, but I really like her so I just go with it. I also like her husband, Agent John Tomasetti, who works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and who always manages to come to her rescue at the most opportune moment. The regular cohort of Painters Mill cops: Skid, Mona, and Pickles, are there to back her up and help catch the bad actors. 

This was entertaining and absorbing and I do love a well written crime thriller and police procedural. The plot was good and always enjoy the Amish aspect of these novels. I appreciate the relationships, the characters, and the setting. Definitely always look forward to the next installment.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Kathleen McInerney, did a good job with the female characters and the Amish words and phrases. I always wish that there would be a male voice to perform those roles to enhance the production. The audio provided a great immersive experience and increased my enjoyment of the book.

This is the 17th book in a series that should be read, in order, from the beginning.

Tags and Genre - police procedural, crime thriller, mystery, Amish, Trafficking, drugs, murder 

The Thursday Murder Club #1 by Richard Osman

 I read this because I’d heard a lot about it and also wanted to watch the adaptation on streaming. It was  murder light with a lot of unnecessary complexity and was a real strain on my credulity. 

This retirement home is seriously upscale and its residents really on the ball for being in their eighties. Not only that, but they have such interesting backgrounds and can acquire delicate and sensitive information from all sources. The four main members of the Club sure get around a lot and manage to outmaneuver the police team assigned to the murders the two owners of the property. 

There were way too many characters in this novel and many unneeded for the plot. It seemed to drag in places and the traveling seemed a bit much. I guess I wasn’t as taken with it as so many others, but glad I read it. Will I read future installments? I don’t know!

This is the first of a series to be read in order.

Tags and genre - mystery, murder, octogenarians, retirement community

A Very Bookish Murder (Ally McKinley Mystery #3) by Dee MacDonald

 

Blog Stop for Bookouture 9-21-2025

Come along to the small, Highland village of Locharran where a writers’ retreat turns deadly.

This is the third in the Ally McKinley cozy mystery series. Ally, owner of the Auld Malthouse B&B, is providing guest accommodations for some of the women attending, including the guest of honor, famous novelist Jodi Jones. Unfortunately, the author is found dead the first night. When Detective Inspector Rigby arrives at the scene, he suffers a heart attack and a replacement is sent to do the investigation. Of course Ally will assist in any way she can. The mystery deepens as she does some sleuthing and discovers accusations of infidelity and plagiarism leveled against the murdered Jodi Jones. One of the women attendees is indeed the killer, but which one. Then another woman is found dead.

This was generally as predictable as expected with the red herrings and the suspects being eliminated one by one. A few surprises might catch one off guard, but the conclusion is satisfying even if foreseeable. Ally is a decent character but maybe just a little too much sometimes with how she ends up everywhere doing everything around the whole town. I mean nobody is so all that all the time. Not a fan of the Ross relationship as it’s just, again, formulaic and a convenient trope. I like reading these cozy mysteries after a run of hard core thrillers just for a reset. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I’ve read both previous books in this series and recommend that anyone looking for a modern cozy set in the Scottish Highlands start at the beginning. 

This is the third book in the series.

Genre and tags - cozy mystery, contemporary, murder, amateur sleuth, Scottish Highlands

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke

 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was an interesting way to write a psychological mystery with a bit of courtroom drama and contemporary social commentary.

Four wealthy members of an exclusive London club are poisoned at a private party after drinking some brandy laced with a lethal dose of cyanide. Almost immediately, a waitress who served the group is arrested. Katherine Cole is charged and remanded for trial. The story is told from the perspectives of 5 men in her life. Her father, a childhood friend who has a crush on her, a man she is obsessed with and stalks, her lawyer, and a journalist. Each offers a different view of this girl.  Is she guilty? 

Without spoilers, it’s hard to define what kept me from rating this higher. In many ways, it was predictable. Because we do not hear from Katherine (who has many different names given to her by the men), it’s hard to know what to think of her other than I felt she was a messed up young woman. The parts about the conspiracy nuts was disturbing. I did not care at all for the character, Katherine, nor most of the men. There was a bit of a twist, but still ended up being predictable and somewhat of a let down 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 story was improved by the performance of the full cast with narrators including Sachin K. Sharma, Colin R. Campbell, Isaac Gryn, Maxim Ays, Louis Hill, Harvey Quinn and Florence Howard. Each did an excellent job of voicing the characters and providing appropriate dramatic flair. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags - mystery thriller, suspense, crime thriller, psychological thriller, courtroom drama, conspiracy nuts, Covid

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

 Satisfying domestic and psychological thriller.

Nina Swann is wooed by an old friend of her recently deceased husband. She's a bit vulnerable to his charms but her daughter, Ash, is immediately suspicious because Nick Radcliffe gives her the creeps. Some of the things he says don't add up, so she starts looking into to his background. 

In a nearby town, Martha, a florist with her own successful shop, becomes increasingly distressed when her husband, Alistair, keeps disappearing on sudden, extended, business trips.

If he's too good to be true, you can bet he's a manipulative and dangerous man. A very plausible tale about several women who find that their lives are intertwined through the same man who is exposed as a fraud, a sociopath and a murderer. 

This was so good that I could not put it down until I'd finished. The author is a master storyteller with the ability to construct fully fleshed out characters and a plot ripped from television serials and tabloid headlines. It rang true because this exact thing does happen to many women in all walks of life. And probably with increasing frequency because of the ability of the con artist to find and target those who are lonely or who want relationships. It's not just women, but is more often than not, that they are the ones deceived. Even though the reader knows the mind of this swindler, there is tension and concern as things start to fall apart for him. I loved how it all came together with a gratifying resolution and a fitting ending.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. Oh wow, what a fantastic full cast on this recording. The narrators, Richard Armitage, Joanne Froggatt, Tamaryn Payne, Gemma Whelan, Louise Brealey, and Patience Tomlinson did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life and giving them unique voices and personalitiees. The production created a fully immersive experience and I highly recommend you give it a listen. Definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags: con man, multiple identities, swindler, liar, murder, secrets