I, Spy by L.M. Kemp

 Kendal Carter, a former intelligence operative living under an alias, is forced out of hiding when her location is compromised. To protect her young daughter, she accepts an assignment from her former handler: relocate to London and surveil a new agent trainee living in the lower apartment of her huge house who is working at a tech firm. She enrolls her daughter in school and attempts to blend into the suburban routine. As she navigates the complexity of this mission, she realizes that she might be falling into a trap. Her main goal is to protect herself and her daughter.

This was a fast paced thriller that bridges the gap between domestic fiction and traditional espionage because of the single mother angle. Although often annoyed by the large presence of a child character in adult fiction, I was able to overcome this despite some of the decisions Kendal made. I'd prefer even less of Rosie moving forward. I was mostly interesting in seeing how a mother would use her professional training to navigate lethal situations. The issue of child care or a babysitter is always going to be that one thing that has to be worked out for any woman who works and most definitely for someone who's a spy. Also interesting was the relationship between Kendal and her own mother. There are so many avenues to explore in future installments and I'm looking forward to reading them. I liked the writing style and the main character. 

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, Ell Potter, did a really great job of voicing the characters though I think all audio would benefit from full cast recordings or at least a male and female voice. She wasn't overlay dramatic and she handled the pacing of the book with ease. I definitely enjoy the immersive experience of listening while reading and recommend you try it. 

This seems to be the debut of a new series.

Genre and tags: thriller, domestic, single mother, spy, murder, covert operations, thriller 

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone (Vacation Mysteries #3) by Catherine Mack

 Snarky, sharp, and fun episode in this mystery series.

Best-selling author Eleanor Dash heads to a rundown resort in the Bahamas for a murder mystery writers' conference with her boyfriend, Oliver, hoping for a rare break. Instead, upon arrival, they find a dead body on their hotel room floor. Surrounded by a cast of suspicions colleagues, Eleanor tries to navigate another real-life whodunit where everyone around is a crime writer and they all know how to commit them.  

I enjoy these satirical romps that make fun of the publishing world from authors to editors to readers. The pace is fast and the narrative kept me guessing. I like how the writing style breaks the fourth wall and those snarky comments and footnotes were hilarious and drew me deeper into the connection with Eleanor. This novel had a lot of complexity for as few actual suspects as were present. It felt important to have read the previous books in the series as the characters are all drawn from the beginning. Some good red herrings and a surprising reveal wrapped up a really fun 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 narrator, Elizabeth Evans, does a fantastic job voicing all the characters and handling the accents. I'm all about full casts with both male and female voices, but I hardly noticed during her performance as she had such seamless delivery. The format provided a fun immersive experience that enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags: murder, mystery, cozy, snarky, humor, satire, authors, book publishing 

The Afternoon Tea Murders (Secret Detective Agency #4) by Helena Dixon

 

Wartime cozy historical fiction mystery. 

In 1942, Whitehall agent Jane Treen is pulled away from her desk by an urgent warning: her colleague, codebreaker Arthur Cilento, is in danger at a remote assignment at Downland House in Devon. Jane travels there under the guise of conducting a routine audit. As she starts to go through household accounts and assess the mission’s objectives, Jane finds that there are some disturbing irregularities and not much progress has been made. She and Arthur take a day to travel into the local village only to find the local tea shop owner dead on the floor. Jane must figure out if the threat is coming from inside the house. 

Well-paced whodunit that captures the quiet tension of the English Home Front and their efforts on breaking coded messages during the war. The story showcases the practical intelligence of Jane Treen and the analytical skills of Arthur Cilento. It feels authentic and uses wartime constraints like rationing and blackouts. This will definitely be appreciated by readers who appreciate historical accuracy and a strong professional partnership versus a trope romance. Even if a bit predictable, after all there aren’t that many possible suspects, it was a fun and fast read. 

This is the 4th installment in a series that should be read from the beginning in order to understand and appreciate the relationship between Jane and Arthur. He continues to be sickly and his manservant, Benson, is always reliable to step in when it counts. 

I received an ARC from Bookouture for a Blog Tour date on May 1, 2026 and can definitely recommend this cozy mystery.

This is the 4th installment in the series.

Genre - World War II, cozy, historical, mystery, murder, spies

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall

A tense and tangled mystery thriller. 

School counselor and search-and-rescue expert Audrey Dixon has never stopped thinking about her childhood best friend, Janie, who vanished years ago into the shadows of local folklore (Jenny Red Hands). When she discovers a necklace associated with the legend in the woods and hears about another currently missing girl, Meghan Vale, she becomes obsessed with finding her and researches all of the cold cases. She immediately suspects that a local family might be connected to these disappearances and she begins a dangerous investigation. 

The story is told in alternating "Above" and "Below" chapters with the latter featuring the perspective of a girl shackled in a dark bunker. 

If you're fond of amateur sleuths going off piste and managing to stumble into incredible discoveries with luck, coincidence, and daring, then this is the story for you. The narrative becomes increasingly convoluted as it tries to tie together the urban legend with the multi generational drama of a prominent family. The tension is high but for some reason, the book seemed to drag at times. The final reveals felt way over the top with the shocking twists and the ambiguous ending. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrators, Karissa Vacker and Ina Barron, did an admirable job of voicing the main female characters though at times they both got carried away with dramatic flair. Listening always enhances my pleasure in the book and this was no exception. 

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

Tags and genre: missing girls, kidnapped, murder, amateur sleuth, family drama 

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

 Fast and fun mystery thriller.

Benny Abbott and Joy Moore have a successful podcast where they joke about surviving in crazy scenarios. Things get real when Joy and her husband, Xander, disappear. Benny finds himself at the center of a police investigation and tries to figure out what happened to Joy by looking deeper into past episodes of their show and her writing in the autobiography they are working on. 

There was a lot going on and quite a few characters involved in trying to find out about Joy and Xander. The friendship between Benny and Joy was very sweet and authentic, though you could see the unresolved ‘more than friends’ reality quite clearly. It was a bit tense for a minute but things became more clear once all the secrets were exposed. A truly interesting inclusion was the fact that Joy suffered from narcolepsy and that definitely impacted her life.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrators, Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins, were absolutely fantastic as the main characters. In addition, we were treated to a full cast for some of the podcast segments and tip-line recordings. And, a cameo by the author, Tiffany Crum. I really appreciated the immersive audio layering with the background noises and ambient sound effects. The performances definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book and I highly recommend that everyone listen. 

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

Genre and tags: mystery thriller, psychological, romance, narcolepsy, domestic violence, murder, podcast, friendship

Murder at the Highland Games (Ally McKinley #4) by Dee MacDonald

Cozy mystery set in the Scottish Highlands.

In the village of Locharran, B&B owner Ally McKinley is excited for the annual Highland Games until champion athlete Archie Armstrong is killed during the caber tossing. He and his extended family are staying at Ally’s while visiting from Canada, and there is no shortage of suspects.

Fast paced with a huge pool of possible killers, Ally snoops and pries to get information so that she can help Detective Inspector Amir Kandahar in solving the case. The investigation proceeds with many interviews and revelations of motive. The story provides a glimpse into small town life in the Highlands. The main character, Ally, is in her early 70s and has a boyfriend as well as friendships with the locals. 

This is the fourth book in the series that is best enjoyed if read from the beginning. 

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend if you’re in the mood for a cottagecore mystery.

Book Blog Tour 4-20-26

Witness Protection by Robert Whitlow

 I enjoy legal thrillers and relish any courtroom drama along with the technical details, but this story was overly laden with an intense religious theme that detracted from my overall appreciation of the story. The constant evangelical undertones, emphasis on prayer and divine intervention, and talk of faith really did take away from the suspense and made the pace of the narrative lag. 

The gist is that a young husband and father, Cesar, is wrongly suspected of being involved with drug smuggling and hires a lawyer to represent him thru his boss who is in witness protection. Jon Tremaine had previous experience with a drug cartel and his testimony sent a kingpin to prison. Now, with his new identity, he manages a tree farm and tries to stay under the radar with his pregnant wife, Sarah. The lawyer is new to town after a divorce sends Kelli Quinn and her two kids to stay with her Aunt Carly. I kept waiting for her to do some real attorney work but if she wasn’t ignoring calls or letting others call the shots for her client, she was out to lunch with the DA or at home talking about stuff, especially food, with her kids. 

I prefer more edgy legal thrillers with more focus on the maneuvers and strategy that demonstrate effective defense of a client. It seemed that the main advisor to Cesar was Jon instead of his lawyer. 

I’m always looking for new authors in my favorite genre so I thought I’d give this one a try. Doubt I will read another. 

I started out listening to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I found the narrator, Jason Keller, to be lacking and not up to the task of voicing all the characters. This production definitely would have benefitted from a larger cast, especially a good female voice. His attempts at accents also drove me to distraction and I was ultimately so annoyed that I quit listening half way through and just read to the end.

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

Genre - Christian fiction, drug cartel, legal suspense, witness protection, family life

Hope Rises (Walter Nash #2) by David Baldacci

 Gripping sequel brings the thrills.

After a brutal syndicate destroys his life, Walter Nash reinvents himself as Dillon Hope to hunt down the woman he holds responsible, Victoria Steers. He puts himself into her inner circle in a series of manipulations where he becomes a loyal body guard to the woman he intends to kill. Once embedded, he finds that things are not exactly as they first seemed. He must decide how far to go and whom to trust as he navigates the lethal tightrope he must walk to stay alive and get his revenge for all that was taken from him. 

This was a gritty and fast-paced story that was full of action and double cross. Nash, as Dillon Hope, has become a cold and calculated operative who must be alert to every changing and challenging situation as he penetrates Victoria’s world. There is a nonstop action and lots of tension as he tries to stay one step ahead of the nefarious plotting of all of the different factions and people involved in the crime world.  There was a lot going on and a lot of characters that might be good or bad at any moment. There was psychological tension as Walter grapples with the morality of what he’s doing and the choices he’s making. It’s definitely engaging and kept my interest. I’m hoping there will be another in this series as I don’t feel that his story has ended with all the tumult and changes.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The full cast of six narrators were simply amazing and brought the book to life. The dramatic flair, the accents, the performances all contributed to make this one of the best audio books I’ve had the pleasure of listening to. I’d highly recommend everyone enjoy this as I did as it was a truly immersive experience that enhanced my pleasure in the story.

This is the second in the Walter Nash series and should be read after finishing NASH FALLS.

Genre and tags: mystery thriller, murder, syndicate, drugs, body guard, intrigue

A Very Irish Mystery (Lady Eleanor Swift #25) by Verity Bright

 

Historical cozy mystery in the golden age of detective fiction.

In this 25th installment of the series, we travel to Dublin along with Lady Eleanor Swift, 
her husband, Hugh, and their butler, Clifford. This is no ordinary vacation, however, as she and Hugh have come to meet a man who holds the key to her parents' disappearance. While waiting to connect with him, they decide to visit the legendary Finnegan's Brewery only to discover the owner, Fergal Finnegan, murdered. The head of operations immediately hires the Byron Detective Agency to help solve the case before the police get involved and the brewery's reputation is ruined. 

This was a classic whodunit with lots of suspects. The 1920s Dublin backdrop provides atmosphere and a history lesson. Of course the emotional weight that Eleanor carries about what happened to her parents infused the narrative and provided some new information for her which I hope will be resolved sooner rather than later has this has drug on long enough. The team enjoys their usual repartee and points of peril in their usual fashion. 

I like this series and it's one of the few I continue to read because I've stuck with them since the beginning. I feel that most of the installments don't work well as standalones as there is a ton of backstory. Although the new agency is in its infancy, I do long for that team to stay back home at Henley Hall in Little Buckford as I miss the manor life and the details as well as the ladies who work the house. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. 
Book Blog Tour Date 4-14-26

This is the 25th book in a series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Genre and tags: murder, brewery, Ireland, Dublin, 1920s, amateur detectives, historical, cozy 

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

 A predictable but fast paced mystery thriller.

Fourteen years ago, Elle Nugent witnessed a young woman being snatched off the street and driven away in a car. Elle is adamant when she identifies and names the man behind the wheel. Unfortunately, she was proved wrong. Not only did she destroy the life of the man, she eventually achieved such notoriety that she fled and changed her name. Trying to escape her past has been difficult now that she is Nell Masters. She’s living in London in an inherited house and has just met and fallen for a new man. Alex spends a lot of time in the US, however, so Nell becomes convinced that she has a stalker and she still can’t let go of her obsession as she believes that the stalker is part of her past that has finally caught up to her.

This story was told in dual timelines with Elle of the past and Nell in the present. Nell is paranoid and does crazy things. There’s a lot of coincidence and bad decisions made. The reveal seemed to veer off course from the direction the mystery seemed to be heading and it was quite a letdown. There were some real stretches to get to the conclusion. I’d say this was OK but nothing spectacular though I kept on reading just so that I could find out who was doing all the harassing. The motive was just lame.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Georgia Maguire, did a good job with bringing the characters to life in this production. She wasn’t overly dramatic and handled the main character’s moods and reactions very well. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Tags and Genre - mystery thriller, stalkers

Murder by Moonrise (Dr. Julia Lewis #3) by Patrice McDonough

 This third in the Dr. Julia Lewis mystery series finds her and Inspector Richard Tennant connected to several incidents involving the British Royal Family and some of their staff and servants. It starts when a young servant of Princess Louise is found dead on the Isle of Wight. The maid is found to be pregnant when Julia performs her autopsy. Julia’s examination proves the cause of death was murder. As Tennant and Scotland Yard try to find the killer, yet more murders occur that appear to be linked and this discovery leads the investigating Tennant to uncover a Fenian plot targeting Queen Victoria. It seemed a rather convoluted plot using both real and fictional characters. The threads tying everything together took a while to pull in. 

I really enjoy this series and I hope to read further installments. I really like Julia and am happy that she and Richard have finally declared their intentions. I hope there are future cases that the pair will work in the late 1800s London setting. I enjoyed this story but noted that it focused more on the police and conspiracy themes than the medical situations that I prefer. Although Julie was called to attend members of the Royal Family, she didn’t do much real doctoring in the book. Or not nearly as much as I would have liked. 

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, Marian Hussey, did an admirable job of handling the British and Irish accents as well as the different tones of male and female characters. She has a very expressive voice and spoke clearly which was necessary to follow the complex plot and the very large cast of characters in the story. I find that a good narrator definitely enhances my enjoyment of a book.

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

Genre - historical fiction, British Royal Family, woman physician, Scotland Yard, murder, Fenian plot

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

 This is both mystery and domestic drama.

Courtney Gray’s family vacation at a Wisconsin lake resort turns into a nightmare when she finds her brother and sister-in-law brutally murdered in their cottage. While her nephew, Wyatt, is found upstairs in his room unharmed, her 17-year-old niece, Reese, has disappeared.

The story alternates between Courtney’s frantic search in present time and Reese’s perspective in the days leading up to brutal crime. 

Fully of really icky people, terrible behavior, and a definite need to suspend disbelief at times, the book mostly suffered from a bloated teenage narrative with its typical angst, inappropriate use of social media, drama, and a super sketchy romance. I didn’t like the flip between the adult and teen points of view and never have been a fan of a mystery where an amateur protagonist is off trying to solve the case. Courtney spends a lot of time doing things she shouldn’t and the author throws up a lot of red herrings on the way to what I’d call a ridiculous ending. Come on. Sometimes there is just that twist too far. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, especially the females, were just too melodramatic and theatrically overwrought. I almost stopped listening because it got on my nerves, but stayed on til the end.

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

Genre and tags: mystery, dual perspective that ultimately reads more like YA due to teenager point of view, murder, missing persons 

Alibi by Accident (Verona Montero #1) by Kayleigh Suggett

 I found this debut quite entertaining and laugh out loud funny.

This first in the Verona Montero series is silly and exaggerated camp at times, but turns out to be a cozy murder mystery that takes a sharp turn. 

Verona Montero is an irreverent and foul-mouthed private investigator (insists on the term private dick) who is hired by a client (Miami) to find proof that her billionaire husband, Javier, is cheating. Miami's goal is to overcome the strict prenup agreement and get herself a massive divorce settlement. Javier is a huge jerk so there's no love lost there. Before Verona can get the proof, Javier is found murdered in Greece and of course the wife is the main suspect. Verona jets of to Mykonos to see what she can find out and discovers that he was a nasty man who probably deserved his fate. An unfortunate twist, however, is that an innocent man has been arrested. 

This is not deep nor probably very accurate in the portrayal of lawyers and private detectives, but it was fun to read and I needed something to make me laugh after a run of more serious reads. I do think I will read the next in the series because I just have to know if Verona's obsession, a divorce attorney named Quentin, will ever take her out of the friend zone. 

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, Carlotta Brentan, did a great job of voicing all the characters including the various accents required. She brought the story to life and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

This is the first in a new series.

Genre and tags - cozy murder mystery, infidelity, sexual assault, murder, private investigators, romance, funny, lots of f-bombs 

None Left to Tell by Noelle Ihli

 Absolutely devastating and searing historical fiction novel rooted in real events.

It will be a minute before I forget the story of “The Mountain Meadows Massacre.” I was not familiar with this terrible slaughter and its coverup and need to come to grips with the violence perpetrated on the members of the wagon train headed to California from Arkansas in 1857.

The author writes with the authority of someone raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is a descendant of families involved in the massacre. I think this connection makes the book even more powerful. It was many years before most of the truth of that attack was revealed, and there are still attempts to cover up details today.

The story is told from the perspectives of 3 women who belonged to the three main groups involved. The Mormons (under the direction of Brigham Young), a local Indian tribe (it still is unclear which tribe actually was involved), and a wagon train of families from Arkansas. The Baker-Fancher wagon train consisted of approximately 120-150 people. Only 17 children (all under the age of 7) were spared and only because they were thought too young to remember. 

My heart totally aches thinking of all that happened leading up to the moment in the meadow when one man’s voice was the signal to start the carnage. I cannot even imagine the horror. And, I’m so glad that some involved felt enough guilt to come forward with the truth despite the Morman leadership demanding oaths of secrecy. 

As it is based on a true story, it’s hard to stay objective, and the worst part is knowing that only one person was actually punished. Ah the powerful men justifying their deeds in the name of religion. When all the time it was misguided vengeance. 

If you’ve the stomach for it, this was a riveting read. 

I tried to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, but I did not care for the overly dramatic, breathy voice of the narrator, Lisa Cordileone. Especially when she sang or did the voices of the children, so i finally just deleted it and returned to the library. 

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

Genre and tags: historical fiction, true event. Meadows Massacre, wagon train, murder, Mormons

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson

 This debut thriller is so convoluted and twisty that it will take a close analysis for any reader to figure out the whole of it before the final reveals. Definitely a book that can’t be skimmed if you want to understand the whole picture of this book within a book.

DI Samantha Hansen is coming back to her job at Scotland Yard after suffering a breakdown when she’s thrown into a murder investigation. The victim is a 14-year-old schoolgirl with some disturbing items at the crime scene. One of those items is a book titled “How to Get Away with Murder” written by Denver Brady. Sam is assigned to the task of reading the book and finding the author. While Sam and her trainee are tracking down this info, the secondary narrative pops up in this dual perspective novel and it is actually the text of the manual in the voice of the author. It’s not too long in that Sam and TDC Adam Taylor are finding that the book is not exactly a diary, nor is most of it the truth. And what does this book and its author have to do with Charlotte Mathers, the dead girl. Who is Denver Brady and is he the serial killer he claims to be or is there a copycat at work. 

I don’t want to give any spoilers but this was very entertaining and clever. I loved trying to anticipate the answers and put the clues together as the investigation and action ensued. I liked the protagonist, Samantha Hansen, and some of the other characters in the book, particularly Adam Taylor. The writing was good and I had a great time putting the puzzle together. I wonder if we will see more of Sam or if this is the one and only. I’m not a huge fan of endless series so I’m fine with imagining how the rest of Sam’s life will play out. Definitely recommend this one to all crime fiction lovers. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. It was refreshing and fun. The narrators, Tamsin Kennard and Michael Geary, were fabulous in their roles and created unique voices and personalities for all the characters. This created a very immersive experience and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags: meta fiction, book within a book, crime fiction, police procedural, Scotland Yard, murder

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief (Ernest Cunningham #4) by Benjamin Stevenson

 When a small-town bank is held up, the suspects aren’t just the people in masks — it’s everyone inside, each harboring their own criminal secrets. This clever setup serves as a backdrop for a narrator who speaks directly to the reader, dissecting the rules of mystery writing while leading them through a maze of greed and petty local grudges. 

This 4th book in the series features amateur author and crime solver, Ernest Cunningham, and trades explosive action and police procedural for a sharp, cynical wit. The plot is like a logic puzzle and is quite convoluted since every person involved is a thief in one way or another. The moral and psychological weights of theft come into play along with the crimes themselves. And it’s not just stealing, it’s also murder. And crazy stuff like spontaneous combustion. 

The protagonist in this series isn’t a traditional hero but more an adherent to following the rules of detective fiction. Ernest is a self published author who comes from a family of criminals so he has a bit of a messy heritage. He breaks that fourth wall and talks to the reader by pointing out clues and other observations as he sees them during his investigation or observations. I had no idea where this one was going as it got more convoluted by the page and quite a list of characters to keep straight.

All comes together in the typical parlor room reveal where the logic is laid out and the killer is unmasked. Once again, the author follows the fair game rules. There was no way I could guess most of the revelations much less determine who did what to whom or why. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Barton Welch, did a good job of capturing Ernest’s self aware, witty, and often conversational tone. He’s able to give unique personalities to his cast from the teenage gamer to the female security expert. Definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the 4th book in a series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Genre and tags: mystery, fourth wall, meta, murder, gold, thieves

The Quiet Neighbor by J.D. Barker and Adam Roach

 The price of a past you can’t outrun.

Successful lawyer, Cynthia Burrows, sees her life unravel when her 18-year-old daughter, Tori, disappears. Alerted when the school sends an excused absence text, Cynthia becomes alarmed and tries to find out why Tori is skipping school. Thinking it has to do with a boy she’s dating, Cynthia goes to where the boy works only to find that he hasn’t shown up for his job. Now on high alert, Cynthia checks the coffee shop’s camera feed and sees Tori leaving with an older man linked to a name from Cynthia’s past. The name is Alexander Beaufort, a serial killer, who forced Cynthia into witness protection decades ago.

Cynthia races to find Tori, aided by (how convenient) her best friend, FBI Agent Gabby, the only person who knows about Cynthia’s past. This is where the book starts to require an immense measure of suspension of disbelief. As Cynthia races from place to place trying to find Tori, the story flips back and forth in time to her childhood when she was Samantha. To save her daughter, she has to confront and reveal all of her buried trauma and the secrets she hid from everyone. 

The authors deliver a fast paced thriller, but the reader has to accept a lot of extraordinary coincidences and unbelievable allowances given to Cynthia who somehow is provided access to every crime scene and all of the investigation details. Journal entries written by an unknown person confessing homicidal urges are interspersed and, come on, I’d be amazed if someone did not figure out immediately who the author was. I had the twists and shocking revelations sussed out almost from the beginning. Also, I didn’t care much for the main characters and there were some questions unanswered at the end. 

It was a quick read over the course of an evening, and I have liked a lot of this author’s books in the past, but this one wasn’t as good. 

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, Morgan Halley, did a good job of voicing the characters who were mostly female so she changed her tone and accents enough to make them distinct. I always find that a good audio production enhances my enjoyment of a book, and this was no exception.

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

Genre and tags: suspense thriller, serial killer, witness protection, missing daughter, murder

All in Her Hands (Nora Beady #3) by Audrey Blake

 This third book completes the story arc in this historical fiction novel about Dr. Nora (Beady) Gibson in London in the 1840s.

It’s 1849, London, and Dr. Nora Gibson faces a dual struggle as she fights for midwives to gain professional recognition while battling a devastating cholera epidemic. As society and the medical establishment push back against her, Nora risks her reputation and personal safety to honor her oath to save lives. 

What a powerful and immersive conclusion to Nora’s journey! It perfectly blends medica history with Nora’s personal stakes. It focuses on Nora’s continued resilience as she fights both personal and professional battles. The medical details are authentic and the story is deeply moving. This book functions as a poignant capstone to Nora’s story as it shifts focus from her quest for credentials to the grittier reality of trying to practice medicine and surgery while facing gender bias. 

It’s obvious that the book was meticulously researched and, late to the party, I just discovered that Audrey Blake is a pseudonym for the two true collaborators, Regina Sirois and Jaima Fixsen. They used several real life women doctors as a guide for the character of Nora and the treatments that she performs are straight from clinical studies, case reports, and research articles published in that time period. I found it all extremely interesting and I was riveted by Nora’s story. I loved all the characters and I will miss them. Surely there’s still another adventure that can be told? 

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Susan Lyons, did an exceptional job voicing all the characters. Her ability to create unique voice prints for all the different characters was phenomenal and it produced a truly immersive experience. She has a way with accents as well and no trouble pronouncing medical terms. 

Great series, I highly recommend it.

This is the third and final book in the trilogy that should be read from the beginning in order.

Genre and tags: historical fiction, London, 1840s, female doctors, cholera, midwifery, medicine, surgery

The Surgeon’s Daughter (Nora Beady #2) by Audrey Blake

 Breaking barriers in medicine and surgery

A compelling fusion of meticulous medical history and a defiant coming of age narrative. 

The second in the series follows Nora Beady as she navigates the transition from a clandestine surgical prodigy, trained by the prominent man who took her into his home and made her his daughter, to a formal medical student at the University of Bologna in Italy in 1840. In a time where women are not welcome in roles of doctor and surgeon in most countries, Nora has to leave her home in England to study there. She comes under the tutelage of a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Magdalena Morenco, who helps her prove her worth in a field designed to exclude her. As Nora becomes more proficient in delivery of ether anesthetic and in surgical techniques, especially the C-Section, there are those who wish to see her fail. Meanwhile, her foster father, Dr. Horace Croft, is beset with financial woes along with his worsening health. Nora’s romantic interest, Dr. Daniel Gibson, who works with Horace, is experiencing heartbreak treating the children dying of diphtheria. 

I enjoyed all the historical details though also railing at the injustice of Nora’s situation of being held in a legal limbo as the establishment wants to deny her the opportunity and ability to practice. In a time where women were constrained by the opinions of laws of men, she had a lot to overcome. Their egos and belief in their own superiority were terribly frustrating and Nora had to navigate the situation very carefully. It was also interesting to read about the perception differences between England and Italy as far as women in the medical field. I loved the medical descriptions of the operations and the diseases and conditions of the patients. I can’t help but be amazed at how far advanced the treatment of care of patients evolved through research, trial, and error. The needless suffering and death that has been eradicated by procedures we now take for granted including antibiotics and surgical techniques. How lucky we are to be alive in these times. I am looking forward to the next installment.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book. The narrator, Susan Lyons, did an excellent job voicing the characters with her masterful command of languages and accents. Her ability to differentiate voices made the listening experience such an immersive experience. 

This is the second in a series featuring Nora Beady.

Genre - historical fiction, 19 century, England, Italy, surgery, women in medicine

Judge Stone by James Patterson and Viola Davis

 A gripping drama and thriller wherein the legal procedure provides the structure while Judge Mary Stone’s personal resilience provides the heart. 

In Union Springs, Alabama, respected Judge Mary Stone faces a devastating moral dilemma when a high profile case involving a minor’s abortion and a criminalized doctor lands in her courtroom. Balancing her role as a local farmer and a judge, she must navigate a volatile legal battle that forces her to choose between rigid statute and profound compassion, risking everything she holds dear to define justice in a deeply fractured community beset by protestors on both sides. 

Mary Stone really anchors the novel as a uniquely grounded protagonist. Her dual identity creates someone easily identified with as her personal history, family connection to the land, and her sharp legal mind make her extremely compelling. The courtroom scenes, the various characters and players, as well as the other events surrounding this huge case kept me absolutely riveted and I couldn’t put this book down. The drama was very high stakes as the topic of abortion is so very controversial and timely. The town and people are caught up in this firestorm both politically and legally. Definitely polarizing and the story demonstrates the high cost of legislation and rulings that make no exceptions. I felt all the emotions going through this traumatic ordeal. 

As usual, the pacing was excellent and the collaboration is so well done. I don’t know if this is being considered as the first in a series featuring this memorable character, but I welcome any future installment. I’m addicted to legal dramas and thrillers. 

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Viola Davis, is perfection. Her voice, her dramatic flair, and her talent just amplify the personality and gravitas of the main character. She transitions easily to voicing other characters as well and created a truly immersive experience that made me enjoy the book even more. Don’t miss this production! 

4+ stars

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

Genre and tags: legal dramas and thriller, rape, abortion, racial tension, trial, law 

Death Wasn’t Invited: June’s Journey tie in by Carlene O’Connor

 A must read for all June's Journey players and fans.

 

I have been playing the game, June’s Journey, since I was invited to the beta test over 7 years ago. My team and I have had many great times as we participate in all the game activities. Can’t wait to see how this story measures up to the characters we love and hate. 

I wanted to wait for the audio book to give a full review, but no ARC copies of that have been made available yet and I don’t think I can wait any longer as I want to post before the book goes on sale.

This was a cute historical cozy mystery set in Paris, 1922, when June Parker visits Paris and meets up with her old friend, Jack. When a pilot friend of Jack’s invites them out for an evening of celebration, they end up crashing a lavish engagement party on a riverboat. The couple are from wealthy Parisian families and this union is desirable for both. When Nate reveals his true purpose for coming aboard, Jack and June express dismay as they realize Nate doesn’t want the bride-to-be to marry because he is in love with her. Then, the lights go out and when they come back on, Nate is dead. 

Of course June, as all know her from the game, is an amateur detective and she’s determined to prove that Jack did not kill his friend despite his knife being the murder weapon. Although there are red herrings, the story line is fairly predictable. The best part of the book, however, is that the characters of June and Jack come from the June’s Journey universe and the pair act like they do in the game world. It was fun to read of their adventures in Paris in that time period. The way June manages to get the job done is amusing as you have to suspend a lot of disbelief. 

I think the audience for this book, the game players, will enjoy this mystery that reads like adult Nancy Drew. I’d like to thank Titan Books for the e-book ARC to read, review and recommend and wonder if there will be additional installments.

This is, so far, a standalone and is not part of a series.

Genre - cozy historical murder mystery set in Paris, 1922 and features characters from the game June’s Journey. 

Gone in the Night (Annalisa Vega #5) by Joann Schaffhausen

 This is the fifth installment in the Annalisa Vega series. It gets a little bogged down with too many subplots and a convoluted path to the conclusion.

Annalisa Vega, now a private investigator and heavily pregnant, is asked by her imprisoned brother, Alex, to help a fellow inmate named Joe Green. Joe was convicted of murdering his e-wife’s lawyer, but an anonymous letter suggests the eyewitness lied. During her investigation, Annalisa discovers that Joe has two other ex-wives — one who hates him and one who has vanished. Annalisa must determine if Joe is a victim of a frame up or if he’s really a dangerous killer. All of this while trying to stay on the good side of her husband, Nick Carelli, who originally put Joe Green in jail. 

There was almost too much going on in the story with tangents that pulled away from what ended up being a very predictable ending. The whole vigilante thing, the search for a missing engagement ring, the pregnancy, her sister-in-law’s upcoming wedding all distracted from the main narrative. The book seemed really long and it took me forever to finish as it just wasn’t holding my interest enough at times. Definitely you’ll want to read the series in order other wise you might be lost having missed all the backstory. I am not sure I really even like Annalisa as a character. And the competition with her husband doesn’t bode well for their relationship. I’ll still want to read the next.

I started out also listening to the audio book that I got from the library while reading along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. It was OK, but the narrator, Kelsey Navarro Foster, didn’t wow me enough to try to renew when the loan time ran out.

This is the 5th in a series that should be read in order from the beginning.

Tags and genre - police, private investigator, pedophile, kidnapping, vigilante murder, abused women, shelter

Murder at Sea (#23 Kitty Underhay) by Helena Dixon

Intrigue at sea when you join Matt and Kitty on a transatlantic voyage to the USA in 1938.

The Bryants are visiting Kitty’s cousin Lucy and her family when they get information that the man they’ve been seeking, Redvers Palmerston, has somehow fleeced Kitty’s cousin Hattie, and absconded, possibly to America along with his current “wife”. Then Matt gets a call from Whitehall. The brigadier asked him to board the same ship that Redvers has booked in order to connect with a German defector who has some information to pass along to the government. What a coincidence! And off they go.

This cozy mystery continues the long running search for Matt’s military acquaintance who has been implicated in several scandals including bigamy. The story becomes complicated as Matt and Kitty happen on not one, but two murders aboard the ship. The task to intercept the German adds another dimension to their journey but not much is really made of that except that they encounter another adversary. 

The main focus is always the details about the time and location as the historical details are of most interest to me. I am always surprised that Matt and Kitty only go first class so they experience all the luxuries of travel accommodations on their missions. One of the few series that I am scrupulous about following, I always enjoy the descriptions of clothes, social mores, activities, and interactions that the couple has with others. 

If you like descriptive cozy mysteries then you will appreciate these books. This is #23 and the installments should be read in order for most enjoyment.

Bookouture Blog Spot Tour for 2-24-2026

Genre - cozy mystery, historical, murder

Murder at 30,000 Feet by Susan Walter

 High altitude adrenaline shot!

A locked room mystery with the chaotic energy of a commercial airline flight. 

The plane to San Juan, Puerto Rico, is packed with a motley assortment of passengers. As long as you suspend disbelief that these people would all happen to be on the same jet at the same time, you will enjoy the ride. There are two sets of passenger groups that come from the same California town and know each other to some extent. The wedding party and the baseball team. In addition are some solo travelers that include a grieving mother. To top it off, one of the flight attendants is also from Crestwood. The coincidences are almost a bit too much. An undercover Federal Air Marshal is on what he imagines will be a routine trip leading to some fun with a new love once he gets to their destination. 

The action begins as soon as all are aboard the plane. Secrets are revealed creating a storm that mirrors the turbulent weather outside. A lightning strike disables the electronics and when the lights come back on, a boy from the baseball team finds a dead body in the rear lavatory. Carlos Renaldo is given the task of securing the scene, identifying the dead body, and questioning the passengers to find the killer. Unfortunately, the plane won’t make it to PR after all as it runs out of fuel and is forced to land on a deserted Caribbean island. As the investigation continues, it comes to light that this murder is only part of all that has gone wrong with this flight. 

This was just fast and fun and I read it in a single setting as it was hard to put down. The point of view shifts and there is some back and forth in time to set the stage for all that happened in the past leading to what is happening on the plane now. It kept me guessing and there was a twist that surprised me toward the end. I loved the flight details and the perspective from the cockpit as well. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Scott Brick, is phenomenal as ever and indeed always brings the story to the next level with his voice and skill. He’s adept at many accents and pitch so that the dynamics of his read bring the emotion and action to life. Totally recommend you listen to this if you can.

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

Genre and tags: locked room mystery, suspense, airplane flight, murder, other crimes

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz

 3.5 stars for this debut psychological thriller.

Be prepared to meet a really unreliable, narcissistic narrator in this drama about a woman whose obsessions take over to ruin her life. 

All was spectacular in Cady’s life. She had a wildly successful party planning business and was married to the man she’d loved since high school. Then tragedy struck when her twin sister, Dana, was killed in an accident. Grief has no timeline and no limits but Cady goes totally off the rails. Things fall apart slowly as Cady becomes fixated on a woman she had a brief interaction with in the Emergency Department on the day her sister died.

This was a quick read that sometimes veered into the need to suspend disbelief territory. Definitely entertaining as you try to guess what Cady is scheming and what her next plans might be. Her stalking of Morgan sometimes makes no sense. But Cady has this single minded obsession with trying to fix things and that means that she wants things to be the way she wants them as she has only the best of intentions. I was expecting some crazy twist but honestly, that ending was quite abrupt as well as bizarre and I didn’t like it. Anyway, Cady was not really a likable character in many ways and she left a lot of destruction in her wake. So much truth about her was missing since she was telling the story. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a good job for the female characters and she’s definitely got the dramatic flair that works well for this type of genre and story. I love being immersed in the story when the words and the voice work well.

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

Genre - domestic drama, psychological thriller, obsession, death and grief 

The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key

 "Not for the faint."

Speculative fiction looks at the possible direction of medical care.

In a near-future America, the Shepherd Organization has turned healthcare in to a cold, algorithmic commodity. AI dictates every diagnosis and treatment, leaving no room for human intervention or error. Pok, an aspiring medical student living in New York, has spent his life preparing to join this system alongside his father. When his applications to medical school are rejected, his world falls apart coinciding with his own father's sudden death.

Following a path his father had secretly set in motion, Pok flees the high tech surveillance of the North for New Orleans. The city, guarded by electromagnetic spires that block the Shepherd's reach,  is home to Hippocrates, the last medical school on earth that still practices human led medicine. But that special place and sanctuary comes with a price. As Pok struggles through the grueling medical school training, he discovers a terrifying new plague -- the Grips -- that specifically targets those who have spent their lives under AI. As more become infected and die, Pok must accept his own purpose and realize all that he is capable of when the truth about his origin and past are revealed. 

This plausible scenario was haunting and scary and I really enjoyed it. I love medical fiction, and this plunged deep into the big questions about what AI will do as it is increasingly integrated, or mandated, into our lives. Will human empathy and all the skills of a human physician be traded for an algorithm and efficiency. Who lives, who dies just a calculation. There is so much to think about within these pages and so it took me a lot longer to read this than a typical thriller of this type. It made me even more certain that restrictions and restraints need to be in place to prevent machine driven medical practice and care. 

A huge question raised by the author deals with the ethical questions. Definitely a must read for fans of speculative fiction who want a story that feels both like a warning and a tribute to the people who still believe in the human side of healing. 

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, James Fouhey, did a decent job, but it was a bit of a let down because he just didn't do women's voices well. As a result, the characters basically sounded the same without much differentiation. This production would definitely have benefited from a full cast, or at least a female voice. I always enjoy the immersive experience of listening and reading, and this would have been such a huge hit had the characters sounded more distinctly male or female.

This is a debut novel and I plan to read more from this author.

Genre - speculative fiction, medical care, AI, coming of age  

Paradox (Cash and Colcord#2) by Douglas Preston, Aletheia Preston

 This is the sequel to the fabulously entertaining Extinction, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Frankie Cash and Jim Colcord probe a series of ritualistic murders, including the grisly death of an exobiologist. Their investigation reveals a fanatic secret society, a mysterious alien artifact that’s gone missing, and the theft of a religious relic. The resurrected Neanderthals remain hidden somewhere in the mountains and aren’t a part of this story. 

This is meant to be a thriller, and is coauthored by Douglas Preston’s daughter. You can tell right away that something is different because it doesn’t read the same and includes social commentary that added nothing valuable to the story. The whole de-extinction theme was absent and this plot centers on some sort of extraterrestrial element and some crazy religious misguided fervor. It was unnecessarily complex and the whole police procedural and investigative dynamic was off between Cash and Colcord. I was most irritated and unhappy with how the big reveals were NOT actually ever spelled out. Without spoilers, I can’t specific exactly what I’m talking about but certainly the reader has earned some sort of detail about the artifact and about the motivations behind the two different groups. It was all very vague. I don’t like senseless violence and some of this was quite grisly and brutal with of course the nearly impossible escape that Cash and Colgord engineer from the brink of death. This was definitely not what I was hoping for in this follow-up to Extinction. I don’t know that I will read another by this duo. I have read almost every book Douglas Preston has written and this just didn’t hit the mark of his work. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. It was quite interesting to see what changes were made between the written and the audio production. The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, did a fantastic job of voicing all the characters and had a great range of accents. She has great dramatic flair and brought the characters to life. Although a full cast recording would have really been wonderful, Stephanie’s voice enhanced my experience with the book.

This is the second book or a sequel but you could read it alone as nothing much has to do with previous book. 

Genre and tags: UAP (UFO), extraterrestrials, religion, artifacts, relics, Spanish Inquisition, ritual murder

The Secret of Secrets (Langdon #6) by Dan Brown

 This thriller seeks to claim that death is not the end. There's evidence from noetic science that suggests there may be something beyond the end of our physical selves--  where our consciousness roams free.

The story, set mainly in Prague, sees Robert Langdon and his romantic partner, Katherine Solomon, visiting to deliver a lecture about her work proving the existence of a global consciousness. Things take a turn when a prominent local scientist is found murdered, Katherine's New York editor is kidnapped, the book she's about to publish vanishes from every server, and Langdon has a strange encounter on a bridge while out jogging that creates chaos and the notice of the police. It seems that the explosive revelations in Katherine's upcoming book are ones that the CIA are quite familiar with and need to protect from exposure.

Although I feel this book was overly long, it certainly was interesting. A universal truth is that humans fear death and that forms the basis of many religions promising some sort of life afterwards. Scientists of all kinds have tried to study this topic and that of nonlocal consciousness. Can the mind float free of its physical form and exist outside of the brain?

The action is relentless and jumps back and forth in time and point of view. Sometimes the shifts were quite jarring but it definitely propelled the narrative forward. As usual, Langdon experiences his ah-ha moments with great regularity as his skeptical mind becomes convinces that Katherine's research has huge implications for the future of the human race. The details and descriptions go on and on as is typical in a Dan Brown work and I enjoy that but I know others feel he is too verbose. Although I've read every book in the series, I've enjoyed some of the themes and topics more in others, but this is definitely a departure from codes and symbols to dealing with technology and the human brain. Quite relevant to current concerns about AI and social media addiction. 

After all, I liked this for the most part. I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book which always provides a more immersive and enjoyable experience for me.  The narrator, Paul Michael, did a good job with the different accents and drama, but he really fails in doing voices of the women characters. This book really deserved a full cast production. 

This is the 6th book in the series that should be read from the beginning for best enjoyment.

Genre and tags: technology, physics, human mind, nonlocal consciousness, noetic science, CIA intrigue. Prague 

Stolen in Death (#62) by J.D. Robb

 In the 62nd installment of this series, Eve Dallas faces a closed circle mystery that forces her to navigate the moral gray areas of Roarke's history. 

Billionaire Nathan Barrister is found dead in his home office, apparently killed by a blow to his head during the robbery of a secret vault hidden by his father that had just recently been discovered by the family during home renovations. Inside are priceless art and jewelry stolen from museums and private collections around the world, some from decades ago. According to the Barristers, Nathan had been trying to return the items to clear his father's name. One set of items is missing, a specific collection of emeralds. And guess who recognizes some of the treasures in the vault as pieces he once stole during his youth? Yes, Roarke realizes that this thief is also a shadow from his past. 

Eve's challenge is to face the moral ambiguity that requires her to decide whether to blindly perform her duty as a cop or act more carefully because of her loyalty to her husband. It was fun to have the couple face a nemesis from their past. As always, the author keeps coming up with unique plots that keep the series fresh and still very interesting. I always love hearing about the other characters in their close circle and how each functions as part of a friend and work unit to handle whatever case is up at the moment. In addition, the details about this futuristic New York and the lives and times of the people is also entertaining. I'll definitely keep reading these books as it is one series I want to keep up with.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The missed opportunity for a full cast recording always surprises me although the narrator, Susan Ericksen, puts out a good effort in performing all the voices of the characters. She's voiced the entire series thus far and has kept a fairly faithful repetition of all the variations in tone and accent for the main characters. Listening always makes the experience of the story much more immersive and I enjoyed it. I'm also stymied that this series hasn't been picked up for adaptation on television or the big screen. But, I can always hope!

This is the 62nd book in the series. I've only missed a couple installments along the way. Definitely best to start from the beginning with the "in death" series.

 Genre and tags: revenge, past mistakes, murder, stolen art and jewelry, police procedural, future setting

 

Tag, You’re It by Kerry Wilkinson

 

Don’t trust anyone…

This is a survivor thriller that could provide the blueprint for that type of reality show. Contestants are vetted and gathered to compete for prizes. The selected men and women perform challenges and complete their tasks to earn money. The players then use a voting system where others are dismissed from the game.

The game is based on the concept of someone being randomly assigned as “it.” That person is supposed to “tag” another contestant so that at the end of the day, they won’t be eliminated. The assignment is given to them that morning and might be something as simple as getting another to remove their shoes. 

At the outset, Jessie is the main featured player and the reader follows her through the contest as she navigates the challenges, forms alliances, makes friends, and votes all while trying to stay in the game to the end so she can win all the money. At least that’s what we are led to believe, that it’s just that reality show thing. But there’s more going on and some of those in the game have secrets. They really aren’t just there for the money.

The concept was good, but the execution somehow was just not that exciting and the narrative got bogged down with a lot of repetition and goings on between the contestants. The alliances and deals and backstabbing weren’t really very compelling as I really wasn’t invested in any of them. Even the main character, Jessie, doesn’t give reliability vibes and I didn’t like her much. I really am not a huge fan of this reality show trope, but at least this didn’t involve hunting and killing each other though there is a death. It had potential but it never got there. It really lacked a lot of the tension and high stakes deadly game in an isolated mansion idea and it really didn’t thrill like I’d hoped. 

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

Blog Tour Stop 2-3-2025

Genre - survivor reality show, murder, secrets and lies, alliance, hidden motives

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

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

 Fast and fun high-stakes, unhinged revenge plot you won’t be able to put down.

Middle aged Debbie Mullen is a high IQ MIT dropout whose life is basically suburban drudgery in a house where her eldest teen daughter will barely speak with her and everyone else seems to be hiding things from her. She’s always trying to help out both of her girls and her meek but sweet husband, Cooper. Then Debbie has had it and starts taking action after her sudden job loss, Cooper’s mess at work after a failed attempt at gaining a partnership, and when her daughters experience issues at school. Using that brilliant mind to orchestrate a series of ruthless, calculated punishments, Debbie dismantles the lives of those who underestimated her, proving that her quiet exterior masked a dangerous woman who just won’t let things go anymore. 

This is a nice psychological pivot for the author that focuses on satisfaction, karma, and revenge rather than on shocking twists and turns that often seemed way there. Debbie is an efficient antihero who is doing some bad things but you will cheer for her nonetheless. She’s just trying to solve problems for her family and she does so with chilling precision. Definitely not typical domestic suspense and I really enjoyed it.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The production featured a full cast of excellent narrators that enhanced my delight in the immersive experience. The voices of Julie Whelan (Debbie), Scott Brick (Cooper Mullen), and January LaVoy (Harley) fit the characters perfectly and all performed so well in their roles. They were believable and exhibited great dramatic flair. These are some of my favorite narrators for audio books and I highly recommend this format. 

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

Genre and tags: psychological suspense, domestic drama, revenge, murder, karma, secrets

Make It Out Alive (Quinn & Costa #7) by Allison Brennan

 High stakes thriller 

Detective Kate Quinn and FBI Agent Matt Costa go undercover at a Florida resort to bait a serial killer targeting newlyweds in this 7th installment of the series. After the prime suspect is arrested, the investigation seems closed until Kara and Matt, who have stayed behind for a little romantic time together, are abducted by the killer's secret partner. Trapped in a lethal, twisted escape room scenario at an abandoned cannery, the pair must use every skill they possess to survive while their team races to find them before they succumb. 

This has elements of a survival type thriller along with being a police procedural with lots of action that almost seemed almost too much at times with the main characters in the booby trapped cannery testing limits of cleverness and physical endurance. It got quite repetitive after awhile. The narrative shifts between points and view and time. The pacing made it easy to read and I finished in a single sitting. 

This is the first book in the series that I have read so I am not familiar with the characters or the team. My introduction to the various members at this point means that I have no idea about their backstories or history together. I assume the relationship between Matt and Kara is sort of new and might affect the team dynamics down the road since they work together. Definitely the character development took a backseat to all the action and escape activities from the cannery to the farmhouse to the chase to capture scenes at the end. I'm not sure if it would be worth my time to go back to the beginning of this series, or if I should just more forward with future installments. It did keep me interested with the plot elements despite what felt like over the top physical tests along with the investigation aspects. I wouldn't have minded all of that endurance and game stuff being shortened.

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, Suzanne T. Fortin, did an OK job of reading but a full cast or even a dual narrator set up would have helped distinguish the characters who all basically sounded the exact same. It didn't provide the immersive experience I enjoy while listening as I read because of the single voice performance.

This is the 7th book in a series featuring these characters but I have only read this one. It seems that I should have started from the beginning and read in order.

Genre - police, FBI, serial killer, escape room theme, murder, games, team 

The Garbage Man by Tessa Pacelli

 Clever trash concept but absurd techno-superhero world saving scenarios.

Kayla Mousavi, A Harvard grad with a poker habit, finds herself employed at General Recycling -- a company using specialized bacteria to solve the world's trash crisis. Almost immediately after going to work in the cloistered GR work world, she is invited to visit one of the staff perks, "Resilusio," a VR metaverse powered by data illegally mined from garbage. After a shocking experience while also learning how addictive Resilusio is, she goes on the run to expose a corporate conspiracy that will destroy lives and human existence. 

This speculative thriller starts with a clever premise -- trash-powered VR and predatory data mining -- but fails in its execution. The book leans far too heavily on Kayla's escape scenarios that are completely unrealistic given the physical toll they would take on her human body. Plus, the author seems fixated on Kayla and her refusal of food which further makes all of those unbelievable feats impossible. I got really fed up with all of the cloak and dagger sneaking in and out of places with supposedly high security that obviously wasn't good enough to keep one person out. Between the logic gaps and the protagonist's Teflon durability, the tension vanishes. It was so predictable and I really disliked Kayla's annoying inner voice self pep talks and her character. The other characters, especially all the villains, were forgettable and convenient with so many improbable rescues. It was an interesting writing concept that prioritizes frantic action over its own intellectual promise. If you took out all the wonder woman action, the poker, and the spy stuff, this might actually have been a decent novel and it's why I raised a 2.5 to a 3 star rating. 

This brings me to the audio book that I listened to while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Caitlin Davies, was not able to maintain any distinctiveness between the all the different male and female characters, many who should have had global accents. All the men sounded the exact same. Her voice was unsuitable for this large a cast and I didn't enjoy listening to her. I didn't like the female protagonist in the book, so I don't know that I can say that this narrator's voice matched her essence. The whole thing felt like Kayla was talking to herself, which she did a lot of anyway in the book. I had to stop and restart the audio book because I just didn't feel immersed in the experience.

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

Genre - speculative fiction , VR metaverse, poker, spies, conspiracy, corporate villains, ruin the world as we know it

Very Slowly All at Once by Lauren Schott

 Domestic thriller about a couple who are drowning in debt until they start receiving mysterious checks in the mail.

Mack and Hailey Evans have everything that looks like the American Dream. She has a high powered career as a divorce attorney and he is a popular professor at a local college. They have two lovely little girls and a brand new lakefront home in an exclusive Cleveland neighborhood. But, behind the scenes, the foundation of their house is cracking, Mack is put on leave following accusations of a scandal involving his students, and Hailey is struggling to get money from a wealthy client. In addition, Mack now has to pay for his mother’s nursing home care. 

Then, a check from a company called Sunshine Enterprises arrives. Mack deposits it, convinced it was sent from his estranged con man father. Then more checks arrive and the amounts get bigger. Pretty soon the couple has cashed enough to fall into a clever trap set by their anonymous benefactor who now starts demanding a return on the investment. Will Hailey and Mack commit increasingly illegal and violent acts to pay off this debt?

I’m usually a bit wary of domestic thrillers because they are so predictable but this one kept me hooked. The psychological threat of ruin and exposure is grounded in real world anxiety with that feat of the couple losing everything. Now Mack and Hailey aren’t the most likable pair. They have many flaws and they make some terrible choices that made them hard to root for at times. Eventually I had to hope for the best for them in escaping this certain collapse. The tension builds slowly with each event as everything just builds up forcing a breakdown as they are pushed to their very limits. 

The narrative shifts between points of view of the couple and an unknown party but even so it is hard to guess the revelations and motivations. The conclusion was a little anticlimactic, but worked.

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, Andrew J. Andersen, had an engaging voice but I was sorry there wasn’t a female counterpart for Hailey. The two main characters had equal parts so it would seem fitting. He did an OK job trying to keep all of the different voices distinct along with some accents. I always enjoy a book more when I can listen and read at the same time.

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

Genre and tags: debut domestic thriller, psychological, money trap, blackmail, family life

Just Checking Scores by Marisa Burke

 A compelling and emotional read that reflects how the author overcame public and personal betrayal and humiliation because of he actions of her husband.

Marisa Burke was a longtime news anchor at WNEP-TV in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The book explores the devastating fallout after her then-husband, Mark Kandel, a well-respected educator with a doctorate degree, was arrested for a series of predatory crimes involve teenaged boys. Burke provides a raw look at the impossible position she and her daughters were put in as well as how these charges affected her professional life. 

Marisa’s account focuses on her resilience and reclamation after these devastating revelations and how she tried to protect her daughters from the fallout. The crimes of her husband are not discussed in any depth, but suffice to say that he definitely went way over any lines of decency. Not only did he try to engage these boys in illicit acts, he bought them gifts, exchanged photographs, and served them alcohol. Meanwhile, he was draining marital accounts, lost his job and lied about having another, and siphoned off family resources to use for his proclivities. 

It was an emotional read and one can’t help but think that the punishment (federal prison) did not fit the crime. Not only were the lives of Mark’s family totally impacted, but also the lives of those teen boys he pursued. The author blames herself for missing or ignoring many red flags that her husband displayed, but also questions how she could have known his sexuality issues when the dated and married because of how he portrayed himself. So he was also a con man with some serious skills. Marisa was able to overcome her trauma over the years but it was difficult and painful. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book and the narrator, Nikki Zakocs, did an excellent job handling the topics with sensitivity and 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: non fiction, husband sex offender, marriage and family, local news on air talent

Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane

 What a convoluted mess of a story that tried to be a mystery but ended up making me shake my head. I wanted to like it much more than I did, so even rating it 2.5 stars, I can’t level it up.

First of all, the premise: Aubrey Tanner returns 15 years after she, and her entire family, seemingly vanished from their family home. A meal on the table and a few bloodstains provide no answers for the police. In addition, a fire burnt down the family bookstore. Even the family patriarch, Xavier Tanner, who lived close by in his mansion can offer no help. The missing family’s house is left as is to rot. The years go by and Xavier succumbs to a heart attack. Soon after he dies, his will summons three women from town who each hold secrets about that day and the family. Everyone is gathered to hear the disposition of the Tanner assets. But what does Aubrey want?  Over the next few days, Marni, Stella, and Hanna realize that they are going to have to reveal the truth or risk losing everything. 

There was so much going on in this novel and so many characters to keep track of, not to mention trying to keep relationships and all their secrets and lies straight. I didn’t like any of the people in this entire book, not one. And don’t get me started on Aubrey. After a long drawn out sort of overly dramatic series of events and excruciatingly slow reveals, the long awaited answers didn’t give much of a payoff. I just didn’t like this one, unfortunately. 

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. It definitely helped to be able to distinguish the characters as the book is told from multiple points of view. The production had 4 female narrators with 3 of them doing a decent job of trying to sound distinct. All were overly melodramatic. I could not stand the voice of whichever of the 4 voiced the character of Aubrey. The rolling pitch and tone put me over the edge and I wish I could confirm her name so I can avoid her in the future. In any event, this recording was not enough to enhance my enjoyment of this book.

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

Genre and tags: domestic thriller, drama, murder, sexual assault, affairs, secrets and lies, wealthy famly

The First Time I Saw Him (Hannah Hall #2) by Laura Dave

 I was looking for a pulse-pounding follow-up to the first book (The Last Thing He Told Me) but that wasn’t what I got with this sequel. In the end, it was a yawner. 

It’s been a little over five years since Owen, Hannah’s husband and Bailey’s father, went on the run from the mob determined to punish him for turning them in. They’ve not seen or heard from him in all that time after settling in California where Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey (now a college graduate) have relaxed a bit and even formed a wary relationship with Bailey’s grandfather, Nicholas Bell, the former lawyer to the syndicate that Owen outed. 

Now, however, Owen suddenly reappears and gives Hannah a signal that informs her that the deal Nicholas made to keep them safe has collapsed. When they hear that Nicholas has died, they realize that the crime family is coming after them and they need to go on the run —again. 

Well, that should have been exciting and action packed with a lot of skillful maneuvers and contingency plans to evade capture and harm. It wasn’t. There was a huge amount of backstory explaining all the things that happened to bring them to this point and tons of characters. Hannah spent way too much of the book waxing philosophical about family and love and protection. Always reminding us what a great relationship she and her stepdaughter have. And how smart and clever she is to be taking on this protective role for Owen’s daughter. Their travel and evasion efforts sometimes were almost laughable, as when they leave a taxi after arriving at a hotel only to be running down the streets and in and out of shops. Umm where’s all your baggage including that laptop? Anyway, it was actually rather boring. I didn’t feel engaged nor did I really care about the characters except for Nicholas who actually seemed like the only one who understood this whole sorry mess and his responsibility for it. It wasn’t suspenseful. Ultimately, I was just disappointed but glad it’s over.

I was able to listen to the audiobook I obtained from my local library while also following along in the e-book ARC that was provided by the publisher. I’d like to say that the production enhanced my enjoyment of the book, but that wouldn’t be true. Despite a full cast of narrators, the voice of Rebecca Lowman was jarring. She sounded old and tired, not like a 43-year-old Hannah should be. The other narrators did OK with their speaking parts but since Hannah was the main character, even those changes in point of view didn’t help that much. Give it a pass.

This was the follow-up sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me (which was a better book). Definitely read it first.

Genre and tags: mob, on the run, family, thriller

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

 What a fast, fun, and totally twisted mystery thriller.

I thought I knew where this was going despite all the author’s attempts to divert me, but I was wrong! I love it when I’m surprised even if I have to suspend a lot of disbelief to get the payoff. If you’re looking for quick entertainment, this is the book for you.

Eden Fox is an artist on the verge of her big break. Before her first gallery exhibition, she goes for a quick sunset run to clear her head. When she returns to her secluded house, Spyglass, her key no longer fits the lock. A woman answers the door, and she looks eerily like Eden. The woman is wearing her clothes and is dressed for the art show. Even worse, her husband, Harrison, claims he has no idea who she is.  Of course Eden doesn’t have her phone or ID and so I thought, yeah, whatever, here we go with the frustrating “prove who you are while everyone thinks your crazy” trope. Well, that’s not where this went and I loved it all. 

Told in alternating points of view, this story brings in some real surprising truths to offset all that gaslighting but it turns out that the reader is the one who is shocked. I thought I had whiplash with all the turns. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, wham! It was so much fun to read and I loved the way the author dangled the story and where it led. No spoilers, just leap in.

Definitely an overhaul of the typical domestic psychological thriller, the plot shifts were handled very well and I just couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. This was a full case narration by Richard Armitage, Bel Powley, and Henry Rowley. It was extra good because of those side effects that really put the reader there in the moment. The narrators did a great job of voicing the main characters and making them sound authentic and real. It definitely reminded me more of a radio drama that provided a wonderful immersive experience that enhanced my enjoyment of the book. Not to be missed!

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

Tags and genre: psychological, domestic suspense, identity, death date, guilt, revenge, gaslighting, affair

The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia

 Faith Richards, Detroit's beloved TV meteorologist known as "The Fair Weather Friend," disappears during a dinner break and is found dead the next morning. As the city reels, memorials are staged, and the local news continually updates, it turns out that there was a note Faith sent to one of her colleagues at the station that helps to identify some possible suspects. 

The story shifts through multiple perspectives to dive deeper into the woman behind that sunny public persona. This whole convolution of trying to pinpoint who did what is where the book fell off the rails for me. The characters, especially the fan girl Carol (my gosh, girlie, get a life) and some of Faith's coworkers (I'm looking at  you Matt along with your fiancee, Tara) are just placeholders for the reveals to come. Nobody is falling for those obvious red herrings and what is meant to be a shocking reveal, wasn't. The mystery is transparent and even at the end, a big disappointment was the abruptness and the unfinished subplots without a fair and just conclusion. 

I gave this a higher score than it probably merits because it was fast paced and easy to read in a single evening. The plot wanders through all the characters and I kept hoping for some rationale for decisions, but even the backstory of Faith is banal. I liked the author's previous book so much that I'm willing to give her next a try.

This brings me to my thoughts about the audio book. I was able to listen while reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Gail Shalan, has a voice that was grating and shrill. In addition, every female character sounded the same -- way too overwrought and discordant. They were indistinguishable so I was glad I had the book so I knew who was speaking. All that melodramatic gasping. In addition, yes, all the men in the story sounded exactly the same as well with just a bit of a lower pitch. This audio production would have benefited greatly with a larger cast and should have been done with all of the points of view in the story. I would not recommend a listen. 


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

Tags: murder, colleagues, secrets, weather, television, 

Inside Man (Head Cases #2) by John McMahon

 This is the second of the series which is full of action and has two parallel plot lines going at once. The FBI’s PAR unit (Patterns and Recognition) is scrambling after a CI is murdered and they find links to a gun manufacturing and distribution ring that also has ties to a homegrown militia. Along the way, the team discovers that there is an active serial killer that has connections to their dead CI. 

The PAR unit, comprised of brilliant neurotypical individuals with specific skills in puzzle solving, mathematics, etc., works alongside other agencies to infiltrate the gun gang. The case is quite convoluted and complicated by the discovery that a prolific serial killer who might have known their dead CI has been operating in the area and some of the victims have unusual modifications to their bodies. As they are scrambling to make their cases stick, there are many other deaths and the gun runner always seems two steps ahead. Is there a leak?

The members of the PAR unit include the lead investigator and analytical genius Gardner Camden, math prodigy Cassie Pardo, Joanne “Shooter” Harris, the weapons expert, and Richie Brancato, the rookie nepo hire. In addition, their old boss, Frank Roberts, comes back to help them. 

The story is suspenseful with a high body count. There’s some attempt to humanize the team members who we don’t get to know much better as everything is focused on the cases. At times it seemed overly complicated. A lot of lucky happenstance and I saw a few of the twists coming a mile away. I did like concept of this team and how their eccentricities make them more of an asset than one would often expect. I did like it and will definitely read the next installment.

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, Will Damron, did an excellent job with his ability to transition between a variety of characters and make them sound unique and distinct. He even captures the awkwardness and social ineptness of the PAR team members and makes them sound authentic and believable. His performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags - thriller, FBI, murder, ghost guns, militia, serial killer, neurotypical agents

The Shark House by Sara Ackerman

 In 1998, marine biologist Dr. Minnow Gray travels to the Kohala Coast of Hawai’i to investigate a series of aggressive shark incidents. Minnow has always loved the ocean and her beloved sharks despite losing her own father to an attack when she was a child. The community is protective of the shark population, but the business people and mayor want to do a culling in order to decimate the creatures ahead of a big race that is bringing in a lot of publicity and tourists. Minnow tries in vain to convince them of the ecological damage that will be done if they go ahead. 

Like many, the movie, “Jaws” left me feeling terrified of swimming in the ocean in case there were sharks. Since I know nothing about sharks, it was easy to demonize them as monsters. This book gives a lot of information about sharks and also about all aspects of that particular area of Hawai’i. It’s easy to get lulled into the atmosphere and life on the coast of that island. I’m not saying I’m a convert and all my fear is gone, but all the details about the great white and tiger sharks was very interesting. I enjoyed learning about Minnow’s work as a marine biologist working in a beautiful but sometimes dangerous location. Minnow was a bit of an odd duck and I could have done without the instant and convenient romance, but the other characters were not really the focus of the story. 

I guess I liked this because I love Hawai’i and am drawn to the ocean while also respecting it. The creatures that live there fascinate me and I could definitely live near that beautiful place. 

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, Jennifer Robideau, did a masterful job with the characters. Her voice has a natural musicality that matched the accents and pronunciations so perfectly. It all sounded very authentic and it felt like she was a local living on the island. I loved her voice and the appropriateness of her quiet ease with all the terms and the drama in the story. 

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

Genre and tags: ocean, sharks, marine biologist, romance, childhood trauma with death of parents, Hawai’i, ecology, marine life

Update: Minnesota woman dies after shark attack in US Virgin Islands
By Ramon Antonio Vargas
Jan 12, 2026 8:41 am CST
The Guardian 

The Ice Angels (Elea Baker #1) by Caroline Mitchell

 Nordic noir atmospheric tension in this twisty crime thriller.

This start to a new series introduces Finnish crime inspector Elea Baker. Ten years after her 12 year old daughter Liisa vanished in Provoo, Elea is called to Lincoln, England, to consult on a series of chilling child abductions. The new kidnappings seem to mirror what happened in Finland and Elea has high hopes that she might actually find her missing daughter. Then, a surviving girl emerges and clues indicate that these disappearances might be related to the “Ice Angels” case. Elea has to work alongside her estranged husband as they try to piece together what might have happened during these long years. 

This was incredibly enjoyable as the police procedural describes realistic investigative methods. The narrative moves through different points of view and time jumps. Although this is a cold case from Elea’s perspective, the current events in Lincoln rachet up the tension as the reader wonders if her daughter is dead or alive. There is also a bit of focus on the emotional as the mother and daughter bond is explored. I liked the setting and the writing style and honestly, I wasn’t sure how I hoped it would end but the author did a decent job of wrapping it all up. I assume that there were be future books featuring these characters though I could be done with all that angsty stuff with her soon to be ex husband Swann. He’s moved on and has a family and I’m sick of messy domestics. And of course she has the rogue cop trope going on and I hope this series doesn’t fall down that hole. I’ve mixed emotions about continuing. So many authors go down this same path and I’m hoping this doesn’t go there. 

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, Aryana Ramkhalawon, did a really good job of handling the various characters and their accents. Her pronunciation of the places and phrases was good. Also appreciated how she didn’t overact the voice of the 12 year old. Definitely captured the atmospheric tension. Her performance enhanced my enjoyment of the book as it created an appropriate immersive experience. 

This looks to be the first in a new series.

Genre and tags: crime fiction, kidnapping, Finland, England, police procedural, mothers and daughters