Will I Be Next? by Kerry Wilkinson

 Slow burn psychological premise centered on long buried childhood secrets and past trauma catching up in adulthood.

Thirty years ago, six children provided key testimony that sent their Sunday school teacher, Martin Yale, to prison for a heinous crime. Faith, one of those six, receives an unexpected visitor from her past, Jacob, another member of that group who comes to warn her that the others are suddenly dying under suspicious circumstances. Faith has received hate mail in the past from Martin’s son, but those letter stopped. Who is targeting and hunting the members of their group now. It’s time to unravel all the secrets. 

Well, there were some surprises but it took so long to get to them and in such a roundabout way. Once the revelations began, I felt so much of it stretched my credulity and the motivation for what was happening was a stretch. I never quite warmed to any of the characters and definitely kept me guessing about whom to trust. This was less a thriller and more domestic drama with all the shifting relationship dynamics. And, as stated, it was very slow moving. 

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, Rose Robinson, did a fine job of voicing the characters which enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: psychological drama, childhood sexual abuse, marital affairs, children, secrets, trauma, murder, revenge

A Cruise to Nowhere: my search for Amy Lynn Bradley by James Renner

 Just finished a deep dive into this true crime book about the disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley over 28 years ago. She vanished from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas on March 24, 1998. After reading, I also watched the Netflix documentary and went down the rabbit hole into endless information about this case, this young woman, her friends, and her family. So very frustrating not to have answers after all this time.

I read a lot of true crime and this was a bit different. As the author puts it, it’s also a bit of a memoir, as he does share a lot of his personal thoughts and observations about himself, his life, and his reaction to everything he did as he researched for this book. The personal interviews with many of the important people involved in his search for what could have happened left few investigative avenues unexplored. I did not know anything about this until I picked up this book. Now, thoughts about this are going to keep me awake some nights. I do not like unsolved mysteries. 

I am just left with overwhelming sadness that no one really knows what happened to this young woman. Maybe one day all wil be revealed and the family can get the closure they are searching for as they try to live their lives without her. 

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

Genre and tags: nonfiction, true crime, missing persons, cruise ship

The 10:12 by Anna Maloney

 Claire Fitzroy is just trying to get home when her 10:12 NorthRail train from Manchester to London is hijacked. Although she's a middle aged history of art university lecturer, Claire makes a decision to fight back. Her desperate actions save lives, but the aftermath thrusts her into a chaotic media storm and trial where the public debates if she is actually a heroine or a murderer. Although the outcome sees justice, Claire is left still traumatized and seeking answers about why those men chose that train and why they did what they did. 

The beginning is quite gripping as the train hijacking begins and the passengers, basically led by Claire, start resisting. Lots of action and very fast paced as decisions are made and people die. Trying to keep track of all the characters is a bit daunting as they divide into the good guys vs the baddies. Then the story transitions to disjointed pieces of Claire's book, communication with her publisher, and some texts. A slow burn courtroom session follows and the drama sort of stalls the momentum. After that, we segue into Claire's search for answers and meaning which definitely downshifts the pacing and tension. The shift from action thriller to introspection and Claire's exploration and amateur investigation into the men involved in the terrorist plot changes the tone and it went on overly long. Then there's the hint that things are not what they seem and there are secrets being kept making this a high level coverup conspiracy within a story about terrorists operating under a conspiracy theory. 
It was OK but not what I was expecting. I certainly didn't read this as being any sort of feminine rage story. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The audio book features an ensemble cast consisting of Elaine Claxton, Sarah Thom, Maxim Reston, and Dane Williams. The performers did a good job with their parts although some really spoke quite fast in a clipped fashion that was hard to follow so I was glad I had the book to help me keep it all straight. The production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: suspense thriller, terrorist, hijack train, anti Chinese, incels, conspiracy nuts, courtroom, prison, murder, assault, intelligence community 

It Runs in the Family (Iris Gardner #1) by Denise Grover Swank

 Light romantic farce trying to pass as a domestic thriller.

Iris Gardner, who possesses the ability to have psychic visions of the future, foresees her own murder while working a late-night shift at the local convenience store. The vision involves her missing cousin, Selena, and Iris decides she must locate her to stop this vision from coming true. Along the way there's an insta romance with a sexy stranger and a crazy large cast of eccentric and loser characters who are her extended family. Except for one cousin, Garrett, who is a sheriff's deputy, and a granny who tends to favor her, Iris is entangled in some dubious relationships and her life sounds like the pits. 

I thought I'd like this and that it would be funny. Instead it was just endless inane dialogue that never advanced the plot and that, if eliminated, could have shortened the book by at least half. It was not humorous and Iris seemed like such a flake despite repeated insistence that she was the reliable one in the family. The banal description of events never raised the bar to any kind of suspense and I just could not care about any of this cast of characters. It was so full of predictable small town tropes. The pacing drags through repeated family drama and questionable decisions Iris makes that ended up making the whole story feel like it was never going to be over. I don't see any reason to continue this series as I barely made it to the end of this. I don't like anything about Iris, her family, their drama, or her future. It seemed like it wanted to be a sort of Stephanie Plum knockoff. 

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, Piper Goodeve, did a decent job but it was hard to distinguish between the characters as her voice never changed much in tone or pitch even when she was doing the male voices.

This is the first in a planned series which I will not continue.

Genre and tags: psychic visions, insta romance, drugs, bad guys, relatives, sexy stranger, murder 

The Crossword Murders (Secret Detective Agency #5) by Helena Dixon

 Wartime cozy mystery set in 1942 Devon.

Jane Treen receives an urgent message from her colleague Arthur Cilento and she travels to Devon, only to discover that he has summoned her to attend the funeral of his mentor, crossword creator Professor Sanford Watkins, whose death seems far from natural. Jane and Arthur begin investigating Watkins’s demise and uncover coded clues embedded within word puzzles and private journals. The case seems to be centered around happenings inside a secure underground art storage facility where a team of restorers and curators are cataloging and safeguarding the masterpieces to protect from looters, thieves, and bombs. Someone seems to be secretly removing certain pieces and giving them to the enemy. When another member of the community is killed, Jane and Arthur realize they are tracking someone willing to do anything to mask their secret mission.

Charming and cleverly constructed, the setting offers an atmospheric backdrop. The concept of the victim using crossword puzzles to hide clues was interesting. The dynamic between Jane and Arthur provides a solid anchor for the plot as their relationship seems to be changing as they continue to work together. I’m not a fan of all the Marmaduke cat antics but it seems all cozies now have to include a pet of some kind. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review. and recommend. This is another satisfying entry in the Secret Detective Agency series.

Books on Tour blog date 10-19-26

This is the 5th book in the series that I’ve read from the beginning in order.

Genre and tags: cozy mystery, wartime 1942, Devon, England, murder, art storage during the war

Where the Road Ends by Brian Freeman (Jonathan Stride #12)

 Authentic and suspenseful crime thriller with psychological depth.

In this police procedural, part of the Jonathan Stride series, he and wife Serena deal with the fallout from a devastating double homicide of a judge and his wife. The two detectives find that the crisis escalates quickly when Stride’s partner, Maggie Bei, shoots an unarmed intruder fleeing from the murder scene. Maggie is put on probation and faces a media storm and internal investigation. Meanwhile, Stride and Serena try to figure out what happened in the home of Judge Gordon Hartwick and his wife, Tracy. As the investigation widens, a strange connection to a cold case develops, centered on a teenage girl named Emma Strong who was kidnapped six years prior. 

Fast paced and full of interesting, complex characters, this provided twists and a multilayered plot. An ideal pick for me as I really enjoy realistic crime thrillers with some emotional weight. The setting of Duluth, Minnesota, with the cold and snow, adds to the tone of the story matching the moral gray areas and angst of a tragic mistake. I’ve read a couple of others in this series but now want to go back and get the ones I missed. Like the writing style and these characters. 

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 was the incomparable January LaVoy. I love her voice and the way she inhabits the characters and makes them all sound unique. Listening to her dramatic flair and expression totally immersed me in the story and enhanced my enjoyment of the book. She’s one of my favorite audio book narrators and I highly recommend the listen.

This is the 12th book in the series but I’ve read only a couple. This worked OK for me as enough backstory was given so I don’t feel that I missed out.

Genre and tags: police procedural, murder, gambling, corruption, police shooting, unwed pregnancy, adoption, psychological 

Drowning in Paper Flowers by E. L. Westbury

 The first thing to say is that the publisher’s description of the book is quite misleading and don’t decide not to read it because of what’s said. I was pleasantly surprised by the real story. 

Ruby Powell leads a seemingly nice life in an affluent Dallas neighborhood. But, behind closed doors, she relies on anti-anxiety meds to cope with a failing marriage, as well as trying to deal with a daughter who apparently detests her and a son who suffers some nightmares from a toddlerhood kidnapping. She knows her husband’s secret and decides to bide her time as problems with her children start to upend her life. Especially when she’s threatened. 

This was quite the wild ride and totally not what I expected given the plot summary. The story is told from various points of view with some flashbacks that make sense at the climax and final reveals. I honestly didn’t see that coming and I love when a twist can shock me. The characters were sure interesting and I gravitated between disgust and empathy. I really had a hard time dealing with how Millie treated her mom so hideously beyond normal teenager bad behavior. I appreciated how the epilogues tied things up and all the loose ends came together. I liked the ending. What a messed up family for sure but the most interesting kind are the messy ones. It was a little heavier than I prefer with kid and teen drama but I enjoyed it. And, perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I liked Ruby even if she is really whack. 

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC given to me by the publisher and NetGalley. At first I wasn’t sure I was going to like her voice, but the narrator, Jessica Taige, ended up doing a fantastic job giving life to all the characters. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: domestic thriller, adultery, family trauma and drama, mental illness. PTSD, teacher-student relationship with grooming, sexual assault, rape

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

 This pairing of legal drama with psychological horror struggles to strike a tone and left me unimpressed.

When a boarding school student, Christian Shaw, is found dead in an Edinburgh park, her close friends, Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth, are brought to trial for her murder. Heart surgeon Matthew Phillips serves as an initially enthusiastic and devoted juror while the prosecution presents a shocking claim: the death was connected to the practice of witchcraft. As courtroom testimony unfolds, Matthew begins experiencing strange visions, leaving all to question whether supernatural forces are at play or if it is all a calculated deception and the two on trial just carried bullying too far. 

The initial premise of blending courtroom procedures with teenage occultism created real intrigue and hooked me, and the Edinburgh setting lends a fittingly bleak atmosphere, but the whole witch and devil thing really just lost me. The courtroom scenes are repetitive and Matthew is clearly in need of antipsychotic medication as he flips out really early on and I stopped buying into the story. I was not invested in the girls on trial and it all became rather boring. The author attempts a last twist but it falls flat and the final part of the book just left me shaking my head. I don’t think I’m the right target audience for a book of this nature with all of the witchcraft, tarot, ouija boards, devil messages, etc. 

I was provided with an audio book which I listened to while also reading along in the e-book ARC gifted by the publisher. The narrator, Angus King, did and OK job but he really had a heavy accent which made him hard for me to understand and his female characters all sounded the exact same and it wasn’t good. This would definitely have benefited from a female narrator to add some contrast and a change in tone. Usually the audiobook enhances my enjoyment but I had to stop listening at times and forced myself to go back to it. 

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

Genre and tags: teen witchcraft, occult, devil, spells, murder, trial, courtroom, jurors

You’ll Be Sorry by Liz Alterman

 Satisfying and suspenseful domestic thriller.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, successful and wealthy Amelia (Mia) Montgomery spots an advertisement featuring Ethan Blackmore, the ex-fiancé who shattered her life and left her humiliated over a decade ago. Mia rebuilt her entire identity from scratch to escape her past so she’s totally not meant to look deeper into what Ethan has been doing. She can’t help herself. Mia finds that he married well and has a couple of kids, but has lost his fortune and has had some trouble. While she’s happy he’s not on top of the world, she still has unresolved trauma and a deep desire for revenge. Mia can’t leave it alone and now it’s on. She’s going to dismantle everything in his life. 

This was fast and fun and kept me engaged. This is definitely one of those where the main character walks that line between seeking justice and becoming obsessed to her own detriment. Mia was easy to understand, especially at first, but as she went deeper into her dark desires to destroy him, she became unlikeable. Enough is enough. She definitely went too far, and she sort of missed her target (no spoilers) but I don’t think anyone was sorry about that. Mia was malicious and single minded losing sight of the end goal and carried things just a bit too far. I do think she got what she deserved and I doubt she got the closure she wanted, but it goes to show how retaliation can backfire. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the ebook ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Christine Lakin and Stacey Carolan, did an excellent job of voicing the characters and bringing appropriate dramatic flair. Their performances really enhanced the immersive effect and increased my enjoyment of the story. 

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

Genre and tags: psychological thriller, suspense, domestic, murder, twins, revenge

Malice by Design (Jack Wyatt #2) by Gary Birken

 Medical sleuth Dr. Jack Wyatt and Dr. Madison Shaw return in this second installment of the medial thriller series.

The pair are called in to investigate a terrifying anomaly at a top pediatric oncology hospital. Children who were in remission from leukemia are suddenly developing an inexplicable, severe wasting disease that they name Leukemic Malnutrition or LM. The doctors race against time to uncover the root cause navigating hospital politics as well as discovering links to past unethical research. They ultimately find a secret that someone is willing to kill to protect. 

I had some problems with this book and ended up being disappointed. While it had a decent medical plot, the book as a whole just didn't hit right and was almost a duplicate of the first book as far as these two doctors coming in to save the day with this same obscure type diagnosis and a sinister bad actor behind it all. The characters of Jack and Madison just don't act right, I mean they are supposed to be a romantic couple, and all they ever did was run around the hospital, eat, and talk about the disease. Absolutely no tension or suspense in this story. It was actually kind of boring and slow. Also some errors where the wrong character's name was used, etc.  I have no issues with the medical jargon and descriptions, in fact, that's the only part of this that I liked was the discussion of prions. 

I don't know if I'll bother with further books in this series. The characters need some life and the stories need a new tangent. I am just not buying this super medical detective brilliance stuff. Definitely way too much ethics discussions and yeah, they are self-righteous and know they're correct about everything. 

This is the second in the series, best read in order.

Tags and Genre - medical mystery, prions, leukemia, experiments on humans, unethical research, murder 

What Happened That Night (Maud O'Connor #3) by Nicci French

 A slow-burning, deeply compelling mystery that hinges on tension and atmosphere.

After spending 30 years in prison for the murder of his university friend Leo, Tyler Green is released, still maintaining his innocence. He arranges a gathering of the 8 friends who were present on that tragic night for a reunion in London, seeking answers about what truly happened.  When another murder occurs late in the evening after dinner, Detective Inspector Maud O'Connor steps in to investigate. Tyler is immediately re-arrested and returned to prison but Maud isn't sure. As old secrets unravel and with the past repeating itself, Maud and DS Carrie Kessler must determine whether Tyler is a psychopathic killer seeking revenge or a scapegoat set up once again. 

This is one of those locked room type mysteries where the killer is hidden in plain sight and I suspected each person in turn. What makes the set up work so well in this case is the quiet paranoia and heavy sense of long-buried guilt among the friends. The story shifts focus from simple procedural tracking to a nuanced exploration of shifting loyalties, unreliable memories, past hurts as well as embarrassments, and evidence of how 30 years of secrets can corrode relationships. The characters were so well-developed and sharply drawn and as the friends reveal their stories in police interviews, Maud is laser focused on the timeline and their explanations about the night. The tension builds and the suspense escalates as things soon crystalize while Maud hones in on the likely killer and obtains the confessions. I could barely put this down wondering who did it making all sorts of guesses. It was a very engrossing book. I've read the first in this series but missed the second and now will definitely go back to catch up. 

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, Sophie Roberts, did a very good job of voicing all the characters, giving them unique and distinguishing tones. She had the appropriate dramatic flair which enhanced my immersion into the book and increased my appreciation of the story. 

Note - this book was previously titled Tyler Green Will Never Be Free

This is the third in series featuring DI Maud O'Connor and the second I have read.

Genre and tags: police procedural, murder, locked room, wrongful imprisonment, friendship 

The First Scarlet Door (Anson Bishop 4MK prequel #1) by J. D. Barker

Dark, atmospheric prequel that functions as a gripping origin story for a very unsettling serial killer.

In 1999, Anson Bishop, 15 years old, has escaped to Charleston after his childhood home burns down and his mother vanishes with stolen mob money. In a foster home sort of situation that reeks of child exploitation, he makes some friends who attempt to break free only to find that powerful forces are much more organized and stronger than anyone realized. The violence that surrounded his ruthless upbringing resurfaces and Anson, guided by his father's voice inside his head, is pushed to his limits and must rely on his highly analytical instincts to stay alive. All of his steps toward rescuing himself and the other kids are dangerous choices that push him down the dark path that will ultimately mold him into the notorious Four Monkey Killer. 

I had completely forgotten what a great writer this guy is and he's returned to top form with this first in what is meant to be three stories detailing Anson Bishop's growing up years. The main character is very interesting and you can see how his detachment style gives a unique perspective on the dangerous and scary situations he and the other kids are in. There's definitely a buildup of psychological momentum without losing the gritty and disturbing elements that make this a really great thriller. It's fast paced with short chapters of alternating viewpoints and some tight suspense with sharp plot twists. Who can be trusted in a world where unhoused children are for sale to the highest bidders. Reading this made me want to go back and reread the first trilogy but I'll probably wait until I've read all three of these origin stories. 

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC audio book which I listened to after also obtaining a copy of the e-book from the local library. The narrators, Michael Crouch and Piper Goodeve, were excellent in immersing me in this very dark world and I could not put this down so read it all in one sitting. Their voices created the tension and dramatic flair I appreciate for a story such as this and thoroughly enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

This will surely captivate fans of the original 4MK series and likely secure more.

This is a prequel series related to the 4MK trilogy and I believe best read in publication date order.

Genre and tags: children, exploitation, trafficking, murder, torture, corrupt cops 

Fallow by Sarah Anderson

 Entertaining debut with humorous social commentary and a fun read for fans of speculative fiction. 

In a world where employee efficiency still dictates human necessity, Natalie is stuck in a dead-end job logging complaints at a workplace harassment call center. Burdened by debt, lacking dental insurance to pay for treatment, and selling her own plasma to get by, she spots a flyer at a local blood bank that changes everything.

She's recruited to The Company, a huge conglomerate launching a pilot program: to provide corporate funded surrogacy so their female execs don't have to juggle pregnancy and childbirth with the demands of their job. The deal seems like a dream as The Company provides Natalie with everything including an apartment, food, exercise and health programs, as well as a huge amount of money in exchange for carrying pregnancies for its top executives. Natalie enthusiastically accepts and the arrangement works for six years with transactional precision. However, during her final contracted pregnancy, a restructuring at The Company ends her comfortable routine. The shift in her lifestyle is full of surprises as she tries to figure out what she wants and recovery her own autonomy.

This novel is definitely one to make you think about current reproductive politics and modern work culture. What perks might be offered to keep the capitalist machine running at full force. I found this book insightful and with many topics to discuss making it ideal as a book club choice. I liked Natalie even though she's so disarmingly honest about her lack of ambition, desire not to work, and her attitude about what she needs to have a nice life. Her cynical voice makes her journey to self discovery both hilarious and relatable. I was much more interested in her surrogate life than in the communal environment because she didn't seem to fit with any sort of that minimalist mindset and I wonder if she substituted animals for all else that she lacked in her personal life. I also thought the book ended rather abruptly. 

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, Natalie Naudus, did a great job of voicing the mostly all female cast of characters. She handled some accents and tried to make each voice distinguishable. Her tone and pacing was well done and the production added to my enjoyment of the story.

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

Genre and tags: female reproductive rights, surrogate pregnancy, workplace culture, social commentary, self determination