The Body on the Shore (DCI Craig Gillard #2) by Nick Louth

Simply put -- this is a great police procedural, the second in a new series by Nick Louth. Set in Surrey and featuring DCI Craig Gillard, the crime thriller is complex and absorbing and very hard to put down!

A young architect is murdered in his office one morning and Gillard gets the nod to lead the investigation. The few leads soon dry up and, though it looks like a professional assassination, the detectives can't figure out why anyone would want to kill the husband and father. Until they discover that he came to the UK as an orphan seeking asylum... In what comes to be a related case, a body is found on the shore of a remote beach. And, to complicate an already complicated situation, the two adopted children of a local woman are kidnapped leading Gillard deep into the not-so-hidden blood wars of the Albanian Mafia. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative is fast-paced with action as well as a focus on the various methods used by the police and Gillard's team to track down the suspects, recover the children, and figure out the motivations for the murders. The descriptions and detail are meticulous and is focused mainly on police activity with only a little about their personal lives. I can see a lot of potential for this great series and can't wait for #3. I was riveted by the backstory of the Albanians and their vendettas between families -- all interesting and new information for me. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing this e-book ARC for me to read and review. I highly recommend this series and am eager to see what case Gillard is tasked with next. 

The Body in the Marsh (DCI Craig Gillard #1) by Nick Louth

Excellent and well-written police procedural, the first in a new series featuring DCI Craig Gillard out of Surrey Police in Guildford. With intricately constructed complex plotting, full of twists and red herrings, this crime thriller will appeal to any fan of this genre.

The case -- Elizabeth Knight, the wife of respected criminologist Martin Knight, is reported missing by one her oldest best friends. After the police contact her husband with questions, he also disappears. Gillard's team opens an investigation but he harbors a secret: he once dated Liz Knight and has never really gotten over her. Gillard's search for answers will take him to the continent and back again as he attempts to find out what happened and why. NO SPOILERS.

This is fast-paced and kept me glued to the pages as I tried to guess what would happen with all the clues and questions. Though I did figure out where it was going fairly early on, I was intrigued as events unfolded and the conclusion was completely satisfying. I can't wait to start the second book, THE BODY ON THE SHORE!

Thank you to the publisher (Canelo) for this e-book to read and review.

Series book #1

The Last Hours (Black Death #1) by Minette Walters

Summer 1348 heralds the arrival of the Black Death to Dorseteshire and seriously impacts the relatively small demesne of Develish. Shortly before the apocalypse of disease appears, Sir Richard leaves his land to journey to Bradmayne in an effort to marry off his 14-year-old daughter, Lady Eleanor. Instead of returning with news of a betrothal, Sir Richard brings the plague. When he's denied access across the moat to the manor and dies, his widow, Lady Anne takes over and creates an entirely new society inside the walls. Trained in a nunnery before she was wed, Lady Anne knows how to use practical hygiene and isolation methods to keep her serfs free from disease. She and two of her trusted serfs -- the bastard Thaddeus Thurkell and an older man named Gyles Startout -- encourage the people of the demesne to bond together to save themselves. Be forewarned, this ends on a cliffhanger as there is meant to be a book #2!

If you're in the mood for compelling and fascinating historical fiction focusing on how the Black Death affected a relatively small community and its impact on their way of life then this is the book for you. I found myself absorbed completely in the details and descriptions of the life and times of the characters in this extremely well-written novel. Because of the strength and leadership of Lady Anne, the loyalty of the people of the demesne, and the resilience of the human spirit, this incredible saga of the event that decimated much of the population of Europe is hard to put down. I have long been fascinated by stories surrounding how the plague destroyed centuries of social order, how it affected the religious beliefs held by the majority of the populace, and how it increased the awareness of how disease was spread including the emphasis on learning about sanitation and the importance of extermination. So few had any degree of understanding of epidemiology or even cleanliness and little was known of science as most people thought that it was sin that brought death and disease. It's hard for us now to imagine such degree of ignorance living as we do, but the author describes the setting and living conditions so well in this novel that you can see, hear, smell, feel and taste what it must have been like. I love books that send me into research mode, and I definitely made use of the Internet while reading.

I encourage you to read this if you like historical fiction and a great story with well-drawn characters that you learn to love and/or hate! I cannot wait for the sequel to this and am so grateful to NetGalley & Edelweiss and MIRA/Harper Collins for this e-book ARC to read and review. Hurry up, Ms Walters, and finish this masterpiece!

Her Final Hour (Gina Harte #2) by Carla Kovach

 DI Gina Harte has just returned home to Cleevesford from a short holiday spent with her daughter and granddaughter when she gets called to work. A murder. A 35-year-old wife and mother, Melissa Sanderson, was beaten and strangled to death in her own kitchen. Harte is made Senior Investifating Officer (which thrills her as it will be her first time and a huge step in her career) and she and her team begin to gather and follow the few clues and leads that will soon spiral into quite the case. There's no shortage of motives and suspects -- could it be Melissa's own husband who found her body and called police when he came home after a night out at the pub? Or is it Melissa's secret lover? Then there's the personal attack on Gina Harte herself. And yet another victim. In all 3 cases, there are some links and similarities. Gina and her fellow detectives are frustrated and stalled at every turn in this complex crime investigation. Painstaking attention to detail and chasing down people who may or may not be involved is going to take some doing.

I enjoyed this fast-paced police procedural, the second in the series. I like Gina Harte's character and she is working on achieving some personal growth with issues in her own life while still staying focused on her job. The personalities of the other members of the team are becoming more solid but there is still a long way to go before they become more than one-dimensional as the focus is mainly on Gina. It seems that in many books like this that the female detectives are messed up and have difficulty with relationships and I hope that Gina can break out of that mold. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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

Second book in Detective Gina Harte series. I read the first and enjoyed it as well.

Their Last Words (#1 Ray Paterson) by Steve Parker

This was a fast-paced, well-written crime thriller and police procedural -- the first in a new series featuring Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson. He's a wealthy playboy, recently promoted to head his first murder squad case -- and the victim is a young woman, savagely mutilated with a word carved into her chest. He and his team, based out of Bermondsey, South London, barely get started on the investigation when another victim is found. They have a serial killer to hunt. Thankfully, Ray has a good group to work with, including a friend who's helping him learn the ropes, DS Dave Jordan.
As they delve into their jobs, even calling in a behavioral analyst, it becomes clear that this killer has an agenda, and their inability to find and apprehend this monster will cost the department dearly. NO SPOILERS.

What an absorbing read! I could not put this down and was absolutely glued to the pages, gripped by the twists and turns and the grisly details. The characters were depicted quite clearly and the dialog and actions of the team seemed so believable and realistic. The chills and tension kept escalating and the narrative paced perfectly to draw out maximum suspense. I loved it! If you enjoy a gritty police procedural with characters that are more unique than typical in the genre, this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the next novel by this author and highly recommend this one. Sign me up for an ARC now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. This debut screams for a follow-up and I'm so glad I had the chance to get in at the beginning of what I'm sure will be a great ride for this obviously talented author who has the chops to write what he knows!

Series #1

The Day I Lost You by Alex Sinclair

Erika is taking her 4-year-old daughter to her estranged husband's top floor apartment on the 14th floor of an upscale building when they get trapped inside a stuck elevator. When it moves a little and the doors open slightly at mid floor, little Alice squeezes through the small opening onto the 7th floor. Erika, already anxious, can't get through and the doors close again taking her down to the lobby. Frantic, she asks the young man at the reception desk, Henry, to help her find Alice. She enlists the help of another resident, Alan, to come with her when Henry seems loathe to take any action. When they get back up to the 7th floor, Alice is nowhere to be found. A door-to-door search is fruitless. What could have happened and where is Alice? And does Alice's disappearance have something to do with Erika's ex, Michael, or has someone in this building kidnapped her? NO SPOILERS.

I read this short book in a little over an hour. Not because it was so compelling, but because I was having such a hard time making sense of the story given how I found it all so utterly unbelievable. That's how I knew something was really off. Yes, it would be entirely normal for a mother to be hysterical if she had lost her child but Erika seemed bat-crap crazy and her madcap actions had me shaking my head. I just had to get to the end of this so that I could find out if my instincts were correct. Yes. There was a twist at the end and it sort of explained some of the day's events as Erika, Alan and several others race up and down and around the building. Definitely different sort of missing child book to what I expected.

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

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

The Secret by K.L. Slater

"Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth." BUDDHA

Archie, 8-years-old, lives in Nottinghamshire with his mom, Louise, and adoptive father, Darren. He has a secret too big to hold inside but too scary to tell. But his deteriorating behavior and anxiety slowly become worrisome when he starts spending more time with Alice -- Archie's aunt and Louise's younger sister. Alice lives alone in a flat that belonged to their mother, she has some physical injuries from an accident, and she is prone to fears of her own. She can't explain away the things she finds out, or those signs that are revealed in the dynamics of dysfunctional relationships. What is really going on with Archie and his family and can Alice become brave enough to confront truth once and for all?  NO SPOILERS.

This was a psychological drama centered on family and the keeping of secrets. Alice is a mousy character who never learned to stand up for herself but who is now called upon to stand up for others. Louise is a domineering older sister who shows a real proclivity to narcissism and who is quite manipulative. Is Louise really a monster behind a facade of mother, wife and working professional? Her husband, Darren, expresses deep concerns about his wife. Alice is worried about everyone, even the upstairs neighbor whose phone rings at odd hours during the middle of the night. What is it that Archie can't tell anyone?

Enjoyable and fast-paced read with a surprising twist or two along the way. The narrative is told from three points of view and flips back and forth in time giving the reader a historical perspective on the development of the characters. Although I really didn't care for any of the lot, I know we're meant to feel an affinity for their various plights. I wanted to shake Alice a time or two and I have no patience for disinterested mothering or favoritism. Louise? I detested her completely. Anyway, I've no doubt Slater's fans (and I'm one) will eat this up! It should be obvious to anyone that a secret can be a very dangerous thing to hold.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Sometimes a best friend isn't really good for you...

Two pre-adolescent girls from opposite sides of the track trying to find some care, love and affection in their lives. Drawn to each other, but bringing out the worst -- how far will they take things in order to be free from their suffocating and miserable existence? Charlotte and Katie want to be on the run like BONNIE and CLYDE. They make promises to each other, but one of them breaks their pact. And now, the past comes back with a vengeance. NO SPOILERS.

This domestic psychological drama flips back and forth in time and is told from the viewpoints of all the main players. It can be a bit confusing keeping it all straight so this is a book that is probably best read over a short period of time. The narration is not reliable and there are so many secrets and tidbits of important information kept from the reader until the last couple of chapters. There was no surprise or twist in this for me, I already knew from pretty much the beginning where this was going. So, I guess I can say now that I was fairly disappointed in this novel because it certainly didn't grab me or hold me in thrall with any suspense like BEHIND HER EYES did. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I didn't find most of the narrative believable so it didn't create any tension for me.

A certain kind of reader will probably gobble this up and enjoy it tremendously. Unfortunately, that particular type of reader is not me. It took me far too long to get through this and I found it dragging at several points. I didn't really care that much about the characters and expected the resolution to be pretty much exactly what it was. I still hold on to the fact that I really loved her first book, so I will give Sarah Pinborough another go with her next outing, but this one left me feeling let down as I had such high expectations.

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review courtesy of Edelweiss.

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

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

What a fun "locked room" whodunit set within the confines of the cozy Mitchell Inn located in the Catskill Mountains of New York State.

The 10 guests make their way to the beautiful accommodations high into the mountains during a snowstorm. Away from civilization, without internet service, and with lovely vistas and well-appointed rooms -- this promises to be a weekend that none will forget. Unfortunately, all of the guests will not make it out alive. When the storm cuts the power, those at the Inn are without heat or light...and without help from the outside. Tensions and suspicions mount in the confinement and finger pointing becomes dangerous to those still alive.

The characters are quite the mix of personalities and, though there were quite a few, the author gives such great backstory that it is easy to remember who is who as each is introduced. Since the narrative flips between the point of view of the different people, the reader is aware of conflict beneath the surface of the initialally convivial gathering of strangers. When the first dead body is discovered on the morning after everyone's arrival, it's thought to be an accident at first glance. One of the guests, however, is convinced it is murder. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I won't go into describing each person staying at the hotel, nor the father and son who are left to run the place single-handedly due to the isolation caused by the storm. They are all quite interesting and I enjoyed trying to piece together the clues to see if I could guess the identity and the motivation of the perpetrator.

I loved the setting, the atmosphere and the story line. The writing drew me in and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough so stayed up late to finish all in one sitting. The conclusion was excellent, except I was left with one burning question! Definitely enjoyed this guessing game mystery and would recommend to fans of Agatha Christie. I've read both of this author's other books as well and this was a very satisfactory third outing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books, Viking for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series. Great cover!

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

Mystery at a summer camp. What really happened to the girls?

"There's something worse than death...not knowing."

Artist Emma Davis has spent the last 15 years haunted by the disappearance of 3 of her cabin mates while they were at summer camp. Exhaustive searches revealed no hint of what happened to the teenagers. Now at age 28, she's been invited back to Camp Nightingale as an instructor. She decides to accept the offer in hopes that she can undo some of the damage she did back then -- because there were several things she lied about at the time. This time she's determined to find out what happened to Vivian, Natalie and Allison. Once back at the camp ensconced in the same cabin where she'd stayed when she was 13, Emma finds that she is still under a cloud of suspicion -- that's why there is a motion sensor camera trained right on the door to Dogwood. Emma knows that she really didn't have anything to do with whatever happened to those girls...

Told in past/present narrative style through Emma's voice at 13 and at 28, the events are slowly revealed which made me very impatient to get to the denouement and conclusion. Emma is a character that I never identified with and she is constantly scrutinizing all the secondary characters for hints of guilt or involvement. She suffers from hallucinations and paranoia while also acknowledging that she has never told the truth about certain things surrounding the relationship she had with the 3 girls who vanished. The family that owns the camp also comes under suspicion. And then there's the fact that the man made lake on the property actually might be concealing a secret. Lots of teen angst and drama and a mystery that drug on a bit too long. I had a bit of a problem with the ending and definitely issues with Emma.

This is the second book I've read by this author, and this had some similarities to the first in writing style and tone. I'm not a fan of the past-present structure, but I do prefer reading an adult perspective rather than that of teenager voice. The book didn't have that "can't put it down" vibe for me, but I admit that it can be difficult for a story to keep me fully engaged at times.

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

This is a standalone fiction book that is not part of any series.

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Warning -- those of you who are die-hard Karin Slaughter fans might not want to read further. Or you can comment after you've read the book and this review!

The synopsis and premise were intriguing -- Andrea found out that her mother was not just some 55-year-old suburban cliche mom but was someone who had a really sordid history that she had had hidden from Andrea for 31 years, no -- that she had LIED about her entire life. When Laura kills a spree shooter at the mall and garners police suspicion, Andrea goes on the run and finds out the truth along the way. Told in past/present chapters with alternating voices, the story is at first confusing and unengaging. After the first couple of switches, the reader figures out how it's all connected.

This is not part of any series, but is a standalone. It's meant to be a suspense thriller for adults, but it reads more like YA fiction. Although the protagonist is 31, her thoughts, emotions and behavior are more like that of a teenager. Andrea (and how I hated the nickname, "Andy", not only because it was a dead giveaway of a supposed twist plot point, but my daughter's name is Andrea and I am so glad she never wanted to use that as a nickname) narrates alternating chapters as she's "on the run" where she spends all of her time vacillating, crying, making stupid decisions, angsting, having stream of consciousness repetitive thoughts in her head. She seems incapable of even forming complete sentences. Her character was so annoying that I was a breath away from just tossing the book down the stairs and never finishing it. But, I slogged on and got exactly what I expected. A long, drawn-out story about an adult daughter (Andrea) finding out that her mother (Laura) wasn't at all who she had pretended to be.

I had high expectations for this because I've read many other books by this author (who I almost never forgave for THAT ending). I was disappointed and, as I said, I had to force myself to finish. I didn't like ANY of the characters, I didn't care about what Laura had done, I thought the resolution and conclusion were both far-fetched and there was way too much drama in this for my taste. Way too much TELL and rambling description. No doubt I'll hear from other readers about how wrong I am, about how this book is "brilliant" and they "couldn't put it down", etc. and I say -- great! To each her own opinion. That's why we write reviews.

I'll hesitate in the future to request another KS book that is not part of her usual series style fare, but I thank the publisher, William Morrow, and Edelweiss for the e-book ARC of this to read and review.

Standalone -- not part of a series.

Last Witness (DI Zac Boateng #2) By Chris Merritt

When your past comes back to haunt you...

Crime thriller and police procedural, the second in a series featuring Detective Inspector Zac Boateng of the Lewisham Major Investigation Team. An old colleague is found dead -- a suspected suicide. Then another. And yet another. Three dead cops, all from the team that had responded to a 999 call years ago when they were all new to the police force. Obviously the deaths are murders, and Zac knows that he's next on the list because he was there that night as well. Something happened inside that house years ago and someone wants them to pay for it.

This is rather slow moving and also involves a concurrent unrelated investigation into hate crime in the area. I knew almost immediately who was behind the killing of the cops, so the reveal came as no surprise. I had enjoyed the first book in this new series, BRING HER BACK, so had wanted to follow up. I know there's a third in the works. The character of DI Boateng is rather stereotypical of male detectives -- strong silent type family man. Zac carries a lot of guilt (from events related to the first book) and with what happened to cause a killer to come after him in this book. Some interesting themes in the book include police welfare (psychological counseling and all-t00-common problem of police suicide) and the unique use of the drug, succinylcholine, a paralyzing agent.

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

Slowly We Die by Emelie Schepp (Jana Berzelius #3)

Nordic Noir at its best!

Excuse me while I take a moment. Reverence! This book was absolutely fantastic and I can't believe I came in on the third in such a series having never heard of this author before (I don't know who to blame for that.) This is simply a great thriller. It has themes of loss, murder, revenge, redemption, and loyalty. It's part mystery, part police procedural, and partly just a darn great story. However, it is NOT a medical thriller (that is very misleading in the blurbs) by my reckoning. But, I'm going to let it go as I loved it anyway. 

This suspenseful novel is set in Norrkoping, Sweden. There are so many characters in this novel that it would be impossible, without spoilers, to give a run down of who is who and how they were involved in the plot. The main character is, obviously, meant to be Prosecutor Jana Berzelius (and whoa what a backstory she has) followed by the police team -- there's Gunnar, Mia, Henrik, Anneli, and technician Ola. Then there are the secondary characters about whom the action revolves -- paramedics Philip and Sandra. Then the victims -- murdered in their homes in most gruesome style. At first it's a little hard to keep them all straight. There's also a mystery man with whom Jana has a history -- and it's not the romantic kind. But I won't say more so that you can work it all out for yourself and enjoy it as much as I did. The writing and characterization are top-notch and, even if you guess ahead at what might be going on as I did, you will still enjoy the ride!

What are you waiting for -- get this on your TBR as soon as you can. Best would be if you read #1 and #2 first, I'm sure, though I didn't have that luxury. I can only imagine, given the little dangling morsel at the end, that there is going to be a fourth and I've already got it on my MUST READ list.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA Books/Harlequin Enterprises for this e-book ARC to read and review. Don't forget me when I come begging for more Jana Berzelius.

Portraits of the Dead (DI Gravel #1) by John Nicholl

"If heaven can be a place on earth, then so can hell."

When 19-year-old Emma Jones wakes in a windowless cell, she knows that her hell has just begun. Kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, she's held prisoner by a man who speaks to her through an intercom and hides behind a clown mask. Pictures on the walls show 5 other girls that look just like her. The man glories in sadistic torture and murder -- will she be next?

Detective Inspector Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin of West Wales Police catch the case when the mother of a missing girl comes into the station. Shortly afterwards, the bodies of 5 unidientified young women are discovered in nearby Caerystwyth Wood. The hunt for a serial killer begins.

This grisly, dark thriller is immediately absorbing and tense. Though the identity of the killer is shared early, the narrative shifting between points of view, the reader is kept glued to the pages as the story progresses. Part police procedural, but with more emphasis on other disturbing action, it is difficult to put aside the book so I had to read it all in a single sitting. I must say I was rather upset by the climax and conclusion; it was unsettling and unexpected. The ending is abrupt in some ways.

I've read one other book in the DI Gravel series (unfortunately out of order) but will be starting the 3rd book, A COLD COLD HEART, immediately. Good stuff if you like serial killer chiller thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Tiffany Blues by MJ Rose

"...grief is the price we pay for love."

Jenny Bell is a gifted artist living in New York City in 1924 when she and her best friend, socialite Minx Deering, are invited to an 8-week course on Long Island at Louis Comfort Tiffany's art colony. Off they go to the beautiful Laurelton Hall estate where art will meet paradise. It is there that Jenny comes face to face with her demons, finds love, and refines her passion and talent as a painter of light. But happiness eludes her as the past she's hidden for so long comes back with a vengeance.

This lovely, romantic historical novel evokes all the frenzy that was the 1920s -- the music, the fashion, the art, the literature and the easy use of drugs and alcohol. Everyone was frantically trying to rid themselves of the horrors of the war and so much death. Jenny and Minx are quintessential young adults in a world where life and color rule and people are entranced by new inventions and radicalism. As they begin their course at Laurelton Hall, both are committed to winning the competition among the fellows that summer -- but their ambitions will be derailed by matters that neither predicted nor could control.

The detail and the descriptions of the scenery at Laurelton Hall and everything about their experiences are well rendered making the reader feel a part of that period in time. The clothes, jewelry, food -- the famous names dropped so casually -- it is obvious that M.J. Rose has a deep appreciation and understanding of beauty and art. I felt transported back in time and loved it all. Less compelling was Jenny's story and the drama (somewhat unbelievable) surrounding her backstory, but fortunately that wasn't why I read the book so that aspect was easy for me to overlook while savoring the rich historic period, the information about Tiffany, and the joy of imagining what it would be like to actually see that famous estate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review. I've read many books by this author and the most compelling part of each is always her ability to bring the creation of art (or perfume or jewelry, etc.) to life.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series. #JazzAge #romance #art

Pretty Ugly Lies by Pamela Crane

"...sacrifice could teach us how to live fuller, that being true to oneself wasn't about temporary happiness, but about enduring the hardships and finding strength within."

Oleander Way, North Carolina. Four families. Four wives who are also mothers. Mothers who are drowning under the weight of demanding husbands and children. Something has to give.

This psychological thriller and mystery is told from the viewpoint of four different women. All are doing their best to take care of their children and their husbands -- and largely failing. One of these women decides to take matters in hand. The result is family annihilation. How did it get to this point -- was there a moment when everything broke or was it a slow, eroding process borne of frustration and futility?

A slow burner of suspense, this novel shows motherhood and marriage as a thankless prison. The anguish of the women is palpable, all the more because I struggled to understand it and empathize. The mother with a special needs child, the one whose husband was having an affair, the other with a secret lover who wouldn't let go, and the woman whose child was kidnapped from the park as retaliation for a long ago mistake. What do these women have in common? Real life and all its toll on their hearts, minds and time. NO SPOILERS.

An extremely fast paced book that begs to be read in one sitting. At the outset, the reader knows that a there has been murder, but it takes most of the narrative -- told from different points of view -- to get to the who and why. Although I'm not quite sure I liked how it all turned out, it definitely was a compelling read. I feel that the overall tone was quite depressing and certainly would make me question my desire to have children or a family (if I hadn't already gone that route with much different results). We read about women who "snap" and commit horrific crimes against their families and always wonder -- what was the last straw -- and WHY? There are no answers here, really, but maybe just the underlying theme: endure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound books for this e-book ARC to read and review. This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

The Perfect Friend by Barbara Copperthwaite

"We all have locked boxes inside us that only certain people get the keys to."

A dark and twisty psychological drama that starts slow and builds to a suspenseful climax.

Alex Appleby is 44-years-old. She lives alone, works as a dressmaker, and attends a support group for all sorts of trauma victims. She's a recovering anorexic, and she admits that she is a great liar.
Alex used to be married and she had twins -- a girl and a boy -- but no one knows exactly what happened though she admits that she is at fault for them being out of her life now. Alex has a lot of love with no place to express it, so she befriends a fellow group member, 24-year-old Carrie. Carrie is there because she just got a terminal diagnosis as her cancer has come back. Though there is a 20 year age gap, they become friends outside the group. Alex wants to "mother" and Carrie needs one. And that's when the trouble begins... NO SPOILERS.

The narrative, told from different points of view and a THEN and NOW as well, starts to build in the middle of the book. Little by little you learn the secrets that Alex and Carrie are hiding and start to see the nature of their bond. Although neither character really resonated with me, or compelled my sympathy and understanding, I must admit that I was not sure what was truth and what was a lie as both were unreliable. I stayed up well past my bedtime frantically turning the pages as fast as I could read in order to get to the end! I enjoyed the surprise of the unanticipated turns as Alex and Carrie are fully revealed.

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

This is a standalone and not part of a series.

VOX by Christina Dalcher

What would happen in America if the government decided that all females should be outfitted with a "bracelet" that limited them to speaking only 100 words a day? If the clock was rewound to mimic a period where women had, not only no considered opinions, but no jobs, no real education, and no ability to do anything besides care for the home, children and husband. That is the state of the nation in this near-future tale. The PURE movement, spearheaded by a preacher and the upper levels of government, has relegated women and female children to mere tools of the men to whom they belong. The men control every aspect of life. Propaganda fills the airwaves. Even the women, like Dr. Jean McClellan, a neuro linguist whose scientific research in eliminating Wernicke's Aphasia was about to make a huge difference in stroke and head injured people, have been silenced. Powerful men have reduced America to a fundamentalist state after subjugating half the population.

In this new world order, hope comes when it seems that all has been lost. Jean is called by the President to work on her project in a top secret lab because his brother has had a head injury from a skiing accident and the President needs him cured. When Jean arrives to begin the intense work demanded of her, she finds that something even more heinous is planned. NO SPOILERS.

This was quite the read -- shades of Atwood's chilling work, THE HANDMAID'S TALE -- but with the focus more on the voice of women and their need to pay attention to politics and their rights. To not stand idly by while government creeps into their homes and bedrooms. To use their power to vote and campaign for themselves. The story would definitely provide many themes and topics for a great book club discussion. It gave me chills to imagine how easily something like this could happen if fully half the population was lulled into a sense of complacency. Keep up the good fight, ladies.

The narrative itself was a quick read even though there was a ton of technical and scientific information. I found myself often wondering how far-fetched the science was though always rooting for it to be possible. I thoroughly absorbed it all and think it was a very interesting and compelling book. Sort of a wake up call to answer some of the current political shifts that have the potential to impact the lives of many women. People always say, "That couldn't happen here." But, they're wrong. All it takes is...and I'm paraphrasing...for a few good women to do nothing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the e-book ARC to read and review. I recommend it!

Standalone, not part of a series. This would make a great movie or miniseries!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

After Alicia Berenson is brought to trial for shooting her husband, Gabriel, to death at their home, she's remanded into psychiatric care at the Grove, an old facility in North London that's about to be shut down. Her trial ended with this decision because it could not continue -- Alicia refused to speak. She was frozen, immobile, non responsive. It was said that she had a long history of mental illness. It's 6 years later, now, and Alicia still has not spoken a word. Enter Theo Faber -- a 42-year-old forensic psychotherapist. He is convinced that he's uniquely qualified to help Alicia Berenson to tell her story and to get well. In short, he seems almost obsessed about her. NO SPOILERS.

This psychological thriller is quite complex and though slow to start, once it gets going, the tale is very compelling. Sometimes a bit hard to follow, the reader knows that there's something very strange going on at the Grove. And a great deal wrong with certain people who work there. In addition, as Theo seeks out those who knew Alicia before her husband died, some disturbing information comes to light. Then, there's Alicia's diary. Either some folks are lying or Alicia is more messed up than anyone knew. Will Alicia ever speak to Theo and can he help her? The conclusion may surprise you!

I enjoyed this debut and will definitely look for future books by this author. Thank you to Edelweiss and Celadon Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Standalone, not part of a series. Psychological thriller.

The Birthday (DI Natalie Ward #1) by Carol E Wyer

DI Natalie Ward with the Samford Police Force has a chilling task -- to find the person who murdered 5-year-old Ava Sawyer and buried her behind a garden center 2 years ago. Ava had disappeared during a birthday party and was not found until the center was sold and excavation for expansion by the new owners had begun. After the discovery of the little girl's body, Natalie and her team are rocked by two new killings of little girls -- both found dressed in yellow party dresses.

DI Ward, Sergeants Lucy Carmichael, Murry Anderson, and PC Ian Jarvis make up the investigative unit that has a terrific job to do. Find out who is snatching and killing these little girls right under their noses. When a 4th girl is taken, the stakes are higher as this child is the daughter of a former detective who worked on the initial case. Can they find out the identity of the serial killer and stop him in time to save Sage?

Lots of red herrings and suspects in this one with the voice of the killer narrating an occasional chapter. Natalie is an interesting character, haunted by her failure in a former case involving a child, and is driven to solve this at the cost of her home and family life. I'm interested to see how she develops in the second book of this series. Looks like we will see more personal drama among members of the team as well. It's always fun to start a new series with fresh characters!

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

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay

What a fun, entertaining, page-turning suspense thriller that Barclay has written for our enjoyment! I've long been a fan, reading almost everything he's ever written, and this one does not disappoint! If you're looking for a compelling and enjoyable read this summer, pick this one.

Paul Davis is sort of a mess. He suffered serious head trauma when hit by a shovel after finding a colleague of his with two dead women in the back cargo area of a station wagon. Paul has a bit of PTSD along with some mental health issues, but he's seeing a therapist and starting to recover. Paul gets the notion that he will write about the events, visit the killer in prison, and get his life back. Someone has other ideas...NO SPOILERS.

Although I had some idea of where this one was going, it was still a well-written standalone novel with interesting characters and some great red herrings. For awhile, I wasn't sure I was right! This is definitely a book you can read in one sitting, it will be hard to put down, and had a very satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to LibraryThing and HarperCollins Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review. 

Standalone but set in Promise Falls.

Into the Darkness by Sibel Hodge

"Sometimes the right thing to do is wrong. There were different kinds of justice."

An elderly couple is murdered on their isolated farm. THE DETECTIVE (DS Warren Carter) is working this homicide case. An 18-year-old girl (Toni) is MISSING. Toni's mom is desperate because the police are not being helpful, and hires THE VIGILANTE (Mitchell). Are these two investigations related -- and if so, why and how?

Toni is passionate about saving children from the horrors of the evil that is done to them. She finds evidence of snuff films on the dark web and wants to take this information to the local police when she's abducted. Will she be the next victim in the RED ROOM? Ex military SAS Mitchell was Toni's dad's best friend and when Toni doesn't come home, her mom calls him for help. Can he find her before it's too late?

DS Carter and his team can't figure out why the elderly couple was killed as there is no obvious motive. A set of handprints belonging to a missing prostitute named Tracy White is found at the scene. Why was she there? No link is found between Tracy and the owners of the farm.

This thriller is narrated by the three main characters -- Toni, Mitchell and Carter. As it unfolds, the connection becomes clear and the action ratchets up to a satisfying conclusion. The main theme of the book focuses on the activities of people trolling the dark web and the atrocities that are perpetrated in the name of entertainment for the sickos willing to pay for it. It's pretty gruesome stuff.

I've read a couple of other titles by this author and can tell she is passionate about protecting children and that she is definitely a human rights advocate. Some of her work has been about sex trafficking. I enjoyed the book and will look for others by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

On the night that Margaret hopes to become engaged to Chip, she's on the brink of starting the wonderful life she's worked so hard to set up for herself. She's just landed the job of her dreams and everything is falling into place. Until the moment she's pulled from the wreckage...

I won this from Bookish First and promised to read and review. I think I should have examined the synopsis a bit closer, but all I remember seeing was "accident" and "plane crash." Most of you who follow my reviews know that I like all things medical, and I hoped that the story of Margaret's survival and recovery would be more about science -- but it was a romance novel through and through. Sure there was plenty of doom, gloom, despair and misery -- but it was so overshadowed by the improbable love story that I just couldn't get from the book what I'd hoped for.

I had a hard time with many aspects of this novel (I've worked with people who've had this type of injury) and though I know the author did a lot of research on the topic of the injury Margaret sustained, I had to suspend a lot of disbelief about the way things progressed with her treatment and therapy. Margaret's family seemed to be props just to propel the situations that develop in order to get to that happy ending that you know is coming. I didn't, for one minute, feel that everything wasn't going to turn out OK. The whole story never clicked for me, but then again, I am not a romance reader and I just didn't know that was the main point of the book.

So, if you are looking for a feel good, sort of overly sentimental type love-in-spite-of-the-dismal-odds tale to provide some entertainment by the pool or beach, this is the one for you.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Standalone, not part of any series.

Believe Me by J.P. Delaney

All you need to remember after you pick up this psychological thriller is that CLAIRE is an actress. From Britain, now in NYC, she can't work legally while taking acting classes at Actors Studio. So she needs a job that pays cash to supplement her scholarship. Claire explains that, as an orphan who was shuttled from place to place in foster care, she learned the art of "behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." And, "It's what you imagine that defines you as a character."

So she gets a job acting as a decoy to tempt husbands to stray. She's very good at her role, but one night she is hired to lure the wrong man -- who is disinterested and preoccupied with his academic work -- the translation and teaching of the work of Charles Baudelaire. Patrick Folger is enamored of a particular book of Baudelaire's poetry, LES FLUERS DU MAL -- which happens to be morbid erotica after a fashion. When he departs without falling for Claire's enticements, she meets his wife, Stella, who had hired her through a law firm that Claire works for. Unfortunately, Stella ends up dead in her hotel room the next morning. Who killed her? Along with the murder, there is money missing. At first, Claire is a suspect, but then she is hired to pursue Patrick because the police believe he might have murdered his wife and that he is, in fact, a serial killer. There's the premise in a nutshell.

NO SPOILERS. Claire agrees to go undercover and assume the acting role of a lifetime. Be beware -- Claire is not entirely reliable as a narrator and the reader is never sure if she is being real or acting -- or even if Claire can tell the difference between the two.

The prose has an unusual style, written at times like a screenplay. While fitting for the subject matter, it was a little odd at first. The game of cat and mouse is such that, while you are drawn in with questions, you become less sure of what is going on as the book progresses. Definitely you will need to suspend disbelief as some of what happens seems completely unrealistic or likely to happen as described. I didn't really care for the ending and not sure that I really liked this book though it definitely held my interest well enough that I didn't want to put it down.

So, ultimately, should you read it? Depends on your BS meter and your ability to get into a character such as Claire. The details about Baudelaire and his poetry were quite interesting and macabre. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. Looking forward to hearing others' opinions and thoughts on this second novel that I've read by this author.

Standalone, not part of a series.

The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk #4) by Dean Koontz

Do YOU know Jane Hawk? Rogue FBI agent intent on saving the world from the Techno Arcadians? If not, you've missed out on one of the most entertaining thriller series available for your reading pleasure.

This is book #4. Under NO circumstances should you read this until you have read 1-3. This is not any kind of standalone, plus you'll be missing the amazing backstory and the incredible details that continue to make these episodes so compelling.

Nanotechnology is real, but the Techno Arcadians have taken the science to a whole new level. This group of powerful men and women seek to enslave or destroy anyone who doesn't share their vision of revolution in order to create their version of Utopia. Jane Hawk is on the run, ferreting out some of those rich egomaniacs, all the while trying to save her son, Jack, whom she has hidden because he is her Achilles heel. They get Jack, they get her.

The action is nonstop, and Dean Koontz, like no other author, loves description, metaphor, simile, and $25.00 words! I am in love with this series and with Jane Hawk. If you're in the mood to step into a world that may become real in the not-so-distant future, you will inhale these books as I have. Definitely my most anticipated read of summer in 2018, I can honestly say that it was just as good as I hoped. More information, more gore, more unique characters, more "adjusted" people and more of Jane Hawk's evasion tactics. This, folks, is pure entertainment! Don't miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for approving me to read and review this e-book ARC. I was happy to see a preview of #5 at the end of this, and cannot wait until I get to read it. Do we dare hope for a conclusion to this saga at that point, or will Koontz torture me further? 

Her Mother's Grave (Det. Josie Quinn #3) by Lisa Regan

The sins of a mother...

After the bones of a young woman, Belinda Rose, are found in a trailer park where she grew up, Josie Quinn is set to perhaps finally know the truth of her past. She had a childhood filled with loneliness and abuse, an evil mother, and many instances of trauma that have left her mistrustful, insecure, and haunted. With each discovery during the ensuing investigation, Detective Josie  Quinn and her team find one unsettling revelation after another. Complicated by questions that seemingly can't be answered, by hidden files and secrets that have bound the perpetrators, the case causes Josie to examine her memories and go back to that hated time of her life. Supported by her colleagues, Josie finds that the discovery of the bones is just the tip of the iceberg.

This series featuring Denton Police Chief Josie Quinn is simply one of the best out there! This is the third book, and if you consider reading it, I'd recommend starting at the beginning. I love police procedurals featuring strong female protagonists and, though Josie is as damaged as the rest of the ones typically appearing in genre fiction these days, there is something about her character that I find compelling and relatable. She's loyal, loves deeply and sincerely, and is painfully honest. As the series develops, with each new book, her personality becomes more defined and the characters of her colleagues and friends are also evolving -- becoming people you want to know better. The writing is excellent and the pace is fast, so this is a book you hate to put down. I can't wait to see what happens to Josie next, so come on, Lisa Regan -- get cracking on #4! Great mystery and suspense.

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

The Fifth to Die (4MK#2) by J.D. Barker

"You can't play God without being acquainted with the devil"

Anson Bishop is surely trying to be both. Detective Sam Porter knows Bishop well as he continues to follow the grisly clues that Bishop leaves in his wake...dead people. Beware -- this second book in the 4MK (Four Monkey Killer) series ends on a cliffhanger that will have you screaming for more!

Excellent writing, compelling action, complex plot, and intriguing characters make this a suspense thriller and police procedural that you won't want to miss. The story line is extremely complicated, so pay attention, and definitely, you MUST have read the first book before attempting this one.

Dead girls, dead parents -- what scheme has Bishop got going this time? He's changed his MO and signature a bit and Porter can't stand down from pursuing him even after he's put on suspension and the FBI has taken over the hunt for Bishop. Porter risks everything as he tries to find Bishop and stop his madness even as the victim count mounts. Bishop is an extremely brilliant psychopath whose strategy can't be anticipated. Can Porter trust anyone or does Bishop's network extend beyond the reach of any kind of justice. NO SPOILERS.  Highly recommended if you like thriller chiller killer novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the e-book ARC to read and review. PLEASE, J.D. Barker, hurry with #3!

I Never Lie by Jody Sabral

Are you in the mood to read a book from the point of view of a thoroughly unlikeable alcoholic who spends most of her days in a haze in the grip of her addiction? Alex South is meant to be a crime reporter, but unfortunately she's got a bad rap because she can't stay sober. Given (not sure how in the world she managed to get the job) the chance to report on a serial killer in the neighborhood close to where she lives, Alex discovers that she knows all the women who are dead.

I'm not sure exactly how to classify this book. It's not a detective mystery, it's not a psychological thriller (unless you count the fact that Alex is delusional about herself), and it's not crime fiction. The prose centers mainly on Alex promising herself to detox and then proceeding to drink away. How she manages to actually do any on air reporting defies belief. She's not even remotely a "functional alcoholic" because she misses work, passes out, and has blackouts. I couldn't stand her character. It was obvious where this was going and I won't spoil it in case someone who reads it doesn't guess right off. How she could even manage to look presentable to go to work is beyond my ability to buy as well. The woman drank almost non-stop. I guess you could say I don't have any empathy for Alex and you'd be right. There wasn't much to get from this novel and I was disappointed with the pace and the revelations. The "pull it all together" epilogue at the end made me want to throw my Kindle AND Alex across the room!

I do thank NetGalley and Canelo for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I really don't like reading books with unreliable, nearly psycho narrators who have major issues, so I need to be more careful when reading the blurbs and selecting the titles.

Standalone

Nobody's Child (#3 King and Lane) by Victoria Jenkins

"Monsters come in all shapes and forms...sometimes there is no explanation for evil."

Arson and murder with no end to the list of possible suspects and the lingering question of how they are all related. It seems the perpetrator is attacking the vulnerable. The case is complicated and it's been very hard to get a real feel for any motive behind these senseless killings. I had my "ah-ha" moment just a bit before the revelations, but this was very cleverly written and I enjoyed the pace and details of the investigation.

Excellent police procedural featuring Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane working out of the area around the Rhondda valleys. Although this is the third in the series, this is the first one I have read -- much to my chagrin. I'm sorry to have missed the first two and hope to correct that at some point. I would love to know more about the main characters on the police team and all the backstory.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review. Note that this book was initially titled COUNTING THE DEAD.

The Date by Louise Jensen

"Memories can be dangerous and not just for the person affected."

Lies, secrets, betrayal, and duplicity are at the heart of this psychological drama. The main character, Alison (Ali) Taylor goes on a blind date and wakes with no memory of the previous evening and, furthermore, her injuries have resulted in an incurable, rare condition that will forever prevent her from being able to recognize faces -- prosopagnosia. The events that occur after "the date" are only slightly more plausible because of that unusual disorder and it is what propels the plot. It's hard to really understand anything that happens to you if you can't tell WHO the people are when they appear in front of you. So -- the gist is that something bad happened that night and now someone is after Ali but she can't remember a thing, has amnesia, on top of the prosopagnosia.

The narrative is told in Ali's voice and moves along quickly despite the reader having to suck up a huge dose of disbelief and buy into her condition. She is constantly crying and emotional and histrionic as things go from bad to worse. I couldn't really identify with her character, and there were many other players in this convoluted story. Events from Ali's past are connected to the current torment and the savvy reader catches on quite quickly that the people in her life may not be what they seem. I'm sure that the climax and revelation was meant to be a shocking twist, but I have read far too many of this type of book to be surprised. Despite all these issues, I did enjoy the pace and the clinical information about the prosopagnosia.

The author writes a letter to the reader at the end of the book explaining that she had seen a documentary on the condition and kept wanting to write a story where the main character had it. Although I didn't care for Ali, I can see how the struggle to "do" life would be so much harder for a person who can't tell friends and family from strangers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've read several other books by this author and will continue to follow her.

Standalone.

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent

 Oh, 'mommy dearest'.

The family Fitzsimons lives in a beautiful old mansion in Dublin. Andrew, the father, is a respected judge and Lydia enjoys being the lady of the manor. Though beset by fertility issues, they do manage to have a son, Laurence. Unfortunately, Lydia wants another child and urges Andrew to impregnate a local girl, Annie Doyle, so they can have her baby. Things go wrong as they often do, and Annie ends up dead. Covering up her murder isn't so hard, but living with it is...

This was a slow-burner of a psychological thriller and I'm glad that I stuck with it though tempted to give up several times. NO SPOILERS but you will have to just get into it all yourself at your own pace and stick in until the ultimate shocker of a conclusion. I think you'll end up seeing it worth your while.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

"We humans are amazing in our capacity for adaptation, aren't we?"

Erin and Mark Roberts are on their magical honeymoon in Bora, Bora when they find something in the water. This 'something' will rock their world and totally turn their lives in a new direction. NO SPOILERS, you'll just have to find out what it was and what Erin and Mark do. I'm sure you have some idea...

Actually, this was a fun, suspenseful thriller and I had a hard time putting it down as I raced through the pages to find out what happened next. Although I didn't  really care for Erin (her point of view drives the narrative), and though I know that I'd definitely not make any of the same choices that she made, it certainly made for an action-packed plot. I really wasn't quite sure how it would all end up despite my many attempts at guessing. Given how the novel starts, I thought I had some idea of where it was all going. Maybe I did, and maybe I fell for some clever plot twists.

This is one that you won't want to miss this summer. The only false note was that I didn't really get very invested in the side story of Erin's documentary though I see now how it was essential to some of the story, albeit a bit far-fetched. Despite those moments of suspended disbelief, I just went with the flow and enjoyed the theme (despite it being quite common).

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

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

"There are two kinds of people in the world: the people you can fool into liking you, and the ones clever enough not to fall for it."

Wow -- what did I just read? This short novel was full of completely hideous characters that say and do things that actually caused me to shudder and gasp out loud. The gist of it in simple terms, a poor girl (Louise) gets "adopted" like a stray pet by the rich, crazy girl (Lavinia). They hang out, go to wild parties, post tons of photos and status updates on social media and Louise eventually loses her various jobs, has no way to continue to support herself, so she's ends up living in Lavinia's apartment. And that's just the start of this totally messed up story. Bad things happen, but no spoilers. Nobody's dreams come true in this tale.

Just wondering who I could recommend this to, and can't come up with a name. If you are the type who enjoys a book that is populated by characters you'd never want to meet, much less befriend, then maybe you would like this one. So many literary references that my mind was boggled with the continuous nagging thought -- how pretentious. I definitely don't KNOW this New York and can honestly say that I'm very glad about that! Wondered if anything like this was really happening out there in the real world, and hoped not.

Just leaving it here -- read if you want your mind blown. Although not my cup of tea (or glass of champagne), I do want to thank NetGalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read and review.

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

 Well now -- you know how it is when you pick up a book you know next to nothing about and then can't put it down? One that is written in such an engaging style as to be addictive, and you want to keep reading? That was this one -- a psychological thriller that dots all the i's and crosses the t's. Until the end.

Geo (Georgiana) Shaw is just 16 when she meets the man who will help her destroy her life. Calvin James. They end up committing the crime that puts Geo in prison for 5 years and Calvin for life. Though Geo had moved on and was never held to account for the murder and burial of Geo's best friend, Angela Wong 14 years prior. But the authorities finally found out the truth, and Geo tries to serve her time and lay the past to rest.

Unfortuntely, the past really never fades and when Geo gets out of prison, she's faced with a new trauma. Cavin has escaped prison and more murders are occuring. No spoilers, but at near the very end was a twist I actually didn't see coming. I never really cared for Geo as a character, I thought she got off easy, and I couldn't understand the love and devotion extended to her by her high school friend, now cop, Kaiser. I didn't like her no matter how sympathetic the author tried to make her. And did I already say this? I hated the ending. It just didn't seem right to me after I'd invested all that time reading! Nevertheless, I did like the book a lot until that point.

Despite the offending conclusion, I enjoyed this novel and will most likely read another by this author.

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

The Ex-Wife by Jess Ryder

A convoluted, twisty tale of marital infidelity, scheming, and people who aren't who you think they are. The 3 main characters are Natasha, Nick, and Jen -- actually I didn't find any of them relatable or likeable, but surely everyone has a redeeming quality or two. Maybe.

Jen and Nick, childhood sweethearts, were married for 20 years. Unsuccessful at having a child, Nick has an affair with Natasha and decides to divorce Jen and marry Natasha when she becomes pregant. Pretty common domestic drama, right? Well the plot thickens when, out of the blue, Natasha returns to the home she shares with Nick anad their daughter, Emily, to find herself locked out and both Nick and Emily vanished. No spoilers, but the reader is treated to cross and double cross and a few 'gotcha' moments as this sordid saga reaches a climax. It's told in multiple points of view and flips back and forth in time to increase what is meant to be a degree of suspense and tension. How will it all end and what actually did happen to these characters?

I read a lot of psychological thrillers so my anticipation and thrill meter is often lower than that of other readers. It kept my interest and I was curious to see how it all played out. I can't say that there were any real surprises at the climax, but the author did try very hard to weave a complicated web that required the slow unraveling to all make sense. This is a standalone novel and not part of any series.

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

Follow Me Home (Alton and Kane #3) by D.K. Hood

This third book in the Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy Dave Kane series focuses on the search for a vigilante who is killing men suspected of child kidnapping and rape. Set in Black Rock Falls and the surrounding wilderness, the investigation takes Jenna and her entire team on a fast-paced effort to discover the identity of the killer and also figure out the names of all the men possibly involved in the pedophile ring who might need to be protected from the revenge murders. They come to the conclusion rather rapidly that the vigilante is a woman -- but there were many previous victims of this child molestation pack and most of the girls have never been found. Can they stop the killer before she strikes again -- and though Jenna feels sick about the damaged and killed children, she does not believe in this type of vengeance.

Alton and Kane are partners and neighbors who may or may not realize that they are probably romantically interested in each other though they disguise it with talk of "friendship." Both have previous lives doing other law enforcement type of work and ended up, somehow, together in this backwater country town under different names. They're very tough, emotionally and physically, and despite the fact that Jenna is the boss and Kane her deputy, they operate more or less on equal footing. It does, however, seem that Jenna requires a lot of rescuing and backup -- when she has sense enough to ask for it! The characters have been developing and becoming more fully fleshed out as the series continues from one book into the next but the reader doesn't get much glimpse into their personal lives because it seems they are always working or rushing off to another crime scene! I actually like Kane a lot more than I do Alton, mostly because it seems she's trying too hard to be the boss, control the situations, and overcompensate.

I enjoy the pace of the writing, the detail of the setting, and the cases that Alton and Kane tackle. I'm looking forward to #4 and suggest that anyone new to Alton and Kane read the books from the beginning, in order.

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

Now She's Gone (DI Rachel Prince #2) by Alison James

Very strong second book in the DI Rachel Prince crime thriller series. This police procedural focuses on the death of a Dutch student, Emily van Meijer, who fell off a cliff while on a sponsored trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. Emily was attending the Fringe Festival through an organization, White Crystal Tours, along with other teenagers from all over Europe. The students boarded together and were chaperoned by a married couple, Will and Hazel MacBain.

Emily's father does not believe that his daughter's death was an accident, though ruled so by the patholgist in Scotland. Since he is a powerful, wealthy man, he calls in the favors necessary to get London and Rachel involved since she is an International Liaison Officer. So Rachel and DS Mark Brickall head off to Scotland where they find that Emily was not the first teen to die under suspicious circumstances.

At the same time, Rachel is dealing with crisis in her personal life that affects some of her actions and responses to the ongoing investigation. I was sort of disappointed that Rachel turns out to be just as messed up as many other female dectectives in other series I read. Very weak on the interpersonal relationship scale and never tend to follow established procedures.

I did enjoy the particulars of this case and the investigation into Emily's death. I like the details and the writing, especially some of the interaction between Rachel and Mark. Though she's his boss, they seem more like partners. I look forward to the next in the series to see what is in store for Rachel, both professionally and personally.

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

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

Hal receives a letter from a solictor advising her that she has inherited an estate from her deceased grandmother, Mrs. Westaway. The problem is -- Hal has no living relatives. That she knows of. She decides, however, to go and meet the "family" and try to get some money.

I don't like writing reviews of books that I didn't enjoy. This one had no menace, no thrills, no suspense and no mystery -- I had figured out what was going on a few chapters in. It seems to have been written for a high schooler and, though I muddled through, I felt that the melodrama and the contrived attempt to create a gothic atmosphere only irritated me. I didn't like the main character, Hal, and the others were so paper thin as to be caricatures. Can someone say the obvious -- DNA test??? Glad I'm done. I won't be recommending.

I do thank NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Blood Runs Cold (#2 DI Anna Anna Gwynne) by Dylan Young

This second book in the DI Anna Gwynne with the MCRTF at Avon and Somerset is an abosrbing and well-written police procedural. Along with other members of her team, specifically DCs Justin Holder and Ryia Khosa, their unit looks at cold cases hoping that some fresh insight will bring closure. The old case they are working on is a child murder; Rosie Dawson had been kidnapped in 2008 when she was 10 years old. When her bones were found demonstrating a horrific murder story, the squad can't help but wonder if a recent abduction, that of Blair Smeaton from Ediburgh, could be related.

Although I typically like to read book of series in order, there is quite a bit of backstory within so that you could read it as a standalone if you like. In fact, I'd actually forgotten much of the first book anyway by the time I got to this one, and I was able to follow along just fine. The details of the investigation take the reader along as the squad reinterviews witnesses and reviews specifics about Rosie Dawson's case. Once they find that, indeed, there is a tenuous link between the old and new, the action gears up as suspects and persons of interest are examined. This particular story involves crimes against children involving the Dark Net and pay per view torture so not for the squeamish.
Again, Anna has an unlikely colleage in the imprisoned Harvey Shaw -- who seems to know the mind of a serial killer. And, could it be, that there is romance in the making for Anna?

Great characters (that I want to know more about) and lots of interesting information about the detestable underbelly of the Dark Web make this one that any fan of police procedurals won't want to miss. I can't wait for #3 in the series! Anna is growing on me, though some things about her I still find rather annoying!

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

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

Secrets and lies are at the heart of this domestic psychodrama. Once again, the blurb doesn't really give a very good picture of the crux of the story and I'm not sure if describing it more accuretly would be considered spoilers, but the foundation for the issues at the center of the plot involve unsavory behaviors such as adultery, drug addiction and death.

Caroline and Francis need to get away alone and they decide to do a house swap. It's once they get to the place on a quiet cul de sac and step inside that Caroline becomes quite unsettled and knows that there is something else going on besides a change of housing vacation. Things that only have meaning for her in the context of her past appear in a house that is nearly empty in its starkness. Flowers on the windowsill, a particular fragrance, a photograph. Who does this house belong to? And what does this all mean? Suffice to say that Caroline is slammed back 2 years to a time, place and person she's been trying to forget.

Tons of drama and some tension as the point of view flips back and forth between persons and time. The reader finds out what Caroline had been up to, what Francis has done, and then there's a neighbor across the way who seems to really want an instant friendship with Caroline. It all comes together with a surprising revelation and resolution of sorts.

As far as the characters in this sordid tale, well, they aren't particularly likeable really. Certainly not any of the lot that I'd like to befriend -- way too messed up. But they made for a good story and I was engrossed as I read it in one sitting. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, you'll not want to miss this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Group (Pamela Dorman Books) for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Last Goobye (#1 Quinn and Malloy) by Arlene Hunt

 Totally enjoyed the introduction to Detectives Eli Quinn and Roxy Malloy of the Garda. This first in a new series featuring those characters and the others on their team was fast-paced and absorbing. I read it in a single sitting as the police procedural developed and they worked the case.

A serial killer is out there targeting couples -- but it appears as if it's the woman who's the main focus. The murders are staged with champagne and yellow roses. Complicating the two cases they've identified as being those by the "sweetheart killer" is another homicide with different aspects -- dissimilar enough to make them all wonder if they are looking at two different killers. Dogged investigative techniques may help them but there are many other factors at play and politics involved.

The reader doesn't get to know much about the characters in this novel, and I look forward to their development in future books. I'm sure they have some interesting backstories though we only find out a few snippets here and there. The narrative shifts around a bit between the players, even giving the point of view of the killer and the reasons used to rationalize the murders.

Definitely will want to read the second book as the writing was crisp and the characters and action believable. Although Eli Quinn has a second in command in DS Miranda Lynn, he's taken on Roxy Malloy to his team and it appears as though she will be more his partner in the future.

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

Tell Me a Secret by Samantha Hayes

"The worst kind of secrets are always the ones we keep from ourselves."

What a compelling and unputdownable psychological thriller! Yes, read in a single sitting, and could not look away as all the secrets, lies, betrayals, and confusion bubbled to the surface in an explosive conclusion that I really didn't see coming. I love it when I'm surprised!

Lorna is married to Mark and has a stepson, Jack, and they have a daughter, Freya. She's a therapist and he's a dentist. They have a nice little life. Except for the fact that Lorna has been carrying on a torrid affair that she wants (needs) to end...She feels that she is in love with this man, Andrew, and when he won't let her go, she finds herself falling apart both personally and professionally. But, wait! There are a couple of things going on behind the scenes that are really going to wrench her ordered life about. Nothing is quite what it seems.

This book was full of pathology and characters that draw you in even as you're thinking there is something not quite right about them. I have to say that I really enjoyed this one! Domestic drama, psychopathy, dangling clues and hints to something darker than what it first appears.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to review. Don't miss it!

The Chosen Ones by Carol Wyer (DI Robyn Carter #5)

I'm a little miffed because the synopsis on the book information page is so misleading and I've found this to be a disturbing trend. I often wonder if the person who writes the descriptions has any true knowledge what the book is about.

This is the 5th in series that features DI Robyn Carter and her team out of Stafford. The investigation involves the murders of 3 different people connected to the nearby town of Coltron. Jordan Kilby, age 23, is found strung up like a scarecrow in a local farmer's field. Owen Falcon is a football buddy of Jordan's and he's found dead in his garage, the victim of a gruesome murder. The final death is Dr. Lucy Harding, a GP just starting out at the local clinic. How are these 3 linked? Who is killing them in such particularly savage ways and why? The investigation sort of plods along as Robyn, Mitz, Anna and David try to figure out if there is a message in the murders. There are many additional characters to keep track of and plenty of red herrings but most readers will figure out the "who" quickly but the "why" takes a bit longer for the reveal.

I liked this well enough but it was sort of slow. There was a narrative written in italics that hinted at the genesis of the motives for the killings, or at least an attempt to explain the psychopathology involved in the making of the murderer. This was not particularly suspenseful and not a thriller per se, mostly a standard police procedural. Again, Robyn's personal life is tangentially addressed with no resolution there either -- and this has gone on for several of the books in series. It's getting old. I just wonder why female detectives can't have normal, healthy, and dare I say it -- somewhat happy -- lives and families?

Will I read a #6? Probably, because now I'm a little invested in these people so I hope that none of the characters go the way of other stories in this genre and get killed off willy nilly. Anyway, in this outing, and this is not a spoiler, Robyn and her team catch the killer and tie up the loose ends as expected.

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

Three Secrets by Clare Boyd

Francesca's husband goes out to get cigaretttes one night and ends up jumping from a bridge. What drove Robert to commit suicide? Turns out that this family is hiding some really nasty secrets, telling some self-serving lies, and covering up most of the truth. You see, Robert had a brother...and parents. And they all seemed to be good at only one thing -- deception. What a dysfunctional collection of people making up the Tennant clan. Francesca included.

Domestic drama populated by a cast of completely despicable characters! Not a one was honest or moral and though I read it all in one sitting, it was only to verify that I had correctly anticipated its conclusion. I had a hard time with this book and probably will be in the minority opinion so will just leave it at that. I did like the author's previous book, LITTLE LIAR, much better.

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

The Boardwalk Trust (Beach Lawyer #2) by Avery Duff

Absorbing legal drama, the second in a series featuring "beach lawyer", Robert Worth.

In this case, Worth helps out a troubled and homeless father and daughter who received information that indicates they are the beneficiaries of a family trust. Teo and Delfina Famosa have been living in a box truck and hope that receiving this money will lift them out of the life they've been living. Worth soon finds more than he ever imagined when he shows up to a court hearing only to hear that the trustee, the now deceased Carlos (Teo's brother) has completely spent all the assets leaving nothing. So why is the Dragnov crime syndicate interested? Worth and his girlfriend, Gia, and his friends Erik and Reyes, go to great lengths to figure out what happened to the trust and to help the Famosas.

Lots of action and legal detail with complex characters that have layers and depth. Worth is a good guy, trying to do his lawyerly best for his clients, but the case becomes very personal to him as well.
I enjoyed this and the first book in the developing series, and though this could be read as a standalone, it's best if the reader has the background from the debut. I'm definitely going to want to read #3. I'm a fan of legal thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Dying Truth (DI Kim Stone #8) by Angela Marsons

"...the past never stays in the past."

The deaths of several children at a private, exclusive school will test the skills and emotions of Kim Stone's detectives. Much of the plot centers around secret clubs that exist at the co-ed Heathcrest Academy -- a school that caters to the rich and whose graduates usually go on to illustrious careers and exist at the top of society. Once a member, always a member. And no one can turn down an invitation to join. Consequences and rules govern the members' behavior and it seems some are meant to pay the biggest price for getting on their wrong side. The legacy is forever.

This 8th book in the DI Kim Stone series has all the pieces that make a page-turning crime thriller and police procedural. Great writing, lots of detail about the investigation, and the characters we've all grown to know and love through the other books -- yes, I've read them all, in order, to this point.
When reading a book is much like attending a family reunion, you know the author has developed characters that have personality and depth. So, to do what Ms Marsons did feels a little like betrayal. But no further spoilers here -- and as someone else mentioned in another review, Karin Slaughter made me feel this way at another time and book. I can't accept it!

Is the tear-jerker ending enough to make me quit reading this series? Probably not, though I don't like to be manipulated this way. I'm sure I will still want #9. After all of these books, however, I do wish that Kim would get some serious psych help to get over her issues and resolve some of the problems she has from her own past!

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

The Woman in Blue (#8 Ruth Galloway) by Elly Griffiths

Mystery and police procedural set in Walsingham. The book description given is not really what this particular book is about.

Briefly, and without spoilers, a woman is found murdered in a ditch close to an old church graveyard where she was seen by Cathbad, one of the recurring characters in this series, while he was housesitting at the cottage attached to the church. She was wearing a white nightdress and blue robe, but she is not a vision of the Virgin Mary, but a patient at a nearby drug treatment facility. Nelson and his team are investigating when a second murder follows. Both victims were blonde. In addition, a group of female priests is visiting the area for a course and one of them is an old schoolmate of Ruth's. Hilary is receiving threatening notes because the writer doesn't think there should be female priests. Is the killer the sender of the notes? Nelson has his hands full to solve this case. Meanwhile, the story line continues from previous books as Ruth struggles as a single mother to Kate and Nelson deals with some marital problems.

I am not positive, but I think I've only read one other book in this series and I think it may have been the second book. So this 8th was quite a fast forward as far as relationships and events that developed. I didn't feel too lost, but I hesitate to say this is just as good if read as a standalone or if this is the one you pick up first. I wish I had read them all in order! The reason I went back to this one is because I also have The Dark Angel (#10) to read and review.

I like the writing and the interplay between the characters. The fact that Ruth is an archeologist who sometimes works with the police on cases is also very interesting though she didn't really figure much into this particular book. Loved all the details about the history of Walsingham, discussion about religion, pilgrimage and such. I look forward to another episode. I'd like to start from the beginning but I don't know if that will happen!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the E-book ARC given to me for review back in 2016. Sorry it took so long!

For Richer, For Poorer by Kerry Wilkinson (#10 Jessica Daniel)

Another compelling read in this tenth book of the excellent police procedural series featuring Detective Jessica Daniel of the Longsight Police. In this outing, as usual, Jessica is juggling multiple cases but most of the focus is on solving one that involves home invasion robberies. In addition, there's a human trafficking situation. Jessica's colleagues are mostly the same as in previous books with a few changes, most notably the second appearance of DS Archie Davey and the absence of DCI Jack Cole -- so she has a new boss. I enjoy her interaction with the team.

I am a fan of this series and I've read them all, in order, and would urge anyone interested to do the same so that you see all of what Jessica has gone through from the start. Her character is well-developed and constantly adapting to the events that happened and the people she works with. I look forward to #11 and definitely like the writing style of Kerry Willkinson. The plots are usually quite complex and, though there is action, the pace is more measured as the investigations develop.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland

Magnolia Close. Wimborne. Dorset. The Rawlings live at number four -- Dominic, Kirstie and their 6-month-old baby, Daisy. It's a lovely and quiet neighborhood. But who knows what goes on behind those closed doors?

The drama begins when Kirstie wakes from a nap to hear a man's voice on her baby monitor -- "Quick, let's just take the baby now and go." When she rushes to Daisy's room upstairs, Kirstie finds her daughter safe in her cot, sleeping peacefully. There's no one in the house. No one there trying to steal away with her baby. After the police have come, interviewed the neighbors and found no babies in any other house, and gone -- that's when things start to fall apart for this little family. As Kirstie's concern for Daisy's safety escalates to paranoia, as Dom begins to wonder if she's not having some sort of breakdown, and as her friends become wary, Kirstie is no longer the same doting new mother and wife. What is going on in this neighborhood?

This was a quick read and a page turner as I definitely wanted to get to the conclusion and find out all the answers. I found myself thinking Kirstie was a total nutjob on one hand and feeling sorry for her on the next. I thought I knew where it all was going -- but I didn't! NO SPOILERS. The characters were quite an odd assortment with behaviors that threw up red herrings left and right and that kept the narrative interesting and me guessing. An entertaining standalone psychological thriller.

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

Deep Fear (#2 Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch

Action packed and utterly gripping police procedural.

"And much it grieved my heart to think, what man has made of man."

In this second thriller featuring Detective Inspector Kelly Porter of the Cumbria Constabulary, a serial killer uses The Lake District in the United Kingdom as a dumping ground. This is not the typical psychopath but a fiendishly clever tormentor who leaves handwritten poems with the bodies and is thought to be engaged in "punishing" the victims. The victimology indicates that each of the dead women was held to account for some kind of sin. No spoilers! Can the detectives find the killer and save the last victim in time? The "Teacher" might have outsmarted them all!

The gang is all here and it was great to "see" Kelly's team back in action in pursuit of this heinous criminal mastermind. I could not put this book down and was fascinated by all the detail of the investigation and by the locale described. Having never been to the area of the Lakes or Lakeland, I had to Google it and spent some time looking at the images of that beautiful mountainous scenery. (It's now on my list of places that I must see in my lifetime). I love it when the setting becomes an essential part of a narrative, and this place certainly does.

Kelly Porter is a great character -- complex and interesting, multidimensional and smart. She can be tough but she also has good insight into herself and others and can show a compassionate side. I like the interaction between the team members and always love finding out more about them as the series develops. Can't wait to read the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards

Is it a Beddmawr urban legend or does evil walk along the banks and lurk in the woods by the River Dee?

Seven magpies scattered and flew to high branches. "How did the rhyme go?  'Seven for a secret never to be told.'

Life changed for Julia Marsh 2 years ago when her husband, Michael, drowned trying to rescue their 8-year-old daughter Lily. They had been walking by the River Dee in North Wales when she disappeared. Her body was never found even after an intense police investigation. Julia believes that Lily is still alive and has set up an author's writing retreat in the huge old stone house known as Nyth Bran where the family had lived together in order to make some money and stay close by.

Surrounded by woods, the retreat provides the solitude and quiet that Lucas Radcliffe needs in order to complete his next novel. Along with other authors who are staying at the house, Lucas settles in and hopes to find inspiration and motivation. It's not long before he and the other 3 writers begin to notice some very odd disturbances in the house. Things go missing, there are noises in the night, and they feel that someone is watching them. No spoilers, but one of the main teasers in this gothic-like tale is an old local folk tale about the 'Red Widow' -- who cursed the town after a mining accident -- and who requires that a child be sacrificed to her every 35 years or she will come and take one.

This is a convoluted and complicated suspense thriller that has many different lines of action and focus. The tenseness you'll feel while reading it comes from the tone and atmosphere evoked by the writing. The setting is perfect for a spooky tale and there are a lot of characters that you will have to keep straight in order to follow the tangled threads. The reveal is not so much a twist or surprise as it is a skillful accomplishment of plot weaving. The epilogue was a shocker for me though. I enjoyed this and the best part was that it wasn't so much scary as it was weighted with dread and sparked my curiousity to figure out what the heck was going on and how it would all end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

Gripping psychological drama that I just couldn't put down!

"I must be cruel only to be kind / Thus bad begins and worse remains behind,"

Michael Hayes, banker, is totally obsessed with Verity Walton. When she breaks off their love affair to marry another man, Angus Metcalf, Mike knows that she doesn't really mean to do it. She's just punishing him for an act of stupidity that he committed when he was working in New York for his job and she was in London.

Mike knows Verity better than she knows herself. He reads between the lines, parses words said and unsaid, and gleans his truth from his absolute conviction that she and he were meant to be together forever. Even when she says they're not. He goes to great lengths to possess her and nothing and no one will stand in his way. Because he loves her and believes that she loves him. Everything she says contains clues that indicate to him that she is his. His unshakeable belief leads them both to a point of no return.

I really liked this book. The writing kept me pulled into the story and never once seemed to veer off track. The characters were quite well constructed and felt real. Despite it being psychodrama, it also had action and touched on other themes that would make great discussion for a book club. I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it sure worked for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The War Nurses (#1) by Lizzie Page

Riveting historical fiction!

"Elsie Knocker -- 'Gypsy', motorcyclist nurse, dare-devil mother -- one of only two women on the Western Front and the best friend I ever had."

1914 -- Mairi Chisholm is 18 years old when she is recruited by Dr. Munro to accompany him to Belgium and join the war effort as part of a team he was setting up -- the Flying Ambulance Corps. Mairi was known for her mad motorcycle skills and Munro thought that despite the fact that Mairi was not trained as a nurse, that she could retrieve soldiers and give a hand. And so it begins. Soon Mairi meets Elsie Knocker, a free-spirited woman out of her time, and the two set up a cellar close to the Western Front. The war-time story highlights their activities in the care of the sick, wounded and dying men.

This is also a story of a friendship more like sisterhood. The two are opposites in many ways but form a bond through their courage, dedication and sacrifice. It was a sentimental and sweet saga though they went through horrors and fractious times. Definitely a departure from my usual reading genre, but I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in what is meant to be a trilogy.

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

If He Wakes by Zoe Lea

"They say that when you have a traumatic event, there is the 'before' and the 'after', that all things fall under those two categories, but no one talks about the precipice."

Rachel sees a man in a BMW who looks a lot like her husband hit and run. WHAT? That cannot be her Phil. They have two daughters (Katie and Jessica) and a wonderful life -- and is he having an affair? Rachel has worked so hard to start up a new events business with partner, Suzie, and now she's laid up with a broken ankle and everything is falling apart. Suzie is beside herself -- her fiancé, Adam, has vanished, her credit cards are frozen, and she's getting threatening calls from creditors demanding money that Adam has borrowed without her knowledge. Their nightmare has just begun.

This was a great fast-paced psychological thriller that I could not put down. I really enjoyed the narrative from the points of view of both Rachel and Suzie as they deal with the drama each faces. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just say that the central issue was one I didn't anticipate at the outset but is very timely and important. Sometimes it's hard to DO the right thing -- or even know what the right thing is...

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

 "Retain the innocence of the most wholesome feeling you ever had in your life."

Romy Leslie Hall, inmate W314159, is on her way to Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility, deep in California’s Central Valley. She has a past life lived in San Francisco, a present life in prison, and no future. She's meant to serve 2 consecutive life sentences plus 6 years. She left her son, Jackson behind with her mom. She doesn't plan on anything. Prison life is a world apart and the other inmates, guards and staff have their own agendas. There's nothing at all for Romy to do but continue to exist -- whether she wants to or not.

This was quite the book. I'm sure some of the details about prison life are true enough and I imagine there are places both better and worse than Stanville depending on where one is remanded. Identity is stripped, there is no meaningful work, and nothing to look forward to when you have no chance of parole. You know you will die in prison. Romy has no one on the outside to communicate with and no one inside who can be trusted. It's lonely and it's hell. But the uncaring guards say, "You made your choice." In many ways, this novel was very depressing and left a lot more questions than it provided answers. It would definitely make a good selection for a book club as there is much to discuss about crime and imprisonment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Alter Ego by Brian Freeman (Jonathan Stride #9)

"...he wouldn't change a day of his past or correct his mistakes even if he could. They were part of him. They were who he was. They were what made him Jonathan Stride."

A man is found dead inside a car on a snowy Duluth backroad -- he's got no identification but there's a recently fired gun and a copy of an entertainment tabloid in the vehicle. In addition, there's a report of a missing girl -- an intern who was working on the set of a movie being filmed in town. The Hollywood people are all there for THE CAGED GIRL and it stars one of the biggest names in the business -- and it so happens that this film is based on one of Stride's old cases. Eleven years ago 4 women were kidnapped at intervals and left to die alone in a soundproof cage. Luckily, Stride was able to find and rescue the last girl in time. Is there a connection between the dead man and the missing girl? Stride and his team are on the investigation. And what are these nasty rumors going around about the star of the movie?

Fast-paced and suspenseful police procedural thriller with a large cast of interesting characters. As this is the 9th book in a long-running series featuring Jonathan Stride, most of them are probably well known to fans. I have read only the first two and obviously missed a lot in the intervening books, but there was enough detail and backstory that I didn't feel lost.

I enjoyed this a lot, no spoilers, but I do have one huge irritation with the story. And that is Cat. Her actions and involvement just seemed over-the-top and completely triggered my disbelief meter. Other than that, I'd definitely recommend it and I want to go back and read the other books featuring these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for the e-book ARC to read and review.