After She's Gone (Hanne #2) by Camilla Grebe

"Those who sow the wind, harvest the storm."

Hanne Lagerlind-Schön and her partner, Peter Lindgren, from the National Operations Department in Stockholm, along with their colleague Manfred Olsson, are in Ormberg investigating a cold case involving the murder of a young girl who was never identified 8 years prior when her body was discover in a cairn. Two other more local police officers join in the squad, Andreas Borg and Malin Brundin. The group begins examining the little bit of information available about the discovery of the body and start to interview some of the local families in the very underpopulated town. The people have fallen on hard times with the closing of industry and many have moved away. Malin is asked to be on the task force for two reasons: 1. She was the one who actually found the little girl's body when she was a teenager and 2. She grew up in Ormberg and knows everyone. But things are about to get really crazy as shortly after the team gets going, Hanne and Peter disappear. Then Hanne is found wandering in the woods by a local teenager named Jake Birgersson. Hanne gets picked up by a Good Samaritan who happens to be driving by but leaves behind a very important part of herself - her diary. Because Hanne has early onset dementia, she writes everything in that notebook. Jake finds that diary and, instead of turning it over to police (for a very good reason), he reads it. NO SPOILERS.

I could go on and on describing what this book is about, but let me just say that this is excellent Nordic Noir with a very complex and absorbing plot. It has enough twists and turns to stymie even the most savvy crime thriller reader. The most difficult part of reading this book was its structure. It alternates in point of view and back and forth in time and also includes excerpts from the diary as Hanne can't remember anything about what happened to her or what became of Peter. The atmosphere is another character in the story as the setting and the cold temperature provides a chilling backdrop to this incredibly plotted tale. The reveals and the conclusion are well worth waiting for and I really sped through this fully invested in the characters and the events that occurred. Definitely recommend it!

I was lucky enough to read the first book in the series immediately prior to beginning this one so the characters mostly felt familiar. The book also has to do with the plight of refugees and asylum seekers who are re-homed and settled into this depopulated town in Sodermanland. In a final note from the author, she declares, "We live in a difficult time. More people have been displaced from their homes than ever before in history. And this stream of refugees has been met with xenophobia, conflict and fear." The main message that she wants to convey in this book is this: "It could have been you who had to feel from war and starvation."

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

This is the second book in the Hanne series and I suggest you read the first one prior to this.
Genre - Nordic noir, crime thriller, police, cold case

The Ice Beneath Her (Hanne #1) by Camilla Grebe

 "A monster is a person who lies and deceives. Someone who wrecks and destroys things for his own amusement. Who leaves another's person's life in ruins like a bombed-out city or a burnt-down forest."

Emma Bohman knows all about monsters for she's been duly dismissed and discarded by one. She prepared an engagement dinner and he never showed up, despite giving her a huge diamond ring. Her calls and texts go unanswered. Beside herself with humiliation, Emma decides to track him down and force a conversation.

Homicide detectives Peter Lindgren and Manfred Olsson are confounded by a hideous murder. A woman's decapitated body is found in the home belong to a high-profile CEO, Jesper Orre. And he's missing. The victim remains unidientified and none of the homeowner's colleagues or friends have much information about Orre's personal life. Who is she?

Criminal profiler, Hanne Lagerlind-Schön is a famed behaviorist who develops psychological models for particular crimes. She's called in to assist the police in developing a profile of the killer. What sick psycho is out there cutting off heads -- because this isn't the first time they've seen this. There was a case 10 years ago that was never solved that has striking similarities. But Hanne has some issues that might interfere with her ability to assist the police with this case. Can the team figure out what happened in that house and why?

NO SPOILERS. In this extremely atmospheric crime thriller set in Stockholm, the well-drawn characters interact with each other and investigate while dealing with personal problems that lead one to wonder how they can actually function day to day! I really enjoyed the revelations about the characters as well as the police procedural aspect. I had to go hunt this title down in my massive book pile as I had queued up the second book in the series to read before I realized there was one before and I absolutely prefer to read series from the beginning in order as much as possible. I liked the writing, the detail, and the psychological aspects of the case and though it was a bit confusing as it jumps narrators and has time shifts, it was completely absorbing and I couldn't put it down. A refreshing change from my usual because of the setting and the complexity of the case and characters. I can't wait to read the next!

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the first book in the Hanne Lagerlind-Schön series. Read in order.
Genre - police procedural and crime thriller

The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald

"...everybody  -- no matter how harmless they seem -- has the capacity to veer outside the lines. It's just a matter of how far they go."

On the night that Abi Knight gets the call informing her that there's been an accident, she rushes to the ER to find her daughter, Olivia, brain dead from severe head trauma leading to irreversible damage incompatible with life. Olivia, 17 years old, is also pregnant. It's then that Abi realizes that she didn't know her beloved daughter as well as she thought and that Olivia had slipped from her control and protection. When the authorities don't seem to be looking at Olivia's fall from the bridge as anything more than an accident, Abi joins up with Anthony Bryant, a victim advocate with the Seattle Police Department to find out what really happened that night. But first, Abi needs to come to terms with her own lies. Even as Olivia remains on life support in order to mature the fetus so that it can be delivered, Abi spends all her time asking questions of those friends who were connected to Olivia. There's so much she doesn't know and she still has to confront her big secret -- Olivia's father. She'd never told Olivia the truth. NO SPOILERS.

If this sounds rather melodramatic to you, then you're not alone in that perception. It is marketed as being for fans of two other books that I read but it is most similar to RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA in my opinion. The author attempts to present a few different scenarios and possibilities for what happened and who might have been responsible, but the tension and suspense that is usually present in a thriller is missing here. The main focus was on how much Abi loved Olivia and the mother-daughter bond. I felt that much of the narrative was quite unrealistic in portraying the thoughts of teenaged Olivia and also the actions of Abi going round questioning friends, etc. I really wanted to like Abi -- as a mother of daughters I could feel empathy for her incipient loss of Olivia, but for some reason her behavior and the things she had done basically annoyed me. And don't get me started on the convenient romantic entanglement. UGH. NO. There were just too many things that irked me so my heartstrings weren't tugged as I don't really enjoy gut-wrenching tales as they seem too contrived to wring out all that emotion. Anyway, the book was a fast read and easy to finish in a single sitting. I guess I'm just not a fan of somewhat manipulative relationship stories as I'm more of a crime fiction and gritty thriller lover.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of a series.
Genre - family drama, teen pregnancy, mother-daughter relationship

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton

"You can't change a mistake. Ever. Instead, it weaves its way inside you, becomes an embedded part, a bad, rotten suffocating part."

Lily/Juliette loves Nathan Goldsmith. And he's going to love her too, no matter what he thinks about it or how hard he tries to fight it. She'll make sure of that.

This is just a fun book about the craziest wanna be girlfriend that I have ever read. The lengths that she goes through to try to ensnare this man are beyond the pale -- she's taken stalking to a whole new level. Nothing will set her off her course and when she runs into difficulties, she adapts. She has a POA (plan of action) that she revises as need be and Nate can run, he can hide, he can get a lawyer, but Lily/Juliette is one determine woman who insists on having what she's been denied. Life with the man of her dreams. It's fate, isn't it? And he owes her. NO SPOILERS.

Just stop reading this review and get this book in your hands pronto. You will definitely enjoy the couple of hours it will take for you to speed through this madcap lesson in how (not) to get your man! Loved the writing and I have to hand it to the author -- never did such a kooky psycho character ever prove so nearly likeable despite all her antics. You just have to admire Lily/Juliette's effort! LOL

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. It was pure entertainment from cover to cover! It screams movie adaptation.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series.
Genre-labels: psycho girlfriend, stalker, debut

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

"The whole world turns on sex and violence."

That's certainly true for this long-married couple. Millicent and and her husband --never did find a name for him -- have two children, Rory and Jenna. They live in an upscale subdivision, Hidden Oaks, in Woodview, Florida. They do all the things that a family does: both work (he's a tennis pro at the club giving private lessons and she's a realtor), cook, clean, chauffeur the kids to and from their sporting events and oh yes, they like to abduct and murder women. It's really a tag team sort of thing for them, and they are quite good at it. But, as these things often do, it all goes haywire. NO SPOILERS. You'll just have to read this one for yourself.

Was this an engaging story? Definitely. I promise you'll be so riveted that you won't come up for air until you've reached the epilogue. Is it believable? Well, that's a hard one, but I'm saying not exactly. But definitely a thrill ride from start to finish even if I didn't really like how it ended. The couple is definitely one that you wouldn't want in your close circle of friends. Both are despicable people and I guarantee you will find it hard to have any positive feelings about their behavior. It's not a perfect book but it is one heck of a story so start reading already. I'm sure it's bound for the big screen or a miniseries at some point and it will be hyped a bunch after publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing  for the e-book ARC to read and review. Don't miss it if you like really nasty psychopaths who do things way outside the norm.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series.
Genre -- domestic thriller with psychopaths

Something Buried (PI Andrew Hunter #3) by Kerry Wilkinson

Andrew Hunter is a PI who takes on unusual cases -- not because he has to in order to eat, but because he finds them interesting. He's a rare breed -- an honest guy, very ordinary with a bit of humorous bent. He and his office assistant employee, Jenny, take on a couple of investigations in this third book of the series.

Nearly a year ago, a young woman who had way too much to drink is fished from the canal. Despite police doing their thing, the death is ruled accidental. The woman's mother doesn't believe it was an accident and thinks that a local footballer is responsible because he was the boyfriend. And there are rumors that he isn't a very nice guy. Hunter decides to look into the matter and starts talking to some people connected to the incident. It seems there is a pretty big price to pay for fame and adulation in that world and Hunter has a hard time getting it all pieced together. He's also still in a debt owed position with a former nemesis and finds himself looking for a particular violin. It's all business as usual -- but wait, now Hunter's ex-wife has appeared on the scene...

This novel fell a bit flat for me. The case wasn't very exciting and some of the stuff that Hunter did just seemed kind of stupid to me. Yeah he's rich and doesn't need to work, but the way he responds in situations doesn't really ring true. I'm having a hard time dealing with his personality and approach to running his investigative firm and I'm finding it hard to warm to him. And the whole Jenny thing just drove me wild with all these dangling hints and insinuations and then NO ANSWERS. Really? Believe me, it's not a hook for the next book as it was just totally annoying. Now I honestly don't even care. I felt the whole conclusion was pretty lame and anticlimactic so this one was a bit of a disappointment after all my anticipation. I may or may not be interested in the next one of this series after all.

I'd recommend that you read this series from the beginning in order because otherwise you might be a bit lost. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the third book in the series. Read in order.
Genre, labels -- private investigator, fandom, crime

Broken by Betsy Reavley

"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist; children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that the dragons can be killed."

Annabel definitely believes in fairy tales even after she recently spent a stint at Redwood psychiatric hospital in Suffolk. Now age 23, Annabel has had a mental breakdown, was diagnosed with manic depressive illness and gotten well enough to be released back to her mother and brother. Desperate to re-enter her life sane and more independent, she tries to follow the program, take her meds and figure out the rest of her life. Things change after she books a trip to a little seaside town named Southwold. It's there that she meets Jude, the love of her life, and starts to have some hope again. But Annabel is fragile and some things are just not to be. NO SPOILERS.

What to say about this -- well, if you can stomach the extremely graphic descriptions of rape and torture and you have the heart to listen to the poetry and ramblings of a woman completely unhinged -- then this is the book for you. It really wasn't my cup of tea but I read valiantly to the end hopping there'd be some sort of payoff for all the violence. All I feel is abject sadness and a sense of melancholy that will require a huge drink of some sort of alcoholic beverage and some happy television to rid myself of all the disturbing prose I've read and the horrific images created by this book. I can't imagine what it would take to write a book such as this but it may appeal to some readers at a certain level that I can't fathom. I can honestly say that I only finished reading it because I always finish what I start. And I can't help but wonder, what was the point of this book?? I'm eager to hear what others can tell me about that. OH, and I'm not a poetry fan anyway, but this is me done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. If you're thinking about picking it up, proceed with caution.

This is a standalone and not part of a series.
Genre - graphic and gory thriller with themes of mental illness, rape, torture

Dead Memories (DI Kim Stone #10) by Angela Marsons

"...helplessness, fear, loathing, disgust, rage." These are the emotions that are tormenting DI Kim Stone as she faces the most personal case of her career. There is a killer targeting her by murdering innocent people -- recreating some of the most traumatic events of Kim's life and the end game must be Kim's death. As she and the team -- Bryant, Stacey and Penn -- try to figure out who is behind it, Kim is being monitored by profiler and behaviorist, Alison Lowe. Can she find the person who hates her so much and prevent the worst outcome possible? NO SPOILERS.

This book was simply amazing and just what I needed to overcome a bit of a reading slump. As the 10th in a long-running series, opening the pages was just like going to a family reunion or hanging out with old friends. I love the way Angela Marsons writes and I tore through it in a couple of hours, barely leaving my chair. It's part police procedural and crime thriller, but also a character study as the reader learns more about DI Kim Stone and comes to appreciate her personality and her work methods. I love this series and I can't wait for the next -- keep them coming, please! If you haven't yet discovered this set, please do yourself a favor and start at the beginning and read in order for full appreciation.

I'm one satisfied reader and would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is book #10 in a long-running series. Best to read in order from start.
Genre-labels: crime thriller, police procedural

Where Angels Fear (Kane and Alton #5) by DK Hood

It's almost Christmas and the low temperatures and snow have hit Black Rock Falls, MT, with a vengeance. College kids are returning home for the holidays. In fact, Sky Paul and her roommate, Ella Tate, are on their way to Sky's house for a family celebration. But, their happy plans are shattered when Sky stops to help a stranded motorist on the side of the highway. Bad idea. Ella spends the night sheltering high up in a pine tree to escape the man wielding the ax and soon Detectives Kane and Alton are investigating the case. Soon other young people go missing apparently from that same stretch of lonely dark road and Kane and Alton realize that these abductions are part of a larger and more complex crime. NO SPOILERS.

This is the 5th in series and I can't imagine not having read the previous 4 -- I don't feel that you could read as a standalone as there were a lot of changes due to events that happened in the other books. I felt that this one was almost a complete step backwards in the relationship situation between Kane and Alton and I really wasn't all that thrilled with dredging back up their past as previous government agents, etc. I don't care if they have a romance or not, in fact I wish they wouldn't, but it's such a cliche in this type of novel that I grin and bear it. Definitely the reader will find the setting and atmosphere of Montana in the winter well-described.

I found a few little oddities in the actual writing of this novel that is set in USA. Some of the vocabulary and phrases used were more British than American and that was a bit jarring. There were tons of characters and the author dangles red herrings freely and it seemed that not much mention was made of poor Sky after all and the whole reaction of her family to the situation. Also don't think even the most stupid college-aged person would do what Doug and Ella did. I thought there were some loose ends that never got tidied up.

So, this was a little disappointing as I have previously really enjoyed the series and I can't put my finger on exactly what felt off. This didn't have as much suspense or thrills as I'd hoped so I hope it will be back on track with the next one.

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

This is the 5th in the series and I definitely recommend you read from start, in order.
Genre - detective stories, kidnapping, murder

Death Comes to Call (DC Tara Thorpe #3) by Clare Chase

DC Tara Thorpe of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary has been assigned to look into a missing person report filed by the brother, Matthew Cope. It seems that the absent artist, Luke Cope, had gone off over a week previously and the situation had not been taken very seriously. When Tara visits Luke's messy house and art studio, she's shown a strange painting -- of a woman in the throes of being strangled. It looks to be the work of a seriously disturbed individual and it sets Tara's spider sense tingling. When it's revealed that the woman in the picture is Freya Cross, Luke's illicit lover, Tara becomes even more concerned. And when that very woman turns up dead in the nearby Paradise Nature Reserve, things really heat up for the constabulary as all hands on deck try to find the truth. Did Luke murder Freya and then vanish to avoid being caught? DI Garstin Blake leads Tara and the rest of the team -- DC Max Dimity and newly promoted DS Megan Maloney -- in a complicated investigation that involves art, heroin and greed. NO SPOILERS.

I really like this series and have read all 3 books in order and I'd recommend that others do the same as each provides some essential background to the development of the characters and their relationships. I enjoy the details of the police procedural and the description of Cambridge, the fens, and the surrounding countryside. I am not quite sure yet how I feel about the characters as both Tara and Blake have some serious flaws and issues that I wish would be resolved and not with some ridiculous or sappy romantic twist that makes her a twit and him a cad. Their whole "thing" needs to just stop and be over and they need to get on with their jobs and leave out all the yearning and whatnot that is affecting their ability to fully function as a team and makes them do stupid stuff. I'm also tired of the "stalker" thing -- seriously, that needs to be finished as well after 3 books and all that police power to figure out who's involved and why. Other than those two things, I'm ready to read more books about Tara and the team and the crime at Cambridge.

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

This is #3 in the Tara Thorpe series and books should be read in order.
Genre-labels: police procedural, murder mystery, detective novel

Finding Grace by K.L. Slater

"What happens to the bad things people have done?"

Lucinda (Lucie)Sullivan is about to find out the high price she's going to pay for something she did back in her university days. Now married to Blake, a local councilor, Lucie has a 9-year old daughter named Grace and an infant son, Oscar. Things are going well for the little family and Lucie has put her anxiety disorder to rest and is enjoying domestic bliss well enough when the unthinkable happens. Grace is walking on her own for the first time, home from visiting a friend just a few minutes up the street, when she vanishes. Despite the fact that she was being monitored by two grown men on opposite ends of the street, Grace does not make it home. Police are called, news appeals are done, and Lucie is existing in a twilight of dread and panic. When days go by without Grace being found, Lucie gets a note from someone in her long buried past. NO SPOILERS.

The story moves along at a good pace with a few surprising twists along the way, but I never worried for Lucie or Grace for some reason so the suspense and chills weren't as prominent as usual for a psychological thriller novel. I think it may be because I've read so many "missing children" books this past year. I can't say, either, that I warmed to Lucie or felt a real level of empathy for her plight.
I've read all of this author's previous books and will continue to do so in hopes that her next one will grab me a bit harder. The writing, as always, was excellent and I'm sure many will find this tale compelling.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre-labels: psychological suspense, domestic fiction, missing child, secrets and lies

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins

"Let the child pass out."

An absorbing tale about relationships and one that presents the ultimate truth -- some are good for you and some are bad. And how hard it can be to let go...

Sylvie O'Leary was 14 years old the night her sister didn't sneak back into the safety of their bedroom after an illicit night out with her boyfriend. Although Persephone was a senior in high school, she was not allowed to date, and certainly didn't want their single mom, Annie, to know about Ben. The sisters had an understanding -- the secret was to be kept. When Persephone's body is discovered under new fallen snow a couple of days later, the life that Sylvie had known was over. Her mother, always a bit moody, turned to alcohol and shut herself in her bedroom leaving Sylvie to fend for herself physically and emotionally. Thanks to Annie's sister, Aunt Jill, Sylvie finished high school and went off to the Rhode Island School of Design to get a degree in fine art. Now Sylvie is 30 years old and, after living all this time without much contact with her mother, Aunt Jill summons her back to Spring Hill to care for Annie who is dying of cancer. No one has ever been charged with Persephone's murder and it's an almost forgotten cold case -- Sylvie is determined to get answers once and for all. NO SPOILERS.

Although any reader of this type of fiction will know immediately where it's going, it was still an enjoyable trip to the conclusion. I thought the writing was excellent and I really appreciated how Sylvie didn't back down or shy away from getting the answers that she wanted -- because she was finally ready to push for the truth. I had a hard time relating to Annie, damaged as she was, but she's the type of woman and mother that is so tough to understand. This is a quick read that I consumed over the course of a couple of hours on a cold winter day.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- cold case murder, mother and daughter relationships, domestic drama, mystery

Where She Lies by Michael Scanlon (Det Finnegan Beck #1)

 "To follow the crow one must first become a hawk."

Detective Finnegan Beck has been demoted to Sergeant in the Garda pending an investigation up at his former precinct in Dublin. Sent to Cross Beg to lick his wounds, Beck feels out of place and out of time in the tiny town in South Galway. He soon finds himself in the middle of an extremely complicated case involving a series of murders. Partnered with newlywed Detective Garda Claire Somers, they pair start looking a bit closer into the townspeople, especially those connected to the first victim, 15-year-old Tanya Frazzali. Her body was found in Cool Wood; she'd been strangled, had recent sexual intercourse, and was rumored to have a secret, much older boyfriend. Beck and Somers try to get going on the investigation but are hampered because of Beck's disgrace and he is kept away from the case. No matter, he is good at what he does, and he's going to find a work around. Make no mistake, there's evil roaming the streets and alleys of Cross Beg and Beck is on the job. NO SPOILERS.

I enjoyed this first of a new series featuring Beck though he is indeed another messed up tortured detective who is prone to depression and the bottle without much to redeem him except that he happens to be good at his job. Policing is what he does, he lives alone, and doesn't suffer fools. It will be interesting to see how and if he grows and changes in the next books. The only "off" note to me was the constant dream sequences -- I'm not a fan. We do hear the voice of the killer in italics narration interspersed through the chapters, but really only get vague suggestions of what caused his psychopathy -- severe as it was. It was an interesting plot with a lingering tease as the author doled out clues and hints. I am a fan of a good police procedural and look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. The title on mine was different -- THE QUIET HOURS -- and actually, I prefer that to the new one. Though actually neither really fits the book plot. The cover is great!

#1 in a new series
Genre -- police procedural and detective novel. Grisly murder.

The Couple by Sarah Mitchell

To borrow the lyrics from a song...this whole book was really a "bad romance."

Claire works for the Home Office Immigration Service, not technically a lawyer, but she helps with appeals of decisions made regarding the status of a petition of residency. She's overburdened with the desperation of the petitioners and the work, but things are looking up for her now that she's met and become engaged to Angus. Yes, they've only known each other about 4 months, but Claire is quite pleased at the uptick in her living situation and future domestic arrangements in a beautiful new home that they got at a great price. When Claire meets the previous homeowner, Mark, she's struck immediately by how much he reminds her of an old boyfriend, Daniel. Perhaps that's why she soon finds herself in a huge mess...NO SPOILERS.

My first thought after finally finishing this book is -- what the heck did I just read? And not in a good way. I found it confusing and totally, absolutely, almost unbearablely, unbelievable. In addition, the main character, Claire, is one of the most unlikeable people you're likely to encounter in fiction as she has no redeeming qualities. I couldn't relate to her and mostly wanted to slap her for being so stupid and horrible. The two men, Angus and Mark, were also hideous but we only see them through Claire's unreliable eyes and other characters are very incompletely fleshed out so are one-dimensional and only peripheral to Claire. I had to force myself through to the end and the conclusion was so unsatisfying that I wanted to throw the book against the wall.

It seems that the author does have some writing talent with some great descriptions and turn of phrase, but the story line and plot here was so off because of its need for me to completely suspend any sense of reality that anyone would do any of the stuff that Claire does. So, no, I didn't care for this one. It's not smart or clever or twisty or tricky in my opinion. Just glad I actually finished (it's a rule I have for myself) and now I'm done and moving on.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - psychological drama

One Fatal Mistake by Tom Hunt

Before you open this book, take a deep breath. Then check your ability to throw logic out the window so that you can suspend a large measure of disbelief in order to swallow this story of one family's attempt to cover up a murder.

Joshua Mayo and his father are driving in the Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area in Nebraska when they are involved in a hit-and-run accident in Josh's Nissan Altima. Joshua tries to hide the evidence and go about his usual activities. He's a senior in high school, waiting for a college acceptance letter, and doesn't want his life to be ruined so he doesn't contact the police. Unfortunately, as things do, everything unravels quite quickly when Joshua goes back to the accident site to retrieve a missing glove and runs into Ross and Amber. The pair has just gone on the lam after robbing a bank and cheating their third partner in the crime out of 40K. And this is when the real trouble begins...NO SPOILERS

It's never a good idea to try to get away with murder or to try to cover up a crime. Joshua and his parents, Karen and Teddy, get in way over their heads in this action-packed tale. This was a quick read and ends much as you would expect. Parents trying to protect their child. Moral ambiguities that definitely cross ethical and responsible behavior -- you know, something you want to nuture in your children. There was quite a bit of this story that I just couldn't stomach as it was impossible for me to buy into the scenarios and outcomes in some cases -- but I guess I'm just not that kind of a mom and I had a hard time liking any of the characters -- you know, the ones you're supposed to empathize with or relate to. I'm sure others will find this domestic drama much more appealing than I did.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- family and domestic drama, cover-up of crime, action, murder

Bridge of Sighs (Martha Gunn #7) by Priscilla Masters

"People do not move on. They move to a different place dragging their baggage behind them like wheelie suitcases and bearing their scars."

Two inexplicable suicides have coroner Martha Gunn working overtime. The first, young and beautiful Gina Marconi, a 36-year-old barrister who was due to be married. She specialized in criminal law and had an 8-year old son. What on earth would make Gina drive her car at 60 miles an hour into a stone wall at 3 am? The second, a 12-year-old boy, Patrick Elson, who dives off the A-5 bridge into heavy traffic. Patrick was sweet, smart and being raised by a single mom. Definitely there must be a very sad story behind that leap.

Martha Gunn, the coroner for Shrewsbury, is a medical doctor whose job is to investigate the circumstances surrounding  a death, hold an inquest, and make a determination about whether or not the death was from natural causes, accidental, homicide, suicide etc. She is not the one who performs the postmortem exam, but is more like a detective piecing together all the facts and nuances of a particular case. From the outset, Martha is convinced that somehow the two suicides have some connection or are linked despite the disparities in the victims. She usually investigates these situations with her close friend and colleague, DI Alex Randall, but he has been sidelined due to the unexpected death of his mentally ill wife, Erica. Because of their connection, Martha recuses herself from looking into Erica's death, and she finds herself without his guidance as she tries to put all the pieces together with the suicide cases.

This was the first book in this series I've read, and as it was #7, I was afraid I'd be totally lost. I didn't find that to be true, however, as the author provides some necessary backstory and it was easy for me to slot myself into Martha's life. I was pulled in immediately by her character and work ethic and found all the details of how the coroner works alongside the police and the pathologist to be quite interesting but it seems to be different to how this works in the USA. Regardless, I really liked following alongside Martha as she goes with the clues and digs into the lives of the victims to find out what may have driven them to their deaths. I really want to go back and read the first six books and definitely will be on the lookout for the next in the series.

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

This is book #7 in a long running series about coroner Martha Gunn. It worked as a standalone for me, but I definitely want to read from the beginning as I really liked this character and writing.
Genre - police procedural, mystery and detective novel

You Will Suffer by Alexandra Ivy

Small town life -- alcoholics, druggies, vandals, stalkers and -- killer?

After Ellie Guthrie graduated from law school, she relocated to her birthplace in Curry, Oklahoma, to set up a practice there. She's only recently moved and, in fact has still not even fully unpacked, when the trouble begins. She and her neighbor, former FBI agent Nate Marcel, are taken aback by all the recent deaths and begin their own investigation, along with a steamy romance.

Make no mistake, this is a mystery that is almost completely overshadowed by the love story. If I'd known that the sappy romance was such a huge part of the novel, I'd never have requested this title. The revenge plot is fairly thin and there's a lot of bloodshed over something that was revealed so late and thus everything that happened seemed like overkill. I've not read any other books by this author, but will probably avoid now that I see that the synopsis was a bit misleading. I read this in a couple of hours. I didn't care for any of the characters and never really got fully invested in the story line as it required me to buy into the fact that the people who lived in Curry were all pretty much dumb hicks and only Ellie and Nate were smart enough to figure it all out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Although this is listed as #3 in The Agency series, when I checked the descriptions of all the books in the series it seems that they each feature different characters and appear unrelated.
Genre -- heavy on romance, short on suspense, mystery

Spare Room by Dreda Say Mitchell

"We project one thing to the world but inside there's hurt, there's pain, there's memories chasing us that will never go away."

Lisa Kendal has scars. And we're not just talking about the ones on the outside that everyone can see though she keeps her body completely covered. She's got some serious emotional and psych issues, a past "incident" that was likely a suicide attempt, and many questions about her past. When she can't get straight, honest answers from her parents (Edward and Barbara), she takes matters into her own hands and rents a room in a beautiful house in North London. Despite the near constant nightmares and the crazy rules that the home owners hold her to, she feels drawn to the place. When she finds a handwritten letter at the back of a bedside cabinet, the urge to find out more about its author intensifies leading to quite the roller coaster ride of a story! NO SPOILERS.

I read this in one sitting in a couple of hours because I had to find out all the secrets. I felt the synopsis was a bit misleading, but probably necessary to avoid giving away the real plot. In order to appreciate this crazy tale, you're probably going to have to use every ounce of effort to suspend disbelief and just go along with the spins and twists. A pet peeve of mine is when I am forced to read about a character's dreams, but I was able to gloss over the many times that Lisa's nightmares were related and get on with it. I can't say I liked any of the characters and found it pretty easy to figure out where it all was going, but it was a fun read and I'm sure the author had a blast writing this one.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre: psychological thriller

The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne

They are playing a devious game of cat and mouse -- but who's the "cat" and who's the "mouse"?

Rebecca is shocked when she gets a letter from her best friend's husband, Richard Gray. The devilishly handsome and wealthy man had swept Nicole off her feet in a whirlwind courtship and they married quietly in a little stone church in Worcestershire near their new home. But things hadn't been going well when Nicole's suicide is reported to Rebecca and so she heads off immediately to the funeral. Finding herself immediately taken by Richard, his obvious grief and distress over what Nicole had done, Rebecca slowly becomes involved with him and his daughter from a previous relationship, Olivia. What had really gone on between Richard and Nicole and can Rebecca find happiness when her friend could not? NO SPOILERS.

Told in alternating points of view, chapters are narrated in past and present tense by Nicole, Rebecca, Olivia and Richard. The unraveling of their secrets and their plans makes for a very fast-paced read that is hard to put down. You may or may not be surprised by the revelations and climax. As the author says in a letter to the reader at the end, "this is a story about relationships." There's lots of descriptive sex and quite a bit of repetition so the reader can't miss the point about which characters are good and those who are not so quite black and white. To be honest, I didn't relate to any of them but I liked the book. "Controlling relationships are not an easy subject..."

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I am looking forward to reading Sheryl Browne's next book and have enjoyed her previous ones as well.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- psychological thriller -- abusive relationships

The Rule of Law (Dismas Hardy #18) by John Lescroart

When you're talking about a crime..."there's a difference between knowing it and being able to prove  it. And if you get that mixed up, you're on a slippery slope."

It comes to pass that Ron Jameson is elected as the new DA in San Franciso. He beat out Dismas Hardy's friend and law partner, Wes Farrell, and is determined to shake things up. In fact, Jameson seems to have a vendetta against the entire firm and his first target is Hardy's secretary, Phyllis McGowan. She's served with a warrant after the grand jury indicts her as an accessory to murder! It seems that the intrepid and hard-working Phyllis has kept several secrets, and one of those happens to be that she is working as part of an Underground Railroad system that helps undocumented immigrants get out of the USA and into Canada, thus avoiding deportation. The other is that her ex convict brother, Adam, has been staying with her as he is trying to get back on his feet Unfortunately, Adam is not reformed after his time in prison. Dismas scrambles to help Phyllis with her legal troubles and incurs the wrath of the new DA. Now he and his colleagues and friends have a target on their backs as the DA also seeks to uncover evidence to further discredit them in an old case known as the Dockside Massacre. In retaliation, or as an aside, the SFPD has two detectives investigating Ron Jameson in cold case that involved murder!  Yes, there's a lot going on. NO SPOILERS.

This is the 18th in a long running series featuring the attorney, Dismas Hardy, and though it is classified as a legal thriller, it really didn't have much about the practice of "law" but was more a mystery and cat-and-mouse game between all the players on opposing sides. Although I've read only a couple of the previous titles, I wasn't lost as the author keeps the reader in the loop as far as who is who in the characters. It took me awhile to become invested in the story as I kept getting distracted by the political messages imbued in the narration -- those about immigration, deportation, ICE, DREAMers, sanctuary cities, etc. The loose ends are tied up, explanations are given, solutions occur in a most convenient fashion making it all a little hard to swallow. Sometimes I wasn't even quite sure that Dismas was a "good guy" as he's painted. But then again, we're talking about criminal defense attorneys. I think most of the characters in the book are of the "either - or" variety and it was quite clear that the bad guys were awful and the ones on Hardy's side were not. Just seemed like there was quite a bit of shady stuff going on -- on both sides.

I enjoyed the book well enough but never fully invested myself in the characters though I liked Hardy's sense of humor and his love of the arcane. It might be better to read this if you have been following along the entire series instead of picking this up as a start point.

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

This is part of a long running series and though it could be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend doing that.
Genre - legal but not really a thriller, more a mystery

The Flower Girls by Alice Clark-Platts

"...the law has nothing to do with the truth."

In 1997, two young girls -- 10-year-old Laurel and 6-year-old Primrose (Rosie) -- are accused of abducting and killing a toddler in a gully near a canal by their back garden. Because of her young age, Rosie is not subject to trial but Laurel (referred to during the proceedings as "Child X") is convicted and sent to a detention center. After the court case, her identity was revealed to the public and Laural and Primrose were labeled with the Flower Girls name. While Laurel languished at the youth center until age 18, the rest of the family were given new identities, moved away, and never visited her. When Laurel turned 18, she was moved to a women's prison and her only regular visitor was her uncle, and solicitor. Meanwhile, Rosie grew up out of the spotlight with her Mum and Dad and their notoriety hidden.

Flash forward 20 years to Rosie's (now her name is Hazel Archer) 25th birthday. She and her partner Jonny are at a Balcombe Court in Devon on New Year's Eve to celebrate with his teenaged daughter, Evie. A cry goes up early in the evening -- a 5-year-old girl, Georgie Greenstreet, has gone missing. A massive search begins even as a horrible winter storm comes in and blankets the hotel and beach with ice and bitter cold. When DC Lorna Hillier arrives on scene, she's in high gear and initiates an intense investigation. It's during this drama that Hazel meets the author, Max Saunders, and reveals her hidden identity as she shares with him her worry that she will be outed as a "Flower Girl" and somehow accused of this crime. Seeing an opportunity in this fortuitous encounter, Max has visions of a book deal based on Hazel's life and the long ago murder of Kirstie Swann. NO SPOILERS. Now, just pick up the book and read it!

I'm still reeling after finishing this book in the last couple of hours. Definitely it's a one-sit read as I think most will find it impossible to put down. Told in alternating points of view and going back and forth in time, it is an incredible story that asks more questions than it provides answers. This extremely well-written mystery demands that the reader think about evil and the concept of punishment. If you think about what you've read in the news, you'll be staggered by the notion of child murderers and again, wonder how and why they walk among us. Despite the clues and revelations, the conclusion leaves many dangling uncertainties and I would have liked to have seen more explanation and a more spelled-out ending -- I couldn't believe it when I read the last paragraph -- what??? No, please tell me more!

There were many characters in this book and they each play a role but were not fleshed out as much as I wanted -- give me more details and information. That said, I felt that I could identify at times with several of them and also want to shake others until the truth fell out. I really enjoyed this gripping story and definitely will look for other books written by this author. Very compelling and unsettling.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- mystery, legal and justice, police investigation, child abduction, murder

Life or Death (Zac Boateng #3) by Chris Merritt

"Revenge didn't always help."

This third police procedural/crime thriller featuring DI Zac Boateng of the Met Police is quite complex and involves quite a lot of action as he and the rest of the Lewisham team try to solve the case known as Operation Pluto. As you know from previous books, Zac likes to go off on his own and he's still looking for the man responsible for his daughter's death 5 years ago. His partner, DS Kat Jones is trying to keep tabs on him at the behest of DCI Krebs, especially after an informant dies in jail and Zac had visited him shortly before the supposed drug overdose. Then, Zac's son, Kofi, is kidnapped -- but he doesn't tell anyone as ordered by text message and he and his wife Etta try to meet the abductor's demands so they can get their son back. It's all seemingly connected to a criminal man or organization involved in gun dealing that is referred to as Kaiser -- but is this Kaiser connected somehow to the very police who are meant to be hunting him down?

Lots of characters to keep straight and a complicated bit of investigation with red herrings dangled to lead the reader on to the climax and the reveal. The narrative is told from several points of view which adds to the complex construction of the novel but offers a bit of insight into the motivation of some of the characters. I'm sure we'll be reading more about Zac and his mission in future novels.  Zac is the typical family man who happens to be a dedicated detective and, atypically for this genre, has a happy home life. He's the quintessential "good guy" whose main focus is to discover more about why his daughter died and who was responsible.

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

This is the third in the series and I believe it's important to read all of them in order as it doesn't really seem like it will work as a standalone.
Genre- police procedural and crime thriller

The Suspect (Kate Waters #3) by Fiona Barton

The first hint of trouble comes with an absence. There's no email in Lesley O'Connor's inbox when she looks for a missive from her 18-year-old daughter, Alex. It's alarming because Alex was meant to be contacting her parents to find out her A Level results. It's even more worrisome because Alex and a friend, Rosie Shaw, are supposed to be enjoying an adventure in Thailand. They contact the police to report that the last time they had heard from Alex was when she said she was in Bangkok. Both sets of parents meet with Detectives Bob Sparkes and Zara Salmond to ask for help in contacting the British Embassy in Thailand and reporter Kate Walker soon gets involved in trying to find out what's become of the missing girls. But Kate has her own private concerns -- her own son, Jake, hasn't phoned home much since he bunked off to Phuket after leaving his university studies over 2 years ago. Something is truly amiss in Thailand and this mystery must be solved as worries for the teenagers mount. NO SPOILERS.

What a great story! Told in alternating points of view, the reader hears the voices of Alex, Kate, Bob, and Lesley who describe events in detail as they happen. The shifts in perspective were easy to follow and lent a great deal of tension and suspense to the evolving tale. You can feel the parents' anguish intensify as it all unfolds and you can imagine the frustration experienced by the police and by Kate as they try to find out information from officials on foreign soil. The writing was excellent and I had difficulty in putting the book down as more and worse is revealed. I definitely liked the style in which this was told and just sat quietly as I tried to take it all in after I turned the last page.

I had read the first book in the Kate Waters series and do have the second (which I'll definitely go back to), but I wanted to read this by publication day as I was grateful to NetGalley and Berkley for the e-book ARC to review. This is definitely a book I can recommend as I understand all too well that "protecting our children changes who we are. Who we seem to be."

And lastly, call me overprotective and whatever, but I can honestly say that there's no way on earth I'd let my 18-year-old daughter go off backpacking in Thailand with a girlfriend. Oh yes, I know that bad stuff can happen anywhere -- even in your own backyard -- but it just seems way too risky of a venture.

This is book 3 of a series. I read book #1 and didn't have any issues with missing #2 as far as being able to read as a standalone. I do plan to read #2 shortly as well.
Genre -- a mix of police procedural/crime thriller with a reporter aspect and also family drama

The Couple on Cedar Close (DI Dan Riley #2) by Anna-Lou Weatherley

"It's got all the elements of a front-pager: passion, jealousy, betrayal, rejection, attempted suicide..."

Laurie Mills wakes in a stupor in the middle of the night to find her husband, Robert, dead in the guest bathroom. When the police arrive, find the murder weapon and the message written on the mirror, Laurie is taken directly to the police station. It's a slam dunk, after all, Laurie had just recently outed her husband's infidelity -- including the fact that he had a love child -- at the neighborhood barbecue. But DI Dan Riley isn't convinced -- it's his intuition telling him that something about the whole crime and the situation isn't that clear cut. NO SPOILERS.

Well, this was a romp! The story has everything, including some serious psychopathology and several extremely twisted relationships. Although the main of the plot was quickly visible, it was fun to see how it all was going to play out -- including a few surprises along the way. Though I didn't really relate all that much with the very damaged Laurie (I was more sympathetic to the "bad guy" in a way), I did enjoy this second in the series as much as I did the first. As far as DI Riley, he's an OK male detective and I'm hoping with the bit of cliffhanger at the end that he's going to get over Rachel now and get on with his life. He's painted just a little too "all that", and I'm hoping he'll show some minor little flaws as well! It's a good series and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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

This is the second in a series. Read in order for best enjoyment.
Genre -- psychological thriller, detective story, "bad romance" domestic drama

The Death Messenger (DS Matthew Ryan #2) by Mari Hannah

Excellent crime thriller/police procedural featuring a killer with a very unique motive.

This second in the series (regretfully, I missed the first one), starts as Detective Superintendent Eloise O'Neil and Detective Sergeant Matthew Ryan of the Northumbria Police are setting up a newly formed unit that could have the potential to deal with international issues or really hot assignments. Their first case starts when they receive a DVD depicting a bloody murder scene in a lock-up close to the River Tyne. There is no body, but the detectives don't imagine for an instant that this is a hoax. From the beginning, the pair is stymied by a lack of evidence, motive and suspects. They are joined by husband and wife Frank and Grace Newman -- both with the type of experience and skills needed by this new team to figure out what's going on as several high profile murders subsequently take place -- all seemingly at the hands of the videographer sending the DVDs. The team gears up and follows where the few leads take them to seek out the person or persons behind these deaths where the victims appear to have no connection. What is the link and, despite being thwarted by higher ups in the government, how in the world is this new unit going to work it all out. NO SPOILERS

I enjoyed this and definitely will want to read the next in the series. The major drawback for me, and what really detracted from my overall rating, is the constant and ridiculous crushing that Matt is doing on Eloise. Give me a break! If he'd spend less time thinking about and mooning over her and worrying about her safety and mental well-being, he might be a better, more effective sleuth! It got old really fast and if that romantic pap was left out of the story, it would have hummed along at a better pace instead of dragging with all that sappy stuff. She's his boss, they are a two-person team with support personnel, so either get it on or let's get over it. It really diminished my perception of Eloise as a super duper strong leader with all her mopey sensitivities and he was like a love-sick puppy around her. ENOUGH!  That said, when all that wasn't being focused on over and over, I liked the premise and the complexity of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the second in a series and, though I did not read the first, I wish I would have!
Genre - Police procedural/ crime thriller

Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry

"It had nothing to do with justice and even less to do with preventing future misdemeanors by petty offenders. It had been vengeance, plain and simple."

Dana Diaz is a struggling stand-up comedian wanna be when she meets Amanda after a particularly uninspired set. "Short, stacked, and Latina", Dana hasn't had much luck breaking into the scene and she blames it on an event that happened to her when she lived with her BMF, Jason, in LA. As Dana and Amanda talk, they find that they have something in common -- they've both been taken advantage of by men. Amanda suffered from the effects and lost her IT job. Dana was assaulted by a man she was looking at to mentor her. As these things do, their chat leads to a crazy plan -- a swap -- each will "take care of" a man whose name is on their lists as having violated them. This scheme is put into action and leads both in a direction they had not anticipated. Oh wait...one of them had.
NO SPOILERS.

Well, I wanted to like this book given its timely nature with #metoo and so many stories in the media about women suffering because of sexual things done to them by men. Women who kept quiet and didn't speak up thus never going that extra step or preventing those same men from going on to do the same to other women. It was what appealed to me when I read the book, but this story wasn't what I was anticipating for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I hated all the characters. I couldn't muster up one bit of empathy for any of the women or the men. Second -- I hate comedy routines and there wasn't a single line in the book that came from a routine that even made me crack a smile much less laugh. It just wasn't funny, it was crass and stupid and yeah, I guess I can't take a joke. So without anything to hold onto or to care about with the rising action, I wanted to quit reading the book but forced myself to finish without connecting to it in any way. The first half or so was totally boring and, although it picked it up a little in the second half, I just didn't care and slogged on to what I thought was a totally horrible ending.

So, that's all I've got. I am sorry I picked it up and wasted my time. I think the author's message got lost somewhere in the ridiculousness of the whole sordid story. In short, I lost the plot. I kept waiting for there to be ONE decent man but he never showed up! Despite everything that's going on out in the real world, there are some men who don't assault women. Anyway, if YOU are assaulted by any one at any time -- speak up. Save yourself from that inner rage and guilt. Rant over.

I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for granting my ill-considered request to read and review. It didn't work for me, but I'm sure others (as noted in some of the reviews I've recently read) will find it "razor sharp" though I thought it dull and pointless.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - meant to be a suspense thriller

A Promise to the Dead (Detectives King and Lane #4) by Victoria Jenkins

This 4th book in the Detectives King and Lane series features another complicated murder case that forces the team to delve into some nefarious activity that happened over 30 years ago.

On a dark night, Matthew and Stacey are coming home -- intoxicated -- and decided to take the long route home. Bad decision. Matthew runs out of gas and leaves Stacey behind in the car while he goes to get help. When the police are called to the scene the next day, Stacey is dead from a gunshot and Matthew is missing. Of course he becomes the prime suspect. Now all the team has to do is find him!
Meanwhile, a body has been found in the garden of a local house that's undergoing some renovation. And still there's more: a local man has gone missing after a night out around Cardiff Bay. After some investigation, it becomes obvious that there must be some sort of link between these cases, but DI King is having a hard time putting it all together. And one member of her team is keeping a secret...
NO SPOILERS

This was a bit slow going and hard to get into for me. Not sure if that was because I was reading this while suffering through a blizzard and power failure, but I couldn't really fall under the spell of the story. I also had a difficult time remembering the characters from the only other book in this series that I've read (#3) and many times when references were made to past events, I had no clue what that was about. I don't think this works as a standalone for that reason and I wish I would have had more detail about the characters and their history. The scars on Lane's face? Coudn't remember how she got them. The other issues in King's personal life -- no recall. So, though it was an interesting police procedural, I didn't find it as compelling as I usually do.

The clues are pieced together, painstakingly, and the case is solved but it seemed to take a long time to get to the reason for it all. I'm sure it's just my own fault having a bad memory of the previous book, but I found it hard to connect to the characters and to get fully invested in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I know I really liked book #3 so I will definitely be eager to read the next in the series.

This is Book #4 in a series featuring DI Alex King and DC Chloe Lane. Best read in order.
Genre - police procedural/crime thriller

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene

"Everything was perfect, and full of perfect people, except for the two of them, who looked the part, but were sliding backward into their true, deep imperfections, where they belonged."

The only question to be answered in this domestic drama is -- who is the "perfect liar"? Max W. is basically a fraud and Susannah has some deep-seated psychological issues. She and her 15-year-old son, Freddy, are still reeling from his father's death when Max appears at party and sweeps her off her feet. Their marriage seems to be going very well until the morning a note appears taped to their front door. All of a sudden, their wonderful life starts unraveling. No spoilers.

I was really into the story until things shifted and my "oh no" meter ramped up. Told in alternating points of view by Max and Susannah, the two extremely unlikeable characters are definitely suited to each other. There are hints and red herrings but it becomes more clear quite soon what is about to happen. I just hated the ending and I'd love to tell more about the reason for that, but can't without ruining the requisite twisty part. It just didn't work for me and I'll stop after saying that I really prefer a book where justice is served.

Although this one didn't hit all the right notes for me, I enjoyed a couple of hours reading about this crazy couple. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'm certain others will find it a very satisfying psychological thriller and I'm sorry it just didn't quite meet the expectations raised by the synopsis and premise.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre/labels: domestic drama, psychological thriller

As Long As We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney

Read this if you are in the mood for a seriously twisted, totally warped and outlandishly crazy book about the marriage from hell!

"...that's how marriages were -- like a private room for two, where no one else could see inside."

Matt and Marie have been married for over 20 years and they've definitely had their ups and downs. Now wealthy with two college-aged daughters living away from home, they find themselves face to face, alone with each other and returning to some old habits. Now they both love -- and hate -- each other but what can be done since divorce is so expensive and out of the question. They've been working on their marriage for years, seen therapists, tried to make it work. So when they decide to go on a hiking trip to Estes Park they find some inspiration in the mountains. But! Tragedy strikes when Marie falls from a cliff into the roaring river beneath. Things go from bad to worse for Matt when he becomes the prime suspect as the police begin to think the fall was no accident. It seems that Matt has a history: his first wife died under some very suspicious circumstances. Detectives Spengler and Loren (a mismatched pairing if there ever was one) are investigating the death and come to some very surprising conclusions. NO SPOILERS.

What a fun book that is chock-full of some of the most unlikeable and outlandish characters ever! I found it almost laugh-out-loud funny at times, especially with the aside observations. I liked the style of the narrative as it switched between the characters and the use of the second person point of view was masterfully handled. I really enjoyed this one more than I expected, thinking I'd had it was twisty psychological thrillers that seemed just like the other, and I had a great sigh of satisfaction at the ending. So, suspend your disbelief and go along for this rocky ride without thinking too much about tedious little details or tiny things like realism! And don't let it put you off from the idea of marriage LOL, it's doubtful you'll find a soulmate in each other as this couple did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the e-book ARC to read and review. It kept me thoroughly entertained!

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre/Labels: Domestic drama, psychological thriller, dark humor

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks

 You've read the blurb/synopsis -- now read the book. Without giving spoilers, I'm finding it hard to write a typical review as this is and is not a typical missing child crime thriller.

Yes, 4-year-old Alice goes missing in broad daylight from a crowded school fair. Indeed, Charlotte Reynolds, the mom who was supposed to be watching Alice, is blamed. Harriet Hodder is Alice's mom and she had never before left her child with anyone. How could this have happened? And is this a kidnapping similar to that of a boy who was snatched from a nearby village months before? The police investigation begins and the friendship between Charlotte and Harriet naturally falls to pieces as Charlotte blames herself (she was posting on Facebook instead of keeping an eye on Alice) and Harriet's husband, Brian, blames her for leaving Alice with a sitter. But there is much more to this story.

While the two best friends are completely estranged, their lives both take a sharp turn to the worse. Charlotte, formerly a popular divorced mom of three, is looked at with suspicion and distrust -- she lost her best friend's daughter! Harriet sinks into a lockdown mode in her house with only her controlling husband and the liaison officer for company. Harriet feels she is losing her mind with the worry over her missing child.

The narrative shifts between point and view and a then and now format while the women each tell their own version of events as they are questioned by detectives. It turns out that the only truth happens to be this: if someone doesn't want to tell you their secrets, you won't know them.

A subtle shift occurs partway through the book that takes the story in a completely different direction and I really enjoyed the departure from the usual course. After the revelation, the tone changes and I could not turn the pages fast enough to get to the climax. I'm not sure how believable the whole scenario actually is, but I totally enjoyed it nevertheless. The characters were interesting and I could empathize with each woman as the plot delves into some issues typical of women's fiction and domestic drama. The conclusion seemed apt given all that had happened ...but I can't say more tho I want to!

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre and labels: Domestic drama, psychological thriller, Female friendship, missing child

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This psychological thriller is so compulsive that I opened the book this evening and did not put it down until I finished just moments ago! I wanted to write a review while all the emotion and reactions were still running hot.

Here's a piece of free advice: Never lie your way into a psychological research study. We all know how those devious little manipulators can trick you -- ha! Obviously, Jessica (Jess) Farris wasn't privy to my admonition and she went and signed up, becoming Subject 52 after answering some moral and ethical questions on a laptop computer in an empty classroom. Jess is instructed to "be open and truthful" when taking the questions. Little does she know that she is already being analyzed and is subsequently found suitable for an expanded study that will require a great deal more than Jess could have ever anticipated. What becomes of Jess, a floundering make-up artist in desperate need of money for herself and for her family? And what is she willing to do for Dr. Shields in order to get it?

Oh the characters! All basically nasty and terribly unreliable and I can't say I liked any of the schemers. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there is a subtle shift that might make you unsure if you're coming to the right conclusions. The narrative style and changes in person and point of view is quite effective in stringing the reader along. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I really did not like how the story ended even though I really enjoyed the book!

I read this duo's previous novel, The Wife Between Us, and truly appreciate their talented work on this second collaboration. It stands out in a genre field that has become so inundated with new novels of psychological fiction where all the characters basically have way too many secrets and lies. I'm sure that there will be tons of hype but I had no expectations going in as I haven't read too much about this book and urge others not to read too many reviews before diving in. Enjoy the roller coaster ride and wait for the movie so you can relive the story!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.
Genre: Psychological thriller

Her Pretty Bones (Gina Harte #3) by Carla Kovach

Two teenaged girls are dead, both showing indications of long term abuse and drug addiction. Forensics indicate that the two are connected. Detective Gina Harte and her team investigate a complicated case in this third book of the popular series. It seems that there may be yet another girl that needs help -- can they find her in time?

Although this book held my interest, the shifting points of view were a bit jarring and some of the narrative just wasn't all that compelling as the reader waits for the plot to become cohesive and to see how it all ties together. This is basic police procedural mystery with a very complicated reveal that was a bit disappointing. I just can't seem to relate to the main character, Gina Harte, and am tired of her personal issues not being resolved and her thinking the same things over and over. The other members of the team are not well-developed and none stand out as memorable. The most interesting aspect of the book to me was actually the fact that one of the characters suffered from Huntington's Disease.

I'm sure I will continue with the series as I seem to be addicted to crime thrillers featuring women detectives. This was my first read of 2019!

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

This is #3 in a series and I've read them in order to date.
Genre: Crime thriller, police procedural, mystery

The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic

Susanna Fenton has spent the past 14 years running from her past. A tragedy for which she might have born a degree of responsibility has come back to slam her without warning and she faces an unexpected adversary in this drama about parenting and loss.

Adam Geraghty, a new patient, shows up at the appointed time to Susanna's counseling practice office. He's young, and she gets the feeling she might know him but proceeds with the session. It seems Adam has an issue with Susanna and is there to hear her confession before deciding what he's going to do about a certain other situation that he's set up to punish her with. NO SPOILERS

This was an interesting psychological thriller with a style that allows for a slow reveal of the history of Susanna's past troubles and what has led to this confrontation. Adam has an agenda but his vendetta is fueled by lies and a lack of perception of events that transpired many years ago. I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters and the particular drama but did have some empathy for a mother's pain when faced with dealing with a troubled teenager. Domestic drama always holds my interest and it certainly held my attention until the conclusion.

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

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

Where Secrets Lie (DS Karen Hart #2) by D.S. Butler

A cold case suddenly becomes very hot...

An old man has fallen down the stairs and when the police arrive to check on him at the behest of a concerned neighbor, they are warned not to go upstairs. Intrigued, they investigate and discover a skeltonized body in a suitcase inside a padlocked room. It turns out that this is the body of Oliver Fox who went missing over 30 years previously. In addition, a note is found in the kitchen and reads: "it's time to pay for your crime." The old man, Albert Johnson, succumbs to his injuries before the police get a chance to question him about the body and the note, but he's the obvious suspect when a postmortem exam proves that Oliver Fox was probably murdered. So, the death of Fox is old but the note is new. Have DS Karen Hart and DI Morgan stumbled upon a case that is going to be more complicated than they first imagined? After some investigation, Hart and Morgan discover that Johnson and Fox worked together at Greenhill Secondary School. Was Johson's death an accident or was there foul play involved? Hart and Morgan, along with DCs Jones and Cooper, are pulled into a complex web with an unsolved crime that happened so long ago that it will be difficult to figure out.
NO SPOILERS.

This was an evenly-paced, if somewhat pedantic, police procedural that weaves the past into the present with a connection that presents them with many suspects and strong motives. I hadn't read the first book in the series so the characters were all new to me and I was able to enjoy this without having done so. I can see that Hart is a fairly genre-stereotypical female detective -- she's had a loss, she's on her own, and she's mentally tough. Hart, however, doesn't seem to have a dark side or engage in maverick behaviors at this point -- for which I am glad. I'm tired of damaged female police detectives! I'm a bit wary of a potential romantic development on the horizon as the signs are there. This was easy to read in one setting and though some red herrings are dangled, the revelations didn't come as a big surprise. I liked it well enough that I'm sure I'll try to read the next in the series.

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

This is the second book in the DS Karen Hart series. The first one is titled Bring Them Home.

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

"Once there was a father who thought he could protect us."

King has sequestered his wife and 3 daughters in a large house by the ocean. Their aim is to be kept separate and safe from the rest of any place off their property where men and civization are toxic. The parents have strange ideas about raising Grace, Lia and Sky and they are subjected to all sorts of strange therapies and treatments -- including "the water cure." The notions and fallacies forced upon the girls by their parents shape them into creatures devoid of most female tendencies and bereft of true knowledge about themselves and the world at large. It is the worst kind of dystopia and their formative years spent in this place have warped them. When King goes off to obtain provisions and never returns, the girls and Mother are ill-equipped to continue on. Then, one day, 2 men and a little boy appear on the shore. Nothing has prepared them for this invasion. NO SPOILERS.

This has to be, without a doubt, one of the weirdest books I've ever read. I don't even know if I liked it but only that I was so glad when I finally finished. It was confusing, rambling, and hard to follow as the narrators changed and sometimes I wasn't sure whose voice I was hearing. The girls had some very peculiar thoughts, obviously warped by their upbringing and all so extremely odd. I didn't know whether to pity them or root for them not sure at all where this was all going. The underlying theme seemed to be that women should be very wary of all men who only meant them harm. Also that love was a dangerous feeling and the sisters had no way of understanding themselves without a barometer with which to measure themselves. I don't think this was the book for me but I've no doubt that others will find something profound within the pages that just escaped me. I can't enjoy working this hard to enjoy a book and this was a difficult read because of the subject and the strangeness of the lives the girls led. I don't know who I could recommend this book to. The characters were all messed up and no wonder with what they had endured by their parents in the name of protection and under the guise of love.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Run Away by Harlan Coben

Simon Greene is a financial planner with a pediatrician wife (Ingrid) and 3 children. His daughter, Paige, is a drug addict and when he tries to approach her in Central Park, she runs off. What's a father to do? Well, try to track her down of course. That's when the drama starts and evolves into quite the complicated novel of domestic suspense.

As in every Coben novel, the protagonist is painted as the ultimate family man who is dedicated to his wife and children. One who will take great risks and do some pretty unbelievable things to achieve his goal -- in this case -- finding his daughter and getting her off the drugs to re-unify the family unit. Although that's the main story line, there happens to be a lot of other crazy stuff going on in this book. The characters are many and quite stereotypical and predictable. There's mayhem and murder. The point of view alternates between some of the main players so the reader knows more of the big picture throughout. Some of what happens may require a great deal of suspension of disbelief as well as a quick check to answer the moral question -- do the ends justify the means? I personally couldn't relate to any of the main players nor did I like them.

As always, Coben finds a way to interject his personal politics and makes social commentary through the voices of his narrators. Although I find it annoying, I know it's going to be there so I just skip over. The novel is fast-paced so it was easy to keep turning the pages though I found much of what happens hard to buy into but it certainly provided a couple of hours of entertainment. I must comment on the "shocking twist" that may or may not surprise an astute reader -- really???? Sort of felt set up for that big reveal. Anyway, that seems to be almost expected in this genre.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

"We all did bad things..."

This is a complicated and completely absorbing mystery/drama about family. It's told from the point of view of two different narrators: Seraphine Mayes in the present day and Laura Silveira from the past.

The set-up reveals that 25 years ago Laura was working at Summerbourne as an au pair to Edwin Mayes, the 4-year-old son of Dominic and Ruth. Laura initially enjoys her new job and settles in with the family quite easily. Ruth is a bit temperamental and Dominic is gone off to work away from the estate quite often. Ruth longs for another baby and she soon becomes pregnant. That's when everything falls apart. Almost immediately after she gives birth, Ruth commits suicide by jumping off a cliff leaving behind twins -- a boy and a girl -- to be raised by their father, Dominic, and their maternal grandmother, Vera, who owns the manse. Laura, who helped Ruth give birth, leaves Summerbourne that very day.

Flash forward -- Dominic has recently died in an accident and while Seraphine (the twin daughter) is going through some papers, she finds a photo of her parents, with Edwin, and with her mother holding only one infant. The photo was taken on the day of her birth. She's very confused about the picture and has questions about what really happened and is concerned about the fact that her mother is holding only one baby. So she determines that she will find Laura to get her answers. What ensues is quite the story and I'll give no spoilers here.

I was quite surprised to find myself entranced with this family and the saga. I'm not saying that I didn't have suspicions that proved accurate as far as what had gone on, but it was all so well-written that I was happy to let the revelations come at their own pace. The characters were interesting and complex and their relationships described in such as way as to make it all believable even as fantastic as it was. The somewhat gothic tone, the tales of sprites and curses, as well as the close-knit nature of the villagers -- and who isn't interested in a story about ill-fated twins? I think it's best to read this in one sitting, if possible, as there are so many people and details to keep straight!

I really enjoyed this debut and I'd like to thank NetGalley and Berkley (Penguin Random House) for the e-book ARC to read and review. Recommended!

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Silent Suspect (Jessica Daniel #13) by Kerry Wilkinson

All Jessica wants is an answer to the question of why Bex left...

She's been searching for months, and when Jessica finally receives a phone call from Bex, the only word spoken is, "Jessica." It takes Jessica two days to trace the call to a west coast pay phone in Blackpool. Taking some long overdue time off, Jessica heads there immediately hoping to find Bex but ends up in a disaster of the sort that involves Jessica being accused of murder. This is quite the complicated plot featuring all sorts of dastardly goings on and many interesting characters -- both good guys and bad guys. NO SPOILERS.

Since the ending of #12 was a cliffhanger, I jumped at the chance to continue the story arc and sat down to read this immediately after receiving approval for the ARC today. It's so fast-paced, absorbing and full of action that I found it impossible to put down and thus read it in a couple of hours. This isn't a typical Jessica Daniel police procedural as she's gone off on her own without her team into Blackpool and is operating in a sketchy area and hooking up with an unusual group of women. Her main mission -- to find Bex -- leads her into a huge network of criminal activity and puts her career and her life in serious danger. It's great writing and storytelling and I'm so happy that this series just keeps getting better. I've read all of them and can't wait for the next hoping only for the best for Jessica. I'll be eager for her to return to Longsight Police and am wishing for Jessica to find some peace and contentment in her personal life.

***And something really fun and special -- an appearance in this book by Andrew Hunter, the private investigator protagonist of another Kerry Willkinson series!

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

This is the 13th book in a series and I think it's best to read them all, in order.

Pandemic by Robin Cook (Jack Stapleton #11)

This is not science fiction. A biologically active chimeric molecule -- CRISPR/CAS9 -- can modify the genetic makeup of living cells. The potential for use and misuse of this mechanism is quite promising on one hand and quite scary on the other. This story featuring forensic pathologist Jack Stapleton of the New York City Office of Medical Examiners focuses on the use of CRISPR/CAS9 in transplantation.

A young woman who had a recent heart transplant collapses and dies on the New York subway. Jack Stapleton performs the autopsy and is initially convinced that she succumbed to a particularly virulent strain of influenza. Worried about the potential for an epidemic, and because the woman has no ID on her, Jack begins an intense investigation involving testing of body fluids and specimens by specialists and goes into the field to attempt to isolate the virus that caused this death. There are no immediate new cases and that increases his confusion -- until the next woman dies. It is obvious to him that this particular virulent organism is something completely new and it proves difficult to identify. Can Jack figure out the origin and stop the spread of illness before more people die? NO SPOILERS.

If you like science and medicine, this is a medical thriller that will keep you absorbed. I couldn't put it down and read it over the course of a couple of hours. I loved the details about the chimera and all of the forensic pathology and epidemiological investigation. It's just as well that I could focus on the science because I can tell you that I can't stand Jack. His personality is so annoying and fortunately I was able to ignore him most of the time while reading. Considering what benefits to medicine and health that could be achieved with CRISPR/CAS9 is mind-boggling. Alleviating organ shortage is just one possible positive use but there are many other indications. But using it will come with a cost and it would be easy for ethical boundaries to fall making it dangerous in the wrong hands. How to control something so revolutionary that almost makes the user a god-like creator. And because of the way the world is now, it's quite worrisome. This particular book may be fiction, but the science of gene-editing is, and will be, at the forefront of huge changes affecting everyone on the planet.

I've read all of Cook's novels despite not liking anything about his main protagonist, Jack Stapleton. Medical thrillers are my favorite genre and I can highly recommend this to like-minded readers.

This is part of a long-running series, however it can be read as a standalone.

In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards

Jessica Gardner once had an older sister, Isabel, who died in a fall from a balcony almost 5 years ago. Jessica and her family have tried to move on, believing that the death was an accident. The agony had "dimmed to a dull ache" until her 4-year-old daughter, Olivia, starts having some serious issues at school and home. It seems that Olivia is recalling memories and details about Izzy that she can't possibly know and even insinuates that Izzy is telling her some secrets. Jessica is no stranger to haunting as she experienced a series of events in her childhood remiscent of the things that are happening to the family now. Is Izzy trying to send a message about her killer from beyond the grave? NO SPOILERS.

If you like your domestic drama with a bit of supernatural then you will enjoy this book. The mystery begs to be solved and Jessica is determined to release her daughter from this seeming "possession" and get to the bottom of it once and for all.

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

This is a standalone and not part of a series.

The Songbird Girls (DI Tom Fabian #2) by Richard Parker

"Sisyphean sentence continues..."

It was 3 years ago that Detective Inspector Tom Fabian put a London serial killer named Christopher Wisher in prison for the murder and mutilation of nine people. So why is Christopher asking Fabian to visit him at Kerslake Prison after all this time? It seems that Wisher wants to give Fabian a diary. But once Fabian has it and reads it he finds that this is a manuscript that doesn't make any sense at all. It's a couple of seemingly random jottings. But then the bodies are found. The victims have been killed in exactly the same way as Wishers previous ones -- including the signature that wasn't publicized on the broadcast that resulted in Wisher's capture -- the dead bird beside the body. Fabian and his partner, DS Natasha Banner, of the Horseferry Police frantically try to revisit all those who visited Wisher in prison, former family, and other potential suspects to no avail. These must be copycat murders of course, but WHO has Wisher entailed with his mission? NO SPOILERS.

This was great crime drama with red herrings and misdirection as the suspense kept me glued to the pages. I had my suspicions and then, with the shifting point of view, I did get my revelations. I liked the writing and the methodical way that the detectives approached the case but THAT ENDING! I can only hope to see more of Fabian and Banner as they tackle what comes next. This is the second in the series and I did read the first one which I'd encourage a reader to do as the characterization of Fabian develops and, though he keeps us at arm's length, I hope to learn more about him and Banner.

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

This is book #2 in a series. Read in order for maximum enjoyment.

All the Pretty Brides (Lt. Jake Carrington #3) by Marian Lanouette

He calls himself, "The Groom," but the press refers to the cases as the Bride Murders. The police know that every July 6, for the past 4 years, a young woman had disappeared. The 5th woman, however, is not missing -- the body of Nadia Carren is found on the railroad tracks  She'd been tortured, branded and her throat was slit. Lt. Jake Carrington and his partner, Sgt Louie Romanelli, are in charge of the investigation for the  Wilkesbury, CT, police. It seems that in the mind of the sick psycho who is apparently kidnapping and killing these women, he's substituting them for someone in particular -- the woman who jilted him at the altar. This case is going to stretch them to the breaking point as other professional and domestic issues arise. It's going to take an incredible team and strong leadership to see it through...NO SPOILERS.

OK I do like this series, but I truly wish that Jake and Louie would concentrate more on police work and less on their romantic liaisons. I really hate that so much of the pages are wasted on "love" and sex. The details of the investigation are quite good and exhibit just how difficult it is to track and find a killer of this ilk. There are many characters in the book and some have a larger role than others but it sometimes hard to keep everyone straight. Jake Carrington is the protagonist and I run hot and cold with my feelings about him. Obviously he's a good detective and an effective boss, but he's got some serious flaws as well. Louie is a hothead but is Jake's right hand man. They have a long, strong friendship as well as an effective working relationship. Their women mostly annoyed me. The case is complex and the web is pulled tighter very slowly to the ultimate conclusion. Since the narrative flips in point of view and includes the killer's voice, it's not a surprise who has done the deeds, more a procedural of the painstaking work required to narrow down a huge list to the suspect.

After the first one, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this, but I did -- even though I skipped number 2. I surprised myself by putting the 4th on my TBR as I do like the author's methods of demonstrating the workings of a case squad and the politics of the job. In my opinion, the series would be even better with LESS of the romance and probably appeal to a wider audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the third in series. Read in order if possible.

All the Deadly Lies (Lt. Luke Carrington #1) by Marian Lanouette

Newly promoted homicide detective, Lieutenant Jake Carrington of the Wilkesbury, CT Police Department, and his partner Louie Romanelli have several complicated cases on their hands. Jake is also dealing with a personal issue -- the man who was convicted of Jake's sister's murder is wanting a new trial and has asked for his DNA to be retested. Carrington and Romanelli are very busy interviewing suspects, chasing down leads, and reviewing case files. The homicides they are investigating include the bludgeoning murder of a young collect student, another involved a shot to the head of a divorced woman, and the rest of the squad is managing a hit-and-run death as well as a school shooting. They are working it with all the usual police procedural details.

I enjoyed this first in series to an extent but was totally irritated by the mad passionate love affair that Jake becomes involved in. I'm not a romance fan and I hate when it takes up so many pages in a book. I wish he would have just kept his mind on the cases. So this is not any sort of hard boiled detective novel, there wasn't much suspense typical of a crime thriller, so it was more a mystery with few surprises. I have the third in the series to read for review and will be skipping the second.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for the e-book ARC to read and review.

First in series.

Something Hidden (Andrew Hunter #2) by Kerry Wilkinson

"Sometimes a person's truth was more powerful than the actuality."

Fiona Methodist comes to Andrew Hunter's PI office to clear her father's name. It seems that he was named as the killer of two students who'd witnessed and survived an armed robbery of a jewelry store. Luke Methodist is also dead at the scene and is the de facto murderer and now Fiona is barely getting by as her reputation is ruined by the association. Andrew and Jenny start to look into the case. In addition, Andrew is asked to find two stolen pedigreed cats for another heartsick client. All the while, he's also trying to get back with his ex-wife Keira and spends some time looking after the well-being of his aunt who is having electrical problems in her council flat. So how is it that he ends up interacting with so many unsavory characters as he investigates these very disparate cases and tries to resolve domestic situations? NO SPOILERS.

Andrew Hunter is an interesting character who has many flaws and knows exactly what they are while powerless to change much about himself and his personal life. The secret that cost him his wife hangs over his head constantly preventing him from finding any sense of present day happiness. Jenny is definitely odd -- "sometimes her quirkiness was endearing; too many times it was just strange." They make a great work couple and, thankfully, there's nothing romantic going on. The narrative is quite descriptive, especially about the city of Manchester and the weather, and it sometimes got overlong. There's not a lot of action, really, as the different investigations plod along. The resolutions weren't really all that exciting, but frankly, the cases weren't either. I think this series is more of a character study than a crime thriller or detective style novel. I've read both books in the series and I will likely want to check out the next because this ends on a bit of a hanger. Just FYI, it's not a pulse-pounding suspense thriller but it did provide me with a couple of hours of entertainment.

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

This is the second in a series. Read in order. Same author as the DI Jessica Daniel series.

Keep Her Close by Erik Therme

 "...there's no such thing as good or evil; there are only choices."  In the case of this book, all the choices are BAD ones!

This is best describe as a farcical domestic drama with a series of events so implausible as to defy even the strongest ability for one to suspend disbelief. From the opening premise to the inconclusive ending, the story takes the reader an a ride so wild that it left me shaking my head in wonder that I actually finished it.

Ally was found in a parking structure when she was about 3 years old standing on a cardboard box that said, "FREE TO A GOOD HOME." A woman, apparently Ally's birth mother, had jumped to her death from the lot. A young couple finds her and later adopts her. All the while, Ally wants to find out more about her birth parents so when an email arrives saying that Frank wants to meet her, she can't say no. Since Ally has no sense at all, and since her adoptive father is a knee-jerk reactionary, things go from bad to worse quite quickly. The ensuing action and drama will leave you reeling. What a conglomeration of quirky, crazy characters! Because it was so off-the-wall outlandish, there was no way to figure where this story might go next. It was quite entertaining even so. I was very miffed at the ending, but then reminded myself that I really didn't even care anymore and was happy just to close the book and leave all these nuts behind!

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

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

Cold Dark Places (Cady Maddix #1) by Kylie Brant

"...traumas were never forgotten. They had a way of hanging around, ready to ambush when you least expected it."

The synopsis provided on this page is a bit misleading. This detective novel focuses on 3 characters whose lives will intersect in a plot that's quite complicated and only barely comes together to make sense toward the end.

Deputy US Marshal Cady Maddix holds her own secrets about something she did as a child so she is messed up emotionally and has trouble with relationships. She has returned to North Carolina to supervise her aunt's care of Hannah, Cady's mother, who has early onset Alzheimer's. She's assigned to track down an escapee from Fristol Forensic Center --Samuel Martin Aldeen -- who has been confined there for the last five years after the kidnap, rape, and cannibalization of children.  Fristol is a facility for the criminally insane. The third character is Eryn Pullman, now 21, who has spent 12 years in Rolling Acres Resort, a secure mental health facility, for the murder of her mother. Eryn is transitioning out of their care to her family home and will be living with her uncle, aunt and nephew there. There are other characters including those from various areas of law enforcement as well as acquaintances of Aldeen who helped in his escape and during his time as a fugitive. So a lot of people to keep track of and very convoluted relationships that tie Aldeen to Eryn. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative is quite jumpy going from past to present in Eryn's voice as well as the voices of Cady and Aldeen. I found the story hard to get into and it lagged as details labored to be revealed. I guessed certain truths at the outset and was irritated that it took so long for the convoluted history to come out. The payoff, for me, wasn't worth the slog through. I know this is meant to be the first in a new series but I don't think I'll be reading another as I really didn't care for Cady -- but perhaps I'm just tired of books that feature females that are so emotionally messed up.

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

Into the Night (DS Gemma Woodstock #2) by Sarah Bailey

"Obsession and love are good friends..."

In this second book of the series, DS Gemma Woodstock is partnered with DS Nick Fleet as they are assigned to investigate the murder of a film star, Sterling Wade, who was stabbed on the street during a live action shot of a scene. With hundreds of extras on site, but all in costume, there are plenty of witnesses but no one is able to identify who used the knife to kill the actor. There are plenty of suspects and much work for the team in Melbourne as this police procedural shifts into high gear. This case is extremely complicated with many characters and tons of suspicious behavior. Gemma and Nick are kept very busy running down leads, talking to the principals, and looking into the background of those closely associate with Wade. There are also other cases that are ongoing in the department that may or may not be related to their current murder investigation. Can they sift through all the red herrings and figure out who killed Sterling Wade? NO SPOILERS.

I really like this series. My only problem is with the main character of Gemma who continues to be such a mess though I hope that she will get herself together and deal with her issues before the next book. She's fairly typical of female detectives in this genre and hides a vulnerable side masked by self-destructive behavior. She deals with both personal and professional problems in this book along with her tireless efforts to do her job well. She has moved to Melborne from the more rural Smithson in this book and I feel that has been both helpful and detrimental for her. I'm eager to see what happens with her in the next book! The other characters weren't as well fleshed out though we do find out more about Fleet at the end and I hope the two can have the conversation they desperately need. I love the descriptions of the city and the details -- the writing is quite good and though the book seems to drag in a few spots as Gemma and Nick run into roadblocks, the conclusion was satisfying and believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the second book in the series. Best to read from the beginning so get #1 first.