The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

3.0 out of 5 stars -- a certain kind of atonement...

Grace Blades suffers a trauma as a child and is left orphaned and in the care of protective services. Shunted from one foster to another, she grows into a self-sufficient girl who can take care of herself, and later on, becomes a brilliant psychologist specializing in the care and treatment of patients who have suffered similar situations. Grace lives a quiet, controlled existence most of the time -- except for when she feels compelled to take a "leap" away from her oceanfront home and her psych practice. It's on one of "those" nights that she meets a man in a bar. It's after this satisfying encounter that the real story in this novel begins. I'll say no more about the plot particulars to avoid spoilers.

I'm not quite sure what genre this book fits into because it's not particularly a mystery, and though it is graphic with details in some parts, it's not really a thriller either. Although the reader is meant to feel that Grace is in danger, the suspense really never builds and there's little tension, so this is more a narrative about an unusual woman trying to seek some sort of justice and retribution when she faces off with a sadistic killer she first met as a child. I didn't really like Grace, nor did I buy into all her behavior, skills, and supposed brilliance though the author reminds us often. Oh, and did I mention Grace happens to be super rich was expensive fast cards and limitless cash? She just seemed like another "wonder woman" stereotype seen so often in this kind of novel these days -- and I've grown rather bored with this type of character: the ones who are dark and damaged and dangerous.

Now, what kept me reading on despite my lack of interest in the outcome of Grace's mission is that Kellerman can write! His vocabulary and sentence structure make even his descriptions of all the roads in Beverly Hills and surround interesting. I'm not sure he has got the psyche of women down very well, and I note this is a standalone -- a departure from his Alex Delaware series with its strong male protagonist. Regardless, he does know how to keep a reader turning the pages. There is a lot of time and energy spent on explaining the backstory of Grace and I'm wondering if this is a set up for a series featuring this character. Not sure the book world needs another "Dexter"-like protagonist or vigilante plot. Not sure if I'd read another. Also, the title of this doesn't seem to fit given out the story plays out.

Anyway, check it out if this all sounds appealing to you and let me know what you think!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-book ARC to review. 

Swerve by Vicki Pettersson

3.0 out of 5 stars -- "One person bumps into another, and off they go, their lives spinning in totally different directions." This started out with high octane energy and a completely compelling introduction -- Kristine goes into a deserted rest stop bathroom on the way from Las Vegas to California for a 4th of July getaway when she is attacked and left unconscious. When she comes to and hobbles out to the car, her fiance is gone! Her phone pings with a message: "follow my instructions." What follows is a frantic and grisly trek across the desert to meet the abductor's demands in order to find her fiance, ER trauma surgeon, Dr. Daniel Hawthorne . Who has taken him and why -- this person who seems to know her all too well. Without saying more to avoid spoilers, the premise was good and it was intriguing to the halfway point after which it got redundant and ridiculous and fell apart. I ended up disappointed -- no woman is capable of the superhuman feats that Kristine performed. Not really a psychological thriller, but plenty of action and gore after the suspense winds down. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for the e-book ARC to review.

Pretending to Dance by Diane Chamberlain

3.0 out of 5 stars -- "Eventually you'll come to realize that everyone comes from a dysfunctional family. There is no other kind."

Molly and her husband, Aidan, are both attorneys who live in San Diego. After the loss of her pregnancy and subsequent hysterectomy, Molly can't have children so they are looking into adoption. The process of seeking a birth mother for an open adoption brings back some bad memories for Molly. Told in flashback form in alternating chapters, the reader learns of one particular summer when Molly was 14 years old. It was the worst summer of her life, and it changed everything.

The astute reader will figure out the details and zoom in on the source of Molly's angst fairly quickly, and might even wonder about her reaction and behavior -- and it was a bit difficult to believe. I keep reading Chamberlain's novels for some reason though I'm not really drawn to contemporary family drama and keep hoping for her return to writing books with more compelling mystery and suspense.

I've read all of Diane Chamberlain's previous books, and if you're looking for a sweet, sentimental story with a happy ever after ending, then this is one you'll want to put on your list. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, and provides many topics great for book group discussion and argument.

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

Die Again Tomorrow by Kira Peikoff

3.0 out of 5 stars -- OK this was my MOST anticipated read of 2015 as I love a medical thriller that is both technologically fascinating and suspenseful. Right now I feel a little let down and just disappointed as I have read both of this author's previous books. I had expected more. 

The main character was not someone I could admire and envy for her brains and gumption but a melodramatic and histrionic "survivalist" with simply a knack for getting into impossible situations that were not only improbable but sometimes ridiculous. The outcome was totally predictable. I don't know what else to say right now. 

I read this book in one sitting because I had been so excited about it having read the other two of her books. It was like I was not even reading the same author but I definitely would like to give Ms Peikoff another chance with a future book. Being a nurse myself and reading every type of medical thriller out there, I really was looking for much more from this author. The idea of resuscitation and bringing back the dead (reanimating) is not new, however, the way it was presented herein was just not believable (the ship, the scientists there, etc.) and that main character...UGH UGH UGH. Hoped she would die.

Bummed. 

Thank you to Kensington Books Pinnacle for the e-book ARC to review.

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

4.0 out of 5 stars - A sudden impulse to help a teenage girl and her baby places a family in peril, but the danger comes from an unexpected direction.

Heidi Woods has always been the kind of woman who helps the underdog -- much to the dismay of her family. They definitely don't understand Heidi's motives and decision when she brings home the strange and disheveled Willow with the baby. The house is in an uproar and Heidi's family uninterested and almost hostile. What they don't see is that Heidi is becoming much too involved...

A psychological study of a character in pain and some good writing bring tension to the narrative. The reader knows that something is coming, but may be surprised by the climax. I enjoyed this one as much as her first book (THE GOOD GIRL also reviewed on this blog - May 30, 2014) and will be looking for more novels by this author.

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

4.0 out of 5 stars -- "Knowing the details won't make it any easier...the details will tear you apart." A thrilling standalone novel by an author whose books grab hold and won't let go until the final page is turned. Filled with great characters and a suspenseful plot, the story is one you will be tempted to read in one sitting. Claire is devastated when her loving handsome, rich and intelligent husband, Paul Scott, is murdered right before her eyes in an alley after an evening out together. When her home is broken into on the day of Paul's funeral, Claire reviews the security files but finds something very disturbing on her husband's computer. As she copes with her overwhelming grief, Claire is confronted once again by the memories of the unsolved mystery of her older sister's disappearance 20 years previously. Julia was never found and Claire's father could never give up the search which completely decimated their family. Claire's estranged sister, Lydia, reappears just when Claire needs her most. Told in alternating points of view, this riveting suspense novel twists and turns in unexpected ways and I'll say no more except to urge readers to get a copy and settle in!

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen

3.0 out of 5 stars -- Music has the power to "inspire and to change lives, even across the centuries."

Strange things start happening after Julia Ansdell finds an old piece of music hidden in a book at an antique shop in Rome. Her daughter becomes violent when Julia first plays the music on her violin. It takes a bit before realizes that she must trace the provenance of this eerie and haunting waltz.

It seems the composer of the music wrote the piece right before Hitler deported and murdered the Jews in Italy during the years of WWII. We hear his story along with Julia's as voice and time alternate between those years and present day.

I have read so many books about the Holocaust during WWII -- from almost every possible point of view and this is another. We won't ever forget what happened, and this novel once again reminds us of that reign of horror and terror.

I've read almost every novel that this author has written, and this is a genre departure for her it seems. I prefer the books she's written that are suspense/thrillers, especially those that allow the author to use her medical expertise and background to tell the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-book ARC to review.

Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian

4.0 out of 5 stars -- Bachelor party in the suburbs goes terribly wrong...

Richard Chapman thought he was doing a Best Man's job when he offered to host his younger brother's bachelor party at his upscale home. By the time the night was over, he had some very serious problems. Two men dead and the night's "talent" on the lam. Plus a very angry wife and his employers at the bank have some issues with what's being reported in the papers. Not to mention a very guilty conscience about what may or may not have happened in his guest room between him and one of the girls.

Told in alternating points of view, the plot evolves into a portrait of sex slaves, the men who think they own them, and those that hire them.

I think I have read every book by this author, so when this one came up on NetGalley, I requested it, received approval, and read it all in one sitting. Bohjalian has a knack for a descriptive phrase and great word choices, and I enjoy the writing style. His characters are interesting and usually complex, and the story line of this novel puts ordinary nice man -- husband, father, good provider -- in a bad situation and the reader watches his life spiral out of control.

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

Cold Moon (#3) by Alexandra Sokoloff

4.0 out of 5 stars - "There is something larger at work...a force beyond the simply human. A female vengeance against outrages."

This third in the suspenseful and thrilling series featuring FBI Special Agents Roarke, Epps and Singh focuses on their continued hunt for Cara Lindstrom and Jade. The pair has been murdering pimps and johns all over California. In addition, their spree has induced devotees of Santa Muerte, the unconsecrated Catholic Saint of those on the fringe of society -- the victims of extreme violence -- to use the murders of those pimps and johns as a call to arms against rape culture when an internet blogger called Bitch starts writing about them.

The storyline deals with sex trafficking and the heinous acts of cruelty and abuse by those who buy and sell women, and especially underage girls. Cara and Jade are portrayed as vigilantes and their crimes affect the FBI team and many others because it becomes obvious to all that law enforcement and the courts are not able to stop the trade. If there were no buyers, they could not sell the merchandise.

I have grown to really like the main FBI characters in the book but sometimes I am rooting for Cara and Jade to evade capture, arrest, and incarceration because they are killing some really evil men and both have been horribly abused by some they kill. On the other hand, it is hard to morally and ethically justify any type of vigilantism and this same quandary has been in the minds and actions of the FBI team though they are intent on finding the two women.

The narrative is fast-paced and full of details and action that keep a reader glued to the pages. Definitely this book could provide a great platform for lots of discussion in book groups though the concepts of vigilantism and revenge are not new. I cannot wait for book #4 and I was lucky enough to get to read these first 3 back to back. Definitely a series that must be read in order!

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

Blood Moon (#2) by Alexandra Sokoloff

4.0 out of 5 stars -- This second in the Huntress/FBI series continues to thrill with fast-paced action and chilling suspense. I could barely put it down and will be starting the 3rd tonight as I need to know what happens next!

Special Agent Matthew Roarke continues in his search for the Reaper and his team is starting to put some new information into the investigation that is leading them closer to identifying the perpetrator of the series of family murders. He is still haunted by his feelings about Cara even though she will be arrested once she can be found -- but he knows she is there, watching the trail lead ever closer to the Reaper even as he kills another family. How can this be happening again and when can he be identified and caught.

Great story line with lots of FBI profiler and investigation detail. I like the characters and the writing. I wonder if the series will end with the next installment? Recommend to suspense thriller fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-book ARC to review.

Huntress Moon (#1) by Alexandra Sokoloff

4.0 out of 5 stars - This is the first in a series featuring FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke who lives and works primarily in San Francisco. He is monitoring criminal organizations when one of his undercover agents is run down by a truck right in front of him before a meeting. At the scene of the "accident", Matthew locks eyes with an unusual woman -- was she somehow connected to the death of his agent? She vanishes before he can question her.

Matthew is an interesting character and the action of this thriller is nonstop as he begins an investigation into this woman and tracks her all over the northwestern US. What he finds is a tie to a series of family massacres that occurred 25 years ago, and the conviction that he is following a female serial killer -- a very rare phenomenon.

There is a lot going on in the story and it was hard to put the book down so I read it in one sitting and immediately loaded up the second in the series, BLOOD MOON, on my Kindle and started in. Can't wait to see where this goes.

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

Somebody I Used to Know by David Bell

3.0 out of 5 stars - "Whoever said time heals was lying."

Nick Hansen, now 40, fell deeply and totally in love with Marissa when they were college sweethearts at Eastland University. Twenty years later, he still hasn't forgotten her though she died in a house fire shortly after suddenly breaking up with him 2 years after they'd become involved. He never got over her.

So who is the girl in the grocery store that looks so much like Marissa and why did she have Nick's name and address in her possession when she is found murdered in a rented room almost right after he spoke with her. Nick is certain that the girl, Emily, must be related to Marissa and is stunned when he is considered a person of interest in Emily's murder. He begins his investigation in pursuit of the truth about what really happened the night of the fire.

Although this mystery (not really suspenseful or a thriller) started off very well and promised to be intriguing and twisty, it ended quite predictably and required all my ability to suspend disbelief. I'll probably read another by this author, but I was a bit disappointed in where this story went and the conclusion.

The Whistle-Blower's Confession by Jennifer Lang

Zero stars - This is a nasty, poorly written, ridiculous fictional piece of anti-GMO propaganda and I would not recommend that anyone read it. I'd suggest scientific journals and research study materials instead if someone wants a real picture of what a GMO is and isn't.

Kelley's aunt dies of cancer. She determines that GMOs have caused it and begins an investigation that brings a huge fictitious company to its knees, results in a new law that restricts the sale of GMO food, and bans hormones and antibiotics from livestock. Indeed, even the FDA and USDA are taken down in Kelley's crusade.

I have no issue with those who want to buy and eat only organic food, take probiotics, etc., but companies like Monsanto are not the devil (in my opinion). I should have known better than to open this novella (72 pages), but fortunately I will forget it soon. 

Madam President by Nicolle Wallace

4.0 out of 5 stars -- "And the mother gave, in tears and pain, the flowers she most did love; she knew she should find them all again in the fields of light above."

This quote by Longfellow is used by Charlotte Kramer (the 45th and first female US president) in a speech she gives after an unspeakable series of terrorist attacks on 5 American cities rocks the nation during her second term in office. It can be seen as not only a reflection on the loss of a child experienced by a parent, but also as the way the country deals with those who sacrifice their lives for the good of their country or fellow man.

Although I believe I have read books where a secondary character happened to be a female president, I have not ever seen one where the main character is a current US President and when the novel is centered on the daily life of one. This political drama features a unique and revealing view of a "day in the life" of 3 very powerful women -- Madame President Charlotte Kramer in her second term of office, Melanie Kingston, the current Secretary of Defense (SECDEF but former chief of staff during Kramer's first term), and Dale Smith, the press secretary. The narrative voice is shared by each of these as the women react on the day of the terror attacks. The reader gets an inside look at what happens in the personal and professional lives of these top people in US government, the protocols, the heartbreak and the difficulty of leadership.

This fast paced novel, written by a former White House insider, was absorbing and interesting and I enjoyed it. I see that it is labeled as the third in a series and I confess that I want to go back and read the previous books as well as keep my eye out for a possible #4. 
#1 Eighteen Acres
#2 It's Classified

The Book of James by Ellen J. Green

2.0 out of 5 stars -- Melodramatic attempt at suspense is overwrought and mostly irritating. I picked this because I thought the synopsis sounded interesting and I like a good mystery. This story was so implausible on many levels, but the worst part was that I hated the character of Mackenzie. I just wanted to shake her as she floundered from one peril to the  next while investigating what had happened all those years ago when her recently deceased husband lived in the house. Many readers will figure out the big secret fairly quickly. The most intriguing aspect of this novel was the description of Cora's old family mansion and the surrounding grounds. The romance was predictable and ridiculous given the situation, and I was just glad when I finally finished the book and could shut the door on this crazy tale.

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

Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay

3.0 out of 5 stars -- Warning -- cliffhanger ending, obviously a set up for a new series or at least a sequel. If it bothers you to invest yourself in 500+ pages without getting a neatly wrapped conclusion, then you might NOT enjoy this latest by Linwood Barclay. This is the 9th book by this author that I've read so I likely will hang around for the followup just to get my answers.

David Harwood, 41, has returned home to Promise Falls after things fell apart for him in Boston. He's a single father and living with his parents when he gets involved in a messy situation involving his cousin, Marla. He's spent his career working for newspapers, so he tries to help her and his family the only way he knows how -- by asking questions.

I would classify this as domestic or suburban fiction, and although there is a murder or two, there really is no suspense, no police procedure, no thrills. At the heart of the narrative is mystery. But, several subplots are explored and none of them are completely solved.

I'd guess that fans won't want to miss this.

Disclaimer by Renee Knight

4.0 out of 5 stars -- "Such a pity she hadn't realized that doing nothing would be such a deadly omission."

Catherine and Robert have just moved into a new home -- downsizing now that their son has been gently moved to his own flat -- when she finds a new book on her bedside table. Stunned when she recognizes herself as the main character in a hideous drama that she thought she had buried, left behind in Spain over 20 years ago. Who could have written this and why is someone bringing it up now?
When she googles the author she finds that the book is self-published by Rhamnousia -- the "goddess of revenge, aka Nemesis."

This is a great twisty story that alternates point of view between Catherine and the person who gave the "book" to her -- and I'll say nothing more about the plot so that any reader can follow the tale to its very satisfactory conclusion. I would not call this psychological suspense, or even a thriller, but more a study of perspective regarding an event that Catherine chose to keep hidden. The characters are very three-dimensional and I shifted my allegiance through the slow reveal, not sure of the truth, but seeking to understand the motives and reasoning of each. I enthusiastically recommend it and thank Carol (on Goodreads) for her review that tempted me to seek out this novel. 

The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham

3.5 out of 5 stars -- "Regret is such an odd emotion because it invariably comes a moment too late, when only imagination can rewrite what has happened."

Alisha (Ali) Barba, formerly with the Metropolitan Police, but on leave after a spinal injury, had a huge falling out with her best friend, Cate, the summer after they both finished university 8 years ago. So why now -- why would Cate write Ali begging for help because "she's in trouble." Before Ali can find out any information at the reunion, Cate and her husband are killed. Because of suspicious circumstances at the scene, including the discovery that Cate has faked a pregnancy -- Ali begins an off-the-books investigation that takes her from London to Amsterdam while she faces off with human traffickers, illegal adoptions, and baby sellers.

I've read all of the novels by Michael Robotham. This one looks to have been published earlier but just came up on NetGalley so I grabbed it having really liked the others. Although rather on the long side, it was very complex, fast paced, and kept my interest throughout, however predictable I figured the ending would be. Some of the action that Ali becomes involved in sort of defies belief, but she's an interesting character now in her own book (she featured as a minor character in other novels). Fans won't want to miss it.

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

Love Lies Beneath by Ellen Hopkins

3.0 out of 5 stars - "...some cracks can't be mortared."

Can a 40 something rich widow who is also twice divorced find true love after a lifetime of forgettable marriages, casual flirtations, risky sexual liaisons, and manipulative relationships? Tara is determined to find out when she meets the handsome orthopedic surgeon, Cavin Lattimore, after a ski accident leaves her with a blown-out knee requiring extensive rehab. She falls for him but there are complications and secrets -- can anyone be trusted to be truthful and can this great new life Tara wants finally happen for her?

The characters in this novel are meant to be quite complex but I didn't find Tara to be a remotely likeable person and the reader isn't privy to any real insight. Her interactions with her sister and family were superficial and when Tara meets Cavin's son, Eli, the conversations were quite odd. Tara is definitely not someone that I would like to know, and definitely not one to cross. Can Tara's perceptions and reactions to situations be believed? As the tension mounts though the pages leaving the reader wondering and waiting for the big reveal, everything is analyzed. I tried to figure out where this was all going.

I have read every one of the books written by Ellen Hopkins, and the teens in my school certainly love the YA titles that I always have on the shelves. I used to think it was just me, that free verse left out too much of the story and I never felt like I got the whole scoop when I read her -- but now, with this one in prose, I feel the exact same way. That ending was so unsatisfying and incomplete that it almost made me gasp at getting to the grand finale only to...LETDOWN.

I really was invested in this novel, but ultimately was left disappointed by its dangling conclusion which seemed rushed given the long, slow buildup. I'm sure fans won't want to miss it, but I sure would have preferred a solid finish. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for an e-book ARC to review.

Remember Me This Way by Sabine Durrant

4.0 out of 5 stars -- "Perhaps I needed it, one last maelstrom of madness before I could move on."

Lizzie and Zach met on the Internet and began a passionate relationship that led to their marriage. Things weren't always so rosy, however, as time went on. Zach was possessive and jealous and, as a struggling artist, had little to do except to keep tabs on Lizzie. He follows her, watches her at work, checks her phone -- but she sees it all as signs of his devotion. After all, he had a horrible, abusive childhood and is a bit needy and insecure. When Zach is killed in a horrible fireball of a car accident, Lizzie spends a year grieving through her life one step at a time. On the anniversary of his death, she finally goes to the site of the wreck to place flowers by the tree where he died. She is shocked that there is another bouquet already there -- signed, Xenia. Who was Xenia and did Lizzie really know Zach as well as she thought she did? Bizarre events trigger her fear that Zach is not dead after all, but has come back to torment her or for revenge. As Lizzie traces Zach's past, she finds that things were not what she thought and starts to wonder if she has gone off the rails.

Let's just say that I needed something that would really keep my interest after a couple of ho hum books. This was it -- I opened to the first page and didn't put it down again until I'd reached the last page! It was an addictive psychological thriller that kept me guessing -- just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a new twist or different dimension. The narrative is told from the points of view of both Lizzie and Zach and each person's perspective definitely changes the direction as the story moves forward. Once again, what's the truth, what really happened -- is Lizzie reliable or incredibly traumatized?

I'd recommend this to fans of psychological suspense and I thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-book ARC to review.