The Traitors by C.A. Lynch

 A mix of horror and crime thriller.

Six local people are sent a formal invitation to spend the night at Beechwood Castle. If they spend the entire night and follow the rules and the terms of their NDAs, they will win a portion of one million dollars. It wouldn’t be much of a big deal except for the catch: the dilapidated and decaying castle was once the site where three teenagers were hacked to death by an ax murderer. But still, each is confident about their chances on what they think is some sort of reality show.

The story is told from the point of view of each contestant and I have to say that I couldn’t find one of them that I felt very kindly toward. They were easy to dislike and I could see right away that this was going to be one of those tropes where they are picked off one by one. The title is misleading, however, in that supposedly there is an imposter and the rest are traitors. Didn’t make sense. I don’t see anyone being a traitor — to what or to whom? Regardless, the story was fast paced and predictable. I didn’t care for the ending at all. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book. The two narrators enhanced the novel using their voices and various accents to differentiate between the characters and provide some dramatic flair.

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

Tags - locked room type mystery, crime, murder, horror

The Housemaid (Housemaid #1) by Freida McFadden

 Entertaining twisty domestic thriller.

Ex con Millie gets a dream job as a live in housekeeper and maid for Nina and Andrew Winchester. In addition to cleaning and cooking, Millie also keeps an eye on their daughter, Cecelia. It doesn’t take long, however, before things start to go awry. It sure doesn’t help that Millie starts to fall for Nina’s handsome husband. 

This was full of unreliable narrators and lots of twists that made me race through the pages. Although I guessed what was coming, it was a fun ride getting there. I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided long ago by the publisher. The narrator did a great job with her accent and dramatic flair to bring the story to life. 

You never quite know how far out Frieda McFadden will go in her plots, but I always anticipate the unexpected and the guessing makes it more pleasurable. I’ll be reading the other two novels in this series shortly. 

This is the first of 3 novels in a series that should be read in order.

Tags - domestic thriller, revenge, murder, abuse

Bellevue by Robin Cook

 If you are a fan of medical thrillers by this author, as I have been, it might be best for you to skip this suspense horror with its supernatural elements and a totally horrible (to me) ending.

A first year surgical resident, Dr. Mitt Fuller, is beginning his career at Bellevue. He comes from a long line of Fuller doctors and is super thrilled to be at this particular hospital. Little does he know that the stories he’s been told about his forebears are inaccurate. In fact, they all were practicing on the wrong side of what are now accepted medical advances. In his first week, all of his patients die of strange complications. Now that’s not a statistic any new surgeon wants on his record. But it gets worse. Strange apparitions are haunting Mitt and soon he learns why. Unable to leave well enough alone despite the warnings, Mitt finds out the truth in the worst way.

I was so disappointed in this. Although I loved all the medical details and descriptions, the whole paranormal focus ruined the novel for me. I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator did a good job with the material and brought the story to life, but it was not enough to overcome the real issue with the book — the plot and the conclusion.

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

Tags - horror, suspense, medical thriller, paranormal, ghosts

Family Doctor by J.M. Dalgliesh

 Domestic thriller set on remote Scottish island.

Kelly has escaped a checkered past by coming to the island and setting up a small clinic there. She and her teen daughter, Lauren, are making the best of things. On a day when Lauren is meant to be heading off island for an important interview, Kelly gets a message from Lauren’s phone. The directions and rules are clear. Kelly must kill one of her patients or whomever has kidnapped Lauren will instead kill her. 

This was fast paced even as it stretched credulity. As Kelly richochets from being terrified to determined, she has no idea whom to trust and definitely no clue about the person who has taken her daughter. Except Kelly knows this villain must have information about events in Kelly’s past. They want to hurt her in the worst way a mother can experience.

The characters were predictable and I had figured out the twists early on. The writing style was good but overly wordy in places when action would have sufficed. I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator did an excellent job of bringing appropriate dramatic flair to the story and that enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Tags - mystery, kidnapping, murder, revenge, whodunit 

Molten Mud Murder (Alexa Glock #1) by Sara E. Johnson

 Entertaining forensics mystery.

When a body is found submerged in a Waiariki Thermal Land of Enchantment mud pool, 

Alexa Glock, a forensic investigator visiting Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand, really wants in on the action. Inserting herself into the local police, she gets permission to help with the case. 

I enjoyed the characters and the setting of this novel with all of the local color and history. The writing kept me engaged and the narrative moved along at a good pace. I liked learning more about the people, especially some of the Māori customs and details. I’ll definitely want to read more of this series as this was the first. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book and this enhanced my reading experience. The narrator did a great job of making the characters come alive with the appropriate amount of drama. 

This is the first in a series that I will read from the beginning in order.

Tags and genre info: New Zealand, police investigation, murder, forensics, Māori 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 Lovely contemplative fiction that hits on the issues of life and death.

I enjoyed this book. It hit all the right notes with the fantastic characters and their individual stories. The premise — people on a plane are given a death date — is so positively intriguing. Is it real or a hoax? When people start dying just as predicted, social media takes notice.

The writing, as always, was excellent and I was so drawn in that it was hard to set this book aside. I got so absorbed with each person as the narrative shifted in viewpoints. I so wanted everyone to be OK! The author has a knack of getting everything just right. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrators, Caroline Lee and Geraldine Hakewill, were absolutely brilliant. The accents and the drama were perfect and I loved every minute of the experience. It made me love the book even more.

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

Tags - mystery, psychological, death prediction, actuaries, family drama

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Unforgettable novel that had me feeling all the emotions and kept me mesmerized until the end.

There’s a million things I let go while living inside the pages of this book. I am not sure how to describe how it affected me, except that even when I was trying to get stuff done, I kept wanting to return to the story. The characters were so alive and I just wanted to know them and to exist in their space.

Things I loved about this book:

The characters were all so well developed and intriguing with many different layers, desires, and motivations. I fell in love with Patch and Saint and so many others.

The setting, mostly small town Missouri, called me me because it's home. Although Monta Clare is a fictional town, it definitely describes a lot of rural areas in this state.

The plot was a combination of thriller and epic love story about an unlikely one-eyed boy who becomes a local hero and ultimately loses himself. There's the faithful friend who follows him through a life spent searching for something and someone always out of reach. A serial killer hunting girls who eludes the police and can't be caught. Lost people, with good hearts, who don't always do the right thing, but really want to. Heartache plus regrets but always a deep and abiding affection and trust. And hope.

The writing. I loved the style and the way the author paints his world with imagery and color. I could picture everything so clearly. This would make a great movie or television show with the right cast and director.

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book. The narrator did an excellent job of voicing the characters and his dramatic flair added much to my overall enjoyment of this book.

Definitely recommend.

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

Tags- mystery, thriller, serial killer, abortion, love, family, small towns