Conspiracy Theory: A Thriller

 Engaging and fast paced procedural and legal thriller.

Novelist and lawyer Michael Harris is struggling to find an inspiration for a new book when he stumbles onto an old national tragedy, the assassination of first lady Gloria Hale. She was killed years ago, but Michael starts digging into old files kept by her former secret service agent. The material he gathers obviously triggers someone because a deadly chain of events begins. Key evidence burns and bodies start dropping so Harris starts to believe that his hypothetical is actually an active high level coverup that puts him in danger. Can you say conspiracy? or is it something even more complicated... 

Oh this was so good, and what an excellent writer Phillip Margolin is. The plot is convoluted but it felt grounded and plausible. There are some familiar suspense tropes, but the rapid pacing makes it a genuinely suspenseful read. I liked the characters, and even though I'm not overly fond of series, I wouldn't say no to another book featuring this main character. It was a nice blend of politics, legal maneuvering, police procedural, and serial killer thriller. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Therese Plummer, did a fantastic job with all of the character voices. Her dramatic flair and acting ability made the drama come alive and created a thoroughly immersive experience that enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: murder, drugs, serial killer, conspiracy, government cover up, politics, legal 

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley

 A historical mystery and classic whodunit. 

Set at an exclusive Swiss resort circa 1950, the story is told by four distinct perspectives. When three deaths disrupt the holiday that is meant to be enjoyed by Miss Marple and her friend, recently widowed Mrs. Bantry, In due time, Miss Marple cleverly sifts through long buried wartime secrets to out the responsible party. 

The narrative shifts between the following: Catharine Narracott, wife of Anthony Narracott, Conservative candidate who works in the War Offices. Actress Sylvia Sinclair, mistress of Anthony, who is rapidly aging out of her usual roles. Bruno Crane, a war time acquaintance of Anthony Narracott and loyal companion to Mrs. Bantry, Diana Glass. There is some gold...

After only a day or so, a blizzard sets in and a train wreck in the tunnel ensures that everyone is stranded at the hotel. So this is a typical locked room type mystery. I loved the atmospheric setting and would have loved to know more about the actual hotel, but, alas, there are murders and suspects and backstory and a lot of rambling before the truth comes out and Miss Marple solves the crime. 

I didn't care for the multi-POV and the story moved very slowly with one grand reveal at the end. I didn't like the outcome (no spoilers). Nevertheless, it kept me guessing as first one red herring and then another possible culprit was dismissed. 

I wasn't a huge fan of the basic premise and plot so I might read another of this type by Lucy Foley.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The full cast narration by Hayley Atwell, Lucy Boynton, Adeel Akhtar, Mara Wilson, and Hugh Kermode was refreshing and enhanced my enjoyment of the book. The author, Lucy Foley, also contributes with an author's note. One thing though was that in many cases there were differences between the text and the audio version which can be jarring if you are reading alone. Not sure how many people actually do this, however. And not sure why these changes were made. 

Not sure if this is the first in a new series by the author.

Genre tags: historical fiction, 1950s, cozy, Switzerland, war crimes, stolen gold, Nazi, murder 

Will I Be Next? by Kerry Wilkinson

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

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

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

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Rose Robinson, did a fine job of voicing the characters which enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 10:12 by Anna Maloney

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Light romantic farce trying to pass as a domestic thriller.

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

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

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Piper Goodeve, did a decent job but it was hard to distinguish between the characters as her voice never changed much in tone or pitch even when she was doing the male voices.

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

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

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

 Wartime cozy mystery set in 1942 Devon.

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

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

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

Books on Tour blog date 10-19-26

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

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