System of Justice (Tom Berte #3) by Dan Buzzetta

 Compelling legal drama bridges the gap between Washington politics and raw courtroom battles.

Civil attorney, Tom Berte, is forced out of his quiet Albany practice and dragged back into the line of fire when a shocking murder rocks the nation's highest court. A Supreme Court justice has been murdered in his chambers, and the prime suspect is Madison Redding, a court clerk who also happens to be the protege of Tom's late mentor. Madison swears her innocence prompting Tom to step into the unfamiliar territory of criminal defense. There's a lot going on behind the scenes as Tom risks it all and tries to clear Madison's name.

I was at a distinct disadvantage coming into this series without having read the first two installments. Although the narrative referenced the back story often, it didn't really add to the current story and was more off putting because I wasn't familiar. Those many backward reflections seemed to take up a lot of space in this book and it really wasn't needed. 

Tom is one of those good guys who follows the rules and really wants justice, so basically a unicorn in the legal world in many ways. The legal maneuvering felt authentic even though it was quite convenient that Tom had friends in so many high places. It definitely helped him navigate the red tape and avoid getting killed. I liked the plot well enough but it was a bit predictable and some of the drama was over the top along with the trope of the innocent framed by powerful unseen forces. 

The pacing was good and kept me turning the pages so I read this in a single sitting. But the conclusion came quite abruptly after the final clues are revealed. Tom is a polarizing character for me because he is almost too decent and his portrayal is of a man and lawyer who is so amazing and can just do it all. But definitely I'd rather read about criminal cases over civil actions any day. I'm a huge fan of legal thrillers and glad to have had a chance to read this ARC thanks to the publisher. 

3.5 stars

This is part of a series that should be read in order. 

Genre and tags: supreme court justice, murder, framed, political corruption, legal thriller 

The Midwest Lawyer (Maggie Gallagher #1) by Peter Kirkland

 Authentic courtroom drama in this high stakes legal thriller.

After trading the frenetic pace of the Chicago prosecutor’s office for the quiet rhythms of her Ohio hometown, Maggie Gallagher wants nothing more than a peaceful practice and family dinners as she continues to recover from her injuries. Unfortunately, switching to a defender’s role brings an immediate trial by fire. When her childhood friend, Troy Weaver, is arrested for the shooting death of a local high school football coach, Maggie finds a nightmare from day one. The physical evidence is damning, her client seems to be hiding secrets, and a ruthless new prosecutor is hungry for a swift conviction as she sets her ambitions higher. 

Fortunately, Maggie’s husband and her other relatives in town are supportive as she tries to navigate the small town community to unearth the truth and help to free a man she believes to be innocent. 

I love a good legal thriller and this fit my requirements. The writing was good, the details and descriptions of the law and legal procedure were authentic, and the courtroom scenes were spot on. I know Maggie seems just a bit too fantastic with all her smarts and maneuvering, but I like her as a main character and look forward to seeing what she does in the next books in the series. 

I was able to listen to the audio book that I received from NetGalley while also reading along in the e-book. The narrator, Carrie Coello, did an ok job trying to voice all the characters but this could definitely have benefited from a larger cast or at least one male voice. It’s difficult to play the entire age and gender range with this many different characters to create a truly immersive experience. I’ve always felt, however, that listening while reading definitely enhances my enjoyment of a novel. 

This is the first in a new series.

Genre and tags: legal thriller, small town, murder, defense attorney, courtroom drama

The Last to Drown by Noelle W. Ihli

 Nail biting survivalist horror.

After her husband’s death, Kaia decides to escape from the suffocating weight of her grief by choosing to go on an 84-mile whitewater rafting trip down a brutal, isolated stretch of river with a group of women. But the wilderness offers no sanctuary.

Seven years prior, this exact river was the stage for a horrific mass murder committed by a rafting guide and is a tragedy the true crime community insists never really truly ended. As the roaring rapids cut the group off from the civilized world, tales from back then begin to repeat themselves. Missing gear, sabotaged rafts, and late night disturbances prove the past is alive. When the women take to the rafts in a desperate attempt to escape certain death at the hands of the murderer, Kaia must figure out how to survive and develop the will to save herself and the others. 

This was fast and furious with lots of white-knuckle suspense as the women face death in every moment. Definitely a claustrophobic nightmare of a book set in the deceptive beauty of the great outdoors. And also most assuredly, the type of adventure I would never sign on for! The killer is deliciously creepy. What made the novel stand out was how its pacing and plot sort of Mimi end the unpredictable current of a river — at times lulling into a false sense of survival before dropping. You into a terrifying free fall. 

An absolute must read for fans of survivalist horror and locked-room thrillers as there is no escape: can’t go anywhere but down the river. 

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend. The only off-putting note for me was the constant insertion of the dead husband’s “presence” through the events.

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

Genre and tags: whitewater rafting, wilderness, murderer, survival, horror, river, female camaraderie 

Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox

 Entertaining psychological thriller that brilliantly dissects the cutthroat subculture of Southern Beauty pageants as well as the toxicity of lifelong small town friendships.

In the small town of Anhalt, Texas, the glittering facade of the annual Lone Star Princes Pageant masks a legacy of rot. The narrative weaves between two distinct timelines: the year 2000, when teenager Isabelle Whitmore vanished without a trace, and the year 2025. It’s been 25 years since her disappearance and the pageant is once again underway, bringing together a group of women who were also teenagers when Isabelle vanished. Ingrid, her twin sister, has returned to town just as a construction crew begins excavating the local ranch for a new housing development in a move that threatens to unearth the town’s secrets. Ingrid was dating Ben Sherman, the son of the ranch owner and he’s considered the most likely person to have killed her. But he’s never talked. 

Told in alternating points of view between 4 main women: Cat, Sarah Lynn, Ingrid, and Melanie. Each woman has a unique perspective on the events leading up to the day of competition when a historic winter storm completely knocks out the power grid and most of the town is gathered in the event center. All of the past resentments, relentless ambitions, and shifting loyalties reach a point that will result in another tragedy. 

I definitely enjoyed this more than I expected because it really gets down into the underbelly of generational trauma and small town venom. The locked room aspect wasn’t giving the vibes as it’s such a trope, but I did like the complex network of messy relationships among the women and former pageant contestants as well as their daughters. The mother-daughter relationships were a bit fraught and the teen thing is why I was a bit leery about this at first, but once I waded through being able to identify all the characters and got into the fast pace, I ended up surprised by a late twist and liked it a lot.

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 had a full cast recording that included narrators Andrew Eiden, Brittany Pressley,  Mia Wurgaft, Saskia Maaleveld and Stevi Incremona. Most of them did a great job and I always enjoy a large cast so much more than a single voice. My least favorite was the voice of Melanie. I definitely appreciate the immersive experience that comes with listening while reading. Definitely recommend.

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

Genre and tags: beauty pageants, missing girls, murder, small town, friendship, psychological thriller

26 Beauties (Women’s Murder Club #26) by James Patterson

 Fast paced and engaging thriller.

Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the disappearance of young women across San Francisco. The Women’s Murder Club must coordinate their police, forensic, and medical resources to tackle down a trafficking ring before more women vanish.

Trademark short chapters and high tension make the book speed by so I read it in a single setting. I love the series and the ladies of the club so it’s always fun to have a new installment. The characters collaborate well and get along and are still going strong with their friendship and their partners.

The story focuses on human trafficking but on a local scale in San Francisco. Bodies are found and girls are reported missing and the area of interest is the Tenderloin part of the city. An Interpol agent visits to help Lindsay and he gets involved in the investigation. There’s not a lot of depth about motives and the network of criminals involved, nor explanation of what those found were actually doing in the meanwhile, but the team gets their man after all. 

Always enjoy listening to the audio book while following along in the e-book. The narrator, January LaVoy, does a fantastic job of voicing all the characters, including the accents. Listening definitely enhances my enjoyment of the story. 

This is the 26th in a long running series. You can read as a standalone but you would be missing out on the whole history between the women, so don’t do that!

Genre and tags: police procedural, missing women, mystery, trafficking

A Dangerous Diagnosis: A Thriller by Shantanu Rai

 Authentic and fast paced medical thriller that demonstrates the extent of moral injury to physicians and patients through institutional corruption and clinical malfeasance.  

Dr. Sanjay Patel is an elite concierge diagnostician operating an exclusive medical practice. His jet setting lifestyle and work are disrupted by the sudden, suspicious death of his former mentor, Dr. Tom Carpenter, who leaves a final message for Sanjay. The message indicates that Carpenter felt something was seriously wrong at Boston’s Mount Beacon Hospital. More or less willingly, Sanjay returns to the facility and reunites with Tom’s daughter, Emma Carpenter-Flores, who is a professor and researcher in her own right. What they find are logs that indicate potential data manipulation and irregularities  with a clinical trial of a specific medication designed to prevent heart attacks. Sanjay and Emma work to discover who is behind this obvious profits scheme at MBH before too many other patients die. 

This debut was a balanced combination of suspense along with a sharp critique of the current healthcare system. Since Rai is a physician, the medical aspect is real and accurate making the scenario plausible. It’s definitely an expose on the failures of the modern medical-industrial complex and its failure to take care of patients the way doctors know they should. It falls into a couple of the medical thriller tropes, but still manages to convey a sense of urgency that modern medicine is broken and changes need to be made for the good of both the providers and the people they try to help. 

I liked the writing style and eagerly look forward to another book by this author. It’s so hard to find good medical thrillers beyond those written by familiar superstar writers that I already read. 

I was able to listen to the audio book provided by the publisher while also following along in the hardcover book I worked really hard to borrow from the public library. The narrator, Shravan Amin, did a good job with some difficult pronunciations and managed to sound like the medical terminology was familiar despite a few slips. With so many characters, it would have been nice to have a full cast to include at least one female voice for balance. Audio books always enhance my enjoyment of a novel by creating a more immersive experience and this production was no exception. 

If you like medical thrillers, this is a new author to add to your watch list. Recommended. 

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

Genre and tags: medical thriller, research, drug research study, patient care, corruption and greed

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

 Not just a female empowerment #MeToo revenge fantasy.

When her younger sister, Georgia, is murdered at a Hollywood house party, aspiring pop star Scout Sage reinvents herself in the years that follow. It's now 10 years later and suddenly rumor, speculation, and innuendo are implicating Scout and her unusual cohort of women in the murders of men and women connected to industry corruption, abuse, and coverups. The crime scenes feature lyrics from Scout's own songs so she becomes a prime suspect. 

The investigation into Scout and her "Ladies of the Dark" also known in the press as the Hot Girl Murder Club, is led by Detective Grey Holloway. These friends form a network to help wronged women. As coincidence will have it, the cop is hunting for information about her own missing sister, Alice, who was last seen at a notorious nightclub. 

Does the line between victim, predator, and vigilante blur when everyone tries for justice. 
"The fire of passion and the dark void of hate."

This was more complicated than the typical female rage story and it definitely has a gritty atmosphere that strips the glamour off the entertainment industry showing its institutional rot and trauma.

Told in dual times with flashbacks to the party 10 years ago, and the present, the book suffers from point of view bloat with too many juggling perspectives. This slows down what could have been a relentless thriller pace. So the plot was messy and chaotic and that made it hard to connect deeply with the characters. It doesn't really follow any sort of typical police procedural either and the detective work doesn't feel real. Let's not even talk about the convenient FBI boyfriend. 

In the end, even the secret sisterhood angle felt more like over the top drama instead of the caring female bond it was probably meant to resemble. 

Despite its flaws, I liked the story well enough. 

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, Brittany Pressley, did an admirable job trying to create unique voices for all the female characters but there were just simply way too many for one actor. This production would definitely have benefited from a full cast. I always enjoy listening while reading as it creates a more immersive, enjoyable experience. 

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

Genre and tags: fiction, Hollywood, sexual assault, murder, corruption, female friends, revenge, social activism