The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore

 Historical fiction circa 1900 about a discredited American female doctor who finds that her only option is to join a traveling medicine show. 

Tucia Hatherley, once the top student in her medical school class, killed a patient during surgery while the attending physician looked on, berating and humiliating her. She had been barely tolerated during her studies and this surgical mistake ended her hopes and career dreams. Suffering from a sort of post traumatic stress as well as trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), Tucia has few options for employment. Add in the fact that she has a young son with Down Syndrome, Tucia is in debt with no where to turn. Then, in desperation, she falls in with Hugh Horn (Huey) who is the dubious owner of a group of rag tag performers in a group called The Amazing Adolphus And his Traveling Medicine Company. They travel about the country doing their show, dispensing fake potions and tonics, and leave the area before they get caught hawking those dubious cures. Since Tucia has a medical license, Huey puts her to work as a quasi medical assistant, mind reader, and fortune teller. She longs to escape, but is indentured. Then, they make it to Galveston right before the great hurricane. 

OK, this was all very interesting about the medicine shows and such, but it went on far too long only getting to Galveston and the natural disaster at about 80% in the book. I picked this novel because I wanted to hear about Tucia practicing medicine during the hurricane. Honestly, Tucia (where in the world did the author find that name?) was mostly an annoying mess with all her panic attacks and hair pulling that was just overdone. It was hard to believe she would ever get herself together and actually be productive. The other characters in the book were exactly the odd bunch that one imagines would be found in a circus - the giant, the Native American, the tinker, the cripple, etc. All with hearts of gold of course. Stereotypes.  The description of the hurricane coming so far into the book was too little too late. I expected the neatly wrapped ending. But, overall, just disappointed as this was not the book I had expected.

I listened to the audiobook while also reading along in the e-book — both provided by the publishers. The narrator was OK but the accents and many different voices proved a bit much for a single person to voice. If you are looking for a novel about heroism during a historic natural disaster, this might not be the one to pick. 

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

Genre - historical fiction, women physician, Galveston Hurricane, Medicine Shows

Murder on the French Riviera (Kitty Underwood #16) by Helena Dixon

 The 16th book in this historical fiction cozy mystery series.

Matt and Kitty are off on holiday to Nice, France, in the spring of 1936. Well, that’s what they want everyone to think — just a married couple, hoteliers, checking out the luxurious Le Neresco and enjoying some time together. However, what they’ve been asked to do by the brigadier has nothing to do with a vacation. They are on a risky spy mission and meant to retrieve some sensitive documents about the state of Italy’s military strength and future plans. When they arrive, they shortly discover that their contact is dead. The documents are nowhere to be found. And the police are eying them as possible suspects. 

I have really enjoyed all the previous books in series but I wish Matt and Kitty would just return to Torbay and the Dolphin Hotel. I prefer the characters from that particular setting to rejoin the plots. Also, they could have a little more zing in their relationship considering they are not that long married. I don’t mind that there’s no mention of intimacy, etc., but wowza they are barely affectionate even in the most romantic of places. The story line really wasn’t all that gripping and I missed my usual pleasure at reconnecting with these characters, the place and time, and the intrigue in their own home town. I still enjoy the period details. 

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

This is a series that should be read in order. Book #16.

Genre - historical cozy mystery

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea

 Absorbing mystery thriller dealing with a young woman’s search to uncover her past.

Sloan Hastings, a 29-year-old forensic pathology fellow on the way to becoming a medical examiner, was adopted when she was 4 months old. Raised by her wonderful dentist parents, she’s a bit loath to submit a DNA sample to a genealogy site despite her research assignment. When the results come back, she’s shocked to discover that she is Baby Charlotte Margolis. Apparently, she and her birth parents had disappeared almost 30 years prior, but she somehow ended up with a private adoption agency. The family disappearance has been a cold case now for years after the powerful Margolis family closed ranks when no answers were found and the sheriff who was investigating was found dead. Now Sloan/Charlotte wants to know what happened to her birth parents and decides to travel to the Margolis family home in Nevada. She’s welcomed by the family but her questions just lead to further intrigue. She isn’t sure who can be trusted but can’t let it go.

This was entertaining with a good plot even though it was a bit predictable and most will be able to discern the good guys from the baddies. There were some coincidences and convenient happenings that will require suspension of disbelief, but overall it was an easy read. A few things that bothered me (the whole camera and picture thing for one) but I am not going to belabor that and the boring CrossFit details. 

I was able to listen to the audiobook and follow along with the ARC e-book as both were provided by the publishers. The narrator did a good job with all the voices though often I have found that all the males sound alike. She also had to do a few accents that helped to differentiate the characters. 

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

Genre - mystery thriller

Want to Know a Secret by Freida McFadden

 One thing you know when picking up a new book by this author is that you are in for some seriously twisted storytelling. This was no exception. I’m trained now to think of the most outlandish direction this could go in and follow her down that path. 

The psychological thriller is told first from the point of view of April, a wife and mother, who has a baking show where she shares the secrets to her delicious desserts. She has some good friends in the neighborhood but things suddenly take a turn when she starts receiving threatening text messages from an unknown number. Now, her old friends seem to be shunning her and making horrible accusations.

Then, a point of view shift to one of the women, Julie, who was April’s best friend. She tells a completely different story to the version we heard from April. Let the drama begin.

Out of nowhere, a totally crazy epilogue that left me shaking my head.

Reader beware — this is exactly what you will expect from Freida McFadden and at the very least, you will be entertained.

I listened to the audiobook while following along in the e-book and thought the narrator did a decent job of reading the story but sometimes hard to be sure who was speaking since so many females in the novel. 

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

Genre - psychological thriller 

She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica

 Deftly plotted psychological thriller left me completely entertained. 

Critical care nurse Meghan Michaels is a single, divorced mom living in a Chicago apartment, working hard, and trying to keep her teen daughter, Sienna, safe and happy. Meghan is assigned to a patient named Caitlin who has barely survived a fall from a pedestrian bridge. Was it suicide? Caitlin has horrific injuries and Meghan ends up growing personally involved by caring for her and interacting with Caitlin's parents. 

Meanwhile, Meghan has concerns about getting to and from work when she hears that a stalker rapist is attacking women who live nearby. In the cold darkness of winter, while attending a divorced persons support group, Meghan meets an old acquaintance form high school and they become close confidants and friends. 

But suddenly, things take a very strange turn. Someone says that Caitlin's fall might have been a push rather than a jump. Meghan's new friend disappears, and it seems was not telling her the truth. Sienna is hostile. And a secret is close to being exposed.

This had a lot of fun twists and revelations that kept me engaged throughout. Some I anticipated, but others took me by surprise, and I really liked the turn of events. Meghan was an interesting main character, flaws and all, but quite easy to relate to and understand her motives and actions. The details about her work as a nurse were accurate and, as a nurse myself, I appreciate that. Of course, some things were a bit unrealistic and conveniently coincidental, but I just went along with the ride. 

I listened to the audiobook while reading along in the ARC e-book provided by the publisher and I totally enjoyed the experience. Definitely recommend to anyone who likes intricately plotted and perfectly paced suspense thrillers with an interesting and uncommon premise.

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

Genre - psychological thriller, mystery, suspense

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan

 Riveting and thrilling domestic suspense.

Simon and Nina had been a couple since they were 16 years old. Once both went off to college, their relationship started to change. In an effort to regain their close bond, they take a week-long trip to do some climbing and hiking at Simon's family cabin in Vermont. Only Simon returns home. So, what happened to Nina? The police get involved and the investigation explodes as both families close ranks and the news goes viral on social media. Speculation, rumor, and innuendo create a disturbing subtext that makes the truth even harder to find. Nina's family wants answers and Simon's parents stonewall every attempt at discovery. 

The narrative shifts in point of view primarily between each parent -- and all want only one thing. Simon's parents want him not to be responsible for whatever happened to Nina and her parents want her to come home. 

I listened to the audiobook while also reading along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The production was excellent with a very talented group of narrators who gave so much depth to the characters and the story. 

I could not bear to put this down as it kept me totally on edge waiting to find out what would happen next. Also, I could not help but note the disturbing similarities between this plot and the true crime events surrounding the case of Gabby Petito who was murdered by her fiancé. 

This is my penultimate favorite book so far this year and I fear that everyone I know will suffer my book stalking. I definitely give this 4.5 stars. It was emotionally gripping and I am sure I will be thinking about it for some time.

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

Genre - crime thriller, domestic drama, suspense, mystery

The Silence in Her Eyes by Armando Lucas Correa

 Interesting psychological suspense.

Leah has an unusual neurological condition known as akinetopsia. She is unable to see movement. She, on her own now that her mother has died, lives in Manhattan in a lovely pre-war apartment with only her elderly companion, Antonia, and some equally old neighbors as friends. Then Alice moves into the apartment next door. Since Leah's other senses are heightened, she can smell and hear the fear that Alice is experiencing and finds that Alice trying to escape and divorce an abusive husband. Leah feels and intuits things that others can't. She knows that Alice needs her help. 

This was quite the novel and with Leah, an increasingly unreliable narrator, almost certainly delusional, the reader knows this is not going to end well. The twists to the climax came at a rapid pace and I could not put it down so read it all in a single sitting. I listened to the audiobook while following along in the ARC e-book provided by the publisher. The narrator did an excellent job voicing the characters and projecting just the right amount of drama into the story. Definitely a genre bender with an unusual premise that many will find very compelling.

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

Genre - psychological suspense, thriller, akinetopsia

The 24th Hour: Is This The End? (Women's Murder Club #24) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

 A super-fast and enjoyable crime thriller from a long-running series.

I've been hit and miss with the Women's Murder Club for the past couple of years, but recently got back in and it was nice to reconnect with the characters. Sergeant Lindsay Boxer, Medical Examiner Claire Washburn, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano, and crime writer Cindy Thomas are now older, accomplished in their jobs, and settled into loved-up bliss. 

This particular installment has the club's women facing separate cases in San Francisco. Yuki is handling an unusual rape and assault trial. Lindsay is trying to find the killer of a wealthy couple, and Joe is dealing with a horrific cyber ransom attack. Cindy is about to get married, and all are just there for each other in supportive friendships that have stood the test of time and trial.

The pages flew by as I also listened to the audiobook while reading. Thank you to the publisher for the e-book ARC and I recommend it to counter a reading slump or just for the entertainment. The short chapters, the lack of emotional drama all the time, and the interesting twists on plots always make this series fun.

This is the 24th in a long running series that you may want to read from the beginning, in order.

Genre - crime thriller, mystery, women friends

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

 Disappointing mystery thriller.

Chad and Rosie Lowan are over the moon when they inherit a luxury apartment in the historic NYC building known as the Windermere. Soon, however, the atmosphere takes an ominous tone and Rosie begins to fear that there are unhappy ghosts that linger in the apartments, the halls, and the basement. Horrible things have taken place in this building. Suddenly, people they know are dying and Rosie is afraid she might be next.

This was overly long and repetitive with a dual timeline and the one thing I cannot tolerate in my crime fiction -- the supernatural. I did not care for any of the characters and even though the author dangled a lot of red herrings, it was quite predicable and the outcome no surprise. Rosie was annoying and the others quite stereotypical in their roles as friends, husband, and relatives. I listened to the audiobook as I read along, and I found the narrator very irritating with her attempts at doing all the voices though she seemed to channel Rosie's angst and histrionics appropriately. In short, this requires dealing with the slow pace and all the melodrama while suspending disbelief at every turn of the page. 

Although I am grateful for the advance copy of the e-book ARC, I can't recommend this unless you enjoy those aspects of this story that I do not. 

2.5 stars

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

Genre - mystery, supernatural

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

 Another over-the-top twisty thriller by this prolific author.

I admit that I keep reading McFadden's books and always finish no matter how crazy they get. I now know to guess wildly out of the box to see if my imagination can anticipate what the characters are going to do. I rarely can. And this was no different.

Tricia and Ethan are house hunting and meant to meet a real estate agent for a tour when they get stranded in a remote mansion during a snowstorm. When they realize they must spend the night, their snooping reveals that they are occupying a fully furnished home that belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a well-known author and psychiatrist who had vanished several years earlier. Tricia finds a secret room full of audiotapes of sessions with patients recorded by the doctor. She decides to listen to these tapes and discovers some very shocking secrets. But there's something else: Tricia soon realizes that she and Ethan are not alone in this house.

So unrealistic and unbelievable, but that's what I've come to expect. Rarely do you get to meet so many hideous characters doing such horrible things. I both listened to the audiobook and followed along in the e-book, and it was very fast-paced and entertaining just to see how far the author would go with this story. If you're hooked on shocks and surprises with quite unpredictable narratives, this author's books are for you. 

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

Genre - mystery, psychological thriller, crime thriller

A Cold Highland Wind (Lady Emily #17) by Tasha Alexander

 Excellent historical mystery.

Although this is the 17th in a series, this is only the second one I have read. Now I find that I want to go back and start from the beginning. I love the character of Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, as well as their extended family and friends. The 3 sons are a lot of fun and make for some humorous moments in the story.

In this installment, in the summer of 1905, the family visits an old friend Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge, at Cairnfarn Castle in the Scottish Highlands. After a welcoming Ceilidh that lasted into the wee hours, the Duke's gamekeeper, Angus Sinclair, is found dead along the banks of the loch. Although the women of the village wanted to marry him, he certainly had some secrets and at least one enemy. Some strange clues are found during the investigation that lead back to 1676 when the madness of witchcraft trials reached the castle and a previous occupant, Lady MacAllister. Told in alternating points of view and shifting in time periods 1905 and 1676, the secrets and lies are revealed. 

I like the writing style and the characters in this novel and the plot was complex but interesting. There were some surprises along the way as Lady Emily and her husband talk with the villagers and try to find the truth. I listened to the audiobook that I got from my local library while also reading along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher and I liked the narrator very much, especially the Scottish accent and proper pronunciation that enhanced the atmosphere and setting of the story. 

I'd recommend the series and I plan to continue reading additional installments.

This is the 17th in a series which was OK as a standalone but probably should be read in order.

Genre - historical fiction, mystery, witchcraft, murder

Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen

 I didn't expect to like this contemporary mystery thriller as much as I did. I’m not a fan of vigilantism and I hate books that usually glorify those types of killings such as Dexter and others. But for some reason, this was fun and entertaining, and I enjoyed it. Rated 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Saffy Huntley-Oliver is rich and beautiful, runs a couple of charities, and is a fashionista. She also has a secret hobby -- hunting down and killing bad men. The pedophiles, abusers, rapists, etc.  This makes dating and finding a mate difficult when you can't find a good guy. But finally, Saffy is in with a chance after meeting true-crime podcaster Jonathan Desrosiers. When the police name him as a suspect in a murder he did not commit, Saffy is determined to help Jon seek out the real killer and give her the opportunity to have her own romance and fairy tale ever after.

This was darkly humorous and fast-paced making it a great one-sitting read. Saffy is meant to be a feminist but she's not a man-hater per se, she's just not been exposed to many good guys that aren't super boring. She does do something that I didn't like (trigger for animal mistreatment) and she is fairly intolerant of most people so she's not going to be anyone's BFF. She does love her younger sister and is very protective of her. Once you get past the fact that she loves her hobby and is a stone-cold serial killer, she's kind of likeable. Or at least you understand part of why she's who she is. The narrative is told from the points of view of both Saffy and Jonathan (Jon). Suspend any disbelief and go along for the crazy ride. 

I listened to the audio while reading along in the e-book ARC (both provided by the publishers) and I enjoyed the experience although I must say that I prefer the book to the audio. Quite a bit of vocabulary was changed using American expressions in the book compared to more typically English phrases or terms in the audio. The narrator had a British accent as well. 

This was a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - contemporary mystery thriller, romance, trigger for animal mistreatment