The Fear Within by JS Law (LT Danielle Lewis #2)

"Good people do bad things, and bad people do good things...the world doesn't work in absolutes."

Gripping thriller set mainly near and on a Royal Naval base in Portsmouth. Lieutenant Danielle Lewis and partner, Master at Arms, John Granger, work for the Special Investigation Branch. In this second book the pair face a series of disasppearances and crimes that tie back to the TENACITY (a submarine) and their previous case. A very complicated plot with lots of characters, this moves along quite quickly with information and action.

After rescuing an abused wife in an abandoned shop, the duo is called to the ship, DEFIANCE, because a young female stores assistant had gone missing. Meanwhile, Dan (oh how I HATED everytime I saw that masculine name used for Danielle in the entire book -- but this was an ARC and I am hoping that someone talked some sense into the powers that be and got that changed) is also talking to a serial killer because body parts thought to belong to his victims have come to the attention of her bosses, AND she is also still secretly working on the former case involving a drug smuggling operation on the submarine. Busy lady!

There was a lot going on in this book and quite confusing to me because I was not familiar with the characters and had not read the first book in the series. In this case, I think that was a huge mistake and would urge anyone considering this title to go back and read #1 first. As far as the character of Danielle Lewis (and just again metnioning that she was called Dan throughout), I'm not sure I can say that she was believable or likeable. Let's say that some of the scenes stretched credulity and leave it at that. The reader really doesn't learn much about her personally and so she was not very three-dimensional nor were any of the other characters in the book. I did find the military connection to be quite interesting as I haven't read many books where the investigators are part of the Royal Navy.

So, despite my annoyances as described above, I did enjoy it and will probably go back and read the first book at some point. Would definitely want to read #3 because this one ends on a cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Undertaker's Daughter by Sara Blaedel (#1 Ilka Jensen)

 The first book in a new series by one of my favorite authors!

Forty-year-old Ilka Nichols Jensen travels from Denmark to Racine, Wisconsin, USA, when her estranged father dies and leaves her his business -- a funeral home. Ilka's life as a widow in Copenhagen was nice and peaceful, she took school portraits for a living, and her mom and partner were close by. A nice, uncomplicated life. She's quite shocked when she finds out that the father who had abandoned them when she was 7 years old had made a new life in Racine. So what is she to do? She travels to Racine and finds not only a funeral business on the brink of bankruptcy, but a decades old murder mystery. The bodies keep on coming to the funeral home and Ilka finds herself in the middle of a huge mess. At first just eager to sort things and return home, she comes intent on discovering more about her father and the art of undertaking.

I really enjoyed this departure from the Louise Rick series for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I've always been secretly fascinated by the whole funeral business and actually considered whether to train in Mortuary Science so that I could work in one (before I found out how "family" controlled that the whole business actually is -- well, aside from the big conglomerates.) So I found the details absolutely fascinating as I believe it is both an art and a science to care for the dead and a ministry to attend to the families. I found the author's note explaining why she wrote this book quite illuminating and very easy to understand why she decided to write about this topic. Secondly, I loved the main character -- Ilka. What an unusual woman and an atypical protagonist. She's strong but sensitive, and I can't wait to learn more about her. Sure she has her personal demons, and coming to the USA where things were so different for her was quite a feat. I assume she's staying on at the funeral home and am eager to see how she assimilates in this unfamiliar territory.

So - it is not your typical Blaedel suspense thriller or police procedural, but there is a mystery and lots of intrigue. I'm sure the secondary characters will be developed further as well. And I can't wait to see what happens next as the book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the e-book ARC of this to read and review.

Little Liar by Clare Boyd

"Tell me. Explain to me. Describe to me."

The words used by the social services people when they interview Rosie, the 10-year-old daughter of Gemma and Peter Bradley. The neighbor next door, Mira Entwistle, has called the police about the screaming she's heard, and suspects that Rosie may be an abused child. Life in Virginia Close, Denton, is about to take a detour. For it seems that there are many secrets that may have led to this eruption in domestic life.

What a tense and almost, at times, excruciatingly painful drama to read! I felt so much sympathy for the parents of Rosie, and wondered when she would get the psychiatric help she obviously sorely needed! Being a parent is very hard, and that girl drove her mother to the near brink of madness with her acting out and tantrums. I wasn't sure what was going to happen and held my breath preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. Suffice to say that Mira has her own demons -- no spoilers.

This was a domestic psychodrama that kept me glued to the pages. I was suspicious of the main characters and not quite sure what to make of any of them. Who am I to judge another? Their motives, their emotional reactions, their deeds? What a great choice this would be for a book group as there are many themes that most mothers especially could possibly relate to. And, haven't any of you heard a child's scream or cry from next door that you wondered about? After all, we hear stories everyday about mistreated children whose situations were never reported to any authorities! But, geez, who among us wants to see the police or DFS on our doorsteps after our children have misbehaved? Anyway, I thought this all was pretty scary stuff and I'll be thinking about it for a long while. Point being -- a mother is accused of hurting her child, lies are told, things go from bad to worse. We all want children to be safe, especially in their homes. Would YOU make the call? And, if so, what would be the trigger?

I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Look For Me (DD Warren #9) by Lisa Gardner

 "Mistakes, regret, repair. Family isn't a destination. It's a journey."

It is a perfect fall Saturday in Boston when peace is shattered in a Brighton neighborhood. A family of 4 is shot in their home. No forced entry, no witnesses. The oldest daughter, 16-year-old Roxanna Baez, is missing. When Detective DD Warren gets the call, her first thought is -- is Roxie a lucky near-victim or the perpetrator? Joining the police in the hunt and Amber Alert is Flora Dane (from FIND HER); she's the leader of a survivor group having escaped her captor after 472 days. She teaches women how to live again after their horrible experiences. Seems that Roxy had reached out to her group before that day's tragic events. The search is on and the narrative focuses on procedures and investigative techniques along with a very stark and scary portrayal of the foster care system.

I've read this author before, but have not managed to read all the books in any particular series. I don't feel that I missed anything significant by coming back in at #9. There's enough backstory to fill in the gaps. DD is now a mom and she's not quite as edgy as in previous books, but still tough and sure of herself and her job. She's not that excited to be working with Flora, but realizes that Flora and Sarah can help in this situation. The reader understands why Flora and Sarah do what they do - which is a sort of vigilantism and self-defense tactics not totally limited by laws and protocols that the detectives have to follow.

Anyway, the mystery of Roxy and the murders is solved as the layers are peeled back to reveal the truth about "family." None are perfect and all require a lot of work and forgiveness. I was unsurprised by the conclusion and I can't say this was really suspenseful, but it was a meaty plot with many complex issues. Most notably that of the foster care situation -- for which I have no answers, only sadness.

I'll definitely pick up another title by this author and thank NetGalley and Dutton for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I'll Stay by Karen Day

"The unexamined life is not worth living. For your life and sanity...you must learn about yourself."

Set in the 1980s and moving forward, this is a story about friendship and about mothers and daughters. A role in a relationship assumed and taken on, sometimes without little to no understanding about how it came to be. Intense emotional impact!

The best friends are Clare and Lee and the narrative is told in first person by Clare. The girls go with two other sorority sisters on a spring break trip, ending up in Florida, where a life -- and friendship -- changing event takes place when Lee say to a trio of young men, "Let her go, I'll stay." Traumatized emotionally by what occurred in Daytona, their relationship collapses and for many reasons, they never discuss it. Time goes by as Clare and Lee navigate their lives after college without ever confronting each other and they don't understand why each is broken inside until much later.

The story is profound, if a bit slow moving, as Clare examines her relationship with Lee and with her mother -- a needy and somewhat narcissitic famous author. The book written by the mother features prominently in the novel and only at the end does its true meaning become clear enough to help Clare figure out who she is. "Maybe there was a difference between saving people and taking care of them."

I don't usually read contemporary women's fiction, but I found this one very thought-provoking and enjoyed it much more than I expected. It would make a great book club selection because of all the issues and themes to discuss and debate. I'd recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Into the Black Nowhere (Unsub #2) by Meg Gardiner

"I'll slip into floating darkness, It'll be like falling through a field of stars, into the black nowhere."

I need to catch my breath after racing through this second book in the UNSUB series. The sense of urgency, the tension, and the suspense racheted up with every chapter. The writing was superb and the details and descriptions of the places where events occured only added to the foreboding and dread as the story unfolded. This is definitely one that should not be missed if you're a fan of this genre.

The plot line -- serial killer on the loose. Kyle Detrick is "one calculating, remorseless predator." His style is reminiscent of Ted Bundy because of his ability to charm, disarm, and manipulate.

The good guys -- FBI Special Agent Caitlin Hendrix and her partner Brianne Rainey. Special Agent in Charge CJ Emmerich. This team is tracking the murder spree and trying desperately to capture Detrick and bring him to justice. These are fairly standard chararcters as portrayed on TV and in books about the FBI, but they are two very tough women whose personal lives aren't delved into too much between the covers of this novel. They see a lot of action in the narrative and are almost continuously working and in active pursuit of more information and the killer.

I really like this series and it stands out from others of the same ilk because of the great writing and the facts about serial killers, etc. that are contained within the pages. I did not want to put this book down even though I knew how it would likely end. I cannot wait for the next one and definitely plan to go back through the author's backlist and read more of her previous work. I love when I find a new author or series to get hooked on!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the e-book ARC to read and review. Please don't make me suffer and wait too long to see what happened in Oakland...

Dark Game by Rachel Lynch (#1 DI Kelly Porter)

DI Kelly Porter has her hands full in this first book in a new police procedural series where she is working for the Cumbria Constabulary. She'd been reprimanded for being too much of a risk-taker while working in London at the Met and had come back to her childhood home feeling like a failure.

There are, at her initial examination, 3 separate cases. A cold case involving a kidnapped and murdered 10-year old girl that she's asked to reopen. An abandoned baby whose hospitalized mother can't speak a word of English. And a well-known, wealthy civic leader found dead in a bed in a hotel room.

Porter has a lot to prove to her new team and she leads the investigation using the skills she learned from her mentor and partner at the Met -- patience, memory, order and time. The information gleaned by Porter makes her start to believe that the cases are related as the same names keep coming up. What she uncovers through this complex police operation is an illegal prostitution and slavery ring, global money-laundering and murder.

The book is very well-written and moves along quickly. The main character, Kelly Porter, is 36 years old and quite passionate about her work. She's the most fully developed as the story is told mainly from her point of view, but the secondary characters will likely be more fleshed out as the series develops. I'm eager to see what's next for her and the Constabulary team. The only thing that would have been helpful to me is a map -- as I am totally unfamiliar with the area and layout where Porter works! Seems like she had to do A LOT of driving from one place to another and the scenes were nicely described. Something that irritated me, but that is in essentially every book of this genre, is when the female detective goes in alone to a critical situation when she shouldn't and thus requires "rescue" from either a male partner or an entire police department. She should be smarter than that! But then, there wouldn't be the dramatic climax would there?! But it would be more realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review. Definitely can't wait for the second book in this series and recommend it to anyone looking for a strong female protagonist in a police procedural.

False Witness (Detective Cooper Devereaux #3) by Andrew Grant

Excellent and complex police procedural featuring Detective Cooper Devereaux. Set in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, this third in the series continues with a new case for Devereaux as he also continues to come to grips with his personal backstory.

Two victims, both women nabbed and murdered on subsequent nights, on their 21st birthday. Wrapped in sheets and delivered to the doorstep of a public place, the women did not know each other or have any connections. The press soon dubs this the B/DK -- the birthday killer case. Devereaux and his current partner, Tommy Garretty, begin the painstaking efforts to figure out who is doing this. There are quite a few possible suspects at first, but the list dwindles as time drags on without any progress. Then a third girl's body is found.

Meanwhile, there are some parallel stories that involve Cooper's long-dead father and some domestic drama with his girlfriend (the mother of his daughter). Because of this, I think it's very important to read these in order. Unfortunately, I didn't have access to #2, but some of the blanks were filled in with revelations in this book. I like seeing the progress that Devereaux is making toward self-acceptance and personal growth. He's quite the maverick in many ways, but his character is growing on me. As the main character, I'd say that he is the most fully developed of those in the novel. I continue to be very worried about his daughter, Nicole, and feel like his girlfriend, Alexandra, has serious blinders on and that is going to lead to a huge problem in, hopefully, the next in the series where THE ISSUE will be acknowledged and handled! NO SPOILERS.

The complicated investigation leads to a satisfying conclusion and I'm looking forward to the next in series. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

False Positive (Detective Cooper Devereaux #1) by Andrew Grant

"Within the core of each of us is the child we once were. This child constitutes the foundation of what we have become, who we are, and what we will be."

This is the first in a police procedural series featuring Detective Cooper Devereaux and set in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. He's the archetype of maverick cops with unorthodox ways and a very sketchy history. The "child" in him is quite messed up and his background provides fodder for the development of the premise and main theme of the book -- is your future behavior predicted by your genetics, is it in your DNA? Or can you choose who you want to be?

In this outing, he's partnered with a cop on loan from vice, Jan Loflin -- another pretty messed up character with her own secrets and she and Devereaux have a lot in common though they don't really trust each other. The case that they are to work -- a 7-year-old boy, Ethan Crane -- has been abducted and is apparently the latest in a string of kidnappings spanning many years. Can they find him before it's too late?

This was well-written, fast-paced and full of twists with some interesting revelations as the characters are developed and the investigation proceeds. Although some of it was predictable given the genre, the narrative unfolds and is told in alternating points of view with a timeline progression. I really was into the story -- until the very end. The conclusion with its insinuation left me COLD and very unsettled. I'm not sure if I want to continue. I don't have the second at hand, but I do have the third, and I guess I must read it to find the answer I need to set my mind at ease -- or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the e-book ARC of this to read and review.

This was the first book I've read by this author.

I Know My Name by C.J. Cooke

"Light creeps in through the cracks caused by tumbling through the hard spaces of life. But it's love that lets the light back out of us, moving inward and outward at the same time, dissolving the thresholds between past and present, between each other."

A nearly drowned woman washes up on the remote and derelict Kommeno Island -- 8.4 miles northwest of Crete. In Potters Lane, Twickenham, London, 37-year-old Eloise Shelley has vanished from her charming Edwardian semi. She left behind her four-year-old son, Max, and newborn daughter, Cressida, as well as her husband, Lochlan. What follows is an incredibly complex narrative told in alternating points of view with occasional shifts between 2015 and dates from 1983.

NO SPOILERS. This is a remarkable novel unlike any I've read previously because of the many nuances and details leading to an incredible revelation. Yes, it's sort of a mystery, but it's more than labeling it a psychological thriller as well. It's really a case study more than anything, and one that I won't soon forget. Nothing like I was anticipating when I read the blurb thinking that I knew all about where this was going to go being a fan of this genre and all. I don't want to put this in a category. The writing was incredible and the story horrific and heartbreaking.

I could go on and on in this review, but I don't want to ruin it for any reader. This book would be great for a club discussion for sure, but it also begs a lot of questions that each of us will ponder, turning and assessing in our own minds. Is it realistic to think this could happen? I'm a skeptic at heart, but I was quite moved by the struggle and the outcome experienced by the characters -- all very vividly depicted and so three-dimensional.

Just get a copy and read it and I'd love to know what you think of it all. I could not put it aside as I kept coming back to the situations and just had to know the truth once and for all. Sure I had some clues and was pretty sure I had figured out where it was going, but the author was so skillful that I wasn't quite sure how it would all end. The conclusion was fitting and satifying for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an e-book ARC of this to read and review.

Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan (#1 Josie Quinn)

"You can't always be all roses and sweetness...that don't get shit done."

Detective Josie Quinn of the Denton, Pennsylvania police, has a bit of a temper and is on suspension after using excessive force during a call out for a disturbance of the peace in the rural town of about 30,000 people. So, she can't get involved in the search when teenager Isabelle Coleman is apparently abducted even though the department is stretched thin, especially after a highway shooting leaves 3 apparent gang members dead at the Stop and Go gas station. Of course Josie won't sit this out, especially after she discovers that there may have been other instances of kidnapped girls that might be linked to this case -- a girl that no one even knew was missing is found in a catatonic state. The only real clue is a name -- Ramona. Who is Ramona?

This fast-paced police procedural is full of surprising revelations as the full scope of the "vanishing" girls is discovered. That small town has many secrets. NO SPOILERS.

There is a lot of room for character development in the future episodes in this series, and I hope that Josie becomes her own person rather than a copy of all the other female detectives in books of this genre -- let's "un mess" her up, OK?  Women can be great cops without being so damaged, can't they? Another issue for me was the romance with Luke (and leave out the sex scenes -- a pet peeve of mine) as Josie needs to get her head on better before she's too deep in another relationship.

I enjoyed this debut in this crime thriller series and am eager to see what case comes next as Josie assumes her new role in the department.

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

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

"...passion, like fire, was a dangerous thing. It so easily went out of control. Better to control that spark...or perhaps to tend it carefully like an eternal flame."

This book came highly recommended to me by many different people. And I wanted to love it as much as they claimed I would. The characterization in this novel was extremely well done -- it's just unfortunate that I basically detested them all. Sure I had some, albeit brief, moments of empathy at one turn of a page or another -- but for the most part, I couldn't understand their motivations, their actions, or their decisions. I guess my reaction says more about me, personally, than it does about the book. I didn't find most of the narrative to be believable and the construct -- is love between parent and child about biology or is it about the nurturing -- to be an overly done theme. The relationships between them all rang so false and actually, I thought quite ridiculous in some instances. No spoilers, but I couldn't find a one to root for. Sure we're all flawed, and the parent-child relationship is fraught with issues at all ages and stages of life, but some of the things that happened in the book just left me more angry than sympathetic. I know I tend to prefer books where I can make some sort of personal identification with at least one character, but that was absent for me in this story.

The writing was decent, if a bit melodramatic at times, and I highlighted a bit here and there when I found a particularly interesting turn of phrase. But overall, I just don't feel the love so it missed the mark for me. This was the first novel I've read by this author, and I might be tempted to try another in the future -- as long as it wasn't a domestic drama.

This would make a great choice for a book club as there are so many things within that beg discussion and debate. I think that hearing other opinions always helps me to understand and further support my own position on the topics.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Daughter by Lucy Dawson

"You cannot understand what it's like to lose a child unless it happens to you. It's every pain you have ever felt turned up so loud you can't think, move, speak -- and nothing drowns out the agony, not even for a second. It's what annihilation actually means."

Jessica's life changed when the unthinkable happened -- her darling 5-year-old daughter, Beth, died in an accident on the playground at school. Jessica left her then-husband, Ben, and walked out of that life. Someone made her go. And now, 17 years later, Jessica has remarried and has a new husband. She and Ed have a son, James, and Ed knows everything about Jessica's sordid past. So does someone else -- and all of a sudden, things start to unravel in their family life. Who is tormenting Jessica and what more does she have to do to pay for her past mistakes?

Although the identity of the tormentor is easily guessed by the reader, the narrative is told in such a manner as to create tension as Jessica tries to figure out why her past is ruining her present life. Jessica does the usual dumb things and makes choices that seem unlikely given her relationship to the various people in the story, but the tale unfolds with the drama of the evenentual unmasking. This is an emotionally wrenching book that tugs at the heartstrings and is hard at times to read because no parent wants to go there. Jessica is very three-dimensional and though at times I wanted to shake her, at others I just wanted to hold her and give a big hug. She has a lot of baggage to work through in addition to dealing with the loss of her child.

This was the first book by this author I've read and I'll definitely look for another. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Bring Me Flowers by DK Hood (Kane and Alton #2)

"The dead can't hurt you. Swallow your fear and find justice."

Sheriff Jenna Alton has a series of vicious murders on her plate. Teenage girls, eviscerated and displayed in a gruesome tableau taunting her team in Black Rock Falls. With so many possible suspects and a rodeo circuit in town, she, David Kane and new deputy, Shane Wolfe, have their hands full as terror engulfs the small town.

This was an incredibly fast-paced, high octane thriller that begs to be read in one sitting -- as I accomplished today (despite the hated battery dying on my kindle -- thank heavens for a power pack!) There are so many red herrings and so much going on that the reader is glued to the pages trying to guess the identity of the killer. It doesn't help that these are teenaged girls who don't listen to their parents, who take incredibly stupid risks, and who think they are invincible! I cringed more than once knowing what was about to happen to those feckless girls. Yes you have to use a bit of suspension of disbelief that so much could happen in this backwater town where Jenna is sent in the Witness Protection Program (see book one), but the storytelling captures you and it's fun to go along for the ride. Lots of gruesome and grisly description of the kills, but once again, detective work saves the day!

I like this new series and the second one just whets my appetite for more of Kane and Alton and I hope it's not too long a wait for #3. I like the small town atomosphere and the detail in the narrative and as I said, it was impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. Can't wait for the next!

The Silent Girls (Anna Gwynne #1) by Dylan Young

 "Remember, we are all capable of acts of terrifying destruction when the tenuous constraints of consciousnesss snap and the primal impulses ooze and stain the world."

Once upon a time,  in 1998, 18-year-old pregnant Emily Risman was killed in the Forest of Dean. In present day, 16-year-old Nia Hopkins is kidnapped from her parents' barn and later found dead. Is this the same killer? And if so, is the convicted and recently released Neville Cooper back to his old, evil ways? Recently promoted Inspector Anna Gwynne is leading the investigation for the Southwest Major Crimes Review task force -- examining the Woodsman killings following his release. In addition, there is a wave of serial rapes. Are these connected? Anna and her team are liaising with police on the current Nia Hopkins case. But those detectives are convinced that it is Neville Cooper resuming his murder spree.

This is a police procedural more than a suspense thriller and it plods along as various aspects of the investigation are undertaken. Anna visits a prisoner who provides some interesting clues -- Hector Shaw -- in jail for the murders of those he suspected of murdering his daughter. Does he really have information Anna can use in her own case or is he just wanting her attention? Lots of questions in this complex case and Anna must use all her skills as she pits herself against the murderer and others involved on the police side.

I did enjoy this novel but found some irritations that seem to be recurrent themes in other books in this genre. First of all, why does the main character always have such a crappy relationship with her mother and a father adoration? Secondly, why does it always come down to the criminal engaging the detective in a personal one-on-one near death encounter? The other theme in this story was that much was made of the fact that Anna tested as INTJ on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This means she is supposedly an expert at thinking and judgement as well as being an intuitive introvert. It's not a BIG DEAL -- I had to laugh as I, too, test that way. It doesn't make her anything special even though the book says that only 4 in every 500 women test as INTJ. Really? I guess I'm a BIG DEAL too -- wish I'd known!!  Despite all these little things that always get me in a narrative, I went along with the revelations and was unsurprised by the conclusion as it was the only thing that made sense.

If this is the start of a new series, put me down for #2 because I want to see what is in store for Anna in her next outing. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Keep Her Safe by Richard Parker

The premise -- what will a mother do to protect her child? In this particular novel, the mother is asked to kill another mother so that her own child will live. The murder is ordered by a man known as The Babysitter. His motives are unclear, but he targets single mothers. He kidnaps their babies and then sends them to kill. So, murder by proxy.

Unfortunately, the execution of the plot left me completely unable to suspend my disbelief at the events that transpired. The two main characters -- Maggie and Holly -- endured a night together that left me scoffing in amazement. Amazement that I actually continued to read to the end. The frantic activities that engaged Maggie and Holly bordered on ridiculous as they attempt to outsmart The Babysitter and get Holly's daughter back. Their decisions and actions made no sense. Their near death experiences and escapes from the perils they endured did not make for exciting or tense suspense. It was all just TOO MUCH. I didn't like either of the women, I didn't feel empathy for their plight, and I just wanted to get to the end so it would all be over and I could say I finished it.

I've read another book by this author, HIDE AND SEEK, and it was much better written than this one. I simply can't recommend it unless you can force yourself to believe that there is any way this sort of thing could happen as described. I'm sorry to say I can't find anything nice to say so I'll stop now.

I do want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me access to the e-book ARC to read and review.

Liars (THE GOOD LIAR) by Frances Vick

Psychological thriller narrated by 3 different people -- all of them liars and mostly thouroughly unlikeable. The synopsis provided on the book information page is misleading and inaccurate.

Jenny, David, and Freddie -- all have their own perspectives or perceptions of their interactions with each other and their tales of what their past lives were like. It's hard to sift through the exaggerations and interpretations of events to get at the truth. All are self serving. None are who they pretend to be and their motivations to be involved with each other are warped. People connected with the three keep dying -- who is responsile for that? Jenny's mom, Jenny's stepfather (who she claims had abused her). Is someone Jenny's protector and savior -- or is it something entirely different? No one is who they seem.

Frankly, I didn't like any of the characters and got tired of the convoluted way the layers were revealed so that the reader could try to put the pieces together to form some answers. Although I didn't like the ending, it was realistic considering the nature of Jenny, and entirely anticipated. The twists were expected since the reader knew everyone -- particularly David and Jenny -- had some seriously flawed personalities.

Did I like this? It was a little slow and I guess I prefer a more linear story with characters I can actually respect or understand. NO SPOILERS, but I do like it when good guys win. Or when there is a "good guy" to root for.

I read the ARC of this titled THE GOOD LIAR. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-galley to review. I would read another by this author.

The Last Thing She Ever Did by Gregg Olsen

"They can pinpoint the split second when something they did changed everything in their world. Mistakes are dominoes, falling on one another in a mechanical, unstoppable progression."

The first mistake that Liz made could have been an accident. The second was a crime.

This was a fast-paced psychological thriller that kept me glued to the pages in suspenseful anxiety. On one hand, I detested nearly all of the characters in the book -- especially Liz -- and on the other, I was hopeful that there would somehow be justice and a satisfactory conclusion. Not sure I got my wish, actually, but NO SPOILERS -- I did enjoy the novel and loved reading about Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes River and could imagine myself there on the banks watching the whole story go down from the porch.

This well-written drama has great description and detail about the locale and the interactions between the characters is believable. I'm not a big fan of internal angst and was grateful it was somewhat limited as it annoys me quickly especially when repetitive. I did like the two Bend police detectives, Esther Nguyen in particular, and her younger male partner. In all, a compelling tale that reminds us that everything can change, lives can be destroyed, in a heartbeat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'm off to hunt for another title written by this prolific author!

The Chalk Man by CJ Tudor

"We think we want answers. But what we really want are the RIGHT answers. We ask questions that we hope will give us the truth we want to hear."

In 1986, Eddie's world was a snowglobe. He and his mates were 12 years old and spent their days doing what young boys do. Hanging together, going to school, enjoying holidays. The boys even created a secret code using different colors of chalk to send messages to each other. Until "the day some causal god came along, shook it hard and set it back down again." A series of events transpired that year that changed everything forever.

Part coming of age story, part mystery, this stellar debut opens strong and finishes with a very fitting conclusion that is no less satisfying because of its painful revelations. Told in Eddie's point of view but alternating between 1986 and present day, the prose is so well written that it evokes all the feels. I found it impossible to put down while frantically highlighting all the great lines that sum up so many truths, even as some are cliches, they aren't trite within the pages. The characters are all very well-drawn but still retaining some mystery and unknowningness -- as no one fully can know even their best friends. NO SPOILERS, but definitely a suspense thriller that I will not soon forget. I definitely look forward to seeing what CJ Tudor has coming up next.

Don't miss this one, it's sure to make a lot of lists! Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Running Girl (Louise Rick #5)

A solid and absorbing police procedural featuring Detective Louise Rick. Set in Copenhagen, the descriptive writing makes the city come alive to the reader. In this novel, Louise is called to a party that her 12-year-old foster son, Jonas, is attending with schoolmates when thugs crash it and intimidate the guests. While running for help for her mom, Britt, Signe Fasting-Thomsen ran out into the road in front of a van and was hit. With both mother and daughter in the hospital and the father out of town, Louise and her fellow police try to find the older boys who invaded the party. Meanwhile, the beating death of a man needs solving and a warehouse is burned down. Are these events connected?

This complex story takes time to unravel as the many layers are revealed slowly through solid investigative work. Louise juggles both her professional responsibilites and her personal issues with Jonas and her current sort of boyfriend. Not always a job done well. Camilla Lind and her son have taken off to the US for a couple of months and the two friends keep in touch through emails and calls as Britt Fasting-Thomsen is known to her as well. So basically, the usual characters having continuing roles in this novel.

There are 9 books in the Louise Rick series thus far. I've read 7 -- completely out of order -- as this was #5. Fortunately there is usually enough backstory that I can catch up, or follow -- and enough time has passed between reading one and another -- so I don't feel too out of it. My preference would be to read a series in order, but I think it's because of the way the translations are being released in the USA. In fact, sometimes I feel totally confused as to where a book fits into the series!
Regardless, I enjoy them and will continue to snap them up as they are available here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for access to the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

This the most deliciously entertaining, and horrifying, revenge thriller that I've read in ages! Almost impossible to put down, be sure to set aside a good chunk of time so that you can read it all in one setting -- if you dare!

If you are feeling terribly depressed and thinking that suicide might be the answer to your situation, DON'T CALL LAURA! Laura vounteers at a hotline call-in named End of the Line -- and her goal isn't to help you cope, to help you overcome the circumstances you're in, or even get you to think of other alternatives. Her most fervent desire is for you to kill yourself. And, Laura is good at her job.

To say that Laura is one of the most messed-up characters I've come across in this genre is saying something. She's more than a sociopath and she will always win. When she encourages Ryan's wife, Charlotte, to jump off a cliff with another caller, David, she feels the elation and triumph of her skill. She can't wait for the next candidate. Unfortunately for Laura, Charlotte's husband isn't willing to let go and move on. He finds Laura and has a few tricks up his sleeve as well. What the two of them, Laura and Ryan, set in motion is an amazing battle of wits and one-upsmanship that takes the reader on a twisty tale that had me spellbound from the beginning.

I loved the writing, the story, and couldn't have hated Laura more. But, she's a winner and such a psychopath that you hold your breath waiting to see where she will take it next. The escalation and the actions of the characters will have you tense and hoping that this game won't have a bad ending. NO SPOILERS, but the conclusion was quite fitting. What a narrative of twists and turns! You know Laura is messed up, but no idea of the extent of her madness.

I loved this and highly recommend it. I'll definitely be looking for other titles by this author (I also read THE ONE).

Remember -- "While seeking revenge, dig two graves -- one for yourself." (Douglas Horton).

Cold, Cold Heart by Christine Poulson

SO lucky to be able to read the second book in the series immediately after the first!

"The bright day is done, and we are for the dark."

Katie Flanagan, a medical doctor and scientific researcher, after the events from book one, is bound for Antartica for an 8 month stint as the second doctor on the Wilson outpost base. She'll be there to examine the effects of how humans adapt to the long months of darkness and isolation. There are only 9 other peeople on the base, all but one are males -- and she will be shut up with them for the duration of the dark. Despite her anxiety and trepidation, things are going as well as can be expected until her friend, and the only other female at the site, the doctor in charge, Sara, has gone missing. A hunt for her has gone without result and there are other issues that take Katie's former training and expertise to the forefront.

Meanwhile, attorney Daniel Marchmont, his wife Rachel, and their daughter, Chloe, continue the treatments for Chloe's genetic blood disorder -- Diamond Blackfan Amemia (the research that Katie was working on before her whistleblowing got her in trouble). Daniel is again working with Lyle on a new theory, with his new company, Thesus, whose had a breakthrough in cancer research. When the head of that project goes missing, Daniel and Lyle are at a loss to go further with the development of the theory and the acquisition of the patents. Could there be a connection to missing Sara? In another of those wild coincidences in this series -- there is -- but NO SPOILERS.

Despite the necessity to suspend disbelief over the fact that Katie's situation is related to the disappearance of Dr. Flora Mitchell, the story and plot are very entertaining and will keep the reader glued to the pages. The missing women aside, the main character is really Antarctica. The details about life on the base and the strain of living in that hostile environment are very compelling and interesting. Katie continues to be someone that we want to get to know better and I am quite eager to see where she will go next after her experiences in wintering over in Antarctica.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lion Fiction for the ARC to read and review. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in medical thrillers. The suspense lies in the mystery of what happened to Sara in Antarctica with only the 10 people on the base. I totally enjoyed it! Can't wait for #3 in this series! I was so lucky to be able to read the second book in the series immediately after the first -- these should be read in order.

Deep Water by Christine Poulson

How far over the line would you go with millions at stake? Millions of lives, millions of dollars...

Very tightly plotted scientific/medical thriller with a focus on the ethics of the laboratory scientist. The fast paced narrative also relates the degree of pressure that researchers are under to get new treatments and therapies to those who need them -- the patients, and to those who want them -- for profit.

This suspenseful novel has a large cast of characters and quite a few parallel plots that the author cleverly navigates with ease. The main character is Katie Flanagan, a post doc, newly hired at Calliope Biotech to work on a biotech cure for a rare blood disorder. Her cell lines and western blot are a disaster and she's on a deadline. Attorney Daniel Marchmont is a patent lawyer, hired after an accident kills the former attorney handling the case involving a dispute of which lab was first to produce a substance that might cure obesity. It so happens that Daniel's daughter, Chloe, has that very rare blood disease (the first of several major coincidences that had potential to defy belief). There is a lot happening in this short book (252 pages), but the essence of the science is related to the reader through very effective narration and description by the author so is easily understandable.

The main focus of the story is that many things are going wrong in the lab and there are several who could be responsible for the bad luck and negative results. Without spoilers, just know that Katie is trying to figure out what is going on with the lab and the blood disorder research while also trying to figure out why her experiments are total failures.

Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, I'm glad I finally picked this up after reading a review by a Goodreads "friend" (Rachel). I had won this from LibraryThing a long time ago as an ARC and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it. Medical thrillers are my favorites in the mystery and suspense genre so I'm always happy to find a new author. In fact, I'm reading the second book in this series next!

The Silent Children (DI Robyn Carter #4) by Carol Wyer

Greed. Betrayal. Secrets. Lies. All components of a compelling plot.

Cannock Chase in Stafford:  A 33 year old male, Henry Gregson, has been found shot dead inside a car. With little evidence to go on, DI Robyn Carter and her team -- Mitz, Anna, and David -- begin the tedious and painstaking investigation that they hope will lead to the killer. Days pass without much progress when a second victim, Tessa Hall, is found dead on her kitchen floor. Are the two murders connected? Then, Anthony Hawkins drops dead on a deserted golf course in the early hours of a Saturday morning. Did these three people know each other? Every single person that the police interview seems to be hiding something, and Robyn cannot figure out if these deaths are the result of actions by a single perpetrator since Hawkins had a heart attack. Yes, indeed, there is a relationship, but DI Carter can't seem to work it out.

Mostly a police procedural with the solving of the case the main focus, there is a lot going on in this complicated narrative. Included are chapters from the POV of a child describing his life with his sister and the abuse they suffered. You know it has something to do with the "why" of what has happened, but it's very unclear. Until it isn't. I figured out where this was going fairly quickly but it took quite a while for me to understand the motive behind it all because of the many characters and their relationships.

As far as Robyn -- this is the first in the series I've read, and it's #4, so I've missed a lot of the backstory and it did affect my whole perception of her and I wish I'd started with #1. I felt like I came into the middle of something that everyone else knew and I didn't! She's definitely a character I would like to know better, and I sure hope she gets some resolution to her personal situation that seems to be occuppying a lot of her time, emotion and energy beyond the job. The other members of the team show potention for a lot of development as well. I'll probably try to find the first 3 books in the series at some point. I'd definitely read another in this series because this one ended with a bit of a cliffhanger and I just hate an unanswered question!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC of this novel to read and review.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

Wowza!

I usually like to start my reviews with a quote, but there were so many good ones in this extremely well-written debut that I couldn't pick one that hadn't already been represented in others. The best thing about this book was the quality of the writing as Alice Feeney has an incredible command of a turn of phrase.

That said, I just sit here, my head still reeling from the story within the covers of this psychological thriller. I read this one tonight in a couple of hours, couldn't put it down, had to find where it was going, tried in vain to figure out who was writing the diary, who was in the coma -- you get the picture. The phrase, "Sometimes I lie" totally kept me trying to anticipate and, regretfully, experiencing one (or two or three) of those WTF moments!

Here's the gist -- a woman lies in a hospital bed in a coma. Her husband and sister visit her in present tense. There are diary entries back from childhood, but you have no clue who wrote them. And then there is a first person narration of events that occured the week before the accident that led to the coma with a lot of backstory thrown in. Confusing? You bet! Mindblowing? ABSOLUTELY.
If you want a book that causes you to reread significant portions of the sections even after you've finished, then this is the one for you. After doing some extensive review after finishing, I think I've finally GOT IT. But, please, if you are thinking about picking this one up -- don't read any of the reviews or the questions with their spoiler alerts.

I'm afraid I'll be thinking of this one for some time as those books that make you delve deeper always stick a bit longer in the mind. Thank you to the publisher for the book to read and review and to NetGalley for the digital ARC. If there is a sequel, I'll certainly want to read it.!

Last Cry (Detective Dan Riley #1) by Ann-Lou Weatherley

"Fear is the most debilitating of all the emotions. It paralyses you, governs your every waking moment and thought. It conditions you. And I lived in fear."

When a wealthy older man is found with his wrists slit, bled out in a bathtub at an expensive hotel, DI Daniel Riley is called to the scene. It becomes immediately apparent that this was only made to look like a suicide. Something more sinister is going on here. As he and his team investigate and find ties to "Goldilocks" and "Daddy Bear", they are quite certain that another murder will soon take place as the killer completes the story. But what is the reason for The Three Bears theme and the deaths? "Sometimes there is no why." NO SPOILERS. You must get this immediately and read it to find out!

This was a very fast paced and extremely well written thriller with some interesting characters -- in fact, I can't wait for #2 so that I can get to know DI Riley better. I really empathized with him, (but can we give the whole Rachel thing a rest now - it was a little much) and he seems to be a good, decent man who likely will get his head back in the game shortly. The other members of his team aren't that known to us yet, but very curious about them as well. I see a lot of potential for developing this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review. I definitely recommend it as one of the best detective novels I've read lately. It was very hard to put down! SO, Anna-Lou Weatherley, a new author to me, where is your second book -- please don't make me beg or wait too long!

No Cure for the Dead by Chrstine Trent

This is the first in a series, ostensibly about Florence Nightingale.

It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London.

As soon as she is installed, Florence discovers a dead nurse hanging in the library. Instead of a novel focused on the real accomplishments of Florence Nightingale, the reader is relegated to a tale of how she solves the case. Her entire day consists mostly of trying to ferret out the killer rather than to discuss the many amazing accomplishments of this nurse. I found it mostly tedious to read about the daily occurences in the house and grew incredibly disdainful each time the word "miasma" was mentioned (so irritating that the author would focus on this completely INACCURATE THEORY OF Florence Nightingale so long disproven). In short, the book was not about anything really medical or nursing related, it was about FN becoming some sort of Nancy Drew and so thus, sold FN incredibly short. Florence Nightingale was an amazing woman for her time but the way she was portrayed in this novel totally sold her short. Whether or not she was romantically challenged (her relationship with Richard Monckton Miles) and her feelings about her family aside, I expected this to be more about how she changed the face of the art and practice of nursing -- not about how she was pretending to be some sort of sleuth.

I know this sounds harsh, but honestly -- I've been a nurse for over 40 years and Florence Nightingale's history and accomplishments are well known to me. Putting her in this scene and making her, quite frankly, a completly unlikeable character, were anathema. Sure there were a few paragraphs about changes she wanted to make with the nurses she was forced to train (a cut above prostitutes), and yes, historically her ideas did propel the profession forward -- it is just that this story does her character no justice. We don't see her caring much for patients, sure a rare turn, but yeah, she's an administrator LOL. Anyway, I am well familiar with the history of Florence Nightingale and her life. Turning her into a quasi detective took away from her modest life long work.

Some of this may be historically sound as far as research goes, but I felt throughout that the Florence portrayed here was nothing like the real woman I've reseearched myself. Making her focus on the murder and solving the crime as the main point of the novel took away from her stature -- not to mention dwelling on the "miasma" theory so much -- give it a rest, we know it's not true. Many of her studies, however, did advance and elevate the practice of nursing -- but nothing she ever did gives evidence that she'd spend so much time away from actual patients to work on solving a murder case. That's the problem with fiction based on real life characters.

Regardless, I did read this and I don't know if I would attempt a second in the series considering this is labeled as #1. I want to read historical fiction that uses real life people in their own element. Please let Florence Nightingale pursue MEDICAL or NURSING issues and not murder mystery. Thank you, however, to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Let Me Lie by Claire Mackintosh

Beware the lies...this psychological thriller has many twists and turns as it reaches an incredibly surprising conclusion.

Anna Johnson, with her weeks old baby Ella, is very sad -- she can't get over the fact that both her parents committed suicide and left her alone. Her partner, Mark, is supportive, but he never met her mom and dad so he doesn't really understand her emotional turmoil. When Anna receives a card that indicates that perhaps it was not suicide, she contacts the police. A nearly retired civilian desk officer, Murray, investigates on his own time. And then, the strangest thing happens... NO SPOILERS.

The narrative is told in mulitple points of view and often the reader is not sure who is speaking because one is unidentified by name. Anna's voice is the main speaker driving the plot forward. It's Anna who contacts the police and who is totally confused by the transpiring events.

This was not a particularly fast-paced novel with way too much internal angsting going on within the characters. It's not action based at all. I can't honestly say that I liked the main character, Anna. I could not identify with any action or decision she made. None of the women in the book seemed very "all there" mentally, and I didn't relate to any of their reactions or behavior. Murray was a dogged and determined investigator with an interesting sidebar concerning his mentally ill wife. But there was way too much description that was dragging down the forward motion of the story.

I found myself sort of rushing through to the end, confounded by the "ah ha" moment and the ensuing drama. It's all tied rather neatly up at the end, except...

If you're in the mood for a psychological family drama, then this is the novel for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Missing Child by Alison James

"You may give them your love, but not your thoughts...you may house their bodies, but not their souls."

I have to say that this is one of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight as I tensely waiting for the very satisfying conclusion. I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince!

A child has been kidnapped out of her home in the middle of the night and missing for several months when Detective Rachel Prince, of Bermondsey in South East London with the Major Crime Investigative Support unit, gets called to liaise on the case with the National Crime Agency to interface with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. She and her partner, DS Mark Brickall, are late to the investigation but are all holds barred as they query all the parties. Lola Jade Harper, 6 years old, vanished and there are no traces of what happened to her. The child's mother, Michelle, and her father, Gavin, are divorcing and in the midst of a fierce custody battle at the time of Lola Jade's apparent kidnapping. Where is Lola Jade and can Prince find her in time?

Great investigative process and a really complicated story line highlight this suspenseful novel. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is definitely a book you should set aside time for as it will be very hard to put down. I really liked the character of Rachel Prince, except -- please -- let the woman eat and can't she be a little less appealing to EVERY single man who meets her? She's quite cynical and independent, but the potential romance angle really doesn't do her any favors here. The reader can sense her frustration as the investigation leads to one roadblock after another, but she doesn't give up and relentlessly pursues her suspect despite the stonewalling and lack of evidence. Although I figured out, eventually, where this was going -- it was a great ride!

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good police procedural with a compelling narrative and a unique spin. I can't wait for #2!

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

The Stolen Children by Kerry Wilkinson

"Just trust yourself and know where the lines are. It's not all black and white, there are shades of grey everywhere." Jessica Daniel is back, and in this outing she has been promoted to DI after her last case and after she took a little hiatus from policing. Her gang is with her, and the reparte is resumed. In this particular police procedural, Jessica and her team are tasked with figuring out who is targeting people with random attacks after a councilman is doused with acid at a political rally. There are quite a few threads in this story and it's hard to figure out where it is going with all the activity going on. Jessica seems back to her normal self and life with Adam is good. She's working hard, as usual, but appears to have her demons in check. I wouldn't say this is necesssarily tense or suspenseful, but it is a good example of investigative technique and the inherant difficulties in putting together a suspect after random crimes. The incidental inclusion of the "slasher" from a few years ago is only barely mentioned and not essential to the plot line. I think the point of this eighth in the series is to mainly get Jessica back on track after her breakdown. The original title, CROSSING THE LINE, is more reflective of the actual events that occur in the narrative. The kidnapped children barely get a mention -- the book synopsis on this page really isn't very accurate in describing what this book is actually about. I love the characters in this ongoing story and will always be eager for the next. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. The new title for this is THE STOLEN CHILDREN but the book has little to do with that subject, honestly, and it should not be retitled. #8 in Jessica Daniel series

Behind Closed Doors by Kerry Wilkinson

I was not quite ready for this story line after the sort of cliffhanger ending at the conclusion of #6. 

Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is usually heading up her usual team and they are investigating cases in and around Manchester. Something has happened to Jessica, however, and she's broken and depressed. She hasn't been working and has alienated most of her co-workers as well as Adam, who's meant to be her husband. In an attempt to provide Jessica with some sort of lifeline, DCI Jack Cole offers a job involving a nearby police force who are investigating a sort of reclusive cult. Jessica will go solo into this weird community in an effort to discover what is going on behind the closed doors of the huge old house out in the woods.

Jessica doesn't have to fake being messed up and she's brought quickly into the fold that is dominated by a very creepy trio. Quasi religious, but mostly insulated, the cult has a lot of rules that must be followed. Even though they say that anyone can leave at anytime, there are only two ways out of the huge house -- and those doors are almost always kept locked. As in locked in. Armed with only a cell phone that she must keep hidden, Jessica tries to figure out what may have happened to a young man, found dead, who was known to have lived there right before his death. Jessica has quite an adjustment to the house routines and difficulty in getting the information she wants without being outed. The housemates are not encouraged to ask questions and most are there because life on the outside was unbearable for them. Can she figure out what is going on before they discover who she is?

This isn't as suspenseful or twisty as are the usual stories in this series, but it was well paced and had a different vibe to it. Since Jessica is on her own, the reader misses the other characters that usually are a foil for Jessica's forceful personality. I do hope she recovers now, and returns to her usual form in subsequent books. I know she had a hard time but I hope things will look up for her now and that something happy and good is in store for her! 

Good for me that I have #8 ready to read next, and it will be the third Jessica Daniel in a row I've read, so off I go for more...fingers crossed!

Dying Breath by Helen Phifer

Police procedural and thriller.

Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin runs a tight team out of Brooklyn Bay and, in this second book in the series, she's dealing with a very complicated string of murders that may or may not be connected. As the investigation proceeds, Lucy also deals with her personal issues at home and some changes at the station. Meanwhile, a killer is out looking for his next victim.

This fast-paced story is told from the point of view of the criminal as well as from Lucy. Though there are indications of his identity throughout, along with his backstory, it isn't until the climax that he is revealed. Most readers of this genre will anticipate the confrontation between the two and the ultimate conclusion.

I liked the characters, however stereotypical to police and crime novels featuring female protagonists. Lucy is as spunky and as appealing as any in her role, and her male subordinates and bosses both respect her and have her back. She suffers romantic attention as well -- but I hope none of those develop into full blown relationships!

The most interesting piece of this book was the backstory of the man behind the murders. His childhood and association to the infamous Carnival Queen Killer -- but I'll say no more to avoid any spoilers. I did enjoy this and wish I had read the first book in the series prior to this one as there are references to previous cases. I like to see how a character changes and grows as new stories are published.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. Can't wait for a third one featuring Lucy Harwin.

Mr. Tender's Girl by Wilson Carter

"There are things that stick to you...they're like your skin. No matter how fast or far you run, they accompany you. They are forever a part of you."

For Alice (Hill) Gray -- the part that has stuck is having survived a brutal stabbing when she was 14 years old. Two teen girls, identical twins, convicted of the attack were sentenced to prison after a trial where they claimed to have been motivated by a popular series of graphic novels titled MISTER TENDER. The main character was a bartender who could get his customers to do horrible things. Those novels were written by Alice's father and the whole ordeal destroyed the family and ended the series.

Now Alice has moved to Manchester, New Hampshire as far from London and the scene of the crime as she could run. She has changed her name but lives in fear because someone has been stalking her -- someone who is very familiar with her life and who won't let her escape the memories. She owns a coffee shop, works out, and is living alone and trying to remain anonymous when she realizes that Mister Tender has come to America to find her.

The novel is fast-paced and entertaining. I figured out where it was going pretty quickly, but that didn't detract from my ability to enjoy the story. It's got a little of everything including some gore, a touch of tension, and a nice, tidy plot. I would definitely read another thriller by this author.

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

The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz

Oh what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side."

This second book in the Jane Hawk series was amazing as was the first. I think I may die, or inject myself with nanobots, if I don't get to read #3 soon. The blend of thriller and science fiction is so highly addicting that I could barely put the book down and though I didn't want to finish knowing that I was going to have to wait for the final in the trilogy, I couldn't help myself.

You must read these in order, and this followup to THE SILENT CORNER is every bit as absorbing as the first. Nonstop action, interesting characters, and a plot that freezes your soul. In this outing, Jane continues her quest to find and destroy the man she thinks is funding the technology that is reducing ordinary humans into automatons. Her quest takes her across the country and tests every fiber of her being. Her allies are few, her enemies are legion, but somehow she survives and is committed to ending this annhilation of mankind's humanity. I loved the pace and the narrative though I have the same complaint about Koontz's verbosity, I didn't seem to mind it so much this time. This is a story that resonates with the times and all of the unrest and rebellion in the world. Is the science and the theme believable -- you bet. We don't even know what forces come into play to tap into the minds of innocents and turn them into sycophants.

The first book by this author that I ever read was WHISPER. It was Dean Koontz who turned me into the thriller reader I am today and for years I have waited for him to return to form and write another series that engaged me as much as those early works. I think I've read most of his books, but this one has stood out for me and returned me to the fold of fandom. I cannot wait for more of Jane Hawk and her exploits. I highly recommend this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group - Ballentine for the e-book ARC to read and review. Please make him write faster. 

Thicker than Water by Kerry Wilkinson

A married couple hires a teenage boy to babysit while they go out for date night. When they return, the sitter is missing -- but their little daughter is still asleep in her crib. The parents of the boy don't know where he could be. Then, his body is found across town in an apartment. There is a connection between the families, but it takes Jessica and her team awhile to figure it all out. Add a thread tying in the owner of a strip club and you have a parcel of an interesting investigation.

Set in Manchester, this 6th in the Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is every bit as compelling as the previous books. I do love the series and all of the characters. The writing is fabulous and the plot moves forward at a pace designed to keep the reader's attention until the satisfying conclusion (except for that bit of an unfair cliffhanger, Mr. Wilkinson!). I like the relationships between Jessica and her team as well as the setting and the police procedural details. I'll keep reading this series as long as he writes it -- so on immediately to #7.

By the way, this book has another title now -- THE MISSING DEAD.

Gone Missing by T.J. Brearton

"Despite Recent Crimes Assholes Have Committed, Women Are Still 99.9% Safe Going for a Run."

Not Katie Calumet. She's kidnapped while on a morning run and taken high up in the vast Adirondacks. State Police Investigator Justin Cross catches the case. Katie's husband, David, and her wealthy parents soon receive a ransom demand. With no response to the proof of life request, no idea who has taken her or where she may be held, the FBI is soon involved in the situation. Everyone is searching, but the area can be treacherous and the off trail forest is dense. The truth is, Katie could be anywhere up there -- or already dead.

This is a suspenseful and tense read that alternates between the point of view of Katie and Cross. She's very determined and resourceful -- and she has a secret that propels her to fight for survival. Cross is focused but is dealing with personal issues he can't take the time to examine or repair. The Adirondack mountains and parks are also so detailed and described, almost making that terrain another character in the book. The supporting police and secondary characters don't figure too much into the narrative, but the interactions between all do propel the plot forward.

Fast-paced and descriptive, this thriller kept me involved and turning the pages as the story evolved and came to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed it and will read more by this author.

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

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

Fast-paced suspense thriller set in present day Denville, Pennsylvania, USA.

Alice Vega is a bounty hunter who specializes in finding kidnapped and missing children. When two young sisters go missing from a strip mall parking lot, she's called in by the girls' aunt to find them. The local police department is understaffed and aren't interested in Alice's "help", so she tracks down a disgraced former detective turned private investigator (Max Caplan) to help her with the search.

Bailey is 8 and Kylie is 10, according to their mother Jamie Brandt, who was just inside a store for a few minutes before returning to the empty car where she'd left the girls. Witnesses report seeing the girls get into a car, but other details are sketchy or missing. It's up to Vega and Cap to figure out what happened. The narrative moves along quickly alternating between the points of view of Vega and Cap. The Feds are called in and the police also get involved as different veins of the investigation proceed and more is discovered -- could be that this nabbing is related to the cases of two other missing girls.

The characters are what makes this book so interesting. Lots of flaws and personality quirks, some great dialogue and a hint of backstory. Makes the reader want to get to know the parties better. Cap's daughter, Nell, was very three dimensional teen and seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Alice is self-contained and sensitive though she's as tough as nails while getting the job done. Cap is solid as both man, father and cop. Although there is a hint that Vega and Cap could deepen their relationship beyond their professional partnership, romance is not in bloom ...yet(I so appreciate that). I'm wondering if this is the first in a new series. I'll definitely look for a sequel!

I enjoyed this and look forward to reading other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Penguin Random House for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

Darkness at the Edge of Town by Jennifer Harlow

"Most people aren't aware when a life-changing moment happens to them until time passes. The moments that form a person, defube him or her, when everything changes."

Ex FBI profiler, Iris Ballard, always knows her "moments" almost as soon as they happen. She is on the talk show circuit after her most recent case made her a household name when she gets a call from her mother -- Iris's twin brother, Billy, has left his girlfriend, taken all their money, and ran off to join a cult. There's not much that Iris hates more than going back home, but off she goes to see if she can at least talk to Billy and figure out what's going on.

Grey Mills holds few good memories for Iris, but she did have a mentor at the Sheriff's Department from way back when before she left the town and never looked back. She wants to spend as little time at home with her psycho mom as possible, so she gets started right away. What she finds at the New Morning Movement chills her to the bone. But Billy seems happy and Iris is stunned to learn that he's married a fellow member and is going to be a father. When the cult leader, Mathias Morning, finds out that Iris is onto him, she must rely on her former partner, Agent Luke Hudson. Well, he's much more than her work colleague.

No more spoilers but there is plenty of action and romance in this second book of the series. I'd call it more of a drama than a suspense thriller, but it was fast-paced and entertaining. Iris is an interesting character, there's good backstory within in case you haven't read the first book, but I'd urge you to read these in order so you can see the changes that Iris goes through after all that happens to her. She's quite the complicated woman and she is well aware that she's not an easy woman to love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alibi for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'll definitely want to catch book #3 when it comes out. 

Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman (#2)

Legal drama about domestic violence featuring one of the main characters from the previous book in this "Hidden Justice" series.

Emilie Wesley, an attorney and reporter, is the roommate of Hayden McCarthy and cousin of Hayden's boyfriend, Andrew. This book is Emilie's story. She's working at the Haven, a non-profit that serves women who want to escape difficult or abusive domestic situations. When one of her clients, Kaylene Adams, doesn't show up for a protective order hearing, Emilie is suprised. Kaylene seemed so determine to get out with her two daughters. As she is leaving court, a news alert reports mutliple shootings -- apparently Kaylene has shot one daughter dead, injured the other and killed herself. But that can't be right, can it?

The bulk of the rest of the story is about Kaylene's brother, Reid Billings, asking Emilie to help him get custody of the surviving daughter away from Kaylene's husband, Robert. The whole case moves very slowly -- probably because the main narrative is taken up with Emilie having a bit of a breakdown and a career crisis all while fearing she has a stalker. And if that's not enough to take away from the whole legal issues that are mentioned here and there, the rest of of the plot focuses on the romance between Emilie and Reid. So, to sum it up, the book is mostly angst with heavy dose of romance and a touch of legal proceedings. In addition, there is an extreme Christian theme -- which in an of itself is OK -- but every single character is always talking about it?? Hard to imagine that world and everyone on the same religious theme page all the time. Got to be too much, really. A little goes a long way. It seemed that this book was less about legal and more about romance and religion so it really wasn't much of a thriller nor was it suspenseful.

And the mystery of what happened in the Adams's house? Predictable and drug on forever with a rushed ending. I selected these two books in the series because I wanted to read legal thrillers, but I don't think I will read more for the reasons above. I was disappointed by this sequel.

I did, however, want to mention that I live in KC and have also spent hours in the Nelson-Atkins Museum staring at the original Monet painting the author describes. The wall-sized water lilies painting is amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Nelson, Inc. for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Beyond Justice by Cara Putman (#1)

Absorbing and fast-paced legal thriller!

"My job is to help his mother discover what happened, peel back the layers of the government's bureaucracy and ensure this doesn't happen to another child."

This is the passionate advocacy of attorney Hayden MCarthy after being assigned a case to investigate the death of a young boy in a Texas juvenile detention center -- Miguel was killed there while trying to get into the USA illegally. His mother wants answers. His younger brother, Jorge, is scared and confused. Shadowy figures on the fringes are looking for something they believe that Miguel secreted out of Mexico -- drug cartel business. Hayden is trying her best to file a petition in the proper court but she isn't getting much support from her firm, Elliot & Johnson, nor is she getting the information she needs about what happened from Gerard Campbell, a partner, nor the mother. And she's trying to sue the US Government! 

The action and transpiring events are nonstop as Hayden confronts the obstacles. Meanwhile, her roommate, Emilie, a former law school friend, has introduced Hayden to her cousin, Andrew Wesley. Oh yes, there's a romance here (I admit not my favorite part of a good story) and lots of intrigue as Hayden investigates her case. I really enjoyed the legalese and the development of the case theme told only so well because the author is an attorney. The characters are very interesting and I can't wait to learn more about them. Just so you know, this is also heavy on Christian themes -- which I didn't realize when I requested it, but it was easy to separate that out from the main narrative if it should bother you. 

It is a complicated tale with some interesting twists and many side stories developing the characters and further issues central to the themes of immigration and integration. This is the first in a series and I'm lucky because I have the second already queued up and ready to go. Very intrigued and interested to see where it all leads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Inc. for the e-book ARC to read and review. 

The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Didn't."

What a great twisty suspense thriller by an author who's new to me. This is the second book I've read by Christopher Greyson and I want more!

Faith is 22 when she is finally released from the psychiatric center. She's been in and out over the years because of her inability to deal with her horrible past. She was the lone survivor -- 'The Girl Who Lived' -- when her father, older sister and friends were murdered in a cabin at the lake on the eve of her 13th birthday. The problem is, she has to return to Marshfield and her therapist mother to begin again. All she wants is to die, or forget -- but she can't because those who did it have never been caught. And she has seen one of them -- "Rat Face." The police don't believe her. They think she is still crazy as ever and an alcoholic with a suicidal bent. She trusts no one. In between working her assigned programs and running from herself and the memories, Faith is convinced that she is being hunted. Everyone she meets is suspect, because, after all, the killers must be close at hand. 

Though I confess I knew where this was going despite the excellent red herrings, I still enjoyed the narrative. Faith is one determined young woman and she manages to stay alive despite all that is stacked against her. The characters were interesting and the book moved along at a very rapid pace so it was easy to read quickly. A really satisfying psycholgical thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ebook ARC to read and review.

And Then She Was Gone by Chistopher Greyson

Wow -- what great writing and obviously the start of a new, exciting series featuring our protagonist, Jack Stratton.

In this introduction, he's only 18, still in high school, and wanting to enter the US Army in order to pay for his future at the police academy.   Jack is a tightly strung young man with horrors in his past. He wants to do good -- to be a hero. When a young woman, Stacy Shaw, goes missing and is later found murdered, Jack gets involved because a kid from the neighborhood has been accused of the crime. Jack is adopted but spent part of his life with foster parents and this tie is very strong. He's still in contact with Aunt Haddie, and his best friend (and foster brother), Chandler. Jack is intent on investigating this crime and Chandler goes along with him. The pair have a great dynamic, and they have foster siblings who also become involved in Jack's pursuit of truth. He won't back down even though the police have warned him off. He talks to witnesses and presents a theory of the murder to the police.  

What I liked about this novel was the interaction between the characters, the dialog, the suggestion of a horrible past to overcome, and the sheer grit that Jack emanates as part of his personality. He's a great character and I only wish I could read the rest of this series, in order, to see how he evolves.   Yes, the case is solved and Jack's snooping in an ongoing investigation is vindicated -- but the ride is so well worth the read. I really enjoyed it! Hard to put the book down as I was eager to see how it all played out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read and review. I definitely will seek out more books by this author! I want to continue the series as well.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

"I wonder now if my memory is playing tricks on me. If it is giving me the gift of an illusion. We all layer them over our rembrances; the filters through which we want to see our lives,"

Assumptions. We all make them about ourselves, about others. We think we know the story of other peoples' lives -- their marriages, their children. We don't know a thing. Inside every home lies a story that sometimes cannot be told. A hidden truth, a secret, an embarassment, a shame. The reality is simple -- we know nothing and often we cannot believe what we are told as it goes against what we believe about others who actually live behind closed doors.

This book is great domestic drama. A scorned wife, Vanessa, telling a tale of her marriage to Richard and her feelings as she is about be replaced with a new wife, Emma. Her story is familiair -- a rich man tiring of his life looking for new love, his resultant affair and a hasty divorce. Vanessa seems a bit unstable, but is she telling the truth about her relationship with Richard? And will Emma listen?

Told in alternating points of view, this is a compelling story of marriage and betrayal. Lies and secrets can destroy any relationship but "there was Richard's truth. There was my truth. And there was the actual truth, which is always the most elusive to recognize." Great characters and a fast paced writing style made this a read in one sitting book for me. I really enjoyed it.

"I'm not afrraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

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

The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz (#2)

"Oh what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side."

This second book in the Jane Hawk series was amazing as was the first. I think I may die, or inject myself with nanobots, if I don't get to read #3 soon. The blend of thriller and science fiction is so highly addicting that I could barely put the book down and though I didn't want to finish knowing that I was going to have to wait for the final in the trilogy, I couldn't help myself.

You must read these in order, and his followup to THE SILENT CORNER is every bit as absorbing as the first. Nonstop action, interesting characters, and a plot that freezes your soul. In this outing, Jane continues her quest to find and destroy the man she thinks is funding the technology that is reducing ordinary humans into automatons. Her quest takes her across the country and tests every fiber of her being. Her allies are few, her enemies are legion, but somehow she survives and is committed to ending this annhilation of mankind's humanity. I loved the pace and the narrative though I have the same complaint about Koontz's verbosity, I didn't seem to mind it so much this time. This is a story that resonates with the times and all of the unrest and rebellion in the world. Is the science and the theme believable -- you bet. We don't even know what forces come into play to tap into the minds of innocents and turn them into sycophants.

The first book by this author that I ever read was WHISPER. It was Dean Koontz who turned me into the thriller reader I am today and for years I have waited for him to return to form and write another series that engaged me as much as those early works. I think I've read most of his books, but this one has stood out for me and returned me to the fold of fandom. I cannot wait for more of Jane Hawk and her exploits. I highly recommend this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group - Ballentine for the e-book ARC to read and review. Please make him write faster. 

Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray

Sylvie Armstrong (and her baby) returns to Conley - a medium-sized town in Yorkshire, close to Leeds -- after having left shortly after her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered when they were 15 years old. Sylvie's mother has recently died and Sylvie needs to get the house for sale. Her return brings back a lot of feelings about her best friend. No one has ever been charged in Victoria's murder.
Twenty years is a long time...hence the interest of Karen Price on "Someone Must Know" for TrueCrime.com. It's hoped that the podcast episodes will jar memories and new details will come to light -- and find out what really happened the night that Victoria Bland ended up in the lake.

This is an interesting mystery told in first person POV thru Sylvie both in 1995, when the murder happened, and present day. The podcasts are also scripted to give yet another layer to the narrative. As Sylvie cares for her daughter and starts the clean up at her mother's house, she also comes back into contact with other people she knew when growing up in Conley. The ancillary characters are a mixed bag and include an old high school friend who Victoria and Sylvie weren't very nice to, and some nosy neighbors. Victoria's parents even come around. It seems that most everyone is listening to the podcasts. Will the truth come out?

The thing is, something seems a little "off" about Sylvie. She's easily spooked and there are only vague hints about why she has left her husband and brought her baby to Conley. I'm a longtime reader of this genre, naturally very curious/suspicious --  and can usually catch on fairly quickly to where a story is going, but NO SPOILERS. There are some tense scenes and some big questions with a nice wrap-up at the end. I enjoyed it.

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

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn

"I have seen evil, and it wears a smiling face."

This third installment of the Veronica Speedwell and Stoker (Revelstoke Templeton-Vane) series is set in London, 1888, and has the pair investigating the untimely disappearance of Stoker's former best friend (who incidentally married his ex wife). Sure, there's bad blood between the two men, but Veronica and Stoker can't resist becoming involved with the circumstances surrounding John de Morgan and the former Caroline Templeton-Vane. He vanished during an excavation of the Egyption tomb of Princess Ankheset, along with a valuable diadem. Has he absconded with the treasure and betrayed his archelogical partner, Sir Leicester Tiverton? And there's this small matter of a curse -- inscribed on the sarcophagus of the entombed princess. The sensation has got the attention of the neewspapers and tabloids are bringing up Stoker's  unsavory past history. Veronica and Stoker want to get to the bottom of this mystery but it does bring up some very awkward moments as they contront and interview all the parties involved.

I really like this series. The interaction between Veronica and Stoker is barbed and often hilarious. Veronica is an independent woman in a time when her sort is not appreciated. She's fiercely independent and a free spirit and is much a match to the hard-boiled Stoker. Yes, we know they are wild about each other, but their romance never quite gets going, and that was a disappointment to me even though I usually hate that part of a good story! Enough already -- let them get on with it! They sort of already live together and it's obvious that they are going to end up a pair. Anyway, despite my frustration over their lack of communication on the subject, they do complement each other perfectly and the witty repartee is one of the best aspects of the narrative.

Suffice to say they bring the case to its conclusion in their usual dogged fashion and the bad guys get their comeuppance. NO SPOILERS. Very entertaining!

I am looking forward to the next book in what I hope is a long running series that I think needs to be read in order so as to be fully appreciated. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for granting me access to this e-book ARC to read and review. I have read many other books by this author and have enjoyed them all!

Don't Tell A Soul (#1) by DK Hood

''Small town. Big crimes. Dark secrets."

In this first of a new series, Sherif Jenna Alton and her new hire, Deputy David Kane, try to solve what looks like 3 separate cases in the Montana town of Black Rock Falls. Missing persons, a body in a molasses barrel in the dump, and a hit-and-run attempt on Jenna herself. Part police procedural, part chilling thriller, and part suspenseful mystery combine to make this a single-sit read!

When I first started the book, I was immediately concerned about two things: an obvious set up for a romance angle AND the need to suspend disbelief at the notion that two people, formerly government agents who are now supposedly in hiding, could possibly end up in the same town. I managed to put those issues aside as the action started and the working investigations began. The short-staffed department is hard-pressed to take care of all the things that need to be done as other events pile up. The author is very adept at throwing out red herrings, so I honestly didn't know how this was going to end up as far as the identity of those responsible for the crimes. NO SPOILERS!

I liked the narrative told from the points of view of both Jenna and David. They both have backstories that I imagine will be further revealed in subsequent books in the series. I did have a bit of a problem with how quickly Jenna's "tough girl" turned into someone who all of a sudden needed a man to protect her and she makes some incredibly stupid decisions that ultimately result in her having to be rescued. WHY do this to the character? Keep her strong and independent so that the inevitable partnership with Kane is more on equal footing. Sure, we are told often that she is the "boss", but she abdicates her power position routinely and lets Kane take over. SHE is the Sheriff after all.

Regardless, I ended up racing through the book and ended up enjoying it. I'm looking forward to see where this story is going and want to know more about the characters. Obviously that small town will see an uptick in serious crime in the future!

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