The Rule of Law (Dismas Hardy #18) by John Lescroart

When you're talking about a crime..."there's a difference between knowing it and being able to prove  it. And if you get that mixed up, you're on a slippery slope."

It comes to pass that Ron Jameson is elected as the new DA in San Franciso. He beat out Dismas Hardy's friend and law partner, Wes Farrell, and is determined to shake things up. In fact, Jameson seems to have a vendetta against the entire firm and his first target is Hardy's secretary, Phyllis McGowan. She's served with a warrant after the grand jury indicts her as an accessory to murder! It seems that the intrepid and hard-working Phyllis has kept several secrets, and one of those happens to be that she is working as part of an Underground Railroad system that helps undocumented immigrants get out of the USA and into Canada, thus avoiding deportation. The other is that her ex convict brother, Adam, has been staying with her as he is trying to get back on his feet Unfortunately, Adam is not reformed after his time in prison. Dismas scrambles to help Phyllis with her legal troubles and incurs the wrath of the new DA. Now he and his colleagues and friends have a target on their backs as the DA also seeks to uncover evidence to further discredit them in an old case known as the Dockside Massacre. In retaliation, or as an aside, the SFPD has two detectives investigating Ron Jameson in cold case that involved murder!  Yes, there's a lot going on. NO SPOILERS.

This is the 18th in a long running series featuring the attorney, Dismas Hardy, and though it is classified as a legal thriller, it really didn't have much about the practice of "law" but was more a mystery and cat-and-mouse game between all the players on opposing sides. Although I've read only a couple of the previous titles, I wasn't lost as the author keeps the reader in the loop as far as who is who in the characters. It took me awhile to become invested in the story as I kept getting distracted by the political messages imbued in the narration -- those about immigration, deportation, ICE, DREAMers, sanctuary cities, etc. The loose ends are tied up, explanations are given, solutions occur in a most convenient fashion making it all a little hard to swallow. Sometimes I wasn't even quite sure that Dismas was a "good guy" as he's painted. But then again, we're talking about criminal defense attorneys. I think most of the characters in the book are of the "either - or" variety and it was quite clear that the bad guys were awful and the ones on Hardy's side were not. Just seemed like there was quite a bit of shady stuff going on -- on both sides.

I enjoyed the book well enough but never fully invested myself in the characters though I liked Hardy's sense of humor and his love of the arcane. It might be better to read this if you have been following along the entire series instead of picking this up as a start point.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is part of a long running series and though it could be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend doing that.
Genre - legal but not really a thriller, more a mystery

The Flower Girls by Alice Clark-Platts

"...the law has nothing to do with the truth."

In 1997, two young girls -- 10-year-old Laurel and 6-year-old Primrose (Rosie) -- are accused of abducting and killing a toddler in a gully near a canal by their back garden. Because of her young age, Rosie is not subject to trial but Laurel (referred to during the proceedings as "Child X") is convicted and sent to a detention center. After the court case, her identity was revealed to the public and Laural and Primrose were labeled with the Flower Girls name. While Laurel languished at the youth center until age 18, the rest of the family were given new identities, moved away, and never visited her. When Laurel turned 18, she was moved to a women's prison and her only regular visitor was her uncle, and solicitor. Meanwhile, Rosie grew up out of the spotlight with her Mum and Dad and their notoriety hidden.

Flash forward 20 years to Rosie's (now her name is Hazel Archer) 25th birthday. She and her partner Jonny are at a Balcombe Court in Devon on New Year's Eve to celebrate with his teenaged daughter, Evie. A cry goes up early in the evening -- a 5-year-old girl, Georgie Greenstreet, has gone missing. A massive search begins even as a horrible winter storm comes in and blankets the hotel and beach with ice and bitter cold. When DC Lorna Hillier arrives on scene, she's in high gear and initiates an intense investigation. It's during this drama that Hazel meets the author, Max Saunders, and reveals her hidden identity as she shares with him her worry that she will be outed as a "Flower Girl" and somehow accused of this crime. Seeing an opportunity in this fortuitous encounter, Max has visions of a book deal based on Hazel's life and the long ago murder of Kirstie Swann. NO SPOILERS. Now, just pick up the book and read it!

I'm still reeling after finishing this book in the last couple of hours. Definitely it's a one-sit read as I think most will find it impossible to put down. Told in alternating points of view and going back and forth in time, it is an incredible story that asks more questions than it provides answers. This extremely well-written mystery demands that the reader think about evil and the concept of punishment. If you think about what you've read in the news, you'll be staggered by the notion of child murderers and again, wonder how and why they walk among us. Despite the clues and revelations, the conclusion leaves many dangling uncertainties and I would have liked to have seen more explanation and a more spelled-out ending -- I couldn't believe it when I read the last paragraph -- what??? No, please tell me more!

There were many characters in this book and they each play a role but were not fleshed out as much as I wanted -- give me more details and information. That said, I felt that I could identify at times with several of them and also want to shake others until the truth fell out. I really enjoyed this gripping story and definitely will look for other books written by this author. Very compelling and unsettling.

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

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre -- mystery, legal and justice, police investigation, child abduction, murder

Life or Death (Zac Boateng #3) by Chris Merritt

"Revenge didn't always help."

This third police procedural/crime thriller featuring DI Zac Boateng of the Met Police is quite complex and involves quite a lot of action as he and the rest of the Lewisham team try to solve the case known as Operation Pluto. As you know from previous books, Zac likes to go off on his own and he's still looking for the man responsible for his daughter's death 5 years ago. His partner, DS Kat Jones is trying to keep tabs on him at the behest of DCI Krebs, especially after an informant dies in jail and Zac had visited him shortly before the supposed drug overdose. Then, Zac's son, Kofi, is kidnapped -- but he doesn't tell anyone as ordered by text message and he and his wife Etta try to meet the abductor's demands so they can get their son back. It's all seemingly connected to a criminal man or organization involved in gun dealing that is referred to as Kaiser -- but is this Kaiser connected somehow to the very police who are meant to be hunting him down?

Lots of characters to keep straight and a complicated bit of investigation with red herrings dangled to lead the reader on to the climax and the reveal. The narrative is told from several points of view which adds to the complex construction of the novel but offers a bit of insight into the motivation of some of the characters. I'm sure we'll be reading more about Zac and his mission in future novels.  Zac is the typical family man who happens to be a dedicated detective and, atypically for this genre, has a happy home life. He's the quintessential "good guy" whose main focus is to discover more about why his daughter died and who was responsible.

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

This is the third in the series and I believe it's important to read all of them in order as it doesn't really seem like it will work as a standalone.
Genre- police procedural and crime thriller

The Suspect (Kate Waters #3) by Fiona Barton

The first hint of trouble comes with an absence. There's no email in Lesley O'Connor's inbox when she looks for a missive from her 18-year-old daughter, Alex. It's alarming because Alex was meant to be contacting her parents to find out her A Level results. It's even more worrisome because Alex and a friend, Rosie Shaw, are supposed to be enjoying an adventure in Thailand. They contact the police to report that the last time they had heard from Alex was when she said she was in Bangkok. Both sets of parents meet with Detectives Bob Sparkes and Zara Salmond to ask for help in contacting the British Embassy in Thailand and reporter Kate Walker soon gets involved in trying to find out what's become of the missing girls. But Kate has her own private concerns -- her own son, Jake, hasn't phoned home much since he bunked off to Phuket after leaving his university studies over 2 years ago. Something is truly amiss in Thailand and this mystery must be solved as worries for the teenagers mount. NO SPOILERS.

What a great story! Told in alternating points of view, the reader hears the voices of Alex, Kate, Bob, and Lesley who describe events in detail as they happen. The shifts in perspective were easy to follow and lent a great deal of tension and suspense to the evolving tale. You can feel the parents' anguish intensify as it all unfolds and you can imagine the frustration experienced by the police and by Kate as they try to find out information from officials on foreign soil. The writing was excellent and I had difficulty in putting the book down as more and worse is revealed. I definitely liked the style in which this was told and just sat quietly as I tried to take it all in after I turned the last page.

I had read the first book in the Kate Waters series and do have the second (which I'll definitely go back to), but I wanted to read this by publication day as I was grateful to NetGalley and Berkley for the e-book ARC to review. This is definitely a book I can recommend as I understand all too well that "protecting our children changes who we are. Who we seem to be."

And lastly, call me overprotective and whatever, but I can honestly say that there's no way on earth I'd let my 18-year-old daughter go off backpacking in Thailand with a girlfriend. Oh yes, I know that bad stuff can happen anywhere -- even in your own backyard -- but it just seems way too risky of a venture.

This is book 3 of a series. I read book #1 and didn't have any issues with missing #2 as far as being able to read as a standalone. I do plan to read #2 shortly as well.
Genre -- a mix of police procedural/crime thriller with a reporter aspect and also family drama

The Couple on Cedar Close (DI Dan Riley #2) by Anna-Lou Weatherley

"It's got all the elements of a front-pager: passion, jealousy, betrayal, rejection, attempted suicide..."

Laurie Mills wakes in a stupor in the middle of the night to find her husband, Robert, dead in the guest bathroom. When the police arrive, find the murder weapon and the message written on the mirror, Laurie is taken directly to the police station. It's a slam dunk, after all, Laurie had just recently outed her husband's infidelity -- including the fact that he had a love child -- at the neighborhood barbecue. But DI Dan Riley isn't convinced -- it's his intuition telling him that something about the whole crime and the situation isn't that clear cut. NO SPOILERS.

Well, this was a romp! The story has everything, including some serious psychopathology and several extremely twisted relationships. Although the main of the plot was quickly visible, it was fun to see how it all was going to play out -- including a few surprises along the way. Though I didn't really relate all that much with the very damaged Laurie (I was more sympathetic to the "bad guy" in a way), I did enjoy this second in the series as much as I did the first. As far as DI Riley, he's an OK male detective and I'm hoping with the bit of cliffhanger at the end that he's going to get over Rachel now and get on with his life. He's painted just a little too "all that", and I'm hoping he'll show some minor little flaws as well! It's a good series and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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

This is the second in a series. Read in order for best enjoyment.
Genre -- psychological thriller, detective story, "bad romance" domestic drama

The Death Messenger (DS Matthew Ryan #2) by Mari Hannah

Excellent crime thriller/police procedural featuring a killer with a very unique motive.

This second in the series (regretfully, I missed the first one), starts as Detective Superintendent Eloise O'Neil and Detective Sergeant Matthew Ryan of the Northumbria Police are setting up a newly formed unit that could have the potential to deal with international issues or really hot assignments. Their first case starts when they receive a DVD depicting a bloody murder scene in a lock-up close to the River Tyne. There is no body, but the detectives don't imagine for an instant that this is a hoax. From the beginning, the pair is stymied by a lack of evidence, motive and suspects. They are joined by husband and wife Frank and Grace Newman -- both with the type of experience and skills needed by this new team to figure out what's going on as several high profile murders subsequently take place -- all seemingly at the hands of the videographer sending the DVDs. The team gears up and follows where the few leads take them to seek out the person or persons behind these deaths where the victims appear to have no connection. What is the link and, despite being thwarted by higher ups in the government, how in the world is this new unit going to work it all out. NO SPOILERS

I enjoyed this and definitely will want to read the next in the series. The major drawback for me, and what really detracted from my overall rating, is the constant and ridiculous crushing that Matt is doing on Eloise. Give me a break! If he'd spend less time thinking about and mooning over her and worrying about her safety and mental well-being, he might be a better, more effective sleuth! It got old really fast and if that romantic pap was left out of the story, it would have hummed along at a better pace instead of dragging with all that sappy stuff. She's his boss, they are a two-person team with support personnel, so either get it on or let's get over it. It really diminished my perception of Eloise as a super duper strong leader with all her mopey sensitivities and he was like a love-sick puppy around her. ENOUGH!  That said, when all that wasn't being focused on over and over, I liked the premise and the complexity of the story.

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

This is the second in a series and, though I did not read the first, I wish I would have!
Genre - Police procedural/ crime thriller

Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry

"It had nothing to do with justice and even less to do with preventing future misdemeanors by petty offenders. It had been vengeance, plain and simple."

Dana Diaz is a struggling stand-up comedian wanna be when she meets Amanda after a particularly uninspired set. "Short, stacked, and Latina", Dana hasn't had much luck breaking into the scene and she blames it on an event that happened to her when she lived with her BMF, Jason, in LA. As Dana and Amanda talk, they find that they have something in common -- they've both been taken advantage of by men. Amanda suffered from the effects and lost her IT job. Dana was assaulted by a man she was looking at to mentor her. As these things do, their chat leads to a crazy plan -- a swap -- each will "take care of" a man whose name is on their lists as having violated them. This scheme is put into action and leads both in a direction they had not anticipated. Oh wait...one of them had.
NO SPOILERS.

Well, I wanted to like this book given its timely nature with #metoo and so many stories in the media about women suffering because of sexual things done to them by men. Women who kept quiet and didn't speak up thus never going that extra step or preventing those same men from going on to do the same to other women. It was what appealed to me when I read the book, but this story wasn't what I was anticipating for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I hated all the characters. I couldn't muster up one bit of empathy for any of the women or the men. Second -- I hate comedy routines and there wasn't a single line in the book that came from a routine that even made me crack a smile much less laugh. It just wasn't funny, it was crass and stupid and yeah, I guess I can't take a joke. So without anything to hold onto or to care about with the rising action, I wanted to quit reading the book but forced myself to finish without connecting to it in any way. The first half or so was totally boring and, although it picked it up a little in the second half, I just didn't care and slogged on to what I thought was a totally horrible ending.

So, that's all I've got. I am sorry I picked it up and wasted my time. I think the author's message got lost somewhere in the ridiculousness of the whole sordid story. In short, I lost the plot. I kept waiting for there to be ONE decent man but he never showed up! Despite everything that's going on out in the real world, there are some men who don't assault women. Anyway, if YOU are assaulted by any one at any time -- speak up. Save yourself from that inner rage and guilt. Rant over.

I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for granting my ill-considered request to read and review. It didn't work for me, but I'm sure others (as noted in some of the reviews I've recently read) will find it "razor sharp" though I thought it dull and pointless.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - meant to be a suspense thriller

A Promise to the Dead (Detectives King and Lane #4) by Victoria Jenkins

This 4th book in the Detectives King and Lane series features another complicated murder case that forces the team to delve into some nefarious activity that happened over 30 years ago.

On a dark night, Matthew and Stacey are coming home -- intoxicated -- and decided to take the long route home. Bad decision. Matthew runs out of gas and leaves Stacey behind in the car while he goes to get help. When the police are called to the scene the next day, Stacey is dead from a gunshot and Matthew is missing. Of course he becomes the prime suspect. Now all the team has to do is find him!
Meanwhile, a body has been found in the garden of a local house that's undergoing some renovation. And still there's more: a local man has gone missing after a night out around Cardiff Bay. After some investigation, it becomes obvious that there must be some sort of link between these cases, but DI King is having a hard time putting it all together. And one member of her team is keeping a secret...
NO SPOILERS

This was a bit slow going and hard to get into for me. Not sure if that was because I was reading this while suffering through a blizzard and power failure, but I couldn't really fall under the spell of the story. I also had a difficult time remembering the characters from the only other book in this series that I've read (#3) and many times when references were made to past events, I had no clue what that was about. I don't think this works as a standalone for that reason and I wish I would have had more detail about the characters and their history. The scars on Lane's face? Coudn't remember how she got them. The other issues in King's personal life -- no recall. So, though it was an interesting police procedural, I didn't find it as compelling as I usually do.

The clues are pieced together, painstakingly, and the case is solved but it seemed to take a long time to get to the reason for it all. I'm sure it's just my own fault having a bad memory of the previous book, but I found it hard to connect to the characters and to get fully invested in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I know I really liked book #3 so I will definitely be eager to read the next in the series.

This is Book #4 in a series featuring DI Alex King and DC Chloe Lane. Best read in order.
Genre - police procedural/crime thriller

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene

"Everything was perfect, and full of perfect people, except for the two of them, who looked the part, but were sliding backward into their true, deep imperfections, where they belonged."

The only question to be answered in this domestic drama is -- who is the "perfect liar"? Max W. is basically a fraud and Susannah has some deep-seated psychological issues. She and her 15-year-old son, Freddy, are still reeling from his father's death when Max appears at party and sweeps her off her feet. Their marriage seems to be going very well until the morning a note appears taped to their front door. All of a sudden, their wonderful life starts unraveling. No spoilers.

I was really into the story until things shifted and my "oh no" meter ramped up. Told in alternating points of view by Max and Susannah, the two extremely unlikeable characters are definitely suited to each other. There are hints and red herrings but it becomes more clear quite soon what is about to happen. I just hated the ending and I'd love to tell more about the reason for that, but can't without ruining the requisite twisty part. It just didn't work for me and I'll stop after saying that I really prefer a book where justice is served.

Although this one didn't hit all the right notes for me, I enjoyed a couple of hours reading about this crazy couple. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'm certain others will find it a very satisfying psychological thriller and I'm sorry it just didn't quite meet the expectations raised by the synopsis and premise.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre/labels: domestic drama, psychological thriller

As Long As We Both Shall Live by JoAnn Chaney

Read this if you are in the mood for a seriously twisted, totally warped and outlandishly crazy book about the marriage from hell!

"...that's how marriages were -- like a private room for two, where no one else could see inside."

Matt and Marie have been married for over 20 years and they've definitely had their ups and downs. Now wealthy with two college-aged daughters living away from home, they find themselves face to face, alone with each other and returning to some old habits. Now they both love -- and hate -- each other but what can be done since divorce is so expensive and out of the question. They've been working on their marriage for years, seen therapists, tried to make it work. So when they decide to go on a hiking trip to Estes Park they find some inspiration in the mountains. But! Tragedy strikes when Marie falls from a cliff into the roaring river beneath. Things go from bad to worse for Matt when he becomes the prime suspect as the police begin to think the fall was no accident. It seems that Matt has a history: his first wife died under some very suspicious circumstances. Detectives Spengler and Loren (a mismatched pairing if there ever was one) are investigating the death and come to some very surprising conclusions. NO SPOILERS.

What a fun book that is chock-full of some of the most unlikeable and outlandish characters ever! I found it almost laugh-out-loud funny at times, especially with the aside observations. I liked the style of the narrative as it switched between the characters and the use of the second person point of view was masterfully handled. I really enjoyed this one more than I expected, thinking I'd had it was twisty psychological thrillers that seemed just like the other, and I had a great sigh of satisfaction at the ending. So, suspend your disbelief and go along for this rocky ride without thinking too much about tedious little details or tiny things like realism! And don't let it put you off from the idea of marriage LOL, it's doubtful you'll find a soulmate in each other as this couple did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the e-book ARC to read and review. It kept me thoroughly entertained!

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre/Labels: Domestic drama, psychological thriller, dark humor

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks

 You've read the blurb/synopsis -- now read the book. Without giving spoilers, I'm finding it hard to write a typical review as this is and is not a typical missing child crime thriller.

Yes, 4-year-old Alice goes missing in broad daylight from a crowded school fair. Indeed, Charlotte Reynolds, the mom who was supposed to be watching Alice, is blamed. Harriet Hodder is Alice's mom and she had never before left her child with anyone. How could this have happened? And is this a kidnapping similar to that of a boy who was snatched from a nearby village months before? The police investigation begins and the friendship between Charlotte and Harriet naturally falls to pieces as Charlotte blames herself (she was posting on Facebook instead of keeping an eye on Alice) and Harriet's husband, Brian, blames her for leaving Alice with a sitter. But there is much more to this story.

While the two best friends are completely estranged, their lives both take a sharp turn to the worse. Charlotte, formerly a popular divorced mom of three, is looked at with suspicion and distrust -- she lost her best friend's daughter! Harriet sinks into a lockdown mode in her house with only her controlling husband and the liaison officer for company. Harriet feels she is losing her mind with the worry over her missing child.

The narrative shifts between point and view and a then and now format while the women each tell their own version of events as they are questioned by detectives. It turns out that the only truth happens to be this: if someone doesn't want to tell you their secrets, you won't know them.

A subtle shift occurs partway through the book that takes the story in a completely different direction and I really enjoyed the departure from the usual course. After the revelation, the tone changes and I could not turn the pages fast enough to get to the climax. I'm not sure how believable the whole scenario actually is, but I totally enjoyed it nevertheless. The characters were interesting and I could empathize with each woman as the plot delves into some issues typical of women's fiction and domestic drama. The conclusion seemed apt given all that had happened ...but I can't say more tho I want to!

I liked the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre and labels: Domestic drama, psychological thriller, Female friendship, missing child

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This psychological thriller is so compulsive that I opened the book this evening and did not put it down until I finished just moments ago! I wanted to write a review while all the emotion and reactions were still running hot.

Here's a piece of free advice: Never lie your way into a psychological research study. We all know how those devious little manipulators can trick you -- ha! Obviously, Jessica (Jess) Farris wasn't privy to my admonition and she went and signed up, becoming Subject 52 after answering some moral and ethical questions on a laptop computer in an empty classroom. Jess is instructed to "be open and truthful" when taking the questions. Little does she know that she is already being analyzed and is subsequently found suitable for an expanded study that will require a great deal more than Jess could have ever anticipated. What becomes of Jess, a floundering make-up artist in desperate need of money for herself and for her family? And what is she willing to do for Dr. Shields in order to get it?

Oh the characters! All basically nasty and terribly unreliable and I can't say I liked any of the schemers. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there is a subtle shift that might make you unsure if you're coming to the right conclusions. The narrative style and changes in person and point of view is quite effective in stringing the reader along. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I really did not like how the story ended even though I really enjoyed the book!

I read this duo's previous novel, The Wife Between Us, and truly appreciate their talented work on this second collaboration. It stands out in a genre field that has become so inundated with new novels of psychological fiction where all the characters basically have way too many secrets and lies. I'm sure that there will be tons of hype but I had no expectations going in as I haven't read too much about this book and urge others not to read too many reviews before diving in. Enjoy the roller coaster ride and wait for the movie so you can relive the story!

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.
Genre: Psychological thriller

Her Pretty Bones (Gina Harte #3) by Carla Kovach

Two teenaged girls are dead, both showing indications of long term abuse and drug addiction. Forensics indicate that the two are connected. Detective Gina Harte and her team investigate a complicated case in this third book of the popular series. It seems that there may be yet another girl that needs help -- can they find her in time?

Although this book held my interest, the shifting points of view were a bit jarring and some of the narrative just wasn't all that compelling as the reader waits for the plot to become cohesive and to see how it all ties together. This is basic police procedural mystery with a very complicated reveal that was a bit disappointing. I just can't seem to relate to the main character, Gina Harte, and am tired of her personal issues not being resolved and her thinking the same things over and over. The other members of the team are not well-developed and none stand out as memorable. The most interesting aspect of the book to me was actually the fact that one of the characters suffered from Huntington's Disease.

I'm sure I will continue with the series as I seem to be addicted to crime thrillers featuring women detectives. This was my first read of 2019!

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

This is #3 in a series and I've read them in order to date.
Genre: Crime thriller, police procedural, mystery

The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic

Susanna Fenton has spent the past 14 years running from her past. A tragedy for which she might have born a degree of responsibility has come back to slam her without warning and she faces an unexpected adversary in this drama about parenting and loss.

Adam Geraghty, a new patient, shows up at the appointed time to Susanna's counseling practice office. He's young, and she gets the feeling she might know him but proceeds with the session. It seems Adam has an issue with Susanna and is there to hear her confession before deciding what he's going to do about a certain other situation that he's set up to punish her with. NO SPOILERS

This was an interesting psychological thriller with a style that allows for a slow reveal of the history of Susanna's past troubles and what has led to this confrontation. Adam has an agenda but his vendetta is fueled by lies and a lack of perception of events that transpired many years ago. I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters and the particular drama but did have some empathy for a mother's pain when faced with dealing with a troubled teenager. Domestic drama always holds my interest and it certainly held my attention until the conclusion.

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

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

Where Secrets Lie (DS Karen Hart #2) by D.S. Butler

A cold case suddenly becomes very hot...

An old man has fallen down the stairs and when the police arrive to check on him at the behest of a concerned neighbor, they are warned not to go upstairs. Intrigued, they investigate and discover a skeltonized body in a suitcase inside a padlocked room. It turns out that this is the body of Oliver Fox who went missing over 30 years previously. In addition, a note is found in the kitchen and reads: "it's time to pay for your crime." The old man, Albert Johnson, succumbs to his injuries before the police get a chance to question him about the body and the note, but he's the obvious suspect when a postmortem exam proves that Oliver Fox was probably murdered. So, the death of Fox is old but the note is new. Have DS Karen Hart and DI Morgan stumbled upon a case that is going to be more complicated than they first imagined? After some investigation, Hart and Morgan discover that Johnson and Fox worked together at Greenhill Secondary School. Was Johson's death an accident or was there foul play involved? Hart and Morgan, along with DCs Jones and Cooper, are pulled into a complex web with an unsolved crime that happened so long ago that it will be difficult to figure out.
NO SPOILERS.

This was an evenly-paced, if somewhat pedantic, police procedural that weaves the past into the present with a connection that presents them with many suspects and strong motives. I hadn't read the first book in the series so the characters were all new to me and I was able to enjoy this without having done so. I can see that Hart is a fairly genre-stereotypical female detective -- she's had a loss, she's on her own, and she's mentally tough. Hart, however, doesn't seem to have a dark side or engage in maverick behaviors at this point -- for which I am glad. I'm tired of damaged female police detectives! I'm a bit wary of a potential romantic development on the horizon as the signs are there. This was easy to read in one setting and though some red herrings are dangled, the revelations didn't come as a big surprise. I liked it well enough that I'm sure I'll try to read the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the second book in the DS Karen Hart series. The first one is titled Bring Them Home.

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

"Once there was a father who thought he could protect us."

King has sequestered his wife and 3 daughters in a large house by the ocean. Their aim is to be kept separate and safe from the rest of any place off their property where men and civization are toxic. The parents have strange ideas about raising Grace, Lia and Sky and they are subjected to all sorts of strange therapies and treatments -- including "the water cure." The notions and fallacies forced upon the girls by their parents shape them into creatures devoid of most female tendencies and bereft of true knowledge about themselves and the world at large. It is the worst kind of dystopia and their formative years spent in this place have warped them. When King goes off to obtain provisions and never returns, the girls and Mother are ill-equipped to continue on. Then, one day, 2 men and a little boy appear on the shore. Nothing has prepared them for this invasion. NO SPOILERS.

This has to be, without a doubt, one of the weirdest books I've ever read. I don't even know if I liked it but only that I was so glad when I finally finished. It was confusing, rambling, and hard to follow as the narrators changed and sometimes I wasn't sure whose voice I was hearing. The girls had some very peculiar thoughts, obviously warped by their upbringing and all so extremely odd. I didn't know whether to pity them or root for them not sure at all where this was all going. The underlying theme seemed to be that women should be very wary of all men who only meant them harm. Also that love was a dangerous feeling and the sisters had no way of understanding themselves without a barometer with which to measure themselves. I don't think this was the book for me but I've no doubt that others will find something profound within the pages that just escaped me. I can't enjoy working this hard to enjoy a book and this was a difficult read because of the subject and the strangeness of the lives the girls led. I don't know who I could recommend this book to. The characters were all messed up and no wonder with what they had endured by their parents in the name of protection and under the guise of love.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Run Away by Harlan Coben

Simon Greene is a financial planner with a pediatrician wife (Ingrid) and 3 children. His daughter, Paige, is a drug addict and when he tries to approach her in Central Park, she runs off. What's a father to do? Well, try to track her down of course. That's when the drama starts and evolves into quite the complicated novel of domestic suspense.

As in every Coben novel, the protagonist is painted as the ultimate family man who is dedicated to his wife and children. One who will take great risks and do some pretty unbelievable things to achieve his goal -- in this case -- finding his daughter and getting her off the drugs to re-unify the family unit. Although that's the main story line, there happens to be a lot of other crazy stuff going on in this book. The characters are many and quite stereotypical and predictable. There's mayhem and murder. The point of view alternates between some of the main players so the reader knows more of the big picture throughout. Some of what happens may require a great deal of suspension of disbelief as well as a quick check to answer the moral question -- do the ends justify the means? I personally couldn't relate to any of the main players nor did I like them.

As always, Coben finds a way to interject his personal politics and makes social commentary through the voices of his narrators. Although I find it annoying, I know it's going to be there so I just skip over. The novel is fast-paced so it was easy to keep turning the pages though I found much of what happens hard to buy into but it certainly provided a couple of hours of entertainment. I must comment on the "shocking twist" that may or may not surprise an astute reader -- really???? Sort of felt set up for that big reveal. Anyway, that seems to be almost expected in this genre.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

"We all did bad things..."

This is a complicated and completely absorbing mystery/drama about family. It's told from the point of view of two different narrators: Seraphine Mayes in the present day and Laura Silveira from the past.

The set-up reveals that 25 years ago Laura was working at Summerbourne as an au pair to Edwin Mayes, the 4-year-old son of Dominic and Ruth. Laura initially enjoys her new job and settles in with the family quite easily. Ruth is a bit temperamental and Dominic is gone off to work away from the estate quite often. Ruth longs for another baby and she soon becomes pregnant. That's when everything falls apart. Almost immediately after she gives birth, Ruth commits suicide by jumping off a cliff leaving behind twins -- a boy and a girl -- to be raised by their father, Dominic, and their maternal grandmother, Vera, who owns the manse. Laura, who helped Ruth give birth, leaves Summerbourne that very day.

Flash forward -- Dominic has recently died in an accident and while Seraphine (the twin daughter) is going through some papers, she finds a photo of her parents, with Edwin, and with her mother holding only one infant. The photo was taken on the day of her birth. She's very confused about the picture and has questions about what really happened and is concerned about the fact that her mother is holding only one baby. So she determines that she will find Laura to get her answers. What ensues is quite the story and I'll give no spoilers here.

I was quite surprised to find myself entranced with this family and the saga. I'm not saying that I didn't have suspicions that proved accurate as far as what had gone on, but it was all so well-written that I was happy to let the revelations come at their own pace. The characters were interesting and complex and their relationships described in such as way as to make it all believable even as fantastic as it was. The somewhat gothic tone, the tales of sprites and curses, as well as the close-knit nature of the villagers -- and who isn't interested in a story about ill-fated twins? I think it's best to read this in one sitting, if possible, as there are so many people and details to keep straight!

I really enjoyed this debut and I'd like to thank NetGalley and Berkley (Penguin Random House) for the e-book ARC to read and review. Recommended!

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Silent Suspect (Jessica Daniel #13) by Kerry Wilkinson

All Jessica wants is an answer to the question of why Bex left...

She's been searching for months, and when Jessica finally receives a phone call from Bex, the only word spoken is, "Jessica." It takes Jessica two days to trace the call to a west coast pay phone in Blackpool. Taking some long overdue time off, Jessica heads there immediately hoping to find Bex but ends up in a disaster of the sort that involves Jessica being accused of murder. This is quite the complicated plot featuring all sorts of dastardly goings on and many interesting characters -- both good guys and bad guys. NO SPOILERS.

Since the ending of #12 was a cliffhanger, I jumped at the chance to continue the story arc and sat down to read this immediately after receiving approval for the ARC today. It's so fast-paced, absorbing and full of action that I found it impossible to put down and thus read it in a couple of hours. This isn't a typical Jessica Daniel police procedural as she's gone off on her own without her team into Blackpool and is operating in a sketchy area and hooking up with an unusual group of women. Her main mission -- to find Bex -- leads her into a huge network of criminal activity and puts her career and her life in serious danger. It's great writing and storytelling and I'm so happy that this series just keeps getting better. I've read all of them and can't wait for the next hoping only for the best for Jessica. I'll be eager for her to return to Longsight Police and am wishing for Jessica to find some peace and contentment in her personal life.

***And something really fun and special -- an appearance in this book by Andrew Hunter, the private investigator protagonist of another Kerry Willkinson series!

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

This is the 13th book in a series and I think it's best to read them all, in order.

Pandemic by Robin Cook (Jack Stapleton #11)

This is not science fiction. A biologically active chimeric molecule -- CRISPR/CAS9 -- can modify the genetic makeup of living cells. The potential for use and misuse of this mechanism is quite promising on one hand and quite scary on the other. This story featuring forensic pathologist Jack Stapleton of the New York City Office of Medical Examiners focuses on the use of CRISPR/CAS9 in transplantation.

A young woman who had a recent heart transplant collapses and dies on the New York subway. Jack Stapleton performs the autopsy and is initially convinced that she succumbed to a particularly virulent strain of influenza. Worried about the potential for an epidemic, and because the woman has no ID on her, Jack begins an intense investigation involving testing of body fluids and specimens by specialists and goes into the field to attempt to isolate the virus that caused this death. There are no immediate new cases and that increases his confusion -- until the next woman dies. It is obvious to him that this particular virulent organism is something completely new and it proves difficult to identify. Can Jack figure out the origin and stop the spread of illness before more people die? NO SPOILERS.

If you like science and medicine, this is a medical thriller that will keep you absorbed. I couldn't put it down and read it over the course of a couple of hours. I loved the details about the chimera and all of the forensic pathology and epidemiological investigation. It's just as well that I could focus on the science because I can tell you that I can't stand Jack. His personality is so annoying and fortunately I was able to ignore him most of the time while reading. Considering what benefits to medicine and health that could be achieved with CRISPR/CAS9 is mind-boggling. Alleviating organ shortage is just one possible positive use but there are many other indications. But using it will come with a cost and it would be easy for ethical boundaries to fall making it dangerous in the wrong hands. How to control something so revolutionary that almost makes the user a god-like creator. And because of the way the world is now, it's quite worrisome. This particular book may be fiction, but the science of gene-editing is, and will be, at the forefront of huge changes affecting everyone on the planet.

I've read all of Cook's novels despite not liking anything about his main protagonist, Jack Stapleton. Medical thrillers are my favorite genre and I can highly recommend this to like-minded readers.

This is part of a long-running series, however it can be read as a standalone.

In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards

Jessica Gardner once had an older sister, Isabel, who died in a fall from a balcony almost 5 years ago. Jessica and her family have tried to move on, believing that the death was an accident. The agony had "dimmed to a dull ache" until her 4-year-old daughter, Olivia, starts having some serious issues at school and home. It seems that Olivia is recalling memories and details about Izzy that she can't possibly know and even insinuates that Izzy is telling her some secrets. Jessica is no stranger to haunting as she experienced a series of events in her childhood remiscent of the things that are happening to the family now. Is Izzy trying to send a message about her killer from beyond the grave? NO SPOILERS.

If you like your domestic drama with a bit of supernatural then you will enjoy this book. The mystery begs to be solved and Jessica is determined to release her daughter from this seeming "possession" and get to the bottom of it once and for all.

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

This is a standalone and not part of a series.

The Songbird Girls (DI Tom Fabian #2) by Richard Parker

"Sisyphean sentence continues..."

It was 3 years ago that Detective Inspector Tom Fabian put a London serial killer named Christopher Wisher in prison for the murder and mutilation of nine people. So why is Christopher asking Fabian to visit him at Kerslake Prison after all this time? It seems that Wisher wants to give Fabian a diary. But once Fabian has it and reads it he finds that this is a manuscript that doesn't make any sense at all. It's a couple of seemingly random jottings. But then the bodies are found. The victims have been killed in exactly the same way as Wishers previous ones -- including the signature that wasn't publicized on the broadcast that resulted in Wisher's capture -- the dead bird beside the body. Fabian and his partner, DS Natasha Banner, of the Horseferry Police frantically try to revisit all those who visited Wisher in prison, former family, and other potential suspects to no avail. These must be copycat murders of course, but WHO has Wisher entailed with his mission? NO SPOILERS.

This was great crime drama with red herrings and misdirection as the suspense kept me glued to the pages. I had my suspicions and then, with the shifting point of view, I did get my revelations. I liked the writing and the methodical way that the detectives approached the case but THAT ENDING! I can only hope to see more of Fabian and Banner as they tackle what comes next. This is the second in the series and I did read the first one which I'd encourage a reader to do as the characterization of Fabian develops and, though he keeps us at arm's length, I hope to learn more about him and Banner.

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

This is book #2 in a series. Read in order for maximum enjoyment.

All the Pretty Brides (Lt. Jake Carrington #3) by Marian Lanouette

He calls himself, "The Groom," but the press refers to the cases as the Bride Murders. The police know that every July 6, for the past 4 years, a young woman had disappeared. The 5th woman, however, is not missing -- the body of Nadia Carren is found on the railroad tracks  She'd been tortured, branded and her throat was slit. Lt. Jake Carrington and his partner, Sgt Louie Romanelli, are in charge of the investigation for the  Wilkesbury, CT, police. It seems that in the mind of the sick psycho who is apparently kidnapping and killing these women, he's substituting them for someone in particular -- the woman who jilted him at the altar. This case is going to stretch them to the breaking point as other professional and domestic issues arise. It's going to take an incredible team and strong leadership to see it through...NO SPOILERS.

OK I do like this series, but I truly wish that Jake and Louie would concentrate more on police work and less on their romantic liaisons. I really hate that so much of the pages are wasted on "love" and sex. The details of the investigation are quite good and exhibit just how difficult it is to track and find a killer of this ilk. There are many characters in the book and some have a larger role than others but it sometimes hard to keep everyone straight. Jake Carrington is the protagonist and I run hot and cold with my feelings about him. Obviously he's a good detective and an effective boss, but he's got some serious flaws as well. Louie is a hothead but is Jake's right hand man. They have a long, strong friendship as well as an effective working relationship. Their women mostly annoyed me. The case is complex and the web is pulled tighter very slowly to the ultimate conclusion. Since the narrative flips in point of view and includes the killer's voice, it's not a surprise who has done the deeds, more a procedural of the painstaking work required to narrow down a huge list to the suspect.

After the first one, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this, but I did -- even though I skipped number 2. I surprised myself by putting the 4th on my TBR as I do like the author's methods of demonstrating the workings of a case squad and the politics of the job. In my opinion, the series would be even better with LESS of the romance and probably appeal to a wider audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is the third in series. Read in order if possible.

All the Deadly Lies (Lt. Luke Carrington #1) by Marian Lanouette

Newly promoted homicide detective, Lieutenant Jake Carrington of the Wilkesbury, CT Police Department, and his partner Louie Romanelli have several complicated cases on their hands. Jake is also dealing with a personal issue -- the man who was convicted of Jake's sister's murder is wanting a new trial and has asked for his DNA to be retested. Carrington and Romanelli are very busy interviewing suspects, chasing down leads, and reviewing case files. The homicides they are investigating include the bludgeoning murder of a young collect student, another involved a shot to the head of a divorced woman, and the rest of the squad is managing a hit-and-run death as well as a school shooting. They are working it with all the usual police procedural details.

I enjoyed this first in series to an extent but was totally irritated by the mad passionate love affair that Jake becomes involved in. I'm not a romance fan and I hate when it takes up so many pages in a book. I wish he would have just kept his mind on the cases. So this is not any sort of hard boiled detective novel, there wasn't much suspense typical of a crime thriller, so it was more a mystery with few surprises. I have the third in the series to read for review and will be skipping the second.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for the e-book ARC to read and review.

First in series.

Something Hidden (Andrew Hunter #2) by Kerry Wilkinson

"Sometimes a person's truth was more powerful than the actuality."

Fiona Methodist comes to Andrew Hunter's PI office to clear her father's name. It seems that he was named as the killer of two students who'd witnessed and survived an armed robbery of a jewelry store. Luke Methodist is also dead at the scene and is the de facto murderer and now Fiona is barely getting by as her reputation is ruined by the association. Andrew and Jenny start to look into the case. In addition, Andrew is asked to find two stolen pedigreed cats for another heartsick client. All the while, he's also trying to get back with his ex-wife Keira and spends some time looking after the well-being of his aunt who is having electrical problems in her council flat. So how is it that he ends up interacting with so many unsavory characters as he investigates these very disparate cases and tries to resolve domestic situations? NO SPOILERS.

Andrew Hunter is an interesting character who has many flaws and knows exactly what they are while powerless to change much about himself and his personal life. The secret that cost him his wife hangs over his head constantly preventing him from finding any sense of present day happiness. Jenny is definitely odd -- "sometimes her quirkiness was endearing; too many times it was just strange." They make a great work couple and, thankfully, there's nothing romantic going on. The narrative is quite descriptive, especially about the city of Manchester and the weather, and it sometimes got overlong. There's not a lot of action, really, as the different investigations plod along. The resolutions weren't really all that exciting, but frankly, the cases weren't either. I think this series is more of a character study than a crime thriller or detective style novel. I've read both books in the series and I will likely want to check out the next because this ends on a bit of a hanger. Just FYI, it's not a pulse-pounding suspense thriller but it did provide me with a couple of hours of entertainment.

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

This is the second in a series. Read in order. Same author as the DI Jessica Daniel series.

Keep Her Close by Erik Therme

 "...there's no such thing as good or evil; there are only choices."  In the case of this book, all the choices are BAD ones!

This is best describe as a farcical domestic drama with a series of events so implausible as to defy even the strongest ability for one to suspend disbelief. From the opening premise to the inconclusive ending, the story takes the reader an a ride so wild that it left me shaking my head in wonder that I actually finished it.

Ally was found in a parking structure when she was about 3 years old standing on a cardboard box that said, "FREE TO A GOOD HOME." A woman, apparently Ally's birth mother, had jumped to her death from the lot. A young couple finds her and later adopts her. All the while, Ally wants to find out more about her birth parents so when an email arrives saying that Frank wants to meet her, she can't say no. Since Ally has no sense at all, and since her adoptive father is a knee-jerk reactionary, things go from bad to worse quite quickly. The ensuing action and drama will leave you reeling. What a conglomeration of quirky, crazy characters! Because it was so off-the-wall outlandish, there was no way to figure where this story might go next. It was quite entertaining even so. I was very miffed at the ending, but then reminded myself that I really didn't even care anymore and was happy just to close the book and leave all these nuts behind!

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

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

Cold Dark Places (Cady Maddix #1) by Kylie Brant

"...traumas were never forgotten. They had a way of hanging around, ready to ambush when you least expected it."

The synopsis provided on this page is a bit misleading. This detective novel focuses on 3 characters whose lives will intersect in a plot that's quite complicated and only barely comes together to make sense toward the end.

Deputy US Marshal Cady Maddix holds her own secrets about something she did as a child so she is messed up emotionally and has trouble with relationships. She has returned to North Carolina to supervise her aunt's care of Hannah, Cady's mother, who has early onset Alzheimer's. She's assigned to track down an escapee from Fristol Forensic Center --Samuel Martin Aldeen -- who has been confined there for the last five years after the kidnap, rape, and cannibalization of children.  Fristol is a facility for the criminally insane. The third character is Eryn Pullman, now 21, who has spent 12 years in Rolling Acres Resort, a secure mental health facility, for the murder of her mother. Eryn is transitioning out of their care to her family home and will be living with her uncle, aunt and nephew there. There are other characters including those from various areas of law enforcement as well as acquaintances of Aldeen who helped in his escape and during his time as a fugitive. So a lot of people to keep track of and very convoluted relationships that tie Aldeen to Eryn. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative is quite jumpy going from past to present in Eryn's voice as well as the voices of Cady and Aldeen. I found the story hard to get into and it lagged as details labored to be revealed. I guessed certain truths at the outset and was irritated that it took so long for the convoluted history to come out. The payoff, for me, wasn't worth the slog through. I know this is meant to be the first in a new series but I don't think I'll be reading another as I really didn't care for Cady -- but perhaps I'm just tired of books that feature females that are so emotionally messed up.

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

Into the Night (DS Gemma Woodstock #2) by Sarah Bailey

"Obsession and love are good friends..."

In this second book of the series, DS Gemma Woodstock is partnered with DS Nick Fleet as they are assigned to investigate the murder of a film star, Sterling Wade, who was stabbed on the street during a live action shot of a scene. With hundreds of extras on site, but all in costume, there are plenty of witnesses but no one is able to identify who used the knife to kill the actor. There are plenty of suspects and much work for the team in Melbourne as this police procedural shifts into high gear. This case is extremely complicated with many characters and tons of suspicious behavior. Gemma and Nick are kept very busy running down leads, talking to the principals, and looking into the background of those closely associate with Wade. There are also other cases that are ongoing in the department that may or may not be related to their current murder investigation. Can they sift through all the red herrings and figure out who killed Sterling Wade? NO SPOILERS.

I really like this series. My only problem is with the main character of Gemma who continues to be such a mess though I hope that she will get herself together and deal with her issues before the next book. She's fairly typical of female detectives in this genre and hides a vulnerable side masked by self-destructive behavior. She deals with both personal and professional problems in this book along with her tireless efforts to do her job well. She has moved to Melborne from the more rural Smithson in this book and I feel that has been both helpful and detrimental for her. I'm eager to see what happens with her in the next book! The other characters weren't as well fleshed out though we do find out more about Fleet at the end and I hope the two can have the conversation they desperately need. I love the descriptions of the city and the details -- the writing is quite good and though the book seems to drag in a few spots as Gemma and Nick run into roadblocks, the conclusion was satisfying and believable.

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

This is the second book in the series. Best to read from the beginning so get #1 first.

The Dark Lake (DS Gemma Woodstock #1) by Sarah Bailey

"Beautiful things are hard to keep alive."

Smithson, set in between mountain ranges in Australia, is a community that has seen recent growth over the past decade. Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock has lived there all her life, attended the local high school, and is now a detective with the local police. When the body of a woman is found in Sonny Lake, Gemma is stunned to find out that the victim is an old classmate of hers -- the gorgeous and talented Rosalind Ryan. It's been 10 years since their school leaving and Rosalind had returned to teach drama at Smithson High. She was murdered just after the first performance of the play she had worked so hard to put on and the whole town is in shock as Rosalind was respected and loved by all.
Gemma has some serious secrets, however, and her feelings about Rosalind aren't quite along the same line, but she commits herself to the investigation. She's partners (with benefits) with DS Felix McKinnon and both immediately apply themselves to the routine of a big murder case. NO SPOILERS but this is a very complicated situation compounded by Gemma's history.

Basically a police procedural and crime thriller, this debut offers a real atmospheric read along with the mystery of who killed Rosalind and why. Gemma is quite the complex character and I alternated between liking and despising her -- she is a bit of a hot mess, actually, and has demons that threaten her present day that are being dredged up by her past. Her partner, Felix, doesn't help matters and their involvement threatens more than just their home situations. There were many other significant characters and many theories and possible motives regarding the murder as well as the requisite red herrings though a savvy reader will make some accurate guesses. All told, it's a good read and I did love the detail and description about the town and its inhabitants. The weather -- December in Australia is unbearably hot -- also added to the levels of tension and the heaviness of the tone of the book. I'm quite interested to see what happens to Gemma after the conclusion of this particular case and hope that she's going to get herself together and come to terms with what happened in her past. I loved the writing style and the flip between THEN and NOW.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review. I realized just recently that it was far overdue and plan to start the second in the series immediately so that I can have it finished by the publication date! Next up: INTO THE NIGHT.

This is the first in a new series.

Little Girl Gone by Stephen Edger

She was away for 2 minutes..

An abducted child is a horror that is one of parents' many nightmares. When Alex Granger goes to retrieve a parking ticket leaving her 2-year-old daughter, Carol-Anne secure in a car seat in an alarmed car, she has no idea that her life is about to be upended. Alex returns to the car to find her daughter gone. Her first call is to her husband, Ray, a detective sergeant, though he doesn't answer his phone immediately, but soon shows up at the scene and has a lot of questions that will need to be handled by another member of the police as Ray is forbidden from participation in the case. But all is not as it should be between husband and wife so they can't offer each other comfort. Then Alex gets an email from "Simon" telling her exactly what she must do if she wants her daughter to be returned. NO SPOILERS

This was a bit of domestic drama with a crime/police procedural bent. A lot going on including Ray investigating a robbery ring instead of staying home with his wife and the FLO. Of course they have no idea who Simon is and Alex is under suspicion of doing harm to her own child. I found most of this book to stretch my ability to suspend disbelief to the max and the reveal came out of nowhere as to the kidnapper's identity. I must say that I didn't like ANY of the characters in this book which made it hard to stay with it. The narrative flips between Alex and Ray and each has issues and they don't talk to each other. The things they both do, especially Alex, make no sense in light of their situation -- or at least they didn't to me. I did finish reading it but the story didn't live up to my anticipation given the premise and the synopsis. Family dysfunction trumped suspense thriller and the epilogue...umm NO.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

The Liar's Wife by Samantha Hayes

"Work, home, sleep."

That's been Ella Sinclair's daily routine for the past 10 years. She steers clear of all social entanglements, keeps to herself, and does her job the best she can. Then, the accident. A van comes from out of nowhere and she lands in critical care with multiple trauma injuries leaving her encased in a leg cast with a pin in her knee and a broken arm. She's thrown when the nurse tells her that her husband has been to see her every day. Ella has never been married. Under threat of exposure of a past that incriminates her (a DVD), she agrees to go home with Jacob -- and that's when the nightmare begins. NO SPOILERS.

Yes, there's a twist and I still can't get my head around it. I found so much of this domestic drama to be hard to believe and implausible on so many levels. I tried to relate to the main character, but found it impossible as I just wanted to shake Ella until she got some sense. The narrative shifts back and forth in time from Ella's days as a student at university when the calamitous event occurred and her present predicament. In addition, there's a guy from her present work, Liam, who has his own voice and tracks her down when Ella doesn't return to her job. Oh and there's a twin brother, Harry. Yes, it all comes together in a dramatic conclusion and I had to go back a few chapters to see how the author had dangled enough red herrings to lead me astray in my predictions. There were actually still a few loose ends and unanswered questions once the big reveal occurred.

Did I enjoy it? Well, I found it hard to put down as I wanted to see what was on that videotape that would make Ella stay with her "husband" and to understand what might prevent her from telling some of the people she met that she was being kept prisoner. Let me say that I still don't buy it but I had a couple of hours of entertainment while reading. Just make sure that if you read this that you can have a serious amount of skill in suspension of disbelief. Maybe I'm just jaded from having read so many similar books and I'm sure I'm in the minority finding myself incapable of it.

This isn't the first book by this author that I've read, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

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

The Silent Dead (DC Beth Young #1) by Graham Smith

"Bizarre. Sick. Twisted." Who can tame the Dragon Master?

"Whatever demons were haunting this killer needed to be contained, preferably by a lengthy confinement at Her Magesty's pleasure."

The first victim was found in a cellar. DC Beth Young, newly assigned to the Force Major Investigation Team in Cumbria, is horrified by what she sees -- wings glued to the dead man's back and a scorched mouth. Under the direction of DI Zoe Dowd along with DS Thompson and DC Unthank, this team begins an intense investigation even as the body count goes up. With few clues left behind by the forensically aware killer, all are aware that they have a diabolical mastermind intent on a mission. The manhunt is extensive with the FMIT running down every possible lead in hopes of bringing the psychopath to justice. NO SPOILERS.

What a great start to a new series! I love crime thrillers with all the grisly details, great police work and unique characters. This case was quite absorbing and there was lots of action along with the description of the tedious nature of chasing down every possible angle. Putting the jigsaw puzzle together is something that DC Beth Young excels at. She is very relatable and has a great backstory and I can't wait to see how she grows in her job as the series continues. I was quite pleased that there was no romantic angle in the story! The team is forming strong bonds and are becoming multi-dimensional as well. I enjoyed the quality writing, especially as the author has quite a humorous turn of phrase at times. Since the reader also reads the point of view of the killer, the motivations behind the psychopathology become known to us long before the FMIT piece it all together. This author was previously unknown to me but I definitely will be most eager to read the second book in this series and have no doubts I will devour it as quickly as I did this one!

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

First in new series.

Her Last Move by John Marrs

 "How could a good man make such bad decisions? We all have choices."

The first two deaths occurred within hours of each other. Although strikingly dissimilar in manner, the team at Metropolian Police's Westminster-based CID is convinced that the perpetrator must be the same person. When a third victim is discovered, DS Becca Vincent -- who argued strongly to be included on the investigation -- gets input from a facial recognition expert attached to the force. DS Joe Russell knows that Becca doesn't think much of his particular set of skills but he proves very helpful when combing through hours of CCTV. Becca and Joe knock on a lot of doors during this case and have a very difficult task in trying to identify and find their suspect even as he continues his spree. There doesn't seem to be any motivation for these particular people to be killed so establishing a connection is quite difficult. Meanwhile, both Becca and Joe experience some real upheaval in their personal lives that relates to their own family situations and history and that affects their ability to really work the case. Mistakes are made, more lives are taken...NO SPOILERS.

I have enjoyed all of the books I've read by this author and this one proved just as intriguing as the others. All are standalones and each has a different focus and set of characters. I was interrupted in my reading due to the Thanksgiving holiday but couldn't put it down today as I raced through the pages to a shattering conclusion. I was not really able to relate to Becca or Joe, but I liked them both and felt for them in their struggles. It was interesting to learn about the "super recognizers" and their particular talent for remembering faces. The case was a bit complicated and I was eager to see how it would all come out in the end. The point of view does shift between Becca, Joe and the murderer so it's not a who done it as much as it is a WHY done it. I liked the writing style and the pacing. It does have some gruesome scenes so be aware if you are sensitive.

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

Her Final Confession (Det Josie Quinn #4) by Lisa Regan

Absorbing and complicated, this crime thriller featuring Detective Josie Quinn and Lieutenant Noah Fraley will have your head spinning. Great action and intricate details make this police procedural one that you won't want to miss. The series just keeps getting better with every new book!

Set in the fictional town of Denton, Pennsylvania, Quinn is no longer acting Chief of Police but has been replaced by Bob Chitwood. He interrupts a party date evening between Josie and Noah to attend a crime scene at the home of one of their fellow detectives, Gretchen Palmer. A young man lies dead on the driveway and Gretchen is missing. When she reappears, Gretchen turns herself in and confesses to the murder of James Omar. Josie has an immediate gut feeling that there is much more to this and that Gretchen can't possibly have killed Omar. So begins an intense investigation that will link them back to a series of unsolved murders in Seattle, Washington that were known as the victims of the Soul Mate Strangler. In addition, the case has them looking into activities of a motorcycle gang. How is Gretchen connected to both the strangler and the gang? She's always been an enigma to her fellow police, but now her secrets are about to be revealed. NO SPOILERS.

I really like all the characters in this series and am glad to see that Josie is finally settling in with her new-found family, getting to know her twin sister, and that a romance with Noah is on track. She's always been focused and dedicated to her job, but now she's a bit more well-rounded with a decent personal life to help with stability and sobriety. I'm totally addicted to this series, which should be read, in order, from the beginning, and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next book.

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

This is the 4th book in the series.

He is Watching You (DS Maddie Ives #1) by Charlie Gallagher

Well-written and action packed police procedural featuring DS Maddie Ives in a new series by this author. It's always such a joy to discover a new author and to get in on the start of something new --  I'm hooked and can't wait to read the next! I read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down as it pulled me in immediately.

He kidnaps women to watch them die...

DS Maddie Ives has recently been sent down to Lennockshire after having been outed in her previous role as an undercover asset with the Greater Manchester Police. She's not pleased at her secondment nor with her new assignment as a missing persons coordinator. Completely dissatisfied with her role, she inserts herself into an investigation being run by DI Harry Blaker out of major crimes as he searches for the person who may have murdered a man with a truck on a remote farm road. It turns out that Maddie does have a missing person case on her hands and that the woman's disappearance might be related to Harry's case. Meanwhile, there's a bad man who likes to kidnap women, put cameras on them, and watch them die...NO SPOIILERS

I found the characterization in this thriller quite well done with the revelation of personal details about them and can't wait to see how the partnership develops between Maddie and Harry who are developing a nice respectful relationship that won't devolve into a sappy romance. No romance at all in a detective novel is just fine with me! I like the gritty details of crime investigation. The killer's identity is known to the reader at a point in the narrative so this isn't a whodunit per se but more the reader following along as the investigation proceeds and information is acquired. I think the authenticity of the book comes from the author actually having a day job as a police detective and I definitely appreciate that.

I appreciated the glossary of terms explaining some of the vocabulary that is particularly British as I live in the USA. Even though it seems that most of the books I read are set there and I've picked up most of the slang, etc., it's always good to have a little backup for reference.

I'm definitely going to look for the other books written by this author and I'd like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

#1 in new series featuring DS Maddie Ives (and DI Harry Blaker).

Love You Gone by Rona Halsall

A book you'll want to read in one sitting!

When Mel shows up around 8 pm at the Lake District vacation home that her husband, Luke, has rented for the holiday week, he and the children are not in the house. "Gone for a hike," the note says. After a couple of hours when they still have not returned she gets worried, calls in Mountain Rescue and then the local police get involved. Something is not right with this whole scenario and you are about to find out just how messed up things are. NO SPOILERS.

This was great fun with enough back and forth with the shifts in narrator from Mel to Luke that it kept you guessing until all was revealed. It's packed with thorny domestic issues, family drama and plenty of teasers to keep you racing through the pages as you simply must finish this story! I had a few predictions and was pleased to find that not all was as expected and I love it when a book can still surprise me. Although I can't say I really liked any of the characters, I did enjoy this and was quite satisfied with its ending despite thinking that some got off a bit too easy. I had read the first book by this author and hadn't been that thrilled with it, so very glad I gave her another chance.

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

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Secrets Between Us by Valerie Keogh

Identical twins. They've been apart for 15 years with one of them, Tia, living in a home for the Differently Abeled and the other, Ellie, an executive who is married to Will living a lovely life. All is well and, in fact, Ellie's been sending letters to Tia all those years, when suddenly she and Will get the bad news that St. Germaine's school is closing and Tia has to be relocated. Unable to find a placement for Tia, Ellie and Will reluctantly agree to have her move into their house until another residential care facility can be found. An obvious mistake and that's when the real trouble begins. NO SPOILERS but there's a lot more between Ellie and Will that plays into it all.

This is definitely a domestic drama that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief and also the willingness to continue reading when you've already dissected the whole plot at the first whiff of the words, "Tia is moving in with us." I read on, hoping that I was mistakenly jumping to predictable conclusions, but alas, it was exactly as I expected and I was quite disappointed though I did finish. I didn't like any of the characters and their decisions and actions were completely the opposite of any way I would have behaved. I think the writing style was fine, it was just the plot that missed the mark for me. I should have believed some of the reviews but I always like to form my own opinions.
I'd still take a chance on another book written by this author but hope for more originality next time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I'm sorry it wasn't my cup of tea.

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

The Orchid Girls by Lesly Sanderson

Friendship. Forbidden love. Obsession. Murder.

Three girls and a secret so explosive that it leads to the death of one of them. Two of the girls were acquitted of premeditated murder but never spoke again. Sixteen years later...life has gone on and one of the girls has changed her name, moved away from Dorset and has married and developed a successful food blogger business while the other is living in drunken squalor. Lies and guilt have kept them apart but now all is about to come out as a journalist is doing an expose of the case. NO SPOILERS.

This is a psychological drama focusing on female relationships and sexuality. What lengths will one go through to keep truth hidden especially after completely reinventing oneself. This is a debut novel and though it bogs down quite a bit with lots of internal angsting and little action it was entertaining and I'd definitely be interesting in reading more by this author. Although I didn't care for any of the characters in this messy tale, and though I didn't find any unanticipated twist in the story, the narrative shifts in point of view and the diary entries provided good development to the plot.

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

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

Those Who Knew by Idra Novey

"People are too desperate for a hero."

Lena, a college student from a wealthy island family, turns activist and gets involved with the charismatic future senator, Victor, and has a fling with him while they are planning and organizing demonstrations in support of reduced tuition for the islanders. The people who live on this unnamed island have barely recovered from atrocities committed against them while under a fascist regime supported and financed by the North (the USA?) Victor is a rising political star but is given to bouts of tremendous rage and in one of those episodes, he assaults and nearly strangles Lena. She doesn't report it and when, several years later, it appears that Victor may have killed a young woman, Lena wants him held accountable. The people she tells about her assault believe her and agree that someone needs to confront Victor about Maria P. What follows is a twisty narrative, interspersed with diary entries and screen play notes that flips back and forth in point of view, in time and place. Will Victor be outed and get his just due? NO SPOILERS.

I'm not quite sure what I think about this book. Was it interesting? Yes, enough to hold my interest though I definitely did not like the writing style and I was especially put off by the screen play segments. Did the novel have anything new or original to impart? Not really -- you'd have to be living under a rock in the desert for a thousand years not to know that male politicians get away with murder and all sorts of other tawdry and despicable crimes. The urge for revenge or to hold that person responsible is tremendous and not often successful. I think the setting and the characters are meant to make us believe that even the least well-placed among us (misfits?) can bring some sort of justice for those harmed and that staying silent is not ever the best response despite the outcry and response that is likely to occur.

The characters were an interesting conglomerate of Islanders and outsiders and each had a part to play in telling the story but I really couldn't identify with any of them. I'm not sure that leaving so much "unnamed" was for the best as I found it hard to relate and to really buy in to the drama in some respects. Perhaps it was to avoid stereotyping or labeling but you will find all sorts of diversity within. The book was engaging enough that I read it in a single sitting and took awhile to digest it all before trying to put my thoughts and reactions into a review. It's definitely outside my usual genre and was not exactly what I was expecting from just reading the synopsis.

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

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

Daughters of War (War Nurses #2) by Lizzie Page

"...fear, horror, guilt and grief stay with you..."

May is a 28-year-old mother of two, married to George, and she is drowning in melancholy. The year is 1914 and her daughters are away at boarding school. George has really taken to drink and other women leaving May untethered and fractious. An American by birth, she has come to live in London and is finding her life completely meaningless over the last 12 years. When she meets Elsie Knocker at the studio of a local artist, May is encouraged to volunteer as a war nurse on the continent just as World War I is gearing up. Despite her initial misgivings due to her lack of training and fortitude, May interviews with the French Red Cross and is appointed to the Voluntary Aid Detachment to perform some nursing duties and is assigned to Field Hospital 19 in Bray-Sur-Somme. Leave taking was a disaster but May is determined to do her part in the war effort and naively heads out for duty without a clue that her life will never be the same.

The war years are dreadful and May experiences the full range of emotions in the tents that make up their "hospital" and living quarters. Her immaturity yields to personal growth through the reality of caring for the sick and wounded men and from her camaraderie with the doctors, nurses and others she works with. It's the worst of times but May thrives despite the daily horrors and the overwhelming sense of loss. She misses her two daughters desperately and her husband makes May pay for leaving him. But even in the midst of war, hearts still long for belonging and understanding and May meets a man who softens her hardened attitude about love. NO SPOILERS.

This was a lovely historical fiction inspired by the life and times of Mary Borden, a well known nurse, novelist and poet who did spend part of the Great War in the Somme. It was easy to read this over a couple of hours as I found myself immersed in the story and invested in all the characters. I found May to be a bit of a contradiction but her fortitude impressed me and I reveled in her personal growth throughout her struggles and triumphs. The descriptions of the activities in the hospital were, of course, fascinating to me as I'm an RN and always love the medical details. I can't imagine how hard that work would have been in such primitive conditions with the horrible injuries and the never ending presence of death as the maimed and traumatized soldiers kept coming. I was reminded again of how far women have come despite the constraints of society, the difficulty of balancing motherhood and work, and the need for self-actualization and personal fulfillment. I did not feel that May was a neglectful mother despite attempts to paint her as such. I'm not certain that, even now, women can have it all though I do think that it's a precarious balancing act done well by many. I enjoyed this book as well as the first in the series, THE WAR NURSES, and I look forward to the next by Lizzie Page.

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

Although this is the second novel in the War Nurses series it can be read as a standalone though I'd recommend you read the first one first!

Ancestral by Nathan Field (#2 in The Many)

This is the second book in a planned trilogy and you definitely need to read THE MANY before beginning this one as you will miss the backstory that explains the events that happen in this one.

Dawn Flint and Karl Morgan are on the run and on the hunt for the faceless men. They've figured out that Dawn's pregnancy is the main thing keeping them alive as The Many have eyes and ears everywhere. Dawn and Karl are seeking out anyone with knowledge and information about this secretive group in hopes of finding out their ultimate plans. What is the goal of these monsters and can they be stopped? Anytime the stories of what this cabal has done come out, abject fear and silence are the reactions. Armed with some of the secrets, Dawn and Karl may have a plan. NO SPOILERS.

This was typical of most middle books in any trilogy. There's a lot of time spent with absolutely nothing happening and the author really shovels out completely banal details about Dawn and Karl and their activities. The two don't really have meaningful conversations about what they are doing and thinking as they aren't always honest with each other. Dawn's motives for their quest are not the same as Karl's. I can't really say that I cared at all for the character of Dawn despite all the awful stuff that's happened to her and her behavior and attitude got old and she seemed very immature. Karl didn't score much higher for me, but he was trying to be her protector even though kept in the dark floundering around wondering what the heck was going on with Dawn all the time. Tedious. The best part of the book is the church scene and glad that my slog through paid off as I was hoping for something redemptive after all those pages. So much of the premise is ludicrous and it's hard to continue the suspension of disbelief at times. Truth told, it reminded me a lot of Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk series though this one is not quite on the same level. It's a good enough thriller and provided the requisite entertainment but I mostly just wanted to finish it. A lot of the narrative just meandered with lots of excessive details and interactions that weren't advancing the plot. At this moment I'm not sure that I will read the final book, but who knows. I have a thing about finishing what I start.

Thank you to NetGalley and Silvermac Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review. I read #1 and #2 back to back.

This is the second book in The Many trilogy and not a standalone.

The Many (#1 in trilogy) by Nathan Field

Karl notices the difference in his sister right away. She's been so strange since her date with the rich ophthalmologist she met via an online dating site. The changes in Stacey escalate into violence. In another part of town, Dawn's mother, Isobel, is preparing for an evening out with a woman who contacted her through the same site. Isobel returns home the morning after, but she, too, isn't acting like herself. Though Karl and Dawn don't initially even know each other, they are soon to meet and become entwined in the pursuit of those they hold responsible for what has happened to Karl's sister and Isobel's mother. NO SPOILERS.

The subject matter and the narrative style in this story are both seriously creepy. I definitely felt the tension and suspense as Karl and Dawn try to find answers. There's lots of blood and gore along with the action scenes. A bit of suspension of disbelief may be required, but it was a fun and absorbing read that kept me hooked so I had to read it all in one sitting. I'm seriously lucky because I have the second book in the planned trilogy ready to open up on my Kindle so I can continue immediately. That said, I don't know how I'll stand it waiting for the finale! I'm a bit at a loss to put this book in a genre category as it contains elements of a thriller as well as a bit of sci-fi in a way. I look forward to reading other reviews though I've seen some that didn't seem to have the same takeaway from the book as I have. I enjoyed it, probably because I had no preconceived notions and it was a bit different to what I've been reading lately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Silvermac Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review. I see this was published in 2016 and I apologize for only getting to it now. On to ANCESTRAL... 

Last Light (DI Lucy Harwin #3) by Helen Phifer

DI Lucy Harwin and her colleague DS Mathew (Mattie) Jackson have a serial killer on their hands in Brooklyn Bay. This is the first case that Lucy leads since her promotion and she is pulling out all the stops to prove that she can handle the new job. The first body is found in a derelict church and the scene is as gruesome as any that Lucy has ever seen. The second one shows all the signs of being a victim of the same killer. And then comes a third...Lucy is trying to hold it all together and racing against the clock to discover the identity of the psychopath. She suspects that there is a religion element as an underlying motivator and knows that the killer is likely someone connected to the local  vicarage. When Lucy herself is attacked she realizes that she can't be sidelined even though she's taken off the case. Can she figure out the killer's identity before more people are murdered?

This is a fast-paced crime thriller, the third in a series, and the second one that I have read. Lucy has some personal problems that she refuses to let distract her from her main passion in life -- her job. She lives for her work and it's been the source of the breakdown of her marriage. She's headstrong and determined but she is also vulnerable to self-doubt and loneliness since all she wants to do is focus on the case. The narrative is told from Lucy's point of view with some backstory in the killer's words. There are red herrings, but a reader will likely figure out fairly quickly who is doing the crimes. The supporting characters are thinly drawn and I'm hopeful that they will develop further as the series continues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I am looking forward to book #4 to see if Lucy is able to make some real changes in her life.

This is book #3 of 3 so far in the series. Read in order.

Inhuman Resources by Pierre Lemaitre

"It only takes a couple of seconds for a man to become a maniac."

Alain Delambre, 57-years-old and unemployed for 4 years, is a desperate man. When he receives word that he may finally get an interview for an HR position at a prestigious company, he's totally elated and prepares for the "test" with total focus. He takes extraordinary risks in the days leading up to that big day. He can't stop lying either. The main problem at hand, however, and the issue that his wife objects to, is that this assessment of his qualifications involves a set-up including a staged hostage situation engineered as a pretext of seeing how executives function under stress and pressure. Alain is "in" on the scenario and is willing to do whatever it takes to secure the job. When he discovers that the whole thing is a sham, he goes off the deep end. "The basic ingredients (a sense of humiliation or injustice, extreme loneliness, a weapon and nothing to lose) all resulted in" the cataclysm that occurred at the offsite interview location that day. The events that follow change Alain forever. NO SPOILERS.

This was such a different type of book compared to the others of his that I have read. It's nothing like the serial killer thriller chillers he's written before (ALEX, IRENE, CAMILLE for example). In fact, this is more of a Jonathan Franzen style satirical drama, but I totally enjoyed it despite what I was expecting. The writing is top-notch, translated from French by Sam Gordon, and nothing is lost for that. The action is evenly paced and there is suspense and tension as the reader can't even anticipate what might happen next though it's hard not to feel a great deal of empathy for Alain and his family. Characterization was sublime. The theme of unemployment and how it affects the jobless is definitely at the forefront, but also the notion that work is essential for some to feel alive, to be a whole person. It's not light fare but is very engrossing and I know I'll think about this one for quite some time. I'd love to dissect this in a book club!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacLehose Press Quercus for the e-book ARC to read and review.

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

The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland

Don't let this nanny into your house!

It seems that everyone is using the word "twist" to describe a psychological thriller and domestic drama these days, but here is one that really fits. I was completely unable to put it down as I raced through the pages. The tension ratcheted up with almost every chapter and, even though I thought I KNEW where this one was going, I was wrong!

Gemma is a busy wife and mother. With her own business, a facilities management firm, requiring much of her attention and long hours, she finds herself in need of some help. Her husband, Robert, and their two little girls (Katie and Eva) can really do with someone to do some child care, cooking, and tutoring. When Sadie Lewis, recommended by Gemma's mother-in-law, arrives for an interview, both Gemma and Robert think she will be perfect. But that's when the real trouble begins...NO SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this standalone novel and have also read two other books by this very talented author. She has a way of immediately setting the stage, drawing you in, and keeping you totally hooked until the SHOCKER. If you read a lot of this genre, as I do, then you probably can usually figure out what's up early on, but this one will take you a bit longer, I promise. It was fast and fun and I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I can't wait for Shalini Boland's next book!

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

Lost Lake (Det Gemma Monroe #3) by Emily Littlejohn

 A stolen historical diary, a missing girl and a murder victim -- Detective Gemma Monroe of the Cedar Valley Police department has her hands full. Along with her current partner, Detective Finn Nowlin, and Detectives Moriarty and Armstrong and their intern, they begin a painstaking and complex investigation into these 3 cases. It soon becomes obvious that they have no shortage of suspects, plenty of motives, and lots of opportunity. Can they sift through the red herrings to find the clues that will give them the answers and so that justice will be done?

This is the first book by this author that I've read and I was sorry to come in at this late stage to the third one in the series without having read the first two. I've probably missed some important pieces of backstory, but I was able to jump in and enjoyed this well enough on its own. I like Gemma -- she's more real with the first person narration. Although she has a healthy appetite and actually eats (unlike many where everyone is always skipping meals), she spends a lot of time at work and has little personal time or family time. The police investigation is at the forefront of the novel so most of the detail, action, and forward movement of the plot is focused on the tediousness of chasing down witnesses and suspects for information. There's a lot going on even aside from the 3 main cases and it moves at a fast pace that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to see the conclusion. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series so I hope there will be more.

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

This book is #3 in the series.

Missing Lies by Chris Collett's (#7 DI Tom Mariner)

Acting DCI Tom Mariner of the West Midlands Police has his hands full. Missing women, two of his team members away from the job, a new romantic relationship that doesn't seem to be going anywhere, and an autistic charge at home. Whew -- he's definitely busy in this book, #7 in a long-running detective series.

Grace Clifton, 18-years-old, was on her way to meet friends after leaving her job at Symphony hall when she vanished. Mariner receives a package of her clothing in the mail so the police know this indicates probable foul play. Then another woman disappears and her clothing is sent to the station as well. What's interesting is that the clothes have been washed and pressed. Mariner, Jesson and Glover are stumped. The hunt is on to figure out who took these women and why. As the investigation continues, more deaths occur as first one suspect and then another is eliminated. Keeping all the characters and their relationships straight is a bit difficult as the case expands and the tedious process of seeking information and clues helps them narrow their focus. NO SPOILERS.

What a great police procedural! I can't believe I haven't read one of Collett's books before as I love crime thrillers with good detail and complicated cases. Although I have no clue about the development of Tom Mariner as a character from the first book to the present, I felt this worked OK as a standalone. That said, I fully intend to go find the others in the series. I liked the writing style, the perspectives from different points of view, the action and the relentless hunt for the perpetrator. I prefer little to no romance in books, so this lack within served me well. I can't wait to get to know the team members better. Basically a straight-forward detective mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. I understand that it was previously published by Severn House in 2014 as DEAD OF NIGHT.

This is #7 in series. Can be read as a standalone.