"We think we want answers. But what we really want are the RIGHT answers. We ask questions that we hope will give us the truth we want to hear."
In 1986, Eddie's world was a snowglobe. He and his mates were 12 years old and spent their days doing what young boys do. Hanging together, going to school, enjoying holidays. The boys even created a secret code using different colors of chalk to send messages to each other. Until "the day some causal god came along, shook it hard and set it back down again." A series of events transpired that year that changed everything forever.
Part coming of age story, part mystery, this stellar debut opens strong and finishes with a very fitting conclusion that is no less satisfying because of its painful revelations. Told in Eddie's point of view but alternating between 1986 and present day, the prose is so well written that it evokes all the feels. I found it impossible to put down while frantically highlighting all the great lines that sum up so many truths, even as some are cliches, they aren't trite within the pages. The characters are all very well-drawn but still retaining some mystery and unknowningness -- as no one fully can know even their best friends. NO SPOILERS, but definitely a suspense thriller that I will not soon forget. I definitely look forward to seeing what CJ Tudor has coming up next.
Don't miss this one, it's sure to make a lot of lists! Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the e-book ARC to read and review.
NetGalley Top Reviewer
NetGalley Top Reviewer
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
The Running Girl (Louise Rick #5)
A solid and absorbing police procedural featuring Detective Louise Rick. Set in Copenhagen, the descriptive writing makes the city come alive to the reader. In this novel, Louise is called to a party that her 12-year-old foster son, Jonas, is attending with schoolmates when thugs crash it and intimidate the guests. While running for help for her mom, Britt, Signe Fasting-Thomsen ran out into the road in front of a van and was hit. With both mother and daughter in the hospital and the father out of town, Louise and her fellow police try to find the older boys who invaded the party. Meanwhile, the beating death of a man needs solving and a warehouse is burned down. Are these events connected?
This complex story takes time to unravel as the many layers are revealed slowly through solid investigative work. Louise juggles both her professional responsibilites and her personal issues with Jonas and her current sort of boyfriend. Not always a job done well. Camilla Lind and her son have taken off to the US for a couple of months and the two friends keep in touch through emails and calls as Britt Fasting-Thomsen is known to her as well. So basically, the usual characters having continuing roles in this novel.
There are 9 books in the Louise Rick series thus far. I've read 7 -- completely out of order -- as this was #5. Fortunately there is usually enough backstory that I can catch up, or follow -- and enough time has passed between reading one and another -- so I don't feel too out of it. My preference would be to read a series in order, but I think it's because of the way the translations are being released in the USA. In fact, sometimes I feel totally confused as to where a book fits into the series!
Regardless, I enjoy them and will continue to snap them up as they are available here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for access to the e-book ARC to read and review.
This complex story takes time to unravel as the many layers are revealed slowly through solid investigative work. Louise juggles both her professional responsibilites and her personal issues with Jonas and her current sort of boyfriend. Not always a job done well. Camilla Lind and her son have taken off to the US for a couple of months and the two friends keep in touch through emails and calls as Britt Fasting-Thomsen is known to her as well. So basically, the usual characters having continuing roles in this novel.
There are 9 books in the Louise Rick series thus far. I've read 7 -- completely out of order -- as this was #5. Fortunately there is usually enough backstory that I can catch up, or follow -- and enough time has passed between reading one and another -- so I don't feel too out of it. My preference would be to read a series in order, but I think it's because of the way the translations are being released in the USA. In fact, sometimes I feel totally confused as to where a book fits into the series!
Regardless, I enjoy them and will continue to snap them up as they are available here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for access to the e-book ARC to read and review.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
This the most deliciously entertaining, and horrifying, revenge thriller that I've read in ages! Almost impossible to put down, be sure to set aside a good chunk of time so that you can read it all in one setting -- if you dare!
If you are feeling terribly depressed and thinking that suicide might be the answer to your situation, DON'T CALL LAURA! Laura vounteers at a hotline call-in named End of the Line -- and her goal isn't to help you cope, to help you overcome the circumstances you're in, or even get you to think of other alternatives. Her most fervent desire is for you to kill yourself. And, Laura is good at her job.
To say that Laura is one of the most messed-up characters I've come across in this genre is saying something. She's more than a sociopath and she will always win. When she encourages Ryan's wife, Charlotte, to jump off a cliff with another caller, David, she feels the elation and triumph of her skill. She can't wait for the next candidate. Unfortunately for Laura, Charlotte's husband isn't willing to let go and move on. He finds Laura and has a few tricks up his sleeve as well. What the two of them, Laura and Ryan, set in motion is an amazing battle of wits and one-upsmanship that takes the reader on a twisty tale that had me spellbound from the beginning.
I loved the writing, the story, and couldn't have hated Laura more. But, she's a winner and such a psychopath that you hold your breath waiting to see where she will take it next. The escalation and the actions of the characters will have you tense and hoping that this game won't have a bad ending. NO SPOILERS, but the conclusion was quite fitting. What a narrative of twists and turns! You know Laura is messed up, but no idea of the extent of her madness.
I loved this and highly recommend it. I'll definitely be looking for other titles by this author (I also read THE ONE).
Remember -- "While seeking revenge, dig two graves -- one for yourself." (Douglas Horton).
If you are feeling terribly depressed and thinking that suicide might be the answer to your situation, DON'T CALL LAURA! Laura vounteers at a hotline call-in named End of the Line -- and her goal isn't to help you cope, to help you overcome the circumstances you're in, or even get you to think of other alternatives. Her most fervent desire is for you to kill yourself. And, Laura is good at her job.
To say that Laura is one of the most messed-up characters I've come across in this genre is saying something. She's more than a sociopath and she will always win. When she encourages Ryan's wife, Charlotte, to jump off a cliff with another caller, David, she feels the elation and triumph of her skill. She can't wait for the next candidate. Unfortunately for Laura, Charlotte's husband isn't willing to let go and move on. He finds Laura and has a few tricks up his sleeve as well. What the two of them, Laura and Ryan, set in motion is an amazing battle of wits and one-upsmanship that takes the reader on a twisty tale that had me spellbound from the beginning.
I loved the writing, the story, and couldn't have hated Laura more. But, she's a winner and such a psychopath that you hold your breath waiting to see where she will take it next. The escalation and the actions of the characters will have you tense and hoping that this game won't have a bad ending. NO SPOILERS, but the conclusion was quite fitting. What a narrative of twists and turns! You know Laura is messed up, but no idea of the extent of her madness.
I loved this and highly recommend it. I'll definitely be looking for other titles by this author (I also read THE ONE).
Remember -- "While seeking revenge, dig two graves -- one for yourself." (Douglas Horton).
Monday, December 11, 2017
Cold, Cold Heart by Christine Poulson
SO lucky to be able to read the second book in the series immediately after the first!
"The bright day is done, and we are for the dark."
Katie Flanagan, a medical doctor and scientific researcher, after the events from book one, is bound for Antartica for an 8 month stint as the second doctor on the Wilson outpost base. She'll be there to examine the effects of how humans adapt to the long months of darkness and isolation. There are only 9 other peeople on the base, all but one are males -- and she will be shut up with them for the duration of the dark. Despite her anxiety and trepidation, things are going as well as can be expected until her friend, and the only other female at the site, the doctor in charge, Sara, has gone missing. A hunt for her has gone without result and there are other issues that take Katie's former training and expertise to the forefront.
Meanwhile, attorney Daniel Marchmont, his wife Rachel, and their daughter, Chloe, continue the treatments for Chloe's genetic blood disorder -- Diamond Blackfan Amemia (the research that Katie was working on before her whistleblowing got her in trouble). Daniel is again working with Lyle on a new theory, with his new company, Thesus, whose had a breakthrough in cancer research. When the head of that project goes missing, Daniel and Lyle are at a loss to go further with the development of the theory and the acquisition of the patents. Could there be a connection to missing Sara? In another of those wild coincidences in this series -- there is -- but NO SPOILERS.
Despite the necessity to suspend disbelief over the fact that Katie's situation is related to the disappearance of Dr. Flora Mitchell, the story and plot are very entertaining and will keep the reader glued to the pages. The missing women aside, the main character is really Antarctica. The details about life on the base and the strain of living in that hostile environment are very compelling and interesting. Katie continues to be someone that we want to get to know better and I am quite eager to see where she will go next after her experiences in wintering over in Antarctica.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lion Fiction for the ARC to read and review. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in medical thrillers. The suspense lies in the mystery of what happened to Sara in Antarctica with only the 10 people on the base. I totally enjoyed it! Can't wait for #3 in this series! I was so lucky to be able to read the second book in the series immediately after the first -- these should be read in order.
"The bright day is done, and we are for the dark."
Katie Flanagan, a medical doctor and scientific researcher, after the events from book one, is bound for Antartica for an 8 month stint as the second doctor on the Wilson outpost base. She'll be there to examine the effects of how humans adapt to the long months of darkness and isolation. There are only 9 other peeople on the base, all but one are males -- and she will be shut up with them for the duration of the dark. Despite her anxiety and trepidation, things are going as well as can be expected until her friend, and the only other female at the site, the doctor in charge, Sara, has gone missing. A hunt for her has gone without result and there are other issues that take Katie's former training and expertise to the forefront.
Meanwhile, attorney Daniel Marchmont, his wife Rachel, and their daughter, Chloe, continue the treatments for Chloe's genetic blood disorder -- Diamond Blackfan Amemia (the research that Katie was working on before her whistleblowing got her in trouble). Daniel is again working with Lyle on a new theory, with his new company, Thesus, whose had a breakthrough in cancer research. When the head of that project goes missing, Daniel and Lyle are at a loss to go further with the development of the theory and the acquisition of the patents. Could there be a connection to missing Sara? In another of those wild coincidences in this series -- there is -- but NO SPOILERS.
Despite the necessity to suspend disbelief over the fact that Katie's situation is related to the disappearance of Dr. Flora Mitchell, the story and plot are very entertaining and will keep the reader glued to the pages. The missing women aside, the main character is really Antarctica. The details about life on the base and the strain of living in that hostile environment are very compelling and interesting. Katie continues to be someone that we want to get to know better and I am quite eager to see where she will go next after her experiences in wintering over in Antarctica.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lion Fiction for the ARC to read and review. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in medical thrillers. The suspense lies in the mystery of what happened to Sara in Antarctica with only the 10 people on the base. I totally enjoyed it! Can't wait for #3 in this series! I was so lucky to be able to read the second book in the series immediately after the first -- these should be read in order.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Deep Water by Christine Poulson
How far over the line would you go with millions at stake? Millions of lives, millions of dollars...
Very tightly plotted scientific/medical thriller with a focus on the ethics of the laboratory scientist. The fast paced narrative also relates the degree of pressure that researchers are under to get new treatments and therapies to those who need them -- the patients, and to those who want them -- for profit.
This suspenseful novel has a large cast of characters and quite a few parallel plots that the author cleverly navigates with ease. The main character is Katie Flanagan, a post doc, newly hired at Calliope Biotech to work on a biotech cure for a rare blood disorder. Her cell lines and western blot are a disaster and she's on a deadline. Attorney Daniel Marchmont is a patent lawyer, hired after an accident kills the former attorney handling the case involving a dispute of which lab was first to produce a substance that might cure obesity. It so happens that Daniel's daughter, Chloe, has that very rare blood disease (the first of several major coincidences that had potential to defy belief). There is a lot happening in this short book (252 pages), but the essence of the science is related to the reader through very effective narration and description by the author so is easily understandable.
The main focus of the story is that many things are going wrong in the lab and there are several who could be responsible for the bad luck and negative results. Without spoilers, just know that Katie is trying to figure out what is going on with the lab and the blood disorder research while also trying to figure out why her experiments are total failures.
Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, I'm glad I finally picked this up after reading a review by a Goodreads "friend" (Rachel). I had won this from LibraryThing a long time ago as an ARC and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it. Medical thrillers are my favorites in the mystery and suspense genre so I'm always happy to find a new author. In fact, I'm reading the second book in this series next!
Very tightly plotted scientific/medical thriller with a focus on the ethics of the laboratory scientist. The fast paced narrative also relates the degree of pressure that researchers are under to get new treatments and therapies to those who need them -- the patients, and to those who want them -- for profit.
This suspenseful novel has a large cast of characters and quite a few parallel plots that the author cleverly navigates with ease. The main character is Katie Flanagan, a post doc, newly hired at Calliope Biotech to work on a biotech cure for a rare blood disorder. Her cell lines and western blot are a disaster and she's on a deadline. Attorney Daniel Marchmont is a patent lawyer, hired after an accident kills the former attorney handling the case involving a dispute of which lab was first to produce a substance that might cure obesity. It so happens that Daniel's daughter, Chloe, has that very rare blood disease (the first of several major coincidences that had potential to defy belief). There is a lot happening in this short book (252 pages), but the essence of the science is related to the reader through very effective narration and description by the author so is easily understandable.
The main focus of the story is that many things are going wrong in the lab and there are several who could be responsible for the bad luck and negative results. Without spoilers, just know that Katie is trying to figure out what is going on with the lab and the blood disorder research while also trying to figure out why her experiments are total failures.
Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, I'm glad I finally picked this up after reading a review by a Goodreads "friend" (Rachel). I had won this from LibraryThing a long time ago as an ARC and I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it. Medical thrillers are my favorites in the mystery and suspense genre so I'm always happy to find a new author. In fact, I'm reading the second book in this series next!
Friday, December 8, 2017
The Silent Children (DI Robyn Carter #4) by Carol Wyer
Greed. Betrayal. Secrets. Lies. All components of a compelling plot.
Cannock Chase in Stafford: A 33 year old male, Henry Gregson, has been found shot dead inside a car. With little evidence to go on, DI Robyn Carter and her team -- Mitz, Anna, and David -- begin the tedious and painstaking investigation that they hope will lead to the killer. Days pass without much progress when a second victim, Tessa Hall, is found dead on her kitchen floor. Are the two murders connected? Then, Anthony Hawkins drops dead on a deserted golf course in the early hours of a Saturday morning. Did these three people know each other? Every single person that the police interview seems to be hiding something, and Robyn cannot figure out if these deaths are the result of actions by a single perpetrator since Hawkins had a heart attack. Yes, indeed, there is a relationship, but DI Carter can't seem to work it out.
Mostly a police procedural with the solving of the case the main focus, there is a lot going on in this complicated narrative. Included are chapters from the POV of a child describing his life with his sister and the abuse they suffered. You know it has something to do with the "why" of what has happened, but it's very unclear. Until it isn't. I figured out where this was going fairly quickly but it took quite a while for me to understand the motive behind it all because of the many characters and their relationships.
As far as Robyn -- this is the first in the series I've read, and it's #4, so I've missed a lot of the backstory and it did affect my whole perception of her and I wish I'd started with #1. I felt like I came into the middle of something that everyone else knew and I didn't! She's definitely a character I would like to know better, and I sure hope she gets some resolution to her personal situation that seems to be occuppying a lot of her time, emotion and energy beyond the job. The other members of the team show potention for a lot of development as well. I'll probably try to find the first 3 books in the series at some point. I'd definitely read another in this series because this one ended with a bit of a cliffhanger and I just hate an unanswered question!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC of this novel to read and review.
Cannock Chase in Stafford: A 33 year old male, Henry Gregson, has been found shot dead inside a car. With little evidence to go on, DI Robyn Carter and her team -- Mitz, Anna, and David -- begin the tedious and painstaking investigation that they hope will lead to the killer. Days pass without much progress when a second victim, Tessa Hall, is found dead on her kitchen floor. Are the two murders connected? Then, Anthony Hawkins drops dead on a deserted golf course in the early hours of a Saturday morning. Did these three people know each other? Every single person that the police interview seems to be hiding something, and Robyn cannot figure out if these deaths are the result of actions by a single perpetrator since Hawkins had a heart attack. Yes, indeed, there is a relationship, but DI Carter can't seem to work it out.
Mostly a police procedural with the solving of the case the main focus, there is a lot going on in this complicated narrative. Included are chapters from the POV of a child describing his life with his sister and the abuse they suffered. You know it has something to do with the "why" of what has happened, but it's very unclear. Until it isn't. I figured out where this was going fairly quickly but it took quite a while for me to understand the motive behind it all because of the many characters and their relationships.
As far as Robyn -- this is the first in the series I've read, and it's #4, so I've missed a lot of the backstory and it did affect my whole perception of her and I wish I'd started with #1. I felt like I came into the middle of something that everyone else knew and I didn't! She's definitely a character I would like to know better, and I sure hope she gets some resolution to her personal situation that seems to be occuppying a lot of her time, emotion and energy beyond the job. The other members of the team show potention for a lot of development as well. I'll probably try to find the first 3 books in the series at some point. I'd definitely read another in this series because this one ended with a bit of a cliffhanger and I just hate an unanswered question!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC of this novel to read and review.
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
Wowza!
I usually like to start my reviews with a quote, but there were so many good ones in this extremely well-written debut that I couldn't pick one that hadn't already been represented in others. The best thing about this book was the quality of the writing as Alice Feeney has an incredible command of a turn of phrase.
That said, I just sit here, my head still reeling from the story within the covers of this psychological thriller. I read this one tonight in a couple of hours, couldn't put it down, had to find where it was going, tried in vain to figure out who was writing the diary, who was in the coma -- you get the picture. The phrase, "Sometimes I lie" totally kept me trying to anticipate and, regretfully, experiencing one (or two or three) of those WTF moments!
Here's the gist -- a woman lies in a hospital bed in a coma. Her husband and sister visit her in present tense. There are diary entries back from childhood, but you have no clue who wrote them. And then there is a first person narration of events that occured the week before the accident that led to the coma with a lot of backstory thrown in. Confusing? You bet! Mindblowing? ABSOLUTELY.
If you want a book that causes you to reread significant portions of the sections even after you've finished, then this is the one for you. After doing some extensive review after finishing, I think I've finally GOT IT. But, please, if you are thinking about picking this one up -- don't read any of the reviews or the questions with their spoiler alerts.
I'm afraid I'll be thinking of this one for some time as those books that make you delve deeper always stick a bit longer in the mind. Thank you to the publisher for the book to read and review and to NetGalley for the digital ARC. If there is a sequel, I'll certainly want to read it.!
I usually like to start my reviews with a quote, but there were so many good ones in this extremely well-written debut that I couldn't pick one that hadn't already been represented in others. The best thing about this book was the quality of the writing as Alice Feeney has an incredible command of a turn of phrase.
That said, I just sit here, my head still reeling from the story within the covers of this psychological thriller. I read this one tonight in a couple of hours, couldn't put it down, had to find where it was going, tried in vain to figure out who was writing the diary, who was in the coma -- you get the picture. The phrase, "Sometimes I lie" totally kept me trying to anticipate and, regretfully, experiencing one (or two or three) of those WTF moments!
Here's the gist -- a woman lies in a hospital bed in a coma. Her husband and sister visit her in present tense. There are diary entries back from childhood, but you have no clue who wrote them. And then there is a first person narration of events that occured the week before the accident that led to the coma with a lot of backstory thrown in. Confusing? You bet! Mindblowing? ABSOLUTELY.
If you want a book that causes you to reread significant portions of the sections even after you've finished, then this is the one for you. After doing some extensive review after finishing, I think I've finally GOT IT. But, please, if you are thinking about picking this one up -- don't read any of the reviews or the questions with their spoiler alerts.
I'm afraid I'll be thinking of this one for some time as those books that make you delve deeper always stick a bit longer in the mind. Thank you to the publisher for the book to read and review and to NetGalley for the digital ARC. If there is a sequel, I'll certainly want to read it.!
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Last Cry (Detective Dan Riley #1) by Ann-Lou Weatherley
"Fear is the most debilitating of all the emotions. It paralyses you, governs your every waking moment and thought. It conditions you. And I lived in fear."
When a wealthy older man is found with his wrists slit, bled out in a bathtub at an expensive hotel, DI Daniel Riley is called to the scene. It becomes immediately apparent that this was only made to look like a suicide. Something more sinister is going on here. As he and his team investigate and find ties to "Goldilocks" and "Daddy Bear", they are quite certain that another murder will soon take place as the killer completes the story. But what is the reason for The Three Bears theme and the deaths? "Sometimes there is no why." NO SPOILERS. You must get this immediately and read it to find out!
This was a very fast paced and extremely well written thriller with some interesting characters -- in fact, I can't wait for #2 so that I can get to know DI Riley better. I really empathized with him, (but can we give the whole Rachel thing a rest now - it was a little much) and he seems to be a good, decent man who likely will get his head back in the game shortly. The other members of his team aren't that known to us yet, but very curious about them as well. I see a lot of potential for developing this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review. I definitely recommend it as one of the best detective novels I've read lately. It was very hard to put down! SO, Anna-Lou Weatherley, a new author to me, where is your second book -- please don't make me beg or wait too long!
When a wealthy older man is found with his wrists slit, bled out in a bathtub at an expensive hotel, DI Daniel Riley is called to the scene. It becomes immediately apparent that this was only made to look like a suicide. Something more sinister is going on here. As he and his team investigate and find ties to "Goldilocks" and "Daddy Bear", they are quite certain that another murder will soon take place as the killer completes the story. But what is the reason for The Three Bears theme and the deaths? "Sometimes there is no why." NO SPOILERS. You must get this immediately and read it to find out!
This was a very fast paced and extremely well written thriller with some interesting characters -- in fact, I can't wait for #2 so that I can get to know DI Riley better. I really empathized with him, (but can we give the whole Rachel thing a rest now - it was a little much) and he seems to be a good, decent man who likely will get his head back in the game shortly. The other members of his team aren't that known to us yet, but very curious about them as well. I see a lot of potential for developing this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review. I definitely recommend it as one of the best detective novels I've read lately. It was very hard to put down! SO, Anna-Lou Weatherley, a new author to me, where is your second book -- please don't make me beg or wait too long!
Sunday, December 3, 2017
No Cure for the Dead by Chrstine Trent
This is the first in a series, ostensibly about Florence Nightingale.
It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London.
As soon as she is installed, Florence discovers a dead nurse hanging in the library. Instead of a novel focused on the real accomplishments of Florence Nightingale, the reader is relegated to a tale of how she solves the case. Her entire day consists mostly of trying to ferret out the killer rather than to discuss the many amazing accomplishments of this nurse. I found it mostly tedious to read about the daily occurences in the house and grew incredibly disdainful each time the word "miasma" was mentioned (so irritating that the author would focus on this completely INACCURATE THEORY OF Florence Nightingale so long disproven). In short, the book was not about anything really medical or nursing related, it was about FN becoming some sort of Nancy Drew and so thus, sold FN incredibly short. Florence Nightingale was an amazing woman for her time but the way she was portrayed in this novel totally sold her short. Whether or not she was romantically challenged (her relationship with Richard Monckton Miles) and her feelings about her family aside, I expected this to be more about how she changed the face of the art and practice of nursing -- not about how she was pretending to be some sort of sleuth.
I know this sounds harsh, but honestly -- I've been a nurse for over 40 years and Florence Nightingale's history and accomplishments are well known to me. Putting her in this scene and making her, quite frankly, a completly unlikeable character, were anathema. Sure there were a few paragraphs about changes she wanted to make with the nurses she was forced to train (a cut above prostitutes), and yes, historically her ideas did propel the profession forward -- it is just that this story does her character no justice. We don't see her caring much for patients, sure a rare turn, but yeah, she's an administrator LOL. Anyway, I am well familiar with the history of Florence Nightingale and her life. Turning her into a quasi detective took away from her modest life long work.
Some of this may be historically sound as far as research goes, but I felt throughout that the Florence portrayed here was nothing like the real woman I've reseearched myself. Making her focus on the murder and solving the crime as the main point of the novel took away from her stature -- not to mention dwelling on the "miasma" theory so much -- give it a rest, we know it's not true. Many of her studies, however, did advance and elevate the practice of nursing -- but nothing she ever did gives evidence that she'd spend so much time away from actual patients to work on solving a murder case. That's the problem with fiction based on real life characters.
Regardless, I did read this and I don't know if I would attempt a second in the series considering this is labeled as #1. I want to read historical fiction that uses real life people in their own element. Please let Florence Nightingale pursue MEDICAL or NURSING issues and not murder mystery. Thank you, however, to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London.
As soon as she is installed, Florence discovers a dead nurse hanging in the library. Instead of a novel focused on the real accomplishments of Florence Nightingale, the reader is relegated to a tale of how she solves the case. Her entire day consists mostly of trying to ferret out the killer rather than to discuss the many amazing accomplishments of this nurse. I found it mostly tedious to read about the daily occurences in the house and grew incredibly disdainful each time the word "miasma" was mentioned (so irritating that the author would focus on this completely INACCURATE THEORY OF Florence Nightingale so long disproven). In short, the book was not about anything really medical or nursing related, it was about FN becoming some sort of Nancy Drew and so thus, sold FN incredibly short. Florence Nightingale was an amazing woman for her time but the way she was portrayed in this novel totally sold her short. Whether or not she was romantically challenged (her relationship with Richard Monckton Miles) and her feelings about her family aside, I expected this to be more about how she changed the face of the art and practice of nursing -- not about how she was pretending to be some sort of sleuth.
I know this sounds harsh, but honestly -- I've been a nurse for over 40 years and Florence Nightingale's history and accomplishments are well known to me. Putting her in this scene and making her, quite frankly, a completly unlikeable character, were anathema. Sure there were a few paragraphs about changes she wanted to make with the nurses she was forced to train (a cut above prostitutes), and yes, historically her ideas did propel the profession forward -- it is just that this story does her character no justice. We don't see her caring much for patients, sure a rare turn, but yeah, she's an administrator LOL. Anyway, I am well familiar with the history of Florence Nightingale and her life. Turning her into a quasi detective took away from her modest life long work.
Some of this may be historically sound as far as research goes, but I felt throughout that the Florence portrayed here was nothing like the real woman I've reseearched myself. Making her focus on the murder and solving the crime as the main point of the novel took away from her stature -- not to mention dwelling on the "miasma" theory so much -- give it a rest, we know it's not true. Many of her studies, however, did advance and elevate the practice of nursing -- but nothing she ever did gives evidence that she'd spend so much time away from actual patients to work on solving a murder case. That's the problem with fiction based on real life characters.
Regardless, I did read this and I don't know if I would attempt a second in the series considering this is labeled as #1. I want to read historical fiction that uses real life people in their own element. Please let Florence Nightingale pursue MEDICAL or NURSING issues and not murder mystery. Thank you, however, to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Friday, December 1, 2017
Let Me Lie by Claire Mackintosh
Beware the lies...this psychological thriller has many twists and turns as it reaches an incredibly surprising conclusion.
Anna Johnson, with her weeks old baby Ella, is very sad -- she can't get over the fact that both her parents committed suicide and left her alone. Her partner, Mark, is supportive, but he never met her mom and dad so he doesn't really understand her emotional turmoil. When Anna receives a card that indicates that perhaps it was not suicide, she contacts the police. A nearly retired civilian desk officer, Murray, investigates on his own time. And then, the strangest thing happens... NO SPOILERS.
The narrative is told in mulitple points of view and often the reader is not sure who is speaking because one is unidentified by name. Anna's voice is the main speaker driving the plot forward. It's Anna who contacts the police and who is totally confused by the transpiring events.
This was not a particularly fast-paced novel with way too much internal angsting going on within the characters. It's not action based at all. I can't honestly say that I liked the main character, Anna. I could not identify with any action or decision she made. None of the women in the book seemed very "all there" mentally, and I didn't relate to any of their reactions or behavior. Murray was a dogged and determined investigator with an interesting sidebar concerning his mentally ill wife. But there was way too much description that was dragging down the forward motion of the story.
I found myself sort of rushing through to the end, confounded by the "ah ha" moment and the ensuing drama. It's all tied rather neatly up at the end, except...
If you're in the mood for a psychological family drama, then this is the novel for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Anna Johnson, with her weeks old baby Ella, is very sad -- she can't get over the fact that both her parents committed suicide and left her alone. Her partner, Mark, is supportive, but he never met her mom and dad so he doesn't really understand her emotional turmoil. When Anna receives a card that indicates that perhaps it was not suicide, she contacts the police. A nearly retired civilian desk officer, Murray, investigates on his own time. And then, the strangest thing happens... NO SPOILERS.
The narrative is told in mulitple points of view and often the reader is not sure who is speaking because one is unidentified by name. Anna's voice is the main speaker driving the plot forward. It's Anna who contacts the police and who is totally confused by the transpiring events.
This was not a particularly fast-paced novel with way too much internal angsting going on within the characters. It's not action based at all. I can't honestly say that I liked the main character, Anna. I could not identify with any action or decision she made. None of the women in the book seemed very "all there" mentally, and I didn't relate to any of their reactions or behavior. Murray was a dogged and determined investigator with an interesting sidebar concerning his mentally ill wife. But there was way too much description that was dragging down the forward motion of the story.
I found myself sort of rushing through to the end, confounded by the "ah ha" moment and the ensuing drama. It's all tied rather neatly up at the end, except...
If you're in the mood for a psychological family drama, then this is the novel for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
The Missing Child by Alison James
"You may give them your love, but not your thoughts...you may house their bodies, but not their souls."
I have to say that this is one of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight as I tensely waiting for the very satisfying conclusion. I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince!
A child has been kidnapped out of her home in the middle of the night and missing for several months when Detective Rachel Prince, of Bermondsey in South East London with the Major Crime Investigative Support unit, gets called to liaise on the case with the National Crime Agency to interface with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. She and her partner, DS Mark Brickall, are late to the investigation but are all holds barred as they query all the parties. Lola Jade Harper, 6 years old, vanished and there are no traces of what happened to her. The child's mother, Michelle, and her father, Gavin, are divorcing and in the midst of a fierce custody battle at the time of Lola Jade's apparent kidnapping. Where is Lola Jade and can Prince find her in time?
Great investigative process and a really complicated story line highlight this suspenseful novel. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is definitely a book you should set aside time for as it will be very hard to put down. I really liked the character of Rachel Prince, except -- please -- let the woman eat and can't she be a little less appealing to EVERY single man who meets her? She's quite cynical and independent, but the potential romance angle really doesn't do her any favors here. The reader can sense her frustration as the investigation leads to one roadblock after another, but she doesn't give up and relentlessly pursues her suspect despite the stonewalling and lack of evidence. Although I figured out, eventually, where this was going -- it was a great ride!
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good police procedural with a compelling narrative and a unique spin. I can't wait for #2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
I have to say that this is one of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight as I tensely waiting for the very satisfying conclusion. I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince!
A child has been kidnapped out of her home in the middle of the night and missing for several months when Detective Rachel Prince, of Bermondsey in South East London with the Major Crime Investigative Support unit, gets called to liaise on the case with the National Crime Agency to interface with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. She and her partner, DS Mark Brickall, are late to the investigation but are all holds barred as they query all the parties. Lola Jade Harper, 6 years old, vanished and there are no traces of what happened to her. The child's mother, Michelle, and her father, Gavin, are divorcing and in the midst of a fierce custody battle at the time of Lola Jade's apparent kidnapping. Where is Lola Jade and can Prince find her in time?
Great investigative process and a really complicated story line highlight this suspenseful novel. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is definitely a book you should set aside time for as it will be very hard to put down. I really liked the character of Rachel Prince, except -- please -- let the woman eat and can't she be a little less appealing to EVERY single man who meets her? She's quite cynical and independent, but the potential romance angle really doesn't do her any favors here. The reader can sense her frustration as the investigation leads to one roadblock after another, but she doesn't give up and relentlessly pursues her suspect despite the stonewalling and lack of evidence. Although I figured out, eventually, where this was going -- it was a great ride!
I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good police procedural with a compelling narrative and a unique spin. I can't wait for #2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Monday, November 27, 2017
The Stolen Children by Kerry Wilkinson
| "Just trust yourself and know where the lines are. It's not all black and white, there are shades of grey everywhere." Jessica Daniel is back, and in this outing she has been promoted to DI after her last case and after she took a little hiatus from policing. Her gang is with her, and the reparte is resumed. In this particular police procedural, Jessica and her team are tasked with figuring out who is targeting people with random attacks after a councilman is doused with acid at a political rally. There are quite a few threads in this story and it's hard to figure out where it is going with all the activity going on. Jessica seems back to her normal self and life with Adam is good. She's working hard, as usual, but appears to have her demons in check. I wouldn't say this is necesssarily tense or suspenseful, but it is a good example of investigative technique and the inherant difficulties in putting together a suspect after random crimes. The incidental inclusion of the "slasher" from a few years ago is only barely mentioned and not essential to the plot line. I think the point of this eighth in the series is to mainly get Jessica back on track after her breakdown. The original title, CROSSING THE LINE, is more reflective of the actual events that occur in the narrative. The kidnapped children barely get a mention -- the book synopsis on this page really isn't very accurate in describing what this book is actually about. I love the characters in this ongoing story and will always be eager for the next. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. The new title for this is THE STOLEN CHILDREN but the book has little to do with that subject, honestly, and it should not be retitled. #8 in Jessica Daniel series |
Behind Closed Doors by Kerry Wilkinson
I was not quite ready for this story line after the sort of cliffhanger ending at the conclusion of #6.
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is usually heading up her usual team and they are investigating cases in and around Manchester. Something has happened to Jessica, however, and she's broken and depressed. She hasn't been working and has alienated most of her co-workers as well as Adam, who's meant to be her husband. In an attempt to provide Jessica with some sort of lifeline, DCI Jack Cole offers a job involving a nearby police force who are investigating a sort of reclusive cult. Jessica will go solo into this weird community in an effort to discover what is going on behind the closed doors of the huge old house out in the woods.
Jessica doesn't have to fake being messed up and she's brought quickly into the fold that is dominated by a very creepy trio. Quasi religious, but mostly insulated, the cult has a lot of rules that must be followed. Even though they say that anyone can leave at anytime, there are only two ways out of the huge house -- and those doors are almost always kept locked. As in locked in. Armed with only a cell phone that she must keep hidden, Jessica tries to figure out what may have happened to a young man, found dead, who was known to have lived there right before his death. Jessica has quite an adjustment to the house routines and difficulty in getting the information she wants without being outed. The housemates are not encouraged to ask questions and most are there because life on the outside was unbearable for them. Can she figure out what is going on before they discover who she is?
This isn't as suspenseful or twisty as are the usual stories in this series, but it was well paced and had a different vibe to it. Since Jessica is on her own, the reader misses the other characters that usually are a foil for Jessica's forceful personality. I do hope she recovers now, and returns to her usual form in subsequent books. I know she had a hard time but I hope things will look up for her now and that something happy and good is in store for her!
Good for me that I have #8 ready to read next, and it will be the third Jessica Daniel in a row I've read, so off I go for more...fingers crossed!
Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is usually heading up her usual team and they are investigating cases in and around Manchester. Something has happened to Jessica, however, and she's broken and depressed. She hasn't been working and has alienated most of her co-workers as well as Adam, who's meant to be her husband. In an attempt to provide Jessica with some sort of lifeline, DCI Jack Cole offers a job involving a nearby police force who are investigating a sort of reclusive cult. Jessica will go solo into this weird community in an effort to discover what is going on behind the closed doors of the huge old house out in the woods.
Jessica doesn't have to fake being messed up and she's brought quickly into the fold that is dominated by a very creepy trio. Quasi religious, but mostly insulated, the cult has a lot of rules that must be followed. Even though they say that anyone can leave at anytime, there are only two ways out of the huge house -- and those doors are almost always kept locked. As in locked in. Armed with only a cell phone that she must keep hidden, Jessica tries to figure out what may have happened to a young man, found dead, who was known to have lived there right before his death. Jessica has quite an adjustment to the house routines and difficulty in getting the information she wants without being outed. The housemates are not encouraged to ask questions and most are there because life on the outside was unbearable for them. Can she figure out what is going on before they discover who she is?
This isn't as suspenseful or twisty as are the usual stories in this series, but it was well paced and had a different vibe to it. Since Jessica is on her own, the reader misses the other characters that usually are a foil for Jessica's forceful personality. I do hope she recovers now, and returns to her usual form in subsequent books. I know she had a hard time but I hope things will look up for her now and that something happy and good is in store for her!
Good for me that I have #8 ready to read next, and it will be the third Jessica Daniel in a row I've read, so off I go for more...fingers crossed!
Dying Breath by Helen Phifer
Police procedural and thriller.
Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin runs a tight team out of Brooklyn Bay and, in this second book in the series, she's dealing with a very complicated string of murders that may or may not be connected. As the investigation proceeds, Lucy also deals with her personal issues at home and some changes at the station. Meanwhile, a killer is out looking for his next victim.
This fast-paced story is told from the point of view of the criminal as well as from Lucy. Though there are indications of his identity throughout, along with his backstory, it isn't until the climax that he is revealed. Most readers of this genre will anticipate the confrontation between the two and the ultimate conclusion.
I liked the characters, however stereotypical to police and crime novels featuring female protagonists. Lucy is as spunky and as appealing as any in her role, and her male subordinates and bosses both respect her and have her back. She suffers romantic attention as well -- but I hope none of those develop into full blown relationships!
The most interesting piece of this book was the backstory of the man behind the murders. His childhood and association to the infamous Carnival Queen Killer -- but I'll say no more to avoid any spoilers. I did enjoy this and wish I had read the first book in the series prior to this one as there are references to previous cases. I like to see how a character changes and grows as new stories are published.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. Can't wait for a third one featuring Lucy Harwin.
Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin runs a tight team out of Brooklyn Bay and, in this second book in the series, she's dealing with a very complicated string of murders that may or may not be connected. As the investigation proceeds, Lucy also deals with her personal issues at home and some changes at the station. Meanwhile, a killer is out looking for his next victim.
This fast-paced story is told from the point of view of the criminal as well as from Lucy. Though there are indications of his identity throughout, along with his backstory, it isn't until the climax that he is revealed. Most readers of this genre will anticipate the confrontation between the two and the ultimate conclusion.
I liked the characters, however stereotypical to police and crime novels featuring female protagonists. Lucy is as spunky and as appealing as any in her role, and her male subordinates and bosses both respect her and have her back. She suffers romantic attention as well -- but I hope none of those develop into full blown relationships!
The most interesting piece of this book was the backstory of the man behind the murders. His childhood and association to the infamous Carnival Queen Killer -- but I'll say no more to avoid any spoilers. I did enjoy this and wish I had read the first book in the series prior to this one as there are references to previous cases. I like to see how a character changes and grows as new stories are published.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. Can't wait for a third one featuring Lucy Harwin.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Mr. Tender's Girl by Wilson Carter
"There are things that stick to you...they're like your skin. No matter how fast or far you run, they accompany you. They are forever a part of you."
For Alice (Hill) Gray -- the part that has stuck is having survived a brutal stabbing when she was 14 years old. Two teen girls, identical twins, convicted of the attack were sentenced to prison after a trial where they claimed to have been motivated by a popular series of graphic novels titled MISTER TENDER. The main character was a bartender who could get his customers to do horrible things. Those novels were written by Alice's father and the whole ordeal destroyed the family and ended the series.
Now Alice has moved to Manchester, New Hampshire as far from London and the scene of the crime as she could run. She has changed her name but lives in fear because someone has been stalking her -- someone who is very familiar with her life and who won't let her escape the memories. She owns a coffee shop, works out, and is living alone and trying to remain anonymous when she realizes that Mister Tender has come to America to find her.
The novel is fast-paced and entertaining. I figured out where it was going pretty quickly, but that didn't detract from my ability to enjoy the story. It's got a little of everything including some gore, a touch of tension, and a nice, tidy plot. I would definitely read another thriller by this author.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Sourcebooks for the e-book ARC to read and review.
For Alice (Hill) Gray -- the part that has stuck is having survived a brutal stabbing when she was 14 years old. Two teen girls, identical twins, convicted of the attack were sentenced to prison after a trial where they claimed to have been motivated by a popular series of graphic novels titled MISTER TENDER. The main character was a bartender who could get his customers to do horrible things. Those novels were written by Alice's father and the whole ordeal destroyed the family and ended the series.
Now Alice has moved to Manchester, New Hampshire as far from London and the scene of the crime as she could run. She has changed her name but lives in fear because someone has been stalking her -- someone who is very familiar with her life and who won't let her escape the memories. She owns a coffee shop, works out, and is living alone and trying to remain anonymous when she realizes that Mister Tender has come to America to find her.
The novel is fast-paced and entertaining. I figured out where it was going pretty quickly, but that didn't detract from my ability to enjoy the story. It's got a little of everything including some gore, a touch of tension, and a nice, tidy plot. I would definitely read another thriller by this author.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Sourcebooks for the e-book ARC to read and review.
The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz
Oh what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side."
This second book in the Jane Hawk series was amazing as was the first. I think I may die, or inject myself with nanobots, if I don't get to read #3 soon. The blend of thriller and science fiction is so highly addicting that I could barely put the book down and though I didn't want to finish knowing that I was going to have to wait for the final in the trilogy, I couldn't help myself.
You must read these in order, and this followup to THE SILENT CORNER is every bit as absorbing as the first. Nonstop action, interesting characters, and a plot that freezes your soul. In this outing, Jane continues her quest to find and destroy the man she thinks is funding the technology that is reducing ordinary humans into automatons. Her quest takes her across the country and tests every fiber of her being. Her allies are few, her enemies are legion, but somehow she survives and is committed to ending this annhilation of mankind's humanity. I loved the pace and the narrative though I have the same complaint about Koontz's verbosity, I didn't seem to mind it so much this time. This is a story that resonates with the times and all of the unrest and rebellion in the world. Is the science and the theme believable -- you bet. We don't even know what forces come into play to tap into the minds of innocents and turn them into sycophants.
The first book by this author that I ever read was WHISPER. It was Dean Koontz who turned me into the thriller reader I am today and for years I have waited for him to return to form and write another series that engaged me as much as those early works. I think I've read most of his books, but this one has stood out for me and returned me to the fold of fandom. I cannot wait for more of Jane Hawk and her exploits. I highly recommend this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group - Ballentine for the e-book ARC to read and review. Please make him write faster.
This second book in the Jane Hawk series was amazing as was the first. I think I may die, or inject myself with nanobots, if I don't get to read #3 soon. The blend of thriller and science fiction is so highly addicting that I could barely put the book down and though I didn't want to finish knowing that I was going to have to wait for the final in the trilogy, I couldn't help myself.
You must read these in order, and this followup to THE SILENT CORNER is every bit as absorbing as the first. Nonstop action, interesting characters, and a plot that freezes your soul. In this outing, Jane continues her quest to find and destroy the man she thinks is funding the technology that is reducing ordinary humans into automatons. Her quest takes her across the country and tests every fiber of her being. Her allies are few, her enemies are legion, but somehow she survives and is committed to ending this annhilation of mankind's humanity. I loved the pace and the narrative though I have the same complaint about Koontz's verbosity, I didn't seem to mind it so much this time. This is a story that resonates with the times and all of the unrest and rebellion in the world. Is the science and the theme believable -- you bet. We don't even know what forces come into play to tap into the minds of innocents and turn them into sycophants.
The first book by this author that I ever read was WHISPER. It was Dean Koontz who turned me into the thriller reader I am today and for years I have waited for him to return to form and write another series that engaged me as much as those early works. I think I've read most of his books, but this one has stood out for me and returned me to the fold of fandom. I cannot wait for more of Jane Hawk and her exploits. I highly recommend this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group - Ballentine for the e-book ARC to read and review. Please make him write faster.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Thicker than Water by Kerry Wilkinson
A married couple hires a teenage boy to babysit while they go out for date night. When they return, the sitter is missing -- but their little daughter is still asleep in her crib. The parents of the boy don't know where he could be. Then, his body is found across town in an apartment. There is a connection between the families, but it takes Jessica and her team awhile to figure it all out. Add a thread tying in the owner of a strip club and you have a parcel of an interesting investigation.
Set in Manchester, this 6th in the Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is every bit as compelling as the previous books. I do love the series and all of the characters. The writing is fabulous and the plot moves forward at a pace designed to keep the reader's attention until the satisfying conclusion (except for that bit of an unfair cliffhanger, Mr. Wilkinson!). I like the relationships between Jessica and her team as well as the setting and the police procedural details. I'll keep reading this series as long as he writes it -- so on immediately to #7.
By the way, this book has another title now -- THE MISSING DEAD.
Set in Manchester, this 6th in the Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is every bit as compelling as the previous books. I do love the series and all of the characters. The writing is fabulous and the plot moves forward at a pace designed to keep the reader's attention until the satisfying conclusion (except for that bit of an unfair cliffhanger, Mr. Wilkinson!). I like the relationships between Jessica and her team as well as the setting and the police procedural details. I'll keep reading this series as long as he writes it -- so on immediately to #7.
By the way, this book has another title now -- THE MISSING DEAD.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Gone Missing by T.J. Brearton
"Despite Recent Crimes Assholes Have Committed, Women Are Still 99.9% Safe Going for a Run."
Not Katie Calumet. She's kidnapped while on a morning run and taken high up in the vast Adirondacks. State Police Investigator Justin Cross catches the case. Katie's husband, David, and her wealthy parents soon receive a ransom demand. With no response to the proof of life request, no idea who has taken her or where she may be held, the FBI is soon involved in the situation. Everyone is searching, but the area can be treacherous and the off trail forest is dense. The truth is, Katie could be anywhere up there -- or already dead.
This is a suspenseful and tense read that alternates between the point of view of Katie and Cross. She's very determined and resourceful -- and she has a secret that propels her to fight for survival. Cross is focused but is dealing with personal issues he can't take the time to examine or repair. The Adirondack mountains and parks are also so detailed and described, almost making that terrain another character in the book. The supporting police and secondary characters don't figure too much into the narrative, but the interactions between all do propel the plot forward.
Fast-paced and descriptive, this thriller kept me involved and turning the pages as the story evolved and came to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed it and will read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Not Katie Calumet. She's kidnapped while on a morning run and taken high up in the vast Adirondacks. State Police Investigator Justin Cross catches the case. Katie's husband, David, and her wealthy parents soon receive a ransom demand. With no response to the proof of life request, no idea who has taken her or where she may be held, the FBI is soon involved in the situation. Everyone is searching, but the area can be treacherous and the off trail forest is dense. The truth is, Katie could be anywhere up there -- or already dead.
This is a suspenseful and tense read that alternates between the point of view of Katie and Cross. She's very determined and resourceful -- and she has a secret that propels her to fight for survival. Cross is focused but is dealing with personal issues he can't take the time to examine or repair. The Adirondack mountains and parks are also so detailed and described, almost making that terrain another character in the book. The supporting police and secondary characters don't figure too much into the narrative, but the interactions between all do propel the plot forward.
Fast-paced and descriptive, this thriller kept me involved and turning the pages as the story evolved and came to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed it and will read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Darkness at the Edge of Town by Jennifer Harlow
"Most people aren't aware when a life-changing moment happens to them until time passes. The moments that form a person, defube him or her, when everything changes."
Ex FBI profiler, Iris Ballard, always knows her "moments" almost as soon as they happen. She is on the talk show circuit after her most recent case made her a household name when she gets a call from her mother -- Iris's twin brother, Billy, has left his girlfriend, taken all their money, and ran off to join a cult. There's not much that Iris hates more than going back home, but off she goes to see if she can at least talk to Billy and figure out what's going on.
Grey Mills holds few good memories for Iris, but she did have a mentor at the Sheriff's Department from way back when before she left the town and never looked back. She wants to spend as little time at home with her psycho mom as possible, so she gets started right away. What she finds at the New Morning Movement chills her to the bone. But Billy seems happy and Iris is stunned to learn that he's married a fellow member and is going to be a father. When the cult leader, Mathias Morning, finds out that Iris is onto him, she must rely on her former partner, Agent Luke Hudson. Well, he's much more than her work colleague.
No more spoilers but there is plenty of action and romance in this second book of the series. I'd call it more of a drama than a suspense thriller, but it was fast-paced and entertaining. Iris is an interesting character, there's good backstory within in case you haven't read the first book, but I'd urge you to read these in order so you can see the changes that Iris goes through after all that happens to her. She's quite the complicated woman and she is well aware that she's not an easy woman to love.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alibi for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'll definitely want to catch book #3 when it comes out.
Ex FBI profiler, Iris Ballard, always knows her "moments" almost as soon as they happen. She is on the talk show circuit after her most recent case made her a household name when she gets a call from her mother -- Iris's twin brother, Billy, has left his girlfriend, taken all their money, and ran off to join a cult. There's not much that Iris hates more than going back home, but off she goes to see if she can at least talk to Billy and figure out what's going on.
Grey Mills holds few good memories for Iris, but she did have a mentor at the Sheriff's Department from way back when before she left the town and never looked back. She wants to spend as little time at home with her psycho mom as possible, so she gets started right away. What she finds at the New Morning Movement chills her to the bone. But Billy seems happy and Iris is stunned to learn that he's married a fellow member and is going to be a father. When the cult leader, Mathias Morning, finds out that Iris is onto him, she must rely on her former partner, Agent Luke Hudson. Well, he's much more than her work colleague.
No more spoilers but there is plenty of action and romance in this second book of the series. I'd call it more of a drama than a suspense thriller, but it was fast-paced and entertaining. Iris is an interesting character, there's good backstory within in case you haven't read the first book, but I'd urge you to read these in order so you can see the changes that Iris goes through after all that happens to her. She's quite the complicated woman and she is well aware that she's not an easy woman to love.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alibi for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'll definitely want to catch book #3 when it comes out.
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