The Last to Drown by Noelle W. Ihli

 Nail biting survivalist horror.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox

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

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

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

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

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The audio had a full cast recording that included narrators Andrew Eiden, Brittany Pressley,  Mia Wurgaft, Saskia Maaleveld and Stevi Incremona. Most of them did a great job and I always enjoy a large cast so much more than a single voice. My least favorite was the voice of Melanie. I definitely appreciate the immersive experience that comes with listening while reading. Definitely recommend.

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

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

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

 Fast paced and engaging thriller.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Dangerous Diagnosis: A Thriller by Shantanu Rai

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

 Not just a female empowerment #MeToo revenge fantasy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Despite its flaws, I liked the story well enough. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did an admirable job trying to create unique voices for all the female characters but there were just simply way too many for one actor. This production would definitely have benefited from a full cast. I always enjoy listening while reading as it creates a more immersive, enjoyable experience. 

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

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

Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson

 Twisty thriller that didn’t pay off.

Public relations fixer Jackie Swift lies for a living, cleaning up scandals for wealthy clients, rehabilitating reputations, and also constantly rescuing her younger sister, Madi, from drug issues. Her personal and professional lives collide when Madi texts and frantically begs Jackie to bring her some naloxone. Madi purportedly is at the mansion of Jackie’s former boss and mentor, Erick Mortenson. When Jackie arrives at the residence, her boss is dead and Madi is missing. Now Jackie must use all of her devious skills to manipulate the police investigation and manufacture suspects while searching for her sister. 

Full of completely hideous characters throughout, I struggled through the convoluted narrative with so many of them lying and scheming. High body count, lack of depth in characters other than they all seemed nasty and self-serving, and the plot that I really still don’t get — what was the point of this whole story? All I know is that they wrap up and the inter-relationships between the characters was a twisty mess. I didn’t like any of them; the result of Jackie’s actions and her sister’s outright behavior, didn’t net them the consequences they really deserved. If you like reading about liars, manipulators, and schemers, you’ll enjoy this. It was fast paced. I kept waiting to see if I had predicted something about a particular character and I was right. I’m giving this 2.5 stars but now I’m even rethinking that rating. I really didn’t like this very much. 

I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Brittany Pressley. I’ve listened to a lot of books she’s read and she does OK with the female voices though they all sound mostly the same. This would have definitely benefited with a larger cast since there were so many characters, and definitely this should have had a male voice. Usually the audio book makes me enjoy a book more, but this wasn’t enough to redeem this one.

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

Murder, lies, schemers, public relations, sexual predators, rape, sexual assault, drug use

The Lawyer’s Husband by Robin James

 Fun but predictable mystery thriller.

Mina Sobel Manning is an attorney who is handling a very high profile case involving several murdered women when she suddenly hears details about the killer that suggest the suspect might be her very own husband, Lock. Could the man she trusted and adored, whose rules she has followed since they met, be the person the witnesses are describing. 

Fast paced with a focus more on domestic dread rather than legal aspects, the narrative from dual perspectives kept me engaged. Mina seems to go from super competent to sort of unhinged rather quickly, however. Some of the interaction between Mina and the detective and her boss makes her appear to be a mess and don’t get me started on some of her actions and decisions. Also, what’s with the repeated use of the word “sinfully” to describe activities in the bedroom? Corrine is something else. I didn’t really care for any of the characters and as I said, I knew immediately how it was all going to end for the most part, but I enjoyed it.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The two female narrators, Elise Roth and Madeline Pell, did an adequate job with the two main women characters. Their voices barely changed when speaking male dialogue, though, and that really made the whole production less entertaining when there wasn’t that feeling of listening to a full cast. It was like being read to rather than performed. I usually count on audio to create an immersive experience and that didn’t happen. 

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

Domestic suspense, psychological, marriage, murder, legal, detectives

The Broken Plea By Christopher Whitcomb

 This is going to haunt me for a long time. I thought I knew the story. I thought they got the killer. This true crime account makes me question everything!

A very detailed account of all that went into the investigation and analysis of the crime scenes, the victims, and the identified perpetrator. Bryan Christopher Kohberger pled guilty to the murders of four college coeds before his case went to trial. In accepting the plea, many questions were never answered and the families and public will never get the answers they crave. 

In this well written documentary, the author describes all the ways in which the case was improperly handled and how the local Idaho  police might have zeroed in on their target without the evidence and proof they should have obtained. The prosecutor was trying to obtain the verdict and the public defender tried but was sidelined despite having some serious reasonable doubt. 

It makes me sick to contemplate. But why, if the revelations in this book are true, did Bryan go ahead with this plea and skip the trial? He’s never explained or answered to any of it. Makes no sense and after reading I’m still so torn. I remember reading about this at the time it happened and how I, along with most of the public, thought Bryan was guilty as charged and was happy he saved the taxpayers and went on to jail without the spectacle of a trial. I hope we find out the truth of it all someday, but not sure we ever will. Very compelling and interesting story that kept me glued to the pages despite all the heavy scientific information about DNA and the descriptions of information about vehicles, college life, the friendship and relationships among the group, and the attempt to explain the blood evidence at the crime scene. 

Drinking and drug consumption among college students made this even more difficult because the only witness can’t remember anything. Which I sort of find suspicious. There was a lot of that. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, the author himself, Christopher Whitcomb, did a great job of  using his voice to explain his story. He speaks with conviction and handles the complex investigation very well. I enjoyed immersing myself in the story and thing that this audio enhanced the book and my enjoyment.

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

Genre and tags: true crime, murder, Idaho killer, Bryan Kohberger

Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn #9) by Steve Steve Cavanagh

 This was such a good legal thriller and I enjoyed everything about it EXCEPT the last chapter.

Elly Parker is a high profile social media influencer famous for her public acts of kindness. Her curated, perfect life shatters publicly, however, when shse accidentally live streams her new husband having sex with her best friend. Reeling from that ultimate betrayal, Elly tries to pick up the pieces and get over her bitterness. When she spots a man on crutches struggling with a heavy yellow suitcase at a subway entrance, she decides to help. It’s a decision that plungers her into a living nightmare. For the stranger is a meticulous diabolical serial killer who has chosen Elly as his next target. Then she’s accused of murder and all the forensic evidence points to her so she turns to Eddie Flynn, defense attorney, and his brilliant team for help. 

I love a mystery and a legal thriller with all kinds of great lawyer maneuvers and terrific courtroom drama. Great pacing and alternating points of view kept me glued to the pages. The bad guy is super chilling as a villain and it sure makes one question the next act of kindness for a stranger! You’ll need a bit of suspension of disbelief as Eddie’s team goes a bit off piste and you might suffer some whiplash with the twists, but it was hard to put down and I really enjoyed it. Except as I said, for the last chapter which I didn’t like at all. No spoilers but I’m curious if you agree.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Adam Sims, did a decent job with the male voices but this production could definitely have benefitted from a larger cast as the female voices weren’t up to par. I love immersing myself in a book while listening and reading, so I always enjoy a book more when I do this. 

This is the ninth in a series. I haven't read them all but this was easy to follow without needing any extra detail not already included.

Genre and tags: legal thriller, suspense, mystery, serial killer, murder, criminals, defense lawyer

Of Hoaxes and Homicide (Miss Hermione #2) by Anastasia Hastings

 Highly entertaining atmospheric whodunit.

In 1885 London, practical Violet Manville secretly writes a very popular advice column under the pseudonym "Miss Hermione." Bored with etiquette questions and endless whining, Violet gets her wish for a real mystery when a letter arrives from a frantic mother. Her daughter has run away to join a nature-worshiping cult that hints at rituals and orgies and is called the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. The stakes turn personal when Violet realizes that this very girl is actually Margaret, the best friend of her spoiled, fashionable, society obsessed half-sister, Sephora. 

Violet decides to infiltrate the cult's compound inside the old ruins of the Alburn Abbey in Nottingham. When one of the members is found poisoned to death and Margaret is accused of the crime, Violet must use her keen eye for human nature to separate the grand hoaxes from a very real homicide. And who should appear but Violet's crush, American investigator Eli Marsh. 

I enjoyed this second installment in the series. This was a classic cozy but with a hint of gothic intrigue and the creepy cult vibe. I love how Violet's intellect plays off Sephora's ditzy vanity and how they have this comedic friction. Very surprised to see Sephora develop a bit of resourcefulness. Appreciated that the romance factor didn't have a lot of play. Look forward to the third book.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in this e-book. The narrator, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, did a decent job trying to voice all the characters but this really needed a male performer to really enhance the production. 

This is the second in the series that should be read in order.

Genre and tags: cozy mystery, historical, London, cult, poison, murder, penny dreadfuls, sisters 

Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

 Can we say domestic pop-gothic noir…

Holly Sinclair is broke. She is a struggling New York author who has hit a slump so she decides to move back to Beaufort, Massachusetts, to check out her late mother’s dilapidated beachfront home — the very town where her sister Anna died almost 20 years ago. Desperate to pen a bestselling thriller to save her finances, Halley finds herself drawn to investigate what really happened the night of the fire that resulted in her sister’s death. Was it an accident or was it murder.

Oh my my my. What started tentatively as an engaging summertime thriller turned quickly to a story that was so over the top and unbelievable that I had to shake my head. What a disappointment. The coincidences and the characters were just too much with their actions and motivations. The plot was eventually rather preposterous as the premise of a desperate writer confronting her sister’s cold case has potential, the execution spins into pure ridiculousness. The wrap up at the end as everything is revealed and, surprise, tied together, was just way out there. The characters are one dimensional and make baffling choices such as Holly allowing a random teenager hiding in her attic to move into the house. Then there’s the psychic medium and the busy body real estate agent along with some other crazy others. The insta romance also a turn off. Anyway. I didn’t end up liking this as much as I’d hoped.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, a cast of women, included Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens, and Megan Tusing. I preferred some of the voices over the others but really disliked when they veered into melodramatic screeching and overacting. I do not know who voiced which character. Usually an audio production enhances my enjoyment of a book and this one did that for me but it was ultimately the story that fell short, not the performances. 

2.5 stars raised

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

Genre and tags: beach read, convoluted plot, domestic, amateur investigation, author, runaway, rich people 

Heather by Caitlin Mullen

 A meticulous and atmospheric examination of a small town’s collective sins.

This was a haunting mystery that is set in the shadows of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. It takes place across dual timelines and is a slow burn noir that has a lot of deep emotional resonance. 

In the before: it’s 1990 and 16-year-old twins Annabelle and Sabrina Riley are seduced by an older man. Their father is often absent and their mother has vanished, so when they face a dire situation, no one really notices when both vanish without a trace. At the same time, a local girl delivering newspapers discovers a dead baby girl in the forest. 

Decades later, Callie Hauser returns to her hometown of Pine Lakes to serve as the new police chief. Her best friend, Jane Caputo, was severely injured in an accident and Callie wants to help Jane, her husband, Damien, and their small daughter as much as she can. 

Despite her own past and her messy situation with her mother, Jenna, Callie soon finds that her professional life and her personal life collide. A revelation by genealogical DNA forces Callie to face a legacy of family trauma that exposes the truth surrounding her own parents and uncovers the secrets tied to the disappearance of the twin sisters. 

Very well plotted with a slow unraveling of all the bits and pieces of the back story. I felt deeply for some of the characters whose life circumstances put them into such terrible situations with no one to help. I still don’t understand and was not happy about the legal charges but can’t say much due to possible spoilers. There were a few overwrought moments that veered into melodrama, but overall I enjoyed this book. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers via NetGalley. The three female narrators, Bailey Carr, Christine Lakin, and Mia Wurgaft, did an excellent job of voicing the main characters. Their dramatic flair was appropriate and created an immersive experience that enhanced my appreciation of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: mystery, investigation, twin sisters, bad men, small town, bad parenting, drugs, murder, stillbirth, teen pregnancy, missing women, DNA, police 

The Break-up Retreat by Camilla Sten

 In the isolated Swedish wilderness sits the Himlafall Clinic, an ultra exclusive psychological sanctuary promising to cure vulnerable women of their devastating heartbreaks. Intrigued by whispers of malpractice and traumatized patients, investigative journalist Isobel Anderssen goes undercover armed with a fabricated backstory. She intends to expose the clinic’s popular founder, Dr. Martina Hastings. 

Upon arrival, Isobel’s investigation quickly unravels. Her inside contact has not shown up and someone steals her hidden phone. Worst of all, Dr. Hastings displays a predatory ability to get under Isobel’s skin and starts battering her psychological defenses by exposing her relationship issues. It’s as though the doctor is manipulating her and the others in therapy there. The unorthodox methods seem dangerous and Isobel starts to feel threatened as the other women crumble under the strange cult like treatment. 

This premise was good but the execution stumbled because Isobel made some really reckless and frustrating choices. It made me question her journalistic integrity and competence in her pursuit of an expose. The writing really forced that sense of doom as the author focused on creating an atmosphere involving bad weather, isolation, mistrust, the lack of outside communication, and no free will. I struggled to connect with the characters, especially the other patients. I never felt any emotional stake. Definitely the reader will have to suspend a lot of disbelief through some of the melodramatic turns and the over the top conclusion. The wrap up didn’t deliver the payoff I’d hoped for nor any revelations about the whole clinic process.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, (in her debut performance) Payton Mader, did a fabulous job of voicing the characters and bringing them to life. She wasn’t overly dramatic and her smooth tone and pitch brought a welcome change to audio books where the narrators sometimes sound overwrought and screechy in tense situations. I enjoyed listening to her and the production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: psychological thriller, treatment, clinic, therapy, murder, unhinged characters

Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughn

 Slow burner of a psychological and domestic thriller

Dame Eleanor Kingman has meticulously crafted her life story, transforming her journey from poverty to a multimillion dollar franchise as a children’s author. Her books, based somewhat on her youngest daughter, have made her rich and… now she finds that she’s a target. 

She’s preparing to celebrate her 70th birthday at a lavish party on her newly purchased Cornish cliff side estate. Suddenly, the carefully curated facade beings to crack. While a journalist and his crew prepare to film a documentary about her life and rise to fame, Eleanor starts to receive threatening emails. Someone wants to expose her and out the lies she’s hidden for almost fifty years. 

All of the tension is not just Eleanor’s as her three adult daughters, Gilly, Rachel, and Delia, are also having some intense issues and are hiding some serious secrets of their own. 

This is a slow burning family drama that focuses on identity, truth, and betrayal. The setting on the isolated, windswept cliff at Cornwall creates a mood as well. This was not a bad novel, it just took so long to get to the point and it seemed eons until it got there while also being quite predictable and contained all the typical tropes of the genre. 

The narrative shifted in points of view with some time jumps as well. Granted, the family is dysfunctional and the characters are not really likable. The theme reflecting the nature and cost of maintaining a public persona especially rings true when the main character is threatened with revelation of those long buried secrets.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Juliet Stevenson, had a huge job trying to differentiate all the female characters to make them unique. Since so many were female, this story would have been better served in this format to have a larger cast. All those female voices blended together and it was hard to distinguish between the characters if I had not been reading along at the same time. She did a decent job, but some of those accents and tones were a bit much. As always, however, I always enjoy the immersive experience of a simultaneous read while listening. 

3.5 stars

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

Genre and tags: psychological and domestic drama, thriller, mystery, author, murder, assault, secrets and lies, adultery, Cornwall

Marion by Leah Rowan

 Debut author delivers a razor sharp, modern “rage thriller” adaptation of Hitchcock’s iconic movie, PSYCHO. The story flips the classic horror script on its head, centering on a woman who is on the run with stolen money when she meets up with a deeply unstable man. 

Marion Cage, the name she uses when she checks into the secluded, outdated Billings Motel, is full of contemporary fury over toxic power dynamics and a situation of spousal abuse involving her sister. When she’s attacked in the shower by a knife wielding Norman Billings, things don’t end in the familiar way. Now she’s started something. 

I had such high hopes for this novel and it started out with a fast pace. The core suspense and the angry woman aspects were good, but then it got over the top and veered into the unbelievable. I particularly didn’t care for so much repetition and also this constant voice of Marion’s mother in her head. The attempted twists and red herrings were a bit far fetched and kept the reader off kilter. There are several unanswered questions and I was not a fan of the ending. 

The story alternates between the point of view of Marion (we never learn her real first name) and a private investigator named Hannah. Now Hannah really irritated me with her social commentary and virtue signaling and I didn’t care for her character at all. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Tawny Platis and Natalie Naudus, had a satisfactory, if not somewhat overwrought at times, performance. Some of my annoyance might be due to the text they had to speak and the repetition of certain words. Since most of the novel involved female dialogue, they both managed to come up with accents and tones to try to make them sound unique and different. Listening while reading always enhances my enjoyment of a book. 

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

Genre tags: spousal abuse, murder, toxic masculinity, rage, revenge, embezzlement, adaptation or reimagining of Hitchcock’s movie Psycho

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

 Domestic drama and thriller focusing on sisterhood and revenge. 

Penny Albright is a rookie police officer in Georgia, a career path she chose after her twin sister, Nix, died of a drug overdose when she fell apart as the result of a traumatic sexual assault. While responding to her very first homicide scene, Penny is stunned to find that the victim is Danny Bowery, one of the three men responsible for her sister's downward spiral. 

While searching the area, Penny finds a woman named Thalia Gray covered in blood and holding the box cutter that had just killed Danny. Instead of arresting her, Penny hesitates when Thalia utters the word, "sisters." Penny gets it into her head that this woman knew or was connected to Nix.  Penny lets Thalia escape. 

From then on, Penny is on a mission to uncover who Thalia is and why she is seeking vengeance for her sister's death. 

This was a character driven mystery thriller that tries to balance a personal vendetta with a crime investigation. Since Penny steps away from the police and her job, this is all focused on her own investigative skills and judgement. There is a lot of emphasis on internal conflict, right and wrong, and doing what needs to be done. Penny has a lot of grief and guilt and she makes some bad decisions putting herself and her family at risk. It's kind of a slow burn with all the extraneous family dynamics and some repetition with how much she misses Nix and how she can't get over her death. But then the second half takes off and it all comes together with some surprising twists. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator was the author herself, which was a first for me. I really think, that although Joshilyn did a decent job, that the production would have benefited from a full cast. And, full disclosure, the way she voiced the character of Thalia got on my last nerve -- too breathy for my taste. She deftly handled the southern accents typical of Georgia natives.  I do feel, however, that the immersive experience of listening and reading really enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

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

Genre and tags: murder mystery, twins, sexual assault, sex trafficking, drugs, family, police procedural, suspense, crime thriller, revenge, moral quandary 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman

 Atmospheric locked room mystery that is steeped in Greek mythology and hints at the dark underbelly of the antiquities trade.

Maia Gold is a museum supervisor who wrote a successful debut novel years ago during an exclusive writers' retreat on Eris, a private Greek island. That week ended in bitter personal betrayal, however, involving her boyfriend, Ian, and her new best friend, Annika. Maia's novel, based on that drama, ultimately ended her writing career. 

Now it's 15 years later, and billionaire Argos Alexander invites a few of the original cohort back to the island. When all arrive, the host is missing but has left instructions with the housekeeper for a writing contest. They retreat to their rooms to try their chances at winning the promised prize but in the morning, instead of Argos waiting to give out awards, they find his dead body. 

Of course, there's no phone or any means of communication. They are trapped on the island. As suspensions fester and another body is discovered, Maia must figure out the secrets hidden on the island. Fortunately, she has expertise in Greek mythology and uses that knowledge to guide her quest.

This was quite the lesson in Greek mythology (unfortunately not a subject that I am familiar with) and sometimes it seemed way too much. The pacing relies on a shifting timeline between several discrete periods -- the distant past when Maia's parents were on the island, when the first writers' retreat occurred, and now in the present with the return. With so few characters, it was easy to sort quickly who the probably villain must be. It's a whodunit, but definitely has a lot of intellectual subplots and extraneous information that overwhelms the narrative. The fast-paced action scenes and the descriptions of some parts of the island were quite over the top, but the book was entertaining even as it was predictable. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Kirsten Potter, had quite a time with all the characters as she tried to voice both male and female characters without sounding exaggerated. Although she did a decent job, a full cast or at least a male and female speaker for those parts would definitely have balanced out the dialog a little better. I always enjoy listening to a book while reading because it allows me to fully immerse myself in the story and enhances my enjoyment of the book.

3.5 stars

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

Genre and tags: writers, antiquities, Greek mythology, murder, manipulation, Greek island 

The Trad Wife’s Secret by Liane Child

 Behind the filter — the #tradwife exposed in this psychological and domestic suspense thriller.

On her idyllic Montana homestead, Madison March is the ultimate social media commodity: a flawless, apron-wearing “triad wife baking sourdough for her rancher husband, Michael, and their four adorable children. Over a million followers crave her aesthetic. But when Cally, a tutor feeling her own mistakes, enters the home, the flawless filter starts to slip. Told through 3 fractured perspectives: the ruthlessly curated Madison, the desperate tutor Cally, and Brianna, a young girl trapped in a parallel homesteading nightmare. 

This novel un peels the toxic, high level deception behind the lens of influencers. In the March house, submission isn’t just a lifestyle choice; it’s a survival tactic.

This novel offered an interesting look at the dark side of internet influencer culture and the modern homesteading movement, but it ultimately fell into predictable patterns and required a huge suspension of disbelief at the coincidences and connections. The atomosphere was tense and the ominous behavior of Michael was threatening and unsettling as he exerts his dominance and control. The contrast between the online image and the grim reality provided a good setup for the expectation of bad things to come. The final chapters really were over the top stretching believability a huge step too far. 

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Lauryn Allman, did a good job of voicing the many characters in this novel and tried to keep accents and tones such that they did not blend together and retrained some individuality. Since most of the characters were women and children, she had a lot to keep straight. I always think a story like this would benefit from a full cast especially to have at least one solid male voice. Listening always enhances my enjoyment of the book as it creates an immersive experience. 

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

Genre and tags: suspense, tradwife, domestic abuse, infertility, assault, social media influencer, mother, children, murder

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

 A wonderful character driven drama that avoids typical thriller cliches and defies categorization.

Elsie Fitzpatrick is an 81-year-old woman living a quiet life in a Melbourne suburb. Her peace is shattered when she goes to the aid of a neighbor only to find him dead on the kitchen floor. The police investigate and uncover Elsie’s true identity; she is actually Mabel Waller. In 1954, at the age of 15, she became the youngest person convicted of murder in Australian history. She was known to the public as Mad Mabel. As notoriety once again revisits, Elsie decides to tell her side of the story to a pair of YouTubers. 

The narrator I’ve alternatives between Elsie’s childhood in the 1950s and her present-day reality. The very large personality that is Elsie is blunt, grumpy, unbothered by social niceties, and extremely cynical and funny. I actually laughed out loud so many times at her comments and responses to people and situations. When a book makes me laugh, I’m so much more invested and I could not put this down. I kept guessing, and hoping, with the slow build to the reveal of Elsie’s actual crime and her victim. The characters came to life on the page and the story was well balanced between the dark themes and the humor. I was not expecting to like this as much as I did and definitely recommend it.

I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrators, Hannah Fredericksen (young Mabel in the 1050s) and Jenny Seedsman (81-year-old Elsie in present day) were absolutely fabulous. It was also tricky for them, I’m sure, to do the child parts as those never quite sound right. Both did a marvelous job of giving life to Mabel’s story and I enjoyed the immersive experience that enhanced my appreciation of the book. 

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

Genre and tags: contemporary, mystery, thriller, drama, murder, abuse, sexual assault, childhood trauma, suicide

Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove

 Small town whodunit and a classic ghost story.

Graduate student and talented organist Willow Stone returns to Little North island off the coast of Maine for the memorial service of her estranged godmother, Sue. Willow soon discovers that Sue’s recent death before her imminent wedding might not have been accidental. Sue had inherited Cameron House, a large local mansion rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of its previous owners. When Willow overhears a threat directed at the next heir to the estate, she realizes that someone on the island is desperate enough to kill for the property that legally has to go to a Cameron heir. To uncover the truth, Willow navigates a tight knit community filled with greed and secrets. 

Although I’m definitely not a fan of paranormal anything, this worked in a crazy way with the Gothic atmosphere, the big old mansion with its secret passageways, and with the ghosts hanging about in the rooms. The mystery got a bit convoluted about who was related to whom, and definitely predictable with final revelations. Several murders threw up some red herrings, but the close group of women determined to figure out the truth was successful after a lot of misdirection. It was entertaining enough that I read it in a single sitting.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Gail Shalan, had a huge job voicing all those characters and trying to give each a sense of individuality. I must confess, however, that she got overly dramatic and used a very shrill voice much too often with several of those female characters. She used several different accents and was fairly consistent throughout the production. This is definitely a book that would greatly have benefitted with a full cast recording. I always enjoy a book a little more when I listen while I read. 

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

Genre and tags: ghosts, murder, mystery, cozy, paranormal, lesbian relationships, legacy and birthright, inheritance, Gothic mansion