12.31.2023 - The Heiress

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Rachel Hawkins, with the audio perfectly narrated by Dan Bittner; Eliza Foss; John Pirhalla; Patti Murin - 5 stars!

Toddler Ruby McTavish was lost as a child and returned back from another family.  Her life has continued to be quite an adventure ever since.  She writes letters telling about those adventures and all her husbands before she dies at an elderly age.  Her adopted son, Cam, and his wife, Jules, leave their home in CO to go back to NC after being summoned by a cousin.  Cam is the rightful heir to Ashby House, a decision that has made the rest of the family upset.  Cam never wanted anything to do with his greedy family, but Jules convinced him to go back.  

Told from the viewpoints of Cam, Jules and Ruby (through her letters), this is such a wild and twisty ride.  Hawkins takes so many different events and time periods and seamlessly weaves them together into such a tale of family, greed, jealousy, power.  You will love to hate these characters!  And just when I thought the last twist was over, the ending blew me away.  Highly recommended!

12.29.2023 - The Weekend Retreat

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing Graydon House for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Tara Laskowski - 4 stars!

The matriarch of the Van Ness family died, and the children haven't been back to the winery estate home since.  But they all gather to celebrate the birthday of the twins, Harper and Richard.  Harper brings husband, Lucas; Richard his wife, Elle; and their youngest brother, Zach, brings his girlfriend, Lauren., who is meeting the family for the first time.  The three couples are all looking for some relaxation time, but with everyone keeping secrets and old tensions coming to the surface, it's anything but relaxing.  

This was an atmospheric thriller, complete with brewing storm and mansion with loads of secret passageways and tunnels.  Told in multiple POV, we learn all the secrets and even hear from a mysterious party guest, who definitely has ulterior motives.  I liked the short chapters and kept telling myself, just one more.  Loved the twist ending!  Another intriguing read by this author!

12.28.2023 - Dying to be Her

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest rerelease of this book by Gregg Olsen and narrated by Karen Peakes - 4 stars!

Identical twins Hayley and Taylor once again feature prominently as their best friend, Beth, has an exchange student living with her and she is found dead at a party where all three girls were in attendance.  The teenage host of the party, Brianna, doesn't seem bothered by the fact that a girl died in her home.  In addition, the twins find out more about the bus accident they were badly injured in ten years ago 

While I don't always read YA fiction, I do always love to read Gregg Olsen's books.  I would definitely recommend reading the first in this series, although it would work as a standalone.  But it features very similar threads and I enjoyed getting the complete picture.  A good mystery that I again didn't figure out.  The narrator did a great job as well!

12.28.2023 - Beneath Her Skin

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest rerelease of this book by Gregg Olsen and narrated by Karen Peakes - 4 stars!

Identical twins Hayley and Taylor were in a horrific bus accident ten years ago when they were 5.  They were among the few survivors.  Another survivor, Katelyn, was just found dead in her bathtub.  The officials are ruling it suicide, but there are still questions.  Especially because the twins have a secret - they can communicate with the dead.  

While I don't always read YA fiction, I do always love to read Gregg Olsen's books.  I thought this was a good mystery and I liked the supernatural parts and the twin connection.  There are lots of secrets and twists here, and I didn't see them coming.

12.27.2023 - In a Quiet Town

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA for gifting me an ARC of the latest thriller by Amber Garza - 4.5 stars!

Tatum is struggling - her husband is the pastor in town, but his controlling and disapproving ways made their daughter leave the family home.  He's also very dismissive of Tatum's health issues.  Slowly, Tatum starts to rebuild a relationship with Adrienne by secret visits with her at the bar where she works.  But when Tatum shows up on one of her usual nights, she finds out Adrienne didn't show up for work and no one has heard from her.  Despite what her husband says, she begins investigating.  

This was a good mystery, complete with lots of twists and turns.  But I really liked going along on this mother's journey as she begins to stand up for herself, her daughter, her health and her feelings.  Told from multiple POV - The Mother, The Daughter and The Fiancé - and timelines, we get the backstories that lead up the present day happenings.  Short chapters and tense writing kept me glued to the pages!

12.26.2023 - No One Needs to Know

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lindsay Cameron - 4.5 stars!

Manhattan is a dog eat dog world, full of secrets, especially for three mothers who will stop at nothing to ensure their children get into the top schools - but does that include murder?  Enter a neighborhood internet message board - UrbanMyth - that groups users by zip code and promises to be totally anonymous.  So Heather, Norah, and Poppy feel comfortable sharing and reading about each other's secret lives.  Until the website gets hacked.

I always like a good domestic thriller and this one definitely fit the bill.  It was just a fun, juicy look into how the other half (or top 1%?) live.  The story was told from the viewpoints of these three women, along with website posts and emails to the investigators.  It's definitely a cautionary tale of social media for both children and adults as well.  I raced through this one!

12.25.2023 - Two Dead Wives

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Adele Parks, and the sequel to Woman Last Seen - 4 stars!

Kylie has gone missing, is presumed dead, and the secret she kept - being married to two different men - is now out.  It's all been too much and has devastated her husband Mark, along with her stepsons Oli and Seb, and her younger, rich husband, Daan.  It's Daan who is the main suspect in the case, but DCI Clements isn't convinced.  Meanwhile, on the Dorset coast, Stacie is back home with her father after having brain cancer surgery.  She's recovering but has lost her memories.  

While this is a sequel, it definitely works as a standalone.  I read the first, and although the details kind of escaped me, it was interesting to see how it all turned out.  I thought this was another well-written, roller coaster thriller from Parks and I enjoyed it, even though some of the storyline was a bit over the top.  Told from many different viewpoints, it was good to see how all the pieces came together.  Plus, Covid was used as a very effective plot point in the story.  Loved the stepsons and the ending was perfect.

12.20.2023 - The Last Caretaker

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite, Jessica Strasser - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Fresh out of her divorce, Katie needs a new start.  Her best friend, Bess, offers her a caretaking job at the nature preserve where she works.  It comes with housing, quiet, and nature - all things that will hopefully sooth Katie's soul.  But something is a bit wrong - the previous caretaker seemingly left without taking any of her belongings and no one has heard from her.  Then, on her first night there, she learns that her home is also an underground safe house for domestic violence victims.  Suddenly, Katie's world turns upside down once again, and she's not sure who she can trust.

I loved this book and the strong women characters inside.  The tension and fear echoed through the pages and I felt like I was along with Katie on her journey.   Just like Katie, I wasn't sure who I could trust, but I admired how so many of these women lived the mantra that it's always better to do the right thing, no matter what.  But will the cost be too high?  Another wonderful book by Jessica Strasser!

12.19.2023 - Miss Wrong and Mr. Right

  

Many thanks to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of this romantic comedy by Robert Bryndza - 4 stars!

Natalie Love left her first love, Jamie, at the altar, just not ready to commit.  She went on a trip to London with her grandmother and never came back home to Devon.  She went on to start and run a successful theater company and has a new boyfriend, Benjamin.  Plus, there appears to be chemistry with the star of her new show, Ryan. Then her gran shows up at her doorstop, luggage in hand, and Jamie is in town, also running a new theater.  Whew!

.If you know and love Robert Bryndza from his crime novels like I do, this was a fun departure!  This book was full of good and crazy characters, and the audio narration made it even better.  Natalie's Hungarian gran stole every scene - she was delightful!  Certainly lots of life lessons amid the lightness too, about friendship, loyalty, second chances.  

12.18.2023 - When We Were Enemies

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Emily Bleeker - 4.5 stars!

Elise Branson is somewhat of an anomaly in her family.  Both her mother and grandmother were famous actors in their time, but Elise prefers to be more anonymous and definitely not in front of the camera.  But when her mother's latest boyfriend wants to do a documentary about her grandmother's time working at a POW camp in Indiana, she gets forced into having her wedding there at a small chapel on the base.  But secrets may come out that no one wants made public.

This book is set in two different time periods.  Vivian is Elise's grandmother, and we learn of her time working at the camp where Italian prisoners are being held.  She ends up being an interpreter and also singing and hostessing at the local USO club.  I had no clue that there was a POW camp in Indiana, so this was very interesting.  Both timelines had similar threads and were both intriguing - I also liked the Catholic ties going throughout the family in different ways.  Great book!  

12.14.2023 - I Know What You Did

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful debut novel by Cayce Osborne - 5 stars!  I also listened to this on audiobook and adored the narration by Hillary Huber and I highly recommend listening to her voice Petta!

A bestselling novel is suddenly everywhere in Petal's world - and when she finally takes a look at it, it's a fictionalized story of the death of her high school friend, blaming her for the murder.  Only one other person knows the truth about what happened that night, Jenny, the other friend in their circle.  Jenny hasn't been heard of since, so Petta heads from NYC to Madison WI to see if she can find out who the mysterious author is and why they wrote this book.  But the investigation just opens more questions and now Petta herself could be in danger.

Petta was such an amazing character - I loved her snarky attitude and running commentary.  She was just so much fun.  She had been surrounded by death since her childhood and developed a thick skin and not letting anyone get too close.  This was a good mystery too, tense and suspenseful and I had no idea who the culprit was.  This was a fabulous debut and I can't wait to read more from this author!

12.12.2023 - A Different Kind of Gone

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite, Catherine Ryan Hyde - 5 stars!

Nineteen-year-old Jill Moss goes on a camping/hiking trip with her boyfriend, Jake, in a small town on the border of Arizona and Utah.  Witnesses see Jake grab Jill and pull her back to their campsite after a fight.  Then she disappears and everyone fears the worst.  Norma lives by herself, with only her dogs and horse as companions.  She is a member of the search and rescue team called in to search for Jill.  She finds her alive, scared that if she goes back, Jake will kill her.  Against her better judgment, she finds a way to get Jill back to her parents.  Then five years later, history repeats itself with another young girl.  And Norma is left with an even bigger decision.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is an automatic read for me ever since Pay it Forward.  While the dialogue is too good to be true, part of that is why I love her books.  You want to be able to think like Norma, to have her wisdom, her compassion, her heart.  Having dealt with domestic abuse personally, this book rang true in how it affects the entire family.  There's so much truth in this book, along with really tough decisions that will make you think long and hard about how you would make them.

12.11.2023 - For the Last Time

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new thriller by Heidi Perks - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Erin, mother to young Sadie, is married to Will, and they are seeing a therapist, Maggie, to help get their relationship back on track.  Erin suddenly seems afraid of Will and is accusing him of terrible things.  Maggie can't quite figure how what's going on either, but finds herself becoming too closely involved when it seems that Erin knows something about the death of Maggie's teenage sister years ago.  Told from both their POV and interspersed with the present timeline where Erin .is in the hospital in a coma after a hit-and-run accident.  

This book pulled me in from the beginning because you're never sure who you can trust.  Is Will behaving badly or is Erin imagining things?  Both seem believable but both can't be right.  What connection do they have to Maggie's sister?  I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to see how it was all going to play out, and the ending was a real surprise!

12.11.2023 - After the Sleepover

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Kerry Wilkinson, with the audio narrated by Olivia Darnely - 4 stars!

Twenty-five years ago, Leah had a sleepover with 3 friends.  By the time morning rolled around, Leah was the only one left.  Now history appears to be repeating itself.  Three boys decide to camp out near one of their homes; when morning dawns, they're gone.  

This is the second book in this series, which I didn't realize, but it definitely works as a stand alone too.  It's tense and as a parent, you can only imagine the heartbreak of both of these situations.  This one had an open ending, so I'm definitely hoping there is another book in this series!  

12.10.2023 - The Engagement Party

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Darby Kane - 4 stars!

On graduation weekend, Emily Hunt went missing.  Her body was found floating in a river.  The suspect was a loner who committed suicide, so the case was closed.  But not everyone was happy with that and someone wants revenge.  When the rest of their group of school friends gathers on a remote island to celebrate one of their engagements, bad things start happening.  They'll need to stop a killer - but who can they trust?

I'm a sucker for a locked-room mystery, and this was a good one.  Everyone was keeping secrets from each other and no one was above suspicion.  The atmosphere was tense and while most of the characters weren't likable, I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out.

12.5.2023 - Manner of Death

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest medical thriller by a favorite, Robin Cook - 5 stars!

Dr. Ryan Sullivan is a pathology resident, assigned to the Medical Examiner's Office for a month-long rotation.  However, he hates doing autopsies and does everything in his power to get out of them.  Chief Medical Examiner, Dr, Laurie Montgomery, has Ryan assist her on a suicide case in hopes of getting him intrigued.  It didn't work quite as planned - Ryan still abhors autopsies, but is now engrossed in a research project.  There have been a string of suicides with red flags pointing to possible homicides, but not enough evidence to definitively classify them as such.  But his research project may put all of them in danger.

This series featuring Laurie Montgomery and her husband, Dr Jack Stapleton, also an ME, have long been one of my favorites.  I somehow missed the last few, so definitely have to go back and rectify that.  These books can certainly be read as stand alones, but are much better with all the history between the characters.  This topic was so intriguing and topical, and I also learned a lot about medical legal investigators.  I can't wait for the next book in this series - always highly recommended if you love a medical thriller like I do!

12.5.2023 - The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Christian and Thomas Nelson for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful book by Kelly Irvin and perfectly narrated by Jessica Holtan and Jeremy Childs - 5 stars!

Sisters Kristen and Sherri processed their childhood trauma differently.  Their mom passed away and their dad left.  Kristen became an oncologist and was all focused on her career, to the detriment of her husband and daughters.  Sherri led a much more balanced life until her diagnosis of ovarian cancer threw her world off orbit.  Kristen swooped in to manage and control every aspect of Sherri's care, moving her into the home she shares with her husband, Daniel.  While Sherri is doing her best to mend relationships and live her remaining days with grace and happiness, Kristen's focus on her work implodes her marriage and family.

While this is certainly a serious subject, this book was just so wonderful that I couldn't put it down.  I started reading it but quickly switched to the audio so that I could listen more.  You can't help but feel for the sisters, and while Daniel could have been a bit more understanding, he was certainly at his wit's end as well.  It's not a depressing story; it's instead filled with hope and faith bringing light into such darkness.  The author's note with her own cancer experience makes it all more real.

12.4.2023 - The Lies You Wrote

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Brianna Labuskes - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Raisa Susanto, an FBI forensic linguist, is in Everly, Washington, partnered with psychologist Callum Kilkenny, to investigate whether a double murder is related to a decades-old crime.  Twenty-five years ago to the day, Alex Parker murdered his parents, then killed himself, leaving behind a confession note.  Also in town is a podcaster and a website moderator who are searching through all the conspiracy threads.  

Okay - I'm already so anxious for the next book in this series.  I was fascinated by the forensic linguistics, searching for clues in the way people talk and write.  It was a strong police procedural as well, and I never saw some of those twists coming.  I'm a big fan of this author and highly recommend this book!

12.3.2023 - Her Hidden Genius

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful historical fiction book by Marie Benedict - 4.5 stars!

Dr. Rosalind Franklin defied expectations all her life - born into a wealthy family, she was expected to marry well and spend her life giving back to the community.  But she was a scientist through and through, and became a pioneer in DNA research.  She had to fight not only her family expectations, but her male colleagues who never gave her fair due, and instead tried to take credit for her work.  Her work ended up taking her life at the age of 37 from cancer due to radiation exposure.

This was a fascinating look into the science of what makes us us, discovered by a woman mostly forgotten by history..  Dr Franklin literally devoted her life to her work.  It's sad to read how she little was known of radiation effects at that time, and any possible worries easily dismissed.  It's also a look into how Jewish people were treated after the end of WWII.  Every time I read historical fiction, I just pray that we can do better going forward.