8.24.2026 - Heart of Glass

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC, as well as an audio bonus chapter, of the latest thriller by Jennifer Hillier.  The audiobook was narrated by the amazing cast of Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano, and January LaVoy.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, a drifter named Samuel Figg met three teenage girls at the local amusement park, Wonderland.  Days later, one of them was found dead.   After he's arrested for the murders of five young women – one of whom was their best friend, Lorelei – Nicolette and Barb tried to move on, until the Carnival Killer recants his confession and a new body washes ashore.

I'm a big fan of Hillier's books, and listened to Wonderland when it came out in audio a few years ago, but you can easily read this one as a stand alone.  This story plays out in five parts, each part opening with an episode from Season Seven of Criminal Confessions, where we get an unedited version of a jailhouse interview with Sam. There's a lot going on here - a long-ago murder, missing reality tv stars, personal dramas, all as Wonderland is preparing to reopen to hopefully save the town.  It all came together in a heart-stopping fashion, and I couldn't put it down.  I listened to the audio because I love a full cast, especially one with all these talented narrators, and there were wonderful sound effects as well.  The bonus chapter just added the proverbial cherry on top!  Highly recommended for your summer thrill read!

8.23.2026 - To All the Men I've Killed Before

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the Kitty Collins series by Katy Brent.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Kitty has tracked the lowlife who hurt her best friend to Los Angeles, and she's brought her sister, Antoinette, along.  Kitty has rules for murder - no one innocent, no one vulnerable, and don't get caught.  Antoinette has much to learn.

If you love dark humor and bad men getting their dues, this series is for you and it keeps getting better.  I'd recommend reading the others (they are too good to miss!) so that you understand Kitty's motivations and back story.  There's plenty of suspense as well, and I put life aside until I finished.  Supposedly this is the last book in the series which makes me sad, but it sure was a great ride!

8.22.2026 - Daggerbound

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest novel by T. Kingfisher, narrated so perfectly by Jesse Vilinsky.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting a precious relic from one temple to a different temple.  But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.  This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who has been trapped for centuries in the sword, and he's mad.  

T. Kingfisher is the master at creating worlds and creatures that feel so real and immersive.  Then, the stellar narration by Jesse Vilinsky really brings that world to life.  While listening, the real world just faded away.  I loved all these creatures - especially Large Francis, and Dog Violet - and their personalities just shine.  I would go from laughing to feeling emotional time after time.  Somehow I missed the first book, Swordheart, but it obviously didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.  Wonderful!

8.21.2026 - The Silent Appeal

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital and physical ARC of the latest book by the wonderful Janice Hallett.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

The Fairway Players amateur drama group are back, this time staging Agatha Christie's The Hollow.  But much is happening off stage as well - Nicky-Rose, committee cochair Sarah-Jane's sister, is back from Barbados under mysterious circumstances.  Then a murder occurs on opening night.

I'm absolutely enthralled with anything that Janice Hallett writes, and adore the way this series.  Told in the epistolary style of writing, the story plays out through emails, text messages, transcripts, and interviews.  In addition, Femi and Charlotte are back - two lawyers tasked with figuring out just what happened, if the correct person has taken the blame, or if an appeal should be filed.  The lawyers get the same information as the reader, in the same time period, so we see their deductions as we read.  In addition, we get all the gossip, pettiness, and arguing going on backstage.  It's brilliant.   I would highly recommend starting with The Appeal because these books are so good and there is some character retention, but it's set up to read as a stand-alone as well.  Bravo!

8.20.2026 - That Night

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and HarperAudio for gifting me both an audio and digital ARC of this republished book by a favorite, Gillian McAllister, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Amrita Acharia.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Three siblings - Joe, Cathy, and Frannie - are on vacation together in Italy. One night, Frannie makes two phone calls - one to each sibling. The siblings come running and find Frannie covered in blood, kneeling over an unmoving body. They make a promise. They’ll never tell anyone. But then the lies start piling up.

Before I watched the Netflix series, I was anxious to read the book (because the book is always better, right?). What a wild, twisty ride with so many moral and ethical thoughts - just what would you do to protect your family? Told from the POV of the three siblings along with Lydia, Joe's wife, the tension just keeps building as time passes. The siblings are extremely close, bonding after a traumatic event in their childhood, and they live next to each other and work together, causing Lydia to feel like an outsider.  The audiobook narrator did a great job with the voices.  This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to see if the series does it justice!  

8.19.2026 - The Shadow Friends

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer, MBCommunications, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me a physical, digital, and audio ARC of the latest book in the Martini Club series by Tess Gerritsen, with the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Hillary Huber.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

When a renowned disease expert is found dead during a conference in Purity, Maine, the group of former spies known as the Martini Club are once again pulled into investigating an international crisis.  This time, Ingrid sees chilling links back to a disastrous mission from decades ago.  Soon, the club members are investigating even each other as they try to solve the mystery.

What a dynamic duo - Tess Gerritsen and Hillary Huber have combined once again to make this series so good.  I love how this group of retired spies never feel they are too old to get involved, and instead know that they are strong and capable whatever their age.  Plus, they love a good cocktail with friends at the end of a day - what's not to love?  This book focuses on Ingrid and her past and involves a former lover, international intrigue, and danger.  I highly recommend this series - and it's fabulous on audiobook.  While you could enjoy this as a stand alone, this is a series to start at the beginning to fully enjoy the backstories.  Can't wait for more!

8.18.2026 - My Sister is Going to Kill Me

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Nina Simon, author of Mother-Daughter Book Club, which I enjoyed.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up!

Liv and Mandy take a yearly sister trip, alternating who chooses their location.  The two sisters couldn't be any more different - Liv is responsible, practical, organized, while Mandy lives life spontaneously, and on the edge.  This year, Mandy picks a rafting adventure through the depths of the Grand Canyon, but when one of their group is found dead, the rafting trip turns beyond frightening.  They don't know who they can trust, maybe not even each other.

This was definitely more of a slow burn than her first book, with most of the action taking place in the second half.  I really liked the sisterhood angle of this book, although both women seemed to be a bit too typecast in their role, as did the influencer.  Plus, and maybe this was just me, but every time I read the name of the beauty product/company involved, CareFree, I would get distracted and think of the sanitary product instead!  The description of the rafting adventure was frightening to me, but I am sure that it is beyond beautiful.