8.25.2026 - The Opposite of Murder

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller and police procedural by Sophie Hannah.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Jemma walks into a police station confessing a desire to kill her stepmother, Marianne.  She's hoping that confessing will mean that she will never follow through with her plan, because then the police would know who did it.  But at the same time as Jemma is confessing, Marianne is murdered. 

This was a wild ride, completely original, and I love a book that makes me think.  This one has you looking at every event from a different angle, letting you see what you were missing.  Sure, some things were a bit over the top, but that just made for a good read.  I'm actually surprised that this book isn't getting better ratings.  If you like mysteries that will make you think and you'll still never figure it all out, this one is for you!

8.25.2026 - Make Nice

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Ryan Effgen.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The three Pickford siblings - Pete, Viv (along with her daughter Ash), Corey - are summoned by their widowed father to meet at The Grand Hotel on the island where they had a summer house decades ago.  The siblings couldn't be more different and old hurts and resentments among all of them reemerge.

I love a good, messy family drama story and found myself invested in all of these characters.  Each one is going through a battle, and being together doesn't help.  There is plenty of humor to dull the sharp edges, and encouraging to know how strong those family bonds really are.  I loved the relationship between Pete and the young neighbor boy, plus you'll learn lots about snails to boot!  Wonderful debut - anxious to read more from this author!

8.24.2026 - Wicked Wanted Widows

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of the third book in The Widows series by Vanessa Lillie, Kimberly Belle, and Cate Holahan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

The Widows once again find themselves in danger and chaos, as one of their own gets kidnapped.  Each of them are also carrying their own troubles along the race for finding Meredith, and things aren't looking good for any of them.

It's always fun to go along with the Widows on their latest adventures, and this book had some wild ones along with plenty of references from The Goonies - what's not to love?  As typical, we hear from each of the ladies, but not as much from Meredith obviously.  Each of their voices are so distinct, and they kept me laughing and in suspense throughout the book.  

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!