7.17.2026 - Heat Trap

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the Amazon Original short story by Ellery Lloyd.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

A group of friends gets together every year for a summer getaway.  As per usual, Lizzie has taken on the task of organizing everything for their stay in France.  This year, she's excited to bring along her new boyfriend, Mal.  But something sinister is happening.

This was a quick read - actually, I listened to the audiobook, which was done well.  For a short story, this one had all the requisite thriller components to keep me completely interested, and it could have been fleshed out into a novel.  But I enjoyed my little time with these characters and story!

7.17.2026 - Catch the Devil

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of this true crime story by Pamela Colloff.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

This is the true story of the murder of a young girl in Florida in the 1980s and the man wrongfully imprisoned for that murder.  The conviction relied on the testimony from Paul Skalnik, an inmate, conman, and pedophile who received deals for snitching.  

The book was so well researched and documented, first giving us the history of Paul's exploits before delving into the story of the convicted man, James Dailey.  How incredibly sad that the legal system has allowed this man to linger in jail on death row for decades based on the false story from a conman, who was freed to continue his crimes over and over again.  The author's account of this travesty of justice is gripping and compelling.  So many people in this book should be so ashamed of themselves for allowing this mistreatment.  I pray that it gets the word out to someone who can possibly allow this man to live his remaining few years in freedom.  Highly recommended.

7.16.2026 - The Romance Revival

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest romance novel by the writing duo known as Christina Lauren.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Emery and Luca have been married for 3 years.  He's the love of her life, but he would never know it.  Her top-secret job consumes her, and she keeps waiting for things to calm down.  Which they never do.  Until an accident takes Luca from her, and she'll break all the rules to bring him back.

As you would expect from this duo, this was a sweet romance that will have you thinking about how much you take people in your life for granted.  What you might not expect is the medical/science plot line, but I loved it.  This is not a rom com, and has a mystery involved that I certainly didn't guess right about.  I liked that the story is told from both the POV of Emery and Luca, giving us access to their private thoughts.  Wonderful second chance romance novel - with a twist!

7.15.2026 - Perfect Life

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine | Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by the writing duo of Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Este Walker didn’t move to Winter Park, Florida, to make friends. Five years ago, she ghosted her life in California to reinvent herself among the lakefront estates of Florida’s elite.  Now, her husband Beau and her best friend Nora are the only company she needs.  But Este's secrets are catching up with her, and Beau may be keeping secrets of his own.  Then a mysterious death causes Este to go into investigation mode.

I read and enjoyed the first book in the Winter Park series, Happy Wife, which centered on Nora.  While I would recommend reading that one just for the back story, it's not necessary to enjoy this one fully.  Told from two different timelines and full of interesting characters in an atmosphere where everyone has a few skeletons in their closet, the twists and turns in this book will keep you flipping the pages.  I'm always up for a good domestic suspense because who knows what all those neighbors are getting up to in their so-called perfect lives, so here's hoping for another book in this series!

7.14.2026 - This Changes Everything

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by one of my long-time favorites, Lisa Scottoline.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Julia' rushes from Tuscany back to Pennsylvania when she learns that the grandmother of her best friend, Courtney, has been murdered.  Julia hasn't had any psychic abilities since she got married and had her daughter, but during a phone call with Courtney, she has a premonition.  Despite all the turmoil back home, she is adamant that she must try to help Courtney find the murderer.

This is a sequel to The Unraveling of Julia, and I loved it.  I used to say that I would read a shopping list if Lisa Scottoline wrote it, and that still holds true.  While I'm probably more partial to her legal thrillers, she has proven that she can write wonderful books in just about any genre.  These books have a supernatural element, but still have the tense atmosphere of her normal thrillers.  Plus, this one is ripped out of today's headlines, and there are so many secrets in this small town.  Long time readers will appreciate getting reacquainted with Bennie Rosato and Mary.  Dare we hope for another book featuring Julia? 

7.14.2026 - Country People

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Daniel Mason, this month's Good Morning America Book Club Pick.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Kate and Miles move with their two children, Olive and Wesley, from California to rural Vermont, where Kate has received a one-year visiting professorship position at a small college.  Miles has been working on his PhD dissertation for years, with no paying job to his name.  The culture shock from organic liberal California to the country is big, but the family and their dog, Giuseppe, enjoy exploring their new world.  In fact, Miles gets involved with a group searching for a mythical world below ours as well.

This is not always an easy read, and there's no real extreme plot.  But I liked the immersion into the every day of their lives into their new world, because it's the every day that makes up our lives.  The intermittent transcripts of radio calls added satire and humor into the sometimes difficult topics of Russian folktales and literature.  What sold me was the family and community bonds, and I closed the book with a smile on my face.

7.13.2026 - By the River's Edge

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest true crime novel by Gregg Olsen.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

In 1990 in Washington state, three women's bodies were found on the banks of the Spokane River. They were part of a close-knit alliance of sex workers whose oath to protect each other was, in the end, hopeless. For twenty-two years their brutal murders went unsolved.  In 2012, a DNA cold hit pointed to Douglas Perry.  A repeat offender, he was currently incarcerated in Texas.  But there was a twist - the facility was for female prisoners.  The man they were hunting was now a woman.

I will always read anything Gregg Olsen writes - and I've read a lot of his books.  The subject matter is always meticulously researched and, especially important in this book, sensitively written.  The story of the nation's first transgender serial killer is a wild one, and it is most definitely sad.  It showcases how mental illness, addiction, and poverty cause so many to live on the fringes of society, always in harm's way, and how evil people exploit that.  The true heroes of the story were the law enforcement officers who were diligent about keeping the women's names and stories in the forefront for decades, wanting to bring some semblance of peace to their families.