2.23.2026 - The Girls Before

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron Books | Pine & Cedar, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest thriller by Kate Alice Marshall, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Karissa Vacker and Ina Barron.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company.  Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape.  Audrey is a search and rescue expert who has never stopped looking for her frenemy, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers.  She stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have been kidnapped from land belong to a prominent family.  She is desperate to find out what happened to the girls before.

Told in a Below and Above format, this was a haunting book showcasing both depravity and resiliency, and the author perfectly entwines the two timelines.  It’s creepy, with characters you will be rooting for, those you’ll hate, and a dog you’ll love.  This audiobook production and narration made this book, and I would highly recommend this format!  The combination of the fabulous Karissa Vacker and Ina Barron were wonderful and also helped to differentiate the voices.  

2.23.2026 - She Thought She Was Safe

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of the latest thriller by Terri Parlato.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Reeling from her ex-husband's issues and her mom's death, Emma has the opportunity to meet her estranged father for the first time.  Alex Spencer is a wealthy, renowned author who had a brief affair with Emma's mom and then disappeared.  Alex invites her to stay at his beautiful lakeside home in Maine.  Emma is anxious for a quiet space and time to work on her own novel, but that peace is shattered when a neighbor is found dead under suspicious circumstances.  Alex's other daughter, Sunny, is not happy that Emma is on the scene either.  But Cheshire Lake seems to be harboring even more secrets and Emma wonders just who she can trust.

Parlato is a new-to-me author and this is a stand alone thriller from her that I really enjoyed.  I felt for Emma as she was so desperate for a family, yet still feeling like an outsider.  There are a lot of questionable characters and just like Emma, I didn't know who I could trust.  I liked the short chapters and there were plenty of twists, a few which caught me totally unaware!  It might have been a bit over the top at times, but it kept me glued to the pages to find out all the secrets.  I will definitely go back and read this author's backlist!

2.23.2026 - Watching You

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Helen Fields. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

A killer is active on the streets of Edinburgh, and police are getting desperate. The deaths seem unconnected but DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are related; they just have to prove it. In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving the loss of her only daughter who was being stalked, and now she feels he's after her.

Wow - what a thriller! Told with alternating chapters from the investigation and from the POV of The Watcher, the tension and suspense were high throughout the book. I liked how the characters felt real and I was emotionally involved. And that ending - mind blown! This is part of a series and I'm wanting to read the others, but it works great as a stand alone.

2.21.2026 - Nowhere Burning

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest literary horror novel by Catriona Ward, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Desperate to escape from their abusive cousin after the death of their mother, Riley and her younger brother, Oliver, run away.  Riley is intent on joining a group of teenagers living in the abandoned ruins of an infamous movie star's ranch, Nowhere.  There's a rumor that adults cannot enter Nowhere and Riley hopes that they can find a new family there.  But the Nowhere Kids may have a different idea.

When you actually really think about it, Peter Pan is kind of scary on its own.  But in Catriona Ward's skilled hands, she has made this retelling so frightening.  The story unfolds across three timelines, and at first I was confused as to how they all fit together., but never fear.  The best part of this book to me was the love Riley had for Oscar - it was so endearing in a book filled with darkness.  I alternated between the digital and audio versions, and thought the narrators really breathed life into their roles.  Sign me up for whatever Catriona Ward writes next.

2.21.2026 - Saoirse

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this beautiful book by Charleen Hurtubise, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Róisín Rankin.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

In Michigan, Sarah's childhood was defined and fear and silence.  As a teenager, she saw a chance to escape and took it.  Now, in 1999, she is an artist living on the coast of Ireland, where she is known as Saoirse.  She has a beloved partner and two daughters, and finally feels free.  But her secrets still haunt her and no one can know of what she did.  When her artwork wins an unexpected award, the spotlight on her threatens to unravel her lies.

This was a beautiful book, and the audiobook narration and production just added to that, with musical interludes and gorgeous voices.  I absolutely loved this exploration of the decisions made by a young, vulnerable girl and how they affected her entire life.  Told in alternating timelines of Sarah in the past and Saoirse in the present, it’s a testament to strong women surviving against all the odds against them.  It’s also a tribute to art, and how it can be used to work through trauma.  Heartbreakingly beautiful.  

2.21.2026 - A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful debut novel by MK Oliver.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Lalla Rook has a lot on her plate.  She needs to make sure her husband makes partner so they can afford her dream house and get her daughter into a prestigious school.  Then there's the fact that there's a dead body in her living room and friends are arriving for her son's birthday party.  And her mother-in-law!  Just what is a girl to do?

Bravo, Mr. Oliver, on a fabulous debut - I'm very anxious to see just what your devious mind will come up with next!  I love a snarky, dark, twisted female main character and Lalla was that in spades.  Of course she's unlikable but you'll be rooting her on throughout every one of her misadventures - and there are many.  The dark humor was pitch perfect and had me laughing out loud at totally inappropriate things - just so much fun!  If you're like me and love this kind of humor, this is an absolute must read!

2.20.2026 - The Society

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Karen Winn.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3 stars!

Vivian Lawrence was born into old-money Boston, but when her family fortune vanishes, so does her carefully curated life. Desperate, she turns to an old family legend about ties to the Knox and its inheritance, seeking a way into the exclusive secret society. She doesn’t expect that entry to come in the form of Peter, a Knox insider with movie star good looks and just enough roughness to his charm to make Vivian truly weak in the knees for the first time in her life.  Far from Boston’s glittering elite is newcomer Taylor Adams, a young nurse eager to leave her humble past behind. When the effortlessly glamorous Vivian lands in her ER after a suspicious fall, Taylor is instantly captivated. But then Vivian abruptly disappears without a trace, sending Taylor on a search for answers that pulls her into the Knox itself—as their new employee.  The further Taylor ventures into the Knox’s world of unimaginable wealth and dark history, the more the mystery of Vivian deepens. As Taylor will soon discover, more so than wealth or status, secrets are the society's true currency.

I was a huge fan of Winn's debut, Our Little World, and couldn't wait to read her new book.  While her debut was a 5 star read for me, for some reason, this book didn't hold my interest.  Told from both Vivian and Taylor's POV as well as from the Knox itself, over different timelines, I thought it was too long and not quite as suspenseful as I was hoping.  It seemed a bit far fetched to me that Taylor would become so obsessed with Vivian from seeing her in the hospital.  I typically enjoy secret societies and the mysteries held within, but while the writing was good, this one didn't quite make the cut.  But I'll happily read whatever Winn writes next!