2.27.2025 - Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lisa Unger.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Extreme adventurer Maverick Dillon is hosting the ultimate game of hide-and-seek.  Set on a remote island, the game quickly turns into a game of survival instead of a social media stunt.  As a storm threatens, and everyone has their secrets,  Adele is a single mother of two teenagers, desperate to win the prize money to offer them the stability they need.  But has she made a mistake coming to this island that may cost her everything?

I always look forward to Lisa Unger's books, and this was a perfect escape book.  Plus, I always enjoy an atmospheric,  locked room mystery, and this one ticked off those boxes in spades.  There's some warnings here about social media and influencers, and how blurry the lines are between gaming and the real world.  A bit implausible at times, I still was thoroughly invested to figure out everyone's secrets and just how things would end up.  Tense and full of thrills!

2.27.2025 - Back After This

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me the latest rom com by Linda Holmes.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Cecily Foster loves to make podcasts, but is worried about the company she works for and the boss who always disappoints her.  When he offers her the chance to host her own show, she's thrilled until she learns that it is about her dating life and she will be coached by an influencer, Eliza Cassidy.  The premise is that Eliza will find Cecily 20 dates, all to be recorded for the podcast.  To add to the mix, Cecily meets Will on the street while he's rescuing a dog, and they seem to have a spark, but Eliza warns her off.  

While rom-com is not usually my favorite genre, there are a few must read authors for me, and Linda Holmes is one.  She writes about characters you will care about, with sharp dialogue, and realistic settings.  Plus in this one, you'll learn a lot about the behind-the-scenes world of podcasts and audio, as well as social media.  And there's Buddy the Great Dane!  It's a good story of finding love without losing yourself.

2.26.2025 - The Strange Case of Jane O

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Karen Thompson Walker.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

A year after her child is born, Jane suffers from a series of strange episodes and seeks out a psychiatrist.  Then she goes missing, only to be found unconcious in what appears to be an episode of dissociative fugue.  She has no memory of what happened when she awakes.  As the psychiatrist delves deeper, he begins questioning everything.

Go into this one as blind as possible, so that you can explore all the magic slowly unfurling on these pages.  It's beautifully written and drew me in right away, as the pieces of the puzzle slowly fit into place.  That's what it felt like - just something slowly clicking in your mind, rather than a big in your face twist.  It's that perfect mesh of reality and speculative mystery revolving around our memory, identity and love.  A must read!

2.25.2025 - The Housemate

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Datura for gifting me a digital ARC of this mystery by Sarah Bailey.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

Three housemates.  One dead, one missing and one accused of murder.  Dubbed the Housemate Homicide, it's a mystery that has baffled Australians for almost a decade.  Olive Groves worked on the story as a junior reporter and became obsessed by the case. Now, nine years later, the missing housemate turns up dead on a remote property. Oli is once again assigned to the story, this time reluctantly paired with precocious millennial podcaster Cooper Ng.  What really happened to the housemates that night?  

This was an intriguing mystery, with the murder taking place years ago but suddenly thrust back into the present time.  I loved Cooper’s character, and he was a good contrast to Oli’s more traditional journalistic style.  Oli was an interesting character as well – she’s engaged to a wealthy man from her past whose wife was killed, leaving him to raise their twin daughters.  But is he hiding something from Oli?  

2.24.2025 - Scout Camp

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing/Citadel for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest true crime story by James Renner, this time, one that is deeply personal.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

In the summer of 1995, James Renner was a youth counselor at the largest Boy Scout camp in Ohio.  One night there, sexual violence ended with one counselor dead and another hospitalized.  What exactly happened at that camp?  

This book hit home for me, because my boys were also part of the Great Trails Council and just a couple years behind Renner's experiences with the Boy Scouts, although mine quit the organization before getting involved with the summer camps.  In fact, my grandkids (boy and girl) are now part of the Scouts organization.  I would have been appalled to know that these secret societies were happening at camp, encouraged by adults who should have had no dealings with young men.  This book is brutally honest as Renner explores how his violent upbringing and his camp experiences left scars on his soul, leaving him to battle his demons to this day.  I've been a fan of Renner's books, but appreciated his honesty and openness in sharing his personal experiences.

2.24.2025 - Something in the Walls

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this creepy tale by Daisy Pearce, wonderfully narrated by Ana Clements.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

 

Mina is a newly-certified child psychology with little experience and unable to find her path.  She meets journalist Sam Hunter at a grief support group, and he approaches her with a proposition.  Alice is a 13-year-old who supposedly is being haunted by a witch in the remote village of Banathel.   Alice feels this is an opportunity to gain experience and improve Alice’s life.  But Alice’s behavior becomes more disturbing, and the townspeople feel that she is evil and they aren’t shy about expressing it.  

 

This was such a creepy, atmospheric story and I thought the writing was hauntingly beautiful.  The narration of the book just added an additional layer.  Mina is dealing with past trauma and has some ulterior motives in connecting with Alice, as does Sam.  This is a dark and twisty tale that will have you guessing just where the evil lies.

2.23.2025 - The First Girl

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Claire McGowan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Karen Walker's first love went on to become known as The Bagman, a serial killer currently locked away for life.  Ever since, Karen has had to deal with the weight of not knowing what he was capable of and defending him.  But now, ten years later, as her book of her account of the crimes is about to be published, another young woman is abducted in similar circumstances.  It can't be The Bagman, can it?  She must return to her hometown to see if there's any chance of saving the girl.

As always with Claire McGowan's book, this was a tense thriller.  I liked the way it was written - the reader got excerpts from her book filling in the past history, plus the dialogue was such that Karen was talking to The Bagman, again giving clues to their relationship and her thoughts.  It was also a good police procedural as the hunt was on for the missing girl with even an amateur sleuth team getting in the action.  Loved the ending too!

2.20.2025 - The Nanny Share

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Emily Shiner, with the audio perfectly narrated by Ashley Rose Kaplan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Julie is the nanny for two little girls from different families in the exclusive Blackwood neighborhood.  The mothers were best friends until months ago, and now don't speak.  But when the little girls go missing on the same night, everyone is suspect.

Wow – what a twisty tale this was!  My mouth dropped quite a few times.  Everyone has secrets – everyone – and it’s suspenseful waiting to see what will happen to the missing little girls and just who is responsible.  Told from multiple POV, all of the characters fall apart in different ways when the girls go missing.  A quick read – always look forward to Emily Shiner’s books!

2.19.2025 - Famous Last Words

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Gillian McAllister.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

It's June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla's life will never be the same.  After her maternity leave, she's going to drop off Polly at nursery and return to work a a literary agent.  But when she wakes up, her husband Luke is no where to be found.  In his place, a cryptic note on the table.  Then breaking news about a hostage situation erupts and the police tell her Luke is involved, but not as a hostage.

Wow - I read a lot of thrillers but this one really grabbed me from the very beginning.  Cam's strong belief in her husband and her disbelief that he could do something like this felt palpable.  The tension kept ratcheting up as we hear from multiple POVs over a stretch of time.  Niall, the hostage negotiator, was a fabulous character as well, just trying to do the right thing no matter what.  This line from the book resonated with me throughout - "Funny how things look different depending on what you know to be true."  Enough said because I don't want to give anything away - but this is a must read if you love thrillers!

2.17.2025 - All the Captive Girls

Many thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book in the series by Linda Hurtado Bond.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

When we catch up with Tampa Bay crime reporter Mari Alvarez, she thought she had survived the worst and life would go back to normal.  But then a killer everyone thought was dead contacts her and starts a cat-and-mouse game where a loss will mean the end of everything she loves.  

I have enjoyed this series, made more realistic by the fact that Linda Hurtado Bond is a crime reporter.  This was a tense thriller where you didn't know who you could trust or what was going to happen around the next corner.  I felt for Mari as she was in a no win situation, plus I was anxious to see if the relationship between her and Tony, a police officer, would solidify.  What added so much to this story was the possibility of what AI could do and how you couldn't trust pictures or videos.  A scary premise made more so by its reality.  I'd like to hope there are more books to come, but this was a great series.

2.11.2025 - Blood Ties

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me both a physical and digital ARC of Jo Nesbo's latest thriller.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Brothers Carl and Roy Opgard have killed their way to the top in their small town of Os.  Carl runs the fancy spa hotel and Roy has big plans for an amusement park.  But the sheriff seems to be closing in on them and feels he has new evidence in past murders.  The brothers are used to covering their tracks, but they won't go down without a fight.

I'm a huge Nesbo fan, especially of his Harry Hole books, but somehow I missed the first book in this series.  Didn't matter - this book definitely stands on its own and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it's filled with unlikeable characters.   It's also full of action and suspense, with family loyalty on the line, bringing up the question of just how far people will go to protect their secrets and maintain their power.  Plenty of twists and turns, and Nesbo is fabulous at bringing to life the atmosphere of these small Norwegian towns.  .  

2.10.2025 - Nothing Ever Happens Here

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Publishing Graydon House, Harlequin Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Serephina Nova Glass, narrated by the wonderful cast of Brittany Pressley, Stacey Glemboski, and Petrea Burchard.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Nothing ever happens in a small Minnesota town - until it does.  After surviving an attack where the perpetrator was never found, Shelby Dawson has tried to move on.  But an anonymous note on her windshield with the same words that her attacker used, Shelby is terrified.  Meanwhile, a group of senior citizens in the home that Shelby manages decides to investigate on their own.  Shelby's friend, Mackenzie, is also reeling because her husband disappeared the night Shelby was attacked and hasn't been seen since.  

Told from multiple POV, this is a fun thriller.  You may have to suspend reality a bit, but it's worth it!  I loved the group of senior citizens - from the one who has a not-so-secret podcast to their banding together to investigate the crimes around them.  They added humor and personality to this mystery, for sure.  There are quite a few characters and the plot is a bit on the slower side, but I was anxious to see how it would all play out.  Plus, the Minnesota weather and small town feel made this an atmospheric read.  I thought the cast narration was spot on, and I quickly switched to listening to the audio.  

2.10.2025 - The Bookstore Keepers

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novella in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories series by the wonderful Alice Hoffman, with the audio perfectly narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

We once again meet the Gibson sisters as they are running the bookstore on Brinkley's Island in Maine.  I love this series and have so enjoyed each short story as we see the sisters through different phases of their lives, capturing all the ups and downs of both romantic love and mother-daughter relationships.  These stories are heartfelt, relatable, touching.  Start at the beginning to get the full impact of this wonderful series - I can't wait for more to come!

2.9.2025 - Three Days in June

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by a favorite, Anne Tyler.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Gail Baines is having a bad day.   She has problems at work, her only daughter, Debbie, is getting married and Gail is feeling left out, and her ex-husband, Max, shows up at her house unannounced with a cat.  

As the title states, this story takes place over three days - the day before the wedding, the wedding day, and the day after.  In between, we are privy to the backstory of Gail and Max's marriage and divorce.  This was the perfect book for me right now - and I love when that happens!  Because my son is getting married in a few days and our issues would rival these fictional ones.  Anne Tyler is always marvelous at human feelings, with stories that highlight the good and bad parts of life and relationships, with relatability, sensitivity, and humor.  I couldn't put this one down and loved every word.  Very highly recommended!

2.8.2025 - Isola

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Dial Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Allegra Goodman, this month's Reese's Book Club pick.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Marguerite is a 16th century French noblewoman, orphaned as an adult and put under the guardianship of Roberval, who has only his interests at heart.  Marguerite believes that her home and riches will eventually be turned back to her once she is married off at the age of 15.  But Roberval decides to rent out her home and forces her to join him on a trip to New France (Canada).  She takes along her nurse, Damienne, but must leave behind her best friend and teacher.  On the voyage, Marguerite befriends Roberval's servant, Auguste, and they soon begin a relationship.  When they are discovered, Roberval leaves them alone on a small, uninhabited island.  

I would never think that a novel set in the 16th century could be so gripping, but this one sure was.  It's based on a true character, lending even more emotion to the events that Marguerite endures to survive.  It's a coming-of-age story of a privileged child that turns into a tale of courage, the will to survive, and faith in the darkest of times.  A must read for historical fiction fans!!

2.8.2025 - We All Live Here

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Pamela Dorman Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Jojo Moyes.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Lila has a lot going on.  Her ex-husband is having a baby with the woman he left her for and she has to see her every day at school pickup.  Her mother passed away and her stepfather has basically moved in with her and her two daughters, in a house that is becoming a money pit.  She has writer's block for her new book, and then her biological dad turns back up.  

As with all Moyes' books, this one will tug at your heartstrings.  I love a good family drama and this book's many characters and their emotions felt real and relatable,  These characters are dealing with a lot - grief, loss, uncertainty - but there are so many lighthearted, humorous moments along the way.  It explores real family - those related to us and not - with all the ups and downs involved.  I was always anxious to get back to this family and I already miss these characters, especially Gene who was such a hoot and was trying so hard to be better.  A must read!

2.4.2025 - A Long Time Gone

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the Ben Packard series by Joshua Moehling.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Ben Packard was just a boy when his older brother, Nick, disappeared. Ben watched him walk out the back door of their grandparents' house and he was never seen again.  Decades later, Deputy Packard finally has some new information that may lead them to the location of Nick's body and provide some closure for their family.  When Ben and his mom visit his grandparents' house, he comes across another dead body.  Is there a connection?  

This is one of my favorite series - just wonderful characters in a sharp police procedural.  If you haven't read the first two, you definitely should, but this would stand alone on its own merit as well.  Both mysteries are gripping and tense, and kept me guessing, but it's the characters that really shine.  I loved Ben's mother and she added some comic relief to the suspense.  I also appreciate that nothing is over the top graphic.  The author juggles both mysteries, family dynamics, a small town Minnesota setting, and I couldn't look away.  I can't wait for the next book in this series - highly recommended!

2.3.2025 - Lies and Other Love Languages

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of this novel by Sonali Dev.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Advice columnist Vandy Guru built her career teaching others how to live honestly and courageously, but after the loss of her beloved husband, Vandy’s public veneer can barely conceal her grief. When her beloved daughter Mallika suddenly disappears, Vandy feels like everything is slipping out of her control..  Mallika dreams of being a choreographer, but is not willing to sacrifice on the type of dance she wants to do.  Vandy's best childhood friend, Rani, once sacrificed everything for Vandy, but knows she must confront their history.

I'm a fan of Dev's novels and after finishing and loving her latest, There's Something About Mira, realized that I have let this one languish on my TBR pile.  While I enjoyed the story and was anxious to uncover all the secrets between these three women, I wasn't quite as invested as I usually am with her books.  While the writing is still wonderful and immersive in Indian culture, I didn't feel the same connection to the characters as I usually do.  I liked how the story changed timelines and perspectives to better understand the characters' actions.

2.3.2025 - A Killing Cold

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of this wonderful book by Kate Alice Marshall, gorgeously narrated by the wonderful Karissa Vacker.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

Theo is newly engaged to Connor after a whirlwind romance.  Connor is wealthy, a member of the powerful Dalton family, and he brings Theo to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to meet his family for the first time.  Theo’s past is a big unknown, which the Dalton’s are not happy about.  While at Idlewood, she starts getting messages, seeing footsteps in the snow around their cabin, and a strange feeling about the place.  Some people will do anything to protect their secrets.

 

What a fabulous story and even better audiobook, with the perfect combination of author and narrator.  This is a tense thriller filled with family drama.  Just what lengths will people go to to protect their family secrets?  And there are so many secrets to uncover, from Theo’s past to just what happened at the retreat all those years ago.  The setting was perfect – isolated and snowy, making for a perfect locked-room mystery with no shortage of questionable characters and motives.  I really liked how everything came together at the end – don’t miss this one!

2.3.2025 - The Mother Next Door

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this chilling true crime book by Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber, with the audiobook narrated by the authors.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Munchausen by proxy has fascinated and horrified both professionals and the general public since this disturbing form of child abuse was first identified.  But widespread misinformation still swirls around these cases, because who could believe that a parent (especially a mother) would intentionally harm their child?

This is such a disturbing subject, but this book tackled it as sensitively as possible, from the viewpoints of a novelist whose own family experienced MBP and a detective who has worked on more medical child abuse cases than anyone in the country.   With most cases where mental illness and crime intersect, it's difficult for the public, medical professionals, and the justice system to understand and treat these perpetrators, but this book should open eyes to the fact that these cases aren't a rarity and something must be done to protect the innocent children.  It was an in-depth look into 3 cases as well as the author's own family connection, and it was heartbreaking.  I liked the fact that the authors narrated the book, making it feel even more personal.  Hopefully this book shines more light on this very dark issue.

2.1.2025 - There's Something About Mira

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Sonali Dev.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Mira Salvi's life is going according to plan - she loves her job, she has a fiancé that her family adores, even though as a busy surgeon he can't accompany her on their engagement trip to NYC.  Mira is anxious to enjoy her time as a tourist in the city.  A chance fall leads to her discovering a beautiful ring on a chain, which she thinks is so romantic.  Desperate to reunite the ring with its owner, she posts on social media and it goes viral.  Only one other person seems to be as anxious as she is - journalist Krish Hale. They reluctantly join forces to trace the ring back to its rightful owner.

Best not go into this book thinking that it's going to be a rom com.  While there are sweet and humorous moments, this is a wonderful book about trauma, forbidden love, standing up for yourself, and magical coincidences.  The characters are so great - I could easily picture them in my mind.  Mira was conditioned to be the peacemaker in her family and to hide away anything that wasn't perfect, and it was fabulous to go along her journey of self-discovery.  Krish was another tortured soul, but was such a kind and caring man.  It's emotional and I loved the ending.  Grab this one for sure!