9.30.2025 - The October Film Haunt

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this horror novel by Michael Wehunt, with the audiobook narrated by Tim Lounibos and Zura Johnson.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars!

Ten years ago, Jorie Stroud was the rising star of the October Film Haunt – a trio of horror enthusiasts who camped out at the filming locations of their favorite scary movies, sharing their love through their popular blog. But after a night in the graveyard from Proof of Demons – perhaps the most chilling cult film ever made, directed by the enigmatic Hélène Enriquez – everything unraveled.  Now, Jorie has built an isolated life with her young son in Vermont. In the devastating wake of her viral, truth-stretching Proof of Demons blog entry — hysteria, internet backlash, and the death of a young woman — Jorie has put it all, along with her intense love for the horror genre, behind her.  Until a videotape arrives in the mail. Jorie fears someone might be filming her. And the “Rickies” – Enriquez obsessives who would do anything for the reclusive director – begin to cross lines in shocking ways. It seems Hélène Enriquez is making a new kind of sequel…and Jorie is her final girl.

This book and audiobook should have checked all the boxes for me to be a 5 star read.  I love a creepy read, especially at this time of the year when Halloween decorations are all around.  Add to that discussions of cult movies, obsessive fans, and a scary atmosphere and it should have been a total hit.  I did love the audiobook narration - complete with sound effects and the use of other media - but the story itself just fell a bit short of my expectations.   While it was tense and I was trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't, I wasn't completely engaged throughout.  Be sure to check out all the more positive reviews though!

9.28.2025 - Everyone A Stranger

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of this historical suspense novel by Kevin O'Brien.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

In Washington DC in 1943, Virginia Abrams was still dealing with the death of her husband at Guadalcanal, when she is raped by a powerful man in DC.  She discovers she's pregnant, and fearing for her life she settles in Seattle under a new identify.  She meets her neighbors and the next day one of them dies suddenly in a fall at the apartment complex, leaving her young son devastated and wanting answers.  There are lots of secrets between the other residents too, and Tim is convinced that some of them have ill intents.  No one can be trusted.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I'm anxious to read more, because once I started this one, I had to put life aside and finish it.  I loved that there was a strong woman character and although it takes place in war times, it takes place on US soil.  Virginia is a great character - she's so anxious to keep her true identify a secret, but can't help caring for the residents around her.  So many good supporting characters as well - I got emotionally involved with everyone.  It was sharp, tense, and atmospheric.  Add this to your TBR right away!

9.28.2025 - Guilty by Definition

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Tantor Audio for gifting me a digital and audio ARC of the fiction debut by Susie Dent, with the audiobook narrated by Louise Brealey, with an interview with Susie Dent and Jack Edwards.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Martha has returned to Oxford after a decade abroad and is working as a senior editor at the Clarendon English Dictionary.  Postcards start arriving anonymously in a coded format, but apparently linking to Martha's older sister, Charlie, who has been missing for years.  Martha and her team begin investigating the clues, but it appears that someone wants these secrets to remain that way, so the team must crack the code before it's too late.

Susie Dent is an etymologist and UK TV show word expert, so she was the perfect person to write this story about words, their history and impact, and the puzzles within.  I think all readers will appreciate the discussion of words and books, as well as how words make their way into dictionaries.  The mystery itself was so interesting, all wound up in Martha's feelings about her missing sister.  Great characters and writing; it was all very clever and the audiobook narration was wonderful.  A great debut and apparently the first in a new series, so I'm excited for what comes next!

9.27.2025 - What Stalks the Deep

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest in the Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Avi Roque.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Alex Easton does not want to visit America, and especially not to visit an abandoned mind in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.  But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin, Oscar, who went missing in that very mine and, well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do..

What a fun, creepy series this is and this one especially seemed to hit home with me.  We see Alex so out of their element by visiting America, and is uncomfortable with the culture and language, let alone having to go into a dark, creepy mine.  The best part of these books is the wonderful writing of T. Kingfisher, whose words are so descriptive that you can feel the cold and damp of the mine, the squishy sounds coming from the floor, and the fear of going down into the unknown.  Another great chapter in this series and it seems that there will be more to come - sign me up, please!  As with all these books, the narration just made it better!

9.26.2026 - The Irish Goodbye

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful debut novel by Heather Aimee O'Neill, perfectly narrated by Kristen Sieh.  This book was just picked as the October Read With Jenna selection!  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

It's been years since the three Ryan sisters were all home together at their family's home on Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by an accident on their brother Topher's boat.  Each of the sisters are home for Thanksgiving but are each carrying a heavy secret, as well as the grief they all share.  Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves—and one another.

What a wonderful debut - I couldn't put this one down.  If I wasn't reading, I was listening to the audiobook, beautifully narrated including a wonderful Irish brogue for the matriarch.  Anyone with siblings will immediately recognize the family drama, even if the situations are different.  I loved the messiness, the secrets, the fears, the faith, and the family of all this.  It's not a long book, but the characters felt so real and fleshed out, both individually and as a group, and I liked all of them.  This is the perfect book to read before your messy family get togethers this holiday season.  Hard to believe this is a debut and I can't wait to see what's next from this author!  

9.25.2025 - What We Can Know

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a digital ARC of Ian McEwan's ambitious new novel.  All opinions expressed in this review are mh own - 3.5 stars rounded up!

2014: A great poem is read aloud and never heard again. For generations, people speculate about its message, but no copy has yet been found.

2119: The lowlands of the UK have been submerged by rising seas. Those who survive are haunted by the richness of the world that has been lost.  Tom Metcalfe, an academic at the University of the South Downs, part of Britain’s remaining island archipelagos, pores over the archives of that distant era, captivated by the freedoms and possibilities of human life at its zenith. When he stumbles across a clue that may lead to the lost poem, a story is revealed of entangled loves and a crime that destroy his assumptions about people he thought he knew intimately well.

This is one of those books that when I close it, I feel like I wasn't smart enough to completely appreciate it.  It's beautifully written, creative, and intriguing.  But not an easy read for me.  The first half of the book took place in 2119, when the world is completely changed by climate change.  Tom is obsessed with the lost corona (was it just me that every time I read corona, I thought of the virus?) and the dystopian feel of this half was stark and dark.  The second half, taking place in 2014, was an easier read for me, and Vivien's story of her husband's Alzheimer's journey and its effects on her and her life felt completely real and personal.  There aren't any likable characters here, but this book will definitely make you think.  

9.25.2025 - 6:40 to Montreal

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Eva Jurczyk.  Al opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Agatha needs to get some serious work done on her new book. To help her, her husband bought her quiet time to concentrate: a train ticket for a six-hour ride from Toronto to Montreal. The time aboard sets the stage for a perfect writing retreat, with only a handful of other passengers, plenty of snacks and drinks, and beautiful views.  But Agatha has other plans for her day out… plans that are unexpectedly derailed when the train breaks down in the middle of the frigid Canadian woods, and one of Agatha's fellow passengers dies quietly in his seat. Soon, a pleasant morning in transit turns into a fight for survival against an unknown and unseen enemy. Will Agatha, or any of the passengers, make it out alive?

If you are an Agatha Christie fan or a fan of locked-room mysteries in general (especially those on a train!), you'll enjoy this book.  Playing out in a day, this trip goes off the rails quickly and becomes every man (or woman) for himself.  Sure, maybe you have to disband reality just a bit, but I thought this story was wonderfully written, with tense, twisty moments and reveals I didn't see coming.  I enjoyed Jurczyk's last book, That Night in the Library, and this one has me looking forward to her next!

9.24.2025 - A Killer Wedding

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut mystery by Joan O'Leary.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Christine can't believe that the iconic Gloria Beaufort, founder of the beauty empire Glo, has personally asked for her to cover her grandson's wedding for Bespoke.  Christine knows this will be a career-making event for her as well as a free trip to Ireland to stay at a castle turned 5-star hotel.  But when Gloria is found dead on the first morning, her family wants to keep it a secret so the wedding can go on.  Christina is ordered to keep things quiet, and soon realizes that in this elite world, nothing and no one is as they seem.

Well, that was fun!  If you liked Knives Out or other similar locked-room mysteries with a very dysfunctional family, open up this book and take a trip to Ireland.  There were tons of twists and turns right up to the very end, which had me gasping.  It's humorous, with all the greedy uber-wealth we love to hate on full display, and absolutely everyone is keeping secrets.  I really liked Christine (and very few others!) and liked that she didn't feel like she fit in, even though she was always trying.  Wonderful debut and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

9.23.2025 - The Killer Question

 

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

Sue and Mal Eastwood run an isolated rural pub called The Case is Altered where a weekly trivia game has revived its flagging fortunes—that is, until a body is found in the nearby river. Soon after, a mysterious new team arrives and shakes up the diverse field of regulars by scoring top marks in every round...every week.  Five years later, the pub lies derelict, and their nephew Dominic is determined to make a documentary about their story. What happened at this unassuming pub? And can a single question really kill?

Janice Hallett is the master at the epistolary novel, where the story plays out in the form of email and text messages, interviews, and lists.  I am always blown away by the depth of planning this must take and I am never able to figure out the mystery before the end.  This one had multiple storylines going on at once, but never fear, everything comes together at the explosive end.  As always with her novels, I was hooked and intrigued from the beginning to the end.  Don't miss it!

9.23.2025 - Awake

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster | Avid Reader Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this moving memoir by Jen Hatmaker.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

NY Times best-selling author and podcaster had the life that she knew blown up when she woke up in 2020 to her husband carrying on a phone conversation with another woman from their bed.  This is her story of going from a funny, popular leader to a self-described wreck, parenting alone 5 kids, and how she came out on the other side.

Apparently I have been living under a rock, and am not of the right age demographic to be very familiar with Jen's story or popularity.  But just going through life, we are all going to be faced with situations that rock our world, be it an affair, a medical diagnosis, death, etc.  There are so many passages that I highlighted in this book about taking back control of our lives.  Not everyone is going to agree with her opinions on some of the subjects she addresses, and I'm not here to discuss her opinions or mine, but this is a book that is well-written, humorous (because humor will get us through lots of those tough days), thought-provoking, and honest.

9.22.2025 - Happy Wife

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Group | Ballantine | Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores - A Read with Jenna Pick for the summer.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Nora Davies doesn't fit in to Winter Park, Florida, where everyone is older and rich.  But when she meets Will, a prominent older lawyer, divorced and father to a teenage daughter, she is finally happy and doesn't care what anyone else thinks.  But when Will disappears the morning after a birthday party Nora throws him, she becomes a suspect.  Just where is Will?

I love a good domestic suspense novel, and when you add in all that wealth and gossip, you know it's going to be a juicy read.  And it was.  I felt for Nora, with everyone suspecting the worst of her from the beginning.  She may not have always made the best of decisions, but she had a good heart.  The story went back and forth between the story of Nora and Will's start to his mysterious disappearance.  This would be the perfect beach read with umbrella drink in hand!

9.22.2025 - One of Us

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by Dan Chaon, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by the cast of John Pirhalla, Stephanie Németh-Parker, with notes read by the author.   All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

Bolt and Eleanor are twins so close that they can literally read each other’s minds.  But when their mother dies, they are forced to leave home under the care of a vicious con man who claims to be their Uncle Charlie.  They are able to escape and soon find themselves part of a traveling circus.  Bolt revels in his newfound family, but Eleanor pulls away.  But when Uncle Charlie picks up their trail, they are once again in danger.

I’ve enjoyed Chaon’s last two books (Ill Will and Sleepwalk) and this one follows with his characteristic dark humor, intriguing characters with heart, and just that extra creep factor.  I started with the digital copy but once I started the audiobook, I continued on, because the creepiness amped up with Pirhalla and Nemeth-Parker’s narration (I still shiver thinking about the uncle’s voice!).  This book delves deep into the traveling circus era, with a found family for those who don’t fit in “normal” society.  Told from multiple POV, this book is richly atmospheric and will transport you back in time and place.

9.20.2025 - The Wasp Trap

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Mark Edwards.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Six friends reunite in London to celebrate the life of their recently deceased ex-employer, a professor that brought them together in 1999 to help build a dating website based on psychological testing.  Things didn't go well and they haven't seen each other since.  But the night soon becomes a twisted and deadly game when the old friends find themselves held at gunpoint.  They must either reveal their darkest secret to the group or pick each other off one by one.

If you love a tense, locked-room mystery, The Wasp Trap is the book to read!  Told in present day time with flashbacks to 1999, we learn that in addition to a dating website, the group was also working on a test that will classify individuals as psychopaths.  Each of the group has secrets, but is it what the gunmen are looking for?  Can they keep their secrets and not threaten each other's lives?  As the clock ticks, paranoia and fear ramp up, as does the tension for the reader.  I loved the twists and turns and couldn't put this one down!

9.19.2025 - No Rest for the Wicked

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut thriller by Rachel Louise Adams.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

It's only the beginning when a local politician goes missing in Little Horton, Wisconsin.  The town is known for its Halloween celebrations as well as a history of violent deaths associated with the holiday.  Dolores fled her family and bad memories twenty years ago for a career as a forensic politician in California.  But when the FBI calls to tell her that her father is missing under mysterious circumstances, she returns home.  Her father's last words to her were - trust no one.

This is an amazing debut and the book you should read as we head into the Halloween creepy season.  There's the perfect mix of creepiness and suspense that kept building throughout the book.  Small town memories are funny things too - everyone has a different perspective, especially when family is involved.  I was never sure who I could trust and what their motives were.  Plus, there's lots of family drama to unpack here.  All I knew was that once I started this book, I was completely enthralled.  I am also really hoping that this is the start of a series, because I'm so anxious to know what happens to these characters!

9.18.2025 - Both Things Are True

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Lake Union Publishing and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by Kathleen Barber, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Amy Handelman.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up.

Vanessa is a yoga influencer living the good life in NY, until her crypto-entrepreneur fiancé ruins both their lives by fleeing the country amid fraud allegations.  Soon Vanessa finds herself flying home to Chicago to move in with her sister and try to start over.  Just as things seem to be going well, she bumps into Sam.  They met years ago and fell hard and fast - so fast that their relationship ended after an impromptu Las Vegas wedding.  Sparks still seem to fly, but the scandal from her fiancé hangs on and threatens to disrupt Sam's new venture as well.

This was mostly an enjoyable rom com, although you will find yourself screaming to Vanessa the entire time to just communicate with those around her!  This wasn't my favorite of Barber's books, but it was still a cute story.  Cleaned up a tad, it would probably fall more in the YA range.  The characters all seemed immature and there could be some real lessons learned here (again, communicate!).  The ending was nice and the audio narration was good - I ended up mostly listening to this one.

9.17.2025 - The Whisper Place

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Crime for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the Iowa Mysteries Series by Mindy Mejia.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Former police officer, Max and psychic detective, Jonah, have combined their talents into their business, Celina Investigations, concentrating on finding missing people.  When Charlie walks into their office looking for his missing girlfriend without a past or even a real name, this may be their hardest challenge yet.   Meanwhile, a woman drives across the country with all her belongings packed into a car, desperate to escape a dark past. The question posed to the fleeing woman is the same one that keeps Max and Jonah awake at night: can you ever really change your life?

This is another great series, made so not only by the intriguing stories, but by these characters.  Don't worry if you haven't read the first two, but you definitely should!  The author gives plenty of info to make this a worthy stand-alone as well.  Jonah is tortured by the dreams and visions he has, and Max is dogged in his investigations, but they have forged a strong partnership.  Darcy is on the run from her old life and finally feels like she's found home, only to have it disappear again.  Blake and Charlie are great secondary characters as is the bakery - I was hungry the whole time I was reading!  This was a twisty mystery told from these three POVs, and I couldn't put it down.  

9.16.2025 - The Family at No. 1

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Caroline Mitchell, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Laurence Dobiesz and Eilidh Beaton.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

When estate agent Laura Bradley is asked to sell number 1 Aspen Hollow, it feels like a dream come true. The house is beautiful and it's surrounded by beautiful woods.  She knows murders happened in this house, but she's convinced that she can make it someone's dream house.  But then things begin happening — graffiti painted on the walls, strange noises and threatening messages.  Someone doesn't want the house to be sold.

Told from multiple POV, including the wife who was murdered and the husband who is in prison, this is a twisty tale that will keep you guessing.  It's full of secrets, nosy neighbors, family drama - all those things that make a domestic thriller engaging and relatable.  It was suspenseful and tense because you were never quite sure what was happening and who you could trust.  Was the husband innocent?  I was rooting for Laura and her family throughout the book and loved the ending.  The audiobook narration was great and kept me glued.

9.15.2025 - Other People's Houses

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Highbridge Audio for gifting me a digital and audio ARC of the latest police procedural in the DC Morgan series by one of my favorite authors, Clare Mackintosh, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by the cast of Joe Eyre; Chloe Angharad Davies; Penelope Rawlins.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

 

Everyone wants to live on The Hill in Cheshire, but now someone is breaking and entering into these exclusive homes, one by one.  DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for someone or something in particular.  Across the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake.  Who wanted this woman dead?  As their cases intersect, they learn people will do anything to keep their secrets hidden.

 

This is a wonderful police procedural series, and it was so fun to get reacquainted with Leo and Ffion (and, of course, Dave!).  There are three mysteries to solve here, including a cold case that is the subject of a popular podcast, but Mackintosh’s writing keeps the plot moving at a breakneck speed.  But the best part of this series is the characters; I love seeing their relationship unfold even when there are so many issues.  Fabulous series and another 5-star chapter.  Loved the ending and I’m so anxious for more books to come!  The audio production was wonderful – I always appreciate a cast for all the different characters to really make the story come alive.

9.15.2025 - Saratoga ABCs

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Globe Pequot | North Country Books for gifting me this cute children's book about Saratoga Springs NY by Lauren Magina.  All opinions expressed in this book are my own - 5 stars!

I live here so I have to give this book 5 stars for its wonderful drawings and cute, simple, rhyming descriptions of this city's attractions from A - Z.  It would be a great early reader book ahead of a visit to the city, to learn its history and attractions.

9.15.2025 - The Children of the Roses

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for gifting me a digital ARC of the sequel to The War of the Roses by Warren Adler.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

After The War of the Roses, this book introduces us to the lives of their children, Josh and Evie, but picks up decades later as Josh is married to Victoria, with two children of his own, and Evie is single and struggling, selling off what's left of her parents' valuables to make ends meet.  

I recently reread the first book, followed by this sequel, before I watch the new movie based on the original book.  For the most part, these books have stood the test of time, as marital difficulties are certainly still occurring.  Some things may be a bit cringy for our current times - in this book, the focus for Evie is on her weight and food choices.  Helicopter parenting is in full force here, as the lines are drawn on just how far we will go for our children.  This was still another entertaining read, as generational trauma raises its ugly head and continues to haunt the Rose's.  

9.14.2025 - The Wrong Daughter

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for gifting me a digital and physical copy of the new book by Dandy Smith.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Sixteen years ago, Caitlin and Olivia were home alone while their parents went to a dinner party.  When their parents get home, Olivia's bed is empty and Caitlin will feel guilty forever afterwards.  But then Olivia returns along with so many questions about where she's been, what Caitlin really saw that night, and which daughter should be believed.

This twisty book will keep you guessing until the very end, with unreliable narrators and an alternating storyline featuring two characters, Elinor and Heath, who don't quite seem to fit into the story.  But be patient, because the storylines eventually come together.  It was an entertaining book and you just weren't sure who or what you could trust.  I was intrigued with both storylines and was surprised at the ending.

9.14.2025 - The War of the Roses

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Zando for gifting me a digital copy of the re-released novel by Warren Adler.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars

Jonathan and Barbara Rose are the perfect couple, living the dream in their beautiful house, filled with their precious antiques, their darling children, and their prized Ferrari in the garage.  It’s all any red-blooded American could possibly want.  But when Jonathan experiences a sudden heart attack (or so he thinks) Barbara realizes that she wants a new life, without him. There’s just one they both want the house. For husband and wife, it’s not just a it’s a passion, one that will escalate an ugly divorce into a full-blown battlefield, complete with weapons and casualties.

We all know this story from the original movie and the recently released version, as well as the fact that this title has seeped into our common vernacular to signify issues with divorce.  It's a dark comedy, filled with increasingly deadly hijinks as Jonathan and Barbara both stick to their guns about wanting the house and its possessions at all costs.  Funny if it wasn't so true, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.  I'm on to a re-release of the sequel now, The Children of the Roses.  I'll be all ready to watch the new movie then!

9.13.2025 - Ripeness

Many thanks to Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for gifting me a digital ARC of this novel by Sarah Moss.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

It is the 60s and, just out of school, Edith finds herself traveling to rural Italy. She has been sent by her mother with strict instructions: to see her sister, ballet dancer Lydia, through the final weeks of her pregnancy, help at the birth and then make a phone call which will seal this baby’s fate, and his mother’s.  Decades later, happily divorced and newly energized, Edith is living a life of contentment and comfort in Ireland. When her best friend Maebh receives a call from an American man claiming to be her brother, Maebh must decide if she will meet him, and she asks Edith for help.

Ripeness is a wonderfully written novel that will make you think about identity, family, belonging.  Told in alternate timelines, both are intriguing looks into these issues as Edith feels like an outsider in both tellings.  Definitely keeping details sparse here, because this is a book that surprised me with its shift.  This book also made me feel even stronger about those family DNA tests, as related to past atrocities.  A quiet book that will move you.

9.12.2025 - Lauryn Harper Falls Apart

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Shauna Robinson.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Lauryn Harper had a perfect plan for her life until it all fell apart.  As punishment for a misunderstanding at work, she is transferred to her company's charity branch in her Virginia hometown.  But it's really just a place to stash employees who know too much to be fired, but aren't valuable enough to be in the know any longer.  Lauryn's hometown was basically ruined by the same company, and she's horrified to be returning there as a disgraced employee. To make things worse, her best friend, Marina, still lives there and they haven't spoken in over 10 years.  So Lauryn comes up with a new plan.

This is the perfect fall book - as Lauryn and her team make preparations to bring back the beloved Apple Festival to the town, you will be thinking of all things fall (except for maybe those special apples!).  This is a feel good story about the value of friendship and community, for being able to speak up for yourself, and make changes.  I do have to admit to thinking about one of my favorite series, Slow Horses, as I envisioned this group of banished employees!  Definitely add this feel good book to your fall TBR list!

9.10.2025 - Life, and Death, and Giants

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Ron Rindo.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Gabriel Fisher was born an orphan, weighing eighteen pounds and measuring twenty-seven inches long. No one in Lakota, Wisconsin, knows what to make of him.  He continues to grow and possesses extraordinary athletic talent.   Gabriel is raised by his older brother and then by his devout Amish grandparents, who disapprove of the attention paid him and keep him as isolated as possible from the English world.  But it's hard to hide when you're almost 8 feet tall.  

This story gutted me in so many ways and I absolutely loved the experience.  Gabriel is a wonderful character but the book is told from the POV of all the important people in his life, from the veterinarian who takes him under his wing, to the local bartender, to his coach and his grandmother.  Such a unique way to tell his story, because community and family are so important to who we are, and showcases the impact each of us makes on others.  I loved the Amish perspective as well, giving this story such importance to faith and everyday miracles.  The characters are all wonderfully human and flawed, and I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.  Very highly recommended - a must read!!

9.9.2025 - A Killer Motive

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Hannah Mary McKinnon.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Stella Dixon snuck her teenaged brother out to attend a party; then he disappeared.  Six years later, their family is fractured and Stella can't let go of her guilt.  She now helps families find closure through her podcast, A Killer Motive.  Stella goes on a local radio show and is taunted by an unknown caller.  Let the cat-and-mouse games begin!

McKinnon has done it again!  This was such a twisty thriller - perfectly plotted and written to keep you engaged and wanting to read one more chapter.  Stella is a great character, even though she makes some questionable decisions, and you feel her guilt and desperation to find out what happened to her brother.  This book was so entertaining and I always like the addition of a podcast in a story.  I kept thinking I knew where it was going, but of course I was wrong.  Don't miss this one!

9.9.2025 - The Elements

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by John Boyne, with the audiobook production narrated perfectly by the cast of Anna Friel; Colin Morgan; Dane Whyte O’Hara; and Niamh Cusack.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

An epic saga that expertly weaves together four interconnected narratives, each representing a different perspective on the enabler, the accomplice, the perpetrator, and the victim and based around the elements Water, Earth, Fire, Air.  There's a mother on the run from her past, a young soccer star facing a trial, a surgeon dealing with childhood trauma, and a father on a journey with his son.  

I was blown away by this book and was totally invested in each story and each character.  The stories deal with crime and how we allow it to occur, and all the moral and ethical gray areas involved.  This book will make you think by being so realistic and uncomfortable that you can easily put yourself in the characters' positions and ponder what you would do in a similar situation.  The writing is beautiful, the stories gripping, and I have continued to think about these characters.  This is a book I will read again and the audiobook was fabulous, further immersing me into these stories.  Highly recommended!

9.8.2025 - Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Sarah McCoy.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

In 1969, twenty-three-year-old starlet Lori Lovely shocks the world by giving up her film career to take vows as a Benedictine nun.  In 19909, Lu Tibbott is trying desperately to complete her senior theses in American history, and decides to write about her Aunt Lori, now the Mother Abbess at a cloistered convent in New England.  Mother Lori has never talked about her decision, but tells Lu that if she's ready to listen, she will talk.  

This was a fascinating look at old Hollywood and its shiny pull on a young woman, and the resultant trouble that can bring.  I liked how the story played out, with dual timelines as Lori tells her story to Lu, and Lu's story of listening and recording.  It's mysterious as the reader tries to understand what would make someone leave the spotlight and just what secrets Lori is keeping.  I loved Lori's journey of peace and acceptance and the end was so emotional.  Great read!

9.6.2025 - The Dirt Beneath Our Door

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of this memoir by Pamela Jones, narrated by Carrier Brewer.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Pamela Jones grew up in a violent and misogynistic fundamentalist Mormon cult that kept her constantly pregnant and broken.  She has 61 siblings, 5 sister wives, and 9 children.  This is the story of how she escaped and became a self-made millionaire.  

I was anxious to listen to this story after watching the documentary, Daughters of the Cult, from a different branch of this same evil, violent cult.  I'm always amazed at the horrors people commit in the name of religion, and Pamela's father's brutal beatings were an example.  It's the story of being able to pull strength of character out when you've been bullied and belittled your own life.  Pamela's grit and resilience to make a new, better life for herself and her children was inspiring.

9.6.2025 - What About the Bodies

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Crime for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Ken Jaworowski.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Three people in small town Locksburg, PA.  Carla, a single mom poised to finally break free from her cycle of poverty, must risk it all, including her morality, to help her son hide a terrible secret.  Reed, an autistic young man, sets out on a journey to keep a deathbed promise to the mother he just lost.  And Liz, an aspiring musician on the cusp of a breakthrough, needs to quickly come up with the cash she owes a brutal ex-con. 

Wow - I loved this author's book Small Town Sins, also set in Locksburg, and this one is just as fabulous if not more.  He's definitely been cemented as a must-read author for me.  The author has nailed down small town America to a tee, with the desperation of the inhabitants in a location where time has moved on.  Each of these main storylines are so compelling, and I felt the angst and struggles right along with the characters.  The writing is wonderful, and the story suspenseful and taut.  I held my breath so many times just hoping for the best for these characters who are just trying to do right for those they love.  I already miss them.  Highly recommended!

9.5.2025 - Watching You

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK | Avon 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.  

9.4.2025 - Chasing Evil

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press | St Martin's Essentials for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of this non-fiction book by Retired FBI Agent Robert Hilland and psychic John Edward.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

In 1998, FBI Agent Hilland was obsessed with a cold case that he couldn't solve and had nowhere else to turn, when he kept getting pulled to call the famous psychic.  What Bob never imagined was that the call would lead to a shattering of all his preconceived notions, a huge break in the cold case, and an unlikely crime-solving partnership that spanned twenty-five years.

While this book centers on the investigation of the murders by John Smith, what fascinated me most was the struggle between good and evil in the world, as well as the discussion between science and psychic abilities.  The book says that John Edward predicted everything from 9-11 to helping to solve multiple crimes around the world - I don't have enough knowledge to refute that but it made for interesting reading.  It was also personally interesting to me because John Smith lived in the same county I used to in Ohio, and much was mentioned about the area.  This book will definitely make you think a bit differently!

9.3.2025 - All This Could Be Yours

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Hank Phillippi Ryan, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Sarah Mollo-Christensen.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Debut sensation Tessa Calloway is on a whirlwind book tour for her instant bestseller, All This Could Be Yours. In a different city every night, Tessa receives standing ovations from adoring fans while her husband Henry and their two children cheer her on from their brand-new dream house.  But Tessa soon learns that she's being stalked by someone who is intent on not only sabotaging her career, but destroying her family as well.

This was another fabulous thriller by Hank Phillippi Ryan - it was so tense and suspenseful just thinking about a stalker following your moves.  I was so anxious to find out all the secrets that I kept turning the pages long after I needed to stop.  The book goes back in time to give the reader some history into Tessa's childhood.  It was also a fascinating look into an author's life, going from solitary writing to being on the road for long stretches.  The narration was great too, and pulled me even more into the story.  Highly recommended!

9.2.2025 - The Cross

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of this novella by a favorite, Steve Cavanagh, narrated by Adam Sims.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Eddie Flynn is an ex con artist turned defense attorney, and his new firm is about to collapse.  If he loses his latest trial, it could be the end of the firm.  And this is no easy case.  The widow of a man who died in a confrontation with a police officer is seeking justice.  The victim was accused of killing a man in a robbery gone wrong.  As Flynn investigates, the corruption goes deeper and deeper.  It will all come down to his cross examination.

I'm a huge fan of the Eddie Flynn series - always an intriguing legal thriller/crime fiction story.  Eddie is just a master in court!  I missed some of the earlier books in this series, so it was interesting to me to see how it all began, when Flynn was married and just starting his new career.  Highly recommended if you love Eddie or just like a good legal thriller - the narration was perfect and the audiobook production great.

9.2.2025 - Please Don't Lie

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, MB Communications, and Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer for my ARC copies of this thriller by the collaboration of Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Two years ago, Hayley Stone lost everything - her family died in a fire and her sister overdosed, leaving her the heir to the family fortune as well as part of a media circus.  When she meets Brandon and he suggests a fresh start at his secluded mountain home in the Adironidacks, she's ready.  But the mountains hold darker secrets than she ever imagined.

First, since I live there, I loved the Adirondack setting.  Obviously it was set in a more secluded area than mine, but the descriptions of the beauty and serenity are spot on.  The atmosphere played a big part in this novel, as Hayley tries to adjust to being off the grid after living in NYC.  She must depend solely on Brandon, but things feel off and she doesn't what to believe.  The tension kept ramping up throughout the book and I just couldn't stop rooting for things to work out for Hayley.  The best part?  This is the first in a series set in Crystal River and I can't wait for more from this duo.